Some Important Elements in Ministry

Just as a food recipe must be followed to get the right result, there are certain elements that are essential to ministry to make it successful:

1. Communication. You may be a great preacher or orator, but if your day-to-day communication is lacking, you will have a lot of frustrated people around you, as well as yourself. Make it a point to communicate appropriately when someone sends you an email or leaves a message on your machine. Otherwise you are going to find yourself working alone because no one can stand to work with you because of your lack of communicatioin skills.



2. Integrity. Our enemy, Satan, is waiting and watching for opportunities to derail and discredit our ministries. It only takes one misstep for this to happen, so be careful how you handle the personal, business, and financial aspects of your ministry. Be transparent in your finances with lots of accountability so no one can accuse you of being dishonest. If you don't have a system in place for dealing with counseling or being around women, do so now. Don't give rides to women unless there are others in the car with you. Don't counsel women unless you have safeguards in place so nothing can be said that will cast doubt on your life or ministry. Leave a door open when you talk to a woman in your office during business hours, even if it is a staff member. Have your wife or husband help you in this if they are available.



3. Be Compassionate. People are going through things just like you are, so be compassionate and listen to them with an open heart. Concentrate on what they are saying, not what you want to reply. Listen to the person, to God, and then talk if you need to. No one wants to talk to someone who isn't interested in listening to them.



4. Watch Your Schedule. Sort what you are doing by the focus of your ministry, not because you want to feel important by having a lot to do. Think about how Jesus would handle His daily duties if He were here now. If you study the Gospels, you will see that one attribute of Jesus was that He was never too busy to help someone. For example, Jairus and the woman with the issue of blood. Make time for aloneness with God so He can rejuvenate you. Allot time for your family so your ministry doesn't override your family time together. Remember, that your family is a big part of your ministry. If your relationship with your spouse and children are in shambles, how can you be effective in what you are doing for God?



5. Stay close to God. If you are close to God you won't be digging at the last minute for a message to give on Sunday or whenever, He will supply it. If you are so busy you don't have time to prepare your messages, then something is wrong. Is your message a priority or an afterthought each week? God will give you what you need for those under your care if you are close to Him.

These are but five of the many areas that are important in ministry. Ask the Holy Spirit to help you to see what is happening in your ministry from God's point of view. Keep an open, humble heart before God so you can hear what He has to tell you.

A Woman's Heart

a sermon by Pastor Dan Langerock

“A Woman’s Heart”
Intro
Think for a moment about some of the things God has asked of you during your lifetime? Imagine the biggest one He has asked you to do? Or perhaps, think about what God is asking you to believe Him for in the near future. Something that is so momentous you can’t see how it can be accomplished? This is the scene we see as we look at Mary’s reaction and what follows, when the angel told her about the birth of Jesus through her.
Have you ever wondered why God chose Mary to bring the Son of God into the world. Today we will be looking at some of the attitudes that Mary had that were some of the reasons why God chose her for this momentous task
Luke 1:26-38
(Luk 1:26) In the sixth month of Elizabeth's pregnancy, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a village in Galilee,

(Luk 1:27) to a virgin named Mary. She was engaged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of King David.

(Luk 1:28) Gabriel appeared to her and said, "Greetings, favored woman! The Lord is with you! [Blessed are you among women.]"

(Luk 1:29) Confused and disturbed, Mary tried to think what the angel could mean.

(Luk 1:30) "Don't be afraid, Mary," the angel told her, "for you have found favor with God!

(Luk 1:31) You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you will name Him Jesus.

(Luk 1:32) He will be very great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give Him the throne of His ancestor David.

(Luk 1:33) And He will reign over Israel forever; His Kingdom will never end!"

(Luk 1:34) Mary asked the angel, "But how can this happen? I am a virgin."

(Luk 1:35) The angel replied, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the baby to be born will be holy, and He will be called the Son of God.

(Luk 1:36) What's more, your relative Elizabeth has become pregnant in her old age! People used to say she was barren, but she's now in her sixth month.

(Luk 1:37) For nothing is impossible with God. "

(Luk 1:38) Mary responded, "I am the Lord's servant. May everything you have said about me come true." And then the angel left her.


