Try It Again...For the First Time

I knew I had made the right decision regarding having Pastor

Steve Cianci take the lead at our newly created church. This was once again confirmed in my mind when he gave a tithing and sacrificial giving sermon that was the best I’d ever heard.

Still, when I met a new, first-time-visiting family after church, I started to apologize for them hearing a tithing sermon on their first visit. “NO!” they assured me, “That was inspiring! We can’t wait to come back!!”

A sermon on giving inspiring? That was amazing! I shouldn't have doubted. Still, my past experience had been quite different....

Sometimes, we assume that the same message or another conversation with someone regarding a difficult subject will produce the same results. "I tried talking to him before," we reason, "and it didn't end well. Why should I waste my time trying it again?!"

Truth is, no two conversations--and no two sermons--are the same. People change, circumstances change, and ability to communicate can improve. So it's silly to assume that the reaction/results will be the same too. I may have given and heard similar sermons on tithing. Still, this one was different...and so were the results.

So think about that discussion you've been putting off. You know you SHOULD talk to this person (or group), but you're afraid of failing. You're afraid that you'll see the same ugly reaction as you may have before.....

My advice?

Stop assuming.

Change the approach. Change the tone. Change the venue/circumstances...pray...and then try it again. Believe in God's ability to produce different and better results as you look to Him in everything (Prov. 3:5-6).

And WHEN you get that different, positive response; celebrate Him and give him glory!

To that end,

Pastor Joel