New Life in Christ
by Dan Fash
In September of 2010, my company sent me on a business trip to Orlando. While there, I met many other industry professionals, including my now best friend, Chuck.
After the trip, Chuck and I kept in touch long distance since he lives in South Carolina. He mentioned his involvement with his church at times; however, he never tried to sell me on religion or Christianity. Not once.
You see, I’m 31 years old, and, after months of long conversations with Chuck, I can without hesitation say that I have never met anyone as amazing as Chuck. I naturally became interested and inquisitive about Chuck’s relationship with God.
Chuck remembered that, 14 years ago, he was in a wedding in Naperville that took place at Calvary Church. So he looked up the church on the internet and suggested that I look into a young adult group called Axiom. After much thought and the passing of a few weeks, I decided to see what this group was all about. I had only been in church maybe four times previously, so I was definitely going out of my comfort zone. When I arrived, I found out that there was a business meeting that night and the group was not meeting. I was bummed and disappointed, and so was Chuck.
A couple of months later, I took a trip to South Carolina to visit Chuck. I hung out with a bunch of his Christian friends, spent time at his church and continued our conversation. It was an experience that, I’m sure one day I’ll say changed the directory of my life.
After getting back home, I decided to give Calvary and Axiom one more try. And this time, Axiom was meeting! From that point until now, I have been at Calvary every Wednesday and Sunday. It has been awesome!
I had many conversations with the Lord, culminating with my acceptance of Jesus Christ as my Savior on May 31, 2011! On that evening, I asked him into my heart and am now saved for all of eternity! This was the end of my self-centered life and the beginning of my life serving him and living for him.
I’m excited to continue my walk with the Lord and strengthen our friendship with each passing day. I truly am richly blessed and highly favored. No doubt about it!
What’s Next?
Pastor Keith Boucher
Preached on April 14 & 15, 2012
by Matthew Ross
Now that our Easter series is behind us, Pastor Keith’s message, “What’s Next,” was the perfect question to ask after celebrating the life of Jesus and what he did for us on the cross.
Pastor Keith summarized Luke 24:13-35 with a simple phrase: “Things are not always as they seem.” That phrase caught my attention because, for the disciples and anyone who was a follower of Jesus, those few days after his death were very dark days. In just about everyone’s mind, whatever plan that Jesus had to redeem the nation of Israel looked like it had failed. Rather than restoring Israel and getting them out from under the Roman Empire, he was handed over to the Romans, crucified as a common criminal and buried in a tomb. His followers must have felt devastated, confused and hopeless. How could Jesus be the king that they were expecting and redeem the nation of Israel from the grave? But things were not as they seemed. Jesus would not stay dead for long, and he would not leave his disciples and followers without hope. His plan of redemption had not failed.
Two thousand years later, we know how the story ends, and we know that God’s plan was to do far more than redeem one nation … he provided salvation for the entire world. Even though we know how the story ends, we still have those moments when we want to give up—those times when life becomes so hurtful and unbearable that everything about God feels like it was a cruel joke. Even when it seems like things cannot get any worse, like life will never get better or like you will never heal, God comes to us and begins to remind us of the things that he has done in our lives.
Jesus showed himself to his disciples after his resurrection, and he came to the travelers on the road to Emmaus to remind them that there is still hope and that he was alive. Jesus reminds us that, while it might not look like it, things are not always as they seem. Like Paul says in II Corinthians, we live by faith, not by sight. This week, ask yourself how you see God. Is God an active part of your life? Or is God more of an observer of your life? God wants to be an active part of your life … so much that he sent his only son to die on the cross for you. God has a plan for your life and is working in your life. Whenever it feels like there is no way out of your situation or like there is no way to make ends meet, God wants to remind you that things are not always as they seem. He has not left you.
Second Chances, part 2 [Watch Video]
From our Easter series
Preached on April 7 & 8, 2012
by Matthew Ross
This past weekend was the second of our two-part Easter series, Second Chances. The service was full of music, dramas and powerful teaching points about what God has for our lives beyond salvation.
I encourage you to watch the service from this past weekend. While you’re watching, ask God to show you what he has in store for your life beyond your salvation. God is not just asking to be our Savior and to help us through the impossible issues in our lives; he is inviting us to embrace the plan and purpose that he has for us and to partner with him to bring life to the world around us.
On behalf of everyone at Calvary Church, we are excited to see what God has in store for your life this coming year!
God made the way for me to go
by Olivia Foster
I have a chance to return to Kenya for missions this year, and many miracles happened over the past several months to allow me to go. I didn't think I would be able to afford it; I felt like I was not worthy to take this trip again! But the Lord said to “be still,” which was difficult, to say the least!
I prayed and then penned my first sponsor email. Praise the Lord … I received $500 during the first week! The following Monday, my boss handed me my bonus check, explaining how we deserved it because of our hard work last year. We did not qualify for bonuses because our team did not meet their goals.
You can just imagine my joy! I immediately bought my ticket. There are many more stories of how God made the way for me to go, and I can’t wait to see what amazing things he has in store for me and the testimony I will have of his love!
Second Chances, part 1 [Watch Video]
From our Easter series
Preached on March 31 & April 1, 2012
by Matthew Ross
This past weekend was the first of our two-part Easter series, Second Chances. The services this year are full of musical numbers, dramas and teaching points and are powerful services to see. I encourage all of you to watch the video of the service and, while you’re watching, let God speak to your heart about your own second chance. We have all failed God at various times in our lives, but the message of Easter is that, regardless of our failings, Jesus died on the cross for us and gave us a second chance!