Today, Bayou City Fellowship celebrated Her fourth birthday. We are officially a pre-schooler with a pretty mighty sister church toddler in suburbia. All day I've just been thinking about those 4 years and I decided I needed to sit here and write. Because I don't want to forget and I need a place to process all the feels and all the joys that were in my heart today. Also, do people still blog in 2015? Well...today I am and not even gonna apologize for it.
Yesterday, I was serving at an event in Cypress and someone asked us what we were doing for Vision Sunday (our birthday party). So I went on to share the details and this woman then said, "Bayou City Fellowship celebrates well". My heart couldn't have been more glad to hear such words expressed. Mostly because 4 years and 3 days ago, I wrote this blog post sharing my expectancy and curiosity for what She (our church) would look like. And now, four years in, I don't have to wonder anymore, I get to experience her beauty weekly in the life of its people. And this is what I have come to know about Bayou City Fellowship.
We are just a bunch of fishermen- Sometimes God doesn't need talent, He just needs hearts that are His. I remember one of the first staff meetings we ever had and I remember looking around the table and thought, why did Pastor Curtis pick us?! But really. The pastors and lay people that God has used to lead and serve are just everyday imperfect people that have a radical love for Jesus and are committed to the people of our city. There is nothing flashy or overly impressive about the people, production on Sundays is absent, we are not always super professional or efficient, BUT Jesus is lifted high and every time He is lifted people are drawn and experience Him. So may we continue to be a people that live lives that constantly and experientially point people to Jesus. I'm convinced it's the nameless and faceless people that win cities.
You can find Jesus here- Lets be honest. Church is hard. I actually really struggle with telling people not only that I am a pastor but that I work at a church. Not because I am ashamed of the Church but because so many people have been wounded by church, religion, or their own disappointments with God. And rightfully so. So much of Western Christianity is a shallow and a religious representation of the Church. I think today, Western Christianity could be synonymous with the Pharisees and religious leaders that Jesus was always speaking against in the gospels. They always got it wrong and had no influence. After living overseas post-college, I really struggled with the Church in America and wondered if I would ever love the Church again. Shoot, I never would've thought I'd work at one-- ever. But Bayou City has restored my love for the global Church beyond our small expression in Houston. I have experienced the presence of God here. Most people come into our space and just cry because they experience the presence of God. We don't water things down we just share Truth and who Jesus is. People come back not because of the preaching (which is the best) or the worship (which is always great) but because they know and experience the presence of God and can see that God is doing something among us. I've seen people find freedom, I've seen God heal people, I've seen people find hope, and I've seen people find refuge. If you come to Bayou City Fellowship you won't find religion but I promise you will find Jesus.
We are family- We pray intentionally that when people come into our House that they feel like family. You can come once or twice as a guest but come the third time and you're family. I love that our community groups meet in homes and that they are multi-generational. You live life with people in all seasons of life and you just love them kind of because you not only have to cause they're family but because you want to. Some of my deepest friendship are people my parents age and families with the sweetest babies and toddlers. The people are so genuine and real and honestly some of the best people in this city and the reason I love my job. If you need family and community you can find it.
We like to move- Well it is true we have moved more than we like. But what I mean is that we are a mobilized people. We are a fast-moving organic community that is always growing and constantly changing. I see leaders raised up, new people sent out, people serving, individuals growing, groups starting, passions stirred and people working hard. We keep our people on their toes and don't let them get comfortable. We don't get bored and we keep our focus outward. But we don't do it in the name of busyness we do it because it's just what you do when you're in the family of God. You just do things that look like Him naturally and we do it together. Because again, we are a family and the church was never meant to be an organization but a community of people doing life together and pointing people to Jesus. The heartbeat of Bayou City is the mission and it keeps us alive and healthy.
There a million other things I love my pastor who is also my boss and my brother, my team that feels much more like family than co-workers, we celebrate, we have fun, we love well, we empower people to do their thing, and we dream big. We're not perfect but we aren't supposed to be.
I've never been so proud to be apart of Church. I always pray I steward my position and lead with integrity, as the spirit leads, and with a lot of love.
Here are some pics I took really quick and some video so I wouldn't forget!
