My Ministry Priorities

As promised, I have tallied up the scores and have come up with a summary of your priorities for ministry. Without question, Prayer and Bible Study were number 1 and 2. Evangelism came in right behind these two while Pastoral Ministry and Preaching were tied for 4th place. Just below the middle of the pack was Supervision/Administration followed by Time with Family, Missions, Counseling, Teaching, and Planning. At the very bottom of the list, basically honorable mentions, you included Personal Renewal, Community Involvement, Weddings, and Funerals. Thank you for participating in this little survey. While I was hoping for a larger number of responses, I appreciate those of you who did respond.

Now here is my list with my reasoning:
1. Personal relationship with God – First and foremost in this priority is Prayer and Bible Study. I don’t believe one is effective without the other, and I know that I cannot be effective without both of these. Please understand that this priority includes every aspect of my personal relationship with God including my call to ministry, meeting needs of others, and my responsibility to share the gospel. After all, Jesus said that “loving God completely and loving others as myself” summed up who we are as Christians and what we are supposed to be.
2. My family – The Bible says that a man who neglects his family is worse than an infidel, so I believe that I must spend time with my family. After all, it is one of the requirements of being a pastor, according to 1 Timothy 3. This also would include my time of personal renewal because Sonya has always been a large part of my ministry.
3. Ministry to Southside – In this I include Preaching/Sermon preparation, Teaching, and Pastoral Ministry. Please understand that Pastoral Ministry includes visiting the sick and shut-ins, ministry to members in need, weddings and funerals, and counseling.
4. Supervision/Administration – I include in this my role as supervisor of the staff, leadership responsibilities in the church, and planning for the future.
5. Fellowship with church members – While I would love to be able to visit in every church member’s home on a regular basis, that isn’t possible because of time constraints. Please know that I will always try to be there for EVERY member who has a need, and I will try to accept EVERY invitation to visit and fellowship, but with over 700 resident members representing approximately 250 homes, sometimes human limitations will prevent that.
6. Community Involvement – I don’t believe it’s possible to be “the salt” and “the light” that Jesus called us to be if we are not involved in our community.

Now you have my list of my priorities. I look forward to hearing your comments concerning
the list. In addition, next week I will share my thoughts as to what I believe YOUR priorities should be.

Ministry Priorities

Following you will find the responses to my survey about Ministry Priorities. Some of them are "tongue-in-cheek" responses, so enjoy them for what they are meant to be. I will share some more as they come in and give you my list next week. Merry Christmas!


I feel that the most important aspect of your life and work is Prayer and Bible Study and after that Our God will guide you as to what you need to do and when .

1. spending time with God in prayer and Bible reading and teaching
2. time with Sonya and your family
3. reaching out to the lost
4. ministring to the people of the church and outside
5. missions
6. preaching
7. involved in community affairs
8. planning of future events of the church
9. supervision of the other staff members

(1) Praying
(2) Bible Study
(3) Sermon Preparation
(4) Preaching
(5) Teaching
(6) Witnessing
(7) Outreach- Prospective Members
(8) Inreach-Members
(9) Missions
(10)Supervision/Planning

listening to member gripes and complaints, trying to keep the peace, trying to keep facilities at the right temperature for everyone, attending all social functions, eating lots of fried chicken and okra, and keeping physically fit in spite of the chicken and okra.

1. Praying
2. Studying the Bible
3. Sermons
4. Counseling
5. Leadership of Church (meetings to guide staff and Church leaders)
6. Visiting the sick (with help from Church leaders)
7. Visiting (the lost and new member prospects)
8. Visit Church members
9. Weddings
10.Funerals


1. Prayer
2. Bible Study
3. Administration
4. Visitation - first to reach the lost, 2nd church members
5. Minister to the sick and those that have lost a loved one
6. Hold the staff accountable (i.e. if they are away from the church why? is it church related or personal?)
7. Refresh and re-new yourself go to a conference or convention.
8. Counseling
9. Spend time with family
10. There will always be other things in the community, in the Church that you need to participate in for enjoyment and as representing Southside in the community.

1. Visit the sick
2. Visit the new prospects
3. Visit the New Members
4. Prepare for Sunday and Wed.
5. TAKE TIME OFF TO REST ! YOU'LL NO GOOD TO GOD OR THE CHURCH IF YOU ARE DEAD !!!!!!!
6. Look for ways to move the CHURCH forward

Something About Angels

There are angels in our midst! Now I must confess that these are unusual angels in any sense of the word, but what else would you call someone who will stand in the rain, direct traffic, help you get all your stuff out of your wrecked vehicle, and then bring you breakfast the next day? What do you call someone who drives you to the hospital and sits in a waiting room full of violently ill people for almost 3 hours until you get checked out by the doctors? What do you call someone who makes arrangement for you to have a vehicle and someone who provides that vehicle free of charge? They may not be angels, but Mike and Sandra Clemons, Richard Batchelor, and J.B. Dye are certainly the kind of friends that remind me what it means to have a church family. Thank you to these wonderful people as well as to all who prayed for us, called us, and offered us vehicles and food following our accident. God has truly blessed us.

I Want Your Input!

Hey, folks. I know it's been a while since I have blogged. I'm sorry about that, but sometimes you have to drop one thing in order to juggle all the rest. Which brings me to the reason that I want your input. As with all pastors, there are multiple demands on my time. (I know, I know -- you think pastors only work one or two days a week. But just humor me, okay?) Every so often, I pause to re-evaluate my priorities for ministry. I know what I think is important, but for some reason, I just thought I would ask you what you think is important. In other words, what are the top 10 activities, in order of importance, that you believe your pastor should be spending his time on each week? Be as specific as you want to be. Feel free to comment anonymously to this blog or e-mail your response. I promise I will share the results of this informal survey in a couple of weeks. In addition, I will give you my list at that time.

And I promise, Mrs. June, I will try to do better at keeping my blog current.

Cheer Up: It's Raining!

