Steps To Overcoming Depression

For most of us the start of a new year marks a chance for a fresh start and new beginnings. Resolutions and commitments are made and we are excited about all that the New Year will bring. These things, plus the completion of an extended holiday season of Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s where we have enjoyed family, friends and wonderful holiday meals all set the mood for a positive start to the New Year that stretches out before us.

But not all of our brothers and sisters end the holiday season and begin the New Year with this positive state of mind. For some, those that suffer from depression, the holidays can be a most difficult time. While most of us feel the love of our shared experiences with those we care about in the holidays – those suffering from depression may only feel dread and tension.

One researcher attempting to give us a definition of depression says this,

“Depression is a response to life’s constant losses and challenges.”[1]

Listen to and note these statements made by folks who are depressed.[2]

“SOMETIMES I WISH I COULD GO TO SLEEP AND NEVER WAKE UP”

“All I do is cry.”

“It doesn’t matter. Nothing will ever change.”

“I’ve had thoughts about killing myself”

“Nothing seems to be enjoyable anymore.”

“It’s like there is a cloud over my head’

“Why am I even HERE?”

“I CAN’T CONCENTRATE ANYMORE.”

“Nobody cares!”

city groups

From these statements we can see and feel the pain that the depressed person experiences. Everyone experiences sadness at times in their life. Sadness is a normal reaction to a loss or significant negative experience or circumstance. So how do we know the difference between regular sadness and depression?

Depression affects the body, mood, thoughts and soul. It is more than normal sadness or feeling down.

 If you find yourself stuck in that sad feeling and unable to move on with life, you might be depressed. It’s a persistent sadness that permeates most aspects of your life-sleeping, eating, working, and communing with God, socializing and enjoying life. Depression is serious and debilitating, not something you just snap out of overnight. And it is not just “all in your head.”

Put simply, depression can result from not dealing well with people, circumstances and expectations. In many cases, we bring on depression by the way we respond. Other times depression is the cause of poor responding.

Researchers point to what they call – the cycle of depression:

Negative Thoughts—à lead to—à Negative Feelings or Depression—à which lead to—à Negative Perceptions.

In this cycle all that we encounter is viewed through the prism of negative perception which enhances the probability and intensity of the depression. On the surface it appears to be a cycle that cannot be broken. This is a lie of Satan. Our Lord Jesus Christ is able to bring healing and deliverance to those who suffer from depression! And, depression is treatable. Many who suffer from depression will not seek help because of embarrassment or fear. Do not be one of those – seek help from the Lord and from medical and professional resources. You can be well and whole again.

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How do we overcome depression?

The first step is to understand and embrace that – God does not want you to be depressed. Here are some steps that will help anyone overcome depression:

  1. Acknowledge the depression (Prov. 12:25).
  2. Trust in God to help you (Ps. 46:1).
  3. Praise Him despite the circumstances (Ps. 34:1).
  4. Speak hope into the situation (Ps. 39:7).
  5. Renew your negative thoughts through the positive Word of God (Phil. 4:8). Meditate on the goodness of God.
  6. Take steps to correct your behavior. Take care of your body and get active. Make yourself do it. Don’t wait to feel it.
  7. Address the causes of the depression. For example, deal with anger, settle family conflicts, resolve inappropriate guilt and forgive those who hurt you. If a lie is at the root of your thinking, ask Jesus to speak His truth.

May God bless you with His joy in the New Year.

Pastor Pete

City Groups

Follow Pastor Pete on Twitter

[1] Mintle, Ph.D., Linda. Breaking Free From Depression: A Balanced Biblical Strategy for Emotional Freedom (Kindle Location 47). Kindle Edition.

[2] Mintle, Ph.D., Linda. Breaking Free From Depression: A Balanced Biblical Strategy for Emotional Freedom (Kindle Locations 18-20). Kindle Edition.

 

Happy Thanksgiving + A Sure Fire Tip To Enjoy Your Pumpkin Pie Even More!

Happy Thanksgiving! I am grateful for the opportunity to serve the Body of Christ with you at CFM.

How To Properly Eat Your Pumpkin Pie


But seriously, Have a Happy Thanksgiving!

God bless you and your families.

Ideas To Make The Most Of The Holidays Season As A Group

christmas small groups

Although the end of the year can be a time of family, friends, and celebration the span between Thanksgiving-to-New-Year’s can be a tricky time for your small group. Plan for a strong ending to the year by being intentional about it!  The next month and a half can actually be a great opportunity to strengthen your group’s sense of community and purpose.

Here are some ideas to make the most of the holiday season as a group:

Serve together as a group.
Look for an opportunity to serve, pick a project, or choose a family to bless.  Serving together will do a unique work within your group, it will create a memory that is tied together by a by a focus that is external from the group – this is a powerful thing.  Some of my greatest memories with my greatest friends are connected to serving together!

Have fun!
This a great time of the year to have fun together!  Attend an event together or use your group time to throw a party.

Take communion.
Sharing communion together is a great way to remember why Jesus came to this earth.

1 Corinthians 11:23-26  For I received from the Lord what I also passed on to you: The Lord Jesus, on the night he was betrayed, took bread, 24 and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, “This is my body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of me.” In the same way, after supper he took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood; do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me.” For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.

