I just read an article in the Enrichment Journal by Ed Stetzer about the Future of the Church and its mission. The church in North America is in decline, though the church in the southern half of the globe is increasing. There are two things that jumped out at me in the article.
First, Stetzer places the blame for church decline on the trend that, "Christianity is repelling people from the church." This statement struck me.
How can the church that I chose to attend and love so much repel people? Here is what I am thinking. If church is a social club, or a list of rules (often broken by the members who claim to adhere to them) then people are repelled. People need to, and want to encounter God. People need to see and experience Jesus at church. They see Jesus when they see his love in us. They experience Jesus when they are contacted by the Holy Spirit. We must love people and pray that they experience Jesus in the power of the Holy Spirit through worship, preaching and fellowship.
Second, Stetzer says we need to "regain the gospel." Our message is Jesus dying on the cross in our place and rising from the dead for our victory! Our message is not a self-help message. Our message is not simply a message of hope and optimism in each other. Our message is that Jesus Christ is God's Son and paid for my forgiveness on the cross. He offers us new life, eternal life!
What should you do? First, love people when they deserve it the least. Second, never back away from the gospel. People need Jesus. They need to choose him. Don't be afraid to tell people about Jesus. They will thank you for it later. If we love people unconditionally and hold out the gospel unswervingly God will use us to build his church.
Tuesday, April 8, 2008
Tuesday, April 1, 2008
Precious Blood
Reading the title of this entry, if you have been a Christian for any length of time, makes you think about Jesus' blood. There are songs and poems about the precious blood of Jesus, and lots of them. Jesus' blood is precious because it was the means for our forgiveness.
Jesus laid his life down willingly (John 10:18), no one had the authority to take Jesus' life from him. The Bible says that the wages of sin is death (Romans 3:23), but Jesus never sinned, so how did he die? Jesus died by willingly shedding his blood! That is why his blood is so precious.
In Psalm 72:14 there is a great verse about the preciousness of blood. It says, "He [God] will rescue them from oppression and violence, for precious is their blood in his sight." We think of Jesus' blood as precious, but God thinks your blood is precious!
You are immensely important to God. He is a rescuing God who is compassionate to those who will cry out to him with a humble and willing heart. Call out to Jesus today with whatever stresses you out. Then, look for his answer. It may be, that when you call out to God for help he may show you some needed change that you need to make for the answer to be received by you. Be humble enough, willing enough to follow his instructions.
P.S.
If you are cutting yourself or mutilating your body, I hope that this verse really encourages you. Your blood is precious, don't waste it! God made your body. He really likes you the way you are. You may think you are ugly, God thinks you are beautiful. Your body is not only a "house" for your spirit to live in, it is a house for the Spirit of God to live in as well (look up 1 Corinthians 6:19). Don't vandalize the "house," the "temple," that God gave you, invite God to live in you. If you need help with this, please talk to someone who loves you and can help.
You have precious blood!
Jesus laid his life down willingly (John 10:18), no one had the authority to take Jesus' life from him. The Bible says that the wages of sin is death (Romans 3:23), but Jesus never sinned, so how did he die? Jesus died by willingly shedding his blood! That is why his blood is so precious.
In Psalm 72:14 there is a great verse about the preciousness of blood. It says, "He [God] will rescue them from oppression and violence, for precious is their blood in his sight." We think of Jesus' blood as precious, but God thinks your blood is precious!
You are immensely important to God. He is a rescuing God who is compassionate to those who will cry out to him with a humble and willing heart. Call out to Jesus today with whatever stresses you out. Then, look for his answer. It may be, that when you call out to God for help he may show you some needed change that you need to make for the answer to be received by you. Be humble enough, willing enough to follow his instructions.
P.S.
If you are cutting yourself or mutilating your body, I hope that this verse really encourages you. Your blood is precious, don't waste it! God made your body. He really likes you the way you are. You may think you are ugly, God thinks you are beautiful. Your body is not only a "house" for your spirit to live in, it is a house for the Spirit of God to live in as well (look up 1 Corinthians 6:19). Don't vandalize the "house," the "temple," that God gave you, invite God to live in you. If you need help with this, please talk to someone who loves you and can help.
