"How are you Growing?"

This morning at 5:54 AM I was awakened with a little face starring into mine and saying, "Daddy...Daddy..."

"Yes, Anna?" I replied.

"Daddy, can you measure me so I can see how much I 'growed'?"

Well, at 6:15 I finally got up and measured her. I don't know how she knew, but she was right. She had grown a half inch since Kimberly last measured her in August.

We adults have long since given up our interest in checking the growth chart. O, perhaps, we measure our weight but for most of us, myself included, that's usually more out of frustration than excitement, but for children measuring growth is exhilarating enough to get you out of bed at 5:55 AM.

If only God could renew that childlike love for measuring our growth in us. God does not save us from our sin and ourselves so that we can sit on a shelf until we expire. He saves us so that we may grow in the promise of Jesus for the abundant life here and now as well as in the life to come. We are invited to desire, hunger and get excited over the reality that what we have in relationship with Jesus can just get better and better. As Followers of Jesus we ought to expect and anticipate spiritual growth.

One of the best ways, I know, that God ignites that desire for continued spiritual growth in us is through what the Bible points to as one of the number one ways God grows us and that is service. Service inspires us to grow and service grows us in Christ. In fact, to be a non-serving Follower of Jesus is to be a non-growing Follower of Jesus. You cannot be growing in your faith and not at the same time actively involved in serving God by serving others.

This past Sunday was once again a great example that service inspires growth and services grows us. Story after story has come in from you about that reality.

I heard that one child who was serving with her dad asked, "Why do we only do this once a year?" My answer is we do this once a year to remind ourselves and our community of what being a part of the church is to be about everyday of the year.

We have been averaging 451 people for Sunday worship and 351 of you participated in worshiping by serving on Sunday. 70% of you are involved in regular service is some way in the ministry in the church and to the community. I just want to say thank you! Thank you for being a church that understands that service and spiritual growth go hand in hand! May God keep growing us in that truth!

Philippians 2:1-11 reminds us of that:

"1If you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, 2then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose. 3Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. 4Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.

5Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus:
6Who, being in very nature[a] God,
did not consider equality with God something to be grasped,
7but made himself nothing,
taking the very nature[b] of a servant,
being made in human likeness.
8And being found in appearance as a man,
he humbled himself
and became obedient to death—
even death on a cross!
9Therefore God exalted him to the highest place
and gave him the name that is above every name,
10that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,
in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
11and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord,
to the glory of God the Father."