THE POWER OF
YOU BY PAUL BARTLETT
W
e can all agree that it is God who gives power to all we do as churches and leaders. We sincerely want to do God’s will and purpose, particularly when it comes to where we get involved in our Communities. What about you?
Do you understand how important YOU are?
I want to encourage you not to dismiss having a community strategy because your language is “God will do it”. It’s my understanding that God could do anything without us, but He actually chooses to do it with you. Can I suggest that serving your community doesn’t happen because of God; it happens because of you. Are you a sheep or a goat? The best community engagement scriptures are found in Matthew 25 where Jesus shared the parable of the sheep and the goats. Today everyone wants to be the G.O.A.T (‘greatest of all time’) but trust me, in Matthew 25 you don’t want to be the Goat! This is how Jesus describes how important you are to your community, when He speaks to his sheep in Matthew 25:35-36 (NLT): “For I was hungry, and you fed me. I was thirsty, and you gave me a drink. I was a stranger, and you invited me into your home. I was naked, and you gave me clothing. I was sick, and you cared for me. I was in prison, and you visited me.” Jesus is saying to His Church: “It’s because of you people are fed, clothed, cared for and visited in prison.” This passage ends powerfully when Jesus said when we do this to the very least, I (Jesus) actually experience this myself! I used to think this scripture was bout good people (sheep) and bad people (goats) but, what if it’s really about this: People with Faith and Action (sheep) vs People with Faith? (goats) As leaders, we aren’t meant to stand glaring at heaven, waiting for a supernatural sign to serve our communities. Joyce Meyer said recently, “we can be so heavenly minded we are no earthly good”.
FOCUS ON MENTAL HEALTH:
Join us for the Community Engagement Online Summit at 1pm on Thursday, 19th August.
DIPLOMAS AVAILABLE: Every church in the ACC should have one person trained in this area of Community Engagement. ACC Community Engagement can help you get more involved in your community, and qualified and accredited. Check out the Diplomas of Community Services RPL and other courses available at Alphacrucis. For more information: ac.edu.au/awards/diplomacommunity-RPL/ Email community. engagement@acc.org.au
FOLLOW @acc. communityengagement ON INSTAGRAM
Paul Bartlett is the National Director of ACC Community Engagement
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