An early morning thought and meditation based from Acts 4:32-37

Praying for the body of Hope CBC to become...

• all that God would have us be; to do all that God would have us do; to go everywhere God would have us go; 
 
• to be a people who are unified in purpose; a people who are of uncommon participation; and a people who are unashamed pacesetters - all the the glory of God and to the spiritual well-being of our homes, our neighborhoods, our communities; to our immediate region, to our country and to the world. 

May self, sin and Satan not find any supremacy over the heart and purpose of our Savior for His people. May we not be torn apart by the whims of this world and the wiles of the devil; but brought together by the grace of God to do something that is recognized as that which only God can do. Lord God, do Your work among and through Your people!

Surviving the Cold

Sorry for the lack of any posts the past couple of days.  We have enjoyed an incredible cold streak here in NW Arkansas along with snow and ice.  That coupled with several meetings and extra counseling have slowed some of my "extra" activities such as blogging.

As a family, we have begun our new Bible reading schedule for 2010 and I stand amazed that passages I have read so many times come to life with new insights and fresh thoughts of our great God.  I am grateful that the Lord sees fit to constantly reveal Himself to us in His Word.  I pray that I might be able to translate these insights in some meaningful ways to this blog.

In addition to this, our family is also reading together Pilgrim's Progress (John Buynan's great allegory of the Christian journey).  I praise the Lord for my children (now in their mid-teens) who provide great questions and insights as we read along.  I suspect that some Buynan-like or Buynan-inspired thoughts will make their way into the blog as well.

1 Corinthians 10:31
Whether, then, you eat or drink or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.


SDG
Ed

Everybody, Somebody, Anybody, And Nobody

This is a short quip that many of you may have read before.  May it be that this would NEVER be descriptive of our church!

- - - - - - -

This is a story about four people named Everybody, Somebody, Anybody and Nobody.

 

There was an important job to be done and Everybody was sure that Somebody would do it.

Anybody could have done it, but Nobody did it. Somebody got angry about that, because it was Everybody's job.

Everybody thought Anybody could do it, but Nobody realized that Everybody wouldn't do it.

It ended up that Everybody blamed Somebody when Nobody did what Anybody could have done.

SDG

Well I'm back - at least for now.

I know that it has been entirely too long since my last post. Some times I miss being regular with the blog and other times I have not missed it at all.

I will let you know that I make no promises here, but I do intend to be more regular at posting - at least posting something. By and large I simply intend to post things of interest to me and if by chance they interest you, so be it - - - and I would love to hear what you have to say about whatever it is that has interested you.

So, we will see how this goes - I'm back - at least for now.

A Few Good Men

So - - - I could not sleep and thought it would be best to spend some time in prayer and then catch up on some blog reading that I have been a bit negligent of recently. As I was reading through Al Mohler's blog, I came across a most intriguing entry, one that I post here for your consideration. What most especially challenged me was the end of this post, a call to the church to train up young men in the discipline and fear of the Lord.

- - - - - - -

"The Army We Have" -- Young Men, Responsibility, and Leadership for the Twenty-First Century
Posted: Thursday, May 10, 2007 at 3:14 am ET

by Al Mohler

Inevitably, the armed services are a mirror held up to the nation. When we look at our soldiers, we see the profile of a generation. This was true of the rag-tag army that coalesced under the leadership of General George Washington, of the massive American forces that fought in two cataclysmic world wars, and of the Vietnam generation. Now, it is true of the current generation as well.

Writing in the June 2007 issue of The Atlantic, Brian Mockenhaupt -- himself a recent soldier -- provides the nation with a compelling analysis of today's Army and its recruits. The article, "The Army We Have," should be required reading for all who work with young men, and all who care about the future of the nation.

Today's Army is all-volunteer, of course. The end of the draft meant the rise of the volunteer army and massive changes in the way the Army operates. But, as Mockenhaupt makes clear, the current generation of young men presents the Army with some new challenges.

