Posted by David on October 1, 2000 under Bulletin Articles
God blesses me by allowing me to be a part of you. This weekend we had 515 teens, teachers, youth ministers, and interested adults who attended Crosswalk.
We regard it as incredible when (1) Sunday morning attendance grows by 75 or (2) two hundred adults attend a Saturday seminar for 4 hours when the Hogs are playing. Five hundred fifteen people met Saturday morning from 9 a.m. to about 9:30 p.m.
What did they do? They worshipped. Have you listened to over 400 teens declare in song to God, “I stand, I stand in awe of You”? Or listened as they ask God to “Light the fire in my soul”? When you do, be ready for “goose bumps” and tears. Terry Davis is an incredible song leader. When you sing with Terry, you worship.
They listened to powerful lessons urging them to let Jesus make a difference in their lives. Craig Hicks is a well trained, well educated man. How he connects with young people! He makes scripture come alive (because scripture is alive to him!).
They attended classes. Specific, directed studies were taught by teachers committed to youth work. Harding University’s Theatron made thought-provoking applications of biblical principles in the form of modern parables.
Consider this interesting situation. (1) Have every adult Christian of each congregation represented witness the day. (2) Ask each one a simple question: “What did you see?”
I saw adults with a passion for souls fighting for our teens’ minds and hearts. I saw Christians fighting to make Jesus the most powerful force in our teens’ lives.
In Jesus’ day, the Pharisees and Sadducees had a passion for (1) tradition (their old paths), (2) the institution (the temple and its priests), (3) regulations and procedures (elevated to the status of law), (4) heritage and culture (more essential than the person), and (5) the preservation of forms (identity was godliness!).
Jesus’ passion was for people (hurt people, sinful people, rejected people, insignificant people, hopeless people). The primary difference between Jesus and the Pharisees or Sadducess? God’s priorities. All agreed that God’s will was preeminent, but their understanding of God’s priorities was radically different.
Probabilities: Our teens (1) know more teens from divorced or single parent homes than with their mom and dad; (2) know many sexually active teens; (3) know many teens who experiment with alcohol and drugs; (4) know some teens who had an abortion.
Jesus’ church needs Christians who, like Jesus, have a passion for souls.
Posted by David on September 24, 2000 under Bulletin Articles
Our lives are lived in weariness. Weariness is the daily context of life for many Americans. Many unmarried are weary of loneliness. Many married are weary of “let’s pretend,” faked relationships. Many parents are weary of unappreciative children. Many children are weary of parents who do not comprehend their world. Many are weary of pleasure’s emptiness. Many are weary of hypocrisy. Most of us are weary of the illusions of the American lifestyle. Most of us are just plain tired, and the future’s road appears to wind through exhaustion.
If we conclude weariness in “postmodern” American culture is unique, we deceive ourselves. Acts’ second sermon was delivered to Israelites assembled at the Jerusalem temple. Israelites had a 1500 year history of weariness: the weariness of Egyptian slavery, the weariness of the exodus, the weariness of Canaan’s conquest, the weariness of the judges’ rule, the weariness of the kings, the weariness of a divided kingdom, the weariness of the Assyrian and Babylonian exiles, the weariness of the return to their homeland, and the weariness of Roman occupation.
Peter’s first sermon (Acts 2) emphasized God [by intent and design] made Jesus Lord and Christ. Peter’s second sermon (Acts 3) emphasized Israel’s need to repent. God’s people needed to repent! God’s chosen people needed to repent! Abraham’s descendants, heirs of God’s promises, needed to repent!
What an emphasis! Why not talk to people about (a) idolaters’ need to repent or (b) atheists’ need to repent or (c) wicked Israelites need to repent or (d) rebellious Israelites need to repent or (e) unethical Israelites need to repent? Did not those groups need to repent? Certainly!
Then why tell people assembled to pray to the living God they needed to repent? (1) If other people needing repentance repented, their repentance could not remove these people’s need to repent. (2) The people at the temple could not have their sins “wiped away” unless they repented. (3) They could not experience God’s “times of refreshing” unless they repented.
The long journey of weariness would continue if these people who believed in God, who assembled because of faith in God, who came to pray to God refused to repent. God could end their journey into weariness if they allowed Jesus to be their Christ. To accept the fact that Jesus was the Christ was not enough. They had to allow Jesus to be Christ in their relationship to God.
