Excellence with a Common Purpose
Question: What would happen if each one of us reading this article lived our lives with excellence for a common purpose? How would your life change?
How would your marriage relationship change if you and your spouse lived for a common purpose – only doing each and every task with excellence? How would your relationship with your children change if you lived by excellence with a common purpose? And what about the church? How would it change if every member lived by excellence with a common purpose? If the Pastor lived this way, worked this way, taught this way, preached this way? What if the choir sang this way? The greeters greeted this way? The ministry teams did ministry this way? Would there be a difference?
To live by excellence means to do everything we do to the very best standard – not just to our ability. To live by excellence means to strive to perform at a higher level in everything we do. To live by excellence means to aim higher, to live with greater distinction, quality, merit. To live by excellence means to no longer live with mediocrity. And what if we lived with a common purpose? Would that make a difference in our relationships? Paul says we are to live by watching out of the needs of others. (Phil. 2:4) In Acts 6:1-7 we read about how the church was mobilized for the first time to meet the needs of those who were suffering. The early church always moved with a common purpose.
We have a purpose at FCC in Gurnee – to be a community of intentional grace where people are loved, accepted and forgiven. What if every one of us in the church lived by excellence with this common purpose? What if we used our gifts to love God and love others? Accepted people as they really are with judgment or condemnation? And forgave as Jesus forgave?
I love this phrase. Why is this important? Because I believe that what you and I do here on this world today makes a difference for eternity and I am committing today as your Pastor to live this way beginning now.
See you Sunday!
Pastor David
http://www.disciplesgurnee.org/
Monday, October 18, 2010
Wednesday, August 4, 2010
Pursuing Love: 15 Minutes to a Better Life
15 minutes a day to change your life.
That is all it takes to start developing the mind of Christ in you. So many of you have told me that you want to be better followers of Jesus, that you want to know God’s will for your life, that you want to know the one who can change your life for the better. I have heard all the excuses, I know all the reasons you can’t, now I am telling you that you can. And all it will take is 15 minutes a day.
In 15 minutes a day you can set the stage for a better day. In 15 minutes a day you can prepare your heart to be open to helping others. In 15 minutes aday you can change your attitude, your financial status, your hopes and dreams. In 15 minutes a day you can change the world by changing your world. And it all starts as soon as you say I have 15 minutes!
This is because God’s word is living. It has a life of its own through you. It lives and moves inside you. This is because God’s word is powerful – able tochange the worst ones life for the good. This is because God’s word is penetrating - touching the deepest part of your life. This is because God’s word is discerning – able to tell you between good and evil, right and wrong, best and better.
The challenge to you is the 15 minutes. Do you think a better life is worth 15 minutes? Do you think a stronger faith is worth 15 minutes a day? Will you accept the challenge to spend 15 minutes a day in reading your bible. For the next 5 weeks you won’t even have to decide what to read – I will give you that. This first week I want you to read Matthew 5 - 7.
That’s all. 3 chapters. Spend 15 minutes every day reading it. Let it soak into your soul, let it fill your mind. and let it change your life.
See you here next week -
Your Pastor Dude
Gurnee First Christian Church (Disciples of Christ)
That is all it takes to start developing the mind of Christ in you. So many of you have told me that you want to be better followers of Jesus, that you want to know God’s will for your life, that you want to know the one who can change your life for the better. I have heard all the excuses, I know all the reasons you can’t, now I am telling you that you can. And all it will take is 15 minutes a day.
In 15 minutes a day you can set the stage for a better day. In 15 minutes a day you can prepare your heart to be open to helping others. In 15 minutes aday you can change your attitude, your financial status, your hopes and dreams. In 15 minutes a day you can change the world by changing your world. And it all starts as soon as you say I have 15 minutes!
This is because God’s word is living. It has a life of its own through you. It lives and moves inside you. This is because God’s word is powerful – able tochange the worst ones life for the good. This is because God’s word is penetrating - touching the deepest part of your life. This is because God’s word is discerning – able to tell you between good and evil, right and wrong, best and better.
The challenge to you is the 15 minutes. Do you think a better life is worth 15 minutes? Do you think a stronger faith is worth 15 minutes a day? Will you accept the challenge to spend 15 minutes a day in reading your bible. For the next 5 weeks you won’t even have to decide what to read – I will give you that. This first week I want you to read Matthew 5 - 7.
That’s all. 3 chapters. Spend 15 minutes every day reading it. Let it soak into your soul, let it fill your mind. and let it change your life.
See you here next week -
Your Pastor Dude
Gurnee First Christian Church (Disciples of Christ)
Tuesday, April 27, 2010
What are we living for?
Make sure the thing you’re living for
is worth dying for.
– Charles Mayes
Found this quote and wondered what you were living for. What I am living for. What we are living for together.
Its a great question isn’t it? Can you think about that for a minute. Can you think about this question for a minute every day this week? Answers for this question I believe will change how we live our lives together. Are we living for ourselves? Our jobs? Our bank accounts? Our children? Our God? I want to know the answer to this question because how you answer this question determines how you will live! It is as simple as that.
