A WORD FROM YOUR PASTOR 2009

 

 

"Be strong and courageous, because you will lead these people to inherit the land I swore to their forefathers to give them. Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the law my servant Moses gave you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, that you may be successful wherever you go. Do not let this Book of the Law depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful." (Joshua 1:6-8)

 

We began the year by getting into the Book of Joshua on Sunday mornings and talking about "New Beginnings"; soon after we found a new place to worship and in March we began meeting on Falmouth Road in Centerville - a good, God-led move! It just feels good being here, doesn't it? Also, more people have definitely attended as a result.

 

I do want to reiterate our purpose, though: to get out and be with people - people who may never step foot in our meeting place or any other, people whos opinions and lifestyles are not like our own or that we don't even agree with - but who we love...that sounds like what Jesus did, doesn't it? "He was in the world...He came to that which was his own" (John 1:10,11)...I always say, but I'll say it again: as believers, Jesus said we are "the light of the world" and "the salt of the earth" (Matthew 5), He tells us to "go" and get out and shine for Him! (Matthew 28) With a focus like this, I can unequivocally say Karin and I have been with more versatile and largely non-Christian people this year than we have ever been in our Christian lives! This may not seem like much to some, but to us, it's what we're all about, and so exciting to me!! Just hanging around with "outsiders", being a friend, and loving people has resulted in so many relationships and conversations with people that we could never have planned - it's amazing, and a blast! Like Bill Hybels says in his book, "Just Walk Across the Room" - that's where it starts; stepping out and saying "hi" or asking "how are you" and being interested in and loving people. "Love never fails" God says in I Corinthians 13 - never fails. We also trust that His Spirit He says He has put in us - the same Spirit who created the universe and everything in it and who raised Jesus from the dead - is very capable and very smart to lead us in the way He wants us to go. Willingness and a listening ear is pretty much all we need, I think. I know that many of you in our church have experienced this same thing...isn't it wonderful?!

 

Another focus of our church this year has been to simply walk with Jesus. Two great verses that come to my mind are 2 Corinthians 11:3, where Paul talks about not being "led astray from your sincere and pure devotion to Christ", and also Psalm 131: "My heart is not proud, O Lord, my eyes are not haughty; I do not concern myself with great matters or things too wonderful for me. But I have stilled and quieted my soul; like a weaned child with its mother, like a weaned child is my soul within me. O Israel, put your hope in the Lord both now and forevermore"...I especially thought of this because the Sunday before my writing this a discussion came up about our President, our country, and various issues, and I will be very frank: I left very unsettled - not by our President or our country or the issues, but because while trying to have an atmosphere of openness to discussion and thoughts, we got off track - even for a very brief time - from what we Christians, and New Road, are here for: to simply love Jesus and love people. That, in Jesus' words, is the greatest - most important - command (you know that, I'm just saying this to remind us all)...The Apostle Paul said he was determined to focus on one thing: Jesus Christ and him crucified" (I Corinthians 2:2). You know this folks, but distractions abound!...God help us to stay on track with Him in purity and sincerity and simplicity - eyes on Him, walking step by step - one foot in front of the other, humbly - with His attitude. If each of us at New Road can simply walk with and be like Jesus, the world and people around us will be "won" to Him (Paul uses that word, you know, in I Corinthians 9). Stay focused, Christians! Not on what's popular, interesting, or even worrisome, but on what's most important.

 

Another obvious focus of our church this year has been, as always, helping the needy. You are amazing. NOAH dinners every month, giving $100 each month to different people in the community (beginning this past Fall, Bill and Jay), "Welcome Bags" for people newly housed, lunches out with groups of people, not to mention all the various things you do as individuals. As we read through the whole Bible, this is God's repeated theme, helping the needy...that's all about what He has done and does for people (including us) - makes sense that as His followers and children we would and should be like Him in doing that and being that way. We definitely don't do things to be seen by other people so they would pat us on the back (if you want, reread Matthew 6), but it's very, very cool that people in the community do see what we do and very often come to me and comment on it; point being that they know what we're all about, and it rings true to them that this is what the church of Jesus is supposed to be all about! Again, I'm just saying we're right on track with all this - I'm proud of you, New Road. This is not a "method" or "strategy", but a basic Biblical foundation: help other people, and we will keep doing this, perhaps in new and even more creative ways this year.

