Archive for the ‘Pastor's Corner’ Category
There was another young man—a priest in an Augustinian monastery in the sixteenth century. He had become concerned about the direction his church was taking. He was concerned that the church had its priorities all wrong. The fire took him. It brought him comfort in the face of the hostilities of his superiors, encouraged him to share what he felt with his people, and challenged him to press on with the task of stopping the abuses.
What a witness we would have! What a church we would have!" And it is true, we would be given such power that things would never be the same again. Do we want that kind of power here? Or are we too afraid of it? Do we want the fire of Pentecost to burn at Zion? Or are we worried that it might call from us more than we want to give and disrupt our comfortable lives? If we want it, we can have it, too. The Holy Spirit is a gift who brings comfort, encouragement, challenge, guidance and, most of all, power.
Do You Love Me?
Simon Peter was one of Jesus’ most LOVED
DISCIPLES but, when the CHIPS WERE DOWN, HE STUMBLED. On the night that
Jesus was ARRESTED, Peter DENIED Jesus THREE times . He had GOOD
REASON, of course. He had SEEN the POWER of Jesus’ ENEMIES. He had
SEEN Jesus TAKEN AWAY by the SOLDIERS. Jesus had NOT EVEN RESISTED.
Everyone had EXPECTED Jesus to DRIVE OUT the hated ROMANS but, when push
came to shove, Jesus had not even PUT UP A FIGHT. As one of Jesus’
DISCIPLES, Peter was at RISK. What happened to Jesus could happen to
Peter too. And so Peter said, "NOT ME! I am not Jesus’ disciple!
Never heard of the man!"
But then the story took a TURN that Peter could NEVER have IMAGINED.
There had been a CROSS, of course, but there was also an OPEN
TOMB. Peter had seen the RISEN CHRIST! God had turned the DEFEAT into
VICTORY! Jesus had WON, but Peter had LOST! Peter was glad for Jesus,
of course,– but he could not FORGET his night of SHAME.
AFTER the RESURECTION, Jesus gave Peter a CHANCE to REDEEM HIMSELF.
During his night of SHAME, Peter had DENIED Jesus THREE TIMES. Each
time,– someone had thought that Peter was one of Jesus’ DISCIPLES, and
each time Peter had said, "I am not."
But then JESUS came asking THREE TIMES if Peter LOVED HIM. He looked
at Peter and said, "Peter, do you love me more than these?" It must
have been EXCRUCIATING for Peter to be put in the SPOTLIGHT like that
EVERYONE knew his SHAME.
But Peter answered, "Yes, Lord; you know
that I love you."
Jesus REPEATED the question THREE TIMES, and Peter ANSWERED THREE
TIMES.
For Peter, EACH ANSWER must have been a little more
FRUSTRATING than the LAST. But with each answer HEALING was TAKING
PLACE. Peter said AGAIN and AGAIN, "Yes, Lord, you know that I love
you." With each answer, a bit of Peter’s GUILT MELTED AWAY and a bit of
HIS RELATIONSHIP with Jesus was RESTORED.
Christ WORKS THAT WAY. He DOES NOT come to EMBRASS US, but he won’t
let us OFF THE HOOK either. He won’t MINIMIZE OUR SINS,– and he WON’T
ENCOURAGE US to do so. He won’t say, "It makes no difference." He
won’t say, "Forget it."
o Instead, Jesus asks us, "Do you love me
MORE THAN THESE?"
o He asks, "Do you love me enough to really
COMMIT YOURSELF TO ME?"
o He asks, "Do you love me enough to be
FAITHFUL to your HUSBAND or your WIFE?"
o He asks, "Do you love me
enough to set a NEW STANDARD of HONESTY at WORK?"
o He asks, "Do
you love me enough to TALK ABOUT ME with your NEIGHBORS?"
Each time that Peter said that HE LOVED JESUS, Jesus responded, "FEED
my lambs."
He was saying, "If you love me, Peter, TEND my sheep."
He was saying, "If you want a chance to fully REDEEM YOURSELF, FEED my
sheep."
Christ COMES TO US, TOO, saying, "Do you LOVE ME?" "Do you love me
MORE THAN THESE?" "Do you REALLY love me?" Each time that we TELL HIM
that WE LOVE HIM,– he says, "FEED my sheep."
In every important RELATIONSHIP, we start with WORDS.
