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Thirteen years ago today, Christ Fellowship had our first service as a new church. If memory serves, there were about nine of us that left Runaway Bay as the First Baptist Church and went to Lake Bridgeport. I think there are about six or seven of us left out of that original group. And we had no idea what God was going to do in and with our church but we knew what kind of church God wanted us to be. We knew He wanted us to minister to the poor, the addicted and the incarcerated and so that’s what we have done all these years. We had no idea the stories we would be able to tell thirteen years later. We had no idea the people that would come into and go out of our church and how God would use us to minister to them so they could go minister to others.

Yes, we have a lot of funny stories and a lot of God stories and some sad stories as well. But I’m looking forward to seeing what God is going to do in the future with Christ Fellowship! I’m looking forward to seeing how He uses us and where He uses us and to the stories we will tell in years to come. I love telling those old stories but I think about Isaiah 43 where God says, “Forget the former things. See, I’m doing a new thing!” Yes! I want that new thing! I want what God has for us. I want the place and I want the people and I want His blessings and I want it when He wants us to have it, in His perfect timing. I love the church that we are now but we have a long way to go. I learn something new all the time. And God continues to work in His church. He said in Matthew 16 that He would build His church and so we just want to be “buildable.”

I love you, Christ Fellowship. I do. Thank you for loving me and supporting me in all the ways you do and have for so many years. These next few years are going to be fun! I hope you are ready. See ya Sunday. — Todd

Ah, Black Friday! The day after we tell each other how thankful we are for what we have, we decide we need more. I heard camouflage pants were on sale for Black Friday but I’m not seeing any. Get it? Huh? Bada bing! Ok, never mind. If today is Black Friday, what is tomorrow? Let’s call it Lavender Saturday. Then comes Off-White Sunday maybe? And who decides who gets to name these days? I have a lot of questions.

But whatever it’s called, I’m so looking forward to Sunday at Christ Fellowship! First, I just enjoy seeing my church family. But also, I just need to spend some special set-aside time to worship; to just go into the throne room of the Creator of the universe and just be with Him and offer a sacrifice of praise and worship. He commands it. He is worthy. And I need it. I hope you will join me in doing that.

To continue the thanksgiving theme another Sunday, we will look at the story of the 10 lepers whom Jesus healed in Luke 17. It’s a powerful passage and deeper than you might think. I can’t wait to see you! I love you all! — Todd

Have you ever wanted to be the best at something? I see coffee mugs and t-shirts and bumper stickers saying that the person with this product is the best father, friend, cook, etc. and I wonder what the odds are of the actual best whatever it is winding up with that. Probably pretty low. But you can be the best at something. We all can. Paul tells us in 1 Corinthians 13 how to love in the best way. I was going to entitle my message Sunday, “How To Be the Best Lover” but I knew you hoodlums would take it wrong so instead it’s just called, “The Most Excellent Way”. And it tells us how to use our God-given gifts in the best way. It is the best way to live and the best way to die and the best way to be known as individuals and as a church. I hope you’ll join us at Christ Fellowship this Sunday at 10 to learn more.

Afterwards, I think some of us are going to go to Perry’s Diner for lunch and then Sunday night we will not have evening service at our church but go to Morris Memorial Methodist Church for the annual Chico area Ministerial Alliance and worship with several other churches there. There will be a light meal served after the service and they have asked us just to bring a finger-food sandwich tray and a fruit tray. If you can help with that, please let me know ASAP. The service starts at 6 and the address is 304 S. Weatherford St. just off the square and across from Lowes Grocery.

So many of you have asked. I talked to Cody Roberts today and he saw his doctor and things are looking good after his major back surgery. He is still in considerable pain and the doc says he will be for a while but all is going according to plan. Thank you for praying for him and Teresa.

I can’t wait to see you Sunday! I love you all! — Todd

Well, this Sunday is the big day! This is the Christ Fellowship I-don’t-know-how-many-annual Chili cookoff! And I can’t wait! As usual, the prizes will go to the cook with the Best-Tasting, the Spiciest and the Most Exotic. The ever-coveted prizes will be the Bent Spoon Awards. These almost world-famous awards are being custom made as we speak by some of the finest craftsmen in Murano, Italy. They are using the finest materials including hand picked African Mahogany, inlays of brass and bronze, with solid 24k gold spoons and Corinthian marble for the labeling. I hope to get them back before church time Sunday or I may have to resort to twisting some bailing wire around some Walmart spoons on pine out of my shed and spray painting it all gold. But we’ll see.

Anyway, I’m looking forward to that and also to hearing Morris Hoover bring the message! It’s going to be a good day in the Lord’s House! I love you all! — Todd

Coming up this weekend at Christ Fellowship, this is the weekend for our Operation Christmas Child packing party! Yay! Sunday night at 6 we will pool all the stuff we have collected and pack some boxes to ship to kids all over the world. According to the OCC website, the things NOT TO PACK are SOAP; candy; toothpaste; gum; used or damaged items; scary or war-related items such as toy guns, knives, or military figures; chocolate or food; seeds; fruit rolls or other fruit snacks; drink mixes (powdered or liquid); liquids or lotions; medications or vitamins; breakable items such as snow globes or glass containers; aerosol cans. The things you should pack include a “wow” item like a soccer ball with pump or a doll or stuffed animal. Also, personal care items and school supplies are important. But y’all know the drill. Also, don’t forget we may need some munchies of some sort to help us pack all this stuff so don’t forget that.

