Reaching A Diverse World

The church where we worship is a fairly large congregation of people. No mega church by any means, but around 2000. Churches have personalities and for that reason they attract people that fit those personalities. For example bikers with tattoos all over there bodies would be welcome, but we would be uncomfortable and so would they. Not because of prejudice, but because of a lack of familiarity. That being the case, how could a church like Madison reach out to those that don’t fit their personality? IMHO they have to specialize. Here is what I mean. They need to start satellite ministries off site. This may involve renting a store front or some type of suitable gathering place in a specific area where the surroundings will feel comfortable to those they are trying to reach. This could be done in multiple locations, led by Christians with a heart for a particular segment of society. These groups could start as a cell group, or a coffee house, a place for teens to hang out; any number of creative ways could be used. This could be followed up with special outings that serve as opportunities to blend these groups from time to time. The church of the 21st. Century is going to have to be creative. To reach a diverse world, diversity is required. Same ole, same ole just won’t get it. We have been waiting for them to come to us for as long as I can remember, and they are not coming. So, what do you think? How can we reach a diverse world of lost folks?

"The Proof Is In The Puddin"

According to a recent Gallop poll 80% of Americans believe Jesus is the Son of God. That on the surface I would say is pretty great news! These type of statistics are often a basis for thinking that we are a Christian nation. Yet when we go a little deeper and look at lifestyles and choices that are made in this country, we see a vast difference between our profession and our practice. Take our speech for an example. The same mouth that professes Jesus to be the Son of God, can in a split second, turn the air blue with language that is from the pit of Hell itself. This type of speech is only a symptom of a heart problem. Jesus said, "For out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks. The good man brings good things out of the good stored up in him, and the evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in him. But I tell you that men will have to give account on the day of judgment for every careless word they have spoken. For by your words you will be acquitted, and by your words you will be condemned." (Matt. 12:34b-37) Belief in Jesus as the Son of God, that does not result in a change of heart and lifestyle, is only intellectual acknowledgment. The real test of faith comes when we are confronted with not only who He claimed to be, but with what He said we were to become. Soren Kierkegaard once said, "The matter is quite simple. The Bible is very easy to understand. But we Christians are a bunch of scheming swindlers. We pretend to be unable to understand it because we know very well that the minute we understand we are obliged to act accordingly. Take any words in the New Testament and forget everything except pledging yourself to act accordingly. My God, you will say, if I do that my whole life will be ruined. Herein lies the real place of Christian scholarship. Christian scholarship is the Church’s prodigious invention to defend itself against the Bible, to ensure that we can continue to be good Christians without the Bible coming too close. Dreadful it is to fall into the hands of the living God. Yes, it is even dreadful to be alone with the New Testament." What could we become and what could we accomplish if we simply took Him at His Word? What if we not only believed that He was the Son of God, but believed that what He said we should do and become was of utmost importance. What if we simply allowed ourselves to be changed into the image of Jesus. That is what believing Jesus to be the Son of God is all about. I heard people of my generation say often, "The proof is in the puddin." That is also what John the Apostle said, "We know that we have come to know him if we obey his commands. The man who says, "I know him," but does not do what he commands is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But if anyone obeys his word, God's love is truly made complete in him. This is how we know we are in him: Whoever claims to live in him must walk as Jesus did. (I John 2:3-6). That is strong language, because we are dealing with matters of eternity here. You see, faith that does not change your heart of hearts is really not faith at all.

MySpace.com

One point five Billion hits, that is Billion with a capitol B. Fifty Six million users. Those are recent stats for MySpace.com. Local news reports estimated that of these fifty six million users there may be as many as one million predators among them. Recent news specials, like Dateline, have pointed out the danger to many young people from these predators, and warn against communicating with strangers on line and listing too much personal information. So why am I setting up a web page and blog with the millions on MySpace.com? The same reason Jesus ate and spent time with the lost of His day. What a great mission field! I believe in the midst of all that is wrong with MySpace there is an opportunity. I am sure that God is at work there as He is in the rest of the world. I am not excited about the fact that I don’t have control over the advertising on my site. (That is not as much a problem with the blog, and that is really where my emphasis will be.) I am not real comfortable with some of the things you see from time to time just browsing around, but that would not be allot different in our world if we were hanging out with sinners. So pray for this venture! Ask God to bless this attempt to sharing Jesus with folks that have not come to know Him as Lord. And if you would like to take a peek, click here. Feel free to share enlightening comments there too, just remember we are trying to reach folks that don’t have a background in scripture.

