This morning’s CaringBridge update brought the news that my friend, colleague, mentor, and brother in Christ, Don Vinzant, has finished his course, fought his last battle, and gone to receive his reward. In a special way, Don was one of a kind. His contagious smile and laughter, his sharp wit, his knowledge of the world and Scripture, and the ability to apply Scripture to life were a blessing.
Jan and I were in Edmond two weeks ago, speaking at the Early Bird class at the Edmond church, keeping an engagement Don had arranged. We were blessed to spend some extended time with Carol during the afternoon (while Don was in dialysis), and then again that evening as we lingered to visit with Don and Carol, laughing, remembering, celebrating the life we shared. Two weeks later, Don is gone.
Today will be different–today will be the same.
Something I learned when my mother suddenly died in a car wreck 17, soon to be 18, years ago: one must decide who God is and what is his nature before the problems come. When tragedy strikes and difficulties come, it is too late to wrestle with the question of whether God is God and whether God is good. I am thankful for the faith that sustains us–the faith that sustained Don. Today we affirm, as we do every day, God is God, God is good. Blessed be the name of the Lord.
To a good friend I say good-bye, and see you soon.
A Day of Study
MONTHLY DEVOTIONALS: Gospel of John
DAILY DEVOTIONAL: John 8.
I wrote a friend earlier this week that having lots of preparations to do keeps the mind strong. Today I HAVE TO put some structure on my study and preparations over the past few weeks.
Upcoming are a meeting to share information with elders in hopes that mission work will get a bigger slice of the church budget pie….two presentations for a church anniversary weekend….a series of classes on leadership for my upcoming Guatemala trip, a weekend seminar for church leaders in Guatemala, more classes and preaching–some in English and some in Spanish, a lectureship series on Evidences of the Spiritual Life in the Church.
Deep into the word, blessed, encouraged, hoping to advance the things of the Kingdom of God.
Mission Deficit
I glanced at an article by James Nored yesterday, filed it, will go back to it. (Do you ever process your email that way? Some days there is too much to handle in detail.) The article concluded that we have a “mission deficit”. In the same way that our national government seems incapable of establishing sufficient priorities and making hard decisions to deal with an overwhelming deficit, the church has misaligned its priorities and failed to make hard decisions. Our resources are going to things that will not solve the long-term problem.
Our world is suffering from a serious crisis: a Jesus crisis! (See an article on this topic, and several other new articles that focus on missions at the “recent posts” section of my Articles Index. The church in many places does not want to hear that there is a problem. We are happy in our ignorance–head in sand syndrome. We need to renew mission, and missions. We must live our lives with the world in view. The church is not reservoir but conduit. In many places our conduit is blocked, and the gospel is dripping rather than gushing.
Christian Missions
Note: Each week, I receive an email entitled Pastor’s Weekly Briefing. It is a service of Focus on the Family, and is edited by H. B. London. The following information is from last week’s briefing with some additional comments and observations.
According to a recent report published by the International Bulletin of Missionary Research, Christianity continues to thrive with approximately one third of the world population professing to be Christian. The world population is currently nearing 7 billion. According to the research, it is estimated that there are about 2.3 billion Christians in the world with about 1.5 billion of them attending church on a regular basis. It is estimated that there are 5,000,000 (5 million) congregations around the globe compared to about 400,000 in the year 1911.
According to the annual bulletin, which is released each year in January:
- The world population includes 1.6 billion Muslims, 951 million Hindus and 468 million Buddhists.
Atheists are in decline globally, currently numbering only 137 million (2% of the world population). The number of atheists in the U.S. is variously estimated at 10-15%.
Each day, about 80,000 Christians and 79,000 Muslims are added to the worldwide totals.
The number of atheists drops each day by about 300.
Each day, about 270 Christians are martyred for their faith.
In 1900, about 9 million Christians resided in Africa, compared to 475 million today.
If you are interested in missions and are not familiar with the International Bulletin of Missionary Research, it would be worth your time to visit their website. The January 2011 editorial is written by Jonathan Bonk. Here is the link again: International Bulletin of Missionary Research.
Back to the Basics
My religious heritage has a strong focus on correct doctrine. Many in my religious heritage claim to retain the essentials and discard the peripheral. In the words of Romans 14, to properly define the things that are disputable and to give freedom in those areas not central to faith in Christ. Any person who interprets Scripture through this framework must periodically evaluate whether non-essentials have slowly crept into the faith corpus and have been misdefined.
IMPORTANT QUESTIONS. If all I had was the Bible, and I were to read the Bible with the intention of doing what God put me here to do, with the intention of pleasing God and doing his will, what would that look like? Would I keep living my life as I currently do, or would some aspects of my life change radically? When I read in the New Testament that Jesus’ disciples after his death became part of a church, and if I wanted to be part of that same church, what would that church look like? Would it look like most of the Christian churches in our world today, the church that we humans have reasoned out and built here on earth? Would it be defined by its place or location, and by its organization, to be like this thing that we refer to as church? Or would it look radically different? What are the basics?
