As Paul Harvey said--"and that's the rest of the story. Good day!" This morning as I read through Judges 6, 7, and 8 I kept thinking of the times I have taught/preached "the story of Gideon." I would always emphasize (and still think it true) the necessity of every man standing in his place and faithfully following God, with the result being God gives the victory. However, the rest of the story reveals MUCH more!
"Then the Israelites said to Gideon, "Rule over us, you as well as your sons and your grandsons, for you delivered us from the power of Midian." Judges 8:22, HCSB
How quickly they forgot---how quickly we forget! It was not Gideon, it was God that delivered. They advocated making Gideon king, when they should have bowed down to the King of Kings. In fact, this was just another time they rejected God to be more like the unfaithful men around them who did have kings. Why are we so willing to reject God and His ways for the ways of man.
Gideon must have really struggled with his crises. First, he had to send 31,700 soldiers home and keep only 300. Then after victory he had to send the people home without the king they wanted. Gideon's love relationship with God was so firm that he followed God's ways even when human ways were far more attractive. What human glory do you surrender to do it God's way?
There was 40 years of peace, BUT in Judges 8: 32 - 35, we see that AS SOON AS GIDEON DIED, "as soon as Gideon was dead, that the sons of Israel again played the harlot with the Baals, and made Baal-berith their god." (8:33). They "forgot" the deliverance God had given them--they did not show kindness to the household of Gideon. Before I am too critical of them, I must examine mmy own life. How quickly I forget. How quickly I "play the harlot." I (we) are guilty of spiritual adultery when we fail to surrender all and FOLLOW Christ daily.
That hymn at the end of the service, "I surrender ALL," (have you noticed) is generally sung quietly and mumbled through. Our hearts are literally singing--"I surrender SOME----." May we surrender ALL to Him this day and experience the JOY nad fulfillment that only comes through faithful and COMPLETE obedience/following of the LIVING Lord Jesus Christ!
Showing posts with label Goals. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Goals. Show all posts
Thursday, March 22, 2012
Saturday, December 31, 2011
Looking Forward to 2012
Happy New Year! That's the greeting going around this weekend. It is a good time to examine who we are in Christ and what He would have us to do with out lives! It has been a LONG time since my last post (on any blog), so my first New Year's Resolution as it relates to "social media" is to post more often on the blogs and sites I maintain.
Not just posts, but posts "with purpose." Some of you understand that term. It is not my desire to fill up my time with useless info. Rather, I want my posts to have some value to the reader. So, whether it be an actual blog, FaceBook, Twitter, LinkedIn, or TRBA's website, it is my prayer you will find information useful that I post in 2012.
As I have thought of what to post in 2012, I have prayed and then examined what I am "hearing" from various sources in denominational life. To that end, I have determined to focus on the purpose of the association, as well as issues related to overall church health. I will be looking a LOT to Transformational Church and Transitional Pastor as I am working with both LifeWay and the Baptist State Convention of North Carolina in those areas. Truthfully, I think there are things we can glean to strengthen the church and impact lostness (our purpose as an association of churches).
In a conversation with a Sunday School director today we began to discuss some information we had obtained during a Josh Hunt conference several years back. In fact, I bought a book by Hunt today that reiterated the idea of "how to double your Sunday School in two years or less."
The gist of the conversation centered on the fact that the classes seemed content with where they were and had not grown in several years. Basically, we talked about the lack of evidence in many area churches (from conversations the two of us have had with other church leaders in neighboring churches from three associations) that churches want to grow.
I think that is perhaps the first thing we need to honestly look at as we begin the new year. Do we have a genuine desire to grow closer to Christ personally and to grow both spiritually and numerically in our churches. Or are we content with where we are. I would invite you to pray and search with me this simple fact over the next couple of days. After the first of the year I will examine the idea of doubling Sunday School attendance in less than two years. I am pretty confident I will address it from the standpoint of IF we REALLY want to see growth.
I have become convinced that we have all the tools we need to advance the kingdom. We have attended conference after conference. In the YEARS we have attended, there has been little kingdom advance and virtually no SUSTAINED evidence of growth in many of our churches. Yet - we have the tools sitting idly beside us as we moan about our lack of advance.
What do we have:
1. The authority of Christ who commanded that we make disciples.
2. His Word.
3. His presence to instruct, lead, guide, empower.
4. Prayer.
5. His promise to hear, answer, empower as we walk in obedience to Him.
Then we have other tools to assist. Among the ones I have emphasized in TRBA are Link2Lead, The Mapping Center, continued training of church leadership, Transformational Church, Transitional Pastor, etc. etc. etc. Over the next few weeks, expect much info to be shared. As it is shared, pray about your participation individually and as a church.
Do you want to see kingdom advance in 2012? If you do, please join me and the other TRBA staff members as we answer the call to prayer by our denominational leaders. Pray with us daily for kingdom advance. Join us on Monday, January 23rd at 7 PM for a corporate time of prayer.
Again, I wish you the best for 2012. I look forward to walking alongside you as we set out together to strengthen His church and impact the lostness of THIS generation!
Not just posts, but posts "with purpose." Some of you understand that term. It is not my desire to fill up my time with useless info. Rather, I want my posts to have some value to the reader. So, whether it be an actual blog, FaceBook, Twitter, LinkedIn, or TRBA's website, it is my prayer you will find information useful that I post in 2012.
As I have thought of what to post in 2012, I have prayed and then examined what I am "hearing" from various sources in denominational life. To that end, I have determined to focus on the purpose of the association, as well as issues related to overall church health. I will be looking a LOT to Transformational Church and Transitional Pastor as I am working with both LifeWay and the Baptist State Convention of North Carolina in those areas. Truthfully, I think there are things we can glean to strengthen the church and impact lostness (our purpose as an association of churches).
