Can't Help Blogging About What I've Seen & Heard

Moving to joeysparks.net

2009-06-10T10:58:00.004-05:00

Thanks to Tony at EvenPar Solutions, I've moved over to WordPress at joeysparks.net.

I've been using WordPress for our church website (and been having issues with Blogger--when I've posted), so I've made the move. All of the previous posts at this address are over at the new site.

Please update your feeds, change your bookmarks, and adjust your blogrolls. I look forward to doing some cool things in the new space.

I'm a Fool

2009-04-01T09:46:00.006-05:00

I love surfing the internet on April Fool's Day. It's a virtual game of "I Spy" to find the fake blog posts, the new upgrade to Gmail (this year it's Autopilot), and other attempts to get people to bite hook, line, and sinker. I've not been creative enough to devise a good April Fool's joke myself (I briefly considered complementing Lane Kiffin's public relations genius), but I love the hoopla surrounding the day. Based on my posting schedule, you might think me making a post at all is a joke ;).

This year, my mind turned toward the word of God. "The fool says in his heart, 'There is no God.' They are corrupt, they do abominable deeds, there is none who does good" (Ps. 14:1, ESV).

Something heavy and heartbreaking struck me this morning about this verse. I am a fool. I've never uttered the phrase "There is no God." I've never formulated an elaborate argument against the existence of God. But the verse isn't pointing the finger at the staunch, Richard Dawkins-like atheists. "The fool says in his heart...they do abominable deeds...there is none who does good." The "fool" label isn't just reserved for those who articulate a disbelief in God, but also for those who act as if He doesn't exist.

When I presume on God's grace and act in my own selfish interests, I'm a fool (Rom. 6:1-2).

When I talk badly about someone God created with a grand and glorious purpose in His spiritual kingdom, I'm a fool (Eph. 4:29).

When I convince myself this life is about "stuff" and how much of it I can accumulate, I'm a fool (Luke 12:13-21)

When I stretch, bend, or hide the truth--even when I'm doing something I think needs to be done--I'm a fool (Col. 3:9-10).

When I attempt to fulfill a God-given need in an ungodly way, I'm a fool (Matt. 4:2-4).

When I put off encouraging a brother or sister because "there's always tomorrow," I'm a fool (Heb. 3:13).

When I minimize God's standards of purity by surrounding myself with unholy people/watching unholy TV & movies/going to unholy places, I'm a fool (Eph. 5:3-12).

When I think that God won't do what He says He will do when I dishonor the blood of Christ, I'm a fool (Heb. 10:29-31).

"Father, help me to stop living as a fool--as if You don't exist. Thank you for forgiving the foolish (1 Jn. 1:9)."

The Lord looks down from heaven on the children of man, to see if there are any who understand, who seek after God (Psalm 14:2).

Say It Ain't So, A-Rod

2009-02-07T16:49:00.005-06:00

I appreciate ESPN's bottom-line feature in principle. I don't enjoy, however, receiving big-time news through it (& I hate when I see the final score to a game while I'm watching the highlights of that very game, but I digress).

I've caught wind of several monumental announcements by way of the bottom line. I remember finding out about the deaths of Alabama/Kansas City Chiefs great Derrick Thomas and Redskins safety Sean Taylor. I found out that Dennis Franchione was bolting from Alabama to Texas A&M through the bottom line. I often keep up (not with excitement, though) with the latest Terrell Owens "he said/he said" soap opera that scrolls by. Today, I read about one more death.

Baseball is dead.

It's only hope was actually on dope. Sports Illustrated is reporting that Alex Rodriguez tested positive for two different kinds of anabolic steroids in 2003. He was the one guy with the ability, numbers, personality, and exposure to restore an air of integrity upon a previous era of infamy.

I don't foresee people getting as upset about A-Rod's doping as they did about Bonds and Clemens. Inconsistency is the one thing that has characterized the entire debate during the steroid era. I don't see that stopping now. The 'fair' thing to do is to toss A-Rod under the bus and out of the Hall the same way everyone's done Bond, Clemens, and McGwire (especially considering there's already more 'proof' of A-Rod's usage than any of the other three--a positive test). That doesn't matter anymore, though. A lot of people were cheating in baseball. Too many to know or to count. Since we can't accurately know who was doping or not, I'm afraid the baby will end up getting thrown out with the dirty water.

We should hope for some young studs to rise up and take over the game in the name of fairness, integrity, and honesty. For now, the future looks bleak.

Hope, Change, & A Lot of Good Quotes

2009-01-23T10:34:00.003-06:00

Great crowds have flocked to hear this moment in history. Their eyes and ears are firmly focused upon the orator—one of their own; many are hopeful he has come to rescue them from repression. Their expectations of his capabilities and purpose are extraordinary, misunderstood even. As a people, they have been waiting for this day for years, decades, and even centuries. The hopeful audience anticipates his words of vision and direction. They are eyewitnesses to history.

Throughout the discourse, there is a heavy emphasis upon change. The speaker notes keys to economic success. It’s impossible to miss the theme of loving and helping others. There’s even a part about being correct with oaths.

This moment in history didn’t take place in the capital of a 21st century world-power, but rather in 1st century Palestine. The speaker really was the Messiah; He actually brought hope and change to a people repressed by the consequences of sin.

When Jesus spoke what we commonly call the “Sermon on the Mount,” he did so without the aid of a microphone; there were much less than 2 million people in attendance. Yet, as far as speeches go, there’s likely not a more important one in the history of the world. Even though many would still reject Him as the Messiah and Savior, it serves as a pivotal moment in Jesus’ ministry and in God’s revelation of the new covenant.

Words of God > Words of men. We must always remember to hang our hopes and confidence on the unchanging words of our Lord. We as men can write and deliver powerful messages; none of those, however, come from the pen of the Creator and Sustainer. May we hear, hallow, and obey His words (Matt. 7:21-23).

Change is easier said than done. Much of Jesus’ sermon is fashioned around the thesis, “Unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, your will never enter the kingdom of heaven” (Matt. 5:20). He then outlines specific areas of change by saying, “You have heard that it was said...but I say to you…” Notice some of the things to which he alludes: anger, lust, divorce, honesty, revenge, loving enemies. Don’t we as 21st century America still struggle with many (or all) of those? What about within the church? What about you and me? Two-thousand years ago, Jesus ushered in an era of change; one that starts in the hearts of individuals. Even though it’s not easy, may we have the courage to change the world by changing our lives.

Only one foundation lasts. The riveting conclusion of Jesus’ sermon describes two normal men with two normal houses who face powerful storms. Only one house survives the storm—the one built upon hearing and doing God’s words. The other house is destroyed (Matt. 7:24-27). No matter how important, powerful, and discerning politicians and governments are, they will not withstand the storms of this life or the next if they are guided by anything other than the truth of God’s word. Our lives are no different.

Let’s make sure our faith is founded upon Him and His word. He's where we find hope.

Why Do We Argue?

2009-01-09T07:44:00.005-06:00

...every year about whether or not the SEC is the best conference in the country?

In BCS Title Games:

Big East: 1-2 (Miami, Va Tech)
ACC: 1-2 (FSU)
PAC 10: 1-1 (USC)
Big 10: 1-2 (OSU)
Big 12: 2-4 (OU, Texas, Neb)
SEC: 5-0 (Tenn, LSU, Fla)

Trey Morgan: Sex, Porn, & Marriage Links

2008-11-28T14:10:00.004-06:00

Over the past several months, Trey Morgan has published what has become a good series on men, sex, pornography, and marriage. These issues need to be addressed from a Biblical perspective much more often than they currently are. I figured linking to his articles was the least I could do for the present. Don't miss the two chilling emails from female readers. Powerful stuff. Most recent posts are listed first.

Pornography in Marriage (November 25, 2008)

Pornography and Marriage (October 22, 2008)

Men and Sex (October 15, 2008)

The Porn Myth (August 4, 2007)

Free Porn or Porn Free (January 23, 2007)

Thanks to God for the beauty of a holy marriage and thanks to Trey for these helpful posts...

Peter: A Case Study in Maturity

2008-11-21T08:22:00.003-06:00

In the first post of this series, we studied Peter’s weakness the night before Jesus was crucified. After Jesus’ arrest, the crowd questioned Peter about his association with Him. All three times, Peter denied his Lord. Peter was weak when Jesus—his major source of spiritual influence—was taken away from him. He buckled when pressured by the crowd. And when forced to choose his true allegiance, he denied knowing Jesus Christ.

After that tragic night, Peter goes on to do great things for his Lord. Much of the first half of the book of Acts features Peter as its main character. He also pens two books of the New Testament. Peter’s sermon at Pentecost in Acts 2 jump-starts this post-resurrection greatness.

At Pentecost of Acts 2, notice that Peter’s faith stood strong when...

Jesus was taken away—for good—from His disciples (Acts 1:6-10). Fifty days prior to this account, Peter acted immaturely and denied knowing Jesus. Now, Jesus has died and resurrected. He is back spending time with the apostles and disciples. In Acts 1, however, we read that Jesus ascends to heaven to be with the Father until His second coming (Matt. 25:36-37). This is more significant than being arrested and taken away to trial. This is final.

Notice how Peter responds after Jesus leaves this time. First, he leads the effort to replace Judas with Mathias (Acts 1:15ff). Then, at Pentecost, he preaches that Jesus is the Christ, and some 3,000 souls are baptized for the forgiveness of sins (Acts 2:14-41). Though Peter no longer had his major source of spiritual influence, he exercised spiritual strength by introducing a multitude of souls to their Savior. As Jesus had comforted Peter and the apostles, He comforts us today, “And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age” (Matt. 28:20).

Some in the crowd were pressuring the disciples (Acts 2:5-13). Peter denied knowing Jesus when the crowd approached him directly. He gave in to peer pressure. Here, in Acts 2, we see pressure from some in the audience that day. Through the Holy Spirit, the apostles were doing unbelievable things (Acts 2:1-12). They were so unbelievable that some mockingly accused the apostles of being drunk!

The apostles could avoid embarrassment by not speaking in tongues. Peter could preach an easier message to the Jewish crowd that Jesus was not the Messiah. Peter also could ignore the insults hurled by the audience. Instead, Peter and the apostles display great courage by confronting their erroneous claims (2:14-15) and by preaching the truth about Jesus Christ (2:16-41).

He was forced to choose his allegiance (Acts 2:14-39). In Matthew 26, Peter could not ride the fence regarding his association with Jesus. He could only answer “yes” or “no” (“present” was not an option). In Acts 2—before an anti-Jesus crowd—he had to choose if and how strongly to preach the saving message about Jesus. Based on how the people previously handled Jesus, they could kill Peter just the same. If a violent disturbance broke out, the apostles and disciples were clearly outnumbered. On this occasion, Peter boldly tells the people “God has made him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom you crucified” (Acts 2:36).

Even though the truth would be difficult for some to accept, he proclaimed it anyway. His faith in Christ was strong and his actions prove it. Like Peter, we will face situations where our faith and allegiance are tested. We must choose Christ anytime and every time. Peter made a dramatic turnaround from his denial of Jesus to his sermon on Pentecost.

Next time, we’ll look at what made the difference for Peter and can make the difference for us today.

In case you missed it, check out Part 1, "Peter: A Case Study in Immaturity."

What If Starbucks Marketed Like the Church?

2008-11-20T17:04:00.004-06:00

I'm not a fan of those who are constantly negative about the church. Just as my wife exercises patience with me, I hope Christ exercises patience with His bride as we overcome our faults and outgrow our immature complaining (Eph. 5:22-33).

In the process of growing and improving, there are some interesting things to consider. Over the past several years, discussion has increased concerning how to welcome guests/visitors to our assemblies. This video highlights how some of our good-intentioned efforts likely fall short at welcoming those who might be new to our assemblies. I've seen it on several blogs recently and felt it worthy of passing on.

I think there are some things worth considering. Ultimately, I think guests can easily detect whether our actions (whether or not they are considered the most "guest friendly") are growths of love and warmth.

Peter: A Case Study in Immaturity

2008-11-19T15:51:00.003-06:00

Peter was one of Jesus closest apostles. We might know more about him than we do any other figure in the New Testament, outside of Jesus himself. And yet, time and time again, Peter ends up displaying his shortsightedness and immaturity.

The most immature moment of Peter’s life—the time when he was spiritually weakest—likely came when Jesus needed him the most. When Jesus was arrested and carried off to the cross, Peter followed. He would later buckle under pressure and deny association with Jesus. Some of the circumstances regarding Peter’s situation are similar to ones we face when we make weak and immature decisions.

Jesus was taken from the disciples (Matthew 26:47-56). Jesus was obviously important to the disciples as they followed him around for almost three years. They heard his teachings and saw his miracles. Peter’s faith was built upon his direct interaction with Jesus. His overall faithfulness is to be commended; but he failed to be strong when Jesus was taken away from him.

Most everyone develops their personal faith because someone else influences them in that direction. Yet, basing faith only on someone else will prove detrimental when tested. This is one reason many young people fall away upon leaving home—their sources of influence, support, and encouragement are no long around. May we respond with strength when our faith is tested. May we train and strengthen young people to handle this necessary part of growing up.

The crowd was pressuring Peter (Matthew 26:69, 71, 73). When Peter claimed he had nothing to do with Jesus, he was prompted on all three occasions by someone in the crowd. This was a crowd, by the way, who was trying to condemn Jesus. No matter his motives for being there, Peter was in the midst of the wrong crowd. And he couldn’t handle their pressure.

With good reason, we emphasize the dangers of peer pressure to our young people. Young or old, we should all remember warnings about evil companions from Solomon (ie, Prov. 22:24-25) and Paul (1 Cor. 15:33). Being a part of the wrong crowd will lead us in the wrong direction. Likewise, not being prepared with spiritual strength will leave us defenseless when we’re in unavoidable situations with ungodly people. If we’re going to be spiritually mature, we must have the strength to stand up and stand out for good, no matter who else is around.

Peter was forced to choose his allegiance (Matthew 26:69-75). Not only was Peter in the midst of the wrong crowd, but he was forced to choose his true allegiance. He couldn’t remain neutral. He had been with Jesus or he hadn’t. Peter’s decision to deny Jesus is heartbreaking because it went against his earlier claim of faithfulness (Mt. 26:35).

The true strength of our faith is evident when it is tested. Football players don’t know the effectiveness of strength training until they’re blocking or tackling an opposing player. Marathon runners don’t know the effectiveness of their training until they push themselves for mile after mile. Likewise, we will have our faith tested. We will prove ourselves genuine or phony. We must develop the strength to choose Christ no matter the cost.

In order to learn from Peter’s example, we must commit to developing healthy spiritual habits and attitudes that give us true spiritual strength.

Stay tuned for Part 2, "Peter: A Case Study in Maturity."

About Last Night...

2008-11-05T14:04:00.005-06:00

I feel strongly about our recent elections. Though many of you do also, I'm sure my opinions aren't of great value to you at a time like this. The beauty is that our opinions all count as "1" when we vote. And we'll all stand on judgment before God having to answer for how we used our blessings (including the right to vote). There, who says we need 'change' to have equality ;)?

Just a couple of things, if you don't mind...

America is great not because of who we elect with our votes, but because we can vote. We need to carefully consider how much weight we put on the shoulders of men. No one man has caused our shortcomings and no one man can lead us out of them. We need to thank God that we live in a country where our voices matter. Additionally, the freedoms that grant us the right to vote also give us opportunities to easily teach others about Jesus Christ. I have to think that if we as Christians were doing our part in helping those in need and sharing the good news, there would be less of a need to vote for someone based largely on social reasons.

One more thing about this...if you threatened to move before or after the election based on the outcome (I personally have read several regarding both candidates), what country exists that has blessings, opportunities, and freedoms to a greater (or even same) degree as our own? Canada, Mexico, and so on have their own problems--and they're worse than our problems. Let's not be stupid about this stuff...

God's purpose is not to protect America or spread democracy, but to protect the church and spread the gospel. I'm a proud American. However, I need to remember that the church existed--and thrived--prior to 1776. Additionally, if this nation ever ceases to exist, the church will still exist (Daniel 2:44). It's very comforting to always know that God is in control and that He takes care of His people (ie, Heb. 13:5). However, I need to remember that America is not "His people." It's tempting to think God has a great purpose in keeping this nation strong for millenniums to come, but He's not told us that in His word. Therefore, I need to be careful in assuming such. I pray that God will bless America; not because God needs America, but because America needs God.

I have been hypocritical. This is a more humorous approach, but one that I probably needed to come to grips about. Over the past several months, I easily decided for whom I would cast my vote based on some simple logic. I always want to vote for the man (or woman) who stands up for morality and integrity and who exhibits those things in his or her life. Of the two main candidates, it's obvious there's only one who comes close to doing so. I am appalled at the complete lack of accountability and honesty that's put forward by one candidate, and how so many Americans aren't bothered by such.

Let it be known however, that some 22 months ago I celebrated a new era of 'change' and 'hope' on the sidelines of the Alabama Crimson Tide. I can see how it is easy to overlook what we think is important when we stand to benefit directly from a person's work. In no way do I approve of how dishonest Nick Saban looked when he left Miami; in no way do I approve of his choice of words when he's fired up. But, I am presently glad he's coaching my team and not yours.* So, I do admit to being inconsistent with my approach to the election this year. It's something I'll try to work on...for now, I wish Obama (& Saban) the best in the near future.

The LORD looks down from heaven;
he sees all the children of man;
from where he sits enthroned he looks out
on all the inhabitants of the earth,
he who fashions the hearts of them all
and observes all their deeds.
The king is not saved by his great army;
a warrior is not delivered by his great strength.
The war horse is a false hope for salvation,
and by its great might it cannot rescue.

Behold, the eye of the LORD is on those who fear him,
on those who hope in this steadfast love,
that he may deliver their soul from death
and keep them alive in famine.

Psalm 33:13-19

* Comparing Obama & Saban is really not fair...to Saban. He came in with a lot more experience and is already following through with his promises.

Trying to Post...

2008-10-27T15:30:00.002-05:00

But blogger keeps acting up when I do...

I really don't feel like going through a bunch of support mess to figure out the problem...this is supposed to be user-friendly.

I'm not doing anything yet, but I did open up a WordPress account.

But It's the Prom!

2008-06-09T15:33:00.002-05:00

This is one of the best reads I've ran across in a while. I appreciate all that Brother Steve Higginbotham does in the kingdom; I'm especially grateful for his handling of this issue. I'll be running this in our bulletin next spring.

Well, dancing certainly has not become any more moral over the years. If anything, the modern dance is more sensuous today than it ever was...So then, what then has changed? What has changed are the attitudes and respect (or lack of) God’s people have for His will. Some apparently seem to be more willing to justify their “pet” sins than they are willing to justify God’s high moral standard.

