Tuesday, November 27, 2007
Blessings Blog
I would love to see some posts this month from anyone sharing thier experiences in 2007.
Here are some prompting questions.....
1. How did you grow spiritually in 2007?
2. WHat blessings has God given you this past year?
3. How have you seen God reach the lost this year?
4. How has your T-Group challenged your growth.
In Pastor Jack's latest Sermon the International Harvester he challenged us to pray for 5 weeks for 5 mintues a day for 5 people. We were called to pray a BLESSing on them.
B- PRay for thier body and health
L- Labor or work
E-Emotional health, for joy in thier life.
S-ocial for good relationships within family and friends
S-Spiritual for salvation and growth
Share any fruit that comes from this exercise. Please keep names anonymous of course:)
Here are some prompting questions.....
1. How did you grow spiritually in 2007?
2. WHat blessings has God given you this past year?
3. How have you seen God reach the lost this year?
4. How has your T-Group challenged your growth.
In Pastor Jack's latest Sermon the International Harvester he challenged us to pray for 5 weeks for 5 mintues a day for 5 people. We were called to pray a BLESSing on them.
B- PRay for thier body and health
L- Labor or work
E-Emotional health, for joy in thier life.
S-ocial for good relationships within family and friends
S-Spiritual for salvation and growth
Share any fruit that comes from this exercise. Please keep names anonymous of course:)
Wednesday, November 21, 2007
Thursday, November 15, 2007
T-Giving
Happy Thanksgiving to all. We are headed out to be at my wife's grandmother's funeral. Keep our family and travels in your prayers. Take time to be thankful throughout this next month as you think of what God has done for you in your life and for eternity.
Monday, November 12, 2007
Thursday, November 8, 2007
Church Shopping 101
Read over John 3:22-36.
If you are a person that lives in a town with more than one option for a solid Bible teaching church then you have been exposed to church shopping. This is the phenomenon in the United States where believers get to go out and try on churches to find the best fit, most stylish, or just to keep up with the latest trends in church going. You may sometimes hear of a church that is growing and wonder what they are doing right. A closer look often shows that the growth is simply a transferring of Christians and not outreach based. Often this church shopping takes on the form of finding a pastor one connects with who preaches at his or her level. When your pastor leaves you shop again to find another pastor to latch on to. Some of you may be saying what is the problem here? I am just trying to find a church that meets my needs!
John the Baptist was facing a little bit of church shopping in John 3 as his disciples began to debate which leader essentially was best. John set the record straight by clarifying who he was not. He was not the Christ, Jesus is the Christ. John's job was simply to point people toward Christ yet these disciples still were following John. The job of the church and of the pastor today is to point people toward Christ yet Christians are caught up in following a Pastor or focusing on their own needs. Sometimes Pastors begin to think they deserve the big crowds because of their skills, we all have seen what happens next as they fall from Grace. Christ is to be the center of all ministry and all the results must be credited to Him alone.
Take a look at I Corinthians 1 as Paul scolds the church for following men over and above Christ.
Are you beginning to see the sickness in church shopping, in our "me" centered world? The believer is to commit to the body of Christ and that occurs best in a church setting because that is the vehicle God has chosen for us to share our gifts in ministry to one another and to reach the lost. Yes, yes there are times when truth is being compromised and one must leave a church to cling to truth, but those are few and far between. There is a proper time and a proper way to change churches, but I am focusing on the general public who are trending toward shopping.
I am currently in a small town where this is less of an issue but I came from a home of some mega giants in teaching and preaching. Home of church hoppers and shoppers yet it is still a targeted area for church plants because believers are not committing their gifts to one body therefore Christianity is cultural and ineffective.
So the next time you think of shopping for a church or hear a friend who is doing so remember John the Baptists and Paul and make sure you are keeping Christ first and connecting to use your gifts.
If you are a person that lives in a town with more than one option for a solid Bible teaching church then you have been exposed to church shopping. This is the phenomenon in the United States where believers get to go out and try on churches to find the best fit, most stylish, or just to keep up with the latest trends in church going. You may sometimes hear of a church that is growing and wonder what they are doing right. A closer look often shows that the growth is simply a transferring of Christians and not outreach based. Often this church shopping takes on the form of finding a pastor one connects with who preaches at his or her level. When your pastor leaves you shop again to find another pastor to latch on to. Some of you may be saying what is the problem here? I am just trying to find a church that meets my needs!
John the Baptist was facing a little bit of church shopping in John 3 as his disciples began to debate which leader essentially was best. John set the record straight by clarifying who he was not. He was not the Christ, Jesus is the Christ. John's job was simply to point people toward Christ yet these disciples still were following John. The job of the church and of the pastor today is to point people toward Christ yet Christians are caught up in following a Pastor or focusing on their own needs. Sometimes Pastors begin to think they deserve the big crowds because of their skills, we all have seen what happens next as they fall from Grace. Christ is to be the center of all ministry and all the results must be credited to Him alone.
Take a look at I Corinthians 1 as Paul scolds the church for following men over and above Christ.
Are you beginning to see the sickness in church shopping, in our "me" centered world? The believer is to commit to the body of Christ and that occurs best in a church setting because that is the vehicle God has chosen for us to share our gifts in ministry to one another and to reach the lost. Yes, yes there are times when truth is being compromised and one must leave a church to cling to truth, but those are few and far between. There is a proper time and a proper way to change churches, but I am focusing on the general public who are trending toward shopping.
I am currently in a small town where this is less of an issue but I came from a home of some mega giants in teaching and preaching. Home of church hoppers and shoppers yet it is still a targeted area for church plants because believers are not committing their gifts to one body therefore Christianity is cultural and ineffective.
So the next time you think of shopping for a church or hear a friend who is doing so remember John the Baptists and Paul and make sure you are keeping Christ first and connecting to use your gifts.
Saturday, November 3, 2007
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