Thursday, December 16, 2010

A NEW YEAR

RECENT CONNECTIONS AND REFLECTIONS:

The week of November 29th was filled with Budget and Finance Committee, Departmental Leaders, and Executive Presbyter meetings as we worked on finalizing a budget to present to the Presbytery in January for the coming year. It is a pleasure to work with everyone involved in these areas of leadership.

On December 3rd Loretta and I traveled to San Diego, CA for a CEP board meeting followed by four days of AG Executive Leadership meetings. Shared worship, workshops, and personal interactions are beneficial at these events.

On Saturday and Sunday, December 11 and 12 it was my privilege to publicly present Crystal Sharp her Certificate of Ministry in the three weekend worship services at Grace Community Church in Centennial, CO. Crystal is part of the pastoral team at Grace. Congratulations Crystal!

A NEW YEAR AHEAD:

Entering a new year is often a time for personal reflection and evaluation. I recall a cartoon in which a woman hands her husband a list and says, “Here are your new year’s resolutions”. The input of others is helpful, but we should from time to time assess ourselves to see if there are areas where we need to grow. I would like to suggest a format for assessing where we are in ministry. I have framed these thoughts with the acronym EXCEL.

ENJOY your work! Certainly every assignment has its challenges and I know that pain is a companion of leadership. Having said that, however, when we are In the will of God and faithfully carrying out the work there is a sense of peace and enjoyment that is absent when a person is outside God’s will. The joy of the Lord is present as well when we are walking with Him. Are we enjoying our work? Do we believe we are in the center of God’s will?

EXCEED expectations! Doing the minimum required or falling short of the minimum produces an unfruitful ministry. “Under promise and over deliver” is a formula for success. Are we willing to go the extra mile in ministry?

CONNECT with God! Our personal spiritual health and the invocation of God’s favor are essential to our effectiveness in ministry. A great irony of the ministry is that we can grow distant in our relationship with God even as we seek to serve Him. Are we keeping spiritual disciplines alive? Are we earnestly seeking His direction in our ministry?

EXEMPLIFY Christ! Living in the “glass house” is added motivation to keep our lives holy and healthy, as well as motivation to provide an example for others to follow. Are we overcoming temptation? Is the fruit of the Spirit increasing in our lives?

LOVE people! Love fulfills the law and it is difficult to miss the mark when you truly love people as Christ loves them. It is easy to become jaded and cynical in our relationships with people; assuming the worst instead of the best. Is God’s grace and love reflected through our interactions with people? Are we moved with compassion by their needs?

I pray we all will excel in our work for Jesus Christ.

PRAYER NEEDS:

Please pray for the Art Moya family. Art passed away on December 4, 2010. He pastored our church in Berthoud, CO for several years and is loved and respected by many.