I am sure we have all had someone in our life whom we’ve taken or borrowed an idea from. I worked alongside a senior pastor when I was in my call in Washington and every year, he gave the congregation an annual theme or idea to live by or strive for. That is something that I have gleaned from him and used as I continue my ministry.
This coming Sunday I will give a sermon that will present the congregation with an annual theme. As you listen to the sermon it is my prayer that you consider the ways that you can help make the theme a reality for you and for Bethlehem.
One of the many things that Pastor John did while he was here was to create a chart that had this congregation place where they thought the church and each of you individually fell in the Five Expressions of the Church. The categories are: missionary, inviting, welcoming, friendly, and closed. The majority of people indicated that both Bethlehem and personally were more outward oriented.
I must tell you this is one of the many aspects of Bethlehem that excited me when I was considering a call here. It is exciting to see that people want to reach out and share the love of God as found in Christ Jesus. It is our calling, and it will help this congregation to thrive and grow.
That is what I propose that we do not just this year but over the course of the next two years. To thrive and to grow. Again, it will take all of us together to do that work. As we know when we have many people helping to do something the work isn’t hard, and we can see how each of us is an important and vital part of the ministry.
Paul has been telling us about that very thing in his first letter to the Corinthians. In chapter 12 he talks about the spiritual gifts we are all given and that help the entire body of Christ. It is the whole work with all our different gifts that we can share God’s love and to thrive and grow as a community of believers.
I pray that you would join our community (either online or in person) for worship this weekend as I share with you a vision for not just one but the next two years for Bethlehem. It is an exciting time to be the body of Christ, let us join in and share that excitement with each other as we wonder about what is possible together with the blessings and gifts of the Spirit working in and through us.
Blessings,
Pastor Brian
