• Busyness in our lives is a deterrent to communication.  We get so busy with work, school and other things, that we don’t take time to communicate with others.
• Cluelessness in our lives a deterrent to communication.  People in general don’t understand how to communicate with one another.  And most people don’t understand that non-verbal communication is often more important than verbal communication. 
• Fearfulness in our lives is a deterrent to communication.  People often don’t communicate because they’re afraid of conflict, afraid of being given advice, or afraid of being misunderstood.  By the way, Conflict is an essential part of every growing relationship.  We can either accept and face conflict, or live in shallow relationships, which is what most people choose to do. 
• Laziness in our lives is a deterrent to communication.  Communication is hard work.  It doesn’t happen automatically, but rather requires great effort.  Many individuals and couples do not want to pay the price that real communication demands. 

• Allotting time for others.  Love is spelled T-I-M-E.
• Being open and honest with others.  Ruel Howe said, “If there is any one indispensable insight with which a young couple should begin their life together, it is that they should try to keep open, at all cost, the lines of communication between them.” If we want our relationships to succeed, we’ve got to learn to be open and honest with one another about everything.
• Controlling our anger.  Anger is destroying a lot of marriages and relationships.
• Doing away with “certain words.” We need to get rids of words like:  “I hate you,” “I want a divorce,” “You’re always like this,” etc.  James wrote,  “The tongue is a small thing, but what enormous damage it can do. A tiny spark can set a great forest on fire. And the tongue is a flame of fire. It is full of wickedness that can ruin your whole life.” (James 3:5-6 NLT)
• Encouraging one another.  Another great verse is Ephesians 4:29, which reads, “Let everything you say be good and helpful, so that your words will be an encouragement to those who hear them.”
• Forgiving and seeking forgiveness.  There are always going to be issues and arguments between individuals and couples.  We can’t live in close proximity to one another and deal with the stresses of life without having arguments and disagreements from time to time, or without hurting one another with our words or actions.  The question is, what are we going to do when we’ve been hurt by someone, or when we’ve hurt someone?  Are we going to nurse our hurt or ignore the fact that we’ve hurt someone close to us?  No, we have to be willing to forgive those who hurt us, and go to those whom we’ve hurt and seek forgiveness from them.  We’ll neither have good communication nor a good relationship until we learn how to forgive and seek forgiveness. Paul wrote, in Ephesians 4:32, “Be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you.” (Ephesians 4:32 NLT)
• Gauging the right moments for conversation.  We’ve got to find the best time to talk with our spouses, our children and others. 
• Listening to one another.  When we listen carefully to someone, it makes them feel important.
• Praying for one another.  James 5:16 says, “The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and wonderful results.”
• Staying away from ungodly talk and activities.  Ephesians 5:16 reads, “Let there be no sexual immorality, impurity, or greed among you. Such sins have no place among God's people. Obscene stories, foolish talk, and coarse jokes—these are not for you.”

• He was a man of courage – Joshua wasn’t afraid to lead God’s people to fight the giants and warlike people that resided in the land of Israel (Number 13:1 – 14:9)
• He was a man with a call – Joshua knew that the Lord had called him to lead God’s people to take over the land of Israel (Joshua 1:1-9)
• He was a man filled with confidence – Joshua trusted that the Lord would supernaturally provide for and protect His people (Joshua 1:10-11, 6:1-20)
• He was a man with convictions – Joshua believed that the Lord’s people needed to live holy so that they could experience God’s miraculous help in their lives (Joshua 3:3-5)

In other words, the people were told, “Keep your eyes on the Ark. Don’t lose sight of the ark.” What was so important about the Ark of the Covenant?

The Ark of the Covenant was a long chest that contained two stone tablets upon which were inscribed the Ten Commandments. The Ark also contained the “rod of Aaron,” a jar of manna, and the first Torah scroll written by Moses. The main thing about the Ark of the Covenant was that it represented the presence and power of God among His people. And oftentimes as the Israelites would travel, the “glory cloud” of the Lord would sit atop the Ark of the Covenant.

So here is what Joshua and his people were committed to. They were committed to finding the presence of the Lord, following the presence of the Lord, and living daily in the presence of the Lord. And as a result of that commitment and pursuit, the Lord worked mightily and miraculously in, for and through their lives and nation.

How do we find and follow the presence of the Lord in our lives on a daily basis? For those of us who are Christians, we actually have the Lord with us at all times, because He dwells in our lives through the person of the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 6:19-20). However, we can have the Lord’s presence manifested to us and magnified in our lives on a daily basis. How do we experience that? One, by daily worshiping the Lord (Psalm 22:3 says that the Lord “inhabits the praises of His people”) through our prayers and/or singing. Two, we can experience the Lord’s presence in powerful ways on a daily basis by spending time with Him through prayer and reading His Word. It was noted about the early disciples that “they had been with Jesus” (Acts 4:13). When we spend time in prayer and Bible study, we are spending time with the Lord. Three, we can experience the Lord’s presence in powerful way by worshiping, fellowship, growing and serving with other Christians (like we do in Life Groups and Worship services at Celebration Church). Jesus said in Matthew 18:20, “Where two or three gather together as My followers, I am there among them.”

Do you want to see the Lord work mightily in, for and through your life and family? Then make it a practice to pursue the Lord’s presence on a daily basis. When you do, the Lord will develop you into a great minister and leader like He did with Joshua, and the Lord will enable you to accomplish greater things than you’ve ever experienced or envisioned.

In the coming weeks our Pastors, Leaders and I will be sharing with our congregations what our initial plans are regarding ACCOMPLISH THE VISION. I thank God for those who’ve already made their sacrificial commitments to ACCOMPLISH THE VISION, and believe that many others are going to make similar commitments as they hear about our plans to impact our city and strengthen our church family. If you want to learn more about ACCOMPLISH THE VISION, or get in on what the Lord is doing through this special initiative, visit us at www.celebrationchurch.org.

Father’s Day Weekend is almost upon us. On that weekend we will be celebrating fatherhood and honoring fathers. We will also be starting a new sermon series with a message titled, “Man of Steel.” Be sure to invite and bring with you your fathers, husbands and/or children to our Father’s Day Weekend services. You and they will be glad that you did.

Our Pastors and I look forward to seeing you this coming weekend as we conclude our NO TIME FOR DAT message series.

Pastor Dennis

• Learning how to live a successful life
• Crescent City/Celebration Schools & Daycare's
• A testimony of God’s healing power
• The NO TIME FOR DAT message series

 LIVING A SUCCESSFUL LIFE REQUIRES HAVING A DREAM (Genesis 37:1-11)

• “Dreams” are the God-given Visions we have for reaching our potential and impacting the world in a good and godly way.
• It’s the people with Vision who transform and shape our world!

• We must never give in to apathy or adversity.
• We will want to “do our best” in the development of our careers, our character, and our close relationships.

