Congratulations to Micah & Katie

Early this morning, Teri’s brother Micah and his wife Katie had their second baby, Daniel.  Congratulations to them.  You can see a picture of Micah and the baby and Pastor Austin Gardner and the baby.  What a precious blessing.  Please pray for Micah and Katie as they strive to raise this little guy for God and His glory.

Reason to Rejoice

Luke 10:20 Notwithstanding in this rejoice not, that the spirits are subject unto you; but rather rejoice, because your names are written in heaven.

Jesus teaches us a valuable lesson here. The disciples have just returned from a preaching tour. They are so excited because what they have been able to do with God’s help. Luke 10:17 says, "And the seventy returned again with joy, saying, Lord, even the devils are subject unto us through thy name." They were rejoicing that even demons listened to them as they rebuked them in Jesus’ name.

Jesus basically said, "That is nothing. I saw Satan fall from heaven, and I have give you power over all the power of the enemy, but that is not the thing to rejoice in. The reason to rejoice is not what I have helped You to do but rather who you are in me."

The reason for their rejoicing was that their names were written down in heaven, they had eternal life, and they had a promise of heaven, not success in ministry. What about us? Why makes us happy? That we are saved? Or do we need visible results to be happy? Do we have to do something and have some experience to be happy or is our relationship with Jesus Christ enough?

It reminds me of Habakkuk 3:17-18 which says, "Although the fig tree shall not blossom, neither shall fruit be in the vines; the labour of the olive shall fail, and the fields shall yield no meat; the flock shall be cut off from the fold, and there shall be no herd in the stalls: Yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will joy in the God of my salvation."

If God is blessing us with great power and great results, we can rejoice. If nothing visible is happening and no power seems evidence, we can rejoice, because we are still saved and the source of our joy and happiness is our relationship with Him.

As Francis of Assisi said, "To him who tastes God, all the sweetness of the world will be but bitterness."

10 Qualities of Jesus’ Words

I read this in Perspectives on the World Christian Movement by Ralph Winter and Steven Hawthorne.  This was written by Ajith Fernando, national director for Youth For Christ in Sri Lanka since 1976.

1. His teaching is profound, yet simple. (John 7:46)
2. He speaks with great authority. (Matt. 28:18, 24:15, 7:28-29)
3. He claims to have the authority to forgive sin. (Mark 2:10)
4. He not only tells people to “Follow my teaching,” He says, “Follow me” and demands total allegiance. (Matt 10:37-38)
5. He takes on titles given to God in the Old Testament. (Ps 27:1 vs. John 8:12; Ps 23:1 vs John 10:11)
6. He considers Himself worthy of receiving the honour that is due to God. (Isaiah 42:8, John 5:22-23)
7. He claims to have a unique Father-Son relationship with God.
8. He claims to be the judge of humankind. (John 5:27)
9. He says that He will give us things that only God can give. (John 5:21, 4:14, 14:27, 15:11)
10. His opponents, the Jewish leaders, understood the implication of His claims. (John 5:17-18)

Loving Them Which Hate Us

Luke 6:32-36
 32 For if ye love them which love you, what thank have ye? for sinners also love those that love them.
 33 And if ye do good to them which do good to you, what thank have ye? for sinners also do even the same.
 34 And if ye lend to them of whom ye hope to receive, what thank have ye? for sinners also lend to sinners, to receive as much again.
 35 But love ye your enemies, and do good, and lend, hoping for nothing again; and your reward shall be great, and ye shall be the children of the Highest: for he is kind unto the unthankful and to the evil.
 36 Be ye therefore merciful, as your Father also is merciful.

When we talk about loving people, we often only really love those that love us, do good to those who do good to us, and give to those who will give back to us.  Jesus said, if that is all we do, then there is nothing commendable about our actions because sinners do the same thing.

When we witness and share the gospel, we allow the attitude of our audience to color our approach, compassion, and generosity.  If the people or country is resistent, hostile, or “hard”, then we don’t want to go there.  We only want to go where we are loved, treated kindly, and get something in return.

We need to take Jesus’s challenge to love our enemies, to do good, to lend, and to hope for nothing in return.  We need to take the gospel to those who hate Christians, to those who are the enemies of the gospel, to those who do not love us, will not do good to us, and will not give us anything.  That is real love.  That is worthy of a reward.

Jesus said, if we do this, our reward will be great, and we will be called the children of the Highest.  Such love for the unlovely, such kindness for the unappreciative, and such generosity for the ungrateful is characteristic of God because He is kind to the unthankful and the evil.  He is merciful on the sinners, so we should be merciful and kind to sinners.  He was merciful and kind to us when we were His enemies.

As I think of this passage, it reminds me of those men and women who sacrifice their lives, their fortunes, their future, and their happiness at times to love their enemies by taking the gospel to very hostile people.  I have friends who are working in places where the vaste majority of the people there do not want them their and some would even love to see them dead.  It is hard for them.  It is not fun for them.  But this kind of unconditional love for our enemies is what it will take for us to get the gospel to the world.