We PROMISE
that WE WILL. But those WORDS are NOT THE END OF IT.
Our WORDS
are ONLY THE BEGINNING. With those WORDS, we BEGIN A JOURNEY of
PROMISE-KEEPING that goes on YEAR after YEAR. We BEGIN with WORDS. We
FINISH with DEEDS.
Christ says to us, "Do you love me?" We say, "Lord, you know that I
love you."
Christ responds, "Feed my sheep." WHAT DOES THAT MEAN
TO US 2000 YEARS LATER? It means DIFFERENT THINGS for EACH OF US,– but
it means the SAME THING for ALL OF US. It means that we START with
WORDS, but FINISH with DEEDS.
"FEED MY SHEEP!" At the very least,– it means that we TEACH our
CHILDREN to LOVE CHRIST. It means that we give Christ a CENTRAL PLACE in
our FAMILY. It means that we BRING our children to SUNDAY SCHOOL and
CHURCH REGULARLY. It means that we take their SPIRITUAL FEEDING as
SERIOUSLY as we take their DINNER MENU. It means that we SET THE
EXAMPLE that we show them by OUR LIVES what it MEANS to be a CHRISTIAN.
"FEED MY SHEEP!" It means that we SHARE OUR FAITH with our
NEIGHBORS. Again, it means that we SET THE EXAMPLE — that we show them
by OUR LIVES what it MEANS to be a CHRISTIAN. It means that WE CARE
ABOUT THEM that we INVITE THEM to CHURCH that we SHARE our FAITH.
"FEED MY SHEEP!" It means that we CARE for THOSE IN NEED. It means
that we FEED the HUNGRY. It means that we GIVE the THIRSTY something to
DRINK. It means that we WELCOME the STRANGER — and CLOTH the NAKED
and TAKE CARE of the SICK and VISIT those in PRISON. It means we give
money for MISSIONS and help PREGNANT teenagers in our own TOWN. .
When Jesus asks today, "Do YOU love me?" That is the question. You
can answer with a RESOUNDING YES! And If you do…… THEN FEED HIS
SHEEP!
God Loves You And So Do I……Happy Mother’s Day!
Pastor’s Corner April 2010
Come Home, You Are Forgiven: Luke 15: 1-3 11b-32
This reading seems to have really struck home with a lot of you. We also could identify with it as well.
There is probably NO PARABLE MORE IMPORTANT than the one we JUST READ, the story of two sons and their father. The story invites us to ACCEPT FORGIVENESS. It also INVITES US to EXTEND FORGIVENESS.
A man with two sons is REJECTED by each of them in turn, and HE FORGIVES each son in turn. The younger son asks his father for HIS SHARE of the INHERITANCE. Now an INHERITANCE normally comes AFTER somebody has DIED. Strangely enough,the father goes ahead and gives the son HIS PROPER SHARE..
The younger son takes his MONEY and FLEES. He puts countless MILES between HIMSELF and his FAMILY. In a DISTANT LAND, he goes through his MONEY QUICKLY, living a DISGRACEFUL LIFE. He runs OUT OF MONEY, then a FAMINE STRIKES the countryside, and this one-time SPOILED RICH KID finds himself WORKING as the LOWEST of FARM HANDS, he is SLOPPING THE HOGS. Carob pods are what these PIGS EAT, and the BOY is HUNGRY but has no food for himself.
Finally a LIGHT goes on in this young man’s MIND. He’s figured a way out of the PIGPEN. He’ll go BACK to the FAMILY FARM. It won’t be HOME any more, but he’ll get a JOB THERE, and he won’t be CLOSE to STARVING as HE IS NOW. The workers EAT WELL THERE.So off the boy goes, crafting a smooth SPEECH as he walks along his way HOME. He MANIPULATED his father ONCE; perhaps he can do so AGAIN.
Meanwhile, back at the farm, the FATHER has been keeping an EYE on the HORIZON. He has been doing SO since the day the BOY LEFT. But now he SEES a tiny FIGURE that looks familiar. It’s his SON! What matters to the old man is THAT THE BOY IS BACK. Why he’s back, what HIS MOTIVES may be simply DOESN’T enter the father’s MIND. And so HE DOES SOMETHING that an old man in HIS SOCIETY––or OURS, for that matter––is UNLIKELY to do. HE RUNS down the driveway in the direction of his son. The old man is CLOSE to TEARS. He grabs the boy in a BEAR HUG and PLANTS a sloppy wet KISS on his CHEEK. The son doesn’t get a chance to COMPLETE his smooth SPEECH.
