The Masters Touch

The Master's Touch 

When the house lights dimmed and the concert  was about to begin, the mother returned to her seat and discovered that the child was missing
Suddenly, the curtains parted and spotlights focused on the impressive Steinway on stage. In horror, the mother saw her little
boy sitting at the keyboard, innocently picking out "Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star."

At that moment, the great piano master made his entrance, quickly moved to the piano, and whispered in the boy's ear, "Don't quit." "Keep playing."  Then, leaning over, Paderewski reached down with his left hand and began filling in a bass part. Soon his right arm reached around to the other side of the child, and he added a running obbligato.  Together, the old master and the young novice transformed what could have been a frightening situation into a wonderfully creative experience.  The audience was so mesmerized that they couldn't recall what else the great master played.

Only the classic,

“Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star."

Perhaps that's the way it is with God. What we can accomplish on
our own is hardly noteworthy. We try our best, but the results aren't always graceful flowing music.  However, with the hand of the Master, our life's work can truly be beautiful. 
 The next time you set out to accomplish great feats, listen carefully.  You may hear the voice of the Master, whispering in your ear, "Don't quit." "Keep playing."  May you feel His arms around you and know that His hands are there, helping you turn your feeble attempts into true masterpieces. Remember, God doesn't seem to call the equipped, rather, He equips the 'called.'

My Testimony Part 2: Where I'm At Now

Having been through a lot in my life and being a victor in conquering things that could have and maybe even should have been the end of me, I am ready more than ever to lead a congregation to what should be it's ultimate purpose: True Worship.

My health has never been better. I take some vitamins to make sure my body gets all of the nutrients it needs, but otherwise I'm in great health, both mentally and physically. I have an appreciation for being able to go and do on my own but I can understand the lives of others who are not as fortunate as me and hopefully I can be an encourager to them.

My faith is also at it's strongest. My adversities have played a big part in that, but my wife also a LARGE part. She is an encourager, a believer; both in God and me. As I wrote in an earlier blog, To Sheri, With Love, she has been an important part of my life and she will continue to be. There is nothing better than a godly wife who has a dedicated prayer life and can recognize the voice of God, spoken through the Holy Spirit.

All of the years of experience that I have gained by serving on various committees, as well as having been an integral part in starting and building music ministries and churches that were ready to close their doors has given me an insight that I feel few others have who have just entered the ministry or have only served in a staff position. God has equipped me to be able to serve Him, and I am looking forward to where He would send us next.

I have not hid nor will I ever hide my past. As one person recently put it, "Everyone has a past, it's what they do with the future that is most important." I agree, but you also have to learn from your past and not repeat any mistakes you made along the way.

I also have learned that old dogs can learn new tricks. I like to try things and I'm not afraid to go in a new direction after prayer and consideration. Such was the case 3 months ago when I taught myself the bass guitar. I have played piano for 40 years and for many years I wanted to learn the bass guitar. But because that goes from one type of instrument to the other, I was never sure if I could do it. Well, I have and in 3 months I've already completed a lesson book, I play weekly in the praise band and I look forward to being able to find new ways to use my new found skill in the future. It makes me especially proud of the fact that I went from not being able to stand for more than a few minutes back in the 90's to being able to stand on stage for hours with no problems. To God Be The Glory For The Great Things HE Has Done! (I'll always love that old hymn!)

So I'm proclaiming to the world and to God, Here I Am, Send Me. Let me be an example of what God's love and grace can be for anyone out there who will only seek Him.

Thanks for stopping by to read this blog and may God bless you richly in your life!

My Testimony

I was raised in church all of my life. My family attended church so many times in one week, that if the Janitor left the door open while he/she was cleaning, we sat in the pews and watched. (well, not really, but you get the idea! LOL)
I believed that you went to church because that was what you were supposed to do. The other days my family read the bible and had devotionals each morning with breakfast.
I learned about all of the people in the bible, and all of the things that happened long ago. I would sit there saying to myself, "Well, that's nice." I looked at it the same way as I looked at learning history in school. I was sure I would need to know it at some point, and if not, it was possible useful trivia for down the road.
NO ONE explained that the events could still happen today. NO ONE explained that I could put to use in my daily life the lessons learned. Salvation was just that. Being saved from burning in Hell for eternity. Once saved, I just needed to attend church and act my part, and everything would be fine.
WRONG!

What started out as being a way of life for me became how I didn’t want to live my life. I started working in the cotton mill when I was 16, cleaning the air units for the different floors, and turning pic clocks on Sundays. Mom insisted that I take the job, and after I found out that I would be working on Sunday mornings, I didn’t argue. Finally, a break from having to listen to the same things I had been taught all my life. Or had I? If I had been taught, then wouldn’t I have a better understanding of what Christianity meant? Some would say yes. I probably would agree, especially now that I have thought more closely about it.