As Mockenhaupt reports:
Since the end of the draft, more than 30 years ago, this is the first time the all-volunteer military has faced sustained combat, and the demands on its human and material resources have been heavy and relentless. At the same time, a relatively prosperous economy and certain larger societal changes have made it harder for the Army to meet its recruiting goals. As Lieutenant General Michael Rochelle, the Army's deputy chief of staff, testified to Congress in February, the confluence of challenges in recruiting, training, and retaining soldiers is "unparalleled in the history of the volunteer force."

The challenge:
[T]he Army doesn't have the luxury of selectivity in filling its expanded rolls. It needs 80,000 new soldiers this year and must find them in a populace that is in many ways less willing and less able to serve than earlier generations were. Young people are fatter and weaker. They eat more junk food, watch more television, play more video games, and exercise less. They are more individualistic and less inclined to join the military. And with the unemployment rate hovering near historic lows, they have other choices.

Today's soldier must be an information-processing machine, a diplomat, and a lethal instrument of national power. As Mockenhaupt explains, these soldiers face a complex combat environment where, as in Iraq, the soldier must be able to know "when to shake a hand and when to shoot someone dead."

But the Army has to recruit from the generation of young Americans it faces, not the recruiting pool it might dream to have. In order to meet recruiting goals (80,000 new recruits each year for the Army alone), standards have been lowered, expectations have been altered, and basic training has been transformed.

Consider that in age group 17-24, 7 of 10 young men are ineligible for military service -- that's 70 percent. As Mockenhaupt explains, "More than half the members of this youth cohort are disqualified for moral, mental, or medical reasons." These range from run-ins with the law, psychiatric diagnosis, drug problems, and medical issues to gang-related or extremist tattoos.

Mockenhaupt then introduces his readers to Colonel Kevin Shwedo, the director of operations for the Army's Accessions Command within the Training and Doctrine Command, or TRADOC. This sets up the most fascinating single paragraph in the article:
At the same time, Shwedo sees today's recruits as the product of a society that can't quite figure out how to raise its children. "Most kids coming into the Army today have never worn leather shoes in their life unless it said Nike, Adidas, or Timberland. They've never run two miles consecutively in their life, and for the most part they hadn't had an adult tell them 'no' and mean it. That's bizarre," he says. "Our society says you can't count in a soccer match, because you might hurt somebody's feelings. Every kid is going to get a trophy, whether or not you ever went to practice or ever won a game." But these societal shortcomings can be leveraged in the training environment, Shwedo says. "If you go up and do something as simple as slap a soldier on the back and tell them they are doing a good job, you are giving them the recognition that society hasn't given them besides those cheap trophies."

In that single paragraph, Mockenhaupt gives us a portrait of a generation in trouble -- a generation of young men who were largely unparented. Consider this one telling sentence: "They've never run two miles consecutively in their life, and for the most part they hadn't had an adult tell them 'no' and mean it." They haven't had an adult tell them 'no' and mean it. That goes a long way toward explaining the culture around us.

The Army's goal:
For all the evolution in military tactics, weaponry, and organizational structure, the basic aim of military training--producing strong, disciplined soldiers, skilled with their weapons--remains constant, and the core methods are simple. You must look like everyone else. You must act like everyone else. You must perform like everyone else. If you don't, you will be punished. Or worse, the group will suffer for your mistakes. To instill this obedience, the Army taps into young people's basic desire for acceptance, and their abhorrence at being singled out for punishment or critique.

Finally:
The Army's problem, however, is really just the nation's problem writ small. The number of Americans serving in the military has steadily shrunk from more than 1 in 10 during World War II to fewer than 1 in 100 today. The all-volunteer military has allowed most Americans to distance themselves from national service, forcing the Army in particular to work harder and spend more to get the people it needs. As former Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld said in another context, "You go to war with the Army you have. They're not the Army you might want or wish to have at a later time."

Until more Americans are more willing, more able, or perhaps more compelled to serve, the Army must maintain an effective all-volunteer force with the people it has and the limited number of additional people it can recruit. And that larger conundrum is beyond the power of any generals, captains, or drill sergeants to solve.

The focus of Mockenhaupt's article is young men and what they represent as a new challenge to the Army. The article is an incredible piece of cultural insight and analysis, and it should spark thousands of worthy conversations among parents, pastors, youth ministers, and others concerned with today's boys and young men.

