Access Church

Good people go to heaven - don't they? Sure they do. It only makes sense.

Actually, it doesn't really make any sense at all.

Smart, educated, accomplished men and women everywhere are banking their eternities on a theory that doesn't hold water.

In this message, Rich Barrett will reveal what's wrong with the most popular theory about heaven - and what it really takes to get there.

Join us at Access Church Sunday, October 25, at 10:30 am. See you there!

After nine years of planning and proposals, North Point has gotten approval from the City of Alpharetta, Georgia State University, the North American Mission Board, and the Corps of Engineers to build a 1,000 foot, three-lane bridge connecting the Alpharetta, GA campus to Old Milton Road.

This is significant because the Alpharetta campus typically hosts over 7,000 cars during three Sunday services. There are over 3,000 parking spaces but only two exits or entrances. There are plenty of parking spaces and plenty of seats in the worship center, but the challenge is getting people out of the parking lot after a service, which can take more than 45 minutes.

Here are some excerpts from the letter Andy Stanley sent to the congregation:

• Those of you who are regular attendees have learned to navigate the congestion without losing your faith in the process, but you also know the complexity of inviting someone to "Meet us at church."
• If our mission is to be a church that's perfectly designed for the people who already attend, then we don't need a bridge. But if we want to continue to be a church unchurched people love to attend, then yes, it's worth it.
• I believe creating a second access point allows us to stay on mission.

I love that North Point is an organization that refuses to settle for keeping regular church-folk happy, but is instead looking to improve the guest experience and draw new people with no, little, or terrible previous church experiences.

Congratulations, North Point!

I began this series a few weeks ago by talking about the four questions we ask when taking the pulse of Access Church. The first relates to prayer--submitting our hearts to God. The second relates to giving--submitting our money to God.

Ask these questions with me:

• Do we understand that all we have comes from God and belongs to him?
• Do we give back a priority percentage every month?
• Are we willing to increase that percentage as we mature in our faith?

Access launched in March 2007 with only eight families backing the organization financially. It sounds crazy, but we have been called to create a new kind of church in Jacksonville and are crazy-passionate about that task.

By our two-year anniversary, that number had grown to 80 families, and today more than 100 families regularly give to create the environments of Access Church. We are so grateful to be part of a generous church!

A year ago, we were still dependent upon North Point Ministries for our financial survival. Access attenders now cover 85% of our monthly expenses, and a handful of visionary givers bridge the gap while we're growing.

Access is growing more generous every month! Even in this difficult financial climate, our monthly giving has steadily risen since we launched. Our hope is that by year-end local giving will meet our monthly expenses!

Of course, our generosity won't stop there. We've got great hopes for increasing our commitment to local and overseas ministries who are sharing God's love in similar ways. You'll be hearing more about that very soon.

Thanks for being the kind of church I love being a part of!

Just one of the hilarious works from Tripp & Tyler at Catalyst '09. Enjoy

Success at Access Church is defined by how many of us move from large environments into community groups.

At Access, the community group is the best place for sustained life change to occur. In community groups, we study the Bible together and discuss the issues and challenges of life. It’s also where we pray, care for one another, and are missed if we don’t show up.

Practically speaking, there will never be a way for all of us to personally connect with everyone who attends a church the size of Access. That’s why we place such a high premium on group life. It’s how we develop meaningful relationships at Access. To find out more about community groups we encourage you to join us at our next GroupLink, October 11, 4:30pm.

Click here to register and get directions.

What if I can't make it?
The success of GroupLink depends on everyone's participation. The best groups start strong when everyone is present at GroupLink. If you cannot make it to the upcoming GroupLink, please contact me directly via email. Our next GroupLink isn't until January.

We all emerge from childhood with a picture of how we want life to be. We dream about our future lives with our perfect families and perfect jobs. Yet, rarely does life go the way we anticipated. And we're left with the temptation to take matters into our own hands.

David modeled a different approach - an approach focused on surrendering control rather than taking control.

Join us this Sunday, October 11, at Access Church for the first part of this two-message series. See you there!