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I love our prayer list. That seems strange, considering that the list has nearly 100 requests on it. I love the list because it seems to keep this body of believers in obedience with Paul’s command. First Thessalonians 5:17 says, in some versions, “Pray without ceasing.”

I praise God that this is a praying church. Every Sunday school class and Bible study begins and ends with prayer, but not until the class has gone through a fairly extensive time of updating everyone about the status of existing prayer concerns or gathering new requests. Our worship service includes significant time devoted to updating the list and prayer over that list, not just from the front but from among all who are gathered to worship. There’s a prayer meeting every Tuesday at 6 a.m. (to which everyone is invited), and it usually takes more than an hour to go through all the updates and to pray. Even the elders and board set aside time during their meetings to update the prayer list and to pray.

It is my prayer that the attention we seem to give to updating each other about the status of our family, friends, and ourselves and to praying for those concerns is in response to James 5:16, that the prayers of the righteous are “powerful and effective.” I pray that we would be devoted to prayer and, as Paul wrote in Colossians 4:2, “watchful and thankful,” being aware of the needs of those around us and mindful of God’s provision and care. I pray that we will, as Paul wrote in Ephesians 6:18, that we will pray whenever we have the opportunity, that we will pray by the leading of the Holy Spirit, and that we will continue to pray for each other and for our brothers and sisters in Christ around the world.

Pray for me, as I pray for you, that we might all find opportunities to share the message God has given us and that we might share it clearly (Colossians 4:3, 4). Let us pray with confidence (Hebrews 4:16 and 10:19). As we pray continually, in the name of Jesus, may God answer our prayers.

There’s a fortune-cookie “curse” that says, “May you live in interesting times.” The recent spate of movies from Hollywood that have purportedly Christian themes has certainly made the last few months interesting. I’m referring to “Son of God,” “Noah,” “God’s Not Dead,” “Heaven Is Real,” and the upcoming “Persecuted” (to be released this summer), “Left Behind” (to be released this fall), and “Exodus” (to be released near Christmas 2014). The times have certainly been interesting, with Christians and non-Christians both hailing and assailing the films. But does it have to be a curse?

I have to admit upfront that I have not seen any of these movies, but I do plan to see most of them, if not all of them. And that’s where some of the interesting times begin. The primary questions that usually come up are: “Should Christians watch movies that do not reflect Christian or biblical worldviews or ideas?” “Should Christians support—with their money or their time—so-called Christian movies that are, perhaps, less than biblical?” These are legitimate questions that ought to be considered by each individual as they approach the ticket counter. However, we shouldn’t be using them as a test of each other’s orthodoxy. While it’s fair to answer those questions and make choices based on our own answers, it’s not our place to judge another Christian by whether they attend such movies or not. In Romans 14:4, Paul asks, “Who are you to judge someone else’s servant?”

It seems better to view these movies as opportunities, rather than curses. Obviously, people are talking about them, both Christians and non-Christians. Why not take advantage of the opportunity to share the Good News about God’s love and forgiveness through Jesus? Paul wrote in Colossians 4:5, 6, “Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity. Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.”

It’s probably true that not everybody ought to see every movie that is coming out, but if you do choose to see these films, prepare yourself to talk to others about what you see and hear. Be prepared to tell others why you liked the movie or how the movie’s plot differed from the Bible or from what you believe. Be prepared to share your faith and how it guided you to watch the movie and how it has helped you grow after watching the movie.

Try to avoid public arguments, especially with other believers—and by “public” I mean on Facebook, as well as at a coffeeshop or at work. When Christians argue about things like movies, it usually just makes us look childish and undermines our attempts to share the truth of God’s Word. However, opposing viewpoints might be the obstacles that are keeping unbelievers from trusting God and following Jesus. Be prepared to stand for what you believe, but more importantly, prepare yourself to answer the hard questions and prepare yourself to say, “I don’t know, but we can find out together.”

The days are certainly interesting, but rather than letting them become a curse, let’s work together and make the most of every opportunity. Then we can help others avoid the curse of sin and death and take hold of the blessings of trusting Jesus. Don’t forget the popcorn!

Technically, March 20 was the first day of Spring. While the weather might not reflect the calendar, most of us are probably willing to take it by faith that Spring is finally here. We’re ready for some sunshine and warmer weather and some color other than white. Believe it or not, we’re ready for a change.

As much as many people dislike the idea of “change,” a winter like the one we’ve had this year easily prompts us to seek a change. That’s the nature of change; we find comfort in the familiarity of “the way things are,” until they become uncomfortable—then we actively seek a change. Dr. Henry Cloud, a well-known Christian psychologist and author, once wrote: “We change our behavior when the pain of staying the same becomes greater than the pain of changing. Consequences give us the pain that motivates us to change.”

