Help! My daytimer is a mess...

  • Pastor Duane Cross
  • Sep 1, 2007

It's fall and our laid-back summer schedule is fading away. Back to school, back to routine, summer is in the rear view mirror (that's my optimism speaking), and fall activities have us wincing at our day timers. In addition, I want to make a difference in the kingdom by being faithful in my walk with Christ. I want to do everything, but I can't. What should I do?

I'm glad you asked. You can't or shouldn't try to "do it all." It's critical not to overload your life with even something as meaningful as church stuff. Here's my suggestion to help you prioritize: Four Things At Hope.....to be a "4 Dimensional Disciple of Christ."

Show up at church every Sunday you're in town.
Sunday is our big celebration time. It's when the crowd gathers for corporate worship and teaching. It's our "holy huddle" - our time to focus on God and His Playbook. During the week we worship on our own and study the Bible on our own. On Sunday, we do it together, as a family. Hebrews 10:25 says, "And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do....."

Get into a Small Group.
Good things happen in small groups. Friendships are formed. Joys are multiplied. Sorrows are shared. God's Word is discussed. Lives are changed. I see small groups as greenhouses for spiritual growth. As you read a book of Acts, you see the pattern of the believers meeting together at the Temple and gathering in homes for "small groups" (see Acts 2:44-47).

Find a Ministry and Serve.
Hope does "church" as a team. We all get to get into the action. We all get to roll up our sleeves and use the gifts and abilities God has given us to help others. This church isn't run by a few hired superstars-it's being run by scores of people like you. Ministry is simply serving. It's doing what you do well and are passionate about in order to help others get closer to God. I Peter 4:10 says, "Each of you has received a gift to use to serve other."

Invest in the lives of the unchurched, pre-Christian people and Invite them to Hope.
Jesus spent the bulk of His time not with religious people of his day, but with people who were "far from God." We must make sure we carve out enough time to do the same and strategically build friendships with people who don't know God. We must listen to them, love them and show them the night and day difference Christ has made in our lives.

2 Corinthians 5:20 says, "we are Christ's ambassadors...". God uses us to represent Christ in the world. We invest in peoples lives with the purpose of inviting them to a place like Hope, where they can hear about God's love and have the opportunity to make a life-altering commitment to Christ.

The bad news is you can't do it all. The good news is what you do can make a difference in you life and the lives of others for all eternity.

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