On this wonderfully dreary day when we are finally seeing a few drops of rain, I thought I would attempt to cheer people up. So I decided to go back through some of my favorite sayings and share some of them with you. I hope you like them.

• Eat American Lamb. Ten million coyotes can't be wrong.
• Procrastination: Hardwork pays off after time, but laziness pays off right now!
• Demotivation: Sometimes the best solution to morale problems is just to fire all of the unhappy people.
• Elitism: It's lonely at the top, but it's comforting to look down on everyone at the bottom.
• Cluelessness: There are no stupid questions, but there are a lot of inquisitive idiots.
• Despair: It's always darkest just before it goes pitch black.

Okay, so they aren't really my favorite sayings, and they don't represent how I really feel, but they did make me laugh. And I hope they made you laugh, too.

Hummingbirds -- Do they ever get out of tune?

Have you ever viewed a hummingbird up close? I had the privilege two mornings in a row. Sonya and I were sitting on our patio drinking coffee enjoying the cool mornings of fall. Suddenly there was a buzzing right behind me. Sonya said, “There’s a hummingbird right behind your head.” Of course, when I turned, he was gone. But then this morning, he was back. In fact, he came and hovered a foot in front of my face. He hovered right beside me twice. Amazing little creature. So small. So fast. So hungry all the time. It seems that all they do is fly from flower to flower (or feeder to feeder) eating. One day not too long ago, we watched as one played in the water of our sprinkler. Wouldn’t that be the life? Just fly around all the time eating and playing. But for most of us, it wouldn’t be enough. There is a part of us that longs for time just to relax and do nothing, but after a while, that gets old. We were created for a purpose -- built into our systems, there is a desire to accomplish something, to do something, to be something in this life. Some people are able to overcome that desire. Society uses words like “deadbeat”, “lazy”, “good-for-nothing” to describe them. Some people are overcome by the desire. Society uses words like “go-getter” or “workaholic” to describe them. We could all learn a lesson from the hummingbird: there is room in this life to take care of needs AND to play. Take some time this week to enjoy both the work and the recreation God has blessed you with. Take some time this week to worship the Creator, too.

You Can't Change the Laws of Physics When You Want To

I was driving down the road the other day when I noticed I was behind a car with a Darwin fish emblem and several NASA bumper stickers. It really started me to thinking about the Laws of Thermodynamics. Now, understand that my knowledge of physics is limited, but I do remember that the second law of thermodynamics basically states that things have a tendency to deteriorate into disorder. For example, take the teacher out of a well-organized classroom for fifteen minutes, and I guarantee you that the students will not turn into a well-tuned symphony. Or place an old rusted-out Buick in the middle of a field and leave it, and it will not turn into a shiny new Ferrari. So why then does a "scientist" who understands that this is a constant in our universe believe in the theory of evolution? While the concept of the survival of the fittest may be appealing to some, there is very little that is Christian about it. Additionally, the idea that single-celled organisms just mutated into some primordial form of life only to eventually evolve into a human being just blows my mind. The next time I have an opportunity to talk to someone who believes in evolution, I'm going to take them into my backyard, and I'm going to show them my oak tree, and then I'm going to ask them, "How long is it going to take for this oak tree to evolve into a new dining room table and chairs?" Without the Creator, there is no creation!

The Most Important Thing

Following a conference I attended last week, I began to think about the question, "What is the most important thing we do as a church?" Of course, most people would answer that question with, "Whatever I'm involved in." And there are lots of important things that we do: witness, teach, fellowship, minister, etc. But as I thought of all these things, I came to the conclusion that the most important thing we do as a church or as a Christian is worship. Now immediately, someone will come up with the question, "Corporate or private?" You know as well as I do that there are those amongst us who believe that they don't need the church to worship. I can do it all by myself, thank you very much. In my opinion, asking that particular question is like asking, "Which is more important: oxygen, water, or food?" Well, they say you can go without oxygen for a matter of minutes, water for a matter of days, and food for a matter of weeks, but the end result is that without them you die. The same thing is true about BOTH corporate and private worship -- without them, you die. No, you don't die physically and you don't lose your salvation. But it is a lot like this plant we bought for our back yard. It is a beautiful plant with green and yellow leaves and pink flowers. At least, it's beautiful as long as we don't forget to water it every day. Sure as we do, we walk outside and it is limp, lifeless, and ugly. But add a generous helping of water, and in a matter of minutes it stands up straight and tall and beautiful again. Without both corporate and private worship, Christians become limp, lifeless, and ugly. Without worship, we cannot witness, teach, fellowship, or minister because worship is where we connect with God and with each other. In John 15:5 Jesus said, "I am the vine and you are the branches. If any man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit. Apart from me, you can do nothing." Remaining/abiding in Him is the definition of true worship.

One of Life's Biggest Problems

Today I write about a problem plaguing our churches. Sometimes I think it is a scourge set free on the world by the technology industry. At other times, I feel it is the bane of every church's existence. To what am I referring? Cell phones! Yes, cell phones. Have you been there? Right in the middle of the worship service and boom! You hear the James Bond theme or the Alabama/ Auburn fight song or some other equivalent. It happened just last night in our church while I was trying to pray. I think I know who the evil culprit is (in case you haven't figured it out by now, this is all tongue-in-cheek so whoever you are who owned the phone that went off last night don't think I am out to get you). Please understand that I am very sympathetic. It's happened to me before, and if it hasn't happened to you, it is because: a) you haven't joined the 21st century and purchased a cell phone; b)you have a cell phone but like so many others you won't turn it on; c)you are smarter than the majority of the population and turn it off when you enter the church; or d)you just haven't owned the phone long enough or you don't go to church often enough. Here is my point: given time, it will happen to you. I think that if Murphy was still writing his laws, that would be one of them. So, recently I have come up with what I think are the most innovative solutions for when it happens to you.

• Stare straight ahead and pretend that you don't hear it
• Turn to your neighbor with a horrified look on your face as if it is their phone
• Do like one lady (Tina Burton) I heard about who kicked her purse under someone else's seat
• Dig frantically for the phone and when you find it, answer it in a voice loud enough for everyone to hear, and say, "Why, yes, I would be glad to share with you the plan of salvation."

