Shaking Salt & Shining Light (Part 9)

In keeping with my promise last post, I will continue in this article explaining what it means to be a missional church. Remember,  Rod MacIlvaine defines a missional church as “a unified body of believers, intent on being God’s missionary presence to the indigenous community that surrounds them, recognizing that God is already at work.” The identifying slogan for a missional church is simply “every member a missionary.”

     At this point it will be of greatest help to identify the elements of a missional church. This will put some specifics in place that will aid in formulating a mental picture. These elements come from the pen of Timothy Keller, a church-planter and pastor in Manhattan, New York. He is a leading author and speaker in the area of gospel-centered ministry and missional thinking. In an article titled Missional Church, Keller outlines the following five elements or characteristics that a missional congregation embodies:

     1. Discourse in the vernacular of the unchurched community and culture. This means that a missional church avoids using language that an unbeliever living around them would not understand. They do not use “pompous, spiritual, sentimental talk” that distance themselves from their unchurched community. It means they avoid ever talking as if non-believers are not present.

     2. Enter and re-tell the culture’s stories with the gospel. This means that preaching, speaking and communicating is always done with the assumption that skeptical people are present. They want to engage these kinds of people and figure out how to explain the gospel in a way that will be meaningful to them, not simply talk about the “good old days.” To “enter” means to show sympathy toward the local communities art, literature, music, and theatre. To “re-tell” means to show how only Christ can give freedom to be authentic.

     3. Theologically train lay people for public life and vocation. This means we must train our laity in more than prayer, Bible study, etc… These are private skills—yes, that are necessary—but we must also train people in public skills—thinking Christianly in all areas of life. What does the culture practice that is not a sin for us to embrace? What does the culture practice that is sinful and must be rejected? What practices of the culture can be revised and adapted? Finally, under this point, it means to demonstrate real, biblical love and tolerance toward those with whom we differ greatly.

     4. Create Christian community which is counter-cultural and counter-intuitive. This means the Christian community shows to the world how radically different we are in regard to things such as sex, money, and power. In sex, we avoid the idolization of it that secular society has created but we also exhibit love rather than hostility or fear toward those with different sexual lifestyles. In money, we promote generosity instead of greed. In power, we share it and build relationships instead of trampling over one another to get to the top.

     5. Practice Christian unity as much as possible on the local level. This means that churches and Christians focus their attention on the points they agree on much, much more than the points at which they disagree. That means we avoid phrases like: “we are not like that church over there, or those Christians over there.” We must not define ourselves over against the values of one church or another. Rather, we must clearly define ourselves against the values of the world. Lack of unity in individual churches, denominations, and Christianity in general has been a real “defeater” of the gospel in the past century. This must stop.

       -Pastor Matt

Shaking Salt & Shining Light (Part 8)

     Here is an article I would like to share with you about overcoming fear in evangelism from www.evantell.org. It is simple yet very helpful.

     “Fear does more to hinder our witness than any other single item. How does one overcome such a devastating problem? In order to begin to overcome fear, two things must be kept in mind. 

     First, fear in evangelism is normal. It assures you that you are a normal human being. After all, Paul the apostle was afraid to evangelize. How does he admit to entering Corinth? He determined to be true to the message of Christ and the cross, but he admits to being with them “in weakness, in fear, and in much trembling” (1 Cor. 2:3). In a city filled with such godlessness, impurity, and vice, such fear is certainly understandable. 

     Paul is not alone. Peter and John had equal reason to be afraid. In Acts 4, we have the first recorded persecution experienced by the early church. Commanded not to speak or teach in the name of Jesus (v. 18), what do Peter and John do—hover in a corner, pray for the rapture, or plead with God to “send Joe”? Not for a minute! Instead, we are taught that they laid their fears before God. “Now, Lord, look on their threats, and grant to Your servants that with all boldness they may speak Your word” (Acts 4:29). 

    If people with that kind of commitment to the Savior are afraid, why would we not be? After all, fear in evangelism has nothing to do with the presence or lack of spirituality. It has everything to do with being human. We dare not assume that because we are afraid, there is something wrong with our walk with the Lord. How we deal with our fear may be affected by our walk with the Lord, but the presence of fear itself is never attributed in Scripture to a lack of spiritual depth. 

