Today, I have decided to depart a bit from my usual design, social media, technology postings to write about a subject that has been been on my mind the last few days. It was made even more apparent today, so I decided to go ahead and put it out there in my own words..

Most of us grew up either reading the classic Charles Dickens novel, or even watching a variation of A Christmas Carol. The story has been made into lots of movies, including Christian themes, and even with Mickey Mouse.

There might be a few people who haven’t heard of it, but at this time of year it is a fixture. But do we really know the man behind the story? As Paul Harvey used to say, this is the rest of the story.

The main character is Ebenezer Scrooge.  His name has become synonymous with people who pinch pennies as well as people who do not get into a holiday spirit at Christmas time.  We are very quick to judge those who do not seem in a jolly mood as being a ‘scrooge,’ even if we do not know the underlying cause for their lack of enthusiasm.

Some might even blame it on depression or other mental health reasons, but did you ever stop and think there could be a reason for the discouragement, lack of excitement, or even the  lack of free willing generosity of some?

Times Are Hard

Even in the storyline, Dickens wrote about the economic hardship of many much similar to what we are facing today. There was not a lot to go around, and yet people were doing the best they could to survive without help. Wages were down, and  the lifestyle at the time was very diminished. People did not live on credit like we do today, but actually paid for what they used or consumed. In that respect, maybe in some ways it was a better time because they weren’t obsessed with wanting and they didn’t run up huge debt.

However, it is assumed by the storyline that Scrooge is a banker. He loaned money and expected a return on his money.  And for the most part, because of his job, we assume he was a very greedy, selfish man.  He does make his employee work hard, that is without doubt, but as the story unfolds we only think of him as a rude, uncaring individual, and even though his life is displayed before us, somehow we seem to neglect that part.

It is easy to judge people based on what we see, or what stands out in our mind, but we don’t even try to understand how they got that way.

 

What About Poor Scrooge?

The story talks much about how he keeps to himself, doesn’t really have any visitors, and misses a friend who is no longer around. However, much of what we focus on is what he doesn’t give to others.

Men come to ask him to help out with donations and he turns them down. The assumption from almost everyone is he wants to be alone, doesn’t care about others, and in general is a bitter old man without cause.

Usually missed in the story he gives Bob Cratchit Christmas day off with pay. It seems if you take a step back that people are always asking for something but never giving back in return.  You ever treat anyone like that?

We focus on his attitude and bitterness, but we really do not look deeper into his life to see how he got that way. Maybe if we did, even our attitude toward others who are hurting might change.

 

Misunderstanding

Underlying the entire story, but missed by most, is that Scrooge is hurting, and yet only Cratchit extends any sort of kindness to him. How do you think you would feel if seemingly everyone treated you that way? Only taking, never giving back.

We see their loneliness, their discouragement, but instead of extending a hand, we only talk to them when we need something. Or rather when we want something they can provide. We don’t ask them why, or try and understand how they got the way they did.

Scrooge was no different. It is in the story, but we miss it.

 

The Beginning Of Disappointment

As a young boy, Ebenezer Scrooge was sent to a boarding school away from his family. In fact, he doesn’t even get to go home for Christmas. His father, in a sense is willing to pay the school fees but not willing to spend any time with his son.  Over time this would greatly affect anyone. He wasn’t used to spending time with others, because even his own family ‘rejected’ him.

Scrooge works hard to become  self sufficient and take care of himself,  but  most see that as him being a miser, unwilling to share his hard earned money. He does have a low opinion of the poor, but mostly because he believes if I did it, they can.

Because he feels he must prepare for the future, he works more than he should. He must have had some kindness in him because he does get engaged to Belle.

However, she walks away when again he retreats into his work, maybe to make sure she is well taken care of, but instead she sees it as rejection and walks away. 

We don’t know for sure if she was demanding or not, but lost in the story is the possibility he only wanted to care for her like she deserved, and not having been raised in a family that cared, he has a hard time identifying with that.  So, of course he becomes more disengaged and reclusive. Rejected by his father who blames him for his mother’s death, (she died in childbirth, so he never got her love either)  and his fiancée whom he tried to love walks away too. Giving the same circumstance, what would you do?