The father yells to one servant for the best ROBE in the CLOSET, A PAIR of NEW SANDALS and a RING. He tells another servant to SLAUGHTER and PREPARE the CALF they’ve been FATTENING.
Other than HIS CROSS and RESURRECTION, Jesus has no OTHER way than this to tell us we are FORGIVEN when we play the part of the YOUNGER SON. When our BEHAVIOR is scandalous and our REPENTANCE less than perfect, there still is this mighty welcome home. Our sin is never greater than divine love.
But sometimes our POISONESS BEHAVIOR does not resemble what the younger son does.
We look RIGHTEOUS, act RIGHTEOUS, feel RIGHTEOUS. But inside, our heart is a CESSPOOL of RESENTMENT. We HATE anybody who seems to get away with anything. We HATE the FATHER who shows CONCERN and COMPASSION for them.
So this story INVITES US to accept FORGIVENESS when we tend toward INDULGENCE, ARROGANCE, or BOTH. But as I said at the start, this story also INVITES US to extend FORGIVENESS. Not only does the FATHER SET US FREE from our entrapment in sin, but he offers us an example we can follow of WHAT IT MEANS TO FORGIVE, and thus he reveals a deep dimension of how to be CHRISTIAN, how to be HUMAN.
Lent IS a time to ACCEPT FORGIVENESS, but EXTEND IT to others ALSO. DO WE find ourselves in the YOUNGER SON or the OLDER ONE or BOTH of them together. We can also find our role to be that of the FATHER. BROTHERS and SISTERS we are called to the exercise of this ministry. It belongs to US AS CHRISTIANS. May God help you to Forgive and come home.
Happy Easter…He is Risen Indeed…Alleluia….God loves you and so do I.
Pastor’s Corner March 2010
Lent is a forty day season with two primary themes: Baptism and Penitence… both are a time of preparation of our Lord’s passion. What are you doing to become more focused on the Lenten season? Sometimes people gave up something. Karen and I have decided not to have any sweets and I’m doing additional devotional readings. We are encouraged to read our bibles during the Lenten season. It’s a great way to get started to read the bible. Jesus Knew His Bible Too. Jesus defends himself from the evil one in the wilderness.
Jesus fasted FORTY DAYS, a very long time. Luke says that Jesus was FAMISHED. Of course he was FAMISHED! Who wouldn’t be FAMISHED after FORTY DAYS without FOOD! Then the devil came to Jesus. The devil DIDN’T ATTACK Jesus when he was STRONG, but when he was WEAK from HUNGER. That’s the way the devil WORKS. He looks for our WEAK SPOTS our VULNERABILITIES. He tries to SNEAK in through the CRACKS in our ARMOR. So the devil came to Jesus when he was WEAK from HUNGER, and said: "IF YOU ARE THE SON OF GOD, command this STONE to become a loaf of BREAD."
LET’S LOOK AT THAT. At Jesus’ BAPTISM, a voice from heaven said, "YOU ARE MY SON." Now the DEVIL begins the first temptation by saying, "IF you are the Son of God." That’s a great line, isn’t it especially for TEMPTING MAN! Just think about it.
So the DEVIL starts by saying to Jesus, "IF YOU ARE THE SON OF GOD, command this STONE to become a loaf of BREAD." Jesus said, "IT IS WRITTEN!" Written WHERE? Written in the BIBLE, of course Deuteronomy 8:3 to be precise! But for now, just remember that Jesus, who was FIGHTING for HIS SPIRITUAL LIFE, deflected the devil by QUOTING SCRIPTURE.
Then the DEVIL SHOWS Jesus all the KINGDOMS of the WORLD and says, "If you will worship me, it will all be yours."THAT’S A LIE, but it’s the kind of LIE that people LIKE TO BELIEVE. "Just give me your MONEY, and I’ll make you RICH!" Wow! That sounds WONDERFUL! Or "Just buy a BOTTLE of this WINE, and women will FALL at your FEET!" Or, "Party at our CASINO, and you will have FUN, FUN, FUN."What HAPPENS here……STAYS here. What a LIE!
The DEVIL said, "If you will worship me, it will all be yours." THAT’S A LIE.
