Beverely Church Planting Update

(1) Last week, the lead pastor and I got to go and meet with the woman who is in charge of renting out the school, we have applied to lease. Great, hopeful conversation! We did see an auditorium that is not being used in this old middle school the town turned into the school systems office. Maybe a space for a second location, maybe not!!!

(2) Last week, we also had probably one of the most important discussions on our mission (what do we want to do or you can say, what is our goal). The churches mission statement is "To Lead People To Become Fully Devoted Followers of Christ." That is our method. But our goal, Jesus states in the Sermon on the Mount. It is actually his thesis statement. (1) We are to be "salt" and "light." Salt makes things flourish, it makes things better. Not table salt, but salt used in an agricultural setting. The SALT Jesus compared fully devoted followers of Christ was a form of fertilizer. It made thing grow better. It made compose piles decompose. In essence, Jesus was saying, we need to be engaged in and with the culture so that when we show up things are better and those people's lives around us are better. It also accelerates growth so if salt loses it distinctness it is in effective. (2) We are to be "light." Fully devoted followers are Christ are to be beacons of goodness and a catalyst for human flourishing. We are a like a light house. A light house distributes light. You are there, you cannot be ignored, you are broad casting a message on the hill and the hill is whatever your sphere of influence God called you. The Bible says, let your light shine before men so that they can see your good deeds. It is dynamic and it is self revelatory. You are and it happens. You are light that shines before men. There is an emphasis of being. The very nature of who you are speaks volumes, not just what you do. It is the embodied presence of you period that makes the difference. Those around you see self evident goodness. They see the deeds that you do that explain the message that is in you. Since it is a positive and good message, people know that you are genuine goodness.

Ask yourself, Are you Salt and Light? Does your purist of God influence those around you? Does your life make other people’s lives better? Is your walk with God inspiring anybody to be more like Jesus and does it causes non-believers to wonder why? Do you have enough of Jesus that your life overflows and spills into others? I have been asking myself these questions lately. Sometimes just asking the right questions makes all the difference!