The Connection Church

The Connection Church We are a “Big Little Church” going beyond ourselves to reach others for Christ. You matter!

Karibu is a Swahili word which means welcome and is how we hope you feel when you spend time with us at The Connection. You are important to God and to us, and we believe that you deserve to be a part of a church family where you can connect and where you can grow. We are sometimes asked if The Connection is a church or a coffee shop and our answer is, Yes! We are both, we are The Connection Churc

h and the Coffee Connection, and each part of this ministry gives us opportunities to connect with people. The Connection is a church with a family spirit; one of the most common things we hear from those who visit is, “we felt welcomed into a loving place.” We would love to have a chance to welcome you into our family and to invite you to join us on a journey of discovering who Jesus Christ is and what he can do in your life. Iron Men Tue. 6:30 pm
Worship Service Sun. 10:15 am
Bible Study Wed. 7pm

Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called and about which you made the g...
06/24/2026

Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called and about which you made the good confession in the presence of many witnesses.” 1 Timothy 6:12 ESV

Imagine if you will that you are in an airplane several thousand feet in the air and about to have to jump out with a parachute. Then one of the others on the plane tells you that you have no right to a parachute and that you should take yours off and jump without it, in fact, he tells you he is going to take it off of you and then push you out the door; what is your response? Will you meekly allow him to take off your chute and then obediently jump out of the plane? I suspect your response would really be to fight for your life, to do anything and everything in your power to hold on to what is going to save your life.

When Paul calls for the good fight of faith, he is saying get ready to struggle for what you have been given, to be willing to contend with the adversaries who will attempt to take away what has been freely given you by the Lord. Don’t allow anything to cause you to fail; do not be distracted or discouraged, for this is a life and death battle that will determine your eternal destiny.

When I look at it this way, I realize that our walk is not accidental, it is strategic; our future is not a matter of luck but an issue of commitment; our walk with God is not a stroll in the park, but it is a war with the forces of evil that want to destroy us. If we are not willing to fight the good fight of faith, then we are saying our salvation is of no value and to have an intimate relationship with God has no worth. I declare that that my walk with the Lord is worth fighting for, it is the most valuable thing in my life and is the source that makes everything else of value possible. How about you? Are you in the battle?

Pastor Tim Franklin

Do not admit a charge against an elder except on the evidence of two or three witnesses. As for those who persist in sin...
06/23/2026

Do not admit a charge against an elder except on the evidence of two or three witnesses. As for those who persist in sin, rebuke them in the presence of all, so that the rest may stand in fear. 1 Timothy 5:19-20 ESV

Paul is dealing with an issue that is crucial for the health of a church; leaders, and others, must have protection from accusations by those who may be operating out of a false motive. Without the belief that they have some support and backing, leaders get gun shy from doing what needs to be done for the sake of the spiritual well being of the congregation. But at the same time Paul makes it clear that sin in the life of a leader must be dealt with seriously. Sin in the life of a leader is dangerous, not only for their own life, but also in the life of those who are looking to them for guidance and direction. I think this is why Paul calls for a public rebuke; the sin in their life is like leaven of the Pharisees that Jesus warned of, it can multiply and spread quickly through the lives of the church. This potential for widespread impact calls for decisive action; the sin has to be exposed and rooted out like one would desire to remove and kill out something like poison ivy growing on a fence where children play. I believe this principle is why we see the examples today of pastors being exposed because of sin in their lives.

No one likes to have their sin exposed, or to be confronted about it in front of others. So what is the option? It is to be honest in our relationship with God, to allow him to confront our sin and to live with a heart willing to repent and be restored so he doesn't have to expose us before the church. It is a call to be vulnerable and honest before God and man in order to avoid becoming a Christian in name only. The challenge is to make sure the image presented to the church is the same as the image that is seen when we look in the mirror. We are not called to live behind a facade of righteousness, we are called to live out a life that honors God and that can only be done when we live in truth.