You have precious blood!
Monday, March 31, 2008
Weekend Rewind
Sunday was really great in several ways. I want to just focus on two things.
First, after the second service I was talking to one of our ladies and she said, "Some of those worship songs really got me this morning." I wanted her to explain, and she said, "It was like the words of the songs were just for me." I was really excited.
I am praying more and more that God will do the things that I and others in our church can never do. We want people to encounter God at church, not just experience a nice well prepared church service. In the second service we spent a lot of extra time on worship and prayer. It was a spontaneous thing that really blessed several people.
Second, we had an absolutely wonderful H2O baptism service! There were over 70 people present and 13 people were baptized. I was so proud of so many of our people. There were a lot of friends who came and a lot of family. That makes everything a lot more fun! It is also a great way to show your friends your faith.
I think that water baptism is so amazing because it is so weird. I mean really, why should we let someone dunk us under water? I come from (grew up in) a more tame religious background where babies are sprinkled. That is not weird. Baptism is bold! Baptism is getting out of your comfortable everyday routine to follow Jesus in something that is different. That is why I like baptism and I think that God intends for it to be just a little strange. Let's not let anything that Jesus ordered us to do to become route or routine. Let's keep following Jesus fresh, challenging and exciting.
First, after the second service I was talking to one of our ladies and she said, "Some of those worship songs really got me this morning." I wanted her to explain, and she said, "It was like the words of the songs were just for me." I was really excited.
I am praying more and more that God will do the things that I and others in our church can never do. We want people to encounter God at church, not just experience a nice well prepared church service. In the second service we spent a lot of extra time on worship and prayer. It was a spontaneous thing that really blessed several people.
Second, we had an absolutely wonderful H2O baptism service! There were over 70 people present and 13 people were baptized. I was so proud of so many of our people. There were a lot of friends who came and a lot of family. That makes everything a lot more fun! It is also a great way to show your friends your faith.
I think that water baptism is so amazing because it is so weird. I mean really, why should we let someone dunk us under water? I come from (grew up in) a more tame religious background where babies are sprinkled. That is not weird. Baptism is bold! Baptism is getting out of your comfortable everyday routine to follow Jesus in something that is different. That is why I like baptism and I think that God intends for it to be just a little strange. Let's not let anything that Jesus ordered us to do to become route or routine. Let's keep following Jesus fresh, challenging and exciting.
Tuesday, March 25, 2008
H2O Baptism This Sunday
I am excited about our water baptism service this Sunday. We have about 15 people who are going to be baptized! This is a great service for your friends to attend with you, especially if you are being baptized. We will start at 2:30 at First Baptist Chruch on 14th Street here in Washington. If you have not been baptized in water you can be this Sunday! Let me know as soon as possible.
Jesus said in Mark 16,
“Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation. 16Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned. 17And these signs will accompany those who believe: In my name they will drive out demons; they will speak in new tongues; 18they will pick up snakes with their hands; and when they drink deadly poison, it will not hurt them at all; they will place their hands on sick people, and they will get well.” (NIV)
Part of preaching the good news is teaching people to obey the Lord. When we obey the Lord we obey him in baptism. "Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved..." Being baptized is an act of obedience to the Lord. "Who ever does not believe will be condemned." People who don't believe, don't obey.
Romans 6:4 says that baptism symbolizes what God has done in us. He has raised us up to live a new life. One of the first acts of obedience to God in this living of a new life is obeying God in water baptism.
There are many cases when an individual is baptized for one reason or another (tradition, peer pressure, family pressure, ritualism) before they are saved. In the Bible, baptism always followed the inward confession of faith in Jesus. If you have not been baptized since you began to believe in Jesus then you should be baptized. I would love to help you follow Jesus Christ.
