New blog
10/09/08 06:31 PM
I wanted to highlight the most recent blog that I’ve added to my blogroll. It’s blog that’s been launched by James MacDonald and a couple of his fellow pastors at Harvest Bible Church. They’re calling it, Straight Up – First Vertical, then Missional. While they advertise it as a blog for pastors, by pastors, it’s going to be a great resource for anyone committed to serving Christ.
This short video clip on persevering in ministry especially resonated with me, especially his emphasis on establishing and maintaining relationships. He says that relationships are the great treasure of ministry. Amen! There’s no doubt about it. While Martinsville and Henry County has it’s strengths and weaknesses, the primary draw that has kept Laurie and I here for the past 19 years, is our deepening affection for the relationships we’ve made in ministry. I hope you’ll re-read that last sentence one more time. . . the feelings it evokes in me run deep. I am so thankful for the precious friendships (both new and old) that the Lord has brought into my life.
Here’s one more gem from another post that’s worth considering:
“Bottom line: at Harvest Bible Chapel we now have almost 20 years invested in the notion that church should not, better, must not be an audience-centered effort. NO MORE AUDIENCE-CENTERED CHURCH, unless of course we return to the biblical priority of God Himself being the audience. My thesis is that God simply does not attend most churches in America.”
“He won’t work or manifest His presence in places where His Word is apologized for, His Son is polished and marketed, and His power is not sought in prayer or even anticipated. God does not attend churches where the gospel is watered down to a self-help pep talk about felt needs. God does not attend churches where Jesus’ crucified life is not proclaimed as the only hope for a fallen humanity. God does not attend churches where Bibles are not brought, and the gospel is reduced to a formula that a person can recite in 60 seconds. God does not attend churches where words, biblical words, like holiness, repentance, and Lordship are scrubbed from the vocabulary in an effort to . . . ? You may be able to get people to attend churches like that but God doesn’t show up much at all...” More here.
This short video clip on persevering in ministry especially resonated with me, especially his emphasis on establishing and maintaining relationships. He says that relationships are the great treasure of ministry. Amen! There’s no doubt about it. While Martinsville and Henry County has it’s strengths and weaknesses, the primary draw that has kept Laurie and I here for the past 19 years, is our deepening affection for the relationships we’ve made in ministry. I hope you’ll re-read that last sentence one more time. . . the feelings it evokes in me run deep. I am so thankful for the precious friendships (both new and old) that the Lord has brought into my life.
Here’s one more gem from another post that’s worth considering:
“Bottom line: at Harvest Bible Chapel we now have almost 20 years invested in the notion that church should not, better, must not be an audience-centered effort. NO MORE AUDIENCE-CENTERED CHURCH, unless of course we return to the biblical priority of God Himself being the audience. My thesis is that God simply does not attend most churches in America.”
“He won’t work or manifest His presence in places where His Word is apologized for, His Son is polished and marketed, and His power is not sought in prayer or even anticipated. God does not attend churches where the gospel is watered down to a self-help pep talk about felt needs. God does not attend churches where Jesus’ crucified life is not proclaimed as the only hope for a fallen humanity. God does not attend churches where Bibles are not brought, and the gospel is reduced to a formula that a person can recite in 60 seconds. God does not attend churches where words, biblical words, like holiness, repentance, and Lordship are scrubbed from the vocabulary in an effort to . . . ? You may be able to get people to attend churches like that but God doesn’t show up much at all...” More here.
