Posted by David on August 1, 2004 under Bulletin Articles
It is down right unnerving! We are in a society that overwhelmingly is composed of people who chase the American dream. As a society, we believe in the American dream without questioning. We are sure the keys to the “good life” are on the American dream’s key ring. Thus, achieving the American dream makes life good!
The American dream gives us the right to pursue happiness. The keys to happiness are wealth, a superb lifestyle, many possessions, limited responsibility, and lots of personal pleasure (as defined by each person).
So we work ourselves to death pursuing the American dream. Why? We are convinced it is essential for the pursuit of happiness. We get money, but we are not happy. The conclusion: we do not have enough money. We purchase the equipment for a superb lifestyle (wonderful homes, “bells and whistles” automobiles, recreational equipment), but we are not happy. The conclusion: “We need something else.” Most of us have difficulty listing everything we own (or does it own us?), but we are not happy. The conclusion: “Let’s be super consumers who live to possess.” We work hard to reach a time when we have little responsibility, but we are not happy (we are bored!). We indulge our pursuits of pleasures only to find devoting life to pleasure is meaningless. The conclusion: we are confused and feel betrayed!
Think! Is it not amazing that so many who pursue the American dream never find happiness? Many (the greater majority) commit to the journey. Yet before “the goal” is achieved, there is a death; there is an illness requiring all one’s strength and endurance; there is a divorce; there is a child causing agony; there are dismal detours to “nowhere;” there is financial collapse; or there is the unexpected (and it is horrible!).
We live in an unredeemed world as an unredeemed people. We can become redeemed people, but that does not make the world a redeemed world. What is the nature of an unredeemed world? Injustice. Exploitation. Deceit. Failed relationships. Grief. Suffering. Sorrow. Death. Does the fact that we accept redemption in Jesus Christ protect us from an unredeemed world? No! It did not protect Paul, or Peter, or the twelve, or the Christian martyrs!
Could it be that there is something more important to live for than the American dream? Could it be that Satan has deceived us by getting us to blame God for Satan’s work in an unredeemed world?
For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself also will be set free from its slavery to corruption into the freedom of the glory of the children of God (Romans 8:20,21).
Posted by David on July 25, 2004 under Bulletin Articles
“Let us not lose heart in doing good, for in due time we will reap if we do not grow weary.” (Galatians 6:9)
All of us “have been there.” We helped, and helped, and helped until it seemed there was nothing left in us to be helpful. Or, we gave, and gave, and gave until it seemed obvious our giving changed little. Or, we sacrificed, and sacrificed, and sacrificed until something occurred that made past sacrifices meaningless. Or, we worked, and worked, and worked and changed nothing. Or, our behavior set the example of God’s light; we did “the right thing” constantly; and we were conscious of our influence, but even our family preferred the darkness. Or, we understood scripture, and understood scripture, and understood scripture only to confront (again) our ignorance “face to face.”
To follow Jesus Christ to God is to swim against the tide! Swimming against the tide of culture and society is hard! Tiring! Exhausting! To help 24/7 is demanding! To give 7 days a week is relentless! A lifestyle of sacrifice is numbing! Serving God constantly winds us! To be God’s influence daily is overwhelming! To seek to understand scripture only to discover how little you know is disillusioning!
The apostle Paul knew the feeling! He took a mission journey into the province of Galatia (a Roman Empire province). Most of the converts to Christ were Gentiles. Paul established many Gentile (non-Jewish) congregations. As soon as he left that area, some Jewish Christians (known as Judiazers) came to those congregations insisting that Paul deceived them. Unless new converts followed Jewish customs and traditions, their baptism was meaningless. These Jewish Christians were so convincing that many Gentile Christians believed them, let them be teachers, and did as they were told!
Paul was astounded and heart-broken! He could not believe these Gentiles received Christ’s freedom, then turned from that freedom. In response to the crisis, Paul wrote Galatians. He was so upset that he did not begin his letter (as was his practice) with encouraging statements. In essence, he said, “I cannot believe what you did and continue to do!” (Galatians 1:6-9.) Paul was so disturbed by their situation that he feared he wasted his time and effort (Galatians 4:11). Swimming against the tide was one thing! Doing it while dragging an anchor was quite another!
