As another year comes to a close, its healthy for us to look back over the past twelve months and ask, “Are we on mission? Have we been doing the things that God has called us to as a church family?” While numbers are not the most reliable indicators of success in ministry, they do help us to see if we are involved in things that are in line with the mission and vision God has given us. Let’s take a look at some of the numbers that relate to being a church where lives are changed “One Person at a Time”.
Share the Story - The story of what God is doing in the world through Jesus Christ is a story worth sharing! As a church, we “Share the Story” in many ways—through sermons and Bible classes, special seminars and events. In addition, 2009 saw over 100 youth and adults participate in a variety of short-term mission trips, sharing the story of Christ from Mexico to Massena, and from Africa to Germany. Thousands of hours and tens of thousands of dollars were committed to sharing the story with those who have not heard.
Grow in Christ - Growing in Christ is a lifelong journey. As a church family we are committed to taking that journey together, submitting ourselves to God’s ongoing work of growth and maturity. In 2009, we experienced many “seasons” of growth at Pleasant Ridge. Winter and spring brought growth to the over 100 students and adults who participated in Leadership Training for Christ. The summer saw growth in the lives of almost 250 kids, counselors, and staff who attended Day Camp, Day Trek, and camps at Harding and Pettijohn Springs. Fall brought new opportunities for growth as over 100 participated in our first Family Retreat, and as 130 registered for our first season of Grow Groups.
Go and Serve - As followers of Christ, we are called to live lives of service to God and others. We see this over and over throughout the New Testament as we follow the life of Christ and read the writings of Paul, James, and the other biblical authors. In fact, service is what we were created for! Ephesians 2:10 reminds us that “[W]e are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.”
This year we have seen our vision to “Go and Serve” become a reality as more of our members devoted themselves to serving in our church and community. From preparing and serving during our worship times to teaching classes to young and old, we serve one another each week. As more of our church family move outside our walls to teach life skills to those in economic, relational and spiritual crises, as well as carry “The Story” of God’s great love to those who have not heard, we serve those not yet connected to the Body of Christ.
One of the big areas of service for 2009 has come through a growing relationship with Miller Elementary. Miller is less than a half-mile west of our property on Pleasant Ridge Road. Miller represents hundreds of families surrounding our building that need a tangible reminder of God’s love for them. This year our members have served the families and faculty of this school by providing food and cards of encouragement during TAKS time, purchasing backpacks and school supplies for more than twenty students, and supplying multiplication flash cards for the entire 4th grade. However, probably the most significant act of service came in the form of scholarships that gave eight students the opportunity to attend Camp Heavenbound. More are expected to come in 2010.
There are many more numbers we could look at to “measure the mission” in 2009. Perhaps the most significant number is “one”. As each one of you gave of your time, your energy, your abilities, and your finances, you increased our ability as a church to “Share the Story, Grow in Christ, Go and Serve”.
Friday, November 20, 2009
Thursday, November 19, 2009
Contribution FAQ
1. Do I need to use a contribution envelope? If your contribution is less than $250, you need to use an envelope if you want a tax statement at the end of the year. Checks for $250 or more are posted even if they are not in an envelope per IRS regulations. When using the envelopes, you only need to write the amount on the outside of the envelope.
2. Can I contribute online? Yes. You can use your bank’s bill payer system. The checks are mailed to the church directly by your bank. These are included in the following Sunday’s contribution.
3. Is it okay to just write one check a month? Yes. Purpose cards are based on a weekly amount; however, writing a check once a month is perfectly fine. Just remember that four months have 5 Sundays.
4. Can I contribute stock? Yes. Just call the church office. They will give you the instructions for transferring your shares.
BONUS: How many verses in the Bible are about money? more than 2500!!
2. Can I contribute online? Yes. You can use your bank’s bill payer system. The checks are mailed to the church directly by your bank. These are included in the following Sunday’s contribution.
