Today is Monday and for the second Monday in a row – I'm not scheduled for any meetings and so my day off is really a day off. I know that sounds strange but I realized that even my day off isn’t really a day off. I’ve conditioned myself to think of Monday as my one day off a week but even my Mondays have been working days but today I’ve just decided to simply do very little in the area of work. I promise my very understanding wife that I would take her on a date today and we chose a movie, this should be a great time. Watching movies is one of my favorite things next to taking my grandbabies to “Chuck E. Cheese's.”
Over the last few weeks I’ve had to fight off this very familiar mood that if I’m not careful leads to a big bad attitude. I have this “addiction!” I’m totally addicted to churches, over the last seven or eight years I’ve studied churches. Not necessarily the preaching of the pastor but the structure, operations, ministry, beliefs and strategy of particular churches nationally and locally. I’m seeing a trend that I struggle with. Why are many of the newly started ministries apparently moving ahead of the churches that have been around?
As a pastor that is dedicated to his assignment and people, I sometime “admitting so” am guilty of desiring and sometime maybe even on the verge of coveting. Not in a sense that I’m hating on anyone – matter fact as part of my research I pray for the Pastor, the leadership and members of those church. I admire the work I know that it takes for churches to do what they do. I understand the dedication and commitment that leadership must have to move and grow a church and most importantly I am aware of the ministering heart of a congregation that grows through evangelism. So you might be asking so what is your problem? My issue is why can’t we get there. Why can’t we step up become passionate about ministry and ministering? Why do we always have to settle? Our children deserve a safe, wonderful and exciting place to learn to love God and His church. Our teenagers deserve a place of acceptance, care and love; and a place to discover themselves and God, an alternative place to hang-out and be themselves. Our people should be introduced to the latest tool that can and will enhance our worship but more importantly help reach those who we bring to our worship experiences.
Now, let me be clear on this none of the above mentioned is the end-all, they are simply tools that would help in reaching the lost. The message of Jesus is the only thing the church ever needs. It is not about completing with the world but it is about equipping the church to reach the community.
We’ve made progress don’t get me wrong. I’m just a bit impatience [and that’s the understatement of the year]. God is working on me and I praise Him for the work He has done and the progress I see in myself. I simply want the BEST for our congregation.
I know that this is not a complete thought but I really don’t know if I have the complete answer. I’m working my way through this it’s been a very long time and I don’t know if I’ll ever have the entire answer. I’m trusting God!
Over the last few weeks I’ve had to fight off this very familiar mood that if I’m not careful leads to a big bad attitude. I have this “addiction!” I’m totally addicted to churches, over the last seven or eight years I’ve studied churches. Not necessarily the preaching of the pastor but the structure, operations, ministry, beliefs and strategy of particular churches nationally and locally. I’m seeing a trend that I struggle with. Why are many of the newly started ministries apparently moving ahead of the churches that have been around?
As a pastor that is dedicated to his assignment and people, I sometime “admitting so” am guilty of desiring and sometime maybe even on the verge of coveting. Not in a sense that I’m hating on anyone – matter fact as part of my research I pray for the Pastor, the leadership and members of those church. I admire the work I know that it takes for churches to do what they do. I understand the dedication and commitment that leadership must have to move and grow a church and most importantly I am aware of the ministering heart of a congregation that grows through evangelism. So you might be asking so what is your problem? My issue is why can’t we get there. Why can’t we step up become passionate about ministry and ministering? Why do we always have to settle? Our children deserve a safe, wonderful and exciting place to learn to love God and His church. Our teenagers deserve a place of acceptance, care and love; and a place to discover themselves and God, an alternative place to hang-out and be themselves. Our people should be introduced to the latest tool that can and will enhance our worship but more importantly help reach those who we bring to our worship experiences.
Now, let me be clear on this none of the above mentioned is the end-all, they are simply tools that would help in reaching the lost. The message of Jesus is the only thing the church ever needs. It is not about completing with the world but it is about equipping the church to reach the community.
We’ve made progress don’t get me wrong. I’m just a bit impatience [and that’s the understatement of the year]. God is working on me and I praise Him for the work He has done and the progress I see in myself. I simply want the BEST for our congregation.
I know that this is not a complete thought but I really don’t know if I have the complete answer. I’m working my way through this it’s been a very long time and I don’t know if I’ll ever have the entire answer. I’m trusting God!
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