Word for Today, Tue, 25 Feb 2003: Meeting with Purpose

#1 · February 25, 2003, 10:50 pm

Quote from Forum Archives on February 25, 2003, 10:50 pm
Posted by: masinick <masinick@...>

Dear friends,

Today's Word for Today is about meetings. More than that, it's
about gathering together for a common purpose, which is the very
same thing that people are encouraged, even commanded to do, as
recorded in the Bible. (See Hebrews 10:23-25 for one common
encouragement about meeting together).

We can get easily discouraged, though, if we lose the appropriate
sense of purpose, and we forget the object of our affections,
can't we?

Larry clearly articulates the appropriate priorities in his
message this week from Sowing Seeds of Faith, so rather than
repeat his comments, I simply agree with them and offer this
introduction to them.

Dear Lord,

Please direct our attitudes and actions as we meet, and further
encourage us to continue to meet and encourage one another,
remembering that it is You who is our real object of love and
attention. Enable each of us to love one another by the power of
the love that comes from Your Spirit. Amen.

Your Brother in Christ,
Brian

-----------------------------------------------

Sowing Seeds of Faith...

The sale ends March 1st. Our 331 page hard back book full of
practical advice and great stories... "Breaking the Peanut
Butter Habit" lists for $24.95 but until March 1st you can still
purchase for only $10 and each one is individually signed by the
author. Click here:
www.sowingseedsoffaith.com/peanbutt.htm

"Lord, Please... No Meetings!"
Larry Davies

"I hate meetings!" I'm not kidding! One thing I didn't
anticipate when becoming a minister... were the absurd number of
meetings that come with church life. Have you ever been to a
board meeting with the main topic being whether to pay someone
to cut the grass or use volunteers? Churches often have hundreds
of committee meetings... each jam-packed with issues. For
example:

. Who left the lights on in the men's bathroom last week?
(Wasting money)
. Did you hear what happened to Martha last night? (Gossip)
. There's a bunch of spoiled food in the refrigerator.
(Clean-up)
. Who's cooking the hot dogs after church this Sunday? (Hey... I
like that one!)

Do you see the picture? It's not pretty! But after many years of
ministry, I've learned an amazing truth! Are you ready? This
will surprise you! The issue isn't about meetings at all. Nope!
The real problem is my leadership and my bad attitude. As
pastor, I was the one who needed to mend my ways and fast.

"Without wavering, let us hold tightly to the hope we say we
have, for God can be trusted to keep his promise. Think of ways
to encourage one another to outbursts of love and good deeds.
And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do,
but encourage and warn each other, especially now that the day
of his coming back again is drawing near." Hebrews 10:23 - 25

In other words, we gather at a meeting in order to hold tightly
to the hope God has promised us. Meetings should be used to
encourage one another to outbursts of love and good deeds. The
idea is not to stop meetings but rather to use meetings as a
source of encouragement, an opportunity for teaching and
especially a call to Godly action. Wow! I was missing the
point... so I changed!

Before any meeting I have learned to ask four simple questions:

* Is God invited? This is about priorities. More than a
perfunctory prayer or devotion, this question is a spiritual
challenge: Are we vigorously seeking to follow Gods will?
* Do you know where you're going? This is about organization.
What will you accomplish? Is there a clear agenda to follow? Are
you prepared to answer reasonable questions?
* Are the committee members with you? This is about
communication. Does the committee have enough information? Is
everyone participating in a healthy and creative discussion?
* Will the meeting end with smiles or frowns? This is about
encouragement. Does the meeting end with the anticipation we are
following God's will for our church?

Do you want something more specific? Maybe these questions will
help:

1. Do you begin seeking God's direction?
2. Do you start and finish on time?
3. Is there a written agenda?
4. Are you providing adequate information?
5. Are you making reasonable decision-making progress?
6. Is there an atmosphere encouraging creative thinking?
7. Do you offer opportunities for friendly disagreement?
8. Is there reasonable consensus with the direction of the group?
9. Has the overall atmosphere been encouraging?
10. Do you end seeking God's blessing for your action?

Oh, one more thing... we changed our church structure too.
Several years ago, we reorganized our committees into four
teams: Outreach, Witness, Nurture and Administration. Each team
focuses on how we can best fulfill our mission statement:
Picture a lighthouse and within the light: "A Light to Guide You
Safely Home." As a church we strive to be a lighthouse to our
community and our world providing a steady and comforting light
to guide the lost into the safety of God's harbor.

Now, after carefully following all the lessons learned... I love
meetings! (No I don't.) We never argue! (Yes, we do.) Our
discussions are always relevant! (No, they aren't.) But we are
making solid progress and God's hand is gently guiding our
ministry. Just one more thing: "Who is cooking the hot dogs?"

