Nicky Cruz Speaking at The Springs Church
WEDNESDAY, JULY 28, 2010 - News + Updates
Join us this Sunday, August 1, at 9 AM, 11 AM and 1 PM when famed evangelist and former NYC gang leader Nicky Cruz will be speaking at The Springs Church.
- About Nicky Cruz
- Nicky Cruz was the notorious warlord of the NYC gang, the Mau Mau's, and is the author of the international bestseller, Run Baby Run. He was once told by a court-appointed psychiatrist that he was headed "straight to jail, the electric chair, and hell." Cruz now travels the world speaking about his life of crime and abuse, and the hope he found that changed his life.
Posted by: -
Summertime at The Springs Church
THURSDAY, JULY 15, 2010 - News + Updates
Hello Church Family!
Although the summer is a time of travel and holiday, The Springs Church continues to relentlessly pursue its vision of making a genuine impact in our city and around the world. Our mission support is expanding, reaching in to Haiti, Belize, Afghanistan and Africa. Locally, our ministry to the poor appears to have doubled in its scope and reach.
As a church, we are fully committed to Christ's call to love and serve the poor. Here in our own city there are great needs. We are asking you, as the church, to make a difference. This summer we have an opportunity to help at Carver or Weikel Elementary Schools where there are many underprivileged families.
Meanwhile, here in our own fellowship, relationships are growing and we are seeing people fall more deeply in love with Jesus than ever. Over the next few weeks, you will be hearing us share a vision from God's heart that each one of us get involved in Gospel community through Connect Groups. The leadership here at The Springs truly desires to see each one finding a place to belong.
Connect Groups
If God has put a desire in your heart to lead a connect group, please contact Pastor Nima at (719) 488-8331 or nima@thespringschurch.com. In the next few weeks, you'll be hearing about the opportunity to join one of many groups.
Give 10 in 2010
For our Back-to-school outreach, we're asking you to purchase either 10 of one item on the list below or give $10 to purchase a backpack. You can bring your donations to church this Sunday and drop them in the boxes provided in the lobby.
- loose-leaf notebook paper (college ruled)
- pencils
- pencil sharpener (with catcher)
- pointed school scissors
- school glue (no paste or gel)
- hand sanitizer
- zippered bag (gallon size)
- markers (washable)
- highlighters
- pencil bag
- pink erasers
- crayons (small box)
- wide-ruled spiral notebooks
See you this Sunday!
Posted by: -
Afghanistan Prayer Update
THURSDAY, MAY 6, 2010 - News + Updates
Many of you have been praying for the family in our church that is serving as missionaries in Afghanistan (See previous post). We received this update from them. Thank you for your prayers. Please continue praying for them.
Hey Everyone, just wanted to let you know that we are safe. We had to flee across the border yesterday as we talked to the police and they said a large mob was being organized to attack the Guesthouse. We had a police detail protecting us long enough to pack most of our belongings from the Guesthouse and move it across the border.
We are not finished in Ishkashem yet and are planning on running things from right across the border in Tajikistan. We have many new believers there that need discipling as well so we will be making trips back through after it calms down.
Right now please pray as we still have a team there that is up in the mountains showing the "J" Film, and we won't be able to contact them for another four days.
We also had an Afghan family flee to an adjacent town where we will set up another Guesthouse and continue our work there as well.
The Lord is so good as He did so many miracles just getting us across the border, and we know it was because all of you were praying!
The kids are holding up well despite all of the changes
We love you guys and we will write a detailed account of the last few weeks soon.
Posted by: -
Urgent Prayer Needed in Afghanistan
WEDNESDAY, MAY 5, 2010 - News + Updates
We received this prayer request from a family in our church serving as missionaries in Afghanistan. Please be praying for them.