So Jesus answered, "It is written, ‘Worship the Lord your God, and serve only him."
Jesus said, "IT IS WRITTEN!" Written where? Written in the BIBLE!
Then the DEVIL took JESUS to the PINNACLE of the TEMPLE and told him to JUMP. The devil QUOTED A SCRIPTURE that seemed to promise that ANGELS would PROTECT Jesus. He was trying to TEMP JESUS to make a GRAND GESTURE and a MIRACULOUS RECOVERY, with the promise that people would FLOCK TO HIM. What a way for Jesus to JUMP-START his MINISTRY!
But Jesus answered, "It is said, ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the TEST."
Jesus began his answer by saying, "IT IS SAID!" Said where? In the BIBLE, of course!
So Jesus DEFLECTED all THREE TEMPTATIONS by quoting SCRIPTURE. How do you suppose he did that?
- Did he get his BIBLE and his CONCORDANCE from his BOOKSHELF and start looking for the answer? No!—– No time for that!
- Did he have a BIBLE PROGRAM on his COMPUTER so he could find the answer quickly? Afraid not!
- Did he go to GOOGLE, which promises to ANSWER every QUESTION? Hardly!
Jesus was able to SAVE HIMSELF,– because he had been LEARNING the BIBLE from his CHILDHOOD. He had been NURTURED from the beginning concerning the scriptures. Mary and Joseph had taught him well.
That suggests that we ought to LEARN THE SCRIPTURES TOO! When we have to make a quick life-or-death decision, knowing the BIBLE can SAVE US TOO! But don’t wait until you’re in TROUBLE. Start studying your Bible NOW.
There is a LESSON in that for US. When TEMPTATION COMES, it will SELDOM give us TIME TO THINK or PREPARE. When our life is on the LINE, how we have PREPARED during the QUIET TIMES will often determine whether we will WIN or LOSE in the troubled times. If you will begin STUDYING your BIBLE NOW, it will help you when the CHIPS ARE DOWN. If you will begin PRAYING NOW, you will be STRONG when TROUBLE COMES.
But it is hard to DISCIPLINE OURSELVES. It is hard to prepare ourselves SPIRITUALLY. So I would like to propose one more ingredient for the "Get Ready" formula. Get involved in a Bible STUDY group a small group of Christians who meet for the PURPOSE of STUDYING THE BIBLE and STRENGTHENING each other SPIRITUALLY. Then, when TROUBLE COMES, you will be STRONG. Then, when TEMPTATION COMES, you will be able to just say NO. …according to the Scriptures.
Happy Easter
Pastor’s Corner February 2010
Through most of this year, our Gospel readings are from Luke. But we took a DETOUR, and we heard from John. What we HEAR is about the FIRST ACT of MINISTRY that Jesus performs in that Gospel. And it is a STRANGE ONE.
The FIRST one, TURNING WATER INTO WINE, that sticks out as ODD. Why does Jesus start out his ministry supplying WINE for a PARTY? Why not do something, well, a little more SIGNIFICANT?
Take into account the situation, though. We have here a FIRST-CENTURY JEWISH WEDDING in a village named CANA, just down the road from Nazareth. Weddings there were an even a BIGGER DEAL than they are now. And a wedding DIDN’T last for a FEW HOURS. It went on for SEVEN DAYS –– seven days! The ENTIRE COMMUNITY was INVITED. Wine was ESSENTIAL to these WEDDINGS.
So this young couple, just married, was running out of wine in the MIDDLE of their WEDDING FEAST. What a DISAPPOINTMENT! What a DISASTER! The moment is fast approaching when this joyous wedding celebration is about to CRASH into the brick wall of SOCIAL DISASTER. So Jesus ACTS. He tells the wait staff to FILL with WATER a half dozen big stone jars and drag them over to the banquet manager.
Curious about what’s in the JARS, the manager takes a SIP. It’s WINE! Really good WINE!
NOT the sort that comes with a SCREW TOP, but the wine that appears on FANCY MENUS at an OUTRAGEOUS PRICE. This CANA VINTAGE, only a FEW MINUTES OLD, is really good wine, and there’s enough to FLOAT A BOAT. Why was the best wine saved for the last?
Again, it’s an ODD way to LAUNCH A MINISTRY. Or is it? First,– what Jesus does is an act of COMPASSION,– meeting the needs of people WHERE THEY ARE.
