Hey RCC,

One of the things we believe as a leadership team that God is doing here at RCC is stirring us to pray more often. Here are few things that you can do to get involved:

1. Spend some time each day in prayer. It can be as simple as talking to God and taking some time to listen in return.
2. Sign up to pray for RCC and Missoula on a specific day each month. Email Jamie to get on the calendar.
3. Send prayer requests to Jamie so she can send them to the entire prayer team.
4. Send answered prayer reports to Jamie so that she can share them with everyone else.

Let’s pray big! Don’t limit God, for nothing is impossible with Him!

1. LifeGroups are kicking off the week of Feb 1. We all need to be connected, so next week we’re going to have some signup sheets for a whole bunch of different groups like 20 somethings, Bible study, dinner groups, game night, worship night, etc., etc. If you want to start a group, send me an email and let’s talk.We’ll have info on the new groups posted here soon.
2. Communion Meal for next week is cancelled. Instead, take the opportunity to gather with others for the SuperBowl. Who says you have to have communion in a church building?
3. Pulse. We’re partnering with Youth for Christ and some other churches in Missoula to launch a student ministry on Weds nights starting Feb 4th. If you’re a teen or you know a teen that would be interested, this is for you. Email or call me for more info.

• Today was huge!
• 109 people! 27 visitors from RCC Lewiston, 82 from RCC Missoula. Huge no matter how you look at it.
• 2 people made decisions to follow Jesus today. Huge!
• Ryan and the worship team from Lewiston rocked the house today. Amazing really.
• Ron King from RCC Lewiston spoke today about balancing your life. Bottom line: God wants it all. He isn’t into sharing. It’s really unbalanced. It’s revolutionary.
• Largest offering that we’ve ever collected…by far! Huge!
• Thank you RCC Lewiston for coming over and encouraging us! It was huge! Seriously, it means a lot to us. Bless you guys!

I was out of town this past Sunday so I had Eric write the Sunday recap. Below are his remarks with my comments in parentheses.

• 56 people this week.
• Kristin led worship with 2 great new songs.
• Had the people answer some questions on paper this week during the sermon.  Although some questions were deep, there were people writing. (I like the interactive approach to preaching/teaching)
• Both the Lead/Assoc Pastors Kids were kicked out of KidWay (nothing like setting a good example!).
• Several new couples/families there this week. (I hate missing out on meeting new people!)
• Assoc Pastor’s wife felt husband needs to listen more to his own sermon…he agrees. (I always feel like I’m preaching to myself first and foremost, so yeah I can understand Jamie on this one)
• We missed the handsome lead pastor and his beautiful bride immensely. (That’s understandable…)

That’s a wrap…

• I know, this post is a little late. We were getting ready for a trip to Orlando last week and it just slipped my mind.
• 58 people this week. We had fewer kids this week for some reason, but a good number of adults. It felt full in the service.
• Worship was great. We’re still playing with less than a full band, but the heart of worship is apparent. God will honor that, and He’s going to bring more musicians.
• Preached on being a revolutionary and breaking out of the cages that hold us back. At least one person said it was my best sermon ever. Thanks Doug
• We have guest speakers for the next 2 weeks! Eric is speaking on the 18th and Ron King from RCC Lewiston will be here on the 25th. It’s going to be great!

The church has become too safe. We play life too safe. Our faith is way too safe. When was the last time you did something great for God? I mean really great. Like, there’s no way you could have pulled it off without Him?

Jesus was a revolutionary. He broke the rules. He created a revolution. He expects His people to be revolutionaries. This means breaking out of the safe little cage we’ve been living in all these years. Doing great things for God.  Over the top.

Get on board the Revolution. Starting this Sunday @ 11am.

• Wow! Something good happened today. I feel like there was a huge breakthrough spiritually. Can’t put my finger on what it was exactly. Lives were changed though. River City Church was changed. Might be a long blog.
• 74 people today. We’re on the move. There is just no way to stay small AND fulfill the Great Commission. I can’t see it happening.
• Prayer, prayer, prayer. God’s been moving us to pray more. Some of us prayed together last night. This is definitely where the breakthrough is coming from.
• Today was Vision Sunday. Our new motto is “Doing whatever it takes to reach people who are far from God”.
• Jesus was a revolutionary. We’re called to be revolutionaries. To be anything less is to be something other than the church Jesus Christ established. We’ll know we’re JC revolutionaries if we see lives transformed, our church grows, and we piss off religious people.
• I can’t seem to wipe this smile off my face. I feel like I’m going to burst into laughter at any moment!
• I told everyone that we’re going to plant a church this year.
• Did I mention that River City Church is going to do whatever it takes to reach people who are far from God?
• LifeGroups are key. THAT is how we stay small and grow, all at the same time.
• We’ve got some big things planned for 2009. You’ll have to stay posted because I just can’t tell you what, yet…
• I seriously love you River City Church. God is going to do amazing things through us this year. We’re in store for a wild ride! Hang on!
• I’ll have an .mp3 file of the sermon available if you want to listen. If you weren’t able to hear it, I think you need to. Not because I’m such a great speaker, but because you need to know where RCC is headed in 2009 and beyond. You’re a part of this too ya know!

You won’t want to miss this Sunday for 2 reasons:

1. We’re going to be talking about the future of River City Church and some of the plans that we believe God has for us here in Missoula and beyond. Hang on, because I believe God is going to do some amazing stuff in 2009!
2. It’s communion Sunday! We’ll be having a meal together after the service. You won’t want to miss Grandma Gertrude’s famous cauliflower soufle’. Okay, there is no Grandma Gertrude. But there will be lots of great food and people!

What better way to start the new year off than at RCC this Sunday?

Happy New Year!

Brian