 

The Change

Toward the end of the story, Scrooge is visited by a spirit giving him glimpses of his future. He dies alone. Even after his death, people talk bad about him.

He has become so reclusive, keeping everything he makes, not willing to give back and dies without kindness.

However, he takes it upon himself to change the story. He takes charge and takes back some happiness, and we have a good positive ending.

But I find myself wondering, what if someone other than Bob Cratchit had extended him kindness, came around to visit, tried to be understanding of his situation, would the story have been even better?

We get so busy focusing on what seems to be missing from the life of Scrooge, we neglect to look at those who helped to form his demeanor.

Blamed for the hardship of others, even the death of his mother. Misunderstood by the girl he loved, those who would come around only wanted his money, how did they expect him to act?

 

How About Our Attitude?

In Matthew 25, Jesus talks about being sick and no one visiting; being hungry and no one feeding him; being thirsty and no one giving him a drink.

It is easy to get caught up in our own lives and I understand that. However, are we just as guilty as those who treated Scrooge wrongly? Do we extend our hand to the hurting? Do we visit the sick? Do we try and understand what they are going through? Or do we not take a second thought about it, unless we need something from them?

In taking a look at A Christmas Carol, we focus so much on Scrooge’s behavior, we miss the behavior of those who made him who he was. He gets the blame, even though in the end, his attitude changes.

How about yours?

Do you only take but not give back? Do you forget that the one that is no longer with you is possibly hurting? Do you know the story behind what they are going through? Do you visit them when they are sick?

Or do you walk away like Scrooge’s father and fiancée?

How much would it cost us to give someone a call? Or even go visit them? Do you put money in the red buckets at the entry to most stores?  Do you hurry past them or even those begging beside the road to go get ‘what you need?’ Are they deserving of just being cast aside?

 

For I was an hungred, and ye gave me no meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me not in: naked, and ye clothed me not: sick, and in prison, and ye visited me not. Then shall they also answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, or athirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto thee? Then shall he answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me.  Matthew 25:42-45

Challenge

I challenge you this Christmas to make a change. Instead of just ignoring that Christmas card in the mail, send them one back with a letter, or give them a call. Reach out to someone who might be lonely and invite them to lunch, or at least church. 

Give a little bit extra to those who are collecting for a charity, or take some food to someone who might be hungry. And especially if someone gives you a gift, even if you cannot afford to give one back, show some gratitude. It could be you being Ebenezer next year.

It is the ten year anniversary weekend of 9-11. We don’t actually mention the year when we talk about it, because the day is forever etched in our minds due to the heinous acts brought about upon our country by Muslim extremists.

Regardless of who we are, all of us have been affected by the actions of a few upon that day. Most of us, with the exception of a few toddlers, or perhaps some living in far away lands, can tell you what happened on 9-11 by just mentioning the date.

It has changed the way all of us live our lives to some degree, and for many of us we can tell you exactly where we were when it happened. Our memories take us back to that very moment without much difficulty.

We Remember Where We Were When…

It is actually hard to believe it has been ten years, unless I stop and think about it. Over the last few days, there has been lots of commentary online, on television,  and wherever else we get our news. We talk about it with friends and family, and perhaps think back to the day and can tell you where we were, and what we were doing, and how we reacted the moment we heard.

Most of us had never really been affected as much by an event in our lives, on a particular day, until that moment. Yes, we can remember births, deaths, and other moments in our lives, but events that really change who we are, don’t happen very often.

I could tell you in detail the exact moment I heard about 9-11. I know where I was, what I was doing, and how I was drawn to the ongoing news about it. I couldn’t drag myself away from the television for several hours. It affected me. Our country had been attacked.

Yes, there were many who lost their lives, or loved ones upon that day, who were more deeply affected than I was, but the shock of it all will forever be a moment I won’t forget.

