101

How often do you resharpen your saw? Author Stephen Covey (the "7 Habits" guy) uses the term "Sharpen the Saw" to describe the process of self-renewal. It's true that we all become dulled from time to time and a quick resharpening is often just the thing to put thing in perspective and get us back on track.

Last Sunday, the small group that Daleen and I lead at our church provided the food for a church class entitled PCC 101. All of the small groups take turns to provide the food and child care for the class and this time was our turn. No one in the class brought children so Daleen and I just had to bring dinner. After everyone ate, we asked if it would be ok for us to sit in on the class since it had been several years since we went through it. I can honestly say that being reminded once again of the mission of our church has had quite an impact on us. It almost feels like we were growing a bit dull lately at our church and have now been resharpened.

For those of you who don't know, PCC 101 is a class that introduces people to Powhatan Community Church and basically tells them all the ins and outs of who we are and what we do. The class is led by our senior pastor and he spells out everything about our mission, how we are organized, what we do, what we don't do, and why we do it. It's actually a requirement for church membership and I think it's great. How often have you wished that before you signed up for something, a senior member of the organization sat down with you and told you absolutely everything so you could make a membership decision based on all the information?

The best part of the meeting was when we went around and folks explained how they found our church and what keeps them coming back. All the stories we heard were really interesting. We even got to tell our story which made for some fun reminiscing. All the people in this particular class, including us, had come from some previous church. But everyone in the room had come to PCC looking for something.... something they hadn't found until they came to us. Some people had positive experiences from their previous churches and some had very negative experiences. However, what struck me the most that night was the part of each person's stories where they talked about their initial experiences with coming to PCC. While there were differences in how people found our church, what they experienced walking in the door was all very similar. The folks we met at the 101 class all experienced some great things about PCC from the moment they first arrived. They all felt welcome and liked there wasn't any pressure. They loved the music and Brian's messages, and since their initial visits, it seemed most had been growing into our church community.

There is a saying among a lot of the people who make our church go. "It's not about you." I think it's a good reminder. However, last Sunday I got to see up close who "it is" about. These folks left the churches they were attending for a variety of reasons. They could have simply stopped attending church and fallen away from Christian community. Instead, PCC and the people who make it happen, worked together and were used by God to create the right environment where these people could come and be met right where they were. I think about the other people who show up every week who have never been to church, feel they are broken or lonely, and are looking find some purpose and experience God. They are all who "it is" about.

I was reminded once again that the first part of the mission of our church is to reach the unchurched people around us. When we first started attending PCC, I was excited about working on Sundays and seeing that part of our mission happen. Seeing God use me to carry out that part of His work was what really got me pumped. However, over the years of attending PCC, I felt my enthusiasm start to dull a little. I started to see the work I did with the church as simply "work". I think attending this 101 class has fixed that. Talking with people who have been affected positively because folks in our church put their spiritual wellbeing ahead of their own set me right back up again. I feel like I have had my saw resharpened.

You know, it really isn't about me. It's about God and the unchurched people and helping to get them connected up together. A spiritual matchmaker if you will.... with a boss that is willing to take anybody. I think my level of spiritual growth is beyond what just sitting in the seat on Sunday mornings alone can offer to me. I have been reminded that where I am personally going to get the most bang out of my Sunday mornings is to put the people and God, who it is all about, ahead of myself and do what I can to help the church with it's mission.

There are still a lot of people in our community that are looking for what we are offering and want to experience God, and I'm recommitting myself to working with our church to make that happen. My saw is resharpened and I am ready to get to work. What's happening with your saw?

John, I'll email you this week to give you all the dates I am going to be in town and available to serve.....