The Search for Significance

The reason most people, and sadly most Christians are constantly searching for significance is that significance can only be found in One thing, One person... that being Jesus Christ. And TRUE significance (the kind we all want and desire but often times search for it in the wrong places) goes beyond knowing Jesus as Lord and Savior… If one is to truly know significance, one must be on a constant course to fulfill the Great Commission, because to know Christ is to share Christ. Otherwise, one must simply wonder if the person who claims to know Christ truly understands Who Jesus is and what He has done for them.  PCW

A letter to those who attended Living Bridge Community Church

On September 27th of 2009, 192 people gathered together at the Pine Richland Youth Center for what was the first official Sunday morning worship service for Living Bridge Community Church in Gibsonia Pennsylvania.  The church was actually birthed out of a small group that began meeting in early July on Wednesday evenings in homes and parks around the Gibsonia area.  By the time we launched we had some 50-60 committed attendees.

Let me just say that the purpose of this letter is not to rehash what went right or what went wrong over the 3 years that I led the church as it's founding pastor.  We had many awesome moments along the way, and we had many not so awesome moments along the way.  If you were a part LBCC there is no way you came away from being a part of it without learning something about yourself, church life, what is needed to plant a church, what isn't needed to plant a church, and probably several other life lessons you maybe did and maybe didn't want to learn. To be honest, there is not a week that goes by that I don't think, "What could I have done differently?", "What could I have done better?", "What should I have done more of?", "What should I have done less of?" and so on...

Believe me, hind sight is 20/20 and I know I was far from the perfect pastor! If I had it to do over again, knowing what I know now, you better believe I would do a lot of things differently.  Then again, there are many things that I wouldn't change at all.  Truth be told, none of us really knew much about planting a church; we just knew that we wanted to see a Christ-centered church arise in the Gibsonia area and many people gave thankless time and effort to try and make it happen.

Let me also say that I would never trade the days spent as pastor of Living Bridge for anything.  God taught me so much, and He has allowed me to grow so much stronger in my faith because of those days spent trying to raise up His church called Living Bridge.  And as I get older I've learned that more often than not, life's greatest lessons come not on the mountain tops, but in the valley's; not in our times of greatest victory , but oftentimes in times of difficulty and even through our failures.

Leaving the church my wife, my family, and so many others had poured their life into was one of the hardest things I've ever done.  There is not a week that goes by that I do not think about the time spent with the body of believer's at LBCC... There is not a week that goes by that I don't pray for the people who attended LBCC and ask God's favor to be upon their lives.  I keep the poster hanging in my office that many of our members signed before I left LB as a constant reminder of the privledge God allowed me, even if only for a short time, to lead His church (His people) called Living Bridge.

I cannot go back and change the past, and truth be told I truly believe that God ordained everything to happen just as it did.  As I prepare to face my now 6th neck surgery I realize I could never have been able to keep up the pace that would have been needed from me in order to lead this infant church into it's growing years to come.  I also realize that God brought me here to Tullahoma to grow spiritually and mentally as a pastor, father, and ultimately a man of God.  He brought me here to help me in my journey of physical healing through the skilled surgeons here in Nashville. And He brought me here to serve Him in music, worship, and senior adults at a place where others have been able to step in and take over for me during my times of physical handicap and the needed healing processes.

Unfortunately, many never truly understood why God led me away from LBCC and still do not to this day.  Many became angry with me for leaving of which I can fully understand, but none-the-less saddens me to think about.

I could write so much more but I want to leave you with this...

Know that I still love you all and pray for you daily.  I miss you and am sorry that things did not work out like we had all prayed and hoped they would.  Thank you so much for all your hard work, dedication, and commitment to God's church called Living Bridge.  One thing I do know and that brings my heart much joy is that lives were changed and people were saved!  And if it was only just one, the angels were rejoicing none the less!  However, it wasn't just one, many came to know  Christ through the ministry of Living Bridge!  God did have a purpose and He did work in spite of what we may deem as a failed church plant. God didn't see it as that... He saw it as a church for such a time and a place that was September 27, 2009 through December of 2012 when LBCC unfortunately closed it's doors some six months after I had left.

Here's the thing though... What I told you then is still true today... YOU are the CHURCH so BE the CHURCH! Keep on pressing on and keep looking up! God still has a plan for your life and desires to do many great and wonderful things through you!

I love you all with the love of Christ and would love to hear from you!  Please feel free to pass this along to anyone who I may not be connected to that attended LB. God bless you my friends!

Be the Church!

Pastor Christian Watts

Why Sing in the Church Choir?

Throughout scripture we are called to “Sing and make music to the Lord”, and for centuries the church choir has not only played a huge part in our congregations doing this, the choir has oftentimes been a driving force and encouragement to the congregation by its very example.

Unfortunately, there are a growing number of churches and people who do not see the choir as a vital part of our corporate worship as it has been in years past.  This is certainly unfortunate. However, I for one believe the choir is just as vital, if not more vital for the church in the years to come as it was in years past.  Why?  Glad you asked!  For one, there are few places a person can serve that is more visible than the church choir.  Think about what it demonstrates to our children, youth, families, and fellow church members when we, week in and week out, stand together with fellow brothers and sisters and give testimony and praise unto our Lord.  Secondly, I see the choir as an assembly of worship leaders.  It’s one thing when one or a few persons get up and try to encourage the congregation to “sing and make music to the Lord”, but when 30, 40, or even 50 people stand up and sing God’s praise as one voice… Well, it encourages others to engage all the more! Finally, people need to see the church unified, and there is no place that has the potential on a weekly basis to exhibit this more than the church choir!

Some things to think about for sure!