· She had a normal human reaction to the news initially, just like any of us would have. But she didn’t let that reaction keep her from the blessing that was about to be given to her. Remember, by contrast, Moses made all kinds of excuses when he was asked by God to lead the Israelites out of Egypt.
· She asked the angel a question, again like many of us would have done. But she didn’t let the questions she was thinking about get in the way of her blessing. Sometimes we have so many questions, we cancel out our blessings by not going forward with what God has for us.
· Mary’s faith took over at this point when the angel told her that “nothing is impossible with God”. This is when we need to remember all the times God has bailed us out of impossible circumstances. This is one lesson the Israelites never remembered when they were traveling from Egypt. Every time they ran up against a problem or an enemy they forgot what God had done for them already. So we , too, need to transfer our faith from one circumstance to another in our lives just as Mary did when the angel brought her this good news.
· Mary now ends the passage with a humble attitude before God. She is a faithful servant waiting to be assigned one of the greatest honors in history. Yet, she didn’t let it make her prideful. God knew the effect already that this news would have on her. God has many assignments for us in this life as well, some are greater than others. But we need to make sure they don’t make us prideful. Otherwise we are in danger of losing our blessing from the Lord.
Luke 2:21-51
· (Luk 2:21) Eight days later, when the baby was circumcised, He was named Jesus, the name given Him by the angel even before He was conceived.
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· (Luk 2:22) Then it was time for their purification offering, as required by the law of Moses after the birth of a child; so His parents took Him to Jerusalem to present Him to the Lord.
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· (Luk 2:23) The law of the Lord says, "If a woman's first child is a boy, he must be dedicated to the LORD."
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· (Luk 2:24) So they offered the sacrifice required in the law of the Lord—"either a pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons."
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· (Luk 2:25) At that time there was a man in Jerusalem named Simeon. He was righteous and devout and was eagerly waiting for the Messiah to come and rescue Israel. The Holy Spirit was upon him
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· (Luk 2:26) and had revealed to him that he would not die until he had seen the Lord's Messiah.
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· (Luk 2:27) That day the Spirit led him to the Temple. So when Mary and Joseph came to present the baby Jesus to the Lord as the law required,
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· (Luk 2:28) Simeon was there. He took the child in his arms and praised God, saying,
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· (Luk 2:29) "Sovereign Lord, now let Your servant die in peace, as You have promised.
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· (Luk 2:30) I have seen Your salvation,
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· (Luk 2:31) which You have prepared for all people.
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· (Luk 2:32) He is a light to reveal God to the nations, and He is the glory of Your people Israel!"
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· (Luk 2:33) Jesus' parents were amazed at what was being said about Him.
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· (Luk 2:34) Then Simeon blessed them, and he said to Mary, the baby's mother, "This child is destined to cause many in Israel to fall, but He will be a joy to many others. He has been sent as a sign from God, but many will oppose Him.
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· (Luk 2:35) As a result, the deepest thoughts of many hearts will be revealed. And a sword will pierce your very soul."
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· (Luk 2:36) Anna, a prophet, was also there in the Temple. She was the daughter of Phanuel from the tribe of Asher, and she was very old. Her husband died when they had been married only seven years.
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· (Luk 2:37) Then she lived as a widow to the age of eighty-four. She never left the Temple but stayed there day and night, worshiping God with fasting and prayer.
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· (Luk 2:38) She came along just as Simeon was talking with Mary and Joseph, and she began praising God. She talked about the child to everyone who had been waiting expectantly for God to rescue Jerusalem.
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· (Luk 2:39) When Jesus' parents had fulfilled all the requirements of the law of the Lord, they returned home to Nazareth in Galilee.
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· (Luk 2:40) There the child grew up healthy and strong. He was filled with wisdom, and God's favor was on Him.
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· (Luk 2:41) Every year Jesus' parents went to Jerusalem for the Passover festival.
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· (Luk 2:42) When Jesus was twelve years old, they attended the festival as usual.
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· (Luk 2:43) After the celebration was over, they started home to Nazareth, but Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem. His parents didn't miss Him at first,
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· (Luk 2:44) because they assumed He was among the other travelers. But when He didn't show up that evening, they started looking for Him among their relatives and friends.
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· (Luk 2:45) When they couldn't find Him, they went back to Jerusalem to search for Him there.
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· (Luk 2:46) Three days later they finally discovered Him in the Temple, sitting among the religious teachers, listening to them and asking questions.
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· (Luk 2:47) All who heard Him were amazed at His understanding and His answers.
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· (Luk 2:48) His parents didn't know what to think. "Son," His mother said to Him, "why have You done this to us? Your father and I have been frantic, searching for You everywhere."
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· (Luk 2:49) "But why did you need to search?" He asked. "Didn't you know that I must be in My Father's house?"
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· (Luk 2:50) But they didn't understand what He meant.
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· (Luk 2:51) Then He returned to Nazareth with them and was obedient to them. And His mother stored all these things in her heart.
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His Peace

