Is the Message Clear?

When you hear your pastor speak on Sunday do you go away with a clear understanding of what you just heard? Do you see the passion in the reflections of the voice and do you see the word pictures that are trying to be drawn? Is the message clear and do you go away with something you feel like you can use to help you in your daily walk in life? If you answered no to any or all of these questions then we aren't doing what we should be doing as teachers and preachers of the Bible. The Bible is clear and is to be proclaimed with passion and sincerity (and with urgency, I might add).

Who among us knows when the last opportunity to hear the truth of a message will indeed be the last? Therefore it is critical that we don’t take for granted when we listen or when we speak, and especially that the messenger be in tune with the Lord when he speaks. There are many distractions when it comes to giving and receiving the message the pastor wants to give. I’m sure I have not always been crystal clear with the intent in a point I was trying to make. Then there is the fact that we have four or five hundred different people listening, and each brings their own set of circumstances to the table as they listen. Therefore, once again, the message must be made clear enough so that even a child can understand it.

I remember going to the Georgia Dome and hearing Billy Graham. Our daughters had been prepped to understand that we were going to hear a man whom many respected as one of the great teachers and pastors of our time. We sat high in the "crow’s nest" (so to speak) and heard Billy Graham speak on the subject of Zacchaeus climbing the sycamore tree to see Jesus. It was one of the most simple messages I had ever heard but he made it so intriguing. When the time came for the invitation and all who wanted to receive Christ were given the opportunity to come forward, they came by the thousands to the front. They stood there and he led them in a prayer for salvation and material was given to them and they were given church information etc. My daughter, who was about six years old at the time, turned to me and whispered in my ear during the quietest point of the invitation as people were coming from everywhere in that huge dome, "Daddy, I bet you wish that many people would come forward when you preach". It was humorous and we all laughed at the thought. But just think about what just happened. A simple message was delivered in the most understandable manner possible, and thousands responded to the call to salvation.

The truth is that we as pastors have the greatest opportunity – today like never before – to proclaim the message of hope and assurance to all who come to our churches. The listeners have to listen for the message and the preacher has to preach with sincerity that comes across to the listener as pure and passionate. Here is the message, and especially at this time of the year: Jesus came into this world as a baby in a stable setting, lived a perfect life for 33 years, was crucified, and died and rose again. He did this so that all who believe and put their trust in Christ will have salvation and live for Him and bring others to Him as well. That is the message, plain and simple: Jesus is the way to eternal life.

Extreme "Nation" Makeover

By now everyone has heard of the hit television show, Extreme Home Makeover. Whole communities work together to provide a new home for a family in need. It is amazing to watch the cast and crew of the show as they rally the town, the builders and each other, in order to complete the project within seven days. Then, when it's time to bring the family home, all those people get the chance to celebrate the accomplishment together. Even viewers feel they have a chance to participate in the celebration. It is an emotional and moving experience one feels right there in your living room.

Imagine what could possibly happen if a community of believers, called the church, or a nation that is going through a financial meltdown and trying desperately to recover, would come together somehow to change the world for the better. The church especially, since I am a pastor, has not always done it's part in the "makeover" that needs to take place. However, I for one want to get up from my comfortable couch to say I will help make a difference. I care for you personally just like the people who are helping build a home for a needy family. I want to help build a life on the foundations that will last for years and eternity. The foundation, our nation and we the people need, is a spiritual transformation. Remember when 9/11 happened, this nation united. Churches were filled for several Sundays like never before because we had experienced a crisis of unprecedented proportion and we were bound to come together and rise above the smoke and the rubble to become a better nation and a better people. It takes a spiritual makeover, though. I hear the pundits on news channels going at it from several different perspectives and they are really missing the boat. Until an inward transformation takes place, an outward one isn't going to happen.

A farmer asked his vet to come out to check on his favorite, but ailing, bull. After checking the bull's vital signs, the vet reached in his black bag and pulled out a rather large pill. He forced open the bull's mouth and crammed the pill down his gullet. Suddenly, the bull jumped up and took off like a banshee, jumping every fence in his way. The vet exclaimed, "Well, looks like your bull is healed!" The farmer replied, "Now give me one of those pills". "For what ever for? " asked the vet. The farmer exclaimed, "Now I have to catch him."

