Today is the third Sunday in a row that I have not worshiped with my home church. I’m not sick, and I’m not mad at anyone (and as far as I know, no one is mad at me)—I’m on Sabbatical. In fact, I’m at about the half-way point of my 5 weeks away from Life Spring.
As I write this, I am in the part of the Sabbatical focused on personal spiritual renewal. I have spent most of the past two days sitting in a screened-in porch at a condo in Branson. I’m not taking in any shows, and other than walking around this beautiful property a couple of times, I haven’t ventured far from the condo.
I’ve read a couple of books, and I’ve spent several hours listening to sermons. I’m going to do some sermon planning for the rest of year, but mostly I’m trying to focus on hearing from God through His Word and through prayer, eliminating as many distractions as possible.
As much as I feel I am benefitting from this time away, I have to say that it is really hard to be away from my church family for this long. Each of the past three Sundays, I’ve looked at my watch all morning long. Around 8:30, I think “This is about the time I’d be arriving at church.” Then around 9:00 I’ll say, “It’s time for Sunday School.” I’ll start praying for the services—for Pastor Dennis as he leads the worship and those men who are filling in for me—as it gets closer to 10:00. I just can’t get Life Spring off my mind.
I’ve enjoyed some incredible times of worship in other venues, getting to visit three churches that I have long wanted to visit, including Grace Community Church, where John MacArthur pastors; Shadow Mountain Community Church, the home of David Jermiah; and Saddleback’s Lake Forest campus. I’ve heard some great preaching, both live & online. But nothing compares with worshiping & fellowshipping with the people I have come to know and love so dearly.
Frankly, I don’t know why anyone would ever voluntarily absent themselves from church on a continual basis. Some people go weeks—even months—without gracing the doors of a church. I feel sorry for them. Not only because that is a sign of some deeper spiritual issues, but because it must contribute to a sense of loneliness and isolation. No matter how many friends you have or how active your social life is, being a part of a vibrant and thriving Church of the living God is as good as it gets.
I am getting some much needed rest. I am connecting with God on a real and intimate level. I am doing some long range planning that I simply wouldn’t have the time or energy to do if I were home with the everyday pressures of ministry facing me. I am trying to take advantage of this time away to prepare my heart to be a better pastor and teacher when I return.
But while I am away, I am missing my church family and praying for them. And I am looking forward to being back with them very soon.
Sunday, March 18, 2012
Thursday, March 1, 2012
Happy Leap Day
Well, it’s over. You plan for it for months. You do the decorating and the shopping and the baking, and almost before it starts, it’s over. Now, we’ll suffer the blues as we wait for next time.
Yes, I’m talking about Leap Day.
It only happens once every four years. And unlike Presidential election day, this day doesn’t bombard you with negative commercials or unrealistic promises.
In fact, if you’re not careful, you’ll miss it altogether. One day it’s February 28, and the next it’s March 1. But once every four years, in a magical—perhaps mystical—manner, we are blessed with one more day in our year. 24 more hours.1440 more minutes. I hope you used them wisely.
Also known as an intercalary year, a leap year contains one additional day so that our calendar year remains properly synchronized with the astronomical or seasonal year. But I bet you already knew that.
Now maybe Leap Day doesn’t seem like that big a deal to you, but to some people, it ranks right up there with the best of the special days—like “Take Your Daughter to Work Day”. If you were born on February 29, then it is a very big day, because your birthday only rolls around once every four years. That’s a bummer when you’re younger, but by the time you hit 40 (or “10” as Leaplings like to say), it’s not a bad deal.
Although it is commonly said that leap years occur every four years (I’ve said it at least twice already!), that’s technically not true. A Leap Year occurs in a year whose date is exactly divisible by 4 except those that are divisible by 100 but not 400. Got that? It’s not as easy as you thought, now is it? That’s why we have Wikipedia.
Throughout history, people have come up with some crazy ideas associated with Leap Years. For example, folk lore was that children born on Leap Day had a rebellious streak or could be hard to raise. Well, if you only got a birthday card, cake and gifts every 4 years, you might develop a stubborn streak too.
