What a Great Day!

As we’ve wrestled the storms that last few days, yesterday was a rough one! After a meeting last night at church I was beginning to wonder if my car was going to make it home. After several detours and finally forging water that had to be at least a foot deep (as evidenced by my wet floorboards) I made it home. This morning there was little evidence of the nights flooding as the sun was shining and for the first time in several days it wasn’t raining. That was just the beginning of a great day. McKayla’s hearing was held today in Jefferson County and many, many prayers were answered. As you may or may not know, her mom surrendered to us in January, and today her dad’s parental rights were terminated, and while he has the right to appeal, his attorney and others advised him it would do no good because he is still incarcerated. I must say I felt compassion for him as he continues to suffer the consequences of his actions from years gone by. Well, with that being said, we are praising God for bringing this joyful child into our lives and pray that we might be able to offer her a brighter future as we train her in the ways of the Lord (Ephesians 6:4). Today we praise God for the judge’s ruling and thank everyone who had lifted this process in prayer. Now, as the adoption process moves forward, please continue to pray.

Where's the Passion?

I’ve just re-read a great little book…for about the fourth or fifth time. How Great a Flame by James Logan is subtitled Contemporary Lessons from the Wesleyan Revival and Logan is in the church’s face! He dissects the Wesleyan Revival of the early to mid eighteenth century in England which spilled over to America by the early nineteenth century. He does a good job of painting the historical picture for us, but really gets down to what I see as the meat of the issue when he asks the questions, “Where is the passion for Jesus Christ in our local congregations?" "Is our failure to name the name of Jesus in the public marketplace due to a demotion in rank of Him in our own lives and the life of our congregations?" Wow…right between the eyes! We, the clergy and laity, will reap exactly what we sow. There are too many people sitting in pews and standing in pulpits who lack any type of relationship with Jesus Christ. Many attend church out of habit and some because it is the expedient thing to do. Worried about political correctness, too many churches have become private country clubs with membership limited to those who we like and those who are like us. Unless and until we surrender our lives to Jesus Christ and become fully focused on pointing others to Him, churches will continue to fail. Problem is most of these churches don’t realize they are failing until it is much too late to be revived. Yes, I know you think nothing is impossible for God, but that is not exactly true. It is impossible for God to turn around a failing church who will not be turned…because God has chosen to limit His power and not force us all to become faithful disciples of Jesus Christ…we (clergy and laity alike) must desire that relationship.

Grace

Since we've just celebrated the Resurrection, this video seems appropriate...I love these guys!

Good Friday

Today is Good Friday and I cannot think of a proper way to observe this most holy day. Don't get me wrong, there are many things we might do...but everything I think of falls way short of giving God the praise and glory due him for the tremendous sacrifice and wonderful gift He gave us on the cross. Here at Beulah, tradition is on Good Friday morning to carry a cross through the local communities. Now, I had feared this could be "something we've always done" and I am sure it could be if we approach it with the wrong heart. But, to carry a cross silently in remembrance of Jesus' sacrifice, all the while bathing the act in prayer so that others might also be reminded of Jesus' sacrifice, seems like the very least we might do, regardless of the weather. Here's a short clip as we carried a cross through the local communities of Sumner, Bridgeport, and Lawrenceville. It's nothing more than our meager act of praise...to God be the glory!

Who Do You Worship?

If this offends you...watch it again, carefully!

He's In The Midst

Ooops!…forgot to post this Wednesday…

Quite a harrowing experience for some of us in southern Illinois last night…many fared much worse than the Quick’s, thought it was a mighty display of nature’s power. Yet, with all the wind and rain, lightning and thunder, Anna & Bella woke up this morning with no clue of what went on. When I mentioned it, Anna just shrugged it off saying; God was protecting us…and this coming from a girl who is mostly afraid of the dark! After I thought about it for a moment, I agreed. How many times are we totally oblivious to the storms around us, only to emerge from the tempest totally in tact and ready for the next moment or day? Do you think that is just coincidence? I do not. I see God’s hand at work so many times when we are unaware. I see God protecting, guiding, helping, and opening doors…sometimes God even shuts doors. And when someone tells me “It feels as if God is nowhere to be found,” it is then God is often the closest (if we will just look rather than simply trust our feelings). So, let the storms come, as the hymn says, He’s in the midst!

He's In The Midst
He's in the midst of our storm.
He's in the valley we walk through.
Where two or three are gathered in His name
...He'll be there too.
When you feel so all alone,
He is standing next to you.
He's with us now
...our Lord, He's in the midst.

What's Happened?

