Guide by Your Side--Not the Sage on the Stage

A Faith that Works

2010-03-19T01:02:00.001-05:00

The last couple of weeks have been extremely busy. I have started as the interim pastor of Westside UMC in Geneva, AL, and It has been full steam ahead. I am excited and invigorated about what God is up to!

This past Sunday, March 14 I began teaching a series titled Faith, Hope, and Love: Becoming the Church God Desires Us To Be. The series is based on 1 Thessalonians 1:2-10. Let me type it here so you may read it.

^2-5Every time we think of you, we thank God for you. Day and night you're in our prayers as we call to mind your work of faith, your labor of love, and your patience of hope in following our Master, Jesus Christ, before God our Father. It is clear to us, friends, that God not only loves you very much but also has put his hand on you for something special. When the Message we preached came to you, it wasn't just words. Something happened in you. The Holy Spirit put steel in your convictions.

^5-6You paid careful attention to the way we lived among you, and determined to live that way yourselves. In imitating us, you imitated the Master. Although great trouble accompanied the Word, you were able to take great joy from the Holy Spirit!—taking the trouble with the joy, the joy with the trouble.

^7-10Do you know that all over the provinces of both Macedonia and Achaia believers look up to you? The word has gotten around. Your lives are echoing the Master's Word, not only in the provinces but all over the place. The news of your faith in God is out. We don't even have to say anything anymore—you're the message! People come up and tell us how you received us with open arms, how you deserted the dead idols of your old life so you could embrace and serve God, the true God. They marvel at how expectantly you await the arrival of his Son, whom he raised from the dead—Jesus, who rescued us from certain doom. (The Message)

Several years ago I was reading this passage, and I really felt the Holy Spirit leading me to take this passage as my personal vision as well as my vision for ministry. The Spirit of God brought to my attention several characteristics Paul praised the church of Thessalonica for; however, it was the impact the Thessalonian believers had on the surrounding areas and region that stood out to me most.

As I pondered this more, it struck me the church of Thessalonica had such an influence because of three specific aspects. (1) They had works of faith, (2) they had labor of love, (3) they had a strong hope in the return of Christ. Then I felt the Spirit saying to me, "Brian, live your life focused on works of faith, labor of love, and hope in the return of Christ and your life will impact the lives of many, and as you live it yourself, teach others to do the same."

Works of faith are upward toward God and are an expression of our devotion to Christ as we are led by the Spirit. Our labor of love is an inward expression of our love toward other believers and our neighbors as we seek to build community, fellowship, and accountability with them. Finally, we give and tell others of the hope we have in Christ as we patiently endure our anticipation of his second return to set all things right.

This is exactly what this series is about --- works of faith, labor of love, and an endurance of hope. I want to inspire others to live by faith, be known by love, and to bring the world hope. I pray these series will begin to do just that. A "Faith that Works" is the first session of the series, and it will be followed by "A Love that Serves" on March 21 and "A Hope that Inspires" on March 28. Let me briefly discuss with you the first session.

The word work in "works of faith" is an aversion to most of us. We do not like work. Work entails sweat, dirt, and doing something we do not want to do. So, when we hear "works of faith," we often think to ourselves, "This is something I do not want. Keep me far away."

Yet, this is not what Paul is talking about. Paul is talking about works that begin internally and are expressed externally. Works of faith begin on the inside and then they manifest on the outside. When we allow God to work in us, he changes our hearts and passions. After this process begins, we begin to incrementally behave in new ways because we have become new creatures. Isn't this what Scripture teaches. We are a new creation in Christ born again into a new life. Works of faith are a result of the Spirit of God working in us and bringing actions out of us.

Very often, we protestants become extremely nervous when we begin talking about works. After all, we are saved by grace through faith. There is nothing we can do to earn our salvation. There is nothing we can do to cause God to love us more. This fact sometimes causes us to reject any talk about works because we do not want to make a mockery of God's grace; however, grace brings faith, and the faith that grace brings produces works in our lives. If we truly have faith, then there will be works in our lives. Here let me type a few more verses for you.

^21-24Wasn't our ancestor Abraham "made right with God by works" when he placed his son Isaac on the sacrificial altar? Isn't it obvious that faith and works are yoked partners, that faith expresses itself in works? That the works are "works of faith"? The full meaning of "believe" in the Scripture sentence, "Abraham believed God and was set right with God," includes his action. It's that mesh of believing and acting that got Abraham named "God's friend." Is it not evident that a person is made right with God not by a barren faith but by faith fruitful in works?

Wow! This is a very powerful passage of Scripture. "Faith and works are yoked together. Faith expresses itself in works." Faith and works can not be separated. Faith produces works, and works strengthen our faith. The reformers were known to say, "We are saved by faith alone, but not by a faith that is alone." Faith is the only basis of our salvation, but the faith that brings our salvation should produce works of faith in our lives. It is not that we are earning our salvation by works, but our salvation brings works. If the Spirit of God is working in our lives, he will propel us to works of faith. Our beliefs are proved by our actions. How can we say we believe if we do not act on our beliefs?

Our faith manifests itself first in our commitment to follow Christ, and in following Christ we become imitators of him. Paul writes to the Thessalonian believers, "In imitating us, you imitated the Master." This statement is life altering. I want to be a person who is following and imitating Christ so well that if people imitate me they imitate Christ. This should be a goal of all who are serious about being a disciple. A disciple is someone who has mad a commitment to follow and imitate Christ. By default a disciple is someone who has works of faith operating in her life. There is no way around it.

If there were no bibles in print, and you were the only bible someone could read. What would they read? If you were the only bible someone could read to learn about Jesus, what would they read about him? I pray our lives are filled with works of faith worthy of a disciple of Christ. A disciple is totally committed to the Master, and he gives all he is for all Jesus is.

As we grow in Christ, and the Holy Spirit produces works of faith in our lives, we as disciples become servants. Actually, their is no distinctions between a disciple and a servant. To be a disciple, is to be a servant. Jesus came not to be served but to serve. We as his followers are not above him. We too are called to be servants. If we are not serving, then we can not be called disciples of Christ. In the church, we have overused the word volunteer. The Kingdom of Heaven does not have volunteers it has servants. A volunteer works on their own time when they feel like it, but a servant works and serves on the Lord's time as the Spirit leads, guides, and teaches.

A disciple is an imitator of Jesus who is engaged in works of faith and is completely surrendered, committed, and called to be a servant to all.

Let me give you a list of qualities and characteristics of a disciple of Christ. Here are the works of faith that are minimal in the life of a disciple. Remember, our works of faith are upward toward God and are an expression of our devotion to Christ as we are led by the Holy Spirit.

A disciple:

Prays daily -- there is no substitution for prayer

Reads Scripture daily

Lives in community with other believers

Is a servant

Is a steward of all God has entrusted to her

Is is witness of the love of Christ in word and deed

Seeks to be held accountable

Worships corporately with other Jesus followers

A disciple seeks to imitate Christ by serving the world through the power of the Holy Spirit and in so doing lives by a faith that works!

Stay tuned for the next message of this three part series.

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A Stand Agaist Gambling

2010-02-25T07:49:00.002-06:00

The following is taken from The Book of Resolutions of the United Methodist Church, 2004:

The Social Principles state, "Gambling is a menace to society, deadly to the best interests of moral, social, economic, and spiritual life, and destructive of good government. As an act of faith and concern, Christians should abstain from gambling and should strive to minister to those victimized by the practice. Where gambling has become addictive, the church will encourage such individuals to receive therapeutic assistance so that the individual's energies may be redirected into positive and constructive ends. The church should promote standards and personal lifestyles that would make unnecessary and undesirable the resort to commercial gambling – including public lotteries – as a recreation, as an escape, or as a means of producing public revenue or funds for support of charities or government" (¶ 163G).

When asked which commandment is first of all, Jesus answered, "Hear, O Israel: the Lord our God, the Lord is one; you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and will all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength" (Mark 12:29-30). Gambling feeds on human greed and invites persons to place their trust in possessions rather than in God. It represents a form of idolatry that contradicts the first commandment. Jesus continued: "The second is this, 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself'" (Mark 12:31). In relating with compassion to our sisters and brothers, we are called to resist those practices and systems that exploit them and leave them impoverished and demeaned. The apostle Paul wrote in 1 Timothy 6:9-10a: "People who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge men into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil."

