George's Journey: 2007

Glendale Church

Today was my first day back in the pulpit at Glendale. I really felt that God wanted to preach a lesson preparing us all for the mission of the Glendale church for 2008. It was good to get back to the Glendale Church. They are a great bunch of people who are committed to spreading the message of Christ to the whole world beginning with theirs.

Here is the sermon I preached if you would like to listen to it. http://preachergeorge.com/AudioSermons/Sermons%202007/123007ChangeTheWorld.mp3

Back in the USA

Travel can be a lot of fun but it an also be a bit of a struggle. It was 21 hours since I left sunny Sydney to return to sunny Glendale. AFter 18 hours I got on the Van Nuys Flyaway bus to try save someone a trip to LAX to pick me up. What happens? It breaks down on the 405 freeway. Anyhow after a little wait another came and took us on our way. Reminds a lot about life.

It has been great trip to Australia. Nothing ever turns out as exactly planned but at least Julie and I are back in Burbank and the cats are happy.

Harrison's New Skateboard Ministry

Homeward Bound

The boys, Harrison, Ben and Alexander with their Uncle Andrew's dogs, Minnie and Toby

Finally received our visas yesterday. That's a relief. I will arrived back on Monday the 24th. At least I got to spend a few days extra with my family in Australia. It worked out well. Julie's mother got admitted to hospital night before last with chest pains and her father is still recovering from a knee transplant. It really helped them having us here. She is doing OK now. The doctor said it wasn't a heart attack but they are still doing tests to find out what is going on.

Alexander, number 3 son, got accepted into his college and will start February 18. Australia's school year is the same as the calendar year (Just in case you were wondering). Ben and Harrison continue to do great work for the Lord. I will post a video of a ministry that Harrison has been invited to join and help expand and use the experience he gained from setting up his Rock Concert Ministry (the Den and the Den Underground).

Australia

Julie and I are in Australia at the moment. Arrived in the Gold Coast and got to visit with my 85 year old mother a couple of times. She is still living at home and gets daily care from various agencies. She is doing well but her body is failing her. It has 4 years since I have seen her.

Two of our sons, Ben and Harrison, along with Ben's wife, Carly, and Harrison's girlfriend, Cesia joined us for a couple of days on the beach at Burleigh Heads. Great time of relaxation and getting caught up with their lives.

We then headed to Sydney where we stayed for a few days with Julie's folks, Ron and Edna Wallace, in Randwick. It was great being with them. Alexander, our third son, came over and visited with us for the day. I preached at Gosford (1.5 hours north) on the Sunday. Had a great day with them. I had worked with this church for a couple of years back in the Mid Eighties.

On Monday, Dec 10, we spent 3 hours in the US Consulate submitting our visa applications. They are being delayed so it is not looking like I will be back in the USA on the 19th as planned. Still trying to get back on the 22nd.

Alexander had his 20th birthday yesterday and the whole family got together for a BBQ at Bronte Beach. Spectacular day. Julie and I are no longer parents of teenagers. What a milestone. It must mean we are getting old. Say it isn't so!

Speaking of Alexander, one of our goals for this trip was to get him into college. He really wants to get into the Graphic Arts field. I was able to find an excellent private college, Billy Blue College in Sydney. The government will pay his fees as an interest free loan and he doesn't have to repay it until he gets and job and earns over a certain threshold. He has submitted an application and gets an interview next week.

Today I preach at the new Northside Church in the Pymble area, about 45 minutes away. I hope I can be an encouragement to them in the difficult work of a new church plant. Julie's sister and husband are leaders there. This evening we do Christmas with the boys seeing I am not going to be here for Christmas (at least I hope not but you never know how long the US consulate is going to take to process our visa).

On Tuesday night I have been asked to lead the Bible Study at the Eastside Church in Bondi Junction.

I will post some photo later today. Please be praying for us.

Thanksgiving Photos

Julie's other family, Tracy, Charlotte, Sean

Mark and her brother Mark at Thanksgiving

Julie & I at the Beach for Thanksgiving

Visa Success

As some are aware we were applying for e-3 visas. Well, after a lot of messing around (par for the course with INS) we have received approval for these work visas. Thanks to all of you for your prayers.

The Church and the Real World

Church and the Real World

God’s people are His church. The church of Christ is not a place but a people, a redeemed people who owe their whole identity to their relationship with Jesus. All that came through His grace (the power to make it happen) and our faith (the means of access to the power).

Yet often the church gets mistaken for other things. Often it is seen as the field in which we work. We do all our spiritual work in the church and we barely tolerate the world. Yet, Jesus is very clear that the field in which we labor is the world. The church is to live in the world. It is to be a light to dark world. It is here to change the world through the proclamation and incarnation of the Word.

Often the church is seen as the authority in our lives. What the church accepts or doesn’t accept is seen as the final world on what is right or wrong. Yet, Christ never gave it such authority. Jesus has that authority and He never gave it away. The church is not the police of the Word. It is the proclaimer of the Word. God will enforce His word. He told us to teach it and preach it.

Church is often seen a group of people who think they are perfect. Nothing is further from the truth. The church is a hospital for sinners that sinners are never told to leave. They are forgiven and they forgive but they never become perfect until Jesus takes them home to heaven.

The church needs to live in the real world. It needs to teach the ignorant, preach Jesus to the lost, feed the hungry, liberate the enslaved, comfort the hurting, and give hope to the hopeless. Who is the church? It is you and it is me. We have a lot of work to do.

Christmas

What is Christmas?

It originated in some strange mix of worldly religions and state churches. In different nations, the practice of Christmas varies. In England it is Father Christmas who brings the presents. In the USA it is Santa Claus. In the Netherlands it is Cinta Claus. In Australia it is kangaroos not reindeers who pull the slay.

Whatever its origins, when I am asked, “What is Christmas?” my answer is that it is one of the greatest opportunities we have each year to share the real Jesus with our neighborhoods.

