A Top Ten List I Can Really Get Excited About

It is truly exciting all that God is doing in and through Gaylord E-Free Church. Just last week our Food Truck Ministry provided free food to over 700 people in our county. How awesome!

It has been equally exciting over March's Vision Month to see our church embrace the purpose of our church which is to meet as many people as possible right where they are at and help move them to where God wants them to be. We've talked a lot about "Divine Appointments" which is when God orchestrates our lives to get us at the right place at the right time to rub shoulders with the right person. Even our children are catching the vision as seen by this email that I received from a dad in our church:

“Thought you would like this. Took a family walk yesterday around the neighborhood and then stopped at the school nearby to let our daughter play on the gym equipment. A little girl and her grandmother arrived and all 3 of them were on the swings together. After about a half hour we waved to our daughter to let her know it was time to go. As we are walking out of the school parking lot, our daughter says "I met a new friend. She is visiting her grandmother. I invited them to church on Easter." We said "cool, good job, etc..." and all that. Then she said "I guess that was my divine appointment for the day." She loves to take notes during the sermon on the sermon outline. I guess the things you are teaching are sinking in.”

As a Ministry Staff, we sat down together yesterday and put together a TOP TEN list of the upcoming ministry events and activities that we are gearing up for. This is not an exhaustive list as there are many other ministries taking place day in and day out! We took time to pray for this list because we realize that we can sink all of our time and effort into each of them but "unless the Lord builds the house, we labor in vain!" Here is our TOP TEN list (in chronological order)

Vision Month (runs through April 1)

Florida Youth Trip (over spring break)

Good Friday (noon service on April 6)

Easter (9am and 11am April 8)

Higher Call Men's Conference (April 21)

Baptism (April 22)

Junior High Lock-In (April 27)

CIA (Church In Action) Day (May 5)

Mother's Day with Child Dedication (May 13)

Courageous Men's Weekend (June 16-17)

A Woman Named "Storm"

So what kind of woman would you think would be named "Storm?" That was the meaning of the name Rahab who we are introduced to in Joshua 2:1. Her name didn't mean "butterfly" or "gentle breeze." He name meant "Storm!" I imagine her personality fit her name well. This woman was no doubt on the feisty side. She probably wasn't the type of woman you wanted to cross.

Not only that, She was a Canaanite, meaning that she was part of a very wicked group of people that God had promised to judge harshly. As a Canaanite, she would have no doubt grown up as an idol worshipper. And to top it off, she was a harlot - a prostitute. Some will say that she was nothing more than an innkeeper who ran a bed and breakfast. Folks, listen, she was a harlot. The book of Joshua calls her a harlot. The book of Hebrews call her a harlot. The book of James calls her a harlot. She didn't run a bed and breakfast in Jericho, she ran a brothel.

Now based on this description, how many of you would like to see your daughter grow up to be just like Rahab? Not likely, huh? In fact, Rahab would have easily made the list of "least likely people to become a spiritual hero." In fact, most churches today would have wrote Rahab off. I doubt she would have been welcomed in many churches in our culture today.

That's what makes her story one of the best M&M stories (Meeting & Moving stories) in Scripture. Joshua 2-6 tells the amazing story of how God met this woman right where she was at and moved her to where He wanted her to be. It is well worth your taking the time to read these amazing chapters.

But let me jump ahead to the first time Rahab is mentioned in the New Testament. We see her name mentioned in the lineage giving in Matthew 1. In verses 5-6, we find that Rahab marries a Jewish man named Salmon. She becomes the mother of Boaz (who married Ruth). She then becomes the grandma of Obed, She then becomes the great-grandma of Jesse. She then becomes the great-great-grandma of King David. Imagine that! And that puts her in the lineage of Jesus through His earthly father, Joseph. WOW! What a long way that is from her days at the brothel in Jericho.

And if that is not cool enough, we see her again in Hebrews 11:31 where she is an example of what Biblical faith really looks like. In fact, she is only one of two Old Testament women mentioned by name in Hebrews 11, the other being the wife of Abraham, the father of the Jewish nation.

