At Agricola Baptist Church we have started walking towards some great challenges for our membership. This year our overarching theme is one word – Consumed! Our desire is to first and foremost be consumed with God. Being consumed with God will be manifested by being consumed with the things of God! Being devotedly and passionately in love with our Lord will lead us to love the things He loves.
We have stated three very measurable goals that can also be easily evaluated! These goals involve an attendance goal – 450 in Sunday School; a giving goal – $1 Million in total receipts; and a participation goal – 50% of our people involved in identifiable ministries! Those are great goals and we are working out some structures to help us attain them.
HOWEVER, we view these measurable goals as manifestations of a greater goal and better reality – a passionate, consumed relationship with the Lord! We are not seeking a 450 average attendance just to have it. We are seeking people who need the Lord. We are sharing with people a passion and enthusiasm for Jesus Christ and His church. We are not seeking attenders – we are seeking to make disciples and equip them to be followers of Christ who love the Lord and love His church. 450 is not the end! As a matter of fact, I am so convinced of this vision that I anticipate a higher result. What will happen when people have a sense of being “called to die?” What will happen when people can’t get past the joy of their forgiveness and the fabulous regeneration of their heart caused by the grace of God? They will not be silent about their Lord!
Giving – we are talking money here – is a sure sign of what captures our heart. Our prayer is that Christ will capture the heart of every member of our church! If the heart belongs to Christ – so will the wallet and the purse. Here is a reality – if our people obediently tithe, there is more than enough, much more than enough to finance the kingdom work of our church.
Finally, participation! Serving Christ can’t be done in observation mode. We are called to follow Him! To “follow” someone you have to get up and walk! We are to “follow after” Him. My prayer is that ministry after ministry comes on line this year. The real goal is 100%, but average church participation (your church too) is generally so low that we will settle this year for 50%. This is difficult, but not impossible to measure. We are working on it!
Do you hear the common theme? These are all great goals – worthy of a great God! But none of them can be reached meaningfully without believers being focused upon a devoted relationship with the Lord! This year I will constantly remind ABC members of the goals – but the greater reason for trying – to be genuine followers of Jesus Christ! So far – it has been exciting and fruitful.
I know that I do not not know one thing about my future. That said, I feel that I might have 15 – 20 more years of energetic ministry left in this body, maybe a little less Lord willing. I’m not going to spend one more minute playing around. I’m willing to risk everything – including failure – to attempt a greater good – a higher end – a passionate relationship with Christ evidenced in the lives of all those who claim His precious grace. Do you want to be a part? Come join in! Be a faithful, fruitful, follower of Christ!
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