Tuesday, August 28, 2012

Thoughts from Sunday's Ministry Fair

Dear ministry team leaders,

What a great day we had Sunday! The ministry fair was amazing because of the hard work and creativity that you put forward.  Several good things happened Sunday. Here are a few:

1.       Worship attendees and members saw the multiple ways to "get in the game."

2.       There was a "join us" attitude that demonstrated to all that we are an inclusive bunch. 

3.       The operating value of EXCELLENCE was lived out. There was no shabby work done Sunday. People across the board gave their best effort.

4.       Sharp: We did things Sunday in a sharp way. Thoughtfulness and creativity was demonstrated by all.

A few ministries saw immediate responses in folks wanting to join the effort. All ministry areas that participated were showcased. Each group in our local body of Christ shined well.

Thank you so much for putting your best foot forward. We will continue to explore new ways of communicating and promoting opportunities to "get in the game."

 

Pastor Myles

Tuesday, August 21, 2012

What is the Church?

A church is not a building with a steeple, stainglass windows, or a more contemporary building with banners and no windows.

As we saw from the Bible Sunday, the church is the people of God.  A called out bunch who have received God's mercy.

The church is the body of Christ in the world.  We follow the lead of our head (Christ Jesus).  We function best when we work together and use our uniquely given gifts, abilities, and talents.

The church is where we learn to really love people with names and faces.  It is joyful hard work to love one another the way Jesus loves us.  We prove that we really love when we link arms with a church family and work together through thick and thin.

The church is the plan for taking God's message of love and forgiveness to the world. 

Friday, August 10, 2012

Get in the Game 1: knowing the context

In the game of life, knowing the lay of the land is vitally important.  Sizing up situations correctly can mean the difference between life and death, joy and dismay, success and failure.

So just what kind of world do we live in? What is reality?

  1. There is the God of the Bible who created all else. He is the Uncreated One who created all else.
  2. The reality he created is:
    • made up of some things that will fade away and some that are eternal
    • has both a spiritual and physical (material) plane which interpenetrate.
    • operates by cause and effect
  3. The creation of God contains:
    • matter and energy governed by the laws discoverable by physics and chemistry
    • plants, animals, humans, and inanimate objects (living and non-living things)
    • spirit beings (holy and demonic angels)
  4. What happens in life is the result of:
    • actions of people (freely choosing)
    • directional sway of Satan (the prince of this world)
    • interference by spirit beings in defense of God and his children and unholy spirits blocking the ways of God.
    • Under God supreme power and purposes
So...

Living God's ways in His world really matters and prayer really works. Know this and living in the REALity will make all the difference in the world.

Come find out more this week as we consider: What is the Christian Life? PVBC Carrollton, 11 AM Sunday.