1 00:00:02,720 --> 00:00:03,640 Speaker 1: Life Audio. 2 00:00:05,559 --> 00:00:09,280 Speaker 2: Hi from the Salvation Army. You're listening to Words of Life. 3 00:00:10,000 --> 00:00:27,400 Speaker 3: The words these are the words of the life. Hey, 4 00:00:27,480 --> 00:00:30,360 Speaker 3: welcome back to Words of Life. Throughout this series, we've 5 00:00:30,360 --> 00:00:33,440 Speaker 3: been focused on encouraging Christians to be even more engaged 6 00:00:33,479 --> 00:00:36,320 Speaker 3: with their literal neighbors and their communities as a whole. 7 00:00:36,680 --> 00:00:38,680 Speaker 3: But we wanted to wrap up this series with some 8 00:00:38,840 --> 00:00:41,800 Speaker 3: encouragement to those listening who are part of church leadership. 9 00:00:42,120 --> 00:00:45,280 Speaker 3: We are joined by Major Paul Ryerson, Area Commander for 10 00:00:45,360 --> 00:00:49,240 Speaker 3: the Salvation Armies Arkansas and Oklahoma Division. In this position, 11 00:00:49,320 --> 00:00:52,920 Speaker 3: he is a pastor to pastors. So especially if that's you, 12 00:00:53,200 --> 00:00:56,080 Speaker 3: we pray this episode as a blessing and an encouragement. 13 00:01:05,480 --> 00:01:08,000 Speaker 3: Major Ierson introduce yourself to our listeners. 14 00:01:08,480 --> 00:01:11,600 Speaker 1: I'm Major Paul Ryerson, and I am the area commander 15 00:01:11,640 --> 00:01:15,200 Speaker 1: in Central Oklahoma, which is in the Oklahoma City area. 16 00:01:15,760 --> 00:01:18,160 Speaker 3: And so what does your current role day to day 17 00:01:18,200 --> 00:01:18,600 Speaker 3: look like. 18 00:01:19,240 --> 00:01:22,600 Speaker 1: My current day to day right now is really being 19 00:01:22,920 --> 00:01:28,120 Speaker 1: a shepherd to shepherds. We have several local churches what 20 00:01:28,240 --> 00:01:32,320 Speaker 1: we call corps and that have pastors and officers located there, 21 00:01:32,400 --> 00:01:35,440 Speaker 1: and then I'm there kind of their shepherd, resourcing them, 22 00:01:35,560 --> 00:01:37,759 Speaker 1: helping them and getting them what they need in order 23 00:01:37,800 --> 00:01:41,080 Speaker 1: to perform our mission on a daily basis. So I 24 00:01:41,120 --> 00:01:45,759 Speaker 1: help my world is primarily right now, fund anything, community engagement, 25 00:01:46,040 --> 00:01:48,360 Speaker 1: board engagement, these sorts of things so that way we 26 00:01:48,400 --> 00:01:49,720 Speaker 1: can resource the mission. 27 00:01:50,960 --> 00:01:54,800 Speaker 3: We're currently in a series focused on conversations about how 28 00:01:54,880 --> 00:01:57,800 Speaker 3: christ followers should be the best neighbors. And now, when 29 00:01:57,800 --> 00:02:00,440 Speaker 3: it comes to church leadership, what does that mean into you? 30 00:02:01,280 --> 00:02:04,320 Speaker 1: Well, I think church leadership is the ones who are 31 00:02:04,320 --> 00:02:07,560 Speaker 1: steering the boat and casting a vision and really rallying 32 00:02:07,600 --> 00:02:10,320 Speaker 1: everybody together and say, hey, this is the direction we're going. 33 00:02:10,600 --> 00:02:14,720 Speaker 1: So if the church leader has an outward, community focused mind, 34 00:02:14,880 --> 00:02:18,000 Speaker 1: then that will bleed into the four walls and into 35 00:02:18,040 --> 00:02:21,600 Speaker 1: the congregation. The church is meant to be a part 36 00:02:21,680 --> 00:02:29,840 Speaker 1: of the ecosystem of its local community. 37 00:02:31,800 --> 00:02:34,440 Speaker 3: If we're speaking to other pastors out there, how can 38 00:02:34,480 --> 00:02:37,960 Speaker 3: we ensure that the services we offer, the programs we 39 00:02:38,160 --> 00:02:41,200 Speaker 3: provide are ones that the community actually needs. 