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little IMPERFECTIONS MAKE HUGE IMPRESSIONS # 3

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Be sure and listen to the great songs to lift your spirit

 

In previous articles I have written about some little things that visitors will not overlook, and pastors do so to their own peril. In this blog we will deal with four very important things that one cannot afford to overlook.

The first of these is the sound system. I have been in the ministry long enough to know, that if anything drives a pastor to the edge of insanity, it is the church sound system. The pastor is responsible to inform those in charge where the volume is to be set. This decision cannot be left to anyone else.

I visited a large church recently, and after the service, I received a copy of the service on DVD. That morning, a trio was singing. They were accompanied by a guitarist, who did a superb job. However, when I got home and played the DVD, the mikes for the trio were not on. All I heard was a guitar solo. These kinds of mistakes should not happen. This was human error, and visitors have a different view of it than old church members.

Train workers how to operate the equipment. Once the sound and dials are set, they should keep their hands off them. It would be wonderful if you could convince visitors to lay the blame at the feet of the sound operators, however, they will not. It will be laid on the pastor.

A second area of embarrassment is in the matter of song books. I know of nothing worse than asking people to turn to a page in the hymnal, and then discovering there aren’t enough available. This may seem like a small matter, but believe me it is not. That is just another reason the songs should be projected by Power Point, if possible. The pastor must walk around and see that each area has an adequate number of books, and they should be in good condition.

The same thing said about song books, could be said of Bibles. If you have unsaved guest coming to your church, the odds are, they do not have a Bible. Make sure Bibles are also in the pews. Inspect them to see that they are in good condition.

If a church is serious about reaching the lost, they must insure that Response Cards are provided. These cards should be designed to, not only communicate with visitors, but they should provide for members as well. I suggest that the cards be filled out by members and visitors. Visitors should not be pointed out, or ask to introduce themselves.

The card should be filled out just before the sermon, and completed at the end of the sermon. People will indicate their response to the sermon on the card. After the cards are filled out, the offering should be taken and the cards placed in the offering plate. These cards should cover every need your people might have. Contact Pastor Jason Murphy for card temples ,and how to make them work in your church. (http://www.opendoorbaptist.com/index.aspx.)

THE DANGER OF NEGLECT

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Be sure and listen to the great songs to lift your spirit
By Ken Blue
The American Heritage Dictionary defined neglect as, “1. To pay little or no attention to; 2. To fail to care for or attend to properly. 3. To fail to do or carry out, as through carelessness or oversight: Habitual lack of care.”

There are many ways to kill a flower. You may pull it up by the roots and stomp on it. Another, less strenuous way is simply to ignore it. Only eternity will reveal how many churches and ministries have died as a result of neglect. Neglect may be one of the greatest sins in the church. The book of Hebrews warns of its consequences.

One area that is most often neglected is the buildings and grounds. The pastor should either drive or walk around the grounds every week to inspect the lawns, shrubs, parking lot, lights, and building. It need not be said again that, it is not what you expect that gets done, it’s what you inspect. So, don’t neglect these.

A second area that the pastor must not ignore is that of finances. You must know what the fixed expenses are. You must also know how much cash the church has available, and what the projected weekly income will be. Also, the pastor must be in control of the finances. He need not handle any money, or sign any checks. But he must oversee all expenditure. The best way to do this is to start with the budget. Also, use purchase orders that the pastor must approve. Just remember, if the church gets in financial trouble, the only person who will be held accountable will be the pastor. Don’t neglect this important area.

This next area of neglect should be considered the greatest crime. It is the neglect of new members. Churches compass land and sea, and spend thousands of dollars and man hours to reach one family. They court them in every conceivable manner. Then, once they have joined the church, they are forgotten and ignored. This is the horrible crime.

The problem is the mindset of the pastor. He sees getting members as the end objective. However, this is just plain dumb. Membership is not the end; it is just the beginning! If a church worked as hard to get members through the other three steps of assimilation as they do get a new member, people would not be neglected. Also, small groups that are properly led, under dedicated leaders will solve the problem of neglect. The pastor must rearrange his thinking process.
Every church has VIP, VTP, and VDP in its membership. Obviously, those in leadership positions are the key to your ministry success. The sure way to disaster is to neglect your leaders. The very important people must have your attention and encouragement. The very teachable people must be taught how to do ministry. These are your future leaders. The very draining people must be ignored, and not allowed to discourage you or waste your time.

Lastly, the preacher must not neglect his study of the Word. Although, no one can see that part of your private life, it will become evident in your preaching and teaching if your are studious or not.