Somebody Stole My Howdy Doody!

Somebody stole my Howdy Doody! Yep, they told me it was just lost with all the other things in a crate of household goods that were shipping to Germany back in 1973, but I am convinced somebody stole my Howdy Doody! It was just like the one on the “Howdy Doody” show. It was a real Marionette. I was only about eight or nine when my aunt bought it at a toy store in Madison, Tennessee. Of all the things we lost in the crate, that Marionette is what I remembered. Childhood memories are strong. Young minds are so very impressionable. I don’t know why, but that memory came flooding back today and it got me to thinking about other things and people that I remembered from my early childhood. I remembered the lady from “Ding Dong School” ringing that bell first thing in the morning as the program came on air. Then there was Kukla, Fran and Ollie. That Gator with only one big tooth. Who could forget Captain Kangaroo and his side kick Mr. Greenjeans. And of course that waskilly little hand puppet rabbit that was always playing tricks on him. Woody Woodpecker was one of my favorite cartoons. We have a huge red headed wood pecker on our place that I see at least once a week. I always think of Woody when I see him. When I don’t see him, you can hear him banging away on some tree near us. My first crush was on Annette Funicello from the Mickey Mouse Club. She spoke so personally to me (and millions of other little boys) through that show. What are some of your childhood memories?

Here are a couple pictures from the Praise Team Banquet I wrote about a while back. This is the Red team that I sing with from time to time. Left to right: Lee, Barb, Kathy, Rob

Dancing Before The Lord

I was flipping channels on Sunday Morning before Barb and I left for worship. My tribe has only a few television programs and I happened across one. It was the closing moments of the program and the picture was of a congregation singing. They were all dressed in their “Sunday Best”, with books held high, but still not looking at the leader. No smiles, a very solemn look on each face. As I reflected on that scene, it struck me that that picture was someone’s idea of what worship should look like. That is how they thought people should act in worship. My next thought was, how sad, how very very sad. Where did we get these kinds of ideas? They did not come from Scripture. Maybe some of it comes from the time when we thought it was “wrong” for men to weep, or when children were to be “seen and not heard”—who knows, but this mind set did not come from God! When David brought up the Ark of the Covenant to Jerusalem, we are told that he, “danced before the Lord with all his might” (2 Sam. 6:12-14). “To those who did not understand the redemption brought by this God, David’s actions no doubt seemed odd. Yet for those of us who have even greater reason than David did to rejoice and dance before the Lord, worship ought to be the very character of our lives.” Philip Kenneson, “Life On The Vine”. Take a moment and read the following scripture, I Peter 1:3-9. Did you hear that? "filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy" If you can read that and not be excited you are in a coma! (Sorry, that may be an overstatement) It could simply be that our lack of excitement is really a lack of understanding of what God has done for us in Christ. If understanding that doesn’t light your fire, as my old daddy used to say, your wood's wet”. In case you are wondering, I am not advocating dancing before the Lord. But let me quickly add, for those who always look for a "thus saith the Lord". There you go!

A few days ago I posted a comment from Patrick Meads blog about a couple that was upset with their church. Kyle Meador wrote a follow-up article based on that one that is a must read! Here is the link. He has hit the nail squarely on the head IMHO.

To Whom Much Is Given....

