The Power of Ephesians 4:29

 

Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. Ephesians 4:29, NIV

 

 

A very powerful verse.  One that I personally go back to again and again.  Recently I started thinking about this verse in two specific areas of life and wondering how it would play out.  Meaning, what would really take place if we actually tried to live "Ephesians 4:29".

Those areas...

1)  What we say to our spouses

and

2)  What we say to ourselves.    

Could you imagine if you did not allow anything to go out of your mouth that was not:

*helpful

*building someone up

*Shows grace and benefits others

 

What would your relationships look like?

 

Now imagine if you spoke that same way to yourself.

 

How would your life be different? 

The key to life is found in God's word.  The key to our relationships, self-esteem, past, present and future is all found in this book.  In Hosea 4:6 we are told that we are destroyed by our lack of knowledge of God's word.  God's word is not scary or something to stay away from (that is what the enemy wants you to think).  God's word is not too hard to understand (there are people and resources to help and God's Spirit will also help). 

The truth is, God's word is so powerful, so liberating, so filled with joy, peace and wisdom that there is no wonder the enemy fights us so much to learn more and more about God's word.  

The word of God is meant to be lived out and by doing so have our life shaped in an amazing way.

So start this week.  Start living the word out.  Give Ephesians 4:29 a try and see how your life is change.

Editor's Note:  The Community Care ministry provides emotional and spiritual support. There is a pastor or community care leader available to speak with you today.  If you have questions regarding the Community Care ministries please contact communitycare@mecklenburg.org or 704.598.9800 x 121.  You may also learn more at the Community Care website and our upcoming events page.

Fall 2012 Community Care Resources

We are all so excited about this fall season and the wonderful groups being offered through Community Care!  

Look at all the great offerings and register today!

For dates and times look here!

Family Resources

DivorceCare

Single & Parenting

 

Marriage Resources

Marriage Prep

Marriage Mentor Training

 

Spiritual Resources

Prayer Team

Spiritual Mentoring Program

 

Healing Resources

GriefShare

Surrendering the Secret

Life's Healing Choices

Celebrate Recovery  

Editor's Note: The Community Care ministry provides emotional and spiritual support. There is a pastor or community care leader available to speak with you today. If you have questions regarding the Community Care ministries please contact communitycare@mecklenburg.org or 704.598.9800 x 121. You may also learn more at the Community Care website and our upcoming events page.

Servanthood

Serving Christ through serving others. Do not ask me how many years that phrase has been my life motto. I have no idea. When I was young I thought about the following question a lot:

What is the greatest thing a person could ever be? After a lot of thought and prayer a very interesting answer came.

A servant. I base this on Matthew 20:28 where it states that Christ came to serve and not to be served. Therefore, as a Christ follower, that would mean I am here to serve also. Understanding this spiritually has not been hard for me. Putting this into practical application every day of my life is where the issues have come. I can also say I am not alone with this.

When working with couples, I especially hear phrases such as:

*He/she never does this.
*I do everything.
*What will I get out of this?
*I do not feel cared for or loved.


I bring up those statements not to say as a Christian we become a "doormat". There are Biblical instructions on handling conflict (i.e. Matthew 18: 15-17). Instead, I bring those comments up since many times it is more of a case of the need for a perspective change than anything else. With our sinful tendencies, we drift toward laziness, and a perspective of what "should" be done for "me". Instead, the message of Christ is more like the following in a relationship:

*What can I do for you today?
*How can I love you better?
*I pray that you experience God's best today.

When our focus is on loving and servanthood we are being a picture of Christ. This above all, is what we are called to be a picture of in all of our relationships. This above all, is the most important thing we could ever be!


just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” Matthew 20:28 NIV


Resource

Gary Chapman. Learning to Serve.

Mentors: Financial (Part 3 of 4)

Within the previous weeks we have explored the Mentor Ministry areas within Community Care.  We have reviewed aspects and opportunities associated with Spiritual and Marriage Mentors.  This week the focus is on Financial mentors (also known a money coaches).

In the current financial landscape, more and more people will find themselves needing to know and apply God's financial principles.  Coaches voluntarily serve others by assisting married couples and individuals in applying Biblical financial principles to their lives. Coaching participants receive personal instruction in applying the principles to their situation.  The goals of Money Map coaching are:
    1. To assist coaching participants in constructing and living on a budget.
    2. To assist coaching participants in applying biblical principles of stewardship to all aspects of life.
    3. To communicate the vision of financial freedom.
    4. To assist coaching participants with a practical plan for becoming debt free.
    5. To provide practical and Godly financial counsel to families and individuals.

Money Map Coaching is not…
    1. Investment coaching or retirement planning.
    2. Marriage or family coaching.
    3. Legal counsel or estate planning.
    4. Intervention with creditors.
    5. Benevolence.