Celebrate The Wins.
Pick a night to look back on all that God has done within the lives of those who are in your group.  As the group leader be prepared with examples that you’ve thought of in advance. What prayers have you been en answered? What lives have been touched?  What lives have changed?  Have marriages be healed?  Was there a topic or study that really impacted the group?

Plan now so that you can end your year as group strong!  Talk to your group, see what works, and then make a plan!

CFM Leader Night Review – October 2015

1.  Unless we’re serving, we’re really not leading.

Sure, we can manage or drive, but that’s not leading, it’s enforcing.

Leadership is modeling a belief in a way that influences others to want to model it too.

Jesus led by serving:

Matthew 20:25-28 (NIV)
Jesus called them together and said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. 26 Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, 27 and whoever wants to be first must be your slave— 28 just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

Who are you investing into?
How are you empowering those you serve with?

We want you to be encouraged!  Keep making the investment, it’s making an impact!  Keep owning it and moving forward.

2.  Place value on building connections.

Connection takes place when a person feels seen, heard, and valued.

How do people feel after spending time with you?

*Avoid the danger of viewing people as a resource or a problem.
*Encourage reciprocity.  Relationships should be mutually edifying.

3.  Be A Game Changer

Who do you cheer for when your favorite team is playing?

Do you cheer for this guy?

Or this guy?

We cheer for the players!


The players are the ones who have opportunity to make a difference.

Thank you for serving —- You are in the game!

You are Owning It!

What steps can you take to improve your game?

The players suffer the bumps, bruises, and injuries, not the fans.

We too are in a battle…  A spiritual battle… A battle that does not relent.

Our enemy wants to steal, kill, and destroy every godly and good thing in our life & church.

However, we have a promise:

2 Corinthians 4:7-10 (NKJV)
7But we have this treasure in earthen vessels that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us. 8We are hard-pressed on every side, yet not crushed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; 9persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed— 10always carrying about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body.

How does this promise encourage you to stay in the game?

We believe as we stay in the game God will continue to empower us to Win the Lost, Disciple Believers, and have Freedom of Worship!

God bless you as you serve!

How To Ensure Your Best Is Possible

Recently, Joel Stockstill shared with the CFM staff after preaching at our weekend services.  His focus was essentially increasing our leadership potential.  Below you will find a link to the teaching if you’d like to watch it, I’ve also included a few of his main points from the session on Giving Your Best.

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*Influencing others begins with managing yourself well first!

*Be a strategic reader!

  • The Bible is priority.
  • Read books that will speak to the area’s you serve and work in.
  • Finish books that you start.

*Differentiate between your ministry and mission!

  • Ministry is what you do.  Mission is why you do it.

*If you’re only maintaining you’re moving backwards!

  • Develop a willingness and desire to always learn.

*Connectivity is key to creativity!

  • Connecting with God and other people will inspire the best possible ideas!
  • When you connect, do a lot of listening and make the other person feel important.

*The team is greater than the members!

  • Every team member has the potential to add value but their contribution is never more valuable than the sum total of everyone.

If you would like to watch the full teaching, including a Q & A time, click HERE.

GROUP LEADERS, Don’t forget:

Harrison Campus Leadership Meeting:  Tuesday, October 13 at 7:00 pm
Batesville Campus Leadership Meeting:  Tuesday, October 20 at 7:00 pm

Who’s in your group that you can invite to attend with you?

I will see you there!

CFM Church-Wide Leadership Meeting

CFM Church-Wide Leadership Meeting

HARRISON: Tuesday, October 13th at 7:00 pm.

BATESVILLE: Tuesday, October 20th at 7:00 pm.

*Childcare is provided.

The theme of the night will be…

Go Above And Beyond!

What am doing to participate in and celebrate victories?

City Groups are important and a vital part of the mission of CFM to disciple believers.  Your leadership extends beyond your group, it is an example to others!

You are a leader!  Because of this, We ask you to make plans to be a part of the CFM Church-Wide Leadership Meeting.  We ask everyone who serves in any area at CFM to be there.  These nights are important for a few reasons:

1.  They foster Unity within our church! 

2.  They are Encouraging!

3.  They provide time to share the heart and mission of CFM!

Also, I have one more request… prayerfully invite someone from your group to attend with you.

Who is in your group that you could invest into on a deeper level?
Are they a person who you could see leading a group?
Do they to carry the vision of CFM?

Ask that person to attend this meeting with you!

City Groups

Group Night Review – September 2015

Group Night at CFM took place August 27.  Group Night is a time for group leaders and those who are interested in learning more about groups.  It was a great night of feedback, discussion, and getting to know each other!  Below is a review of the night and some of the need to knows.

1.  Thank You!

Thank you for leading a City Group.  We all know it is more than opening your home once a week for an hour.  There is cleaning, rescheduling, preparation, and connecting throughout the week.  Thank you for your time and commitment to help our church experience community and grow spiritually.