 

One more thing I'll mention that Karin and I focus on as the main leaders of New Road, and I have also seen you doing as well, and that is caring for one another. The word "pastor" means "shepherd", and implies someone who watches out for and cares for others. We're all supposed to do that, as Christians - and many of you do. Listen to these words to us: "Share with God's people who are in need. Practice hospitality" (Romans 12:13); "Carry each other's burdens" (Galatians 6:2); "Be imitators of God, as dearly loved children and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us" (Ephesians 5:1,2); "Let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another" (Hebrews 10:24,25); "Pray for each other" (James 5:16)... I love to spend time with each of you, getting to know you, finding out how you are, what you need, and how I and we can be a blessing to you! I also love to see you do this with each other - calling, giving rides, helping each other move and do errands, going to lunch together, and more; that is a real thrill for me!

 

To sum up New Road in 2009, and our main focuses for 2010: keep doing what we do! Get out and be with people...Walk with Jesus...Help the needy...Care for one another.

 

So, more ideas or plans for 2010?...

 

Tagging along with the idea of cooking and serving at NOAH, in an effort to "kick it up a notch" in spirituality I had the thought that before we pray one of us step into the Dining Room and invite anyone who wants to join us to pray come and do so - I believe an acceptable, non-offensive way to bring people into the life of God a little more, for those who want it (Him).

 

Also, I just want to say that the more we get, the more we can give. My daily prayer is for us to get a "large chunk" of money, and for our regular giving to increase.

 

Sunday mornings we have already entered the Book of Judges, after that we'll go to Ruth, then probably to the New Testament Book of Acts (since we just completed Matthew a few weeks ago), then finish out the year bouncing back to the two books of Samuel.

 

Midweeks last year we were at the bookstore, then homes, then took a public "break" by praying for an hour each week in our Meeting Room specifically for people to come to Jesus...I think we'll enter the new year praying in January, then go back to Barnes & Noble in February, only this time do one book per month, and call it our "Book Club" (I have never really liked that term, but just about every person I know refers to our bookstore meetings that way; so, I surrender!). The books I have in mind for the first two months are "Same Kind of Different As Me" and "A Book of Silence"...I think we'll take June through August off but meet in different homes at least monthly for a meal and Communion together, then probably back to a bookstore in the Fall - unless we get another specific direction from God.

 

Our lease in our meeting room is up in March - will the landlord rent to us again for a low price? If not, we'll be looking again.

 

We'll most likely be involved in the Cape EMF (Evangelical Ministers' Fellowship) Good Friday Service, if there is one - a wonderful, God-honoring worship event with lots of churches and many people.

 

I'll continue going to Pastors' Roundtable discussions in Marshfield. For at least three hours I meet on the fourth Wednesday morning of each month with 12 to 15 other pastors of all kinds to talk about Scripture and life and ministry - very rich! I'll also try to attend local monthly EMF Pastors' Meetings as much as possible, and a Cape Pastors' Prayer Summit in the spring.

 

I'll end with a thought that's exciting for me, and maybe for you too...I love to have quiet times with the Lord. Aside from my morning and during the day times of prayer, aside from beautiful walks on the beach or through woods, times that I get away for the sole purpose of being quiet to focus on and listen to God. Recently I found out that there is a monastery in Hingham that charges very reasonable prices to stay and eat there; Lord willing, I will go this winter for a night - a 24 hour period - and more throughout the year if it seems good. These times are usually so very rich, and I would love to help you have a time like this to get away and be with your Lord - listening to, talking to, and receiving from Him...would you like to come along with me this spring for a night? $60 includes room and meals - what a deal!...Psalm 46:10 says, "Be still (quiet), and know that I am God"...Just this week a magazine talked about a new book called, "A Book of Silence" - I think there is something there for us, New Road! Not in the book, necessarily, but in the idea and practice and discipline and blessing of SILENCE. I believe God wants to speak to us and carefully lead us, perhaps into new things, this year; let's quiet our minds and hearts and lives to listen and be led by Him. How about making a choice and commitment to do that throughout the upcoming year right now, purposing right now to begin taking each morning and possibly evening quiet times with Him, to take a quiet walk alone with Him at least once a week, to arrive early on a Sunday morning to pray here at the meeting room, to get away to the monastery, or any number of other things that you can purpose to do? The point is, QUIETNESS, SILENCE; be with the Lord who loves you - He wants to speak to and lead you, His child.

 

Given with love and a consuming desire to see people come to Jesus,

Your pastor,

Greg