New Creation

Worth-ship

2011-04-07T14:45:00.003-05:00

Nick said I should tend to this blog again. I told him I didn't think anybody was reading it, so I stopped. He said he would read it. Writing is an effort for me. To practice writing was one of the reasons I started this blog; look back to post number one. I grew weary, however, for Nick, I'll try it again, but I am going to begin easy by copying another blogger's post that I read recently and really appreciated. By posting it here, it will be handy for when I want to reference it again. So this is for Nick and for me. By the way, this copied post is actually his copy of another's post. By way of Michael Duduit, Rick Ezell writes about worship. Ezell says he got the idea from George Barna. A good thing gets around.

What is worship?

In a recent issue of his One Minute Uplift newsletter, pastor Rick Ezell writes: "George Barna surveyed thousands of churchgoing Christians. The question was asked: 'Have you ever experienced God in a worship service?' Only one-third said they regularly experience God in church worship.

"It is safe to say that true, life-changing encounters with the living God are missing from many of our churches. We desperately need a life-changing glimpse of the greatness, the awesomeness, the wonder, the power,the mercy, the goodness and the lovingkindness of the God we serve.

"The word worship conjures up all kinds of images in people's minds. Simply said: Worship is declaring the worth of God. The word worship comes from the Old English word that means "worthship." So with that definition in mind, we don't worship God for what we get out of it, but to give God the honor that is due Him, recognizing His worth, His value, His place in our church and His claim on our lives.

"Worship, therefore, is not a weekly pep talk to rally the troops and win the contest. Worship is not a motivational seminar to make us feel good about ourselves. Worship is not the Christian alternative to a Saturday night rock concert or a Beethoven symphony. Worship occurs when people encounter the God who loves them and desires a relationship with them. Worship is a meeting between God and His people. Worship does not lead to an encounter with God. It is an encounter with God."

May you have the opportunity for authentic worship in the days ahead.

Did anybody gain anything from this?

P.S.: Help me. It has been a while. I can't get this post to separate paragraphs except for the block quote, which is too separated. Tabs and returns don't work. Any suggestions? The first paragraph is actually supposed to be three paragraphs.

Dismembering an Idol

2010-11-10T08:28:00.003-06:00

This post is a copy of a marketing letter I received from Jon Bloom, executive director of Desiring God ministries. I reproduce it here with the permission granted from their website. I thought it was especially creative and edifying.

In Luke 19, Zacchaeus the tax collector was converted. He vowed to give back fourfold to anyone he had defrauded. Imagine a conversation he might have had when returning the money.

"Dad, there's a man at the door. He said his name is Zacchaeus."

Judah moved brusquely past his daughter, clenching his jaw. If the little weasel even hints at more money, I swear… a thunderstorm of violent thoughts broke in his mind.

When he saw Zacchaeus he exploded, "WHAT?" Zacchaeus reeled slightly from the verbal blow.

"I'm here to return something to you, Judah."

"What do you mean?" The words sounded more like "Get out of my sight!"

Zacchaeus held out a small moneybag. Judah was suspiciously confused. This man had robbed half of Jericho collecting taxes for Tiberius. No one was more conniving and slippery with words. Fearing some kind of set-up, Judah didn't move.

"What are you doing, Zacchaeus?" The cynicism hissed through Judah's teeth.

"I'm dismembering my idol."

Judah's fiery glare turned to stony bewilderment. "What are you talking about?"

"Judah, I know how strange this must sound. And you have every reason not to trust me. I'm here because I've defrauded you. I've charged you more taxes than Rome required and kept them for my wicked little self. I know that you and everyone else knows that. But now I've come to ask your forgiveness for sinning against you like that, and to make restitution. That's what's in this bag."

Zacchaeus held it out again. This time Judah tentatively took it. He looked inside. "There's a lot in here. It's got to be more than you overcharged me."

"Yes. It's four times what I overcharged you. I've got all the records, you know." Zacchaeus smiled.

"Why are you giving me four times what you owe me?" Judah's distrust was not dispelled.

"I'm keeping a vow. I promised Jesus that I would repay everyone I defrauded fourfold."

"You mean the Rabbi Jesus? You know him?"

"I do now. He's in town, as you know. And the other day I wanted to get a glimpse of him. But being, ah, short-legged, I figured the only way I'd see him was from a tree! Wouldn't you know, as Jesus passes by he stops, looks up at silly me in the sycamore and says, ‘Zacchaeus, hurry and come down, for I must stay at your house today.'"

Judah gave him a puzzled look.

Zacchaeus said, "I know, I know! I was as shocked as anyone! How did he know my name, right? So Jesus and his disciples come to my house and in a matter of minutes my world falls apart and comes together."

"Falls apart and comes together."

"Judah, when I was a boy I was in awe of what I thought money did for people. It seemed to open all the doors to power and pleasure. So I vowed to myself that whatever it took I was going to be rich. And I kept that vow. Back then I had no idea how empty being rich would be. But up till two days ago, I figured it was still better than the alternative.

"But as I sat in my home with Jesus and his disciples, who have nothing, nothing but God—Judah, I've never seen happier people in my life! And as Jesus spoke, it was like his words were alive. My heart burned with a longing for God I had never felt before! And a deep shame that I traded him for money.

"Then it hit me like a cedar beam: I'm poor, not rich! They had God; I had a dead idol: money. They were rich; I was no more than a beggar. They were free. But the only doors money ever opened for me led to dungeons. My world, as I had known it, fell apart.

"And there sat Jesus, looking at me as if he could read me like a scroll. Everything in me just wanted to follow him. I wanted the forgiveness and salvation he's been preaching about. For the first time in my life I wanted God more than… anything! Suddenly, it was like life never made more sense. Before I knew it I was on my feet vowing in front of everyone that, well, that I would dismember my idol."

"Give away your money."

"Right. Well, some of it is your money." This time Judah smiled.

Later, Judah's wife found him staring at a small moneybag on the table.

"What's that?"

"A tax refund."

"A what?"

"I think we need to go hear Rabbi Jesus."

"Rabbi Jesus? Why?"

"I thing we're poor."

More articles like this can be seen at http://www.desiringgod.org/.

But should you try...

2010-08-09T18:25:00.000-05:00

It is easier to get into the saddle of a dead horse.

18%

2010-08-05T09:53:00.004-05:00

"The respect of those you respect is worth more than the applause of the multitude."

I'm not a lumberjack...

2010-07-12T16:28:00.001-05:00

I'm not a lumberjack,

But that's okay.

I sleep all night,

And I work all day...

I am now ready for winter and the cold weather. Saturday a group of great men from our church had a lumber splitting gathering and blessed us with abundant fire place fuel for the chilly times.

I want to thank those who gathered and helped us:

Johnie "the-real-lumberjack" Floyd,

Winston "chainsaw" Coates,

Ricky "sit-and-split" Davis,

Charles "log-roller" Rice,

Joey "the-switch" Gallaher,

Bill "you-never-have-too-much-wood" Livingston,

Dennis "I-wouldn't-have-missed-it" Klumpp,

Lee "bid-2-marks" Langston,

Nick "stack-or-nap" Holder,

and Robert "take-this-to-my-wife" Ring.

It's like a new creation.

2010-06-03T14:05:00.000-05:00

I came across this video, and I thought it would be a good theme interpretation on the title of this blog. The speaker is Francis Chan.

Sitz im Leben

2010-04-19T16:20:00.000-05:00

I was in Oklahoma 15 years ago today. It was on this day in 1995 that Timothy McVeigh made a bomb out of a rental truck and had it go off in front of the federal building in Oklahoma City. This morning's news announcement about that terrible event caused me to remember my personal "Sitz im Leben" on that morning.

Sitz im Leben is a German phrase roughly meaning "situation in life". To put it simply, the phrase is used by bible interpreters to describe the situation that gave occasion for the biblical text. It is helpful to understand the biblical text if you understand its "Sitz im Leben."

What I remember about my situation in life that morning as a young pastor at my first church in Shattuck, Oklahoma was my immediate reaction to the news. I had walked, as I did every day, to the Post Office about three blocks from the church to pick up the mail. While there, on this day, fifteen years ago, just a little before noon, someone said to me, "Brother Phil, did you hear, Oklahoma City blew up this morning?!" My immediate reaction was to look up and to the east for smoke. OKC is about 150 miles away from where we were in western Oklahoma. Of course, I didn't see any smoke, but it was my reaction, at that moment, I remember most vividly about that day.

I have a similar reaction if I happen to be outside and something causes me to think about the return of Jesus. I look up, and I look east. My current Sitz im Leben causes me to think He could come at any moment. So, because I can, I look. I anticipate. I get ready to rejoice.

If your Sitz im Leben is not where you can look up to the sky ready to rejoice, perhaps you ought to interpret how you relate to God right now.

Compliment Guys

2010-01-30T09:20:00.009-06:00

[I liked this, so I pass it on.]

Compliment Guys
by Patrick D. Odum

They were tired of it. Tired of people being grumpy, depressed, and worried. Tired of always worrying about the current economic climate. So Cameron Brown and Brett Westcott decided to do something to bring a little light and joy to their corner of the world — which happens to be Purdue University.

They became The Compliment Guys.

That's what everyone calls them, anyway. Every Wednesday afternoon from 12:30 to 2:30, Cameron and Brett set up their "Free Compliments" sign near a main walkway outside the chemistry building. Rain, snow, sleet, cold — whatever the weather, The Compliment Guys are "In."

For those two hours on Wednesday, they live up to their name. Every person who walks by gets a compliment. To a guy in Purdue sweats they say, "Love your school spirit." To a woman carrying a trendy black bag: "Very nice purse." "It's very large." To the student who ran past them in knee-high leather boots: "I like your hustle." "I like your boots, too."

The guys try to be very personal and specific in their compliments, too. "I like your red coat," Westcott says to a woman listening to her iPod. She turned and laughed, which prompted Brown to say, "Very nice smile." Three women leaving biology lab purposely walked by them. "I like your curly hair. Great smile. I like your glasses," the guys said, pointing to each of the women. One Wednesday, they told a professor to enjoy his coffee, thanked the groundskeepers for their hard work and encouraged someone eating an apple to "stay nutritious."

While most people react positively, the guys sometimes get ignored, or get nasty looks, or the occasional obscene gesture. They get accused of being there only to pick up girls. (They both have girlfriends.)

Some think it's a psychology experiment. But Brett Westcott says their reasons for being The Compliment Guys are pretty straightforward, if not too sophisticated: "Just overall, making people's day is really satisfying. Not enough people do nice things anymore."

I don't know about you, but I think The Compliment Guys might be on to something.

We're a culture that doesn't take seriously the power of words. Strange, when you think about how many words we speak, process, e-mail, and text every day. Everywhere we look, there are words: on signs, on screens, on forms and petitions, in documents and books, on labels and menus, billboards and bumper stickers. Everywhere we go, people are speaking: cell phones clamped to ears as they walk, Bluetooths (Blueteeth?) clipped to ears while they drive, in meetings
and at coffee shops, in schools and churches and offices and bars and restaurants, over dinner with family and over conference calls with the home office. So many words.

So little thought.

How else to explain the careless ways that husbands and wives, parents and children, students and teachers, friends, colleagues, and fellow church members speak to each other? How else to explain the torrents of profanity yelled out of car windows when a driver feels cheated out of a spot in traffic that he thinks should have been his? How else to explain how we trivialize things like sex or family or even God with too many meaningless, thoughtless, graceless words? How else to explain all the ways in which we use words to hurt, manipulate, belittle, and control?

We can try to do better at least, can't we?
So many words. So little thought.

No wonder members of some religious orders take vows of silence. When you discipline yourself not to speak at all, you gain a better understanding of the value of words, in much the same way as a person who's fasting understands the value of food. Maybe we Christians should give more thought to the vow of silence. I can certainly think of situations that would have worked out much better if I had taken one.

Or maybe better, let's discipline ourselves to use words more carefully. That's where I think The Compliment Guys have it right. They're making a choice to use words to "make peoples' day." They're disciplining themselves, at least for two
hours on Wednesday afternoons, to speak in ways that are positive, affirming, and encouraging. I suspect, too, that those two hours on Wednesday carry over, at least to some extent, in the ways that they speak when they're "off duty."

"If you speak," wrote Peter, "you should do so as one who speaks the very words of God." I love that it's Peter, of all people, who wrote that. Peter, the guy who was so well-acquainted with the taste of foot. The guy who swore he'd never desert Jesus, and then swore just as vehemently that he didn't know him. He learned, somewhere along the line, and by the time he was an elder statesman of the church he had learned how much words mattered. He had begun to regard words, and the opportunity to use them, as gifts from God. He understood that the faithful words of God's people are one of the many ways in which God's grace takes form in this world. So he wanted the church to take words seriously. He charged them to give careful thought to what they said, to consider whether or not the words coming from their mouths or pens were suitable vehicles for the grace of God to travel in. "If you say something, make sure it's something that wouldn't seem out of place coming from the mouth of God himself."

Well, we can try to do better at least, can't we? It might not work for you to set up your own "Free Compliment" stand at your own work or school. But then, there are other ways to bless people with your words than firing compliments at them as they walk by. We can speak encouraging words to someone who's having a bad day. We can be gentle and careful when we have to reprimand a child or an employee. We can remember to say "I love you" more often, and "Your problem is..." less. We can speak truth, lovingly, to people who are spiraling out of control. We can tell the story of Jesus a little more often. We can add to and listen to slanderous, gossip-filled stories a lot less. We can choose to use words to defuse anger instead of adding to it. We can be quiet and give others a chance to speak, when that's what God is calling us to. And we can choose to use words to bless others, instead of gratifying ourselves or getting what we want.

Give it a try. You'll get the hang of it.

Hey — good job reading this.

Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God's grace in its various forms. If you speak, you should do so as one who speaks the very words of God (1 Peter 4:10-11).

From www.heartlight.org

Happiness Machine

2010-01-21T06:24:00.002-06:00

Of course, I would like it better if it were a Diet Coke machine.

The Choice is Yours

2009-12-02T09:33:00.006-06:00

Today, will you be...
...or...???

Pooh, Piglet, Tigger, and Eeyore are all good pals. They play together, go on adventures, and learn things. Each of them cares deeply for his buddies.
When you think of "Tigger", what comes to mind? What is he like? (happy, silly, energetic, positive, creative, carefree)
When you think of "Eeyore", what comes to mind? (sad, slow, dejected, pessimistic)

When anything happens, Eeyore expects the worst. He expects the weather to be rainy, the task to be unpleasant, the journey to be too long, the water be too warm and the food too cold. He sets his expectations way low so he is seldom disappointed, but then he has nothing to look forward to.

Tigger, on the other hand, sees fun and adventure in everything. He hops rather than walk, jumps rather than run, and bounces rather than sit still. He sees the rainbow through the clouds, notices something new at every step, and believes every minute of life is a gift to enjoy. He has joy. He is always looking ahead to the next adventure.

So, who will you be? Will you be more of an Eeyore, plodding through life, sure that school will be hard, friends will be few, and there won't be much? Or are you like Tigger, ready to make every task a game, every day an adventure, and every challenge an opportunity?

The choice is yours!

Does this sign attract or repel attendance?

2009-11-13T08:58:00.004-06:00

One Sunday morning an old cowboy entered a church just before services were to begin. Although the old man and his clothes were spotlessly clean, he wore jeans, a denim shirt and boots that were very worn and ragged. In his hand he carried a worn out old hat and an equally well read Bible.

The church he entered was in a very upscale and exclusive part of the city. It was the largest and most beautiful church the old cowboy had ever seen. The people of the congregation were all dressed with expensive clothes and jewelry.

As the cowboy took a seat, the others moved away from him. No one greeted, spoke to, or welcomed him. They were all appalled by his appearance and did not attempt to hide it.

As the old cowboy was leaving the church, the preacher approached him and asked the cowboy to do him a favor. "Before you come back in here again, have a talk with God and ask him what He thinks would be appropriate attire for worship in church." The old cowboy assured the preacher he would.

The next Sunday, the cowboy showed back up for the services wearing the same ragged jeans, shirt, boots, and hat. Once again he was completely shunned and ignored. The preacher approached the cowboy and said, "I thought I asked you to speak to God before you came back to our church."

I did," replied the old cowboy.

"If you spoke to God, what did he tell you the proper attire should be for worshiping here?" asked the preacher.

"Well, sir, God told me that He didn't have a clue what I should wear. He said He'd never been in this church . . ."

"What Jesus Expects to Find"

2009-09-24T09:49:00.003-05:00

Sunday's text is Matthew 25:1-13. The proper responsible is repeated in this video.

Amusing Miscommunications

2009-08-06T10:50:00.001-05:00

This is probably more for my own amusement, but these miscommunications make me smile.

[From the New Jersey Monthly]

Surveying the seemingly endless rows of dolls stacked almost to the ceiling in the Toys "R" Us on Route 4 in Paramus, the chain's president, Norman Ricken, singles out a Barbie look-alike that he believes will prove a big favorite this Christmas. The high-fashion Jem, marketed as a corporate executive who moonlights as a rock 'n' roll star, represents, says Ricken, a glamorous version of the working woman. "Children like toys that mirror real life," he explains. (What's the matter lady? You mean you don't run the corporate world and then rock out at night?)

[From the Greenwich (Ct.) Time] CLARIFICATION: A story in Saturday's Greenwich Time about the restaurant at the Bruce Park Memorial Golf Course failed to mention that any expansion of the restaurant into the women's locker room area would need town approval. (Maybe they should get the approval of the women in the locker room too.)

[Sheldon Landwehr in the New York Post] Recently we were invited to a meal here by Joey Adams, that "strictly for laughs," lineal descendant of Confucius and his wife Cindy. (I didn't know Confucius's wife was named Cindy. They sound like a cute couple.)

[Memorandum received by a faculty member of Georgetown University]

TO: SFS Faculty

FROM: Dean Peter F. Krogh, Dean

School of Foreign Service

Wendy von Staden, wife of the former German Ambassador to the United States, a former German Foreign Service Officer and a celebrated author in Germany, will be speaking in the Dean's Office on October 15th at 5 p.m. She is one of the world's greatest women. I would appreciate it if you would announce this in your classes. (O.K., students, listen! Wendy von Staden is one of the world's greatest women.)

[From the Wall Street Journal] McDonnell Douglas views its entrant, which would cost the company $500 million to produce, as a budget-priced hybrid: a newfangled engine on a modified version of its existing MD-80 jet, ready to carry passengers by 1992. "This is a good opportunity for Douglas -- if this airplane can catch fire," says a marketing executive for a major U.S. airline. (Douglas is also selling fire extinguishers.)

From the Allentown (Pa.) Morning Call] Elsas and other researchers say they believe that aspartame can do more damage over a long period of time than federal health officials. (Nonsense. Federal health officials do much more damage.)

[From the Lorain (Ohio) Journal] ELYRIA--Firefighters are often called upon to save lives. Occasionally, they must help begin lives. Such was the case yesterday morning when five Elyria fire fighters gave birth to a girl in the bathroom of an apartment. (Another first for Elyria.)

[From the Bergenfield (N.J.) Twin Boro News] TENAFLY--On Friday evening, April 3, the Tenafly Nature Center will hold a "WoodCock Viewing."

