MARK McGWIRE...I THOUGHT I'D ASK

You know me. I'm always up for taking the long-shot. Mark McGwire is the former St. Louis Cardinal homerun king who has received much negative publicity over substance abuse questioning on Capitol Hill. I like him. I feel sad at the news clips shown as they usually emphasize the worst. From my piddly experience I've seen enough misrepresention toward me, we have no idea how much it goes on with the celebs. And, I wonder how many stick with him....innocent or guilty.

Therefore, he and I exchange emails three or four times a year. I encourage him and sometimes he responds with a "Thank you" paragraph or three. Sometimes, there is no response and I am sure he appreciated my cheering on anyway.

This week I invited him to play golf in Memorial's golf scramble in April with Shawn Mayes, Ralph Gray, and me. Weirder stuff has happened. So, I gave it a shot. He turned me down. It's his wedding anniversary. How was I to know?

I tell you this to keep urging you along in knocking at all kinds of doors. On occasion they open and then it gets really exciting!

Have an exciting weekend!

BE YOURSELF

Strange isn't it? A call to be yourself? Who else would one be? The answer might surprise you. Due to a great lack of confidence in Jesus, I know of many (including myself at one point) who estimate they are not good enough to serve the way they are. Traps, then, are set at many turns. We try to mimic some or imitate others. Worse, we find ourselves as human puppets dancing to a stronger personality's assorted whims. I've bounced around in both camps. This isn't God's design.

No one you can imitate does perfect work. Only Jesus. No one who wishes to dominate has superior gifts. Only the Spirit hands those out. Therefore, stop the insanity of trying to be someone you are not. You and the Spirit are enough.

One of my great friends is Marvin Phillips. He is a strong-willed personality. From the time we began working closely 30 years ago, I determined that as truly great as this man was I would not buckle to any pressures to think like him or to minister like him. He wouldn't have wanted it to be any differently, but my insecurity could easily have let such be the case. I did try to preach like him, but couldn't. No one can because he's Marvin; I'm not.

While he's an amazing icon, he's also very much a flawed man. He'd confirm such. Now I use Marvin's name as he's quite well known. Any other name can be used. Any. Your name could be inserted by others who feel they are not enough and if they could just be like you, life would take a bow.

Jesus is the one. Don't gum up your ministry with infatuation of another servant. We are all a mess except for the graceful flow of the Spirit of Christ. Trust God's opinion; you are enough. And such confidence we have through Christ toward God. Not that we are adequate in ourselves to consider anything coming from ourselves, but our adequacy is from God (II Cor. 3:4-5).

PESKY LITTLE DAY RUINERS

Back in my earlier days when we had no air conditioning in the summer and used wood or coal stoves for heat during the winter blusters, my grandpa had a grocery store. It was oblong; maybe 30' x 90'. The 8' meat display case was toward the back. A 5' circular butcher block was the focus of many a chicken being dissected at my junior and senior-high hands. Flies were a problem in the summer so we used Fly Ribbon; a tube about the size of a roll of pennies and when unfurled became a two foot yellow sticky ribbon hanging from the ceiling. Flies would draw to the ribbon and become forever stuck. Flies hanging above the meat? Gross today....a way of life back then.

What do you do with those little pests which keep landing on your ears. You swat at them and they land nearby; only to attack from another angle. I'm not referring to flies; but to injurious words which are abruptly served with intent to ruin our day. What do you do with comments good for nothing but stalling your efforts. You know how they linger. You rehearse some of them. You memorize some of them. You can envision the facial expression as they were fired your direction.

What do we do with these pesky little day ruiners? We hang "word ribbon" from the ceiling and snag the little critters. We keep them from landing on our ears and entering our hearts. We will disregard them as they come from dark forces. We will focus on the excellent, the lovely, the worthy of praise (Phil. 4:8), but not on statements intended to shut us down.

When Paul wrote, ...taking up the shield of faith with which you will be able to extinguish all the flaming missiles of the evil one...he was including torturous words hurled like grenades in effort to take us soldiers out. Lift your shield. Hang your "bad-word" ribbon. Stop the incoming pests. Refuse to provide them storehouse. They don't belong to you. Don't accumulate them with interest. Hang the ribbon to snare the day ruiners. You do not have to accept delivery. You didn't order them.

You are not the word-ribbon so quit your practice of letting ill-spoken, unfaithful words stick to your eardrums. They are intended only to ruin your day. We are the ones responsible to throw up our ribbon in defense of these pesky incoming missiles. Brighten up. Lighten up. Silly and belittling talk doesn't have to be taken in.

Praise God! Praise your colleagues! Praise your moment! The word-ribbons are flying. The pesky little day ruiners shall not get their chance at delaying our walk into wonder!

WHERE'S ABRAHAM LINCOLN WHEN YOU NEED HIM?

Former St. Louis Cardinal outfielder, Curt Flood, was my childhood hero and later became my dear friend. Curt knew all too well the rigors of post-slavery in America. He lived in it. I give you only one example. When the team would report to Spring Training in Florida, the white men would stay in the luxury hotel and the black men would be put on a bus, driven out of to the edge of town, and put up in a funeral home. They would sleep among the corpses. The ingredient that bonded Curt and me was our hunger to see slavery, and it's aftermath, eradicated.

Now how does a middle-class white boy have any earthly idea about slavery? I see it in the church. I see the truth of Paul's sentence: The law kills, but the Spirit gives life. Man-made laws imposed upon the divine construction of the church of Jesus will kill the people. It is killing them now. Church houses are full of prisoners held without bars. Members are afraid. They fear they might make the wrong move, believe the wrong thing, and/or speak the wrong way. This explains why, for so many in the church, so little movement, lack of Bible study to grow/change, and piddly efforts to share the great news with neighbors takes place. There is enormous fear of getting it wrong. Their spirits are held captive. Sadly, these inmates defend with enormous tenacity their restrictive style and their code-talk.

The slave master, Fear, reframes his wording so the prisoners will not feel so blatant about their stark demise. He doesn't point out they are afraid. He leads them to simply, reasonably be safe. Just to be safe is the principle of a cooperative and surrendered prisoner. A well-known church leader advised me years ago, Terry, don't live in the extremes where men can shoot at you. You need to stay in the middle of the road, and more of the brotherhood will be more comfortable with your ministry. Sorry Charlie. Jesus on the cross simply is not the middle of the road. He is extreme. Take a look at his exposed, multi-lashed, deeply ripped back and talk to me about the middle of the road. Tell us again about playing it safe.

The number of people once in the church and now gone due to being killed by the law is extreme. The number of people bailing on us for other brands of churches due to the discouraging leadership of fear is extreme. The need to wade out into the zones of captivity and bring our people back is extreme.

We have work to do. We have people to rescue. We have slaves to free. We are on a mission. I join the rest of you who are doing a mighty work in setting the captives free!

"THE SECRET"

Readership is abuzz regarding the new book and its correlating video, The Secret. I really like it. Of course, just like some tenets of today's Christianity, there are those parts which fail to resonate with my preferences. Yet, the book leads us to available power for all to grasp.

The Secret contains similar jargon as what I first began to hear back in the late 70's when Paul Harvey, Zig Ziglar, Norman Vincent Peale and others traipsed the country speaking at the popular Positive Thinking Rallies. Yet, this book has a slight but significant twist. While it surely includes positive thinking, it really calls one to the next level which is creative thinking.

I've always heard we use only about 2% of our brain (The Secret says 5%). This study has awakened me to wonder what is it God intended of the other 98%? Surely it must have been for something useful. I feel certain that creative thinking fits into a significant portion of the unused per centage.

God is creative through the channel of speaking. We are created in His (Their) image. I look forward to growing in the realm of creative thinking.

THE DIRECTION OF THE TULSA WORKSHOP

Being one of the two who plots the speaker/class topic format for the workshop, I am often hit with the question, "When will Tulsa get back to soul winning?" To be frank, such a question is insulting. It never left soul winning. It left narrowness. It left shallowness. It left politics. It left fear. It left hollow worship. It left brethren who tried to control with their threats and pressures. But, it never left soul winning.

Let's take a look at last year. The unity venue with the Christian Church and the Churches of Christ was considered by the critics as non-soul winning. It was Jesus who said we are to be perfected in unity that the world may believe. However, as I listen to some they evidently don't believe unity has a thing to do with soul winning. Yet, it is at the very core.

Soul winning doesn't just take place at a kitchen table and then in a baptistery. It takes place at an A Cappella concert. It takes place in placing an order for a noon meal and respectfully honoring the waitress. Soul winning occurs in a kind note to a workshop speaker. Soul winning occurs when one assists a stranded motorist with a flat tire. Soul winning occurs when we find ways to get along, abandoning the appetite for divisiveness. Soul winning occurs when one sets up a booth at the workshop. Soul winning occurs when we use polite voices to reorder a part which has been sent wrong three times in a row.

Soul winning is not an event. It is a lifestyle. Every year the workshop is about soul winning. When will we get back to it? It's tough to get back to something we never left. Those who left soul winning to criticize should read a page out of their own log and return to soul winning.

Take a look at this year's program.... www.tulsaworkshop.org .....another soul winning effort.

ELDERS AND THE ISAIAH FACTOR

A question could be asked as to what makes elders tick? A better question is what makes elders click? Why do some click in with God's system and others are humanistic bullies in full charge. Factors vary as do personalities, backgrounds, careers, etc. Yet, one important item is a wonderful blessing to any congregation who happens to have elders living by the Isaiah Factor of "Woe is me. I am ruined." Too many elders are not ruined. They are self-indulgent, defensive, and often arrogant with assumption that they have arrived and are untouchable regarding opinion and perspective. They feel they are exempt from "Lording it over" as the flock is too sickly to decide/think for themselves. What leadership has kept them so sickly?

