<?xml version='1.0' encoding='UTF-8'?><?xml-stylesheet href="http://www.blogger.com/styles/atom.css" type="text/css"?><feed xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom' xmlns:openSearch='http://a9.com/-/spec/opensearchrss/1.0/' xmlns:georss='http://www.georss.org/georss' xmlns:gd='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005' xmlns:thr='http://purl.org/syndication/thread/1.0'><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-996387274723497236</id><updated>2011-07-31T06:21:59.018-05:00</updated><title type='text'>HomeTown                    Community Church</title><subtitle type='html'>Home Town Community Church blog is an information/inspiration piece
following the progress of a new faith community in the North Texas area.</subtitle><link rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#feed' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://hometownchurch.blogspot.com/feeds/posts/default'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/996387274723497236/posts/default?max-results=100'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://hometownchurch.blogspot.com/'/><link rel='hub' href='http://pubsubhubbub.appspot.com/'/><author><name>Bryan Downer</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/11016635312804515113</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='32' height='24' src='http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_jE3alfcptoA/TEsg7881elI/AAAAAAAAABQ/9HcxPKL1PSo/S220/Bryan1.JPG'/></author><generator version='7.00' uri='http://www.blogger.com'>Blogger</generator><openSearch:totalResults>15</openSearch:totalResults><openSearch:startIndex>1</openSearch:startIndex><openSearch:itemsPerPage>100</openSearch:itemsPerPage><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-996387274723497236.post-742107193623437319</id><published>2010-09-13T13:03:00.002-05:00</published><updated>2010-09-13T13:42:30.350-05:00</updated><title type='text'>A Time to be Born</title><content type='html'>As most of you are aware &lt;a href="http://www.htcchurch.com/"&gt;&lt;span id="SPELLING_ERROR_0" class="blsp-spelling-error"&gt;HomeTown&lt;/span&gt; Community Church &lt;/a&gt;is a ministry partner with &lt;a href="http://www.blogger.com/www.MidCitiesPregnancy.org"&gt;Mid Cities Pregnancy Center&lt;/a&gt;.  &lt;span id="SPELLING_ERROR_1" class="blsp-spelling-error"&gt;MCPC&lt;/span&gt; does a tremendous work saving the lives of the many potentially aborted children each year.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;The North &lt;span id="SPELLING_ERROR_2" class="blsp-spelling-error"&gt;Richland&lt;/span&gt; Hills location sees &lt;strong&gt;almost 300 ladies a month&lt;/strong&gt; and provides free pregnancy testing.  Of those 300 about half are pregnant and the vast majority choose to deliver their baby.  &lt;span id="SPELLING_ERROR_3" class="blsp-spelling-error"&gt;MCPC&lt;/span&gt; does a free ultrasound for the mothers.  When they are faced with the truth that there is a living baby inside of them they will usually make the right decision.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Unfortunately, Planned Parenthood will not show these women an ultrasound and when asked about the pregnancy their approved response is to ask the mothers, 'What do you want it to be?'&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;They will not speak the truth.   This is more of Post Modernism eroding the world around us.  Post Modernism teaches that everything is &lt;span id="SPELLING_ERROR_4" class="blsp-spelling-corrected"&gt;relative&lt;/span&gt; and there is no truth.  What is true for you may not be true for me.  Our modern universities are full of this teaching.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;This makes it extremely difficult to share the love of CHRIST with the dying world around.  If there is no truth then we lose JESUS' statement that HE, alone is the way and the truth and the light and that no man can come to the Father except through Him.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Post Modernism will teach that all ways lead to GOD.  It also teaches that you can believe that the heart of the unborn person beating inside of you belongs to a simple blob of your own tissue.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;I praise GOD that we have the technology of ultrasound to show beyond a shadow of a doubt that a baby is still a baby.  And I thank GOD for places like Mid Cities Pregnancy Center.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;span id="SPELLING_ERROR_5" class="blsp-spelling-error"&gt;HTCC&lt;/span&gt; has been given the honor to host a table at their annual banquet, &lt;span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;'A Time to be Born'&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/span&gt;, October 7&lt;span id="SPELLING_ERROR_6" class="blsp-spelling-error"&gt;th&lt;/span&gt; at 7pm in &lt;span id="SPELLING_ERROR_7" class="blsp-spelling-error"&gt;Euless&lt;/span&gt;, Texas.  The featured speaker is &lt;span style="font-size:130%;"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Pam &lt;span id="SPELLING_ERROR_8" class="blsp-spelling-error"&gt;Tebow&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/span&gt;, the mother of Heisman Trophy winner, &lt;strong&gt;Tim &lt;span id="SPELLING_ERROR_9" class="blsp-spelling-error"&gt;Tebow&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;.  Pam has a very compelling story of a doctor treating her for a serious disease in the &lt;span id="SPELLING_ERROR_10" class="blsp-spelling-corrected"&gt;Philippines&lt;/span&gt; and recommending that to save her life she should abort her son, Tim.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;If you would like to hear Pam &lt;span id="SPELLING_ERROR_11" class="blsp-spelling-error"&gt;Tebow's&lt;/span&gt; testimony please let me know.  There are a limited number of seats and there is no cost for the dinner and program.  You will be asked to contribute to the vital ministry of &lt;span id="SPELLING_ERROR_12" class="blsp-spelling-error"&gt;MCPC&lt;/span&gt;.&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/996387274723497236-742107193623437319?l=hometownchurch.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://hometownchurch.blogspot.com/feeds/742107193623437319/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://hometownchurch.blogspot.com/2010/09/time-to-be-born.html#comment-form' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/996387274723497236/posts/default/742107193623437319'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/996387274723497236/posts/default/742107193623437319'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://hometownchurch.blogspot.com/2010/09/time-to-be-born.html' title='A Time to be Born'/><author><name>Bryan Downer</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/11016635312804515113</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='32' height='24' src='http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_jE3alfcptoA/TEsg7881elI/AAAAAAAAABQ/9HcxPKL1PSo/S220/Bryan1.JPG'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-996387274723497236.post-2871550803635722227</id><published>2010-07-24T11:23:00.005-05:00</published><updated>2010-07-24T12:16:14.855-05:00</updated><title type='text'>GOD has been busy!</title><content type='html'>I just wanted to take a second and share how GOD has blessed these past few months. We are approaching our one year anniversary since the &lt;a href="http://www.rootscoffeehouse.com/"&gt;ROOTS Coffeehouse &lt;/a&gt;Community Group started!&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;The Tuesday night group has seen some amazing things! Our typical Tuesday Group spends some time studying GOD's Word, praying for each other and just hanging out drinking great coffee!&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;We have worked our way through the books of Nehemiah, Esther and are just finishing an indepth study of First John. We have seen how GOD providentially works His plan through His people to bring about His great blessings. We learned that GOD's will for His people can be summed up in following the commandments of JESUS.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;div align="center"&gt;Follow GOD and Love People.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;div align="left"&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;div align="left"&gt;We have seen people come and people go. People move in and out of the area. People find jobs. People healed. Relationships restored. A wedding. Salvation!&lt;/div&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;div align="left"&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;div align="left"&gt;All of time we follow our mission -&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;div align="center"&gt;Love JESUS - Love People - Serve the Community&lt;/div&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;div align="center"&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;div align="left"&gt;May 7th we were blessed with opportunity to pour into a local ministry. 'An Evening of Blessing' started as an idea to raise some money for &lt;a href="http://www.midcitiespregnancy.org/"&gt;Mid Cities Pregnancy Center&lt;/a&gt;. MCPC sees almost 300 women each month who may be pregnant and may be considering abortion. We wondered what a small group of faithful believers could do to make an impact in this worthy ministry.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;p align="center"&gt;We prayed and GOD blessed!