Community Church Atlanta - The Message

Unfortunately too many people settle for less than God’s best. They start on a journey toward a better life and somewhere on the journey they settle for something mediocre rather than pursuing their best life. They may not die physically, but their dream dies, their vision dies, their passion dies and their zeal dies. Why? Because too many people gave up and did not press into the best that God had for them.

In this season of social unrest due to systemic racism and injustice in our nation, we are witnessing protests led primarily by young people to address and attack these issues. It is our hope that America will abandon unjust practices and live up to its creed is liberty and justice for all. The best path to accomplishing this goal is to stir up love and good works.

When God gets ready to move among His people He always chooses a leader to lead His people according to the biblical models. In each book of the Bible there is a leader celebrated for their integrity, influence or inspiration. Every leader has a following. According to John Maxwell, “If you are a leader and no one is following you, you are just taking a walk.”

Pastor-Select Kevin Earley reminds us that God can arrange and rearrange things in your life so what was not supposed to happen, happens.

Are you ready to follow God's Plan, Focus on His Promises and Fulfill your Destiny?

Guest Preacher Rev Portia Wills-Lee uses John 3:16 to remind us that love has the power to change.

Jesus is teaching us that we should learn to love God with our all: all your heart, all your soul, all your mind and all your strength. The tiny word “all” is used 5,675 times in the Bible depending on the translation you are reading. It is a small word that means a great deal, yet we pay so little attention to it. The word “all” can change the entire context of scripture. Where does all stop? How far does it go and what does it include?

As we celebrate Black history month I want to remind you that God loves His people. The Bible records a story of God’s chosen people named Israel, their oppression, their struggles and their triumph. This is a reminder that God is always on the side of the oppressed, the struggling and the weary. In those moments of uncertainty when it seems that we cannot feel the presence of God, nor experience His peace we should be reassured that God loves His people.

Minister Allyson Smith reminds us to remember what God has promised us, show up and do the work with God through the process and praise God for the yes and no's.

Rev David Dillard challenges us to keep the faith and go to God when our belief begins to waver.

At the recent Youth Convention in Pittsburgh, one of the ministers spoke about “The Hope of Heaven.” The theme of the convention was “Family Reunion.” It was refreshing to hear a young preacher talk about the importance of heaven and the family reunion that will take place there. The gateway to comprehending heaven is to understand “The Righteousness of God.” In other words if we don’t get right with God then we can miss heaven.

We often quote this scripture: “This is the day which the Lord has made, we shall rejoice and be glad in it. “ (Psalm 118:24) We are not only celebrating a new day but a new week, a new month, a new year and a new decade. The year 2020 is symbolic of God giving us another chance to get things right. Many people are talking about 20/20 vision which means we want to see things more clearly through God’s eyes. 20/20 vision should lead to us to fulfilling God’s mission which is His plan for our lives.

Guest Preacher, Rev Dennis Kidd uses Acts 27:1-8 as text to help us maneuver through the storms of life.

Rev Felecia Pearson Smith and Minister Allyson Smith team up to give us a word for when we can't make sense of God's promises.

In this season of celebrations, we must remember as Christians that all glory, praise and honor go to the newborn King whom we call Jesus. While we are excited about the bright lights, the many celebrations in music and fellowship, we should highlight the star of the Christmas and holiday season.

In this season of giving and receiving many of us focus on the giving more than the receiving. We celebrate that God gave us His Son but few of us think about how we can give back to His Son. The wise men brought Him gifts as a child. Today as children of God we are prepared to bring our Lord a gift. Our text reminds us that “For all things come from You (God) and of Your own we have given You.” We celebrate Christ’s gift.

Grace is God’s unmerited favor. It is not something we can earn or work for but it is the favor that God gives us many times undeserved. Grace is God filling in the gap when we cannot achieve our goal on our own. Grace is God looking beyond our faults to meet our need. Grace like love never runs out because God gives more grace like He multiplies His love.

Generosity is a gift for some and a learned behavior for others. In other words some of us are by nature willing to give generously while others learn the blessings received by becoming generous givers. Giving begins with our attitude which is reflective of the things in our heart. We choose to be selfish or generous. Selfishness is keeping my resources for me unless I can see the benefit of my sharing. Generosity means I am giving expecting nothing in return.

Minister Tara James speaks to us from the subject "Your Rightful Place"

Guest Preacher Rev Dr Kevin Earley takes us through the subject matter of "Quid Pro Quo".

Generosity is a natural behavior for some people and a learned behavior for others. This is why we all should learn “I will give generously.” You can tell more about a person from their checkbook than anything else. Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. (Matt. 6:21) Where our money goes is a reflection of our heart.

Pastors are celebrated, criticized and often misunderstood. They are misunderstood because many people do not understand the depth of their labor. A good pastor will labor in preparing sermons and bible study lessons. The preparation includes prayer time. Pastors are criticized for not spending enough time in the office when they are in the field and for spending too much time in the field when they can be in the office. A good pastor should be concerned about the sheep in their congregation and the welfare of the community.

Guest Preacher Rev Dr Laura Adams King tells us not to be discouraged that it is indeed our time.

Guest Preacher Bishop Joseph Quainoo challenges us not to try to do it all on our own.

Honoring Spiritual Leadership is not being celebrated today as it was when I was younger. People used to respect the office of pastor by supporting the pastor and church with consistent attendance, sacrificing their time to bless others while serving with joy and humility to make God, the church and their leader look good. The church had a passion to witness other lives changed as we are being changed.

