I'm really excited for our Service Day on Saturday! We're giving out 400 free lunches to people in our community! Why? To show the love of Christ in a practical way!

We still need people to step up and be a part. Can you come and serve?

Here's a thought. Some do "community service" because they have to. That is, as a part of a sentence a judge will sometimes make people do community service. But we, as Christ-followers, do community service because we get to! It reminds me of Mark 10:45:

"The Son of Man (Jesus) did not come to be served but to serve and to give His life as a ransom for many."

Thankful for and sharing Jesus!

James 2:17: ". . . faith without works is dead." In other words, don't just talk the talk; walk the walk! As we approach Saturday's Service Day, how can each one of us put our faith into action?

Do you have the courageous faith that is willing to help someone? As we transition to a church that increasingly values showing the love of Jesus to a jacked up world, each one of us is crucial.

Hope to see you there! It's going to be great!

I'm excited for Saturday and the Service Day. Thanks to everyone who signed up to help in various ways! Keep the Service Day in your prayers.

1 Peter 4:11: "If anyone serves, he should do it with the strength that God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ." Why does God get the praise "through Jesus Christ"? Because the strength comes from God through Jesus. So God gets the praise when we step out in faith and serve.

Hope to see you Saturday!

Jesus says, "Love your enemies," and we hate our enemies. Jesus says, "do good to those who hate you" and we do bad to them. Jesus says, "bless those who curse you," and we curse them. Jesus says, "pray for those who abuse you," and we are likely to visualize for their destruciton. Jesus' seemingly ridiculous list continues on. "To the one who strikes you on the cheek, off the other also and from one who takes away your cloak do not withhold your tunic either." But why be so extravagant and over the top with demonstrating love to those who do not deserve it? The simple answer is that there is no benefit if we do not. Luke 6:35: "But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return, and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, for he is kind to the ungrateful and evil."

Personally, these are very challenging words. How about for you?

Oh, and here's a community need I've identified -- the need for peacemakers. Every community has conflict where people become enemies. What can we do as the church to be peacemakers? Check out hispeace.org for an example of a systematic approach to ministry. Wouldn't this be a great Community Impact Team to have -- a peacemaking team?!!!

How many needs can you identify in your community? Here's a starter list based off of Sunday's message . . . I mentioned areas of poverty, imprisonment, blindness, and captivity. Here are some random thoughts.

Poverty Needs -- (economic poverty) job access, job training, sinking under a debt load, materialism as an idol, food, shelter . . . can you think of more? (education poverty) literacy, access to internet, ability to use computer, attaining high school or college degree . . . can you think of more? (medical poverty) uninsured or underinsured for catastrophe or serious illness that results in bankruptcy, conspiracy theories about the medical field . . . can you think of more? (justice poverty) injustice . . . (family poverty) conflicted relationships characterized by unhealthy conflict such as dominance, violence, abuse . . . (spiritual poverty) a lack of delight in God and childlike faith in Jesus to lead us.

What do you see as needs in your community?

Our Faith in Action study probes the topic of sharing what we have with others. Deuteronomy 24:19-22 instructs harvesters to leave overlooked grain "for the alien, the fatherless, and the widow." Olive pickers were to "leave what remains for the alien, the fatherless, and the widow." Ditto for grape harvesters. The motivation? "Remember that you were slaves in Egypt."

How do we fit this concept of planned sharing into our personal budgets? Not all of us are harvesting crops but we do have access to resources. Some have a "rainy day fund" that is fueled by fear and leaves little to nothing to share with others. Others are so burdened by debt that generosity is not even considered. But in a recession where jobs are lost and houses are foreclosed upon, there is plenty of need for generosity. Your thoughts.

One of the core biblical truths about Jesus is that He is the Son of God who was born as a baby boy at Bethlehem. He is "fully God" and "fully human." At the core of our faith in Jesus is this truth: redemption comes through divine detours.

Like Jesus, we are called to be part of God's plan. The Good Samaritan had a divine detour to help the man who was bleeding out by the road called "the Way of Blood." It cost him: risk, personal involvement, time, and money. But some times life's interruptions are God's opportunities. (Luke 10:25-32)

Let's stay ready for the "divine detours" God has for us this week. As one man said to me today, "If you are going to sincerely live out your belief, then take the detour."

Do you have a story of a divine detour that you can share?