Monday’s Scripture Readings:
OT: Ezekiel 25-26
NT: 1 Timothy 3
W&W: Psalm 119.49-56
Tuesday’s Scripture Readings:
OT: Ezekiel 27
NT: 1 Timothy 4
W&W: Psalm 119.57-64
Wednesday’s Scripture Readings:
OT: Ezekiel 28
NT: 1 Timothy 5
W&W: Psalm 119.65-72
Thursday’s Scripture Readings:
OT: Ezekiel 29
NT: 1 Timothy 6
W&W: Psalm 119.73-80
Friday’s Scripture Readings:
OT: Ezekiel 30-31
NT: 2 Timothy 1
W&W: Psalm 119.81-88
Today’s Reflection:
“At midnight I rise to give you thanks for your righteous laws” (Psalm 119.62).
Do you ever have trouble sleeping? Sometimes I do. Something will awaken me in the middle of the night, and I find it difficult to fall back to sleep. Several months ago, I found a solution to quiet my mind and let sleep return to me. I think about God’s Word.
I have been trying to memorize 12 Psalms per year, and I have found that those Psalms help me on those restless nights. With them committed to memory, I can recite them over and over in my mind. (I don’t recite them out loud because I know that Lana wouldn’t like hearing me mumble in the middle of the night while she’s trying to sleep!) How thankful I am for God’s righteous laws – and his Psalms and gospels and letters and prophets!
When you awaken in the night, give God thanks for his word. May God remind us all of his laws. By his grace, may he make our mind inclined to think of his Word when we awaken. Then, we can thank him, have fellowship with him and respond to him. He will give us rest!
This Week’s Scripture to Memorize:
Let’s put Matthew 16.24-26 together: Then Jesus said to his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will find it. What good will it be for a man if he gains the whole world, yet forfeits his soul? Or what can a man give in exchange for his soul?”
Tuesday, September 29, 2009
Thursday, September 24, 2009
Assumption of Infallibility
Thursday’s Scripture Readings:
OT: Ezekiel 22
NT: 1 Timothy 1
W&W: Psalm 119.33-40
Friday’s Scripture Readings:
OT: Ezekiel 23-24
NT: 1 Timothy 2
W&W: Psalm 119.41-48
Today’s Reflection:
John Stuart Mill wrote: “All silencing of discussion is an assumption of infallibility.” While I cannot agree with much of Mill’s positions, I must confess that this quote is very true. I see its expression particularly in religion and politics, but the desire to silence dissent is common in every area of life: from the living room to the board room, from courtyards to courthouses.
The reality is, as Jesus taught, that truth shall set us free. And, there is nothing to be feared in discussion as long as discussion is based in truth. That’s why I – as a Christian pastor – belief in truthful, helpful and loving openness. That is why I – as a citizen – am concerned with the climate in Washington (But we must remember that it is not unique to today.) that is attempting to hurry things through legislature (healthcare and stimulus) without open and transparent discussion. It seems to me that approximately one half of the elected officials are being left out of the debate. I can see no reason for doing this other than two possibilities:
OT: Ezekiel 22
NT: 1 Timothy 1
W&W: Psalm 119.33-40
Friday’s Scripture Readings:
OT: Ezekiel 23-24
NT: 1 Timothy 2
W&W: Psalm 119.41-48
Today’s Reflection:
John Stuart Mill wrote: “All silencing of discussion is an assumption of infallibility.” While I cannot agree with much of Mill’s positions, I must confess that this quote is very true. I see its expression particularly in religion and politics, but the desire to silence dissent is common in every area of life: from the living room to the board room, from courtyards to courthouses.
The reality is, as Jesus taught, that truth shall set us free. And, there is nothing to be feared in discussion as long as discussion is based in truth. That’s why I – as a Christian pastor – belief in truthful, helpful and loving openness. That is why I – as a citizen – am concerned with the climate in Washington (But we must remember that it is not unique to today.) that is attempting to hurry things through legislature (healthcare and stimulus) without open and transparent discussion. It seems to me that approximately one half of the elected officials are being left out of the debate. I can see no reason for doing this other than two possibilities:
- An assumption of infallibility on the part of the champions of President Obama’s agenda. Or,
- A fear that the truth will not help them accomplish their agenda. (e.g. the truth is not on their side.)
In either case, the results will be less than desirable.
We need to urge our elected officials to work together, to learn from each other, and to refuse to use parliamentary procedures that prevent discussion (reconciliation), bullying and intimidation, groundless accusations of racism, thinly veiled threats against private companies that dissent, or name-calling and posturing. Let’s have a fierce, civil debate on the merits of our proposals. What is true will survive scrutiny, but only if we scrutinize! If we lack courage to examine the issues, we will be trapped in sectarian and parochial solutions. There is a way forward in the healthcare debate. It is the way of truth.
Friday’s scripture reading includes the following: “I urge, then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone – for kings and all those in authority, that we may life peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness” (2 timothy 2.1-2). We need to pray for our government officials that we may preserve the freedoms that make peaceful and quiet lives a possibility.
This Week’s Scripture to Memorize:
Matthew 16.26: What good will it be for a man if he gains the whole world, yet forfeits his soul? Or what can a man give in exchange for his soul?
Wednesday, September 23, 2009
Sons of God
Wednesday’s Scripture Readings:
OT: Ezekiel 21
NT: 2 Thessalonians 3
W&W: Psalm 119.25-32
Today’s Reflection:
Galatians 3.26 says, “You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus.” In this verse, we see that God is not just a metaphysical concept, not just an idea, not just a power or force or principle. He is our Father. Since he is our Father we find that…
This Week’s Scripture to Memorize:
Matthew 16.26 : What good will it be for a man if he gains the whole world, yet forfeits his soul? Or what can a man give in exchange for his soul?
OT: Ezekiel 21
NT: 2 Thessalonians 3
W&W: Psalm 119.25-32
Today’s Reflection:
Galatians 3.26 says, “You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus.” In this verse, we see that God is not just a metaphysical concept, not just an idea, not just a power or force or principle. He is our Father. Since he is our Father we find that…
We are children of God!
- By Creation
- By Forgiveness
- By Care
We are challenged by God!
- To Come to Him
- To Be Like Him
- To Trust in Him
This Week’s Scripture to Memorize:
Matthew 16.26 : What good will it be for a man if he gains the whole world, yet forfeits his soul? Or what can a man give in exchange for his soul?
