Summer is a great time of the year for everyone except churches. With all the vacations, excursions and heat, it is the season that takes its toll on church activities and contributions. Every summer I challenge SouthCentral to not let up. We must really become more active and faithful because our congregational schedule does not let up. We are now in the final planning stages for “SouthCentral Weekend -’09.” We absolutely MUST have more participation than last year. (And last year gave us more workers than we have ever had in the history of this church!!)

Of course, our anniversary weekend is still more than a month away, and there are other things and events on the calendar than we need to attend to. It is important and imperative for all of us to be faithful in all that we do. The sad spirit of some so-called Christians that enables them to take off when they want as if on vacation from God is ludicrous! Whatever you do around SouthCentral must continue to be done, even when you are tired and hot. And some of you still take off with no accountability. (And by the way, calling someone and simply saying, “I won’t be at church,” is not accountability. People who do this are merely reporting and since we have a policy of accountability here at SC, they try to make it appear that they are in compliance, but they are not. They’re justifying unfaithfulness — or attempting to— and that’s a sin also!

We are coming up on our 11th full year and about to embark upon our 12th. God should be seeing real growth and development in us. This maturity should empower us with His spirit to do greater works. This maturity should make us visualize a church with a footprint in the community and one in heaven.

I heartily commend all who are bringing visitors. They make such a special difference in our services. Now we need to do more in our ministries and caregroups to genuinely reach out to our friends and neighbors when they repeat visits. They keep coming for some reason. I would like to think that it’s because their needs are being met. Dare we not continue to do more??