Just wanted to give a quick update and ask for prayer as we have a very serious situation happening here. Last week the Lord prompted us to invite and show the Jesus film to over 100 Afghans here in our town. We knew it would be risky but felt that it was what the Lord wanted. We had a great response from the people including many new believers and dozens more who wanted to be discipled. We also distributed a large number of Audio Bibles with a great response there as well. We had a huge impact with so many people coming to the house asking for Bibles.
Today we found out that there was a meeting with the police and community and they decided that because we preached the Gospel here that we have to be forced out. Also they are organizing a mob to come and attack the house where we are staying. We have six armed Police guarding our house tonight as I am writing this.
We need prayer right now as we are putting a plan together on what to do and how to best handle the situation. We have a meeting with the chief of Police tomorrow morning to try and resolve it with them, we will not back down or apologize for sharing the truth and so we may not get anywhere with them.
Please pray for protection for our team and that God would work a miracle on our behalf here. We will try and send out an update tomorrow after we know for sure what is going to happen.
We love you guys, thank you so much for your prayers!
Posted by: -
Haiti Update: Apocalypse Still
FRIDAY, APRIL 23, 2010 - News + Updates
Rubble and aftermath of the earthquake that hit Haiti. For more photos view our photo album on Facebook…
[Written Saturday, April 17th by Pastor Patrick Dow while he was still in Haiti]
We are finally back to what remains of the Villa Creole Hotel. The main atrium where we used to eat dinner back in December collapsed on January 12th and is boarded off from the rest of the hotel, which has a few rooms that are being used. As I sit here, I am staring at the fallen roof and am surrounded by the sounds of French and American relief workers who are also at the hotel. Punctuating the dusk are the sounds of hammers and pick axes as people continue to chip away at the remaining hovels that used to be their homes. Day in and day out, they break off pieces of flimsy cinder block walls or pillars or ceilings, only to cart away the rubble in a seemingly mindless attempt to remove the remains of the nightmare quake that struck over three months ago.
Earlier today we toured a tent city and attended a medical clinic where the displaced gathered to receive check-ups and medical attention from two doctors who are members of Pastor Wilson Charles' church. We were invited inside an abode that was a combination of a tent roof, cotton and plastic sheets serving as exterior walls and the bare earth serving as the floor. Twelve people lived there, including Venia, Wilson's worship leader who was getting corn rows for tomorrow's 7am service. Venia's mother welcomed us to her two-bedroom "apartment" as she described it.
We left there in silence only to drive by Wilson's condemned church, which was surrounded by the rubble of houses that used to stand all around it. The houses are gone, but the rubble and the bodies beneath still remain. From there we drove through the neighborhood around the church. Words fail me at this point as it is impossible to describe how people are surviving on top of piles of rubble — an anthill of activity that is their daily struggle just to survive.
The cameras are gone. The news teams are off to the next big disaster — China perhaps, or the volcano in Iceland. Meanwhile, tens of thousands of shell-shocked are wandering about the streets, trying to sell anything they can just to buy food and water. Billions of dollars have been donated toward the relief. I have yet to see where that money has gone.
We visited Wilson's home, which was miraculously spared. Nineteen homeless people live with him and his family — maybe more tomorrow. As if the day could get any more surreal and emotionally draining, we were introduced to Yolande, a young woman of 28. Yolande, who looks like she is 18, sits in a chair with a simple house dress and a vacant look in her eye. On January 12th, she was trapped in her home as the quake struck. Thirty-five seconds later, as the country reeled from the temblor, Yolande was buried under the rubble with her newborn in her arms. The baby died instantly, but for 72 hours (three long days) Yolande clutched her dead infant in her arms. She was reached by rescue workers and rushed off to a makeshift hospital somewhere in Port-au-Prince where her left leg was amputated just above the knee. We spoke to her briefly as she tentatively lifted her dress high enough for us to see the scarred stub where her leg once was. Beside her, propped against the couch, was her prosthetic leg, complete with a black foot, including toe nails with a pink French pedicure.
