Sunday Night Lights - 4/20/08
I was totally stoked by our service today. Here are my closing thoughts on the day (and I’ll save the best one for last….so read all the way through).
- We had nearly 15 people in the service this morning that were new or almost new to The Grove. That is stinkin’ AWESOME!
- I am convinced that one reason that new people are beginning to arrive is because A) Our people are inviting, and B) When new people arrive, there is real care and interest being shown be our regulars. Those are two great things to have happening within a church body.
- We have spent the last two Sundays laying the groundwork for the subject of spiritual gifts. Here are some of the key thoughts:
- Church is a team sport
- The owner of the team (the church) is Jesus Christ
- The owner can do whatever he chooses…it’s his team
- He selects coaches (Pastors) to lead his team…he then communicates with them about his desires for the team (often referred to as vision)
- The Coach looks for assistants who share the vision and will help train and lead the team.
- The Coach (Pastor) shares the vision of the owner (Jesus Christ) with the team (the church) and then works to take the players the owner has assembled and put them in their most productive places for the benefit of the team.
- The Coach works to understand what the gifts and abilities are that the owner has placed in each player and place them accordingly.
- The team is to carry out the vision on the field (the world)
- Spiritual gifts are one way that the owner (Jesus Christ) forces us to rely on each other and create unity, since no one player (or coach) can do it all.
- Spiritual gifts are not our own personal asset. They are ALWAYS for the good of the team…for the good of someone else.
- God, in his grace, grants both the gift and the ability to use them in varying degrees as he sees fit.
- Next week we start talking about specific gifts while the Greenhouse Groups will be taking gift surveys and doing some really cool personal inventory.
BEST FOR LAST
At about 9:45 this evening, I receive a phone call from a family that has recently begun attending The Grove. The father informed me that he had some news to share with me. He proceeded to tell me that his teenage son, who has struggled with doubting the very existence of God, gave his life to Jesus Christ at the conclusion of the service this morning. WOOOOOHOOOOOOO!!!
This is why we work so hard…so that those who do not know Jesus in a personal way will come to accept him in faith and begin a life of following the Lord. Thank you to all those who work so hard and tirelessly each week to provide the best environment that we can in order for people to meet with Jesus. It matters! This is the sweet fruit of your labor. This is the reward for your love and care for the souls of others. I am proud to serve with you!























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