I’m not sure I know what a “Module” is – Part 5

Faced with mounting criticism from the core group at Circle Church, I made a personal attempt to stop reacting and refrain from taking defensive postures. I tried to determine if my motives had been of good intent, and finally advanced to the hardest type of self-examination: discovering areas where I may have unintentionally wronged people for whom I cared.

It was definitely a year of attrition. I went around humming certain bars from “Camelot,” the stage play that was later put on film.

Don’t let it be forgot that once there was a spot For one brief shining moment that was known as Camelot.

Not intimidated, the staff decided to make a conceptual change and concentrate on the members rather than on the general attenders. It was at this point that we were soon to re-find our floundering identity.

In the midst of our difficulties, there was a change in leadership of the officers of the church Board. The position of chairman—decided almost by default as there didn’t seem to be anyone else left with the energy to solve our unanswerable conundrums—fell to a young architect, John Hiltscher, who was making a name for himself in his field, and who, along with his wife, had been helped by me in personal ministry. Through the year we had become quite close.

After we made the Board change, Laura and John invited my wife, Karen, and me to their north side apartment for dessert and a discussion regarding the direction of Circle Church. With John’s impressionistic paintings staring down from all walls, with the jungle of plants lurking in the comers, we settled comfortably in the contemporary furniture, and began to poke and probe intellectually.

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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.

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