Spirit-led, formation, relationships, missions, generosity, dynamic faith sharing, intergenerational connections, and volunteering are just some of the expressions we have been investigating in our sermon series “The Little-Big Things,” along with weekly conversations in our Spiritual Formation and Sunday School groups.
Over the last several months, you have been invited to contemplate how sharing Spirit-led commitment to small things can have a tremendous impact on the thriving of UBC.
More often than not, when we look at the success and failure of a church, we believe it takes tremendously huge, overhauling changes. And so, churches will either subjugate themselves to change their entire identity to model themselves after the latest fastest-growing church, or they will settle into immobility, not wanting to compromise their identity.
We have convinced ourselves that the difference between one thriving church and one failing is as different as night and day. But what separates successful churches and failing churches is relatively tiny. Moreover, we have seen that the difference between thriving and floundering focuses on subtle and small things that make an incredible difference.
The Book of Acts lays the theological foundation for each of these expressions, along with the proof that committing to the little things has significant results, as Luke tells us again and again that the church grew in numbers.
This Sunday, we will wrap up our series by looking at God’s call to have a Holy Imagination. And as we strive forward together in thriving, may we choose to commit to one another and God to these little things that are having a tremendous impact on University Baptist Church and the community around us.