Art of Imagination

Last week I had the opportunity to participate in a National Church Leaders conference in Dowling Park, FL. It was a great conference full of challenges that I took a lot from.

Throughout the conference we enjoyed an artist that came in and painted beautiful pictures during the general sessions and main seminars. The subject of these paintings were the topics the speakers were addressing.

During our breaks I had several conversations with other pastors and leaders about the paintings. Here are some of the statements I heard.

"What does that painting mean?"
"Just tell me what it means."
"What does he think it means?"

I found myself becoming somewhat irritated by some of these statements and questions. At first I couldn't explain why but then it hit me. Everyone seemed to what to be given the meaning that one person had rather than stretching their imaginations to interpret each painting.

I find myself in the same predicament sometimes as a pastor. At times people are merely satisfied with whatever the pastor thinks about God rather than seeking, searching, and experiencing God for themselves.

This is not a statement to lessen the role of pastor in the local church. However, if the pastor is always spoon feeding who HE knows God to be and people are not searching the scriptures for themselves then they are missing out on a lot of the adventure and experience of God in their own walk with Him.

So here is a simple exercise to try and get your imagination jump started this morning.
I John 4:8 tells us that "God is Love."
How many ways can you describe God's love?
Take a moment and write down as many things as you can.
Then take a break. Come back to it later and see if you can add anything.
Then ask a friend to do the same thing and compare notes.

I'd be very curious to see if God doesn't spark your imagination some.

Balance

Every church is good at something. Over the last 90 years WJACC has been good at several things. Creating a family atmosphere. Reaching out to the neighborhood. Worshiping. Praying...and the list goes on and on. Recently we've come to the conclusion that most of the time we have focused on one area to the neglect of another. So here is our goal for ministry starting now.

Balance.

All areas of ministry are seeking a balance of three things.

1. Community-building the believer, equipping the saints for ministry, forging the identity of the body of Christ and the family of God


2. Outreach-spreading the gospel of Jesus to a lost and dying world. Being a force of encouragement and hope.


3. Worship-realizing that there is no greater privilege than to worship, in spirit and in truth, the Almighty God of the Universe.

Every Sunday School class, prayer group, Bible study, board member, pastor, etc. can ask..."How am I encouraging/integrating these three areas in an intentional way where God has put me?"

I don't know what all God has planned for 2010 but I do know that His ways/plans are always much better than mine.

Please pray as we seek God's balance in ministry at WJACC.

**If you are not a believer or church goer I want to invite you to consider "Why not". God only wants the best for you and His love and faithfulness is always the BEST! You don't have to walk through life alone.