What about you?  Do you only witness to those who will be nice to you?  Do you always play it safe?  Are you afraid of being rejected, being mistreated, and being hurt?  Will you really love someone who is your enemy enough to given him or her the gospel even though they may hurt you?  May God give you and me that kind of love and compassion!

Importance of Churchmanship

I read this article here.  It shows the importance of commitment to a local church no matter where you are in the world.

The new 9Marks eJournal on missions was just released. Click here for the table of contents. One of my favorite articles was Conrad Mbewe’s “How American Christians Can Help Christians in Zambia.”

Here’s his challenging third suggestion for how Western Christians can help:

3) DEMONSTRATE BIBLICAL CHURCHMANSHIP

Western Christians entering Zambia as missionaries are generally very good examples to us with respect to their personal and domestic lives. In these two areas, we see a very clear difference between them and their non-Christian counterparts from the Western world.

However, where we see no difference is in their commitment to the local church. Their church attendance is scanty to say the least. They do not join a local church. We do not know where they give their tithes and offerings. They are not involved in any local church ministries (except to preach when they are asked to do so), and so on.

As a result, our young professional Christians believe that this is enlightened Christianity. They also end up having a very loose relationship with the church. I really think that this has been the Achilles’ heel of the work of Western missionaries in Zambia today. They are not good examples of biblical churchmanship!

We need to find a way in which Western missionaries can maintain relationships with their sending churches and at the same time exhibit biblical accountability to local churches where they labor, so that they can be good examples in this area to those whom they win to Christ.

Words of Wisdom to a Wannabee Pastor’s Wife

I read all of this article here and thought I would pass it on to you.

Believe it or not, one of the things I would love to be is . . . a pastor’s wife! Obviously, there’s not much I can do about that. But, I did have fun asking several current and former pastors’ wives to share their words of wisdom with me—just in case God has this in store for me. 

The following letter is from my current pastor’s wife, Holly. I love it. I hope it will help you as you seek to support, love, and respect your pastor and his wife as they shoulder the responsibilities and burdens of shepherding the church daily. So, here you are:

Dear Wannabe Pastor’s Wife,

I think it’s great that you would like to be a pastor’s wife! I consider it a huge privilege to be married to a man who preaches God’s Word week after week. I love my husband and am grateful for the ministry the Lord has given us.

Let me begin by sharing our current ministry circumstances. We’re getting close to completing our first decade in pastoral ministry. Brian is in his second pastorate. We’re in our mid-thirties and our children are currently 7, 3, and 2. So, the things that I’ll share reflect the context of a mother of three small children.

Sometimes there are unwritten expectations that the pastor’s wife will be a Bible study leader, the church pianist, and a great soloist all rolled into one package–oh, and she pulls this off with the kid’s hair and clothing looking perfect at all times! But we will become slaves to people’s opinions if we order our lives to please everyone else. I have sometimes found myself side-tracked with worries that I wasn’t meeting people’s expectations. Keep your eye on the ball (God’s Word)! I find much peace in going back to Scripture and reminding myself that my real acceptance and security rest in Christ’s grace, not my performance.

When we were interviewed before coming to our current church, we clarified what my role and level of involvement within the church would look like. My role is the same as most mothers with several small children. This church has been extremely supportive and respectful of me in that decision. Biblically, the role of a pastor’s wife is the same as every wife’s: love your husband and children, manage your home well, and be an example to women around you (Titus 2:4-5). Though keeping the home running smoothly may seem mundane, this is an important ministry to Brian. We regularly evaluate what I’m doing in the church to ensure that it’s best for our family. I let my spiritual gifting direct many of my choices. I would encourage you to do the same–pastor’s wife or not! My spiritual gift is service, which means much of my involvement is behind the scenes. This, of course, will vary from person to person. We will serve people best if we’ll just be ourselves.

Your main role is to support your husband. This will look different for each family but here are a few suggestions:

1) Watch out for him. You know him better than anyone and have his best interests in mind. If he is overworking himself, lovingly bring it to his attention. Try to find ways to lighten the load. Occasionally, there are seasons where there is no way around the busyness at church. During those times, be his “fun zone!” Be the place where he can relax and not have to fix problems.

2) Give your husband helpful and honest feedback. Brian often asks me for feedback on his messages. When he asks for advice, I try not to shoot off the cuff, but take it seriously. Some Sunday mornings, I am unusually exhausted or maybe one of my children was distracting me. So the problem may have been with me, not the sermon! Take time to think through your opinions carefully to be sure they are wise and accurate.

3) Stand with him when times are tough. Even when you disagree with him, respect him, both publicly and privately. Pray that God will give him wisdom in making decisions. Do not forget the seriousness of his calling. He is bringing the gospel to the church each week.

