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The Importance Of A Good Path

The Importance Of A Good Path

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The Importance Of A Good Path

By Greg Perkins, SMDHealthy.Church

Proverbs 4:23-27 (NLT)

Guard your heart above all else, for it determines the course of your life. Avoid all perverse talk; stay away from corrupt speech. Look straight ahead, fix your eyes on what lies before you. Mark out a straight path for your feet; stay on the safe path. Don’t get sidetracked; keep your feet from following evil.

 

For the limited amount of climbing I have done, I have come to appreciate the importance of a good path for every hike or climb. You can get into a lot of trouble if you leave the path, or if the path you are on is not solid. So, what is the importance of a good path?

 

A Good Path is Important…For the Sake of the Journey – A bad path, or the wrong path, can lead to a journey that is more difficult than it needs to be. The risk of injury on a poor path is pretty significant.

 

A Good Path is Important…For the Sake of the Destination – The wrong path, or the wrong direction on the right path, can lead you to an unintended destination.

 

A Good Path is Important…For the Sake of Those Who Follow Us! –   If we are leading (and there are ALWAYS people following us), it is important to be headed in the right direction.  This is to provide a safe path for the people behind us.  They might not have the same strengths or abilities that we have; so we use turn signals, drive slower, and avoid “short-cuts” that they might miss.

The spiritual application to all this is pretty powerful!

 

A Good Path is Important…For the Sake of Our Journey!   We make things SO much more difficult on ourselves than we need to make them. The injury (pain/hurt) we encounter because of a bad path—or the wrong path—really ruins the trip most of the time.

Proverbs 4:26 (NLT) Mark out a straight path for your feet; stay on the safe path.

 

A Good Path is Important…For the Sake of Our Destination!   If our goal is to spend eternity with our Heavenly Father, then the destination (the place the path leads) is REALLY important.  It doesn’t matter if your INTENTION is good.  If your DIRECTION is wrong, you will end up in the wrong place!

Proverbs 12:28“In the path of righteousness there is life, but another path leads to death.”

 

A Good Path is Important…For the Sake of Those We Lead!   There are ALWAYS people following us, and we must be careful about where we are leading them.

Proverbs 8:20-21 (KJV) – “I lead in the way of righteousness, in the midst of the paths of judgment; that I may cause those that love me to inherit substance; and I will fill their treasures.”

Did you catch that?  “That I may cause those that love me… (those that look up to me, imitate me, follow my example, or come after me) …to inherit substance!”

A good path is REALLY important in every area of life, especially in church leadership!  We need to make sure that the path we are following is solid AND is headed toward our intended destination, or the health and well-being of the organization we lead will be jeopardized.

May God bless you on the path to health in your church.

Greg Perkins

Greg Perkins

Church Development Director

Greg Perkins serves as Church Development Director for the Southern Missouri District. He and his wife Di Ann have always had a passion for the local church as well as a deep desire to see healthy, vibrant churches reach their communities with the Gospel.  They bring this passion and desire to their work in and among the churches of Southern Missouri.  The Perkins’ are former lead pastors of First Family Church in Osage Beach, MO, and have spent over 25 years in full-time church ministry in Southern Missouri and Kansas, serving as lead pastor in Marshfield, Missouri and Derby, Kansas.  Di Ann has worked as an executive secretary in real estate, banking, international missions, and Christian higher education. In addition to church leadership, Greg spent 6 years as a Senior Sales and Business Development Representative for two Fortune 500 companies, as well as Director of Chaplains for police agencies in Kansas and Missouri. The Perkins’ have two sons, Brad and Alex. Greg is also the author of a devotional book entitled, “Moments of Destiny,” He is currently working on a series of book projects and also has a devotional blog site, www.momentsofdestiny.com.

Relentless Prayers For You

Relentless Prayers For You

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RELENTLESS PRAYERS FOR YOU!

By Greg Perkins, SMDHealthy.Church

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE MESSENGER: SUMMER 2018 EDITION

There is—or at least should be—great encouragement in the knowledge that someone is praying for you. Add in the fact that the person praying is someone known for his/her great passion for Christ and His Church…and that is pretty awesome.

Such is the case in Ephesians 1. The Apostle Paul is sharing the fact that he is praying for the people of that church…ever since he heard about their faith in Jesus and love for God’s people. If that isn’t enough, what Paul is praying about for the people of Ephesus is pretty awesome too! Read this:

Ephesians 1:15-19 (NIV)

15 For this reason, ever since I heard about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all God’s people, 16 I have not stopped giving thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers. 17 I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better. 18 I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in his holy people, 19 and his incomparably great power for us who believe.

As Christ followers, and co-laborers with Christ, the prayer that Paul was praying for the believers at Ephesus, is also a prayer for YOU. It is easy to get discouraged when we think that no one notices what we are doing, OR that we are alone in what we are doing. Here in Southern Missouri, we DO NOTICE what you are doing for your church! And furthermore, you are NOT ALONE in what you are doing. We are ALL working together to see lives changed for the sake of Christ. Paul’s prayers for the church were RELENTLESS. Please know that our prayers for you are RELENTLESS too! Each week, our Southern Missouri District Staff gather to pray that you are encouraged, strengthened, and blessed in all you are doing to advance The Kingdom of God. Thank you for being RELENTLESS in pursuit of His call for your life!