Gambling, as a means of acquiring material gain by chance and at the neighbor's expense, is a menace to personal character and social morality. Gambling fosters greed and stimulates the fatalistic faith in chance. Organized and commercial gambling is a threat to business, breeds crime and poverty, and is destructive to the interests of good government. It encourages the belief that work is unimportant, that money can solve all our problems, and that greed is the norm for achievement. It serves as a "regressive tax" on those with lower income. In summary, gambling is bad economics; gambling is bad public policy; and gambling does not improve the quality of life.

We oppose the growing legalization and state promotion of gambling.

Dependence on gambling revenue has led many states to exploit the weakness of their own citizens, neglect the development of more equitable forms of taxation, and thereby further erode the citizens' confidence in government.

We oppose the legalization of pari-mutuel betting, for it has been the opening wedge in the legalization of other forms of gambling within the states and has stimulated illegal bookmaking. We deplore the establishment of state lotteries and their use as a means of raising public revenues. The constant promotion and the wide advertising of lotteries have encouraged large numbers of persons to gamble for the first time.

We express an even more serious concern for the increasing development of the casino enterprise in the United States, for it has taken captive entire communities and has infiltrated many levels of government with its fiscal and political power.

Public apathy and a lack of awareness that petty gambling feeds organized crime have opened the door to the spread of numerous forms of legal and illegal gambling.

We support the strong enforcement of antigambling laws, the repeal of all laws that give gambling an acceptable and even advantageous place in our society, and the rehabilitation of compulsive gamblers.

The church has a key role in fostering responsible government and in developing health and moral maturity that free persons from dependence on damaging social customs. We urge national, tribal, state and local governments to read, analyze and implement the recommendations of the National Gambling Impact Study report released by the United States in 1999. It is expected that the United Methodists churches abstain from the use of raffles, lotteries, bingo, door prizes, other drawing schemes, and games of chance for the purpose of gambling or fundraising. United Methodists should refrain from all forms of gambling practices carried on in our communities and should work to influence community organizations to develop forms of funding that do not depend upon gambling.

The General Board of Church and Society shall provide materials to local churches and annual conferences for study and action to combat gambling and to aid persons addicted to gambling. The General Board of Church and Society, annual conferences, and local churches shall work with the National Coalition Against Legalized Gambling and grassroots organizations opposing gambling to stop and reverse legalized gambling. The General Board of Church and Society shall report to the 2008 General Conference which stock market and securities practices might be considered forms of gambling. The Board shall consult with the General Board of Pensions and Health Benefits and other agencies with investment portfolios in developing this report.

ADPOTED 1980

AMENDED AND READOPTED 1996

AMENDED AND READOPTED 2004

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Reflections for Local Citizens who Support Country Crossings and Electronic Bingo Gambling

2010-02-11T07:02:00.003-06:00

In my previous post, I proposed some questions for reflection for Christians, Pastors, and Religious leaders who are opposed to Country Crossings and Electronic Bingo Gambling. I think now I will raise some questions for all citizens who support Country Crossings and Electronic Bingo Gambling.

It is said that Country Crossings has created new jobs to the Wiregrass area. This I do not doubt; however, has there been real reflection on the unemployment or financial instability Electronic Bingo Gambling and Country Crossings will cause too many? Has this really been considered or mainly ignored?

In the short time that Country Crossings was open, I personally know at least one person who has suffered emotionally, relationally, psychologically, and financially due to the electronic gaming machines. Certainly, there are others, which have been affected in much the same way.

Has Country Crossings considered providing some type of help, assistance, relief, or advocacy for people that would suffer from the gambling machines? Could Country Crossings provide counseling for people who believe they have acquired an addiction to the gaming machines? Could the establishment provide financial counseling for individuals who lost what little they had to the gaming machines? Since Country Crossings has created the possibility for such situations, isn't it feasible to consider how it may help to relieve these situations? If the answer is, "No, it is the individual's responsibility to know what her gaming limits are" or some similar response, then the question needs to be asked, "Does Country Crossings really care about the financial well being of the citizens of the Wiregrass community." If it did, it would seem, these questions would be seriously considered, and Country Crossings would show itself responsible for the welfare and commonwealth of the community. After all, if Country Crossings were to at least make an honest effort to address these issues, its persona in the local community would be more positive.

Before the objection is even raised, "Well, why don't other local businesses ask how they are affecting the local community negatively and begin seeking positive ways to address the issues they have created? Why is Country Crossings being singled out of all other businesses?" I would answer, "All local businesses and individuals should be asking these questions, and now is a good time to begin asking and finding solutions. Why can't we begin leading the way today?" The truth is, "No one is exempt!"

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Reflection for Fellow Christians who Oppose Country Crossings and Electronic Bingo Gambling

2010-02-09T11:37:00.006-06:00

I have a question for reflection for all the Christians and Pastors and Religious leaders who are against gambling and such. Have you thought about how your spending habits have exploited people across the world? Have you thought about how buying certain coffee brands and other products is taking advantage of poor people in various places? After all, it is the hippest and coolest thing ever to serve coffee and doughnuts during Sunday morning worship. Is the Church contributing to the exploitation of coffee farmers because of this hip practice? (Oh no, not I, I have tipped over the sacred cow.)

When is the last time you have ever advocated for the poor or even gave of yourself to help the poor? Do you have friends who are poor? Were they struggling financially before Country Crossings came to Dothan, AL, but you failed to help them?

Look, all I am saying is, let's be consistent. You cannot claim to be interested in the financial welfare of people if you have not looked at these issues and possibly even others. To not do so is hypocritical. (Lord knows I am the biggest hypocrite of them all!)

Disclaimer: I am not advocating for gambling. I am just calling for some honest reflection from all of us. I'm just saying......

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Julie and Julia

2010-01-21T07:29:00.002-06:00

Last night I watched the movie Julie and Julia. It is a movie based on two true stories. One story is about the early life of Julia Child, and her culinary career. The second story is about Julie Powell, and her experience blogging about cooking all 524 recipes from Child's cookbook titled Mastering the Art of French Cooking.

Both women shared the desire to do something with their lives besides existing. Julia Child pursued a dream of graduating from culinary school, and she eventually became a published author of her famous cookbook. She also hosted a television show teaching viewers to cook French cuisine. Julie Powell had basically hit rock bottom in her career, and the only relief she received from her mundane life was to cook dinner each night. Julie aspired to be a published author and she saw no way this would become a reality. While discussing her dissatisfaction about life with her husband, he inspired her to blog about cooking all 524 recipes from Child's Mastering the Art of French Cooking within a year's time. Julie accepted the challenge, and her blog became extremely popular with readers. Eventually, she published a book about her blog, and from that, the movie Julie and Julia was produced.

This movie highlights how the lives of two people who have never met can be intertwined. It demonstrates how the life of one can influence the life of another, and in turn, the lives of so many more are and will be inspired. Truly, all of our lives have impact in this world. A web that connects all people together, and no matter how insignificant we believe our actions are, they are touching the lives of people we may never meet. Even the normal everyday decisions we make can have atomic influence over history.

Julia and Julie both desired to do more than just exist. They wanted their lives to mean something. One was not content to be an ordinary housewife. The other was discontented with working day in and day out confined to a cubicle. Because of this, each woman followed their heart's desires, and both have influenced time and history and the lives of countless others. These two women represent us all.

No one wants to just take up space and waste the air they breathe. Everyone has a deep desire to do more with their lives than just maintain the status quo. All people, no matter who they are, are significant. Placed within us all is the key to unlock destiny. It has been given to us by our creator. There is a champion in us all, waiting to be unleashed upon the created order. We can't truly live until we have unlocked our own genius. As a matter of fact, others cannot truly live out their potential until we begin to embark on our own journey of faith. It is locked away within us. It's waiting to be engaged. Now is the time to discover!!
"For surely I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord, plans for your welfare and not for harm, to give you a future with hope." Jeremiah 29:11

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I Can't Get Up!

2010-01-09T12:06:00.006-06:00

Just the other morning, I was getting ready to take my children to school. It was an extremely cold morning, well, for south Alabama, and I was making sure I was dressing warm. Over my sweater, I had on my black leather jacket. I had my neck wrapped in a scarf. My head was covered with a toboggan, and my hands were warmed by my leather gloves.

When my two sons and I got into the car, I said, “I am bundled up.” They looked at me and said, “Yes, you are.” I then asked why they had not done the same. They told me that it was too many clothes to be wearing. I said, “Well, at least, you will be warm.” And they said, “Well, at least, we will be able to move around comfortably.” Then one of my sons said, “We would be like Ralphies’ brother Randy on ‘A Christmas Story.’ You know when his mom put all those winter clothes on him, and he fell in the snow and could not get up.” Then we all laughed, and I said, “I guess you’re right.”