But It's the Prom! (preachinghelp.org)

How to Be on Time Every Time

2008-06-06T06:41:00.002-05:00

Lifehack.org ran this back in the middle of May. It has some good helpful advice. I still struggle with being on time and with estimating how long tasks will take. Have a great weekend.

How to Be On Time Every Time (Lifehack.org)

Leadership

2008-06-04T09:30:00.000-05:00

Listened to a Catalyst Podcast yesterday. In the intro, there's this quote by Andy Stanley:

Leadership is a stewardship. It is temporary. And you're accountable.

Fun & Helpful Flickr Tool

2008-06-03T09:10:00.000-05:00

I love the online photo community Flickr. It's a great place for finding and uploading digital copies of interesting photographs. We even have an official Midway Youth Flickr Group.

I ran across a site called Tag Galaxy the other day that makes finding useful photographs both easy and fun. Enter a photo tag, and start clicking on various "subtags." Eventually you can view the photos on the globe containing all the tags you selected. You can even open individual photos in Flickr.

Stuff Christians Like

2008-06-02T13:55:00.003-05:00

Stuff Christians Like (SCL) is one of my favorite blog reads of the moment. It is a humorous approach to the daily lives of those who profess to follow Christ. Essentially, it is an attempt to "make fun" of some of the eccentricities of Christians. Some of them reflect important truths while some are about as random as it seems possible. Obviously, I don't agree with all of the conclusions and "theology" found within the posts, and it's likely you won't as well. Nevertheless, it is refreshing and worth contemplating...and laughing at.

A recent favorite: #250, The unicorn hymn or worship song.

ESV Study Bible

2008-06-02T10:07:00.006-05:00

It's been a while in the making, but it's about time for the release of the ESV Study Bible. It's not scheduled for release until October 2008, but there's info out about it (and even a sample of Luke's gospel).

ESV Study Bible Home

ESV Study Bible Preview at Bible Design & Binding (one of my favorite "time-wasting" places)

Currently, Amazon is running the ESV Study Bible at 36% off. Of course, you'll have to wait until October before it ships. It's available in several bindings, not just the hardcover pictured here.

Celebrity Birthdays (On Your Birthday)

2008-05-30T17:59:00.004-05:00

This past Saturday (May 31) was my birthday. One of the coolest things about birthdays is checking to see who else has the same birthday. I have at least three friends that have the same birthday, so that's cool. Celebrity birthdays are awesome too.

Check out some of the more famous folks who were brought into the world on the same day:
- A poet (Walt Whitman, 1819)
- A pope (Pius XI, 1857)
- A prince (Rainier of Monaco, 1923: married Grace Kelley)
- Musicians (Peter Yarrow, 1938: Peter, Paul, & Mary; John Bonham, 1948: dead drummer, Led Zeppelin; Johnny Paycheck, 1941)
- Actors & Actresses (Clint Eastwood, 1930; Tom Berenger, 1950; Lea Thompson, 1961; Brooke Shields, 1965; Colin Ferrell, 1976)
- Athletes (Joe Namath, 1943; Kenny Lofton, 1967; Jake Peavy, 1981)

Pretty impressive list, eh? Doubt any of them listed me on their blog as having their same birthday :).

Celebrity Link: Birthdays

Most Recent Blogging Revelation

2008-05-30T17:45:00.002-05:00

This comes a little late considering I've set this thing up and have posted off and on for a while, but I'm now convinced I'm not a blogger. I love to read (good) blogs, but I'm not sure I have the drive (or the interesting life) to maintain one to the standards I think necessary.

That being said, I'm not closing my blog down. I'm going to "tilt" the purpose of it slightly though. Since I do love to read good stuff here on the internet, I'll just post links to the good stuff I'm reading. We'll see how it goes...thanks for reading and for your interest in spiritual things.

Joey :)

Life-Changing Love (Part 2) -- 02.03.08 Bulletin Article

2008-02-08T12:50:00.000-06:00

Last week, we looked at three of six aspects of the love Jesus shared with the Samaritan woman at the well, as recorded in John 4. This is an important study because of how the woman responded to Jesus’ love: she changed her life and then went and brought others to Jesus. This week, we’ll notice the final three aspects of Jesus’ life-changing love.

Love teaches the truth (John 4:17-24). Teaching the truth about adultery to an adulterous woman was not easy. As a Jew, teaching the truth about worship to a Samaritan was not easy. Jesus was not argumentative in his approach, but he made sure to address the truth that needed to be addressed. We should be willing to courageously discuss people’s relationship to sin (Acts 8:18-24). We must also teach the truth in doctrinal matters (1 Tim. 1:3-7).

It’s all too common to hear people say that we need to water down the truth (or discover “new” truth) in order to reach people with the gospel. However, we can’t reach people with Christ if we don’t teach what Christ taught, endorsed, and inspired. True love teaches the truth, no matter how “offensive” some find it.

Love reflects its source (John 4:19-20, 25). After their discussion about her marriages, she clearly knew he was more than “just another Jew”—telling people their secrets can do that. Their discussion about worship caused her to think about the coming Messiah. Through their conversation, she knew Jesus was special. Even though he had to specifically tell her he was the Christ, her mind was turned toward God and she knew this man was like Him. Through interaction with us, the world should know to whom we belong (Acts 4:13). Our lives and our compassion should display to others where (more correctly “from whom”) our love originates (1 Jn. 4:7-8).

Love introduces people to Christ (John 4:26). She set him up with an opportunity to tell exactly who he was by mentioning the Messiah (Christ). Our love for souls should be looking toward the goal of introducing others to the Savior. Our mission is to bring souls to Him (2 Cor. 4:5-7). It is not about us, but about the power Christ can have in the lives of people.

Our love for others is not fully expressed until we give others the opportunity to know Christ as their Savior.

May we have a great week sharing Jesus’ love with those around us!

Life-Changing Love (Part 1) -- 01.27.08 Bulletin Article

2008-02-08T12:28:00.000-06:00

One of the most inspirational accounts in the New Testament involves a sinful woman who goes into a nearby town telling everyone about Jesus (John 4:28). Those townspeople follow her to meet Jesus and then become believers in Christ themselves (John 4:42). We should follow in her example on a daily basis. Why was she so successful? She changed her life. Why did she change her life? She met Jesus at a well. Jesus shows in one afternoon conversation how love is indeed life-changing. Let’s notice some important aspects of his life-changing love:

Love is obligated to act (John 4:4). The statement in vs. 4 is true geographically, but it is also interesting to consider “conscientiously.” Could Jesus have had to pass through Samaria because the Samaritans needed to know the Messiah (Christ) was here? It is certainly possible. If truly love others around us, we should feel the inward obligation and burden to share the love of Christ with them. Peter and John told the Jewish council, “we cannot but speak of what we’ve seen and heard.”

A Mercedes-Benz executive was once asked why they chose not to patent their new safety system. In response, he said, “Some things in life are too important not to share.” Do we feel with same burden with the gospel and the love of Christ today?

Love sees potential in everyone (John 4:7, 28-30, 39-41). On a very simple level, Jesus saw potential in the woman to provide him with water. On a much more powerful level, he could see her potential as a messenger to the Samaritans. (Remember, there are at least three reasons his discussion would have been looked down upon: talking to a woman, talking to a Samaritan, and talking to an adulterer.) There were plenty of reasons that could have kept Jesus from sharing his message with her. Yet, He didn’t let first-century barriers keep Him from believing in her.

Today, God sees unimaginable potential in each of us (Rom. 5:8). We know that He gave His most (Jesus on the cross) while we were at our least (still sinners). We must see everyone with the eyes of Jesus: knowing that everyone has value in Christ.

Love views physical opportunities as spiritual opportunities (John 4:10, 13-14). Both needed physical water, but Jesus also knew she needed spiritual water. He taught her that spiritual life is more important than water—one of the most vital substances in the physical world. Valuable spiritual doors may first appear as physical opportunities (1 Cor. 16:8-9). We should be aware of our surroundings so that we can use our everyday conversations to God’s glory. Every opportunity throughout the day is an opportunity to reach people with Christ.

Hope you have a great week in His service...let’s share the life-changing love of Christ with the world!

“Irrational Prejudice Against Red Ryder & His Peacemaker…”

2007-12-21T20:55:00.000-06:00

If you tune to the cable TV channel TBS anytime during the 24-hour-period between 7:00 p.m. on Christmas Eve and 7:00 p.m. Christmas, you will be graced with what has become an undeniable Christmas movie classic: A Christmas Story. That low-budget 1940’s holiday flashback (made in 1983) contains some of the most genius and innocent humor that you’ll find in Christmas flicks. It has always been a favorite of mine. As such, here are some important spiritual lessons we can learn from its stories:

Children are always paying attention to what you say. When Ralphie Parker is helping his dad fix a tire problem, he loses the lug nuts and screams an obscenity (the movie references a chocolaty dessert instead). Upon washing out his mouth, his mom presses him as to where he heard the word. The adult narrator says he heard his dad say it many times a day; he buckles under the pressure and instead blames a friend. Unbeknownst to Mr. Parker, his son Ralphie heard much of what he said—no matter how good or bad. It was the influence of those expletives that led Ralphie to curse in disgust when fixing the tire.

Do we remember that our young people hear every word that we say when in our presence? We are teaching our children something, whether or not we know it (Prov. 22:6).

Giving in to peer pressure will leave you out in the cold. During school recess one day, Schwartz (one of Ralphie’s friends) talks another friend into sticking his tongue to an iron flagpole (using the dreaded “Triple-Dog-Dare”). The tongue sticks, the bell rings, and the young boy is left all alone in the cold with a frostbitten tongue.

Peer pressure to do things that are wrong or dangerous can leave us in bad situations. As Christians, we are rightfully warned time and time again to be careful about our company (Ex. 23:2).

Some things aren’t all they’re expected to be. This may be one of the biggest (if not the biggest) theme that runs throughout the movie. From Ralphie’s experience with the Little Orphan Annie decoder, to his visit with Santa, to hand-sewn gifts from his aunt, and finally to his eye’s fate with a BB, we see many built-up scenarios that turn out to be less than imagined.

Many things in the world are presented with an aura of being highly desirable and necessary. Yet there are often hidden negative consequences to selling out to the pursuit of status-building “stuff”. As Christians, we must remember to invest in our spiritual futures before seeking the temporary things of the present (Matt. 6:19-21).

Much of the counsel given by previous generations ends up being helpful. Throughout the movie, Ralphie expresses his adamant desire for an “Official Red Ryder Carbine-Action Two-Hundred-Shot Range Model Air Rifle.” Every time he brings it up, he is met with a response of, “You’ll shoot your eye out.” Amazingly, he receives the BB gun for Christmas and that very morning, shoots a metal sign. A BB bounces back and hits his eye knocking off his glasses. Although these adults’ warnings were met with cynicism, they still proved to be accurate.

When previous generations attempt to lend their advice to us as younger people, we can often take it lightly. However, they likely have our best interest in mind and they do have years of wisdom and experience. This is the reason God placed us into their instructional care—generally speaking—as Paul mentions in Titus 2:4-8. We spend too much time trying to prove others wrong that we forget to simply do what’s right.

We hope everyone has a safe and memorable holiday season!

Pre-New Year's Resolution

2007-11-08T23:15:00.000-06:00

If you’re visiting today for Friends & Family Day, we’re so glad you’re here! Make yourself comfortable and let us get to know you better. You are important to the church and to the Lord (Matthew 5:14-16)!

It is an extremely popular practice to use New Year’s day as the starting point for life-changing promises—or resolutions. Although it’s always appropriate to improve our lives, we need to examine our attitudes about that improvement. If it’s important enough to begin at a later date, it’s important enough for today (Ephesians. 5:16). One of the most frequent New Year’s resolutions for Christians is to read the Bible through in the coming year. The task itself does not require taking “big bites” but rather consistently reading 3-4 chapters per day. Because we have spent so many years not reading our Bible’s regularly, it’s often difficult to keep on pace throughout the year.

Since reading our Bibles is such a valuable habit for our spiritual well-being, let’s do something about it today! Let’s make a commitment to reading the New Testament before the end of 2007. If we read —on average—less than 9 chapters per day , we will have read the entire New Testament in 30 days!

Over the next 4 weeks, I’ll run a reminder about our readings in this space and will write something about the material read during the previous week. Please pray for strength to commit to this opportunity. Set aside a specific time of day to read the Bible, find a comfortable translation , and don’t let anything hold you back! Fathers, commit to reading these passages in your home each morning or evening. Check in with other families to encourage their progress.

May God bless you and your family as you commit to His Word!

updated (11.20): Here's a link to the "Read the New Testament in 30 Days" schedule taken from Paul Sain's "Overview of the New Testament in 30 Days"

A Better Question to Ask -- 10.28.2007 Bulletin Article

2007-10-25T16:15:00.000-05:00

On a constant basis, prominent athletes make the news for all sorts of legal problems. College athletes do many of the same things as other college students, but it makes the news because they are talented athletes. In the professional ranks, we’ve seen front page stories dealing with O.J. Simpson (murder), Ray Lewis (murder), Kobe Bryant (rape), Michael Vick (dog fighting), and O.J. again (burglary and stealing). The first three were acquitted or had the case dropped. Vick has pled guilty. And the second Simpson case is still ongoing. All of this activity has caused ESPN to hire Roger Cossack from Court TV as its senior legal analyst. Needless to say, he is a busy man.

When incidents happen on the college level, media sources and fans are quick to ask, “Why doesn’t that coach do a better job of disciplining his players?” or “Why won’t the school to something to make its players behave?” For pros, we ask, “What is the league (NFL, NBA, etc.) going to do get better conduct out of the players?” or “How long will so-and-so be suspended from his team’s games?”

Although all of these are pertinent questions in time, they fail to recognize an important level of responsibility. The responsibility for people’s (athletes or not) actions belongs to the country’s legal system and cultural framework before it belongs to a sports team, college, or league. The better question is, “What can we do as a nation—or as a culture—to keep people from murdering, forcing animals to fight to the death, etc.?”

As the New Testament church, we must make sure to ask the right question so that we can find the right answers. One of the most prominent (and alarming) questions in church circles is, “Why are we as the church losing our young people?” Several studies have supposedly been conducted to determine that young Christians are falling away at a rate of anywhere from 50% to 90% once they graduate high school. The actual figure is not as important as the scary trend it reflects. Although the church needs to ask the question and do all it can do help young people create a long-term commitment to Christ, asking only that question negates a better one. The better question to ask is, “Why are our homes losing our young people?”

When God created the family, his design was for it to ensure that the following generations learned about Him and lived a life of faithful devotion in His service (Deut. 6:7, 20-25). This was God’s purpose long before Christ died for the church. If parents feel the church has let them down by not raising their children properly, that reflects a misunderstanding of God’s purpose for the home. If churches give in to the idea that they need to raise children in the Lord, then those statistics are unlikely to improve.

We need to qualify a couple of things: First, just because a church has Youth Minister or a Youth Program does not mean they have given in to this pressure. Second, the church does have a responsibility to teach and encourage young people in their service to the Lord (Titus 2:4, 6). However, that responsibility is secondary to that of the home.

The ideal—and most successful—approach is one that uses the church’s resources and efforts to help parents raise young people in the Lord. Parenting is hard, but it does not have to be done alone.

Let’s commit to asking and answering the best questions possible. Only then can work together to improve our efforts carrying out God’s will.

Why Do We Wait -- Bulletin Article 10.21.2007

2007-10-19T10:36:00.001-05:00

Which is a better place to sleep, the couch or the bed? The answer is obvious. Beds provide more room, more comfort, and more durability. Although comfortable in the short term, couches are not designed for—and typically do not respond well to—long nights of sleep on a regular basis. Yet how often do we find ourselves drifting into sleep while laying on the couch, aware of the need to get up and go to bed...only to stay there and fall into a deep sleep?

The other night, Amanda and I were watching TV as our night was ending. I had turned it over to watch Survivorman has the guy was stranded on Costa Rica and was attempting to survive for seven days all by himself. It is always intriguing to observe his resourcefulness and improvisation in the face of legitimately dangerous situations.

I was beginning to feel it. My eyes were getting heavier and I was getting more still. I knew my body was ready for bed. Yet my mind was just interested enough in Survivorman to push it to the edge. Something about being in that state of sleep limbo can be really peaceful as well. So I stayed.

About an hour-and-a-half later, Amanda woke me up to tell me we needed to get up and actually go to bed. In spite of the appeal—at the time—to stay on the couch, sleeping in the bed was much more comfortable. It always is.

In spite of knowing which place was better for sleeping, I still chose to stay in the more uncomfortable place. Knowing I would likely have the opportunity to get up later and actually go to the bed. Even though I knew what was in my best interest, I chose otherwise. As trivial of a concern as this is from a physical level, there’s a spiritual application.

Which is the better place to live, in Christ or out of Christ? The answer is obvious. Paul tells us that every spiritual blessing is located in Christ (Eph. 1:3). How many are located out of Christ? Zero. Surely no honest-thinking individual would look at life without Jesus and conclude that it is more comfortable and more appealing—especially in the long term—than life with Him. Yet too many of us spurn the opportunity to get up and follow Him. Too many of us have felt the comfort of Christ by obeying him, yet have wandered back to the “couch” of the world. Many of us enjoy being around Christians (those in Christ—Gal. 3:26-27) and doing Christ-like things, yet don’t have a personal relationship with Him. What a wonderful opportunity to conscientiously brush aside. Unlike my late night antics above, there is no certainty of a later time to get up and make things right. If we knowingly stare down the choice between Christ’s way and our way, and—even for a moment—choose our way, we are testing God’s grace, love, and mercy (Rom. 6:1-2).

May we all have the strength to make the decision to follow Christ—right now. God bless...have a wonderful week!

First Things First -- Bulletin Article 10.14.2007

2007-10-19T10:28:00.000-05:00

As our minds are turned toward the precious lives of our young people this weekend, there is one lesson we should commit to instilling within them. It is a principle we all utilize, no matter our spiritual condition. Dads use it loading the car for vacation. Moms calculate it when they make their grocery runs. Children need it when placing their toys back into their toy box. When there are a lot of items that must fit into a defined space, math dictates that the biggest items must go in before smaller items. When I went to Sam’s this week to buy food, it was a tight squeeze to get everything into their supersized buggies. In order for things to fit, the two 35-lb jugs of frying oil had to be in at the bottom. The biggest boxes remaining had to be next to the oil to complete the bottom level. Only then could the rest (bags, smaller boxes, etc.) fit within the buggy. To have done otherwise would have left no room for the biggest items (or resulted in crushed smaller items).

