Notes From the Pastor
Thursday, March 30, 2006
Where Did That Quarter Go?
After you read my title, you probably thought that I had lost 25 cents somewhere. That is not what I am talking about. The first quarter of 2006 is gone. As I reflect back on the first three months of 2006 and the thought of losing a monetary quarter, I ask myself did I lose a quarter? What did I do for the Kingdom during the first three months of the year?
I want to challenge you to ask yourself the same question. Have you lost a quarter? The good news is that because of grace, no matter what you did with the first three months of 2006, or for that matter the last ten years, you can do more for the Lord today!
The Committee on Committees met recently for the first time this year to begin the process of seeking God’s people for places of service in His church here in Grandview. I challenged them to really spend some quality time praying about who needs to serve on what committee and how an individual’s spiritual gifts line up with the duties of the committee. I want to encourage you all as a church to not only be praying for the Committee on Committees but to also be praying about where God would have you to serve.
WARNING: If you are not serving, you are losing quarters!
I also want to give you a word of encouragement from the tithing sermon I preached a few weeks ago. Some of you took the challenge to tithe for 90 days and see what God will do. I know that as time passes it will be easier and easier to just let that plate pass by and not be obedient to God in giving back a small portion of what He has blessed you with, but don’t fall into the attitude “I just can’t do it!”, be faithful and see what God can do!
WARNING: If you are not giving, you are losing quarters!
I hope that as you opened your newsletter your attention was immediately drawn to the box next to my article concerning our deacon ordination service on April 2nd.
I am pleased that John Akers, Stacy Johnson, Kenneth Montgomery, Jeff Moore, and David Self have agreed to serve as deacons here at FBC. I am praying that this service will be an encouragement not only to these men but to our entire church family. I hope that you will plan on attending and supporting these men and their families during this important time in their lives.
Finally I want to challenge you to be praying for the ministries that are ongoing here at FBC. I pray that every activity is being bathed in prayer and that its purpose is to reach lost people and to equip the believers. Will you take the challenge to pray for FBC regularly?
WARNING: If you are not praying, you are losing quarters!
Trying to make the most of my quarters,
Russell ¶ 6:22 PM 0 comments
I want to challenge you to ask yourself the same question. Have you lost a quarter? The good news is that because of grace, no matter what you did with the first three months of 2006, or for that matter the last ten years, you can do more for the Lord today!
The Committee on Committees met recently for the first time this year to begin the process of seeking God’s people for places of service in His church here in Grandview. I challenged them to really spend some quality time praying about who needs to serve on what committee and how an individual’s spiritual gifts line up with the duties of the committee. I want to encourage you all as a church to not only be praying for the Committee on Committees but to also be praying about where God would have you to serve.
WARNING: If you are not serving, you are losing quarters!
I also want to give you a word of encouragement from the tithing sermon I preached a few weeks ago. Some of you took the challenge to tithe for 90 days and see what God will do. I know that as time passes it will be easier and easier to just let that plate pass by and not be obedient to God in giving back a small portion of what He has blessed you with, but don’t fall into the attitude “I just can’t do it!”, be faithful and see what God can do!
WARNING: If you are not giving, you are losing quarters!
I hope that as you opened your newsletter your attention was immediately drawn to the box next to my article concerning our deacon ordination service on April 2nd.
I am pleased that John Akers, Stacy Johnson, Kenneth Montgomery, Jeff Moore, and David Self have agreed to serve as deacons here at FBC. I am praying that this service will be an encouragement not only to these men but to our entire church family. I hope that you will plan on attending and supporting these men and their families during this important time in their lives.Finally I want to challenge you to be praying for the ministries that are ongoing here at FBC. I pray that every activity is being bathed in prayer and that its purpose is to reach lost people and to equip the believers. Will you take the challenge to pray for FBC regularly?
WARNING: If you are not praying, you are losing quarters!
Trying to make the most of my quarters,
Russell ¶ 6:22 PM 0 comments
Friday, March 03, 2006
BE PREPARED!