Greg Perkins

Greg Perkins

Church Development Director

Greg Perkins serves as Church Development Director for the Southern Missouri District. He and his wife Di Ann have always had a passion for the local church as well as a deep desire to see healthy, vibrant churches reach their communities with the Gospel.  They bring this passion and desire to their work in and among the churches of Southern Missouri.  The Perkins’ are former lead pastors of First Family Church in Osage Beach, MO, and have spent over 25 years in full-time church ministry in Southern Missouri and Kansas, serving as lead pastor in Marshfield, Missouri and Derby, Kansas.  Di Ann has worked as an executive secretary in real estate, banking, international missions, and Christian higher education. In addition to church leadership, Greg spent 6 years as a Senior Sales and Business Development Representative for two Fortune 500 companies, as well as Director of Chaplains for police agencies in Kansas and Missouri. The Perkins’ have two sons, Brad and Alex. Greg is also the author of a devotional book entitled, “Moments of Destiny,” He is currently working on a series of book projects and also has a devotional blog site, www.momentsofdestiny.com.

Vital Signs Highlight: Pastor Chris Gray Part Two

Vital Signs Highlight: Pastor Chris Gray Part Two

Vital Signs Highlight: Pastor Chris Gray Part Two

What is Vital Signs?

Vital Signs tells the story of Pastors who have led (or are currently leading) a church through a process of revitalization.  We place a spotlight on the challenges they faced, the victories that were achieved, and the life that has returned to their church.

We trust their stories will encourage YOU in what you’re doing for the Kingdom of God.

 

This week, we interviewed Pastor Chris Gray from Bethel Assembly in Sedalia, Missouri. This is part two. Enjoy.

 

13. What would you say is the turning point or maybe several turning points to get to where you are now?

There were three keys to turning this ship around.

1. Building community – When I first arrived here at Bethel Assembly, the congregation did not know one another. Church was a place that you came in and left, but not really a place to build relationships and live life together.  He had to take the necessary measures to build relationships with one another.

2. Promote missions – We had to come to the place that we realized that missions (local and world-wide), was the heartbeat of God. We took the time to bring in missionaries of all types just to help us grasp the Go or the Great Commission.  We have really seen this jump to the next level.  From 4 missionaries/Missions projects (1/2 support coming from general fund) to 54 missionaries/missions projects (100% from church body)

3. Community connection – In a town of 20,000 virtually no one knew where Bethel Assembly was. We took the time to connect with schools, join the chamber of commerce, meet key leaders, and simply become a presence in the community.

 

14. When was the time you started to feel, “Hey, this is going to work?”

I do not remember a single point in time.  My personality is a “we will make this happen” type personality.

 

15. What resource would you recommend to another pastor who may be looking at the idea of taking on a church like yours?

For those in rural communities, connection with rural compassion is a must.  This has assisted us in connecting with our community.  It has really opened up doors that otherwise may never have opened!

 

16. What was your biggest fear as a pastor?

There has never really been a moment of fear!

 

17. What is your biggest hope for your church?

My hope for Bethel Assembly is that, as a church, we continue to keep the focus on reaching the lost for the kingdom of God and building disciples.  As we reach work to achieve these goals, we will see not only numeric growth but also spiritual growth for the church.

18. What is the one habit that has helped you as a pastor?

Connection:  Connection with my congregation, Connection with other pastors, connection in the community.

 

19. Who has been your champion (encourager)?

Pastor Don Miller and Jerry Harris have been my best encouragers.

 

20. What has been the most difficult person you have dealt with as a pastor?

The individual that is set in the 1980s that has no desire to push forward.  They always seem to think that the 80s were the best time…so let’s there.  This causes difficulty because they are against anything and everything that even resembles change.

 

21. What’s next for your church?

We are going to continue to push forward.  This fall, we are really shaking things up.  We are reimplementing life groups again.  This is going to be an all-church endeavor.  We are pushing forward with major changes.  We believe that this is going to help us go to the next level and push past the 300-attendance mark.  We are also doing several things to build connection among the congregation.

 

22. What’s next for you? (growth goals for you individually)

I am currently pushing myself to learn new leadership skills.  I am reading books, listening to podcasts, and soon connecting with some pastors that are at the next level as a church.  The more that I learn, the more that I believe it will greatly impact the church I lead.

 

23. Would you do it again?

ABSOLUTELY!

CHRIS GRAY

CHRIS GRAY

LEAD PASTOR, BETHEL ASSEMBLY, SEDALIA, MO

Chris Gray serves as Lead Pastor for Bethel Assembly in Sedalia, MO. 
CHRIS GRAY

CHRIS GRAY

LEAD PASTOR, BETHEL ASSEMBLY, SEDALIA, MO

Chris Gray serves as Lead Pastor for Bethel Assembly in Sedalia, MO. 

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