There is a lot of talk about "Change" from both candidates seeking the presidency and by the time election day comes they will have offered every family in America a lush lifestyle sitting on the beach and never working another day, a pie in the sky for everyone. The promises keep coming but I hope and pray that we understand an Extreme Nation Makeover and more importantly, an individual personal makeover only comes from one individual at a time, making a spiritual change through Jesus Christ and there is no other way to build your life.

Take your medicine as prescribed…

I was reading an article in the September issue of Reader's Digest and a study concluded that nearly 30 % of us stop taking our medicines before we should. Playing Doctor can be dangerous. The article is exactly right in that we need to follow our prescribed medicine plan. Unless it causes us a reaction negatively, we should follow the prescribed course.

When I look at this Biblically it is important that the Christian take their spiritual medicine appropriately. So what is the spiritual prescription God gives Christians? I am so glad you asked.

1. Seek Him with all your heart -- Matthew 6:33. Seeking His will, seeking to know Him intimately by having a love relationship with Him; that is Biblical.
2. Pray regularly -- 1 Thessalonians 5:17. The Bible actually says “Pray without ceasing.” I told a college age group I was speaking to recently that I had a real problem following through with praying without ceasing. One young lady said to me at the next meeting, “Pastor, see how I pray for you?” She had written my name on her sandal so every time she took her sandals on and off she would pray for me. What a wonderful idea! God knows I need all I can get, any way I can get it.
3. Fall in love with His Love letter to us, the Bible. The Bible is what we must stand firm on. A few things about the Bible. It is:

• Reliable
• Readable
• The authority for our Faith and Practice
• The inerrant Word of God, we have God’s Word to us in the Bible.
• It is corrective. Hebrews 4:12 It is good to read nice verses about love, joy and hope. But there is also correctiveness in the Bible.
• It is applicable to today’s Christian
• It is powerful
• It gets to the heart and soul of the matter and a person.

The Prescription: the Bible should be taken daily and followed accordingly. It should be trusted to heal the spiritual dilemma of mankind. A steady diet of the Bible will produce a Christ likeness that is what He wants.

Come and hear and listen to the Word of God taught from the pulpit ministry of Pastor, Dr. Lee Singley, each and every Sunday at 9:30 or 11 am. God Bless!

The Power of the Church

I am so proud of our President for his stand on religious freedom around the world. While in Beijing, China, President Bush attended worship services at a state sponsored Christian Church. Yes, it was a government registered church but it was a church of worshipping people. The children's choir sang Amazing Grace and an American President was there to participate. Several years ago had I even hinted at that this would be a possibility I believe we all would have said "not in this lifetime". However, it did happen and Amazing.

If that church has problems like we all do. I mean all churches have some type of problems. When you leave our church, that is not perfect, you can go down the street and there will be another church that is not perfect and it sure won't be if we join it, because we are people and people are not perfect. I wonder if that church has problems with space, the kind of space problems like where to put people. We have that problem. Since we are in a building program it causes people to get nervous and squeamish and not sure if they want to be a part of a big church. I have seen it happen for years in other churches when churches begin to expand. I wonder if that church has the right Pastor. Since it is a state sponsored church it may very well not have any say in the matter but if it did does everyone like the Pastor? I wonder if that church has the problem of constantly maintaining the buildings and cleaning the floors and making the essentials available for every child and teenager who comes in the door. I wonder if that church has the problem of gossip? Surely not in a church where there is no freedom of speech anyway they probably don't know what gossip is.

The plain truth of the matter, one in six people in America change churches every year. One in six! I have a feeling you can't do that in China. The church of America has been altered to a level of modernism and a lack of commitment. The church in China, the real churches that meet underground and are probably the most biblical founded, are just glad to be assembling together "as the manner of some is and so much more as you see the day approaching." Hebrews 10:25 We really have reduced the power of the church in America from "220" power capabilities to "110" power output. We are shopping around to find the best fit for our needs and the problem is the Bible never calls us to shop for a church to meet our needs but if we were faithful to serve in a unified spirit we would charge the gates of Hell and have demons shaking in their boots. Instead we struggle with tithing and "I can trust God with my soul but not my wallet". If everyone in the average church would tithe there is absolutely no telling what could be done to grow the Kingdom of God. We are playing games with church and the Rapture is on our heels. We are jumping around from here to there and trying to find a place to have needs met and the Great Commission is left undone and no one is fulfilling it.