Was Paul discouraged? Yes! Did the Gentile converts’ decisions upset him? Absolutely! Did Jewish Christians’ teachings and actions distress him! Mightily! Did he quit swimming against the tide? No! He could not be who he was in Jesus Christ if he quit.
If you belong to God through Christ, do not let weariness stop you from swimming against the tide! Weariness is a “when,” not an “if.” You will get tired if you allow Christ to lead you toward God! Anyone daring to move toward God swims against the culture’s values and society’s norms. Christian lifestyle begins as a wondrous challenge, continues as a grueling marathon, and ends as a matter of endurance. So why “hang in there”? God’s promise will not fail! The reward far exceeds the demands! The harvest is unquestionable! Only fainting can rob us of God’s blessing!
Posted by David on July 11, 2004 under Bulletin Articles
“How do I help?” Likely that is a question we each ask ourselves many times. That question does not focus on the desire to help–the desire is there! The question focuses on being helpful to the need and the situation–“I want to help, but what do I do to be helpful?” The issue is not the desire. The issue is the what.
In the early 70’s, Deborah Wilson, Joyce, and I worked as part of a mission group in a country in West Africa about the size of California. Deborah Brown Wilson had not yet met Jim. She, as a single lady, worked as a nurse with the mission group’s mobile clinic. She also taught numerous ladies’ Bible classes. Joyce and I, with our children, worked as a family unit in the teaching and evangelizing portion of the mission group. Much of my work focused on stabilizing newer congregations–those were times of rapid growth for the church in that country.
Those were also turbulent times in that work. Within the first two years of our time there, for numerous reasons the number of known congregations grew to be almost 100. Most of the congregations were small in size and rural in nature. In this same period of rapid growth there were few national preachers/teachers. At its full strength, the mission group numbered no more than six families. If fully staffed, we had only two single nurses. The need for teachers and preachers far exceeded the available preachers and teachers within the mission group.
For that reason plus other reasons, the mission group began a preachers’ training school. Most (not all) of the students were teenagers. One of those teens was Eugene Elangwe.
It has been over 30 years since that school started. Eugene finished his training, and some time later moved to a remote area of the country–where he continues to work today. He has a large family, serves numerous congregations (at times his circuit takes a month to visit, and he walks), and has little resources available for the work. Yet, he has begun a school to train others to help teach and preach.
The question I face is the same one you face. The desire to help is there, but what do we do to help? With the aid of the C.U.R.E. program and the help of Bob Fisher, we plan to send a large container of medical supplies (greatly needed!) to the medical clinic in Eugene’s remote area. With those supplies we plan to send Eugene some Bibles and some basic reference books. In this way we hope to (1) increase meaningful opportunities for Eugene’s work, (2) address some urgent medical needs, and (3) supply some basic Bible study aids to those studying with Eugene.
As plans come to conclusion, we will seek the help of anyone interested. Everything supplied will be a gift. Our costs for shipping and for a few of the medical supplies must be raised. We will keep you informed of the situation as needs in collecting the gift become specific. I would much appreciate you putting this effort and Eugene in your prayers.
Posted by David on July 4, 2004 under Bulletin Articles
Matthew 7:24, 25 “Therefore everyone who hears these words of Mine and acts on them, may be compared to a wise man who built his house on the rock. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and slammed against that house; and yet it did not fall, for it had been founded on the rock.”
Jesus’ coming into this world involved numerous hard decisions. Either he would or he would not be a human being. That cannot be a maybe decision. (See Philippians 2:6, 7.) To say “No!” to the rule of Satan was an “either/or” decision, not a perhaps decision. (See Matthew 4:1-11). To assume the role of a poor servant in his ministry involved a definite commitment, not a “wait and see” attitude. (See Matthew 20:28.)
Jesus’ commitment involved being misunderstood by his own followers, rejection by the people he came to help, resentment from those he tried to redirect, and criticism from those who were certain “we know God better than you do.” When we carefully consider his Gethsemane prayers, his suffering prior to and during death, and his willingness to become a cold, dead body, we know those involved hard decisions.
