I Didn't See That Coming

Have you ever been to a meeting expecting one thing or one response and it was nothing like what you expected?  Or maybe it was just a chance encounter and you thought the conversation was headed in one direction and then "bamm" out of the blue the direction changed to something very serious.

Today was one of those days, it was a fairly trivial, yet very polite conversations about the day to day things we were dealing with in life and this in exactly 19.2 seconds (or close to that) we were into a full blown conversation of life, death, pain and suffering, tears and all.  To quote the famous American Christmas philosopher Clark Griswold, "I couldn't have been any more surprised if I had awoken with my head sown to the carpet."  I sat quietly listening to others talk for a moment about why there was suffering in the world  and why God allowed it.  The person raising the questions claimed to be a believer in God, Jesus, the afterlife in heaven and yet was really struggling.  I finally interjected the reality of living in a fallen world, which was met with a sudden strange silence.  

Then it hit me it is the silence or lack of explanations that accounts for many missed opportunities if sharing our faith.  It was Peter who told us, "Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect." (1 Peter 3:15)  I am intrigued by the whole concept that Peter introduces.  Three major issues are involved here.  First, is "always being prepared".  God is going to throw open some doors in your life when He is counting on you to be the voice of truth and light  in the darkness of someones deepest despair.  As followers of Christ our DNA would indicate that we will be ready for that open door so that we can share Christ.  Second, is that we would be ready or prepared to bring hope into an otherwise hopeless situation.  People are looking for hope to get them through that next day or maybe even that next moment.   If sharing Christ is going to be so much a part of DNA that we are always prepared then that looking of rotten fruit and pickle juice that we often carry on our faces has got to go.  We are messengers of hope not doom, joy not gloom!   Third, we must be ready to share the hope of Christ with gentleness and respect.  The attitude that we have all the answers and people can just go to hell if they don't believe exactly like we do has no place in a community of changed lives who want to have an undeniable influence.  

When do you think your next opportunity is coming?  That's just it, when it does happen and you are looking back at it afterwards, chances are your one of your first thoughts will be "I didn't see that coming!"

A Flash from the Past

I guess any time a person has surgery they are forced to do a little self-inspection.  After sleeping most of the afternoon thanks to the wonderful pain medicine I was sent home with I decided to check my social networks and see what had happened while I was away.  I found this picture from thirty-two years ago.  We were actually studying (sort of) for Bible Bowl with our youth ministry intern David Mabon.  I know how old I am, so he must be really old since he was already in college.  Those were such great times at Southern Acres!  Growing up with great youth ministers like Larry Green and Russell Johnson and several fun interns like David and Mark Snavely and others.   Today as I reflect on life I sure am thankful for this part of my heritage!

Thankful for Friends

It's been quite a week.  The long awaited knee surgery is over and now the recovery process begins.  I have been blessed with great friends throughout this ordeal as well as the doctors and nurses who have been so caring.  Of course, the best nurse is the one I have had with me for 25 years now.  I can't wait to see what I can do when everything is healed.  I had really hoped to be able to write a lot during this time, but focusing is a little hard right now.  I have learned so much already just going through the journey.  I know every time we find ourselves in difficult situations we want to say the right thing and often don't know what that thing is.  Let me make a suggestion while it is fresh on my mind that I am going to try to live by.  When someone is facing surgery, let's not wish them good luck, because as a believer I don't want to count on luck I want to count on God.  Let me suggest that we encourage people to "be blessed", instead of wishing them good luck.  I know everyone has the best of intentions when they say good luck, but "be blessed" seems more in line with what I believe is the desire of Christians.

The other lesson that I continue to learn is honesty.  I make so many mistakes on a daily basis with the things I mis-state and with the some choices I make.  I want to be the kind of friend that always comes clean with those things and makes things right with my friends.  If we could all learn to be honest in everything we say we would never have to cover our tracks, remember what we told someone else, because it would always be the truth.  The best kind of friend you can have is that one that will always be straight with you.  If you have someone like that in your life thank God for them, if you don't you start the process by being like that with someone else.  Friends are a beautiful thing!  I thank God for mine!

It's Coming - Are You Ready

Our physical DNA defines who we are as an individual.  We believe that there are several markers for those that are truly striving to follow Christ that make up their spiritual DNA.  Who are you? What do you look like?  Can people see Christ living in you? How are you going to live?

I have become so convinced that there are certain markers in our spiritual DNA that define what we look like as a Christian as much as our physical DNA defines us in our physical appearance.  We are working hard to define and package these in such a way that they can help those who call themselves Christians to evaluate if they are really "All In" for Christ.  If they are these markers will stand out so that the world can see a difference.  Not a bizarre weirdness, but an inexplicably peace that passes all human worldly understanding.

We are going to start unpacking this on February 26 at Shelby Christian Church.  Mark your calendar and join us Feb 26 at 9:30 or 11:00 a.m.

What Are You Reading?

I am always trying to read more and more and never seem to have enough time.  How about we share things we are learning through our individual reading and maximize our efforts.  I am currently reading two books. The first is You Lost Me by David Kinnaman.  It describes research about the generation of young adults that find themselves wandering and the church at large not knowing how to find them or in many cases not even willing to look.  Kinnaman divides those young adults in the Mosaic or Millennial generation who have lost touch with the local church into three categories.  Nomads who think of themselves as Christians but who have drifted away from the church of their parents. Prodigals are those who have given up on the faith of their childhood. Exiles feel stuck between the idealistic world of church and the real world they find themselves living and trying to survive in.  I am finding the facts recorded from surveys amazingly on track with what I am experiencing with the high school football players I work with on Friday night and the thoughts of my own children.  I hope that I can lead our church to finding these valuable young adults.

