God has a specific dream, plan and purpose for your life! (Jer. 29:11-14) I don't know anyone who doesn't want the Father's favor upon his or her life.

Join us for the next five weeks as we peer closer at the the life of Joseph who faced numerous tests and trials before he experienced the full blessing of God's favor.

In the course of life we all can expect to encounter some tests and trials of our own. In fact we are going to be tested throughout our entire lives. Who is to blame for these problems and situations? All to often we point our fingers at others without recognizing our own responsibility. It's so easy to blame all our challenges and difficulties on other people.

But when we turn our hearts and lives over to God and He's allowed to get really deep inside of us . . . He exposes and deals with the real roots of our problems. Not only is He capable of performing the necessary heart surgery that needs to take place . . . He reorients our destiny!

You're going to be blessed during these five dynamic life-changing messages. Don't miss a single week!

Bring someone with you! Invite, email, phone, text, or tweet a friend to join you this Sunday at Sunset Chapel!

Get Ready for Dufflebag Sunday - Water Baptisms

Dufflebag Day...

Sunday, January 16th, is what we are calling “Dufflebag Sunday”. You’re invited to bring your Dufflebag or backpack with a change of clothes, and if your desire is to go public with your faith in Jesus Christ through baptism, we will baptize you in our 10:30 AM service! To participate in our first Water Baptisms of 2011, you can register on Sundays in the foyer, but you don't even have to sign up! You can just show up! We'll be ready for you!

Here's what you need to bring:

• Your faith in Jesus as your Forgiver & Leader.

• A dark T-Shirt and Shorts

• Flip-flops

• Towel

• Extra pair of underclothes!

• ALL your family and friends!

2011 The BIG Slice of Life Connection Nite!

At SC our first goal is to always lead people to a personal relationship with Christ, but to continue growing in that relationship with God, we believe people need real Christian community. We create this community through what we call home "Life Groups". These groups are a combination of fellowship, fun Bible study and prayer, which we believe creates an atmosphere for real life change! Be sure to join us Sunday Jan 9th @ 6:00 PM to get connected to one!! See ya there!

Newcomers Gathering!

Recently, if you came to check-out Sunset Chapel during one of our Sunday worship experiences! To say thank you for being our guest, I want to personally invite you to come and have a free coffee drink and pastry of your choice on us!

Thursday night, January 6th, from 7:00 pm - 8:30 pm, my wife Shari and I will be at the Panera Bread 13672 N. Kendall Drive, Miami. We invite you to drop by and say hello and have a cup of coffee on us. If you would like to stay and visit we are available to answer any questions you may have about SC. This is our way of letting you know how much we appreciate you being our guest at Sunset Chapel.

If there is anything that we can do to help you please contact our office at 305-271-4094. I hope to see you this Thursday night!

It's Going to be an Awesome Night!

Five Things I'm Thankful For!

Most people across America will be focusing this Thanksgiving on turkey and football. And without a doubt I'll do my fair share of both too! But this year I wanted to stop and create a list of things I'm thankful for.. so here goes!

I'm so thankful for the grace God poured down on my life as an eight year old boy sitting in a Sunday School class taught by Mark Frazer in my hometown of Anderson, Indiana. He introduced me to Christ and my life has been forever changed because he cared enough to get involved and teach kid's about God's love. I am also grateful for godly men like George Tilley, DuWayne Robinette, Larry Frazer, Ken Culp and Gary Allison who also left their imprints on my life and helped God capture my heart at an early age. I wouldn't want to imagine the kind of troublesome person I would have become had these men not poured into my life.

I'm so thankful for my incredible wife! From the first hour we spent together on the campus of Southeastern University (cutting classes) I have loved her. I know every expression on her face, all her gestures, her movements, even the slightest motion of her soul. She is heavens gift to keep me balanced, focused and sane. I'm not sure I could even in a thousand ways begin to tell her what it means to come home to her! Her smile has dazzled me daily for over 28 years now. Her encouragement gives air to my soul! I am a blessed man!!

I'm so thankful for my son's Calvin and Randall. They continue to help me keep pace with life and current with the realities of what young people are facing! At first it was my responsibility to teach and lead them. But for a long time now, that role has been reversed. I am grateful for the many childhood memories, the humorous incidents, and the meaningful moments I have in my heart from watching them grow into the young men they've become. Someone once said that "gratitude is the memory of the heart". My heart is filled today as I reflect on the numerous blessings these two have given their mother and I.

I am so thankful for the staff and leaders here at Sunset Chapel. You are all awesome and amazing people! Together we are making a difference in Miami!! I acknowledge your many hours of hard work from a heart that overflows with appreciation. Each of you are a gift to my life. I feel so absolutely blessed to work beside such caring, committed and gifted individuals! I owe a debt of gratitude to each of you as you contribute to the spiritual growth and vitality of Sunset Chapel. Few churches are blessed with the rare combination of gifts, character and leadership that you all possess!

I am so thankful for a church that has caught the heart of God and is filled weekly with the atmosphere of celebration, abundant hugs, and bursts of laughter! Sundays are my favorite day of the week!! I am humbled to serve as your pastor. Each week I have the privilege to stand before the greatest people on the planet!!

You're Invited . . .Thanksgiving Candlelight/Communion Service

Join us for this very intimate and meaningful time of thanksgiving and worship this Wednesday evening November 24th @ 7:00 PM.

