AN INVITATION

"How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!" (Romans 10:15 NIV)

One weekend when I wasn’t preaching, one of our campus pastors -- a young, bald-headed guy with a goatee -- spoke in my place. The next week, I was at a store when I heard a lady inviting a friend to church. Curious, I crept a little closer to eavesdrop on their conversation. The first lady said, “I’m not a religious person or anything, but you have to try this church called Life Church. It’s incredible. It totally changed my life.” I was blessed to overhear a conversation of someone who’d been touched by God at the church I pastor.

Unfortunately, the lady must have noticed me listening in. She looked at me and said, “Hey you, you need to come to church with me, too. The preacher is amazing.” Still excited but slightly confused, I asked her what the preacher looked like, confident she’d recognize me at any moment. Still talking fast, she said, “He’s bald and has a goatee.” This lady, who had been to our church only one time, was inviting everyone she saw -- even me -- the pastor of the church.

You can do the same thing. Take a step of faith and invite someone to go with you where they will hear God’s love through Christ. 

-- Craig Groeschel in “The Christian Atheist: Believing in God but Living as If He Doesn’t Exist” 

EDITOR’S NOTE: In addition to inviting someone to church to hear the good news, share SOUND BITES with them. Forward a quote that might be particularly meaningful to them and invite them to subscribe. Don’t keep the good news to yourself. – DW

#6227

EQUIPPING THE CHURCH FOR MINISTRY

“Christ Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ;…”  (Ephesians 4:11-13 NKJV)

The task of the ministry is, not to undertake some specialist activity from which the rest of the faithful are excluded, but to pioneer in doing that which the whole church must do.  And the ministry itself is no originator, but receives its task from Christ.  The ordained ministers only exercise the ministry which Christ Himself has first exercised, and which He continues to exercise through them, and through their activity in the whole church also.

 -- Anthony T. Hanson (1916-1991) in “The Pioneer Church” 

#6029

A PRAYER FOR OUR CLERGY

“I thank my God every time I remember you. In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now.”  (Philippians 1:3-5 NIV)

For Clergy Appreciation Month may this prayer bring comfort and encouragement to all those who serve in ministry.

Heavenly Father,

We come before You with grateful hearts, lifting up our local church pastors, chaplains, and retired clergy. We thank You for their dedication, their tireless service, and their unwavering commitment to caring for Your flock.

For our local church pastors, we ask for Your continued guidance and strength. Bless them with wisdom as they lead their congregations, and fill them with Your Spirit so they may preach Your Word with boldness and clarity. Grant them the endurance to face the challenges of ministry and the joy of seeing lives transformed by Your grace.

For our chaplains, who serve in hospitals, military, prisons, and other institutions, we pray for Your protection and peace. May they be a source of comfort and hope to those in need, and may their presence be a reflection of Your love and compassion demonstrated through Your Son, Jesus Christ. Give them the words to speak in difficult situations and the strength to carry out their duties with grace and mercy.

For our retired clergy, we offer our deepest gratitude for their years of faithful service. May they find rest and fulfillment in their retirement, knowing that their labor in Your vineyard has not been in vain. Bless them with good health, joy, and the continued assurance of Your presence in their lives.

Lord, we ask that You surround all these faithful servants with Your love and encouragement. May their hearts be uplifted by the appreciation and support of their communities. Strengthen them in their calling, and may they always feel valued and cherished for the work they do in Your name.

We pray this in the name of Jesus. Amen.

-- SOUND BITES Ministry, compiled from a variety of sources

#5964

FORGETTING GOD

“After that generation died, another generation grew up who did not acknowledge the LORD or remember the mighty things He had done for Israel.”  (Judges 2:10 NLT)

When I read those words, my heart breaks. My heart breaks for this generation that is summarized in a sentence of not knowing God and who He is. And my heart also breaks because I know that it’s easy to read those words and think, how could they? And I know how easily that could be us, too.

