The Church: Organized for Non-Members

In reading Comeback Churches, I discovered a great quote. William Temple, the former Archbishop of Canterbury once said,

The Church is the only organization organized primarily for the benefit of its non-members.

In Luke 15, Jesus told three stories to illustrate the proper focus for His followers. With the first parable, he painted the picture of a shepherd who owned 100 sheep. One of the sheep could not be found. So, instead of just settling for a 99% retention rate, he dropped what he was doing, left the security of the fold and searched for the single lost sheep. When he found the lost sheep, he placed it on his shoulders and called everyone together to have a celebration in honor of the one that was found.

Jesus concluded the first parable by stating, "I say to you that likewise there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine just persons who need no repentance (Luke 15:7, NKJV)."

Going on, Jesus told the story of a women who went to great length to find one lost coin. When she found the coin, she called all the neighbors together in order to celebrate the coins discovery. Similarly, Jesus stated that the "moral of the story" was "there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents(v.10).”

Finally, in Luke 15, he shared the story of the lost son who squandered his inheritance, but later came to his senses and returned home to a warm welcome, resulting in a extensive banquet. However, a brother who stayed home and worked for the father did not attend the party. When asked why he was not joining in the fun, he expressed that he felt it was unfair to celebrate the return of his delinquent brother and to not do the same for him, since he had been faithfully serving the father for several years.

The conclusion of this story, recorded in verses 31-32, was spoken by the father who said, “‘Son, you are always with me, and all that I have is yours. It was right that we should make merry and be glad, for your brother was dead and is alive again, and was lost and is found.’”

Back to the earlier quote, the church is designed for reaching people who do not have a relationship with God. As Stetzer stated, "When churches lovingly serve the communities around them, the unchurched very often are motivated to come to Christ."

My prayer is that FBC would continue to find unique and real ways to show our area we are a "Church for the Community."

Johnny the Baptist

This morning, someone emailed me this story.

Johnny's mother looked out the window and noticed him "playing church" with their cat. He had the cat sitting quietly and he was preaching to it. She smiled and went about her work.

Later, she heard loud meowing and hissing and ran back to the open window to see Johnny baptizing the cat in a tub of water. She called out, "Johnny, stop that! The cat is afraid of water!" Johnny looked up at her and said, "He should have thought about that before he joined my church."

Well, “Johnny the Baptist” made a great point regarding church membership. The responsibilities associated with being a church member are to be taken seriously. However, ultimately, our focus should be on the cost of discipleship. Jesus challenged us all to evaluate the cost of being His follower. He said, “And whoever does not bear his cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple (Luke 14:27, NKJV).” We cannot be true followers of Jesus without making sacrifices.

Jesus illustrated this point by presenting a rhetorical question. He referenced common sense when he asked, “For which of you, intending to build a tower, does not sit down first and count the cost, whether he has enough to finish it—lest, after he has laid the foundation, and is not able to finish, all who see it begin to mock him, saying, ‘This man began to build and was not able to finish’(Luke 14:28-30, NKJV)?”

Jesus used this simple truth to illustrate the point that we are to fully account for, and be prepared to give, what it takes to be a disciple of Christ.

God has blessed FBC in the past month with increased attendance and giving. Yet, many hurting people live in our area, state, and world who need to be impacted by the love of Jesus. May none of use be satisfied with just being church members. May we all seek to be true disciples of Christ who are willing to do whatever it takes to impact our culture.

Being Faithful in an Unsettled Life

Well, I'm finally getting to a book I've wanted to read for several weeks. Comeback Churches by Ed Stetzer and Mike Dodson was released last year. The book is based on the research of 324 churches that were stagnant or in decline. However, these churches were able to make the changes needed, and, with spiritual leadership, these congregations began to grow.

One quote that has already challenged me comes from Jean Fleming, who said, "I find myself thinking, When life settle down I'll...But I should have learned by now that life never settles down for long. Whatever I want to accomplish, I must do with life unsettled."

A close examination of the life of Jesus reveals that He was constantly responding to interruptions. However, Jesus placed a priority on people and His relationships. So, he was always dealing with distractions and he dealt with them in love. Yet, nothing distracted Him from His ultimate purpose in life.

Are you like me? There are many things that I want to accomplish for the Lord. However, life is moving so fast that, if I'm not careful, I can put off what is important--waiting for a better time. While the scriptures tell us to "wait upon the Lord," many times we wait for the Lord to give us more instructions, when he has always given us all the instructions we need. He told us in Matthew 28:18-20 to "Go and make disciples." So, if my schedule does not have plans to accomplish these marching orders on the priority list, I'm not fulfilling God's will for my life.

So, what are we (am I) waiting for? Life is never settled. We must accomplish God's will for our lives in the midst of activities that move by at the speed of a jet. Just take a step of faith and see what God does. His life is never unsettled.

Blessed Be the Name of the Lord

Another great morning at FBC. We continue to have good attendance.

