Citipointe Brisbane Blog

Christmas Hampers

citipointe — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 03:21:12 +0000

What an incredible opportunity we had to influence our world for good and for God in December with our annual Christmas Hampers. A total of 265 Christmas Hampers were delivered out to Citipointe North, West, Kids Hope, Salvation Army, and many grateful families across the city of Brisbane. Thank you to all the amazing volunteers who came and served their community on this day.

Business Deal

citipointe — Thu, 01 Dec 2011 23:13:17 +0000

Hannah was a pretty inspiring chick.

1 Samuel 1
I cant imagine the emotional strain of being one of TWO wives AND being barren. (Gender issues aside, it's still pretty tough to imagine). It was a very difficult ongoing situation with no end in sight: It would have been hard to stay positive, hard to keep a good attitude, and hard to enjoy anything else when such a central issue was dysfunctional.

In fact the bible says that Hannah became 'bitter of soul'; so emotionally disturbed that it affected every area of her life. Business can be like that; a monkey on your back, a constant stress and at it's most extreme; all consuming. But the result of Hannah's response - was Samuel! Happy days!!!

Prior to Samuel the priests just weren't up to scratch, they had 'upset' God to say the least (1 Samuel 2:27-32). God desperately wanted His priesthood back, so He found someone with a desperation similar to His own.

Hannah cried out to the Lord, she made a vow, a deal. "O Lord Almighty, if you will only look upon your servant's misery and remember me, and not forget your servant but give her a son, then I will give him to the Lord for all the days of his life, and no razor will ever be used on his head".

Making a 'deal' with God challenges me a bit, it sounds a little irreverent. But the fact remains; Hannah made a deal, a deal that required God to move first! And God honoured it!!! Who am I to argue with God?! She was God's 'servant', we are His friends! (John 15:15). How much more would He be willing to cut a deal with us!

So, what is God looking for in a deal? What could we possibly offer... God! Well Hannah hit the nail on the head, she wanted Samuel, which is exactly what God wanted. She said, if you give me a son, I'll give him to you, and she was prepared to follow through! God needed a new priest and now he had someone through whom he could get what He wanted.

Maybe God wants your business. Maybe God wants His business back.

Hannah didn't propose that deal until she was desperate. Is there something you are desperate for? Could it be that God is trying to get your attention? Oh... and things turned out pretty well for Hannah. (1 Samuel 2:21).

Christmas at Citipointe

citipointe — Mon, 28 Nov 2011 06:17:24 +0000

Christmas at Citipointe is a busy time of year and we have some service time changes.

To make it as easy as possible to get to church over the holidays, here are all the service times from December 18th 2011 - January 8th 2012:

Sunday 18th December

9am Service (Kids Program Available)
Youth: Christmas at Citihigh - 10:30am
Christmas Lights Concert - 6:30pm

Saturday 24th December

Christmas Eve Service - 6:30pm (This will replace the Sunday 6:30pm Service)
No Kids Programs

Sunday 25th December

Christmas Day Service - 9am (This will replace the regular 8:30am and 10:30am Services)
Afrikaans Christmas Day Service - 9am (Instead of the usual 8:30am Service)
No Kids Programs

Sunday 1st January

New Years Day AM Service - 9am (This will replace the regular 8:30am and 10:30am Services)
New Years Day PM Service - 6:30pm
Afrikaans New Years Day Service - 9am (Instead of the usual 8:30am Service)

January 8th 2011

Back to normal service times
Youth: Pool Party & BBQ - 10:30am
Kids programs available

The Gideon Cycle

citipointe — Mon, 31 Oct 2011 01:27:57 +0000

I was reading Judges last night and bumped into Gideon. He had just achieved incredible things; leading Gods people to impossible victory; one that only God could get the credit for. 300 men against 135,000!! It's a pretty good read (Judges 6-8). I was impressed with the growth in Gideon's leadership, authority and faith (good traits for business don't you think?!) but when I read 8:27 my heart sank, which gave birth to the following bullet points:

1. Midian so impoverished the Israelites that they cried out to the Lord for help. (6:6)

How sad that Gods people had stopped crying out to Him. How sad that it wasn't until their comfort was threatened that they cried out at all. Makes me wonder; what does God have to allow in my life in order for me to cry out to Him? God didn't delight in Israels pain, in fact He responded to deliver them as soon as they cried out. I just don't want my life to be like that, do you? Only calling out to God in your distress? That life doesn't make a difference or leave a legacy. It just exists, it struggles through life fruitlessly from one labored breath to the next, it's a defeated, anemic, impoverished existence. (Take a look at Psalm 107 to see just how pathetic we can be in this regard!)

Keep short accounts with God, talk regularly, debrief with Him, you can do it right now! Don't allow the enemy to construct walls of pride between you and God! Cry out to God in your challenges, your planning, your family, your victories AND in your trouble!