In this program, participants will sit in silence and observe this bird's unusual mating display while sipping plum wine. This program is for adults only. (I should hope so!)

[From the Richmond (VA) Times-Dispatch]WINCHESTER (AP)--A scientist told 182 Shenandoah University graduates to avoid complacency. "Hitch your wagon to a star. Keep your seat and there you are," Charlotte C. Campbell said. "I can only hope your star is as exciting and rewarding to you as mine was to me." Ms. Campbell has studied fungi for more than 40 years.

(If only we all could aspire so high,

To spend our lives in the study of fungi.

I would tell you this, but it would be a lie:

Her speech gave me reason to cry.)

Teens and Teen Wannabes

2009-08-03T09:45:00.002-05:00

This is the second of the two acticles I mentioned below.

Our Adolescent Culture

Where Are the Grown-Ups?

By John Stonestreet|Published Date: June 03, 2009

“There was a time, literally, when there were no teenagers.”

What Diana West is suggesting in The Death of the Grown-Up: How America’s Arrested Development Threatens Western Civilization will undoubtedly sound ridiculous to thousands of youth pastors, family therapists, and advertising gurus whose livelihoods depend on entertaining, counseling, and selling to teenagers.

Nevertheless, West argues that adolescence didn’t always exist. In fact, it is a quite recent phenomenon. The word “teenager” wasn’t really used until 1941, after all. In virtually every other culture in the history of the world prior to late 20th century Western culture, kids became adults. Not so anymore. They now become teenagers, or, to put it in more sociologically acceptable terms, they become adolescents.

THE CREATION OF THE TEENAGER

What happened to bring about this new stage in human development? The sexual revolution and political upheavals of the ‘60s are, of course, the most obvious suspects. However, West suggests a number of other things, some earlier than the ‘60s: a generation of disconnected fathers trying to deal with what they experienced during WWII, factories which once produced necessities for war began producing non-necessities for consumption, new marketing engines selling these goods to people who didn’t realize they wanted them, Chubby Checker’s Twist, Elvis’ hips, the Beatles’ hair, automobiles—perhaps more than one—in every home, the growth of Hollywood, and the recognition by the marketing engines of the fortune to be made from this brand new segment of the population.

Today, of course, adolescence is considered a fixed stage of development. We expect students will lose their minds from ages 13 to 18. “Kids will be kids,” we say. Only we aren’t referring to kids anymore, we’re talking about 15-year-olds. In other cultures, “teenagers” were marrying, farming, fighting wars, writing books, and in one case, bearing the Messiah.

ADOLESCENCE AS APEX

One of the complications of adolescence is that this fixed stage of development is not very fixed. Its grip has forcefully expanded beyond teenagers, and in both directions. On the front end, we have “pre-teens” or “tweens,” whose financial potential marketers quickly spotted. On the back end, whereas 18 was once considered the end of adolescence, it is now considered the middle. The National Academy of Sciences now defines adolescence as the stage from the onset of puberty (around 11 or 12) to age 30.

But there’s more. The reach of adolescence is even greater than this. Adolescence has become, and this must not be missed, the goal of our culture. Somewhere along the way, we ceased to be a culture where kids aspire to be adults and became a culture where adults aspire to be kids.

THE MARKS OF AN ADOLESCENT CULTURE

What are the marks of a culture with a dominant adolescent mindset? Not surprisingly, they are precisely what we have come to expect from adolescents themselves.

Demand for immediate gratification. We want what we want now, and we will not wait or work for it. Spiraling credit card debt, addiction to new technologies, bouncing from church to church, abandoning marriages—the list goes on and on.

Absence of long-term thinking about life and the world. Hand-in-hand with a demand for immediate gratification is a distraction from the real issues that actually matter. Ours is a culture largely ignorant of economic theory, political distinctions, or the rules of logic, but one which is fully up to speed on latest from American Idol.

Motivated by feeling rather than truth. This is a key indicator of a volatile person, and an even more significant indicator of a failing culture. Truth is murdered by pooled and polled ignorance.

Wanting grown-up things without growing up. Ironically, despite our addiction to all things adolescent, we still expect to be treated like adults. “Don’t tell me what to do,” we say. “Every opinion matters” and “Treat me with respect,” we add. Of course, fools actually do not deserve respect and their opinions are, at best, a thorough waste of time and, at worst, dangerous.

Expecting bailouts rather than accepting consequences. Not thinking before acting is a trait of adolescence as is making excuses. Bad mortgage decision? The government should help. Sexual immorality? Birth control, abortion, and HPV vaccines. Falling grades? Reduce standards. Poor behavior? Ritalin will do the trick. And once we accept adolescence as normal, we are then forced to excuse poor behavior. “They’ll grow out of it,” we suggest. A quick look around reveals that “they” are not.

Focusing on appearance rather than depth. Seen in everything from fascination with celebrity to the way presidents and churches are chosen, cultures that choose style over substance quickly become silly cultures. Neil Postman proved this in his classic work Amusing Ourselves to Death: Public Discourse in the Age of Show Business. Worse still, silly cultures are easily deceived and destined for tyranny. History proves this.

More could be added here, but the point is that sometimes what is normal, well, shouldn’t be. Adolescence is a recent and foolish invention. And, as noted scholar, Richard Weaver taught us, ideas have consequences. Good ideas have good consequences; bad ideas have bad consequences.

THE OPPORTUNITY

Still, there is good news. Cultures like ours have a leadership vacuum. Therefore, there is a terrific opportunity for influence from those who produce the leaders, especially if they produce leaders who can think beyond the current cultural shallowness.

How can we do this? I suggest we go after the students themselves, from those intolerant of adolescence to those who seem most susceptible to it.

First, we need to challenge students, rather than coddle them. We aim too low with teenagers. Students do not need more entertainment, whether from the television, the IPod, or the youth group. They need and want to be challenged. We see this every year at our Summit student leadership conferences. At Summit, students endure over 70 hours of lecture and instruction on worldviews, apologetics, culture, and character, and they love it. They thrive when they realize that their faith need not be silly or superficial.

Second, students need a thorough education in worldviews and apologetics. There are three components of this type of education. First, students need to know what they believe. Too many see Christianity as merely a private faith rather than as a robust view of reality that offers a tried and true map for life. Christianity is not a narcissistic self-help system, but truth about all of reality. Second, students need to know what others believe. Non-biblical worldviews are battling for their hearts and minds, as well as for our culture. An isolated faith is an immature faith and often a scared faith. Third, Christians must know why they believe what they believe. Too many Christians cannot answer, and are even afraid of, challenging questions about God, Jesus, the Bible, morality, or truth. When they learn that their faith can be defended, they get excited about defending it.

Third, students need to know that Christianity is not just about what we are against, but what we are for. Proverbs says that without vision, the people “cast off restraint.” One of the main reasons that students are casualties of immorality is that they lack vision. While they may know what they are not supposed to do, they fail to understand what meaning, purpose, and impact following Christ offers. Christian students often get the impression that we are merely saved from, and not to. They miss the "re" part of the salvation words that sprinkle the Scriptures: renew, regenerate, reconcile, redeem, etc. They miss that Christ not only came to save us from death, he came to save us to life--and abundant life at that!

Finally, we need to confront students with, rather than isolate them from, the major cultural battles of our day. Historically, Christians have sought to understand and respond to cultural crises. They understood that these crises were the battlefields for competing worldviews.

THE CHALLENGE

Unfortunately, many Christians today are oblivious, apathetic or avoidant of issues like embryo-destructive research, euthanasia, emerging technologies, the arts, film, fashion, legislation, human trafficking, politics, and international relations. In the Garden on the evening before His death, Christ prayed these astounding words for his followers: “Father, do not take them from the world, but protect them from the evil one” (John 17:15). Our prayer and preparation for our students should be no different.

The Church’s approach to students must never embrace adolescence as normal. “Meeting them where they are” is no excuse for leaving them where they are. Students are designed with the capacity, and thus the calling, to think deeply and broadly about their faith and their culture, as well as to champion the Gospel by confronting evil, injustice, and lies. By appealing to God’s design for humanity, rather than this cultural fabrication of adolescence, we may find our ministries more relevant to students than the culture itself.

This article originally appeared in BreakPoint WorldView Magazine, June 2009.

John Stonestreet is executive director of Summit Ministries, a ministry dedicated to training students in worldview analysis and apologetics so that they will defend and champion the Christian worldview. He is co-author of Making Sense of Your World: A Biblical Worldview. John holds an M.A. in Christian thought from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School and is on the bblical studies faculty at Bryan College (Tenn.). He, his wife Sarah, and three daughters live in Colorado Springs, Colo.

Getting Guests Back

2009-08-03T09:17:00.003-05:00

This will be the first of two articles I have come across recently and have wanted to share with my church. I am placing them here to make them accessible. We have already been discussing the topics. I hope to add to the discussion.

How to Get Your First-Time Guests to Come Back

Written by Rick Ezell

As a pastor or church leader, you need to be aware of five significant facts about first-time guests looking for a church home and five vital actions you can take to make them want to return.

Fact #1 - Your visitors make up their minds regarding your church in the first ten minutes.
Before a first-time guest has sung an inspiring song, watched a compelling drama or well-produced video vignette or heard your well-crafted sermon they have made up their mind whether or not to return. But, you probably spend more time and energy on the plan and execution of the worship service than preparing for the greeting and welcoming of your first-time guests.

Action - Use the following questions as a quick checklist:
Are parking attendants in place?
Is there appropriate signage?
Are your ushers and greeters performing the “right” job?
Is the environment user-friendly and accepting to guests?

Fact #2 - Most church members are not friendly.
Churches claim to be friendly and may even advertise that fact. But my experience in visiting churches as a first-time guest demonstrates that most church members are friendly to the people they already know, not to guests.

Watch to see if your members greet guests with the same intensity and concern before and after the worship service as they do during a formal time of greeting. The six most important minutes of a church service, in your visitors’ eyes, are the three minutes before the service and the three minutes after the service.

Action - Encourage your church family to:
Introduce themselves with genuineness.
Find out if guests have questions about the church.
Introduce guests to others who may have an affinity or connection.

Fact #3 - Church guests are highly consumer-oriented.
If your church building is difficult for newcomers to navigate, if your people are unaccepting and unfriendly, another church down the street may have what they’re looking for. You need to look at your church through the eyes of a first-time guest. Rick Warren says that the longer a pastor has been a pastor the less he thinks like a non-pastor.

Action: Consider employing objective, yet trained, anonymous guests to give an honest appraisal. Many restaurants, retail stores, and hotels utilize the service of one or more “mystery guests” to provide helpful analysis of welcoming and responding to the consumer. Churches would be well served to utilize a similar service.

Fact #4 - The church is in the hospitality business.
Though our ultimate purpose is spiritual, one of our first steps in the Kingdom business is attention to hospitality (Hebrews 13:2). Imagine the service that would be given to you in a first-class hotel or a five-star restaurant. Should the church offer anything less to those who have made the great effort to be our guests?

Action - Encourage members to extend hospitality to guests by offering...
to sit with them during the church service
to give them a tour of the church facilities
to eat lunch with them after service
to connect with them later in the week

Fact #5 - You only have one chance to make a good first impression.
Your first-time guests have some simple desires and basic needs. They decide very quickly if you can meet those criteria. The decision to return for a second visit is often made before guests reach your front door.

Action - Use the following questions as an evaluation tool:
Are you creating the entire experience, beginning with your parking lot?
Are you consciously working to remove barriers that make it difficult for guests to find their way around and to feel at home with your people?
Do newcomers have all the information they need without having to ask any embarrassing questions?
Are your greeters and ushers on the job, attending to details and anticipating needs before they are expressed?
Does anything about your guests’ first experience make them say, “Wow!” and want to return?

Rick Ezell is the pastor of First Baptist Greer, South Carolina. He has served churches in Naperville, IL, Scottsburg, IN and Overland Park, KS for the past twenty-three years. Rick has been married to Cindy for over twenty years. He is the author of several books including, The Seven Sins of Highly Defective People, Strengthening the Pastor's Soul, Sightings of the Savior, & Cutting to the Core.

Hairy, Hairy, Hairy, Christian

2009-07-02T13:06:00.004-05:00

I am back from vacation and vbs with this important information:

It is Better To Have Hair On Your Feet Than Your Head

A lack of hair on your feet may be a sign of circulatory problems, explains Andrew Manganaro, MD, Chief Medical Officer at Life Line Screening:

When I was a resident surgeon, many years ago, one of my professors, himself a world renowned vascular surgeon, once said, "It is better to have hair on your feet than on your head."

A receding hairline on your head may not be your favorite look, but lack of hair on your feet is much more dangerous. It is could be a sign that your feet are not getting adequate blood flow.

Can't you just see the health conscious entrepreneurs developing tiny little feet toupees to give the follicly challenged at least the appearance of health? Well, it makes as much sense as a church thinking that big numbers and lots of activity equals a healthy church.

Church health is about impacting the community and world with the gospel through the power of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is the life giver to the believer and the church. He must circulate through the Body of Christ. But, no, I would not say that being a hairy christian is any sign of spiritual vitality. Anyway, aren't those hairy christians the guys who shave their heads, wear yellow robes, and dance around at the airports?

2009-06-12T11:31:00.003-05:00

Starting Sunday

Parade 4:00

Hot Dogs 5:00

VBS 6:00-8:30 Sunday through Thursday

Family Event Thursday 8:00

Stealth bomber photographed

2009-05-18T20:27:00.003-05:00

Its unmistakable teardrop profile is shrouded in the blur of a condensation cloud as it reaches high subsonic speed.

The striking image of the B-2, officially known as the Spirit Bomber, was taken as the aircraft soared over Palmdale, near Los Angeles.

It was released to coincide with the announcement of upgraded military software for the United States Air Force's fleet of 20 B-2s.

Required Reading

2009-05-18T17:38:00.000-05:00

I don't usually do product endorsements, but this book is worth what you are asked to pay for it. It should be read by every American and his congressman. I am thinking of requiring every couple that comes to me for advice to read it.

Actually this comes from a Saturday Night Live skit. It is a simple principle to cure our personal and national credit problems. I won't complicate it with a lot of explanation. I think the title speaks for itself. By the way, the mythical book is only one page long.

Principles of Authentic Worship

2009-05-12T16:22:00.003-05:00

This article is copied from Michael Duduit's Preaching Now newsletter. I believe the information is helpful and challenging. I place it here to preserve and share it.

PRINCIPLES OF AUTHENTIC WORSHIP

In his chapter on worship in the book innovatechurch (B&H Books), Charles Billingsley shares five principles that he learned from Vernon Whaley:

1. "Our success in public worship is a direct reflection of our commitment to worshiping together in unity. We must get along with each other.

2. Our success for genuine worship replicates our heart motive for worship. The only one deserving credit for what God has done is God Himself. At Thomas Road Church, we have come to depend on the individual and corporate policy of 'Not I, but Christ.'

3. Our success for acceptable worship is not dependent upon ability or skill. No one is indispensable. God can do quite well without us.

4. Our success for holy worship displays our own personal desire to see the glory of God revealed. God's desire for all nations is likewise that His glory is revealed.

5. Our success in leading worship is in direct proportion to the presence of God upon our own lives. We cannot expect to lead anyone in worship if we haven't been in His presence ourselves."

Visualize the Savings

2009-04-30T13:15:00.001-05:00

First Business

2009-04-30T06:54:00.000-05:00

We have been having trouble with our internet connections at the house, but I'm baaack!

I shared this quote last night in prayer meeting. It comes from one of my favorite people to quote, George Mueller. "My first business every morning is to make sure that my soul is happy in Jesus."

So, have you taken care of business this morning?

Working with Boundaries

2009-04-18T08:41:00.002-05:00

Rules, policies, traditions, and ethics set the stage. Your creativity determines how well you will perform on it.

Eighteen Percent Plus

2009-04-07T08:48:00.003-05:00

The most famous quote from perhaps the world's most famous quoter of others, Charlie "Tremendous" Jones, is: "You are the same today that you are going to be in five years from now except for two things, the people with whom you associate and the books you read." Jones's passion in life was getting others to read in order to improve themselves. You can go to his website www.TremendousJones.com and find great suggested reading lists.

One of Jones's favorite books was Oswald Chambers's My Utmost for His Highest, the best selling devotional of all time by the way. Jones had memorize the November 5th devotional. It is appropriate to share it with you this Easter week.

PARTAKERS OF HIS SUFFERINGS

"Rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ's sufferings." 1 Peter 4:13

If you are going to be used by God, He will take you through a multitude of experiences that are not meant for you at all, they are meant to make you useful in His hands, and to enable you to understand what transpires in other souls so that you will never be surprised at what you come across. Oh, I can't deal with that person. Why not? God gave you ample opportunity to soak before Him on that line, and you barged off because it seemed stupid to spend time in that way.

The sufferings of Christ are not those of ordinary men. He suffered "according to the will of God," not from the point of view we suffer from as individuals. It is only when we are related to Jesus Christ that we can understand what God is after in His dealings with us. It is part of Christian culture to know what God's aim is. In the history of the Christian Church the tendency has been to evade being identified with the sufferings of Jesus Christ; men have sought to procure the carrying out of God's order by a short cut of their own. God's way is always the way of suffering, the way of the "long, long trail."

Are we partakers of Christ's sufferings? Are we prepared for God to stamp our personal ambitions right out? Are we prepared for God to destroy by transfiguration our individual determinations? It will not mean that we know exactly why God is taking us that way, that would make us spiritual prigs. We never realize at the time what God is putting us through; we go through it more or less misunderstandingly; then we come to a luminous place, and say - ' 'Why, God has girded me, though I did not know it!"

Day Off's 18%

2009-03-31T09:54:00.006-05:00

If you feel you are being watched, position yourself in a way where you can see the starer out of the corner of your eye, and then look at your watch. If he also looks at his watch then you know he really was watching you.

(What do you do after you have determined you are being watched? Enjoy it or leave?)

Monday's 18%

2009-03-30T10:46:00.001-05:00

If better is possible, good is not enough.

Today's 18%

2009-03-27T08:29:00.001-05:00

Today's 18% (see below): If the driver in front of you makes a mistake, give him plenty of room (to avoid an accident) because there is a high probability he is going to make one or two more shortly. This principle works for co-workers and people who talk too much as well.

Starting with 18%

2009-03-26T21:36:00.002-05:00

I have heard it said that waiters and waitresses hate to handle church groups because they are notoriously bad tippers, and they don't buy the expensive drinks that easily add to their bill. The claim is that Baptists come in with the ten commandments and a ten dollar bill, and they won't break either of them.

Last week, we took a group to a local restaurant. When the bill arrived, to the total of the order was added a "gratuity" of 18%. I knew this practice was sometimes done. Now, this blog is not a gripe session, but an observation recollection. The service actually was pretty good, better than normal for this restaurant. The staff was deserving of the gratuity, and if it had not already been figured for me, they probably would have received more.

What is interesting to me is the 18% figure. I'm not sure what a good gratuity is. I somehow get the idea that if you even talk to a waiter at a restaurant, you automatically owe him 10%. I think 20% is considered generous. So, maybe, 15% is for average service, right? (I knew one guy who said he never gave more than 10%. His explanation: "God only asked for 10%, so why should anybody need more." This statement says more about the man who made the statement than it helps with establishing gratuity principles. Equating biblical stewardship with rewards for good service is like saying the Sermon on the Mount was a "good talk.")

