Okay – maybe asking for theme ideas during the middle of the week was not such a good idea.  We are all tired, worn out and “workin for the weekend!”  But we surely can muster up enough energy and creativity to think about some creative ways to try and communicate what we believe God is doing and going to do in our lives during the next year.

Maybe some of you are not sure of what I mean when I say theme.  Some examples might be:  “Doing Life Together!  Back To The Basics!  Impact Greer And The World!”  Does that give you an idea?  What has God done is your life and what would you like to see Him do?  What do you think God wants to do through the life and ministry of Northwood?

Several of you commented that you could not the “COMMENT” to work.  If you can’t just shoot me an email at pastor@rightdirections.org  I am really looking forward to hearing from you – so think about it, pray about it and then share your ideas!

We are getting ready to finish up our study on “Our Church Experiencing God!”  I have and I am really enjoying this study and God has opened my eyes and heart to a lot of different things that we need to do and be as a church and that I need to do and be as a Christ follower!  I am excited about the direction that I believe that God is taking us and can’t wait to see what He is going to do in us and through us.  In the next few weeks – as a community of faith we are going to be talking about what we see God up to and how we as a Church can join in with Him.

I thought that it might be fun to have all of you that read this blog to throw out some possible themes for the next year of ministry at Northwood.  You don’t have to be a member to suggest a theme.  If you can think of a theme, then please take the time to leave a comment at the bottom of this post or email me with your thoughts.  I will try and share some of the theme ideas and maybe even take some of them and try a blog poll.

What is God saying to you about Northwood and what we can join Him in accomplishing during this next year?  Please share your thoughts and ideas and most especially your THEME!  Let’s have some fun with this!

God has been speaking to my heart a lot lately about “MAKING DISCIPLES!”  In Matthew 28:19-20 we are given the command to “GO and MAKE DISCIPLES!”  I am not real sure how good we are at this.  I am not real sure at how good I am at this!  I think that I have spent a great deal of my life and energy trying to make Christians – that is, I have worked hard to try and help people see their need for a life changing relationship with Jesus.  I think that I have done okay in helping people get into the relationship.  I am not so sure that I have done such a good job in helping people experience and grow into the life changing part of it.

It’s not that I haven’t tried!  It’s just that in order to make disciples we must, I must spend personal one on one time with people.  I think that the reason Jesus said to GO is because disciples cannot be made in the safty and protection of our own self built kingdoms.  We must get out into the world and experience life with others and share Jesus in these experiences.

I think the best way to MAKE DISCIPLES is by being a disciple that others can learn and be encouraged from!  It is a very big job, but God would not have commanded us to do it – if it were not possible!  I’ve got to go and so do you, because we’ve got work to do, if we re going to bring a smile to His face today!