2. If the Lord is with us, why has all this happened to us? (6:13)

Hmmm, so by that rationale: If I dont have a million, no make that TEN MILLION dollars in the bank, four cars and seven donkeys; God mustn't be with me? It seems silly but sometimes I act like that's true... The shoulders slump a little, the hope fades, sometimes I walk around and my attitude screams: 'If the Lord is with me, why is this happening to me!?' We are called to live by faith and not by sight.
Remember our God 'gives life to the dead and calls things which are not as though they were' (Rom 4:17) That means that sometimes things might look pretty dead! Sometimes things will not look the way they should! That doesn't mean God is not there, it just means He's in position to do His thing!

Don't ever associate difficulty with abandonment! God is most recognizable when things finally get impossible.

3. What have I accomplished compared to you? (8:2)

So Gideon had some impressive runs on the board by this time. Enough to attract some criticism. In the middle of a chase Gideon was interrupted by some punks who wanted in on the glory. 'How come we weren't invited to the fight?' they were saying. Can you believe this, the fight was still going and these people were offended that they hadn't been consulted?! I would have wanted to knock them into next week! Who needs enemies when your allies are this much of a pain in the neck!?

Gideons response was awesome, a gentle word turned away wrath. He reminded the punks of great things they had done, he focussed on honouring them, rather than slamming them. This won them over and their resentment subsided. In business we're always dealing with peoples reactions. Sometimes circumstances cause people to be 'prickly' or offensive. The believer who is able to respond gently has a huge advantage in the marketplace. Instead of losing a client and all their referrals we can win them forever, all in a heartbeat, a fraction of a conversation.

As ambassadors of Christ we take the presence of God with us. Into meetings, into negotiations, into confrontations and into controversies. When we're able to act out of love and peace we have the opportunity to access incredible favour.

4. Gideon made the gold into an ephod, which he placed in Ophrah, his town. All Israel prostituted themselves by worshiping it there, and it became a snare to Gideon and his family. (8:27)

This is the one that really got me. Gideon had been Judge of Israel, God used him to deliver His people. They got their comfort back. With the plunder from the victory Gideon made an ephod and he set it up in his hometown. Victories can go to our head, and they can go to our heart. The same Gideon that had led his incredible army of only 300 to do the impossible was now stumbling over a statue.
How quickly we forget our God! It wasn't long before the Israelites were crying out to God in their distress. (10:10) The cycle continues, how sad.

What would happen if we got everything we wanted right now. I wonder if we would respond toward God... or toward the world. That's the test. To break the cycle and enter maturity in our relationship with God, we must turn to Him in and after our greatest victories.

The furnace for god the crucible for silver but man is tested by the praise he receives. (Proverbs 27:21)

God bless
Jake :)

Pre-eminence

citipointe — Sun, 09 Oct 2011 23:30:49 +0000

Did you know that people HARDLY EVER give me money because I look like a nice guy. RUDE!

Why is that!?
Businesses only exist because there are problems to be solved. If we're not solving problems we're unlikely to get paid. Your business will succeed or fail based on its ability to solve peoples problems. Providing perceived or real solutions to perceived or real problems. That's us.

Businesses improve by Solving bigger problems and Creating better solutions and Informing 'sufferers' of these solutions.

What problem does your business solve?

Hunger?
Discomfort?
Inconvenience?
Disease?
Boredom?
Pain?
Hopelessness?
Isolation?
Rejection?

That's just business 101, solving problems, no surprises so far. Find a need and fill it. Make a need and meet it.

If that's what EVERY business does; solve problems. What is it that Christians should do differently? Should we do more? If so; how?
It's a question of vital importance because many Christian business people don't see what they do as valuable to God, so they lose their passion.

If there is no connection between WHAT I DO and THE GOD I SERVE then we are likely to lose our passion for either our work or our God.

I was listening to a podcast (Lance Wallnau) the other day and he said something that sparked my interest:
He said "it is not enough to be successful, success is shallow. We should be PRE-EMINENT!"

There IS more to being a Christian in the marketplace than bringing wheelbarrow after wheelbarrow of cash into the church, that IS shallow.

Lance taught that we are called to be pre-eminent in our field! To 'jut out' from the crowd. To be the exceptional ones.

The one who's 'different'.
The one who goes the 'extra mile'.
The one who doesn't fret excessively about their competitors.
The one the media call for an opinion on that industry.
The one politicians want to visit.
The one parents recommend to their children.

Pre-eminence allows you to have influence in your field which facilitates Gods will being done.
It's easy to see that if we had a Christian Prime Minister things in our country should be different. Why? Because the Prime Minister has a large influence.
That's politics, what about business?

Business people have influence too, the bulk of which belongs to those who are pre-eminent in their fields.

As we journey to pre-eminence our influence over our staff increases, our influence over our industry increases and eventually our influence over our culture increases.

Think for a minute about what being pre-eminent in your field would look like.

What sort of service would you provide?
How would clients/customers find you?
Why would people say that you are the best?
Who would be talking about your business?
When would your business be mentioned?
What changes would you have to make?