We try month after month to try and get people to come to church or come to some outreach activity and so we should. The gospel enterprise is a twelve month a year commission. Yet there is once or twice a year when a large number of folks in our community actually want to come to church. Christmas is one of them. I’m not into celebrating Christmas as divinely ordained act of worship but that doesn’t mean I am going to ignore it either. My neighbors want to come to church and I want them to come to Christ’s church at Glendale. There are some many counterfeit Christ’s out there. My neighbors deserve to hear about the real Jesus.

So, I will exhort the church to celebrate Jesus. That always right to do. If the angels could worship the Christ then so can we. And if my neighbors are deluded enough to want to go to church for a “Christmas” event then I will use that to get an opportunity to reach them with the gospel.

So let’s celebrate Jesus. Let’s sing some songs about Jesus. Let’s raise Him up to the glory of God. Let us take advantage of any opportunity we can. Like Paul said, “To the weak I became weak, to win the weak. I have become all things to all men so that by all possible means I might save some.” (1 Corinthians 9:22).

Travels etc

Julie and I will be traveling back to Australia for a visit together for the first time in nearly four years. I will be there for the first 2 weeks of December and Julie will be there for most of December.

I am really looking forward to spending time with my boys and my mother. It's been a long time. Also looking forward to visiting with lots of my friends.

Had a great Connect Sunday at Glendale. Lots of visitors and lots of connecting. Great to see.

Julie's birthday was also on Sunday and we had visitors all day from all over wishing her a Happy Birthday. She had a wonderful. We went to the Springsteen concert last Monday for our birthdays (Have I mentioned that before). Bruce can still rock at 58.

News

This has been the third time Julie and I have been close to major bushfires. Once in Sydney. Once in San Diego. And now in Los Angeles. We have never been in danger, even when we were evacuated, but it is a very disturbing time.

One of friends thought that their house had been burned down but they were overjoyed to hear that their house had been spared. Many of their neighbors had lost their houses but for some reason theirs was left untouched. I don't know how God works in these things but I still thank him for my friend's blessing.

The fires are receding and the Chargers are back at Qualcomm stadium and they are back to their winning ways. Life is returning to normal.

Tonight Julie and I celebrate our birthdays by going to the Bruce Springsteen concert. We saw him 22 years ago in Sydney and we are so happy we get to see him again.

This weekend is a big one for us at church. Wednesday Family Fall Festival. Friday and Saturday Fall Bible School and Connect Sunday. This is our first outreach Sunday since my arrival at Glendale. We are praying that it will be a great time of connection with the Father.

Worship With the Church (1)

I have been a member of the Church of Christ for 35 years and I am very grateful for its heritage and its emphasis on biblical authority. I still maintain that it is a biblical priority to make sure we have a valid biblical authority for our practices. However, I have come to the conclusion that when it comes to our worship gatherings as the church that we have very little biblical authority for practices and things that we hold to so strongly. I am referring to practices that we will allow churches to split over or that we will argue vehemently in favor of.

I find myself surprised that in a movement that has as one of its highest values, the idea of biblical authority, that we have very little of it for things that have become a great source of division among us. I am not trying to be progressive or contentious. I am just upset about brothers and sisters getting so upset about one of the things God has given to us as a source of and a display of unity, worship.

Let me challenge you with some things that have challenged me and that have caused to me change my mind about our times of public worship as His Church. Here are some things that I find that we regard as integral in our practice that I do not find mentioned or alluded to in scripture. 4 part harmonies, in fact any singing with a vocal melody, Sunday School (or Bible School), pulpits, song leaders, prayer leaders, opening prayers, closing prayers, calling our gatherings "worship". Church buildings, pews, song books (psalms are mentioned but not the psalm book as a song book in worship). The place of public worship being called a "sanctuary". An authorized order of worship. In fact there is no full account of a worship service in the New Testament. In fact there is no reference to the public gatherings of the church being called "services". The offering of an "invitation" at the end of the sermon. In fact the word "sermon" doesn't occur anywhere in the Bible (in the NIV at least). And this is only the beginning of the list.

I am only referring to things in our heritage. If I would got outside our heritage the list would expand greatly. What's my point? It is simply this. Why do we fight so strongly over things that aren't even on the agenda in scripture? I am not saying for one minute that we should cease these practices. I am saying that we should treat them as what they are; traditions that we have. Traditions have their value as long as they are treated as such. When we elevate them to "must do" practices then we go too far. Our faithfulness to God has never been based on our faithfulness to tradition. It has always been based on our faithfulness to Jesus through His word.

More on this later.

Go Chargers

USC may stumble. The Padres may fail at the last. But the Chargers have still got life in them. Denver felt that talent that we knew we had. Hope we can keep it up.

Following sports teams does at least remind of the fact that hope in Christ is the only true hope. He will never let us down.

NFL & MLB

Before the season started I was able to figure out who would be in playoffs and who would be in the Superbowl. So did many of the commentators who get paid to drone on about such things.

The Chargers. What is going on? So much talent and so few wins. It goes to show you that talent doesn't win games, teams do. I am still hoping. I will be watching this Sunday.

What would I do without the Padres? Even though I can't see any of their games due to some MLB short sightedness (nice word for stupidity which is a word I wouldn't use in a public forum) they are doing great. Sharing the top NL West and leading the wild card race. Winning isn't everything but it does beat losing. That principle is only applicable to professional sport just in case you thought I had forgotten what JEsus said about losing.

Go Padres

Funny Church Video - Watch at your own risk

Impressions of a New Church

Beginning a new (to me) work of the Lord with a new (to me) church has not been a common event in my life. I think that is a good thing but it's all I have got.

However I have rarely taken to time to put pen to paper (or fingers to keyboard) to reflect on the new experience as it is happening. Well, here goes.

Moving from one church to another requires a physical move which means you have to secure the cooperation of your wife. In this case I couldn't have had a better partner in relocation than Julie. Although her health does slow her down she does a great job of getting households relocated. We haven't always agreed on move but this time God convicted us both at the same time. This is such a blessing. You know it is.