Also, we are thrilled to have the Gideons come speak to us this Sunday morning. It’s going to be a great day in the Lord’s house this Sunday and I can’t wait to see y’all! I love you all! — Todd

We know things start to get busier around the holidays and at Christ Fellowship, we never want to have “just one more thing.” But we have a few important events to mention. This Sunday, we will celebrate the Lord’s Supper and will study in detail about how we came to celebrate it and why we don’t celebrate the Passover. Here’s a hint: Jesus changed it! You can be prepared by reading Matthew 26 and Exodus 12. It’s a passage I’ve never preached on before and it’s been fascinating to me to study it.

Don’t forget we have our Operation Christmas Child packing party on November 9. That is coming RIGHT up. So, try to make sure you have enough materials to pack at least 2 boxes. That’s the goal.

The next week (the 16th) will be our almost world-famous chili cookoff with the same great prizes as before. The cherished golden Bent Spoon Awards will be handed out to the Best Tasting, the Spiciest and the Most Exotic. That’s always a great time.

Then December 14th is our Christ Fellowship Holiday Potluck meal. I can’t wait for that!

Please remember Cody Roberts in your prayers. His back surgery went well but the pain of it is pretty intense. 

I love you all and can’t wait to see you this Sunday! — Todd

So many of you have been asking how Cody Roberts is doing. He had major back surgery on Wednesday and is doing well. He is still in the hospital in Carrolton but hopes to get out today (Saturday). Teresa is there with him but he is in a lot of pain as you can imagine. So, please pray and ask God with us for a complete healing and a quick recovery. 

Also, this Sunday I am proud to announce the continuation of our sermon series on what we struggle with and the topic is pride. I know none of you struggle with that, right? But maybe you know somebody that does. Seriously, Daniel chapter 4 is a great story of pride and God’s tolerance for it but also God’s grace as well. Read the third and fourth chapters of Daniel. It’s a quick and fun read. Shoot, read the first four chapters! It’s good stuff. But that way we will all be on the same page when we talk about the “Wolf-Man” when we see each other this Sunday at Christ Fellowship! I can’t wait to see you. I love you all. — Todd

You know those magazines at the grocery store checkout aisle? Not the newspaper-style that say Elvis is still alive or that Michael Jackson was actually a two-headed alien baby. Not those. I’m talking about the magazines that every month say basically the same thing. Do this to lose ten pounds by summer. This famous actress tells the secret to wiping away the lines on your face. Do this exercise to be more attractive. You know the magazines. Well, let me give you the real secret to being more attractive. You can be ugly as a mud fence but if you are kind and compassionate, you instantly are more attractive. It’s true. Try it.

In this day and age, we are surrounded by people asking for help more than ever. It’s hard to know what to give and who to give to. And you have probably done it wrong in the past and it came back to bite you, didn’t it? Well, we are going to talk about that this Sunday at Christ Fellowship. We all struggle with showing compassion. We aren’t rich. We don’t want to enable some people. How do you know when or what is appropriate and what are some ways that we can show compassion? I have lots of questions about showing compassion.

Join me this Sunday to discuss this from a wonderful passage of scripture that makes my friend David look good this time. 2 Samuel 9 is where David shows compassion to Mephibosheth. Mephibosheth! What a great name! It’ll be worth coming to church just to say that name out loud so get your rest tomorrow. Don’t overdo it. Make plans right now to be there at 10 and 6. All the attractive people are doing it! 🙂

I love you all! — Todd

Have you ever made the news? Have you ever done anything in your life that was newsworthy? I’m not asking you to tell me what it was because I know that some of you may have done something great to make the news. You invented something or you stopped a crime or you did something praiseworthy and you deserve to be on the news. But some of you may have made the news for the opposite reason. Maybe your mugshot got taken and you did a little time somewhere besides your own home. That is news too.

King David was all over the news back in his day. Pretty often there was news about him winning a battle or leading his troops to great victory and he deserved to be in the news for that. God blessed him with many victories for Israel. But then…there was that ONE time…when kings go off to war…but David didn’t go to war. Ugh! You know the story. I hate to preach on it but it’s a perfect example of what not to do when tempted by lust. David struggled with it and maybe you do too. Maybe it is for the opposite sex or maybe it is for stuff or position or what you think would be better than what you have.

Let’s talk about it Sunday morning and evening at Christ Fellowship. Read the tragic story in 2 Samuel 11 and be ready to discuss it. I love you all and can’t wait to see you! — Todd

Okay, here’s the scenario. God has a bus and He is driving around your neighborhood picking up folks who want to go to Heaven. It’s a free ride to all the eternal glories Heaven has to offer. But He just pulled up in front of your house and you have to decide right now. Do you want to go now or wait until you die? No, you can’t take anybody or anything. But all you have to do is walk out there right now and get on the bus. What do you say? Yes or no? That’s a surprisingly hard question for a lot of people. And I understand that. I really do. 

I think we are all looking forward to Heaven but…what about the kids, the dogs, the job, the friends, etc.? I completely understand whichever way you answer. And this Sunday at Christ Fellowship, we will talk more about that and what it means to stay and to go. What does it mean if we live? What does it mean if we die? Those are questions we need to think about and Paul helps us with it from Philippians chapter 1.

I can’t wait to see you! I love you all! — Todd