The word action tells it all.
It is the opposite of do-nothing.
Keys for Christians to be people of action.
1. To be a person of action you must have
convictions.
2. To be a person of action you must have a
deep sense of mission and purpose.
3. You must stay excited about your
objectives and goals.
4. You must believe in the power of God for
all help.
5. Develop a fearlessness for the cause of
God and things that are right.
6. Develop well structured plans for
accomplishments.
7. Set high standards for your personal life.
8. Set deadlines for completion of Goals.
(Don’t be afraid to change it.)
9. Try to eliminate negativeness from your
vocabulary.
10. Pray and trust God for wisdom and power.
Bud Yoder
I just returned from a mission trip to South Dakota. We, Hope Missions, built a large building on the Crow Creek Indian Reservation.
There were people from 12 different churches, from Iowa, Missouri, South Dakota, Pennsylvania, and Maryland. With the help of God and 45 very willing, hard working people, the building went up in 4 days. This was just the shell, which included the slab, internal walls, and roof. Other people will come later to wire and finish the inside.
Everything in the building is completely paid for through the generous giving of
people. What a miracle to see people working together for the benefit of others!
The Crow Creek Indian Reservation is located at Fort Thompson, South Dakota. The county it is located in is the poorest county in the United States. They have 80% unemployed and are cursed with alcoholism. There is so much hopelessness and lack of believing in the future for these people.
The Diamond Willow Mission is doing all they can thru the children and a few adults who respond to the gospel. They distribute food once a week and feed many, many people daily. The children are being raised in broken homes and by grandparents because of alcohol. But, the few that respond are doing great and God is being glorified.
The world we live in is a dark place. And, a lot darker in some places. It ’s hard for me to understand in a great country like America, that we still have so many hungry and suffering people. There is something wrong with that picture. Everywhere we look anymore there are needs. Homes and families are being destroyed for the lack of money or too much money.
Could it be that we, as a country trying to live without God, are now suffering because of it? A country founded on Biblical principles now have put God out of our schools and public places. Maybe as a country we had better rethink our plans for the future and include God in them.
We have more churches and more professing believers in America than anytime in our history. We also have more crime of every kind, higher divorce rates, alcohol and drug epidemics, more abortions, and I could go on and on. We are leading the world in these areas, and yet we are the greatest power in the world. This proves the old saying, “power corrupts.”
We, in Williamsport, are only a dot on the map. But we can make a difference. Our city and county is a good place that could become even better, not worse. However, it will take commitment from everyone to help stop crime and the destruction of lives.
The breeding grounds of corruption is started in our youth. Our schools and homes must teach good morals and integrity. This influence is being replaced by TV and the internet. We can not afford to loose our youth and the next generation.
It’s wake up time in America. But it must start with me and you. Let’s together make a difference and bring this country back to God!
Chaplain Bud,
Christian Church at Cogan Station
The first danger is that churches get the idea that evangelism is left only to called evangelists.
The second danger is that churches will fail to acknowledge the importance of evangelism and evangelists.
The third danger is that evangelism may be tied to methods that are out dated.
The world or the culture is changing fast in America. I feel there is a real danger of programs replacing pure, raw evangelism.
The first reason I state is that churches think, or could begin to think, only evangelists can evangelize. This is just not true. We believe and teach the priesthood of all believers. We teach disciples to be disciple-makers. Salvation to the masses does not come without teaching and presenting God’s Word. This is the ministry of the whole body of Christ, not just evangelists.
The second danger would be that churches may fail to understand God’s purpose for evangelists and evangelism. Jesus gave the church the ministry of winning the lost. Evangelists have a special gift of winning people to the Lord. Evangelism is the message of the church. Without winning people to Christ, the church will die out as the older members die.
The third and maybe the greatest danger may be out dated methods. But, the message is still Jesus saves, Jesus saves. When churches depend on programs and busyness, and not the preaching of repentance and salvation, we are doomed.
The church is not a social club, but the body of Christ and our purpose is to redeem a lost and dying people to God through Jesus Christ.
In the Old Testament the prophets were commanded to sound the alarm. We, who have seen so many changes in the culture and the church, need to sound the alarm. All changes are not bad, and all changes are not good. What is good is the church producing transformed lives. Lives that are true disciples and ambassadors for Christ. Methods are bound to change, but the message is still a message of hope and salvation.
