Gary's Gleanings

How To Change The World!

2011-03-28T18:02:00.001-05:00

While living in London during the summer of 2005 I spent some time exploring Westminster Abby. There is a tomb of an Anglican Bishop in the Abbey that reads:

“When I was young and free and my imagination had no limits, I dreamed of changing the world.

As I grew older and wiser I discovered the world would not change -
So I shortened my sights somewhat and decided to change only my country, but it too seemed immovable.

As I grew into my twilight years, in one last desperate attempt, I settled for changing only my family, those closest to me, but alas, they would have none of it.

And now I realize as I lie on my deathbed, if I had only changed myself first, then by example I might have changed my family. From their inspiration and encouragement I would then have been able to better my country,

And who knows, I might have even changed the world.”

Lent provides a great opportunity to reflect upon our lives and ask God to work His life-changing miracles in us. Do you want to change your family, your church, your community, your world? The Bishop was right. The only person we can really change is ourselves!

Machine Oil, Ducks, and the Christian Church

2010-10-28T10:28:00.000-05:00

One of my favorite stories is about a man who visited a machine oil factory. The owner of the factory proudly took the man around and showed him the impressive process. It was quite an operation. At the end of the tour the man asked the owner of the plant, “Where is the shipping department?”

“Oh, we don’t have a shipping department,” he replied. “We use all our oil to run the factory.”

During the last few days, as I have been evaluating how well Minor Memorial is carrying out the strategy we spent months developing, I was reminded of this story. It is so easy for us to spend almost all of our energy in the church on institutional maintenance and have little left to carry out mission and ministry. It is so easy to focus on ourselves and forget that God sends us into the world to make disciples. He commands us to feed the hungry and clothe the naked.

It is vitally important for Christians to study the scripture together. Sunday School classes, bible courses, home cell groups help us grow in our knowledge of God. But these are not the “end.” They are the “means to the end.” The book of James warns us, “But be doers of the word, and not merely hearers who deceive themselves” (James 1:22). I like the way this is translated in The Message New Testament. “Don’t fool yourself into thinking that you are a listener when you are anything but, letting the Word go in one ear and out the other. Act on what you hear!”

Søren Kierkegaard, the famous philosopher once told a parable about some ducks from an imaginary “duck country.” Every Sunday the ducks would waddle to church, walk down the aisle, and squat in the pews. The duck pastor would read from the duck bible: “Ducks! You have wings, and with wings you can fly like eagles. You can soar into the skies! Ducks! You have wings!” With wings there was nowhere the ducks could not go, nothing they could not accomplish.

The ducks would respond to the pastor’s sermon with a hearty “Amen!” But when church was over, they waddled home. Not a single duck would fly.

Kierkegaard told this parable about the Denmark church of his day. A church that had lost its passion for the gospel. A church that had largely forgotten its mission. I wonder what this great Danish Christian philosopher would say about the modern church in America?

Church Cemetery

2010-10-23T10:40:00.000-05:00

My friend Andy Ray is pastor of First United Methodist Church in Tupelo, Mississippi. He tells a wonderful story about his first position just out of seminary. He was appointed by the bishop to a “charge” of four churches. One of the churches that he felt had the most potential had no budget, no program, and saw no need to change. He got the leadership to agree to engage in a strategic planning session on a Sunday afternoon. He arrived at the church early to prepare. He set up tables, taped newsprint to the walls, and gathered the supplies they would need for this most important meeting. He was excited about a day of visioning.

After a few minutes he began to hear people arriving. With each sound of a car door closing his heart beat a little stronger. But as he waited in the church no one came in. Finally, looking out a side window he saw more than a dozen members working in the church cemetery. His heart sank. It was then that he realized that the members of this congregation were more concerned about the dead than they were the living.

Andy says, “I was so disappointed that I cried. Those graves marked those who had given their lives to have a church. Now we had a church to sustain a cemetery.”

It is vital that every church understand its purpose. God’s people are called to be a covenant community, not a social club. We are called to be an expeditionary force, not a fortress. We are called to transform the world, not gather into our safe enclaves and complain about the world going to hell.

Minor Memorial’s mission statement says our purpose is to grow disciples of Jesus Christ through worship, study (training), fellowship, and service. The abbreviated version of our vision is Every Member in Ministry. The abbreviated version of our strategy is Meeting Needs, Sharing Christ. My prayer is that, as the body of Christ we learn to live out this purpose and truly become a church that makes a difference and transforms the world.

Excellent Service

2010-10-08T13:52:00.000-05:00

` This week I’ve been attending The Leadership Institute at Church of the Resurrection in Leawood, Kansas, a suburb of Kansas City. Church of the Resurrection in one of the largest, fastest growing United Methodist churches in the world. I had an interesting experience the first night I was here. Having just arrived I asked the clerk at the hotel desk if there was a good Mexican restaurant nearby. He informed me that there was an On the Border just around the corner.
At the restaurant the hostess seated me right away. But then I sat there for several minutes before the manager finally came over and asked me if had been helped. When he realized I had been waiting for some time he took my order. Just after the manager left my waiter arrived. The manager came back and informed him that my order had been taken. From then on the server lived up to his title, giving me excellent service.
When I finished my meal the waiter informed me that there was no charge for my dinner. He apologized for his slow response at the beginning. It was clear that the manager had had a little talk with this employee.
I left that restaurant with a different attitude toward this restaurant chain, especially the one in Kansas City. I also began to think about the Christian church in general and Minor Memorial in particular. I wondered how guest feel when they visit our church. I wondered if they feel like they get “added value” for their investment of time and effort to attend our worship services. Are people blessed by our music? Are they encouraged and strengthened by the messages? Are they made to feel welcomed and comfortable? Do they leave feeling that this is a place where they could really belong.
I have to confess that I have seen several visitors over the past year sitting in the fellowship hall by themselves. It is so easy to let this happen. One conference speaker this week at the Leadership Institute smiled when he said, “Every church is friendly. Unfortunately, we are too often just friendly to one another. We don’t always include our guests.”
Becoming a part of a new church is not easy. Helping people experience real community is hard work. It is every church member’s responsibility to help make this happen. We have all had bad experiences at a restaurant. Excellent service makes a lasting impression. Creating the kind of atmosphere that attracts others to God’s church is “job one” for every church member. It won’t happen without YOU!

Why Isn't the Church Making a Greater Difference?

2010-03-06T11:12:00.000-06:00

There is much disagreement in America today about the current condition of our country. It has been two thousand years since the coming of Christ, and Christianity has, no doubt, had a tremendous influence on our nation. But, one could easily wonder why, after two thousand years, the influence has not been greater.

Church attendance is higher in America than almost anywhere else in the world. And yet our nation seems to be caught in the middle of moral chaos. (This is not missed by Muslims and others living in the Middle and Far East.) Crime is rampant. Drugs, teenage pregnancy, domestic violence, and high divorce rates are just a few of the social problems that plague our society. According to William J. Bennett’s Index of Leading Cultural Indicators, between 1960 and 1990 the population increased 41 percent while there was a 560 percent increase in violent crime. The U.S. Census Bureau in 1994 revealed that only 50.8 percent of American children lived in a traditional nuclear family.

We are the most churched nation in the industrialized world, and yet we lead in violent crimes and incarceration of criminals. What is more disturbing for many of us is that these alarming statistics aren’t only true in our large cities anymore.

The theme of cynicism and apathy runs through much of what seems to be going wrong in our nation. One of the most shocking things about all this is that the church seems to be making so little difference. An extensive study of sixty-six lifestyle categories by the George Barna organization revealed that the lifestyles of Christians were no different from non-Christians.
Of course, the Christian faith has made a great difference in our world. But I sometimes feel like we are rearranging the deck chairs on the Titanic. The church spends so much time, talent, money, and energy on less important matters and too often ignores the hurt and suffering all around.

I have been working with a group recently to start a Celebrate Recovery program at Minor Memorial. I have met several men and women who have been active in Alcoholics Anonymous for many years. They have helped untold numbers who have reached out in a time of need. This experience has reminded me that our communities are full of hurting people of all kinds.

I’ve always been bothered that an organization like AA is often doing more to touch these lives than the church. Have we lost our passion for reaching the last, the least, and the lost? It is not just the poor who are hurting. Our communities are full of people who need the transforming power of Jesus Christ in their lives. I’m praying that God will transform our churches so we can become more powerful transforming agents in our world.

A Day That Will Live In Infamy

2010-02-12T11:18:00.000-06:00

It was a day that will live in infamy. I was traveling with a group of religious leaders in the Middle East, visiting Israel, Jordan, and Egypt. We were very much concerned with peace in the region. We had already met with a number of people including Ophir Pines-Paz, an Israeli member of the Knesset, whom we felt had been sincerely working for peace. We had broken bread with Hana Nasser, the Mayor of Bethlehem and a Christian Palestinian. Mr. Nasser is also deeply committed to the cause of peace. In Jordan we had shared in an extended dialogue with His Royal Highness Prince Faisal Bin Al Hussein, whose family has long been a stabilizing force in the Middle East.

We had just flown from Cairo and landed in Luxor, Egypt when we noticed our guides off to themselves in a huddle. Speaking in Arabic, a couple of them were conversing on their cell phones. More animated than usual, and more solemn, they took us immediately to the riverboat on which we were to spend the next four days sailing up the Nile. Upon reaching the boat we were ushered into the lounge and asked to be seated. Our group leader informed us that within the past hour the World Trade Center had been attacked and the buildings had collapsed. The Pentagon had also been hit. I began to feel sick. A knot formed in my stomach. As far as was known at that time World War III might have just begun!

Most of us will never forget where we were and what we were doing on September 11, 2001. We understand that something changed on that date. We may have been in a state of denial before that day, but for most of us, life was good. The economy may have been slowing a bit, but we were optimistic that things would soon be better than ever before. However, we now know that we can’t build a military machine large enough to totally protect us from terrorism. Nor can we hide from the dangers of modern technology in the hands of madmen. Years of war in Iraq and Afghanistan have only confirmed this reality for most of us.

In a matter of days after September 11, congress allocated billions of dollars to a war on terrorism. Of course, something had to be done, and almost everyone agreed with the early actions of our government. Such an unprecedented, monumental, iniquitous act could not go unchallenged.

America is a great nation and seems committed to triumph over terrorism, to subdue our enemies, and to become a stronger people. We talk of accomplishing this heroic task by working together to stamp out this evil. But one must wonder why we can’t find the same resolve to remedy other immense problems our nation faces. Why is partisanship still stronger in Washington than the desire to work together to solve our problems? It seems that an external enemy is the only thing that can unite us. The problem is that history teaches us that great empires have more often collapsed from decay within than from threats without. We do it even in the church. I read some comments today made by Christians toward other Christians. The comments were so critical and vicious that it made me sick.

Let’s all pray for our leaders. All our leaders. Pray for our Christian brothers and sisters. All our brothers and sisters. Let’s stop the name calling and labeling. Remember, those who throw dirt lose ground! Let’s stop painting our states red or blue and pull together to make life better for our nation and for the world

Consumer Christianity

2010-01-06T22:55:00.000-06:00

Lutheran pastor Michael Foss suggests that many Christians act more like consumers than disciples. He describes the culture of many churches as a culture of membership. He explains:

I don’t want to push the analogy too far, but for the sake of illustration, let’s think of the membership model of church as similar to the membership model of the modern health club. One becomes a member of a health club by paying dues (in a church, the monthly or weekly offering). Having paid their dues, the members expect the services of the club to be at their disposal. Exercise equipment, weight room, aerobics classes, an indoor track, swimming pool—all there for them, with a trained staff to see that they benefit by them.

This attitude has resulted from having forgotten the authentic nature of the church. Too many of us have misappropriated the purpose of the church. The church is a place of worship, ministry, and mission.

Most of the literature I read about how to reach more people for Christ begins with a discussion about meeting their felt needs. The approach is usually one of marketing. Of course, we need to be meeting the needs of others. Jesus certainly did that and calls us to follow his example. But Jesus met their real needs, and people don’t always understand what their real needs are. I’m afraid we may have turned the church into the neighborhood “religion club.”

On his blog dated 10/21/09 Bishop William Willimon wrote “I get frustrated reading newsletters of church after church that tell me how the men’s group is going to have a breakfast on Saturday and the women are going to have a bazaar next Thursday and the youth will have a dance next Friday after the ball game.” He then asked, “Do you really just exist so that men can have breakfast, women a bazaar, and youth can dance? What is it exactly that you want me to support?”

The church seems to be attracting people who are asking “What can the church do for me?” not “What can I do for the kingdom of God?” Perhaps we have brought this upon ourselves, at least to some degree, by the way we seek to attract potential “members.”