Tuesday, September 22, 2009
The Lord Is My Portion
Tuesday’s Scripture Readings:
OT: Ezekiel 20
NT: 2 Thessalonians 2
W&W: Psalm 119.17-24
Today’s Reflection:
In the devotional book Moring and Evening, Charles Spurgeon shares the following thoughts from “The Lord is my portion” (Psalm 119:57):
- Look at your possessions, believer, and compare your portion with the circumstances of your friends.
- Some of them have their portion in the field; they are rich, and their harvests yield them a golden increase; but what are harvests compared with your God, who is the God of harvests? What are bursting granaries compared with Him who feeds you with the bread of heaven?
- Some have their portion in the city; their wealth is abundant and flows to them in constant streams until they become a very reservoir of gold; but what is gold compared with your God? You could not live on it; your spiritual life could not be sustained by it. Could it grant peace to a troubled conscience? Apply it to a sad heart, and see if it could prevent a single groan or minimize one grief. But you have God, and in Him you have more than gold or riches could ever buy.
- Some have their portion in something most men love – applause and fame; but ask yourself, is not your God more to you than that? Do you think that human accolades or thunderous applause could prepare you to face death or encourage you in the prospect of judgement? No! There are sorrows in life that wealth cannot alleviate, and there is the deep need of a dying hour, for which no riches can provide.
- But when you have God for your portion, you have more than everything else put together. In Him every need is met, whether in life or in death. With God for your portion you are rich indeed, for He will supply your need, comfort your heart, relieve your grief, guide your steps, walk with you in the dark valley, and then take you home to enjoy Him as your portion forever. “I have enough,” said Esau; this is the best thing a worldly man can say, but Jacob replied in essence, “I have everything,” which is a note too high for carnal minds.
The Lord is my portion! Is he yours?
This Week’s Scripture to Memorize:
Matthew 16.26: What good will it be for a man if he gains the whole world, yet forfeits his soul? Or what can a man give in exchange for his soul?
Monday, September 21, 2009
Thankful for Me?
Monday’s Scripture Readings:
OT: Ezekiel 18-19
NT: 2 Thessalonians 1
W&W: Psalm 119.9-16
Tuesday’s Scripture Readings:
OT: Ezekiel 20
NT: 2 Thessalonians 2
W&W: Psalm 119.17-24
Wednesday’s Scripture Readings:
OT: Ezekiel 21
NT: 2 Thessalonians 3
W&W: Psalm 119.25-32
Thursday’s Scripture Readings:
OT: Ezekiel 22
NT: 1 Timothy 1
W&W: Psalm 119.33-40
Friday’s Scripture Readings:
OT: Ezekiel 23-24
NT: 1 Timothy 2
W&W: Psalm 119.41-48
Today’s Reflection:
Have you ever had someone say to you, “I’m thankful for you”? How did it make you feel? Appreciated? No doubt. Valued? Of course. But, have you ever stopped to consider what it is that would make someone else thankful for you? The Apostle Paul wrote to the church of the Thessalonians that he was thankful for them because “your faith is growing more and more, and the love every one of you has for each other is increasing” (2 Thessalonians 1.3).
Growing faith and increasing love. Those things bring gratitude to the hearts of those who are responsible for your spiritual development. As a father, I am thankful for my kids – and I boast about them – when I see them growing in faith and increasing in love. It has been such a joy to see them – as adults – to develop their own faith and relationships. I just stand back and say, “Yeah. They got it.”
I believe that we bring gratitude to the heart of Jesus when he sees our faith in him growing and our love for each other increasing. Think about it – Jesus himself thankful for your growth and love! Makes you want to grow and increase a little more, doesn’t it?
This Week’s Scripture to Memorize:
Matthew 16.26: What good will it be for a man if he gains the whole world, yet forfeits his soul? Or what can a man give in exchange for his soul?
OT: Ezekiel 18-19
NT: 2 Thessalonians 1
W&W: Psalm 119.9-16
Tuesday’s Scripture Readings:
OT: Ezekiel 20
NT: 2 Thessalonians 2
W&W: Psalm 119.17-24
Wednesday’s Scripture Readings:
OT: Ezekiel 21
NT: 2 Thessalonians 3
W&W: Psalm 119.25-32
Thursday’s Scripture Readings:
OT: Ezekiel 22
NT: 1 Timothy 1
W&W: Psalm 119.33-40
Friday’s Scripture Readings:
OT: Ezekiel 23-24
NT: 1 Timothy 2
W&W: Psalm 119.41-48
Today’s Reflection:
Have you ever had someone say to you, “I’m thankful for you”? How did it make you feel? Appreciated? No doubt. Valued? Of course. But, have you ever stopped to consider what it is that would make someone else thankful for you? The Apostle Paul wrote to the church of the Thessalonians that he was thankful for them because “your faith is growing more and more, and the love every one of you has for each other is increasing” (2 Thessalonians 1.3).
Growing faith and increasing love. Those things bring gratitude to the hearts of those who are responsible for your spiritual development. As a father, I am thankful for my kids – and I boast about them – when I see them growing in faith and increasing in love. It has been such a joy to see them – as adults – to develop their own faith and relationships. I just stand back and say, “Yeah. They got it.”
I believe that we bring gratitude to the heart of Jesus when he sees our faith in him growing and our love for each other increasing. Think about it – Jesus himself thankful for your growth and love! Makes you want to grow and increase a little more, doesn’t it?
This Week’s Scripture to Memorize:
Matthew 16.26: What good will it be for a man if he gains the whole world, yet forfeits his soul? Or what can a man give in exchange for his soul?
Thursday, September 17, 2009
Towne Hall Meeting – Keep the Information Flowing!
Thursday’s Scripture Readings:
OT: Ezekiel 14-15
NT: 1 Thessalonians 4
W&W: Psalm 118.15-29
Friday’s Scripture Readings:
OT: Ezekiel 16-17
NT: 1 Thessalonians 5
W&W: Psalm 119.1-8
Today’s Reflection:
Finishing up on the questions submitted to the Towne Hall Meeting, following is my response to the question asked about getting people connected to the church:
I have said a lot about what I believe to be the necessary marks of a disciple. A follower of Jesus Christ is one who…
· Knows God in Worship
· Shows Love in Relationship
· Grows Up in Discipleship
· Goes Out in Citizenship
· Sows Seeds of Partnership (praying, giving, inviting, serving)
· Flows Out in Leadership (This sixth component is not requisite for all Christ-followers because God does not call everyone to lead.)