The qualifications of a Money Map coach are:
    Mature Christian.
    Committed to being financially faithful and living on a budget.
    Willing to be trained.
    Gifted in teaching/coaching
    Team-minded and willing to operate under authority.
    Member of Mecklenburg Community Church

The Money Map Coaching program is run by Crown Financial Ministries.  Coaches go through a 12 week self-study course offered by Crown.  The training provides a solid understanding of scriptural principles of finance, consumer laws, and techniques of budget and debt coaching and equips coaches to effectively help people to budget and eliminate debt.  The training course contains case studies, coaching procedures, credit information, resource material covering more than 100 topics, and a detailed glossary of financial terms. Assignments combine biblical principles and practical application homework. 

Crown also has a ten-week Financial Biblical Study which we offer regularly through the Meck Institute.  Going through the Crown study is generally the first step to becoming a part of the Financial ministry team at Meck.  It's not strictly required to be a coach, but we recommend it as this is the best way to gain a feeling for what we teach and to solidify your own knowledge as well. 

 
Resources

If you are interested in the Crown Financial Ministries, the Dave Ramsey Program,  receiving a Financial mentor or becoming a financial mentor please contact Community Care today!

Mentors: Marriage (Part 2 of 4)

Last week we explored what Spiritual Mentors were and how to be involved within being a mentor or mentee.  This week the focus is on Marriage Mentors! 

Within Community Care at Mecklenburg Community Church, trained marriage mentors are available to help you at every stage of your relationship.  This includes three major areas:


1)  Preparing:  Mentoring Engaged and Newlywed Couples
2)  Maximizing:  Mentoring Couples from Good to Great
3)  Repairing:  Mentoring Couples in Distress

The training that our marriage mentor's go through includes topics such as:

*Building Rapport
*Working as a team
*Asking Meaningful Questions
*Telling Your Stories
*Praying Together
*Common Subjects to Explore with Your Marriage Mentorees
*And much more!..

If you are interested in receiving information on how to obtain a marriage mentor, how to become a marriage mentor or simply want additional information about the program please contact communitycare@mecklenburg.org today!

Resources

The Complete Guide to Marriage Mentoring - Drs. Les & Leslie Parrot

Saving Your Marriage Before It Starts - Drs. Les & Leslie Parrot

Fall Lineup!

With the last vacation days quickly passing and the start of a new school year, the fall Community Care lineup also starts!  This fall we are offering wonderful groups to help in various areas of life.    The goal of Community Care is to help you with spiritual and emotional guidance.  All of these courses are open to everyone in the community.  We hope to see you there!


These courses and groups include:

*Celebrate Recovery  (Every Thursday Night)
*GriefShare (Starts August 25th)
*GriefShare for the Holidays (November 9th and December 5th)
*Sacred Marriage (Starts August 23rd)
*Prayer Team (regular meetings to pray and learn about prayer meets every Saturday)
*Life's Healing Choices (Starts August 23rd)
*DivorceCare (Starts August 25th)
*DivorceCare for Kids (Starts August 25th)
*Marriage Prep (Starts September 13th)

Community Care will be doing much more this fall so let us know if you have any questions! Email us here or find out about the times and locations of the Community Care events here!

We firmly believe healing and guidance is available to all that seek for this!

“Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. Matthew 7:7 (NIV)

He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.  Psalm 147:3 (NIV)

Modern Family - Step or Bonus?

With father's day quickly approaching our attention turns to our relationships with our own father or fathers.  I recently heard someone refer to their stepson as a "bonus son".  I instantly loved this when I heard the phrase.  This son was not some type of add on or second thought but a cherished blessing that they were so thankful to have.  It reminds me of Ephesians 1: 3-8 (NIV):    

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love he predestined us for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will— to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves. In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace that he lavished on us. With all wisdom and understanding,

The truth is you probably are either in a step-family or you definitely know a step-family.  This would be considered the modern "normal" family for today.  The issue is that when two individuals come together to create a family it can be very hard; add another family to deal with (i.e. scheduling visitation with children) it can move from difficult to excruciating.

Finding ways to navigate these treacherous waters is what "The Smart Step-Family", by Ron Deal, helps to do.  This class will be starting next week at the North Charlotte campus of Mecklenburg Community Church.  Through this material, several key insights are given to help strengthen relationships in a step-family, to review and learn common reactions that children have, explore common expectations step-parents have, and how these can conflict with each other.  Some specific areas that will be explored include:

*An overview of becoming a Smart step-family and all the different types of step-families there are
*A redemptive God
*Testing relationship expectations
*Healthy marriages - key steps
*Creating a parenting team

Whatever your relationship is with your father or fathers there is hope because of your Heavenly father! 


Resources


Smart Stepfamilies Main Site


Mecklenburg Community Church Schedule for the Smart Step-family group