If you consider Metro Christian Fellowship your home church then we would like to hear from you about plans around our future location. Your input will help us to make decisions as we pursue the possibility of relocating our church.
To respond to this survey please copy/paste the text below into an email message, complete it by answering the survey questions and send it to our team.
As you know, our lease will end with the Lutheran High School May 2010. We are considering several options: either continue leasing from the Lutherans or look for a new location.
That’s why this survey is important; we want to hear from the members of Metro. We want to know what you think about this upcoming change.
Strengths to a move: (More space, outreach options, etc.)2. Using the scale below how much of a change do you think relocating will have on us as a church?
Concerns about moving: (Finances, loosing people, etc.)
1. Lots of change, not only location, but people, church activities etc.3. What community/area do you live in now? (NOTE: not your specific address. Example: Independence, Leawood, Grandview, South KC)
2. Some change.
3. Limited change.
4. No change other than location.
Adult ministries (singles, men’s, Special events (Conferences, women’s, young adult) weddings, etc.)
Children’s ministries Youth ministries (Jr. & Sr. High)
Sunday Celebration Service Outreach & Helps Ministry (Food Pantry)
OTHER: (Please specify)
a. Purchase land and build from ground up.2. In terms of financing which more closely describes you?
b. Purchase property that would need some rehabilitation to meet our needs.
c. Purchase property that would primarily accommodate Sunday morning activities with options to expand as resources available.
d. Lease a place for a long term basis that would allow for more flexibility in building use.
e. Other:
a. Strongly feel we should borrow nothing or very little (<20%)>3. If we were to finance through a loan what percentage of the actual cost should be covered by the loan?4. Would you be willing to donate towards the cost of a new location above weekly tithing and giving?a. <>75%
Yes / No / MaybeIs there anything else you want us to know about this process?
Thank you for taking the time to share your thoughts!
In November of last year I had the wonderful privilege of traveling to South Africa with AIM (Adventures in Missions). They asked me to come and help be a part of the training process for 50+ young men and women who would be spending the next six months serving the Lord in different nations in Africa.
AIM is a wonderful agency that has successfully trained hundreds of young people for service all around the globe. They have a proven track record of quality training and innovative mobilization for evangelism. I was blessed not only to be invited to go but also because I had dreamed of traveling to Africa since I was in my teen years!
The highlight of the trip for me was to take Nathan Haas and Greg Beel along for the journey. When I look at Jesus and his powerful example of raising up others through empowerment and love I cannot avoid the call to follow in His footsteps. Jesus took others “along for the ride” wherever He went. He ministered not by himself but with the disciples right by his side. I think that in modern day ministry we forget to travel on our journey with others, we loose out on the powerful impact of community, mentoring, and life on life ministry!
I was asked to teach ten sessions on Discipleship and how to make disciples. While Greg and Nathan did not teach, they contributed abundantly in counseling, friendship, exhortation, prayer ministry, and laughter. Their participation in this trip made it a huge success. I’ll never forget the moment when Nathan took up a basin and towel and washed the feet of a young lady who was full of hurt because of a broken relationship. She was healed powerfully as Nathan served her in the power of the Holy Spirit.
Greg amazed me as he spent countless hours listening to so many of the young people. There was something powerful that would come over Greg as he stopped and listened to their journey! It was as if for a moment he was in the story with them carrying their weariness, learning from Jesus with them in their journeys. I thought many times…”if Jesus were sitting there hearing this story he would look just like Greg!”
What an incredible gift these two men were to so many young men and women who were learning how to serve Jesus! One of the AIM staff members commented, “I did not really know why you brought Greg and Nathan but now that we have spent the last week with them I can’t imagine them not being here! They ministered so powerfully to us!”
Who are you taking “along for the ride”? As you serve the King how are you following in His footsteps? Do you invite others to participate fully in the journey with you and you serve Him? I would challenge you today to consider how you are inviting others to participate fully in your journey. I am confident that as we follow in the footsteps of Jesus we will see the Kingdom of God emerge on the earth all around us!
