Tomorrow's Sermon

The summer is almost over (or is it already?) With the heat it sure doesn't feel like it. I have been preaching on some of my favorite passages this summer. It wraps up tomorrow with a text from my dissertation. It is from 2 timothy 2:2. "And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses, entrust to reliable men who will also be qualified to teach others."

One of the best things that happened to me in terms of my walk with CHrist is that a guy named John Pantellas, my Young Life leader, took me under his wing and taught me the scriptures and about being a disciple. We had a group in college of high school guys and leaders and we studied this text. It helped transform my life and take seriously the call to invest in others lives.

One thing I sense as I talk to people and churches is they are thinking how to grow their services bigger. BUt I wonder why? Is it just to grow? Are people actually becoming different or are they just attending services? They are thinking in terms of the near term but not the long term. Paul had a desire not only to impact Timothy's life but the lives of two other generations beyond Timothy (reliable men, others). Too often I don't think that long term. I think of how the gospel impacts my life. While that is the place to start, it is not the place to end.

In our attraction getting church world, where we focus so much on getting more people to our buildings/programs, this is a big shift in thinking. It simply begins with one or two people, investing together in others or asking for people they respect spiritually to invest in them.

This week I heard on the radio that personal papers of Mother Teresa indicated she had struggled with trusting God and him answering her prayers. I would like to read more. To me it shows the importance of sharing your thoughts/questions with people. While that is a little scary that Mother Teresa wrestled with these thoughts, it is also a little comforting to know that a spiritual giant like her wrestled with things the rest of us do.

Farting Preacher

Recently a Minister friend of mine told me of the Farting Preacher. Apparently there are several versions of it. I hope this ministers to your soul.

We're In!

It has been a stressful and tiring few weeks of working but we're in our house now. We have been doing painting and work it seems all the time. We have more work to do but are so tired of living in suitcases all summer (and before), we moved on Thursday to our house. folks from church have been great. Several families have come over to paint at least our kids rooms so they can be ready when school starts. Another lent me his truck to move furniture from our temporary house to our more permanent one. And one paid workers for one day to paint, do electrical work, put shoe molding in, mud, whatever we needed. While it is good that we are in, the house is still a disaster and will be for a couple months until we begin to get settled.

Kate is really enjoying the house. We have both worked late into the night to get it ready over the past couple weeks. We are tired but happy at the same time.

Tomorrow I am preaching on Simple Church. We have two folks joining and baptizing their children as well. I am preaching on what they are really joining. WHat is the church at its core.

School starts monday. The kids shot records cleared and we will register them in the morning. It feels as if the summer has passed way too fast and I wish I had more time with the kids and Kate. What this will be remembered as for us is Transitional Summer. Will write more often than I have the past two weeks.

The Dangerous Act of Worship

Being a pastor, you try to make time for reading. I am good at starting a book but not finishing it. I have at least 10 books I am "reading" if you know what I mean. I came across this book by Mark Labberton in June at Annual Conference called "The Dangerous Act of Worship".



We actually met Mark when he pastored a Presbyterian Church near our College town of St. Davids 15 yrs. ago. This book so far is expanding my views of worship. Too often worship is something that causes wars in church. Us vs. Them. But according to Labberton (and the Bible), worship extends to how we live in the world, not just what happens on Sunday morning.

Worship is way more than music, otherwise all those unmusical can't worship.

Micah 6:8 reads, "He has showed you, O man, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with our God."

Notice that God requires something of us as his followers. It is too bad that some outside the church think Christians don't act justly, are known more for what they are against than what they are for; are proud (self-righteous) about who they are, are hesitant to show mercy. I must say that some of that is true but not across the board. I have met many Christians who are humble, who show mercy and are trying to live justly in the world.

At Frazer UMC this week, teaching pastor John Schmidt said that for most Christians, we need to expand our understanding of Church. Church is not necessarily happens on Sunday morning. When we go to Sunday school, we go to study. When we go on a missions trip, we go to serve. When we go to worship, we call it church. Church is more than Sunday morning worship. One person told me today in a small group at church that they have difficulty understanding how people don't get involved in small groups at church. Church is what happens when we interact with divine truth, when we nurture and keep each other accountable in safe relationships, and when we are involved in ministry to extend the name of Jesus. Church may or may not happen on Sunday mornings.

So, the point of it all is, worship is bigger than Sunday Am, it is the way we live our lives with our families, friends, co-workers, people we interact with. Worship is a lifestyle.