FEBRUARY 5, 2017
WEL C OM E
Hi Friends,
There’s no place for amnesia when it comes to God’s people. Remembering is an
important work. God calls us to it:
•Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. Exodus 20:8
•So you shall remember and do all my commandments. Numbers 15:40
•You shall remember what the LORD your God did to Pharaoh.
Deuteronomy 7:17-18
•Remember the Lord, who is great and awesome. Nehemiah 4:14
•I will remember your wonders of old. Psalm 77:11
•They did not remember his power…when he redeemed them. Psalm 78:42
•Remember the word that I said to you... John 15:20
•Remember your leaders, those who spoke to you the word of God.
Hebrews 13:17
When God calls us to remember He is reminding us to elevate His presence and
power in history. History matters. The past is the canvas on which we paint the
present. Remembering God’s work in days gone by encourages, comforts, and
emboldens us for the days to come.
That’s why we can march out in these uncertain times with a skip in our step. We
know the One who guided us in the past will lead us in our future. It’s as if God
says:
Remember how I showed up in the past? I’ll show up again today!
Remember how you saw my power in the past? You will see it again today!
Remember how much I cared in the past? I care every bit as much today!
As we celebrate Spanish River Church’s 50th Anniversary, we want to encourage
you to look back and praise God for His faithfulness. You will see His goodness
through this booklet. It’s been a fantastic journey. It’s only going to get better!
With fond memories and great expectations,
Tommy Kiedis, Senior Pastor
Where We Came From
T H E PA S T
I have been asked to write
a brief history of
Spanish River Church.
How does one condense 50
years into a brief article?
All I can do is give
some broad strokes and
try to paint an abstract
portrait of the means and
modes that God used to
build this church.
It was fifty years ago when David and I
arrived in Boca Raton. We were full of
enthusiasm, dreams and a willingness
to work hard...but not much else.
David had only been in the ministry
David and Nori Nicholas, Founders of Spanish River Church
for four years, and we had been
married for two and a half years. We
were young and naïve with no idea
of the task that lay ahead...that was
probably a good thing!
The first Sunday we were in Boca
Raton, February 5, 1967, we met with
a small core group that consisted of
eight adults and five children.
From that day on, we have gathered
as a church in different locations,
but the key to the growth and very
existence of Spanish River Church
never waivered:
“For I am not ashamed of the
gospel, for it is the power of God for
salvation.” Romans 1:16.
David
faithfully
explained
and
presented the Gospel in context in
every service.
THE BAD NEWS
The Bad News of the Gospel
exposes the dire plight in which
we each find ourselves. We are
sinful people facing a God who
is righteous and will not tolerate
sin in His presence. God is also
just and His justice will not allow
a single infraction of His law to go
unpunished…and the punishment
is death. The worst news of all
is that we can do nothing about
this terrible circumstance in our
own strength because God’s
righteousness and justice are
absolute and we are unable to
meet His standards.
THE GOOD NEWS
The Good News of the Gospel
reveals that God has provided
a way to rescue us. God is not
only righteous and just, He is also
loving, merciful and gracious.
Because the punishment that our
sins deserve is death, we are all
caught in a dilemma from which
we cannot extricate ourselves.
God Himself provided the key
to unlock this vicious circle by
providing a substitute to take our
place and bear the punishment
that we so richly deserve. God the
Son left the glories of heaven and
came to earth in human form as
Jesus. He lived a sinless life and
allowed Himself to be taken and
executed on a cross. As He was
on that cross, God the Father took
our sins, put them on Jesus and
poured out the wrath that our sins
deserve on Him. Jesus died the
death we should have died, paid
for our sins and on the third day
rose triumphant from the grave.
Jesus defeated sin and death
and now He offers the gift of
eternal life as a free gift to all who
acknowledge their own sinfulness
and accept His gift. Understanding
the Bad News should inspire fear
as we realize the precarious nature
of our position. The Good News
should inspire love as we realize
the extreme lengths to which
God was willing to go in order to
rescue us from His own justice.
As this message was preached
in each service, the power of the
Holy Spirit was unleashed and
people came to faith in Christ
as their Savior. And because the
Gospel was the grid through
which every program was tested,
people grew in their faith and
Christian walk.
