Reading Time: 3:00
Last Monday I restarted my weekly discipline of blogging. I gave it up a few years ago and basically neglected our website in favor of other outlets like YouTube and Facebook. We are getting better feedback from Facebook than expected, but this blog is a good thing for me.
First, it allows me to reflect on the past week leading up to my Sunday message. Secondly, it solidifies my thought processes and directs me into the new week in front of me. Thirdly, it allows me to express things I felt did not get to express, either for lack of time or simply messing up in my message.
I’m sure there are other things that I can attribute to this blog, but they will be realized as I prove myself faithful to write a little each week.
It will take a little while to come up to speed on posting to our website. I need to add the ability to receive your feedback and comments. I also need to add a counter to see how many people actually click on the links. I’ve been away from our website software for so long it’s like learning it all over again.
Technology
On top of that, at Calvary we have made a major step forward in the equipment and upgraded all our software. As a result, we are pushed forward to learn everything all over again. Nothing from the past can be carried forward. We were outdated by over a decade, so now we just have to make ourselves learn new ways of communicating. In truth, all of our technology is here for the sole purpose of communicating.
National Week of Prayer
Each night last week Susan and I gathered with a few people of our church to participate in nightly prayer during the National Week of Prayer, January 5th through the 11th. I felt it was a solemn time, with no fellowship or prayer requests, just individual prayer throughout our sanctuary for about an hour each night.
I thank God for those of our church who continue to carry a weekly torch of prayer throughout our facility, asking God to move in a fresh and mighty way. Too often we are rehashing what God has done in the past, rather than seeking what he wants to bring us into now and in the future.
A Move of the Spirit
The biggest thing on my heart lately is how we as a body of believers can move into the manifested presence of the Holy Spirit. We want him to take control and move in our midst like I have seen so many times in the past. For me this does not necessarily mean something visible, like a sanctuary filled with smoke or an arm growing out, but the evidence of true repentance with an actual change in the way we live and talk and interact with one another. My series on Stand Your Ground seems to be moving in that direction. So I will probably focus more directly on this in February.
So thanks for joining me again this Monday. Pray for my return to blogging. I hope it is useful to you in getting to know me better. We have several new people in our church that I hope to build deeper relationships with this year. If nothing else, you will know how to pray for me and the people of Calvary.
“And pray for us, too, that God may open a door for our message,
so that we may proclaim the mystery of Christ,…”
Colossians 4:3 (NIV)
Pastor Brian Jenkins
Calvary Assemblies of God