Please know that all of these are not original with me, so thanks Sonya, Wayne, Peggy, Jill, Laura Ashley, Jeff, and Peggy.

Summertime

Hey, sorry I haven't posted much lately. I thought that the Summer was supposed to be a little slower pace, but not this summer. It has been great, though. I have thoroughly enjoyed the things we have been doing at Southside -- especially the Prayerwalking. I know I have blogged about this already, but it has truly been a great blessing to me personally to join with so many of our church members just to walk our neighborhoods and pray for people. I think it has been a blessing to our neighbors as well.

Anyway, I was just thinking about what makes summer time so special. It isn't the heat -- at least not for me. I like the cool (not cold) days of winter. It isn't all the yard work -- our Lord knows I don't care for that. Besides, you have to worry about the grass dying and your neighbors getting upset with you. Maybe it's the longer hours of daylight that just gives you that extra boost of Vitamin D or whatever it is that helps us feel better. Or perhaps summer just reminds us of being out of school and the freedom of childhood. The other night as we sat on the back porch watching the lightning flash, we listened to the neighbor's children playing late in the evening. They were having lots of fun until Mom called them in to get ready for bed, and instantly they protested: It's not that late. We aren't dirty. Can't we just play a few more minutes. And suddenly, I remembered what it was like to be a child again. Do you remember those days? I hope so.

Following the Rules

Let me ask you a question -- do you follow the rules because you want to or because you have to? That question, of course, assumes that you do follow the rules. Now if you are like me, you say it's because you want to, but is that really the case? Answer the following questions honestly and see:

• When you see a policeman on the side of the road, do you immediately hit your brakes and look at you speedometer?
• When a policeman gets behind you, do you become nervous and set your cruise control?

Chances are, if you answered either of these questions with a yes, like me, you might have some work to do. The other day, as I was traveling down a stretch of road with a 30 mph speed limit, I noticed a policeman right behind me. My heart began to beat a little faster. My palms became a little sweaty. I constantly checked my speed and my rearview mirror. And then it hit me. Why should it matter whether or not a policeman could see how fast I am driving? Isn't the speed limit the speed limit regardless of who is watching? And what about other areas of my life? Do I do certain things only because someone expects me to? Or do I take God's Word to heart and do everything "as unto the Lord"? You know, the good news is that God is gracious, and even when I mess up and don't follow the rules, He isn't waiting to turn on the blue lights and write me a ticket. But I sure don't want to be guilty of taking that grace for granted. After all, it was my sin that sent Jesus to the cross. And yours, too.

Prayerwalking

Have you ever done it? It has been one of the greatest blessings of my ministry. This summer, we transformed our Tuesday evening visitation into Family Ministry Night. People of all ages are involved in going into our community and praying for the people who live here. We walk and we pray and we talk to people who are outside. It must be connecting with our people because we are averaging about 18 people every week. We are leaving doorknockers/brochures at every home and talking to people. It has been great. I talked to a man last week who said he just needed prayer for better days. What an opening to talk about Jesus! Tonight we talked to two precious ladies. One was living in a neighborhood (since a teenager) that was rapidly changing around her. She doesn't know whether to stay or find another place to live, and she wanted prayer for wisdom. Another lady needed prayer because she was raising three granddaughters because her son is in prison. With the economy in the shape that it's in, she's having great difficulty paying the bills. Another man was genuinely touched by the fact that someone had come to pray for his neighborhood. We may never know if we have impacted anyone else's life, but it has impacted me. Sometimes it is too easy to isolate yourself from the world and not see the physical, emotional, and spiritual needs of our neighbors. Jesus said that the fields are ripe, ready for the harvest. That statement is as true today as it was then. I'm proud to be the pastor of a church with people who are willing to labor for the Lord.

By the way, if you missed Celebrate America, shame on you. It was great. You should go ahead and put it on your calendar for next year.

Whew!

The drama has been written. The decorations have been hung. The songs have been rehearsed. And now it is time for it all to come together. Tomorrow we will gather as the body of Christ called Southside Baptist Church with a few hundred of our closest friends in attendance all for the purpose of...? The first thing that pops into our heads, of course, is to "Celebrate America." After all, isn't that what all the hard work has been about? And for all who have been involved in the preparation for this great event, please know that I am extremely PROUD of what you have done. I know that it is going to be one of the greatest patriotic presentations in Decatur, Alabama this year. I cannot wait to see the pageantry, to hear the songs, and to witness the drama. But what I have had to pause and remind myself of several times and what I want to remind you of today is that the purpose of all the hard work and all the money spent is to GLORIFY GOD! We come together tomorrow to recognize the blessings of our Holy Father upon this great nation, but let us never forget, as the Psalmist tells us, "Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord!" The reason the United States of America is the greatest nation on the face of the earth is that He has blessed us. So while we honor our veterans and we recognize our elected officials, let us come together to worship and praise the One who truly deserves it all.

