Worth Repeating

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“The people of God do not serve Him in order to be forgiven but because we are forgiven. When believers serve only because they feel guilty if the don’t, it’s as though they serve with a ball and chain dragging from their ankles. There’s no love in that kind of service, only labor. There’s no joy, only obligation and drudgery. But Christians aren’t prisoners who should serve in God’s Kingdom grudgingly because of guilt. We can serve willingly because Christ’s death freed us from guilt.”

Donald S. Whitney

Veterans Day

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Today is Veterans Day. Today is the day that has been set aside to remember our veterans and their service. Throughout history, men and women have given their time, energy, and their lives to the defense of freedom. Some enlisted. Some were drafted. In either case, they were willing to do what was necessary in order to keep America safe and free. We owe our veterans a great debt of gratitude. For it was their willingness to leave their family, endure unknown hardship, and give their lives to protect our freedoms of expression and speech.  I believe one of the greatest expressions of commitment is found in the service of our veterans. Even though there are countless numbers that don’t agree with the given reasons for their war, they still fought, and fight today, to give Americans the right to say, “You should not be there.”  In my opinion, this is the true picture of devotion and service.

It has been said that pictures are worth a thousand words. Take time and watch this moving video tribute to our veterans.

 

 

Walls

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Twenty years ago today, the wall that separated communist East Germany and the republic West Germany, as well as divided its capital city came crashing to the ground. The winds of political change brought an end to communist rule and the German citizens of Berlin were able to do what they had not been able to for more than twenty-five years. They were finally able to move freely around the city without fear. I was a senior in high school the day this history-making  event took place. I can remember the events unfold on television. I remember seeing the German citizens sitting on top of the wall swinging hammers. With each swing, another piece of the wall fell became rubble. One swing at a time they removed the barrier that kept the citizens of this once unified country apart. I can remember thinking how happy and excited they must have been. I was excited for them and I didn’t even live in Germany.

The fall of the Berlin Wall was not only a literal one, but a symbolic one as well. The crumbling of the wall symbolized the end of the Cold War. The iron curtain of communism had fallen. The removal of this wall also symbolized access and freedom. As I think about this wall coming down between two countries, I can’t help but think about the wall that has come down between God and man. The death of Christ on the cross for the sins of mankind means access and freedom. Scripture tells us that the very moment Christ died, the veil of the temple was torn from top to bottom. This tearing of the veil now meant that mankind can have personal access to God through the blood of Christ. No more human intercessors were needed. We can approach God anytime, anywhere, and for any reason beacuse we are His. Jesus brought down the wall of separation. Lord, thank you.

The winds of change are still blowing today. The Holy Spirit is still at work in the hearts of men and women. He is at work removing the walls that separate. From time to time, we are guilty of allowing walls to come up in our lives. Walls that are not beneficial to our spiritual walk. Walls that hinder future growth as believers. What do these walls look like? These walls can take on many looks: favoritism, prejudice, disobedience, and lovelessness, to name a few. We must be faithful to remember what Christ has freed us from so that we are not continually plagued by it. Jesus died to rescue mankind from these walls of separation. No wall is too great that Christ cannot keep down. 

FIFS : Ecclesiastes 7:14

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‘In the day of prosperity be joyful, but in the day of adversity, consider: without question, God has made the one as well as the other, so that man cannot discover anything that will come after him.’

The one thing that each of us have in common is that we have no idea what the future holds. Life is full of joyous occasions. In these  times we are able to laugh, smile, and rejoice. Life is also full of difficulty. It is in these times that we feel empty and confused. What is important for us to remember is that God has made both. He has made the times of rejoicing as well the times of advesity. Solomon tells us the reason for this is so that man cannot discover anything about his future. We have today.  We may be on the mountain today, and tomorrow find ourselves in the worst of valleys. In the joyous times I must thank Him, love Him, and always trust Him. In the times of adveristy I must thank Him, love Him, and always trust Him. God holds our future in His hands. We are given one day, one season at a time. What we must remember is that the same God that allows the difficulty also blesses us with prosperity.