When we view all of the “stuff” we could be doing with our time, energy, and money, we need to humbly ask ourselves what we should be doing. If we fail to put the biggest (most important) opportunities first in our lives, we will fail within them. Families fail when its leaders fail to put it in the center of their lives. Sports teams fail when its members fail to emphasize teamwork. College students fail when being in college becomes more important than being a student. We as Christians will fail when we decide there are more important things than our relationship to the Lord.

Jesus words are clear in Matthew 6:33, “But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.” He essentially says, you will have what you need when you choose to honor me before and more than anything else.

Centuries prior, Solomon outlined this principle as well. Notice his words in Proverbs 3, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths. Be not wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord, and turn away from evil...Honor the Lord with your wealth and with the firstfruits of all your produce; then your barns will be filled with plenty, and your vats will be bursting with wine” (3:5-10). When we commit to blessing the Lord with our lives, time and money—before we use those things for anything else—he will in turn bless us. Marshall Keeble is often attributed to describing it that as we shovel out the window (giving to God), God is shoveling in the door (with a much bigger shovel).

We see a picture of this principle in Matthew 8, when Jesus explained this to a disciple. “Another of the disciples said to him, ‘Lord, let me first go and bury my father.’ And Jesus said to him, ‘Follow me, and leave the dead to bury their own dead.’ Was Jesus uncompassionate toward this man’s loss? Was he calloused that the man needed to bury him? Of course not. Some scholars argue that the man’s response was a typical excuse in the first century (like saying, “the dog ate my homework”). Made up or not, Jesus makes a clear point: nothing is as important as following him. Is burying the dead important and necessary? Absolutely. Just not as important as one’s relationship to Christ. The disciple was making something more necessary than it truly was.

We must fight this same temptation every day. Grades are important, but not most important. Scholarships are important, but not most important. Social leadership is important, but not most important. Jobs and career-planning are important, just not most important.

When we begin to truly put God in our lives first, then everything else will fit into place. Go ahead and put it to the test...see if he doesn’t bless your life.

Thanks again for your efforts this weekend!

A Debate with Worldwide Implications Held in Alabama

2007-10-04T11:21:00.000-05:00

On Wednesday, October 3rd, the Fixed-Point Foundation hosted a debate between two Oxford university professors. It took place at UAB's Alys Stephens Center in Birmingham, Alabama.

It is labeled "The God Delusion Debate" as it featured the popular author of the book The God Delusion, Richard Dawkins. Debating Dawkins about the existence of God was fellow Oxford professor John Lennox--a God believer and professed Christian.

According to the Birmingham-based Fixed-Point Foundation, CD's and DVD's will be available for purchase. You might be interested in looking into more information. I hope they will also release a transcript for reading.

"And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him" Hebrews 11:6

An Open Door for Effective Work (09.30.2007 Bulletin Article)

2007-10-04T11:15:00.000-05:00

When Paul was concluding what we know as 1 Corinthians, he tells the Christians in Corinth that he is remaining in Ephesus a little longer. Additionally, he tells them why he is remaining there: “for a wide door for effective work has opened to me…” (1 Cor. 16:9).

On several occasions in the New Testament, the imagery of a door is used to represent opportunities. Jesus said “I am the door” (John 10:9). The only way to the Father is through Jesus (John 14:6). When Jesus told the parable of the Ten Virgins (Matt. 25), the bridegroom came and took the prepared virgins, leaving the unprepared searching for oil: “And while they were going to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready when in with him to the marriage feast, and the door was shut” (Matt. 25:10). The finality of judgment is represented by a closed door. That’s a pretty clear image. When Jesus spoke to the church at Laodicea in Revelation 3, he said the following words: “Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me” (Rev. 3:20). We have the privilege of opening the door to allow Jesus into our lives. He’s done the work, we have to be willing to open our lives to his will.

Hopefully, we see the power of the door analogy in scripture. Likewise, we need to see the opportunities literal doors present us in this life. How often do we remember that souls live behind the many doors in our communities? Probably not as much as we need to. Not as much as Jesus does.

What has happened to the practice of door knocking? Like so many other things, it is fallen by the wayside because it seems confrontational and outdated. And yet, there are some people who might only have the opportunity to hear the good news about Jesus if someone lovingly visits their home.

We always have the opportunity to tell our neighbors about the love of Christ. Specifically, next weekend we have a marvelous opportunity to tell the community that the Lord loves them and that the church at Midway cares about them. Next Saturday, we will spend several hours knocking the doors of the communities around us to inform them specifically about our upcoming Youth Weekend. Generally, we want them to know that we are a loving group of Christians seeking to serve and obey God.

Many of us aren’t thrilled when someone we don’t know knocks on our doors. Yet we would all do well to greet them with love and hospitality. That itself may be an opportunity to share the gospel with others. Improving our response to the practice will help us as we spread our good message.

The biggest hurdle many of us face is that of fear. Maybe it’s the fear of having the door slammed in our faces. Maybe it’s the fear of a barking dog. Maybe it’s the fear of saying the wrong thing. Maybe it’s the fear of doing something we’ve never done before. As understandable as those fears are, we must realize all of them are centered upon the wrong thing: us. If we are convinced the community needs to know about Jesus and how to obey him, then we need to spread the gospel because it’s God’s will and not our own. If we’re going about the Lord’s business, then we have no reason to fear. That’s why Paul told Timothy the following in 2 Timothy 1:6-7, “For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God...for God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.”

I hope you’ll prayerfully consider the opportunity to tell the community about our upcoming Youth Weekend. Please make your plans to stay after the PM service tonight. We’ll meet on Saturday, October 6 at 8:30 am to begin knocking. If you are unable to be here at 8:30, let me know, and you can join up with us when you are available.

Let’s commit to doing the Lord’s will and making his love and grace known to the world...starting with the world around us.

Do This In Remembrance (09.16.07 Bulletin Article)

2007-09-28T12:26:00.000-05:00

This past Tuesday, our nation remembered the events of September 11, 2001. That tragic day in our nation’s history will forever be remembered and honored as a day when a bold enemy destroyed thousands of lives on American soil. We are reminded of many emotions and principles as we think of the events of that day; we are emboldened thinking of those who have since put their lives at risk in battle. It is certainly a helpful and therapeutic opportunity for Americans to reflect upon this solemn anniversary.

For Christians, our God has purposely designed remembrance into our relationship with Him. Just as Americans honor the price paid for our physical and political freedoms, we as Christians are privileged to regularly remember the price paid for our spiritual freedom.

When Paul wrote what we know as 1 Corinthians, there were many issues he had to address. The common thread among them was division; Corinth had allowed sin to divide the beautiful body of Christ. One of the most appalling things to Paul was their divisiveness during the Lord’s Supper. They were no longer partaking together, both in spirit and in proximity. In correcting this, Paul reminds them of the original purposes of the Lord’s Supper: 1) remember Christ’s death and 2) commune together as the Lord’s body. Using Paul’s instructions in 1 Corinthians 11, let’s briefly notice similarities between our remembrance as Christians and that of Americans on September 11th.

We should be united, not divided. One of the strongest reminders for our country on September 11th anniversaries should be the need to stay united as a nation. It is a sad thought to contrast the feelings of unification from late 2001 with the extreme division six years later. We’ve progressed from fighting over how to defeat the enemy into whether to continue fighting; some political groups in this country have already claimed we’ve lost. How are we supposed to survive as a nation if something as important as war (and real soldiers’ lives) is carelessly used for political cat fights?

Likewise, as Christians we are to come together over the blood and sacrifice of Jesus. Before Paul recounted Jesus’ instructions about the communion, he first told the Corinthians they could no longer be divided. A vital part of our remembrance is coming together to remember. Forsaking the worship assembly not only forsakes the Lord, but also fellow Christians who are remembering their Savior’s sacrifice.

We should participate in a memorial. One of the most observed aspects of the September 11th anniversary every year is the memorial service. Whether a local service or a national service at Ground Zero, our minds, eyes, and hearts are turned toward opportunities to remember and honor the lives lost on that horrible day. Many family members travel many miles to share in these annual experiences. Although nothing can bring their lost loved ones back, it is important to memorialize their lives and their heroics on such a day.

The second prong of the Christians’ communion looks back to the cross of Christ. When Paul looked back to the night Jesus was betrayed, he quoted our Savior’s words: “this is my body...this is the cup of the new covenant...do this in remembrance of me” (1 Cor. 11:24-25). Although we are united during the Lord’s Supper, we observe on a very personal level the horrible death of our Savior. We remember that our sin is just as responsible for His death as anyone else’s (cf. Acts 2:36). We remember his stripes, scars, blood, tears, thorns, love.

We look to a greater day. As we reflect upon the events of September 11, 2001, everyone’s hope is to live in a land where we—and our descendants—do not have to fear outside attacks of that magnitude. We make promises and take actions to ensure our nation will forever be safer.

Paul reminds us that not only do we proclaim the Lord’s death, we do so “until He comes” (1 Cor. 11:26). Rightfully so, we make the connection that it’s only because of cruel Calvary that we have Heavenly hope. His darkest day of death is our brightest moment of liberation. As we together remember our Lord’s sacrifice, may we do so viewing our future reward.

May we continue to pray for our nation as she proclaims freedom; may we together as Christians proclaim the power of the Cross...in this life and the next.

Have a great week!

The Active Samaritan -- Bulletin Article 08.26.2007

2007-08-24T13:09:00.000-05:00

One of Jesus’ most beloved parables is that of the Good Samaritan. Jesus tells the fictional account (Luke 10:29-37) in response to a lawyer’s attempt to justify himself regarding keeping the Law. The lawyer asked, “Who is my neighbor?” Jesus shows that neighbors are not defined by location, background, race, or status. True neighbors are those who are compassionate.

The impact of this story is seen in many everyday settings. Centuries after Jesus spoke these words, the label “Samaritan” is synonymous with one who does good deeds. Today, it is a positive designation. However, when Jesus told it back in the first century, his use of a Samaritan in the hero role was shocking. Jews could not imagine anything good about someone from Samaria. Challenging this negative attitude was part of Jesus’ intentions.

One of the greatest lessons we can learn from the Good Samaritan is how active he was in his service to the helpless man along the roadside. Two words summarize the priest’s and Levite’s response to the beaten man’s suffering: “passed by” (Lk. 10:31, 32).

Notice some of the key phrases describing the Samaritan’s actions in verses 33-34: “came to where he was...saw him...had compassion...went to him...bound up his wounds...pouring on oil and wine...set him on his own animal...brought him...took care of him.” In verse 35, we see him take out two days’ wages to supply the man’s needs at the inn. The actions of the good Samaritan began from a good heart. But make no mistake, he did something to display his goodness. His compassion was active in nature. It was not in word only. It was not in intentions. It was not in well-wishes. It was in actions.

Sure, there was a cost to consider for the Samaritan. He risked his own personal safety to help the suffering man. The victim could have been pretending, waiting to attack someone who stopped to help. The original attackers could have been lurking by to pounce on their next victim. Taking action often means taking risks. When the well-being of others is at stake, it is worth the risk.

Twenty-first century Christians must have hearts of compassion like the Samaritan. However, those hearts must lead us to act in the best interests of those in need.

When Jesus warned his followers to be ready for the final judgment, he mentioned the charge to actively take care of those in need. Notice his words from Matthew 25:35-40: “For I was hungry, and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me...Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.”

We are called to be actively serving those who need it. Jesus does not tell us to question their motives; he does not tell us to look after our personal safety first and foremost; he does not tell us to discuss the situation with someone else; he tells us to give, welcome, clothe, visit, come to the side of, and do!

Paul lends similar instructions regarding how we interact with one another in Romans 12:10-13: “Let love be genuine. Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good. Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor. Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord. Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer. Contribute to the needs of the saints and seek to show hospitality.”

We each have a great responsibility to one another and to the world in need around us. We see a great example of active service in the good Samaritan. Above anything else, he saw the needs of the injured man, and acted in his best interest.

“You go, and do likewise” (Luke 10:37).

Speed Limit Christianity (08.19.2007 Bulletin Article)

2007-08-17T14:22:00.000-05:00

You may have heard on the news that this past week was officially known as “Take Back Our Highways” week in the state of Alabama. State troopers and other police agencies committed to an increased presence on our highways for the purpose of increasing traffic safety. Through Wednesday (3 Days), there were over 10,000 offenses that were ticketed. Over those three days: 8,115 tickets were issued for speeding; 449 for following too closely; 156 for improper lane changes; 3,000 for no seatbelt or improper child restraint. Additionally, 55 DUI arrests were made.

Regrettably, many of us have an attitude toward Christianity much like we do about posted speed limits and other traffic laws. Notice some unfortunate similarities between the two:

We are too concerned with “how far we can go” and still not get in trouble. We all like to know how much over the speed limit we can drive and still not get ticketed. Yet, this attitude flies right in the face of the words “speed limit.” Technically, it is as fast as we can drive without citation. As Christians, we get caught up with “how far can we go” and still not sin. No matter the issue (dancing, drinking, gambling, etc.), asking that very question displays a misunderstanding of our calling to be completely pure (2 Tim. 2:22).

We forget boundaries are in place for our well-being. God has revealed His will about expectations of the Christian life not to hinder us from living a fun life, but to take care of us. Our naivety as children causes us to think that a red stove eye looks fun to touch; a loving parental eye corrects us for getting close to it. The purpose is not to keep the child from having freedom, but to watch out for him or her. Likewise, we forget that God has told us to be pure and holy because that life is the best life to live. A life that is dependent upon sin will not last easily in this life or the one to come.

Playing favorites damages the whole. It is my speculation that many of those tickets that have been issued over the past several days have been cited to individuals who “know somebody” in the legal system. The intense and well-meaning efforts by our state will be for naught if some people have those tickets thrown out in court just because of their connections. Not only does the state miss out on revenue, but that individual will not learn the importance of safety on the roads. Favoritism has no place in the Lord’s church. If there are rules in place on the congregational level, they must apply to everyone. It is a strong temptation for the Youth Minister to plan events, programs, or regulations for specific individuals. However, what is best for the whole is what needs to be done. We all hurt if we play favorites in the church (Gal. 3:28).

We think certain rules matter more than others. Many of us are okay bending (or breaking) the posted speed limits. Almost all of us take seriously laws about rape, murder, etc. Although the legal system recognizes a severity of laws, our hearts should be such to respect all of them with reverence. As Christians, we need to respect God’s will concerning every aspect of our lives. I have actually met married guys who have the staunchest of fervor for true New Testament worship, yet operate with a “look but don’t touch” mentality with attractive women. That is not respecting God’s will for our personal purity. All of the boundaries God has given us are important; we should respect them all in word and action (Jas. 1:21-22).

Finally, it only matters if someone ‘important’ is present. Even those who have no regard for the speed limit will slow down if they see a patrol car. Why? Because someone is present who can punish them. That itself acknowledges an understanding about the laws and emphasizes an irreverent attitude. As Christians, we must ask ourselves:

“Are there certain things I will not do at church services but will do with friends?”

“Are there clothes that I wouldn't wear around fellow Christians but will wear to the mall?”

“Do I say things that sound ‘holy’ when I’m around the preacher, but don’t mention them to people who need the Lord?”

If something is worth doing, it’s worth doing no matter who is present. If it’s not worth doing, it’s not worth doing no matter who is present. We should strive to live a faithful life before God instead of putting on a show before men (Matt. 7:21-23).

May we all examine our hearts to make sure we are not living like “Speed Limit Christianity.”

A Biblical Contemporary Ministry, Part 3

2007-08-13T20:54:00.000-05:00

For the last two weeks, we have been looking at Acts 17 and Paul’s sermon in Athens (often called his “Mars Hill Sermon”) for inspiration as we reach out to our 21st century generation. He was placed into a daunting—but amazingly providential—situation where he could teach some of the brightest academic minds of the first century about the gospel of Jesus Christ. Thus far, we have observed that Paul had (1) a touched spirit over their idolatry and (2) the courage to engage them in discussions about the truth. Ultimately, Paul’s actions led to several in the audience believing and following him (Acts 17:34).

It is with that same end in mind that we turn our attention to the final area of an effective contemporary ministry. We should always seek the truth about how to reach souls with the gospel; we should always look to the Bible for guidance in so doing; we should keep in mind that it works!

The final aspect of Paul’s situation was that he proclaimed the message boldly. He had a powerful message, and he preached it powerfully. He did not skirt the truth about idolatry; he did not leave room for the Athenians to think their way was okay also; he preached the full, unadulterated truth about the God of the universe and about his risen Son. Notice briefly some of Paul’s phrases:

· “What you worship as unknown, this I proclaim to you” (17:23)

· “The God who made the world...does not live in temples made by man, nor is he served by human hands, as though he needed anything…” (17:24-25)

· “We ought not to think that the divine being is like gold or silver or stone, and image formed by the art and imagination of man” (17:29)

· “The times of ignorance God overlooked, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent, because he has fixed a day on which he will judge the world in righteousness”

(17:30-31)

· “of this he has given assurance to all by rising [Jesus] from the dead.”

(17:31)

As we remember his original audience (and their gods that surrounded them), some of these things would definitely fall into the “stepping on toes” category. Although Paul himself said to preach the truth in a loving nature (Eph. 4:15), the truth still needs to be taught specifically. At Athens, Paul preached with love, and that meant challenging the error of the Athenians. Today, we must lovingly address and meet the challenges of the 21st century. The person from whom I was inspired to do this study said in his lesson, “It’s not hard to be Biblical if you’re not committed to being contemporary. And it’s not hard to be contemporary if you’re not committed to being Biblical.” That statement exhibits the truth of our position in the 21st century. We must always be Biblical; we must also make sure the saving Biblical message reaches our surrounding audience and culture.

Briefly, I want to think about this same idea from a slightly different angle. Within the church, we have struggled over the past several decades to have the same success in reaching people as we did 40 to 60 years ago. Not only do we face that challenge, but we are often reminded of limited success “within our own walls.” Many of our young people grow up and then grow out of service to the Lord. I readily admit that the ultimate responsibility for our young people exists with their parents. However, let’s think about how far powerful, sound, challenging, and loving preaching will go in not only reaching the lost around us, but also in meeting the spiritual needs of Christians.

Sadly, many congregations—intentionally or unintentionally—preach and teach messages that do not challenge their audiences out of fear that they might not come back. Although we want people to be happily in Christ, they can’t be such without hearing and obeying the full truth. Today, the issues may not be the same as they were for Paul, but preaching the truth will still be unpopular. It will be difficult for us to proclaim God’s will regarding marriage, divorce and remarriage; many people are sensitive about preaching on homosexuality; many are not comfortable when preaching the truth about gambling; many do not want to hear what God says about “social drinking.” Yet the truth about those things is vitally important to pleasing God and enjoying true fellowship with him and with other Christians.

May we be committed to preaching the powerful gospel message...in so doing we save ourselves and our generation (1 Tim. 4:16).