As a pastor I have struggled for years trying to figure out how we can change the consumer culture of the church. How do we develop disciples committed to Christ and ready to serve, rather than being served? I’ve been warned many times that if I preach too much about the radical nature of the gospel or the cost of discipleship I will lose my audience.

Is that where we are in the church? Attract people by telling them what we can do for them? Keep them by telling them nice things about God’s love but ignoring Jesus’ teachings about discipleship and God’s uncompromising call upon our lives?

Health Care For Everyone.

2010-01-01T23:04:00.000-06:00

I have participated in two pulpit exchanges with pastors in England. One of these was in Newcastle upon Tyne. While there I got sick with a sinus infection so one of my church members suggested I call a nearby clinic. I talked with a doctor that offered to come to my house if I was unable to drive to the clinic. House call? I couldn’t believe it!!!. Especially since I had always heard about the inferior medical care people got in Europe. After that I talked to a lot of people in the church there and found no one who said they would exchange their medical system for the one we have in the United States.

Through the years I have done quite a bit of reading about medical care throughout the world. Robin and I fund a small clinic in India. I have found no perfect system. Lines are long in Canada. Patients do sometimes have to wait for non-emergency surgery in England. However, the facts remain that other developed countries throughout the world operate at a lower cost, benefit from better health statistics, and pretty much cover everybody.

I heard Rush Limbaugh say today that there is nothing wrong with our nation’s healthcare system. I couldn’t disagree more. I am neither knowledgeable enough nor wise enough to know how to fix it, but I do know it needs to be and could be improved. As Christians we should care that so many are without adequate healthcare benefits. It is a moral issue. It is also an economic issue.

We spend more on health care than anyone else but still leave many uninsured. The working poor’s health care of last resort is called the emergency room, the most costly way in the world to deliver health services.

It is also clear that improving our system can be done without “socialized medicine.” Many countries provide universal health coverage with private doctors, private hospitals, and even private insurance. It really is a matter of political will. It’s a bit dated but I believe true. If we can put a man on the moon we should be able to find a way to provide basic health care for everyone.

T. R. Reid has just published a book based on his study of health systems around the world. It’s entitled The Healing of America: A Global Quest for Better, Cheaper, and Fairer Health Care. I’m afraid this issue is like so many issues that contain political ramifications. We argue from our emotions and anecdotal evidence without a lot of facts. If Reid’s book can simply give us a few more facts it should be worth the read. Health care for all Americans that don’t break the bank is certainly an issue worth the effort. Let’s use our heads and our hearts as we debate this important issue. And, most importantly, lets make sure we remain civil—dare I say even Christlike—as we do.

The Best Things In Life

2009-12-31T00:17:00.000-06:00

I read a great quote somewhere recently: "The best things in life are not things. I have been reminded once again during this Christmas season the profound truth of this simple statement. Family and friends, the renewed awareness of God's presence in my life, and the gift of God's grace and mercy make the things of this world look pale in comparison.

Robin and I were recently talking about how time seems to be moving so fast in our lives. It seems just yesterday that we were anticipating the arrival of a new millennium. And here it is already ten years later. But a new year brings with it new opportunities to make a difference in the world. There will be new opportunities to touch the lives of those around us and new opportunities to be touched by God grace and the love of his people!

I wish for all of you a very Happy New Year and I hope you renew your commitment to be all that God has called you to be in 2010.

The Cheerful Giver

2009-11-12T10:45:00.002-06:00

“The point is this: the one who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and the one who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. Each of you must give as you have made up your mind, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.” 2 Corinthians 9:6-7

Some years ago a little girl walked into an ice cream store and inquired about the price of an ice cream sundae.

“Fifty cents,” replied the waitress.

The little girl carefully opened her fist and counted the coins in her hand. Then she asked, “How much is a plain dish of ice cream?”

The waitress, quite annoyed by the girl, snapped back, “Thirty-five cents!”

“Then I’ll take the plain ice cream, please,” she said as she slowly counted out thirty-five cents and handed it to the waitress.

The waitress took the money, dipped up the ice cream and handed it to the little girl, all without saying a word or issuing so much as a smile. After the little girl left, the waitress went over to clean off the table and was embarrassed to find two nickels and five pennies placed neatly by the bowl.

We could all learn a lesson from that little girl. How many of us would have chosen to purchase the plain ice cream rather than the ice cream sundae in order to have enough money for a tip. When I was a little boy buying ice cream at Yate’s Drug store on the court square in Philiadelphia it never even occurred to me to give a tip.

Our Stewardship campaign this year at Minor Memorial is attempting to teach each of us about God’s attitude toward giving. Every time I study what the bible says about giving I am reminded that no subject is more important to my spiritual health. From time to time I hear complaints that we shouldn’t be talking about money in the church. We should, some insist, stay on spiritual subjects. But Jesus talked about money more than almost anything else.

Of course, the church is not in the fund-raising business. It really isn’t about the needs of the church. It’s about what we need to do to be faithful disciples of Jesus Christ. And we simply cannot be a faithful disciple without a generous heart.The bible makes this point repeatedly. Some form of the word “give” is found in scripture over 1500 times.

Over and over in the scripture God promises to bless those who use their time, talent, and treasure to bless others. Many verses could be quoted to make this important point but perhaps the best is Jesus’ simple statement found in Luke 6:38. “Give and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap; for the measure you give will be the measure you get back.” Don’t miss God’s blessings. Be a cheerful giver!

Ole Zeke’s New Buggy and Team

2009-10-30T19:29:00.000-05:00

I got a letter this week from my great uncle Tally Thompson. You may remember, he is a World War I veteran and my family’s revered storyteller. Now, Uncle Talley went home to be with the Lord when I was just a young man. At least I prefer to believe he’s with the Lord. But he knows I always enjoyed his stories, including some pretty tall tales, so he still writes me from time to time to tell me what’s what and what’s really going on back home in Neshoba County. He especially loves to tell stories that happened back when he was just a youngin’.

This time he told me about a fella back home that had purchased a brand-spankin- new buggy and a prize-winning pair of trotters. Ole Zeke drove out of Philadelphia down the Zepher Hill road with the wind blowing in his hair. As he went down one road and then another he became lost in the discovery of new paths, the smell of the trees, and the beauty of the wild flowers growing along side of the road.

Ole Zeke began to realize he was no longer in familiar territory. But, not to worry. He was enjoying his new rig and team so much he didn’t want to turn around. He would find his way home in time. Zeke trotted through the woods and past cotton fields and pastures. His buggy and team followed a creek for a while. Finally, he decided he had better start back toward town.

He came upon a white house with a little cotton patch out front. There was a shirtless boy wearing ragged pants chopping cotton in the field. He looked to be about fourteen or fifteen years old. Zeke pulled his tired team over by the boy and called out. “Hello, there young man.”

“Hello, yourself,” responded the boy while continuing his work
“Where does this road go to?” Ole Zeke questioned.
“Hain’t never seed it go nowhars. Hits always been right cheer.”
“How far is it back to Philadelphia?” Zeke continued.
“Don’t know,” the boy answered. “Never measured it.”

Well, by this time, my Uncle Tally wrote me, Ole Zeke was quite frustrated. “You don’t know much, do you boy?” he said. ‘You must be about the most ignorant, uninformed fool I’ve ever met.”

The boy finally stopped his labor. He turned his head and spat out a wad of chewing tobacco. He wiped perspiration from his forehead with his straw hat and propped himself against the hoe handle. He looked up and smiled at the stranger sitting in his brand-new buggy. Finally he spoke. “I knows I know might near nothing. And I knows I is a fool. But I also knows I ain’t lost.”

Uncle Tally’s story reminds me that I need to be careful not to lose my way in this chaotic world in which we live. It is very easy to get so involved in the material things around us that we lose sight of the things of God. Often times the things I get lost in are good things. There’s nothing wrong with a ride in the countryside enjoying God’s creation. But sometimes these things are just not as good as the things God has for us.

A few days ago two Northwest Airline pilots missed the Minneapolis airport because they were engrossed in their computers. They got lost somewhere over Wisconsin. This made me think about how far off I might be from the flight plan God has for me. What about you?

The Power of Invitation

2009-10-23T10:43:00.003-05:00

Dr. Win Arn was the founder and president of the Institute for American Church Growth. He was also publisher of Church Growth: America magazine. He shared with me once about a study his organization had done with 720 people. Of this group 240 were new Christians who continued to be actively involved in their churches. Another group was made up of 240 new converts who had already “dropped out.” The third group of 240 had had the gospel presented to them but had chosen not to respond positively.

Each person was asked to classify the person who had introduced them to Jesus Christ and the church into one of these categories: TEACHER (one who had used an information transmission approach), SALESMAN (one who had used “manipulative monologue” to convince them), or FRIEND (one who had used non-manipulative dialogue).

The results of the study were very revealing. The vast majority of people who perceived the presenter of the gospel as a TEACHER did not respond positively to the invitation. Those who saw the presenter as a SALESMAN tended to respond but those most often became the “dropouts.” (only 29% had, in fact, remained active). Those who perceived the presenter of the gospel as a FRIEND had responded positively the gospel message and had remained committed to their new found faith and active in their church.

This all suggests to me that if we believe that Jesus Christ and His Church have anything to offer we should offer it to our friends! Soooooooooo. . . INVITE A FRIEND, RELATIVE, ASSOCIATE, OR NEIGHBOR TO CHURCH AND BRING THEM WITH YOU SUNDAY! Or even better. . . INVITE THEM TO JOIN YOU IN SUNDAY SCHOOL OR OTHER SMALL GROUP.

Christians Without Shoes?

2009-10-16T18:11:00.003-05:00

Hugh Hughes used to tell a wonderful story about a man who visited a particular town for the first time. It was a windy December day when he arrived. He immediately noticed something very strange. Strange indeed. Many of the people were well-dressed as they walked along the streets wearing heavy coats. However, these obviously prosperous people wore no shoes. Absolutely no one wore shoes! Many of the locals limped along apparently suffering from frostbite, chilblains, and bruises.

After checking in he had lunch at the hotel’s restaurant. He sat with a prosperous older man who seemed very friendly. After getting acquainted the visitor asked the gentleman, “Sir, I don’t want to appear presumptuous, but I’m quite amazed that I have seen no one here wearing shoes. Could you possibly explain to me why?”

“Well,” replied the old gentleman. “It does seem that wearing shoes would be desirable. But, I confess, I can’t really tell you why no one does so.”

After lunch the shocked traveler walked around town taking in the sights. He noticed several rather large buildings that seemed not to be in current use. Seeing a custodian carrying out garbage he asked, “What is this building?”

“This is a shoe factory,” replied the custodian.
“What kind of shoes do they make here?” the visitor asked.
“Oh, they don’t make shoes here,” the custodian explained. “People gather here and talk about making shoes. They sing about making shoes. They even pray that shoes will be made. But they don’t actually make shoes here.” He went on to explain. “Once a week all the businesses in town close and people gather to hear about shoes.”

Now the visitor was even more mystified. He continued his walk around this most unusual town. On a side street he found a very old cobbler making shoes by hand. He said to the cobbler, “I’m surprised to see you making shoes. I see no one in this town wearing them.”

The cobbler smiled as he responded to the quizzical look on the traveler’s face. “I can see you don’t understand. People here do occasionally wear shoes. I sell a pair to nearly every couple getting married. I sell a pair for babies when they are christened. But the shoes are worn only for the ceremony. Parents don’t want the children’s feet to be cramped. Of course, when the child becomes an adult they can decide for themselves if they want to wear shoes. And everyone is buried with shoes, even those who never wore them before.”

The perplexed visitor bought a pair of shoes from the cobbler for the polite old gentleman with whom he had eaten lunch. However, the old man thanked him for his kindness but insisted he could not wear the shoes since it was simply not done by the “better” people. The visitor tried to explain the many benefits of putting on the shoes but the man finally walked away saying, “You don’t expect me to be a fanatic, do you?

What do you think about the town where people seldom wore shoes?

1950's Churches vs The 21st Century

2009-10-02T14:53:00.002-05:00

In the 1950’s there wasn’t much to do for entertainment in the Zephyr Hill community of Neshoba County where I grew up. The little country church my family attended held a couple of revivals each year. A firebrand preacher was usually invited to bring the “messages” and folks would come from all around to hear him. For that week it was the best “entertainment” in the community. Even the unchurched attended. That’s why revivals worked as an evangelistic outreach. People came to know the Lord through these revivals.

For much the same reason, through the 1950’s churches thrived by simply being there. There was not much competition on Sunday, even in our towns and cities. Cinemas, shopping, and sports events weren’t open for business on Sundays. Nothing else to do, might as well go to church! The church was the place to be.