With that in mind, I believe we should design the ministries and programs of the church to develop all these ingredients of the Christian life. But, we also need to be simple in our approach and not duplicate our efforts. I believe we should plan one main activity to provide for expression of each of the first 4 marks of the disciple. Something like…
· Know – our worship service
· Show – our Sunday school
· Grow – our Sunday night (used to be “evangelistic hour, but no longer…”)
· Go – Wednesday night ministries and Mission and community involvement
There could be other ways to meet these needs, but we must keep the structure simple and communicate it.
These 4 ministries would grow out of the seedbed of…
· Sow – pray, give, invite, serve
And the first 5 would be overseen by identified leaders:
· Flow – equipping God’s people for works of service
More important than the ministries and programs themselves, however, are the transitions between ministries. We not only need to plan good ministries, we need to be purposeful about how we are going to get people to transition along the path of spiritual development. For example, one of the main concerns during our worship time should be how are we going to encourage people to move into small groups. We need to make a structure for that to happen and build it into our weekly ministries.
In summary, I plan to increase member engagement by:
· Doing what we do best
· Getting everybody in small groups
· Focusing on transitions
· Planning clear and positive methods of communication
I hope these blog postings have been helpful to you – both Bethel Nazarenes and others who have kept up with them.
This Week’s Scripture to Memorize:
Matthew 16.25: For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will find it.
OT: Ezekiel 14-15
NT: 1 Thessalonians 4
W&W: Psalm 118.15-29
Friday’s Scripture Readings:
OT: Ezekiel 16-17
NT: 1 Thessalonians 5
W&W: Psalm 119.1-8
Today’s Reflection:
Finishing up on the questions submitted to the Towne Hall Meeting, following is my response to the question asked about getting people connected to the church:
I have said a lot about what I believe to be the necessary marks of a disciple. A follower of Jesus Christ is one who…
· Knows God in Worship
· Shows Love in Relationship
· Grows Up in Discipleship
· Goes Out in Citizenship
· Sows Seeds of Partnership (praying, giving, inviting, serving)
· Flows Out in Leadership (This sixth component is not requisite for all Christ-followers because God does not call everyone to lead.)
With that in mind, I believe we should design the ministries and programs of the church to develop all these ingredients of the Christian life. But, we also need to be simple in our approach and not duplicate our efforts. I believe we should plan one main activity to provide for expression of each of the first 4 marks of the disciple. Something like…
· Know – our worship service
· Show – our Sunday school
· Grow – our Sunday night (used to be “evangelistic hour, but no longer…”)
· Go – Wednesday night ministries and Mission and community involvement
There could be other ways to meet these needs, but we must keep the structure simple and communicate it.
These 4 ministries would grow out of the seedbed of…
· Sow – pray, give, invite, serve
And the first 5 would be overseen by identified leaders:
· Flow – equipping God’s people for works of service
More important than the ministries and programs themselves, however, are the transitions between ministries. We not only need to plan good ministries, we need to be purposeful about how we are going to get people to transition along the path of spiritual development. For example, one of the main concerns during our worship time should be how are we going to encourage people to move into small groups. We need to make a structure for that to happen and build it into our weekly ministries.
In summary, I plan to increase member engagement by:
· Doing what we do best
· Getting everybody in small groups
· Focusing on transitions
· Planning clear and positive methods of communication
I hope these blog postings have been helpful to you – both Bethel Nazarenes and others who have kept up with them.
This Week’s Scripture to Memorize:
Matthew 16.25: For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will find it.
Wednesday, September 16, 2009
Towne Hall Meeting – Ideas for Connection - I
Wednesday’s Scripture Readings:
OT: Ezekiel 13
NT: 1 Thessalonians 3
W&W: Psalm 118.1-14
Today’s Reflection:
A concern submitted to me for response at our Towne Hall Meetings was: “What are your ideas on ways we could get some of our adults connected to the church and grounded? (So many seem to have a very loose connection to the church and are uninvolved in any kind of ministry or even in Sunday school.)” I responded as follows:
This morning, I mentioned how important it is to be engaged in the church. Engagement is less about what you do as how you feel about the church. And how you feel is influenced by small groups, by communication, and by working in your areas of strengths and giftedness. We are going to do a congregational assessment in October to help us begin working toward having an engaged congregation.
But, considering the small groups factor of this equation, I am a Sunday school man… I believe that the old Sunday school song we used to sing is still true today: “Everybody ought to go to Sunday school!” We need to get people connected in relationships with one another. If a person does not make friends in the church in the first 6 months, then there is a great likelihood that he or she will drop out. Sunday school is the perfect structure for the making and keeping of spiritual friendships. I think we should set as a goal that 100% of our members should be actively involved in a Sunday school class – whenever they meet! We are planning to train the youth in REACH – a simple method for using Sunday school to care for each other and reach others outside the flock. We also are planning the addition of a new adult class this fall. I also want to continue visiting the adult Sunday school classes to help EACH one REACH one.
This Week’s Scripture to Memorize:
Matthew 16.25: For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will find it.
OT: Ezekiel 13
NT: 1 Thessalonians 3
W&W: Psalm 118.1-14
Today’s Reflection:
A concern submitted to me for response at our Towne Hall Meetings was: “What are your ideas on ways we could get some of our adults connected to the church and grounded? (So many seem to have a very loose connection to the church and are uninvolved in any kind of ministry or even in Sunday school.)” I responded as follows:
This morning, I mentioned how important it is to be engaged in the church. Engagement is less about what you do as how you feel about the church. And how you feel is influenced by small groups, by communication, and by working in your areas of strengths and giftedness. We are going to do a congregational assessment in October to help us begin working toward having an engaged congregation.
But, considering the small groups factor of this equation, I am a Sunday school man… I believe that the old Sunday school song we used to sing is still true today: “Everybody ought to go to Sunday school!” We need to get people connected in relationships with one another. If a person does not make friends in the church in the first 6 months, then there is a great likelihood that he or she will drop out. Sunday school is the perfect structure for the making and keeping of spiritual friendships. I think we should set as a goal that 100% of our members should be actively involved in a Sunday school class – whenever they meet! We are planning to train the youth in REACH – a simple method for using Sunday school to care for each other and reach others outside the flock. We also are planning the addition of a new adult class this fall. I also want to continue visiting the adult Sunday school classes to help EACH one REACH one.