He did not say to God, “Maybe we will do it your way.” He did not say, “I will suffer some — but I say when enough is enough!” His decision to die was a non-reversible decision! Jesus did not live with “one foot in evil and one foot in godliness” — just to be on the safe side. He decided for God, and he followed through on his decision.
Could it be, in the past, it has been too convenient to be a Christian in this society? There was a time when society’s values commonly were Christian values. Christians often did not have to make a decision! However those days are gone.
Today, society’s values and God’s values often are in contrast-unless we redefine God’s values. It seems we can transpose any ungodly pursuit into godliness if we alter God’s definitions a bit. By altering God’s definitions we can be a little bit sexually active outside of marriage, a little bit dishonest, a little bit untruthful, a little bit greedy, a little bit vulgar, a little bit against God, a little bit selfish, a little bit hypocritical, a little bit …
Often we create the impression that Christians can be converted when conversion suits their immediate desires, serve when it is convenient to serve, make God their priority when it suits the moment’s purposes, honor Christ when it is the thing to do, and live for God when we are surrounded by those who live for God.
Jesus becoming our Savior involved hard decisions. Following Jesus as our Savior involves hard decisions. Just as becoming the Savior involved being misunderstood, rejected, resented, and criticized, being the Savior’s disciple often involves being misunderstood, rejected, resented, and criticized. We follow Christ or we do not.
After washing his disciples’ feet, Jesus said, “Truly, truly, I say to you, a slave is not greater than his master, nor is one who is sent greater than the one who sent him. If you know these things, you are blessed if you do them” (John 13:16, 17). The storm is gathering!
Posted by David on June 27, 2004 under Bulletin Articles
John 1:9-13 “There was the true Light which, coming into the world, enlightens every man. He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and the world did not know Him. He came to His own, and those who were His own did not receive Him. But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.”
Rarely, if ever, do human beings comprehend Jesus’ courage! Jesus trusted God at every turn in life, in every circumstance. For us to declare that we comprehend how much faith Jesus had in God probably is a commentary on how little we understand faith. To have great faith in God requires enormous courage. Without courage, there is little faith.
Jesus had the courage to be rejected by those who claimed to have the greatest understanding of God. Enduring rejection is traumatic. Enduring rejection by those who hate and despise us is disconcerting. Enduring rejection by those who should understand and encourage us is devastating. Jesus had the courage to endure the rejection of those he could not “amen.” These people mistook faith for rebellion.
Jesus had the courage to renounce injustice. Matthew 8 and 9 reveal he healed lepers, Gentiles, demon-possessed people, paralytics, and the blind. He called a tax collector to follow him and associated with sinners. Those were the wrong kind of people! Either they suffered because of their evil past or they rejected the “known ways of God!” When the religious questioned his priorities and actions, he said, “The sick need the doctor. You need to learn the meaning of Hosea 6:6, ‘I desire compassion, not sacrifice.'”
Jesus had the courage to be lonely. After his “flesh and blood of life” lesson in John 6, many of his disciples deserted him never to follow him again. This withdrawal of disciples was so severe that he asked the twelve if they also were leaving. A following of twelve is not a big following!
Examples could be multiplied: he had the courage to surrender living to God; he had the courage to do what was right when no one understood; he had the courage to suffer for God’s values; he had the courage to die for God’s will; he had the courage to trust God to raise him from the dead. Jesus had great faith which demanded great courage.
What about us? Often we disassociate faith in God from courage. It takes courage to redirect life. It takes courage to leave less accurate understandings and grow toward more accurate understandings. It takes courage to face raging personal problems that control our minds, our actions, or both. It takes courage to help those suffering as a result of injustice. It takes courage to understand and submit to God’s values and priorities. It takes courage to die to self in order to become alive to God.
How is your faith in God? Do we have the courage to live by faith in God?
Posted by David on June 20, 2004 under Bulletin Articles
Luke 24:25-27 And He said to them, “O foolish men and slow of heart to believe in all that the prophets have spoken! Was it not necessary for the Christ to suffer these things and to enter into His glory?” Then beginning with Moses and with all the prophets, He explained to them the things concerning Himself in all the Scriptures.
