1. People transformations. I love to see Jesus change lives. I love baptism testimonies (60+ this year), healing stories and accounts of growth through suffering and loss.
2. Culture mix. Attending NewHope is like visiting the United Nations. I love our diversity - 60 birth nations in our worship gatherings and the colours of the rainbow on our staff team. We celebrate each other's background.
3. Our mission: "Love God, Love others, Serve the world". Hardly original or unique. But is works! I wake up in the morning thrilled that this focused call is what my life is all about. I love having a clear purpose in life and ministry.
4. Community engagement. I love eating with people who live on the street (Dinner Tonite), dialoguing with Federal politicians, praying with our neighbours, sharing the gospel with people in need. I love seeing what Spirit-filled, fully yielded people can accomplish serving together. I am glad NewHope has open doors to our community.
5. Our café. It feeds the "soul" of our church through a ministry of hospitality. We call it Middle Ground Café to celebrate its mission of connecting people to God. It is physically situated between the footpath and the worship seats. I love the coffee.
6. The care. I celebrate wonderful stories of attentive love to one another. I too experience this genuine care at church. Good people speak sincerely and powerfully into each other's lives.
7. Our Baptist-ness. I love it that we are a local church with a local "government" - that our properties, problems, programs and possibilities are all "owned" by us.
8. Our culture. We have a sweet spirit in the fellowship of NewHope. It is made real by a hundred acts of mercy and a thousand gestures of love every week. People absorb hurts for others. People point out bad behaviour and we all work to correct it. Culture is fragile. We are learning to treat it with care.
9. Mobilised people. I thank God for our many, many volunteers, vibrant small groups, ministries to all ages and a network of care. I love the way we can do life together.
10. Vitality. Because we built a Community Centre our property is active 7 days a week. We host everything from local school graduations to business training conferences. We serve these groups and take every opportunity to share Jesus. There is life here! Faith, doubt, love, pain, hope, hurt and the Spirit of God all intersect here.
I could easily keep going. I'm not saying it's perfect but I am saying there is a LOT to love here!
Why this post? My denominational leader, Daniel Bullock, suggested the idea in his Christmas letter to Pastors. He asked: "Do you still love the church?" I do!
Now, why don't you make a list. What do you celebrate about your church?
No comments:
Post a Comment