     With that in mind, a second thing to remember is that the issue is overcoming fear, not removing fear. This side of heaven one will always have times of fear. Paul the apostle requested prayer that “utterance may be given to me, that I may open my mouth boldly to make known the mystery of the gospel” (Eph. 6:19). When Paul wrote these words he was writing them as a prisoner in Rome. When he was in prison he had time to think back on his evangelistic experiences. Paul had spent three years in Ephesus and God used him mightily. Not only had he established a strong Christian church in Ephesus, he also sent out messengers through whom the whole province of Asia was evangelized. Churches were established in each of its major population centers. 

     Do you mean Paul the apostle is actually requesting prayer for boldness in evangelism after his extensive experience? Most certainly. He knew full well that once fear raises its ugly head and is dealt with, it is not gone forever—never having to be dealt with again. Instead of thinking in terms of never being afraid, Paul had to think in terms of overcoming fear each time it became a major obstacle to sharing the Gospel. 

     Moments of fear will always be there. Anyone who says they are never afraid to share Christ is most likely not being honest with you. Fear in evangelism is normal and natural. This side of heaven it will occur and reoccur. To say, “I don’t witness because I’m afraid” is an explanation. It dare not become an excuse. The issue is what we do with our fear.”

        -Pastor Matt

 

Shaking Salt & Shining Light (Part 7)

     In continuing our series Shaking Salt & Shining Light, remember Jesus said to His followers in Matthew 5:16, “Let your lights shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.” He also said in Acts 1:8 for His followers to be “witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” Clearly Jesus wants us to live our lives in such a way that they are displays of the gospel but He also wants us to verbally share the message.
     Earlier this week I was talking to a man who was doing some work at my house—actually he was pumping out my septic tank. I am trying really hard here not to use some sarcastic humor! Anyway, nothing better to do than have a good conversation about faith in Jesus while standing over top of a pit full of foul smelling sewage. So I asked him several questions about his life, family, job, etc… We talked about the struggle he and his wife had to be able and have kids. Finally they were blessed to have a girl seventeen years ago. At some point in the conversation I asked him if he was a Christian. His reply caught me a little off guard. He said, “Uh, yeah I’m a Christian, but I don’t think you have to go around telling everyone. I think you just live your life like your supposed to and people will know.”
     The truth is: if you live your life like your supposed to people will know  there’s something different about you; but they wont know you are a Christian unless you tell them. Christianity didn't spread across the known world like wildfire during the first and second centuries because Christians lived good lives—although they did. It spread into the global movement it has become because Christians went everywhere they could, telling everyone they knew about Jesus Christ, the risen Lord and Savior of their sins. It is knowledge of who Christ is and what He did that saves a person. Romans explains that the unbelieving world cannot  believe on Jesus when they have not heard of Him and they cannot hear of Him unless someone speaks to them about Jesus.
     It is so critical that we remember our business is to tell people about Jesus. That’s why I’ve been spending a few weeks specifically teaching on Sunday nights about how to talk to someone about Jesus. A few weeks ago I explained a method known as the “Bad News/Good News” method. This outline of the gospel basically breaks it down into two points of bad news backed up by Scripture and illustrated; then, two points of good news explained in the same manner. You can find more information on this approach at www.evantell.org. I hope you’ll join us as we try to become wiser in our dealings with unbelievers by learning how to speak to them about Christ. At the very least, make it a top priority for you this week to engage at least one person in a conversation that will allow you to share the gospel.
                       -Pastor Matt

Shaking Salt & Shining Light (Part 6)