My latest decade and a half at Memorial has been blessed due to the Isaiah Factor within our shepherds. Don't mistake; these guys are not push-overs. The difference is they deal with every sore congregational spot with passion, compassion, sympathy and empathy. I marvel at their consistency how they treat flock issues with full awareness of their own exposed sores and knots. How is it they are like this? It seems each leads a consistent life of personally believing they are ruined if it not for the literal and cleansing love of God.

Such an approach is refreshing, accurate, and then more refreshing. This gives the flock room to grow. It gives us room to try without fear of being shelled with their criticism. They aren't scared to let us be mistaken. They figure if God can rekindle their hearts, He can ours. I encourage every elder to take a good look at the Isaiah Factor. Being ruined is not a bad thing. It is most valuable to a ruined flock.

Having said that, the final point I wish to make is the same applies to preachers. We have not and will never arrive. We won't escape the ruined state; no matter how hard we try. Ruined in His sight is a good thing for at that point He can find Himself free to make of us whatever He would like. Isaiah was suddenly volunteering for God's mission. Until ruined, we---preachers and elders---are found to be resistant. Once ruination is admitted, we are full of gratitude to be used and full of mercy toward the colleague who botches the work 70 x 7.

IN OVER YOUR HEAD?

More and more I run into Christians who are involved in God's work well over their heads. I say, "Hooray!" I love it that He is so big and we are so small and both are so inter-involved in the kingdom work that we often feel clueless, foolish, and even disoriented. It's about time we were involved in God-sized projects and events. I love to encounter members who are simply trying to serve in some small way and God breaks in or out....or both! I'm so happy we are willing to launch into zones too deep for our meager measurement. I love it that we feel overwhelmed. And, I do very much of the time.

So many wish they had one day of wow and I have so many. Others would love to be astonished by God's involvement so don't sweat it when He delivers more produce than you ordered! I never....NEVER.....believe I am gaining momentum and I am delighted at just the awareness of this truth. I am never more than in kindergarten with God. I'm losing ground. God is too big and the longer I'm around the bigger He becomes to my heart eyes. Compared to Him my vision is blurred and my doctrine is dwarfed, my goals are silly and my faith muscles turn to jelly.

I shall not complain. I love being overwhelmed! How many prisoners wish they could have one good day of overwhelmedness? Some day when I'm in a nursing home and can no longer sit up to ride in a car (let alone drive) I will so yearn for the good old days when I had so much to do I couldn't keep up. I love right now. I love today. It's not a psyche-up with me. It's a way of life.

Jesus said he came that we might have life and have it abundantly. I take that "abundantly" to mean we can expect days when we are in over our heads! Celebrate being you....I'll join you!

TULSA WORKSHOP....WHY IT STAYS ALIVE

Who could know, due to His immeasurable grace, why the Tulsa Soul Winning Workshop remains on the cutting edge. Before I give one reason for it's endurance, it would be proper to admit I have made many repeated enormous mistakes. I've invited both liberal leaning and conservative standing speakers who have bombed. I've personally spoken with an attitude which did not come from the Spirit of Jesus; but rather from the divisive emotions of a faithless human. If one ever says they wouldn't walk across the street to hear me preach, I don't blame them.

There is one trait I am grateful to note. Tulsa has been strong to love the vast array of brotherhood characteristics without bowing to its politics. Garnett never succumbed to pressing threats and neither did Memorial. Both sets of elders have bent over backwards to be accommodating, but they would not yield to complaint if they concluded such did not align with the sacred Word. Thousands have been ultra gracious over the years to discard our glaring mistakes and treat us with love and respect.

God has blessed the workshop. Those of us who get to lead out with it never take it for granted. We get constant feedback. Positive letters and calls flow throughout each year. We also evaluate each complaint, weigh the issue, and respond according to what we believe God wants from us at the moment. Our elders take such a ministry quite seriously. While we are sensitive to people, we truly work at gauging where God has us at the moment and where He'd wish to take us.

I've been chastised strongly nearly every year by some attendees because of some facet a few didn't like. Whether it pains our hearts and whether the concern was delivered with love, we weigh all of the thoughts expressed. Some we regard. Others we find we need to let go and move forward. We do our best to make decisions from the basis of faith and not from fear.

So, thank you....all of you....for your kind support all these years. It is not an easy task....but it surely is a privileged one. We have one thing in mind: we want the name of Jesus extended to every soul on earth. Forgive me for those many times I failed to design the best venue for such a goal. I am just like the brotherhood: good at a couple of things and lousy at about 25 (or should that be 225?). We believe we each pool our "couple of things" and the result is the "Body" of Christ. Thank you for holding on to us when you deserved better. Together we will keep growing upward!

The Tulsa International Soul Winning Workshop is still one of the most exciting brotherhood reunions on earth and it just keeps getting better. I hope to see you in Tulsa March 22-24!

WHEN TO STAND AND WHEN TO BE STILL

There is no cookie cutter way to know when one should boldly stand up for an issue. Often silence is effective just as it was on occasion with Jesus. Silence is a way of speaking into existence our trust that God will work in any sticky situation.

My advice to young leaders regarding when to take a stand would be two considerations:

• NEVER TAKE A STAND TO DEFEND YOURSELF. You have been called to die from your cross every day. He's not kidding. You'll find yourself pummelled with insult and intentional injury. The question is not whether you will die....if you are in it for His reasons, you will die. Count on it. I Peter 2:21-25 lays out our position. No personal defense coupled with assurance in God. I Peter 4:12 pleads with us to believe the fiery ordeal among us is to be of no surprise. Don't flinch. Don't defend. God will take care of you. Jesus never defended himself to spare himself stress. His ministry was never about him and ours isn't about us...which leads to the second consideration.

• STAND UP WHEN YOU SEE THE CHURCH PROCESS IS KILLING THE SPIRITS OF OTHERS. The Word say the law will kill and the Spirit will give life. Law-murder is awful. It's vicious and it's mean. The sheep are in their greatest danger when the law-dispenser comes upon the scene. Our cities are filled with former members who have since distanced themselves from the church Jesus is building. They've been devoured by law-wolves. It is in this arena we must protect the sheep. While there can be seeming peace if the church abides under the rules of the law-keepers, there will not be life. Life is the sphere Jesus insisted was his purpose to give.

Never fight to save your own skin. Do die on the battlefield so others can experience freedom in Christ. Martin Luther King and his cohorts were not the last of the freedom marchers. I'm involved in one every day...and so are you. God's people are subjects of potential slavery. We must risk our own careers and ministries to see they get the freedom God dreamed of giving!

I VISITED GARNETT

Wade Hodges and I swap pulpits each March as we build workshop steam. Yesterday was it. I love being with Garnett. They have been such an inspiring congregation over the years. The thing I like most about them is they are not angels living three feet above ground. They are normal! They praise, they cry, and sometimes they are like the rest of us...they squabble. Nonethless, in their "realness" they are so awesome.

Garnett has been through a few rough spots over the years, but they are back and on track. I see great things continuing to come from this place. Wade is for real. I really like him and believe in him. Greg Taylor is phenomenal. He is a great part of the Garnett glue. And my friend Shawn Mayes is to be saluted for his time spent leading their praise team when his heart is over here with Memorial.....he is "ours!" I loved yesterday! I believe Garnett is being blessed by the Holy Spirit.

You have an assignment, dear reader. Let's be a cloud of witnesses to the faith we share with and in Garnett. Garnett has meant much to many of us. Share today what you would like Garnett to hear: words which you cheer them on.

Finish the sentence: Wade, Greg, Shawn, and church, we believe in you today because......

EVERYTHING WILL BE ALL RIGHT

People fret. When things aren't going well, worry can dominate. When things are going well, concern whispers as to what might go wrong. I was raised to be a great worrier. Involved in this development was an innate need to control. If I could control circumstances and people, I wouldn't need to fret over as much. Yet, being in control of an entire community can be a rigorous responsibility for a third grader.

Through the nature of Jesus, I've learned to let go and relax. It's been a major awakening in my life. Psalm 46:10, Be still and know I am God means let go and relax. Some of the stern characteristics of the church in my earlier days provided many things; but nothing came close to training to letting go and relaxing. Few were chosen and, in listening to others, it was doubtful the few would be as many as God had hoped.

Things go wrong up to and into death. Such is a process of living. Quit worrying. He said it...not me. Everything will work out all right...He said it...not me. Relaxing is a signal to Him we trust Him. I love Romans 9:16. It isn't up to man to arrange and coerce things into being. Nor is it up to man to run the show. It's up to God. He said it...not me.

Yesterday I paid $2.39 for a gallon of gasoline. We keep going 10 cents forward and 2 cents back. How can I complain? Most in this world have never ridden in a car!

I have many directions tugging at my mind right now because we have the workshop coming up....plus this week I've worked on '08s and slightly on '09s. Next year the fairgrounds is tearing down three (three out of the six) of our classroom facilities: the Exchange Center, the Trade Center, and the Cafeteria. What am I going to do?

Ah, that's really easy. I going to see what God is going to do. It's not up to me to make this work. He'll figure it and will lead me to conversations and ideas which....WILL WORK JUST RIGHT. Wait and see. It's a done deal.

I know you have stresses. I don't deny it. A stress you don't need and He doesn't want you to possess is fret, worry, and concern. He's got everything under control. And yes, there will be boo-boos and upsets along the way. And what will we do with that? We will go to school and learn from God how He would lead us to rework the puzzle.

CHURCH GROWTH ADVICE

What's the one thing you believe is really needed at your congregation? For me, it's the same thing we needed when I moved here and the need never fades. New people keep coming our way. We need 100% of our people to speak to 100% of our people and the guests. We've improved greatly, but we lack 100% participation.

I've never seen such an easy method be so avoided by so many. Jesus calls us to do more than greet our brothers only. We are so far off some can't even greet all of our brothers. How many times do members and visitors look at one of us only to see our eyes dart away instantly to avoid saying, "Hello"? This plagues every congregation. Yes, we all have the outgoing ones....thank you God. However, we have so many who are self-centered and will not risk making a guest feel cordially welcomed. We have paraded our big five doctrines, but still can't get some who have been in the church for forty years to greet anyone but their six friends.

