My Favorite Martin Luther King, Jr. Quotes
From a recorded conversation with friend and colleague Andrew Young:
“I think the Good Samaritan is a great individual. I of course, like and respect the Good Samaritan….but I don’t want to be a Good Samaritan…you see, I am tired of picking up people along the Jericho Road. I am tired of seeing people battered and bruised and bloody, injured and jumped on, along the Jericho Roads of life. This road is dangerous. I don’t want to pick up anyone else, along this Jericho Road; I want to fix… the Jericho Road. I want to pave the Jericho Road, add street lights to the Jericho Road; make the Jericho Road safe (for passage) by everybody….”
I think of this analogy quite often. I love thinking past helping people, which can become a selfish thing, to transforming scenarios.
And from his famed last speech, “I’ve Been to the Mountaintop” –
the first question that the priest asked — the first question that the Levite asked was, “If I stop to help this man, what will happen to me?” But then the Good Samaritan came by. And he reversed the question: “If I do not stop to help this man, what will happen to him?”
That’s the question before you tonight. Not, “If I stop to help the sanitation workers, what will happen to my job. Not, “If I stop to help the sanitation workers what will happen to all of the hours that I usually spend in my office every day and every week as a pastor?” The question is not, “If I stop to help this man in need, what will happen to me?” The question is, “If I do not stop to help the sanitation workers, what will happen to them?” That’s the question.
Worth Reading: A few Links
- Crabby Joe’s Mission Statement – “What’s with the mission statements? I cook the food – you eat the food – you pay for the food and then you go home. And you don’t make a mess!”
- How to Take Criticism Graciously – “Anybody can accept a reward graciously, and many people can even take their punishment patiently when they have done something wrong. But how many people are equipped to handle mistreatment after they’ve done right? Only Christians are equipped to do that.”
- What is a Missional Community? Loving these posts about Missional Communities.
- What Not to Do When You’re the New Pastor
- 44 Actions to Boost Your Energy
- Ten Most Significant Cultural Trends of the Last Decade
10 Biblical and Practical Ways to Get Involved in Church Planting
There’s no right or wrong way to support church planting in North American and beyond. I like this list. Don’t let failure of imagination or the excuse, “I don’t know how”, keep you and your church from engaging the lost through church planting and multiplication.
- Engage in strategic intercessory prayer – Proverbs 16:3.
- Adopt a church planter and his family – Philippians 4:14-15.
- Contribute to the financial needs of a church plant – Acts 11:29.
- Provide materials and equipment for a new church – Acts 11:30.
- Share your campus facilities with a new church – Acts 3:6.
- Serve on a church planting mission trip – Acts 12:25.
- Discover unreached or under-reached people in your community – Matthew 28:19.
- Start an outreach Bible study that could become a new church – Acts 16:32.
- Send people and families to help a church get off the ground – Acts 13:2-3.
- Mentor Church Planting leaders – Philippians 2:22.
“I was in prison and you came to me” Matt 25:36
Chaplain Michael Oats at the St. Tammany Parish Jail is in need of volunteers for the new Program wing at the
jail. This includes a Faith-Based Dorm, a GED Dorm, A Literacy Dorm, and a Life Skills/Pre-Release Dorm. Volunteers are needed to teach Bible Studies, Celebrate Recovery, tutor for GED and literacy training, and teach money management, marriage/parenting, job interview skills, etc. If you or your church would like to help let me know at lanecorley@gmail.com, or contact Chaplain Oats @ 985.276.1040. There will be a Volunteer Orientation meeting this Thursday, January 6th, 6pm @ the St. Tammany Parish Jail, 1200 Champagne St., Covington, LA 70433.
Most of the inmates at our local jail will be neighbors again soon and many of them have families on the outside who are at risk. It’s easy to criticize the Sheriff and talk bad about the criminal. How about being part of the solution for our justice system and for an individual whom God loves that happens to be in jail? Join me Thursday at the jail and be part of the solution.
Q’s for Getting In Rhythm in 2011
Connecting to Life IN Christ, ON Mission, FOR Others is our mission statement and desired life rhythm at Bridge Church. In today’s message we talked about how to live it out. Here are a few application questions:
My life IN CHRIST, Receiving Grace- Ephesians 2:8-9
- Have I Received God’s Grace? John 1:12
- Am I Growing in Grace? 2 Peter 3:18
My life ON MISSION, Giving Grace – Ephesians 2:10
- What are the needs around me?
- What are the resources God has given me?
- What are the opportunities w/my faith family?
- Who are the people that need me?
- What doors are open to me at work, at home, with friends?
My life FOR OTHERS, Living Gracefully – Philippians 2:3-4
- How can I put others ahead of myself?
- Who around me needs the grace of my encouragement, time, money, labor, prayer, __________?
- What is keeping me from living gracefully for others? An attitude? A way of life?
In Christ, On Mission, For Others. Receiving Grace, Giving Grace, Living Gracefully.
Lord, let it be so in my life this year.
Hear the entire Sermon here. Or find us on Itunes.
