With the reality of what we see in front of us, it’s easy to see it all as a failure, or mission aborted. Can we all do the hard work together — to see this as mission accomplished? We all answered the call to start a church in Raleigh to awaken people to the light and love of Jesus. We did that, we were obedient. Although it now looks pretty far from what we had in mind, it’s in the best interest
of everyone to pursue building the kingdom differently. When we struggle to find an answer to why — we remind ourselves that His ways and thoughts are not like our own. (Isaiah 55:8) Although we have our gaze on Jesus and look at life through the lens of Heaven — we are still human, limited by earthly understanding. What has changed — Sundays will look different for everyone. We want to be a part of helping you connect with your next church. Continuing to follow Jesus in community is really important to us. Will you let us know how we can help? What doesn’t change —
+ God’s love for us and our love for each other.
+ We believe in the power + necessity of community. No one was meant to live in isolation. We were designed for relationship. The church was not defined by a building. Let’s continue to live on mission wherever we go for the good of others and the glory of God.
+ We’re all a part of building the kingdom; we all have a part to play.
+ Regardless of what our human eyes see today, we are holding to the fact that our labor with Jesus will not be in vain. (1 Corinthians 15:58). The seed sown through City Light will advance the kingdom even if we don’t see the harvest today. Thank you City Light for all you have contributed to build the kingdom — eternity will look different because of you.
A personal note : we’re not disappearing. We love the city and people of Raleigh and aren’t going anywhere. As with any loss there is a time of grieving. Although it will take time to heal and for God to bring restoration and establish our next steps, we still want to be a part of your lives. Let’s stay united and connected. Our goal is obedience : to hear from God and do what He says. Our prayer for you : that you would be overwhelmed by fullness of God. Ephesians 3:16-20 ( TPT )
And I pray that he would unveil within you the unlimited riches of his glory and favor until supernatural strength floods your innermost being with his divine might and explosive power. Then, by constantly using your faith, the life of Christ will be released deep inside you, and the resting place of his love will become the very source and root of your life. Then you will be empowered to discover what every holy one experiences—the great magnitude of the astonishing love of Christ in all its dimensions. How deeply intimate and far-reaching is his love! How enduring and inclusive it is! Endless love beyond measurement that transcends our understanding—this extravagant love pours into you until you are filled to overflowing with the fullness of God! Never doubt God’s mighty power to work in you and accomplish all this. He will achieve infinitely more than your greatest request, your most unbelievable dream, and exceed your wildest imagination! He will outdo them all, for his miraculous power constantly energizes you. Now we offer up to God all the glorious praise that rises from every church in every generation through Jesus Christ—and all that will yet be manifest through time and eternity. Amen!
2 Corinthians 4:15-18 // MSG
Every detail works to your advantage and to God’s glory: more and more grace, more and more people, more and more praise! So we’re not giving up. How could we! Even though on the outside it often looks like things are falling apart on us, on the inside, where God is making new life, not a day goes by without his unfolding grace. These hard times are small potatoes compared to the coming good times, the lavish celebration prepared for us. There’s far more here than meets the eye. The things we see now are here today, gone tomorrow. But the things we can’t see now will last forever.
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Maybe it's been a while since you've been a part of something where you felt like you belonged. At City Light we believe we were created for relationships. Our lives are different when we connect with others + invest in relationships. Whether you're a little unsure of what it means to be a part of biblical community or you've known Jesus for a while, City Light is a place you can belong. We all have a part to play in building the church + building the kingdom. Building something together, something bigger than our individual stories unites us, and writes a story that connects us all. It creates a space where we discover our purpose. If you've never visited a church or you're looking for a place to call home, we think you'll find that City Light is a space you can explore your purpose + faith in God.