I believe that God wants to use all of his children to accomplish His will and purpose on the earth. So you say, “Tell me something new.” Let me explain. God’s blessings to us are not just for our benefit. While He has promised to take care of all of His children and meet their needs, it is obvious that some are being blessed with more than others. If I understand the “law” of blessings, the more we are blessed with, the more we are responsible for those blessings and how we use them. While stewardship applies to more than just dollars and cents, it seems easier to see its application when we talk about money. I mentioned in an earlier post that I am reading, “Life On The Vine”, by Philip Denneson. Here is a quote that addresses the question, “Why does God bless the “way” He does. “If all God cared about, for example, was that people were fed, then presumably God might have chosen to distribute resources more equitably. But God also cares deeply about the way people get fed. To see why this might be the case, entertain the following thought-experiment. Imagine that you are going away for the weekend and you need to provide for your five children in your absence. You could, if all you cared about was that they were provided for, give each of them a large box of breakfast cereal and instruct each to take care of him or herself in your absence. But you could also make one of the children the steward of the cereal. With instructions to make sure that all were provided for, knowing that this would require the children to learn to interact with each other in ways that would be unnecessary in the fend-for-yourself strategy.” “What if God has entrusted to some of us much more than we need, not as a sign of God’s favor or as a “blessing” to be hoarded, but as a call to reach out to those in need that they might be provided for by the One who loves them most? It may be that too many of us have taken the large box of cereal, written a check for 10 percent of its volume to the church and then gone off to enjoy one heck of a big breakfast. Surely this is not stewardship.” What was it that Jesus said? “To whom much is given, much is required”? I think that is what He said—right?

In Case You Didn't Know...Heeee's Back!

The Charlotte Observer/September 17, 2003 By Ken Garfield On "The New Jim Bakker Show," the TV evangelist sits beside his perky wife, pleads for money, occasionally cries and closes the show with "God loves you. He really does." Having watched three hours' worth of this fare, the only differences I could see between the new Jim Bakker show and the old Jim Bakker show are as follows: He has less hair. He sits beside second wife Lori instead of first wife Tammy Faye. He isn't selling time shares. And the strange electricity that made the old show part of modern American religious lore is gone. Let me save you the trouble of finding a cable TV station airing Bakker's new venture. Bakker and his second wife, Lori, have been taping the show from noon to 1 p.m. weekdays at a restaurant in the country music mecca of Branson, Mo. As in his glory days in Fort Mill, S.C., he draws a studio audience of mostly older folks, including one fan from Missouri who told Bakker she used to watch the old PTL show religiously. "It was my life," she told him on the air. In one of the three tapes his office sent me, Bakker announced that friends had gotten him back on TV because he didn't have money to do it himself. In all three shows, he pleaded for support by selling different levels of partnerships. Donate $100 a month, for example, and you can join the World Changers Club. A $50 donation gets you into The Jubilee Club. "We really need to hear from folks this week," Bakker said, noting that he doesn't want to raise money on the air but they're at a turning point and couldn't 10 people in each city where the show airs pledge just $25 a month? Charlotte, N.C., lawyer Harold Bender, who represented Bakker at his 1989 trial, said that as far as he knows, Bakker can go on TV and raise money - even after spending five years in prison for defrauding followers out of $158 million. On the air, Bakker promotes his autobiography, "I Was Wrong," and offers hardback copies free to those who make a pledge. On the first of the three shows I sat through, he also promoted another book - the work of a law professor he said read through the entire transcript of his trial. Bakker called the book a miracle: Its title is "Jim Bakker: Miscarriage of Justice?" I worked nights at The Charlotte Observer in the mid-1980s, and would rush home to watch Jim and Tammy transfix the audience with their preaching, singing, crying and charisma. I watched and understood why millions of Christians found fun and hope in this once-in-a-lifetime venture that ultimately fell to sex and greed. Now I watch Jim and Lori preaching, giggling, crying and begging for someone, anyone, to send them a check and keep them on the air - and I just want the show to end. (Pictures not apart of the original article)