But now it’s the 21st century. The church has plenty of competition. Cinema, shopping, television, the Internet, and a multitude of other activities are competing with the church on Sundays and every other day of the week. We can no longer just erect a building, put a sign out front that says church, and expect people to come.

But that should never have been our strategy. Jesus never called the church to be a social club where friends gather for a short while and then go home. This kind of church was described several years ago by Chad Walsh in his book Early Christianity in the 21st Century. “Millions of Christians live in a sentimental haze of vague piety, with soft organ music trembling in the lovely light from stained glass windows. Their religion is a pleasant thing of emotional quivers, divorced from the will, divorced from the intellect and demanding little except lip service to a few harmless platitudes.”

This kind of church was described even earlier by the great theologian Elton Trueblood. He suggested that many Christians have been inoculated by just enough “Christianity” to keep them from catching the real thing. My sixty years of experience in the church has convinced me that Walsh and Trueblood were right on the money. Very few people in America are atheist or even agnostic. They just believe God doesn’t have much to do with their life. Church members see themselves as “believers.” The problem is they believe in a Jesus that saves but not the one who calls those he saves to radical discipleship.

The church of the 1950’s will not survive the 21st century. But a church that takes seriously God’s call on our lives will thrive. When we feed the hungry, give water to the thirsty, welcome the stranger (rich and poor), give clothes to the needy, care for the sick we will attract others who want to be a part. When we address life issues such as unemployment, divorce, addiction, and family conflicts we will attract those who are hurting. When we provide a nurturing place for children and youth and help parents with the awesome responsibility of raising kids in a hostile world, we will attract new families.

When we take seriously the gospel and serve as faithful disciples, God will bless our work of service and our fellowship will grow in quantity and quality.

The Eight Principles of the Beatitudes

2009-09-26T12:56:00.002-05:00

Several people taking my Wednesday night Making Methodist Membership Meaningful course has asked if I could record the session or pass out notes. I have not made notes for every class but I do feel that our sessions on the Beatitudes are especially important. I’ve decided the audience might be widened for this important material by putting this in my blog and/or monthly church newsletter. This means this week’s issue of my blog will be somewhat different from usual, but I hope readers find the material useful.

The Beatitudes are part of what is commonly referred to as Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount. This “sermon” begins with these eight principles or steps in the Christian life as posited by Jesus in Matthew 5:3-12.
Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. The first step for any person is to recognize our own inadequacy. We must come to understand that our life is out of control. Relationships with God and others are broken. We must come to recognize our sinful nature.
Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. Having recognized how sin is controlling our lives and leading us to destruction the second step is being remorseful and contrite.
Blesses are the meek (gentle), for they will inherit the earth. The third step is to turn our out of control lives over to the control of God. This means inviting Jesus Christ to become the Lord of our lives. Like a gentle horse submits to the rider we submit to God. We sometimes call this being “born again.”
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled. Having made a commitment to God through Jesus Christ we begin a process of reconciliation and renewal. We become a serious student of the Bible. Through worship and prayer and self-examination we work to become the person God created us to be.
Blessed are the merciful, for they will receive mercy. As God works to transform us, filling us with His love, we discover the joy of serving others. We begin to practice Jesus’ golden rule, “In everything do to others as you would have them do to you.”
Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God. At first we tend to perform acts of mercy because God commands us to do so. We tend to be motivated by God’s promised rewards. But as we grow in Christ our motives begin to change. God fills us with compassion. We serve others, not because God promises His blessings, but because of our compassion for a hurting and hungry world.
Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God. For Jesus, peacemakers are those who work to make peace between people and people groups. It also means those who work to make peace between individuals and God. Having experienced a restored relationship with our creator the peacemaker wants others to have this same joy. This is commonly referred to as evangelism. It’s “one beggar telling another beggar where to find bread.”
Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Jesus did not hesitate to tell his followers that when they practiced their faith without hesitation there would be those who would not understand and sometimes even persecute them.

It is important for every believer to understand these eight principles. We need to work throughout our lives to apply these principles as obedient disciples of Jesus Christ. These steps are also the best way to lead an unbeliever to faith in Christ.

For the Sake of Others

2009-09-18T21:03:00.002-05:00

When I was working on my doctorate at Princeton I stayed just around the corner from the home where Albert Einstein once lived. I heard many interesting stories about his life at the university. I decided to learn a bit more about him and discovered some very interesting quotes from this scientific genius. I came across one of my favorite again recently in an unexpected place—a new guitar book I recently purchased.

"Strange is our situation here upon earth. Each of us comes for a short visit, not knowing why, but sometimes seeming to divine a purpose. From the standpoint of daily life, however, there is one thing we do know, that we are here for the sake of others—above all for those upon whose smile and well-being our own happiness depends, but also for the countless unknown souls with whose fate we are attached by a bond of sympathy. Many times a day I realize how much my own outer and inner life is built upon the efforts of my fellow men, both living and dead, and how earnestly I must exert myself in order to give in return as much as I have received.” Albert Einstein

It’s fascinating to me that a man who had the intelligence to discover the solutions to some of the greatest mysteries of God’s universe also had the wisdom to discern the greatest secret to living in that universe. “There is,” he insisted, “one thing we do know, that we are here for the sake of others.” This great scientific thinker understood that he lived in a symbiotic relationship with human beings and was dependant upon others. He could never have accomplished what he did without the help of so many.

I also found it fascinating that the author of a guitar book, Aaron Shearer, would record this quote in his discussion of why someone would want to learn to play the guitar. “Music,” he maintains, “is for sharing.” But for Shearer is goes deeper than that. About the quote from Einstein Shearer wrote, “‘For the sake of others.’ These words sparked a flame in my imagination which has endured to this day. They’ve been a stabilizing force for me during difficult times, and have strongly contributed to my generally rewarding life.”

A famous guitar teacher/author; an infamous scientific genius. Both men discovered an eternal truth taught by Jesus two thousand years ago. “Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy.” “Whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be your slave—just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

The Church Is Always Asking For Money

2009-09-11T21:21:00.001-05:00

In a recent Finance Committee meeting we were discussing the church’s need for more money. We agreed that better communication with the congregation was needed. Someone suggested that it must be hard for a preacher to talk about money. I responded that I didn’t know any pastor who actually enjoyed preaching on this subject. I certainly do not take pleasure in asking for money. But I indicated that I am unapologetic when it comes to talking about Christian stewardship which includes the use of our time, our talents, and our treasure (money). Jesus talked more about money than almost any subject.

Several years ago I read an article published in the Anglican Digest. The author started by saying, “Sometimes you hear people say, ‘The church is always asking for money.’ That statement is untrue. It is the world which is always asking for money, not the church.” He went on to point out that the grocery store never fails to ask you for money when you shop. Your mortgage company insists on a check every month without fail. Most of us get bills in the mail with great regularity, but not one from the church. “Who withholds a percentage of every dollar you earn?” the author asked. “Your Uncle does that. Your Father does not.” He stated with great profundity, “There is no free lunch—except at the church.”

I had never thought of it quite the way this writer stated the obvious truth. The church does not charge admission. You can get professional counseling for free. If you’re sick and in the hospital, the pastor will make a “professional call” without charge. You get a monthly newsletter without a paid subscription. If a loved one dies the funeral home will certainly charge you; the church will not.

The truth is you can attend church for years without contributing one cent; and no one is going to kick you out. You will not lose your membership. There are never even any membership dues. The truth is the church asks for money less than anyone else!

And yet. . . and yet no one uses your money to accomplish greater things than the church. The church is here to offer the love of Christ to a broken, hurting world. It offers character training for your children through quality Christian education. It offers your family the love and support of a covenant community who will be there for you in times of need.

Of course, just because the church offers its services without charge doesn’t mean no one has to pay. The utilities for the church have to be paid. Buildings are not free. Staff requires salaries. There really isn’t a free lunch, even at church. Someone has to pay for the food we eat. The church could not exist without generous supporters who understand the value of the church’s ministry. Thank God there are those who are willing to be good stewards of what God gives them. Thank God there are obedient disciples of Jesus Christ who respond to God’s call to give. Thank God there are those who don’t want a free ride but are willing to carry more than their share of the load. Thank God there are those who have discovered the joy in giving and sharing.

Holy Mathmatics

2009-09-05T12:13:00.001-05:00

Several years ago Charles Allen wrote an article he entitled “Holy Mathematics.” He invited his readers to imagine that there was only one Christian on earth and that person won one other person to the Lord the first year. Now suppose that during the following year that each of these two led one other person to Christ. After the second year there would be four Christians in the world. Now assume each of these four led one other person to faith in Jesus Christ the next year. After the third year there would be eight Christians. Now Dr. Allen asked his readers to imagine that each Christian continued to lead just one other person to Christ each year. “How long,” he asked, “would it take to win the entire world to faith in Jesus Christ?”

Dr Allen did the math and concluded, “It has now been 2000 years since our Lord was on earth. Has that been enough time? Actually, there has been enough time with just one winning one other per year to convert 65 worlds like this.” Dr. Allen pointed out at the time he was writing that it would actually take only 31 years to convert the entire globe to genuine Christianity.

Now let’s do our own supposing. If a church like Minor Memorial were to start with only twenty people who introduced someone to Jesus in the next twelve months and instilled in each one the same urgency to introduce others, we could win our community to Christ in short order. Just twenty people doubled each year would total over twenty thousand souls in only ten years.

How do we win people to Jesus Christ? One of the easiest ways is to invite them to attend church. Offer to pick them up and bring them. Offer to sit with them during worship. Introduce them to other Christians. Get to know them outside the church and let them see by your actions what God means in your life. Invite them to go with you to Sunday School. Ask them to attend Wednesday night bible study with you. Encourage them to enroll their children in Sunday School. Invite them to join a supper club with you and some of your Christian friends. Tell them how much you enjoy the fellowship at church and share with them how God has helped you through the years. This should not be done with a holier than thou attitude but like one beggar telling another beggar where to find bread.

The kingdom of God grows by invitation. Every study on the subject I’ve ever seen indicates that most active church members came because someone invited them. Remember the parable Jesus told about a man who had prepared a great banquet but his expected guest did not come. Jesus said this man sent out his servants to invite “the poor, the crippled, the blind and the lame.” He told his servants to “compel them to come in, so that my house will be full.” (Luke chapter 14).

It seems that our attendance grows almost every week at Minor Memorial. It will continue to grow, and God will continue to bless our efforts, if we get excited about what God is doing and invite others to join the party.

Ready! Fire! Aim!

2009-08-28T11:11:00.001-05:00

Ralph Franklin was my band director at Delta State College (now University) back in the sixties. What I remember most about his leadership was his frequent admonition to "Do something--even if it is wrong." He explained that he could correct mistakes but there would be no success without an honest attempt. Many times since then my experiences have confirmed the wisdom of his counsel. In a rapidly changing world such as ours there are times a person or organization has to experiment to determine what works.

Billie Wilhite loaned me a book recently and suggested I read it. The book’s title is Unchristian: What A New Generation Really Thinks About Christianity. . . And Why It Matters. The research upon which this book is based confirms what I have experienced in the church over the last few years. The Christian church is increasingly ineffective at reaching the younger generations. To an alarming degree what the church is doing is not working! I’m reminded of the quote attributed to W. L. Bateman, “If you keep on doing what you've always done, you'll keep on getting what you've always got." But the problem is in the church we tend to keep doing what we have always done and we are not getting the results we used to get. Many times what used to work is no longer effective.

In his #1 National Bestseller In Search of Excellence business guru Tom Peters reported the results of his extensive studies of “America’s Best-Run Companies.” He listed eight attributes that characterized these innovative, successful companies. The first on his list was bias for action. He states, “In many of these companies the standard operating procedure is “Do it, fix it, try it.”

In the chapter where he discusses this principle Peters stresses the importance of communication and organizational fluidity. Leadership must communicate with one another and with everyone in the organization. Everyone must listen to one another. There must be an atmosphere of trust. We have to trust one another enough to allow mistakes. We must trust one another enough to give people the freedom to act--to give people the freedom to do something and to do it now. Peters insists “The name of the successful game is rich, informal communication. The astonishing by-product is the ability to have your cake and eat it, too; that is, rich informal communication leads to more action, more experiments, more learning, and simultaneously to the ability to stay better in touch and on top of things.” Communication above all builds trust that is crucial for developing a creative atmosphere where new things can be tried and evaluated.

Franklin D. Roosevelt is famous for having said, “But above all try something.” Ralph Franklin said, “Do something, even if it is wrong.” Some folks have suggested there are times we should change Ready! Aim! Fire! to Ready! Fire! Aim! This means we act now and make needed corrections as we move forward in the faith. Of course, the church must never abandon the eternal truths of God’s kingdom. We are not talking here about discarding wonderful traditions that are still meaningful. My mother long ago warned against “throwing the baby out with the bath water.” But the church must find ways to reach new generations of skeptics without compromising the gospel.