The emergence of a generation of boys and young men who have never been told 'no' by an adult who meant it, who include a large percentage who had no father in the home, who were put on Ritalin instead of taught and disciplined, tells us a great deal about ourselves as a society.

The Army's challenge is to transform several thousand young men from this generation each year, turning them into soldiers. The future of the nation, to a significant degree, rides on those young men. The Army faces new and daunting challenges in the recruitment and training of these young men. As Mockenhaupt makes clear, thousands of these young recruits and soldiers go on to make their nation proud. Clearly, the Army is doing something right.

How about the church? How is the Church faring in its own challenge to reach this generation of young men -- the same generation described by Colonel Shwedo above? Are we reaching the boys and young men in our own churches? Are we seeing them transformed from boys into men, from followers into leaders, from undisciplined young males into faithful disciples of Jesus?

If anything, our challenge is greater than that faced by the Army. Beyond that, the stakes are even higher for the church than for the military. The church needs more than a few good men. What are we waiting for?

- - - - - - -

We need godly fathers to train up their sons in the discipline of the Lord. We need such fathers and sons to faithfully participate in ministries that reach out to other young men, encouraging, exhorting, challenging such young men to be faithful disciples of Jesus. How are we doing?

Soli Deo Gloria,

Pastor Ed

Home From Texas

It is good to be home. We arrived back in Rogers at about 5 pm, after a 300 plus mile, 6 ½ hours, accident dodging journey home. Just about 5 miles from home there was a terrible accident on 540 that left one person dead and three others severely injured. All we could do was pray.

We got home just in time to participate in the Home Bible Fellowship. We were somewhat exhausted (funny how traveling does that) but very glad we made the effort to get home, particularly because our brother, Michael Ginn (From the Word Ministries), who will be speaking at the church Friday, Saturday and Sunday, decided to come a day early to enjoy the fellowship! We had a blessed time of fellowship around our discussion of A.W. Tozer’s “The Knowledge of the Holy” – chapter 2 asking the question, “What is God Like?” To which Tozer initially responds, “He is not like anything” explaining that we have to understand the incomprehensible, invisible and infinite God in human terms. This is what makes God so glorious. Yet, while being infinite, God has disclosed Himself to us, allowing us to probe, be it ever so shallow, into the depths of His being. We had a lively discussion and brother Ginn brought an added dimension of insight.

With the Texas trip complete, I am now focusing my attention on the events of the weekend as well as looking to the future, both near and far. In July Hope will bring on a second intern (Jake Wyatt) and the men of the church will be participating in a Sunday evening teaching series entitled, “The One Anothers.” As our little church grows, we are faced with all kinds of new challenges from just how to do some things, to expanding areas of ministry.

The Elders of Hope will be meeting on Friday, May 25, devoting the day to seeking vision and direction from the Lord, discussing where we are as a church and where we should be according to God’s Word.

These are blessed days and let us never neglect or take our eyes off of Jesus, the head of the Church and Lord of our lives.

Soli Deo Gloria,

Pastor Ed

Texas - Day Three - Six Flags

All I can say is that I am sooo tired. It is about 11 pm and we have made memories for yet another other. Not only was Six Flags filled with all the excitement we had anticipated, riding every ride we wanted to and some even a couple of times, but we ended the day with a Wyatt dinner that included Rocky, Sue, Curtis, Annie (and their two babies), Jake and Candace (along with baby Caleb).




After dinner we reminisced about past times and experiences, played some pool with the guys while the ladies enjoyed an evening chat. When you don’t know how many opportunities you will ever have to again do such a thing, it makes the opportunity all the more precious. I am thankful for the Wyatt boys (or I should say - "young men") and their wives coming over.





Getting back to Six Flags, there is not too much to report except that we had a good time (see the pictures below). Just as we were disembarking the last ride we had intended to ride, we got a good ol’ fashioned, springtime Texas thunderstorm the shut everything down. But we were already wet and tired so it really didn’t matter. We headed up toward the front gate, did a little window-shopping and then headed back up to Southlake.

