Tag: Church

Finding God’s Purpose for Our Church

Plattsville_Missionary_ChurchThere is an old Chinese proverb that says:

If your vision is for a year, plant wheat.

If your vision is for ten years, plant trees.

If your vision is for a lifetime, plant people.

I think it’s really true and quite deep. A vision that lasts a lifetime must be centred on people. That’s what we really ended up exploring on Sunday. How Jesus Christ changes people. How he changes lives, and how he invites us into doing the same thing.

On Sunday we talked about Jesus’ mission and vision for life found in Luke 4. Here he states and shares what he is here to do. He is absolutely clear he is here to free people, to provide healing, to provide restoration, and to set things right again. In short, he is here to change all of life, in the here and now. Jesus is about changing lives in the present. And he is still about doing that today. And he actually invites us into changing lives with him. Becoming like Jesus means participating with Jesus in what he is doing.

So on Sunday we discovered our foundation for the next series. Our deep desire and goal is this: to be changed by Jesus, and join Jesus in changing lives.

Our goal is to first have our lives absolutely transformed by Jesus Christ. You can’t share something you don’t have. So we first need to experience life, transformation, and change before we can ever begin to share that with others. Our deep desire is that anyone who joins with us will not remain the same. That through Jesus Christ being active in our church each person would experience lasting life change. They would find restoration, healing, hope, and new life.

But if that transformation just remains with us it will turn stagnant and bitter. As a church we are also equally called to share life with others. We are called to change lives with Jesus. That “with” is important because it recognizes that God is already active in our friends, family, and communities. We aren’t bringing Jesus with us into relationships. We are discovering where Jesus is already active in relationships and starting there. Through our commitment to serve, to bless, to give, we believe we will see change. We see change happen only when we are living life like Jesus Christ ~ with a posture of grace, openness, willingness to enter someone else’s world, and most of all humility.

That is our deep deep hope. I could care less about us being the biggest or best church in the area.  I care a lot about being the church to the area. We are not content to run nice services if those services don’’ send us out into the community seeing life change in our friends, family and neighbors.

So this is what we want to be doing, and in all honesty, it’s what we’ve been trying to do for a while. Now we simply want to become more intentional, because as I said in my last post: you don’t drift into making a difference. Making a difference starts with making a decision and that’s what we did on Sunday. Making a decision to be changed by Jesus, and to partner with him to change others.

So that’s our decision about where we are going. But maybe for you today it’d be worth making a decision of your own. Why not take a moment and ask him how today you can join in what he is doing. And then why not do this each and everyday. Because my guess is if we do that we will not only be changed by Jesus, but changing others with Jesus.

Sermon Notes

Big Idea: Being changed by Jesus, and changing lives with Jesus

Take Aways…

+       Where is your life headed?

+       If you don’t plan where you are going, you’ll end up going nowhere

+       Churches and Christians in general have a vague idea of what we are called to do.

+       That people who do great things, set out to do great things

+       You don’t drift into making a difference

+       Vague direction leads to a lack of action

+       New life isn’t coming it’s here because Jesus is here

+       If it’s not Good News for everyone, it’s not Good News for anyone

+       Jesus is here to change all of life

+       The Christian life isn’t a self-interested one

+       Being changed by Jesus, and changing lives with Jesus 

Adult / Group Discussion Questions

What direction is your life headed? If you were to answer the question, “Jesus is leading me (where)…” what would you say?  What has Jesus already changed in you? What freedom, restoration, and hope has he given in you? What do you think he wants to change in you? How might he do this, or what is he asking you to do?

How is your life having an impact and changing others? Are there those in your workplace, family, or neighborhood God is calling to leave an impact? Do you have any ideas how you might do that?

Are there people you can journey with over the next few weeks? How can you make that happen?

Who should you invite to church, or to journey with you discovering how Jesus wants to change us, and change lives through us?

Discussion Questions for Young Families            Talk with your kids about what Jesus is about: us being changed by Jesus, and changing lives with Jesus. Ask your kids how Jesus has changed them. Really listen to their answers. Ask them how they might help change the lives of their friends. And then help them do it. 

Challenge for this Week Commit to the Journey, Journey with Others, Invite Others on the Journey

 

by Andrew Mills

Finding the Right Destination: Vision, and Direction

On Sunday we are launching a new series at the church.1145632_61514054

We are going to be asking a key question:

Where are our lives headed?

This is important because if we don’t examine our destination, time can slide by and we can end up saying, “How did we get here”. The point is that if we want to have an impact in this world, it comes by aligning the direction of our lives with God’s direction. Because my honest belief is this: we don’t ever drift into making a difference. So we need to examine where our lives are heading, and live with intention.