The Power of the church is in the hands of the faithful followers of the Lord Jesus Christ who hold up the hands of their Pastor like Aaron and Hur held up the hands of Moses. Where there is unity and love within the body and these believers are doing all they can to reach people for Christ before it is too late. I have seen way too much already of people who call themselves committed and are not. I'm committed to my wife and that means I am staying with her til we die. I am committed to my church to the day we die and I will do all I can to reach people and if it means doing the thing that shakes some "Baptists" up like risk taking Faith so be it.

The problem as I see it is, we don't believe God. If we believed God there would be a sense of urgency, To all our endeavors. To have Power in a Church only comes one way but by "Prayer and Fasting". Matthew 17:21

Have You Ever Asked, "Why?"

Have you ever asked “Why”?

Of course you have. The words may not have come out of our mouths, but we have asked that question, as hard as it is to admit. “Why,” why did this or that happen? Why did my baby die so young? Why did I lose my job? Why are gas prices so high? Why doesn’t God do something about it? Why, why, why??

The 20th of September is a big day for our family. It is the day our little granddaughter came into this world. The “why” is, "Why did she have to come at 24 weeks and experience the difficulties she had to endure?" She never came home from the hospital. She was taken to Vanderbilt from Huntsville Hospital, which has a fine medical NICU, I would have you know. We were treated so wonderfully there and they deserve your support. We wanted her to live, but she didn’t. After nearly six months, she passed from this life into the very presence of God; whole and not hurting, and we will see her healthy for the first time when we get there ourselves.

Is it wrong to ask, “Why?” When John was in prison in John 4 he asked for messengers to go and ask Jesus if He was the One, or if should they look for another. Obviously, being in prison and Jesus experiencing His own problems with the Pharisees, John wanted some assurance. Basically, he was asking, “Why?” Why did Adam and Eve sin and send us on this downward-spiraling situation that seems hopeless at times?

Let me give you the good news -- I can’t stand the negative anymore:

• "He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world." (1 John 4:4, NKJV)
• "Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us." (Romans 8:37, NKJV)
• "I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me." (Galatians 2:20, NKJV)

When we celebrate the life of little “Tori” Wilhoit on Saturday, we will not be sad. I refuse to give into the thoughts of death and denial. We are looking for a better day and it is coming in the near future (John 14:1-6) He is coming, just keep looking up!

A little girl was missing from the presence of her parents, so they went upstairs and found her kneeling at her window with it opened and a suitcase packed full of clothes beside it. They were bewildered and they said to her, "Honey, what are you doing?" She said, "Well, I heard you talking about Jesus coming and that He is coming very, very soon so I wanted to be ready when He came." That is exactly how the believer must live. We may not have all the answers, but we know the One who does. We may have tough days now, but the Bible says, "Joy comes in the morning." There are going to be the tough times, but I'd rather be on His team when it looks like we are losing than to be on the devil's team knowing he is going to lose.

Is Faithful Involvement in Church that Big a Deal?

There are as one old preacher put it, speculators , spectators, agitators, gravitates but what the church needs is Faithfulness. Why go to church is one of the questions being asked by not just the people outside the church but many inside the church and especially young people. I could make this a short article with one smooth stroke of the pen and just give you the verse that answers the question and move on. Hebrews 10:25, "Forsake no the assembling of yourselves together as the manner of some is but so much more as you see the day approaching."

That could be faithfully interpreted that the local "ecclesia" the church is a meeting place for people of faith and that with the approaching return of Jesus for His bride we should be in the church faithfully worshipping , studying and praying more than ever before. I have some to understand that it is not as much a conviction as it used to be . The importance is gone. The seriousness with which the verse speaks of the return of Christ soon is not there. You know by now after reading some of my articles I enjoy humor and this subject reminds me of the little girl who had listened for what seemed like an eternity to her as the preacher was preaching and she turned to her mother and said, "if we give him our money now will he let us go". Church has become one of the things that is not high on the priority list of many believers. At least if you go out and ask people do you believe in Jesus and have you accepted Christ they would answer in the affirmative but when you ask them do they have a church where they regularly attend church that is a different story.