I believe offering friendly greetings to strangers is a call from Him and it's always encouraging to be greeted warmly by everyone. What do you think is needed most where you serve (And, I don't want to hear from the Memorial readers we need a new preacher. That would ruin my point....I think.)?

We all have various gifts....and we can all say, "Hello" to a our visitors.

BENCHMARK BREAKTHROUGH

I enjoyed many seasons mixed with improvement and disappointment at Memorial lo these many years. There have been several benchmark moments. One of the more valued moves was a decision the elders made several years back. I think Jerry and Bob and Harriel and Darrel were the shepherds at the time. The congregation had lived in seemingly perpetual turmoil....decades worth. One hassle after another annoying frustration way simply a way of life at the Memorial Drive Church of Christ.

These four guys declared war on unimportant talk. They flat shut out the various avenues for the malcontents to voice their latest disapproval. Before someone raises the "what about the legitimate concerns" issue, let me just say all of our elders have been available for such....always. Yet, much of what was regarded as legitimate concern was nothing more than whiny, shallow, gum-flapping about stuff which didn't matter. All of it served to keep the herd uneasy. The elders stopped it. The naysayers basically didn't have anyone with whom they could share urgent complaint.

Guess what happened. Complaints quit and endless division withered. The flock got healthier and happier and the church family began to launch out into prosperous work all around. I've never seen such a happy church...of any brand. There are many wonderful reasons Memorial looks the way it does today and has the personality it does today. For sure four men who shepherded this flock years ago with gutsy bravery pioneered a wonderful trail of peace and life.

We still owe them for the junk they endured to release us from the captivity of empty chatter! These guys really did take up their cross. They paid the price.

It was a Benchmark Breakthrough!

OPEN TO THE SPIRIT'S LEADING

Yesterday I was scanning my address book in order to send a note to a friend. As I perused the list I came across the name of a gradeschool/highschool classmate I haven't seen in 20 years. She lived in an apartment upstairs in our house. There has been no contact since about 1985. No stresses, understand, simply a matter of everyone living in different directions. Right then I decided I was giving her a call.

As always, Kathy was delightfully sweet and cordial at the sound of my voice. I asked her how she was doing. Without hesitation she replied, My life is very empty right now, Terry. Very empty. We talked a lot. She wanted to know if I am still preaching. Then she asked if I had any ideas about a daily Bible reading. She felt if she could read something every day instead of "just on Sundays" it might strengthen her. Amazing!

I asked if she had a copy of My Utmost for His Highest by Oswald Chambers. She'd not heard of it. I told her I'd look over my collection and would be sending something her way. Her final remarks were, Terry, you don't know how God knew I needed this call today.

I have a book bin of free books sent my way from some publishers. Perched on the very top of the stack was......My Utmost for His Highest by Oswald Chambers. I sent it along with my Empowering the Ordinary and God Will Make A Way books.

While I didn't ever find the address I was trying to find, I did hit upon a wonderful kingdom moment. God's leadership is so much more productive!

WHAT A FEELING!

I saw an old movie yesterday. It reminded me of some work we did 20 years ago. Jackie Gleason was one of the actors. In 1987 he was interviewed on 60 Minutes and wept as he repeatedly expressed all he wanted in life was to know God; that he did not want to die and go to hell. He cried on tv and my tears streamed while watching him.

I asked Memorial to pray for Jackie Gleason and two days later an article came out in the Tulsa World stating Gleason was hospitalized and then the strangest thing.....it gave the hospital name, address and zip. I wrote Mr. Gleason a letter expressing my ideas about knowing Jesus and sent him one of my books.....registered mail. In a few days the signed green card returned. Ten days later he died.

Three weeks later I received this letter, Dear Mr. Rush. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you for your love, for your concern, and your book. Thank you for what you did for our man. The family of Jackie Gleason.

I never knew what we did for their man. I have always believed God clearly orchestrated a most amazing scenario for one bold enough to publically confess he was desperate for God. You cannot imagine the feeling which rushes through me when I see this man's films on television. I cannot imagine what it will be like to be greeted by him one day when all the "dust" is settled!

HOW DO WE HANDLE CHANGE?

Change is a serious six letter word; especially within the context of the church Jesus leads. Why is it a problem and how can we faithfully maneuver through it's bewildering maze?

1. Change is a characteristic of the Holy Spirit....Jn. 3:8. The person filled with the Holy Spirit will change like the wind changes.
2. Unchange is a defining mark of fear. Some want to know how things will go and when they'll come about. Surely one can see from scripture God is neither definable nor predictable. To believe it of God, and yet fear it, leaves a mind full of contradiction.
3. Learn to let go of the C-word....Control. II Cor. 5:14...the love of Christ controls us....yet some try to control the love of Christ.
4. Be free to accept the truth that one can trust the Word of God. Change is always healthy when its anchor is Christ and its authorization is the empowering Word. Not all change is of God. It can be man's invention. Equally not all change is man's invention. It can be the leadership of the Spirit of Christ. The church of Christ has taken on many facets as doctrine which came from man's handiwork. Just one example is multiple elderships in one city. The New Testament always has one eldership over an entire city. I'm not believing we are going to ever change this one, but it explains why division among us is so rampant as we failed to base our moves upon the Word.
5. Be honest. Which is it you believe because of the Word and which is it because of your emotion? This is a rugged test for each. Some just don't like change of any sort. This must be discarded along with the enormous fear that rides in the back seat of it. We are to grow. We are to mature. We are to increase. We are to change. Parts may be slow and others rapid; yet each should be different and new day by day.

Finally, change is not a dirty six-letter word. It is not a villain. It is a call from Jesus, the leadership style of the Holy Spirit, and a characteristic required by God.

RIGHT DOCTRINE. WRONG HEART. LOST

I had lunch with new preacher friend this week. I thought we were getting together to build stronger ties. Instead, it was a time of stern debate over the instrumental music question among our tribe. Each shared strong convictions. He stabbed my heart and I insulted his. It could be regarded as a bad day at the rock. I choose to believe that eventhough the meeting was not what I thought, it will be used to build stronger ties.

I feel strange about this subject. I am at an a cappella church and so love such a preference. I'm for letting those who want to do otherwise follow their convictions. Yet, I am treated for approving of the others as if I use the instruments in my worship zone.

Now here's the purpose of this article. We must not let anything pressure us into developing hatred for anyone. I love this new friend....really. I think he's wrong; not sorta wrong or kinda wrong. I think he's wrong about his position. He thinks I'm wrong. He forcefully explained why. If either of us chooses to allow hatred and bitterness to enter our spirits due to this disagreement, I guarantee you THAT IS WRONG.

Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. This passage should shake the Churches of Christ. If we parade Acts 2:38 to be baptized; yet, cannot give the Holy Spirit room to help us love our brothers and our enemies then we aren't born of God regardless of how much we recite the book of Acts. If someone says, "I love God," and hates his brother, he is a liar; for the one who does not love his brother whom he has seen, cannot love God whom he has not seen.

Stances of disagreement have always been flaunted. If any of them cause hatred in anyone the show is over for the one who allows this to develop within his heart. Repentance must take place. Hell will be populated by church leaders who did get the correct answer to the theological question, but allowed a bitter and hateful spirit to enter their hearts. I must watch myself on this one! The one with the right stance can be ever so much more wrong if they hold their view with contempt for another. Luke 18:9ff should help us disagree without going over the edge emotionally into the abyss of being lost because we had our doctrine right; yet, despised a brother because we believed him too ignorant to see as clearly.

TO THE WORK, TO THE WORK

Kingdom business is work....it is very difficult work. This is almost a strange term as work today could mean something different than in my earlier years. In the housing market one of the questions is one..or two...or three baths. In my early childhood the question was indoor or out?

Work for me today is not the same as once entailed. In the early years of my ministry I spent a lot of labor pulling stumps. I read recently a blog response saying we may need men who preach messages which will put their jobs at risk. I did....repeatedly...and cried before and after each threatening moment. On several occasions I gathered my kids in the living room on Saturday night and apologized to them as I felt what I preached the next day would mean we would be moving immediately. Fortunately, I had elders like Jerry and Harriel and Bob and Darrel who didn't leave me out there alone.

But, I don't have to do the same kind of work today. The field is cleared and the Word is sown upon fertile soil. Moving the rocks and pulling the stumps was tedious and equally important. Today's field, the accepting-of-seed field, is a glory to work. Some of you are hard at work pulling stumps and clearing rocks. God bless as you cry and sweat and walk through great loneliness. Others of you are finding life easy as those before you did the tough stuff....and maybe lost there lives over it. But, please don't think because someone hurts your feelings or things don't go your way that this is "work". There's great likelihood it could be oh-so-much more difficult.

Enjoy your work. It's a privilege......and it could be rougher.

FEELING SLIGHTLY WHELMED?

I checked my emails this morning. The messages are random; some extreme. One church nearby is in a crisis. A preacher some distance is in a different sort of undoing. One is needing me to meet a workshop deadline. Another workshop question awaits; I haven't the answer. A phone message says an important email is awaiting which is key to other deadlines...and the email isn't to be found. A man from another congregation wants me to call to counsel. A man from yet another congregation wants me to call to counsel. A woman some distance away is telling me of the most awesome and outrageous moves of God to rescue orphans. A man from another country wants me to line up opportunities for friends. That's nine...I believe. There are sixteen others pertaining to meeting reminders and lunch dates and a list of the sick in the hospitals.

While this is my personal accounting of my entrance into my office this morning, I feel certain I have described your very similar scenario. How shall we deal with this? PROFOUNDLY!

How many hundreds...I wonder if thousands...would love to have my job one day? I get to have it everyday! How many wish someone would ask them to direct the workshop or be the senior minister at Memorial or a be a confidant or need to meet with so many to hear of their struggles? I get to be me! You get to be you and so many wish they were in your shoes.