Besides this greatly need logistical enterprise in the physical realm there is a greatly need enterprise in the spiritual realm. The church I was leaving were so kind and supportive of us in the transition. The El Cajon Blvd Church of Christ (ECB) showed a lot of love to Julie and I while we ministered with them but showed us as much love as we left them. I have never moved from a church where I was showed so much love and consideration. I can't mention everyone but I do want to mention Chris Delgado and Garey Castle, the elders of that church, who are two of the most godly men I have known. Our churches could do with a lot more brothers as these two.

As a preacher your spiritual life is so intertwined with your work life that it is almost impossible to separate the two. You can and you need to, but it is difficult. It is so much better when the church is a source of spiritual encouragement and inspiration. God blessed us with such a church in ECB.

The church we have moved to, the Glendale Church of Christ, in California has welcomed us with open arms. I don't just mean that they have been friendly and "nice" to us. I mean that they have opened up their lives to us in so many ways. Admittedly we did know many of them from before but their I am still blown away by their extravagant love for us. Some of them are still trying to figure out this crazy Australian but they are doing so with a lot of love and patience.

I also mean that they are opening up their lives for change as God touches their hearts through His Word, the Holy Spirit and opportunities. So many of them are eager to once again put their shoulder to the wheel. Faith with eagerness. Now, that is a healthy church. And do you know what happens to healthy churches? They grow. They can't help but grow.

Don't think it has all been plain sailing. Satan (he who must be named) is attacking us. He is working hard on the weak of the flock but the strong will not let him take them. He is trying to confuse us with his subtle deceptions but with the clarity of God's word and true faith in Jesus we will resist him and he will flee.

God is good. All the time. And all the time, God is good.

Where Do You Go When You Hurt?

Many think the church is a group of good people who have all got their act together or who at least try very hard to give that impression. I remember once talking with a sister in the church who was very upset with the bad behavior of one of the other members. After a while it occurred to me that her vision of the church was a little skewed. So I said to her, “The church is full of sinners”. She replied in almost an indignant tone. “Well, I’m just starting to figure that out!”.

To many, church is where you put on your best face. You put on those masks we have and we make out to everyone that we are “fine”. We don’t want to appear to be weak or troubled or struggling with a sin. Where did we get such a distorted view of Christ’s church? I don’t know, but it certainly is not the Bible.

God says, “all have sinned” Rom 3:23. The only difference between Christians and those outside of Christ is that the Christian’s sins have been forgiven and even that wasn’t because we deserved it or paid for it. “He saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit,” Titus 3:5.

The church is like a hospital. It is full of sick people who are getting better but they don’t do themselves any favors by pretending that they are not sick. Look at the founding members of the Corinthian church (1 Cor 6:9-11). We are all sinners. We are not bragging about it or falling into an irresponsible view of sin (Romans 6:1). But each one of us has our struggles and the church is here so we can struggle together. God says, “Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.” Gal 6:2. Did you catch that? How do we fulfill the law of Christ? Of all the things that the Holy Spirit could have chosen (teach the truth, worship correctly, evangelize the world etc.) He chose our care for each other. That should tell us something? But, how do we do this?

Here are two things that I believe will help.
1. Stop hiding your sin and confess it to a brother or sister and get them to help you. I know that sounds radical for today’s church but it was normal behavior in the first century church (James 5:16, 1 John 1:9).
2. Share your struggles and get people praying for you (1 Thess 5:25, Rom 15:30, Eph 6:19-20). If it was good enough for Paul, it is good enough for us.

So, where do you go when you hurt? You go to church. The church is family. And we are getting better at doing that. We are changing from an institution into a family and we can help. It is such a tragedy when people who are hurting think that church is the last place they should. This isn’t a country club. It is a hospital in a war zone and it needs to become a safe place of healing. That’s God’s plan for his church. “If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it.” 1 Cor 12:26.
Reach out today and help someone who is suffering.

New Beginnings

Don't you just love new beginnings? I do. It is challenging but it motivates me like little else.

As you may know I am beginning a new ministry with the Glendale Church of Christ in the Los Angeles area. This is Sunday is my first Sunday preaching as their preacher. I am filled with questions.

What is God going to do this time with me? What is God going to do with His Church? What is His Church going to do with their God? Who will God send on Sunday as a "finding" answer to their "seeking" prayers.

God gives us all opportunities to serve Him in lots of different ways. He has called me to preach and I have a great heart to do so. I want so much for Him to be glorified by an every increasing band of brothers and sisters. I don't know how He is going to do it but I do have this abiding belief that He is going to do it. He is God. He does the impossible every day and we still call it impossible.

See you Sunday in body or in spirit.

Too Busy to be Busy

I am reading Phillip Yancey's book, Prayer Does It Make a Difference, and a paragraph hit me. "Increasingly, time pressure crowd out the leisurely pace that prayer seems to require. Communication with other people keeps getting shorter and more cryptic: text messages, email, instant messaging. We have less and less time for conversation, let alone contemplation. We have the constance sensation of not enough not enough time, not enough rest, not enough exercise, not enough leisure. Where does God fit into a life that already seems behind schedule?"

It seems we are too busy to be busy. We have let our lives get so congested or convoluted that we don't have time to take the time to really live. Does it seem that way to you? Is that why Jesus often went away from the crowds rather than towards them?

What are some ways of escape this "not enough" mentality? Is it a matter of priorities? Do we always seem to have time to watch that one hour TV program we love and not enough time to focus on God in prayer for just a few minutes.

The early church, by their own testimony, was "devoted to prayer". We used to sing of the "sweet hour of prayer". Be honest, when was the last time you took an hour to prayer?According to research over 90 percent of Americans claim to pray all the time. Am I just part of the 10 percent?

Fire, Heat and Last Days

I have been so busy this past two weeks taking care of our move to Glendale. Well, really, Julie has been doing most of it and I have been watching very intently. It certainly has been an eventful couple of weeks. Things are finally settling down and I can return to my normal responsibilities including this blog.

