This morning, I was a part of our weekly Sisterhood gathering.  But today looked a little different.  Instead of a regular worship meeting with 4 songs, a message, offering, testimony, altar call, etc.  we did what we are calling our BE THE CHANGE MORNING TEA.

We occasionally have “morning tea,” which might be similar to what is prepared on the final morning of a youth camp that is doing a non-cooked breakfast - muffins, toast, tea, coffee, banana bread, fruit…  So for our Be the Change mornings, we have morning tea and then PUT INTO ACTION some of the things we are capable of doing for OUR LOCAL COMMUNITY and for our partner ministries.

Be the Change mornings consist of the following:
Hillsong City Care - sorting/packing food that has been donated for our food bank.  (Non-perishables).
Writing Letters to the persecuted church (in partnership with Voice of the Martyrs)
Packing lunches for kids whose parents may not be able to.
Random acts of kindness (sisters who go around the community doing random acts of kindness)
Intercession and prayer group
Knitting Club (knitting blankets, scarves, etc for a local hospital)
Cleaning team - teams that go around to people’s homes who are in desperate need of some cleaning
ETC.

This morning, along with an ARMY of people, our team sorted through kilos of stuff that had been donated through our KILO OF KINDESS initiative.  (KILO OF KINDESS - the church was challenged to each bring a KILO of non-perishables to the live album recording.  1 Kilo = 2.2 lbs.  We haven’t stopped the KILO OF KINDNESS.  It’s an on-going stand in our foyer across every service and has been around for a while… just now, we have a new name for it).

I tell you this, because one of the greatest things I’ve found about this church and its vision/leaders/culture is that it is a church of action.  From the top down, there is a real belief in not just talking about things but DOING.  James 1:22 tells us to not just be hearers of the word but DOERS.  And 1 Cor 13 speaks of how without love, we are nothing.  I pray that wherever you are, you, too, will choose to be a DOER and do so IN LOVE.  If your churches are churches of action and social justice, keep on growing and finding more ways to really take this mandate outside the walls… dream BIG and keep dreaming BIGGER.  If your church does not do things like this, BE THE CHANGE you want to see.  Maybe take some of these ideas and implement one here and there.  Every little thing DOES make a difference.

For more ideas, check out -ONE FOR ANOTHER.

TAKE ACTION, friends.
BE THE CHANGE.
And do it regularly.
Whatever that may mean for you and your church.
Give generously.
Love lavishly.
Sow sacrificially.
And do it all in love.  The world needs love, and God is love.  Let’s give them what they are all searching for anyway…