Worth Repeating

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“This is the fear of the Lord. Most of our fears are poisonous. They steal sleep and pillage peace. But this fear is different. From a biblical perspective, there is nothing neurotic about fearing God. The neurotic thing is to not be afraid, or to be afraid of the wrong thing. That is why God chooses to be known to us, so that we may stop being afraid of the wrong thing. When God is fully revealed to us and we ‘get it’, then we experience the conversion of our fear… “Fear of the Lord’ is the deeply sane recognition that we are not God.” 

Max Lucado, Fearless

Opening Doors

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This past Saturday we held our annual Fall Festival at PRBC. This was my first at Port Royal. I was very impressed . The events of the night were well put together and a smmoth flow of all events existed. Our festival included children’s games, face painting, cake walks, a trunk-or-treat, a chili cook-off, and a teenage scavenger hunt modeled after the television show The Amazing Race. Oh yeah, lots of candy. I believe that events like this one are important to the life and health of the church. We had two reasons for hosting this event:

1. To give families a safe alternative to the traditional Halloween activities.

2. To provide an entry point into thhe church that is non-threatening.

The second is more important that the first. We can’t expect a person who is not already part of the church body to know how the church works. It is events like this one that gives a person a chance to take a look at the church outside of a normal worship service.  An opportunity is given to make connections with others so that when they do visit a regular service, some barriers have been removed. These events help the unchurched to answer the question,”How do I get in?”

Saturday we had the opportunity to talk with guests who do not attend church at all. Once guest, along with her two children said they were driving by, saw the sign, and stopped. She later told me they were not involved in a local church. Bingo. That is the reason we plan and labor over events like these. It is not for us, it is for them. We need to open as many doors as possible. I want to thank everyone who planned, decorated a trunk, cooked, and manned a game booth. Your efforts made Saturday night a success.

Great Commission Resurgence Task Force

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At the SBC Annual Meeting in Louisville of 2009, the messengers voted to establish what has come to be known as the Great Commission Resurgence Task Force. The genesis of this task force was a chapel message shared by Dr. Danny Akin at Southeastern Seminary. He and SBC president Dr. Johnny Hunt worked together to draft the Great Commission Declaration. A motion was made by Dr. Al Mohler for the convention as a whole to respond to this declaration. Subsequently, Dr. Hunt appointed the members to this task force. The purpose of this task force is to study the ways in which the SBC and its entities (seminaries, agencies, boards, etc) can better carry out the Great Commission. They were asked to bring these recommendations to the messengers of the SBC Annual Meeting in June 2010. The make-up of this task force is rather diverse. It is made up of twenty-two members ranging from pastors to (2) seminary presidents (Southeastern and Southern) to state convention executive directors.

The work before this task force is great. They have been charged with taking a hard look at the SBC and determine what can be done that will allow more effectiveness in carrying out the Great Commission. This is harder than it sounds. Here is the problem the task force faces, as I see it. Each SBC entitiy, agency, and seminary make their own decisions and cannnot be directed to change the way they operate or change their structure. Only messengers can direct this type of action. If the task force finds that a particular agency would be more effective by changing its structure, they can only reccommend the change. Their recommendations are non-binding.

Further complicating their work is the recent resignation of the president of the North American Mission Board and the announced retirement of the preseidents of the International Mission Board and the SBC Executive Committee. The leadership of our mission boards will be critical in our continued efforts to fulfill the Great Commission. Effecting significatnt change across the SBC will be alot like stopping a fully loaded freight train. It is no easy task. The SBC has been around for ovr 150 years. There is alot of tradition. There is alot of programming in place. In my opinion, there is duplication of some ministries and programs across national, state, and associational levels that do not make the best use of personnel or Cooperative Program monies. Rumors have circulated as to what the task force will do. A casual reading of state baptist newspapers show these. Some are saying that one of our seminaries will be closed. Some are saying that a merger of the North American Mission Board the International Mission Board will be recommended (big mistake). Others are suggesting that an overhaul of the Cooperative Program will be recommended. I don’t know. The task force chairman (Dr. Ronnie Floyd, Pastor, FBC Springdale, Arkansas) and the SBC president (Dr. Johnny Hun,Pastor, FBC Woodstock, Georgia) have been out front and proactive in putting rumors to rest and sharing the purpose of the task force.

