It is the Sunday before Christmas. This will be the last RevWrites until next year as we normally have a generic bulletin over the holidays because the staff are away/beach mission/camps/Summer School or a combination of these and other things.
So what’s happening next year? 2010 will continue The Makeover. All small group leaders will be getting together for a weekend at the end of February to plan how all every member of a small group can be intentionally discipled. The leaders will be developing a plan for every individual in their group and for the group as a whole.
2010 will be the year we focus on intentionality. Why are we doing that? One big reason – Jesus is coming back to judge the whole world. Jesus came the first Christmas Day. He will return as he promised at the time appointed by the Father. On that day we want every member of our church to be ready to be presented to him.
We want you to be ready to be presented to God. If you were going to meet the Prime Minster you would get ready to be presented to him. If you were going to meet the Queen you would get ready to be presented to her. You are going to be presented to God and we want you to be ready.
The apostle Paul writes a bit about this in Colossians 1:
24 Now I rejoice in what was suffered for you, and I fill up in my flesh what is still lacking in regard to Christ’s afflictions, for the sake of his body, which is the church. 25 I have become its servant by the commission God gave me to present to you the word of God in its fullness 26 the mystery that has been kept hidden for ages and generations, but is now disclosed to the saints. 27 To them God has chosen to make known among the Gentiles the glorious riches of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.
28 We proclaim him, admonishing and teaching everyone with all wisdom, so that we may present everyone perfect in Christ. 29 To this end I labour, struggling with all his energy, which so powerfully works in me.
This is about the church (verse 24).
Ministers have the responsibility to present the word of God to church members (verse 25).
The mystery of the gospel has now been made known to every Christian (verse 26).
The gospel is for every nation and people group (verse 27).
Ministers and leaders proclaim Christ and disciple church members in order to present them to Christ (verse 28).
Leaders work hard, enabled by God’s great power, to present every person to God (verse 29). Our vision for NAC is that on the day of Jesus’ return every member will be ready to be presented to God. 2010 will help us all move towards that goal.
Robyn and I wish you all a joyous Christmas.
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