40 00:02:41,919 --> 00:02:47,359 Speaker 1: This is such an important question because oftentimes, and I've 41 00:02:47,360 --> 00:02:50,120 Speaker 1: been guilty of this and many churches are guilty of this, 42 00:02:51,280 --> 00:02:54,040 Speaker 1: is that we try to find that answer based on 43 00:02:54,120 --> 00:02:57,680 Speaker 1: what we think and not what we actually know or 44 00:02:57,680 --> 00:02:59,840 Speaker 1: have data for, you know, we get in rooms and 45 00:03:00,080 --> 00:03:02,960 Speaker 1: churches of our church boards and we try to figure out, 46 00:03:03,040 --> 00:03:06,080 Speaker 1: let's start a program, let's start a new thing. Oftentimes, 47 00:03:06,120 --> 00:03:08,000 Speaker 1: if we don't really go and ask the community, or 48 00:03:08,000 --> 00:03:11,520 Speaker 1: if we're not already plugged into the community where the 49 00:03:11,560 --> 00:03:14,160 Speaker 1: needs are being displayed, then what's going to come out 50 00:03:14,200 --> 00:03:16,480 Speaker 1: of that meeting is really applaly some of our passions, 51 00:03:16,480 --> 00:03:19,000 Speaker 1: some of the things that we want to serve the community, 52 00:03:19,040 --> 00:03:21,639 Speaker 1: which is nothing wrong with that, but we may realize 53 00:03:21,639 --> 00:03:24,320 Speaker 1: that there's probably fifteen other people doing the same thing 54 00:03:25,040 --> 00:03:28,520 Speaker 1: and that it's not even identified need within the community. 55 00:03:28,760 --> 00:03:33,000 Speaker 1: So to get engaged joining or you know, maybe the 56 00:03:33,040 --> 00:03:36,000 Speaker 1: pastor of the church joins the local civical the rotary club, 57 00:03:36,360 --> 00:03:39,560 Speaker 1: or become the part of the Chamber of commerce, joins 58 00:03:39,560 --> 00:03:43,520 Speaker 1: a local leadership program and you join those groups. There 59 00:03:44,120 --> 00:03:49,120 Speaker 1: just being in that environment showcases what the community is saying, 60 00:03:49,400 --> 00:03:52,040 Speaker 1: here are our needs, here are our gaps, here are 61 00:03:52,120 --> 00:03:55,760 Speaker 1: the needs. And then as a pastor, you could sit 62 00:03:55,840 --> 00:03:58,440 Speaker 1: in that position and go, we can do that and 63 00:03:58,520 --> 00:04:01,880 Speaker 1: it's based on actual data and you're hearing it directly 64 00:04:02,000 --> 00:04:03,880 Speaker 1: from your community. 65 00:04:05,280 --> 00:04:07,760 Speaker 3: Hey, you're listening to the salvation armies of words of 66 00:04:07,840 --> 00:04:10,160 Speaker 3: life we're going to take a quick ad break and 67 00:04:10,240 --> 00:04:20,159 Speaker 3: we'll be right back. When you do step into a 68 00:04:20,200 --> 00:04:22,880 Speaker 3: new community. As part of church leadership, what are some 69 00:04:22,920 --> 00:04:25,280 Speaker 3: of the first steps that you would encourage people to 70 00:04:25,360 --> 00:04:27,000 Speaker 3: take towards meaningful engagement. 71 00:04:27,440 --> 00:04:30,400 Speaker 1: For me, I'll just talk personal. No, my first steps. 72 00:04:30,760 --> 00:04:33,960 Speaker 1: Number one is always going to be to meet with 73 00:04:34,040 --> 00:04:36,440 Speaker 1: my senior church leadership, and I want to spend some 74 00:04:36,440 --> 00:04:38,640 Speaker 1: one on one time with them. I want to hear 75 00:04:38,920 --> 00:04:40,640 Speaker 1: their stories. I want to hear how they got connected 76 00:04:40,680 --> 00:04:43,080 Speaker 1: to the church. I want to hear how long they're passion. 