She started out a Canaanite woman who worshipped idols, had a stormy personality and ran a brothel in the walled city of Jericho. She ended up in the line of the Messiah and a Biblical example of faith for all of us to follow. Now that is what I call an M&M story - God MET her right where she was at (a place where most religious people would have rejected her) and MOVED her to where He wanted her to be!

M&M's stories! Nothing tastes better!

Elders that STUDY together STAY together

Our Elder Board here at Gaylord E-Free meets twice a month. The first Monday night of each month is our Business Meeting. The third Wednesday of each month we meet solely for prayer. Realizing that the most critical characteristic of an Elder is their ability to know and handle Scripture, we are taking up to an hour of our Business Meeting each month to discuss a portion of the Bible together that we have all studied personally on our own that previous month.

Currently, we are going through the New Testament book of Titus together. On April 2 we will discuss our findings from Titus 2:1-5. Below are the study questions I sent to our Elders here at Gaylord E-Free to prayerfully work through in advance of our meeting. Feel free to work through them for yourself!

2:1 begins with the word “but” which is a word of contrast. What is being contrasted?

2:2 speaks of “older men.” This word is used in Philemon 9 and in Luke 1:18. In each of these passages, who is being referred to as “older”? In the culture of that day, what age was this word used to describe?

In 2:2, older men in the church are to be “temperate.” What does this mean? Who else is to be “temperate” in 1 Timothy 3:2?

In 2:2, older men in the church are to be “dignified.” What does this mean? Who else is to be “dignified” in 1 Timothy 3:8?

In 2:2, older men in the church are to be “sensible.” What does this mean? Who else is to be “sensible” in Titus 1:8, Titus 2:5, Titus 2:6, and Titus 2:12? Why do you think this description is used so many times?

In 2:2, older men in the church are to be “sound” in three areas. What are these three areas and how are they distinct from each other?

2:3 speaks of “older women.” In the culture of that day, what age was this word used to describe (see also 1 Timothy 5:9)?

In 2:3, older women in the church are to be “reverent in their behavior.” What does this mean?

In 2:3, older women in the church are to refrain from being “malicious gossips.” What does this mean? The term “malicious gossips” comes from the Greek word meaning “slanderer or false accuser.” This same exact word that is used 3 times in the New Testament translated “malicious gossips” is also used 34 times in the New Testament referring to Satan as “the devil” (read also Revelation 12:9-10). What does this say about the sin of gossip? Read also 1 Timothy 3:11 and 1 Timothy 5:11-13? Who is warned against gossip in these passages? Why do you think Paul singles out women in three different passages when speaking of gossip?

In 2:3, older women are to be “teaching what is good.” As you move on into v4, who are they to be teaching? What seven things are they to teach them? Define each of them.

According to the ending of 2:5, why is it so important that older women in the church model these characteristics; that older women in the church teach these characteristics to younger women in the church ; and that younger women in the church live out these characteristics?

Our Partner Church in Nicaragua

Here at Gaylord E-Free Church we have the privilege of partnering with the Verbo Sur Church in Managua, Nicaragua. What a thrill it is to be part of meeting poor children in Nicaragua right where they are at and helping to move them to where God wants them to be. Below is wonderful letter I received just yesterday from the Pastor of our partner church:

Dear Brother Scott,

My name is Heyler Rodriquez and my wife is Lorenzana Cruz de Rodriguez.

We have three children, Raquel, Virginia, and Jairo and 5 grandchildren in total.

Since 2001 we have been pastoring the Verbo Sur Church which is located in a neighborhood called ‘Colinas del Memorial Sandino’ which is in the southern part of the capital city of Managua.

The church is in a very poor community where there is much need and many children and adolescents at high risk. This was the principal reason for us establishing a church in this community.

The church has about 80 adult members and 200 children who arrive both to our feeding program that’s offered Monday through Friday and to Sunday School. We also have 15 children in the Child Development Center (that is financed thanks to donations from Gaylord Church).

Twice a year we offer medical attention to the 200 children and we also help provide the necessary medications.