Be Careful What You Pray For -- or You should have listened to your wife

Well, we are finally home from our trip down to South Alabama. We went with several purposes in mind: to bring my pickup truck back home, to check on Sonya's mother, and to spend time with our girls (and Jon and Rob). We were almost 100% successful. We checked on Sonya's mom and had a great time with the girls (and Jon and Rob). The bringing the truck home didn't work out too well. Let me give you a little background. Jon and Ashley borrowed my truck to take a large dog from North Alabama to South Alabama. That was months ago. When they started to bring the truck back, Jon decided to get the oil changed. On the way, he gave me a call and asked, "Does your truck always overheat?" The answer of course was, "No, it never has!" To make a long story short, a belt had broken and the water pump wasn't working. They got it fixed, and it worked fine. We arrived down south on Sunday, and Sonya drove the truck on Monday. The belts squealed and the air conditioner didn't work very well, so when she got back, she said, "We probably should take the truck somewhere and let them check it out." Prophetic words, to say the least. Like a husband, I responded, "No, it will be okay. We'll get it checked out in Decatur." So we left Friday around 11 a.m. to head home. Before we left, I prayed, "God, please just give us air conditioning all the way home." Not, "protect us while we travel." Not, "take care of the truck all the way to Decatur." "Just give us air conditioning all the way home." Now understand, He did just that. We had a/c all the way to Bay Minette where we stopped at Burger King. We had a/c all the way to the Rabun/Perdido exit. But then the truck died, and we barely limped into the gas station. But the a/c worked. The lady from the car dealership in Atmore came to get us, and the car had a/c. The car we bought in Atmore had a/c all the way back to Summerdale and all the way back to Decatur. So God answered my prayer. Now I just have to forever put up with, "I told you you should have had the truck checked out." I say forever, because the statute of limitations never runs out on "I told you so." At least in our family it doesn't. Now it is usually said in fun, so it really is okay. But I just have to wonder -- what would have happened if I had just listened to my wife.

I Love Vacation Bible School

O. I., O. I'm living God's unshakeable truth.... What a great song! Everything about VBS excites me. The first day was kind of shaky with all the running around like crazy and the crying for mommy. But the teachers eventually settled down, and everything went smoothly. No major accidents. Just a few bumps and scrapes. At the end of the week, though, we saw nine children profess their faith in Christ. And I know that all of the children heard the message of hope and salvation from the teachers and workers. Everyone from the snack ladies to the music ladies to the sound man (and everyone else) deserves a great big thank you. Especially Tanya and her family for the countless hours they put into getting it all together and leading it. More than once, however, I have heard a truth spoken that is irrefutable. We could not have done it this week without our youth workers. They were a tremendous help and support. Having said that, I can't decide what my favorite part was (professions of faith excluded because that always goes without saying). It was either the chocolate sundae cake (thanks Sara Henderson), the Cajun crab dip (thanks Mrs. Mary Anne) or the Mississipp Mud brownies (I have no idea who brought them). Maybe it was seeing all the smiling faces come Friday afternoon. Or the little children painting tables with shaving cream. Oh, I just don't no. But I will be singing "O.I., O.I." for a long time.

Doctor's Appointments

I had one this week. I waited two and one-half hours to see him. He breezed in wearing jeans with holes all up the legs -- no kidding! From there it turned into an Abbot and Costello routine. You see, I was there to get the results of blood tests checking my cholesterol levels. It went something like this:
Doctor: I've got some good news for you.
Me: Great. My cholesterol levels must be down.
Doctor: No, they are up a few points.
Me: Oh, that's bad.
Doctor: Not really. It's only up 3 points and its in the good level.
Me: Oh, that's good.
Doctor: No, that's bad because your good cholesterol went down and it's in the red zone.
Me: Oh, that's bad.
Doctor: No, that's good because your bad cholesterol went down, too, and it's in the good zone. So all you need to do is take a few thousand milligrams of niacin and a coated aspirin every day.
Me: Oh, that's bad.
Doctor: Yeah, you bet that's bad because now your daughter is going to say you're an old man because you have to take an aspirin a day.

And he was right.

We Will Miss You

She was a "one-of-a-kind" lady. She always smiled. She was always ready to "go." In fact, she would tell you, "Don't ask me if you don't really want me to go." And then when you did, she would simply say, "Let me get my purse." She was a small woman, but she was full of spunk. You knew that from the sparkle in her eye and the stories of mischief that were shared. Also because a few years ago she threatened her full-grown nephew with, "I'm going to turn you over my checkered apron and play who'd of thought it." Apparently, she had lots of funny sayings. Only days before she died, she said she looked like "a Tennessee mule walking on ice." But most importantly, she never let anyone leave without telling them, "I love you." In fact, the last words she spoke to me was, "I love everybody." And she did. And everyone loved her, too. That was evident by the hundreds of people that came out to the funeral home in spite of the rain. It was evident by the number of people that gathered around her hospital bed at a moment's notice when we thought she was passing. She never had any children, but she had a LARGE family. A family that was blessed by her life and inspired by her death. We were inspired because we knew where she went. She had finally made the trip of a lifetime that outshined that long-awaited Alaskan cruise that she never went on. She went home to see the two men she loved best: her Savior and her husband. Goodbye, Mrs. Sallie Clemons. We will miss you for now, but we will see you again.

Memorial Day

The unofficial first day of summer. The start of beach season. Not only is Memorial Day misunderstood as the kickoff to vacation time, but also it's significance is missed by many completely. From "remembering" people who have died in the past year to honoring current veterans, it seems that most Americans have no idea what it's all about. Here are the facts: Memorial Day started out as "Decoration Day," a day to honor Union soldiers who died during the Civil War by putting flags or flowers on their graves. (Perhaps this is why hundreds if not thousands of church members skip church on Sundays in May to go to Decoration Days around the world to put flowers on graves of loved ones.) After World War I, the holiday was expanded to include all soldiers who have died in any war. So while we need to remember our beloved dead from the past year and all years past, and while we need to honor our veterans, let's get back to the true meaning and remember that the blood that was shed by our military men and women has purchased freedom for people all over the world. Thank you to these men and women. Thank you to their families. We will never forget your sacrifice.

I Have an Office?

Wow! I really do have an office. In fact, I have two offices. I have an upstairs office and a downstairs office. My upstairs office is large, comfortably furnished, and nicely decorated. My downstairs office is more like a study. It's not as nice as the upstairs office, but it has a private bathroom with a shower -- it's perfect for a quiet place to study or talk to some of my senior adults who have difficulty with the stairs. It's great to have two offices, but in the last 8 days, I think I have spent about two hours there. I just want to say that it's not because I'm goofing off. It's the same reason I haven't posted on here for a while. Our church family has been hit hard with grief in these last 8 days. I've preached at four funerals and attended two others. All six of these were somehow connected with our church family. So if you read this, please pray for these families who are grieving over the loss of their loved ones. But at the funeral I attended today, the pastor made a statement that really summed it all up. Here it is: "When Randy was born, he cried, but all around him people were smiling and laughing. On Saturday, when Randy died, everyone around him was crying, but Randy was smiling and laughing because he went home to be with Jesus." What an amazing thought.