Established: September 11, 2011 at Houston Christian High School (started with a Core of 50 now about 1200)
December 2013- Planted Bayou City Fellowship Cypress at Northwest Forest Conference Center (started with a Core of 125 and now about 1200)
June 21, 2015- Spring Branch location moved to Westchester International Academy
Yesterday, I was serving at an event in Cypress and someone asked us what we were doing for Vision Sunday (our birthday party). So I went on to share the details and this woman then said, "Bayou City Fellowship celebrates well". My heart couldn't have been more glad to hear such words expressed. Mostly because 4 years and 3 days ago, I wrote this blog post sharing my expectancy and curiosity for what She (our church) would look like. And now, four years in, I don't have to wonder anymore, I get to experience her beauty weekly in the life of its people. And this is what I have come to know about Bayou City Fellowship.
We are just a bunch of fishermen- Sometimes God doesn't need talent, He just needs hearts that are His. I remember one of the first staff meetings we ever had and I remember looking around the table and thought, why did Pastor Curtis pick us?! But really. The pastors and lay people that God has used to lead and serve are just everyday imperfect people that have a radical love for Jesus and are committed to the people of our city. There is nothing flashy or overly impressive about the people, production on Sundays is absent, we are not always super professional or efficient, BUT Jesus is lifted high and every time He is lifted people are drawn and experience Him. So may we continue to be a people that live lives that constantly and experientially point people to Jesus. I'm convinced it's the nameless and faceless people that win cities.
You can find Jesus here- Lets be honest. Church is hard. I actually really struggle with telling people not only that I am a pastor but that I work at a church. Not because I am ashamed of the Church but because so many people have been wounded by church, religion, or their own disappointments with God. And rightfully so. So much of Western Christianity is a shallow and a religious representation of the Church. I think today, Western Christianity could be synonymous with the Pharisees and religious leaders that Jesus was always speaking against in the gospels. They always got it wrong and had no influence. After living overseas post-college, I really struggled with the Church in America and wondered if I would ever love the Church again. Shoot, I never would've thought I'd work at one-- ever. But Bayou City has restored my love for the global Church beyond our small expression in Houston. I have experienced the presence of God here. Most people come into our space and just cry because they experience the presence of God. We don't water things down we just share Truth and who Jesus is. People come back not because of the preaching (which is the best) or the worship (which is always great) but because they know and experience the presence of God and can see that God is doing something among us. I've seen people find freedom, I've seen God heal people, I've seen people find hope, and I've seen people find refuge. If you come to Bayou City Fellowship you won't find religion but I promise you will find Jesus.
We are family- We pray intentionally that when people come into our House that they feel like family. You can come once or twice as a guest but come the third time and you're family. I love that our community groups meet in homes and that they are multi-generational. You live life with people in all seasons of life and you just love them kind of because you not only have to cause they're family but because you want to. Some of my deepest friendship are people my parents age and families with the sweetest babies and toddlers. The people are so genuine and real and honestly some of the best people in this city and the reason I love my job. If you need family and community you can find it.
We like to move- Well it is true we have moved more than we like. But what I mean is that we are a mobilized people. We are a fast-moving organic community that is always growing and constantly changing. I see leaders raised up, new people sent out, people serving, individuals growing, groups starting, passions stirred and people working hard. We keep our people on their toes and don't let them get comfortable. We don't get bored and we keep our focus outward. But we don't do it in the name of busyness we do it because it's just what you do when you're in the family of God. You just do things that look like Him naturally and we do it together. Because again, we are a family and the church was never meant to be an organization but a community of people doing life together and pointing people to Jesus. The heartbeat of Bayou City is the mission and it keeps us alive and healthy.
There a million other things I love my pastor who is also my boss and my brother, my team that feels much more like family than co-workers, we celebrate, we have fun, we love well, we empower people to do their thing, and we dream big. We're not perfect but we aren't supposed to be.
I've never been so proud to be apart of Church. I always pray I steward my position and lead with integrity, as the spirit leads, and with a lot of love.
Here are some pics I took really quick and some video so I wouldn't forget!
Established: September 11, 2011 at Houston Christian High School (started with a Core of 50 now about 1200)
December 2013- Planted Bayou City Fellowship Cypress at Northwest Forest Conference Center (started with a Core of 125 and now about 1200)
June 21, 2015- Spring Branch location moved to Westchester International Academy
