Why is church work so difficult?

Church work is hard everywhere. Did you pray at your last deacons' banquet, "Lord, thank you for preparing a table for me in the presence of my enemies"? Is your church so small that when you say "Dearly Beloved," your wife is embarrassed?

Do you feel as if each sermon is like explaining Leviticus to a four-year-old? Do you feel like you are the Titanic and the church is the iceberg? Is your latest vision statement "Misery loves company"? Was deacon grump-a-lot voted chairman and his wife believes her spiritual gift is suffering?

Speaking of suffering, did your best deacon say he never understood suffering until he heard you preach? And worse, the chairman of your over-budget and under-financed committee has been there so long it is rumored he is the one who ratted on Ananias and Sapphira…

Why is church work so difficult? It is the people. They are everywhere. If you don't like the people at your church, remember they are at every other church. They are all defective--just like you and me. We have been recalled by our Maker….It's always been that way. That is why Jesus had more religious people plotting against Him than praying for Him.

--Charles Lowery, www.charleslowery.com, excerpted from "ALERT! Recalled," in SBC LIFE (www.SBCLIFE.net), June/July 2011, p. 24

Comments

Christmas Day Worship 2021

Today is the day - Christmas! The central candle is lit. The waiting is over. The child is born. As we celebrate the Feast and Holy-Day of Christmas, with the Psalmist (Ps. 98:4-6) we proclaim: Shout for joy to the LORD, all the earth, burst into jubilant song with music; make music to the LORD with the harp, with the harp and the sound of singing, with trumpets and the blast of the ram’s horn – shout for joy before the LORD, the King. Prayer Let us pray: Generous God, even as we praise you for the good news of today, and seek to shout for joy at the coming of the Christ-child, we acknowledge Mary’s mix of pain and joy, both today and in the days to come. As we do so, we face our own emotions on this difficult and delightful day, and ask your help to live it well. Amen. Carol You might like to sing, or reflect on the words of Geoffrey Ainger’s hymn at StF 193/H&P 95, Born in the night, Mary’s child, a long way from your home; coming in need, Mary’s child, born in a borro...

Prayer Column - January 2022

The turn of the year As a new year approaches we tend to wonder what lies ahead, hoping always to shake off the past’s bad record and for something better to come, as if hoping could make it so. We wonder about next year because of course we don’t know what lies around the corner (however great the store of human knowledge, and however thorough our Googling). Search as we may, and it’s a royal honour to do so (Prov 25:2), some things are known only to God: times and seasons fixed by his authority are not for us to know (Acts 1:7), for the future is his. This is a time to remind ourselves of God’s omniscience: he does know (Rom 11:33). He knows the plans he has for us – plans to prosper us and not to harm us, plans to give us a hope and a future (Jer 29:11). And it’s time to remember also that God is not far-off and aloof, but a loving, heavenly Father who wants a close living relationship with each of us, day by day and breath by breath – he sent Jesus to bring us back to him. So ...

Virtual worship - 19 December 2021

Advent 4: Thinking about BLESSING Service sheet (pdf) Hymn: STF 187 The Angel Gabriel From Heaven Came Introduction Christmas is only days away now. How will you welcome Jesus into your home this year? After last year’s loss and longing, will the blessings of this year’s Christmas celebrations have any extra special meaning for you? Today’s worship is focussed on signs of greeting and blessing. Call to worship Come, greet one another in the name of the Lord. Come, bring all you have and be blessed. Come, and worship the God of the great and the lowly, and share your hopes and fears. Come, young and old – for God is calling you. Collect for today As we light this Advent candle, may its flame be for us a sign of blessing. As Mary and Elizabeth greeted each other, and Mary praised God for the blessings received, may we know God’s blessing in our lives and community, as we offer prayers and praises in Jesus’ name. Amen Hymn: STF166 Christmas Is Coming The Church Is Glad To Sing How do you ...

Bradford North Circuit

Search This Blog