The choir sang one of my favorite songs, "Blessed Be the Name." Matt Redman wrote these words:

Blessed Be Your Name
In the land that is plentiful
Where Your streams of abundance flow
Blessed be Your name

Blessed Be Your name
When I'm found in the desert place
Though I walk through the wilderness
Blessed Be Your name

Every blessing You pour out
I'll turn back to praise
When the darkness closes in,
Lord Still I will say

Blessed be the name of the Lord
Blessed be Your name
Blessed be the name of the Lord
Blessed be Your glorious name

For me, I need to be reminded that I praise God for who He is and not just for what he has done for me. I praise Him when it seems things are bad, as well as when everything seems to be going well.

The Benefits of Holiness

My sermon was from Romans 6:15-23.

I. We are redeemed by grace when we surrender ownership (15-18).

Romans 12:1 “I beseech you therefore, brethren by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service.” – A once-for-all-surrender.

II. We are righteous by grace when we show obedience (19-22).

III. We are released by grace receive His supernatural offer (23).

Conclusions

1. Sin is not free.
2. Salvation is free.
3. We are all committed to something.
4. Some Christians are asked to die for Jesus, but all Christians are expected to live for Him.

Being a Father, Not a Babysitter

Several ladies from our church and Unity Baptist are going to the Extraordinary Women Conference at Olive Baptist Church in Pensacola, FL. So, we have a lot of guys who are watching the kids, while the moms enjoy well-deserved breaks.

I was reminded of hearing a man tell someone that his wife was out of town and he was having to "babysit" the kids over the weekend. The lady to whom he made this statement responded, "No. You're not babysitting. You're being a father!" For me, that is a memorable statement that keeps me focused. So, I'm not having to babysit this weekend. I'm blessed to spend time with my two youngest children. Jared asks frequently, "Can I have some "Daddy Time?" Well, the answer this weekend is "Yes."

Our youngest daughter is battling a fever. So, Terri is a little..., well, more than a little, uncomfortable with leaving her, but I pray she can find the peace to go and that Charlee's fever breaks soon.

The Benefits of Unity

Last night my "sermonette" was based on Psalm 133.

1 Behold, how good and how pleasant it is
For brethren to dwell together in unity!
2 It is like the precious oil upon the head,
Running down on the beard,
The beard of Aaron,
Running down on the edge of his garments.
3 It is like the dew of Hermon,
Descending upon the mountains of Zion;
For there the LORD commanded the blessing—
Life forevermore (Psalm 133:1-3, NKJV).

This psalm teaches us 4 truths regarding unity.

I. Unity is Pleasing

The Psalmist wrote, "Behold, how good and how pleasant it is For brethren to dwell together in unity!" The Hebrew word translated "unity" in this verse can also be rendered a "close association in relationships." Close relationships grow between individuals who share fundamental and unshakable beliefs.

Unity is not uniformity. Everyone cannot agree on everything. However, "brethren" should be able to agree on the most important aspects of faith. Furthermore, when there are disagreements, we can interact in a loving manner. In other words, with the love of Christ in our hearts, we can disagree agreeably.

Living in unity with others is pleasant. Have you ever tried to have a meal with someone you do not like, and the feeling is mutual? Usually, there is a tense silence. Possibly, you act much more interested in your food than normal. If anyone speaks, the conversation in these situations is shallow, evasive, and even condescending.

However, when you go out to eat with true friends, the time spent is enjoyable. There is laughter, interesting interaction, and a feeling of relaxation. You can be yourself, knowing that your fellow patrons are not going to verbally, or physically, attack you. Your time is pleasant.

II. Unity is Appealing

The psalmist illustrates the appeal of unity by referencing the anointing of Aaron, which is recorded in Exodus 30:22-30.

The fragrant ointment used to anoint Aaron emitted a pleasing aroma which was enjoyable to the one being anointed and to everyone in the area. The oil was fragrant. The oil was lavished upon Him.

Have you ever heard someone say “Your Attitude Stinks”? Well, they are saying your behavior is not appealing. It's not attractive. It is repulsive.

A Christ-like attitude is appealing, just like a fragrant cologne or perfume.

III. Unity is Refreshing

David continued in illustrating the value of unity by writing, It is like the dew of Hermon, Descending upon the mountains of Zion;

The dew upon Mount Hermon refreshed the land below. Unity renews our strength. Disunity zaps our strength.

IV. Unity is Fulfilling

The psalm closes with the words, For there the LORD commanded the blessing— Life forevermore.

God desires us to be blessed in this life. Eternal life starts the moment you are "born again." Jesus said, "I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly (John 10:10, NKJV)."

By contributing to the unity among believers, we experience the abundant life God plans for us.

So, what can you do today that will contribute to unity at home, at work, in the community, and at church? Evaluate your actions in the last few days. Have you sown unity or discord? Pray that God will use you to be a peacemaker in your corner of the world.

Dispelling a Rumor: I Never Played College Baseball

Last night, I was blessed with a "last minute" opportunity to go watch Mississippi State and Southern Mississippi play baseball in Hattiesburg. I had gone with my family to take our youngest daughter to a doctor. After we finished with her appointments, we met some friends for a meal at the Plaid Rhino .

