I’m starting a new series on Wednesday night called, “The Healthy Church”, and I’m going to be talking about what a healthy church looks like.
But I’m curious what you think. What makes a church healthy? How can you tell if a church is healthy or not?
So, what do you think? I would love your input, so fire away.
I’m wrapping up my Wednesday sermon preparation and one of my takeaways tonight is that God sometimes allows things to get worse before they get better.
Isn’t that true?
Sometimes, instead of coming to our immediate rescue, God actually allows things to get worse.
And although we may want to figure out exactly what God is up to, the best response is simply to trust Him.
I’m not saying it will be easy to worship when circumstances are difficult, but I am saying it’s the best response.
What do you think?
Most people are great at setting goals, but not so great at reaching their goals.
I’ve been thinking about why that is, and I’ve come to the conclusion that there are ultimately two specific enemies that stand in most people’s way as they try to reach their goals. I’m sure you could come up with others, but as I thought about what keeps me from reaching my goals, all of them fit into one of these two categories.
1) Laziness
2) Busyness
Our main problem is that we’re just lazy. Most of us use the word “tired” because it sounds better. But we’re only tired because we’re lazy. And of course, to fight this “tiredness”, instead of exercising, we usually end up watching television for four straight hours. But believe it or not, exercise is the best weapon against fatigue and actually gives you the energy you need to reach your goals (which should probably include exercise).
The second enemy that prevents us from reaching our goals is busyness. We just don’t make time for the things that are important. We let the urgent things squeeze out the important ones. I know you’re busy. I am too. But we can’t let the unimportant get in the way of the important. Create some good goals and stick with them.
Anyway, I didn’t mean to write a book. I just wanted to encourage some of you to stick to your goals this year by not letting laziness and busyness get the best of you.
Things I saw or heard this morning:
· Well, happy New Year…great start for Southside this morning.
· Loved the new “spin” to the old hymn “Hallelujah, what a savior.”
· New Years resolution…three doughnuts a Sunday…On track!
o Taking out vacation Sunday’s that means I get 150 doughnuts in 2009.
· We handed out new bulletins this morning…I know, I know, what about the birthdays…mine is April 8th.
· Next Sunday is an important step in the process to get connected into a Life Group and also for ladies to become involved in our Women’s Ministry. Stop by the Student Center after each service to get connected.
· Pastor kicked off a new sermon series called LIFE, “where will your choices take you?” Great concept and title for the book of Ecclesiastes. Here are a few thoughts from the sermon:
o Life is not about chances, but choices.
o Solomon’s view “Life stinks and then you die.”
o Are you living or just waiting to die?
o Solomon had “it all”, wisdom, wild living, work and wealth and yet he really had nothing.
o You can live for what is under the sun or what is beyond the sun.