TMG
Tom’s Midweek Greeting
Crossroads Community Church
Nevada MO
February 21, 2019
We’re turning a corner in the seasons, with winter seeming to be on its last legs! I hope you’re persevering through the ice and snow and clouds of February!
We’re also turning a corner in our Sunday morning study in 1 Corinthians, as we move from looking at all the problems in the church to hearing about God’s solutions to the problems! Last Sunday, we took at look at gifts God has given to each member of the Body of Christ (the Church). That means you and me!
We ran out of time last Sunday for the tail end of that message – some practical steps we can take to discover our unique place in the Lord’s ministry in the church. Here are those four steps that were in your bulletin:
1. Dedicate your whole life to serving and pleasing the Lord.
Romans 12:1 — “Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God. This is your true and proper worship” (NIV). Today is another day for saying, “I’ve been created, saved, gifted, and authorized for ministry in the church, and the love of Christ for me compels me to do it! This is how I worship God!”
2. Eliminate distractions.
Romans 12:2 — “Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is – his good, pleasing and perfect will.” Some of us are not using our God-given gifts in ministry simply because we have too many distractions in our lives. God urges us to set our minds on the things “above” (Colossians 3:2). Think this week about eternity, heaven, knowing God more deeply, and helping another person know him more deeply too.
3. Evaluate your effectiveness.
1 Corinthians 12:15 — “If the foot says, ‘I am not a part of the body because I am not a hand,’ that does not make it any less a part of the body.” As you serve in the Body in the role you feel God has equipped you for, evaluate how you’re doing. That evaluation should include your own feelings as well as confirmation (or re-direction) from others around you.
4. Cooperate with other believers.
1 Corinthians 12:27-30 — “Now you are Christ’s body, and individually members of it. And God has appointed in the church, first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, …. ” Building a healthy vibrant church ministry is all about teamwork. There are no solo Christians. God has placed you and me in the church together so that together we can bless the entire Body of Christ.
This coming Sunday our sermon will be from 1 Corinthians 13, emphasizing the importance of love in the church. This is perhaps one of the most exciting – and most important – messages we’ll hear from 1 Corinthians. I hope to see you Sunday for some wonderful worship, fantastic fellowship, and personal growth!
Sunday Worship at 10:00 a.m. at the Osage Prairie YMCA, 500 W. Highland Ave.
Come early and enjoy some fellowship!
NO youth Bible study at 9:00 this Sunday morning.
Middle School and High School study will happen again on Sunday, March 3.
Young Life Fundraiser Dessert
The Young Life Fundraiser Dessert is this Sunday evening starting at 6 pm. The location for the event has changed. It will be held at the Activities Building of First Christian Church, on Austin Blvd. I hope you’ll plan to come! This is an event meant to create greater awareness in our community about Young Life and the impact a Young Life ministry could have both on the campus of Cottey College and among high school and middle school students in Nevada. It will be a fun time, and there will be several others there from Crossroads!
See you Sunday!
— Tom
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