Farmers believed that beans and peas planted in a Leap Year would grow the wrong way—whatever that means. And in Scotland they used to say, “A Leap Year is never a good Sheep Year”. I hate it when we have bad sheep years.
Perhaps the best known “tradition” associated with Leap Year is that February 29th is the day that women can ask men to marry them. Of course, modern women-folk have no respect for the traditions of the elders (like cleaning house and cooking supper), so today you’ll find loose-women asking men to marry them just about any day of the year. But for those who know their place, they’ll confine their marriage proposals to the proper time.
I started this blog entry on February 29th, but I took too long to finish it, and now it’s March 1st. Well, there’s a lesson there somewhere, but I’ve started my Sabbatical, so I’ll have to wait a while to see what it was. Maybe I’ll come up with something before the Ides of March.
Yes, I’m talking about Leap Day.
It only happens once every four years. And unlike Presidential election day, this day doesn’t bombard you with negative commercials or unrealistic promises.
In fact, if you’re not careful, you’ll miss it altogether. One day it’s February 28, and the next it’s March 1. But once every four years, in a magical—perhaps mystical—manner, we are blessed with one more day in our year. 24 more hours.1440 more minutes. I hope you used them wisely.
Also known as an intercalary year, a leap year contains one additional day so that our calendar year remains properly synchronized with the astronomical or seasonal year. But I bet you already knew that.
Now maybe Leap Day doesn’t seem like that big a deal to you, but to some people, it ranks right up there with the best of the special days—like “Take Your Daughter to Work Day”. If you were born on February 29, then it is a very big day, because your birthday only rolls around once every four years. That’s a bummer when you’re younger, but by the time you hit 40 (or “10” as Leaplings like to say), it’s not a bad deal.
Although it is commonly said that leap years occur every four years (I’ve said it at least twice already!), that’s technically not true. A Leap Year occurs in a year whose date is exactly divisible by 4 except those that are divisible by 100 but not 400. Got that? It’s not as easy as you thought, now is it? That’s why we have Wikipedia.
Throughout history, people have come up with some crazy ideas associated with Leap Years. For example, folk lore was that children born on Leap Day had a rebellious streak or could be hard to raise. Well, if you only got a birthday card, cake and gifts every 4 years, you might develop a stubborn streak too.
Farmers believed that beans and peas planted in a Leap Year would grow the wrong way—whatever that means. And in Scotland they used to say, “A Leap Year is never a good Sheep Year”. I hate it when we have bad sheep years.
Perhaps the best known “tradition” associated with Leap Year is that February 29th is the day that women can ask men to marry them. Of course, modern women-folk have no respect for the traditions of the elders (like cleaning house and cooking supper), so today you’ll find loose-women asking men to marry them just about any day of the year. But for those who know their place, they’ll confine their marriage proposals to the proper time.
I started this blog entry on February 29th, but I took too long to finish it, and now it’s March 1st. Well, there’s a lesson there somewhere, but I’ve started my Sabbatical, so I’ll have to wait a while to see what it was. Maybe I’ll come up with something before the Ides of March.
Monday, January 9, 2012
Lies Christians Believe
Wow! I just realized that it has been a really LOOOONG time since I blogged. It is crazy how busy the last few months have been. Crazy in a good way, I mean. We moved into our new building, celebrated Thanksgiving and Christmas in our new church home and now it's a new year. Before long we'll be planning our Easter services and getting ready for Memorial Day!
I recently read an article where the author shared "The Top 5 Lies Too Many Christians Believe". I found it an interesting perspective. Though I'm not sure I agree with her list, it got me thinking about the things I would include on such a list. As I try to get back in the swing of things, here's my go at it:
1. Church is unnecessary.
A lot of people who have made professions of faith seem to have little regard for the church of Jesus Christ. They'll use any excuse at their disposal to miss services. Company is coming. Got the sniffles. Kids' extracurricular activities. I even heard one parent say that she "punished" her kids by not letting them come to church.
The Bible calls the church the "body" of Christ and the "bride" of Christ. We're told that Jesus gets glory "through the church". It seems like the church is pretty important to God, so if we love Him and desire to follow Him, it should be pretty important to us, too.
