God At Work

I'm sitting outside enjoying the weather tonight - it's a wonderful 75 degrees and we are loving it. As I sit here and listen to the traffic and the night insects and watch Ranger tumble around the yard I feel so quiet and secure and peaceful. It's Holy Week - Easter Week - and activities are a whirlwind. I have lots to do and very little time to do it, but God has given me peace. I'm not even a little bit prepared for this Kids' Program on Sunday, but God has given me peace. And energy - not run a mile kind of energy, but a quiet energy that let me pick up the house, do the dishes, and still have some desire to come out to write. I'm really enjoying this!

The reason I pulled up Blogger to write tonight, though, is church related. It's about a saying, or a phrase, or an idea that has been around for a while: "If we do what we are supposed to do here in the church, God will send the people to us." It's been running through my head over and over again all week. It's like God is trying to tell me something - we are doing the right things. We are heading in the right direction.

If you are reading this, you might think I am referring to the Sunday morning worship services, which is where a lot of the focus about 'church' goes, but that's not really where my thoughts are. We have a lot going on during the week. Monday there are 2 small groups that meet. Wednesday we have a huge group activity night. Friday morning is a Bible study. We have the Men's group that meets monthly and the Women's group that meets monthly. We have First Friday Fellowship most months. We put on holiday/seasonal activities each year, and we have some great people out and about in the area spreading God's love wherever they go!

Somewhere in there God is liking what He is seeing. People are beginning to come to church. Kids are asking me at school if they can come to church. I have begun carrying my 'card' in my pocket at school so that I can hand out my information easily when a child or parent asks for it. God is moving.

This past Sunday we had 92 in our morning worship service. 30 of them were kids infant to 5th grade. That's a pretty good ratio! I have begun to track the attendance and we are reaching a lot of people. In addition to the 92 who were at church on Sunday, we also have a few kids who only come on Wednesday - putting our weekly 'touch' of the community to 100+! Wow.

The best part - the absolute bestest part - is how God is send these people. One gentleman walked in and said, "I just felt God lead me to come here this morning." I have kids at school who stop me in the lunch room to ask about church. I am not preaching it - they are hearing about it from friends in their classes! I love it!

I could never recreate it, or write a book about it - it is just happening. Well, I suppose I could talk about how God has led me to do this or that, but the bottom line is simply this: I walk around all day every day acting as if I were Jesus walking around wearing a 'Jill' costume. I look nicely at others. I try to do my best at everything I do. I recognize those who have authority over me and jump quickly when called upon. I look for ways to make things better or easier for myself and those around me and share the ideas I have or find. I want to be someone who makes another person say, "I want what you have" so that I can share all about Jesus. I believe that 2 and a half years of that has been rubbing off and now others are catching the vision. I believe that as more and more catch it, God will run with it and send more people our way often - but only if we continue to listen to the Holy Spirit's leadings and follow through with what we hear Him ask.

Want church growth? That's the plan... follow the Holy Spirit and do what He says. He will never steer you wrong!

You can't build a program without God. You can't grow a congregation without God. You can't increase your effectiveness without God. Learn to listen and hear. He will tell you each step of the way. Sometimes He will even help you remember things you didn't even know you had forgotten or would want later. Just listen - all the time - everywhere - in everything you are doing. He will guide the way.

I hope this has been an encouragement to you. I've enjoying writing it.
I'm so excited for the hope we have in the congregation these days. We are anticipating a good week... the washing machine and the iron have gone out already this week - the more appliances, the better the Sunday! LOL Wonder what might be next?
Come and find out for yourself!

Discipleship

Disciple - One who embraces and assists in spreading the teachings of another.

So, discipleship would be putting on my "Jill Suit" that is all filled-up with Jesus inside and being out in the mess of the world and spreading Jesus's teachings all over where-ever I can.

How about if I use the Sermon on the Mount as a good overview of Jesus's teachings? We are currently studying this in Sunday School, so it is fresh material for me.

First there are the Beatitudes.

Then the salt and the light - we are to be both. In this mess of a world, we are to stand out as different. Salt makes all the difference to a food dish. Light make all the difference in a house at night. We are to be the same. We are to make a difference in the lives around us!

We are to be above the law - not that it can't touch us, but that we are better than that! We are called not only to no murder, but to not to hold on to anger for each other! We are called no only to not commit adultery, but to not even look and think unholy thoughts about another! It goes on and on from there!

After all the 'more than that' stuff, Jesus goes on to tell us how to treat each other - and the basic, underlying theme is to love God and love each other. (I do believe I have heard something about that in the Bible somewhere else! LOL) We are to take care of the needy, we are not to judge others, we are to spend time in prayer and fasting, and just in general, keep our eyes on God and love on those around us.

I don't read in this sermon that we are to hold classes. I don't read that Sunday School is a necessary part. Don't get me wrong - I believe very strongly in Sunday School-type class time, but I don't believe they are the end-all. In fact, I believe they are the 'get there eventually' part.

It doesn't start in the church building.

It starts in the world.

Here is an example: Two years ago Bethany invited a friend from school to come spend the night - Indra. I picked her up and we began seeing her regularly. The next year came around and I found myself working with her little brother. One weekend Indra's siblings (3 of them) came with her to the house and Caleb fell in love with Jacob. Jacob became the 'bee's knees' to Caleb and he STILL talks about him often to me. Through these relationships we began to strategically invite the kids over to the house on Saturday nights so that they would come to church on Sundays. Now, 2 1/2 years later, we see them regularly on Sundays and often on Wednesdays and their mom is coming too! All because Beth invited a friend over to spend the night!

It will take some more time to change these lives, but God is leading us in the way to go. Every day is different and challenging, but God has blessed our efforts and will continue to do so. Not once have I sat down and given Anika (mom) a Bible lesson. Not once have I sat the kids down in my house to line out a class, but they have learned a lot from just being with us - they have learned more about love and family and friendship. These are concepts they will continue to build on through the years and they can draw upon as they sit through classes at church - but these 'non-lessons' are just as important as the others! These 'non-lessons' are just as much about discipleship as classroom time. Being an example of living out the love of Christ is as much of a discipleship course as there can be.

I heard it said just this week that it is difficult to call our Wednesday night preschool group as part of the discipleship of the church and it really sat poorly on my heart - just because the main point of that group is to love them does not mean they are not being discipled! They are learning how to get along with each other in a godly way. They are feeling the love of their teacher regularly. They are getting a Bible story in the night - it just isn't the main purpose of their meeting!

I really wish everyone could understand.

I really wish everyone could see.

I really wish... well, I wish a lot of things. I will continue to pray.