77 00:04:43,800 --> 00:04:45,839 Speaker 1: So for me coming right into it, I want to 78 00:04:45,839 --> 00:04:47,400 Speaker 1: do that in the first thirty days. I want to 79 00:04:47,400 --> 00:04:50,240 Speaker 1: meet with all my senior church leadership. Also, I want 80 00:04:50,240 --> 00:04:52,080 Speaker 1: to get a sense of what is the mission and 81 00:04:52,120 --> 00:04:55,800 Speaker 1: the values of this actual church. What have we identified? 82 00:04:55,920 --> 00:04:58,360 Speaker 1: Do we have a vision statement? Where are we going? 83 00:04:58,760 --> 00:05:01,000 Speaker 1: And if there is something laid out then I don't 84 00:05:01,040 --> 00:05:03,840 Speaker 1: want to redo everything. I want to be a part 85 00:05:03,839 --> 00:05:07,320 Speaker 1: of what already you've identified as this is this church's passion, 86 00:05:07,400 --> 00:05:09,800 Speaker 1: is where we're going and in any event, where if there 87 00:05:09,839 --> 00:05:13,000 Speaker 1: isn't one, then you know, as a pastor, I know, okay, well, 88 00:05:13,120 --> 00:05:15,720 Speaker 1: there's an element that we can kind of start leaning on. 89 00:05:16,360 --> 00:05:18,240 Speaker 1: My next thing is I want to look outside the 90 00:05:18,240 --> 00:05:21,440 Speaker 1: four walls of the church. Within the first fourteen days, 91 00:05:21,440 --> 00:05:24,880 Speaker 1: I joined my local Rotary Club and that's a civic 92 00:05:24,960 --> 00:05:28,840 Speaker 1: organization here in Oklahoma City. I moved last summer. By 93 00:05:29,080 --> 00:05:31,720 Speaker 1: the second week, I was attending the meetings and then 94 00:05:31,880 --> 00:05:34,120 Speaker 1: I became a member of the club. And if that's 95 00:05:34,120 --> 00:05:37,159 Speaker 1: something you've never done before, I encourage you to really 96 00:05:37,200 --> 00:05:41,839 Speaker 1: do that. There is no quicker way to meet your 97 00:05:41,880 --> 00:05:44,920 Speaker 1: community to see who the mover and the shakers are, 98 00:05:44,960 --> 00:05:48,479 Speaker 1: the decision makers some elected officials down to business leaders 99 00:05:48,520 --> 00:05:51,119 Speaker 1: and all that. But every single week, when those guys 100 00:05:51,120 --> 00:05:54,039 Speaker 1: are meeting and you're in that room, they're discussing and 101 00:05:54,080 --> 00:05:56,800 Speaker 1: they're saying, you're the needs. We're going to celebrate our 102 00:05:56,880 --> 00:05:59,280 Speaker 1: wins as a community, and then we're going to identify 103 00:05:59,320 --> 00:06:02,480 Speaker 1: what our needs are. And there's no better space for 104 00:06:02,920 --> 00:06:04,680 Speaker 1: a man or a woman of the Lord to be 105 00:06:04,760 --> 00:06:06,520 Speaker 1: in that environment to say we can be a part 106 00:06:06,560 --> 00:06:10,320 Speaker 1: of that. After that, I do tend to look for 107 00:06:10,920 --> 00:06:14,400 Speaker 1: ways to engage with our local Chamber of Commerce, looking 108 00:06:14,440 --> 00:06:18,240 Speaker 1: at other avenues as well, such as the community leadership programs. 109 00:06:18,600 --> 00:06:22,359 Speaker 1: For me, in my context, as a Salvation officer, I 110 00:06:22,400 --> 00:06:27,680 Speaker 1: want to get this uniform seen and accessible to the community. 