Feeling slightly whelmed? Well, that's all it is....slight. We have the greatest role in the world. Ministry? No, being us! Put a smile on that good looking mug of yours and bless the tar out of everyone you meet today!

WHAT HELPS US CONNECT?

What is it....that magic "it"......which helps us connect to the flock? Sometimes we work and work only to find the members don't understand who we are or what we are trying to do. At other times, we seem to be coasting and for some reason the kingdom work flows with beautiful ease.

What helps ministers connect? Is it our gramatical command? Our good ol' boyness? Our intensive study? I offer an idea.

I believe we connect when we listen to the Spirit. I believe it has nothing to do with our talent nor our study capabilities unless we throw both of those into the mixing bowl with His Holy
Spirit. This is why listeners get good things from what we share that we didn't even realize we touched upon. He works in our inadequacies. Nothing comes from us. It's all from Him...II Cor. 3:4-5.

Before we can answer as to what we shall preach, we'll do well to discover what we have heard from Him. I listen week by week for information from Him which excites me. I figure if it excites me, it may excite others. If it doesn't motiate me, why would I want to bore them with it?

From the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. Let the Spirit of Christ fill your heart...and then you'll have something worthwhile to say.

DON'T FORGET TO BE THANKFUL FOR CRITICS

Criticism is tougher than death. While death temporarily stings deeply, criticism seems to keep pulling the trigger and killing off the joy. Bodies of preachers and elders and teachers and believers are strewn across every land having been button-holed by at least one notorious critic. Such was never the intent. We have simply misread the important role of the critic.

In God's world critics are an valued factor to every ministry. We need them. We must have then else we will be sickly, frail, and disadvantaged. If we were to move through church life with no criticism we would:

• begin to believe that everything working well really is because of us.
• never be challenged to grow up.
• assume a great mistake; that we are great.
• never understand there really are major tenets about us which need to be eliminated or redirected.
• never walk in the sandals of Jesus.
• have little meaningful counsel to those whose lives are being crushed by stress.
• eventually quit because criticism is our spiritual workout gym which builds healthy faith muscles. We would fade diseased by spiritual atrophy.

Criticism isn't a signal you drew the short straw. Criticism isn't a sign you are in the wrong congregation. Criticism isn't an indication you are no good. A critic is God's blessing upon every servant-hearted believer so He can get the maximum out of us.

Second Corinthians 12:7, And because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations, for this reason, to keep me from exalting myself (FOR THIS REASON.....TO KEEP ME FROM EXALTING MYSELF.....FOR THIS REASON.....TO KEEP US FROM EXALTING OURSELVES) there was given me a thorn in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to buffet me---to keep me from exalting myself! The messenger from Satan had a message to keep the grand old apostle from exalting himself.....it was a critic.

Don't forget to be thankful for critics. They are not there to bug you. They are on your campus to iron the wrinkles out of you. They are present to help you learn the value of being totally unable. They are there to teach you power is perfected in weakness. Critics are all around you to develop you into the person God, alone, intends. You possess a miniature life of Job. Don't assume because you are criticized that something is wrong with the critic. No, sir. It is a wonderful sign something is yet flawed about us and we need to continue to grow through this process.

YESTERDAY'S THEME....PART 2

So, my message to the young guys on the block? DON'T QUIT!

To the Zac Pittman's, Josh Graves', Dusty and Tim Rush's, Eric Magnusson's and Jeff Jenkins', etc......DON'T QUIT. You are targeted by dark forces to get you to quit. You'll be tempted, due to repeated, repeated failure of others or yourself, to toss in the towel. You'll be tempted to believe because success didn't happen for several efforts in a row that you must have misunderstood your call......that you must be doing something wrong. WRONG!

You must have things go wrong. You must go wrong. Do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal among you, which comes upon you for your testing, as though some strange thing were happening to you; but to the degree that you share the sufferings of Christ, keep on rejoicing; so that also at the revelation of His glory, you may rejoice with exultation....I Peter 4:12-13.

Everything which comes your way to want to make you bolt carries hidden teachings and blessings. None of it is for the trash. Be still. Listen for Him. Learn from Him. He's in the center of the mess giving you a test. Will you believe He is bigger than the problem? In every situation......the correct answer is, "YES."

Don't quit!

TO BENEFIT PREACHERS, ELDERS AND MINISTRY LEADERS

I am wrapping up 30 years at Memorial this summer. I have not loved every minute of it. I have love very much of it. To cheer you on in your work, I share with you two things about my ministry at this special place:

1. THINGS I DID WRONG:

• For awhile I preached the five steps of salvation instead of the saving grace of Jesus.
• For awhile I preached the five acts of worship instead of the heart connecting true worship.
• For awhile I preached brotherhood issues instead of Jesus Christ and the hope he offers.
• For awhile I exchanged eye for eye in combatant discussions over legalism.
• For awhile I made sure I was in control of how things went....at least I gave it a good try.
• For awhile I tried to impress the louder and meaner voices so they would like me.
• For awhile I tried to abide by the false teaching that the Holy Spirit is not active today.
• For awhile I tried to persuade myself we were the only religious group saved.
• For awhile I tried to make the Bible say the things our heritage said it said.
• For awhile I tried to imitate and mimic other preachers for I knew I wasn't enough.
• For awhile I tried to save all sermon notes; yet, when I'd go back they had died in the files.
• For awhile I thought the sermon was the main thing about the assembly.
• For awhile I thought the Word needed my help.
• For awhile I thought "they" were the sinners.
• For awhile I thought I would never successfully teach anyone how to be saved.
• For awhile I believed stories about God working today were only imagined.
• For awhile I thought God only worked through Church of Christ affiliates.
• For awhile I thought my "shoe-box" answers gathered in school would fend of questioners.
• For awhile I paid attention to hateful, unsigned letters.
• For awhile I thought church was about faithful attendance.

2. THINGS I DID RIGHT:

• I didn't quit.

SPREAD THE WORD!

I need a favor. Would you pass along the program schedule for the Tulsa International Soul Winning Workshop to your readers.....and add a comment which would lend support to this huge event? Thanks in advance!

Terry


JESUS: THE MODEL AND THE MISSION
March 22-24

THURSDAY

9:00
Pav. Don McLaughlin….Jesus: The Way to the World!
ExCtr Forrest/Patty Smith…Overcome Fear of Teaching Others
Expo 1 Robert Peek….Your Small Church CAN Grow: ATMOSPHERE
Expo 2 John Dobbs….Jesus Came to My Town In A Hurricane!
Café Debbie Smith….Jesus: The Model of Acceptance
Teen Zone UniversiTeens Sponsored by York

10:00
Pav. Rick Atchley….The Church Has Left the Building Pt. 1
ExCtr Tim Luster….Evangelism Isn't An Option....It's Our Passion
Expo 1 Barry Stephens….Leadership: From Good to Great Pt. 1
Expo 2 Tim Rush….Jesus Reaches To Guadalajara!
Café Terri Fanning….Jesus: The Mission of Connecting
Teen Zone UniversiTeens (continued) Sponsored by York
KidZone Misty Matthews Ages 8-10 Why Do Kids Need Jesus?

11:00
Pav. Terry Rush…Leadership: The Mystery of God Among Us
ExCtr Keith Lancaster Praise and Harmony Seminar Pt. 1
Expo 1 Buddy Bell…..Life Changing Small Group Ministry: A Model That Works
Expo 2 Robbie Goldman/Matt Wallace…Jesus Reaches All Streets!
Café Steve Diggs….Failure: The First Step To Godly Success With Our Money
Teen Zone UniversiTeens (continued) Sponsored by York

12:30
ExCtr Free Indeed and Friends

2:00
Pav. Jerry Taylor….Jesus: He Was Socially Evangelistic
ExCtr Wade Hodges….To Live In Resurrection Power God Must Live
Expo 1 Mitch Wilburn….Leading Through Love in the Community of Faith.
Expo 2 Lynn Stringfellow…..Effective Campus Ministry: Curb the Shrinking Church
Teen Zone “Just Relax” Sponsored by Dallas Christian College
Café Norm Herron….FORUM: Sharing Ideas for Benevolence Ministries

3:00
Pav. Rick Atchley….The Church Has Left the Building Pt. 2
ExCtr Buddy Bell…Life Changing Small Group Ministry: Transforming Power
Expo 1 Jay Jarboe…. Developing Life Transformation Groups
Expo 2 Dan Langdon..How To Monitor and Manage Our Missionaries
Café Brad Smith… FORUM: Preachers Only….Sermon Preparation
Teen Zone “Just Relax” Sponsored by Dallas Christian College
KidZone 8-10 Eric Brunson..Ways to Share Jesus with Your Friends

4:00
Pav Josh Graves……The Irresistible Revolution: God in the Margins
ExCtr Steve Tandy…Television: Outreach Ideas for Your Congregation
Expo 1 Robert Cox….Jesus Draws Everyone!
Expo 2 Jeff Switzer….Jesus Grew Our Church from 19 to 160!
Café Roger Thompson….The Holy Spirit and Us! Part 1
Teen Zone Just Relax (continued) Sponsored by Dallas Christian College

6:00
Pav. Singing Groups

6:45
Pav. Childcare Drop-off 3 yrs. and under
Café Bible Hour

7:00 Pav.
Bruce Marchiano…..Jesus: The Model



FRIDAY

9:00
Pav. Don McLaughlin….Jesus: The Truth to the World!
ExCtr Forrest/Patty Smith….How To Set Up A Bible Study
Expo 1 Robert Peek…Your Small Church CAN Grow: ATTITUDES
Expo 2 Kerry Cox….Jesus Reaches To University Campuses!
Café Debbie Smith…..Jesus: The Model of Discernment
Teen Zone UniversiTeens Sponsored by Oklahoma Christian

