The current Discipleship Development classes (which meet from 9:30 – 10:30 each Sunday morning) are nearing completion. Which brings up the question: What classes should we offer next?
To help answer that question, we are asking for your input. In what areas of the Christian life are you sensing a need for greater understanding? If you could explore some aspect of living as a Christian believer in today’s world, what would you like to discuss in a classroom setting?
If you were making a list of topics, would any of the following subjects appear on it?
- Being Filled With and Walking By the Holy Spirit
- Welcome Class for Those New to the Church
- Making the Most of Participation in a Cell Group
- Studying a Book of the Bible
- Dealing with Anger
- Sharing Our Faith with Unbelievers
- Biblical Praying
- Developing a Biblical Vocabulary
What would you add to the list? Please give your input to the NAC Elders as soon as possible. Their phone numbers and email addresses are listed below:
Keith Anderson
943-1719
andersonkw@comcast.net
Tim Audorff
491-4899
tim_audorff@hotmail.com
Jack Bemenderfer
235-912-1852
jbemen@yahoo.com
Larry Peabody
459-2031
LDPeabody@aol.com
Today, I returned to the office after a week’s vacation and some much-needed rest. We probably watched more TV “news” than usual this past week, and I was reminded again of what a needy world we live in.
News channels seem to be filled with both tragedy and trivia. Tragic news involves warfare (breaking out this week in Lebanon), murders, rapes, government corruption and ineptness, and so on. Trivial news goes on endlessly about celebrities who become even more popular and make even more money by flaunting shameful lifestyles. Why is the trivial so much in demand? My guess is that it diverts our attention from the tragic hopelessness of a world that will not recognize God in Christ.
More than ever, I am convinced there is only one way we can penetrate our desperately sick Western culture. How? By living our obedience to Jesus in communities of believers, colonies of heaven on earth that are visible to unbelievers. Jesus himself said it would be through that demonstration of our oneness and unity that the world would come to believe in him (Jn. 17:20-23).
During our vacation week, I spent time re-reading parts of Community 101 by Gilbert Bilezekian. On p. 37, I found these words: “This concern for the survival of the church down through the ages provides the explanation for the anguished tones of Jesus’ prayer. He knew that if the church should fail to demonstrate community to the world, it would fail to accomplish its mission because the world would have reason to disbelieve the gospel (vv. 21, 23). According to that prayer, the most convincing proof of the truth of the gospel is the perceptible oneness of his followers. In our day, whenever the church is ineffective and its witness remains unproductive, the first questions that must be raised are whether the church functions as an authentic community and whether it lives out the reality of its oneness. In a community-starved world, the most potent means of witness to the truth of the gospel is the magnetic power of the oneness that was committed by Christ to his new community at the center of history.”
May we obey our way into that kind of community right here in Lacey!
Just across the cul-de-sac from our home is an Oxford House. Currently, the residents include six men who have recently come through recovery programs for alcohol or drug addiction. In past years, I have had gotten to know most or all of the men and had seen the Lord work in their lives. However, the residents I had known all moved out of the house and on with their lives.
For some time now, I have been praying that the Lord would open an opportunity to get to know the new crop of residents. Just last week, God answered that prayer. In the annual meeting of our homeowners’ association, several began to voice their unhappiness complain about the presence of an Oxford House in our development. Since all the men owned cars, the cul-de-sac was beginning to resemble a used-car lot. And some of the residents were speeding—in spite of the fact that small children often play in the cul-de-sac.
Even as the concerns poured out during that homeowners’ meeting, I knew this was the opportunity I had been praying for. So I offered to meet with the men during their weekly house meeting and present to them the concerns of the homeowners. I asked for and received an invitation to attend their meeting this past Friday evening. The men received me warmly and I explained the concerns. They promised to change the way they park their cars and to slow down.
In the process, I got to know all the names of the men—and to attach the names to faces. The Lord has begun to build a trust relationship between us that I hope will bear fruit for God’s glory. Praise God for answering prayer!
As I change my desk calendar from April to May, I am reminded that the retirement date set last year is now just four months away (August 31). From time to time, the Search/Watch Committee has reported to our church family on its activity. But I thought it might be good to provide another update and summary.
The Search/Watch Committee has been given the responsibility of drafting three documents: (1) A profile of our community—the characteristics of the Lacey community in which we serve; (2) A profile of NAC—a bit of our history and the makeup of the congregation; and (3) A summary of what NAC will expect of the one who steps into the paid staff position opened by my retirement. The Committee includes three elders: Tim Audorff (coordinator), Keith Anderson and Jack Bemenderfer, plus four members of the church family—Duane Heller, Ryan Pitroff, Kay Roberts and Cylinda Vannice. At the recommendation of our District Superintendent, I am not a member of the Committee.
The Committee has been meeting each month, and will meet again on Thursday, May 10. It has been in communication with our District Office, which—in addition to serving in an advisory role—recommends to the Committee potential candidates.
When the Committee agrees on a candidate whom it believes could be God’s choice, it will notify the church family and invite the candidate to visit us, including an opportunity to speak in a celebration service. After that, we in the church family will be given an opportunity to respond by expressing our affirmation or reservation concerning the candidate.
If you have any questions concerning the process that is now underway, please contact any member of the Search/Watch Committee.