How would that change your life?
We will be continuing our look into "Hearing Gods Voice" tonight at the service.
The girls have some wonderful music, several new songs and we will share in communion.
Come gather with us. Your renewed life is waiting for you.
See tonight at 6:30. Love, Pastor Kent
Sunday, August 11, 2013
Thursday, August 8, 2013
New Cars and the Church.......?
Here is the problem. Churches are failing to reach the unchurched and that is really why we are in business right? I have scoured the internet looking for statistics and I have found a few but I'm not sure of their validity so let me just go with my personal observation.
For the most part churches attract Christians, people who are already believers. And new churches like ours many times attract believers away from existing churches. That is not what church is supposed to be about. We are in the business of bringing the good news of Jesus to people who really don't know Him. But how in the world can we do that when non believers aren't interested in church?
Here is what the common model is. "Build it and they will come!" Build what? Well a modern nice facility that has a stage, wonderful concert type lighting, great music, serve Starbucks coffee in the lobby, offer an array of children's programs, adult small group programs and give a message that is easy to understand that is more like a motivational seminar than a sermon by a guy or a gal dressed in casual clothes. The problem is, even though "some" of these types of churches are growing. They are not attracting the unchurched. They are instead attracting people away from small more traditional churches that are declining in membership.
So what we have is a society of believers that are for the most part staying about the same in number, just moving from one facility to another. If my observations and these surveys are true then the church is failing miserably at its mission of reaching the unchurched. That is why I said in one of my posts a couple of days ago if we looked at our operations from a business analysis we are extremely inefficient and our business model is failing.
Now before some of you decide to throw me overboard let me also add that church does play a vital roll in Christian development. I get that and I am 100% for continuing to do that. But the problem of reaching the unchurched is real and so far it is not being solved as far as I can see.
So What about the title of this post "New Cars and the Church?"
Maybe this will shed some light on our situation. For those of you that still get the newspapers let me ask you something, "How many of you look through all the car ads that are usually in the paper?"
Think about the answer. You only look at the ads "IF" you are interested in buying a car otherwise you probably never give it one second of your time. All those papers, all those hundreds of cars available and you look right past them.
Now let me ask you another question. "How many unchurched people do you think wake up each day and say to themselves,"Wow, I hope a new church with wonderful music, a cool pastor, and a great place to have coffee shows up in my neighborhood or sends me a mailer soon?"
Church is probably the furthest thing from the unchurched persons mind. So how in the world can we get the unchurched interested in what we offer? The answer is found in the bible. In the book of Acts the Holy Spirit came into the believers and they "went out" and professed the good news all over town. They did so with power because they had the Good News inside of them. It was real and it had changed their life. They had been changed by the power of the Holy Spirit. They went out into the market place and into their work place and told everyone about what Jesus had accomplished. He had overcome death. He was alive and was available to everyone who believed. In other words they went out and "INVITED" people to find out more about the Good News that had changed their life.
As I see it, that is where Christianity is failing today. We aren't sure about the "Good News" ourselves because if we really had it and believed it, we would be out shouting it from the roof tops that there is a better way to live. We would tell everyone we met that there is a solution to your heartaches, your disappointments, your sorrows, and your fears. We have the answer to a whole new life and you don't have to pay $150 for a one day seminar to learn the "Secret" we have it and it is free for the asking!
Do you have the Good News living inside of you? If not then we need to talk. If not then you need to come to service this coming Sunday. If not then you need to go to God and ask Him to empower you with His Holy Spirit. If you do, and I hope that is the case, then reach out to someone who may need to hear the Good News and bring them to church with you this Sunday. Let us all have a chance to love some brand new people. People who just don't get church....yet. People who haven't developed a relationship with Jesus....yet.
The Good News is real! He is waiting for you to commit to Him. He has an amazing plan for your life.
Love, Pastor Kent See you Sunday!
For the most part churches attract Christians, people who are already believers. And new churches like ours many times attract believers away from existing churches. That is not what church is supposed to be about. We are in the business of bringing the good news of Jesus to people who really don't know Him. But how in the world can we do that when non believers aren't interested in church?
Here is what the common model is. "Build it and they will come!" Build what? Well a modern nice facility that has a stage, wonderful concert type lighting, great music, serve Starbucks coffee in the lobby, offer an array of children's programs, adult small group programs and give a message that is easy to understand that is more like a motivational seminar than a sermon by a guy or a gal dressed in casual clothes. The problem is, even though "some" of these types of churches are growing. They are not attracting the unchurched. They are instead attracting people away from small more traditional churches that are declining in membership.