Go, be the mayor of the city on a hill, be pre-eminent!

Hope you can make it to breakfast!
God bless,
Jake :)

One person...

citipointe — Tue, 30 Aug 2011 05:38:53 +0000

One person has their nose out of joint about chaplaincy and is forcing the highest court in our land to question the validity of chaplains in our schools. That saddens me.

The plaintiff, Mr Ronald Williams; a humanist, is making an argument that federal funding contravenes the 'religious test' in the constitution; that it's unconstitutional to fund chaplaincy.

I wonder what his real motive is. I wonder why he has taken this to the High Court.

Which makes me think:

What drives a man to battle so hard against something that helps so many?
How much is it costing him to take this matter to the full bench of the High court?!
How much time has he invested in exploring arguments with his legal team?

And that started me thinking, I wonder what Ronald does at the Humanist Society of Queensland (HSQ) meetings he attends.

Does he greet at the door?
Does he take up the offering?
Does he bake the cookies?

I'm not sure. But there is one thing I'm sure of:
Ronald has found an incredibly effective way to assert his beliefs on this nation.

I wish he'd just bake cookies at the HSQ like everyone else!!!

This increases my passion all the more for the business people in the life of the church. I believe our enemy's agenda is to deceive kingdom minded people into thinking that 'serving' is limited to:

Greeting at the door
Taking up the offering
and baking cookies

That: "If you're not baking cookies, you're not serving. Just come on a Sunday, pay your tithe, feel bad because you don't serve, shut up and go home."

Blah, blah, blah; Lie, lie, lie. (John 8:44) There's so much more to serving! If you're a business person you think BIG! You're always wanting to think BIGGER! That's how kings think! Healthy kingdoms expand, unhealthy kingdoms contract. Jesus commands us to 'make disciples of all nations'!!! Thats BIG!

What stirs passion in you? What has God put inside you? You're existence is purposed to make a difference! Ronald doesn't pray, he doesn't know God, he even denies that God exists! Poor Ronald. You do believe! Imagine how much difference you can make!

Greeting people is incredible
Taking up the offering is an honour
baking cookies (especially for the citibiz pastor) is an INCREDIBLE blessing!

BUT
Serving God in the passions He's given you is unmatched in effectiveness and influence.

God bless
Jake :)

Choc chip... if you were wondering ;)

Man Up - Went Old Testament

citipointe — Fri, 26 Aug 2011 06:41:13 +0000

Man Up's Old Testament day was designed to help the guys in the life of Citipointe church generate community. If we accidentally had a bit of fun along the way, that was a price we were willing to pay!

Big congratulations to our Old Testament Champion Paul Koli, he is officially the fastest man to run down a hill with a paver.
What an extraordinary achievement. One for the resume. As a result he will be thrown out of an aeroplane.

We look forward to holding similar events in the future to ensure that the men of Citipointe know that they never have to journey in isolation.

Check out some photos below or to see more check out the Man Up - Goes Old Testament Facebook Album.

PS. Remember to Man Up this Father's Day

Radical or Routine?

jakesmith — Tue, 26 Jul 2011 06:38:46 +0000

I was reading Acts from the message last week, Paul was saying how he'd been urging everyone...

to a radical life-change before God and an equally radical trust in our Master Jesus
(Acts 20:21)

I remember when I got saved, there was definitely some of that 'radical change' going on!
I started trying to sell my business (nothing against business, it's just that mine was a sleazy nightclub)
I made room in my day for God and I made room in my week to meet with His people.
I started giving (what I thought was A LOT!)
My new faith scared my non-christian girlfriend off quicksmart.
It also cost me a lot of my 'friends'.

I wouldn't change a thing! That's what Paul was talking about; radical life-change.

But when I read it this week I had to stop and ask myself... 'have I lost the radical'?

I may not HAVE a sleazy nightclub to sell
I may not BE sleeping around
and I DO give to the Kingdom

So is that it? Am I done? Does this scripture only apply at the point of salvation and shortly thereafter? Should I be continuing at the same 'radical' rate of change or is it OK for me to get comfy in my faith?

Selah (Excuse me while I leave my desk and think about it for a while - insert thinking music)

The magnitude of the things we turn away from should decrease, but, the 'radical trust in our Master Jesus' should increase as we grow in faith.

As Christians mature there should be less and less to turn away from, after all we're being transformed into His (Jesus') likeness. There will always be things that come up, but I haven't had to sell a sleazy nightclub for a while. However as we mature we should also become more radical in our trust of Christ, after all, we know Him better and we've seen Him come though on more occasions.

I believe a big reason why Christians forget their first love is because they lose the 'radical' nature of their trust in Him.
Because they've turned away from all the 'big things' the adventure of Christianity dies off. It becomes 'routine'.