This Week’s Scripture to Memorize:
Matthew 16.25: For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will find it.
Tuesday, September 15, 2009
Be My Guest! (Or Can I Be Yours?)
Tuesday’s Scripture Readings:
OT: Ezekiel 12
NT: 1 Thessalonians 2
W&W: Psalm 117
Today’s Reflection:
A question was submitted for our Towne Hall Meeting at Bethel Nazarene concerning visitation: “Are you and Lana visiting your flock in their homes or do Pastor Noel and Jean do all the visitations for the church?”
Concerning visitation, I’ve answered a similar question in my posting of September 3, but the phrasing of this question allows me to address it from another perspective.
First of all, Lana is visiting with me, but you cannot always expect her. She loves to come, but her schedule does not always match the need.
Second, when it comes to visiting “in their homes” I would say yes and no. If there is a need, and I am aware of it, and as time passes, I am going to visit in homes. But I am not making cold calls in homes. I call for an appointment or respond to your invitation to come to your home. I sometimes receive requests for a pastoral visit or input as to when a visit may be needed, and I respond appropriately. But I am not able to make it a practice just to visit in the homes of my flock. Time simply does not permit it. I enjoy being with my people, though. If you want to invite me over, I’ll do my best to get there! But, make sure some un-churched people are there, too! Let’s be wise and make the most of every opportunity.
I am thankful for Pastor Dale and Jean and the work they do. Dale works alongside me and visits as he is able. We are still working out a plan, but they way we have initially set it up is for me to visit pre-surgery in the hospital if I can and for Dale to follow up after the surgery. If an extended hospital stay is required, I try to make it back. I’m glad that Dale is gifted and available as he is! Isn’t God good to provide the leadership and service we need!
This Week’s Scripture to Memorize:
Matthew 16.25: For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will find it.
OT: Ezekiel 12
NT: 1 Thessalonians 2
W&W: Psalm 117
Today’s Reflection:
A question was submitted for our Towne Hall Meeting at Bethel Nazarene concerning visitation: “Are you and Lana visiting your flock in their homes or do Pastor Noel and Jean do all the visitations for the church?”
Concerning visitation, I’ve answered a similar question in my posting of September 3, but the phrasing of this question allows me to address it from another perspective.
First of all, Lana is visiting with me, but you cannot always expect her. She loves to come, but her schedule does not always match the need.
Second, when it comes to visiting “in their homes” I would say yes and no. If there is a need, and I am aware of it, and as time passes, I am going to visit in homes. But I am not making cold calls in homes. I call for an appointment or respond to your invitation to come to your home. I sometimes receive requests for a pastoral visit or input as to when a visit may be needed, and I respond appropriately. But I am not able to make it a practice just to visit in the homes of my flock. Time simply does not permit it. I enjoy being with my people, though. If you want to invite me over, I’ll do my best to get there! But, make sure some un-churched people are there, too! Let’s be wise and make the most of every opportunity.
I am thankful for Pastor Dale and Jean and the work they do. Dale works alongside me and visits as he is able. We are still working out a plan, but they way we have initially set it up is for me to visit pre-surgery in the hospital if I can and for Dale to follow up after the surgery. If an extended hospital stay is required, I try to make it back. I’m glad that Dale is gifted and available as he is! Isn’t God good to provide the leadership and service we need!
This Week’s Scripture to Memorize:
Matthew 16.25: For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will find it.
Monday, September 14, 2009
Keep the Information Flowing!
Monday’s Scripture Readings:
OT: Ezekiel 11
NT: 1 Thessalonians
W&W: Psalm 116
Tuesday’s Scripture Readings:
OT: Ezekiel 12
NT: 1 Thessalonians 2
W&W: Psalm 117
Wednesday’s Scripture Readings:
OT: Ezekiel 13
NT: 1 Thessalonians 3
W&W: Psalm 118.1-14
Thursday’s Scripture Readings:
OT: Ezekiel 14-15
NT: 1 Thessalonians 4
W&W: Psalm 118.15-29
Friday’s Scripture Readings:
OT: Ezekiel 16-17
NT: 1 Thessalonians 5
W&W: Psalm 119.1-8
Today’s Reflection:
This week I will finish up my reports from our Towne Hall Meetings at Bethel Nazarene. Two people expressed concern about receiving updates from the board meetings. One person even wrote: “We never know what happens at board meetings. We don’t need to know everything discussed but we deserve to know what decisions are made. Some people who are not board members know everything but most of us know nothing.”
This is an important matter as I believe poor communication is a leading cause of confusion in a church family. I responded to these concerns as follows:
Concerning the board meetings, I am sorry we haven’t kept you adequately informed. I believe in openness! We are taking steps to post the board minutes and treasurers report along with other reports. Elaine has prepared a place for us to post them. Also, in the future, I hope that our Towne Hall Meetings can move beyond these initial concerns and move to the ongoing progress of our ministries. We have much to pray over and work toward, don’t we!
This Week’s Scripture to Memorize:
Matthew 16.25: For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will find it.
OT: Ezekiel 11
NT: 1 Thessalonians
W&W: Psalm 116
Tuesday’s Scripture Readings:
OT: Ezekiel 12
NT: 1 Thessalonians 2
W&W: Psalm 117
Wednesday’s Scripture Readings:
OT: Ezekiel 13
NT: 1 Thessalonians 3
W&W: Psalm 118.1-14
Thursday’s Scripture Readings:
OT: Ezekiel 14-15
NT: 1 Thessalonians 4
W&W: Psalm 118.15-29
Friday’s Scripture Readings:
OT: Ezekiel 16-17
NT: 1 Thessalonians 5
W&W: Psalm 119.1-8
Today’s Reflection:
This week I will finish up my reports from our Towne Hall Meetings at Bethel Nazarene. Two people expressed concern about receiving updates from the board meetings. One person even wrote: “We never know what happens at board meetings. We don’t need to know everything discussed but we deserve to know what decisions are made. Some people who are not board members know everything but most of us know nothing.”
This is an important matter as I believe poor communication is a leading cause of confusion in a church family. I responded to these concerns as follows:
Concerning the board meetings, I am sorry we haven’t kept you adequately informed. I believe in openness! We are taking steps to post the board minutes and treasurers report along with other reports. Elaine has prepared a place for us to post them. Also, in the future, I hope that our Towne Hall Meetings can move beyond these initial concerns and move to the ongoing progress of our ministries. We have much to pray over and work toward, don’t we!