Behind us, more people came into the kitchen, some eating, some drinking, and some bringing in supplies for those in need more than they. Out in front of the house, a small group began to form under a tarp that protected the sound equipment and chairs that would be set up in the street at 5am for tomorrow's service. This group of Haitians was the new believers class that meets regularly at Wilson's house. Gladys, Wilson's wife of nearly 29 years, showed us the roof of her house which contained two tents and a cage of some 25 doves — Wilsonʼs ʻtoys. My guess is that the dirty white birds serve as some sort of therapy for the pastor who was unable to preach for three weeks after the disaster. Gladys has been sleeping on the roof since January for fear that another quake will hit during the night trapping her in a split second inside her home.
We need medical supplies, construction teams, counselors, clothes, food, and water. We need to learn from the Haitian people endurance and faith in the face of the inexplicable.
Tomorrow, God willing, I will stand on a blocked off street in front of a thousand or so, asking God for words of comfort, words of hope, words that let these members of Christ's body know that their brothers and sisters in America, in Canada, and in Colorado Springs have not forgotten them. We must not forget them.
The hammering of the pick axes has stopped as night falls. Somewhere in the distance, several dogs are howling. Somewhere in the city, Venia is preparing her best dress in the candlelight of her two-bedroom "apartment" — mentally going through a song list as she gets ready to lead a congregation of wounded and suffering into His Presence.
Posted by: -
One-Year Anniversary Video
THURSDAY, APRIL 22, 2010 - News + Updates
April 11, 2010 The Springs Church celebrated our one-year anniversary. We are amazed at what God has done, and are expecting for even greater things in the coming year.
Posted by: -
Haiti Recon Trip Update
FRIDAY, APRIL 16, 2010 - News + Updates
We arrived safely. Main terminal is closed so we were shuttled to a makeshift terminal which was more of a microwave oven. As soon as we cleared customs we were rushed out into the dusty road under the 95° sun. The "porters" outside were 100 times more aggressive than last time. Wilson was 10 minutes late so we were quickly surrounded by five porters, dozens of beggars, cabbies, small children, and amputees.
Fifteen minutes later and nearly $50 in "tips" — or protection money — we jumped into Wilson's SUV. We were to be staying in the Kinam Hotel but Wilson informed us we would be staying at the Villa Creole. A few rooms are opened here; much of the roof and ceilings are being propped up; walks are cracked; the bar/restaurant is destroyed with the roof crumbled to the floor. We were shown to our room (the same room Paul had last time) and told that the AC will probably be back on at 6pm, or so. Only breakfast is served here. There is a menu at the front desk for Domino's that delivers. The hotel is strangely quiet, only a few guests here. Very subdued, almost what I'd imagine post traumatic stress disorder to be like.
The devastation we drove through is unimaginable. Normal life and bustling activity side-by-side with whole neighborhoods that look like a war zone. Here we go…!
Posted by: -
Mercy Week Video
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 7, 2010 - News + Updates
The Springs Church celebrated Easter and our one-year anniversary by asking our congregation to each give one hour of their time to share Christ's mercy + compassion with our city. We called it Mercy Week — 1,000 Hours of Mercy.
Posted by: -
Mercy Week Shopping Lists
FRIDAY, MARCH 26, 2010 - News + Updates
We will be shopping for various groups in our city. A detailed shopping list of needs is provided for the group that you choose. After supplies have been purchased they can be dropped off at the World Challenge offices. All items must be dropped off no later than 5pm on Tuesday, April 6th.
Elementary School
We have connected with several schools in the area where the students and teachers do not have the supplies they need to get their work done. List below is items needed per student.
- Planner
- 1 box #2 pencils
- 1 pack erasers
- 1 pack glue sticks
- 1 spiral notebook
- 2 pocket folders
- 1 three-ring binder
- Notebook paper
- Fisker Scissors
- White paper
- Children's Pants (Grades 1–6)
- Small toys/prizes (i.e. Matchbox cars, whistles, lip gloss, etc.)