• Overcoming adversity requires developing great friendships and having great faith.
• Good friends encourage us, stand by us, and “sharpen” us.
• Faith in God (which is a result of developing a close relationship with the Lord) will bring us through every difficulty and adversity in life.

• “They bruised Joseph’s feet with fetters and placed his neck in an iron collar. Until the time came to fulfill his dreams, the LORD tested Joseph’s character.” (Psalm 105:18-19)
• We’re going to be tested by culture, people, success, temptations, trials, and by God – and we can pass those “tests” with God’s help and the help of others.

Currently we are enrolling students for the 2013-2014 school year for Crescent City Christian School and Daycare (4747 Utica Street in Metairie), and for Celebration Christian School and Daycare (2001 Airline Drive in Metairie). We already have 622 students enrolled in our Schools and Daycare's, and expect that number to jump significantly over the next several months. To learn more about the great academic, social and Christian environment provided for students in our Crescent City/Celebration Schools and Daycare's, contact us at 504.885.4700, or go to www.ccchristian.net.

We always love receiving reports of what the Lord is doing in the lives of His people in response to prayer, serving and giving. We’ve had a number of people already experience significant blessings as a result of their support of our ACCOMPLISH THE VISION initiatives (see Accomplish the Vision at www.celebrationchurch.org). Below are some excerpts from a praise report regarding a medical miracle that God performed in response to the prayers of our people.

On the next two weekends we are finishing up our NO TIME FOR DAT message series. In recent weeks our topics have been: “No Time for God,” “No Time for Drama,” “No Time for Dating,” and “No Time for Sex.” If you would like to receive copies of those messages, you can pick them up in our Celebration Bookstore, or at www.celebrationchurch.org/resources. Also, you can view and hear this past week’s message, NO TIME FOR SEX through our Online Services (daily @ 12 noon and 7 pm click here to access online campus.)

P.S. For information on our upcoming Summer Camps for Children and Teens, and upcoming Missions Trips to Honduras, Peru and Kenya, go to www.celebrationchurch.org.

Often we ask ourselves “Why do tragedies like this happen?” That is a question that is not easy to answer. Tragedies like the above happen because: 1) we live in a fallen world, and 2) God’s will is not always done. It is never God’s will for little children to be hurt or to lose their lives, but sometimes that occurs because of natural and unnatural factors happening in our world.

The big question is not “Why do tragedies like this happen,” but “What can we do for those most impacted by these tragedies?”

First, we can pray for the people and families impacted by tragedy. We can pray for help for those who are still in need of help. We can pray for comfort and healing for those who have lost loved ones. We can pray for comfort and provision for those who have lost property and possessions. We can pray for the Lord to utilize Christians, Churches and Rescue workers to bring help, hope and healing to people. James 5:16 reads, “The fervent prayer of righteous men and women has great power and wonderful results.” God moves to meet people’s emotional, physical and financial needs in response to the prayers of His people.

• Southern Baptist Disaster Relief (100% of the monies go to help victims) - Click here to donate to Southern Baptist.
• Samaritan’s Purse Ministries (led by Franklin Graham) - Click here to donate to Samaritan's Purse Ministries. 
• Convoy of Hope (Assemblies of God Disaster Relief) - Click here to donate to Convoy of Hope. 

Third, we can go. There have been many times when we’ve sent teams to help out people in disaster areas. Currently the Lieutenant Governor of Oklahoma has said they have enough relief volunteers, but we will continue to monitor the situation to see if and when volunteers are needed.

Fourth, we can grieve. When disasters occur, it affects us all. That is especially true when children’s lives are lost. When that kind of tragedy occurs, people think of the incredible hurt and hardship that the parents and family members of those children are going to have to deal with for the rest of their lives. We also think of how we would feel if our children (or grandchildren) were suddenly taken from us as a result of some sort of disaster. During times like this we need to express our grief to the Lord (and sometimes even to a counselor or pastor). If we don’t, we will allow sadness or hopelessness to overwhelm us and overcome us. Grief is sad experience, but a wonderfully transforming experience. If you haven’t already done so, learn how to grieve. It is in grieving that we come to experience God’s presence and healing power in greater ways than we knew existed.

Fifth, maintain your trust and confidence in the Lord. While we do live in a fallen world where disasters will happen, we can know that the Lord is able and willing to help us, provide for us and protect us. Paul had recently gone through a time of disaster and difficulty when he wrote the letter we know as 2 Corinthians. Listen to what Paul wrote in 2 Corinthians 1:8-10: “We think you ought to know, dear brothers and sisters, about the trouble we went through in the province of Asia. We were crushed and overwhelmed beyond our ability to endure, and we thought we would never live through it. In fact, we expected to die. But as a result, we stopped relying on ourselves and learned to rely only on God, who raises the dead. And He did rescue us from mortal danger, and He will rescue us again. We have placed our confidence in Him, and He will continue to rescue us.” When we have that kind of faith and confidence in the Lord, we will be able to overcome every type of tragedy and difficulty that comes our way.

Let’s pray daily for those individuals and families who were adversely impacted by the tornado in Moore, Oklahoma, and for people all around the world who are struggling with the trials of life.

Pastor Dennis

P.S. We regularly help struggling and hurting people in our region and around the world through our giving. If you haven’t been giving through Celebration Church to meet the needs of others, you can do so today by clicking here. Let God work through you to help and encourage others.