My friend was called, while we were walking into the restaurant, and offered two free tickets to the game. The game was a sell-out and these tickets were in an incredible location. Since I was with my family, I would need a ride home. So, I knew some members of our church would be at the game. I called them and they graciously agreed to let me ride with them home. USM won 11-7.

This morning I was talking to a local CPA and he mentioned he saw me at the game. Then, he made a statement that I thought was hilarious. He said, "I told my wife that you played baseball at William Carey (University). So, you were a big baseball fan." Unfortunately, he was wrong. In May 1987, I graduated from William Carey College, but I was not a member of the baseball team.

Therefore, I must make an official statement. While I did have an outstanding baseball career playing in Kilmichael, MS, I retired from America's Pastime at the age of 10 to spend more time watching reruns of "Gilligan's Island" and promoting World Peace.

Of course, I look, walk, and talk like a baseball player. However, I can't let this rumor go unchecked.

Again, that's so funny.

Playground Equipment Delivered

Yesterday afternoon, our playground equipment was delivered by an "eighteen-wheeler." Unloading the trailer was quite a job, but some volunteers from our church worked hard in acquiring the large machines to complete the task. This will be a great asset to our church as we seek to minister to the children of our community.

GUEST POST: Discovering God's Dream

This weekend thirty ladies from our church and 8 from another congregation are going to the Extraordinary Women Conference at Olive Baptist Church in Pensacola, FL. My wife, Terri, and the FBC Ministry Assistant, Susanne, have done an incredible job planning the trip. My wife wrote the following devotion for the ladies that are going on the trip. I thought it was meaningful for men and women. So, I wanted to share this devotion with you.

“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”--Jeremiah 29:11

Plans…house plans, weekend plans, vacation plans, family plans, work plans, game plans… you get the picture. In our society today, plans make up a large part of our lifestyle. If we don’t have a plan our busy lives would be in total chaos. (Sometimes even with a plan life can be chaos.) Children’s schedules, plus parent schedules, plus work and school, plus church, plus unexpected interruptions and events call for someone to take the reins (and the calendar) and bring order to our lives.

Without a plan we take huge risks that “everything will just work out.” Usually when we have no plan, we end up frustrated, confused and tired. God knew us before we were born (Read Ps. 139:13-16 here). He knew we would need some help with the plans. So, in His sovereignty, He drew up the plans.

What He tells us in Jeremiah 29:11 is that He knows the plans. The word ‘know’ means in the Hebrew, “to know by experience, to perceive, to discriminate, to discern”. Therefore, I can trust that God is in control. He also tells us clearly what kinds of plans they are. They are great plans because He has created them, plans for our very best. They are plans of hope. God does not want what we want for our lives. He wants better than we can ever hope or dream. Does this mean we will never have sickness, hurt, difficulty, loss, and grief? Of course not! He says His plans are for a HOPE and a FUTURE. In other words, we get our cake and get to eat it too!

Hope is for now, here on earth, for the times things get tough. Trust in God that He will do what He says He will do! Future is for…well, the future. Here’s a sneak peak for the future…WE WIN! Our future is secured in Heaven, prepaid by Jesus Christ Himself with His blood, shed freely on the cross for us. Our debts are paid off ahead of time, in order that we have a future. It is not uncertain or unclear. Our future is planned for by God Himself…eternity with HIM in Heaven.

When you are in a place in life where your plans are not going as you think they should, remember God KNOWS the PLANS HE HAS FOR YOU! Turn to Him. You can trust Him because His thoughts are not our thoughts, neither His ways our ways (Isaiah 55:8). God’s plans and dreams for us here on earth can be discovered and discerned by seeking Him in His Word, spending time with Him in prayer. He is the Master architect. His plans are perfect, always on time, just the right fit and will always line up with His word.

Write a prayer thanking God that He knows the plans He has for you. Ask Him to help you trust Him with the plans. Make a list of YOUR PLANS. Check to determine if they line up with HIS plans. Seek His guidance, direction and wisdom. The principals and precepts of Scripture will never lead us astray when we are seeking His plans. Thank Him for the original plan that included you,(the free gift of salvation) and eternity with Him. You may need a plan for today, tomorrow or the future. You can rest assured that His plans are never illusive, confusing or harmful. Plan from this moment forward to trust Him, serve Him, honor Him and love Him.
He KNOWS THE PLANS!

Don't Just Run Through It

During my morning devotion, I read a story I found insightful.

Norman Vincent Peale once described his first trip to the Grand Canyon. When he arrived at the natural wonder, he asked a wise old gentleman what would be the best trip to take in order to see the area.

The man discouraged him from taking any guided tours. He told him to just find a nice spot near the rim of the canyon and sit down. Then, gaze at the canyon for an entire day, appreciating the ever-changing colors of the giant crevice as the sun rose and set.