     When it comes to sharing our faith in Christ with others, there are a few important things to keep in mind. First, know the gospel like the back of your  hand. You cannot tell others how they can be changed by the life-saving power of Jesus Christ if you are not clear on it yourself. There really is not a lot to remember if we just keep in mind 1 Corinthians 15:1-4, which tells us the gospel by which we are saved is: Christ died for our sins and rose again according to the Scriptures. Many different methods are helpful in outlining the gospel so it can be explained to an unbeliever in way that helps them see their need for Jesus. I am currently teaching some of these methods during the services on Sunday nights. One thing that can help you with this more than anything though is simply talking about the gospel as much as you can, even if it is with your Christian friends. When you talk about something with another person it forces you to  be clear and  organize your thoughts.
     A second thing to keep in mind is to have gospel conversations with unbelievers instead of giving gospel presentations to them. You might be thinking this sounds like semantics. And it is; but it makes a big difference in the way you talk to people about your faith. If you view the gospel as a list of facts that you must present to someone you will approach them as a teacher does a student. This immediately puts up people’s defenses and causes you extra stress/fear as you think about what you are about to do. Instead, think about having a conversation with someone—you talk and they talk, they listen and you listen. This is why I think remembering a conversation progression helps us as we share the gospel. A conversation progression should look something like this: you see another person and you strike up a conversation with them, you actively listen to them by asking them what is going on in their life, you transition to talking about spiritual things, you share the gospel,  and you ask them if anything is keeping them from trusting Christ right now. All throughout though you are asking them to discuss these things with you. So, don’t think, “how can I present the gospel with someone today?” Think, “how can I converse with someone today about the gospel?”
     A third, simple thing to keep in mind is: be natural. My heart’s desire is that God will help me to make talking with another person about the gospel as natural as it is to talk to them about the weather. I hope God will do the same for you too. Besides praying for this, it can also be helpful to understand your style of evangelism. There are at least six different styles of evangelism found in the New Testament and because everyone is different, you will find that one or two are much more natural for you than the others. I will be teaching these in a couple weeks on Sunday nights and giving out a questionnaire that will help you figure out the style with which you would be most comfortable.
     May God gives us all wisdom and courage to share Christ!           -Pastor Matt

Shaking Salt & Shining Light (Part 5)

     Recently I’ve been emphasizing the need for Christians to be salt and light in the world around them. This involves many factors such as, but not limited to, coming into contact with the unbelieving world, living a lifestyle that is fundamentally different from the world, and proclaiming the core message of the gospel verbally. The power in a Christian’s witness comes as they manifest all three of these. What we need today are Christians who can speak the truth of the gospel clearly but who also can back up the truth of the gospel by their lifestyle.      In other words, we need Christians who can not just talk the talk but who also can walk the walk. When you proclaim the message of the gospel and then live out the teachings of the gospel, others see your walk backing up your talk; this validates the message. The apostle Paul encouraged the Colossian believers to “walk in wisdom toward those who are outside, redeeming the time.” That phrase, “redeeming the time” literally means “buying up every opportunity.” The point is our time with unbelievers is limited and almost already spent. We must be wise to make the most of every minute we have. Every moment of your life should be looked upon as an opportunity to bring others closer to faith in Jesus, not farther from it.
     People around you ought to hear you talk about Christ so they know how to be saved but they ought to see you live like Christ so they want to be saved! Others should see your life and say, “If that’s what Christianity is, then I want it.” Dr. Larry Moyer, in a little devotional book titled 31 Days with the Master Fisherman tells the story of a man who was antagonistic toward Christ for years but later came to faith in Him and attributed his conversion to a timid neighbor. When the neighbor found out about this he was shocked and a bit confused saying, “I never spoke to you about Christ the way I should have.” The man answered, “No, you didn’t. But you lived me to death. I could refute others’ arguments and upset their logic, but I could not refute the way you lived.”
     Your unsaved network of friends or neighbors may be able to refute some of the things you say to them but they cannot refute the things you do for them. What good things have you done for your co-workers, family, or neighbors? Keep it up. What have you done lately to hinder your witness? Confess it to God, and if necessary ask forgiveness of someone if you wronged them. Then move on and ask God to help you live better than that in days ahead so you can point others to Him more effectively. Ask Him to use your life to make Jesus more attractive to those around you—validating the message you’ve been voicing.

      -Pastor Matt

Shaking Salt & Shining Light (Part 4)

Some of the greatest words ever put to music come from the pen of Robert Lowry and were published in 1876. You may have sung them before when you sang the song Nothing But the Blood. The song, based on Hebrews  9:22, that “without the shedding of blood there is no remission of sin,” goes like this:

What can wash away my sin? Nothing but the blood of Jesus;
What can make me whole again? Nothing but the blood of Jesus.
Oh! Precious is the flow That makes me white as snow;
No other fount I know, Nothing but the blood of Jesus
For my pardon, this I see, Nothing but the blood of Jesus;
For my cleansing this my plea, Nothing but the blood of Jesus.
Nothing can for sin atone, Nothing but the blood of Jesus;
Naught of good that I have done, Nothing but the blood of Jesus.
This is all my hope and peace, Nothing but the blood of Jesus,
This is all my righteousness, Nothing but the blood of Jesus.
Now by this I’ll overcome Nothing but the blood of Jesus,
Now by this I’ll reach my home Nothing but the blood of Jesus. 