Is faithful involvement in church that Big a Deal? It is if you want to obey the Bible. It is if you want to do as the early church did and meet regularly to learn , study and worship. It is if you want to make friends with other believers. It is if you want to have spiritual needs prayed over and a place to unload the cares of this world. It is if you have a Pastor you can share your heart with and let them pray for you. It is if you want to teach your children the Bible and have them grow up learning the truth of the Bible and teach them how to live and make godly decisions. It is if you want to do what God says, "Forsake not the privilege to assemble together…."

Weighing In on Beliefs

I began a new series of messages at our church, called “Do We Really Know What We Believe?” The purpose of the study, in my mind, is to take the Scripture and dissect the verses and principles and let them dictate exactly what we believe. One of the reasons for this is that in our culture there is a prevailing attitude that what is right to one person is not necessarily correct for another person. “Cultural Relativism,” as it could be called, is permeating our society. It is even alive and well in the political arena. I am personally deeply concerned – not that someone agrees with me, but agrees with truth. Truth never changes. There are some candidates that are “pleading the Fifth” and choosing not to make a decision one way or the other on some issues. By not deciding, they have already declared their conviction.

When Jesus came to this world, His greatest threats were not to Him personally. He could move in and out of towns and never be caught until He was ready to reveal Himself as the Messiah. The problem then is still the problem today: people of the culture are hesitant to say what is absolute or not. After 9/11 there was a groundswell of faith, and believers came out of the woodwork. Now the culture, from music to television to celebrities and, sadly, some Christian organizations, has not lived up to truth and the world is once again saying, “Well, it may be right for you, but that’s not necessarily what’s right for me.” Sadly, Christian leaders have chosen immorality over Godliness, acceptability over Truth, and success over what is right. I am not at all suggesting that I am a sinless saint myself (that’s not what this article on Beliefs is about). However, there are core values and beliefs that drive our actions. My core values and beliefs do not drive me to call myself right if God’s Word says something is sin.

The recent hoopla over movie stars and their “misfortunes” is quite harmful to the younger culture. They see a slap on the wrist for a young celebrity and can’t rationalize how the celebrity can get off so easily, yet they themselves must pay a more severe penalty for the same or lesser offense. They don’t see the cultural relevance behind the scenes. Money, fame, and prosperity are not bad, but not believing in Truth is. Being popular or not doesn’t make the person. Someone has well said, “Character is what is done when no one is watching.”

I understand the article today and the blogs on my church web site are not always popular. I really want to be accepted as much as anyone, but I don’t want to sacrifice Truth on the altar of acceptability. When situations are evaluated correctly, there can be fun had by all. I’d venture to say that more fun is to be had when right choices are made. Think about it… What do you Believe?

Kicking Off the Summer

Welcome to the official start of summer with the arrival of the month of June! Be safe, be witnessing, and be here – some great days are definitively on the horizon. Not only have people moved into our area (within a two- to three-mile radius of our church), but other churches have gone through major building and remodeling of their buildings, as well. I am not including ours in that mix yet, but hopefully soon, and in the Lord’s timing we will see “Building By Faith” off and moving! The Building Committee is still at work. May I also report to you that soil samples have been taken, the preschool building is getting a thorough remodeling, and every inch of property is being used.

Vacation Bible School is the single most effective tool of Evangelism, still today. Join every way you can in helping to make a difference in the lives of boys and girls. Unfortunately, sometimes we shoot for numbers of salvations, when the numbers we impact are far greater, and when the seed is planted, God gives the increase. The dates are June 9-13, from 9:00 AM – noon. See Chad Ortner or Beth Griggs to help make a difference and have some fun while you’re at it.

