Chris Stallings

Christ-follower, husband, father. Pastor at Leeds First Methodist in Alabama.

[Chris Stallings @CLStallings]

@DerwinLGray Let's ride!

[Chris Stallings @CLStallings]

To be part of something special--bigger than yourself--you must have unity with others. And unity takes compromise. You can't have it your way, or the highway, and be on a team!
Amos 3:3 - "Can two people walk together without agreeing on the direction?"

[Chris Stallings @CLStallings]

The connection between devotion and destiny is not negotiable.
-Walter Brueggemann (commentary on Psalm 1)

[Tony Morgan @tonymorganlive]

In order for churches to move forward, they need to understand that ministry health must be equated to life change and spiritual growth.

Programs that don’t lead to health by that definition are dead weight.

[Luke Simmons @lukedsimmons]

Somebody asked for advice on preaching on Christmas Eve. My suggestions:

• Don't try to get too clever or deep. The best Christmas Eve sermon I've ever done was on John 3:16. Next was Luke 2:10 (easiest three points out there: good news...of great joy...for all the people).

• Don't expect an "aha" moment. Better to view it as a YoungLife talk that shares the gospel but is mainly inviting people back.

• Do something to engage the kids. Typically more elementary kids are there and if they can stay engaged, everyone else will too.

I've done "Christmas Trivia" a few times and they get super into it. Feel free to steal it — one about the Christmas story (https://t.co/b5VKdmO5AP…) and one about Christmas trees (https://t.co/nEMjsB3jZ8…)

• "Work the room" before the service even more than normal because when guests meet you your sermon is more meaningful. And people in your church love introducing their friends and family to their pastor.

• Feel free to re-use your best gospel illustrations. You aren't called to be creative, you're called to be effective.

• Seriously, everyone will forget it for the most part (unless God is working in a special way), so just relax, do your best and try to enjoy Jesus in front of everyone.

I also did a podcast episode on this if you want a deeper dive: "Preaching Through Christmas & Easter"

https://t.co/uhInzfoSdY

[Chris Stallings @CLStallings]

@ThomRainer As I read these 5 challenges, the book "Effective Evangelistic Churches" popped in my mind. I read it about 15 years ago and wondered today, have you or others considered updating its research and revising? Or is there a similar current book?

[Global Methodist Church @GlobalMChurch]

The Methodist movement started with 4 people coming together for prayer, Bible study, and pious discipline and grew to 132,000 during John Wesley’s lifetime!

Proof that small groups can fuel a movement!

[Paul Lawler @plawler111]

“Lack of repentance is the root cause of powerlessness in the church, in this materialistic, self-indulgent age. There can be no spiritual power in a non-repentant church.” -Dietrich Bonhoeffer

#AshWednesday #AshWednesday2023

[Chris Stallings @CLStallings]

@EdwardVersaii Grateful for your coverage and perspective, especially during this season.

[Chris Stallings @CLStallings]

@MrsEmilyFinch Hope this is helpful. Here's the Asbury chapel service, with message from Rom 12:9-21, from which I understand it began. A few others are on that site. Others on youtube. https://t.co/QDcJ3sZRk1

[Shane L. Bishop @RevShaneBishop]

The church is not a Humanitarian Enterprise. It is not enough for us to do good, we must also connect people to Jesus.

[Scott Sauls @scottsauls]

The average 3-year-old laughs 40 times a day, and average 40-year-old laughs 3 times a day.
- Psychology Today
.
Lord, make us like children again.

[Chris Stallings @CLStallings]

The path to jump to judgement is EASY; to listen is HARD. Jesus follower, which path are you on?

Oops, sorta judged there. Sorry, wanna grab coffee or a meal? ;)

[Scott Sauls @scottsauls]

Joy and resentment cannot coexist.
- Henri Nouwen

[Talbot Davis @TalbotDavis]

Your worst wounds are your best teachers.

[Chris Ritter @RitterChris]

Methodism has lost of office of evangelist and is currently being pastored to death.

[Scott Sauls @scottsauls]

Affluence can be a breeding ground for anxiety and depression. Why? Because it creates the illusion of being able to purchase comfort and control. Eventually, this deceit is exposed. In a fallen world, not even money can secure for us the world that we long for.

[Tony Morgan @tonymorganlive]

[Volunteer Tip] Be clear about what the volunteers need to know, where they need to go, what time they need to be there, who will meet them, what to expect their first time, etc.

Afterwards, thank them and ask them about their experience.

[Scott Sauls @scottsauls]

The Holy Spirit is always aligned with Scripture and is never incongruent with it.

[Jon Tyson @JonTyson]

“The test of the morality of a society is what it does for its children.”
(Bonhoeffer)