I'm conservative and traditional by nature. I'm an old dog and learning new tricks for me can be extremely painful. But the reality is that only the churches who are willing to change will survive the twenty-first century. I've also been around long enough to know we must do this while continuing to meet the needs of our present, and often times older, members. I am personally committed to both.

Are you ready to Do Something? Ready! Fire! Aim!

Michael Jackson and the Princess and the Pauper

2009-08-21T23:14:00.003-05:00

All the attention given Michael Jackson’s death recently reminded me of a similar situation several years ago. In the space of a few days in 1997 two women died who had very little in common. Both women were well known throughout the world but had lived very different lives. One had lived a life of almost unimaginable luxury and power. The other had intentionally chosen a life of poverty and service. The death of one commanded an international audience similar to the attention given Michael Jackson. The other much less so.

In reaction to Princess Diana’s death people left public offerings of flowers, candles, cards and personal messages. Within a short time the pile of flowers outside Kensington Gardens was five feet deep in places. Her funeral took place in Westminster Abbey September 6, 1997. It has been estimated that as many as 2.5 billion people watched on television from around the world. If that’s true it would mean that over one third of all the people in the world watched this event.

Mother Teresa died of heart failure on September 5th in Calcutta, India. There were many who mourned the death of this compassionate little lady who had touched the lives of so many. But the attention of so many more were fixed on the funeral of Diana. The death of a saint was only a brief footnote compared to the the death of a princess.

It has been two thousand years since Jesus came into the world to show "the way, the truth, and the life." He made a major impact upon the world. But sometimes it seems there is much lip service given him but few who actually follow his Way. What does it say about our world that so many more were focused on Princess Diana? How is it that one of the “beautiful people” commands so much more attention than someone who alleviated so much pain and suffering in the world.

I have nothing against Princess Diana. She even did some poverty work. I don’t have anything personally against Michael Jackson.But my travel in poor areas of the world has helped me understand the vast chasm between the world of which the princess and the rock star were a part and the world in which Mother Teresa lived. My experience in India has revealed a country of one billion people where most struggle each day to survive. Mother Teresa did much to serve its people.

In the last few weeks so much attention has been paid the death of a man who spent millions on himself. All the while millions go to bed hungry every night. God blessed Michael Jackson with so much. So, why didn’t he share more of his wealth with others? No, that’s not the question is it. The question is why don’t we? By world standards most of us are wealthy. One billion people live on less than a dollar per day.

Now here are the important questions. Who most inspires you, the rock star, the princess, or the pauper? Who do you really worship? Whose example do you follow?

Letter From My Uncle Alvin

2009-08-14T10:48:00.003-05:00

I got a letter this week from my great Uncle Alvin. I decided to share it with you. Now I warn you, Uncle Alvin is known for being a teller of tall tales. I suppose it started when he came home from fighting in WWI, and told all his exciting war stories. I never could decide when he was telling the truth and when he was pulling my leg.

Dear Dewayne, (My middle name, used by my family)
I had to write you to tell what happened at the Goodwill Methodist Church, over yonder by the Indian Reservation. You know that church used to be a big strong church, but through the years all the young folks moved away to get better jobs. The church had just about dried up, except on homecoming Sunday.
It’s kind of funny how things work out. Lot’s of people have moved to this neck of the woods in recent years. The reservation has built two casinos and a whole passel of new factories. They've brong in people from all over, to help run them. Even some of them Japanese fellows.
But ole brother Zeke Townsend, the church lay leader, said these new folks ain’t “our kind.” “Folks from the North still got it in for us,” he said. “And those Japs killed my boy. If they set foot on this here church property it will be over my dead body.”
Well, don’t you know, they buried ole Zeke last month out back of the church. And last week the little group of folks left over there decided they just couldn’t make ends meet without him, so they voted to close the church. I hear tell that they may sell the property to the reservation so they can build another casino. I guess folks may come over ole Zeke’s dead body after all!
Come to see us when you can.

Your uncle Alvin

Pulling your leg but hoping to make you think,
Dr. Gary

A Christian Is As A Christian Does

2009-08-08T22:11:00.003-05:00

In his book Improving Your Serve: The Art of Unselfish Living Chuck Swindoll plays a little game of “Let’s pretend.” He “pretends” the reader works for him as his executive assistant in a large, rapidly growing company. Chuck is the owner who is interested in expanding overseas. He decides to travel abroad for several months to make this happen and leaves the reader in charge of the company. As the months pass Chuck writes the reader on a regular basis giving instructions and describing his expectations.

When Chuck finally comes home he is stunned at what he finds. The company is in shambles. The grounds have been taken over by weeds. Windows are broken out. The place is a mess and no work is being done. Chuck calls his executive assistant, the reader, into his office. The following exchange takes place:

“What in the world is going on, man?”
“What do ya’ mean, Chuck?”
“Well, look at this place! Didn’t you get any of my letters?”
“Letters? Oh, yeah—sure, got every one of them. As a matter of fact, Chuck, we have had letter study every Friday night since you left. We have even divided all the personnel into small groups and discussed many of the things you wrote. Some of those things were really interesting. You’ll be pleased to know that a few of us have actually committed to memory some of your sentences and paragraphs. One or two memorized an entire letter or two! Great stuff in those letters!’
“Okay, okay—you got my letters, you studied them and meditated on them, discussed and even memorized them. BUT WHAT DID YOU DO ABOUT THEM?”
“Do? Uh—we didn’t do anything about them.”

Jesus indicated that his followers would be known by their actions. A Christian is as a Christian does. This is not to argue that an individual can earn his or her own salvation. But Jesus made it clear that the door to heaven is open to those who seek to live by the “golden rule.” In the sermon on the mount Matthew reports Jesus saying, “In everything do to others as you would have them do to you; for this is the law and the prophets. Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the road is easy that leads to destruction, and there are many who take it. For the gate is narrow and the road is hard that leads to life, and there are few who find it. . . You will know them by their fruits. . . Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. . . Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father in heaven.”

We Christians must be careful that we do not confuse talking the talk with walking the walk. We need to be good students of God’s word. We need to spend time together in fellowship and worship. But let’s not confuse the ends with the means. As Chuck Swindoll suggests, let’s improve our serve, practicing what we preach!

The Player-Coach

2009-08-01T10:03:00.002-05:00

I attended a seminar once by Bill Easum, considered by many to be the leading church consultant in America. He insisted that effective churches have a clear vision of their mission. That mission is to make disciples of Jesus Christ. I agree with Bill. This is why I asked the Church Council to develop a strategic plan for our church that would include a clear statement of our vision and mission and a clear process for making disciples.

I was also very interested in what Easum had to say about the role of the pastor. It was here that he spoke with the most assurance. He said, “Christ-centered pastors don’t make disciples, much less take care of people.” At first this sounds almost like heresy. Bill went on to explain that the pastor’s job is to train and equip others to make disciples and to take care of people. He said, “Pastors of growing, effective churches would rather equip ten people to make disciples than to make disciples themselves.”

I have always tried to see myself as a player-coach. My job is to do ministry and train (coach) others to do ministry. To make disciples that make disciples! In Ephesians 4:11-12 we read, “And He gave some as apostles, and some as prophets, and some as evangelists, and some as pastors-teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of service, to the building up of the body of Christ.” I am called to be a “pastor-teacher.”

Bill summarized his presentations by declaring, “Disciple-making and caring for people are too important, the task too great, and the personal rewards too bountiful for either to be reserved primarily for just one person in a congregation.” John Ed Mathison, now retired, served many years as pastor of Frazer Memorial United Methodist Church in Montgomery, Alabama. This is one of the largest churches in Methodism. He began his popular book Every Member in Ministry (Discipleship Resources 1988) with this sentence: “The secret of the growth of the church is the involvement of the laity in meaningful ministry.”

Last week I wrote that “Churches with passionate members grow.” John Ed claims that the best way to generate passionate Christians is to get them involved in meaningful ministry. He explains what happened in his church when members began to get involved in real ministry that makes a difference. “As people became excited about the ministries for which they volunteered, that excitement became contagious. Lay people excite lay people. . . The volunteering becomes important because it places a responsibility upon the laity rather than upon super-pastor or super-staff who are going to recruit people to do ministry. Lay people like this responsibility and what it communicates about their worth, dignity, and potential” (page vii).

John Ed says he often is asked “What do you think is the most important reason for the growth of Frazer Memorial United Methodist Church?” He claims “The answer is simple: the growing commitment of lay persons who volunteer to serve in an intentional, meaningful ministry through the church” (page 1).

Your First Love

2009-07-21T20:16:00.006-05:00

In Revelation chapter two God said to the church at Ephesus, “I know your works, your toil and your patient endurance. I know that you cannot tolerate evildoers; you have tested those who claim to be apostles but are not, and have found them to be false. I also know that you are enduring patiently and bearing up for the sake of my name, and that you have not grown weary. But I have this against you, that you have abandoned the love you had at first. Remember then from what you have fallen; repent, and do the works you did at first. If not I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place, unless you repent" (Revelation 2:2-5 NRSV).

How many of us are not convicted at least to some degree by these words? I have been visiting with various small groups since arriving at Minor Memorial. We’ve been talking a great deal about the wonderful things going on in our church. We all agree that there is much to celebrate. But each group has agreed that improvements could be made. The word commitment has been used over and over in my conversations with church members. Of course, there is nothing new about this. Every church I’ve ever been a part of has had to deal with this issue. Just how committed to God’s kingdom are we?

For many of us this passage from Revelation is a good reminder of where we are in our lives. Many of us have lost the excitement and enthusiasm we once felt for the church. We’ve simply lost much of the love we once felt for God. We’ve moved on to other things in our lives. The problem is that these “other things” don’t satisfy. They tease and promise lasting happiness, but in reality do not last.

Notice that the church at Ephesus had much to commend it. There were a lot of positive things going on in the church. A lot of good was being accomplished. But they had lost their passion. Their energy was being drained. They were still going through the motions but had lost much of their joy.

Not only was this detrimental to their spiritual, physical, and psychological health, it was robbing them of their spiritual power and destroying their witness. People want to be part of something exciting. When members are truly excited about their church and energized by the Holy Spirit, others see that excitement and energy and want to be a part of that congregation. Passion and persistence wins over ability and aptitude every time. Churches with passionate members grow. Churches with members who have lost their "first love" do not.

The Compass or the Clock?

2009-07-17T17:13:00.003-05:00

In his book First Things First popular author Stephen Covey talks about the clock and the compass. For Covey the clock represents how we manage our time. The clock has to do with our time commitments including how we schedule our day to day activities and commitments. On the other hand he suggests that “the compass represents our vision, values, principles, mission, conscience, direction—what we feel is important and how we lead our lives.”

Covey wisely points out that the problem for most of us lies with the gap between the clock and the compass. The gap grows out of our hectic, chaotic lives. We live with the tyranny of the urgent. Even those who are retired often seem to live in a disorderly state of pressure and stress. I sometimes tell folks I feel like the man who got on the horse and rode off in all directions. Most of my pastor friends tell me they spend most of their time putting out fires.

Not only does this gap between the clock and the compass, our actions and our values, create stress and anxiety, it also contributes to feelings of guilt and disappointment. It drains our joy, robs us of personal satisfaction, and leads finally to feelings of emptiness and despair. We rush to succeed, climbing and clawing our way to the top, only to discover that there’s nothing there worth the effort. Too late, too many begin to ask themselves, “Is this all there is?”

Just listen to people around you. Ask them how they are doing and most will respond by telling you how busy they are. It seems that the majority of people I know are living treadmill lives, running, running, running. The problem is they are not sure they are getting anywhere important. They get a lot done but wonder what kind of real difference it all makes.

Most of us need to learn to control our lives by the compass rather than the clock. And that’s where God can come in. (You knew I would get around to Him sometime didn’t you?) God made each of us for a purpose. There is a reason for our being. A sense of satisfaction and lasting joy comes only when we align our lives with God’s purpose. The issue is not how efficient is our running. The issue is where we are going. Are we giving our lives for trivial things that have only a brief life expectancy or do we give ourselves to those things that have eternal significance? Is your life controlled by the clock or the compass?

What We Have Here. . .

2009-07-11T21:15:00.000-05:00

Most of you will recall the famous line from the movie Cool Hand Luke staring Paul Newman, “What we have here is a failure to communicate.” Well, I have to admit one of my greatest frustrations as a pastor has often been “church communications.” Through the years I’ve used letters, telephone, announcements in the worship services, and newsletters to communicate with church members. With the help of technology we can now use many more methods that help us connect with each other.