It reminds me of hearing stories from my parents and others when I grew up of the assassination of JFK. To this day, my dad could tell you, where he was on that moment.  I remember stories from teachers and family who would talk about the great depression in similar fashion.

These were events that altered the course of their lives. But, when those hijacked jet airliners hit the twin towers of the World Trade Center and the Pentagon on 9-11-2001 all of us had the course of our lives altered.  Even those yet to be born will be affected by that day, and will study about it in school history books for years to come. It changed our lives.

 

I Remember…

Maybe it was the news coverage, maybe my own thoughts, or perhaps a dream, but I woke up around 3:00 AM this morning, thinking about all of this. It brought me back to a memory of another time and another place where I was preaching about ‘Memorial Stones’ in a church where most of my family attended.

I recall the day I was supposed to preach going down by the river and getting several large stones to set up by the pulpit as a visual aid for my message. I wanted the message to impact those who heard me.

I really don’t know if anyone remembers it, but I do. In Joshua chapter four, the scripture talks about the children of Israel getting ready to go into the promise land, and Joshua commands twelve men to take stones with them, and leave them by the banks of the river Jordan.

⁶That this may be a sign among you, that when your children ask their fathers in time to come, saying, What mean ye by these stones?

⁷Then ye shall answer them, That the waters of Jordan were cut off before the ark of the covenant of the LORD; when it passed over Jordan, the waters of Jordan were cut off: and these stones shall be for a memorial unto the children of Israel for ever. Joshua 4:6-7

 

Memorial Stones

We all have moments in our lives we remember. Most of the time when we talk about memories, we talk about the good times. We don’t use stones to help us remember, but most of us have photos, or some other token that will remind us.

In fact, there are entire businesses built upon this fact. Who hasn’t went on vacation somewhere and brought back some small souvenir. Maybe a t-shirt, or perhaps a small icon of a monument, and most of us also take lots of photos.

For those of us who have become friends on Facebook, occasionally someone will post a photograph of a church camp, or some other moment captured in time, and we can look back on that image and recall good times in that place, or with those people.  It is a good thing to remember.

Of course, not all of our memories are good, but it is still good to think about moments in our lives that changed the course of our destiny.

Maybe we can think back to the day we first went to school, or when we graduated for sure.

For some of us, we remember fondly back to the day we got the Holy Ghost or were baptized. Maybe it was in our local church, or perhaps at camp meeting. I recall very vividly to this day my experience at camp meeting. I can still recall the yellow shirt and white jeans I was wearing in the tabernacle at Rocky Mountain District Camp. Camp on the Boulder.

It was a good place, and many of my family and a lot of friends remember good times at that place. The power of God was so strong there. Many miracles took place there. I heard many great messages there from many men who have become leaders and icons of our faith, and I am forever grateful for the messages that they preached that impacted my life.

I know many who were there that it forever changed the course of their lives.  There are some, as well, who I recall pouring out their hearts before God, but yet, they live a far different life now than they seemed to want then.

 

Where Were You When…

Was it simply that their lives were not as impacted as it seemed at the time? Or perhaps, other events occurred later that also changed the course of their life?

Last night I watched part of an interview with Piers Morgan. The man he was interviewing owned a company that was in the World Trade Towers at the moment the planes struck the towers on 9-11. More than six hundred of his employees died on that day.

That particular morning he would have been there as well, but it was the first day of kindergarten for his son.  He had chosen to be there for his son’s first day of school and he showed a photograph of the moment. Little did he know at that very moment the terrorists had plunged one of the airliners into the first tower at World Trade Center.

When I woke up at 3:00 AM, I wasn’t thinking about all the people who lost their lives on that day, or that it took our country into two wars, or the effect the event had on this man particularly. I was thinking about his son.

What stories did this little boy hear growing up? His son would be a teenager now. What did he hear from his dad and others about what happened? He lost an uncle in that event, but how else was his life affected. What was he told? And is he living the life his father expected for him before that event?

 

Has It Changed Anything?

Sure, forever there are little things that have changed. Like all of us, getting on an airplane now is different. Probably, due to the changes in his dad’s company, it has changed some things. But is his life better or worse because of it, or do they even still talk about it? Is it just an after thought?

