For Such a Time as This

I hope that you were encouraged this last weekend as much as I was. What a wonderful celebration. It was great to bring together the past, the present, and the future as we continue to look forever forward to Jesus.

In my weekly email this week, I wanted to affirm Pastor Rische’s message from last Sunday. I must say that I am honored, proud, and overwhelmed to build this church upon the foundation that was laid some 20 years ago.

Three important keys from Pastor Riche’s message (To Be a Congregation that is “Forever Forward” Takes Three Key Connections) for us to remember as we continue to move forever forward are that:

1) No one is going to be reached until God shows up. Jesus must be a part of everything we do. Fervent and persistent prayer are critical. We must first talk to God about the lost before we talk to the lost about God.

2) It’s “go and see” instead of “wait and see.” The people living in the Fox Valley do not exist to fill Lord of Life Church. Instead, the people of Lord of Life exist to fill the Fox Valley with Jesus Christ. Reaching others requires sacrifice, but the greater the sacrifice the greater the impact.

3) We need to work together as a team. We are not always going to agree with each other. Sometimes we might say or do something to offend one another. But we are the Church! God has forgiven us in an incredible way and so we practice forgiveness with each other. Our differences + unity = addition and multiplication. The opposite is that our differences + disunity = subtraction and division.

Time is precious and limited. And I believe that God has brought us to this place and this congregation for such a time as this. Today, I am more proud and excited to be the Pastor of Lord of Life than I have ever been.

If you would like to listen again to the message from last Sunday you can listen here:
http://www.lolchurch.net/tp40/page.asp?ID=64011