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COMMITMENT
Visit championscentre.com for more information on weekly service times and our event calendar.
Commit to the LORD whatever you do, and your plans will succeed.
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F E AT U R E S
— Proverbs 16:3 (NIV)
8 Extraordinary by Kevin Gerald
1 4 The Cup That Holds Liquid Gold by Erik Van Alstine
IN EVERY ISSUE
20
3 Let’s Talk 4 You to Us 6 Champions Foundation Update 1 3 Champion Finds 2 0 Real Life Champion
ABOUT US Champion Life Magazine purposes to equip people to live successful Christian lives.
2 2 k.wise
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worth your time
E XE CU T IVE PU B LIS H E RS Kevin Gerald & Sheila Gerald
E DITO R-IN-CH IE F Jodi Gerald-Cameron
S E NIOR P ROJE C T MANAGE R ART DIRE C TOR
Jen Mueller
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CONT RIB U T ING E DITORS
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Jannsen, Raelynn Poulin, Leslie Powell, Elizabeth Quick, Judi Shackett & McKenzie Zimmerman CONT RIB U T ING P H OTOGRAP H Y CONT RIB U T ING GRAP H IC DE S IGN CONT RIB U T ING WRIT E RS
Laura Siivola Photography
Venessa Koehn & Mickey Elliott
Erik Van Alstine, Forrest Anderson, Chris
Dunayski, Kevin Gerald, Jodi Gerald-Cameron, Sue Kahawaii & Brandon Stewart
Relationship Conference
DIST RIB U T ION
2.9-2.10
P RODU C E R
Kim Ludwick
Champion Life Magazine is produced by Kevin Gerald
Communications (KGC). KGC is a department of Champions Centre in Tacoma | Bellevue, WA, a non-profit organization.
Women’s Conference
5.19-5.20
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MAIL Champion Life Editorial 1819 E. 72nd St. Tacoma, WA 98404
Produced by Champions Centre Publishing © 2010. All Rights Reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without expressed written permission is prohibited and a violation of applicable laws.
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2010 copyright Printed by Capitol City Press
LET’S TALK It’s a dirty word to a lot of people. But the word “commit” doesn’t have to be intimidating. Commitment is all about trust. Without commitment in a marriage trust cannot exist. When commitment is lacking in a workplace, trust is hard to find. Basically, where there is no commitment, trust goes out the window. Part of being a committed follower of Christ is to become good stewards (or managers) of the money God puts in our lives. So many people in the church world cannot do some of the reasonable things that the Bible asks us to do with our finances because they are trapped by debt. Get inspired to begin your journey to a debt free life on page 14 in “The Cup that Holds the Liquid Gold” from Erik Van Alstine. Erik is an entrepreneur who has been a long-time member of Champions Centre and is part of our teaching team. His life experiences have qualified him to help anyone break free from the chains of debt. Being committed to a debt free life is a great place to be since we’re called to be extraordinary in our finances and in our lives in general! We are not called to live an ordinary existence. God wants us to be committed to live extraordinary as individuals and as His Church. It all begins with recognizing and believing that we serve an Extraordinary God (page 8). You and I not only need to be committed to lifting our own lives, but we can also bring a new and better life to people in our communities and around the world. Find out how Champions Foundation continues to stay true to their commitment of bringing HOPE LOVE and CHANGE (page 6). Plus, we’ve got a great Real Life Champion story for you this issue. A former Army Ranger tells his story of abuse, anger, overcoming and victory. You don’t want to miss this turnaround story (page 20)! Now, you can hear what other readers are saying about how Champions Centre is impacting their lives on page 4 and you can let us know how CLM encourages you by emailing championlife@championscentre. com or online at championscentre.com. We do not have to be standoffish about commitment any longer. We can choose to be committed in everything we put our hands to do. Don’t just live life—choose to build trust in your family, your workplace, your church and your relationship with God through genuine and authentic commitment.
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YOU to US Champions Centre Tweets Here are some of the online tweets we’ve seen about Champions Centre lately in 140 characters or less. Join the conversation at twitter.com. I don't want to be a Church that
I am about to walk through some
comes in, turns on the lights,
huge career changes in my life
has a service, and never takes
and @kevingerald is bringing
on a challenge #breakingfree
the perfect word for me.