As I drove, I began to think about that little scene in the movie. By bundling her son up so heavily, Mrs. Parker really believed she was doing Randy a favor. Obviously, she was protecting him from the snow and cold; however, her actions put Randy at a disadvantage. As Randy was walking with Ralphie to school, he was knocked down, and because of all the clothing Mrs. Parker wrapped him in, he could not get up. So he just rolled back and forth in the snow, shouting, “I can’t get up!”

Then it dawned on me, we pastors often do this to those under our care. We do our best to help them and to encourage them. We give them the dos and don’ts, and we mold them to be exactly like us. Though our intentions may be good, often, we do more harm than we truly desire.

Instead of allowing them to wear the belt of truth, we squeeze their waist with hypocrisy. We teach them to allow self-righteousness to guard their chest instead of allowing them to put on the breastplate of righteousness that is truly found in Christ. Shoes for the gospel of peace are replaced for shoes of backbiting, gossip, and disunity. We lead them to put down the shield of faith and to take up the flaming arrows of the evil one to throw at one another. The helmet of salvation is reduced to an individualistic, self-seeking, self-serving message of protection from hell instead about the Kingdom news that heaven has come near to earth. The sword of the Spirit is proclaimed as the word of God only when it can be used for our advantage to advance our agendas or to keep others under control.

When we replace the armor of God with something of our own creation, we are actually preparing the people of our communities for failure. Just as Randy could not get up under the weight of his own clothing, often, those we have been entrusted to disciple feel the same after we have bundled them up and turned them lose to walk on their own. When they find themselves fallen due to life’s pressures or sin, they wallow in fear, self-pity, and condemnation, yelling, “I can’t get up!” We assume we are preparing the participants of our faith communities for the cold world they face day in and day out, but in actuality, we have burdened them even more. The people of our faith communities are often ill prepared to face life in a Christian way. We turn them loose to the wolves; they fall, and can’t get up. Then we fail to help them get out of the hole we put them in.

As we seek to disciple those who are part of our faith communities, we should remember well the words of Jesus, “The scribes and Pharisees sit on Moses’ seat; therefore, do whatever they teach you and follow it; but do not do as they do, for they do not practice what they teach. They tie up heavy burdens, hard to bear, and lay them on the shoulders of others; but they themselves are unwilling to lift a finger to move them” (Matthew 23:2-4, NRSV).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HW4IZ0Flh3M

Jaclyn: Blessed to be a Blessing

2010-01-05T22:42:00.004-06:00

Well, tonight I saw the vision of God for his people in action. Jaclyn Elliott, my beautiful fiancée, preached a great message on God's calling for us as individuals. She was living out her calling as she gave the message God had given her to a group of a little over 50 people at Love In Action's Celebrate Recovery (www.loveinactionministries.com). She used her blessing, her gift and calling God has given her, to bless others, and she done a wonderful job as the Holy Spirit worked through her.

As the Spirit of Christ spoke through her, others were being encouraged to live out their calling from God to become a blessing to others by living out their own blessing from God, which in this case would be their call from God. I was so proud of her and thankful that many others came and encouraged her after her message. God truly blesses us through others.

She is a wonderful preacher of God's word, and I am so looking forward to working as a team with her in God's Kingdom. It is such a blessing to be blessed with a person who shares the same hopes, dreams, and visions with you. I know in my spirit that God has great things in store for us as we seek his will together. Together, we will be blessed to be a blessing to others. I can see with the eyes of faith a tremendous ministry in store for us. God has been so good to me.

Practical Atheist: Are You Who You Say You Are?

2010-01-03T23:07:00.004-06:00

Beginning this Wednesday Night, 1/6/10, I will begin teaching a four week series titled "Practical Atheist: Are You Who You Say You Are?" I will be teaching at the Love In Action Ministry Center located on Montgomery highway next to the Piggly Wiggly in Dothan, AL. Each session will begin promptly at 7:00 PM.

Here is a break down of each weekly session's title:

Week One: I Believe in God but I don't Fear Him

Week Two: I Believe in God but don't want to go Overboard

Week Three: I Believe in God but I trust in Money

Week Four: I Believe in God but I don't Know Him

You say you believe in God. Do you Really? Do you live your life as if God was in the room, or do you assume he's not paying attention? You call yourself a Christian. Are you who you say you are?

Practical Atheist: Someone who believes in God but lives as though he doesn't!

I expect to see you there!

For more information call Brian Turner at 334-655-6435

(I thank Craig Groeschel and LifeChurch.tv for this free resource.)

What About Evil and Suffering?

2010-01-02T11:15:00.002-06:00

It doesn’t take long to look around and know there is evil and suffering in the world. Turn on the TV or radio, buy a paper or magazine, log on to the internet or even your cell phone, and “BAM!” there it is in your face. From war to terrorism, from genocide to slave trade, from starvation to aids, from murder to theft, from domestic violence to divorce, suffering and evil is all around us!

The nagging question that has gripped people for centuries is, “Why does God allow evil and suffering?” If God is all benevolent, all powerful, and all knowing, why doesn’t he put an end to the pain and misery that millions experience everyday? This is probably the greatest hurdle for atheists to get over, and it has become their greatest arsenal against Christianity.

This is a difficult question to answer, and no matter what answer is given, it seems too simple and inadequate to really do justice to the question itself. Very often, the answers given to the question of suffering and evil do not give respect to those who are suffering. Sometimes, the answers given make the victims into perpetrators who are guilty of causing their own pain and misery. While it may be true that suffering and evil can be the result of poor choices, it is also true that suffering and evil plague the innocent. Injustice such as this has caused one person to say, “If God is God, he is not good. If God is good, he is not God.”

Some do make God the blame for evil and suffering. Since, the existence of pain and misery cannot be adequately dealt with by logic and reason, well, someone has to pay the price for evil’s existence. So, God becomes the one to bear the brunt of the punishment. Yet, this is nothing more than making God the scapegoat because we as finite human intellectuals have reached the full extent of our own logic and reason. (By the way, since the enlightenment we have made our ability to reason an idol. Logic has become the God of modernity, and we have suffered, to some degree, because of it. Uuummmm, very interesting, to say the least.) If we take God out of the picture, as an atheist would, then who would be the cause of evil and suffering? Well, the answer would be humanity since there would be no God to point the finger at. Now, if we place God back into the picture, could we not still say that in some capacity humanity is still responsible for pain and misery, evil and suffering. Yes, of course, we could make that very conclusion.

I, for one, do not pretend to understand pain and misery, evil and suffering. I have no pretense I have figured it all out. My answer will probably raise more questions, and we will be back at square one; however, in my opinion, I believe we should stop asking the question of why evil exist in the world. We should stop putting the blame on God, and we should begin working with God to stop evil and suffering in the world.

And here we are, back to the call God has given us. We are blessed to be a blessing. We as believers can put a sizeable dent in the existence of evil and suffering if we would truly live out God’s vision for us, to be a blessing to others because he has blessed us. Isn’t that just wonderful? We need to quit asking God why he allows evil and suffering because, in my opinion, he does not allow it, but he is actively involved in eradicating it from his creation, and at the close of history, he will complete this very act. We, as believers and humanity as a whole, need to point the finger at ourselves and ask, “Why do I allow evil and suffering?” That is the question God is asking us; however, he is also saying, “Turn from practicing evil, turn from causing others to suffer, place your trust in me, and join me in being a blessing to others as I bless you.”

I ask you to answer the call of God to bring about the end of evil and suffering. Pray with me for God’s will to be done on earth as it is in Heaven, and begin to work with me in ways to do the same.

A New Year: Moving Toward a New Heaven and a New Earth

2010-01-01T11:08:00.002-06:00

I was just musing that we have put the year 2009 to rest, we have begun a new year in 2010, and that means we are one year closer to the New Heaven and the New Earth being established by our King Jesus. Isn’t that totally exciting? Well, it is to me. So, I am going to live this next year with the vision of being a blessing to others because I am blessed. Hopefully, as I live this out, a little more of Heaven will be brought to earth.

Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. And I saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, ”See, the home of God is among mortals. He will dwell with them; they will be his peoples, and God himself will be with them; he will wipe every tear from their eyes. Death will be no more; mourning and crying and pain will be no more, for the first things have passed away.” And the one who was seated on the throne said, “See, I am making all things new.” Revelation 21:1-5 NRSV

This vision is my guiding hope. It is this vision I put my hope in as I wait patiently in faith for it to arrive. It is this vision that inspires me to be a blessing to others because if this is what my King is doing, if he is making all things new, then I am motivated to join him in the process.

My vision for 2010 is to follow Jesus in making all things new. I am not one hundred percent sure what all this entails, but I am looking forward to the journey. Whatever it does consist of, I am sure it will have something to do with hanging out with those others may consider to be a menace to society. I am sure Jesus will lead me to feed the hungry, give drink to the thirsty, welcome the stranger, and clothe the naked. I pray I will have the tenacity and fortitude to follow him in doing these things.

I ask you to join me as we both join Christ in the restoration of His creation.

10 Blessings I Received During 2009

2009-12-31T11:32:00.002-06:00

This morning I have been reflecting just a little on 2009, and so I thought, I will make a list of the blessings I have experienced throughout the year. Here goes…….

1. I am totally blessed to have my fiancée, Jaclyn Elliott, in my life. She is an absolutely wonderful person and woman of God. I cannot wait to marry her in April. She has blessed my life this past year in ways I could never put in words. She has stood by me through difficult times. She has showered me with prayers. I must brag about her, and say that she never turned and ran away through the struggle we experienced this past year. She hung in there and showed great character even when others where not being so nice. Jaclyn is real and authentic. She does not try to be something she is not. I have seen her bad side, and I have seen her wonderful side. Actually, I love her even more that I have seen her weaknesses because that let's me know she is not afraid to be genuine. I know she has a heart for Christ, and I am so blessed that she has chosen to be with me.

2. I am blessed to have two wonderful sons. Christian is a blessing to me. He is my oldest. His guitar playing brings joy to me because he shares a gift and talent that I have as well. I am also proud that he is doing well in school. He is an awesome football player on his middle school team. You know, I am even thankful for his strong personality. He will be a great leader someday. No, let me restate that. He is a great leader now, and I know he will exceed his potential in the future. Austin, my youngest son, is also a blessing to me. Austin is daddy's boy. He is really great with children who are younger than he is. It seems that, wherever he goes, little children are naturally drawn to him. Maybe, he has a gift and talent to minister to or serve children. Austin is real. I don't think I have ever seen him fake being who he is. He can be quiet when around strangers, but I think he is just sizing up the situation so he can lay down the boom later. He does not judge people due to their skin color, and I am proud of him for this attitude. And let me tell you, he is a master at video games. I think his expertise will be in technology as he grows older. Anyway, both of my sons are wonderful, and they are certainly at the top of my list of blessings.

3. I must mention Love In Action International Ministries (http://loveinactionministries.com). LIA has been such a blessing to me. Being able to help with ministering to the poor, marginalized, and homeless, has caused me to grow spiritually in ways I could never imagine. I am so thankful for Ken Tuck, Martha Tuck, Mike Shroades, Justin Swasey, and Mama (Susie) Tuck, oh, and let me not forget Franklin Moore. These people are not just people who have allowed me to minister with them, but they are people who have become such great friends to me. My life has been completely altered (for better or for worse, no just kidding, they have truly blessed me) because they have allowed me to enter their's. And I must say, they have stuck with me (just like Jaclyn) through difficult times in my life this past year. To all those that Love In Action has ministered to and served, I say, I love you because all of you have blessed me tremendously.

4. Also, I need to mention all the great friendships I have developed over the past year. All these people truly blessed my life in 2009, even if they do not realize it. Here they are: Bill Price, Jack Kale, Roy Rogers, Mike Hoppe, Mike Pearson, Steve Stock, Bob Pitcher, Mark Fleming, Marty Hamilton, Adam Mashburn, Andy Eckart, Max Morris, Ted Hils, Stu McMahan, Amy McMahan, Jeff Burnett, Cheryl Hidle, Christine Avant, Jaromy Henry, Myrna Henry, Doug Bell, Steve Horn, and this list could go on. I say thanks to you all for your friendship, love, comfort, patience, and prayers. I truly love you all, and you are all dear to my heart.

5. Of course, I say thanks to all the staff at Harvest Church. It has been a great pleasure to minister with you all. 2009 was a great year for Harvest. Grace and Peace to you guys and gals.

6. I want to say a special thank you to my mother and father, my brother and sister. I love all of you. You have been my family my entire life, and you have always stood beside me and gave me encouragement. Thanks for all the love you have shown me throughout my 37 years. You are the reason for who I am!

7. Asbury Theological Seminary has blessed me over the past year. I have grown so much in Christ because of the wonderful teaching of so many Spirit filled professors. You all have really stretched my thinking, and my faith has grown stronger because of it. May God continue to use Asbury Seminary in powerful ways.

8. I want to thank the Haven in Dothan, AL for allowing me to speak to their people from time to time as needs have shown themselves. I have been extremely blessed due to your trust in me. God bless the Haven, and what it is doing in the lives of so many who struggle with addiction.

9. Thanks to the United Methodist Church for allowing me to pursue candidacy for ordination. I am so thankful for your open hearts, open minds, and open doors. I am so blessed by you.

10. Lastly, I am thankful and blessed for, well, myself. I am blessed that I have persevered with myself. I am thankful that I have not let myself fall apart this year. Trust me, I have had reason to, but I must pat myself on the back and say that I continued to looked toward Jesus and the guidance of the Holy Spirit, and I have sought comfort in my faith and great Christian friends and counsel. I am blessed that I have not given up on myself, my dreams, my calling, and my life. I pray that I will continue to do all I can to ignite a movement of faith, hope, and love with creative passion.

Well, there they are. The ten blessings of my life in the year of 2009.

What about Heaven and Hell?

2009-12-31T00:12:00.003-06:00

Is heaven real? Yes. Is hell real? Yes.

Heaven is a dimension where God lives. A spiritual dimension that is all around us. We can’t see it, and we cannot fully engage in it. Yet, it is real. Heaven is not a place that is a million miles away where God is sitting on a throne looking down at us. God is here living among and with us and even in us, though we do not completely with all of our being encounter Him and His Kingdom.

Heaven is where God is, and it is where God’s will is being done. It is all around us. It is surrounding us. God is omnipresent. His Spirit is everywhere. We get glimpses of Heaven when we see someone healed or see someone come to put their trust in Christ and begin to live with Him as their leader. Heaven is here all around us. We cannot fully participate in it yet, but Jesus has brought it near. Remember, Jesus said, “Repent for the Kingdom of Heaven has come near” (or is at hand).

In the present, we live in the tension that Heaven has arrived and has been inaugurated; however, it is not fully here. We live in the present where the past (the coming of the Kingdom with Jesus) kisses the future (the full recreation, consummation, the New Heaven coming to the New Earth, and the establishment of the New Jerusalem). This is where we reside. We long to fully experience Heaven, which is all around us, but we can only partially engage with it; yet, the hope of the future experience of Heaven awaits us, and this hope gives us the courage to push forward in faith working in love to co-operate with God in the present to bring Heaven to earth. In essence, we become God’s agents to bring about the recreation of the entire cosmos. Those who choose to join Christ in bringing Heaven to earth in the Present will live with God in the New Heaven and the New Earth in the future consummation.

Those who choose to live with Christ now will live with Him in the future.

Hell is another dimension where God is not. A dimension where God’s will is not being done at all. It is the complete opposite of Heaven where God is and His will is done. Hell is complete separation from God, and because of this separation it is Hell. A place of darkness, suffering, and agony. A place were narcissistic people try to satisfy their selfish desires by feeding on other narcissistic people. Hell can be experienced on earth in a similar way as Heaven, though it cannot be fully experienced at this time. People around the world are suffering, starving, sick, and being treated unjustly. Sin reigns in the hearts of many, and nations war against nations. Unbridled consumerism and materialism are the fastest growing religions that entire countries are bowing down to. Due to this stampeding greed, marginalized people are being exploited and treated in inhumane ways. People of all cultures and religions are blinded to the truth of the Gospel, even some of those who call themselves Christian.

This is but a small example of the Hell that is on earth; however, as terrible as these things are, they do not compare to the full expression of Hell. Those who choose to disregard the way of Heaven in the present will live in Hell in the future, when Christ comes back to judge the living and the dead and to fully establish His Kingdom with the New Heaven and the New Earth.

