Connection Fall 2014 by Stonebriar Community Church

SPRING 2012

VOLUME NUMBER

14 1

connection volume 16 • number 3

FALL 2014 ask the pastor

All inquiries, comments, suggestions, and story ideas should be directed to our Communications Department by e-mail to communications@stonebriar.org.

by tom hayes, pastor of missions and community impact

What was God’s purpose in creating humans in His image?

senior pastor chuck swindoll senior director of resource ministries carol spencer communications director sandi garrett creative director kenny courtenay

2 4

writer townsend keller editor olga ball

volunteer editor shelly king

the second great awakening & our modern-day slumber .......................................................... 4

encouraging all a lifelong,

meet travis............................................................................................ 6 pint-sized partner............................................................................ 6

did you know?.................................................................................... 7

joyous relationship with Jesus Christ

remembering barry buchanan............................................... 8

8 www.stonebriar.org

ask the pastor..................................................................................... 1 turning the corner in south dallas ...................................... 2

communications coordinator amy hyles

people to pursue

he Bible is the story of God and how He interacts with His created world, including humans. In the world He created, He chose one part of His creation to bear His image—humans. It is an amazing privilege to bear this image of the one true God, but what was His purpose? It must be more than simply to be a caretaker for the rest of creation. After all, this is the image of God.

pardon our dust ................................................................................ 9

First, we must have a clear understanding of God’s purpose in this world. God’s purpose for creation, including mankind, is for this world to reflect glory and honor back to its Creator. There are beautiful passages, such as Psalm 98, that articulate that the physical world will participate in worship, “Let the sea and everything in it shout His praise: Let the earth and all living things join in. Let the rivers clap their hands in glee! Let the hills sing out their songs of joy before the Lord.” —Psalm 98:7-9a (nlt) However, the reality is that only human beings are made in His image. We are different from the rest of His creation, but what does that mean? There have been entire books written about the possible meanings, but in one paragraph, Dr. Christopher J. H. Wright sums up the principal idea: “Much theological ink has been spilled on trying to pin down exactly what it is about human beings that can be identified as the essence of the image of God in us. Is it our rationality, our moral consciousness, our capacity for relationship, our sense of responsibility to God? Even our upright posture and the expressiveness of the human face have been canvassed as the locus of the image of God in humankind. Since the Bible nowhere

defines the term, it is probably futile to attempt to do so very precisely. In any case, we should not so much think of the image of God as an independent ‘thing’ that we somehow possess. God did not give to human beings the image of God. Rather, it is a dimension of our very creation. The expression ‘in our image’ is adverbial (that is, it describes the way God made us), not adjectival (that is, as if it simply described a quality we possess). The image of God is not so much something we possess, as what we are. To be human is to be the image of God. It is not an extra feature added on to our species; it is definitive of what it means to be human.” 1 The image of God is not something we have, but rather something we are. What are the implications for all these humans who have been made in God’s image? It is to join with God in revealing Himself to His creation. It is to join in His purpose. Humans are to join with God in accomplishing what He has already begun. God is revealing Himself to His creation, which responds by worshiping Him. Human beings have been given the special task of joining with God in revealing Him to the world. Each of you was created for this purpose—so that you would participate with God to make Him known. Your life is not meant to be an attempt at righteous living as an end to itself, but as the fulfillment of your life as an image bearer of God. Your existence as an image bearer is to make Him known in all walks of life. It is not something you do, but who you are. As an image bearer of God, how are you reflecting the one true God to this world? 1 Christopher J. H. Wright, Old Testament Ethics for the People of God (Leicester, U.K.: Inter-Varsity Press; Downers Grove, Ill.: InterVarsity Press, 2004), p. 119.

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by townsend keller, staff writer I have never felt called to international missions. Growing up in church, I thought going across the world to minister and help people was something that more worthy and qualified people did. Bringing the hope of Christ to desperate people was reserved for those who traveled to distant, more exotic locales. The moment I exited Highway 175 onto Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard in Dallas, it hit me how wrong I was. When Reverend Chris Simmons, or “Pastor Chris,” arrived at Cornerstone Baptist Church in 1988, the neighborhood was referred to as a war zone. Drive-by shootings and gang fights were common. Crack houses littered the neighborhood and fueled rampant prostitution. It was a community left to die with no hope of redemption. Pastor Chris told me about the beginning of his ministry while we toured the church outreach programs. As we putted around in his white, well-used Mercury Mountaineer, he described the long process of bringing the Gospel into the community.