-Jim Bailey
Following is a bit of feedback from Michael Sullivant on our Stirring Up The Gift! seminar:
The highlight for me was definitely something very clearly from God that happened in our small prayer circle at the end of the day...
After Stephanie and I prayed for Julie (that she said was very meaningful for her), John spoke up very gently. He said, "I saw a picture of a judge with a gavel in his hand, but he had a smile on his face. I'm not sure what that means, except the only time I've ever seen a judge with a smile on his face is when he is arranging for an adoption." Now John and Mary have been very involved in adoption matters for a long time. But, those of us who know Julie, and she herself, were really stunned by this picture. Since John didn't know Julie or what she does, I said, "Julie, you have to tell John what you do." She then revealed to him that she works for the Lighthouse--a ministry from which adoptions for babies born to single mothers are arranged! It was a wonderful prophetic insight that confirmed to Julie that she is right in the middle of the Lord's will for her in this season of her life. It also really encouraged John-- as he now knows in a renewed way that the Lord has given him a gift that he will now stir up afresh and use for the benefit of others. Right John?! Go get 'em.
A few years ago, on a Sunday morning, Kirk Sackett presented a twelve minute Historical Perspective of our church. I recently re-listened to it and thought that I would recommend it to you.
-Bob Edwards
A few months ago my best friend Pam asked me if I still heard from God and if God was speaking to me. I answered her about the ways God has been speaking to me lately, not too many audibles but I was noticing His voice in different ways. I wondered if she had been struggling with hearing God’s voice and that is why she asked me the question.
Pam told me a story recently that touched my heart again about the secrets of God. Pam was taking a bus ride to Denver to visit her aging mother. She was at the bus station in Wyoming waiting for her bus. She began to look around at the people who would be her fellow travelers. They were looking a little rough around the edges, long hair, unkept, unwashed, missing teeth- things that may cause us to make judgements about people. She didn’t want to spend 10 hours on the bus with these people. She didn’t feel safe. What if they harassed her or just annoyed her. What if her life was in danger.
The most dangerous looking person making the trip was a giant of a man with no front teeth. The worse part was that he seemed to be staring at Pam. She was very nervous at the eye contact he was giving her. She was ready to tell Tom, her husband, that she was not getting on this bus.
She had an idea as only Pam can. In the bus terminal she picked out a sweet looking grandmother type and tried to make friends with her so the two of them could sit together and be safe from the others. She approached her and smiled at her suggesting that they could sit next to each other on the bus. When it was time to load the bus Pam took her seat near the bus driver and put her things on the seat next to her to save it for her new friend. She decided to sit near the bus driver because that would be safe. He would protect her although she didn’t know him any better than the rest of the lot but at least he had a job. The grandmother got on the bus and walked right past Pam’s saved seat never even stopping to look at her. She was now alone with all the strangers on the bus. And who should sit across the aisle from her, yes, the giant with no teeth.
Pam made a barrier with her carry on items. She placed her Jesus book bag between her and the man. She arranged her purse and lunch as walls of defense. She opened a book and lowered her head to read sealing the “Do not disturb, beware of dog” attitude.
She noticed that the big man kept staring at her and smiling at her. What could he possibly want from her? He finally mentioned something about one of the books he noticed in her giant book bag. He said he had read it and it was a good book. She began to relax the flexed muscles of her body. The man said to her the strangest thing, he said he could tell that she was a disciple of Jesus because “you study God’s word.” The man then began talking about Jesus. She listened. He talked. He expounded on the scriptures from the Old Testament to the New Testament on the purpose and plan of God for mankind. Her heart burned within her as he shared knowingly for hours on the road to Denver of God’s word. She said it felt like Jesus on the road to Emmaus explaining the word of God to his disciples. Every once in a while she would ask a question and the man would answer with knowledge and compassion.
