Can There Be Change In A Baptist Church?

What did you say? Change in a Baptist church - is that even possible? It seems as if Baptist churches as whole have quite the reputation for becoming almost as rigid and legalistic as other types of religious organizations. Is it possible to have change in a church? Surely, there has to be some upgrades and things we can do differently; however, it seems as if everything I read says I should go this direction or that direction. If it is possible to go another direction, should we do it? Well, I decided to write down some of my thoughts on the subject.

Life is a wonderful mixture of change and stability. Fortunately, there are some things that never change. Babies are born into this world today exactly like they were 6000 years ago. People still breathe oxygen and still eat dinner. Spring still comes after winter. And fall still comes after summer. Some things never change!

Yet other things change all of the time. The world does not contain the same people today that it contained just yesterday. The world is not the same as it was before! Knowledge, science and technology continue to revolutionize and change our world… most of it for the better.

However, there are some things we want to change! WE WANT FOLKS TO CHANGE THEIR CLOTHES ONCE IN A WHILE, DON'T WE? But we do not want them to change and wear nothing at all! We want the rain to change to sun. BUT WE DO NOT WANT IT TO BECOME SUNNY AND NEVER RAIN AGAIN!

Change is necessary and good in some cases, but it is dangerous in others! For instance, Jesus told us to beware of clinging to the traditions of men. But then, in the same Bible we are told to stand fast and hold the traditions we have been taught in the Word of God! There are morals and principles throughout God’s Word that teach us how to live. Thankfully, we live in a country that was founded on many of these principles taught throughout scripture. May we never change the Biblical way of living and the Biblical focus on which our country was founded.

Now, I hope we can all agree that while there are many things that we must never change, there are some things that we MUST change. It is imperative for churches to realize that in order to reach people in today’s culture that we cannot continue to do church like the 1950’s anymore. After all, what businessman runs his corporation the same way that his father did? What businessman even runs his business today the same way today that he did five years ago? So, change MUST be facilitated; however, compromise must never be made. It is absolutely essential that things DO change!

Unfortunately, people tend to become one dimensional and it never even occurs to them that there might be a different way to do things that is not anti-biblical or sinful. Know this, if we can find ways to reach others that does not violate our beliefs and doctrine, we should do it… even if it means criticism. And make no mistake, criticism will come. Because for some reason, it is easier for folks to label things as unbiblical or sinful for the simple reason that they do not understand it or because they would prefer it a different way.

Now, before I go any further, let me say that change is not the answer to reaching others. Neither is change something that should be done haphazardly. It is merely a tool that, if used effectively, can help you to have a greater impact to aid in what you are already doing and help you become more relevant. If you are not reaching others for Christ now, chances are the screens you put in your auditorium and the name change at your sign will not transform your church to achieve a “Pentecost” moment this Sunday. Change for sake of changing is ridiculous. There are church leaders all over this country that think the answer to reaching others is to completely change everything to be more “seeker sensitive.” This has destroyed thousands of churches. I believe we ought to be aware of what “seekers” needs are; however, our churches are to be “Savior sensitive.” Far too many pastors have fallen for the latest fads and gimmicks in church movements and destroyed their church. Are there people that have accomplished this successfully? Well, I’m sure there are; however, just because someone else has done it does not mean that you should. No change should be done without lots of prayer, wise counsel, proper leadership, and most importantly a God given vision.

Now, let me tell you some of the things that we must not change. There are things that we must cling to like a man hanging to the side of a cliff. Some things to which we must hold fast. These are things that we cannot let change regardless of what culture throws our way! There are some things that make true Baptists different than all the rest of the groups out there. These are the things that we cannot compromise!

There are seven essential fundamentals of the Baptist faith. Historically, Baptists have clung to these fundamentals and have taught them from generation to generation. They have been the reason that Baptists remain today, the largest body of non-catholic Christians in the World. They are the reason that Baptists are the leaders in missionary endeavors worldwide. They are the reason why Baptists have influenced the world since the days of the Apostles. WE MUST NEVER ALLOW OURSELVES TO CHANGE THESE ISSUES!