It is a good group of children and from the parents of these children we are also seeing fruit. During the month of February we were blessed to have 11 adolescents and 3 adults give their lives to Christ. Those 13 have now been baptized.

We have been doing some remodeling of the church with the goal of providing a better location within the church for our 15 children in the CDC.

We thank God for each of you and that our churches have entered into a partnership. We pray that we would be able to spread the kingdom of God to our community in the best way possible.

Blessings,

Pastor Jairo

What gives us our credibility when we talk about Jesus?

I get the opportunity somewhat regularly to write a "Pastor's Perspective" in one of our local newspapers here in northern Michigan. When this happens, the editor of that section of the paper calls me and gives me a question to answer. He then interviews other people in the community and publishes their perspectives as well. Today's edition was one of those opportunities. The questions was, "What gives us our credibility when we talk about Jesus?" Below is my perspective:

In Act 1:8, followers of Jesus are commanded by the Lord to be His “witnesses.” In other words, we are to talk to others about Jesus. But what gives us the credibility to do so? To answer that question, simply look at who Jesus was talking to when He originally gave this command. He was talking to His disciples and a few other followers right before He ascended back into heaven. What gave them the credibility to do what Jesus said?

It wasn’t their perfection! Not one of them was perfect. Even the most prominent of Jesus’ followers, Peter, had denied His Lord three times just a few weeks earlier. Living perfect lives does not give us credibility to talk to people about Jesus.

It wasn’t their education! They were untrained and ignorant when it came to religion. Many of them were simple fishermen. One of them was even a former tax collector. There wasn’t a theology degree in the bunch. Education does not give us credibility to talk to people about Jesus.

It wasn’t their popularity! Jesus was popular up to a point…but then the people turned on Him and cried out for His crucifixion. These followers of Jesus were not widely known. People weren’t clamoring to become their friend. Our popularity does not give us credibility to talk to people about Jesus!

If it wasn’t their perfection, their education or their popularity that gave them the credibility, then what did? It was the simple fact that their lives had been changed because they had spent time with Jesus. That’s where the credibility comes from. These men and women had gotten to know Jesus and believed the truth of who He was – the Messiah. As a result, they were not the same. They weren’t perfect. They didn’t know it all. They didn’t have a big following, but no one could refute the fact that their lives had been changed after being with Jesus.

You may not be perfect (none of us are!). You may not have a theology degree. The world may not have a clue who you even are. But if your life has been changed because of your faith in Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord, you have all the credibility you need to talk about Jesus to others!

Easter: Just Invite

Yesterday we introduced what Easter will look like here at Gaylord E-Free! If you are a part of our church, what is the best way that you can prepare for Easter which is juts three weeks from this Sunday?

1. PRAY! Nothing of eternal importance happens apart from prayer. Pray that God would give us 1500 in attendance; pray for all who will be involved on stage as well as our techs and first impressions teams; pray that all of the technology would work without a hitch; pray for good weather; pray for people who are being invited to attend; pray for lost people to come to know Christ; pray for people who have wandered from God to return to the Lord.

2. SERVE! Because we are having two services on Easter the needs for Nursery and Children’s Workers will double. The good news is that with two services, you can serve one service and attend the other. This way no one has to miss the Easter celebration in the Gospel Center. To volunteer to serve in the nursery or children’s program on Easter please contact the church office.

3. INVITE! Studies show that the #1 reason that people come to church is because someone they know personally invites them. The only way we are going to see 1500 people attend on Easter is if each of us takes seriously our need to invite others to join us here at E-Free. I want to encourage each person in our church to think of at least three people that you personally know that you could invite to Easter. Think through this list:

· What family member could you invite?

· What neighbor could you invite?

· What co-worker could you invite?

· What classmate could you invite?

· What friend could you invite?

· What acquaintance could you invite?

· What person at a local business where you eat or shop could you invite?

If you are part of Gaylord E-Free, you will soon be receiving a letter in the mail regarding Easter which will include two “Eye Chart” style personal invite cards for you to use to invite others you know to one of our Easter services. Please use them! We will have extras that are also available in the church office and in the Connection Area outside the Gospel Center. Don’t say someone’s “no” for them. You just may be surprised which person you invite that actually shows up on Easter morning. It could just change their eternity!