In a conversation with a Sunday School director today we began to discuss some information we had obtained during a Josh Hunt conference several years back. In fact, I bought a book by Hunt today that reiterated the idea of "how to double your Sunday School in two years or less."
The gist of the conversation centered on the fact that the classes seemed content with where they were and had not grown in several years. Basically, we talked about the lack of evidence in many area churches (from conversations the two of us have had with other church leaders in neighboring churches from three associations) that churches want to grow.
I think that is perhaps the first thing we need to honestly look at as we begin the new year. Do we have a genuine desire to grow closer to Christ personally and to grow both spiritually and numerically in our churches. Or are we content with where we are. I would invite you to pray and search with me this simple fact over the next couple of days. After the first of the year I will examine the idea of doubling Sunday School attendance in less than two years. I am pretty confident I will address it from the standpoint of IF we REALLY want to see growth.
I have become convinced that we have all the tools we need to advance the kingdom. We have attended conference after conference. In the YEARS we have attended, there has been little kingdom advance and virtually no SUSTAINED evidence of growth in many of our churches. Yet - we have the tools sitting idly beside us as we moan about our lack of advance.
What do we have:
1. The authority of Christ who commanded that we make disciples.
2. His Word.
3. His presence to instruct, lead, guide, empower.
4. Prayer.
5. His promise to hear, answer, empower as we walk in obedience to Him.
Then we have other tools to assist. Among the ones I have emphasized in TRBA are Link2Lead, The Mapping Center, continued training of church leadership, Transformational Church, Transitional Pastor, etc. etc. etc. Over the next few weeks, expect much info to be shared. As it is shared, pray about your participation individually and as a church.
Do you want to see kingdom advance in 2012? If you do, please join me and the other TRBA staff members as we answer the call to prayer by our denominational leaders. Pray with us daily for kingdom advance. Join us on Monday, January 23rd at 7 PM for a corporate time of prayer.
Again, I wish you the best for 2012. I look forward to walking alongside you as we set out together to strengthen His church and impact the lostness of THIS generation!
Saturday, January 16, 2010
New Year/New Decade/Fresh Commitment
It is early in 2010. This is a new year, and a new decade. There are many good days ahead for the church as we commit anew to the work that God has called us to do together. Please join me in praying for our member churches and the opportunities ahead to advance the Kingdom.
I wanted to share a few goals for 2010:
1. I would like to see fellowship between the brethren (those who serve in ministry positions in our member churches) grow. I encourage you to participate as often as you can. I honestly believe our fellowship together will strengthen the church. However, my primary reason is simply that I believe WE need the fellowship of others that serve as we do. We NEED one another!
2. As always, we will be working towards better communication. We will use every effort to get the word out. We will use TellBlast, The Navigator, Mid-Stream, a revised Currents of the Tar, FaceBook, and increased sharing of the blogs. To be honest though, communication is a two-way street and we really need you to communicate what we are sharing with the members of your church.
3. It is my goal to have regular times of fasting and prayer as an association - beginning with the pastors. At our Ministers' fellowship in February, I hope to share a schedule. The Lord has convicted me that we need to gather and pray for a revival in our churches and a spiritual awakening among the people of our communities.
4. Using all the above - plus more - I hope to see the churches of the Tar River Baptist Association strengthened in 2010!!
As we pray together---fellowship together---work together, we will accomplish better the life and work that God has called us to do together as a group of churches in this association.
Naturally there are many other things I could share. Many other things I am praying for as your Associational Missionary. As always, I resolve to serve you better in 2010. If I can be of help to you in ANY way, do not hesitate to call on me.
Go ahead and mark your calendars. We have the first opportunity to fellowship together (with our entire families) on Saturday, January 23rd at 9 AM (Ephesus Church). Then, beginning February 16th we will re-group with our Monthly Ministers' Fellowship Meetings at 10 AM at the TRBA Center. Please join us as often as you can.
Over the next few weeks I will be sharing information regarding ways we will be striving to reach these goals (and more)in 2010.
I wanted to share a few goals for 2010:
1. I would like to see fellowship between the brethren (those who serve in ministry positions in our member churches) grow. I encourage you to participate as often as you can. I honestly believe our fellowship together will strengthen the church. However, my primary reason is simply that I believe WE need the fellowship of others that serve as we do. We NEED one another!
2. As always, we will be working towards better communication. We will use every effort to get the word out. We will use TellBlast, The Navigator, Mid-Stream, a revised Currents of the Tar, FaceBook, and increased sharing of the blogs. To be honest though, communication is a two-way street and we really need you to communicate what we are sharing with the members of your church.
3. It is my goal to have regular times of fasting and prayer as an association - beginning with the pastors. At our Ministers' fellowship in February, I hope to share a schedule. The Lord has convicted me that we need to gather and pray for a revival in our churches and a spiritual awakening among the people of our communities.
4. Using all the above - plus more - I hope to see the churches of the Tar River Baptist Association strengthened in 2010!!
As we pray together---fellowship together---work together, we will accomplish better the life and work that God has called us to do together as a group of churches in this association.
Naturally there are many other things I could share. Many other things I am praying for as your Associational Missionary. As always, I resolve to serve you better in 2010. If I can be of help to you in ANY way, do not hesitate to call on me.
Go ahead and mark your calendars. We have the first opportunity to fellowship together (with our entire families) on Saturday, January 23rd at 9 AM (Ephesus Church). Then, beginning February 16th we will re-group with our Monthly Ministers' Fellowship Meetings at 10 AM at the TRBA Center. Please join us as often as you can.
Over the next few weeks I will be sharing information regarding ways we will be striving to reach these goals (and more)in 2010.
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