2. A Christian just needs to be "good" and act "nice".
Christians certainly should seek to live moral lives, and we should be nice to others, but that is not the sum total of being a Christian. We'll never please God simply through our external behavior. It is by faith alone in Christ alone that we enter a right relationship with God. Once we have accepted Jesus as our Savior, and as we allow Him to live through us, we will be "good" and "nice" in a way we never could in our own strength alone.
3. We should expect unbelievers to behave like Christians.
Why is it that Christians are often so offended when unbelievers lie, cheat, cuss, lose their tempers and in many other ways act like...unbelievers? Why in the world would we ever expect non-Christians to live like Christians? We need to be much quicker to show grace to those who have never trusted Christ as their Savior. After all, consider how hard it is for us as believers to act righteously, and WE have the Holy Spirit living in us.
4. We should leave the teaching of Scripture to Pastors & Ministers.
I count it a real privilege to preach and teach God's Word to the Life Spring congregation. But it is not my privilege or responsibility to do it alone. God has not entrusted His precious Word to just a few special people. He has made it available to all who will listen with their ears and see with their eyes.
We're really blessed at Life Spring to have a number of gifted teachers, and we should take full advantage of the opportunities to study the Bible with them.
5. My spiritual life has nothing to do with my "real" life.
Maybe this should be the #1 lie, because it is really the root of the others. When we begin to separate our "spiritual life" from our "real life", we make it incredibly easy to live in disobedience and rebellion towards God. When we fail to draw a connection between what we experience on Sunday morning and what happens the rest of the week, we end up living lives of hypocrisy and duplicity.
I'm not sure these are really the "top 5 lies", but they certainly are prevalent among many who claim Christ as their Savior. Let's be quick to look at our own lives and ask God to reveal areas where we might be buying into such lies. After all, there really is no deception as dangerous as self-deception.
I recently read an article where the author shared "The Top 5 Lies Too Many Christians Believe". I found it an interesting perspective. Though I'm not sure I agree with her list, it got me thinking about the things I would include on such a list. As I try to get back in the swing of things, here's my go at it:
1. Church is unnecessary.
A lot of people who have made professions of faith seem to have little regard for the church of Jesus Christ. They'll use any excuse at their disposal to miss services. Company is coming. Got the sniffles. Kids' extracurricular activities. I even heard one parent say that she "punished" her kids by not letting them come to church.
The Bible calls the church the "body" of Christ and the "bride" of Christ. We're told that Jesus gets glory "through the church". It seems like the church is pretty important to God, so if we love Him and desire to follow Him, it should be pretty important to us, too.
2. A Christian just needs to be "good" and act "nice".
Christians certainly should seek to live moral lives, and we should be nice to others, but that is not the sum total of being a Christian. We'll never please God simply through our external behavior. It is by faith alone in Christ alone that we enter a right relationship with God. Once we have accepted Jesus as our Savior, and as we allow Him to live through us, we will be "good" and "nice" in a way we never could in our own strength alone.
3. We should expect unbelievers to behave like Christians.
Why is it that Christians are often so offended when unbelievers lie, cheat, cuss, lose their tempers and in many other ways act like...unbelievers? Why in the world would we ever expect non-Christians to live like Christians? We need to be much quicker to show grace to those who have never trusted Christ as their Savior. After all, consider how hard it is for us as believers to act righteously, and WE have the Holy Spirit living in us.
4. We should leave the teaching of Scripture to Pastors & Ministers.
I count it a real privilege to preach and teach God's Word to the Life Spring congregation. But it is not my privilege or responsibility to do it alone. God has not entrusted His precious Word to just a few special people. He has made it available to all who will listen with their ears and see with their eyes.
We're really blessed at Life Spring to have a number of gifted teachers, and we should take full advantage of the opportunities to study the Bible with them.
5. My spiritual life has nothing to do with my "real" life.
Maybe this should be the #1 lie, because it is really the root of the others. When we begin to separate our "spiritual life" from our "real life", we make it incredibly easy to live in disobedience and rebellion towards God. When we fail to draw a connection between what we experience on Sunday morning and what happens the rest of the week, we end up living lives of hypocrisy and duplicity.