Wish I Had Thought To Say That

From the "Wish I had thought to say that" department. "A couple was furious with our church. We had gone to see what happened to them after someone noticed they'd been gone from our worship assembly for some time. "We aren't coming back," the husband said. "That is an unloving, cold church that claims to care about people but doesn't." I asked him on what basis he made that judgment and he replied, "We were gone four weeks from that church before anyone there even noticed. What kind of church doesn't even notice something like that?" I replied, "What kind of person are you, that you could be gone for four weeks and the no one in the church could tell?" They were shocked by this 'attack' so I pressed on. "What work suffered because you stopped your ministry? What mission work ground to a halt because you withdrew your funding, prayers and support? Could it be -- just imagine with me a moment -- could it be that you never really were a part of the church? Could that be why your departure was unnoticed?" Read the entire post here.

Will This Guy Ever Learn?

Well he is at it again. VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. -- The Rev. Pat Robertson says God has told him that storms and possibly a tsunami will hit America's coastline this year. The founder of the Christian Broadcasting Network has told viewers of "The 700 Club" that the revelations came to him during his annual personal prayer retreat in January. "If I heard the Lord right about 2006, the coasts of America will be lashed by storms," Robertson said May 8. Read the rest of the article here. If I heard the Lord right! Is Pat hard of hearing or just leaving himself an out? I am beginning to believe that this guy has one of two problems. One, he has a screw loose. Or two, he is much smarter than we all give him credit. All he has to do is open mouth - insert foot - and the media ( and me) jump all over it. Maybe that is a clue. I will have to think about that one. What do you think?

Definitions For Parents

Given that last Sunday was Mother's Day and Father's Day is around the corner, it seems appropriate to offer these definitions used by experienced parents: AMNESIA: condition that enables a woman who has gone through labor to have kids again. DEFENSE: what you'd better have around the yard if you're going to let the children play outside. DROOLING: how teething babies wash their chins. DUMB WAITER: one who asks if the kids would care to order dessert. FEEDBACK: the inevitable result when a baby doesn't appreciate the strained carrots. FULL NAME: what you call your child when you're mad at him. GRANDPARENTS: the people who think your children are perfect even though they're sure you're not raising them right. HEARSAY: what toddlers do when anyone mutters a bad word. INDEPENDENT: how we want our children to be as long as they do everything we say. LOOK OUT!: what it's too late for your child to do by the time you scream it. OWWW: the first word spoken by children with older siblings. PRENATAL: when your life was still somewhat your own. PUDDLE: a small body of water that draws other small bodies wearing dry shoes. SHOW OFF: a child who is more talented than yours. STERILIZE: what you do to your first baby's pacifier by boiling it and to your last baby's pacifier by blowing on it. STOREROOM: the distance required between the supermarket aisles so that children in shopping carts can't quite reach anything. TEMPER TANTRUMS: what you should keep to a minimum so as to not upset the children. TOP BUNK: where you should never put a child wearing Superman jammies. TWO-MINUTE WARNING: when the baby's face turns red and she begins to make those familiar grunting noises. WHOOPS: an exclamation that translates roughly into "get a mop."

Being True To Our Testimony

Consistency of lifestyle with our testimony is critical to influencing our world for Christ. A second challenge is to maintain our testimony while not being directed by the culture in which we live. I am presently reading Philip D. Denneson’s “Life On The Vine”. His opening chapter deals with the often unseen and subtle influence of culture and how it affects the way we not only understand scripture, but put our own values into practice. It is a great read and I would highly recommend it. Here is a quote “Developing skills of discernment must become a high priority for the contemporary church, because for good or ill, our day-to-day practices and activities cultivate the character of our lives. Too often we are pledging allegiance to Christ with our lips while engaging in practices that cultivate a quite different set of loyalties, dispositions and convictions. The predictable result is that we keep on insisting that we are fig trees, yet we bear many of the outward attributes of stinging nettle. Is it any wonder that people looking for figs go elsewhere.?” Page 29

"Knowing You'll Be There, Makes It Easy Too Go Home"