As we find ourselves in Holy Week, I am haunted by the question, “What causes a church to abandon its mission and turn inward?” Is it that folks lack a genuine relationship with Jesus Christ? Perhaps they have been misinformed to believe all that matters is a “salvation moment” and there is nothing else to do. How does someone who has come to a saving faith in Jesus Christ not know the importance of reaching others and growing in their faith? How can a church justify turning their focus inward, abandoning the great commission? When I think of the price paid by Jesus Christ for the human race, I cannot understand the mentality of preserving “my” church at any cost rather than being about Kingdom work. I have seen so many churches become more worried about preserving their own church and/or traditions instead of furthering the Church of Jesus Christ. It is no wonder so many churches (of every tribe) are failing. It is no wonder the church has lost credibility with people in our day. When we take our eyes off the prize…or worse yet, we decide we need to redefine the prize…we are no longer disciples of Jesus Christ, we have become disciples of the enemy.

Who's Your King?

UPDATE…First, my internet is working and has been for two days now… straight…even in the rain...praise God! Secondly, I am scheduled for surgery on my shoulder on May 3. Torn rotator cuff…prognosis is great…I am praying to be a good patient (you’ll need to ask Jill and see if my or her prayers were answered!). And finally, Jill did hear from Hiromi last night via email. She is okay. We are not sure what part of Japan she is in or if there was damage there, but she is okay. Praise God for answered prayers! Now, today I’ve fought the rain, storms, and wind, but it was nothing like the fight Jesus put up for my soul! Yeah, I know he did it for all of us, but I also know he would have done it just for me or just for you. Praise Jesus for his amazing love. I (we) am so unworthy! This calls for nothing less than total surrender. What’s that mean? That means what Jesus wants is what I want. That means where he sends me I will go. That means no Fatboy, not until Jesus says so! What He has planned for me is so much better than what my feeble mind can even imagine. Chris Tomlin got it right when he wrote: I'm forgiven because You were forsaken, I'm accepted, You were condemned I'm alive and well, Your Spirit is within me, Because You died and rose again Amazing love, how can it be, That You, my King, should die for me? Amazing love, I know it's true, It's my joy to honor You, In all I do, to honor You You are my King, You are my King, Jesus, You are my King, You are my King.

The Passion

As we quickly approach the final week of Lent we come to Palm Sunday…the triumphal re-entry of Christ into Jerusalem…and then we rush to Easter Sunday, to the celebration of the Resurrection. Seems to me that too often we at the very least try to sanitize the story, removing all the disturbing images, and we sometimes intentionally disregard the pain and suffering of Jesus because we know the outcome. That’s just a ploy of satan that cheapens Christ’s sacrifice and God’s grace…it minimizes the value God has placed on our souls and our response to God. If the offering was of little value, then our response can be minimal. But if the sacrifice was unimaginable, our response needs to be more deliberate. The sheer magnitude of Christ’s love for us negates any flippant response. So the question, I think, becomes how do we fully grasp the price Christ paid on the cross for our sins? I am not sure I have an answer that will fit every person, but for me it is an annual viewing of The Passion of the Christ. This year, the youth are going to watch it with me and I pray they are impacted by it's violence and brutality. I know it’s Hollywood, but I think it is the most realistic portrayal of Jesus’ final hours we have to choose from. It washes away the sanitized thoughts we have of his death and soaks them in a dose of (what might be) reality. Say what you want about Mel Gibson or Jim Caviezel, God has used them with this film. I would commend it to you, especially as we move toward Good Friday.

Thank You, Jesus!

Can you tell that I have grown in my faith the past few days? My trials have been great with the internet provider as we’ve had no service at the church since Friday. However, because of much prayer they did show up today to test it. I had a meeting to attend so I do not know the results yet, but when I left they were replacing the cable from the tower to the office. At least they did find a problem that wasn’t my computer as they previously suggested. James 1:12 says “God will bless you, if you don’t give up when your faith is being tested” (CEV). I cannot begin to fathom the blessing coming my way as a result of this ordeal (though I am not bragging…James addresses that in chapter 4!). We are also told “These trials will prove that your faith is worth much more than gold that can be destroyed” (1 Peter 1:7). Hopefully it will soon be over and I will not have to try and work from home evenings while we are trying to do first and third grade homework…which in itself is a tremendous trial! Seriously, it is our trials that enable us to grow in our faith. How little I would need God if I never faced trials beyond my ability to manipulate or control. It’s in the midst of the trial that I more fully learn to rely upon God…the One in complete control. How wonderful it is to have Jesus to rely upon!

Gifts From God!

