Be a player

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I just returned home from a Cardinals vs Reds game at the new, way cool, Busch stadium in St. Louis, Missouri with my family and new found pastor friend, Matt Keller from Ft. Myers, Florida - Next Level Church. By the way, the Cardinals WON 4 to 3 (I think). Something cool; my former neighbor here in Olathe just moved to St. Louis and works the grass there at the stadium! So, we got to go down and get a fly ball he set aside for us - pretty cool! I am such a nice guy I gave the ball to Matt... he is a major Baseball fan. I am more a Football guy.

I did eat food I would never admit too... all part of the experience!

But keeping with the whole Baseball theme - I want to talk about the whole WHAT IS THE PURPOSE OF CHURCH thing. There are a lot of thoughts out there... and I do believe that the model we here at OLF hold to is the BIBLICAL model, and that is this:

PURPOSE OF CHURCH




  • For the Christian - The church should be a place we can come and use our God given talent and gifts to to further perpetuate the mission and vision of Jesus which is to, "seek and save the lost". As a Christian, we should NOT be coming to church just to sit on our little cushy tushy and WATCH. We should be PLAYERS! And I consider those who work the grass as PLAYERS, the ball boy is a PLAYER, the security guards are PLAYERS and for sure those who yell, "BEER HERE... BEER HERE..." are PLAYERS! All working together to make for a wonderful experience for those who come - the CROWD. Who I consider to be the UN-CHURCHED. As a player (Christian) we come to GIVE! As Christians we get our MEANING and SIGNIFICANCE from being a part of fulfilling God's purpose here on earth through the local church.




  • For the UN-Churched - The church should be a safe place they come to find meaning, and purpose in life through the life changing Gospel of Jesus Christ - all in a non-weird, fun, simply, life-applicable, friendly way! An un-churched person should feel that like, "this experience was all for me."


I am conviced that the quote from Zig Ziglar, "If you help enough other people get what they want, you'll always get what you want" is TRUE!


I think we as Christians have been so selfish when it comes to church! We've (me included) have felt that church was FOR ME. And in a way it IS FOR YOU... it's for you to USE your gift and SERVE GOD to reach people for God!


So, if you are a Christian, like me, prayerfully consider altering your thoughts about church and begin to partner with God through the local church to help people.


Jesus said, "I've come to SERVE not BE SERVED". "Be ye therefor imitators of God".


- Timmy