Sunday Extra – July 14th, 2024
Entitled or Servant?
Doug Sauder pastors Calvary Chapel, a vibrant congregation in Fort Lauderdale. Kevin Ford has partnered with that church to through a board development process. Today, Doug shares a message called “I (De) serve.” Teaching from Matthew 20, he helps us see the richness of God’s grace and the contaminating sense of entitlement that permeates our culture. The sense of our deservedness creeps right into our congregations and hearts. Jesus offers a very different value system that transforms us to serve others.
Two or Three
The Gospel of Matthew records one of Jesus’ most powerful promises: “For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them” (Matt. 18:20 NIV). At times it’s easy to forget the staggering reality that He gives His presence and power regardless of size or numerical strength. Sarah Plummer discusses this reality in her article, Where Two or Three Are Gathered.
A movement of prayer grew in England when Brian Mills organized prayer triplets – groups of three people who met regularly to pray for evangelistic work. The following year, they estimated 30,000 prayer triplets meeting across the country. When Billy Graham and his team arrived later that year for a set of evangelistic meetings, the “response to Billy Graham’s preaching was double what he had experienced elsewhere in his long and distinguished ministry, and many observers considered that the reason for this fruit was due to the success of prayer triplets.”
Will you consider joining regularly with one or two others – in person, on the phone, or on a zoom meeting – to pray together, believing for evangelistic fruit? Remember, when you do, Jesus said, “I am there among them” (Matt. 18:20 NLT).
Let’s also pray for Church United in South Florida, a ministry that has united 400 churches in South Florida. LFM is partnering with them to launch dozens of “Attentive Church Cohorts.” Church United is an initiative of the National Christian Foundation of South Florida, founded by Stephan Tchividjian (a pastor at Calvary Chapel and a member of LFM’s Strategic Advisory Board). Their vision is to share faith, give hope, and extend love throughout South Florida. Let’s pray for the Holy Spirit to equip them to do just that!
