An Important Date to Remember - May 3rd

We recently faced a situation that only a miracle of God could remedy. Prior to being at COLC, we were the sort of people who felt that we could take care of every situation or problem we encountered in life. Trusting in God to supply our EVERY need, including finances and health, is a lesson we have learned at COLC. God showed us that we had to trust in Him, not ourselves, in every situation and He came through at just the right time. To God be the glory!!

If you are facing uncertainty in life, we encourage you to stand on these scriptures, as we did:

Whoever trusts in Him will not be disappointed.

Romans 10:11

But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

1 Corinthians 15:57

On a similar topic - an important date is coming up. May 3rd is our National Day of Prayer.

The National Day of Prayer has great significance for us as a nation. It enables us to recall and to teach the way in which our founding fathers sought the wisdom of God when faced with critical decisions. It stands as a call to us to humbly come before God, seeking His guidance for our leaders and His grace upon us as a people. The unanimous passage of the bill establishing the National Day of Prayer as an annual event signifies that prayer is as important to our nation today as it was in the beginning.

The National Day of Prayer belongs to all Americans. It is a day that transcends differences, bringing together citizens from all backgrounds. Mrs. Shirley Dobson, NDP chairman, reminds us: “We have lost many of our freedoms in America because we have been asleep. I feel if we do not become involved and support the annual National Day of Prayer, we could end up forfeiting this freedom, too.”

Christians are not doomed to defeat but called to victory. If God can change us then He can use us to change some part of this world. Christians can change the course of human history by prayer and obedience to God.

We ask that you take the day Thursday, May 3^rd to pray and fast for our nation. Pray that God will so take the heart of our President, Senate and Congress that all laws instituted will be for His glory and that we may live in peace.

God bless you!
Elders Fred and Ernie Congdon

Hello! It's YOLO!

Have you been to YOLO???

BreAnna Morgan is the creator of the new and exciting program called YOLO!!! YOLO stands for "You Only Live Once." BreAnna came up with this great idea to have a hang out every Friday night for the EPIC Students. Every week she posts on the EPIC FB page what we will be doing the upcoming Friday. If you haven't liked us on Facebook click here now!

YOLO nights so far have consisted of bowling, volleyball or just going out to eat together. YOLO is a safe and fun place for your teen to be on a Friday night. Thank you BreAnna for envisioning YOLO and making it happen every week!

Hope to see you at the next YOLO!!
Pastors Tre' and Shawnel

Discipline

Recently I spoke to the ladies at our Extreme Makeover event on the topic of “discipline.” Discipline is an important issue for all of us. It is so important to God that we have discipline and be in control of our life. Proverbs 25:28 tells us, “He who has no rule over his own spirit is like a city that is broken down and without walls.”

Matthew Henry’s Commentary explains it like this, “(A disciplined man) is one that has rule over his own spirit; he maintains the government of himself, and of his own appetites and passions, and does not suffer them to rebel against reason and conscience. He has the rule of his own thoughts, his desires, his inclinations, his resentments, and keeps them all in good order.”

Wow! That really says it all, doesn’t it?

Sadly, a person who is not disciplined and has no self control is an easy target for the enemy. So we must learn how to have self-control by taking inventory of our lives and our thoughts. Discipline is a lifestyle. It takes time to develop discipline. It does not usually come overnight. We must declare it over our lives and believe that we are going to be our best this year! Will you declare it with me? Say, “I am set free in my mind – I have the mind of Christ – I am healed, set free, delivered and disciplined!”

Celebrating life!
Pastor Yolanda Morgan

Are you Attractive/HOT?

Yes I said it.
Are you hot?!! Are you good looking?

Society has put a big emphasis on our looks and our outward appearance. I was reading my Bible a few weeks ago and read how in the last days the bride will make herself ready. Well isn't that making yourself beautiful? It's funny to me how we will take the time to primp and get decked out for a hot date but we forget to prepare ourselves for God. I was telling our youth just that.

I asked them "Are you HOT?".

I think they might have thought I lost my mind. Well that's what youth pastors do... we lose our minds! Some of you deal with one or two teens... try 40 or 50! :)
I also asked our students, "Have you ever crushed on God?"

It's a valid question.

