Sunday Splash!

We experienced another God-crafted day at Sunset Chapel!

We tweaked the service structure quite a bit. And I thought the new format went well. It allowed me to get right into the Word a lot quicker!

Our worship team did a great job creating a very warm and vibrant atmosphere!

Sunset Chapel is so blessed to have the musicians and vocalists who come ready to bring every weekend!

We announced today that we are going to be putting together an Easter Praise Choir that will practice each Sunday during the month of March at 2:00 pm. Contact Douglas Flores and let him know that you would like to participate in this year's Easter Celebration service!

God placed his searchlight on areas of our lives that we must clean up. Satan will do all in his power to create destructive cracks in our relationship with God. For centuries he hasn't changed and he continues to use with great success the same old deadly tactics to ruin lives and testimonies.

All around us unchurched people are looking for authenticity. They can spot a poser or pretender a mile away. When Satan tries to appeal to your flesh to do something that is contrary to your professed life with Christ, all of us need to pause and ask God for his help in overcoming the temptations placed before us.

At the end of the message God did some huge stuff in people's hearts this morning. The response at the conclusion was profound.

This past weekend I had the privilege to speak at the "Greater Things Conference" hosted by Central Bible A/G. Pastor David Stocker and his entire ministry team were simply outstanding as they hosted this terrific event! Hanging out with top-flight pastors and their church volunteers was a blast!

I shared in one of the workshops concerning "Creative Prayer Ideas for Pastors". Prayer has been so instrumental in my life and ministry. Engaging people in this important area is a passion of mine.

I always get amped up when I have the opportunity to invest the things that God has taught me with other pastors and leaders.

It is a pleasure to have other pastors in the same city working together and supporting one another. I appreciate all my new Miami area pastor friends!

SC I am so honored to be your pastor. It's been a great eight months, but I truly believe that our best days are still ahead of us!

Weekend Expectations

This afternoon as I prepare for tonight's Leadership Meeting. I decided to take a brief moment to reflect on all that God has been opening my eyes to. For most of this week I've had some heavy person to person conversations, email's and project's to get completed. I don't know about anyone else's schedule but mine this week has been absolutely insane! Nightly I have made it back to our little apartment, scarfed down some food and immediately crashed and gone to sleep.

Bragging on our office team is always easy, but this week Frances, Neyda and Shari have been simply off the charts amazing! Not only did they accomplish their normal assignments and tasks, but all week long I loaded them up with "extras" (video project's, typing/printing conference material's, etc.) Be sure to give them some extra love this weekend when you see them at church, they deserve it! If anyone wants to send all three of them together to an all expenses covered Day Spa, we will have the guys in the office oversee the phones for a day!

I spoke with a missionary friend today (Jim Thacker, he is a top flight encourager) and was reminded as to why I do what I do on a daily basis. Each week I am blown away with all the things that God is doing here at Sunset Chapel! And I am personally excited that I get to be apart of it.

All week long I have been tweaking this weekend's upcoming message. The more I study the more I'm realising we need to change up the pace at SC. We are becoming to passive and to predictable. I believe God wants us to allow room for Spirit- led spontaneity to occur. Come early and definitely come ready!

Together we will tackle head on the subject of "Posers and Pretenders"-When Christian's Sin". While most everyone who attends a church regularly is aware that sin devastates lives, families and futures. It's ultimate damage is how it adversely affects our relationship with God. Some very important questions we will try to answer include...What are sin's consequences? Are you really willing to pay that price? What are you really forfeiting? I believe that this will be a very pivotal weekend in the lives of all our Sunset Chapel attenders!

See you on Sunday!

Sunday Splash!

*Another solid week at Sunset Chapel.
*I had a great time connecting with people before and after our service today.
*I had the chance to drop in on our New Members class this morning!
*I really enjoyed the energy that was in their classroom!

*I can't believe how many ways God has blessed my life!
*I have a wonderful family, great friends, and a spectacular church. I'm literally living the dream!!
*Today one person committed to a relationship with Christ..that's why we do what we do!
*I am so grateful that lives are being changed every week at Sunset Chapel!
*That pumps me up!

*Stay hungry for more of God and keep inviting your friends to experience the life-changing power of God!
*We had several first time guests today..that always excites me and shows me that we are on the right track!
*Every week is someones first week at SC. I can't get that out of my mind tonight!
*Next weekend, could be the weekend that the person you invite, attends his or her first service at Sunset Chapel!
*Get obsessed with that thought...I am!

*I feel like we are getting predictable each weekend..considering the need to shake things up a bit.
*I intend to set aside some time for creative thought during this coming week as I prepare for next Sunday's message and service structure.
*Let me say "Thank You" to all of you who consistently pray for me and our family. Prayer is the key and we appreciate your prayers a great deal!

Join Us this Sunday @10:30AM

Sunset Chapel Sunday Invite from Russell DeBord on Vimeo.

A New Heart!

