Self-analysis
The process of self-evaluation seemed to be eternal. We continually made adjustments, and flexibility was a cornerstone of our foundation. In fact, there were times when we wished we could turn the analysis off! It was an exhausting and demanding process, but one of the essential ingredients to our growth.
The Pastor’s Class, the philosophy which stressed the interdependence of every member of Christ’s body, the whole general tone of honestly representing ourselves before fellow believers, the emphasis on personal prayer—all of these helped to reduce the clergy-laity gap. The staff was called by first names: Clarence, Larry, Dave, etc. Counseling, visitation, and other tasks were being performed by lay men and women as well as by the professionals.
Ka Tong had been preaching on spirituality, maintaining that it is determined by the way Christians respond affirmatively to all of the scriptural mandates. A checklist of some thirty items was provided to give examples in which improvement could be made.
After the final sermon in the series, he asked three people to tell how they had used the list to help their spiritual growth. One woman said to me later, “You know, when that couple—a husband and wife—shared, I really empathized with them. In fact, I remember thinking, ‘I’m so glad I came this morning!’ We like the staff at Circle Church, but professionals can’t help being professional. I’m thankful for the amount of lay involvement in the services.” We seemed to have a maximum degree of participation on every level as we all struggled for personal expansion.
Then there was the sharing. This intimate and loving fellowship of believers—which we could never have undertaken without first defining our purposes and experimenting with methodology—was by far the most fresh and vital concept to take root in many of our lives. We were finding meaning in the church. We were discovering fulfillment.
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Sunday’s coming. Do you have your sermon ready? Is it relevant? Will it effectively motivate your congregation to walk more in step with the Master? What about that Sermon Series you’ve been thinking about?
Or, if you’re someone who plans well ahead, have you asked yourself what you will preach for your Easter Sermon, your Advent Sermon, your Christmas Sermon?
David Mains and Mainstay Ministries can help. We offer a wide variety of Sermon Starters and Full Sermons that will give you Sermon Ideas to help you prepare for regular Saturday or Sunday sermons, Mid-week Bible Sermons, and Sermons for special occasions.
We also offer assistance as you create Topical Sermons, Sermons Series, and sermons for special times of the year. We have resources available to help you with Advent Celebrations, Advent Sermons, Christmas Sermons, Easter Sunday Sermons, Patriotic Sermons, and more.
For more information on how to create better Bible Sermons and how to turn Sermon Ideas into Sermon Outlines, and then into effective, meaningful Sunday Sermons, please click here to visit David Mains’ website.
You will also find a variety of resources for pastors and congregations at the Mainstay Ministries website. Just click here.