The wise man said that if one runs through the canyon, he merely wears himself out and misses the beauty and greatness of it all.

The scripture supports this approach to living our lives.

They that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength.--Isaiah 40:31

Be still and know that I am God.--Psalm 46:10

So, what you can you do today to engage in less "running" and more "gazing"?

A Bright Day in Many Ways

In many aspects, we had a great day at church. Our Sunday School and worship attendance was strong. One of our teens made a Profession of Faith in the morning service.

The church was decorated like a creek bank in preparation for the evening worship service, during which our children presented a musical. The children sang in our morning worship service and they did an incredible in their program Sunday Night. Since the children attract a lot of friends and family members, there was a "Sunday Morning" crowd for the evening service.

Some of our ladies hosted a fellowship following the musical. We had cake, ice cream, and punch. By the way, I'm still amazed by Blue Bell's Homemade Vanilla Ice Cream. It taste just like the ice cream we made the old fashioned way with the hand turned freezer.

This afternoon, we hosted the Executive Committee Meeting of the Greene County Association. Jimmy Holcomb, the Area Missions Director, shared his proposal concerning the restructuring of the George and Greene County Area Missions program into one association with a stream lined ministry team structure. This is a great move that will remove some organizational barriers to ministry.

Spring Banquet

Tonight, we held our Spring Banquet. The meal was catered and delicious. Many more members came than the folks who originally wanted to host the banquet expected.

Bill Barton, my friend and mentor, spoke on leadership. He told some humorous fishing stories to illustrate the various type of people we find in church. He pointed out that some folks are crabs (negative), flounders (all front), jellyfish (no backbone), or perch (when caught, get tangled in the weeds).

Bro. Barton shared that the key to being a successful leader is to stay focused on making a difference for Christ by being a fisher of men. When there are "fish" in the church who are negative, we need to treat them with love, but focus on people who are seeking to grow.

Bro. Barton was a servant leader way before the term became popular. He is so humble that I think some people underestimate how much he influences others.

Things Too Profound

Today, a movie is being released in almost 1000 theatres that I believe should be seen by all believers. Ben Stein is starring in a documentary entitled Expelled: No Intelligence Allowed. The film exposes the systematic suppression of any evidence, or even discussion, related to "Intelligent Design" by Big Science.

A general summary of the documentary, retrieved from the movie's website, states: Ben realizes that he has been “Expelled,” and that educators and scientists are being ridiculed, denied tenure and even fired – for the “crime” of merely believing that there might be evidence of “design” in nature, and that perhaps life is not just the result of accidental, random chance.

Let's Be Honest

Wednesday night, in our prayer service, I gave a devotion based on Psalm 131.

1 LORD, my heart is not haughty, Nor my eyes lofty.
Neither do I concern myself with great matters,
Nor with things too profound for me (Psalm 131:1, NKJV).

The psalmist expresses two important approaches to viewing the world and it's origin. First, we must look at the weighty and complicated issues of life with Intellectual Humility. David realized that some questions will never be answered by human reasoning and research. We too should not be afraid to answer, "I don't know" to certain questions, especially regarding the creation of universe. Some truths we will never know.

Second, we must view our world with Intellectual Honesty. When some scientists claim that life came out of nothing, they are making a statement that goes against all logic and physical laws. Nothing begats nothing. The DNA found in cells holds an incredible amount of information. How did the information get into the DNA? I don't know, but ascribing this complicated biological design to chance goes against logic. Computers don't just randomly fit together as the result of a strong wind. They are engineered and assembled by an intelligent designer.

So, for me, while I believe education based on sound science is important, I am content to be a person of faith in some areas.

I am content to sing with David the words he wrote in another psalm,

"I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; that I know very well (Psalm 139:14)."

Broken Vessels Named Worship Artist Of The Year

Today, I received an encouraging email from my good friends, Tory and Sonny Dardar. Their band, Broken Vessels, has been named Worship Artist of the Year (Read about the award here). The guys in Broken Vessels are incredible musicians, but the depth of their faith is what has always encouraged me.

In Feb. 2003, I invited the guys to lead music for a Disciple Now Weekend at Wade Baptist Church in Jackson Co., MS. I was serving as Student Minister at Wade Baptist at the time. In Feb. 2006, I was the preacher for a Disciple Now at First Baptist Theodore, AL and Broken Vessels led in worship that weekend.

These guys have always impressed me with their humility and their desire to guide folks to truly worship. Broken Vessels is not a performing group. There is no doubt these guys are called to minister through music.

May the ministry of Broken Vessels continue to expand.

Burn Out and Doing What You Love

Ministers Conference

Last night at the George-Greene Baptist Association Building, we held our monthly meeting. Dr. Larue Stephens, pastor at First Baptist Church Long Beach, MS, was our speaker. He did a great job of sharing things he has learned regarding "Maintaining Your Sanity in Ministry." He shared some great, what I would call, "Sentence Sermonettes" that were a great inspiration to me. Read some of these on Tommy Mithell's Blog here.

