Because You Asked: “What Do We Do Here and Now?”

Here’s where we were Monday, because you asked —

I believe Christ is calling us forward. As your directing pastor, I believe God’s inviting us into a future that’s even better than our rich past. Moving forward together, three things are significant:

1. I believe Christ is calling us to pursue what matters.
2. I believe Christ is calling us to go into the community.
3. I believe Christ is calling us to take on the greatest needs of our day.

Or, to shuffle those around, “Community Needs Matter.”

And here’s where we were Wednesday —

How dare I say these 3 things ( Pursue What Matters…Go into The Community…Take on The Greatest Needs of Our Day…or even more simply, Community Needs Matter)?

Because I know 3 things:

1. I know the Christ who tells us — US — in The Book of Acts 1:8 — “You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” That includes Effingham…our neighborhood.

2. I know you.

3.  I know why we’re here: so we can know Christ better…grow in Christ, both deeper taller…and more clearly show Christ. And because I know you, I know that that you want to become the difference Christ is calling you to become.

And so here’s where we are today —

I next referenced the Table of Contents of from Thom Rainer’s book I Am a Church Member  —

But where do we start? What do we do here and now? I invite you to take Thom’s Table of Contents as the basis of a self inventory. So, is each statement True or False for you? And if one is False, what do you need to change to make it True?

1. I am a functioning part of Centenary.
2. I am a unifying part of Centenary.
3. Centenary is about more than my preferences and desires.
4. I pray for all of Centenary’s leaders.
5. I help everyone in my family be healthy members of Centenary.
6. I treasure Centenary as a gift.