For 2 years I enjoyed having at least one service that I didn’t have to attend. Besides, Sunday nights were usually more casual, and I didn’t have to dress up to go then. Nevertheless, I was still expected to attend every service when I wasn’t working. I lived with my mom and grandparents, and as long as I lived under their roof, that would be the way that it was.

I couldn’t wait to escape to the next level: not having to attend at all.

When I was a senior in high school, the pastor talked me into taking a day off from work near graduation, and participating in “Youth Day” at the church. The youth of the church would take over all of the responsibilities for a Sunday, and usually a senior would be the one to deliver the sermon. Guess who was picked? 3 Guesses and the first 4 don’t count!

After the service, the preacher walked up to me and said, “You’ve found your calling. You’ll make a fine preacher one day.”

“Oh my gosh, get me outta here,” was all I could think. Church people … Jesus Freaks … Stuff Shirt Preachers … HELP!

I graduated from High School, and turned down a scholarship and went in the Army. I wanted to be as far away from home as I could be. I succeeded. West Germany would be my home for the next 2 years. I was happy, with very little complaints.

I moved up in rank as I became eligible, but I was injured while on maneuvers, and so I was discharged on an Honorable, Service Connected Disability discharge.

The back injury brought a lot of pain, but it posed no problem, as I knew how to deal with the pain. Alcohol was cheap; Drugs were easily obtained while I was in service. When I got out, I found out that the same was true in civilian life. People who sat beside me in church were the same ones sitting beside me now that I was back home getting drunk, stoned or a raucous combination. And we wonder why the “outside” people view us as hypocrite’s?

I came home, traveled around the states for a while, and then settled down on one spot. However, my life was not settled. A beer put me to sleep, and a beer woke me up so that I could go to work. Or school. Yep, I had signed up for college, using my service benefits. I figured that it might not hurt to find another line of work that paid better (security pays minimum), plus at a college there was always a chance of meeting some hot chick and hopefully getting laid at least on the weekends.

I think God has a sense of humor. I met a girl. Not a specifically hot chick. But a girl. We had a lot in common, except that she had been married twice, and I hadn’t made it to the altar once. She had two wonderful daughters, who would later become my stepchildren.

Anyway, I should have had a warning on our first date. Well, 2^nd date. First one was to take everyone to McD’s. We won’t count that one. Second one went like this. Picked her up, we dropped the 2 girls off at her mom’s house to babysit, announcing that we’re going out to eat and then go bowling. (Bowling has always been in my blood, and it always will!

A great time was had by both of us, and we arrived back at her mom’s house at 9:30 that evening. As we were walking up to the door, her mom met us, bible in hand. I thought to myself, “Oh crap, this can not be good.”

After having railed on us for 10 minutes, I finally found a way to exit, and exit stage “I’m Outta Here” is exactly what I did. If I were smart, I would have kept running. However, I didn’t.

We wound up getting married a year later, and our mom’s kept harping on us that we needed to get in church. “The children need to be brought up in church.”

Been there. Done that. We both had.

Finally we gave in. I didn’t want to go back to my old church. (didn’t want those little bitties to run their mouth about me walking in to their sanctimonious place. Another story, another day.)

Therefore, I agreed to go to my wife’s old church. I had only been to a Baptist church. The order of worship was the way that I thought it was supposed to be. WRONG.

‘Assembly of God’ is what it said on the sign out front. I silently wondered to myself if God ever assembled in this or any church. But I was determined to find out.

Hmmmmm… just what I expected. Stuff shirts. Haughty Taughty women with enough makeup to paint the Sistine Chapel painting by Michelangelo again. Nothing new here.

“Okay, just sit and be quiet for an hour. Make everyone happy. I can do this.”

When I climbed back onto the pew from the floor beneath it, I wondered if I would ever escape from the “Hotel Didn’t I Warn Ya” that I had found myself in.

Have you ever seen the video by Ray Stevens “The Mississippi Squirrel Revival” that was popular a long time ago? Women are shouting, hands are raised in the air (along with other items) and a general commotion has struck the congregation of this poor little church.

Well, this church wasn’t little. People were shouting, hands were raised in the air (along with some other items that I won’t mention here) and I was sure that there was a squirrel somewhere nearby. And to top it off, I don’t think he spoke any English, because they were all hollering in some language that I had never heard of before.

So I sat back down among all of the hulla-balub and watched for the squirrel to pass by. My grandfather had taught me to love to eat wild squirrels, and if no one else was going to help themselves to him, I figured I would.

