Game Over!

Most of us - at least in my generation - still played board games during our childhood. I remember a number of them: Chutes and Ladders (when I was REALLY young), Chess, Checkers, Clue...but the favorite in my parent's household was Monopoly...That was the one place that a blue collar meatcutter like my father could feel like a titan of industry...and, he did! He was relentless. He knew which properties were junk (i.e. Mediterranean or Baltic Avenue) and which ones were really valuable (i.e. Boardwalk, Park Place, etc). And, he was fierce when it came to demanding rent.

Now, in my household we don't do much with Monopoly...we prefer to play the Andy Griffith Trivia game or Seinfeld Scene It...but, regardless of the game, here is the truth - no matter how much money my father accumulated...when the game was over, it all went back in the box. And, no matter how often I show off my knowledge of Andy Griffith trivia (i.e. knowing who played unlucky peddler Newton Monroe...), when the game is over, it all goes back in the box!


On Easter Sunday we began a new series entitled, GAME OVER!. The series is based on John Ortberg's book and small group study, When the Game is Over, It all Goes Back in the Box...In fact, all of our small groups will be using Ortberg's study guide during their time together. The focus of this series will be learning to live in light of eternity. We will be asking questions...hard questions, like: What are you living for? By what do you measure success? Are you living for comfort or for your calling?

Resources we will be using can be found here:
http://www.christianbook.com/Christian/Books/product?item_no=282464&netp_id=511127&event=ESRCN&item_code=WW&view=covers#curr

I hope that when the game is over for each of us, we have lived a life that is rich toward God and accumulated "wealth" in heaven, rather than gone after a bunch of stuff that will just go...back in the box!

Developing Your Shape to Serve

For the next six weeks Lighthouse Community Church will be working through the small group study: Developing Your Shape to Serve from the folks at Doing Life Together (http://www.lifetogether.com/leader/SmallGroupCurriculum/tabid/598/Default.aspx). As has become our habit, each Sunday morning sermon will be tied to the small group lesson that week.

On Sunday, Feb 22 we looked at the reality that God has made each of us unique. He has gifted and "SHAPED" each of us so that we may be a part of extending his kingdom through the church. There is not a single believer who has "nothing to offer" by way of time, talents, or treasure. We also said that God uses the Holy Spirit to develop a servant's heart within us. Part of that development happens as we respond to those God has placed within the church to equip us (Eph 4:11-13).

Over the course of the next few weeks we are going to examine:
Spiritual Gifts: what are they? do you have one?
Personality: how does your personality "fit" with kingdom service?
Experiences: if God never wastes a hurt in our life, does that give new meaning and purpose to the hurts we have experienced in the past?
Heart: what is your passion? what has God put in your heart to do for the sake of his kingdom?

Now...back to the first study...The test I suggested for how well we are doing at developing a servant's heart is this: to what degree are you giving yourself away for others?

For discussion, let me ask...is this a fair test? Is it conclusive? What are it's limitations?