I love to watch the Olympics. I enjoy the summer Olympics a whole lot more than the winter games, but I will still sit and watch a curling match, skeleton race, or Super G in my spare time (I never thought I would be able to work some of those words into a newsletter article!). While taking the time to watch the different athletes prepare for their performance I have noticed something very important. How you prepare often determines how you play the game. Let me give you some examples of what I mean.
Bode Miller is one of the top downhill skiers in the world. He was a gold medal favorite in 4 or 5 events at the Turin games. How did he prepare for his races? You may have heard about all of the interviews where he discussed issues such as being drunk while he was skiing at over 60 miles per hour. A swirl of controversy surrounded him as he prepared for the games. How could he be focused with all of that going on? So far he has run four events and failed to medal in any of them!
Then there are the two men speed skaters, Chad Hedrick and Shani Davis. Both men are incredible athletes with several opportunities to win medals during these games. As a matter of fact they both won gold medals in their first races. But how did they prepare for their other races? For some reason these two decided to forma rivalry between themselves over some personal issues. They lost focus of what they had trained for for so many years and as a result neither of them has seen another gold medal. Every time one of them is interviewed the questions have nothing to do with skating, they have to do with the other guy. How could they be focused? Since they each won their first gold medal, they have had 8 opportunities to win another gold between them and they have failed each time!
It is the same with the church. When things are going well in a church, Satan is not pleased. He will do whatever it takes to try to make the church lose focus. There are many ways for a church to lose focus, but I believe that the easiest way is the result of the tongue! Did you know that the average male tongue weighs about 2.5 oz. and the average female tongue weighs about 2.0 oz.? It is such a small thing, but the damage it can do is incredible!
I want to give you a quick acronym to help you. Maybe you need to cut this out or write it down to help you “avoid controversy” and lose focus. Ask these questions before you speak . . .
T—Is it true?
H—Is it helpful?
I—Is it Inspiring?
N—Is it Necessary?
K—Is it Kind?
You know that phrase, “If you can’t say something nice then don’t say anything at all!” Let’s make that our motto as we try to avoid controversy and continue to allow God to work in the great ways that He has been here at FBC Grandview!
Trying to T.H.I.N.K.,
Russell ¶ 5:00 PM 0 comments
Bode Miller is one of the top downhill skiers in the world. He was a gold medal favorite in 4 or 5 events at the Turin games. How did he prepare for his races? You may have heard about all of the interviews where he discussed issues such as being drunk while he was skiing at over 60 miles per hour. A swirl of controversy surrounded him as he prepared for the games. How could he be focused with all of that going on? So far he has run four events and failed to medal in any of them!
Then there are the two men speed skaters, Chad Hedrick and Shani Davis. Both men are incredible athletes with several opportunities to win medals during these games. As a matter of fact they both won gold medals in their first races. But how did they prepare for their other races? For some reason these two decided to forma rivalry between themselves over some personal issues. They lost focus of what they had trained for for so many years and as a result neither of them has seen another gold medal. Every time one of them is interviewed the questions have nothing to do with skating, they have to do with the other guy. How could they be focused? Since they each won their first gold medal, they have had 8 opportunities to win another gold between them and they have failed each time!
It is the same with the church. When things are going well in a church, Satan is not pleased. He will do whatever it takes to try to make the church lose focus. There are many ways for a church to lose focus, but I believe that the easiest way is the result of the tongue! Did you know that the average male tongue weighs about 2.5 oz. and the average female tongue weighs about 2.0 oz.? It is such a small thing, but the damage it can do is incredible!
I want to give you a quick acronym to help you. Maybe you need to cut this out or write it down to help you “avoid controversy” and lose focus. Ask these questions before you speak . . .
T—Is it true?
H—Is it helpful?
I—Is it Inspiring?
N—Is it Necessary?
K—Is it Kind?
You know that phrase, “If you can’t say something nice then don’t say anything at all!” Let’s make that our motto as we try to avoid controversy and continue to allow God to work in the great ways that He has been here at FBC Grandview!
Trying to T.H.I.N.K.,
Russell ¶ 5:00 PM 0 comments
