Newsletter

Wow! Our church has come a long way, hasn't it? For those of you who have recently joined us, you might think that how we do things now is the way that it's always been done. I think that for others, who have been with us for as long as they can remember, there would be a different view. I've been with this church all my life and I've witnessed many changes, good and bad, in our church. But over the last year, I'm sure many of the veterans of our church would say that there has been some extraordinary ways which God has changed the way we worship Him. Let's recognize these changes and be glad in them, continuing to pray for God to further His work in our church.

- Editor, Michael Kwag

THE MESSAGE September 1999 Volume 2
Wow! Our church has come a long way, hasn't it? For those of you who have recently joined us, you might think that how we do things now is the way that it's always been done. I think that for others, who have been with us for as long as they can remember, there would be a different view. I've been with this church all my life and I've witnessed many changes, good and bad, in our church. But over the last year, I'm sure many of the veterans of our church would say that there has been some extraordinary ways which God has changed the way we worship Him. Let's recognize these changes and be glad in them, continuing to pray for God to further His work in our church. - Editor, Michael Kwag	*Worshipping the god of Entertainment By Casey Toews** We are so driven in our lives to find satisfaction. What makes this fact difficult to realize is quite simply our own denial. And, our collective willingness to allow each other to passionately pursue satisfaction with endless zeal. We don't get hard on ourselves about it, and we don't get hard on one another about it. But the simple fact is, we are addicted to FUN. So what? What is wrong with having a little fun? Nothing! But who do you know of who is satisfied with just a little fun. I can't think of too many people who have a little fun. The problem is not having a little fun. The problem is when we are so driven to find and experience fun that the very passion and energy God gave us for Holy worship is consumed in our worship of entertainment. Videos, games, sports, eating out, shopping, hanging around, TV, movies, internet, gossiping and whatever it takes to appease the "god of entertainment." I know what it is like to be forever searching for fun and a good time. It is a passion that will never be satisfied. Once you finish one good thing, you are already planning the next. The movie is finished? No problem! Let's go grab a pizza. The pizza is finished? No problem! Let's go shoot hoops. Hoops are done? No problem! Let's grab a video. Video is done? No problem! Let's play some video games. And so ends another day. For each one of us, the "god of entertainment" is worshipped at different levels. For some of us, it may be deadly. For others, it may be that it is enough to void us of opportunity to know what it is like to SERVE from the inside of The Mission. And for others still, it may be too small to see, but do not kid yourself: it is there! The problem: if we are so busy searching out entertainment and a good time in order to serve our own appetite for satisfaction, then how can we at the same time be serving others. Quite simply, you can't! Service can be
fun, but it is most often combined with at least some level of discomfort and sense of sacrifice. Are you serving yourself, or others? The challenge: start making some decisions that are "Mission Centered" rather than centered on the "god of entertainment." Here are some examples of such decisions: · I will go to WWF (Wednesday Worship and Fellowship) tonight even though there are lots of other fun things to do because I want to serve and bless someone from the group. · I will go to the Sunday service not because my family wants me to, but because I want to be able to pray for someone and bless them (or at least be a friend to them). · I will give some of God's money which He has lent to me back to God in order to formally acknowledge to Him that I understand all that I have is His (rather than giving it to the "god of entertainment"). · I will plan to attend The Mission outreach events because I want to serve the helpless just the way Jesus did, even though there is a great show on TV that night. We need to join together and tear down at least some of the idols our culture has built to the "god of entertainment." Dear God, deliver us from the oppression of the enemy in his attempt to seduce our time, passion and money into a endless pursuit of satisfaction. Satisfy us, oh God, as we pursue You, and as a group try to give up our love for the "god of entertainment" and go deeper into Your Kingdom of Love. *- denotes that the use of "god" is inferior to God, and thus the smaller case lettering of "god" is inferior.
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