— @kevingerald
#BreakingFree — @rstantonjr
2day I’m dreaming like money
Such a good message from
doesn’t matter. New vision new
@kevingerald that @ramandt7
passion stirring the heart up.
can't stop agreeing out loud
#breakingfree — @tramsdell
in Starbucks - we may just get everyone saved! — @sheilagerald
TC2010 Conference
Headed to life group in seattle.
There are no words to describe how this
The NW is #breakingfree.
@kevingerald just double dawg
conference has impacted my life; and
What are you dreaming about.
dared @cctacoma to DREAM
I am convinced I won't fully know the
@ccbellevue — @Jakesutherland
BIG!! Can't walk away from a
impact for months, possibly years. I do
dare especially a double dawg
know the value of investing in myself,
dare lol! Let's DREAM again!
equipping my self and gaining wisdom
Love msg about encouragement
because of the 5 years I had to spend
and finances...not for selfish
away from this House. What I didn't know
reasons but for God reasons.
was how serving my house with my heart
We've got dreams. @cctacoma
People assume they can live
and soul for the entire conference would
and @ccbellevue — @suekahawaii
outside community and still live within God's plan for their lives.
change me. I gained more than I could have ever possibly given, by investing in the lives of other, and standing for the vision of the house. I went to the preconference service in Bellevue, and up until Sunday night I hadn't been to the Bellevue campus. I was overwhelmed
@ccbellevue about to kick off! Wake the dead church is about
weep, at how consumed by honor I felt, for being part of such an amazing house.
Via @kevingerald this AM — @brandonmstewart
to begin! Can't wait to see what God will do in people today!
Success begins on Sunday! Get
— @Ry_Cam
out of bed + get to ur church :) @ccbellevue is gonna be great if
with inspiration and gratitude. During closing worship last night, I just began to
— @Big_Luis
For more info on Breaking Free Champion Life Groups, see article on page 14 or online at www.championscentre.com.
ur on the Eastside. #breakingfree #noregrets — @Jod1gc
Loving you, serving this house and your vision with heart and soul. — Melinda F.
We want to hear from you! Do you have feedback or a story to share? CLM welcomes your comments. Please write us at: championlife@championscentre.com 4
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Champion Life Magazine
Mail: Champion Life Editorial, 1819 E. 72nd St., Tacoma, WA 98404
One miser. One night. One life changing miracle.
This December.
www.championscentre.com/scrooge
A CINEMATIC EXPERIENCE BY CHAMPIONS CENTRE
WE EK EN D S IN D E C E MB E R
WWW.CHAMPIONS CE NTR E.COM
N ku l i, Ag e 6
Champions Fore ver Home
re Nkuli Befo
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Champion Life Magazine
for more than 20 years
UPDATE
at the holiday time.
The excitement children feel when the tree goes up and decorations are
Through outreach
brought out is universal the world over. The first year that Lily, now four, saw
programs for children
Christmas stockings being hung up, she tried to put them on her feet, think-
The Champions Foundation has been serving our community
and youth, and providing resources
ing they were new shoes. She had a hard time understanding why there was only one stocking with her name on it. Nkuli came to our home unable to sit up, walk, hold her head up or breathe without oxygen around the clock. She
to partner agencies,
was two years old. The first Christmas, our prayer was that she learn how to
we have been able
walk. Our prayer was answered just before the holiday. Nkuli is now six, and
to assist thousands
is partially deaf. She recently underwent surgery to correct ear problems. However, her inability to communicate fully does not diminish her excite-
and thousands of
ment each time the Christmas tree lights are turned on. Warren and Glen,
families at Christmas
brothers who are 11 and 13, barely survived life in neighboring Zimbabwe in
in the Puget Sound region. In 2007, when
their early years. Their previous wishes were simply to have enough to eat. Today, the Champions Forever Home has provided a safe refuge, allowing them to become children again, and dream of bicycles, games, and toys.
