23 December 2007—Advent 4—Mary, Did You Know?

focusPoints:

There is a Christmas song written in recent years that asks a poignant question, "Mary, Did You Know?" Mark Lowry and Buddy Greene have composed this beautiful, contemporary song that poses this question.What did Mary know and understand? What did she not understand about Jesus? Certainly there were some things that Mary knew. What were they?

1—Mary knew that God uses humble folks, humble people for mighty purposes. (Luke 1:26)
2—Mary knew that she was a virgin. (Luke 1:27, 34)
3—Mary knew that her son would be the promised Messiah. (Luke 1:31-33)
4—Mary knew that the name of her baby would be Jesus and He would save people from their sins. (Matthew 1:20-21)

(Fookes: Stockwell UMC Worship Message, 23 December 2007)

forwardPoints:

There were some things Mary did not understand or know? What were they?

1—Mary did not know what Jesus' life would be like. (Mark 3:21)
2—Mary did not understand how He would have to die. (Luke 2:34-35)

(Fookes: Stockwell UMC Worship Message, 23 December 2007)

fellowshipPoints:

Above all, we see willingness in Mary's life to be obedient to God's call to her to be used for a special purpose. Her words are forever a model for us when she said, "I am the Lord's servant. May it be to me as you have said." (Luke 1:38)

findingPoints:

Robert Morris in Provocative Grace notes that how we react to the stranger - to someone alien to us - fundamentally tests our humanity. It's natural for the stranger - and for strange customs, cultures, and ideas - to evoke suspicion. Because the unknown may contain hidden danger, our urge to investigate the stranger is a necessity, not a flaw in our character. We rightly tell our children not to go off with strangers. But fear of the unknown may intensify beyond reason into the blind revulsion and rejection of xenophobia.

On the other hand, the very same strangeness may not only pique our interest but blossom into xenophilia - an intrigued fascinated love of that which is different. Both xenophobia and xenophilia are parts of our survival equipment. Xenophilia inspires fascination with the new and different. It invites us to encounter strangers with an initially positive, inquiring interest rather than knee-jerk suspicion. Intriguing strangers become doorways into new aspects of the human experience, valued expansions of our sense of the world.

Fookes illustrates how different Mary was—self actualized. Morris notes that our reaction to people who are different can take two very different paths fear (avoidance) and faith (curiosity). Considering those theses:

Do we risk the avoidance of others to live the mission to which God is calling us?





Do we know the impediments God will (need to) remove from us when we are in the center of His will?





Do we know the outcomes of our obedience? Or, is what we’re doing now (all the time) making disciples?





In what ways do/can we emulate Mary’s life of preparedness, inquisitiveness, and obedience?






faithPoints:

Saul/Paul was blinded before he was obedient. Jonah spent time in a fish before he was obedient. Mary simply asked “how can this be” and received the Holy Spirit’s assurance before she was obedient. In what ways can we move from Saul/Paul and Jonah follow Mary’s example when God asks something beyond that which we know how to do now?

23 December 2007--Advent 4--Mary, Did You Know?

For many of us, Christmas means singing the familiar carols and hymns, as well as being introduced to new pieces.

There is a Christmas song written in recent years that asks a poignant question, "MARY, DID YOU KNOW?" Mark Lowry and Buddy Greene have composed this beautiful, contemporary song that poses this question.

What did Mary know and understand? What did she not understand about Jesus? Certainly there were some things that Mary knew. What were they?