Dr. Stephens has been pastor of FBC Long Beach for several years. The storm surge of Hurricane Katrina in August 2005 completely destroyed the FBC facilities. Larue impressed me with his humility. While he shared some truths regarding ministry, he never once expressed any bitterness or arrogance regarding leading the church's recovery from the worst hurricane ever. He was very real and practical.

The Danger of Doing What you Love

Once I heard someone say, Find a job doing what you love and you will never work a day in your life.

Wednesday of last week, I had lunch with Martin Jones, a good friend from Ohio. Martin is a Director of Missions and he has a heart for supporting pastors. During our time together, he shared something that stimulated a lot of thought.

Martin told me, "You don't burn out doing what you hate. You burn out doing what you love."

Now, I'm still ruminating on that thought. Last night, I mentioned this statement at our ministers conference and I don't think everyone agreed. However, I believe this has some truth for me.

If you are doing a job you hate, most of the time, you just put in your "8 hours" and clock out--everything is routine and you don't put in anything extra. However, when you are doing what you love, if you are not careful, "clocking out" is much harder.

For me, pastoral care is what I love. For four years, I was a full-time chaplain at medical facilities in New Orleans and Daphne, AL. To say you enjoy being with "sick folks" has always sounded funny to me, but I do enjoy supporting people in times of crisis and tragedy.

I seek to find a balance between studying to equip my members, spending time with my family, and practicing a "Ministry of Presence" with others. At times, I feel some guilt over not being present for all my members. However, that is why I have to equip others to minister along with me. The ministry of the church is not all about me.

So, what do you think? Can you "burn out" from doing what you love?

Sermons Online

Yesterday, I uploaded Sunday Morning's Sermon to Sermon.net. You can access the sermon by clicking on the link in the sidebar or here. We'll be uploading more sermons in the future.

The One Man

Can one person make a difference? Well, in history one vote has significantly changed the course of nations and political careers. Notice the difference one vote has made.

ONE VOTE made Texas part of the United States. (1845)
ONE VOTE saved President Andrew Johnson from impeachment. (1868)
ONE VOTE changed France from a monarchy to a republic. (1875)
ONE VOTE admitted California, Oregon, Washington, and Idaho into the Union. (1850, 1850, 1889, 1890)
ONE VOTE elected Rutherford B. Hayes to the Presidency, and the man in the Electoral College who cast that vote was an Indiana Representative also elected by ONE VOTE. (1876)
ONE VOTE made Adolf Hitler head of the Nazi Party. (1923)
ONE VOTE maintained the Selective Service System only 12 weeks before Pearl Harbor. (1941)
ONE VOTE per precinct would have elected Richard Nixon, rather than John Kennedy, President. (1960)

Last night, I preached from Romans 5:12-21. My sermon was entitled "The Free Gift of Love."

Paul wrote, "But the free gift is not like the offense. For if by the one man’s offense many died, much more the grace of God and the gift by the grace of the one Man, Jesus Christ, abounded to many (Romans 5:15, NKJV)."

Throughout Romans 5, Paul contrasts Adam and Jesus. The ultimate contrast is Sin Condemns All to Death (Romans 5:12-14) vs. God’s Grace Overflows to All (Romans 5:15-16). These spiritual realities run in opposite directions. However, you can run a million miles away from God, but it is just one step back.

Jesus is the one man who lived a perfect life on earth and was fit to serve as the one perfect sacrifice for the sins of the world. Also, he was the one man who was God in flesh. He proved this when he was resurrected from the dead. The truth of His Resurrection inspired a small group of men to tirelessly spread the news about His life throughout the world.

What a difference one can make. Well, I guess I should say what a difference THE ONE can make.

A Day of Offering Love

Love Offering

The first 100 days of 2008 have brought an unusual amount of sickness and tragedy to our church family, as well as our community. As a result, in comparison to past years, I have logged a lot more miles to visit folks and spent more time counseling with individuals.

Also, we have already spent almost 2/3 of our benevolence budget. However, our regular tithes and offerings have been significantly higher than last year. Our 2008 Budget appeared to be very ambitious when we adopted it at the end of last year, but the members of our church have been faithful and God has blessed.

Yesterday, we collected a love offering for two families associated with our church. While both of them have significant medical bills that we will probably not make a "dent" in, we wanted to let them know we care about them. I am told we had a wonderful response, but I don't have a total.

Meeting After Evening Worship

For about 45 minutes, the leaders of the various organizations of our church met to discuss the upcoming activities. We have a great group of folks who understand the importance of expressing love to our community.

Playground Equipment

The installation of durable and "first-class" playground equipment beside our Activities Building is a project that is nearing reality. The company is to ship the units next week. We all thought it was funny that the company promised to give us a tracking number once the equipment is placed on a truck. The truck will be loaded in Fort Payne, AL, which is less than 350 miles away. Hopefully, the driver won't get lost between here and there.

Perseverance

Question: What do you call the student that finishes last in their Medical School Class.

Answer: "Doctor."

