Road Trip: Waxahachie, TX

I had the privilege of spending Sunday morning at Farley Street Baptist Church in Waxahachie, TX while senior pastor, Richard Smith, was away on vacation. It was a powerful experience as Blanton Feaster led the congregation in singing. I already knew Blanton had gifts in the area of administration and teaching, but Sunday I found out that he is also a gifted musician and leader.

Before the service I had the opportunity to meet a significant portion of the congregation. As I shook hands and introduced myself, I was struck by the diversity of the people. Every age group imaginable was represented. Likewise, it seemed like there was a great mix of new members vs. long-time members. These two things tell me that 1) the church does a great job of ministering to all ages, and 2) the church retains members and attracts new members.

These are great signs for any church and it was evident that the people of Farley Street are experiencing Christ-centered ministry. The hospitality, sincerity, and spirit of the people was a blessing to me.

Farley Street’s student minister, Jason Prewitt, will soon become the new camp director for Daniel Springs Baptist Camp in Gary, TX. Daniel Springs is a part of the ministry I serve called DiscipleGuide Church Resources. It was a blessing to speak to so many people in the congregation who are supporting Jason in this move. It was obvious that the congregation is cheering him on in his new ministry, even though it will mean losing their beloved minister.

I was especially touched by the closing prayer in the service in which all of the folks who are involved in the youth ministry gathered around Jason and lifted up he and his wife Jessica.

After the service, I had the privilege of meeting many of Farley Street’s teachers during a luncheon. Not only did I have an opportunity to speak with them about “Sunday School on Mission,” but also they shared wonderful insight and testimonies from their own teaching experiences. What a remarkable group of teachers!

I had a great time in Waxahachie and can’t wait to visit again!

When Bible Study is Difficult

When I was little, I got the word “death” and “deaf” mixed up. This was especially problematic when my Sunday school teacher would talk about the death of Christ on the cross. I couldn’t figure out why we went on and on about the Lord’s hearing loss!

As silly as that sounds, there are still times that I get things confused and mixed up in Scripture. Let’s fact it, the Bible has some passages that are difficult to understand. Even the smartest theologians struggle with the meaning of certain verses (that’s why they continue to study).

But, if there is any consolation in all of this, it might be that we are not alone. Even the apostle Peter admitted to the difficulty of understanding certain parts of Scripture. As he concludes his second epistle, Peter makes a reference to Paul’s writings in which he states:

There are some things in them that are hard to understand, which the ignorant and unstable twist to their own destruction, as they do the other Scriptures. You therefore, beloved, knowing this beforehand, take care that you are not carried away with the error of lawless people and lose your own stability. But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Here are two quick observations:

1)   Even apostles like Peter struggled with understanding portions of God’s Word. That’s saying a lot considering the fact that Peter wrote parts of the New Testament. If we understood everything in the Bible perfectly, all at once, why would David go on and on about meditating on God’s Word (Psalm 119) or why would Paul charge Timothy to study God’s Word (2 Timothy 2:15)?

2)   It is vital that we do not give up studying difficult passages. Otherwise, we make ourselves susceptible to believing false teaching. That’s why Peter urges us to “take care that you are not carried away with the error of lawless people…”  How? By “growing in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.” Notice he encouraged them to “grow.” There is never a time in the life of the believer where we stop growing and maturing in our faith –no matter what our level of biblical understanding.

So, if you have been discouraged because you can’t understand everything in Scripture, take heart; you are normal! Don’t see this as a reason to quit studying, but instead, see it as all the more reason to continue studying the precious revelation of God to us!

What Your Pastor’s Sermon Really Needs

I love 1 Corinthians 1:20-25. In it, Paul makes a great case for why we need the Holy Spirit to draw men unto Christ when we present the Gospel message.

Paul starts the passage by calling out all of the intellectuals, scholars and academics asking, “Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world?” (v. 20).

Paul wasn’t making fun of knowledge or intellect here. After all, Paul was a well-studied man in his own right. Instead, he was saying that compared to God’s infinite knowledge, man’s greatest intellectual pursuits seem foolish.

This statement is laying the groundwork for Paul’s real issue. In verse 21, he goes on to explain that as a result, man’s wisdom will not lead him to a saving knowledge of God.