The above words came from the newly resurrected Jesus. He spoke to two disciples traveling to Emmaus. Likely they were going home after an event-filled Pentecost in Jerusalem. They went with great expectations because of Jesus’ successful recent activities (Lazarus’ resurrection; his triumphal entry; his public teaching in the temple area). They returned home confused, bewildered, and directionless.
They knew Jesus was dead. They heard he was resurrected. Yet, they were grieved. Things occurred so suddenly! They knew Jesus was God’s mighty prophet. They hoped he was God’s means to redeem Israel. When Jesus joined these sad men on that road, they were amazed he was unaware of all that happened in Jerusalem the past few days.
How ironic! These men who knew Jesus by sight, who knew Jesus received his power from God, who hoped Jesus was Israel’s redemption, did not understand God’s redemption. They heard Jesus’ resurrection occurred. Yet, it meant nothing. How could God possibly use a man raised from the dead to deliver Israel from her enemies? His resurrection was fine, but it could not solve their problems or meet their needs.
Jesus, unrecognized by them, called them foolish. Beginning with Moses he explained the Scriptures concerning him to these men. They, who had God’s redemption “figured out,” learned how little they knew. Their concern was Israel’s redemption. God’s concern is the world’s redemption.
The essential key to understanding redemption is understanding God’s intent in Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection. No faith in Jesus’ death and resurrection always means no understanding of redemption. There was no substitute for faith in the resurrected Jesus.
All my life, with other Christians, I have played the human game, “If only…” In the 60’s I worked in a congregation with pitiful children’s educational facilities. “If only…” In the 70’s I was in foreign missions. There was nothing–no secretaries, no offices, no machines, no literature, and in many instances no Bibles. “If only…” In the 80’s I was part of a congregation whose facilities were too small for worship or education. “If only…” In the 90’s change was rampant throughout our society. Transition took a toll on a church living in the past. “If only…” After 2000 I am part of a church who dares to seriously examine itself. Self-examination through scripture takes a toll. “If only…”
Always, in every decade, there are relevant “if onlys.” Always in every lifetime there should be faith in Jesus Christ. We always will need the material. Yet, the material never will substitute for faith in the resurrected Jesus as the Christ. People with much less and much more can live by faith in Jesus Christ. Jesus once asked, “When the son of man comes, will he find faith on the earth?” (Luke 18:8)
Posted by David on June 13, 2004 under Bulletin Articles
“Child, remember that during your life you received your good things, and likewise Lazarus bad things; but now he is being comforted here, and you are in agony.” (Luke 16:25 – from Jesus’ parable/story of the rich man and Lazarus.)
In a recent article Ronald J. Sider drew pictures of the poverty existing in much of the world. There was the 9-year-old boy who could not go to school because his father could not buy his books–which cost less than one evening of entertainment here. He spoke of an infant daughter dying as parents helplessly watched, unable to afford what we regard as common, inexpensive medications.
He spoke of the poverty circumstances of 1.3 billion people: no furniture (except used blankets, a table, a wooden chair); one change of clothes and pair of shoes (except no shoes for children or women); no appliances; a kitchen furnished with a box of matches, a small bag of flour, some sugar, some salt; no bathroom; no running water; no electricity; no house–just what we would call a shed.
There is no reading materials (magazines, newspapers, books)–just a simple radio; no government services; a two-classroom school 3 miles away; a clinic with a midwife 10 miles away; no postman; no firemen. Most of these 1.3 billion people exist on less than $1 a day. Over half the world’s population exists on less than $2 a day.
Unimaginable! I remember my father’s first impression of our pictures of rural West Africa. He said, “I would not live that way! I would take my hammer and nails and build something different!” I asked, “What if you had no hammer and no nails were available?” Dad simply could not grasp such poverty–he had never seen it! His shock and our shock are quite similar.