I could ask those reading this the same questions.

I remember some who were so full of excitement, and love for God and their families when I remember back to church camp. It was more than just a religious experience for those of us who got to attend, it was indeed, life changing. There are memories from those days that will forever be fond for me.

There were a lot of fun times, a few times when not everything was so fun. I recall one year when most of the camp ended up leaving sick due to some bug in the water system. But for the most part I remember good things.

For some though, I wonder if those moments meant as much as they did to me?

I also recall moments at the church I attended where lives were transformed. Messages that some individuals preached with anointing from the same pulpit I did. Some of them have passed now, but I can still recall moments of their messages that deeply affected me.

I recall my uncle preaching one Sunday, on ‘A Piece Of An Ear.’ He’s passed on now in a much better place and I am looking forward to the moment I see him again. I recall him with great love and fondness for the impact he made on my life.

Others I recall with great detail about the way they dressed up to make a point, or what happened at the end during the altar call. I remember praying for some and seeing change in them.

But where are they now? Although the message was impacting for me, and changed my life, did it change theirs? Sure, I realize other events have happened in their lives since. I know that some of them went through hardship that seemed to have no limits. But when they look back at the ‘memorial stones’ in their lives, what do they recall?

 

How Did It Affect Them?

The teenage boy whose dad took him to kindergarten on 9-11, has his life been good? Is he headed in the direction his dad had in mind for him on the morning he documented with a photograph at his child's school? Is he happy?

Or has his path taken a direction that his father would never approve of? Is his son now involved in drugs or some other situation that his dad only hopes will change before it is too late?

We all have events like this. Moments in time that altered our lives, sometimes shattered them. But how has it affected our children? Are they ok? If we could go back to the moment our life was changed, what were we thinking would be the outcome then? And what about our leadership? Are they leading us in the direction we should be going?

Politically, I am sure not many of us would say yes. I think most of us had a different future in mind when we look back to the moments the course of our lives changed.

I wonder if the spiritual ‘us’ from those moments would be happy with where we ended up?

 

Is Who We Are Who We Were Meant To Be?

If we could step back to some of the moments in time to where we were happy, where good things were happening, would we look forward to the moments we had children and be proud of where they are now? Or would the ‘us’ from that moment not be happy with the outcome of our lives or theirs.

Has our leadership taken us the wrong direction? Watchmen, what of the night? Are you leading us in the direction that is right for our souls? In Isaiah we can read of them setting the watchmen on the wall to keep their eyes open in case something happens. There is a reason God sent forth preachers and ministers. they are not just there to say a pretty message on Sunday. They are supposed to be watching for our souls and leading us in a direction that will ultimately take us to the promise.

Sadly, some have gotten more caught up in personality and performance more than in protection.

Just as 9-11 has affected all of us, the direction the ministry set for our churches also affects us. It can alter our destiny. Are we heading the direction we are supposed to be, or have we ended up off track and are just riding the rail into a path of destruction? Are you happy with where your church is? Are souls being reached? Are lives being changed? And more importantly, is it a good change?

Watchmen, what of the night?

But, it doesn’t just fall to the ministry.

When Joshua commanded them to set memorial stones, he left a lot of the responsibility on the parents. Whether or not we like it, or even accept it, it is mostly the responsibility of those of us who are older to prepare the way and direct the course of those who come after us. If we are parents, it is our responsibility to give proper direction to  our children. We should be leading them in the paths that will not only benefit them in this world, but in the world to come.

 

Where Are You Now?

Are you where you expected you would be ten years ago? Fifteen? More? Is this the course you set for your life?

Philosophers, politicians, and others in our daily lives have led us in a direction that tends to blame the responsibility on others. It is our parents fault that we ended up this way or that. Or it is the fault of the former leader because he didn’t direct us the way we now think he should have. It is very easy to look back and cast blame for our current situation.

To some extent, they may be right in a global sense, but in personal responsibility, the blame should be cast upon ourselves.  Sure, if our lives are not where they need to be, some of the responsibility can fall on our parents and leaders. We are supposed to set the direction for the generations to come. But ultimately it all comes down to personal responsibility.