&lt;/p&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;br /&gt;We staged a benefit concert at &lt;a href="http://www.rootscoffeehouse.com/"&gt;ROOTS Coffeehouse&lt;/a&gt;. Cody Carnes, Dara Joy, Josh Alltop and Marcus Raven performed! GOD packed the place out and people were generous. They gave baby clothes, diapers and alot of money. Since then we have had ladies make baby blankets for new babies and continue to be involved with MCPC.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;div align="left"&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;div align="left"&gt;The Christian Men's Prayer Lunch that meets together every month to pray for each other and others is a good thing. There also is a regular email devotional that goes out almost daily to connect guys together through prayer. Send me an email if you want to be included. We have seen many positive things come through that ministry!&lt;/div&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;div align="left"&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;div align="left"&gt;There is talk about starting more home and community groups that connect the unchurched and lost together to grow in CHRIST.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;div align="left"&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;div align="left"&gt;We do not know what the future holds but we will be faithful because we know who holds the future! GOD has great things for those that seek Him.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;div align="left"&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;div align="left"&gt;May you all be richly blessed by our GOD who loves you!&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/996387274723497236-2871550803635722227?l=hometownchurch.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://hometownchurch.blogspot.com/feeds/2871550803635722227/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://hometownchurch.blogspot.com/2010/07/god-has-been-busy.html#comment-form' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/996387274723497236/posts/default/2871550803635722227'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/996387274723497236/posts/default/2871550803635722227'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://hometownchurch.blogspot.com/2010/07/god-has-been-busy.html' title='GOD has been busy!'/><author><name>Bryan Downer</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/11016635312804515113</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='32' height='24' src='http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_jE3alfcptoA/TEsg7881elI/AAAAAAAAABQ/9HcxPKL1PSo/S220/Bryan1.JPG'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-996387274723497236.post-6621833777906080927</id><published>2010-02-24T13:39:00.004-06:00</published><updated>2010-02-24T14:12:16.071-06:00</updated><title type='text'>For Such a Time as This!</title><content type='html'>&lt;span style="font-size:130%;"&gt;We have been going through the great story of &lt;strong&gt;&lt;span style="font-size:180%;"&gt;Esther&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/strong&gt; at our &lt;em&gt;Tuesday Night Gatherings at Roots Coffeehouse&lt;/em&gt;. Last night we were in the fourth chapter of the story.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;span style="font-size:130%;"&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;span style="font-size:130%;"&gt;Esther has been named the &lt;span style="font-size:180%;"&gt;new queen of Persia&lt;/span&gt; by King Xerxes and all seems well. &lt;strong&gt;Except &lt;/strong&gt;now the King has named Haman prime minister of all the land and the people are &lt;em&gt;required to bow to him&lt;/em&gt;. Esther's uncle &lt;strong&gt;Mordecai refuses&lt;/strong&gt;. Haman notices and is now &lt;strong&gt;crazy mad&lt;/strong&gt;. He wants Mordecai killed. But then he finds out that Mordecai is a Jew so now &lt;/span&gt;&lt;span style="font-size:180%;"&gt;he wants all of the Jews killed.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;span style="font-size:130%;"&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;span style="font-size:130%;"&gt;Persia at that time had &lt;strong&gt;35 million living there&lt;/strong&gt; and was roughly as large as the continental United States. There are &lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;hundreds of thousands of Jews&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt; living amongst the peoples. The decree goes out to &lt;strong&gt;kill them all in 12 months&lt;/strong&gt;. The country is in an uproar.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;span style="font-size:130%;"&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;span style="font-size:130%;"&gt;These people have&lt;em&gt;&lt;strong&gt; intermarried&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/em&gt; with the Persians and are &lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;friends&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt; and &lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;neighbors &lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;and &lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;business people&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt; in the society. Naturally, Mordecai asks Queen Esther to talk to the king. The &lt;strong&gt;problem is&lt;/strong&gt; she can not just go talk to him. Tradition held that the King must summon you or &lt;strong&gt;you could die&lt;/strong&gt; for just walking in on him. &lt;strong&gt;Esther is scared&lt;/strong&gt;. &lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;I would be too.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;span style="font-size:130%;"&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;span style="font-size:130%;"&gt;But then Mordecai tells her those famous words, &lt;strong&gt;'Don't think you will escape death by being in the palace. You can not do nothing. And besides, who knows if you are here &lt;span style="font-size:180%;"&gt;'for such a time as this''&lt;/span&gt;.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;span style="font-size:130%;"&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;span style="font-size:130%;"&gt;We &lt;strong&gt;all have&lt;/strong&gt; such a time as this moments. Moments when we can not see more than one step ahead and &lt;strong&gt;we are scared&lt;/strong&gt;. I want to &lt;strong&gt;challenge you&lt;/strong&gt; right now to &lt;strong&gt;look &lt;/strong&gt;at how &lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;GOD has worked in your life&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt; to bring you to such a time as this. Do you think that HE would leave you now?&lt;/span&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;span style="font-size:130%;"&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;div align="center"&gt;&lt;span style="font-size:130%;"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;GOD has worked in our lives&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="center"&gt;&lt;span style="font-size:130%;"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;to place us exactly where he wants at just the right time.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;span style="font-size:130%;"&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;span style="font-size:130%;"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;My challenge to you &lt;/strong&gt;is to boldly take that next step and to &lt;strong&gt;trust that GOD will be there&lt;/strong&gt; just as HE has been with you in the past. No, &lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;life will not be easy&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;. We are never promised 'easy'. But what we are promised is that GOD will be there. HE has &lt;strong&gt;things for us to do&lt;/strong&gt; that we can not even imagine. &lt;span style="font-size:180%;"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Be bold for Jesus.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/span&gt; &lt;/span&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;span style="font-size:130%;"&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;span style="font-size:130%;"&gt;Take that step. &lt;/span&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;span style="font-size:130%;"&gt;Talk to that person.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;span style="font-size:130%;"&gt;Do a little more.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;span style="font-size:130%;"&gt;Give a little more.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;span style="font-size:130%;"&gt;Trust HIM a little more.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;span style="font-size:130%;"&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;span style="font-size:130%;"&gt;Ephesians 3:20-21 tells us, 'Now to HIM that is able to do &lt;em&gt;exceedingly&lt;/em&gt;, &lt;em&gt;abundantly above all&lt;/em&gt; we can ask or think, according to the&lt;strong&gt; power that works in us&lt;/strong&gt;, unto HIM be glory in the church by JESUS CHRIST through all ages...'&lt;/span&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;span style="font-size:130%;"&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;div align="center"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;span style="font-size:180%;"&gt;May you be blessed as you live for our LORD!&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;span style="font-size:180%;"&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;span style="font-size:180%;"&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/996387274723497236-6621833777906080927?l=hometownchurch.