PCW

An Open Letter to Pastors and Church Leaders

Greetings Pastors and Church Leaders,

As you know, there is so much going on in our world and culture that needs our prayers today and every day.  I encourage you to continue to lift up the things that disturb us to the Lord, knowing that He will prove faithful in the end.

The reason I am writing this today is that I believe God has been speaking to me and has asked me to share what He has laid on my heart and mind with you.  So here goes…

One thing that God continues to ask of me is, “What are you doing to minister to those in and around our community?” And within this larger question comes smaller but just as important questions such as…

• How many people have I personally led to the Lord in the past year?
• How many people outside of our walls have I shared the gospel with in the past year?
• How many people outside of our walls have I served in Christ name in the past year?
• What am I doing each and every day that models Christ to the people in and around our community?

Our pastor just ended a series titled, “Living On Mission” of which I commend him for.  However… and it’s a BIG HOWEVER… The question comes, “Am I leading the people at FBC Tullahoma (or at whatever church I am a leader in) to live on mission by my example?  In other words, what do they see in my that sets the example of one who “lives on mission”?

I believe there are three things that stand out as the heart of what our mission should be: 1. Love God  2. Love Others  3. Go and spread the gospel (good news).

I have no doubt that people have heard in the past several weeks at FBC Tullahoma (my church home) that they need to live on mission.   But the questions come, “Are we as pastors/leaders leading those under our care and influence by example?” And… “What tools/service projects/ministry opportunities are we giving them to practice living on mission in their own cities and/or towns?”

Bottom line: We can tell a person what needs to be done; however, if they don’t see us doing it they will likely not jump on board with doing it.  No one likes the boss who tells the workers what to do but isn’t willing to get their own hands dirty.

Let me just say that all of the above is based on what God is asking of me right now and I am afraid my response isn’t what it should be.  I know I need to change this and am determined to do so.  If we really want to see change in our culture, revival in our cities and towns, we have no choice but to set the example by being doers of the Word and not just teachers and/or planners primarily focused on those within our church walls.

BTW… If you get a chance, I would strongly encourage you to look through the pages of this month’s Outreach Magazine which deals with many of the same things I am sharing here.

Let me conclude with some scriptures…

Jeremiah 29:5-7 - “Build houses and settle down; plant gardens and eat what they produce. Marry and have sons and daughters; find wives for your sons and give your daughters in marriage, so that they too may have sons and daughters. Increase in number there; do not decrease. Also, seek the peace and prosperity of the city to which I have carried you into exile. Pray to the Lord for it, because if it prospers, you too will prosper.

Mathew 9:35-38-35 - Jesus traveled through all the towns and villages of that area, teaching in the synagogues and announcing the Good News about the Kingdom. And he healed every kind of disease and illness. When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them because they were confused and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. He said to his disciples, “The harvest is great, but the workers are few. So pray to the Lord who is in charge of the harvest; ask him to send more workers into his fields.

Matthew 28:19-20 - Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

Isaiah 6:8-9 - Then I heard the Lord asking, “Whom should I send as a messenger to this people? Who will go for us?” I said, “Here I am. Send me.” And He said, “Yes, go!”
Thank you for your time, be blessed and be a blessing!

Christian Watts
http://fbctullahoma.org
http://christianwatts.org

Transgender

Transgender is becoming a norm in our country. Children as young as 3 or 4 years of age are being told by their parents that it's ok to change their sex. What does the Bible have to say about all of this? One need go no further than Genesis 1:27...
"So God created human beings in His own image. In the image of God He created them; male and female He created them."
The bottom line... God created "them". He created them both male and female, unique in both body and mind, and God does not make mistakes. The suicide rate for those who surgically and medically change their gender is 20 times greater than that of the average human being who accepts their God given gender for what it is, male and/or female. We as Christians must never give our stamp of approval on unBiblical ideologies such as a person being "transgender". Rather, we must stand up for the fact that God created them as either male or female and he doesn't make mistakes!
Believe differently?  Share why you do below.  I'd love to hear what you have to say.

TRUTH & REALITY: My Heart for Worship

Truth & Reality: Why do I do what I don't want to do?

Truth & Reality 3.13.15 CHANGE

Truth & Reality February 16: Identify or Deny? That is the question.

Truth & Reality: Taking Off the Mask

MEN: It's time to be honest about Sexual addiction, Lust, and Porn

A man of genuine integrity.  Do you know one? Are you one?  Or are you like the millions of men in our nation and world who are weekly or even daily enslaved to porn, sexual addiction, lust, and/or self gratification?  Christian men are by no means exempt here.  In fact, porn, sexual addiction, lust, and/or self gratification are some of the biggest reasons why many of our Christian men who should be making a difference for Christ never really do because the guilt, sin, and reality of who they are when no one's looking enslaves them. Well, I for one am tired of seeing men who should be slaves to Christ which brings strength and freedom, instead being slaves to porn, lust, and self gratification that will never satisfy and literally weakens their ability to be influencers and men of integrity in a world that drastically needs Heroes of the Christian faith. I believe that God asked me to write this post to YOU, yes YOU because enough is enough!  Today is the day to change your life!  A change that will not only make you a better person, it could save your marriage, change your family tree, bring freedom, and/or allow you to be a catalyst for change.

So where do you begin? Begin by reading Mark Driscoll's FREE online book (it's a very very easy read) titled, "Porn Again Christian".  The book can be found at http://theresurgence.com/books/porn_again_christian.

IN MY OPINION IT IS A MUST READ FOR ANY BOY/MAN 15 OR ABOVE.

After reading the book I would suggest striving to find an accountability partner, or even talking with a pastor or Christian counselor depending on your level of addiction.  Feel free to message me if you need help finding a pastor or counselor in your area.

Today is the day to change your future history and to run the race of integrity God has called you to. Victory can be yours if really want it.  Nothing is impossible with God! Luke 1:37.

Pastor Christian Watts