The Uhaul truck with all our stuff on it caught fire 10 minutes out of San Diego. No one got hurt and none of our stuff was damaged but we were left on the side of the freeway trying to get Uhaul to do something. 3 hours late they sent a tow truck and he towed the whole truck to our new house. We had so much help in the move with lots of brothers and sisters from ECB and Glendale helping.

Since we have arrived at our new house in Burbank (right next to Glendale) the temperature has been over 100 degrees every day. Today it is around 112 degrees. Whoever invented air conditioning is now one of my all time heroes.

This Sunday is my last sermon at ECB as their preacher. The end of a thing is always a difficult time. ECB has been the focus of our walk with Jesus for five years now and I will certainly miss it. I love the family there very much.

Our house is finally rid of boxes etc. and is such a nice place. God is certainly continuing to bless us by His grace.

Euphemisms

Do we really say what we mean? Many times we don't or we shade our thoughts with what we think are kinder words. Here are some that I think need to be exposed followed by their real meaning.

Let's have lunch - Good bye

Yes dear - No dear

No that dress doesn't make you look fat - It may or may not but I'm not going to tell you

That's interesting - an automatic response to anything really isn't interesting

That sermon was nice - Congratulations. You didn't put me to sleep today

Anything said by a salesperson - I really need this sale

What about you? Any euphemisms that come to mind. Together we might get rid of this insidious disease and start saying what we mean. We might destroy a few marriages or cities on our way but what a small price to pay for plain language.

Simple Church

I am reading a book by Thom Ranier and Eric Geiger called Simple Church. I must admit I love Ranier's material. He is so well researched and lives in the real world. On page 16 he makes the observation that Jesus was a simple revolutionary. However he stepped into a very complicated and cluttered religious scene with all the Pharisees, Sadducees, Herodians, Zealots and Essenes. He says that "the religious leaders had developed a religious system with 613 laws. They chose the number 613 because that was how many separate letters were in the text containing the Ten Commandments. They found 613 commandments in the Penteteuch... they divided the list into affirmative (do this) and negative commands (don't do this). There were 248 affirmative commands, one for every part of the human body, as they understood it. There were 365 negative commands, one for each day of the year. " They constantly debated the ranking of each command.
In this context Jesus was asked that famous question in Matthew 22:37-40. What is the greatest commandment in the Law? They had complicated the life of service to God but Jesus now reveals its simplicity. Jesus now returns to the word of God and says that all the commandments can be summed up in two, love God with everything you've got and love your neighbor as yourself.
Ranier's and Geiger's proposition that God's way is a simple way is shown clearly in this exchange. It made me think. How often do you we preachers, teachers and leaders over analyze and complicate the simple message of God. God forgive us.

Prayer

God says so much about how much we should pray.

“But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,” Matthew 5:44
“After he had dismissed them, he went up on a mountainside by himself to pray. When evening came, he was there alone,” Matthew 14:23
““It is written,” he said to them, “‘My house will be called a house of prayer,’ but you are making it a ‘den of robbers’.”” Matthew 21:13
““Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the body is weak.”” Matthew 26:41
“They all joined together constantly in prayer, along with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brothers.” Acts 1:14
“They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.” Acts 2:42
“When they heard this, they raised their voices together in prayer to God. “Sovereign Lord,” they said, “you made the heaven and the earth and the sea, and everything in them.” Acts 4:24
“and will give our attention to prayer and the ministry of the word.”” Acts 6:4
“and said, ‘Cornelius, God has heard your prayer and remembered your gifts to the poor.” Acts 10:31
“Paul and Barnabas appointed elders for them in each church and, with prayer and fasting, committed them to the Lord, in whom they had put their trust.” Acts 14:23
“When he had said this, he knelt down with all of them and prayed.” Acts 20:36
“Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.” Romans 12:12
“Do not deprive each other except by mutual consent and for a time, so that you may devote yourselves to prayer. Then come together again so that Satan will not tempt you because of your lack of self-control.” 1 Corinthians 7:5
“Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful.” Colossians 4:2
“Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.” Philippians 4:6
“pray continually;” 1 Thessalonians 5:17
“With this in mind, we constantly pray for you, that our God may count you worthy of his calling, and that by his power he may fulfil every good purpose of yours and every act prompted by your faith.” 2 Thessalonians 1:11
“I want men everywhere to lift up holy hands in prayer, without anger or disputing.” 1 Timothy 2:8
“But you, dear friends, build yourselves up in your most holy faith and pray in the Holy Spirit.” Jude 1:20

What can we do to be more devoted to God in prayer? What do you find helps you?

Hope

Life has its ups and downs. The Bible says so (Ecclesiastes 3:1-8) but you knew that already from your life itself didn’t you?

It is how we handle these peaks and valleys that is the true measure of our faithfulness to the Father. As Christians, we have something that those out of Christ do not have that gives us a highly effective tool for handling what life (and others) throw at us.

We have hope (Romans 5:4). We have so much of it we rejoice in it (Romans 12:12). To truly catch the essence of hope in Christ we must recognize it is very different to worldly hope.
Worldly hope tells you to have a positive attitude and challenges you to be optimistic without any real foundation. Now being optimistic and positive are good things but they are lies if they have no foundation in reality ie. no reason behind them. If they are just wishful thinking (and on their own they are) let’s just call them what they are.

In Christ, “… hope does not disappoint us …” (Romans 5:5). Our hope is not determined by the alignment of the stars or the whim of capricious spirits. Our hope is solidly founded on the God who created all and His son who gave Himself to us. He is not the unapproachable authority. He is the one we have access (confident access) to (Hebrews 4:16). And what does this Father of ours says to us?
Many things. But today my mind is drawn (by my intellect or His Spirit I do not know) to “being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 1:6).
God is working. He has never stopped working. If we are working with Him we have great reason for hope. Why? Because that hope in God will not disappoint us.

