Posted by Gregg Potts

Matthew 28:18-20 is a couple of verses that most Christians are pretty familiar with. It tells us to "Go ye therefore and preach the gospel to all people..." That is not a direct, verbatim quote from scripture but, it's close.
Those verses are generally known as "The Great Commission." That's our mission statement as Christians. For years, that mission statement has been accomplished via door-to-door visitation, crusades where large numbers of people would be given in an opportunity to believe in Jesus as their Savior and other traditional means. And, those means still work in certain places. However, the world is changing if you haven't noticed. One of the primary ways the world is changing is through the power of the internet.
I was reminded again, last night of the power of the web...
I was in a committee meeting in our church and a young man who teaches at an area school told me that a new coach at his school whom I had met in the gym I am a member of checked out my sermon the web. When he told me that, I backtracked in my mind to the conversation with the coach.
It was about a week ago. I spoke with the coach and we chatted a few moments. We joked a little about the rivalry between the school he coaches at and the school my son attends. I didn't think much about our conversation after that.
Until last night...
I was talking with this committee about the need to possibly spend some money making our church web-site better. And, this young man smiled and said "Yeah, Coach... checked out your sermon last week."
I was stunned... I guess I shouldn't have been.
The way people select churches has changed some. Now, when they move into a community, they can visit your church via the internet before actually visiting the church.
This coach whom I met in the gym had evidently gone home or to work and pulled up our website and listened to a few minutes of one of my sermons. I thought that was neat.
We have opportunities all around us today to spread the gospel. We need to ask the Lord to illuminate our minds and help us think creatively to reach this generation with the love of Jesus.

 

Posted by Gregg Potts

My wife and some friends have told me for several years that I am "OCD." That refers to obsessive compulsive. That means you have a tendency to focus on things. I admit; I do that. I get something on my mind and I have difficulty getting it off. That is good and bad. It's good in that there have been times when I begin a a project and I stay focused on it until it's done. I mean, I tackle it. It's bad in that at times I get something on my mind and I remind someone of a particular task about a zillion times. lol

Well, in the past couple of weeks the "OCD" deal has been good. A few weeks ago I became convicted about the number of periodicals and newspapers I read and receive. I have always enjoyed reading. I can get lost in a book and it helps me relax and learn which is good. But, you can get too much stuff.

For years I have subscribed to lots of periodicals. Some of them are "preacher" things that have good illustrations for sermons. Some of them are magazines like Time, Newsweek, etc.. For years I have subscribed to Sports Illustrated.

I get so many that they accumulate... and they accumulate in a bad spot... right beside my chair. In the past, at times, it has looked like a mountain! We have lost kids under them!. JK

Well, a few weeks ago my wife went to cheer camp at UGA and I decided to surprise her when she got home by having the "mountain" cleaned up. So, I started sorting/discarding etc... I threw away... I'm embarrased by this... three trash bags full of old periodicals and I have some more that I hung on to.

I have also cancelled some subscriptions. I now get one paper per day and there are days when I don't have time to read it! This process has helped me to focus more on Bible study and prayer. And, it's not over. I'm still trimming.

Are there some things you think you can't do without that you need to trim away in your life?

Jesus said "Seek ye first the kingdom of God..." (Matt. 6:33).