Those of you who are members of Minor Memorial who have given the church office your email address should have received this week our first midweek E-News. We’re calling this The Connection. You will also receive an email with a link to this blog letting you know I have made a new post. Our church has recently formed a Facebook group on line and now the church is on Twitter. None of this is being done to be cool or get involved in the latest “thing.” We are doing this to improve communication and help build upon a sense of community in the church.

We recognize that not everyone has a computer nor are all those who do technologically savvy. I certainly am not myself. However, I do think we should use new tools when they can help us be the church God is calling us to be. Sound systems and pianos were once considered innovations. I have asked Morgan to offer a brief training session several times in August during the Sunday School hour to help everyone understand how to use these tools and to also issue appropriate warnings about their use.

We are working diligently to get a web site up and running. This is vitally important because my experience and research supports the conclusion that most people looking for a church home check out churches first on the Internet. If a congregation doesn’t have a presence there it may not even get on the radar screen of a prospective member.

One of the great things about this modern technology is the capability of two-way communication. Our web site will, of course, allow surfers to email any questions to any church staff. I would love to have positive dialogue going on through my blog. My hope is that this will become a forum for sharing our walk with God. Facebook is an amazing tool that can truly connect us as never before. Twitter will be used to get out quick announcements but can also help connect us in the midst of our busy lives.

There is one final warning that I would like to share with my new friends at Minor Memorial. We must keep such public communication positive and Christlike. The devil loves to seek and destroy. His favorite strategy is to divide and conquer and he loves to do his work in God’s church. These tools, like almost everything else, can be used for good or evil.

On the other hand nothing makes people want to be a part of God’s church more than when they see evidence of God’s joy working in the lives of his people. These communication tools, along with those already being used effectively, will give us more opportunities to display that joy than ever before!

God Is Still God

2008-10-02T18:42:00.002-05:00

“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust consume and where thieves break in and steal; but store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust consumes and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” Matthew 6:19-21

Gladys Aylward was a missionary to China in the first half of the twentieth century. Forced to flee when the Japanese invaded Yangcheng she set out to take over one hundred orphans over the mountains to freedom. The book The Hidden Price of Greatness by Ray Besson and Ranelda Mack Hunsicker tells the story:

“During Gladys’s harrowing journey out of war-torn Yangcheng. . . she grappled with despair as never before. After passing a sleepless night, she faced the morning with no hope of reaching safety. A thirteen year old girl in the group reminded her of their much-loved story of Moses and the Israelites crossing the Red Sea.
“But I am not Moses,” Gladys cried in desperation. “Of course you aren’t,” the girl said, “but Jehovah is still God!” With determination and God’s blessings Gladys and the orphans made it to safety and demonstrated that indeed, “God is still God.” In troubling times such as these we may need to remind ourselves that God is still God and God in ultimately in control of our world.

Of course, we should recognize in this story the dedication practiced by this devoted missionary. Years before this incident she had given her life to God and for many years she had served faithfully as a servant of Christ. I’m afraid that too often we want God to richly bless us but we are unwilling to keep up our end of the bargain. We want salvation without sacrifice; the blessings of the kingdom without paying the price of admission. We also want the benefits of a modern capitalist economy without understanding the full cost of the “stuff” we purchase. We want all of these things and we want them NOW!

It amazes me, though I am no longer surprised by this kind of behavior by our leaders, that almost no one is talking about the real source of our financial crisis. Of course, greed is mentioned from time to time, but only as a characteristic of those on Wall Street. The truth is that television, advertising, and other modern developments have seduced us into the idolatrous worship of material goods to an extent never seen in the history of humankind.

In my last post I suggested it was time for all of us to examine our own lifestyles and commitments, to ask ourselves some hard questions. Let me suggest a simple process. Spend some time thinking about your purpose in life. A great way to do this is to write your personal mission statement. Make a list of your core values, the things that are really important to you. Start writing down every penny you spend. Beside each entry place a + sign if that entry supports your personal mission and values. Put a – sign beside any entry that does not align with your mission and values. Without guilt, keep doing this and over time you may see more and more + signs.

All my life I have struggled with a lack of alignment between what I preach and what I practice. I believe few of us truly align our claimed beliefs with our actions. This little exercise just may help you do that. If we all tried this I believe we would experience more peace, true prosperity, less anxiety and stress, greater joy and meaning in life.

Economic Crisis!

2008-09-25T22:31:00.003-05:00

Valerie Dixon recently reminded me of a story I’ve heard many times. An airplane was flying through some turbulent air. It was so bad, even the crew were frightened. While the passengers all buckled their seats belts and gritted their teeth there was one little girl that sat relaxed, playing with her doll.

The lady sitting next to her asked the child, “Aren’t you afraid?” “Oh, no,” the calm little girl answered. “My daddy’s the pilot and he knows I’m on board.”

I’ve faced my share of turbulence in life. I suspect that you have as well. But, through it all I have believed that God is in control and he knows I am on board. Whether it was the death of my parents or the death of my daughter; heart surgery or cancer; success or failure; through the good, bad, and ugly; God has always been there for me.

In recent days I have needed to remind myself of this truth. With economists and politicians talking about economic crisis I need to be reminded that God is in control ultimately of all that is.

In these days of economic uncertainty I find comfort in the words of Jesus found in the Sermon On the Mount: “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air; they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?" (Matthew 6:25-26)

These words bring comfort but Jesus certainly didn’t mean to suggest God will give you everything you want. Nor did he mean that we should simply rely upon God and not do our part. A significant way God takes care of us is by commanding us to take care of one another. This same Jesus is the one who insists we will be judged finally by how well we care for others, especially the least, the last, and the lost. “All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats, and he will say to those at his right hand, ‘Come you that are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world; for I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you gave me clothing, I was sick and you took care of me, I was in prison and you visited me”(Matthew 25:32-36).

Join me in praying for our nation and its leaders. We need to pray that God will give them wisdom in these perilous times. We need to pray for our neighbors, here and around the world, especially those who are the most vulnerable.

We need also to examine our own lifestyles and commitments. We need to examine our own hearts; ask ourselves some hard questions. Surely we can see more clearly today that we can’t trust wall street or main street to bring us lasting happiness. Surely we must see where greed and looking out for number one really get us.

I read a quote this week that has really stuck with me: “Money ain’t what it used to be—and never was!" Where are you placing your trust these days? We've tried trusting in mammon. Maybe its time we trusted Jesus and really tried it God's way.

Something Is Missing

2008-08-23T20:12:00.002-05:00

Herb Miller tells about a conversation between a pastor and his parishioner who was very active in many organizations: : “His calendar is so full that he hardly has time to breathe because of his philanthropic investments. .. but he said to me, ‘I’ve got all this fellowship. I’m active in Scouts, “I’m active in Missions. But there’s still something missing in my life. I can’t put my finger on it, but I know it’s there and I want it.’ I sat there thinking. . . What you are yearning for is not more relationships with people; you are seeking a deeper relationship with God.”

This man’s predicament is not unusual. Our community is full of people who have a void in their lives and they fail to understand that only God can fill that void. This is only one of the reasons the church is so important. The church is the only organization in our community that provides us fellowship opportunities with other people, and also seeks to relate us in a personal way with God.

This is not to say if one “pops” into church occasionally that one will “automatically” find God. Rarely does anything so important come that easily. Like all interpersonal relationships we have to work at our relationship with God. Of course, we do not “earn our salvation” but we do have to “practice His presence.”

I came across a little poem years ago. I don’t recall the name of the author, but it reminds me of how busy lives can often interfere with our relationship with God.

Checks to write, Bills to pay.
Clothes to wash and put away.
Floors to clean-windows, too.
Dust to wipe. Dishes to do.
Ironing towers in the hall.
“What’s for dinner?” voices call.
Kids need our time and love each day.
Husbands do too, so they say.
Or if you’re single, you get to do
The work of not just one, but two!!
Just for today, just let it slide.
Block it out, push it aside.
And let your Lord renew your soul,
Refresh your spirit, make you whole.
Just rest a while in Abba’s arms
Free from hurry, fear and harm.
Lean close and hear His gentle voice,
“Just for today, make ME first choice.”

Remember, church is not a duty, but rather the place to find rest, comfort, and peace. As we celebrate the risen Lord, let’s follow the example of the early church and invite our friends and family to join us for Sunday School and worship as we fellowship together with God to fill that void in our lives.

I pray that everyone stays safe during the approaching stormy weather and I hope to see you in the morning.

Dr. Gary

The Story Stool

2008-08-14T16:01:00.002-05:00

From time to time someone asks me about my “Story Stool.” Just as Jesus told stories, often without explanation, we can use stories to help people “see” what the gospel means. Jesus understood that abstract language cannot adequately communicate the dynamic nature of the gospel. William White has stated, “A message that is difficult to picture or envision in the mind’s eye is nearly impossible to believe.”

Andrew Greeley, the great Catholic storyteller, concludes, “The church seems to have overestimated the importance of prepositional instruction and notably underestimated the importance of storytelling in the development of the religious imagination.” If the Bible is any indication, we can conclude that story is a more powerful builder of faith than is doctrine and abstract language.

Beldon Lane suggests we distinguish between halakah and haggadah. Halakah is based on reason and is primarily abstract in nature. This would include the letters of Paul and most of current theology.

Haggadah uses metaphor and picture. This has been the primary method in the Jewish tradition. Most of scripture is haggadic in nature. The Gospels are primarily stories about Jesus, or stories that Jesus told.

If we are to effectively communicate the gospel, we need both halakah and haggadah—both reasoned reflection and story!

Prior to the development of the printing press the gospel was passed on primarily by oral traditions—storytelling. We are now living on the boundary between the print era and the electronic era. Today, people are once again absorbed by stories (TV/movies) think in stories, and therefore, the preacher needs to “preach” in stories.

This is also why we are using more and more video in worship services. A movie clip can send a powerful message. A picture is worth a thousand words and a moving picture can leave us speechless.

There is nothing new about using stories to teach. Jesus used them almost exclusively. Neither is the use of pictures anything new. The use of stained glass is an ancient example. God gave us five senses. We remember something better when more than one sense is used. Something we see as well as hear is simply more likely to be remembered than something only heard.

We learn complex behaviors primarily by observing others. We learn to parent by experiencing the parenting skills of our parents. When we are shown by example in the context of a story how one can live out our faith we are more likely to follow that example. After all, we are not trying to teach people about God so much as we are trying to help people experience God. Stories, pictures, videos, all are used to help us see the gospel and become more like Jesus.
Hope to see you Sunday!
Dr. Gary

Living Up To Our Label

2008-08-09T12:35:00.001-05:00

Soon after we were married Robin decided she would rather do the grocery shopping by herself rather than have me accompany her. Oh, she never stated this explicitly, but volunteered to do it alone. I realized that I slowed her down too much. I spent much too much time comparing prices and reading labels. Robin simply pulled what she wanted off the shelf and placed it in the shopping cart.

Reading labels can be educational and entertaining. What about orange juice labeled “Fresh” but which in truth is made from concentrate? What about that purse labeled “GENUINE Manmade LEATHER?” It seems to me that genuine should mean the “real” thing, authentic, natural.

So, what does all this have to do with our Christian faith?

Sometimes I wonder if we mislabel ourselves. From time to time I see people who call themselves Christians acting terribly unlike Christ. Jesus Christ loved his enemies, had compassion for the least, the lost, and the last. Many people who label themselves Christians express hatred for their enemies and show little compassion for anyone, especially those who are different in some way.

Perhaps we should all ask ourselves if we are living up to our label. We are called Christians because we are supposed to be followers of Jesus who was killed for his radical call to love others. As Christians we are called by God to share our time, our talent, and our treasure with others, especially those less fortunate.

Years ago I read something that might be a little test of how well we might be living up to our label:
If your car starts one out of three times, do you consider it “faithful?”
If your paper doesn’t arrive Monday and Thursday, would they be missed?’
If you fail to come to work two or three days a month, would your boss call you “faithful?”
If your air conditioner quits for a day now and then, do you excuse it and say, “Oh well, it works most of the time.”
If you missed a couple of car payments in a year’s time, would the bank say, “Ten out of twelve isn’t bad?”
If you miss worship one third of the time, are you faithful?”

Here’s the point:
Do you give the same commitment to God and His church that you do to the rest of life?

Consumed

2008-07-24T12:16:00.001-05:00

I read once about a species of jellyfish that lives in the Bay of Naples. Apparently these slimy little creatures love to eat a certain kind of snail with a hard shell the jellyfish cannot digest. The snail fastens itself to the inside of the jellyfish and slowly eats away on its host. Before long the jellyfish has been consumed by the snail. Reading about these jellyfish reminded me that we are sometimes consumed by the very things we consume. We have appetites for things that look, smell, and feel good, but in the long run can destroy us. Even things that are good for us in appropriate amounts, like food and work, can destroy us when consumed in inappropriate amounts.