To me, this is especially true in the case of business people as we are often more inclined to love challenges. The same qualities that attracted us to business attract us to challenge, risk and excitement. As the thrill and excitement of turning away fades, the thrill and excitement of 'trusting God' must escalate, lest we become complacent. Things I struggled to believe for 8 years ago I should easily believe for now.

A profit and loss that doesn't look good may have floored me 5 years ago, but today my trust is more radical!
A competitor's marketing might have terrified me 3 years ago, but today my trust is more radical!
An expansion plan may have been beyond belief 2 years ago, but today my trust is more radical!

And of course, it's not just for business:

Talking to someone about God may have scared me 5 years ago, but today my trust is more radical!
Asking if I can pray for someone might have been a big call 3 years ago, but today my trust is more radical!
Getting through challenges could have been a huge trial 2 years ago, but today my trust is more radical!

I really think that if our Christianity is boring; we're doing it wrong!

What are you trusting our Master Jesus through and what are you trusting Him for? Rise up, remember your first Love, He will never leave you or forsake you and He wants you involved in His plan.

God bless
Jake

Authority

jakesmith — Mon, 04 Jul 2011 06:26:10 +0000

How frustrating is it when no-one listens to you!?
People listened to Jesus, they were captivated by every word He spoke.
The bible says that He got this reaction because He spoke 'as one who has authority'. (Matt 7:29, Luke 4:32)

You've heard someone speak with a level of authority; its compelling, the atmosphere is electric! Imagine hearing Jesus teach!?

Authority doesn't mean 'LOUD' and it doesn't mean bossy or demonstrative.
Authority means that Jesus knew what to say, he knew it was the truth, he knew He was supposed to say it and He knew He was supposed to say it at that time in that place.
How did He know these things? Because he only ever did what He saw the Father doing. (John 5:19)
In the same way Jesus looked to His Father He instructs us to look at Him (Hebrews 12:2)

There's something in that for all of us:
If we want to be really successful; successful in Gods sight, that is.
It's not primarily about working harder or doing more.
Its primarily that we look at Jesus, and we look at Him a lot.

From that relationship grows an authority that cant be matched.
You'll be in the right place at the right time and live a life that would have been impossible on your own.

When I see pictures of Jesus I often examine myself.
Am I looking at someone who I regularly spend time with? Or have I been keeping Him at a distance?
One day we will all literally appear before Jesus. (2Cor 5:10)
What a shame it would be if we hardly know Him when we do.

For me that means that; even when there are emails waiting, bills to pay and clients to see, there's NEVER anything as important as spending time with Jesus!

Here's some great news:

In this life, you can have real authority.
You can be impervious to the wind and waves of the world.
You can be sure of your speech and actions.
You can be sure in making all your decisions.
You need never be unsure about anything again.

IF... You spend enough time with Him.

God bless
Jake

Families Connected

citipointe — Fri, 17 Jun 2011 07:31:02 +0000

In this digital era we live in, we text, email, blog, Skype, Facebook & Tweet. We are more connected today than ever before….or are we? Society tells us that we are too busy and too ‘time-poor’ to prioritise anything more into our lives. For some of us, attending a Church service on the weekend would just be too hard….or would it?

With life being all too difficult, we can begin to disconnect and our ‘so thought’ control over life and destiny fade away by conflicting priorities, growing pressures and adversity.

And so we read the bible when we can fit it in, download a pod-cast, or maybe subscribe to an inspirational email each day from a gifted evangelist. We can download a preach, but we CAN’T download community!!

When you look at the early church, people weren’t alone. They looked out for one another. I truly believe that God didn’t design us to walk out this big crazy life alone. Families aren’t meant to be isolated. In John 13:35, Jesus commanded us to “love one another” but we can’t do that if we aren’t actually doing life with others!

Just as our families do the different seasons of life together, so does the House of God. By having ourselves, and our children in Church we are saying that we are prepared to do life with others; to support and to be supported. We are making a commitment to do the journey with other families through the good, the bad and the ugly! Having our children in the House exposes them to diversity and colour, and nested in a loving environment, brings encouragement, support and enrichment to their lives. We are responsible for raising the next generation! Where else in the world do we see generations coming together in such unity as they do in the House of God?

Planted in the House of the Lord, they will flourish in the courts of our God. They will still bear fruit in old age, they will stay fresh and green. Psalm 92:13-14. The Word of God promises that we will flourish if planted in His church. We can expect our lives to have increase if we make that effort to lock our families in to His House, and to experience community in all its beauty! We will be loved, equipped & empowered.

I sincerely believe that for our families to be truly effective for the Kingdom of God, we need to be connected to a church and be in fellowship with other Christians.

Proverbs 18:1 says that an unfriendly (disconnected) man seeks his own desire. When we choose to live detached and isolated, (by definition) we can increasingly become self-focused and about our own agendas. When we are connected in His House, we give ourselves and our children an opportunity to serve others and influence the world for good and for God.