10:00
Pav Josh Graves….The Irresistible Revolution: Making Sense of the Mess
ExCtr Deron Smith…..Jesus Reaches Into the Darkness of My Soul
Expo 1 Barry Stephens….Leadership: From Good to Great Pt. 2
Expo 2 Angie Burns….Responding to Homosexuality with the Heart of Jesus
Café Terri Fanning….Jesus: The Mission of Risking
Teen Zone UniversiTeens (continued) Sponsored by Oklahoma Christian
KidZone Misty Matthews Ages 8-10 Why My Friends Need Jesus

11:00
Pav Rick Atchley…. The Church Has Left the Building Pt. 3
ExCtr Keith Lancaster Praise and Harmony Seminar Pt. 2
Expo 1 Jerry Taylor….Jesus: Man of Spirit
Expo 2 Hollis Maynard…..Jesus Reaches to the Deaf Population!
Café Steve Diggs….The A, B, C’s of Godly Money Management
Teen Zone UniversiTeens (continued) Sponsored by Oklahoma Christian

12:30
ExCtr Free Indeed and Friends

2:00
Pav. Jeff Walling…. Abundant Life: Meeting Jesus in Baggage Claim
ExCtr Lynn Stringfellow Effective Campus Ministry: Finding Purpose in Outreach
Expo 1 Daryl Hayes…Mission Too Simple: See the People
Expo 2 Buddy Bell…Life Changing Small Group Ministry: Evangelize and Multiply
Café Roger Thompson….The Holy Spirit and Us! Part 2
Teen Zone Dudley Chancey…FORUM: Empowering Youth Ministers/Workers


3:00
Pav. Randy Harris…..Evil
ExCtr Marvin Phillips….Feeding The World’s Starving People
Expo 1 Lynn Ragsdale….Church Leadership: Upgrade Needed
Expo 2 Larry West….Jesus Reaches Through Campaigns In America!
Café Landon Norton….Software To Enhance Class/Sermon Preparation
Teen Zone TeenSurge: REPLICA with David Fraze and Watershed Worship
KidZone 8-12 Eric Brunson-Share Jesus with Your Friends- (Puppetry)

4:00
Pav. Warren Blakney…What Growing Churches Are Doing Right!
ExCtr Robert Cox…Planting Churches: What A Way To Grow!
Expo 1 Danny Sidders….Jesus: The Presence of the Future
Expo 2 Art Henley….Jesus Works In Albania!
Café Clint Davis…..FORUM: Bringing All of the Missionaries Together
Teen Zone TeenSurge: REPLICA with David Fraze and Watershed Worship

6:00
Pav. Singing Groups

6:45
Pav. Childcare Drop-off 3 yrs. and under
Café Bible Hour

7:00
Pav. AIM…..Flags Presentation
Jerry Taylor/Randy Harris….Jesus: The Messenger


SATURDAY

9:00
Pav. Don McLaughlin…Jesus: The Life to the World!
ExCtr Forrest/Patty Smith….How To Follow Up A Bible Study
Expo 1 Robert Peek…Your Small Church CAN Grow: ACCOUNTABILITY
Expo 2 The Holy Spirit and Us! Part 3
Café Debbie Smith….Jesus: The Model of Love
Teen Zone UniversiTeens Sponsored by Lubbock Christian University

10:00
Pav Josh Graves…..The Irresistible Revolution: Making Room for the Stranger
ExCtr Matt Crain….Fathers Need to Connect with Their Families
Expo 1 Barry Stephens….Leadership: From Good to Great Pt. 3
Expo 2 Alan Phillips…. Let Us Advance More Effective Global Missions
Café Terri Fanning….Jesus: The Mission of Winning
Teen Zone UniveriTeens (continued) Sponsored by Lubbock Christian University
KidZone Misty Matthews Ages 8-10 The Most Amazing Race

11:00
Pav Marvin Phillips…. Jesus Envisioned Winning the World!
ExCtr Keith Lancaster Praise and Harmony Seminar Pt. 3
Expo 1 Robert Cox….Jesus: How To Get To The Going Part!
Expo 2 Ken Bolden….Jesus Reaches Through World Radio!
Café Steve Diggs….Killing the Debt Monster and Getting Ahead
Teen Zone UniversiTeens (continued) Sponsored by Lubbock Christian University

12:30
ExCtr Free Indeed and Friends

2:00
Pav. Jeff Walling/Taylor Walling….God Shows Up In Amazing Ways!
ExCtr Jack Cummings…..Make Wednesday Nights Burst With Excitement
Expo 1 John Smith….Achieving the Mind of Christ
Expo 2 Larry Buck….Jesus Reaches to China!
Café FORUM: Ministers’ Wives Live In Glass Parsonages

3:00

Pav. Wade Hodges….To Live In Resurrection Power We Must Die
ExCtr Ron Clark….Jesus Unleashed: the Friend of Sinners
Expo 1 Eric Magnusson…. If You Kill It, They Will Go: The reBirth of Mission
Expo 2 Mark/Sherrylee Woodard….Let’s Start Talking All Over The World!
Café Landon Norton….Software To Enhance Class/Sermon Preparation (Repeat)
Teen Zone TeenSurge: REPLICA with David Fraze and Watershed Worship
Kids 8-10 Mike Platten…..Spot Lite Magic Presents "Illusions With A Message”

4:00
Pav. Randy Harris…..Good
ExCtr Todd Box…...How To Walk The Talk To Reach The Hurting
Expo 1 Lynn Ragsdale….Church Explosion Is Possible
Expo 2 Greg Taylor….Helpful Preparation for Short Term Mission Trips
Café Lynn Stringfellow…Effective Campus Ministry: Activating Hands-on-Faith
Teen Zone TeenSurge: REPLICA with David Fraze and Watershed Worship

6:00
Pav. Singing Groups

6:45
Pav. Childcare Drop-off 3 yrs. and under
Café Bible Hour

7:00
Pav. Jeff Walling/Terry Rush….Jesus: The Mission

WHY GO TO CHURCH?

Why do we do what we do on Sunday mornings? And, Sunday evenings for that matter? Why do we gather? Hebrews 10 says we are not to forsake the assembly, but to motivate one another unto love and good deeds...encourage one another. It seems when I started out newly converted to the Church of Christ way our purpose was not to encourage; but rather, to make sure we did the five scriptural things without any of the five items overlapping; i.e. no singing during the Lord's Supper because you couldn't have two practices of worship strike simultaneously. So, we sorta gathered to check off the items accomplished and when everyone thought we had hit all five, we wrapped it up with a closing prayer and.........we were done!

I am absolutely crazy about the Hebrews call of purpose. Don't let me preach, and I'll still do what I'm called to do....motivate and encourage. You may keep me out of the pulpit, but you can't keep me out of the aisles where the people are. I love these people and they know it. And, it's quite mutual. It's the best thing to get to do in all of the world. Show me a person who doesn't like to go to church and I'll show you a person who has no interest in motivating and encouraging others. If such is not their purpose, they will not find the church alive.

Do we need better classes? Usually. Could we have better sermons? C-a-r-e-f-u-l. What we will always need is to improve our ways to fulfill His call to motivate and encourage. I encourage you to get yourself over to that little church building (or that big one if that's your place) and wind yourself up like a clock and hit the flock with a warm heart of cheer. A thing I dearly love at Memorial is it is so actively engaged in it's purpose we have to interrupt the unscheduled fellowship in the auditorium just to get the first song started. And, what else I love is that after it's over....it isn't over. Thirty minutes after we've "dismissed" half of the church will still be there fulfilling their purpose....motivating and encouraging.

God saved me and I have lived and gone to heaven....it's Memorial Drive and it's a most wonderful place!

PAM COPE AND OPRAH

One of the most amazing stories unfolded before the very eyes of Oprah viewers Friday, February 9th. Initially, I watched the program mainly because I saw Mike Cope's blog mention his sister-in-law would be on. I am thrilled and inspired at what I got to see and hear.

First, Oprah was more passionate about the topic than any theme I've observed. She spoke with tears in her eyes about the child slavery in Ghana. Her smiles would shift in soberness, but her tears never left. Oprah aches for the underdog.

Second, the revelation of what these children endure is heart crushing! I can't stand it! I'm moved once again to robustly continue our kingdom trek of believing the entire globe is ours to approach with the immeasurable love of Christ. Such vivid pictures help me sort through which doctrines are important to debate and which dare never cross my lips again.

Third, Pam was beautiful. I loved her absolute grace and charm. She was perfect! She not only recued little-boy Mark from slavery in Ghana; she single-handedly, without a shot fired, captured and arrested Oprah. Oprah's closing line was she has interviewed hundreds and hundreds and hundreds of celebrities who do great social work, but Pam is the one who deserves "the" standing ovation. And.....she got it. The audience applauded while I cried hot tears of salute.

Fourth, God showed up on television! I have prayed for several years that God would show up in the media in a favorable way. He has. He showed up on Larry King Live many times; especially when the missionary's wife and child's plane was shot down in South America and the man sat on Larry King's show and told the whole world what he had merely intended to share with a small region in South America.

But who would have guessed God would show up in the frame and heart of a lady from rural Missouri?!?!? I cried and cried....I'm crying as I write. God showed up on television under the name Pam Cope. She really had little to do with it. While she took the ball and ran with rescuing Mark, it was God who took Pam and ran in connecting her to millions of hearts globally!

Finally, I believe this is not the end of the story. Oprah has such deep admiration for Pam that this relationship needs our prayers showering them both. All Pam needs to do is note an important move of God and call on Oprah. I haven't a clue what it is. I am sure, Oprah will respond to the name Pam Cope.....who has done a simple and common job of responding to the name Jesus Christ.

MEET REVEREND STAFF

What's it like where you work? Crummy? Too-good-to-be-true? Spiteful? Slip-shod? Indifferent? Successful? Well-organized?

I love where I work. Besides liking preaching and ministry, I mean I like "where" I work....my office part of life. I am the office manager! In my little preaching school of 11 classmates, none of us ever had a thought of being at a church big enough for "a staff". Upon graduatin we each had one basic goal: try to last two years. But now....I am office manager!