Bonds & 756: A Call for Consistency

2007-08-08T13:33:00.001-05:00

This is not a post that is spiritual in nature...it's just a soapbox of mine. Despite the passion that this post may seem to express, it's really not that big of a deal to me. I just think we're often shortsighted when it comes to controversial issues like this.

Okay...by now the entire connected world knows that Barry Bonds broke Hank Aaron's 33-year-old career home run record Tuesday night. Personally, where I stand on the issue is quite different than most. I applaud his effort. I celebrated the achievement last evening. I smiled when he hit it.

Many baseball fans chose long ago to not "recognize" Bonds as the HR champ if he ever passed Aaron; I would like to choose to not "recognize" the last five Iron Bowl match ups between Alabama and Auburn, but that doesn't change that Auburn has officially won all of them.

More importantly, in my opinion, is how so many people in America have not only thrown Bonds' record out the window, but also consistency and common sense.

Don't get me wrong: cheating, lying, deception, harming your body drastically are all things that violate God's will for our lives. I'm not in anyway condoning any use of substances he may have allegedly depended upon. Bonds (nor McGwire, Sosa, etc.) is not a role-model of mine. If I had children, I would push them toward respectable athletes like Ken Griffey, Jr., Derek Jeter, Brett Favre, and Hank Aaron. That's where I stand on Bonds.

Here's where I stand on the record: it stands. It stands with a period and not an *. Here are several things that should be considered before throwing Bonds (and his record) into oblivion:

Steroids:

It looks pretty obvious Bonds used some substance(s) to get bigger, have better vision, and essentially knock more home runs. For those who insist it should be footnoted in history that Bonds used steroids (despite the lack of positive evidence), I have one question: why is this the only accomplishment questioned? Why not place asterisks on all of the World Series trophies from 1998 through 2004? If we're going to label those years the "steroid years," then it's very likely the Yankees (3 championships), D-backs (2001), Angels (2002), Marlins (2003), and everyone's darling Red Sox (2004) probably had juiced players in their lineups. Should the record books show that the Cardinals (NL runners-up) played in the 2002 World Series instead of the Giants, who clearly benefited from Bonds' drugged dingers? Pull that NL pennant down from AT&T Park, and sew a big fat asterisk on it! Yes, Pete Rose is paying his dues for gambling by not being in the Hall of Fame, but he still has his hits record...without an asterisk. Couldn't he conceivably have included an opposing pitcher in his bets: "You throw me a hanging curve, and I'll give you 20% of what I win tonight." Consistency must be considered if we're going to asterisk 756.

Additionally, the reason steroids are considered a big no-no is because they give a player an "unfair advantage." An unfair advantage over whom? If I cheat on a test in high school, it's unfair to the teacher and to the other students. If a whole class of students cheats on a test, its an unfair advantage over the teacher. In sports, your competition is the opposing team. Juicing may not be healthy; it may not be ethical; but let's not call it unfair until we know how many players were doing it (since they're all competing against one another). If a batter is facing a 'roided pitcher and hitting it to 'roided fielders, who themselves will in turn be 'roided batters themselves in the bottom half of the inning, the only way it's unfair is if the batter is clean! Rick Sutcliffe talked about a conversation he had with Wally Joyner not long ago. Joyner says he feels guilty looking back on his career...not for doing, but for not doing. He feels almost as if he let his family (more money, etc.) and teammates (more production) down! I'm proud of his integrity, and that answers the question, "what ever happened to Wally Joyner?", but clearly Joyner knows how widespread this problem was. When there's no way to know how many juiced pitchers Bonds faced and how many juiced homers the Giants' opponents hit, it's inconsistent to claim he had an unfair advantage.

Finally, if we know Bonds and all these guys used steroids, they need to be arrested, not asterisked. Millions of Americans are outraged because Bonds cheated and took away Hammering Hank's record. Yet, no one seems to care that steroids were (and are) illegal!

The Record:

Here's why all of a sudden fans have become concerned with "ethics" in sports (they really don't care, it's just this issue): they don't like Bonds. The media has continued to paint him as a jerk. Based on the way he treated poor Pedro Gomez at the press conference last night, it seems like that picture might be somewhat accurate. The truth is that people don't want to replace one of the classiest athletes ever in Aaron with one of the jerkiest in Bonds. If pitcher Mike Bacsik was the one breaking the home run record (as he said he dreamed of doing), the media would have less of a reason to dig up and emphasize any controversy...because he has a good media personality. Changing who is atop the home run list doesn't mean that we have to do any replacing...it's just a number. If you like Aaron because he's classy, and did things the right way, then keep liking him. Why should you let a pompous, juiced, egomaniac change your opinion?

Similarly, it's a generational thing. Bringing up Bacsik again, if someone with his personality (a good one) would have broken the record, there would still be a lot of people who didn't like it. Because "they don't play ball like they did when I was growing up." Or "baseball's not the same for me anymore." Or "that kid will never replace Aaron in my mind." 33 years ago, some people pretended like race was an issue with Aaron trumping Ruth. For those lunatics, race wasn't really an issue, they just didn't to see their hero (Ruth) replaced with someone else (Aaron). It's a lot easier for people to say they don't like Bonds having the record "because he used steroids" than because "he's not Hank Aaron." 30 years from now, no one will care about steroids as much as we act like we do now.

Finally, comparing such a specific record across generations cannot be done equally. Not only did Bonds appear to have a scientific advantage, he played in smaller stadiums, in more games per season, and against thinner pitching staffs. Likewise, Aaron played in more games per season and in smaller ballparks than did Ruth...and he didn't pitch either. I can't remember the guy Ruth passed, but clearly something wasn't equal. Ruth broke the all-time record with his 129th home run. He would go on to hit 586 more. If we claim Bonds' isn't the real home run king, we could equally claim that Aaron never was the real home run king, etc.

Add an * if you must, but Bonds broke the record. I just hope that we can begin to view sports and the world around us reasonably and consistently...and without *'s.

A Biblical Contemporary Ministry, Part 2

2007-08-03T14:50:00.000-05:00

Last week, we began discussing a Biblical approach to reaching the current generation. Each generation of God’s people has been challenged to change the world around it for good; each generation of God’s people has faced various difficulties in so doing.

Fortunately, God has blessed us with countless recorded examples of men and women who successfully reached their surrounding generations with the good news of God’s blessings. As we reach out to our 21st century audience, we will do well to follow in their steps.

Paul’s sermon in Athens—found in Acts 17—is an excellent example for us to observe. We should be inspired by Paul’s actions, not only because of what he said, but because of the result of his preaching: “But some men joined him and believed, among whom also were Dionysius the Areopagite and a woman named Damaris and others with them” (Acts 17:34).

Before Paul did anything to reach out to the corruption of the 1st century, his spirit was provoked by their sin. We too must be touched by the sinful choices of the people living around us. Jesus died for the sins of the whole world (John 3:16), we must have a spirit that aches for the whole world to repent.

The second thing Paul had was the courage to engage his contemporaries. The series of events began in the Jewish synagogues—a familiar place for Paul to start his preaching. In addition to the Jewish audience, Paul eventually began teaching Christ to the Epicureans and Stoics—some of the leading intellectuals in 1st century Rome. Paul was in the intellectual center of the Roman empire and began discussing the gospel with the brightest minds in the empire. Although this in itself required Paul to courageously engage the 1st century culture, the transpiring events increased the need for godly bravery.

After hearing Paul’s message, the Epicureans and Stoics then grabbed him and took him to the Areopagus to further explain himself. Now Paul and the gospel of Jesus Christ were on trial before these many 1st century scholars. Paul exemplified courage by preaching God’s message boldly in this daunting scenario. Without his mighty valor on that day, certain men and women may have never come to know Jesus.

We too should have great courage to teach the lost about Jesus. First and foremost, we should be courageous because God is with us as we go. Joshua was reminded of this inspiring thought as he began leading the children of Israel. God said that just as He was with Moses, He would be with Joshua. He then said, “Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go ” (Joshua 1:9). We should have the courage to engage our 21st century contemporaries because God is with us as we do His will. His power and comfort should encourage us to teach His truth to those who need it the most.

As we go with God, we must remember that our level of confidence and courage is reflective of our personal confidence in our God. If our faith is not strong enough to actively reach out to those who need the gospel, our faith isn’t strong enough. We have been left in the world to bear fruit in the world (John 15:1-8), therefore we must fulfill this purpose by taking courage and taking the gospel. Relative to this idea, we must understand that the world does not want to hear a message from a weak, insecure, and discouraged messenger. If we are going to bring others to Jesus, we must do so with confidence, courage, and boldness. It will try us from time to time—as it did Paul—but we must use every opportunity for Him.

May God bless us with courage to reach out to this generation.

A Biblical Contemporary Ministry, Part 1 (Acts 17:16-34)

2007-07-27T11:44:00.000-05:00

One struggle of every generation of God’s people is to reach the people around them with the truth about God’s love. Throughout time, accepting that love has meant living in ways contradictory to the present worldly generation. Thus, resistance mounts and discouragement abounds. Thankfully, God has preserved the words and actions aimed at sinful generations as an example for times to come.

In the 21st century, we need to follow these examples as we continue to reach our contemporaries with the life-changing truth about Jesus Christ. Paul serves as one such powerful example when he speaks the truth at the Athenian Areopagus before the “brightest” philosophers of that time (Acts 17:16-34). As we notice this passage for the next several weeks, we need to keep the ending in our minds.

Acts 17:34 says, “But some men joined him and believed, among whom also were Dionysius the Areopagite and a woman named Damaris and others with them.”

Paul’s sermon was successful! He caused some to believe! The text says that many scoffed at the resurrection, but some believed! What Paul did, we must do, for his actions brought fruit for the Lord.

First, Paul had a distressed heart. Notice how this account begins, “Now while Paul was waiting for them at Athens, his spirit was provoked within him as he saw that the city was full of idols” (Acts 17:16; emphasis added). Paul’s spirit was touched as he witnessed the sinful practices of the Athenians. Paul did not go around robotically preaching and condemning people. His message resulted from a sorrowful and outraged disposition over the idolatry that surrounded him.

Many of God’s messengers were touched by their audiences’ spiritual plight. When David wrote the 119th Psalm about God’s word, he included his grief over man’s wickedness:

“Hot indignation seizes me because of the wicked, who forsake your law” (119:53).

“My eyes shed streams of tears, because people do not keep your law” (119:136).

“I look at the faithless with disgust, because they do not keep your commands” (119:158).

Jeremiah—known as the “Weeping Prophet”—was continually troubled over his people’s sinfulness:

“But if you will not listen, my soul will weep in secret for your pride; my eyes will weep bitterly and run down
with tears, because the Lord’s flock has been taken captive” (Jer. 13:17).

“Let my eyes run down with tears night and day, and let them not cease, for the virgin daughter of my
people is shattered with a great wound, with a very grievous blow” (Jer. 14:17).

Jesus wept over the shameful condition of Jerusalem:

“And when he drew near and saw the city, he wept over it, saying, ‘Would that you, even you, had known on this day the things that make for peace!’” (Lk. 19:41-42).

Paul emotionally warned of false teachers:

“For many, of whom I have often told you and now tell you even with tears, walk as enemies of the cross of Christ. Their end is destruction, their god is their belly, and they glory in their shame, with minds set on
earthly things” (Phil. 3:18).

If we are to reach the generation around us, we—like David, Jeremiah, Jesus, and Paul—must be touched by its sinful state. Not only must our mind understand the sin around us, but our emotions must be pricked over sin’s consequences.

If we callously preach down at the lost around us, there will be few brought to the Lord. If we begin with a spirit that is troubled over the spiritual state of the lost, and then proclaim the uncompromised truth, souls can (and will) be won for Christ. May we sincerely and prayerfully consider the unfortunate immorality of our current generation.

Have a great week...for Him!

The Problem With an "Attendance Problem" -- Bulletin Article 07.08.07

2007-07-11T10:25:00.000-05:00

Worship attendance can be a sensitive issue for Christians. Some are satisfied with coming only on Sunday mornings. Or Sunday evenings. Or for long enough to take the Lord’s Supper. Some are content with worshiping only at holidays. Some are only at the local assembly when facing tough times. Although some individuals seem content with their on-and-off attendance patterns, their attitude gets defensive when discussed by an elder, preacher, Bible class teacher, or fellow Christian. The truth is that many Christians are aware of their attendance problems, yet they take no action to fix it.

What does the Bible say about worship attendance? Very little, actually. I think that is by design; obedient lives don’t have to be convinced about the importance of worship and Bible study attendance. Truthfully, if we have “attendance problems” attendance is not our main problem. Upon examination, Hebrews 10:24-25 bears four principles that reveal what an “attendance problem” really is:

An “attendance problem” is really a heart problem. In New Testament Greek—as in most languages—much of the meaning of a clause is determined by the verb. In Hebrews 10:25, the verb form is translated “not neglecting” or “not forsaking.” In other passages in the New Testament, we see the idea of intentionally neglecting or forsaking in the same word. Paul uses the word in 2 Timothy 4:10 and again in verse 16, “For Demas, in love with the present world, has deserted me and gone to Thessalonica...At my first defense no one came to stand by me, but all deserted me” (emphasis not in ESV). Demas and those who forsook Paul made an intentional choice to neglect him. When we choose something else over worshiping our God (sleep, recreation, etc.), we intentionally desert the opportunity to tell God how great He is. Additionally, the same verb is used in Hebrews 13:5, “for he has said, ‘I will never leave you nor forsake you’” (emphasis not in ESV). What a shame that our Lord has said that he will never forsake us, yet our hearts sometimes intentionally forsake Him.

An “attendance problem” is really a fellowship problem. The immediate context of Hebrews 10:25 is worth addressing. Notice what the author says in verse 24, “And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works…”; he then continues later in verse 25, “but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.” The Hebrews’ writer knew that Christian fellowship was an important aspect of not falling away from Christ. Coming together for worship, Bible study, prayer, and other spiritual activities is vital to keeping our—and our fellow Christians’—spiritual determination strong. By neglecting these opportunities, we make the statement that we care about ourselves more than we do our brothers and sisters in Christ. May we never be guilty of such selfishness, but may we lift the needs of others above our own (Phil. 2:3-4).

An “attendance problem” is really a worship problem. In Hebrews 10:19-25, the author is explaining the beautiful opportunity Christians have to approach God directly through Christ (because of His sacrifice). First-century Christians were tempted to fall back into Judaism. The author is reminding them that Christ allows that which the previous High Priests could not: continual and direct access to God. The implication is that not worshipping correctly negates the blessing of New Testament worship. Intentionally forsaking worship opportunities makes the same statement. Our attitude toward attendance is also our attitude toward the blessing of New Testament worship.

An “attendance problem” is really a Cross problem. Finally, the broader context of Hebrews chapter 10 reveals a humbling principle about worship. By this point in the letter to the Hebrews, the author says essentially that, “Christianity is better than Judaism because of the Sacrifice of Jesus Christ.” If we fail to worship correctly or worship regularly, we prove that we do not care about the cross of Christ. Notice what the writer says later in chapter 10, “Anyone who has set aside the law of Moses dies without mercy...how much worse punishment, do you think, will be deserved by the one who has spurned the Son of God, and has profaned the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified, and has outraged the Spirit of grace?...It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God” (Heb. 10:28-29, 31). We see how much God values worship when we see the cross; do we value it enough to follow Him there?

May we always seek to fix our problems, even if they are bigger than they seem. See you at worship.

A New Life in a New Home -- Bulletin Article 07.01.07

2007-07-11T10:18:00.000-05:00

This past week, Amanda and I began moving into the minister’s house adjacent to the parking lot. We are thrilled to finally be closer to the building and to the Midway community. We look forward to the opportunities opened by living here in the house. We are truly thankful to the elders for allowing us to live in the house and for all the work they have put into updating it prior to us moving in.

There are often new attitudes and practices that accompany a new move. We as human beings view our new surroundings as an opportunity to improve certain aspects of our lives. Generally, we hope that a new place will give us new enthusiasm, motivation, and resources to live comfortably.

Paul addressed a closely-related spiritual concept in writing to the church at Ephesus. Notice his words in Ephesians 4:17-24:

“Now this I say and testify in the Lord, that you must no longer walk as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their minds. They are darkened in their understanding, alienated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them, due to their hardness of heart. They have become callous and have given themselves up to sensuality, greedy to practice every kind of impurity. But that is not the way you learned Christ!—assuming that you have heard about him and were taught in him, as the truth is in Jesus, to put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires, and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.”

As Christians, we are to show the “new” way we know exists in Christ—a way that’s different from the world. In exemplifying this new way of life, Paul teaches there are several things we must do:

Put off the old self. All of us have struggles and temptations that we associate with the worldly way of thinking and living. We must continue to put that old way of life to death in order to follow Christ. The wording here is akin to Jesus’ words in John 11:44. After raising Lazarus from the dead, Jesus says, “Unbind him (from the garments of burial), and let him go.” Likewise, we must put off the garments of death to live the new life.

Be renewed by the spirit of the mind. In order to please God with our lives, we must have a change in our spiritual attitudes. This principle is reminiscent of Paul’s words in Romans 12:2, “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind…” A change of life only happens after we have had a change of mind. Truly changing our attitudes and perspectives is difficult—but it’s necessary if we are to have a Christ-led life.

Put on the new self. Paul described one who has put on Christ in baptism as “a new creation” (2 Cor. 5:17). There is a new way of living that is expected for all Christians. We often view this only as a list of “don’ts” that hold us back. Yet, here Paul says the new self is “created in the likeness of God…” Living as the “new self” in Christ means living like God in righteousness and holiness. May we keep our feeble minds from confusing that lifestyle with a list of limiting rules.

Amanda and I are excited about our “new home” across the parking lot. May we all be excited about our “new home” in Christ.

Faithful Fathers (Psalm 23) -- Bulletin Article 06.17.2007

2007-06-15T16:19:00.000-05:00

As we think about the various roles in which our Fathers serve in the home, we find no greater example of a loving Father than from the Lord himself (Eph. 1:2,3,17). One of the most familiar descriptions of our Spiritual Father is found in Psalm 23. In these beloved six verses, David shows us several pictures of the faithfulness of the Lord. As fathers who follow in the Lord’s steps, we should likewise be faithful to our children. Let’s notice three things important to faithful fathers:

The Presence of Faithful Fathers (vs. 1-3). “The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters. He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.” We know that our Heavenly Father has blessed us with bountiful spiritual blessings, ultimately through Christ (Eph. 1:3) . However, we often forget that one of those blessings is His presence. Our God loves us so much that he longs to be with us as we live for him. This is the reason He’s prepared heaven as our home (John 14:1-6). As Christians, having the Lord present in our lives gives us the courage to do His will (Matt. 28:20).