In a world that is so distracted, and in a world where we compete for truth and what’s real, and in a world where there’s so much going on, so much that we would say is against the Word of God, this could easily be us. And I just want to say as one of your pastors, speaking on behalf of our pastors at Grace Church, the staff at Grace Church, the volunteer and leadership teams of Grace Church, this will not happen on our watch.

We will not be a generation that forgets, that leads to another generation not knowing the glory and goodness of God. But here’s the reality, it takes all of us. 

-- Pastor Taylor Brown, Grace Church, Cape Coral, Florida, from his message on 9/22/24

#5953

STANDING STILL IN PRAISE

"Praise the Lord.
Praise the name of the Lord;
     praise Him, you servants of the Lord,
you who minister in the house of the Lord,
     in the courts of the house of our God.
Praise the Lord, for the Lord is good;
     sing praise to His name, for that is pleasant." (Psalm 135:1-3 NIV)

What a privilege to stand in praise before the Lord! It seems to me that today we always want to be moving on; we cannot stand still. So many things claim our attention that we are perpetually on the go. We cannot stop for a moment. But he who is spiritual knows how to stand still. He can stand before God in worship while God makes known to him [God's] will. He can pause and await orders.

May I ask you, dear fellow-worker, is not all your work carried out to a schedule? And is it not to be done in great haste? Can you be persuaded to call a halt and stand a while before [God] in praise? You will learn much that way. 

-- Watchman Nee in “A Table in the Wilderness” 

#5869

A PRAYER FOR PASTORS – Part 2

“The gifts Christ gave were that some would be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, some pastors and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, until all of us come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to maturity, to the measure of the full stature of Christ.” (Ephesians 4:11-13)

In Your infinite wisdom You have given us shepherds to lead and guide us. Bless them with discernment and integrity as they instruct and counsel us to be obedient and faithful to Your Word. As they prepare us for works of service, inspire them with Your vision for the church and instill in each of us a profound longing to be the people You desire us to be. Make them powerful in prayer, fervent in their desires, and committed to Your will as they embrace this great privilege.

“‘You are My flock, the sheep of My pasture, My people, and I am your God,’ declares the Lord GOD.” (Ezekial 34:31)

Your infinite love for us is beyond our comprehension. You have created us for Your glory. You have redeemed us and long to have fellowship with us. May we, the sheep of Your pasture and the shepherds of Your flock, abide in Your love. Amen.

– Adapted from “God Gave Some to Be...Pastors: A service of prayer, gratitude, and encouragement for pastors” by Sharon Postma

#5707

A PRAYER FOR PASTORS – Part 1

(Editor’s Note: October is Pastor Appreciation Month. I have broken this prayer into four parts, shared over two days, adding scripture for each section. May it be used to support and build up the pastors among us.)

“Every time I think of you, I always pray for you with a heart full of joy...” (Philippians 1:3-5)

We acknowledge the gift of Your servants to the work of ministry; called in their weakness and strengthened by Your Spirit. May we support them with our love and prayers. May we cherish, honor, and respect them because they are Your anointed servants. May we, with joy, accept the awesome and privileged responsibility of helping them be all You want them to be.

“’Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.’ How then can they call on the One in whom they have not believed? And how can they believe in the One of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone to preach?”  (Romans 10:13-14)

It is by Your love and grace that we are given pastors to preach the gospel. We thank You for the boldness with which they call us to repentance. They hold before us the truth of Your Word which strengthens our faith and gives us a sure hope for the glorious coming of Your kingdom. As they impart Your Word to us, be their joy and their inspiration.

-- Adapted from “God Gave Some to Be...Pastors: A service of prayer, gratitude, and encouragement for pastors” by Sharon Postma 

#5706

LEADERS FILLED WITH ENTHUSIASM – Part 1

“Whatever you do, do it enthusiastically, as something done for the Lord and not for men.”  (Colossians 3:23 HCSB)

The Buffalo Bills were playing the Houston Oilers in the first round of the Superbowl playoffs [in 1992] without their star quarterback, who was injured. By the end of the first half, the Bills were losing 35-3. But football history was about to be made.