I am relaxing and enjoying this time with my family, but Hope is still on my mind and in my prayers. Please pray that I come back with more joy and more fervor to serve the Lord and the congregation. Good night!

Soli Deo Gloria,

Pastor Ed

Texas - Day Two

Day two of our little get away has come to an end. It is about 10:30 and we are getting cleaned up after a wonderfully busy day – but busy in ways uncommon to us. Everyone was up and visiting by about 8:15 am. We had breakfast and a nice time of visiting with the Wyatts in the morning. Then, about 10:30 am, we were prepared for our adventure – the Baseball game.

We loaded ourselves into the van, with the intention of hitting a grocery store to pick up some peanuts in the shell. What kind of ballgame would be complete without peanuts in the shell? But about five minutes on the freeway, I asked the question, “Do we have the tickets?” There was only a brief silence, but it was enough to know that we had left the tickets at the Wyatts. So, we turned around (so to speak with a freeway involved) and returned to base to retrieve the tickets.

Now we were ready – still with enough time to pick up the peanuts, which we did in record fashion and then headed south to Arlington and the ballpark. What a beautiful place is the ballpark at Arlington. We found our parking lot and enjoyed the walk to our gate. We bought some hotdogs ($18 for four supposedly “jumbo” dogs) and found our seats, which were nearly identical to the seats we sat in a couple years back when we came – right next to the Angels’ bullpen. We got to watch Jered Weaver, the starting pitcher, do his warm ups and then the game began.




There are a few things in life that make you feel strange. I am sure you can think of a few. But one of the strangest (only because I am not used to being in such a situation) is when you are fervently rooting for a team that happens to be the “visiting” team. The opening inning was thrilling as the three of the first four batter reached base and then Casey Kotchman, the Angel 1B man, hit a grand slam homerun putting our team up 4 to nothing from the get go. The only thing is, while my family and I are screaming and cheering, no one else was. It is not the same as when 40,000 fans are all screaming with you. Oh well, these runs would be more than enough to win the game and yet the Angels added three more to win 7-2.




Of course, the game was not without its quirks. About the third inning a cloud decided to dump its contents in the form of rain on the field for about 25 minutes delaying the game about 45 minutes. The rain certainly brought a refreshing reprieve from the 90-degree temp, but it was only temporary, for after we were soaked, then the sun came back out and baked us, but oh well.

After the game we returned to the Wyatts, had a bite of dinner and then headed to some other dear friends home, the Ryans. The Ryan children were headed to play “Ultimate Frisbee” with the church and so they and our kids left leaving Bryan, Carla, Laura and myself about 2 and ½ uninterrupted hours of visiting. Talking with the Ryans makes us miss them and appreciate their friendship. The kids returned hot and sweaty about 9:45 pm and so we headed back to the Wyatts for showers and preparations for tomorrow – Six Flags.

Anyway, that’s the update. Hope everyone’s Monday was as eventful as ours.

Soli Deo Gloria,

Pastor Ed

Off to Texas

Obviously by the pictures below we made it to Texas – at least to the visitor’s center! Our trip was smooth and relaxing. We actually listened to an audio book of Ernest Hemingway’s “The Old Man and the Sea” – and then we talked about the old man’s persistence. O that I would be as devoted and persistent to Christ, who is my inheritance, as that old man was to catching a great fish that he would not be able to keep.




We made it to Countryside Bible about 20 minutes before evening service, which was wonderful as it gave us a bit of time to greet some friend we have not seen for some time. The service itself was a children’s choir program, which was well done – “Roamin’ through Romans” and was essentially a walk through the gospel presentation of the book of Romans. Admittedly however, we were a bit distracted as this was our first contact with a Wyatt baby. Laura had not seen baby Caleb (Jake’s and Candace’s new arrival) before she was holding him and did so through about half of the service before I finally got to do so. What a good baby – at least for us through the service – sleeping away, waking up only ever so slightly to give us a peek of his eyes only to see them roll back up and then close again. Such tiny little hands and feet. I can hardly believe that mine were once that small!






