Good Friday morning from the LPD,
Greetings on this monsoon-like morning. Let’s just say that our drought has officially ended.
How is your walk with God these days? How’s ministry going?
Somehow, both of the above questions can be awkward to answer. When asked, “How is your walk with God?”, we might think of answering on a scale of one through ten. Perhaps it is not as it could be, but “better” than some others we know.
Similarly, if we are asked about our ministry, we might also think of a scale of one to ten.
Last week, in preaching on the life of Jacob, I was reminded once again how it is possible to settle in and be content to live “near,” but short of where God calls us to be. Jacob, called by God to return “home,” settles in at Shechem, just 30 miles short of Bethel. This decision reflected both spiritual and moral compromise. He knew that fully obeying God would mean repentance and leaving behind the foreign idols he and his household had accumulated, but he chose to live in this condition for ten years. Life has changed very little today. We too can settle in “30 miles short” of where God calls us to be. It can happen in life. It can happen in our ministry and our church. Nice to know that God still calls us to come “home.”
On a similar line of thinking, Frank Powell, asks the question, “Are You Cheating on God? 8 Questions That Reveal Your Heart’s Ultimate Desire.” Powell challenges us to prayerfully examine our motives and foundation for life and ministry. I encourage you to read this article when you will take time to reflect. May our lives and ministries flow from a close walk with our Lord.
On another note:
I have never met a person who hoped that their church would die. Church death, however can be the unintentional consequence of the decisions we make. Thom Rainer recently wrote an article entitled, “Why Some Churches Choose to Die.” He lists “five common deadly choices,” that can contribute to a church’s death. Sadly, he is absolutely right! Do you and your church relate to any of these questions?
How are you doing? How is your church doing? I am praying for you and your church. May we not be content to settle for anything less than close fellowship with God.
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Please see the attached Five Minutes on Friday, with news and prayer items from the LPD, and also see the attachment featuring Abbotsford Vision Church, our LPD Church of the Week.
Please mark your calendars for March 4,5 – 2016 – LPD Conference on the theme Coaching and Mentoring.
May God bless and keep you as you look to the Lord, and trust him for his good work through the week ahead.
In Jesus,
Rob
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This year, as our Lower Pacific District assists in the birth and revitalization of churches, we also step out in faith with local churches through providing financial support and seed money. To this end, we appreciate the gifts of many district churches and also of individuals. You can participate through both cheques and online through PayPal at our website. See LPD website for more info.
