Calvary Blog Page

Recently we announced that we would be having a visitation blitz heading into the Christmas season. The idea was to contact anyone who has visited our church during the past several months, visit those who had fallen off in their attendance of worship service and to encourage anyone who may be having difficulties. The theme was ‘Each One Reach One.’ This is an old theme used many times before by the SBC. I had hopes that we would have several teams heading out on Tuesday evening to knock on doors and make calls. What we had was no where near what I had built up in my mind it would be. In fact only two teams have been able to go out each week. However I remembered what a former director of missions told me once. I like the way we do it better than the way they don’t. In other words what he said to me as a young pastor was this. You can sit around and justify why you do not have a visitation emphasis because only a few will go, or you can have one and praise God for the few that do go. If you never visit then what good is that.
I kept telling myself that we are doing it better than the church which does nothing. Still I would have liked to have seen several teams heading out each week of the emphasis. Then on this past Sunday, there they were. Almost half of the people I had visited with the week before were in attendance. One wife of a man I had visited with mouthed the words to me as her husband was not looking, “he is here thanks to your visit.” Now what is that worth to a preacher who loves his congregation??? I almost cried at the expression of gratitude she had on her face. It was not a long visit. It was not a deep theological visit. I think we talked about hunting and the weather. Some illnesses he was facing and the Christmas season. I did not have to tell him he had not been in church for sometime. I did not have to lecture him on the value of church attendance. All I needed to do as his pastor was to show him I cared.
I am not nor have I ever thought of myself as a great pastor. But I got that one right for that one man on that night. My hope and prayer is that every church member would reach out to someone and show them you care. I know people do really care for one another but there is a world of difference between just thinking about someone and actually reaching out and touching base with them. Sometimes you are making progress even when you do not think you are doing any good. Because, God likes the way you do it better than the way you don’t.
pastor Steven Lindsay

When someone writes something better than I can on a subject that is dear to my heart, I want to share it. So the following is from Charles Swindoll’s book “The Church Awakening” pg 15.

” For a church to be the kind of church Jesus promised to build, there has to be fellowship as well. If we had teaching without fellowship, the church would be a school–a place that simply dispenses information. The original term for fellowship is Koinonia, which referred to close, mutual relationships where people share things in common and remain involved with one another, That doesn’t mean potluck suppers, dinners on the grounds, and Christmas concerts. Koinonia represents close relationships that involve sharing life with one another–bad times as well as the good. Those in fellowship with one another cultivate an intimate harmony with others. In church, the Word of God is not only learned through teaching….it is lived through fellowship.”
I have been saying for years that in order for our churches to grow and blossom for Christ that we must be in close relationship with one another. We need to do life with one another. Early in my ministry I became aware that small groups could accomplish this. However until now I have never had a congregation follow my lead in this area. It was almost as if I were asking them to cut off an arm instead of adding a tool to help them grow both spiritually and in number.
Since we have started moving towards a small group emphasis at Calvary I see the fruits of that vision. God is welding us together as a body and we are seeing that two are better than one. A three strand rope is hard to break. I believe that as the economy grows worse and times become more difficult, a church which has not promoted and cultivated a community style congregation will fail. My best friends are men and women who I am in fellowship with every Sunday. We eat together, share special times together, and learn from one another. I am certain that without this depth of connection in my life I would not be able to withstand the forces of evil which are hurled at us each day. I urge every church member to become involved in a small group of your choosing. To be connected with others is not a walk in the park but nothing worth having is easy. You work at marriage or it fails. You work at your job or you are let loose. You must work at relationships or you will have none. Oh the surface stuff like, hey how are you? How is it going? Nice day isn’t it? God bless. How deep is that when the phone rings and you receive difficult news? Are you really comfortable calling those folks that the only thing you know about them is where they sit on Sunday. The only thing you know about them is that they always are ‘ok’ when you ask or they always seem to be having a nice day. Sure is a nice day. How are you? Well we are both ok and things are great. Surface stuff does not reach the man and woman who are going through it. They may smile because they think that if you only knew how messed up things were you would run. Not so with a true connected friend. They have insight into what is going on. They have been in prayer about your situation for weeks now. When the bottom falls out they at least know who you really are. Small groups, when ran correctly, gives you that depth of connection. Small groups can give you something that the Sunday School hour is not designed to give. I hope that you begin to include in your family value system the Koinonia of the whole body of Christ of which you are a part.
Pastor Steve