DAVID’S VISION
David was continually asking
himself the question, “Where do
I want to take my people?” His
single main goal was to bring
people to the point of both
fearing and loving God. He was
constantly evaluating the spiritual
health of the congregation in
respect to fulfilling these goals.
When he spotted a weak area in a
ministry, then a process of prayer
and evaluation would begin.
What could be done to strengthen
that area? Once a strategy was
decided, leaders from within the congregation were carefully chosen, based on their passion
and giftedness. David would share his vision with this group and enlist their participation.
In this way most of the ministries of the church came into being.
GROWTH OVER THE YEARS
People often ask me, “When did you see an explosion of growth in the church?” The answer
is always the same: “Never.” Growth at Spanish River Church was always a slow grass-roots
process. Every ministry within the church started as a small group of people who caught
a vision.
People with gifts and talents were encouraged to spread their wings and start ministries.
For this reason there was great “ownership” by members of the congregation, and there
was a true feeling of “family” as most people were connected personally with others in the
church through the network of small groups.
CHURCH PLANTING
Spanish River Church has become known as a Church Planting Church. This all started in
1983 when David and the elders took a long hard look at the way the church was involving
itself in ministering beyond our own turf. After searching the New Testament it became
evident to them that God’s uses the local church to carry out His plan. For that reason
Spanish River Church decided to focus on the planting of “daughter churches.” The goal
was to plant churches that would become self-supporting and in turn reach out and plant
other churches that would plant other churches. In this way the church planting movement
would spread and become exponential. That ministry continues to this day and has indeed
spread around the globe and has become exponential!
LOOKING BACK
Being a pastor is a full time occupation, and by that I mean that it is a 24/7 job. Building and
pastoring a church is a messy process. There is never a moment when the job is done. There
is always a soul in pain, a person who needs help, a seeker who needs truth and a task that
has been overlooked. It can be a huge burden and can evoke great anxiety.
But every once in awhile, between the tasks, there comes a moment when one can lift up
one’s eyes and look around. This 50th Anniversary is just such a moment, and I am deeply
saddened that David is not here to share this moment with us. Yet at the same time, I am
filled with joy and both amazed and humbled as I look back from whence we have come.
by Nori Nicholas, Wife of Founding Pastor
R EV’S, E R N I E’ S &
KOI NON I A
When looking back over the beginning years of Spanish River Church, three ministries stick out
as integral to the growth of the church. Each one started out with a simple idea to connect with
students and young adults and grew into life-changing ministries.
REV’S • 1968 - 1977
Soon after moving to town, David Nicholas became an enthusiastic supporter of the Boca Raton
High School football team. So much, in fact, that he was eventually asked to become their
chaplain. This gave him an incredible opportunity to connect with the players and ultimately
led to regular Sunday meetings at David and Nori’s apartment. During those gatherings, the
athletes and their dates were able to come together, learn about the Bible and ask questions
about faith.
God moved in those meetings, and many of the kids came to faith. These relationships also led
to relationships with the parents, and several of those parents eventually became key leaders
in the church.
ERNIE’S • 1969 - 1974
Ernie and Lena Tomforde moved to Boca Raton when IBM opened a local research and
development plant. They felt God calling them to open up their home to share Jesus with
students from Florida Atlantic University.
As Ernie and Lena met various students, they connected with Donn and Kay Londeree. After
getting to know the couple and realizing their desire to minister
to the FAU students as well, Ernie came to David Nicholas and the
elders with an idea: Would Spanish River Church support Donn
Londeree as an on-site missionary to FAU? Donn would slowly,
one course per semester, get his Masters degree in Finance. In the
process he would use his status as a student to hold meetings on
campus and share Jesus with students. The Elders agreed, and
Donn’s FAU ministry began. Ernie and Lena’s home became the
off-site meeting place for these FAU students, and the ministry
affectionately became known as “Ernie’s.” Through this ministry
numerous FAU students came to faith in Christ, and their lives
were forever changed.
KOINONIA • 1969 - 1978
A Christian woman named Paula Carlen was the chief counselor at
a local, secular drug recovery organization named Elysium. When
Elysium was about to close due to financial difficulties, Paula
came to the church with a request for funding. The Elders agreed
to fund the organization as long as it came under the authority of
the church and the counseling program became Christ-centered.
In recognition of this new status, the name Elysium, which had
pagan roots, was changed to Koinonia, a New Testament word
that means “fellowship.”
