TerraNova Turns 3
Wednesday, April 7, 2010 at 01:37PM JOHN: It's a crazy ride, really -- bringing two churches together to form a new church community. It's a story not often repeated. And for good reason: It's hard. It requires love and humility and sacrifice and flexibility and more love ... And here we are, 3 years into it. I think I speak for both Lyle and I (he can weigh in himself) when I say it's been a really good ride. There are so many things I love about who we're becoming. That passion we have to make God's love famous. The way people serve each other and others. The people we're reaching. The way I sense my own life growing in moment-by-moment connection with God.
So what do you love about TerraNova? Whether you've been here for 3 weeks or all 3 years, I'd love to hear your story. Click the "comments" button below and share it!
Reader Comments (10)
I'll go ahead and weigh in, as John suggested. These three years have gone by so fast, and through the time, I feel like God has challenged us and also suprised us. I feel like we're hearing from God on some really important things: staying the course on being a church that loves it's community really well, continuing to teach for transformation (not just information), focusing our global cause on the 1 out of 6 people in the world who have not even got a chance to consider Jesus, and keeping in moment by moment connection with God as a vine is to the branch.
Thanks to all at Terra Nova for the grace you extend John, myself, and the rest of our team. We really feel we have freedom to try new ways of reaching people and growing them deep. But let me encourage you to move beyond just supporting the "christian professionals." You have an important role to play. Every time you meet a guest, everytime you hit a life group meeting with growing up as your aim, every time you re-set chairs at the end of a Saturday service, and every time you release back to God the financial resources God gives you, the revolution of God's love moves forward! So much has happened in three years time. And I believe God has placed much more for us on the horizon! Thankful to be at this amazing church and on God's adventure with you!
Terra Nova embodies the word "intentional". You guys are committed to live out your lives in a very authentic, intentional way...of loving Jesus and loving others. that is what it's all about. i feel so lucky to have found a body of believers who are willing to put love into action, and not just talk about it. i am excited to see what God has in store for us as a church, and what direction he may lead us. this is the first time i can recall in my life, where i have felt a "connection" with a church, and believe me, i have been to a lot. thank you john and lyle for passionately seeking out His will to make this church be a place of community, refuge, and love!
I have 3 grown kids, and two of them have been estranged from me for 8 years now, So, I spend holidays by myself, (wife is usually working). It just gets downright lonely and frustrating, but ....... God! God is there all the time, and all the time ... there is God.
Last month, I was leaving the bank, and just as I was leaving, my daughter was entering, hmmmmm. We came a few steps from actually bumping in to one another, yet our eyes never met. After 8 years of being non-relational, the bank would not be a place to begin a healing process. I know that she saw me, and I kinda froze in my tracks, just waiting for any form of a "connection", but none took place. Well, God was there, and in a big way. I left that scenario with thankfulness that I was able to "see" my daughter ..... for the 1st time in a longgggggggg 8 years.
God loves "me", and He truly went overboard in ministering to "me", because He saw his bleeding child, and He loved me through it. I was able to, at that time during this incredibly emmotional event to remain calm, and allow my daughter the grace of her seperation from me, and just leave it at that. Oh my God, that's a God thing. I'm gonna go love me some kids down in Ensenada for a few days, amen!
........... but, there is God, and God is there.
WOW! 3 years of growing in relationship with others at Terranova, and in our community. My trust and reliance on God has grown immensely as am I am stretched to serve single parent families in areas I feel incompetent. But God... He is faithful to meet us when we take a step of faith and that is what Terranova means to me. It is step by step a walk of faith as we learn to serve others, not out of our own ability but in our inability. That is where God takes over and allows us to love as He loves, see what He sees and then stand in awe of what He is doing in and through us. I'm amazed at God's love, faithfulness and grace at every turn this journey brings. Praise God for bringing about a place for love to grow called Terranova.
I was with Canyon Hills for a few years before we merged and created Terranova. While at Canyon Hills I didn't think it could get any better, because I had come from a very bad religious experience and what I had at Canyon Hills was an amazing, positive shift. But of course, it did get better. I love how our reach is expanding more and more into the community I live in and love. There are so many great people that we all live around, and don't get to see because they may go to another church or not go at all. But they are just as important as we are to God, we touch their lives with programs like the Albertsons Thanksgiving and all the "Appreciate a teacher" efforts just to name a few. It really does make me feel good to be a part of a church that focuses on how we can treat one another better, love our families and community and seek to raise healthy, confident and loving children. The children's ministry has been my highlight and I love making the kids laugh while sneaking in a valuable lesson or two. And last but not least, the messages we hear from John and Lyle are superb, and just make so much sense by drawing in daily life challenges to sound biblical teachings.
