The Pastor's Pen: The Church of the Lord Jesus Christ
August, Authentic, Authoritative, Alive and Active
Message by Dr. Lovely Haynes
Dearly Beloved, I take this method to share with you, the people of God, joy and peace which we have in Christ because of what the Father has done in and through Him for us. (John 14:27; Ephesians 2:14; Colossians 3:16)
Two-Thousand Twelve is behind us, we have entered into the New Year, Thank God, in the old year we experienced many trials but through all of them, the Lord God enabled us to overcome.
We set many goals in the old year, some we achieved and some we are still working on. As we enter this new year let each of us remember that God is able to sustain us and see us through because this church is August, Authentic, Authoritative, Alive and Active. We must not forget that there are some buried treasures, some untapped resources within our membership which need to be discovered.
As Jesus told the servant to fill the water pots at Cana of Galilee, and the water became wine, so he tells us to make disciples of all who are members of this church in 2013. One great mind, Walter Henrichsen, said "Disciples are made, not born." and I agree.
When we make disciples then they will want to carry out the mandate of the Lord Jesus Christ (Matthew 28:18-20) to evangelize. "Evangelism is proclaiming the good news that Christ died, and rose to rescue the world from sin and death." - Ralph Quere
My sisters and brothers, if those of us who "seem to be pillars" in the church would humble ourselves and encourage others to surrender their lives and will to the Master, then we will see a change in the people (buried treasures) in our church.
If your brother or sister are not coming up to where you think they should be, go to them in private and share with them, not as lord and master, but as a child of God who is concerned about the souls of men.
This year let us purpose in our hearts not to take offense or slander our brothers and sisters in any manner.
This year our goal is for each of our members:
To reach eight people and disciple them into the church. (Matthew 28:19-20; Acts 1:8)
To be a committed church, studying the Word of God. (Acts 2:42; 2 Timothy 2:15)
To build a strong Sunday School.
To be a loving, caring, sharing, and giving church. (Acts 2:44-47; Galatians 6:1-10)
To be a church that's concerned about every member of the family. (Joshua 24:15)
To be a praying, praising, and preaching church. (Acts 1:14; 2:47; 2 Timothy 4:2)
To be a stewardship church. (Matthew 25:14-30; 1 Corinthians 4:2)
To be a tithing church. (Malachi 3:1-4; Matthew 23:23; 2 Corinthians 9:6-7; Hebrews 7:8)
To be a benevolent church. (1 Corinthians 16:1-7)
All of these goals can be reached if each of us purpose in our hearts to become what Jehovah God will have us be and do what His Word says. My prayer to God is that He would strengthen all of us with might in the inner man to do those things which are pleasing in His sight. (Ephesians 3:14-17)
"Now unto Him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us…" AMEN. (Ephesians 3:20-21b)
