How to change your church in 2010
Late December is a time for making New Year’s resolutions. Many people focus on weight loss and money management, but how about another suggestion: resolving to be a catalyst for positive change in your local church during 2010.
(I’m assuming that most readers of this blog attend church on a weekly basis: if you don’t, forming that habit should be your top priority in the coming year.)
Making a positive difference in your local church is easier than you think – and you don’t have to be the senior pastor to make an impact. Here are four simple resolutions that, if adopted, can help move your local church in a positive direction.
Stop criticizing, start praying. Sure, it’s a lot easier to criticize and second-guess church leadership, but, in the end, those activities accomplish nothing. Prayer, on the other hand, “is powerful and effective,” the Apostle James said (James 5:16, New International Version). Check out this guide for tips on praying effectively for church leaders.
Put your money where your mouth is. The church is a little bit like a certificate of deposit: the more you put in, the more you’ll get out. So don’t be scared to invest. And don’t forget that you owe God 10 percent of your income upfront (Malachi 3:8-10), plus an additional freewill offering.
Just do it. I read a story about Tommy Barnett, pastor of Phoenix First Assembly of God. A member of the congregation complained to Barnett that the church didn’t offer a particular ministry. When the church member asked why Phoenix First didn’t offer that ministry, Barnett replied, “Because you haven’t started it.”
If you see something that needs to be done in your local church, adopt Nike’s slogan: “Just do it.”
Never worship alone. Bring someone with you to this weekend’s worship service. It’s the first Sunday of the year, and the perfect time to begin cultivating the best habit of all: bringing your friends and family to church. You might just end up seeing their lives changed forever.
Incorporate these four simple habits into your life, and, one year from now, neither you or your church will be the same.
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awesomeness2 on December 30th, 2009
I’m glad you’ve taken the time to post something like this on your blog. It gives a little focus…Are you going to preach this?