Koinonia was an intense program for people who were truly
committed to getting clean of their drug habit. This required
intense accountability with leadership. Most of the young people
had no home in the area, so Koinonia rented multiple duplexes
and provided housing for the participants. Eventually, the
church purchased an off-site building downtown and used it for
Koinonia’s counseling, small groups and coffeehouse outreach.
God worked in amazing ways through this ministry, and lives were
both physically and spiritually saved.
LO C ATIONS
In 1967 eight adults and five kids
met in the construction office of
the Boca Raton Regional Hospital
for the first service of the Boca
Raton Presbyterian Church. After
the service they were informed
they would no longer be allowed to
meet in the building.
The next Sunday they began
gathering at a storefront in a strip
mall at the corner of Palmetto
Park Road and Dixie Highway. The
lease was $5.00 a month, and the
building eventually became an
H&R Block.
In September of that year, the
group moved to the Boca Raton
Art Guild (today known as the Boca
Raton Museum Art School). They
met in the main room and created
a nursery by putting playpens in
the kitchen.
In 1971 four house lots and one
parcel of land on 40th Street
were purchased for $59,000. The
first church building was built,
and when the road was renamed
Spanish River Boulevard, the
church officially changed it’s name
to Spanish River Church.
Eventually the church grew to
450+ people, and the current space
was no longer adequate. In 1980,
twenty acres on Yamato Road were
purchased for $29,000 an acre.
The Spanish River Boulevard church
building and land were sold to raise
funds for the new construction, and
the church met at Spanish River
High School from April 1984 to
October 1985.
The first service in the Yamato Road
facilities (now the gymnasium) was
held on November 3, 1985.
The Chapel Building was built in
1996 and the Worship Center, where
we meet today, was completed in
1999 for $11 million.
CH U RC H P L AN T I NG
Church planting has always been in the DNA
of Spanish River Church. As far back as 1973,
David Nicholas and the church were helping
to plant churches across the state of Florida.
Then in 1983 during a three-country trip
commissioned by the PCA World Mission
Board,
David
realized
that
American
missionaries were often floundering and
failing to learn the language and culture of
their mission field. While millions of dollars
were being spent to support and train these
missionaries, he found most of them living
in isolation from the local people and usually
trying to recreate their American way of life in
a foreign land. Ultimately, David saw little lifechanging ministry taking place.
When David returned from these trips, he and
the Mission Committee decided that a new
way of doing and supporting missions had
to be created. During a period of study and
reflection, several key non-negotiable factors
were decided and they became the new
foundation and framework for missions, and
ultimately church planting, at Spanish River
Church.
LED BY LOCAL CHURCHES
As
the
Mission
Committee
studied
the
scriptures, it became clear that the New
Testament format for doing ministry was
through the local church. The book of Acts
is filled with the stories of the apostles
planting churches all over the world. Those
local churches were responsible for reaching
out with the gospel to their own city, both by
sharing the truth of the gospel and also by
ministering to the needs of local people.
MORE FUNDING, CARE & ACCOUNTABILITY
The Mission Committee felt that a closer
bond needed to exist between Spanish River
Church and any missionary that it supported.
This would make for a more caring, personal
relationship and also greater accountability. In
order for this to happen, Spanish River Church
would have to take on the major percentage
of the support for every missionary/church
planter. The missions landscape would move
from being wide and shallow to being narrow
and deep.
TRAIN & SUPPORT LOCAL PASTORS
As the Mission Committee analyzed the reports
from various missionaries they deduced that
the most efficient and financially responsible
way to do missionary work was to use qualified
local pastors. They realized it was most often
counter-productive to spend time and money
training Americans who would never be able
to fit seamlessly into a foreign culture.
After coming to these conclusions and much
time and prayer, the Spanish River Church
Planting ministry was born. The ministry has
since worked with hundreds of local pastors,
coming alongside them with financial and
prayer support, mentoring, training and
encouragement.
The first “daughter church” to be planted
after this shift in focus was the Naperville
Presbyterian Church in the suburbs of Chicago.
Fast forward to 2017, and SRC is giving 20%
of our given budget to church planting, and
Spanish River Church Planting will support its
500th church plant.