Encouragement

I read an article recently encouraging preachers and it was very encouraging but it made me think that all Christians need encouragement. But it further made me wonder about where most of us find our encouragement. What encourages you in your walk with God? Share it with us. It may actually encourage someone.

What encourages me? One thing that I have noticed recently is when someone takes the time to communicate with me, outside of church gatherings, that something I did or taught or wrote really helped them. It really encourages me to know that I am being useful to God and to others. What about you?

Summer in San Diego

One thing that I enjoy in San Diego during the summer is the opportunity to preach at some of our sister churches. Last night I preached at the Canyonview Church. They were very friendly and supportive of our hoped for move to Glendale. Keith Feerer is the new preacher at Canyonview and is doing a great job.

Summer in San Diego also means VBS. This week it has been ECB's turn and it has been a great week. A great bunch of kids and a great bunch of teachers and helpers. Today there was a big inflatable jumper in the castle. The kids loved it and so did one of our deacons whose name will not be revealed.

Summer for us this year also means getting ready for a move. I just got a load of boxes and Julie is packing them already. She is so good at this moving thing. This whole transition is difficult but the prospects are so good that we could do nothing other than respond to God's call. Please pray for us.

Enjoy the summer.

Jesus Criticizes the Churches of Christ (2)

The church in Philadelphia is praised by Jesus. However the title of this post seems to attract attention so I will leave it as it is.

As a parent I have experienced a strange phenomenon. You see, I have found that I am allowed to criticize my children (only when they deserve it) but no one else is. In fact I will be very upset if you do say anything bad about my children (even if they deserve it). Parents have a sense of ownership and protectivenes and so do church members. We don’t like outsiders criticizing our church. I understand that but when the outsider is Jesus we need to drop our defenses (or defensiveness) and listen to Him. (He really isn’t an outsider, is He?)

What a church is this church (Revelation 3:7-13)? They have little strength and yet they have persevered in very difficult circumstances. They have kept the commands of Jesus and endured patiently. Jesus is lavish in his declaration of His love for them. This is a letter I want the church I am in to receive. I would read it from the pulpit every Sunday.

Being Christ’s church is a simple thing. Do what Jesus tells you to do and be patient. Yes, it is simple but it is not easy. Too often we complicate this simple life we are called to in the family of God.

Praise guide for such a life in His church!

Jesus Criticizes the Churches of Christ

What if Jesus wrote your church a letter outlining the key areas of failure and key areas of success? Well, indirectly He has. In the book of Revelation we find the record of seven letters Jesus wrote to His churches. God has preserved these letters to teach 21st century churches to not fall into the same traps that the 1st century churches did.

There was a church in Sardis and Jesus had a bone to pick with them (Revelation 3:1-6). They were good at starting things but weren’t good at persevering in those works and completing them (:2). They were falling asleep on the job and Jesus shouts at them to wake up. His challenge to them is to remember what they were taught and obey it (:3). He warns them that if they don’t get their act together then He will come to them in judgment.

Not everyone in the church at Sardis was like this (:4) but many were and Jesus was not happy with them.

Are we like this? Are we all excited and involved at the beginning of something and somehow absent and distracted as the newness wears off. Yes we are and we need to repent of such a lack of perseverance. This isn’t the final judgment that Jesus warns about but it is a judgment and we need to heed the warning.

Would Jesus write this to our church?

Acappella -

This has to be one of the best songs Acappella has done. Listen to the words.

Acappella in Tennessee

Last night was a great time. The group, Acappella, sang for us. We had them at ECB early on this year and it was great to see them again. Keith Lancaster got up with them and sang a few oldies and then Jerome Williams got up and sang with them as well. On this earth It doesn't get much better than this. We will be heading back to San Diego tomorrow. We have been away for a week and a half. We need to get back to that dry heat. Tennessee can keeps its humidity.

Middle Tennessee

Julie and I are attending a retreat near Paris, TN and it is great. Lot's of worship time and lots of fellowship. Just what we need right now in our time of transition.

Boy is it hot and humid. Living in San Diego I had forgotten what true heat was. God has blessed us with good air conditioning at our location. It is literally like walking into a sauna when you walk outside. It's like breathing a wet towel into you mouth.

Had a great weekend at Glendale. They are a great bunch of Christians with a true heart to please the Lord. Matt Jackson lead the singing on Sunday and did a great job. I preached a bit long but they need to know what they are thinking about getting themselves into :-).

Go Padres!

Glendale

Julie and I are in Glendale, CA, this weekend getting to the church family there. We have known many in this church for around 27 years. Tonight we met with many of them at the Dilbeck's house. It was encouraging to hear them tell me of their dreams as well as just talk about their everyday lives. Tomorrow is a breakfast with the leaders of the church and then spending some time with the young adults in their Adopt-a-Block ministry followed by lunch. This church has such awesome potential. I pray the Lord will keep opening this door. Please be praying for us all. God is so good.

Body Church

God has called a bunch of people out of body of humanity. The ones that have faithfully responded to that call have become the called out ones, the church. The word, church, does not mean, ‘bunch of religious people”. It means, “the called out ones”.

Every group of people functions in a different way. The church functions in certain way that reflects God’s purpose for the church. It functions like a body (Romans 12:5, 1 Corinthians 12:13,27, Ephesians 1;22,23, 5:23 etc.). That’s the biblical description of what the church is and how it functions.

The scripture never says the church is like a body. It says that it is a body, in fact, the body. By its very nature, given to it by Christ, it has a head (Christ himself). It has a different organs, limbs and parts (members). It has a need for food (the Word). Every part of the body functions together for an overall purpose (to do God’s will). There is a dependant relationship between all the parts of the bodies. When those relationships are weakened the whole body suffers from ill health.
Every body has a blood system that carries life to all the parts of the body. In the body of Christ, the church, that blood is the blood of Jesus. It is through the blood of Jesus that we are saved. When God called us out of the world He did so on the basis of the death of Jesus. To be able to make the call, God had to choose to pay the price for the call.

Given all this, I have one question. What is the heart of the church? In every body there is a heart. In the body of Christ, what is that heart?