Seeing Easter

“He is not here! He has risen!” Are these not some of the most exciting and victorious words ever spoken? We are now gearing up here at Gaylord E-Free Church for Resurrection Sunday which is April 8 (just three weeks from this Sunday). Below, in a Q&A format, are all the details you need to know about Easter 2012 here at Gaylord E-Free Church!

What time will our worship be on Easter? Instead of our usual two service format (Contemporary and Classic) we will be having two identical services this Easter in the Gospel Center. The first service will be at 9am and the second service at 11am. Each service will last 75 minutes in length.

How many people are we expecting for Easter? We have set a prayer goal of seeing 1500 people between the two services. Please join us in praying that God would allow us to reach that goal for His honor and His glory. What a great opportunity this will be for us as a church to meet as many people as possible right where they are at and help move them to where God wants them to be.

What will the theme be for Easter? Our theme will be “Seeing Easter” as we look at the resurrection account in John’s Gospel, noticing three different times that the word “saw” is used. Each time the word has a different meaning. We will be ending by asking the question, “How do you see Easter?”

Will there be nursery and a children’s program on Easter? Yes! Our full nursery will be available during both worship services. Likewise, there will be a very exciting Children’s program in the gymnasium and chapel during both services. Unlike most Sundays, the children’s program during each service will begin from the very beginning (9am and 11am). Children will not be dismissed during the worship services.

What creative elements will be involved in our Easter worship service? From the moment you drive into the church driveways there will be people outside and inside of the church that will be looking “through” or “at” different items. This will allow us to create curiosity and introduce the theme of “seeing” before the service even starts. The stage will be designed with a very contemporary look that will communicate a celebratory mindset with many lights and colors. We also have other special elements to the service that we are planning. It should be a very exciting morning.

Will there be an Easter breakfast? No! But along with the coffee that we provide in the Connection Area each Sunday we will also have complimentary refreshments available.

Are there any special instructions regarding parking? With two services and 45 minutes in between each service, we should have no problem having enough parking. We would ask, however, that all who are physically able park in the lots closest to the radio station on the west end and the bus barns on the east end so that we save the most prominent spots for the many guests we will have that morning.

Two Sides of Change

Over my first 25 years of pastoral ministry I have always been one to initiate change. Like Arby's restaurants, I believe that often "different is better." And as we would advocate change in our ministry I would always find myself frustrated at those who resisted change. Can't they see that to reach people effectively today we can't do ministry the way we always have? Any time change occurred, there was always a group that was "less then excited." To be honest, I never could really understand that group.

But last week I found myself in that group. My son, who is a student at Liberty University, sent me a video of the demolition of a building on campus called "The Schilling Center." They are tearing down this building to make room for a new state of the art library. As I watched the video I found a "resistance" rising up within me.

25 years ago I graduated from Liberty University after spending 4 wonderful years on that campus. And during those 4 years, the Schilling Center was the main hub of campus activity. Watching the video, all kinds of memories raced through my mind that took place inside that wonderful building.

I remembered listening to Dr Falwell preach in chapel week in and week out!

I remembered sitting through Evangelism class with Dr C Sumner Wemp and Old Testament Survey class with Dr Ed Hindson!

I remembered attending Sunday Night Church services with Dr Ed Dobson preaching through the Beatitudes using his dog, Rosie, as an illustration each week!

I remembered yelling, screaming and throwing rolls of toilet paper on the floor at all of the exciting basketball games, especially against our rivals back then, Longwood College and Mt St Mary!

I remembered being in the assembly one Tuesday evening when Senator Ted Kennedy addressed the student body!

I remembered as a Resident Assistant having to go forward to counsel one night during Spiritual Emphasis Week and getting my foot caught in my girlfriend's (now my wife's) handbag resulting in my unknowingly dragging it all the way up the aisle!

I remembered getting selected as Preacher of the Year my Senior Year and getting to preach in chapel in front of all the students, faculty and staff with Dr Falwell sitting on stage behind me!