Jesus said in Mark 16,
“Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation. 16Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned. 17And these signs will accompany those who believe: In my name they will drive out demons; they will speak in new tongues; 18they will pick up snakes with their hands; and when they drink deadly poison, it will not hurt them at all; they will place their hands on sick people, and they will get well.” (NIV)
Part of preaching the good news is teaching people to obey the Lord. When we obey the Lord we obey him in baptism. "Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved..." Being baptized is an act of obedience to the Lord. "Who ever does not believe will be condemned." People who don't believe, don't obey.
Romans 6:4 says that baptism symbolizes what God has done in us. He has raised us up to live a new life. One of the first acts of obedience to God in this living of a new life is obeying God in water baptism.
There are many cases when an individual is baptized for one reason or another (tradition, peer pressure, family pressure, ritualism) before they are saved. In the Bible, baptism always followed the inward confession of faith in Jesus. If you have not been baptized since you began to believe in Jesus then you should be baptized. I would love to help you follow Jesus Christ.
Monday, March 24, 2008
Cold Day for Frozen Custard
Saturday we went to Paradise Frozen Custard for desert after dinner with Roy and Heidi Hardy. It was really cold! I thought that this was a great picture moment and so I snapped a pic of our friends. Roy is an athletic coach at Central bible College and Heidi works with the Springfield Public Schools. We became friends in the early 90's wile attending Central Assembly of God together while I was the Jr. High Pastor there. I always want to be a better Christian man after hanging out with Roy.Weekend Rewind
Wow! Easter was great!
We served 135 people breakfast on Sunday morning. Special thanks to Mark and Angela Knickmeyer who put breakfast together and even cleaned up perfectly. Big thanks also go to Sylvia Clark and Ann Gaebe, who worked very hard on Saturday to prepare food with Mark and Angela. It was great to see so many people smiling and having fun together.
Our attendance on Sunday was 196. There were more people in early service Sunday than there were on the Sunday morning I was elected as Pastor. There were more people in the second service alone than we averaged all of last year in both services combined.
The greatest thing was to see several people respond to the Lord after the message from the Scriptures. A young man rededicated his heart to God in the first service and a young woman was saved in the second service. It was awesome to be a part, and see God touch people.
Thanks to everyone who invited family and friends to church and breakfast.
We served 135 people breakfast on Sunday morning. Special thanks to Mark and Angela Knickmeyer who put breakfast together and even cleaned up perfectly. Big thanks also go to Sylvia Clark and Ann Gaebe, who worked very hard on Saturday to prepare food with Mark and Angela. It was great to see so many people smiling and having fun together.
Our attendance on Sunday was 196. There were more people in early service Sunday than there were on the Sunday morning I was elected as Pastor. There were more people in the second service alone than we averaged all of last year in both services combined.
The greatest thing was to see several people respond to the Lord after the message from the Scriptures. A young man rededicated his heart to God in the first service and a young woman was saved in the second service. It was awesome to be a part, and see God touch people.
Thanks to everyone who invited family and friends to church and breakfast.
Thursday, March 20, 2008
Office Rearrange
I rearranged my office on Monday this week. It only took about an hour and it is much cleaner now.
I have been feeling for several weeks that I needed to change the office and actually felt the Lord's directing in it. Before the desk was in the middle and people visiting the office were across from me. It seemed like people wee visiting the Principal's office. I did not like that feel. We do our leadership meeting in the office and I like a circle for discussion and so I changed the office.
Now my desk is to the side and people in the office can sit in a circle. It may also allow the office to be used for a teaching space that lends toward discussion.
I think the Lord is concerned about the way my office looks. It may seem small, but God watches small things.
I have been feeling for several weeks that I needed to change the office and actually felt the Lord's directing in it. Before the desk was in the middle and people visiting the office were across from me. It seemed like people wee visiting the Principal's office. I did not like that feel. We do our leadership meeting in the office and I like a circle for discussion and so I changed the office.
Now my desk is to the side and people in the office can sit in a circle. It may also allow the office to be used for a teaching space that lends toward discussion.
I think the Lord is concerned about the way my office looks. It may seem small, but God watches small things.
Wednesday, March 19, 2008
Weekend Rewind
We had a great weekend at church.
