I recently came across the following list which expressed some of my hopes for First Baptist Church of Honolulu for the coming year. I place the list before you as a challenge: In 2018 let us resolve to make First Baptist…
- A Grumble-Free Church: A place where no one grumbles, complains, criticizes, or gripes. A place where love controls all.
- A “Sky’s The Limit” Church: Where people still believe that God is working miracles and specializes in the impossible.
- A Magnanimous Church: Webster defines Magnanimous as “Manifesting generosity in forgiving insults and injuries.” So, a Magnanimous Church is one where members freely forgive one another and do not get hung up on gossip, slander, trivia and nit picking.
- A Vertical Church: A Church filled with people whose hearts are lifted to God in daily devotion and trusting, believing prayer.
- A Horizontal Church: A Church where everyone is reaching out to those around them in love with the life-saving, life-changing Gospel of Christ.
- A Generous Church: Where offerings are ridiculously big, because Jesus said, “Where a man’s treasure is, there his heart will be also.” A big-hearted Church is a big-giving Church!
- A Burdened Church: Where leaders and members alike are burden for the souls of people who need the Savior and the warmth and fellowship of a loving, caring spiritual community.
- A God-Governed Church: Not a democracy, but a theocracy…a God-run church, operating with competent, committed leaders who, in all matters, seek to know the will of Christ, the head of the Church.
Now that you have the list will you join me in doing your part to reach each of these goals? To that end let’s pray and work till Jesus comes.