One Day To Feed The World Update!

Just received word that our "ONE DAY TO FEED THE WORLD" offering total continues to grow!! We have now received a total of $6029.00 with additional online amounts not yet posted at our bank still to come!! Sunset Chapel you all continue to AMAZE me! Thank you for partnering with Convoy of Hope in providing disaster relief around the world! We will give an up to the minute update this Sunday as to where our final total stands!! You still have time to be included in this initiative by making your contribution online at www.sunsetchapel and follow the online giving prompts!

My Haiti Trip ONE DAY TO FEED THE WORLD!

SunsetChapel's ONE DAY TO FEED THE WORLD initiative! from Russell DeBord on Vimeo.

If you would like to join us as we GIVE to make a difference - you can give "online" by going to www.sunsetchapel.com and clicking on our online giving icon and follow the secure steps. Where it says "Other" type "ONE DAY". May God Bless you all!

Sunday Splash!

*Thanksgiving!!! That describes my heart today!!

*I am so thankful for all that God did today in our service!!

*Two individuals made commitments to Christ in our 10:30 am service!!

*I didn't even get half way through my message notes today, time just zipped by so fast.

*I have to make a confession "The Spirit of Gluttony" hit me today! I ate so much food!!

*Our after service Thanksgiving dinner was a HUGE success!!

*Our volunteers did a fantastic job of setting up for this event. They didn't allow a little South Florida liquid sunshine dampen their spirits or efforts to make this day happen!! Special thanks to Frances Watkins for overseeing this entire event! She makes so many things happen at SC and is a real blessing to us all!!

*Special shout out to both Russ Barbour and Tony Gregis also for preparing the food! The food this year was absolutely AMAZING!!

*It was an awesome sight seeing the tent we rented overflowing with people today!!

*As I crisscrossed throughout the tent I met so many first time guests today!

*And I am especially thrilled to see so many new people to Sunset Chapel beginning to attend regularly and connecting with others too!

*Can't wait to share with you some new ideas God has been giving me to help us all connect better as a church! Stay tuned for future developments!!

*I am especially pleased and humbled as you all responded so well to our partnership with CONVOY OF HOPE and our "ONE DAY TO FEED THE WORLD" initiative!! Together we raised $4675.60!! Thanks SC for your effort to assist this great ministry as they respond to disaster relief projects around the world!!

*I heard that Kid's Inc nearly hit the 50 mark again today with children and volunteers! A new couple (Fabian and Marcia) who have attended a few weeks at SC expressed an interest in getting involved in this outstanding ministry to our children. They were involved in their home church for several years until just relocating to the Miami area! We look forward to adding them to this ministry team!

*Don't forget to make plans to attend our upcoming "CANDLELIGHT COMMUNION SERVICE" this Wednesday at 7:00 pm!! It's always a very special time as we return thanks to the Lord for the many ways He has blessed our lives and homes during the past year. Why not consider bringing a friend or two with you! I guarantee you they will feel the presence of God in the room!

*Have a blessed week!!

Count Down . . . 4 Days to Go!

I've started today in prayer for each person who attends Sunset Chapel and who is participating in our "ONE DAY TO FEED THE WORLD" initiative! Today we are working for God and donating today's wage to Convoy of Hope, a faith-based organization with a driving passion TO FEED THE WORLD through children's feeding initiatives, community outreaches and disaster responses.

COH has developed partnerships with such corporations as Culligan, Pro Bass Shop, Home Depot and many others to assist them in their efforts to quickly provide resources to victims of disasters worldwide. Convoy of Hope has earned a reputation for responding quickly, efficiently and effectively!

Please bring your offering with you to this weekend's service. Online giving is also available atwww.sunsetchapel.com ;

We are beyond excited about what God is going to do this weekend at Sunset Chapel! Let's celebrate and "Give Thanks" together this Sunday November 21st @ 10:30AM for the combined response to our effort to "FEED THE WORLD" There will be an awesome time of fellowship following the service, as we enjoy an "ALL-CHURCH THANKSGIVING DINNER" on the grounds! Invite a friend to join us!

Count Down! 5 DAYS TILL WE DO OUR PART!

I was in Haiti some months ago and witnessed first-hand the humanitarian efforts Convoy of Hope was providing to thousands of children whose homes and lives have been decimated by the earthquake.

Convoy of Hope was founded in 1994 with the simple goal of helping people who were impoverished and hurting. Throughout the world there are countless boys and girls who are wondering where their next meal is coming from. These kids deserve a bright future and COH helps them by feeding them and keeping then in school.

I am looking forward to celebrating with you this Sunday November 21st the combined responses of our Sunset Chapel people to our "ONE DAY TO FEED THE WORLD" initiative! Tomorrow when you go to work, let's work for God the whole day! Everyone is asked to donate Thursday's wage and bring it with them to this weekends service! Online giving is also available at www.sunsetchapel.com.

On Sunday I will share with you several of the photo's taken of my trip to Haiti as I observed the needs and the responses that Convoy of Hope is involved with!

Click here for a special video message:

Pastor Russ ONE DAY TO FEED THE WORLD - Haiti2010 from Russell DeBord on Vimeo.

Our Most Important Service Of The Week!