Hmph, it seems that there was no squirrel. Things sure were squirrelly all right. Mom-in-law was turning red and bouncing up and down, Wifey looked like she was a deer in the headlights of an oncoming car, and the girls were cringing and eyes darting, looking for a route of escape. Of the 3 options, I had just about decided that the last one was my recourse too. However, it settled down, and the preacher got up and started preaching. He kept thanking and welcoming the “Holy Ghost.” I kept looking around, trying to figure out how Halloween had got here so fast. I thought that Easter was still a few weeks away.

Holy Ghost. Wait a minute. We used to sing something about the Holy Ghost. Oh yeah, I remember now. Okay, I guess this is just a different version of our Holy Ghost song, “Praise Father, Son and Holy Ghost.” All right, back to listening to the message. Yada, Yada, Yada. Same poop, different church. Finally, we get to leave.

“Run Forrest Run” is what would have been in my head if the Gump movie had been out then. Instead, something intrigued me. At least these people didn’t sit stone faced for an hour. All of that jumping and hollering surely meant that someone was going to get hurt (and I hoped it wasn’t me), but at least it made it interesting to watch.

So from time to time, especially on holidays (don’t you know, it is mandatory in the south to show up at church on Easter and Christmas, whether you really wanted to or not… at least the wife can show off all of the new clothes that she picked out for her family.)

So, our Check In/Check Out was pretty easy, except for the time that Daylight Savings Time started and we arrived at the service for Easter as it was ending. Embarrassing.

My life had changed somewhat. I didn’t party as much anymore. I still drank on the weekends, although not until I had gone to church and come back home on Sundays. Now that I was sober most of the time, I started wanting more. Our mom’s never quit harping on us to attend church, and finally, a radio show convinced me that maybe I should.

“Welcome to the Sound of Light, with Brett Dillard” came a voice on my radio as I scanned through the channels. Taking college courses at a rate of 18 cu each semester left little time for a regular job, so I started delivering pizzas for a national chain. My Pontiac T-1000 (another version of Chevy’s Chevette) was a basic car, and contained only an AM/FM radio. Rock 101, WCKN, Your Classic Rock Station was playing some music from the 60’s that I didn’t want to listen to. So I hit the “seek” button on the Radio, and this is what came out of the speakers in just a few pushes. Rock music started blaring, so I settled in to listen to their tunes. He said the first band was called “Petra.” Some pretty kick-butt music, so I continued to listen. Ten minutes later, Brett cuts in and mentions Jesus. Oh man, you had to go and ruin some good music. (I discovered later that if I had been listening to the words, and not just head banging to the music, I probably would have realized what “light” that this “sound” was directed at.)

Quick, try 101 again. Crap, same stupid music. Okay, music was still rocking on the new station, “I’ll just ignore the words and turn it back to the other station.” I left it there the whole evening, listening to it as I rode around town trying to make bucks from stoned guys who had the munchies, and drunks who knew they shouldn’t be anywhere near a steering wheel or a stove.

The next Saturday, 7 o’clock in the evening, I turned the radio back over to that station. I had tried it out earlier that week, but the music put me to sleep. Bam-a-lamma Ding-Dong. There was that jamming music again. These guys could really rock the house. Of course, there were a few chick songs that tried to make people teary-eyed. Thank goodness, they seemed to occur that night when I was either knocking on someone’s door, or in the shop setting up my next run.

I repeated this several weekends, and then they announced that one of the groups that they played on the radio was going to be at a local church. And not just any church. An Assembly of God church. Hmmmm… okay, I know how they operate. If they are cool enough to have this group come perform, I want to check this church out. The concert was not for a few months, but I went ahead and started attending anyway. Wow, this church seemed different. The pastor seemed different. The music seemed different. Granted, there was still a lot of wailing and gnashing of teeth, and a few people flopping on the floors like almost dead fish, but I decided I could overlook that. Little did I know that the enemy is often on the home front.

Sometimes you lose. Sometimes you quit trying. Sometimes you quit trying to lose. Maybe that was what I was doing. Trying to lose. I certainly wasn’t trying to win. My wife was not supportive of my actions with me going to church. She didn’t do church, and she couldn’t understand why I wanted to. Especially at another AOG church, of all things.

We only had one car for quite some time, and she would have it to drive to work. I drove the work truck home (I worked for Allied Van Lines at the time) when I could, but I couldn’t go parking a moving van in the church parking lot. That would have probably put too many people over the edge.

Several times people would give me a ride home while I was walking, and even offer to come pick me up. But my schedule was hectic, especially on Wednesday’s, and I never knew from one week to the next if I would be home or not.

