I usually don't post twice in a day. But in my studies today, I found this and wanted to share it with you. May it bless you as it did me.
I am the real vine and my Father is the gardener (John 15:1).
In the above Scripture, Jesus draws on vine imagery familiar to his hearers, and incorporates agricultural principles common to their experience. He does this to teach us the necessity of being fruitful followers. The "fruit" He has in mind is the same as the "fruit of the Spirit" (Galatians 5:22-23), and that which Jesus himself describes in Matthew 7:16-20. Jesus wants each of us to bear spiritual fruit.
Because fertile soil and adequate water were scarce in Israel, the gardener had to ensure that every part of his land, and every plant, was as productive as possible. He made every effort to make sure that each vine would produce as much fruit as it could. Branches bearing fruit were pruned (cut back) to produce even more fruit. The branches not producing fruit were not cut off, for this would have ended their "fruit-bearing lives" and would have undercut the gardener's ultimate purpose to do everything possible to increase his yield. Rather, the gardener would lift up the unproductive branches ("lift up" is the other common meaning of the Greek term usually translated "cut off" in John 15:2). This would better expose them to the beneficial effects of light and rain, and would give them a better opportunity to grow. Lifting up the unproductive branches was yet another part of the gardener's unceasing and tireless efforts to improve productivity.
Similarly, God will do everything possible to help us grow and be fruitful. He tenderly brings some of us to the sun and rain, to give us opportunities to be productive. However, God prunes those of us who are growing and producing well, for even greater fruitfulness. While the pruning is not always pleasant, the results are beneficial. Let us welcome whatever God does to help us grow.
Wednesday, November 11, 2009
U.S. Congregational Giving During the Recession
I thought I would share with you today the following article about congregational giving in 2009 vs 2008. At Kings Point, we were a part of the percentage of churches across the U.S. that saw an increase in our giving. We give God the glory and are grateful for His bountiful blessings. May we be good stewards of what He gives to us. Have a great day! -Pastor
INDIANAPOLIS -- More than two-thirds of congregations in a new study on congregational finances in the current recession reported that their fundraising receipts increased or remained the same in the first half of 2009 compared to 2008, even as the recession was worsening.
The findings are part of the 2009 Congregational Economic Impact Study, a joint project of the Lake Institute on Faith & Giving at the Center on Philanthropy at Indiana University and the Alban Institute, based in the Washington, DC area. The study was based on more than 1,500 responses, nearly all from the membership of the Alban Institute.
Almost 37 percent of congregations reported an increase in fundraising for the first half of 2009 over 2008. Another 34 percent reported that fundraising receipts stayed the same between 2008 and the first half of 2009.
Nevertheless, nearly 30 percent of congregations experienced a decrease in giving in 2009. This is 8.1 percentage points more than reported a decline in 2008.
"The recession has affected many congregations throughout the United States," said Una Osili, research director at the Center on Philanthropy. "One-third of responding congregations reported making budget cuts in 2009 and another quarter kept their operational budget the same, not allowing for any increases in the cost of living."
Just 6.8 percent of congregations reduced the number of full-time staff in response to the recession. Slightly more, 10.7 percent, laid off part-time staff. Nearly 16 percent did not increase staff salaries, while almost 15 percent cut utility costs and 13.6 percent reduced program costs.
"While many congregations have been hit hard by the recession, this study underscores the remarkable resilience of congregations, as evidenced in the extraordinary and imaginative ways they are reaching out to meet the needs of their parishioners and people in their community," said William Enright, director of the Lake Institute on Faith & Giving at the Center. "We frequently hear about the experiences of larger congregations and how they are coping with economic challenges, while the story of average and smaller congregations often has been wrapped in silence. This study breaks that silence."
Congregations responded to the recession in a wide variety of ways, from feeding the homeless and providing emergency cash assistance to those in need to hosting community gardens, offering support groups and networking events for the unemployed, helping with financial planning, and increasing partnerships with other community groups.
Some congregations fared better than others. "Growth congregations," those where attendance and finances have been growing over the past five years, were more likely to report positive fundraising results. Congregations with $600,000 to $999,999 in revenue, weekly attendance of more than 300 people, younger congregants (average age under 50), and those reporting a higher average income of congregants (greater than $60,000) were more likely to report an increase in fundraising receipts.