A winter of extraordinary cold and unusually frequent snow and ice storms certainly creates enough pain to desire a change in seasons. A season of extended transitions and uncertainty can also create enough pain to desire a change. While Spring brings new life through green grass, fragrant flowers, and budding leaves, we can also find new life in the church. In fact, new life is the core of our message.

Jesus said in John 10:10 that he came to bring abundant life. When we become Christians, as Paul writes in Romans 6:4, “We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.” We are all about new life, both in what we receive through Jesus and in what we share with the world.

New life is not possible without change; in fact, the change of new life is the most dramatic change we will ever face. It’s the change from death to life. Paul wrote about our baptism into Jesus’ death so that we might be raised to new life, just as Jesus was raised. Jesus said something similar in John 12:24: “I tell you the truth, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds.” Even though Jesus was referring to his own death, we know that our change is similar.

We can’t forget that we are called to a similar death, burial, and resurrection when we are baptized. Not only do we experience new life through Jesus, but so do many others. This kind of change is exciting. While we often focus on how Jesus’ death, burial, and resurrection brings “me” new life, this new life is meant to be shared. That means that seeds are always going to be planted; that means that there are going to be “old things” that will pass away so that new life can grow. That means there will always be change. Let’s pray that it produces many seeds and that God will make them grow.

I’ve been “in the church” for as long as I can remember; I praise God that I was raised by Christian parents who made sure that not only did we attend but we also served as part of the church family. However, when I began studying ministry at the Bible college, I began to notice a distinct difference between “doing church” and “being the church.” It sounds strange, but the difference is a matter of how we do things in or through the church—specifically our programs, events, and even worship services—versus how we live as individual Christians and as members of the body of Christ.

Unfortunately, it’s a lot easier to focus on programs, schedules, budgets, and materials than it is to focus on people, relationships, and spiritual growth. You know what people are like; relationships are messy. Spiritual growth is difficult to evaluate and measure, and when we try, we often find out how messy relationships can be. However, Jesus didn’t come to establish programs; he came to bring life, abundant life (John 10:10), and it’s our responsibility to share that life with others (Philippians 2:16).

I know how easy it is to focus on “doing church,” and I know how difficult it is being the church. But as we continue in this new adventure, consider Paul’s words in Galatians 6:9, 10 “Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers.”

Our programs are extensions of who we are as God’s family, but they should not define us. Jesus said that the world would know his disciples by the way we love each other (John 13:35). We have to hold each other accountable for keeping track of who’s missing from our programs and make sure that they’re not hurting or getting lost. We must not get too inwardly focused, but we must make sure that we’re taking care of our church family. Then we will develop the heart and habits necessary to take care of others. Then the world will know that we are Jesus’ disciples.

It’s hard to believe that I have been preaching for a month. Time sure flies, right? Even though I have been sharing some insights into who I am through the sermons each week, I’m sure that some folks are still wondering, “Who is this guy?” Well, I’d be glad to sit and chat about where I came from and how Sandi and I met (especially over a cup of coffee), but let me share some of the thoughts I have for the near future of ministering with the Athens Church of Christ.

As a minister in the church of Christ, I recognize that this is the body of Christ, called to do the work Jesus has called us to do as a body. That work is to make disciples (Matthew 28:19, 20), who in my understanding are people called to love God and love people (Matthew 22:37-40) and who answer that call by accepting Jesus as their Lord and Savior and by being baptized by immersion for the forgiveness of their sins (Acts 2:38). That’s just the broad strokes, and in the near future, I anticipate forming a “new members” class that will answer the question, “What kind of church is this?”

My immediate goals are, first, to preach about forgiveness and salvation through Jesus and to encourage the body of believers; second, to get to know the members and regular attenders (forgive me, please, I am not as good with names as Sandi is); and third, to meet with the leaders and determine where this congregation needs to go and how we ought to get there and then start moving in that direction. I am not one to implement change just because it’s change, but I’m not one to hold on to the past and traditions just because “that’s the way we’ve always done it,” especially if they get in the way of making disciples. I don’t believe in “silver bullets,” and I don’t believe that any individual can make or break the church, but I do believe every member must do their part (Romans 12:4-6).

This is a new start for me and my family and for Athens Church of Christ. We have the same goals that have always been the goals of the church: to make disciples and to grow in our faith and knowledge of Jesus (Ephesians 4:11-16). I look forward to meeting each of you and to figuring out how we can lift up Jesus in our community and grow as the body of Christ.