Posted by David on August 4, 2005 under Bulletin Articles
Recently I have been involved in two occasions in this congregation that profoundly touched me-Vacation Bible School and Community Outreach Day. What deeply touched me was the sight of so many different members (from teens to elderly!) who were involved. In a real way, the success of each occasion was the result of so many members being involved.
This is in no way a derogatory comment on our many other ministries. I feel more than confident that every ministry leader quickly would say the effectiveness of the ministry depends on a broad-based involvement and the contributions of many members willing to do what they can. In the two mentioned, the involvement of many members with differing abilities was quite visible. Always, it is a matter of function-not competition!
I am always amazed to note how much is accomplished when members do what they are capable of doing–with no thought about who is and is not visible. Yet, why should that be amazing? That is what scripture said 2,000 years ago.
First, Christians need the Lord’s concept of church. While the word “church” is a specific religious word now, that was not so in the first century. The word “church” existed before Jesus Christ was born or the Christian movement began. It simply meant those “called out” to fulfill a specific purpose. Christians are God’s “called out” dedicated to God’s objectives in righteous lifestyles through Jesus Christ. They do good works, not to exalt themselves, but to give glory to God (Matthew 5:16).
The church is not a building. It is not a location. It is not a collection of programs existing “because that is what a church does.” It is not an organizational chart declaring who has the right to control. It is a group of people who serve together because, in a common love for Jesus Christ, they are committed to God’s purposes and each other.
Second, Christians need to realize no Christian can do everything, but every Christian can do something. Wise is the congregation that makes it natural for all its members to be involved in ways they are capable of serving! The key to congregational success is not letting someone we consider a “superior Christian with extraordinary abilities” carry everyone else, but the key is encouraging all of us ordinary folks in Christ to do what we are able to do.
We are a body! In a body fingernails and eyelashes serve important roles to hands and eyes!
Posted by David on July 7, 2005 under Bulletin Articles
It has been a difficult week for this congregation. What has happened has not been good. The fact that we as a congregation experience grief together is good. Why? Because we increasingly are a family who care about each other!
This week Helen Branum fell, suffered a brain hemorrhage, and died just under 24 hours later. Larry Schluterman lost a nephew, Ben Schluterman, who was only 21 years old. Ben lost his battle with cancer. Larry and Ben were quite close. Eleanor Casey lost a brother-in-law, Joe Kincy. John Keller lost his grandfather.
With all our sorrows this week, a thought repeatedly came to me. The thought: none of us choose our parents, and few of us choose when or how we leave this life. The thought is not in the context of “us poor helpless victims.” It is in this context: though we do not choose how we enter or exit this life, we exercise an amazing number of choices.
We decide who we are. Regardless of our past circumstances or our present conditions, we choose to be the person we are. We choose what will be the dominant influences in life. We choose what will be the insignificant influences in life. We choose the influences we will add to our lives.
We decide how we will use our lives. We choose our life focus. We choose what to hold to as valuable. We choose our causes-are we an “inwardly turned” person or an “outwardly turned” person. We choose selfishness or unselfishness. We choose anger or compassion. We choose to be hate-centered or love-centered.
Even if we allow a victim mentality to enslave us, that is our choice. Bad things cannot be prevented from happening to any of us, but it is our choices that determine if bad things are allowed to make us bad people.
The great hope in this life in Jesus Christ is found in the power of transformation (Romans 12:1-2). Through God’s forgiveness there is opportunity to begin again and be a different person. Through God’s strength there is the opportunity to be resurrected to escape the seemingly inescapable struggles and hardships of physical life.
What “I am” can end. What “I can be” is the unending opportunity and hope God provides us in Jesus Christ. Incredibly, each of us can choose to end what we are and become what God can make us. Investment in God is life’s most wonderful investment!
Posted by David on June 30, 2005 under Bulletin Articles
We are a middle class American church. We may range from the depths of middle class to the higher fringes of middle class, but we are primarily a middle class church. We descended from a strong work ethic in a rural environment that managed with values and behavior strange to today’s America.
