A Simpler Vision...

In my last post, I talked about the book Simple Church by Thom Rainer and Eric Geiger.  I mentioned that after reading that book, I had spent a lot of time in prayer seeking a new purpose for God's church in Almond.

I presented the new statement at the Annual Meeting last week, along with some reasons for it, and some core values that I feel are crucial for any vital church (which I'll be sharing with you in a few days).

Simple Church talked about the importance of a very simple statement that also serves as a progression for discipleship in the church.  I presented Live, Learn, Love, Lead.

We live in relationship with Christ, as part of the Body of Christ.  We come together each week in worship on Sundays as brothers and sisters in Christ.  We are truly a family. 

We learn together in groups.  We don't have small groups, per se, our small groups are our Sunday School groups and Bible Study groups.  We come together to learn because in groups we discuss what we are learning, we encourage each other, we pray for each other, and we are there for each other.  But we also have an opportunity to bounce ideas off each other.  Anyone can read and learn on their own, but it often becomes head knowledge, and no personal growth takes place.  But together, as we discuss what we learn, and how we might apply it, that learning can become heartfelt, and can bring about personal growth.  The point is, it takes small groups to really bring about deep spiritual growth.

We love each other, and show our love for God, in our service to others.  This can be in one of our local mission activities.  It could be a service project outside the church.  It could be volunteering at our Samaritan's Loft homeless shelter or at our food pantry.  Helping others shows our love for them, and showing our love for the needy around shows our love for God (Matthew 25:40).

Lastly, we lead.  We have two opportunities to lead.  First, we can lead others in a small group, a Sunday School class, or a Bible Study group.  In these opportunities to lead others, we can share our faith and the difference that our faith makes in our lives, so that we might encourage and strengthen their faith.  It's the 'iron sharpens iron" principle in action (Proverbs 27:17).

But there is another very important way we can lead, and that is in sharing our faith with those not yet in the church.  We can be witnesses, sharing what God has done in our lives, so they may know that the same God may work in their lives.  That they may come to love Him as we do.  (Acts 1:8)

Live, Learn, Love, Lead.  It's a progression in that as we spend time in worship, meeting together as the Body of Christ, we feel the strong desire to learn more about God, to spend time in His Word, to learn.  As we learn, we love Him more, and want to show that love by serving others, volunteering of our time to help those around us.  And as we show our love for others, we want to share our faith, the reason for the hope that's inside us, introducing others to the God we love so.

There you have it.  A new, simple statement that serves as a method of making disciples.  What do you think?  I would love to hear your comments...

Discipleship

I just finished a book a week or so ago called Simple Church by Thom Rainer and Eric Geiger.

The premise of this book is that church has become too complicated, we need to simplify.  Specifically, we need to simplify our process for making disciples. 

In most American churches today, and I'm afraid Almond Union can be included in this, if it happens at all, it kind of happens by accident.  We don't really have a clear and concise process in place.  We have Bible Study and Sunday Schools, and we certainly hope people will grow into disciples, we even pray for them, but is that enough?  Are we willing to risk not doing all we can to intentionally grow people into the people God created them to be?

Since finishing the book, I've doing a lot of thinking about what would a fully committed disciple of Christ look like at Almond Union.  What would a fully committed disciple of Christ do differently?  How can we become more intentional about growing fully committed disciples of Christ here?  

I'm going to be sharing some of my thoughts on this, and my idea of a new process for making fully committed disciples, at the annual meeting on January 29.  

In the meantime, I would love to hear your ideas on this.  What does it mean to you to be a fully committed disciple of Christ?  What does it look like in 21st Century America?  I encourage your comments...

Missionary Visit

Marty and Sue Fuller, missionaries with CSI Ministries, were our guests yesterday in worship.

The Fullers joined CSI several years ago, and felt called to go to Africa as missionaries.  CSI sent them to eastern Kentucky for an internship before sending them overseas, and while there, they felt their heart break for  the things that break God's heart. The need is great, and they felt clearly that God was calling them to help meet that need.

Marty, Sue, and their son Cameron, currently live in Watkins Glen, so their local folks.  They now serve in Lawrenceville, KY.  Sue will be working on a project to help people learn to read (literacy rate is now only about 50.2 percent).  Marty helps with construction projects, helping people build ramps for accessibility, and helping them stay in their homes, many need much restoration.

Pray for the Fullers, that God may truly bless their ministry there.  Pray for those they serve, that they may truly feel God's blessings.  Pray that God is glorified in all they do.

The Importance of Community

On Wednesday, our local clergy got together for a time of lunch, discussion, and prayer.

One of the things that came out of this time together, and there were a lot, was a passing comment as we were closing our time together.  Pastor Ken of the Alfred Station 7th Day Baptist Church was talking about how we are very independent in our thinking of salvation.  We go to heaven, or not go heaven, based on our individual relationship with Christ.  That's the evangelical thinking.

Pastor Ken spoke of the Anabaptists in the 16th century and their view that we all go to heaven together.  They believed that as we have a desire that all go with us, we also have a responsibility to help those around us.  You could almost say, we go to heaven, or we don't go to heaven, as a community of faith.

The Anabaptists were the forerunners of the Amish and Mennonites today, and let's face it, when we think of the Amish or Mennonites, we think of their community, don't we.  They live in true community with one another.  Their firm belief that when one is down, they are all down, and all must work together to get back up.  The commands to "Love One Another" are taken very seriously and lived out in daily life.

As I was thinking about this, a verse in Hebrews was in my morning devotional reading...

See to it, brothers, that none of you has a sinful, unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God.  But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called Today, so that none of you may be hardened by sin's deceitfulness.  We have come to share in Christ if we hold firmly till the end the confidence we had at first.  (Hebrews 3:12-14)

In other words, we share in Christ as a community, as we encourage each other daily in our spiritual walk. Is that a good understanding of the text?  Is that what you see?  Let me know - feel free to comment.

Let's walk together.  Let's go to heaven together.  And let's take as many others with us as we can - living in a true community of believers until that time comes.

The Real Cost of Christmas

Wow!  Can you believe that Christmas is over already.  Time to prepare ourselves for the credit card bills in January.  Time to try to figure out how to pay for it all.  The financial costs of Christmas can be almost staggering. 

But Christmas isn't about the gifts.  Jesus didn't come to earth so we could exchange gifts.  Jesus came to earth so we could reconnect to a God that loves us.  What if we followed Jesus' example this year - what if we committed to reconnecting with a loved one who has become distant.

Our Christmas message looks at that subject.  How do we reconnect?  What might that cost us?

To read the message, click on the title below.

December 25 - The Real Cost of Christmas

Thanks for reading!