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06/14/2010

We just want to say how excited we are for Brother Wendell to be your pastor! He was and always will be our favorite pastor. My daughter lives in Bethany and has not really found a church there. I am hoping and praying that since Wendell and Pam are at Surrey Hills, Emily and her husband will want your church to be their church home. Your church can look forward to some awesome messages! Lisa Lyon

Bibs or Aprons?

"For even I, the Son of Man, came here not to be served but to serve others, and to give my life as a ransom for many." - Matthew 20:28

I recently visited a fast-growing church in Minnesota to learn from their staff. It was a privilege to witness their passion for doing high quality ministry in Jesus' name. I left with some new insights and renewed passion for the Gospel.

One of the phrases that I heard while I was there was, "We want our members to wear aprons, not bibs." Here's what they meant:

Bibs are for people who only want to be fed.
Bibs are for those who are not yet ready or willing to feed themselves.
Bibs are for those who are more interested in being served than in serving.
Bibs are for those who insist that the church exists for them and their needs.
Bibs are for babes in the faith, those who haven't caught God's vision for the church, or those who are not yet of the faith.

Aprons are for those who have a heart to serve others in Jesus' name.
Aprons are for those who know that they are the church.
Aprons are for those who don't mind getting their hands dirty.
Aprons are for those who take the time daily to feed their spiritual hunger.
Aprons are for those who are growing in faith, and hunger to help others grow.

Church growth consultant, Win Arn, interviewed thousands of Christians in America several years ago and asked them, what they thought the church existed for. Eighty-eight percent said, "The church exists to serve my needs and the needs of my family." In other words, 88% of Christians in America are still wearing bibs.

On the night when he was betrayed, just hours before he was crucified, the very Son of God took off his outer garments, wrapped a towel around his waist, and washed his disciples' feet. When he was done he said, "I have just given you an example to follow." In other words, Jesus called his disciples to wear aprons, not bibs.

In Matthew, Jesus is recorded as saying, "For even I, the Son of Man, came here not to be served but to serve others, and to give my life as a ransom for many." He also said, "If you cling to your life, you will lose it; but if you give it up for me, you will find it."

Jesus calls us to wear aprons, not bibs. Which are you wearing?

Bringing It Home:

1. How would you answer the question, "Why does the church exist?" Does your answer reflect your bib or your apron?

2. How can you help others in your Christian community to trade their bib for an apron?

3. If you're not already serving in a ministry in your church, make a commitment to begin this month.

Prayer: "Lord Jesus, thank you for feeding me daily with your word. Fill me with your redeeming love. Open my eyes to clearly see the needs of those around me, and then open my hands to serve them. Each day, strengthen me with your Spirit, so that I might choose to wear an apron, not a bib. This I pray in your name. Amen."

04/23/2010  

The Journey

Long ago in a far away place, there lived a people who belonged to God but were groaning under bondage. God heard their cries and sent them a wonderful leader to guide them to freedom. God used this man named Moses, to lead His people on a journey to the Promise Land by great and mighty miracles. The people of God rejoiced at what God had done in sending them this leader and delivering them from bondage.

The leader God had chosen was in front, following God’s pillar of fire at night and pillar of cloud by day. He led the people in the direction God wanted them to go. As the journey got under way, however, God began to test His people. First God led them to a water source that was bitter. Rather than waiting expectantly to see what God would do, the people only saw the problem. They panicked and began to complain. They had forgotten all that God had done for them only three days earlier. Instead of seeing God they only saw the problem. They failed God’s test. However, God in His mercy, directed their leader to throw a branch into the bitter water and by a miracle, made the water sweet.

Soon, God tested His people again. They became hungry and once again forgot that God was in control and had led them to the place they were encamped. Instead of keeping their eyes on God and following the leader He had provided, they became angry and complained bitterly. Once again, in God’s mercy, He miraculously provided manna and quail for the people, but they had failed God’s test.

Again and again along their journey, God gave His people opportunities to trust Him when difficulties came their way. Every time, however, when the challenges came, they moved their focus from God to the problems. They forgot the great things God had done for them in the past. Instead of believing God and trusting Him to provide for their current needs, they became angry and disobedient. There is a lesson here for us.