Many of us adults adopted those values and perspectives. Most of us do not live as our grandparents lived, but the older of us still hold many of their values and perspectives.
However, times have changed considerably. Now we have adults who do not know those values and perspectives. We have young people who have never seen or heard of those values and perspectives. While our grandparents knew ?hard times’, now there are people in the church who live exclusively in prosperity and its lifestyle.
Do you doubt we are a middle class church? How do you feel if the congregation has a sizeable number who assemble here to praise God from true poverty circumstances? Or, if our building is used to provide support groups a meeting place to teach and encourage those who confront addictions? Or if we mix “our” children in classes with children who come from obviously different environments?
Perhaps the biggest shock comes if circumstances require us to live in a third world country. Much of the world’s population resides in such countries. After we get past the curious tourist stage, our eyes see things and ears hear things never seen or heard before. We see people truly trapped in poverty, who never have enough to eat, who could put the entire family’s clothing in one of our closets-and still have empty space, who are sick most of the time (by our definition), and who likely will die before the age of 50.
Shockingly, these people smile more, are less anxious, are more thoughtful, and are more grateful than many of us. Conversion changes nothing physically for many of them, but they are so grateful to know the hope given by the living God.
May we develop God’s eyes and ears as we look at ourselves and others!
Posted by David on June 23, 2005 under Bulletin Articles
Jesus declared this statement. In context, he made it to contrast his concern for people with concerns of those who exploited people. The basic contrasts declared two realities. (1) Jesus unselfishly focused on the benefits of people while others focused selfishly on personal benefits. (2) He gave life while others deserted in the moments of crisis and brought death.
His purposes never exploited people. His purposes brought and gave life freely. Ultimately, his death would bring life to people.
Today’s Christians often miss the central point. Most of us are unfamiliar with the relationship between first century sheep and their shepherd. It was founded on total dependence and absolute trustworthiness. Only when sheep had a trustworthy shepherd would the relationship work.
Sheep were totally dependent. Without a shepherd, they could not find food. In fact, they would over-graze an area and literally destroy their food source. A good shepherd had to be wise enough not to allow over-grazing.
Without a shepherd, sheep seldom found water in arid places. A good shepherd led them to water. Thirsty sheep in arid places seldom could find water on their own.
Good shepherds defended sheep. A flock was defenseless without their shepherd. The only thing they knew to do in crisis was panic! In their panic, sheep endangered themselves-rather than hurting their enemy, they in their panic hurt themselves.
A shepherd made it possible for sheep to have life! An excellent, accomplished shepherd provided a good life for his sheep.
We were made to live. We exist because the Source of Life, God, gave us existence. By design we were made to live. Life, not death, fulfills our purpose. It is impossible to diminish life and not diminish us!
Though we do not like to admit it, we are dependent creatures. While we value life, we do not know the focus of life. We do not understand what we are about. Left to ourselves, we are prone to selfishness. We do a poor job of considering future consequences to life. We are so “pleasure” prone and so “lifestyle” conscious we are vulnerable to “now thinking” as if everything in the future will continue as it exists in this moment. We do a horrible job of leading ourselves, focus ourselves, or directing ourselves. We are far, far more likely to make “self-destruct” choices than wise and insightful choices.
We need someone to guide us who unselfishly has our best-interest as his priority. We need someone to teach us what life is about. We need someone to show us how to live. We need a good shepherd, Jesus Christ. He provides life when death surrounds us.
Posted by David on June 9, 2005 under Bulletin Articles
Luke 11:34, 35 “The eye is the lamp of your body; when your eye is clear, your whole body also is full of light; but when it is bad, your body also is full of darkness. Then watch out that the light in you is not darkness.”
When was the last time you heard or read (in a serious interview, news report, or public conversation) the words “jail” or “penitentiary”? Those words basically have been replaced with the appropriate “correctional facilities.” How often do you hear words like “crazy” or “handicapped”?
Remember when “gay” was a “good word” referring to an innocent, wonderful time? Years ago Joyce and I were visiting a congregation in a distant state. A large group was to eat together at a place requiring a reservation. Even with a reservation, a wait was required. When our group was called, they called for “the Chadwell party.” I was a bit surprised. Then our hosts (friends from the past) whose name was Gaye turned to me and said, “You didn’t expect us to have them call for the ?Gaye party,’ did you?”
