Pastor Schmidt February 2007

Dearly Beloved,


Are you growing as a follower of Christ? Many parents make a mark on the wall by a door to indicate a child’s height as the child grows year after year. If your Heavenly Father marked your spiritual development in discipleship, what would he see taking place over the last year or two?  Would he see by the marks on the wall that significant growth is occurs?  As a disciple of Christ  are you standing taller than ever?  Or would the marks indicate that no significant growth has been taking place? Is your discipleship spiritually stagnant?  Or would the most recent of marks on the wall reveal the saddest of all -- that you are shrinking from the “upward call” of Christ?

Jesus told the  following two parables: “The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field. Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant looking for fine pearls. When he found one of great value, he went away and sold everything he had and bought it”

What we notice here is that both individuals sold everything they had to get what they wanted. So often we hear about the “cost of discipleship” as though discipleship only comes at great personal loss to ourselves. Here these individuals who sold everything they had did not think they were giving up anything. The reverse is true. They knew they were gaining something which had far more value than everything else they owned. They were more than willing to give up everything they had to gain something that was worth more than everything they possessed.

Do you believe  “the cost of discipleship” is far exceeded by the “gain” experienced? Jesus said, “Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it” (Matthew 10:39).  Is that true? Do you believe that following Christ leads to the “abundant” life ?

I invite you: to grow in your discipleship; to become passionate for God; to have an eternal purpose to your life – and in the process discover the joy of being a disciple of Jesus Christ.

During our Lenten Mid=Week Wednesday evening worship services, we will examine Christ’s invitational call to us as believes to become disciples.  We will  become aware of the essential components to having a vibrant  affective, dynamic ministry. We will explore the obstacles  to discipleship. We will grow in our passion for God and his purposes.

Mark your calendar now (… or the wall by the door).  Set aside Wednesdays February 28th through March 28th from 7:00 pm to 7:55 pm. for:

                                    Discipleship:  ”Living the High Life”

In the JOY serving,
Pastor Schmidt