Tuesday, June 21, 2011
Are you ready? We're excited!
Wednesday, June 8, 2011
If the Lord of the harvest called, would you know?
So pray to the Lord who is in charge of the harvest; ask him to send more workers into his fields."
Matthew 9:38
I have been praying for you. Some of you have been prayed for directly and others indirectly. I have been praying to the Lord of the Harvest that he would send you to serve. Doors for the gospel are opening daily, but I can't do it all. One dear lady once asked me, "Why don't you do it?" Referring to a need that I saw at the Judeo Christian Outreach Center for someone to lead Bible study. While I wish that I could do everything, I have had to come to the realization that I cannot. Even though I cannot do everything, I will not refuse to do the something that I can do. I will continue to seek to find those open doors for the gospel and see our members serving joyfully.
Would you recognize the call?
Many people have cellphones today that have special ring tones assigned to friends and family. I purchased the song "She's a brick house" by the Commodores for my wife, but it was not a ring tone. So I found another song for her, "Love me do" by the Beatles. Wouldn't it be easier if God had a ring tone? We have to abide in Christ so that we might recognize God's voice and hear his call. I believe that those who are walking closely in faith will hear the call to the harvest and develop the heart of the Father for his creation.
What happens when you receive the call?
My favorite illustration about God's call upon a person's life is from Rick Warren's Purpose driven church book. In the course of his experience he views God's work in the life of a believer much like that of a surfer on a wave. You are ready for the perfect wave, you catch the wave, and then you ride the wave. The glory of laboring in the Lord's harvest is that he does most of the work if we are truly laboring in faith. We guide people on the experience and help them to obediently surf the wave, but the Holy Spirit does most of the work.
Are you ready?
The joy of serving in the harvest is the essence of Psalm 34:8 as we taste and see how good our God really is. He can take our work and make it joyful. He can give us a holy addiction or a Christian hedonist (according to John Piper) perspective in such a way that we can't get enough of this L3 (Love God, Love Others, and Live the Mission) experience.
I can't tell you all that God is going to do in missions and especially in North Suffolk, but I believe that it is good. No, it's not good. It's beyond anything that your human intellect can think or imagine. His ways are higher than your ways and thoughts are higher than your thoughts. But you have to ride the wave. You have to taste how good our God really is. You have to answer the call. Stay tuned for more exciting opportunties to live the mission in North Suffolk!
Thursday, June 2, 2011
The Love-Hate Relationship that We Have with Surveys
- What is your church background?
- In your opinion, what are the top three reasons people do not attend church?
- When you hear the word Church does it have a positive or negative association, and why?
- How long have you lived in the Suffolk area?