I am in a Fantasy Football League.

Because I play Fantasy Football, I’ve find myself following a bunch of teams and games that I would otherwise never have had any interest in. Why? All because I have players on my fantasy team that are playing on those teams and in those games. I find myself tracking a half dozen games on any given Sunday to see how my guys are doing.

I’ve noticed there are those who never checks on their team. In fact, they regularly play guys that aren’t even playing because their teams are on bye weeks or they are injured.

They are not interested, and therefore, they are not engaged.

Think about that last statement. They are not interested, and therefore, they are not engaged.

I think this tells us some things about how people approach spiritual growth.

In order to grow as a follower of Jesus Christ, there are some things we must practice. Here are some spiritual truths:

1. Connect

In order to be successful in Fantasy Football, you’ve got to regularly connect to ESPN or Sports Center to see who’s playing well and who’s not. You’ve got to see who the opposing teams will be. You’ve got to keep track of injuries. You’ve got to stay on top of schedules. That’s all part of connecting.

The same is true for our spiritual maturity. There is no way to grow and mature as Christians when we do not regularly connect with a local body. There ought to be a group of people who we regularly do life with, people who will pray with us and encourage us, people who will celebrate and experience life with us. We have to have a community with whom we regularly connect.

It’s by connecting in worship, bible study, or small groups with others engaged in the work and ministry of Jesus Christ that we are going to stay on top of what God is up to in our communities and how we can best engage with God where he’s already at work.

2. Engage.

But not only do you need to connect, you’ve got to also engage. You’ve got to engage with your team. You’ve got to be committed to winning and doing well. You’ve got to do your home work. I regularly find myself analyzing my players, the defenses they will be facing, the match ups. I do my best to put in the guys I think will perform the best that particular week.

And here’s one of the greatest spiritual lessons I’ve learned. Engagement is the result of connecting. I am engaged because I am connected. Engagement is the byproduct of having a people, a cause, a mission, a church where we are connected.

You want people to engage, help people to connect.

3. Invest

Because I’m committed to winning, I find myself interested in games and teams that I would have never cared about before.

The reason why I care what the Patriots are doing is because Tom Brady is my starting QB. I’ve never cared about the Patriots. In face, of all the teams in the NFL, they are my least favorite team. The only reason why I care now is because of the players on my fantasy football team.

In a perfect world, the Patriots would lose all the rest of their games, but Tom Brady would have an amazing season!

You see, to start caring for the things that God is concerned about, and being passionate about the ministry and mission of God will only happen as we connect and engage. Investment comes as a result of our connection and engagement.

If you are not connected and engaged in your church’s ministry, you have no investment in the future of your church. You won’t care what happens.

Connect – Engage – Invest

That’s how you win fantasy football games, and that’s how you win in your spiritual journey.

Eighty years…

Eight hundred thousand dollars…

Wow!!!

• Eighty years ago, the few people gathered at the groceries and hardware store converted into a sanctuary had no idea that thousands of people would come to know Jesus as Lord and Savior, get baptized, get married, and enter into life eternal at the Little Church on the Prairie. They had no idea of the thousands of children and youth who would grow up calling the Little Church their home. They had no idea of the impact God would have in the city of Lakewood through the people who would call the Little Church on the Prairie their home.

We knew we had problems with the boiler. Our heating system was ancient. The boiler was so old it was functioning at fifty percent of its capacity on its best day. We knew we would have to come up with a plan because the only way we could get parts to fix the old boiler was to get it made as parts no longer existed. What started out as a capital campaign to fix an ancient boiler, turned into so much more.

• Lakewoodgrace was birthed and now more than 100 people call Lakewoodgrace their church home
• Close to $80,000 was given to local ministries
• The sanctuary received an audio/visual upgrade
• Prairie Hall restrooms were renovated
• A new security system for the entire campus has been installed
• A new children’s ministry space was created

Wow!

The Little Church on the Prairie of today is the direct result of the dreams and hopes of those gathered at a grocery and hardware store converted to become the Little Church on the Prairie. The baton of leadership and stewardship, the dreams and hopes for those who have called the Little Church on the Prairie their home for the last eighty years has now been handed to us. We are called to steward the dreams and hopes of all who have gone before us in order that thousands more may be touched and changed in the coming decades because they came to discover a place to call home at the Little Church on the Prairie.

Happy Birthday Little Church! Here’s to our next eighty years!!!

Pastor James <><

“I don’t want to force my kids go to church. I want them to chose for themselves.”

Oh, really.

Do you make them go to school? Or do you give your children the option to chose for themselves whether they will go to school or not?

“Of course the kids don’t have a choice about school. They have to go to school.”

How come?

“Because going to school is important for their future.”

I see.

I see.

Really tells you a lot…