(Just in case you did not know....if the text is a different color, it is a hyperlink to another site.)
I like Mark's post on the numbers game. Click here to read it.
I really like what I see at www.change.gov! If you have not seen this yet, you may want to. This site was launched Wednesday morning after the elections. It is going to be interesting to watch how a younger President leverages technology. Is it just me or has he done a LOT of stuff in 4 days?!?!
My friend Ben Rainey sent me this video link. It is a video filmed on October 27th by George Wood who is the General Superintendent of the Assemblies of God. He intentionally filmed this video before the elections. Just like I intentionally prepared my message for tomorrow before the elections. He stole the idea from me. Smile. You can also view the transcript by clicking here. I think that this is some good stuff!! I may just use some of it tomorrow.
The November calendar is up on our website. You can view it here.
3 comments:
I love Paul's statement in 1 Cor 3:6 on planting and watering. I think that is THE seminal verse for church growth. We are meant to be gardeners. Gardeners don't make things grow, they tend gardens. They do everything they can to make sure that the garden is healthy and then let God do the growing.
I've also seen that growth is not just a one dimensional thing. In any healthy church there will be seasons of growth in width (numbers) as well as in depth (discipleship), often alternating. The only true measure of growth is the area (width times depth).
Numbers is the only growth that is easy to measure so, sadly, it is the one that most of us focus on. This becomes a real problem when we focus on it to the exclusion of more important things, like truth and the Word. Turn on the TV and you'll see that it's really easy to grow in numbers - just sell out the Gospel and tell the people what they want to hear.
Gardening is hard work, but it is the only way to bring healthy growth. It also takes lots of patience. But the good news is that God takes care of the really hard work - changing hearts.
Pastors, don't bear a burden you were never meant to bear. Don't try to grow numbers or change hearts; let God do that. Tend your garden - plant seeds, water liberally and pull weeds (un-Biblical ideas). Free yourself from the burden only God can carry and be free to tend your garden with joy.
(Sorry, this one got long.)
ybic
Kevin
BTW, you might want to change your link to:
http://evotional.com/2008/11/numbers-game.html
It links directly to the numbers game post rather than just the blog home page.
Kevin, thanks so much! I REALLY appreciate what you share here. You have been a regular voice to me of this truth! Thank you, thank you.
I actually feel that CCF has been/is in a time of great growth in depth right now. And we needed it.
--Noah
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