• We can expect that we will always be confronted with “giant” challenges in life (1 Samuel 17:1-10).  Peter wrote, “Don’t be surprised at the fiery trials you are going through” (1 Peter 4:12).  Jesus said, “In this world you will have trouble . . .” (John 16:33).  Jesus went on to say, “Be cheerful about it, for I have overcome the world.”
• Giant problems are simply great platforms for the Lord to demonstrate how wonderfully He can provide in our lives.  We must always remember that the Lord has promised that He will never leave us nor forsake us (Hebrews 13:5), and that we can count on His provision (Philippians 4:19) and protection (Psalm 91).
• One of the Devil’s primary tactics is to cause us to become fearful (1 Samuel 17:11).  We must recognize that fear is always an attack of the Devil (2 Timothy 1:7), and we must conquer our fear by relying on the presence and peace of the Lord.  Joshua said, “Do not be afraid nor dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go” (Joshua 1:9).
• To live victorious lives, we must be “God-focused” rather than “giant-focused” (1 Samuel 17:12-26).  We must constantly remind ourselves that the Lord is all-powerful, and that He is greater than all of our problems (Jeremiah 32:17-19).
• When the Lord is working in our lives, we can always expect opposition and criticism, sometimes from those closest to us (1 Samuel 17:27-29).  2 Timothy 3:12 says, “When people live godly lives they will suffer persecution.” Jesus said that we are “blessed” when others persecute us, that we are to rejoice in response to persecution, and that we are to know that the Lord will reward us greatly for standing strong in Him (Matthew 5:10-12).
• We must not allow our confidence in the Lord or our commitment to our “cause” be shaken by the criticisms of others (1 Samuel 17:27-30).  Like Paul, we must keep our focus on accomplishing the vision and goals that the Lord has entrusted to us (Philippians 3:12-14).
• Victories in smaller and private “battles” will prepare us for victories in larger and public “battles” (1 Samuel 17:31-37).  If we will win the private “battles” of personal discipline, commitment and faith in God, we will be able to win the big “battles” over great opponents and obstacles (Luke 4:1-15).
• We must have “good memories” rather than “short memories” if we are to win the great “battles” of life (1 Samuel 17:34-37).  We must never forget that what God has accomplished in and through our lives in times past He will do in greater ways in the future as long as our confidence and commitment are in Him.
• We cannot win the great battles of life by employing “worldly means” (1 Samuel 17:38-39).  We must remember always that we are in a spiritual battle with the powerful forces of evil, which requires that we arm ourselves everyday with the armor and artillery of God (2 Corinthians 10:4, Ephesians 6:10-19).
• We can only win the crucial “battles” of life by relying on the Lord’s strength and power, recognizing daily that “the battle is the Lords” (1 Samuel 17:40-47).  Proverbs 18:10 reads, “The name of the Lord is a strong fortress.  The godly run to Him and are safe.”

• Make a difference in Underserved Areas of our Region – through launching 2 Life Transformation Centers (tutoring, mentoring, counseling, recovery programming, job skills training, medical assistance, etc.)  in the inner city
• Help people overcome their Addictions – through launching 2 Transitional Housing Facilities (counseling, recovery programming, job skills training, etc.
• Strengthen individuals and families by providing increased support to the Celebration Hope Center – providing mental health, family, marital and addiction recovery counseling
• Transform the lives of Teens and their families – by building out a state-of-the-art Teen Center in the Celebration Shopping Center
• Reach and disciple more people in the outlying areas of our city – by assisting our River Parishes, St. Bernard, Slidell and Westbank Campuses with Campus Development/Expansions
• Save $1,350,000 in interest & free up $26,000/month for ministry/missions – by paying off the Airline Rebuild Debt

• No Time For Sex (May 25-25)
• No Time For Conflict (June 1-2)
• No Time For Communication (June 8-9)

1. Someone smokes all of their life, but when diagnosed with cancer they ask, “Why did God allow this to happen to me?”
2. A person gets involved in pornography or infidelity, and wonders why they can’t find real fulfillment in their marriage.
3. A young couple goes into heavy debt buying new cars and clothes , eating out a lot, acquiring the latest technology or entertainment gadgets, and moving into a house they can’t afford. That same couple often wonders why they can’t “make ends meet” at the end of the month.
4. A couple chooses to only be periodic Worship Service Christians, and they never involve their children in the activities and ministries of the church. They wonder later on why their children have no interest in God or His church.
5. A person gets a divorce because they don’t feel compatible with their spouse, and then they wonder why their children always feel so insecure and can’t keep their commitments.
6. A parent drinks regularly or uses drugs in front of his/her children, and then wonders later on why their child has become an alcoholic or a drug addict.

• Get involved in a Life Group – and now they’re being equipped and encouraged by some mature Christians
• Start tithing – and they’re amazed at how the Lord is providing for their needs and protecting their health
• Start serving in ministry – and now they experience great joy on a weekly basis as they see people’s lives changed as a result of our church’s ministries
• Apply God’s principles when dating or looking for someone to date – and for the first time in their life they’re involved in a healthy and really happy relationship
• Commit to giving generously to ACCOMPLISH THE VISION – and they already have testimonies of the Lord blessing their commitment in wonderful ways

If you would like to know about how to “make great decisions,” get involved in a Life Group, be mentored by a mature Christian, or get involved in serving the Lord and others inside or outside of our Church, please contact your Campus or Community Pastor. If you don’t know who that is, call our Church office (504.831.9673) or email us at info@celebrationchurch.org, and we will connect you to those who can help you. Our purpose here at Celebration Church is to connect you to the Lord, and then provide you with the tools and resources you need to grow in Him and make “great decisions” in your life. To those who have allowed us to assist you in “making great decisions” we say “thank you.” To those who haven’t yet allowed us to assist you in “making great decisions,” we’re looking forward to helping you in the near future. Together, we can “make great decisions” that bring God’s blessings to us and to those in our lives.

Make a “great decision” this coming Mother’s Day weekend by bringing someone with you to one of our worship services. You may want to bring your mom (we’re affirming mothers and rewarding them as well), or, if you are a mom you may want to bring your spouse or children with you. Mother’s Day Weekend provides us with a great opportunity to bring others to our Celebration services, where they can experience the welcome of God’s people, the witness of God’s Word, and the life-changing warmth of the Holy Spirit. We will be continuing our NO TIME FOR DAT sermon series, learning that in our lives there is NO TIME FOR DRAMA. Our Pastors and I are looking forward to seeing you this weekend.

Pastor Dennis

1 So Abram left Egypt and traveled north into the Negev, along with his wife and Lot and all that they owned. 2 (Abram was very rich in livestock, silver, and gold.) 3 From the Negev, they continued traveling by stages toward Bethel, and they pitched their tents between Bethel and Ai, where they had camped before. 4 This was the same place where Abram had built the altar, and there he worshiped the LORD again. 5 Lot, who was traveling with Abram, had also become very wealthy with flocks of sheep and goats, herds of cattle, and many tents. 6 But the land could not support both Abram and Lot with all their flocks and herds living so close together. 7 So disputes broke out between the herdsmen of Abram and Lot. (At that time Canaanites and Perizzites were also living in the land.) 8 Finally Abram said to Lot, “Let’s not allow this conflict to come between us or our herdsmen. After all, we are close relatives! 9 The whole countryside is open to you. Take your choice of any section of the land you want, and we will separate. If you want the land to the left, then I’ll take the land on the right. If you prefer the land on the right, then I’ll go to the left.” 10 Lot took a long look at the fertile plains of the Jordan Valley in the direction of Zoar. The whole area was well watered everywhere, like the garden of the LORD or the beautiful land of Egypt. (This was before the LORD destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah.) 11 Lot chose for himself the whole Jordan Valley to the east of them. He went there with his flocks and servants and parted company with his uncle Abram. 12 So Abram settled in the land of Canaan, and Lot moved his tents to a place near Sodom and settled among the cities of the plain. 13 But the people of this area were extremely wicked and constantly sinned against the LORD. 14 After Lot had gone, the LORD said to Abram, “Look as far as you can see in every direction—north and south, east and west. 15 I am giving all this land, as far as you can see, to you and your descendants as a permanent possession. 16 And I will give you so many descendants that, like the dust of the earth, they cannot be counted! 17 Go and walk through the land in every direction, for I am giving it to you.” 18 So Abram moved his camp to Hebron and settled near the oak grove belonging to Mamre. There he built another altar to the LORD. (Genesis 13:1-18)

· Life is filled with decisions or choices.
· “What are 5 important good decisions I’ve made in life?”