Bible Reading Plans for 2011
“Any Christian worth his salt ought to read the Bible from cover-to-cover every year” J.I. Packer
Here are few great links to Bible Reading Plans that you can start tomorrow.
YouVersion.com – This is one of my favorite sites for daily Bible Reading and study. Dozens of plans to choose from with options of having the daily reading sent to your mobile phone, email, or RSS feed. Also, the easiest place to share scripture across all social media sites.
ESV Bible Reading Plans – I’ve been reading the ESV for four years now. I like the translation and the accessibility. They’ve got 10 plans available here with options to read online, get it in your mail box, RSS feed, mobile phone, print the plan, or for us Mac users download it directly into ICal. I’ll be using the Everyday in the Word plan this year.
Discipleship Journal Bible Reading Plans – They have three time tested plans available here that can be downloaded and printed. You can also purchase hard copies here to give away to others. I love the DJ Plan, b/c it’s a five day plan, giving you two days to catch up when life happens. While you’re close by, check out the Navigators great illustration How to Get a Grip on the Bible.
If you want to go to another level and add scripture memory to your goals for 2010, check out these two great tools:
- Topical Memory System App
- Verse Card Maker – You type in the references and this site makes the flash cards for you.
My Top Post of 2010
- Her Children Rise Up and Call Her Blessed – Tribute to my Grandmother who passed away this year.
- Should We Live Together? part 1 – Actually wrote this in 2007, but it continues to get traffic, I think b/c of the many people seeking for guidance on this “way that seems right to man,” but doesn’t feel right.
- Warning! Do not let this person join your church!
- 10 Reasons Small Churches tend to Stay Small – from Joe McKeever, who says, “God must love small churches, b/c He made so many of them.”
- “Too many hypocrites at the Ball Park…” – Exposing the hypocrisy of the hypocrite.
- Utilizing Social Networking in Ministry
- Best Word Combo in the English Bible
- Our 8 Year Old Takes on the Big Bang Theory – He continues to devour science and ask hard questions. Love it!
- Matthew 25, even closer to home – From Richard Stearns. Also, see my recommend for the book The Hole in Our Gospel.
- Bridge Church’s First Building
What will I attempt this year that I could not do w/o God’s help?
“Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit says the Lord of hosts. Who are you, O great mountain? Before _____ you shall become a plain.” Zechariah 4:6-7
Prayerlessness and lack of kingdom growth in my life is a consequence of an easy, safe, walk-by-sight, “God wants me to be happy”, “my church is there to meet my needs”, “I don’t have time for servanthood but I have time for TV” kind of life. What would I, could I, should I accomplish in 2011 if I really believe God is who he says he is and that His power is available to me? What mountain needs to be flattened this year? And how does God want to use little ole me to do it?
Good questions to ask. Putting together my list today.
7 Questions for Facebook Users
Everything in life is either a tool or an idol. As we move toward a new year, I’m assessing several areas of my life that I see can easily become idols in our time and culture. One of course being Social Media. I found these seven questions by Steven Cornell helpful in assessing my time on social media. Read the entire post here.
- Do you check your Facebook status in the morning before checking in with God?
- Are you disappointed when people don’t respond to your posts?
- Do you waste too much time on Facebook?
- Do you use Facebook to avoid real life contact?
- Do you have intimate conversations with the opposite sex under the guise of counseling?
- Do you use Facebook to complain about life or people?
- Are you always truthful and loving in the things you post?
Also, Seven Scriptures to apply:
- “May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, O Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer” (Psalm 19:14).
- “Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life” (Proverbs 4:23).
- “So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God” (I corinthians 10:31).
- “Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves (Philippians 2:3).
- “Do everything without complaining or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine like stars in the universe” (Philippians 2:14-15).
- “Too much talk leads to sin. Be sensible and keep your mouth shut” (Proverbs 10:19, NLT). “Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry” (James 1:19)
- “Do not reprove a scoffer, or he will hate you; reprove a wise man, and he will love you. Give instruction to a wise man, and he will be still wiser; teach a righteous man, and he will increase in learning” (Proverbs 9:8-9).
Merry Christmas from the Corley’s!
We had an incredible and productive year! Started year two, planting Bridge Church in West St. Tammany and of working as Associate Director of Missions for the Northshore Baptist Association. I get to work with the best people in the world and have we’ve been greatly blessed with the new friends that God has brought into our lives this year. I’m excited about what God is bringing together in our Bridge Church family as we focus outward and give away ourselves and continue to receive from God. I’m also excited about new opportunities for church planting and ministry on the Northshore and beyond.
I’m blessed with a disciple-making, selfless wife, who challenges me everyday and makes me look better than I am. We celebrated 11 years of marriage this year. Jack (8) and Hudson (4) continue to keep me in shape as I strive to keep up with them. It’s awesome to see God shaping their hearts and minds.
This year we said goodbye for now to my Grandmother, Lorene “Jack” Francis. Her legacy and prayers continue to live on. She’ll be greatly missed but never forgotten.
I’m looking forward to 2011 and I’m praying that it’s a year of increase for you!
“There will be no end to the increase of His government…” Isaiah 9:7 (NASB)
Picture by Melissa Breedlove Photography.
Lane Corley 