Stress Relief

Three funerals in one week. Two in one day. Someone asked me how I deal with the stress, so I thought I would share my secrets. By going to a great high school band concert -- great job Drew, Whitney, Emily, and the rest of the Hartselle band students. By watching a Little League baseball game -- good games Cole and Matthew. By the prayers of God's people -- thanks Southside family. By listening to a man who tragically lost his father comfort his sisters -- "blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted," Mitch. By spending time with my staff laughing and eating sandwiches -- you are the best. By talking to my daughters or their husbands on the telephone -- thanks for being there, guys. By walking with my lovely wife around our yard looking at the beautiful flowers God has given us -- thank you, my love. By walking with the God of all comfort who "supplies all my needs according to His riches in glory." My brother constantly reminds me not to neglect that most important aspect of my spiritual life -- and he calls me his mentor. Thanks, Rick, for listening and for understanding. You're the best big brother I ever had.

Pet Peaves and Powerful Pleas

Have you ever listened to how the media words things? Sunday, I was listening to Fox News as they were talking about the tragic death of the man attacked by a shark in California. I know the family is grieving, and I would never make light of that fact. But immediately after the reporter finished his story, they began to talk about the number of “unprovoked shark attacks.” Why do you need to say “unprovoked”? How many shark attacks happen because somebody jumps in the ocean, swims up to a shark and punches him in the nose? Do you go down there and yell underwater, “Your momma wears combat boots?” I mean really. Who provokes a shark attack? Oh, I know there are those idiots who love the adventure of chumming the water and swimming among the sharks. Perhaps the experts call that provoking the sharks; I call it serving up an appetizer.

I had the privilege yesterday of speaking to the Muscle Shoals Association Pastor’s Conference. They are a great bunch of guys over there. Thanks, Mark, for the invitation. I met an active duty chaplain who served a tour of duty on the ground in Iraq and now is on his second tour stateside. He seemed like a great man whose heart was broken over the horrible tragedies he has witnessed since the war begun: broken bodies, broken families, broken lives. On top of it all, his son has just completed his tour in Afghanistan as a Green Beret. Not too long ago, this young man was in a humvee that hit a roadside bomb that obliterated the front end of the vehicle and sent him and his team flying through the air. By the grace of God, none of them were injured seriously. But this father’s heart was evident as he asked for prayer for his son and all the others involved in this war – not only that they would come home safely but that they could make the adjustment back to civilian life. “Dear God, may it be just as he prayed.”

Am I Making a Difference?

No, I am not having a pity party. No, I am not looking for compliments. I think sometimes we all need to do a little introspection to see if we are really making a difference in this world because isn't that what we are supposed to be doing? I read the Sermon on the Mount that way. We are the salt of the earth -- flavoring, preserving, changing the world. We are the light of the world -- illuminating the darkness of sin and pointing to salvation. The apostle Paul says that we are ambassadors of reconciliation -- bringing the lost world to Christ. We are supposed to make a difference in people's lives. We are to be change agents. Am I making a difference? Have I helped to "change" anything? As I look back over my almost 30 years of preaching and 23 years as a pastor, I have seen lots of things change. I've seen people saved. I've had the privilege of baptizing the very young and the very old. I've seen churches grow dramatically and not so dramatically. I've seen churches go through difficult times and experience the fires of revival. I've sat by bedsides of dying saints and offered comfort to families of people who didn't know where their loved one would spend eternity. I've walked with people through marital crises and family struggles. I've visited people in jail, in prison, in mental wards. I've cried for joy and wept in sorrow with my church family. There aren't many aspects of ministry that I have not experienced over the years, but I have come to this conclusion. I have not changed a single person. I do not have that ability. If my ministry has affected any change, it is because of the power of Christ working in me and through me. It is because the Chief of Change has used me as an instrument in His hand to make a difference. My prayer is that I will always be yielded to Him that He might make a difference in a world that desperately needs change.

Revival -- What a Lift!

We just finished four nights of revival services at Southside, and it was a great time. Dr. Edwin Jenkins and Ryan Leffel from FBC Athens served as our evangelist and music minister. It was great preaching and great music, especially last night. There was an air of expectancy last night as the Celebration Choir from First Baptist came to sing. Dr. Jenkins preached a powerful message on spiritual birth, and at the invitation, one of our young men walked with his friend to the altar where his friend accepted the greatest birthday gift of all time -- eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. I honestly cannot tell you what thrilled me more: to see the young man profess faith in Jesus or to see the young man encourage and walk with him down the aisle of the church. That one decision made it all worthwile, but the truth is, the success of the revival is still up in the air.

How do you measure the results of a revival? Some would say by the number of people attending. Others would say it is about the decisions. Perhaps even a few would say that you measure its success by the love offering taken. So how did we fare? Our attendance was not good. We should have done a better job coming out ourselves but also of inviting people. Our love offering was good, but not great. Having been on the receiving end of love offerings, maybe I expect too much. But we did okay. As for decisions, there were several recommitments made for which I am grateful. Most importantly, the young man accepted Christ because of the urging of his friend. But in reality, the success of our revival will not be known for some time as we see if God has truly changed/awakened our spiritual passions at Southside. Are we ready for the fire of God to fall on our lives and on our church? I hope so.