1-First, she knew that God uses humble folks, humble people for mighty purposes. (Luke 1:26)
2-Second, Mary knew that she was a virgin. (Luke 1:27, 34)
3-Third, Mary knew that her son would be the promised Messiah. (Luke 1:31-33)
4-Fourth-Mary knew that the name of her baby would be Jesus and He would save people from their sins. (Matthew 1:20-21)

There were some things Mary did not understand or know. What were they?
1-First, she did not know what Jesus' life would be like. (Mark 3:21)
2-Second, Mary did not understand how He would have to die.
(Luke 2:34-35)

Above all, we see a willingness in Mary's life to be obedient to God's call to her to be used for a special purpose. Her words are forever a model for us when she said, "I am the Lord's servant. May it be to me as you have said." (Luke 1:38)

Pastor Jim Fookes

Charge Conference 2007--Imagining Stockwell (2 December 2007)

Visioning Exercise--Identifying Our Publics

Whom we serve (the direct and primary recipients of resource and programs delivered through time, money, staff):

Car Show
Children
Christmas Jubilee & Harvest Baskets
Community
Conference
Congregation
Craft Show
Elderly/Shut-ins
Family Game Nights
Funeral Dinners
Harvest Baskets
Ice Cream Social & Fall Gathering
Men’s prayer breakfasts and outings
Missions
Pastor
Pioneer Clubs
Spring Fling
Treat Night
UMW (United Methodist Women)
Vacation Bible School
Youth Group


Who are our key partners (those individuals, groups, and organizations depended upon, who provide resources, where things are done jointly, etc.:

Car Show
Christ
Community Youth
Connectional UMC (United Methodist Church)
Each Other
Egg Hunt
Election
EE (Evangelism Explosion)
4-H
Fire Department
Habitat
John and Ruby Parks Foundation
LUM (Lafayette Urban Ministry)
Missionary
Pastor Jim & Sandy
Pioneer Club
Play Ground
Scouts
Treat Night
VBS (Vacation Bible School)


Who else is there we consider (individuals, groups, and organizations that are members of the larger community where it is important to us that they know us and are supportive:

Contacts though outreach programs
Geographic Area
Hispanic community
New Residents

9 December 2007—Advent 2—Why the Shepherds

focusPoints:

Have you ever focused on the shepherds in the nativity scene? What do they have to teach us? What can we learn from them? The key word in Luke 2 is everyone. The angel said to the shepherds, “I bring you good news of great joy that will be for everyone.”


forwardPoints:

Jesus’ birth is good new for everyone
· Jesus came for the lost (Mt. 9:9ff; I Tim. 1:15; Luke 15)
· Jesus came for the least (Luke 18:15-16)
· Jesus came for the lonely (Is. 7:14, Rom. 8:38-39)

We need to tell everyone about Jesus (Luke 2:15-17; Mt. 25:35-36; James 1:27)

(Fookes: Stockwell UMC Worship Message, 8 December 2007)


fellowshipPoints:

Jesus, as Provocateur, did not come to make us comfortable (Mt. 10:34) (Morris 18). He challenges us to go beyond the rule-maker’s way (Mt. 5:17, 20) (20) (A corollary is the way in which law is a first step towards ethics.)

Jesus insisted that we are to do good to those who are different from us and that we should not let social propriety or religious structures restrict the outreach of love (Luke 10:36-37; Lev. 19:33; Mt. 25:40) (Morris 90).

In welcoming and loving the stranger (Mt. 25:35) (Morris 94), we are not to stay behind the wall of our own group (Mt. 5:47) (96).

Synthesizing Morris to Fookes, Jesus teaches regarding:
· the lost → learn from Me (Mt. 19:21) (25);
· the least → listen to Me (Mt. 11:29) (25); and
· the lonely → love with Me.

If you don’t have time for others, you don’t have time for God. If you aren’t taking time to serve others, you aren’t being attentive to God. (Rev. David Hellmann, St. Bernard RCC, Liturgy of the Word Homily, 7 December 2007).

findingPoints:

Considering Fookes’ and Morris’ analysis of God’s grace as provocative because its for everyone:

Who are today’s “Samaritan’s”—despised or maligned groups—in our community? the nation? the world? (Morris 100)




Who do you know who is lost?




Who do you know who has little (spiritually, emotionally, physically, socially, and/or financially)?




Who do you know who is experiencing loneliness?




faithPoints:

Meditate in prayer how you can keep the lost, least, lonely, maligned, and marginalized close to heart, top of mind, and focus of action.