On top of this, I had a revelation, one that brought both joy and showed me my age. As I held baby Caleb, I was remembering many years back now when I once held baby Jake. Not any bigger than Caleb with nothing but a future ahead of him. And now, in a few months, that baby I held so many years ago will be partnering with me in ministry, as an intern, as a man of God, at Hope Community Bible Church along with his family. Where does the time go?

After service we made some arrangements with the Ryans (Bryan and Carla) to meet up with them after our Baseball game (Rangers vs. Angels) for dinner. After dinner Luke and Beth will go with the Ryan children (the oldest of which I once held in my arms and is now driving!) to play “Ultimate Frisbee” (also known more simply as Frisbee Football). I think that the “senior Wyatts” will come over for dessert.



Laura and Carla Ryan

Speaking of the senior Wyatts (it seems hard to say that, particularly due to the fact that when I first saw Sue last night at the church, she was standing amid a sea of children who made up the choir for the service and she appeared to fit right in – don’t know that I could say the same of Rocky!) – anyway, Rocky and Sue are doing well and set us up nicely in their wonderful new home. We ordered pizza and visited with them as well as with Jake, Candace and Caleb. At about 11 pm we called it quits and settled in for a good night’s rest.





I can’t believe how blessed I am – the Lord’s granting me such wonderful friends, so warm and hospitable, such wonderful memories and along with such wonderful hope for the future. I am certainly unworthy of it all – and yet, in Christ, I am to enjoy it all to His glory.

Soli Deo Gloria,

Pastor Ed

Sorry for the Hiatus

I must apologize for the "hiatus" (is that how that is spelled - and does it mean what I think it does?) [I was graciously offered the correct spelling of "hiatus" not "hiadas" as I previsouly had it] – there have been a number of issues and projects that have so occupied my time that I simply haven’t been able to make a post in – well – too long. And even as I make this post, I must confess that I do not know when the next will be as my family and I will be taking a few days off, going to Texas to visit some friends. We are looking forward to our trip as on Monday we will take in a Texas Rangers vs. Anaheim Angels (life long Angels fan) ball game and then on Tuesday we are taking Luke and Beth to Six Flags (their first time ever).

Now the strangest thing happened this past week. It all began last Sunday evening when one of my friends pointed out that I had a screw in the back right tire on my van. The tire was low, but I was going to try to drive it home. I didn’t make it a few feet through the church parking lot before it was apparent that the tire needed to be changed. The exciting thing was, there were three men from the church that changed it for me.

I took the tire to Wal-mart only to be informed that the screw was too close to the sidewall and therefore was unable to be fixed. This coupled with the fact that the front two tires were getting dangerously low on tread and that we were planning to take this trip to Texas prompted me to bite the bullet and purchase four new tires (at Sam’s Club – better deal; better tires) – Ouch to the pocket book. But in the end, I felt good, knowing that we would be treading well on our upcoming trip.

Now the strange part. Yesterday as the men were gathering for our month Men’s prayer, the same friend who informed me of the screw in the back right tire of my van, walks in, and with the straightest of faces says, “You have a screw in the back right tire of your car.” I replied, “Yeah, right!” To which he said, “No, you really have a screw in the back right tire of your car.” So, he followed me out to my car (not my van) and sure enough, in the same exact location as the screw in my van tire was a screw in my car tire.

Now, is that just coincidence or should I be paranoid? I am not aware of any construction through which I have been driving. My wife and I managed to get the car home without incident and will just let it sit while we go off on vacation. But I still can’t believe the odds of getting two screws in the same exact location on two different tires. But I guess as they say somewhere, “Them the berries!”

I would like to remind or encourage everyone to visit the recently revamped website for the church (www.HopeCBC.org). Not only is there a new look, but we also have updated Sermon texts along with - MP3’s of the messages. Additionally we have our current Home Bible Fellowship series, “The Knowledge of the Holy” by A.W. Tozer along with study questions on the site. Take a look around and prayerfully you will be blessed.

Well – it is Sunday morning and while I have been up for a while and think I have everything ready, I’d better turn my attention to the more pressing matters of heart preparation for preaching and worship. If I am able to connect, I will post summaries of our days in Texas. If not, then check back in a few days. Have a blessed week and live heartily as unto the Lord!

