- The song service felt good too.
Today’s message “The Great Tribulation – Going From Bad to Worse” was a real hit with a lot of people. It seems like a great many folk have a real interest in what the Bible has to say about these things. Several people commented to me how much they appreciate (and are learning from) this series.
On the other hand, I don’t think ‘everyone’ is all that excited about this series or today’s message. In the first service I was about 5 -7 minutes into the message when a lady and a little girl (who appeared to be about 9-10 years old and was probably the lady’s daughter) got up and slipped out. I guess my opening comments about ½ of the earths population perishing was just too much. Maybe she was concerned about her daughter having nightmares or something. But hey, that’s why we offer children’s church; so we can talk about adult stuff in the adult service.
The most important thing I think I said today was this: “We have a strange relationship with the scriptures. We look at them and say ‘what’s in it for me?’ But sometimes it’s not about us. Sometimes it’s all about God.” That’s why some people don’t like prophecy, hard texts, or the book of Revelation – there’s nothing in it for them. They want to know how Jesus can help them achieve their dreams (kind of like a motivational talk). Ultimately the Bible is a book about God – not us.
I often see people come into our services and act happy during music time…. but when I start teaching God’s Word they will fold their arms over their chest, not pick up their Bible or message guide, and act totally disinterested in what I am saying if I am not talking about something that tastes like caviar.
It’s easy to create a god in our own image – i.e., He’s all love and nothing else. But we should learn to accept God as He has chosen to reveal Himself in scripture. He is also a God of righteousness, holiness, blazing purity, wrath, and justice. Like it or not, He will balance the books at the end of the age.
Baby dedication service November 22nd
Volunteer Appreciation Banquet November 22nd, 5:00 PM, at UWF. It’s going to be a blast!
Baptism service November 29th
This week we will be mailing 16,000 (sixteen thousand) invitation cards to our community. The postcard is something we designed ourselves at PCC. The front cover reads, “God is More Interested in Your Future than Your Past.” The back of the card contains a message of encouragement and an invitation to visit PCC. Usually there is about a 1%-2% response from direct mail, so I would like to ask you to specifically pray that these invitation cards would find the right people who are in pain and are spiritually responsive. There are a lot of suffering people in our community who need God… and PCC is the church that they should be attending. I make no apologies for saying that!
If I could tell you what happens in our church each week – that is, the new people who show up with pain going on in their lives – it would break your heart. There is so much suffering and heartache among people. I am not at liberty to divulge these kinds of details about people on this blog – but trust me, people show up at our church that are at the end of their rope and arrive at our services saying, “I think I will give God a chance.” They are desperate. It is essential that every single person at PCC always be nice, friendly, accommodating, and willing to go the extra mile in serving them. You never know when someone is ‘hanging in the balance.” I really mean that.
I'm thinking about the future effectiveness of PCC. It will take a different kind of church to reach the people in our community that God wants to see saved. I’m not sure what that church looks like, but I am praying to God and thinking about it a lot. Once I get a vision of what it looks like, I will try to instill this vision in others, then together we will become that church.
When it comes to the gospel and attempting to impact peoples lives we must aim at TRANSFORMATION, not just information.
Several people committed to Christ today. That’s what heaven rejoices about and is always a good sign for our church.... It's an indication of church health.
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY: A person has not truly committed to Christ unless it is demonstrated by their “living for” Christ. There is a difference, you know. Raising your hand, signing a card, saying the prayer, even answering an altar call are all fine and well. But a person must “see their decision through” to prove its authenticity. Becoming a follower of Christ is not a thirty-second point-of-decision that begins and ends right there. It’s a life transformed.
The weather was fantastic today. Great fall day, and a great day to be in church. No place I would have rather been.
Looking forward to the Volunteer Appreciation Banquet. You are the people who make our church work.
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