Gospel Ghetto

I found this article very challenging. I don't think his use of worldwide stats was that accurate but I think the overall point is very valid.
http://www.pastors.com/RWMT/default.asp?id=318&artid=10713&expand=1

Worship

Everybody seems to have an opinion about worship. Even me. It seems that these opinions are almost always about what the church does when it gathers together to worship, which realistically is a limited part of what God has to say about worship.

That does not mean it is unimportant. What God's family does when it gathers in His name is always important. However it wasn't so important that God gave us an account of a worship time at church in New Testament times. One would be forgiven for thinking that there must be a section of scripture somewhere that defines in detail what Christians are to do when they gather as the church to worship the Father. It's not there. I have looked.

Despite this we all still have our opinions. Why is that? I think it is because it is a shared experience and we think we have the right to speak strongly if we are expected to participate in the group experience of worship. I could be wrong and even if I am I know I am not wrong about the fact that almost everyone seems justified in putting their foot down about what is done in worship when they start to feel uncomfortable.

How do we deal with this? Does God have anything to say about how we relate to each other in our public gatherings? Yes He does and that's the subject of another post one day.

In a worship time at church there is a laundry list of things that can tick you off. The crazy hat that sister so and so is wearing. The nervous ticks of the song leader. The shrill voice of one of the sopranos. The fact that brother so and so isn't wearing a tie. The fact that brother so and so is wearing a tie. The crying child. The preacher's pretentiousness. The list is endless. Even if among all that laundry list of annoyances we come to a united theological position we are still ticked off. I believe that answer is not in agreeing on everything about public worship.

Let me suggest that the answer is in agreeing on one thing. Biblically that one thing is that we love God and we therefore worship Him. In our worship we should be focusing on the one true and living God who loves us to the extreme. My belief is that if we focus on the one we worship then we will find that all those things that we find personally annoying will suddenly not seem so important. We will develop a godly perspective. It's hard not to look at others as we worship but we must work a lot harder on looking at the one we worship and encourage the rest of the family to do the same.

There's a lot more to study about this but these are some thoughts that hit me today. Who knows why? That's rhetorical so don't tell me. Raise your voice to God. He loves you and wants to hear from you,

FUNNY

This really tickled me as I had 3 boys who I am sure would not have made it without ramen noodles. Their inventor died recently and he left us with this great motto. "Teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime. Give him ramen noodles, and you don't have to teach him anything".

Moving On

For the past 3 months I have been giving serious thought and prayer to the idea of moving. I have come to the point in my life where moving has no appeal. In my youth the grass always looked greener on the other side of the fence. Now it just looks like grass.

Despite this lack of passion for the adventure of a move I have increasingly been hearing the leading of God's Spirit to go to work with another church. It has been a quiet voice but a persistent one. I have a great love for the church I have partnered with for the the past 5 years. We have gone through many battles together. We have stood shoulder to shoulder in this enterprise called church and God has lead us into a growth of our understanding of His will and of a understanding of this world that we are called to transform with the gospel of Jesus. God has blessed me with wonderful elders during my time in San Diego. A preacher could not ask for better.

Despite my love for this church and my deep relationships with many in this church, Julie and I have decided to leave and hope to enter a new ministry with the Glendale Church of Christ in the Los Angeles area. I keep praying that the Lord will give me wisdom and faith to do good in this time of transition.

If you would have a heart to, I would ask you to pray for us also.

God's Power

God let me preach tonight. It was the second in a series on Ephesians called Identity. Is was in and around Ephesians 1:19 one of my favorite verses. Favorite in the sense that it really speaks to me.

God has incomparably great power for us believers. It is the same power that raised Jesus from the dead (:20). It made me think. If God is for us and God never stops working and God has this great power that he exerts on us, then why does it seem that so little is getting done. It is profane to think that God is not keeping up His end of the enterprise called the Kingdom. The only conclusion is that we are not keeping up our end. Have we become stumbling blocks like Peter in Matthew 16? Maybe, but we don't need to dwell on it. We need to dwell on the fact that God used Peter only a matter of months later to preach the gospel in a powerful way. We don't have to be stumbling blocks. We need to have faith in Jesus (Ephesians 1:15). That's the beginning and the end of the discussion. Do we have faith in Jesus? Once that decision is made, God has great power for us who believe. Praise Him.

Where Do You See God?

Their eyes are losing their ability to see God. All over, people are increasingly failing to see God. This is the God who was so apparent to millions a few generations ago.
This spreading blindness is changing everything about our lives. Congressmen now vote on legislation without reference to the great lawgiver. Teachers teach with no thought given to the reality of God in the universe. Parents raise their children with hardly a mention of their ultimate father.
This encroaching darkness is robbing us of the very things that make human life so worthwhile and lovely. It professes to be enlightenment but it is a virus whose most evident symptom is an inability to see God.
Now I know that seeing God isn’t the easiest thing in the world. After all, it is hard to see the invisible. To be able to see God you have to be able to see the invisible. “So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.” (2 Corinthians 4:18). “He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation.” (Colossians 1:15).
But, just because He is invisible doesn’t mean that we can’t see Him. Physical eyes can’t see Him. But that doesn’t mean that we don’t perceive that He is there. A songwriter stated an eternal truth when he said, “The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands.” (Psalms 19:1). A latter prophet said, “For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities--his eternal power and divine nature--have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse.” (Romans 1:20).
Did you catch that? God’s invisible qualities have been clearly seen. There is power in that statement. Power to transform the whole way you and I look at life.
The songwriter and the prophet together propose the truth that you can see God in the amazing creation He has given to us.
This raises an interesting question. Where do you and I see God? What do you look at with your physical eyes that make your spiritual eyes see God? While we live in an increasingly man made environment of concrete, steel and glass we need to take the time to look at our whole environment.
Let me give an example that inspired me recently. While at a Christian Evidences conference recently I was privileged to be in a lecture about neuroscience. Simply put, this is the study of how the brain works. To the casual observer the brain looks like it is just a wrinkled blob of grey jelly. We know it is more than that because it is our brain that gives us the ability to “know” anything. With the aid of electron microscopes and other amazing machines and techniques the neuroscientists have been able to study the amazing electrical processes of the brain. They have a long way to go but what they have discovered is an incredibly complex organ that points to the existence of designer. There is no way you can look at it and conclude that it was the product of mindless evolution. It declares the glory of God.
In a completely different part of the creation a baby is born. This one I am thinking is a boy. He is only days old and already he is doing things that were never taught him. Things that he needs to do to survive. Who taught him such things? His beauty amazes me. His learning curve astounds me. I also know that I love him and that he is beginning to love me. The baby boy declares the glory of God.
What do you see that cries the glory of God? You and I need to remind ourselves of that sense of wonder we get when we truly consider how we are fearfully and wonderfully made (Psalm 139:14).
In doing so we push back the darkness. We shine our light and others start to see God behind the glory. We are to be what Jesus told us to be. “In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.” (Matthew 5:16).
God is not some private belief that we don’t share with others. He is the most public belief. He is everywhere in His creation. Don’t let the blind tell the sighted to close their eyes. Those with sight need to be sharing the wonder of what they see with their children, their families, their neighbors and the whole world.
More recent songwriters ask the question, “Do you see what I see?”. Truly, do you see what I see?