Madison Baptist Association News: Many in our church probably are not aware that I serve as Chairman of the Personnel Committee of the Madison Baptist Association. With that position I am a part of the leadership team that looks into matters as tasked by the Association. I enjoy serving and helping any way I can, and all of you, our members, know your pastor to be very conservative. Unfortunately, our committee made a recommendation and I made a motion to “clarify and enhance” an already established practice within our Association. Some people on the outside looking in only got half the picture so, I was labeled… I made a motion to add that the “Senior or acting Senior Pastor” should only be a man. Some interpreted we were condoning that ladies in other positions could be ordained pastors, just that ladies could not be ordained Senior Pastors. This is far from the truth!

Whether you realize it or not, we have six churches in the Association with ordained female pastors serving in some capacity. I have never, in 30 years, had a lady ordained in any role of pastor in a church I have led or served in. Not even ladies serving as Deacons, and we have churches in our Association which practice this as well. Our intent was not to make it permissible for ladies to be ordained, but to clarify, as we were asked to do by the Executive Committee. It was going to happen eventually; that a church in our Association would call a female “Senior Pastor.” (Ephesians 4:11-16) The word we added to protect, by the way, was the very word that was used to cause a variety of interpretations.

To our church family and those who have heard people “talk” outside the church (which is called “gossip” in the Bible), this is a good lesson in Biblical reconciliation: go to the person you have a problem with, or maybe heard something about, before making too many comments. Feathers are hard to pick up after a wind storm. I must add one comment: this is not negative toward ladies serving in churches - God forbid! Were it not for some of you ladies being leaders in most churches, there would not be much accomplished that the entire church receives credit for. But it is specific in Scripture that the office of Pastor is for a God fearing, humbled man of God who understands, in my opinion, that it is only by the grace of God he is what he is, anyway.

June 1st in the 11:00 AM service, our students will be moving back to the sanctuary on a regular basis! If you have enjoyed being at the 9:30 service, June 1 would be a good time to consider doing so again if you’d like, as to even out the attendance in both.

Regarding last weekend's yard sale, thanks for all who have helped to raise funds to move our current office building to another location on our property. We appreciate you serving so well. The unofficial results of our garage sale to relocate the church offices are continuing to come in. I say “continuing,” because a van and a camper are still on the auction block. As of today we have approximately $4,000, without the two large items.

Finally, thank you for your patience, your prayers, and your service in my absence while in the hospital. I am not completely well and further tests are needed, but I am better than I was. I was severely dehydrated and still have stomach nausea, so pray for us daily.

What does a Christian home look like?

A Christian Home is important. A Christian home can be a single-parent Christian home. It can be a home where Mom and Dad are both facilitating the growth and maturity of their children. The Christian home today has many challenges, however. The culture alone causes the homes of our country function unlike any home of 25 or 30 years ago. Every culture comes along with its new challenges. I'm sure that the homes of 25 or 30 years ago were like nothing the 1920’s and 1930’s families had ever seen.

The fact is, either our homes change our world, or the world changes our homes.

The wonderful news is there is always hope. The bad news is Satan never stops trying to do whatever he can to destroy the Christian Home. Then there are homes where the name of Christ is mentioned infrequently if at all. I remember an old saying that really does work. “A family that prays together stays together”. “A family that worships together is more likely to stay together.” “A family that reads the Bible stays together.” The homes of our city and county are worth more value than we see being placed on them.

One of the problems is that we parents today are either not getting our children trained or we are simply failing to step up to the plate and take responsibility for our roles as parents. I realize there are times children can become unruly even children from God fearing homes and you may want to pull your hair out but there is no quit in parenting. One tired mother opened the front door to her home to find a young minister from the neighborhood who said, “I’m collecting donations for the new children’s home we’re building. I hope you will give what you can.”. “To be sure “ said the beleaguered woman, “I’ll give you two boys, two girls or one of each”. While that may be a little humorous it is not far from the truth. Children every day are abandoned, abused and neglected.

I remember in college hearing a speaker make a statement I found hard to believe at the time. It was during the cold war and he said the communist had a motto, “Give me a child until he is one to five years of age and he will be a communist the rest of his or her life." If the communists can have that much effect on a child’s life, I know a Godly mom and dad and the power of the life-changing Christ can change the hearts of children to want to know Christ. I find it true more and more. The children that are in Sunday School, Church, Sunday night choir, Wednesday activities at the church are the ones who come earlier than others realizing they need to accept Christ as their Savior.