Eventually the weather turned bad, and I found too many excuses to go. I still listened to the radio show every Saturday night. I counted myself as a good person. I wasn’t out raping, killing or stealing from anyone. Sure, I indulged in the ‘spirits’ occasionally, especially Crown Royal or Bacardi. But I wasn’t a drunk anymore. I could remember what happened before and after I started drinking now. So I couldn’t be a bad person. RIGHT?!? NOT!

I still wasn’t really saved. I had bought the fire insurance when I was 8 years old. But that was still all it was to me. Fire Insurance.

Then we moved back to the home county where I grew up. Walked in a Baptist church, and this is no lie, a lady recognized me, grabbed her kid, and said, “Don’t go anywhere near that man. He’s trouble.”

I never went back. If that woman ever reads this, be glad that I came to my senses; otherwise, you would have a rough day at the throne down the road.

My girls had started listening to the music too, and they wanted to get active in church. We found a church, and they had an awesome drummer. We quickly became friends and started up a Christian Rock Band. (Heads up, I still wasn’t living that life that I sang about). For 2 years we had a blast. I eventually became the choir director for the church. Then tragedy struck.

(1)        Stroke

(2)        Multiple Sclerosis

Wheelchair bound. The pastor came to see me a couple of times. But no one else ever did. It wasn’t long before I never heard from him again. See there. Just what I thought. Christians only care about you when you’re in a position to help them. “To serve God.”

Still in a wheelchair, I started playing for another group, and before long, I was out of the wheelchair and now found myself serving as choir director at another local church. Methodist Denomination.

But after surviving much gnashing and wailing, this was a change. In addition, I fell in love (platonically/spiritually!) with the pastor. She helped me to see that Christianity was so much more. I even started to understand some of the words that they had been playing and talking on the radio, and how the bible could apply to my life.

Several different churches later, I wound up serving in another Methodist church. This time I found out about a program called, “Lay Speaking.”

Nope, it doesn’t mean to recline while you’re preaching, although I think I may try that sometime and see what the church reaction is. It means that ordinary people could be trained to help in different areas of the church and its worship services. I went to the “Basic” class out of curiosity, and I was hooked. I bought every “line” and weighed every “sinker.”

One thing led to another, and I wound up in Seminary, and eventually to my own church. Methodist, in case you were wondering. A small country church. I had learned a lot while serving in the ministry, but being a pastor was quite a revelation.

People can be cruel, weird, supportive and just down right strange. I’ve had people call me or stop me before I left church and tell me that they really got something from my message. They also told me how appreciative they were that I had given them something that they could apply in their daily lives.

I’ve had people call me to the side and bless me out. “How dare you talk about me like that? I didn’t think my wife would go through with her threat to tell you what I did!” (I’m scratching my head trying to figure out what they are talking about. Evidently, they were caught with their hand in the cookie jar.) I just preached what I felt was laid on my heart, and I said what needed to be said. Truth was, most of the women told me nothing, and supplied me with lots of treats and goodies to eat when I came to visit.

Have you ever noticed that people come to church to socialize? I’ve had people tell me that I needed to bust up someone’s “clic,” while theirs was truthfully causing more harm than the aforementioned one. However, since it was their clic that was okay. Everyone wants to meet all of the other “important” people who attend, desperately hoping to gain their favor and “get ahead” in life. Somehow, no one ever shows up expecting to meet the one person who matters the most! ME! No…. just kidding….

Do you know whom I’m talking about? Whom do you go to church to meet? The lawyer who you heard is hiring, and your son is about to graduate and hopefully will give him a job when he passes the bar? The contractor who has broad shoulders, tanned lines, and a chest you could sink your face into. The girl from the grocery store. You know, the one who always wears low cut tops, and when she bends over to bag your groceries, her “ample wares” are displayed for your viewing pleasure?

WRONG ANSWER!

GOD…. 3 Letters… Count them G  O  D. He is always there, waiting on us to come and worship Him. Not just sing “I Love You Lord” in a praise song and go back home and exclaim GD the first five minutes that you’re in the house.

Worship God, the one who can deliver you from the load that has you tilted at a 45-degree angle. 