So what we have is a society of believers that are for the most part staying about the same in number, just moving from one facility to another. If my observations and these surveys are true then the church is failing miserably at its mission of reaching the unchurched. That is why I said in one of my posts a couple of days ago if we looked at our operations from a business analysis we are extremely inefficient and our business model is failing.
Now before some of you decide to throw me overboard let me also add that church does play a vital roll in Christian development. I get that and I am 100% for continuing to do that. But the problem of reaching the unchurched is real and so far it is not being solved as far as I can see.
So What about the title of this post "New Cars and the Church?"
Maybe this will shed some light on our situation. For those of you that still get the newspapers let me ask you something, "How many of you look through all the car ads that are usually in the paper?"
Think about the answer. You only look at the ads "IF" you are interested in buying a car otherwise you probably never give it one second of your time. All those papers, all those hundreds of cars available and you look right past them.
Now let me ask you another question. "How many unchurched people do you think wake up each day and say to themselves,"Wow, I hope a new church with wonderful music, a cool pastor, and a great place to have coffee shows up in my neighborhood or sends me a mailer soon?"
Church is probably the furthest thing from the unchurched persons mind. So how in the world can we get the unchurched interested in what we offer? The answer is found in the bible. In the book of Acts the Holy Spirit came into the believers and they "went out" and professed the good news all over town. They did so with power because they had the Good News inside of them. It was real and it had changed their life. They had been changed by the power of the Holy Spirit. They went out into the market place and into their work place and told everyone about what Jesus had accomplished. He had overcome death. He was alive and was available to everyone who believed. In other words they went out and "INVITED" people to find out more about the Good News that had changed their life.
As I see it, that is where Christianity is failing today. We aren't sure about the "Good News" ourselves because if we really had it and believed it, we would be out shouting it from the roof tops that there is a better way to live. We would tell everyone we met that there is a solution to your heartaches, your disappointments, your sorrows, and your fears. We have the answer to a whole new life and you don't have to pay $150 for a one day seminar to learn the "Secret" we have it and it is free for the asking!
Do you have the Good News living inside of you? If not then we need to talk. If not then you need to come to service this coming Sunday. If not then you need to go to God and ask Him to empower you with His Holy Spirit. If you do, and I hope that is the case, then reach out to someone who may need to hear the Good News and bring them to church with you this Sunday. Let us all have a chance to love some brand new people. People who just don't get church....yet. People who haven't developed a relationship with Jesus....yet.
The Good News is real! He is waiting for you to commit to Him. He has an amazing plan for your life.
Love, Pastor Kent See you Sunday!
Tuesday, August 6, 2013
Right Now!
I know it's Tuesday. Things are crazy and hectic. Your schedule is packed, and already there are a weeks worth of problems to solve ASAP! But did you know in this very moment God is with you and can use you in the thick of all this stuff?
Today, right now, ask God to open your eyes and ears so that you will recognize how He can use you right where you are right now for His purpose so that He may be glorified.
Oh and by the way, when you pray this prayer....get ready because God loves a willing servant!
I can't wait to hear from some of you and the stories you will have!
God has a great adventure for all of us, BUT we must tune in to His coaching.
See you this Sunday Love, Pastor Kent
Today, right now, ask God to open your eyes and ears so that you will recognize how He can use you right where you are right now for His purpose so that He may be glorified.
Oh and by the way, when you pray this prayer....get ready because God loves a willing servant!
I can't wait to hear from some of you and the stories you will have!
God has a great adventure for all of us, BUT we must tune in to His coaching.
See you this Sunday Love, Pastor Kent
Sunday, August 4, 2013
Church?
Bonni and I just came back from lunch and as usual I found myself thinking about God and our religious practices today. What I found interesting as we passed two churches on the way home, was that both were very nice buildings on very nice kept property yet both very empty. Their parking lots were also completely empty. I know it's 2:00 in the afternoon but we also went past the cinema 12 theater and guess what? ....... The parking lot was almost full which tells me the theater was also almost full.
Now I am not against theaters, or having fun, nor am I suggesting anything except that I am observing where our society as a whole has placed their priority of God. For the most part God has been placed into a time slot on a calendar.
As I continue to wrestle with God and what Praise Community Fellowship needs to accomplish for His Kingdom I want you to think about a few things. When Jesus walked the earth he had what I call Kingdom meetings. But His meetings were very impromptu. He met people at the seashore, in the market place, by the well, in the desert, at someones home, and yes sometimes in the temple. They were never announced ahead of time but rather happened spontaneously as the Spirit prompted Him.
I think Jesus was demonstrating how He wanted His followers to put His teachings into practice. He wanted us to live what He taught and profess it everywhere in all circumstances.