Hey Sunset Chapel family! Please consider adding some really good friends of ours in your prayers. Megan Gifford-Cregger and her husband, Chris, who are going through a tremendous challenge. They currently serve as youth pastors in a Virginia A/G church.

Megan's family have been close friends of ours for a number of years. Her father, Rev. Don Gifford, serves as the Indiana District Superintendent of the Assemblies of God. I had the privilege of completing my ministry internship with him at New life Assembly of God, in Kokomo, Indiana, and later serving on his staff as a full-time Associate Pastor. He and his wife, Diane's friendship has meant the world to Shari and I over these many years. He has one of the greatest heart's of compassion I've ever known. During our greatest heartbreak, Pastor Don and Diane traveled to Cleveland, Ohio and conducted the funeral of our 19 year son, Carrick, in 2005. He is an outstanding pastor, leader, example, and mentor.

On Thursday after 23 years of persistent medical issues with her heart, their daughter Megan, underwent a heart transplant surgery. Her new donor heart was rushed to her from the state of Ohio and the updated report is that it is functioning well. Doctors at Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore, Maryland continue to monitor her progress. She remains in stable condition and they will keep her sedated until this Saturday or Sunday. As we stand on the healing promises of God found in scripture, we are interceding for her complete recovery!

If have a moment, consider sending Chris & Megan a card or letter of encouragement! While she's in ICU no flowers or balloons can be received. Here's the address to Johns Hopkins Hospital 600 N. Wolfe St. Baltimore, MD 21287. Also check out www.ntaf.org Donations for uninsured expenses.

The Most Important Service of the Week!

I am very excited about this evenings Prayer Service. Our focus tonight will be on World Missions!!

Sunday Splash!

*We experienced another good day at Sunset Chapel.
*I was able to become re-acquainted with Ozzy this morning and I met Michael a first time guest!
*I bummed out later when I realized that I forgot to ask all our guests to fill out a connection card! Dude! What was I thinking?
*There were sooo many of our SC people missing today?
*It was great to have all our wonderful volunteers back in their places after last weekends "Unplugged Sunday".
*These folks possess some great mad skills and provide such incredible ministry to so many every week.
*Thank you for all you do!
*I was thrilled to overhear a few other's compliment and extend their appreciation to many our volunteers.
*Worship was once again awesome! The presence of the Lord is always dynamic!
*I really loved watching God draw people to Himself during worship.
*And it is always an privilege to join with people in prayer for their urgent and overwhelming concerns.
*I'm thankful that God used today's message "Touch the Heart" to strengthen our relationships with our Valentines!
*I believe every couple enjoyed Douglas Flores' song "Lady" by Lionel Ritchie! I know that his wife, Dianne extremely enjoyed the moment!
* Wasn't it great to see so many couple's surround the altar at the end of the service and remind themselves of when they said "I Do"?
*I especially enjoyed holding hands with my Valentine! Best of all, was that sweet kiss she gave me at the end of the service!
*Congrats to Lee and Nilda Givens for winning the "Weekend Get-a-Way! You will enjoy your time away with your sweetheart!

Top Five Reason's For Being At SC This Sunday!

1. Some lucky couple is going to be blessed with a spectacular Valentine's Day future "Weekend Get-a Way" gift package!

2. From this Sunday's teaching message you'll learn how to "Touch a Heart"!

3. Love will be in the air! A whole lot of roses and kisses will be distributed to some very special sweethearts!

4. You will definitely experience a moment or two of laughter!

5. You will hear a special announcement about a future media project that you can participate in that will enable you to tell the world what Christ and Sunset Chapel mean to you!

SC-This Week in Review!

This has been a very busy and productive week at Sunset Chapel. Monday and Tuesday were spent serving like Christ at "His House Children's Home". I am extremely proud of all our SC volunteers who rolled their sleeves up and helped us with the final preparations for renovating a residential housing unit. Orphaned Haitian children who are arriving to the USA for adoption will now have a safe, clean place, to stay in as they await their adoptive parents coming to Miami to complete their paperwork.

I also want to commend those who although couldn't commit to helping us on the two workdays contributed towards the expenses we incurred as we completed this worthwhile project. Your thoughtful donations helped us rent floor cleaning equipment, purchase a dishwasher, floor stripper and wax solutions, mop buckets, mops, cleaning supplies, etc.

As I arrived into the office on Wednesday, I came in physically sore and tired and set about to pray and seek God for The Most Important Service on our weekly church calendar. And our Prayer Service was beyond imagination! People arrived ready to connect with God! After a very meaningful time of worship, I shared for a few minutes on the topic of "Intercession". Prior to everyone's arrival I had set up two visuals to help explain what intercession meant.

Once I stepped aside and sat down on the front row I was in awe of how people came forward and stood in the gap for their families, friends and complete strangers. There were many common threads as I listened intently to their supplications. Prayer was offered for deliverance from addictions, broken marriages,health needs, workplace challenges and for people who are far from God! It was a God moment!