we launched our Champions Forever
An African saying is that “It takes a village to raise a child.� This is so true
Home in South Africa
when viewing the staggering statistics that AIDS has wrought, especially in
for AIDS orphans,
Sub-Saharan Africa, where it is estimated there are more than 12 million chil-
we expanded our
dren who have been orphaned or abandoned due to HIV/AIDS. The Champions Foundation has launched a Village Sponsorship program for the Forever
assistance to the other
Home children. Participants can select a child they want to sponsor all year
side of the world. This
long, as well as at the holidays, for $30 per month. With a Village Team of 30
year, children in our
people offering this same support for each child, we are able to pay for all
Forever Home are
medical care, medications, schooling and education costs, housing, clothing, and support for that child. Please go to www.championsfoundation.com to
celebrating Christmas
read about our children, and to find out how you can become part of these
joyfully as well, some
limited Village teams that adopt each child. Regular updates, photos, and let-
of them for the very first time.
ters will be brought back from the kids each time we have a team that visits the home. And you will be able to write to your adopted child as well. The Village sponsorship program makes a great family gift at Christmas. What better way to honor the spirit of giving at Christmas than by giving the gift of life to
Nkuli with Sh eila Gerald
C hampions Fou nd at i on . c om 253.475.6454 x135
a child? If you would like more information on this initiative, or any of our other programs, you can also call us at (253) 475-6454, ext. 135.
Fall 2010
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EXTRAORDI by kevin gerald
EXTRAORDINARY Perhaps one of the greatest threats to God’s purpose is being okay with status quo. It’s so easy to blend in with our surroundings — to think ordinary, talk ordinary, and live ordinary. We become ordinary and experience only the ordinary. God lives outside the ordinary — in the extraordinary. The book of Ephesians is an encouragement to God’s people to elevate their thinking in regard to God, themselves and God's church. It isn't only for the church of history; this writing is for us today. The writer, Paul, uses word pictures and illustrations to tell us that we serve an extraordinary God, that you are an extraordinary person, and that we belong to God’s extraordinary church! My hope is that the writings of Ephesians will help all of us to recognize just that: God is extraordinary, you are extraordinary, and God’s Church is extraordinary.
GOD IS EXTRAORDINARY Expectations hold real impact on the outcome of situations. In Jesus’ life on earth, He could not perform many miracles in his hometown because people saw him as ordinary. The people from his hometown knew him as Mary and
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Joe’s son, the carpenter’s boy, classmate and childhood friend. How often do we allow God to become ordinary in our lives because we lose sight of His extraordinary nature? He becomes familiar and, in turn, we drop our expectations of who God is and who He wants to be in
INARY
our lives. We forget that He is the Living God, Savior, Creator of the universe, El Shaddai, Jehovah Jireh (our provider), Jehovah Shalom (our peace), Yahweh, King of Kings, Name above all names, and the list goes on and on. He is everything. He is more than we could ever hope for or imagine.
Not only is He extraordinary, but He has also done extraordinary things for you and me. Most people have no idea of the extraordinary investment heaven made so we can live extraordinary lives and be an extraordinary church. In Ephesians one alone, we see six key things God has done: • He blessed us. (v3) • He chose us. (v4) • He accepted us. (v6) • He redeemed us. (v7) • He lavished wisdom and understanding on us. (v8) • He made known the mystery of His will to us. (v9) It is extraordinary that the Creator of the universe is also intimately acquainted with each and every one of our circumstances. And, it is extraordinary that the eternal God would send His Son, Jesus Christ, to the planet to become sin so that you and I and everyone before us and everyone after us will have the ability to have a personal relationship with—and direct access to—God and live in freedom. We serve an extraordinary God who is in the habit of doing extraordinary things.
