Tommy Mitchell / The Rurban Church Blog

A Trusted Friend!

Don't know if you have one - a truly trusted friend - but everyone needs at least one!  You know - the kind of friend that you can tell anything - and when you are done - they are still your friend!  That true friend - who will encourage you - love you - and gently bring you back to a better way of thinking - is rare!  I have not had too many of those in my life - and have very few like that right now!

A trusted friend never betrays a confidence!

A trusted friend can listen!

A trusted friend is large on grace - low on judgment!

A trusted friend is willing to let you blow off steam - then laugh with you when you realize things just aren't that bad!

A trusted friend will trust you as well!

A trusted friend will really pray for you - and with you!

A trusted friend will help you get up off the mat!

A trusted friend will celebrate your victories and not be jealous of them!

A trusted friend will help you get past your failures!

A trusted friend will be priceless to you as you go through life!

Welcome to the Unchurched World!

If I were to tell people in our congregation this Sunday that many people living in our rural community have never really heard the Gospel - never really been told the story of Jesus - there would be many who would have difficulty believing that!  Yet, we find it to be true over and over.  Again this morning I had the privilege of leading an almost teenager to the Lord who had really never heard a full account of the Gospel.  She lives right across the road from another church in our community.  I am not knocking that church - it is less than two miles from ours! 

My point? The following....

1. We have to quit assuming people have heard the Gospel.

2. We have to quit assuming that they will somehow "figure it out!"

3. They are anxious to hear!  Everyone I have talked to this week has been anxious to hear the Gospel!

4. More often than we may expect - people will respond to the Gospel when presented the truths, claims, and opportunities of Jesus Christ on their lives.

5. Leading people to Christ MUST be habit forming - we have had 11 12 professions of faith in Christ that I know of at the time of this post. 

6. I like to think about the ANGEL celebrations taking place over repenting sinners!

People and Vision!

It seems that there are different kinds of people when it comes to vision.

1. There are VISIONARIES!  These are folks to whom God shares vision! They in turn, with great passion, share vision with people with a goal of accomplishing the vision!

2. There are VISION KILLERS!  These are folks whom Satan controls - their one goal in life is to kill any vision they hear! Their passion to kill vision can never be underestimated or understood fully!

3. There are VISION BUILDERS!  These are folks that come alongside the visionary and help fulfill the vision! They are a passionate bunch of folks!

4. There are VISION SABOTEURS! These folks are more subtle than the vision killers - they may actually seem to be for the vision - but they work secretly and deceitfully to sabotage the vision! They are dangerous! Their work is often hidden!

The key to success is KNOWING beyond all doubt that the vision is from God - and allowing God to assemble the VISION BUILDERS!  Handling the VISION KILLERS and SABOTEURS must be done through much prayer and leaving them in God's hands!  Turning the light on their activities will often cause them to scurry for cover as well.

Saved to Serve

We are trying to remind all our ABC people that we have been "Saved to Serve!"  Our ministerial staff tried to do a service project last week. We were going to mow a yard for one of our members - but another one of our members "outserved us" and got to it a day earlier! 

So, today, we are grilling burgers for the construction workers / subcontractors who are building our Preschool / Children's Building!  We are looking forward to it! Those guys and a lady or two have been doing an outstanding job!  I just finished fixing the hamburger patties up with some seasoning and Andrea cut up tomatoes and onions!

Personally, I believe our staff should do a service project at least once a week plus whatever we do on our own.  It builds relationships within and outside the staff. It helps someone else in a meaningful way while building teamwork among the staff!

Yesterday I received a great blessing!  I had stopped by the Sheriff's Dept. to see how everyone was doing. The lady who works at the front desk told me that a lady with two small children had just been by and left a big pan of fresh baked cookies.  She said the lady told her she was from ABC and just wanted to say thank you for all the department does!

I don't know who it was - but thanks for serving! They could not stop bragging at the department - or eating!!!!

Makes you feel good to hear of acts of love and service!

This Will Be a RURBAN Day!

Today will be a fun day in ministry for me! It is RURBAN visitation day!  Today is strictly older jeans, older shoes day and the destination will be workshops, farms, fields etc.   I usually get grease, cow poop, and get attacked by dogs on days like this.  I carry my gun for snakes, and my laptop in case I catch a moment under a shade tree to put down some thoughts on a message!

The day may present opportunities to be on a tractor - go eat with a bunch of men - or see some county-side I have not seen before!  In the midst of all this - I will be looking for opportunities to serve!

Should be a great day!

How Will You Live Today?

Opportunities to serve are really never in short supply. We just have to raise up our eyes and extend our vision and we will see opportunities to serve all around us.  Some will be serving through brief exchanges - opening a door, saying thank-you, speaking a word of encouragement, just being nice to someone.

