Hello Folks,
Some of you may have heard about or, even, have read the book "Radical" by David Platt and I would encourage you to get it and read it if you would like to be challenged about what it means to be the church. Sometimes I find that the demands of our society and my own desires to be "successful" might cause me to miss the real needs of the local congregation. We are so conditioned to make sure we have a good "show" and "performance" that we often forget that we are supposed to make disciples. I wonder if we miss out on that one issue if God will say "well done" or if he will say "depart from me." Could it be that we in the American church are so caught up in teh giltz and glamour of being the "big" church in town that we fail actually fail to be the church?
Here is a challenge for you and me. Look at your own life and ask if you have made any disciples and if you are currently making disciples. If we cannot say yes to that I wonder if we can stand before God and be satisfied with our lives. I realize that some of us would say that we are preaching the Word and that we are guiding the Church which are undoubtedly correct things to do. But if we are not making disciples does that not mean we are failing to fulfill Matt 28:18-20? If we fail at that I wonder if our "works" will withstand the fire.
It is my prayer that I make disciples for Jesus. If I fail at that it would appear to me that I fail at one thing that is more important than anything else that we might do. What do you think of this?
HGRudd
Tuesday, September 20, 2011
Hello Folks,
This morning I came to my office and received the report on what is taking place after a couple of weeks of Christian Learning for Christing Living or CL4CL. We had a total of 161 peple sign up for it and int he first two weeks of it 138 of those people actually have attended. This is a very good turn out in my mind as it is not unusual for people to say that they will attend and sometimes only about 50% of them actually make it. I am praying that these classes will enable people to grow in Jesus and that the impact of it will be amazing in thelives of individuals as well as the congregation as whole.
At the beginning of the month I started a series in the Sunday a.m. worship on the names of God. The study for those sermons have been very helpful to me individually and I pray that they will have real impact upon the people who are here. I pray that we will learn more of who God is and how we can have real relationship with Him. It seems to me that many people want to have God do things for them but they are not actually seeking to know Him. What would our congregation look like if we really learned what God is like and attempted to know Him more?
I want to thank you all for your cards, e-mails, facebook entries, and personal wishes on my 60th birthday. I have to admit that I find myself with a few more aches and that my body continues to deteriorate. Now, do not misunderstand I think I am in pretty good health and I get along pretty good but it is obvious to me that I am not 30 anymore. Thanks to all of you for helping me enjoy my birthday with food, gifts and celebration. Your kindness is a great joy to me. God has been good to me by allowing me to be part of your lives.
Yours In Christ,
H. G. Rudd
This morning I came to my office and received the report on what is taking place after a couple of weeks of Christian Learning for Christing Living or CL4CL. We had a total of 161 peple sign up for it and int he first two weeks of it 138 of those people actually have attended. This is a very good turn out in my mind as it is not unusual for people to say that they will attend and sometimes only about 50% of them actually make it. I am praying that these classes will enable people to grow in Jesus and that the impact of it will be amazing in thelives of individuals as well as the congregation as whole.
At the beginning of the month I started a series in the Sunday a.m. worship on the names of God. The study for those sermons have been very helpful to me individually and I pray that they will have real impact upon the people who are here. I pray that we will learn more of who God is and how we can have real relationship with Him. It seems to me that many people want to have God do things for them but they are not actually seeking to know Him. What would our congregation look like if we really learned what God is like and attempted to know Him more?
I want to thank you all for your cards, e-mails, facebook entries, and personal wishes on my 60th birthday. I have to admit that I find myself with a few more aches and that my body continues to deteriorate. Now, do not misunderstand I think I am in pretty good health and I get along pretty good but it is obvious to me that I am not 30 anymore. Thanks to all of you for helping me enjoy my birthday with food, gifts and celebration. Your kindness is a great joy to me. God has been good to me by allowing me to be part of your lives.
Yours In Christ,
H. G. Rudd
Tuesday, September 13, 2011
Hello Folks,
This past week Ruth and I went to the State Minister's Meeting at Hermitage Church of God near Nashville. It was one of the best State Minister Meeting's that I have ever been to in 36 years of preaching and 31 years of full-time pastoral ministry. Arlo Newell was the speaker and God used him wonderfully to declare the truth of God about the call of ministry and the preaching of the Word. Brother Newell is 85 years of age and except for looking a little frail God used him powerfully during that time. I am thankful that I got to be there to hear him and to have my own heart renewed.
This coming Saturday I will turn 60 years of age if the Lord is willing to allow me to live until then. I would have never thought that I would get to be this old but the Lord has given me pretty good health and I give Him praise for the joys that He has allowed me. Over 31 years ago I left my job at General Motors and took my first pastorate in Pekin, Il. Then in 2001 I became the pastor of Greeneville First Church of God. There have been great times of joy for me as a senior pastor and I could never thank God enough for giving me this great honor of allowing me to serve His church.