I wanted to write this before Mother’s Day, but there just didn’t seem to be time. Mom will be gone four years this coming July. The peace I feel today is because of the assurance I have that she went to be with the Lord. It would be pure selfishness to wish here back here on this old earth. Mom died of brain cancer. Her death came a year after the diagnosis. All of her children and many of her grand children were with her during the last days and hours of her life. We all were able to spend alone time with her and tell her what was on our hearts. Many have to face the death of a loved one without warning. We are thankful we knew she was dieing. Mom could only speak barely above a whisper. She had had surgery on her vocal cords a number of years ago and I actually forgot what her voice sounded like before the surgery. Soft or loud, it mattered not – it was mom’s voice. In my younger days mom was very firm and could even be hard at times, but the years mellowed her like fine wine. Her life was hard after my dad died at the young age of forty-eight. There was little or no insurance money, so she had to go back to work after being out of the work force for a long time. It was hard, very hard, but she did it. She did marry again, and while there were many good things about her second mate, there were many things that were not. She never talked to us about it, but we knew all was not well. Toward the end, she talked a lot about seeing our dad again. We buried her beside dad and know it was a great reunion when she got home. No one can ever take the place of your mom. You only get one and no one will ever be able to fill her shoes. I am so thankful for my mom. I never questioned her love for me. I miss her quite rough whisper when she would say, “I love you”. I also miss that sparkle in her eyes when she would say it too. The words of a Gaither Vocal Band song come to mind as I think of Mom on this Mother’s Day. “Knowing You’ll Be There, Makes It Easy Too Go Home.”

Praise Team Appreication Dinner

Madison’s Praise Team appreciation dinner was last night. Spouses of Praise Team members were invited, so Barb and I enjoyed a night out together. Something we don’t do near enough.We presently have three different teams, one for Sunday morning worship, one for Life Builders Adult Bible Class, and one for Pray and Praise on Wednesday evening. I sing with the Life Builders class group. It was not only a wonderful night of food and fellowship, but the entertainment was simply over the top! Greg Wilson of Greg Wilson Ministries presented his "Hats" drama. "Hats" is a one-man play written, produced, and acted by Greg Wilson. Greg gave us a glimpse into the minds of nine different personalities that we run into from time to time in our world; Worry Wart, Red Neck, Junk Yard Guy, Grandpa, Cameron (4 yr. old), 911 Dad, Drunkaholic, Church Lady, Homeless Guy. One minute we were doubled over in laughter and the next our hearts were brought to tears. More than anything else Greg made us think. I was reminded again of what a powerful teaching tool drama is, if it is done well. Today’s media saturated society needs the type of teaching that grabs them by the throat and heart, and won’t let them go. Dry, boring, monotone sermons do not communicate with today's world. But on other hand the power of a story can grab you and not let you go. Stories were used so powerfully by Jesus, and I saw the power of story again last evening. The evening came to an end in song. One of them led by our brother Ray Wison. Ray is a story himself of God’s amazing grace. Just a few months ago he was diagnosed with a serious form of cancer. He is cancer free today. Ray led us in "How Great Thou Art" in his own special way. I couldn’t help but think, as the halls were filled with blended voices, of how wonderful Heaven will be. There we won’t have to stop and go home - we will be home! 1 Come, let us sing to the LORD! Let us give a joyous shout to the rock of our salvation! 2 Let us come before him with thanksgiving. Let us sing him psalms of praise. 3 For the LORD is a great God, the great King above all gods. 4 He owns the depths of the earth, and even the mightiest mountains are his. 5 The sea belongs to him, for he made it. His hands formed the dry land, too. 6 Come, let us worship and bow down. Let us kneel before the LORD our maker, 7 for he is our God. We are the people he watches over, the sheep under his care. Psalm 95:1-7 NLT

Epitaphs

Epitaphs are not as popular as they once were. Here is Ben Franklin's epitaph. The body of B. Franklin, Printer (Like the Cover of an Old Book Its Contents torn Out And Stript of its Lettering and Gilding) Lies Here, Food for Worms. But the Work shall not be Lost; For it will (as he Believ'd) Appear once More In a New and More Elegant Edition Revised and Corrected By the Author.- the epitaph of young Benjamin Franklin What would your epitaph be? Here is your chance to see it before you leave this old earth. Click here!

