A New Outlook?

What does the New Year mean to you? Heard just about everywhere is “I resolve to…”. Out with the old and in with the new. Outdated ideas are filed in the dark recesses of our awareness so that new and exciting methods can be explored but how many times have people taken out the old ideas, dusted them off and put them back into practice? So many times I have heard “if you are dusting off old ideas, you are moving in the wrong direction”. I need to tell you something, many of our children and grandchildren are starting to realize some of the old ways are worth exploring.

I am going to get into this a bit more in depth on Sunday but I thought I would not only whet your appetite with this article but also prepare everyone for what could be a rather sensitive discussion. Here is a bit of information that many do not know about church leaders. When preachers get together, many will ask “how is your church doing” and the usual answer is “we run around 30-40 on a Sunday”. The health of the church is defined by the number of people attending on average but is this always the best way to describe the church? The church, by that I mean the faith gathering, should consider focusing on something other than numbers. When Jesus sent the disciples into all the nations, He did not say build Me churches nor did He give them a quota. Jesus was very clear in Matthew chapter 28 verse 19-20 “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.” I read this as “go out to all peoples, build relationship by sharing the wondrous news and help them to understand the gift they have available to them through Christ”. There is no mention of numbers nor does it say keep detailed records of everything you are doing. The record of the relationships are written in the book of life because every person who comes to know Christ as King and Saviour will have their name written down.

In December, we shared in the lives of so many people, hundreds more than we will ever see in our little building. This Sunday we will look at the priority of relationship with those around us over people in the pews. We invite you to join us in person or online at 10:30 MST or you can watch live on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/MainAvenueFellowship/) or view it afterwards on our website (www.mainavefellowship.blogspot.ca).

Blessings
Pastor Todd