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First, I can't believe school starts in just a couple weeks in Texas. It's ALMOST August.
It seems like only a few weeks ago, I was reminding our folks that we need to be faithful, as Summer is upon us and people will be taking vacations.
When you have a limited number of people to serve, it's a challenge to staff Sunday School teaching posts, Youth worker assignments, and other positions of responsibility while others "enjoy the summer".
It was pointed out to me that yesterday's attendance at Church EXCEEDED our highest EASTER attendance - at least for the past 10 years. (Prior to that, the Church had run in the neighborhood of 250-300 on a Sunday morning, but had a near death experience prior to my arrival there) We (about a half dozen families) had gone to lunch, and some of them were pointing out the number of families (including some of them) that have joined during the summer, and most of them had been "out of Church" for quite a while - discouraged with the "no business like show business" quality (or lack thereof) of churches they had been attending.
I had been preaching through Acts, and yesterday was the culmination of the 'written word' (through Chapter 28), but I pointed out that "the Acts of the Holy Spirit" continue today, and we are writing the next pages of the book!" The people seemed excited about that, and asked, "Where are we going next?" (I have to admit, I pictured Captain Kirk sitting on the bridge of the Enterprise responding to "Heading, sir?" and replying "Out there.... Thataway!")
(Probably going to be starting Romans)
Anyway, with all this talk about the "decline of the Church" and the "Post Christian America", I'm seeing God bless, and people getting saved and baptized, and the Church growing -- even in the SUMMER.
So, I just want to 'Boast in the Lord' that He is Good.... He is honoring the simple preaching of His Word. I really WISH we had a more dynamic music program (we sing the old hymns, which I love, but I wish we would sing them with a little more 'gusto' -- Our current music leader is a nice man who doesn't exhibit a lot of enthusiasm, but my daughter leads a couple of the newer choruses and, as you can imagine, I think she does an OUTSTANDING job!)
All Praise to the Father!
It seems like only a few weeks ago, I was reminding our folks that we need to be faithful, as Summer is upon us and people will be taking vacations.
When you have a limited number of people to serve, it's a challenge to staff Sunday School teaching posts, Youth worker assignments, and other positions of responsibility while others "enjoy the summer".
It was pointed out to me that yesterday's attendance at Church EXCEEDED our highest EASTER attendance - at least for the past 10 years. (Prior to that, the Church had run in the neighborhood of 250-300 on a Sunday morning, but had a near death experience prior to my arrival there) We (about a half dozen families) had gone to lunch, and some of them were pointing out the number of families (including some of them) that have joined during the summer, and most of them had been "out of Church" for quite a while - discouraged with the "no business like show business" quality (or lack thereof) of churches they had been attending.
I had been preaching through Acts, and yesterday was the culmination of the 'written word' (through Chapter 28), but I pointed out that "the Acts of the Holy Spirit" continue today, and we are writing the next pages of the book!" The people seemed excited about that, and asked, "Where are we going next?" (I have to admit, I pictured Captain Kirk sitting on the bridge of the Enterprise responding to "Heading, sir?" and replying "Out there.... Thataway!")
(Probably going to be starting Romans)Anyway, with all this talk about the "decline of the Church" and the "Post Christian America", I'm seeing God bless, and people getting saved and baptized, and the Church growing -- even in the SUMMER.
So, I just want to 'Boast in the Lord' that He is Good.... He is honoring the simple preaching of His Word. I really WISH we had a more dynamic music program (we sing the old hymns, which I love, but I wish we would sing them with a little more 'gusto' -- Our current music leader is a nice man who doesn't exhibit a lot of enthusiasm, but my daughter leads a couple of the newer choruses and, as you can imagine, I think she does an OUTSTANDING job!
)All Praise to the Father!
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