February 8, 2010

Chilly Sheep

Last Sunday we explored Jesus: The Good Shepherd. My Dog, "Chilly Cheese Dog" made a special guest appearance as a sheep of sorts. Catch it online at our media vault or at iTunes - the message will be up by Tuesday this week.

Thot: Jesus doesn't love you because it's His job as God. God's love doesn't come as a duty because he is God...

Jesus loves you and I because he chose to go down to the pound and pick up mutts to show his love to - because he wanted to. If you are His sheep U R Chosen and loved by the Shepherd of Souls. Love others likewise; be a good shepherd who lays down your life for others - don't be like a hired hand who bails on others when things get dicey.


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January 26, 2010

A Hint... This Sunday @ Elevation








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January 23, 2010

Launch Day Video

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January 18, 2010

elevate!

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We're Off and Running!

As we head into our first year as a new church in Santa Cruz remember this is a UNIQUE time to invite people to come check it out or better yet invite them to come WITH YOU. Santa Cruz and beyond will be won by loving friendship, service and personal invitation. ELEVATE!

God is up to great things at E! Check out more pictures from our launch

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January 12, 2010

Launch Update

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Just as after every wedding there comes a marriage, after every launch there comes an ongoing ministry... (unless your launch sux soooo bad you abandon it and start sniffin' glue). We are now officially launched as a church after last weekend's first official worship service. The Elevation launch was wonderful... a great evening. There was tons of excitement and many new faces and Jesus was certainly evident and active around the room.

204 adults and about a dozen kids showed up so we filled all the seats on the floor all the way back to the rear wall -(people always wanna know how many humans show up for these things so there's your number). The added people gave the worship a sense of punch and excitement. The look and feel of the room was excellent - way to go Environment Team. People were deeply engaged during worship and during the teaching time also.

We have our greeting team, kids ministry, coffee ministry and all things tech and environment in order and functioning well.

50 some odd people went out afterwards for AfterHours in our new (old) location downtown. We also went live with our new website last week. Check it out at www.elevationSC.org! So everything is in motion and God is blessing Elevation. Now to steer the ship! Thanks for your prayers!

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January 11, 2010

Hola, Me Llamo es Jesus!

So the launch was a BLAST! A couple of hundred of adults and a bunch of kids showed up, with big smiles. The vibe was electric, the teams blew the door off the place in hard work excellence and leaning into the wind of God's Spirit. Ill try to get some picture to put up later this week. What a pleasure, big, big fun! So... We're OFF!

??? If you are planting a church what should your first series be about? I was chewing on this and thought duh, how about... Jesus. This Sunday we start our new series called: Hello: My Name is Jesus.

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We'll explore Jesus in His own words. What does Jesus have say to about himself, His nature, His work and His feelings about you? Join us as we check out the "I Ams" of Jesus.

This will be a GREAT series to invite friends to especially if they are unconvinced and undecided about Jesus. Be a community of invitation - reach Santa Cruz for Jesus!

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January 5, 2010

This Sunday's Special Church Launch Message: Reset

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A New Year, A New Church, A New You ... a chance to Reset. This Sunday's message as we launch our new church!

This SONday 1.10.2010 --> 6:30pm @ Christian Life Center --> 1009 Mission Street, in our beloved funky Santa Cruz

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January 4, 2010

The NEW Elevation Website is now online.

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Yep, Elevation now has a cool brand new website thanks to our friends at Brough communications and the amazing Kevin Plaskett. The new site went live last night, go check it out!

The new webpage looks fab, will have more features and will also allow us to update it much more effectively. This means it will have fresh content more frequently. The new site will be a MAJOR communication station for all things E, so check it frequently to be in the know.

I also want to thank Randy Boose for building and maintaining our original E site (many hours of quiet service in that thing!)

If you visited the old site you may need to hit refresh on your browser or it may lead you to the old one, old habits are hard to break you know.

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January 3, 2010

John Belushi Sez..."Spread the Word!

One way to let every Facebook friend you have know about the Elevation launch next Sunday is to go HERE and become a fan of Elevation launch, then click the "suggest to friends" button on the left hand side of the page. Spread the word as we launch next Sunday 6:30pm at Christian LIfe Center 1009 Mission Street in S Cruz. Spread the word! Then bring a carload with you to the big shindig next Sunday. Belushi approves!
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...Pic of John Belushi from a fun moment at a past Elevation service.

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December 29, 2009

Thanks for...