Fathers who cherish the lives of their children and truly want what’s best for them will be present with them. Although it’s his responsibility to provide physically for the family, it’s also up to him to determine the home’s direction in other areas as well. Making time to spend with children is one of the best ways fathers reinforce proper values in the hearts of their children. We’ve all heard it said before, “Children spell ‘love’ ‘T-I-M-E.’” If we are going to be faithful fathers in the mold of the Father, we must be present with our children. Thanks to all of you dads for your presence.

The Protection of Faithful Fathers (vs. 4-5). “Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.” There are some things we as God’s children are incapable of handling alone. God’s presence coupled with God’s power gives us ultimate protection from our greatest fears. James tells us in his letter that the “devil will flee” from us if we submit into the presence of God. He flees because of the power of our Father (Jas. 4:6-10). Thanks be to God for His constant protection of our souls.

Likewise, fathers have the responsibility to protect their homes. No father would casually allow an intruder to enter his home, leaving his family to fend for themselves. We as fathers must make sure we are not leaving our children’s souls vulnerable to spiritual intruders. Fathers have the authority (and responsibility, Eph. 6:1-4) to lead the home toward spiritual purity while limiting sinful influences. Thanks to you, fathers, for your spiritual protection of today’s children.

The Promises of Faithful Fathers (vs. 6). “Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever.” At the end of this difficult life, I am thankful for a God who has dreamed great dreams for me, and who has planned and prepared for those to come true. Aren’t you? No matter our fears, loneliness, and insecurities, we have the precious and true promises of God awaiting.

Responsible fathers understand the importance of dreaming dreams for their children, and doing all they can to help their children reach those dreams. There are numerous examples where dads (and moms) have pushed too hard and been unreasonable with their dreams and expectations. Faithful fathers, however, know the importance of looking to the future as they raise their children. They know today’s choices will affect tomorrow’s circumstances. Ultimately, fathers dream for their children to become faithful Christians. We should make sure we’re encouraging them as they make that decision and long after they’ve made it. Thanks to you dads who’ve helped your children lead lives of faithfulness to the Lord.

A faithful father looks forward to the day when he—and his child—dwell with the LORD forever.

How to Identify a Christian -- Bulletin Article 06.03.07

2007-06-01T16:13:00.000-05:00

There were many great things said about first-century Christians as they went around sharing the good news and love of Jesus Christ. One of those great things is found in Acts 4. The rulers and scribes in Jerusalem had Peter and John before them because they had been preaching Jesus. In verse 13, the text says, “they recognized that they [Peter and John] had been with Jesus.” What an amazing accusation!

We must ask ourselves, “Do others recognize that ‘we know Jesus’?” Brother Gus Nichols preached a sermon entitled, “How to Identify a Christian.” It featured an acrostic format spelling the word “Christian.” Here is that outline:

A Christian is:

CONVERTED - Then Jesus called a little child to Him, set him in the midst of them, and said, “Assuredly, I say to you, unless you are converted and become as little children, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven.” Matthew 18:2-3

HUMBLE - But He gives more grace. Therefore He says:”God resists the proud, But gives grace to the humble.” Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded. Lament and mourn and weep! Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom. Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up. James 4:6-10

REVERENT - Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us have grace, by which we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear. For our God is a consuming fire. Hebrews 12:28-29

INNOCENT - Do all things without complaining and disputing, that you may become blameless and harmless, children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world Philippians 2:14-15

SANCTIFIED - I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God. Romans 12:1-2

THANKFUL - Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

INFLUENCE - “You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt loses its flavor, how shall it be seasoned? It is then good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men. You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.” Matthew 5:13-16

ACTIVE - Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling; for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure. Philippians 2:12-13

NEW CREATURE - Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. 2 Corinthians 5:1

God bless this week...

Gospel Meeting 2007 -- Bulletin Article 05.27.07

2007-05-25T14:23:00.000-05:00

One week from Sunday will be our annual Homecoming and decoration at Midway and will begin our annual Gospel Meeting (June 3-6). We are looking forward to having Brother Willie Hamblen with us to share messages from God’s word. Let’s think about some of the most important aspects of a Gospel Meeting:

G - “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son that whosoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life” John 3:16. “But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us” Romans 5:8. “Moreover, brethren, I declare to you the gospel which I preached to you...that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures…” 1 Corinthians 15:1-4. Because God has done so much for us through the gospel of Christ, we need to give our lives to Him.

O - A Gospel Meeting is a time of many opportunities. One of the most mentioned—but most underused—is the opportunity for community outreach. Have your friends and family been invited to this year’s meeting? If we are truly concerned about their souls, we must take full advantage of this wonderful opportunity.

S - The focus of the meeting will be studying the sacred scriptures through the wisdom and preparation of Brother Hamblen. The theme for his lessons is related to our yearly theme of “Rise Up & Build Our Spirituality.” His narrower focus is “Spiritual Lives In Times Like These.” Attending the week’s services may involve sacrifices, but we all will be rewarded with this special week.

P - People are at the heart of the elders’ decision to hold a Gospel Meeting. In meeting the needs of church-members, our shepherds purpose in their hearts to provide these wonderful opportunities for growth. It is our privilege to participate in following their guidance.

E - All of us as Midway members should be excited about the opportunities presented by a Gospel Meeting. If we do not express excitement, we will have little luck bringing others with us.

L - We will never be able to learn everything about our Lord, but opportunities like this help us to improve our lives in His service. May we love Him will all our heart and be present (and not late).

M - Many souls have been saved and revived through Gospel Meetings. We get to reflect upon our lives through messages from the Master’s word. What urgency we should have to make our lives right!

E - This is a prime opportunity for encouragement of others. Many members may be discouraged; we can use our meeting to lift their spirits.

E - Above all, we should have an eternal focus. Thinking on spiritual things forces us to envision our eternal destiny. If our hearts are committed to working toward heaven, we’ll be present for this opportunity.

T - We should be forever thankful for the time we get to spend together with fellow Christians. It helps us in trials and temptations.

I - We should seek opportunities to increase our spiritual intelligence through study. Our young people are at impressionable ages; therefore a Gospel Meeting is important for them as well.

N - Gospel Meetings have been set up so that we might spread the good news about Jesus Christ. May we never focus on numbers alone, but may we seek constant spiritual nourishment.

G - “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age. Amen.” Matthew 28:19-20.

Blog Announcement

2007-05-23T13:44:00.000-05:00

One week from Friday (June 1st), a new Christian/Personal Finance blog will launch itself into existence. "Where Your Treasure Is" will feature Biblical, inspirational, and practical offerings from the world of personal finance.

If anyone expects us to use our blessings responsibly, it is the Lord (it's all His anyway). Hopefully, this effort will serve as a reminder of how important faith-based financial decision-making is in our daily lives.

I am honored to be among the four authors of "Where Your Treasure Is." Adam Faughn (Haleyville, AL), Wes Hazel (Manchester, TN), and James Dalton (Blytheville, AR) will be official authors as well.

Mark the date on your calendars, bookmark the link, set up a RSS feed, and even mention it on your own blog (or your preferred web 2.0 application).

Stay tuned for more information...

"For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." Matthew 6:21

The Value of a Godly Mentor -- Bulletin Article 05.20.07

2007-05-21T21:32:00.000-05:00

As today is Kerry, Natalie, and Sawyer’s final Sunday with us, it’s only fitting to express some things for which I am thankful. Kerry has served as a valuable influence in my personal spiritual and ministerial development. Additionally, I also know Natalie has encouraged Amanda in countless ways for good. We will certainly miss working alongside them in the Kingdom (as will the rest of you), but we look forward to our continuing friendship in Christ.

In the book of Acts, we see Paul’s interactions with men like Barnabas, Mark, Luke, Silas, and Timothy. His ultimate goal was to spread the gospel of Christ. In so doing, he knew that training other men was a necessity.

For the rest of our time together, let’s narrow the scope to three of Paul’s letters (1 & 2 Timothy and Titus) that are written to two younger preachers (Timothy and Titus). It’s interesting to note that much of Paul’s advice relates to Timothy and Titus as individuals; he understood personal development was the key to public ministry development. Thus, the following truths are important in our everyday lives as well as to those of us in public ministry.

Don’t compromise Truth. One of the most repeated themes in these three letters of Paul is to stay true to Truth. He knew these younger men could be vulnerable to older teachers with selfish agendas (1 Tim. 1:3-7). He knew false teachers would try anything to infiltrate the churches at Ephesus and Crete. I find it interesting that the clearest passage about the inspiration of the scriptures is found in Paul’s second letter to Timothy. Paul knew the source of strength for Timothy and Titus in their battles against false doctrine was the true word of God. Notice Paul’s words: “All scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be competent, equipped for every good work. I charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus…preach the word…reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching” (2 Tim. 3:16-4:2). Godly mentors encourage others to depend on the unchanging word of God for guidance. I thank Kerry for his constant encouragement to seek the Truth and teach it unashamedly.

Instill confidence. The more I work with young people (and all people I suppose), the more I realize that we are our own biggest enemies to progress. I have to battle myself more than anyone else in order to do the things I know I should. You may have esteem issues to overcome to be a faithful follower of Christ. I think Paul acknowledged this idea by directly building confidence in Timothy and Titus. We’re familiar with his statement to Timothy in 1 Timothy 4:12, “Let no one despise you for your youth, but set the believers an example…” He also makes a similar one to Titus, “Declare these things; exhort and rebuke with all authority. Let no one disregard you.” Paul was reminding these young men of their importance in the Kingdom. Paul built their confidence when others might have torn it down. I am thankful to Kerry for instilling personal confidence in me, my abilities, and my decisions.

Build independence. The greatest value of a mentor can be seen once he or she is no longer actively mentoring an individual. Likewise, the true test of parenthood is the decisions our children make once adults. Paul left both Timothy and Titus to preach in churches while he was absent. He was turning the public role of teaching over to them in Ephesus and Crete. The first letter to Timothy begins with “remain at Ephesus…” and the letter to Titus starts with “This is why I left you in Crete…” Paul had trained them in order to put them into situations where they would be of the best service in the church. As much as I am able to learn in the presence of Kerry, I am forced to learn more when I have to do things all by myself. I am grateful for the times he has let me learn by letting me (and sometimes encouraging me to) be independent.

We are saddened to see Kerry, Natalie, and Sawyer leave us. However, we are excited for their new work in Northport. We are also excited for the plans the Lord has in store for us here at Midway. We know we will all be more prepared to do His work because of the time the Richardson’s have shared with us.

The Importance of a Christian Home -- Bulletin Article 05.13.07

2007-05-11T22:03:00.000-05:00

Happy Mother’s Day! We are truly thankful for all of the work mothers do. Although we are appreciative year-round, this day allows us to recognize their sacrifices and accomplishments.

Earlier this month, Salary.com released the average figure for what a typical stay-at-home mom should have earned: $138,095. Notice the excerpt from the FoxNews.com article:

“The 10 jobs listed as comprising a mother's work were housekeeper, cook, day care center, teacher, laundry machine operator, van driver, facilities manager, janitor, computer operator, chief executive officer and psychologist, it said. The typical mother puts in a 92-hour work week, it said, working 40 hours at base pay and 52 hours overtime. A mother who holds full-time job outside the home would earn an additional $85,939 for the work she does at home, Salary.com reported.”

This further proves the Lord knew what He was doing when he placed our capable mothers as the “keepers of the home” (Titus 2:10). May we always be thankful for their tireless efforts.

In another story from the newswire, a Mississippi State University professor released a study about the impact of “religious parents.” The article, dated April 24, releases the professor’s findings that children who are raised in homes where both parents (1) regularly attend worship services and (2) openly discuss religion within the home have more self-control, better social skills, and improved learning attitudes than children with “non-religious” families. Again, this proves consistent with scripture since our homes are responsible for the spiritual training and instruction of our young people (Eph. 6:4).

That same story contains an interesting two sentences: “But when parents argued frequently about religion, the children were more likely to have problems. ‘Religion can hurt if faith is a source of conflict or tension in the family,’ Bartkowski noted.”

Catch that? If mom and dad are on the same page spiritually, their children are typically better behaved and more successful. If mom and dad disagree about spiritual matters, the impact upon children is negative.

This part of the study should cause us all to think seriously about the spiritual example and instruction we provide in our homes. The most obvious source of spiritual disagreement is probably between parents with different religious backgrounds. If the wife is a Christian, but the husband isn’t, there will certainly be times of tension. Think about it in another way. What if both husband and wife are Christians, but their commitment to Christ is completely different? That very easily could be a source of religious conflict. Parents, we all realize we are accountable for our own choices. We often forget that our children are affected by our every choice also.

Both Amanda and myself are thankful to have been raised in homes that were in complete harmony and devotion to leading faithful Christian lives. We will be eternally grateful. Lord willing, one day so will our children.

In closing, notice how many times the “virtuous woman” in Proverbs 31:10-31 is described as a faithful and capable mother (at least 5):

An excellent wife who can find?
She is far more precious than jewels.
The heart of her husband trusts in her,
and he will have no lack of gain.
She does him good, and not harm,
all the days of her life.
She seeks wool and flax,
and works with willing hands.
She is like the ships of the merchant;
she brings her food from afar.
She rises while it is yet night
and provides food for her household
and portions for her maidens.
She considers a field and buys it;
with the fruit of her hands she plants a vineyard.
She dresses herself with strength
and makes her arms strong.
She perceives that her merchandise is profitable.
Her lamp does not go out at night.
She puts her hands to the distaff,
and her hands hold the spindle.
She opens her hand to the poor
and reaches out her hands to the needy.
She is not afraid of snow for her household,
for all her household are clothed in scarlet.
She makes bed coverings for herself;
her clothing is fine linen and purple.
Her husband is known in the gates
when he sits among the elders of the land.
She makes linen garments and sells them;
she delivers sashes to the merchant.
Strength and dignity are her clothing,
and she laughs at the time to come.
She opens her mouth with wisdom,
and the teaching of kindness is on her tongue.
She looks well to the ways of her household
and does not eat the bread of idleness.
Her children rise up and call her blessed;
her husband also, and he praises her:
"Many women have done excellently,
but you surpass them all."
Charm is deceitful, and beauty is vain,
but a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised.
Give her of the fruit of her hands,
and let her works praise her in the gates.

Thanks again to all of our wonderful mothers! Happy Mother’s Day!

Appearance Update

2007-05-08T10:29:00.000-05:00

I've changed some things about the appearance of things 'round here. You'll notice a title graphic instead of text. Additionally, I've shifted the blog info to the right-hand side of the page. I noticed that the blogs I enjoy reading most start on the left-hand edge. Included now in blog info is a Flickr stream of random photos. Hope you enjoy :). Finally, the subtitle is more concise. "Relaying Spiritual Inspiration" describes more accurately the aim of this space. I am merely a messenger; I only pass on (hence "relaying") thoughts of spiritual significance. To God be the glory...

2007 Connect Retreat -- Waiting to Change the World

2007-05-07T10:46:00.000-05:00

Amanda and I just returned from Lake Guntersville State Park in Guntersville, Alabama from our 2007 Connect (7th-12th grades) Retreat. Retreats are one of the most--if not the most--inspiring times spent with young people.

We focused on not "Waiting to Change the World" as a take-off of John Mayer's "Waiting on the World to Change." Our lessons focused on the actions of the Samaritan woman in John 4 who changed her world after her encounter with Jesus.

After a wonderful weekend of reflection, one of "those moments" happened on the way home. I was scanning the radio for stations with a signal and "Waiting on the World to Change" started playing. I turned up the volume since it was part of our focus for the weekend. When it got to the chorus, the kids on the bus starting singing "waiting to change the world" instead of the original lyrics. Pretty cool moment. There are good young people out there--and most of them aren't waiting around to change the world for good.

Audio Lesson Recommendation -- "Preserving a Godly Trust" Dan Winkler

2007-05-03T10:43:00.000-05:00

Even though the 2007 Freed-Hardeman University Lectureships took place several months ago, now is an excellent time to listen to one of the landmark lessons from this year's lineup.

The murder of Matthew Winkler is a news story familiar to us all. We share heartache for the Winkler girls left without a father, Dan and Diane left without a son, the Fourth Street church left without a minister, and Mary Winkler left without a husband by her own hands. As tragic as the situation is, we must be reminded of the hope God offers through His presence.

There may be no greater reminder of this than through the words of Dan Winkler himself. In one of his first--if not his first--public appearances since his son's death, Brother Winkler closed the PM lecture series with the lesson entitled, "Preserving a Godly Trust (Deut. 6:1-6)." Brother Winkler clearly addresses his personal feelings of helplessness without drawing undue attention to the tragedy. He relays God's words of comfort with clarity. The audio and video for the lesson can be downloaded at the FHU Lectures Online. A high-quality CD may be purchased from FHU Recording Services.

May God bless the Winkler family and everyone else affected. Our prayers are continually with them.

Waiting to Change the World -- Bulletin Article 05.06.07

2007-05-02T15:13:00.000-05:00

The world needs a change. It almost always has. Controversy abounds about how to change it. Christians know that Jesus is the source of successful change. A handful of first-century Christians changed their world by teaching Jesus was the Christ (Acts 17:6). Paul made remarkable changes in the highest places of the world by teaching the truth about Jesus (Phil. 4:22). A scandalous Samaritan woman changed the world around her by introducing them to the Messiah (John 4:1-42).

Modern change-theorists call for understanding, tolerance, and equality. Jesus called for these same things—philosophically. However, He never intended for us tolerate and promote selfish and sinful choices. Jesus also never intended for his followers to wait until they thought conditions were perfect to start changes. A popular song claims the current youthful generation is “Waiting on the World to Change” before deciding to change the world themselves.

I am not satisfied with the direction of our nation or world. Nor am I satisfied with waiting until others are motivated to change. I am glad first-century Christians did not wait until Rome fell before preaching the truth on her streets. I am thankful Paul did not wait for Roman officials to grow a conscience before telling them his life-changing account. I am grateful the woman did not wait on the stubborn Samaritans before telling them the Messiah was giving water at the well.

Therefore we must ask, “Why am I waiting to change the world?” Luckily, the Samaritan woman in John 4 serves as a wonderful model for how to stop waiting to change the world:

A changed life changes the world. Jesus convinced the woman that He was the Messiah by revealing the knowledge of her personal life and explaining the truth about worship. This revelation motivated her to go tell others about Jesus. Part of her testimony was, “He told me all that I ever did” (John 4:29, 39). The logical implication is that she was remorseful about her sinful choices. When Paul was making the defense of his ministry in 2 Corinthians, he included, “We put no obstacle in anyone’s way, so that no fault may be found with our ministry…” (2 Cor. 6:3). We cannot afford to put obstacles in the way of introducing the world to Christ. May our selfish and sinful choices cease as we submit our lives to Christ. Only then can we change the world.

