Loading ...I quoted lyrics from a song entitled “Reason Enough” on Sunday. Ernie Haase and Signature Sound sing the song. It’s becoming one of my favorites. Below is a video clip of EHSS singing this song during a concert. There’s another song at the beginning. “Reason Enough” begins at 1:43. Enjoy!
Emily Swartzentruber and her band Shine Bright Baby will be playing at ALIVE ‘09. They’ll be playing on Wednesday, June 17 at 1 p.m. on The Beach Stage. Hope you’ll come and support them!
Our son Noah turned four yesterday! It doesn’t seem possible. Below are some pictures from the big day. Enjoy!
Noah with his special Ohio State birthday cake. He picked the theme - really!
Noah trying out his new red bike. He also got a cool Lightning McQueen helmet and knee pads.
Noah getting ready to blow out the candles with a friend.
Noah’s sister, Jacy, enjoying the party too! She loves her big brother.
Daryl, Scott, Tom, and I attended a Minister’s Appreciation Day at Round Lake a few days ago. We enjoyed connecting with other ministers and learning from well-known preacher, Ben Merold (see picture above). Ben has led more than one church to exponential growth, and even though he is 80+ years old, he is still going strong. One of the topics Ben addressed was “Fundamentals of Church Growth.” I’d like to share with you the four fundamentals he shared with us.
First, the minister must want the church to grow and be willing to pay the price. I don’t think anyone at OCC (including me) would say, “I don’t want the church to grow.” However, actions speak louder than words. That’s why I have to ask myself, “Am I consistently doing those things that position OCC to reach people for Christ most effectively?” One example would be continuing education. I need to grow and learn every day. I need to stay current. I need to attend seminars. I need to connect with other preachers. I need to read books. If I truly want the church to grow, I’ll “pay the price” and do these things.
Second, the congregation must want the church to grow and be willing to pay the price. We’re in this together. It takes everyone in the church to grow the church. We all must pay the price. There’s the price of giving time, talent, treasure, and testimony. There’s the price of change. There’s also the price of breaking fellowship with friends at church for the sake of evangelism. Ben gave an example of he and his wife going out to dinner every week with a couple in the church. They had great fellowship. However, as they talked one evening they decided to stop this weekly tradition. Why? So they could connect better with newcomers to the church and take them out to dinner. Wow! That takes spiritual maturity, but it’s part of the price we’re willing to pay to grow.
Third, the church must look at evangelism as discipleship, not just decisions. Too often we look at baptism numbers or how many people have transferred membership. These numbers are indicators of growth, but they fail to tell the whole story. Evangelism really isn’t complete until people are involved in ministry. Winning them to Christ is the first step, but there’s also training and sending. We’re not just focused on converts; we’re focused on the entire process.
Finally, the church must not have a terminal disease. Ben highlighted three diseases. One was something he called “rigor mortis” or rigidity. This refers to a church that’s unwilling to change. We must never change the message, but we must always change the methods. Ben cited a survey that said most people in churches want change. However, too many church leaders do not. Rather than equip and empower people to serve, they want to maintain control. This is a recipe for stagnation and decline.
How are we doing? I’m glad we don’t have to do everything right to grow. However, the desire and “want to” have to be there. Do we want OCC to grow? Are we willing to pay the price?
Then he [Jesus] said to them all: “If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.” Luke 9:23
Think on these things. See you Sunday!
Because He Lives, John
There’s a community Good Friday service in Orrville today from 12 noon to 3 p.m. at Christ United Church of Christ. The service will be divided into 20 minute segments as we consider the Way of the Cross. Come and go as your schedule permits. Hope to see you there!
“For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.” 1 Corinthians 1:18
Below are more quotes from Mark Moore’s book Seeing God in HD. This book is a must read for the serious Bible student. Click here to purchase. There’s also a copy available in the OCC library. Check it out - in more ways than one!
“It does not matter what the text means to you; what matters is what the author was trying to say. Your personal interpretation, opinion, or hypothesis is almost completely irrelevant.” p. 26
“When we are talking about the meaning of a passage…the author really does have one thing in mind.” p. 28
“Some people don’t understand the Bible because they are not willing to put into practice the little they do understand.” p. 35
“In terms of biblical interpretation there is nothing more important for understanding the Scriptures than context.” p. 43
“We must learn how to bring the ancient text into the modern world with respect and integrity for both.” p. 44
“We must know what the Bible meant to the people of its own day before we can appropriately apply it to the people of our day.” p. 45
“In order to do proper Bible study you must stop thinking verses and start thinking paragraphs.” p. 49
“If you can grab these three things - context, structure, and purpose - you will be well on your way to a thorough understanding of the author’s intended meaning.” p. 59
More of Moore later.
Check out the video below and get ready to laugh!
I’m in 1 Samuel in my Bible reading. One verse got my attention this morning. The people of Israel ask Samuel to pray for them. They’re afraid God will strike them dead for asking for a king. Samuel responds to this “prayer request” and says in part: “Moreover, as for me, far be it from me that I should sin against the LORD by ceasing to pray for you, and I will instruct you in the good and the right way” (1 Samuel 12:23, ESV).
Do we consider prayerlessness a sin? Surely this only applies to Samuel, right?
How many times in Scripture are we commanded to pray? What is disobedience to the commands of God? I think it’s a three-letter word that begins with “s”, right? Am I wrong here?
It’s clear that we have a God-given responsibility to pray for one another, e.g. James 5:16. Let’s get busy like Samuel and stop sinning. What do you say?
Click here to read a quote from Andrew Murray.
Read the example of Paul below. He got this. May we too.
“For God is my witness, whom I serve with my spirit in the gospel of his Son, that without ceasing I mention you always in my prayers…” Romans 1:9, 10a
“I do not cease to give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers…” Ephesians 1:16
“I thank my God in all my remembrance of you, always in every prayer of mine for you all making my prayer with joy, because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now.” Philippians 1:3, 4
“And so, from the day we heard, we have not ceased to pray for you…” Colossians 1:9
I’m currently reading Seeing God in HD by Mark Moore. It is a book on how to interpret the Bible. So far, so good. Below are some great quotes from chapter one. Stay tuned for more.
“…if you don’t obey the words of Scripture, you have no right to claim that you understand them.” p. 19
“The most powerful way of transforming someone’s belief system is to have them teach what they have learned.” p. 20
“…study of the Bible is the highest form of worship…worship, in its essence, is understanding who God is and who we are in his presence. The Bible, more than the hymnal or chorus chart, is a clear guide to the character of God and the claim he makes over our lives. It is through the Scriptures, more than anything else, that the community of God’s people come to understand the revelation of who God is.” p. 23
I’m looking forward to chapter two.
