VCNP Leadership Monthly for November 2009
November, 2009
Greetings!
Healthy things grow.
Have you ever noticed that healthy things grow? Plants, children, emotional lives, our relationship with God, and our relationship with other people are a few things that come to mind. If these things are healthy, they are progressing, moving forward, changing, and metamorphasizing, so to speak.
Years ago, in a pastoral staff meeting, a pastor by the name of James Ryle addressed us and told us the following saying, which has had great impact on us over the years:
"Healthy things grow
Growing things change.
Change challenges us.
Challenge forces us to trust God.
Trust leads to obedience.
Obedience makes us healthy.
Healthy things grow"
As you can see, it is a cycle. Even in our relationship with God, it seems as soon as we get comfortable, there will inevitably be some change which forces us to trust God in a new way.
For example... let's say you step out and pray out loud for someone for the first time. It is scary. It is change. (But it also helps you grow spiritually.) The next thing you know, you might be leading in Children's Ministry or leading a small group. As you do these kinds of things, it is challenging. Things come up which you have no answer for. It forces us to trust God and seek Him.
Then, there are those times when a person in your group does not get healed, the check does not come in the mail, _________________ (you fill in the blank), and easy answers just don't come. We learn to be obedient to God anyway. Whenever we choose to obey God, it is healthy. Obedience forces us to grow.
We must choose to remember, that even if it is not easy, growth and change are almost always good. They may be challenging, but challenge forces us into the arms of our Father (or elsewhere, if we make a poor choice).
VCNP has actually been in a constant state of change since its inception. We have had literally hundreds of changes over the years. One recent change, was switching back to one Saturday evening service as we prepare for the new building.
We are so thankful for leaders and church members who have decided throughout the years to embrace change and not to run from it. We firmly believe this has added people into the Kingdom of God and has changed lives.
Here are some changes around the corner which we would ask you to embrace and choose to "enjoy the change," so to speak:
- A new larger facility with new locations for everything we are used to.
- Large video screens in the new auditorium.
- Finding a new "seat."
- Finding someone sitting in my "new seat."
- Parking in a different spot.
- Being in a larger building and fending off the feelings of "I don't know anyone here."
- Taking a few more minutes to get settled on campus than it used to take.
- Meeting new people.
Please ask God to prepare your heart for change and for new people who have yet to come to know Him. Look around for those you might help to feel more comfortable.
We want to give you an update on Brian's progress since his shoulder surgery. He got his stitches out this past Friday and will now begin physical therapy. He is still in some pain, but things have gone better than expected. Thank you for praying for us about this and please continue to pray for a quick recovery. Lord willing, Brian will be back in the pulpit this coming weekend!
We also want to invite you to come and be a part of our next Worship and Ministry Night on Sunday, November 8th at 6:00 P.M. The entire night will be one of worship and ministry! We had one of these about three months ago and it was an incredible time! You're not going to want to miss it!
May your journey be filled with healthy growing things!
Remember, healthy things grow.
See you this weekend!
Love,
Brian and Thora
