mike adkins | grace•ology

When Sin Seems More Appealing Than God

Of course, I know this doesn't apply to you, but try to bear with me anyway.

I'm tired of listening to pastors who tell people they should just stop sinning as if this never really occured to people. If stopping were enough, then we'd all have done it by now. It's a lot bigger than that. It's bigger because sometimes what is wrong is more appealing to us that what is right. I'm not saying ALL the time, just sometimes.

So here's some advice. Don't ever try to stop something without starting something else. Don't stop smoking, or overeating, or looking at pornography, or being greedy without first starting something else. That might seem like weird advice, but I promise it will be easier to stick with the changes if you follow it. When we try to stop something it's all about what we are losing. "Oh, no, I can't eat that eclair anymore. This stinks." Starting something on the other hand, is all about what you're gaining. "I'm going to be more healthy."

The Bible says, "You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness. Ephesians 4:22-23

It boils down to this. If you're getting rid of something, it probably belongs to the "old self," and needs to go. However, in its place you need to build the "new self," which is like Christ. The problem of leaving nothing in the place of the "old self," when it goes is that this creates a vacuum which will pull you right back in. That's why so many people go right back to the same old thing. They didn't fill the hole.

This Weekend I need Your Help

This weekend is going to be big in the life of our church. Over the last few weeks, our Organic Marriage series has really been making an impact on lives. In a few weeks, I'm going to be doing a vision weekend for the church where I talk about where we are going as a congregation and all the life change we've seen during this message series. This is where you come in.

This weekend is a key weekend for us. I'm looking at the topic of CONFLICT. We're exploring the idea of how our baggage from the past influences our marriages and how we can move toward forgiveness and reconcilliation. At the same time, I'M GIVING PEOPLE AN OPPORTUNITY TO CHOOSE CHRIST AS SAVIOR. The idea is that unless we can recognize our own need for forgiveness then it will be impossible to forgive others.

I WANT TO REMIND YOU TO BRING YOUR FRIENDS BECAUSE THIS WEEKEND WILL BE A DEFINING MOMENT IN MANY LIVES. Lastly, I NEED YOU TO PRAY THAT GOD'S SPIRIT WOULD MOVE THIS WEEKEND IN A POWERFUL WAY. Thanks for partnering with me. May God receive all the glory for our efforts.

Your Pastor
Mike

The First Ever Name My Little Girl Contest

Okay, maybe not. But Kelly and I are really struggling to come up with a name for our little girl. So this is where you come in. Submit some of your favorite names so we can get some great ideas. Nothing is out of bounds except maybe Paris Hilton Adkins or Brittney Spears Adkins. If you don't help our daughter she could be scarred for life with a name like Hilga or Maud. Help!

Momentum and ways to capitalize on it

Have you ever noticed there are times when things just seem to be clicking for you? You catch all the green lights. You get a good bonus. All your prayers are answered--YES! Things are moving in a good direction. That's MOMENTUM. And if you're really smart, you will build on that momentum making choices that benefit you down the road. It's the same for churches too.

I want to encourage you to look at the the momentum we've been having over the last two weeks. Attendance is up. People have given their lives to Christ. The energy is contagious. So what next? I'm glad you asked! The next step is to partner with us to see lives changed for eternity. How can I do that? Two very clear ways:

1) You need to be there on Sunday to greet new visitors. Believe it or not, they really need YOU there. They need your smiling faces and they need to see you worshipping with hearts that overflow for God. When new-comers see true worship it inspires and draws them to God.

2) Invite new people. Sometimes I get push-back from people on this one. Usually Christians. Their thought is that we shouldn't be concerned with church growth. WHAT? I have to tell you, that's the stupidest thing I've ever heard. It's a good thing thing for these people that the person who brought them to Christ didn't think that way. Otherwise, they'd be headed for Hell. Jesus created the church so that the world could hear about his love and his salvation. We don't become followers of Jesus and then close the door behind us. That kind of selfishness is unexcusable. Jesus died so that the unbelieving world could know him. It's like spitting in his face to say that the church shouldn't grow. Of course, by now, you can tell I feel strongly about this. People matter to God. SO INVITE. INVITE! INVITE! Maybe your friend will be the next one to be encouraged, have their marriage saved or even give their life to Christ. Is there anything more worthy to be giving your time, resources, or even your life to?

iMarriage Group

Kelly and I hosted our iMarriage group last night at the new offices (which are really cool, by the way. If you haven't seen them yet, you should definitely drop by). We had a great time with our group. A really cool, humble and authentic group of people who started sharing their stuff in hopes of helping as much as healing. Our group was pretty large and that didn't stop anyone, either, everyone from newlyweds, to long-time marrieds, singles to someone who doesn't even come to church.

These iMarriage groups have already blown the leaders at Grace away -- we originally planned for 90 people but suddenly had 190 people signed up before the first one last week! Here's something cool: when we called some people on the list to see if they'd be willing to come to a training within 48 hours and lead a group at the last minute, not one person hestitated for a second to say yes. We established something like eight or nine new groups in less than a day.

These groups haven't been just filled with married people either. Singles, divorced, separated, they've all come to learn more about relationships. The reports have been awesome:

"Our group was fantastic!! Lots of discussion, interaction, laughter, dialogue. We felt great about it and can't wait for next week. God is moving!!"

"A leader told me about a couple who attended Grace for the first time last week and already plugged into a small group. It is awesome to see someone brand new get connected so quickly." (that's happened a lot, actually)

"We are excited about how the message of contractual v. covenant marriage is being received. I think we will be seeing some changed lives here - give glory to the Lord."

Give glory to the Lord indeed.

From today's inbox

"Thank you again for helping me see how incomplete my life was without God in it."

"I saw an old friend and she told me that she is going to be baptized the next time there is a baptism!!! I was blown away by that."

"At other churches that I have been to, I am always waiting for the service to end....not with Grace Fellowship. I did not want it to end. Our kids enjoyed the kids program too."

I tell you these because they have nothing to do with me, really. God is on the move at Grace, and I want to thank Him for it. I also want share them to thank those of you who serve -- this is the kind of eternal thing you're a part of making happen. They are now your stories, too.

Walking Through the Lobby Sunday Morning

One of the things I love about our church is walking through the lobby area and seeing so many people engaged, excited, and having a great time. I remember going to church when I was a little kid (very seldomly), and always being told to be quiet and sit still. I remember thinking that if God was so boring, I wasn't sure I wanted to get to know him more.

I think every day of our lives should be a reflection of God's goodness toward us. How we live on the outside is a reflection of the spiritual momentum we have on the inside. So what does your attitude say to others? Do others see Jesus in you? Remember, people are watching to see if what you believe is worth following.

Welcome to the new blog

This is it -- the new place for my blog. Hopefully it will be easier to use, full of more content, and more helpful for you. You can subscribe to the blog by clicking the link at the top of the right column. You can also check out other blogs I'm reading, look at books I'm reading, and hear the latest messages from Grace Fellowship.

If you want to catch up on entries from my former blog, it's still there. Go to it here.