Shiny red ball!

Today was amazing! Our new pastor did a short Children's message and then dismissed us. I really liked this because the children felt important but it also forced the church to notice these guys. It seems that every week our children's service gets a little better. Every week things flow better and the children seem to respond better. Today we talked about how God would never leave us. Some of these guys have nothing stable in their life. Some bounce between parents and others between parents and grandparents like a giant shiny red rubber ball with no course or direction. We talked about how Christ leads us through the good and bad days of life. How he will be with us all through life. The children seemed eager to grab on to some form of stability in their lives.

Youth and college were great! God is continuing to bless both groups. Numbers are up as well as the total vibe of the group. God is good.

Just passing by!

I have never been the most popular person in the world and have a good amount of people I would call friends but very few that I would say were "good" friends. Many times we pass through each others life and as time passes so do the days between our conversations. This is not a pre-planned move but life just happens. I hate how busy life keeps us sometimes. Between work, school, and church I get so occupied that I have no time to develop and maintain relationships. It takes all I have to nurture my relationship with my family.

I am trying to change that. Through media like facebook, twitter, and myspace it has become much easier to keep in touch. God has placed people around me that I want to have as lifelong friends. I want to continue to grow closer with these people. I enjoy when we laugh together, joke with each other, or have good conversations. I look forward to being amazed by what God will do in their futures. I anticipate conversations about how God is using us in various areas.

I may not ever win a popularity contest but I have some of the coolest people anywhere in my life!

Quality not quantity!

Life of Christ!

I really wanted to drop this class because I hate group projects. I even went to school with every intention of dropping the class. Well obviously I didn't. The teacher said the magic words for me. He wanted this class to stretch us and make us think. He had me from that point. I have been in this quest to dump all the things I have been taught that may not have come from the Bible but somehow filtered their way into my theology through Church. I am not some arrogant fool who thinks I have it all figured out or that there is some new better Gospel. I just have come to find out that unfortunately I have allowed some persons interpetation of Scripture influence my belief system.

I grew up in a traditional Southern Baptist church (that I still dearly love) but had some great teachers who mixed in their personal beliefs in with their lesson. Difference is I don't blame them. I have the same Bible they do but do to my own failures I was not doing my part in studying scripture. Anyway, I have struggled for the last year with issues such as the death penalty, war, and our inability to love the lost.

I had been taught to be for the death penalty. They were getting what they deserved. Then this crazy guy Paul says in Romans that the wages of sin is death. Of course he was only referring to big sins, right? But even before that the whore at the well, Jesus had to go and mess up my theology and spare her life. According to Jewish law it was required for her to be stoned. So if we are told to love as Christ loved us how can I consciously say that the death penalty is God's way of dealing with crime?

War. Touchy subject I know but here it goes. I have friends over there right now and I support them and pray a hedge of protection around them. I don't know if I can say I am for the war though. I am not some peace sign wearing hippie but Christ was born into a time when Israel was under Roman rule. They were prisoners in their own land. Did he lead a rebellion? Did he pick up weapons and make a stand. He was quite the opposite. So much so that as he was riding the donkey into town they laid palm branches (a symbol of peace) down for him to enter town.I think we can say he wasn't all about war.

The church has suppose to have been the tool used to draw in the lost. Listen to this and tell me if you would come to church. I was recently involved in a conversation where a group was deciding to grant membership to a person. She was refused because she was currently living with her boyfriend. She was honest and disclosed the information but if she would have LIED and hid it she would be welcome. We accept those who will only sin in private or do the micro sins. No wonder our churches are falling apart. Good thing Jesus doesn't break off fellowship with us for sinning.

If we are gonna call ourselves Christians let us at least know what Christ did!

Take the blame!!!

We as leaders in our churches are quick to blame the people for being shallow. I believe that we must shoulder some of the blame for their lack of spiritual depth. We don't have the guts to speak out and say what needs to be said because we are afraid to be honest. We throw out crap for our messages and expect depth. We spend little or no time nurturing relationships with those around us. Then we whine because the people are shallow. We do not model our lives in a way that compels people to follow Christ.

Sorry for a short post but had to get that off my chest!

God is still love!

Tonight has been a heck of a night for me. As a minister there are some things I don't think I will ever be ready to handle. I am already an emotional guy. Actually, I am a big cry baby at times. For crying out loud, every time I hear "Here I Am To Worship" I get a lump in my throat and tears in my eyes. So obviously there are some things that tear me apart.