Dot and Mimi’s
Dot and Mimi are women who love their community and have opened their home for give-a-ways. They empty their pantry continuously to help those homeless and less fortunate in their neighborhood.
- Non-perishable food items
- Household supplies (i.e. cleaning products, toilet paper, paper towels, etc.)
- Bibles or tracts
- Large trash bags (30 gallon)
- Used Christian books, VHS or DVD's
- Healthy portable kid snacks
Liza's Place + Women of Courage
Liza’s Place is a transitional housing facility for women before re-entry in to society. These women need our love and support to make their mark in the world for the better. Women of Courage is a local ministry encouraging low-income, working, single-mom families toward spiritual strength, emotional healing and self-sufficiency.
- Day planners
- Journals
- Household items (i.e. toilet paper, cleaning supplies, etc.)
- Non-perishable food items
Homeless
We have been connected with a person who is helping the homeless. She needs new shoes and new socks to help those in need.
- New shoes and socks (Adult sizes 10–12)
- Personal hygeine items
Pick-Up + Drop-Off:
World Challenge Office
1775 Jet Stream Drive, Suite 105
Colorado Springs, CO 80921
Posted by: -
Get Saved, Get Baptized
FRIDAY, MARCH 19, 2010 - News + Updates
We’re not being coy, subtle or laid back. We’re going right for it. We’re telling people in our city that Jesus is calling them to be saved and baptized. For this service, we are inviting friends, co-workers, neighbors and family members who are not in relationship with Christ to come and hear a simple message of God’s love. We believe that the power of God will be present and people will be saved. Then we’re pulling out a page from the book of Acts and having a spontaneous baptism. We’ll have a change of clothes and towels for all who meet Christ and baptize them that same day. This will be something worth being part of. Pray for this day and plan to bring someone with you.
Until then, we are continuing our series on 1 Peter. The Word of God is building our faith. Don’t forget our Wednesday night prayer meetings. So much is going on, it is crucial that we bring all things to God in prayer.
Posted by: -
One-Year Anniversary
FRIDAY, MARCH 19, 2010 - News + Updates
Mark your calendar, as we want our whole church to come together and celebrate all that God has done in our first year. None of us could have possibly imagined the vast work God would do in our city in such a short time. Three services, over 800 people attending each week, over 60 people coming to Christ, prayer meetings that touch heaven, small groups that are building community and Christ’s love and mercy reaching out to the lost. We’re amazed!
That Sunday will also be the conclusion of Mercy Week and we will give a report on what God has done.
Posted by: -
Mercy Week — 1,000 Hours of Mercy
FRIDAY, MARCH 19, 2010 - News + Updates
On Easter Sunday, April 4th, we will not only celebrate the resurrected Christ but also launch Mercy Week - 1,000 Hours of Mercy. We are asking that God use us not only to announce the resurrection to those who walk through the doors of the church, but that we take this message to the lost. During this week, we are looking for everyone in the church to give one hour to engage in simple yet profound acts of God’s love.
Some can volunteer to shop for school supplies; others can spend an hour assembling the supplies in backpacks; and some can deliver the gifts to needy schools. We also need individuals to shop for gift baskets that will be delivered to local police and fire stations. There will be an opportunity to be on a team to visit one of three different nursing homes. We will have more information on how to get involved in the upcoming weeks. There will be plenty of opportunities to serve. Just one hour during the week of April 4th-11th, and we will see Jesus lifted up.
Posted by: -
Sixty in Two Months
FRIDAY, MARCH 19, 2010 - News + Updates
During our first year as a church, we were overjoyed to see more than 60 people come to know Jesus. This year, we are believing for more. As a matter of fact, we believe we’ll see more salvation in the next two months than all of last year combined. We believe that 60 people will meet Christ at The Springs Church during our Easter, Anniversary and Get Saved, Get Baptized services. Please pray that God would use us to touch those who don’t know God in our city.