It is amazing how words have disappeared from common vocabulary, or have been redefined, or have become acceptable, or have come into existence within the last 30 to 50 years and are now common vocabulary words.
Since language is alive and reflects a society as it is, the fact that words change is a good thing if changes bring improvements in concepts and communication. To me, the key is seen in the word “improvements.” I certainly realize what is an “improvement” may involve a truly subjective response. Virtually no reality exists that does not offend someone. We can pursue good self-images with such a passion that we ignore reality. Should I feel good about myself when I actually need to recognize and address some major flaws evident in who and what I am?
We cannot define ourselves into righteousness. The Isaiah statement came in a series of highly unpopular “woes” declared to self-professed godly people. By their concepts, they were very godly people. By God’s concepts, they behaved in deplorable ways. They were godly people in their own eyes because they swapped the meaning of words.
The people who lived in Luke’s world feared darkness. Good things happened in daylight; bad things happened in darkness. Jesus said the worst kind of darkness is the darkness that occurs inside the person. He warned, “Do not shut out light, because if you do you only intensify the darkness.”
I deceive myself, not God, when I seek to transform my lifestyle and behavior by redefining words instead of changing the way I live.
Posted by David on June 2, 2005 under Bulletin Articles
By God’s design, Judaism in the Bible was smallness that focused on retaining smallness. Israel was a small nation-so small that all the men of the nation were commanded to assemble in a designated place three times yearly to worship God (Deuteronomy 16:16).
In contrast, Christianity, by God’s design, is enormous (Matthew 13:31-43). It is worldwide in existence, outreach, and influence.
Often God’s people victimize themselves through their expectations. First century Israel struggled to grasp that God loved and cared about all mankind. Their expectations declared God loved only people who did things the way Israel did them. Sometimes we struggle with the same understanding. It is easy to think God is happy if “He just has us.”
Opening our minds to the fullness of God’s purposes is easily intended, but challenging to do. It is too easy to dismiss a concern from God by saying, “That is not what God wants!” or “God is not like that!” or “God is not interested in those things!” Too often it is we who do not want that, or do not like that, or have no interest in that. Most of us cannot image God not having the same concerns and focus “I have.”
The prophet Isaiah said of God (Isaiah 55:8, 9) “For My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My ways,” declares the Lord. “For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways and My thoughts than your thoughts.” Paul told Athens’ elite they should not think of God in terms of a piece of physical art work produced by humans (Acts 17:29). Paul also reminded Christians that God did the unimaginable: “Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and unfathomable His ways! For who has known the mind of the Lord, or who became His counselor? Or who has first given to Him that it might be paid back to him again? For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things. To Him be the glory forever. Amen” (Romans 11:33-36).
The challenge an open mind presents to the Christian is not the challenge to believe anything declared by people, but to believe everything declared by God. It is not to be easily deceived by human reasoning, but to be open to God’s word. It is not to be lead by the desires of people, but to be open to the heart of God. It is not to seek the praise of people, but to never stop seeking God’s purposes in Jesus Christ.
It is the willingness to let God lead us as we grow in understanding. It is the willingness to refuse to attempt to manipulate God. It is the willingness to repent and redirect life any time such repentance and redirection is needed. It is the willingness to refuse to shackle God’s work by our expectations. It is the willingness to free Jesus Christ from our expectations. It is the willingness to listen as the word speaks to us rather than dictating to the word its meaning. Quite a challenge, isn’t it?
Posted by David on May 26, 2005 under Bulletin Articles
A few mornings ago I took an early morning walk. As I traveled my usual route, I noticed something ahead of me in the road. It just was daylight, and I could not make out what I saw. I see lots of different things in the road on my morning walks-squirrels, possums, skunks, raccoons, a variety of fast food containers, and beer bottles. However, the shape of this object was different. It seemed much too still to be a living creature.