111 00:06:28,240 --> 00:06:30,120 Speaker 1: So I want to be accessible. I want to go 112 00:06:30,160 --> 00:06:31,880 Speaker 1: where everyone else is already hanging out. 113 00:06:31,960 --> 00:06:32,080 Speaker 2: Now. 114 00:06:32,120 --> 00:06:34,240 Speaker 1: I don't want them try to wend them over to 115 00:06:34,279 --> 00:06:37,000 Speaker 1: say come over here and see me or coming. It's 116 00:06:37,040 --> 00:06:38,840 Speaker 1: like there's too many barriers to get someone to come 117 00:06:38,839 --> 00:06:42,200 Speaker 1: into your building, go where they're already hanging out, and 118 00:06:42,240 --> 00:06:44,360 Speaker 1: then learn what they're all doing and what they need. 119 00:06:44,920 --> 00:06:47,680 Speaker 1: Has never felt and in the first I mean, I've 120 00:06:47,720 --> 00:06:51,000 Speaker 1: been here less than a year and already have seen 121 00:06:51,279 --> 00:06:55,599 Speaker 1: fruit for motion progress here in Oklahoma city of needs 122 00:06:55,680 --> 00:06:58,800 Speaker 1: being identified and starting to be met just by doing 123 00:06:58,800 --> 00:07:00,920 Speaker 1: those simple things. I love that. 124 00:07:03,760 --> 00:07:07,240 Speaker 3: We ray that you're enjoying and being blessed by this conversation. 125 00:07:08,480 --> 00:07:10,480 Speaker 3: We're going to take one more AdVac and we'll be 126 00:07:10,720 --> 00:07:18,640 Speaker 3: right back. What are some examples you've seen as a 127 00:07:18,760 --> 00:07:22,360 Speaker 3: core officer of a local church of Wins of just 128 00:07:22,520 --> 00:07:26,000 Speaker 3: seeing a corps truly meet needs in a unique way. 129 00:07:26,680 --> 00:07:30,640 Speaker 1: Yeah. Well, here's one real example that I can think of. 130 00:07:30,920 --> 00:07:32,960 Speaker 1: This is when I was stationed in Gwenet County is 131 00:07:33,000 --> 00:07:36,640 Speaker 1: outside of Atlanta, and while we were there in the 132 00:07:36,680 --> 00:07:40,120 Speaker 1: context of the Salvation Army. We have a church board 133 00:07:40,400 --> 00:07:43,720 Speaker 1: and then we have this community Advisory Board which is 134 00:07:43,800 --> 00:07:46,920 Speaker 1: made up of you know, community business leaders that want 135 00:07:46,920 --> 00:07:49,600 Speaker 1: to come and help the mission of the Salvation Army. 136 00:07:49,760 --> 00:07:53,200 Speaker 1: And in Gunnette, we spent a lot of time on 137 00:07:53,440 --> 00:07:57,960 Speaker 1: getting these two bodies, if you will, together and in 138 00:07:58,320 --> 00:08:02,000 Speaker 1: union and in one common purpose emission. And one of 139 00:08:02,040 --> 00:08:05,000 Speaker 1: the things that came out of that was we had 140 00:08:05,120 --> 00:08:08,280 Speaker 1: a disaster emergency mobile kitchen in our parking lot there 141 00:08:08,320 --> 00:08:11,040 Speaker 1: that was used for you know, for a hurricane or 142 00:08:11,040 --> 00:08:15,000 Speaker 1: a tornado, we'll mobilize and we'll go feed first responders 143 00:08:15,000 --> 00:08:17,760 Speaker 1: and these sorts of things. But when it's not being deployed, 144 00:08:18,000 --> 00:08:20,240 Speaker 1: you know, we maintenance it. But it was just kind 145 00:08:20,280 --> 00:08:22,960 Speaker 1: of sitting in our parking lot. So they collectively said, hey, 146 00:08:22,960 --> 00:08:27,040 Speaker 1: we should start this mobile feeding program where we go 147 00:08:27,120 --> 00:08:31,440 Speaker 1: out and we feed we identify local communities. Well, the 148 00:08:31,480 --> 00:08:34,240 Speaker 1: first question was, well, where do we go, where do 149 00:08:34,320 --> 00:08:36,040 Speaker 1: we send the truck? Where do we feed people? I 150 00:08:36,080 --> 00:08:38,480 Speaker 1: do we just like randomly show up in communities and 151 00:08:38,559 --> 00:08:40,480 Speaker 1: knock on doors and said you need something to eat? 152 00:08:40,800 --> 00:08:43,840 Speaker 1: And actually I was sitting in the room and I said, 153 00:08:44,240 --> 00:08:47,120 Speaker 1: you know, when I went through leadership Gwenette. That's the 154 00:08:47,160 --> 00:08:50,959 Speaker 1: community engagement program I went through. One of my homework assignments. 