Church in the Wildwood

Efficient or Effective

I am spending the week in Callao, MO.  Callao Christian Church has been around for a while, well over a hundred years.  It is a tiny community about 8 miles west of Macon, MO.  Ken Mantle is the minister and is doing a great job here.  We had 150 on Sunday morning to start the revival, which is terrific considering the town can’t be much larger than that.  I am preaching tonight (Tuesday) and finishing up Wednesday evening.  I will be heading back to Wildwood following the services on Wednesday.  Then it is back to reality.

If you have no clue what a “Revival” is, let me enlighten you.  A revival is a method for reaching out into the community as a witness for Jesus.  At least that was the original idea.  Revivals have been around for well over 100 years.  In the past they would last for up to four weeks!  Of course, there wasn’t much else to compete with people’s time.

To be honest, it is a method of evangelism that is past its effectiveness.  Which leads to an important question, are the method’s we employ at WCC to reach non-Christians effective?  It is too easy to keep at a method long past its effectiveness.

I have been reading in the book, Deliberate Simplicity, by Dave Browning.  Let me share a couple of sentences out of the book:

“Maybe a church has a certain way it’s going about things, and it’s the way the church is ‘supposed’ to be going about things (maybe because ‘we’ve always done it this way’). But it’s not working.  It’s the difference between efficiency and effectiveness.  Efficiency is doing things right.  Effectiveness is doing the right things.  The key work when dealing with things is efficiency.  The key word when dealing with people le is effectiveness.”  

Then Dave asks the question: Has the traditional church given more focus to efficiency or effectiveness?  How can you tell?

It is challenging to ask those questions, because it leads us down roads that can be uncomfortable.  Don’t get me wrong, I am enjoying my time at Callao, it is a great group of people who truly love Jesus.   I just don’t want to have a great group of people at Wildwood.  God wants a church that effectively impacts our community!

God bless and enjoy the day ... and remember that God wants to use you to influence someone for Him today.  Don’t miss the opportunity!

Doug

50 Years

Today the woman of my dreams has a milestone birthday, she turns 50.  I know you aren't supposed to tell the age of a woman, but when that woman is so special you have to share.  Plus, when you look  as cute as this and enjoy life so much, who cares your age? 

I am so thankful to have shared over 28 years with this amazing woman.  She loves the Lord with all of her heart, she is so much fun to be around, she is smart, talented, gifted, has a great laugh, enjoys life, loves her family and best of all ... she puts up with me!!

Happy Birthday Patti, I love you!

          

Soul Wow

Just had to share this with all of you.  Wacko or a great way to attract?

Stay awake this afternoon!!!

Doug

Easter

I want to say a word of thanks to the many volunteers that made Easter Sunday such a special day.  We had 303 in our Worship services, present to learn more about Jesus Christ!  What a great day to celebrate and honor the Lord.  Our worship band did an excellent job of leading us in worship!  Thanks Lisa for all that your team does! 

Here is the link to the message from Sunday in case you missed it or want to pass it on. 

Saturday, Jason and the Children's ministry did a great job of hosting our Easter Egg Hunt.  Here are a couple of fun photos from the day!

Eggs and Parking

Easter is only 4 days away!  The greatest day of the whole year as we celebrate God's victory over the grave.  Sunday we finish up our series with "It Is Finished!"  If you missed any of the messages, just click the WCC Podcasts link to the left ... its under My Links. 

Who have you invited to Easter services?  We have made it easy to do so.  Just go to the church website and select the button, "Invite a Friend" and you can email them an invitation to our serivces.  I am punped about the celebration on Sunday!

Jason and the Children's ministry has a great event planned for Saturday - The Easter Egg Hunt and Roll.  I am not doing any rolling, but Jason has a fun day planned for kids 12 and under!  Do you have some neighbors with little kids?  Then invite them to this special day!  Click the egg for more information! 

One last request for Sunday - would you park in the back or on the gravel on Sunday?  Second service with be a full house and we want our guests to have an easy time finding parking places.  The message of Jesus is something that we want our whole area hearing about!  If they come to WCC, we want them to feel welcome from the moment they drive into our parking lot.  If they can't find a space, then they won't stay around!  Thanks for you servant heart and cooperation!

We love serving the Lord together at Wildwood!

Doug

Teamwork

Its not secret tha I enjoy the NCAA tournament.  Tonight is the Final Four, which determines the two teams to play on Monday night for the national championship.  Just to clarify, I have North Carolina winning it all!  I love the competition, the sense of pride, but especially the teamwork.  No matter the level, temwork i essential.  At the college level teamwork is especially essential.  That teamwork isn't just the five men on the floor, it is the entire team, as well as the coaching staff.  The team that wins the final game (North Carolina of course) will win as a team.

 

We were never designed to do ministry alone.  From the earliest pages of the bible, we have ministry happening together.  Moses and Aaron; Caleb and Joshua; Ezra and Nehemiah; Paul and Barnabas.  Even our understanding of God is presented as a trilogy, the Father, Son, and Spirit.  Solomon the wisest man ever to live wrote the following words: "Two are better than one...."  Click the link to read the entire passage, Ecclesiastes 4:9-12.

So why would we think that defeating Satan could ever happen alone?  Hebrews 3:13 challenges us to encourage one another ... which means we need that help and that support. 

That is why we are continually challenging you to be in a small group, a bible study, a relaionship where you can have other believers around you to help you in your battle against Satan.  That is why it is so important to be at Sunday worship, so you can encourage and be encouraged!

Looking forward to encouraging you in the morning!

Doug

Interceding

In my reading this week I was in Genesis 17-18, where Abraham has some "angelic" visitors to his home.  In the midst of their discussion, the LORD provides Abraham some insight into the purpose of His visit to earth.
Genesis 18:20-21, ^Then the Lord said, “The outcry against Sodom and Gomorrah is so great and their sin so grievous that I will go down and see if what they have done is as bad as the outcry that has reached me. If not, I will know.”

He is fed up with the sinfulness and is about to pass judgment upon this region.  The heart of Abraham shows up in his willingness to intercede for sinful people. 

Genesis 18:23-25, Then Abraham approached him and said: “Will you sweep away the righteous with the wicked? What if there are fifty righteous people in the city? Will you really sweep it away and not spare the place for the sake of the fifty righteous people in it? Far be it from you to do such a thing—to kill the righteous with the wicked, treating the righteous and the wicked alike. Far be it from you! Will not the Judge of all the earth do right?”

Abraham moves from 50, to 40, to 30, to 20, and finally requests mercy if there are just 10 righteous people.  And the Lord agrees.

For whom am I interceding, praying, and risking the Lord's displeasure?  All around us are people that know nothing about Jesus and His love for them, what am I doing about it?  Abraham serves as an example to me, that God's heart is moved when we pray.

Here is an article that might provide some help to guide you in praying for those who don't have a relationship with Jesus.

Here is another one that could encourage you to keep praying.

Doug