Whether we are talking about our emotional, physical, secular needs or our spiritual needs it is our own responsibility to take charge of where we are. But it is still up to those who have gone before, especially our parents, to guide us in the proper direction.

So, I ask you, did you point your children in the right direction? Are you truly happy with their lives? If you could go back a few years, would you still be happy with their lifestyle? Would you do anything different? And are you happy with your own life? Is this where you thought you would end up?

 

Where Are We Headed?

The course of action that father took on 9-11 forever changed the direction his son’s life will take, just as much as the terrorists who hijacked those planes.

Some sacrificed their own lives to save others. While they are remembered as heroes and possibly protected us from what could have been an even greater tragedy, it still changed the lives of those they interacted with. Many of our military have also made sacrifices for our freedom that personally changed the lives of those who knew them, but it also changed the course for the rest of us.

Each of us holds the responsibility for what happens to the next generation. It doesn’t matter if we are parents, ministers, friends, teachers, or we just pass someone on the street.

The words that come out of our mouths, and the actions we take will affect someone else’s destiny.

Cain, after slaying his brother, asked God, ‘Am I my brother’s keeper?’ YES!

We truly are our brother’s keeper. What you do today, no matter how significant it seems, it will have an effect on someone. We all have responsibility for our lives, for the lives we touch, for our family, for the generations to come.

What will your answer be, when someone asks…

 

Where Were You When?

The Macarena, Mello Yello, Silly Putty, and the Edsel. Most of us have heard those words before, but we may not remember what they are. Maybe they are faint memories in our minds, but perhaps we remember them fondly and wonder what happened to the day when it was common.

It wasn’t really that long ago for the Macarena, and yet I am sure if you ask some people today what the Macarena was, they probably think you add cheese or some tomato sauce to it.  It was a song and a dance, or actually hand and body movements.

It was very well known in the late 1990s and even the most sheltered person had heard mention of it, or had done it themselves. But here we are just a few years later, and its not in our minds anymore unless we are part of the few who may look back and smile and try and do it. It is merely a memory for most, and a word for others but they aren't sure what it means. For a few of those words, even the spell check on my computer thought I had misspelled some other word.

Is that how we see the church? Is that how your ministry is thought of?  Does it still have an impact like it used to? I remember when….

Sound familiar?

There was a day when everyone knew where the church was and what they taught. There was a day when many of us were  made fun of and called holy rollers, but when tragedy struck, it was the holy rollers they called for prayer.

We used to knock doors and pass out tracts. Many times we didn’t even advertise in the newspaper because we were active in the community and people knew who we were and where to find us. We were known for all night prayer meetings, joyful singing, sometimes having services where bobby pins were flying, and in almost every church there was that one sister who would wail and moan like a fire engine.

We were the church where everyone secretly wondered about, but  it was so different from every where else they wouldn’t be caught dead in our services. We were outcasts but everyone knew where we were.

Now if you go into just about any city, there isn't an apostolic church or no one knows where it is. Most of us were called Pentecostal then, but now when you mention Pentecostal everyone’s thoughts, including our own,  is about the charismatic churches where they jump, shout, maybe get the holy ghost, but bless God, they are not like we are. Hmmm, same message, same Jesus, maybe even same holy ghost baptism, yet, because we aren’t sure about them, they don’t have the truth. Yet, the people in the community know where that church is, just like they used to know where we were.

Who is there?

When we talk about marketing the ministry, our first instinct is to back away. It sounds like a foreign concept to us, or maybe something that isn’t quite right. We preach soul winning in our churches, but we don’t knock doors, most don’t teach bible studies, and whether or not we admit it, most of us do not testify at work. Oh sure, if someone asks us where we go to church we may tell them, and we may pray for them if we hear of their trials and tragedies, but to actually walk up to a person and talk to them about Jesus? ‘No way! I could lose my job. They might think I am weird.’