In the second half, Frank Reich, the Bill’s backup quarterback, energized himself and the team with enthusiasm, and passed for four touchdowns. The Bills won in overtime 41-38. [At the time] it was called the greatest comeback in the history of the National Football League. The key to victory was Reich’s enthusiastic inspiration.

Effective leaders have learned that their own enthusiasm sets off in other people a chain of enthusiastic participation. Enthusiasm lights a fire under the soul, creates energy, relieves boredom, and helps us work with our whole heart. 

-- Walt Kallestad in “The Everyday, Anytime Guide to Christian Leadership”

#5673

INVESTMENT IN THE LORD’S WORK

“Store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”  (Matthew 6:20-21)

The only investments I ever made which paid constantly increasing dividends are those I have given to the Lord's work. Pastors do their congregation a great service by helping those in the church understand God's truth about money, time and giving.

-- J. L. Kraft, Founder of Kraft Foods 

#5667

HOW TO FINISH WELL – Part 5 of 6

“Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing. Now we ask you, brothers and sisters, to acknowledge those who work hard among you, who care for you in the Lord and who admonish you. Hold them in the highest regard in love because of their work. Live in peace with each other. And we urge you, brothers and sisters, warn those who are idle and disruptive, encourage the disheartened, help the weak, be patient with everyone.”  (1 Thessalonians 5:11-19 NIV)

How do we finish well?... Those who finish well have a Christ-centered life,… a focused life… a disciplined life,… a teachable spirit,…

A fifth characteristic of those who finish well is that they have a well-networked life… You can’t run this race alone. Success in the journey depends upon a network of key relationships. Those who finish well have had not just one but numerous mentors. There are people who pray for you. There is personal and group accountability. There is shepherding by pastors and encouragement by spiritual friends -- co-travelers on the path to help you get there.

-- Adapted from Donald W. Sweeting and George Sweeting in “How to Finish the Christian Life: Following Jesus in the Second Half”

#5622

SHARING THE STORY

“For, ‘Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.’ But how are they to call on One in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in One of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone to proclaim Him? And how are they to proclaim Him unless they are sent? As it is written, ‘How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!’”  (Romans 10:13-15 NRSV)

You may not be called to be a pastor but may simply want to share with others what God has done in your life. God is calling all of us to this kind of ministry. Whether you are a pastor or layperson, God calls you to share your faith with family, friends, neighbors, and any with whom you have influence. Peter speaks of doing this with “gentleness and respect” (1 Peter 3:15 NIV). Our most profound witness is how we live and how we love, but at some point it also includes our words, sharing the story of what God has done in and for us. 

-- Adam Hamilton in “Revival: Faith as Wesley Lived It”

#4920

GOD’S REAL PRESENCE

“The Lord is my shepherd;

I shall not want.

He makes me to lie down in green pastures;

He leads me beside the still waters.

He restores my soul;

He leads me in the paths of righteousness

For His name’s sake.

Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,

I will fear no evil;

For You are with me;

Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.

You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies;

You anoint my head with oil;

My cup runs over.

Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me

All the days of my life;

And I will dwell in the house of the Lord

Forever.”  (Psalm 23 NKJV)

The task of… Christian leaders is not to make a little contribution to the solution of the pains and tribulations of their time, but to identify and announce the ways in which Jesus is leading God's people out of slavery, through the desert land to a new land of freedom. Christian leaders have the arduous task of responding to personal struggles, family conflicts, national calamities, and international tensions with an articulate faith in God's real presence.

-- Henri J. M. Nouwen

#4823  

GROWING IN THE CHRISTIAN LIFE - Part 2

“Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of people in their deceitful scheming. Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of Him who is the head, that is, Christ. From Him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.”  (Ephesians 4:14-16 NIV)

Now and again people ask me what I perceive my job to be. My answer is always the same: to bring people to the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ, then to help them grow up in Christ. That’s the work of the church.

