News & Updates

Can the glow of a Facebook page cause discontentment? There are pictures of people traveling to exotic places, status updates touting new relationships, folks eating at yummy eateries, and emoticons as billboards for happiness beyond words. Could too many late night thumbs up “likes” begin to tear into our own substance and satisfaction? Researchers at the University of Missouri say we’re likely to experience “negative relationship outcomes such as cheating, breakup, and divorce” if we check our Facebook walls once…

What would a church “moving rhythmically and easily” together look like?   Those are the words of Eugene Peterson as he creatively writes from Ephesians 4:13. Do you think a church CAN move rhythmically and easily together? Most have experienced otherwise. The Apostle Paul writes in Ephesians 4 how we are to be mature to the full measure of Jesus. What does THAT mean? This Sunday is “Let’s Do It” Sunday. The emphasis will be on moving the church forward in…

“He (Satan) was a killer from the very start. He couldn’t stand the truth because there wasn’t a shred of truth in him. When the Liar speaks, he makes it up out of his lying nature and fills the world with lies.” – John 8:44 Are you getting tired of Satan’s lies? You ready to lay down your brick? Just in case you have no clue what I’m talking about, CLICK HERE and watch this little brick video. Then… let’s…

On Sunday you’ll encounter a stack of bricks when you come into CCC. We’re asking everyone to pick one up before you walk in. I trust you will. We’ll also be studying our way through Genesis 3:1. One verse, that’s it. It’s a snakey verse. What in the world do you think bricks have to do with a snake? You may know the snake is Satan. What, pray tell, are the bricks? Hmmm… You should bring a friend, and eat…

There I was, over 34 years ago. Somewhere off of Roosevelt Avenue in downtown Chicago, a nervous, skinny 18 year old was enlisting in the U.S. Air Force. I stood amongst 30-some-odd, probably equally nervous, 18 year olds. Alright maybe some guys weren’t nervous, but I can almost guarantee that all of us were feeling pretty doggone awkward. Because all of us were in one room, in a line, without clothing. In the raw. Disrobed. Naked. Awkward. Uncle Sam would…

in•un•da•tion: ˌinənˈdāSHən/ noun: inundation; plural noun: inundations 1. an overwhelming abundance of people or things. 2. VBX. FIA. We were taken over by hundreds of kids last week at our VBX. It was wonderful. It was messy. Glorious diversity inundated our campus through kids and volunteers with a hunger to be loved. AND… they were! Now THAT is church. This Sunday, awesome inundation unfolds again. Did you know we’re expecting, hoping, and praying for 1000+ folks to come to CCC…

Two Things You Need To Know From Pastor Alan 1. F.I.A. needs your help this weekend. We need great hearts present to love on hurting ones coming. We need folks to register. There are many areas needing registered volunteers so that we can properly prepare. Sure… you can show up Sunday morning to register and serve, but it would prove incredibly helpful if you register before 10 p.m. tonight (when online registration will close). Some of our biggest needs are:…

Each summer, the awesome CCC elders send my family and me off for a summer study break. We take off for a nice beach outpost, and undoubtedly have a lot of fun. But… I DO take my summer study break very seriously as a privilege to leverage and not abuse. I hit the beach around 6:30 a.m. each morning and read, think, pray, and write til about 3 in the afternoon. Then… the Scotts play. Heck, wouldn’t you? We’re at…

The past two weeks our guest speaker, Dan Crain, has reminded us through great personal stories and research, this idea of and the need to be a “good neighbor.” This is always good to be reminded of, especially for someone like me who thinks I already do it… only to find out I’m not as good as I thought I was at being a good neighbor. Being a friendly neighbor to my neighbors is easy, mainly because I like them.…

Most of you probably drive past the community I live in on your way to church Sunday mornings. There is nothing externally notable about our little slice of heaven, but on the inside… It is a vibrant, melting pot community richly, teeming with culture and diversity. Over the years I have met and become friends with people who live here from all over the world. There is Enego from Spain. He is a gentle, bear of a man with a…