Assuming for a moment that we might understand some correct (biblical) answers to such questions by considering the nature of things–our Triune God, humankind, spiritual and physical reality, where would those considerations lead us? What is God like? What is the reality of his visible creation? What is the reality of his invisible creation? What is his human creation like? What purposes of God can we discern in the answers to these questions? One must take time to ponder these questions and to discern correct answers. I invite your conversations and comments. What follows is not an attempt to short-circuit the discovery process, but to suggest something of where we will likely need to go.
The purpose of human creation is to fear God and keep his commandments. God made humankind to be like him, in his image, but the clear image bestowed in creation was lost in the Fall. Reflecting the image became much more difficult, even impossible, for human beings. What was needed was a re-creation, which God accomplished through Jesus Christ, and a sustainability of that re-creation which God accomplished through the giving of his Spirit.
FEAR GOD. God made us for relationship with him, in his image and likeness, to be blessed and to bless. He made us to bring his rule to visible physical creation, with the intent that his human creation would thus participate with him in glory and holiness, in dominion and full, abundant life. To understand this intent of God requres that human beings recognize God for who he is, and that they recognize their own created nature in his image and participants in the divine nature.
God wants to be recognized for who he is. Recognizing God’s nature and supremacy will lead all creation to respect him–to adore and praise and worship him. This is a first response, but does not reflect the totality of God’s purpose and desire for human beings.
FOLLOW JESUS. Ultimately, fallen humanity cannot experience re-creation and restored relationship with God without a visible, physical example of the possibilities of the invisible spiritual world. God sent Jesus so that relationship might be restored, but also so that human beings could have an example to follow, a demonstration of the possibilities of human existence. Human existence in the biological realm is not the whole of life. Human beings were created also as spiritual beings. Our biological or physical bodies only allow us to reside on this planet. Our existence is not defined by the visible, physical realities we see and experience. In fact, these are only temporary, and we can exist apart from the visible created bodies we use to identify ourselves and to distinguish ourselves.
Jesus came perfectly balancing what it means to be spirit beings who live in a physical world. Jesus became full participant with us in our humanity, emptying himself, becoming like us, experiencing the physical death that entered the world as a result of sin, and demonstrating his power over death so that restoration of relationship and eternal existence with the Father is declared possible. In his death on the cross, our struggle with sin, with death, and with the future is solved. In his resurrection and ascension is declared our possibilities.
God wishes us to follow Jesus, to learn from him (to be disciples), and to imitate him so that we reflect God’s glory.
BE FILLED WITH HOLY SPIRIT. God did not re-create us and once again leave us to our struggles, hoping that we might succeed where humanity formerly failed. Through his Spirit he gives us his presence and confirmation and reminders of his purpose. Through his Spirit he empowers our lives and our testimony. Through his Spirit, he guarantees his promise of our inheritance, providing presence when we feel distance, e.g. as the Holy Spirit powers our prayer life.
We become like God in each of these manifestations of his reality–one God, revealed in distinct personalities, making possible that we reach the peak of our possibilities according to his purpose. We become like God as we become like what we worship, we become like Jesus as disciples, we become like God’s Spirit and stride forward toward the invisible, spiritual realm as the ultimate expression of God’s purpose for us, a place where his rule and reign in our lives and in all creation will once and for all be restored.
February Reflections
As a short month draws to a close, I share some personal reflections.
The shortest month of the year has been shortened even more by the impossible weather that kept many homebound for the first week of February. We started February at home rather than in ministry travels since we flew home a day early from two delightful weeks of ministry in Michigan.
Our plans for the first Sunday of February had to be postponed–we attended our home congregation at Main and Oklahoma in McAlester that day. The church held morning worship only with the remaining “normal” activities for the day cancelled due to weather.
Our Sunday visit to the Iglesia de Cristo–Park Plaza in Tulsa was delightful, although we were saddened by the fact that the Davila family could not be present due to serious health condition (and eventual death) of Millie’s mother in New York. It is always a joy (and healthy challenge as I need the practice that keeps my language fresh) to teach and preach and fellowship in Spanish. We enjoyed an extended visit with Mike and Teresa Hawkins as we focused on numerous mission concerns. (We also enjoyed our visit that day to the deaf congregation at Park Plaza–see my blog of February 17.
About the middle of the month, we got to do our “grandparent thing” as our youngest grandson came to visit. He had an ear infection and could not go to school, so we nursed him back to some level of health. We took him home on Saturday as his mother and our daughter-in-law, Maria (Michael’s wife), graduated from the University of Phoenix with her bachelor’s degree. It was a proud day for her and the family.
I was privileged to preach at Main and Oklahoma on February 20–I spoke on the “Holy Spirit–Living Water Gushing Forth from Within Us.”