For the same reasons, we desperately need a total redirection of life. God cannot replace our weariness with the “time of refreshing” until we permit Jesus to be Christ in our lives. As long as Jesus Christ is nothing more than a fact, our journey into weariness will continue.
Posted by David on September 17, 2000 under Bulletin Articles
The world cannot understand Americans. Considering all of our society, Americans have the greatest prosperity and highest standard of living known in any sizable society on earth. History has never known a sizable nation that had our standard of living.
Yet, depression is common in America. Among the young and the old, suicide is significant. Alcoholism, drug addiction, pornography, sexually transmitted disease, promiscuity, dysfunctional families, one parent families, rejection of commitment, dishonesty, and a lack of integrity and character are sources of major social problems.
How can a society with so much, experience so many serious problems? Many of the world’s societies cannot understand. In their societies, the majority live in poverty with minimal human rights. To them, the combination of prosperity and human rights produce a wonderful society. America has that combination. Why do we not enjoy our wonderful existence?
Prosperity and human rights do not eliminate stress. Alcoholism, drug addiction, and sexually indulgent behavior are popular attempts to escape stress. Family relationships fail to nurture and sustain healthy love and acceptance. That failure creates the stresses of loneliness, rejection, and despair. Americans mistakenly believe honesty, commitment, integrity, and character are the roots of distress. We incorrectly believe the emotional antidote for stress is irresponsible, selfish, pleasure-centered existence.
Jesus once invited the burdened of Jewish society to come to him (Matthew 11:28-30). His guidance would unburden their lives. He was gentle and humble. Through him they would find rest.
Rest! What a wonderful word! What a beautiful concept! Rest is the opposite of stress. Stress is the enemy of rest. Jesus produces rest in a burdened life by taking the burdens. It is easier to serve Jesus than it is to be enslaved to burdens.
If we Christians wish to validate the gospel and capture the attention of the masses, all we need do is to allow Jesus to give us rest. Stressed out Christians cannot communicate the peace and healing of the gospel.
Suggestions: (1) Let your life demonstrate that Christ destroys stress. (2) Never distress each other. (2) Do not promote or endorse ungodliness because evil creates stress. (4) Commit to honesty, integrity, and character. (5) Learn how to help each other with life’s burdens.
Posted by David on September 10, 2000 under Bulletin Articles
Labor Day just passed. School just started. The routine for fall, winter, and spring just began. Just now life returns to “normal” (whatever that is).
Our children begin or return to school to “learn.” Our teens begin or return to junior or senior high to “learn.” Our young adult children begin or return to colleges to “learn,” or to skill training to “learn.” Many adults reenter the “track” created by job or career that requires us to “learn” for the business’ sake. After Labor Day passes and fall routines resume, the emphasis shifts as much to learning as to doing.
What will be learned that will last a lifetime? What will be learned that will make a difference to our futures? What will be learned that will matter? How much will be learned only to be forgotten? How much will be learned never to be forgotten? How will our learning bless our lives? How will our learning curse our lives?
Someone suggests, “Learning is a wonderful thing. Learning produces better futures. Learning blesses by producing joy and fulfillment.” I do not think Eve would agree. I do not think Lot’s wife would agree. I do not think many of the Old Testament prophets would agree. I do not think that Ananias and Sapphira would agree.
Eve would testify that learning about evil is not a blessing. Lot’s wife would testify that “learning the hard way” is not a blessing. The Old Testament prophets would testify that learning the way God deals with His rebellious children is not a blessing. Ananias and Sapphira would testify that learning how God feels about Christians who try to deceive Him is not a blessing.
The experience of learning does not necessarily bless. (That certainly is not the affirmation that ignorance produces blessings!) The lessons and messages produced by learning may or may not bless. Evil’s purposes through learning never intend to bless. Righteousness’ purposes through learning bless if the heart of the learner cherishes God. Learning is a fascinating process: the same learning produces powerful blessings in one person and just as powerful curses in another person.
A significant question: are we learning for the moment, for the future, or for eternity? Few people want to die physically. Many consider physical death as the beginning of nonexistence. Even many who express confidence in life after death have quiet, serious doubts about an existence after death. While we say that we do not want to die, rarely do we realize that we cannot cease to exist even if we prefer nonexistence.
