In our series called Modern Family, I opened with a message on the purpose of marriage. I’m not certain most couples fully understand why God created marriage…and I’m especially not sure we often live according to those purposes.
Feel free to dialogue with me after the message:
Did you know Compassion International connects with the local church? Through their child development program and child sponsorship program, Compassion runs its ministry through a local, Bible-believing, Christian church. I never knew that.
This week I’ve been with a group of pastors learning more about Compassion International in Ecuador. With every project we visited we went to a local church, met the pastor, and saw firsthand the impact the church and Compassion are having on the community. We saw adults who were children in the program, who now are reinvesting into other Compassion children…through the local church.
As a local church pastor, I love that vision! Did you know that? ]
Learn more about Compassion International HERE.
Okay, I admit, this week is a tough one…
Here is this weeks Bible verse to memorize:
What if we all lived by that verse this week? What difference would it make in the world around us?
Are you naturally a complainer…or do you just tend to comply?
If you’ve been following my blog this week, I’m in Ecuador with a group of pastors on behalf of Compassion International.
We were blown away today as we entered a village in the mountains of Ecuador. It took an hour to drive the curvy dirt road, our bus got stuck, and we walked a short distance to the village. Upon rounding a corner, we saw a crowd waiting for us. Hundreds of children from the village had formed a receiving line where they gave us a rose (Ecuador is famous for their roses) and a homemade card welcoming us to their village. It was slightly overwhelming.
Have you ever received an overwhelming undeserved show of affection?
I can’t help but share this picture. This little boy warmed my heart (as did many others). I’m not sure he knew how cute he is!
It’s Friday discussion time!
Let’s discuss spiritual growth…specifically yours.
I’m always interested in spiritual growth, because…well…that’s kind of what I do!
Help me by telling me some of your spiritual growth process.
To help you think, consider answering some or all of these questions:
Are you closer to God today than you were a year ago?
If not, what changed?
Is yes, what did you do differently?
What helps you most to grow spiritually?
Was there a time in your life where you felt the closest to God?
Who is mostly responsible, in your opinion, for your spiritual growth?
Do you practice any spiritual disciplines, such as Bible reading, prayer, fasting, tithing, etc.? If so, what do you do?
What changes would you need to make to grow more spiritually?
Help me out…tell me about your spiritual growth…
Discuss…engage…Go!
Day 2 of visiting Compassion Projects in Ecuador was my favorite so far, and it happened because of one little boy. He’s one of the boys in this picture. When I went to take his picture he asked if his “best friends” could be in the picture too. I loved that!
Anyway, this little boy was asked what he liked best about Compassion International sponsorship program and he said, “God blessed me with the opportunity to meet my sponsors.” Wow! That’s the part about Compassion I like the best! It’s an open book. Today I saw the records…I saw the documents…I saw the paperworks side…but more than that…I saw the kids who many people sponsor. If you sponsor a child with Compassion International, you can make a visit to that child…and they feel “blessed by God” when you do.
By the way, if you do sponsor a child…
During the 1950’s, Evangelist Everett Swanson traveled to South Korea to preach the gospel to the troops in the Republic of Korea army. During his visit, he encountered children orphaned by the war hanging out in garbage dumps. They were searching for food, shelter, and hiding from the reality of their existence. Sometimes the garbage trucks would avoid them…sometimes they wouldn’t. Obviously, it burdened Swanson’s heart, but not knowing how to solve a mammoth problem, he headed home to the United States.
Soon after his return, Rev. Swanson was challenged by a missionary friend with a haunting question.
“What are you going to do about the orphans?”
He couldn’t continue without doing something, and from that burden, Compassion International began.
Today, Compassion International is changing the lives of children around the world. I love that Compassion connects to a local church and does ministry through that church. Compassion focuses on four aspects of the child’s life; social, physical, emotional, and spiritual. It is estimated that every child helped impacts 30 other people around the child.
Amazing what a small monthly amount can do!
This week I’m in Ecuador with a group of pastors and ministry leaders, including our family pastor Michael Bayne, and my good friend Casey Graham.
We are here on behalf of Compassion International seeing the work they do to improve the world of children around the world.
We will see first hand where an individual’s monthly dollars to support Compassion children goes. I look forward to reporting to you what I see. I’ve never been to Ecuador, but so far it looks much like countries I have seen, such as Costa Rica, Brazil, and Mexico. I have learned, however, that there is a rich uniqueness about each people group and I’m excited to explore this one.
Please pray for our team and check out the ministry of Compassion International.
It’s Monday morning…
I have spoken with many pastors who share a common struggle with each other. If it was a good Sunday…one where God’s Spirit was at work…during the 24-hour period from Sunday noon and Monday noon…they face doubt and frustration.
Yesterday was one of those days for me. I know I was speaking truth. I know God was working, but I was teaching on marriage to many who are undergoing tough times in their marriage. It was hard and I felt as though I was adding insult to injury to many. I left feeling down and allowing the enemy to discourage me.
I am blessed to have several in our church sensitive to this issue…or sensitive to God’s Spirit in their own life. Yesterday afternoon I received this email from someone in our church:
A team…at least a healthy team…is not just a group of people who perform a common task. That may be a group, but it shouldn’t be called a team. I’ve written on healthy teams before:
10 Characteristics of a Healthy Team
Signs of an Emotionally Healthy Team
You can tell a healthy team by how it responds to each other and how it performs as a team.
A healthy team:
