Sunday Flashback

On a beautiful Spring Sunday in Paradise we visited another local church in our community. Even still, Gail said what we both feel. "I really just want to go to our church". But we're taking advantage of the sabbatical to find out what other churches are doing to reach and teach our community.

What we found was a church gathering we both enjoyed very much. The Church of the OBX meets at the YMCA in the gym - which is a challenge - and has done just about everything they can to transform a gymnasium into a house of worship. It looked great.

The band played some mellow contemporary music and was super. I enjoyed singing the songs because they were familiar to me. Familiar means I can better relate to their message and consequently have a deeper worship experience than if I've never heard them before.

The pastor (a friend of mine) brought a message on the post-resurrection focus of the church; a timely message since last Sunday was Easter. He was easy to follow and well prepared. The challenge to his church was for them to do the same things that the first church did in Acts 1-2. It was great to see the congregation immediately start taking down their chairs at the service's conclusion - everybody was doing something.

Starting around 10:00 (( say "around" because like last week's church they didn't start as advertised) it was over at 11:15. Gail said, "Let's go to NHC (our second gathering begins at 11:00 and we were just 2 miles away) and here Tom tell his story". So we did. And it was a good story!

Our elders are teaching a series in which each of them takes a Sunday to tell his own personal faith story. Doing so is accomplishing several positive outcomes. First, it allows the church to get to know them better. These guys are not normally up front teaching Sunday to Sunday like me, and my Sabbatical has given them a couple Sundays each to teach. That also reinforces our belief and practice that our elders are pastors. Second, their stories relate to the congregation. We often learn more and better from our failures and tests. These guys are transparently sharing those experiences.

I'm not sure where we'll go next Sunday, but I'm looking forward to it.

Sunday Flashback

Sundays on Sabbatical still produce a feeling of "lostness" for me. When you're used to years of your whole week coming down to what happens on Sunday and then that's gone it takes some adjustment. Compound that with being gone on Easter, which is the biggest Sunday of our year, and it's kind of surreal.

Even though we're home now, I've resolved to visit other churches on these Sundays to gain some perspective as a guest and to pick up some good ideas when I can. So yesterday we visited a young local church trying to carve out their "niche" in our community. I'll say this much: it was different. And all the while we were both wishing we were at home at NHC because it is home.

Sometime after the Sabbatical is over and we have worshipped in 12 or so different churches from FL to CA to NC I'll write some of the lessons I learned.

Sunday afternoon we had a crowd over, including our grandchildren, their parents, my brother's family, Gail's mom, and our grandkids' other grandparents and an aunt, and some more friends. We've been working hard the past few days on our yard (it's been sadly neglected for too long) getting the deck ship-shape and the front yard ready for an Easter egg hunt.

This year's (and future years') hunt is different from the big hunts we hosted a few years ago when our kids were all college aged. We'd invite their friends; make them all wear bunny ears and sent them out into the yard and woods behind the house searching for eggs. One of the eggs always was loaded with cash, so they were pretty motivated. It was always a lot of fun watching grown up kids get excited about hunting Easter eggs. Lots of craziness.

Now we're hosting mostly toddlers. Cuteness reigns, but not as funny or crazy as before.

The food on the deck was awesome. God gave us a picture perfect day, too, with warm temps and a Carolina Blue sky. On special days like Easter, which speak so much of the faith we have in Christ that holds us together it is also like icing on the cake to have so much fun with family and friends. And we're grateful to be blessed with a home that makes it possible. The older I get the more I get it.

It's Friday, But Sunday's Coming

Narration is by the late Pastor S. M. Lockridge of San Diego, CA. Video is from the film "The Passion of the Christ".

Note: I was privileged to hear Lockridge preach in person while a college student.

Happy Birthday Nathan!

The Seminary secretary interrupted the Synoptic Gospels class I was in to tell me I needed to go home. Within the hour your mom and I were at the hospital, but you took your time. By late afternoon I had to excuse myself to go down Rivermont Ave. to the Cavalier for a couple of chili dogs.

May this 29th year be the very best of all. Your mom and I are proud of who you've become.

One's death gives others life

I find it almost eerily coincidental that today, April 2, is Good Friday. This is the day that the Christian world recognizes as the day Jesus Christ, the Son of God, was nailed to a cross and executed for crimes He had not committed. It is perhaps...no it is the most intriguingly wonderful tragedy of history.

