WPC Ppgf'qSk9 on"Ǿ f57[%PS6z%u ճs13ydkИXޟYf违ǺRFlUjZr.S#3b8v[%3' BM>"gnVysY+Y+#|"-ڠI*{l~_X. ]gt)H;R/!R;^훻XQYtfBe__(ʢ={!0T\u82z,ߢpRHȲ޿1 -˩ #U Nw % 0:^ w4)8 m:vQU>EPSON Stylus CX6600 Series0(  Z6Times New Roman RegularX(\$CEUS.,a7 <6:i+003|xU  ' OEM0OEM .   \  `&Times New Roman \!CEUS.,  _   XX ONBECOMINGADISCIPLE#X X I# XX ԀI#X X #     Ihaverecentlyread Ask,Thank,TellbyCharlesR.Lane(AugsburgFortress:Minneapolis, # 2006)andreallyenjoyedhiscomparisonofmembershipvs.discipleship.Areyoua  congregationalmemberwhoattendsserviceregularly,orirregularly,andplacesanenvelopeon  theofferingplatesothatthepastorcanbepaidandthechurchbuildingmaintained?Orareyoua   disciplewhohasagrowingrelationshipwithJesusandhasthemarksofdiscipleshipaslistedby   MichaelFossin RealFaithforRealLife(AugsburgBooks:Minneapolis,2004)?Theyare: t  dailyprayer,dailyscripturereading,weeklyworship,growthingivingtothetitheorbeyond, a  servingothersinJesusname,sharingthefaithstorywiththeunchurched. N   Beingacongregationalmemberisnotabadthing,itjustdoesntgofarenough.Weallbenefit (x  fromattendingweeklyserviceandworshippingtogether.Andweallbenefitfromthejoywe e  haveinsharingourgoodtimesaswellasthesupportwegivetoeachotherwhentimesare R  tough.Wealsohavetotakeresponsibilityformaintainingthebuildinginwhichweworshipand ?  forassuringthatthepastor,organistandothersarepaid.Butweneedtogobeyondthis. Our , primaryrelationshipneedstobewithJesusratherthanourcongregation .  Disciplesseethatwhilethepastorleadsworshipandhasmanyotherduties,theyalsorealizethat  ministryisapartnership.AtRedeemerinLondon,ourweeklybulletinshowsJeffSmithasthe  pastorandtheMembersofRedeemerastheministers.  Missionsarenotsomethingthatisfaroffandthatiscarriedoutbyprofessionalsandvolunteers ] whohavesomefreetime.Missionworkstartsatthefrontdoorofourchurch(aswellasinside) J andneedstoinvolveallofus.Weneedtobewelcomingtonewcomers,toencourageirregular 7 worshipperstoattendregularly,andtoseeknewmembersamongtheunchurched.Eachofus $t needstoshareintheministryofourcongregationbyfullyusingourtimeandtalents.Another a wordfortalentsisgifts.Butwhogaveusthesegifts?Goddid!Sowecouldusethem!Disciples N useallthegiftsthattheyhavebeengiven.Thereareprobablytalents(gifts)thatareyouarenot ; usinginthispartnershipofministry.Takealookatalltheworkthatisrequiredinyour ( congregationandbeyond.SaythankstoGodforgivingyouthegiftsbyusingthem.Thiswillbe   thestartofdevelopingyourrelationshipwithJesus. !  X XXX USCE.,BobMcGee X X #  #  #! # n # # X X , #LondonConferenceResourcePersonforStewardship y$" #X XX X # X XXX Member,RedeemerLondon#X XX X z#CE.,US.,  f% #