Guest Preacher Minister Vickie Keyes tells us that purpose does not have an expiration date as she leads our Women's Day service.

We must remember that the church is made of people who are willing to serve, sacrifice and support the work of the church so that we can fulfill the ministry of Jesus Christ. It is time for Christians to “I will get involved in the church”. Every church member should have at least one ministry in which they are rendering service.

Whenever it is time to build a bridge, there is always a gap. Most bridges are over water so that we can cross to the other side. In modern times bridges are built in cities to expedite traffic flow on the highways. The purpose of a bridge is to connect that which normally would not be connected. We are living in a time when God is seeking a person who is able to connect people.

Rev David Dillard reminds to stay close to God daily.

The church is a place that Jesus established for God to execute His mission on the earth. Jesus said in Matthew 16:18 …“upon this rock I will build my church…” which is reflective that the church was not built before Jesus time. The house of worship in Jesus’ day was the temple and the synagogue. Now He introduces the church as the place for Christians to do God’s work.

Minister Shawn Howard encourages us to "Stay in the Boat"

All around us we see lives collapsing with broken hearts and broken homes and broken hopes—with shattered minds and shattered emotions and shattered bodies. What has gone wrong? The foundation on which the majority of people are building their lives is cracked and flawed. The Bible tells us there is only one foundation for individual or national life that will last, regardless of the crisis or pressure, and it is the foundation of Jesus Christ.

Guest Preacher Rev Andly Odle ministers to us about how the church should and care for all.

Our theme this month is “I will not be a church dropout.” As church attendance continues to decline we must make a conscious choice not to become a church dropout. We must talk about the cause of church dropouts, discover the cure for people leaving the church and align ourselves to the mission of the church. We must stop focusing on the “I” syndrome in the church and begin to focus on the “we can” syndrome. We must be intentional in building the church with Christ.

Rev Norris Ferris reminds us that Christ is waiting on us to say "I Will".

The church should make a difference in the community spiritually, morally, politically and socially. When members of the church get involved in the community our Christian witness is expanded. Many people want to do good in the community but few want to acknowledge that their work is because of Christ. The church should consist of members who desire to make the community a better place to live.

Rev Ludora Randall speaks about the Lord's Healing Power.

We are living in a time when people appreciate a church with a great ministry. They want to experience great singing, preaching, greeters and children church. In other words folk desire for everything to look good but few want to get involved in making things look good. Some people prefer streaming the service rather than praying in the service. Somehow we have forgotten that the church can only do what church members are willing do.

Minister Sybil O'Neal uses Psalm 100 to remind us that in being a joyous church member, we also need to celebrate our cheerfulness.

Appointments are a part of the fabric of life. Every day we make an appointment in our daily routine or for a special meeting. Too many people fail to make an appointment with God. That is reflected in their designated time for prayer, Bible study, and fellowship with believers.

Today we follow the biblical commandment to honor our fathers on this day that the nation calls Father’s Day. We celebrate dads who have taken care of their families, cheered for us and loved us. We honor our parents not because they are perfect but because it is God’s will for us to do so. Many of us have had issues with our parents as well as our parents have had issues with us. True love and honor looks beyond faults, flaws and failures to seek the best for others.

Guest Preacher, Rev Dr Kevin Earley uses Psalm 137:7-9 to tackle how we deal with anger.

June could be called the joy month. There are many celebrations that take place this month such as graduations, weddings, anniversaries, Father’s Day, vacations and birthdays. All these celebrations symbolize some type of accomplishment. An accomplishment brings joy and happiness to the one who has achieved their goal and to their family and friends who love them.

When you feel you have been attacked or unjustly criticized the natural response is to defend yourself. There are times when people should defend themselves; there are times when a nation should defend itself, but many fights are avoidable. This nation had to defend itself when we were attacked in Pearl Harbor. The Civil War could have been avoided if the South had recognized the humanity and rights of people of color. Too many times we have reacted when we were attacked or criticized, rather than respond graciously.

Guest Preacher Reverend James Brown Sr takes on the subject of what it means to walk worthy

Executive Pastor, Reverend Felecia Pearson Smith reminds us that we matter.

It is important for us to understand that God loves us unconditionally. He does not love us because of our goodness, righteousness or purity but He loves us when we are messy, rebellious and disobedient. In other words, God does not love us according to our perfections but He loves us in the midst of our imperfections. Just like any good parent, who loves their child in good times and bad times, our Heavenly Father loves us at all times.

Minister Katrina Artison discusses unconventional grace and reminds us that even when it seems hopeless, God still loves and cares for us and wants the best for us.

Last week Tiger Woods stunned the golf world by winning the prestigious Master’s Tournament. Confirming that he won this championship after 14 years of a dry spell the television announcer said, “The Return to Glory.” As I pondered this statement I was a little puzzled. We celebrate the fact that Tiger has won a championship after overcoming many physical and emotional challenges but he does not deserve the glory. Glory belongs to God and to Him alone.

Too many people believe that the Lord should serve us and fewer and fewer folks in this dispensation are trying to discover how we can serve the Savior. When we are sick we want Him to heal us; when we are in trouble we want Him to deliver us; when we are lost we want Him to lead us. God is more than a cosmic bellhop who responds to us every time we ring.

Rev Cory Bridges presents the Maundy Thursday sermon entitled "Let Not your Heart be Troubled".