So, as families, let’s together take a quick check of our lifestyles and priorities and do what we can to eliminate the clutter that stops us from being in church regularly. Lets become families that know what it means to engage, disciple, connect and serve.

Marriage Without Masks

citipointe — Fri, 17 Jun 2011 07:29:35 +0000

We walk into church every Sunday with a smile on our face and sit down next to our spouse and listen to the words, raise our hands in worship and pray. And yet on the way to church the silence has struck at our hearts and we look at each other wondering what is going on.

So many of us absolutely love our spouse and are committed to this life together but at times it feels as though we are drifting further apart and the struggles in our marriage are much more present than the joy.

So many couples I speak to walk into church on a Sunday and hide behind the mask of smiles and cliché answers whilst secretly trying to piece together the puzzle that is their marriage.

If church is a place of refuge and safety, why the masks? Why is it that we feel the pressure to keep up the façade rather than admit we are struggling?

Marriage is hard work at times and it takes Godly wisdom, patience and direction to navigate it well and the church should be that place by which we strip off the pretense and come as we are. For it is in the sharing of our struggles that we learn we are not alone, we find answers and support. It is here in the place where we come with all our struggles that God can speak to our hearts and surround us with people who not only understand and walk with similar struggles but where we stand together and pray for just enough light for the next step.

Marriage in the house should be a place by which we are free to come as we are, stand together in agreement and love despite all our weaknesses. For when we come in truth and honesty we allow others to feel safe to bring their pain and struggle out into the open. Taking off the mask may be scary but I believe there is power and courage in admitting we are not ok and it is in those moments that we begin to let God take over.

Traditions

citipointe — Fri, 17 Jun 2011 07:29:11 +0000

Traditions. Those little rituals passed down from generation to generation that help shape your family by creating a sense of closeness, unity and warmth. They’re a part of the glue that holds families together. They create memories that fill your mind with love, peace and happiness. They give children and even teens a sense of security. They know that in an uncertain world, some things stay the same. Lasting memories are formed, and hopefully our children will continue the customs in their own homes and make more of their own.

But what do you do if your family doesn’t have many traditions? Well, you create them! Somebody has to create all these little rituals, so why not you?

There are so many traditions that you can incorporate into your family. Traditions don’t have to be extravagant, intense or require a lot of planning. They can be as simple as reading to your child every night in the same comfy chair or discussing things you are grateful for around the dinner table each evening. Traditions play a huge role in creating an identity that our kids can relate to and take comfort in.

We all have very busy lifestyles, and adding a small tradition here or there can make all the difference to your family. The house you live in may be different. The city you reside in may have changed, but the way your family observes and celebrates at various times during the year can remain the same.

A family tradition is the thread that binds one generation to the next. Many traditions have been lost to our families. Many current traditions that your family holds dear may be in danger of being forgotten unless you take an active part in preserving them.

Make up traditions that are unique to your family:

Unwrap one gift on Christmas Eve
Visit the same spot at the same time each year
Mark children’s heights on a door frame
Hide a coin in a tree, a crack in a wall, under a rock in a public place or a remote location – visit once a year or every few years to see if it’s still there. You could be amazed! And even grown children will get a kick out of it
Saturday mornings in bed. Choose a morning on the weekend to spend in bed with your family. You don’t need to spend hours laying around, but 15 to 30 minutes is a nice length of time. Try having coffee, tea, or milk with a couple of cookies. Relaxing and taking a few minutes to connect with your family can be a great way to kick off a weekend.
A reward for an achievement at school – maybe a date with Mum or Dad, a meal at their favourite restaurant, their favourite takeaway, or a movie.
New job. When someone in your family gets a new job, a promotion, or a raise, create a tradition that they take you out for dinner. It doesn’t have to be a fancy or expensive dinner – you can go for pizza or ice cream.
Games night
Nightly Devotions and Prayer
Birthday cakes. Create the birthday boy or girl’s favourite type of cake. Is it cheesecake, mud cake, or black forest cake? Or is it not even cake at all? Do they prefer pies, cookies, or cupcakes? Whatever it is, make their favorite treat an annual tradition for their birthday.
Balloons around the door frame of the birthday boy/girl no matter their age. They’ll still secretly love it – even when they’re seventeen!

Creating a feeling of unity, warmth and closeness with your family is priceless. There are no rules and there is no “right” way to do this. So take initiative, get creative, make it happen and most importantly have fun!

Keeping it Alive

citipointe — Fri, 17 Jun 2011 07:25:40 +0000

I remember those first days of dating - you know the time when your heart beat faster with just the thought of them and you were constantly in awe of the person standing in front of you. Those early days were filled with creative ways to show each other how much you loved them and how much you cherished this new, exciting relationship. The dates were full of fun and laughter and there was always something to look forward to.

Who knows that as the years have passed and the marriage becomes a part of our everyday life, those early joys of the dating life become a memory more than reality for a lot of marriages. It takes time and effort to recreate those days of surprise and romance. It becomes more about meeting the needs of the day to day rather than the spontaneity that comes in delighting in the relationship.

