Great Day of Service

My church, Harvester Christian Church, has a teaching emphasis every fall.  This year our focus is “The Church in Action.”  We are studying, teaching, and preaching through the New Testament books of Ephesians, Philippians, 1 Timothy, Titus, and 2 Timothy.  One of the ancillary activities of the fall emphasis this year is a Great Day of Service.

The concept certainly isn’t new or unique to HCC, but the concept is really great.  We took hundreds of people to several different places to serve for the day.  One group went into St. Louis to work on rehabing an inner city church.  Another group went to a new church plant in downtown St. Louis to assist with inviting people to the church.  Still another group helped our city (St. Peters) workers clean up a city park close to our church.  Probably the largest group went to our church camp, High Hill Christian Assembly, to work on several projects.  These projects included putting a new roof on the dining hall, building new rooms in the dining hall basement, and some demolition of one of the dorms.

I had an absolute blast today for two reasons.  First, I learned how to finish a basement.  I’ve been wanting to build an office in my basement, but I’m pretty unskilled (as it said next to my name on the assignment list today!) when it comes to building stuff.  Really, I’ve just been too intimidated to start working on it.  I got to help build walls, hang drywall, mud and tape, and install a drop ceiling.  I think that I now have the courage and confidence to start on the basement.

The second reason I really enjoyed today was the privilege and joy of serving with my brothers and sisters in Christ.  I just really enjoy being with the people in my church.  The New Testament talks about the community of believers and how essential it is to spiritual growth.  That’s of course true.  However, I really don’t know how people survive without a network of good social relationships.  Sure, we may have family, neighbors, and maybe some college or work friendships.  None of it compares to the family of God.  

I frequently have people ask me if you have to go to church to be a Christian.  My response is, “Why would you want to?”  If you don’t have a church family, you are missing out.  If you attend a church and are not involved enough to consider the others part of your family, then you are missing out as well.  You should find a church where, in the words of the Cheers theme, everybody knows your name and they’re so glad you came.

Sprouting Seeds

This afternoon and tonight I attended a wedding and reception.  Normally I severely dislike weddings–mainly this comes from my aversion to getting dressed up on a Saturday afternoon.  However, this one was a little more special than normal.  Let me explain.

I dove into full time ministry at the tender age of 21.  I started at a small church in the suburbs the week after I got married, which was the week after I graduated from college.  I had virtually no ministry experience and they actually trusted me to work with the children and teens.  For the next 4 1/2 years, I served the church as the Youth Minister.  The church didn’t grow numerically much during those years, but there was a group of probably 20 kids whose families were brave enough to entrust them to my care for a couple hours a week.  Those 4 1/2 years were great for a number of reasons.  Primarily I learned that ministry is relational before anything else.

Now, 17 years and two churches later, I found myself at the wedding of one of those kids (he’s not much of a kids now!)  God really blessed me tonight because I got to see many of those kids and their parents once again.  Some of them are in full time ministry.  Some are married and have kids of their own.  Others are volunteering in their churches.  By and large, they have turned out great.

Now, I certainly don’t want to overestimate the amount of influence I had on them.  They all have great parents, and they deserve the credit.  However, I did teach some lessons, spend countless hours on trips,  converse over many sodas, and play dozens of games of basketball behind the church.  So I will take just a little pride in having just a little influence on these young men and women (I almost typed KIDS!)

Which brings me to the point of this little trip down memory lane.  One of the most difficult aspects of ministry is that you very rarely see immediate results of your labor.  In fact, many times, it seems like your labor is in vain.  However, I was reminded tonight that results in ministry mainly come over the long haul.  You many never know if you didn’t a good job until 20 years after the fact, especially when working with children or youth.

So, thanks to Kari, Justin, Jordan, Shane, Kevin, Kendall, Joey, Amanda, Nathan, DeAnn, Kathleen, Daniel, and anyone I inadvertantly missed from tonight.  Seeing all of you made my day and it made me proud of the work that God had done in each of you.  I may have planted, someone else may have watered, but God made the seeds of His word grow in each of you.

Inspired Lyrics

This song just came across my iPod and I had to write out the lyrics.  Just thinking about my previous post concerning Mike and Ubaldo.  These lyrics just seem to say what I’m thinking and feeling about my two friends. 

