Translating the Faith!

A continuing challenge for me is communication. Just try to communicate with a 17 year old and a 1½ year old in the same conversation...or with a church full of people of all ages, outlooks, and temperaments! It is an art, the act of communicating. A major part of our communicating involves translation. Bishop Robert Schnase of Missouri (author of “Five Practices of Fruitful Congregations”) has written an article that helps us understand that we translate our faith to others too. While much longer than my blogs, is worthy of your time, so instead of reprinting it, you can read it at http://www.umportal.org/article.asp?id=5220.

Here He Goes Again!

You will recall a week or so ago my displeasure with Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano and a statement she made portraying certain groups of citizens as possible terrorists. I understand she has fired whoever wrote the speech she read…she ought to be fired for not reading it before she was in front of a camera. Now I have another beef with DHS/ICE. You may recall my son-in-law, Eulalio, voluntarily left the States and returned to Mexico last January. A few days ago I was issued a notice that I must bring him to St. Louis for deportation or lose the bond that was posted. Let me first say I cannot imagine the paperwork shuffle involved with the federal government…it’s bad enough being part of the UMC! But, when I called a representative of DHS/ICE saying that I had a copy of their form signed by the Mexican Consulate stating that/when he had returned, she politely replied, “I am sorry, the hearing to revoke bond will go forward until we receive our copy from the Mexican Consulate.” I do not know how I got a copy before they did…I really don’t care, but I’ve got to tell you that it seemed to me as if they were more concerned with keeping the bond money than resolving the issue. After a lengthy conversation, she finally agreed to let me mail her a copy of the form and she would look into the matter. We have a tremendous problem with illegal immigration here in the USA, and I do not have the answer, but adding frustration to the process will only defeat us.

What's This World Coming To?

When I was a young boy, I can remember hearing my Grandpa Thomas say (with a couple of added explicatives...as I recall he was good at adding explicatives!), “I don’t know what this world is coming to.” Then, as I grew older I recall my father saying, “I don’t know what this world is coming to.” Recently I caught myself mumbling, “I don’t know what this world is coming to.” Well, with all the troubles our world faces, there are good things out there we need to hear about. Audrey Gulley, daughter of John & Nancy Gulley, decided for her sixth birthday that instead of asking for presents for herself, she wanted food items to help feed people who could not afford to buy food for themselves. I understand she told her family and friends what she wanted for her birthday and then her church family joined the cause. She then donated all the food she collected to the Sesser-Valier Area Lifeline. What’s this world coming to? Thanks to families like the Gulley’s, who work hard at instilling values in their children like caring for others, it’s getting better each day…and some day we just might realize the Kingdom here on earth. If you see Audrey, let her know that many of us around Sesser & Valier are very proud of her.

The Parable of the Runner and his Team

I spent the day yesterday with Jill and Hannah as we enrolled Hannah in college at UIS. While I am as proud as a father can be that she was accepted and has enrolled in the honors program there, one of the nagging thoughts in the back of my mind was that the cost. For what her education will cost us, I could buy four new Fatboy’s in the next three years! That is very nearly obscene. But then I received an email and it brought me back to earth. Click on the link below and see if you can keep from crying as you watch “The Parable of the Runner and His Team.” There is a tremendous lesson here for each of us...as individuals and as a church!


Ben Coleman Runs from Joe Miller on Vimeo.

You're Kidding...Right?

I’ve got to tell you that I am upset with Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano for her remarks that defined many of us as right-wing extremists and probable homeland terrorists. Several news sources say in her report, right-wing extremism was defined as hate-motivated groups and movements, such as hatred of certain religions, racial or ethnic groups. I can live with that, but the report also included in those hate-groups some veterans, people who support gun ownership, or those who have pro-life views. With all of the political turmoil the various leaders of the United States face in our fallen world today, to have this level a leader make such a statement is totally irresponsible and the administration should seek her immediate removal and replacement. I am not sure if she wrote this definition or if someone else wrote it, but we need to find out who is responsible. I will also concede that there are some organizations inside the US that need to be watched closely (Skinheads, the Arian Nation, etc), but to make that blanket statement about the citizens of this great nation, and about our veterans, is nothing less than prejudice rearing it’s ugly head. Almost as disturbing to me is that seven individuals who heard my prayer request on Sunday asked me what I was talking about.

Conference on the Holy Spirit

I snuck back to my hotel room during our lunch break to post this blog about the Conference on the Holy Spirit. This year the conference is not particularly well attended, but a blessing none the less. Eighty year old Rev. Ophilis (Phil) McCoy shared with us this morning. He is a retired minister from our conference who now has a tremendous prison ministry in north-central Illinois. He is also the ’08 clergy recipient of the Denman award for evangelism. Last night and again this morning we heard from Rev. Jaquiline Leveron, a Cuban native who migrated with her family to the United States at the age of nine. She currently serves Good Shepherd UMC in West Palm Beach, Florida. Jaquiline has shared her understanding of prayer, fasting, and the work of the Holy Spirit in the lives of believers with us. I look forward to hearing more from her this evening at a healing service and again tomorrow morning at worship. What’s the highlight of the event so far? The Spirit showed up of course! But in teachings, Jaquiline offered new insight to the ramifications of our inability to forgive others…her larger text was Matthew, 18:21-35, but specifically see vs. 34-35. I pray you are having a blessed day; I hope to see you on Sunday.

Forgiven & Forgotten!

I visited recently with a person who was struggling with the remembrance of sins from years past. Their struggle was not that they could not remember those sins, no, they could not forget them! They told me that they had been convicted, confessed, repented, and moved on years ago…but suddenly the memory of their sin returned…torturing them with many questions. “Did I truly repent? Has God forgiven me? Did I do enough?” There are two things you can take to the bank, and a third thing that is more valuable than the first two together. One is that the devil doesn’t want you to forget your sins…ever; the second is that you never forget them; and the third is that God has forgotten them. The real question is not any of those raised above, but the real question is, “Are we going to believe God, the devil, or ourselves?” God has said that our sins are past, cleansed, gone! “As far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our sins from us” (Psalm 103:12). Once we have been convicted of our sins, confessed those sins, and repented of them, regardless of what they were or when they occurred, Jesus has paid the price for them. They are now history and it becomes an issue of trust. Can you trust God? Absolutely! Now, we are to move forward in faith, knowing our sins are forgiven and forgotten.