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Pastor's Points June 2017

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Last month I wrote an article declaring my love for our church.  I meant every word of that article.  I love our church deeply and pray you do as well.  This month I want to share an article with you that Daniel Darling wrote a few years back entitled, “Five Ways you can love your church”.  I pray it will encourage you to love your church in some very practical ways.

1) Extend your church the same grace you give yourself. I find it amazing that we are so good at finding all the flaws in our churches while simultaneously getting peeved because that same church is “judgmental” towards me. The truth is that the church, your church that you go to on Sundays, has flaws. Some are rather obvious. Some might be embarrassing. But if they are preaching the gospel, sharing the Word, and have a genuine sense of community, then why not give your church the same grace you want to receive?

2) Be intentional and dependable. Churches depend on volunteer effort. Without active members regularly giving their time and energy, the church simply can’t function. In fact, I would argue that every Christian should have active ministry in a local, Bible-believing church. In fact, the Bible says that it’s the pastor’s job to equip the lay people who do the ministry (Ephesians 4:12). Here is what can make your church function at optimum levels–your faithfulness and dependability. Be on time every week for services. If you sign up for a job, take it as seriously as you would your other obligations. And do it well. You have no idea how precious your gift of faithfulness is to a church.

3) Speak well of your church in the community. How do you speak of your church in the community? Do you regularly rag on its faults? I’m not saying to “spin” things that are wrong. Don’t do that. It’s inauthentic. But leave those things “in the family.” When you’re out, speak well of your church and the people there. Invite folks to the functions. Post positive things on social networks like Facebook or Twitter. You might even blog about it. If Jesus is the groom and the Church is the bride, then Jesus must love when we say nice things about the Church.

4) Build intentional relationships in your church. How many deep, satisfying relationships do you have with folks in your church? Maybe there is nobody like you, your age, your station of life so you shy away from deep relationships. Why not try to move out of your comfort zone and engage someone, that widow or that teenager. Have that family over for dinner. Do coffee with the retired school teacher. Your pastor is busy trying to make this happen, but he can’t do it all. Your intentional efforts at fostering community will help your church move forward in a big way.

5) Give regularly to your church. Yes, you should give out of the love in your heart toward God. And no, you shouldn’t give simply because the church needs money. But, let’s be honest, the church needs money. It takes money to keep the lights on, have that cool new Sunday School curriculum, and to host that missionary from Ecuador. So, be biblical, and commit to
sustained, regular giving that the church can count on. This demonstrates the commitment to the local expression of Christ’s body in your community.

Let each of us experience the love of Christ in our church family.  And let’s make sure that love for one another is the testimony of our lives to a watching world.  They will know us by our love!! (John 13:35)

I love you and I love being your pastor!

 

 

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April 2017 Pastor's Points

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Dear Church Family,

I hope you are doing great and looking forward to celebrating our risen Savior this Easter!  This is such an awesome time of the year because it reminds us of how much we as Christians must be thankful for.  This year we are going to celebrate the fact of how worthy our risen Savior is!!   Jesus is Worthy for many reasons, but this year we are going to
celebrate three of those reasons in a sermon series simply entitled “Worthy.”  He is the Lamb of God, Suffering Servant, and Risen King!!  This series is going to help remind believers of how thankful we should be, and it is going to help non-believers to consider the reality of their lives and how they can be changed for all of eternity!  Please make sure to be in worship as we consider the fact this Easter season that Jesus is… “Worthy.”

As you come I want to encourage you to reach out to your friends and family and invite them to attend as well.  We will have three services Easter Sunday morning at 8:00am, 9:30am, and 11:00am.  Also, this year on Good Friday we are having a special service at 6:30pm where we will consider the Cross and exactly what Jesus was doing on that cross for all who would believe in Him.  As James MacDonald has shared, Jesus was doing at least four things that we need to consider…

He Was Substituting

To understand the gospel, you must first understand this idea of substitution.  Jesus died first for Barabbas and then for every other human who has ever lived.  I am in that line.  You are, too.  I deserve to die that death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ.  That's substitution.

He Was Scandalizing

The Jews, rejecting Christ, called out for His crucifixion, the most shameful, painful, awful death a person could experience.  And they wanted it for Jesus.  The cross of Jesus Christ has always been an outrageous scandal.  What's Jesus doing on that cross? He's fighting for the souls of men.  He's seeking to redeem them from their own hatred.  Hear the soldiers laughing as the Savior gives up His life for them.  Two thousand years later, people still scream and mock the cross of Jesus.  It's a scandal!

He Was Suffering

Unlike modern ones, first-century executions did not seek a quick, painless death or the preservation of any measure of dignity. On the contrary, they sought an agonizing torture that completely humiliated the victim.  To fully appreciate the meaning of the cross of Christ, you must comprehend the extent to which He suffered for our sin.  A holy God poured out His wrath on His Innocent Son so that we could be forgiven.  When Jesus said, "It is finished," God said, "Paid in full."  Sin has been put away now.  The cross of Jesus Christ satisfied the requirements of a holy God.

He Was Satisfying

The gospel of Jesus Christ is only a concept until we comprehend the way Jesus' death on the cross satisfied God's wrath.  A holy God poured out His wrath on His Innocent Son so that we could be forgiven.  When Jesus said, "It is finished," God said, "Paid in full."  Sin has been put away now.  The cross of Jesus Christ satisfied the requirements of a holy God.  I cannot wait to celebrate our “worthy” Savior with you this Easter season!!!

I love you and I love being your pastor!!

 

Posted by Alan Scott with

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