     These words so eloquently remind us of exactly what the good news of Jesus Christ is—that He died on the cross and took our sin punishment upon Himself, and now we can have hope, peace, righteousness, and eternal life through trust in Jesus Christ and Him alone. This is without a doubt the greatest exchange of all time—Jesus got our punishment and we get His righteousness.
     As I continue Shaking Salt & Shining Light: A Series on Personal Evangelism, I want to take a closer and clearer look at the gospel. As salt and light, Jesus has commissioned us as His followers to have influence in the world. The biggest part of our influence on the world comes when we proclaim the gospel and invite people to respond to it. But what exactly do we need to proclaim? What is the gospel precisely? I will answer these as we look at a few passages of Scripture together, along with explaining what the non-Christian needs to know to be saved. John 3:36 tells us that there are only two kinds of people in the world—those who believe in Jesus and those who do not, “Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever believes not in the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him.” That’s it! You either believe in Jesus or you don’t. If you do, you have eternal life; if you don’t, you do not have eternal life—you have God’s wrath on you still. What must be explained to a non-believer so they can go from not believing in Jesus to believing in Him and thereby receive eternal life? The answer to this provides for us the most basic, yet powerful message of the gospel. We must be clear on this message and we must share it with the world!

      -Pastor Matt

Shaking Salt & Shining Light (Part 3)

     What does it mean to be salt and light? Jesus said to His disciples in Matthew 5:13-16, “You are the salt of the earth, but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled under people’s feet. You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.”
     Jesus says that His followers are to be the salt of the earth and light of the world. Both salt and light were very precious and useful commodities in the ancient world. In fact, Pliny, a first century Roman writer, stated, “Nothing is as useful as salt and sunshine.” Followers of Christ are useful in the world for the welfare of the world. What specifically did Jesus have in mind?
     In the first century salt was used for several different reasons. It was used to season food—we are most accustomed to this use today. It was also used in small doses as fertilizer. On other occasions it was used to bathe newborn children in for medicinal reasons. But living in a land of such heat and without refrigeration, it was most commonly used as a preservative. Meat such as fish and poultry would easily rot and decay if it were not for a little salt added to it. Salt then, would slow the process of decay. That is partly what Jesus means for His followers to be the salt of the earth. With moral decay and corruption all around us, we are to be a preserving influence in the world—slowing this down by our actions. John MacArthur says that Christians “are the salt that prevents the entire earth from degenerating even faster than it is.” A big part of the reason the world will become so wicked after the rapture of the church is because our preserving influence will be removed instantly.
     Light has more of a positive connotation and work than does salt. Light dispels the darkness. Christians who are light give the truth needed to show someone the way to God, which is through Christ. Light works out in the open; it illumines by being seen. As light-bearers we must go into our places of work and neighborhoods and stand for what is right and good. We must tell others the soul-saving gospel of Jesus Christ. We must point others to Him.
     It is my hope that you will grow in your knowledge and practice of sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ with non-Christians through this series—Salt & Light: A Series on Personal Evangelism.

 -Pastor Matt

Shaking Salt & Shining Light (Part 2)

     Next Sunday night I will be starting a new series on personal evangelism titled Shaking Salt & Shining Light. As I prepare for this today’s article will continue on the theme of evangelism. Rebecca Pippert’s definition of evangelism is probably the most clear, to-the-point definition I’ve heard recently. She said, “evangelism in it’s simplest form is introducing our friends to Jesus.” That really does sum it up in a nutshell. For most reading this today you probably knew it was every Christians responsibility to tell others about Christ even before you trusted in Him yourself. Many sermons have included points to remind believers of their calling to share Christ with those around them. “It is a command of Scripture,” is something you’ve probably heard over and over again. But where in Scripture is this found? How do we know Jesus commands all Christians to evangelize? Could it not be that some have the gift of evangelism and others do not, allowing them to opt out if they desire?
     Here is the biblical teaching and command for all Christians to evangelize. Matthew 28:18-20 reveals the words of Christ to his disciples just before He ascended back into heaven. Jesus said, “all authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” Jesus commanded His followers to go into the world and make more followers of Him. This is a clear command to evangelize—introduce others to Jesus. Some have argued this was only given to the disciples. However, this is a crazy assertion to make for if it is true then the promise that Jesus will be with us to the end of the age also only applies to the disciples. And no one makes that claim. Even further, Jesus commanded the disciples to then teach others to observe all that He had previously commanded them. D. A. Carson notes that Jesus did not say, “teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you, except for this commandment to make disciples. Keep their grubby hands off that one, since it  belongs only to you, my dear apostles.”
     In Mark 16:15, Jesus was also recorded as saying to His followers, “Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation.” It doesn’t get much plainer than that. Then, in the book of Acts, we see ordinary believers going out and proclaiming the gospel to the world. Acts 8:4 says, “Now those who were scattered went about preaching (euangelizomenoi—sharing or proclaiming) the Word.” We are to follow the example of the early church.
     Telling others the good news about Jesus Christ, and how His death, burial, and resurrection provide the opportunity for eternal life is commanded by God to every believer. We must be highly intentional about this high calling in order to avoid living a life in disobedience to our Creator-God and Sovereign Lord.