Those who choose to live without God now will continue to live without Him in the future.

So, we as Christians bring Heaven to earth in the present, and by doing so, we co-operate with God to bring the full expression of His Kingdom at the close of history. We do this as we live out our calling of being blessed to be a blessing. Being a blessing to others through the power of the Holy Spirit actually reduces the impact of Hell in the present, and eventually, as we move toward the full consummation of God’s creation, Hell will be completely erased from His creation, and there will be no expression of Hell in the New Heaven and the New Earth. This is the exciting news of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. The Kingdom of God had its D-Day in the arrival of Jesus, and through His people the Holy Spirit expands the Kingdom until the final day of victory.

Want you join the call to be blessed to be a blessing? The Kingdom of Heaven awaits you!

The Good News is Good News to the Whole World

2009-12-30T09:57:00.002-06:00

It seems that most believers think the good news is only good news for Christians, but nothing could be further from the truth. If you remember, the children of Israel were blessed to be a blessing; however, they forgot they had been chosen by God to be a blessing to the world, and they began thinking of themselves as privileged and exclusive. The Israelites forgot about their mission of compassion and justice and mercy and caring for the poor, widow, orphan, and foreigner, and began to think of themselves as the only ones who were loved by God. Salvation became something that was only for them or so they thought. They were the exclusive “in group” while everyone else was the rejected “out group.” Of course, pride, arrogance, and self-righteousness began to consume their lives as they looked down their noses at other peoples and nations.

If you think about it, some Christians have become the same way. Instead of remembering that they are blessed to be a blessing, they think of themselves as the “in group” while everyone else is the “out group” deserving of hell; however, the good news is good news for all people, not just for us Christians. The Kingdom of God has come near, and because it has, God is redeeming the entire cosmos. Jesus inaugurated the redemption of all things. This is good news to all.

If a person is a Christian, they have entered God’s redeeming process in the world, and that person joins other Christians in cooperating with God in bringing heaven to earth. This entails social action as well as conversing about Jesus and His redeeming work in the world. This means joining hands with our Father in caring for the poor, widow, orphan, and foreigner. It means following the Holy Spirit’s guidance in reaching out to the marginalized of society. It means clothing the naked, feeding the hungry, caring for the sick, visiting prisoners, and fighting for justice. It also means that Christians are to ask others to forsake their selfishness and to acknowledge that Jesus is Lord and Savior of all and to recruit others to join God’s redemptive process of His entire creation.

Wow! Isn’t this good news to all?

For those who have not yet acknowledged Jesus as Lord and Savior, the good news is still good news because their world should become a better place for them because Christians are living out their call to be a blessing to others. I hope you are getting the picture here. Buddhists, Muslims, Jews, and even Christians benefit from the good news because the good news, when taken seriously by believers, benefits the whole world, not just Christendom. Oh, how I long that we could realize that the good news is not about who is in or who is out. That is missing the point. The good news is that Jesus has brought the Kingdom of God near, that the redemption of all things has been inauguarated, that all people are invited to join God in His redemptive process through Jesus by the Holy Spirit, and that those who do begin to cooperate with God in the redemptive process are BLESSED TO BE A BLESSING TO THE WHOLE WORLD. As Christians live out this vision of blessed to be a blessing, then the whole world benefits, not just believers only. Now that is truly good news!

Stay tuned for: What About Heaven and Hell?

Making the World a Better Place

2009-12-29T00:11:00.002-06:00

My last post was about being blessed to bless others. Now, let me clarify something. I am not only talking about money. I am mainly talking about being Christ to all we are in contact with. Being a blessing to someone can take many forms. A Christian can bless someone by praying, or cooking a meal, or visiting, or even speaking a kind word to someone. The idea is to benefit someone other than yourself. A believer seeks to make the world a better place for all people. That is what Jesus has recruited us to do. That is the essence of bringing heaven to earth. Christians bring heaven to earth by being a benefit to other people. Actually, that is a the way the Kingdom of Heaven is expanded. Obviously, as a Christian is working to be a benefit to others, opportunities come to tell others about Jesus and the Kingdom of God. As this happens, the Christian gets to ask others to follow Christ, and when others choose to follow Christ, then they become agents of God’s Kingdom to be a blessing to even more people. There is no dichotomy of evangelism and social action. There can be no true evangelism without social action, and there is no true social action without evangelism. That’s why I am beginning to say, “We are blessed to be a blessing.” As we follow this simple principle of God’s Kingdom, we are in fact spreading the gospel in word and deed. Remember, sharing the love of Christ takes more than words; however, without the words the deeds are empty. Being a blessing to others involves both acting and talking like Christ. Catch the vision and become a blessing to others. That was the original call to the children of Abraham, and since we as Christians are adopted into Abraham’s family, that is our calling as well. Christians are blessed to be a blessing in order to make the world a better place for all. Let’s begin now!

Blessed to be a Blessing

2009-12-28T09:13:00.003-06:00

I am reminded this morning of God's promise to Abraham. God told Abraham, "I will bless you so you may be a blessing to others" (my paraphrase). This promise is an exciting thing. As a believer in Christ, I am blessed so I can be a blessing to others. God has given me the privilege of showing others the love, compassion, mercy, and justice of God. That's what I challenge you to do today as I challenge myself as well. Be a blessing to others just as God has blessed you. You know, it's not all about ourselves. It's about reaching out and extending the Kingdom of God to all people, no matter who they may be.

God give me the strength and courage to bless others as you have blessed me. May my heart be filled with a passion to be a benefit to all, regardless of race, gender, religion, socio-economic background, culture, or any other boundary that tends to separate humanity from one another. Father, help me to persuade and influence others to join me.

In Jesus name, Amen.

A Thank You to Greystone UMC

2009-12-27T16:38:00.004-06:00

I preached this morning at Greystone UMC. I want to thank Pastor Mike Pearson for allowing me to speak. The entire service was great. I sensed the presence of the Holy Spirit, and I know that God has great things in store for Greystone and its people. The congregation was extremely warm and welcoming. I really felt the love of Christ being shared. Check out their website at http://www.greystonedothan.org/. The services at Greystone are alternative, which means they have a blended service of both contemporary and traditional means of worship. I spoke about "Knowing God Through Prayer," and the people really seemed to be zoned and focused into the message. I really feel that God ministered to the congregation in a powerful way. It was a great privilege to speak at Greystone, and once again, I thank Mike Pearson and the people of Greystone for giving me the opportunity to minister with and to such a great church.

RPMs -- Recognizing Potential Mates

2009-04-13T12:13:00.004-05:00

This creatively driven series of talks will provide foundational principles on how to date and select a mate God's way. We're going to cruise past the cultural myths and embark on a supercharged ride to the ultimate relational destination.

Prayer Post 4

2009-04-13T11:43:00.019-05:00

Hello! I know you all have been patiently anticipating prayer post 4. Actually, this post is part two of post 3. It deals with another aspect of praying with gut-level honesty. This post will be based on Matthew 6:5, 7.

"And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by men… And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words."

1. Do not be like the hypocrite when you pray. What does this mean? Well, the word hypocrite comes from Greek plays. It is a theatrical term. Whenever Greek plays were in existence, the actors held masks in front of their faces to portray their characters. This is where the word hypcorite derives. Hypocrite basically means play-acting. It is acting like something that you are in fact not. It is "wearing a mask." So, when we pray we are not to wear a mask. We are not to pretend to be something we are not. God is not a spectator in a box seat watching our prayer performance. He does not want performance. He desires gut-level honesty. Do not try to pretend to be a prayer warrior. Just be yourself and communicate with God. Do not put on a show or a play, if you will.

2. Do not pray to be seen by men. This is another aspect of being a hypocrite, putting on a show for others. Have you ever been to a prayer meeting, and you could see that someone was just putting on a show while they were praying? I have, and I can not stand this. Some people pray as though they are putting on a theatrical drama of some sort. It is all for show. They desire applause. It seems they are performing a speech or even praying a sermon, and sometimes it is at you, not with you. Sometimes these people are praying at God, if you will, instead of praying to God. Actually, some of these prayers are telling God what to do instead of being done in a worshipful attitude of reverence and awe. Anyway, you get the point. Do not pray for show or for the applause of man. Pray with gut-level honesty. Pray like you are your real self. No special words or formulas, just talk to God. Others will greatly appreciate this. Trust me!