This past Sunday p.m. after our worship the congregation here helped me to celebrate my birthday and my 10th year as the pastor here. What wonderful time it was and you should have seen all the deserts that were prepared. I would not be able to eat them all in two weeks of nohting but deserts. But most of all the kindness and love that this congregation has shown me cannot be measured. For that I am extremely thankful to them and to my Savior who gave Himself for me. If the Lord is willing and the congregation agrees I am willing to say here until it is time for me to give way to the next leader God would send this way. Pray that I be sensitive to God's voice in all of this.
May He bless you all.
H. G. Rudd
This past week Ruth and I went to the State Minister's Meeting at Hermitage Church of God near Nashville. It was one of the best State Minister Meeting's that I have ever been to in 36 years of preaching and 31 years of full-time pastoral ministry. Arlo Newell was the speaker and God used him wonderfully to declare the truth of God about the call of ministry and the preaching of the Word. Brother Newell is 85 years of age and except for looking a little frail God used him powerfully during that time. I am thankful that I got to be there to hear him and to have my own heart renewed.
This coming Saturday I will turn 60 years of age if the Lord is willing to allow me to live until then. I would have never thought that I would get to be this old but the Lord has given me pretty good health and I give Him praise for the joys that He has allowed me. Over 31 years ago I left my job at General Motors and took my first pastorate in Pekin, Il. Then in 2001 I became the pastor of Greeneville First Church of God. There have been great times of joy for me as a senior pastor and I could never thank God enough for giving me this great honor of allowing me to serve His church.
This past Sunday p.m. after our worship the congregation here helped me to celebrate my birthday and my 10th year as the pastor here. What wonderful time it was and you should have seen all the deserts that were prepared. I would not be able to eat them all in two weeks of nohting but deserts. But most of all the kindness and love that this congregation has shown me cannot be measured. For that I am extremely thankful to them and to my Savior who gave Himself for me. If the Lord is willing and the congregation agrees I am willing to say here until it is time for me to give way to the next leader God would send this way. Pray that I be sensitive to God's voice in all of this.
May He bless you all.
H. G. Rudd
Tuesday, September 6, 2011
Hello Folks,
Labor Day is over and everyone is probably back to work today. I pray that you all had a great 3 day week-end and enjoyed your family. I also pray that you were with your spiritual family over this holiday. It is suprising to me how many people decide that on long week-end that they should skip out on worshiping with the family of God and giving praise to the Savior. Maybe I am rather old fashioned where this is concerned and I also realize that there may be times when you cannot go to worship but if you can why would you not go? If we do an honest evaluation of our holidays I wonder if we actually leave God out of them? Just something to think about.
Our new effort called Christian Learning for Christian Living, or CL4CL has started and we have 156 people signed up for it. There are 46 youth signed up and even though we have some adults who have signed up for more than one there are about 90-100 adults that are going to start the effort of learning so they can be more capable to serve the Savior. Pray that this will enable all of us to be more capable to serve the One who gave Himself for us.
This week Ruth and I will go to Nashville for our State Ministers meeting. While we will only stay one night we will get to hear one of the individuals that we both think is one of the best preachers in the Church of God Reformation Movement--Arlo Newell. Brother Newell has been a wonderful brother to me through the years and has given of himself to help give guidance and counsel when I have needed it. Pray that God will use him powerfully for the Kingdom this week.
Well, may this week be filled with the joy of God for your life.
HGRudd
Labor Day is over and everyone is probably back to work today. I pray that you all had a great 3 day week-end and enjoyed your family. I also pray that you were with your spiritual family over this holiday. It is suprising to me how many people decide that on long week-end that they should skip out on worshiping with the family of God and giving praise to the Savior. Maybe I am rather old fashioned where this is concerned and I also realize that there may be times when you cannot go to worship but if you can why would you not go? If we do an honest evaluation of our holidays I wonder if we actually leave God out of them? Just something to think about.
Our new effort called Christian Learning for Christian Living, or CL4CL has started and we have 156 people signed up for it. There are 46 youth signed up and even though we have some adults who have signed up for more than one there are about 90-100 adults that are going to start the effort of learning so they can be more capable to serve the Savior. Pray that this will enable all of us to be more capable to serve the One who gave Himself for us.
This week Ruth and I will go to Nashville for our State Ministers meeting. While we will only stay one night we will get to hear one of the individuals that we both think is one of the best preachers in the Church of God Reformation Movement--Arlo Newell. Brother Newell has been a wonderful brother to me through the years and has given of himself to help give guidance and counsel when I have needed it. Pray that God will use him powerfully for the Kingdom this week.
Well, may this week be filled with the joy of God for your life.
HGRudd
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)