"Survival congregations," those where attendance and finances have dropped by more than 10 percent over the past five years, were more likely to report a decline in fundraising. Other congregations that were more likely to report a decrease included those with annual revenue of less than $150,000, weekly attendance of less than 100 people, older congregants (average age 61 or older), and those where the average income of congregants was less than $40,000.
"This is one of the first looks we have had into the economic realities faced by American congregations during a time of global financial crisis," said Dr. James Wind, president of the Alban Institute. "We are pleased to have partnered in opening up a fascinating and complex story of national significance. The survey results demonstrate that local congregations, which we often take for granted and treat with misleading conventional wisdom, are much more dynamic, creative, and strong than many people think. Clearly, not all congregations are alike -- that is one of the major discoveries of the survey. Some are clearly struggling to make ends meet. But many more - and this will be a surprise to many -- are holding their own and growing during one of the toughest seasons in our national history. More than that, the survey reveals the great variety of ways they are ministering to an overextended nation."
The 2009 Congregational Economic Impact Study, with 1,540 respondents, is not a nationally representative study of all congregations in the U.S., but rather is drawn primarily from the Alban Institute's membership. More than three-fourths of respondents were from Protestant denominations.
INDIANAPOLIS -- More than two-thirds of congregations in a new study on congregational finances in the current recession reported that their fundraising receipts increased or remained the same in the first half of 2009 compared to 2008, even as the recession was worsening.
The findings are part of the 2009 Congregational Economic Impact Study, a joint project of the Lake Institute on Faith & Giving at the Center on Philanthropy at Indiana University and the Alban Institute, based in the Washington, DC area. The study was based on more than 1,500 responses, nearly all from the membership of the Alban Institute.
Almost 37 percent of congregations reported an increase in fundraising for the first half of 2009 over 2008. Another 34 percent reported that fundraising receipts stayed the same between 2008 and the first half of 2009.
Nevertheless, nearly 30 percent of congregations experienced a decrease in giving in 2009. This is 8.1 percentage points more than reported a decline in 2008.
"The recession has affected many congregations throughout the United States," said Una Osili, research director at the Center on Philanthropy. "One-third of responding congregations reported making budget cuts in 2009 and another quarter kept their operational budget the same, not allowing for any increases in the cost of living."
Just 6.8 percent of congregations reduced the number of full-time staff in response to the recession. Slightly more, 10.7 percent, laid off part-time staff. Nearly 16 percent did not increase staff salaries, while almost 15 percent cut utility costs and 13.6 percent reduced program costs.
"While many congregations have been hit hard by the recession, this study underscores the remarkable resilience of congregations, as evidenced in the extraordinary and imaginative ways they are reaching out to meet the needs of their parishioners and people in their community," said William Enright, director of the Lake Institute on Faith & Giving at the Center. "We frequently hear about the experiences of larger congregations and how they are coping with economic challenges, while the story of average and smaller congregations often has been wrapped in silence. This study breaks that silence."
Congregations responded to the recession in a wide variety of ways, from feeding the homeless and providing emergency cash assistance to those in need to hosting community gardens, offering support groups and networking events for the unemployed, helping with financial planning, and increasing partnerships with other community groups.
Some congregations fared better than others. "Growth congregations," those where attendance and finances have been growing over the past five years, were more likely to report positive fundraising results. Congregations with $600,000 to $999,999 in revenue, weekly attendance of more than 300 people, younger congregants (average age under 50), and those reporting a higher average income of congregants (greater than $60,000) were more likely to report an increase in fundraising receipts.
"Survival congregations," those where attendance and finances have dropped by more than 10 percent over the past five years, were more likely to report a decline in fundraising. Other congregations that were more likely to report a decrease included those with annual revenue of less than $150,000, weekly attendance of less than 100 people, older congregants (average age 61 or older), and those where the average income of congregants was less than $40,000.