“How about a place to find friends?” someone asks. Wonderful; there’s no better place to do so. But that’s a by-product of what we do. “How about the church being a place for cultural enrichment?” Excellent. But the university, the art museum and the orchestra can take care of that if we fail -- but no one else will provide a place where people can grow up in Christ. “But what about our social events -- you know, bridge, bowling, drama, pot luck suppers?” I love ‘em. But other places provide those opportunities, while they don’t give us a place to grow in Christ.

Hear me: there are a great many things we can offer in the church, and should offer. But let us remember that they are secondary. They are beautiful by-products, but they’re not our primary business. We didn’t come into existence -- either the [local church] or Christendom as a whole -- to be a political, social, or cultural institution, but to bring human beings to new and continuing, effective life in Jesus Christ.

-- J. Ellsworth Kalas in a sermon entitled “What I Have Learned About Growing Up”



#4773

IDEAS FOR CHRISTMAS GIFTS

In looking for ideas for Christmas gifts I found these suggestions from Oren Arnold: For your enemy, forgiveness. For an opponent, tolerance. For a friend, your heart. For a customer, service. For every child, a good example. For yourself, respect.

That got me thinking about some other gift suggestions as well: For your neighbor, charity. For a coworker or classmate, encouragement. For your pastor, support. For the lonely, companionship. For the grieving, a remembrance. For all everywhere, the love of God in Christ Jesus. “For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son…” (John 3:16a)

Maybe this prompts you to think about Christmas gifts in a different way. We’d love to hear from you about your ideas for Christmas giving this year.

-- David T. Wilkinson, SOUND BITES Ministry


#4739

A DEEP LOVE FOR JESUS

“May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God.”  (Ephesians 3:19 NLT)

I recently interviewed a pastor while preparing a story for the local newspaper. As always, the visit was positive, and I enjoyed the meeting on many levels. We talked about his family, his career, his relationship to the community,… and the church he built and loved so deeply.

Then I asked the pastor about Jesus. I asked him about what still motivates him to keep on preaching after all this time, and I asked him why the message he delivers on Sunday should have anything at all to do with the day-to-day balance of our lives.

“Let me tell you about Jesus,” he said. And immediately his eyes filled with tears. He shared the simple testimony of how Jesus connected with his humble life and called him into service, and how his Savior remains so profoundly linked to every moment of his every day, and he couldn’t help but let the tears flow.

“I’m so sorry about the tears,” he said. “But I can’t talk about Jesus without being affected this way. I just love Him so much.”

He… used to work as a superintendent for an oil company. He knew how to handle himself. He was all man all the way through. Yet the love of Jesus touched his heart and his soul so deeply that it still brought tears to his eyes.

Such deep love for Jesus is the key to spiritual growth and the way we move ever closer to God. 

-- Derek Maul in “Get Real: A Spiritual Journey for Men”


#4511

LEST THE FIRE GO OUT

“Some people have given up the habit of meeting for worship, but we must not do that. We should keep on encouraging each other, especially since you know that the day of the Lord's coming is getting closer.”  (Hebrews 10:25 CEV)

A member of a certain church, who had been attending services regularly, stopped going. After a few weeks, the pastor decided to visit him. It was a chilly evening. The pastor found the man at home alone, sitting before a blazing fire. Guessing the reason for his pastor’s visit, the man welcomed him, led him to a comfortable chair near the fireplace and waited.

The pastor made himself at home but said nothing. In the grave silence he contemplated the dance of the flames around the burning logs. After some minutes, the pastor took the fire tongs, carefully picked up a brightly burning ember and placed it on one side of the hearth alone. Then he sat back in his chair, still silent.

The host watched all this in quiet contemplation. As the one lone ember’s flame flickered and diminished, there was a momentary glow and then its fire was no more. Soon it was cold and dead. Not a word had been spoken. The pastor glanced at his watch and realized it was time to leave. He slowly stood up, picked up the cold, dead ember and placed it back in the middle of the fire.

