Monday Memo....

Another Monday has come and it is almost gone. Thankful for all that the Lord has allowed us to accomplish today. As always--I feel that I should have accomplished more, but it is what it is. Mondays, for me, are filled with a mixture of joy and sorrow. So many things I wish were said that I forgot to say and do on yesterday. Then there are the joys of seeing the growth in our fellowship. My greatest dissapointments usually revolve around other people. And I am learning to avoid, discard, and learn from my poor 'people choices' and God is teaching me how to learn from the experiences, pick up the pieces and eventually move on!!! I, like many pastors, often hope and wish that some within our fellowship would catch the vision, run with it, and own it for themselves. But some just don't--maybe this means they're in the wrong place--or maybe they are--but they have not overcome the 'casual Christian' syndrome. I am learning that focusing on people like this will often take my spiritual eye off of those individuals who are really growing, excited about what God is doing, and have the vision and are helped. With this being said--the notion that the enemy/Satan would assert that maybe I am the problem or the issue as it relates to our local fellowship--just doesn't fly any longer. This is not arrogance nor is it conceit--but no one has sacrificed (or tried to improve themselves) for our new ministry venture more than both I and my immediate family. I have had a few instances where the implication has been--maybe there is more I could do. This typically comes from persons who aren't doing anything - but doing what is only convenient for themselves, holding a title, never taking the initiative to serve, and then expect me to perform miracles with so little. That's Christ's job--not mine!!! All in all, God is adding to our church, gradually...those who are there TO SERVE...NOT TO BE SERVED!!! This is exactly what we NEED...

We've started a new Sunday school curriculum entitled 'When God Builds a Church', being led by Bob Russell's book by the same title. Yesterday, one of our new attendars, Earlonzo Hare (who has been such an encouragement to me personally and spiritually), taught the Sunday School lesson dealing with 'Truth'. His daughter, who also attends Cornerstone, tipped me off to he and his wife's teaching background. When I tell you that this man really did his homework and blessed our entire church--he did! So transparent; so timely; so....inspiring. It is the Lord's continual use of people like this--those persons who will make themselves available--that will have a rippling effect throughout our church. We will see more and more people like this frequenting our church!!! I'll document our progress along the way. I remain prayerful and faithful in this regard... God is up to something great!