Now here is where Paul’s message gets interesting. He states that “it please God through the folly of what we preach to save those who believe” (v. 21b).

This isn’t a knock on preaching. Paul isn’t saying that the labor of preaching the gospel is a foolish endeavor or that the study and communication of the Gospel are foolish.

Instead, Paul is making a comparison. You can see it better in verse 23 where Paul summarizes by stating, “For the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men.”

In other words, Paul is comparing man’s wisdom to God’s wisdom. Compared to God’s wisdom, man’s wisdom looks foolish. Conversely, unbelieving man sees God’s wisdom as foolish!

What is God’s wisdom that seems so foolish to unbelieving man? The message of the cross. Paul says, “we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and folly to Gentiles, but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God” (v. 23-24).

So, if 1) man’s wisdom is not sufficient to lead him to Christ; and 2) unbelieving man sees the gospel as foolish, how would anyone ever come to Christ?

The answer is in verse 24. Paul explains that “to those who are called” Christ is no longer a “stumbling block” or “folly,” but is instead “the power of God” and the “wisdom of God.”

The difference is in the calling of the Holy Spirit.

Preachers may present the clearest, most accurate, articulate message of salvation; but without the work of the Holy Spirit convicting hearts of sin and them to exercise faith in Christ, nothing will happen.

This doesn’t mean that pastors should quit spending hour upon hour preparing sermons. In fact, they should. God’s Word is the Sword of the Spirit and should be preached in expectation of the Spirit using His weapon to pierce hearts!

And, at the same time, the pastor –as well as the entire congregation- should be just as adamant about praying for the Holy Spirit to work through the preaching to call souls to salvation!

It all points back to the fact that we are utterly dependent upon God for all things!

  • Is your church praying for the Holy Spirit to convict and call souls to Christ?
  • Pastors, is this something you take before the throne in prayer with the same energy that you pour into studying for your message?
  • Wouldn’t it be great to start praying right now for this Sunday’s service?

Moonwalking in Heaven

I often wonder what it will be like when my son finally meets his mommy. Bryce was three months old when Jill died. Therefore, everything he knows about his mom is a result of the stories and pictures that I, along with my friends and family, share with him.

In a sense, he has a second-hand knowledge of his mother. Seems strange in light of the fact that she carried him in her womb for nine months.

I realized how much he relies upon me to know his mother when he related a story about her back to me. I’ve told him many times about how his mom had amazing rhythm and dance skills and how I hoped he inherits that from her (because I have no dance skills whatsoever). As he was talking to some friends recently in our home, I heard him tell someone that Jill could “walk on the moon.”  I think he meant, “moonwalk!”

As I laughed, the gravity of my responsibility to represent Jill to him pressed upon my heart. While its funny that he got confused about the concept of Jill moonwalking, I don’t want him to get confused when it comes to Jill’s character. I don’t want him to miss the fact that she had the unbelievable ability to sense people’s needs and the heart to serve those needs –no matter the cost to her. I want to make sure Bryce understands that his mommy was a friend to everyone –no matter what they did or did not have to offer in return. And I want him to know that, his mommy was the most merciful, forgiving, grace-giving person I have ever met.

Those are the kind of things I have a responsibility to teach him.

It reminds me of a verse in the book of Hebrews. In speaking of the ceremonial law that God had established in the Old Testament, the writer explains, “They serve a copy and shadow of the heavenly things” (Hebrews 8:5).

In other words, the ceremonial law (priests, sacrifices, rituals) was not able to save anyone. Instead, it was a detailed portrait of Christ! The responsibility of the ceremonial law was to point people to a saving knowledge of Jesus.

When Jesus came in the flesh, he fulfilled the ceremonial law. There was no more need for priests and sacrifices to point to a messiah because the messiah had come –people could finally meet him.

People can still meet him today. As believers, we now bear the image of Christ for the purpose of pointing people to Jesus–and that’s even more important than teaching a child about his deceased mother.

So, I’m looking forward to the day when Bryce and Jill finally meet. In my mind, I imagine what it will be like the first time their eyes meet.  How wonderful it will be when he can get to his mommy for himself and won’t have to take my word for it anymore. I can’t wait to see them laugh together, dance together, talk about how much they look alike, and listen to how much they talk alike!