Why is this important? Why does this matter? First, I am a Southern Baptist pastor leading a Southern Baptist church. I believe in the SBC and its commitment to missions, doctrinal integrity, and cooperation. Second, the latest research shows that nearly 89% of all SBC churches are plateaued or declining. It is the right time, as I see it, to take a look and determine if we have put too much focus on programs and structure and not enough focus on people. If it is found that we would be better able to reach people with a restructure or realignment, I am in favor. Third, I believe in the Cooperative Program. The CP is the best vehicle for funding mission work here and around the world. As we give collectively through the CP, we are helping to fund missionaries, train and equip future leaders at our seminaries, and provide resources for church planters to birth churches in places and among people where no church exists. Yes, the work of this task force is important. What this task force recommends and suggests will have an impact on us for years to come. I feel the best days for our SBC are ahead. I am excited to lead our church to do our part in carrying our commission. Pary for this task force.

Reflections on Sunday

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Yesterday was wonderful day at Port Royal. The day started off with our Sunday School Teachers/Workers  Meeting. This was the first meeting that I have had with our teachers since arriving at Port Royal. I was encouraged by the 41 workers who came out early to breakfast and to be involved in the planning and work necessary that will lead to a healthier Sunday School. I am very proud of our Sunday School workers.

The morning worship service  was moving. The music was inspirational the our adult choir special was amazing. At the end ofour service, we had the opportunity to welcome three new members to our fellowship, one young couple and one young man.  It is always exciting to see people get connected to the church body. There were those present who are looking for a church home and wanted to know more about Port Royal. Their interest in encouraging. For yesterday I am thankful for the encouragement we were able to give, the ministry we were able to carry out, and the lives that were touched.  God is most definitely good.

Moving from Reactive to Proactive

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Several months ago, as part of a pastor’s accoutability group, I read Thom Rainer’s book, ‘Essential Church? Reclaiming a Generation of Dropouts.’  The book is built around a study that found, according to Rainer, that “more than two-thirds of young churchgoing adults in America drop out of church between the ages of 18 and 22”. I have heard numbers similar to these often over the past several years. This is heart-breaking to me. To think that adults have dropped out of church at a time of major life-changing decisions breaks my heart. I was not surprised by this research. All “professional” church people know that our churches have back doors that we need to close. The inability for churches to keep and connect people who come in the front door only encourages them to slip out the back door. Although I was not surprised by the number or age of churchgoing adults leaving, I was surprised a little by the reason. Rainer wrote, “Most dropouts are not leaving because they no longer want to identify with organized religion. Dropouts do not all question their faith. Few are angry with or have stopped believing in God. These dropouts don’t completely depart from their faith. They rather part ways with the church.” 

What are we not doing as the church? As a pastor, the idea of people “dropping out” of church disturbs me. The thought of people “dropping out” also resonates with teachers and those in the school systems. I believe it disturbs teachers to see kids “drop out” of school. I have noticed something about the school system however. They tend to be proactive in their efforts to curb the drop out rate. I believe our efforts as a church should be proactive as well. We are guilty of trying to develop a plan or strategy to get them back rather than keep them in the first place. God has called us to minister to people. We can’t do this if they are no longer here. Let’s begin the process of closing the back door and keep the people God has given to us. I don’t have all the answers. I know we can do this together as a church. A quote from a former dropout, in my opinion, sums it up perfectly. “It should be harder to leave a church than to join a church.” I agree.