Overflowing Relationships

We were talking about why we are pursuing the idea of Church Planting on Sunday and we were talking about one of our core values, Overflowing Relationships. One of the reasons we plant Churches is because it develops grows those kinds of relationships. It seems counterintuitive, and yet, when is it that you become most closely connected with other people? The obvious answer is that you become most connected when you are on task with like minded people. That is why Church is never a spectator sport and why great relationships in the Church don't happen just because people are in the same general vicinity. Rather we grow relationships as we labor together in the gospel. The gospel is the high calling, overflowing relationships result. But because the gospel of Christ has preeminence, we can take the great relationships we have and make the changes necessary to see many more partake of the gospel of grace...even if it hurts relationally.

Staying on mission/staying on task:

• Won't always be easy
• Won't always feel good
• Will bring glory to God

We have what it takes. Not because of anything good in us, but because everything good and necessary is in our Savior.

Responding to God

As we get closer to a launch of a Church Plant from our midst in Melrose, it seems that the concerns go higher as well. One of the things I would encourage us to see is that while things will be different, it will also be a time of blessing as we are obedient to what God has called to do. At the same time I want to encourage whatever questions there may be or concerns that you may have as it is different than anything you have been around before. Someday Church Planting is going to be the norm and we are going to have many different expressions of Church and they are going to look different, but for now it isn't normal and it raises concern. So ask.

Some thoughts on Responding to God from Acts 13 & 14:

• Church leadership needs to focus first on its devotion to God
• Church Planting is God's idea
• Listening to the Spirit's leading starts with God's Word
• When He says go it is only a question of obedience after that
• It has always been God's desire to see Churches multiply their efforts
• Obeying God's will doesn't necessarily make it easy (note Paul's time in Lystra)
• All the results of obedience are to be directed to God alone
• All glory is due Him
• The stories we will tell will source from actions of faith
• I have a dream...

Worship team was fantastic this morning...I love you guys!

Equipping Followers

I was encouraged to share a little more about the 'why' of Church Planting. We are in the place of privilege to be planting another Church so close by that is going to cost us so much. God is going to bless both here and there. Let's pray and believe God for it?

Some other thoughts:

• I loved the story of the guys who got jumped by the evil spirit. You can't fake ministry in Jesus name for long before you get called on it!
• I recently heard Tony Campolo say that the consumer minded church is going to be the reason for the continual decline of the Church. It is not about what you can get!
• The best place for learning to walk with Jesus will never be the classroom.
• The value of the classroom (the hall of Tyrannus) is as a place to come back to after being out ministering the gospel to people.
• Why do we get so concerned about the possibility of young Christians promoting a heresy?
• Heresy can be corrected in the context of a relationship.
• I would rather straighten out some wrong thinking than to have to light a fire under somebody to get out and do something.
• I am begging God to get us to the point of getting past 'polite' confession so that we can lay it all out before Him!
• That is going to require a move of the Spirit among us.
• Why is it so easy to 'talk tough' in the Worship service, and so difficult to go out and be the hands and feet of Jesus in the marketplace?
• Lead somebody...don't tell me you don't know enough! You do!!!

Let's go Melrose, let's go Sauk Centre. The place for us to do the equipping necessary is in the battle and the battle is raging around us. Let's get out there and engage the battle!

Thoughts on Sunday

I have been thinking about our time together this past Sunday and wanted to make a couple of observations:

• I love looking around the room during the 'Fellowship Worship' time (crying, hugging, laughter, connections, appointments being set up...I love it!)
• It is always a thrill to open God's Word with you
• The time is right for our current sermon series "Why Plant Churches'
• Melrose is ripe for a fresh infusion of the gospel...go proclaim Jesus!
• I sense a recognition that it won't always be easy or feel good, but that we are heading in the direction of God's desire
• Our best days are yet ahead!

We have three more weeks of exploring the answer to the question "Why Plant Churches". I hope you can join us for the discussion.