Every Tuesday it seems that God has me drinking from a fire hydrant! It's the day I try to separate myself from a lot of the activities and white noise that often surrounds me and closet myself with God's Presence and Word.

For several weeks I've been trying to wrap my mind around First Thessalonians. Each verse has had something to say to my heart and spirit. On Wednesday's during our mid-week Prayer and Bible study it's been a ministry highlight moment for me to unpack several of the significant insights I've discovered in my study time.

Something is happening on Wednesday's that is unprecedented! There is an obvious hunger for more of God's Word taking place in our church. Our attendance reflects that surge in interest as people are coming ready to receive a Word from the Lord! Do you believe in God but live your life as if He doesn't exist? You're not alone ... a lot of people do.

Our look into the simple truths found in the scriptures will at times push you, challenge you and quite honestly stretch you. If you want to reflect Christ better in your life and receive fresh gut level insights that will impact your life. Come join us! And let the Word truly help you live a life that pleases God and brings glory to His Son!

6 DAYS TILL WE DO OUR PART!

Convoy of Hope is a faith-based organization with a driving Passion to FEED THE WORLD through children's feeding initiatives, community outreaches, disaster responses and resourcing.

This past year Convoy of Hope . . .

• Served 6.8 million people
• Held 217 community outreaches
• Mobilized 30,000 volunteers
• Provided food for 30,000 children each week in the Philippines
• Provided food daily to 25,000 in Haiti
• Responded to the earthquake in Italy
• Provided food in El Salvador and in Kenya to thousands more children!

This Thursday join others from SC as we donate ONE DAY'S WAGE to Convoy of Hope's "ONE DAY TO FEED THE WORLD" campaign. Then bring your offering with you to this weekend's worship service, Nov. 21st @ 10:30 AM. Online giving is also available at www.sunsetchapel.com. click on link below for a special message . . .

Convoy of Hope - You Can Make a Difference! from Russell DeBord on Vimeo.

In 7 Days Our Sunset Chapel Family Will Do its Part!

We again announced our partnership with Convoy of Hope (COH) in our service yesterday.

Each day, Convoy of Hope feeds tens of thousands of children throughout the world. For many children, the meal they receive from Convoy of Hope is their only meal of the day.

We've designated this Thursday, 11/18, as our "ONE DAY TO FEED THE WORLD" day to donate that day's wage to this ministry. Your response will be greatly appreciated! Remember to bring your offering with you this Sunday,November 21st! Online giving is also available at www.sunsetchapel.com

Kate's Story from Russell DeBord on Vimeo.

Sunday Splash!

*I am so grateful for all that God is doing here at Sunset Chapel!

*It was thrilling to see our church so full today!

*Let me give a BIG shout out to both our usher and greeter teams!

*They were both stretched today!

*Special thanks to Frances Watkins, Neyda Teijeiro, Tracey Rowsey and their army of volunteers who conducted our Missionettes "Mad Hatter Tea Party" and sleepover!! Nearly all the girl's and their parents were in the service today! This ministry to girl's Kindergarten through Eighth grade are hitting their stride and growing by leaps and bounds!! Having 42 girls in this age bracket really brought a new energy to our service!!

*Our worship team sounded great today! Cherisse Graham really has some pipes and did an awesome job singing "In Christ Alone"!! The whole team consists of a very special bunch of gifted and talented individuals!! I love what they do for God!!

*I knew that today was going to be a very special day for someone! It was an incredible day for two individuals who crossed the line of faith and accepted Christ into their hearts!!

*I am thinking about scheduling a early December water baptism service! It never gets old seeing people far from God draw near to Him!!

*It was cool to have Sherri Jordan come up and invite everybody to SCA's Fall Festival this Friday November 19th from 4-8 pm!! There will be lot's to do for the whole family to enjoy!! Great food, fun and activities!! I hope to see you there!!

*This will be one of the busiest weeks ever here at SC, please keep our ministry team in your prayers as we prepare for next weekends All Church Thanksgiving Dinner!! Lot's of little details and behind the scene preparations still to be completed!!

*I also announced our upcoming Candlelight/Communion Service to be held on Wednesday Nov. 24 at 7:00 pm. This very special Thanksgiving service is unique and meaningful as people will sharing about how thankful they are for God's blessings in their lives and homes!! I encourage you to make this service a family tradition during this holiday!! You will be blessed!!

*I am really looking forward to the combined response to our partnership with Convoy of Hope and the "One Day To Feed The World" initiative! Everyone is asked to go to their workplaces this Thursday Nov. 18th, work for the Lord and donate that days wage to this special effort!! Please bring your offering with you next Sunday Nov. 21st!! Online giving is available on the church website as well at www.sunsetchapel.com

Our One Day Challenge Count Down!

In Ten Days We Will Do Our Part!!

This past Sunday we announced Sunset Chapel's partnership with Convoy of Hope (COH) a faith based organization with a driving passion to feed the world. With a global network of churches, COH has helped 32 million people in need in more than 120 countries by mobilizing a rapid response to disasters and hunger-related crises. Through these valued partnerships, millions of suffering people are being fed daily and experiencing the love of Jesus.