These teachings may be remembered by associating them with the letters that form the word "BAPTIST":

Biblical Authority

The Bible is the final authority in all matters of belief and practice because the Bible is inspired by God and bears the absolute authority of God Himself. Whatever the Bible affirms, Baptists accept as true. No human opinion or decree of any church group can override the Bible.
2 Timothy 3:15-17; 1 Thessalonians 2:13; 2 Peter 1:20, 21

Autonomy of the Local Church

The local church is an independent body accountable to the Lord Jesus Christ, the head of the church. All human authority for governing the local church resides within the local church itself. Thus the church is autonomous, or self-governing. No religious hierarchy outside the local church may dictate a church's beliefs or practices. Autonomy, however, does not mean isolation. A Baptist church may fellowship (and should) with other churches around mutual interests and in an associational tie.
Colossians 1:18; 2 Corinthians 8:1-5, 19, 23

Priesthood of the Believer

Every believer today is a priest of God and may enter into His presence in prayer directly through our Great High Priest, Jesus Christ. No other mediator is needed between God and people. As priests, we can study God's Word, pray for others, and offer spiritual worship to God. We all have equal access to God--whether we are a preacher or not.
1 Peter 2:5, 9; Revelation 5:9, 10

Two Ordinances

The local church should practice two ordinances: (1) baptism of believers by immersion in water, identifying the individual with Christ in His death, burial, and resurrection, and (2) the Lord's Supper, or communion, commemorating His death for our sins.
Matthew 28:19, 20; 1 Corinthians 11:23-32

Individual Soul Liberty

Every individual, whether a believer or an unbeliever, has the liberty to choose what he believes is right in the religious realm. No one should be forced to assent to any belief against his will. Baptists have always opposed religious persecution. However, this liberty does not exempt one from responsibility to the Word of God or from accountability to God Himself.
Romans 14:5, 12; 2 Corinthians 4:2; Titus 1:9

Saved, Baptized Church Membership

Local church membership is restricted to individuals who give a believable testimony of personal faith in Christ and have publicly identified themselves with Him in believer's baptism. When the members of a local church are believers, a oneness in Christ exists, and the members can endeavor to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.
Acts 2:41-47; 1 Corinthians 12:12; 2 Corinthians 6:14; Ephesians 4:3

Two Offices

The Bible mandates only two offices in the church--pastor and deacon. The three terms--"pastor," "elder," and "bishop," or "overseer"--all refer to the same office. The two offices of pastor and deacon exist within the local church.
1 Timothy 3:1-13; Acts 20:17-38; Philippians 1:1



*This blog is an abbreviated message from a Wednesday Night Bible study group. For more information on our church see www.gbcfamily.tv.

Are You Dealing With Insecurity?

Are You Dealing With Insecurity? I think if we all are to look at our human side for a moment, we would recognize that we all feel insecure from time to time. Insecurity can be detrimental in leading people. Others will not follow when they realize that you are unsure (and yes, they will pick up on it). You might be able to hide it with personality, but the insecure leader will always fall short in the one area that he is judged by – the results.

You might say, “Well, I’m not a leader.” I beg to differ. If you are a parent, you are a leader. If you have influence over someone else by way of a relationship (family, co-workers, neighbors, etc.), you are a leader. If you have any position regarding authority such as a ministry, task, or some type of volunteer group, you are a leader.

Recently, I was listening to a leadership podcast with Pastor Johnny Hunt. He gave some very insightful knowledge regarding this area of insecurity that we all face from time to time. Is it any wonder that the scripture says: “Trust in the Lord with all thine heart and lean NOT on thine own understanding”? Below are some of the notes from that talk:

• An insecure leader has a hard time giving credit to others. “Why should praise seem like an unrecoverable cost? It is a gift that gives back to everyone.”

• An insecure leader keeps information from his staff. “When you release information, you convey trust and confidence to others. When you conceal

• An insecure leader doesn’t want his staff exposed to other leaders—people who may possess qualities you don’t, people who may have skills your staff wishes you had. “When one person grows the whole team grows….Give your people the best—even better than you are.”

• Insecure leaders are too needy of praise. “For this reason, more than perhaps any other, they can’t really be leaders. When someone needs his followers to always be telling him how wonderful he is, he works in direct opposition to the heartbeat of leadership, which is: building into other’s lives.”

• Insecure leaders don’t provide security for those they lead. “If the mood and environment in the office is one of fear, second-guessing, and self-doubt, you can be sure an insecure leader is in charge.”

• Insecure leaders take more than they give. Instead of validating and encouraging others, they are focused on receiving it.

• Insecure leaders limit their best leaders. “Insecure leaders cannot genuinely celebrate the victories won by others.”

• Insecure leaders limit their organization. “Not only does insecurity throttle down the horsepower of individual team members; it results in putting restraints on the whole church or organization.”