Perhaps learning’s most significant question is this: how will our existence after death be affected by what we learn? What we learn in this life determines our experiences after death. Fascinating! Sobering! So, what will you learn this fall?
Posted by David on September 3, 2000 under Bulletin Articles
No one enjoys personal crises. Yet, life is filled with them. I seriously doubt any of us live a week of life without at least one crisis in some form. Adults especially enjoy vacations and holidays because those occasions allow us to “pretend” that crises are suspended for a few days. On those days crises are banished! Not really.
Every crisis threatens the unwanted. Major crises threaten the unthinkable. Crises insist that we open our souls to the rule of fear. We are to concentrate on, speculate about, and dream fear’s images. Evil loves fear! Why? Fear (1) turns a human inward, (2) causes a human to isolate, and (3) motivates a human to abandon hope and cling to despair. Evil loves fear because these three things lock God out of human life. God can help, but the person will not let Him help because he or she is afraid.
(1) God uses crises to turn His people outward to each other. Crises motivate God’s children to turn to and depend on each other. (2) God uses crises to challenge His people to remember that they are part of His family, His community. Crises motivate God’s children to rejoice in the truth that they are not alone. (3) God uses crises to move His people to greater hope. Crises motivate God’s children to cling to God in hope in order to abandon the illusion of human sufficiency and the despair of loneliness.
Nothing motivates a Christian to allow God to be God as does a crisis. Why? Nothing reveals human weakness, loneliness, and despair as do crises. Nothing reveals our need for God as do crises. Faith is not a means of running from life. Faith is a valid means of dealing with life’s true needs. Use faith to cope with life, not to avoid life.
Each crisis contains the potential for incredible evil and for astounding good. When a crisis produces the decision to allow Satan to control us through the power of fear, the crisis generates evil in ways we cannot imagine. When a crisis produces the decision to allow God to control us through the power of mercy and love, the crisis generates good in ways we cannot imagine.
God does His most powerful, significant work in times of crises. Why? It is in times of crisis that we cooperate with God and allow Him to work. We impose that necessity on God. Would you like a clear example? Consider the last twenty-four hours of Jesus’ earthly life. Then look at the resurrection. What an astounding way to give us a Savior!
The obvious key: to whom do we turn in crises? To whom do you turn in your personal crises? When you experience your crises, do you allow God to work in your life?
Posted by David on August 27, 2000 under Bulletin Articles
God blesses me with many joys as I work for and with you. One significant joy is the pleasure of working with the West-Ark staff. I have enjoyed every team with whom I served. Being a part of this team provides me special joys.
Few people know (1) how unselfish this staff is; (2) how sacrificial this staff is; (3) how concerned for the good of the congregation this staff is; (4) how committed this staff is to the “personal touch”; (5) and how noncompetitive this staff is. None of us consider our work as an “occupation” or a “job.” Each of us see our role as a commitment to the stewardship of God’s call. We are a team, and we work together as a team.
Consider Brad Pistole. Brad was a child in one of the congregations that merged to produce West-Ark. He was a student in the Metro Christian School housed in this building. He is one of “your kids.” As one of “your kids,” he cares for you deeply. The fact that he grew up here too often results in taking him for granted. It also leads us to say, “Brad will do it.” He always has–even to his own hurt. He is, with difficulty, learning to love and say “no.” For people who work for the church, that is a hard lesson.
We have one of the finest, most talented youth ministers in the region (and likely the nation!). Brad is recognized far and wide for his ability, his love for people, and his love for God. Sizable congregations have asked him to work with them. Some situations were quite appealing. In specific ways, change offered simplification. He stayed because he loves you and believes in this congregation’s opportunities.
When the Family Life Center was completed, the elders asked Brad and Ted to be in temporary charge of coordination and scheduling. That is a ministry in itself! Recently those responsibilities were given to Patti Anderson and Debbie Belote. (They need assistance–are you looking for a ministry?) When you need to schedule use of the Family Life Center, contact Patti. All details, including entrance and keys, are arranged and coordinated through the office. Please schedule in advance.
Wednesday, August 23rd, Brad had his sixteen-month check up following his brain surgery. One of his national ministries is to share with those who face the same type of surgery. He invests the same concern and interest in them that he invests in you. He is quite aware that once you have a tumor, the possibility of a tumor reoccurring is real.
