Ministries:
Adult | Teens | Children

Pastor's Pen's:
2008 | 2007 | 2006 | 2005 | 2004 | 2003 | 2002 | 2001

Sermon Series:
Following Jesus
Earthly Cross
His Name Is
Apostles Creed
Dealing with Feelings
Jonah
Get Real
Promised Land Living

Grace Church
257 Kendall Street
Burlington, WI 53105

(262) 763-3021

Email:
Pastor Scott Carson

Secretary Patti Hall

PASTOR'S PENS 2005

Grace Church of Burlington September 25, 2005 “This I resolved on -- to run, when I can; to go, when I cannot run; and to creep, when I cannot go.”   John Bunyan How far would you go? What would you do to get your dream job? Bribe the employer with food or gifts? Hit on the hiring manager? Become a stalker? When a job seeker really wants a job, he/she will do almost anything to stand out among the competition. There is seemingly no length a candidate won't go to and no line someone won’t cross in order to get a job.             Recently, hiring managers across the country  shared the most unconventional methods that job seekers used to grab their attention in CareerBuilder.com’s latest survey "How to Get in the Front Door." While some candidates’ efforts were impressive like giving Power Point presentations, distributing portfolios on CD and working for a day to demonstrate talents – others’ were off the wall and complete turn-offs.             One candidate called incessantly for weeks before and after the position was filled. Another clueless candidate asked for another interview after being told that the job was filled. One job seeker brought coffee for the entire office, while another asked the interviewer out to dinner. But if you think that’s weird, here are some of the most bizarre things job seekers did to get noticed:             Wore a tuxedo; Used a celebrity official fan site as one of their portfolio accomplishments; Brought a baby gift to the interviewer who was pregnant; Sat next to the hiring manager in a church pew; Left Yankee tickets for the interviewer; Sent a nude photo of himself to the hiring manager; Tried to do a stand-up comedy routine; Waited for the hiring manager at his car; Came dressed as a cat.             As I read through the lengths that people will go to get their “dream job,” it hit me how very little that I often do about something that really has eternal significance – reaching my lost friends. Other than our church family, most of my friends in this community don’t know the Lord. And sometimes I forget how lost they are. I get caught up with just being their friend, talking to them about the economy or politics or even the latest news event...and I forget what’s really important...their soul and eternal destination.             Most of us, when we really want something, when we really care about something...are willing to do something a little extreme, even a little crazy. Shouldn’t we be willing to take some risks to reach our lost friends? So are you actively building redemptive relationships? Are you alert to opportunities to share the Gospel? Are you willing to invest in doing a Bible study with someone who is seeking spiritual answers? Do you consistently invite lost friends or family members to join you at our church (usually sweetening the pie with dinner afterwards helps)?             Sometimes we just need the right occasion or opportunity to reach out to a lost friend. In a few weeks we’re giving you one. On October 16th we will be having Friend Day at Grace.We’ll be serving a Biscuit Brunch during the Sunday School/Adult Bible Fellowship time, followed by a combined  morning worship service. This is an opportunity for each of us to invite our lost friends to be our special guest. And every single one of us should have someone immediately come to mind. Then, we should start praying now and then invite them to be our special guest that Sunday. Use this as a deadline to motivate yourself to go after and do something that is very important – to be salt and light. There really is no excuse for anyone in the Grace Family not to invite someone. If you don’t have any lost friends that you can invite, then my friend, you are failing at the Great Commission. And you are not like our Lord, who was known for being the “Friend of sinners.”