I recently attended a meeting with the local chapter of Habitat for Humanity. I’ve been associated with this great organization for over twenty years. I was reminded of the story of its founder, Millard Fuller. Fuller rose from humble beginnings to become a millionaire as a very young man of 29. But while his business flourished, his personal life suffered. He began to reassess his values, and after some serious soul-searching made some major changes in direction.

Fuller reconciled with his wife. The two of them renewed their commitment to God, sold all of their possessions, gave their money to the poor, and joined Koinonia Farm, a Christian community near Americus, Georgia. There they began to build low-cost, affordable housing on a not-for-profit, no-interest basis. Over a period of time this program developed into Habitat for Humanity. This organization has now built hundreds of thousands of homes for the working poor around the world.

Millard Fuller sums up his life work like this: “I see life as both a gift and a responsibility. My responsibility is to use what God has given me to help his people in need.”

Not everyone is called to do what Millard Fuller did. But he is right that life is both a gift and a responsibility. Can you imagine how the world would be different if each Christian took God’s call on our lives seriously. What if each one of us simply invited someone to church this Sunday? We don’t have to feed five thousand like Jesus did. What if we each of us fed just one hungry person? What if each one of us helped build just one Habitat house? What if each one of us just visited one lonely or sick person? What if. . . (You fill it in!)

Shalom,
Dr. Gary

Introducing One

2008-06-27T21:11:00.001-05:00

In September, 2000, The United States joined with 188 nations to affirm a set of international development goals in the United Nations Millenium Declaration. The eight Millennium Development Goals reflect an understanding of the devastation caused by global hunger and poverty and aim for a world that is free of such suffering. They have galvanized unprecedented efforts to meet the needs of the world’s poorest by 2015. Our national leaders committed to these goals but are falling far behind in their implementation.

These eight Millennium Development Goals are:
1. Eradicate extreme poverty and hunger.
2. Achieve universal primary education.
3. Promote gender equality and empower women.
4. Reduce child mortality.
5. Improve maternal health.
6. Combat HIV/AIDs, malaria and other diseases.
7. Ensure environmental sustainability.
8. Develop a global partnership for development.

These goals could be accomplished if the developing world would use only a very small share of our wealth in wise ways to help the extreme poor of this world. Much of our “so called” foreign aid requires those on the receiving end to use the aid to purchase American made goods. This is why most of it actually comes under the “Farm Bill.” Most people are shocked when they learn how little our country actually gives directly to programs that would accomplish the Millenium Development Goals. According to leading economist Jeffrey Sachs we donate less than 15 cents out of every 100 dollars of gross national product to help the extremely poor of this world.

What we need to understand is that it is in our best interest to do better. Even Colin Powell has said, “The war against terror is bound up in the war against poverty.” When we help strengthen poorer nations economically they develop more wealth with which to purchase American products. It certainly is the Christ-like thing to do; Jesus clearly commands us to feed the hungry and clothe the naked.

There is an international movement to encourage developed nations to do more to help the most vulnerable in our world. In the United States the movement is connected by an organization known as One. The name has multiple meanings. We need to stand together as “one” to fight extreme poverty and suffering in the world. The idea is to encourage our government to give at least one percent of GNP to accomplish the Millennium Development Goals. Over one hundred nonprofit agencies and organizations have come together to support the work of One.

I have been supporting the work of One for several years. You will find a link to their web site in my links on the right side of this page. I encourage you to click on their site and spend some time educating yourself on the issues. I believe with all my heart that Jesus will be pleased that you have taken the time. And I believe that He will be even more pleased if you get involved. You can start by signing their current petition asking all G8 nations to live up to their promises already made.

Paying the Consequences

2008-06-20T19:52:00.003-05:00

David Brooks is a columnist for The New York Times and is carried in the SunHerald. In yesterday’s paper he wrote about “Paying the consequences of the great seduction." He began the article:

The people who created this country built a moral structure around money. The Puritan legacy inhibited luxury and self-indulgence. Benjamin Franklin spread a practical gospel that emphasized hard work, temperance and frugality. Millions of parents, preachers, newspaper editors and teachers expounded the message. The result was quite remarkable.

Brooks went on to suggest that while the United States has always had many affluent people, we were not corrupted by our wealth. For most of our history our people continued to be “industrious, ambitious and frugal.” However, Brooks believes that this has changed over the past 30 years. Again he writes:

The social norms and institutions that encouraged frugality and spending what you earn have been undermined. The institutions that encourage debt and living for the moment have been strengthened. The country’s moral guardians are forever looking for decadence out of Hollywood and reality TV. But the most rampant decadence today is financial decadence, the trampling of decent norms about how to use and harness money.

I couldn’t agree more. And the amazing thing is that it is all there in the Bible. We’ve been warned since the days of Genesis. Jesus never mentioned homosexuality but he talked constantly about how we use our money.

Brooks points out that “The loosening of financial inhibition has meant more options for the well-educated but more temptation and chaos for the most vulnerable.” He also reminds us that the sociology of our culture has changed. Research I did for my doctoral dissertation helped me realize that we simply do not have the kind of social connections people had in the past that acted as controls on our economic passions. Brooks insists, “Social norms, the invisible threads that guide behavior, have deteriorated.”

Our attitudes toward the material things of this world are destroying us. Brooks identifies gambling as an example, especially the lottery. He reports that Twenty percent of Americans regularly play the lottery. Called by some “a tax on stupidity,” some studies have suggested that as much as ten percent of the income in relatively low income households is spent on the lottery. Government sponsored gambling, teaching people the way to get ahead is to win the lottery rather than hard, honest work.

For Jesus, few decisions in life are more important than how we use the resources given to us by God. We will all one day stand before God and be accountable for what we did with what He gave us!

Brooks concludes his article suggesting some ways we might deal with the increasing debt problem in America. He suggests that the most important is to shift values. I agree. But not just about debt. We, especially Christians, need to seriously examine our values in general. What are most important in our lives? The things of God’s Kingdom or the things of this material world?

I’ll be talking this week in my sermon about overcoming fear. See ya Sunday!

Father Knows Best

2008-06-14T17:25:00.001-05:00

I recently preached a message on the subjects of worry and stress. No doubt we can all agree we live in stressful times. In Wednesday’s newspaper there was an interesting article entitled “Stress from debt grows: Health problems increase along with card balances.” Jeannine Aversa began her article “The stress from deepening debt is becoming a major pain in the neck, back, head and stomach for millions of Americans.” She pointed out that there is convincing evidence that the bad economy is leading many to bad health, including “ulcers, severe depression, heart attacks” in addition to such maladies as panic attacks. She quotes Edward Driscoll who faces $10,000 of debt, “Worrying, you know, where the next payment of this is going to come from.”

The actual statistics are amazing. Aversa reports that 27% of those with high debt stress had ulcers or digestive tract problems, compared with 8 percent of those with lower levels of debt. Of those with higher debt 44% report migraine or other headaches, compared with only 15% of those in the lower debt category. Those with higher debt have twice the rates of heart attacks and almost six times the rate of depression. Even back pain is experienced by almost twice as many with higher levels of stress from debt.

So, why am I mentioning all of this? After all, I’m no economist. And surely, since our congregation is made up of educated, middleclass Americans, this isn’t a problem for us. We know better. Right? Duh.

Aversa concludes her article by stating that “The survey found that upwardly mobile, middleclass families were among those who had the most debt stress.” And Christians aren’t immune to such behavior. We would be if we were serious followers of Jesus Christ as we claim to be. But too often we aren’t. Too often we fall into the consumerist traps, thinking we’ve got to have the latest gadget because our neighbors or friends have it—whether we can afford it or not. Just put it on the credit card and make the minimum payment—paying usury to companies that care only about making as much money as they can off of their customers.

The real problem for Christians is that we use God’s rich blessings in ways that bring increasing stress, destroys our health, and uses up God’s resources in selfish ways rather than being a blessing to others as God intends. We can’t tithe as God calls us to do because we are too deep in debt. God gives us what we need and then some to share with others in need. We use it in unhealthy ways and miss the blessing and fail to bless others, which would bring the greatest blessing of all.

Maybe on this week of Father’s Day we should realize that “Father Knows Best.” Our heavenly father really knows how we should live to find real meaning, purpose, peace, and lasting joy in life. We can struggle to accumulate things that rot, rust, and wear out, giving us headaches and heart attacks—or we can give our lives for things that last for all eternity. It’s your choice—and mine!

Marxists vs. Materialists?

2008-05-19T19:12:00.001-05:00

Tony Campolo teaches sociology at a Christian college and leads an organization that provides many social ministries in the Philadelphia, Pennsylvania area. In his book Wake Up America!: Answering God’s Radical Call While Living in the Real World he tells about once giving a group of top educators from the old Soviet Union a tour of his ministry’s work. The group included the rectors of two very prestigious universities and the Russian Deputy Minister of Education. Tony showed them their children’s programs, their youth clubs, even their Christian school for disadvantaged children.

Finally, after a long day of visits, interviews, and much note taking, they joined in a time of debriefing. Tony asked them what they thought about what they had observed throughout the day. Their response was surprising. “These teenagers are so materialistic!” they remarked. “All that these young people talked about was making money.” The Deputy Minister of Education added, somewhat hesitantly, “I am somewhat disappointed in your children. Since they are Christians, I expected that they would be concerned about spiritual things. Instead, they are more materialistic than the Marxist youth in my country. They seem to be devoid of any lofty, idealistic vision.” And this coming from a Marxist!

Tony reflected upon this experience:
“I asked myself if Christian kids in America have always been this way. . . Has the spirit of idealism departed from our collective consciousness without our being aware of it? Can it be that, in an era when religion has become one of the most prominent features of our culture, we Americans have lost our guiding inner light and lofty calling?
. . . I have to admit that I sense that something has been lost to America. I have a feeling that the sacredness of our national character has been ‘slipsliding’ away.”

I’m afraid Tony may be right. And our children learned it from their parents! It’s not just the secular materialists in our country. Many church pews are packed on Sunday with materialists who claim to be Christians. The conversations around the church coffee pot are much the same as those around the company water cooler. Maybe a few less curse words, but just as materialistic.

I love the title to Campolo’s book: Wake Up America! Answering God’s Radical Call While Living in the Real World. But I’m afraid most Christians don’t even realize that God’s call is a radical call.

Let’s get personal for just a moment. Do YOU feel that God has a radical call on your life? How are you responding to that call? Do you have a “spirit of idealism” as mentioned by Tony Campolo? Have you lost your “lofty, idealistic vision?” Would you consider yourself a materialist or do spiritual matters mean the most in your life?

Are You Ready To Stop Playing Church?

2008-04-30T13:18:00.002-05:00

Let’s talk. I need to share with you today from my heart. I will be sixty years old this year. I have been a pastor for many years. Can I confess something very important to you? Much of that time I’ve felt I was playing church. There is such a profound disconnect from what I see in most modern churches from what I read in scripture. In the early church the Christians were willing to follow Jesus anywhere he led. Some of them even followed Jesus to the Roman coliseum where they were eaten by the lions. We’ve all read about martyrs who have given their lives for God. But somehow we see these as special heroes who really have nothing to do with ME.

Why is it that we think that Jesus really didn’t mean it when he required his followers to follow him--to take up our cross? Why is it we think we can count ourselves followers of Jesus when we fail to follow him? Is it because we are surrounded by others who call themselves followers of Christ who aren’t really following the example of Jesus? Hello!

I have decided that I’m too old and have too little time left to play church. I want to be a true follower of Jesus.

I’ve been talking with God a lot lately about what thius means for me as a pastor. His answer has been---can you guess?--- “Follow Me.” Surprise!
“But, God,” I’ve said, “What does that mean?”
God keeps responding, “How did Jesus spend most of his time?”
“Hummmmmmm. I guess he spent most of his time coaching the twelve disciples. Then sent them out with the great commission”
“Bingo!---- and they went out coaching others who coached still others until the lives of millions have been touched.”
“Yea, God. That’s our church strategy: Connect, Coach, Commission.”

So, here goes. I believe God is showing me that nothing is more important than to spend time coaching a small group of people who have made a commitment to become obedient disciples of Jesus Christ and who will, in turn, coach others. Nothing I could do with my time is more important. This is God’s strategy .

This means that I’m looking to CONNECT with a few good men or women. We’re COACH one another and GROW together. Only the serious should apply. After a period of sharing and spiritual growth we will all be COMMISSIONED to go out and connect with others. It all starts with COMMITMENT.