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://hometownchurch.blogspot.com/feeds/6621833777906080927/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://hometownchurch.blogspot.com/2010/02/for-such-time-as-this.html#comment-form' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/996387274723497236/posts/default/6621833777906080927'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/996387274723497236/posts/default/6621833777906080927'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://hometownchurch.blogspot.com/2010/02/for-such-time-as-this.html' title='For Such a Time as This!'/><author><name>Bryan Downer</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/11016635312804515113</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='32' height='24' src='http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_jE3alfcptoA/TEsg7881elI/AAAAAAAAABQ/9HcxPKL1PSo/S220/Bryan1.JPG'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-996387274723497236.post-6100256528602532826</id><published>2010-02-09T09:45:00.003-06:00</published><updated>2010-02-09T10:57:03.001-06:00</updated><title type='text'>Thoughts on the Verge Conference</title><content type='html'>Wow!&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Nansii and I had the great opportunity to attend &lt;span style="color:#ff0000;"&gt;'Verge 2010'&lt;/span&gt; in Austin this past weekend. Big thanks to the EFCA for sending us!&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;span style="color:#ff0000;"&gt;Verge 2010&lt;/span&gt; - Missional Community Conference - over 2000 Church leaders from all over committed to be the church that JESUS wants. &lt;a href="http://www.verge2010.org/"&gt;http://www.verge2010.org/&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Many things may come to mind when you see &lt;span style="color:#cc6600;"&gt;'missional'&lt;/span&gt; and &lt;span style="color:#cc6600;"&gt;'community'.&lt;/span&gt; Sounds kind of weird - maybe even 'new age-y'. Before we better illustrate these concepts, let me take a few words to reiterate where I am at on the whole &lt;span style="color:#3333ff;"&gt;'church thing'&lt;/span&gt;.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;I have felt for a long time that &lt;span style="font-size:130%;"&gt;&lt;em&gt;&lt;strong&gt;church in America has been broken&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/span&gt;. We have attended small churches, we have attended large churches and the problems seem the same. America is filled with &lt;span style="font-size:130%;"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;'spectator christians'&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/span&gt;. What is a spectator christian? It is someone who attends a church, even regularly, and that is it. There is no involvement besides just showing up. It's like all you have to do is &lt;strong&gt;punch the Sunday morning time clock&lt;/strong&gt; and you are good to go.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Don't get me wrong, I am not jumping on the people in the pews. It is the fault of church leaders who have &lt;span style="color:#3333ff;"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;created a machine&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/span&gt; that draws people in and that's it.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;span style="font-size:130%;color:#cc6600;"&gt;Willow Creek Church&lt;/span&gt; recently released a report called 'The Reveal Study'. What that study showed was that Willow Creek - the leader of the &lt;strong&gt;'seeker-sensitive movement'&lt;/strong&gt; - is not doing a good job. They have programs and events for everyone and are touching thousands of lives but &lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;few people are actually growing in their faith&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;. This is not unique to them. I believe that &lt;strong&gt;&lt;span style="font-size:130%;"&gt;this is the current norm&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/strong&gt; across America.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;When we read the story of the church in the Bible we do not see &lt;span style="font-size:130%;color:#cc6600;"&gt;'spectator church'&lt;/span&gt;, we see &lt;span style="font-size:130%;color:#3333ff;"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;'participant church'&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/span&gt;. Everyone is supposed to be involved.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;The great commission - Matthew 28.19-20 - to go and &lt;span style="font-size:130%;"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;make disciples&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/span&gt; is a command for everybody, these are Jesus' last words to all of us.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;The great commandment - Matthew 22.37-39 - to &lt;strong&gt;&lt;span style="font-size:130%;"&gt;love GOD with everything you have&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/strong&gt; and to &lt;strong&gt;&lt;span style="font-size:130%;"&gt;love people like you love yourself&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/strong&gt; - this is Jesus' teaching for everyone.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;We can not be a spectator and make disciples or love GOD and people.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;span style="font-size:130%;"&gt;&lt;span style="color:#ff0000;"&gt;We must get in the game.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;span style="font-size:130%;"&gt;&lt;span style="color:#ff0000;"&gt;We must get our hands dirty.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;span style="font-size:130%;"&gt;&lt;span style="color:#ff0000;"&gt;This is going to be work.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;div align="center"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;But it is work that is more satisfying than anything that we have ever done.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;What is &lt;strong&gt;'Missional Living'&lt;/strong&gt;? It is 'sent' living. We have been &lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;commissioned by JESUS&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt; to go - to be the church to the world around us. The idea of &lt;strong&gt;'Missional Community'&lt;/strong&gt; is the idea of being invested in the lives and partnered together with a group of like-minded people, &lt;strong&gt;doing church together.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;HomeTown Community Church is &lt;em&gt;founded on this essential teaching.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;div align="center"&gt;&lt;span style="font-size:130%;color:#ff0000;"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Love JESUS - Love People - Serve the Community&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;div align="center"&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;div align="left"&gt;We are committed to &lt;strong&gt;creating communities of people&lt;/strong&gt; on the journey toward Jesus doing life together. Helping each other to &lt;strong&gt;be the church&lt;/strong&gt; and &lt;strong&gt;making a difference in the world around us.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="left"&gt; &lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="left"&gt;Remember Jesus said to &lt;strong&gt;&lt;span style="color:#33cc00;"&gt;'Let your light so shine before men that they would see your good works and glorify your Father in Heaven!'&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;div align="left"&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;div align="left"&gt;If any of this &lt;strong&gt;resonates with your spirit&lt;/strong&gt; we invite you to &lt;strong&gt;join us on this greatest journey&lt;/strong&gt;. It will not be easy - but it could be &lt;strong&gt;the best thing you ever do&lt;/strong&gt;.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;div align="left"&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;div align="left"&gt;If you are local to North Texas - join us at Roots Coffeehouse, Tuesdays at 7pm - &lt;a href="http://www.rootscoffeehouse.com/"&gt;http://www.rootscoffeehouse.com/&lt;/a&gt; .&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="left"&gt; &lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="left"&gt;If you want to help start a group in your home - we would love to help you. Shoot me an email - &lt;a href="mailto:bryan@htcchurch.com"&gt;bryan@htcchurch.com&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;div align="left"&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;div align="center"&gt;My hope is that this challenges you to re-think church.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/996387274723497236-6100256528602532826?l=hometownchurch.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://hometownchurch.blogspot.com/feeds/6100256528602532826/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://hometownchurch.blogspot.com/2010/02/thoughts-on-verge-conference.html#comment-form' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/996387274723497236/posts/default/6100256528602532826'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/996387274723497236/posts/default/6100256528602532826'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://hometownchurch.blogspot.com/2010/02/thoughts-on-verge-conference.html' title='Thoughts on the Verge Conference'/><author><name>Bryan Downer</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/11016635312804515113</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='32' height='24' src='http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_jE3alfcptoA/TEsg7881elI/AAAAAAAAABQ/9HcxPKL1PSo/S220/Bryan1.JPG'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-996387274723497236.post-5893789724639144490</id><published>2010-01-20T14:10:00.003-06:00</published><updated>2010-01-20T14:37:54.185-06:00</updated><title type='text'>Coffee and Jesus: Tuesday Nights</title><content type='html'>We are very excited to be able to be in conversation about GOD's Word every Tuesday night at 7pm.  