After the elections on November 2, there are lots of new starts getting ready to happen. For some that is good news, and for some that is sad news. Some are happy with the changes that are to come, some are not. Look at how life in the church is not disconnected from the society that surrounds us. That is not so different for the life of the church as we wrap up one year and make plans to head into the new year. Goals change. Leaders change. Budgets are adjusted and recreated year by year to meet the present needs. And the work of Christ remains our constant challenge, year in and year out, our commission is the same: to teach people how to be disciples of Jesus Christ.
In Boone on Saturday night, I saw my first snow flakes of the year. A great way to remind me that winter is close at hand and all the business of fall that has not been completed needs to be addressed. We still have before us the setting of our goals for ministry for the coming year. I had a pastor friend tell me to read what Bishop Goodpaster had preached on November 2, 2010 to the Council of Bishops in Panama. So, having some time on my hands last night, I searched the net until I found the sermon. I do recommend it to you. It is a huge challenge to the whole United Methodist Church to re-think how we are doing church because if we keep doing what we have been doing, and keep getting what we have been getting, it will be a disaster for the church because our present course is not sustainable. I hope you will take a couple of minutes to read the sermon and receive the challenge before our whole connected United Methodist Church. I am really proud of our Here is the link to the full sermon by our bishop: http://www.umc.org/site/apps/nlnet/content3.aspx?c=lwL4KnN1LtH&b=4569383&ct=8853557. I am really proud of our bishop for taking a stand to help our church get more on task for making disciples for Jesus Christ.
Have we grown so content with just trying to find people to fill the slots and doing our business as usual Sunday to Sunday, and trying to raise enough funds to keep our doors open, that we have lost the main focus of winning lost people to Christ? I think that is an important question that the Bishop addresses. How successful is your church in making disciples for Jesus Christ? Do we talk about who we are trying to reach? Do we care? I challenge you to give thought and prayer to the love we display to our community for people who are lost and living far from Christ? My prayer is that God will put a love in the hearts of the United Methodist Church to love lost people like God loves lost people. Rev. Evelyn Lemons
No comments:
Post a Comment