This Week’s Scripture to Memorize:
Matthew 16.25: For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will find it.
Thursday, September 10, 2009
Towne Hall Meeting – Music - IV
Thursday’s Scripture Readings:
OT: Ezekiel 7-8
NT: Colossians 3
W&W: Psalm 114
Friday’s Scripture Readings:
OT: Ezekiel 9-10
NT: Colossians 4
W&W: Psalm 115
Today’s Reflection:
In the Towne Hall Meeting, another person was wondering about… singing songs from our hymnal on Sunday mornings with the piano and organ. Following is my response:
We’ve addressed music already, but let me say that we are taking the approach of John Wesley when the great Methodist revival swept across Great Britain. We need to be sensitive to our target audience. The Wesleys used the music that related to the people of the day. They often borrowed barroom melodies and wrote Christian lyrics for them. Many who would attend Wesley’s field meetings felt uncomfortable in the Anglican Church. They felt out of place, and even unwanted. Wesley used music to bridge that gap and welcome the sinner home to the Savior.
We would all agree that we want young people and lost people to feel comfortable at our church. If we don’t make them feel welcome, our church will no longer exist two generations from now. But at the same time, we want to feed and nourish the souls of the saints.
The two goals are not antithetical. I had an eye-opening experience several years ago at Rick Warren’s church and David Jeremiah’s church. I attended Warren’s service on Saturday night. It was very informal with drama, contemporary choruses and a relaxed atmosphere and dress. Jeremiah’s service the next morning was very formal with pipe organ, 200 voice choir, and an orchestra leading in hymns. Both services were filled with people of every age. Music reaches people. But, if we take it and make it a wedge issue, it will divide us and we will be conquered. For us, a blend is needed. We can do it together! We can!
This Week’s Scripture to Memorize:
Matthew 16.24: Then Jesus said to his disciples, "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.”
OT: Ezekiel 7-8
NT: Colossians 3
W&W: Psalm 114
Friday’s Scripture Readings:
OT: Ezekiel 9-10
NT: Colossians 4
W&W: Psalm 115
Today’s Reflection:
In the Towne Hall Meeting, another person was wondering about… singing songs from our hymnal on Sunday mornings with the piano and organ. Following is my response:
We’ve addressed music already, but let me say that we are taking the approach of John Wesley when the great Methodist revival swept across Great Britain. We need to be sensitive to our target audience. The Wesleys used the music that related to the people of the day. They often borrowed barroom melodies and wrote Christian lyrics for them. Many who would attend Wesley’s field meetings felt uncomfortable in the Anglican Church. They felt out of place, and even unwanted. Wesley used music to bridge that gap and welcome the sinner home to the Savior.
We would all agree that we want young people and lost people to feel comfortable at our church. If we don’t make them feel welcome, our church will no longer exist two generations from now. But at the same time, we want to feed and nourish the souls of the saints.
The two goals are not antithetical. I had an eye-opening experience several years ago at Rick Warren’s church and David Jeremiah’s church. I attended Warren’s service on Saturday night. It was very informal with drama, contemporary choruses and a relaxed atmosphere and dress. Jeremiah’s service the next morning was very formal with pipe organ, 200 voice choir, and an orchestra leading in hymns. Both services were filled with people of every age. Music reaches people. But, if we take it and make it a wedge issue, it will divide us and we will be conquered. For us, a blend is needed. We can do it together! We can!
This Week’s Scripture to Memorize:
Matthew 16.24: Then Jesus said to his disciples, "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.”
Wednesday, September 9, 2009
Towne Hall Meeting - Music, III
Wednesday’s Scripture Readings:
OT: Ezekiel 6
NT: Colossians 2
W&W: Psalm 113
Today’s Reflection:
Continuing on the topic of our music at Bethel Nazarene Church…
We sing hymns and choruses together. And, I am glad, for the beautiful, theologically rich hymns are a staple of our experience of God. I think that the mix was working when I arrived, and it is still working. As far as singing them from the hymnal, that is not as easy as I thought it was. Our Worship Director can explain that for us… (Mark then did so, but I did not “capture” the content of his response. If you are interested, the audio is available on BNC’s website which can be accessed from my favorite sites.)
In response to another, related, question…
I once had an old and very wise evangelist tell me that he never closed an invitation until he had sung at least three verses. He said it took three times for the people to loosen up and respond. I’ve watched that since then, and I’ve found it to be true more often than not.
Sometimes we sing choruses three times in order to really let it penetrate into our hearts. I know that many of the old hymns – which have 3 or 4 or 5 verses – often have a chorus or refrain between each verse. It has been a part of the church’s music for generations – probably dating back to the chanting style worship songs sung by the early congregations – to repeat choruses to drive their message home. Even the Psalms, used in ancient worship, provide us evidence of reinforcement through repetition.
I trust the Lord to lead our worship director to fulfill his calling and assignment. And, by saying that, I am not passing the buck. If I feel the Lord saying to me that we need to make a change, I will not hesitate to instruct Mark. He works for me and we both know that I have the final say (humanly speaking) in our services. And, I accept responsibility for the content of our services.
Tomorrow we will finish up our series on the music at BNC!
This Week’s Scripture to Memorize:
Matthew 16.24: Then Jesus said to his disciples, "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.”
OT: Ezekiel 6
NT: Colossians 2
W&W: Psalm 113
Today’s Reflection:
Continuing on the topic of our music at Bethel Nazarene Church…
We sing hymns and choruses together. And, I am glad, for the beautiful, theologically rich hymns are a staple of our experience of God. I think that the mix was working when I arrived, and it is still working. As far as singing them from the hymnal, that is not as easy as I thought it was. Our Worship Director can explain that for us… (Mark then did so, but I did not “capture” the content of his response. If you are interested, the audio is available on BNC’s website which can be accessed from my favorite sites.)
In response to another, related, question…
I once had an old and very wise evangelist tell me that he never closed an invitation until he had sung at least three verses. He said it took three times for the people to loosen up and respond. I’ve watched that since then, and I’ve found it to be true more often than not.
Sometimes we sing choruses three times in order to really let it penetrate into our hearts. I know that many of the old hymns – which have 3 or 4 or 5 verses – often have a chorus or refrain between each verse. It has been a part of the church’s music for generations – probably dating back to the chanting style worship songs sung by the early congregations – to repeat choruses to drive their message home. Even the Psalms, used in ancient worship, provide us evidence of reinforcement through repetition.
