03-12-24

ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGS
March 12, 2024
If my math is correct, today is the 52nd anniversary of Cypress Creek Christian Church. On this day in 1972, a group of folks gathered at the home of Bill and Betty Ayers to join God in dreaming into existence this place that would be known as Cypress Creek Christian Church. I have never been a direct participant in a new church start, though I have been an outside encourager, cheerleader, and on one occasion, I served as a sounding board to the pastor. It takes a unique person and a very specific calling from God to start a new church. Sadly, about 70% of new churches don’t make it to their third anniversary. It is hard work for everyone involved. But because you are usually starting with a small group of people and very limited resources, the young, fledgling church needs to be ultra-focused on who it is and what it believes God has called it to do. If it is sort of scattered or too broad, it will stumble, as the core team will have a difficult time articulating the vision. Early on, Cypress Creek begin using the language of God’s unconditional love. Today, a lot of churches toss those words around, though sadly, many of them share unconditionally with a select few (which does not fit my definition of unconditional). It was sort of radical stuff in the late 70’s and early 80’s, and though there were some who visited and could not be a part of a church that loved so extravagantly, there were others who caught the vision very clearly. 52 years later, we continue to strive toward an even greater understanding and expression of the love of God made real by a first-century teacher named Jesus.

We celebrate past, present, and even a future we have yet to imagine. Glorious God, for all you have done and continue to do through this faith community, we are thankful. May our faithfulness to the vision you cast before us never get stuck in an overly syrupy nostalgia, but feel the tug toward to even greater things. Amen.