PASTOR BEN’S COMMENTS

In his book, “The Purpose Driven Church,” Rick Warren writes: "Small ministries often make the greatest difference. The most important light in my home is not the large chandelier in our dining room, but the little night light that keeps me from stubbing my toe when I get up to use the bathroom at night. It's small, but it's more useful to me than the show-off light." Liz would probably tell you my favorite light is the one that comes on when I open the refrigerator (or, perhaps the microwave)!

How easy to underrate the helpful purpose such little lights serve in our lives! It's not the "bigness", or even the beauty of the light fixture, but its purpose and placement that often render our lights effective and meaningful. It is also easy to under value the ministry of Wilson Presbyterian in the light of our nation's mega churches. Even within our church, it is easy for you to consider your service and contribution as unimportant.

No, your weekly attendance, your service, your witness for Jesus, and your contribution is important to our God and Father and to our church -- even when we don't imagine it so.

Our Wonderful Savior redeemed us by His death on the Cross for a glorious purpose. After Jesus calls us to Himself, consider with me what He also does: He calls us together to worship and serve Him as part of His forever Family, and He commissions us to go into the world and proclaim the Gospel, making disciples.

Last year, our congregation adopted the following mission statement at our annual meeting: “To bring the churched and unchurched of our community into a saving relationship with our Lord Jesus Christ and a supportive fellowship with one another.”

Do you remember it? That’s a noble purpose worthy of our best efforts and sacrifice. Jesus is still the only hope of our souls, our families, our neighborhoods and community. God calls us to be faithful and to obediently rely on Him for direction and strength. We hold to the Scriptures as our guide and the Holy Spirit to enable us to obey His Word. Individual believers make the local church effective. As we follow our Lord in our daily lives, we exhibit and experience His grace and power in our lives. Let's be faithful in our walk as Christians and loving in our talk where we live and work.