Dear Friends,
One of the tasks of the new year that I have in my home is putting up the new calendars that reflect the approaching year.
The trusty kitchen calendar is the main frame of our home. On this calendar, church dates, meetings, birthdays, taxes due, etc are recorded. Everything is run through this calendar that helps my wife and I to coordinate the who, what, when and where of the Sneller family.
Our church also operates in this mode of being prepared on God’s time for us.
Recently I read an article on characteristics of churches that have effective ministry.
It listed four key points that were evident in churches that did ministry well.
Key #1 – Churches with a future pray for their pastor.
God places dreams and visions upon a pastors heart that fine tunes the balance of leading and encouraging a church to own a vision for their future in Christ. A prayed for leadership is essential!
Key #2 – Churches with a future maintain a positive sanctuary.
Within the first 120 seconds of entering a church sanctuary, most first time visitors develop one of two opinions. The church is either warm or cold and I’m not talking about the temperature of the sanctuary. We need to be friendly, open and a genuinely caring place to come.
Key #3 – Churches with a future provide education and fellowship experiences.
We need to know what our God has promised to do. We do this by meeting the everyday needs of our community and applying the Bible to our everyday lives.
Key #4 – Churches with a future have a mission!
We cannot afford to discontinue mission from our local community. It’s personal. It’s your neighbor. It’s the reason we exist as a church. It’s the drive for inviting and sharing Christ with others.
Our calendars and our church events show where our priorities are lived. May they both reflect the mission statement of First Reformed “Impacting Lives for Christ” in 2015 and beyond.
Blessings!
Pastor Wayne
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