As I drew closer, I saw a large turtle just beginning its journey across the street. By the shape of its shell and its movements, it seemed to be the kind of snapping turtle I saw around lakes in my boyhood days. A golf course pond was behind it-I assume that is where it came from. Who (but it) knew where it was going-on the other side of the road is the beginning of a very large hill with no lake or pond.
Suddenly, a strange drama began unfolding. Early morning traffic picked up. A couple of cars dodged the turtle, and other cars slowed down to make certain they missed it. Would the turtle live to see the other side of the street?
Several things occurred to me. Only the turtle knew why it was going. I am sure that to the turtle its journey made sense, but from any other perspective the turtle’s journey was just plain stupid. Second, the turtle did not have a clue about the danger it was in. In the blink of an eye, the turtle could go from very alive to very dead. Third, the turtle would regard any attempt to help it as an attack. I quickly thought better of my inclination to remove it from the road.
I realize how much we are like the turtle. We think we know what we are doing, but we don’t. We think we know where we are going, but we don’t. However, we are certain we must get there-until we arrive. Too often we regard any attempt to rescue us from danger we do not “see” with indignation. When we are determined, a caring act is perceived as a hostile attack. Too often we mistake our journey with life itself.
One of life’s essential lessons learned only with great difficulty: our journey must not consume our existence. Who we are is more important than where we are. If we take proper care of who we are, we avoid many predicaments. The nature of our journey is never as important as who we are. Where we are is important only when it affects who we are. Who we are impacts our eternal destiny far more than where we have been.
Oh, by the way, when I walked back by, the turtle was nowhere to be seen. Only it knows where it is and why it went-or maybe not even it knows.
Posted by David on May 19, 2005 under Bulletin Articles
This verse always floods my mind with Cameroon memories. When Joyce, our three children, and I were in West Africa, never was there more than six American families where we were. One or two of the families were led by medical doctors. With the help of single nurses (our Deborah Wilson was one of them!), the doctors conducted mobile clinics.
They maintained routes to larger villages with no access to medical treatment. Several times weekly the doctors and nurses loaded a long-wheel base, four-wheel drive Land Rover and traveled to a village on their route.
Few paved roads then existed in that area. Travel was slow and tedious. The people were a gracious, gentle people-unless a vehicle hit a person or an animal. When that happened, volatile emotions erupted, and the reaction of the crowd was unpredictable.
One of the clinic’s routes traveled through the village of Kwa-Kwa weekly. As the doctors and nurses approached Kwa-Kwa one morning, the road disappeared into a massive crowd of people.
Immediately the doctors and nurses wondered aloud if they unknowingly hit an animal when they last passed through. Quickly the vehicle was surrounded by a throng of people pressing close to the Land Rover. Just as the medical team feared the worse, a small man named Nusudo stepped out of the crowd, handed a doctor a note, and the crowd immediately opened to create a path for the Land Rover to continue its journey.
The note simply said, “Come over to Macedonia and help us!”
Nusudo, not as tall as my seven-year-old son, was converted and became the village’s preacher. Soon Kwa-Kwa had a thriving congregation because someone “came to Macedonia” and taught them.
This week a large shipment of Bibles, books, and medical supplies began the journey to a remote area in Cameroon. Seven clinics and hospitals in the Wum area will receive a huge shipment of medical supplies. A preacher training school will receive books for its library. Congregations (some quite new) will receive Bibles. Eugene, once a teenager in the preacher training school who is now over 50, will receive a bicycle to assist him as he travels to remote areas to teach.
Thank you! For your generous gifts, for your countless evenings of work, for your interest and encouragement, thank you! Thanks to Bob Fisher for his patience in finding as many supplies as possible! Thanks to Kevin Vaught for “dotting the i’s and crossing the t’s” as he coordinated the work! Thanks to Ron Moreton and Jim Selig for driving trucks far and wide to gather and take supplies! Thanks to all the volunteers, the women who packed and made manifest lists, and the contributors who made it happen. All of you “went to Macedonia.” On behalf of those who will never see or know you, thanks!