Back to my point, how did the 18% come about? Why that percentage? If I was correct in the above reasoning, then is 18% saying, "We plan to be above average, but don't get your hopes up too high."?

Honestly, I'm not even interested in the answers to those questions anymore. What I want is the 18%. Stay with me, and let me explain. I don't want more money, and what I'm wanting would not technically be called a gratuity. I want tips, little bits of advice and insight. Not stupid stuff like, "Don't bet on a three legged horse," but information that is genuinely helpful.

When we first moved to the Beaumont area, we knew nothing-to-little about the place. We did not know where to grocery shop, where to bank, what routes to take to avoid traffic, what they put in gumbo, etc. We have learned some of that on our own. I equate it to barefoot missions. That's what it is called when they just drop the missionary off on the field and he has to learn everything on his own, including the language.

Well, we don't have to go through life barefoot. If you have a bit of wisdom, I would like to hear it or read it, as the case may be. You can comment on this blog with your tips. Come on, give me the 18%. I will reciprocate. I'll give my 18% too. I'll put it on Facebook. There is a lot of searching for something done on that site. Maybe, I can figure out how to link this blog with my Facebook site. Anybody got 18% on how to do that?

I Give It a "PH"

2009-03-19T14:20:00.003-05:00

I read a discussion I would like to relate because I have had similar thoughts. I've wanted to know why do we give the grade of "F" and not the grade of "E"? I have heard that "F" stands for "fail"; then for what do "A," "B," "C," and "D," stand? If you have an "A," "B," "C," and "D," why isn't a failing grade "E"? Why did the letter E get skipped over?

A writer, in comments made on another blog, made a good point. He wrote:

"It bothers me. It has always bothered me. I think, I think it will always bother me. I mean, a lot, you know? Why did E get skipped over? I think about that so much, don't you? I mean, couldn't the makers of A B C and D have come up with something really creative and dark for E to stand for? I think it's sheer laziness to skip over E and use F just because "fail" was so easy to think up. I think it's time we rose up and corrected this travesty. I propose a global "E stands for ..." contest. I think F has had way to much negative energy poured over it for waaaaaay too long. We need to STOP the F hate language. I think F probably has a really negative self image because of all the bad energy it has had to live with. It's like an innocent bystander that was just standing next to E in a drive by hate crime. Just because it's right next to E it gets all of E's excrement. Hey! That's it! That's it! We can redeem F. We can make E stand for 'excremental' (which is far more visual than 'fail' could ever describe). [Parents would say,] 'Bobby, your final exam got an excremental! You're grounded!' E is visceral. E is the new F. F's of the world unite!"

One comment I read said that "E" stood for excellent. But does that make sense? Is it proper that right between "D, almost failing" and "F, failing" is "E, excellent"? I guess it does make sense in this world that often encourages mediocrity. "Suzie, you didn't fail and you didn't almost fail. In fact, you're barely adequate. Excellent! Thanks for not setting the bar too high for the rest of us. Can you work a fry machine?"

The "E" for excellent people make this argument:

"A=Awesome
B=Better than average
C=Couldn't you study just a little more and get a B?
D=DUDE! [or Dud]
E=Excellent

F=Failure'"

Every letter stands for an actual word.

With the present system, you have to remember things like, C stands for Average, when you're really thinking, "How come A doesn't stand for Average?"

Okay, since E already got taken to stand for Excellent, maybe we ought to like, go with the flow, you know?
Here is another perspective:

"We put the whole thing on its head, just to shake things up, you know?
E stands for Excellent
D stands for Duuuude! (you're supposed to say it with lots of admiration in your eyes)
C stands for Common
B stands for Blond
A stands for Airhead"

When I was in the 1st grade they didn't give us A's, B's, C's, D's, or F's. They gave us S's and U's. Talk about confusing the system. The only time you got an "A" was when you were absent. Does that make sense? I think S meant satisfactory and U meant unsatisfactory. (In Sunday School S meant saved and U meant unsaved. P meant prospect. As in, "We have to turn these U's into P's so we can get more S's.")

When I was in seminary, I had a professor who told us he thought all courses in seminary ought to be "P" or "F", pass or fail. I told him I agreed with him. I think he gave me a "B" in that course. I guess "B" stood for "bad idea."

Oh well.

Okay, thoughts.

2009-03-17T08:37:00.004-05:00

The previous post concerning Reagan interests me on many levels. There are all breeds of rabbits to chase coming out of their hidey-holes on this one, but the biggest hare of interest to me is the fact that apparently Reagan recognized the transforming power of faith. He knew it lived up to the very definition of politically incorrect to try to talk about faith and God with a view toward converting another. However, Gorbachev was a seeker--seeking answers to the struggles of his country and political philosophy.

Political interests shouted to RR: "Don't play the faith card. Play nice, be charming, stand tough, and opt for the power of popular approval."

Eternal interests whispered to RR: "The only way lasting change is going to happen is through spiritual transformation. This commie is a leader and threat, but he is also a soul for whom Christ died."

Maybe, I am giving RR too much credit, however, the point I would like to make is this: There will be no solution to the messes we get ourselves into until we come to God to seek His perspective, His wisdom, and His will. Man made solutions, without moral absolutes, will crater. No man, be he president, pope, pickle pickler, or post-hole digger, will change the fact that man in his natural state is estranged from God--a situation he cannot undo on his own. Man, without God, will act in his own self-interests. We cannot just expect people "to do the right thing," until they know the right solution. The solution is, of course, seeking first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be taken care of as well.

Reagan The Evangelist?

2009-03-13T11:37:00.000-05:00

Below is an excerpt from an interesting article by James Mann that appeared in the March 7th Wall Street Journal. Even this edited version is lengthy, but I encourage the interested to read it. For me it raises several interesting points that I will discuss in a future blog. For now, without my guidance, I want you, my reader(s), to think through this article on your own.

Did Reagan Try to Convert Gorbachev?

It was the question that preoccupied President Ronald Reagan: Was Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev a religious believer? Reagan held a series of summits with Gorbachev from 1985 to 1988, and as their meetings proceeded, Reagan sometimes speculated to his aides that Gorbachev's use of phrases such as "God bless" might be an expression of religious faith. Many of the summit sessions involved large groups of U.S. and Soviet officials, discussing issues like arms control and regional conflicts. But in one-on-one talks with Gorbachev outside the presence of other senior officials like Secretary of State George Shultz, Reagan sometimes ventured off in directions of his own. The eternal optimist, Reagan was convinced that Gorbachev was capable of changing the Soviet system, and he thought the key to such a turnaround might be religion. Finally, during their fourth summit meeting in 1988, Reagan launched into a private conversation with Gorbachev, one that he promised the Soviet leader he would deny had ever taken place.

Magnum Photos

It was during the first one-on-one session in Moscow that Reagan engaged in a bold but questionable endeavor well beyond his mandate as president of the United States. According to the memo of their conversation, which was based on notes taken by two Reagan aides and has now been declassified and made available at the Reagan Library in Simi Valley, Calif., Reagan secretly attempted to persuade Gorbachev of the existence of God.

The meeting opened with pleasantries. Both men agreed that they and their countries had come a long way since their first summit in Geneva three years earlier. Gorbachev then immediately turned to a surprise for which Reagan was not prepared: He read aloud and handed the president a written statement he wanted the two governments to sign during the summit that would commit the United States and the Soviet Union to "peaceful coexistence." Reagan said vaguely that he liked the idea and would talk it over with his advisers; he handed the piece of paper over to one of his note takers, Thomas Simons. Gorbachev's proposal would become the subject of considerable acrimony over the following days.

The two men next revived their running debate about human rights. Reagan handed Gorbachev a list of names of Soviet citizens he believed were victims of repression in one fashion or another. As in the past, Gorbachev countered by arguing that America could be criticized for its own human-rights abuses as well.

Suddenly, Reagan switched the subject to religion. He told Gorbachev that what he was about to say would be considered entirely secret. According to the notetakers, Reagan told Gorbachev that "if word got out that this was even being discussed, the President would deny he had said anything about it." To emphasize this point, Reagan said again a few minutes later that "if there was anyone in the room who said he had given such advice [to Gorbachev about religion], he would say that person was lying, that he had never said it."

In planning for the Moscow summit, Reagan had discussed with his aides the idea of focusing on freedom of religion. He had worked with aides on some talking points to use with the Soviet leader; he had honed these ideas during a stay in Helsinki. Once he was alone with Gorbachev, the president began with a plea on behalf of religious tolerance in the Soviet Union. He praised Gorbachev for easing slightly the rules for the Russian Orthodox Church. According to the notes of the meeting: "The President asked Gorbachev what if he ruled that religious freedom was part of the people's rights, that people of any religion -- whether Islam with its mosque, the Jewish faith, Protestants or the Ukrainian Church -- could go to the church of their choice."

Gorbachev deflected this question. He insisted that religion was not a serious problem in the Soviet Union. According to the notes, Gorbachev told Reagan that "he, himself, had been baptized, but he was not now a believer, and that reflected a certain evolution of Soviet society." There might have been some "excesses" in repressing religion immediately after the Soviet revolution, Gorbachev said, but times had changed. His program of perestroika was designed to expand democratic procedures, and it would extend to religion. Reagan then ventured further, taking a step that quite a few Americans would have found objectionable. The president switched from seeking to persuade Gorbachev of the value of religious tolerance to promoting a belief in God. Reagan did so by telling one of his trademark stories. According to the notes of their meeting:

The president said he had a letter from the widow of a young World War II soldier. He was lying in a shell hole at midnight, awaiting an order to attack. He had never been a believer, because he had been told God did not exist. But as he looked up at the stars he voiced a prayer hoping that, if he died in battle, God would accept him. That piece of paper was found on the body of a young Russian soldier who was killed in that battle.

Gorbachev tried to switch the subject. Perhaps the United States and the Soviet Union might open the way for greater cooperation in space, he told the president. But the president wasn't to be diverted. According to the transcript, Reagan told Gorbachev that space was in the direction of heaven, but not as close to heaven as some other things that they had been discussing.

As the meeting ended, Reagan became even more direct and personal. He noted that his own son Ron did not believe in God either. "The President concluded that there was one thing he had long yearned to do for his atheist son. He wanted to serve his son the perfect gourmet dinner, to have him enjoy the meal, and then to ask him if he believed there was a cook."

Of the two American notetakers who were present for this extraordinary conversation, one took Reagan's effort at face value. "Reagan thought he could convert Gorbachev, or make him see the light," said Rudolf Perina, who was then the director of Soviet affairs on the National Security Council in a 2005 interview.

The second, Thomas Simons, the deputy assistant secretary of state, said in an interview three years ago that he viewed Reagan's promotion of religion as, in part, a tactic to deflect Gorbachev away from discussion of other substantive issues. Reagan's proselytizing was extremely unusual for an American president, but not entirely unprecedented. Nine years earlier, Reagan's predecessor Jimmy Carter had stunned his aides when he asked the South Korean dictator Park Chung Hee about his religious beliefs and then told Park, "I would like you to know about Christ." Religion had been a continuing theme underpinning Reagan's views of the Soviet Union. He had observed the impact of the Catholic Church in Poland, he had talked with his friend Suzanne Massie about an upsurge in religious sentiment in the Soviet Union, he had speculated to Colin Powell that Gorbachev might be secretly devout. The secret one-on-one conversation in Moscow reflected Reagan's continuing belief that the Soviet system's repression of religion left it vulnerable to ideological challenge. It embodied his hope that Gorbachev was capable of changing the system.

Reprinted in the Wall Street Journal by arrangement with Viking, a member of Penguin Group (USA) Inc., from "The Rebellion of Ronald Reagan: A History of the End of the Cold War" by James Mann. Copyright 2009. James Mann is the author of several books, including "Rise of the Vulcans: The History of Bush's War Cabinet." He is author-in-residence at the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies.

Printed in The Wall Street Journal, page W1

Preview

2009-03-02T15:25:00.000-06:00

The Lord seems to be guiding our interests in the Old Testament book of Daniel. I thought it would be beneficial to continue studying in it. Already, on Sunday evenings, we have been through the first two chapters. This Sunday we will look at the third, and perhaps best know, chapter in Daniel.

If you cannot wait until Sunday, watch the preview I have included below.

Wanted Dead or Alive?

2009-02-27T14:25:00.000-06:00

While cleaning out some old files I found an old a comparison between live churches and dead churches. Their differences are worth noting.

Live churches are planning for the future. Dead churches are reliving the past.

Live churches focus on people. Dead churches focus on programs.

Live churches present an unchanging Christ in new forms of ministry. Dead church do things the way they have always been done.

Live churches are filled with tithers. Dead church are filled with tippers.

Live churches are friendly and receptive to visitors. Dead church wonder why they have no visitors.

Live churches focus on what's right with the church. Dead churches look for what's wrong with the church.

Live churches have worship that celebrates. Dead churches have worship that is endured.

Live churches support the wider mission of the church. Dead churches restrict the vision of the mission to themselves.

Live churches dream God's dreams. Dead churches relive nightmares.

Live churches focus on God power. Dead churches focus on human problems.

Does anybody want to be a part of a dead church?

Weakly Workers' Meeting

2009-02-20T14:06:00.001-06:00

I now present the first installment from my Sunday Morning Bible Study teaching improvement department.

A Win for the Seniors

2009-02-13T15:48:00.002-06:00

Age only matters if it matters to you.

The picture above is of Stump, a Sussex Spaniel who won this week's Westminster Dog Show and became the oldest Best in Show winner in dog show history.

At 1o, he is not only the oldest dog ever to win Westminster, he also overcame a near fatal illness that temporarily knocked him out of "show business."

This turn of events reminds me of the wisdom that says the surest way to become an old dog is to stop learning new tricks.

Churches which stop finding ways to reach people for the Kingdom of God will find that old age can be lonely.

Monuments of Grace

2009-02-11T14:11:00.000-06:00

Tonight is prayer meeting night. Below is a great quote I want to place here in order to keep it for as long as blog archives last.

"The idea of prayer is not in order to get answers from God; prayer is perfect and complete oneness with God. If we pray because we want answers, we will get huffed with God. The answers come every time, but not always in the way we expect, and our spiritual huff shows a refusal to identify ourselves with our Lord in prayer; we are here to be living monuments of grace."
--Oswald Chambers

Whose Dog is Dummer?

2009-02-05T16:23:00.001-06:00

I heard recently that dogs were getting dumber. A study carried out by researchers from Stockholm University has found that pedigree dogs are becoming less intelligent. According to researchers this is likely because they are being bred for looks rather for their work ability and strength. More dogs are bred now for looks or personality and fewer for intelligence. Of course, the dumber your dog the more dependent he is on you.

This recent news made me think about our tendency to depend on others, particularly government agencies to solve our problems or soothe our pains. We have come to expect various government sponsored agencies to take care of us when we are elderly, handicapped, unemployed, sick, bankrupt, or victims of natural disaster. (You realize this type of listing could go on and on.) We have become so dependent we can no longer solve our own problems. The dependence on government has grown large. Independence and intelligence are being bred out of us. The mindset becomes, "Why should I accept responsibility? Surely, there is a government program that can take care of me."

I know it is sometimes nice to have someone to take care of you. Every one of us needs a helping hand from time to time. However, eventually the big government sponsored caretaker in going to reach its limit. What will we do then? I guess we could whine until our bowl is filled with clean fresh water, pant until we are allowed to go outside to take care of our business, and yelp until someone throws us a bone. Yes, that is sarcastic and harsh, but if trends continue can we expect different?

The solution has been around forever. "Your heavenly Father already knows all your needs, and He will give you all you need from day to day if you live for Him and make the Kingdom of God your primary concern." (Matthew 6:32b & 33 from the New Living Translation)

Old Lessons I Still Need to Learn

2009-01-30T16:35:00.000-06:00

I have been cleaning out some old papers. I came across this personal note I wrote to myself. I don’t remember when I wrote it. The best date for this, that I can figure out, is sometime between 1996 and 2003. My children were still quite small then.

Nick has been really sick this week with strep and flu. I will dedicate this blog entry to Him. The title I had on the note was “Lessons My Son Has Taught Me.”

1. Don’t hold a grudge.

2. Be glad and excited to see a loved one when they return.

3. A genuine smile is contagious.

4. Energy is not always productive.

5. Just because something is within our reach it is not necessary in our need.

6. Rejection is one of life’s most traumatic experiences.

7. It is easier to dodge obstacles with the lights on.

8. When you hurt, all you want is for the pain to go away.

9. Keep your heart tender.

10. Don’t forget little sister.

And with it was one more learned from my daughter…

11. If you are cute, you get away with a lot more.

No More Night

2009-01-25T16:12:00.002-06:00

This will be the first entry to this blog in over two months. My excuse, it has just been too hard to find the time work on this at the office. Too many other responsibilities have been given priority. However, we have just gotten Internet access at home. The reason for the delay may be the subject of another blog.

Anyway to celebrate my return to cyberspace, I thought I might enclose a musical treat to this blog. It seems appropriate in light of this morning's Sunday School lesson. If you are grappling with any kind of struggle, don't despair. God always holds hope before us in the time of darkness.

Muller was ahead of his time.

2008-11-14T14:50:00.000-06:00

George Müller (1805-1898) was a Prussian-born English evangelist and philanthropist. A man of faith and prayer, he established orphanages in Bristol and founded the Scriptural Knowledge Institution for Home and Abroad.

I mentioned George Muller, Wednesday night. I thought you might appreciate seeing a picture of him. He really was a trendsetter. Notice the fauxhawk and Santa Claus beard. There is a kid in my son's high school band that sports this same hair fashion.

Unnecessary Censorship

2008-10-31T00:12:00.002-05:00

Thad Starr of Pleasant Hill, Ore., won the Half Moon Bay Weigh-Off on Monday for the second straight year, besting his own record for heaviest. Starr's lumpy, 1,528-pounds dominated a field during the weigh-off's 35th annual competition, garnering $9,158 in prize money for the stay-at-home dad and his family.

Starr was four pounds heavier than in 2007 and was grown from the seeds. A mother-daughter relationship, Starr described, was key to his success. "A little lighter than I expected. Of course, everyone wants a world record, but I'm not going to complain about a record like this," he said, giving an affectionate pat.

Leonardo Urena, of Napa, took second place, and weighed 1,405 pounds. Jim Sherwood, who lives in Mulino, Ore., won third place, and weighed 1,260 pounds.

Of 64 entries, 15 were from San Mateo County and ran the gamut from relatively small (200-pound) entries out of the family to the ones that made the forklift creak with their weight.

The contest may not have set a world record, but Half Moon Bay farmer John Muller set a new Coastside and San Mateo County record with 900-pounds he nicknamed "Gluteus." Muller, a city councilman, was so shocked by his heft that he had to wipe some tears away from behind his sunglasses. Muller and his wife, Eda, each enter the contest every year, they grow in a protected patch behind their Half Moon Bay home. Eda, nicknamed "Big Lo" after their grandson Lorenzo, weighed in at 835 pounds, giving John Muller bragging rights at the dinner table.

"I'm catching up, though, Muller!" Eda yelled over the roar of the crowd.