New Travel Woes

I mentioned in a comment to an earlier post that I have been in training for a new office position at my company. While this has taken me off the road traveling all over the US, it has put me back into the morning rush. I had forgotten what a pain it was to fight that morning traffic. Here are some thoughts for those in the same boat. * Freeway congestion is getting so bad, you can change a tire without losing your place in line. * All across the country rush hour traffic is bumper to bumper. The next thing they'll be selling is anti-perspirant to put under your car's fenders. * Traffic is always heavy in both directions. There are just as many people trying to get to whatever you're trying to get away from. * You have mixed feelings when you see an opening in rush hour traffic. You're glad for the opening, but you wonder who died. * It's useless to print roadmaps anymore. You just get on the highway and go wherever the other cars take you. * The only way to get home from work on time is to take the day off... even then, you're cutting it close. * Traffic is so bad nowadays, a pedestrian is someone in a hurry. * You can sit on the highways forever. In fact, some places have little exit ramps where you can pull over and make a car payment. * During rush hour the only way you can change lanes is to buy the car driving next to you. Honk Honk! Until next time (-:

I Grew Up In A Segregated World--Racially and Spiritually

My early childhood was in a segregated world. I remember the marches for equality. I remember George Wallace’s stand against the integration of schools. I remember the riots of the mid 60’s. I remember men like Martin Luther King. I remember when he was shot. I worked at a 5 & 10 cent store in Springfield, Tennessee in my early teen years. While there I developed a friendship with Jimmy. Jimmy was black. Traditionally on Friday nights a group of us got together and went skating, or did something together. I remember the Friday we invited Jimmy to go with us. There were five of us in the car when we stopped at a hamburger place in Goodlettsville. As we all piled out of the car, Jimmy handed me a couple dollars and told me what he wanted. He was staying in the car. I will never forget the anger that ran over me at that moment. The very idea that Jimmy could not be served and eat with us just was not right! With that as a back drop, let me say that my tribe has always prided themselves in being a people of the Book. The Book being the Bible. They could, and many still will today, set you straight in a heart beat if they don’t agree with you. My uncle preached for a church in Alabama back then. I remember him saying that during all the turmoil of the 60’s there was always an Elder stationed at the entrance to the church building in case blacks were to show up so they could direct them to the black church in town. They were not welcomed and would not be allowed to worship with the white congregation. These are the same people who prided themselves as being a people of the Book. I am so glad that attitude is about gone. So why bring it up again? I think it is a picture of how our focus can cloud or cause us to miss altogether the purposes that God has for us. Leonard Allen in "The Cruciform Church: Becoming a Cross-Shaped People In A Secular World" said, "The church of Jesus Christ will be identified most clearly by the character of its people. The church is not primarily an association of people who know and defend the basic teachings of the Christian faith, people who pride themselves on knowing precisely what one must believe. Rather, the church is God’s new creation, a people who have Christ formed in them, who walk by the Spirit and crucify the flesh." Page 174. The Bible is so much more than a book of rules. If that is all we see, then the result will be a people who are changed in various degrees on the outside, but who’s hearts can still hate and be prejudice. Can you imagine a shepherd of God’s flock being posted to turn away people of color from worship? If the Bible is only a book of rules and facts, yes I can. Leonard Allen continues, "This separation between doctrine and life has created a narrow and stunted measure of orthodoxy. A church can be "sound" while excluding black people from its midst. A church can be doctrinally correct while virtually ignoring the poor and hungry living down the street. Christians may pride themselves on their soundness in the faith while hoarding their money or vilifying their brother or brutalizing their family or splitting churches. People may argue endlessly about the proper way to care for orphans while largely failing to care for orphans. " Ibid., p.174. Is this not the message of I Corinthians 13? Read it again! V:13-14:1a "Three things will last forever—faith, hope, and love—and the greatest of these is love. Let love be your highest goal! NLT

