DIGGING DEEPER DEVOTIONAL NOV. 21, 2024
MINISTRY
STRENGTHEN THE CONNECTION
As I was heading into church on Sunday, the Lord was speaking to me about effectiveness.
Here is what I am sensing in my spirit about effectiveness in the journey ahead:
Effectiveness will flow out of the strength of our connection to God in the days ahead. All of our natural ability, talent and giftedness will not be enough to meet the crises of the coming days. The mission God has for us will require His supernatural power and glory and that can only come through the health of our personal and community’s relationship with Him.
Salvation itself only requires the beginning of a connection with God through Jesus. “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” John 3:16
This is entry level faith. But kingdom effectiveness will be determined by the strength of our connection to God.
If we focus on our programs and methodology, our talents and our human abilities all we will accomplish is a striving after wind and burnout. We will never accomplish God’s great plan for our personal lives, our family lives, our church or community.
If we focus on the strength of our relationship with God, though, then all of God’s plans will flow through that relationship into our programs, plans, talents and abilities and then out through those supernaturally empowered conduits to accomplish His divine purpose.
WHERE WE PUT OUR FOCUS IS UP TO US.
DIGGING DEEPER DEVOTIONAL NOVEMBER 19, 2024
DIGGING DEEPER DEVOTIONAL NOV. 18, 2024
BACK TO TRAINING
It has been a wonderful week, and a very full week.
The last two weeks have been my first attempt at living the new rhythm of life I prayed into during sabbatical. It has also been two weeks of catching back up with my congregation. I have been doing a lot of visitation. Also, I have begun the next tour of our DLT (Doing life together) groups to begin the journey of discovering God’s word for our congregation in 2025.
HERE IS ANOTHER WORD I GOT FROM THE GROUP I WAS WITH LAST NIGHT, THE DLT BOOK CLUB
Get rid of the old, that which does not look good on your spirit anymore and don’t be afraid to put on the new thing. Clean out the closet of your life to make room for what is coming.
Today I returned to leadership training. This is an opportunity for the leadership (deacons, staff, DLT group leaders, and new and aspiring leaders) to come together to sharpen the saw.
Today’s discussion was around leadership style. We are using the Assessme.org program to help our leaders learn their giftings and leadership styles. We had an incredible conversation about what it means to work as a team and about how God is the one who chooses the team of people….the family of people….the platoon of people that is each church.
It was a great morning followed by the moving of furniture to my son’s house. Today we moved a couple of side tables and a dresser. My son just left with several items including my grandson’s bed frame. It is almost complete!
HOW DOES YOUR CHURCH OR CHARITABLE ORGANIZATION DO LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT?
DIGGING DEEPER DEVOTIONAL NOV. 16, 2024
DIGGING DEEPER DEVOTIONAL NOV. 14, 2024
DIGGING DEEPER DEVOTIONAL NOV. 12, 2024
ON THE ROAD AGAIN
This is my first full week back in church and it has been a full one:
The morning started as usual at about 3 A.M. with dog walking and prayer. By 7:30 I was on the road taking Kristine to work, and then Sevii to daycare. Then I was off to a full day of visiting and planning next week’s visitation schedule.
I started at one of our local nursing homes. Then I took Amanda out to an early lunch. After that I was off to a congregant’s house for visitation and healing prayer. I have a sense that visiting and praying for people is going to become an even bigger part of ministry going forward.
Tonight concluded with Joe, Amanda and myself attending A Pastor’s appreciation banquet hosted by The Wachusett Camp of The Gideons.
It was a great day!
DIGGING DEEPER DEVOTIONAL NOV. 7, 2024
Notes From the Vicarage 