After 20 months of crying out to God for a pastor, God has moved in a miraculous way to provide us with a great leader. Like the Hebrew people of long ago, we are rejoicing. Now we begin our journey. God has great plans for us. However, along the way, God will test us also, and difficulties will come our way. Will we keep our eyes on God and trust Him to provide, or will we get angry and begin to complain? Only time will tell.

As your Pastor Search Committee bids you farewell, it is our prayer that we, as a church, will commit to trust God as we embark on this exciting journey with Him. When the challenges come, we are praying that unlike the ancient Hebrews, we will pass God’s test by keeping our eyes upon Him, and not the problems…knowing full well that God has a solution in hand ahead of time. All we have to do is remember back to the great things God has done in our past and remember how He provided us a great leader! God wants us to trust Him! “Without faith it is impossible to please God.”
(Hebrews 11:6 NKJV)

03/30/2010...On friday march 26th 2010 in the early morning hours after returning home from work i became hungry. I decided to fry some chicken, so i proceeded to heat about 3 to 4 inches of cooking oil in a pan. I needed to use the restroom so i turned the heat on high and left it...It took longer than i expected in the restroom and when i returned the flames had grown to about 4 feet in height! In a total state of panic i grabbed the pan and ran for the front door of my apartment..flames were licking my arms and hands as i went. Having no alternative...i rushed my self to the emergency room.After being informed i had 2nd degree burns on both hands from the emergency room staff, my faith was quite shaken.I would need full thickness skin grafts.I was in great pain and live alone with no one to attend to my needs....how dark it is before the dawn!
My mother is in another state but is a member of your congregation and she learned of my situation and picked up the telephone. That evening she told me someone was going to call me to get directions to my apartment....apparently to bring me food and look after my needs. This has been ongoing since that frightfull day and GOD does hear the prayers of his servants.Words cannot begin to describe how gratefull and thankfull I am for sending me angels to minister to me during my hour of need.His servants have been most helpfull in changing my bandages daily, and going grocery shopping for me, and cooking me delicious food to eat, and cheering me up, since at the moment im very handicapped and cannot do things for myself. All of his angels that were sent to me need no recognition...for thier reward is in heaven, and they know who they are.
This experience has renewed my faith in my fellow man and has caused a spark to form in my life that had died long ago.It is my wish that these servants be blessed one hundredfold, and that thier strength continue to lift me up during such an unfortunate chapter in my life.I have been sharing my life history with them and it is my desire to give back what has freely been given to me.....blessings.I plan on getting to know you all better in the coming weeks as i heal and my strenght returns.May our heavenly father continue to work miracles in these last days and look after not only his chosen ones.....but those who also stand in need of his presence like myself. I thank our heavenly father for sending me these undeserved blessings....(Anonumous)

03/17/2010....Last October my husband needed outpatient surgery. Before they could do this minor surgery, the anesthesiologist required a cardiac release. The cardiologist, however, would not give the release without a chemical stress test. My husband became extremely distressed over the situation. He had vowed two years earlier, after his first stress test, that he would never take it again because it was so awful. This information was communicated to the cardiologist in a very passionate way, but to no avail. The doctor would not back off of his requirement for the test before giving the cardiac release. Mark finally relented and took the test. As it turns out, the test had been greatly improved and was not bad at all. However, the test results revealed a serious heart problem that required immediate surgery. Had the doctor allowed Mark to have his minor surgery without the chemical stress test, we would have never known about the blocked arteries in his heart. Here's the deal. God was in control all the time. The Lord's hand was on my husband, even though he was kicking and screaming all the way. His heart problem was corrected. At the time, we were thinking about how bad things were for us. Yet, God was working it out for good just as he promises in Romans 8:28. That experience has helped my husband and I to grow spiritually and trust the Lord more. He is always faithful to His Word. (From Diana Stewart)

03/17/2010....God often makes us wait. The delay makes His love all the more real. Love causes the delay. God often makes us wait before His love becomes visible. If you are waiting for God, that is a guarantee that blessing is on the way, only it is probably coming in a package you are not expecting. When you pray and nothing happens, you can be sure that God is wrapping up something that you really might not initially recognize. It takes God a while to wrap up all the packages the way He wants them delivered. If you are still waiting, be ready because when it comes it is going to be blessed. Do not hurry God. God loves you so much He might make you wait for something much better than you ever imagined in the beginning. John MacArthur