3. Is it okay to just write one check a month? Yes. Purpose cards are based on a weekly amount; however, writing a check once a month is perfectly fine. Just remember that four months have 5 Sundays.
4. Can I contribute stock? Yes. Just call the church office. They will give you the instructions for transferring your shares.
BONUS: How many verses in the Bible are about money? more than 2500!!
Wednesday, November 18, 2009
If Not me?
About 3,500 years ago, Moses asked a simple question – “Why me?” Why indeed? Moses’ question was actually in response to God’s directive – go back to Egypt, confront the ruler of the most powerful nation on earth, and lead the Israelites out of slavery and into a life of uncertainty in a wilderness desert. Thus, Moses asked his famous “why me” question in Exodus 3:11. Putting myself in his shoes, I might have had a stronger response.
Luckily for the Israelites, for their Jewish descendants, and for all the Christians of the past two thousand years, the Lord didn’t take no for an answer. Instead, he pointed out to Moses, “I will be with you.” God made it clear that he would open doors as needed. When Moses whined that he was “slow of speech and tongue,” God immediately provided. It turns out that his brother, Aaron, had the gift of gab.
Fast forward to 2009, and we often find ourselves asking – I often find myself asking – “Why me?” Why indeed? Why should I commit to driving the church van, serving communion, helping with a children’s Bible class, or providing a ride for somebody who can no longer drive themselves? Why should I commit to giving a thousand dollars, a hundred dollars, even a dollar a month to the church?
In Moses’ case, the answer ultimately became evident. “If not me, then who,” he might have asked himself. Who else was so uniquely placed to become an advocate for the Israelites? Who else was of Israelite blood, but had political connections with the Pharaoh? Moses was the obvious choice. He realized that, and accepted that God would give him the tools to get the job done.
Here in 2009, we are Christians, the sons and daughters of God. We are chosen to be God’s children and as such, to serve God, to serve the body of Christ, and to serve our neighbors. Like Moses, we are uniquely placed. So why should we give? Why indeed? Here are some reasons.
We should give because it is plainly evident throughout the Bible that our giving pleases God. In one story, Jesus cherished a widow and her gift – not because it was a large sum of money, but rather because it was what she was able to give, and it was given from her heart.
We should give because we plainly benefit from being part of the church, the body of Christ. We benefit from Ryan’s preaching, from Terry’s empathy and compassion, from Pat’s ministry to our seniors. We benefit from Tim’s labors to bring us together through grow groups. We benefit from Carlos’ gift for bridging cultures. We benefit from Travis’ and LouAnn’s programs that help equip us to raise our children. We benefit from the friendships we share and the encouragement we receive. We benefit from an amazing facility that provides us a comfortable, safe place to worship, as well as being a gathering place to have fun, to celebrate our marriages, to mourn our losses. That’s a lot of benefit; what’s it worth to us?
We should give because we can. We live in one of the least recession-affected areas of the richest country in the world. Like Moses, we are uniquely placed, and we are equipped by God to give at some level. We have assets granted by God; we can afford to give some of them back.
And finally, each one of us should give for this simple reason – if not me, then who? If I don’t support our missionaries, then who will? If I don’t pay for office supplies and classroom materials, then who will? If I don’t keep the lights on in the building, then who will? If I don’t provide for those less fortunate than I, then who will? Who indeed?
Luckily for the Israelites, for their Jewish descendants, and for all the Christians of the past two thousand years, the Lord didn’t take no for an answer. Instead, he pointed out to Moses, “I will be with you.” God made it clear that he would open doors as needed. When Moses whined that he was “slow of speech and tongue,” God immediately provided. It turns out that his brother, Aaron, had the gift of gab.
Fast forward to 2009, and we often find ourselves asking – I often find myself asking – “Why me?” Why indeed? Why should I commit to driving the church van, serving communion, helping with a children’s Bible class, or providing a ride for somebody who can no longer drive themselves? Why should I commit to giving a thousand dollars, a hundred dollars, even a dollar a month to the church?