The bible likens soul winning to planting a garden, but generally we consider soul winning an individual thing. ‘Its Brother Bebop's job to win people to God, after all he seems to always bring someone.’

However, how many private gardens have you seen where there is only one plant growing? Usually there is several of one type, and its repeated with lots of other plants, flowers,  or vegetables. We produce after our own kind, so I am asking what is in your garden? It is the whole church’s responsibility to plant, water, take care of, and harvest the crops. God never intended one person to do it themselves. The scripture even says, ‘one plants, one waters, and God gives the increase.’ Our churches should be a mixture of all kinds of people in all stages of growth.

However, we have become complacent in our active ‘ministry.’ We are comfortable with just those who seem to know where our church already is. It is just too much effort to actually do something ourselves, and of course, they should all 'look like’ me.

Just today while returning from a trip to the store it was pointed out to me by someone with me that they had seen two groups of Jehovah Witnesses out knocking doors. I saw a couple of guys at someone's door, but honestly whether or not they were JW, Mormon, or someone else I cannot be sure, but I do know they were no one I recognized, so they weren't part of my sphere of Christianity.

We know what ‘our group’ looks like and sadly, we seem to ignore everyone else, even those that used to be a part of us. We make assumptions on their level of godliness based on rumors, our own ideas, and the way they look.

Chances are they don’t even know we are a Christian, let alone where our church is. So what do we do to change that?

Marketing Your Ministry

Marketing seems like such a foreign concept to us. We have all these ideas of what it might be, but when it comes to ministries and churches it is really very simple. A few of the ideas below you might actually recognize.

• Door Knocking – well no one does that anymore
• Bake Sale – not those in the lobby of the church but actually in the community
• Spaghetti Dinner– let them know you are there, even if you are taking up donations for some mission, charity, or celebration
• Car Wash – raise money for youth events instead of taking it from the parents
• Home Bible Study – we preach it but do we do it?
• Advertise in Newspaper, TV, or Radio – we are here to reach the lost right?
• Church website, postcards, prayer request cards, funeral services – you get the idea

This list could go on and on, but to me it is sad that most of us think marketing our ministry is going to cost a lot of money, but most of the above would actually raise money or at least tell people we exist. It is much easier than most of us are willing to admit.

So what really is the problem?

Well if we are honest, it only comes down to one of two reasons. Or perhaps both.

1. We are lazy.
2. We don’t care about souls.

That’s it!

Yes, I work as a graphic designer. I can give you a good deal on a website, printable marketing items for your ministry, helping you create a Facebook presence,  but to me its more than about the few dollars I would receive. It is about the souls and my desire for them to know Jesus like I do.

If you are really interested in seeing more souls saved and what you can do to change the image of your ministry, then contact me and lets have a conversation. Consultations  and quotes are always free. You might be surprised how affordable my services are, but you might also learn that reaching into your community isn't as hard as you thought.

Isn't it time you made an effort in Marketing Your Ministry?

Behold, I stand at the door, and knock. Rev. 3:20

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These past couple of weeks have flown by and its already two weeks into a new year. It seems as if days are less than twenty-four hours lately, because there never seems to be enough time to get everything done we need to do.

Christmas has come and went and 2011 is here and yet we get so far behind it seems it will be Christmas again before we catch up on everything. Sometimes, life just gets in the way of our plans. But it is a new year, a new time to reflect on the past, and time to start over and make this year better than the last.

We all do it, at least subconsciously, and yet we never seem to complete the task. What am I talking about? New Year’s resolutions of course. Usually by a couple weeks into the year we have already broken our resolutions at least somewhat.

I started on another blog post about resolutions but it became so large that I have decided to offer it instead as a book. Yes, a real book. I will probably make it available as well in formats suitable for e-book readers, free for a limited time.  I will do my best to keep the costs down in printed format because I truly believe it contains principles that is vital for making ministries grow and blossom into the revival we all want. Stay tuned for that! In fact, bug me about it if you do not hear about it soon. :)

Did You Accomplish All You Wanted in 2010?

