Vision
Through the series, By Design, we desire for everyone to know that, as human beings, our identities have been handcrafted by a loving and purposeful God who shapes every awesome detail of who we are. Whether we are single or married God’s design for our sexuality impacts the way we love God and love one another in all our relationships.
Stay tuned this year as we biblically study topics like Identity, freedom, love, singleness, marriage, intimacy, family, gender, body, and more.
Messages
Identity By Design - Henry Schorr
February 24, 2019
On what do you base your identity? Your cultural heritage? Your chosen occupation? Your marital status? Your sexual orientation? Your gender preference? Our culture would have us believe that all identities are equally valid and should be embraced as describing our true self. But does our identity - who we are at the core - go deeper than our gender, race, sexuality or any other factor pertaining to our human experience? These are the questions that are addressed in Part 2 of the 'By Design' series.
Sermon Study GuideGender By Design - Rosemary Flaaten
March 9, 2019
Gender is a word that causes much misunderstanding and division in our world. Its definition and use has changed much over the last few years. Listen in to this message as we look into Scripture to see God's heart on the topic of gender and what it means to be men and women made in the image of God.
Sermon Study GuideDesire By Design - Henry Schorr
March 24, 2019
This sermon continues the “By Design” Series on the topic of Desire. God has given us physical desires for food, water, physical touch and sexual intimacy. When used in the way God intended, these desires are good and wonderful gifts. However, our desires can also tempt us to go outside of God’s design for sex and other areas of our lives. The Bible gives the answers if you want to be set free from the power of sinful desires in your life.
Sermon Study GuideLove By Design - Rosemary Flaaten and Jojo Ruba
May 12, 2019
Singleness By Design - Barry Danylak
June 2, 2019
Why does it seem that singleness is something “good” in the New Testament but something “not good” in the Old Testament? In this message, Dr. Barry Danylak guides us through the themes of singleness, blessing, and offspring throughout the Bible. Whether single, married, or single again, every person is made complete in Christ. Where is God asking you to trust him in his all sufficiency?
Marriage: By Design - Neil and Sharol Josephson
June 2, 2019
Family: By Design - Henry Schorr
June 16, 2019
This sermon continues the BY DESIGN series, specifically looking at ‘God’s Design for Family'. Jesus came not only to restore our relationship with God and give us a new identity but also to establish and invite us into a new spiritual family, the Church. In doing this, Jesus was not rejecting His nuclear family, rather He was elevating something He considered even greater than our earthly families. He was pointing us to the spiritual family. This is a new community with Christ at the head that will last not just for this life (like our earthy family) but will continue into eternity forever. How does this spiritual family function in reality and how can it enhance the health of our earthly families and friendships?
Processing Our Learnings
Questions to think through or discuss with others:
What was something new I learned today?
What have I based my identity on, other than Christ?
What feelings did this topic bring up in me, and why?
How can I be more compassionate and understanding to people who view things differently than I do?
What might God be saying to me, and what is He inviting me to do about that?
Resources: Classes and Events
STORIES
Designed to Overcome
As CSC journeys through the By Design series this year, our desire is for everybody to know that we have been handcrafted by a loving God who designed every awesome detail of our lives, including our sexuality, gender and relationships.
The reality is that we live in a culture that promotes and encourages us to pursue all our sexual desires. The moral parameters start and end with consent and safety, rather than embracing God`s design for our sexuality as being for our good.
It is our desire as a church that when it comes to the challenging topics of sexuality, that we would seek God and the Bible for His plan and His design for us. We also hope we will learn how to lean in with love to those who are struggling, to uphold Biblical truth, and to offer hope for those seeking it. We must remember that we are ALL in need of God`s forgiveness, grace and love when it comes to dealing with the sexual sin in our lives. Learning to apply God`s truth to our own lives and extended grace to others is an ongoing challenge in all areas of our lives and relationships.