155 00:08:51,280 --> 00:08:52,840 Speaker 1: When I went through that program is I had to 156 00:08:52,880 --> 00:08:55,720 Speaker 1: do a five hour ride along with a Gwennette County 157 00:08:55,720 --> 00:08:58,520 Speaker 1: Police officer. And so for five hours, I said, and 158 00:08:58,559 --> 00:09:01,080 Speaker 1: his cruiser, we went and went through his precinct and 159 00:09:01,120 --> 00:09:03,280 Speaker 1: we went around and this and that. I mean, it 160 00:09:03,320 --> 00:09:05,520 Speaker 1: was like a whole thing. But when we were sitting 161 00:09:05,559 --> 00:09:07,439 Speaker 1: in that room and they said where should we go, 162 00:09:08,120 --> 00:09:11,040 Speaker 1: the first thought that came to my mind was, Oh, 163 00:09:11,080 --> 00:09:13,480 Speaker 1: I bet you I know who would know. Let me 164 00:09:13,640 --> 00:09:16,079 Speaker 1: contact that officer that I rode with, and I bet 165 00:09:16,240 --> 00:09:19,280 Speaker 1: this guy patrols the streets. He knows exactly where they need. 166 00:09:19,520 --> 00:09:23,920 Speaker 1: So I contacted him and he went, yeah, he gave 167 00:09:23,960 --> 00:09:26,240 Speaker 1: me a full look. Here's where our most calls are, 168 00:09:26,320 --> 00:09:29,079 Speaker 1: Here's where this is, Here's where I spend Here's where 169 00:09:29,120 --> 00:09:30,560 Speaker 1: I mean, he just laid he knew the lay of 170 00:09:30,559 --> 00:09:33,439 Speaker 1: the land, and he presented that to us. And then 171 00:09:33,440 --> 00:09:35,600 Speaker 1: that's when we said, that's where we'll send the truck. 172 00:09:36,160 --> 00:09:39,440 Speaker 1: And so we started going out there and the local counted, 173 00:09:39,480 --> 00:09:42,480 Speaker 1: like in fact, Gwenett County Police started going with us, 174 00:09:43,040 --> 00:09:46,120 Speaker 1: serving off the truck and so now we had uniform 175 00:09:46,200 --> 00:09:49,680 Speaker 1: officers serving off the truck, food, had the Salvation Army 176 00:09:49,679 --> 00:09:52,040 Speaker 1: out there, volunteers out right, and it was just became 177 00:09:52,120 --> 00:09:56,280 Speaker 1: this beautiful thing. And I'll finish with this. One of 178 00:09:56,360 --> 00:09:58,880 Speaker 1: the neat moments was when one of the detectives from 179 00:09:58,880 --> 00:10:02,000 Speaker 1: Gwennett County Police, we pulled into an area that they 180 00:10:02,040 --> 00:10:07,839 Speaker 1: identified and just in short comings, you just kind of said, hey, 181 00:10:07,840 --> 00:10:09,800 Speaker 1: you'll notice there's a lot of kids coming out at 182 00:10:09,800 --> 00:10:12,080 Speaker 1: this facility, you know, come in this in this neighborhood, 183 00:10:12,200 --> 00:10:14,680 Speaker 1: coming to eat. And I said yeah, and he told me, 184 00:10:14,800 --> 00:10:18,200 Speaker 1: he said, you know, none of these kids go to school. 185 00:10:18,400 --> 00:10:20,480 Speaker 1: There are school aged kids, but they don't go to school. 186 00:10:20,559 --> 00:10:23,360 Speaker 1: And I said, they just skipped them school me, why 187 00:10:23,400 --> 00:10:25,679 Speaker 1: is that right? And he said because none of them 188 00:10:25,679 --> 00:10:29,160 Speaker 1: are vaccinated? And I thought, well is that by choice? 