Sunday 9 December--Adevent 2--WHY THE SHEPHERDS

Have you ever focused on the SHEPHERDS in the nativity scene? What do they have to teach us? What can we learn from them? (Luke 2:8-10)

The key word in Luke 2 is the word EVERYONE. The angel said to the shepherds, "I bring you good news of great joy that will be for EVERYONE."

Jesus' birth is good news for EVERYONE.
Jesus came for the LOST (Matthew 9:9ff.; I Timothy 1:15; Luke 15)
Jesus came for the LEAST (Luke 18:15-16)
Jesus came for the LONELY (Isaiah 7:14; Romans 8:38-39)

We need to tell EVERYONE about Jesus Luke 2:15-17; Matthew 25:35-36; James 1:27)

Charge Conference 2007--Imagining Stockwell

Lay/Clergy Resources

The following resources were referenced at Charge Conference:

Beyond the Bishop's Bundle of Books (Evangelism and Disciple-Making)

Hit the Bullseye: How Denominations Can Aim the Congregation At the Mission Field (Paul Borden)

The Race to Reach Out: Connecting Newcomers To Christ In a New Century (Douglas T. Anderson & Bishop Michael J. Coyner)

Resurrecting Excellence: Shaping Faithful Christina Ministry (L. Gregory Jones and Kevin R. Armstrong)

Conference/Forum/Training Events

Imagine Indiana with Bishop Mike Coyner--Tuesday 11 December 3:00-5:00 PM and 7:00-9:00 PM, at Dayton UMC (http://www.inareaumc.org/)

Lafayette District UMC Leadership Training Equipping the Saints--Saturday 15 December 2007 (9:00 AM-Noon) at Monticello UMC and Sunday 13 January 2008 (2:00-5:00 PM) at Dayton UMC (ladisumc@verizon.net)

LEAP (Let's Establish A Priority)--Friday 29 February & Saturday 1 March 2008 at University of Indianapolis (http://www.inareaumc.org/)

Spiritual Strategic Journey (Center for Congregations)--5 March 2008 in Evansville and 6 March 2008 in Indianapolis (http://centerforcongregations.org/)

Web-Based e-News and Listservs

Barna Group (http://www.barna.org/)

Leadership Teleseminar (http://www.leadershipteleseminar.com/)

Monday Morning Insight (http://www.mondaymorninginsight.com/)

Methodist Musicians (www.GBOD.org/worship/methodistmusicians)


(Submitted by Mark Eutsler, CLS, Stockwell UMC Lay Leader)

2 December 2007--Charge Conference IMAGINING STOCKWELL

Pastor's State of the Church

Grace and Peace to you from our wonderful Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. It is a blessing to serve with you in ministry.

Five and a half months ago the moving van landed with our earthly possessions on your doorstep. Little did we realize what was in store for us. Yet, I can say that truly, God is good - all the time!

When I think about our ministry together the words faithful, committed, hopeful and blessed come to mind. God truly has blessed us. Stockwell is a warm, caring church family seeking to carry out Christ's work and mission in this community.

We consist of close to 200 members. Our average attendance is in the 140 plus range and Sunday school attendance is in the 50's currently.

I want to express my appreciation to our paid staff here at Stockwell who are working alongside of me and have helped in the acclimation process. So, I say thank you to Margaret Woody, our
church secretary; to Coy Lane, who is our custodian; and to Mark Miller, who is our assistant pastor.

There are some short term goals that I have been seeking to deal with in those early days of ministry here.

It has obviously been my goal to get to know the people and the ministries of this church. To that end, we are planning a series of meet the pastor and spouse nights - group meeting for members and attenders - in several homes on Sunday evenings during the months of January and February. Currently, four nights are planned, with the possibility of adding more. These meetings will be a good opportunity for fellowship and information gathering. These are being sponsored by the Pastor/Staff Relations Committee.