Muller couldn't explain his success. "This year, with Half Moon Bay politics, we didn't spend as much time as we should have. Sometimes a little neglect is good, because they have to grow on their own," he shrugged.

That attitude was a far cry from the fastidious attention lavished on Starr this year. A self-described "obsessive nerd," the 41-year-old father of two spent two hours a day with the six giant contenders. He grew in a greenhouse behind his home — adjusting, snipping and watering. He put a heating coil in the soil to keep the roots at a constant temperature of 70 degrees. He mixed a signature fertilizer potion of worm casings, alfalfa meal and molasses and fed every week. And when it came time to make the long, bumpy trip to Half Moon Bay, he appropriated an old futon to cushion.

"I had a greenhouse inside my greenhouse because it was so freezing for a while. I think when you become a giant, you go kind of nuts. Our saying is 'whatever it takes,' " said Starr, who has been growing giant for three years.

In one of life's little ironies, Starr wasn't even expecting to be able to compete, for months was the runt of the litter, but then had a sudden growth spurt and gained 900 pounds in August at an extraordinary rate of 30 pounds a day.

Groups of children stopped to look in the backs of trailers and pickup trucks on Monday.
A mother came by with her kids and gave Starr a long look. "Isn't this just, like crazy?" she asked. "That's about it," he replied.

The winning will be on display at the Half Moon Bay Art Festival on Saturday and Sunday on Main Street in Half Moon Bay.

All I have done with the above story from Mercurynews.com, was to eliminate any phrase with the word "pumpkin" in it or any pronoun referring to pumpkins, and I have corrected the punctuation. I did this because, let's face it, pumpkins are getting too much attention lately.

Vote Values on Nov. 4 or before

2008-10-24T15:43:00.002-05:00

While I do not endorse all the things presented on these websites, you may find them helpful in determining which candidates most closely match your values. I will be voting according to my values in this year's elections.

Family Research Council

American Family Association

Wallbuilders

On another note, I now regret buying a Mac. Here is a copy of the email they sent me today:

"Apple is publicly opposing Proposition 8 and making a donation of $100,000 to the No on 8 campaign. Apple was among the first California companies to offer equal rights and benefits to our employees’ same-sex partners, and we strongly believe that a person’s fundamental rights — including the right to marry — should not be affected by their sexual orientation. Apple views this as a civil rights issue, rather than just a political issue, and is therefore speaking out publicly against Proposition 8."

California's Proposition 8 is a state constitutional amendment to outlaw gay marriage.

Anybody know a good alternative to iTunes?

Psalm 139:23-24

2008-10-22T09:36:00.000-05:00

A flippant youth asked a preacher, "You say that unsaved people carry a weight of sin. I feel nothing. How heavy is sin? Is it ten pounds? Eighty pounds?"

The preacher replied by asking the youth, "If you laid a four-hundred-pound weight on a corpse, would it feel the load?"

The youth replied, "It would feel nothing, because it is dead."

The preacher concluded, "That spirit, too, is indeed dead which feels no load of sin or is indifferent to its burden and flippant about its presence."

This Blog Is Not Dead, It's Just Been Sick A While

2008-09-04T14:18:00.000-05:00

I have not forgotten about this blog. I have just been unable to attend to it. I don't want it to die. This is my first attempt to breath life into it in over a month.

Most of you know that my family and I have once again been going through some big changes. It is hard for me to imagine that anyone reading this is not aware that we have moved. But, in case someone just happens upon this post, I will iterate: I have accepted the call of First Baptist Church, Bevil Oaks, Texas to become their pastor. My first official day on the job was to be this past Sunday, Aug. 31, but we had to evacuate the Beaumont area because of Hurricane Gustov (Watch for future blog). We have been living in a rented house out in the boonies (Another future blog). We have not had regular access to the Internet or newspapers, or next-door neighbors actually (I smell another blog). We have been trying to buy a house (Yep, blog); this experience is totally new to us. The children have had to assimilate into new schools (Can press out another blog here). We have to learn how to get around and find life's necessities, like Blue-Bell ice cream, in an unfamiliar territory(blog). So, all in all... things are going great. God is blessing us every day.

If you say "blog" twice, real fast, it simulates the sound of the human heart beating. Maybe this message is the electric-shock needed to get this mission of words going again. Say it twice, and breath a prayer for us.

VBS

2008-07-17T20:06:00.002-05:00

Tonight is the last full night of our Vacation Bible School. The theme has been "Cactus Canyon." This theme comes from the Lifeway alternative material. We use the alternative (no, not Tony Evans) because it lends itself more to the mission work we do every summer.

It has been a western theme. Cowboy imagery abounds in the building. Tomorrow night is parent's night. We have probably had our best attended VBS in years. I have enjoyed leading the children in worship each evening.

I really believe in the importance of VBS. Many of the children attending this week have no Christian instruction in their lives, at home or in a church. We have to find ways of penetrating the increasing anti-Christian culture with the gospel. VBS is one way to strike a blow for truth, morality, and the way of Jesus. For Ridgeway, VBS is a whole church event. We involve everyone we can.

I want to say a big "Thank you" to those of you who have sacrificed as we served the Lord in VBS this week.

Last night, three young men professed their faith in Christ. There were others whom, I feel, are near to the point of decision. Please pray for a continual harvest from this week's efforts.

Best Joke of the Week

Dr. Phil: "Boys and girls its time for our motto. What's a motto?"

Children: "Nothing. What's a motto with you?"

Thoughts on In-Laws

2008-07-07T09:48:00.001-05:00

Fathers-In-Law
Men, your father-in-law is always hoping you will turn out better that he suspects you are.
Women, your father-in-law is always hoping you will help his son turn out better than he knows he is.

Mothers-In-Law
Your mother-in-law has analyzed and examined you. A smart mother-in-law keeps her analysis to herself. A brilliant mother-in-law tactfully and selectively shares her insight to better the relationship between you and herself, and you and your spouse.

For the Conquest on the 4th

2008-07-01T16:29:00.003-05:00

In honor of our country's 232 birthday, I have intercepted one of my father-in-law's emails. Richard and Betty were in Florida to watch the launch of the latest space shuttle mission. This message was written to thank the person who helped them get a good viewing location.

Words are superfluous vehicles to express our feelings when Discovery blasted off. My wife has used the word "fantastic" to describe the launch when telling others about our experience. I have run out of superlatives when I attempt to describe the launch, although I have used such words as "incredible," "incomprehensible," "unimaginable," "phenomenal," and "indescribable." Seeing the launch was the realization of many years, and it was even better than we expected. We have watched launches on t.v. for years, but nothing can equate with seeing it in person. We anticipate watching Discovery's safe landing next week.

When the National Anthem was played just minutes before the launch, the crowd rose in patriotic pride and in honor of those in Discovery. I thought that I was going into orbit without a spaceship as I reflected on how proud I am to be an American and how grateful I am for those who have gone into space and those of you who provide the knowledge and skill for them to do so. There was spontaneous applause and cheering when ignition took place, and it continued well into those early moments of flight. I was cheering in my heart and couldn't clap because I had my eye to my camera. Some of my photos are excellent (for a 200mm lens) and I plan to enlarge one and hang it in a conspicuous place in the house.

Also, the memory of Astronauts Grissiom, Chaffee, and White of Apollo One, Astronauts Smith, Scobee, McNair, Onizuka, Jarvis, Renik, and McAuliffe of Challenger, and Astronauts Husband, McCool, Anderson, Brown, Chawla, Clarke, and Ramen of Columbia, was a part of our experience that day as we toured the JFK Spacecenter.

Somewhere, I read Gus Grissom's words, "If we die, we want people to accept it. We're in a risky business, and we hope that if anything happens to us it will not delay the program. The conquest of space is worth the risk of life." That attitude of all those who have been in the Astronaut program, those in it now, and those who will come is one of the reasons why we Americans hold our Astronauts in such high esteem. We are also just as grateful to and proud of all of you at NASA. Thanks!

Some years ago, a friend of mine who worked for NASA, gave me a book about the accomplishments of space exploration. I read with amazement about the discoveries that NASA has made which have benefited mankind. I know that many more discoveries have been made since that publication. It is my hope and prayer that America and all mankind will continue to benefit from your work at NASA as we engage in the "conquest of space."

Hair Today

2008-06-04T16:04:00.000-05:00

I guess mothers and sons will always have... uh... discussions, yeah, discussions about haircuts, and the lack there of. It is part of every generation's right of passage. I have two observations though.

First, there is no accepted standard contemporary men's hairstyle. Almost anything goes--with the exception of the Mullet. Burr or Stringy; High & Tight or 'Fro; I am seeing it all.

However, it seems the teenagers are opting for a modified form of the shag--medium long hair with a curl or swoosh to the side. They want it to look like they have been wearing a hat or blew it dry using one of those blowers found in public restrooms. This strikes me as odd but not repulsive. Think Jonas Brothers.

Second, I am seeing way too many Mohawks. And they are poorly done Mohawks at that. Hey, if the Mohawk is your thing, mow it down. Just get it straight and centered. Some of the ones I have seen lately look like the boy gave it to himself, while sitting in the dark, after taking a load of cold medicine.

If you want a Mohawk, get some help. Perhaps you can get one of those guys who paint the stripes down the center of the highway. They do a good job, usually. I recommended going to see "the other guy" and letting him help you (see Nashville Mysteries below).

The cousin of the Mohawk is the Fauxhawk. This is the thinking man's way of expressing individuality. He can be like everyone else and have a crazy style, while not having to live with the consequences if it turns out wrong. Do-overs are easy when your sporting a Fauxhawk.

But young men are not the only age group opting for a modern 'do. A recent read reminded me of this fact:

"Our supervisor recently made a casual comment about my shaggy mane. He then went on to extol the virtues of a good haircut, which, he insisted, makes an elderly man look younger, and a younger man seem more mature. 'How would a haircut make a middle-aged guy like me appear?' I asked, trying to stump him. 'Employed,' he answered."

Won't Preach

2008-05-30T14:03:00.001-05:00

I have been trying to find a way to fit the following true story into a sermon:

A man attempted to pass a $360 billion check at a bank in Ft. Worth. He claims the check was given to him by his girlfriend’s mother to start a record business.

Charles Ray Fuller, 21, of Crowley, Texas was arrested on April 22 on an accusation of forgery. Police responded to a report of a man attempting to pass the check about 4 p.m. that day at the Chase bank on South Hulen Street in Fort Worth. The personal check was not made out to Mr. Fuller and when the bank contacted the check owner, the woman said she did not write a check for $360 billion.
Mr. Fuller was also accused of unlawful carrying of a weapon and possession of marijuana. He may also face a theft charge in Crowley.
The police lieutenant in charge of the investigation said he did not know if Mr. Fuller and his girlfriend were still together.

I have been preaching through the book of Titus, which is an excellent primer on church growth. I have really enjoyed the series and find myself energized by the texts. However, try as I have, I have not been able to work this story into the messages. I have to conclude that stupid just won't preach.

Summer Plans

2008-05-28T16:26:00.000-05:00

Nashville Public Schools are official out for the Summer as of today. I thought you might like a summary of the activities already scheduled at Ridgeway.

June 1
Annual Church-wide Picnic at Riverside Park on Lake Greeson
Come spend the afternoon fishing, swimming, playing, and enjoying good fellowship. Supper will be served about 5:00. No evening activities or worship at the church building.

June 8
Deacons lead worship services. Church Conference following p.m. worship.

June 14
Preschool Water Day. This event is sure to be all wet.

June 15
Father's Day. Tell Nick and Alex to spend all their money. No evening activities. Spend some time with a dad.

June 19-21
Albert Pike Mission work part I. Sign up to be a worker.

June 20
Wedding Rehearsal 6:00 p.m.

June 21
Lindzy/Bradley Wedding 2:00 p.m.

June 22
Lord's Supper Service 6:00 p.m.

June 22-29
Youth to Glorieta, NM.

June 29
Dr. Phil preaching at SWAHA

July 3-5
Albert Pike Mission work part II

July 13-18
VBS

July 27
Dr. Phil preaching at SWAHA

July 28-August 1
Children's Camp

Of course, there are many other events going to be happening. The August calender is just beginning to be set, but it appears to be a chance for all you busy workers to catch a rest before the children and teachers go back to school.

TommyInTheBox's Musical Interlude

2008-05-21T15:09:00.002-05:00

This is a parody. Just enjoy.
I believe you need Quicktime to listen.
Click below to listen.
Click here to download.
Lyrics are below.

Can’t preach that.
Can’t preach that.

You can’t preach that.
Bad, bad, bad, bad preaching irks me

So hard, Makes me say, oh my word,

What are, you teaching me?

What am I to try to think, heresy?

It’s no good, and it makes me frown,

A really bad exegete breaking it down,

So put it, out of reach

Cuz this kinda stuff, uh, you can’t preach

I told you Joel Osteen

You can’t preach that

Yeah, that’s what you preaching and you know…

You can’t preach that
Get a commentary or something…man…

You can’t preach that.
Yo, let me bust some exegesis

You can’t preach that.

“Send your money, and see

Your bank account grow, you can dress like me.

So move, off of your seat

And get a credit card and catch this beat,

You’ll be rolling, hold on,

The blessings come a flowing

You won’t know what’s going on,like that, like that

Your bank account growing till it’s really really fat,”

Now that’s dirty, like sand at the beach

And that kinda stuff, uh, you can’t preach.

Yo, I told you Creflo Dollar,

You can’t preach that.
Why you keep preaching that man,

You can’t preach that.
Yo, read you Bible, it ain’t in there man,

You can’t preach that.
You want a choice or freedom

Make your decisions, you know you need um.

Now, you know,

If it was up to you you’d always say “no”

You think, you’re right

You call us heretics all day and night
So stop your crazy speech,

Cuz that of stuff, uh, you can’t preach

That’s word Dave Hunt, cuz you know,

You can’t preach that
Man, where are you getting all that stuff from?

You can’t preach that
Man, why you got to call us heretics?

You can’t preach that
Why don’t you just go write your Berean Call,

Break it down.

Stop…Schuller time
“Go with the times,” it is said,

If you preach like this then your preaching is dead,

So wave your hands in the air

Do what you want, people just don’t care.

Just tell them, some tale

About a puppy dog that lost his tail,

Now ready, set, and jump

Just for a minute let’s sell lots of junk.
Junk, junk, junk
Yeah,You can’t preach that
Look man,You can’t preach that
You better get right man cus you know you can’t

You can’t preach that
Read your Bible
School’s back in.
Break it down.

Stop…Phelps time…
(long interlude)
You can’t preach that

You can’t preach that

You can’t preach that

Break it down

Stop…listen up
Paul and new perspective, health wealth, prosperity,

Emerging church, gay marriage, and liberality.
Now why would I ever care for this junk,

I listened to these preachers and each one stunk.
They’re all around the world

From London to L.A.
It’s send me this,

send me that,

send me what you got,

And you’re blessing’ll come today.
You can’t preach that.

You can’t preach that.
Break it down

Nashville Mysteries

2008-05-19T17:19:00.001-05:00

I'm back after a two week hiatus. I have spent more time on the road than in front of the computer. During all this travel time, the family and I have invented conversational topics to help pass the time. One of these conversations had to do with things about our town, Nashville, Arkansas, that we didn't understand, things that baffled us here, or things for which there is no apparent answer. I want to give co-producer credit for this blog to Beth, Nick, and Alex.

First, where is the present home of Life Tabernacle Church? We have lived here nearly eight years, and ever since we have been here there has been a sign on a vacant lot two blocks from our home that reads "Future Home of Life Tabernacle." I don't know where this church is now, and I have never met anybody who ever went there. There has not been any construction at this site. Every once in a while a group will show up to mow the area, and there was a flurry of activity about three or four years ago when we saw some bulldozers pushing around some dirt. We once had a neighbor boy who told us it was going to be a Chinese church and the Mexicans were building it for them. This child was frequently confused however. Nevertheless his explanation is as good as any I have heard to explain the placing of the sign and the existence of the church.

Second, who is "the other guy" at WhiteWay Barber Shop? I mean, what is his actual name? The other day I was making conversation with a man at church and I noticed he had recently gotten a haircut. To continue the conversation I asked, "Who cut your hair?" (It is a conversation starter I have used before.) The gentleman I was talking to responded, "Not Reeder, but the other guy." I knew immediately to whom he was referring. I have lived here so long that I have met literally dozens of men who have gotten their hair cut by "the other guy." Strangely, no one seems to know what his mother called him. A father might call you "the other guy" but never a mother. Contrast this with the fact that everybody in town knows Reeder by name. Although I am not sure if Reeder is his first or last name. Both of these men have been the barbers at WhiteWay Barber Shop since before anyone can remember. It seems that everybody in town knows about them. This group would include those who get there hair cut at WhiteWay, those who get their haircut some other place, and even those who don't have their hair cut at all. Now I suppose I could just go and ask him his name, but I would be too embarrassed, especially after I wrote about him in a blog.

Third, why did the prices at China Buffet go up after the pet store next door closed? I'm not saying; I'm just saying...

Fourth, if you go to the Hispanic Pentecostal Church in Nashville, does that make you trilingual? English, Spanish, and Unknown.

Fifth, who owns Latimer Funeral Home? We have two funeral homes in town. Latimer is no longer locally owned. I have heard this fact repented often. Though it is no longer locally owned, it does locally employ.

Sixth, can you still get mineral water in Mineral Springs?

Seventh, do you have to be employed by the Nashville School District to live in Deerwood Estates? And if you didn't work for the school, would you feel like an interloper or an immigrant?

Eighth, which rooms at the Nashville Motor Inn have been newly remodeled? This is another sign that has been posted for the past eight years. When does "newly remodeled" become just "remodeled" or "in need of remodeling rooms"? However long it is, it must be more than eight years.

Ninth, is there really an alligator in the city lake?

Tenth, what happened to all the barbecue places? When we first moved here it seemed like there were several BBQ places around. Now there is only one of which I am aware, and it is take-out only.

And finally, on Tuesday mornings Nick's youth group was meeting at the Hickory House for breakfast. I would drive him to this meeting. On almost every occasion, either when I pulled into the parking lot or by the time I pulled out of it, there would be a pickup truck with a trailer behind it pulled over to the curb in front of the restaurant. I distinctly remember this truck because the driver would leave the headlights on, which blinded me when I looked back to the left before pulling out into traffic on Main Street. We assumed there was a delivery being made. But it seemed odd for this restaurant to have something delivered in an unrefrigerated Uhaul type trailer every Tuesday morning. What was being delivered to Hickory House?

I realize that the answers to these questions have remained a mystery so long that perhaps none of you even cares about them, but pondering them one night on a weary road trip did make the time and the miles pass more comfortably.

Checking In

2008-05-05T18:12:00.002-05:00

As many of you know, last week was very hectic for our family. I'll write more about my brother's death and the other events later. I just wanted my faithful readers, both of them, to know I'm still around.

Donnie Powell shared this joke with me last night:

Three men working at a skyscraper construction site decided to take their lunch break together.
The first man opened his lunchbox, and upon seeing yet another turkey sandwich shouted "Oh man, turkey again! If I get another turkey sandwich, I'm gonna jump off this building!"

The second man opened his lunchbox, pulled out a container of vegetable soup exclaimed, "Oh man, vegetable soup again! If I get vegetable soup again, I'm gonna jump off this building!"