What a Week

Have you ever had someone pray the Prayer of Jabez for you? Thanks, Charlie. For some people, the prayer of Jabez is supposed to be some magic formula for success, wealth, riches, fame, etc. But when you pray that prayer for me, you are asking God to give me more ministry opportunities than before. Thanks again, Charlie. Now I know I sound like I'm being sarcastic, but I don't mean to be. Ministry is my calling. It is my passion. Now Sonya will tell you, there are times when I get frustrated, but usually that's when it all comes at one time. This week has been one of those weeks. That's why I haven't been able to blog lately. But that's okay because I've been doing what God has called me to do. I hope people understand that I am only human, so sometimes I make mistakes and I can only do so much. The great thing about this is that you get to be a part of people's lives. You get to know them in ways that you never would otherwise. The hard part is that sometimes people fall through the cracks. So any time you want to pray for me, go ahead and pray Jabez' prayer, but add to it -- "Lord, give him the strength, time, ability, and wisdom to handle it." He always does, doesn't He?

The End is Coming! The End is Coming!

What does a Little League baseball game on Sunday, a pregnant “man,” and Oprah Winfrey have in common? They are signs of the times. First, the baseball game. Now, anyone who knows me knows that I love a good baseball game. I enjoy the opportunities I have to watch our church boys and girls play. But this one was going on at 8:15 a.m. on Sunday morning. I’m sure it was because of a tournament or a rainout or a combination of the two. But it is a sign of the times. When our girls were growing up, they played T-ball and fast pitch softball. Both the coaches and our girls knew, however, that nothing about the game would ever interfere with church. I’m sure that there were times when because of that stance they were overlooked for all-stars, and that is okay. We taught our girls that we lived this way not because I am the pastor but because we are Christians, and the day is more important than any game. Nowadays, Sundays and Wednesdays are only two more days to schedule programs, practices, and games. And do you want to know why? Because Christian parents and pastors have compromised and made excuses so that little by little it has become acceptable. We don’t want our children’s self-esteem to be affected because we won’t let them play when everyone else is playing. And so, once again, God takes second place in our lives.
Then there is the story all over the news about the pregnant “man.” Just in case you haven’t heard this, it isn’t a man really. It is a woman who decided that she wanted to be a man so she took hormone shots, grew a beard, and started living like a man, even taking on a “significant other.” Finding that her girlfriend couldn’t become pregnant, the she-man, having kept her female reproductive organs, has decided to carry the child. And so the news media has paraded this little darling around with pictures of her half-naked, pregnant body and bearded face. And so, once again, man has left his natural desire for woman, and literally shakes her fist in God’s face.
And finally, Oprah Winfrey has declared that Jesus Christ is only one of many ways to “heaven” and is teaching 2 million people a week that they need to open their minds and embrace the same philosophy that the serpent passed off on Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden: you can be like God because you are god. (http://www.youtube.com:80/watch?v=JW4LLwkgmqA) Once again, people have flocked to the teachers that tell them what they want to hear instead of the truth. The truth is that we are not God and never will be. There is only one way of salvation and that is through Jesus Christ. The only consolation in all of this is that the Bible tells us that it will be this way just before Christ Jesus returns in power and glory, and so I join with both Paul and John saying, “Even so, Lord Jesus, come quickly!”

Note to Self: Pay the Gym Bill

Does that sound as crazy to you as it does to me? Why on Earth would anyone pay good money to do something they hate? Don't get me wrong. I don't mind hard work. I'll take a group of folks tomorrow to Edwin Hodges Ministry where we will spend five or six hours loading and unloading boxes filled with literature to be sent around the world. I've sat eight hours in a hospital waiting room (now that's hard work) ministering to families in crisis. I don't mind the working -- it's the working out that bothers me. I spend 45 minutes on an "elliptical" machine burning 500 calories and sweating like a pig, use the "equipment" to tone my muscles and still weigh 200 pounds. Yes, I weigh 200 pounds. Sonya says it's solid muscle, but that's another story. You work and you work and you work, and as you get older, you work harder just to stay where you are. Why? I'll tell you why. Because when I'm 97 years old, I want to be able to take care of my wonderful wife. I want to still be able to body slam my darling daughters (inside joke). I want to continue to annoy my super sons-in-law by having to put up with the constant comparisons to their fabulous father-in-law (just kidding, sort of). I want to bounce my grandkids on my knee -- if I ever have any. And, most importantly, I want to continue to stand behind the pulpit and preach the gospel with the same energy and enthusiasm as I do today at 46. Now tell me. Could there possibly be any better reason than that to pay the gym bill?

I Am An Idiot!

How many times have I preached it? How many times have I told others that the battle we are in is against "spiritual powers." In laymen's terms, lost people are not the enemy, stupid! Let me give you some background. Several weeks ago, in preparation for the Easter season, I began reading the story of Jesus' march to Jerusalem in those final days: how He was moved to compassion for the people, how He wept over them, how He prayed for them. And I began to pray that God would give me that kind of heart for the people of Southside and the people of Decatur. Isn't it amazing how God answers prayers? Over recent days, I have been on a spiritual roller coaster sensing God moving in my life, not understanding the emotions and the fatigue. And I still don't have all the answers, but this morning, as I drove to the church listening to Christian radio, the DJ's were interviewing Mark Hall of Casting Crowns about their new song "Everyman." He made the statement that hit me right between the eyes. And I paraphrase, "We have to stop looking at lost people as the big, bad wolf. They are good people who are simply looking for the right way to go. The Bible says our battle is against spiritual powers. " And it suddenly dawned on me, even though I know the truth, I have been living and considering people as the enemy, forgetting who the real adversary is. In reality, the people around us are P.O.W.'s in a spiritual conflict who deserve no animosity, who should not be the cause of our fear, who DO deserve and desperately need our love and compassion. Here are the words to Casting Crown's song:

I'm the man with all I've ever wanted

All the toys and playing games

I am the one who pours your coffee, corner booth each Saturday

I am your daughter's favorite teacher

I am the leader of the band

I sit behind you in the bleachers

I am every man

I'm the coach of every winning team and still a loser in my mind

I am the soldier in the airport facing giants one more time

I am the woman shamed and haunted by the cry of unborn life

I'm every broken man, nervous child, lonely wife

Is there hope for every man

A solid place where we can stand

In this dry and weary land

Is there hope for every man

Is there love that never dies

Is there peace in troubled times

Someone help me understand

Is there hope for every man

Seems there's just so many roads to travel, it's hard to tell where they will lead

My life is scarred and my dreams unraveled

Now I'm scared to take the leap

If I could find someone to follow who knows my pain and feels the weight

The uncertainty of my tomorrow, the guilt and pain of yesterday

There is hope for every man

A solid place where we can stand

In this dry and weary land

There is hope for every man

There is Love that never dies

There is peace in troubled times

Will we help them understand?