--------------------------------------------

Larry...many of us might not let you know how much this prayer
ministry means to us but let me tell you what a blessing it is.
Many of us are not able to help financially but do join all the
prayer partners that you have brought together to help so many
people in need including me. God bless you and protect you
always. Thank you so much. Blanca

May God Bless you and your ministry. Thank you for letting me be
part of it. I actually stumbled upon your site by accident
looking for information on "Prayer", as I myself was feeling
very down and wondering what would happen next and how I was
going to pay this or that. This was just 2 days ago, and it
seems my worries have diminished as I started on a new path of
life. Thank you. Carol

My friend Gerri has been awed by the number of prayers her
friend received from members of the prayer team. Readers of my
newspaper stop me every once in a while to talk about a
particular column/devotion of yours they have taken personal
strength from. Keep up the good work! God certainly knew what he
was doing when he got you out of the used car business. Chris
(from the Rabbit Creek Journal)

Thank you. Your emails are vivid reminders of what is really
important about Sowing Seeds Ministry. If you have not signed up
to receive our weekly "Prayer Needs from Around the World" you
are missing a wonderful opportunity to be in ministry. Click
here to for more information on how you can become a prayer
partner: www.sowingseedsoffaith.com/sign-up.htm

I want to sincerely thank all of you who help our ministry
financially by becoming Sowing Seeds Ministry Partners. But I
want to emphasize that our ministry exists because lives have
been changed by God through prayer and devotional Bible study.
We also deeply appreciate your comments and your prayers. You
can find out how to support our ministry financially by clicking
here: www.sowingseedsoffaith.com/ministry_partner.htm

If you like this devotion you will love the book: "Breaking the
Peanut Butter Habit: Following God's Recipe for a Better Life"
now on sale only through this website. Click here for more
information: www.sowingseedsoffaith.com/peanbutt.htm

Are you a part of our worldwide prayer team? Check it out by
clicking here: www.sowingseedsoffaith.com/sign-up.htm

How can I become a Sowing Seeds Ministry financial partner?
Click here:
www.sowingseedsoffaith.com/ministry_partner.htm

Jesus said: "You are the light of the world--like a city on a
mountain, glowing in the night for all to see. Don't hide your
light under a basket! Instead, put it on a stand and let it
shine for all." (Matthew 5:14-15)

---------------------------------------------------------------------------

This mailing proudly powered by Subscribe Me(TM) Professional -
Enterprise Edition
www.subscribemepro.com

=====
--
Brian Masinick, mailto:masinick@yahoo.com
Home page: www.geocities.com/masinick/

__________________________________________________
Do you Yahoo!?
Yahoo! Tax Center - forms, calculators, tips, more
taxes.yahoo.com/

Posted by: masinick <masinick@...>

Dear friends,

Today's Word for Today is about meetings. More than that, it's
about gathering together for a common purpose, which is the very
same thing that people are encouraged, even commanded to do, as
recorded in the Bible. (See Hebrews 10:23-25 for one common
encouragement about meeting together).

We can get easily discouraged, though, if we lose the appropriate
sense of purpose, and we forget the object of our affections,
can't we?

Larry clearly articulates the appropriate priorities in his
message this week from Sowing Seeds of Faith, so rather than
repeat his comments, I simply agree with them and offer this
introduction to them.

Dear Lord,

Please direct our attitudes and actions as we meet, and further
encourage us to continue to meet and encourage one another,
remembering that it is You who is our real object of love and
attention. Enable each of us to love one another by the power of
the love that comes from Your Spirit. Amen.

Your Brother in Christ,
Brian

-----------------------------------------------

Sowing Seeds of Faith...

The sale ends March 1st. Our 331 page hard back book full of
practical advice and great stories... "Breaking the Peanut
Butter Habit" lists for $24.95 but until March 1st you can still
purchase for only $10 and each one is individually signed by the
author. Click here:
http://www.sowingseedsoffaith.com/peanbutt.htm

"Lord, Please... No Meetings!"
Larry Davies

"I hate meetings!" I'm not kidding! One thing I didn't
anticipate when becoming a minister... were the absurd number of
meetings that come with church life. Have you ever been to a
board meeting with the main topic being whether to pay someone
to cut the grass or use volunteers? Churches often have hundreds
of committee meetings... each jam-packed with issues. For
example:

. Who left the lights on in the men's bathroom last week?
(Wasting money)
. Did you hear what happened to Martha last night? (Gossip)
. There's a bunch of spoiled food in the refrigerator.
(Clean-up)
. Who's cooking the hot dogs after church this Sunday? (Hey... I
like that one!)

Do you see the picture? It's not pretty! But after many years of
ministry, I've learned an amazing truth! Are you ready? This
will surprise you! The issue isn't about meetings at all. Nope!
The real problem is my leadership and my bad attitude. As
pastor, I was the one who needed to mend my ways and fast.

