Things We Must Not Forget to Remember
by Nick Kersten
New Year’s Resolutions are a popular pastime. We all “know people” who imagine how their lives could change this year if they could make just a few alterations. There is nothing wrong with committing to be more healthy, committing to be more conscious about the food we put in our bodies, and committing to be more responsible stewards of the resources God has entrusted to us. In fact, the dawn of a new year can inspire us to dream big about what the next year will bring.
However, the visions of the changes we would like to make in the first days of a new year often vaporize under the pressure of our daily lives and weight of unhealthy habits. None of us lacks good intentions; we only lack the strength of will it takes to stay the course.
The ministries of our local churches and this Conference face daunting challenges in 2007. We must confront once again the budget and structure of the ministries of the Conference. We must come together as a people and evaluate our involvement (or lack of it) in this culture, and how we will carry the Gospel to the world. We must decide for ourselves as individuals, as churches, and as a Conference what God is calling for us to do in this year.
Like New Year’s resolutions, we might be tempted to dream big for the future of our churches and of the Conference. And, like our own resolutions, all of those big dreams will vaporize without the commitment of individuals to carry the Gospel of Jesus Christ in everything they do. All of us must make a decision every day of this year to be what God has called us to be and do what God has called us to do, or all the well-meaning vision of today will become our disappointment tomorrow.
The time to point at others and wait for action has long since passed Seventh Day Baptists. We are not a numerous people. We have never been a numerous people. But we have always been God’s people. Today, God makes a request of all of us: to represent Him in this world, on all the roads we may find ourselves. If change is what we desire for Seventh Day Baptists, if we really want to see the former health and growth of our churches in our time, then each of us must be the change we wish to see. We must embody the life and love of our Lord, and do it in such a way that He is honored, even when people cruelly harass us for our faith. (1 Peter 3:8-18) We must not be afraid, for the path of fear and preservation will not take us where God desires us to go.
It is an exciting time to be a Seventh Day Baptist. There is much work that the Lord is calling for us to do. Each of us has been given a sacred responsibility to direct all our worldly assets—our time, talents, and resources—for the increased glory of the Kingdom of God and the spread of his Gospel. Each of us is important, because we aren’t a big enough group to survive sloth from too many people. You and I must be what we wish Seventh Day Baptists to become. Luckily, none of us must take on this resolution alone, because we have a God who loves nothing more than to work through His people. All we need is to be honest about who we are, earnest in our efforts to carry the Gospel and be responsive to God, and to follow where He directs us.
May the Lord bless and equip each of you in the ministry God has for you in 2007. May God grow us into the people He wants us to be this year.
However, the visions of the changes we would like to make in the first days of a new year often vaporize under the pressure of our daily lives and weight of unhealthy habits. None of us lacks good intentions; we only lack the strength of will it takes to stay the course.
The ministries of our local churches and this Conference face daunting challenges in 2007. We must confront once again the budget and structure of the ministries of the Conference. We must come together as a people and evaluate our involvement (or lack of it) in this culture, and how we will carry the Gospel to the world. We must decide for ourselves as individuals, as churches, and as a Conference what God is calling for us to do in this year.
Like New Year’s resolutions, we might be tempted to dream big for the future of our churches and of the Conference. And, like our own resolutions, all of those big dreams will vaporize without the commitment of individuals to carry the Gospel of Jesus Christ in everything they do. All of us must make a decision every day of this year to be what God has called us to be and do what God has called us to do, or all the well-meaning vision of today will become our disappointment tomorrow.
The time to point at others and wait for action has long since passed Seventh Day Baptists. We are not a numerous people. We have never been a numerous people. But we have always been God’s people. Today, God makes a request of all of us: to represent Him in this world, on all the roads we may find ourselves. If change is what we desire for Seventh Day Baptists, if we really want to see the former health and growth of our churches in our time, then each of us must be the change we wish to see. We must embody the life and love of our Lord, and do it in such a way that He is honored, even when people cruelly harass us for our faith. (1 Peter 3:8-18) We must not be afraid, for the path of fear and preservation will not take us where God desires us to go.
It is an exciting time to be a Seventh Day Baptist. There is much work that the Lord is calling for us to do. Each of us has been given a sacred responsibility to direct all our worldly assets—our time, talents, and resources—for the increased glory of the Kingdom of God and the spread of his Gospel. Each of us is important, because we aren’t a big enough group to survive sloth from too many people. You and I must be what we wish Seventh Day Baptists to become. Luckily, none of us must take on this resolution alone, because we have a God who loves nothing more than to work through His people. All we need is to be honest about who we are, earnest in our efforts to carry the Gospel and be responsive to God, and to follow where He directs us.
May the Lord bless and equip each of you in the ministry God has for you in 2007. May God grow us into the people He wants us to be this year.
posted by Nick Kersten at
3:21 PM
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