The Bean Test

Ok, I found this and thought it was great. And, if you're curious, I found 'the man' after about a minute or so... guess I need more protein. :-)

GOOD LUCK!

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THE BEAN TEST

Doctors have concluded that, if you find the man in 3 seconds, then the Right half of your brain is better developed than most people.

If you find the man between 3 seconds and one minute, then your right Half of the brain is developed normally.

If you find the man between one minute and 3 minutes, then the right Half of your brain is functioning slowly and you need to Eat more protein.

If you have not found the man after 3 minutes, the right half of your Brain is a mess, and the only advice is to look for more of these types of exercises to make that part of the brain stronger.

The man is really there. Keep looking! Forward to your friends & see how well their right brain functions.

Addicted to Technology

“Hi, my name is Micah Warren and I'm addicted to technology.” I feel like I need to join a support group. I'm willing to admit it. I'm addicted to technology. Whether it be my cell phone, I-pod, Facebook, Twitter, Instant Messaging, Texting, Emails, or my Blackberry Messenger I am just plain addicted to all this stuff! How did I ever get along without it? I’d rather text than talk. I'd rather read an an email from you than listening to one of your voice mail messages. I send text messages while driving, and I never turn off my phone. When I'm with others, I pull my phone out as soon as the conversation hits a lull, and I send text messages just to pass the time. This morning, I found myself checking my phone to see what emails, texts, Twitter, and Facebook notices I received before I had even rolled out the bed.

I don't think I am alone in this addiction. I know there are more of us out there. How do I know this? Because you are the people that are sending me all these messages! And because some of you will have read this within an hour of the time that it hits the Internet! It's kinda crazy and kinda awesome at the same time.

Technology is playing a greater role in our life than ever before. I can send and receive emails from anywhere, surf the web, listen to music/podcast, and even watch a movie. Never before has it been possible for me to be so productive or so entertained regardless of where I am.

Thousands of people are constantly typing away at their blackberries Hundreds of thousands are using social networking sites such as Twitter and Facebook. And there is no telling who all is texting these days. Listen to this, according to a recent study by Nationwide Insurance, “1 in 5 people send text messages while driving.” I must admit, this stat was not at all surprising to me because I do this myself (despite constant objections from my wife). The study goes on to say that “the percentage of users between the ages of 18-34 is even more at 1 in 3 people who will send a text while driving.” It is just insane that some of us (and yes, I am included in the “us” category) are so addicted that we cannot even drive down the road and enjoy ten minutes of solitude without pulling out some sort of device so that we may connect to our friends, listen to music, or post a status. Yet, I am guilty.

I like all these tools at our disposal, I think they are a tremendous asset. I have found them to be a great source of encouragement and a lot of good things have happened as a result. I love the fact that information is constantly at our fingertips. I really do. I think this information age in which we live is simply incredible. However, there are some draw backs to said technology.

Unlike face-to-face communication, electronic forms of communication often force us to make more assumptions about the sender’s intent, since messages must be interpreted with limited knowledge. Not to mention that an email or message or status sent at midnight can violate various unspoken boundaries than that of a face-to-face meeting. Furthermore, without the accompaniment of body language and facial expressions, electronic communication leaves the door open for many misinterpretations.

Now, I hope you do not get the idea that I am against all this technology. I love it. You should see my blog post from June 10, 2009 entitled, “Taking the Plunge.” I have no problem with this technology; but I would like to pose a question.

What about God?

I must admit to you that in my devotions this morning, I was interrupted (so to speak) by eight different messages, and I became convicted about my addiction. I had to force myself to put my phone on silent just so I could have a private moment with the Lord. The crazy thing is – it was difficult to even do. It's like my blackberry had become my crackberry!!!

If we are not careful, our prayer life and walk with the Lord can suffer because of all this technology. We must make sure that we do not find ourselves trying to multi-task our time with God believing that God understands. After all, we are extremely busy. God understands if I only take time to pray to Him during the commercials of my television show, right? I think not. By only giving God the brief moments or leftovers in our life, we exchange our intimate times with God for a quick email devotional and trade study and meditation for something we can grab on our way out the door. And just as our messages and posts can be misperceived, we can misinterpret God’s voice when we don’t allow ourselves to wait and hear what He has to say. Why do we not hear His voice? Because every moment of our day is spent with our mind constantly being pushed from one direction to another without any time to meditate on God.

Yes, it's true. Emails, texts, instant messaging, and other such technologies make it all too easy to fill in the dead parts of our day by cranking out another email or responding to someone's question or turning to my device for my next instruction. I think we need to heed the psalmist instruction when he said, “Be still and know that I am God.” When was the last time that you took time out of your hectic schedule just to “be still”?

