What if we brought Christmas -- the whole thing -- to a needy family? Tree, decorations, gifts, food, carols -- everything!

That was one email comment I received in response to the challenge to write a story of generosity. Other ideas included: putting shopping cart away at stores, raking leaves and cleaning windows, collecting food for the food shelf, and providing a public list  of skills available from different people -- then providing some sort of way for people to connect the need with the skill. Another idea was to provide a baby sitting service for a Couples Night Out.

Wow! Those are some great ideas! Keep them coming! Let's pray about this and see what God does!

Compassion moves us into the world. When Jesus told His followers to "Go and make disciples", they had a mindset of intersecting with the world. The typical Christian mindset today is to tell the world to "come" to us.

Mark 8:1-10 tells the story of Jesus feeding thousands of people through the miracle of transforming loaves of bread and a few fish into food for all those people. I notice that this happened in a remote place (verse 3) and because Jesus had compassion (verse 2). It's hard to know people's needs if you do not intersect with their world and "go" to them.

As you meet people this week, try to discern their need.  And if you have a heart of compassion, act on it.

If you see a need, let me know by clicking on comment.

A good story is like a virus -- it spreads all over. (I've had a cold for over a week and I'm ready to have it done!)

Yesterday I challenged the congregation to create a story that is so compelling that it gets talked about. I'd like to invite you into a conversation about ideas of beginning the story of generosity in our area. Perhaps we can do this through a church wide service project. Some ideas I offered to get your creative juices flowing include:car clinics, raking leaves, holiday meals, free root beer floats, food collection for the food shelf, handing out water at parades, washing windows, coffee giveaways, gift wrapping for Christmas, cleaning restrooms, free shoe shine, scraping fireplaces, cleaning chimneys, cleaning leaves out of gutters . . .

Let's talk about creating a story of generosity.

But just as you excel in everything—in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in complete earnestness and in your love for us—see that you also excel in this grace of giving. (2 Corinthians 8:7)

Generosity is diverse. Whether it's our time, our talents, or our treasures we can be generous. In a world that wants to take Christ calls us to give. That will change your marriage (Ephesians 5:25), your relationships (Ephesians 4:28) . . . everything. What is the potential for generosity to change your world?

Some curriculums for Children's Ministry moralize at the cost of connecting kids with Christ.

One curriculum took the story of Jesus calming the wind and the waves with a command and taught that Jesus was kind to His friends. The moral of the story? Be kind to your friends.

That curriculum missed the point. Jesus is so powerful that He can calm the wind and the waves with His words! This story is in the Bible to boost our faith in Christ (remember that Jesus chides His disciples for little faith -- Matthew 8:23-27). So the lesson should be about the power of Christ and His word. We apply this truth by teaching kids that Jesus is powerful to answer prayer. He just has to say the word and it's done.

Mark 10:14: "Let the little children come to Me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these" 

Our focus Sunday morning was on Jesus' heart for children and our Children's Ministries. Why are Children's Ministries so crucial? The video shows just how vulnerable they are. And if God's people don't reach out to them, who will? (Check out www.shalombaptist.org and click on "Messages" to hear/read this week's message.)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BG3kc1F5jmk