The man got up and began to give out his “Do you know Jesus?” cards. She marveled at how easy he moved from person to person and everyone accepted a card from him. Before this the strangers on the bus seemed to be in their own little world. Now Pam looked around the bus and each one looked so different to her. They had softened, the severity and pressure was gone. What had happened? What had changed and softened them? She said to me as she relayed this story that she realized that they were people just like her struggling on their journey through life with the equipment they had been given for the task. At the first stop she noticed that people had begun smiling at each other. She felt like this man’s presence had somehow brought light and hope and love to the bus. The rest of the trip people conversed, laughed, shared food with each other. When the bus arrived in Denver everyone was hugging each other and sad to say good-bye. Pam said to me she felt a closeness to God, like she had been with the Lord and had heard him speak to her. She wondered now if the giant was really an Angel of the Lord.
He is always speaking to us isn’t he? He speaks in varied ways to His unique children. Some of us need the audible and He speaks. Some need his touch and He touches. Some of us need to see His kindness in the common areas of life and He displays Himself through a giant with no teeth. We believe because He is real and He transcends our fear, control and confusion to display His beauty. We believe because we experience Him. We believe because our spirits are touched by the Spirit of God. We believe because His truth speaks to our spirit and our hearts confirm the reality and rejoice in His truth. We believe because He is alive.
Copyright by Livie Sanchez 2007
2/15 Update: New pictures have been added to this slideshow.
Each year our leadership team goes all-out to recognize and honor the members of our church who serve the Lord by volunteering in various ways. We call this night "The M-ies"
This years' awards night started off with an Elderly.. errr.. I mean.. Elder Rap.. just wish I could give you the vocals J
Q: Where were you born?
A: I was born in Richlands, Virginia...way back in the hills.
Q: What is your middle name?
A: My middle name is Mack. Hated it as a kid...Love it now.
Q: What is your favorite chip flavor?
A: My favorite chip flavor is Sour Cream & Onion.
Q: Favorite season?
A: Fall is my favorite season. I love the first cool crisp days on the heels of a hot summer.
Q: Coke or Pepsi?
A: I lived in Atlanta for six years, so I have to say Coke. ?In the south we call it a Co-Cola.
Q: Your childhood dream job?
A: I have wanted to work in television since the fourth grade, when my class visited a TV station.
Q: Favorite item of clothing?
A: I love wearing sweaters, especially on cool fall days.
Q: Favorite Sandwich?
A: My favorite sandwich is turkey and provolone on really good bread.
Q: Breakfast Food?
A: My favorite breakfast food is biscuits and gravy with a big glass of milk.
Q: Dream vacation spot?
A: My dream vacation spot would be a secluded cabin in the woods with walking trails, beautiful sunsets and satellite TV.
I really think that you'll enjoy this day of being together in the presence of God and each other as we encourage, teach and seek to stir up the gift of the Holy Spirit in our lives and community. We feel it's a timely thing for us all to do. A number of people will be participating in the day. One unique feature will be 5 minute testimonies from 12 different people that will be interspersed throughout the day. They will relate how hearing the voice of God in some personal and more direct kind of way has impacted their faith in Jesus. We will also spend some time at the end of day having about 11 teams of 2-3 praying with those in attendance. I'm confident that the Lord will be there to confirm the hearts of His precious people. The day will zip by--believe me. We'll go away thinking about how we need to do it again in the near future. Please pray about attending.
With much love,
Michael Sullivant (and Terri too)
Where were you born? Independence, MO
What is your middle name? Alan
What is your favorite chip ? Ranch
Favorite season? Fishing season
Coke or Pepsi? Pepsi!
Your childhood dream job? Forest Ranger
Favorite item of clothing? Waders
Favorite Sandwich? Rueben
Breakfast Food? Eggs
Dream vacation spot: Colorado Mountains
In September of 07 I took nine guys from Metro and we went on an adventure to the “Lost Coast” in California. What a great trip!