Technology makes our lives much easier, but we must be careful not to let time with technology take the place of a daily private time with God. We need to seek direction from God, not from the email in the inbox. We need to take the time to worship Jesus Christ, and not the latest technology. We need to give Christ what is right and not what is left.In a world that calls us to be “on,” let us take time to turn off. Turn off the phone to spend time in prayer. Turn off the computer in order to study the Bible. Today, let us forsake the addiction to technology in an effort to pursue a direct and personal relationship with God!

Flip the Pillow Over

As I go sleep each night, often times, reflections and memories of the day as well as expectations of the next day keep my mind engaged despite my effort to fall asleep. Usually, I do not mind the process as I often spend that time praying: I thank the Lord for the blessings he has given me, my wife laying beside me (usually already asleep), and my son sleeping soundly in the next room. After a brief amount of time, my pillow starts to get warm and for whatever reason, it really starts bothering me. I shift my body and my head as I search for that perfect, comfortable position. After a few moments of discomfort, I decide to correct this problem by flipping my pillow to the “cool side” and I experience euphoria! It’s really insane. I know. All I do is turn the pillow over, but it brings me such joy and allows me to lie there and comfortably drift off to sleep.

I began this thought process last night as I flipped my pillow over, I believe it is necessary from time to time for us to “flip the pillow over” in certain areas to keep our lives in an effort to keep life from becoming uncomfortable, boring, and leaving us less than satisfied. I don't know about you, but sometimes life can become very disinteresting thus leaving us unfulfilled. We start to think about the lives of others and what they must be doing. After all, their life cannot be as boring as our life, can it? American's spend millions of dollars on this venue every year. There is an entire entertainment industry built around letting you see other peoples lives so that you may live vicariously through their experiences as you go through your boring, mundane existence. You don't have to look far as these magazines and newspapers are at every checkout counter from Florida to California.

Why do we search for happiness amongst others? As a culture, why do we spend so much money on entertainment as if that has the potential to make us happy? Jesus said, “I am come that ye might have life and have it more abundantly.” If Christ is indeed the answer, why are people so miserable? Why then is life so unfulfilled to so many? Why then is life so empty? The answer is clear, it is because we choose not to have a life centered around Christ. So, to keep life from become boring, we must first realize that Christ must be the center.

A wise man once said, “You are as happy today as you choose to be.” I believe that to be mostly true. I also believe that your life is as exciting as you choose for it to be. There are too many people that are not excited about living. If your life has become something that you are not happy with, that the take time to “flip that pillow over” and make it exciting. You would be surprised at what a difference a small change can have in your life. Here are three that have helped me as of late:


Number one, spend extra time reading the scriptures and in prayer. The Bible said, “Thy word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path.” The problem that each of us have in our lives is that we don't use the Word of God to light our path; instead, we choose to walk around in darkness... and we wonder why our lives turn out the way they do. If I were to live drive tonight with my lights off, my chances of being involved in an accident have greatly increased. Friend, God wants you to be fulfilled and excited about your life; but true happiness and joy is not known outside of Christ. Joshua 1:8 teaches us that we ought to have a life of meditation on His Word and only then will we find true success. Listen, there is no real joy outside of Jesus Christ. If your life has become empty and vain and mundane and boring, it is because you are not meant to live unto yourself. I implore you to search out the one source of true joy and spend extra time throughout the pages of the best selling book of all time – the Bible.

Number two, switch things up a little bit in your relationships – this will spice up your life a little bit. You know, it seems as if Anniversaries, Birthday's, Valentine's Day, Fourth of July, etc... it seems like all these days force us to remember a special person, a mile marker, an event, or a reason for celebration. Many times though, I feel that we take for granted so many things in our life for the simple reason that the date has not arisen for us to remember. Why do we need a date for us to remember the blessings and privileges that we enjoy? It seems as if we only think upon thankfulness at Thanksgiving and we only think of the freedoms we enjoy on patriotic holidays. I guarantee you if you “flip the pillow over” in terms of looking at the blessings you have in your life, you will soon see that your life is not boring at all. Instead, I believe that you will see that you have a blessed life that you have simply taken for granted. Why not take time today to send your wife some flowers (for no reason at all), take your husband out for dinner, thank a veteran, spend time reflecting upon your freedom, and begin thinking about the blessings God has given you instead of complaining about what you don't have? It doesn't take much, just a small change in your paradigm, and you'll be amazed at the difference.

