Reaching Queens NY

MatchlessFire and Forest Hills Community Church ended the summer with a bang—celebrating Jesus with several Christian bands, a bounce house, kids’ crafts, health & financial counseling, literature give-aways, and lots of free food.  Held on the lawn of the church from whom we rent, one of the busiest, most visible intersections in town, God drew 500+ people to be connected with Him and the church.

I Love this Book

If only pastors would read what matters and stop listening to the "talking heads"...

There is so much hype around the contemporary pastor and church, especially concerning style and personality. Pastors are not called to be rock stars or self-help gurus, not are they called to be CEOs of a franchise company. The biblical role of pastor is lost in today's market-driven world and it is killing everyone! Young pastors are becoming disillusioned, old pastors feel like failures, and the church folk are nothing more than market research and polls number of the pastor's approval/disapproval rating. IT IS SICK, and Rohrer calls us all out.

The job of the pastor is simple: preach the Word and point people to Jesus. We are but vessels of His power and message. Rohrer is not ignorant of the tensions of ministries, but seeks to address them in this book while still keeping the focus on Jesus and the Gospel.

Pastors, put down you Barna report and pick up this book. Read it and then go back to preaching the Word regardless of the people's response.

Win in Queens

As many of you already know (especially thanks for a recent Pentecostal Evangel article), our church in Forest Hills, NY was recently expelled from renting a public school for weekly worship.  In a city with an infamous housing dilemma and cost of living, the prospects were slimmed and unappealing.  However, we trusted God and knew He was sovereignly in control of everything.  Within a week, we had a new location secured at a generous rate; but it was with major changes.

For starters, we would have to leave Forest Hills and meet in a neighboring area (Rego Park).  Second, services would need to take place at night, as the venue would be occupied during the day.  Finally, we would be meeting a church which already hosts two other congregations, therefore, there would be no option for permanent advertisement.  How would our people and neighborhood react to so many changes?

Well, last night was our first night in our new venue.  With only a form-email inviting our past attendees to participate, the church was packed!  (The above photo was taken just after 6pm.)  More importantly, the Spirit of God filled His house with His presence and new people were saved.  On a night of unprecedented victories, this was the biggest!!

Thank you all for your prayers and financial support.  We simply cannot be the church God has ordained us to be without you!  It is seriously like living the book of Acts; kicked out of one place for God to same more in another city.  Awesome.

-jeremy sweeten
AG US Missionary to the Jewish People
#293-4370
www.fhcchurch.com

Forest Hills Community Church is moving into Our Savior Lutheran Church in Rego Park, effective Sunday, Jan. 8, 2012

Our New Service Time will be 6:00pm
Full Childcare will be AvailableDirections
92-14 63rd Drive (at Wetherole Street)
Rego Park, NY 11374
718-275-2825

Our Saviour Church is located on 63rd Drive, between Queens and Woodhaven Boulevards in the Rego Park Section of Queens. Church is at the corner of Wetherole St and 63rd Drive

By car: Turn south off of Queens Blvd on to 63rd Drive and proceed 3 blocks. Church is on the left at the corner of Wetherole St. OR turn north on 63rd Drive off of Woodhaven Blvd. (at the Dunkin Donuts store) Church is on the right two blocks past the railroad underpass (next to Key Food).

By subway: Take the local (M or R) from Roosevelt Ave (going east) or from Forest Hills-71st Ave (going west) and exit at 63rd Drive. Walk 3 blocks south on 63rd Drive away from Queens Blvd.  The church is on the left at Wetherole St.

By bus: The Q38 stops at the Church. The Q11, Q21 and Q53 on Woodhaven Blvd stops at 63rd Drive. Walk north to the church. Q60 Queens Blvd & 63rd Drive. Walk 3 blocks south on 63rd Drive to the church.

Value #4: It's About Serving the World Like Jesus

Value #4:  It’s all about Christians serving the World like Jesus.

At Forest Hills Community Church we seek to live life on a mission.  We recognize the power, grace and mercy of God and want to communicate that truth to everyone.  We also understand that our lives are not our own to satisfy our desires and needs.  We are “image bearers of God” (Gen. 1:27), and seek to do His will and pleasure with every breath.  Therefore, we go and do what most people (including religious people) do not often do.  Our model for life is Jesus who left the glory and pleasure of Heaven for the despair and pain of earth (Phil. 2:4-8).  This does not mean that we seek misery (we’re not sadist), but rather that we do not flee from it when it leads to the benefit of others.

