CreativePastors Blog & Podcast

Podcast > The House > Homeless

What makes a house, a home? It isn’t the furniture or the rooms, the walls or the roof. There’s much more to a home than just the physical structure. When it comes to the house of God, the same thing is true. And God wants his house to become our home, yet so many of us are homeless. We miss out on the benefits of living in his home.

In this message, Ed Young shows us just what it takes to turn the church into our home. And we see that when we decide to take up residence there, we discover much more than a building to meet in—we find a place that we can build our entire lives on.

To listen now, click on the podcast icon below.

Length: 37:32

The House

Have you ever wondered what role the church should play in your life? Or if God even cares whether or not you show up?

Maybe you go to church out of a sense of obligation. Maybe your entire life revolves around the church. Or maybe you don’t go to church at all. But no matter how you view the church or what role it plays in your life, there is a power and a meaning that can only be realized when you treat God’s house the way he intended.

In this 2-part series, Ed Young helps us tap into those things that are only available in the house of God—community, belonging, and purpose.

The House

CreativePastors

If you have iTunes 7, click the link below to subscribe to our podcast. Twenty-four hours after Ed delivers his weekend message at Fellowship Church, it will be downloaded to your computer automatically. You can listen at your computer or take the MP3 with you on your iPod or other MP3 player.

If you don't have iTunes, you can get it here free for Mac or Windows. You can also subscribe to the podcast using other podcasting tools and RSS newsreaders. The feed address is: http://feeds.feedburner.com/cpblog.

Podcast > Love Until It Hurts

In today's world one disease stands out as the most destructive and devastating illness ever—spiritual poverty. From the poorest nations to the most affluent communities, spiritual poverty causes more pain and turmoil than anything else. And it has only one real cure—God's love.

In this message Ed Young is joined by Jim Towey, the former head of America’s faith-based initiative programs. And together, they reveal some simple and practical steps that can bring focus, clarity, and a true sense of God’s love to anyone who is dealing with spiritual poverty today.

To listen now, click on the podcast icon below.

Length: 30:05

Love Until It Hurts

CreativePastors

If you have iTunes 7, click the link below to subscribe to our podcast. Twenty-four hours after Ed delivers his weekend message at Fellowship Church, it will be downloaded to your computer automatically. You can listen at your computer or take the MP3 with you on your iPod or other MP3 player.

If you don't have iTunes, you can get it here free for Mac or Windows. You can also subscribe to the podcast using other podcasting tools and RSS newsreaders. The feed address is: http://feeds.feedburner.com/cpblog.

Podcast > Character Tour > Ultimate Character

Man at his best is seriously flawed. But there is a way we can be people of exemplary character. Because character is an outward reflection of an inward connection, we can have ultimate character in our lives through a spiritual connection with The Ultimate Character, Jesus Christ.

To listen now, click on the podcast icon below.

Length: 29:56

Character Tour

When an artist draws a caricature, certain outstanding features of his subject are highlighted or exaggerated. In the same way, certain character qualities stand out in notable characters throughout the Bible. In this creative series, Ed Young takes us on a biblical tour of some of these great characters with great character.

Character Tour

CreativePastors

If you have iTunes 7, click the link below to subscribe to our podcast. Twenty-four hours after Ed delivers his weekend message at Fellowship Church, it will be downloaded to your computer automatically. You can listen at your computer or take the MP3 with you on your iPod or other MP3 player.

If you don't have iTunes, you can get it here free for Mac or Windows. You can also subscribe to the podcast using other podcasting tools and RSS newsreaders. The feed address is: http://feeds.feedburner.com/cpblog.

Elevate Music Collection Now Available

The wait is over! Churches using our Elevate Children's Curriculum have been asking for a CD containing all of the great music from the different series. We took your suggestion and put together Elevate Music - Year 1, a complete collection of music from the first year of the curriculum. The CD is now shipping and the DVD will be released later this month. Enjoy!

In Practice - Proactive Policies

Difficult situations. As a church leader, you've probably been there. Some conflicts and inappropriate behavior beg for correction and re-direction. When churches in the midst of these situations contact us for advice, the heartbreaking reality is that many of them could have been avoided if pro-active policies had been put in place from the beginning. There's nothing like learning from our mistakes (and we've made our share!), but why not eliminate as many sensitive scenarios as we can in advance?

It takes some forethought and advance effort, but you will reap untold rewards when you invest time in creating unmistakably clear guidelines for your staff and volunteers. The goal: conduct beyond reproach. And when that doesn't happen, solid policies give you an straightforward starting point for establishing accountability, as opposed to inconsistent judgment calls. Think about the wide range of ministries offered by your church: What is and isn't "appropriate touch" for your children's ministries? Can alcohol be served at small group functions? What should happen when a pastor is counseling a member of the opposite sex?

We've developed extensive resources to help you in this area. The Employee Policies and Procedures Handbook is a great place to start. And you can also check out Ed's 10 Commandments of Purity for pastors that he shared at a marriage retreat last year.

Of course, we don't want to create so many rules that our staff and volunteers are ill-equipped to perform their roles effectively. Rather, we should strive for smart guidelines that establish a safety net for all parties involved.

In Practice - Special Needs Ministry

Churches frequently contact us with questions about the Special Needs Ministry at Fellowship Church. Three programs make up our Special Needs Ministry and more than 100 families are involved. Here's a look at each of these programs:

SideBySide
During the weekend, the SideBySide ministry covers special needs children from birth to 6th grade. We have amazing volunteers who partner with the same special needs child each weekend, and as a team, they go into the child's age-appropriate room. The volunteers are there to help each child as needed. They may be an encourager to get them more involved or a familiar face so the child is comfortable. The volunteer's role depends upon what the child needs. Experience in working with special needs kids is not required. We have skilled volunteers who act as trainers and will train new volunteers on the child they will accompany.

Fellowship of Friends
We also have a class called Fellowship of Friends that meets on the weekend and is designed specifically for special needs students who are junior- and senior-high age. A team of volunteers in this area create a fun, exciting and welcoming environment each weekend.  For curriculum we simply adapt the Elevate Children's Curriculum.  The hour consists of a captivating Bible story, fun skit, interactive songs, appropriate crafts/games and a snack.

Respite
Outside of the weekend, we also offer a Respite program for the Special Needs families.  It is once a month and it lasts about three hours.  It's a time where special needs families can bring all their kids (special needs kids and their siblings) up to the church and the parents can just get a break.  They can run errands, have a date night or just take a nap.  We have a team of volunteers who play games, eat dinner and just hang out with the kids.  It's a really fun, laid back evening, and the parents have expressed that they are truly blessed by it.