What an exciting time in the life of Heartland Church!! I am really looking forward to the move to Carrollton and am anxious to see all the great things God has planned for us there. I hope you are excited about the move too.
What I'm really excited about though, and what I want to talk about, is what is happening right here and right now. I am excited about how focused we are as a Church on who we are and what God has created us to do. I am excited about the momentum that is building (which happens to be the subject of the current sermon series!). I am excited about how we are growing together as a church family. I am excited about the four goals we have set for our partners. I am excited about changed lives!!
The preacher described the second group of Christians as people who not only avoid any appearance of evil, but as people who are zealous to do good works of all kinds, who take up their cross daily, who constantly strive to achieve God's will at the expense of their own pleasure and who "agonize without intermission" to achieve a life of Christian holiness. (think about how this description ties in to our four goals of inviting and investing, living generously, taking the next bold step and living without limits).
I want to emphasize that the point of this sermon was not to condemn or criticize the first group of Christians. Instead, the point was to remind us that the Holy Spirit invites and prompts all believers to pursue a "more excellent way." Like faith itself, God issues the invitation but gives each of us the free will to accept or reject His offer.
I am not by any means suggesting that I myself have made any real progress in my own pursuit of the "more excellent way." There are many things in my life that bring no particular glory to God.
What I am saying is that I am grateful to be part of a Church that is not afraid to challenge us, no matter where we are on our walk with God, to do better. I am excited about applying the four goals of Heartland Church to my own life.
By the way, in case you are wondering, the sermon I am talking about was written by John Wesley over 200 years ago. Wesley believed that through devotion to prayer, the reading of scripture and so forth God can transform believers so that His love reigns supreme as the guiding force in their lives and in their hearts. : )
What I'm really excited about though, and what I want to talk about, is what is happening right here and right now. I am excited about how focused we are as a Church on who we are and what God has created us to do. I am excited about the momentum that is building (which happens to be the subject of the current sermon series!). I am excited about how we are growing together as a church family. I am excited about the four goals we have set for our partners. I am excited about changed lives!!
Speaking of our four goals, if you have not taken time to study and think about them I really urge you to do so. (You can find them right on the first page of our web site) The more I think about those goals myself, the more I realize they are not so much goals as they are a challenge. And the challenge is this: for each of us to continually strive to live our lives according to God's will. Simple, huh?
I read a sermon recently where the preacher observed that there are two types of Christians. Paraphrasing a bit, this preacher described the first group as believers who generally try to do the right thing, who do good works from time to time, who "abstain from gross evils," who regularly attend church and so forth. Though these Christians are certainly redeemed by the blood of Christ, their day-to-day lives are for the most part indistinguishable from non-believers.
I read a sermon recently where the preacher observed that there are two types of Christians. Paraphrasing a bit, this preacher described the first group as believers who generally try to do the right thing, who do good works from time to time, who "abstain from gross evils," who regularly attend church and so forth. Though these Christians are certainly redeemed by the blood of Christ, their day-to-day lives are for the most part indistinguishable from non-believers.
The preacher described the second group of Christians as people who not only avoid any appearance of evil, but as people who are zealous to do good works of all kinds, who take up their cross daily, who constantly strive to achieve God's will at the expense of their own pleasure and who "agonize without intermission" to achieve a life of Christian holiness. (think about how this description ties in to our four goals of inviting and investing, living generously, taking the next bold step and living without limits).
I want to emphasize that the point of this sermon was not to condemn or criticize the first group of Christians. Instead, the point was to remind us that the Holy Spirit invites and prompts all believers to pursue a "more excellent way." Like faith itself, God issues the invitation but gives each of us the free will to accept or reject His offer.
I am not by any means suggesting that I myself have made any real progress in my own pursuit of the "more excellent way." There are many things in my life that bring no particular glory to God.
What I am saying is that I am grateful to be part of a Church that is not afraid to challenge us, no matter where we are on our walk with God, to do better. I am excited about applying the four goals of Heartland Church to my own life.
By the way, in case you are wondering, the sermon I am talking about was written by John Wesley over 200 years ago. Wesley believed that through devotion to prayer, the reading of scripture and so forth God can transform believers so that His love reigns supreme as the guiding force in their lives and in their hearts. : )
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