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| Wednesday Edition | January 5, 2011 |
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| GOSPEL LIFE COMMUNITY NEWSLETTER |
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Greetings!
We praise God for His love and His goodness to us. The year 2011 is young. Let us pray that we grow in Christian maturity and disposition. Every moment we spend in prayer has an impact on eternity and we are overjoyed that you and everyone else who is a member, regular attendee or guest of Gospel Life Community are one with us in our mission to know more about Jesus and to lead others to know Him, too. The Church Staff |
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STRATEGY SESSION
We have had several strategy/planning sessions towards the end of last year. This Saturday, at 9:00 a.m. there will be another session at the Fellowship Hall. This is the last planned session prior to putting down on paper the plan and direction Gospel Life Community will take in the short and the long term.
All are welcome to attend. |
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CORE GROUP MEETING
 A Core Group meeting will be held this coming Sunday at 2:00 p.m. after the fellowship lunch. Pastor John will elaborate further on our vision and goals for the year ahead and beyond.
Who are members of the Core Group? First off, the Core Group is also known as the Church Council. Its function is to review and approve our church's mission and strategic plan, its leadership structure, the annual budget and financial reports, any property purchase or sale, membership applications and discipline and the leadership board or any other matter that needs action by the Church Council.
The elders, coordinators, managers and members actively involved in ministries compose the Core Group. |
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SPIRITUAL GIFTS SEMINAR
There are three more sessions left of the Spiritual Gifts Seminar which was started about a month ago. Each Sunday afternoon at 2:00 p.m. beginning next week, January 16 through January 30, the sessions will be held in the sanctuary.
This is a good way to learn what your spiritual gifts may be, and those who have been through this course once before can benefit by re-learning and getting reminded of what your spiritual gifts are. Can you imagine what our church will be like when each member or congregant knows exactly what his or her spiritual gift(s) is(are) and uses that gift to the max? |
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SMALL GROUP LEADERSHIP
There will be two Saturday morning sessions dedicated to Small Group Leadership. This course will be beneficial to small group leaders and to those who may want to start their own small group fellowship.
These will be held on Saturday, January 22 and 29 at the Fellowship Hall at approximately 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon. |
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MARKETPLACE MINISTRY
Management by Force
"Take the staff, and you and your brother Aaron gather the assembly together. Speak to that rock before their eyes and it will pour out its water. You will bring water out of the rock for the community so they and their livestock can drink." - Numbers 20:8
Moses and the people had been traveling for days without water. The people were thirsty. They were complaining and grumbling about their plight, and Moses became the object of their complaining. Moses sought the Lord for wisdom on how to handle the situation. The Lord instructed him to speak to the rock and water would flow. This would be a sign that God was still in control, that Moses was still the leader, and that God was their provider.
When it came time to speak to the rock, Moses' disgust with the people became so great that instead of speaking to the rock, he angrily addressed the people and then struck the rock twice. The water came out, in spite of Moses' disobedience. But the Lord was not pleased with Moses.
This was a time for Moses to operate at a higher level. No longer was he called to touch things with his staff to perform miracles; it was a time for him to speak to the problem. His very words would have changed the situation. Moses' staff represented two things-his physical work as a shepherd of sheep and his spiritual work as a shepherd of the people. God was calling him to move into a new dimension of using his staff. Up to now, Moses had always been commanded by God to touch something to perform the miracle. Now it was time to speak God's word to the problem.
However, Moses made the mistake many of us make. He used his instrument with force to accomplish something for God. He took something God wanted to be used in a righteous manner and used it in an unrighteous manner. He used force to solve the problem. This disobedience cost Moses his right to see the Promised Land.
Have you ever been tempted to use your power, skill, and ability to force a situation to happen, perhaps even out of anger? God is calling us to use prayer to move the face of mountains. The force of our ability is not satisfactory. God is calling each of us to a new dimension of walking with Him. Pray that God will give you the grace to wait on Him and not take matters into your own hands. Then you will not be in jeopardy of failing to move into the Promised Land in your life.
(from TGIF Today God Is First, Volume 1, by Os Hillman) |
| COMING UP....
January 8, Saturday, 9:00 a.m. - Planning Session - Fellowship Hall
9, Saturday, 2:00 p.m. - Core Group Meeting
16, Sunday, 2:00 p.m. - Spiritual Gifts - Session 2
22, Saturday, 9:00 a.m. - Small Group Leadership
23, Sunday, 2:00 p.m. - Spiritual Gifts - Session 3
29, Saturday, 9:00 a.m. - Small Group Leadership
30, Sunday, 2:00 p.m. - Spiritual Gifts - Session 4 |
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We are admonished that in ALL things, we should be thankful. And so, let us be!
"Father, keep us in the center of Your perfect will. May the words of our mouths, the meditation of our hearts, the thoughts of our minds, and the works of our hands be pleasing in Your sight. Thank you for what you will accomplish in this year 2011 through us for the sake of your kingdom. Help us to trust You every step of the way as we live for Your honor and glory in the year ahead. In Jesus' name. Amen." (InTouch Impact Team: Pray - January 2011 - Charles F. Stanley) |
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