We meet at Roots Coffeehouse in North Richland Hills &lt;a href="http://www.rootscoffeehouse.com/"&gt;www.rootscoffeehouse.com&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Thanks Roots!&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;This past Tuesday we finished a long look at the book of Nehemiah.  Nehemiah was a sincere GOD-follower who lived over 2400 years ago in the Middle East.  He left his home and traveled to Jerusalem to rebuild the walls around the city and the lives of the people.  He was met with much opposition and could have quit in discouragement many times but he kept going and finished the work.  You should check it out - it's a great read with a great lesson for us today.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;A New Series!&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;We are very excited to announce our next study.  We will take the next few weeks and look at the book of Esther!  It is a tremendous story of an unlikely heroine.  It is filled with thrilling adventure, a devious villian and some surprising plot twists!  Plus - there are some great lessons there for us today.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Please join us if you can for our next series -&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;div align="center"&gt;&lt;span style="font-size:180%;color:#cc6600;"&gt;"For Such a Time as This"&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;div align="center"&gt;&lt;a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_jE3alfcptoA/S1dl1eEdCWI/AAAAAAAAABA/Ie7fSRbx9IY/s1600-h/Esther+pic.jpg"&gt;&lt;img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 145px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 207px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5428919845097638242" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_jE3alfcptoA/S1dl1eEdCWI/AAAAAAAAABA/Ie7fSRbx9IY/s400/Esther+pic.jpg" /&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;div align="center"&gt;A study in the book of Esther&lt;/div&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;div align="center"&gt;&lt;/div&gt;Starting January 26, 2010&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="center"&gt; &lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="center"&gt;Roots Coffeehouse - 9101 Blvd.26, North Richland Hills&lt;br /&gt;&lt;div align="center"&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;div align="center"&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/996387274723497236-5893789724639144490?l=hometownchurch.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://hometownchurch.blogspot.com/feeds/5893789724639144490/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://hometownchurch.blogspot.com/2010/01/coffee-and-jesus-tuesday-nights.html#comment-form' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/996387274723497236/posts/default/5893789724639144490'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/996387274723497236/posts/default/5893789724639144490'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://hometownchurch.blogspot.com/2010/01/coffee-and-jesus-tuesday-nights.html' title='Coffee and Jesus: Tuesday Nights'/><author><name>Bryan Downer</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/11016635312804515113</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='32' height='24' src='http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_jE3alfcptoA/TEsg7881elI/AAAAAAAAABQ/9HcxPKL1PSo/S220/Bryan1.JPG'/></author><media:thumbnail xmlns:media='http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/' url='http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_jE3alfcptoA/S1dl1eEdCWI/AAAAAAAAABA/Ie7fSRbx9IY/s72-c/Esther+pic.jpg' height='72' width='72'/><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-996387274723497236.post-1280976538849587016</id><published>2010-01-04T10:57:00.004-06:00</published><updated>2010-01-04T11:38:32.504-06:00</updated><title type='text'>Happy New Year!</title><content type='html'>Well, thanks to all of you who have informed me that I am taking too much time in between postings. I resolve to be more frequent!&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;First, a little check-in on the progress is due. When last I posted way back in October I talked about the need to move to a Sunday morning meeting. We have the go ahead to use a good facility that will hold about 45 people when we are ready. At this time we are not quite ready. We are still in the gathering mode.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;I must admit that I have not spent a bunch of time talking to new folks about joining us on this wonderfully exciting journey. The Christmas/New Years season is a busy time for our business and takes additional chunks of my time. That coupled with 3 long weekend trips to families over Thanksgiving and Christmas and where has the time gone?&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;We are still meeting at Roots Coffeehouse every Tuesday night at 7pm at 9091 Blvd.26, ste.101, NRH just north of NRH20 and across the street from TCC Northeast. Its a great location and the coffee is excellent! Tell your friends!&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;We will start a more frequent email campaign to generate interest and keep folks informed. We will also upgrade our website &lt;a href="http://www.htcchurch.com/"&gt;http://www.htcchurch.com/&lt;/a&gt; to contain more information about Home Town Community Church.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;So all that said...&lt;span style="font-size:180%;"&gt;It's 2010! A New Year! &lt;/span&gt;&lt;span style="font-size:100%;"&gt;A great time to look back on the past year. How has your life changed in the last 12 months?&lt;/span&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;span style="font-size:100%;"&gt;Do you have a better understanding of the big questions in life?&lt;/span&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;span style="font-size:100%;"&gt;Where are you going?&lt;/span&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Where did you come from?&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Why are you here?&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Hopefully you have seen the hand of GOD at work in your life - drawing you to HIM, providing for you and protecting you.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Take some time and look back. Then take some time and look ahead. What will 2010 be like for you? Will you be closer to GOD?&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;We would love for you to join us on our journey. We believe that GOD has us where HE wants us and has given us a huge project to be a part of. A project to point the lost to JESUS. Encourage the believers to love each other more deeply. And to reach out to our community in a way that they will see JESUS at work every day!&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;If you need some more info send me an email and I would happy to share our vision for Home Town Community Church with you!&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Here's to a great 2010! GOD Bless you all!&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/996387274723497236-1280976538849587016?l=hometownchurch.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://hometownchurch.blogspot.com/feeds/1280976538849587016/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://hometownchurch.blogspot.com/2010/01/happy-new-year.html#comment-form' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/996387274723497236/posts/default/1280976538849587016'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/996387274723497236/posts/default/1280976538849587016'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://hometownchurch.blogspot.com/2010/01/happy-new-year.html' title='Happy New Year!'/><author><name>Bryan Downer</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/11016635312804515113</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='32' height='24' src='http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_jE3alfcptoA/TEsg7881elI/AAAAAAAAABQ/9HcxPKL1PSo/S220/Bryan1.JPG'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-996387274723497236.post-3715242844232005214</id><published>2009-10-21T15:00:00.002-05:00</published><updated>2009-10-21T15:40:33.309-05:00</updated><title type='text'>Updates and Encouragement</title><content type='html'>Many have asked how things are going with Home Town Community Church so here's a little update on where we are in the process.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;We first announced that we were going to plant a new church in the Northeast Tarrant area with an information meeting at the North Richland Hills Library on September 1st. One week later we started meeting at Roots Coffeehouse at 9101 Blvd.26, NRH on Tuesday nights at 7. It was our desire to provide a place for folks to come and learn about GOD and Home Town Community Church. We started with a study of the book of Nehemiah. Nehemiah is a great example of one man's faithfulness to the will of GOD. His people were in great distress so Nehemiah went to help them return to the things of GOD.