The third man opened his brown bag, saw a ham sandwich and also yelled, "A ham sandwich! One more ham sandwich and I'm gonna jump off this building!"

The next day all three men broke for lunch.
The first man opened his lunch and saw a turkey sandwich. True to his word, he jumps off the building.

The second man opens his lunch and saw vegetable soup. He jumps off the building.

The third opens his bag. You guessed it--a ham sandwich. He jumps too.

At their group funeral, the respective wives shared their grief.
Wife number one wailed, "I feel so guilty! Why'd I keep giving him the same sandwich?"
Wife number two had similar regrets " I had no idea he hated vegetable soup so much! I feel so guilty!"
The third wife shrugged "I got nothing to feel guilty about. . . he packed his own lunch every day."

The Great and Powerful Oprah

2008-04-25T15:00:00.005-05:00

I am going to be very blunt. Beware of Oprah Winfrey.

A few weeks ago I was approached by a woman, not a member of Ridgeway, and asked about some "Christian" material promoted by Oprah. I was not familiar with the material at the time, but I knew enough about Oprah to warn the woman to be careful. I told the woman, "If it is coming from Oprah, it is probably 'new age' material and definitely not Christian." I did not think anymore about that encounter until this week when I heard an American Family Radio (AFR) announcer mention an Internet video he had discovered that exposed some of the, let's say spiritual, endeavors of Oprah.

I don't watch talk television, so maybe I am behind on discovering what many of you already know. Oprah is not just "new age" in her own personal beliefs, she has become a major promoter (evangelist?) for "new age" doctrine and practice. It took one visit to her website to open my eyes. There are some anti-Oprah videos on the web. I am always skeptical about these agenda driven productions. However, you don't have to see someone else's video to see what Oprah is promoting. It is right there on her own website.

You notice I have put "new age" in quote marks. That is because there is nothing new about these teachings. Well, maybe the packaging, promoting, and technology used now are new. The teachings, however, are just old heresy. In a nut shell, Ms Winfrey and her gurus are saying everyone has to find their own path to God and whatever works for you is good; one just needs to discover his or her path and be happy. By the way, if you don't have a path to God, Oprah and her spiritual advisers will sell you one.

Oprah has denounced the fact that Jesus Christ is the only Way to God and the only hope for humanity. (While she does regard Him as a good teacher. This approach to Christ is a ridiculous hypocrisy that will have to wait for discussion in a later blog.) I am not saying this television talk celebrity is The Antichrist, but according to the Biblical definition, she is certainly antichrist.

1John 2:22: Who is the liar? It is the man who denies that Jesus is the Christ. Such a man is the antichrist--he denies the Father and the Son. 23 No one who denies the Son has the Father; whoever acknowledges the Son has the Father also.

1John 4:2: This is how you can recognize the Spirit of God: Every spirit that acknowledges that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, 3 but every spirit that does not acknowledge Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you have heard is coming and even now is already in the world.

2John 1:7: Many deceivers, who do not acknowledge Jesus Christ as coming in the flesh, have gone out into the world. Any such person is the deceiver and the antichrist.

Watch and pray.

One final word: Oprah used to attend a Baptist church. She describes the beginning of her conversion anyway from Christianity into universalist pluralism (not her term) as being the result of a sermon she heard in which the preacher mentioned the jealousy of God. This statement she took to mean that God was jealous of her. I marvel at the arrogance and conceit that makes Oprah think the Biblical description of God's jealousy means He is envious of her.

Top 10 Things Overheard when the Pope Visited the West Texas Polygamist Compound

2008-04-21T17:51:00.003-05:00

Last week there were two events that dominated network news coverage. They were Catholic Pope Benedict XVI's visit to the USA and the police raid on a fundamentalist Mormon community in west Texas. It would be a real bonanza for the media if somehow these two events could be brought together. I know he didn't go there, but I thought it would be amusing to imagine the Pope juxtaposed with a group of religious polygamists. So in the name of silly entertainment, here they are: Top 10 Things Overheard when the Pope Visited the West Texas Polygamist Compound

10. "How many child seats can you get in that Pope mobile?"

9. "I heard the Holy Father and the Busy Mothers buy their clothes from the same mail order catalog."

8. "No, Your Holiness, I don't think Walker Texas Ranger was involved in the raid."

7. "I haven't seen this many children around since SpongeBob SquarePants day at the Vatican."

6. "Get that man a 10-gallon yarmulke!"

5. "This velvet painting of a bull fighter looks just like the one in the Pope's dressing room."

4. "Your Holiness, let me introduce you. This is Mr. and Mrs. and Mrs. and Mrs. and Mrs. and Mrs.... "

3. "All the women at the convent are married to the same man too."

2. "The Holy Father has a new encyclical? Like anyone cares what he rides around on." (I thank Archie Bunker for that one.)

1. "When in Rome do as the Romans do."

The Many Names of Christ

2008-04-15T16:57:00.000-05:00

I read the following again today. It is not my writing, but I find it inspiring.

CHRIST
To the ARTIST He is the One Altogether Lovely.
To the ARCHITECT He is the Chief Corner Stone.
To the BAKER He is the Living Bread.
To the BANKER He is the Hidden Treasure.
To the BIOLOGIST He is the Life.
To the BUILDER He is the Sure Foundation.
To the CARPENTER He is the Door.
To the DOCTOR He is the Great Physician.
To the EDUCATOR He is the Great Teacher.
To the ENGINEER He is the New and Living Way.
To the FLORIST He is the Rose of Sharon and the Lily of the Valley.
To the GEOLOGIST He is the Rock of Ages.
To the HORTICULTURIST He is the True Vine.
To the JUDGE He is the Righteous Judge, Judge of All Men.
To the JEWELER He is the Pearl of Great Price.
To the LAWYER He is the Counselor, the Lawgiver, the Advocate.
To the NEWSPAPER PUBLISHER He is the Good Tidings of Great Joy.
To the OCULIST He is the Light of the Eyes.
To the PHILANTHROPIST He is the Unspeakable Gift.
To the PHILOSOPHER He is the Wisdom of God.
To the PREACHER He is the Word of God.
To the SCULPTOR He is the Living Stone.
To the SERVANT He is the Good Master.
To the STATESMAN He is the Desire of All Nations.
To the STUDENT He is the Incarnate Truth.
To the THEOLOGIAN He is the Author and Finisher of our Faith.
To the TOILER He is the Giver of Rest.
To the SINNER He is the Lamb of God that takes away the sins of the world.
To the CHRISTIAN He is the Son of the Living God, the Savior, the Redeemer and the Lord.
To me... HE is all of this and more; HE is my everything, my all in all; HE is more than LIFE to me, My soon coming King. What is He to you?

There are many names attributed to Christ, yet He is still beyond description. One of my favorite ways to think about God is as an EMBRACEABLE MYSTERY. It helps my attitude to ponder the depths of what this means.

In My Opinion

2008-04-09T11:44:00.000-05:00

[The following is a guest editorial written by my daughter, Alex. It appeared in the March, 2008 addition of her 6th grade newspaper the Scrap Tat. The opinions expressed here are her own and do not necessarily express the opinions of the management of this blog.]

Who likes the Benchmark? I don't, and I doubt you do. I believe Nashville Elementary would be a better place to learn without the ACTAAP or another standardized test. The ACTAAP takes too much time! Also, we would remember more, if we didn't cram in everything before the test. I wonder... What do teachers really think about this test?

Chunk tests are the best. True or false? So totally false! We already have the Benchmark once a year; we don't need more big tests. Benchmark tells you what classes you'll be in the next year, but Chunk tests tell you what more you need to learn. One per nine-weeks is too many.

On top of the big tests, you have your regular tests with actual grades. Who needs grades to tell us whether we are smart or dumb? Unless they're "good" no one likes them! Tests, I hate them!

If you like tests, you belong in a mental hospital. Testing just tells you what you need to work on. So... If you don't want to work on stuff, cram for your tests! It doesn't even matter if you don't like it; I don't either, but still!

[Those who wish to reply to this editorial or express a different opinion may do so by using the comments option below.]

The Human Touch

2008-04-04T13:10:00.002-05:00

One of the trends among churches in large metropolitan areas is to have a worship service without the preacher actually being present at the site. He hasn't just left the auditorium for an emergency; he was never there. Instead he is in another auditorium, or worship center, preaching before a different crowd. The satellite campus sees him preaching (to them?) on large video screens by simulcast.

I'm wondering how this feels? I am reserving judgment on the trend mainly because I have not had experience with it. I can think of positive and negatives to the worship simulcast experience. Today, I am just wonder how I would feel trying to participate in the worship as a congregant or the preacher.

I have been to conventions and conferences where I have had to sit in the overflow room and watch the events on close-circuit television. I did not like that at all. I felt I could have stayed at home and watched the simulcast on computer, or I could have bought the video tapes and learned from the conference at my leisure. I wonder if I would feel the same if the worship service I attended was led by a person on a video screen. Couldn't I just stay at home and watch church on TV?

There must be something more to the experience, something one only gets by being there. Again, I admit my ignorance and lack of experience. (I know, you are saying, "You don't have to tell us about your ignorance. We've read some of your other posts.")

On the other side, as a preacher, how does it feel to try and reach a congregation you cannot see? I have never been comfortable preaching to a video camera. I suppose the experience is roughly the same. However, I have always seen video tapes as tools to encourage the viewers to come to the actual service--the real thing. I know these multi-congregation preachers have an actual congregation before them, and the satellite campus is an extension of that.

To me, preaching has always been about more than delivering the message. John Stott called it being "between two worlds." It is being in the presence of God in the presence of people. It is acting as that mediator, that conduit, that instrument, that voice for the thoughts of God. Back and forth between the people and the Lord the message flows. Does the satellite congregation get the full force of that flow? Or do they only get the overflow?

There is evidence to suggest that the younger generations have no problem with the video preacher. Michael Duduit's weekly email contained the following paragraphs:

"Those (like me) who wonder about the long-term potential of video venues for churches will be interested in this observation by Frank Luntz in his book Words that Work (Hyperion): 'It is an interesting phenomenon to watch television audiences at live studio tapings in Hollywood or New York. Those older than fifty inevitably will watch the actual performance, even if the actors are somewhat far away and partially obscured by television cameras or lighting.
"'Those younger than forty will watch the performance through the television monitors, even when the monitors are high above them and the actors nearby. Why? Because for younger audiences, it's what comes through the television itself, not the performance, that defines the meaning of live. This can be seen at sporting events, as well. Younger fans watch the action on the 'jumbotron' monitor rather than focusing on the game itself.'
"Pastors in churches where image magnification is used have noticed the same phenomenon: People who are only a few rows from the platform often will turn to watch the preacher's image on the large screen rather than the live speaker right in front of them. I'm not sure of all the implications of such a reality, but it's one to be considered as we think about preaching and technology in the years ahead."

Interesting, huh? Are we being conditioned to prefer life on the tube instead of the action in front of us? I'm still wondering how I would feel. It must be hard to hug the neck of one who is in the next county. Still, we can all kneel and pray... "together?!"

About a Boy and His Dog

2008-04-01T14:29:00.004-05:00

On March 20th, I published a post on this blog entitled "Guest Presentation." (See below.) The post was, by my own acknowledgement, a weak joke. The caption I added said, "I don't know who the dog is." I still don't know who the dog in the picture is, but the more I think about it, I have come to realize that many readers probably don't know who the man is. He is Edgar Guest. Get it... Guest Presentation. I told you it was a weak joke. If one has to explain his jokes he probably shouldn't tell them. I have learned my lesson. I pledge to reform.

Many of you don't know who Edgar Guest was. He was a popular poet in the early to mid twentieth century. You can Google him if you want to know more. I would appreciate hearing from anyone who does know who the dog was.

A Boy and His Dog

by Edgar Guest

A boy and his dog make a glorious pair:
No better friendship is found anywhere,
For they talk and they walk and they run and they play,
And they have their deep secrets for many a day;
And that boy has a comrade who thinks and who feels,
Who walks down the road with a dog at his heels.

He may go where he will and his dog will be there,
May revel in mud and his dog will not care;
Faithful he'll stay for the slightest command
And bark with delight at the touch of his hand;
Oh, he owns a treasure which nobody steals,
Who walks down the road with a dog at his heels.

No other can lure him away from his side;
He's proof against riches and station and pride;
Fine dress does not charm him, and flattery's breath
Is lost on the dog, for he's faithful to death;
He sees the great soul which the body conceals--
Oh, it's great to be young with a dog at your heels!

My Easter Conclusion

2008-03-24T17:44:00.003-05:00

The Living Lord, do you know Him? Do I know Him? Fare question. Yes. I have known Him since I was a child. Oh, I didn’t understand how He could be both God and Man. I’m not sure I understand that now. But I was introduced to Him, and He welcomed me into His family.
I had hope. I hoped not to go to Hell. I hoped that my life wouldn’t turn bad. I hoped that I would not ever know real loneliness.

Now, I thought, early on, maybe there was something I could do to make God like me. So I didn’t fuss when my Mom and Dad made me go to Sunday School. Actually, I liked Sunday School. My friends were there, and the teachers really acted like they wanted to be there as well. And I gave a tenth of my allowance or earnings to the church. It wasn’t hard. A tenth of a dollar is only a dime. I felt like giving my money somehow made it right when that gave me a bulletin each Sunday and a new Sunday School book each quarter. I was contributing, not just taking.

But showing up and coughing up some change now and then weren’t enough, I realized. My problem wasn’t attendance or personal finances; it was distance. Though I knew God was everywhere—the word they taught us was omnipresent—I felt like He was a million miles away.
I was told that feeling was caused by sin. It always seemed odd to me that that little word could cause such a big problem. But that was my problem. I knew it, and God knew it. I was a seven-year-old sinner. Now I hadn’t had much practice at sinning, and I hadn’t had the opportunity to try the major ones the adults always seemed to be concerned about, but I was a sinner just the same.

I had lied. I had cheated. I had stolen. It’s all sin. It’s all distance making. God was far away because my sin had separated us.

I could relate to the picture shown to me in a Billy Graham tract. God was on the right side, and the person was on the left side. In between was a representation of something like the Grand Canyon. A gap so wide it could not be crossed, humanly.

Turn the page and there was something crossing that gap. It was the cross of Jesus. His death had bridged the gap of sin that separated me, and every other sinner, from God.

That is when I learned what trust is. If I trust Jesus, He carries me across that bridge, over the canyon of sin, and into the presence of God. Fiery Hell was no longer a possibility. Who wouldn’t take this offer? I wanted Heaven. I wanted God.

Yes, I know Him. I trust Him.

Jesus was alive from the point of that resurrection. And now He is alive in me.
You can trust Him, too.

Guest Presentation

2008-03-20T15:08:00.003-05:00

(I don't know who the dog is.)

Today, I Need a Hero

2008-03-17T16:19:00.000-05:00

I haven't heard from Norman Schwarzkopf lately. I thought I would share one of his published thoughts today:

"The true rewards of leadership come from striving to live up to a higher moral standard, from trying to do the right thing. Some people get into the 'leadership game' for the next tangible reward-the next promotion, the next pay raise, the next headline. But these individuals are inevitably doomed to disappointment. At the end of the day, they cannot point to these things and say that they are the stuff of which genuine happiness and pride are made.

"Good leaders sometimes-in fact, quite often-lose in the material world. They go right ahead anyway, knowing that they are going to lose... They are are committed to defending the right values. And the right values are seldom safe, easy, or advantageous."

To my generation Norman Schwarzkopf was a hero and a genuine leader. For the sake of my children, I will explain that General Schwarzkopf was the victorious commander of operations during the First Gulf War. Everybody in the US knew and admired him back then.

The leaders I admire most today are a hand full of church leaders, and I will admit I am bias. However, in my estimation beyond them the pickin's get purr'ty slim.

I do think "Stormin' Norman" is right. Good leaders are called to heroics. (These heroics don't have to be on the same scale as his were-most aren't.) You don't have to be a hero to become a leader. However, if you become a leader and don't become a hero, should you stay that leader?

Battle Cry

2008-03-12T15:28:00.000-05:00

This weekend some of our teenagers are traveling to Dallas to participate in the Teen Mania event, RECREATE '08. This event is also known as Battle Cry, and formerly Acquire the Fire. I have a teenager who plans on going. He has revealed to us his excitement about the big picture of the event but has been very fuzzy concerning the details. Parents need details. Dutifully, I went to the Teen Mania website to receive some elaboration. The website was satisfying. In fact, now I am excited for him to go.

Teen Mania has already had one of these events this year in New York City. This is a portion of the press release about a rally that took place following the main event:

Some 500 teens from across the United States rallied in Times Square Friday, Feb. 8, to counter a culture they say glamorizes drugs, sex and violence. The RECREATE ’08 rally showcased TEEN MANIA teens who are out to RE-create entertainment, fashion, the arts and the Web into products that demonstrate positive expression for their generation—the largest generation of teens in U.S. history. With teen suicide, drug use, STDs, eating disorders, violence and anxiety at an all-time high, these teens are determined to cause a “reverse rebellion” by RE-creating an American pop culture that builds up—not tears down—their 29 million-strong generation (U.S. Census 2006).

And I like this headlining quote:

“We’re fed up with culture telling us it’s cool to be rebellious and that you have to sleep around and get high on drugs and alcohol to be accepted.” —Zim Tahir, 19, RECREATE ‘08 rally participant

I'm fed up too. Having the name "Zim" would be cool enough for me.

Somehow the disturbing trends have to be turned around. This morning's paper reported the CDC study that claims 1/4 of teenage girls have an STD. This generation is buying the lie of promiscuity without consequences and chemical highs without let downs. Us older guys need to support efforts to steer them to The Truth, The Way, and The Life.

You can learn more about RECREATE '08 and Teen Mania by starting at www.teenmania.org and clicking around. It looks like the event will be broadcast live on the Internet, as well.

It's Happening!

2008-03-10T15:35:00.002-05:00

Occasionally I will read to my congregation from the Missionary Moments Prayer Guide. This guide presents a missionary to us each week with a brief paragraph about the missionary's work and his or her specific prayer requests.

Frequently the guide will place an asterisk beside the missionary's name. The asterisk means the name given is a pseudonym. The reason for giving a false name is explained in the key to the asterisk as, "Names changed for security reasons." We understand the guide to be telling us that the publication of the missionary's actual name could be dangerous to the missionary. If it were discovered by certain people that there were missionaries in their area, and the missionaries were there to share the gospel of Jesus Christ, the missionaries could be harassed, arrested, deported, or worse.

Up to this point in our experience, the anonymous missionaries had been serving in foreign countries.

However, this past week was the official week of prayer for North American missions. We distributed a prayer guide for our people to use to pray for mission efforts in the United States and Canada and to pray for a missionary or missionary couple serving here in the homeland.

Last Sunday evening, when I was reminding the church to pray for missions, I made the remark that someday we may be reading about missionaries serving here in the United States and find that there has been an asterisk placed beside the name. I said it while only half believing it myself. Would there ever really come a day when a missionary from the USA, serving in the USA, would have to protect his identity? My statement was the result of thinking the forces of political correctness, cultural diversity, and absolute tolerance would someday make it difficult for a missionary, even here in the USA, to share the exclusive claims of the gospel--someday-- maybe.

I didn't know I was speaking prophetically.

