Story #4 - Getting the Red Out

At St. Paul/Aurora, IL, my home church and where I work, we are beginning this February an 8-week sermon series titled Jesus Words. During these 8-weeks we will be reading together as a congregation the Book of John with specific focus on Jesus' spoken words (the "red letters" as they are often printed in Bibles). 

We are inviting our congregation to GET IN THE RED:

1) as they attend worship services each weekend, where are pastors' will teach selections of Jesus' spoken words, 

2) by reading through our Jesus Words daily devotional (click here to view/download the electronic edition - available in both English and Spanish) and 

3) by participating in a small group that will discuss the devotional material together. 


On top of this we are inviting our small groups to GET THE RED OUT!

As it is explained in our Jesus Words booklet, "As the red letters of Jesus pour into us, 'getting the red out' into our communities becomes our Christ-following response."

So we are asking our small groups to select, plan, and initiate an effort to impact the community with Jesus' love. The nature and scope of this effort is up to the small groups. It could be volunteering at a homeless shelter. It could be buying coffee for patrons at a local coffee shop with no strings attached. It could be planning an event that would bless next door neighbors. 

The operative word for whichever idea is chosen is--relational. When a group comes up with that idea, the question to ask themselves is, "Through this effort, will our group meet/talk/relate with people in our community, outside of our church walls?" If the answer is "Yes!", then the group will go for it!

Through these efforts...

• Maybe God will open up right then and there an opportunity for group members to personally share the good news of Jesus.

• Maybe it will break the ice for future conversations and relationships.

• Maybe it will simply share with the community that St. Paul cares and our people tangibly demonstrate the difference Jesus has made in our lives.

We are at just the beginning of this process. I will follow-up on this story in a couple months. 

I hope (know) there will be awesome stories to share on how God used us to GET THE RED OUT into our community!