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.
Christmas Eve SERVICE, no really!
The #1 definition of the word service according to Miriam Webster’s Dictionary is “the occupation or function of serving or meeting the need of another.” In church circles we’ve turned to the #3 Webster’s definition of “a form followed in worship or in ceremony.” Both are necessary part of practicing faith, but FORM (the attractional, low participatory worship service) is definitely what we tend to be thinking of when we use the words service and church together today. The FUNCTION (being occupied with doing something to meet the need of another) is relegated to us professionals or those who are spiritually mature. This is another topic for another day, but tomorrow Bridge Church will hold a literal Christmas Eve SERVICE. We’ll be serving others at two or more locations. I can’t think of a better way to worship the Savior who “made himself nothing, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men” Philippians 2:7. Links I Liked and Learned from This Week
- Pastoral Do’s and Dont’s on Twitter & Facebook
- A call to Edit – “When you communicate, pretend you’re playing golf (lowest score wins) instead of basketball (highest score wins). Fewer words, fewer frames, fewer slides, clearer meaning.”
- The Glorious Paradoxes of God Incarnate
- 200 Countries in 200 Years – Amazing Video & Technology!
- Mapping America Block by Block – Incredible tool for demographic hunting.
My Vote for the Worst Christmas Gift
When you open the fridge it says, “You again?!?! I’m going to have to get a lock for that door!” Uggh. I didn’t know I had enemies, but whoever bought us this must really not like me… Can’t wait for a White Elephant opportunity.
Kingdom Minded?
Christian leaders use this language often. What does it actually mean? Rick Rusaw and Eric Swanson have a great discussion about the Kingdom in their book Externally Focused Quest. Here’s some highlights that may challenge your thinking:
How important is the kingdom? The word kingdom is mentioned 152 times in the New Testament and 116 times in the Gospels. By contrast, the word church is mentioned just three times in the Gospels – all in the book of Matthew. The first public words of John the Baptist and Jesus were to announce the kingdom (Matthew 3:2, 4:17). The first prayer request that Jesus taught his disciples was “Thy Kingdom come…” (Matthew 6:10). The first priority for the believer was to seek God’s kingdom (Matthew 6:33).
What is the kingdom? The kingdom of God is any place over which God has operative dominion. The kingdom is where the King is reigning. So if Jesus is reigning as king in your own life, “the kingdom of God is within you” (Luke 17:21).
From Howard Snyder’s book Liberating the Church: “Kingdom people seek first the Kingdom of God and its justice; church people often put church work above concerns of justice, mercy, and truth. Church people think about how to get people into church; kingdom people think about how to get the church into the world. Church people worry that the world might change the church; kingdom people work to see the church change the world”
The church does not exist for itself. The church exists to proclaim and demonstrate that the kingdom is near.
What’s the difference between church thinking and kingdom thinking?
- CHURCH: local, internal, evangelism the goal, programmed, gospel explained, Sunday, growing MY church.
- KINGDOM: global, external, evangelism the starting point, organic, gospel lived out, Every day, growing THE church.
God’s kingdom work is accomplished by believers and unbelievers. See the stories of Artaxerxes, Cyrus, & Nebuchadnezzar (Isaiah 10:12-19, 45:1-6). However, kingdom work does not in any way merit our entrance into God’s kingdom (Matthew 7:21-23).
Thoughts? Check out the books Externally Focused Church and Externally Focused Quest: Becoming the Best Church For the Community.
Links I Liked and Learned from this week
- 10 Reasons Churches are Broke
- 31 Days to Become a Better Leader
- How to Grow A Church to 800,000 in Two Years – The Holy Spirit, Prayer, Personal Evangelism, Simple & reproducible structures, Miracles – signs wonders healings, Simple discipleship that makes every disciple a church planter
- No need to Freak Out about substituting X for Christ in Christmas – “There’s a long and sacred history of the use of X to symbolize the name of Christ, and from its origin, it has meant no disrespect.”
- Top Iphone and Ipad Apps for 2010
He Loves Us Anyway
We basically have two choices to make in dealing with the mysteries of God. We can wrestle with Him or we can rest in Him. We can continue searching the unsearchable or relax in the reality. What exists at the end of all our searching will be a God who knows absolutely everything … and chooses to love us anyway.
Calvin Miller in The Christ of Christmas
Lane Corley 