· Choices are inseparably linked to consequences.
· Like us, Abram made some good and not-so-good decisions.
· Like some we know Lot made some really disastrous decisions.
· Question – “What are some steps to making really good decisions in life?”
PRIORITIZING THE LORD HELPS US TO MAKE GOOD DECISIONS (Genesis 13:3-4)
· Jesus – “Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.” (Matthew 6:33)
· “The LORD directs the steps of the godly. He delights in every detail of their lives.” (Psalm 37:23)

SEEKING TO BLESS OTHERS HELPS US MAKE GOOD DECISIONS (Genesis 13:7-9)
· “Do nothing out of selfish ambition . . . Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.” (Philippians 2:3-4)
CONQUERING UNGODLY DESIRES HELPS US MAKE GOOD DECISIONS (Genesis 13:10-11)
· “What is causing the quarrels and fights among you? Don’t they come from the evil desires at war within you? … Your motives are all wrong—you want only what will give you pleasure.” (James 4:1,3)
· “We will not make good decisions when greed, lust or other ungodly desires guide our decision-making.” (Dennis Watson)
· “If something looks too good to be true – it probably is.” (Unknown)

DISASSOCIATING FROM UNGODLY PEOPLE HELPS US MAKE GOOD DECISIONS (Genesis 13:12-13)
· “The righteous should choose his friends carefully, for the way of the wicked leads them astray.” (Proverbs 12:26)
HEARING FROM THE LORD HELPS US MAKE GOOD DECISIONS (Genesis 13:14)
· Jesus – “My sheep hear my voice and they follow Me.” (John 10:27)
· We hear from the Lord as we: 1) Study His Word (Psalm 119:103-105), 2) Listen to His Spirit (Acts 13:2), 3) Counsel with His People (Proverbs 15:22), and 4) Allow Him to give us Visions (Acts 16:6-10).

TRUSTING THE LORD HELPS US MAKE GOOD DECISIONS (Genesis 13:14-18)
· “Abraham believed God, and God counted him as righteous because of his faith.” (Romans 4:3)
· “Trust in the LORD with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek His will in all you do, and He will show you which path to take.” (Proverbs 3:5-6)

WE’VE GOT SOME BIG DECISIONS TO MAKE AS A CHURCH

• Jesus’ Relationship Principles and Practices
• The Importance of Speaking Affirming Words to Others
• NO TIME FOR DAT Sermon Series
• Craig Ratliff and Celebration launching Cityview Church in Miami
• Celebration’s History of Starting New Churches

We learned how to “Improve our Relationships” this past weekend at the Celebration Campuses by observing how Jesus interacted with people. As our Pastors and I shared, Jesus was a “master communicator,” who knew how to encourage and empower others through His words and actions (and “straighten out” people like the Pharisees). The “Relationship Principles and Practices” that our Pastors and I noted from the life of Jesus included:

• Speaking Words of Affirmation to Others (Matthew 16:17)
• Performing Acts of Service for Others (John 13:4-5)
• Giving Tangible Gifts to Others (John 6:6-11)
• Spending Quality Time with Others (Luke 19:5)
• Extending Appropriate Physical Affirmation to Others (Matthew 8:1-3)

If you didn’t attend worship services with us this past weekend, you can hear Pastor Craig Ratliff teaching our “Greater Relational Significance” message this week at 12 noon and 7PM by logging on to our Online Worship Service at www.celebrationchurch.org or by clicking here. Also, you can learn more about these “relationship principles and practices” by acquiring and reading The 5 Love Languages by Gary Chapman from our Celebration Bookstore (click here to access the Celebration Church Bookstore Online).

While all of the “Relationship Principles and Practices” of Jesus are important for us to learn and implement in our lives, I want to say something briefly about the importance of “Speaking Words of Affirmation” to Others. I believe that we need to regularly speak “words of affirmation” to our spouses, children and friends because it was a practice of Jesus, and because the Scriptures teach us to do so. In Ephesians 4:29 Paul wrote, “Let everything you say be good and helpful, so that your words will be an encouragement to those who hear them.” But here are some additional reasons, posted by Michael Hyatt in a blog that remind us why we need to constantly speak “words of affirmation” to our spouses, children, friends and others.

• We get more of what we affirm. Have you ever noticed that when someone praises you, you want to repeat the behavior that caused it? This is just human nature. It can be a form of manipulation if it isn’t genuine. But it can be a powerful way to motivate others when it is authentic.
• Affirmation changes our attitude towards the person that we are affirming. Words are powerful tools. They can create, or they can destroy. They can build up, or they can tear down. Most people have a drive to align their actions – and their attitudes – with their words. If we start speaking well of someone, we start believing what we say.
• Affirmation helps us strengthen the other person’s best qualities. Encouragement is also a powerful force for good. All of us need positive reinforcement. That is why when we are losing weight and people notice, it gives us the strength to stick with the program. This is true in every area of life.
• Affirmation keeps us from temptations to be unfaithful to or abandon others. When others see that we are happily married or loyal to our friends, they are less likely to try to tempt us away from those relationships.
• Affirmation provides a model to those who we lead. To be effective leaders of others, we must lead ourselves, and then we must lead those around us. When we speak highly of those around us, those who follow us are more like to trust us, and it takes our leadership of others to another level.

There are so many reasons to affirm others with our words. Ask yourself, “Who needs to hear words of affirmation from me this week?” Write down your answers to that question, and find ways (via personal conversation or via email, text, Facebook, Twitter, sending a card, snail mail, etc.) to express your love for and appreciation of those individuals this week. The Bible says that “we reap what we sow” (Galatians 6:7). You will benefit greatly from affirming others.

NO TIME FOR DAT is the title of the new Sermon Series we are beginning this coming weekend at our Celebration Campuses. Loosely based on the viral video, “Ain't Nobody Got Time For That,” we will be addressing some statements and concerns that people have such as:

• No Time for God (May 4-5)
• No Time for Drama (May 11-12)
• No Time for Dating (May 18-19)
• No Time for Sex (May 25-26)
• No Time for Communication (June 1-2)
• No Time for Conflict (June 8-9)

Craig Ratliff preached at our Metairie Campus this weekend because he, Cindy and their son William are moving to Miami at the end of May to start Cityview Church. Our Church will be the primary sponsor of Cityview Church, although there will be other sponsors such as the North American Mission Board and the Association of Related Churches.

