What an amazing fall we are having so far. September temperatures have been up, and we have seen great things happening around our church. And there is more to come. At our Kickoff Sunday, we had 18 Baptisms. Eighteen people publicly declared their allegiance with Jesus. Over 270 of us came to watch… and then eat together. This so exceeded our expectations. I love it when our church comes out to support those who are committing their lives to Jesus. Our Night of Worship was amazing. Just to hear you singing and see our teens lead out in worship. I am excited for their year of Youth Group on Sundays as well. And if you carry that over into the next Sunday, we saw new people joining our LIFE Groups and coming to Engage. Teens, tweens, children, and adults, all together because they want to grow and understand more about following Jesus. It was a great night for growing disciples. The group I lead on Sunday night, has doubled in size. It may take us a few more weeks just to get all the names down! God sometimes moves around us and sometimes God moves inside of us. And I see a great new interest in what God is doing to grow us as disciples. One of the ways we grow as disciples, has to do with accepting the mission God has given us. Disciples aren’t just gathered, they're sent. Over the course of this next month, we have some ways that we are going to be sent out and gathered here to do good things… to be sent out. As the church, we do not exist just for ourselves. Jesus never gave us that option. Jesus did not come to earth to find a few friends and correct a few God-misconceptions. He came to change our world. Here a few things that Jesus said were His life's mission…
To serve… NIV Mark 10:45 For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and…”
To sacrifice his life… NIV Mark 10:45, …to give his life as a ransom for many."
To teach about kingdom… NIV Luke 4:43 But he said, "I must preach the good news of the kingdom of God to the other towns also, because that is why I was sent."
To seek/save the lost… NIV Luke 19:10 For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost."
In the next few months, we have some amazing opportunities to impact the world around us. Some will be through serving. Some will be through teaching. Some will be through seeking those who are lost and inviting them. Some will ask us to sacrifice our time and talents. Candy Collection On October 18, we will help Schwarzkoff Elementary with their Trunk or Treat event. We are collecting candy and volunteering. We are attending the event to rub elbows and meet people. We are going to where they are. Let’s go serve. Women's Harvest Brunch. On November 2, our ladies are hosting and inviting ladies to join them for brunch here at the church. It's a time to get to know one another and learn a little bit along the way. Let’s be the kingdom. Serve Day. On November 2, the City of Sterling Heights has their fall serve day. We realize this falls on the same time as the Women's Havest Brunch... so MEN, bring the kids and let’s teach our kids how to serve our community that morning. Let’s meet some people in need, in the Sterling Heights community. Let’s go seek and serve. Food Packing Event. On December 8, we will gather here to pack 40,000 meals for people in need, with Kids Against Hunger. We will help feed the hungry and needy of our world. Let’s serve together. And that doesn’t count the dozens of opportunities that will come our way with food and meals around Thanksgiving. Or the ways that we can reach out to the people right around us. Whether we do it on our own, or conscript your LIFE Group in to helping, there are amazing things that God is going to do through us this year. The excitement of the Kickoff may be past, but there are more lives still to be impacted. We are mobilizing our church for the transformation of our community as changed people reach people for Christ. It’s going to be a great end to this year!