Do you know what you should know?

James Emery White, Founding and Senior Pastor of Mecklenbury Community Church in Charlotte, NC puts out a weekly Church and Culture blog. This week's blog was entitled "What Every Christian Should Know How To Do." Picking up on articles written on what every driver should know how to do and what every parent should know how to do, he added his own category - what someone hoping to follow Christ should know how to do.

Just as every driver should know how to fill up a gas tank, check the oil, change a tire, etc., he wrote on what every follower of Christ should be able to do.

Since his list fits perfectly with what we desire to train those of us here at First Free how to do, I wanted to share it with you. Keep in mind these are not simply what we should do, think about doing or want to do - but actually trained to be able to do before they become a lost art.

(1) Read the Bible. Do you know how to read the Bible? Where to start? How to interpret it? How to apply it?

(2) Pray. Not just in a crisis but moving through Adoration, Confession, Thanksgiving, and Supplication. This is a need skill.

(3) Share your faith. Can you tell your story of how you came to trust in Christ? Could you take someone through the essentials of believing in Christ?

(4) Manage your resources. Manage your time, talent, treasures, material assets, skills and spiritual gifts.

(5) Worship. Worship is more than singing a song. It is bringing to God a prepared heart and mind, engaging in prayer and God's word. How do you worship in spirit and truth?

Obviously, there is more than these five things we should know how to do. But as James Emery White challenged me...don't you think we all ought to know how to do at the very least these five?

Blessings,

P.S. Our very own, Gina Boe, will be leading our worship time this Sunday with Kids Corps! It's going to be great and you won't want to miss it. I'll be wrapping up our UNLEASHED series with a message entitled, "What to do when you haven't a clue!" See you at our 9:00 or 10:30am service!

Disciples Are Us

I don't know about you but I need to be reminded about certain things on a regular basis, things such as: drink more water, exercise regularly, take my probiotics and vitamins, eat properly. The same is true in my spiritual life. I need to know and remember certain things like; prayer is important, obeying God's word is crucial, daily submitting my life to the Lordship of Christ is necessary.  There are certain things we need to know and remember about discipleship. Since "making disciples" is our mission as a church let me share with you some things you need to know. It takes a disciple to make a disciple (Ephesians 4:11-12) Real disciples make disciples which means if you're not actively making disciples, you probably aren't a disciple. You don't have to arrive spiritually before you begin making disciples (Philippians 3:12-14). The early church made disciples before they had a New Testament. You don't have to have a printed curriculum to make disciples. You need a willing heart and the openness to say and ask "this is what God is showing me and teaching me from His Word...what about you?" Completing a course doesn't make you a disciple maker. Actually making disciples makes you a disciple maker. Disciple making takes time. You can't hurry the process. We are constantly encouraging others and ourselves to become more like Jesus. Making disciples was Jesus' final command. It was His marching orders. It isn't optional or reserved for the pros. It is a command for all of us. If you would like to become a disciple maker and discover the joy of investing in others but don't know where to start, call me. I'll help you be a disciple maker starting today. Blessings, P.S. You won't want to miss the "surprise" in the message from Acts 23-24-25 that Pastor Mark will bring to life this Sunday! See you there!