Worship
Pastor Zaki L. Zaki
“ Your inbox will be full the day you leave. Trust the work to be done by someone else.” That advice was a sure reminder for me that ministry and life continue whether I was here to accomplish it or not. The work of ministry never end
Worship
Pastor Zaki L. Zaki
Better is one day in your courts than a thousand elsewhere; (Psalm 84:10) I sang that song for years. It was one of my favorites. “Better is one day in your courts…than a thousand elsewhere…” I didn’t know it was a hymn of praise for
Worship
Pastor Zaki L. Zaki
It was a dark and stormy night... I have one of those wooden decorative signs on the shelf in my home office—maybe you’ve seen it while on a Zoom call with me. The sign says, “Storms don’t last forever.” It can often feel like the stor
Worship
Pastor Zaki L. Zaki
Ministry was going great! They were gaining momentum. Jesus moved from town to town—preaching and driving out demons! Jesus was truly initiating something new. No one had ever witnessed such miracles and experienced such authority. Even t
Worship
Pastor Zaki L. Zaki
Now what? Easter Sunday captivated and confounded us with the power of God’s truth. We are all amazed at the biblical account of Jesus’ resurrection and how it impacted the disciples then… and how it continues to impact us even now. Th

mission

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What has your attention?

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Am I compelled by Jesus' mission?

Jesus entrusted his followers with a God-sized purpose. He promised to be with them and to develop the plan together. According to Matthew's account in chapter 28, Jesus gave a clear and concise command. He said, "therefore, go and make disciples." (Matthew 28:19a NIV) Jesus identified defining actions such as baptism and teaching others to obey his commands that would distinguish his community from the secular culture. Christ followers are called to take part in this mission and commanded to discover what Jesus meant for every age when he gave his instructions.

Consider all the ways you have made an impact in the lives of others for the Kingdom of God. Think about all the people that are influenced by your willingness to put aside your fears and focus on what Jesus Christ has trusted you to accomplish. You are carrying out his mission every time you encourage someone to follow Christ's command. The exhilaration of witnessing others fulfill God's greater plan rallies the community and builds momentum to reach out toward the greater needs of the lost and broken world.

 

Am I captivated by GC2?

The heart of Jesus’ message and the church’s calling is summarized in the Great Commandment and the Great Commission. From the GC2, we derive the Core Values of Wheatland Salem Church: worship, relationships, personal transformation, missions, and future generations. Years ago, we may have heard the mantra "money follows vision.' I believe ministry is different today. There has to be more than a great idea to inspire people to get onboard with Jesus. "Money follows mission” is the paradigm for churches that are making an impact.* Evidence of a transformed life is crucial not only for individuals or the community but also to Jesus Christ. Jesus has skin in the game. He expects the same of his followers.

You don't have to be around long to figure out that reaching the world with the news of Jesus Christ is part of our DNA. Wheatland takes Jesus' command seriously by reaching people in far off places and in neighborhoods nearby. Wheatland is part of the on-going Christian transformation in countries such as Poland, Jordan, Haiti, Tanzania, India and China. Christ has also called us to make a difference in our local communities surrounding our campuses in Naperville and Oswego. One way you can respond to God's call to transform the world locally is to be part of Serve the Community Day May 7. Missions is our fourth Wheatland value. I am proud of what we have accomplished. I eagerly anticipate what we will accomplish in 2016-2017.

Sunday is Commitment Sunday. The pastors, staff, and leadership teams have been challenged to grow 10% in our personal giving. If you give $10/week--give $11. If you've not given financially to church, begin with small steps you can increase over time. Baby steps of faith make huge impacts for the Kingdom.

 

*So, what's the trend for United Methodist churches? Could we have greater impact?

Here is a link that will give you some statistics about the fastest growing UMCs. http://lenwilson.us/top-25-fastest-growing-large-umc-2016/

Here is a link that will give you some analysis of the data.https://tonymorganlive.com/2016/03/08/fast-growing-umc-churches-part-1/