Craig has served on our Church staff since 2006, first as the Campus Pastor for our St. Bernard Congregation, and then as our Multi-site Director overseeing all of our Celebration Campus Pastors. There are 5.6 million people in South Florida, and it is estimated that 95% of those individuals do not have a relationship with Jesus. So we need to be praying for those who are going out from our Church family to launch Cityview Church, as well as praying for the other Churches in that region.

You can follow the journey of Craig and Cindy and the others who are launching Cityview Church by logging on to: www.mycityview.org, www.facebook.com/cityviewfl, or www.twitter/cityviewfl. They are also looking for Missions Teams to join them in July and August of 2013, 2014 and 2015. For more information, you can contact Craig at Craigr@mycityview.org.

Cityview Church will be the 6th Church that our Church family has helped to launch in a U.S. city other than New Orleans (we’ve also launched 7 new churches in Southeast Louisiana, and 44 churches in other nations). With the U.S. now being the 3rd largest mission field in the world (only China and India now have more non-Christian people than the U.S.), we’ve got to continually be starting new congregations not just in our region but all around our nation. Pray that the Lord will enable us to start a new congregation each year in our nation, so that we can be a great contributing factor to bringing our nation back to Him.

Pastor Dennis

• The average person gets 5000 messages per day via the internet, television, texts, phone calls, personal conversations, etc.
• People keep their televisions on 8 hours and 18 minutes per day, while only sleeping on average about 6 hours and 40 minutes per day.
• YouTube spends $1 million daily to keep expanding their space to allow for the new video’s that are constantly being uploaded for viewing.
• Today a Masai tribesman in Africa has more information available to him via his smart phone and/or computer than a U.S. President had available to him 15 years ago.

So, whether we’re a salesperson, a business owner, a teacher, an author, a Church or a Christian, how do we get our “message” through to others? Here are some of Cooke’s insights and suggestions.

• Understand that Everything Communicates. Even when we don’t communicate, we’re communicating to others.
• In a Media-Driven Culture, Visibility is just as Important as Ability. In others words, to accomplish what we want to accomplish, we have to “get on the radar” with people. Again, getting a message out is just as important as the message.
• You Can’t Brand a Lie. In other words, you’d better be who and what you say that you are, because people will “Google” you to find out if others are saying that you are who you say that you are and that you do what you say you do (‘Google” is reputation management).
• Understand the Power of a Name. People often buy books in bookstores simply because they liked the title, so be sure to select company, church and product names that attract people’s attention and cause them to want to know more.
• Learn to Speak the Language of Design. The question is, “Do your style and media choices reflect the group that you’re trying to reach?”
• Lose the Archaic Lingo. This is especially true for Churches and Christians who are trying to reach a 21st century world with a 16th century vocabulary and phraseology.
• Take Social Media Seriously. 50% of the population of the world is under 30 years of age, and all under 30 years of age are very engaged in social media. Currently, over 1 billion people are on Facebook (which makes the Facebook nation the 3rd largest in the world).
• It’s about the Niche. Since no one can do everything well, we have to discover what product or service we do well in providing, and focus on “distributing” that to the people around us that we hope will become our clients in the future. All of the above comments should be intriguing to salespersons, business owners, teachers and others – but the information is also important to me as a Christian. I want people to clearly hear, understand and respond to my belief and message that the most important thing they can do in life is enter into a relationship with Jesus, and that they also need a Church family to encourage, equip and empower them as they seek to fulfill God’s primary purposes for their lives.

In last week’s Connecting Point blog, I mentioned that all Christians are called to be Examples, Encouragers and Evangelists to others (I was commenting on the weekend message from April 13-14). In light of what Phil Cooke has said, we are almost destined to be failures as “evangelists” if we don’t proclaim our message about the saving, healing, delivering and transforming power of Jesus in ways and terms that people can understand. So how do we do that? How do we share with people about who Jesus is to us and what He’s done for us in ways that they will pay attention to, they will process in their own minds, and they will respond to? That is a question that I would love to hear your answers to as well. If you would like to respond, you can do so by sending me your response to the above question at info@celebrationchurch.org. I would also love to receive your answer to the question, “What are the 1-2 things that Celebration Church does extremely well that we need to communicate in better ways to the people around us?” I look forward to hearing back from you.

This past week in our Worship services, we announced that over 500 individuals/families have committed to giving sacrificially to our ACCOMPLISH THE VISION effort over the next 3 years. What we perhaps need to communicate in better ways is that we need another 500 individuals/families to join us on this journey of giving sacrificially to ACCOMPLISH THE VISION so that we can address the needs of hurting people, reach and minister to local teens, and continue to grow our congregations spiritually and numerically. If you’ve not yet become a part of ACCOMPLISH THE VISION, please pray today about doing so. You can learn more about ACCOMPLISH THE VISION on our website (www.celebrationchurch.org), and you can make your commitment to it today by clicking on this link.

Please plan to join us this weekend at the Celebration Campuses as we celebrate Communion together, and as we conclude our Greater Significance series with a message titled, “Relational Significance.” This would be a great weekend to bring someone with you. Think and pray about how you should communicate to them why that person needs to attend this weekend with you, and then give it your best shot. You can break through the “clutter of massive communication” with the power of the Holy Spirit.

Pastor Dennis

Third, we have to pursue “making a difference” in our world for good and for God. How do we do that? Our Pastor’s and I preached on that subject this past weekend in the message MARKETPLACE SIGNIFICANCE (you can view and listen to that message by accessing our Online service this week at 12 noon and 7 pm at http://live.mediasocial.tv/celebrationchurch or click here.

• Jesus - “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.” (Matthew 5:16 NKJV)
• “You are to live clean, innocent lives as children of God in a dark world full of crooked and perverse people. Let your lives shine brightly before them.” (Philippians 2:15)
•  “Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God . . .” (1 Peter 2:12 NIV)

• “When he (Barnabas) arrived, he . . . encouraged the believers to stay true to the Lord.” (Acts 11:23)
• We encourage others by befriending them, ministering to them, and assisting them.

• Jesus – “When the Holy Spirit has come upon you, you will receive power and will tell people about Me everywhere . . .” (Acts 1:8 NLT)
• We can witness for the Lord by: 1) Living a godly life (Matthew 5:16), 2) Sharing our faith and testimony (Acts 1:8), 3) Ministering to others’ needs (Matthew 8:5-13), and 4) Inviting them to Life Group meetings and Worship services (John 1:40-42).

I also added that the Lord has called us to be Equippers in the Workplace and our World, leading workplace and school Bible studies (Life Groups) where people can learn to become disciples of Jesus (Matthew 28:19).

Here is the bottom line. If we will pray like the Lord has called us to pray, and if we will pursue “making a difference” where we live, work and hang-out, we will push back the forces of evil and pave the way for the Lord to bring more of His presence, peace and power to our world. That’s what the Lord has called us to do, and that’s what the world needs for us to do. So, let’s start today to pray like we’ve never prayed before, and pursue “making a difference” in our world. In doing so, we will help make our world a safer, stronger, godlier and better world.