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“I was walking in the neighborhood praying,” Chris said. “And I was like ‘Lord, this is overwhelming.’ The Lord said, ‘Chris, you handle it like you would an elephant: just one bite at a time.’” I looked out at the passing streets as he told me this and could only think about how brave he must have been to walk this neighborhood by himself. Twenty-five years later, the neighborhood shows signs of recovery. Little by little, Cornerstone acquired nearby properties and converted them into ministry centers. A drug-infested apartment complex was converted into a halfway house where former inmates go through a discipleship program. Another became offices where dental, medical, and vision clinics are held. A shower center is open on Saturdays where the homeless can take a private shower and receive clean clothes. The main church building, a converted grocery store, is open to the community to hold funerals. A former liquor store is now a kitchen that serves 6,000 meals a month to the homeless. That day, breakfast burritos awaited the line of folks gathering outside on a sweltering August morning.

Inside, the kitchen was a hive of activity as volunteers from two churches and Blue Cross Blue Shield prepared the food. The pace of the work made it difficult to get an accurate estimate of how many people were shoehorned into the little building. The noise and bustle made it feel like hundreds. Chris was hugging or handshaking nearly everyone he saw. Each ministry at Cornerstone is evangelistically focused, Pastor Chris explained. A Bible study is mandatory in order to take a meal from the kitchen. (When a local food bank told Chris he could get food from them for 17 cents a pound, but could not present the Gospel, Chris said he “just didn’t believe we could sell God for 17 cents a pound.”) The shower facility is a method of sharing how Christ can take the filthy and make them clean again. For every physical need met,

Cornerstone uses it to point back to the need for Christ. Cornerstone cannot support these ministries alone due to its low income congregation. The support of suburban churches like ours, Chris explained, is instrumental to keep them functioning. Our tour ended, and Pastor Chris bid me goodbye as he drove away to ensure the kitchen and showers continued to run smoothly. It was time for me to experience our church’s weekly contribution to Cornerstone: C-Kids. In this community, 97 percent of the children are from single parent households, and 56 percent of grandparents are raising at least one grandchild. Positive male role models are scarce. Kids do not have to look far for trouble and negative influences.

C-Kids was designed to have children in church every day to avoid exposure to the negative behavior of the community. Summer day camps, after school activities, and the Saturday program I helped with provide the children with an environment of love and attention that some of them lack at home. In my absence, the kids had started to filter in for the 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. program and were playing on a donated state-of-theart playground with a shade canopy. Some days, as many as 80 children show up. That day, about 25 children came. Veteran volunteer Karen Wilson (better known at C-Kids as “Tall Karen” to differentiate her from Karen Hawkins, our pastoral leader of community care, who leads this ministry) explained that the children tend to be transient in the summer months, often staying with different relatives. Len, a retiree who is a regular volunteer, was not too concerned with the turnout. “If God sends you one, minister to the one,” he told me as he shot hoops with a few older boys. After playing outside, the kids were brought into Cornerstone’s old church building, a one-story, one-room red brick building. As they sat on the floor to hear the rules for the

day’s games, I picked a spot near a cluster of younger boys to integrate myself. Almost immediately, three boys surrounded me. Javier, who is about eight or nine years old, plopped his head down on my right leg and kicked back to listen. Alan, a Hispanic boy around four, made himself comfortable on my lap while his older brother Anthony attached himself to my left arm. “Hey buddy,” I said to Anthony as his brother pawed at my face. Anthony smiled, and I noticed his four top front teeth were silver. “He likes your glasses,” he replied as Alan succeeded in removing them from my face. I looked around, and I was far from unique. Kids clustered on and around every volunteer in the room, who ranged from junior high students to retirees. It was obvious the kids felt secure and loved. “I don’t know what the kids have come from that morning or what they go home to after we are gone,” Tall Karen told me later. “But for those sweet precious few hours (Continued on page 9)

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Rhome van Dyck of Sacra Script Ministries writes Bible studies with his seminary colleagues. He was ordained at our church in 2005 and served on the pastoral staff. He currently teaches our Christianity class.

by rhome van dyck sacra script ministries

any people have expressed grave concerns over the state of the Western Church today. Statistically, the majority of those who call themselves Christians know very little about God, the Bible, and their apparent beliefs. A staggering amount of young people who grow up in the evangelical church are leaving and not returning. Some studies show the difference in morality, behavior, and social justice between professing Christians and the culture at large are mostly inconsequential. How did the church get here? In 1795, less than ten percent of the American population formally belonged to a church. It was an age of deism, when people often claimed a belief in God as Creator but thought that He was inactive in His creation. The result of such thinking was unbelief in the supernatural or miracles and an embracing of human reason in determining what was true. As the western frontier was being settled, it was often completely void of Christian influence. Unlike our common assumptions of the good old days, spirituality in America in the late 18th century was cold, dry, and lifeless.

