“Karen’s Notes!
Insights from a Glory-Bound Lady”

Selected Notes
Volume 6 Number 45
#289 “The Right Kind of Church and What it Needs!”

November 8, 2023

She would surely catch the ladies’ attention!
Sometimes at the top of Karen’s handwritten notes she would list the date and place of her seminar presentation. She didn’t on this one. However, I am holding in my hands the typical small sheet of paper employing red ink for the outline and blue ink for the notes (I wonder where she would have gotten such an idea?). Wherever she was speaking, she was going to surely catch their attention with the topic being about every church and the word fun. Actually, this was going to be an acrostic F.U.N. Over the next three weeks, I will share the words she used in the acrostic. Let’s get to the F for today.

This is a brief portion of her first point: This acrostic, F.U.N., will share three essential ingredients that every church must possess for it to be healthy. The F stands for FAITH. When I am speaking of faith, I am speaking about what we believe, or putting our confidence in.

A. Salvational faith. This is the wonderful coming to know Christ as our Savior. We must have faith that He is the Son of God (John 10:30; Matthew 3:17); He was born of the virgin (Matthew 1:23; Luke 1:34, 35); He died on the cross for our sins (1 Corinthians 15:3; 1 Peter 2:24); and He rose again (1 Corinthians 15:4; 1 Peter 1:3). There is only one way to be saved, and this was accomplished once for all. We must trust in Christ alone.

B. Provisional faith. This is an ongoing, growing dependence upon the Lord and takes place as we walk with Him daily. We grow stronger in our confidence in the Lord as our provisional faith and trust deepens. “Without faith it is impossible to please Him” (Hebrews 11:6). I must warn you that provisional faith is strengthened through trials (John 16:33).

Yes, F stands for faith. What great opportunities we have to quietly, graciously, and consistently live out our faith in these confusing and troubling times.

Let me send you on your way with this. I can’t wait until next week to share with you what she wrote for the U as we spell out Karen’s “F.U.N.” I can tell you that it is good. Remember, Karen only spoke to ladies’ groups. However, what she shared with the ladies, well, I truly have to tell you that I believe it is good for ladies and men alike.