What does a Christian Home look like? One that honors God and loves him with all their heart, soul and spirit.

It's Been a While!

It sure has been a while since we last spoke, or I blogged and you read my writings, “Oh you know what I mean”. It seems like forever ago. I sat down in my office at my computer and I have some time that I haven’t had in about six months. It really seems weird or different somehow because it feels like I’ve been on a trip and have just returned. It feels like I went to sleep and woke up and now I’m back in reality. It really feels strange. I love my daughter Melissa and our son in law Josh so much . They are the ones that must feel like they have been in a cave somewhere and all of a sudden walked out and here we are again. Savannah our granddaughter… what can I say about her? She is super fantastic in every way, what a blessing to have her in our lives. I just like to look at her and stare; watch her every movement and then just enjoy her affection to “Pap Paw.” She can have anything she wants!!! (Right now, anyway!)

When I wake up from this last six months I am thankful for my wonderful church family. No one has been as gracious as you have. Some of you have done nothing, you thought, but by just being there you have helped us cope. Some people don’t understand if they are not here on Sunday I actually do miss them . I physically look in every way I can to find out why they were not here. Sadly, when I look at pictures some people are not here any longer and that makes me hurt on the inside. They are loved, you are loved but maybe something has gotten in the way. It’s been a while but I will be checking and trying to locate out missing persons in our fellowship. Our teachers are and should be doing that, our Deacons are and should be doing that. Our staff is, and should be doing that. And I know I have to delegate but I miss some of our people and when you love your church it is difficult to see one missing. I know what is happening, someone says, “It’s been so long. My presence doesn’t matter”. It matters for my benefit and yours. You get blessed by the word and music and I get blessed by having the opportunity to minister to you and see you and hug you and let you know you are special. Just because you are you.

Wow! Time flies. The Scripture has it right: it moves fast James 4:14. I was talking with someone the other day and they said they would be 50 this year and I thought, “I’m 50 and will be 51 in July.” Wow! Now I know some of you don’t believe that because I don’t look it…..Careful, I can see and hear you in there. Yet I don’t feel 50 or 51 for that matter. I feel like I am about 40 or about to turn 40. So it must be true the new 50 is the old 40. I look in the mirror though and things change. I say to myself, “You’re 50”. I told Karen and you may have heard me say it, I want to totally enjoy the next 20 years until that age that everyone talks about even the Bible talks about: 70. I pray I get there if the Upper-Taker doesn’t come first but I hope I make it as far as God want s to use me for Him. I want to be found faithful until He says your time is up. Did you hear about the lady in a boat, the other day cruising on the water and all of a sudden a stingray jumped out of the water and hit her and killed her instantly upon the force of impact? That might happen one in a billion times. Yet it obviously was her time to leave this world.

Enjoy today! Let God’s promise of I will never leave you or forsake you be your fuel that keeps you going. He is faithful and He will be a faithful companion all the way til the “stingray” comes or whatever it is He is faithful. It is only that I know what I know that has sustained me through such great hours of pain, anger, disappointment, disillusionment, tears, why, and all the other. Life is very short. For our precious Victoria Leigh Wilhoit it was less than six months, who knows how long it will be for you or me or a special friend or a loved one or the next person you meet? I was driving down the road the other day and a man’s picture advertising his business is located on a bill board. Several days earlier I recognized him as the man on the billboard but this time hi picture was in the obituary. His picture is still up on the billboard but he isn’t here. I talk a good talk about this enjoying every moment and being happy but I must admit it is hard at times still. I haven’t arrived I guess is what I am saying. But I do know the answer and in fact my devotional thought I was reading this morning was exactly what I am dealing with. It talked about to find contentment is to find Intimacy with God. I can fight against trusting Him by self sufficiency, anger, fear or what ever it might be but the bottom line is we need intimacy with God and the more I love Him and the more I place my trust in Him the more I am able to heal.

It’s been a while, but hopefully I’m back to writing, sharing, and encouraging you (and me!) along the way. God Bless and have a great day!