Baby Take Your Bow, by Chris Rice

We’re gonna miss your song and dance
The way you made us laugh
And we’re so glad we had the pleasure for a while
But on the other side you’ll find a better audience
Just be yourself, and you can’t help but make the angels smile

Baby, all the world’s a stage
Playwright pens your final page
And then he brings your curtain down
So blow us your kisses and drench our eyes
We’ll rise to our feet to wave goodbye for now
So baby, take your bow

The world is lovelier because you had your moment here
And we could see a friend of heaven in your face
And in your song we heard the longing for a distant shore
And now your time has come to go, and so be on your way

Baby, all the world’s a stage
Playwright pens your final page
And then he brings your curtain down
So blow us your kisses and drench our eyes
We’ll rise to our feet to wave goodbye for now
So baby, take your bow
Your show is over now
It’s time to lay your burdens down
So baby, take your bow

Tribute

When I began writing this blog, my intention was to examine what it means to follow Jesus.  Honestly, I never thought that I would write the following entry.  When we think about following Jesus, we think about what it means to LIVE for Jesus.  As a minister, I spend my time teaching people about how to glorify Jesus with a life well lived.  We tend to spend to much time thinking about this life that we forget about the end of the journey. 

Within the past month, two of my fellow ministers have finished the race and earned their reward.  Please allow me to pay a meager tribute to two men who made a tremendous impact with their lives.

I first met Ubaldo Gonzalez about nine years ago.  My second mission trip to Mexico was to visit Ubi and encourage him in his work in Monterrey.  He was one of the most genuine, funny, and caring people I have ever met.  Over the years, I had the privilege to visit Ubaldo in Mexico four times and have him as a guest in my home once.  Eventually, Ubaldo moved to Queretarro to work with the National Bible Institute.  Every other year I would spend a week or so teaching at his college and laughing during the other times.  Ubi was a cancer survivor and eventually lost his long battle with scleroderma.  All the years that he was hurting physically, I never once heard him complain or even question why he was afflicted with the disease.  He was a true gentleman and perfect host.  I will miss his laughter, jokes, translating abilities, and most of all seeing him when I visit the beautiful city of Queretarro.

While we knew that the inevitable was quickly approaching for Ubaldo, a sudden shock accompanied the passing of my fellow Harvester Christian Church minister Mike Merold.  Mike was our pastoral care minister and died suddenly of a heart attack while exercising on his treadmill.  If there was ever a born comedian, it was Mike Merold.  His quick wit and ability to make people laugh served him well in a very difficult ministry.  Mike primarily ministered to those with benevolence needs, those in the hospital and nursing homes, and those dealing with the death of a loved one.  He made countless visits to those needing a kind word and encouragement.  He would often stop in my office for a Beatles Break and bring Dilly Bars from Dairy Queen.  Mike’s ministry of comfort and caring truly exemplified the ministry of Jesus.

I’ve told countless people that when we cannot understand God’s timing or plan, that is exactly when we need to trust Him the most.  It is much easier advice to give than receive.  I’ll never understand why God took two of his best servants home when He did.  I do know that Heaven is certainly a much livelier place now that Ubaldo and Mike are there bring smiles to those around them.  They both demonstrated a life well lived.

If you have any memories or stories about either Mike or Ubaldo you would like to share with the fine readers of this blog, please share a comment with the rest of us.

Peace

Tonight was a learning experience. 

I filled in teaching our men’s Bible study and was assigned a passage that I knew would be a little controversial.  I knew ahead of time that I would have some strong disagreements from some guys.  However, two huge items came up this afternoon that completely decimated the time I was planning to use for study.  I had to teach holding a microphone (which I absolutely hate and makes me really uncomfortable.)  Put all those things together and and it adds up to me being really nervous going into tonight.

Everything happened just as I anticipated.  Throughout the lesson I had to answer lots of questions from those with opposing view points and I felt like I didn’t provide very good answers because I couldn’t prepare for as much time as I wanted.  Some of the exchanges were passionate.

Despite my insecure feelings about how things went tonight, it was great for one reason alone.  Once again, Harvester Christian Church demonstrated the princple of Colossians 3:14-17.

“Above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony.  And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body.  And be thankful.  Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God.  And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.”

My main challenger (I use that term in a positive way) tonight is a very good friend of mine.  We disagree on facets of what I taught on.  We questioned one another and challenged one another with Scripture.  However, after the study we hugged and thanked each other for helping one another learn.  It is possible for Christians to completely disagree on something and still demonstrate peace.  In fact, I think that is the way Paul uses the term “peace” in Galatians 5:22 as a fruit of the Spirit.  It was a great time of learning and thankfulness for me.

• I am thankful for people who challenge my thinking.  I don’t know or never will know everything.  I’m thankful that people make me back up what I teach with Scripture and don’t let me get away with trite statements or simplistic platitudes.  Many teachers don’t like that, but it makes me stay sharp.
• I am thankful for people who encourage my thinking.  It is always great to have sympathetic faces in the audience.  They don’t realize what an encouragement they are.
• I am thankful that the peace of Christ rules in my church.  Just because you disagree with someone doesn’t mean you have to dislike them.