His sacrificial death was His mission. It was not mission suddenly aborted, but mission accomplished. At 33 years old this Jewish carpenter turned teacher died in His prime, not as a failure but as the victor. Three days after being entombed His comeback from death would stand as the ultimate evidence that He was Who He claimed to be.

The heart of the Christian faith is that Jesus' death was necessary to give life to any and all who will believe in Him as their Savior. As He had predicted, the seed must fall into the ground and die in order to bear fruit. It was His dying role as our substitute - taking our sin upon Himself and bearing God's judgment for our sin -that made it possible for sinners (like me) to have God's forgiveness and possess His everlasting life. He died that we might live.

But I said today's history changing event of 2 millenium ago was "coincidental". So if you've been hanging with me this far you might wonder, "With what?".

Two years ago today someone unknown to me died. Likely it was a tragic death. At the least it was untimely. But of those details I have no information. It seems I heard that the one who died was male. However, I'm not sure of that.

But his death on 4/2/08 was not in vain.

Unknown to him and his family my daughter-in-law was living under a death sentence called cystic fibrosis. Her lungs were so hardened by the disease that without a double lung transplant, and soon, she would likely not live to see her nearly three month old daughter reach her first birthday.

In their grief, whoever they are - parents - spouse - family - those who were next of kin to that young adult who died graciously and selflessly agreed to allow his lungs to be "harvested". A team from Duke Medical Center flew to their location, retrieved those lungs that were free of CF, and on the evening of April 2 began the nine plus hour surgery on Tricia that would give her new life. It was a transaction none of us who know her will ever forget.

Sure, there are plenty of differences in the stories. What you or I gain from trading in our diseased souls for His life is eternal. Jesus chose to suffer and die.

But in both instances death provides life and the giver of that life "lives" within the recipient.

So today is a day of celebration doubled for our family. And for both we give thanks to God, the Giver of all good things.

Perhaps you're reading this and have never recieved the life Jesus freely offers. I hope you'll consider that God loves you with such an immeasurable love that He would allow His one and only Son to be your Substitute so that you could find freedom, forgiveness and a relationship with God that you were created to possess.

To receive that life requires one thing - faith (belief) that Jesus died for you. It's the kind of faith that must be exlusively in Him. By that I mean that you don't add Jesus to a list of gods. It's a faith that only He can give you eternal life.

It's not about a church or a ritual or saying a prayer. It's about simply believing. It costs you nothing. It cost Him everything. And He's willing to share.

Two Very Different Days...Really?

I spent the day today taking my elderly mother in law to a doctor's appt, to lunch and to do a bit of shopping. She's sadly suffering from the debilitating effects of advanced aging, both physically and mentally. She no longer can think rationally and can't remember anything she just heard and will deny personal responsibility for her actions.

Tomorrow I substitute at a local high school. All day with adolescents. The two days should be very different.

But then, maybe not so much.

Sunday Flashback

While continuing my sabbatical I'll be worshipping with other churches. Doing so allows me to see what others are doing, steal some good ideas and continues to give our NHC leaders the opportunity to lead and teach more than when I'm around.

Today we visited New Community Church in Elizabeth City, NC. Mike Gothard, the lead pastor, has been there just about from the start, for 20 years or so. We've been friends most of that time, so it was good to join them today and see how God has blessed them and grown them. Their mission statement: "Love God. Love people. Turn the world upside down*." Very cool.

Lesson learned (before the sermon): make sure of the service time before you leave home! I had it stuck in my head from chatting with Mike a couple of weeks ago that they met at 10 AM. Gail and I left in time to get there before that time. It's an hour's drive from our home. When there's no one in the parking lot it's a tell-tale sign that you're late!

The bad news: They started at 9:15! The good news: Round two began at 11. Gail wanted to stop at Lowe's in EC to check out the Spring plants, so instead of doing that after church we did it before. Lowe's is right down the street from the church so it worked out well for us.

Their two year old building and remodel is great. The worship auditorium is pretty much identical to ours at NHC in size and has a lot of similarities. The band led us in some old school hymns done new, which for guests like us is a plus. Good acoustics in that room, too. The drum shield was covered, so the percussion all came through the system really well. And the walls had ample acoustic paneling. Mike sounded "natural" in a large room, like he was standing right in front of me. Well done tech team!

Like most churches influenced by Willow Creek, New Community typically makes good use of video and drama, which they did today in introducing Mike's message. Today he spoke from 2 Cor. 10 about the strongholds that imprison us. Excellent teaching. That Mike is a Dallas Seminary grad doesn't hurt his exegesis!