In Moses’ case, the answer ultimately became evident. “If not me, then who,” he might have asked himself. Who else was so uniquely placed to become an advocate for the Israelites? Who else was of Israelite blood, but had political connections with the Pharaoh? Moses was the obvious choice. He realized that, and accepted that God would give him the tools to get the job done.
Here in 2009, we are Christians, the sons and daughters of God. We are chosen to be God’s children and as such, to serve God, to serve the body of Christ, and to serve our neighbors. Like Moses, we are uniquely placed. So why should we give? Why indeed? Here are some reasons.
We should give because it is plainly evident throughout the Bible that our giving pleases God. In one story, Jesus cherished a widow and her gift – not because it was a large sum of money, but rather because it was what she was able to give, and it was given from her heart.
We should give because we plainly benefit from being part of the church, the body of Christ. We benefit from Ryan’s preaching, from Terry’s empathy and compassion, from Pat’s ministry to our seniors. We benefit from Tim’s labors to bring us together through grow groups. We benefit from Carlos’ gift for bridging cultures. We benefit from Travis’ and LouAnn’s programs that help equip us to raise our children. We benefit from the friendships we share and the encouragement we receive. We benefit from an amazing facility that provides us a comfortable, safe place to worship, as well as being a gathering place to have fun, to celebrate our marriages, to mourn our losses. That’s a lot of benefit; what’s it worth to us?
We should give because we can. We live in one of the least recession-affected areas of the richest country in the world. Like Moses, we are uniquely placed, and we are equipped by God to give at some level. We have assets granted by God; we can afford to give some of them back.
And finally, each one of us should give for this simple reason – if not me, then who? If I don’t support our missionaries, then who will? If I don’t pay for office supplies and classroom materials, then who will? If I don’t keep the lights on in the building, then who will? If I don’t provide for those less fortunate than I, then who will? Who indeed?
Tuesday, November 17, 2009
Turnabout is Fair Play
Okay – you say to yourself – I accept that I am duty-bound as a Christian to give of my time and my money. I’ve heard the Parable of the Talents, and I get it – it’s about me. I get it about stewardship. But – you say to yourself – I have one lingering question. The leaders of Pleasant Ridge have asked me to be a good steward. Here’s my question – are they? And how do I know that?
That’s a fair question. The elders have asked you to be a good steward, and turnabout is fair play. Are the elders, the ministry leaders, the Financial Planning Committee being good stewards of your offerings? Good question. Let’s talk.
Across the board, every ministry has been asked to hold the line on expenditures, and every ministry has done so, spending less than their allotted budget – two years in a row.
For instance, Youth has long been one of PRCC’s most vibrant ministries. But that doesn’t mean Travis Akins gets an unlimited budget, or even that he spends everything he gets. Several years ago, we had begun the practice of using two youth ministers to keep up with a plethora of work. Currently, Travis does it all by himself. And he’s doing it with a smaller budget than a year ago.
Mike Monroe has found a number of ways to help. For example, he orders fewer materials for adult classes; he has managed to cut costs for the annual teachers’ banquet, while keeping up the overall quality of the event. A lot of small things add up.
Our Children’s Ministry benefits from some hard work that was done years ago. Unlike many churches, we do not purchase a children’s curriculum because one was written for us. From that, we reap a double benefit: we have an extremely high-quality curriculum, and we save money every year that we don’t have to purchase somebody else’s material.
One of PRCC’s largest expenditures is pay and benefits. We have ministers, secretaries and property caretakers. Like the rest of us, they have mouths to feed, clothes to buy, college tuitions to pay. And yet, all of our staff members went without a raise in 2009. They’re helping control costs at the expense of their own paychecks.
Beyond pay is the enormous cost of health benefits. If you don’t think escalating health care cost is an issue, talk to Billy Rhodes, who has handled negotiations for Pleasant Ridge for years. Every year, Billy has gotten more creative in finding the best deals and keeping costs down. It’s not easy. Premiums, co-pays and deductibles are a constant balancing act. It’s a ritual dance that Billy goes through year after year in order to get the best bang for Pleasant Ridge’s bucks.