Our time with the Edmond church (Early Bird Class) was a special renewal of friendships. I taught the class on Luke 15, but had the privilege as I began of sharing the Baxter story. Our trip to the Oklahoma City area also included visits with John Wilguess, chairman of the Memorial Road mission committee, and visits on the campus of Oklahoma Christian as I checked in at the offices of the “Christian Chronicle” about some project details.
We also visited our good ministry friends, Don and Carol Vinzant, as Don was in the hospital, recently diagnosed with multiple myeloma. Please add Don Vinzant to your cancer prayer list. Before we left the City that night, we stopped for a brief snack at Braums and visited briefly with Lynn and Joy McMillon and with the Javier and his family. Javier is currently serving as minister to Hispanics at the Edmond church.
Yesterday, we worshiped with the North Side church in Mena, renewed friendships, and met with various leadership groups in consultations concerning future ministry planning for effective use of available ministry resources for outreach and growth. Our return home was relatively late, but we wanted to be home for an early morning hospital visit today. Remember Leo Utley in prayer as he has exploratory surgery. Leo is 94 years old, and most any surgery is major.
New Life Behavior: Update
Yesterday I completed the video recording of an eighth study course in the New Life Behavior (NLB) materials. These materials are used primarily in prison ministry. I am working on this project in conjunction with NLB of Oklahoma and have now completed 105 lessons. (Each course has 13 lessons, except that one of the courses we have recorded had 14 lessons.)
For each one of the video lessons, NLB of Oklahoma does a first printing of 300 copies of the lesson materials, plus some additional study sheets which allow students to answer questions concerning the materials. Some quick math shows that the project has the potential for over 30000 student sessions. Because there are sometimes two inmates in a cell, and they can share the printed lesson materials when they receive individual study sheets, the impact of the recorded and printed materials is often doubled. Students view the videos when they attend a New Life Behavior course taught in the prison where they are housed.
In addition to the classes and studies which occur in various prisons in Oklahoma, the videos can also be broadcast on the closed-TV systems in many prisons, potentially reaching even more with the gospel of Jesus Christ.
Pray for this effort, for NLB of Oklahoma, for the work of NLBI generally, and for those who are imprisoned–especially those who are our brothers and sisters in Christ. [Oklahoma has a large percentage of the populated incarcerated, and leads the nation in the incarceration of women.]
Holmes Road Church of Christ–50th Anniversary
The Holmes Road Church of Christ in Lansing, Michigan will celebrate their 50th Anniversary on the weekend of March 17-20.
The church has a great history which includes the merger and integration of two congregations in the late 1960s. Strong commitments to local outreach and evangelism, mission work, and good works have characterized this church which has seemingly defied typical church life cycles and remains a strong presence in its community. Over the past month, four have been baptized through the work on campus, and as the church continues a strong multi-ethnic ministry.
You can read a brief history online: Holmes Road Church History.
Marriage Matters–A Good Deal
My friends, Jerry and Lynn Jones, are presenters of a dynamic workshop designed to strengthen marriages. Their website is
Marriage Matters.
They have a limited number of sets of their workshop/seminar available VHS format. If you could/would use the VHS tapes, especially if you are in a mission area, they would like to give away these sets.
You can obtain more information concerning their seminar at their website above along with contact information. I recomend the workshop–they will encourage, entertain, and edify those who attend while sharing memorable principles.
The shortcut to the free VHS tapes is to call Jerry at 636-936-1076.
A Letter to My Readers
Dear Reader,
I am both amazed and pleased as I consider the impact of this site. For over 40 years I preached and taught weekly. I spent 25 years in full-time local ministry–20 of those years in two churches. Those two churches grew in marvelous ways with God’s blessing, one reaching a regular attendance of about 300 and the other a regular attendance of almost 400.
Following my years in full-time church work, my ministry turned toward Christian higher education where I spent about a dozen years working in undergraduate, and then graduate, ministry training. Along the way, I kept preaching and teaching, mostly in interim roles in churches that were “between ministers”.
When I reconstructed my website and added a blog a little over two years ago, I had no idea what would occur. I really thought I was writing for myself, archiving some of the materials I had written, and providing a place for the things I would write in the future. With God’s blessing, the extent of this ministry has reached around the world. In the last days of 2010, visits to the website over the last 2+ years passed 200,000. The number of page views during the same time was 558,000. I believe the impact is even larger because some of you write and say that you are using these materials in church bulletins and your own teaching and preaching.
Your interest motivates me and encourages me as I continue writing and posting. For the most part, I do not know who you are. You remain anonymous, and we are as the poet’s “ships passing in the night.” I pray for you insights and wisdom. I pray for you the ability to find God’s unique niche for you, and his will and way in your life, as we attempt to understand how he wants us to respond to his great love evidenced in the sacrifice of his Son, Jesus Christ, on the cross for our salvation.
I hope you know I stand ready to assist with that task as I can. I invite your comments and letters.
In the love of Christ, and in the Greatest Cause,
Bob Young