Others will be more involved - helping change a flat, pushing a stalled car out of the road, helping someone with a load, just getting hands-on involved in meeting a need.

The thing that determines whether or not we get involved is the answer to these questions - really - the questions themselves.

1. What will happen to me? What will happen to me if I speak, if I help, if I get involved?  What will happen to me?  Will I get dirty? Will I get held up a bit?  Will I have to listen to a bunch of junk? Will it end up costing me?  All those questions are summarized in the first one - WHAT WILL HAPPEN TO ME?

2.What will happen to them? What will happen to the person who has a need if I don't help? What will be their outcome? Will their need be met? Will someone else actually help? What will happen to them if I don't speak up? If I don't get dirty?  If I don't get off schedule?  What will happen to them?

If you spend most of your life asking yourself the first set of questions when it comes to helping others, then you are probably already mostly blind to opportunity.

If you spend most of your life asking yourself the second set of questions when it comes  to helping others, then you are probably already richly blessed and used wonderfully by the Lord in new opportunities.

Which will it be?  It is totally up to you!

Things are Picking Up!

In February we will be learning together about what it means to have a Mountain Moving Faith!  This should be a very helpful, and faith building series of messages.

March is going to be exciting! We are going to look at Moving the Mountain of Mortality! There is a resource we will use that is outstanding! The "reveal" on that is coming in a couple of weeks! WOW! God is good!

Although I have put this off for quite a while, I finally gave in and purchased a Kindle 2! Right now, I think it is one of the better purchases I have ever made.  My shelf space is full - and the options the Kindle 2 gives me  for organizing and keeping books is fabulous. Plus, the books are all cheaper!  Anyway, I LOVE the adjustable font! And it is so easy to use!  My reading experience has become much more interesting!

ABC folks - do you have a mountain that needs moving? Starting this Sunday, lets work on that together.

ABC folks - what would you do if you had 30 days to live? Be thinking about it - March is coming when we learn some very interesting things!

A Truly Rurban Experience!

This is what it means on some days to have a RURBAN Church!

CLICK HERE FOR THE STORY

Making HIM Famous!

Don't all of us parents enjoy it when our kids do well? We love it when they sing that solo and everyone loves it! We are filled with joy when they make that certain grade - get that certain recognition - win that certain contest - get into that certain school!  We rejoice when they get that great scholarship - get invited to participate in that exclusive program!

There is a verse of scripture I am memorizing - Isaiah 26:8  Yes Lord, walking the ways of your laws, we wait for You. Your name and renown are the desire of our heart!. NIV   I'm pretty sure that I get out of that verse that we should feel even more love and enthusiasm to see the name and renown of our Lord known among the nations. Literally - His name and renown should be "the desire of our heart!"

How is that desire fulfilled! When we subscribe to His law - His word - His direction - His teaching! When we obey Him and follow Him - His name and renown will be seen in the transformation that takes place in our life.  When the drunk comes to know Christ - and his drunkenness is taken away - the Lord's name and renown become known.  When the "meth-head" meets Christ and is completely delivered from the addiction - His name and renown become known.  When the shy, timid person meets Christ and allows Him to work and suddenly becomes bold in sharing the faith - His name and renown become known. 

To the extent we allow Christ to transform us - His name and renown will become known.  We don't have to have an event to make Him famous!  We just need to allow our life to be changed! His transformation will be awesome enough to make Him famous!

The Privilege of Worshiping Together!

Listening to it rain this morning eventually brought a smile to my face - especially in light of my sermon topic this morning - "Questioning God!"  Throughout 31 years of serving as a pastor, I cannot tell you how many times I have asked the Lord this question - "Lord, why did you let it rain today? You know people will stay home!" 

While in the hospital, God gave me this message about questioning Him!  When I heard the rain this morning, I almost laughed! No, I did not ask the question this morning - and after my encounter with God on this topic of questioning Him - I don't think I will ever ask Him that particular question again.  You see, God's work is not built on nor is it hindered by those who stay home!  God's work is always a blessing to and is blessed by those who show up! Rain is just a "weeding" agent to separate the sincere from the easily distracted! (except for a few health issues). 

Anyway, I am looking forward to being together with those "who show up" this morning.  It is such a privilege to......

.... share and multiply wonderful blessing!
.....divide the weight of heavy burdens!
.....to hear the blessed words of the Lord in scripture!
.....to sing wonderful song to and about God!
.....to bring an offering and watch God multiply beyond belief our gifts!
.....to hear an unexpected testimony!
.....to see brothers and sisters and enjoy their presence!
.....to love and be loved!
.....to hear the laughter of children!
.....to see the excitement and unhindered worship of children!
.....to pray with one another!