Pastor's Perspective - Speck-tators!

A young couple moved into a new neighborhood. The next morning while they were eating breakfast, the young woman saw her neighbor hanging the wash outside.
“That laundry is not very clean,” she said. “She doesn’t even know how to wash correctly. Perhaps she needs a better laundry soap. Perhaps she’s just lazy.” Her husband looked on, but remained silent.

Every time her neighbor would hang her wash to dry, the young woman would make the same comments.

About one month later, the woman was surprised to see nice clean wash on the line. She said to her husband, “Look! She’s finally learned how to wash correctly. I wonder who finally taught her.” Without looking up from his newspaper the husband replied, “I got up early this morning and cleaned our windows.”

Friends, the One who washes us and makes us whiter than snow once asked, “Why do you look at the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ and behold, the log is in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother’s eye.” (Matthew 7:3-5 NASB)

Just a little Windex wisdom for ‘real people’ like myself, who sometimes miss it.

Pastor's Perspective - Hawaiian Isles

Few people know that a precious chapter of my ministry training took place in Hawaiian Isles. Allow me to elaborate.

Two weeks ago my family and I had the most delightful time reconnecting with Jim and Sallie McKeown. They flew out to northern California to see the beautiful views and to see our kids! According to Jim, “The last time I was out here I saw the underside of the Golden Gate Bridge on my way to Korea. I wanted to come back some day and see the top side!”

Michelle and I first met Jim and Sallie when Emma was still a baby. Through my ‘father-in-the-faith’ Paul Neal, I heard about a large seasonal retirement community not far from our home called Hawaiian Isles. They were looking for a preacher to fill their pulpit every Sunday morning. I hadn’t prepared weekly sermons since serving a small church in inner-city Chattanooga during my last years of college; so the idea and challenge thrilled me. By God’s loving kindness, hundreds of senior saints from all over the United States and Canada took my young (and much smaller) family into their community and hearts. Our two years serving and forging deep friendships was God’s kiss on our lives and ministry. Playing ‘Monday morning quarterback’, I wouldn’t have been truly ready for my next ministry step if the Lord had not first led us to and through Hawaiian Isles. To Him and to the many dear folks who patiently sat (and slept) through my first messages there, I’m forever grateful.

Through the McKeown’s recent visit, I was reminded of something that I believe is biblical and thus very important to remember – that although we’re getting older, we don’t have to get old! One of the many things we love about them is that they are still so active, inquisitive and adventurous. Even in the face of physical challenges, they still get up and go, carrying wonderful senses of humor along the way. Throughout the Word we read about God using people in their golden years to accomplish great things in His name - Noah, Abraham, Moses to name a few. When many of their contemporaries were getting gold watches, these patriarchs were entering the workforce of faith!

Likewise, doesn’t it make sense that if God’s objective is to slowly transform each of us into the image of His Son, shouldn’t we look most like Jesus in our senior years? For the many seniors I know who have surrendered themselves daily and yearly to the Father’s slow meticulous molding process, congratulations! Well done. I appreciate you more than you’ll ever know. You are showing younger generations what a Spirit-shaped life truly looks like. That getting older doesn’t mean bitter, but better. Your legacies are priceless. And by the way, I know this pastor who someday wants to grow up, and be just like you!

Pastor's Perspective - With the Comfort We Received

Last Sunday morning, while we at First Christian were wrapping up our first service, Pastor Fred Winters was preaching his last sermon in Maryville, Illinois. While speaking to his congregation a lone gunman, 27, entered the sanctuary and approached the pulpit. The first shot struck the pastor’s Bible, sending what appeared to the audience to be confetti everywhere. The congregation initially thought it was a skit of some type. As the pastor turned away, the gunman chased him, shooting him twice. Two church members subdued the man as he attempted to flee, each suffering stab wounds. Pastor Winters died from his wounds.

This weekend, in the midst of their mourning, First Baptist Church of Maryville will welcome a guest preacher – Al Meredith from Wedgewood Baptist Church in Fort Worth, Texas.

On September 15, 1999, a gunman walked into a youth prayer rally at Wedgewood and began a shooting rampage. Seven people – four teenagers, two seminary students and a children's choir director – were killed and seven others wounded.