This morning I was reading Geoffrey Hammond's sermon from the Annie Armstrong web site. Geoffrey Hammond is the president of the North American Mission Board, and Annie Armstrong is the name of the woman who is honored by having the annual missions offering named after her. The following pronouncement caused me to be stirred with the prickling a prognosticator receives when he comprehends that his perfunctory predictions are coming true. Hammond said, "We have North American Mission Board missionaries whose lives are threatened because of their calling and passion to share Christ to specific people groups and cultures."

He did not say we have to hide their identity, but can that day be far behind?

I realize again just how important prayer for our missionaries is. I also realize it is a day for self-examination. If called upon, would I be willing to be one who has to be protected with an asterisk?

Irritated? Discouraged?

2008-03-06T11:00:00.002-06:00

This quotation is from Michael Duduit's weekly newsletter:
"Speaking at last week's National Pastors Convention in San Diego, John Ortberg related a conversation with Dallas Willard in which John posed the question: How do I determine how my spiritual life is doing?
"Willard responded by saying you should ask yourself two questions:
Am I growing more or less irritated these days?
Am I growing more or less discouraged these days?
"If your answer to those questions is 'more,' it may be that you have allowed your own ego to become the driving force in your sense of personal and ministry identity. Instead, our lives and ministries should be centered on a vision of God. As Willard observes, 'Our life is not an object of deep concern' when we have abandoned ourselves to a vision of the Kingdom of God."

So, how is your spiritual life doing?
Last night we studied the passage of scripture, Joshua 5:13-15. In this story, Joshua is reminded that God is in charge. The reminder was intended to inspire and encourage Joshua. Whatever the situation, God is in charge. If you find yourself often irritated or discouraged, don't wonder if God is on your side. Determine if you are on His.

Infectious

2008-03-05T11:06:00.002-06:00

This year is a bad one for catching the flu. Even those who have had the flu vaccine have learned that it might not protect them this year because of a new and highly infectious strain going around. What can you do? Be careful of exposure to sick people, and wash your hands often.

Disease is not the only kind of infection. Behavior can be infectious. We learn patterns of behavior from one another. However, this type of contagion can be beneficial. Watch the video below and see if you don't catch her communicable condition. There is no need to wash afterwards.

Duty or Delight

2008-03-04T10:56:00.004-06:00

A study by Saint Louis University found that a real dog named Sparky and a robotic dog, AIBO, were about equally effective at relieving the loneliness of nursing home residents and fostering attachments. The study, which appears in the March issue of the Journal of The American Medical Directors Association, builds on previous findings by the researchers that frequent dog visits decreased loneliness of nursing home residents.

The dogs were brought weekly to visit with the nursing home residents. Most of the elderly used Sparky, the real dog, as a confidant, telling him "their life story." The researchers said, "He listened attentively, wagged his tail, and allowed them to pet him."

Those who visited with AIBO, the robot, took a little longer — about a week — to warm up to the metallic creature. Over time, they grew more comfortable with AIBO, and petted and talked to him. He responded by wagging his tail, vocalizing and blinking his lights."

Those involved in the research say it could mean that a world is possible where robots could substitute for living dogs and help people.

This study interests me because we have been studying worship on Wednesday evenings. Central to my theme is that worship, if it is really worship, is a delight and not a duty.

We have a dog who is part of our family. A lot of times he is a real pest, but he is also a friend. I won't say that he worships me, but he genuinely seems to be delighted to interact with me and just about everyone else who comes into the house. He wants to spend time with people, and he shows his joy.

I believe Sparky from the study is probably the same way. He loves to interact with people. The visits to the nursing homes were as much a treat for him as they were for the residents.

AIBO just did what he was programmed to do. The residents might have come to appreciate his predetermined reactions, but AIBO was only doing his duty.

Let's get it straight. We need to worship God. It is not God who needs us to worship Him. God knows when our worship is authentic. He can judge duty from delight. The real issue is: Can we be as discerning? Are we genuinely excited to be in the presence of God? Or are we just showing the appropriate motions, vocalizing, and blinking our lights?

P.S.:
Sara Kiesler, professor of computer science and human-computer interaction at Carnegie Mellon University who was not involved in the study, said the results of the study are encouraging but not completely convincing. The problem is inferring it was the robotic dog that reduced the loneliness, and not the human who brought him into the room. She said another study could compare a visit from AIBO with someone stopping by with a stuffed animal or even just a candy bar.

There is an application here concerning nursing home ministry.

Aww, I Missed It

2008-02-25T14:27:00.004-06:00

We didn't watch the Academy Awards last night. We didn't see who was the best actor, actress, director, or gaffer. We didn't see what (or who) anyone was wearing. We didn't hear any acceptance speeches. We didn't pick up on what this year's politically correct social cause was; we cannot verify whether it was global warming or universal health care. We didn't see any clips from movies we haven't seen. We didn't learn whether the 12 second editing delay ABC had to use for censoring the speeches was necessary. We didn't see who came to the awards with whom. We didn't see whether this year's host was charming, witty, crude, or boring. We didn't catch any of the running jokes. We didn't notice whether there were more references to Barack or Hillary.

We didn't do any of these. We have Dish Network. Our local ABC station is not on Dish Network right now. Dish Network and the local ABC station out of Shreveport are having a feud over...

Wait a minute. Can you guess what they are fighting over? Is it artistic integrity? Is it family friendly programming? Is it charitable efforts among the hungry? It is the nature of atonement? ...No... its money. Both parties want more of it.

To tell you the truth, I didn't know the Academy Awards were going to be last night until I saw it on the morning news program of a different local channel. I didn't know, and I didn't care. I haven't missed ABC. I don't regret not seeing any of the nominated movies this year either. I don't recognize the names of most of the actresses and actors. I sure don't mind missing all the foul language that saturates most movie scripts these days.

Is this what is meant by the saying: Ignorance is bliss?

Encouragement for Bible Drillers

2008-02-19T15:35:00.005-06:00

We are getting close to Bible drill time. There aren't many children still involved in Bible drill. It really is a shame to be losing this discipline. Anyway, the guest video below is just for fun. I post it here to give all you would-be drillers a break from your studies.

Look Up, Hannah!

2008-02-13T15:01:00.005-06:00

In 1940, Nazi Germany was the global menace. Though the people of the United States were slow to realize it, one film, a satire, sought to expose the danger expanding in Europe. The last scene in the movie is moving. Charles Chaplin's character is mistaken for a fascist dictator and is called on to speak to the masses as the triumphant conqueror. He speaks:

"I'm sorry, but I don't want to be an emperor. That's not my business. I don't want to rule or conquer anyone. I should like to help everyone if possible; Jew, Gentile, black man, white. We all want to help one another. Human beings are like that. We want to live by each other's happiness, not by each other's misery. We don't want to hate and despise one another. In this world there is room for everyone, and the good earth is rich and can provide for everyone. The way of life can be free and beautiful, but we have lost the way. Greed has poisoned men's souls, has barricaded the world with hate, has goose-stepped us into misery and bloodshed.

"We have developed speed, but we have shut ourselves in. Machinery that gives abundance has left us in want. Our knowledge as made us cynical; our cleverness, hard and unkind. We think too much and feel too little. More than machinery, we need humanity. More than cleverness, we need kindness and gentleness. Without these qualities, life will be violent and all will be lost. The airplane and the radio have brought us closer together. The very nature of these inventions cries out for the goodness in men; cries out for universal brotherhood; for the unity of us all.

"Even now my voice is reaching millions throughout the world, millions of despairing men, women, and little children, victims of a system that makes men torture and imprison innocent people. To those who can hear me, I say, do not despair. The misery that is now upon us is but the passing of greed, the bitterness of men who fear the way of human progress. The hate of men will pass, and dictators die, and the power they took from the people will return to the people. And so long as men die, liberty will never perish.

"Soldiers! Don't give yourselves to brutes, men who despise you, enslave you; who regiment your lives, tell you what to do, what to think and what to feel! Who drill you, diet you, treat you like cattle, use you as cannon fodder. Don't give yourselves to these unnatural men - machine men with machine minds and machine hearts! You are not machines, you are not cattle, you are men! You have the love of humanity in your hearts! You don't hate! Only the unloved hate; the unloved and the unnatural. Soldiers! Don't fight for slavery! Fight for liberty!

"In the seventeenth chapter of St. Luke, it is written that the kingdom of God is within man, not one man nor a group of men, but in all men! In you! You, the people, have the power, the power to create machines, the power to create happiness! You, the people, have the power to make this life free and beautiful, to make this life a wonderful adventure. Then in the name of democracy, let us use that power. Let us all unite. Let us fight for a new world, a decent world that will give men a chance to work, that will give youth a future and old age a security. By the promise of these things, brutes have risen to power. But they lie! They do not fulfill that promise. They never will!

"Dictators free themselves but they enslave the people. Now let us fight to fulfill that promise. Let us fight to free the world! To do away with national barriers! To do away with greed, with hate and intolerance! Let us fight for a world of reason, a world where science and progress will lead to all men's happiness. Soldiers, in the name of democracy, let us all unite!

"Hannah, can you hear me? Wherever you are, look up Hannah! The clouds are lifting! The sun is breaking through! We are coming out of the darkness into the light! We are coming into a new world; a kindlier world, where men will rise above their hate, their greed, and brutality. Look up, Hannah! The soul of man has been given wings and at last he is beginning to fly. He is flying into the rainbow! Into the light of hope, into the future! The glorious future, that belongs to you, to me and to all of us. Look up, Hannah. Look up!"
--Charles Chaplin from The Great Dictator

In 2008, we have trouble identifying the enemy. Is it Communism, fantical Islam, Secular Humanism, Democrats, or Republicans? None of these, or all of the above? At the core, it is probably our failure to keep looking up. Instead of looking to God for solutions we continue to look to one another.

Even if we don't understand the source of the real problem, in God we know we can find the real solutions.

"I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world."
--Jesus Christ from The Bible, John 16:33

Velvet Love

2008-02-11T16:30:00.000-06:00

I want to praise the nurses of this region. Most of them are hardworking, dedicated, caring professionals. I have gotten to know many of them and seldom have I had a negative experience.

For more than two months my brother has been in the hospital. Because of his special needs, his care requires extra-attention and the nurses have been there to provide it. I cannot drive to Texarkana every day to see him, therefore I call often. During his stay, he has been moved to several different room on various floors. I have spoken to at least a dozen of the nurses who where caring for him. Most of them have been very willing to share with me information about his condition.

However, I have spoken to some, I would characterize as crabby. Maybe they were having a hard day, or maybe I called too often, or maybe they were as frustrated as me about his lack of improvement. Anyway, crabbiness can be felt through a phoneline. Terse answers or non-answers, have a vibe that tells me I have gotten someone who would rather not be talking to me at this time. Crabbiness invite hostility.

I am not a hostile guy. I have learned to apply the Bible to unpleasant situations.

Proverbs 15:1 is a balm for crabbiness. It says, "A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger." It really works.

We live is a hostile world. Hostility begets hostility. Even those whose profession it is to care as a caregiver can be careless and carefree about an attitude that should be carefully caressed.

Apply Proverbs 15:1 to your own 'tude. When you are upset with yourself, give yourself a gentle answer. You deserve a soothing lotion to ease your daily abrasions. If I could put Proverbs 15:1 in a bottle I would call it "Velvet Love."

Equal Time

2008-02-04T15:05:00.000-06:00

This is the response I received today from Reader's Digest.

Dear Phil:
Thank you very much for sharing your comments about our back cover. We welcome reader feedback, whether pro or con, and we promise to share your remarks with our advertising colleagues.

We do want to let you know that we have committed to running the Dove Campaign for Real Beauty ads through the end of this year. The campaign celebrates real women who reject the celebrity-driven obsession with bodily perfection. While we understand that not everyone views the ads with the same perspective, we support the underlying message: be happy with who you are, as you are.

By the way, C.F. Payne's illustrations graced our back cover for nearly five years. We will continue to use his artwork in our pages. Meanwhile, you can view his gallery at rd.com/cfpayne.

We appreciate how much you have enjoyed the magazine over the years, and we are grateful for your support. We are excited about the stories that we have in the works—stories that inspire, inform, empower and entertain. This is the essence of Reader's Digest, and it always will be. Please know that we value you as a longtime reader and hope that you will stay with us and continue to find much to enjoy in future issues. It is heartening to know our magazine has been a part of your family for three generations.

Sincerely,
The Editors

By the way, I am all for rejecting "celebrity-driven obsession," but I do not believe we have to adopt their methods to fight the battle. Dr. P.

Dear Reader's Digest

2008-02-01T15:35:00.000-06:00

The following is a reprint of an email I recently sent.

Dear Reader’s Digest,

I am a third generation Reader’s Digest subscriber. Over the years, I have noticed the subtle changes in the magazine, both in the physical size and the literary content. Up to this point, the most disturbing alteration for me was when the table of contents was removed from the front cover. I gave it a chance though. I thought I would get use to it. Nevertheless, I still miss the convenience of not having to search for the page numbers of the stories that interested me most.

Now you have done away with the back cover art. Our family used to joke that the art work on the back cover made it possible for even the illiterate to enjoy Reader’s Digest. Many times, when the magazine would arrive at our home, my children would ask, “What is the picture on the back this month?” Fortunately, they did not notice its arrival this month. I would have been embarrassed to tell them it was a photo of a nude woman in a soap ad. I know the back cover is valuable advertising space. However, while this change may increase the earnings of the magazine, its value has diminished.

Sincerely,
Phil Holder

Guest Inspiration

2008-01-22T16:37:00.000-06:00

Today, enjoy a short clip from one of the all time great stories. The story is Eric Liddell's, and the clip is from Chariots of Fire.

Baptists Like Water

2008-01-15T14:56:00.000-06:00

Sometimes I will see a news item that gets caught in my thought pattern even though it has no apparent connection to me. It seems to get stuck there, causing me to think about it over and over until I make a connection. One such story was about the drought in the southeast part of the country. The reporter said large sections of Georgia will run completely out of water within two years unless it begins to rain there soon, rain often, and rain a lot.

Having plenty of clean water is an advantage we under appreciate. Most Americans have never had to deal with a water shortage problem, and we figure we never will. In other parts of the world, finding enough usable water is a daily struggle.

The closest I ever came to having serious water problems was when we lived in a parsonage dependant upon well water. Some folks in that community had excellent wells. We did not.

There seemed to be plenty of water in the well. It just wasn't good water. It had sulphur in it. The water smelled awful coming out of the tap and tasted worse. It turned the sinks and fixtures a putrid shade of blue-green.

As the sulphur mixed with the other components in the well water, it formed an acid. This acid would eat tiny pinholes in the copper pipes which ran along the inside of the walls. Many times a plumber would have to come over and remove the paneling or cut a hole in the wall in order to repair the leaks.

Speaking of other components in the well water, I got to know our plumber well. (No pun intended.) He delighted to tell me stories about skunks and other critters that had fallen into wells and become trapped. What do you do if a skunk falls into your well and dies? Not much if it is a well too deep or too narrow to reach him. Just pour in a gallon of bleach to try to kill whatever stench and contaminants you can. One church member assured me that the pump to our well sat on the bottom of the well. Therefore if a skunk did die in the well, he would be floating on the top and we would be drawing "clean" water from the bottom. Would that comfort you?

More discomforting is turning on the faucet and hearing a hissing, blowing, belching sound, followed by only two or three drops of brown water. However, our stinky, slightly yellow water did continue to flow all the time we lived there.

If you have clean flowing water, be thankful and conserve that precious resource. If you get two or three drops of brown water, be patient. The city probably has it cut off temporarily. If you have yellow water, be prepared to call the plumber or to move. If you have no water... Well, I don't know what you do if you don't have water, and I hope you never have to know either.

Newspaper Article

2008-01-07T15:11:00.000-06:00

The following article is scheduled to appear in this week's Nashville News. I thought I would give blog readers an advance read. If it sounds familiar, that's because most of it is from last night's sermon. If it doesn't sound familiar, where were you, or why weren't you listening?

I remember hearing or reading several stories about the fading glory of Christmas. Years ago a telling cartoon appeared in the New Yorker magazine. In the middle of the floor is a dried up, withered, Christmas tree. The calendar on the wall reads December 26. Dad is sitting in his chair with an ice pack on his head. Mom is in a bathrobe and her hair in rollers. The floor is cluttered with ribbon and bows. Junior is reaching in his stocking to be sure that there is no more candy. In the background we see a table with the remains of a turkey still sitting there. The caption on the cartoon reads: The morning after.

Perhaps we feel a little that way. Perhaps we feel somewhat let down. If that is so it is quite understandable. Over the past weeks our emotions have been wound tight. Our activity level has peaked. And then, suddenly, it is all over. Is it any wonder that it is somewhat of a let down? Psychiatrist even had a word for it. They call it Christmas-slump.

When Lou Holtz was at the University of Arkansas, he was taking his team to play a bowl game in Tempe, Arizona. The game was to be played on Christmas day. He was asked how he felt about playing a game on Christmas, rather than being with his family. The coach answered: "I would rather be in Tempe. After all, once you have been to church, had Christmas dinner, and opened the presents, Christmas is the most boring day of the year." Is it possible to lose the spirit of Christmas that quickly?

Many families have given up live Christmas trees in favor of artificial. I remember trying all the tricks to keep it alive. We put aspirin n the water, then we would try sugar, but regardless of the solutions the tree would always wither. Why? Because it had been cut off from its roots.
Maybe that is our problem. Maybe we have trouble making Christmas last because we have become cut off from our roots. Or, to put it another way, maybe our celebration of Christmas is not deeply rooted enough.

In Exodus 34:29-30, it was evident that Moses had spent time with God “When Moses came down from Mount Sinai with the two tablets of the Testimony in his hands, he was not aware that his face was radiant because he had spoken with the LORD. When Aaron and all the Israelites saw Moses, his face was radiant, and they were afraid to come near him.” To put it in the vernacular, God’s glory was all over Moses. God’s glory was a blessing that changed the life of Moses. Moses experienced the glory of God and desired more of the glory of God. He had to keep refreshing himself with the presence of God in order for the evidence of the glory of God to remain. However, Moses remained humble.

Humble people feel unworthy of any blessing or honor bestowed upon them. In 1979 a Roman Catholic nun, Mother Teresa, was given the Nobel Peace Prize. Most of her adult life was spent ministering to the poor and diseased in Calcutta, India. She accepted the prize with the comment, "I am unworthy." The humble person receives at Christmas the greatest prize of Christ and responds likewise, "I am unworthy."

Our God comes to humble people. It is a paradox that the best people consider themselves the worst sinners. The greatest leader of Israel, Moses, was told by God at the burning bush to remove his sandals for he was on holy ground. His sandals represented his sinfulness. The great prophet, Isaiah, confessed, "I am a man of unclean lips." The great Christian, Paul, confessed that he was "chief of sinners."