A second short term goal is to get a number of systems in place that will allow us to work toward effective ministry together (Effective Minstry Systems--EMS). One of those is to strengthen our record keeping through updating our file system. Another is to strengthen our record keeping concerning first time visitors to worship and our follow-up to them. A final one I
would mention is to have functioning committees with an adequate number of members to carry out their work. A real effort has been made through the Lay Leadership Committee to fill committees with persons gifted in that particular area.

A third goal for 2008 would be to enlist as many attenders and membvers as possible in reading the Bible through in 2008; and to continue to develop the discipline of prayer, intercessory prayer, for the needs of the Stockwell community, our state, nation, world, our Annual Conference, and our own Stockwell family. One of the things I am excited about is the recent formation of a Vision Committee that will work alongside our Building Committee to evaluate our ministries, and envision what Stockwell UMC might look like in five years and ten years.

State of the church report given by Pastor Jim Fookes at the annual Stockwell United Methodist Church Charge Conference on Sunday, December 2, 2007, at 3:00 P.M.

Sunday 2 December--Advent 1--Happy New Year

WHAT IS ADVENT?
We live in a society that is tied to a secular calendar. As Christians we have a second calendar that is important. It is the CHRISTIAN CALENDAR, and its new year begins on the first day, the first Sunday of the church season we call Advent.

Using Scripture references, Advent is a time of preparation for the coming of Christ, both as a baby some two thousand years ago and also the Second Advent, referring to the second coming of Jesus Christ.

What is Advent? Advent is.....

1-Advent is about an unusual PROMISE.
(Scriptures: Isaiah 7:14; John 14:3)

2-Advent is about unlimited POSSIBILITIES.
(Scriptures: Luke 1:37; John 14:3)

3-Advent is about uncommon PREPARATION.
(Scriptures: Mark 1:2-3; Luke 12:35-36)

4-Advent is about universal PROCLAMATION.
(Scriptures: Matthew 1:21; Hebrews 9:28)

5-Advent is about ultimate PRESENCE
(Scriptures: John 1:14; Revelation 21:2-4)

Happy New Year from Pastor Jim

Is our congregation part of Jesus' church?

focusPoints: Announcement From Heaven

Revelation 1:4-8 is an announcement from heaven. In verse eight, heaven is telling us that Jesus is the beginning and the end, first and the last. It has always been that way. It is true today. It will always be that way. Jesus is the only thing that really matters!


forwardPoints:

Let's remember what a difference Jesus has made in this world. Without Jesus our world would be a different place.

Here are three reminders from REVELATION 1:4-8:

1-Reminder One: Without Jesus there would be no faith.

2-Reminder Two: Without Jesus there would be no church.

3-Reminder Three: Without Jesus there would be no hope.

(Fookes: Stockwell UMC Worship Message, 25 November 2007)


fellowshipPoints:

Everyone of us is too narrow in our understanding. We don’t want upsets in our lives, or changes in our habits, or threats to our opinions…Telling God it’s okay to change an institution we lean into for stability (like our church) is really scary. But we need to do it.

The narrowing of focus is a huge risk for every one of us. This insider focus is chaplaincy. It is not the vibrant ministry of the Gospel. The danger of that mind-set, sweet-spirited as it may be, is that it focuses on the church as an end in itself.

Here is the highlight: people who were not raised in the church are different…The hard news for us is that we can’t communicate well through the theological words or concepts that we’ve worked so hard to learn and now take for granted!

We had to re-think almost everything we were doing. We weren’t talking about our faith …We had never thought of all the little ways our worship and our educational classes made unchurched people feel awkward or ignorant. Why had we assumed that being nice was enough?

Remember, growing churches are changing. After a while, we will have to sacrifice things we love to help new people move into faith.

In some ways, our lives are a continual process of surrendering the old and adjusting to the new … We consistently face something new. Sometimes conflict will enrage and scare us.

(Reese: Unbinding the Gospel)

findingPoints:

Considering Fookes illustration points (without Jesus there would be no faith, no church, no hope) with Reese’s declaration that faith, church, and hope are often hijacked from Jesus and made to be what closed societies we know as congregations want them to be:

What are some of our congregation’s culture that are foreign to unchurched persons?