3. Do not babble and babble along in your prayers. In other words, God doesn't mind short prayers. Praying for a long time does not get God to hear you anymore than praying for a short time. God is not impressed or moved by the length of a prayer; he is moved and impressed with gut-level honesty and sincerity. Pagans think they are heard because they can pray for hours on end as though God answers a person due to the length of their prayer. Christians know God hears and answers their prayers because God says he does in his word, not because they say prayers like they are running a marathon. Now, do not misinterpret this verse as meaning you cannot pray for something more than once. That is not what this verse means. As a matter of fact, Jesus told the parable of the persistent woman who kept knocking on the door of the judge until he answered her. You can pray more than once for something; this shows faith and persistence, but you do not have to pray for eight hours or even fifteen minutes about one particular subject. You can ask openly and honestly, and you can ask openly and honestly several times until the prayer is answered. If you pray for fifteen minutes, and it is a sincere prayer, that is awesome. If you pray for five minutes, and it is sincere, that is awesome too. If you can pray for eight hours, and it is a sincere and honest and heartfelt prayer, that is awesome too; however, length is not a requirement, but gut-level honesty is!

I hope you are getting something out of these posts. I plan on doing more, so stay tuned. Prayer post 5 will be coming!

Prayer Post 3

2009-03-28T10:34:00.004-05:00

Well, I have been making posts on prayer, and today I am posting a third. We have talked about why people do not pray (Prayer Post 1), and we have talked about prayer as conversation (Prayer Post 2). Now, I want to discuss the first characteristic of prayer, honesty. When we pray, we should pray with gut-level honesty. Let me illustrate with some verses from Exodus 5:22-23.

"Moses returned to the LORD and said, "O Lord, why have you brought trouble upon this people? Is this why you sent me? Ever since I went to Pharaoh to speak in your name, he has brought trouble upon this people, and you have not rescued your people at all."

Here we have Moses talking (remember, prayer is just communicating with God) to God with gut-level honesty. Sounds like he is complaining. Well, in a way he may be, but he is not being irreverent to God, and that's the key. We can talk to God about anything we feel or think. I promise it will not shock God. We can be honest with God, and yet, we can still be fearful of him. When I feel like God has walked out on me, or if I feel like God is a million miles away, I tell him. There is nothing wrong with that. God desires to know about our happiness as well as our depression, anger, and frustration. We can communicate with God just like Moses. Moses felt that God had betrayed him. He thought God had put him up to something only to set him up for failure, and he communicated those thoughts and feelings to God in an honest way. Listen you can do the same. Express yourself (remember that Madonna song) to God in all honesty, but express yourself in worshipful, surrendered honesty. I tell you it is extremely liberating. Wherever you are right not, start talking to God honestly and openly. Do not use fancy words, but just talk with plain vernacular to the Holy One. He welcomes all you have to say.

Stay tuned for Prayer Post 4, which will include part two of praying with gut-level honesty!

Prayer Post 2

2009-03-24T22:10:00.007-05:00

Prayer is simply communicating with God! Nothing more; nothing less.

Give ear to my words, O LORD, consider my sighing. Listen to my cry for help, my King and my God, for to you I pray. In the morning, O LORD, you hear my voice; in the morning I lay my requests before you and wait in expectation. Psalm 5:1-3

In these verses of Scripture, we see three things:

(1) Sighing is praying, and the Lord considers our sighing. There are all sorts of sighs. Sighs of disappointment, sadness, gladness, and security. All these are forms of praying because they are forms of communicating. We all know that most communication is done by body language and not just merely what we say. Often our body language betrays what we speak and truly reveals what we are thinking and feeling. This is how we detect a liar. Their body language and words do not match. The same is with our praying. We can communicate to God through our sighing and body language. Have you ever considered that? Reminds me of the verse in Romans 8 where Paul says that the Holy Spirit prays through him when he does not know what to say by groanings and utterances. Interesting!

(2) Secondly, God hears our voice. When we call out to God, we can be guaranteed that He hears us. Scripture says, "Ask and you shall receive, seek and you shall find, knock and it shall be opened." God really does hear our prayers! Of this, we can rest assured.

(3) Thirdly, we need to listen for God to speak to us. Communication is a two way street. It is not a monologue; it is dialogue. Do not forget that. God cares to hear what we have to say, but he desires to speak back to us. He wants to have conversations with us. So, when you pray, listen for God to speak back to you. Guess what? If you do, you will be truly transformed. Praise God!

Prayer Post 1

2009-03-20T08:51:00.003-05:00

I think I will do a series of postings on prayer over the next few days. Here is the first.

Today, I just want to give you a list of the most common reasons, I have found, why people do not pray.

1. Not sure they know how to pray.
2. Get bored or distracted while trying to pray.
3. Think your request are too small.
4. Not sure your prayers make a difference.

If you have any comments to make about this list, or if you have more to add, please feel free to comment.

My Parish

2009-03-19T13:59:00.002-05:00

"The whole world is my parish!" John Wesley

T.U.L.I.P.

2009-03-18T10:52:00.002-05:00

T.U.L.I.P., that's a flower for fairies! We need some daring Wesleyans to stand up and preach Arminian doctrine. Why? Because it's Biblical, goshdarnit! God is love, and love gives freedom of choice. Amen brother! Preach it.

Real Teaching/Preaching

2009-03-17T20:25:00.001-05:00

Real teaching/preaching is not about people feeling moved in the worship center; it is about people moving when they get out of the worship center.

Seekers!

2009-03-11T14:16:00.001-05:00

Try this on for size:

"Seeker services don't work if there are no seekers in the service."

Erwin Raphael McManus, An Unstoppable Force

Jasmine: An Unbeliever ask for Prayer

2009-03-07T12:12:00.003-06:00

Just the other day, I was online doing whatever when I received an instant message from a friend. This friend (whom I will call Jasmine) asked me a peculiar question. She asked,"Can you pray for someone even if they are not a believer?" I quickly responded, "Yes, I can pray for you. You do not have to meet any requirements for me to pray for you."

Jasmine is a professed unbeliever. She has told me numerous times that she has no interest in becoming a follower of Christ. I have even point blank asked her, "Do you believe in God?" Her answer has always been that she believes there is a higher power, but she is not sure the Christian God is the one true God. Once I asked her if she was even remotely interested in spiritual matters. Jasmine answered my question with an emphatic no.

It is because of our conversations that I was a bit surprised when she asked me to pray for her. I thought that maybe she was ready to receive Christ as her forgiver and leader. I stepped out and asked her, "Are you ready to become a follower of Jesus?" She politely typed back and said, "No, I am not. I just want you to pray for me. I have had a bad day, and I am feeling bad. All I want is for someone to pray for me."

Well, I told her that I would definitely pray for her, and I have been. However, I was a bit curious as to how she could ask me to pray for her and still not be interested in being a follower of Christ. It seems to be a contradiction. Yet, most people in our culture feel the same way as Jasmine. Even though they proclaim not to believe in the Christian God, they are extremely open in asking for prayer.

As a matter of fact, it seems that most people are positive about the teachings of Jesus; They just don't want to become a follower of Him, especially if it means becoming a Christian. Why? Upon talking with unbelievers, it seems that what they really have a disdain for is Christianity, not Jesus. They can see a definite divide between the actions of Christians and the teachings of Jesus. They see Christianity as a world religion. To them, the Church has become an institution, an organization not much different than the Red Cross, the YMCA, or our local Health Department. They are so bombarded by non-profit and community organizations they can't see a reason for yet another one. Aren't there enough of these organizations in existence? To them, there is absolutely nothing that sets the Church apart from any other do-good-er group.

Quite frankly, much of this is the Church's own fault. Take a look around at the hundreds of Churches that are on every street corner. It's just as common to see as many Churches in our cities as it is banks, gas stations, and restaurants. And to be completely honest, we have nothing more to offer than convenience in most of our congregations. Where is true spirituality in the Church?

I have personally witnessed how a person such as Jasmine could become indifferent toward Christianity, but feel comfortable asking someone they understand to be a true follower of Christ for prayer. Many Christians are just plain arrogant and are not walking in love. For instance, I have heard well intentioned evangelicals (a group to which I am proud to say I belong) tell people such as Jasmine that their prayers would not be heard by God if they were not believers. Of course, they teach this because they are desiring to win people to Christ. They feel it makes more sense to be a complete follower of Jesus before making requests of God. After all, why would someone be motivated to give their heart to Jesus if they could turn to God while not being a believer?