Legend tells us when the funeral convoy of Charlemagne came to the cathedral, they were shocked to find the gate locked by the bishop. "Who comes?" shouted the bishop. The heralds answered, "Charlemagne, Lord and King of the Holy Roman Empire!" Answering for God, the bishop replied, "Him I know not! Who comes?" The heralds, a bit shaken, answered, "Charles the Great, a good and honest man of the earth!" Again the bishop answered, "Him I know not. Who comes?" Now completely crushed, the heralds said, "Charles, a lowly sinner, who begs the gift of Christ." "Him I know," the bishop replied. "Enter! Receive Christ’s gift of life!"
When in humility, we see ourselves as nothing, God can create something out of our nothing. When we stop and think that God in Christ loves us by coming to earth to make us good, we are overwhelmed with gratitude. Then the glory of “God with us” can remain all year round.

40th Anniversary

2008-01-04T16:33:00.000-06:00

Dear Ridgeway Members and Friends,

As you probably know by now, on Sunday, January 13, our church will be celebrating our fortieth anniversary of ministry as a church. The day is to be a homecoming event. We will have our Sunday School and morning worship service at the regular time. Afterwards there will be a special luncheon. Following the meal, we have planned for an afternoon service of sharing and remembrances beginning at 1:30.

As a part of the life of Ridgeway, your experience here is an important part of our history and our future. We want you to be a part of this day. We are compiling a commemorative scrapbook of the occasion. When you come, please come with either a note prepared for placement in the scrapbook or a special memory you can share at the afternoon service. You can share a word of encouragement or recall an experience that has been especially meaningful. We thought it would be nice to build up one another with our thoughts about our church. The scrapbook will become part of the church history. We want you to be a part of it and be remembered by future generations of Ridgeway members. Of course, it is not necessary for you to do anything in order to attend.

We are looking forward to this day. You are encouraged to bring guests with you. Perhaps you know a former member who would enjoy being a part of some or all of the day’s events. Invite them to come with you. I am looking forward to a great day of celebration.

In Christ’s Love,
Bro. Phil

P.S. If you cannot attend, you can post a comment on this blog, and I will print it for the scrapbook.

Merry Christmas

2007-12-24T12:47:00.000-06:00

For those of you who have the time this busy holiday season to look at this blog, I do not want to disappoint you with a lack of an update. You visit here expecting something, and you have found it. This is your update, and I will admit it has been poor so far. In order to remedy that, let me share with you a gem of illumination.

It seems to me, that everyone at the original Christmas celebration, you know, the one in Bethlehem, had great expectations. In fact, everyone who sought out Jesus, throughout His life, came with expectations. Now I encourage you to verify this next statement or debunk it. Those who came to Jesus with selfish expectations were disappointed, and those who came with unselfish expectations were delighted.

What does that say about the way we should approach Christmas in 2007?

Monday Debrief

2007-12-17T16:04:00.000-06:00

I started this post on Monday and then was distracted by life. Isn't that always the way it is. We make plans, even minor plans, and they get interrupted because something else becomes urgent. The urgent trumps the important.

Anyway, on Monday I was trying to tell you about our return home from the 50th anniversary celebration. We got home Sunday night. It was a joyous and exhausting weekend. I am glad to have been a part of it.

We had an interesting excursion on Sunday morning. We visited Second Baptist Church, Houston. I like visiting other churches when I can. One of the treats, we enjoy on Summer vacations is visiting with congregations small and large. Second Baptist would fall into the large category. It was very easy to slip, undetected, into the crowd of 25,000 that worships on their five campuses. This church has an average attendance of more than 4 times the number of people living in Nashville, not to mention those dead in Nashville.

On that Sunday morning, the Second Folks presented their Christmas program. It was outstanding. I hesitated when writing the first sentence in this paragraph because I am not sure how Second Baptist refers to their congregation. Many Baptist church call their congregations "family." We do that. We are the Ridgeway Family.

The family title has a closeness connotation that fits in most small churches. As a family we love each other, tolerate each other, take care of each other, and know each other. I am sure Second Baptist members are taught to love and care for each other. I am not sure how well one can get to know 25,000 other people.

Maybe, they are the Second Baptist Flock. A flock hangs out together, has a shepherd, eats a lot, and generally does everything as a group. But at Second, it seemed that everyone was doing their own thing. Walking on their campus gave me the impression of going to the mall. There was a lot of activity and a lot of space in which to do it, but everyone has their own interests in being there. Instead of a flock, they were more like a herd, altogether in the same general location but each member finding their own place to graze or explore.

Family and flock didn't seem right, so I just called them folks. Good folks they were. Their worship was moving, inspiring, and nourishing. I was glad to have been a part of the herd.

Here comes life. Gotta go.

My Tribute

2007-12-12T11:51:00.000-06:00

I won't be at Ridgeway this Sunday. B.C. Bowers will be our guest preacher. B.C. is a lay preacher and a member of the church that helped rear me in Wake Village.

I won't be at Ridgeway because I'll be in Baytown helping celebrate the 50th anniversary of my inlaws, Richard and Betty Steel. I know I have spoken of them in past blogs, but I come not to bury them but to praise them.

Dr. and Mrs. E. Richard Steel of Baytown

will celebrate their 50th anniversary on
December 21, 2007.
Their children include
Rick and Melody Steel of Oak Ridge North, Texas

and Phil and Beth Holder of Nashville, AR.

They have four grandchildren,

Kayla and Kasey Steel and Nick and Alex Holder.
Richard was pastor of Cedar Bayou Baptist Church for 24 years

and Mrs. Steel was employed by GCCISD at Harlem Elementary for 21 years.

The couple are long time residents of Baytown.

Their children invite friends to a reception

at Cedar Bayou Baptist Church

on Saturday, December 15th,

from 2:00 to 4:00 p.m.

No gifts please.

The greatest product of this marriage was, of course, my wife. The third greatest would be her brother. The second greatest is reserved for an item to be named later. I would not want Rick to be thought of as "number 2." That phrase has childish bathroom connotations.

Richard and Betty have been great inlaws. I am not just saying that because we have always lived a long distance from them. I think greatness can be evaluated by the debt of gratitude owed. We owe truly great people an expression of thanks. I am grateful for Richard and Betty.

Andrae Crouch wrote a song we used to sing in church. Though he wrote it for the Lord, the sentiment in some of the lines expresses my heart. He wrote:

How can I say thanks

For the things you have done for me,

Things so undeserved,

Yet you gave to prove your love for me.

The Steels are givers. For those who deserve and those who don't deserve, they give. They each devoted their lives to service, as a pastor and a teacher. All they have done in their professional and personal lives has been as servants--giving of themselves to others.

As the kids would say, "Let me go all Andrae Crouch again on ya."

To God be the glory,

For the things He has done.

And for the things you have you done, Richard and Betty.

End of the Year Specials

2007-12-05T10:52:00.000-06:00

Each year ends in busyness. Not just Christmas shopping, but important work completion. Ridgeway is busy with budgets and team assignments. Although it is a busy time, it is also a time to take advantage of some unique opportunities. Therefore I present this list of:
“Special things you can do during the Christmas Season that would get you committed to a mental institution at other times of the year.”

Set your alarm clock on Thanksgiving night. Get up at 3 a.m. Drive 50 miles to sit outside a store for an hour in the cold. Save $10 on a gift you would not have bought otherwise to justify spending money you don’t have on gifts you don’t like for people you barely know.

Send your children to school in their bathrobes. Have them take part in the crowd on stage in the auditorium that is singing sentimental songs about the weather.

Tell a fat person it’s okay to overeat.

Cut down a live tree and put it in your living room. Take lights outside and scatter them around your yard. Hang your socks on the fireplace mantle.

Stop your car in front of a stranger’s house. Get out and admire the way they have decorated their home. Walk up on the porch and start singing.

Put on a fake beard and stocking cap. Walk into public places and ask the people you meet if they have been naughty or nice.

Give tightly wrapped packages to people you don’t know. Don’t tell them what is inside. Tell them not open them until the 25th because you don’t want them to miss the big surprise inside.

Hide brightly decorated eggs in your backyard. (Oops, sorry, wrong time of year for that.)

Get a bunch of friends together. March down Main Street together. Have some of them play musical instruments loudly. Have others drive really slow moving decorated vehicles. Run all the traffic lights. Throw candy at people on the sidewalks.

Attempt to make fudge.

Buy and eat a fruitcake.

I hope you enjoy the holidays.

After Prayer Meeting

2007-11-29T09:34:00.000-06:00

The following is a song we were talking about last night after prayer meeting. I don't know this guy, and I don't endorse anything else he produces or any other videos that may be linked to this one. The song is fun, and in its own way it expresses the confusion many sincere believers have about the end times. Enjoy it, and read further in your bible.

Guest Speaker

2007-11-28T13:10:00.000-06:00

For those of you who have been visiting this blog only to be disappointed because it has not been updated, I direct you to the following link. I think you will need quicktime player. Go ahead and click. It is brief. It won't hurt you and may even inspire you. It comes from one of the most inspirational people of all time and a true American hero.
http://www.stanford.edu/group/King/publications/sermons/multimedia/KAM.htm

Amen.

Walking Main

2007-11-16T11:11:00.000-06:00

Nashville, like any town, has some distinctions. I would welcome any challenges to the following assertion; but I believe Nashville must have the road with the most names of any road in Southwest Arkansas or other parts of America. Running, primarily, east and west and crossing North Main Street is this avenue of eminence. At various points (this is all within the city limits) it is called the Prescott Highway, Highway 371, Peachtree, Isaac Perkins, Bishop, 4th Street, Sunset, and the Lockesburg Highway, and again, it is all the same road. Highway 371 must be the most official name because the state of Arkansas gave it that name. I am sure the naming of a state highway has to involve senators and representatives and governors and high officials and all that stuff we hear about on the news. It had to be complicated to come up with 3, 7, 1, and the more complicated it is, the more official it must be.

It seems to me we could have shared some of those other names elsewhere, especially since there are roads in town with no names, or just one name, and sometimes two different roads with the same name, like our Pine Streets. Furthermore, we have some long and winding roads like Pump Springs Road, which is actually not in the city but seems to go on forever and cross every road north of the city limits. Most of the people outside of the Nashville city limits live on or off of Pump Springs Road. This fact can make it difficult to find them or convenient not to find them depending on one’s aspirations.

The busiest street in Nashville has to be Main Street. Nashville still has an active downtown district, and Main is the artery that flows through and feeds the heart of the town. Because of the vehicular traffic, and because this road is only supposed to be a two lane road, between the hours of 2 and 4 in the afternoon it can be exceedingly difficult to make a left turn onto or off of Main. This daily phenomena can result in interesting traffic snarls, and some creative driving. Remember the old adage: Two wrongs don’t make a right, but three rights do make a left.

I did my annual walk up and down Main Street Thursday afternoon. Every year I start at the intersection of Main and the road of distinction. You remember, old Prescott Highway, Highway 371, Peachtree, Isaac Perkins, Bishop, 4th Street, Sunset, and the Lockesburg Highway. I do this walk to hand out flyers to all the businesses on Main. The flyers advertise our annual Thanksgiving Day Dinner. Every year on Thanksgiving, Ridgeway members provide a free meal to anyone who will come and eat it. It is a ministry to those who would be unable to have a nice Thanksgiving dinner otherwise.

This year I walked from the road of distinction all the way down to the First National Bank. Somewhere along that trek North Main becomes South Main, which is before it become Dodson Street, which is before it also becomes 4th street.

By the way, First National Bank used to have a location on North Main as well as South Main. However, that was before it was First National Bank. Back then it was Citizens’ Bank. It couldn’t be First National Bank because Regions Bank was First National Bank before it was Regions Bank. Regions Bank still has two locations on Main Street, but they are right across the street from each other. These should not be confused with the other bank on Main Street, Diamond Bank, which used to be Diamond State Bank. All these banks have other branches in other towns, and I am not sure what they call them there.

Nashville people, however, like to name places or rename them. It all gets complicated, but I am sure it is official.

7 Weeks of Light Work

2007-11-13T14:17:00.000-06:00

Normally, I don’t like Monday holidays. I always have business I feel has to be done before Tuesday, and with the banks and post offices closed my style is cramped. Today, however, has been different. After an exceptionally busy weekend, I have taken it much slower today. There were several small chores that I have gotten done. I especially enjoyed not having to sort through a stack of mail.

Today, I will be brief. As we rush into the holidays, let us not forget the positive impact we can make on lives during these last 7 weeks of the year. Let your friends and family know you are truly thankful for salvation and eternal hope. Be ready to share the Christmas message as often as you share a Christmas gift. The world needs hope, right now and always. Light up the world by letting your candle glow. That is, show the love that God has shown you.

Thoughts to chew on:
"God gives talent, work transforms talent into genius." -- Anna Pavlova
"You never achieve real success unless you like what you are doing." -- Dale Carnegie
"It only takes one person to change your life--you." -- Ruth Casey
"You have within you right now, everything you need to deal with whatever the world can throw at you." -- Brian Tracy
"Do what you can, with what you have, where you are." -- Theodore Roosevelt
"The lure of the distant and the difficult is deceptive. The great opportunity is where you are." -- John Burroughs

Mother-in-law Visits the Land of Good Intentions

2007-11-06T16:25:00.000-06:00

I begin by saying I love my mother-in-law, and I am glad she does not use the Internet. I really enjoy when she comes to visit us. Among her many fine traits, she has one quality that endears her to my family. She has a servant heart and is an obsessive/compulsive house cleaner. She will clean anything she can reach. She possesses a special sixth sense that seeks out things to clean.

Her work does not go unnoticed or unappreciated. My father-in-law likes to tell of the compliments he hears about her when he walks through their neighborhood. One neighbor, after observing her sweeping the street in front of their house commented, “That’s the hardest working woman in the village.”

When mother-in-law visits us, she finds plenty to occupy her time and her passion. I feel I do her a service just by being messy. She has no problem entering the Land of Good Intentions and performing her own brand of social engineering.

Overpopulation? No problem. If a resident is not recognizable and useful, he is immediately deported. Image means nothing; even a once desirable morsel can find itself homeless if it no longer has any special appeal. Good intentions don’t matter. Bottom line, if you have no use to me now, you have no place in my refrigerator. You may think this is cruel, but for Mother-in-law, the refrigeration can be a cold place.

I am grateful there are people like my Mother-in-law, individuals who are there to joyful carry out life’s dirty jobs. Others like me, who become sentimentally attached to a half-eaten burrito, would soon perish from the earth, probably from food poisoning, if it were not for those who care enough to enter the Land of Good Intentions with the best intentions. She gets it done. No mess stands a chance in her presence, except… Let me interject here: Some mountains we are not expected to climb. Some oceans don’t need to be crossed. Some valleys are so low they aren’t worth a visit. Even for the best in the cleaning business, there are challenges they will not make their own... Understandably, Mother-in-law refuses to enter my son’s room. She's not crazy just clean.

Social Issues in the Land of Good Intentions

2007-11-01T16:42:00.000-05:00

As promised, I return to my discussion about leftovers. I flatter myself by thinking that anyone even cares about my observations concerning the issue. However, we have all had to deal with leftovers. Maybe this writing will spark your imagination or cause you to think of a solution. I have even asked myself, "WWJD about leftovers?" The answers are not easy.

So, after we’ve enjoyed the meal, we put the uneaten parts of the meal we enjoyed the most away in the refrigerator intending to return to take out the morsels and once again experience the pleasure of consuming them. It does not always work out as planned. Issues develop.

The refrigerator becomes a microcosm for some common issues with which our society struggles on a larger level. The first issue is change in image. How important is image? By image, I mean the opinion or concept of something that is held by the public. Does the popular acceptable concept matter? Well, image is not everything, but it does affect the way we interact with each other. Loss of image can even become loss of identity. This fact is illustrated by a visit to the Land of Good Intentions. We go to the Land of Good Intentions to enjoy the pleasure of dining, however the food that once look good no longer does. Its image has faded; maybe its identity is lost. It is passed over. The good which was intended does not happen.

The second issue is overpopulation. There are often too many good intentions in the Land of Good Intentions. Too many good intentions can crowd out the best intentions. Leftovers can be forgotten. Forgotten leftovers turn into__(?)___. (Well, I don’t know the proper word for them, but they are certainly undesirable.) Overpopulation can lead to loss of individuality and open hostility. In the Land of Good Intentions, forgetfulness abounds. We forget what something is (or use to be). We forget when we originally put it there. Forgotten residents become offensive. They begin to emit an odor that spreads to the other residents, even recent immigrants.

Overpopulation is never good. Loss of image can be painful and sickening. But what can be done? Be sure to return to this blog for the (exciting?) climax: “Mother-in-law Visits the Land of Good Intentions.”

Back Online

2007-10-29T13:48:00.000-05:00

I am back online. I haven't been writing lately. Let me explain. Two weeks ago the DSL modem on my computer stopped functioning. There is no place locally to get one. Therefore a replacement had to be mail-ordered. It is now in place and appears to be functioning quite well. Actually, I believe it was only the power cord which was malfunctioning. We now have two good modems but only one working power cord. Anyway...

My goal has been to update this blog at least twice a week. As noted, that has not been happening. You understand some of the reasons why. I do intent to get back to my fascinating serial, The Land of Good Intentions. However, that will have to be at a later date.

Today, I must remind you that Wednesday is Reformation Day and Halloween. Ridgeway will be hosting an outreach event on our parking lot from 6 to 8 p.m. It is called Trunk or Treat. This event will be a safe environment for trick or treaters and their families to come, receive candy, play games, and experience a gospel witness. This outreach has been very successful in the past. We pray that our light will again shine in this community.

Since I mentioned Reformation Day, let me share a very simple outline of what I believe is the process for modern reformation. Reformation is a longing for which many of us are praying. I long to see our culture changed. I long for revival and returning to God. If you long for the day of wide-spread revival, know that reformation must first be personal, then relational, then missional, then structural, and finally cultural.

The process of reformation begins in the individual. You and I must seek God because we need Him. Only then can we hope to change our world, which desperately needs Him. We need to strengthen relationships with others, believers and those yet to respond to the gospel. We need a fresh vision of how we are going to fulfill the Great Commission in the place where God had planted us. We need to adjust our lives and our churches to follow the vision. And when the church becomes what God intends for it to be, we will see our culture change. Soli Deo Gloria!

The Land of Good Intentions

2007-10-15T14:20:00.000-05:00

For two weeks my family has been the special recipient of extravagant Christian outreach and concern. Our neighbors, the wonderful Ridgeway people, and the members on my mother’s church and neighborhood in Wake Village have sent us cards, plants, and FOOD—lots and lots of food. We received so much food we could not eat it all. I tried, and that fact leads me to the issue of today’s blog.

So what do you do when you have more food than you can consume? I’ll be upfront and say I hate waste. And here’s more honesty. I re-gifted a pie. Someone in Wake Village gave us a pie. It looked delicious. I wanted to eat it. I brought it home intending to eat it. At home, however, we already had cakes, pies, cookies, and more was coming in. When Beth and I learned that a church member had lost a grandparent, we went to express our sympathy to them, and I took them the pie. I did tell them I was re-gifting. I didn’t tell them we had dropped it in the car, shhh. (It was still in the box, and only some crust had broken off.)

Back to the original issue, what do you do with leftovers? If you are like me, you put them in the refrigerator or as I like to call it, The Land of Good Intentions. When food is good, but you have more than you can consume, why not save it for another time? I’ll tell you why. There is an irony about The Land of Good Intentions. Even in The Land of Good Intentions, good food can go bad.