I remembered walking across the stage and shaking Dr Falwell's hand and getting my diploma and then being immediately greeted with open arms by my Grandpa Distler who was a preacher for over 50 years before going home to be with the Lord!

As these and many more memories raced through my mind I wanted to yell out, "Don't do it!" Suddenly I was on the other side of change. Suddenly I was part of those who resisted.

But then I took time to look at the architect's drawings of what this new Jerry Falwell Memorial Library was going to look like - it really will be amazing (the third picture above)!! I took time to read comments from students on campus today who are very excited about the change that is coming - they really do need a bigger and better library! I took the time to realize that, though the Schilling Center was very special to me 25 years ago, today it is not the hub of student activity like it was when I was on campus. I had to admit that this change for Liberty is a very good change!

I will miss seeing the Shilling Center when I go down to Liberty for my daughter's graduation from Liberty this May but I understand why the change is happening. I understand that Liberty is a much different place today and college life is a much different life then when I was a student a quarter century ago. I have reminded myself what I have been reminding those resistant to change in my churches for the past 25 years - that often, change really us better.

Yes, I will miss seeing the Shilling Center the next time I return to Liberty but I am now really looking forward to soon being able to walk through the new Jerry Falwell Memorial Library. Who knows, maybe I'll even put my foot through wife's purse and drag it around behind me as I take my first walk through the building...just for old time's sake!

DON'T BE LATE!!

JUST A REMINDER THAT THIS IS DAYLIGHT SAVINGS TIME-CHANGE WEEKEND. BE SURE TO SET YOUR CLOCKS AHEAD ONE HOUR BEFORE YOU GO TO BED ON SATURDAY NIGHT SO YOU AREN'T LATE FOR CHURCH ON SUNDAY MORNING!

The Need to MOVE

As we continue through VISION MONTH here at Gaylord E-Free Church, we are learning how to become an M&M Church - A church that is all about MEETING people right where they are at and MOVING people closer to where God wants them to be.

From the story of Jesus' encounter with the woman at the well in John chapter four, we have already seen this month the part of our purpose as a church which is to MEET as many people as possible right where they are at (geographically, spiritually, and culturally). This Sunday we will continue with that story to see the second part of our purpose as a church in seeing how Jesus then MOVED this Samaritan woman to where He wanted her to be.

MOVING people is just as important as MEETING people. All of us are on a spiritual journey and none of us have arrived at its apex as of yet. That won't happen until we get to heaven. Until them we will always have room to grow, to move forward, to advance. That is why Peter ends his second epistle in chapter three and verse eight-teen with these words:

"But grow in the grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ."

To "grow" means to advance. We need to keep MOVING forward. In what way? We are to grow in the knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ and in His grace. "Knowledge" would be the intellectual aspect. None of us have learned everything we can from Scripture about Jesus. we all have a need to keep advancing, to keep MOVING forward in our knowledge of Jesus. "Grace" would refer to the practical aspect - how we live like Jesus lived and taught. None of us have arrived here either. We all have much further to go in living like Jesus lived. We need to keep MOVING!

What happens when we quit MOVING? There are two results to not MOVING and neither are enjoyable. What happens when you are driving down the expressway and you run into a 6-lane "grind to a halt" traffic jam where no movement takes place for hours? You get frustrated! The same is true in our spiritual journey. When we quit MOVING, we become spiritually frustrated and that is never fun and never enjoyable.

But there is also another consequence to a lack of MOVEMENT spiritually. What happens when water has no movement and is completely still? Over time it becomes stagnant and develops a real stench. So is the case with you and I as Christ followers when we quit advancing; when we quit growing; when we quit MOVING. When a Christian is not growing he or she will ultimately develop a spiritual stench.

Are you MOVING forward? Are you advancing spiritually? Are you growing in the grace and knowledge of Jesus? If not, prepare to soon become frustrated if you are not already. And over time, prepare to develop a spiritual stench. That's what happens when we quit MOVING. That is why we need to be an M&M church. That is why we need to be all about MEETING people where they are and MOVING people to where God wants them to be!

