Tuesday Edition

The office took off for Memorial Day so my Monday Morning Report is a day late.  However, I sat down yesterday morning to write this post because of all the excitement from the day before.

Let's start with worship.  There was an excitement we haven't seen in some time.  This wasn't just based on my own observation, but comments, phone calls, texts, and Facebook messages I received all day Sunday.  Many mentioned how uplifting the song service had been - the song selection and duo song leaders.  It really wasn't about Lex and myself, while we were thrilled to be a part of it, but how the songs touched the spirit of the church.  One of the few times EVER in my years of preaching, a visitor told me they would be back because of the singing (and they were a young family).

Speaking of visitors, we had a ton of them.  In Coffee Connection alone, we had two new families.  Both had small children and both were blown away with our children's ministry.  Two other young families were back and spoke highly of the program.  We are experiencing something special right now.  God is sending prospects our way, and most of them are young families with children.  I firmly believe if you put the work into something, that the Lord will send people our way.  One young family told me they came yesterday because they were driving by our building and his wife said, "Let's visit this church."  Coincidence?  Maybe.  Sent by God?  Highly probable.  We are getting a lot of this type of thing right now.

Anytime there is growth Satan will always try to find ways to stop it.  He uses criticism, bad attitudes, tradition, and the easier way, to name a few.  Don't get me wrong, there will be growing pains.  Our children ministry has more than doubled.  We have had a massive influx of 2 and 3 year olds.  We have people attending who have little or no knowledge of the Bible.  These types of things create frustration for some.  This is where we must show patience.

So what can we do?  Find a place to plug in.  The bulletin and weekly emails are constantly asking for volunteers in many areas.  Also, keep the ultimate goal in mind - bringing the lost to Christ.  We are not here to serve ourselves.  You may like something another way, because that is the way it has always been done, but unless you have Scripture to back it up you must support what is working best and approved by the leadership.  If you don't like something keep it to yourself.  Negative comments do nothing but stifle the work of Christ in the church.  Also, reach out to our visitors.  Invite them to lunch, have them over to your home, talk with them when they visit.  Don't be picky with who you will greet and who you won't greet.  Don't just roll out the red carpet for those who are "like you."  Show the true spirit of Christ.

God is doing something special, it's time we step up as a church and support the work of Christ.