At FHCC we give our time (our being), our treasure (our resources), and our talents (our unique gifts and abilities) to the welfare of others meeting and knowing Jesus.  This means that we go everywhere people are to introduce people to Jesus.  Whether this means crossing the street, country or globe, we’re doing it!  And when we, personally, are not able to go to the other side of our neighborhood, country, or street, we send money and resources so other Christians can.  And just as Jesus came to earth culture and context, sparing no method or cost, we, too, seek to reach all people in their language and culture.

At Forest Hills Community Church it’s all about Jesus, which means it’s also about us living and serving the world like Jesus.

Value #3: It's About LIving Like Jesus

Value #3: It’s all about Christians Living like Jesus.

At Forest Hills Community Church we have great disdain for hypocrites.  Not only do their words and behaviors hurt, but they also destroy any credibility of the person or his message.  The bible calls such behavior “sin” bearing the consequence of death (Rom 6:23).  Jesus came to save us from this deadly lifestyle and grant us right standing.  As human beings, our sole purpose is to live a lifestyle in accordance to God’s glory (Gen. 1:27).  This means that we must live “holy” lives, and God knows this impossibility of this task in our own power and strength.  No one can live right without the power of God motivating and inspiring from the inside out.  Again, God knows or weakness and His commandment, therefore, He has given all Christians the person and power of the Holy Spirit (Rom. 5:5 and I John 4:13).

The Holy Spirit is not personal force or inner-conscience of man. Nor is He an impersonal attribute of God.  The Holy Spirit is God, just as Jesus and the Father over all.  He shares the same power and essence and, like the other two members, He has a unique role and gift towards Creation.  Specifically, for those who believe in Jesus as Lord, He is the gift of power and holy living (living how God directs us to live) (Rom. 8:12-17). Jesus saves us from sin, and the Holy Spirit leads us away from future sin.

Yet, the gift of the Spirit is not just to protect us from negative consequences, He also inspires and empowers us for positive effect: Christian witnessing (Luke 12:12).  As Christians who are part of Forest Hills Community Church we strive to live a life pleasing to God and attractive to the world around us.  In doing so, we not only bring glory to God, but also hope and salvation to the world Jesus died to save.  We never want to be labeled hypocrites, which is synonymous with sinners and a curse word by our culture.  We are not people who hide behind a belief, but seek to proclaim in word and deed the power of Jesus.  Therefore, we live like Jesus to that the world might both see and hear Jesus, and believe.

Value #2: It's About the Lost Meeting Jesus

FHCC Value #2: It’s all about the Lost meeting Jesus.

At Forest Hills Community Church we care very much about those who do not know or believe in Jesus, because we were once one of them.  Even if one of us grew up “in the church,” this does not mean that we did not sin or think lesser of Jesus than He is.  All of us have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God we were called to bear (Rom. 3:23 and Gen 1:27).  Yet, in God’s great love and mercy He sent Jesus to forgive sin and save us.  That salvation came not through a great epiphany, but through a Christian witness.  All us know Jesus because someone who already knew Jesus came and shared Him with us.  We are the product of both God and another’s mercy.  In fact, this is what being a Christian is all about: telling the world about Jesus (Matt. 28:19-20).  Therefore, while we love hanging out with one another and enjoy our common belief and fellowship, we recognize that our duty is to serve others, not ourselves.

At Forest Hills Community Church we are committed to being active OUTSIDE of the church building.  We hit the streets before and after work and hand out invitations to church.  During our lunch hours we invite co-workers to have lunch with us to talk about Jesus and answer their questions (not merely hear our story or belief).  When we come to church, we give both our time and treasure to reaching people who do not know or believe in Jesus.  We are committed to speaking the language of our community and communicating Jesus in the context of our culture.  This does not mean that the Bible message changes, but rather only the practices of telling these eternal truths.  Like Jesus, we seek to meet Lost people where they are.

We know what its like to be without Jesus.  We know the emptiness, the dissatisfaction, and rationalizing of misery.  We know that life without Jesus is hollow and hurting.  Therefore, we, as people in love with Jesus, are committed to seeing Lost people reached for Jesus.