Winning Ways - from Hillcrest Baptist Church, Austin, Texas  Contact Tom Goodman, Pastor
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“Between Sundays”
Hillcrest Church Office
November 12, 2003


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Here is this week's WINNING WAYS . . . .



“Between Sundays”
by Tom Goodman

Our thanks to Charles Draper for bringing last Sunday morning’s message while I was away.  I was asked to return to Cayman to lead a memorial service.

This Sunday we continue our series, “The God-Oriented Life.”  I’m getting reports from our members who are experiencing anew the kind of passion and commitment we should have in the presence of the King!

God has promised to honor those who honor him (1 Sam 2:30).  I say this reverently:  I want to get in on this deal!  The Bible tells us four ways to honor God:  through our worship, prayer, faithful living, and stewardship.

This week we’ll look at how faithful living honors God.  The Bible says that honoring God doesn’t end with the music we sing on Sundays.  Here’s what we are to do between Sundays:  “Take your everyday, ordinary life—your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life—and place it before God as an offering” (Romans 12:1, The Message).  An offering is something you give in worship, and this verse says our very lives are to be offerings to God.

Dallas Willard put it this way:

But, someone will say, can I not be saved—get into heaven when I die—without any of this?  Perhaps you can.  God's goodness is so great, I am sure, that He will let you in if He can find any basis at all to do so.  But you might wish to think about what your life amounts to before you die, about what kind of person you are becoming, and whether you really would be comfortable for eternity in the presence of one whose company you have not found especially desirable for the few hours and days of earthly existence.  And he is, after all, One who says to you now, “Follow me!”
Wow.  I know someone who needs that reminder.

Me.

See you at 8:15 or 10:45!
Tom

The quote is from “Why Bother With Discipleship?” by Dallas Willard  (www.dwillard.org).

P.S.  Have you subscribed to our other e-newsletter, LeaderLinesWinning Ways is designed to get a quick shot of inspiration and information to all Hillcrest supporters before each Sunday in a format that would make them want to forward the e-newsletter to their friends.  Over four hundred households subscribe to Winning Ways, from Canada in the north to the Caribbean in the south and lots of Austin homes in between!

LeaderLines has a different aim.  It gives me a chance to communicate directly with my PARTNERS in ministry about WHY we do what we do.  Over one hundred get this e-briefing from me each Thursday.  Across the last few editions of LeaderLines, we’ve looked at the characteristics of whom we’re trying to reach, why I preach in the style I do, why we should involve people in ministry even before they join the church, why we require a “new members class,” and we’ve looked at web resources that are helpful for church teachers and leaders.  Obviously, this kind of material doesn’t interest most folks, but if it interests you, I encourage you to add LeaderLines to your e-mail box each Thursday.  Go to Click here and follow the instructions.  You can unsubscribe at any time.




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