I was running on the Centennial Trail outside Woodland Park, Colorado – a practice I wouldn’t recommend unless you’re in shape and at least somewhat acclimated to the 8,400’ elevation. Rounding the bend I came across this non-denominational church sign – hmm.
I wonder if they’ve got sermons soaking wet with Jesus Christ and what He’s done for you? (I checked. They don’t.) Which is exactly what you’d expect from a sermon series titled “Your Next Step.” So what is your next step? “Jesus answered them, ‘This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent’” (John 6:29 ESV).
Here is a link to their sermon archive, have fun. http://www.wpcchurch.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=76&Itemid=29
Running at high altitudes, I would be wet with sweat and I hope my next step would not entail upchucking, but I usually spiritually regurgitate seeing most sermon titles, this one included.
In my vicarage year in a Chicago suburb, another congregation hosted a youth ministry called “Son City”. In this small church they literally packed in 300 kids once a week. A brilliant college student from my vicarage congregation kept telling me I have to go. I went. After “small group” sessions in which on the pre-text of a Greek interp of a Bible verse which the leader got tongue-tied trying to pronounce, we had a marshmallow fight , we all converged on the sanctuary, rock music blazing and 300 youth chanting “Son City, Son City”. After being kept from entering for several minutes, we were allowed in. There were the requisite skits, songs and hi-jinks. Then the youth minister’s talk was a 20 minute travelogue of a family vacation, at times humorous ending with the punchline: “In any journey with Jesus, yours is the next step”.
Now MY next step, in any spiritual journey, is best summed up in Proverbs 26: 11: “Like a dog that returns to his vomit is a fool who repeats his folly.”
Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. (Galatians 5:25)
How about this –
Sermon Series:
Law & Gospel
You go running with a camera??? 🙂
Sometimes I run with a small digital camera. I’m a pilot, and we fly to a lot of really nice places, so I’ll often grab the camera to take photos of God’s good creation, and man’s poor theology!
Your next step? “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins.”