“A Fix in 06!”
On the Lighter side of Life:
This is an alleged New Year’s letter written from a church member to the pastor.
Dear Pastor;
You often stress attendance at worship as being very important for a Christian, but I think a person has a right to miss now and then. I think every person ought to be excused for the following reasons and the number of times indicated.
Christmas Holidays (the Sunday before & after) 2
New Years (the party lasted too long) 1
Easter (get away for the holidays) 2
July 4th (national holidays) 1
Labor Day (need to get away) 2
Memorial Day (visit hometown folk) 1
School closing (kids need a break) 1
School reopens (one last fling) 1
Family reunions (mine & wife’s) 3
Sleep late (stayed up too long Saturday night) 9
Deaths in family 2
Anniversary (second honeymoon) 1
Sickness (one per family member) 5
Business trip (a must) 1
Vacation (three to four weeks) 6
Bad weather (ice, snow, rain, clouds) 2
Ball games 2
Races 2
Unexpected company (can’t walk out) 2
Time changes (spring & fall) 2
Special on TV (Superbowl, etc) 3
Pastor, that leaves two Sundays per year. So, you can count on us to be in church on the 4th Sunday in February and the 3rd Sunday in August unless we are providentially hindered.
Sincerely,
A Faithful Member
Contributed to Sermon Central by: Tony Fox
Video Illustration from Sunday Morning Live #8 – Pastor General
Thesis: New Life Community Church needs to do a “Fix in 06” and it will require a sacrifice on our part for the fixes to take place.
Scripture Text: Romans 12:1-11
1Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship. 2Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will. 3For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the measure of faith God has given you. 4Just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, 5so in Christ we who are many form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. 6We have different gifts, according to the grace given us. If a man’s gift is prophesying, let him use it in proportion to his faith. 7If it is serving, let him serve; if it is teaching, let him teach; 8if it is encouraging, let him encourage; if it is contributing to the needs of others, let him give generously; if it is leadership, let him govern diligently; if it is showing mercy, let him do it cheerfully. 9Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. 10Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Honor one another above yourselves. 11Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord.
Scripture points out some key servant-hood principles for today’s Christian:
1. Your spiritual act of worship is to present yourself as living sacrifices to God and to His work.
a. This command battles our self-centered mindset which is conformed to the pattern of thinking and acting in this world.
b. Out natural inclination is to say no way! I am not committing to sacrificing my life for God. This is my life and I want to live it my way.
2. For your mindset to be able to think and do point one there has to be a renewed mindset with the Word of God.
a. If you renew your mind to think and act like God desires then you will be able to discern what God’s will is for your life.
i. Renewing of the mind only happens by filling it with God’s Word and God’s teachings.
ii. This takes time and commitment.
b. A renewed mind is able to discern the will of God for our lives and it enables us to be what God wants us to be.
i. If your mind is not renewed then your blow off this passage of scripture as irrelevant and not possible.
3. Paul warns the Christian to not think more highly of there way over God’s way. This is the sin of pride and it is not a part of the renewed mind.
a. God has called every one of us to be living sacrifices for him and no one is exempt from this command.
b. Paul tells us we must have sober judgment when we look at our lives and live by the faith that we have in accordance with the will of God.
4. We all have God given gifts and we need to use these gifts for the purpose and for the will of God.
a. We are all different but this is the plan of God because we all have tasks to do for the kingdom and we need to do for one another.
5. If we truly love God then we need to be sincere and let our sacrificial lives demonstrate the love of God in our lives.
a. We need to hate what is evil and cling to the good.
b. Evil is the attitude of pride – “I don’t have to be a living sacrifice for God this is my life!” “I don’t have to use my gift for the Body of Christ instead I will use my gifts to glorify me and meet all my needs!”
6. Paul says we need to be devoted to one another and we need to honor one another.
a. This is the will of God for our lives and for our church.
b. Do you devote yourselves to others? Or do you devote yourself to yourself? Is your focus in life to please God or yourself?
c. Do you honor others or just honor yourself. Do you pat others on the back or just pat yourself on the back.
7. We need to be NEVER lacking in zeal for the ways of God.
a. We must commit - be excited for the things of God.
b. Let me ask you a question: “Are you excited about God?” “Is your relationship with him HO-HUM?”
c. We must hang on to our spiritual fervor!
d. We must keep serving the Lord and not allow the world to steal our zeal and deceive us into serving ourselves and not God.
Illustration:
Sometimes small churches look at themselves and say, “Oh, we can’t do this and we can’t do that because we are too small. We don’t have the resources.” And their vision gets limited by their circumstances and instead of taking giant steps of faith, they take baby steps. I’m reminded of the story of a man who had done something wonderful and the king called him in and told him he could mark off as much of the kingdom as he wanted and it would be his. The man took his staff and traced a line in the dirt around himself. The king watched as he finished and said, “Is that all you want? Just what’s in that circle?” The man said, “NO. I want everything OUTSIDE the circle.” What if we drew a line around this building and said we want to claim all the territory beyond this place for God? Jabez looked beyond where he was and what he could do to where God was and what God could do. We can take a lesson from the vision of Jabez. Let’s not sell ourselves short.
Contributed to Sermon Central by: Wes Richard
Introduction:
I am excited about the new upcoming year of 2006. Our theme this year is, “Fix in 06!” You may be thinking so what needs to be fixed? Others may be thinking, “I did not know anything was broken or not working!” But there is something that needs to be fixed and that is we need a larger building and campus at New Life Community Church. We are in need of space on Wednesday evenings for Kid’s Club, Youth Group, classroom space, Sunday worship service space, parking space, nursery space, baby nursery space, New Beginnings counseling center space, office space, fellowship dinner space and I could go on. The reality is we need more room to effectively do ministry at New Life Community Church. Over the last few years I have received comments like: “Your sanctuary is cramped!” “I had to walk too far because of no parking.” “This church is too small for all these kids!” “You need a bigger facility!”
