Recreation

Recreation Sabbath and Vacation

Angie, the kids and I are thinking about vacation time and somewhere it crossed my mind, is there a difference between sabbath, recreation and vacation.

We are getting into the time of year where people are gone for a couple of weeks to visit family, go to the beach or the mountains or just take a break from the routine and spend some time away. Why is it that we often come back so tired from vacation or recreation that we need another one to be ready for the normal routine?

I think that God’s plan for a cycle of work and rest is designed for us to be able to keep going with a health and joy that God intended.

• We need to work, it is not the curse - we need to do things that are important and provide for our families. It could be paid or unpaid (like the incredible important job of stay at home mom or homeschoolers)

• We need to take time to focus on God - this is what the sabbath is for...a time to set aside to stop doing other things and focus on our relationship with God. It has been abused with a lot of rules but it is still important. This answers the question - “what re-creates us” Recreation is not the same as an activity that re-creates us weekly.

• We need to reconnect with others - this is the beauty of vacation, time to reconnect with family and friends. Sometimes we get so busy that we forget who we do it for and why we do it. It is in creating experiences for family to remember who they are and what is really valuable.

• But most of all we need the constant refreshing and renewing of God's spirit in us. It is He who said that we will be strengthened in our inner man and would run and not grow weary and walk and not grow faint.

Vacation is vacating the part of us that is tired - and it doesn't always work well unless we are also filling in those places with God's presence.

Hope to see you all soon at church - might be just what the doctor ordered

blessings

Core Values

Over the past view weeks I have been preaching a series of sermons on the Core Values at Fayetteville Christian Church. Core values are the principles that guide how things are done in an organization or company and how it deals

with the world.

1st we looked at Authenticity, or being real. It is the belief that FCC values and practices being who we really are with each other, it frees people from the practice of wearing a mask, and it glorifies God because we don’t pretend any of the good stuff is from us (we’ve already admitted we are not prefect)

2nd we looked at Objective Truth - We at FCC believe that there is truth for all times in all places for all times for every person and it is revealed in the Word of God which is the inspired word of God.

The 3rd core values is the belief that lost people matter to God and because he sent his son Jesus from the comfort of heaven to become a servant and die on a cross we should care enough to BUILD BRIDGES and put others ahead of us and reach out to them in the Love of God

Lastly, we believe these things work best Together. The Christian life is not intended by God to be lived alone.

If you want more on these core values at FCC you can download the sermons at http://www.loveservereach.com/Media/Podcast/tabid/58/Default.aspx

What kind of church is FCC becoming....?

I have been reading a couple books lately that have been a reminder than Vision, no matter how compelling, leaks the longer it is between times when it is painted clearly. Vision for me is a goal, or picture of what it is going to look like when you arrive. It is kind of like googling a picture of a vacation destination you've not been to yet. (it is not completely there and will most likely be a little different when you arrive, but it compelling enough to get in the car with 4 kids when gas cost $3.50 per gallon)

The church where I serve as the Sr. Minister (pastor, preacher, grand poobah, etc....but prefer Tom) is on a journey toward a destination. There was much prayer that went into choosing the destination and I am still energized as we pursue this together as a church. It comes from 2 places in scripture and one core value. The core value is that God has placed us where we are to reach that place in that time. (I am not responsible for working to reach Fayetteville, Ark, or Georgia for example) The people that live around us here are young, it is the second youngest city in the state, so we need to make sure that we are reaching young families (though not to the exclusion of people my age or older) and they are more unchurched than ever before. Most don't dislike church (but hate hypocritical, boring and dressed up churches) and are open to Jesus if it can be connected to real life. They usually have kids (so kids ministry has to be great if they are going to stay, that care about their kids) and they want to have friends where they are going - they must connect to stay anywhere. AND, here in Fayetteville they are more than likely military and not going to be here forever (usually 2-4 years).

These are people God loves - and they matter to Him, so they matter to us and reaching them is more important than my comfort (I'm already a Christian and I am staying in church regardless of style....) Our programs and approach need to build bridges to people like this....and they do and we don't apologize for it.

The other thing that drives ministry choices toward our destination is the two greatest commandments and the great commission. Jesus said that the two great commandments are Love for God and People, and loving people is best seen in action so we say - FCC is a church family that Loves God and Serves people. The Great commission says that we are not to keep the good news to ourselves - we are to reach the world, the world around us and the world out there.

We want to help people take the next step in their relationship with God (discipleship) and become as a church family - lovers of God, People who serve others and passionate about seeing people come out of the destructive kingdom of darkness and into the Kingdom of Light - to God Jesus and Friend, and Lord, and Savior.

This is what gets me up in the morning fired up to do what God called me to do - and I hope if you are in Fayetteville you will consider joining us on this journey.

How hard is it to live the Christian Life?

How hard is it to live the "Christian Life"? I wonder sometimes if the modern church has made this a lot harder than God intended...

