What is your reaction to what you heard this weekend? Do you have any questions? (Note: I (Stan) will not be able to check this until later in the evening on Sunday. But, from that point until the end of the week, I'm looking forward to dialogue...and journeying with you on this topic.)
8 comments:
Stan let me start by saying welcome to NVCL. You are welcomed addition to the rest of the staff here at NVCL. I really loved the Bricks message. It struck at what I value most about NVCL. Coming to Christ through the Alpha course allowed me to meet 40+ people, then the connections class introduced me to another 30+ people, then the discipleship walk bonded me with 20+ guys that I know will always be my friends. I have been very blessed to have found this home and this church body. Because of this gift of community and more so the gift of salvation I am moved by the spirit to try to give back to that which gave me so much which is another reason NVCL is so awesome becuase there are infinate ways in which to volunteer and give back. What your message moved me to do is to start to make a list of those people and to strive to deepen my relationship with those people and make sure they know my junk and that I am building them up! Thanks Stan and my God continue to Bless you and yours. Welcome to the family!
Because of His Grace,
Chris Reed
I enjoyed the sermon on community. I just wanted to comment on how many people I overheard talking about being bricks for each other at Church and outside of Church. Funny, since we are Church. It was great! Our Life group even brought up the subject that Sunday afternoon and talked on the subject.
John Oppold
Acts 2 and the example of the early "church" always moves me. I believe the Lord is adding to our number daily those that are being saved. Praise God! What more can we do to pursue v.45 (selling their possessions and goods, they gave to anyone as he had need)? I'm interested in how we begin to use the "affluence" of Hamilton County to "influence" our community in a way that expects no response.
Chris and John...thank you for your encouragement. I hope our community grows deeper as a direct result of your desire to "know and be known."
How is your week going? Have you made meaningful contact with meaningful people in your lives?
Scott...you're speaking my language. I think you're onto something there. I've been so encouraged to hear stories of our people serving in the Brookside Community...alongside our people there.
That has so much less to do with "saving" the people in Brookside than it has to do with "saving the hearts" of people from Carmel heading south of 86th street to serve. :)
I'd love to hear more of your thoughts. What exactly do you have in mind?
I cannot say enough about how impactful this weekend's message was. It truly was living water for my thirsty soul. God's word is absolutely alive and able to reach every nerve that needs it. Stan, thank you for being the vessel that God used to speak his truth. Every day this week I have thought about what we look like as the bride of Christ. I want to do my part to make her as gorgeous as possible and have been really convicted that to do that I need those Bricks in my life to complete the picture. As I watched the video at the end of your message all I could do was weep and say over and over in my mind "She's beautiful!!!" (I got it--YEAH!!!) Thanks again - I can't wait to see how His words continue to change us from glory to glory.
Kaleesha Thompson
Stan-
I agree that it starts with the hearts of the people here in Carmel (including mine). We tend to do a good job with backpack programs etc. that supply needs, but that all seems so distant. Our hearts aren't going to be changed because we spent $20 on backpacks for kids who need them. Hearts are changed when we collectively go into the areas of need and minister as well as be ministered through acts without expectation of reciprocity. What about workcamps or painting teams? Seems to always work when mission trips take on these tasks, perhaps we should investigate some areas that need painting/work near Brookside's community and pull together a committee to raise resources (financial donations and people) to pull people into the giving component first hand. I'd be happy to explore this with you further...we are blessed as a church with so much to give...
Thank you for your valuable information.
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