It took me awhile to get the hang of it. Due to the elders' patience and the staff's endurance, I feel really good about being "BOSS". I've changed my approach to this privileged work drastically over the years. For awhile I was the youngest guy on staff so I wasn't manager yet. After being here several years I became old enough to be everyone's dad.

Here's my goal for my people who are my crew, my friends:

• I want them to think they have the best working place in the world...really!
• I want them to be sure I believe in them more than I do myself!
• I want them to notice me catching them doing good, smart, faithful things!
• I want them to hear my praise "all the time"!
• I want them to know I revere them! Yes, I work with reverend staff!

Whether you are the BOSS or the BOSSed, do the things which would make your colleagues believe they work around the best person in the world....because they do. His name is Jesus and He is residing within each of us. Hello.....Reverend Staff!

GIVE ME YOUR INPUT

I have a rather strange request of you. I have been working on a book for about four years. I have enormous hopes for its impact to shift the common believer from mediocrity to abundance. The book is about the great secrets I see leading to a wonderful, God-filled life; i.e. gratitude, being a nobody, power is perfected in weakness, etc.

Today the book is called, "Proceed Without Caution" (When Life Takes A Turn For The Better!).

God has given me a most paradoxical life. I'm all backwards and, yet, so much of it works. I would like to hear from you ideas which I might not have thought about as to what you think makes life tick for you or for me. What are traits in our walk that I would assume everyone knows, but you think others would be encouraged and motivated once they knew the thinking behind it?

WE ARE ALWAYS JUST IN KINDERGARTEN WITH GOD

Our people are so tied up in knots trying to sort through the church lingo that many have all but given up on sharing the good news with their neighbor because they can't keep the story straight. All know God is against man-made doctrine, yet we've accepted with open arms this Trojan horse. Enormous strain develops in trying to assure ourselves that much of our doctrine did not come from man but from God Himself. As far as evangelistic effectiveness is concerned, we live in fundamental neutral. How can we remember how it goes when the Word really isn't there to show our neighbor?

1. Our hermeneutic is made up: Man created it to claim the texts he wanted and to somehow dismiss those he doesn't. Hermeneutic is not a biblical term and was never taught by God. The "Direct Command", "Example", and "Necessary Inference" passages seem to have melted. Look at it. Necessary Inference? That's what man does to get his way when the Bible won't back it. One can claim, "Well, at least it's inferred."
2. Our stance on instrumental music is wrong: Man created this doctrine which makes it a toughy if we are going to share the true doctrine with our neighbors. Instrumental music was not an issue in the first century church because it wasn't an issue with God. Instuments of worship are not new. They were abundantly available back in Jesus and Paul's day. Did they not pick up on this potential threat and address it....at least once? So, do you not think it odd that such an element is present at the time of the N.T. writings, yet they never discussed it? Were they afraid to? Didn't they have some crossover issues from the old covenant to the new? It could be this was not an issue then and they didn't expect to be now.
3. Authority of Silence of the Scriptures is surely created by man. It seems very important to some as this guides their doctrinal stances. Where does the Word address it? I believe argumentative Christians made this one up to get their way when they couldn't get it any other. Those who stick by their guns on this one abandon it quickly when it comes to justifying the millions they spend on church buildings....of which the Word is silent.

True, very true, the Bible has enough of it's own marvelous depth to keep us at bay in admitted ignorance. It is a Life-giving stream which washes us in newness day by day. It's freshness will not be bottled and sold as "this is the way, the only way" based upon man's understanding. As great as ours gets, God will always be there saying, "My ways are not your ways, nor are My thoughts your thoughts, for My ways are higher than your ways and My thoughts higher than your thoughts."

When one couples that with our man-made inventions (and we deny such trying to pawn it off onto God as if He said it), the wheels of outreach eventually succumb to the stress of trying to remember exactly how all of this goes.

Wouldn't it be easier to let the Word support itself without adding our attempt at genius to help it along where it's unclear. We can trust the Word. We can't trust us. That very much includes me. I will always be in kindergarten eager to learn from Him. Such will always involves sorting the God-words from the man-ones.

IS OUR EFFORT EVER ENOUGH?

Today is a good day. You are enough. Your effort is enough. You have succeeded. You are envied. Others wish they could be you. You are a success. You are a walking miracle. Blood flows through miles of your veins every minute (I saw that one on a commercial!). Your name is spoken favorably and repeatedly day by day by your admiring colleagues. You have every reason to like right now. You are taking people with you into heaven's region. You are making a difference for people who have yet to be born due to the power-seed you sow of goodness and hope and faith that will impact the year 2037.

Look at me. I said look at me. Do not toss aside these powerful words as if they apply to many others, but not you. Notice the gleam in my eye when you have doubt about yourself. You are a legend to someone. You are a hero. Traffic jams are your parade....the participants just didn't realize their value! Criticism coming your way is someone's way of bragging on you that they notice you do exist after all! Frustration is simply alerting you that you are still breathing on planet earth. Pain is God's glorious reminder that you aren't a leper. Irritations are the hands applauding the fact you do have anticipatory vision.

You are brilliant....in the literal sense. Go through your day with your head high and your attitude a soar. What a day. It's got you. It's got me. It's got us. Now, let's go out and do some great big damage to stinkin' thinkin'!

Convert the world to the mind of Jesus by letting Him have yours first.

BE CAREFUL WITH SPIRITUAL GROWTH

Growing in the Lord is most exciting. Such growth seems to be without charts to note progress. Where one church grows by addition another develops by subtraction. Biblical examples are Acts 2 for the former and the concept of Him pruning for the later. Such opposite processes calls for caution in matters when it comes to gauging the personal growth of self and of others.

We want to be careful not to allow ourselves to believe we are better than others because we have accepted some ideas and rejected other concepts while groups didn't seem to catch the wave of spiritual brilliance we thought we snagged. That's not good news.

We must refrain from believing we read the best version, do the best church, sing the best way, or do missions better. None of those can be established without comparison. Paul wrote in II Cor. 10:12 that anytime we compare ourselves to ourselves....we are without understanding.

Be thrilled over what God let's you do in the kingdom. Let us refrain from believing we are a notch above any other believer. It's by His grace any of us get to be a part of his fabulous work.

Would the True Church Please Stand Up?

• My first comment: I say for the Super Bowl.....Colts 41 Bears 24.

• I say global warming is due to the heat accumulatively arising from earth due to billions of people and billions of animals which numbers have increased dramatically from the original two people and few animals. You know what it's like to meet with two in a small classroom and then meet with 50 in the same small room....whew! Global warming!

Below is an article I wrote yesterday for our webpage. A little weekend snack for thought.

The True Church

Jesus is building his church. And, I love it. I can’t believe I get to be a part of his work. To participate in matters which defy man’s organizational, religious efforts is surely a rush. I never knew the church could be so alive; so exciting.

Occasionally, comments surface about the “true” church which seems to collide with the heart of biblical kingdom life. Usually such a true church is defined by the few practices that particular group just happen to deem their trump doctrines. For us, to have “Church of Christ” (or better yet, “church of Christ”) over our doors seems to make it clear we have the Bible name; the true name. But, God never named His church. He simply claimed it.

If we base the claim to be the true church upon our doctrine (assuming ours to be right and theirs to be wrong) how do we handle our discovery subsequent need to adjust our doctrine? When we moved from little grace to more grace are we now the true church, but weren’t before? Or, were we the true church then? And where do we stand when we discover even more about grace? True church; level three? We’ve done an about face on the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. Which doctrine counted us as the true church?

I wonder if we would do well to be reminded of Jesus saying if they are not against us they are for us. I wonder if the true church is comprised of several faulty Christians and their churches striving to mature in the lifestyle of Jesus and at the end of each day (or end of each individual life) find they have no defense against His wrath, due to our ungodly lack, save the blood of Christ.

IMAGINE WITH US

Yesterday morning I had a strong pull in my spirit, out of the blue, to begin thinking about creating a blog for seekers. I can't describe it, really, but there was an awareness or a sensation going through my mind which made me ponder what possibilities could be in starting an evangelistic blog. I love to dream and off I went on unlimited tangents of imaginational design.

Then, Dusty (My son who preaches in Conway) called yesterday afternoon. He had met with a guy at church who was burdened with an idea he felt needed to be shared with Dusty. His friend has developed a strong interest in Dusty beginning a blog for those who simply are seeking God. In turn, Dusty wanted to know if I'd be interested in doing it with him. Wow, a new blog which would reach to the non-churched! Now, that seems to me something's up!

So we talked....enthusiastically....a lot! I'm in. He's in. His friend is in. We are working on this project.

I was wondering what ideas some of you might have. Concepts? Name of the blog? Ideas? Who knows who's reading this that has fabulous ideas to add to the process as we wade through our own.

Say "No" to Guilters

I address those of you who find your lips saying "yes" to service requests when your weary heart and tired body beg of you from within to say "no". We live in demanding times. Higher goals, bigger projects, greater returns; all press on us to keep the activation mode clicked on. And, we find ourselves sometimes very tired.

Do you ever catch yourself lying to get out of someone else's pressured scheduling so you can keep from going to one more thing? Do you find yourself at an event bored to tears and frustrated with yourself for taking on the commitment to be there; especially when it's not that important you are?

Beware of GUILTERS. These are fellow servants/friends who cannot say "no" themselves; thus they feel obligated to share their rat-race, jam-packed, clock-ignoring lifestyle finding themselves spread so unhealthily thin their lack of discipline spews over onto you. GUILTERS make us crazy.

Learn the call of Jesus. Say "yes" when you mean "yes" and "no" when you mean "no". Don't offer excuses. Such are not needed. You don't owe explanation as to why you won't be at a birthday party; give such if you want, but mainly learn to say "no" when your mind/spirit/body are whispering the two-letter word clearly from within.

GUILTERS want you to please them. Somewhere along the way.....YOU WON'T. It's a selfish game and you will be the loser. Don't spend a lot of time trying to please those who cannot be pleased. Love them? Yes. Buckle to their guilt-trips? No.