Number three, do something for someone else. Scripture tells us, “Bear ye one another's burdens and so fulfill the law of Christ.” Life does have a tendency to become predictable. I can promise you, since you feel this way from time to time that other people feel much the same way as well. Take some time out of your day to be a breath of fresh air to someone. Encourage someone. Perhaps God can use you to “flip the pillow over” in someone else's life. Who can you encourage today? Listen, life is hard. Pain is real. A pastor of yesteryear once said, “Be kind to everyone because everyone is having a rough time.” We all have areas of our life and issues in our family that we worry over. It really is more blessed to give than to receive. I know that you will find satisfaction in your life and you will get out of the rut when you get your eyes off of yourself and onto others. Someone has it worse than you do. Find that person and be an encouragement today.


This is by no means an exhaustive list. Job tells us that life is short and full of trouble. Christ has not promised an easy or pain-free life or a life free of trouble, but He has promised us that we don't have to go through these things alone.

I think flipping the pillow over from time to time may be just the thing that you need to experience a breath of fresh air in your life. Snap out of the norm, break free from the ruts and routines that we all find ourselves in, and in doing so you will be surprised the joy that will engulf your life. Who knows? By flipping those things around in your life, you might just find that God will use you in a mightier way than you ever thought possible. “Flip that pillow over” and experience the cool side of life. Experience the life that God intended for you to have. You'll be amazed at the result.


Ephesians - “Now unto him that is able to do exceedingly above all that we even ask or think.”

Boulders on Your Path to Recovery by Doug Dickerson

While there is still a long way to go, we are slowly seeing signs that the economy is trying to make a comeback. Positioning yourself for the turnaround begins now so as not to be behind the curve when the recovery takes place. Think about it for a moment, what will your company look like in six months, a year from now? While it may be difficult to predict, the time is now to think strategically about your future.

I am reminded of a story about how a king in ancient times placed a boulder on a roadway. Then he hid himself and watched to see if anyone would remove the huge rock. Some of the king’s wealthiest merchants and courtiers came by and simply walked around it. Many blamed the king for not keeping the roads clear, but none did anything about getting the boulder out of the way.

Then a peasant came along carrying a load of vegetables. On approaching the boulder, the peasant laid down his burden and tried to move the stone to the side of the road. After much pushing and straining, he finally succeeded. As the peasant picked up his load of vegetables, he noticed a purse lying in the road where the boulder had been. The purse contained many gold coins and a note from the king indicating that the gold was for the person who removed the boulder from the roadway. The peasant learned what many others never understand. Every obstacle presents an opportunity to improve one’s condition.

Every boulder you have faced on the road the past year or two with the economic downturn presents valuable lessons that you might not have considered. From under the boulder on the road contains a purse with a few nuggets of truth that are reminders for us today.

First, successful people move boulders. Many of the king’s merchants and courtiers walked around the boulder. Consequently, they did not receive the gold coins which are indicative of many today. Success comes to those who in the face of obstacles will work hard to remove the obstacles before them. Others prefer to walk around obstacles and pretend it is not there or blame someone for it.

Someone once said, “If Columbus had turned back, no one could have blamed him, but no one would have remembered him.” The successful person will roll up his sleeves and with determination move the obstacle. It may take a while and will certainly not be easy, but the reward will be worth it. What will you do with the boulder on your path?

Second, boulders are a barometer of your creative powers. For many, a boulder on their pathway is a nuisance, an irritation on the way to some place else. While the king’s men likely cursed the boulder the peasant chose a different approach. While no one wants a boulder on their path like a recession, how you choose to respond to it will make all the difference.

Obstacles provide opportunity. For the peasant the obstacle was a boulder in the road. The reward came when he moved it only to discover the purse with the gold coin. For Sandra Garratt, the reward came in the form of designing clothes that she didn’t like. The truth is- opportunities often come in a disguise. Not every boulder is an obstacle. Sometimes it’s a reward waiting to be discovered.

In his famous poem, The Road Not Taken, Robert Frost writes, “I shall be telling this with a sigh, somewhere ages and ages hence: Two roads diverged in a wood, and I--I took the one less traveled by, and that has made all the difference.” You are on your path for a reason.

The next time you stumble upon a boulder on your path, pause before you curse it or the one who put it there. Keep in mind that what lies underneath quite possibly could change your life.



******FOOTNOTE... the above blog was taken from http://dougsmanagementmoment.blogspot.com/

Don't Lose It Dad!