Our ACCOMPLISH THE VISION initiative is all about making our region a safer, stronger, godlier and better region for present and future generations. If you haven’t yet made your commitment to ACCOMPLISH THE VISION, you can do so today by clicking here . This coming weekend we will be celebrating the faith, compassion and generosity of our people by sharing what has been committed thus far to ACCOMPLISH THE VISION. Be sure that you have your commitment turned in, and be sure that it’s a commitment that honor’s God, stretches you, and communicates that you really do trust the Lord and care about others.

COLLABORATE CLASSES have resumed at our Celebration Campuses. Check out the COLLABORATE Class lineup at your Campus by clicking this link , and join us for these great midweek equipping courses.

P.S. Be sure to follow me on Twitter (@Dennis__Watson) and Facebook (Dennis Watson), and to follow Celebration Church on Twitter (@CelebrationNola) and Facebook (CelebrationChurchNola) as well.

We understand that like most people nowadays, you probably have a busy schedule filled with work, family, and life commitments. That’s why this Easter season, Celebration Church is sponsoring 21 Easter worship services, in 5 locations across the region, celebrating the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ and the significance that He brings to each our lives. visit Click here for service times and locations. 

Metairie Campus

Maundy Thursday w/Lord's Supper at 7pm

Good Friday w/The Lord's Supper@ 6pm

Celebrate Recovery @7pm (in the Activity Room)

Holy Saturday @ 6pm

Easter Sunday @ 9 & 10:45am

River Parishes Campus

Good Friday w/The Lord's Supper@ 6pm

Easter Sunday @ 8. 9:15 & 10:45am

St. Bernard Campus

Good Friday w/The Lord's Supper@ 6pm

Holy Saturday @ 6pm

Easter Sunday @ 8, 9:30 & 11am

Westbank Campus

Good Friday w/The Lord's Supper@ 6pm

Easter Sunday @ 9 & 10:45am

Slidell Campus

Easter Sunday @ 8:30 & 10am

• Make a great difference in the lives of inner city children, teens and adults through the development of 2 LIFE TRANSFORMATION CENTERS in some of the most difficult neighborhoods of our city
• Make a great difference in the lives of individuals and families who have been hurt by alcohol or drug addictions through the development of 2 TRANSITIONAL HOUSING FACILITIES (one for men and one for women) that will help people transition from rehab to an addiction-free and productive life
• Make a great difference in the lives of hurting individuals and families through providing some needed additional support to our HOPE CENTER (our Counseling center)
• Make a great difference in the lives of Teens and their families through the development of a City-wide TEEN CENTER at our Airline Drive CampusMake a great difference in our River Parishes, St. Bernard, Slidell and Westbank communities by raising funds for the build-out or expansion of facilities for our congregations in those areas
• Save $1,350,000 in interest and free up an additional $26,000/month for missions and ministry as we pay off our Airline Campus rebuild indebtedness

In February we mailed an informational brochure about our ACCOMPLISH THE VISION Capital Projects initiative to all of our members and attendees, and last week we shared more details about this effort with our Campus congregations through “Town Hall meetings” and in Life Groups. We also took time during those meetings to address and answer questions.

If you would like to learn more about our ACCOMPLISH THE VISION strategy and plans and how you can be involved in this great city-transforming effort, click here. In the coming weeks, we will be sharing with you more about opportunities that the Lord is providing for us as individuals and as a church family through the ACCOMPLISH THE VISION Capital projects initiative.

THROUGHOUT THE YEARS CELEBRATION HAS BEEN INVOLVED IN 5 DIFFERENT CAPITAL PROJECTS INITIATIVES THAT HAVE HELPED OUR CHURCH TO CONTINUE TO GROW SPIRITUALLY AND NUMERICALLY. The first Capital projects initiative was back in 1991 when, as a fledgling congregation, we raised Capital Project funds to purchase our worship and ministry facility at 2001 Transcontinental Drive. From a human perspective there was no way that our 18-month old congregation could rise up and acquire that facility, but the Lord worked mightily in and through our people. On the day of the act-of-sale we had exactly the amount of money needed to purchase that campus. Raising those funds was such a miracle that the attorney handling the closing at the bank (who became a great friend of mine) commented on the fact that he had never believed in miracles until that day.

What we have discovered time after time over the years at Celebration Church is that our Lord is a miracle-working God, and that He works mightily and miraculously when His people are seeking His will and direction for their lives, and when they are surrendered to Him.

Over the next several weeks we’re going to be sharing with you some encouraging and challenging stories of people who have heard from the Lord and given sacrificially in previous Celebration Church Capital projects initiatives. If you have such a story, please send your story to us by clicking on this link. We love hearing about what the Lord has done and is doing in the lives of His people.

During this ACCOMPLISH THE VISION emphasis, it is so important that we all seek the Lord’s will and direction for us as we prepare to be a part of this Capital projects initiative. We discover the Lord’s will for our lives as we study His Word and listen to the Holy Spirit. I’ve created a daily devotional that is designed to help us hear from the Lord during these next 3 weeks as we pray about our commitment to ACCOMPLISH THE VISION. If you’re not already receiving that daily devotional via email or on Twitter or Facebook, please click here and register for the ACCOMPLISH THE VISION daily devotional. More than anything else, we want you and all of our church members and attendees to know and do the Lord’s will. As always, our motto is: “God’s will – nothing more, nothing less, nothing else.”

EASTER IS COMING AT THE END OF MARCH, AND WE’RE ASKING YOU TO ALREADY BE THINKING ABOUT AND PRAYING FOR THE PEOPLE THAT YOU WANT TO BRING WITH YOU TO OUR EASTER SERVICES. Far more people will attend Christian worship services on Easter weekend than at any other time of the year – and many of those could be your friends, relatives, associates and neighbors. Go ahead and make a list of the people that you want to bring with you, start praying for them, and even begin to invite them. The Lord can utilize you this Easter to help someone experience the Lord’s saving, healing and transforming power in their lives.

Also, we will be having a special BAPTISM EMPHASIS during our Maundy Thursday (Metairie Campus) and Good Friday (All Campuses). If you haven’t yet been baptized by immersion, this would be a great to do so when we are celebrating the fact that Jesus died for us on the cross so that we could experience the Lord’s forgiveness, freedom and fulfillment, and the future of heaven in our lives. If you would like to be baptized on Maundy Thursday or Good Friday, please communicate to your Community Pastor.

Finally, I want to thank you again for your encouragement and faithful support. You are a great blessing to me and our Pastors.