I'm not sure these are really the "top 5 lies", but they certainly are prevalent among many who claim Christ as their Savior. Let's be quick to look at our own lives and ask God to reveal areas where we might be buying into such lies. After all, there really is no deception as dangerous as self-deception.
Monday, November 7, 2011
The First Day of the Rest of Our Lives
What a weekend!
We had a terrific turnout for our Open House and Dedication Service on Saturday. Many of those who partnered with us in designing and renovating our new facilities joined us to celebrate what God has done in our midst. A number of people from our community came for the Open House tours. To a person, I believe, they were impressed with what God has enabled us to do with an old, run-down grocery store and day care facility.
Sunday’s Grand Opening was fantastic. With 336 folks in attendance, the auditorium was nearly filled to capacity. Great sounds of worship reverberated throughout the room. The response to the message was humbling, with many of our visitors expressing gratitude for our ministry in this community.
God’s goodness and grace was evident throughout the entire weekend. It made every sacrifice of time, energy and finances worth it to see people connect in a real and vibrant way with the God who loves them.
Kim said it on Sunday afternoon, and I’ve thought about it since then: Sunday, November 6 marks the day our church changed forever. I think she’s right. I don’t think we’ll ever be quite the same. She meant it in a good way—that we will move forward and do even greater things for God. For over 5 years, God has been preparing us for this moment, much in the way that a parent prepares a child to enter the world.
But she’s right—we can’t go back. To go “back” would be to surrender, to give up, to fail. To go “back” would be to forfeit the opportunities God has given us—the responsibilities which He has entrusted to us. To go “back” would be to manifest irresponsible faithlessness in the light of His enduring faithfulness.
Of course, we’ll always be the church that is experiencing and expressing the love of God. We’ll do that through Community and Growth and Worship and Impact, just like we always have. We will be a place where people can grow close to one another even as they become more intimate with God. Our commitment to the truth does not waver, and our love for people will not change.
But in a rather significant way, I think this past Sunday marks a milestone in our church life. God has given us the opportunity to join Him in doing marvelous works. And if what I saw from our folks this week is any indication, we’re prepared to do just that.
We had a terrific turnout for our Open House and Dedication Service on Saturday. Many of those who partnered with us in designing and renovating our new facilities joined us to celebrate what God has done in our midst. A number of people from our community came for the Open House tours. To a person, I believe, they were impressed with what God has enabled us to do with an old, run-down grocery store and day care facility.
Sunday’s Grand Opening was fantastic. With 336 folks in attendance, the auditorium was nearly filled to capacity. Great sounds of worship reverberated throughout the room. The response to the message was humbling, with many of our visitors expressing gratitude for our ministry in this community.
God’s goodness and grace was evident throughout the entire weekend. It made every sacrifice of time, energy and finances worth it to see people connect in a real and vibrant way with the God who loves them.
Kim said it on Sunday afternoon, and I’ve thought about it since then: Sunday, November 6 marks the day our church changed forever. I think she’s right. I don’t think we’ll ever be quite the same. She meant it in a good way—that we will move forward and do even greater things for God. For over 5 years, God has been preparing us for this moment, much in the way that a parent prepares a child to enter the world.
But she’s right—we can’t go back. To go “back” would be to surrender, to give up, to fail. To go “back” would be to forfeit the opportunities God has given us—the responsibilities which He has entrusted to us. To go “back” would be to manifest irresponsible faithlessness in the light of His enduring faithfulness.
Of course, we’ll always be the church that is experiencing and expressing the love of God. We’ll do that through Community and Growth and Worship and Impact, just like we always have. We will be a place where people can grow close to one another even as they become more intimate with God. Our commitment to the truth does not waver, and our love for people will not change.
But in a rather significant way, I think this past Sunday marks a milestone in our church life. God has given us the opportunity to join Him in doing marvelous works. And if what I saw from our folks this week is any indication, we’re prepared to do just that.