Our prayer time went into overtime as people kept streaming forward to make their request's known to the Lord! I can't wait til Sunday as I anticipate God's Spirit moving powerfully in our service!

Sunday Splash! -Unplugged Service

*Today we stripped away every volunteer role at SC this morning and it definitely made things look different.
*We had no signage directing people to Life Training classes.
*There was no hospitality table stocked with fresh brewed coffee and tasty donuts.
*Missing were our tremendous greeter's.
*Also absent were our always helpful usher's.
*As you entered the sanctuary we played no pre-service music.
*Our lights were turned down low.
*We used no PowerPoint images.
*The lyrics to our choruses were printed on plain white paper.
*Especially missing were all our talented vocalists and musicians with the exception of Will Tirado on his acoustic guitar and Douglas Flores leading us alone in praise and worship.
*The idea for today's service was gleaned from another church planters blog post and our experience was similar to his church.
*Although things seemed different in so many ways. God's presence seemed to be so much stronger!
*I focused on connecting with Christ at the outset but in the back of my mind I was wondering how everyone was taking in our Unplugged Sunday?
*I imagined our guests were thinking this church is so disorganized and unfriendly.
*When I came forward and turned to stand in front of the room I was pleasantly pleased to see we had so many in attendance!
*I met several new people to SC today! Welcome Reynald, Valeria, Jamie, Carl, Evette,and Miah(a precious 3 year old who gave me the biggest and best hug of the day!). I know that I was unable to meet many of our other guest's. If we missed getting your connection card please drop us a line so we can keep you informed of some really great upcoming activities!
*God not only disrupted our routines, He also had me wrestling with the message all week long!
*I explained to everyone that today's no show volunteer day was an opportunity for us to see how much we owe to the outstanding volunteer team's we have at Sunset Chapel!
*Our volunteer staff are all VIP's!!! We have a growing force of committed, helpful, and uniquely talented unpaid staff. These individuals are not only impacting the SC community by serving, they are also helping us to connect, grow, and impact the city of Miami for Christ!
*If you would like to join one of our vital ministry teams, please give us a call and we will welcome you with open arms! Volunteering is one of the best ways for you to get connected at Sunset Chapel.
*Next Sunday as our volunteers resume their responsibilities please be sure to express your appreciation to them for all they do!!
*A special highlight for me was the first baby dedication ceremony since becoming the lead pastor here at SC! Welcome "Cameron Paul Wagovich" to our church family! He is definitely a miracle baby!
*Thanks to everyone who either contributed or signed up to assist us tomorrow morning as we serve His House Children's Home and complete the final preparations for the arrival of numerous Haitian orphans to America. It is such a blessing to pastor such a warm, caring, and compassionate church! You are the BEST!!

Five Things you should know about this Sunday at Sunset Chapel!

1. This weekends service will extremely unique.
2. Douglas Flores is prepared to lead us into a rich mix of well-crafted praise and worship music.
3. The message will be insightful and useful to your real life experiences.
4. Someone new is sure to be there.
5. You will be presented with a "hands on" opportunity to illustrate your compassion quotient as a Christian and impact some orphaned Haitian children.

His House Children's Home-Opportunity is knocking!

Tuesday, Shari and I took a road trip up towards North Miami to scope out "His House Children's Home". This ministry offers help and hope to families in crisis. HHCH is a faith-based non-profit organization dedicated to restoring joy in the lives of children and their families. Their daily goal is to restore the emotional and physical well being of children through an array of services in a loving and nurturing environment. HHCH has been selected to assist families in the USA who are in the process of adopting children from Haiti. They are working to provide housing for Haitian orphans that are being brought to the USA who are already in the pipeline of the adoption process. Two buildings in desperate need of rehab and updating have been provided to them. Already work teams from Tennessee and Central Florida have arrived and completed the following in one building: electrical, plumbing, bathroom tile work, drywall installation, installation of tubs, sinks and toilets as well as all the interior rooms have been painted.

We have been asked to come and make this first building clean and usable for the arrival of these Haitian children. Volunteers are needed to clean all the bathrooms, bedrooms, common living areas and the kitchen. We will also be stripping the floors and providing a new coat of wax to help make this facility shine! We are putting together a work team to meet and depart from the church this Monday Feb.8th @ 8:30 am. If you would like to assist in this worthwhile project please contact the church office (305-271-4094) and let Neyda Teijeiro ( nteijeiro@sunsetchapel.com) know that you are available! Here is an opportunity to make a huge difference in the lives of some children that need a helping hand.

To assist our work team we will be receiving an offering this Sunday Feb. 7th, to defray the expenses to purchase cleaning materials, renting floor buffing equipment, purchasing shower curtains, rings and rods, and to purchase a new kitchen dishwasher. You can make an online donation by going to our sunsetchapel.com home page and select "other", then beside the amount you are donating please type in "His House".

Newcomer's Coffee Get-Together

We hope to see all of you who have recently started coming to SC. We look forward to connecting and getting to know you better and answer any questions you may have.