Also, it says something about the SIGNIFICANCE of MARRIAGE in the EYES OF GOD. "The BOND and COVENANT of MARRIAGE was established by God in CREATION– and our Lord Jesus Christ adorned this manner of life by his PRESENCE and first MIRACLE at a wedding at Cana in Galilee."
Jesus comes inviting us to live in a world where he has TRANSFORMED that which is ORDINARY into that which is HOLY. As you go through this coming month, I INVITE YOU to THINK about this story of Jesus at the WEDDING feast in CANA turning WATER into WINE taking something ORDINARY and making something SPECIAL of it and, in the PROCESS, removing the BURDEN of GUILT from a YOUNG COUPLE’S SHOULDERS saving them from a LIFETIME of SHAME.
And then ASK YOURSELF, "Am I EMBRACING the WINE that Jesus has GIVEN ME?
Do I see MY LIFE as SOMETHING SPECIAL — something HOLY? Do I see my MARRIAGE and my FAMILY as something HOLY? Do I see my WORK as something HOLY? Or have I succumbed to the temptation to TURN Jesus’ WINE back into WATER? Am I settling for being LESS than God created me to be?"
JESUS came to make something holy of YOUR LIFE. LET HIM do that for you. LET HIM CHANGE the WATER into WINE for you. LET HIM make SOMETHING HOLY of your life.
Pastor’s Corner January 2010
Happy New Year! Sometimes when a new year starts I review some things that are worth repeating and drop or discontinue things I need to let go of. This is something I wanted to share with you that bears reviewing and sharing.
“DO THIS IN REMEMBRANCE OF ME.”
Recently, we were stunned by the news of the two students hit by the train near Springfield High School. Amber and Shannon Amand are students there and they shared their feelings about the incident and told us about the ,”MEMORIAL” that the students were making on the back fence in honor of the young boy that passed away.
We just happened to be studying about the sacrament of Holy Communion in our Confirmation class and I shared with my students that the “MEMORIAL” they were talking about was similar to the “MEMORIAL” that Jesus left for us in the sacrament of Holy Communion. When Jesus first shared the bread and wine with his apostles and called it his body and blood, he gave a very direct command. He said "Do this in remembrance of Me.” A quick look at these words might give the impression that Holy Communion was no more than a memory jogger.
WHAT DOES MARTIN LUTHER SAYS?
Martin Luther wanted people to realize what a precious gift Holy Communion is. He took special pains in his explanation of the sacrament to help people recognize this.
Martin Luther asks, "How can eating and drinking do all this?” Just like we learned about Baptism, it is the POWER OF GOD along with the BREAD and WINE that makes Holy Communion a special thing. Luther puts his focus on the WORDS "given and shed for YOU for the remission of sins.” You see it’s all about the power of God, and the ”WORDS,” that are being said and more importantly about the, BELIEF”, by you and me that when we believe the words are the doorway through which the wonderful gifts comes to us.
Holy Communion provides us with the memory of Jesus Christ and how He meets us each time we take communion. Jesus draws us closer to Him and other Christians in the family of God. Holy Communion provides us an opportunity to receive the forgiveness of sins. Christ meets us here and now.
So the next time you receive Holy Communion and Pastor says to you…..This is the BODY OF CHRIST you should respond…..AMEN!( Yes! I whole heartily agree! I BEIIEVE)
May you all be,”Too Blessed to be Stressed.” May God bless you all in this New Year.
PASTOR’S CORNER December 2009
Wow! Welcome to Advent! You were expecting early news of Christmas– and we walk SMACK into people FAINTING from FEAR– and APPREHENSIVE of what is coming upon the world. With the Christmas program just THREE WEEKS AWAY,– you thought you might hear SOUNDS of Little Drummer Boy,– but instead– you get “DISTRESS among NATIONS and CONFUSION. But it will get WORSE! In the coming weeks,– we will be called SNAKES,– and VIPERS;– we will be called “CHAFF that will be thrown into a raging fire in the last days.” Wow!– Welcome to Advent!
On the other hand,–Advent will also get BETTER. The Sanctuary will be DECORATED in GREENERY and LIGHTS and WREATHES and BOWS. In a matter of weeks,–we will SING CAROLS of Christmas, and children will tell about the birth of a special baby,– and we will hold candles high and sing “Silent Night.” Oh yeah,– Advent will get a whole lot better.