Pastor Dennis
P.S. Please remember that SET YOUR CLOCK FORWARD on Saturday evening as Daylight Savings Time begins on Sunday (you may also want to go to bed an hour early on Saturday so that you won’t miss an hour of rest).

• Get Our Health Right (January 26-27)
• Get Our Mind Right (February 2-3)
• Get Our Life Right (February 9-10)
• Get Our Heart Right (February 16-17)

Our Pastors and I were dialoguing yesterday about the number of responses we’ve received from our people articulating how these messages were exactly what they needed to hear to move toward better health and more holiness and happiness in their lives. If you weren’t able to participate in all of our GET RIGHT services, be sure to pick up copies of the messages from our bookstore(s) or our website (www.celebrationchurch.org/get-right). You can also still catch this past weekend’s message via our Online Services today through Friday, at noon and 7PM, by clicking here.

Remember, this coming weekend is a great weekend to get re-connected to what the Lord is doing to transform people’s lives, circumstances, marriages, families, etc. So, be sure to join our Pastors and I and many others for great weekend of worship and ministry on February 23-24.

Pastor Dennis

P.S. Our Administrative Committee, Elders and I thank for your overwhelmingly affirming our 2013 Proposed Ministry Support Plan this past weekend. Thanks for your confidence and encouragement in our Church’s leadership and ministry.

• SEEING AMAZING THINGS
• MIRACLE WEEKEND (January 26-27)
• BE A FRIEND
• LIFE GROUPS
• THE WATOTO CHILDREN’S CHOIR FROM UGANDA
• MORE

“WE HAVE SEEN AMAZING THINGS TODAY” WERE THE WORDS SPOKEN BY A CROWD OF PEOPLE AFTER JESUS PERFORMED A GREAT MIRACLE. That quote is found at the conclusion of Luke 5:17-26 (which is the text for a message that I’m preaching to pastors in Alaska on January 29). In that passage of Scripture, Jesus is teaching in a house in Capernaum (Mark 2:1). A man is brought to Him on a mat who is paralyzed. We don’t know the reason for the man’s paralysis, whether it was from an injury or an illness, but we do know that he couldn’t walk, and therefore was transported to where Jesus was by four friends. One of the remarkable parts of the story is that when the friends arrived carrying the paralyzed man, they couldn’t get through the packed crowd that surrounded the house where Jesus was teaching. Undeterred, the four friends carried the man up onto the roof of the house (houses in that day had flat roofs, and often had a stairwell leading up to the roof), and then proceeded to cut a hole through the roof (which was a mixture of sod and tiles). After having cut a large hole in the roof, the men lowered their paralyzed friend on his stretcher into the home where Jesus was teaching. When Jesus saw the faith of the four friends, He said to the paralyzed man, “Young man, your sins are forgiven.” Then, Jesus said to the young man, “Stand up, pick up your mat, and go home.” The formerly paralyzed man then jumped up, picked up his mat, and went home praising God all the way home. And the closing verse of the text reads, “Everyone was gripped with great wonder and awe, and they praised God, exclaiming, “We have seen amazing things today!”

PLAN TO JOIN US FOR “MIRACLE WEEKEND” (JANUARY 26-27) AT OUR CELEBRATION CAMPUSES. On this weekend we are going to be teaching about what the Bible says about healing. And at the conclusion of the message, we’re going to be praying for people who are ill or injured in some sort of way to experience the healing power of Jesus in their lives.

Now understand, we believe that the Lord heals in many different ways. He works through the counsel of physicians, through medication, through therapy and through surgery. And we don’t believe that it is meant for everyone to be healed in this life. However, we know and believe that Jesus is still in the healing business (Matthew 4:23, Hebrews 13:8), and we have hundreds of people in our congregation who will testify that Jesus still answers prayer and heals people.

SO, OUR PASTORS AND I ARE ASKING YOU TO BE LIKE THE FOUR FRIENDS OF THE PARALYZED MAN. Find people around you who need to experience the healing power of Jesus in their life, and ask them to come with you to one of our weekend worship services. Understand that you and they will probably have to overcome some obstacles to get them to our worship services, like the four friends had to do with their paralyzed friend. But if you will be determined and will bring them with you, it’s quite possible that they may experience a healing “touch” from the Lord (emotionally and spiritually as well as physically). And if that happens, you will have the opportunity to say what the people of Capernaum said, “We have seen amazing things here today.”

WE HAD A GREAT RESPONSE THIS PAST WEEKEND TO OUR CHALLENGE FOR PEOPLE TO GET INVOLVED IN A LIFE GROUP. As we said in the message this past weekend, everyone needs to pursue DISCIPLESHIP, involve themselves in FELLOWSHIP, and dedicate themselves to PARTNERSHIP. All of this occurs when people get involved in a LIFE GROUP. If in 2013 you want to grow in the Lord, develop great friendships, learn from a mentor or mentor others, get involved in a LIFE GROUP. If you haven’t already done so, you can register for a LIFE GROUP right now by clicking here.

THE WATOTO CHILDREN’S CHOIR FROM UGANDA IS COMING BACK TO CELEBRATION CHURCH ON FEBRUARY 6. This Choir, composed of children who became orphans when their parents died of aids, is one of the most encouraging and inspirational groups that you will ever hear sing and testify. The Watoto Children’s Choir presentation will take place at the Metairie Campus on February 6, and all of our Celebration Congregations have been invited to join us for this special evening of worship and testimony. So plan to join us, and bring others with you who need to be encouraged and strengthened in the Lord.

WE’VE HAD A GREAT START IN 2013 AS A CHURCH FAMILY. Let’s keep praying, growing, serving, witnessing, inviting and pursuing the Lord together all throughout the year (even during the Mardi Gras season). And as we do, we will experience God’s power in and through our lives in unprecedented ways, and we will continually be able to say, “We have seen amazing things today.”

We believe in you here at Celebration,

Pastor Dennis

• In 2012 the Lord enabled us to: Start 12 new Churches in Brazil, China, Cuba, Ghana, India and Indonesia
• Support 75 missionaries directly and 1000’s of others with the North American and International Mission Boards
• Train 1700+ Pastors/Church Leaders in other Nations Send Missions Teams to Alaska, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Haiti, Houston, and Nicaragua
• Help start a new Church in Miami (with the Clunans)
• Lead 1293 to people pray to receive Jesus in our services
• Have 876 people apply to become Celebration Members
• Baptize 392 people in our Worship Services
• Experience growth at all of our Church Campuses
• Help 1000’s of people through our Isaac Relief effort
• Launch a new Campus in Slidell
• Grow by an average weekend attendance of 650 people
• Raise $68,000 for Missions through our Christmas offering

Many of you have experienced tremendous blessings in your life as well. Our Pastors and I would love to hear how the Lord worked mightily in, for and through your life in the past year, so please send those testimonies to us at by clicking this link.