This Sunday, I will be preaching from Romans 5. I am looking forward to focusing on verses 3-5. Paul was inspired to write:"...we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; and perseverance, character; and character, hope. Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us."

Whenever I hear the word "perseverance," I am reminded of my educational experiences. Many folks told me when I was in the Ph.D. program at New Orleans Baptist Seminary that the key to completing a doctorate had little to do with intelligence and writing ability. The key to finishing is perseverance, just getting it done.At times, some professors appeared to be invested in failure. While that's probably not true, teachers do want to know that a student can push through criticism and adversity to complete a task. My doctoral journey lasted over a decade. However, I have a great sense of accomplishment. I am still not sure how God desires me to use the degree, but I am convinced he wanted me to complete it in order to be obedient to His will.

The Greek Word for "perseverance" means to stand firm in the face of hostile forces. Mounce describes the verb form of the word as a akin to what a weight-lifter does as he (or she) "bears up under the weight of the bar." A closely related word to perservance is endurance.As Paul wrote in Romans 5, the ability of a person to persevere shapes and reveals our character. Our level of commitment and trustworthiness is demonstrated by our ability to withstand the many stressors that barrage us.

An Account of an Accounting Class

After I graduated from, what is now, William Carey University, I decided to attend Mississippi State University to pursue a Masters of Business Administration. While I had made a decision to enter the ministry, I wanted to get my degree and enter into the Christian Music Industry in some way. However, as I look back on the experience, I was not totally committed to the idea. I should have gone directly to Seminary from college, but, in some ways, I was running from what I believe I was destined to do.

At MSU, I learned a lot about myself. I learned a lot about others. I learned about perseverance. An experience I had in a section of ACCOUNTING I made a great impression upon me.

This basic course was the first requirement for students planning to major in Accounting. The professor teaching the class had been at MSU for several years. The classroom was packed the first day of class. While I was 21 at the time and only needed the class as a prerequisite for getting into the MBA program, many of the students were 17 or 18 years old. These green freshmen had declared Accounting as a major.

The first week of class was facilitated by a Graduate Assistant. She gave assignments and administered a test on the third day of class. The Professor responsible for the class made his first appearance at the class meeting following our test. He distributed the graded papers and announced that the highest grade was 68. I think I made a 50. Then he said, "If you can't pass this test, I am sure you won't pass this course. Also, I doubt you will ever have a future in accounting." He proceeded to teach that day in an arrogant and condescending manner.

As a result of the test results and the professors attitude, by the time of the next class meeting almost half of the class had dropped the course. This means a large number of the freshmen had changed their major. The professor began that class meeting with the statement, "I've been thinking about the results of that first test and I have concluded that it was unfair to expect you to successfully complete such an examination withoout the proper guidance. So, I have decided to disregard your performance on the test and start over."

For the remainder of the semester, the instructor was amiable and proved to be a great teacher.The motive of the professor in giving a test impossible to pass was to see how many students really wanted to be accountants. Once he had forced the uncommitted students to withdraw, he was able to teach a class of willing and focused learners.

Why We Can Persevere

We can endure hard times because God has "poured his love into our hearts." When we think of the length to which God has gone to demonstrate his love for us, we can persevere. As God develops our character, we realize there are no hopeless situations with God. We have hope in Christ Jesus.

Ashamed of the Gospel?

When I was a teen, at times I was ashamed to be seen with my parents. I guess I didn't think there were cool enough. Now, I understand how silly that is.

In our Mid-Week Prayer Service, I gave a brief devotion based on Romans 1:16. Paul wrote, "For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek."

When Paul stated "I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ," he wasn't just blowing smoke. He had earned the right to make such a statement. Paul was beaten and arrested and ridiculed and estranged for his unbridled zeal in seeing that the "Good News" about God's plan to redeem the world was spread.

I believe 3 reasons for his unabashed commitment are found in this short verse.

First, he was not ashamed of the Gospel because it is powerful. Paul had experienced a dramatic conversion on the Road to Damascus. He was transformed from a Christian Hater into a follower of Jesus. The word for "power" in this verse is the same word from which we get our English word "dynamite." The Gospel is explosive and Paul had experienced its overwhelming power.

Second, Paul was not ashamed of the Gospel because it was the "power of God to Salvation." Paul understood that acceptance of the Gospel is God's saving plan. We all have a sin problem and, through the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus, God provides the free gift of salvation, which is the remedy to our sin problem.

Third, Paul was not ashamed of the Gospel because it is for everybody. Everyone needs to accept the truth of the Gospel. Since Paul knew no one was exempt from needing a relationship with Jesus, he never wanted to hide the truth of the Gospel from them.

So, we should never apologize for or think we should hide the Gospel of Christ, because it is powerful, transforming, and available to all.

Two Rivers Bluegrass Festival

Last night, after our Mid-Week Prayer Service, my wife and I attended the Two Rivers Bluegrass Festival, an annual happening at the Rural Events Center, which is across from Greene County High School.