Sometimes (as cowardly as I am) I've found myself saying to a pressing GUILTER who would not quit, "What part of "no" do you not understand?"

A RICH BLESSING....HIDDEN

I love American Idol. It's been good for me to practice not hating Simon. I actually like him, now. The past couple of weeks have been tryouts.

H-O-R-R-I-F-I-C. Some are stars-in-the-making and some will need counselling after the brutal and sarcastic treatment they received. But I saw something in the negative part of the program which awakened me to one of our hidden riches.....REJECTION.

Rejection is a test which leaders and children must learn to pass. No one climbs any ladder in any field without learning to handle rejection well. For me, this was one of my weakest links. I was raised rejected. All I did with it was learn to hate it.

Jesus, though, is the epitomy of this issue. He is the rejected cornerstone. If we are to follow him, we are to be certainly rejected. Therefore, we must arise into the realization that being disregarded in opinion or in idea or in person is a hidden richness from the walk of Jesus.

Sunday I was invited to speak in chapel at the Cardinal's baseball camp. I had acute laryngitis. My own body rejected an opportunity dear to my heart. I stood in my room on Sunday morning with hands lifted and whispered to God how much I praised him for this problem....that even it would be credited as honor to Him. I did not speak in chapel and I was content.

"Therefore I am well content with weaknesses, with insults, with distresses, with persecutions, with difficulties, for Christ's sake; for when I am weak, then I am strong." II Cor. 12:10

I AM BACK FROM BASEBALL CAMP

I spent five days last week in Jupiter, Florida at the St. Louis Cardinals Spring Training complex attending my annual Legends Camp. We play ball each day and listen to the old-timers rehearse their legendary lore of their playing days.

Lou Brock told how the Cardinals constantly studied the opposition to gain some slight advantage. The Cardinals knew picther Don Sutton of the Dodgers was obsessed with keeping his uniform clean so Lou would begin the game as lead-off hitter by approaching the plate, picking up dirt and rubbing it in his hands, making sure Sutton saw him do it. Then Lou would bunt, run down the base line and as Sutton covered first base, Lou would swipe his dirty hands on Suttons clean uniform the very first inning.

They told how they study the catcher as well as the pitcher. They know if there is a certain pitch the catcher has trouble hitting, he will call for that pitch in a tough setting believing the batter to have the same weakness he has.

What's the weakness you study in a non-believer that gives you kingdom advantage to draw them into His fold? These ball players knew something about their opponent. I know something about every person who opposes (or is at least indifferent to)the name of Jesus. Every one of them has traits of insecurity and, too, a real need for purpose. Whether celebrity or homeless, I know these traits are present and I work from there with everyone I meet. That's why my life is marked by encouragement. Every range of social class is plagued by the same disorder: each is battled discouragement over some circumstance or person.

Knowing the players on our field advantages us for the transfer of the good news. It lets me in through an otherwise closed door.

BTW...for those Cub fans out there...Whitey Herzog believes this is their year. And I say, "Hey, all of us can make room for the Cubs once a century." Don't you agree?

YOUNG PEOPLE AND GOD

First, I am headed out to baseball camp with the St. Louis Cardinal old-timers early Wednesday morning and won't be back 'til Sunday night. This will it for my posts this week.

Second, what's your take on the younger generation? Defined, the YG would be any group younger than you. Are we in trouble? Good hands? Do they seem to be lazy or committed to kingdom matters?

I love what I see. True, there's laxness in every generation. The ones (plural because I'm old enough to talk in plurals these days) I see are richer in Christ than me. They are deeper, they are authentic in hunger to grow in His love and grace and mercy; so am I, but they even more. I believe the church will change a lot for the good.

I see a healthy bravery to stand for the things that matter: to grow deeper in the things God expects, and to dismiss the cheap man-made traditions which pose re-slavery in spirit. The thing I hope they continue is the growing effort to break from trying to live like Old Testament people in a New Testament frame. The YG smell the need to be NT people in the NT frame. Hallelujah...or how ever you spell it!

I am sold on the new ones coming along. I must be careful as I can tell the "weak me" is only progressing in even more lack. Thus the truth, I must decrease that those stronger in Him may increase.

I am proud of how the younger look! I'm simply wowed!

ICED IN...AND GOING SLOWLY

The template of Oklahoma weather is snow on Thursday and 60 degrees on Friday. It's that fickle. This winter has been different. We got over 4 inches of ice last week and it's still on my driveway. Basically, the community was 70% house-bound from Saturday to Thursday. Friday found some peeking out to see if the sun was shining or if there'd be the feeling of six more weeks of house-boundery.

I love such a time. People slow down....they have no choice. Even those who do get out find the streets depleted of traffic and the coffee-shops basically bare of customers...if they are even open for business. I love it that the hustle quits.

Women have cleaned drawers, cabinets, and closets and found things they had forgotten they possessed. I'm sure some are now well-prepared for a Spring garage sale. Men have caught up on files and correspondence and even cleaned off their work benches. "Ah-ha, so that's where my pliers have been!" "Under the lid of the left-open paint can I didn't put away because I decided on a dime to change the air-filters."

We all need "shut-down-time" to clean up the clutter accumulated in our hearts. We forget the simplest beauties of life because the loudness of hurry and pressure insisting we move to the next leap of activity.

Whew! It surely feels good to touch base with ourselves and find out what it really is we want to be about. Slow down this week. Pray. Or, don't pray. Just be still. God has bigger plans and dreams than our hurriedness will allow.

I like right now. Tomorrow may be great, but right now is simply adorable.....and I'm going slowly enough to realize it.

GOOD FRIDAY

Is believing easy or hard? Do you ever feel the shackles of doing faith? I mean, do you ever get frustrated with wanting to possess simple faith only to find it so complex? I do. So, today I want to be supportive of your faith trek.

Faith isn't a sheet of ten or fifteen instructions one picks up at Mardels. Relax, it's a lifestyle of fluidity due to perpetual growing, increasing, strengthening, and adjusting. Faith won't work for the lazy of mind and heart. It just won't because the mind that wants all matters set in stone is called to operate in matters set in Spirit.

I used to have a faith as frustrating as herding cats. I was spending all my time trying to keep every i dotted. I was nervous and neurotic. Such a life is wearying; eventually depressing.

I discovered I was trying to control God...and others. Romans 9:16 forced me to hand back the badge and the whistle. Psalm 46:10, "Be still and know I am God" was like shock to my not-be-still antsiness in the church.

Take a look at your day...and your schedule. Dismiss the things you've cooked up as "musts" and relax. Cancel some meetings. Stop the madness. Give yourself and others a break. Back off. Enjoy your Living God, His Living Word, and walk as if you are full of Him....Eph. 3:19.

Let's vow to really like today!

I KNOW A SECRET...ABOUT YOU

I received the following note yesterday regarding the (shoe)SHINE post from one of my seriously-greatly-highly treasured friends.

"I would've posted a comment but was too ashamed for others to see it. Conversation seems to come so easily for you. I always assume that no one would want to talk to me, or that I'd say something stupid. Sometimes I just don't want to be bothered, so my nose is in a book. I so want to be like you when I grow up."

I love her! Such wording is what ignites my fire for cheering on the world. If you could meet the woman who wrote this, you would not believe (you just wouldn't believe it) that she made this comment. She is magnetic. Everything about her seems ideal: she is picture perfect in health, appearance, demeanor, attitude, intellect, and spirit. For being human (meaning we each have flaw and sin) she is one of those you'd say is as good as it can get. You'd wish you could be like her....I do.

Yet, her response to yesterday's blog expresses so much of how we all feel about ourselves. We'd rather spare ourselves and everyone around us by pulling inwardly.

My point with all of this is what my friend has said about herself is what each of us feels in some zone. I battle enormous inferiority...yet I've made it my secret power. Not all of us are magnetic like her, but each has major strong points which we tend to hide "so that we don't say something stupid".

What's my secret? You see, I know a secret about everybody I know. Everybody has this lady's fear in some pocket of their being. That's why I can sit on a tour bus for hours with Loretta Lynn and be so comfortable that she ends up asking for my counsel....because I know she is world famous and still doesn't get past the self-flaws she feels certain stand out in public. That's why I can visit with Swindoll or McGwire or a homeless person....all of us are the same.

What can we do to break out? BE FREE TO SAY SOMETHING STUPID! I do. (Isn't that hilarious?) I do. I figure if I happen to say something stupid (just by accident, understand) it will let others in...because they are locked tight in some fear. My preaching has power in some areas because I'm not afraid to say "I was wrong" or "I did this poorly" or "I failed". It let's people in.

So? You are fascinating in places. You are strong. You are a blessing. Don't hide under a bushel (or a book, as she wrote). Risk. You'll make a difference for someone.

Finally, if you were in an airport and met the one who wrote this comment to me....you honestly would marvel at someone so beautiful would think you were worthy of her conversation. You'd feel honored!

Build up someone by telling us where you get afraid to try.
--

LET YOUR LIGHT (shoe)SHINE

So I'm flying out of Tulsa Monday morning and have the time to get my shoes shined before my flight leaves. I'm perched high overlooking the crowd as a man about my age approaches the area to be next in line for the shine.

The nice man working on my shoes inquired as to my destination. I told him Lubbock. The man waiting asked me if I lived in Lubbock. I told him that I lived in Tulsa. He said he lived in Lubbock, but is moving to Tulsa Thursday (lights go off in my head to bend this conversation to THE MEMORIAL DRIVE CHURCH OF CHRIST!)

So I inquired as to where he would live and he said Glenpool. He wanted to know where I lived (perfect door I was looking for). I said, "Well, I preach for the MEMORIAL DRIVE CHURCH OF CHRIST AT 9TH AND MEMORIAL, and I live about 17th and Memorial area."