But even more, I can’t wait until my son meets Jesus. Like every other Christian parent, I am striving to represent Christ to my child in “speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, in purity” (I Timothy 4:12). I want to be a shadow and copy of heavenly things for him in hopes that he will place saving faith in Christ alone.

Then, I look forward to the day that the three of mommy, daddy, and Bryce will spend time with Christ together in heaven. Who knows, maybe we’ll all moonwalk!

No More Beating Around the Bush

According to my quick Google search, the phrase, “beat around the bush” has its origin in medieval hunting practices.  Hunters would hire men to walk around taking whacks at trees and bushes to see what animals would come out.

Sounds to me like a great way to get mauled by something with sharp teeth and thick skin.

Maybe that’s why I don’t like to beat around the bush. I’m a straightforward guy. I like short phone calls that get to the point.

My son, on the other hand, loves to see how many stories he can tell, observations he can make, and rabbits he can chase before telling me what’s really on his mind.

But there’s more to it that just his verbal prowess. Sometimes, after spending ten minutes to ask me whether or not he can watch a TV show, I’ll ask him, “Why didn’t you just ask that to begin with?” He usually makes a comment like, “Because I wasn’t sure you would let me.”

In other words, he was bashful about getting to the point because he was uncertain of what my reaction would be. After all, asking to watch a TV show might remind me of the room that needs to be cleaned, vegetables that need to be finished, or worse: bedetime.

While I can’t relate to his gift of gab, I can certainly relate to his feelings of bashfulness when it comes to asking for something and being uncertain about how someone will react.

Even worse, there are times that I try to beat around the bush in prayer. Strange isn’t it? I know God already knows what I’m going to ask and the answer that He is going to give. But for some reason, I feel like I need to be careful and present my request with the perfect justification.

However, the writer of Hebrews says we don’t have to beat around the bush with God. Hebrews 4:16 states “Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.”

Instead of being hesitant to ask for our needs, as believers, we are called to be confident in coming before God’s throne!

Why can we be confident? Because it is the throne of grace. Typically, when we beat around the bush in conversation it is due to some sort of incompetency, inferiority, inconsistency, or inadequacy on our part. In short, we hesitate because we know we are unworthy of what we are asking.

But, at the throne of grace, Christ Jesus covers our unworthiness. In Him, Paul continues, we “receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.”

And that mercy and grace runs far deeper than anything you can ask or imagine. It is the very grace that undergirds your salvation in Christ. That’s why Paul explains in the same passage:

“Since then we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin” (Hebrews 4:14-15).

Christ’s work on the cross not only covers our sin, but it also gives us access to God the Father, through God the Son. As our great high priest, Christ intercedes on our behalf –not as a distant third party- but as one who has walked in our flesh, stood in our place, and known our temptations. And yet, as Hebrews says, He is “without sin.” He is the perfect one to stand with us before the throne.

So no matter what your situation, if you are in Christ Jesus, you may come before the throne of grace with confidence –boldly.

There’s no reason to beat around the bush.

Why I’m Concerned About Evangelizing My Son

I have a parenting struggle to confess. I am uncomfortable about my young child being asked if he would like to make a decision to trust Christ as his Savior and Lord.

Please, don’t label me a heretic just yet. This is a real issue that I imagine other Christian parents have dealt with and I am hoping to generate some helpful conversation on the subject.

First, let me clarify my position:

  1. I ABSOLUTELY want my son to be saved “by grace… through faith” (Ephesians 2:8).
  2. That, I believe should be manifest by a profession of faith in Christ (Romans 10:9-13).
  3. Which is in response to the presentation of the gospel (Romans 10:14-17).

Now here is where my concern lies. As a former pastor, I have spent time counseling people who made a profession of faith as a young child and then, later in life, struggled with assurance of salvation. While I fully acknowledge that struggling with assurance is not unique to people who make professions at an early age, it does seem to be more common than not.

Of course, when a person struggles with assurance of salvation from an early profession of faith, there are two possibilities: 1) the person IS saved or 2) the person IS NOT saved.

Those who are saved may struggle because they have difficulty recalling their state of mind at the point of their conversion. Those who are not saved may share the same struggle, or come to realize that their life is not bearing the fruit in keeping with repentance (Matthew 3:8).

That leads me to my concern: I want to guard my son, as best as I can, from making a false profession of faith.