189 00:10:29,160 --> 00:10:30,920 Speaker 1: And they said no, they just can't get to the 190 00:10:30,920 --> 00:10:34,280 Speaker 1: facility to get vaccinateed, to just get registered to go 191 00:10:34,320 --> 00:10:36,960 Speaker 1: to school. And so it just so happened that the 192 00:10:37,000 --> 00:10:39,079 Speaker 1: public health director of g when I County served on 193 00:10:39,120 --> 00:10:41,960 Speaker 1: my board. So after one phone calls like do you 194 00:10:42,000 --> 00:10:44,320 Speaker 1: know there's a whole community here that they want to 195 00:10:44,320 --> 00:10:45,920 Speaker 1: go to school? They just can't. It's just it's just 196 00:10:45,960 --> 00:10:48,240 Speaker 1: like a hind or they can't get there. And so 197 00:10:48,360 --> 00:10:52,120 Speaker 1: with that one little knowledge, here's the need, and here's 198 00:10:52,160 --> 00:10:54,600 Speaker 1: the way to connect to the I call the director 199 00:10:54,640 --> 00:10:57,360 Speaker 1: and they send their mobile unit out, they're clinic out 200 00:10:57,679 --> 00:11:01,160 Speaker 1: to vaccinate the kids so they can get reagistered for school. WHOA, 201 00:11:01,760 --> 00:11:04,560 Speaker 1: we just met a real need. Now kids get to 202 00:11:04,559 --> 00:11:07,480 Speaker 1: be educated. You know, that's an example that comes to mind. 203 00:11:07,640 --> 00:11:22,280 Speaker 3: That's that's amazing. If someone says they don't know where 204 00:11:22,320 --> 00:11:25,120 Speaker 3: to start as far as being more engaged with their community, 205 00:11:25,280 --> 00:11:28,880 Speaker 3: what's just another piece of advice that you would give them. 206 00:11:29,120 --> 00:11:33,240 Speaker 1: My number one advice is this not too late. It's 207 00:11:33,320 --> 00:11:36,160 Speaker 1: not too late. You know, if you don't know what 208 00:11:36,240 --> 00:11:41,600 Speaker 1: to do, then look toward either other churches or maybe 209 00:11:41,720 --> 00:11:45,440 Speaker 1: mentors in your life for people that you see going, man, look, 210 00:11:45,559 --> 00:11:47,679 Speaker 1: you know, how are they doing? How are they and 211 00:11:47,880 --> 00:11:50,160 Speaker 1: reach out to this and ask for a coach, asking 212 00:11:50,200 --> 00:11:53,160 Speaker 1: for advice. I mean, gosh, there's so much good that 213 00:11:53,240 --> 00:11:56,200 Speaker 1: can come from just a humble spirit and just say 214 00:11:56,280 --> 00:11:58,320 Speaker 1: I don't I want to do this. This is not 215 00:11:58,400 --> 00:12:01,360 Speaker 1: my willhouse, like I'm I'm not built for Like my 216 00:12:01,440 --> 00:12:04,120 Speaker 1: mind doesn't think this way, what can I do? And 217 00:12:04,200 --> 00:12:06,920 Speaker 1: so there's you're never too late, never too late to 218 00:12:07,000 --> 00:12:10,600 Speaker 1: start something like this, and really there's only good that 219 00:12:10,640 --> 00:12:14,360 Speaker 1: can come from it, because when you start engaging into 220 00:12:14,400 --> 00:12:18,199 Speaker 1: your local community one, there's going to be direct effects 221 00:12:18,200 --> 00:12:20,760 Speaker 1: and there's going to be byproducts. The direct things are 222 00:12:21,040 --> 00:12:22,960 Speaker 1: your people in your church are going to feel like 223 00:12:23,000 --> 00:12:27,360 Speaker 1: they're they're now legitimately carrying out the mission of the Kingdom. 