"This is one of the first looks we have had into the economic realities faced by American congregations during a time of global financial crisis," said Dr. James Wind, president of the Alban Institute. "We are pleased to have partnered in opening up a fascinating and complex story of national significance. The survey results demonstrate that local congregations, which we often take for granted and treat with misleading conventional wisdom, are much more dynamic, creative, and strong than many people think. Clearly, not all congregations are alike -- that is one of the major discoveries of the survey. Some are clearly struggling to make ends meet. But many more - and this will be a surprise to many -- are holding their own and growing during one of the toughest seasons in our national history. More than that, the survey reveals the great variety of ways they are ministering to an overextended nation."
The 2009 Congregational Economic Impact Study, with 1,540 respondents, is not a nationally representative study of all congregations in the U.S., but rather is drawn primarily from the Alban Institute's membership. More than three-fourths of respondents were from Protestant denominations.
Monday, November 9, 2009
Sunday Wrap Up
Super weekend! Another great Women's Encounter. The testimonies were awesome. Many women were delivered and set free. Many were filled with the Holy Spirit.
KP services were good yesterday. We had a young man come back to Christ yesterday morning. Last night, we continued our series on the "The Mark." I think we all came away seeing how our children our being conditioned to accept the system and practices that will one day lead to the taking of the Mark of the Beast. The masses will gladly take it one day and worship the Beast (Revelation 13). We're getting close! One more message in the series next Sunday evening. Join us!
We welcome Tom Ball to our worship band. Tom and Trish and their beautiful girls are relatively new to our church. I encourage you to get to know them. They will soon be opening up a new Insurance office in Maineville. Check them out if you have a need in that area. If not, please pray for their new business.
Everyone have a wonderful week!
-Pastor
KP services were good yesterday. We had a young man come back to Christ yesterday morning. Last night, we continued our series on the "The Mark." I think we all came away seeing how our children our being conditioned to accept the system and practices that will one day lead to the taking of the Mark of the Beast. The masses will gladly take it one day and worship the Beast (Revelation 13). We're getting close! One more message in the series next Sunday evening. Join us!
We welcome Tom Ball to our worship band. Tom and Trish and their beautiful girls are relatively new to our church. I encourage you to get to know them. They will soon be opening up a new Insurance office in Maineville. Check them out if you have a need in that area. If not, please pray for their new business.
Everyone have a wonderful week!
-Pastor
Friday, November 6, 2009
Friday Countdown to Sunday
Hello everyone. Kind of late getting it in, but I'm here and ready to roll.
This is the Women's Encounter weekend. I'm sure they are ready to go. They have experienced some great times of prayer and unity this week. I'm looking forward to lives being changed. Remember to come join them at Higher Ground for their celebration service Sunday at about 2:15.
Today, Gabe and I toured Taylor University in Upland, Indiana. Where's Upland? Right smack dab in the middle of a cornfield. Its crazy! But they've been there since 1846. I was really impressed with their sincerity about preparing kids to change a world for Christ. It looks like it permeates everything they do. The chapel service was great. Great praise and worship with most the kids lifting and clapping their hands without being cheerled to do so. They also had a choir (the Gospel choir) with flag dancers (I don't know what else to call them). Nevertheless, it was worship unto the Lord...pentecostal-charismatic style. Pretty cool!
KP folks...please come ready to worship Sunday! Come prepared to give it your best! Sunday night I will be continuing a series on the Mark of the Beast. We will be showing a pretty enlightening video called "The Microchip" and we will look at the second half of Revelation 13. If you will come out and join us, I promise you will be amazed at just how close this thing is (planet earth) to coming apart at the seems (the Tribulation period). Who knows...I might get it going Sunday AM. I'm still hearing from God about the AM. But be there! Don't miss it.
Love you all!
-Pastor
This is the Women's Encounter weekend. I'm sure they are ready to go. They have experienced some great times of prayer and unity this week. I'm looking forward to lives being changed. Remember to come join them at Higher Ground for their celebration service Sunday at about 2:15.
Today, Gabe and I toured Taylor University in Upland, Indiana. Where's Upland? Right smack dab in the middle of a cornfield. Its crazy! But they've been there since 1846. I was really impressed with their sincerity about preparing kids to change a world for Christ. It looks like it permeates everything they do. The chapel service was great. Great praise and worship with most the kids lifting and clapping their hands without being cheerled to do so. They also had a choir (the Gospel choir) with flag dancers (I don't know what else to call them). Nevertheless, it was worship unto the Lord...pentecostal-charismatic style. Pretty cool!