Pastor Tim Franklin

“Now the Spirit expressly says that in later times some will depart from the faith by devoting themselves to deceitful s...
06/22/2026

“Now the Spirit expressly says that in later times some will depart from the faith by devoting themselves to deceitful spirits and teachings of demons, through the insincerity of liars whose consciences are seared, who forbid marriage and require abstinence from foods that God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and know the truth.”
1 Timothy 4:1-3 ESV

As I read Paul’s admonition to Timothy I can’t help but think of the “woke” theology that is running rampant through many churches today. Paul addresses some specific concerns because they were the issues challenging the proven foundational teachings of scripture. While the issues may change, the attacks on church teachings have not. The Bible is being re-interpreted, the teachings that have stood for centuries are being said to be inappropriate for today, the definition of marriage is redefined, and even the redeeming message of Christ is being pushed out of some churches.

If all these things are the reality of too many churches, what hope is there for the generations to come? Our hope is in the promises of God to always keep a faithful remnant of people who will teach the truth. Our hope are the thousands of young people who are responding to the spontaneous prayer gatherings. Our hope is in the families who have taken it upon themselves to make sure their children are raised in the truth of scripture. So are we lost and hopeless? No, but we certainly need to be careful not to stray from the truth and into political correctness. Let’s heed the warnings of the past as we move into the future God has for our lives.

Pastor Tim Franklin

Walk in wisdom toward outsiders, making the best use of the time. Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt...
06/18/2026

Walk in wisdom toward outsiders, making the best use of the time. Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer each person. (Colossians 4:5, 6 ESV)

We run a coffee shop, and it would really be discouraging if every person who came in the door already had a cup of coffee in their hands. We could talk to them about coffee's benefits, flavors, and the joy it brings us, but what we would not be doing is providing coffee to those we are seeking, those who do not already have their coffee. We don't exist as a place where coffee drinkers gather to enjoy what they have, we exist to meet the need for no coffee. Just as the church does not exist solely as a place for those who are filled with His presence to meet and talk about what we have, we are meant to offer a cup of His presence to those whose lives are empty and in need.

Running a coffee shop has given us a unique opportunity to interact with people who would not normally enter a place where the church meets. We meet the broken, the needy, the lonely, and those who think that their lives are perfect. We (gasp) hear occasional profanities and off color remarks, politics get discussed with enthusiasm, and we even hear declarations of distrust and disdain of religion. Paul's instruction to, "Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer each person," is a great reminder that we have an opportunity to listen and respond with the grace, mercy, and the compassion of Christ. Our call is to make the flavor of Christ so enticing that they empty their cups of what they brought in and fill them with what He offers so that they might drink deeply of His presence. If we believe the answer is Jesus, then our lives must so reflect Him that He becomes the answer in their lives.

Pastor Tim Franklin

“If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of ...
06/17/2026

“If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.” Colossians 3:1-4 ESV

Wealth, power, and prestige seem to be the most sought after things in the lives of many. If we could only get more money our lives would be perfect. If I was in charge I could make things perfect according to my standards. If I was famous it would make my life so amazing. These are the cries of this generation. You see it in the social media influencers who are willing to promote themselves at any cost to get the recognition they crave. You see it in the politicians who will say anything to get elected and do anything to stay in power. We are in the midst of a culture whose most important noun is “me.” Please don’t take this as a blanket condemnation, but it is my view of too many today.

What is the contrast? It is in this statement by Paul, “If you have been raised with Christ.” If we walk with Christ our lives no longer should be defined by the things the world’s values. Our desire is to honor God, walk in obedience to his call, and to stay focused on our opportunities to show the love of Christ to those around us. Our purpose in life is no longer to make ourselves the icon that the world admires, but rather to be a reflection of the image of Christ. It is not a call to be poor, wretched, and miserable rather it is a call to stay eternally focused in whatever circumstance we live our lives. Our hope should be that we “also will appear with him in glory.”