Include Brad in your prayers. Drop him a note of encouragement and appreciation. Never forget Yvonne and her sacrifices. Brad does things for our families most will not know until Judgment. He wants no praise. He just wants your children to learn to use Christ to defeat evil and be a part of God’s kingdom.
Posted by David on August 13, 2000 under Bulletin Articles
All Christians agree “people are not God.” We often disagree about the meaning of that truth. While most of us agree people are not God, most of us believe God does things the way we would do them. “God does things the way we want them done.”
Isaiah began his prophecy (chapter 1) declaring Judah had forgotten God. Their temple worship made Him sick. Jerusalem was an unjust prostitute. He would forsake them.
God was now their adversary. Judah and Jerusalem would experience extreme difficulties (chapters 2, 3). They depended on idols. They abused the poor. They were wicked. As a consequence, God’s vengeance was unavoidable (chapter 5).
In chapter 55, Isaiah pleaded with chastised Judah to trust their compassionate God. If they listened to the Lord, every need would be met. God would make an eternal covenant of mercy with them. God’s compassion was theirs if “you seek the Lord while He can be found and turn from evil.”
That was hard for Judah to accept, and harder to trust. God was so sick of them He rejected them, and they suffered. Yet, later, God promised mercy and compassion if they turned from evil and sought Him.
We do not do things that way. It does not “work” that way in human/human relationships. People who are that guilty of evil, who are forced to accept the consequences, are not offered mercy and compassion to heal the relationship.
“Explain yourself, God! People do not do things that way!”
“You are right. People do not act like I act or reason like I reason. People do not show compassion to those who inflict horrible wounds and injustice. People do not forgive years of abuse. People do not heal the guilty with mercy. But my thoughts are not your thoughts. My ways are not your ways. My actions are far above yours. You cannot think as I do. You cannot relate to my actions. I forgive when you would not. ”
God never did things “our way.” We would not begin an evangelistic outreach by teaching a divorcee who was living with a man (John 4). God would. We would not allow a man who denied knowing Jesus to become the principal Christian teacher to an ethnic group (Matthew 26:69-75). God would. We would not allow a man who destroyed Christians to become a lead missionary and a New Testament writer (Acts 8:1-3; 9:1-43). God would.
When we impose our judgment, logic, reasoning, and concepts on God, we trust ourselves, not God. When we allow God to impose His purposes on us; when we yield to God’s will when His will defies human logic; when God’s values defy human rationales and we embrace them, then we trust God instead of ourselves.
Posted by David on August 6, 2000 under Bulletin Articles
Christians are tools in God’s hand. One of our primary “this world” purposes is to allow God to use us individually and collectively to accomplish His objectives. A good tool “fits the hand well,” functions well, works well, and serves its purpose.
Nothing is quite so helpful as having the right tool for the job. Nothing is quite so frustrating as addressing the necessary with the wrong tool. Did you ever use a fingernail file for a screw driver? a sauce pan for a skillet? a rock for a hammer? a piece of wire for a screw? a pry bar for a key?
A fingernail file may loosen a screw, but a screw driver will not file your nails. A sauce pan may function as a skillet, but it makes the task more difficult. A rock may drive a nail in some situations, but it is more likely to bend the nail and mash your finger. The wire may hold something together temporarily, but only the screw produces a “permanent fix.” The pry bar can open the door, but you immediately need a new door.
The first thing I do when I begin a job: look for the right tool. One positive and one negative truth always prevail when I build something or repair something. The positive truth: the right tool for the job produces enormous satisfaction. The negative truth: the wrong tool (or no tool!) results in indescribable frustration.
Each Christian is a tool in God’s tool box. In three ways we determine our usefulness as a tool. (1) Does my heart belong to God? (2) Is my attitude in step with God’s heart? (3) Will I joyfully surrender my abilities to God’s purposes?
I avoid using some of my tools unless it is absolutely necessary. Those tools never work well. They make the job difficult and cause enormous frustration. I have other tools I use every time possible. They work easily and well. As a result, they give me enormous satisfaction.
You and I are tools in God’s tool box. When God needs a necessary job done, are we an asset or an obstacle? Does God dread using us because (1) we serve Him poorly and (2) we cause more frustration than satisfaction? Or, is God delighted that we are available? We are versatile. We are cooperative. We are confident God knows what He is doing and knows how to use us well. And we love to serve His purposes–even when it is hard on us.
