Hey Rocky River Church. As you have no doubt heard, Damian Bricker passed away earlier this week. Damian has struggled for sometime with throat cancer - but no more. Now he is in Heaven. For sure, that is not wishful thinking on my behalf. As his pastor I knew of his testimony in Christ and that he trusted Jesus as his Savior. This Saturday at Rocky River Church we will celebrate Damian's life in a memorial service that begins at 11:00AM. I hope you come out to share the story of Damian's life and to give worship to our Lord. See you then!

God bless!
Jimmy

1. Most of all, I'm excited about the changed lives we're experiencing at RRC. I say it all the time but that is our "business" and right now business is good (in a way of speaking). God is really blessing us with people and changed lives. One of the areas we are hearing lots of testimonies in is the area of finances. People who have taken the tithe challenge have incredible testimonies about the provision of God. That has been awesome!

2. I'm JACKED UP about our student and children's ministries at RRC.

Kids first. On February 5th we are relaunching our RiverKidz ministry. Wait until you see what we have planned! I have NEVER been more excited about the direction of this ministry. Our Preschool through 5th grade kids are going to LOVE what we are about to do in there.

Now The Flood - our Middle School/High School ministry. WE LOVE STUDENTS! Will is doing a great job with our students. He is focused on building relationships with those guys and developing some leaders and it is really beginning to pay off. We had a HUGE group of High School students on Sunday night. MS/HS students are gearing up for a big weekend in March.

ALSO, beginning Sunday, February 5, we are going to again be offering a Sunday morning Middle School option for gathering. This means that Middle Schoolers who are new to RRC, or just not connected on Wednesday nights, will have a Sunday morning program for them.

Honestly, it would not surprise me if our kids and students didn't run us out of our building in a year or so. I'm serious - I see that kind of potential! It is exciting!

3. GROUPS. We are going to launch a new groups ministry on February 5th like we've never seen before at RRC. It is the answer we have been searching for to help our church get connected with one another like never before. Our focus in 2012 is getting our folks connected to one another. My heart is for our church to grow smaller as we keep growing larger.

4. Our Wednesday night Bible study. Okay, this is going to mean A LOT of extra work for me but it is going to be SO WORTH IT! On February 15th we are kicking off a Wednesday Bible study - verse by verse - through the book of Revelation. We are getting a lot of positive feedback on this. People are going to love it! This kind of format - just me and an open Bible guiding folks through a chapter of the Bible - is my favorite. Get ready!

5. We roll out our 2012 Ministry Investment Budget on February 5th. Yes, we are a little behind on getting it out, but it is our biggest, best, most exciting budget EVER. Get excited RRC! We are going to all the places where God is leading us!

6. I'm TOTALLY JACKED UP about how we are ministering to our community and the world. We are showing the love of Jesus to the world like never before. For example, we are doing some cool things through CCM (Cooperative Christian Ministries in Concord), the Baptist Sharing House of Concord, Loaves and Fishes, and our own church/community through our benevolence ministry. We are also supporting missions in Kannapolis through Mission 217 and The Journey Church in Boca Raton, FL. Additionally, we are supporting Richard and Megan Harrell (and their boys) as pilot missionaries to South Africa. And just in case you don't know, the Harrell's are right out of Rocky River Church (homegrown missionaries). We are also supporting John Quast and his family as they are ministering to the unreached people in Paraguay by interpreting the Bible in their language. WOW! That is a lot - but there is even more happening. All of it means that we are fulfilling the Great Commission of Matthew 28. So exciting!

7. THIS SUNDAY @ ROCKY RIVER CHURCH! I am teaching a message from Luke 5:1-11 called "When You've Come Up Empty." If you have messed up in life or you just feel like you're not getting anywhere, don't miss being at Rocky River Church this Sunday at 9 or 11. I believe God is going to be impacting lives - your life if you're willing.

GET EXCITED! BUCKLE UP! See you Sunday! Love you guys! I love my church!
Jimmy

Hey Rocky River Church (and greater Charlotte Metro area). I was up late last night and early this morning working on next Sunday's message. I CANNOT wait to share it with you. I'll be teaching from Luke 5:1-11 - the story of the miraculous catch of fish. This miracle has A LOT to say about our lives during this economic recession. Also, if you've ever felt discouraged by your job situation - if you've ever felt like you were not getting anywhere in life - if you've ever felt worn out, tired and defeated, then you simply MUST be at Rocky River Church next Sunday. And make sure you bring the people in your life who need this message too.

I will see you this Sunday @ 9 and 11!

One more thing, if I can pray for you this week just send me a prayer request to Pastor@RockyRiverChurch.com.

God bless you. Come to church next Sunday expecting to hear from God! Love you.
Jimmy

This is a note to all my senior pastor buddies out there. I want to invite you to go to the Holy Land this May with Nelson Searcy (of course, I'll be on the trip too). This trip is LITERALLY a once in a lifetime opportunity. The trip is a DELUXE FIRST CLASS trip for Senior Pastors and their spouse and/or up to four members of your senior staff. It is truly going to be a VIP experience. Click here for costs, travel details and itinerary. http://www.churchleaderinsights.com/holyland

Just a couple of quick facts about our trip:
1. Our tour company, DuCarTours.com is the the same company that hosted trips this past year for Glenn Beck and Mick Huckabee.
2. Our trip is ALL INCLUSIVE. There are NO hidden expenses like you will find with other tour companies (trust me on this one!).
3. The tour guide makes the difference - our guide is one of the best in all of Israel.
4. First class accommodations are so important because on a trip like this one you need to be well rested.
5. We will enjoy some of the finest food in the world, both at our hotels and at restaurants we have negotiated with in advance - ALL INCLUDED.
6. One more - on our trip, we not only have a great guide, we also will have Nelson Searcy (www.ChurchLeaderInsights.com and NYJourney.com) to share leadership lessons and insights along the way. AND, Jason Hatley, Nelson's Worship Pastor at The Journey (www.WorshipLeaderInsights.com), will be travleing with us and we will have several worship experiences along the way.
7. Okay, one more - what appeals to pastors about this trip is that it is designed with the senior pastor in mind. The only person you have to worry about is you. Our church members are valuable and important, but this trip is about your spiritual pilgrimage. This is a trip where your life can be filled up and refreshed.