So we have been wrestling, asking, and discerning where God is leading us? What has he been birthing in us? What are we called to do?

And these are crucial questions for everyone of us to be asking. Because we don’t drift into making a difference. Vague intentions often lead to a lack of action.  Jesus though came with a clear mission, and vision of what he was going to do. He summarized it in the “Good News”, he lived it out and shared it with everyone. Jesus had no ambiguity in what he was doing. This is what we are going to be examining on Sunday what Jesus’ calling was, and still is. Through this we can discover how we fit into Jesus’ calling on earth.

So I think it’s important for everyone to be asking the question, “Jesus, where are you leading me?” And this is what we are doing on Sunday, just corporately as a community. 

So that’s where we are going on Sunday. The question I have for you is simple. Where is God leading you? In life? In your church? In work? In your family? Where is he leading you?

It is too easy to continue on a direction, without thinking about the destination. So talk with God about where he would have you go, about the next steps, about what he would have you do. Because the essence of faith is to follow, but to do that we have to be led. So why not spend some time with Jesus talking with him about following, and being led. And come Sunday that’s what we are talking about too.

transformations

by Andrew Mills

Jesus, Missional, and Cultural Influence

In current Christian circles there is a buzz word called “missional”. It’s the new word. A few years ago it was “emerging” and “postmodern” now it’s missional. And in a few years it will be something different.

I have no problem with the word, concept, or theology. In fact, I think it’s necessary and I even wrote my thesis on it. The basic idea is that Christians need to be partnering with God in making disciples, changing the world, and being a blessing to those around us. God is already active in the world, and we are called to join him in his activity. This is all good stuff, true stuff, and stuff that I preach consistently.

My worry is that all this good theology gets mixed with a bad economy and worldview of our culture. What happens is our cultural worldview of economics of production, exportation, and efficiency starts to influence our theology and activity. All of a sudden the missional work of the church can be co-opted by the consumeristic economy around us. We start up missional programs to ensure we’re making disciples and cutting edge. We start seeking how to most efficiently impact the community around us, taking our cues from books, conferences, and even blog posts. What can subtly happen is that, while we talk about being missional, we end up focusing on efficiency, metrics, individual decisions, and products.

Again, in general, none of these things are wrong, but when combined with theology they move against the grain of God.

The rhythm of God isn’t primarily about efficiency but faithfulness;

it isn’t about business metrics but Kingdom ethics;

it isn’t about getting people to make decisions about Christ but to be transformed into disciples of Christ;

it isn’t about products but people loved by God

So I’m in no way against leadership, business, and the seven habits of highly effective people. I read all of this type of thing, have been positively influenced by it. I just want to make sure that theology is dictating our business, leadership, and systems, not the other way around. I just want to ensure that while we are talking about being on mission and making disciples we are into it for the long haul and not for a flash in the pan. Because making disciples isn’t about efficiency it is about commitment and longevity. Jesus took three years to make 12 disciples. He lived life with them, he listened to them, cared for them, saw them fail and falter, and even saw one turn his back and leave him. This is the way we make disciples and are missional: in messy, convoluted, long, sometimes in-efficient, relationships where God is moving and working.

So yes be efficient, be missional, make disciples. Just make sure that how you do is influenced more by Jesus than anything else.

by Andrew Mills

Homes, Hospitality, and Why Finding Jesus Often Begins Around a Table

540136_22497473Earlier this week I heard a really great story, of how people came out to our church, connected, and had God speak to them. It was very moving to hear about how God was working in their lives, and it got me really excited.

This is wonderful and beautiful, and there is something powerful that happens when the church gathers together. And it’s my honest hope that whenever we gather together as a community that life change happens, that people experience God, and that new life is found. But here is the interesting thing this life change for these people didn’t begin in our church, it began in a home.

You see long before these people were ever invited to church, they were invited into a home of someone a part of our church. Long before they ever crossed the door into our church building, they were welcomed into a home many times. Long before they ever heard me share on grace and life, they saw a friend demonstrate grace and life to them.

So the point is that if we want to see life change, the church is important, but let us not forget about our homes. Because I believe that change often starts in the home with hospitality. When people, as the church, practice hospitality it sparks transformation. When we invite friends, neighbors, and co-workers into our circles sharing grace, trust and hope, this is where life change begins. I absolutely believe we all need to be connected to a local community. I just know it often begins with being connected around a table, a meal, and a cup of coffee first.