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Roots is a great public venue for us. We are starting to recognize the regulars and even have some that listen in. But just this past week I have come to the conclusion that our Tuesday gathering may have confused some. We have had many ask how the church is coming and we tell them about the Bible study and they do not equate the two. So we are looking at an option.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;I had a great opportunity to spend the last two days with 30 pastors and church planters in various sized and shaped churches. When asked about our process the general consensus was that we needed to start meeting as a church. So we are making plans to gather once a week and do a 'mini church' service.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;What will this look like? We will have a short time of praise and worship through singing and then an abreviated message. We will talk about the process of launching a church and then we will pray. Pretty simple - but church nonetheless. There may even be food!&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;We are still talking with many people and looking for those that GOD has already prepared to join us on this incredible journey. If you are interested in coming along, let me know. It takes many gifted people to start a church. Some will stay for many years and some only for a season. If you feel led to be a part in any way - we welcome you.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;The encouragement part - GOD continues to amaze us with His love. Here's something to think about - Ephesians 3:20-21. 'Now to HIM who is able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us, to HIM be the glory in the church and in CHRIST JESUS to all generations forever and ever. Amen.'&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Spend some time and think about those words. Our GOD is amazing!&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/996387274723497236-3715242844232005214?l=hometownchurch.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://hometownchurch.blogspot.com/feeds/3715242844232005214/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://hometownchurch.blogspot.com/2009/10/updates-and-encouragement.html#comment-form' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/996387274723497236/posts/default/3715242844232005214'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/996387274723497236/posts/default/3715242844232005214'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://hometownchurch.blogspot.com/2009/10/updates-and-encouragement.html' title='Updates and Encouragement'/><author><name>Bryan Downer</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/11016635312804515113</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='32' height='24' src='http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_jE3alfcptoA/TEsg7881elI/AAAAAAAAABQ/9HcxPKL1PSo/S220/Bryan1.JPG'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-996387274723497236.post-5899421377922452314</id><published>2009-09-23T09:32:00.003-05:00</published><updated>2009-09-23T09:58:28.289-05:00</updated><title type='text'>Building a City</title><content type='html'>We are currently doing a study through the book of Nehemiah. Nehemiah was the wine-taster to the king of Persia and had a fairly good job. But he heard some bad news about the hometown of his people and was convicted to do something to help. The walls of their city were broken down and the influence and control of the surrounding people groups were pulling the people of GOD to 'great distress and reproach'.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;He humbled himself in prayer for about 4 months and then went before his king to ask for help.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;GOD blessed his request and so Nehemiah left to rebuild the walls and the people.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;The Bible tells us that Christians are also referred to as saints. Not because of an outward perfection to be held over non-believers but because we are saved by a gracious GOD!&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;The greek word for saint is &lt;em&gt;hagios&lt;/em&gt;. This means one who is set apart. We are to be set apart from the unsaved around us. No this does not mean we are to lock ourselves in our homes and hide. It means we are to live our lives in such a way that the world around us notices a difference and GOD is glorified.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Christians are supposed to be different. We should 'do life' differently. We should 'do family' diferently. We should be a light. Why is it that the divorce rate of Christians is the same as the divorce rate of unbelievers? Why is it that the problems of the world have come into the people of GOD?&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;I believe it is because most Christians live in the world and let the world influence their lives. Again, I am not advocating a life in a vacuum.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;We are to be in the world but not of the world.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Nehemiah went to Jerusalem and built the wall around the city of GOD. But the wall had gates. The church should be the same way. We are set apart but we go out of the 'gates' to do business and have influence. The gates are there so others can come in. But we have control of the gates. What are we letting in our city? Is it things that will bring us down?&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Home Town Community Church will be a 'City Within a City'. We are a group of believers that values the things of GOD and love those around us enough to tell them about JESUS.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Join us Tuesday nights at 7 at Roots Coffeehouse at 9101 Blvd.26 (Grapevine Hwy.), Ste.101, just north of NRH2o between Firehouse Subs and Chipotle across from TCC. We will save you a seat!&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/996387274723497236-5899421377922452314?l=hometownchurch.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://hometownchurch.blogspot.com/feeds/5899421377922452314/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://hometownchurch.blogspot.com/2009/09/building-city.html#comment-form' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/996387274723497236/posts/default/5899421377922452314'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/996387274723497236/posts/default/5899421377922452314'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://hometownchurch.blogspot.com/2009/09/building-city.html' title='Building a City'/><author><name>Bryan Downer</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/11016635312804515113</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='32' height='24' src='http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_jE3alfcptoA/TEsg7881elI/AAAAAAAAABQ/9HcxPKL1PSo/S220/Bryan1.JPG'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-996387274723497236.post-627870320112784434</id><published>2009-09-06T19:41:00.005-05:00</published><updated>2009-09-06T21:11:26.501-05:00</updated><title type='text'>We Are Off to a Great Start!</title><content type='html'>&lt;a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_jE3alfcptoA/SqReKZTEwjI/AAAAAAAAAAw/OGWAHhGW04Y/s1600-h/Group9-1.jpg"&gt;&lt;img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5378527387669807666" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 228px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 143px" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_jE3alfcptoA/SqReKZTEwjI/AAAAAAAAAAw/OGWAHhGW04Y/s320/Group9-1.jpg" border="0" /&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;This past Tuesday we held our &lt;strong&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:arial;"&gt;Information Meeting/&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:arial;"&gt;Community &lt;span style="color:#cc0000;"&gt;Group&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; &lt;span style="font-family:arial;"&gt;Kick-Off&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;We were very encouraged by the turn out and are excited about where GOD is leading.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;We met at the North Richland Hills Public Library. The facilities were perfect and the cost was great (free!). I spoke for about 30 minutes about why we need a new church in the area. When you start to investigate the statistics of how many people live in the area and how many are not involved with a local fellowship it is staggering!&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;North Richland Hills was once a small farming community that grew to a peaceful suburb. But with the recent growth of the entire Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex we live in an increasingly urban area. The population density is now at about 3000 people per square mile. That means that a three mile radius includes more than 28,000 people.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;I know that we live in the middle of the Bible Belt but most of our neighbors are not involved in a local church. Many are people that are new to the area and have not found a body that fits them. People tend to hang around people that are like them - this is no surprise. Many are people that have left a church or their church has left them. One needs not be a studied theologian only a current news watcher to understand that many churches and whole denominations are changing their doctrine to fit society. Many are even changing the way they interpret GOD'S Word.