I had a little TerraNova moment this week -- one of those moments that just captures "us" a bit. I was flipping through all the Connect Cards from this weekend. Huge stack. And it just seemed like on almost every card someone was responding in a way of serving or loving: "I have a friend" or "Teacher Love" or "Bight Team" or "Ensenada." Seriously. Over and over, card after card. And I just thought, "How cool is this." Cuz it's EASTER. The quintessential day of religious consumption. Dress up nice, go to a nice church, hear nice music and a nice message, go to a nice Easter brunch ... it's the thing, you know? But here were all of these people marking this day buy saying, "I want to pay a love like this forward. I want this love to get sown into my soul and then reproduce itself in some love for other people." I was pretty touched by all of that.
It’s hard to believe that it’s been a little over 3 years since my first visit to Terranova! Well, actually the month prior to my first visit I had been listening to John and Lyle on your podcast . So I guess I was a “virtual” guest for about a month! I still remember it was about being lost in the desert and it was exactly how I was feeling at the time…..lost. Week after week I listened and finally decided to attend one of the services at the middle school.
Driving up to the school I felt completely out of my element, church in a school? Really? But I knew God was nudging me in the right direction so it was time to step out of the box and check it out! I searched the crowd for the one familiar face I knew and she welcomed me with open arms. Whew! This wasn’t so bad after all! That was it - the first visit to my new church home.
I can’t really recall how and when I got to meet and know so many wonderful people. Maybe it was by emptying the trash and cleaning out the coffee pots on Sunday mornings or taking on projects without knowing a soul, But over the past 3 years Terranova has become home to me and I thank God for that little nudge he gave me on that Sunday morning.
I’m not sure where my journey will go from here, I’m leaving that up to God. But I do know my “traveling companions” here are some of the most awesome people I have ever met!
HOLY COW!
Where do I start?
I looked back just recently at how I came to be at TerraNova and it's totally amazing and just blows me away at how God has so gently and faithfully woven this whole thing for both Scott and I.
Having been "loved very well" by just about everyone there during THE most difficult times of my life, And continue to be loved very well, I can stand up and say "HAPPY BIRTHDAY" and PRAISE GOD!!!
Words like Thank you just never seem like enough.
I can't ever imagine myself in a different church.Nor could Scott.
Scott loved his church family and would do and did just about everything he could to be a part of such a wonderful group of people who really put skin on Jesus.
If Scott were here he would be the one yelling the loudest and jumping up and down with the thrill of all that has happened. He may even be doing that in heaven right now!!!
Brian a friend of mine who lives in a community in South Africa had this to say about his experience with community. My husband and I have been with our church community for the past 7 and change years (first years with Canyon Hills and the last 3 with TN). For me Brian's writing is dead on. See if you can relate to any of it. I am PROUD to call TerraNova HOME!!!
"I think the apprehension lies in the fact that true community calls me to be totally and completely reliant on Jesus. Not that I don't want to be totally reliant. Problem is that I've lived with myself for a few years and I know that I don't always do that. I enjoy this funny little thing called control, and in my attempt to control I lose the very thing I'm striving for.
I also know that true community calls me to serve. I like to serve others! That is, until they tick me off, get under my skin and eventually fall onto the inevitable list of "those who don't deserve to be served." Yes, dying to self and becoming servant of all is the call of the day if you want true community. In my attempt to get my way I squander the very thing I'm longing for.
Finally, I know that true community calls me to be vulnerable. To allow others to see (and experience) those dastardly parts of me that I don't even like to admit I have. It's hard to wear a mask in community. No, let me rephrase that. It's easy to wear a mask, but it's hard to find one that others can't see through. Again, in my attempt to protect myself, I miss the very thing I am hoping for.
So, why is it that I keep fighting for community year after year? The answer is simple. I have tasted it's fruit. The shaping of my life. The transformation of my character. A growing ability to love the seemingly unlovable. A blossoming desire to die to self. A thirsting after righteousness. A hunger for His kingdom. This is why I keep fighting for community."
Really well put, Sharon (or should I say, Brian!).