Wednesday Night was Gospel Night. Admission was free. All of the music was gospel bluegrass. A local pastor is always invited to preach.

My wife and I really enjoyed the Buddy and Tina Wright Group. The ensemble is a mom, dad, and their two teenage children. They are incredibly talented at playing twin fiddles. Also, Buddy has a very unique voice for a young man. All of their songs were hymns, except for their finale rendition of Orange Blossom Special.

The Festival is splendidly organized and folks come from 20 states to attend. In talking with some of our members out there, they told us about a couple that comes from Connecticut each year and parks there RV here for the week. Currently, there are 217 Camper Trailers on the grounds of the Rural Events Center. That's amazing to me.

If you want to take a road trip in the next few days, the Two Rivers Bluegrass Festival is a great destination.

The Grip of God

Some folks from our Baptist Association are in West Africa on a mission trip. The wife of one of the team members has been emailing me updates on their journey. She shared a humorous story.

On Sunday, they worshipped in an African village. During the service, a rat snake "lost it's grip" and fell from the rafters. The snake landed on one of the female team members, who, eventually, was cornered. She had to climb over some pews to get away from the snake. I am told the villagers thought this was hilarious. The lady on whom the snake fell didn't think it was funny.

I found a phrase in the email I received, which detailed the incident, interesting. The snake "lost its grip." If you don't have hands, I suppose a firm grip is rather elusive.

Get A Grip

In our home, with kids the ages of 14, 5, and 3, we frequently have a free-flow of emotions. More than once, I've heard my wife say "get a grip on it." She means "control your emotions," or "stop letting your feelings run away with you."

Our son Jared was frequently having emotional "melt-downs." At the end of last year, we took him to an allergy expert who prescribed a series of allergy tests. The tests revealed he was allergic to several food ingredients and environmental properties, including milk. So, once we eliminated the gallons of chocolate milk from his routine, his behavior dramatically improved.

There are things we need to remove from our routines and replace them with items essential to a healthy spiritual diet. However, the important thing is that we have placed our faith in God whose grip never slips.

The Bible says, The LORD is good, a strong hold in the day of trouble; and he knoweth them that trust in him (Nahum 1:7, KJV).

So, as we feel our grip on "things" slipping away, turn to the one who has a strong hold.

T-Ball Tournament Over...AMEN!

Last night, we played two games in the tournament that began on Monday of last week. Due to several "rain outs" the tournament took longer to complete than scheduled. Our team finished as the "runner-up."

Jared continues to make improvement. Saturday, he played in the dirt for a majority of the two games. Last night, I didn't see him play in the dirt once.

We made four 60 mile round trips to these tournaments games in the last week. I'm glad it's over, but it was fun.

Foggy Morning Drive Clears My Mind

I like to drive. This morning I drove to Mobile, AL to pray with one of our attenders who is having surgery. At 5:45 AM, I left Leakesville. There was heavy fog all along the way to Mobile, which made the drive a little stressful.

However, I was able to do a lot of thinking and, at times, do a lot of non-thinking by listening to my favorite Sports Talk Radio Station in Mobile. The topic of the day was tonight's NCAA Men's Basketball Championship between Kansas and Memphis. I'm picking Memphis. My Mississippi State Bulldogs almost beat them in the 2nd Round of the tournament. MSU lost to them 77-74. No one else in the tournament has even come close to beating them.

Yesteday at FBC

Al Fike spoke in our morning service. He did a great job on a relevant topic. He spoke on "How To Deal With A Crisis." His sermon was based on Acts 27, which records Paul's voyage to Rome.

One point has stayed with me this morning: REFUSE TO DRIFT. It's so easy to just "go with the flow." However, I believe God wants us to be intentional.

Al used over new overhead projectors for the first time. His presentation was sharp, which seemed to impress everyone.

The choir did a great job as usual.

The only downer was the A/C was out in the sanctuary, but, since the outside temperature was not too bad, the worship center was not too uncomfortable.

Last night, I preached at a local church, which began a series of Revival Services that will meet on Sunday evenings in April. So, Boo White preached here and the Praise Band led in worship. I've heard nothing but positive comments.

Jared Plays Catcher

Since there was a "rain out" Tuesday, Jared played his second T-Ball game last night. He played catcher, which gave him the chance to wear the fancy face mask. I think he felt important. At times, he appeared to be more in charge of the plate than anyone else. He is so funny.

I don't know where he learned this (really, I don't), but he would actually get down into a catcher's stance and, when the batter made it into the box, he would growl. We might have to start calling him "The Beast."

We're Going to Miss This

Yesterday, was a incredibly busy day. However, our family team rose to the occasion.

Charlee, our little girl, is three years old. She has experienced developmental delays since she was placed in our home back in 2005. However, she has been making a lot of progress. She is not talking extensively, but she does have about 20 words or more that she uses.

When she was placed in our home, she did not cry for several days. Her neck was not strong enough to hold her head up. All of these signs point to the fact that she must not have received all the attention she needed when she was a newborn.

