Sunday Splash! 11.28.09

* Today was like no other at Sunset Chapel. From the very outset we could tangibly feel the presence of God throughout our facility! It was apparent that the Lord was preparing us for something HUGE!

* He forced us to recognize that we all have blind spots in our lives. As our lives seem to shift into higher gears with each passing day... to say that the pace of our lives is out of control, is to idolize our own endeavors above God's desires for our lives. There are many believer's who are allowing their responsibilities (cares of this life) to choke out God's Word to the point that they are no longer obeying what it says. God uses our everyday challenges to refine us, strengthen us and help us grow. For some the journey has been difficult.

* Many individuals spoke with me concerning today's message, that it was meant for them personally. With several indicating they were experiencing a "faded passion" in their lives, wondering if God really cared for them, if He actually knew what was taking place in their lives. As we become mindful of God's bigger picture and what He wants to do in our lives..it turns out that He has known what He was doing all along!

* Today's message "Where is the Touch of the Lord" is critical to every Christ follower who desires to be renewed and refreshed! For years the devil has entangled churches and led them astray with grand distractions and diversions. Causing God's people to forget His Word, to no longer seek Him consistently and wholeheartedly. They go their own way..and expect God to meet them there! For many God has become an inconvenience in their lives. To obey Him and to submit their lives means they will have to change, they would have to begin doing good, be kind, extend compassion to others... that doesn't fit into their present day lifestyles and schedules. So they allow themselves to become cold, distant..half-dead. 'The Touch of God" is missing from their lives.

* What God did around our altars today was astounding! People surrendered their hearts and entire lives to God and crossed the line towards faith and obedience to Him! Seeing people who are far from God come near to Him... NEVER EVER gets old!

* Once again I observed several new faces in the crowd! I love it! Keep spreading the word about Sunset Chapel and what God is doing here in Miami! I am so grateful and blessed to serve as the Lead Pastor of such a wonderful church that keeps investing and inviting!!

* Let me encourage you to make an eternal difference in someones life this week! In the weeks that lead up to Christmas, many of us relax. We spend time with family, share memories, smiles and lots of laughter. Some will even quietly reflect on what this time of year was meant for..loving each other and remembering the joy of Christ's birth! May I remind you that you will lock eyes with people who matter to God! Invite them to our weekend services and to the activities that we will be offering during this holiday season. Every heart we come into contact with can become a new Bethlehem where God's Son can be birthed!

more Thanksgiving Dinner Pics!

Our 2009 All Church Thanksgiving Dinner!

Sunday Splash!

* We experienced a tremendous day at Sunset Chapel!
* I heard so many positive comments about the spirit of joy, happiness and expectancy that currently exists at SC!
* There were so many who stepped up this weekend to make today such a wonderful success! Those of you who gave tons of time to make our all church Thanksgiving dinner such a delightful experience let me say THANK YOU!! Thank you for loving God and His church. Your example inspires me to become a better servant!
* To our SC staff and ministry leadership team..you guys are the most amazing group I have ever been around. Shari and I love you all, we are inspired by you and so proud to call you our friends!!
* Our worship was terrific and I really loved the chorus 'Here I am to Worship" and little Alyssa Flores singing with the adult vocalists! She was an absolute joy to listen to!
* There were so many new faces in our service today. I really get excited seeing all these new guests come and discover what God is doing here at Sunset Chapel!
* We are having so much fun at Sunset Chapel, it was great having the opportunity to fellowship and interact with so many people today.
* I am wishing it was next Sunday already!!!! Can't wait to worship with everyone again real soon! Check out some of today's pics from today's Thanksgiving Sunday highlights!!

WaterMark Baptism

Sunday Splash!