Jesus is hope for every man

Will we help them understand?

I Pick...You!

I long for the day that someone will come up to me before the worship service and say, "Pastor, you see that man that just came in the door? The one in the ragged clothes that looks like he hasn't bathed in weeks? Man, I have been working on him all week, and he finally came to Jesus." Please don't misunderstand. I am the pastor of a very loving, giving, ministering bunch of folks, but I have noticed that even in this context, Christians tend to be a little more selective as to whom they minister to. What I tend to hear most often is, "Pastor, have you made contact with John Doe this week? He would be a great asset to our church." Sadly, we want to focus on reaching those people who can do something for us. But Jesus said, "It isn't the healthy that needs a doctor. It's the sick" (Ben's paraphrase). My interpretation: Minister where the needs are. Don't ask what new members can do for your church; ask what you can do for people who are hurting. Isn't that what He meant by the parable of the Good Samaritan? Isn't that what He did during His days on the Earth? Sure, Jesus had wealthy friends that He ministered to -- but they were friends who came to the realization that they had just as big of a need as the lepers, the prostitutes, the poor, and the outcasts from Jewish society. The very people that we are so often fired-up about reaching are the ones Jesus spent very little time with. I'm just glad that in this game of life, God doesn't pick teams like we do: take the biggest, strongest, and fastest first, and then if there is room let the little guy play as long as he stays in deep right field. Instead, God looks at the world and says, "I pick...YOU!" Isn't that what John 3:16 says?

Passion for Purity

As I was driving to work today -- yes, Pastors work -- I was listening to a radio spot about an abstinence program at one of the local churches. The speaker made a statement that resonated with me: "It isn't about the sex," he said. I think that those on both sides of the abstinence argument miss that very important point. Those who preach and teach abstinence take the stand, "Just say no!" And while it is very important to teach our children and our youth the importance of that word, it isn't enough. We see it as we raise our children. Parents tell them not to do something -- they just say no -- and for the next several hours, the very thing that parents prohibit becomes the focus of their child's thoughts. For instance, telling a child (yes, Jennifer, I owe you $5) not to touch the fan simply causes them to be more intrigued with the oscillations and the wind. And no matter how many times you say it, and possibly because we keep repeating it, their mind focuses on the object of our negativity. While Nancy Reagan's "Just say no" campaign called America's attention to the drug problem, it did little to solve it. Why? Because human beings need more than a law, a rule, a regulation, a prohibition. The apostle Paul said it to the church in Galatia: the law points out our sin and constantly reminds us how sinful we are. We don't need more law. We need a passion for purity and a passion for holiness. We need to fall in love with our Heavenly Father like never before. That's why Jesus said that the greatest commandment is to love God with all our being. Only then will we understand the truth that it isn't about the sex. It is about filling an emptiness in our lives that only He can fill. How many times have I counseled men and women in the grips of pornography addiction or facing marital problems because of the allure of someone else that it isn't about the sex. Why do men and women remain faithful to their spouses for life? Because it isn't about the sex. It's about the passion, the love, the commitment we make to each other before a Holy God. Don't settle for just saying no. Say yes to loving God. Say yes to having a passion for purity. Say yes to the most important relationship you will ever have. As for those who stand against abstinence only programs, the message is the same. Say yes to the greatest Lover of all, and He will take care of the rest.

Wired to Cheat

In the wake of the New York governors' revelations of prostitutes and extramarital affairs, the national news media has presented a story claiming that human beings are wired to cheat. In fact, they went so far as to say that the only truly monogamous species on Earth is a flatworm that lives in the gills of freshwater fish! Now I don't know much about flatworms, but I think I know quite a bit about humans -- especially human behavior. I consider myself somewhat of an expert since I have been one for almost 46 years. When I first heard the news story, the hairs on the back of my neck stood up. My fight response kicked into gear. How dare they try to provide another excuse for marital infidelity and sexual immorality. Based on evolutionary (false) standards, I am sure that most scientists could come up with an excuse for every behavior. Then I thought about it a little and realized that I preach the same story almost every Sunday. Human nature, since the fall of Adam and Eve, has had a bent toward sinful behavior, not the least of which is sexual in nature. It is because of this inherited sin nature that people naturally do sinful/evil/wicked things. That's why the apostle Paul said to the Christians in Corinth, "You were once like this" (1 Corinthians 6:11). Like what? Fornicators, idolaters, adulterers, homosexuals, sodomites, thieves, covetous, drunkards, revilers, extortioners. Why were they like that? Their sin nature. Because of the fall, mankind is "wired to cheat" and steal and lie and .... On and on we could go but suffice it to say that sinful man sins because he is sinful man. Using the vernacular of the church: Lost people act like lost people because they are lost. Please don't misunderstand. I'm not making excuses for any of this behavior because as soon as we have the ability to choose to act in these ways, God gives us a knowledge of right and wrong. He has given us a hunger to know Him. And when we choose to know Him, when we choose to accept His gift of forgiveness and eternal life, He "rewires" us. Oh, the sinful nature still rears its ugly head from time to time. From time to time we get "short-circuited" and go back to old habits. The good news is that He loves us too much to let us get away with it, so He is constantly reminding us of who we are as His children and calling us back to right behavior. So Governors Spitzer and Patterson, the question I have for you is, "Are you still wired to cheat, or have you let the Master Electrician bring you up to code?"

