Tag: Minister

As a Pastor – looks don’t matter to me. I don’t care what you look like. I don’t care what you’re wearing. I don’t care where you came from. I don’t care what you’ve done. Everyone is welcome into our church family.

That guy in the middle – rough around the edges – is closest to God. He knows God. He’s getting closer to God by reading more of His Word. I can work with him. I can use him as a teacher. I can use him to lead others – like those two guys to the left of him – who aren’t as close to God as they think. Putting on nice clothes and looking prim and proper on Sunday mornings won’t get you to Heaven. Persecuting others for the way they look won’t lead to eternity with God. She thinks she is Christian.

The four of them should get together after church service for Lunch and get to know each other and learn from each other, and then learn more about God together as brothers and sisters of the church family.

I’ve been a part of 2 church families over the past 14½ years, and neither church family would’ve rejected that guy in the middle. He would’ve been welcomed with open arms. He would’ve been used as a church leader to teach others how to have a heart for Christ – how to have a heart filled with The Holy Spirit. I know that many churches would frown upon or even outright reject that guy in the middle. I myself would reject the church that rejects anyone.

I want that guy in the middle to bring his friends with him for Sunday morning service. I want that guy in the middle to preach God’s Good News to anyone who will listen to him.

But the LORD said to Samuel, “Don’t judge by his appearance or height, for I have rejected him. The LORD doesn’t see things the way you see them. People judge by outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.” (1 Samuel 16:7)

Thank you for reading my blog for this day, and may:

The LORD bless you, and keep you.
The LORD make His face shine upon you, and be gracious to you.
The LORD lift up His countenance upon you, and give you peace.

In the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. AMEN.

All rights reserved (c) 2021 Christopher M. Day, CountUp Ministries

So true. You can substitute the word “fishing” with “football” (especially with football season coming up), or even “work”. If you’re at church on a Sunday morning, but you’re only there because someone dragged you there, or you think that you have to be there in order to get to Heaven – then you’re there for the wrong reasons.

I’ve seen it often – church attenders who are physically there, but are not mentally there. Their mind is elsewhere. It is on what they did yesterday, or what they plan to do tomorrow. They are not taking-in God’s Truth. They are not giving-out God’s love.

I’ve also seen people at church who show up, but don’t even attend any services. They are merely there because their friends are there. Larger churches with younger demographics have this problem. They have a nice modern café as part of their main entrance or lobby or atrium, and it’s a hangout joint on Sunday mornings for some who just want to drink coffee and be with their friends. But then when their friends enter the sanctuary or worship center – they leave the premises and go somewhere else.

“Oh I need to go to church to be seen.” – That’s being religious. Going to church doesn’t impress God. Going to church won’t change your life forever. Going to church won’t get you into Heaven.

On the other hand – if you’re constantly thinking about your Lord & Savior Jesus Christ, and talking to Him, and thanking Him for all that He has done for you – and all that He will do for you – then that’s a true relationship with God. It doesn’t matter when it is. It doesn’t matter where it is. If God is in the center of your heart in everything you do and everywhere you go – then that will change your life forever, for you will be alive forever with God in your heart here on earth, and God up in Heaven once your journey here in this temporary place is done.

That relationship with God is being the church all day every day. It’s bringing the church with you on Sunday mornings to meet with your brothers and sisters of your church family in community – to praise God, to worship God, to celebrate God, to talk to God, to learn more about God, and to get closer to God.

If you’re a believer and follower of our Lord & Savior Jesus Christ then I hope that you are an integral part of a Bible-believing, Gospel-preaching, and Jesus-loving church family. If you’re seeking a church to belong to then don’t look for the nicest and biggest church in town with the most programs and features. Look for the church body who are closest to God by their talk and their walk, for that’s a family that will strengthen your personal and communal relationship with God.

So encourage each other and build each other up – just as you are already doing.
(1 Thessalonians 5:11)

Thank you for reading my blog for this day, and may:

The LORD bless you, and keep you.
The LORD make His face shine upon you, and be gracious to you.
The LORD lift up His countenance upon you, and give you peace.

In the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. AMEN.

All rights reserved (c) 2021 Christopher M. Day, CountUp Ministries

I’m closing-in on the 15TH anniversary of the start of my salvation. I’m 5 weeks away from observing that unexpected moment when my life changed forever.

This fantastic journey is well-documented in public. I’ve been writing about it online for over 14 years – first on Myspace, then here on WordPress, then on Twitter, then on Facebook, and then back here on WordPress. I’ve been testifying about it offline (in-person) for those same 14 years. I’ve been preaching full sermons about it for almost 5 years now. The Bible says “Everyone who acknowledges me publicly here on earth – I will also acknowledge before My Father in heaven.” (Matthew 10:32)

During my first 20 months as a member of my first church family I kept a running journal of my weekly events via Excel spreadsheet. It’s fun to look back on, and remember those early couple of years of my journey with Christ. I wish I had kept it going. I don’t remember why I stopped doing it 20 months in.

According to that spreadsheet – 14 years ago on this 3RD Sunday of July of 2007 – Bible Class (before service) was canceled because the leader was on vacation that Sunday. The message on that Sunday was the first of a 5-part message series titled “Hot Sauce” – “Clash On Cash: God On Money”. It was obviously a money-related message. I’ve never been a fan of Pastors teaching or preaching about money – whether it be making it, giving it, saving it, or spending it. I may be a bit biased since I’m in the “money business” in my professional career. I know that I’ll probably never preach about money or finances. It may be something to discuss in a more informal Bible Class, but not in a sermon. I’m actually trying to build the foundation of a Bible Class with my current church family right now. I think we need one to supplement the weekly sermons and enhance the overall Sunday morning experience. I’ve been praying about it a lot lately.

After the service at the movie theatre 14 years ago today we had a picnic at a nearby neighborhood park to welcome the arrival of our brand new Executive Pastor at the time. We had hot dogs ! (That’s all my notes on the spreadsheet say.)

Those were some fun times back then in July of 2007. I was part of that first church family for exactly 6 months at that time. Those first 2 years – 2007 and 2008 – in their entirety – were great and glorious years with my new brothers and sisters. It was a season of ecstasy and euphoria. My growth and momentum began to plateau shortly after (starting in 2009) with less hills and more valleys. Despite increased roles and responsibilities within the church the hills would never quite reach the peaks of those of 2007 and 2008. The valleys grew deeper. I remained with my first church family for 8 years until 2015.

I guess I don’t really need to keep an Excel spreadsheet of my weekly events along this journey since this blog acts as my public journal nowadays. It’s brutally honest. I don’t hold much back. I use this blog on Sundays and Mondays to proclaim and teach – to preach – to the world what God has done for me.

“Go back to your family, and tell them everything God has done for you.” (Luke 8:39a)

Thank you for reading my blog for this day, and may:

The LORD bless you, and keep you.
The LORD make His face shine upon you, and be gracious to you.
The LORD lift up His countenance upon you, and give you peace.

In the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. AMEN.

All rights reserved (c) 2021 Christopher M. Day, CountUp Ministries