Too Conservative

I like to read sermon titles.  Some are catchy, some are just plain weird.  Sometimes one can tell what the sermon is about, some keep the sermon content a mystery.  This sermon title caught my eye: “Too Conservative.”  The text was Ecclesiastes 11:4.  “Whoever watches the wind will not plant; whoever looks at the clouds will not reap.  This Kansas farm boy understands this verse.  Never the right time to plant; never the right time to harvest.

In some circles, conservativism is praised.  People speak of the wisdom of being conservative.  Consider what the word means.  “Disposed to maintain existing views, conditions, or institutions; moderate, cautious; one who adheres to traditional methods or views.”  Conservativism steers the car (church) by looking backward.  (Only a good idea if you are backing up!)

If conservatism lives in the past, an error just as dangerous is to live entirely in the future.  In our relationship with God, we are not guided by the status quo, existing conditions, or tradition.  We are not guided by what might be.  God’s word is our daily guide.  The church is  hurt by those who will take no risk.  Lives are dull and dead when risk is destroyed.  Some are dead while they live. 

It is true that some may fail in too much zeal, but we may also fail in too much caution.  Some won’t drink the water in the town where I live.  Some won’t share a communion service with the local brethren on a mission trip to Honduras.  Certainly we must be wise, but Jesus calls us to “launch out” and “cast our nets.”

 Some cannot see the work to be done for the problems.  Some cannot see the good for the bad.  Some know more about what’s wrong than about what’s right.  The one talent man was conservative.  Jesus condemned mediocrity.  It is easy to see the foolishness of fanaticism; can we see the foolishness of overcaution?  It is better to try and fail than to do nothing and criticize.

A Word In Season

“…a word in season, how good it is!” (Proverbs 15:23)

“The second year I was married, my husband opened an envelope and then looked over at me.  His brow was furrowed and his mouth a little awry as he said, ‘Maxine, this is April.  My birthday’s in July.’  ‘I know,’ I replied, ‘but I saw this card.  The sentiment is so appropriate.  It wouldn’t be there if I waited till July.  And if I bought it and brought it home, I’d put it away and forget I had it.  So I just thought I’d send it now.'”

 This little story from Maxine Jensen reminds us that waiting for “the right moment” to do something usually results in doing nothing.  We intend to act, but do not.  We forget, or the person moves or dies, or we don’t feel the same way.   It doesn’t matter what it is–mend a fence, share a compliment, restore a relationship, make a phone call, send a card, make a visit, express love, show kindness.   We must carry out good intentions promptly.

The reason is clear in another story Ms. Jensen shares.  “After my mother’s death I found in her Bible a card I had sent her many years before.  The verse started out, ‘This morning when I wakened/ And saw the sun above,/ I softly said, “Good morning, Lord,/ Bless everyone I love!”  Right away I thought of you…‘”  Expressions of love, words of kindness, encouragement, concern, and care are the lubricants of life.  They bless the giver and the receiver.  They make life a little smoother.

Is there someone you should call, write, or visit?  Is a word of kindness or encouragement needed?  Could your timely action ease a burden or give a blessing?  Would your love lift a life?  Would your first step mend a relationship?

 I come back to the verse I shared earlier this week.  “The Sovereign Lord has given me an instructed tongue, to know the word that sustains the weary.” (Isa. 50:4)”  You can never do a kindness too soon, for you never know how soon it will be too late.  

Conflict and Leadership

Spiritual leadership does not allow one to avoid conflict.  Spiritual leadership sets one up for conflict.  Conflict shapes our hearts. Too many Christians are conflict-allergic. Because we are sensitive, we are vulnerable to the pain of conflict. Without a strategy for dealing with conflict we are tempted to withdraw from the battle. The inability or the failure to handle conflict causes hearts to remain stunted in comparison to what might have been.

Before the sun set last night….

I get to spend far too much time in my car.  Sometimes I listen to tapes or CDs, more often I pray and meditate.  On longer trips in moments of extreme boredom, sometimes I see if I can find a Christian radio station.  I heard a song a few years ago that was new to me. I liked it because the words were meaningful and biblically rooted.  It included a phrase similar to this, “before the sun sets, God has a plan for your tomorrow.”

 When you awakened up this morning, you may not have had much planned for the day.  Or perhaps, your day was already over-filled with obligations and plans.  Regardless, the Christian faces the day with the awareness that God is the only one with a plan that matters.  God has a plan for you today.  God’s plan is consistent with his eternal purpose.  The question of my life and yours today is this: Will our lives fulfill God’s plan for us?