So I am calling on all who call New Life Community Church their home to consider praying about and participating in the plan for 06. This year we will start addressing this problem and planning for the future. I feel this plan needs to be a three year goal. We need to understand that there is a pathway that we need to go down to repair and correct this problem. It is a good problem to have but it will require some sacrifice on our part as supporters of New Life.
T.S. - There are 7 P’s to the pathway of a new campus and to needed improvement this year.
I. Pray
a. The first step each of us needs to do is to pray and ask the Lord “What am I suppose to do to achieve this new goal.” Then wait and listen to see what God wants you to do. We need to remember nothing happens without the help of God. I have prayed and felt along with the Board that we need to pursue this path.
II. Point
a. In this step which is what I am doing in this article I am pointing to the problem which needs to be resolved. The problem is we need space both indoor and outdoor space. The question is, “Do we desire to continue progressing forward in our calling for New Life Community Church?” If we do then we need more space. We have a need and we need a fix.
III. Purpose
a. Our purpose in this plan is to fix this short coming so that we can do ministry more effectively and more efficiently. We need room for the kids to play in on Wednesday night and for the Youth Group as well. We need to be able to see better on Sunday mornings in the service and not be squished and visually impaired. We also need to consider that a larger facility means the ability to reach out to our community in areas that will impact them. One big need in Amery and the surrounding area is a corporate Day Care and I feel we need to move into a facility and open one up to reach the young families in our community. We all know that we need parking and a play ground for the church. Truth is we need to expand to continue our ministry to the community and to grow with our community.
IV. Plan
a. So the plan is to build a church or buy a building large enough to meet our need. This plan and move will also open some new doors for ministry to our community. We need at least 12,000 -17,000 square feet to do what we have a vision for to do. Along with building space we need parking space and outdoor play space for kids and youth. So we desire to start planning for a new building and campus. The Board is looking at land and available buildings today to gather ideas and cost. We are also exploring building plans and or possible relocation sites. So planning is underway.
V. Prepare
a. When the plans are finalized we will share them with the congregation so that we can all prepare. But we must start preparing our hearts and minds for this today. Most church building planners tell me the time to start is today because it takes 2-3 years for the plan to come together. So we need to prepare now to relocate, to raise funds for the project, to plan the site, to commit to the vision as a body, and to look at what needs to be done short term and long term. One suggestion brought before the Board is to start paying down the debt on this property so that we have more capital to work with on the new one. This is a good idea but it takes us as a body to make this happen and that means we need to start preparing our own hearts and finances to help this come to pass. So we all need to prepare.
VI. Pursue
a. The next step is we need to pursue this vision with the Lord’s help and with your help. So over the next few months we will be casting the vision for this new pathway to a new facility. We are also seeking your personal input on the new facility and campus layout. If you have concerns or ideas please let me know and let’s talk about it. But we feel strongly as a Board that we need to step out in faith and start pursuing this goal so that New Life will advance forward and be more effective in, “Leading People From Here To Eternity!” We as a Board feel that we have to take this step of faith as a church body!
VII. Provide
a. We know God will provide and He will open up doors for New Life Community Church’s need to be met. The prayer warriors have been praying for this to come to pass. My question is will you allow God to provide for this need with your resources? Will you pray and see what God wants you to provide for this ministries future growth? I honestly believe that within three years we will be able to park in a parking lot of our own, go into a spacious modern sanctuary to enjoy God, have space to move around in and enjoy meals together without being cramped. I believe we will have space for the kid’s on Wednesday night. I believe that we will have a Day Care ministering to the needs of this community and being a lighthouse to God for young families. I believe that we will have more space for New Beginnings Counseling Center, more classroom space and nursery space. I believe God is who He says He is and this vision will come to pass as we all commit to sacrifice for it. I want to leave you with this thought, “We cannot out give God because He is way more generous than we are!”
Conclusion:
The truth is for us to get to the next level – of God’s Will for New Life will require us as individual Christians to do the seven steps of Romans 12:1-11:
1. We must choose to be living sacrifices for the Kingdom of God.
2. We must keep renewing our minds to think and act like Jesus.
3. We must ruthlessly root our pride in ourselves and humble ourselves to God’s will.
4. We must use our God given gifts for the Body of Christ not for ourselves.
5. We must live –breath and act in love through our lives.
6. We must devote ourselves to each other and honor one another above our own selves.
7. We need to be zealous for God and serve Him.
Closing Illustration:
I AM THE NEW YEAR
I am the new year. I am an unspoiled page in your book of time.
I am your next chance at the art of living.
I am your opportunity to practice what you have learned about life during the last twelve months.
All that you sought and didn’t find is hidden in me, waiting for you to search it but with more determination.
All the good that you tried for and didn’t achieve is mine to grant when you have fewer conflicting desires.
All that you dreamed but didn’t dare to do, all that you hoped but did not will, all the faith that you claimed but did not have -- these slumber lightly, waiting to be awakened by the touch of a strong purpose.
I am your opportunity to renew you allegiance to Him who said, "Behold, I make all things new."
SOURCE: Jeffery Anselmi A New You for a New Year. Citation: http://www.sermoncentral.com/sermon.asp?SermonID=37760
Contributed by: Sermon Central PRO