Does God look at you and say, “How can this be done?” Or, does God look at you and approach His purposes with joy. He knows you are the right tool for the job. He knows you will help accomplish His purposes.
Posted by David on July 23, 2000 under Bulletin Articles
The elders requested this statement from the four of them be placed on the front page of this week’s bulletin.
From The Elders To The Congregation
“We are only four men. We want you to decide whether any, or all, or some of these Christian men should be made elders at this time. Your collective wisdom is superior to the four of us.” Bill Dickey, Earl Flood, Mat Griffin, and Bob Null |
The existing eldership sincerely believes it is appropriate and scriptural to practice “participatory leadership.” What is “participatory leadership?” It is the leadership seen in Acts 6. The apostles asked the Jerusalem congregation to “select from among you … seven men of good reputation, full of the Spirit and wisdom, whom we may put in charge of this task” (Acts 6:3). The apostles asked the congregation to select the men that they would appoint to care for a need. It is the leadership seen in Acts 15. After the apostles and elders reached a controversial doctrinal conclusion, it seemed proper “to the apostles and the elders, with the whole church” to send two men to report this decision to some Gentile congregations. The congregation participated in the decision to select and send the men.
The selection is your decision. You approached and nominated the men. You will select the men to add to our existing elders to serve as our shepherds. In no way do the existing elders want you to function as their “rubber stamp.” They want you to select men who have your confidence; who you will follow; who you trust to guide you closer to God and His will. The elders want each member to understand this is the congregation’s decision. Your participation will determine the decision.
We also want to thank these men and their wives for their willingness to be considered and to serve you. The decision to allow your name to be submitted for consideration is not easily made. Each of the men and their wives made that decision prayerfully with much reflection. The willingness to assume the service and commitment of an elder is not simple. Many good, godly men do not want that responsibility.
Allow your prayers and hearts to lead you as you make your decisions. But, whatever your decision, let these men and their wives know they are loved, appreciated, and respected. Regardless of the decision, each man and his wife has been honored.
Posted by David on July 16, 2000 under Bulletin Articles
To each person who participated in the twenty-four hours of prayer, thank you! I realize some of you physically could not come to the building, but I have no doubt that you prayed for us as a congregation. “How many did come and pray?” I have no idea. “Was it successful?” Very! “How can you say that if you have no idea how many came?”
First, the purpose was to invite God to assume the key role as we select additional elders. That happened. Men and women poured their hearts out to God asking for His guidance and help. Second, it is important to understand what was not the purpose. The purpose was not to statistically impress ourselves. I fear that we too often use statistics to commend ourselves for our efforts rather to honor God in what we do. Never do we want to be like some of the Pharisees who prayed to impress others.
Circumstances brought me to the building before 6 a.m. Friday. Before 6 a.m. an elder arrived to open the building and begin the day of prayer. Joyce and I volunteered for one of the early morning periods Saturday morning. An elder was at the building praying when we arrived. When we left, a former elder was at the building praying. Some of you came more than once. This congregation probably spent more time in focused prayer those twenty-four hours than it has in a long time.
It is simple to listen to sermons or Bible classes about prayer. It is easy to discuss the need for prayer, the power of prayer, the purpose of prayer, the need to express dependence on God, the need to invite God into our lives and work, and God’s ability to help. The idea of prayer does not trouble us. Discussing the need for prayer is not intimidating or distressful to most of us. The idea of praying sounds very spiritual.
Actually, when it comes to God’s affairs, we tend to invite God’s active involvement if we think we cannot handle it by ourselves. “We don’t need God to help us select elders. We can handle that just fine. We know what He wants. We can take care of that for Him. If we just pray for God’s help in one of the assembly ‘prayer slots,’ that is enough.” Actually, prayer can be considered more of a formality than a dependent plea.
Isn’t the difference amazing? “What difference?” The difference between the idea (“everyone needs to pray about ‘this!'”) and the actual (actually coming to the building and spending some time in prayer about “this”).
Does the building possess a “magic” that makes prayer more effective? No. As in all relationships, it is doing the “unnecessary but thoughtful” that allows a person to reveal his or her heart. Deep love seeks special ways to reveal and express itself.
Keep on praying. Reveal your heart to God. Let God guide your heart in your decision.
