Priorities

Greetings Church,

I just wanted to take a minute to say how amazing it has been to be able to lead the Church through this crazy time, but also I know that much of the success we have had is because of the hard work of the Elders. We as a team rely on God for strength and wisdom each and every day. I thank God for the men on the Elder Board, and also for each and every volunteer we have at ACC.

I knew from the beginning that this time was going to be stressful not just for me but for all of us, and I pray that God has given you the will and the stamina to persevere through whatever may have come your way.

I wish this was the point in the letter where I could say that we have made it through the storm, but this year has been one storm after another; actually the storms haven’t waited for the previous one to end. However what I can say is that we are in a place that is beginning to feel familiar. People are returning to church and the energy is amazing.

I often marvel at the sermons God has prepared for me to give – many of which were in place before the year even began. Ideas like pressing on towards the goal, expecting trials, and creating welcome, all fit so perfectly for this year. I encourage you to listen to the old sermons again and see what God reveals to you that you may have missed the first time.

You may have noticed that no new video came out yesterday, and that is for a good reason: I am taking some time off from creating content (new videos will return 7/6/20), and actually from being in the office. This week I am around but mainly working from home; feel free to contact me if needed. However, next week I will be out of town with my family.

This brings me to my thought for today.

How often do we skew priorities in our life? I often say, God First, Others Second, Us Third. This is a good in theory, but also can become skewed in itself. The problem comes from looking at it as an order of operations. If we put God First, which we should, does that mean we finish with God and move on to Others? No. It means God is at the core of everything.

When we go out to serve others, we must first serve and think about what God desires for us to do in that service. This now gives us room for good self-care. As your Pastor it is important that I take care of my family, my primary ministry, and myself if I am going to be able to serve you and God effectively, but that doesn’t mean I leave God at the door.

During these last few months I had to go into overdrive, to take our church online and also accomplish everything else that needed to be done. Often times I worked under my own power, which I confess is sinful. I need to put God at the core of all things.

Actually anything can go in the outside circles: family, sports, entertainment, friends, work, etc… The thing is not letting go of God at the center.

Jesus puts it this way in Matthew 6:33, “Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need.”

What’s at the core of your life?

Thank you for reading, God Bless and See You Soon!