Why is it that many folks think having the church door open is all we need do to attract people? As I see it, a visitor (or guest as I prefer to view them) a guest is a gift from God. What we do with that guest (or opportunity) is up to us. Surely if God will hold us accountable for something as worthless as our finances, won’t He much more hold us accountable for something as valuable as a visiting soul? For that reason we at Beulah have scheduled a greeter and usher training for the first Sunday in June, led by the director of our conference’s Congregational Development ministry. There will likely be some new ideas discussed and even implemented. So why wouldn’t we want to do a better job at welcoming people to church? I view the church as a business…and I know many people do not like that analogy, though I think it is helpful…but only if we realize what our product us. I see the church as producing not only new disciples for the Kingdom, but also improving the older models. That is our purpose for existing. If a business goes a year, or several years without producing a new or improved product, wouldn’t they go out of business? Bankrupted because of mismanagement or perhaps a labor dispute, but they cannot last. The same is true for churches…if we are not intentional about producing disciples, we will not survive. The biggest threat to any species is the failure to reproduce. The same is true for the church. And too often those churches who do not view themselves as a business, act as if they are an exclusive country club. Which do you think Jesus wants us to be?

Just Who's In Control Here?

Aside from those I’ve been struggling with lately who are extremely effective at destroying the credibility of the Church from within, now I hear that the federal government will likely shut down at midnight because of the ineffectiveness of our elected officials. To add insult to injury, federal employees, including servicemen, will see a delay in their paychecks, but our congressmen and president will still be paid in a timely fashion, even though they too are federal employees…what’s wrong with this picture? In addition, I found out today what I had feared, I have a torn rotator cuff and will find out next week if surgery is necessary or if therapy will allow it to heal. Add to these distractions concerns about kids, Japan, Haiti, Corte d’Ivoire…the list goes on and on. But in all of this we can rest assured that God sits on the throne, regardless of what we face here on earth. Repeatedly scripture tells us things like, “God is the one to fear, because God is in control and rules the heavens” (Job 25:2). Or, “Christ is now in heaven, where he sits at the right side of God. All angels, authorities, and powers are under his control” (1 Peter 3:22). As I see it, we have a choice. We can either run scared because of the incompetence and sinfulness of folks in both the Church and government, disease, and tragedy…or we can place our trust and faith in the Almighty. I choose to echo Job’s declaration in 19:25: “I know that my Redeemer lives and that in the end he will stand upon the earth.”

Don't Go To Church; Be The Church!

As I’ve reflected on the folks I spoke of in yesterday’s blog, I think I see where they went wrong. They ascribe to be Christian for its insurance value. They are willing to be a part of the Church, to support it financially, because of the perceived benefits…fire insurance! They are happy that Jesus died on the cross because they think that means they won’t be brought into judgment. They are willing live reasonably good lives (until someone clashes with them) because that is the premium they must pay for the guarantee that God will bless them and take them to heaven when they die. They practice a social religion…there is no relationship with Christ there…they have not been changed. They are in it for what Christ can do for them. They are more influenced by Hollywood, the evening news, or the instructions on a lottery ticket than they are by the Holy Spirit. These folks make a mockery of our Lord most every time they open their mouths, which is quite often. Sadly, there are most likely some of these folks in every church and some churches are filled to capacity with them! However, there are also those who have surrendered their lives to Jesus Christ…totally. They realize that to glorify Jesus is the business of the Church. It’s not to build a bigger building, to get more members, or to impress people…it is to glorify Jesus. When they glorify Jesus the Spirit stirs within them. That stirring causes them to want to study the Word...more, to want to know God’s will...more, to seek a holy boldness in sharing their faith, and to want to glorify Jesus all the more. These people do not merely go to church, they are in relationship with their Lord...they are the Church! These are truly the body of Christ…and yes, you will know them by their fruit (Galatians 5:22-26).

Lord Help Us!

I am feeling really frustrated and sick today with people…or more specifically with those who CLAIM to be the Body of Christ, but act in such childish ways that their behavior and witness damages the true Body of Christ. I suppose it shouldn’t surprise me that these folks are in the Church, they always have been. Paul wrote to believers like these in several of his writings, but Galatians 5:19-21 comes to mind as he warns those who claimed to be a part of the Body of Christ. “19 The acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; 20 idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions 21 and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.” Those words are rather shocking when you realize Paul is not writing to heathens (though actually he is!), he is speaking to people who claim to be followers of Jesus Christ…acting like that! Paul’s words are also very stern…did you see the consequence of their actions? I pray every believer might check their actions and words, realizing others are watching...and the acts of the sinful nature are obvious for all to see!

Mellier Methodist Church & School

Here's some of the work we did at Mellier Methodist Church and School in Mellier, Haiti. Hope you enjoy.

Miss Church Sunday?

For those who did not worship with us last Sunday, for whatever the reason, I have a treat for you...the service was videotaped and here is a clip...enjoy!

A Relaxing Drive in Haiti

You can teach an old dog new tricks! I finally got the correct program to convert some files and got the video uploaded. I took this video as we drove from Petionville (a suburb of Port au Prince) to Mellier...somewhere along the 45+ minute route. I just held my camera out the truck window and filmed. I apologize for the shakiness at times and there is no narration. Pay close attention to the buildings, the tap taps (colorful trucks which are taxis) and the farmers market. I'll have another video of the work we did there soon. Hope you enjoy.