Transformations

Have you ever watched one of these home improvement shows where they completely transform your house for $2000? Well, maybe they don't do your whole house, but you know what I'm talking about. My wife is hooked on these shows, and I must admit, there are times when I enjoy watching as well. Usually, those are the times when there are no good Chuck Norris, Stephen Segall, Sci-fi shows on that I like to watch. But it is amazing to me to watch how these "experts" can come in and on a minimal budget change a room so dramatically that the homeowners are overwhelmed with emotion. Who would have thought that a little paint and a few pieces of tile could make such a difference? Inevitably, when they do the big "reveal," the homeowners scream and cry and cover their faces with their hands while the show's hosts describe what they have done. Why, you may ask, am I writing about this? Because this time of year is the time of transformation. I am amazed at the way things are coming to life around me. The Bradford Pear trees in our front yard are amazingly beautiful with their white flowers and green leaves. The daffodils are amazing as their little flowers open wide. As you drive down the highway, you look into the fields and see newborn calves and horses walking around on wobbly legs. And this Sunday, we will celebrate the greatest transformational power in the world: the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ. He died so that all who place their faith in Him might have life abundant and eternal. Through Him, our sins are forgiven, and our lives are changed forever. Happy Easter!

A New Day

It's over. The funeral, I mean. And the most I can say about it is that it was an adventure. A little bit of everything to entertain. There were, of course, the distant (and not so distant) relatives with their, "I remember when you were this big...." And the, "Oh, you look just like your dad." And, "You look just like your mom." And the really strange one, "You look like your dad from here up and your mom from here down." What? Then there were the stories that I just would rather not have heard -- and I won't ever put them in print! Tears flowed. Laughter echoed through the funeral home. There were lots of hugs and "I'm sorry for your loss." There were the ever-present, "She looks so good!" "It looks just like her." I know people mean well, but she didn't look good. She didn't look like herself. In fact, I'm already planning for the day that my body lies in that casket and someone comes up and says, "It looks just like him." I think I will sit up and smack them. God never intended for our lifeless bodies to look like us. It is just an empty shell. I personally believe that it is our soul that makes us who we are -- I think it even helps us look like us. Is that crazy? I don't think so. There is one more thought I would like to share with you concerning the funeral. At times like this, family is important. I have the greatest family in the world. They walked with me through these difficult days and made me laugh when I wanted to cry. And my church family -- they are the best. The cards, the food, the flowers they have sent were topped only by their prayers and their presence. Words cannot express how much I appreciated them. And so now it dawns, a new day full of the adventure called life. Don't you just love what God does for us everyday?

New Birth

Life is irony! As my mother, 71 years old, breathed her last breaths in the Intensive Care Unit, the sweet music signifying the birth of a child played over the hospital speaker system -- not once but twice. When we left the hospital in Kentucky, the ground was covered with five inches of snow. When we arrived home in Alabama, the trees in our front yard were budding and flowers were blooming. Life. Death. New life. A cycle that we are so familiar with. Why, then, does it surprise us when it happens? I think it's because we think death only happens to other people and their families. Or perhaps it has more to do with wishful thinking -- that God wouldn't allow such things to happen to us. Our wonderful Sunday School teacher, Mike Crow, was talking about 1 Corinthians 3 yesterday. As he was teaching, I was thinking about how our works are tried as if by fire, but it isn't just our works that are tried. The "fire" of life touches us all. We call them trials and tribulations, suffering and circumstances. And God allows all of it to happen to burn away/purge the sinful aspects of our lives. It's all a part of the "perfecting" process through which we become more like Jesus, the very thing we are predestined to be. More irony? It begins with life then death then new life. As Jesus told Nicodemus, physical birth won't do it. It is only when we die to self that we can accept His gift of new life. And it is that new life that gives me the peace I have in this moment. Peace because He walks with me through this dark valley. Peace because I know I will see my mother again one day. God is so good.

Life Support

I sit at my computer today pondering the concept of life and death. I feel uniquely qualified to do this because of my position as pastor, son, and friend. Let me explain. Over the 20+ years I have spent in ministry, I have stood by the bedsides of men and women taking their last breaths. I have stood at the pulpit and spoken words over many of these. I have offered hope and comfort to their families. But right now, I find myself on both the giving and receiving end of things. My 71 year old mother is in a hospital in Kentucky struggling for life hooked up to a ventilator and being fed through a tube. At the same time, the 20 something year old grandson of a church member is experiencing the same thing because of an automobile accident. Isn't it strange that whether one is 20 or 71 we still face the same issue of life and death? Some cry, "Unfair! Why should a 20 year old man in the prime of his life, by all accounts a 'good kid,' be faced with the possibility of death?" But I say, "Death is as much a part of life at 20 as it is at 70." In fact, when an infant is born, death looms large. The slightest mistake by a doctor, the wrong turn of the wheel by a parent, a bad decision by one of the almost 6 billion people on the planet, and death becomes a real possibility. So what on earth can we do? Trust the One who holds the keys of life and death, the One who holds all our tomorrows, the One who faced down death on a cross so that all who would look to Him, could have victory over death, the grave, and hell. His name is Jesus, and there is no other name that brings hope when death approaches.

The Basic Element

What must God be thinking? I'll bet He laughs a lot. A few hundred years ago, scientists declared absolutely that the world was flat. I bet God laughed. A few decades ago, scientists declared that the atom was the smallest particle in nature. I bet God laughed. A few years ago, scientists declared that our solar system had nine planets. I bet God laughed. He laughed because He knew the world was round, that the atom itself was divisible, and that we can redefine the term to include or exclude heavenly bodies. But think about this: while the true laws of physics (God's laws) never change, our laws of physics are constantly changing as we make new discoveries every day. Could it be that in the future things will continue to change? Of course they will. How much? No one knows. But as they change, God will laugh more and more because eventually we will make the ultimate discovery that He alone never changes, that He is the basic element of all life. Don't misunderstand. I am not saying that God is in all of us or that God is in all of creation. I am saying that everything that was, that is, and that ever will be comes from Him. He created it all. He even created "change." So instead of resisting it, why not embrace it and look forward to making God laugh each time we make a new discovery.