The fact of the matter is that Jesus never turned anyone away that came to Him. I have never read in scripture where Jesus stopped a person and said, "Before you make a request of me, you must first confess me as your Lord and Savior" (leader and forgiver). It seems that the very act of coming to Jesus was seen as faith and belief in Him. There are many instances of this. One that I will mention can be found in Matthew 9:1-2. "Jesus stepped into a boat, crossed over and came to his own town. Some men brought to him a paralytic, lying on a mat. When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, 'Take heart, my son; your sins are forgiven.'" (NIV) This man's faith was proof that he believed. Jesus saw his faith and forgave him his sins.

However, Jasmine is honest about her unbelief. She clearly explains that she does not have faith in Jesus. And because of this many Christians would say that she is only interested in what she can get from God. To them I would ask these questions:

Would you say the same of a believer who asked something of God?
Would you say that all the paralytic wanted from Jesus was to be healed?

One thing is for sure, Jasmine is honest about her unbelief. Many of us Christians should learn to live by her example of being authentic and genuine.

How should we respond to Jasmine? She isn't a believer, yet she wants prayer on her behalf to the Christian God. At the surface level, this seems to be an absolute contradiction. I say it is not. Unlike some, I would say that Jasmine's request for prayer is a good thing. Why? It is a step in the right direction. Jasmine or anyone like her should never be discouraged to come to Jesus for prayer. We should respond to them positively and show them the love of Jesus as well as explain the gospel to them.

I would tell the Jasmines of the world that Jesus loves them. He desires to hear from them and about them. Most importantly, I would remind them of the words of Jesus, "No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him" (John 6:44 NIV). "No one can come to me unless the Father has enabled him" (John 6:65 NIV).

Many will say, "Yes, but Jesus is talking about coming to Him for salvation, not for prayer." However, no one can see their need for salvation or prayer apart from God working in their lives. Jasmine's request for prayer is the direct result of God working in her life. It is the providence of God. God in some way has moved upon her heart and prompted her to turn to Him. Her request is but a step forward toward God, and believing in Jesus as forgiver and leader. I would explain this to her and encourage her to be sensitive to the drawing of God.

We are all at different levels in our spiritual journey. Jasmine is on her journey. She may have just begun, but I firmly believe God is pulling her to Himself. She is showing that in some way, no matter how small it is, and even if she doesn't realize it, she has become a seeker. Remember, Jesus said that those who seek will find. I can only pray that God will use me and others in love to guide her along her path until eventually she becomes an apprentice of Jesus.

Ash Wednesday

2009-02-26T08:34:00.002-06:00

What can I say? The Ash Wednesday service at Harvest Church was great. Actually, this was the very first time I had ever participated in such a service. It was a moving experience to acknowledge and recognize what Jesus did for us on the cross; however, it was also powerful to reflect on my own mortality. Roy Rogers told the story of the crucifixion of Jesus. Then everyone was invited to nail their names upon wooden crosses standing in the worship center. Each worshiper then knelt at the altar as a minister smeared ashes on their foreheads in the form of a cross. As the minister did this, he pronounced, "From ashes you came, to ashes you will return. Remember Jesus." If you have not already done so, now would be a great time to kneel, wherever you are, and reflect upon the death of Jesus and your own mortality.

Running from Culture

2009-02-19T21:39:00.002-06:00

In his book, "An Unstoppable Force," Erwin Raphael McManus presents the following question for local Churches, "Is our Church a refuge for the world or from the world?" It has been my experience that many local congregations have become safe havens for their members. While they proclaim to be a light to the world, they are in practice places of refuge for people who want to hide from the realities of their culture. Many Christians view their places of worship as a medieval castle they can flee to and once safely inside they can raise the drawbridge to keep out their perceived enemy known as "The World." In this article, I will use M. Night Shyamalan's movie "The Village" as a metaphor to illustrate the Church's tendency to be a place of refuge from culture.

"The Village" is a thriller about a group of people who chose to separate themselves from modern society. Their decision was motivated by the horrible experiences each had with the evils of culture. A family member or loved one of each person in the group had been brutally murdered. In an attempt to live a life free of horrors, these people decided to move away from society to a remote place where they could be evil free. This is not much different from what many of our Churches have become. Instead of engaging our culture with the Gospel of Christ, we have tucked tail and ran. Our congregations have become monasteries catering to the needs of the Churched and setting itself up to be the enemy of the world while it should be a place offering refuge for the world. We have created our own subculture that has imprisoned the Gospel to the point that anyone living outside of our surreal reality finds it impossible to interpret it. The villagers were living a lifestyle that was hundreds of years outdated. Many Churches are guitly of the same by trying to bring back the "golden days" of the past and holding to tradition. Jesus told us to be in the world but not of it. We have become so focused on not being of the world to the point of no longer being in it. The result is the outright rejection of Jesus' command to "go" into the world.

In order to ensure their new way of life would continue, the group of village elders fabricated stories to keep their posterity in line. The stories were of monsters that lived in the surrounding woods of the village. They were referred to as "the people we do not speak of." Watchtowers were erected and people stood watch to warn the villagers of an intrusion of the imaginary foes. Even rituals of peace were offered to the monsters of the forbidden woods. And to top it all off, the elders of the village would dress as "the people we do not speak of" and roam the village at night to make their lies believable. Fear became the motivating factor to keep their surreal life intact. Once again, this is not at all unlike many of our Churches. Well intentioned Pastors have preached lies to their congregations in an attempt to keep it clean and unspotted. Many Christians have been taught to fear the world. They have been brainwashed into believing that contact with culture is sin. Legalism becomes dominant to keep members in check. Members of these Churches become afraid of society and forget that greater is the Spirit of God that dwells in them than the spirit of the world. Their image of Jesus is that of a strict judge that is out to only punish sin. Becoming like the Pharisees, they do not see how Jesus could associate Himself with prostitutes, drug addicts, and homosexuals. As a result, they never move out into the culture to redeem it and the individuals that occupy it.

As the drama of "The Village" unfolds, one of the leading characters, Lucious, is stabbed by a mentally challenged villager out of jealousy. The elders' worst nightmare is realized from the attempted murder; there is no true escape from evil. In spite of leaving modern society and creating the perfect community, the elders could not stop human nature. The very evil that had driven them into the woods and to create a life centered around deceit was not purged from their existence. Take an honest look at the congregations that have separated themselves from cuture, and you will find that sin can even reign inside their walls. Having successfully isolated themselves in their fortresses from evil, many Christians have become blind to their own sin. This blindness leads to one of the most repugnant sins of all, self-righteousness. Just recall the horror stories of these hermit Churches. Power struggles between deacons and the outright backstabbing of deacon wives have often been the playground of Satan. An isolation attempt from culture does not eradicate the sinful nature of man. Often, engagement with culture reminds us Christians just how much we are in need of God's grace keeping us in check with our own spirituality.

As the movie climaxes, the elders' realize their survival depends on going back to the society they left to get Lucious the needed medications he needs in order to live. Lucious' fiance is sent into the "towns", and she returns with the proper medicines. In the same way, the Church can not continue into the future without engaging culture. The Church must have a missional mindset. Our mission is to lead our communities to Christ and redeem culture. In order to do this, we must do more than evangelize. The Church must see herself as a community of missionaries. Missionaries get engrossed in the culture. They learn it and live among it. Many missionaries to foreign countries have been known to wear the clothing and hairstyles of the people they were trying to reach. In like manner, we are missionaries to our communities. We can not effectively reach them without becoming as them, or at the very least, we must appreciate their ethos and understand their metanarratives. The Church is one generation away to being exstinct. It is our responsiblity to engage culture so the Kingdom of God can be advanced through His Church.

Even after obtaining medicines that saved Lucious' life, the elders were still adamant about mantaining their surreal life. Is this not often also true of the Church? Many times the Lord draws people from the culture into our local Churches and instead of acknowledging the opportunity for new life the Church systematically conforms these new believers to its subculture. Within a short amount of time, new believers have lost total contact with the culture they once were apart. The consequence is evident. An opportunity to redeem culture is lost and the Church slips further away from its surrounding community. It seems as though congregations are more concerned about winning people over to their subculture instead of bringing people to Christ and training them to reach others in their context. Being open to culture is vital to the growth, maturity, and advancement of the Church. There is absolutely no way around it.

"The harvest truly is great, but the laborers are few; therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest. Go your way; behold, I send you out as lambs among wolves" (Luke 10:2-3).