YOU ARE EXTRAORDINARY It’s easy to let our surroundings cause us to lose sight of who we are. We get caught up with all the particulars and analysis—or worse, guilt, shame, regret and the
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surroundings, our ability, our talent, or even our good works. We are extraordinary because we’re born to be a child of God. A boy found an egg in the woods, took it home and placed it under a goose, and it hatched. It was a freakish creature—its claw-like feet made it stumble as it tried to follow the little geese around. Its beak was not flat but pointed and twisted. He didn’t fit in with the geese. Then one day a giant eagle flew across the barnyard low enough for the little creature to see him. The misfit goose lifted his head and stared at what was in the sky. Immediately something in him identified with the eagle and he began to hobble across the barnyard flapping his wings. Then it happened: The wind picked him up and carried him higher and higher into the blue sky. He had discovered what he was. He was not a goose—he
attached to who you were will hold you
The good news of the gospel is that we can be identified
back from the great
our veins. Yet, we often forget who we are. You will never rise above the image you have of yourself in your mind. Every image, idea, and concept that doesn’t match God’s has to be traded in. You can’t live your new life, thinking like you did in your old life. Thoughts that are attached to who you were will hold you back from the great things God has in mind for you in your future. There was a man in Bible times named Gideon. An angel appeared to him and said, “The Lord is with you, you mighty man of valor.” Believe it or not, that’s how God sees you. He regards you as a strong, courageous, and an overcoming person. You might say—No way! God wouldn’t see me that way. He spoke to Gideon like that because he was secure, confident—he was a great leader. Not so. In fact, when the angel began to tell Gideon to go save his people from the enemy, a vicious pagan people who had over run their land, Gideon immediately began to speak out of his insecurity. He said, “How do you expect me to help? I come from the poorest family in the tribe and I am the least among my
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Thoughts that are
had been born an eagle!
with the family of God. The royalty of heaven flows in
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ORDINARY
like. But, we are not extraordinary because of our
Champion Life Magazine
things God has in mind for you in your future.
family." In other words, I’m at the bottom of the barrel of potential. My history is against me. It’s interesting how God spoke to his potential, not his past, isn't it? Gideon felt weak, but God saw him as strong. This is how God sees you and me. He does not judge our future based on our past; He judges our future based on His past. He judges our strength based on His strength. God has called us to reign and have dominion on the earth.
You are extra-
Once we understand that we are not called to live in the shadows of guilt and regret, we step up into new levels
ordinary—
of fulfilling the God-purpose for each of our lives. You are
not because
or could do—but because you are made in the image of
anything you
represent God, just remember that God doesn't call the
have done— but because you are made
extraordinary—not because of anything you have done God. Next time you question whether you're qualified to equipped and qualified as much as He calls the willing.
WE ARE EXTRAORDINARY See the church as God's idea—don’t see the church as ordinary! The church is God's plan… it’s plan A, and there is
of God.
Ephesus that Paul wrote to was a “good” church, but Paul
EXTRA
in the image
no plan B! From what we can tell from history, the church at saw their potential to become a “greater” church. Paul saw the church at large becoming an extraordinary influencing church in every region of the world. The book of Ephesians says, “The church, you see, is not peripheral to the world; the world is peripheral to the church.” Peripheral is what you happen to see while you’re focused on something else. The church is not meant to be supplemental to your life. The church is the focal point for Jesus. It is His hope for the world!! It is ordinary for Christians to think that it’s Okay with God if they love Him and have a distant, uninvolved relationship with His church. The right way of thinking (not ordinary) is that the church is God’s bride. He has great love for the church. The apostle Paul is saying, “don’t think of the church as ordinary—as a social club or a place to casually attend and hear a sermon. See the church as Christ in the earth.” The Bible says, “The church is Christ’s body, in which He speaks and acts, by
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which He fills everything with His presence.” Recognize the church is what He has chosen to change the world one life at a time!! God calls all of us to not just believe but to belong to His house—the church! God wants us to unify around His plan, to become His team and build His church! The truth is that local churches are only as extraordinary as the people in them. The people in a church make it an impacting church for Christ. When the people are passionate, committed, friendly, welcoming and soul winning, then the church automatically takes on those same characteristics. A passionate church that loves and honors God begins with individuals who love and honor God. Champion Find: 40 Days to the Extraordinary
If you’ve had problems with the church, God wants you to
Living the Extraordinay Life
reconcile and be committed to the church. If you’ve had differences, God wants you to set aside your disputes and division and see the bigger picture—choose to belong to His church. You can decide to be a builder of the church! We serve an extraordinary God who is working through us, His extraordinary people, to work together and build His extraordinary church.
KEVIN GERALD is the lead pastor of Champions Centre in Tacoma and Bellevue, WA. For great resources from Kevin, visit kevingerald.tv.