Dr. Bill Jones: A Tribute

With the passing of Dr. Bill Jones, the last of my major professors in my undergraduate studies has gone to be with the Lord. The time spent at the feet of Dr. Raymond Kelcy, Dr. Hugo McCord, and Dr. Bill Jones was rich and rewarding. It is hard to believe that 40+ years have passed. I did not in those years appreciate the quality and depth of those from whose wells I was drinking.

Dr. Bill Jones had a special place in my heart because it was he who opened up to me the rich possibilities of Old Testament study. I took every one of his Old Testament courses. He seemed distant to me during my undergraduate studies, but when my life in ministry took me back to Oklahoma, he became a good friend and Christian brother. He was always ready to talk about the Bible, ideas, applications, challenges, and new understandings. He was a scholar, a gentleman, a teacher and mentor, and a Christian. God blessed countless lives through him. I, as one of those so blessed, am richer today in ways that matter for eternity.

It’s Sunday Again: Recharging

After four consecutive Sundays “on the road”, I welcome the quietness of today. The Lord’s Day is familiar after 3000+ Sundays, but I am also today enjoying familiar surroundings, my own bed, my usual routines. Already this morning I am recharging, reflecting, rejoicing, and praying for what God is preparing in coming weeks. What a blessing from the Lord it is to join him in his work, striving toward his eternal purpose.
What is God already doing in preparation for the upcoming seminars, teaching, and preaching? The anticipation is suspenseful, exciting, encouraging. I am preparing and praying about the next ten weeks–almost three weeks in Guatemala, a mission weekend stateside, two weeks in Chile, a week in Uruguay, a weekend leadership seminar in the U.S.
I am thankful for a few days of recharging.

I pray that this day will be a source of encouragement and new strength for you in your spiritual life as well!

Faith: What are you seeking?

The statement beckons for our attention. We must think, be honest with ourselves, think about our religion/faith. What are we doing? Why are we doing it? What is our focus, purpose, goal?
From Sarah Miles (Jesus Freak), “We’d rather have a dead religion than a living God.”

I recoil from the suggestion. Surely not I?
When have we honestly evaluated what we do in the life sphere we call religion? What do we hope to accomplish or gain?

  • Are we trying to be right? The frequent claims for truth, correctness, and virtual inerrancy would suggest that such may be the goal. Nothing wrong with being right, but is that the ultimate goal?

  • Are we trying to find a version of faith that guarantees our eternity? Faith is a vibrant, constantly changing approach to life. The One on whom we believe and base faith is not changing, but our interaction with the contemporary world cannot be defined by a faith frozen in place in some time past.

  • Are we seeking self-centered benefits? Religion easily morphs (decays) into self-centeredness, doing what we do primarily for ourselves.

    • Living the faith daily cannot be defined solely by what we do on Sundays or Wednesdays. Living by faith each day is complicated, the path is sometimes hard to discern. It is much easier when someone points out a predetermined faith response that settles everything once for all. Such is not the nature of biblical faith. Faith believes God so much that it engages in diligent search. What are you diligently seeking? The word ‘diligent’ is sticky–but I will let you think about whether your faith search is diligent….

    The challenge of faith is more often a threat than a comfort. Jesus’ life–his response to the religious establishment, his response to the sinners who were attracted to him–was enigmatic, messy, challenging, difficult. So shall it be if/when we succeed in imitating the incarnation as we become participants in the divine nature.

    Training Seminars: Lexington and Nashville

    The Lexington seminar with the Southside Iglesia de Cristo began on Sunday, February 5 with Bible class and worship at 12:00 noon and 1:00 pm. (Jan and I took advantage of the opportunity Sunday morning to attend worship and class with the Anglo congregation.) The seminar continued Sunday evening with a two-hour session, which was also the pattern for Monday through Wednesday evenings–two hours of study with a brief break in the middle. Wednesday evening the church shared a meal prior to the conclusion of the seminar. In summary, the seminar included about ten hours of teaching over the four days.
    The church is small, but blessed with several Christians who are currently providing leadership and developing their skills, understanding, Biblical knowledge, and Christian lives. Attendance at the evening sessions averaged about 75-80% of the total membership. Jaime and Angelica Ayala serve as the primary leadership couple. The church is blessed to exist in parallel to the Southside Anglo congregation, providing an adequate meeting place, mature spiritual guidance, and financial resources. Eddy Julian serves as the elder liaison; Jan and I were blessed to get to know him and his wife, Teresa, and to stay in their home.

