We are dealing with some crazy and difficult times right now in our world! And I believe as believers these are our greatest days! The world needs hope like never before and we can be a part of the solution!

After about 4 months of having church online only, we have now had a few Sundays worshiping in our building. And it is amazing! In many ways it reminds me of when we first started the church 22 years ago in an elementary school cafeteria. I would describe it as a relaunching of our church not just a regathering. Every week we are seeing people make a decision to follow Jesus, we are seeing many first time guests and taking their next steps!

These aren’t days that we should retreat or even maintain, but these are days that we need to advance! Jesus commands us to “Go and make disciples of all nations” and now is our time! So, here are three keys I believe that will help you as a leader navigate through uncharted waters. These principles are helpful...

I love that phrase! It’s often used when you are getting ready to go somewhere or begin a new venture. Anytime God is calling you to do something new and different there are always going to be obstacles:

Fear of the Unknown

Anxiety

Uncertainty

People Pleaser

I know because I have experienced all of the above at times. But as we approach our Grand Re-Opening this Sunday at C3 Church I am filled with faith and courage!

God’s word says that God does not give us a spirit of fear but of: 

POWER, 

LOVE and a

SOUND MIND!

I am praying for the same boldness that God gave the disciples in the early church. 

Acts 4:31, “After they prayed, the place where they were meeting was shaken. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly.” (NIV)

It’s no secret that so many people are hurting, confused, uptight and anxious. The world needs the church during this time like never before! 

I love how God is using online to...

 LEAD WITH LOVE

In my previous post, I began sharing about how to Lead Through a Crisis. I think we can all agree that we are going through a crisis right now in our world with Covid-19. Let me remind you that now is not the time for motivational teaching, but it’s a time for leaders to lead with empathy and compassion. 

The second point I would like to share with you is that we need to Lead with Love! The Bible says in Matthew 20:26, “....Whoever wants to be a leader among you must be your servant.”  This is the perfect example that Christ gave us as He led and loved people throughout His ministry.  He showed us how to lead…even those who questioned Him and denied Him.  The disciples carried out His earthly ministry and followed His example.  They ministered alongside Jesus.  They had a front row seat to every life that He touched.  Through serving, we are actually leading. Through leading, we are loving. We...

ANOINTING COMES WHEN WE SHARE HOPE

How do we lead people through a crisis? Now is not the time for motivational teaching but it’s a time for leaders to lead with empathy and compassion. There’s power when we do what is on the heart of God. And people are on God’s heart. That’s what He cares about most!

From creation, He longed to have a relationship with us. He cares about us more than anything else in the world, it is "soul" deep, and personal. Eternity is His focus, but our lives here on this earth are His masterpieces in the making.  

Anointing comes when we do what is God's heart, and His heart is clearly and passionately given to evangelism. Sharing with as many as possible about the unconditional love and selfless sacrifice of Christ on the cross is the driving purpose of our existence. 

Crisis moves people to be open to hearing about the hope they have in Christ. This is our finest hour at this time in the world to share this...

3 STEPS TO OVERCOMING FEAR

Joshua was facing one of the scariest times in his life. For many years, he was the protégé and understudy of Moses.  In Joshua 1 we pick up where Moses had just died. The mantle of leadership fell on Joshua to lead the children of Israel into the Promised Land. Let’s open our Bible to Joshua 1 and gain some perspective on this story.

 Joshua 1:1-2 

After the death of Moses the servant of the
LORD, it came to pass that the LORD spoke to Joshua the
son of Nun, Moses’ assistant, saying:  “Moses My
servant is dead. Now therefore, arise, go over this Jordan,
you and all this people, to the land which I am giving to
them—the children of Israel.

Joshua had to make a choice – would he obey the voice of God or not. Because he ultimately did obey the voice of God, the children of Israel were able to inherit the Promised Land.  Just a side note – our...

