Saturday, January 2, 2010

Begin Again in 2010!





















FROM AN ANONYMOUS BLOGGER: This insightful comment was posted a couple of days ago under the Happy New Year! acrostic (12/31/09), and it was worth re-posting:


I have to say what lies so heavy on my heart:

If CITN were to relocate, it would completely change the dynamic of what CITN has meant to the immediate community and those it has affected worldwide. We have not been an infinitesimal part of any life. All that encounter CITN are forever affected. I came to CITN ten years ago. Prior to that, I never attended church. I knew God, I spoke to him, and I went about my business. It wasn’t that I thought church was a waste of time. I just hadn’t found a spiritual home that fed me. The moment I walked into CITN and heard Bishop speak, I knew CITN would always be in my life. My spirit is in turmoil to even see Bishop speak of the word ‘foreclosure’. I dare to ask – How can this be? But I know the answer deep down inside because I am guilty of the very thing so many of us have been doing. We have said to ourselves when time came to tithe: the person sitting next to me will contribute and their contribution will be enough until I can give. But this is not the truth! We cannot say that the next person will give because we are that next person! CITN has given so much to each of us and I am personally resolved to CITN remaining in its current home.

I remember many years ago when the new sanctuary was proposed. I was so excited to pledge and do my part to make it a reality. I came to church every Sunday and even as a teenager working a minimum wage job, I gave my portion and imagined the day I would sit in the new sanctuary. A place fit for the Word that was spoken inside. CITN is an incredibly anointed ministry and we must do all that we can do as a congregation - a family - to ensure that the legacy of CITN is not overshadowed by matters other families would quickly confront together.

There was a time when the old sanctuary was packed to the point where people sat in chairs lining the wall. We have been distracted Dear Family. I know I have. I’ve left others to care for a ministry that needs me just as much as I need it. We have stopped celebrating together. We have turned on our computers to watch sermons and save a trip and forgot that service is so much more than Bishop giving us the Word. Service is a time for Many to become One. Now more than ever I realize the importance of that covenant and I am resolved. Resolved to attending Service every week. Resolved to tithing, giving every time I attend.

And I call upon the entire CITN family to make the same resolution: resume your weekly attendance and give.

Give to something that has always multiplied your gifts. If we continue to receive and allow the distractions of the world to affect our tithing, we will lose the very place we have called home. Yes, the economy is rough right now. Yes, people have lost their jobs. Yes, we are all making tough decisions when it comes to budgeting our money. But this too shall pass. And when it passes, are we going to be able to drive past the current CITN campus and not see our family in it? Please think about this. Although I know Bishop will always have a ministry wherever his pulpit resides, I LOVE the ministry he has created right here in Conyers, GA. We must do all that we can to keep our home. Not only will it resolve the current financial problem of the campus, it will do something far greater: it will reunite us as a family and bring us to a place we left some time ago. A place where the CITN covenant was so strong, Bishop would be in the middle of a sermon and stop, only to begin an entirely different sermon because our spirit was one and he knew we needed something and as our Bishop, he was more than willing to provide.

Let’s begin together by resolving to attend and give. Two simple things that will strengthen our ministry in so many different ways.

I love you all and hope for many more decades at CITN.

14 comments:

Unknown said...

...oh the things we will do, when this paradigm shift reaches every heart...

Donald said...

Amen!

P Nancy said...

AMEN AVATAR!

Erik said...

New Year Eve's service is one more example of the the gift to ourselves CITN is. 3he combo of The Cathedral and CITN is always good. we were entertained, had worship, a great speaking out of our spirits by Bishop and Pastor D.E. and broght in the New Year w prayer and prphecy in and over ourselves.

that is why we give it life. the annonting is frawn from each and corporate spirit , from our souls and manifest among us.

We all came here because our souls were attracted to this manifestation of Peace & Joy, of this Rightness with God. Sharing our spirit, relationship and Love.

every one does know we we especially selected and especially requested while we also volunterred to be part of this manifestation.

The part I like about volunteering, is you get the choicest assignments as opposed to being drafted.

We all got one of the prime assignments here.

Erik said...

got to apolopgize for poor spelling above. my phone letters are too small. &=#). i think most mispells above can be made out.

in 3rd para from end , i meant to say we were instead of ' we we'.

important to know we each were selected and requested as we also volunteered, both in harmony - desire from within and without.

Anonymous said...

Linda M Curtis said...

If you weren't ITB on New Years Eve.....You'll wish you were when you hear all about it !

River said...

I remember a day when we didn't think of our finances. We just gave. We use to (after service) go as groups out to eat and a lot of times we would fight to pay someone else's check. We gave our tithe at chuch and still had enough for lunch because we had faith that God would take care of us. Then we got a little shakening and you would think all hell broke loose. We forgot who we were and became what the world wanted us to be. Afraid that if we looked at our situation we would fail. When you don't give your tithe you in turn do fail not to man's system but to God. He ask so little and He gave so much. What is really holding you back from giving?
When you hold back on giving your tithe and offerings you hold back the blessings only the Father can give and I don't care what you say but the Father's blessings far outweigh man's blessings.
I would love to see the day we act the way we did in old building. giving not because it is expected but giving because we want to be the blessing. It's so true in our minds we have to begin again in 2010 like we did when we moved into the old building. We need to revisit the old songs praise. We need to have a praise night/day. Just celebrating our Father and giving because we Love Him so much and keep giving because He is Worthy to be praised. The tithe is your Praise.

Erik said...

Box Star is fun to watch, can the words be up on the screen?

I don't want to think this has anything to do with age, 'cause in my well spent youth, I had to read the LP sleeve for Jethro Tull, Nazareth, Kansas, Pink Floyd, etc. So see it can't have anything to do with age.

I did hear the words to the Joshana part though. :)

Maybe post the words here?

fisher of men said...

Let us all add our Amen to such an insightful comment by living E.A.C.H


Ask not what CITN can do for you but ask what can I do for CITN

Anonymous said...

Virginia Bills said...

Wow, thanks for posting that. That was beautiful. CITN famiy lets save OUR HOME. Each one of us only has to do the part that the Lord has asked us to do (10%). It is an act of obedience, it shows the Lord we are serious and committed to living the life He has for us.

Anonymous said...

Sheri Travis said...

Looking forward to being ITB tomorrow!!! You know I ♥ "!"!!!

I really have to do at least 3.... :)

Anonymous said...

Pray over CITN property [just as it was done in the beginning]
Walk the property line…embrace the land…
Return to the beginning, when/where [the vision was first conceived]
The family [CITN] awaited its new member; “The Sanctuary” – the new building, VISION was born, many have seen its star. Return to the covenant/pledge that was made in the beginning.
Those works did not return void

I was prompt to tell you to pray over the property, as it was done in the beginning…

Bishop, with sincerity – these words came to me. I wrestled with the idea of not sharing this with you, but have not been able to depart from it – this message is meant for you to hear. You will know exactly what this means

Karl said...

Happy New Year Bishop and bloggers!

Looking forward to the worship this morning..."let everything that has breath praise the Lord!"

...bishop, trusting that you will come out deep and swim in the river, you can do it.

Angela said...

As a relatively newcomer I say, Amen and amen!!