Our By Design communications team has wrestled with the challenge to combine love, truth and hope in a way to honors God and his creation. We sent one of our writers to capture stories that we consider to be journeys in progress (called “Hope in Progress”), and we have also been hearing stories of freedom (called “Designed to Overcome”), which are about people who sensed God’s call to overcome their flesh nature and pursue the lifetime challenge of holiness through the power of Jesus. These are the stories of people who look back on their journey with a sense of awe of how God has restored them and continues to bring them into a place of freedom from the unquenchable demands of our physical desires.
Michelle's Story
Michelle had a challenging childhood. She was bullied for her red hair, for being homeschooled and for her hand-me-down clothes. The message she was receiving was that she was ugly, nothing special and an embarrassment.
Larry's Story
The doctor had tears in his eyes. This can’t be good, thought Larry.“Larry, I’m afraid you have a positive diagnosis of HIV,” the doctor said. It was the doctor’s first diagnosis of HIV to a patient. “You have about two or three more years to live.”
Hope in Progress
How do we experience hope amid the challenges, disappointments and storms of life? As CSC journeys through the By Design series this year, the desire is for everybody to know that we have been handcrafted by a loving God who designed every awesome detail of our lives, including our sexuality, gender and relationships.
The reality today is that many individuals and families are experiencing a friction between their own experience and God’s design, especially regarding matters of sexuality and gender. The angst grows because few in the church have been talking about these real issues so prevalent in our society. It is our desire as a church that we would learn how to lean in with love, uphold Biblical truth, and offer hope when people are seeking it.
But how do we actually do this? Does offering love and hope mean that you let go of truth? Or is it possible to hold tightly to hopeful truth and extend a hand of gracious love?
Our By Design communications team wrestled with these questions and came to the conclusion that we need to create a space where people can share their journeys and stories without shame. It means we need to stop keeping certain stories in the shadows, especially when they involve journeys of people who still find themselves in dark valleys. But bringing our stories into the light means that people don’t have to feel alone. Sharing about our life in dark spaces, allows the light of truth to reveal God. An authentic story is a gift.
We sent one of our writers to capture some of these stories of people at CSC. Some people chose to share their names and others chose to remain anonymous for various reasons. All decisions and stories are valued. Every story is unique, and it is our heart at CSC to share different stories from different perspectives within the congregation. This is the story of one such couple, John and Linda (not their real name) and their current, challenging journey as parents of someone who is transgender.
Linda and John's Story
John still remembers the moment he was confronted with a decision – it was a decision that set the tone for his challenging journey with his daughter.
Judy and Corry's Journey
Judy knew something wasn’t right when she heard Corry come home and go straight to her room. That’s weird, she thought. Usually she says hello.
Fior's Story
Fior was not allowed to see her daughter until her daughter was ready to see her.
Resources: Other
Wholehearted
Naked Truth Recovery aims to give professional help that is accessible and affordable for everyone. Our Wholehearted Partner Programme offers access to multiple support, education and healing resources for spouses and partners who have experienced sexual betrayal.
ClicktoKick.com
Our Click to Kick Programme is an online support group for men and women wanting to overcome use and dependency.
Wholelife
Our Wholelife Recovery Programme is aimed at individuals who have completed 'Click to Kick' or another programme and are seeking to move beyond sobriety and into recovery.
Naked Truth Recovery aims to give professional help that is accessible and affordable for everyone.
www.nakedtruthrecovery.com
Email:
Text 'Porn' to 403.293.3900
FamilyLife Canada has been teaching, training and equipping families for over 25 years.
www.familylifecanada.com/
Resources: Books
Resources: Podcasts
You are not your sexuality - Rev Sam Allberry
Is it Ok to be Gay? Candid Conversations on Christians and Same-Sex Attractions
Love Letter to a Lesbian - Jackie Hill Perry
A Conversation About Singleness
We hope you have been blessed by the messages and resources of this series and that you are experiencing growth in the way you are personally able to lean in with love, uphold truth and offer hope. We are praying for you as you process what you have learned and as you seek God and what He may be saying to you in this season.
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