So invite people to join in your church. Invite people to join with Jesus in what he is doing. Just don’t forget one of the first steps…to invite them over to your house first.

by Andrew Mills

Duty is Dying Love

1407388_63124442On Sunday we started walking through the book of Revelation. We began with the first letter written to Ephesus in Revelation 2:1-7. In it Jesus speaks highly about the orthodoxy and the beliefs of the church. Yet he holds one complaint against them, “you don’t love me or each other as you did”.

Love in Ephesus has cooled. Love is slowing, and their hearts are turning harder. While Jesus praises them for their right actions, he isn’t just looking for right actions he wants their heart.

Because the truth is that when love cools in any relationship doing our duty doesn’t last. Duty is depleted love. Duty is drowned love. Duty is dying love. And once the love dies there won’t be enough left to sustain the relationship.

So Jesus says to the church, and to us in any relationship where love is dying – start again! Start again! Go back to the things you did at first. Remember why you started this relationship in the first place. Stop doing things just out of duty, and start doing them out of gratitude, grace, and a desire to care in the relationship.

And as Lent starts on Wednesday I think this is a good time to reflect on our relationship with Jesus. Are there areas that have cooled? Are there areas of duty where love should abound? If so, how can you go back to the beginning and regain love? What actions can you start and what new attitudes can you bring to old actions?

Because one thing is clear: duty isn’t the same as love. And just as we all want deep love in our relationships so does Jesus…

Sermon Notes:

Big Idea: Go back to the things you did at first…

Take Aways…

  • “Anyone who is willing to hear should listen to the Spirit and understand what the Spirit is saying to the churches”
  • We are learning about dying.
  • Its easy for love to slide from a passion, to a duty, to being absent totally.
  • Our connection to Jesus Christ isn’t just based on having right beliefs, but having a right heart.
  • “Our orthodoxy will not save us, our traditions will not save us, our soup kitchens and social programs will not save us; what will save the church is Christ” Joseph Magina
  • Duty is depleted love. Duty is drowned love. Duty is dying love.
  • Go back to the things you did a first
  • “Lord, I don’t love you. I don’t even want to love you. But I do want to want to love you” – Mother Teresa

Adult / Group Discussion Questions: How have you ever experienced the “cooling” of love? What is it that keeps love strong and going? How is your relationship with Jesus? Is it cooling? What are some things you might be able to do to bring life back to the love? Who might be able to help in this?

Discussion Questions for Young Families: Talk about how important it is to put effort into things that matter. Talk about how if your family matters that means putting effort into it too – that if you love someone you show them. Ask them who matters to them and how they can show them love. Help them to carry it out!

Challenge for this Week

Focus on building up your love for Christ

by Andrew Mills

Can I Go to Church Daddy?

Hudson has started getting into this habit. Here is what it is. He keeps asking to go to church.

Now this is a great habit, and no he doesn’t ask to go to church as much as he asks to watch the movie Cars. But he still asks it consistently.

The question for me is…why?

I mean I love our church. It is a huge blessing. It is an amazing place. But I spent a lot of time thinking and wondering why does Hudson keep asking to come to church. This matters to me because I’ve seen and known lots of pastor’s kids who didn’t want to go to church or to be associated with church. So put more succinctly I was wondering: what is it about this church that draws Hudson to it? What is it about these people that make Hudson want to go to church on a Friday morning?

I don’t think it’s just the nursery toys, although he does love the giant Mater that is there. I think the reason he loves to come to church is this: it’s his family.

You see on Sunday I saw how a dad here chased Hudson around for 15 minutes playing with him. I saw how older people in our congregation gave him cookie, after cookie, after cookie. I saw how people talked with him, helped him, and even saved him from falling overtop a chair (our little boy is a big climber). People picked him up, laughed with him, and asked him about Asher.

In essence, I saw people care. I saw people include him into the church family. And this is what makes church beautiful. Because church isn’t a building, but a people who welcome others.

This is what the church is to be: a family that welcomes. And this is why I love our church, and why I know Hudson wants to be there. Because people make him feel special and a part of things and our church does this not just with Hudson but with others too. I’ve seen parents showing off their new baby, I’ve seen seniors down on the floor playing with new kids, I’ve seen teenagers watching other people’s kids so that the parents can talk and connect. And this is a beautiful thing.

So I know why Hudson wants to go to church…because it’s a place he belongs. And I hope you too feel like you belong, because Jesus is clear, in his Kingdom, if we follow him we all belong…

by Andrew Mills

Halloween, Hospitality, and the Theological Significance of Front Doors

Did you know what some of the first Christians we’re most know for? Radical hospitality.