Tuesday, October 25, 2011
A Time of Celebration
This past Sunday, we celebrated the day we had long been praying, planning and pining for--our first service in our newly renovated church home. After 5 years of ministry in Spring Hill, setting up and tearing down each week for church services in the Middle School, we finally have a place to call our own. And it sure felt good.
Of course, first and foremost, the glory and the credit for this great milestone goes to God. To the best of our ability, we have sought His will and followed His leadership as we have ministered in this community for half a decade. He has provided for us beyond our wildest imaginations. He has blessed us far more than we surely deserve.
We are also very grateful to the Board of Elders, men who love God and His church and who seek to be sensitive to the guidance of His Spirit. It is a challenge to find the balance between waiting upon the Lord and moving ahead when prompted by Him. But to a man, our Elders desire to be in the very center of His divine will. Our Elders possess a vision for this church and this community and refuse to allow the blessings of yesterday to suffice for this hour. It is an honor to labor shoulder to shoulder beside them.
And the Life Spring Church family has manifested an amazing degree of faith in God throughout this process. There is no doubt in my mind that many churches would have given up when facing obstacles such as those we faced throughout the process of negotiating, purchasing and renovating the property. But we kept our eyes on Jesus, and He showed His faithfulness through it all.
We have been able to do more with our budgeted construction funds that we anticipated, in large part because of the thousands of man-hours of labor on the part of our volunteers. Men, women and children involved in nearly every aspect of the renovations--from demolition to decorating--and whose sacrifices made possible the beautiful facilities we enjoy today.
The building is not finished (are they ever "finished"?), but it looks great. We've held our first service, and we are eagerly anticipating Grand Opening Weekend, with an Open House and Dedication Service on Saturday, November 5, and the Grand Opening Worship Service on November 6. We expect a large crowd, and this will be a great opportunity for us to share Jesus with our neighbors.
At the same time, we must avoid the temptation to view these events as the "Finish Line". We didn't buy and renovate this property merely to have a place to meet. Our efforts have been undertaken with the desire to see souls saved and lives changed for the glory of our Savior and God.
So let's enjoy the fruit of our labor even as we rededicate ourselves to doing all we can to promote God's Kingdom right here in our own backyard.
Of course, first and foremost, the glory and the credit for this great milestone goes to God. To the best of our ability, we have sought His will and followed His leadership as we have ministered in this community for half a decade. He has provided for us beyond our wildest imaginations. He has blessed us far more than we surely deserve.
We are also very grateful to the Board of Elders, men who love God and His church and who seek to be sensitive to the guidance of His Spirit. It is a challenge to find the balance between waiting upon the Lord and moving ahead when prompted by Him. But to a man, our Elders desire to be in the very center of His divine will. Our Elders possess a vision for this church and this community and refuse to allow the blessings of yesterday to suffice for this hour. It is an honor to labor shoulder to shoulder beside them.
And the Life Spring Church family has manifested an amazing degree of faith in God throughout this process. There is no doubt in my mind that many churches would have given up when facing obstacles such as those we faced throughout the process of negotiating, purchasing and renovating the property. But we kept our eyes on Jesus, and He showed His faithfulness through it all.
We have been able to do more with our budgeted construction funds that we anticipated, in large part because of the thousands of man-hours of labor on the part of our volunteers. Men, women and children involved in nearly every aspect of the renovations--from demolition to decorating--and whose sacrifices made possible the beautiful facilities we enjoy today.
The building is not finished (are they ever "finished"?), but it looks great. We've held our first service, and we are eagerly anticipating Grand Opening Weekend, with an Open House and Dedication Service on Saturday, November 5, and the Grand Opening Worship Service on November 6. We expect a large crowd, and this will be a great opportunity for us to share Jesus with our neighbors.
At the same time, we must avoid the temptation to view these events as the "Finish Line". We didn't buy and renovate this property merely to have a place to meet. Our efforts have been undertaken with the desire to see souls saved and lives changed for the glory of our Savior and God.
So let's enjoy the fruit of our labor even as we rededicate ourselves to doing all we can to promote God's Kingdom right here in our own backyard.