There is a message today being preached in liberal churches that it’s more important how you live, than the convictions you have. This is just not what God’s Word teaches. It’s convictions that bring people to repentance and salvation.
These teachings are also filtering into our Christian churches. The desire to be big mega churches has blinded the eyes of preachers who believe bigger is better. I believe we must grow but by the power of God, not deception.
We cannot go back to the old days and old ways, but we can still be true to God’s Word in new days. The church of Jesus Christ is the greatest thing on this earth. Let’s keep her to be pure and growing God’s way.
See ya in church,
Bud
1. Pray for ways God can use you in his kingdom.
2. Be early to any service or meetings you attend, this sends a message of anticipation.
Bring and invite others to your church.
3. Be a tither and giver so that God can bless you. Invest in God’s kingdom Your money follows your heart.
4. Volunteer when you see a need. God’s army is a volunteer army
5. Be an encourager to everyone. Kindness builds lives and relationships
6. Join a small group or start one. Get Connected to the body of Christ. We grow bigger by growing smaller.
7. Find ways to help others during the week. Be a load lifter.
8. Be positive about your church. Not every program or everything is for you, but everything is for God the body.
9. Be the best at whatever God has entrusted you with in his kingdom. Remember, we are all part of the whole.
10. Stay healthy spiritually. Churches grow because they are healthy and they produce healthy people.
Church growth is everyone’s business.
The Ten Best Ways to Kill the Church
1. Never volunteer for anything. Then you can criticize others because you didn’t do it.
2. Never invite or bring others to the church. That’s the preachers job anyway.
3. Never be on time, be late if possible to everything. Then you can see who is there when you arrive and others will notice you and be distracted.
4. Never give anyone credit for doing anything right. Complain always about everything, then people will know who you are.
5. Never tithe to the church. Give as little as possible, that way the church won’t waste your money.
6. Never agree to any changes. Insist every thing be done the same as it always has. Let everyone know this is how you feel about change.
7. Never allow anyone to take your parking spot or regular seat, remind people how long you have had them!
8. Never sing during worship. That way the worship leader will get the message of how you feel about the music.
9. Never come to church except Sunday mornings.
10. Never join a small group or class of any kind. Let others know you are spiritual enough.
Bud
People can be religious without being born again. To the world they appear to be godly people. It’s sad but true. On the other hand people who have true salvation will always be noticed, as born again, because of the fruit they bear.
Religion satisfies man’s mind.
Salvation satisfies man’s soul.
Religion puts on its best manners on Sunday, or when around other people.
Salvation believes itself everyday and everywhere, even when alone.
Religion is man working as hard as he can for God. Salvation is God working as hard as he can for man. Religion will make a man do a lot of things he doesn’t really want to do.
Salvation will make a man do only what he should do, because it’s the desire of his heart.
A man works on his religion.
Salvation works on a man.
Religion will cause a man to do good.
Salvation causes a man to be good and do good as well.
Religion will make a person look beautiful to others.
Salvation will make a person look beautiful to God.
Religion is concerned with showing the “Fruit of the Spirit”.
Salvation is concerned with possessing the “Fruit of the Spirit”.
(One will then automatically produce the “Fruit of the Spirit”).
Religion makes a man more pleased with himself than with God.
Salvation makes a man pleased with God, and never completely with self.
Religion is powered by love of self.
Salvation is powered by the love of God.
Religion allows a person to worry about how people are treating him.
Salvation causes a man to be concerned about how he is treating others.
Religion from the beginning of time, is what man has been trying to offer to God.
Salvation is what God, since time began, has been trying to offer to man.
Religion comes from the earth (man).
Salvation comes down from heaven (God).
Religion allows a man to compare himself with others and then settle down in a cozy little nest of self-satisfaction.
Salvation demands a man to compare himself with Jesus Christ, the model man, and then to pursue the never ending struggle to measure up to Jesus Christ.
Religion will make a man give away $1000.00 which he didn’t need anyway, because he can write it off of his taxes.
Salvation will make a man give away his last $10.00 to someone in need, because it’s a joy to give.
As you see religion is empty and a cheap imitation of the real thing, true salvation. To get religion you give up certain things. To get true, real, transforming salvation from God, which is free, you give up everything. And, you get everything you will ever need.
To be truly born again brings joy and peace. Real salvation is what Jesus Christ died for, and we live for. If we focus on religion we fail, but if we focus on God and His Word, we become victorious.
See ya in church,
Bud