My wife got the call that a former student who we became fairly close to and grew close to her parents was in a very serious car accident. I new what we needed to do but dreaded the very thought of it. Unfortunately I have had to deal with this before. I remember like yesterday getting the call about my best friend and his wife getting killed in a car accident. I remember all the emotions that flooded through me. I can remember being in Maitland when I got the call that Monica had fallen off a golf cart and was in ICU in bad shape. I remember walking right into ICU like I knew what I was doing in order to see her. I remember getting the call again that Monica was in a horrible accident again years later. This time God was calling her home. I remember looking at her as she lay their. So young and so much to live for. I remember asking Why God? God you have screwed up. I remember when I received the call that Dr. Stephens passed away. God what the heck are you doing? I still wonder but who do I think I am to question God. I can't even make a good cup of coffee and I am going to question God.

Tonight as Melissa clings to life, fighting to breath on her own I no longer question God I turn it all over to him. I don't know His ways, I don't see the big picture but I understand that I serve a powerful, loving, sovereign God. I pray yes for a miracle but I also pray for His will. I do not pray selfishly, but out of hope. I pray for the family to be Comforted.

The Wait Is Over!

Well the church I have been serving at has been without a pastor for about 9 months and I personally have been without a pastor for over 2 years. I know the the pastor is not responsible for our spiritual lives but as a ministry student it is nice to have someone to turn to for advice. I personally am not a huge fan of how the process of finding a new pastor is done in the Baptist world. I, however, do not know of a better way to do it and understand I serve a sovereign God. Being on staff this is a scary time. Let's be honest there is a lot that can go wrong. It is not at all uncommon for pastors to bring their own team with them. What if our personalities clash? What if he wants to take the church down a different path? What if our theology differs? What if?

What if, you have the same vision, want the same thing for the church, have the same theology? I am so excited to work with this man. I was nervous because I had only been able to speak with him for a grand total of 10 minutes before he was voted in. I have just begun what I pray is a long ministry at this church that has stolen my heart when it could all be over before it got started. Sure I heard his speeches and even a sermon but how much can you know about a guy from those. Sunday night after the youth service I was finally able to go to dinner with him and his family.

I can not wait for him to get back. Our theology matches. Our views on how to do ministry match. The direction he wants to go with our church is on the same path I have been trampling. He loves the younger generation but doesn't do it at the expense of the current church. He even wants to participate in youth events! I am so excited. We talked about everything and I honestly believe we got one heck of a man for our little country church. When we were both considering Lockhart one keyword stuck out in our conversations with the church. CHANGE! We are both excited and confident about the chance to help a church break new ground.

Be ready for BIG things in the future of this little country church!

Mac

I just got my Mac last month and can't get the darn thing to turn on. I have an appointment on Thursday for the Genius Bar to fix it. It is under warranty so I am not to worried I just want it back!

The youth group is still at camp and I am missing them greatly but look forward to having the college guys together tomorrow night.

Long day!

Well my youth group left today for camp. I should be with them but I just got the job 2 weeks ago and couldn't get the time off to go with them. They have only been gone for 18 hours and I already miss them. No myspace or facebook chats with them! No text! This is going to be a long week.

I pray that this week will be a life changing experience for them. I pray that they will come back fired up and ready to make a difference. I pray for their safe and speedy return!

Free Ride

I want to vomit! I am so sick of people thinking they deserve a free ride in life. People reading this will automatically assume I am talking about the poor but I am not. I learned a valuable lesson while working with the poor. Many of them are more unselfish than the average middle class suburbia family. I am referring to people who expect something because they ask for it. I am a Christian and have a need and you are a Christian and can meet that need so it is your spiritual duty to meet that need. BULL CRAP!!!! You are not owed a darn thing. First of all most of our needs are nothing more than selfish want. Many more times we live in a society that says if you want it you will get it. We have forgotten the concept of having to work for what we want. During Christ earthly ministry he walked around loving on people not with his American Express card in his wallet.

I hate History!

My wife is a teacher and I actually love history in that sense. I love seeing how we can learn about where we came from. I like learning about ancient civilizations. That is not what I am referring to.

Why do we feel the need to live in the past when it relates to our churches or our spiritual lives. Most the time when someone is ranting and raving about this they are referring to an addict and his/her inability to let the addiction go. I am referring to people who feel the need to hang on to the glory days. This is how we have done it in the past, or I remember when. Let it GO and move forward. If we have already reached our pinnacle then lets shut the doors! Why do we even try if we feel the best is behind us? Love where we have been but love where we are going. Paul fought this same battle asking the early church why they would want to go back to the old way.

There is a saying that some things never change. Maybe that is because we get in the way of change!