Portfolious

Good morning, church family!

 

A year ago, Jeremy and Karista moved into our home, and we are days away from the final gavel falling to declare their adoption final.  As we did with their 3 older sisters when they were born, we will be dedicating Jeremy and Karista to the Lord this Sunday morning in our worship service.  Pastor Terry Yancey, the superintendent of the Kansas Assemblies of God, will be with us Sunday morning to bring the Word and assist in the act of dedication.  This will take place in the 10:30am service.

 

Then, at 6:00pm, Stuart and Jeannie German, missionaries to the Philippines (and current directors of the Convoy of Hope outreach in that nation) will be with us for a special “meet and greet” gathering.  You will absolutely love the Germans.  I love missionaries, but I have never found a couple that are as humble as these two and their kids.  I know you will be blessed.

 

We hope to see you all Sunday for a great day!

Greetings, church family!

 

It is late Wednesday night here at Kansas Kids Camp at Wheat State Camp, near Augusta.  I thought I would take a couple of minutes before I cash in to encourage you all to join us this Sunday at First Assembly as we begin our Kids Krusade.

 

Services will be at 10:30am and 6:30pm on Sunday, and 6:30pm Monday through Wednesday. Our theme is B.O.O.T. Camp, which stands for “Biblical Outlook & Outreach Training”, and is geared for all children, age 4 through grade 6.  A number of people from our congregation are working hard to produce this year’s crusade, and I know that all of the kids will enjoy it and get a lot out of it!

 

But we also need adults and teens — we need you to come and just be there.  We need many of you to sit with the kids for crowd control.  We need you to invite your neighborhood children, and bring them with you, if necessary.  We need for you to pitch in and help if and where needed.  And we need your prayers that the gospel will find good soil in the lives of the children and their families who attend.

 

Wednesday following the service, we will have “The World’s Largest Ice Cream Sundae”, and we will need several people to help us with the ingredients.  A sign-up list will be passed around Sunday morning, and if you can bring ice cream or any any of the toppings, that would be wonderful.

 

We hope to see you all this Sunday for a great day!

 

“The Spirit and the Mission”

Acts 1:6-8

 

It is unfortunately common for a church to lose sight of its mission, and get sidetracked with peripheral issues. It is also unfortunate that some churches understand its mission, but have no power or ability with which to carry it out.  We refer to the text to see the origination of this problem.

 

I.  The Confusion — verse 6

    A.  The disciples still didn’t understand what Jesus came to do

    B.  They had a self-serving perspective.

    C.  They had a limited geographical understanding.

    D.  They thought the Kingdom was political.

    E.  This is where the American church finds itself today — concerned about self-serving interests, consumed with “my four and no more”, and wrapped up in the political scene over the true gospel of Jesus Christ.

 

II.  The Correction — verse 7

    A.  The disciples had been thinking about a different kingdom than Jesus had been talking about.

    B.  They missed the point entirely.

    C.  When we get caught up in issues that don’t matter in the light of eternity, we have missed the point.

 

III.  The Counselor — verse 8a

    A.  The Spirit’s empowerment is needed for the mission

    B.  This promise was fulfilled 10 days later.

    C.  The infilling of the Spirit immediately cleared up all the confusion, and the church suddenly understood its mission.

 

IV.  The Commission — verse 8b

    A.  This is an outline for the Book of Acts

    B.  It is an outline for our mission today — receive the infilling of the Holy Spirit, then evangelize the world, beginning at home, spreading throughout our community, county, state and nation, then to the ends of the earth.

 

When there is a disconnect between the Counselor and the Commission, the Spirit’s power becomes self-serving and self-destructive.  It becomes all Spirit and no mission.  However, on the other side of that, many are content to rely on their own skills, enthusiasm, global awareness or love for people, and discount the infilling of the Holy Spirit.  We will never be truly effective if we are all mission and no Spirit. 

I trust you and yours had a wonderful Independence Day holiday!

 

I want to encourage you to join us tomorrow for our services here at First Assembly.  Tomorrow morning at 10:30 I will be speaking on “The Spirit and the Mission”, a rallying-point message for our entire church!

 

We will also be having a grocery shower for Pastors Todd and Donna Toomer, to welcome our new associate pastors to our community and church.  We invite everyone to bring what you can to bless this couple (on their anniversary, no less!)

 

Then, at 6:00 tomorrow evening, we will be getting back into the Book of Acts, with an encouraging word I have called, “Take That, Satan!”  I don’t care what the enemy of our souls wants to throw at us, our Lord and Savior can throw it right back at him!!  Come be blessed tomorrow evening.

 

I look forward to seeing you all tomorrow for our Mission Sunday!