I know I didn’t. Not only in my personal life, but in doing things for God that I had made great strides toward. Sometimes, it is difficult looking back over a year and seeing the places we have slipped and the trials and tests that have come our way. Maybe we have lost friends or loved ones, perhaps a job, or maybe even our home.

It can be very gloomy at times to reflect back on the year if things did not work out the way we planned.  I have to admit there were situations that arose in my life last year that, while I did not cause them to happen, hurt me in many ways and really tested my faith. Sometimes our dreams even when we are serving God can come crashing down around us.

We can begin the new year thinking about all that we went through and be sad about it, or we can look at the fact that it is a new year and start again. It is much more productive if we take the lessons we have learned and make this year even better. That is my hope for 2011. I want to accomplish more for God this year and get a fresh outlook on new possibilities in my life rather than being weighed down by the past.

Quit Crying Over Spilled Milk

It is of the LORD's mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not.  They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness.    

Lamentations 3:22-23

With God, we only have to wait until tomorrow to find new mercies. Isn’t that amazing? There are  situations we find ourselves in where we may have let down our guard or even failed in our walk, and it can be very trying on our mind. But the bible says ‘his mercies are new every morning.’ In a sense he is saying, ‘quit moping about what happened yesterday.’ It is a new day, move on and do better.

The Apostle Paul talked about dying daily. While he did not mean we need to take our life, he meant that the sins or problems we got ourselves into, we need to just repent about it, forgive ourselves, and move on.

I used to have a friend that his wife came to God, but he did not for quite a while. He was a nice guy. He would give the shirt off his back to anyone, and you could always find him doing something to help other people. He seemed like the perfect person to be in church, but the only times he came was for Christmas programs or Easter. Unfortunately, many are like that.

However, he started trying to come more for his little boy and before long he was always there. He would sing the songs, fellowship after church, always go to the altar and pour out his heart to God, but it took a few months before he got the Holy Ghost. He was so excited. He started getting rid of anything in his life that he felt was not pleasing to God.

I sat by him at church camp. It had only been a couple weeks since he prayed through, and you would have thought he had served God his whole life. He whooped, shouted, sang, and danced with the best of them. He was so thrilled that he had God in his life. It was a great thing to see. He even talked some about maybe becoming a preacher in his little town. Whether he meant as a pastor, or just being a witness I do not know.

However, about two weeks after church camp, one of his old friends had lost someone, and was going fishing and he was invited along. He went with the intention of being a comfort and a witness to his friend.

However, out there on the water it was hot and the fish were few and far between, and his friend offered him a beer. Without thinking about it, he drank it. It was what he had always done before he was saved.

He missed church that following Sunday morning but managed to make it to the evening service but it was obvious something was wrong. Over a few short weeks, he stopped coming, him and his wife started having problems in their marriage, and before you knew it, they were separated and the excitement and vigor he had about God was gone.

I spent a lot of time working with him, praying, talking, just hanging out, but it became clear to me after a few weeks that he wasn’t coming back to church. I struggled it with it very hard, and one day after several weeks I asked him why he stopped and he told me about the beer.

I tried to explain to him that he could just ask forgiveness, that no one was going to blame him, but in the end he could not forgive himself. He could not come to terms with the fact that God forgives, even when we struggle to do so ourselves.

His mercies are new every morning!

Too many times we get caught up in a situation that takes us down a path we never intended to go. We can keep on that path knowing that it leads to trouble, or we can get up and brush ourselves off and switch lanes.  I have seen so many people over the years that are on fire for God, some with even a definite call to the ministry and some circumstance comes up and before you know it, they are out the door.

Oh, sure, they still love God. They are still good people. But many times, they rationalize their change in behavior as ‘God still understands.’ I agree he does, but he has set before us life and death, and it is up to us to choose life. We all have situations in our lives that can knock us down, but we have to keep in mind that his mercies are new every morning!

And here we are a brand new year. Not just a new day, but a whole year ahead of us! What are we going to do with it? Become new! Start fresh. Make this year the best of your life so far.

As a reminder, I have included downloadable links to a new twitter background below. It is free and available just for reading this article. How is that for a deal?