I admit up front, that I do not have control of my son’s heart and that I cannot prevent him from making a false profession. For that matter, I can’t make him place faith in Christ either.

However, in the same way that I am intentional about how he hears the gospel, I want to be intentional about how he doesn’t hear the gospel. I’m not trying to be a control freak; I’m just trying to be responsible.

My son’s heart is a precious treasure of which I have been given stewardship. For that reason, I want to guard his heart –not from the gospel- but from a non-age-appropriate presentation of the gospel.

However, that begs a lot of questions that I cannot answer with objective facts. Rather, these questions require prayerful wisdom and insight. For instance, at what age will my son be able to adequately understand the gospel and place faith in Christ? Certainly it is different with every child –but how will I know? What a massive responsibility!

This leads to questions regarding children’s ministries, vacation Bible schools, camps, etc. Shouldn’t the leaders communicate to the parents how they will and won’t share the gospel with children under their care? For that matter, shouldn’t parents be asking? How would a ministry set such guidelines in the first place if all children mature at different rates?

I certainly don’t have all the answers. And perhaps I’m an over-protective parent. But when it comes to my son’s standing before God, I would rather err on the side of caution. So, here are a few ideas that have been rolling around in my head on the subject:

1)   It’s never too early to share the gospel. The issue lies in how you share it. I try to be very intentional about sharing the good news in the way most appropriate for my son at the given time. I believe that learning the gospel through repetition over time is valuable and helps assure that my child understands concepts fully as the sharing increases in detail.

2)   I do not want to give my son false assurance. If my son (at an early age) makes a profession of faith in Christ, I would rather respond by saying, “I’m so thankful that you have taken steps toward Christ” rather than “Congratulations, you are saved now!” If he is saved, he certainly isn’t going to be unsaved by my hesitancy to give him false assurance. On the other hand, if he isn’t saved, yet I claim that he is, I am adding to his confusion and struggle later in life.

3)   Because of that, I believe that as a parent, not only does responsibility of evangelizing my son belong to me, but the responsibility of guarding my son from non-age appropriate evangelism belongs to me as well. Non-appropriate evangelism would include things like overly persuasive language, pressuring for a decision, assuming knowledge that the child does not possess, etc.

I know there must be a lot of insights and questions I am missing here. So, assuming you don’t think I’m a heretic, would you share your thoughts?

  • What have you learned from your experience as a Christian parent?
  • How are you guiding the conversation in order to avoid false professions while inviting dialogue?
  • Has your church’s children’s ministry ever discussed this issue with you?

I’m looking for wisdom and help here… so please, share!

Right on Time

After losing my wife in an automobile accident in 2008, I have struggled with recurring depression. The darkness of depression can attack without warning. It does not ask permission and it does not need a reason. Make no mistake; depression is real.

I remember one difficult time in particular when I was feeling like a total failure as a parent. Playing with my son reminded me of my wife’s absence.  And at the same time, retreating from my son caused me to feel the guilt of neglecting him. I felt as though the joy of parenting was out of my reach. No matter what I did, I could not escape the pain.

It was during that time that I was going through a desk drawer trying to find my scissors (they hide frequently). As I was searching through the drawer, I came across an envelope with my name on it.

I opened the envelope and immediately knew what I was holding. It was the Father’s day card my wife, Jill, had given me the year before.  I opened the card and read the words, “You are going to be a great father. Love, Jill.”

I cried tears of joy. Jill had just spoken to me with just the words I needed to hear! The message was right on time.

On a much greater scale, God’s Word speaks to us with just the words we need to hear. But instead of giving us a message in a random card from time to time, God’s Word has been given to us in a format we can read at any time.

When we open His Word, we can always read confidently knowing that every Word is trustworthy and true. We never read a syllable of His Word that is not relevant, on time, and applicable to our lives.

In Isaiah 55:11, God explains that His Word “shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it.”

Every time your eyes focus on the words of Scripture, you receive a message that is perfectly purposed for you. With such a life-transforming message at your disposal, why would you ever want to let your Bible get lost on the shelf or in your junk drawer (with my scissors)? Instead, why don’t you resolve to begin opening His Word daily in anticipation of the message He has in store for you? After all, His message is always right on time!