So how do we keep those days of delight and spontaneity alive when we are surrounded by the reality of the everyday?

Simple little choices can speak volumes to our spouse when the routine pushes in on us. When we all face the pressures of the cost of living it takes a little bit of creativity to communicate our love and value in our relationship. Here are some ideas to help us put the spark of the early days back into our marriage:

Leave little notes around the house or in the car for your spouse to find. Words of encouragement speak life into our relationships and often build up our spouse when they need little reminders of our feelings for them.
Surprise them with something that is of value to them. Listen to what speaks love to your spouse and surprise them eg. Run a bath, give them a cup of tea in bed, take the garbage out, cook a favourite meal, release them for an afternoon off to do whatever they desire, give them a back rub.
Surprise them with a date night either at home or go out. If you can’t afford babysitting or a night out, throw a blanket down in the lounge room or garden, light some candles and spend the night having your own little romantic picnic.
Start the day and end the day everyday for a week with a kiss and ‘I love you’. Be intentional about starting and ending your day no matter what happened in it to express your priority and love for your spouse.

No matter what creative idea you come up with, reignite the excitement of pursuing and dating your spouse again and make your relationship a focus of your everyday.

No Perfect Family

citipointe — Fri, 17 Jun 2011 07:23:03 +0000

A lot of Christian parenting books start with the assumption that there’s an ideal mum and dad. These super-parents pray together every night, hold morning devotions, always have Christian music wafting through the house, dutifully fulfill their roles as husband and wife, never argue, always provide the perfect example of marriage for their children, and always make the right decisions when it comes to raising them. There’s no wonder we feel pressure to have the ‘perfect’ family.

In reality there is no such thing. Every one of our families walk through the struggles and challenges that life brings and we all do our best to try and navigate our way through them. We seek biblical wisdom, we pray for guidance and we cram in knowledge from various parenting books, but in the end we are all doing the best we can. It is easy in the midst of our days to compare our families with the neighbours or the family sitting in the seat in front of us in church, but who knows that comparing our family to the next really does us no favours. Every family has its own set of struggles and challenges to overcome and no family is perfect. In the end every family is constantly just like yours- doing the best they can and covered in grace.

The point is, parenting is hard. Families are messy. Families come in all shapes and sizes and don’t always fit the mould of Mum, Dad, two kids and a dog. Families take many forms, from single parent families to blended families, from couples without children to large families with so many children they need a minivan!

We know that God desires for us to be responsible parents but our humanness can sometimes get in the way. When we look at parenting books or other families we often feel overwhelmed, guilty and that we don’t measure up. But when we read the Bible we can actually be encouraged, and become aware that God has a way of doing something remarkable in spite of our humanness. We are all on a journey as parents and there is always something we can be learning or growing in, but in the end we are not alone in our journey as we have the help of a Heavenly Father to walk the crazy ride of parenting with us.

Be encouraged that regardless of the circumstances you might find yourself in, God is right there in the midst of your everyday and He holds all the wisdom, strength and guidance that you need for your family. When we release ourselves from the expectation of the ‘perfect family’ we begin to relish the freedom that comes from being on the journey as messy as it is sometimes.

It’s often said that it takes a village to raise a family and when you realise that the families around you aren’t perfect either, that village seems like a more comfortable place to settle down.

Be Intentional in Your Marriage

citipointe — Fri, 17 Jun 2011 05:48:11 +0000

Do you ever feel like your relationship is on autopilot? Drifting along with no real destination in mind. Only a general concept of where you both don’t want to go. The problem with this is that if you don’t know where you want to go, any route will do. Life’s too short and we only get one shot. And ultimately marriage is a journey, not a destination. But too often we fall into the habit of simply reacting instead of being conscious about our choices in our marriage.

Deciding to be intentional in your marriage is a decision that starts with you, and could be the most important decision you make when it comes to your marriage. An intentional marriage is a choice, a lifestyle. It’s also not something that’s created overnight, but something that is developed over time whether by both or by only one partner in the relationship.

No matter what stage of marriage you’re walking though, whether newlyweds, new parents or have been on the journey for decades, and no matter what state your relationship is in, whether your marriage is flourishing or whether you’re in a desert season, struggling to walk the journey, make a conscious decision to view your marriage with a lifelong perspective. Too many relationships end when we lose sight of the lifelong commitment we made when we first started out.

Here a few ideas that may help:

1. Be the change you want to see in your marriage

Rather than waiting for the other person to change before making any changes of your own, take a leap and start being the partner you’d like your spouse to be for you.

2. Regularly reflect on your relationship

When you focus on your marriage, your children are ultimately the ones who reap the rewards. Make it a priority to spend regular time with your partner, just the two of you.

3. Consider the way you communicate

Are you speaking with your partner clearly and are you saying what you intend? Many times it may seem there’s a communication problem. Is that what’s really going on, or is it that sometimes we just don’t like the message. Be clear and concise with your partner. Be intentional with your communication.