Information Overload

It is becoming increasingly evident to me that how we study the Bible has changed radically in recent years through the use of computers. Whether you use a PC or a Mac like me (MacBook) the way that a Christian gets the basic information of scripture is very different and a lot quicker.

Before computers, if I was preparing a lesson and wanted all the verses on a particular subject I would get out both my Exhaustive (no condensed versions for power users like me) Concordance and my Bible Dictionary and often my Vines Expository Dictionary. Usually with these tools I could over a matter of hours find most references to a particular subject in the Bible.

Now I load my Bible program. there are many types available today. On the Mac I particularly like Online Bible. Within in a matter of minutes I can have every verse relating to a subject from ten different English versions as well as the original Greek and Hebrew. The information comes very quickly now.

The reason I love is because now I can spend more time studying the biblical text rather than in finding the texts. I can focus more of my energy on the how to relate the eternal message to the time bound people I will be teaching. I love that.

This also means that many who used to rely on their huge intellect to retain some much information from the Bible now are really not needed. It's not just preachers like me who can use computers for finding Bible verses. Anyone can. The days of the preacher being the Bible Big Brain who we consult for biblical knowledge are gone (at least for the technologically enhanced).

Just as the printing press lead to the putting of the Bible into the hands of millions the computer puts the navigation within the Bible at the hands of anyone who can do a search. You don't even need a Bible program. You can do a Google search and get pretty good results. Or go to sites like www.biblegateway.com and do all your study over the internet.

What I love about this is that it restores the preacher to his biblical role of proclaimer of the gospel. He is not needed as a scholar who has the specialist books that he uses to distill basic biblical information. We do need scholars but they are very accessible to everyone now.

Along with great blessings to the preacher, the new technologies have brought great potential for evil. Not only is God's truth more accessible so also are the lies and seductions of Satan. More on that another time.

Effective and Biblical Study for Seekers

I have been looking for a study program for those seeking to know God and I have never found one that I felt really hit the nail on the head.

Most of the studies I found and have used over the past 30 years assumed that seekers believed the Bible to be the word of God. I also found many of them focused too heavily on what a person does after they believe in Jesus rather than helping them through that critical part of the journey before they believe in Jesus. I include in this the few study series that I have authored.

I recently came across the ministry of James Nored, preaching minister at the Liberty Church of Christ in Liberty, Missouri. I have never met James but had heard some good things about him and decided to check out his website ( http://storyofredemption.com/index.html ) and to say I was pleased with what I found is an understatement. I highly recommend you check it out as well.

Taming the Tongue

How to put James 3 into practice

1. Decide that you do not have to have the last word (even though it seems like the world will stop spinning if you don’t
2. When you feel anger rising up in you, decide to say nothing on the subject until after your next meal. You won’t want to do this when you getting angry so it is important to make the decision in a more rational moment.
3. Decide to only say things to people or about people that build them up. Gossip, like most sins, is fun but it is so destructive.
4. When you are next tempted to lie, tell the truth and see what happens. Follow this procedure each time you feel tempted to embellish the truth.
5. Train your tongue to praise God by doing so repeatedly. Let you emotions flow fully in your praise of God.
6. Decide that using foul language is something you will not do any more. It’s nothing more than the language of a person who just doesn’t care and you are a person who does care about people.

I received this email from someone in my James class at ECB. What a great spirit!
“I have to tell you that last nights class has influenced my behavior today. I spend time on this website where people often disagree. One person is kind of trying to draw me into a discussion where it could get heated as we have very different opinions on the discussion. Because of your class I have decided not to respond anymore. I stated my opinion (nicely) and have decided that that is all I need to say on the subject. But in the past I might have kept going because I hate not having the last word when I feel I am right. (I just can't understand how people don't realize what I am saying is right and immediately change their minds!!!)”

A Great Last Quarter

One thing I have learned from sports like basketball and Aussie rules is that the most important thing is how you play the last quarter. You may have a good first quarter but if you and not there for the 4th you are out of the game. It's the same with life. I was reminded of this by the story Ron Bainbridge told in his recent report. Ron preaches Jesus in Albany, West Australia. Here is the whole story.

"Lord willing, our brother SAM SAMPSON will celebrate his 100th birthday on July 11th, 2007 and some very special activities are being planned to mark this momentous occasion! I have provided a brief biography of Sam’s life below:

Sam Sampson born 11th July, 1907 at Boulder, Western Australia

Sam Sampson & his late wife Emma were baptized in 1966 during a George Bailey campaign held by the Embleton church in Perth, Western Australia. That same year they were part of the nucleus of foundation members to begin the City Beach congregation. In 1972 they moved from City Beach to become one of the families commencing Darling Range congregation. In 1979 they moved to Albany & established the Lord's church in their home until the numbers became so great they couldn't all fit & a building was hired. Sam was leading in all capacities, prayer, song leading, Lesson, Our Lord's Supper & any other need at this time. For a shy farming gentleman this was a huge happening, it just goes to show how real the Lord became to them both, they never looked back.

