ChrisMoncus.com

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The title is pretty much the way it happened. Jesus told us in several ways in several places that He didn’t want us sitting on our complacent rears in out of our comfort zones. He told us to “GO”. For your reading pleasure, He said it in these places - Acts 1:8, Mark 16:15, and Matthew 28:19-20 - among many other references to getting out of your own town and being a witness and a missionary.

That said, I felt that call recently. Not just in a general sense but in a “Chris, I have plans for you. Listen closely” way.

“He’s gonna get my home church to hire me as Technical and Art Director”, I thought. “Maybe there’s something at Calvary Temple opening up.” “Maybe I will FINALLY get to do some overseas mission work with FaithWorks Ministries.”

“Chris? Hey man. It’s Adam. A position just went public here. Please email me your resume soon.” No big deal. I’ll never go out to Las Vegas. I’ll just humor my best friend so he won’t feel hurt by me telling him that I didn’t really see myself there. Besides, I was doing so much up at FBC that I knew they were gonna hire me for the new position that would be created soon.

Not the case. I was one of two applicants. From what I gathered the other applicant’s resume was pushed aside rather quickly. I was the sole applicant who was qualified for that position. Crap. Now things get tricky. I learn more about the job and quickly get excited. New building! New A/V/L systems! God moving in the church! Spiritual growth like no other I had seen! Now I wanted to be a part of it no matter what. I interviewed over the phone and was told I did well.

We arranged a face-to-face interview for March 8-14 where I would basically join them for a week of work and see what it was like. It went great. We started off the week with phrases like “the person who will be in this position will…”. Eventually those phrases were morphed into “when you get here you will…”. I knew upon leaving that God wanted me there. I knew that they wanted me there. I knew that Amanda wanted to be there.

“Why me?” Because for some reason God has gifted me in things that Canyon Ridge Christian Church needs. Yeah, there are probably many other people that could do that job well, but for some reason I felt that He wanted me there. What a humbling honor.

Near Lone Mountain, high above Las Vegas, Adam Ogden told me, “for every street light you see, there are 200 people that need a personal relationship with God.” It looked like a bird’s nest of Christmas lights. The lights were all I saw. 1.5 Million people in desperate need of the love and grace of God. Reese Roper once wrote, “The very spark that burns the stars drew near to me today. The God of everything that is whispered in my ear that His love is boundless.” Yes, His love is boundless. No amount of sin can diffuse His love. It’s a love that He wants to be spread. His love needs to be shown to the people of Las Vegas and for some reason, God has chosen me to a part of that. What a humbling honor. What a huge task. What a wonderful Savior.

I formally accepted the job on March 23, 2006. My job title is A/V Manager. I will be managing the website and getting it up to speed with today’s needs and trends for ministry websites. I will also be the manager of most all sound systems that aren’t in the main auditorium. That means I’m training and scheduling volunteers, keeping the systems working, and being there in case of an issue. Fun stuff.

My start date is April 10th. Exactly one week from tomorrow. It’s also exactly two months from my wedding. Praise God, he has worked out all of the details and everything is working out great to go out to Las Vegas for 7 weeks, fly back, get married, go on our honeymoon, pack up a UHaul, and drive 3 days across the US to Nevada - while forfeiting very little pay in the process. There’s no way to describe it. God has worked it all out better than I could ever have expected.

Pray for me, please. Pray for Amanda as she is left in Brunswick for seven weeks to plan the wedding without me being here. Pray for our parents to get all this wedding stuff worked out and to handle their first-borns leaving the nest… finally.

One thing I know is that Amanda and I will grow in this church. The teaching is powerful and full of applicable truth. The music is some of the best and most well-chosen I’ve heard in the church. Their attention to detail makes it all fit together to craft a worship experience one can’t easily forget. The church’s goal is spiritual growth for the congregation.

The church holds 5 regular services, 3 youth services, and a traditional service each weekend across Saturday night and Sunday morning. The Wednesday night service is the best mid-week service I’ve ever been to. With around 5,000 a weekend in attendance, this church, along with its planted and assisted churches, is providing an excellent ministry in the area and is reaching thousands of people. Amanda and I want to be a part of this.