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CHAMPION FINDS
New Release Right now all around the world people are talking to psychics, reading their horoscope, or consulting a fortune cookie. But while there’s nothing wrong with an innate sense of curiosity about our future, it is important to realize that the future isn’t something that happens to us, it’s something that happens through us. In this new release you will learn to recognize the Forces that Form Your Future!
V
d.T l a r e
urs o y e
e
urc o s e r
253.475.6454 ext. 361 888.935.6914 kevingerald.tv
vinG e K go online to find a wealth lf at
of resources, including mp3s of messages and free video downloads from
Kevin Gerald.
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The Cup That Holds Liquid Gold by Erik Van Alstine
Whenever I conduct a live Breaking Free financial seminar, I start one of the sessions by bringing two people to the front of the room. I fill a pitcher of water, and I tell each of them I’m going to give them a cupful. But I don’t give a cup to the first person. I ask them to cup their hands, and I start pouring. I pour a cup’s worth of water into their palms. Sure enough, most of the water is gone immediately. It overflows and spills onto the floor. Then the audience watches and laughs as they try to hold the rest of
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it. They struggle to keep their hands tight, all the while water is spilling out between their fingers. A minute goes by and there’s nothing left, for all their struggling, but a few teaspoons of water. But for the second person, I give a cup. They hold it out, and I pour in the water. They have no trouble holding it all. They don’t spill a drop. A minute later, the water is still there. While the person without the cup was struggling just to keep a teaspoonful, the person with the cup is relaxed and keeps it all.
Every time we get paid it’s like our employer is pouring out a cupful of water. The question is, are we showing up with cupped hands, or do we have a container? Both people had good intentions. In fact, the person with the cupped hands worked harder than the person with the cup. But when it comes to containing and directing the water, neither intentions or hard work matter nearly as much as having a cup. In Proverbs 27:16, Solomon described a similar cupped-hands effort in futility as "grasping oil with the hand." Consider the frustration in Solomon's word-picture, as you imagine trying to get a cup's worth of olive oil without the cup. You dip your hand in the vat, and scoop some out. It oozes all over and makes a mess. Without a container, forget it. You aren't getting much oil. The flow of money into our lives is like the flow of my pitcher of water and the flow of Solomon's oil. It's one reason we call it “cash flow.” Every time we get paid it’s like our employer is pouring out a cupful of water. The question is, are we showing up with cupped hands, or do we have a container? Are we containing and directing it effectively, or is it spilling out all over? Unfortunately, most of us are spilling.
Our research has shown that the average
household spills at least $4,000 per year. High-income households spill much more than that. Without mastery of a specific, structured method for managing the flow
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of money (i.e. the cup), the guaranteed
of telling it where to go. We don't rule
hundreds of thousands of dollars for the
outcome, despite all our efforts and good
our money. It rules us. God is calling us
local church to reach the lost, disciple
intentions, is spill.
to be different than that. He wants us
the found, and help those in need.
Ever check your bank account and
to have more than enough to fulfill our
wonder where all your money went?
purpose in life, so we can live and give
Pouring into Cupped Hands
Very likely, the answer is spill. Ever
at our full potential.
wonder why you could make so much
pitcher — God our provider, that is.
What would happen if you completely
God is the giver of everything. He's our
eliminated your money spill? In our
pitcher-holder. And, imagine that the
Breaking Free classes, we teach a
water in his pitcher is liquid gold. Every
simple, spill-free method for managing
ounce is worth a thousand dollars. It is
Ruling Our Money and Transforming Our Lives
your money. Imagine you mastered
extremely valuable.
forward, you had $4,000 more than
How is the pitcher-holder going to feel
God, the ruler of everything, has created
before. Would that change your ability
about pouring it out when someone
us in His image to rule. We, like God,
to give? Eliminate debt? Fulfill your
shows up with cupped hands? He's
are designed to be advance planners
God-given purpose? I think it would.
probably not going to pour much out!
money and have so little left over? The answer, again, is spill.
that method. Every year from this year
Not because the person with cupped
and master managers, who decide in advance what to do and do it well.