Each year, we host the Spanish River Church
Planting Retreat and welcome church planters
and their wives from across the globe to come
be encouraged, learn and grow. It is always
a fun and special time for our SRC family to
serve these church planters and get to hear
about God’s work around the world.
What an incredible blessing it is to be a part of
planting churches! We are so thankful for the
opportunity God has given us to partner in His
Kingdom work through Spanish River Church
Planting and can’t wait to be a part of the next
50 years!
To learn more about Spanish River Church Planting, go
to www.srcchurchplanting.com.
S PAN I S H R I VE R
CHRIS T I AN S C HO OL
SPANISH RIV E R
C OU NSE LING C E NTE R
Spanish River Christian School (SRCS) opened its doors in 1982, offering classes in 1st and 2nd
grades with a total enrollment of sixteen students. The vision was to provide children with a
quality education where Christian truth and values permeate all areas of instruction.
The Spanish River Counseling Center was started in 1991 by Dr. James Manganello, a Harvard
trained psychologist and family therapist who was on staff at SRC. Dr. Manganello’s vision was
to provide a place of hope, serving those challenged by life’s toughest issues.
It had its beginnings in Sonshine Preschool which was started in 1978 and met in what is today
the Torah Academy of Boca Raton. When Spanish River Church moved to its current location in
1985, the SRCS campus was an important part of the planning.
Over almost thirty years, the Counseling Center has offered a multidisciplinary therapist team
that works hard to provide integrated care and attention to psychological, emotional, relational
and spiritual aspects of life. Thousands of clients have walked through its doors, and God has
used the Counseling Center in amazing ways.
Under the leadership of Sharon Demko, SRCS started a Middle School with one class of 6th
graders in 1995. They met in portable classrooms until additional facilities were built. In time, 7th
and 8th grades were added, and the new building (currently used today) was completed in 1997.
One year later, SRCS graduated its first class of twenty-two 8th graders.
When Sharon Demko retired in 2014, Cheryl Burdin took over as Headmaster. She now leads
over 80 dedicated staff, as SRCS provides a place for 515 students to be challenged spiritually,
academically, athletically, and socially to impact the world for Christ.
You can learn more about Spanish River Christian School at www.spanishriverchristianschool.com.
Today it is led by Dr. Brent Gray, and continues to be a place of refuge and healing in Boca Raton.
You can learn more about the Spanish River Counseling Center at www.spanishrivercounseling.com.
What God Is Doing
THE PRESENT
The beauty of the Gospel is that God brings us
from death to life.
English As A Second Language
Marriage Ministry
River Run 5K
South Florida is home to people
from all over the world. Our ESL
ministry offers free classes to
men, women and children who
want to learn English in a fun
and encouraging environment.
Investing in marriage is so
important. Our Re|Engage,
Prepare/Enrich and Marriage
Mentor programs offer safe
environments
for
couples
to strengthen and heal their
marriages based on God’s
Word.
The River Run 5K raises
funds for local child welfare
organizations. Since it began in
2009, over 4,500 people have
participated and over $104,000
has been raised.
Capital Seminary
Ride 4 Orphans
HELPS Ministry
SRC has a long history of
equipping people to serve God.
Through a partnership with
Capital Seminary, we offer a
fully accredited Master’s degree
in Church Planting. Our students
are in church plants across the
US and even in Brazil.
Ride 4 Orphans brings together
cyclists from all over the
country to raise money for local
foster care organizations and
orphanages in Chad, Malawi
and Haiti. Since 2013, over 2,190
people have participated and
over $210,000 has been raised.
Volunteers are dedicated to
loving on people by making
and delivering meals to those
needing temporary help after
surgery, an illness, the birth of
a baby, or a death in the family.
Thousands of meals have
been prepared over the years.
But He doesn’t stop there. God infuses all of our lives with the
reality and power of Christ. In short, He transforms us. And now we
want to share His transforming love in words and deeds inside and
outside the walls of Spanish River. Here are a few glimpses of that
transformational work.
Nurturing Your Newborn and
River Tots
Upward Basketball &
Cheerleading
Nurturing Your Newborn and
River Tots offer a place for moms
and their babies or toddlers to
spend time together, learn and
support one another. Hundreds
of local families have been
blessed by these ministries.
Every year, local kids take
part in Upward. Hundreds of
participants get to play fun
games no matter their abilities,
learn teamwork and life-skills,
and hear the Gospel message
each week.