4. Ask yourself if you’d want to be married to you.

Be really honest with yourself. Would you like to be married to you? This question can bring tremendous desire for change if you’re honest enough with your answer.

An intentional marriage requires that you be conscious of everything you do. Make intentional choices, and notice the underlying motives undercurrent in your interactions. Be aware of what’s just below the surface between you and try to bring it into the light. It’s not easy to create a new routine and takes effort and determination to make intentional choices, but it can breathe life into your relationship.

What if Every Business were run like yours?

citipointe — Tue, 31 May 2011 00:28:06 +0000

"You cant make a difference"; It's one of the most common lies whispered to us all.

When someone buys that lie they usually end up with bad case of the "if only's".

"if only" everyone treated people with respect
"if only" everyone was honest
"if only" everyone wasn't so selfish
"if only" everyone paid on time (and all those who run accounts said...)

Well "If only's" are a load of rubbish. They've been around since Adam bit the apple and they've never helped a single person or made a lick of difference. "if only's" are a cop out. When we adopt an "if only" mindset we abdicate our responsibility to be the salt and the light. (Matt 5)

Until Jesus comes back "if only's" will be a dime a dozen. There are a million "if only's" out there.

A far more effective statement begins "if only I"

"if only I" treated people with more respect
"if only I" was more honest
"if only I" wasn't so selfish
"if only I" paid everyone on time

"if only I" isn't a cop out, it's an admission that there is room for improvement in ME and it opens the door for transformation. (1Cor 11:31, Rom 12:2)

And if we start changing the way we do things... maybe one person would notice.

What if one other person was inspired by you?
What if one other business was inspired by yours?
What about two, three, four... (Luke 16:10)

What if every business was run like yours?

Be the best you can be because, no matter what anyone says or thinks... you CAN make a difference.

God bless
Jake

Your business - His Pleasure

jakesmith — Wed, 20 Apr 2011 02:05:02 +0000

Ever noticed how some businesses are a pleasure to deal with?
Ever noticed how some aren't!?

I submit that businesses can be a pleasure to deal with if they excel in two areas:

Identity:

They know who they are, who their stakeholders are, what they do, why they do it, how they do it and who they do it for. They can be great at what they do because they know who they are.

Integrity:

They stick to who they are, they don't change everything with every opinion. They're steadfast, they make changes to better reflect who they are, but reject changes that further remove them from who they are. They don't change everything to chase a quick buck. They don't over-react to the circumstances around them.

The same is true on a personal level. We can live great lives, be a blessing to everyone around us and most importantly; pleasing to God, if we focus on our personal identity and integrity:

Identity:

Are you comfortable with who God has made you to be (and with who you are becoming in Him!). [2Cor 5:17]
Do you no longer strive for acceptance or approval (because you have that, in Him). [2Cor 5:9, Gal 1:10]
You belong to God, He loves you. [1Cor 7:23, 1John 3:1]
He's not finished with you (not by a long shot!) [2Cor 3:18]
...but He totally accepts you as long as you've chosen to follow His Son. [John 3:36]
you're free to be great at what you do if you know WHO'S you are.

Integrity:

Are you true to your God and yourself? [James 1:8]
Is the 'you' who shows up to a business meeting or a family meeting the same 'you' that shows up to a church meeting? [Jas 1:23-25]
Is yours a life of conviction or of compromise. Are you staying on course or are you blown and tossed by every gust of wind? [Eph 4:14]

Who are you? if you dont know the answer, start with the Word!
Because at the end of the day what matters most is whether we pleased Him. [Mat 25:21]

God bless
Jake

Keeping your eye on the business

jakesmith — Mon, 04 Apr 2011 07:05:50 +0000

I was just thinking this morning how we have 2 sets of eyes; one set sees facts, the other faith. Likewise we're involved in 2 businesses; one temporary, the other eternal.

Our natural eyes are great for seeing things as they are today, that comes in handy!
But if we neglect the eyes of our faith; the ability to see things how they CAN be WITH GOD, we lose eternal vision, struggle and eventually perish (Prv 29:18)

Likewise; our natural business is great for putting food on our table today, also - pretty handy!
But if we neglect the business of our Father; the desire to put 'FOOD' on OTHER people's tables, we lose eternal purpose, swell up and eventually perish (Luke 12:13-21)

Caleb saw the same things as every other spy and his report was the same... yep, they sure are big! However he also saw God's promise in spite of that circumstance.

'Caleb silenced the people before Moses and said, "We should go up and take possession of the land, for we can certainly do it". (Num 13:30)

Esther had been placed in a prominent position, but when faced with a choice to 'look after number one' or play her part in Gods Kingdom. She put God's kingdom first in deciding:

"I will go to the king, even though it is against the law. And if I perish I perish."

We've all been told that we have to 'keep our eyes on the business', there's more to it than that, we've got to keep our faith involved and His business first!