224 00:12:27,640 --> 00:12:29,679 Speaker 1: You know they are. They're not just coming as an 225 00:12:29,679 --> 00:12:33,000 Speaker 1: audience member on Sunday morning to engage and worship in 226 00:12:33,040 --> 00:12:36,000 Speaker 1: that way, which is important, but when they feel like 227 00:12:36,040 --> 00:12:38,839 Speaker 1: when they're actually meeting an identified need in the community, 228 00:12:39,200 --> 00:12:42,679 Speaker 1: and that is where a local church member starts, their 229 00:12:42,760 --> 00:12:45,439 Speaker 1: faith becomes real. And as a pastor, there's not the 230 00:12:45,520 --> 00:12:46,880 Speaker 1: more than I want them that for you to have 231 00:12:46,880 --> 00:12:49,640 Speaker 1: a legitimate experience with the Holy Spirit and that your 232 00:12:49,679 --> 00:12:52,520 Speaker 1: faith is now not this abstract thing, but this is 233 00:12:52,720 --> 00:12:56,040 Speaker 1: concrete thing in your life that that's for me. Boom, 234 00:12:56,080 --> 00:12:59,320 Speaker 1: that's right there. But then the byproduct of it is 235 00:12:59,360 --> 00:13:01,760 Speaker 1: the more you're in the community and you're less about 236 00:13:01,800 --> 00:13:04,959 Speaker 1: yourself and you're more about others. Funny enough, we think 237 00:13:05,000 --> 00:13:07,160 Speaker 1: that church growth is what we have to do a 238 00:13:07,200 --> 00:13:09,800 Speaker 1: lot of self promotion and a lot of self live. 239 00:13:09,840 --> 00:13:11,600 Speaker 1: Look at our church, look at our programs, like at 240 00:13:11,640 --> 00:13:13,160 Speaker 1: what we can do, look at this, look at that. 241 00:13:13,559 --> 00:13:16,040 Speaker 1: But I have found that the best way to grow 242 00:13:16,080 --> 00:13:18,520 Speaker 1: your church is a quit talking about you and talk 243 00:13:18,520 --> 00:13:21,480 Speaker 1: about everybody else and just go and serve in the 244 00:13:21,480 --> 00:13:25,240 Speaker 1: local community. And then from that your church is going 245 00:13:25,320 --> 00:13:28,520 Speaker 1: to grow because it turns out that's what people actually 246 00:13:28,520 --> 00:13:32,920 Speaker 1: are interested in. I've just seen firsthand just the church 247 00:13:33,880 --> 00:13:36,680 Speaker 1: spiritually explode, so that would be my thing. 248 00:13:37,320 --> 00:13:41,760 Speaker 3: That's great. We hope this series has been an encouragement 249 00:13:41,800 --> 00:13:44,000 Speaker 3: to you to be more available to your neighbors and 250 00:13:44,120 --> 00:13:47,240 Speaker 3: more involved in your community. To find any resources mentioned 251 00:13:47,240 --> 00:13:50,679 Speaker 3: throughout this series, visit Words of Life podcast dot org. 252 00:13:52,960 --> 00:13:56,160 Speaker 2: The Salvation Army's mission doing the most good means helping 253 00:13:56,200 --> 00:13:59,280 Speaker 2: people with material and spiritual needs. You become a part 254 00:13:59,280 --> 00:14:02,000 Speaker 2: of this mission every time you give to the Salvation Army. 255 00:14:02,240 --> 00:14:05,360 Speaker 2: Visit Salvation Army USA dot org to offer your support. 256 00:14:05,559 --> 00:14:07,800 Speaker 2: You can subscribe to Words of Life on your favorite 257 00:14:07,800 --> 00:14:12,080 Speaker 2: podcast store, or visit Salvation armyesoundcast dot org. Join us 258 00:14:12,120 --> 00:14:14,679 Speaker 2: next time for the Salvation Armies Words of Life. 259 00:14:15,840 --> 00:14:24,440 Speaker 1: These are the words These are the Words of Life. 260 00:14:31,840 --> 00:14:34,280 Speaker 3: Thanks so much for listening to Words of Life. We 261 00:14:34,320 --> 00:14:36,160 Speaker 3: want to thank the team at Life Audio for their 262 00:14:36,200 --> 00:14:39,680 Speaker 3: partnership with us on the show. Visit lifeaudio dot com 263 00:14:39,760 --> 00:14:42,360 Speaker 3: or you'll find dozens of other faith centered podcasts in 264 00:14:42,400 --> 00:14:46,200 Speaker 3: their network. They have shows about prayer, Bible studying, parenting, 265 00:14:46,320 --> 00:14:49,320 Speaker 3: and more. Thanks again for listening. We'll see you next time.