Today is Father's Day. This is a day set aside to honor fathers. Since I am one, and I have one. It is a good day for me. For whatever reason, somehow Father's Day doesn't seem quite as important as Mother's Day, and it may only be a marketing ploy to sell more greeting cards, but I would like to address those of us who are fathers. This is a very important time to be a father. The children born between 1976 and 1996 represent one fourth of America's population. This generation is called "The Millennial Generation" or "The Bridger Generation" because they are the bridge to the new millennium. For at least the next half-century, they will be the most influential people in the world. If you are a dad, some of them probably live in your house; but maybe not, because many Bridgers/Millennials do not live with their fathers. At any given time, nearly one-third of all children 18 and under do not live in the same home with their fathers, and less than half spend their entire childhood with both of their parents.

As I approach this day today, I asked myself: What is a father anyway? What is he supposed to do? How is he to instruct? What is he to instruct? So, as I sit here early on this Sunday morning typing this out, I think I came up with a logical and Biblical conclusion. Fathers are supposed to provide for the material needs of their families. They are supposed to teach the difference between right and wrong, and to show what it means to be gentle as well as strong. Fathers, more than anyone else, teach their sons what it means to be men and their daughters what it means to be women.

Today, more than ever before, children are being raised in a world without absolutes. Although they have some interest in spiritual things, they have little or no interest in organized religion. They have been trained to be suspicious of anyone who claims to know the truth. Listen to these sobering statistics, while 60% of their grandparents, 40% of their parents, and even 25% of their older siblings claim to be Christians, only 4% of the Millennial generation will profess faith in Jesus Christ. Why is this happening?

I fear that a lot of times people have no idea what it is that they have until they have lost it. We have been blessed of the Lord and yet we take it for granted. It is a sad and tragic truth that many a husband has taken his wife for granted only to find out he no longer had her as a wife. Then it was too late. It is a sad and tragic truth that many parents have taken their children for granted; only to discover their kids no longer want to see them. It is a sad and tragic truth that many children took for granted the love of a mom and a dad only to realize their great loss when they went on out into eternity.

Four things that I believe need to be understood about our families:

· Don’t take what God has given you for granted.
· Don’t treat what God has given you poorly.
· Be appreciative & thankful for them.
· Protect them.

It really has become a trite statement; however, that does not make it any less true: “you don’t realize what you have until it is not there.” It was not until I moved out of the house before I realized that my parents were not as ignorant as I perceived them to be!

I had no idea that my parents actually had some wisdom behind all those rules and regulations. In many respects, I did not know what I had until I lost it. This point has been proven true countless other times when it has come to other relationships, jobs, material possessions, and various other situations in life.

As my mind wanders this morning, I began thinking about people in the Bible that had things and lost it:

1. In Genesis 12, we find that Lot lost his family because he let his greed overrule his duty to protect his family. Most of his family was destroyed and his wife was turned into a pillar of salt. What a sad account it is for this man who took his family too lightly and as a result, he lost them all.

2. In Psalm 51, we find that David lost his joy because he indulged his fleshly desire over God’s desire. We see him in this chapter begging for Christ to restore his joy.

3. In Matthew 26, we find that Peter lost his reputation because he cared what others thought of him when he denied ever knowing Christ. Scripture records that he wept bitterly when he realized that he had destroyed his reputation.

4. In Luke 12, we find the worst loss of all; here a man loses his own soul. In this passage, we see a rich man with all the wealth he could possibly want, yet he did not make provision for his eternity.

However this blog may find you, I wonder, are you being a good steward of all that God has given you? I mainly wrote this with the subject of fathers in mind; however, this applies to us all. Don’t lose your family (or whatever those things that you hold precious to you) because of greed, fleshly desire, caring about other’s opinions, and by avoiding Christ in your life.

Second John tells us that we should "Look to yourselves, that we lose not those things which we have wrought, but that we receive a full reward." So, with that in mind, look at yourself today. Are you being a good steward? I dare say, we can all improve on this area of our lives. How will you improve today? This week? This month? This year? A failure to plan is a plan destined for failure. Fathers, value your family and don’t lose it!

Happy Father’s Day!

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Another One Bites the Dust...

Well, the news came out this week – another one bites the dust! It should not be so shocking to the world by now. It seems as if another “hero” of sports has fallen. Sammy Sosa of the Chicago Cubs has now been linked to performance enhancing drugs during the 2003 season. I personally think that every time one of these stories comes out that it does nothing but tarnish professional sports. In many respects, I wish they would leave the past in the past and not continue to drag out these allegations…but I digress.