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Spiritual change in America began in some of its leading colleges, such as HampdenSydney, Princeton, and Yale, Timothy Dwight IV, the grandson of Jonathan Edwards, was the eighth president of Yale College. Observing his students entering their studies with a cold rationalism and anti-supernaturalism, Dwight longed to rekindle a passion for God and His Word. His preaching in chapel ignited revival among his students for the things of God. Other colleges followed suit in seeing fresh sparks of spiritual renewal among their student bodies, and these embers spilled over into the local churches and assemblies. Quickly, the fires of what would come to be known as The Second Great Awakening (1795–1810) spread to the Wild West. On the rugged frontier, this spiritual awakening took on a very different form. Pastors and churchmen, eager to evangelize the pagan settlers, set up camp meetings to call all sinners to repentance. One of the most famous camp meetings took place at the remote Cane Ridge Meeting House in Logan County, Kentucky, from August 6 to 12, 1801. Some 25,000 people, traveling in excess of 50 miles on shoddy wagon trails, made their way to these backwoods grounds to see and hear preachers calling for repentance around the clock, inside and outside the meeting house. The outbreak of emotion took on radical forms as some praised, prayed, repented, laughed, and even barked. Multiple evangelists preaching and yelling at once, emotional public prayers, organized choirs, and people placed on anxious benches until they repented marked the camp meeting movement that would spread across Kentucky, Tennessee, and the rest of the frontier regions. One itinerate Presbyterian preacher rose to the forefront of the Second Great Awakening. Charles Grandison Finney had such a radical personal conversion that it moved him to perfect the art of creating revival for others. He believed that God

was giving each person the opportunity to repent. Furthermore, he thought it was the job of the preacher or evangelist to bring people to God, make them publically repent, and commit to Christ. Finney used whatever techniques would stir people’s emotions to force them into salvation. Behind this emphasis of radical emotional conversion was the Governmental View of the Atonement. This idea was first articulated early in the 17th century by Hugo Grotius, who thought that Christ’s death on the cross was a public demonstration of God’s willingness to forgive sins, rather than a payment for sin itself. Timothy Dwight, president of Yale, had adopted this view, stating that Christ’s death on the cross merely showed that if one came to God in repentance, God was the type of God who would forgive. Jesus’ death was the model for this, but nothing more. This thinking marked the Second Great Awakening. The Governmental View of Atonement means each person has to come before God and beg for his or her own forgiveness. This idea of initiating one’s salvation bred a radical emotional revivalism. The more dramatic the confession, the more assured you could be of your salvation. It allowed for the thinking that people could fix themselves. Finney justified this thinking because it produced results. The Apostle Paul wrote to the church in Rome, “We know that the law is spiritual; but I am unspiritual, sold as a slave to sin. I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do. And if I do what I do not want to do, I agree that the law is good. As it is, it is no longer I myself who do it, but it is sin living in me. I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out” Romans 7:14–18 (niv). In direct contrast to the Governmental View of the Atonement, Paul reveals that without Christ, we are literally enslaved without the

ability to fix ourselves. He states that even if we have the desire to do what is right, we do not have the capacity to carry it out. This leads Paul to boldly proclaim in Romans 8:1–2, “Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death” (niv). The glorious Gospel message is that Christ’s death on the cross actually paid for our sins. The Holy Spirit draws us into a relationship with God the Father through Christ the Son. While there was legitimate conversion and revival during the Second Great Awakening, the lingering effects of some of the faulty theology continue to manifest themselves within the Western Church today. The idea that we initiate and create our own salvation has led to the idea that our own experience determines truth. The modern-day church has been plagued by competing, and often conflicting, experiences of how to do corporate worship. The evangelical churches are defined by what experiences they offer their congregations, such as traditional or contemporary music and liturgical versus modern styles of service. Bible study is presented in terms of “what the Bible means to me,” and “how can it help me in my experiences,” rather than what it teaches about God. Testimonies are times to tell of one’s own experience of conversion rather than to bear witness to the truths of the Savior. Embracing the Gospel message that Christ’s death on the cross paid for our sins shifts the emphasis from our experience to His atonement. Recognizing that the Holy Spirit draws us to repentance moves us from, “how can God help us” to “how can we serve Him?” Depending on Christ’s sustaining power will transform the Western Church from the deism of self-fixing and self-saving to a radical rest and trust in the completed work of our Savior. Only the truths of God’s Word revealing the sufficiency of Christ can awaken the Church and transform the world.