His eyes lit and he began telling me that he was supposed to look up a Church of Christ preacher when he moves here but he couldn't remember the name. He said he was a Methodist and in a Bible study back home with a Nazarene, two Baptists and two Church of Christ preachers. One the the Church of Christ preachers told him to look up a guy who preaches in Tulsa and he paused...and he began fishing through his billfold to find the name. He couldn't find it.

He said, "Well, I just can't remember his name. I'll have to call Wayne and get it. I know he has a ministry with the St. Louis Cardinals and he directs some sort of big workshop that Wayne and I are going to attend."

He paid for my shoe shine and we sat together on both flights to Lubbock!

WHAT'S YOUR THEOLOGICAL POSITION?

How is a plain person supposed to fit into this church stuff? Listen to us. Deep need to express opinions find instant opposition, but no one individual seems to have most issues right. True, many believe our own stances to be of the One True Way, but even a child can step back and see each one of us has a common glaring lack about something...about many things.

How many find themselves firmly committed to a thriving ministry only to have onlookers see a spiritual, even critical, smugness has equally developed? How stable is our stance to reach the world with the Good News only to find some aren't feeling so good about the church? How many parents are devoted to seeing their children "raised in the church" to build a dynamic faith only to jerk the rug from them when their developed faith makes the parent fearful?

I find myself tossed to and fro due to my own misaligned systems of faith and effort. My stances keep unravelling, but my desire to build kingdom muscle continues to thrive! What's a plain person to do in determining his/her faith position?

Isaiah gives us a pretty good frame of reference: undone and in awe. Famous and inspiring chapter 6 shows this great prophet ruined into glory....his theological position was he had become so aware of his complete uselessness that his God seemed breath-takingly glorious! That's me!

That's my position!

I'm not and He is I Am!

FIERY FRIDAY....DAY OF MIKE

Fiery Friday is a day I've designated to counteract all the insensitive cold-water-throwing upon great ideas, wonderful projects, or amazing people. We choose to toss gasoline words upon greatness to see increased explosion of hope and joy. We build up by firing up!

Today let's heap gasolinic words onto Mike Cope. He's rehabbing from knee surgery. Let's pelt him with explosive phrases of cheer.

Mike is way too cool. He blesses the Kingdom everywhere he turns. A lectureship, workshop favorite, he has a knack of being genuinely normal. How many times is "Cope" quoted and he hasn't the foggiest he'd been honored? How many million times is "Cope" read from the pews of Blogville Church? How many times do we encounter him and our common vocabulary gasps for oxygen as we so wish we could say better what our minds already believe about his touch upon our happy hearts.

My heart desires to pour flamable wonder upon his life today that he might be made aware of at least a small smidge of the greatness he is to us. I want him to tuck our comments away for those dreary days when he wonders if he does any good for anybody anywhere.

What would you pour upon Mike Cope?

DON'T YOU LOVE RIGHT NOW?

I believe I may have missed much of my life.

I didn't realize for the longest time that Jesus said he came to give us life; life abundant. I merely possessed "getting by", "making it", "same ol' same ol'" kind of existence. God wants us to really live!

When we really live we don't sweat the small stuff, but we praise Him for it. If your shoes wear out, you must have legs and feet which are not crippled. If your eyes are strained, evidently you are not blind. If your back aches, the assumption is you are able to sit up on your own. If you have too many people clamoring for your attention, you must be either popular or in an important position or both.

Wax museums are full of "life-like" figures who look so real....but have no life. Streets and cafes and even churches have the same kind of inhabitants: people who appear real but have no life in them.

I'm on a campaign to love life right now! I tell God thank you that both arms work. One day a stroke might change that. I tell God thank you for headlights approaching me and taillights leading me...for the time might come I can neither drive nor see.

I tell God thank you that I am so mobile I am very tired at the end of the day. The day may arrive when I can't get to be as busy as I am now tempted to complain about. I tell God I am so happy He lets me read about Him via writings of Yancey and Nouwen, etc. Evidently my brain is still engaged in learning.

I'd hate to never realize the privilege of getting to be my many assorted wonders until it was all stripped from me. Liking myself has nothing to do with ego. It has everything to do with appreciation and gratitude.

I like right now! I won the lottery....and I'm it. How about you? Do you get it you've won the lottery and discovered He lives where you do?

WHAT? NO McGWIRE?

Baseball's Hall of Fame voted in Cal Ripken Jr. and Tony Gwynn. Mark McGwire didn't make the cut. I feel sympathic toward him, not because I'm a Cardinal fan but, because I am a Mark McGwire fan. I like him. He is a normal person comprised of the same confidences and insecurities many of us hold.

If the voters are right and he should not be in the hall, that's the way it goes. But, I draw your attention that while millions, literally, view this public rejection as the news flashes across tv screens in thousands of bars, airport terminals, and in homes, there is a valuable and lonely individual who feels the rejection.

I know full-well this is a touchy subject. My point is this: how touchy of a subject do you think it is that God elects us to the Halls of Heaven? I think it scandalous! Yet, we seem to be accepted. I think I am a most fortunate man! How about you?

THE TULSA WORKSHOP

March 22-24, 2007 assumes to be marvelous. Check out the excitement building at www.tulsaworkshop.org. What an array of events being assembled: new classes for kids 8 to 10 years old, Forums for four specialty groups, the old standby speakers while usually 30% of the speakers are rookies!

The Tulsa Workshop is never a dull routine for me. We work on each year two years at a time. Think about it. I am now working on '07 AND '08 both! How fun!

Share with me...I want to hear your heart...what is the Tulsa Workshop like for you? What has it done for you? What does it mean to you?

THE MORE WE PRAISE HIM

We have the most wonderful gatherings at Memorial Drive on Sundays! In years gone by we would hit an occasional WOW! But, they seemed far and few between. I'd make every effort to duplicate an awesome format and it wouldn't show. Nowadays, we see such intense majesty and glory of God show up Sunday upon Sunday. What changed?

Several factors have greatly improved. The study of "Experiencing God" awakened us to get on board with God instead of begging Him to endorse our imagined programs. The determination to no longer preach about brotherhood issues and only preach about the hope of Christ, I believe has had its favorable effect.

The one thing from all of it that I observe as major is we have learned to praise God. We have learned by two outstanding workship leaders (Allen French and Shane Coffman) to truly capture the accapella thrill of connecting with Him. And, we've become a church more open; even expecting, to speak of the "God-things" going on in our midst.

The more we praise Him it seems we have more to praise Him about. It's like having good things happen backed by compound interest.

CHURCH STORIES...She Eventually Arose From the Grave!

When I first moved to Memorial I was 30 and eager to prove to the congregation I had what it took to be "their next great man". They had recently fired the previous preacher and I was bent on impressing all.

It wasn't long until two large sisters responded to one of my mega-powerful pleas for salvation and they were simultaneously moved to be baptized. The first sister fainted once she arose from the grave. The baptistery curtains were already closed and I scrambled trying to figure how to hide the body of the stranger who just now (I believed) had died in my arms. I could not recall us covering this in preaching school. No onlookers would help; each was frozen in stunning shock! Yep, she was dead all right!

Draped over my body, the lady was twice my size and I began to edge her soaked remains toward the steps (I had to dispose of her somehow; yet, she was way too big to hide) as the water began to slosh. In fierce and understandable panic, the noise of sloshing water (I felt) was tipping my hand to the audience on the other side of the curtains that preacher-murder had just been committed. I couldn't keep a simple thing like a baptized woman alive and now I couldn't even keep the fickle water quiet.

Drenched in inconsolable fright, I broke out in uncontrollable laughter because the setting was too much! A dead woman in my arms....I sent her directly to heaven and she never even got to have communion. I felt sure once the elders learned of this lady's death, we'd most assuredly have to have an elder's meeting. I would never be able to explain this one away.

Ultimately, to my great thrill, she came to about ten minutes later. I did baptize her sister next...but not without hesitation....from both of us.

What story do you have to share?

THE DONALD AND ROSIE

The media is filled with the hassle between Donald Trump and Rosie O'Donnell. Their voices are loud and their presence is bold.

I want you to study them: study their debate, their demeanor, and their disposition. What is it you see in them which needs to change that, upon reflection, you see in yourself as needing to be adjusted?

God Works

One of my favorite characteristics of God is He actually participates in our lives; in us. I pray constantly asking him not to leave me up at the pulpit by myself. I expect Him to connect the dots when I don't know who the dots/what the dots are nor how I fit in.

I encourage you that our Living God is an Active God. From cover to cover of the Word, He steadily reveals His love of defying the odds by working wonders for/through/with the underdog.

I fit into the kingdom perfectly because I am so nothing. So do you! "And such confidence we have through Christ toward God, not that we are adequate in ourselves to consider anything as coming from ourselves, but our adequacy is from God.

Feeling a little lacking lately? Good. He's the One who makes life pop!

THE GOLD NOBODY WANTS

Kingdom gold is buried beneath every path we tread. It sits waiting extraction from the pragmatic to be drawn into the practical. Seldom do we dig it. The gold I speak of is the enormous value of rejection. Rejection is why preachers quit and elders resign. Too, it's why many potential leaders never start. If anyone is to become all they can be, they must learn to accept the framework of being insulted, abused, neglected, and injured. It doesn't go with the territory, IT IS THE TERRITORY.

Did He go to the cross? Are we expected to take up ours? Everyday? Are we called to count it all joy when we suffer? Really? Are we called to endure harsh treatment? Why are these important questions?

Because the answer to each one determines whether the believer will make it or break it. Too many good leaders quit. They just gave up. The church wasn't too mean. Their ideas weren't too stupid. They didn't understand God way of leadership. It carries the weight of perpetual and persisent burden. Such is our training ground. Many good leaders are in the making. Many will never finish because they don't like conflict; they don't like being rejected. Who does?

It's the path of Jesus....the slaughtered lamb. There is no other route to take. Nada! "We were considered as sheep to be slaughtered." "Death works in us, but life in you" and on and on the text calls forth believers.

If your life is pretty rough at the moment, you have my sympathy and my applause. You may not be doing everything right. You surely are in a postion to discover gold!