This is something I think we should recapture. Because this is my honest belief: that the front door of our homes can invite and welcome people into the heart of the church. That when we invite and welcome people into our homes, and lives we are inviting people into the heart of the church. Because the church isn’t a building, it is a people. So when we as Christians, part of the body of Christ, practice radical hospitality we are not just inviting people into our homes but inviting people to experience church, Jesus, and God’s kingdom. This is a beautiful thing because I’ve found before people ever cross the doors of the church building where I work, they have often crossed my front door. Before they ever gather to sit and hear God’s story on a Sunday, they have sat on my couch and I’ve heard their story.

So how does this matter on Halloween?

Simple because people are coming to your front door, which can become a doorway to the heart of the church.

So this Halloween practice great hospitality, give out great candy, be warm, be friendly, be giving and generous because the next time a neighbor comes to your front door they might just cross it and eventually become part of the church.

So practice radical hospitality and who knows where it might lead…but my theological guess is it will lead to Jesus…

by Andrew Mills

Being Theologically Corrected by a 2-Year Old

Hudson loves church. It’s possible because our nursery here has better toys than we do at home. Mostly he loves the gigantic Mater that we have here.

But for a while Hudson was very proud that “This is Daddy’s church”. I’m pretty sure he thinks I own the building. He would also point and say, “Daddy’s church, daddy’s church, daddy’s church”. I tried to explain that I didn’t own the church but he kept at it.

Then one day it all shifted.

We drove into church on a Sunday and I said to him, “Look Hudson, is this Daddy’s church?” And he looks at me like I was so silly and he says in his most important voice. “No Daddy, this not Daddy’s church. This Hudson’s church. This Hudson’s church. Mine”. And with that he ran into the church, into my office, and climbed into my desk chair.

But here’s the thing – he’s right. The church isn’t mine. I belong to it, but so does he. The church is a people we belong to. And Hudson belongs to this family just as much as I do. So when he says, “No Daddy, it’s Hudson’s church” he is right because in his little mind he is trying to tell me this is part of his life too. Hudson is right, this is his church, and it belongs to everyone who decides to follow Jesus with this community. So as a dad, a pastor, but mostly as a Christian I couldn’t be more excited that Hudson has realized this is his church too. Hudson has made the shift from going to church, to believing he is a part of it.

For you though do you feel the same sense of ownership, partnership and belonging in your church? Because I think we should. In whatever church we are a part of we should be proud like Hudson to say, “this is my church.”

Now of course it could be that he just love’s the Mater toy that’s there. As a dad, but even more as a Christian, I have to believe something deeper is going on.  I believe he said “No Daddy, it’s Hudson’s church” because he knows he belongs here. And you know what – he’s right…

by Andrew Mills

Failing Communities = Failing Churches

Here is a general rule I live by:

If your church is doing well and your town isn’t; your church is not doing well.

The point is that the church can’t grow and thrive as the community that surrounds it and supports it fails. If the church is growing but your neighbors are drowning in debt, depression and difficulty, the church isn’t really growing.

  • The church cannot be doing well, if our neighbors are struggling.
  • The church cannot be doing well, if the youth of the town aren’t valued.
  • The church cannot be doing well, if single mothers across the street aren’t loved.
  • The church cannot be doing well, if people don’t know one another’s name…

The point for me is to change our perspective. My goal isn’t to have our church grow massive; but to have a deep impact in the people and places that we are a part of. My goal isn’t for the church to be the biggest church in the area but to truly be the church to the area; meaning that we bring life, love, and grace to people needing it.

I think this is what Jesus gets at when he calls the church salt. Salt is supposed to change things. It’s supposed to preserve good things, enhance flavor, and bring out great taste. This is what the church is to do too. So today why not bring a little flavor and life to your community. Help a neighbour, start a conversation, invite someone over for coffee…

Because I think the reverse of my rule is true too. If your community is being filled with grace, life, God’s love, and is doing well…then your church is doing well too…

by Andrew Mills

What’s Best About Our Church…

A few weeks ago at church I asked us to fill out a survey about our church. I was looking for feedback on our strengths and areas that we could improve. Some of the best answers though came from the question, “What is the best thing about PEMC”. So what I did was break down all the answers into word, and put into a wordle (which is the cool graphic below).

So if you attend our church my guess is that some of these words are the reasons. And if you don’t attend our church now you can know a bit about what the flavor is like here.

Church’s are meant to be a blessing to others. And this church has been a blessing to me. But regardless of whatever church you attend why not be a blessing back to your church? Take a moment and write to your leadership, your pastor, or person who you serve with sharing with them why you love them and the church. Share a blessing to the people and place who have blessed you…

Wordle: What PEMC Is...

by Andrew Mills