Dear First
Methodist Family,
First Methodist Church is a congregation with an amazing heritage. We’re 158 years old and share a birthday with the very town in which we minister. We’ve grown up with Waco and have been in continuous ministry through all those years.
| Through all those years there has been one overriding constant that has guided so many of the choices this church has made. This church does not belong to some denomination or to some pastor who happens to be the pastor for a time. The church does not belong to the organist, choir director, worship leader, or any other staff member. The church does not belong to the lay leadership, the board, or any other official group… not even the Trustees or the Finance Committee. And no, the church does not belong to the members, though without them we would cease to exist. The church belongs to Jesus Christ. He is its Lord. He is its owner. |
|
|
The implications of this are profound.
The driving mission of our church must be to do the things that Jesus wants us to do – nothing less. But how do we know what Jesus wants us to do with his church?
We can discern what He would have us do by looking at what He actually did when He walked on the earth. Jesus said that
His driving passion was to “seek out and to save the lost” (Luke 19:10). Jesus spent a large part of his time with “sinners,” seeking to bring them back to God. He even included this in His Great Commission.
If this was Jesus’ driving passion, it must be our driving passion for our church.
Jesus’ ministry included
healing broken minds, bodies, and souls. For our church that means excellent
pastoral care, not only for those within the membership of our church, but for those outside our church. His ministry included
teaching and
preaching the Good News of the Kingdom. Today this is
Bible study, preaching, small groups, and home groups. Jesus’ ministry included teaching about integrity, character and ethical matters while demonstrating care for the hungry and those in need. We’re a church that has maintained this focus for 158 years. It’s one we want to maintain for our future.
We’re about that with the current message series. We spent two Sundays reaching out to those far from God and last week we talked about the Christian’s mission in the world with a message on “salt.” Next Sunday we’ll continue that mission emphasis with “A Strategic Purpose –That is Hard to Ignore” that will call Christians to be “light” in a dark world. We want to be about that mission.
Then we’ll spend two Sundays following Jesus to the cross and beyond to Easter with two more “Stories of Jesus.” You don’t want to miss these messages since they all tie together in helping us see what our church is all about.
Don’t forget a flower for the “Old Rugged Cross” for Easter Sunday. We’ll transform the cross with the flowers you bring and bring it down the center aisle in a dramatic moment that symbolizes the resurrection of Jesus Christ.
I also hope you’ve gone to our web-site and made a commitment for
“Time to Grow.” You’re only committing to come to one meeting in April, along with a celebration banquet in December. We’ve had 225 commitments and our
goal is for
275 more.
