This last Sunday I had a great opportunity to preach at the church. This was somewhere between the 15th and 16th time preaching. I know I have a long ways to go and a lot of areas to grow in. In a lot of ways I feel inadequate to do his work. I feel that my preaching is not where it should be. But it amazes me how God has used me preaching and continues to use it.
My last sermon was on the end of Mark 8 verses 34-38. It was about following Jesus and the cost it takes. This has been a passion of mine lately. What it really means to follow Jesus with everything. We see in this verse a few key things. That we need to deny ourselves and live for Christ. We need to pick our cross to identify with Jesus in life and in death. We need to be willing to follow Jesus even if it costs us our life. We need to give up everything we old dear to in order to follow Jesus. I am not saying sell everything but to stop holding on to them, and do with them what we will. This is what it means to be a true disciple of Jesus, dying to ourselves in order to live for Christ.
The sermon will be available at this link for a couple weeks if you would like to hear it. http://driscollbaptist.org/Sermons.html?mode=preview
Love,
Dan
I pray that your are finding how to live better for Christ. If you have yet to know him I would love to talk to you about that some time.
Tuesday, July 13, 2010
Monday, July 5, 2010
Fundraising Philosophy
I am still loving my job so very much and I thought I would take some time on this blog to describe my philosophy behind youth fundraising. While I have only be doing this for a month I think I have learned some powerful truths.
Students have to pay their way to camp either them or their parents. Because of this we do a lot of fundraisers so students don't have pay as much. I believe camp can be a vital and impactful part of a students walk with Christ. Therefore I don't ever want money to stand in the way of a student going. But this in itself in a way can create a dilemma. After all we live in a money hungry society that often worships success and fame over the one true God. Therefore, I don't want me or the youth group to appear to be money hungry. We are suppose to rely on God and trust him to fulfill his will in our lives money or no money.
Which brings me to the fundraising itself. How can we show Christ's love and compassion and still earn money? I feel donations are the best way. While not all fundraisers will be just donations I feel that the majority should. Take for instance this last Saturday we did a car wash. We advertised as a free car wash, donations only, youth fundraiser. This way people paid what they could afford to pay. I honestly wish we could have washed some cars for people who couldn't afford it at all. But people feel obligated to pay something. We can show love and compassion by willing to do the work no matter the pay. If we view it as a ministry more then an opportunity to earn money. If we view as a chance to impact someone's life. Then we won't care how much they pay any money is a blessing. This goes with many of the fundraisers that I have been doing and will do.
I understand that not all fundraisers can be done with way for various reasons, but I have found the joy in serving instead of simply trying to earn some money.
In Him,
Dan
Students have to pay their way to camp either them or their parents. Because of this we do a lot of fundraisers so students don't have pay as much. I believe camp can be a vital and impactful part of a students walk with Christ. Therefore I don't ever want money to stand in the way of a student going. But this in itself in a way can create a dilemma. After all we live in a money hungry society that often worships success and fame over the one true God. Therefore, I don't want me or the youth group to appear to be money hungry. We are suppose to rely on God and trust him to fulfill his will in our lives money or no money.
Which brings me to the fundraising itself. How can we show Christ's love and compassion and still earn money? I feel donations are the best way. While not all fundraisers will be just donations I feel that the majority should. Take for instance this last Saturday we did a car wash. We advertised as a free car wash, donations only, youth fundraiser. This way people paid what they could afford to pay. I honestly wish we could have washed some cars for people who couldn't afford it at all. But people feel obligated to pay something. We can show love and compassion by willing to do the work no matter the pay. If we view it as a ministry more then an opportunity to earn money. If we view as a chance to impact someone's life. Then we won't care how much they pay any money is a blessing. This goes with many of the fundraisers that I have been doing and will do.
I understand that not all fundraisers can be done with way for various reasons, but I have found the joy in serving instead of simply trying to earn some money.
In Him,
Dan
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