Posted by: -
Update from Missionaries to Afghanistan
FRIDAY, MARCH 19, 2010 - News + Updates
This video shows the exact area where we are moving, and gives a sense of where we will be and the people to whom we will be ministering.
We have just two weeks left now before we leave for Afghanistan! We have had an incredible training time here and we really feel like we have fallen in love with Jesus all over again. We have been spending the last two weeks learning effective ways to share the gospel and to train lasting disciples. We have been learning about walking out a model of prayer combined with missions that we believe is going to yield massive fruit!
The kids have really enjoyed the schooling as they are learning the same principles that we are being taught. We have been very busy getting prepared and helping get our team ready to go out and we are really getting excited to go and and see how God is going to move among the people there! We really have an amazing team here and all of them are very passionate about reaching the lost and seeing real revival come.
We really miss everyone at The Springs Church and we're so excited to share our experiences with you guys back home! We will be flying out to Kabul the beginning of April and will be returning to The States in October. We would love it if you guys joined us in prayer not only for the safety of our family, but also for God to gives us clarity in sharing and a real demonstration of His love and power.
We will be posting all of our updates on our website at www.blazetheway.com including photos and video of our journey.
We love and miss you guys!
Jonathan, Tina, Amy and Christian
"Pray for us, too, that God will give us many opportunities to speak about his mysterious plan concerning Christ. That is why I am here in chains. Pray that I will proclaim this message as clearly as I should." - Colossians 4:3-4
Posted by: -
Children's Ministry Video
THURSDAY, MARCH 18, 2010 - Videos
The majority of Americans make a decision for Christ by the age of twelve. Their personal and moral foundations are generally in place by the time they nine years old.
- The Barna Group
Posted by: -
Daylight Savings Time
TUESDAY, MARCH 9, 2010 - News + Updates
This Sunday at 2:00AM begins daylight savings time. Be sure to set your clocks forward one hour.
Posted by: -
Egypt
FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 26, 2010 - News + Updates
We spoke with Pastor Adam today at an oasis retreat compound near Alexandria, Egypt. Pastor Gary was just finishing up his address to nearly 400 Arab and Middle Eastern pastors. Their luggage was lost, so they are being ‘creative’ with their wardrobe! Keep them in prayer for these strategic meetings. Six Coptic Christians were recently shot and killed coming out of an evening service by Muslim extremists. A local pastor told them that his church members are routinely abused and persecuted for their faith. One man was thrown into prison and suffered unspeakable torture – for which he needed surgery – for simply owning a Bible.
Check out a few photos from the conference on Facebook.
This Sunday, we will go deeper in our commitment to C2W — Connect to the World. I will be speaking on John 15 – abiding in the true vine and bearing lasting fruit. We will also present some exciting opportunities that the Holy Spirit has been developing in our hearts. We will be offering some concrete ‘handles’ for you to grab on to as we relentlessly pursue obeying God’s commands to love Him and to reach and serve others.
Posted by: -
Multi-Site Video Venues
FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 2010 - Video Updates
This Sunday we invite you to join us in a new venture. As the church continues to grow and touch lives our vision is not to be an auditorium of thousands, but rather to be a multi-site church – one church meeting at different campuses. To do this well we will need to incorporate video sermons. This week is our first attempt at the 1:00pm service. We will have live worship, and then we will bring in a huge screen and show a video of the 9:00am service. We would love for you to come help us in this new and exciting endeavor. I believe this is the first step towards something that will eventually have citywide impact.
Posted by: -
C2W - Connect to the World
FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 2010 - Video Updates
We take the Great Commission seriously; Jesus called us to make disciples and that is our heart, passion and commitment. We believe that building relationships with those who don’t know Jesus is vital to fulfilling His Great Commission.
Posted by: -
The Springs Church Helps Haiti
TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 22, 2010 - Video Updates
Cheryl Reza of KRDO news Channel 13 covers a piece about The Springs Church's involvement in Haiti.