| Good morning everyone, Our theme for this month: “Be smart, be strategic” Our Bible verse for today: “There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit. There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. There are different kinds of working, but the same God works all of them in all men. Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good.” 1 Corinthians 12:4-7 (NIV) Our thought for today: “Just be who you are with what you have” I know a man who is a cowboy at heart. He loves cowboy culture and he enjoys dressing up in cowboy gear – with a big hat, leather chaps, and a real six-shooter. He posts lots of pictures on Facebook of him and his family posing in cowboy-type scenes, and he attends a cowboy church outside of Nashville. It’s a good church, a solid conservative evangelical church, but it’s designed for people who love the cowboy culture. Before we move on from thinking about the strategically small church, I want to emphasize again that the reason God has created so many different kinds of churches is because there are so many different kinds of people, and there’s a church that’s right for everyone. That also means however, that not every church is right for every person. Not all churches are the same, nor should they be. No church can be all things to all people. 1 Corinthians 12:4-7 is another of the many passages in the New Testament which teaches about spiritual gifts. First and foremost, it’s about how God equips individual Christians with particular gifts, abilities, and talents, so they can then use them in acts of service. The point is that not all people are the same, and therefore not all people are gifted in the same way. There are a wide variety of gifts, talents, and abilities, and all of them are important and needed in their own way. The same is true for churches. God doesn’t equip all churches in the same way, and therefore not all churches are intended by Him to do the same things. There are basic aspects of church life that are common to all churches but beyond that, God equips individual churches to serve in their unique settings, and in their unique ways. So, the key for each church is to prayerfully consider how God has made-up your church family. Who has He brought to you? What are their gifts and abilities? That’s a clue about what kind of church you’re supposed to be. If your church has a lot of millennial soccer moms, there’s a good chance you’re not supposed to try to be a cowboy church. Oak Hill Baptist is an Acts 1:8 church. God has filled us with a lot of people who have a passion for mission work and compassion ministry. So, missions and compassion ministry are the heartbeat of our church life. We also have all the basics of church life as well, including age-appropriate small groups, Vacation Bible School, church picnics, etc., but we’re specifically and especially equipped by God for mission work. No church can be all things to all people. So be smart, be strategic. Consider carefully how God has formed your unique fellowship, and then build on your strengths. Just be who you are with what you have. God bless, Pastor Jim |
| Copyright © 2022 Oak Hill Baptist Church, All rights reserved. |
-
Follow
Following
Already have a WordPress.com account? Log in now.
Oak Hill Baptist Church 