Come back Wednesday for Part Two: Where I'm At Now

Why churches still don't have it right

In today's church you'll find a multitude of things that will either catch your eye or turn your head in disgust. Walk into some churches and you'll find big screens up on the wall behind the podium and possibly big screen TV's to the side of that. In churches where "contemporary" or "celebration" services are held, you'll likely find instruments that would be found in most any secular band today. In these churches, a time of "Praise and Worship" will be a main focus, lasting sometimes up to an hour before the rest of the service begins. Then you'll find a meager 15 minute sermon or "word for the day" from the pastor before the service is dismissed.
While in other churches that consider themselves more "traditional" you will find an organ and a piano, and possibly a choir in the elevation behind the podium, semi hidden by a modesty rail. In this church you'll have some sort of song sang as a Call To Worship, Announcements, possibly today's sermon scripture, a few hymns and a choir special, followed by the sermon.
And here is the part that blows my mind. In some churches of either style, you won't find an altar call at the end. No chance to get the person who might have been moved to finally accept Christ down in front to be talked to and prayed with. More and more in churches I visit this is becoming the norm. When I ask pastors about it, they say: "Well, it ties up the service at the end when people are wanting to go home," or "If people need to talk further about something, they know where the altar is or they can find me or an elder after the service."
How many people have we lost doing this? I read on a popular site for pastors about the argument of whether we should even have invitations as there is no such notice of any when Jesus was speaking to the crowds. WHAT? How many times did he speak of the people believing in Him, coming to Him, and following Him? If that wasn't an invitation, what are you expecting? Then some pastors have said, "Jesus didn't have church, so there is no set structure. I can add or omit as I like."
What ever happened to the house of worship? That is what they used to call a church years ago. They still weren't really a "house of worship" even then, but at least some still thought of them in that way.
I grew up Baptist, Southern Baptist at that. There was one way church was done, no matter which church you were in. There was a "Call To Worship" usually sang by the choir, then the opening hymn, followed by announcements. Another hymn would be sung, followed by a time of organ and piano music while the offering was taken up. Then a choir special, the sermon, and a time of invitation. No matter which Southern Baptist church you were in, this is how it was. Then a service quite similar to the morning service was done in the evening though dress would be more casual (suits and dresses only at the first one.) and then another time of bible study would be given on Wednesday nights. The crowds usually diminished for the Sunday Evening service, and then diminished greatly for the Wednesday night service.
Preaching was usually done with a fervor. The pastor would build the sermon in intensity until at the very end when he would convince you that if you didn't come down to the altar and accept Christ today, you would surely go to Hell. Now I have no problem with this, but I do have a problem when this is the only message week after week.
I was raised in church (read my early blogs from March and April 2011) and by the time I graduated High School, church only meant a place that you had to go 3 times a week or people would talk about you. The only thing it was far was to keep people from going to Hell (still a very important point!) but there was never any talk about a relationship with Christ.
A preacher was usually rated on how many heads bobbled to their 30 minute nap and the choir was talked about and rated on how they sung the song this week vs the last time they sang it, or if they had finally learned a new song after all this time.
And from what I've seen, the Baptists are not the only ones. Methodists do this too. As a matter of a fact, most churches are still doing this. There may be "hell, fire and damnation only" being preached all over America's churches. Sadly, I have seen many churches where nothing is preached. There is some screaming, yelling, wailing and flailing, but nothing that you can take from the sermon and apply to your life.
While we do need to be reminded of what does lay ahead if we choose not to follow Christ, we need more in our churches. We Need Teaching as well as Preaching.
Quit worrying about how the choir and/or band/musicians sounded. Quit worrying about having an "Order of Service." It is good to have an outline so that the staff knows what to generally expect, but don't be afraid to break it once in awhile. I have started a service, felt led to call out to someone hurting, and wind up with an altar call that needed nothing more afterwards with the way the Holy Spirit had moved at that service.
AND I'M NOT TALKING ABOUT "GNASHING AND THRASHING!!!!"
I'm talking about people genuinely crying their hearts out, not like some people who I have seen in some pentecostal churches who wail and flail on the floor, stop and look to see who is watching, then start back again. You know who you are!!!! I'm talking about people genuinely tired of their lives and the way that they are living, realizing that they can't do it anymore. This is what Jesus wanted from the crowds. He wanted people healed, demons cast out and for people to know that someone was there to care about them.
Too many times the only people who care about anyone at church, especially someone new is the staff, and too often that isn't going to happen either. Too many times the pastor is worried about closing up the building and the deacons/elders are worried about getting the money counted. To that I say, "LEAVE THE MONEY IN THE SAFE, GET YOUR HANDS OFF OF THE DOORS, AND GET IN THE CROWD." Talk to the people you don't recognize. You may have someone there who is considering doing something drastic in their lives such as suicide, leaving a spouse or other even worse things. They look around and it seems everyone is running for the doors. What doors that aren't being used are being locked, and they feel that they are being pushed to leave the building. Maybe they wanted to talk. Not just have someone greet them, hand them a bulletin and a card to fill out. If you are sensitive to the Holy Spirit, you will know these people immediately! You will be led and/or drawn to them. You will want to pull them to the side where you can talk more about what is troubling them. Then you will be actually reaching out to people.
I didn't start this blog to bash anybody or any denominations. I started this blog to get people to realize where we are going wrong as Christians and to shake things up, turn things Upside Down, and get back to where the church can do something good. If you do feel that you or your denomination is or has been bashed, well, maybe you need to look at why you're feeling that way. Is the Holy Spirit trying to wake you up before it is too late with an urging to reconsider how you've always done things?
Quit worrying about how the choir sang, how the musicians played, what songs were used, how much money was given. Let's start putting people first. God will take care of the rest. I've heard some of the gosh darn awfullest choirs that sang with their hearts tuned to God, and they brought me closer to worship than a polished 100 member unit that could sing all of the 4 part harmony written in the musical scores before them. These productions might have sounded good, but in the end, they left me empty, still hoping that the sermon could salvage something out of the service.
And PLEASE quit worrying about being a "contemporary" or a "traditional" church.
HOW ABOUT BEING A CHRISTIAN CHURCH FOR ONCE?
That is something that I don't see anymore. I once read a joke where a bum was sitting on the church step, everyone was ignoring him, some even making suggestive remarks toward him that he should leave the property. Finally a kind face approaches him and sits down beside him, looking a little dejected, though dressed "the part" that one would expect to the welcomed into the sanctuary. The bum looks up at the gentleman and says, "Hi, I'm Frank, they won't let me in because of who I am, so I'm sitting here resting before I move on." The other guy looks at him with tears in his eyes, and says, "Hi, I'm Jesus, and don't feel bad, they won't let me in either!"
Will you let Jesus in today? I'm talking into your heart, your life, your church! It's time we get back to the real reason Jesus came here on earth and died for our sins. He wanted us to learn to have a better life through his teachings of how we are to live, and He wanted us to be able to live with Him for eternity and not have to perish in a place that words can not describe how horrific it is.
Preachers, start preaching and inviting people to accept Christ. Quit worrying about your congregation learning the bible, and have them learn how to use what is in the bible to better themselves. Knowing the book in your head does not constitute knowing the book in your heart and being able to use that knowledge.
Take Bible Study to Life Study and teach them how your congregation today can learn by the men and women of the bible of yesterday. Stop the history lessons!
And when you've poured your heart out on Sunday morning, give an altar call and then stick around and seek out those who were too timid or scared to come forward but who still need someone to talk to RIGHT NOW!
Be an example! Then you can truly lead others in the path that they should go.
Thanks for reading this and come back and visit Wednesday when I talk some more about things that should and shouldn't be happening in churches right now.

