This Time Next Year

We are now 365 days away from the launch of Gospel Outreach Community Church. This pre-launch phase we're in has been an adventure of ups and downs. However, it is an enjoyable calling that we're glad to be on.

We began our bible study series on March 4th and have held it weekly on every Tuesday. We almost canceled a few studies due to the weather but the snow melted just in time. Great things are coming out of our "On Your Mark! Get Set!! GO!!!" bible study series. We are learning more about God, faith and His call in our lives as we journey through the book of Genesis. 

God has allowed us to cross paths with great leaders within the community.  Our desire is be part of the community in order to show them that God still cares for the people in it. A wonderful community leader, Ms. Connie, connected with me to support the beautification on our neighborhoods. If you know her, you have access to the needs of the community. She is really a blessing from God to GOCC.

GOCC's web designer and webmaster, Ty Ownens, completed our website. It looks marvelous and we really appreciate her time and effort in putting it together. She worked some late hours and made all the recommended modifications. Her consultation and creativity are unmatched. You can visit the site at www.gospeloutreachcc,org. Take advantage of the sites capabilities. You can leave a prayer request, read or subscribe to the blog, obtain updated information on events, make a contribution/donation, view or subscribe to the Commercial Break Sermons and contact us for additional information.

We secured the Sharron Baucom (Dale City) Recreation Center to use from Oct 2014 to Mar 2015. We're having our weekly 7:30pm  bible studies in the Rec Center starting Oct 7th. We will start our monthly 2pm services on Oct 12th and every 2nd Sunday thereafter. Keep us in prayer as we continue to look for a more permanent facility to use as we lead up to the launch service in April 2015. And pray that God brings the help that we need. We're looking for singers, musicians, ushers, teachers, prayer warriors, hospitality and everything in between.

Our Marketing Committee is putting together various avenues that would open opportunities for GOCC and our partners to donate clothing, food, and school supplies to those in need of them. We want to be blessing to them. So be on the look out for those opportunities to a blessing to someone else.

In closing, Gospel Outreach Community Church will launch on April 5, 2015. This time next year, we will celebrate and thank God for the pre-launch phase that we were in and move into the next phase of our ministry.


Much love,

Pastor Jeremiah "JB" Marshall

GOCC website: www.gospeloutreachcc.org

We Want You

And it shall come to pass, that in the place where it was said unto them, 

Ye are not my people; there shall they be called the children of the living God.

Romans 9:26

As Christians, we are called to evangelize everywhere and to everyone. We have to tell people about God and teach them the Gospel of Jesus Christ. This is our calling. We are not called to give up on anybody. That would be God's call. Unfortunately, it looks like there are places and people we have given up on.

1. Our enemies: We have to be a witness to our enemies. Forgive them of their faults against us. Show them the true love of God. 
2. Prisons/Jail: The courts judge them for their crimes, we judge them for their sins. We must not do that. Go into the prison facilities and minister to them. Preach that God is a forgiven God. Lead them to repentance and assure them that God will remember their sins no more.
3. Strangers: God might be leading us to tell someone about Christ but we are hesitant because we do not know them. Be bold and do it anyway. If you feel led then go. Do not "hope" that someone else would do it.
4. Family/Friends: On the other end of the spectrum (see #3), we do not share the good news with our friends and family. We do not want to offend them because of our close relationship. Share the Gospel but share it in love. We should love our family and friends enough to not want to see them fall short and go to hell.
5. Homeless People/Shelters: There are homeless and hungry people just waiting for someone to "show" them who Christ is. They are looking to see the Christ in us. We cannot forget about them.

There are so many people and places that we have given up on. Do not give up. Do not ignore. Those people shall be called the children of the living God.

What other group of people or places have we given up on?


Website: www.gospeloutreachcc.org
Blog: http://jeremiahmarshall.blogspot.com/

The Woman Behind The Scenes

The reality is that planting a church is time consuming. As with any church planter, I spend time doing what God has required of me. I spend time in prayer, diligently study of the Scriptures, developing strategies to fulfill the vision that God has given Gospel Outreach Community Church, preparing bible study lessons and much more. I did not express all of that in order to get pity or even complain. I painted this picture because even if you had seen me doing all of that, most people do not see what Alicia (my wife) is doing behind the scenes.

I am truly blessed with a wonderful wife. Alicia is watching our son when I am meeting with people, going to the neighborhood leadership meetings, or preparing lessons. She is constantly praying for the church, community, her family and for me. Alicia takes on many roles of operations in the church because we're in a prelaunch phase. Did I mention that she is five months pregnant?