E-Free Notes for the Weekend

Another exciting weekend is coming up for the Gaylord E-Free Church. As we move into this second weekend of March, here is what you should know:

It is not too late to decide to be part of the Marriage Event this weekend with Steve and Annie Chapman that will be held in the Gospel Center Friday night and Saturday morning. There is plenty of room for walk-in registrations so check out the church website for all the information!

Saturday morning the Creative Ideas Group will meet bright and early to finish planning for the "Word War Won" message series through 2 Timothy 3:15-17 that will follow Easter and to begin brainstorming the "Lean On Me" message series on the life of Barnabas that will take place following Mother's Day.

It's time change weekend! Don't forget to set your clocks ahead one hour before you go to bed Saturday night so you aren't late for church on Sunday!

Sunday morning we will continue Vision Month as we talk about becoming an M&M Church as we seek to MEET as many people as possible right where they are at and help MOVE them to where God wants them to be. Last Sunday from the encounter Jesus had with the Samaritan Woman at the Well we saw how Jesus met this woman right where she was at geographically, spiritually and culturally. This Sunday we will continue in this story and see how Jesus then moved this woman to where He wanted her to be.

Our church is partnering with another church in Nicaragua to help care for very poor orphans and teach them about Jesus. Many of these orphans are so poor that they do not even have shoes. As we introduce this ministry Sunday, look for a gift from one of our own barefoot children as you enter the service. Then, in the service prepare to watch a video showing these precious orphans and showing you how you can be part of an upcoming mission trip to meet these children right where they are.

This Sunday we will kick-off our push to encourage everyone at E-Free to invite people they know to our Easter celebration on April 8. Look for a video in the service this Sunday with a very surprise ending to help point you in this direction.

And when the weekend is over and Monday morning rolls around, we are exited to welcome Jill Laurence to our team as our new Assistant Office Manager. Jill and her husband, Frank, attend E-Free and we are looking forward to the exciting role she will play on our church staff.

HAVE A GREAT WEEKEND, EVERYONE!

The Church Whisperer

As a n Elder Board here at Gaylord E-Free, we have been studying the book of Titus together. This is a book that gives great teaching on the importance of Elders in the church and what their role in the church is to be.

We discovered in this book the danger of false teachers and deceivers in the church who sow seeds of destruction, discord and disunity. As you read through these warnings in Titus, along with similar warnings in other books of the New Testament, you tend to see a pattern into how these seeds are sown. They aren't communicated through a bullhorn. They are communicated through a whisper.

In Titus 1:10-11 we read that "rebellious men, empty talkers and deceivers" must be silenced because they are "upsetting whole families." The implication is that they were spreading their destruction and discord house to house and family by family.

In 2 Peter 2:1-3, we learn that false prophets and false teachers will "secretly" introduce their destructive heresies. In other words, they will do it "under the radar," spreading their poison person to person.

In Romans 16:17-18, we read about men who use flattering speech to deceive the hearts of the "unsuspecting." Again, the implication is that quietly they use flattery to win individuals over to their cause, individuals who do not suspect that they have ulterior motives.

So often we see it happen or hear of it happening. Churches move into a crisis because seeds of destruction, disunity and/or discord have been planted. And usually this happens through secret meetings and private conversations This activity does not start by taking place out in the open. It starts quietly, subtlety. It takes place through a conversation in a corner over here or during a cup of coffee at a restaurant over there. It happens through a phone call during the day or through an invitation to dinner at night. In other words, it takes place in ways that our "under the radar" until enough people are won over so that it can become a public issue.

Whenever you find yourself in a situation where an individual in your church, even one you really wouldn't suspect of having ulterior motives, is "chewing on your ear" privately and quietly about issues in the church that they are "concerned" about or about teachings that are counter to what is being taught, I would encourage you to BEWARE! It's usually through these means that seeds of destruction, discord and disunity are planted that can send a church into a crisis.

Be careful of the church whisperer.

