Being Apathetic: It’s Pathetic! November 10, 2009

I’ll be the first to admit, I have my lazy moments. There are days when I don’t want to do anything but watch a ball game or just relax. This post isn’t about running 100 miles per hour 24 hours each day. Each person needs time to relax his mind and his body.

This post is about apathy, the desire to avoid work. I hate it when I waste a good opportunity. There are so many things I want to accomplish in a day, a month, a year, and (of course) in my lifetime that I hate it when I don’t get something done. It’s more than just being “driven,” it’s about seeing the big picture.

Sadly, many people are apathetic. They have lost the desire to work. They are happy with things as they are and they see no need to press forward. They don’t think anything depends on them, and they see no need to go “the extra mile.” But that’s not just apathetic…it’s pathetic!

God commands us to be diligent workers as Christians. When we consider the scope and seriousness of the Great Commission, and when we try to imagine all the good works to be done, our workload is tremendous! It’s no wonder, then, we are told “let us not grow weary in well-doing!” It’s important to know that God teaches us to “always [be] abounding in the work of the Lord.”

• Personally, don’t be apathetic! If it takes writing your “to-do’s” or goals down, do that. Fill each day with more than just busy work; fill it with ways to encourage, learn, teach, evangelize and mature.
• As a young family, don’t be apathetic! Have family devotionals and teach your children the Truth of God’s Word. Take your children visiting, or have them help you serve someone in need. What a legacy you’ll be passing on!
• As a single Christian, don’t be apathetic! It’s easy to have the “lonely” syndrome and make it worse. If you’re single, you don’t have to convince anyone but yourself to work for the Lord. Take some time to encourage someone today!
• As an empty-nest couple, don’t be apathetic! The kids are out of the house? Don’t just sit around thinking of memories. Fill the time with work in God’s Kingdom.
• As a retired couple, don’t be apathetic! Truth be told, you have one of the greatest opportunities for ministry of anyone. Show younger Christians what it means to be filled with good works!
• As an eldership, don’t be apathetic! If the elders just “keep house,” so will the congregation. If elders are on fire and constantly seeking to work, so will the congregation!
• As a deacon, don’t be apathetic! Whatever area(s) it is in which you are to serve, go all out. Meet people. Do the work. Involve others. See this as your area of service and do it with “all your might!”
• As a preacher, don’t be apathetic! Work, work, work! One of the reasons I have this blog is it gives me motivation to work even more!!! Preachers should work more than 2 days each week, and should be seen as pace-setters when it comes to work ethic.
• As a congregation, don’t be apathetic! “Nobody wants to come here. After all, we don’t have any young people.” Or “We just don’t have the money to do huge programs.” So what?!?! Work, work, work. Don’t look at what you can’t do; look at the opportunities, talents and abilities God has given you.

Can you see how being a worker is wonderful?

Can you also see how being apathetic…is pathetic?

Guest Post: “The Church and Joy” November 5, 2009

[Today's guest post is from Trey Morgan, who preaches in Childress, Texas. Trey's blog, found here, is one of my daily reads, and includes brief but thought-provoking posts several times each week. Trey is married to Lea and they have four boys. We are grateful that Trey took the time to write this next-to-last post in our series "The Church and...".]

I love hanging out with happy people. People who are full of joy and life are my kind of people and I find myself drawn to them.  I’ve also noticed that in the same way that I love being around joyous people, I find myself naturally avoiding people who are constantly unhappy.  I think you probably agree that most people feel the same way as I do.

If there is anyone in this world that should be joyous, it’s a Christian.  Our joy shouldn’t be dependant upon our circumstances, but upon our future.  We’re all going to have bad days. We’re all going to have daily frustrations, but our focus should be on the good, the spiritual and the future we have.  It’s all about our focus.

Sadly, too many Christians focus only on the negative things in their lives. If it’s bad, they want to dwell on it and tell about it.

“It’s my back.”

“It’s my children.”

“It’s my marriage.”

“It’s my job.”

“It’s my church.”

I still remember the place where I was standing when I heard Ms. Griper (as I like to secretly call her) say something that shocked me.  Everyone knew how much she disliked her preacher, her church and her life, because she told anyone who would listen.  As I stood there listening to her spill about what she didn’t like about the past Sunday’s worship service, she stopped and said, “You know, I don’t know why I can’t get my husband to come to church with me.”  Well, duh, I wonder.  I didn’t want to visit her church with all the bad things she was always saying so why would her husband?  There was NO joy in this woman’s life, and if you spent any time with her at all, she’d suck the joy out of your life.