The One Day To Feed The World offering is a very simple plan to encourage every Sunset Chapel attendee to give ONE Day's Wage (Nov 18) to help feed the poor worldwide. ONE Day's Wage can make a huge difference. ONE Day invested, changes lives forever. We will be receiving our offering on Sunday Nov. 21st, 2010.

Here's a simple way to calculate one day's pay:

Your Weekly Pay $ _____ divided by 5 = $______ ONE DAY's Wage!

Specially prepared offering envelopes will be mailed and extras made available to give every attendee the opportunity to participate in the "ONE DAY To Feed The World" offering on Sunday, Nov. 21, 2010 @ 10:30 AM. You may also give online by going to www.sunsetchapel.com then click our online giving icon and follow the prompts. Where it indicates "other" write in "ONE DAY".

Sunday Splash!

Today's service was jam packed with numerous "defining moments"! Webster's Dictionary defines "a moment" as "a point in time". A moment can make a difference. It can move us. It can change us. As life becomes more complicated, more demanding and more hectic. We must become more mindful of the moments God offers us. If we treat them as insignificant, that's exactly what they become. I've observed that many people don't lead their lives... they just accept them. They wait for memorable experiences to happen, never giving a thought to creating an experience that will make a memory. Memories don't find us. We make them.

We welcomed back Douglas Flores to the platform today after having been gone on vacation for the past two weekends. What an exceptional job he and the worship team did today as they created an experience that increased our awareness of God's presence! My heart just swelled as I saw so many of the people I deeply love visibly respond to the Spirit's leading! A young pastor I admire from a distance Steve Furtick recently stated "The greatest moves of God might start with the prayer of one, but their sustained by the prayers of many". As our church absorbed the unmatched presence and power of God you could just sense that many were being replenished in their hearts. I followed my heart and I'm so glad I did and invited people to gather around the altar. What occurred was a"defining moment" for so many.

Families remain front and center in our current series "How To Build A Dream Home". These messages are designed to help you discover God's insights and enhance your marriage and family! Today's focus was upon the "Healthy Ingredients For A Happy Home". I am so appreciative of the positive feedback that I've been receiving as we unpacked these messages. I truly believe that God is working in our most important relationships! I am very excited to share the remaining messages with you in the coming weeks!

Replicating Christ

I loved watching our people take the necessary steps to draw closer to God. There is no doubt that during our prayer time God's presence showed up BIG TIME! People came forward with multiple needs and presented them to the Lord who has the solution to all our challenges and difficulties! There was a real consciousness that the Holy Spirit's power was being released around the altar! If you missed the service...YOU REALLY MISSED IT!!

Tonight we looked at 1 Thessalonians 1:4-9 and the zeal this new church plant exhibited in serving the Lord! The Apostle Paul was extremely ecstatic over the tremendous growth these young and energetic converts were making! He applauds them and holds them up as an example for others to follow. Everyone was talking about this new church! It was all positive conversation! Nothing negative was being expressed. 1 Timothy 4:12 says "Set an example for the believers in speech, in life, in love, in faith, and in purity." This is what the Thessalonians were doing!

Read Paul's words in 1 Corinthians 11:1 "Follow my example as I follow the example of Christ." Paul imitated Christ. The Thessalonians copied him. And all neighboring Christians took notice of them and replicated their lifestyle and works. That's how "EXAMPLE" spreads!

If we will love God completely and others unselfishly, then all our attitudes and actions will end up aligning with all the commands, instructions, guidelines and standards of God's Word.

A church is to bring people in, build them up, train them and send them out. I reminded our attenders tonight that when we leave the service and scatter throughout our city, like the Thessalonians we are to take God, His message, your testimony, your faith and His power with you AND GIVE IT AWAY!!

As long as there remains one person in the world who does not know Christ, the church has a mandate to grow. Growth is not optional. It is commanded by Jesus. We shouldn't seek church growth for our own benefit, but because God wants people saved! It never gets old watching individuals far from God come and surrender their lives to Him!!

Sunday Splash!

Yesterday at Sunset Chapel I lead the church in praise and worship! I haven't attempted that to often in recent years! Douglas Flores was away on a well deserved vacation, so I stepped up this week as his replacement and with the assistance of all our outstanding musicians and vocalists we saw move deeply in people's lives as the altar area became jam packed! And i hadn't even preached yet!!! By the time we got to the last chorus "I need You More" you could sense that God was working in our service in a tremendous way. I still don't have my mind around all that He accomplished around the altar, but I know that many were feeling His presence and power in their hearts and circumstances!

I am still amazed at how many first time guests we are seeing week after week! Can you believe what is taking place!! We are beginning to see God cause a new momentum take place in our weekend services! I am so thankful for what our Lord is allowing to happen here at SC!! Keep inviting and investing in the lives of those around you!!

Our current series "How to Build Your Dream Home" focused our attention on the topic of "Communication". I was delighted to see how many of you were tracking with the message! We discussed together the "Introductory Levels and the Deeper Levels of geniune communication! Thanks Luis and Neyda Teijeiro for coming forward and role playing at a crucial point of my message! So many have been coming up to me and expressing how much they've appreciated these messages! For the past several weeks I've become aware of how critical these really are to our church family. If you have missed any of them you can listen online by going to the church website.

My personal times with God this past week have been just phenomenal! God has been sharing a number of things in my heart that I can't wait to share with you in His timing!

