For me personally, as Pastor, to give godly leadership through a humble and sacrificial example of discipleship to support and encourage, to teach and challenge people to be "seriously" committed to serving the Lord.
When the people of Narellan talk about us I want them to say we are MAD
- Some of Jesus' family thought he was mad but that's not what I mean
- Some people of Jerusalem on the Day of Pentecost said the apostles were mad when they listened to them preaching but that's not what I mean
- The people of Athens said that Paul was mad when he taught them about the Resurrection but that's not what I mean
- The late Keith Green used to define being a Christian as someone who was "bananas for Jesus" but that is not what I mean
What I mean is this ...
1.Making a difference to the lives of the Congregation
Through God's Word,
Through fellowship,
Through prayer,
Through worship.
That our ministry really makes a difference to who we are and how we live!
To our values
To our lifestyle
So that church is not just a matter of going through the motions...
Of coming in one door and going out the other without it having any impact on our lives
But making a difference to our minds, our hearts, our souls!
2.M.A.D.- "Making a difference" to the Community in which we are set
Geographically the Community Centre we meet in is located pretty much on the fringe of Narellan, but in terms of its impact and influence on the community I want the church here to be at its very centre.
And it is all too easy to be peripheral or even irrelevant to the lives of the people of the community in which we are set.
My prayer is that the N.C.C.C. will be vital for the community here and that through it's ministries and programmes will serve and support the people who live here; eg, the Retirement Village and the Community Services
3.M.A.D.- "Making a difference" for time and for eternity ... now and always!
Sometimes churches are accused of being "so heavenly minded that they are of no earthly use" and that all that they offer is the promise of "pie in the sky when you die"!
We will emphasise the Spiritual ... we will preach the Gospel of the Grace of God ... we will seek to encourage people to trust the Lord Jesus Christ as their Saviour ... we will seek to help people on their personal spiritual walk with the Lord ... we will seek to do all of this and in so doing seek to impact the lives of people for eternity ... for always!
But we will seek to do more than this
How is all this being to be done?
'Unless the Lord builds the house its builders labour in vain' and 'Unless the Lord builds the Church its builders haven't a prayer'!
But the Lord will do his building with workers!
The Church here will not be built without committed Christians anymore than this lovely building we meet in would have been completed without the brickies, plumbers, electricians etc.
Paul was challenged by the Spirit of God before commencing the Churches in Europe.
'Come over and help us'
I realise that most of you today are happily committed to other Churches and it is not my desire to entice you away but if you are not committed to another Church at the moment I hope the Lord could
So if you are someone...
- If you want to be a part of SOMETHING that will MAKE A DIFFERENCE in your life
- If you want to be SOMEONE who is making a DIFFERENCE in the lives of others