There will always be people who have no joy because they choose to focus on the wrong things.  Kind of like the “One-Uppers” of this world, who no matter what, will always one-up whatever you’ve had happen with something much worse.    If you had to go to the dentist, they’ll tell you that they just had 4 root canals that same day. If your dog got hit by a car, it just so happened that their dog was mauled on the front lawn by a lion while all the kids were watching in horror of course.

It’s about focus. As a Christian we must focus on what we do have, not on what we don’t have.  Let me help you, just in case you’re not sure about what you have as a Christian…

• You have a Father in heaven who is madly in love with you.
• You have forgiveness, mercy and grace through Jesus.
• You have the gift of prayer, anywhere, anytime and any place.
• You’ve got church family that loves you and cares for you.
• You’ve got a future in heaven that no one can steal from you.

If those aren’t some great reasons to be joyous, then there’s no hope for you J.  Your focus affects your joy.  What are you focused on?

“Be full of joy always.  And again I say be full of joy.” 

~Philippians 4:4 (NCV)

Guest Post: The Church and Her Elderly October 15, 2009

[Continuing our "The Church and..." series, we are glad to have brother David Lemmons as our guest writer. David now preaches for the Bellevue Road church of Christ in Dublin, Georgia. He is in his 27th year of ministry, having preached in Missouri, Mississippi, Tennessee, Arkansas, and Kentucky. David is a graduate of the Brown Trail School of Preaching and Freed-Hardeman University. He also is a graduate of the Memphis School of Preaching's 3rd year degree program. David is married and has three children and one grandchild. We are grateful for David taking time to write today's post. Make sure you check out his blog, LemmonsAid, here.]

In an unscientific examination of those who attend the assemblies where I preach, I have recently discovered that 29% are sixty-five or older.  From United States Census Bureau statistics gathered at SeniorJournal.com, I have learned that growth in this age category in the next five years is expected to be 40%.  Further, this group will increase from 39 million today to 89 million in 2050.  During the same period, the under-15 population is expected to move from 62 million today to 85 million.  From another source I have read: “Life expectancy in the developed world has nearly doubled in the past century. By 2010 one-third of all Americans will be between the ages of 50 and 80.”  For one who is interested in the well being and growth of the church these statistics and similar ones which you can discover suggest an area for increased focus and planning.  That being: “The Church and Her Elderly.”

The church and her elderly ARE TIED TOGETHER.  The title of this article is part of a series designed to focus in on the church’s many relationships.  Taken as a stand-alone topic, this phrase might seem to be a bifurcation, a setting of the church on one side and elderly on the other.  I know this is not Adam’s intention in assigning me this topic.  I read with interest his excellent article in the September 2009 issue of Think magazine (p. 7).  Here he raised two thought-provoking questions:  “Why do congregations have separate activities for our elderly and for our young adults?  Does this not completely thwart the idea behind Titus 2:1-5, where the older members of the congregation are to teach the younger?”  The elderly are part of the church and when things are done which isolate them from the rest of the congregation on a continual basis, the result will not be what God had in mind and the blessings of Titus 2 will go missing.  There surely is a place for “intra-elderly activities,” but working toward more mixing of the age groups seems a wise thing to me.  So, though in this article we will be “segmenting” the church and the elderly for the sake of discussion, we do so fully cognizant that it is one body, tied together.      

The church and her elderly CANNOT AFFORD TO RETIRE FROM EACH OTHER.  The elderly have way too much to learn from those who are younger and they have far too many joys to mine from relationships with their more energetic fellow members.  Those of us who are older must keep sharp minds to be able to stay up in conversations with the younger.  I was delighted to come across a listing recently of 47 Ways to Fine Tune Your Brain.  For an older person to retire from secular employment may be the goal of a lifetime, but there is no acceptable age for retirement from the Lord’s Army (Ephesians 6:11ff).

The church and her elderly COULD BE MUCH MORE INVOLVED IN EVANGELISM.    I am convinced that the church everywhere needs greater emphasis upon personal involvement in evangelism.  Who better to take the lead in stirring up a local congregation in this area than those who are older?  It has been my experience that the older segment of the church generally have lived in their particular location longer than the younger, who tend to move often for employment purposes.  With such being true, the prospect lists of older members have to be longer than their younger brethren.  A team composed of an older member with many contacts and a younger member with lots of energy would surely be productive of much good.

