One of my favorite messages to preach when I am on the road is a sermon based upon a passage found in Acts 1. It is a wonderful glimpse into the life of the early church. The disciples are just returning from the ascension of Jesus with His marching orders (The Great Commission) fresh on their minds. Their first activity after that experience is revealing, if not a little convicting, for the modern day church.

“And they all joined together constantly in prayer…”

Acts 1:14 The very first service the church had was a PRAYER service. I am convinced that they prayed out of a sense of desperation. This God-sized mission was going to require some God-sized movement. That scenario has not changed. We still need Him. With all of our numbers, experience. and resources, we are dead in the water if He does not show up. DeSoto Hills must continue to make prayer a higher priority.

Let me encourage you to pray for this church using some mathematical equations. Pray for:

( + ) Addition
I am so thankful that the Lord is adding folks to the church and I continue to pray that He will bring His people together for such a time as this. However, I am also concerned that we are used of Him to add to the kingdom. He came to seek and to save that which was lost.

( - ) Subtraction
Ask the Lord to remove from your heart any attitude, activity, or agenda that is not Christ-honoring. After you have done that, pray that same prayer for the church.

( x ) Multiplication
I have a renewed passion and understanding that the key to truly fulfilling the Great Commission is not just adding disciples, rather multiplying them. I want us to be a “multiplying church”. I trust our search for a Minister of Discipleship will soon bring someone on staff that will help further equip us to do just that.

May the words of this great hymn continue to vibrate through His church:

He leadeth me, He leadeth me,
By His own hand He leadeth Me.
His faithful follower I would be,
For by His hand He leadeth me.

Bro James