With all my heart I want SRPC to be missional. To care more about those without Jesus and the
broken in our community than we care about ourselves. Here are some good questions to self-diagnose
just how missional you are.
o When
you think of missions, do you think of a mission trip to a distant city and a
service project in your own community or do you think about daily life among
your family, neighbors, and coworkers?
The answer should be both.
Living sent means you are a missionary in your everyday encounters.
o What
is your common declaration about lost people around you? “Can you believe the
way those people act?” OR “When can you come over for dinner?”
Hospitality is a key to living sent.
o Is
my tendency to disengage from culture and retreat into safer, more Christian
environments? Or is it to engage culture even amidst discomfort and danger?
We must be among lost people in order to be an effective witness.
o When
you think of a friend who needs help, do you think, “I need to get him to see
the pastor” OR “I wonder what I can do to help”?
Pastors are to equip God’s people to do the work of the ministry, not
be the only ones who minister and witness to the lost.
o When
you think of heaven, do you think “kingdom come” or “kingdom is here”?
As people who believe the kingdom is both now and not yet, we ought to
live as people who are the “presence of the future.”
o Do
you have a lost friend who would actually introduce you as his or her friend?
If we are to live sent the way the sent One intended, then we must have
genuine friendships with the lost.
·
Pastor’s Class starts August 29 at 6:30 – is
there anyone you can bring?
·
The Art of
Marriage class begins Wednesday, August 29 at 6:30. You can still sign up this weekend in church
or online. “There
was a marriage seminar for husbands at Toronto’s St. Peter’s Catholic Church.
During one of the sessions, the priest asked a man – an Italian man married for
almost 50 years – to share some of his wisdom.
“Well,” he said, “I’ve tried to treat her nice, I’ve been respectful,
and I haven’t resented the money I’ve spent on gifts for her. And then, on our 25th anniversary,
I took her to Italy.” “That’s
wonderful,” said the priest. “And what
are you going to do for your 50th anniversary?” “I’ve decided,” he replied, “to go back to Italy and pick her
up.”—Pastor Steve Brown
·
Did you know our Sanctuary building has wifi
now? Did you know that if you look at
your phone or iPod during the sermon you are risking eternal damnation!
·
“Scripture
asks again and again—what do you call home?
Is it in the bosom of your darling sins or in the arms of Jesus? Do we forage from life in the dumpsters of
our own depravity or do we feast in the banquet hall of our King?” Summer conference at SRPC was filled with
great quotes like this from Jean Larroux.
If you missed it, download these
messages on Scandalous Obedience or purchase the full set of them in the
bookstore.
·
Hats off to church members Joe Meek, Ron Kitchen
and Winn Webb for offering to serve our community via elective office. Can I urge you to do something? Would all of you who are not registered to
vote in Citrus County take steps to get registered ASAP? Needless to say – an important election is
looming.
·
To all parents bringing your sons or daughters
to begin college – my heart goes out to you.
Dropping each one of my four off at college was agonizingly painful!
·
SRPC has a new student pastor – Marty
Cates. Marty and Meredith won’t be able
to move here full time until January, however.
Thus, in the fall, student ministry large group is moved to Sunday
nights (Middle School at 6:30, High School 7:30) and will meet every other
week. Marty will be here to lead four of
those meetings – the first of which is the Fall Kickoff on August 26! Adam Jones is functioning as our temporary
student ministry czar!
·
This weekend I’ll be preaching a message
tentatively titled, “Men without Chests.”
It’s not a commentary on my physique, but a sermon on Judges 17-18! We will also be sharing the Lord’s Supper
together. Should be a great time. I can’t wait to see you.
Ray