One of the largest Pleasant Ridge savings came last year in the form of a windfall. With natural gas prices shooting up, PRCC negotiated a lease that netted us a $345,000 signing bonus. Of that, some $300,000 was directly applied to our building loan. This was admittedly a controversial move and quite frankly, has received some criticism. However, it was a simple matter of practicing what we preach. The elders believe in – and the Greenleaf Ministry teaches – the practice of good stewardship by getting out of debt as quickly as possible, and not incurring further debt. This is exactly what was done in this instance. And along with paying down our debt, the strategy saved us nearly a third of a million dollars in interest. That’s not chump change. It will pay dividends in our future.
So, do the leaders of Pleasant Ridge practice good stewardship? We’re glad you asked. The short answer would be – we sure try.
That’s a fair question. The elders have asked you to be a good steward, and turnabout is fair play. Are the elders, the ministry leaders, the Financial Planning Committee being good stewards of your offerings? Good question. Let’s talk.
Across the board, every ministry has been asked to hold the line on expenditures, and every ministry has done so, spending less than their allotted budget – two years in a row.
For instance, Youth has long been one of PRCC’s most vibrant ministries. But that doesn’t mean Travis Akins gets an unlimited budget, or even that he spends everything he gets. Several years ago, we had begun the practice of using two youth ministers to keep up with a plethora of work. Currently, Travis does it all by himself. And he’s doing it with a smaller budget than a year ago.
Mike Monroe has found a number of ways to help. For example, he orders fewer materials for adult classes; he has managed to cut costs for the annual teachers’ banquet, while keeping up the overall quality of the event. A lot of small things add up.
Our Children’s Ministry benefits from some hard work that was done years ago. Unlike many churches, we do not purchase a children’s curriculum because one was written for us. From that, we reap a double benefit: we have an extremely high-quality curriculum, and we save money every year that we don’t have to purchase somebody else’s material.
One of PRCC’s largest expenditures is pay and benefits. We have ministers, secretaries and property caretakers. Like the rest of us, they have mouths to feed, clothes to buy, college tuitions to pay. And yet, all of our staff members went without a raise in 2009. They’re helping control costs at the expense of their own paychecks.
Beyond pay is the enormous cost of health benefits. If you don’t think escalating health care cost is an issue, talk to Billy Rhodes, who has handled negotiations for Pleasant Ridge for years. Every year, Billy has gotten more creative in finding the best deals and keeping costs down. It’s not easy. Premiums, co-pays and deductibles are a constant balancing act. It’s a ritual dance that Billy goes through year after year in order to get the best bang for Pleasant Ridge’s bucks.
One of the largest Pleasant Ridge savings came last year in the form of a windfall. With natural gas prices shooting up, PRCC negotiated a lease that netted us a $345,000 signing bonus. Of that, some $300,000 was directly applied to our building loan. This was admittedly a controversial move and quite frankly, has received some criticism. However, it was a simple matter of practicing what we preach. The elders believe in – and the Greenleaf Ministry teaches – the practice of good stewardship by getting out of debt as quickly as possible, and not incurring further debt. This is exactly what was done in this instance. And along with paying down our debt, the strategy saved us nearly a third of a million dollars in interest. That’s not chump change. It will pay dividends in our future.
So, do the leaders of Pleasant Ridge practice good stewardship? We’re glad you asked. The short answer would be – we sure try.
Monday, November 16, 2009
Complete Generosity
We have a lot of misperceptions about giving. For instance, we tend to think of giving as limited to money. We tend to measure effective giving by the amount. We tend to emphasize giving to organizations. We tend to look at giving as a spending decision.
The problem with each of these misperceptions is that none of them captures Jesus’ concept of generosity. For Jesus, generosity was a lifestyle. For Jesus, generosity was defined not by how much a person gave but by their heart. For Jesus, generosity was about God and people. For Jesus, generosity was about spending yourself, not spending your money.