Colossians 3:23-24
23 Whatever you do, do your work heartily, as for the Lord rather than for men, 24 knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance. It is the Lord Christ whom you serve.

Soli Deo Gloria,

Pastor Ed

William Cowper on George Whitefield

William Cowper made the following comment about George Whitefield -

He loved the world that hated him: the tear that dropped upon his Bible was sincere; assailed by scandal and the tongue of strife, his only answer was a blameless life, and he that forged and he that threw the dart, had each a brother’s interest in his heart.

Soli Deo Gloria,

Pastor Ed

Happy Tax Day

Just in case you were wondering, I came across this that explains a bit about how our taxes really work:

Sometimes politicians, journalists and others exclaim; "It's just a tax cut for the rich!" and it is just accepted to be fact.

But what does that really mean? Just in case you are not completely clear on this issue, let's put tax cuts in terms everyone can understand.

Imagine a group of ten men who went out for dinner together and the bill for all ten came to $100. If they paid their bill the way we pay our taxes, it would go something like this:

The first four men (the poorest) would pay nothing.

The fifth would pay $1.

The sixth would pay $3.

The seventh would pay $7.

The eighth would pay $12.

The ninth would pay $18.

The tenth man (the richest) would pay $59.

So, that's what they decided to do.

The ten men ate dinner in the restaurant every day and seemed quite happy with the arrangement, until one day, the owner threw them a curve. "Since you are all such good customers," he said, "I'm going to reduce the cost of your daily meal by $20." Dinner for the ten now cost just $80.

The group still wanted to pay their bill the way we pay our taxes, so the first four men were unaffected. They still ate for free. But what about the other six men - the paying customers? How could they divide the $20
windfall so that everyone would get his 'fair share?'

They realized that $20 divided by six is $3.33. But if they subtracted that from everybody's share, then the fifth man and the sixth man would each end up being paid to eat their meal.

So, the restaurant owner suggested that it would be fair to reduce each man's bill by roughly the same amount, and he proceeded to work out the amounts each should pay.

And so:

The fifth man, like the first four, now paid nothing (100% savings).

The sixth now paid $2 instead of $3 (33% savings).

The seventh now paid $5 instead of $7 (29% savings).

The eighth now paid $9 instead of $12 (25% savings).

The ninth now paid $14 instead of $18 (22% savings).

The tenth now paid $50 instead of $59 (15% savings).

Each of the six was better off than before. And the first four continued to eat for free. But once outside the restaurant, the men began to compare their savings.

"I only got a dollar out of the $20," declared the sixth man. He pointed to the tenth man," but he got $9!"

"Yeah, that's right," exclaimed the fifth man. "I only saved a dollar, too. It's unfair that he got nine times more than I!"

"That's true!!" shouted the seventh man. "Why should he get $9 back when I got only $2? The wealthy get all the breaks!"

"Wait a minute," yelled the first four men in unison. "We didn't get anything at all. The system exploits the poor!"

The nine men surrounded the tenth and beat him up.

The next night the tenth man didn't show up for dinner, so the nine sat down and ate without him. But when it came time to pay the bill, they discovered something important. They didn't have enough money between all of them for even half of the bill!

And that, boys and girls, journalists and college professors, is how our tax system works. The people who pay the highest taxes get the most benefit from a tax reduction. Tax them too much, attack them for being wealthy, and they just may not show up anymore. In fact, they might start eating overseas where the atmosphere is somewhat friendlier.

Soli Deo Gloria,

Pastor Ed

Off and Running

Maybe it just makes me feel better to have something posted - so here goes. After my 24 hour Solo Pastor's conference, I hit the ground running. Sometimes I am amazed at where the time goes, particularly just keeping up with emails and returning phone calls.

On an exciting note (for the Godfrey's) - our house is being resided. For many years the siding has just gotten worse and worse, but in a couple of days, it will be new and the house will look fantastic. I did take some before pics and when I can take the after pics, I will post a couple.

I know there are things to report, but they will have to wait for a more opportune time. The Lord's blessings be upon His people.