We camped the first night in the Redwoods and shared our hearts around the campfire.. sharing about all that God was doing in our lives.
For the next few days we hiked into the wilderness of northern California. Each night we would gather around the campfire and pray for each other.. sharing in victories and breakthroughs as well as carrying each others burdens.
It was seriously one of the richest camping experiences of my life!
May God give us many times together where we can enrich one another in truth and in life. He gives us to each other as gifts to share in each others sufferings and share in each others victories.
Come join us soon on one of Metro’s retreats designed especially for men. You will also be blessed and grow in relationship to God and to your community! Here are the retreats that we have on the calendar for this year:
Pray about putting those dates on your calendar.. you will be glad that you did.
-Jim Bailey
You can check out pictures from the trip here.
I wasn’t thinking. I don’t like being late and I was in unfamiliar territory hence I arrived about half an hour early for my appointment. I was the first appointment of the day and the office door was locked when I arrived on the fourth floor.
A short time before as I walked into the building I noticed a homeless man sitting on the bench near the elevators. I admit I was a little concerned this early in the morning and all alone in the building. I kept my head low and quickly went up the elevator only to realize no one was there and the door was locked.
I came down the elevator, left the building and got in my car to find some coffee. While I was driving around I decided to buy the homeless man something to eat. I went to Panera Bread, bought my coffee, and a souffle. Panera doesn’t carry much in the way of hardy breakfast food so this was it. I rushed back to the building because now I was late and there he was sitting on the bench. I quickly ran over, handed him the souffle and headed to the fourth floor. He eagerly took the food.
When I walked in for my appointment I asked if the homeless man was always there. “Yes,” came the reply. Then she added, “Was he relieving himself?” “ No”, I shrieked, “he was just sitting there.” My friend explained he frequents the building and they can’t seem to get him to go or to help him. “When he gets unruly the security will come and shew him away”, she said to me. I apologized and said I felt like I had just fed the pigeons. You know when there are birds around outside a restaurant and you feed them only to insure they will come back again.
When I relayed this story to my family and friends they laughed at me. “Only you would feed a homeless man a souffle,” they laughed and I admit I laughed too. It began to sound pretentious and condescending as I replayed the story to myself through the day. I had felt pretty noble before as I thought about buying breakfast for a homeless man. I haven’t had much contact with really poor people lately. Have I lost my compassion or my manners? I use to work with the poor at a crisis pregnancy center years ago. Has my life become to comfortable?
This was on Tuesday and I have been thinking a lot about the poor since. Much of Jesus ministry was to the poor whom no one else seemed to care about. His heart was moved with compassion and He cared about them. He fed them, healed them, delivered them from demons and taught them about the kingdom. He spoke to them and valued and respected them. Many questions came to my mind and I found some answers.
How does the Lord feel about the poor?
Deuteronomy 15:11 says, “There will always be poor people in the land. Therefore I command you to be openhanded toward your brothers and toward the poor and needy in your land.” In Proverbs 14:20 we are told, “the poor are shunned even by their neighbors, but the rich have many friends.”
What is the Lord’s response to the poor?
Psalm 1:21, I know that the Lord secures justice for the poor and upholds the cause of the needy.”
What does the Lord say my response should be to the poor?
Proverbs 14:31 gives us one answer, “He who oppresses the poor shows contempt for their Maker, but whoever is kind to the needy honors God.” Psalm 83:3, “Defend the cause of the weak and fatherless; maintain the rights of the poor and oppressed.”
What happens if I do not heed the Lord’s command?
Proverbs 21:13, “If a man shuts his ears to the cry of the poor, he too will cry out and not be answered.”
What happens when I do obey the Lord regarding the poor?