The church and her elderly HAVE TO COMMIT TO USING SCRIPTURE AS GUIDE (2 Timothy 3:16-17; 2 Peter 1:3; Colossians 3:17; John 12:48).  This is so basic that it might tend to go unstated, but we must appreciate and emphasize its importance.  I was a little bit surprised to read in a book review of Aging Wellby George E. Vaillant, Trudy Bush report “older people often become less dogmatic as they age and express less interest in the tenets of the faith that the churches preach.”  This book was based upon a longitudinal study of three groups of people who were followed continuously for six to eight decades.  I believe that members of churches of Christ would fare better if included in such a study, but caution is nonetheless vital here.       

The church and her elderly MAY FIND THE RANKS OF ELDERLY INCREASING IN PERCENTAGE OF TOTAL MEMBERSHIP.  Statistics given at the beginning of this article seem to indicate such could be coming.  Some might tend to take that possibility to be a negative, but souls are precious and in a sense ageless.  Our task will always be to make the best possible use of all of the available workers in the vineyard.      

The church and her elderly MUST KEEP EYES ON JESUS WHILE RUNNING THE RACE (Hebrews 12:1-2).  If our race is to be continued to the finish line of heaven, keeping our eyes on Jesus will set us in the narrow pathway that leads to eternal life (Matthew 7:14).  It will prevent us from going to the right or to the left of the safe way.  To have a perfect example to follow blesses all of us tremendously.

The church and her elderly SHOULD ACCOMPLISH GREAT THINGS IN THE KINGDOM.  When we study the examples of older men and women in Scripture we are amazed at what they were able to accomplish to the glory of God.  Caleb’s insistent “give me this mountain,” of Joshua 14:12 at the age of 85, is but one example of what an attitude of optimistic determination can produce.

The church and her elderly WILL BE REWARDED!  What a beautiful day that will be when all of God’s singers get home!  Frank Chesser writing about joyless Christianity calls it a contradiction of terms and states the truth when he writes:

Life grows sweeter and more meaningful with each passing day.  The hoary head quickens the anticipation of the joy that shall be on the morrow.  A thousand lifetimes of suffering would seem nothing, with Heaven at the end of the way.  How indescribably lovely is the joy of the Christian life! [Voice of Truth, Volume 43, p. 99].

Certainly, the church and her elderly WON’T BE WITHOUT JOY.

Guest Post: The Church and the Community October 1, 2009

[Today's post is the 5th in our "The Church and..." series. The author today is Joey Sparks. Joey is the youth minister for the Midway church of Christ near Jasper, Alabama. He started his work there in 2003. Joey is married to Amanda and they have one pet: a dog named Lucy. Joey graduated from Freed-Hardeman in 2005 with a degree in Biblical languages and a minor in history. He is currently pursuing an M. Div. from Amridge. You will want to visit Joey's blog by clicking here.]

4 Body Parts the Church Must Use to Reach the Community

I’m thinking that the word “community” was created by the Department of Redundancy Department. It’s a compound word made up of “common” and “unity.” Seriously, the existence of communities ensures that everyone in our towns, workplaces, schools, and little league teams, shares something in “common” with one or more members of the local church.

Local church members are actively and constantly interacting with people who have spiritual, physical, emotional, and social needs. Thus exists the perfect situation to utilize the work and resources of the Lord’s church to meet these needs.

Acts 6:1-7 provides some helpful qualities that should describe the church’s work and presence in local communities. The apostles choose seven men to help distribute food to the neglected Grecian widows. Though the situation may not be parallel in every case, it highlights some important qualities we must have to reach out to the community.

Need-Oriented Eyes. First, the disciples respond to a need. The need was brought to the apostles’ attention through a complaint. In this case, the complaint represented an actual need, not personal preference. The Greek widows are starving while the Jewish widows are fed.

Thousands of people with needs live in the communities surrounding our congregations. When we serve the community, we must serve to meet needs of people. As I plan service events for our young people, I sometimes forget to plan what’s best for the needs of those we’re serving. We’re here to serve them, not to make it easy on us as the church.

Authentic Heart. The apostles respond not out of spite or to get the Greeks “off their backs.” By suggesting that waiting on the tables would interfere with their works of teaching and praying, they legitimize the need of the widows and the continuing work of distributing food. The apostles didn’t seek recognition for their efforts in feeding the widows; nor did they push to be lauded for their solution. Their heart was wrapped in the mission of saving souls. Serving the widows was part of that larger mission.

