Heart, Life, Community, World

In June of this year, the senior pastor of our congregation is going to retire from parish ministry after serving for forty years; fifteen of them were here in Fairbanks, Alaska. A lot of people talk about me filling his shoes when I become senior pastor. I always laugh and say that he’s taking his shoes with him when he moves and that I have my own shoes to fill.

But, all joking aside, one of the shoes that will need to be filled is the development, preparation and facilitation of a new member’s course. I started a while ago working on what I thought were the main ideas that needed to be discussed for those who were interested in membership at our congregation. Here’s my list. I’ve tried to break it down into sections that make it easier to follow. Almost two years ago, God inspired me one way or another to write down these four words: Heart, Life, Community, World. This, as I know see it, is a progression of the Christian life.

#1- God begins with the Heart.

            From Ezekiel 36:26- (The LORD said) And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh.

#2- In Christ, we all have new Life.

            From Romans 6:4- (Paul writes) We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life.

#3- By the power of the Holy Spirit, we are connected to the Community of faith.

            From Acts 2:46-47- And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts, praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved.

#4- Christians live by the Father, Son and Holy Spirit to proclaim the Gospel to all the world.

            From Revelation 21:1- (John writes) Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more.

Each of these topics would be divided up into two week sessions. There’s a lot to talk about in each of these pieces.

I’d be interested to hear what topics you would put under these headings, how you might divide it up and what you think is most important for someone who is new to the church to know. I plan to put my topics under each heading on another posting soon.