Pastor’s column January

Happy New Year! As the year 2009 begins, I wonder what will this year bring? 2008 was a wonderful year. In the parish we had 15 baptisms between both churches. That is outstanding considering the discoveries made by the PEW Forum Study. The study looked at 7 mainline denominations and their collective 30,000 churches and found that less than 150 churches had had 15 baptisms in the past 3 years. We had 15 in one year. That is wonderful. Yet, I wonder how we can do more. Baptisms should be a high value in the life of the church since it is a service of public declaration that the person is willing to follow Jesus for the rest of their life. It is a wonderful celebration.

As I reflect on how we can introduce more people to Jesus, I am reminded that it is about forming relationships with people who don’t know Jesus as their personal Savior. How does one form a relationship with others? I believe it begins with a mind set that affirms the Biblical principle that God loves and cares about all people. Since God loves and cares for people, I should care for them too. A high value for a Christian person should be to "love your neighbor as yourself." (Matthew 22:39, HCSB)

Ben Franklin once penned these words, "I would rather have it said, ‘he lived usefully’ then ‘he died rich.’" I want my life to be known for caring about people. With each passing year my personal perspective changes. In my younger years I was impressed by items and people who had what the culture calls status and wealth. Over the years I noticed that wealth and status doesn’t bring happiness and contentment to people. I no longer desire a life measured by dollars and cents, or by the accumulation of physical possessions. Instead, I want to be remembered by the lives I have impacted with the good news of Jesus Christ and how I helped them to live a spirit filled life. I want to live a life that makes a difference. With each passing year I feel a greater urgency to invest my time in the lives of people, to make disciples of Jesus Christ.

In an article by John Maxwell entitled A Life that Counts, he states that the relationships we form are vital to determining how we make our lives count. He writes how relationships define who we are and what we become. That is so true. In my life, it is the relationships that I have had with Godly people, that have shaped my character, formed my value’s system, molded me into whom I am. The relationships I have with people are priceless possessions that bring great joy into my life. The most important of these relationships is my relationship with Jesus, my Lord and my God. Unlike the other relationships in my life it is the one relationship designed to be shared with others.

When we choose to enter into relationships with other people, we need to choose carefully (when possible) for some relationship’s build us up, energize us, and shape our values. There are still other relationships that we find ourselves in that undercut our values, drain us of energy, and rob us of our joy. John Maxwell lists five relationship rules that should help us form life building relationships where Jesus Christ can be shared.

1. Get along with yourself. The one relationship you will have until you die is yourself. I believe, if you don’t get along with yourself then it is impossible to build lasting relationships with others.

2. Value People. You cannot make another person feel important if you secretly feel that he or she is a nobody. I believe that everyone is someone because God loves them. Make it your goal to have a heart like God for people.

3. Make the effort to form relationships. The result of a person who has never served others? Loneliness. I believe that in serving others you will find satisfaction and immeasurable joy.

4. Understand the Reciprocity Rule. Over time, people come to share reciprocal, similar attitudes toward other.

5. Follow the Golden Rule. This timeless principle says it all: treat others the way you want to be treated.

Our lives are not measured by wealth or even by the number of years lived but by the relationships we build that make an eternal difference. Will you choose in 2009 to build relationships with others that make an eternal difference? Will you build relationships by serving and caring for people? I believe that if we intentionally plan to serve and care for others, the opportunities will occur where we can introduce people to Jesus, who will become their personal Savior. Then baptisms will occur and we will celebrate together the new lives in Jesus that have begun, all because we have chosen to build relationships with people. Let’s make 2009 a year filled with loving, serving, helping and encouraging others by building relationships with them that will form the foundation to introducing them to Jesus.

Happy New Year!

Praising God for His Grace,

Pastor Worth