M&M's...Good for Your Health and Your Soul

We are in the middle of our M&M series here at Gaylord E-Free Church. If you missed last Sunday due to the snowstorm, be sure to take time to go to our church website (www.gaylordefree.org) and listen to the audio. But did you know that M&M's are good for your health as well as your soul? Check this out:

Yesterday I went to the doctor

For my yearly physical.

My blood pressure was high.

My cholesterol was high.

I'd gained some weight,

and I didn't feel so hot.

My doctor said eating right

doesn't have to be complicated and

it would solve my physical problems.

He said:

Just think in colors.

Fill your plate with bright colors.

Try some greens, oranges, reds,

maybe something yellow, etc.

and eat an entire bowl of

bright colors.

And Sure Enough,

I Felt Better Immediately !!

I never knew eating right could be so easy !!

Now stay healthy,

eat your colors,

and have a nice day!

Where Everybody Knows Your Name

So what are your favorite TV sitcoms of all-time. According to screenjunkies.com, the 10 longest running television sitcoms of all time are as follows:

10 - King of the Hill (1997-2009)

9 - Married with Children (1987-1997)

8 - Frasier (1993-2004)

7 - Cheers (1982-1993)

6 - The Beverly Hillbillies (1962-1971)

5 - The Donna Reed Show (1958--1966)

4 - The Danny Thomas Show (1953-1964)

3 - My Three Sons (1960-1972)

2 - The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet (1952-1966)

1 - The Simpsons (since 1987)

To be honest, none of these rank as my favorite TV sitcoms of all-time, but one of them is my pick for best theme song of any TV sitcom of all-time. Its words go like this:

Making your way in the world today takes everything you've got.

Taking a break from all your worries, sure would help a lot.

Wouldn't you like to get away?

Sometimes you want to go

Where everybody knows your name,

and they're always glad you came.

You wanna be where you can see,

our troubles are all the same

You wanna be where everybody knows

Your name.

You wanna go where people know,

people are all the same,

You wanna go where everybody knows

your name.

This, of course, is the theme song to Cheers. It was a show about a place where losers like Sam (the washed out bartender); Woody (the male airhead); Carla (the bitter barmaid); Frasier (the psychotic psychiatrist); Cliff (the nerdy postman); and Norm (the loser of all losers) found acceptance. Cheers was a place where people knew these loser's names and they were always glad they came (remember what happened every time Norm walked into the bar..."NORM!"). And where was that place? It was a bar!

I wonder, why can't that place be the church? After all, we serve the best drink in town - the living water of Jesus Christ. And according to Jesus in John Chapter 4, once you drink from that tap you will never thirst again!

By the way, I've heard of Danny Thomas, but who is Donna Reed?

Meeting People Geographically

Jesus went to Samaria to meet the woman at the well. He didn't wait for her to come to Jerusalem or Galilee. He met her where she was geographically.

On the first day after His resurrection, Jesus appeared to His disciples who were huddled together in the Upper Room. His first command to them was to "Go"! They were to go and preach the Gospel to all the world. What would be the first step they would need to take to obey this command? They would need to take a step outside of their Upper Room.

For you and I to meet people where they are today we must first meet them geographically. We must take a step outside of our Upper Room. For American Christians today, our Upper Room is our Church Buildings. That is where we feel safe. But how can we reach our community, let alone our world, if we spend all of our time in our steeple-topped Upper Rooms?

There are 19,000 people that live in Otsego County up here in Northern Michigan who do not go to churdh anywhere. If all of our evangelistic efforts occur inside the Gaylord E-Free Church, how many of those 19,000 do you think we will reach? If we wait for those 19,000 people to come inside of our facility, how many do you think will hear the Good News of Jesus? A few might - but not many.

But what if every ministry in our church found a way to meet some of those 19,000 people right where they were at - geographically? How many could we reach then? A whole lot more than if all we do is try to get them inside of our facility. That is the direction we need to go. We need to take a few steps outside of our Upper Room.

That's why in May we are looking to have a CIA (Church in Action) Day in which we see several hundred from our church serve out in our community. That is why we are in the initial planning stage right now for a big "Courageous Event" to be held this June down under the pavilion in downtown Gaylord! If we are going to be serious about reaching our community and our world we must be willing to meet people right where they at geographically.

