Good Morning!
I am sitting at my desk getting ready for service this morning, I can hear the praise team getting ready for todays service (they are amazing by the way) I am excited and relieved that my beloved Texas Longhorns pulled out a literal last second win over the Nebraska Cornhuskers in the BIG 12 championship game (HOOK E'M HORNS). I have been thinking today about the way people perceive church, what are their real thoughts, today all across America there will probably be pastors taking their pulpits and using the recent Tiger Woods story as a soap box to teach how money and fame and a big house are not the secret to happiness, while this is certainly true in reality they are using a hurting family to get their point across when the bible gives us the same instruction without tearing a hurting families wounds open for our own need of illustration. My thought is this what if Tiger Woods came to our church? Would he find help for the hurt he is facing? Or would he be disappointed and disillusioned? The plain simple truth is this the Word of God was never intended to berate, beat up, or hammer on people, it was meant to build up, edify, set at liberty and give hope to everyone who hears it.

We should think about the purpose of the Word instead of how we can use the Word to promote our own personal agenda. If people are dong wrong (sinning) for the most part they know it, they are coming to church for help because they are hurting and they are hoping to get the help they need. So today lets focus on helping not badgering, lets build up and edify and remember it is the GOODNESS of God that leads men to repentance.

Pastor Steele