Thank Goodness For My God and (Step)son

I know this is a day late (and I'm a dollar short! lol), but my computer finally had sunken to it's lowest of lows. It was taking 20 minutes from the time I pushed the power button until it was booted and online. Now granted, it is over 4 years old and still had the original install, but it was time to do something. Error messages had became the norm for the day.
(side note): Shawn is Sheri's son by a previous marriage, making him my step son legally. But! To me, he is my son. Therefore, he will no longer be referred to as "step".
So my youngest son is a computer guru. He knows how to change out parts, rewire, and replace. He also understands how to tweak a computer.
Tuesday during the day I backed up all of the info I wanted to keep (20 gigs worth) and I let him have the laptop that night after he arrived home from work. He reformatted, reinstalled windows and then set about putting all of the programs that I wanted back onto the hard drive. Needless to say, it took awhile. But now I only have 12 gigs being used on my 52 gig hard drive as opposed to 40 gigs and a really slow computer. I left the 20 gigs on disks and I'll just pull from them as needed. Now in just over a minute I'm go from off to online and I love it. Now it acts like it did back when I first bought the thing.
Then it hit me last night as we were finishing up.
This is a lot like salvation/forgiveness.
We get so bogged down and it takes forever to do anything that we want to accomplish. Error messages are everywhere in front of us and we begin to think that our lives are not worth much. We're bogged down by sin and it keeps us on the brink of having a fatal error.
Then we ask God to forgive us and cleanse us and make us whole again. He reformats our brain and helps us see anew again. We start to be able to make decisions clearly, think clearly and we act like we're supposed to act.
So, thank you Shawn (no, you're not God! lol) for fixing my computer and thank you God (yes, you are the one true God!) for saving me and cleaning me up and helping me to run a lot better!
Thanks for stopping by and come back again tomorrow!

Is it Christmas Yet?