Also, over the past two weekends our Pastors and I have said in our messages that the Lord wants to perform even greater works in, for and through our lives and Church family in 2013 than He did in 2012. To listen to those messages (if you weren’t in our worship services) simply click here.

One of the ways you can prepare yourself to experience the “greater works” of the Lord in, for and through your life is by receiving training. One of the training venues that is available to you on a weekly basis is our midweek COLLABORATE classes. Our Winter Semester of COLLABORATE begins tomorrow evening. If you will click on this link, you will find a listing of the COLLABORATE Discipleship and Leadership classes that are being offered at our campuses. Pick out the class that you want and/or need to attend, and plan to join us. Let’s all work towards becoming the very best we can be for the Lord and in the lives of others in 2013.

THIS COMING WEEKEND IS TEAM WEEKEND AT CELEBRATION – WHICH IS A GREAT TIME TO BRING OTHERS WITH YOU TO OUR WORSHIP SERVICES. On this weekend we will be learning about the importance of developing godly friendships and how to move toward “victory” in our lives. Identify the people in your life who need to learn those lessons, contact them and invite them to join you, and then re-contact them towards the end of the week. The kind of year that your friends experience in 2013 may well depend upon whether or not you invite them to join us for weekend services at Celebration.

TEAM WEEKEND IS ALSO A GREAT WEEKEND TO GET CONNECTED TO A LIFE GROUP. We’re always encouraging people to get involved in Life Groups because that’s where people are strengthened as they: Learn to apply God’s Word to their lives Learn from more mature Christians how to overcome adversity and live for the Lord Develop godly and encouraging friendships that help them immensely Learn how to serve God and others through their involvement with other Christians Discover, develop and deploy their spiritual gifts in ministry Fulfill the Lord’s commission of discipling others

A great testimony about Life Groups was given several years ago by Jayme Lutomski Paternostro. You can view that testimony by clicking on this link. For those of you who have a similar Life Group testimony, we would love to hear yours. Again, you can send that testimony to info@celebrationchurch.org.

If you’re not in a Life Group, you can connect with one this weekend, or connect with one right now by clicking on this link. Don’t miss out on the joy and blessings that come from growing in the Lord and serving Him with other Christians.

Pastor Dennis

BACK TO THE FUTURE WAS ONE OF THE MOVIES WATCHED BY MY FAMILY OVER THE HOLIDAYS. It was the first time our oldest grandson Brandon had ever seen the movie. You know the story – a young man (played by Michael J. Fox) inadvertently goes back from 1985 to 1955. In the process of doing so he is able to help bring about some changes in the lives of his future parents that transform his life in a positive way when he returns to 1985.

We all wish that we could go back to the past, even the recent past, and make some changes. While that may be possible in Hollywood movies, it’s not possible in real life. But what we can do is make a FRESH START in our lives. That’s what we’re going to be focusing on this weekend at Celebration Weekend.

THIS WEEKEND (JANUARY 5-6) IS FRESH START WEEKEND AT THE CELEBRATION CHURCH CAMPUSES. If you want to get a “fresh start” with God or in your life, be sure to join us on Saturday or Sunday. And if you have people in your life (friends, relatives, work associates, neighbors, etc.) who also need to make a “fresh start,” invite them and bring them with you. Let’s all make a FRESH START with God this weekend.

WE ALL KNOW PEOPLE WHO ARE STRUGGLING WITH HURTS, HABITS AND HANG-UPS (Addictions, Strongholds) IN THEIR LIVES WHO NEED TO BE INVOLVED IN OUR CELEBRATE RECOVERY MINISTRY. Tonight I will be sharing my “Recovery Story” at the Metairie Campus Celebrate Recovery Service (7 pm). This will be a great time to bring friends and family with you who have struggled with addictions (alcohol, drugs, food, gambling, pornography, sex, etc.), anger, co-dependency, fear, grief and other life issues.

A CITY-WIDE SACRED ASSEMBLY WILL TAKE PLACE THIS SATURDAY AT THE CORINTHIAN MISSIONARY BAPTIST CHURCH #2 (2601 Jackson Avenue) IN CENTRAL CITY (from 9-11 am). At the CITY-WIDE SACRED ASSEMBLY (we hosted it last year at the Metairie Campus) there will be extended times of worship, prayer and Scripture reading) with Christians from a variety of New Orleans churches. Come and experience an encouraging time of renewal and strengthening at the CITY-WIDE SACRED ASSEMBLY.

OUR 2013 FASTING & PRAYER EFFORT WILL BEGIN THIS COMING MONDAY, JANUARY 7. For 15 years the Celebration Congregation has begun each new year with a Fasting and Prayer emphasis, and each year we find ourselves entering into a deeper relationship with the Lord, receiving new direction from the Lord, and experiencing answered prayer as we pray for ourselves and for others. Those who sign up to participate in this Fasting and Prayer effort will receive via email a Daily Devotional from God’s Word, along with some Prayer Instructions. For more information about “Fasting and Prayer,” and to sign up to be a part of our 2013 FASTING AND PRAYER effort click this link. Remember, God works miracles in people’s lives when we “fast and pray.”

A NEW YEAR IS ALWAYS A GOOD TIME TO GET INVOLVED IN A LIFE GROUP. In our Celebration LIFE GROUPS, people develop godly friendships, they learn about God’s Word and how to live it out in their lives, they are discipled by more mature Christians, and they get involved in serving God through serving others in our region. If you’re not currently involved in a LIFE GROUP, click on this link, and we will help you find one that is right for you.

This coming weekend in our worship services we will also be sharing a brief report regarding the many and miraculous works that the Lord did in, for and through our Church family in 2012. Please plan to join our Pastors and I as we celebrate who the Lord is to us and what He has done for us, and as we get off to a FRESH START in 2013.

Pastor Dennis

Celebration Church wishes you and your family a Happy Thanksgiving.

Our hours are: Sunday 8am to 2p

Monday, Tuesday and Thursday 11 am to 6pm

Wednesday, Friday and Saturday 11 am to 8pm.

We look forward to seeing you.

Today is the last day to register for KidZTown Laser Tag on November 16 & 17.

For more information or to register online, click here.

sorry - no tickets will be sold at the door. 

Join us tonight Wednesday, November 7th for our Collaborate Classes. Click here to see a list of the classes. 

 COLLABORATE opportunities are discussion driven multi-sensory experiences carefully designed to create environments where the Body of Christ can build itself through the shared input of each of its members. Collaborate is our discipleship strategy. Some courses are highly intellectual while others are very hands-on. We recommend you seize a variety of these opportunities as each one will prepare you to find and fulfill God’s calling for your life.

Already multiple men have sent text messages to different pastors sharing how much the weekend impacted their lives, and how they will never be the same. Praise God for His transformational love, and for a weekend of growing in our relationship with Christ, and strengthening relationships with other men in our church.