Proverbs 22:9, “A generous man will himself be blessed, for he shares his food with the poor.” Proverbs 19:17, “He who is kind to the poor lends to the Lord, and He will reward him for what he has done.”
How do I become poor?
Proverbs 21:17, He who loves pleasure will become poor; whoever loves wine and oil will never be rich.” Proverbs 20:13, “Do not love sleep or you will grow poor; stay awake and you will have food to spare.”
What do the poor have that others do not?
Proverbs 13:8, “A man’s riches may ransom his life, but a poor man hears no threat.”
What does the Lord require of me?
We are commanded to act justly, love mercy and to walk humbly with our God. I discovered that I cannot ignore or leave the poor to others. They now seem to stare at me from street corners, hospitals, jails, nursing homes and in the market. They live in my city and need my compassion, prayers, time and love. I can feed them, care for them, help them, clothe them, teach them, give to them and love them but I am not allowed to ignore them.
Lord, help us to see the poor as you see and love them. Give us hearts of compassion to act justly, love mercy and to walk humbly with you. Help us to hear the cries of the poor and to respond kindly. Give us generous hands for the poor and needy in our land.
-Livie Sanchez
Here is the way that Michael Sullivant's most recent blog post ends:
I am weary of "super-preachers" who are striving to create "super-Christians" and "super-churches". I have too often witnessed the personal breakdowns that have come with this agenda through the over 30 years of being in vocational ministry. I believe that simply being a graciously born anew follower of Jesus the Christ is awesome enough for any human soul. At least it is for me. Is it for you?You can catch the the whole post here.. it is a short post and really worth reading!
Q: Where were you born?
A: Tokyo, Japan
Q: What is your middle name?
A: Do not have one
Q: What is your favorite chip flavor?
A: Plain
Q: Favorite season?
A: Spring
Q: Coke or Pepsi?
A: Neither
Q: Your childhood dream job?
A: Chemist
Q: Favorite item of clothing?
A: Gloves
Q: Favorite Sandwich?
A: Steak
Q: Breakfast Food?
A: Oatmeal with Fruit
Q: Dream vacation spot?
A: Spacious Mountaintop Retreat
We were invited to spend Christmas in Hawaii with older friends, who were devout Catholics. Tony and I were not Christians yet. We were young parents with two young children in tow.
Even though it was Hawaii I expected that we would have a tree with my special ornaments at Christmas. When we arrived in Lanai we were told that there were no Christmas trees on the island because of a strike. I had packed bread dough ornaments to decorate our Hawaiian Christmas tree. However, because of the tropical weather I unpacked long stretched out pieces of dough, dolls from around the world with no heads and arms. We had no Christmas tree and no ornaments. The only tree we saw all week belonged to a young woman at the local fabric store. We developed a friendship over a few days as Tony ordered some custom Hawaiian shirts. She had a small scraggily dry “Charlie Brown” tree.
On Christmas eve we went to midnight mass at a beautiful little white church with our friends. It was an amazing island service. A conch shell was blown and men, woman and children dressed in Hawaiian clothing and flowers walked in a processional to the front of the little church. A man dressed like a Hawaiian king carried the “Christ child” to the altar where he raised the child to God before placing him in a manger. It was one of the most moving Christmas eve services I have ever been too.
After church we went to the little fabric store, the young woman gave us her tree on Christmas Eve. We went to our condo decorated it with shells and homemade ornaments. It was a very special time with our family and friends. I always remember the memories of this long-ago Christmas.
-Livie Sanchez
Pastor Michael Sullivant recently posted some great thoughts about finding God's will on his blog. Here is the way that his post (that bears the same name as this one) starts:
1 Thes 5:16 Be joyful always; 17pray continually; 18give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.Read more on Michael's blog.
As a spiritual director and teacher, I often have the experience of people asking me about how they can come to discover God's will for their lives. Actually, it is the most commonly asked question that I encounter among God's people. There is much to say about divine guidance. However, I believe the place to begin to get our bearings is not to fret about discerning the details, but to create the kind of atmosphere around our souls, our lives and our inter-personal relationships in which the Holy Spirit is free to express Himself--His "natural habitat" if you will.
