- Just ten minutes on Friday to lift the Sunday services up to the Lord in prayer. Pray for the pastor, Sunday school teachers, children’s church leaders, and song leaders that they be led by the Holy Spirit.
- Just ten minutes on Saturday to visit a shut-in from our church or a member that has not been to church in a couple of weeks. This not only could brighten their day, but be a great encouragement to them to know that their church family still cares.
For those of you that actually have one day a week where you can spend an hour doing the challenge, here are some suggestions on how you can make a difference in your local church:
- Find a nursing home or senior assisted living center in your area and for one hour a week, visit with the residents, share a church hymn, or maybe read the Bible out loud to them.
- Get a list of families from your pastor or community outreach director. Spend thirty minutes with two families during the week focusing on encouraging them to return to church,
- Ask the pastor or trustees of a list of things that need to be repaired or repainted in the church. Do those that you are able to do with reasonable skill.
- Prepare a meal and take to the home-bound or shut-in church member, to those who have health issues, or otherwise might not cook a full meal for themselves. A little compassion, even if it is “only” spaghetti, garlic bread, and a salad can make the difference.
- Pick up a home-bound or shut-in church member and take them to dine out. It’s hard to understand this for many, but sometimes a breakfast at Cracker Barrel is much, much more than just a breakfast. It is a time for sweet fellowship.
- Pick up a home-bound or shut-in church member and take them grocery shopping. There is something about getting out of the house, on even a small excursion to the grocery store, that will raise the spirits of our older or disabled church members.
- Bring a shut-in, a home-bound church member, or maybe a member that regularly attends but does not have a family in the area over for Sunday afternoon dinner (or any other night of the week for supper). This not only lifts their spirits but will also bring you closer to enjoying fellowship with Christ.
To me, it does not bother me which way you choose to spend your hour. The only requirements for this challenge are that 1) you choose something to do that you normally do not do as a part of your regular Christian service; and 2) you do it to the best of your ability and faithfully for the next four months. As a part of this commitment, I ask that you please take a moment and fill out the below form and introduce yourself and your accepting the challenge. Four months after you have accepted and fulfilled the challenge, please contact me because I would like to share your testimony on this devotional page to encourage others to take the challenge and to send to you a certificate of recognition for your faithfulness in completing the challenge.
Over the next few weeks, I will be adding a new area to this devotional site dedicated to the four month challenge. I look forward to seeing how God blesses these efforts and in sharing them with our regular readers!
