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.