Sin of Authenticity: Being Real can be a Real Sin

2009-02-17T00:00:00.003-06:00

I published this on facebook, but I figured I would post it here as well.

There is a new buzz word in the Church that needs a bit of clarification. That word is authenticity. Encouragement to be real is popular in many growing Churches especially those that call themselves postmodern. Being genuine is believed to be helpful in building true community in the Church. After all, a faith that in superficial is repugnant to everyone, believer and unbeliever alike. However, if authenticity is not properly explained it can be taken as a license to sin.

Romans chapter three makes it very plain that we are sinners who are naturally inclined toward sin. Being real is often seen as an excuse to avoid repentance and confession of sin. The beginning of Romans tells us that the human race persisted in being themselves by succumbing to their sinful desires. As a result, God turned them over to their sinful nature to do exactly as they pleased.

Mark Driscoll in his book "Radical Reformission" writes, "This tragic fact has conveniently been ignored by many emerging church leaders ministering in the postmodern pandemonium. The list of young pastors who have been known to be fired from ministry for fornicating, committing adultery, frequenting strip clubs, and getting drunk is troubling. When confronted one such pastor weakly argued that he was being authentic and muttered some misquote of Scripture about not judging people. As we work among cultures that value realness, we must not forget that the kingdom first values repentance" (p 167).

This explains why Jesus commanded that we are to deny ourselves and to take up the cross. Actually, the truth of the matter is that we are to be as Jesus. We are to forsake everything and follow Him. Crucifying the flesh and its desires should be on our priority list.

When making authenticity a value of high priority, we must clarify exactly what we mean. First, the motivation to be real is often the rejection of the "holier-than-thou" attitude. Everyone is repelled by self-righteousness, and no one wants to be around someone that's judgmental. However, we must understand that being gung-ho about genuineness often leads to self-righteousness because the person becomes proud in her authenticity and believes she is fine the way she is while becoming blind to her need of repentance. Secondly, the value of being real is supposed to keep us honest about our humaness. But once again, being truly honest about our humaness brings us to repentance. We should not be enslaved to habitual sin for the sake of being real, genuine, or authentic. Thirdly, rejecting superficiality is believed to help build community because it encourages us to accept one another as-is. I mean it does seem completely logical that since we are all one big hunk of sinful flesh saved by grace we should be completely acceptable of everyone and their shortcomings. While it is loving to accept someone as-is, it is also equally hateful not to be truthful with them about repentance. Authenticity should not trap us into being blind to sin in our own lives or the lives of those we are in community with.

So, what is a correct understanding of authenticity? When we encourage people to be authentic, we first want them to be as Christ. Next, Christ is truth and is truthful, so someone who is being real is being truthful and living by the truth. They are not deceiving themselves or others. They are completely honest about their sins, but they are also repentant of them and are being transformed into the image of Christ daily. A truly authentic person is not just transparent. They are also progressing in their walk with Christ. A lack of Christlike fruit and the absence of victory over habitual sin is actually a sign of a faith that is superficial and not authentic. Thirdly, a person that is living by Christlike authenticity is discovering their God given gifts and purpose and using them to advance the Kingdom of God. A Christ follower that is progressing in their gifts and ministry is learning to be truly genuine, and they are becoming who God created them to be; a unique individual that is a vital organ of the living organism, the Church of Jesus Christ, by walking as Christ would walk if He were in their shoes. Finally, real authenticity as God intended it to be is a life marked by denying one's self, following Christ and His commands no matter the circumstance, and serving and loving our neighbors.

In conclusion, our main priority is to be transformed into the mage of Christ. Learning to be as our Master is the only real, genuine, and truthful way to be authentic. "For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain" (Philippians 1:21 NKJV).

New Believers' Class

2009-02-15T22:12:00.004-06:00

Tonight was our third session of the New Believers' Class at Harvest Church (http://www.harvestdothan.com/). This is a study that last six weeks, and I teach it 3 to 4 times a years. It is included as one of our Spiritual Maturity Classes as class 101. We have four foundational classes at Harvest. They are: class 101, New Believers'; class 201, Growing in Christ; class 301 Walking in the Spirit; and class 401, Finding your Gifts and Ministry. We encourage everyone who attends Harvest to go through this series of classes. Why? Because we believe in spiritual maturity at Harvest, and we desire that everyone grows closer to Christ and learns to live a victorious Christian life. Anyway, it is an absolute blessing to be able to teach the New Believers' Class. It is actually a class that teaches the way of salvation as taught and preached by John Wesley. We cover topics such as: the Trinity, Original Sin, Prevenient Grace, Converting Grace, Sanctifying Grace, Christian Perfection, Christian Disciplines, the Church, and Glorification. It is a privilege to be able to lead others into a deeper understanding of our Lord and Savior Jesus!

Singles' Appreciation Night

2009-02-15T01:14:00.004-06:00

Our Singles' Appreciation Night at Harvest went great! God met us with His Spirit as He always does. Worship was awesome. Alan Watson led us in acoustic worship. He done a fantastic job. After worship, I preached a message on dating, and then we had a time of fellowship just before watching Second Hand Lions. We also had popcorn and refreshments. All in all, it was a wonderful experience. God is truly good!

If I were a Poet

2009-02-13T22:13:00.000-06:00

If I were a poet, what would I say?

Would I speak alot about nothing,

or a little about everything?

Would I write of love's rapture,

or how hate the heart of men can capture?

Would I speak against war,
and ask, "What is it good for?"

Or Would I promote peace,

and ask for every prisoners' release?

Would I warn of man's demise,

and seek with all to compromise?

Would I be bold against prejudice,

and seek for all colors to have justice?

Or would it unknowingly be my fate,

to encourage others to do what I hate?

Would I let fear rain on my parade,

and cower to expose humanity's charade?

Would I even have the courage,

to speak so much and not be discouraged?

Could I stand and yell please,

find a cure for all disease?

And would I my bank account plunder,

if it would wipe out world hunger?

Would I even dare to write,

for a world movement to ignite?

Could I even take up my pen,

and ask God to forgive the world's sin?

So I ask, "What would I say,if I were a poet?"

by Brian Turner

The Perfect Minister

2009-02-11T10:51:00.003-06:00

I ran across this during my reading, and I just had to share it.

After hundreds of years, a model preacher has been found to suit everyone. He preaches exactly 20 minutes and then sits down. He condemns sins but never hurts anyone.

He works from 8:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. in every type of work from preaching to custodial services. He makes $60.00 a week, wears good clothes, buys books regularly, has a nice family, drives a good car and give $30:00 a week to the church. He also stands ready to contribute to every good work that comes along.

He is 26 years old and has been preaching for 30 years. He is tall and short, thin and heavyset, and handsome. He has one brown eye and one blue; hair parted in the middle; left side, dark and straight; the right side, brown and wavy.

He has a burning desire to work with teenagers and spends all this time with older folk. He smiles all the time with a straight face because he has a sense of humor that keeps him seriously dedicated to his work.

He makes 15 calls a day on the church members, spends all his time evangelizing the unchurched, and is never out of his office.

As I pondered upon this perfect minister, it struck me! This is a description of Pastor Mike Shroades. If you do not know who Pastor Mike Shroades is, well, you are missing out on the perfect minister. Check out his blog here: www.mikeshroades.blogspot.com.

I love you Mikey Mike.

Love In Action

2009-02-10T23:15:00.000-06:00

I just wanted to write and say how awesome it is to be a part of Love In Action Ministries. Ken and Martha Tuck are the bomb. We had a great board meeting tonight, and I know God is doing, and will continue to do, some really tremendous things through LIA. The homeless, marginalized, and poor are close to the heart of God, and they should be close to our hearts as well. It is such a privilege to be ministering with such a great group of people. You all know who you are. God bless you all!

"Understanding poverty in all its dimensions (economic, political, cultural, physical, and spiritual), Wesley took the command of Jesus, to minister to and live with the poor, with utter seriousness. For Wesleyans, aiding the poor means making them more capable to fulfill their God-given gifts; it does not mean making them dependent. Simply giving money, however, important, will not release people from poverty unless the other dimensions of poverty are addressed. This means, of course, that the systems causing impoverished conditions must be changed. But it also means that disciples of Christ must be intimately related to the poor so that the poor can be fully brought into life-giving community. One of the most distinctive aspects of Wesley's teaching was that, while one cannot earn one's salvation, one's experience of the joy of salvation is to be found in the midst of what God is doing in and with the poor" (The Wesley Study Bible, p. 247).