Have you been so attractive to God that He actually wanted to hang out with you? Un-Hot people make God throw up! Revelations 3:15-17 says that if you are not HOT that it makes Him sick. God likes us to make a decision all in or nothing. You can't be faithful to your wife, husband, girlfriend or boyfriend half of the time and expect a wonderful relationship. Or expect them to even stick around. So why do we do that to God? The awesome thing about God is he gives more than one chance. Thank
you Lord!! Cause I'd be in a hot mess.

I gave our youth 3 things they could do to be attractive to God. I'll give them to you...

1-Prepare Yourself:
If you know your date likes certain kinds of music don't you get your iPod out and get a playlist together that will set the atmosphere? Do you have a song that's just you and your significant other? Well get one for you and God! Have you ever been in the waiting room at the doctors office and said, "Oh yeah - this is me and God's jam!"

I know... sounds nuts, but God loves the fact that you think of Him constantly.

2-Don't Be Looking:
If my wife thought I was still shopping!!! Wow!! I'd be dead! Think about it. Sometimes we are in a relationship with God but we are still shopping and looking for something that can fill void or just the next best thing.

What if God knew we didn't want anything else and we showed Him that by our actions. Wow! Talk about getting whatever you want. Give God a reason to give you a crazy blessing.

3-Change It Up:
Pastor Morgan said once, we should "change it up with God." This is so true. I'm getting better at it myself. I've been known to go in and give the same praise and worship, say the same things or do the same thing. God needs to hear from us in different ways.
For instance.... If you are a man who hates going to the movies and your wife loves it, do you just never take her? Not a chance. Nobody else is taking my wife to the movies:)!! Well think about what you think you can't do for God because you don't like to or you don't feel you are qualified
to do and DO IT. Some of the best worshipers can't sing a lick on pitch but God loves the fact that they don't care what people think because they do it unto the Lord.

This was just a little taste of what we talked about in our service. I hope this has
challenged you to be HOT for God.

Youth Pastor Tre' Corley

Our EPIC Students want to thank you!

We would like to say a special THANK YOU to everyone at COLC who have supported the EPIC Students fundraisers this month. We have sold desserts, cookies and even teenagers so far! Yes that's right, TEENAGERS! We auctioned off 8 students to help with some spring cleaning. So if you missed out on this you can always request to have a student come work for you or even babysit. These fundraisers are helping our students attend the Forward Conference in Atlanta, GA, June 28 - July 1. For more information on the Forward Conference you can go to www.forwardconference.org. You can also register online by clicking here. Last day to register is May 31st.

Youth Pastors Tre and Shawnel Corley

PS: We have two more fundraisers this month to tell you about!!!

Cultivating our Word

Every one of us have untapped areas in our life that could be productive if we could only tap into them. We can’t wait for our future to unveil – we must tell our future what we want it to be! First, we need to realize that if God calls us to something – He will empower us to accomplish the task but it must be something He has truly called us to. God qualifies those He calls. If we are compliant, He will shape us and make something good of our life. If we are hard-headed, we open the door to trouble.

Many people spend a lifetime pursuing a dream that God never originated. When God mandates us to do a particular thing – He will gift us with the ability to do it, but we must cultivate the gift. If God has given us a word and we hold onto it and cultivate it, He will give us increase. We must sow into what He has called us to. If we sow and don’t see anything, we can’t be weary.

And let us know grow weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not. –Galatians 6:9

It is easy to allow ourselves to become weary because Satan comes every day to pursue and persecute us. If he can steal our seed, he can take our harvest. We must hold on to our word and our promise! We have a due season. We can’t lose heart. Every day we must declare, “Satan cannot steal my word!”

This is our year and these are the lessons we must learn to go to the next level!

Celebrating life!
Pastor Joseph Morgan

God is moving at COLC!

God is moving in a powerful way at Celebration of Life Church!! You don’t want to miss even one service or message. Please don’t forget to stop by our Bookstore and pick up copies of all of Pastor’s messages. I hope everyone realizes the awesome Word we receive on a regular basis.

We also have several sermons by Pastor Wess. He is not only an awesome singer, but the Word he brings each time he ministers is so powerful and anointed. He just “blows us away” every time he steps to the pulpit!

We will soon be offering the CDs and DVDs from the amazing conference live from Worship With Wonders church where Pastor brought an unforgettable Word. You will want to get a copy of this and experience an on-time, anointed message LIVE from the sanctuary of 3WC!

Our amazing ladies in the bookstore, Barbara Harper and Jill Wood, will be so happy to help you and you will be blessed by their sweet spirit. Tell them what you are looking for and they always go above and beyond to help you find what you want.

