The Week in Review

Pastor interview – March 30, 2006

We continue with our interview with our next question:


* How has your strategy for evangelism and discipleship in your church affected your congregation?

Pastor Darryl Simmons - The response is a positive one. Even though the classes have not started yet, I have been preparing the hearts of the people with my messages preached on Sunday morning. I have been preaching on messages such as fasting, tithing, worship and the covenant relationship with God. I am excited because the word is taking root in the lives of the new converts and this is setting the stage for the seeds planted to grow.


Reverend Al Ivy – It has affected this congregation because we are small, but we have a strong desire to grow. So within this first year, under strong leadership the church is being disciplined, and we have seen some growth in spirit and in the number of people.


* What is the congregation’s expectation?

Pastor Darryl Simmons – I do not know what the congregation is expecting, but in every congregation some will take it (the word), some will put it on the backburner until it is needed, some will not accept it at all. I expect to simply preach the word and allow God to work in the hearts of the people.

Reverend Al Ivy – The congregation’s expectation is high. But our leader’s expectation is even higher, because God deserves excellence. That is what we all must give to God, excellence.


Come back next week for the final installment of this interview and my follow up.

The Week in Review

Characteristics of the Goat and the Sheep

Read Matthew 25:31-46

When Jesus comes back he will separate the sheep from the goat, which will you be?

This week we will look at characteristics of goats. When we first read some of these characteristics we may not see the bad in them, yet we want to remember that it is the goats that are cast away from God, so what is it about these characteristics that are contrary to God? Let’s take a look at some of them:

GOATS

Highly intelligent (1 Corinthians 3:19 – God does not wants us depending on our own understanding for it is foolishness)

Independent (Proverb 16:18 –God does not want us to be prideful in our own ability because it only leads to our destruction)

When they are first born they begin to fight with their siblings for their mothers milk (Isaiah 56:11- God does not want us to be greedy, only concerned with filling ourselves)

The strong survive, if they are weak they are left behind or die (only concerned with self- Hebrew 13:1 - God wants us to think more of others than ourselves)

Intensely curious and will investigate any thing that piques their interest. Because they are so interested, they are hard to keep confined to their areas. They will jump over fences for example. (Ephesians 4:14- God does not want us chasing after every thing that catches our fancy. He does not want us tossed to and fro.)

They are aggressive in their behavior (Psalm 37:11 – God wants us to be meek for the meek shall inherit the God)

They are more adapted to hot weather and not cold. They have to be taken indoors at night times. The are not as adapted to cold weather because of their size weight ability to conserve water limited fat & nature of their coats (They are “fair weather” survivors. They cannot withstand the storms. God wants us to be able to withstand the storms of life. We are able to do this because of our “make up”. He adapts or clothes us to be able to withstand the “cold”.)


Breeding of goats can be difficult because of the aggressive behavior and confrontational behavior. For example if a male goat and female goat are aggressive towards each other, the male will not mate with her and will keep others from mating with her as well. (Psalm 133:1 – God wants us to dwell together in unity: husbands, wives, children etc.)