In fact, while still in Perth, Sam was excited beyond belief at returning to the Albany area one day, so that he could share the GOOD NEWS with all the people he once knew. His joy was so great. Sadly, there was not the response he expected, but as time went by, from Sam & Em worshipping alone in their lounge room, and with Ron & Fay's encouragement from Perth to keep going, their lounge room overflowed with people.

Sam & Em came from a rural background, with limited education opportunities. Had their own farm at Beaufort River, while running their own Bulldozing business, clearing properties and building dams etc. All Sam did he did well, even his dams were a work of art. This took them to various parts of W.A. living in their caravan & a big low loader to move the dozer.

When days work was done, they took every opportunity to study the Bible with people they were working for, using the Jule L. Miller and Texas H. Stevens Visualized Bible Study Series. Which was outstanding being such shy folk... but as we know, with the Lord's help nothing is impossible.

Sam & Em often travelled North for the winter (too wet to build dams) & again in Caravan Parks etc they continued to share their great love of the Lord. They took advantage of every opportunity to share Jesus with others.

Up until recent years, Sam served in the church's leadership in every capacity.

He was always willing to sit down & discuss spiritual things. A strong gentle man, with a humorous nature and big smile. Sam was always ready to lend a helping hand to anyone in need. His home was always open. His nature always the same, and he never gossiped.

Very sadly, in mid 1994 Sam’s dear wife Emma died. Throughout their married life Em's health was not strong, in those last months when Em could no longer be at home, Sam was at the nursing home every day.

August 2002, at 95-years-of age, Sam remarried a lovely Christian sister, Irene & they are very happy.

He still entertains us playing his accordian, mouth organ, piano and violin which he managed to teach himself about five years ago..

Many a young man has enjoyed spending time in Sam's workshop with him over the years.

Brethren, Sam Sampson has been such an inspiration to so many brethren in his steadfast love for our Lord and his church during the past forty years.

When we stop to think that Sam was 59 years of age when he put on Christ in baptism and has since then been involved in the establishment and development of three different congregations here in Western Australia, that truly is an encouragement to all of us who have been privileged to be associated with him. At 99 years-of-age, and turning 100 on July 11th, our dear brother Sam is now the most senior of all New Testament Christians here in Western Australia!

Brethren, it could be truthfully said of Sam Sampson, that he was a Farmer, Bull Dozer Driver -- who became a faithful preacher. So, from one who planted grain and shepherded sheep on a farm, he became a planter of God's word and a shepherd of some of God's sheep. -- How wonderful! "

Vacation 2007

It's my first day back in the office after a whirlwind vacation for the past two weeks. Our oldest son, Ben, and his wife, Carly, same over from Sydney for the two weeks and we had a great time. Ben has grown up so much in the last few years and is such a mighty man for God. Ben and I had a difficult relationship as he grew up. I didn't know much about parenting and he didn't much about obeying. A recipe for disaster. Thank God for forgiveness and reconciliation. He is working as a full time youth worker with Hillsong Youth Service and is getting to do a lot of preaching as well. My sons are great source of pride to me. They keep progressing in spite of their father and praise God that such things happen.

Ben, Carly, Julie and I did so much together. Lots of shopping. Australians can't believe the price of shoes at the outlets so they get pretty excited about shopping. Throw in Ross, Nordstrom Rack and Marshalls and they pretty much go ballistic. We went to couple of Padres (baseball) games one of which we won. Just in case anyone cares, the Padres are on top of the National League West. We went and saw the stage version of Hairspray which was a blast.

All of our boys live in Sydney and Julie and I live in San Diego. The separation is difficult, so times like these are very special to us.

No. Tell me it isn't so. Kobe wants to leave the Lakers. Has the world gone mad?

I am heading to the International Apologetics Conference this week with my friend, John Rudloph. Will try to catch up with some friends as well.

Is God Working?

Christians so often talk about how God is really beginning to work in such and such a church or ministry to someone's life. Many then get the idea that what we need to do is wait until God is ready to do His stuff in our lives. I know not everyone takes it this way but a lot really think that while things weren't going well that God really wasn't working. It wasn't that God wasn't working. It was that we weren't allowing God to work through us.

I have always been challenged by the rebuke Jesus gave to Peter. “Jesus turned and said to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling-block to me; you do not have in mind the things of God, but the things of men.”” Matthew 16:23, NIV. Peter was holding Jesus back. Jesus could have run right over the top of Peter in His pursuit of salvation for all but He didn't. He wanted Peter to allow God to work through Peter. And that's what He want for you and me. (I know I am preaching but it is hard for a preacher not to preacher. Be patient with me)

God is always at work. He works at 100% every single day of the work. Whether we are awake or asleep God is working. He, like rust, never sleeps. He never forgets us or gets too busy with something else to pay attention to our part of the kingdom.

If this is true (and it is), why isn't God working powerfully in your life? There are two of us at the table and if God is bringing all that He chooses (which is a lot) it must be me that is not bringing to the table what I need to have the empowered spiritual life that He wants me to have. I don't have much. What can I bring? Bring a faith that works and you will unleash the power of God. He has never stopped trying with you. You and I have been holding Him back in our lives.

Please God, forgive my lack of faith in you and lack of effort in your name. Hang in there with me. I may be slow but I'm picking up speed.

NBA

Spurs sweep. I really wanted Cleveland to make it a lot closer series but we don't always get what we want. I don't like the brand of basketball that the Spurs play but I do like the skills of some of the players particularly Ginobli (except when he flops) and Parker. I live in hope for the Lakers next year. Until then there is always the Padres, the leaders of the NL West.