Leadership Matters in Your Church

This week I want to spend a little time in each chapter of the letter from the Apostle Paul to Titus, a young Pastor. There are some great keys here for every church…so I thought it would be good to go back to this little letter that is full of wisdom for the church.

In chapter one, Paul reminds Titus of one of his main purposes in his area (the island of Crete).

John Maxwell said, “Leadership is influence.” Whatever our roll or position, we all can strive to grow in our ability to influence others in a positive way. Listen to the wisdom of Paul to Titus…

“I left you in charge in Crete so you could complete what I left half-done. Appoint leaders in every town according to my instructions. As you select them, ask, “Is this man well-thought-of? Is he committed to his wife? Are his children believers? Do they respect him and stay out of trouble?” It’s important that a church leader, responsible for the affairs in God’s house, be looked up to—not pushy, not short-tempered, not a drunk, not a bully, not money-hungry. He must welcome people, be helpful, wise, fair, reverent, have a good grip on himself, and have a good grip on the Message, knowing how to use the truth to either spur people on in knowledge or stop them in their tracks if they oppose it.” (Titus 1:5-9 MSG)

Are you too familiar with this?

I’ve been in Simpson Park a thousand times. No joke. Hiking, biking or just sitting up there and praying over our Valley…I’ve been there a bunch. It is familiar. However, when snow and ice covered it Wednesday morning, I got up there early…because it looked so different!

From time to time I come across a passage in the Bible that is so familiar, I have a tendency to just blow through it. (Oh ya, I know that one…)

While I do see new things in familiar passages with the help of the Holy Spirit and seeing it with fresh eyes because of something I’m going through, I personally like to see familiar passages in different translations.

For example…Psalm 100 is simple and beautiful, but it takes on a whole new dynamic for me in The Message.

“On your feet now—applaud God! Bring a gift of laughter, sing yourselves into his presence.

Know this: God is God, and God, God. He made us; we didn’t make him. We’re his people, his well-tended sheep.

Enter with the password: “Thank you!” Make yourselves at home, talking praise. Thank him. Worship him.

For God is sheer beauty, all-generous in love, loyal always and ever.” (Psalm 100:1-5 MSG)

We or You?

There is a signifiant truth found throughout the pages of New Testament: God’s Spirit lives in you!

We’ve been looking at this for five weeks in our weekend services, and we have two more to go!

The whole truth is that while the Holy Spirit lives in you and me…He also lives in US…TOGETHER! Take a moment and let this truth sink in. HE is in US. Now, how much more do I need others in my life?

Together we get to display Jesus to our world. Together we get to love, serve, encourage and speak truth and life into the world around us. Together!

“In him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord. And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit.” (Ephesians 2:21-22 NIV)

Are you ready to serve…Community style?

We have another BIG SERVE event coming up in just a few weeks. I’d love for you to get this on your calendar so you can be a part of it with our church family.

This is the 100th Anniversary of the Romona Pageant! So, Community is heading up to the Ramona Bowl to help clean, trim, paint or anything else they need to make the Bowl look in top shape as they enter this special year of performances.

March 4th from 9am—noon.

This is a simple, and yet powerful, way to show how much we care about our Valley. We have some of our LifeGroups and Rooted groups heading up on the 4th to help. Seriously, this is open to anyone! So if you want to roll up your sleeves and help…you’re on!

We’ll have a list of specific projects in the coming days so you know what all you can do. 

This is going to be FUN!

“For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” (Luke 10:45 NIV)

Are you wanting and working for this change?

God, rather than bullying His way in our life, waits for us to work with Him and open our lives up to Him.

Paul tells the church in Philippi to “work out” their salvation. He doesn’t mean “work on”, as though our salvation is based on our effort, but to work it out…to cooperate with God’s Spirit in us…to continually move closer and closer to Him so He can do that work in us.

Agree today, right now, to stay engaged in the process of becoming more like Jesus. He won’t force this change on you, so keep inviting His Spirit to work in you!

“Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed—not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence—continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose.” (Philippians 2:12-13 NIV)