Now, I eat most of the leftovers at our house. I usually go home for lunch. The other three members of our household eat whatever they are passing out in the school cafeterias. It is more convenient for them. And our former governor worked hard to make sure it would be healthier. So, about noon everyday, I visit The Land of Good Intentions…alone…and unarmed…

(Visit back for the continuation of this blog. Next episode: “Social Issues in the Land of Good Intentions.” And join me for a future episode: “Mother-in-law Visits the Land of Good Intentions.”)

Ruth's Casket

2007-10-09T16:01:00.000-05:00

Last night, I read an interesting little note in the newsmagazine that comes with the Monday addition of the Nashville News. It said the casket in which Ruth Graham was buried was made by a prisoner in Angola State Prison in Louisiana. I wanted to know more, so I did a little internet research.

The casket was indeed made by prison lifer Richard Liggett. Liggett started making coffins for prisoners who died at the prison. He and a crew of men who worked with him built coffins from birch plywood, lined them with foam padding covered with fabric, and put brass handles on the side. A cross typically adorned the top. The total cost of each coffin was a modest $215. Ruth’s coffin was one of these. The only modification was extra handles because of the extra transporting of Mrs. Graham’s remains before final burial. A matching coffin has been made, purchased, and stored away for Ruth’s husband—evangelist Billy Graham.

Liggett died an inmate at the Louisiana State Penitentiary. He was 31 years into a life sentence for second-degree murder. Christ found and claimed him there, and he spent his final years not only building caskets, but sharing the gospel with fellow-inmates. "You would never think he'd be a prisoner. He wasn't all marked up," said Burl Cain, warden of Angola Prison. "He just did a terrible thing, one time in New Orleans." The prison has a Bible college and chapel. Cain said many of its 5,108 prisoners are Christian, having found Christ while behind prison walls.

The Grahams' son, Franklin, saw Liggett's work on a visit to Louisiana's penitentiary at Angola and was struck by its simple beauty. Liggett died of cancer in March, nearly 31 years into his sentence. He was buried in one of the last coffins he built.

Notice the beautiful irony. The same type of structure that encloses the remains of murderers and rapists will one day house the remains of the world’s best know Christian. It reminds me that we must all stand before God in judgment. It does not matter what kind of casket covered our used up bodies as long as our eternal spirits are covered by the saving blood of Christ.

Sentimental Numbers

2007-10-05T11:19:00.000-05:00

In the Bible, certain numbers have a special significance, a significance which goes beyond their obvious value. I immediately think of numbers such as 3—which we associate with the trinity, 7—associated with completion, perfection, and God. Some of the other numbers found in the Bible, and having special significance, are 12, 40, 666, and 144,000.

In life, there are numbers to which we attach a special significance. These numbers have a sentimental value. The number 1 has a sentimental value. The first of anything is significant. A first anniversary is special. Any anniversary with a 0 or a 5 at the end of it tends to have a special significance in our minds, especially 25, 50, and 75. 100 is also significant to us. 100 of anything seems like a lot. For most teenagers, 16 is an important number. At age 16, many teens begin driving, legally. 18 and 21 are important ages. 65 (or for my generation, 67) is an important age. Most any other age is just a number; real age is just a state of mind.

Some numbers become significant to us only on an individual basis. One such number in my life was 8,384,223. That number may strike you as odd, but I assure you I am being serious here—yes, unusually serious for this blog. You see, 8,384,223 was the phone number of the house on Greenfield Drive where I grew up. This was the number anyone could dial to reach my mother until she passed away last Saturday morning. For 42 years, a friend, associate, or telemarketer could dial 8,384,223 and at various times reach Jerry, Louise, David, Steve, Laurie, or Phil. Mom, however, used this number the longest.

We discontinued the use of 8,384,223 this past week. There was no need to keep it in service and good reason to have the phone disconnected. When we contacted the phone company and told them to stop service on the line, they acted swiftly. In less than five minutes there was no trace of a dial tone. It seemed sudden even though it was expected. (Please, see my brother’s blog at drdave3.blogspot.com for more on the significance of that statement.)

I dialed 8,384,223 just a little while ago, even though I knew it was inactive. The recorded voice on the other end told me she was sorry. She told me what I already knew, and then she hung-up.

Mom does not need a phone now. She now dwells with the Lord, the same Lord with whom she so often talked. There is not any number I can dial now to talk to Mom. I know, however, I will talk to her and Dad again, someday, along with all those who have called upon the name of the Lord in saving faith. Someday, 8,384,223 will be significant to someone else. Someday, it will have new life. For now, I mourn the passing.

Update

2007-09-26T08:29:00.000-05:00

I am sorry I have not written in over a week now. My goal has been to write here at least twice a week. Sometimes, however, in the midst of the fun, life happens and priorities have to change.

As most of you know, my mother went into the hospital last Wednesday with a tumor on her brain. She has battled cancer for two years. The tumor is operable. We were told yesterday afternoon that the surgery will either be Thursday or Friday. The surgeon is very confident the surgery will be successful. Mom is also battling depression. I appreciate your prayers for both her physical and emotional well-being.

The words of Isaiah 26:3 keep echoing in my mind.
You will keep in perfect peace
him whose mind is steadfast,
because he trusts in you.

I know many of you also have friends and family who are battling illness. I plan to be at Prayer Meeting tonight, and we will update each other.

Thinking Alike

2007-09-17T14:25:00.000-05:00

Saturday, I shared my wants. Today, Steve May’s Monday Morning Memo addressed the same subject. Since I have been preaching about providence in the book of Ruth, I thought sharing Steve’s thoughts would be the right thing to do. He writes:

“Ben Stein said, ‘The first step to getting the things you want out of life is this: Decide what you want.’ This sounds obvious, but the fact is that many can't articulate what they want, beyond the vague desire to ‘be happy.’

When we invest time thinking about what we really want, we learn some things. First, we learn that we don't really want what we think we want -- not enough to do something about it. We don't want to be healthy enough to give up unhealthy food; we don't want a good family life enough to give up golf; we don't want to change the world enough to sacrifice a little money.

We also learn that many of our wants are in conflict with one another. We want financial peace but we also want to spend according to our whims; we want to be leaders but we also want to be ever popular; we want to be spiritual but we also want to hold on to our favorite sins.

David wrote, 'Take delight in the Lord and he will give you your heart's desires.' (Psalm 37:4) Putting God first empowers us to prioritize our wants -- to eliminate the ones that don't belong on the list, to focus on the things that truly matter.

What do you want, really want? Is it enough to do something about it, enough to do without something else? Is it in line with the desires of God's heart? Do you know what it is?

I encourage you to spend some time evaluating yourself, identifying what really are the desires of your heart. Then bring them to God. Lay them at his feet; let him open the windows of blessing in your life. --Steve May”

Amen.

Wants Review

2007-09-14T11:10:00.000-05:00

I have had in mind the idea of writing about dreams, goals, and vision, and I will at a later date. Before I do, let me share a little about my experience with writing out my wants.

This week I was searching my bookshelf and noticed a book I read several years ago. Seeing the book caused me to recall an activity the book suggested. Readers were challenged to make a list of 100 wants. The idea of the book was we don't get what we want because we have not expressed what we want. These wants weren’t necessarily to be needs or even possibilities, just wants. I did this activity but have not thought about it in years.

After a search, I found my 100 wants list from years ago. I was surprised by how many of my wants have become realities. I think it was a good activity. Now, I am going to be vulnerable here because wants are very personal, but let me share some of yesterdays wants that are today’s realities. Here is a sample:

I wanted to finish my doctorate.
I wanted a better van.
I wanted to try lobster.
I wanted a new computer monitor.
I wanted a new television.
I wanted a freezer.
I wanted a coffee maker.
I wanted a new dining room set.
I wanted a cell phone.
I wanted to register to vote.
I wanted not to have to wear glasses or contact lenses all the time.
I wanted a family portrait.

Some of the wants I listed then are still wants but have not become realities. Such as:

I wanted to discover a cure for whiners.
I wanted to baptize 100 people in a single year.
I wanted to ride in a blimp.
I wanted a hot tub.
I wanted to go skiing.
I wanted to visit all 7 continents.
I wanted a recliner.
I wanted to go to a professional football game.
I wanted to sing back-up for Luke Garrett.

Some of the wants are just interesting or were partially realized.

I wanted to learn Spanish. (I worked on it a while.)
I wanted a clean office. (It was once.)
I wanted to help churches grow. (Still working.)
I wanted to maintain a positive attitude. (Did, lost it, did, lost it, did, etc.)

I have only shared about a fourth of the content from that list. Two more caught my attention. I wrote down that I wanted to spend a day watching the Mexia grass grow. I am not sure why I ever wanted to do that. I don’t now.

Finally, I wrote that I wanted a perfect day. I wonder what I had in mind. That will have to be the subject of another blog.

Remake

2007-09-10T16:37:00.000-05:00

This weekend, I shared with a group of men my thoughts on doing a remake of the classic 1956 Cecil B. DeMille movie, The Ten Commandments. I understand there is a new version coming out. I am aware of two previous attempts at a remake. One was a Disney animated version, and the other was a made-for-TV version that bombed. I think the key to doing a good remake of a famous and loved classic such as this movie would be to find the proper casting.

So, what do you think? How would you cast a remake of The Ten Commandments? In the original Charlton Heston portrayed Moses. No one could ever play Moses the way he played Moses. I’m thinking we would have to go an entirely different direction. I choose Bill Engvall. I’m not saying I would make it a comedy. I think, however, a guy with a little bit of redneck in him would be a good choice. Think about Moses when God found Him. He was a guy out in the boondocks, hanging out with sheep. His favorite possession was a stick, and he had no problem taking his shoes off outside.

When I read about Pharaoh in the Bible, the image of Yul Brynner and the sound of his voice come into my mind. Brynner cannot be replaced. Alas, he is gone. Therefore, I’m going to typecast here. I know he is not really an actor, but how about Donald Trump? The more I think about it, the more it works. I would even try to work in a way for The Donald to fire someone.

One more cast suggestion: replacing John Carradine in the role of Aaron, Kenneth Copeland. I can just hear him saying, “You guys want an idol? Just send me all your silver.”

What do you think? How would you recast the movie?

Catch Up, I'm Running

2007-09-07T16:18:00.000-05:00

Short holiday weeks always mean extra-effort in the ministry. I’m sorry there hasn’t been a recent entry here, and this entry will be brief. I have a lot on my mind, but time is a precious commodity right now. This will be a very significant weekend. I ask for your continuing prayers. Here are some of the events.

First, tomorrow (Saturday) is the day for the area men’s conference. I am one of the scheduled speakers. I will be addressing the need for vision in the lives of godly men as they lead their families. I believe most men do not have a vision that narrows enough to include their families. How can we avoid the pain of raising children who desert their parents’ values?

Second, on Sunday morning we will continue our series in Ruth with Act 2: “The Day of Extraordinary Effort.” I hope that you are gleaning (look for the pun there) as much as I am as we explore the story of one the great role models in the Bible.

Third, on Sunday evening Experiencing God groups begin. We have four groups who will be going through this material over the next thirteen weeks, three adult and one youth.

Fourth, Church Conference will follow worship Sunday evening. We have important matters to address and exciting plans to consider.

Closing thought: I believe the person who coined the phrase “necessity is the mother of invention” was right. We can all agree there are needs in our church, community, and world. We, as a church, need to continue to be innovative as we seek to meet those needs and faithful to the word of God as we provide answers to life’s great questions.

HRD

2007-09-03T12:04:00.000-05:00

One of the handiest gadgets we have in the church office is the fax machine. I’m not saying we couldn’t live without it, but there have been several times when it sure was nice to have it around. I realize that praising a piece of office equipment, especially a fax machine, is a bit geeky. It would be more sophisticated to praise the cappuccino machine, but we don’t have one of those. The teenagers who read this blog will say I’m old-school, out of it, or whatever the current word is for someone who is behind the times. I’m even behind the times for thinking teenagers read this blog.

Teens and preteens practice instant messaging and the marvel known as texting. I’m still trying to get voicemail to work, but these young people are beyond speaking. Texting is actually a written form of communication. A note was sent home by my daughter’s Language Arts teacher on the first day of school. She writes, “Texting and instant messaging are ruining our spelling.” This is a strong accusation. I thought I should investigate. Just how is this practice the downfall of accurate scribal communication?

In texting, brevity is boss. I discovered that texting uses a creative form of shorthand. From netlingo.com: “For example, ‘AFAIK CU 2NITE’ means, ‘As far as I know, I'll see you tonight.’ Or, ‘CN U RD THS? IF U Want 2 no abt 100s of gr8 txt msgs, C BAK of BOK!’”

It took me a while to figure out that second message, and I’m still not sure if “BAK of BOK” is back of book or Bank of Bokhara. (A city in south central Uzbekistan. It is one of the oldest cultural and trade centers of Asia and was capital of the former emirate of Bokhara from the 16th to the 19th century. Population, 237,900.) I understand the teacher’s concerns.

However, back to the fax machine. For several months, we have been receiving mysterious and unsolicited memos through the fax machine. Most of them come from someone claiming to be the “Human Resources Dept.,” hereafter referred to as HRD. (See, I can text.) HRD is fascinated with Cancun, Mexico. He has sent several messages urging me to meet “clients, friends, family members, and company employees” in Cancun. HRD is so concerned that he has arranged special rates on hotels and airfare in order to get me to Cancun. Hurricane Dean spared Cancun, and “the company trip is still a go!!!” Lately, HRD has grown prophetic. His latest hand-written message said, “I know you’re going on a trip this year.” Spooky, right?

In the interest of clearing up this mystery, I am willing to go to Cancun for further investigation. I don’t want to make arrangements through HRD, though. He is a little too familiar for me. Besides, he says he is planning to meet “John” there, and we all know three’s a crowd. If anyone is as concerned as I am about just what will be happening in Cancun, and you are willing to finance my trip, please contact me—but not by fax.

Picture Day

2007-08-30T10:31:00.000-05:00

My dictionary’s first definition of photogenic is “produced or precipitated by light.” The second definition is “producing or generating light” and the third “suitable for being photographed.” I think it is the influence of the Miss America pageant on American culture that causes me to think of the third definition when I hear the word “photogenic.” The Miss America pageant producers give an award to the lady they deem as “Most Photogenic.” We understand this to mean they have found the woman who looks best in a photograph and not the one who reflects or produces the most light.

It would be interested to give awards to the people who did reflect or produce light. I don’t mean people who glow in a visual sense (i.e. Three Mile Island, Chernobyl victims), but those who shine in a spiritual sense. Jesus said, “You are the light of the world…let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.” According to Jesus all His followers are photogenic. Actually, he holds the awards, and rewards, for us.

Many of us do not like to have our picture taken. We never seem to look the same in a photograph as we do in the picture of ourselves we carry around in our heads. This discrepancy raises an interesting issue: Are we who we appear to be, or are we who we think we are? Don’t think too long. I’m going to let you off the hook. We are neither. We are who God says we are. He is the source of all truth. One of the truths God says is “You are mine.” Also, “You are precious and honored in my sight. I love you.” (See Isaiah 43:1, 4) Max Lucado said if God had a wallet, He would carry your picture in it. It is more important to know what God thinks about us than even to understand ourselves.

Next Tuesday and Wednesday are picture days for our upcoming directory. We want everybody to have their picture in it. Whether you are a member or an attender, you can come and have your picture made. This directory will be a special 40th anniversary commemorative addition. Everyone who has their picture made will receive a directory. Don’t worry that you may not come out looking like Miss or Mr. America.

See Larry for an appointment. He is very photogenic.

Myths I Miss

2007-08-27T14:50:00.000-05:00

When I was a very young child, television consisted of four stations that could be tuned in on a rotary dial. The four stations were ABC, NBC, CBS, and PBS. The last station was better known to us as “the educational channel.” On the educational channel, we could watch Sesame Street, The Electric Company, and Zoom, as well as various cooking, quilting, crafting, culturally relevant, and historically inclined programs. We felt we were being educated whenever we tuned in to PBS.

Today, my television receives more stations than I can (or care to) track. Many of these stations have an educational inclination. It could be argued that all of those stations are educational in some way. I will grant that assertion, if you will allow that it is not always the kind of education we want.

However, we are learning by watching television. Consider the program MythBusters. This Discovery Channel program has become so popular it has fostered numerous look-a-like programs and even myth-busting segments on existing programs. Television producers have gotten caught up in the trend. Could we soon face the crisis of running out of legends and old wives’ tales? I doubt it. Nevertheless there is a problem with all this myth-busting going on. I hate to see some of these old standby myths exposed. Let me explain.

The old rule used to be: “Do not go swimming until thirty minutes (or two hours or four days) after you have eaten. If you do, you will get cramps and drown.” As a child, I hated this rule. It ruined a picnic at the lake. As I parent, I relied on this myth to give me a chance to relax after eating without having to watch the kids in the water. We now know that the eating and swimming mix are not the cause of cramps, but it could result in crumbs in your pool.

The old rule was: “Lowering or removing the tailgate from a pickup truck will improve gas mileage." This myth was popular while I was in high school, especially among, as the pastor of the cowboy church calls them, individuals interested in our western heritage. I hate to see this myth go. I have an old pickup truck that I don’t drive much, and I used to lower the tailgate on it but not to improve gas mileage. You see, I keep the truck parked under a tree, eventually the bed of the truck begins to fill with leaves. The old gas mileage myth gave me an excuse to lower the tailgate, drive the truck, and let the leaves blow out of bed and into our public streets. I used to feel when people saw me doing this they thought, “He’s trying to saving gas” and not “He’s blowing his leaves into our yard.” Now if I were to lower the tailgate, I fear they would be thinking, “That dummy, hasn’t he heard? That old tailgate thing is a myth. He ought to watch MythBusters.” I don’t want to be thought of as a dummy.

One more myth: “Red vehicles are more likely to be stopped by the police.” On the rare occasion when it has been necessary for me to exceed the legal speed limit on the interstate highway system, I thought, if I could get close to a red car going the same speed, and if an officer of the law were to happen along, the person in the red car would be the one stopped. And I would feel bad for them. A recent episode of ABC’s 20/20 news program exposed the fact that red vehicles are actually less likely to be stopped by the highway patrol. Hey! My pickup truck is red!

Experiencing God

2007-08-24T16:57:00.000-05:00

If you could learn to hear God when He is speaking to you,
If you could learn to recognize where God is working,
If you could learn to experience God working through you,
Would you?

I think some of us are afraid. We are afraid to hear God because of what He might be saying. We are afraid to seek God because of what He may be doing. We are afraid to commit to a search for the will of God because of what it might reveal about ourselves. Are we lazy? Complacent? Disobedient?

I felt all these things the first time I went through Henry Blackaby’s study course, Experiencing God.

I was a seminary student, and I didn’t think I had the time to commit to a study that required 15-30 minutes a day and an hour and a half on the weekend. Wasn’t I already learning about God?

I thought I was already committed to His will. Wasn’t I serving and sacrificing in the gospel ghetto on Seminary Hill?

I gave in, however, to the positive peer pressure and committed to the course. And am I glad I did?! Experiencing God is by far the most meaningful study I have ever been through. It changed my life, and I am not exaggerating.

We are beginning Experiencing God September 9 and September 11. There is still room available for you to join. On Sundays there will be a co-ed and a ladies group. The Tuesday evening group will be co-ed also.

Join us, aloha.