After church they had a lunch and some sort of intro time for new attenders wanting to know more about NCC. Tonight they are gathering for a fellowship time sponsored by their small groups called "Afters". The theme there is "Love God. Love people. Love desserts!" As a church I think they do a good job of getting people connected.

Well done Mike and New Community. You're hitting your target and making God's Word known to those seeking. If I lived in EC and was searching for a church home, NCC would be at the top of my list.

Like your web site, too.

*Acts 17:5-7

We all lose because of lost opportunities

The actions in the USHOR in passing a health care bill that heaps a mountain of debt on our children, provides federal funding for abortion and will require every American to have health insurance, etc., etc,. is a millstone about our country's neck. As a social conservative and believer in capitalism I'm more than concerned about the changes being made in Washington.

I'm also so tired of the bipartisan shoving and shouting matches being held from both ends of Pennsylvania Avenue. The Blue team has used their majority might to push across a socialistic agenda. The Red team has cried foul and vows to stage a house-cleaning and reversal come November. To the Red team I say, "Too little, too late."

We've had a health care crisis in this country for years. If you're fortunate to have medical insurance (as am I) you (or your employer) are paying up the ying yang for it, and the costs just keep rising. Many employers can't afford it, and if/when they are forced to provide it will either be forced out of business or will be forced to drive the prices for their goods and services higher, resulting in inflation and job cuts. Something needs to give, that's for sure.

Here's what has happened. The Democrats, led by President Obama's vision and agenda, have picked up the torch. They've been trying to bring health care reform into our system for years. They have shown great initiative and tenacity, like it or not.

So what have the Republicans done? They claim there are better ways to bring health care costs down than by nationalizing it. I think they're right. But apparently they have been sitting on their hands and now find themselves in the position to do nothing more than watch as the other side steam rolls them.

What if a few years ago, when the Republicans had a majority they had gone after the multi-millions in Medicare fraud and brought it to an end? What if they had said "Enough!" to the billions of dollars awarded in malpractice suits, limiting the funds awarded and ending the greed? What if regulation had been placed on the pharmaceutical manufacturers who are turning an obscene profit on the cost of prescription drugs? Have you had a surgery or made a visit to the ER lately? Did you have to take out a second mortgage on your home (if it hasn't been foreclosed on) to pay for it? What if illegal immigration had been stopped so that the taxpaying citizens of this country aren't paying for health care costs of those who aren't?

My point is that something could have been done years ago to reduce the cost of health care and to make it available to the masses and wasn't. But now the Republicans are saying, "This isn't the way to do it", as if they have a better idea now. Where was that idea when Hillary's health care initiative was shot down? Then was the time and now the time has slipped through our right hand. Now is too late.

Pro-active is always better than re-active. We needed a map long ago. Now we're lost and can't seem to find our way out of the woods. All we know to do is holler.

Broken Marriages

Last night I was reminded to pray for someone whose marriage has been destroyed by poor choices, temptation and sin. It all leads to heartbreak that I can only imagine.

As I prayed for this friend, God's Spirit prompted me to include numerous others in similar situations. And then today I learned that I need to add another couple to that list. A pastor friend told me that break ups among Christians is epidemic elsewhere. At least I know our church is not the only one where the sanctity of marriage is being thrown under the bus.

Statistics show us several things that are being realized. Financial struggles are the leading cause of divorce in America. Second marriages have a much higher probability of ending in divorce. Couples who live together before marrying are at a higher risk of infidelity.

As I prayed I found myself questioning God. "Where were You? Why didn't You intervene?". It's especially disheartening when humanly speaking you've done everything you know to do to help in these tragedies. Do you ever question God like that? It's OK. He can handle it.

But I have this overwhelming burden to try to stop the bleeding. Every time a Christian marriage goes on the rocks it weakens the witness of the church. Aren't Christians supposed to have strong marriages? Aren't Christ-followers supposed to be able to deal with temptation and to trust God in times of financial woe? The answer, of course, is "Of course".

So what can I do? One commitment I have made is to plainly and clearly teach about marriage and family and singleness and parenting upon my return from sabbatical. Some of us just need reminding. Others need to hear it for the first time. All of us need to know that God is greater than any struggle we face and to believe that He can restore and repair.

Guest Blog: Protect Your Pastor

Here's a blog post worth reading if you're part of a local church.