For the last year, Charlee has undergone several tests to determine if she has any problems cognitively or otherwise. Nothing has ever been discovered. Terri is a super mother, who has really advocated for Jared and Charlee. She really knows her stuff and I enjoy hearing her talk to doctors. She uses "their language." At times, I think it's disconcerting for them, but I believe they respect her.

Yesterday, we had an appointment with a Genetics Expert at the University Medical Center. He examined her and concluded there is nothing wrong with Charlee "structurally." So, he did not see any reason to undergo extensive genetics testing.

He did refer us to a doctor in Hattiesburg who is will use a more trained eye to examine a MRI taken of Charlee a few months ago. This is just to rule out any problems.

God has blessed us with three wonderful children. Abbey is 14. So, it is so fun to compare her early years to those of the younger kids. Sometimes, I feel a little old (I'm 43) to be having a 3 year old and a 5 year old, but I can't imagine my life without them.

Yesterday, we left the house around 8:30 and drove to my parents house, which is on the way to Jackson. We left Abbey and Jared with them. We went to Jackson to meet with the doctor. I visited a patient at a hospital in the area. We left Jackson around 4:00 PM. Then, we picked up the kids from our parents. Drove straight to Sand Hill for Jared to play his T-Ball game which started at 7:30 PM. We arrived home at 10:00 PM.

While these are hectic times, they are good times. I want to make the most of my days. Paul wrote to the church at Ephesus on this subject.

"See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise, redeeming the time,..."--Ephesians 5:15-16a (NKJV)

I want to redeem the time. Life is brief.

The great theologian Trace Adkins (Ha Ha) has a song entitled "You're Going to Miss This." The words are so appropriate for my life right now:

Five years later
There's a plumber
Working on the water heater
Dogs barking, phones ringing
One kids crying, one kids screaming
She keeps apologizing
He says "They don't bother me.
I've got two babies of my own.
One's 36, one's 23.
It's hard to believe...

"But You're going to miss this
You're going to want this back
You're going to wish these days
Hadn't gone by so fast
These are some good times
So take a good look around
You may not know it now
But you're going to miss this
You're going to miss this
Yeah you're going to miss this

We Are Not Consumed

Last night in our prayer service, I shared a devotion based on Lamentations 3:22-24.

The writer of Lamentations, probably Jeremiah, mourned several losses in a series of laments. For years, Jeremiah had warned his people that God was going to punish them for refusing to honor Him. Finally, God allowed the Babylonians to completely destroy their land and carry them into captivity.

The first six verses of Lamentations, Chapter 3, record deep turmoil within God's "weeping prophet." He wrote:

1 I am the man who has seen affliction by the rod of His wrath. 2 He has led me and made me walk In darkness and not in light. 3 Surely He has turned His hand against me Time and time again throughout the day. 4 He has aged my flesh and my skin, And broken my bones. 5 He has besieged me And surrounded me with bitterness and woe. 6 He has set me in dark places Like the dead of long ago.

These words are those of a man struggling to process the awfulness of his times. No plastic smile adorns his face. For several more verses, the writer detailed his remorse over losing security, respect, and prosperity. However, in the midst of disaster he remembers his God. Then, he wrote:

21 This I recall to my mind,
Therefore I have hope.
22 Through the LORD’s mercies we are not consumed,
Because His compassions fail not.
23 They are new every morning;
Great is Your faithfulness.
24 “ The LORD is my portion,” says my soul,
“ Therefore I hope in Him!”

The idea I get from this passage is that, if God wanted, he could have done more than just have His people held in captivity. The prophet was blessed just to be alive. While living in comfort is nice, living at all is a blessing. As Christians we should want to live as long as we can. While pain is the name of the game in human relationships and in the spiritual maturation process, God's compassions are "new every morning." God is faithful. Hope in Him and live.

"Through the Lord's mercies we are not consumed.

Al Fike to Speak at FBC this Sunday

Al Fike, a native of Leakesville, will speak in our morning service this Sunday. Al is an interesting guy. He has been speaking for churches and corporations for over 30 years. He graduated from William Carey University and New Orleans Baptist Seminary. Also, he has recently written a book entitled "The Ultimate Self-Help Book: 31 Days in Proverbs."

He was on one of the major Morning Shows in Dallas this past Tuesday. He was promoting his Clean Comedy Tour. The interview is on his website. He plays his hands, as well as a hand saw. Check out his website http://www.alfike.com/.

Almost Fully "Multimedia-fied"

Tonight, during our Prayer Service, we utilized our overhead projectors for the first time. We just used them to scroll announcements before the service. Everybody present was excited to see them in action. We have two Hitachi Projectors. We placed a screen in the baptistry and one on the back wall. The front projector is 4000 lumen and the projector in the back is 3000 lumen. The images seemed to be very bright. Everybody was pleased. We are going to break them in slowly to make sure we don't have any major glitches during the services. While many churches have had projectors for years, this is a major step for us. I pray for wisdom to use the projectors effectively to enhance our worship services.