            -Pastor Matt

Shaking Salt & Shining Light (Part 1)

     As I begin to prepare for a new Sunday night series to start at the end of January on the topic of evangelism, I thought I would spend the next several weeks writing about it as well. Most reading this have probably heard the word evangelism before and most likely know what it means; but, in case you don’t let me explain it. The word evangelism comes from the Greek word: euangellion. This word is divided into two parts: eu—meaning good and angelos—meaning message or messenger. So, evangelism really just means good news, good message, or good messenger.
     The word euangellion was not invented by the writers of Scripture; it was word already in popular use by the Romans. The Romans used it to refer to an announcement of glad tidings or good news regarding a birthday, rise to power, or decree by the emperor that would bring hope and peace to the people under his rule. The word is most often translated in our English Bibles as “gospel.” The parallels to the Roman secular use of the word are of significant importance when considering how Mark uses the word in Mark 1:1, “The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.” The implication is clear that Jesus’ birth and actions will truly change the world in a way no earthly king ever could; this is good news that must be shared. It is the gospel of Jesus Christ that brings real hope and peace to the all the world living under his Sovereign rule.
     But what exactly is the gospel or good news of Jesus Christ? The apostle Paul answers this question in the most clear way possible when he writes in 1 Corinthians 15:1-4, “Now I would remind you, brothers, of the gospel I preached to you, which you received, in which you stand, and by which you are being saved… For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that He was buried, that He was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures.” That is it—plain and simple. The gospel of Jesus Christ is the message that Christ died for our sins, was buried and rose again according to the Scriptures.
     In recent years, evangelism has become synonymous with sharing your faith. What is meant by this is that Christians should be telling others about their relationship with Jesus Christ and their faith in Him. This is true and is part of effective evangelism but true evangelism involves sharing the gospel. Telling your story of faith in Christ is vitally important but remember to explain the facts of Scripture as outline in 1 Cor. 15, that helped bring you to that faith.
     Next week, I will explain how we determined from Scripture that every Christian is commanded to evangelize.

-Pastor Matt

How to Study the Bible for Yourself

 

     In 1517 when Martin Luther nailed his Ninety-Five Theses to the door of All Saints’ Church in Wittenburg he sparked a movement known as the Protestant Reformation. This was a movement that ultimately brought about the translation of the Bible from Latin to English. During these days there was a huge schism between the Catholic Church and the Reformers because the Catholic Church did not want the people to be able to read the Bible for themselves. The Reformers were adamant that the Bible be put into the hands of the people so they could read it for themselves and not depend on the priest to translate it for them. So, they coined a phrase that defined the movement; it was the Latin phrase Sola Scriptura—Scripture alone. This meant that the people did not need someone to interpret the Bible for them; the Scripture alone was enough for them—if it could be put in their language. The great Reformation was a call back to the Word of God.
     I’m afraid many Christians today have figuratively returned to the days prior to the Reformation. Not because they do not have the Bible or have it in their language, but because they don't read it for themselves. They don't study it and meditate on it personally; they depend on the pastors, teachers, and radio preachers to tell them what the Word of God says. This is a great misconduct on the part of many today who are neglecting the great opportunity they have to hear God speak through the pages of His Word. For many, however, they simply do not know how to study the Bible for themselves. This can be corrected easily by learning some basic principles of Bible study and applying them through regular, personal devotion.