Random Friday

You may have seen him recently in "Outback" restaurant commercials, but did you know that Alice Cooper is now a believer? Yep, the same Alice! "I used to celebrate moral decay, the decadence of it," he admitted in the KNAC.com interview. "I can look back on what I did then and what I'm doing now and they're two different things. But at the time I was the poster boy for moral decay, you know. So yeah, I've got a lot to be forgiven for ... out of ignorance, I thought I was doing the right thing. I was totally in agreement that every guy should sleep with every girl and drink as much as they can. I don't believe that now. I don't believe in it, because I see how destructive it is." Check out the rest of the article here! ------------------------------------ Mother's day is just around the corner. If you are looking for gift ideas you might be inspired by these kids: Angie, 8 years old, wrote: "Dear Mother, I’m going to make dinner for you on Mother’s Day. It’s going to be a surprise. P.S. I hope you like pizza & popcorn." Robert wrote: "I got you a turtle for Mother’s Day. I hope you like the turtle better than the snake I got you last year." Eileen wrote: "Dear Mother, I wish Mother’s Day wasn’t always on Sunday. It would be better if it were on Monday so we wouldn’t have to go to school." Little Diane wrote: "I hope you like the flowers I got you for Mother’s Day. I picked them myself when Mr. Smith wasn’t looking." And how about this one from Carol? "Dear Mother, Here are two aspirins. Have a happy Mother’s Day!" --------------------------------- Ben Overby works in a ministry with soldiers at Ft. Benning, GA. I just received a report of the work there from over the last four months. Here is a link to the report. The Gospel is changing lives here! ---------------------------------- If you would like to see pictures of the Ladies in my life and our grandchildren, here is a link to Mother's Day pics taken recently at Madison. ---------------------------------- We have a busy weekend and week ahead of us. I start training for a new job position on Monday so I am not sure how all this will effect my ability to blog. Time will tell.

What Happens In Vegas, Stays In Vegas?

Have you seen the commercials for Las Vegas? I am talking about the ones for the city, not the television program. There is a variety, but the main thrust of them all is that you can go to Vegas, assume a fictitious identity, be who you want to be , and here is the catch phrase for each one, "What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas. While the problems of Las Vegas are far removed from those of Sodom and Gomorrah, what they have in common is their attitude toward their sinful lifestyle and reputation. A boastful pride and arrogance. Totally unashamed. But it is not only a problem in Vegas, it is a national problem. I grew up in a "Leave It To Beaver" world. That world also had it liars, adulterers, drunks and more. The difference was, we were not "proud" of their actions. Those who promote television programs like Las Vegas, Desperate Housewives, etc. tell us that they are only portraying reality - the way the world really is. But what they don’t tell you is that they are also, in the process of portraying reality, encouraging an acceptance of the reality as the normal form of behavior. I will be the first to admit that "Leave It To Beaver" was not a portrayal of reality. I never saw my dad or any other man in my world, sit down to dinner in his suit and tie. But the difference between the two types of programs is in the lifestyle they encourage. Programs of my early days encouraged moral, responsible behavior. Programs that do that today are few and far between. Remember the frog in the kettle? I know it is an old, old illustration, but it is a true picture of our world. Slowly the temperature is increased until the frog finds himself in boiling water. Because the degree of change in temperature was so slight he never knew what was happening. We don’t either! A little here and a little there and you wake up one morning and find yourself saying, "I can’t believe they said that - did that - on TV! Soon there is no more "shock and awe". It makes you wonder just how far we are willing to go in this downward direction. If we have come this far in a little less than 60 years, what will the next 60 hold? We have been so desensitized that there is not much we see today that will make us blush. The age of innocence is long gone. "What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas"? Not really, it comes home with you. Your character is changed and molded by your actions and thoughts. "What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas"? Not really, "So the LORD told Abraham, "I have heard that the people of Sodom and Gomorrah are extremely evil, and that everything they do is wicked." Gen. 18:20 NLT. Heaven knows.