Whether performed by the church, her leaders, or members, the community easily recognizes sincere (and therefore insincere) service. Publicity can be used wisely and in a way that pleases God, but we must make sure our goals of service are honest, sincere, and authentic. The glory belongs to God, not our local church or our leaders.

Carefully-Selected Hands. The apostles’ solution was to pick seven men from “among you.” Not only were these men Christians, but they had a Greek background. They were also to be “full of the Spirit and wisdom.” They needed more hands to work, but not just any hands. They needed the right hands.

Members are the local church’s biggest resource for making an impact in their communities. The needs we must meet are people’s needs; thus the solutions to them are found in the hearts and hands of people. Programs don’t solve problems, people do. As displayed in Acts 6, the right people solve problems and meet needs.

Divinely-Led Feet. The apostles were committed to fulfilling their purpose: prayer and ministry of the Word. The solution in this instance was the result of their spiritual focus and perspective. Their statements don’t slight the distribution of food, but affirm the inclusion of the Lord in His own work.

Churches and their leaders must be led in all decisions with continual prayer and study. Reaching out to the communities around them must involve these spiritual disciplines and the attitudes from which they arise.

Following this incident, the word of the Lord spread and people became Christians. As we pray for guidance and direction in our communities, we need to remember that the Lord has promised the increase (1 Corinthians 3:6). Though authentic service may not lead to conversions on every occasion (Jesus washed Judas’ feet in John 13), if we have the eyes, hearts, hands, and feet God desires, our communities will see Him and glorify Him (Matthew 5:16).

Some things we’ve done over the past several years to reach out to the community:

• School Supplies Giveaway
• Young people buy Christmas gifts for children at the local domestic violence shelter (we call it Christmas Round-Up)
• Made custom teddy-bear shirts (that say “Love BEARS all things”) for widows and those who’ve lost loved ones
• Painted or carved pumpkins and delivered them to area nursing homes
• Cleaned cages, mowed grass, etc. at local humane society
• Play Wii Bowling at assisted living center
• Performed puppet shows at nursing homes, senior centers, and daycares

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As a closing note, Joey mentioned to me that the website Sermon Central recently published a list of “94 Community Servant Evagelism Ideas for Your Church.” Check out that list here.

Guest Post: The Church and Technology September 10, 2009

[Today's post is the 2nd in our series entitled "The Church and...". The writer today is my friend Dale Jenkins. Dale preaches for the Spring Meadows church of Christ in Spring Hill, Tennessee. He wears many hats, including cohosting iPreach the podcast with me. It is a joy to work with Dale in this way. Make sure you check out his "Blog that Binds" here.]

“And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him” (Colossians 3:17).

Somewhere between 1436 and 1450 Gutenburg is credited as having invented the printing press (wonder how many people thought, “I should have thought about that”). The first uses of it were religious in nature. The first book printed was the Bible and the first book printed in color was the book of Psalms. Charlie Carter was the first man between Montgomery and Dothan Alabama to have electricity.  After he had it run to his house, he ran a wire from his house to the church building and it is believed that the second building in that 100 plus mile stretch to have power was the church building. One of the first public buildings to have air conditioning in Nashville was the Granny White Church of Christ.  The first radio station in America was KDKA in Pennsylvania, going on the air in November 1920. Less than three months later Calvary Episcopal church began the first live religious broadcast (It’s a little known fact that he also said: “Send your love offering in and be sure to include the call letters of the station you hear this broadcast on”). The broadcast was of their services and was broadcast over what was then called a “wireless telephone receiving apparatus.” (1) According to the Barna Institute’s 2008 study 9 out of 10 churches of 250 members use large screen projections, 75% of churches of 100 members or more have a web-presence. (2) Churches have long led the way in technology. 

In fact, some of us believe that the reason God has allowed technology to be developed is primarily so that the church can take it captive for His cause and use in every good way! (2Co 10:5); so that the glory may go to God in all things (Col 1:18). 

But the speed with which technology has increased is amazing. Turn around twice and you’ll miss it all (turn around three times and you’ll get dizzy and fall, trust me I know).  It took radio 38 years to reach 50 million listeners. TV took 13 years to reach 50 million users. The Internet took four years to reach 50 million people (iPreach is still on it’s way to getting it’s 50 millionth listener). (3)

Or think about “social networking.” As best I can research, the term really didn’t even exist until about 2005.  But consider: In less than nine months, Facebook added 100 million users. More than 120 million users log on to Facebook at least once each day and more than 30 million users update their statuses at least once each day. Combined, more than 5 billion minutes are spent on the site on a daily basis. The site has more than 250 million active users.  Over one billion photos are uploaded every month. And 30 million users update their page via their mobile phone.   If Facebook were a country, it would be the fourth most populated place in the world (it would also need a landmass, but that’s another story). This means it easily beats the likes of Brazil, Russia and Japan in terms of size. 