Here is what I have a hard time getting around in my mind. We currently have two members of our congregation on the other side of the world in a place called Zambia. It is one small country amongst many in the world that has immense poverty, starvation, and disease. The saddest part of this plight for the Zambian people and others who were born in poor countries is that it is totally fixable.
So why isn't it being fixed? The bottom line answer is,"Because the gospel of Jesus has not yet reached enough hearts!" Forget politics, racial issues, and money issues, the root cause of suffering in this world is caused by not enough hearts being changed by Jesus! Because when Jesus comes into someones heart their life changes. They become filled with Gods love which displaces greed and selfishness. They have a new type of love given to them. The bible says when Jesus comes into your life with His Holy Spirit He will replace your heart of stone and give you a new heart of flesh, the heart of Jesus Himself.
So, knowing that the primary issue in the world is lack of Jesus in peoples hearts, my question to all of you reading this blog is, "What can we at Praise Community Fellowship do to help get more hearts changed for Jesus since that is what will bring about the greatest impact, healing, and change in this world? How can we meet in an efficient and effective way and still accomplish the Great Commission?
Should we build a big, grand, wonderful sanctuary?
Should we try to collect more money for missions?
Should we start meeting every Sunday?
Should we have more bible studies?
Should we Start having Sunday school for the youngsters?
Should we start a youth program?
I know that I have mentioned this before but if you took the budgets of all the churches in this town alone, you would probably have well over $1,000,000 per year. And MOST of that money is not going to spread the good news of Jesus throughout the world but to keep the doors open on these buildings.
Yes people show up at the buildings and Jesus is being taught there but is this being efficient for Christ? I mean if you had a team of business experts look at the model of most churches and what it costs to do business, do you think that the business experts would approve of the expense ratios most churches have based on how many hearts are actually being changed for God? My bet is the business experts would say, "Shut it down, You are way too inefficient!"
So what's the answer? That is the million dollar question of which at this time I have no good solution. God is definitely calling us to preach the Gospel to the world. But I think it is also very important as to how we go about it.
How can we change tradition to become more effective for Christ?
Here is what I know for sure. I currently do not have the answer but with God all things are possible. I want Praise Community Fellowship to be extraordinarily effective for Jesus!
Have a great Sunday and let God's Holy Spirit change your life into something extrodinary!
Please remember Laurie Frey and Jeannie Trimmer and all members of the African Vision of Hope team in your prayers. See you all soon, Love Pastor Kent
Now I am not against theaters, or having fun, nor am I suggesting anything except that I am observing where our society as a whole has placed their priority of God. For the most part God has been placed into a time slot on a calendar.
As I continue to wrestle with God and what Praise Community Fellowship needs to accomplish for His Kingdom I want you to think about a few things. When Jesus walked the earth he had what I call Kingdom meetings. But His meetings were very impromptu. He met people at the seashore, in the market place, by the well, in the desert, at someones home, and yes sometimes in the temple. They were never announced ahead of time but rather happened spontaneously as the Spirit prompted Him.
I think Jesus was demonstrating how He wanted His followers to put His teachings into practice. He wanted us to live what He taught and profess it everywhere in all circumstances.
Here is what I have a hard time getting around in my mind. We currently have two members of our congregation on the other side of the world in a place called Zambia. It is one small country amongst many in the world that has immense poverty, starvation, and disease. The saddest part of this plight for the Zambian people and others who were born in poor countries is that it is totally fixable.
So why isn't it being fixed? The bottom line answer is,"Because the gospel of Jesus has not yet reached enough hearts!" Forget politics, racial issues, and money issues, the root cause of suffering in this world is caused by not enough hearts being changed by Jesus! Because when Jesus comes into someones heart their life changes. They become filled with Gods love which displaces greed and selfishness. They have a new type of love given to them. The bible says when Jesus comes into your life with His Holy Spirit He will replace your heart of stone and give you a new heart of flesh, the heart of Jesus Himself.
So, knowing that the primary issue in the world is lack of Jesus in peoples hearts, my question to all of you reading this blog is, "What can we at Praise Community Fellowship do to help get more hearts changed for Jesus since that is what will bring about the greatest impact, healing, and change in this world? How can we meet in an efficient and effective way and still accomplish the Great Commission?
Should we build a big, grand, wonderful sanctuary?
Should we try to collect more money for missions?
Should we start meeting every Sunday?
Should we have more bible studies?
Should we Start having Sunday school for the youngsters?
Should we start a youth program?
I know that I have mentioned this before but if you took the budgets of all the churches in this town alone, you would probably have well over $1,000,000 per year. And MOST of that money is not going to spread the good news of Jesus throughout the world but to keep the doors open on these buildings.