Wow, what a weekend. The temps dropped like a rock from what they have been and it was so nice outside during the day and during the evenings we sat on the deck with the torches lit and the chiminea flaming to keep us warm. I love fall and the things that come with it. Cooler temp's, leaves turning all sorts of colors and football! And thanksgiving! Boy can my wife cook. I'm just waiting to have a big meal that day. But now is my dilemna.
My wife and I both enjoy Christmas. I leave decorations up for months, even the tree. It has to start to look like spring before I will take it all down. (I know the neighbors are glad to see the lighted reindeer go! lol)
But I'm ready for Christmas! I love the lights and the sounds and the songs. SO I'm ready to put them up now. But to do that presents two problems;
(1) I will have to use a fake tree again and we've talked about having a live one this year
(2) I don't have anything bought and wrapped to put under the tree yet.

To answer another question, I do know the real reason for Christmas. And we always make it our focus. But we celebrate Christ all year. I'm not just happy for him one month a year. We love him the other 11 too!

What are your christmas habits? When you do put up/tear down at your house? I would like to hear from others about when they decide to decorate and tear down and why? Is there a special reason, or perhaps you've just always done it this way?

And most of all, just celebrate Christ every day!

God bless you all!

A Boy and His Dog: Graduation Day

Well, scooter went back home yesterday afternoon. He learned all of the basic commands and now it is time for him to be able to do them and add to them in his regular environment. He was able to complete and follow all of the tasks and commands as I would give them, so my job is done. His dad thought a week would not be long enough. Turns out, 5 days did the trick.
Now the hard part begins.
Scooter is educated now and knows what to do. Now when he is back in his environment with so many other distractions around him, the questions is: Can he do it there too? To that I say yes, if his family will make him do what he has learned so that there is no break in his obedience or a going back to his old ways.
Now, how about you? You go to the week long or weekend conferences and walk out of there knowing that you can accomplish everything that you just learned by listening to the speakers. Or it is a sunday where the pastor was so passionate about the series that he was wrapping up that you know you can put these last weeks of learning a new living for Christ to good use.
Then Monday hits. Kids don't want to get out of bed. Work has already started calling you before you leave the house. Or if you're a stay at home parent, the laundry and mess from the weekend has piled up so until it is discouraging to even think about it. So you bury yourself in daily rituals forgetting the new ones that you were supposed to be adding/changing.
Then Tuesday hits. Things are worse, and errands are needed. Wednesday you think about what you've learned, but then decide you'll go to prayer meeting/small group and that will count for you trying to do the right thing.
Thursday you wake up and commit to starting your new life today, then friends call and you go out to lunch and you're tired when you get home so you lay down on the couch and take a nap.
Friday is family night and you'll be gone all evening doing family stuff.
Saturday is grass cutting, gardening, sports.
Sunday: When the pastor asks how everyone did last week with their new knowledge, a pang of guilt hits, and you go home berating yourself and downing youself to the point that you never really try again.
Start out now with what you know. If it's been awhile since you were taught, that's okay. While you're sitting here drinking your coffee and reading blogs, put it down/up and go read your bible. Don't know where to start. Try Genesis 1:1 and go from there. If you still have any course material from the seminar, pick it up and reread it. Pray over it. Then start out doing what you were supposed to be doing all along.
God is there to lead you and He has been there all along. Problem is, you may have thought you were ready but you really weren't.
As Michael Jackson once said, "Make that change." (too bad he didn't live up to his own words)
It is only too late to change your life when you're dead. While you're alive and breathing, do something about it.
Thank you for visiting this and come back again real soon! May God bless.

A Boy and His Dog: Days Three and Four

Well,
Scooter tried to finally pull what I expected him to pull. He took a day to resist almost everything that we worked on. It was as though he had his own agenda and he didn't want to follow mine.
Sound familiar anyone? Either with you and God or you and your children?
We tried working on sitting and staying for long periods, rather than one minute. We tried working with the leash and him not pulling. He stayed in the cage more than he stayed out of it on Tuesday.
Now Wednesday rolls around. My wife is off work on Wednesdays and with another distraction at home, I figured this would be even worse. SURPRISE!
I finally broke him from pulling the leash. He now walks at my side and the gentlest tug will bring him in my direction. He can actually lay at my feet and even when "grandma" comes around, he will still continue to be still. One more try at the leash last night confirmed that he is indeed leash trained now.
How many of us try to do things our own way? How many of us have our own agendas, and then we wonder why we can get nothing done? Do we not listen to what God tells us to do? And why?
There used to be an old commercial that went, "Things go better with Coke." Well, can I change that and say, "Things go better with God."
When scooter gave in and quit trying to "have it his way," great progress was made and he got to go alot of places in the yard during an easy stroll.
Why is it that you're so tired? You feel like you never get anything done? You look around you and your accomplishments are few and far between?
Are you feeling a tug from God and especially the Holy Spirit? Do you know you should be doing something, even though you cannot see why or what you will gain from it?
Quit fighting what God's plan is for your life and start following for once. True, you may be a born leader, but if you don't understand how to be led, what makes you think you're going to be able to lead?
Thanks for stopping by today and may God bless you in your life's journey.

