When I moved to Hattiesburg I decided to scope out some churches and find the best one for me. My first stop was First Baptist Hattiesburg....well I didn't look any further. This church has most of what I was looking for in Sunday services.
This past month the preacher Jeff Clark has been sharing a series called "To End Church as We Know It". I have absolutely loved the series and it really hits home.
I want to share thoughts that I wrote down during the month...
These are all notes that I took during the sermon. I pieced them together and sometimes had to read scribble scratch to make it out. I hope you enjoy.
STOP being weird about the world. God does not want us to live in a Christian bubble. He wants us to go and serve him and others.
Many times when you think about church you think of a white building with huge columns and a steeple. uh no that is not church. Well it can be, but we should not put God in a box. "God said I don't live in a house. I made the world"...step outside your comfort zone and bring "church" to others.
This is what really got me...so many people today have stereotypical thoughts about church such as business meetings arguments, prayer rooms, crazy long prayer lists with tiny font, purchasing or sitting at your own pew. cough cough John Fletcher ;) This pushes people away. I repeat this is what pushes people away!
Again, Don't be weird! Be BOLD. Pray big bold prayers! For example many times we pray for safety, but what if God doesn't want us to be safe? What if He has us right where He wants us so we can be a disciple of Him? I will pray big bold prayers for the people around me that need Christ.
We can be miracle workers. If you get your mind off of yourself and allow Him to work through you, He can and will move in powerful ways.
Don't underestimate the impact you have on others. God has a plan for you to not just go to church but BE the church.
God never changes. He is always the same. That doesn't mean that we should continue to use the same method to minister to others. Adapt to the culture around us and use it spread God's word. You've got to be savvy about your culture...be a culture warrior. Jesus broke culture barriers, so can you! twitter, facebook, etc.
Engage rather than enrage your culture-create environments where children "get it".
Be inclusive not exclusive-you must understand your culture to be missional.
Relevant not Ridiculous-Good music doesn't belong to the devil, it belongs to God!
Hopeful not Harmful-you don't save people God does.
God makes it really simple...READY?
Love God...Love your neighbor...done :)
God is not in love with the future version of you. He's in love with YOU...now!
To reach others, do things that haven't been done before. It's not about a building, it is about a movement.
I refuse to drift; I choose to be apart of the uprising! Roll the dice. Be BOLD!
Check out the first 3 sermons of the series here
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