What are some of the ways Jesus would recognize this congregation as a group of believers in community?




What are some of the ways Jesus would not recognize this congregation as a part of His bride?




What are some things we could do that may be beyond that which we now know how to do, that would make our congregation evident as part of Jesus’ bride?




faithPoints:

Meditate in prayer on discovering how you can make yourself a recognizable part of Jesus’ bride.

25 November 2007--Christ The King Sunday

This is the last Sunday on the liturgical calendar. It is called CHRIST THE KING Sunday. Next week we begin a brand new Christian year with the first Sunday of Advent. On Christ the King Sunday we celebrate the completeness of Jesus. He sits in authority over all the political powers of our world. It is a good time to remember all that Christ has done for us. So, for this reason we turn to the last book of the Bible.

The book of Revelation was written by the Apostle John near the end of the first century A.D. John is arrested and sent to the island of Patmos, a Roman penal settlement. It is there that he writes the book of Revelation. This book is a collection of a series of visions that he has. This morning's scripture lesson comes from the very first chapter of this book.

Revelation 1:4-8 is an announcement from heaven. In verse eight, heaven is telling us that Jesus is the beginning and the end, first and the last. It has always been that way. It is true today. It will always be that way. Jesus is the only thing that really matters! Let's remember what a difference Jesus has made in this world. Without Jesus our world would be a different place.

So, here are three reminders from REVELATION 1:4-8:

1-Reminder One: Without Jesus there would be no faith.

2-Reminder Two: Without Jesus there would be no church.

3-Reminder Three: Without Jesus there would be no hope.


The words of Christian from the late fourth century gives some perspective. This is what he said (speaking of Jesus):

*He began His ministry by being hungry, yet He is the Bread of
Life.

*Jesus ended His earthly ministry by being thirsty, yet He is the Living Water.

*Jesus was weary, yet He is our rest. Jesus paid tribute, yet He
is the King.

*Jesus was accused of having a demon, yet He cast out demons.

*Jesus wept, yet He wipes away our tears.

*Jesus was sold for thirty pieces of silver, yet He redeemed the world.

*Jesus was brought as a lamb to the slaughter, yet He is the Good Shepherd.

*Jesus died, yet His death He destroyed the power of death.

11 November 2007--Three Great Truths Emerging

focusPoints: Just when we’re sure of our direction, God may have other plans.

In I Kings 17:8-16, we meet a widow who is in dire straits. She and her son are facing starvation. He had just enough flour and oil for one last meal. But God had other plans! He sent his prophet Elijah to ask this widow to share what she had with him. It didn't make much sense to do this, but as it turned out, God provided. The woman and her son were the big winners. Her supply of flour and oil never ran out. Elijah helped to bring the miraculous power of God into action.


forwardPoints:

Three great truths emerge from this Scripture from I Kings 17:

1. No one is so poor or weak or helpless as to escape God's notice.

2. The widow's security was not in her possessions.

3. God will out-give us every time.

Additional Scriptures to ponder:
+ Malachi 3:10
+ Luke 6:38

(Fookes: Stockwell UMC Worship Message, 11 November 2007)


fellowshipPoints:

Conventional wisdom tells us that if we give, we will have less to live on and to spend. But the Gospel truth is that if you give out of gratitude and obedience, God will out-give you every.

Personal stories of faith unbind the Gospel for others making it relevant for today. But sharing one’s faith is only a good first step. The Christian faith is built upon relationships, including a Trinity of Relationship—with God, with people outside the church, with people inside the church. Stories and relationships lead to transformed lives; that's what new members want and current members need to remember.

(Reese: Unbinding the Gospel)

findingPoints:

Considering Fookes illustration points (God notices us, our security need not be in our possessions, and God out gives us) with Reese’s Trinity of Relationship (with God, with people outside the church, and with people inside the church), reflect on the following:


When is a time I recall that God noticed me? How did I know God was noticing me?




How does my relationship with God help me understand that my security is not in my possessions?




How do I react when “God out gives me?”