The significant question: how do we “handle” wealth? Do we let it make us feel arrogant, or superior, or guilty, or selfish, or just not feel? Do we think our blessings prove God loves us more, or we are more deserving, or we are more focused on God’s ways? Are we our god, are our possessions our god, or is the Father of Jesus Christ our God? Are we blessed to be indulgent, or blessed to be a blessing? Where is the balance between having and helping?
American missionaries living in third world countries confront an unfamiliar inner tension. Commonly they left an amazing living standard to teach people in a stark existence. After learning a shocking truth [“money is not the answer”], they must deal with their prosperity as they live in the midst of dire poverty. The comparison is never with what they left, but always with what they see. I have never known a conscientious missionary who did not struggle with the tension of possessing. It is not as simple as giving wealth away. The eternal question: “What is helpful?”
For us, the issues are always these: “What is life’s purpose? Who am I? What do I do?”
Posted by David on May 16, 2004 under Bulletin Articles
2 Corinthians 4:7-11 But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, so that the surpassing greatness of the power will be of God and not from ourselves; we are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not despairing; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; always carrying about in the body the dying of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body. For we who live are constantly being delivered over to death for Jesus’ sake, so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh.
One of the few things Joyce wanted when we returned to the USA was a stainless steel kitchen sink. I remember when mixing bowls were tempered glass or plastic. For years they have been stainless steel. This year I note another change. In the past, portable cooking grills were made of painted steel. This year I see lots of stainless steel portable grills. If stainless steel can do it, that seems to be the way to go!
While we humans are “into” stainless steel, God is not. When He sent His son to this world, Jesus did not come as “the stainless steel man,” but as a servant. When Jesus chose 12 disciples, he did not select “stainless steel men.” A common complaint against the 12: they were ordinary people. Paul did not consider himself a “stainless steel” Christian. Nor did he look at those whom God ruled and used as “stainless steel” Christians. Paul saw Christians, from leadership down, as clay pots.
While clay pots have many good uses, there are many uses clay pots, of themselves, cannot serve. [In Paul’s analogy, numerous metals were available–bonze, silver, gold.] Clay pots are fragile. They break too easily when encountering destructive forces. They don’t bend! They break!
Clay vessels were much too common. Poor people drank from clay cups! Poor people ate from clay bowls! To impress people, you did not “set the table with the good clay”–you brought out the metal vessels. What a mess and embarrassment if a clay vessel broke while being used by a guest! Clay was for the kitchen, not for the table!
We have produced a false image in the thinking of American Christians. Too often we see ourselves as the “stainless steel” Christians in a “clay world.” We have impeccable congregations with impeccable preachers, impeccable elders, impeccable deacons, impeccable teachers, and impeccable members. We groan and moan when we look at all the clay in society all around us. Yet, we are stainless steel! We are strong–we may bend but we will not break! We stand shiny and bright as we reflect ourselves–beware that our glare does not blind you! We are superior–just look at our accomplishments and origin!
Clay looks at us and says, “We can never be stainless steel.” We look at clay and say, “If you are not stainless steel, we cannot relate to you.”
Are Christians strong? Yes. Do they shine? Yes. Are they superior? No. They know they are clay. All good or strong in them is from God; the God who can live through Jesus in any clay pot.
Posted by David on May 9, 2004 under Bulletin Articles
Acts 11:19-24 So then those who were scattered because of the persecution that occurred in connection with Stephen made their way to Phoenicia and Cyprus and Antioch, speaking the word to no one except to Jews alone. But there were some of them, men of Cyprus and Cyrene, who came to Antioch and began speaking to the Greeks also, preaching the Lord Jesus. And the hand of the Lord was with them, and a large number who believed turned to the Lord. The news about them reached the ears of the church at Jerusalem, and they sent Barnabas off to Antioch. Then when he arrived and witnessed the grace of God, he rejoiced and began to encourage them all with resolute heart to remain true to the Lord; for he was a good man, and full of the Holy Spirit and of faith. And considerable numbers were brought to the Lord.
So much is contained in these few verses that literally a relevant book could be written about them. These verses document a major shift in sharing the resurrected Jesus Christ.