Posted by David on May 12, 2005 under Bulletin Articles
Many years ago I heard a statement made many times in numerous ways. In some form, the statement declared, “It is a shame that youth is wasted on the young.” Never was the statement uttered as a ?slam’ on young people. It was a statement of regret made by an older person as a commentary on the way he or she lived in his or her past.
There was a time when we thought nothing would ever change, nothing bad would or could happen ?to me.’ We could go day and night if we chose to do so. Everything was a challenge-not an impossibility or a ?ridiculous undertaking.’ We were focused on ?proving something’-what we were trying to ?prove’ was never clear, but we thought it needed no explanation. With some of the ?dumb’ things we did, it is amazing that half of us are still alive! Yet, not for a moment did we think in terms of ?dangerous’ nor did we associate any consequences with our acts. We were full of life, and always would be!
When I was in high school, seniors received special privileges the last week of school. My high school was extremely small with very small senior classes. (I think there were 19 in my graduating class.) Very few students owned or had access to a car. That year, 17- and 18-year-olds filled with excitement draped themselves all over a car-sitting on fenders, standing on bumpers-as they took a rural celebration cruise. They wrecked. Several spent weeks in the hospital. A few were maimed for life. The impossible was more than possible. Consequences were real-something could happen ?to me.’
For years I served as a camp director. I quit when my awareness of all the bad things that could happen outgrew my possibility thinking. When your fears grow bigger than the possibilities for good you see, you need to stop. It always needs to be a matter of possibility, not a matter of control. No one has the energy for good as do the young!
Being afraid of everything is not good. Knowing when it is appropriate to be sober is good.
As Paul neared the end of his life, what a view of his past he had! Outstanding student, a man ruled by hate, a man ruled by love, a man who knew he never was in control of anything. Even as he approached death, he was like spilled oil and wine. His final tribute to God-only God was in control. His life was nothing more than a drink offering. However, it was okay-he had absolute confidence in God and His promises.
When Paul looked over his life, I wonder if he thought youth was wasted on the young? In his case, absolutely! What about you? It is okay-if you have total confidence in God and His promises! Only He-not you!-is in control. Be a drink offering, not a control freak!
Posted by David on May 5, 2005 under Bulletin Articles
No matter how much we would like to stop time, we cannot! We can change our routines, but we cannot stop time. Some events seem to slow it down, but they do not. Some events seem to speed it up, but they do not. The passing of time steadily moves on — at an unhurried pace. It is only faster or slower in our minds.
A few days ago I enjoyed looking at some Mayan ruins that pre-date Jesus’ birth. To enter the restored area, a person walks through a very wide stone wall. The wall is a marvel in itself. As I walked through an archway in this rock wall about 10-12 feet wide, I was amazed at all the flat stones fitted together to make the wall and archway. The stones were not enormous — maybe between 10 and 12 inches long. Each stone fit precisely with every other stone. No mortar held these flat stones together. Each silently witnessed centuries of time as it touched the stones above it, the stones beneath it, and the stones on the sides of it.
I marveled at the number of stones it took to build this enormous, three-sided wall which started at a cliff by the sea and returned to another point on the same cliff. I marveled at the engineering, the materials, and the time it took to construct this wall enclosing an enormous area that included enormous buildings. I marveled at the eyes that looked at this wall in past centuries, and at the eyes from many continents then looking at the wall.
All the eyes beholding that wall thousands of years ago are dead. All the eyes looking at it now will die. Morbid? No! Fact? Yes! The foolish person is not the one who lives with an awareness of his/her death. The foolish person is one who lives his/her life as if time can be forgotten or ignored.
Time measures life. When life ends, time ends. To use life wisely, a person must use time wisely. Perhaps we each spend a lifetime building a wall. The question: does our wall exist to include or to exclude?
Thoughts:
We do not have the time to wish our lives away. Use “now” wisely — it’s all we have.
Do not waste time regretting the past or longing for the future. Utilize time by using “now” — it is all we have.
Each experience has the potential to enrich life for us and all we influence. Allow each experience (good or bad) to enrich “now.” Why? Because “now” is all we have.
Killing time wastes one’s life. The moment will come for each of us when we realize we never possessed enough time to kill or life to waste. “Now” is all we have.
