Theme for 2007

Our theme for this year is "Keep Your Eye On Heaven In 2007." The text for our title is Colossians 3:1-4. I have divided the year into four quarters (imagine that?!). The first quarter of lessons are focused on God as the one who possesses heaven. The first month the focus was on the Father. The second month I'm focusing on Jesus as the Son of God who came from heaven to make it possible for us to go to heaven. The third month I will be focusing on the Spirit who also was sent from heaven to us to help us get on the right path to heaven. The second quarter is "Living Heavenly Values On Earthly Soil." I will be doing a sermon series from Colossians. I think that Paul helps the Colossian congregation to overcome difficulties here on earth by keeping their minds focusing on heaven above. The third quarter is "Revive my Longing for Heaven." Mount Dora has been doing a revival theme in September for the last few years so I thought I would keep that theme alive. In September I will have a handout that has a scripture and thought for every day of September. I'm calling it "30 day challenge." I know it's not original (40 days of purpose, 40 days of whatever) but a lot of people really liked it last year when I did a 30 day challenge of "Reviving my Love for God's Word." The final quarter will focus on the second coming, judgment, and eternity. So there you have the year in summary.

Welcome

This is my new blog designed to help me become a better preacher. I'm going to post each Monday (Lord willing and me willing) my title, text, and where I am headed with the sermon for next Sunday. Those who you who wish to share something with me about this text are quite welcome to do so. Please share thoughts, insights, exegesis (like you have time), illustrations, statistics, stories, or whatever you feel like sharing that might help me develop a sermon. If you have a sermon outline and want to send it to me as an attachment, please feel free. I never use someone else's outline in the pulpit for two reasons. One is it would be wrong (images of lawsuits for plagiarism come to mind). Two, I have a difficult time preaching someone else's outline. I have my own thought patterns and must outline my sermons my way (I did it my way - I knew knowing Frank Sinatra's music would be helpful one day). I will also attribute anything I use to the proper person. I hope I can interact some during the week with those of you who do comment on the text. Thanks in advance for your insights and comments.