*Today was an incredible and unforgettable experience at Sunset Chapel!
*God is allowing SC to be a part of His Spirit's Outpouring!
*There were so many new faces at Sunset Chapel today. That never gets old!!!
*Seeing today's "Watermark" participants just adds fuel to my passion for seeing others living far from God come to know Him!
*I am looking forward to the future and witnessing God at work in many more people's lives, leading them through breakthroughs and blessings!
*We celebrated as 21 individuals took a next step in their relationship with God and spontaneously responded to today's challenge to become baptized!!
*An added bonus was that two young men accepted Christ into their hearts during today's altar call.
*I want to encourage each person who was baptized today to remain bold and to continue moving forward in their relationship with God.
*Let me give a big shout out to both Sarah Levy and Samuel Alers for helping us create some really awesome videos that we used during today's celebration service!
*We took a lot of pictures and made several short testimony videos today and we will post many of these on facebook, our church website and here on my blog!
*I also want to thank Pastor Kevin Mohammed and Luis Teijeiro for assisting me with today's baptisms. It's an honor to serve together with you guy's!!
*We also took time today to recognize the top three teams in our recent 3 on 3 basketball tournament. These guys hustled and outplayed their competition to take top honors!
*This outreach into our community was a huge success because of the tremendous number of volunteers who assisted Andrew Mangaroo in helping us host this event at SC! Our volunteers are the absolute best!!!
*Thanks to all for helping us build another bridge into our community!
*I really love the fun and the sense of community that is taking place at Sunset Chapel right now!
*BTW the meal served today for the ballplayers and volunteers was "finger licking good"! Special thanks to Russ and Julee Barbour our BBQ specialists!!

Message from Pastor Russ

WaterMark Message from Pastor Russ from russell debord on Vimeo.

WaterMark Experience!

Water Baptism is one of the most meaningful events in a person's spiritual journey.



What is the meaning of Baptism?
*It illustrates Christ's burial and resurrection.
*Christ died for our sins...He was buried...and He rose again! (I Corinthians 15:3-4)
*For when you were baptized, you were buried with Christ, and in Baptism you were also raised with Christ! (Colossians 2:12)
*It illustrates your new life as a Christian.
*When someone becomes a Christian, he or she becomes a brand new person on the inside. The old life has passed away and a new life has begun!

Who should be Baptized?
*All believers as soon as they have accepted Christ
*Those who believed...were baptized...that day! (Acts 2:41)
*There is no reason to delay!
*As soon as you have decided to receive Christ into your life, you can and should be baptized.

When does this occur?
The 2009 "Watermark" Baptism Experience will take place this coming Sunday, November 15th.

Can I be baptized with my spouse, child, or their family members?
Yes! If more than one member of your family is being baptized, we will have you come into the pool together to be baptized.

What should I wear?
Plan to wear your bathing suit or shorts with a t-shirt into the pool (we will provide you with a free t-shirt you can keep) once everyone has been baptized you will have access to the bathrooms in the 300 building to change into your dry clothes. Oh yeah, don't forget to bring a dry towel!

Who will baptize me?
In addition to being baptized by one of our Pastors and Leaders, we also welcome you to invite someone who has played a significant role in your decision to accept Christ and be baptized (friend, family member, parent, teacher, etc.) into the water to help baptize you!

Can I invite people to attend the baptism if they don't belong to Sunset Chapel?
Absolutely! We encourage you to invite your friends, family, co-workers, classmates, etc...to be a part of this special day! And don't forget to bring a camera so you can have someone take a photo during your baptism.

What if I have more questions about baptism?
Then don't miss the Sunday 10:30 AM service as I teach an entire message on this important subject and offer vital information and guidance! We want to make sure that each person clearly understands the meaning and significance of baptism.

I pray that many will take the plunge this Sunday and acknowledge Christ in their lives. It will be one of the most phenomenal experiences of your life!

Is there someone you could invite to church this weekend who could use this experience? Your invitation could initiate one of the most important days of someones life. We will have numerous baptism kits (shirts, shorts, towels) prepared for those who want to spontaneously participate this weekend. This will be a BIG DAY at Sunset Chapel!