Wednesday, October 5, 2011
Half a Century
Today is the 50th anniversary of my birth. I appreciate the cards, calls, emails and Facebook posts, but I’ve never really understood what all the fuss is about. After all, I didn’t do anything except be born. But it is nice to hear from friends and family.
I must admit that despite my 50 years upon this planet, I don’t have much profound to share with you. But here are a few random thoughts clanging around in what passes for my mind these days.
1. I go to sleep earlier but don’t sleep as late as I used to.
2. I know more but remember less.
3. I prefer winter over summer, but I’d rather it just stay 70 degrees all the time.
4. I am not embarrassed to get my AARP card in the mail.
5. I have more memories than dreams, but thank God, I still have a few dreams.
6. Coke Zero is my soft drink of choice, even if sugar & calories didn’t matter.
7. I am more deeply in love with Kim today than on the day we married 22 years ago.
8. My faith is stronger and my convictions firmer than ever.
9. I miss old friends more than I used to.
10. I don’t mind Kacie asking me questions as much as I did when she was little, but now I have fewer answers.
I told you, there’s nothing profound here. But these are my thoughts. I figured I’d better share them while I could remember them.
I must admit that despite my 50 years upon this planet, I don’t have much profound to share with you. But here are a few random thoughts clanging around in what passes for my mind these days.
1. I go to sleep earlier but don’t sleep as late as I used to.
2. I know more but remember less.
3. I prefer winter over summer, but I’d rather it just stay 70 degrees all the time.
4. I am not embarrassed to get my AARP card in the mail.
5. I have more memories than dreams, but thank God, I still have a few dreams.
6. Coke Zero is my soft drink of choice, even if sugar & calories didn’t matter.
7. I am more deeply in love with Kim today than on the day we married 22 years ago.
8. My faith is stronger and my convictions firmer than ever.
9. I miss old friends more than I used to.
10. I don’t mind Kacie asking me questions as much as I did when she was little, but now I have fewer answers.
I told you, there’s nothing profound here. But these are my thoughts. I figured I’d better share them while I could remember them.
Monday, September 19, 2011
Close Encounters of the Best Kind
In 1977, Steven Spielberg directed a popular science fiction movie entitled Close Encounters of the Third Kind. This movie starred Richard Dreyfuss as Roy Neary. Neary was an ordinary citizen who, after an encounter with a UFO, feels inexplicably drawn to an isolated area in rural Wyoming where he expects something spectacular to occur. At one point, Neary is questioned by the authorities as to why he has come to this area. Through the course of their conversation, Neary explains he’s seeking answers to some of the deeper mysteries of life.
Seeking answers through a close encounter. It might be crazy if you’re talking about aliens and space ships. But not when you’re seeking answers to life’s toughest questions through an encounter with the Son of God. They’re not close encounters of the third kind, but they are Close Encounters of the Best Kind.
On September 25th, I’ll begin a new series of sermons examining some of these close encounters. Encounters that changed people’s lives forever.
And the best news is that such encounters are not science fiction. They’re not merely entertaining stories. They are accurate accounts of real life events that happened nearly 2000 years ago.
More importantly, they help us to understand that a real, personal God wants to have such encounters with us still today. He wants to meet us where we are. But He doesn’t want to leave us there. He wants us to begin a journey with Him into eternity.
I hope you’ll join us for this new series. Come prepared to experience for yourself a Close Encounter of the Best Kind.
Seeking answers through a close encounter. It might be crazy if you’re talking about aliens and space ships. But not when you’re seeking answers to life’s toughest questions through an encounter with the Son of God. They’re not close encounters of the third kind, but they are Close Encounters of the Best Kind.
On September 25th, I’ll begin a new series of sermons examining some of these close encounters. Encounters that changed people’s lives forever.
And the best news is that such encounters are not science fiction. They’re not merely entertaining stories. They are accurate accounts of real life events that happened nearly 2000 years ago.
More importantly, they help us to understand that a real, personal God wants to have such encounters with us still today. He wants to meet us where we are. But He doesn’t want to leave us there. He wants us to begin a journey with Him into eternity.
I hope you’ll join us for this new series. Come prepared to experience for yourself a Close Encounter of the Best Kind.
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