Showcase volunteer opportunities in church/community-This is a good time to inform the members about the vast number of volunteer opportunities that are available. A list such as the volunteer talent search survey I reproduced in my book “Rebuilding The Kingdom” under “To Preserve The Light” could be handed out and members urged to look it over, pray about how and where God would have them serve, and consider what things they would like to be involved in. The church board could also have representatives of the various committees in the church and representatives of Christian service organizations in the community set up tables with displays in the fellowship hall and be available after church or in the afternoon or evening to talk to those who are interested in volunteering.
Archive for the ‘Faith in practice’ Category
Second Sunday of Eastertide-April 7
Study the Word-Many churches go through the motions of worship on Sunday morning and think they are worshiping God, but if that worship doesn’t affect their everyday life, it is just entertainment. God wants more than just entertainment he wants changed lives. To serve God, we must become like Christ, but to become like Christ, we must learn what Christ is like by studying the Gospels. Hopefully, Lent was a time of studying the Scriptures and seeking to become what God wants us to become. Easter signifies a break with the past and the beginning of a new journey with God. Eastertide signifies a change in direction toward serving Christ. Jesus told His disciples to go into all the world and preach the Gospel. That involves more than just the pastor preaching. Each member interacts with a multitude of unchurched individuals every day who need to hear the Gospel. The church needs to begin preparing for reaching out to those around it by studying the Scriptures that relate to serving God. For instance, (1) Matt 9:35-38, need for laborers, (2) Matt 16:24-26 self-denial, (3) Matt:18:1-4, Matt 20:25-28 who is greatest, (4) Luke 10:29-37 good Samaritan, (5) Matt 25:31-46 sheep & goats, and (7) John 13:3-17 Jesus washes their feet.
Fifth Sunday of Lent-Mar 17
Matt. 5:27-30 Thou shall not commit adultery-God commanded the children of Israel not to commit adultery because it destroys the marriage relationship by dividing the affection of the one committing adultery and destroys the trust of the other marriage partner. However, Jesus said You have heard it said, “You shall not commit adultery. But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart” It is not the act of adultery that destroys the marriage relationship but the lust that precedes the act itself. When someone lusts after another, they have already set in motion the thoughts that lead to the act and even if they never commit the act itself, they have already violated their marriage vows to love only their spouse by fostering love for someone outside the marriage in their heart. See “The Value of Family and Gender” in Udemy at https://www.udemy.com/course/value-of-family-and-gender/?referralCode=B59AC09CACA5C0C97BDD
Fourth Sunday of Lent-Mar 10
(Matt 5:21-26) Jesus said, “You have heard it said…., you shall not kill….., but I say to you, everyone who is angry with his brother shall be liable to judgment.” It is not killing that creates division, it is the anger that precedes the killing that creates the division and God hates anything that creates divisions among His people. Therefore, Christ says that we should not be angry with our brethren. While few church people are guilty of murder, there are many who are angry with each other and won’t speak to each other. You can not regulate hate because it can be hidden and not easily observed, so the law must forbid killing. However love goes beyond the Law. He who loves his brother will not hate him and so will not desire to kill him so the law forbidding murder will never be applied to them, however the law must still exist to control those who do not love each other and are liable to kill someone in order to prevent them from doing so or to punish them if they do. Love is only learned as God changes our heart. See “The Value of Life” on Udemy at https://www.udemy.com/course/christian-values-life/?referralCode=5EA3B1D6ED6DAB183AD0
Third Sunday of Lent- Mar 3
God wants us to not only love those in the body of believers but unbelievers as well. God may not like what they do, but He loves them as much as He loves us. He reached out to us when we were sinners and we should do the same to those who are still sinners and do not know Him yet. Hopefully they will come to know God’s love as we extend God’s love to them and they will leave their sinful ways and accept Christ as their Savior. God did not love us based on whether we accepted Him and our love for others should not be based on their acceptance of Christ. God loves us because He created us and He loves them for the same reason. That includes even those we don’t like. Matt. 5:43-48. Jesus said, “you have heard it said, love your neighbor and hate your enemy but I say unto you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you so that you may be sons of your Father in heaven”. Our desire should be to be like God and God loves all people, not just those who love Him and He desires that we should do the same. It is God’s desire that none are lost and perhaps as we love our enemies and pray for them, we may lead them to desire that love also. By so doing, we may not only gain a friend, we may draw a soul into the kingdom of God. The people of the first century saw Christians love for one another and were drawn to the church.
Second Sunday of Lent-Feb 25
If We Love God Jesus said the greatest commandment is “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind. (Matt 22:37)That means all of us. If we truly love God, we will glorify Him and magnify His name through worship. Too often today, worship seems empty and unfulfilling because we do not see the glory of God and do not see any reason to praise Him. As God’s people support and encourage each other, we will see reasons to praise God for what He is doing in the church. However, many churches today are little more than collections of people because they never get to know each other and support each other during trials. We are often so wrapped up in our daily activities that we don’t take time to get out and explore God’s creation. Too often we are so engulfed in the material world that we see little of God around us. Unless we go to the park or the countryside, we see little of God’s creation. Unless we walk with Him and experience His presence, we have little concept of His glory and see little reason to praise Him. We need to take time to get away and experience the quiet and majesty of His creation.