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I am truly thankful to Jesus that I have the privilege of pastoring Elevation! Last Sunday night at Elevation we had an interactive station where people could write a brief note for thanks to God for how he has blessed them through His work at Elevation over the last 2 years. Here's what people had to say

Thank you for helping me to see the true light of Jesus. /// I am thankful that Elevation could free me from the stringent legalities and guilt ridden feelings from my old catholic style church. /// I am thankful for God bringing me to Elevation after a long dry search. /// God provided a church home for us, a place he had called us. /// I am thankful for Chuckk, God bless him and keep him. /// Thank you Jesus for teaching me to love people here at Elevation. /// Thank you for giving me hope again. /// I am thankful for bring able to be free to use my gifts at Elevation, and to be free just to be who I am here. /// Thank you for strengthening my faith through many trials in the past two years. READ MORE - CLICK THE LINK BELOW

Continue reading "Thanks for..." »

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December 24, 2009

...sounds like a good night at an Elevation service!

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Spiritual leaders need good balance and they also need to be aware of the kooky folks around them.... Dang, I gotta get me one of those Pope hats! Merry Christmas from Rev. Chuckk Gerwig, Space Pope.

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December 23, 2009

my dad

My dad is getting weaker. He has significant heart issues, he has trouble walking more than a few steps without getting very very winded.

Yesterday I drove to Thousand Oaks and back to pick him up so he can live with us until he recovers from his heart problems. We have him here now and he's all settled in, we're giving him love and care. He is enjoying Andrea's great cooking and some good family time! I will take him to the hospital the day after Christmas to get checked and see what we can do for him.

It's a privilege to care for your parents when they get older and sick. Pray 4 my dad Gene, my hope is we can get him up and running healthy again soon. He has survived MUCH worse than this heart thing in the past. He's great man and I am so glad to have him here with us. Ask Jesus to heal him up K? Here's my favorite pic of my awesome dad a few years ago.

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December 20, 2009

Invite Cards

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We have some new Elevation new church plant invitation cards for all your Elevators. They look a little like this.

Idea is, when you start a new church many folks who might not normally attend might come visit to check it out. Invite folks to come be part of something new and fresh from the beginning! Take a packet of Invitation cards next week and give them to everyone you meet, practice being a community of invitation!

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December 6, 2009

Breaking the Missional Code

Want to know how to be more effective as a Missional Christian? What to know better how to reach people around you with Jesus' love? Listen in to this great message by Ed Stetzer on Breaking the Missional Code. This is part of the application from tonight's message. If you are part of Elevation, you NEED to hear this, we'll be breathing Mission!

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November 23, 2009

I Am Batman

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Some of our Elevation video gamers are starting a video gaming community and want to connect with you for community, gaming and to reach to out to those who game but don't know Jesus. Gaming is taking on new social networking elements that make it another way to reach our culture in a relevant way! It all begins with us getting your gamertag. Send your name first and last and your gamer tag to speak@elevationsc.org to get on the list of gamers. No one may contact you right away - we're in the first steps of starting this community. You can find me on xbox online, my gamertag is chuckkgerwig My fav current game is Batman Arkham Asylum - my latest quote, "I AM Batman", because... I AM Batman.

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November 22, 2009

Understanding Culture

To be missionally effective in a post-Christian culture we need to understand the culture well. Here is an excellent message from Ed Stetzer about how to understand culture. You can listen here by pressing the white triangle below or follow the link in the last sentence to download to your iPod etc. If you were at E this weekend, this is part of the application of the message. Cheers!

Listen... then I challenge you to to become a student of current local culture(s) this week by spending at least an hour alone in a place populated by unconvinced people. Watch, pray, listen, learn and ask Jesus - "how can I become more fluid".

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November 12, 2009

Understanding the Elevation Direction

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If you're an SC Local. I want to specially invite you to the new series starting this Sunday at Elevation. Compass is a series that will explore the seven values that guide Elevation as a new church plant. If you want to know what we value and which direction we'll be heading don't miss this series. Compass will be more than a "church vision series". Compass will be a study in God's Word about how to navigate our own lives as individuals so that we're sailing in God's direction. As always our goal is to grow to be like Jesus in how we live our daily lives and Compass will be focused on personal growth! I also want to invite you to bring unchurched friends to check out this new church we're starting and Compass will be a high energy, fun series for people brand new to Elevation.

This week's message will be on Connecting with God in Worship (btw the worship will be killer this week -do NOT miss this Sunday @E!) Other messages in the Compass series will focus on how to be the church in today's culture, the Bible as transformation for life, the value of authentic community, simplicity in living and reaching people through living the mission of Jesus daily.

So I hope you join us as we explore the direction Jesus is leading us as a church and as indivuals living out His life in Santa Cruz. If you didn't notice, something amazing is happening at Elevation! Join us in planting a new church in Santa Cruz!

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November 10, 2009

The Church of Jesus Still Bleeds

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If you joined us Sunday night you'll know God was MOVING in the worship time and in people's hearts for those persecuted for Christ worldwide! What a great evening! If you'd like to learn more about the massive problem of Christian persecution and get involved in praying and acting on the behalf of those under pressure - visit Voice of the Martyrs at www.persecution.com and International Christian Concern www.persecution.org.

