I have written before about the fact that it is not only the preaching of the Word of God that will win people to Jesus Christ but also it is living out the Word of God. I came across an article in the latest Christianity Today magazine that I found very interesting. Quite often we hear of people saying that it is looking at the life of Christians that keeps them from coming to Christ for themselves. Many people will say, "If that's what a Christian is, I don't want to be one."
However, the CT article referrs to a study done by the mission folks at Fuller Seminary. In this study, they look at the experiences that most influenced Muslims to convert to Christianity. The respondents ranked the lifestyle of Christians as the most important influnence in their decision to follow Christ. Most of those who responded were not Americans, but citizens in countries and areas such as North Africa, Egypt, Oman, Arabia, etc. What a lesson we American Christians can learn from our Christian brothers and sisters in the midst of Islam! As the saying goes, our life may be the only Bible some people will ever read.
Thursday, October 25, 2007
Tuesday, October 23, 2007
Next?
After the discouraging yet insightful weekend in Fort Bragg, I have to decide what is next for us. I am still in prayer about the church there in Ft. Bragg--they do have some finances but not enough without me working too. But is it worth it to leave Karen in Colorado while I am out there? And then again, every soul won and discipled for Christ is worth it. At this point it would seem that it will not work out for me to go but we will see.
That means waiting here in La Junta for another opportunity to open up--but that typically can take 2 to 3 months of working with a church before they will select their pastor. For example, I just heard back from a church that I sent my resume to today--they e-mailed back and said that they would 'narrow the field' down in late November. However, I am so glad that I serve a faithful God who I know cares about me. And He will lead me to His best place of ministry. So until then, please keep the prayers going up up up!
That means waiting here in La Junta for another opportunity to open up--but that typically can take 2 to 3 months of working with a church before they will select their pastor. For example, I just heard back from a church that I sent my resume to today--they e-mailed back and said that they would 'narrow the field' down in late November. However, I am so glad that I serve a faithful God who I know cares about me. And He will lead me to His best place of ministry. So until then, please keep the prayers going up up up!
Sunday, October 21, 2007
Sunday Summary
We had a very interesting morning at the church--Cornerstone Christian Fellowship. It meets in the 7th Day Adventist Church. And there were only 8 other people there, with us making 10. Bill told us that a couple of people/couples were out of town. But I think that the church is down to about 12-15 people on a Sunday with one couple bringing 5 to 7 mentally handicapped children with them. (They left the children home today so that Bill's wife who usually does a class with them could stay to listen to the message.) I think Bill has been a little too optomistic with us about the church--He himself says that he sees the 'glass as half-full' while his wife sees it as half-empty. But tonight at dinner he was a bit more honest with us about the situation (which we had pretty much determined after this morning). Basicallly, the church needs to be rebuilt since they have lost several of their original members. He said that the core group was pretty tired and wearing down--they need a 'general' to give the 'army' some direction and encouragement. Am I that 'general'? I'm not sure yet.
The church will decide next Sunday about whether to call me as their pastor or not. At this point I am not sure about what my decision will be if they chose to call me.
Please pray that God will give me clear direction about coming to help them rebuild.
The church will decide next Sunday about whether to call me as their pastor or not. At this point I am not sure about what my decision will be if they chose to call me.
Please pray that God will give me clear direction about coming to help them rebuild.
Friday, October 19, 2007
In Fort Bragg
We are tired! We left Colorado Springs at 6:15am (arriving at the airport at 5:15am) and pulled into our hotel at about 3:15pm (California time of course). We hit quite a bit of rain driving from I-5 to Hiway 1, but then it cleared up tonight.
We had dinner with Bill Yeomans from the church tonight, and then we will get together with him and his wife tomorrow afternoon/evening. Tomorrow during the day we plan on during some sightseeing and perhaps take in the Huckleberries and Hounds Festival in town. And of course a walk on the beach!
On the way driving we listened to a CD of funny stories from Chuck Swindoll from his sermons. He made the point that if more Christians showed more joy in their life perhaps they would have a better testimony in their world! Karen suggested that I use at least one funny story in every sermon to help give our Christians joy. If you have any good humorous sermon illustrations, please feel free to share them. :)
Let's all try to spread some humor and joy around to others!
