We’re often so busy looking forward to the next thing, we forget to look around at the people alongside us on the journey.
I’m writing this in the middle of Advent, a season in which millions of Christians around the globe commemorate the first coming of Jesus. But Advent isn’t the celebration of Jesus’ birth. It’s all about the period of time leading up to his birth in which the world – the nation of Israel, in particular – awaited the coming of a Savior and Redeemer who would finally fix all the messes we’ve made.
Waiting makes us grumpy, doesn’t it? Waiting in line, waiting for our meal, waiting in a waiting room… explicitly designed for waiting.
Being grumpy may seem tame, but we can go much further when it comes to the big things in life. We can grumble and complain, store up resentment, become bitter, despair, and give up hope when the waiting seems endless.
THAT’s the subject of both a blog post I wrote today called In Seasons of Waiting, Learn to Love People, and the featured message idea this week (see below).
Just remember, during this hectic holiday season, that every time you have to wait for something, it’s an opportunity to become a little more like Jesus by showing compassion and focusing on the needs of others.
Keep on growing!
Brandon
This Week’s Big Sermon Idea
While We Are Waiting, Love People
Based on James 5:7-10
Just as Israel once waited for their Messiah to come and deliver them, we who believe Jesus is that Messiah now wait for God to finish his work of redeeming and renewing all things. And while we wait, our biggest assignment is to learn how to live with people, because we’ll be doing so for eternity.
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Creative Sermon Series Ideas from MinistryPass
My favorite resource for sermon series and message ideas, complete series graphics, and video bumpers (but NOT full notes) to get you started is MinistryPass! Each week, I’ll feature a series I would recommend checking out for the upcoming season of the church year. This week:
From the Description:
How can the church resist the temptation to become like the world? By creating a culture of goodness and love. This four-week series focuses on Scripture passages that illustrate how to be loving and good toward others.
Check Out This Sermon Series »
Upcoming Events
Exiles in Babylon: Theology in the Raw Conference
March 23-25, 2022 (Boise, ID)
To be a Christian is to be an exile. The Bible has a name for the country we’ve been exiled to: Babylon. As exiles living in Babylon, we need to think biblically, Christianly, indeed exilically—not partisanly—through cultural and political issues. This year, our topics include: The Future of the Church, Disability and the Church, Multiethnic Perspectives of American Christianity, a conversational debate on the Problem of Evil, and a pre-conference symposium on Women in Leadership!
Registration and More Information Here »
If you have an upcoming event relevant to pastors and church leaders that you’d like me to add to my calendar of events, feel free to message me!
Links and Resources for Pastors and Church Leaders
Links to resources I have found helpful, inspiring, thought-provoking, and sometimes entertaining.
- BOOK: Preaching and Teaching with Imagination: The Quest for Biblical Ministry
By Warren Wiersbe - ARTICLE: Why Unity Should Matter to Christians
By Rick Warren - ARTICLE: Good Leaders Know Who They Are – And Who They Are Not
By Ron Edmondson - RESEARCH: 2 in 5 Americans Believe We Are in the ‘End Times’
From LifeWay Research - ARTICLE: 10 Ways to Preach the Christmas Eve Sermon
By David Roseberry, The Anglican Compass - ARTICLE: Waiting in a Right Now World
By Terri Fullerton, Red Letter Christians
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About the Cover Art: Photo by Levi Meir Clancy on Unsplash.
Give Your Sermon Life Beyond This Sunday with Your Own Website
I work with pastors who 1.) don’t have a staff member dedicated to communications and 2.) don’t have the time to handle it all themselves to do the following:
- Create a website where you can host your sermon content so that it lives beyond Sunday.
- Transcribe your Sunday messages and edit them into articles and ebooks.
- Create short video clips and other social media posts from your sermon videos.
- Create and manage an email list so people can be updated when you’ve added new content.
- Meet monthly to coach you through some creative sermon planning and preparation.
If you believe I can help you, let’s talk!