God deserves our very best! Each person who attends SC is important to His plans for our church! In his book "Doing Church as a Team" author Wayne Cordeiro writes "As Christians, we absorb teaching, instruction, God's Word and His promises; but at some point along the way, we stop growing. We get saturated and our capacity to absorb is diminished. No matter how many more messages we hear, we are unable to absorb any more until we wring out our sponges. Then, and only then, will our absorbency return. Wring out your sponge and serve! Don't hang on to the water. Give it freely away. There's plenty more where that came from!" As we continue to grow we need more people to volunteer their time and talents! Nearly every ministry here at SC needs additional workers. God is stretching us! This is one of the most opportunistic times we've experienced in recent years here at Sunset Chapel! This is all so very exciting!

I am really looking forward to this Wednesday's Prayer and Bible study time together! If you own a Bible bring it with you. Last Wednesday, I shared a lot about what's been going on inside me spiritually and what God is doing in my life. Together we looked at 1 Thessalonians Chapter One. God has some incredible plans for us all and I can't wait till He reveals more of that specific plan to us this Wednesday! I hope to see you then!

What Should The Church Look Like?

Last night we looked at 1 Thessalonians 1:1-3 and the description the Apostle Paul gives of a church that functions well. Their example still proves instructive today. While many individuals are choosing to live isolated lives and put great distances between themselves and the needs of the world. God's Word challenges us to engage the world and penetrate it with the light of God's love.

In a world that lacks for faith, love and hope...we can point to Christ who offers all three! The Message Bible closes verse 3 of this passage with the following words..."it is very clear to us friends that God not only loves you very much but also has his hand on you for something special." This very young church demonstrated remarkable vigor, moral courage and activity! Highlighted in these verses are 3 distinguishing features...their work of faith, their labor of love and their patience of hope! All of which caused Paul to rejoice! Paul carried these people in his heart! His prayers for them were constant. His prayer of thanksgiving was genuine.

Who are you praying for? Do you have a prayer list? Do you mention others by name in your conversations with God? At the end of our prayer and study time I requested each person to come forward and sign my notebook. I made the commitment that for the next seven days I would personally "make mention of them" in my prayer times with God! This so simple and something we all can do.

A church that desires to function well, will follow this churches model.

*They loved their brothers and sisters in Christ

*Their love was real and tangible

*They demonstrated it in various ways and in speech

*They considered each others needs

*They were genuinely concerned about each others well being

*They worked together

*They encouraged each other in the faith

*They demonstrated remarkable unity and harmony

*They excelled in serving, honoring, preferring, and praying for one another

*They carried these values and traits outside the walls of their church

*They touched the lives of people all around them

*They had a fearless testimony for Christ before the world

*They weren't intimidated or embarrassed to share Christ

*Their compassion, concern and servants heart towards others in their city was well known

While we have a huge task in front of us in reaching Miami for Christ, I am so grateful to see the positive strides forward we are making! God is giving us the opportunity of a lifetime to grow as a church! I so appreciate the commitment and support that I sense from so many!! Sunset Chapel is undergoing a number of changes and I am pleased to see so many adapting and following His vision for our church! I really love where God has us right now as a church. Our best and brightest days are ahead of us!!

In recent weeks, I've benefited greatly from the extra hours that have been spent in prayer and study with God. His leading and wisdom has been regularly sought and valued in my heart. The fact that our church ministry teams are all on the same page now that we completed our recent leadership retreat is of tremendous help and encouragement! They are truly a gift from God to me! While there are constant reminders that we have made the devil mad, the resolve to remain steadfast to the vision hasn't changed! God is leading Sunset Chapel to new levels for His glory!

Sunday Splash!

*Today was such an uplifting day here at Sunset Chapel!

*Our worship was one of the most anointed atmospheres we've experienced in some time! You could sense that people were really pressing in!

*Thanks Calvin De Bord for stepping in this week and leading us deeper into God's presence. A special shout out also to Michelle Mlacker for playing the keyboard for us this weekend! It was great to welcome back home Frederico Gosalvez and his gifted talents on the bass guitar..we missed you dude!

*Today I preached the second message in our new series "Building Your Dream Home". We discussed that it's our job as men to provide the right covering for our families! God gave this divine assignment specifically to us. Over and over we looked at several scripture passages that demonstrated the role and responsibilities we have as the head of our households. We are the ones who set the spiritual temperature in our homes. A better home requires us to become better men! We need to take our leadership to a new level and become men of faith, prayer and integrity! Guy's we can do this!!

*I was definitely caught off guard today while speaking when someone shouted out from the crowd "What was that verse you just gave?" I love the fact that people are tracking closely to the message!

*I am really looking forward to next week and sharing some insightful principles with everyone as we look to download our third message together in our new series "The Living Room-learning how to communicate"!! All of us could use some refinement in this critical area!

*I announced today that we are looking forward to participating in the Pen. Florida District's Men's Gathering to be held at Masterpiece Gardens in mid November. Cost is $40.00 per man and includes registration, lodging and meals. A sign up sheet is located in our foyer area or you can call the church to get your name on the list. I am looking forward to hanging out with the guy's from SC and receiving some great encouragement from some of our district's leading pastors!

*Ladies don't forget that a new Bible study just started for you on Thursday mornings at 10 am for fellowship, prayer and an in depth look into God's Word! Call the church office for additional details and directions!

