One of the leadership principles I have learned over the years is that when things get a little crazy, just simplify and focus of what you do well and what is most important. I have enacted this principle many times in my personal and professional life. It works. I have simplified the stuff I own; cut down on my calendar appointments; had my children “just pick one thing to do;” eliminated my entire reading list except the Bible; gotten up three hours earlier than normal just to do the one thing that matters most, pray. Like many, I sense a bit of out of control around me, politics have reached a level of negative exhaustion; the changes have pushed us to realize America is becoming an unchurched nation, even moving toward a faithless nation. So I am responding as I have always responded to chaos…zoom in on what is most important, emphasize the critical and celebrate what is working.
To this end, we are beginning our “red-letter study” December 2 so we can zoom in on what Jesus teaches and does. This is not to say the rest of the Bible is less important, just to acknowledge that Christians should know what Jesus says about being a Christian. A red-letter Bible simply puts the words Jesus says in red letters. I use a New International Version study Bible for worship on Sundays. I want to encourage everyone to bring your Bibles with you to church every week. Genuine learning means we take what we heard and read and put it into practice until it becomes an integral part of living. We forget most of what we learned in college because we never put the lessons into practice. So I invite you to church. Bring your Bibles. Come ready to listen and to learn.
~Grace & Peace~
Pastor Ernie