In one of His most challenging statements, Jesus told His disciples that “any of you who does not give up everything he has cannot be my disciple.” (Luke 14:33) To me, the most challenging word is this phrase is “everything”. If we are going to be true disciples of Jesus, then we are to give up everything we have. Everything. Period.
What would our lives look like if we gave up everything for Him? Would we spend more on our pleasure and comforts, or would be spend more earnestly meeting the needs of others? Would we jealously guard our free time, or would we seek out opportunities to serve people in need? Would we be dominated by insecurity, or would we fearlessly use of all our resources to glorify God and help people?
Here are a few suggestions for “giving up everything”:
- Give more than you’re giving now.
- Give to the Church, because that is where you’re spiritually fed.
- Give to the poor, because God identifies with the poor and commands us to help them.
- Give to people who share Christ with others, because God desperately cares for the lost.
- Give to your community, because God calls us to love our neighbor and make them better off.
- Give up an activity or purchase of value to you and use what you would have spent on helping someone else.
- Give of your money, which frees you from the bondage of materialism.
- Give of your time, because this keeps us from thinking of ourselves.
- Give of yourself, because what people really need today is relationship.
- Give of your talents, because God has uniquely gifted you to bless others and glorify Him.
- View everything that you have as coming from God and dedicated to His purposes.
Giving like Jesus calls us to give is not about money, and it’s not a spending decision…it is a lifestyle in which everything we have and everything we do is about glorifying God and serving people. May we be a church who is known for giving like Jesus!
The problem with each of these misperceptions is that none of them captures Jesus’ concept of generosity. For Jesus, generosity was a lifestyle. For Jesus, generosity was defined not by how much a person gave but by their heart. For Jesus, generosity was about God and people. For Jesus, generosity was about spending yourself, not spending your money.
In one of His most challenging statements, Jesus told His disciples that “any of you who does not give up everything he has cannot be my disciple.” (Luke 14:33) To me, the most challenging word is this phrase is “everything”. If we are going to be true disciples of Jesus, then we are to give up everything we have. Everything. Period.
What would our lives look like if we gave up everything for Him? Would we spend more on our pleasure and comforts, or would be spend more earnestly meeting the needs of others? Would we jealously guard our free time, or would we seek out opportunities to serve people in need? Would we be dominated by insecurity, or would we fearlessly use of all our resources to glorify God and help people?
Here are a few suggestions for “giving up everything”:
- Give more than you’re giving now.
- Give to the Church, because that is where you’re spiritually fed.
- Give to the poor, because God identifies with the poor and commands us to help them.
- Give to people who share Christ with others, because God desperately cares for the lost.
- Give to your community, because God calls us to love our neighbor and make them better off.
- Give up an activity or purchase of value to you and use what you would have spent on helping someone else.
- Give of your money, which frees you from the bondage of materialism.
- Give of your time, because this keeps us from thinking of ourselves.
- Give of yourself, because what people really need today is relationship.
- Give of your talents, because God has uniquely gifted you to bless others and glorify Him.
- View everything that you have as coming from God and dedicated to His purposes.
Giving like Jesus calls us to give is not about money, and it’s not a spending decision…it is a lifestyle in which everything we have and everything we do is about glorifying God and serving people. May we be a church who is known for giving like Jesus!
Tuesday, November 10, 2009
Budget is Not a Four Letter Word
At this time of year, businesses start working on their budgets for next year. Families start thinking about the possibilities that will come with the new year. It is no different for the church. We must develop a budget and a plan for the next year.
You might prefer to call it a “spending plan” rather than a budget. The first thing that must be determined with any spending plan is how much you have to spend. There is a big difference here between the church’s spending plan and your plan at home. The only way we can guess what our income will be is to depend on the congregation telling us what they plan to contribute. Naturally, economic conditions can change for families – sometimes for the good and sometimes not so good. Our prayer is that those who prosper more than expected make up for those who have fallen on bad times.