As Amanda and I follow the Lord and “go”, please pray for us. We would love to keep in contact with you, so please don’t forget to write. We will keep our cell phone numbers for a little while so we will still be reachable that way, just remember we will be 3 hours behind you. Your 8am = our 5am. DO NOT CALL THEN.

I would love to see you guys before I leave so let’s have lunch or something or I will see you at church. If I don’t, see you at the wedding.

As a final thought, go. Go share the Gospel of hope and love with the lost. Whether it’s around a break room table at your office or a remote jungle in Asia or Sin City itself. Take the Gospel to them. God has called us to BRING others to His banquet table. I pray for those reading this. That you would all spread His love to a lost and lonely world and that many would come to know Christ through this.

Doit4Jesus.

I just realized that I haven’t posted here in literally 3 months. Can I get any more slack? Yes I can. I am most slack because I didn’t write about the most important thing to happen to me since I got saved.

On January 23, 2006 on Saint Simons Island, GA, I asked Amanda Beth Crosby to be my wife! Strange thing is that she actually said “yes”! Who would have thought I’d have lucked out (uh, or rather, be so blessed) to get the most wonderfullest girl in the world. I am sad to say that all other single guys must settle for less than the best. I am sorry to all who hoped for a girl like Amanda, but alas, God only made one of her. Her sister is single though…

And all the girls are wondering, “How’d you do it?”. You can read the full story on our wedding site, http://www.chrismoncus.com/thewedding/, if you want, but I’ll give the quick summary for those of us with ADD.

On January 20, 2002, I met Amanda at First Baptist Church in Brunswick. We were introduced, went bowling with the youth group, IM’ed and phoned each other, became friends, started dating a few months later, became a couple in September of that year, got really serious and eventually expressed interest in marriage. This went on for over three years and then there we were in January of 2006.

With our four-year friendship anniversary approaching, I saw it as good cover for the proposal. Only then could we get dressed up, go out to a nice restaurant, and take a walk in Neptune Park without much suspicion arising. I was previously scheduled as a leader at a retreat that weekend, so we had to postpone this date until the 23rd. I set aside the 18th to talk to her dad and get his blessing. That’s a story in itself. Read that here. Short version… I was nervous as I could be, asked his blessing, he said that he’d be honored… “PHEW!”.

So we went out that Monday night, January 23rd, to J Mac’s on SSI. Afterward we went on a walk in Neptune park toward the lighthouse and its gazebo (the only place with light out there!). With my guitar in hand I sang a song I wrote for her. Toward the end I dropped my pick in my guitar. With a dumb look on my face I asked her to help me get it out. I needed her to hold her hands out and catch it if it falls so that I won’t lose it.

I flipped my guitar over and shook it. Nothing came out. I shook it again and reached inside, telling her I almost had it. A little fumbling around inside and the ring fell out of the guitar into her hands. It was duck taped to the inside lip of my guitar. I set my guitar down and grabbed her hands. I got down on one knee, leaned in, and asked her to marry me. She said yes! Woohoo!

So here we are. We’re finishing up wedding plans and also getting ready for another BIG event in our lives. Read the next post to find out whats up.

It’s official. FedEx dropped off Vertical Window’s new CD this morning at 10am. We hoped to have them in yesterday, but between the holiday rush and the hundred other things that could have slowed them down, a day late isn’t bad.

I have it sitting right beside me and it looks awesome.

So I present to you… Angels Cry. You can buy it for $10 from any band member, FBC Brunswick office, WECC, or our website. Beginning Monday, December 26, WECC will be giving away several copies of our CD on air. Keep your dial on 89.3FM for your chance to win. Don’t forget to request ‘Angels Cry’ to be played on the air. 1-800-577-WECC.

Have a blessed and merry Christmas from myself and Vertical Window.

There is a longer story on VerticalWindow.com about the release. Read it.

I get a slight reminder of the Blues Brothers when I think of Charles Ryan. I could picture him telling his friends and family back in May “I’m on a mission from God” and seeing the reactions. Yeah it’s crazy, but anyone who decides to walk until God says “stop” gets cool points in my book.

So here I am to announce FlippingBlind.com v1.5. I just finished adding new features to his site like a Google map that shows many of the places he has been and the posts associated with them, a new layout, and some minor tweaks and additions that make the experience better.

Head over there and read about what’s going on and maybe drop him a few comments or sign his guestbook. Take me to FlippingBlind.com!