Are you ready to let God really transform your life? Are you ready to make a serious commitment to follow Christ? Are you ready to discover God’s purpose for your life? Are you ready to find the amazing joy of making an eternal difference in the world? Give me a call-- let’s get together and talk about it.

Are you ready to stop playing church?

Fill The Jar Before You Leave

2008-04-19T13:18:00.002-05:00

I grew up on a farm where hard work was expected from everyone, including the children. The boys began driving the mules or the tractors at a very young age. My first hand at the wheel came when I was no more than six or seven years old, steering the tractor between bales of hay while my older brothers loaded the trailer. I began “chopping” cotton when I was not much older. My dad had a heart attack when I was eleven years old. The next summer he assigned me one of his primary tasks. It became my job to drive our truck through the Indian Reservation to gather “hands.” I picked them up, took them to the fields, worked them all day, paid them their wages, then took them home.

Chopping cotton on a farm in Mississippi gets to be hot work. In the edge of one field stood the old original farmhouse with its well in the front yard. There was a hand pump with a quart jar of water kept sitting beside the pump. The water in the jar was used to prime the pump.

Now the problem was that if the pump had not been used for a while the seals would become dry. There was a bit of a trick when this happened to get the pump primed with just a quart of water. My father, however, warned me never to drink the water in the jar. If I did this there would be no chance to prime the pump.

You have probably heard the story of Desert Pete. A man was lost in the desert, dying for water. He came upon a shack and saw an old rusty water pump. Beside the pump was a jug of water and a note: “My friend, you have to prime the pump with the water in this jug. P.S. Be sure to fill the jug again before you leave.” It was signed Desert Pete.

The man was faced with a decision. What if he used the water in the pump but it failed to provide water? He decided to trust the note. At first there were only squeaks. . . but finally cool, clear water began to gush from the pump. He refilled the jug, drank all he wanted, then left the jug filled with life-giving water for the next person who might come along.

Jesus tells us in Luke 6:38, “Give and it will be given unto you.” God has given so much to you and me. He calls us to pass it on to others. Many of the blessings God has bestowed on me have come through others who were willing to be used by God. God wants to bless others through you and me.

Are you willing to give your time, talents, and treasure that others may be blessed? That is exactly what it means to be a follower of Christ!

Into The World

2008-04-06T19:35:00.004-05:00

Mike Slaughter is pastor of Ginghamsburg Church, a United Methodist fellowship in Tipp City, Ohio, 16 miles north of Dayton. When Mike went there 29 years ago the church was a small 104-year-old country chapel on a quarter of an acre of ground with less than 100 people. Today it is one of the largest and fastest growing churches in the country. How did Mike transform a small dying church into the thriving congregation this church is today? He briefly explains in an article in the current issue of Circuit Rider, a clergy magazine published by The United Methodist Publishing House:

Ginghamsburg did not have quality music, facility, or space for adequate parking when people would start to come. There was no way that we could compete in quality with the larger churches around us. We decided to be the one thing that Jesus calls us to be. We could love in practical need-meeting ways and work at closing the gaps of disparity for the “least of these.”

Mike’s church organized a food pantry and clothes closet, later adding a car and furniture ministry. These ministries have grown over the years, serving nearly 40,000 people in 2007. They began an after-school tutoring program with at-risk elementary children in surrounding neighborhoods.

Mike continues to explain in the article:
One of the most transforming endeavors for our church has been our commitment to live more simply through the experience of sacrificial giving at Christmas so that others may simply live. We challenge each other to have a simple Christmas and to give an equal amount or more than our family would normally spend on ourselves toward a critical current missional need in the world. Over the last three years, our people have brought over $2.8 million at Christmas to invest in The Sudan Project (www.thesudanproject.org) through our partner sister organization the United Methodist Committee On Relief.

Ginghamsburg Church is a church known around the world for its exciting, contemporary worship, its use of graphics and modern technology, and its cutting edge advertising. But in this article the pastor who has led this church to be one of the most progressive congregations in the world is giving most of the credit for their growth to their commitment to mission and ministry, in the community and around the world.

Mike Slaughter insists that “The true greatness of any local church is measured by how many people are serving the marginalized.” He states in this article that it’s all about our mission to make disciples. “The business of the church is to engage and empower disciples of Jesus in meeting the needs and closing the gaps of disparity for the least of these.”

I totally agree. What do you think?

Bibs and Aprons

2008-03-27T20:23:00.002-05:00

There has been something of interest for Christians going around on the Internet lately about bibs and aprons:

Bibs are for people who only want to be fed.
Bibs are for those who are not yet ready or willing to feed themselves.
Bibs are for those who are more interested in being served than in serving.
Bibs are for those who insist that the church exists for them and their needs.
Bibs are for babes in the faith, those who haven't caught God's vision for the church or those who are not yet of the faith.
Aprons are for those who have a heart to serve others in Jesus' name.
Aprons are for those who know that they are the church.
Aprons are for those who don't mind getting their hands dirty.
Aprons are for those who take the time daily to feed their spiritual hunger.
Aprons are for those who are growing in faith, and hunger to help others grow.

We have just spent 40 days in Lent preparing ourselves spiritually for the celebration of the resurrection of Christ. On Maundy Thursday we were reminded of how Jesus washed his disciples' feet at the Lord's Supper. "So he got up from the meal, took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel (apron) around his waist. After that he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples' feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around him." (John 13:4-5)

"When he had finished washing their feet, he put on his clothes and returned to his place. ‘Do you understand what I have done for you?' he asked them. . . I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you. I tell you the truth, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him.. Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them." (John 13:12, 15-17)

So. . . What are you wearing? A bib or an apron?

BTW. Remember that this Sunday we will begin our six week study based on John Ortberg's best selling book If You Want To Walk On Water, You've Got To Get Out Of The Boat. I've ordered some extra books so I hope to see you there!

Wet Pants And The Resurrection

2008-03-22T11:57:00.001-05:00

It seems like another life—those elementary school days at Zepher Hill back in Neshoba County. There was a boy in our class who had an embarrassing physical problem. Billy could not control his bladder and so every day would wet his pants. It was obviously a difficult situation. I was reminded of Billy recently when I read an email that has been making the rounds:

“Come with me to a third grade classroom. . . There is a nine-year-old kid sitting at his desk and all of a sudden there is a puddle between his feet and his pants are wet in front. He thinks his heart is going to stop because he cannot possibly imagine how this has happened. It’s never happened before, and he knows that when the boys find out he will never hear the end of it. When the girls find out, they’ll never speak to him again as long as he lives.

The boy believes his heart is going to stop; he puts his head down and prays this prayer, "Dear God, this is an emergency! I need help now! Five minutes from now I’m dead meat.”

He looks up from his prayer and here comes the teacher with a look in her eyes that says he has been discovered. As the teacher is walking toward him, a classmate named Susie is carrying a goldfish bowl that is filled with water. Susie trips in front of the teacher and inexplicably dumps the bowl of water in the boy’s lap.

The boy pretends to be angry, but all the while is saying to himself, “Thank you, Lord! Thank you, Lord!”

Now all of a sudden, instead of being the object of ridicule, the boy is the object of sympathy. The teacher rushes him downstairs and gives him gym shorts to put on while his pants dry out. All the other children are on their hands and knees cleaning up around his desk. The sympathy is wonderful. But as life would have it, the ridicule that should have been his has been transferred to someone else—Susie. She tries to help clean up, but they tell her to get out of the way. “You’ve done enough, you klutz!”

Finally, at the end of the day, as they are waiting for the bus, the boy walks over to Susie and whispers, “You did that on purpose, didn’t you?” Susie whispers back, “I wet my pants once too.”

Sometimes I think we have difficulty connecting Biblical concepts with our daily lives. What has Easter and this talk of resurrection have to do with me? Of course, it is a profound reminder that this life is not the end. But it is also a poignant exemplar of a God-given paradigm: new life follows self-sacrifice. We are called every day to bring new life into the world by serving others. Life with meaning and purpose and joy and peace. Susie was willing to take ridicule in order to save a friend from ridicule. The best way to celebrate Easter is to renew our commitment to Christ and follow his example of self-sacrifice. In what way is God calling you to do this?

Are We All A Bit Cuckoo?

2008-03-13T19:20:00.001-05:00

I’m not an avianologist but my understanding is that the cuckoo bird never builds its own nest. The mother bird lays its eggs in another bird’s nest and then flies away. Since the other bird is a little weak at mathematics it never notices that there are new eggs in the nest. When the eggs hatch the cuckoo is usually larger than the other birds. Some cuckoos can grow to a height of twenty-five inches. Since the young cuckoo has the largest mouth it usually gets the worms the unsuspecting bird brings for her young. A mother thrush may feed a baby cuckoo that is three or four times its own size!

Since the baby cuckoo is the one getting most of the food and is naturally much larger it quickly outgrows the other babies in the nest. The cuckoo gets stronger as the mother’s own offspring become weaker and weaker. Over time the healthier, more powerful young bird begins to throw the sick, frail little ones from the nest. In fact, a cuckoo nest can often be found by looking for dead baby birds lying on the ground.

The apostle Paul wrote, “Those who live according to the sinful nature have their minds set on what that nature desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires. The mind of sinful man is death, but the mind controlled by the Spirit is life and peace; the sinful mind is hostile to God. It does not submit to God’s law, nor can it do so. Those controlled by the sinful nature cannot please God” (Romans 8 5-8).

Stuart Briscoe has suggested that Paul is reminding us that we have “two natures in one nest. The nature that you go on feeding will grow, and the nature that you go on starving will diminish.” So the question for you and me today is, “Which nature are we really feeding?”

On March 30 we are going to begin a six week study based on John Ortberg’s best selling book If You Want To Walk On Water, You’ve Got To Get Out Of The Boat. We will begin each Sunday evening with a light fellowship meal at 5 p.m. This study will feed our spirits so that we might grow our Godly nature! The participant's book will cost $9. If you want Ortberg's hardback book on which the study is based I can get one for you at the special price of $15. Please let me know you plan to attend so that I can order a book(s) for you. Hope to see each and every one of you there and I’m excited about the time we will have together.

Will you join me?
Dr. Gary

Seven Deadly Words

2008-02-29T14:56:00.001-06:00

You may have heard about the five monkeys in a cage. Experimenters hung a banana on a string at the top of a ladder. It wasn’t long, of course, before all the monkeys were climbing the ladder to get the banana. But as soon as the forbidden fruit was touched, all the monkeys in the cage were sprayed with cold water. Again, it wasn’t long before the monkeys learned to leave the banana alone. If one animal got courageous and attempted to retrieve the banana, the other monkeys in the cage would force them to stop. At this point the spraying of the animals in the cage ceased, never to be used again.

Now, however, the researchers replaced one of the monkeys. Whenever the new monkey tried to get the banana, the other monkeys in the cage would immediately prevent this animal from proceeding. One by one each original monkey was replaced. One by one, each new animal learned that the banana was off limits, even though none of them had ever been sprayed or in any way stopped by the researchers.

So, why didn’t the monkeys get the banana that was now so available? “Well, that just isn’t what we do around here!” Someone has suggested that the seven deadly words for the church is “That’s not the way we do things.” Sometimes we humans also have a very narrow view of reality. We think that present reality is the only way things can be. Or, at least, is the way things should be. The book of Proverbs in the bible tells us, “Where there is no vision, the people perish.”

I’m not endorsing his candidacy, but it seems to me that Barack Obama has hit a nerve in our country. People are hungry for a leader with vision. Voters are responding to his call for change. The American people want to believe that tomorrow can be better than today. We all want to believe that there is someone out there who can lead us to the promised land of peace and prosperity with justice.

I happen to believe that God is more likely to lead us to that place than any politician. And that God calls the church to be the major transforming force in society to accomplish this dream. That means you and me. Scary, isn’t it. But what an exciting challenge! Are you willing to be used by God to change the world?

Thinking and Living Outside The Box

2008-02-23T15:03:00.001-06:00

There’s a wonderful old story about a farmer who owed a lot of money to the village moneylender that he was unable to repay. The “banker,” who fancied the farmer’s beautiful daughter, made an offer to the indebted property owner.

The moneylender would forgive the man’s debt in exchange for the daughter’s hand in marriage. The farmer and the young lady were both appalled by the proposal. The moneylender then suggested that they allow providence to settle the matter. He proposed that he put two small stones in a bag, one white and one black. If the daughter picked the white stone the debt would be forgiven. If she picked the black stone the moneylender would get the property and the daughter would agree to marry him.

The daughter was a very wise young lady. She did not trust the man and was convinced he was trying to trick her father. She watched suspiciously as the moneylender picked up two stones. Carefully scrutinizing his movement she observed that the man picked up two black pebbles.

