Church Notes

Gotta love it when you go to a church that hands out the little half sheet of white paper with a basic outline of the message with blanks to fill in!

I went to Great Lakes church in Kenosha, WI today and for some reason just feel like sharing my notes and my thoughts. Italics are my thoughts.

Title: Elephant in the Room... Greed
Speaker: Dave Nelson

Greed
-Greed says, "Life is about me!"
Don't look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too. Philippians 2:4
-Greed is tamed by taking an interest in other people.
So encourage each other and build each other up... 1 Thes 5:11

Encouragement
-Encouragement brings change
Then he asked them "But who do you say I am?" Simon Peter answered, "You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God." Now i say to you that you are Peter (which means "rock"), and upon this rock I will build my church, and all the powers of hell will not conquer it. Matthew 16:15-17
-Encouragement creates confidence
Don't use foul or abusive language. Let everything you say be good and helpful, so that your words will be an encouragement to those who hear them. Ephesians 4:29
-Encouragement is a constant "yes" in a world that says "no."
...What you say flows from what is in your heart. Luke 6:45

How to encourage
-Proactively look for good in other people.
...bring Mark with you when you come, for he will be helpful to me in my ministry. 2 Timothy 4:11
If we are unfaithful, God remains faithful, for he cannot deny who he is. 2 Timothy 2:13
-Find multiple and creative ways to communicate the good you see in other people.

o Starting point: Do for one what you wish you could do for everyone.


The focus of the message was more on encouragement than greed. I really would have liked to hear more about greed. And my first thought (or second or third thought) is not to match greed and encouragement as opposites.

Anywho. One thing that stuck out to me was Philippians 2:4 which says "Don't look out ONLY for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too." What happens if you take that "only" out? It becomes "Don't look out for your own interests..." Honestly, I think of Christianity as being something where your goal is to be as selfless as possible. Like watching out for numero uno is a no-no, a sin. But when I read this it was like a shock to my system. I was like "Wait... so we can care about ourselves?" I really honestly think one thing that holds me back is the thought that I am supposed to be selfless. That one word "only" changes things. God says to me, "You have much to learn, my young apprentice..." and He lifts that burden from me.