ALSO you can sign up for real timeTwitter updates about current persecution happenings and pray for events as they go down, be part of the solution!

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November 8, 2009

COMPASS: Navigation for a New Church & an Epic Life"

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A new series begins next Sunday, November 15th at Elevation.

In 9 short weeks Elevation will launch off on an epic voyage as a brand new church. Compass is a series that will explore the seven values that will guide Elevation as a church. Compass will be more than a "church vision series". Compass will be a study of God's Word about how to navigate our own lives as individuals so that we're sailing in God's direction. Elevation's seven guiding values are:

Missional Living

Engaging Worship

ScriptureCentric Teaching

Cultural Relevance

Transformed Lives

Authentic Community

Focused Simplicity

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November 5, 2009

Logos Rocks - See Why

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November 4, 2009

National of Prayer for the Persecuted Church

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This Sunday will be the National of Prayer for the Persecuted Church. We'll be having a special evening of worship, communion and interactive prayer stations connected to the important prayerful ministry of remembering those who suffer for Jesus in our time!

Learn more about the massive problem of Christian persecution by visiting Voice of the Martyrs at www.persecution.com and International Christian Concern www.persecution.org.

Hot tip: sign up for Twitter updates about current persecution and pray for events as they happen, be part of the solution!

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November 1, 2009

...new series coming November 15th

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Coming to iPhone !!!

Logos is coming to iPhone check their site over the the few days. This is GREAT news for bible folk everywhere. The new logos 4 is coming out this week too, rumors are everywhere. Logos bible software is the single best software purchase I have ever made, you NEED this stuff!

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October 25, 2009

Tithe Not

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Last Sunday at Elevation we explored New Testament giving. I shared that tithing is not the scriptural standard for New Testament believers and gave 11 principals for giving from the NT. The NT clearly teaches that giving is something we should certainly be about and we should give with wild generosity and radical faith.

The New Testament principals make 10% too little giving for some and too much giving for others, like the poor.

Check out the podcast of the message Managing your Booty Part #2 if you are interested. You can find it on our webpage It will be up by Wednesday at the latest.

I also mentioned I would post the complete listing of all 18, (yep that's all there are, 18) biblical texts regarding tithing (for further homestudy) so here they are.

Gen 14:17-20 -- Gen 28:20-22 -- Lev 27:30 - 34 -- Num 18:19-28 -- Deut 12:1-19 -- -- Deut 14:22-29 -- Deut 26:12-13 -- 1 Sam 8:14-17 -- Amos 4:2-6 -- 2 Chron 31:1-12 -- Neh 10:37-38; 12:44; 13:5 &12 -- Mal 3:7-10 -- Matt 23:23 / Luke 11:42 -- Luke 18:9-14 -- Heb 7:1-19

Notice that none of these passages instructs 10% giving for anyone other than land owners and herd owners (and Levites who gave a tithe of the tithe to the Priests). Note also Jesus never teaches on tithing, nor did he ever tithe, Paul never even wrote the word tithe in any of his writings. So explore and study giving to Jesus as a heart endeavor - have at it mateys.

I taught we should give : Worshipfully - Initially - Regularly - Proportionally - Sacrificially - Faith-FULLy - Excellently - Generously - Thoughtfully - Willingly - Joyfully. ::: STUDY CHALLENGE: This week prayerfully study through 2 Corinthians chapters 8 & 9, it is filled with stuff we couldn't even touch on Sunday night!.

For more study on the topic of tithing read Russell Early Kelly's excellent book "Should the Church Teach Tithing: A Theologians Conclusions About a Taboo Doctrine"

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October 21, 2009

The Mystery Spot is...

YEeaaahhHHH God! We now have a killer location to move to when we launch out in January. After the move we'll be meeting in the facility of Christian Life Center in Santa Cruz.

It's such a God thing, they approached us with the heart desire to bless us knowing we needed a meeting place and they had no one using their excellent newly refurbished facility on Sunday nights. When you see it you'll trip - it's a big trade UP for us. They are charging us tiny rent in the hopes of helping us poor start up church types - it's amazing, muy generoso no?. When I asked if the rent was enough for them to cover costs and could we pay more they just said "we want to bless you guys".

We are blessed, this is what the church is about baby, radical generosity and a desire to build the Kingdom! Here are a few pictures.

Kids Church Main Room (all the kids rooms have jungle themes)
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Entry Way / Coffeeshop
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The Sanctuary (we'll do the Elevation Environment Team Cha Cha every week so who knows what wild thing it will look like it on Sunday Nights)

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We'll continue to meet at our current facility at Santa Cruz Bible Church until January 10th when we move out and have a BIG hootananie of a new church launch sunday! God is blessing us in amazing ways every day. Something is afoot at the circle K! Oh, for the record were renting space from CLC not merging with them.

When you see Ed Tyler pastor of CLC, make sure you say Thank You in at least two different languages.

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