Changed steps change the world. The woman’s reaction to Jesus is astounding. She leaves her water jar behind, showing a change of mission. She then goes to town to proclaim Christ instead of going to hide in shame. We would see more fruit of the Lord’s work if we would just go into the world and tell people about Jesus just as He has commanded (Matt. 28:19; Mark 16:15). May we change our steps so that we go to those who need Jesus.

A changed thirst changes the world. The inner change within this woman was her focus on the spiritual over the physical. She replaced physical water for eternal living water (John 4:14). This fueled her as she changed the world around her. Our thirst must be spiritual if Christ is to change the world through us. Jesus says later in John 4, “My food is to do the will of him who sent me.” Our desire for the spiritual work of the Lord should boost our world-changing endeavors.

If we are going to follow in the steps of this humble woman, we must change the world today! She immediately left the well to tell others about Jesus. Back in 2 Corinthians 6, we see that Paul says, “Behold, now is the day of salvation” (2 Cor. 6:2). Today is the day of salvation for us if we do not know Christ as our Savior. It is also the day of salvation for the world that so urgently needs a change. May we stop waiting to change the world.

Why I'm a Fan of Lads-to-Leaders/Leaderettes -- Bulletin Article 04.29.07

2007-04-30T09:51:00.000-05:00

Since we are honoring our 2007 Lads-to-Leaders/Leaderettes participants and kicking off our 2008 efforts this evening, we are presented with a wonderful opportunity to notice some of the benefits of participating in this program.

This is not an attempt to prove the scriptural soundness of Lads-to-Leaders. Lads-to-Leaders is a tool through which the church (Titus 2:4, 6) and the home (Eph. 6:4) train and raise children in the sight of the Lord. Those who quibble over Lads-to-Leaders from a Biblical standpoint must also take the same stand against any organization that carries out various aspects of the Lord’s work.

Our elders have decided to support the work that is done in the lives of our young people through Lads-to-Leaders. Therefore, we follow their lead in supporting this effort.

Both Amanda and I are Lads-to-Leaders Alumni. We have been instilled with irreplaceable attitudes, skills, and knowledge because our home church and our parents encouraged us in its spiritual involvement. We know first-hand about the doors that Lads-to-Leaders opens. If you will, notice some specific reasons why I’m a fan of Lads-to-Leaders:

Lads-to-Leaders allows for diverse spiritual growth. Over the past three decades, Lads-to-Leaders has grown in countless ways. One of the ways this benefits our young people is by offering them many different opportunities for growth. Lads-to-Leaders encourages young people by giving them an opportunity to display their strengths and build experience in new areas. Each young person is important; therefore, there is something for each of them.

Lads-to-Leaders allows for growth in the home. While the program is organized on the congregational level, the bulk of the work is intended to be done within each child’s home. The best place to practice speeches and song leading is at home. Parents can assist their children with their puppet lines each night at home. Parents who read the Bible and memorize scripture along with their children set a powerful example of spiritual maturity.

Young people spend time together. This is the most important aspect of the “youth group” in any church. Our children need to spend time together. Granted, what they’re doing when they’re together is important, but being together is the first step. Lads-to-Leaders provides a framework for different relationships to be built within our church family. This opportunity is priceless.

Young people acquire the single-most important attribute for spiritual growth: confidence. Of all the possible attributes to build through Lads-to-Leaders, I think spiritual confidence is the greatest. We must make sure we are not prideful and haughty (1 Cor. 10:12). However, many of today’s young people are going through life without any confidence in either themselves or the ones they love. Most importantly, Lads-to-Leaders helps young people get to know their Lord better. Having confidence and trust in Him is at the core of our spiritual existence (Heb. 11:6). Additionally, we should have personal confidence and security in ourselves as God’s creation (Ps. 139:13-16). Lads-to-Leaders can open our children’s eyes to the wonderful purpose they serve in the Kingdom.

For those households who do not participate in Lads-to-Leaders in some way, how confident are you about the spiritual growth and maturation of your children? Are you able to give them the opportunities they need (and deserve) to grow in the sight of the Lord? We all know that is a difficult task. That is why Lads-to-Leaders exists: to help train young people toward spiritual growth. As parents, they want to help you! If you have any interest in participating whatsoever, we would love to have you stay after the PM Service so that we can answer any questions you have. We love our young people; we know you do too. Let’s make sure we’re doing all we can to help them.

Testing Our TV Dependence -- Bulletin Article 04.22.07

2007-04-20T14:26:00.000-05:00

Last year, we highlighted an event sponsored by the TV Turnoff Network: National TV-Turnoff Week. This year, that national week of awareness begins tomorrow (Monday, April 23rd). I was greatly encouraged by those of you who went the entire week last year without turning on your TV; that is a remarkable feat!

As we think about this year’s TV Turnoff week, use this as an opportunity to talk about your TV dependence with your family. As a family, talk about how much to watch, when to watch, what to watch. Brainstorm about activities you can do as a family to replace TV watching. Determine the best plan of action for your family and commit to following it the next week; it may even be helpful to have your children draw up a pledge or contract and have the whole family sign it agreeing to the terms. We all could benefit from a purposeful examination of the role TV plays in our lives.

I often check a financial blog called The Simple Dollar. It offers advice and links to a variety of personal-finance related issues. Back on April 9th, they ran a post titled, “Ten Financial Reasons To Turn Off Your Television - And Ten Things To Replace It With.” The author makes several interesting points about how our TV habits affect our pocketbooks and our personal lives. I’ve consolidated and omitted some of the points, and have added some spiritual reflections to each below:

· Bill & electricity costs. The author’s monthly cable costs ($60) plus electricity for two TVs cost his family a little under $800 a year. I’m not necessarily calling for all of us to ditch our service and sell our TVs, but ponder this thought: what could we do with an additional $800 a year? Could we: Pay down some debts? Give more to the Lord? Invest for our futures? Seeing the big picture of how much our habit costs us may help us make wiser financial and spiritual decisions.

· The commercial factor. The third reason on the original list is the guilt that often results from seeing perceived “perfect” situations and people as portrayed by the media. The fourth reason is directly related: commercials give us the opportunity (by buying certain products, services, etc.) to make our lives more like the ones we see on TV. Occasional viewing may not lend itself to these vulnerabilities, but continual (and addictive) viewing could cause negative reactions. We are all special and beautiful in the eyes of God. He should be the source of our healthy self-esteem (Ps. 139:13-16). We need to be careful not to allow worldly influences diminish what is otherwise wonderful.

· Poorer dining and health habits. Imagine the differences if we ate healthier and cheaper home-prepared food instead of grabbing fast food and chowing down in front of the TV. Dependence upon TV makes us more likely to make adverse choices. We all would do well to make thoughtful choices about what is best for our families instead of what our entertainment-driven instincts lead us to do.

· Less quality family time. There are many factors leading to the decay of the home in America. One of these is arguably the family’s dependence on TV. Husbands and wives could be more intimate; parents and children could communicate more openly; all could benefit from being emotionally present more often. Even though we may view TV programming together, we are emotionally invested in what we are watching instead of the presence of one another. Reassessing our TV dependence could go a long way in fixing our families.

Again, I am not calling for extremist actions like cutting cable altogether or destroying our TV sets. However, I think we owe it to the Lord, to ourselves, and to our families to honestly evaluate what’s most important in our lives. If the answer is not what it should be, there is no better time to begin fixing things than this week.

“But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.” Matthew 6:33

Matthew 28.18-20: The Great Consolation

2007-04-04T23:33:00.000-05:00

This is the final week of our six-part series from some of Jesus’ final words before leaving the earth. His words were meant to teach, motivate, and encourage His disciples as He turned the work of saving the world over to them. As His followers today, we are responsible to these words of our Savior.

“All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

The final phrase of this familiar passage is the one we need to carry with us most closely. As we are doing His work, Jesus gives us the ultimate security: His presence.

We all understand the helplessness associated with feeling alone. Jesus no doubt had experienced that loneliness himself while on earth. Many people followed Him around because of His powers. Yet few followed to the end. Jesus was faced with the loneliness that came from knowing the salvation of the world depended on Him alone. Jesus felt humiliation and loneliness on the cross of Calvary when He bore our sins on His shoulders (Matt. 27:46). Because Jesus knew the heartache of loneliness, He also knows the comfort of presence and intimacy. That’s exactly why He offers it so freely to His followers: we need it!

When Joshua was leading the Israelites into the Promised Land after the death of Moses—a parallel situation to the disciples in Matthew 28—the Lord spoke the following words: “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go” (Josh. 1:9). God knew taking the Promised Land would be a difficult and daunting task. God knew it would take great courage on the part of the Israelites. He told them that He was the source of their strength and courage. The Lord’s message centuries later to fearful followers of the new covenant was the same: do your mission and stay strong because I am with you.

We need the presence of our Lord because of several reasons. (1) There are plenty of people around us that don’t live godly lives. If we depend on them for companionship, we’re doomed to fall into sin ourselves. (2) We need to continually remember His example each day as we serve Him. We need to see with His compassionate eyes, touch with His understanding hands, and speak with His confident words. (3) We need to constantly remember the price He paid for us to have a relationship with Him. As we hold to His nail-scarred hand, we remember our work was first His work. Knowing He gave so much should motivate us to give Him our whole lives in obedience.

Not only do we long to feel His presence as we do His will, we literally cannot do His will without Him. As the Hebrew writer was closing his letter to first century Christians, he had many things of which to remind them. He had spent the majority of his previous words convincing them to not give up on their new-found faith in Christ. Here’s the author’s words to those struggling Christians many centuries ago:

“For He has said, ‘I will never leave you nor forsake you.’So we can confidently say, ‘The Lord is my helper; I will not fear; what can man do to me?’” (Heb. 13:5-6).

Have a good week...alongside Him.

Matthew 28.18-20: The Great Instruction

2007-03-31T22:36:00.000-05:00

This week, we focus on the fifth portion of our six-part series from some of Jesus’ final words before leaving the earth. His words were meant to teach, motivate, and encourage His disciples as He turned the work of saving the world over to them. As His followers today, we are responsible to these words of our Savior.

Now we’ll notice Jesus’ clause, “teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you.” After bringing people to Christ and baptizing them for the remission of their sins, we have the responsibility (and opportunity) to teach them more about the love of God and how to please Him. The disciples had been trained and taught about the new covenant God was issuing through Christ; it’s those things Christ had relayed to them that they were to relay to new disciples. Today, we are to teach what Christ taught; we are also to teach what those apostles and disciples relayed to first century Christians.

When we view this command to continually teach about Jesus and His commands, we must ask ourselves “how are we doing in our teaching?” As we pose that question together this morning, let’s ask and answer that question in two specific areas:

How is the teaching in our homes? The context of our passage shows that whoever “makes a disciple” is generally responsible for “teaching them.” This makes pretty common sense from the church perspective. However, do we ever read this portion of the passage and think about our homes? If parents have been responsible for bringing their children to Christ (or are preparing for and praying for that decision), wouldn’t it be in keeping with Christ’s command that they should be teaching them as well? That’s the idea that is emphasized continually in scripture. Back in Deuteronomy, Moses said, “And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house…” (6:6-9). Paul echoes those words in Ephesians 6:4, “Fathers...bring [your children] up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.” The main source for teaching children the ways of the Lord is the home. If we were to compare the amount of time spent in the home on schoolwork and studying the Bible, which would have greater emphasis? Are grades important? Absolutely. But so is learning the Bible throughout one’s childhood. May our homes not skirt that responsibility.

How is the teaching in our Bible classes? Many elders throughout the church have set aside periods of time for their congregations to meet for the specific purpose of studying the Bible. We should take this seriously as it is a response to our elders’ authority and because we are studying the holy words of God. Paul told Titus in Titus 2 that the older men and older women of the church were responsible for teaching and encouraging the younger men and younger women of the church. Doesn’t that sound a lot like the purpose of our Bible classes today? How seriously do we take our Bible classes, though?

We show how much we value Bible class by our simple attendance. We show how much we value Bible class by our timeliness. What does it say about our devotion if we’re consistently late? Adults, we show how much we value Bible class by our examples. It’s no wonder that some young people don’t respect their Bible class teachers and classmates (and God) when their parents either (1) don’t come to Bible class at all, or (2) are at the building but don’t actually attend a class. As adults, we are helping to form the current generation of young people’s perceptions of the Bible and Bible class. How are we doing?

Nothing is more important to the lives of those who come to know Christ than to continue to know and learn more about Him. May we never wilt under the pressure to teach them the Truth.

Matthew 28.18-20: The Great Remission

2007-03-23T13:42:00.000-05:00

This week, we continue observing the words of our Savior as found in Matthew 28:18-20. Shortly before ascending back into heaven, Jesus gives His followers a mission statement of sorts.

Over the past several weeks, we’ve noticed the importance of Jesus’ authority over heaven and earth and that we should carry the gospel into the world and offer the invitation to follow Him in response to that authority.

There are countless sources of discussion and controversy in the religious community. Among those who profess to follow Christ, there may not be a more sensitive—and important—issue than baptism. When we consider the evidence, we can’t help but see the seriousness of the matter as it involves the salvation of man’s soul.

We could spend hours discussing scripture that shows the necessity of baptism. We can use Biblical arguments from many different angles that show it’s essential. This morning, however, it would serve us well to remember one of the scriptural purposes of baptism: remission of sins. Understanding this purpose should help us see baptism’s necessity.

Baptism is for the remission of sins. Throughout God’s quest of allowing man to have a relationship with him (and man continuing to come up short), He has constantly pointed to the cross of Christ as the eternity-shattering climax (Gen. 3:15). The cross of Christ serves as the final and supreme sacrifice in a long line of imperfect and inferior sacrifices. Hebrews 9 makes it clear that, though important, the Old Testament sacrifices were incapable of forgiving man’s sin. Christ, while serving as the perfect High Priest, gave Himself as the perfect spotless sacrifice so that all who had obeyed and all who would obey could be forgiven of their sins. That amazing piece of scripture in Hebrews 9:11-22 closes with the following words: “without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sins.” Since perfect blood has been shed, forgiveness is possible. Thankfully, the Bible shows us how to contact that blood and be forgiven of our sins.

In Acts 2, a multitude of Jews were assembled when Peter and the other apostles began teaching them the truth about the man they knew as Jesus. When they were convicted by the truth that they had literally killed their Messiah, they asked, “Men and brethren, what shall we do?” Peter’s response was “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins…” They acknowledged a sin problem; Peter told them the solution: the blood of Christ that would forgive them. How great is the irony of their situation (and ours today also)! They had Jesus killed and it was that death that provided the opportunity for that very sin to be forgiven. Truly God enacted His amazing grace to save our souls. We can’t receive that grace any other way than through baptism.

When Paul stood before the Jews in Jerusalem in Acts 22, he gave the testimony of what happened that led him to Christ. At the climax of his conversion, he was told by Ananias, “And now why do you wait? Rise and be baptized and wash away your sins, calling on his name.” Paul was instructed to be baptized to wash his sins away. While necessary, his new faith in Christ hadn’t saved him from sin. While essential, his repentance from his wicked deeds hadn’t secured his home in heaven. While convincing, his confession of Jesus as the Son of God on the road to Damascus didn’t cleanse his sins. His baptism washed away his sins. In order to experience that same washing and forgiveness, we must contact the blood of Christ through baptism as well.

There’s another interesting phrase in that passage as well. Romans 10:13 is often cited as proof that baptism is not essential for salvation, “For everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” It’s interesting that Paul is citing Joel 2:32 and it uses the same wording as Ananias when he told Paul to be baptized (“calling on the name of the Lord”). From the New Testament’s perspective, being baptized for the forgiveness of sins is inseparable from “calling on the name of the Lord.”

Clearly, having a personal relationship with Jesus Christ is the ticket to our heavenly home (Matt. 10:32-33; John 14:6). The Bible teaches us how to have that intimate relationship with Him. Among other things, baptism is required to accept the gift of salvation offered by the grace of God through Jesus Christ. May He bless us as we teach and practice this truth to a lost world.

Matthew 28.18-20: The Great Invitation

2007-03-19T16:16:00.000-05:00

A couple of weeks ago, we began observing the words of our Savior as found in Matthew 28:18-20. Shortly before ascending back into heaven, Jesus gives His followers a mission statement of sorts.

Thus far, we’ve noticed that Jesus makes it clear that He has all authority, both in heaven and on earth. Because of that authority, we should give Him our lives in complete submission. We’ve also noticed that we are commanded to “go” into all nations and teach them the good news of Christ and make disciples of them. We often try to skirt our responsibility to actually go into places that need the gospel, but Jesus reminds us of our task.

This morning, we are going to look at the phrase “make disciples” from a slightly different perspective. W e are only disciples ourselves because Jesus had given us the opportunity to be His followers. We should always be reminded of His love and graciousness in allowing us to be Christians through His blood. That we can be disciples and make disciples of Christ is one of the most profound blessings known to man. May we not spurn the greatest invitation; may we not keep it from other men and women that need Christ.

The invitation has a connection with authority. Although we could make a connection between the invitation to come to Christ and His authority in Matthew 28, there is another place where Jesus Himself connects the two ideas. Matthew 11:25-30 is one of the most comforting passages from Jesus’ life. Here we find our Savior telling all who would come to Him that He “will give [them] rest…[they] will find rest for [their] souls. For [His] yoke is easy, and [His] burden is light.” Prior to telling us these great words of encouragement, He says, “All things have been handed over to me by my Father…” Who better to “come” to than the one who has been given all things by God the Father? We have an incredible opportunity to come be a follower and disciple of Jesus Christ. One thing that makes that amazing is the authority, power, and faithfulness of our would-be Master and Lord.

Accepting the invitation comes at a cost. As lucrative as Christ’s invitation to come to Him is, we must all be reminded of the cost of being a disciple. In Luke 14, Jesus says, “If anyone comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple. Whoever does not bear his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple...so therefore, any one of you who does not renounce all that he has cannot be my disciple.” One of the things that makes Christianity unattractive to many in the world is the list of things that they would “have to give up.” From passages like Luke 14, we see that it’s not just about the things we give up, but it’s about being fully devoted to Christ and His cause. Being a disciple can’t be just in word only; it must be seen in our lives. Being a true disciple of Jesus Christ is one of the greatest opportunities we have been given on earth; may we accept it ourselves; may we convince others of the great opportunity that exists for them as well.

Have a great week in His service.

Matthew 28.18-20: The Great Commission

2007-03-14T14:13:00.000-05:00

Last week, we began observing the words of our Savior as found in Matthew 28:18-20. As some of Jesus’ final words before leaving this earth, He told all followers to carry out His will by bringing others to Him.