The Easter Egg hunt was really great. We had well over 100 children and about as many parents. It was a great way to have contact with people. It was good to work together with Joe King and his new church on the outreach.
The Easter Egg hunt was really great. We had well over 100 children and about as many parents. It was a great way to have contact with people. It was good to work together with Joe King and his new church on the outreach.
Angel Food Ministry Orders
We are taking AFM orders this week. Remember, Deloris will be taking the final orders on Saturday between 9 and 10 a.m.
New Church Web Site
We are trying to create a new church web site. Please pray for us.
Pray for:
Creativity
Speed
Understanding
We need God to help us reach people in every way possible.
Pray for:
Creativity
Speed
Understanding
We need God to help us reach people in every way possible.
Back to Blogging
I have been out for a while. Last week was an entire week of catch up! I have been running all over the country the last few weeks.
Today we are having all kinds of computer problems in the office with our network. When there are network problems or computer problems it is extremely frustrating because I don't feel called to minister to computers at all. I feel called to minister to people and that involves computers. When the computer is not working easily than people are not being ministered to and contacted.
Today we are having all kinds of computer problems in the office with our network. When there are network problems or computer problems it is extremely frustrating because I don't feel called to minister to computers at all. I feel called to minister to people and that involves computers. When the computer is not working easily than people are not being ministered to and contacted.
Tuesday, March 4, 2008
The Spirit of the Elder Brother
I heard a great teaching today on the spirit of the elder brother from the parable of the prodigal son. It was so good that I may consider creating a series on the topic for our church in the near future. It was shared by Dary Northrup from Timberline Church in Fort Collins.
I preached a message similar to it a few years ago that was based on a chapter in the book Jesus the Jewish Theologian. The chapter was called, The Loving Father and His Two Lost Sons. The elder son had faults that were meant as warnings to the religious people who had lost their ability to grant grace and mercy to those who are in need.
I preached a message similar to it a few years ago that was based on a chapter in the book Jesus the Jewish Theologian. The chapter was called, The Loving Father and His Two Lost Sons. The elder son had faults that were meant as warnings to the religious people who had lost their ability to grant grace and mercy to those who are in need.
An Amazing Coincidence
On Saturday night Sylvia Clark gave Stephanie and me a music CD that was written by some artists in Springfield. She thought that Steph and I would be interested in it. I looked it over and noticed that the songs were written in part by Ryan Hunt. I said to Steph, "Do you realize that Ryan Hunt was in the youth group at Central AG while we were serving there?" I had not thought about him for 13 years!
Monday night at the prayer conference I went to the altar to pray after the message. Jim Cymbala instructed us to find one person and pray with them. I turned to a young man and introduced myself. He said, "Hi, I am Ryan Hunt." I about fell over! I told him about the CD and he was stunned that it made its way into my hands at such an amazing time. Then we prayed.
After we had prayed he said, "I feel I have a word for you." "God is going to begin to bless you in some very new ways in your ministry. You are not going to be blessed in the ways that you expected. God is going to bless you with the finances you need in a surprising way and he is going to use you to lead a move of God in your region. This is going to happen very soon."
I said, "I receive that."
Let's pray with greater passion and pay attention to the Holy Spirit. Who knows what the Lord has in store for us. All I know is that I want to help the people in our church build the kingdom. I want the people in our church to have God's blessing in their lives and families. I want the folks that I minister to be growing, quality people in God.
Let's trust the lord for more.
Monday night at the prayer conference I went to the altar to pray after the message. Jim Cymbala instructed us to find one person and pray with them. I turned to a young man and introduced myself. He said, "Hi, I am Ryan Hunt." I about fell over! I told him about the CD and he was stunned that it made its way into my hands at such an amazing time. Then we prayed.
After we had prayed he said, "I feel I have a word for you." "God is going to begin to bless you in some very new ways in your ministry. You are not going to be blessed in the ways that you expected. God is going to bless you with the finances you need in a surprising way and he is going to use you to lead a move of God in your region. This is going to happen very soon."
I said, "I receive that."
