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.