Last week, we noticed Jesus’ authority over heaven and earth and our responsibility to give our lives to Him in full submission. This morning, we will turn our attention to the most familiar portion of Jesus’ statement: “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations…”

Go with a purpose. Some have proposed in the past that the verb that is translated “Go” in this verse could just as easily mean “as you are going.” While that could be a possibility, it is unlikely that is what Jesus specifically meant to that audience. The verb used there is actually a type of participle that is predominantly used by Matthew that—for lack of an easier way to explain it—gets it’s “mood” from the following verb to which it is attached. “Make disciples” is in the imperative, therefore “go” is imperative as well. Jesus specifically commands us to go with the purpose of making disciples of His will. This idea also makes the most sense when you consider His original audience. If He told Jewish Christians to convert people “as they are going,” how long would it have taken before they branched out to reach Gentiles? He makes His mission clear from the beginning: the gospel of His resurrection is for all nations, therefore we should “go” into them to teach Jesus.

Today, we must be going—whether to places far away or down the road—with the purpose to leading souls to Christ.

Going and making disciples is a process. Although Jesus is firm regarding His mission of teaching the lost, He understands the hearts of men. He knows it is difficult to touch everyone with the good news of salvation. When He was in the beginning of His earthly ministry, He said, “Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works and glorify your Father who is in Heaven” (Matt. 5:16). This statement gives us a rallying cry for our everyday actions: no matter what you’re doing, let your light shine. Notice the desired response of those around us: “that they may see your good works and glorify your Father who is in heaven.” Jesus understands you might not baptize everyone you come in contact with, but He tells us everyone should see our good works enough to know to Whom we belong. Although evangelism can be discouraging, we need to remember that relationships, trust, patience, dedication, and prayer are all important to bringing souls to Christ. These things often are built up over time. Evangelism should be urgent to us, but not to a fault of being scared and unsuccessful.

Go in the present. As Jesus was leaving the earth, He gave these hallowed words to His followers. From that moment forward, this was their mission statement. There should have been no confusion over who needed to know about Jesus’ life: all nations. There should have been no question about what to do: create disciples through baptism and teaching. There should have been no fear: Jesus would be with them. When the imperative is used, it is used to show command and force. The time during which it is to be carried out refers back to verse 18 (because of the “therefore”). Because Jesus now has all authority in heaven and earth, we must go now! They were to go then; we are to go now. Although going for the purpose of teaching others can be difficult, we will be doing His will if we do something for Him.

May God bless us all as we “go” and bring others to Him—even this week.

Matt. 28.18-20: The Great Submission

2007-03-03T17:19:00.000-06:00

One of the most familiar passages to Christians is located in Matthew 28:18-20. Most of the time we give those 3 verses the title of “The Great Commission.” As some of Jesus’ final words before leaving this earth, He commissioned all followers to carry out His will by bringing others to Him.

There is much for us to learn from our Master’s mission. We’ll begin this week a 6-part series studying the greatness of our Lord’s mission. This week, we’ll notice Jesus’ words in verse 18, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.”

Before telling the disciples present that day what to do, He tells them why to do it. Christ is given all authority in both heaven and earth. His disciples needed to be reminded that they weren’t following a young carpenter from Galilee any longer; they were following the Son of God and the Savior of the world. He was talking to them on the other side of His death, burial, and resurrection. If there ever was a time for them to obey His teachings, it was now.

The idea of “submission” is inseparable from “authority.” Most forms of authority in some way depend on those who submit to it (i.e. legal, parental). However, with Christ’s authority, it is absolute. It is our choice to submit to it or rebel against it. Let’s notice a couple of things about submission to Christ:

Submission isn’t a dirty word. It’s not a very popular thing to preach submission today. We have been trained to think that what we think and what we do is perfectly fine as long as it’s perfectly fine with us. For those of us who know Christ as our savior, submission is a beautiful thing. We submit to Christ’s authority because it’s absolute, complete, and universal. Come Judgment Day, there will not be those who are found faithful to the cause of Christ who weren’t also found fully submissive to Him. The New Testament is clear that we are to be in full service and submission to Him as our Lord and Redeemer (e.g. John 10:27; 14:15; Eph. 2:10).

Christ is the only one truly worthy of our submission. We also submit to Christ because He is committed to us. In Ephesians 5:22-33, we find an oft-controversial passage about the relationship between husbands and wives. True, Paul tells wives to submit to their husbands. However, he also tells husbands to be the man that is submit-able. Notice Paul’s words in verses 25-29, “Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her...in the same way husbands should love their wives as their own bodies...For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as Christ does the church.” Christ sets the example as being the ultimate master: he died for us and takes care of us.

The “Great Commission” won’t happen without the “Great Submission.” Where this hits us the hardest is when we try to carry out God’s will for our lives. Many of us struggle with God’s directives for evangelism, personal purity, clean speech, and so on. Have we stopped to ask ourselves if we’re fully submitted to Christ? He wants us fully committed. However, we can’t be committed until we’re submitted. To follow Paul’s illustration from Ephesians 5, the wife who’s not fully submitted to her husband won’t be fully committed to serving him. A child who’s not in full submission to his or her parents won’t be in full obedience to them. Citizens who aren’t fully submitted to the laws of the land are the ones who chronically disobey them.

When we think about our task to go and make disciples for Him, we must first remember that we must be in full submission to Him. It may lead us to places we didn’t expect; it may carry us through burdens we don’t feel like we can bear; it may alter our personal plans forever. Nevertheless, we will have peace, comfort, and success.

May God bless us as we submit fully to His will through Christ.

90 & Counting

2007-02-16T15:34:00.000-06:00

One of the unavoidable last names at Midway is "Blanton." There are several main families, all of which are connected somehow. The "senior" Blanton is Brother Lynn Blanton, a former deacon. his son Edward currently serves as an elder.

This Sunday (02/18), Brother Lynn will turn 90 years old. Not only is it a tremendous achievement from a numerical perspective, it's amazing to see how active he still is. He still gets outside every day, takes his walks, makes repairs around the house, and even helps with the family's farming efforts (only recently did he stop driving the tractor).

In today's Daily Mountain Eagle, they ran a nice piece on Brother Blanton's birthday and his tremendous love for his family. We are blessed to be part of his life by working with the church at Midway.

As younger folks, we are thankful to have such good examples as Brother Blanton and we know we will be better off because of his influence in the church and the community.

Bulletin Article 02.11.07 -- Tackling Temptation (Matt. 4:1-11)

2007-02-09T12:08:00.000-06:00

We all like to see ourselves in things, right? When you (or myself) see a group picture, you immediately look for yourself. It’s a natural impulse we have as human beings. It’s an important principle to “look for ourselves” in the Bible as well.

When we read of Jesus’ temptations found in Matthew 4 (also Mk. 1; Lk. 4), we see ourselves. We see our specific temptations in this life and we can relate to our Lord’s temptations. Hopefully, we should see ourselves in Jesus’ responses and resistance of those temptations. There is an abundance of fruit to be born from this account. We could have a series of articles that last for months if we discussed a majority of what can be discussed in this brilliant account. For this week, however, let’s spend our time learning some lessons about the story as a whole.

Temptation is unpredictable. I find it interesting to notice Jesus’ situation—it proves in part that temptations can be unpredictable. In an obvious way, Jesus was weak. He had been fasting for 40 days. He was in need of physical nourishment. That’s why Satan tempted him to make bread from the stones around Him. We are often tempted when we are weak. It is then that we must lean on Him who is strong.

On the other hand, notice that Jesus was strong at this point as well. It’s not as obvious as his weakness, but I think it’s there. He had been fasting for 40 days. Fasting is typically understood to be the removal of something important to emphasize something that’s even more important. I would guess that Jesus spent those 40 days away from food by focusing on His calling as the Son of God. He was getting prepared to do the work of His Father. He was about to depart the wilderness to “seek and save the lost.” That’s why I think Satan preceded his temptations twice with “If you are the Son of God…” He was calling out Jesus’ very Deity on the biggest stage: before all eternity.

We need to be aware of the temptations that lurk when we’re at our strongest. That was part of Paul’s admonition in 1 Corinthians 10 regarding the Israelites, “Therefore let anyone who thinks that he stands take heed lest he fall” (10:12). Satan wants us at anytime, but he wants us when we’re strong to keep us from getting stronger.

There is always more at stake than it seems at the moment. There was certainly more on the line with Jesus’ temptations than some loaves of bread, than jumping from the pinnacle of the temple, or casually bowing before Satan. The eternal destiny of all of mankind hung on Jesus’ decisions that fateful day. More than a simple piece of fruit from an otherwise ordinary tree was on the line in the Garden of Eden. With us today, more is on the line than a few dollars when we report our taxes. More is at stake than cheating on a test that we failed to study for. More hangs in the balance than a seemingly simple insult of a brother or sister in Christ.

We could easily formulate a long and scary list of things we risk when we face temptation to sin. We could list our futures, families, finances, friendships, security, peace, and so on. However, the thing that hangs in the balance the most is our trust in God. Jesus’ temptation to turn stones into bread put His trust in God to provide food later on the line. Satan’s temptations for Jesus to prove He was the Son of God put His Father’s ability to prove that fact in a different way in limbo. In order to resist Satan’s temptations, Jesus had to possess an unfailing trust in God to provide. Do we trust God enough to resist Satan’s offers?

There is always a way out. Jesus’ reaction to each of Satan’s temptations is well-documented. He used the holy scriptures to refute and resist Satan’s attempts. The specific principle is obvious: the Bible holds the key to us standing firm. The more we know about sin (and by association, temptation), the more equipped we are for standing up against it. The response by Jesus showed He was fully submitted to the will of God. His purpose in living was to carry out the Father’s will. Therefore, He know to whom to submit when in the face of danger. If the author of the book of James is indeed the brother of Jesus—as many conclude—it is truly interesting to see many principles that were lived in the life of Jesus explained and encouraged in the epistle from James. Notice what James says in 4:7, “Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.” Jesus submitted to God and Satan fled. We should do the same.

Have a great week in service to Him!

Too Few Doing Too Much?

2007-01-30T15:17:00.000-06:00

The sports world was saddened to learn yesterday that 2006 Kentucky Derby winner Barbaro was euthanized.

I'm not a fan of horse racing because it's almost inseparable from gambling. However, it is a little sad to know this valiant horse lost his battle with complications from a horrific injury over nine months ago.

One thing I found amazing was that it appears Barbaro was put down in part because of laminitis--an inflammatory foot condition which commonly occurs in horses. It appears that while Barbaro was "re-habbing" his injured leg, his weight was too much for his other 3 legs. This likely caused the laminitis. Notice the quote from the AP article linked above on SI:

In this case, it was the laminitis that attacked both front feet that left him vulnerable. "That left him with not a good leg to stand on," [Dr. Dean]Richardson said.

God designed four legs to evenly carry the heavy weight of a horse's body. When fewer than four legs are forced to carry that weight, it causes problems for the whole body.

What about the work of the church?

God intended for all Christians to carry the weight of bringing lost souls to Jesus Christ (Matthew 28:19). If only few Christians are bearing the burden of a lost world, the whole body will suffer. Without everyone doing his or her part, the church can't grow into the world-changing force in God's design. Notice what Paul says in Ephesians 4:15-16:

"Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that is builds itself up in love" (emp added).

When each member is working properly, the body grows. That's the way it works in nature. That's why Barbaro's body responded negatively to his injury over the last several months. Are we making sure God's design for everyone working in the church is being fulfilled? God--and the world for that matter--is depending on us.

Bulletin Article 01.28.07 -- Equation for Church Growth: YOU!

2007-01-26T15:25:00.000-06:00

A couple of weeks ago, we began a discussion concerning church growth. We noticed that Paul mentions the “equation” for growth in 1 Corinthians 3:6 when he says, “I planted. Apollos watered. God gave the growth.” Last week, we noted that growth occurs when our efforts (planting and watering) are multiplied by the power of the Lord. Although we have responsibilities, He makes the difference.

As a reminder, here’s how we might put Paul’s words into an equation:

([Paul]p + [Apollos]w)Lord = growth

(planting + watering)Lord = growth

As we finish our thoughts this month on church growth, it seems appropriate to simplify our equation as much as possible. We must realize that the Lord needs each one of us; He wants our name in parentheses; He will multiply our efforts. We could simply write it this way:

(Joey)Lord = growth

(Your name)Lord = growth

Let’s notice some things together that will characterize a life that’s being used by God for growth:

Be a child of God. God’s efforts to cause growth in our lives, in the lives of those around us, and in the church depend on us depends on us being truly His. Sure, He loves everyone, but he does great things with His children. Are you a child of God? Have you obeyed the gospel of Jesus Christ (Col. 2:12)? If you’ve become a Christian but aren’t living life one, don’t you want to come back home to a loving and powerful Father (Lk. 15)? We all want great things for our own lives, for our families, and for our church home. God gives us His power when we submit to His will and to His control.

Do something. As Christians, we often get shy and timid about some of our Biblical responsibilities. We don’t have enough courage to talk to someone about their relationship with Jesus. We’re afraid we might offend a brother by talking to him about his lifestyle. We don’t say anything to a dear sister who needs encouragement because we don’t know what to say. These insecurities and others like them reflect a false perception of the Lord’s work: it’s not about what we do! The Lord needs us to do something for Him and He’ll make the progress. In talking about consoling others (funeral homes, etc.), one of my beloved college professors asked us, “What’s wrong with just saying, ‘I love you’?” His point was we would be saying something and it’s something we all want to hear. That’s something that will cause growth.

Be positive. Despite the threats of persecution—first from Jews, then from Romans—the first century church was excited about the opportunity to tell others about Jesus! In Acts 4, Peter and John said, “We can’t help be speak the things we have seen and heard!” What a marvelous example of a positive attitude. During Exposure last month, I talked briefly with Keith Parker, who spoke on Thursday night. He asked me the following question about Wednesday’s events: “How many baptisms did you have?” Not “did you have any baptisms?” Not “did you have a good night?” Not “who spoke last evening?” But “how many…” He didn’t know me before that evening; he likely didn’t know many of the 800ish people there in Huntsville; yet, he still expected for there to be growth among us. The Lord needs us to be positive.

Be where you are. It would be easy to look at Paul’s words in 1 Corinthians 3:6 and think, “That’s just for preachers.” Paul was a preacher. Apollos was a preacher. Therefore, the Lord needs only preachers and other leaders doing His work. Go up to verse 5: “What then is Apollos? What is Paul? Servants through whom you believed…” We’re all servants: preachers, teachers, elders, deacons, members, YOU! Later, in verse 9, Paul says, “For we are God’s fellow workers.” Paul intended for more than he and Apollos to be “fellow workers.” Did the Corinthians have major problems? Of course. But Paul still said he was their fellow worker. God needs us; most importantly, he needs us where we’re at. He needs us to work.

If we don’t do it, who will?

Bulletin Article 01.21.07 -- Equation for Church Growth: The Lord

2007-01-19T11:45:00.000-06:00

A couple of weeks ago, we began a discussion concerning church growth. We noticed that Paul mentions the “equation” for growth in 1 Corinthians 3:6 when he says, “I planted. Apollos watered. God gave the growth.” Last week’s point of emphasis is that we as the church need to be watering (through teaching, encouraging, etc.) those who have received and obeyed the gospel. Both planting and watering are a necessity on our end.

As a reminder, here’s how we might simplify Paul’s words into an equation:

([Paul]p + [Apollos]w)Lord = growth
or
(planting + watering)Lord = growth

The third portion of the equation is that which is most important in the process of church growth: the power of the Lord.

Paul says in our text, “I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth.” Just as God causes physical seeds (corn, cotton, etc.) to grow when conditions are right, He too causes the growth of the church from the spiritual seed of the gospel.

As we’ve noted in the past couple of weeks, we certainly should be doing our part by planting and watering. However, we should be humbly petitioning the Lord for the success of our efforts; we should give Him all glory and praise for the growth and obedience that occurs; we should continue to turn the lost to Him, not “our” church.

Elsewhere in the New Testament, Paul shows that the power of the gospel doesn’t depend solely on man, but on the efforts of God:

In Romans 1:16, Paul says, “For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.” Catch that? The gospel is the power of God for salvation for believers. It’s the good news of the death, burial, resurrection of Christ that enables us to have complete salvation from our sins. We too, like Paul shouldn’t be ashamed of the gospel; we, like Paul should acknowledge the power of God alone to save man from sin.

In 2 Corinthians 4:7, Paul uses an everyday item to demonstrate the power of God. There he says, “But we have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us.” We are jars of clay (or earthen vessels) that contain the supreme power of God.

A little background into the 1st century culture really makes this illustration come alive. People in the 1st century would often hide their most valuable possessions in plain-looking clay pots. They did so in order to keep any intruders from stealing what was most valuable to them. That’s us, folks! We are “plain” and “unworthy” vessels that contain the treasure and riches of our God...in order to show that the power is His alone. If we were attractive and extravagant vessels, it would be more tempting to give ourselves the glory than our deserving God.

As we think about the growth we’ve experienced here at Midway over the past several years and months, I hope we understand that many faithful Christians have contributed to that growth. More importantly, I hope we all understand that God has been working among our actions and deeds to cause growth in our hearts and within the kingdom.

May we never forget the role of God in the growth of the church. May we always give Him the thanks. May we do what it takes to bring others to that all-surpassing power.

Have a great week!

Bulletin Article 01.14.07 -- Equation for Church Growth: Water-ers

2007-01-19T11:43:00.000-06:00

Last week, we began a discussion concerning church growth. We noticed that Paul mentions the “equation” for growth in 1 Corinthians 3:6 when he says, “I planted. Apollos watered. God gave the growth.” Last week’s point of emphasis is that we as the church need to be planting the seed of the gospel in the hearts of men. Planting is the first step in the growth of faithful Christians, and therefore also the church.

As a reminder here’s how we might simply Paul’s words into an equation:

([Paul]p + [Apollos]w)Lord = growth
or
(planting + watering)Lord = growth

The second part of the equation is just as important as the first. Just as a seed in the ground of the earth needs constant care and attention, so too does the seed of the gospel in the lives of people. Paul’s way of illustrating this care—represented by the work of Apollos—is the idea of watering. Whether it’s rain water or water from a man-made source of irrigation, in order to grow, crops must be watered. Likewise, in order for the church to grow, people must be watered as well.

Noticing this idea likely causes us to ask, “How do we water the church?” Let’s notice several ways in which we can actively be watering (and growing) the Lord’s body:

Teaching and preaching. Apollos’ role in first-century Corinth was to teach. Context bears out to us that the reason Paul includes Apollos in the equation is that the people at Corinth were pitting Paul and Apollos against each other over “who taught who” or “who baptized who.” Therefore, Paul says, “Apollos watered.” He made a significant contribution to the work at Corinth. Even though growth starts with teaching and preaching the word, still more teaching is necessary if true growth is to occur.

