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How Are We Known
By Pastor Daniel Dennis
Read the
Good News. It's from the Book of Ephesians (1:18-23). Paul's letter to the church at Ephesus. This is a favorite
church of Paul. Paul loves this church.
"I've
heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love towards all the saints, and
for this reason I do not cease to give thanks for you as I remember you in my
prayers. I pray that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of Glory, may
give you a spirit of wisdom and revelation as you come to know him so that with
the eyes of your heart enlightened you may know the hope to which he has called
you which are the riches of his glorious inheritance among the saints and what
is the immeasurable greatness of his power for us who believe."
When you pray for Otterbein United Methodist
Church of Boiling Springs, what do you pray for? When you think of this church
and the people in it, what she is today, what she's been in the past, what
she's called to be in the future, what do you pray for? My hope would be that
as we pray for each other and for this church we would frame our prayers in
terms of faith. Not to put aside everything else, but simply to put faith at the
very top of the list of that which we want to be and become. Did you hear what
Paul called the church at Ephesus?
A people of faith. Oh, we can have lots of wonderful things in this church that
we'll be noticed for. Just think of the things that you know we are noticed for
in this community.
You can't drive down Forge Road and not notice this gorgeous
building. You can't go into the beautiful sanctuary and not have a sense of
reverence and spirituality. We can be known for the wonderful music program,
that doesn't just add to our worship, it literally enhances it. We can be known
for a top-notch tremendous staff (paid/volunteer) that I can tell you are just
marvelous people to work with. We can be known for our youth & mission
program. We can go on and on. But if we aren't known for our faith, we'll never
be a great church. And why? Why would we want to be anything less than a great
church? So I ask you again. What do you pray for when you pray for Otterbein?
Paul said to that church he loved, "I
have heard of your faith in Jesus and love for all the saints." Is that
what people know about us?
Pastor
Dan Dennis
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