Future message series thoughts?

I’ve been seeking God all week and thinking a lot about what God wants to say to our church this FALL. I don’t choose my teaching calendar according to popular opinion, but it DOES always help me to know what people are REALLY dealing with out there in the real world. I want to know where people ARE in our church and what their struggles, dreams, and questions really are and help them become everything God wants them to be! 

So I’d love your help!  Here’s what I need you to do. Let me know what you’d love to hear covered/addressed at MLC, based on what it’s going on in your life, and the lives of those around you!

Drop me a comment ranking the following in the order of  importance (use the numbers corresponding, if that’s easier):

1. Perfect People Not Allowed

2. Angels & Demons

3. Parenting

4. Sex

5. Relational Issues (forgiveness, conflict resolution, etc)

6. Vices and Addictions

7. Marriage

8. Controversial Issues (Abortion, Euthanasia, Gambling, etc)

9. Prayer

10. Growing in my faith

11. Baptism

12. Moving past my past

13. Differences between Christianity and other religions

14. Financial Challenges/ Better money management

15. Beating Discouragement

16. Other thoughts you might have?

Comments

[Eva]

Shawn this was tough for me how do you do it? I am so glad you listen to God when it comes to your Sermons!

1. Prayer
2. Growing in my faith
3. Relational Issues (forgiveness, conflict resolution, etc)
4. Marriage
5. Parenting
6. Vices and Addictions
7. Baptism
8. Angels & Demons
9. Moving past my past
10. Beating Discouragement
11. Perfect People Not Allowed
12. Controversial Issues (Abortion, Euthanasia, Gambling, etc)
13. Differences between Christianity and other religions
14. Sex
15. Financial Challenges/ Better money management
16. Other thoughts you might have? Missions in our own community

[John S.]

1. Differences between Christianity and other religions (I think people have really been messed up with equating all religion as the same. Also, most Christians don't understand the differences.)

2. Beating Discouragement

3. Moving past my past

4. Perfect People Not Allowed

5. Vices and Addictions

6. Controversial Issues (Abortion, Euthanasia, Gambling, etc)

7. Relational Issues (forgiveness, conflict resolution, etc)

8. Marriage

9. Parenting

10. Sex

11. Baptism

12. Prayer

13. Growing in my faith

14. Angels & Demons

15. Financial Challenges/ Better money management

[Dennis L. Skaggs]

#15 Beating Discouragement
I would place this towards the top. Christians and Non-Christians need encouragement during the desert times. To better understand how the God that created the Heavens and the universe can and will provide for those who lean on him to lead them to the light.
I have been writing a book "Out if the Darkness and Into the Light" which is about facing the storms of life and how to react, survive and call on God.
Excerpt from the introduction:
“In Job 5:7 (N.I.V.) we read “Yet man was born to trouble as sure as sparks fly upward”. That being said it is not surprising what challenges each Christian will face during their daily walk. Many of us have heard non-Christians say that they can see no difference in how many bad situations or circumstances they face compared to someone they know that is a true Christian believer. The sad thing is when I hear non-believers say they can see no difference in how they handle these trials in life compared to their Christian friends.”
"The Bible tells about many trials and tribulations that worshipers of God faced. It is not the situation or circumstance that is important in the stories we read but in how each reacted during them. God wants us to trust him. He not only created each of us, He also wants to build a relationship based on faith that can carry us through difficult times in our lives. It is easy as a Christian to praise God when things are going good. When the job is great, the bills all paid, the family is healthy, the car is running good and your kids are making the grades what’s not to be thankful for. How many of us have such a wonderful existence throughout our whole life? What do we do when things break, the job ends or other crisis exists?"

[Dale Schaeffer]

Hey man prayed for you today as you're trying to get God's direction on series planning for the fall.

We survey our congregation every year and I always pay attention to the top 2-4 and the bottom 2-3...usually some good insight in what people are not interested in hearing about.

Blessings

[Erin B]

For now I think Marriage and Parenting, due to the stress from the economy on so many people. Prayer, then growing in my faith! They all sound awesome though.

[Tiffany]

So I just took the oder that you had and the cut and rearranged them in the order that I liked - left your numbers the same though, sorry if that is confusing - I think they are ALL important issues, this is just an order of what maybe I would like to hear first about! Thanks for taking the time to ask us and listen to our feedback!! You are awesome!

5. Relational Issues (forgiveness, conflict resolution, etc)
13. Differences between Christianity and other religions
7. Marriage
3. Parenting
6. Vices and Addictions
8. Controversial Issues (Abortion, Euthanasia, Gambling, etc)
4. Sex
15. Beating Discouragement
1. Perfect People Not Allowed
9. Prayer
10. Growing in my faith
11. Baptism
14. Financial Challenges/ Better money management
2. Angels & Demons
12. Moving past my past

[Angela]

I would love to for my teens to hear about the differences in Christianity and other religions. They get so much conflicting information outside the church. I am sure I could learn a lot too.

I also think a series on angels and demons would be fantastic!

I am sure that whatever topic God leads you to will be terrific, but thank you for asking for our thoughts!

[Crystal]

A marriage series? Oh no, that's been done.
A singles series!
Seriously...all 5 of us would be there ha ha ha.

[Amy D.]

Well, I think all topics listed would be beneficial in our journey to Point "B". However, I feel like the following would have impact on the lives of those around me.
Relational Issues (forgiveness, conflict resolution, etc)
Differences between Christianity and other religions
Beating Discouragement
Vices and Addictions
I know that whatever MLC chooses will glorify the Kingdom!

[LD]

I would love to see something on controversial issues, vices and addictions,and parenting. It seems like we have had the financial challanges, prayer, discouragement, no perfect people type of messages more recently. The others would shake it up a bit!