Now imagine what would happen in your
hands shouldn’t have it. No, He doesn’t
God rules everything and is ruled by
church if everyone eliminated spill. That
pour into cupped hands because He
nothing. As people made in His image,
amounts to a collective savings of your
doesn’t want it to spill on the ground!
we're called, under God, to rule over
entire church's budget, year after year. I
God wants to provide for you, not the
everything and be ruled by nothing
frequently speak with church members
dirt at your feet. So He doesn't pour.
except God himself (and his delegated
who want to give but just can't seem to
authority in the form of policemen,
find a way. But when spill is saved, there
But when you show up with a cup,
fathers, pastors, and so on).
is a way. I dream of the day when whole
He's eager to pour. He can trust that
churches are dramatically strengthened
you won’t spill it. He knows you have a
important
as their people start ruling their money,
structure to hold the liquid gold. He's
than with our money. Too many of us
recovering their spill, and directing it
excited to give it. In fact, He'd much
wonder where our money went instead
toward tithing and giving. It would mean
rather give it to you than the person
Nowhere
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Now let's talk about the guy with the
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this
more
Champion Life Magazine
Showing Up With A Cup By Chris Dunayski
with their hands cupped. He wants his liquid gold to make a difference. He wants to do as much good with that gold as possible. Therefore He is compelled to give very little to the person with the cupped hands, and give more to the person who brings a cup. Does this remind you of Jesus’ parable of the talents? Three servants were each given a certain amount of money to invest. When the master returned after a long absence, the servant who invested
A few years ago, Erik and I really started using the Breaking Free cashflow management strategy for ourselves. Between us, we realized that we were spilling literally thousands of dollars a month, all because we weren't properly following a simple, proven system for containing and directing our money. Even though neither of us were taking on debt or in financial trouble, we weren't containing and directing our resources like we really wanted. We realized that the more money we made, the more we needed the cashflow system we teach!
his money wisely got even more, but the
Think of it like this. If the pitcher was a fifty-five gallon drum, pouring out
person who didn't increase it got shut off.
gallons at a time, spill would be greater and greater the more that poured
And to add insult to injury, the servant in
out. The more we made, the more we would spill! The spill problem had
the parable who squandered the little he
to be resolved.
had was asked to give it to the one who
So we decided to become each other's accountability partner. Every
had the most!
month, we take our Breaking Free assessment, a brief survey that helps
If we don’t understand the “holding the liquid gold” principle we’ll think the
us see specifically how we can get better. And we send each other our spending plan for the month.
master unfair. But when we understand
At first, it was a challenge. But it transformed us from just knowing
the idea that the resources flowing into
what we should do to actually doing it. Today, our lives are completely
our lives are extremely valuable, it makes
different because we've figured out how to rule our money instead of
perfect sense. These resources must be
letting it rule us. Every month, we tell our money where we want it to
contained and directed wisely. And it’s
go with a specific type of spending plan. Then we use a specific method
tragic when they aren’t. The flow of liquid
for following that plan that, if followed, keeps us on budget. Instead of
gold is diverted from places that waste it to
looking back on the month and realizing we've overspent, we got control
places that put it to good use!
of our money. It made all the difference in our lives.
So, do you want financial increase? Learn
I encourage you to do the same. Seek mastery of the principles and
to contain and direct your cash flow.
practices of Breaking Free. It will help you and those around you break
Show up with a cup!
debt, build wealth, and discover your God-given purpose.
Chris is co-founder and President of Project 28, marketing entrepreneur, passionate coach, husband of fifteen years, and father of three.
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What They're Saying “... a brilliantly crafted, effective small group program that has the power to transform your life, your church, and your community!”