Advent is a season of MIXED MESSAGES; like a real-life “good news/bad news” joke,– and if you only hear PART of the MESSAGE,– you MISS THE POINT. If you only hear the GOOD NEWS; –
“peace on earth, the Savior is born!” you MISS the WAKE UP CALL that WARNS US of a day of JUDGMENT that will one day come. But if you only hear the BAD NEWS,– you MISS the COMFORT and SECURITY that will PROTECT the People of God from that AWFUL DAY.
The word ADVENT literally means “coming.”It is from the root word “adventure.” Just around the corner,– something is about TO HAPPEN. Soon…but not yet…we will experience a NEW THING. What will happen?– When will it come? That’s part of the ADVENTURE. That’s why we call it ADVENT. But this theme of coming has THREE different REFERENCES: A PAST,–A PRESENT,– and a FUTURE. Something came ONCE,– something is COMING NOW,– and something WILL COME LATER.
So Jesus came ONCE – twenty centuries ago – but he ALSO COMES in the PRESENT.
Not in a MANGER,– or on a CROSS,– but in countless other ways. Last SUNDAY,– Jesus CAME into the LIFE of JOANN DREPPS through the sacrament of BAPTISM. He will be born in HER, birthed in HER HEART,– every bit as REALISTICALLY as when he was born in a manger. Next SUNDAY, he will come to us in the sacrament of Holy Communion. When we eat the bread and drink the wine or grape juice,– he says we TAKE HIM IN TO OUR BODIES . He therefore goes WITH US into the FIELDS– OUR HOMES–IN SCHOOLS–and VALLEYS of our DAILY LIVES. If you think you are ALONE in this WORLD and the PROBLEMS that FACE YOU,– think again. Jesus GOES WITH YOU when you leave this place today. And Jesus comes to us today in a SUNDAY SCHOOL LESSON,– or in the RITE of CONFIRMATION,– or in a QUIET MOMENT driving in the CAR, or in a TRAGEDY or CRISIS. He didn’t just come ONCE;—- he comes ALWAYS.
ARE YOU READY????????? God Loves You And So Do We….Merry Christmas, REJOICE in HIS COMING! Pastor Ron And Karen.
Pastor’s Corner November 2009
Recently, I was able to go to a seminar sponsored by Thrivent with several members of Zion. Barb Holtz, Norm and Bev Gregory and Barb Edington made it to my home at 6:45 in the morning and we started on our journey to Plymouth, Michigan. The purpose of our trip was to see and hear the, ”Church Doctor,” Kent Hunter and to listen to his talk about the Mainline Churches and the way it has been operating in the, ”Maintenance Mode” for so many years. Kent Hunter says that 95%…. or most of the Churches have been focusing on just trying to save the members they have without being too successful in growing.
Kent Hunter referenced an author by the name of Phyllis Tickel who wrote a book called, “The Great Emergence:” How the Church is Changing and Why? She says that the church has experienced a hinge point in history every 500 years. The last one was the Protestant Reformation and about 500 years later here we are. Tickel says that every 500 years the church has a rummage sale, where it casts off cultural baggage that worked before, but has become a hindrance to the Gospel reaching new generations. Every 500 years, the Church reinvents itself. It’s hard to see history when you are in the middle of it. (Church Doctor Report Vol. 5 No. 3, July 2009)
There were many eye opening comments made at this seminar that would make your head spin. We were reminded as the Church and as Pastors to choose a strategy carefully to assist you in the coming years. This will not be easy. Please lift up this Church and your Pastor and pray for God’s leading and guidance as we move forward in the coming years.
Remember the Great Commission Matthew 28:16-20 (New International Version)
16 Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. 17 When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted. 18 Then Jesus came to them and said, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."
The bible reminds us clearly of our job as Christians to reach out to the world. Reach out to your neighbor, your brothers or sisters and family and INVITE them to attend Church. The most effective way to grow a Church is still by PERSONAL INVITATION from a friend or family member. NOW GO AND DO LIKEWISE.
God Loves You And So Do I……Pastor Ron.
Did You Know?
The United States is the THIRD largest Mission Field. China is number one and India is number three. Since 1975 there have been SIX Churches per DAY CLOSING in the US.
(Source–Kent Hunter the Church Doctor)