When you start to think of all the difficult things over the course of a whole year, you can certainly come up with a long list. So long, in fact, that it overwhelms all of the good things that happened as well. Every year is full of both good and bad events in a person’s or ministry’s life. While it is true that some years may be better or worse than others, every year has both successes and failures. The best way to deal with a year gone is to evaluate it honestly, identify the wins and losses, make corrections where you can, and leave it where it is - in the past - no matter what was there. Do not make the fatal mistake of living in last year.
Here are a few things I am thinking about as we get ready to reveal our theme for 2013 at Community:
The Word of God is still the most valuable and viable possession we have. Make reading and heeding it a priority in 2013. Put down books about the Bible and read the Bible. There are many dangerous doctrines crippling our churches, and the majority of them have been formulated by men writing about the Bible and not a man reading the Bible for himself. The greatest commentary on the Bible is still the Bible.
The Family is our number one priority. I have been reminded again over this holiday season that my wife and kids need me to be a better me. As much as I want to be a good pastor, preacher, and friend, my family needs me to be a good husband and daddy. Children do not need buddies; they have plenty of those. They need parents who are involved in their lives and lead by example. With the Lord’s help, I want to do a better job this year.
The Local Church has not, nor ever will go out of style in this age of Grace. We have attempted and failed miserably at doing the work of the Lord with para-church organizations. What every city, town, and suburb in America needs is a vibrant local church where worship is genuine, the facades are torn down, the preaching is Biblical, and people can find hope in a hopeless world. I am always grateful when people visit and say they have been refreshed from being in our services. One reason people in our culture do not appreciate the local church is because of the Authority of God’s Word and the Accountability of people knowing who you are and not who you present yourself to be. The local church needs to be real and raw, not fake and false.
Evangelism, Missions, and Discipleship must be the heartbeat of the ministry. Everything you do as a local church must be about winning, grounding, and training people for the Lord. Every person we meet has an ever living, never dying soul and needs someone to share Christ with them. Be a soul winner, but don’t just go soul winning! After we win them every pastor, staff member, deacon, teacher, and Christian in the church needs to actively participate in the lives of people. You cannot effectively mentor and train people just during the set meeting schedule of the church. Make people a priority in the new year.
The Will of God is whatever the Lord puts in your path right now. Do not miss the right now looking for the tomorrow. The long term will of God develops as you do the normal day to day work God gives you each day. Do today what you can, forgetting yesterday, and letting tomorrow take care of itself.
2013 Promises To Be a banner year for us at Community! While I am sure there will be some valleys along the way, I cannot wait to see the view from the mountain tops we will climb!
Pastor Brent
Acts 20:24
