Every church member needed
Through seasons of worshipping online and now back in person, new opportunities have arisen from the challenges.
New pathways to connect people to life in Jesus are being explored and implemented.
Amplifying hope to friends, neighbors and strangers … has taken on new urgency.
Gathering to worship in person with fellow believers and family has [been] and always will be vital as “we see the day of Christ’s return approaching.”
We need you!
Every member is needed to “encourage one another” and to be encouraged, meeting together for “worship and instruction,” rekindling the flame and passion of faith in corporate worship and in small groups.
In 2021, may we ALL gladly say with the Apostle Paul, “[Forget] what lies behind and strain forward to what lies ahead. … Press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus” (Phil. 3:13–14).
Pastor Jimmy Stewart
First Baptist Church, Gulfport, Miss.
I love the image of generosity shared by our Lord Jesus as He taught the crowds (Luke 6:38). This is the perfect picture of what happens when we have a generous heart and allow that to lead our actions. How much the Lord will press down, shake a bit and add more, until everything runs over, filling our hearts and lives with His generosity!
Jesus taught the Christian character trait of being generous. Trust goes hand in hand with generosity. If we give generously and sacrificially to others, we must trust and rely on the Lord to continually fill our coffers and provide for our own needs. Our Lord created and owns all things. He can and will provide. He is worthy of our trust and honor.
Angie Quantrell
WMU preschool resources editor
wmu.com
The Lord gave us prayer as an avenue to have an ongoing intimate personal relationship with Him. When you think of prayer, think of it as a relationship. It will really encourage you, excite you, invite you to come into the presence of the Father.
Pastor Morgan Bailey
Macedonia Baptist Church
Ranburne, Ala.
“Sorrow and pain began in Genesis. By Revelation, they will be no more. ”
Greg Matte
Senior pastor, Houston’s First Baptist Church (Texas)
Sometimes I think we are so eager to be a part of something, to be accepted that we will unite around our shared meanness without even seeing what we have done.
Amy Whitfield
Associate vice president for convention communications at the Southern Baptist Convention Executive Committee, in a 2014 Christianity Today article
For a lot of the last year, I feel like we’ve just been in survival mode … just kind of getting through. But God has so much more for you than just to survive.
He wants you to thrive. He wants His church to thrive. He wants your family to thrive. He wants your marriage to thrive. …
In Isaiah chapter 44, God is speaking to His people during a season of great stress and struggle. He makes this stunning promise when He says, “… I will pour out my Spirit on your descendants, and my blessing on your children. They will thrive” (v. 3b–4a). They will thrive. What an amazing promise!
Kevin Lee
New Work Fellowship
Hopkinsville, Ky.
My firm conviction, based on our research over the past 26 years, is that the Christian community is woefully unprepared to address the questions, mindsets and worldviews of Gen Z.
No, it’s not just a stage-of-life thing that the younger set will simply “outgrow.” The sacred canopy under which they live — the plausibility of the Bible’s claims, the informational world they inhabit, the way screens shape their perceptions of reality — is quite disconnected from the structures of discipleship that most congregations employ.
I believe the church is going to need new models of discipleship (or new wineskins, as Jesus described) to address the actual questions younger generations are asking of the Bible and of belief in general.
David Kinnaman
President, Barna Group
From the preface to the “State of the Bible USA 2021” report by the American Bible Society
From the Twitterverse
@MarkDever
“On the cross we see sin fully punished and yet fully pardoned.” C.H. Spurgeon (MT15.39).
@edstetzer
Interesting so many pastors conferences, denominational meetings and more are asking me to speak on the same thing now:
- Where do we go from here in a post-COVID reality?
- How do we help Christians live faithfully in a divided world?
- How to engage God’s people in mission?
@timkellernyc
God sees us as we are, loves us as we are and accepts us as we are. But by His grace, He does not leave us as we are.
@revandyfrazier
If you have been overwhelmed by the grace of Christ, you delight in obeying Him. It is not work to follow His commands, but worship. You can attempt to obey Jesus without loving Him, but it’s impossible to love Him and NOT obey Him. —John 14:15
@macbrunson
The best argument for Christ is the committed Christian. The best argument against Christ is the life of the cultural Christian.
@brocraigc
“The gospel ain’t going to change or transform society if it’s not shared with individual people.” —@demyronhaynes
@JackieHillPerry
How Jesus handled “fame”: But now even more the report about him went abroad, and great crowds gathered to hear him and to be healed of their infirmities. But he would withdraw to desolate places and pray. —Luke 5:15–16
@Rgallaty
Henderson: The Lord’s Prayer is divided into 2 sections: God-ward and man-ward. He is worthy, and I am needy. Adoration cultivates desperation.
@daneortlund
The law says: You shall. The gospel says: You are.
@hartramsey
As Christians, we must understand, accepting the Bible as the Word of GOD means we CANNOT alter it to fit our preference, perspective or culture. Truth that is bendable is NOT Truth at all.
@trillianewbell
“Seek the Lord and live …” (Amos 5:6).