*Today was the kick off to a new membership class taught by Russ Barbour. If you would like to know more about our beliefs, how to better your relationship with Christ, meet and make some new friends, then this class is for you! Once you've completed it you can apply for membership here at Sunset Chapel. I am really loving the growth that is taking place here at SC right now! Every week there is a constant stream of new faces in the crowd!

*Right now there are a lot of new opportunities available for people to connect together here at SC.

*Hey everybody have a blessed week!

Our next New Member's Class begins this Sunday October 10th at 9:30 am in the cafeteria. If you are confident that God has brought you to Sunset Chapel to be part of this church family...then we're confident that God has a purpose here for you to fulfill! We want everyone who considers SC to be their church home to become a participating member!

Russ Barbour, our facilitator for this class will share the importance of becoming a part of the SC church family and committing ourselves to the Body of Christ. During this informative class every participant will learn about our 16 distinctive beliefs, our denominational affiliation and will be given the opportunity to apply for church membership. It is our vision to partner with you on your spiritual journey by helping you establish healthy spiritual habits and connecting you with other maturing Christ followers!

Sunset Chapel is quickly becoming a blessing to many! It's a new day and we are very excited about the many possibilities that are ahead of us! As God continues to accomplish incredible things throughout our church and in our ministries, we are elated that he is adding new people to our church family!!

Leading like Jesus

Recently all of our ministry leadership teams (pastors, deacon board, support staff, SCA school administrators and their spouses) met for a combined weekend to develop and sharpening our leadership abilities, clarify our roles and responsibilities, conduct some strategic planning and cast vision! I see each one of them as a gift from God to help me fulfill God's revealed vision for Sunset Chapel!! Our time together was both meaningful and significant in blending our hearts as we allowed God to form us into a spiritual team.

I shared with them that a core value of our church needs to be "excellence"...which does not mean perfection...but it does mean giving your best effort! I truly believe that God works through people who are willing to go all out for Him!!

We spoke about leading at the highest levels require us all to be willing to serve at the lowest levels first. A leader must touch the heart of others before it can ever ask them for a hand. Using the example in scripture of Christ washing his disciples feet each of us made the commitment to join "The Order of the Towel" and lead and serve like Jesus.

I am looking forward to seeing the results of this time spent together impacting our efforts and causing SC to become the church God fully intends for us to become. Please continue to keep all our leaders in prayer!

Sunday Splash!

Thank you Sunset Chapel for another standout weekend! Let me try to recap briefly a few of the highlights from Sunday. We experienced a tremendous kick off to our new teaching series! Our attendance was better than anticipated! I was able to meet so many new guests...Daphine, Bengee, Agnes, Andre, Antoinette and many others! What really encouraged me was the many people who are beginning to make SC their church home! God is allowing something really special to take place here each weekend! I love our church!!

Our ministry to children "Kid's Inc." achieved a new 2010 fall attendance mark of "42"!!! Caught somewhat by surprise at this turnout they responded quickly and turned it up a notch and from the feedback we've been receiving it has become one of the best ministry weekend's they've experienced in sometime! Our kid's experienced a real move of God in their own service!! Our volunteers are doing a great job in this area! "Kerwin the Krazy Kat" made his entrance into the Kid's Inc. ministry and the kid's were really excited about their new mascot and all wanted to hang out with him!! I'm told that he's going to be popping up all over the place! You can keep posted on his adventures by checking out the Kid's Inc. blog!!

Are You Ready For Some Football?

We're making plans for a dynamic first-ever event here at Sunset Chapel and you're invited! Join us this weekend (Sept.19th - 10am) for "TAILGATE SUNDAY"! This will be a perfect opportunity to bring football, fun and fellowship together around the grill.

We will "huddle-up" @ 10:00 am in our main campus building for a terrific pre-game praise experience! And then get our game on as we introduce you to the very talented Christian recording artist, Leanette Lopez, who will dazzle you her vocal talents! Our second-half continues as I call out God's "Game Plan" for our lives. Our "end zone" celebration will be epic and fun!

After service will be time to stir up your appetites and fire up the grill and enjoy some extreme outdoor food! All you "Grill Masters" out there are invited to bring your grills, cooking utensils, and favorite recipes. Everyone is requested to make enough food for your family and others to share. Guests who are unable to bring their grills will find that our Royal Rangers will be preparing barbecue chicken, hamburgers and hot dogs that can be purchased at a reasonable price, proceeds to benefit the RR ministry.

• Afternoon activities will include a punt-pass-kick contest for kids and co-ed flag football games for the older teens and adults.

• Our schedule is rounded out by watching the "Dolphins vs. Vikings" game on the Big Screen, for those who want to cheer our home team on to victory!

• Find your friends and bring them to our first-ever "TAILGATE" event, they'll be blown away by the reception they receive and the great experience they are guaranteed to encounter @ SC this weekend!
  

See You Tonight @ 7

Looking forward to connecting with some of our new guests and attenders!!

Tailgate Sunday - September 19th

We're making dynamic plans for a first ever event hosted on our church campus. Make plans to join us for "Tailgate Sunday" September 19th @ 10:00AM. Activities include: co-ed flag football, our very own "thrill of the grill" cooking contest, and watch the pro game: Dolphins vs Vikings! You don't want to miss this one-of-a-kind Sunset Chapel event!

