How 'bout them Wednesdays?

Hey...what do you do on Wednesday night? I know, I know...."I am so tired when I get off work, I just want to go home, get something to eat and chill!"





Who don't? That would be the thing that all of us would like to do. But I'm asking you to consider shocking the socks off of your Pastor no matter what church you attend -- Get your family together......don't worry 'bout the clothes.....grab you something to eat at Mickey D's, Bojangles, or whateva' your quick stop is on the way to church and get connected at the house of all houses -- The Church!





I have been pastoring for more years that you got fingers and toes and I have never witnessed a Wednesday night of worship that was "off the chain" in attendance! I've seen some that were "off" balance when it comes to the comparing of Wednesday night attendance with the Sunday mornin' attendance. In fact, in most ministries, Wednesday night has become the night for the "chosen few". It's almost like we want to be called "The Twelve". LOL





Isn't it interesting that the same folks that call that church "my church" are the ones that will chase a sports ball here there and everywhere, but make no effort to get connected with the Christ-crowd on Wednesday nites. "Pastor...Pastor....ease up 'bro! Ease up!" you may say. I have discovered that connection is important. It's sooooo easy to forsake the spiritual connection that God has provided for you.



I know we live in a world of all kinds of connections, but no matter how much time you spend on Facebook, twitter, myspace, and all the other social media choices out there, nothing takes the place of personal participation. God created us to interact. We need each other!



I am so thankful for the opportunity to get with other believers on Wednesday evenings, be led in worship by a team of 1st Class musicians and singers taking us into a journey of connecting to God and then have the opportunity to hear something that will encourage me in the middle of a week of work, obligation, stress, challenge, and hardship. 'Cause you know what? If you work in the home, outside the home, or both, you are busy, busy, busy! But don't get toooo busy that you don't pop in to the "hope house" on Wednesday night and worship the Lord.



Most ministries have a menu filled with opportunity for all ages. Our ministry has a KIDZONE for the little ones to "play for awhile" and have some "power time" in the Word. Our youth have a state-of-the-art center called the YZONE. It's a great place for them to connect with other students in gaming, music, peer talk, and a time in the Word and worship on their level.



How 'bout them Wednesdays? What do ya' say? Can you join me in the challenge to take your Wednesday night to a new level -- in your life and in the life of your church? Why not start this week! Come on man.....grab that high-dollar cell phone you got in your pocket, ring the wife (after all...you are the one God is holding responsible) tell her to meet you at church. You guys grab the kidz, do a "Happy Meal" and get on down to the church house. There are others waiting there to get to know you, and you need them.

Hebrews 10:24-25 reminds us "Let's see how inventive we can be in encouraging love and helping out, not avoiding worshiping together as some do but spurring each other on, especially as we see the big Day approaching" (from The Message).

The closer we get to the return of Jesus Christ, the more we should worship together and spur each other on! Let's do it....this Wednesday. Take the challenge....put it on Facebook, myspace, twitter, etc. Text a friend an tell them to meet you there. Shock the socks off your Pastor, and do it again, again, and again.....'cause you need it and it's the "God" thing to do.

Me....apathetic?

I received an interesting email from a friend this past week. He had ministered at our church just a couple of weeks ago and, as always, I had tossed that ultimate question out to him as I do all the guests that come our way -- "What do you see in ministry as you travel this country and move from church to church?"



His answer was the same one that has come to me from mosts in these last several months. He said, "As I travel, I am finding a common thread for the apathy that has set into the church, but not all are getting proactive."

Man, this is so disappointing! But, as a senior leader of a ministry, I would have to agree with my friend. It caused me to take a look at the term "apathy" to better understand what we were experiencing. What is apathy?

As you look into the etymology of this term you find that it dates back to 1594; the 16th Century. It comes from the Greek language. The word is "apatheia". It's a term that has two parts -- "a" and "pathos" -- "a" meaning "no" and "pathos" meaning "emotion". Therefore, we conclude that it means "no emotion". A synonymn would be "impassiveness," or "to have no feeling, or "indifference" which means "to lack interest or concern."

Are you "apathetic" in your spiritual walk? Does this sound like something you are experiencing when it comes to the idea of a regular and frequent time of worship in your local church and its ministries? I hope not. But it seems to be the norm throughout the church world today. Sadly, many are disengaged from spiritual life collectively. The Scriptures teach us in Hebrews that we are "not to forsake the assembling of ourselves together."

God wants you connected! Connected? Oh yes! And Scripture bears out a model that Jesus has for the church; those persons who make up the body of Christ. This "Jesus model" is taught in the two biblical "greats" recorded in Matthew's gospel (Mt. 22:34-40; 28:18-20).

What is that model? Will it assure a connectedness to all the God has for me as a believer? Most certainly! Here it is ....

1) WORSHIP - Jesus said, "Love with all your heart...". When we do this in every area of our life, we live a lifestyle of worship.)

2) FELLOWSHIP - Jesus said, "Go and make disciples...". This is a relational experience. You can win people to Jesus when you have a relationship with them. It continues and grows when they are also saved.

3) DISCIPLESHIP - Jesus said, "...teaching them to obey everything I have commanded them..". This teaching continually nurtures and equips believers; it's lifelong.

4) SERVICE - Jesus said, "Love your neighbor as yourself." That's ministry right outside your door. Not to mention the many areas that you are needed in your local church.

5) EVANGELISM - Jesus said, "...baptizing them in the Name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit...". You don't baptize until salvation is experienced. And salvation doesn't come until some form of "evangelism" has taken place.

This model keeps the believer active in their faith and their walk with God. And it has perpetual benefit; ongoing! It will assure connectedness and keep you from apathy?

Me...apathetic? You answer that.......with your life. : )