How would I explain my relationship (or the relationship I would like to have) to God to someone else?




How do relationships with people inside the church hinder my relationship with God?




How do my relationships with people outside the church increase my relationship with God?




faithPoints:

Meditate in prayer on discovering how you can make yourself willing, ready, and able to implement God’s plans in your life.

Celebrating Laity--November 4, 2007--Inverting the Initiative

I. Instilling Initiative
A. Impacting Initiative
B. Illustrating Initiative
II. Imaging Initiative
A. Instructional Initiative
B. Introspective Initiative
III. Integrating Initiative
A.Interrupting Initiative
B.Intergenerative Initiative
IV. Increasing Initiative
A. Illuminating Initiative
B. Intriguing Initiative

Today is salvation day—For the Son of Man came to find and restore the lost. Luke 19:1-10

Grace and shalom come from God the Father and the Lord Yeshua the Messiah when trust grows greater, and the love we each have for one another continues to increase. 2 Thessalonians 1:1-4, 11-12

The vision is meant for its appointed time—It may take a while, but wait for it; it will surely come, it will not delay. Habakkuk 1:1-4, 2:1-4

28 October 2007--Worship is Expresseing My Love to God

focusPoints: Love the Lord (the first and greatest commandment)

Matthew 22:37-38 (NIV).
"Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment."

"Expressing my love to God" is called WORSHIP.

I worship God:

1- By SINGING to Him.
Scriptures: Psalm 147:7 (LB); Psalm 66:8, 95:1 (NLT)

2-By TALKING to Him.
Scripture: Psalm 116:1-2 (NLT)

3-By LISTENING to Him.
Scriptures: Leviticus 23:3 (NIV); John 10:14, 16 (NIV)

4- By IDENTIFYING with Him.
Scriptures: Matthew 5:14-15 (NLT); Mark 8:38 (NIV)

5- By being COMMITTED to Him.
Scriptures: Romans 12:1 (Message)

6- By GIVING to Him.
Scriptures: Acts 4:32-35 (NLT); II Corinthians 8:7-8

(Fookes: Stockwell UMC Worship Message, 28 October 2007)

forwardPoints:

“Starbucks is full of thingys—mugs, water bottles, plates—that are already becoming as collectible as Coca-Cola artifacts. While we must not worship any thing, the life of faith needs thingys to help it flex its muscles. The virtual nature of so much of our culture is making us even more hungry for tactile, iconic, multisensory experiences and thingys to hang on our walls and bodies. Faith is itself a brand, an identifier that sets us apart, singling us out as a peculiar people.

(Sweet: Gospel According to Starbucks, 116)

fellowshipPoints:

Most faith communities come together to experience, as Sweet would say, a “thingy” called worship.

Those of us who engage in this experience regularly, often do so without thinking about what it means … why it’s important … how we benefit from it .. how it equips us to benefit others.

Those of us who don’t engage in this experience regularly, often find it unapproachable … clique-like … full of unusual customs … unsure of what it means … unable to find its relevance.

As Sweet says, a faith-life needs worship to help it “flex its muscles.” For those of us who have been flexing for awhile, are we getting a full workout or just going through the motions? For those of us who haven’t, is it time to go to the gym?

findingPoints:

Sweet identifies some “bad connections” (146-154) as being only connecting with God, only connecting with self, only connecting with others, only connecting, and only connecting with nature.

Looking at your own spiritual life, what was a peak, positive experience for you spiritually? Who was involved? What happened? How did you feel? What made it special for you?









What role did worship play in your peak experience? Before it? As a part of it? After it?









What gifts and graces that you possess were enhanced by your peak experience?









faithPoints:

Meditate in prayer on discovering through worship how you can “flex your spiritual muscles” to enhance your spiritual fitness and experience more peaks in your spiritual life.