We have also invited Christian recording artist, Leanette Lopez to be with us. Singing since she was 7 and public speaking at 16, Leanette Lopez is no stranger to the platform. After years of serving on pastoral staff in Ohio, Leanette herself experienced leadership in a ministerial capacity. Ministering alongside her parents who were pastors all her life she ventured out with her ministry as a pastor and ultimately traveling world wide with her own family.

The real call of God in her life allows her capabilities to encourage any age, gender, and culture. She is fluent in both English and Spanish. Leanette has 4 recordings to date.

In the past she has worked with producer Jerroll Lehman who is connected to artists like John Mellancamp, Sandi Patti, Gaither Studio etc. With her latest album www.leanettelopezmusic.com she worked with Tim Miner www.timminermusic.comwho has worked with artists such as Steve Perry, Winans, Whitney Houston, Kirk Franklin etc.

Seasoned with experience, Bible education and a talent for singing and songwriting, this inspirational force added "author" to her repertoire. With a book already published worldwide she is currently working on more material.

Although modest about her abilities she recognizes the call of God in her life isn't coincidental but purposeful. Her life mission is to encourage people to reach their potential and destiny through her music or speaking and sometimes both.

Its going to be an epic day at Sunset Chapel, start inviting everybody you know! Click below to view Leanette Lopez video clip.

Tailgate Sunday Concert from Russell DeBord on Vimeo.

Sunday Splash!

I know it's Monday and I usually write this update on Sunday but after the service yesterday I just kind of crashed! I took the longest nap ever after I got home!

We experienced another superb day at Sunset Chapel!

The atmosphere was electric yesterday..I can't wait to see all the God reveals during this week!

Let me just say something right now about our volunteers here at SC. We have the best volunteers anywhere!! Their involvement and investment into SC continues to bring refreshment and rejuvenation into my soul each weekend!! Our usher's were absolutely AMAZING yesterday! We had so many first time guests and they were all going the extra mile to make sure everyone was able to find a seat! It was such a fantastic sight seeing the building so full! We even had people sitting up in the balcony as nearly all the seats on the main floor were taken!

I want to thank "Dorothy" a new guest yesterday who attended with her two daughters Kathy and Alanna! After she took her sun glasses off she stated "How cute I was"!! She just made my day! I love the senior adults who attend SC! I completely disregarded her daughters remark that mom had just had eye surgery! Her vision was just perfect to me!!! lol

It was also great having so many of our Sunset Christian Academy teachers, support staff, students and families in the service for our "Back To School service"!!

It was hands down my favorite services of the year thus far! Yesterday was such a fun day at Sunset Chapel!!

Our BGMC offering was insane!! Me thinks that my wife Shari and Bethany (Pastor Adam's wife) conspired to steal the victory from the boy's!! Not sure who won the contest yet, the winner's will be announced next week in Kid's Inc.

The "SHARK SONG" was a HUGE HIT yesterday!! Thanks to all the Kid's Inc. leaders, children and our "volunteered" SCA teachers (Maylen Velazquez, Lourdes Echazabal, Florelia Lengua, and our Pre School Director Pilar Martin) for introducing it to the entire church!!!

The message "God's Plans" seemed to be received well by everyone.

It was fun taking everyone back to school as I gave my "oral report". Let me give a shout out to Mrs. Terry Pimienta one of our Sunset Christian Academy teacher's for helping me with the opening skit! Man she busted my chops for chewing gum in class!

I laid out a BIBLE CHALLENGE to everyone. I encouraged them to take their Bible with them everyday to work, school, etc. for the next 30 days! Steve Pulis gave this challenge out to thousands of students at this years National Fine Arts Festival! It's a great idea!! God has given His textbook for us to learn more about Him and to apply His Word everyday in our lives! I would love to hear where you've taken and read your Bibles! Keep me posted! Add me as your facebook friend and share with me how you've taken God's Word with you!!

I made a BIG ANNOUNCEMENT yesterday at the end of the service! ARE YOU READY FOR SOME FOOTBALL!!! SC will be hosting our FIRST EVER "TAILGATE SUNDAY" September 19th! We will be moving our service time up to 10:00 am on that date. Some of that days activities include a concert with Leannette Lopez! She is a very talented vocalist that everyone is sure to enjoy!! Also we'll host a "THRILL OF THE GRILL" contest!! More details about that will be forthcoming! After service activities will include a co-ed flag football game and later the opportunity to come into the building and watch our hometown Dolphins whip up on the Vikings! This will be a great opportunity to invite friends to come check out Sunset Chapel and introduce them to our great church!!

Revival Services August 15-18

I am eagerly anticipating all that God has in store for us during these upcoming four incredible days with Evangelist's Rudi and Sharon Swanepoel! Sunset Chapel will come alive with God's presence! I am believing for an awakening and expecting great things to occur! Get ready friends it's about to break loose in here!!

Nothing tops the satisfaction of seeing God bless His people in a tangible ways, changing lives, shaping destinies and rescuing souls from the clutches of a defeated foe!