— Kevin
Gerald - Senior Pastor, Champions Centre “Erik’s passion is to help us have more than enough to fulfill our God-given purpose. That’s a fantastic reason for Breaking Free!” — Steve Gladen - Small Groups Pastor, Saddleback Church “Breaking Free is the most powerful coaching Champion Finds: Breaking Free Workbook, Devotional, Small Group DVD, Audio Teaching
system I’ve ever seen.” — E.B., Fortune 1000 executive coach "Even with the recent lay-off we have been positioned to make our monthly commitments,
including
our
tithing
and campaign pledges, Praise God for His provision and the equipping facilitated through programs such as these!" — A.M. "Breaking Free has taken our finances off of life support, and put them on a path for long-term success. We are no longer striving to get by and living pay check to pay check, we have a purpose and a future for our finances and we are taking out our debts one at a time. This was the best financial decision we have made. Thank you for putting the program together. My wife and I are going through the program again in our church small group now and it is even better the second time." — S.R. & K.R. "The
Breaking
Free
curriculum
is
straightforward,
easy
to
understand, and engaging. The online assessment promises to bring accurate measurement and an accountability that other programs lack. Thank you for the time and energy you have expended on this project to equip us and others with tools for success! And thank you for making it so affordable. We can see that it is truly a labor of love!” — D.W. & J.W. "Breaking Free was a great program for my husband and I to go through together. We had several credit card bills, medical bills, college tuition and an auto loan adding up to about $65,000. In the
Erik is the author of the Breaking Free personal
short time that we've been married (2.5 years), we've paid off all our
finance small group program, entrepreneur,
bills minus my college tuition which sits at about $7,500 now." — K.
teaching pastor at Champions Centre, husband of twenty years, and father of six. Reach Erik at www.project28today.com
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tithe | stewardship | vision | missions | generosity
Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. 2 Corinthians 9:6-7 (NIV)
Advancing the Greatest Cause on the Planet Giving to your local home church is all about advancing the greatest cause on the planet, which is the cause of Jesus Christ. He said, “I will build my church and the gates of hell will not prevail” (Matthew 16:18). At Champions Centre we encourage our entire church to plan their commitments annually through our iPartner Giving Cards. The Bible refers to your tithing as firstfruits giving. It is the covenant that believers make with God to bring the first 10% of our income to build God’s house. God’s promise is to provide, protect, bless and prosper us when we honor him with a tithe of all our increase. Offerings are where generosity begins. There are two basic kinds of offerings. One is an instant, inspired and spontaneous gift and another is a planned and pre-arranged gift. At Champions Centre we have occasional opportunities for inspired and spontaneous giving while also encouraging everyone in the habit of planned giving. Below are the four major areas we encourage everyone, as part of managing their resources, to consider in their monthly giving habits. Our hope is for every individual to prayerfully determine the amount they give and enjoy the experience of generous, cheerful giving.
General Offerings » stewardship giving
Giving to the operational needs of Champions Centre.
Kingdom Builders » vision giving
Giving to resource the vision and future of Champions Centre.
Champions Foundation » missions giving
Giving to education, hope and faith initiatives of Champions Foundation.
Liberty Offering » generous giving
Giving, along with our entire church, an annual best and sacrificial offering to the many ministries of Champions Centre. Why not make room in your monthly budget to advance God’s plans and purposes on the planet? The local church is God’s Plan A to bring hope and faith to all people. So let’s join our efforts together and make a difference while we’re still on the earth! -Kevin Gerald
REAL LIFE CHAMPIONS
T S E R FOR
N O S R E D N A Growing up as a child, I lived in an abusive home. My father, the alcoholic, was an
extremely angry sociopath. Although my
mother took the brunt of his rage, there
were times when it would spill over onto my
three sisters and myself. I can remember many times when I would be beaten with whatever was handy.
My mother finally left him when I was six years old. Not much longer after, he broke into our house and raped two of my sisters. We were sleeping in my mother’s room, they were in the bed and I was on the floor. I remember waking up to muffled cries and the sound of cloth ripping. There was water running somewhere and there was an unusual odor in the air. I looked up from where I was sleeping and saw the outline of him set against the moonlit window. He was yelling at them. Confused, I went back to sleep. My sister Holly tried to wake me, tried to get me to leave and get help, but I didn’t do anything.
Join ing my unit was ext rem ely tax ing on my new foun d fait h.
Onc e we sta rte d dep loyin g, eve ryt hing cha nge d.
I just lay there. This monster was my male example in life. As I grew older, I was extremely mad at God and those who represented Him. I was determined to find another way. This lead into studying and practicing other “beliefs” such as Brazilian voodoo, Egyptian magic, Satan-
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Now I am out of the Army and seeking the Knowing my own limitations, I had to leave. I
completion of my degree in psychology.
ism, Islam, Mormonism. Anything I could get
joined the Army in May 2001. There was no
I look forward to serving in this different
my hands on. I was trying to fill a void that I
way that I could stay home and not fall back
manner. Helping those who are having
into the life I had been living.
difficulty overcoming their own mental
didn’t fully understand. I felt so empty and
wars. Christ continues to bless the life of
so alone. I began to push every negative thought and feeling as deep as I could.