4 Fears that hinder us from living and leaving a legacy

When God is calling us out of our comfort zone - He wants us to walk by faith and the enemy of that faith is fear.  

Fear of Failure -- The fear of failure consistently limits millions of believers from reaching their full potential.  The fear of failure leads us to ask – “What if I really do obey God, and then I mess up?”  “What if I ‘step out of the boat’ and follow God and then it doesn’t happen.”  All of us can face this fear. The voice of the fear of failure says “Hey, don’t even bother trying this thing – you can’t do it.  Besides, what if you try and fail?”

Fear of Success -- What if I obey God and supernatural things start to happen in my life?  What will people say?  What if I really begin to move forward in my life?  What will my friends think?  What if God does a supernatural thing...

Research shows that it takes 21 days to develop a new habit.  There is something powerful about doing something every day for 21 days that helps us develop a new lifestyle.  

For example, Dr. Maxwell Maltz, a plastic surgeon who wrote the bestseller Psycho-Cybernetics, noticed that it took 21 days for amputees to cease feeling phantom sensations in the amputated limb.  

Research also shows that brain circuits take engrams (memory traces), and produce neuroconnections and neuropathways only if they are bombarded for 21 days in a row.  This means that our brain does not accept new data for a change of habit unless it is repeated each day for 21 days (without missing a day).

So I am challenging all of us to take the next 21 days and give our first and best to God.  January 5-25 is our 21 Days of Prayer and Fasting.  Many of us will be doing the Daniel Fast -- this is where you eat primarily fruits and vegetables and you cut out the meats and the...

There’s a lot I could share about how to make this your best year but I will share with you a few thoughts that I believe will make a significant difference.

My prayer for you is that a year from now you will look back and see all that God did in your life and the victories that you’ve experienced!

Most of you probably know that I wrote a book called I AM – Encounter the One Who Gives You Purpose and Peace in a Crazy World. The book is based on the seven I Am statements of Jesus that we see in the gospel of John. And at the end of the book, I share thirty-one I Am statements that we can declare over our lives every day. You can download all thirty-one of the I AM declarations for free at www.mattfry.com

 So, if you want to make 2020 the best year ever do these three things:

 1.  Take Negative Thoughts Captive!

Surround yourself with people who are positive. Put people in your life that will speak potential over you not negativity. And when the...

We are in a sermon series called "King of Kings".  In this series, we are focusing on the fact that our God truly is the King of Kings.  When we understand that we serve a God who is not only THE King, but that He is the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords, it changes everything!

This past Sunday I shared how God reveals Himself in every book of the Bible.  Many people have asked for it, so I wanted to share it with you.

Genesis – Creator & promised Redeemer

Exodus – The Passover Lamb

Leviticus – High Priest

Numbers – Water in the desert

Deuteronomy – He becomes the curse for us

Joshua – Commander of the army of the Lord

Judges – Delivers us from injustice

Ruth – Our Kinsman-Redeemer

1 Samuel – All in one, He is the Prophet/Priest/King

2 Samuel – King of grace & love

1 Kings – A Ruler greater than Solomon

2 Kings – The powerful prophet

1 Chronicles – Son of David that is coming to...

If we want to make a difference with our lives, we must submit our lives to God and serve Him with all our hearts.

Great churches aren’t built on the gifts and talents of a few but on the sacrifices of many!

Mark 10:42-45, “ So Jesus called them together and said, “You know that the rulers in this world lord it over their people, and officials flaunt their authority over those under them. 43 But among you it will be different. Whoever wants to be a leader among you must be your servant, 44 and whoever wants to be first among you must be the slave of everyone else. 45 For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others and to give his life as a ransom for many.”(NLT)

Jesus modeled for us what it looks like to serve. The Messiah! Our Savior! Humbled himself and got down on his knees and did the job that a servant does. He washed their dirty feet.

WE MUST BE WILLING TO GET OUR HANDS AND FEET DIRTY FOR JESUS

Ministry can be...