January 16, 2009

It’s amazing that it is already 2009…it makes me want
to rent 2010: A Space Odyssey and see what life is supposed
to be like next year. What is a new year without new
year’s resolutions? I have been trying to wake up early and
work out three mornings a week; so far, so good. If you
have never read Jonathan Edward’s resolutions before,
look at this website:
www.reformed.org/documents/Edwards/j_edwards_resolutions.html.
I pray that you will not be overwhelmed by his piety and
thorough deliberateness, but rather that he will encourage
you to resolve to accomplish something difficult yet important,
always dependent on God’s grace.

One resolution that some of you may have made in the
past is to read through your Bible in its entirety. If you’ve
never done this before, I strongly encourage it. One good
Bible reading plan is that of Robert Murray M’Cheyne. He
was a Scottish pastor who died in his early 30’s, but even
by that time the Lord had given him a full measure of godliness
and grace. You can find his reading schedule at this
website:

http://www.wholesomewords.org/biography/bmcheyne5.html.

One problem with Bible reading schedules is that you
aren’t always faithful to keep them, and then you get so
discouraged that you stop keeping to it altogether. One
way I combat this is to use a “reverse” Bible reading chart.
Rather than telling me what I need to be reading, I tell it
what I have read. If you’d like me to email you a copy, let
me know. I will also ask Joshua Mitchell to put it up on our
website on the Resources page. Christians should be people
of the book, especially those of the Reformed, Presbyterian
tradition. May God give us continually a longing to
know his word like newborn babies long for milk (I Peter
2:2-3)!

Back in November, the elders discussed the need to
form certain committees in order to give greater order
and organization to the ministry of our church (cf. I Cor.
14:33, 40), and to utilize the gifts of God’s people for ministry
more effectively (cf. Eph. 4:11-16). It has been said
that the church is an “organized organism,” and while much
ministry is happening among us organically all the time, committees
help to give direction and structure to the work of
God’s people. One of these committees is the Finance Committee,
which has been charged by the Session with reviewing
the financial situation of the church throughout the year
and making recommendations to the Session pertaining to
the budget. I mentioned this past Sunday morning that the
Session also wants to form a Missions Committee.

Now, again, the word “committee” may turn some of
you off. You may think them to be ineffective. You may think
them to be too much work. You may think them to be a
waste of time, just another meeting and counterproductive
of true ministry. But we desire and envision this Missions
committee to be a working and delegating committee that
would wonderfully aid in filling one of the holes we perceive
in our church’s ministry: our weakness in influencing the
world for Jesus Christ through reaching the lost both at
home and abroad. The purpose of the Missions Committee
would be manifold: to pray deliberately for our evangelistic
efforts, our missionaries and local ministries; to cultivate a
heart for missions among our congregation, by giving missions
updates in the newsletters and in our worship services,
by planning missions conferences, and by keeping us informed
about the prayer needs of the missionaries and ministries;
to brainstorm about ways our congregation can get
personally involved in missions, according to the pattern set
out for us in Acts 1:8 – in Jerusalem (Algood School), Judea
(Putnam County/the Upper Cumberland), Samaria (the
United States), and the remotest parts of the earth (the
world); to plan more mission trips in the states and around
the globe; and to recommend to the Session new missionaries
and ministries to support as a church. If you have a desire
to be a part of such a committee, please let me know. Sometime
in early February we will, Lord willing, get together and
talk about what we can do to further the Lord’s Great Commission.

Caleb