Sermon Leftovers

This may or may not be helpful. For those who are interested, here are five things we've done to prepare our church to restart. These aren't inspired and they may or may not work. We'll know soon! 1) We started using the word "restart" very early. The week after Easter, "restart" became an important element of our leaders' shared vocabulary. We wanted to hit the ground running when the time came. 2) We talked about "change" and "growth" as critical pieces of our restart. From the very beginning, we discussed this "stay-at-home" time as a sort of sabbath. We asked people to spend time considering three questions: - What have you learned about what is really important in life? - What would you like to change about your life's rhythm when you restart? - How are you going to do that? 3) Once we set a target date, we repeatedly used four words to communicate the important details of the plan: - MAY 31 - RE

Whatever your day may hold, you can boldly charge forward knowing that you may not be able to control everything, but you know Who can. Read these verses aloud to yourself. Choose one and carry it with you today. At the very least, let these verses inspire to action. Isaiah 40:31 But those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint. 1 Corinthians 15:58 Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain. Psalm 31:24 Be strong and take heart, all you who hope in the Lord. Romans 8:31 What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? Hebrews 12:1-2 Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so

I'm not settled. But here are some of the Bible passages I'm chewing on as I consider my position on the myriad of issues surrounding COVID19 and my response as a Christian and a pastor. The Tower of Babel in Genesis 11. All the people of earth were unified in their pursuit of a common goal. Driven by scientific and technological advancements, they planned to make a name for themself. At the core of their efforts was their assertion that they could solve anything on their own. They no longer needed God. Is COVID19 reminding us that even if we all unite, we are still not omnipotent and we are still vulnerable? The Parable of the Talents in Matthew 25. Everything God gives us is to be used for His kingdom and His agenda. Are we, as God's stewards, rising up the challenge of COVID19 and using this opportunity to double our kingdom influence? Or, are we in fear hiding the talent we have been given? Jesus Calms The Storm in Mark 4. My favorite piece of this story i

Words are small but mighty. Your words can be a gift or a grenade. They can encourage or they can explode. With your words you can inspire your neighbor or you can crush your friend. With your words, you can bring calm to a storm or you can escalate a conflict. If you are working on "holding your tongue" more often, create a hard copy of these verses and keep them with you. Read through this list 3-5 times every day and remind yourself that you want to taste your words before you spit them out! Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger; ‭‭James‬ ‭1:19 If a wise man has an argument with a fool, the fool only rages and laughs, and there is no quiet. Proverbs 29:9 Whoever keeps his mouth and his tongue keeps himself out of trouble. ‭‭Proverbs‬ ‭21:23‬ A fool gives full vent to his spirit, but a wise man quietly holds it back. Proverbs 29:11 Whoever restrains his words has knowledge, and he who has a cool sp