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;It is of utmost importance that no matter what style fellowship we attend that GOD'S Word is faithfully taught and people are led to the LORD!&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;span style="font-size:130%;"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Let me share a couple of ways that GOD has provided&lt;/strong&gt; for&lt;/span&gt; &lt;strong&gt;Home Town Community Church.&lt;/strong&gt; One of the things that we have been praying for is that GOD would provide a graphic design person to help with the logo design. Melissa Glatz at Glatz Creative Design is that person! She has done a fabulous job and has provided us with exactly what we needed! Thanks Melissa!&lt;br /&gt;The last part of the presentation Tuesday night I announced the beginning of our &lt;span style="font-family:arial;"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Community &lt;span style="color:#cc0000;"&gt;Groups&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/span&gt;. These are small group/home Bible studies that &lt;strong&gt;Home Town Community Church&lt;/strong&gt; will grow from. We have been praying about a location for our initial group and had nothing. My dear wife, Nansii was starting to get a little concerned. But once again, exactly when we needed it GOD provided! I dropped a flyer off in a local coffee house that is close to the Library. Speaking to the guy behind the counter, I asked if it would be OK to put the flyer up on their bulletin board. He said, 'Sure! The owner of the coffee house is a Christian and she allows groups to meet in the back of the shop.' Wow! I contacted Janice at Roots Coffee House and she said she would be more than happy to let us meet. This was a couple of hours before our meeting at the Library!&lt;br /&gt;It is amazing when we take a step of faith in the direction that we believe GOD is leading us how HE provides just one more firm place for our foot to land.&lt;br /&gt;Tuesdays at 7pm we will gather at Roots Coffee House at 9101 Blvd.26 (Grapevine Hwy.), Ste.101 between Firehouse Subs and Chipotle Grill just north of NRH2O.&lt;br /&gt;We are now praying for people!&lt;br /&gt;&lt;ul&gt;&lt;li&gt;People who need JESUS.&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;People who will join us on this amazing journey.&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;People who will pray for us.&lt;/li&gt;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;p&gt;I anxiously wait for the LORD'S continued provision and pray for you!&lt;/p&gt;&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/996387274723497236-627870320112784434?l=hometownchurch.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://hometownchurch.blogspot.com/feeds/627870320112784434/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://hometownchurch.blogspot.com/2009/09/this-past-tuesday-we-held-our.html#comment-form' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/996387274723497236/posts/default/627870320112784434'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/996387274723497236/posts/default/627870320112784434'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://hometownchurch.blogspot.com/2009/09/this-past-tuesday-we-held-our.html' title='We Are Off to a Great Start!'/><author><name>Bryan Downer</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/11016635312804515113</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='32' height='24' src='http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_jE3alfcptoA/TEsg7881elI/AAAAAAAAABQ/9HcxPKL1PSo/S220/Bryan1.JPG'/></author><media:thumbnail xmlns:media='http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/' url='http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_jE3alfcptoA/SqReKZTEwjI/AAAAAAAAAAw/OGWAHhGW04Y/s72-c/Group9-1.jpg' height='72' width='72'/><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-996387274723497236.post-6510942219093620708</id><published>2009-08-24T06:54:00.003-05:00</published><updated>2009-08-24T07:46:24.432-05:00</updated><title type='text'>Winner! - Winner! - Winner!</title><content type='html'>How would you live if you knew that you would not fail?&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;What would your attitude be when you woke up in the morning if you knew that you would be a success at the end of the day?&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Talk about a sense of confidence!&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Those of us who have placed our faith in JESUS and have been regenerated can truely live this way! GOD'S Word promises it!&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;We are told that we are GOD'S workmanship - GOD made us.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;HE created us to do good things - that is our purpose.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;GOD prepared those good things for us to do - we just do them.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;You may be asking yourself, 'So let me get this straight - the GOD that created all things by just a word, all-powerful, immense, perfect, righteous has prepared things for us to do?' Sort of a divine project manager. Let's think about that for a moment. The first thing that comes to mind is why would HE choose me to do anything? I know me. There are sometimes that I would not choose me. I am weak - flawed - selfish - mean. Why would GOD choose me ( or you ) for anything? Now we begin to see the true nature of the LOVE of GOD. Remember, GOD loved the world enough to send JESUS to die for it so that we would have a healed relationship with HIM. If GOD loved us while we were strangers from HIM - not just strangers that did not know HIM but people that ran from HIM and sometimes hated HIM. WOW! Thats a lot of LOVE!&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;OK so GOD loves us. But HE still knows us. After all GOD is all-knowing - there are no secrets from GOD - GOD sees everything we do and knows every thought we think. WOW. So even if our relationship is healed with HIM. HE still knows how we really are...right? Here comes the really great part...wait for it...wait for it. When we are saved GOD has chosen to not see the bad in us any more. WHAT???? HOW CAN THAT BE???? It is true GOD only sees us through the perfection of JESUS. JESUS' sacrifice - ON THE CROSS, IN OUR PLACE, FOR OUR SINS paid the total price for all of our sins. HE took our sins and gave us HIS perfection. Now GOD only sees us as perfect. Now back to my original thought - How would you live if you knew that you could not fail?&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;GOD has prepared good works for us to do. How do we know what these works are? Get your head in the WORD and find them. We are told to take care of widows and orphans, we are told to tell our neighbors about JESUS, we are told to live a life that makes people wonder and when they ask us why we live like we do we tell them that we can't lose! Remember, if you have been saved - you are a winner! Lets start living like it and make a difference in our families and our community!&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;WHO'S WITH ME?&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/996387274723497236-6510942219093620708?l=hometownchurch.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://hometownchurch.blogspot.com/feeds/6510942219093620708/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://hometownchurch.blogspot.com/2009/08/winner-winner-winner.html#comment-form' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/996387274723497236/posts/default/6510942219093620708'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/996387274723497236/posts/default/6510942219093620708'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://hometownchurch.blogspot.com/2009/08/winner-winner-winner.html' title='Winner! - Winner! - Winner!'/><author><name>Bryan Downer</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/11016635312804515113</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='32' height='24' src='http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_jE3alfcptoA/TEsg7881elI/AAAAAAAAABQ/9HcxPKL1PSo/S220/Bryan1.JPG'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-996387274723497236.post-6664517452988400208</id><published>2009-08-13T18:14:00.002-05:00</published><updated>2009-08-17T16:14:10.178-05:00</updated><title type='text'>Save the Date!</title><content type='html'>We finally have a date! Take out your calendars right now and circle Tuesday, September 1 from 7-8:15pm. &lt;span style="font-size:130%;"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Home Town Community Church&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/span&gt; is hosting an info session at the new &lt;strong&gt;North Richland Hills public library&lt;/strong&gt;. Everyone is welcome to come and see what &lt;span style="font-size:130%;"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Home Town Church&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/span&gt; is all about.