Let's pray with greater passion and pay attention to the Holy Spirit. Who knows what the Lord has in store for us. All I know is that I want to help the people in our church build the kingdom. I want the people in our church to have God's blessing in their lives and families. I want the folks that I minister to be growing, quality people in God.
Let's trust the lord for more.
Monday, March 3, 2008
Prayer Conference
Today I woke early and prepared the kids for the day. My usual routine on Monday includes taking care of my kids for Stephanie until 8:45 a.m. and then getting to the church at 9:00 a.m. We do this so that we can watch our nephew Brock for Stephanie's sister. Brock ran in the house this morning and shouted, "Hey guys!" My three and Brock love to play together on Monday's.
Then I was off to Springfield for a Prayer Summit, some meetings with church planters and some business meetings. This is going to be a huge learning week for me. I hope that it will also give me some extra reading, writing, and study time as well.
I am in Springfield now, but the drive was a bit ugly. The rain turned to ice about 45 miles from Springfield.
Then I was off to Springfield for a Prayer Summit, some meetings with church planters and some business meetings. This is going to be a huge learning week for me. I hope that it will also give me some extra reading, writing, and study time as well.
I am in Springfield now, but the drive was a bit ugly. The rain turned to ice about 45 miles from Springfield.
Weekend Rewind
This weekend was a beautiful weekend. Stephanie and I drove to Jefferson City, Missouri, for my tax appointment with my friend and accountant Mike Forck. Mike is a great Christian and an accountant with great ethics. I met Mike when I first became a Christian. I attended High School with his daughters, Julie and Jill, graduating with Julie back in the 20th century.
After the tax appointment we had dinner with friends, David and Erica White. Erica is another High School friend. We had a great time together. We had Hunan's Chinese for dinner. It is the best Chinese in the world. Even better than China!
Saturday we worked on teaching Gabe to ride a bike without training wheels. It was a beautiful day to take the kids to the trail in Washington. Saturday night we had dinner at The Old Spaghetti Factory on the Landing, in St. Louis. We met up with Jamie and Tasha Kemp. Jamie was a youth sponsor in the Jr. High youth group at Central AG while we were on staff there. He went on to great things at Calvary Church in Naperville, IL, near Chicago. Now he is going on the mission field. It is very exciting. I hope to have him visit our church in September. He and Tasha are going to a very difficult mission field.
Sunday was a great day. I felt a huge amount of passion about the message. We are studying Jonah and his chance to minister outside his religious sub-culture. We had a great testimony from last week from a man who responded to last week’s message and God gave him a unique chance to share his faith. I am sure that this week will be great too. I believe God will give us chances to share Jesus outside our religious sub-culture.
Sunday afternoon we went to the park with some friends form church and then had dinner together. I did the meat and others did the potatoes and mac-n-cheese. I was exhausted!
Sleep please.
After the tax appointment we had dinner with friends, David and Erica White. Erica is another High School friend. We had a great time together. We had Hunan's Chinese for dinner. It is the best Chinese in the world. Even better than China!
Saturday we worked on teaching Gabe to ride a bike without training wheels. It was a beautiful day to take the kids to the trail in Washington. Saturday night we had dinner at The Old Spaghetti Factory on the Landing, in St. Louis. We met up with Jamie and Tasha Kemp. Jamie was a youth sponsor in the Jr. High youth group at Central AG while we were on staff there. He went on to great things at Calvary Church in Naperville, IL, near Chicago. Now he is going on the mission field. It is very exciting. I hope to have him visit our church in September. He and Tasha are going to a very difficult mission field.
Sunday was a great day. I felt a huge amount of passion about the message. We are studying Jonah and his chance to minister outside his religious sub-culture. We had a great testimony from last week from a man who responded to last week’s message and God gave him a unique chance to share his faith. I am sure that this week will be great too. I believe God will give us chances to share Jesus outside our religious sub-culture.
Sunday afternoon we went to the park with some friends form church and then had dinner together. I did the meat and others did the potatoes and mac-n-cheese. I was exhausted!
Sleep please.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)