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did you know?

by townsend keller, staff writer We have a minor celebrity at our church, and you may have seen him around on Sunday mornings. He is a member of the Marathon fellowship and the only member Pastor Chuck allows to sleep through his sermons. He has also been honored by a ship captain, but still humbly performs his duties. His name is Travis, and he is a 10-year-old golden retriever owned by Jim and Kay Young.

• our campus is comprised of 94 acres

• 13,998 events were held

at our church over the past 12 months

After a brain tumor weakened the left side of her body, Kay could no longer walk without often falling. After finding out that “balance and stability” service dogs existed, the Youngs asked the Marathon fellowship to pray they would find the perfect dog. In September 2006, Travis came into their lives. As a balance and stability dog, Travis is trained to help Kay keep her balance. If she starts to fall while holding on to his harness, he can push her back onto her feet. If she falls in the house, he is trained to bring her a phone. He can also meet paramedics at the door and lead them to where she fell. In addition to helping Kay walk, Travis has provided the Youngs an avenue to share their faith. On an Alaskan cruise in 2012, Travis opened doors for his owners to tell both passengers and crew members about the Lord. “With Travis, we have always tried to talk about how God has blessed us through the trials and tribulations that we’ve had through the years,” Jim said. “It makes it easier for us to talk to people about the Lord, having the dog. It’s a focal point, and normally they start the conversation.” Word of Travis eventually reached the captain of the ship, who insisted Travis receive a medal. In an official ceremony, Travis was bestowed with the Holland America bronze medal for his loyalty and service. Despite his fame, Travis is still, according to Jim, “a regular, knucklehead golden retriever,” who is just a normal dog (when he’s not on the job, of course). “[Travis has] made us extra sensitive to other people who are disabled,” Kay said. “[He] reminds me [of] the blessings that I’ve been given. It’s just been an amazing journey, and I wouldn’t trade it for anything, I really wouldn’t. It’s made us who we are now.”

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• our worship center seats 3,007 people

• there are more than 10,000 light bulbs on our campus

by teresa kay director of projectserve As you drive into our parking lot on Sunday mornings, you will see men from our parking team directing traffic. If you are entering from Legendary Drive, you may be a bit surprised to see a diminutive figure in one of the parking team’s bright orange vests. His name is Jacob Williams, and he is six years old. Jacob is one of Kit and Gwen Williams’ two sons. Kit has been a member of the parking team for eight years. He said he considers it a blessing to serve in this ministry. “We’re literally the first and last impression people have of our church, and I want that impression to be of a smiling face.” Two years ago, with a desire to instill and encourage a heart of service already evident in Jacob, Kit and Gwen decided it was time for Jacob to join his dad on the parking team. They feel it is too easy for their boys to become “me focused” and want them to learn what it means to serve the Lord and others.

• our website averages 1,417,019 page views per year

• each sunday, we go Jacob loves serving with his dad in the parking lot. He takes his job very seriously and is excited to help every Sunday. His favorite thing to do is “stack” cars on Legendary Drive—he loves to wave them forward and give hand signals when they should stop. He also likes to count the number of people who wave to him and tries to beat his record from Sunday to Sunday. The record currently stands at 213 waves. Kit said that is the best response they get—smiles and waves from those who see them. He and Jacob have a competition going to see who gets the most waves. Currently, Jacob is winning.

whenever his dad is. The parking team serves in rain, snow, sleet, or shine.

You might think, for one so small, inclement weather would keep Jacob away from his duties. Jacob does not let it get in the way. He has all the necessary clothing to brave the elements and is out in the parking lot

When you come to church on Sunday mornings, be on the lookout for Jacob. Give him a big smile and wave to help him break his current record and beat his dad. Go Team Jacob!

Serving runs in the family. Jacob’s little brother, Samuel, just turned five years old. He’s excited about serving along with his big brother and his dad. He is starting out slowly, but, so far, is doing everything asked of him. Kit said that as Samuel continues to demonstrate responsibility, he will give him more duties. The Williams are grateful to have a place to worship and serve the Lord together. Kit said he is thankful Stonebriar encourages serving in our young people.

through approximately 111 gallons of coffee

• each sunday, our early childhood ministry goes through 82 pounds of goldfish crackers

• 125 babies are enrolled in our nursery

• our nursery volunteers &

staff change 250–300 diapers each sunday

• we support 16 missionary units (individuals, couples, or families) in more than 10 countries

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cornerstone

(Continued from page 3) they are mine, and I love them. I hope that will translate to them as the love of Christ.”