"Without wavering, let us hold tightly to the hope we say we
have, for God can be trusted to keep his promise. Think of ways
to encourage one another to outbursts of love and good deeds.
And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do,
but encourage and warn each other, especially now that the day
of his coming back again is drawing near." Hebrews 10:23 - 25

In other words, we gather at a meeting in order to hold tightly
to the hope God has promised us. Meetings should be used to
encourage one another to outbursts of love and good deeds. The
idea is not to stop meetings but rather to use meetings as a
source of encouragement, an opportunity for teaching and
especially a call to Godly action. Wow! I was missing the
point... so I changed!

Before any meeting I have learned to ask four simple questions:

* Is God invited? This is about priorities. More than a
perfunctory prayer or devotion, this question is a spiritual
challenge: Are we vigorously seeking to follow Gods will?
* Do you know where you're going? This is about organization.
What will you accomplish? Is there a clear agenda to follow? Are
you prepared to answer reasonable questions?
* Are the committee members with you? This is about
communication. Does the committee have enough information? Is
everyone participating in a healthy and creative discussion?
* Will the meeting end with smiles or frowns? This is about
encouragement. Does the meeting end with the anticipation we are
following God's will for our church?

Do you want something more specific? Maybe these questions will
help:

1. Do you begin seeking God's direction?
2. Do you start and finish on time?
3. Is there a written agenda?
4. Are you providing adequate information?
5. Are you making reasonable decision-making progress?
6. Is there an atmosphere encouraging creative thinking?
7. Do you offer opportunities for friendly disagreement?
8. Is there reasonable consensus with the direction of the group?
9. Has the overall atmosphere been encouraging?
10. Do you end seeking God's blessing for your action?

Oh, one more thing... we changed our church structure too.
Several years ago, we reorganized our committees into four
teams: Outreach, Witness, Nurture and Administration. Each team
focuses on how we can best fulfill our mission statement:
Picture a lighthouse and within the light: "A Light to Guide You
Safely Home." As a church we strive to be a lighthouse to our
community and our world providing a steady and comforting light
to guide the lost into the safety of God's harbor.

Now, after carefully following all the lessons learned... I love
meetings! (No I don't.) We never argue! (Yes, we do.) Our
discussions are always relevant! (No, they aren't.) But we are
making solid progress and God's hand is gently guiding our
ministry. Just one more thing: "Who is cooking the hot dogs?"

--------------------------------------------

Larry...many of us might not let you know how much this prayer
ministry means to us but let me tell you what a blessing it is.
Many of us are not able to help financially but do join all the
prayer partners that you have brought together to help so many
people in need including me. God bless you and protect you
always. Thank you so much. Blanca

May God Bless you and your ministry. Thank you for letting me be
part of it. I actually stumbled upon your site by accident
looking for information on "Prayer", as I myself was feeling
very down and wondering what would happen next and how I was
going to pay this or that. This was just 2 days ago, and it
seems my worries have diminished as I started on a new path of
life. Thank you. Carol

My friend Gerri has been awed by the number of prayers her
friend received from members of the prayer team. Readers of my
newspaper stop me every once in a while to talk about a
particular column/devotion of yours they have taken personal
strength from. Keep up the good work! God certainly knew what he
was doing when he got you out of the used car business. Chris
(from the Rabbit Creek Journal)

Thank you. Your emails are vivid reminders of what is really
important about Sowing Seeds Ministry. If you have not signed up
to receive our weekly "Prayer Needs from Around the World" you
are missing a wonderful opportunity to be in ministry. Click
here to for more information on how you can become a prayer
partner: http://www.sowingseedsoffaith.com/sign-up.htm

I want to sincerely thank all of you who help our ministry
financially by becoming Sowing Seeds Ministry Partners. But I
want to emphasize that our ministry exists because lives have
been changed by God through prayer and devotional Bible study.
We also deeply appreciate your comments and your prayers. You
can find out how to support our ministry financially by clicking
here: http://www.sowingseedsoffaith.com/ministry_partner.htm

If you like this devotion you will love the book: "Breaking the
Peanut Butter Habit: Following God's Recipe for a Better Life"
now on sale only through this website. Click here for more
information: http://www.sowingseedsoffaith.com/peanbutt.htm

Are you a part of our worldwide prayer team? Check it out by
clicking here: http://www.sowingseedsoffaith.com/sign-up.htm

How can I become a Sowing Seeds Ministry financial partner?
Click here:
http://www.sowingseedsoffaith.com/ministry_partner.htm

Jesus said: "You are the light of the world--like a city on a
mountain, glowing in the night for all to see. Don't hide your
light under a basket! Instead, put it on a stand and let it
shine for all." (Matthew 5:14-15)

---------------------------------------------------------------------------

This mailing proudly powered by Subscribe Me(TM) Professional -
Enterprise Edition
http://www.subscribemepro.com

=====
--
Brian Masinick, mailto:masinick@yahoo.com
Home page: http://www.geocities.com/masinick/

__________________________________________________
Do you Yahoo!?
Yahoo! Tax Center - forms, calculators, tips, more
taxes.yahoo.com/