Q: Where were you born?
A: Turlock, CA
Q: What is your middle name?
A: Charles
Q: What is your favorite chip flavor?
A: Terra Chips
Q: Favorite season?
A: Definitely spring
Q: Coke or Pepsi?
A: Dr. Pepper
Q: Your childhood dream job?
A: Fire Fighter or Missionary
Q: Favorite item of clothing?
A: Shorts and sweatshirt
Q: Favorite Food?
A: Thai, Pizza, BBQ, anything with friends
Q: Breakfast Food?
A: Coffee & Bagel
Q: Dream vacation spot:
A: Swiss Alps or Patagonia
I have always had a love for old books. Among other things, I get excited that they have existed before me and are still present, and I get to experience them too so many years after they were bound together. None of these could compare, however, to the enduring word of God. I recently had the opportunity to go see the Dead Sea Scrolls, which are bits of manuscript containing handwritten scriptures that had been stored in clay jars for ages. Standing inches and a pane of glass away, I was fascinated that thousands of years ago these mighty words were carefully preserved, and today I have the opportunity to experience their Truth whenever I choose.
The scriptures are an expression of God, and He fashioned them for us before we existed. I am so grateful. I love joining God in the scriptures. I find that when life gets really busy or I get tired with my days, that is when I most want to soak up the Lord’s words to me. I find inspiration, direction, comfort, Truth, joy, guidance and more. I am amazed by the knowledge that His word is living and powerful, and He has given it to me.
-Jessica Siems
Before I knew the Lord, I somehow got it into my head that the Bible was an ancient mystical book that no ordinary person could understand--maybe it was the old English that intimidated me! I imagined that there might be some enlightened souls hidden away in far off and benighted places who might possibly be able to decode its secrets. What a shock I encountered when, at 18, I began to read the Bible (beginning with the New Testament) and discovered how it spoke so clearly and incisively into my heart and mind--even the KJV came alive to me. (Fortunately, I had studied a bit of Shakespeare in High School and had learned to comprehend a bit of Old English.)
After my birth from above and having received the power of the Spirit into my life, I literally began to drink in the passages of the Bible. I suddenly realized that there was an invisible Companion hovering over me and speaking within my heart regarding the meanings of the texts that I was reading. He was acting like the Author Himself! That was well over 30 years ago that I began this love affair with Scripture and I am still amazed by the grace and truth that grips my soul when I study it with a heart that is willing to learn and obey.
I love to read the Scriptures with others and then share our impressions and insights and questions with one another. There is something special about the public reading of the Bible and its stories. We don't get enough of this anymore, since we all have our own personal copies and the ability to read it silently. I'm not much on liturgies, but I secretly hope that we, as a congregation, might think about ways to weave the public reading of the Scripture into our gatherings--large and small. With all the voices in this world that are clamoring for our attention, it's so refreshing to hear "the Word of the Lord." Let's keep reading our Bibles--even as the 90 Days comes to a close!
-Michael Sullivant
This was written by Jim Bailey 2 years ago in the Metro prayer room.
I dream of a church that looks to you.
I dream of a church that depends on you!
I dream of a church that sees you.
I dream of a church that knows how to engage the world.
I dream of a church that loves lost people more than they love safety and Christian culture.
I dream of being lost in your embrace.
I dream of joy unspeakable.
I dream of the lame walking.
I dream of HIV healed.
I dream of politicians worshipping.
I dream of sending sons and daughters to the ends of the world to reap a harvest.
I dream of insane mercy.
I dream of undeniable faith.
I dream of combustible hope,
I dream of torrents of grace.
No matter what my eyes see beyond what my ears hear
You've made a dreamer in me.
I will not rest until I taste this dream in reality.