I trust the Lord to lead our worship director to fulfill his calling and assignment. And, by saying that, I am not passing the buck. If I feel the Lord saying to me that we need to make a change, I will not hesitate to instruct Mark. He works for me and we both know that I have the final say (humanly speaking) in our services. And, I accept responsibility for the content of our services.
Tomorrow we will finish up our series on the music at BNC!
This Week’s Scripture to Memorize:
Matthew 16.24: Then Jesus said to his disciples, "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.”
Tuesday, September 8, 2009
Towne Hall Meeting – Music - II
Tuesday’s Scripture Readings:
OT: Ezekiel 4-5
NT: Colossians 1
W&W: Psalm 112
Today’s Reflection:
In the Towne Hall Meeting, I have answered several questions about music. I am continuing my response below:
“Let me tell you what I told Mark from the beginning as far as how a service should flow:
This Week’s Scripture to Memorize:
Matthew 16.24: Then Jesus said to his disciples, "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.”
OT: Ezekiel 4-5
NT: Colossians 1
W&W: Psalm 112
Today’s Reflection:
In the Towne Hall Meeting, I have answered several questions about music. I am continuing my response below:
“Let me tell you what I told Mark from the beginning as far as how a service should flow:
- Start on a pretty energetic tone.
- Put a hymn or two in the beginning of the service if it fits.
- Get me up to preach within 15 minutes whenever possible.
- Work with me on the response song and let’s follow the lead of the Holy Spirit together.
- After the prayer of response, let’s sing some songs that will transition us from meditative (prayer, surrender, obedience) to more celebrative. I want to go out on a high note, just like we came in on.
- The announcements will continue to be a part of the offering time, but we will limit them and plan them in advance, asking our people to be more attentive to their bulletins. (By the way, that means I really don’t want you to give me announcements on Sunday morning if at all possible to avoid it. We need to plan a little further ahead when we can.)
- I also told Mark that for the evenings, let’s keep doing what you’ve been doing as, except that I want to add a children’s sermon so I can minister directly to the kids. (That’s on top of my Smarties© ministry!)
This Week’s Scripture to Memorize:
Matthew 16.24: Then Jesus said to his disciples, "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.”
Monday, September 7, 2009
Towne Hall Meeting, Music I
Monday’s Scripture Readings:
OT: Ezekiel 2-3
NT: Philippians 4
W&W: Psalm 111
Tuesday’s Scripture Readings:
OT: Ezekiel 4-5
NT: Colossians 1
W&W: Psalm 112
Wednesday’s Scripture Readings:
OT: Ezekiel 6
NT: Colossians 2
W&W: Psalm 113
Thursday’s Scripture Readings:
OT: Ezekiel 7-8
NT: Colossians 3
W&W: Psalm 114
Friday’s Scripture Readings:
OT: Ezekiel 9-10
NT: Colossians 4
W&W: Psalm 115
Today’s Reflection:
In the Towne Hall Meeting, I have answered several question about music. The first was submitted as follows: Pastor, I was wondering about: “our congregational singing on Sunday morning. Are we ever going to sing from our hymnals those beautiful hymns of faith and inspiration that have served the church so well in the past?” Below is the first part of my response:
“I’ve asked Mark to help me address that topic. But before he speaks, I want to tell you about how we plan the services. When I arrived, I didn’t want to change very much, and that included the way you were worshiping (except as you recall, I did move the offering to the end of the service). I did realize however, that there were some minor adjustments that I needed to make in order to reflect my style.
“I want to thank the board and Pastor Roberts for giving me such a helper as Mark Owen. He is a wonderful Christian young man and adds much to our services. It is a pleasure working with him. In the wisdom of Pastor Roberts, the church board, and even our DS (for he approved his remaining here during the interim), Mark was planning the music when I arrived. He was doing a great job from all I could tell. I knew that I wanted him to continue to express that God-given talent and call and that for that to happen, I should not limit him too much. I sensed that he was sensitive to the leading of the Holy Spirit, and I liked his style. I knew we could work well together.
“As I observed the first couple of weeks, I thought it was a good blend of hymns and contemporary songs. I wanted Mark to keep things the way they were in that regard in order to reach a broad spectrum of people. I’m very pleased with the balance he has achieved.
Tune in tomorrow for more about the music at Bethel Nazarene Church!
This Week’s Scripture to Memorize:
Matthew 16.24: Then Jesus said to his disciples, "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.”
OT: Ezekiel 2-3
NT: Philippians 4
W&W: Psalm 111
Tuesday’s Scripture Readings:
OT: Ezekiel 4-5
NT: Colossians 1
W&W: Psalm 112
Wednesday’s Scripture Readings:
OT: Ezekiel 6
NT: Colossians 2
W&W: Psalm 113
Thursday’s Scripture Readings:
OT: Ezekiel 7-8
NT: Colossians 3
W&W: Psalm 114
Friday’s Scripture Readings:
OT: Ezekiel 9-10
NT: Colossians 4
W&W: Psalm 115
Today’s Reflection:
In the Towne Hall Meeting, I have answered several question about music. The first was submitted as follows: Pastor, I was wondering about: “our congregational singing on Sunday morning. Are we ever going to sing from our hymnals those beautiful hymns of faith and inspiration that have served the church so well in the past?” Below is the first part of my response:
“I’ve asked Mark to help me address that topic. But before he speaks, I want to tell you about how we plan the services. When I arrived, I didn’t want to change very much, and that included the way you were worshiping (except as you recall, I did move the offering to the end of the service). I did realize however, that there were some minor adjustments that I needed to make in order to reflect my style.
“I want to thank the board and Pastor Roberts for giving me such a helper as Mark Owen. He is a wonderful Christian young man and adds much to our services. It is a pleasure working with him. In the wisdom of Pastor Roberts, the church board, and even our DS (for he approved his remaining here during the interim), Mark was planning the music when I arrived. He was doing a great job from all I could tell. I knew that I wanted him to continue to express that God-given talent and call and that for that to happen, I should not limit him too much. I sensed that he was sensitive to the leading of the Holy Spirit, and I liked his style. I knew we could work well together.
“As I observed the first couple of weeks, I thought it was a good blend of hymns and contemporary songs. I wanted Mark to keep things the way they were in that regard in order to reach a broad spectrum of people. I’m very pleased with the balance he has achieved.