Soli Deo Gloria

Pastor Ed

Day One of EFCA Solo Pastor's Conference

The first half of the EFCA Central District Solo Pastor’s Conference has come to and end. I must say that it was an interesting and insightful day. The discussion began with an evaluation of the following two statements:

“We are committed to a proclamation of God’s Word that is clear, theologically sound and communicated in a relevant and practical way.”

“The end result of our proclamation is people who are eager to please God by applying His Word to every area of life.”

It would be interesting to critique this statement with our men. I had to ask for some defining of terms such as “clear”; “theologically sound” (what standard); “relevant”; “practical” and “to please God.”

I might have preferred something along the lines of “to glorify God” but the other terms can be defined as broadly or narrowly as one might like. In the end however, the discussion proved to be revealing. One of emphasis made was on preaching to bring about this effect of pleasing God by applying His word to every areas of life. It was noted that there is often a disconnect between theologically sound preaching and the actually living out of such principles in the lives of some in any given congregation. It made me ask, however, if such a disconnect might be result of the pastor not living out such principles as he preaches. In other words, am I doing everything I can, by the power of the Holy Spirit, to not simply communicate dead orthodoxy, true statements and exhortations but without real life.

The main crux of the day was seeking to identify and address some of the issues the solo pastors face in their ministries, seeking to then draw on the corporate wisdom of the group to answer such matters. I have included a list of the issues that were brought up:

• Eschatology and leadership (in light of the EFCA and its considering the removal of the word “premillennialism from its Statement of Faith).
• Starting a Friday/Saturday service to reach out to late teens/20 somethings
• How to avoid burnout
• Mentoring leaders/elders/deacons
• How to stay fresh/abreast of theological and national issues.
• Punctuality of the congregation
• Trickle down cultural and theological issues
• Relating to world views and religions, pluralism
• Balancing leadership – not “lording it over” while still leading
• Finding valid/practical resources
• Creating healthy small groups
• Generational gaps (Titus 2)
• How to move from survival to growth

Not all these issues were of concern to me, but of these issues, three were prioritized as needing to be discussed through the day; “how to avoid burnout; how to stay fresh and abreast of theological and national issues; and balancing leadership.” In these discussions, we did flesh out several points worthy of further consideration. As I have the opportunity to organize these thought, I may post those that would be most profitable.

This morning we will continue to look at some of the issues above. There is no way we could discuss them all, but such points give you an idea of what is going on in the minds of some solo pastors in the EFCA.

Have a blessed day.

Soli Deo Gloria,

Pastor Ed

Mini Pastor's Conference

After just preaching on how many conferences there are in our day and age, I have hauled off to Springfield, MO for an overnight, "Solo" Pastor's Conference, meeting with fellow Evangelical Free Church "Solo" Pastors of the Central District (Iowa, Missouri, Arkansas) to discuss ministry.

This should be an interesting time for me as over the past few years the relationship with the EFCA has been "strained." If there is anything to report, I will do so. I arrived here in Springfield about 11 am and everything is to start at 12 noon. It is a twenty-four hour conference (yes, they will let us sleep).

God's blessings!

Soli Deo Gloria,

Pastor Ed

Poll: Biblical Eschatology

Here were the final results of last week's poll questions, "What do you think is the most Biblical eschatology?" Out of 20 people who voted:

1. Premillennialism (Christ reigns for 1000 years on the earth) 16 (votes) 80%
2. Amillennialsim (Christ reigns now and will not reign physically on the earth) 4 (votes) 20%
3. Postmillennialism (Christ will come when the Church has "Christianized" the world?) 0 (votes) 0%
4. Panmillennialism (don't know which is right but know it will all "pan" out in the end) 0 (votes) 0%

On a lighter side, this week's poll question is simply, "What is your favorite morning drink?" I don't know if I can make something spiritual out of that, but there it is - deal with it.

Soli Deo Gloria,

Pastor Ed

Shakespeare on Time

Better three hours too soon than one minute late.

William Shakespeare

Do you agree?

Poll: Favorite Bible Translation

At first it seemed to be close, with the NASB and the ESV running tight in this poll. But then the NASB’ers came out of the woodwork. Here are the final percentages:

What is your favorite Bible Version?