     That's why my next several posts are going to be on How to Study the Bible for Yourself.  I want to focus on the three steps for effective, personal Bible study. Step one is observation where you ask and answer the question: what do I see? Step two is interpretation where you ask and answer the question: what does it mean? And step three is application: where you ask and answer the question: how does it work? Remember, God wants to communicate to you today in the 21st century. He wrote His message in a Book and asks you to study so you can hear from Him. The late professor Howard Hendricks once said, "The Bible was not written to satisfy our curiosity to conform us to Christ."  

                                              -Pastor Matt

 

Tongue Management

     I want to share something a little different with you today. I have been writing for several weeks now on time management but today I’m going to write about tongue management. James 3:2 says, “For we all stumble in many ways. And if anyone does not stumble in what he says, he is perfect man, able to bridle his whole body.” James tells us in the following verses just how important it is to get a handle on the way we use our tongues. The real point James is trying to make however is that the heart is the issue. Jesus even said, “out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.” The tongue is merely the tattle-tale of the heart. If you want to find out what your heart is like, look at what you’ve been saying lately.

     It has been said that the average person says enough words in a given day to compose a small paperback of about 150 pages. What would it be like to read your last couple week’s worth of paperbacks? How would you feel about reading them yourself? All of us have said things that we wished we hadn’t or at least would’ve said differently. Even James, the apostle, the Lord’s half-brother includes himself among us as one who slips up in what he says. Notice he wrote with the first person plural “we all stumble…” Let me encourage you to not be discouraged about slipping up in what you say. James is not saying we should be perfect in our use of the tongue for he says that this kind of person is able to control his whole body. In other words, if a person can master the hard level, he can certainly handle the easy one. A certified surgeon can remove a splinter with no problem. A professional basketball player should be able to hit a layup with ease. So the one who masters the tongue has it all together. What James is challenging all of us with in regard to our tongue is not perfection but progression. It is not about being perfect but making progress. To be true, James would even say that a mark of maturity is admitting that you aren’t perfect . The tongue is a powerful instrument able to do a lot of damage or bring a lot of delight. In trying to get a grip on it, look for progress, not perfection.          

 -Pastor Matt

Time Management 101 (Part 6)

     Today I would like to offer you two more time management principles. The first is a simple and almost obvious one that often gets overlooked; it is to pray, “God what is the best use of my time right now?” Never underestimate the power of making God the reason for managing your time well. Don’t just allow God to be part of your time management process; make Him the whole thing. Failure to involve God in your planning this way is gross neglect because He is ultimately the One who gives you the time you have. He certainly knows best when it comes to spending your time wisely. No matter what is going on, or what is on your schedule at the moment, you should constantly be praying this prayer to God. Chances are many occasions will arise that will cause you to stop what you are doing and do something else because it would be the best use of your time.

     Second, practice the Sabbath—rest, reflect, review. God designed the work week from the very beginning to revolve around a day of rest. His design is simple: work six days and rest one. This is the best for our bodies and the best for our spirits. The purpose though of the Sabbath has never been about doing nothing, but about resting, reflecting, and reviewing. Use this day to reflect on and review your previous week. Reflect on what God has done for you and how good He has been. Review what you accomplished and didn’t accomplish, the relationships you developed, the things you spent your time on, and where you could’ve done better.

     You will always be better prepared and feel better about the upcoming week when you have taken the time the rest, reflect, and review and asked God to guide you in your planning process.

  -Pastor Matt

Time Management 101 (Part 5)

  Stephen Covey said it best when he said, “anything less than a conscious commitment to the important is an unconscious commitment to the unimportant.” Some people have a real problem committing to spend their time on the important things in life. However, others have a problem following through with their commitment to the important. Today I would like to introduce you to another time management principle: understand the important/urgent quadrant. You can find this quadrant explained with great detail in Stephen Covey’s book First Things First; but, for now let me explain in brief. 
     The quadrant contains four blocks: 1—important/urgent, 2—important/not urgent, 3—not important/urgent, and 4—not important/not urgent. Quadrant 1 involves crises, pressing problems, and deadline-driven projects; quadrant 2 involves prevention, planning, relationship building, recognizing new opportunities, and recreation; quadrant 3 involves interruptions, some phone calls, some mail, some meetings, pressing matters; quadrant 4 involves trivia, busy work, some mail, some phone calls, and time wasters. While all of us have quadrant 1 activities in our lives, some people are consumed by and beaten up by living in this mode. These people often respond by wasting a lot of time in quadrant 4 because this is the only place they get relief. The results of spending all your time in quadrants 1 is stress, burnout, crisis management, and a lifestyle of always putting out fires. All of your time spent in quadrant 3 will result in a short-term focus, crises management, a feeling that goals and plans are worthless, and shallow relationships. Those who are always in quadrant four find themselves living totally irresponsibly, depending on others for basic needs, and getting fired! Where we should spend the majority of our time is in quadrant 2 resulting in vision, perspective, balance, discipline, control, and few crises. Take some time to look over your past week; what quadrant would most of your activities fall into? Strive to live in the important/not urgent, for it is here that you will be most productive and satisfied.