Tune in tomorrow for more about the music at Bethel Nazarene Church!
This Week’s Scripture to Memorize:
Matthew 16.24: Then Jesus said to his disciples, "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.”
Thursday, September 3, 2009
I Choose to Follow Jesus!
Thursday’s Scripture Readings:
OT: Lamentations 4-5
NT: Philippians 2
W&W: Psalm 109.21-31
Friday’s Scripture Readings:
OT: Ezekiel 1
NT: Philippians 3
W&W: Psalm 110
Today’s Reflection:
The following questions were submitted to me at the Towne Hall Meeting by “An Old Lady” (I discussed anonymous communication in an earlier question. See my posts from August 17, 18, and 19 concerning “Openness”):
Are you visiting the sick from Church? Pastor Roberts is a hard one to follow. We were told you wanted to get back to visiting again.
Have you ever been on a mission trip?
This is a tough one to answer, because I know that there is no right answer. I read once that whether or not you think your pastor is a good pastor depends on if that pastor is doing what you think he or she should be doing. That makes sense. But, it sets the pastor up to fail – if he or she tries to model his ministry based on what others think.
But, let me hasten to say that I am glad that I am not “following” Pastor Roberts in this regard. If I placed that burden on myself, it would not be fair to me or to Pastor Roberts. It would certainly not be fair to you or to the Lord of the church who called me here to take the next step in our church’s great history.
I model my ministry based on what I understand Jesus did, based on what I read concerning how the Apostles and Paul conducted their ministries in the early church, based on Paul’s letters to the churches and pastors in the New Testament, and based upon what I feel the Lord leading me to do for the good people of Bethel Nazarene Church. If we finish these questions tonight – and as the Lord leads – perhaps I will preach a message next Sunday night on the role of the pastor. I’ve always wanted to do that, but I’ve been a little hesitant – even fearful. But, a dear friend of mine called me fearless last week, and I don’t want to disappoint her. Besides, it would only be helpful to us all to understand the biblical view together.
That said, I am visiting the sick from the church. I find it a little harder to do, but I also try to visit the sick of the church! And, yes, I am glad to be in a position where I can invest more in the pastoral care of my flock. I feel that that is an area of giftedness for me. At times, Lana joins me on those visits, but not always. I’ll get back to this in a moment.
Concerning mission trips, yes, I have been on several. Two out of the country – in Trinidad and in Canada, and two in the country – in Chattanooga and in Iowa.
This Week’s Scripture to Memorize:
Let’s put Romans 3.21-25a together: 21But now a righteousness from God, apart from law, has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify. 22This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference, 23for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. 25God presented him as a sacrifice of atonement, through faith in his blood.
OT: Lamentations 4-5
NT: Philippians 2
W&W: Psalm 109.21-31
Friday’s Scripture Readings:
OT: Ezekiel 1
NT: Philippians 3
W&W: Psalm 110
Today’s Reflection:
The following questions were submitted to me at the Towne Hall Meeting by “An Old Lady” (I discussed anonymous communication in an earlier question. See my posts from August 17, 18, and 19 concerning “Openness”):
Are you visiting the sick from Church? Pastor Roberts is a hard one to follow. We were told you wanted to get back to visiting again.
Have you ever been on a mission trip?
This is a tough one to answer, because I know that there is no right answer. I read once that whether or not you think your pastor is a good pastor depends on if that pastor is doing what you think he or she should be doing. That makes sense. But, it sets the pastor up to fail – if he or she tries to model his ministry based on what others think.
But, let me hasten to say that I am glad that I am not “following” Pastor Roberts in this regard. If I placed that burden on myself, it would not be fair to me or to Pastor Roberts. It would certainly not be fair to you or to the Lord of the church who called me here to take the next step in our church’s great history.
I model my ministry based on what I understand Jesus did, based on what I read concerning how the Apostles and Paul conducted their ministries in the early church, based on Paul’s letters to the churches and pastors in the New Testament, and based upon what I feel the Lord leading me to do for the good people of Bethel Nazarene Church. If we finish these questions tonight – and as the Lord leads – perhaps I will preach a message next Sunday night on the role of the pastor. I’ve always wanted to do that, but I’ve been a little hesitant – even fearful. But, a dear friend of mine called me fearless last week, and I don’t want to disappoint her. Besides, it would only be helpful to us all to understand the biblical view together.
That said, I am visiting the sick from the church. I find it a little harder to do, but I also try to visit the sick of the church! And, yes, I am glad to be in a position where I can invest more in the pastoral care of my flock. I feel that that is an area of giftedness for me. At times, Lana joins me on those visits, but not always. I’ll get back to this in a moment.
Concerning mission trips, yes, I have been on several. Two out of the country – in Trinidad and in Canada, and two in the country – in Chattanooga and in Iowa.
This Week’s Scripture to Memorize:
Let’s put Romans 3.21-25a together: 21But now a righteousness from God, apart from law, has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify. 22This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference, 23for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. 25God presented him as a sacrifice of atonement, through faith in his blood.
Wednesday, September 2, 2009
What Does the Pastor Do All Week?
Wednesday’s Scripture Readings:
OT: Lamentations 3
NT: Philippians 1
W&W: Psalm 109.1-20
Today’s Reflection:
At the Town Hall Meeting, I answered the following questions:
- What are the days and hours of the week you would prefer not to be disturbed?
- What day is your “day off?”
I’m glad you asked that. I have given this a lot of thought in the last several months, and I have come up with an “ideal schedule.” Through prayer, and seeking the help of others, I have come up with a general pattern that I like to follow:
Mornings are my best time, so I need to spend that time – whenever possible – in the highest impact activities. For me that is preaching preparation, prayer, and personal formation. When possible, I try not to schedule appointments in the morning. I need that time with the Lord and to feed my soul. Afternoons are such that I am ready for more personal contact with people: pastoring.
Monday through Thursday, I usually get up between 5 and 5:30 and spend some time in prayer and Bible reading. My goal is to tithe my time, but I find that a hard goal to reach. Lana and I spend about 30-45 minutes together in the morning – on a walk and then breakfast and devotions. I usually arrive at the office at 8:30. On Tuesday mornings I have a meeting with Mark to review the weekend services and prepare the coming service.
I try to have the first draft of my morning sermon done by Tuesday noon. I want to give it to those preparing PowerPoint as early as possible. Sometimes, though, I don’t get it done until Sunday at 11:20! But, usually I’m pretty much done with it by Wednesday and don’t look at it again until Saturday. I try to finish my Sunday night teaching early in the week also.