Then there’s Twitter: Over the past 12 months, Twitter’s year-on-year growth rate has broken the 1000% barrier.  The chief Twits don’t like to share numbers, but it is estimated that Twitter currently has between 6-10 million users. And there is no doubt that it is growing rapidly.  And, “Twitter” is now officially a term in the English Dictionary.

The internet has “virtually” replaced the library, bringing it “home”.  Wikipedia has more than 13 million articles and boasts over 60 million unique users a month.

75 billion videos are likely to be seen this year via YouTube.  And it will serve around 375 million unique visitors during this year.

And if you’d told me I would be writing a guest blog 9 years ago I would have thought of the ’70’s horror flick (The Blob). According to Technorati there are more than 133 million active blogs and 900,000 new blog posts are created every 24 hours. Universal McCann reports that 77% of all active internet users regularly read blogs. (4)

Anyone who thinks technology is nothing more than a passing fad or that the church is “wasting it’s time playing with toys” better get their head out of the sand.  So how can the church that preaches the ancient truth get the most out of modern tech tools?  Here’s a few tips:

• As technology changes remember the things that don’t. All the changes can sometimes leave our heads spinning and leave us wondering if we will ever catch up, ever utilize it all or ever get a grip, so focus on what does not change: The Word of God, the Love of God, the Purpose that God has for us.
• Manage technology. If you buy everything out there you will go broke and tomorrow someone will tell you of two more things you need and one of the things you bought yesterday that is already outdated.  It’s a vicious cycle, so decide what you want to do.  Just because someone tells you that you need the latest and greatest doesn’t mean you do. Make sure what it does is something you want and need. 
• Don’t underbuy: Don’t stay 10 years behind.  You’ll make the church appear irrelevant.   Obviously there is a delicate balance between numbers 2 and 3 there.  Here’s a suggestion.  Budget in a part of your budget each year and you should be able to pretty much stay as current as you need to.  I’m not sure, but a good measuring stick would probably be 3-5%. 
• Use committees: Avoid the “tech guy” syndrome. While most churches may have a “go to guy” few people know all the sources and resources needed for a total tech picture.  Having a committee not only involves more people it also will give you different vantage points on how to accomplish what you want to accomplish.  Use the energies of all you can and you will get the most out of your systems and tech goals. 
• Explain why! When the church goes viral with Twitter, FB, streams it’s services, launches into PowerPoint, etc. there will be those who do not see the value and wonder why churches would spend time and energy on “that junk”.  Take time to explain how you intend to use it for outreach or edification. If done well most people will understand and appreciate it. But remember, that requires that you think the “why’s” through first!
• Be careful about building too much around technology. Frankly church is not about the new and shiny but about an old rugged cross.  If you build your ministry on technology it will fail you.  And if you are using it and it does not work, please don’t spend 20 minutes trying to get it going again. MOVE ON. 
• Use technology to draw you closer. Some churches have lost the personal touch.  Some tech tools can help foster community but most tend to isolate us to a screen and keyboard.  Make sure you are still connecting with people and people to people! 
• Sometimes the sound becomes too much. Turn off. Allow people the opportunity sometimes to totally disconnect – do take a technology “fast”.  Sometimes don’t swamp them with your latest gadget or little thing you learned that you can do with technology. Sometimes people need a retreat FROM the new to the old. 

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REFERENCES:

(1) Armstrong, Ben, The Electric Church, Thomas Nelson 1979

(2) http://www.barna.org/barna-update/article/14-media/40-new-research-describes-use-of-technology-in-churches

(3) http://cyberschoolbus.un.org/briefing/technology/tech.pdf

(4) http://econsultancy.com/blog/4327-20-+-mind-blowing-social-media-statistics

11 Tips for Better Meetings August 11, 2009

It is well-known among the office staff at Lebanon Road that I despise meetings. Yes, I attend, and I am in charge of a handful each year, but I am not a fan of meetings as they are usually done.  I often refer to them as a “necessary evil.”  I know meetings are literally “evil,” but I think we waste a lot of time with many meetings.

I love reading things that help me focus on how to make meetings better.  The following list of suggestions are things that are not original with me, but that I’ve picked up over the years from various sources. If you know where these originally came from, please make a note of that in the comments.