    Early Thursday morning, Jan and I drove from Lexington to Nashville to begin a seminar with the Crieve Hall Iglesia de Cristo where Jacobo and Marcela Chalco serve in ministry. The seminar began on Thursday at 10:00 am. The daytime sessions were scheduled for two hours but generally extended into the lunch hour. Thursday afternoon Jan and I shared a late lunch in the home of the Chalcos, joined by two other couples from the church. The eight of us had a delightful lunch and visit, but we were glad to have a little time to rest before the evening session. The evening sessions went as long as I was willling to speak and teach, usually about 90 minutes, followed by a time of eating and fellowship.
    The seminar continued in this manner on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday. Daytime attendance was limited to about 15-20, but the evening sessions were much larger. Saturday was an especially cold morning with fewer in attendance, but Saturday night the room overflowed. The church has a normal Sunday attendance of about 80-90. With Jacobo’s approval, I decided to conclude the seminar with Bible class and worship on Sunday morning so that Jan and I could travel on Sunday and avoid the predicted hazardous travel for Monday. We regretted missing the Sunday evening worship and opportunity to present one final lesson, but Jacobo assured me that there would be no problem.
    The church had altered their normal schedule for the monthly Sunday lunch to accommodate the seminar date–unfortunately we were unable to enjoy any extended visiting, but we did get away with a special gift from one of the brothers–a big bowl of guacamole accompanied by plenty of chips!

    In summary, both congregations were extremely receptive and appreciative of the seminars. We look forward to the opportunity to return and share again in the future.

    85 Years!

    Today is our anniversary! Today Jan and I are celebrating 85 years of marriage!
    We generally explain it this way. I have been married 42 1/2 years, Jan has been married 42 1/2 years. WE have been married 85 years–85 years and counting!
    There is a much longer story to be told–a tale of young love, providence, a tradition established and lasting memories. But the long story short is that as we celebrate today, we will be celebrating our marriage for the 85th time.
    Jan, I love you today more than ever!

    What Will You Give Your “Valentine”?

    An interesting question: what shall I give for Valentine’s Day? In the second grade, it was a simple card. Since the teacher said you had to give one to every person in the class, you went through the cards for the “mushiest” one to give to that special someone you had your eye on. You chose the most neutral or bland cards for your least favorite persons in the class. The ways of a child!

    In our culture today Valentine’s Day not only includes millions of cards sent and exchanged, it involves the purchasing and giving a lot of things and stuff. Valentine’s Day is big business. In times past, to give something of unusual or surpassing value to one you loved was a proof of one’s ability to bless that person materially (think dowries). More recently, Valentine’s Day gifts often mean splurging–giving something special, something that would otherwise be unaffordable. (In parallel, think of fruit and nuts in your shoes at Christmas–if you are old enough to remember those days!)

    Valentine’s Day is also about relationships. People seek relationships for many reasons. In times past, people got married not only for love, but because marriage strengthened their ability to survive and get through life. People shared life and together found abilities and financial strength that were impossible separately. Once people got married, the old saying was often true–we cannot afford to get divorced. The frontier was not conducive to divorce!

    The reasons for marriage have changed in today’s culture. Many people have the ability to be financially independent, and some see a marriage partner as a financial liability rather than as a strength. Sociologists observe that today many people marry, not for financial support, but for emotional support. I need someone who loves me unconditionally, even in the difficult times (when I am difficult!). I need someone I can take for granted (in the good sense of that phrase), someone who is there through thick and thin, dependable, always present, unconditionally accepting. When emotional support is not present or when it is withdrawn, people divorce.

    Jan and I will exchange simple, inexpensive expressions of our love again this year. We always do–thinking toward our “anniversary” tomorrow. (See tomorrow’s blog!) We will not add candy to the temptations around the house–neither of us will be helped in our exercise and eating goals by the extra chocolate. Nor will we overtly talk about our need for emotional support and strength–except to say ‘I love you’.

    What will make today, tomorrow, and the coming year special is not any “stuff” that we exchange. It will be that we are confident in our marriage, that emotional support and encouragement will always be present when needed, and every once in while, we will get some unexpected emotional boost, even when we don’t know we need it! Ah, the beauty of love! Happy Valentine’s Day!