Starting with lunch, I like to make appointments for pastoral visitation and administrative meetings. I also spend time in administrative tasks during the afternoons. The focus of my time varies depending on the needs present. If needed, my sermon preparation bleeds over into the afternoon.
I like to have everything done for the weekend by Thursday afternoon, because Friday is my day off. For that same reason, I prefer not to schedule meetings on Thursday evenings. (In the same way, I know you wouldn’t want to have meetings at work on Friday evenings.)
Friday I take the whole day off whenever I can, which is usually most weeks.
Saturdays vary depending on the church calendar. I don’t really have a set schedule except that I know I will be reviewing my sermon to add notes to it, re-reading commentaries, etc. If there is nothing pressing, I may not come into the office.
Do I stick with this schedule? Sometimes pretty close, but often I am not able to observe it “religiously.” That bothered me until I remembered what a pastoral coach once told me: “Make your ideal schedule, and if you can get to 50% compliance, you’re doing great.” I would say, by that standard, that I’m doing great.
Summary: I work Sunday through Thursday all day; I’m off on Fridays; and I take it easy on Saturdays as much as possible. I need undisturbed time in the mornings to adequately prepare for preaching and teaching the Word of God and for prayer.
This Week’s Scripture to Memorize:
Let’s put Romans 3.21-25a together: 21But now a righteousness from God, apart from law, has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify. 22This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference, 23for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. 25God presented him as a sacrifice of atonement, through faith in his blood.
Tuesday, September 1, 2009
We Need More Space
Tuesday’s Scripture Readings:
OT: Lamentations 2
NT: Ephesians 6
W&W: Psalm 108
Today’s Reflection:
One of the concerns at the Towne Hall Meeting was: “No one ever mentions the building fund. Is it still active? We need more space. Should we have an active push to save money for this? I think a member of the board should lead this effort.” Following is my response from the meeting:
The building fund is still active. However, to my knowledge, we do not have an active plan in place to encourage contributions to a capital project. I guess – as the new kid on the block – I would ask you: “Should we have an active push to save money for this?” Talk to me. As far as a board member leading it: I couldn’t agree more!
Let me talk for a moment about our stewardship. Stewardship is part of the “Sow Seeds of Partnership” component of being a disciple. (The other two ingredients are prayer and serving). The church board and I are floating the idea of having a stewardship team – apart from the finance team of the board. The stewardship team will be responsible for stewardship awareness, education, and special fund drives. I hope that we see some good progress on this by the first of 2010. If you are interested in Christian stewardship, please see me. We don’t have the team assembled yet!
Let me address the comment: “We need more space.” In my vast experience here I would both agree and disagree with that statement. Let me tell you what happened to me this morning. During Sunday school, I felt an inner compulsion to go into the basement of our education wing. So strong was the compulsion that I could not – not do it – even though it would make me late for the staff prayer time at 10:15. (My wife and my staff can tell you how I don’t like being late!) Now I know why I felt that compulsion: this question, which I didn’t answer until this afternoon required that I take that trip down there.
In the basement I was confronted by the Lord: “Pastor, why are these rooms empty?” That’s right – the rooms were empty! Oh, church, it breaks my heart to say it! The rooms were empty! Fans were running in two of the rooms, but no children were running in the hall. The air conditioners were making some noise but no teens were. Yes, they were at McDonalds, I know. I think God did sent me down there while the teens were gone on purpose so he could really drive this point home. Fill up those rooms! Do what it takes to make the rooms usable and fill up those rooms! Maybe it won’t work due to mold or low ceilings or whatever. I don’t know. But I do know this: getting more space will take a plan, and the first place we need to look is right under our nose, or – if you happen to be over there during Sunday school – right under your feet!
This Week’s Scripture to Memorize:
Let’s put Romans 3.21-25a together: 21But now a righteousness from God, apart from law, has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify. 22This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference, 23for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. 25God presented him as a sacrifice of atonement, through faith in his blood.
OT: Lamentations 2
NT: Ephesians 6
W&W: Psalm 108
Today’s Reflection:
One of the concerns at the Towne Hall Meeting was: “No one ever mentions the building fund. Is it still active? We need more space. Should we have an active push to save money for this? I think a member of the board should lead this effort.” Following is my response from the meeting:
The building fund is still active. However, to my knowledge, we do not have an active plan in place to encourage contributions to a capital project. I guess – as the new kid on the block – I would ask you: “Should we have an active push to save money for this?” Talk to me. As far as a board member leading it: I couldn’t agree more!
Let me talk for a moment about our stewardship. Stewardship is part of the “Sow Seeds of Partnership” component of being a disciple. (The other two ingredients are prayer and serving). The church board and I are floating the idea of having a stewardship team – apart from the finance team of the board. The stewardship team will be responsible for stewardship awareness, education, and special fund drives. I hope that we see some good progress on this by the first of 2010. If you are interested in Christian stewardship, please see me. We don’t have the team assembled yet!
Let me address the comment: “We need more space.” In my vast experience here I would both agree and disagree with that statement. Let me tell you what happened to me this morning. During Sunday school, I felt an inner compulsion to go into the basement of our education wing. So strong was the compulsion that I could not – not do it – even though it would make me late for the staff prayer time at 10:15. (My wife and my staff can tell you how I don’t like being late!) Now I know why I felt that compulsion: this question, which I didn’t answer until this afternoon required that I take that trip down there.
In the basement I was confronted by the Lord: “Pastor, why are these rooms empty?” That’s right – the rooms were empty! Oh, church, it breaks my heart to say it! The rooms were empty! Fans were running in two of the rooms, but no children were running in the hall. The air conditioners were making some noise but no teens were. Yes, they were at McDonalds, I know. I think God did sent me down there while the teens were gone on purpose so he could really drive this point home. Fill up those rooms! Do what it takes to make the rooms usable and fill up those rooms! Maybe it won’t work due to mold or low ceilings or whatever. I don’t know. But I do know this: getting more space will take a plan, and the first place we need to look is right under our nose, or – if you happen to be over there during Sunday school – right under your feet!
This Week’s Scripture to Memorize:
Let’s put Romans 3.21-25a together: 21But now a righteousness from God, apart from law, has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify. 22This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference, 23for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. 25God presented him as a sacrifice of atonement, through faith in his blood.
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