1. Don’t have a meeting just to have a meeting. A big event is coming up, so we “have to meet.”  Or, we have had teachers’ meetings on the 3rd Sunday of each month for 40 years, so we just meet.  That is no reason to meet!  Every meeting should have a specific purpose that requires seeing others face-to-face (or meeting via online tools).

2. Let participants know the purpose before the meeting.There should be no surprises once people arrive. If possible, send out a notice (email, church bulletin, announcements, phone calls, Twitter, Facebook, whatever) of the major purpose of the meeting. Let people know that this meeting will only cover the subject(s) listed unless time allows others.

3. As the leader, plan for the meeting realistically.Decide what can be covered in the meeting and what cannot. Also, decide if there are any “off limits” topics. Whatever you use for planning lists (paper, computer files, Evernote, etc.), make a list of the topics and a sketch of the “minutes” ahead of time.

4. Advertise the meeting. For most churches, the meetings don’t need “overkill” in announcements, but one short note in the bulletin usually isn’t enough. Take advantage of several tools (PowerPoint, bulletin, email, etc.) so that anyone and everyone who needs to be there can know about it. If it is a small  number, you might even want to take a moment to call each one.

5. Start on time. Yes, we are just now getting to the actual meeting. As with anything else, though, the preparation makes a world of difference. Even if you are the only one there, start! I have started meetings for 20+ people with less than five in the room. At the next meeting, people were on time. It shows that you care for the subject of the meeting and that you are serious about the meeting, too.

6. Briefly remind people of the purpose. I usually do this by making a hand-out of the schedule for the meeting. Others do this with a purpose statement or a note on a blackboard or PowerPoint slide. Make this brief! You’ve already spent time letting people know the purpose through ads, so don’t waste their time with endless reminders.

7. Stick to the schedule. There are variations, but you are in charge! If something that you thought wasn’t any big area turns into a bigger thing, spend all the time you can on it, then move on. Make a decision to have another meeting, or to discuss it later with a few folks via email or phone.

8. Be positive; let everyone speak. I try to speak as little as I can in meetings (though I often fail in this area). I try to have people “report” and “pool” ideas. This helps everyone know that they are important to the project and that you see yourself as a servant-leader.

9. Accomplish something.I understand that some meetings are just for giving information, but most meetings are called to make a decision (budget for VBS or staff for camp, for example). Even if you accomplish nothing more than making a list to present to the elders, accomplish something. Don’t just come together, make a few comments, and leave.

10. Pray. If we claim to be God’s people, why don’t we ask for His help when we meet together? If we are preparing for VBS, the middle letter stands for “Bible.” If we are meeting with staff or leadership, it is church staff or leadership. We are under His control, so let’s ask for His wisdom and help.

11. Follow Up and Follow Through. Whatever you promise to do in a meeting needs to be done. If you decide to present something to the elders, send that information their way. If you decide to meet again, get it on the calendar. Also, follow up: let everyone know you are grateful for their time in the meeting.

Hopefully, you can use these tips the next time you are in charge of a meeting. Let’s not meet just to meet, let’s accomplish something!

I Love Church Vans! July 29, 2009

Sunday and Monday nights, I got to continue an odd “love” I have.

We were at the Area-Wide Gospel Meeting in Paducah and, as we walked up to the Carson Center (a performing arts building), there were lots of church vans in the parking lot.  When I see that many church vans, I read the names of every one I see.  I saw vans from Fulton, Kentucky; Dexter, Missouri; Paducah; and many other places.

Whenever we host something at Lebanon Road–and when we used to host things like our youth rally at 9th Avenue–it was my tradition to walk around the parking lot and look at all the congregation’s vans that were parked there.

Why?  Because that large number of vans represents something else, and it’s something far greater than just a pile of metal and gears.

It’s so nice to know that congregations still get along and support one another in efforts to teach and preach the Truth of God’s Word.

I see those vans as a symbol of unity! Each one represents a congregation that has decided to spend money for fuel and has taken time out of their congregation’s schedule to attend the effort being put forth.  It is a great thing to see all those vans (and cars, too, but they aren’t as fun to look at!).

We need to support one another in any way we can.  Just coming to a Gospel Meeting, VBS, youth rally, or other service is a great way to show your support for the time and effort spent planning that particular event.  It is a way to build relationships while learning more about God.

What event will you support in the coming days?

“Behold how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to

dwell together in unity” (Psalm 133:1).