With that thought in mind, I began thinking about these people that we enshrine into heroism almost instantly the moment they achieve some type of accolade. In my opinion, the distinctiveness of the modern day hero has deteriorated greatly. Until recently, our heroes were individuals who braved unknown frontiers at the risk of death or public humiliation, regardless of the sacrifices. Much of what they accomplished was for the good of humanity rather than their own self-centered needs.
In the past fifty years, attitudes, values, and priorities have been increasingly shaped by a mass-media culture. Our heroes have changed drastically. Today, our children worship wealthy performers who change spouses as often as they change underwear. They look up to rappers with criminal records and sordid drug habits. They idolize movie characters whose talents involve killing by day and gratuitous sex by night. They revere those with the most cynical attitudes, the most obscene incomes, the foulest mouth, and the lowest regard for human life. To many contemporary heroes, agricultural advancement means sowing bushels of their wild oats everywhere they can. They seem to live by the motto: “Snort, drink, and be merry, for tomorrow…well, tomorrow we’ll meet at my place and do it all over again.”

It seems as if we have so overused this word “hero,” and that it has lost its meaning. When I was a kid, heroism was an ideal; but it seems that today every teacher, athlete, and movie star wears the label of a hero. I’m sure that many of them are heroes to a certain extent, but it doesn’t take superman’s x-ray vision to see right through the vain appearance demonstrating that many are anything but. From A-Rod to Kobe Bryant to Michael Phelps drug use to Rodger Clemens and the list goes on. These supposed “heroes” continually succumb to cheating with performance enhancing drugs, addictive habits, and poor life choices. Yet, they are depicted as heroes for our children. No wonder our nation is in a quandary. No wonder our generation is making such poor moral indiscretions – they are following their heroes. After all, it is perfectly natural (but totally opposite of God’s view) for one to cheat on their spouse, lie to the government, laugh at authority, not pay taxes, and be dishonest on the job. Then, to add insult to injury, as a nation, we create sitcoms, television shows, and movies about these things all the while laughing at the moral decline of others. Then, we call the actors that do such, heroes! Does anyone else notice the irony here? It seems as if we can live however we want without consequences so long as we can make someone laugh, hit a ball with a stick, and make lots of money.

In our culture, heroism is often defined in terms of what a person has rather than who he or she is and what he or she can do to make the world a better place. What these heroes have is money, fame, athletic talent, or physical beauty. And because of this, they are often given tacit permission to break the rules and sidestep the moral code.

With this in mind, I have come to a conclusion that there is a HUGE difference between someone that has a heroic moment and someone that is a true hero. I believe that true heroes are people that live a life of heroism and not simply have a heroic moment. I’m sure that there are heroes that are well published and known around the world, but I am grateful for the heroes that preach in small churches across the world, the nurses working in hospitals on third shift, those in the military sacrificing months away from their family, the teacher that spends countless hours after school helping a child, and incalculable other illustrations. These stories depict what I believe to be a stark difference between those that not only have heroic moments, but instead live as constant, steady heroes in the hearts and lives of people.

Talent doesn’t make a hero, and beauty should not equate to virtue. So, before we can raise our children to become heroes, we need to redefine heroism in healthier, less materialistic terms. Heroes should be people who are willing to sacrifice their own interests for the greater good. Heroes should be those who, day after day, do what they believe is right, regardless of their audience, their temptations, their excuses, the unpopularity of their choice, or the outside reaction it may trigger. And they do what is right for rightness’ sake, not to earn brownie points or special favors.

Real heroes are not only those who risk life and limb to save another, but anyone ready to risk personal loss–of reputation, pride, friendship, confidence, money, pleasure, and opportunity–for the sake of what is right. In short, heroes are led by their sense of honor rather than by the path of least resistance and highest immediate rewards.

So, in conclusion, as another “hero” bites the dust, may it be our prayer that we remain faithful and committed to those in our lives that we have the responsibility to influence. May we make the right decisions, even though it is difficult, and may we stand for right even when it is the path least traveled.


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Taking The Plunge...

Okay, here I go. I am officially beginning to do something that I never thought I would do. This is officially my first blog post. I do not know if anyone actually cares very much about what I have to say or not. If not, that is okay, I have decided to start this process in an effort to help me summarize my thoughts and my ideas into something that I hope I can use to be a help to myself in the future (as I can refer to a bit of history) and I hope that I can perhaps, one day, be a help to someone else’s future as they read. Who knows? Someone might just see a way of NOT to do something! So, I am taking the plunge and I hope this post explains why.