If you are living for the love of others – you will love others. If you live for your bank account – you will live to make it grow. And if you are living for Jesus – you will live doing it what it takes to make Jesus your primary reason.
This week – check out Luke 18:18-30 and try answering the question. Send me an e-mail or a note to let me know what it is your are living for.
See you on the journey!
Wednesday, April 7, 2010
Easter Came, Easter Went - So What?
Easter has come and gone and I am left to ask my annual question. "So what?"
Every year I am left with the question - shouldn't there have been more? More to the story? More to the end results? More joy? More hope? More forgiveness? More love?
Jesus lived for us, suffered for us, died for us and was raised for us. Shouldn't it have mattered more? Then I am reminded that the "more" part has to do with our response.
Jesus lived- does it make a difference in how we live?
Jesus suffered-does it make a difference in how we treat the suffering in our world?
Jesus died-as a sacrifice for our redemption - do we even know we need redeemed?
Jesus rose from the dead- so we can live. Did we celebrate? Do we celebrate? Do we live accordingly? What are you going to do because he rose from the dead? Do you live life more fully alive because he lives? Do you have more, more joy, more hope, more grace, more love, in your life as a result?
Praise be to God - for you get to choose more!
Pursuing love - with you!
Your Pastordude!
Every year I am left with the question - shouldn't there have been more? More to the story? More to the end results? More joy? More hope? More forgiveness? More love?
Jesus lived for us, suffered for us, died for us and was raised for us. Shouldn't it have mattered more? Then I am reminded that the "more" part has to do with our response.
Jesus lived- does it make a difference in how we live?
Jesus suffered-does it make a difference in how we treat the suffering in our world?
Jesus died-as a sacrifice for our redemption - do we even know we need redeemed?
Jesus rose from the dead- so we can live. Did we celebrate? Do we celebrate? Do we live accordingly? What are you going to do because he rose from the dead? Do you live life more fully alive because he lives? Do you have more, more joy, more hope, more grace, more love, in your life as a result?
Praise be to God - for you get to choose more!
Pursuing love - with you!
Your Pastordude!
Monday, March 1, 2010
Pursuing Love - Pursuing Jesus
Who is Jesus?
One of my favorite books and movies is the Tolkien triology Lord of the Rings . I love it it because it is a great epic - a story for all of the ages, a story highlighted by the battle of good and evil, a story of great sacrifice and of greater victory.
Another of my favorite movies are the Star Wars collection. Again I love it because it is a great epic - a story for all of the ages, a story highlighted by the battle of good and evil, a story of great sacrifce and of greater victory.
Think with me of all the great books and movies - John Eldridge was right - they are great because they are stories for all of the ages, stories highlighted by the battle of good and evil, stories of great sacrifice and of greater victory. In a short survey look at these films and books: Mary Poppins, Braveheart, The Wizard of Oz, The Chronicles of Narnia and Robin Hood. The list could go on and on and what you would find is the same. Each is highlighted by a great battle. Each has a striking, alluring, tempting villain. Each requires a great sacrifice. Every story has a villain because our story does.
There is a great battle going on. A battle between good and evil. A battle for our souls, a battle for our freedom, a battle that on this earth begins the day we are born and doesn't end till the day we die. And it is not a battle that we can win on our own. David and Goliath, the Hebrews against Pharoah. And the good news is that the answer to the question "Who Is Jesus" include this answer: Jesus is our Mighty Warrior. He is the one who comes to fight our battle, to save our souls, to set us free.
Jesus is either Lord of ALL - or he is not Lord AT all.
Let's experience Jesus as our Mighty Warrior this week!
One of my favorite books and movies is the Tolkien triology Lord of the Rings . I love it it because it is a great epic - a story for all of the ages, a story highlighted by the battle of good and evil, a story of great sacrifice and of greater victory.
Another of my favorite movies are the Star Wars collection. Again I love it because it is a great epic - a story for all of the ages, a story highlighted by the battle of good and evil, a story of great sacrifce and of greater victory.
Think with me of all the great books and movies - John Eldridge was right - they are great because they are stories for all of the ages, stories highlighted by the battle of good and evil, stories of great sacrifice and of greater victory. In a short survey look at these films and books: Mary Poppins, Braveheart, The Wizard of Oz, The Chronicles of Narnia and Robin Hood. The list could go on and on and what you would find is the same. Each is highlighted by a great battle. Each has a striking, alluring, tempting villain. Each requires a great sacrifice. Every story has a villain because our story does.
There is a great battle going on. A battle between good and evil. A battle for our souls, a battle for our freedom, a battle that on this earth begins the day we are born and doesn't end till the day we die. And it is not a battle that we can win on our own. David and Goliath, the Hebrews against Pharoah. And the good news is that the answer to the question "Who Is Jesus" include this answer: Jesus is our Mighty Warrior. He is the one who comes to fight our battle, to save our souls, to set us free.
Jesus is either Lord of ALL - or he is not Lord AT all.
