Busy, busy, busy...

Busy, busy, busy...

Things are moving a long here at the Commons at a fast pace. Things are going great, new families are checking us out, and we are seeing more and more lives being impacted. I do apologize for not updating sooner, it has definitely been one of those busy weeks. One thing I am learning is to prioritize my time and my life.

The Commons::..

This week we announced to our Wednesday Bible Study that in the near future we will be changing the look (which is a great thing). Since the Commons began, Wednesday nights consisted of people meeting at Tim's house for food, community, and a bible study. Over the course of months, this bible study grew leaps and bounds. This presented a challenge..., we have no more room to house all the people coming the the bible study. So as leadership, we felt that it was time to look for the best way of reconstructing this in a way to meet the needs of our people and to still hold to our vision for community and spiritual growth. We all agreed that having new small groups over the area is the best for the Commons and for our people. So please keep us in prayer as we iron out the details.

Students::..

The student ministry is going great. I feel that through building relationships I am making more and more headway in to their lives. God is definitely molding me in to how to reach these students here in Seattle. Relationships is the biggest key in ministering to students. The majority of the events I am planning for the students now have the element of "intentional" relationship building. I will say out of 10 years of serving in student ministries, this is the most challenging and rewarding. One of the coolest privileges I have had is handing my students their very own Bible. This moment alone is so overwhelming at times because most of them have never owned a Bible.

On a cool note concerning future vision, I am seeing God a passion in me for reaching and meeting the needs for families of my students. Call it family ministry or whatever, I have a desire to impact my student's family as well. So who knows where that will go, but I'm stoked.

Personal Change::..

On a personal level, God is teaching me how His love works and where it takes you and how it impacts others. I spent a majority of my Christian life explaining to people why they shouldn't "do this or do that", which is not necessarily bad if a person is just being stubborn or rebellious. I am just not sure if I really taught others how to truly love like Jesus. I think the real impact is loving people with the Love of Christ. I am not suggesting "o.k.'ing" peoples sin, but I am saying that God's Love throttles you forward beyond the "extremities and the muck" to the core of the person where you can impact them and introduce them to who Jesus is and the life He brings. It definitely takes us out of our comfort zone, but then again "FAITH and LOVE" tend to do that (or so I have experienced).

C.S. Lewis said, " To love is to be vulnerable."

I think this is so true when it comes to community, ministry, and just being a follower of Christ. To truly love others with the Love of Christ doesn't mean trying to "fix" them, it means showing them the most valuable treasure in this world...Jesus. Through Him, He does the changing, growing, & "fixin". Sorry, I feel like I'm about to get on a soap box. :)

Men's Retreat::..

I am totally pumped about the 1st annual Commons Men's retreat. I have been given the responsibility of setting this up. I am pumped and things are coming together. I think the biggest thing I am pumped about is that it is a time of "guys...to be....guys". It will be an over night retreat, but I really feel that it will be a catalyst for the guys in the Commons. My prayer is that the guys grow closer together, but furthermore they begin to spark that "leadership" element that is in every man. So I am definitely excited!

Prayer & Possibilities::..

A passion of mine is to connect other believers from the South to this area. Whether it is through a mission trip, a family mission trip, finances, prayer, or __________(fill in the blank). I have been praying that God will open up a door for me to rent a house. The reason I am praying for a house is twofold:

1) to use it totally for the Commons & the Student Ministry.

2) to provide a free place for someone to stay as they do missions here.

In saying this, I recently was presented with a house to rent that is with in a reasonable price. In renting this house, I would be sharing the rent with Matt Giles (friend/former student I discipled in Gardendale) who moved up here to serve as well. Splitting the rent would be cheaper than trying to rent an apartment. So in saying all this, the renter offered to lower their renting price by $500 a month (to get it in our range) because she likes what we are trying to do in this community. I ask myself, "God...is this from you?" Please keep me in prayer on this. The house would be perfect, but the catch is we are still looking for part-time jobs and raising money. I would hate to get in there and move out in a few months. So who knows...I am just being transparent at this point on this potential opportunity.

Thank you for keeping the Commons and I in your prayers. Thank you so much for you encourage, support, financial support, and love. Truly WE (You and I) are impacting this community, region, and nation through our love for Jesus and others. Please take me up on my invitation, I would love for you to come visit and experience what the Commons is doing. Let's change the world by impacting our nation with the Love of Christ.

Love and miss you all,

Cham

cham.i.am@gmail.com

P.S. - Be looking for the March E-Newsletter to hit your inbox the first week of March. It will have more specific info, stories, & news than this blog. If you would like to sign-up for this letter, please e-mail me at cham.i.am@gmail.com.

All in a days work...

Rockin' it at the Commons....