I am so pumped up that we get to partner this weekend with Rudi and Sharon. They are two authentic individuals whom God uses to push people towards new heights in their relationship with Him. Both demonstrate an unwavering dedication to the Lord. And they will impact your lives with their anointed and insightful messages! The revelations the Lord gives them from His Word will resonate in your heart! Each message ends with an opportunity for people to be prayed for. These WILL BECOME powerful moments in your life!

Rudi and Sharon are passionate about..

• God's Word!
• Lifting the name of Jesus higher and making His name famous!
• Reaching people who are living far from God!
• Seeing people grow in their journey with God!
• Reaching the next generation!
• Authentic praise and worship!

I know people who don't know Christ and so do you. Let's pray and ask God for help, then boldly invite everyone we know to join us so that HIS HOUSE WILL BE FULL!! Service times are as follows Sunday 10:30 am and 7:00 pm, Monday - Wednesday 7 pm nightly! Kid's Church and Nursery will be available on Sunday morning. NURSERY ONLY DURING THE EVENING SERVICES.

"WaterMark" Experience August 2010

Sunday Splash!

*Today was one of those days you never want to EVER forget!

*So much was happening behind the scenes to make this a great day of celebration!

*Let me give a HUGE shout out to the people who came early to set everything up for our "Watermark" baptism experience! You guys rock!!

*Our worship seems to have switched into high gear during the last couple of weeks! I was watching our newest band member Timothy Cromer today on the drums. Folks this dude has some mad skills!!

*Douglas Flores really brought us into the presence of God today. Most people didn't know this but he lead us in praise and worship with a heavy heart. He and his family lost a very dear Aunt and he will be with his extended family as they gather to honor this precious relative. Please keep his family in prayer this week.

*Unbelievable attendance today!! Today's total may have been our best of 2010!! I will check the final count tomorrow!

*Our 10:30 service is really starting to fill out a bit! That's an exciting step forward for us!

*Numerous guests were with us today from our summer park outreaches!

*Started the service today doing something I've never done at SC before! Jaime Diaz worked with me to create our own SC Waterboy personality! Great skit and great way to introduce today's topic! Love the creativity that Jamie brought to the message!

*One guest asked a person "Does he always speak like that"? They liked what they heard today and indicated that they would return! Cool Beans!!

*I scheduled another appointment with a different guest who wants to meet and learn more about the church! I love the connections that God is bringing to Sunset Chapel!!

*There are some awesome things ahead for Sunset Chapel on the horizon! Stay tuned!!

*I preached the second message in our current series "Extreme Thirst".

*God designed all of us with the ability to thirst.

*Today's message "Hydrate or Die" highlights Christ's offer to extend living water to everyone who will accept.

*Dehydrated hearts display symptoms such as snarling tempers, overwhelming insecurities, crushing guilt, irritability, and hopelessness to name a few. These are clear signals that something is seriously wrong in a persons life.

*What H2o can do for your physical body, Christ can do for your spiritual heart!

*Christ says in John 7:37-38 "If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink. He who believes in me, as the scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water."

*The question so many living here in Miami want answered is this..Will the taste of this living water take away the taste of the living hell they are presently in?

*The answer to that is a resounding YES!!

*Three individuals accepted that offer and made Christ Lord of their lives! That was so cool!

*After the service we all went outdoors and watched as 14 people participated in our "Watermark" baptism experience!

*Just as we were getting started heaven opened up and showered us with blessings!! Literally!! I mentioned to all the participants that they we're being kissed from heaven itself!!

*We will post some pics for you to enjoy after this post!

*Can't wait for next weekend!! Evangelists Rudi and Sharon Swanepoel from South Africa will be with us! Get ready to be blessed beyond imagination!! These are some of my favorite people to hang around with. They are the kind of people who sharpen and uplift everyone who comes into contact with them!

*I've asked everyone to keep me in prayer as I travel to Haiti this week to check out the recovery efforts that are still taking place. I will be scouting out some opportunities for SC to continue partnering with our missionaries to help this desperate country.

*In my absence Lee and Nilda Givens are going to lead our Wednesday Prayer Service. This continues to be our most important service of the week! They will be leading us in prayer for our nation, upcoming elections and next weekend's revival services! I will be looking to hear great reports from this service!!

*Have a blessed week!

Your Invited! Don't Miss Out!

This Sunday (August 8th @ 10:30 am) will be absolutely amazing! We’re inviting all our summer park event participants to visit us at Sunset Chapel for a great weekend! The summer park events were a huge success, and it was an awesome experience getting the opportunity to introduce SC to so many wonderful families in the South Miami area.

Our Kid’s Inc. ministry is all set up to host kid’s of all ages (preschool - 5th grade) for a day of thrilling excitement, prize giveaways, games and lot’s of laughter! The ultimate prize is for one child’s name to be drawn and awarded a free Nintendo Wii. We at Sunset Chapel have a deep passion to UP the level in which we’re impacting kid’s through our church.

We believe that each of the past five free events are setting in motion some things we have been dreaming about in regards to the future of Kid’s Inc. All the children will be having their own service located on our campus in the 300 building. And all adults are invited to come over to the main building and join the morning worship experience as Pastor Russ DeBord will be speaking.

At the end of the services, approximately noon, everyone will join together outside for an unforgettable Watermark baptism experience! Each participant will receive a free Watermark t-shirt!! Cotton candy, popcorn, snow cones, plus our inflatables will be available for the kids to enjoy!