-Pastor Matt

Tiime Management 101 (Part 4)

     Today I would like to share two more simple time management principles. The first is called automate as much as possible. What do you spend a lot of time on right now that could be automated? Do you spend hours each week writing out checks and paying bills? A lot of banks now offer free online bill pay. You can spend a few extra hours one day by plugging all your bills into the bill pay on your online banking and then sit back and watch it regularly. You still will need to spend time each week checking your account and watching it balance, but the time it takes to do this will not come close to time it takes to write all those checks each week. Plus, you will save money on stamps! This principle doesn’t just apply to bill paying though. Maybe you write certain items down on your calendar every day or week and it is always the same time and day each week. Make this a recurring item instead. The key is to think about how technology can save you time by allowing you to automate: automate once, watch regularly.

     The second principle is: don’t start the day until you’ve planned the day. In other words, make sure all the day’s activities are planned before you begin your day. I would challenge you to plan a week at a time though, either at the beginning of the week or end of the week for the next one. I think daily planning is to short term. However, if you get up one day and haven’t planned your activities yet, then don’t start doing anything until you plan the day out. You will get much more of the important things done this way. Remember Proverbs 21:5 says, “The plans of the diligent lead surely to abundance, but everyone who is hasty comes only to poverty.”                       

          -Pastor Matt

Time Management 101 (Part 3)

     Today I would like to encourage you with a third time management principle. This principle is called “eat the frog.” Imagine you woke up one morning with a list of things you had to do that day such as: wash the car, mow the grass, read a chapter in a book, clean the living room, make the bed, and eat a frog. I would guess most people, if not all, would not enjoy completing or even thinking about the task of eating a frog. If you had to do this though, you would be better off eating the frog before attempting any of the other tasks. Why? Since eating a frog would be the most difficult and dreaded of all the tasks, it will be weighing on you, draining your energy, and slowing you down as you accomplish the other tasks. Simply put, this time management principle states, “make the most difficult or dreaded item the first thing you do so it quits weighing on you.”  Applying this will help you get more done in less time. Of all the things you must do this week, what is the most difficult? Choose to make this your number one priority. Doing this every day will save you so much time and allow you to enjoy those other tasks as you accomplish them. God bless.                          

        -Pastor Matt

Time Managment 101 (Part 2)

     When it comes to time management most of us understand the importance of writing things down. There is jus too much to do for us to remember it all and do it when it needs to be done. If you are not yet writing down the things you need to do then start; this is foundational to the principles I will share today.

     The first principle is simple: keep one calendar. If you have things written down in different places, then you have too much to try and keep up with, so only keep one calendar. Your calendar may be a smartphone, ipad, laptop, or notebook; either way is fine, just use what works best for you. If your phone and computer sync with each other that is great, and using both is essentially the same as using just one because they keep each other current with the newest  data. If they don’t sync, use only one of them. If you are writing things down on paper in a notebook, just keep one notebook. This principle will help you know what you need to be doing at any given point in your day.

     The second principle is: determine your values. Ask yourself at the beginning of each week, “what is the most important things for me to do this week?” This will help you to do more than accomplish a to-do list full of unimportant items. You want to make sure that the time you are managing is spent on the most important items. Make sure you put these on your calendar first to ensure that they will get done. Nothing is worse than spending your time on the things that don’t really matter.

 -Pastor Matt

Time Management 101

     Everyone is given 24 hours in a day; no one gets more and no one gets less. Yet it seems as if some people do get a lot more time than others because they get so much more done. Time management is the key for these who get more done. It has been said before that there are two ways to manage time: (1) do less or (2) do the same thing faster. I want to encourage you to adopt the second approach as your way of life. We only get so much time here on this earth that settling for less just shouldn't be an option for us. 