Modern church life is a blur of activity, going from one small group to the next (after all if I have a night without a Bible Study or meeting I might be slacking and the devil will win) It is committee meetings, and service projects. If someone didn't know better they would think we were afraid of being caught at home when Jesus comes back.

I wonder how the passages like the following could be used to evaluate our lives in Christ:

Jude 20 But you, dear friends, carefully build yourselves up in this most holy faith by praying in the Holy Spirit, 21 staying right at the center of God's love, keeping your arms open and outstretched, ready for the mercy of our Master, Jesus Christ. This is the unending life, the real life! 22 Go easy on those who hesitate in the faith. 23 Go after those who take the wrong way. Be tender with sinners, but not soft on sin. The sin itself stinks to high heaven.

Micah 6:8 But he's already made it plain how to live, what to do, what God is looking for in men and women. It's quite simple: Do what is fair and just to your neighbor, be compassionate and loyal in your love, And don't take yourself too seriously-take God seriously.

It sounds like a life of love toward God, concern for our neighbors and a joy that is contagious to the world around until God calls us home.

Healthy Church

What does a healthy church look like?

In the book “Courageous Leadership”, by Bill Hybels there is a story where his seminary professor retells this passage in his own words

“Students, he said, there was once a community of believers who were so totally devoted to God that their life together was charged with the Spirit’s power. In this band of Christ-Followers, believers loved each other with a radical kind of love. They took off their masks and shared their lives with each other. They laughed and cried and prayed, and sang, and served together in authentic Christian fellowship. Those that had more shared freely with those who had less until socioeconomic barriers melted away. People related together in ways that bridged gender, and radical chasms, and celebrated cultural differences. Acts 2 tells us that this community of believers, this church, offered unbelievers a vision of life that was so beautiful it took their breath away. It was so bold, so creative, so dynamic, that they couldn’t resist it. Acts 2:47 tells us that the Lord added daily those who were being saved”

Question I ask in preparing a Sermon

I have a method in preparing sermons that largely revolves around questions. I begin with a passage of scripture, having "Let the Text be the Boss" firmly drilled into my head with every lecture I've ever heard on preaching. The next step is a prayer filled time of asking questions of that text in an attempt to understand and apply the text to my life first, then to the lives of those whom I serve.

These are not in any particular order because I try to get through all of them in the prep stage.

1. To whom will I be preaching (what are their needs, hurts, interests, values, background, maturity...)

2. How would the original listeners have understood this passage (what was going on in their world, what were their needs, desires, fears, etc)

3. Who, what, when, where and why - Bible background questions that seek to understand author, setting, historical background, and needs

4. What do I want my listeners to know (before you can act you must understand)

5. What do I want my listeners to do (there has to be a response)

6. What do I want my listeners to become (life change is always the goal, Rom 8:39)

7. So What? - What difference does it make if it is true and what possible objections might people have that can be addressed

8. Oh Really? - Keeps me from promising too much in one sermon (i.e. - in 20 minutes I am going to let you know why evil exists...)

9. Do you believe this sermon will make a difference - this question comes with a self-destruct button because if I don't believe it will then I will preach like I don't believe it will make a difference and people will know.

10. Has it made a difference in my life?

11. Have I tried to make myself look better then I am?

12. Will my listeners know I love them?

13. How does it feel (I am not an emotional person so I need to find ways to unlock that side of me in preaching so that I can convey the emotions in the text to others)

14. Is there Good News?

15. What are some of the ways I can bridge the differences between the 1st century world and today's world?

16. What is the most practical, simple way to say it?

17. What is the most positive way to say it?

18. What gives this passage "size" - JK Jones taught me to look for what the passage says about God, Jesus or the Holy Spirit - Theologically the Bible is a lot more than a self help book

19. What kind of literature is the passage - we don't read proverbs like a narrative, or prophesy like poetry and I don't think we preach the same either. (the whole Bible is not a promise book to claim)

20. What is the sermon about - If I cannot describe it in one sentence then it is not ready to preach.

What would you add? What questions do you have?

A Parent's Covenant

A Parent’s Covenant (copied)

I acknowledge that my child is a gift from God, that I am his/her caretaker, and therefore covenant before God and this church family to accept responsibility for guiding my child to know and follow
Jesus Christ.

As a parent who has a personal relationship with Jesus Christ:

I will model for my child how to have a growing personal relationship with Jesus. I believe that my child will reach a stage of maturity and be responsible to god for her sin. I will teach my child who Jesus is and how to trust Him as Savior.

I acknowledge that God established marriage and partners with me to honor my marriage commitment for the benefit of my child.
I believe that my child was created in the image of God and has the potential for being vital in His kingdom.

I will study and apply the Bible to my daily life. I will help my child to understand and obey the Bible’s teachings. I will teach my child the priority of prayer.

I believe that Jesus established His church to be an extension of His love in the world. I will model for my child a love for church and a willingness to strengthen Jesus’ ministry by serving others.

With God as my strength, I promise to give my child every possible opportunity to benefit from home, school, church, and community. And, I as Him to bless

MY CHILD

and to guide and guard him/her through all his/her years.