by Dan Langerock

Let Me speak into your heart
The peace I have for you.
Then, trust me completely,
And watch what I will do.

Ministry of Hope

By Dan Langerock

There are so many people in need of encouragement nowadays with the economy being what it is. Stress in people’s lives is at a breaking point and they need to know someone cares about them. I am putting forth a challenge for the Christian community and others who want to use their gifts to help others. Here is the idea:
I believe there are many of you out there with gifts the Lord has given you for singing, playing instruments, encouragement and a host of others. Why not use them to benefit our nation by going in your own city, area and wherever God leads you to spread this hope from God? One person cannot hope to meet all the needs our country has, but all of us working together can make a difference for God, and even an impact. That is the true point of being a Christian, to make an impact for God wherever you go.
We cannot accomplish this momentous task in our own strength because we are not strong enough in ourselves. The issues are too complex. The problems are too big for our wisdom. That is why we need the marvelous wisdom of God that transcends description. We need His power and His love and His wisdom to accomplish the seemingly impossible. Jesus said, “What is impossible for man is possible with God.”
You don’t have to be perfect to be able to use that gift God has given to you. If you will step out in faith, I believe God will work in a wondrous way in our beautiful country of America. Everyone, at some point in their lives needs hope and encouragement. There are many without jobs, places to live, and most of all hope for the future to believe once again. It has all been drained out by what they have been through, just as things may have happened in your life as well.
So, what can you do? Pray about how God wants you to help our nation, first of all. Then use the gifts God has given you to show people the love of God in your neighborhood and city. If we put God in a small box we will get small results. However, if we let Him out of the proverbial box and believe with all our being, God will do wonders for America---one person at a time.
I am challenging every Christian in America to at least pray for God to move in a mighty way in the hearts of Christians everywhere. Then, step out in faith and do what you have prayed about. Get out there and encourage people. If you play an instrument or sing, use those gifts wherever you can. It doesn’t matter what your gift is, the point is to use it for the glory of God.
One church I know of is making quilts for people at a mission to keep. So look for needs in your own sphere of influence: where you work, shop, and everywhere you go. The Bible tells us that wherever Jesus went, He did good for others. If we claim to be Christians and His disciples, can we do any less than He did?
Thank you for praying and joining us in our Mission of Hope to America. You will be truly blessed if you pray about this and then act upon it by using what God has given you. Remember, we are not to be a reservoir but a funnel of His blessings to those around us. God bless you as you obey.

The Two Blind Men

by Dan Langerock

I once was blind and could not see
A beautiful rose or cypress tree.
A man’s color I could not begrudge
For sightless men cannot prejudge.

A man I knew was also blind,
But his was centered in his mind.
His hate was plain for all to see.
I think my blindness was the best to be.

Someone Special

by Dan Langerock

Dedicated to Ginger
My One and Only Sweetheart

Is there someone special
Who prays for you each day?
It helps to lift your burdens
When problems come your way.

Is there someone special
To stand with you in prayer?
It gives your heart a comfort
To know someone is there.

The Last Time

by Dan Langerock

It’s the last time I can hold you
On this side of the grave.
They tell me to be strong.
I don’t feel like being brave.

Someday when I get there,
I will knock on heaven’s door.
Then we’ll be together,
And I will hold you once more..