In follow up of our series, "Hurry Up & Wait" we are implementing a new program at FaithWalk, starting in September 2008. This new program will be designed to reinforce the discipline of being still before God — God first — and learning how to slow down. It requires great effort to "be still" for any length of time, especially within our own busy lives. But when you look at the work in the church and the excitement and anxieties that come with growth (mixed with limited resources) sometimes we can fall into the pitfalls of putting work ahead of God. When we spread ourselves too thin, we become ineffective, frustrated, and burned out. That is NOT what God desires.

WORSHIP+2 is designed to help us not only practice intentionally being still before God on a more consistent basis, but it will also help us trust that God is in control. With this program, we are putting into practice what we learned during the "Hurry Up & Wait" series. Busyness is not of God. Worry about demands and needs is not of God. Our Scriptural basis is Psalm 46:10, which says, "Be still and know that I am God! I will be honored by every nation. I will be honored throughout the world" (NLT). God reminds us that we must first be still and know that He is God. The word "know" in the original Hebrew language — ya-da — means "to know intimately; to make known." To understand someone in an intimate way is to trust them and to be vulnerable before them in a manner you are not with others. This only happens by spending intentional time with them (to know intimately), and the results of this time then translates to action (to make known).

God wants us not to busy our lives with His work, but instead draw nearer to Him and find balance, peace, love, and fulfillment that will carry us into a sacrificial life for Him. Busyness = Burnout! God desires us to trust that He is in control and regardless of what we perceive from our vantage, God will be honored in all nations and throughout the world.

Jesus speaks of the busyness, worry, and anxiousness that we sometimes insert as our most treasured possessions. In the Gospel of Matthew Jesus says, "I tell you not to worry about everyday life — whether you will have enough food and drink, or enough clothes to wear. Isn't life more than food, and your body more than clothing?" (Matthew 6:25, NLT). Lack of resources is not a valid reason to run off into ministry with everything your hands can carry, no more than it is a reason to cower in a corner. When you do either, you often discover the hard way that you are actually missing a pretty essential part — Jesus. Jesus wants to replace what we determine to be our most treasured possession — our identity.

When we trust God more and become still, we allow God to continue to call new people into taking active and faithful steps in ministry — slowly and quietly giving others room to live out and discover God's call upon their life. God wants us to find balance. God is at work in all aspects of our life, and that life it is not parsed out as "church" things and "world" things. Instead, it is ALL ministry, and we are ALL called. Time with our family and friends IS part of our ministry. That's why God has given them to us! We must know Jesus and make Jesus known in every aspect of our lives!

What does WORSHIP+2 look like?

This is a simple program and easy to follow.

1. WORSHIP: Everyone must worship God. That's pretty simple. That is what we do as Christians. So participation in one of our three worship services is essential (2 options available on Sunday and 1 option on Wednesday evenings).
2. +2: You then can participate in up to 2 other areas of ministry and growth. Pretty simple!
3. The stipulation... You cannot participate in more than 2 other areas of ministry/growth. That is the point to the whole program. We are to 1) Know; 2) Grow; and 3) Sow. In other words, we become still before God in order to "know" God, grow closer to God, trusting Him more, and then serve by sowing those same seeds of faith.

Example: You participate in worship, then you choose to volunteer in our children's ministry (+1) and participate in a small group (+2). Your family deserves the best of you, so that is your other focus.

Example: You participate in worship, then you serve as a youth counselor (+1) and serve as a member of the Trustees committee (+2). Again, your family and friends deserved the best of you, so that is your other focus.

You get the idea...

We must channel our hearts toward God so that God can continue to form us, renew us, and help us discover balance and peace. This will keep us from burning out and allow God to protect the very flame He has sparked within us. Remember, we do no one any good running with an extinguished wick. In fact, we often do damage.

This whole concept is certainly not easy. But it is Biblical. Please be in prayer about your approach to this new foundational program here at FaithWalk. God has something great in store for you!!

If you have any questions, please contact Bill Gibson, our lead pastor, at bill@faithwalkumc.org.