Broward Outreach Center
Broward
Outreach
Center
provides homeless men, women
and children with shelter, food,
education and employment.
SRC Volunteers lead Sunday
worship services and other
events throughout the year.
king. She thought her royalty would
save her from the plight of her people
until her uncle Mordecai gave her the
wake-up call:
God. We wrestled with how to best
utilize the platform God has given us
in Boca Raton and our surrounding
communities.
“Do not think to yourself that in the
king’s palace you will escape any more
than all the other Jews.”
We looked at our history. We
considered all the good times and
great challenges of the past. Then
we stopped to ponder these days.
We consider 2017 to be “The Times
of Refreshing.” Peter’s words to the
crowds in Solomon’s portico provide
a fitting summary.
Mordecai was letting Esther know
that God did not give her a royal
position for her protection, but for
His purposes. Mordecai challenged his
young niece:
Where We Are Going
THE FUTURE
“Who knows whether you
have come to the kingdom
for such a time as this.”
Esther 4:14
FOR SUCH A TIME AS THIS
The nation of Israel was in a terrible
bind. Haman, the conniving underling
of King Ahasuerus, had conspired
to wipe out the entire race in one
diabolical move. Their doom was
sealed, or so it seemed. But God, who
has good people everywhere, had
placed the beautiful young Esther at
the crossroads of this conspiracy.
She just didn’t know it.
Esther was a Jewish queen to a pagan
“Who knows whether you have come
to the kingdom for such a time as
this?”
Esther responded to that challenge.
She stood on the platform God gave
her and intervened on behalf of her
people. The Jews owe their existence
to Esther and that moment. But it was
a moment made possible because
Mordecai had a crucial conversation
with Esther.
OUR KINGDOM PLATFORM
The Spanish River Church Vision
Team met for over a year (2015-2016)
to reassess who we are as people of
Repent therefore, and turn back...that
times of refreshing may come from
the presence of the Lord....Acts 3:20
ESV
In the same way we refresh a computer
browser for more effective computing,
we need God to refresh who we are
as the people of God in Boca to more
effectively live on mission.
We needed a fresh picture of what
it means to be a big church on the
corner. Our Vision Team did stellar
work to that end. Together we took
time to prayerfully consider our:
•Values: Why we do what we do.
•Mission: What we are doing.
•Strategy: How we are accomplishing our
mission.
•Measures: When we are successful.
In the days ahead we will continue to fine-tune
our efforts so that everything we do is carefully
aligned with our vision frame.
That vision framing process gave us the macro
perspective of what it means to be a big church
on the corner. It is as if God has said, “You are
here (Yamato and St. Andrews) for such a
time as this. This is your SRC family Kingdom
Platform.”
THE NEXT FIVE YEARS - ONE THOUSAND
CRUCIAL CONVERSATIONS
•Why do we do what we do? Because we
are a grace-centered, kingdom-focused,
open-handed, biblically-anchored family.
•What are we doing? We are practicing
gospel living to help the casually connected
deeply engage with Jesus.
•What is our strategy? We are asking
people to join the church in worship,
participate in a LifeGroup, and find their
Kingdom Platform to witness and to serve.
•When are we effective? We know we are
on mission when we are connecting with
God through worship, connecting with
each other as family, and connecting with
our world though witness.
Over the next five years we will help every
member of the Spanish River family discover,
develop, and honor Christ with their Kingdom
Platform. We believe God will bring times of
refreshing as:
•Each of us has that Mordecai/Esther
crucial conversation.
•Each of us is equipped to witness and
serve through our Kingdom Platform.
•All of us gather weekly not just to “go to
church” but to celebrate being the church
of Jesus in our city.
What kind of refreshing breeze might sweep
over our souls, our church, and our city if
1000 people who form the core of Spanish
River Church had their “crucial conversation”?
Imagine what God might ignite in our hearts
and through this church if, like Esther, we
discovered our Kingdom Platforms and
then boldly and passionately stepped out to
witness and serve! God would be held in awe.
Christ would be proclaimed. We would be
transformed. Our city would be a better place.
Imagine more and more casually connected
people deeply engaged with Jesus. That is
what we want to see.
So where do we go from here?