     Being a part of The Commons has opened me up to new chapters of my life. The picture to the right was taken on a Friday morning. A group of moms met downstairs in the Corbin home for a parenting bible study, while we (Me, Kathy, & eventually Giles) were upstairs watching over their kids. I found myself entertaining the kids by getting into a life-size Barbie play house and playing my guitar to the tune of silly made up songs. Normally on a Friday morning, I am not coherent enough to think, much less to be entertaining. The kids apparently enjoyed it, though I can't sing at all. This though has built my faith in such subtle ways. I learn more and more that it is not about me. My job that morning wasn't to "baby sit" in preschool. It was to serve in the two different capacities. 

1) To allow a mom to be a part of a 2 hour bible study on parenting without having to worry about their child or finding a daycare. They are also getting the incredible ability to connect with ladies/moms in the Commons.

2) To provide a fun atmosphere to the "future generations" of the church. 

I am very willing to put my pride, dignity, and self to the side to provide an opportunity for others to experience God. To say the least, jamming out with some made up songs in a play house while having toys thrown at you was an incredible God-moment.

     The Common's on Sundays...

God continues to bless us at the Commons. We are seeing more and more new families and people on Sunday Mornings and Wednesday nights. It seems that God is beginning to build us more and more as a church. There are so many stories of how God has used the Commons to save marriages, lives, and help grow and connect people. It is vary overwhelming. It makes what we do to make it happen worth while. I am very pumped to see the future of the Commons here.

    Move to tears...

I recently had the opportunity that not many people (I believe) get to experience, especially in the South. I had the privilege to watch one of my students crack open their own Bible for the first time in their entire life! Let me rephrase this, this person HAS NEVER OWNED, READ, OR CRACKED OPEN A BIBLE IN THEIR LIFE. I bought this person a Bible and watched them crack it open for the first time. This is stuff you hear about only in foreign mission stories in the Yucatan (or a jungle country of your choice), but could it happen in the US? YES! YES! & YES!!!! When I say unchurched, I mean it. This gave me a fresh perspective on what God is doing up here in the Pacific Northwest. I love what I do, and wouldn't change it for the world. My prayer is that God will use me to the fullest.

    Please keep me in prayer...

I am in the works of planning the next few months for the Student Ministry. I want God to plan this out & not Cham. I can come up with "stuff", but I want it to be legit from God (if that makes sense). I want what I do and plan to have purpose. In the midst of this, I am still raising money, looking for a place to call "home", and looking for part-time work (preferably in graphics). Things are good though. I have learned that the faith that God truly calls us to normally places us in a place of uncertainty, vulnerability, & dependance. It makes us depend solely on Him (sarcasm: imagine that!). It draws us closer and closer.

     Thanks you...

Thank you so much for your love and support. I have sent out the first e-letter this month via e-mail. If you haven't received it and would like to be on the list, please e-mail at cham.i.am@gmail.com and request to be added. For all other info, you can e-mail me or check out the info on the right side of this page. 

Much love,

Cham

Light in dark world....

Light in a dark area....
Let me suggest that you need to come and visit Seattle. The people are incredible! The view is awesome! The weather is not always 200% chance of rain. The heartbreaking and awakening fact is that it is spiritually dark. I am not suggesting it is a bad place, but I am pointing out the fact that is is dark...there is an absence of God's light.
The interesting and scary thing is that our Enemy has his on messengers, resources, and false light of hope. I have observed him at work in many interesting ways. John 10:10 speaks of him trying to kill, steal, and destroy, but I am reminded in Romans 16:20 that the "Peace of God will CRUSH satan. " He is definitely at work to distract many from the Love of Christ and knowing and experience the life He gives. I think the awesome thing is seeing how God's light shines more and more through The Commons and through the people of the Commons in the community. More and more lives are being changed through the power of Jesus and His Love that is pouring out through us.
I am in the midst of finishing out the full transition of becoming a Washingtonian. I am praying that God will guide me to the right home/apartment to rent. My prayer that it will be used in a multi-purpose way for ministry and connecting people to this area. The housing market is a little crazy, but I really feel that God has the right house to rent for a few years.
I am in the works for planning the foundations of the student ministry. God spoke to me a lot this morning as I went for a jog. It was a much needed spark. I hate jogging, but if God is willing to run with me then I will do it daily.

A cool thought that came to me the other day. I realized that for some of my students here, I was the first person to every share the gospel with them. I'm not sure if that is an eye-opener for you, but it was to me. I know being a "southern" in the bible belt that was kind of a weird thought because most people in the South have stepped foot in a church and has heard the Message of Jesus at least once or twice. In the Northwest, there are a lot of "first times" when it comes to sharing the Love of Christ and His message.

All in all, things are going well. I am still trying to catch up with everybody who has called, e-mailed, and such. I am about to send out the first Newsletter to all. It will be more detailed than this blog. My plan for the blog is to move to more of a "2-3 time a week" update. I want all of you to be in the midst of a church plant here in the Northwest.
Also, please keep me in your prayers as far as provision. My goal for financial support for this year is $50,000. This covers salary, insurance, car, & living. The cost of living is high here, but God is good and has provided so far. If you would like to help support, check out the right column for more details.
I love and miss you all. Thank you so much for supporting me, but even more important being a part of God's big plan here in the Northwest.

Much Love!
Cham