My Racing Helmet

When I was eight, my favorite activity was riding my red bicycle.

Once, during summer break from school, several of my neighborhood friends came over to my house to see if I wanted to race our bikes around the block. Of course, I said, “yes.”

Back then; nobody wore bicycle helmets –except for me. I didn’t wear a helmet for safety, but rather, to be cool. The irony now is to look back and see how goofy I probably looked. Why? Because the helmet I wore was actually a football helmet! I called it my “racing helmet” and used permanent marker to add lightning bolts on the sides.

My friends and I got on our bikes and lined up on the street in front of my driveway. “On your mark, get set, go!” We all took off.

We were all neck-and-neck as we navigated the first turn. But by the second turn, I was in the lead! This only fueled my excitement and caused me to pedal faster.

As I approached the third turn, a four way stop, I wondered if I should stop at the stop sign or keep pedaling. It didn’t take me long to make up my mind. I couldn’t stop –not while I was in the lead.

I made the turn as quickly as possible. But then, something happened.

The next thing I knew, my friend’s mom was saying something to me. Then, a couple of other adults were talking to me. And, then it occurred to me, I was lying on the street. I had been hit by a car!

The next thing I knew, my parents were by my side and an ambulance came to take me to the hospital. I only had to stay overnight and then I was released to go back home. I didn’t have any serious injuries, except for some really painful burns on my arms and legs from where I hit the pavement.

The Dr. said that if I hadn’t been wearing my helmet, I probably would have sustained major head injuries and possibly would have died (that helmet doesn’t seem so goofy now).

It would be easy to say, “God spared my life that day.” While this is a true statement, it almost implies that God only protects us in the most dramatic of situations. As if in all of the mundane instances of life, we are able to protect ourselves. Of course, that is not true.

Every moment we are alive on this earth is a moment spared by God. King David understood this when he wrote, “My times are in your hand” (Psalm 31:15).

It’s not just that God spared my that day, but He spares my life everyday that I remain alive on this earth!

His providential care protects me (and you) physically everywhere I go. King David asked, “Where shall I flee from your presence?” (Psalm 139:7).

Of course, one day the time will come in which I pass from this earth. On that day, it cannot be said that God has failed me, but yet that God has blessed me.

You see, there is another protection, which God provides for his children. It is an eternal protection of life. Paul describes it as the “helmet of salvation” (Ephesians 6:17). Although I will one day leave this world behind (praise God), there is another world more wonderful and more real of which I am a citizen.

And in that world, nobody dies! There are no accidents, ambulances, or hospitals… and certainly no need for racing helmets!

Tension in the Church

What is your goal for unbelievers who visit your church? Do you have one? Hopefully your church has thought about this issue and communicated clear intentions regarding visiting unbelievers.

In I Corinthians 14, the apostle Paul addressed the need to think strategically about how your church ministers to believers vs. “unbelievers” and “outsiders” (I Cor. 14:16, 22).

If a church is to reflect the gospel biblically to unbelievers (and I think we all agree it should), then we must provide a tension for the unbeliever to experience.

Before you jump to conclusions, remember that the concept of “tension” implies there are two forces at work.

The first force that unbelievers should experience in our churches is Christ-like love toward them. Remember the example of Christ, “that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8). The same love that Christ has shown to us must be displayed to unbelievers who visit our churches (John 13:34).

That means we must exhibit the same patience, kindness, humility, mercy, grace, and hospitality toward unbelievers as Christ has exhibited toward us in Salvation.

Just think about how Christ treated Zacchaeus the tax collector, or the Samaritan woman at the well. He treated them with dignity, respect, and compassion –even when the religious leaders of the day were quick to criticize him for associating with sinners.

What happens when an unbelieving lady enters your church wearing the physical signs of drug abuse? How does your congregation treat unbelieving homosexuals? What about an unbelieving corrupt businessman or adulterous woman?

If we are to be true to the gospel, all of these folks should be treated with the love of Christ. However, we wouldn’t be completely loving (or true to the gospel) if we just left it there.

The second force of tension that unbelievers should sense in our churches is the conviction of sin. After all, without the conviction of the Holy Spirit, how will they understand their need of a Savior?

Remember, Jesus did not sweep Zacchaeus’ corruption under the rug. And, he did not overlook the woman at the well’s adultery.