Joining my unit was extremely taxing on my
my family, and I want to pass that on the
newfound faith. Once we started deploying,
best way I can.
All the negativity that I refused to deal with
everything changed. For me,
started manifesting itself in the form of
being on a mission, out to
night terrors. Trying to push that all away I became emotionally stunted. I couldn’t feel.
“acquire” someone was easy enough. Our relentless train-
In my teen years I started doing drugs. I
ing made everything flow.
thought for sure that this would not only fill
Reactions were instinc-
my void, but also help me to feel again. It
tual for the most part. Not
didn’t work…so I did the next “logical” thing.
that there weren’t hard
I started to cut myself. I used scalpels that
moments to deal with. I
I stole from my mother the nurse. Because
have lost my fair share of
it is a very thin blade the scars were hardly
friends to extreme situ-
noticeable. For a while it worked. I felt pain…
ations. The hard part for
but I felt something. At the age of seventeen I moved in with my Grandmother Anderson. I could no longer live with my mother, and grandma was the only one who would take me in. I continued to do drugs and even started to sell them to
me was coming home. Trying to reintegrate into society and life. Loads of my energy would be spent trying to “want” to be around people.
support my habit. I finally broke at eighteen. I hadn’t cried in however long and I wept like a newborn. I didn’t understand why. That’s when I found a cross that I had been given from my grandmother Newton when she died. I never really cared about it before but wanted the reminder of my amazing grandma. This was a woman of God. At that point I hadn’t seen it in over a year and thought that it was lost. I found it and immediately knew. This was my wake up call. I didn’t feel like I really had a choice; I was being told that despite everything, Christ still loved me. It was my time to give back.
was a c h o ic e , I d a h y ll a e l li k e I r r is t I d id n ’t f e e r y t h in g , C h e v e e it p s e hat d e back. b e in g t o ld t t im e t o g iv y m s a w It e. s t il l lo v e d m Fall 2010
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k.WISE Untapped Greatness The value of a piece of property is determined by what someone is willing to pay for it.
As many people in our nation have
discovered in the past couple of years, market changes led to a decrease in home value and sales. In our world, value of goods and property can change due to supply and demand. In other words, value is attached to the price someone will pay for that item. This is good news for us, as God’s people. Our value is revealed by the price that was paid for us. Jesus, God’s son, gave His own life in exchange for ours. The penalty of our sin was death. It was more than we could afford. It was a price that had to be paid…by someone. When He came and gave His life on the cross and rose again, He made the final payment on our sin. The debt was paid, and the account was closed! This is how, as God’s people, we can discover who we really are. “It’s in Christ that we find out who we are and what we are living for. Long before we first heard of Christ and got our hopes up, he had his eye on us, had designs on us for glorious living, part of the overall purpose he is working out in everything and everyone.” (Ephesians 1:10-12) I regularly see people who are asleep on the inside. I see people
“It’s in Christ that we find out who we are and what we are living for. Long before we first heard of Christ and got our hopes up, he had his eye on us, had designs on us for glorious living, part of the overall purpose he is working out in everything and everyone.” (Ephesians 1:10-12)
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housing greatness within them, yet unaware of it. Or worse, maybe there is a sense of discouragement, frustration, or quitting. It’s as if we can enter seasons of life where we fall asleep to our true value and greatness. It’s time to wake up and discover who we really are. What untapped greatness is on the inside of you? We are established by God, for God. We are seated with Jesus, at the right hand of the Father. We are His sons and daughters, and we were bought at a price. So today, consider the possibilities that lie on the inside of you. • What dream lays dormant on the inside of you? • What purpose is untapped? • What acts of generosity are waiting to emerge? • What legacy is unborn? • What untapped greatness is on the inside of you?
commitment in the face of conflict produces character - unknown
worth your time. Relationship Conference
2.9-2.10
Women’s Conference
5.19-5.20
Summer Conference for EVERYONE
8.1-8.3
Men’s Conference
10.6-10.7
www.championscentre.com/conferences