The spending side of a budget is the easier part for church budgets because we always know what we have been spending in each category. However, the ministry leaders of an active and alive church like Pleasant Ridge always plan to make each year better. This often requires more funding. You can be assured than any “extra” received will be put to good use.
Please prayerfully consider your planned giving for 2010. God commands us to do lots of things. He always knows what is best for us. Someone once said, “Giving is not God’s way of raising money; it is God’s way of raising people into the likeness of His Son.”
You might prefer to call it a “spending plan” rather than a budget. The first thing that must be determined with any spending plan is how much you have to spend. There is a big difference here between the church’s spending plan and your plan at home. The only way we can guess what our income will be is to depend on the congregation telling us what they plan to contribute. Naturally, economic conditions can change for families – sometimes for the good and sometimes not so good. Our prayer is that those who prosper more than expected make up for those who have fallen on bad times.
The spending side of a budget is the easier part for church budgets because we always know what we have been spending in each category. However, the ministry leaders of an active and alive church like Pleasant Ridge always plan to make each year better. This often requires more funding. You can be assured than any “extra” received will be put to good use.
Please prayerfully consider your planned giving for 2010. God commands us to do lots of things. He always knows what is best for us. Someone once said, “Giving is not God’s way of raising money; it is God’s way of raising people into the likeness of His Son.”
Monday, July 20, 2009
Shine - New Class on July 22
Several months ago, the Mission Support Team approached me to teach what was loosely defined as a “summer missions class”. Over several conversations, this idea morphed into what became the SHINE series, which will explore how God calls us to live lives that shine.
As Christians, we are to be light. We are to do good. We are to love others. We are to be different. We are to be like Christ. We are to shine. It’s an amazing concept and apparently a timeless one.
More and more people my age and younger are put off by “church”. They are tired of the bureaucracy. They are tired of the hypocrisy. They are tired of the staleness. What they long for is God and they oftentimes feel like the Church and Christians actually get in the way of God. (I am not saying I agree with this perspective, by the way…it just is what it is.) I think a big reason for this disconnect with younger people and Church is that we have Christians have lost the notion of living lives that shine. We have forgotten how important love, good deeds, and service are. We have forgotten that we don’t have to evangelize and proselytize if we are living authentically like Jesus. You see, a life like that kind of draws people to God on it’s own.
Here’s what the SHINE series is about…
· How God wants us to SHINE.
· Why a world of darkness needs Christians who SHINE.
· What people and churches who SHINE look like.
· How we can SHINE as people and as a church.
It starts on Wednesday 7/22 and goes for six weeks. I hope you can make it. I hope it blesses at least one person in their journey of discipleship. I hope it honors God.
His Peace, Jamie Mihillls
As Christians, we are to be light. We are to do good. We are to love others. We are to be different. We are to be like Christ. We are to shine. It’s an amazing concept and apparently a timeless one.
More and more people my age and younger are put off by “church”. They are tired of the bureaucracy. They are tired of the hypocrisy. They are tired of the staleness. What they long for is God and they oftentimes feel like the Church and Christians actually get in the way of God. (I am not saying I agree with this perspective, by the way…it just is what it is.) I think a big reason for this disconnect with younger people and Church is that we have Christians have lost the notion of living lives that shine. We have forgotten how important love, good deeds, and service are. We have forgotten that we don’t have to evangelize and proselytize if we are living authentically like Jesus. You see, a life like that kind of draws people to God on it’s own.
Here’s what the SHINE series is about…
· How God wants us to SHINE.
· Why a world of darkness needs Christians who SHINE.
· What people and churches who SHINE look like.
· How we can SHINE as people and as a church.
It starts on Wednesday 7/22 and goes for six weeks. I hope you can make it. I hope it blesses at least one person in their journey of discipleship. I hope it honors God.
His Peace, Jamie Mihillls
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