Rumors: Relying on rumors? Experience for yourself.
It’s easy to rely on rumors of who Jesus is. Everyone seems to have an opinion of who He is, but the question to ask ourselves is: Have I experienced Jesus for myself?
If you have been relying on rumors, this is your chance to experience for yourself who Jesus really is. Don’t you think it’s time to stop relying on rumors and experience for yourself.
To listen to all of the messages, go to itunes.com and subscribe to Freedom Church Lebanon, Indiana. It’s FREE!
Curling?
Curling?
This pass week I was given a mental picture of Freedom Church.
Curling is actually an Olympic sport!
What is curling?
A curling stone has a maximum diameter of 36 inches and can weigh no more than 44 pounds. It is concave on the bottom to promote a cleaner slide down the ice. Rather than push the curling stone, a handle is attached at the top to facilitate the release of the stone by the player.
The essential elements of curling are the delivery, sweeping, and strategy. The delivery of an accomplished curler will demonstrate exquisite timing in pressing forward the 44-pound stone, drawing it back and transferring the momentum of the action with a perfectly straight slide down the ice towards the target. At the moment of release the curler is in perfect balance and a slight twist delivered to the handle to produce a rotation about 2 1/2 times. Sweeping is the unique feature of curling which allows a player’s teammates to brush the ice in front of the sliding stone to allow it to go further.
Effective sweeping, which can lengthen a stone’s journey by over 10 feet and determine its final destination, is a function of judgment and experience. Rapid brushing and the proper amount of pressure will help give the stone the proper curl, or curve.
The difference between winning and losing a curling match is most often decided by strategy. Each team is led by a captain, or skip, who decides which shot should be attempted. A good skip takes into account not only his team’s ability to execute but their attitude.
Freedom Church is the stone. We can’t push this church forward, it must be allowed to move forward by God’s hand on the handle. He is the ”accomplished curler” and demonstrates exquisit timing and pressure on this church. He knows the target and it’s rotating perfectly toward it.
Freedom Church is the stone. We can’t push this church forward, it must be allowed to move forward by God’s hand on the handle. He is the ”accomplished curler” and demonstrates exquisit timing and pressure on this church. He knows the target and it’s rotating perfectly toward it.
Our job? We are sweepers!
Notice that the difference between winning and losing a curling match is the strategy! I believe that Freedom Church is winning because of it’s strategy. What is it? It’s simple, it’s what Jesus asked us to do and Paul summarizes it for us.
“We proclaim him, admonishing and teaching everyone with all wisdom, so that we may present everyone perfect in Christ.” Colossians 1:28 (NIV)
This is known as the great comission and we must continuue to be about this strategy!
A final thing I noticed about winners. In the game of curling and in the life of the church team, it’s the team that “not only has the ability to execute but their attitude” must be right.
I’ve noticed a lot of churches DOING some wonderful things, but their attitudes are nothing like Christ. Remember, it’s not what you do, but who you become!
So, for now, we will keep sweeping and preparing the way for this church to move forward guided by the Master’s hand!
We will win,
Can’t even believe it’s August already!