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;We are very excited to have this opportunity to show everyone what Home Town Community Church will be. You will be challenged to &lt;span style="font-size:130%;"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;think of church&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/span&gt; in a &lt;span style="font-family:times new roman;font-size:180%;"&gt;&lt;em&gt;&lt;span style="color:#000000;"&gt;new/old&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/em&gt; &lt;span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:100%;"&gt;way&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;. We are not about more entertainment for Christians. We searched the Bible and could not find the importance of being entertained. What we did find was the joy of &lt;em&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;span style="font-size:130%;"&gt;being&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/em&gt; the church. We found that we have things to do. We are supposed to care for those around us. We are supposed to &lt;em&gt;be&lt;/em&gt; &lt;strong&gt;&lt;span style="font-size:130%;"&gt;JESUS&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/strong&gt; to our neighbors. We are supposed to live our lives in such a way that those around us will see our good deeds and glorify our &lt;strong&gt;&lt;span style="font-size:130%;"&gt;FATHER&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/strong&gt; in heaven!&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;We know that life is hard. We know that everyone has challenges. GOD'S Word tells us that we are to help each other. I help you. You help me. We help those in our community.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Home Town Community Church will be built around &lt;span style="font-size:130%;"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Community Groups.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;span style="font-size:130%;"&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;span style="font-size:130%;"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Community Groups&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span style="font-size:100%;"&gt; are small groups that gather together and study GOD'S Word. &lt;/span&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;They are committed to each other. They do life together. They grow together. They help their neighbors together.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Speaking of helping our neighbors - There will be an opportunity to be a part of our first &lt;strong&gt;Community Service Project&lt;/strong&gt; to be &lt;strong&gt;&lt;span style="font-size:130%;"&gt;JESUS&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/strong&gt; to one of our neighbors. We are surrounded by many people less fortunate they we. Many of our neighbors are elderly and alone, many are disabled. &lt;span style="font-size:130%;"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Home Town Community Church&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/span&gt; will be known as a group of people that are changing their community one life at a time.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;We are very excited to see what &lt;strong&gt;&lt;span style="font-size:130%;"&gt;GOD&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/strong&gt; will do on September 1!&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Tell your friends and neighbors!&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/996387274723497236-6664517452988400208?l=hometownchurch.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://hometownchurch.blogspot.com/feeds/6664517452988400208/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://hometownchurch.blogspot.com/2009/08/save-date.html#comment-form' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/996387274723497236/posts/default/6664517452988400208'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/996387274723497236/posts/default/6664517452988400208'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://hometownchurch.blogspot.com/2009/08/save-date.html' title='Save the Date!'/><author><name>Bryan Downer</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/11016635312804515113</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='32' height='24' src='http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_jE3alfcptoA/TEsg7881elI/AAAAAAAAABQ/9HcxPKL1PSo/S220/Bryan1.JPG'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-996387274723497236.post-5854410942714836306</id><published>2009-08-04T10:16:00.000-05:00</published><updated>2009-08-04T10:50:29.185-05:00</updated><title type='text'>Are You a Noun or a Verb?</title><content type='html'>I can remember from my earliest school days the difference between a noun and a verb.  a noun is a person, place or thing and a verb is an action word like run or jump.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;When we come to the point of faith and trust in Jesus and His work on the cross we are a new creation, the old is passed away.  We are saved.  We are set free from the bonds of sin and death.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;PRAISE THE LORD!&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Now what?  We had only to believe for this change to occur.  Do we have to do anything to stay saved?  What if we are suppossed to do something and don't do it and Jesus comes back?  Are we unsaved?  How do we know?&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Fortunately the Bible is clear on this and we will look at a couple of verses that will help in a second but first a question....&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Who does the saving?  Is it us?  Do we earn it?  Is it because we are good people and GOD wouldn't send good people to hell.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Remember, the Bible says that all have sinned-period (Romans 3:23).  Not most.  Yes even you!  The only way to make it to Heaven is to be perfect..totally perfect.  How can we who have already blown it- (even 1 small lie will taint you) -make it to Heaven?  That is why GOD sent HIS SON, JESUS to come and live a lowly (but sinless) life as a human and then be our sacrifice on the cross.  In our place - On the cross - For our sins.  We add nothing to this transaction.  We could not - we are tainted by sin.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;The Apostle, Paul says that 'We are saved by grace (GOD'S free gift) through faith (only belief) and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of GOD, not of works (anything that we could do), lest anyone should boast.'&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;So we see that GOD does the saving (seems pretty basic).  How could a drowning person save themselves?  GOD is the lifeguard!&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;OK so if GOD does the saving and HE is the ALL POWERFUL CREATOR of EVERYTHING how could this come undone?  We know that GOD is very good at what HE does...right?&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;In Romans 8.38 Paul tells us 'For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing (that includes us), shall be able to separate us from the love of GOD which is in Christ JESUS our LORD.'  Read that a few times and see how totally comprehensive the list is.  There is nothing that can separate us from JESUS not even ourselves.  AWESOME!&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;So what do we do with this?  Do we sit back and rest?  Maybe for a minute or two.  But we were made for good works.  That means we are to be busy with the things of the LORD.  What things are these?  How about if you start by praying!  Pray for your family and friends.  Pray that they come to faith like you  did.  Pray for our country.  GOD tells us to!  Pray for me.  I need it.   I will pray for you.  Read Ephesians 2.10.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;See you soon!  GOD Bless you!  Make difference in someones life today.  GOD will help you!&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/996387274723497236-5854410942714836306?l=hometownchurch.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://hometownchurch.blogspot.com/feeds/5854410942714836306/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://hometownchurch.blogspot.com/2009/08/are-you-noun-or-verb.html#comment-form' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/996387274723497236/posts/default/5854410942714836306'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/996387274723497236/posts/default/5854410942714836306'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://hometownchurch.blogspot.com/2009/08/are-you-noun-or-verb.html' title='Are You a Noun or a Verb?'/><author><name>Bryan Downer</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/11016635312804515113</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='32' height='24' src='http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_jE3alfcptoA/TEsg7881elI/AAAAAAAAABQ/9HcxPKL1PSo/S220/Bryan1.JPG'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-996387274723497236.post-2279836599092064174</id><published>2009-07-21T14:35:00.000-05:00</published><updated>2009-07-21T15:38:13.555-05:00</updated><title type='text'>Inside Out Christians</title><content type='html'>A couple of things happen when we are saved that are pretty cool. GOD'S Word tells us &lt;span style="font-size:+0;"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;we are born again!&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/span&gt; We are a &lt;strong&gt;new creation!&lt;/strong&gt; The old has passed away! GOD Himself, in the person of the Holy Spirit comes to live within us. &lt;span style="font-size:130%;"&gt;How incredible is that!&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;br /&gt;We are no longer condemned in our sins thanks to the sacrifice of Jesus!&lt;br /&gt;&lt;p&gt;We are truely changed. But when we look in the mirror we look the same. This means when others look at us we look the same.  Do you live your life the same?