KP folks...please come ready to worship Sunday! Come prepared to give it your best! Sunday night I will be continuing a series on the Mark of the Beast. We will be showing a pretty enlightening video called "The Microchip" and we will look at the second half of Revelation 13. If you will come out and join us, I promise you will be amazed at just how close this thing is (planet earth) to coming apart at the seems (the Tribulation period). Who knows...I might get it going Sunday AM. I'm still hearing from God about the AM. But be there! Don't miss it.
Love you all!
-Pastor
Thursday, November 5, 2009
The Russians Beat Us To It...They Been There, Done That
I would like to read you something I came across this week. It was written by a man named Tamim Ansary– who is an Afghani-American writer [ taken from Salon.com ]. I don’t generally like to read something of this length, but I think it is important for us to hear. [start quote] I’ve been hearing a lot of talk about "bombing Afghanistan back to the Stone Age." Ronn Owens, on KGO Talk Radio today, allowed that this would mean killing innocent people, people who had nothing to do with this atrocity, but "we’re at war, we have to accept collateral damage. What else can we do?" Minutes later I heard some TV pundit discussing whether we "have the belly to do what must be done." And I thought especially hard about the issues being raised because I am from Afghanistan, and even though I’ve lived here for 35 years I’ve never lost track of what’s going on there. So I want to tell anyone who will listen how it all looks from where I’m standing. I speak as one who hates the Taliban and Osama Bin Laden. There is no doubt in my mind that these people were responsible for the atrocity in New York. I agree that something must be done about those monsters. But the Taliban and Ben Laden are not Afghanistan. They’re not even the government of Afghanistan. The Taliban are a cult of ignorant psychotics who took over Afghanistan in 1997. Bin Laden is a political criminal with a plan. When you think Taliban, think Nazis. When you think Bin Laden, think Hitler. And when you think "the people of Afghanistan" think "the Jews in the concentration camps." It’s not only that the Afghan people had nothing to do with this atrocity. They were the first victims of the perpetrators. They would exult if someone would come in there, take out the Taliban and clear out the rats nest of international thugs holed up in their country. Some say, why don’t the Afghans rise up and overthrow the Taliban? The answer is, they’re starved, exhausted, hurt, incapacitated, suffering. A few years ago, the United Nations estimated that there are 500,000 disabled orphans in Afghanistan--a country with no economy, no food. There are millions of widows. And the Taliban has been burying these widows alive in mass graves. The soil is littered with land mines. The farms were all destroyed by the Soviets. These are a few of the reasons why the Afghan people have not overthrown the Taliban. We come now to the question of bombing Afghanistan back to the Stone Age. Trouble is, that’s been done. The Soviets took care of it already. Make the Afghans suffer? They’re already suffering. Level their houses? Done. Turn their schools into piles of rubble? Done. Eradicate their hospitals? Done. Destroy their infrastructure? Cut them off from medicine and health care? Too late. Someone already did all that. New bombs would only stir the rubble of earlier bombs. Would they at least get the Taliban? Not likely. In today’s Afghanistan, only the Taliban eat, only they have the means to move around. They’d slip away and hide. Maybe the bombs would get some of those disabled orphans; they don’t move too fast, they don’t even have wheelchairs. But flying over Kabul and dropping bombs wouldn’t really be a strike against the criminals who did this horrific thing. Actually it would only be making common cause with the Taliban--by raping once again the people they’ve been raping all this time [end quote]
Tuesday, November 3, 2009
Economic Decline...Sign of a Nation That Has Turned From God
Jeremiah 2:11-13
11 Has any nation ever traded its gods for new ones,
even though they are not gods at all?
Yet my people have exchanged their glorious God
for worthless idols!
12 The heavens are shocked at such a thing
and shrink back in horror and dismay,"
says the Lord.
13 "For my people have done two evil things:
They have abandoned me—
the fountain of living water.
And they have dug for themselves cracked cisterns
that can hold no water at all!