God bless
Jake

Vison 2011 - Ends Of The Earth

citipointe — Fri, 11 Mar 2011 03:57:40 +0000

At Citipointe, our vision is to 'unmistakably influence our world for good & for God'. We are called to spread this influence to as many sphere's and arenas as possible.

In Acts 1:8, Jesus says that:

...we will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon us and we will be His witnesses, telling people about Him everywhere - in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria and to the ends of the Earth.

These ancient geographical locations are portrayals of the different sphere's of influence that we are to have as the Body of Christ. The Church is not meant to be 'the church' only within the four walls of a sanctuary, but rather to be the 'light to this world' and the 'salt of the earth'.

In addition we believe that a disciple, at this House of God, is a person that... Loves God, Engages Somebody, Serves Generously, Connect Together and Discple Others. We are here to make a difference and bring good & God to this world.

We, are Citipointe Church.

Vison 2011 - Samaria

citipointe — Tue, 08 Mar 2011 23:14:58 +0000

At Citipointe, our vision is to 'unmistakably influence our world for good & for God'. We are called to spread this influence to as many sphere's and arenas as possible.

In Acts 1:8, Jesus says that:

...we will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon us and we will be His witnesses, telling people about Him everywhere - in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria and to the ends of the Earth.

We, are Citipointe Church.

Vison 2011 - Judea

citipointe — Tue, 08 Mar 2011 02:38:55 +0000

At Citipointe, our vision is to 'unmistakably influence our world for good & for God'. We are called to spread this influence to as many sphere's and arenas as possible.

In Acts 1:8, Jesus says that:

...we will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon us and we will be His witnesses, telling people about Him everywhere - in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria and to the ends of the Earth.

We, are Citipointe Church.

Vison 2011 - Jerusalem

citipointe — Wed, 23 Feb 2011 00:13:13 +0000

At Citipointe, our vision is to 'unmistakably influence our world for good & for God'. We are called to spread this influence to as many sphere's and arenas as possible.

In Acts 1:8, Jesus says that:

...we will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon us and we will be His witnesses, telling people about Him everywhere - in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria and to the ends of the Earth.

We, are Citipointe Church.

Hands of Hope - Day Care

citipointe — Fri, 18 Feb 2011 07:55:27 +0000

Come on down to Riverhills childcare Saturday, February 19 on the corner of Bogong and Tirgris street for some painting, digging and fixing. Bring your safety gear and any other tools and talents you may have (see below). See you there.

Jobs On The Day:

Replace palings
Remove shade over sand pit
Replace soft fall
Build retaining wall step for soft fall
Move entry gate
Remove seat around tree & make good
Remove pool fence post
Cut pine log retaining wall
Clean & clear soft fall area
Build steps for play equipment
Paint external
Replace sand pit sand

What To Bring:

Safety glasses
Gloves
Closed in shoes
Ear protection
Shovels
Drills & bits
Hammers
Levels
Drop Sheets
Paint Rollers
Commen Sence
Maddock
Hat
Drinking Water
Power Saw
Grinder
Power Boards

Times To Go

7:15am to 10:45am
10:30am to 1:45pm
1:30 to 5:00pm

Report to your Team Leader when you get there.

Ps Tim McDonald: 0419673725
Steve Mifsud: 0459 227 655

Where To Go:

20 Bogong Street, Riverhills

View Larger Map

We appreciate you all so much Citipointe. Let's make a difference in our city.

Hands of Hope - Update

citipointe — Wed, 09 Feb 2011 00:42:35 +0000

The Hands of Hope Flood Relief program continues working and helping in the lives of those devastated by the recent floods in Brisbane.

The Citipointe "Hubs", a place where the local could come and grab a bite to eat, tell us if they needed help, or just have a seat and a chat with someone, were a great success. Now we have moved on to pinpointing the individual and meeting specific needs.

There's no more cleaning, but we have two projects and a Hub reunion coming up. On Saturdays, we're working at connecting individuals with volunteers to help get the job done. We're going back to check on those we helped in the first place.

Thanks Citipointe for everything you have given, money you have donated, time you have spent... there are many people across Brisbane whose lives are significantly better because you cared.

We'll keep you up to date with how the program is going.

New Social Justice Course

cmc — Thu, 03 Feb 2011 00:59:16 +0000

The Diploma of Ministry - Social Justice is designed to give opportunity for people to begin preparing for evangelical/charismatic Christian ministry in social justice and leadership. It provides initial studies at degree level as foundational for those students who believe they have a ministry calling within the area of social justice, or as a preparation for further study.

The course introduces students to a theology of social justice as well as strategies for social change. A better understanding of the interrelationship between theology and practice will be developed, as well as the ability to critically reflect upon our roles in furthering the goal of social justice both in the church and in the wider community.

Rachel Smith shares on her experience at CMC in preparation for her role as Project Supervisor of Citipointe's SHE Rescue Home.

More Info | Download an application form