The lack of continual learning was a major criticism of the Hebrew writer when he wrote to what were likely Jewish Christians (Heb. 5:12-14). They had learned enough to become Christians; they hadn’t learned enough to remain as strong Christians. May we teach and preach the whole counsel of God that we might continue to build the body.

Encouragement. Not only is continual teaching of the truth a necessary component to growth, but encouraging the members of the body is necessary as well. We have no greater duty that relates to our relationships with fellow Christians than that of encouragement. Everyone needs (or would like to have) kind words and thoughts spoken to them. People need to know that we’re thinking about them and praying for them in tough times (or good times). When Christians make difficult decisions because of their faith, they need to be reinforced and commended. When someone obeys Christ through baptism or responds to the Lord’s invitation repenting of sin, we should be there to encourage them for making those steps of boldness and courage.

The New Testament is ripe with passages emphasizing Christian encouragement. Notice again the words of the Hebrew writer, “But exhort one another every day, as long as it is called “today,” that none of you may be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin.” He says, “don’t put off encouragement! Your brothers and sisters need it!” What a perfect reminder: encourage today so that your brethren don’t fall victim to sin.

In the spring of 2004, Amanda and I were supposed to go to Haiti on a campaign; it was canceled because they overthrew the government a week before we left. As we were preparing for the trip months in advance, Jesse Robertson, who was heading up the trip, reminded us that we weren't there just to plant; he said they needed watering as well. Sometimes, especially with mission trips, we get so focused on spreading the word that we forget the necessity of cultivating the word.

One of the reasons we’ve grown at Midway is because many have committed to being waterers. May we all commit to watering the church in the coming year.

Bulletin Article 01.07.07 -- Equation for Church Growth: Planters

2007-01-19T11:27:00.000-06:00

From a numbers perspective, we at the Midway Church of Christ showed good signs of growth. 12 precious souls put Christ on in baptism; 48 responded to the Lord’s invitation and requested prayers; 26 individuals (10 families) placed membership. Additional signs of spiritual growth abound as well: increased attendance, greater levels of activity, strengthening of bonds, showing a spirit of giving, etc.

I think it’s important that when we talk about “church growth,” we talk in terms greater than just numbers. However, numbers can be an indicator of inward steps of growth. I think we all would agree we’ve been blessed with growth in 2006.

How did this happen this past year? What have we done to cause growth? Who deserves the credit? What are we doing that would cause others to join us? And most importantly, what commitments do we need to make to ensure growth in 2007?

In a letter written to a church with a host of problems, Paul gives the “equation” for church growth. He was making the point that division is wrong and not to be found among God’s children. In explaining this, he emphasizes that it doesn't matter who was doing the preaching or baptizing (Paul, Apollos, etc.). In 1 Corinthians 3:6, Paul says, “I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth.”

Our resident math teachers (Sandy Wright, Paulette Harbison, and others) might would simplify Paul’s statement something like this:

([Paul]p + [Apollos]w)Lord = growth
or
(planting + watering)Lord = growth

For the rest of the month, we’ll spend our time breaking down this equation and notice steps we can take to continue our growth in the Lord.

Paul’s first clause in the sentence alludes to his “planting.” Paul’s role in the first century was to travel around preaching the gospel and helping Christians establish local congregations. Paul was saying he planted the seed of the gospel in the hearts of the Corinthians like Jesus explained in the parable of the soils in Matthew 13.

Like in the first century, in order for the church to grow today, we need the gospel planted in the hearts of men and women. Therefore, we need planters.

The church needs hard-working, determined, and patient people who take seriously the Lord’s admonition to “go into all world” preaching the gospel (Mark 16:15).

Notice Paul’s words in Romans 10:14-15, “But how are they to call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, ‘How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!’” Paul’s series of questions prove the gospel needs to be taught and heard. He admonishes us to make sure it gets taught. He concludes by showing how precious gospel-spreaders truly are.

Are we planting? Are we taking advantage of opportunities to talk about our faith in Christ with others? Are we trying to set up Bible studies with friends and family members? Are we maximizing your potential by teaching Bible classes here at Midway? Are we making sure our own young people understand the importance of obeying the gospel?

May the Lord help us to be better planters in 2007. Have a great week!

Bulletin Article 12.24.06 -- Holiday Wish of Encouragement

2007-01-19T11:16:00.000-06:00

As was announced Wednesday evening, Mrs. Lorene Stocks passed away this past week. Kerry and I were honored to participate in her funeral service. As we went to the graveside portion of the service, I noticed her husband John died in 1944—sixty-two years ago. His foot stone confirmed that he, a Marine, was one of this nation’s many World War II casualties. I cannot imagine the heartache Mrs. Stocks experienced when she lost her beloved husband in battle all those years ago. It’s one of those things I would have loved to have known before she left this life. That event would have do doubt been central in shaping who she was.

I also got to thinking that at least Mrs. Stocks didn’t have to spend one more Christmas alone. She had already spent 61 Christmases without her soul mate; at least it didn’t have to be 62.

I confidently believe that we don’t know when Jesus was born and that we don’t have the authority to celebrate Christmas as a religious holiday; the Christian’s religious holiday is Sunday, which commemorates Christ’s triumphant resurrection from the dead. However, this time of year is still special to all of us. Even if we don’t attach religious significance to the holiday, it still brings back many wonderful family memories and sets the stage for many more to be created.

As we celebrate this special time of year, I hope that we don’t forget those among us who are hurting during the holidays. You and I live among people who have experienced great trauma and grief. Those feelings are no doubt magnified during this time of year. The strong parents who've had to endure the loss of a child are certainly wishful of just one more holiday season with their son or daughter. Those who've had to say goodbye to their beloved spouse this year long for holidays' past. Numerous children remember their late parents as they now serve as the matriarchs and patriarchs over their families’ holiday celebrations. Those adults and children affected by the cruelty of divorce long for a “normal” holiday season. Families with loved ones overseas fighting for our country are no doubt lonely during the holidays.

The list of those hurting could go on of course, but the point remains the same: suffering is the common lot of humanity. That suffering is often more “fresh” as the holiday season approaches.

If you are among those who are experiencing grief or pain because of the loss of a spouse, child, parent, or close family member, or are experiencing other difficult trials this holiday season, may we extend a thoughtful holiday wish your way. You and your family are in our continual thoughts and prayers. You can count on us as your Midway family to be there for you when you need us—no matter the time of year.

James’ words from chapter 1, verse 26 are profoundly important as we think about these sobering thoughts, “Religion that is pure and undefiled before God, the Father, is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world.”

May we never forget those hurting among us.

Bulletin Article 12.17.06 -- What Have You Done Today?

2006-12-19T16:14:00.000-06:00

For well over five years now, reality television shows have dominated the major networks’ primetime lineups. Granted, there are plenty of money-driven, over-hyped, and immoral reality shows that have aired over the recent years. However, there are several which champion “noble” causes: “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition” seeks to improve the lives of those in dire circumstances; “The Biggest Loser” helps people help themselves as it relates to losing weight and becoming healthier individuals.

The latter of those shows features a very appropriate theme song, recorded by Heather Small. It asks the seemingly simple question (which is also its title), “What have you done today to make you feel proud?” The brilliance of the song lies in its scope of time: today. Want to be a better parent? What have you done today? Want to improve the lives of your family? What have you done today? Want to change your life? What have you done today? Want to please your Lord? What have you done today? Want to have the inner “peace that passes all understanding?” What have you done today?

Around 2000 years ago, Paul encouraged Christians along this same line of thinking. In his second letter to the church at Corinth, Paul quotes from Isaiah 49:8 where the prophet says, “In an acceptable time I have heard you, And in the day of salvation I have helped you.” Paul then adds, “Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation” (2 Cor. 6:2). The time for Corinth to obey was then. Jesus hadn’t come when Isaiah penned those words, but he had when Paul wrote to Corinth. They needed to come to Him today.

In Ephesians 5:15-16, Paul emphasizes our Christian walk relative to time: “See then that you walk circumspectly (completely), not as fools but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil.” Redeem the time, or “make the most of your time.” Paul emphasizes that our lives (“walk” in Ephesians) are filled with choices for good or bad; we must make good choices during the time we know we are granted (the present). We must “turn in” the time we are granted for something; let’s make sure it’s for good.

Let’s briefly ask ourselves if we’ve done anything today (or this year) to make our Lord proud:

What have we done to serve others? The service aspect of Christianity cannot be over-emphasized. Sadly, it’s often under-emphasized. God will treat us as we’ve treated others. The greatest command is to love the Lord with all of our lives; the next one is to love our fellow man as we love ourselves (Matt. 22:36-40). Have we done anything to show that we love others as much as we love ourselves?

What have we done to forgive others? Notice Paul’s words in Ephesians 4:32, “And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you.” We have the charge to forgive others if they wrong us. Do they deserve it? Maybe not. But neither did we. Yet God still forgave our sins through Christ. If we fail to forgive others, we fail to see the grace God grants in our forgiveness. Jesus’ even says that the forgiveness of our sins depends on how we’ve forgiven others (Matt. 6:12, 14-15).

What have we done to include others? One of the negatives (if there are any negatives) to a family-centered congregation like Midway is that it can be difficult for newer members or visitors to feel included. Granted, we all need to do as much as we can to be active. However, those who are active also need to be reaching out as much as they can to encourage those who might feel on the outside. Our Lord’s brother—James—warns against favoritism in James 2:1-10. May we be careful and conscious to always include one another, and therefore encourage one another, along our Christian walks.

May God help us to do something today to make Him proud and help others.

Look at How You've Grown!

2006-12-10T15:08:00.000-06:00

It’s probably something we remember all too well: sore cheeks, embarrassing attempts to hide behind our parents, and so on. It probably occurred most often at the holidays, family reunions, weddings, or funerals (although a chance occurrence in Wal-Mart isn’t out of the question). It’s seeing that distant relative or long-lost friend of the family who hasn’t seen you as a kid in a long period of time. They remember you when you were “this little.” And now they’re astonished at how much you’ve grown. Growth is a natural part of our human lives.

Likewise, spiritual growth should be a continual part of our lives as well. Our faith, devotion, and efforts for the Lord need to increase year by year, month by month, and day by day. Jesus tells a familiar parable in Luke 8. We recognize it from Matthew 13 more often, but its recording in Luke is insightful just as well. Notice our Savior’s words:

“A sower when out to sow his seed. And as he sowed, some fell along the path and was trampled underfoot, and the birds of the air devoured it. And some fell on the rock, and as it grew up, it withered away, because it had no moisture. And some fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up with it and choked it. And some fell into good soil and grew and yielded a hundredfold” (Luke 8:5-8).

We often title this parable, “The Parable of the Sower.” More correctly, it probably should be known as “The Parable of the Soils.” The emphasis is on those who “hear the word.” In the verses that follow the parable, Jesus explains the meaning of this earthly story:

The seed is the word of God (8:11)
Along the path — those who hear, but the devil comes and takes the word away from their hearts (8:12)
On the rock — hear the word, receive it with joy, but have no root; they believe for a while, “and in the time of testing fall away” (8:13)
Among thorns — Those who hear, but as they grow, they are choked by the riches and pleasures of life, and their fruit does not mature (8:14)
Good soil — hear the word, hold on to it with an honest and good heart, and then bear fruit with endurance (8:15)

The logical question we must all ask ourselves is, “Which soil are we?” Have we allowed the word of God to grow within us during the past year? We’ve had wonderful growth from a congregational standpoint this past year. Has it included your spiritual growth? Have you produced fruit from months and years of faithfulness to God, His word, and His work? Or have you dried up because of difficult trials (like the seeds on the rock)? Or have you choked the word with the pursuit of riches and pleasure?

We need to continually reflect upon all the good things our Father has given us. Most of all, he’s given us His word that we might know Him and that we might obey Him unto salvation. A large part of obedience unto salvation is not only remaining faithful, but growing in His sight.

From Jesus’ description of the “good soil,” the seed grew because the soil held on with endurance. It also grew because of an honest and good heart. The result was long-term (not overnight) growth of the plant—and fruit was produced.

We can also see other keys to growth by looking at what didn’t work in the parable. The seed that fell on the rock withered away “because it had no moisture.” Are we trying to water other people’s lives like Apollos did (1 Cor. 3:6)? The seed that was choked died because of the influence of riches and pleasures. Have we set our priorities so that these things won’t hinder our spiritual growth?

As we begin the process of reflecting on the past year, may we look back and see growth in the eyes of God. And no matter our stature of growth in the past year, may we make steps to ensure spiritual growth in the new year and beyond! Have a great week.

Bulletin Article 12.03.06 -- Holiday Stuff

2006-12-05T13:25:00.000-06:00

Now that December is here, we as families begin in full-force our usual holiday efforts. We’re all in the process of decorating our homes, purchasing gifts, listening to Christmas carols, and watching those classic holiday movies. As you go about your holiday business, here are two main things to remember.

Christmas Round-Up for Daybreak. As we announced last Sunday, we have the opportunity to help out 14 young people who are associated with Daybreak/DHR. They are from families affected by spousal abuse, and will receive mainly what we are able to gather up for them this holiday season. Before you leave this morning, be sure to check the list of wishes and clothes’ sizes in the foyer (red sheet). Sign or initial by the things you are willing to purchase for this good cause. The deadline for turning in these gifts is Saturday, December 16. Prior to departing for our Progressive Dinner that evening, we will gather all that we’ve collected and take a group picture.

We have the opportunity this holiday season to help those who are less fortunate; we also have the opportunity to emphasize to our young people the importance of helping others.

If you are unable to purchase any of the items on the list, please consider donating cash to this effort. You can give this money to me or my dad (Jeff). We will then carry our young people from Midway to town and buy any remaining items.

There is a decorated box in the foyer for you to drop off items as you purchase them. Thanks for your interest in this effort. We have been blessed tremendously by God and now have this opportunity to share those blessings with others.

A Wonderful Christmas Gift Idea. If you’re struggling with what to purchase someone on your Christmas list, let me make a suggestion: a Bible. I know that may seem like an obvious recommendation from a Youth Minister, but let me offer a more specific suggestion: an English Standard Version Bible.

The English Standard Version (ESV) is a relatively new translation (2001). Normally, as translations go, that’s not the best of signs. However, the committee of over 100 individuals who translated the ESV have produced a reliable, respectful, and readable modern translation.

The ESV utilizes the form equivalence method of translating. This idea essentially emphasizes the importance of a “word-for-word” translation. It holds that the very words of God are important enough to render them as they are found. The other method, dynamic equivalence, emphasizes “thought-for-thought” techniques (NIV, etc.). This obviously is suspect to translator-interpretations more than word-for-word.

As for readability, notice 1 Peter 1:13 in both NKJV and ESV.

NKJV: “Therefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and rest your hope fully upon the grace that is to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ.”

ESV: “Therefore, preparing your minds for action, and being sober-minded, set your hope fully on the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ.”

This obviously would make a great gift for your children if you’re still looking for some items. You can get entire ESV Bibles in all sorts of hip colors, textures, and styles for as little as $20-$30. They also have a hardback Children’s Bible for $25 that features maps and illustrations.

For adults, there are also many options to meet your study needs. Personally, I would love to have at some point the ESV on Audio CD’s and the Elastic Strap Journaling Bible. For a comprehensive list of ESV products, visit here. If you need me to help you find a suitable Bible for someone, let me know.

Best wishes as you enjoy this “most wonderful time of the year.” May God help us to help others and depend more on His word.

Bulletin Article 11.26.06 -- Big Lessons from a Little Guy

2006-11-21T20:20:00.000-06:00

One of the most beloved “children’s” stories from the Old Testament is that of David and Goliath—found in 1 Samuel 17. What makes this account particularly inspiring is the fact that not only was David smaller than Goliath (for everyone was smaller than the 9 foot-plus giant), he was much younger and far more militarily inexperienced.

As the story unfolds, no one from the Israelite armies was willing to stand up against Goliath, but this young shepherd boy David. In addition to taking this stance on his own, he went without armor or a reputable military weapon. However—because of the unfailing power of God and David’s strength in it—that little shepherd defeated Goliath with one smooth stone that was hurled from a nearby brook. The lessons from this memorable account are no doubt endless. Let’s notice but a few of them together for a moment:

Priorities really do matter. Even among all of the Israelites (God’s people, you know), David was the first one to mention God in the standoff with Goliath. David’s first recorded words conclude with this statement, “For who is this uncircumcised Philistine, that he should defy the armies of the living God?” (1 Sam. 17:26). Later before hurling that fatal stone from the sling, David told Goliath, “You come to me with a sword and with a spear and with a javelin, but I come to you in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied” (1 Sam. 17:45). David shows the source of his confidence: the God of the universe is on his side. More correctly, David had chosen to be on God’s side, and that made the difference. It’s one thing to claim our priorities are in order (as did the Israelites), but it’s another thing to prove it (like David).

You can’t defeat giants if you’re fighting amongst yourselves. When David arrived on the scene, it became clear that unity was not the strength of the Israelite army. Even his own brothers looked down upon him for simply asking questions about the giant before them (1 Sam. 17:28-30). The church has many big battles to fight. Yet, we can’t win them if we don’t commit to being united for the cause of Christ.

Defeating giants inspires others. On several occasions, David’s example paved the way for others—most notably after slaying Goliath. In verse 37, after David pleads with Saul about how God has always been with him, Saul responds with, “Go, and the Lord be with you!” After David killed Goliath with his weapon of Gath destruction (Gath: see verse 23), the men of the armies of Israel begin to fight—successfully even—against the feared Philistines (1 Sam. 17:52-53). The courage of David not only led to personal victory, but also to the victory of his brothers and fellow-citizens. When you and I do great things in this life, we inspire other Christians as well...what a marvelous opportunity!

I remember being fascinated with this story as a young boy, and there were probably many reasons for such. Today, however, I am inspired so much by David’s actions because I am in a very similar situation as a young minister. There are no doubt people that think I’m incapable because of my age, inexperience, or any of a long list of offenses. Thankfully, David shows that I can be successful against whatever giants may challenge me. What’s better is that David proves that the power and potential to defeat giants isn’t created or conjured up within me, but it already exists in the Ruler of our universe. My task is to cling to Him in order to defeat the giants of sin, negativity, discouragement, apathy, or inactivity.

Timothy was also in a very similar situation as a young preacher in Ephesus. Notice Paul’s specific advice to him: “Let no one despise you for your youth, but set the believers and example in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, in purity...practice these things, devote yourself to them, so that all may see your progress. Keep a close watch on yourself and on the teaching. Persist in this, for by so doing you will save both yourself and your hearers” (1 Timothy 4:12-16).

David and Timothy set wonderful examples for us all...may we always rely upon the power Lord as we try to defeat giants!

Have a great week as school resumes!