I give God all the glory for blessing me with an angel in Alicia. God has given her the talent, patience and love to do the work in the ministry, love on her son and husband, handle the gift of pregnancy and have a full-time job. As she goes to bed early to rest from her long week, I am reminded that God placed the right person in my life in order to fulfill the vision that He has given us. He knew that I would need her and that she would need me. What a God we serve.



Your Walk...Our Journey!!!



Gospel Outreach Community Church (GOCC) has a tagline "Your Walk...Our Journey". The reason we believe this tagline was God-given is because of the truth that it holds in our evangelism focus. In our church start-up phase, I realize that everybody that GOCC reaches out to is at a different level in their knowledge of Christianity and their desire to know more about God.

We could talk to someone who has a clear understanding of Christian doctrine one minute and then talk to someone who does not have an understanding at all. However, both of them are looking to fellowship with GOCC. We could talk to someone who has a new found zeal to serve God and learn more about Him but we also could talk to someone who might not have that same level.

So, about the tagline. The Church (the people) has the responsibility to minister to every individual regardless of "membership" status, knowledge level or maturity level. This equates to everyone being in a different place in their walk. They have their own weakness and strengths. They have their own struggles and victories. They have their own WALK. In knowing that, GOCC has to make every effort to meet people where they are in their walk and then walk with them. They do not have to do it alone. We work through the struggles together. We learn together. We rejoice together. We grow together. We reciprocate that to others. In doing this, we JOURNEY together.

To WALK is their responsibility but the JOURNEY is shared. Your Walk...Our Journey!!!


God must be the focus and trust must be developed for this to function properly. What else do you believe should exist for this relationship to function?

Keeping It Real

"To be or not to be: That is the question!" At times I struggle to answer the question about how I feel to about starting Gospel Outreach Community Church. I know what the expectations are and I know what they are not. 

Most people expect me to have all of the answers right now. I should have the flawless marketing approach, dynamic worship service structure and the know-how to meet EVERY needs of the community that I am servicing. I come with a "trial and error" marketing approach, "what was I thinking" worship service structure and the "do what I can with what I got" campaign to meet the needs of the community.

Most people expect me to stand tall with my back straight and look the challenges in their eyes like this is a cake walk because I know what the scriptures tell me. I know that I can do all things through the strength of Christ. I know that nothing that is devised to destroy me will prosper. In knowing that, I still come with the jitter bugs of nervousness and late nights of behind the scene operations. 

Knowing the expectations of people, I willingly choose not to wear the mask. This journey is not a "to be or not to be" journey. I would say that it fits the "to be AND to be" model. I am nervous and I know that God will comfort me. I will pray hard and work hard. I will wait on The Lord and I will move out on faith. I will make wrong decisions and I will make right ones. I will know the right words to say and I will not know what to say at all.

The "to be AND to be" model does not mean that we are weak. It does not mean that we have wavering faith. It means that we are real.

Do you think it damages a Christians credibility when they take off their mask?



Play The Game

 

Most people I know will take every opportunity to go after something they want or need when they know they can get it. They will do it with no hesitation, reservation or fear. They want it. They need it. They are going to get it.

Now remove the "perfect situation" glasses from your face and reality will show you that the above is a rarity. It is more common for people to want or need something but recognize that a possibility of not getting it exists. Unfortunately, it is also common that this reality has discourage people from even "playing the game". Why try? Would the disappointment of failing hurt more than wondering what would have happened if you tried? What would people think about me if they heard about my failure? Those are real thoughts. Those are crippling thoughts. Dreams are not fulfilled because of those thoughts. Potential remains as potential and never matures to experience because of those thoughts. Innovation remains as a good idea instead of enhancing a process or technology.

Taking a lesson from the little kids, I notice that they operate without fear. I use to believe that they do not understand the consequences of their actions but I quickly change my opinion. Have you ever seen a kid fall, cry, get back up and do it again? They probably thought only of success prior to them falling. After falling, they now have a clear picture of the consequences of failure but still hold on to the idea of what success would feel like. They get back up and do it again.

I remember applying for a job that I did not meet the qualifications for. I knew I didn't meet them but I wanted the job. I was completely shocked that they even called me for an interview. Every qualification question they asked me was met with a "I have never done that before but I am a fast learner." After leaving the interview, I (figuratively) picked myself off the floor and classified this experience as a practice round. I drove back to my office thinking about how I could learn from the interview and how this shook off the cobwebs. I was already looking toward the next interviews from other companies that might come my way. To my surprise, I received an offer letter the same day. What if I didn't "play the game" because I was afraid of "striking out"

God will give us opportunities that may seem too big for us. Take them. Do it regardless of your feelings of success or failure. Possibilities of failure does not ensure failure. Your obedience to God's direction and words would lead you to success because God defines what success is.