The message of the church should never be watered down to make sinners comfortable in their sin (whether unbelievers or believers). The full counsel of Scripture must be communicated. God’s standards of righteousness set forth in the law must be delineated so that it is clear that “there is none righteous, no not one” (Romans 3:10) and that our best efforts to please God fall short (Romans 3:23).

Don’t misunderstand. Churches should not seek to publicly embarrass or harass unbelievers regarding their sin condition. That would, after all, violate the love of Christ and display sinful motives of our own.

The goal, remember, is to see sinners reconciled to Christ –not to fuel their rebellion even more. Therefore, we must be honest and forthright about the gravity of their sin in a tone that is commensurate with our concern for their soul.

Of course that opens up a wonderful opportunity for the gospel. The tension between the love of God and the wrath of God should be so evident in our churches that unbelievers and believers alike should be overwhelmed and directed toward the Cross. At the cross, and only at the cross, we find the perfect resolution between these two forces of tension in the work of Christ!

When we are intentional about expressing and communicating both forces, we are in a wonderful position to point people to the cross and the wonderful message of the gospel.

I think every church would agree that there is nothing more glorious than to see a lost soul be freed from the burden of their sin and clothed in the righteousness of Christ. How sweet the joy when the same congregation who presents both the gospel tension and the divine solution, are able to celebrate in the salvation of a sinner saved by grace!

So, for the church that has sanitized its teaching to reduce the gravity of sin –its time to return to the full counsel of God. There is nothing loving about hiding the severity of sin from someone in need of Christ.

And, for the church that takes pride in keeping “sinners” out, take a look in the mirror and stop deceiving yourself. Embrace humility, serve sinners, and love them as you have been loved. Cultivate a genuine desire to lead them to Christ.

Ultimately, to embrace the tension between the love of God toward sinners and the wrath of God toward sinners is to embrace Christ!

Churches Discipling Churches

The church where I formerly pastored, Wyatt Baptist Church of El Dorado, Arkansas, is one of the most mission-minded churches I know of. Every year they send a large percentage of church members around the world in partnership with various missionaries. One of the missionary families they partner with is Oscar and Tamy Gaitan of Centro De Vida Church in Catarina, Masaya, Nicaragua.

Centro De Vida naturally became Wyatt’s sister church. In fact, over the years, several of the members of Wyatt have moved to Catarina for periods of time and likewise, several members of Centro De Vida have moved to El Dorado for periods of time. We even had a Wyatt girl and a Centro De Vida boy get married!

But Centro De Vida became more than a sister church to Wyatt while I was there. Centro De Vida became a mentor to Wyatt.

Did you know it is possible for churches to disciple other churches? While the Bible doesn’t explicitly use that terminology, it is evident that churches have the privilege of influencing and edifying one another for kingdom work.

One great example is in I Thessalonians 2:14 where Paul writes to the church in Thessalonica: “For you, brothers, became imitators of the churches of God in Christ Jesus that are in Judea.”

Did you get that? The church in Thessalonica had been influenced by the churches in Judea to the degree that Paul called them “imitators!” By the way, the word Paul uses is the same word he uses in I Corinthians 11:1 where he urges the Corinthians to “Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ.”

Whether they realize it or not, Oscar Gaitan and Centro De Vida church set the example for how our church would structure small group Bible studies and strategize our outreach. Even the spirit of discipleship and mission we enjoyed at Wyatt Baptist Church was due in part to Centro De Vida. Hopefully, our church was able to edify Centro De Vida in the same way they influenced us.

Personally, I believe that every church –no matter the size, location, age, or legacy- has something to offer. Has your church found a way to disciple other churches?

  • Is there a struggling church nearby that your church could encourage through a shared event or by sharing resources? What about joint fellowship gatherings for encouragement?
  • Does your church regularly pray for other churches? It’s a great way to focus your church on building God’s kingdom rather than your own kingdom.
  • Is your church willing to recommend other churches to visitors who don’t feel that your church is a good match for their family?
  • In kingdom work, it is much better to get along than to get ahead! Ask God to open your eyes to opportunities for blessing other churches. And, while you’re at it, stop and take the time to acknowledge, show appreciation for, and pray for those churches who have influenced your own congregation.

May Christ receive all the glory from His body, the church!