Immediately it began to glow once more with the light and warmth of the burning coals around it. As the pastor reached the door to leave, his host said with a tear running down his cheek, “Thank you so much for your visit and especially for the fiery sermon. I shall be back in church next Sunday.” 

-- Reprinted from the Parish Nursing News


#4407

PAIN CAN PUT LIFE IN PERSPECTIVE

Affliction is particularly effective in helping us reevaluate our priorities.  When Thomas Chalmers became pastor of the church at Kilmany, Scotland in 1803, he was a young man of twenty-three with little real interest in religion.  He had taken the parish primarily so that he could also teach mathematics and astronomy.

As time went by, Chalmers neglected sermon preparation and the care of his people.  The church went into steady and precipitous decline.  After several years he was stricken with a serious illness.  For four months he was unable to leave his sick room, and for almost a year he did not preach.  Slowly he came to realize that his view of Christianity as simply an ethical system was not sufficient to see him through this valley of the shadow of death.  There in the lonely place of his illness he faced himself and the shallowness of his beliefs, until he experienced a dramatic religious conversion.

In the years that followed, Chalmers became the most powerful preacher in Scotland.  And with it, he came to have a compelling social conscience.  The finest pulpits in Scotland were available to him, but he also chose to minister to the poorest of the population in special services on a tanner's second story.  A century later Lord Roseberry said of him, "An illness lifted him into a higher sphere, and he soared aloft."  Illness can do that to us, because it helps us get our values in order.

-- J. Ellsworth Kalas in “If Experience Is Such a Good Teacher Why Do I Keep Repeating the Course?”


#4261

WORDS OF ENCOURAGEMENT

“Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing. Now we ask you, brothers and sisters, to acknowledge those who work hard among you, who care for you in the LORD and who admonish you. Hold them in the highest regard in love because of their work. Live in peace with each other.” (1 Thessalonians 5:11-13 NIV)

You have it easily in your power to increase the sum total of this world's happiness now. How? By giving a few words of sincere appreciation to someone who could really use it. It may be someone who is lonely or discouraged. It may be your spouse, your pastor, the nurse who cared for you, the clerk at the store, your Bible study leader, the waitstaff at the restaurant, or your child’s teacher. Perhaps you will forget tomorrow the kind words you say today, but the recipient may cherish them over a lifetime.

-- Adapted from Dale Carnegie


#4229

A PRAYER FOR PASTORS

“Every time I think of you, I always pray for you with a heart full of joy...” (Philippians 1:3-5)

We acknowledge the gift of Your servants to the work of ministry; called in their weakness and strengthened by Your Spirit. May we support them with our love and prayers…

It is by Your love and grace that we are given pastors to preach the gospel. We thank You for the boldness with which they call us to repentance. They hold before us the truth of Your Word which strengthens our faith and gives us a sure hope for the glorious coming of Your kingdom. As they impart Your Word to us, be their joy and their inspiration.

In Your infinite wisdom You have given us shepherds to lead and guide us. Bless them with discernment and integrity as they instruct and counsel us to be obedient and faithful to Your Word. As they prepare us for works of service, inspire them with Your vision for the church and instill in each of us a profound longing to be the people You desire us to be. Make them powerful in prayer, fervent in their desires, and committed to Your will as they embrace this great privilege.

Amen.

-- Excerpted from “God Gave Some to Be... Pastors: A service of prayer, gratitude, and encouragement for pastors” by Sharon Postma


#4202

GIVING TO THE LORD’S WORK

“Honor the Lord with your wealth
and with the best part of everything you produce.
Then He will fill your barns with grain,
and your vats will overflow with good wine.”  (Proverbs 3:9,10 NLT)

The only investments I ever made which paid constantly increasing dividends are those I have given to the Lord's work. Pastors do their congregation a great service by helping those in the church understand God's truth about money, time and giving.

-- J. L. Kraft, Founder of Kraft Foods

#3987