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WHAT IS MISSING FROM THE CH CH? UR

 Title: WHAT IS MISSING FROM THE CH  CH? UR For today’s spiritual nourishment, let’s consider the following statistics and add pro-active thoughts as we meditate on how we can play or part as a church and for the church- the kingdom of God. With millions of people having stayed home from places of worship during the coronavirus pandemic, struggling congregations have one key question: How many of them will return? As the pandemic recedes in the United States and in-person services resume, worries of a deepening slide in attendance are universal. Some houses of worship won’t make it. Smaller organizations with older congregations that struggled to adapt during the pandemic are in the greatest danger of a downward spiral from which they can’t recover, said the Rev. Gloria E. White-Hammond, lecturer at the Harvard Divinity School and co-pastor of a church in Boston. On the Maine coast of USA, the pandemic proved to be the last straw for the 164-year-old Waldoboro United Methodist Church.
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Whatever You Do, Do It as a Ministry

Whatever You Do, Do It as a Ministry - By Rick Warren “Whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him” ( Colossians 3:17 NIV ). God has called you to be a minister. Maybe you’ll never preach a sermon. Maybe you’ll never officiate a wedding or a funeral. Maybe you’ll never lead a church. But make no mistake about it: If you’re a follower of Jesus, you’re a minister. God has called you to be a bi-vocational minister. What does that mean? Think of the word “bifocal.” Those are the glasses that allow someone to see two things at the same time—both far away and up close—with clarity. When you follow Jesus, you do everything for two reasons, not one: to help others and to honour God. That makes you a bi-vocational minister, whether you’re a truck driver, an attorney, a janitor, or a stay-at-home parent. You have a job, but in that job, you work to help others and to honour God. The key scripture today reminds u
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Why Does the Church Need Me?

 Why Does the Church Need Me?  By Rick Warren “All of you together are Christ’s body, and each one of you is a part of it.” - 1 Corinthians 12:27. One reason why you need to be connected to a church family is to fulfill your calling to serve other believers in practical ways. The Bible says, “All of you together are Christ’s body, and each one of you is a part of it” ( 1 Corinthians 12:27 NLT ). Your service is desperately needed in the body of Christ—just ask any local church! Each of us has a role to play, and every role is important. There is no small service to God; it all matters. Likewise, there are no insignificant ministries in the church. Some are visible, while others are behind the scenes—but all are valuable. Small or hidden ministries often make the biggest difference. In my home, the most important light is not the large chandelier in our dining room but the little night-light that keeps me from stubbing my toe when I get up in the dark. There is no correlation between si
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The Parable of the Two Sons

by John O. Reid (1930-2016) Matthew 21:28-32: "But what do you think? A man had two sons, and he came to the first and said, "Son, go, work today in my vineyard." (29) He answered and said, "I will not," but afterward he regretted it and went. (30) Then he came to the second and said likewise. And he answered and said, "I go, sir," but he did not go. (31) Which of the two did the will of his father?" They said to Him, "The first." Jesus said to them, "Assuredly, I say to you that tax collectors and harlots enter the kingdom of God before you. (32) For John came to you in the way of righteousness, and you did not believe him; but tax collectors and harlots believed him; and when you saw it, you did not afterward relent and believe him. Matthew 21:28-32 contains the story of two sons, one who said he would not do the work his father asked of him, yet did, and another who promised to work, but did not. Jesus may have taken the th
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Given gifts by God

Everybody has been given gifts by God  - use them as faithful stewards. Here is today’s message from John W. Ritenbaugh 1 Peter 4:10 : As each one has received a gift, minister it to one another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. The Greek word translated "minister" is diakonos, which is sometimes translated "deacon." It is most frequently rendered either "minister" or "servant." Every Christian has received some gift in trust from God to be held and used for the benefit of the whole church. The gifts may vary widely, but the ministry or the service of each is to be according to the character of the gift. As in Paul's body analogy, the finger does not do the same job as the toe, but the fingers are a gift to the body so that the body can function. However, the toes are also a gift to the body so it can function better in another area. It contributes its part to the well-being of the body, but it does not have the same characteris
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MESSAGE 5:

 To recap, we mentioned about: 1. Obedience out of LOVE. 2. Responsibility out of LOVE. 3. Justice out of LOVE. 4. Compassion out of LOVE. 5. Peace out of LOVE. 6. Mercy out of LOVE. Today, we shall complete this topic by completing the last 3 of the 9 motivations of Christ out of LOVE. 7. Humility out of LOVE. We could never fully understand Christ’s love for us “Who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross.” (Philippians 2:6-8). He was born in a humble setting (Luke 2:7). His own town folks did not believe in Him (Matthew 13:53-58 & Luke 4:28-30). By His own people, He was treated like a criminal (Matthew 27:15-26) and was rejected to the point of crucifying Him on the Cross. He could have called legions of angels
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MESSAGE 4:

 MESSAGE 4: ALBA-  Motivation of Christ out of LOVE. Part 2 To recap, we mentioned about: 1. Obedience out of LOVE. 2. Responsibility out of LOVE. 3. Justice out of LOVE. Today, we will focus on the next 3 out of the 9 motivations of Christ out of LOVE. 4. Compassion out of LOVE. Mark 6:34: “And Jesus, when He came out, saw a great multitude and was moved with compassion for them, because they were like sheep not having a shepherd. So, He began to teach them many things.” Matthew 14:14: “And when Jesus went out, He saw a great multitude; and He was moved with compassion for them, and healed their sick.” We can also read of Jesus emphasizing this in the story of “The Good Samaritan” in Luke 10:25-37. Compassion is defined as “That (human) disposition that fuels acts of kindness and mercy. It is a form of love, aroused within us when we are confronted with those who suffer or are vulnerable. Compassion often produces action to alleviate the suffering.” It embodies a tangible expression o
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