by David Docusen | November 6, 2009 | Uncategorized
I have a dream for Charlotte. I have a dream for Center City Church. I have a dream for today, tomorrow, next week, next month, next year and for years to come. Dara and I are filled with God-given dreams for this city. But none of them can become a reality without prayer. I believe that with everything inside of me.
I have a pretty regular routine of getting in my car and driving around Uptown Charlotte and simply praying. I will drive around the town and imagine what Joshua felt when he was circling Jericho (Joshua 6). I walk the streets and pray for the thousands of people that hurriedly pass me. I pray over the buildings. I pray that God would open doors that no man can close. I pray that God would close doors no man can open. I pray for the present. I pray for the future. I pray for creativity. I pray for favor. I pray for the hurting and broken. I pray for whatever comes to my mind.
God has put huge dreams in our hearts. I believe with all my heart that the path from here to there is covered in prayer.
by David Docusen | November 1, 2009 | Uncategorized
I find myself walking around this morning today saying “I LOVE TODAY” over and over again. I know it sounds a tad silly, but it’s true. I love today because we are having our weekly gathering for Center City Church this morning at our house. It is one of the highlights of my week. I absolutely love getting together with the people that we love, hanging out, eating together and then learning and growing in our faith together.
We are talking about what happens when someone’s life is genuinely impacted by Christ today. You can read in Mark 1:40-45, Acts 9:1-22 and Acts 16-:22-34. When Christ changes people, they begin to talk.
How do we perpetuate the message of Christ to Charlotte? Allow spaces for Christ to change our lives. When that happens, it’s a natural response to talk about it. Read for yourself 🙂
I love today!
by David Docusen | October 30, 2009 | Uncategorized
I cannot overstate how incredibly talented the group is that God has surrounded Dara and I with at Center City Church. It’s so humbling to see the amazing blend of administrators, painters, graphic designers, musicians, intellectuals, leaders, etc. However, we have resisted using any of this talent to spread the news of Center City during the early days of our church. We have no website. We don’t do music at our gatherings. We have done no promotional materials for our community. None.
I feel incredibly strong about this intentional season of DNA formation. It is a natural inclination to lean on our gifts and talents to represent Center City. But that would be a misrepresentation.
I don’t want to be known as a creative church. I don’t want to be known for compassion. I don’t want to be known for our music. These are all great symptoms of the source of our lives: Jesus Christ. He is the center of Center City.
This may sound elementary, and I unashamedly agree with that observation. Christ is the source of all creativity. The genesis of all compassion. The composer of all music. All streams of our lives flow from the same source: Jesus Christ.
Each of our gatherings for the past month have focused on getting to know Jesus. It’s all we are talking about. As we lay this foundation, I believe that the addition of our God-given talent will serve to bring attention to the DNA of who is at the center of our lives: Jesus Christ.
There will come a day that we unleash the potential of creativity that is found in each one of us. We are all gifted in unique ways. Our group has a creative bent to them that forms a beautiful mosaic of God’s creation. As we continue to grow, mature and deepen in our faith, our art will reflect our maker.
I am so excited to see our reflection.
by David Docusen | October 26, 2009 | Uncategorized
A dream that Dara and I have shared for many years was that we would one day be able to be a part of something very special. We dreamed of a community that we found in Acts 2:42-47. This portion of Scriptures describes a community of Christ-followers that formed the first local church.
**Acts 2:42-47 – All the believers devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching, and to fellowship, and to sharing in meals, and to prayer. A deep sense of awe came over them all, and the apostles performed many miraculous signs and wonders. And all the believers met together in one place and shared everything they had. They sold their property and possessions and shared the money with those in need. They worshiped together at the Temple each day, met in homes for the Lord’s Supper, and shared their meals with great joy and generosity—all the while praising God and enjoying the goodwill of all the people. And each day the Lord added to their fellowship those who were being saved.
I couldn’t help but become quite emotional when I read this portion of Scriptures recently. My thoughts raced back and forth about our amazing group of people that God has given us at Center City Church. And then it hit me:
Center City looks like Acts 2:42-47.
Read it again. It hasn’t been a strategy. It hasn’t been something we contrived. It is who we are. We deeply love and care for each other. There are multiple stories of others in our group giving what they could to help another in need. I am typing to you from my new computer that is prime example of this (our group all pitched in to help get me a MacBook Pro when I found myself computerless recently). We eat together. A lot. There is great joy and generosity among us. And each day the Lord is bringing others across our path that are being introduced to the love and freedom of Christ.
I am so honored to be a part of this incredible group of people. Our friends and family at Center City have personified to Dara and I (and our munchkins) what Acts 2:42-47 is all about.
by David Docusen | October 26, 2009 | Uncategorized
Some amazing things have been happening lately for Dara and I.
We have been raising our salary for the past year and a half. No guaranteed paychecks. It’s been amazing, though, to see how God has opened doors for us to be able to attend things that help us to learn and grow in spite of not being able to afford to go. Here’s one example:
Several months ago, Dara felt quite strongly that we were supposed to attend the Catalyst Conference in Atlanta. It sounded amazing, but the price tag was would have been around $400 just for registration. Through a very random course of events, it turns out that the leadership of Catalyst heard about our story. They extended an offer for us to apply for a very limited number of scholarships they distribute for the event each year. We applied and they selected us for this scholarship. Amazing.
We ended up getting a free place to stay (thanks Clark & Salina!) and made it to Catalyst for the cost of gas and food. Amazing.
During the first session on the first day, I got a text message from my friend, Ken Peckett. He said that he had extra tickets for Dara and I to head up to the luxury suites that the Church Multiplication Network had for the event. Amazing.
So here we are, Dara and I, at an event that we could not afford to attend, sitting in leather chairs, eating and drinking unlimited drinks and snacks with a perfect view of the conference Dara felt God tell her that we were supposed to attend. Amazing.
We may not have a lot of money right now. Things may be tight and challenging. But our God knows how to bless us. Thanks, Catalyst. Thanks, Clark and Salina. Thanks, Ken. Thanks for responding to God’s prompting with a heart of generosity.
Amazing.