The second book that I am reading is actually a reread of Timothy Keller's book Prodigal God.  I use that in our leadership training group every year to set the tone for a church that cares about those that may have lost their way.  Keller has such a wonderful view of the church's role as the older brother who needs to be out looking for the lost brother rather than relishing in staying home and then complaining when the lost one finds his way.  Much to think about in that concept.

So what are you reading and what is that book causing you to think about?

New Year, New Thoughts

I am so excited about what God has in store for this new year!  2011 was a great year for learning about God.   He proved himself faithful to my physical family with healing and restoration.  He proved himself faithful to our spiritual family on the hill with new excitement, new energy, changed lives and financial blessings in the last three months.  What does He have in store for this year.

We had a great time of worship and teaching on "contentment" on Sunday.  Contentment is such a great concept and yet it may be one of the most difficult things to achieve in our current climate and culture.  God proves Himself so faithful and what do we seem to need ... "Just a Little Bit More".  I wonder why?  I have known the words of Phillipians 4:8-13 for a long time, but still struggle living it out.  Read these words from Paul as translated by Eugene Peterson in The Message,
^8-9Summing it all up, friends, I'd say you'll do best by filling your minds and meditating on things true, noble, reputable, authentic, compelling, gracious—the best, not the worst; the beautiful, not the ugly; things to praise, not things to curse. Put into practice what you learned from me, what you heard and saw and realized. Do that, and God, who makes everything work together, will work you into his most excellent harmonies. ^10-14I'm glad in God, far happier than you would ever guess—happy that you're again showing such strong concern for me. Not that you ever quit praying and thinking about me. You just had no chance to show it. Actually, I don't have a sense of needing anything personally. I've learned by now to be quite content whatever my circumstances. I'm just as happy with little as with much, with much as with little. I've found the recipe for being happy whether full or hungry, hands full or hands empty. Whatever I have, wherever I am, I can make it through anything in the One who makes me who I am. I don't mean that your help didn't mean a lot to me—it did. It was a beautiful thing that you came alongside me in my troubles.

I have a lot of hopes and dreams for myself, my family and my church ... but my biggest goal for right now is to be content with what God has in store for me and not to run ahead of the one who created and me and let His Son die for me.  What I deserved was hell, but God stepped in!  So my prayer for you is that you will dream big dreams, lift them up to God in prayer and then be content with His response.

I Think We Are All Hoarders

I have to admit I have never watched, nor do I plan to watch more than 5 minutes of that show on television.  I feel sorry for the families involved and don't need to see it to know that it is a very real problem.  In fact, I really can't find any redeeming value to showing it on TV. 

Hi, my name is Dave and I am a hoarder!  Not in the way those folks on TV are depicted but I hoard my time, my thoughts, my feelings.  I don't really hoard my money, but I know a lot of people that do.  I know some that hoard relationships, opinions and even prejudices.

Why can't we all just let things go and focus on things that really matter and that will make a difference in the time we have here on earth and beyond?  What are we holding onto and why are we squeezing so tight?

Seriously do you think heaven is segregated?  Of course not, then why do we hoard our biases and personal prejudices here on earth.  The time is coming when they are going to get thrown away.  What about that money?  How many times do we have to be told we can't take it with us?  Churches, colleges, orphanages and every non-profit organization I know are struggling for funds and people are saying we can't give because of the recession, but they have been to see Mickey Mouse in that land wonderful kingdom three times this year. 

I admit it there are still a lot of things that I hoard, and a lot of them I need to get rid of.  I need to get one of those huge garbage dumpsters and park it at the front door of my heart and start loading stuff in.  My fear is that I would have to have it towed away and emptied multiple times before I really get everything cleaned out.  Luke 17:31 says, "When the Day arrives and you're out working in the yard, don't run into the house to get anything. And if you're out in the field, don't go back and get your coat. Remember what happened to Lot's wife! If you grasp and cling to life on your terms, you'll lose it, but if you let that life go, you'll get life on God's terms."

I really do want to live life on God's terms and quit worrying about what the world says.  So I'm trying to decide daily what to hold onto in this world.  I hoard my time with my family.  I know I was blessed into this world with a wonderful family, with great parents, a brother and sister in law and aunts and uncles and a wonderful heritage. I married so far over my head with a godly wife who amazes me daily with her knowledge of God's word.  I loved her parents so much and miss our trips to Tennessee.  God blessed me with beautiful daughter that will always be daddy's little girl.  She is incredibly witty and just as beautiful on the inside as the outside. God gave me a son whom I dearly love.  The last five years have been a struggle, but I have learned so much about grace and forgiveness, and I understand Luke 15:20 on a completely new level.  I am so proud of where he is now but know that the battle is still on.  I get to be a "Poppy" to two beautiful granddaughters who may have been unexpected, but are dearly loved.  So as I start throwing things away, these are the things I will be hoarding as long as God gives me breath and allows us all to live.

The rest of the stuff ... you can have it ... well except for ... just kidding take it all