The Dead Sea

The Dead Sea is called dead for a number of good reasons. Nothing lives in it. It contains some of the saltiest water on the face of the earth, almost six times saltier than the ocean. It continually receives waters, mainly from the Jordan river, but the only way water leaves is through evaporation. The Dead Sea is a "Taker", but gives nothing out in return. The Gospel was "Good News" to those first Christians. The message was that sins could be forgiven, never to be remembered by God any more. A once for all blood sacrifice had been made and when trust was placed in the one whose blood was shed, eternal life awaited in the future and an abundant life could be found here on earth today. That is not just Good News, that is Great News. Over two thousand years has passed and the message is not being shared in the same enthusiastic way that it was then. In fact, it could be said that those who have this powerful message have become a lot like the Dead Sea. They have taken in the message, appropriated to their personal sinful lives, but the Good News went no further. John Piper said, "God is calling us to be conduits of his grace, not cul-de-sacs," Let the Nations Be Glad! (2nd edition, Baker, 2003, page 102) Men and woman are no less lost today than then. In fact the need is even greater today if we consider the ratio of those who know the message to those who do not. Our church buildings have become great store houses of the Good News. The Message is "there" and if we want it, we have to go "there" to get it. Much like the Dead Sea, to get water out of it you have to take it. There are not many outlets to allow the Good News to flow freely. Jesus said we were to be the "salt of the earth" But salt is useless if it is just gathering in the "Dead Sea", never to touch the world. Maybe I am making to much out of the illustration - maybe not. You be the judge. What do you think?

W.A.T.S. "We Are The Sermon"

The plea for unity left us by the Lord has gone woefully unfulfilled, I believe in part ,because of our emphasis on unity of belief . Our plea has not been really unity, but uniformity. For this reason we have made the words of Jesus mean something that is unattainable. I believe that there is another dimension to what Jesus said that goes beyond a statement of belief. The following article shows a "unity" in doing what God said to "do". Unity of actions speak so much louder than our words and maybe, just maybe, might be "a" key in finding the fulfillment of the challenge of Jesus. Read the article below and let me know what you think! Four congregations send workers to fix up homes By Jerry Daniel Reed / reedj@reporternews.com May 1, 2006 Hundreds of volunteer ministers put feet to their faith on Sunday. Hands and arms, too. ''These people are definitely being the hands and feet of Jesus,'' said Becca Gonzalez, whose home got some updated upkeep Sunday afternoon. Willing workers from four Abilene churches fanned out to fix what needed fixing at dozens of homes Sunday during the second WATS Day, the acronym standing for ''We Are The Sermon.'' Southern Hills Church of Christ, Westgate Church of Christ, Pioneer Drive Baptist Church and Wylie Baptist Church provided labor. The Sunday workers did a variety of home repair and maintenance work, from mowing lawns and trimming shrubbery, painting walls and patching roofs, repairing machines such as lawn mowers, and gathering and hauling away accumulated clutter. ''It is not a day of (church) services,'' said Mark Viertel, a Southern Hills Church of Christ elder who served as foreman at the Gonzalez place in south central Abilene. ''Whether they're churched or unchurched, it doesn't matter.'' Gonzalez, the single mother of a university student and a high school student, is a member of Southern Hills, but some other beneficiaries weren't. ''We have members of our congregation who weren't members before we did this project,'' Viertel said. The sermon in sweat affects more than just the providers and recipients of the work, Viertel said. Curious neighbors gazing over fences, and distant church congregations trolling the Internet have also tuned into the sermon, he said. Churches in San Antonio, Pennsylvania and California have looked at imitating the Abilene ministry, which is fine with Viertel. ''We haven't trademarked the name ''We Are The Sermon,'' he said. ''We are very happy for somebody to use it.'' In similar vein, Southern Hills borrowed the ''Brotherly Gloves'' name for its year-round service program from its fellow congregation, the Highland Church of Christ, Viertel said. Copyright 2006, Abilene Reporter News. All Rights Reserved.