Won't that take a lot more effort? YES!

Won't that cost a lot more money? YES!

Won't that require a lot more volunteers? YES!

But those 19,000 people are worth it!

Don't miss this Sunday at Gaylord E-Free as we look at what it means to meet people where they are geographically!

Frustrating Delays or Divine Appointments?

The story of Jesus and the Samaritan woman at the well is one of my favorite parts of the life of Jesus. In John 4:4, we read that Jesus "had" to go through Samaria. If you were a Jewish person in Jesus' day and you were travelling north from Judea to Galilee, you would bypass the land of Samaria. But Jesus "had" to go through Samaria. Why? Because God had orchestrated the life of one lonely and sinful woman so that she would be at the right place at the right time to rub shoulders with the right person. The place would be a well. The time would be high noon. The person would be Jesus.

That is what I call a "Divine Appointment." A "Divine Appointment" is when God orchestrates your life and another person's life so that you both end up at the same place at the same time so that you rub shoulders and interact with each other in order to meet them right where they are and help move them to where He wants them to be.

I believe that God still orchestrates "Divine Appointments" even today in your life and my life. The problem is that most of us don't even notice what God has so perfectly orchestrated. I wonder how many times God has orchestrated my life and another person's life so that we end up in the same place at the same time so that I can have a spiritual touch in their lives? It wouldn't surprise me if it happens most every day and I just miss it.

How do you know when God is setting up a "Divine Appointment?" Chances are good that these times of orchestration usually involve your schedule getting altered or your plans getting delayed. What kind of feelings do you experience when your plans get interrupted? What emotions do you feel when you get delayed? If you're like me, most of the time when this happens you get frustrated, maybe even a bit angry.

But what if that interruption or that delay was really God at work orchestrating your life to get you at the right place at the right time to meet the right person? What if at the same time you were experiencing these "problems" another person's life was also being similarly orchestrated so that you both end up at the same place at the same time so you could make a touch in their life that had eternal dividends? What if your interruptions and delays were really the beginnings of a "Divine Appointment?"

Suddenly delays and interruptions just got very exciting!!

Meeting People Right Where They Are At

Today is March 1 which officially begins VISION MONTH here at Gaylord E-Free. We used last Sunday to introduce the topic of vision. What did we learn?

1. We learned that vision comes from God and needs to be communicated (remember, vision leaks) because it is what stimulates us to action!

2. We learned that God’s vision for the church is that we would have a dynamic impact in making Jesus known across the street, across the states and across the seas!

3. We learned that to have a maximum impact, we must live a highly potent Christian live that comes in close proximity with unbelievers in order to clearly communicate the Gospel to them!

4. We learned that our purpose as a church is to be “MEETING as many people as possible right where they are at and MOVING them closer to where God wants them to be!”

Over the next two Sundays we will use the story of Jesus’ encounter with the Samaritan woman at the well in John chapter 4 to explain what MEETING & MOVING looks like. We will focus this Sunday on the aspect of “MEETING people!” We will see that meeting people right where they are at includes meeting them where they are geographically; meeting them where they are spiritually; and meeting them where they are culturally.

Along with the continued M&M theme and the train set on the stage, this Sunday’s service will also include a special video highlighting the missionaries we support as a church as we seek to see 250 people commit to sponsor one of our missionaries by being a committed prayer warrior for them who will also communicate regularly with them. There will also be a dramatic sketch called “The Line-up” as we illustrate the need we have as a church to be willing meet every type of person right where they are at.

And because one of my major sermon illustrations this Sunday will deal with the old sitcom, “Cheers,” the worship band will be taking time in the message to play and sing the popular theme song from that TV show with the words,

Making your way in the world today takes everything you've got.
Taking a break from all your worries, sure would help a lot.
Wouldn't you like to get away?
Sometimes you want to go
Where everybody knows your name,
and they're always glad you came.
You wanna be where you can see,
our troubles are all the same
You wanna be where everybody knows your name.