This week I've been turning my attention to 2024 as I have been working on the budget and the preaching programme for the year.
This process inevitably raises for us what are our most significant priorities. Although we worship the sovereign Lord who rules the universe and has all time in his hand... we don't have infinite resources! We need to make decisions on how to best use the time and resources the Lord has entrusted to us.
As I share at every Newish Lunch and Supper, we're convinced that God's main concern in the world is seeing people reconciled to himself through Jesus. As we read in Colossians 1,
"For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him (Jesus), and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross."
That's God's agenda so it is our agenda too. As we make decisions and set priorities, we always come back to what God is doing and how we can be used by him in that most important task.
When it comes to deciding on what we're reading and preaching on in church each week we apply a few principles to help decide the Bible books and topics. We're convinced, like Paul in 2 Timothy 3 that,
"All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work."
This means that there is no part of God's word that is not good for God's people. We're also committed to preaching the 'whole counsel of God' (Acts 20:27) so we are hearing what God has to say and not just the bits we like to hear.
We apply this by making sure that each year we spend some time in a gospel (in 2024 it will be John), another book of the New Testament (continuing in Romans), something from the Old Testament (Psalms & Malachi) and then something doctrinal/topical (Church/The People of God). We also keep track of what we've covered in the past and what we're yet to read together as a church.
The aim of this all is to be making and maturing wholehearted followers of Jesus. So please be praying for 2024 that it will be a year where we continue to see God grow and mature the people of God.
Grace & peace,
Andrew
eNews - 20th October 2023