2.  We celebrated some of the wins that are taking place in City Groups.

  • Dan Martin’s City Group Multiplied of out Steve Heinen’s Group!
  • A group member (Brian) baptized another group member (Dave) at the river baptism!  (This is cool because it is testimony of the friendship and the spiritual growth that has taken place in a group context!)
  • New offering of groups called LEAD groups that are pastoral-led.
  • Group Discussion Guides based upon Pastor Doug’s sermon series are being created for group leaders!  If you’d like to check it out click HERE.

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3.  Questions and Feedback

   Question #1: What do you think keeps people from joining/leading groups?

The top three responses were: Time, Feeling Inadequate, Commitment

To address those three issues we suggested:

Rather than joining a group with people that you don’t know or offering a group to people you don’t know, who’s in your life that you can circle up with?  Who do you already know?  Who do you serve with?  Who do you sit next to at church?  Who are your friends?

Here’s Why:

We are more prone to make time for people that we know.

We are more comfortable around people that we know.

We are more willing to be in it for the long haul with people that we know.

Question #2: What has been the hardest part about leading a group?

People had a lot to say in response.  Which is ok!  The thing is, we’re in this together and discipling people is not easy, but through Christ we can do what He calls us to do!  (IF YOU’D LIKE TO SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS PLEASE LEAVE YOUR COMMENTS BELOW OR EMAIL ME AT e.doyle@mycfm.org)

Question #3: How can we improve City Groups as a whole?

Below are a few of the suggestions:

*Share more of the stories that happen in groups

*Provide groups more exposure

*Have a group representative at the City Group wall

If you shared a suggestion or have a new one please comment on the City Group Facebook Page or email me at e.doyle@mycfm.org

4.  Please send applicable information concerning group members (difficult life events such as: critical illness, surgery, hospitalization, death) to pastoralcare@mycfm.org.

5.  CFM Mission Statement

Win The Lost

Disciple Believers

Freedom Of Worship

6.  City Group’s Purpose

Experience Community.  Grow Spiritually.

Share Life, God, and Prayer together.

7.  The Need For Those Who Lead By Example

You can check out the notes from this teaching, Leading By Example | Three Traits Of Good Leaders,  by clicking HERE!

God bless you!

Pastor Evan

Summer Is Ending | Preparing For The Next Season As A Group

city groups

Summer is coming to a close.  This is an ideal time as a group leader to share vision with your group for how you plan to experience community and grow spiritually together.

Below are a few thoughts to consider as your prepare for the next season as a group:

What are you praying/thinking about studying?
Do you those in your group know the expectations?
Who could you identify as a potential leader?
How can we multiply as a group?
What responsibilities as a group leader could I share with others in the group?

Comment below or on Facebook to let us know how your group is transitioning out of summer and why. You never know. Your feedback may help another leader.

p.s. Don’t Forget!

Group Night is next week!  This is an important opportunity for us a group leaders to gather together, please make room for it!  And, who are you bringing?

Batesville Campus – August 25 at 7:00 pm
Harrison Campus – August 27 at 7:00 pm

Water Baptism Celebration Tonight!

I hope you can make it out tonight to celebrate with CFM as we baptize believers at Lake Juliann at 7:00 pm!

One of the people who is getting baptized is being baptized by a friend that he attends group with!

Invite your group and celebrate with us!

Groups Are Changing Lives! Check Out What Members Are Saying

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I’ve been asking how being a part of has impacted you.

Please keep the answers coming.

Here is what some people are saying:

 

It has helped me in many ways.  I’ve gotten great insight into many different things from more mature believers.  I’ve become knit together with fellow believers which is an awesome and amazing blessing in my life.
– Jason

I believe our life group has encouraged me to continue to dig in the Word and our texting encouraging words are a blessing.
– Gail

Every week has been an eye opener and an ear opener and a heart opener! Not only a ‘talking’ it but a ‘walking’ it with the body of Christ!
– Patti

The inspiration I get from being around women of God has positively changed my life in so many ways and has supported my desire to get closer to Jesus.
– Shelley

I’ve been able to help others and have also made friends in the Lord.
– Al

I like the texting and encouraging one another in Word and prayer.
– Barb

It’s been great. My husband and I look forward to our every other Thursday in Batesville. We just started going and wonder why we didn’t go sooner. There are other groups we see we’d like to go to. It just feels right to get to know a small group and become friends.  It feels great.
– Ada

I love the Bridges and their friendship. Fellowship is tough when you live so far from the majority of those you go to church with so having time with them, even if we miss going sometimes, is still wonderful.
– Pam

It’s the true church. We have prayer, worship, communion and study God’s word. We laugh, we cry, we support one another. I have been blessed as well as been able to bless others. I been stretched, encouraged and loved. My relationship is closer to the Lord as well as to my brothers in Christ. It pains me to miss a single opportunity to meet with those knuckleheads.
– Darin

I love the fellowship and friendships that have deepened in our group! We laugh a lot, learn a lot and love one another a lot! It helps us find the small church closeness we long for in a big body of believers. And our door and hearts are open to more!
– Elaine

Would you like to share how participating in a group has impacted you and others?  Please leave a comment below or share on Facebook!

Don’t forget to mark your calendars for City Group Leader’s Night!  Who are you bringing with you?