Pastor Tim Franklin

“And so, from the day we heard, we have not ceased to pray for you, asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of ...
06/15/2026

“And so, from the day we heard, we have not ceased to pray for you, asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him: bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God; being strengthened with all power, according to his glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy; giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in light. He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.” Colossians 1:9-14 ESV

I read these words of commitment, encouragement, and hope that Paul prayed over these people and it touches my heart. I think about how it feels to discover that someone has committed to prayer over your life. In my early 20’s I was not a Christian, I was an occasional church goer. It was only after I accepted Christ as savior that I discovered Margie had prayed for five years that I would come to know Jesus as Lord. It was a such a gift of love and care that it overwhelmed me. It is amazing to realize she loved me enough to give time everyday to pray that I would receive the greatest gift possible for my life.

But I also consider this thought; what would it be like if every Christian followed Paul’s example. Who are the people we want God to touch and bless? Do I care enough to commit time in my day to lift them up in prayer, asking God to complete a good work in their lives so that they would be “fully pleasing to him?” It is a challenge to my life that I want to strive to attain to. Paul encourages me to expand my prayer life, to believe that God hears my prayers and that I will hear testimony of the great work he is doing in their lives. Let’s unite to press in to the call to lift others up in prayer and be witnesses of the power of God to change lives.

Pastor Tim Franklin

06/12/2026

“So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy, complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus,” Philippians 2:1-5 ESV

Paul starts this list of encouraging ideas by saying that one of the most feel good things we can do is discover unity in Christ. We may not always agree on the way we hold services, but we ought to always be able to agree on Christ as savior and redeemer. He goes on to say that we should not make it all about us and what we want, but try to find ways to look out for others. And he finishes this thought by saying we ought to have the same kind of attitude that Jesus had in his dealing with people.

Just think of what the Body of Christ, the church, would be like if only we would live out the things we read in scripture. It’s is time for the church to unite in the great commission of sharing the gospel into all the world. One of the amazing things I experienced
in some of the times I ministered in Africa was watching multiple denominations sitting together building a strategy to carry the gospel into unreached areas, even with the understanding that
some of them would likely pay with their lives. That is the picture of a church united with the heart and attitude of Christ.

Pastor Tim Franklin

Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to ...
06/10/2026

Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. (Ephesians 6:10-12 ESV)

Memorial Day was a recent reminder of the great sacrifices that have been paid for the freedom we have as a country. It happened that on that weekend they showed some of the old war movies commemorating events from our past. I found it interesting that, though they were patriotic movies, they didn't just talk success, they also talked of some of the blunders. At Pearl Harbor the commander was more concerned about sabotage than attack, so against the advice of his staff he ordered all the aircraft to be benched up in the middle of the runways. As a result, when the attack came most of the aircraft were destroyed with no chance for launching a defense. And at D Day the fortified defenses were little impacted by the shells of our military. The other problem was the weather; they had counted on air cover to make a big difference, and the weather prevented them from being an early factor in the fighting. Failing to fully understand the nature and capability of the enemy almost brought a terrible outcome to the allied forces. But in the midst of terrible mistakes, there were some providential events that occurred that allowed what seemed like total disaster to turn into an ultimate victory.

What I gain from these accounts is a parallel to the spiritual warfare that we find ourselves in the midst of in our daily walk. One of the truths that I think we must face is that we face a powerful and deadly enemy, but he can be defeated. What we must never do is underestimate his capabilities, nor assume that we have everything in place to overcome him. We must plug into God's presence and power daily in order to gain from his wisdom and strategy for victory. Assumption in spiritual warfare can be deadly, but we can choose by the act of seeking and surrendering to God, to discover victory in our spiritual journey. We are not Lone Rangers sent out to take down the enemy, we are clay in the hands of the potter, destined to accomplish what God wants in the way he wants it accomplished. We will likely makes some mistakes along the way, but a momentary stumble is not the end of the battle, God’s providential grace and mercy can still bring victory for those who seek and trust God for the ultimate victory in our lives. Never give up, “When God is for us, who can be against us!”

Pastor Tim Franklin

Address

9300 Emmett F Lowry Expressway, Ste 222
Texas City, TX
77591

Telephone

+14099334820

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