church

Church Growth Through God’s Eyes

/ pastorpete51 / 2 Comments

And the word of God increased; and the number of the disciples multiplied in Jerusalem greatly; and a great company of the priests were obedient to the faith.          Acts 6:7 KJV

Nursing home outreach doesn’t carry with it the razzle-dazzle of building programs, youth ministry or Holiday pageants, but it does offer a unique way to connect to our community. That is exactly what we see in this passage from the book of Acts. The number of Christians grew rapidly not because of some church program but because they agreed to work together in unity to take care of feeding poor widows.  Imported from phone 083

In the early days of the church some things brought about growth that we will not be able to replicate (Such as five hundred people seeing Jesus alive after His resurrection). But there are other principles which we can follow in any culture, time or place. Showing the love of Christ by caring for our older generation connects us with their friends and families in a deep and powerful way.  That is not to say that we could simply use nursing home ministry as a strategy to build our church; but rather that amazing things happen when we align ourselves with the heart of God. Ministering in a nursing home blesses not only its residents but also those of us who serve. Teen-agers are reminded that their energy can give a smile or bring tears of joy. Middle aged people find out that the value of their own life will not change with age. Retired folks discover that residents will treasure their friendship because so few ever come to see them anymore. Through His amazing plan God will help His church to grow in numbers as together we draw closer to Jesus Christ.

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The Missing Piece

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When the puzzle was almost together we noticed something missing…. It was the final piece! Ten minutes of searching yielded our prize which had discovered a hiding place under the table! But our victory was short lived because surprisingly even though there was only one open space left the piece we found didn’t fit!

That is when my wife’s sharp eyes picked out the problem. One of the other puzzle pieces had taken its place. The same is also true in the church. Two bad things happen when we try to be something we are not. The place God chose for us remains empty and we also steal the spot that God designed someone else to fill!

Let God fit you in where you belong and the puzzle will show the world the face of Jesus Christ!

Short Prayers Beat Long Speeches

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“Two men went up into the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. Luke 18:10 ESV

These two guys had a lot in common. . They both had jobs, families and bills and maybe were even neighbors. One morning they both decided to go to the prayer meeting. Maybe the Pharisee even smiled and nodded as he passed the tax collector on the street. But once inside the church door things began to change.

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The Pharisee went up front to the altar and began a long monologue about what a great guy he was. As he recited all his wonderful qualities he smiled then raised his voice for the big finale, “Thank God I am better than that tax collector over there: Amen!”

The tax collector on the other hand woke up that morning realizing what a mess he had made of his life. Maybe he remembered his mother’s prayers and his father’s tears over the life he had chosen to live. So he slowly set out for church where he hadn’t been for years and looked for a private corner to pray. “God forgive me, I’m the biggest sinner in town.” He said. Not knowing what else to add, he said, “Amen!” then turned and left.

As God cupped His ears to listen, He soon grew weary of the Pharisee’s loud but as He listened to the tax collector he began to smile. Then God sent off a special delivery package of forgiveness along with a personal invitation for dinner. On the return address was clearly written, “Jesus friend of sinners!”