by chris whitson, director of building management

I never really liked the guy anyway . . . This was a running joke with Barry and our staff. In his own words, Barry was too skinny for the football team, and not smart enough for the chess club. He was, however, a remarkable friend. He had a unique ability to challenge you. Personally, he challenged me to be a better husband. He adored his wife, Cathy. When she would come to the church to meet him for lunch, he would proudly announce that he was having lunch with his girlfriend. He talked often about her courage and strength. He honored Cathy every chance he could. He challenged me to be a better dad. Every week he would tell us stories about his daughters, Emily and Grace. We experienced the ups and downs of horse ownership, spelling bees, Tejas Riders, father-daughter road trips to web comic expos, science fairs, learning to drive, first dates, and Girl Scout cookie sales. In the summer, he brought the girls to the office just so he could spend time with them. He was a wonderful father, and he cherished his girls. Barry Buchanan, our former director of IT, passed away peacefully on June 4, 2014, after a yearlong battle with brain cancer. This piece is the eulogy given by his coworker, and friend, Chris Whitson.

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He also challenged my viewpoints. It was no secret that Barry did not agree with most of our staff when it came to political ideology. He made you consider another point of view, but he never forced his opinion on you.

Finally, he challenged me to be a better person. When you were having a rough day, Barry would always be the guy who walked in your office just to make a joke and let you know he was there for you. When you came back to the office after being sick, he was the first person to stop by and ask how you were feeling. When we remember Barry, all of us will remember a zinger. He had a spiritual gift for delivering the perfectly timed one-liner. A former colleague and Barry were debating an IT systems issue. She told Barry that he needed to learn an aspect of the system “in case she was ever hit by a bus.” Barry fired back with “First, I will need to park the bus.” When we were choosing paint colors for an office remodel, I said that I was not an interior designer. Barry quickly fired back “You have the walk of one.”

by townsend keller, staff writer From our inception in a country club 15 years ago, our church has had a chronic problem. This problem, however, is one that our staff is happy to have: we just cannot stop growing. We are honored that so many of you have made Stonebriar your church home.

In our Atrium, the current Ministry Center will be repurposed into much-needed classroom space to help accommodate our increasing numbers in fellowships and equipping classes. The main information desk will be modified to fulfill the role the Ministry Center once served.

As Frisco and Collin County continue to grow at exponential rates, our church will continue to grow with our community. According to the mayor of Frisco, Maher Maso, this city will be home to approximately 350,000 people by the year 2020. To meet the needs of a growing congregation, our campus is undergoing several renovations in key areas.

Finally, the lobby of our B building is being remodeled. This renovation will help lessen congestion in that part of the building after morning services.

“All these changes will be effective in allowing us to better serve the congregation and guests that visit our church,” said Chris Whitson, director of Building Management. One of our most important additions will be 200 new parking spaces on the south side of the property. This is an important step in alleviating the shortage of on-campus parking spaces on Sunday morning.

“It is the goal of Stonebriar Community Church to serve all who enter here,” said Carol Spencer, senior director of Resource Ministries. “The current remodeling is designed to accommodate greater traffic flow, add classroom space, and update our current design. Thank you to everyone for your patience and understanding as we reroute traffic. It will be over before you know it.” We thank you for pardoning our dust as we enter another exciting period of progress. We are looking forward to what the future holds for our church.

At a staff Christmas party, we were asked to sit in boy-girl-boy order for a game. When a former male staff member sat down between Barry and me, Barry quipped, “Close enough.” The one-liner I will remember most is “I never really liked the guy anyway.” I loved him.

Artist’s rendering of improvements to building B lobby

After a semi-controlled anarchy of games, both Karens led the Bible lesson, a review of all the verses the kids memorized over the summer. Finally, it was craft time. Correlating with the “Superheroes” theme of the summer, the kids received a special surprise: their own masks and capes. Seeing that another volunteer had decorated Alan’s mask, Anthony demanded I draw something on his cape. “What do you want me to draw?” I asked him. He thought for a moment. An idea came to him and a gleam of silver peeked through a smile. “Jesus.” Many of us are wary of serving in ministries like Cornerstone. We think we are not qualified or “not the right type of person” to serve. I know because that was how I felt before I went. To be honest, I was scared. Not only because it was in South Dallas, but because I was afraid I would not be good enough, godly enough, to help. The children of C-Kids do not care if you are “qualified.” The homeless who depend on the ministry are not looking for any specific type of person to help them. They only care that you are there. Some have been cast aside many times in their lives, forgotten, told they are nothing. For them to see that someone cares about them, and there is a God who loves them, can be life changing. It is also a life-changing experience for those who serve. “I’m the one that’s blessed,” Tall Karen told me on our ride home. “I’m the one who scored all those hugs.”

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4801 legendary drive, frisco, texas 75034

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469.252.5200

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