LET’S STUDY REVELATION # 15

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Revelation


“And unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write; These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God;  I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot.  So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth.  Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked:  I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see.  As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent.  Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.  To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne.  He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.”  (Revelation 3:14-22).

 

The definition found in Easton’s Bible Dictionary is: “The Laodiceans.  The city by this name lays on the confines of Phrygia and Lydia, about 40 miles east of Ephesus (Revelation 3:14), on the banks of the Lycus. It was originally called Diospolis and then Rhoas, but afterwards Laodicea, from Laodice the wife of Antiochus II, king of Syria, who rebuilt it. It was one of the most important and flourishing cities of Asia Minor. At a very early period it became one of the chief seats of Christianity (Colossians 2:1; Colossians 4:15; Revelation 1:11, etc.). It is now a deserted place, called by the Turks, Eski-hissar, or “old castle.”

To the Laodiceans, Jesus is introduced as, “the Amen,” “the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God…” The title “Amen” means firm or trustworthy. Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever. He is the “firm” foundation and the “trustworthy” Witness. He is God’s faithful witness. He was before all things and the One who created all in the very beginning (John 1:3; Epesians 3:9; Colossians 1:15-18; Hebrews 1:2; 11:3).  It could not mean that He was the first to be created by God, for He is an un-created and an eternal being (Isaiah 9:6-7; Micah 5:2; John 1:1-2; Hebrews 1:8;  Revelation 1:8).

The charge against this church was that it was lukewarm (v. 15). It was unacceptable to the taste of the Father, and it stood to be spewed out of His mouth (v. 16). This condition resulted from an attitude of self-sufficiency and independence. Nothing leads to deadness like self-sufficiency.

Some within the churches were rich and indulged themselves, in the midst of great poverty,  and persecution toward their fellow Jews. Both Jesus and James speak to this crowd. James says, “But ye have despised the poor. Do not rich men oppress you, and draw you before the judgment seats?” (James 2:6). “Go to now, ye rich men, weep and howl for your miseries that shall come upon you” (James 5:1). We remind our readers that James writes to Jews who will be in the Day of the Lord.  Like Ananias and Sapphira, these people thought it was the time to get possessions and acquire wealth. This attitude toward money and possessions revealed their true attitude about the return of the King and His Kingdom. The Day of the Lord will not be the time to acquire, save, or hoard wealth. The story of Gehazi sadly illustrated this point. Israel was divided in apostasy.  Elisha asks, “Is it a time to receive money, and to receive garments, and oliveyards, and vineyards, and sheep, and oxen, and menservants, and maidservants?” 2 Kings 5:26. The timing was wrong and there were more important matters to deal with. So will it be in the Day of the Lord.

Jesus warns against the neglect of His people in that day. He says He was, “Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me” (Matthew 25:36). This describes many of God’s people who will be in that coming day. Those who claim to be His followers and have within their means to help the poor and afflicted are held accountable to do so. There were many in the synagogues during Jesus’ earthly ministry who were only interested in gain. He drove the moneychangers from the temple. He rebuked the Pharisees for taking advantage of the poor. This condition will also exist among some of the “churches” in the Day of the Lord. Unless they repent, they will be “spewed out” and their candlestick removed.   The Laodiceans must share their wealth with their needy brethren.

It should be understood that this church is not intended to represent any period of Church history. The conditions found in each of the seven churches can be found throughout Church history. It will also exist among the Jews in the Tribulation period.

ESTHER KRAUSS

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By Ken Blue

I’ve met some fine ladies in my life time,
Mother was one; another’s that wife of mine.
But you stand out among the most sublime.
I think of heaven when you come to mind.

Your silver gray hair, with its tint of blue,
Your magnetic smile that said, “God loves you,”
You were always ready to serve and do,
Whatever was needed, without asking you.

You entertained strangers, and those in need.
You cared for the poor; without pay or greed.
Your faith might compare to a mustard seed,
But you moved mountains through your love and deeds.

You were always meek; quiet as a church mouse.
Immaculately dressed in your blue silk blouse,
Now with Jesus in your ivory house,
We miss you dear sister; our own Mrs. Krauss.

THE LEGEND OF THE DOGWOOD AND THE ROBIN

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By Ken Blue

There is a legend my mother told me,

About the Robin and the Dogwood tree.

The beautiful flowers for all to see,
Are my gifts to Jesus, who died on me.

You ask why the snarled and the crooked limbs?
So a cross may never be made of them.

To the Red Robin, the question was ask,
You were at the cross, so what was your task?

And how did you come by your breast so red?
By fluttering around to cool His head.

Some of His blood, it dripped down upon me,
And that’s how my red breast happened to be.

Whether a legend, or whether it’s true.
The robin and the  tree  changed; how about you?