Wow, what a description of America and our cities, towns, and communities inside our nation. Tonight, I am sitting here watching television and I see at the bottom of the screen Little Miami lost its levy bid once again. This kind of scenario is being played our everywhere across America. People are hurting, overburdened with taxes, losing jobs, losing retirement, and losing homes. Here in Ohio, it looks like the casino bill will pass. But it won't be the answer. People in Indiana and surrounding states have all of that and their respective residents are losing jobs, homes, and retirement as well. We are a nation that has lost it's way. We have forsaken, turned our back on the one true God...our cisterns are filled with leaks and cracks...and we don't have any answers for all the problems we face.
Its all so sad to watch this once great nation come apart right before our very eyes. It grieves me. Especially when it doesn't have to be this way. But like Israel, we keep trying to do it ourselves without seeking after Almighty God's help. We keep telling ourselves, "We are self-sufficient. We have always made it. We will save ourselves once again. Good ole American ingenuity...that's all we need." And if that's what we are saying. God is looking down and saying to us, "You must humble yourselves. Seek my face. Turn from wicked ways and I will forgive your sins and I will heal your land." [2 Chronicles 7:14 paraphrase]
Please continue to remember our nation in your prayers. More than ever, we as God's people must pray and seek renewal. It's not too late.
-Pastor Randy
11 Has any nation ever traded its gods for new ones,
even though they are not gods at all?
Yet my people have exchanged their glorious God
for worthless idols!
12 The heavens are shocked at such a thing
and shrink back in horror and dismay,"
says the Lord.
13 "For my people have done two evil things:
They have abandoned me—
the fountain of living water.
And they have dug for themselves cracked cisterns
that can hold no water at all!
Wow, what a description of America and our cities, towns, and communities inside our nation. Tonight, I am sitting here watching television and I see at the bottom of the screen Little Miami lost its levy bid once again. This kind of scenario is being played our everywhere across America. People are hurting, overburdened with taxes, losing jobs, losing retirement, and losing homes. Here in Ohio, it looks like the casino bill will pass. But it won't be the answer. People in Indiana and surrounding states have all of that and their respective residents are losing jobs, homes, and retirement as well. We are a nation that has lost it's way. We have forsaken, turned our back on the one true God...our cisterns are filled with leaks and cracks...and we don't have any answers for all the problems we face.
Its all so sad to watch this once great nation come apart right before our very eyes. It grieves me. Especially when it doesn't have to be this way. But like Israel, we keep trying to do it ourselves without seeking after Almighty God's help. We keep telling ourselves, "We are self-sufficient. We have always made it. We will save ourselves once again. Good ole American ingenuity...that's all we need." And if that's what we are saying. God is looking down and saying to us, "You must humble yourselves. Seek my face. Turn from wicked ways and I will forgive your sins and I will heal your land." [2 Chronicles 7:14 paraphrase]
Please continue to remember our nation in your prayers. More than ever, we as God's people must pray and seek renewal. It's not too late.
-Pastor Randy
Sunday, November 1, 2009
Sunday Wrap Up
Friend Day services were great today. We had many prodigals that came back home to Christ today. What a great spirit of worship in the AM service today. People came ready to worship. I think that was do to the prophetic praise and worship service Saturday night. It just gets people tuned up...ready to enter in on Sundays! Tonight's crowd and service was awesome as well. Different than this morning...but powerful nonetheless.
We said "happy farewell" today to Karen Cook. We will really miss her. Even though new families are coming in, I hate seeing people move. Karen is a great blessing to the church. A good worker and lots of fun. Even though I know we will see her around, we will miss her and Raymond too.
Thank you so much giving in a special offering to Debbie J. today. She's worth it and so much more. We are blessed to have her!
Have a wonderful week!
-Pastor Randy
We said "happy farewell" today to Karen Cook. We will really miss her. Even though new families are coming in, I hate seeing people move. Karen is a great blessing to the church. A good worker and lots of fun. Even though I know we will see her around, we will miss her and Raymond too.
Thank you so much giving in a special offering to Debbie J. today. She's worth it and so much more. We are blessed to have her!
Have a wonderful week!
-Pastor Randy
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