Anyway, I am handling the details for the trip so if you have further questions please email me at Jimmy@RockyRiverChurch.com or call me at 704-795-7625.

Don't wait too long! The trip is filling up fast. We're only have about 30 spots open TOTAL.

Hope to hear from you soon.
Jimmy

[Matthew 22:34-40]

The religious leaders of Jesus' day had classified over 600 laws. It is a head-scratcher to think that God gave us 10 Laws (or ten words) to live by and human beings have to complicate it by adding to the list. Anyway, there were so many "man-made" laws that even they couldn't figure out which ones were most important. One day one of the "experts of the Law" asked Jesus to identify the most important law. Jesus responded by quoting from Deuteronomy 6:5 and Leviticus 19:18 and said, "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment."

But how can that be proven? How can a person demonstrate that he or she loves God with everything they have? Who would really know? How is this lived out? Where is God that I can feed Him, or clothe Him, or hug and kiss Him? How do I tell Him that I love Him? How could I EVER demonstrate, quantify or qualify my love for Him? So before the "expert" could walk away or even ask his next question, Jesus cleared up the mystery of loving God and said, "And the second [commandment] is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself." And so there would be no confusion, Jesus said, "All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments."

Here is the commandment for how to live your life today, tomorrow and every day going forward: Love God and love others. It might also by stated this way, "Love God BY loving others."

What God wants for our lives is as simple, and complex as this.

More than 24 years ago, Pam and her husband Bob were serving as missionaries to the Philippines and praying for a fifth child. Pam contracted amoebic dysentery, an infection of the intestine caused by a parasite found in contaminated food or drink.

She went into a coma and was treated with strong antibiotics before they discovered she was pregnant. Doctors urged her to abort the baby for her own .........safety and told her that the medicines had caused irreversible damage to her baby. She refused the abortion and cited her Christian faith as the reason for her hope that her son would be born without the devastating disabilities physicians predicted. Pam said the doctors didn't think of it as a life, they thought of it as a mass of fetal tissue.

While pregnant, Pam nearly lost their baby four times but refused to consider abortion. She recalled making a pledge to God with her husband: If you will give us a son, we’ll name him Timothy and we’ll make him a preacher. Pam ultimately spent the last two months of her pregnancy in bed and eventually gave birth to a healthy baby boy August 14, 1987.

Pam’s youngest son is indeed a preacher. He preaches in prisons, makes hospital visits, and serves
with his father’s ministry in the Philippines.

He also plays football.

Pam’s son is Tim Tebow.

Tim Tebow and the Broncos were beaten last night by the New England Patriots. But because Tim is a witness of Jesus Christ, football or not, that makes him a winner.

Today I am having a very important meeting with our directional staff. We some big decisions to make and details to work out concerning other decisions that have already been made. Among the things we are working through is how to make our church "smaller" as it grows "larger." Also, we have some budget items to finish up, details on a paper newsletter, children's ministry, student ministry, volunteer systems, and a few others.

Over the last year God has doubled the size of our church. It is making for growing pains and honestly, it is a little overwhelming. BUT I'M NOT COMPLAINING! I'm just asking for your prayers. :)

EXCITING!

Thanks all!
Jimmy

Hey BUSINESS OWNERS and LEADERS of Rocky River Church. I want to invite you to go with me to see Dave Ramsey LIVE in Atlanta on January 20. Most folks know Dave as a great financial guy. What you may not know is that he is a great leader of leaders. In this one-day event called “EntreLeadership” we will learn leadership development, goal setting, how to hire and confront failure, financial peace for your business, and how to make decisions the right way. I have heard Dave a number of times at live events and I promise you will not be disappointed. His leadership is practical, timely and right on!

I hope you’ll consider going with me. Not only will this be an awesome event but also it will be great for me to get to hang out with you for the day. Shoot me an email at Pastor@RockyRiverChurch.com if you would like to go. We are making plans now so let me know ASAP!

The cost is $99. It will be a “down and back” trip on the same day (so not expense of hotels). The event begins at 9AM so we will leave around 5AM from the church parking lot and travel together.

Oh yeah, here’s the link to buy your ticket. http://www.daveramsey.com/entreleadership/information/city/Atlanta/

Again, I hope you can make it!
Jimmy Britt
www.RockyRiverChurch.com
www.JimmyBritt.com

The best way to stay married is...[drum roll please]..."don't split up."

Hey Rocky River Church. I have an opportunity for you to help me with a very important project I am working on with Will (our Pastor to Students). In March our students have an opportunity to participate in what is called a "Disciple Now" weekend. Basically, this is going to be a weekend where our students are immersed in the Bible, worship and fellowship with each other and other students in our area. The cost for this project is only $2,000. Our students work so hard to raise money for camp and other events throughout the year andI would really like to bless them with the money they need for this. We have not included this in our student budget so it is extra. Will you help me fund this for them? Any amount you can give would be appreciated but I'm wondering if there are 10 people out there who can give $200. That's all it would take. Send me an email to Pastor@RockyRiverChurch.com and let me know if you can help. To get the best pricing we need the money by Sunday.

Thanks for blessing our students in this way! It is a GREAT opportunity to make a significant investment into the lives of our students. Love you!

Pastor Jimmy