     Scripture says in Psalm 90:12, “So teach us to number our days that we may get a heart of wisdom.” Later in the New Testament, Paul writes in Colossians 4:5, “Walk in wisdom toward outsiders, making the best use of the time.” There is a direct connection to being a wise person and effective time management. Be wise and be a good steward of your time; use it in a way that is honoring to God. 

   Over the next few weeks, I am going to try and help you with some time management practices I’ve learned so you can begin to get more done faster. How great would it be to get 2 1/2 days more each year? If you save just ten minutes a day every day, that’s exactly what you’ll get. Stay tuned…

                                                                          -Pastor Matt

Am I a teachable person?

     Teachability is a word that we don't hear very often but we should.   A person who possesses the character of having a teachable attitude is invaluable. John Naisbitt said it best when he said, “the most important skill to acquire is learning how to learn.” Don’t we all need to acquire this skill? Once we get to the point in life where we feel we have arrived, we have turned the wrong direction. So, how do you know you are teachable? Are there any indicators as to whether or not you’re open to learning? Yes, there are at least five clues that indicate you are a teachable person.

     First, people give you input. If you are the kind of person that accepts input and advice from others then you are teachable. People know this about you and that’s why they offer advice. They know you want it and are open to it. Second, you can see measurable growth and character development in your life. Can you look back over the past five years and see a difference in your attitudes, behaviors, or feelings? If you can, then chances are you’ve been teachable and have learned along the way. Third, you don’t have to answer your critics with a defense. Teachable people are secure enough to know they don't need to offer a defense. If they have done the right thing then they rest in that. Fourth, you know you’re teachable when you don't have to return the favor. When someone points out a shortcoming in your life, how do you respond? Do you take it and evaluate yourself? Or, do you immediately point out a flaw in their life? Finally, you can tell you’re being teachable when you hear something different for a change. In other words, if you are still receiving the same correction today that you received ten years ago, then you haven’t learned or matured.

     Develop teachability; it will serve you beyond imagination. It’s one of the character traits of the wise in Proverbs. In order to do this you must be able to listne to those who speak truth into your life. Learning comes from others who have already learned. John Wooden once said, "Everything we know we learned from somebody else!"

Down to Earth

      In October 1914, a man by the name of Thomas Mott Osborne entered Auburn Prison in upstate New York, and like all the other prisoners, he was photographed, fingerprinted, stripped of his possessions, issued a set of grays, and led to a cell, four feet wide by seven and a half feet long and seven and a half feet tall. The only difference between prisoner 33,333x and the other 1,329 inmates was the issue of freedom. On his command, he could leave the prison anytime he desired. 
 

     After his appointment to Governor Sulzer’s State Commission on Prison Reform, Osborne made it his mission to live as one of the inmates, study their experience, and emerge as their advocate. He voluntarily laid aside his freedom to experience life behind bars. He slept in a dank, drafty cell just like theirs. He ate their food and labored as they did. He even endured their most dreaded punishment, a night in “the box.” While he could order his own release at any time, he was nevertheless confined. He wrote, “I am a prisoner, locked, double locked. By no human possibility, by no act of my own, can I throw open the iron grating which shuts me from the world into this small stone vault. I am a voluntary prisoner, it is true; nevertheless even a voluntary prisoner can’t unlock the door of his cell.”

     Just as Osborne was at once free yet confined to prison, Jesus was omnipotent yet helpless as an infant, dependent even upon his mother’s milk for survival. In coming to earth, Jesus set aside His rightful entitlements of deity to become the least privileged of people—born among the poorest of the poor. In so doing, He came to this earth not just to save the world from their sins but to walk in their shoes, to eat their food, to labor as they do, and to emerge as their advocate for all of eternity. This Christmas season, celebrate the birth of Jesus and remember He understands what your going through. He has been here and He knows what it feels like. The God we celebrate truly is Down to Earth. Merry Christmas.

Thought Provoking Quotes

I would like to share just a few of the quotes that have really challenged my thinking as of late:

"The unexamined life is not worth living." -Socrates

"If the key ingredient for friends that stumble is love, the key ingredient for friends that stray is truth."     -James MacDonald

"Worrying about tomorrow often robs us of our effectiveness today." -Me

"If Jesus had practiced the kind of love we advocate nowadays, He would have lived to a ripe old age."
-Dan Allender

"Woe to you when all men speak well of you." -Jesus

"Your belief determines where you will spend eternity but your works will determine how you spend eternity." -Bruce Wilkinson

Do any of these strike a cord with you? I would love to read any of your comments about these.