Here are a few other random thoughts:
• Never gossip. As a pastor’s wife, you will be privy to much personal information. Keep all of it to yourself. Let this knowledge drive you to pray. It is a privilege to have the trust of people and to be in a position to help them. We must guard that trust.
• Grow a thick skin. A pastor almost never gets a 100% approval rating from the church (except maybe during the first month)! There will be criticisms. Try not to take every conflict too seriously. Keep a sense of humor. This is easier said than done, I know. But Jesus will help us when we ask.
• Be careful what you read concerning being a pastor’s wife. There are lots of negative statistics and studies telling how hard it can be. This is not really helpful or useful information. Read people who are positive and offer help for getting through the tough stuff. 
 
I call myself a “weekend widow” because Brian works long hours on Saturday and Sunday! But when I happily “hold down the fort,” it frees him up to do his job. Remembering the eternal significance of what he is doing helps me keep a good attitude.

Thanks for allowing me share with you. If the Lord does indeed call you to be a pastor’s wife, I pray he will give you many wonderful experiences and much joy in it!

Holly Hedges

7 Ways to Pass on Your Faith

This comes from Family to Family by Dr. Jerry Pipes and Victor Lee:

Charles Stanley suggests seven ways to pass on your faith:

1. Pass on your faith by sharing basic principles (about money, God’s guidance, and provision, etc.)
2. Pass on your faith by the lifestyle you life.
3. Pass on your faith by persistence.
4. Pass on your faith by participation in other people’s lives.
5. Pass on your faith by praising your children for trusting God (and they will be motivated to trust Him again).
6. Pass on your faith by praying for your children.
7. Pass on your faith by being willing to back off and refuse to bail them out of the messes they get into.

Happy Birthday, Rachel Dougherty

I wanted to say a special Happy Birthday to Rachel Dougherty.  Rachel and her daughter Emily started coming to our church about two years ago back in August 2008 when we first began meeting at the Broomhill Hotel.

They have been very faithful ever since and are a real blessing to our church.  Rachel is willing to do anything that needs done from serving in the creche and cleaning the church to helping with work days and serving food. 

William her husband has been a real blessing to us as well.  On this special day, I hope that you will let Rachel know how much we appreciate her and her family today by sending her a text or commenting on this blog and I will pass it on to her.

7 Key Elements of Mentoring Your Children

This comes from Family to Family by Dr. Jerry Pipes and Victor Lee:

1. Modeling (Deut. 6:6, 1 Cor. 11:1)
2. Be there – emotionally and mentally, not just physically
3. Affirm them – don’t just correct (Luke 22:32)
4. Pray with them and pray for them (Luke 11:1, Phil. 1:9-11)
5. Be transparent
6. Empower your children – do things “with” them not just “for” them (John 14:2)
7. Make the Word of God central to what you do (Deut. 6:4-9, John 1:8, Hosea 4:6)

Be Content

Luke 3:14 And the soldiers likewise demanded of him, saying, And what shall we do? And he said unto them, Do violence to no man, neither accuse any falsely; and be content with your wages.

 Here John the Baptist answers the soldiers when they demand of him what they shall do.  He tells them to not do violence to any man, to not accuse any falsely, and to be content with their wages.

I doubt that his words went over that well with them.  I imagine that they were probably angry with John, but John was not the kind of guy who backed down or sugar-coated the truth.

I wonder how many of us are really “content with [our] wages?”  Are we happy with what God gives us?  Are we thankful for His blessings?  Notice what the Bible says about contentment:

Philippians 4:11 Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content.

• We should learn to have the attitude of Paul, who was content in whatsoever state he found himself.  Are you content in whatever state you find yourself?
• Paul said knew how to abound and to be abased, how to be full and how to be hungry, how to abound and how to suffer need.  Do you and I know how to do that?

1 Timothy 6:6 But godliness with contentment is great gain.

• If we have a relationship with God and are content with just knowing Him, we are extremely wealthy – we have great gain.
• Are you content with just knowing God?  If so, you are more wealthy than the richest man in the world!
• Why should we be happy with just knowing God?  Because in 1 Timothy 6:7, the Bible tells us, “For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out.” The riches of the world are really dust and ashes in light of eternity.

1 Timothy 6:8 And having food and raiment let us be therewith content.

• We should be content and satisfied with having food and raiment.  Anything above and beyond clothes to wear and food to eat is a blessing and extra. 
• Are you happy with just having food and raiment?

Hebrews 13:5 Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.

• We are to live our life (conversation = behaviour) without covetousness. 
• We are to be content with such thing as we have.
• We should just be so happy that He has said, “I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.”  If all we have is the promise of Jesus’ presence, then we should be happy and want nothing else.

God has been so good to us.  He has taken care of us.  There has never been a day that we went hungry or without clothes to wear, but are we happy?  Are we content?  We should be!  Let’s change our attitude.  Let’s get the right focus, and realise that knowing God is the greatest treasure we could ever have!