'Influencers' is a word that has come to define those people whose huge popularity allows them to influence how the rest of us think and live. These people can create runs on products and places as people try to emulate their suggestions. A tweet here, a photo on Facebook and their new favourite product or place is suddenly the thing to have or place to be. It is their popularity that gives them great power to tell others how they should live. But as we have seen that popularity can disappear almost overnight if they do the wrong thing.
I suspect that deep down we all like to be popular or at the very least not unpopular. Even if we don’t want the bright lights of stardom most of us want to be loved and appreciated. But popularity is always fickle by nature - today’s hero is tomorrow’s has-been. So why, since we all know this to be true, are we so keen to be liked, to be popular and even to do things we know we shouldn’t to try and be popular?
Jesus was faced with the temptation to be popular but to do so would mean having to please the crowds, to do things that he didn’t want to do.
How often do we get caught in the popularity game? Our desire to belong, to be popular causes us to do or say things we know we shouldn’t. What might it mean for us give up popularity? How might that change our household, our community, our world?
So This Sunday We will be thinking about Giving up .. Popularity. What would it mean for us to step off the popularity treadmill and to just be ourselves? How might that also change the way we act towards others who aren’t so popular?
Easter Service Times
28 March 10:00am Palm Sunday
2 April 9:30am Good Friday reflection
4 April 10:00am. Easter Sunday Celebration
Mainly Music- Meets Wednesdays at 10.00am. This programme is a fun way for parents and their children to spend quality time together based around music and movement. It is a way for us as a church to connect with and offer something back to the community of which we are a part. It’s also a way for us to demonstrate care, concern and support for those with young children.
Small Groups are now up and running again. Contact the church office@pb.org.nz if you would like to join one
Oh and for those who are unable to join us we will still have an on-air service for you @10.30am and again @ 8pm on Thursday evening on Coast Access Radio 104.7FM or you can livestream at
http://coastaccessradio.org.nz/Listen/index.aspx The message and prayers will also be posted to the sermon page on this website.
If at this time you need someone to chat with then please call the church office 04 2987766 or email office@pb.org.nz and we’ll get back to you.
And we are also on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/paraparaumubaptist
Grace and peace