Now, it seemed that the daughter had three choices: She could refuse to make a choice. She could expose the moneylender as a cheat. Or, she could pick one of the stones and sacrifice herself for the sake of her father. None of these choices would have pleasant results, but there seemed to be no good alternative.

The wise young lady, however, quickly came up with another plan. She reached into the bag pulling out a stone. But, before anyone had a chance to see its color she dropped the pebble onto the stone strewn ground.

“Oh, how clumsy of me,” she said. “I’m so sorry. I supposed we will have to see what stone is left in the bag. If a black stone is left then I must have picked the white one.”

We are reminded by this magnificent story that even the most difficult problems do have solutions. Sometimes, however, we have to think outside the box. That’s what we have been trying to do for some time at Biloxi First UMC. The problems faced by the 21st century church are increasingly difficult. Most thoughtful Christian leaders are convinced that the church will not survive this century with “business as usual.”

I’m persuaded that Christ is calling us to live lives of radical discipleship. The world will sit up and take note when we live out our faith in a way that makes a real difference. The church is often seen by others as a fraud because we don’t practice what we preach. Too often the world has been right.

Let’s pray that God will help us think and live outside the box, but in a way that will be pleasing to Him! And in a way that others see as significant and in which they want to participate.

Got any ideas?
Dr. Gary

Adding Our Personal Signature

2008-02-01T17:31:00.000-06:00

Barbara Glanz is a motivational speaker, author, and business consultant. She tells a wonderful story about speaking to 3,000 employees of a supermarket chain on the subject of customer loyalty and regenerating the spirit in the marketplace. In this speech she suggested employees add their “personal signature” to their work. This means doing something that differentiates one’s work from that of other people who do the same job.

For Example, she shared how a United Airlines pilot writes notes to several passengers during each flight, thanking them for their business. She told about a graphic artist that encloses a piece of sugarless gum in everything he sends his customers. A Northwest Airlines baggage attendant writes thank-you notes to customers whose luggage tags fall off in the airport.

About three weeks after this event she got a call from one of the employees. Johnny, who has Down’s syndrome, was a bagger in one of the company’s grocery stores. “Barbara,” he said, “I liked what you said!” He went on to explain how he had learned to use the computer so he could print out little “thought for the day” cards that he put in each bag of groceries he packed. Johnny always added his personal signature on the back of each card.

About a month later Barbara got a call from the manager of Johnny’s store. He began, “Barbara, you won’t believe what happened today.” He had gone out onto the floor where he had seen a long line where Johnny was bagging. “Get more lanes open,” he had yelled. But the people insisted they wanted to be in Johnny’s line.

One woman told him that she used to shop only once each week but now came in every time she passed by in order to get her “thought for the day.” That will certainly do wonders for a store’s profit.

Barbara got another call from the store manager three months later explaining how she and Johnny had revolutionized his store. Many other employees had caught the spirit and found ways to add their personal signature to their work.

I wonder what would happen if all the members of Biloxi First UMC worked on our personal signature—at home, work, school, at the church. How would I do that as the pastor? What if every teacher, every musician, every usher added our personal signature? How might visitors respond to a church like that? What difference might we make in our community? What difference might we make in the lives of others?

So, come on gang. What do you say?

Are We Paying Too Much For Our Whistle?

2008-01-26T17:25:00.000-06:00

Benjamin Franklin once wrote:
"Money never made a man happy yet, nor will it. There is nothing in its nature to produce happiness. The more a man has, the more he wants. Instead of its filling a vacuum, it makes one. If it satisfies one want, it doubles and trebles that want another way. That was a true proverb of the wise man, rely upon it: 'Better is little with the fear of the Lord, than great treasure, and trouble therewith.'"

History indicates that Benjamin Franklin may not have always practiced everything he preached, but there is a wonderful story that goes along with his quote recorded above. It seems that when Franklin was just a lad he saw a tin whistle in a Boston store window. It was one of those simple whistles upon which you can learn to play a tune. He wanted that whistle more than anything. Life simply would never be complete without it, he thought to himself.

Unfortunately, the whistle cost much more than he had. This, however, did not deter the future successful entrepreneur. He worked long and hard at earning and finally saving enough to purchase his much desired musical instrument. He proudly marched into the store, paid the shopkeeper, and paraded out with his prized possession. But it took Franklin only a short while to realize that he had paid too much for his whistle. His new instrument turned out not to be nearly as exciting as he had thought it would be and wasn’t worth all the work he had done to earn what it had cost. And many times after, when Franklin saw other people trying to purchase happiness, or putting material things before people, he would say to himself, “He’s paying too much for his whistle.”

Some things haven’t changed much since the days of Benjamin Franklin. At least, human nature hasn’t changed much. Most of us can readily identify with his passionate desire for the tin whistle.

David Riesman wrote as early as 1950 in his book, The Lonely Crowd, about the movement to what he called an age of consumption. In this influential book he traced the changes in the “social character” of Western humanity since the Middle Ages, including the changes in family life.

Princeton sociologist Robert Wuthnow surveyed two thousand people and found that 89 percent agreed with the statement “Our society is much too materialistic.” Wuthnow reminds us that our Judeo-Christian tradition clearly warns us about the destructiveness of materialism. Most of us agree with Benjamin Franklin (and Jesus!) that money doesn’t buy happiness, and yet we keep trying.

Was Old Honest Right?

2008-01-19T10:44:00.000-06:00

In a recent article on Portfolio.com Arthur C. Brooks reminds us of the character,Old Honest, in John Bunyan’s classic The Pilgrim’s Progress. Old Honest poses this riddle to the innkeeper Gaius: “A man there was, tho’ some did count him mad, / The more he cast away, the more he had.” Gaius solves the riddle. “He that bestows his Goods upon the Poor / Shall have as much again, and ten times more.” Brooks points out that the idea was that giving can be an even greater blessing to the giver than to the receiver.

The Bible says "One man gives freely, yet gains even more; another withholds unduly, but comes to poverty. A generous man will prosper; he who refreshes others will himeself be refreshed (Proverbs 11:24-25 NIV). This idea may be accepted by idealist but has not always been acknowledged by economists. However, the economic evidence is growing that this indeed is true. Brooks’ article is entitled “Giving Makes You Rich.” He points out that more and more economic research supports this thesis.

Brooks reports on the most recent Social Capital Community Benchmark Survey. “The S.C.C.B.S., which takes into account differences in education, age, race, religion, and other personal characteristics, shows that people who give charitably make significantly more money than those who don’t. While that seems like common sense, it turns out that. . . people also grow wealthier when they give more.” An analysis of the data suggested that for every $100 given, a family earned on average $375 more.

Now I think we need to be careful what we do with this data. Let’s not use it to make ourselves even greater consumers. There is enough consumerism already in the church and its easy to fall into the trap. We often see it in our attitudes about our money and even about worship. We want it our way. We see it in our competitive attitudes toward other churches. We shop churches like we shop for clothes.

Kevin Ford’s church consulting firm did a national survey and discovered five key indicators of church health. One of these was “consumerism vs. community.” This has to do with our attitudes and how church members relate to each other. Unhealthy churches are made up of people who act as individual consumers while members of healthy churches relate as a community.

Soooo, how would you describe our church? Are we a group of people who relate as consumers or as community? Are we givers or takers? How might we move more from consumerism to community? Ford concludes his article by writing: “With God’s help—and strategic planning—we can begin to move our churches from the American ‘me’ to the biblical ‘we.’” What can we do at Biloxi First to make this happen? Was Old Honest Right? Does giving and sharing our lives with one another really pay?

Do Something!

2008-01-10T11:20:00.000-06:00

Soooo, the new year has begun and we can already hear the crash from broken resolutions all around. Maybe that'the problem. Everyone knows that New Year resolutions are made to be broken. Never really taken seriously. At least I've learned to never make resolutions about losing weight. Eventually I break them and everyone who has eyes to see my mid section know that I broke my resolution.

FranklinCovey surveyed 15,000 of their customers and found that four out of five people who make New Year resolutions break them. A third of them don't make it through January. Forty percent of those surveyed said they broke their resolutions because they were too busy. Thirty three percent admitted they were never really that serious about keeping them.

According to an article in the New York Times experts say the main problem is that we make the wrong kind of resolutions. We try to change the world (sound familiar?)-- actually they said our resolutions "reflect a general desire rather than a specific goal." They insist, "Small and tangible one-day-at-a-time goals work best."

The article suggest that if we want to lose weight we might commit to splitting the entree wth our dining partner. Robin and I have tried this--it works! A parent might resolve to play with their kids at least one extra day a week. According to what I read it might be an improvement to make that at least one hour a week! Well, you get the idea.

Okay. Okay. So maybe I won't change the world in 2008. But I can DO SOMETHING. Right? So now I'm woking on my DO SOMETHING list. What about you? Care to share some of the items on your list? Looking forward to hearing from you.

Live the adventure!

Dr. Gary

Special Agent 007 for Christ

2008-01-04T20:17:00.000-06:00

Vince Antonucci has written a book with a fascinating title: I Became a Christian and All I Got Was This Lousy T-Shirt: Replacing Souvenir Religion With Authentic Spiritual Passion. Doesn’t the title alone make you want to read the book. I haven’t yet read it but I did read an article adapted from the book in the January-February issue of Outreach magazine.

Vince begins the article by suggesting you imagine getting a phone call interrupting your third hour of TV for the evening. The person on the phone explains that the government has chosen you for a special task. “After several rounds of, “Very funny. Is that you Phil? Wait, is this Chris?” you finally come to believe this is truly a rep from a government agency and he needs an answer. Now.”

You quickly think about all the things you will have to give up for your country: “your specialty coffee on the way into work, forwarding e-mail stories to your friends during the morning work hours, the lunch debate between McDonald’s or Wendy’s. . . it’s a lot to give up.”

The conversation goes on: “You’re talking. . . like. . . special agent stuff?” “Yes,” the government rep on the other end of the line replies. Finally, you decide. “OK, I’ll do it. Sign me up. But, let me ask, the hotels I’ll be staying in when I’m on the road. . . they will have cable, right?”

Now Vince brings his little imaginary scene around to the point. How do you and I feel about the commitment we have just made? “Nervous and intimidated? Perhaps. Anxious and excited? Definitely. Bored? No way.”

Jesus chose us as his special agents. “Go into all the world and make disciples,” he charged. It’s not always an easy task. He never promised it would be. What it should never be is boring. Not if we take the challenge seriously.

Maybe that’s the problem for most Christians. We’ve in a rut! Church is boring. Our Christian walk is boring. We are like the church at Ephesus; we’ve lost the excitement of the love we had for God at first (see Revelation 2:1-5). We are elevator music—or worse, funeral music. Plain vanilla. Respectable people. Middle class. We need some excitement in our lives—and serving on God’s team of special agents is the perfect way to get it.

Sunday will be Epiphany. This is when we remember the Magi that visited Jesus. These guys were risk takers, adventurers, pioneers ready to blaze a new trail. What about you? Are you ready to add some excitement to your life in 2008? God is ready to give us an assignment that many would call Mission Impossible. But, of course, with God all things are possible! Let’s do it together!
What special mission is God calling you to carry out in 2008? Wanna share?

What's On YOUR Bucket List?

2007-12-27T18:32:00.000-06:00

Do you make New Year resolutions? I don't always. Too often I forget them by the time the band members finish playing Auld Lang Syne and have packed up their instruments to go home. But making resolutions can be a positive practice for anyone, especially Christians. After all, Christianity is about new life. And a New Year is a wonderful opportunity to make a new commitment to Christ.

Let me make a few quick suggestions:

Give yourself some time to think seriously about how you can improve your life in 2008. Ask yourself, "What would I do if I knew this would be my last year to live on earth?"

I haven't seen the The Bucket List yet but it sounds like an interesting movie. It stars Jack Nicholson and Morgan Freeman as two terminally ill cancer patients who decide to break out of the hospital and live ther last days fufilling their "bucket list." This is a checklist of all the things they want to do before they kick the bucket. It includes such things as playing the poker tables in Monte Carlo, consuming huge amounts of caviar, and racing the fastest cars they can find.

I have a feeling that your list might be different from Jack Nicholson's and Morgan Freeman's. Number one on my bucket list is simple: before I die I would like to change the world. Oh, I know I can't do it by myself, but I don't have to.The Bible says that with God all things are possible. We can even move mountains! My list includes such things as: I would like to make someone's life better. Perhaps feed more hungry, clothe more naked. Build more houses in Sri Lanka. Heal more sick people in India. Reach more people for Christ in Biloxi. Bring more joy to the lonely.

I'm trying this blog thing. With it you can respond to my gleanings. I would love to hear about some of the things you have on yourbucket list! Post them and lets see how it works.