Let's experience Jesus as our Mighty Warrior this week!
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
Pursuing Love: Jesus - Lord of ALL - or not at ALL
Who is Jesus?
It really is a great question isn’t it. Jesus is Lord! we said on Sunday. The one who is in charge – the one who changes the world with a single word – the one we pledge allegience to – the one who we joyfully and voluntarily enter into the service of – wholehearted, absolute, non-wavering.
That’s what it means to say “Jesus is Lord.” To put ourselves totally at his beck and call, to line up our way of thinking to be HIS way of thinking, to obey his teachings instead of our own thinking, to make our resources His resources, to totally commit to following him.
Is that how you are living your life today? All of that is easy to say on Sunday morning. Easy to hear too. But what about on Monday morning when you wake up and have to go to work for a boss who thinks that he or she is the Lord of your life? Or when the car breaks down and you have to decide whether to tithe or to fix the car? When is Jesus Lord of your life – all the time or just when it is convenient?
My favorite phrase from Sunday is still this one:
YourPastorDude-
Pastor David
It really is a great question isn’t it. Jesus is Lord! we said on Sunday. The one who is in charge – the one who changes the world with a single word – the one we pledge allegience to – the one who we joyfully and voluntarily enter into the service of – wholehearted, absolute, non-wavering.
That’s what it means to say “Jesus is Lord.” To put ourselves totally at his beck and call, to line up our way of thinking to be HIS way of thinking, to obey his teachings instead of our own thinking, to make our resources His resources, to totally commit to following him.
Is that how you are living your life today? All of that is easy to say on Sunday morning. Easy to hear too. But what about on Monday morning when you wake up and have to go to work for a boss who thinks that he or she is the Lord of your life? Or when the car breaks down and you have to decide whether to tithe or to fix the car? When is Jesus Lord of your life – all the time or just when it is convenient?
My favorite phrase from Sunday is still this one:
Jesus is either Lord of ALL – or he is not Lord AT all.
YourPastorDude-
Pastor David
Tuesday, February 16, 2010
Pursuing Love: Who do you say Jesus is?
I have it on pretty good authority that Jesus has been written about, spoken about and sung about more than any other man in history. (W Publishing Co) He has been identified in a myriad of ways, some that are positive, some that are negative. Almost everyone you meet has an answer for the question he originally posed: Who do you say that I am? (Matthew 16:13)
I am wondering how you answer that question yourself. Who do you say that Jesus is. Nice guy? Teacher? Counselor? Mighty God? Savior of the world? Redeemer? Miracle worker? Jesus own claims have come to be seen as controversial and I find them to be explosive in mixed company. You can end a party or start a fight with the question just as quickly as you can have a well meaning conversation about it. We take it personally and we give our opinions personally about it. We add emphasis because it is important or because we want people to think that it is.
What is amazing to me is the answers that come to me from church people all around the world. From person to person - the answers are different - because he is experienced differently by each one. What I have found to be true is that how we experience Jesus is how we share Jesus - and this is extremely important. If we share Jesus as our friend, our friends learn of him that way. If we share of Jesus the miracle worker - the feeder of millions, the healer, the teacher, the warrior, the Lord - then that is how we share him. It is in fact impossible for us to truly do otherwise and to try to do so is to betray who Jesus is.
As we enter into the season of Lent I want to encourage you to ask this question: Who do I say Jesus is? And I want to ask you to try vocalizing the answer. Start with in front of mirror. Then to a loved one. Then to someone you know who may need to know Jesus the same way. If you want to know what will happen - think about what happened when you experienced Jesus that way. It's called transformation. It will change your life.
Who do you say Jesus is?
On the journey - answering the question!
YourPastorDude
I am wondering how you answer that question yourself. Who do you say that Jesus is. Nice guy? Teacher? Counselor? Mighty God? Savior of the world? Redeemer? Miracle worker? Jesus own claims have come to be seen as controversial and I find them to be explosive in mixed company. You can end a party or start a fight with the question just as quickly as you can have a well meaning conversation about it. We take it personally and we give our opinions personally about it. We add emphasis because it is important or because we want people to think that it is.
What is amazing to me is the answers that come to me from church people all around the world. From person to person - the answers are different - because he is experienced differently by each one. What I have found to be true is that how we experience Jesus is how we share Jesus - and this is extremely important. If we share Jesus as our friend, our friends learn of him that way. If we share of Jesus the miracle worker - the feeder of millions, the healer, the teacher, the warrior, the Lord - then that is how we share him. It is in fact impossible for us to truly do otherwise and to try to do so is to betray who Jesus is.
As we enter into the season of Lent I want to encourage you to ask this question: Who do I say Jesus is? And I want to ask you to try vocalizing the answer. Start with in front of mirror. Then to a loved one. Then to someone you know who may need to know Jesus the same way. If you want to know what will happen - think about what happened when you experienced Jesus that way. It's called transformation. It will change your life.
Who do you say Jesus is?
On the journey - answering the question!
YourPastorDude
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)