About six months ago I began a Face Book account. Thus my addiction to internet social networking began. I was amazed at the friends of mine that existed in the cyber space world. I established some new friendships and built some bridges to some old ones. It has been a wonderful experience. In addition to this, I have seen the benefits of the internet “social networking” experience not only in the personal realm, but also in ministry.

For several years, I must be honest, I didn’t get it. Why in the world would someone want to post pictures of themselves, post comments, and tell everyone when they were going to the bathroom? Is there a point to all this nonsense? Is it about ego? Why would I want to do something so worthless? I mean, is there really a point to all this social networking? Is it really worth all the trouble?.

So, here are some reasons as to why I am involved in this “worthless” endeavor:

First of all, obviously, I do not see it as a “worthless” endeavor as I once did – it serves a wonderful purpose of connecting me to others and them to me. And come to find out, it is really no trouble at all and is not a huge waster of time (that is, unless you get hooked on all those Face Book games!). Just a few short weeks after I started my Face Book account, I was amazed at the personal connection that I felt to others, and many of them are people that I would not have otherwise been in contact. It seemed to me that apparently this “social networking” was not near as shallow as it once appeared.

Secondly, I have engaged in this “worthless” venture because I believe it is necessary for us (adults and leaders) to learn technology with the sole purpose of being an influence throughout the “social networking” society. What is that scripture states? Matthew chapter five teaches us that we are to be the “light of the world.” This means that I must take my light to as many as I have the opportunity to influence. So, obviously, I must share my testimony and my faith with others around me such as my neighbors and co-workers and friends and family; however, I am doing a great disservice to the Christ when I ignore one of the greatest avenues to reach out to others – and just think, I can do all of this right from my laptop!

As a former youth pastor, I know the effects that internet can have on the mind. I have seen some devastating results of various types of internet addictions. It seems as if every time I turned around that a teenager was being sucked into this World Wide Web by way of Instant Messenger, My Space, Face Book, web cams, etc. Are these things inherently evil? I submit to you that these tools are no more evil than the car you drive or the television that you own. Can they be used for evil? Of course they can; however, these tools can be used as a mighty vehicle for good as well. No longer can we just pretend that this world does not exist and that these “tools” are not apart of society. For far too long, spiritual leaders (especially those in my particular background) have feared technology, made rules against said technology, and then pretend like it is not there. Well, it is there, and it’s not going anywhere! We need for our leaders, pastors and teachers to learn how to use this technology in a way that honors Christ, teaches others, influences others, and in a way that is appropriate.

Thirdly, I have found that this “social networking” is not a worthless undertaking because it has helped to make me more efficient with my time. Every time I am about to type something on my “status,” I ask myself: “Is this the most efficient use of my time?” It has challenged me to make the most of every moment. Is what I am doing even worth sharing? Am I accomplishing God’s purpose for my life in this moment? In Ephesians chapter five, Paul teaches us that we should be “redeeming the time because the days are evil.” Many times I have found myself scratching something off of my “to-do” list because upon thinking about it, I found it to be an effective use of my time or a waste of time altogether!

In addition to these three main reasons for “social networking,” I have found it to be a tremendous tool of prayer, support, encouragement, and instruction. It is also a lot of fun! (I mean, there is a reason that millions of people are addicted – IT’S FUN!) Moreover, I have found it to be a great way to stay connected with friends and family. It is extremely nice in the middle of the day to keep track of certain people, and through this process I feel much more connected and a part of their life, even at a distance.

As I conclude, let me throw a caveat at the end of this discussion, these networking blogs and posts and such can be a tremendous asset and a lot of fun; however, (you would think that this would go without saying) these things should not be the main focus of your life. If our entire lives are centered on a computer and we live in a cyber space reality, we are delusional at best. Everything in life must come in moderation. Ecclesiastes chapter three teaches us of the importance of balance – “To everything there is a season.” These things should be secondary, and at the end of the day nonessential when it comes to your relationship with Christ, your spouse, your children, and your job (in that order). It is simply a tool that we can use to be a better influence, encouragement, to teach and to learn alike. May you use these tools to spread your influence, learn, teach and be a testimony in a world that desperately needs the Lord Jesus Christ.

So, those are just some of main reasons why I have started the “social networking” scene and why I think it is important for us all to do so. Thanks for reading! Please feel free to comment and share your thoughts.