Churches: Be An Asset to Your Community, Not a Liability

What I’m writing is coming from frustration after reading about 2 specific situations, from the current situation our church is in, and from a desire to see the glory of God displayed in all churches.

Last week, I saw on the local news and then read about a church around Columbus who is involved in an ongoing battle of protesting with a strip club.  This is a very stupid situation in which the church has been protesting outside the strip club for several years now, even to the extent of photographing club goers and their license plates.  Now, the dancers from that club are protesting outside of the church on Sunday mornings.  It appears that neither party is going to step down either.

This Week’s Focus: The Marion Popcorn Festival

Our church is a day away from having a 30 hour opportunity over 3 days to show the love of Christ to our community.  How?  By simply providing a place for parents to take care of the young children’s needs (diapers & nursing). We’re calling it the Baby Comfort Area, and everything is ready to go!

This week has been buzzing with last minute preparations and excitement.  Here’s what’s been happening:

• Our church people stepped up and filled in every hour-long rotation slot for the entire 30 hour period of service!  I can’t wait to receive the blessing of serving alongside others in the church in this way.
• About 15 people gathered yesterday to label and stuff gift bags that will be given to the first 500 families we serve.  This was a great turn out and made the work only last 45 minutes!
• Yesterday, two of our men drove a total of 1.5 hours to pick up a trailer that has some supplies in we need.
• One lady went out last Thursday to purchase some of the smaller supply items we need.
• One couple has been thinking through the last details of what’s needed for our tent area, and have been making trips to gather necessary things.
• One lady worked many hours to design, print, and have signs laminated that will be posted throughout the festival.
• One couple worked tirelessly to create a great looking banner that will label our entire space.
• One lady created a great looking slideshow of information about and pictures of the church that will running continuously during our time there.
• Today, all of the stuff we need to take is being picked up, then set up begins tomorrow morning.

We will be ready to go by 11am tomorrow, and will be at the end of Oak Street the entire time of the festival.  I probably left out somebody’s effort in that list, but it’s been great to see how the church is coming together to serve in such an effective way!

You can visit the Marion Popcorn Festival website.

You can see our church site’s announcement about this opportunity.

You can come visit us at the end of Oak St. tomorrow, Friday, and Saturday from 11am – 9pm!

See You At the Pole, Sept. 22

It’s that time of the year again for students to rally around their school’s flag pole to pray!  See You at the Pole will be held on September 22 this year.  Last year, I wrote this post: “How Non-Youth Pastors Can Support See You At the Pole,” and thought I’d make it available again.  The dates and the theme are obviously for last year, but the content might be good still!

5 Reasons Why People Won’t Believe in Jesus

My sermon yesterday (mainly from Zephaniah 2:1-3) was centered on this idea.  Here are 5 reasons I can think of why people won’t believe in Jesus, each with my response to the reason.

“I won’t believe in Jesus because…”

1. “It’s just too simple.  Salvation has to be harder than that.” Some people need Jesus to fit into a formula in order to work, something they can work out and produce the end result with.