We had dinner with Bill Yeomans from the church tonight, and then we will get together with him and his wife tomorrow afternoon/evening. Tomorrow during the day we plan on during some sightseeing and perhaps take in the Huckleberries and Hounds Festival in town. And of course a walk on the beach!
On the way driving we listened to a CD of funny stories from Chuck Swindoll from his sermons. He made the point that if more Christians showed more joy in their life perhaps they would have a better testimony in their world! Karen suggested that I use at least one funny story in every sermon to help give our Christians joy. If you have any good humorous sermon illustrations, please feel free to share them. :)
Let's all try to spread some humor and joy around to others!
Wednesday, October 17, 2007
Preaching the Word
Joylene had a link to another blog on her site Therapy. http://swerve.lifechurch.tv/ It was dealing with the future of the church --which I am greatly interested in since I am seeking to pastor a "future church." Anyway, the following comment caught my attention:
The churches that thrive will be Biblical churches. God’s Word will be preached. People will feel uncomfortable, challenged, convicted. The future church will be more about preaching and living God’s Word than about attracting people with clever sermon titles, videos, and programs. Sure, we might use those things (or maybe not… GASP!). But only those who preach God’s Word will thrive. The rest will die.
We have had a few people share with us that they think some of the people left our church in La Junta because they felt "uncomfortable, challenged, convicted." The Word of God was being preached, yet some of the older members were leaving, and we were getting new people coming in their place. Unfortunately, the rest of the older members didn't catch on to what was really happening. Why didn't our church thrive if we were preaching the Word?
But there is more to building a church then just preaching the Word of God. It is a big part of course, but building relationships with those who come is very important as well. When I went to a small church in No California several years ago, I thought, "Preach the Word, and they will come." But "they" didn't come because they didn't have any relationships with those who were coming already. The challenge for the established churches then, is to not only "to preach the Word" but also to make connections with others so that they will come to hear the Word preached. And the above article also mentions a key to getting people to come: "and living God's Word." Part of why those people are not making the connections is because many of them are not "living the Word." Those around them don't see the truth of the Word being lived out in the believers they know.
I think it is easier to get a new church moving this direction than it is to get an older established church to move. Every time I look at a position posting for a church seeking a minister and see that it is over 100 years old, I wonder how those people are doing in getting new people to come to hear the Word preached.
What do we do to get people to come and hear the Word that we know will change their lives?
The churches that thrive will be Biblical churches. God’s Word will be preached. People will feel uncomfortable, challenged, convicted. The future church will be more about preaching and living God’s Word than about attracting people with clever sermon titles, videos, and programs. Sure, we might use those things (or maybe not… GASP!). But only those who preach God’s Word will thrive. The rest will die.
We have had a few people share with us that they think some of the people left our church in La Junta because they felt "uncomfortable, challenged, convicted." The Word of God was being preached, yet some of the older members were leaving, and we were getting new people coming in their place. Unfortunately, the rest of the older members didn't catch on to what was really happening. Why didn't our church thrive if we were preaching the Word?
But there is more to building a church then just preaching the Word of God. It is a big part of course, but building relationships with those who come is very important as well. When I went to a small church in No California several years ago, I thought, "Preach the Word, and they will come." But "they" didn't come because they didn't have any relationships with those who were coming already. The challenge for the established churches then, is to not only "to preach the Word" but also to make connections with others so that they will come to hear the Word preached. And the above article also mentions a key to getting people to come: "and living God's Word." Part of why those people are not making the connections is because many of them are not "living the Word." Those around them don't see the truth of the Word being lived out in the believers they know.
I think it is easier to get a new church moving this direction than it is to get an older established church to move. Every time I look at a position posting for a church seeking a minister and see that it is over 100 years old, I wonder how those people are doing in getting new people to come to hear the Word preached.
What do we do to get people to come and hear the Word that we know will change their lives?
Tuesday, October 16, 2007
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