AN AHA MOMENT
Recently, the elders and deacons of SRC
gathered for a meal and a time of celebration.
We were asked to introduce ourselves and the
role we play at Spanish River. It was amazing
how many of the deacons said that when
asked to take on the role, “It was the hardest —
and best — assignment they have had at SRC.”
All of them have grown leaps and bounds, in
part, because they took the challenging path.
My “aha moment” is that we need to embrace
“hard stuff.” We live in a day when folks
want easy steps to growth with God, easy
commitments that don’t cramp their time, and
convenient services that leave a tingle down
to their toes. Much of that runs counter to the
way of Christ. Yes, Jesus’ “yoke is easy and His
burden is light” (Matthew 11:30), but “the way
is hard that leads to life, and those who find it
are few” (Matthew 7:14).
Standing up to the king was hard work for
Esther. Launching a new church was hard work
for David and Nori. Stepping into leadership
was hard work for our deacons. And moving
forward as the people of God in Boca will
be hard work. Don’t get me wrong, it will be
delightful and exhilarating and fun — but hard
work nonetheless.
We need to embrace the challenge!
3 ES S E N T I AL S T E P S
that 20% of the people do 80% of the work. By God’s grace we are going to change that. We’re
going to raise up leaders like never before. Our Leadership Development Group (LDG) will be
the front end of our spiritual leadership pipeline and the initial training for anyone stepping into
any leadership role at SRC. Step up to lead. We will help you. Find out more at spanishriver.
com/LDG.
3. STEP UP YOUR FRIENDSHIP IN 2017.
Esther is not here anymore. Mordecai is not here anymore. But you are! God has given you a
platform and this moment to witness and serve. We want to help you discover it, develop it, and
maximize it for God’s glory. Here are three steps we want you to take in 2017 so the family of
Spanish River can prepare for 1000 Crucial Conversations. We need this so we can be ready to
identify and maximize our Kingdom Platforms to witness and serve.
1. STEP INTO A LIFEGROUP IN 2017.
Our Vision Team and elders are convinced that LifeGroups are critical to discovering and
living out our Kingdom Platform. Each of us needs a smaller family within the larger family of
Spanish River. Each of us needs a safe place to have that Mordecai/Esther crucial conversation.
LifeGroups are the key. But there is a problem. Less than 35% of the people of Spanish River
Church have a LifeGroup. Are you already in a LifeGroup? Then your job is to host, lead, or help
someone else step into a LifeGroup. Find a LifeGroup opportunity at www.spanishriver.com/
lifegroups.
2. STEP INTO LEADERSHIP IN 2017.
It takes leaders to be the church in Boca. It takes leaders to raise kids who are champions
for Christ. It takes leaders to shepherd God’s people. It takes leaders to impact our city in
the business realm, political realm, and educational realm. God loves it when people aspire to
leadership (1 Timothy 3:1). But not enough people are stepping up. It is a sad fact of church life
As I write this note, a gunman has opened fire at the Ft. Lauderdale Airport. Sadly, this kind of
tragedy is becoming all too common. As terror rises more people will hide. It’s human nature
to seek shelter. That also means that more than ever we have unique opportunities to build real
friendships and welcome people into the safety and friendly confines of our homes. The Gospel
still travels best over webs of relationships. Face-to-face is better than social media interaction
any day. So we are challenging you to “Step Up Your Friendship in 2017.” Invite one of your
casually connected friends at work to lunch. Invite a neighbor to grill out. Take time to hang out
with a friend outside of the church. As the relationship grows, bring them to a Sunday service or
an event at SRC. This kind of outward focus is what being the church is all about.
BRIGHT PROSPECTS
In some ways our day is significantly different from that of Esther, but in other ways it is exactly
the same. God is working out His plan. It includes you. It includes all of our church family. God
has given us a platform to witness and serve. He empowers us for it. So we should expect great
things.
I love what the missionary Adorniam Judson said to his detractors who doubted God’s promises
in the face of difficult times. Judson, full of confidence, declared, “The prospects are as bright
as the promises of God.” Every promise of God comes true (Proverbs 30:5). Let’s live like we
believe that. Let’s continue this amazing journey. Let’s leverage these days to help the casually
connected deeply engage with Jesus.
2400 Yamato Road
Boca Raton, FL 33431
[email protected]
561-994-5000
spanishriver.com