14 October 2007—The Most Powerful Weapon in the World

focusPoints: We either speak blessings or cursing. Whenever we speak, we are setting spiritual forces into motion

Strategy
1. Words are important. (They have an impact.)
2. Words can be lethal.
3. Learn to handle delicately "word problems.”
a. Discuss with those who are part of the problem or solution.
b. Deal with words straightforwardly, privately.
c. Deal with words lovingly.
4. Evaluate when to speak.
5. Reduce your "Rights."
6. Refuse to Tear others Down.
7. Have a "Word goal."
8. Sanctify your tongue.

(Fookes: Stockwell UMC Worship Message, 14 October 2007)

fowardPoints:

• Technology reduces everything to binary codes of zero and one.
• Politics reduces everything to legal codes of legislation.
• Religions reduce everything to moral codes of principles.
• Jesus reduced everything to a one-word relational code: love.

(Sweet: Gospel According to Starbucks, 154)

fellowshipPoints:

In keeping with our task to be disciple makers and the local congregation's charge to be a platform supporting individual Christians in fulfilling that commission, that instead of discovering Weapons of Mass Destruction, we should concern ourselves with developing Ways of Mass Discipleship. That really solves so many challenges in society near term and in spirituality eternally.

In other words, we should try an appreciative inquiry approach—when we want to tear down, how do we re-phrase to build up.

In simpler words, we should say what we really want (outcome), not what we really want to say (output).

findingPoints:

Synthesizing Fookes and Sweet, give thought to developing a personal strategy of the following:

Technology is an essential ingredient to encourage because …







Politics can unite divisions by …







Religion would be more meaningful once …







I can apply Jesus’ love relational code when …







faithPoints: Meditate in prayer how you can be a catalyst to make the desires expressed above be manifested now.

Log on to check what others are discovering and to share your discoveries, concerns, frustrations, and triumphs.

THE MOST POWERDFUL WEAPON IN THE WORLD

For Sunday, October 14, 2007

Message title: THE MOST POWERFUL WEAPON IN THE WORLD

Pastor Jim Fookes

Scripture: JAMES 1:26
JAMES 3:3-12

James gives us six word pictures in this third chapter of James that
help to depict the power of the tongue.

They are---a bit, a rudder, a fire, an animal, a spring, fruit.

What kind of talk does James have in mind?
1-ANGRY talk
2-IDLE talk
3-NEGATIVE talk
4-COMPLAINING
5-CURSES (vs. BLESSINGS)

Note: Curses are put downs we put on other people. We either speak
life to other people or we speak death. We might add a sixth kind of
talk that is often prevalent today and that is CYNICAL talk.

So how do we get control off the tongue? What do we do about it?
What strategy should we use?

STRATEGY
1-Words are IMPORTANT. (They have an impact.)
2-Words can be LETHAL.
3-Learn to handle DELICATELY "word problems.
a. Discusss with those who are part of the PROBLEM or SOLUTION.
b. Deal with words straightforwardly, PRIVATELY.
c. Deal with words LOVINGLY.
4-EVALUATE WHEN to speak.
5-Reduce your "RIGHTS."
6-Refuse to TEAR others DOWN.
7-Have a "WORD goal."
8-SANCTIFY your tongue.

Other scriptures to consider: Proverbs 10:19; Ecclesiastes 3:7b.

Here's part of what's happening ...

Facilitated by Stockwell United Methodist Church Senior Pastor Jim Fookes and Lay Leader Mark Eutsler, faithPoints realtime gatherings will be ...

Sunday, October 14 \
Integrating The Gosepl According to Starbucks, personal journies, and the Pastor's teaching
Sunday, October 28 /

Sunday, November 11 \
Integrating Unbinding the Gospel, personal journies, and the Pastor's teaching
Sunday, November 25 /

Sunday, December 9 \
Integrating Provocative Grace, personal journies, and the Pastor's teaching
Sunday, December 23 /

Sunday, January 13 \
Integrating The Book of Hard Choices, personal journies, and the Pastor's teaching
Sunday, January 27 /

Sunday, February 10 \
Integrating Keep the Call, personal journies, and the Pastor's teaching
Sunday, February 24 /

Watch for online posts every week, including the Action Steps postings offering practical, everday application ideas.