We love our church family so much!

Stop by the COLC Bookstore!

We are Elders Harry and Jeanne Umfleet and we absolutely love our church and Pastors. One of our areas of ministry is the Bookstore. We have such an awesome Word consistently coming forth and each service is recorded on audio CD. We encourage you to stop by and purchase a CD of each message so that you can listen over and over and get the teaching into your spirit. This will be a mighty weapon for you against the onslaught of the enemy!

We also have available music CDs and DVDs from our incredible Pastor Wess Morgan. He is one of a kind! COLC has so many talented and anointed people connected to our family and we have music available by just a few of them, such as Pastors Myles and DeLana Rutherford, Mike Scott, and The Crabb Family.

Come see us, y’all.
Elders Harry and Jeanne Umfleet

Raising Up the Next Generation of Christians - Part 2

We are so thankful to have an active role in training up the next generation of prayer warriors, preachers, teachers, evangelists, deacons, pastors, elders and bishops. Furthermore, we are eternally grateful to Senior Pastors Joseph and Yolanda Morgan for allowing God to use us in this ministry. We love our local church and believe that we are to truly focus on equipping children with all the spiritual knowledge that can help them stand against all enemies that come against them. Remember...great people are born and great mentors teach them how to walk in their purpose.

The body of Christ is starting to realize that children are our most precious commodity and we must nurture them to ensure their spiritual survival. We often hear people say that their children are their greatest accomplishment. What they are really saying is their legacy will continue to live on, after they are gone, through their children. If you are a parent, we challenge you to take a few moments to ask yourself these questions...

1) Am I truly committed to the spiritual growth of my children?
2) Do I deposit the Word of God into my children on a regular basis?
3) What will my children and family say about me after I'm gone?
4) Am I a Godly example for my children to follow?
5) Do I look for opportunities to sow, encourage and build up other children who are not my biological offspring?
6) Is God pleased with how I am handling His children?

If you answer YES to all of these questions, then you are committed to building God's Kingdom one child at a time. For everyone who reads this post, you are loved and respected. Thank you for helping us raise up the next generation of powerful children!

In His love,
Darryl and Beverly Cook

Celebrate Easter!

We are looking forward to a time of celebration this weekend as we remember the true meaning of the Easter holiday. We invite you to join us at 7:00 pm tonight for our annual Good Friday service. We will have a time of communion along with presentations by our dance team and children's choir. Saturday will be a fun time for our kids at our yearly Egg Hunt. Bring your kids to join in the fun at 11:00 am.

Easter Sunday morning is always one of our favorite services at Celebration of Life Church. This is the time to invite your friends and family to church! Come expecting a miraculous move of God! We will have a joy-filled gathering as we celebrate our risen King. You don't want to miss a moment of this glorious service!

Blessings and love to you all this Easter,
Pastors Joseph and Yolanda Morgan

Raising Up the Next Generation of Christians - Part 1

One of the most exciting ministries within any church is Children's Ministry. Wouldn't you agree that children have a way of making adults feel young? The Bible contains many verses referencing children - two of our favorites are:

But Jesus called them unto Him, and said, "Suffer the little children to come unto me, and forbid them not; for of such is the Kingdom of God." -Luke 18:16

If anyone causes one of these little ones - those who believe in me - to stumble, it would be better for them to have a large millstone hung around their neck and to be drowned in the depths of the sea. -Matthew 18:6

In both of these scriptures, Jesus is demonstrating His amazing love and passion for children. If we are made in the image of God and are called by Him to do greater works, then how much more should we cherish and love ALL children?

One of the biggest lies the devil tries to get people to believe is that children are more of a burden than a blessing. We say to you today that children are still relevant and equally as important to Jesus Christ, as they were thousands of years ago! We live in perilous times. We cannot afford to forsake one child just because the world has deemed them irrelevant. It is our spiritual duty to train-up, encourage, protect and speak into children's lives!

Serving with a joyful heart!
Darryl and Beverly Cook

Pastor Yolanda Morgan Interview

We hope you picked up a copy of Convenient Shopper Magazine which features an interview with Pastor Yolanda Morgan. If not, we now have the article online for you to read and share with your social media network.

Just click this link (on our homepage) to view the article... CLICK HERE

Have a blessed day!
Celebration of Life Church