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Please note: These Twitter backgrounds are set for the NEW format Twitter pages at @1440 x 900 pixels.

If you would like a custom twitter background for your page, church, or ministry, or if you have other graphic design or website needs please contact us!

If you haven’t heard of Twitter by now, come out of the cave and into the sunlight.

According to recent Twitter statistics, there are 160 million people on Twitter. With 370,000 new people joining each day, the likelihood is that almost everyone you meet is already on there.

If not, you can pretty sure guarantee that the majority of your church 40 years and younger is active on Twitter, either by cell phone, website, or some other application on the internet.

 

Is it for your ministry?

Yes, it can be. Your ministry or church can keep your members, friends, and even new prospects up to date with happenings in your ministry with a ministry Twitter account.

Special events or announcements, prayer requests, scheduling changes, special offers on CDs, or books, and many more uses to numerable to mention are available to all of us through 140 characters on Twitter.

You can also update your website or Facebook page at the same instant either by the Twitter page, an email or text, or even with applications that are available to most cell phones. Share photos, share links to other sites or events, share your burden, free and easy. It can definitely benefit your ministry.

However, there are a few suggestions or guidelines I would make in having a Twitter account for your ministry.

 

The Basics

I cannot stress this enough. Have a separate account for your ministry than you do for your family and personal thoughts.

Too many times between family and friends we may say things, that will have an effect on other’s perception of our character. We may not even do it intentionally, but sometimes, things are said that we did not mean, or we may accidentally post a link to some site, and have it wrong or there could be something on part of the page, and people may get the wrong idea.

Keep your ministry and your personal life separate.

That being said here are a few more tips:

• Don’t make claims you cannot back up. It will be on the internet forever.
• Do not post photos that you wouldn't want someone to see. Again, it is online forever.
• Don’t become all holy on Twitter. Be who you are all the time, not just show how righteous you are online. People will find out you are a hypocrite.
• Focus on sending tweets that are vital. Do not ‘forward’ or ‘retweet’ every kitty link that comes your way. People will stop following you.
• Do not use Twitter to criticize the speaker at a conference. Use it for encouraging, uplifting comments. Remember the person you criticize has a Twitter account too.
• Don’t tweet during your own sermon.
• Remember Twitter is just a tool like many others available to help spread the Truth of God’s word.
• Don’t follow everyone who follows you. You will not be able to keep up with everything everyone says. Ministries should be leaders more than followers.

There are many more tips I could write but I will cover some of those in future blog postings. I may also offer FREE Christian twitter backgrounds, so stay tuned.

 

A Few Terms

Twitter ID – The name you choose for your profile. Without one, you cannot participate in Twitter.

Tweet – Your message sent out to your followers in only 140 characters. It is also live for anyone to see on your Twitter page unless you change your privacy settings.

ReTweet – (RT) Essentially it is forwarding what someone else has said to your followers. However, the 140 character restriction applies, so it may be hard to add your own take on the saying.

Twitter Page – Your own personal page that will have a small bio, your most current tweets, your lists, and people you follow.

List – You have the option of categorizing your followers by topics. For instance I have lists for friends, networking, designers, church, and other lists. My followers are categorized in the lists in how they relate to me. It can be more than one list, but it helps you keep track of who is who.

Followers – People who have decided to get updates on what you write. You have the option of deciding if they can follow you, and if you want to follow them.

Direct Message – (d) Sending a message direct to one person and bypassing everyone else or your Twitter page. You must be followers of each other for this to work.

@ – You have to use the @(TwitterID) to reply, reference, or otherwise include specific individuals in your tweets.

 

And…

Since the inception of Twitter, many other words have been crafted using the Tw prefix. Tweeple, TwitPic (for photos), Twittonary, and many more. However, if you start adding Tw to all your words, “Twust me, you will look like an twidiot.” LOL

These are just a few guidelines and tips for using Twitter. If you are looking to make your church website match your Twitter page, or perhaps you just want a custom Twitter background to display the message of salvation, contact us, we can help!