Pastor Meredith said that although his church shooting was nearly a decade ago, “The memories came flooding back.” He continued, “I want them to know you get through this. You’ll never get over it, but the rest of God’s kingdom around the world is praying for you.” Later he explained the reason he will occupy the pulpit this Sunday – “They’re a flock without a shepherd.”

The Apostle Paul wrote the Corinthian believers, “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God.” (2 Corinthians 1:3-4).

What storms have you been through in life? Too many to count? To hard to talk about?
Why did you go through those storms?
What storms are you currently in?
Why are you going through your current storms?

Friends, God never wastes our experiences – even the bad ones! He not only molds, refines and teaches us in our storms, but he deliberately uses storms to prepare our ministries for others in the future. What am I saying? Our storms are ultimately for others! He not only wants us to go through storms, He wants us to grow through storms. Why? So that we can use our past experiences and praise reports to bless and comfort others going through their rough weather seasons in life.

For my many friends and readers currently treading vigorously in the churning chin-high waves; for those boarding up windows and hunkering down, holding your families as close as possible; for those losing hope, wondering when the winds will finally cease and the battleship grey sky will be replaced by glorious sunshine again – Hang on! God is still on His throne! Storms come and storms go. Yours will eventually blow over. And through it all, remember – “I’m going through this for a reason. God is using my storm to prepare me to help someone else – perhaps several people –down the road.” Get a vision of yourself not only on the other side of your current storm, but helping someone else in God’s perfect timing. I think Pastor Al Meredith would agree.

Pastor's Perspective - Buoyant & Reliable

The story grabbed by attention for three reasons. First I’m a perennial football fan. Second, it happened where I grew up. Third, I could empathize somewhat through personal experience.

The story I’m speaking of was the tragic loss of three friends this past weekend in the Gulf of Mexico off the central coast of Florida. To briefly recap, four buddies (two NFL and two college players) went on a fishing trip that went horrendously wrong. Their vessel, in chilly windy weather, was overturned. According to Fox News, all four donned life jackets and clung to the boat. After fighting valiantly to survive for several hours after capsizing, one player removed his jacket and was swept away. A few hours later, another player unfastened his jacket and followed suit. Throughout the night, the two remaining friends stayed with the boat; until one thought he saw a light on the distance horizon, removed his jacket and swam away, never to return. The lone survivor clung to the hull of the boat for 46 hours.

Eighteen years ago, while pleasure boating with some friends in that very same body of water, an unanticipated storm caught us off guard. Instead of the powerful weather cell hitting us gulf-to-shore, it quickly blew in without warning shore-to-gulf, separating us from the safety of port. In a mad dash to reach the dock, we sped head-long into heavy rain and tall churning waves. To add insult to injury, nightfall swept over us, leaving us absolutely disoriented and fearful that our boat might flip over. After several hours of unprecedented terror and a radically rejuvenated prayer life, the US Coast Guard found us, drenched and cold, bobbing in the blackness, and towed us back to land. To this day I wonder how my story could have dramatically changed that night.

More than a regrettable news story, I see the events of this past weekend as a modern-day parable of sorts. Let me explain.

I believe that the three decisive actions of these four buddies reflect the ways millions are responding to the storms we are currently encountering in America and even in the church. Some, after fighting the best they can, have just lost all semblance of hope. For them, there is no sign of rescue. All they see is struggle without answers, darkness without dawn. Sadly, their hopelessness can be contagious. Still others, desperate for something better, find themselves swimming frantically away from the familiar toward the uncertain and unknown. Finally, others stay with what they know - that which has proven so far to be buoyant and reliable.

Friends, Jesus told us in Matthew 24:35, “Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.” Likewise in Matthew 16:18, He stated that even the gates of hell would not prevail against His bride the church. Some would say that the Bible and the church are outdated and no longer relevant to real life. In other words, they are no longer buoyant and reliable for our generation. However, Jesus Christ tells us something quite different! He promises that in the middle of the ominous storms of all kinds that threaten to capsize your life and future, you can cling to His Word, find real hope in His promises and find true rescue with His people.

Please join me in praying for the families and friends of Marquis Cooper, Corey Smith and Will Bleakley, and for the recuperation of Nick Schuyler.