Answers

1. NASB (New American Standard Bible) 48%

2. ESV (English Standard Version) 29%

3. NIV (New International Version) 0%

4. KJV (King James Version) 5%

5. NKJV (New King James Version) 10%

6. Mine is not listed 10%

With the NIV not receiving even one vote, I guess Zondervan is going to have to go back to the drawning board with its advertising. How does the second most popular and best selling version in modern times not even get one vote?

This week’s poll is asking for the eschatological (end or future times) view that best fits your understanding of Scripture.

Have a blessed week!

Soli Deo Gloria,

Pastor Ed

A Sculpture of Jesus

Just in case you are unable to keep up with the more interesting bits of news – it seems that some character by the name of Cosimo Cavallaro (I wonder if that is his real name) has made a life-sized sculpture of Jesus – and, are you ready for this? – it is made entirely out of chocolate, calling it “My Sweet Lord.” But that is not really why it made the news. Mr. Cavallaro sculpted Jesus naked and, shall we say it discretely, anatomically correct.

I really don’t know what to think? Obviously I am offended at such a calloused and mocking depiction of the Savior of the world (John 1:29) and the Lord of all creation (John 1:3) – but the reality is that we live in such a calloused world that such things shouldn’t surprise us.

What was interesting to me is that there was such a world-wide fiasco as well as riots when a cartoon strip did not place Muhammed of Islam in a favorable light. There were months of chaos, ten of thousands who demonstrated and violence to the extreme. I would suspect that apart from verbal cries, the Christian community will be much more quiet. Yet it makes me wonder what would happen if such a sculpture of Mohammad had been made.

Even more laughable is the Manhattan art director’s response to the uproar this is causing as Christianity enters “Easter week” Of the sculpture he said, “It's intended as a meditation on the Holy Week.” Meditating on a chocolate Jesus - apart from the anatomical features, it sounds like something a seeker-sensitive church might consider.

For those of us who find such a sculpture demeaning to our Savior, let us remember that fallen man has no choice but to delve deeper into depravity and mock the living God (Romans 1:20-32). Perhaps we could pray for a heat wave to strike New York and melt the sculpture down. Oh, yeah, that is going to happen –

2 Peter 3:10-13
But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, in which the heavens will pass away with a roar and the elements will be destroyed with intense heat, and the earth and its works will be burned up. 11 Since all these things are to be destroyed in this way, what sort of people ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness, 12 looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be destroyed by burning, and the elements will melt with intense heat! 13 But according to His promise we are looking for new heavens and a new earth, in which righteousness dwells.

If you would like to read more about the story, here is what I read from USA Today: (click here)

Soli Deo Gloria,

Pastor Ed

What a providential 200th post!

Timing is everything (so they say) and this is my 200th post. And just what might be the topic for my 200th post? I would like to share with you the following card I received for just this day (it is from my niece):

“With Sympathy” –

Ed – May your memories bring you peace,
comfort, and strength. Getting old is hard!

To carry on the theme, my niece sent a second card that read:

“With Deepest Sympathy” –

Ed – Thinking of you at this difficult
time with sympathy and understanding.

If you have not already guess, I am celebrating my birthday today – my 40th birthday. Who would have thought I would make it to 40? I am most thankful to the Lord for His mercy and goodness to me and for the privilege of being His child, His servant, and His ambassador. Here is something I read last night from Jeremiah 10:6-7:

6 There is none like You, O LORD; You are great, and great is Your name in might. 7 Who would not fear You, O King of the nations? Indeed it is Your due! For among all the wise men of the nations And in all their kingdoms, there is none like You.

The best present I can think of is a heart with a great capacity to rightly fear and love the Lord. While only the Lord can give me such a present, please pray that such might be the desire and the gift each one who confesses the name of Christ would receive.

One last thought – my father-in-law informed me of the following. He said that most people will try to tell you that life begins at 40, but that the truth is that maintenance begins at 40. With all my dental woes, I would have to concur with the later sentiment. But praise be to the Lord who will return and clothe the perishable with the imperishable and the mortal with immortality. How’s that for a present? Even so, come Lord Jesus!

Soli Deo Gloria,

Pastor Ed