For a while Jesus’ resurrection was declared exclusively to Jews. God promised Israel a Messiah. God’s intent: the Messiah would be God’s fulfillment of His ultimate accomplishment through Israel. Israel had many expectations about the Messiah’s impact on Israel. What could be more natural than an intense discussion about Jesus’ identity among Jews? After all, they were certain the Messiah was promised to them to meet their expectations. They did not understand God’s original promise to Abraham, their ancestor: “… in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed” (Genesis 12:3).
For a while, Jesus’ resurrection was discussed only among Jews. Then some Jewish converts from Cyprus and Cyrene taught people in Syrian Antioch who were not Israelites. “The hand of the Lord” was with them. The result: “many who believed turned to the Lord.”
This startling news reached converted Jews in Jerusalem where the teaching about Jesus’ resurrection began. Naturally, the question was, “What is going on?” They selected a Jewish convert, Barnabas, to travel to Antioch to examine the situation. This is the same man whose name was changed from Joseph to Barnabas (son of encouragement) by the apostles, who sold some land and gave the money to the apostles to help the needy (Acts 4:36, 37), and who saw spiritual potential in Saul (Paul) the man previously violent against Jewish Christians (Acts 9:26-28).
Few Jewish Christians could visit a Gentile city and be elated about God’s work among people who were not Jews! In Antioch Barnabas continued doing what he did among Jerusalem converts: “he rejoiced and began to encourage them all with resolute heart to remain true to the Lord.” He was not jealous because God’s grace worked among these people! He did not feel threatened on behalf of Jewish converts! He saw God’s grace and rejoiced! Why? “He was a good man, and full of the Holy Spirit and of faith.”
If your congregation wondered, “What is going on?” would they send you to investigate because you are an encourager with godly attitudes, filled with faith and God’s presence?
Posted by David on May 2, 2004 under Bulletin Articles
Of this church I was made a minister according to the stewardship from God bestowed on me for your benefit, so that I might fully carry out the preaching of the word of God, that is, the mystery which has been hidden from the past ages and generations, but has now been manifested to His saints, to whom God willed to make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. We proclaim Him, admonishing every man and teaching every man with all wisdom, so that we may present every man complete in Christ. (Colossians 1:25-28)
Last Sunday was exceptional! Numerous people opened homes Saturday night to the Harding University Singers and returned the chorus to study and worship Sunday morning. Curtis McDonald and his crew (Bob Fisher, Jack and Glenda Lewis, Joe Parker, Maxine Yates) arrived early Sunday to prepare our fellowship meal. Though the Family Life Center was the site of a wedding reception Saturday afternoon, the “set up” crew (David Berger, Bruce Davenport, Kerry Jenkins, and helpers) had tables and chairs ready for several hundred people to eat lunch on Sunday. Numerous people brought desserts to go with our meal.
After dismissal Betty Porter fell against a pew and sustained a large cut. Many immediately came to her rescue. Dr. Larry Armstrong took her to the hospital and attended to her physical needs. In less than an hour she was home and doing well.
By 12:30 p.m. all were fed (781 were in attendance for worship). A “clean up” crew (including lots of teen help) stored the tables and chairs, then prepared the area for an afternoon birthday party.
The Harding University Singers sang at 1 p.m. to a good audience.
Sunday morning in worship Chris spoke passionately about being a community of God’s people living under the cross. [Link to sermon.] We refuse to be an unattached group who merely knows what God achieved in Jesus’ cross and resurrection. We choose to be a community who individually and collectively are formed by God’s achievements in Jesus’ cross and resurrection.
A biblical shift is occurring among us that we need to understand well. The shift: society and the world will be touched by Christ when Christians have the courage to be missional individuals. Past concepts of church growth commonly saw the congregations as super markets. Our goal was to offer better programs than everyone else. People would choose us because we offered “the best programs” to be found.
The missional emphasis: be a person whose whole life belongs to God. Help form a community who reflects God. Call people to a changed existence because of God’s accomplishments in Christ. We exist, not to challenge people to choose us, but to challenge people to choose God. We exist to encourage people continually to come closer to God. We challenge people to serve the Christ, our hope of glory.
