"Accidental Ministry"

(6) Ministry often occurs in ways that look incidental or accidental. Christians seem to have a “stained glass” concept of ministry. We think of ministry in very formal, structured, and planned terms. And yet the Book of Acts speaks of much ministry as though it were incidental, unplanned, and even unexpected. When we look at the events described in Acts 24, they look chaotic, out of control. Paul’s ministry seems terminated, and his life endangered, but in the midst of a maze of wrong motives and sinful actions (on the part of Felix and the Jews), God arranged for the gospel to be preached to this ruler and his wife. God was in control, although it did not appear to be this way. Ministry is doing the right thing when everything around us seems to be going wrong. Ministry is living in obedience to God’s commands, in the midst of sin, opposition, and confusion, out of faith in the person of God and in the certainty of His promises.

God is in control when the world seems to be out of control. What a message this has for us today, as we seek to live godly lives in a chaotic world. May He find us faithful, trusting in Him and in His promises, and living according to His Word, faithfully proclaiming His salvation to a lost and dying world.  Source

"Wide Or Narrow"

Start here:  I am not an official member of Pathway Church, an Evangelical Free Church;  the church formally known as Chippewa Evangelical Free Church (CEFC, E-Free).  That is not necessarily an attempt at full disclosure, it’s just a statement of fact. 

Here’s another statement of fact, there are a lot of people at Pathway who predate our attendance there, and there are far far more who postdate our attendance there.  I say “our” because my wife and I started attending “regularly” in 1998.  For two reasons:  1.  To find a home church in an attempt to break away from attending the church where my parents attend; this not as an attempt of rebellion, but as an effort to own a little bit more of our faith.  2.  We were searching for a place to marry; once again an attempt to move out of the shadow of mom and dad. 

In fact, we began attending Pathway while they were between Senior Pastors.  And quite ironically, no current staff member at Pathway has been there prior to our beginning of “regular” attendance.

Continue here:  As a non member, only “regular” I did not attend any session of discussion on the whys, why nots, hows, ifs, ands, buts, etcs concerning the need or non-need of a name change.  I did read items issued to the congregation via mail and in church writings explaining the thought processes behind such a move.

All of this being said, this will be my last talk concerning the subject; one that I agree is sufficiently behind us.

Why I disagree with the move:

1. Tag line included, who uses one?  I mean really.  We use catchy phrases marketers shove down our throats.  We all know “Just do it”, “A Diamond is Forever”, “Got Milk?”’ “Don’t Leave Home Without It”, etc.  But as pointed out here, who knew the Gideons had “Bible Distributors” officially in their title?

2. #1 leads to this:  The erasing of the Evangelical.  Yes, Pathway does remain associated with the EFCA; never was it considered to move away from them.  But to remove (which has somewhat been down with the use of CEFC or E-Free) the Evangelical via the drop of the tag line, Pathway removes the stigma society has placed on the word in attempt, in my opinion, to make it every slightly easier to be light in the surrounding community and beyond.

3. #1 also leads to this:  The loss of the Free; another casualty in the eventually disuse of the tag line.  Free… Freedom.   “For Freedom, Christ has set us free.” 

Why I will move forward with the move:

1.      I trust Jesus.  Period.

2.      I trust those commissioned the serve God at Pathway.  Knowing the amount of prayer that goes into all things Pathway and trusting that God is faithful to answer prayer, I move forward.

3.      Someone once preached a message that included this quote:  “The King has another move.”  I wrote it in my bible then.  And I still believe that today.  I wish I had written down the day I heard that, but I still remember who preached that.  God is doing a new thing.  Who am I to say to question the Master Potter?  Not I.

“Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.”

Philippians 3:12-14

"WalkaAbout"

Saturday, October 6th, the family will be participating in AHA Heart Walk.

To my friends and family who helped us raise over $400, your generousity will heal hearts;
it already has touched mine.

"My POTUS Pick"

So I said I was going to write a blog on why I was voting for Matt Frey for POTUS this November.  And I was certainly working through that when I remembered that I really didn’t care about matters of the political realm any longer.  So I set it on the shelf.

But here I am, back at the keys trying to wordsmith my way to blogospherical supremacy.  In other words, I’m trying to use up space.

Where I will admit that I have never once in my illustrious voting “right” ever considered the faith or lack there of faith as a criteria for extending my duty, I have had decided to allow faith to be thee number one election determining factor for THIS POTUS election.

Where as much as I can stomach researching the faith of two fallible men, I do not undertake to put myself in position to replace God as the ultimate authority of where a man stands in relations to Himself.  Simply, I only have a man’s outward actions, words, experience, history, etc. to make me understand if a man is walking by faith.  God knows the heart.  I can’t.

I make no bones, as my Facebook friends will attest too, that I am more so right resting.  (though truly I am trying to return to a more Apolitcal position and allow God’s truth guide in matters that must involve His established government.)

So to say that I am less impressed with a man who believes in aliens, and even less impressed with a man who believes in illegal aliens would be such a crude and too simple way of explaining why I will be voting for Matt Frey for POTUS.

But what about the politics?  What about taxes, healthcare, stimulus?  What about the Fed, the Middle East, the war on terror?  What about abortion, gay marriage, civil rights?

What about?  What about?  What about?

My head swirls when I consider all of this.  Really, doesn’t everyone’s head swirl when considering all of this?  I can’t solve every issue.  And really, neither can anyone who claims he/she goes into politics to make a difference, or make change. 

Really, how can we expect any sort of sense of any thing apart from God?  Quite simply put, we can’t. 

“I, I am the Lord, and there is no deliverer besides me.”  Isaiah 43:11

"Dear MJD"

An Ode To Maurice Jones-Drew

Maurice, Maurice... why do you sting me so?
A Yellow-Jacket kisses sweeter than you.

Understand?  With 1st Pick, we drafted thee.
Reaching,  it was not a reach.
Inexplicably, Inexiplicably.
Could you, Maurice, Maurice, couldn't you
Even consider those who have much invested?

Joy.  Oh the unrealized joy that will never run.
Only if you could see how important are thee.
Never once.  No Not Once.
Eventually.  That is what is said.

Don't wait.
Return
Each of us who drafted thee.
Would love to know that our 1st pick was not wasted.

So... GET TO CAMP YOU BIG CRYING BABY!

"The Heart Of It All"

Leaving in the morning.  Had to write this tonight.

One year ago, two days time... 7/27/11.

I'll never forget the day God walked me through the process of quitting smoking.


Some times God answers our cry for help in the most unusual ways.

But here I am.  CHANGED.  Smoke-free.  
But here I am.  CHANGED.  Free to live the life God has returned to me.

Every day I feel a twinge, a shot of pain, a muscle ache, phantom symptoms...
I am reminded of the healing hand of God; the mercy and grace and love
He pours into this unworthy man's life.

But I am at peace.  That doesn't mean I don't have moments 
of fear... or doubt... or panic;  It drives me, wills me, places me
square into the arms of the only one who loves perfectly.



Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.  And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.  Philippians 4:6-7 NIV

Nothing can convince me otherwise... my heart bears the proof.
 

"The Music In My Heart"

Sometimes some one else captures exactly what you want to say in song.  Enjoy.