&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;My friends, I would like to issue you a challenge. &lt;span style="color:#ff0000;"&gt;Let's Live our Lives INSIDE OUT.&lt;/span&gt; Let's live our lives so that the world sees whats inside of us.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Here's the challenge for you - read one of the Gospels this week and observe the life of Jesus. I am not asking you to heal the sick or walk on water. &lt;strong&gt;How about just a glass of water to a thirsty person?&lt;/strong&gt; Jesus used any opportunity to tell others about His mission. &lt;strong&gt;How about paying for an elderly person's meal at McDonald's the next time you are there? Mowing your neighbors lawn?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;When they look at you and ask why? Tell them you are &lt;span style="color:#ff0000;"&gt;LIVING INSIDE OUT!&lt;/span&gt; Remember we are ministering to Jesus in these moments. How's that? Whenever you do to the least of these, you have done to Me.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;We are Jesus to the world around us. Let's not keep it a secret. Let's change our community! &lt;span style="font-size:130%;"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;span style="color:#3333ff;"&gt;Home Town Community Church&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/strong&gt; will be a place where we learn to &lt;span style="color:#ff0000;"&gt;&lt;span style="font-size:180%;"&gt;Live Our Faith&lt;/span&gt; &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span style="font-size:180%;color:#ff0000;"&gt;INSIDE OUT!&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/996387274723497236-2279836599092064174?l=hometownchurch.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://hometownchurch.blogspot.com/feeds/2279836599092064174/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://hometownchurch.blogspot.com/2009/07/inside-out-christians.html#comment-form' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/996387274723497236/posts/default/2279836599092064174'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/996387274723497236/posts/default/2279836599092064174'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://hometownchurch.blogspot.com/2009/07/inside-out-christians.html' title='Inside Out Christians'/><author><name>Bryan Downer</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/11016635312804515113</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='32' height='24' src='http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_jE3alfcptoA/TEsg7881elI/AAAAAAAAABQ/9HcxPKL1PSo/S220/Bryan1.JPG'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-996387274723497236.post-383529921960632130</id><published>2009-07-10T20:48:00.000-05:00</published><updated>2009-07-10T21:35:17.071-05:00</updated><title type='text'></title><content type='html'>Jesus' last words to His followers in Matthew 28:19-20 say,  "&lt;span style="color:#ff0000;"&gt;Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I will be with you always, even to the end of the age."  &lt;/span&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;span style="color:#000000;"&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;color:#006600;"&gt;Home Town Community Church&lt;/span&gt; will be a place where that is happening!&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;span style="color:#3366ff;"&gt;Making Disciples&lt;/span&gt; - One of the most important things a pastor can do is to teach his flock to be disciples.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;div align="center"&gt;Jesus commanded it!&lt;/div&gt;The world around us needs more believers 'doing' what Christians are supposed to do -&lt;br /&gt;          -Loving Each Other.&lt;br /&gt;          -Making a Difference in Our Community.&lt;br /&gt;          -Telling Our Friends and Neighbors About JESUS.&lt;br /&gt;          -Raising Happy Families.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;span style="color:#3366ff;"&gt;Baptizing&lt;/span&gt; - We believe that the Bible teaches that baptism is not a requirement for salvation.  But we also believe that all Christians should be baptised.  This is part of our public proclamation of the change in our lives as believers.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;span style="color:#3366ff;"&gt;The Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit&lt;/span&gt; - We believe that GOD exists in the mysterious union of the Trinity.  Each of the members of the Godhead are co-equal and co-eternal.  They have always been and always will be!&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;span style="color:#3366ff;"&gt;Teaching them to Observe all Things Jesus Commanded&lt;/span&gt; - Teaching through the entire Word of GOD in an exciting and relevant way that leads you into a deeper relationship with our Creator!&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;We will be adding a complete doctrinal statement in the next few days.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;So where is this church?&lt;br /&gt;                When do you meet?&lt;br /&gt;                            How can we be a part?&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;color:#006600;"&gt;Home Town Community Church&lt;/span&gt; is starting a &lt;span style="color:#3366ff;"&gt;Core Group Bible Study&lt;/span&gt; in early August.  This will be the group that helps to birth this new church.  We are very excited about the path that we are on and are ready for you to be a part.  We do not want to 'steal' believers from other churches.  What we do want is to provide a place for believers that are not involved in church at this time and want to be a part of a new and exciting project.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;If this sounds like what you have been looking for or if you know someone that is ready for a real change send me an email at &lt;a href="mailto:bryan@GotDirtdfw.com"&gt;bryan@GotDirtdfw.com&lt;/a&gt; and I will get back to you ASAP.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;In the meantime pray for us and we will pray for you!  GOD Bless You!&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/996387274723497236-383529921960632130?l=hometownchurch.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://hometownchurch.blogspot.com/feeds/383529921960632130/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://hometownchurch.blogspot.com/2009/07/jesus-last-words-to-his-followers-in.html#comment-form' title='1 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/996387274723497236/posts/default/383529921960632130'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/996387274723497236/posts/default/383529921960632130'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://hometownchurch.blogspot.com/2009/07/jesus-last-words-to-his-followers-in.html' title=''/><author><name>Bryan Downer</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/11016635312804515113</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='32' height='24' src='http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_jE3alfcptoA/TEsg7881elI/AAAAAAAAABQ/9HcxPKL1PSo/S220/Bryan1.JPG'/></author><thr:total>1</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-996387274723497236.post-1481910858186811967</id><published>2009-06-15T11:08:00.000-05:00</published><updated>2009-07-10T20:46:53.606-05:00</updated><title type='text'>Welcome to Home Town Community Church</title><content type='html'>Home Town Community Church is a new church plant in the North Richland Hills area. We are in the very early process of gathering a core group of solid, caring Christians who have a passion for Northeast Tarrant county.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;We have been asked why plant a church in this area? This is a very valid question. There seem to be churches everywhere and yet the local demographics show that the majority of our neighbors do not attend anywhere. There is a tremendous need. Many of our college aged neighbors are not involved in church. Many of our elderly are not involved in church.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;It is our desire to build a body of joyful, loving believers centered around the ancient truths of the Word of God, worshipping God in every waking moment by living our lives as Christ would have us to His glory. The problem is there is a hurting world just outside our door that most Christians ignore. We would love for you to be a part of the solution. For additional info you can email me at &lt;a href="mailto:bryan@GotDirtdfw.com"&gt;bryan@GotDirtdfw.com&lt;/a&gt;&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/996387274723497236-1481910858186811967?l=hometownchurch.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://hometownchurch.blogspot.com/feeds/1481910858186811967/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://hometownchurch.blogspot.com/2009/06/welcome-to-home-town-community-church.html#comment-form' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/996387274723497236/posts/default/1481910858186811967'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/996387274723497236/posts/default/1481910858186811967'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://hometownchurch.blogspot.com/2009/06/welcome-to-home-town-community-church.html' title='Welcome to Home Town Community Church'/><author><name>Bryan Downer</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/11016635312804515113</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='32' height='24' src='http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_jE3alfcptoA/TEsg7881elI/AAAAAAAAABQ/9HcxPKL1PSo/S220/Bryan1.JPG'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry></feed>
