Then it happened! I stuck my size eleven all the way in my mouth. I made the statement that men could carry the 40 lb bag of rice but the women would need a 20 lb bag of rice. So when the service was over I had more than one women (I know there were others who wanted to share this with me.) come up and tell me that they could handle a 40 lb bag of anything by themselves. Thank you ladies for informing me of your strength. I am sure you can handle a 40 lb bag of anything.

So what I meant to say was. . .that women could handle a 40 lb bag and men therefore would be able to handle an 80 lb bag! JK!! Really JK!

Let me remind you of what was really important from the message Sunday! The passage that I shared Sunday was 1 Corinthians 12:14- 21 NLT “Yes, the body has many different parts, not just one part. 15 If the foot says, “I am not a part of the body because I am not a hand,” that does not make it any less a part of the body. 16 And if the ear says, “I am not part of the body because I am only an ear and not an eye,” would that make it any less a part of the body? 17 Suppose the whole body were an eye—then how would you hear? Or if your whole body were just one big ear, how could you smell anything? 18 But God made our bodies with many parts, and he has put each part just where he wants it. 19 What a strange thing a body would be if it had only one part! 20 Yes, there are many parts, but only one body. 21 The eye can never say to the hand, “I don’t need you.” The head can’t say to the feet, “I don’t need you.”

It doesn’t matter if you’re the president of the United States of America or a Sanitation Worker! All parts of the body of Christ are important and therefore to be utilized in service for His Kingdom.

Have you found the place that God wants you to serve?

Are you functioning as a part of the body of Christ?

You can listen to the message here -> http://crosslifechurch.org/foreveryone

Let’s begin with the how the evening was supposed to go. The plan was to host an event that would raise funds for missions (we did that). The event was planned and organized (we did that). The sign up sheet was place out for individual to sign up to bring foods from 11 different countries representing our missionaries. Those countries were: Brazil, Bulgaria, France, India, Ivory Coast, West Africa, Japan, Mexico, Panama, Germany, Spain, and Uruguay (we did that). The meals prepared and served at 7:00 pm est time (we did that). A great feast was shared with all (we did that).

Then the rumblings began. Here is the texts from some who attended the dinner approximately 1 hour after all was said and done. “I’m having country wars in my stomach.” “Germany is not getting along with the Ivory Coast.” “Mexico has just raised their flag.” “Panama has just closed the canal.” “The only thing holding back Panama is the Ivory Coast dessert.” “India is sailing to Japan.” I myself woke up at 3 am with international disaster written all over it. When I walked into the church this morning it smelled like the mall food court.

You want to know what the silliest thing is about all of it. Everyone is wondering when we are going to do it again.

It was a great event that raised money for missions. What did you think about it?

Did you have food wars from this event? Would you like for us to host the event again?

Tim Keller helps to answer this question by observing that the standard pattern of evangelism in the New Testament centered around the oikos (Greek for household). But the word household in New Testament times was much broader than we tend to think of it.

“In the Bible, evangelism does not happen primarily through programs … it happens naturally through one’s oikos, or household…. A household was not just your family, but … a fairly tight-knit, close set of colleagues, kin, friends, neighbors. It was understood that when you became a Christian, you had been called to be a steward, evangelistically speaking, of your oikos” (Tim Keller, “Evangelism and the Steward Leader” audio).

In our day, Keller suggests, the biblical term oikos applies to at least five relationship networks:

• your kinship network (family and relatives)
• your neighborhood (those who live near you geographically)
• your colleagues (co-workers or co-students)
• your affinity network (people with a shared special interest)
• your friends (those from the other 4 networks with whom you develop a  close relationship) 

The relative strength or weakness of these five networks varies based on your context. But what it means to live missionally is to have authentic friendships with people in these networks. If Jesus is truly important to you, and if you have real friendships with people, then Jesus is going to come up sooner or later in the natural course of sharing life. Those in your oikos will get to know Jesus as they get to know you.

So, is missional living primarily about your neighborhood, your co-workers, your hunting buddies, or your non-Christian family members? The answer is: Yes.

Taken from Bob Thune’s blog at www.CDOmaha.com, October 30, 2009.

Ten years ago, Richard Foster, in his book Celebration of Discipline, put together a brief comparison of the characteristics of service that is focused upon us and service that is focused upon Christ:

SELF-FOCUSED SERVICE is concerned with impressive gains. It enjoys serving when the service is titanic or growing in that direction.

CHRIST-FOCUSED SERVICE doesn’t distinguish between small and large. It indiscriminately welcomes all opportunities to serve.

SELF-FOCUSED SERVICE requires external reward, appreciation, and applause.

CHRIST-FOCUSED SERVICE rests content in hiddenness. The divine nod of approval is sufficient.

SELF-FOCUSED SERVICE is highly concerned about results. It becomes disillusioned when results fall below expectations.

CHRIST-FOCUSED SERVICE is free of the need to calculate results; it delights only in service.

SELF-FOCUSED SERVICE is affected by feelings.

CHRIST-FOCUSED SERVICE ministers simply and faithfully because there is a need. The service disciplines the feelings.

SELF-FOCUSED SERVICE insists on meeting the need; it demands the opportunity to help.

CHRIST-FOCUSED SERVICE listens with tenderness and patience. It can serve by waiting in silence.

Tomorrow we launch One Hour Hero at CrossLife Church.  Join us for this challenge of service.

The CrossLife Church begins a 21 Days of Prayer Challenge.  Starting Monday January 11, we are committing to praying 10 minutes a day for 21 days through Monday, January 31, 2010.

Below find a few examples of the types of prayers that are recorded in the Word of God that will help us pray the scheduled time.

The 2010 theme for the CrossLife Church is GROWING DEEPER – REACHING FARTHER.  Back in November, as the wife and I had a few days off, my mind went to the place I was trying to get some r and r from, WORK!.  This time is was a good thing!  As I began to think about the future and the church, I felt the Lord speak to me about a theme for the coming year.  I began to get excited.  Originally it was Growing Deeper.  I talked with Jan about it and as we discussed it – it developed into what is now the 2010 theme – GROWING DEEPER – REACHING FARTHER.  We discussed not only should we grow deeper in our Christian life but we should reach farther for the Kingdom of God.  As we further discussed it the scripture passage Luke 13:19 came to mind.  It is about the mustard seed grain being placed in the ground then it grew into a tree and birds lodged in it.  So then it became the verse that would launch this year’s theme.

As I delivered the launch to the series this past Sunday, I felt the presence of the Lord dealing with hearts.  There seemed to be an excitement in the air as God charged our hearts with the challenge to GROW DEEPER and REACH FARTHER.

I will absolutely need to rely on the Lord as we dive into this new endeavor. But with the Lord going with us, it will be a success.  Please join us in 2010 as we GROW DEEPER AND REACH FARTHER!

You can listen to the first message in this series on our website - > Growing Deeper – Reaching Farther

 Luke 13:19 “It is like a grain of mustard seed, which a man took, and cast into his garden; and it grew, and waxed a great tree; and the fowls of the air lodged in the branches of it.”

God In Focus ’09

]]>