Yes people show up at the buildings and Jesus is being taught there but is this being efficient for Christ? I mean if you had a team of business experts look at the model of most churches and what it costs to do business, do you think that the business experts would approve of the expense ratios most churches have based on how many hearts are actually being changed for God? My bet is the business experts would say, "Shut it down, You are way too inefficient!"
So what's the answer? That is the million dollar question of which at this time I have no good solution. God is definitely calling us to preach the Gospel to the world. But I think it is also very important as to how we go about it.
How can we change tradition to become more effective for Christ?
Here is what I know for sure. I currently do not have the answer but with God all things are possible. I want Praise Community Fellowship to be extraordinarily effective for Jesus!
Have a great Sunday and let God's Holy Spirit change your life into something extrodinary!
Please remember Laurie Frey and Jeannie Trimmer and all members of the African Vision of Hope team in your prayers. See you all soon, Love Pastor Kent
Saturday, August 3, 2013
The Holy Spirit is Speaking
I have been bothered and prompted to clarify what I tried to say in a post I made on August 1st. Here is a copy of that post,
"My guess is that there are many people today who have misguided ideas about what it means to be a Christian. As a matter of fact I bet there are many Christians who have misguided ideas about what being a Christian is. Hey, I may be one of them!
But there is something that I do believe gets lost in all our preaching, teaching and doctrine. And that is, "It is not what you know that will get you to heaven, but Who you know!" It's really that simple.
It's about a relationship. A close, loving relationship with "The way, The Truth, and The life!
"My guess is that there are many people today who have misguided ideas about what it means to be a Christian. As a matter of fact I bet there are many Christians who have misguided ideas about what being a Christian is. Hey, I may be one of them!
But there is something that I do believe gets lost in all our preaching, teaching and doctrine. And that is, "It is not what you know that will get you to heaven, but Who you know!" It's really that simple.
It's about a relationship. A close, loving relationship with "The way, The Truth, and The life!
The Holy Spirit will not leave me alone about this post so let me clarify and correct my statement. It definitely does matter what you know about God and Jesus and what Jesus taught. My intent was to say that having a close intimate relationship with Jesus is vital to opening the doors to Gods Kingdom but one must also have knowledge of His teachings to be able to be effective for His Kingdom here and now. So I stand corrected. It is very important to me that I listen to the Holy Spirit so that I can become an effective pastor. None of us can be an effective Christian without the help and guidance of the Holy Spirit.
Sometimes my desire to help people find the reality and power of God is so powerful that I run ahead of the Spirits prompting and that is never good.
I pray that this, what appears to be a gloomy Saturday morning, turns into a glorious day for you and those you love.
The truth of the matter is, if you could get into a jet plane and fly up high enough above the clouds, the sun is shining brightly right now. So even if your life circumstances may seem gloomy at this moment know that above that gloom is the bright shining love of God. He is here. He has a plan for you and for me. But we must take the time and the energy to tune in. I will be posting a special Sunday edition tomorrow since we will not be gathering. But know this, you are loved, God is real, there is a plan for you and our beautiful little church, and you have the ability to become "powerfully significant" in someones spiritual growth.
A prayer of faith for today. "God, please help me to hear your voice. Let me experience the joy of being able to be your messenger to someone who has a need that I can fill. Fill me with your Holy Spirit so that my Spiritual eyes and ears will recognize the path you have for my life. In Jesus name, Amen.
See you soon, Love Pastor Kent
Friday, August 2, 2013
The Jesus Experiment :
John 13:35
35 By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.
Are you a diciple of Christ?
Do you want to be known as a disciple of Christ? If you do then this weeks practice verse is simple and to the point.
Have a blessed weekend! See you all next Sunday. In the mean time, spend some time getting to know God.
Love, Pastor Kent
Thursday, August 1, 2013
Is Being A Christian Difficult?
My guess is that there are many people today who have misguided ideas about what it means to be a Christian. As a matter of fact I bet there are many Christians who have misguided ideas about what being a Christian is. Hey, I may be one of them!
But there is something that I do believe gets lost in all our preaching, teaching and doctrine. And that is, "It is not what you know that will get you to heaven, but Who you know!" It's really that simple.
It's about a relationship. A close, loving relationship with "The way, The Truth, and The life!
Bible study starts tonight at 7:00 at church. We will be looking at the book, "Experiencing God."
God has an amazing plan for your life! See you soon. Love, Pastor Kent
But there is something that I do believe gets lost in all our preaching, teaching and doctrine. And that is, "It is not what you know that will get you to heaven, but Who you know!" It's really that simple.
It's about a relationship. A close, loving relationship with "The way, The Truth, and The life!
Bible study starts tonight at 7:00 at church. We will be looking at the book, "Experiencing God."
God has an amazing plan for your life! See you soon. Love, Pastor Kent
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