UPDATING...
Dear Brothers and Sisters In Christ,
God has blessed us over the last two years by using us and this ministry to change lives. I would like to thank all of you for coming in and becoming part of the Common Ground family. Common Ground is only a coffee house in Fitchburg. The "Common Ground" of Jesus Christ is in our hearts. It is eternal. This is the Common Ground family that matters.
As many of you already know we have been struggling financially. We have come to a point in this ministry where we are at a place of total surrender. We are giving God an opportunity to let us know if we are to continue in this ministry or if it was for a season and has run its course, serving the purpose that He intended. If God puts it on your heart to make a one time donation or a monthly commitment please call Ted @ 978.423.1729. If you would like to make a donation and receive a tax deduction you may do so by sending a check to Leominster Asssembly of God @ 834 Main St. Leominster MA 01453 (please specify for Common Ground.) If we do not receive the necessary contributions to keep the doors open then Thursday October 30th will be our last day.
I would also like to take this time to share a message that God has put on my heart for years. I feel an incredible urgency now as the time is drawing near for His return.
Our vision has always been to Unite the Body of Christ. I feel God has explained it to me in a way that made it real simple for me and I would like to share it with you:
If Jesus were to come, RIGHT NOW! When we ascended to heaven, would Leominster Assembly meet in one corner, Horizon Church in another, Crossroad in another, and so on? No, I dont believe so and I'm sure all of you would agree. Than why are we doing it now. Please understand, that I believe and I know God's telling me that there is absolutely a need for churches in this area, but a church body is only a blood cell in the Body of Christ. We have some wonderful Pastors in this area and God has done a great work in their churches, but I know my Pastor has said that our church is only a building. There is no power in this building. The power is in God, by the indwelling of the Holy Spirit and the salvation of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. We need to unite as one body and put aside all of our differences. The Bible says that "their shall be no division among you." This is the HEART of GOD.
The Bible is very specific when God talks about Unity:
[ A song of ascents. Of David. ] How good and pleasant it is when brothers live together in unity!
I in them and you in me. May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.
May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you a spirit of unity among yourselves as you follow Christ Jesus,
[ Divisions in the Church ] I appeal to you, brothers, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree with one another so that there may be no divisions among you and that you may be perfectly united in mind and thought.
[ Unity in the Body of Christ ] As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received.
Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.
until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.
Colossians 2:1-3
God is also very specific when he talks about Dissension:
And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.
Galatians 5:19-21 19The acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; 20idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions 21and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.
This word dissension, when I went on to the Websters dictionary site, means "the act of disagreeing." This is just as bad in God's eyes as all the rest.
We see this every day. I know that it is the heart of many Pastors in this area to have Unity events but for one reason or another it does not happen or they don't get the support they need from us. I am praying that we, as Christians, start to raise up and to begin the work that we have been called to do. No, commanded to do!
Matthew 28:19
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,
Matthew 28:18-20 (in Context) Matthew 28 (Whole Chapter)
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,
Matthew 28:18-20 (in Context) Matthew 28 (Whole Chapter)
This Command from God says to "make disciples" 1: one who accepts and assists in spreading the doctrines of another: as a: one of the twelve in the inner circle of Christ's followers according to the Gospel accounts.
One of the things that I have seen in my short time in ministry is that we see alot of people give their lives to Christ only to take it back a short time later. This happened to me in my life. I was fortunate enough to have people in my life praying for me and giving me a hand-up on my way. Our Pastors have a heart for evangelism, but they can not do it alone. They need our help and support. Please if you never volunteer for anything, you need to start. Be obedient to serve God and your Pastors in any capacity needed, with a servants heart. Do not get offended if you are not used in a way you want to, but trust in your Pastors discernment to use you in a way that God wants you to.
If you take anything away from this email, my prayer is: that you, as an individual, will start to answer the call and realize that you are being prepared "for such a time as this" and that the time is now!
Thank you and God Bless,
Ted