A Boy and His Dog: Day Two

Well, the training is actually working. Scooter is alot calmer now and is able to listen to commands such as "stop", "come" and "no" when he is off the leash, and he will return when called. He is not used to being off the leash when he is outside because at his house there is no fence and he would usually run wild. Our backyard is fenced, so he is somewhat contained.
One of the biggest things to work on now is when he is on the leash, he wants to pull in his direction, and he doesn't want to follow mine. Today we will probably work on this skill mostly, as he is a rather large dog and his force can be something to reckon with.
So I want you to think about this for your day as you go through your routines of life:
Are you like scooter? Do you want to pull on the leash and show God where YOU'RE going? Or do you want to stand beside him, confident that he will not let you go, that he will guide you with gentle tugs on the leash and collar?
Like scooter, I think you'll find the second choice a better deal in the end!
Stop back by tomorrow as we follow scooters progress!
May God bless!
Keith

A Boy and His Dog: Day One

(this week I will be posting about my experience in training our granddog to be better behaved. there may be some nuggets to glean, there may not be. we'll see.)
Well, my granddog arrived yesterday afternoon at our house, accompanied by his dad (our son). The weather wasn't too bad so we spent the major portion of the afternoon on the deck out back of the house. Our three daughters (boxer, chihuahua x 2) were still here, (our son is taking them for the week so that there will be no distractions) so we let them play with our granddog. I figured it wouldn't hurt to get some of his pent up energy expended before we get down to business.
Now, my granddog is a very loving dog, and he loves our boxer. They rip romp up and down the yard and all over the deck (it is almost half the length of the house and 12 feet deep). Then he decides since he is a (unfixed until later this week) male and she is a (fixed) female, he wants to do what comes natural.
Finally I had to take him by my side and rein him in. He is very strong and strong willed, and I had to keep a tight hold on him to get him to stay beside me. For about an hour, he tried to balk at any chance that he got at having to obey me.
But by the end of the afternoon, he had started to relent and he would lay at my side without me holding on to him, even when the boxer walked up to him. He even was able to obey a couple of rules that I have set forth for our daughters in the house, such as staying out of the kitchen while I cook and we eat.
So I think there is hope for him yet.
Are we like my granddog (scooter) at times? Do our natural instincts to sin kick in and sometimes God has to rein us in and hold us back from participating in consequences that are detrimental to our safety and well being?
We are born into sin because of the curse of Adam and Eve (Read Genesis if you're unfamiliar with the story). So it is our nature to sin. But just like scoot, we have someone who will love us, rein us in, and guide and teach us (through life lessons and His word) how we are to act, respond to, and live our lives.
I thank God everyday for Him. I would be nothing without Him and I know it.
Do you know Him? Do you know the person who can keep you from going down a wrong path and ruining your life and maybe the lives of others, not to mention your eternal life? If you don't, please contact me (see profile) and I'll be glad to talk to you. I have already had many opportunities through email to share Christ with others around the world, and I will gladly share it with you.
May God bless you in your life's journey,
Keith

A boy and his (grand)dog

When you get our age and the kids are grown and gone, you sometimes tend to substitute. Well, enter the pets, 2 chihuahua's and a boxer. As if that isn't enough, one son has a huge dog (can't remember the breed, but HUGE, sweet and gentle) and the other has two dogs (beagle/chihuahua mix) and a black lab, maybe collie, maybe ... well ... he's definitely mixed (up!) lol
All of the dogs do pretty well. Our 2 chihuahua's were pretty wild when we married, and I took the time to really teach and train them. Now I don't even have to say a word. I can look at them and they know what to do.
Well ... our granddog ... he is a different story. Probably in part it is because he's still a puppy (9 months old) and maybe it is his mix of breeds causing his uproar, but he will not listen to any commands and does what he wants to. But most any dog is still trainable (I hope), even though they are young.
So next Sunday, we're going to trade dogs. Our three for the problem (grand)child. They want me to straighten him out, and they have given me one week to do it in. Oh boy. I don't know how much success I'll have with him, but let's just say it's going to be an interesting 7 days.
In thinking about what I am going to do for punishments and rewards (no, I don't abuse animals, but I strongly get their attention, if I did, would they send me their dog for a week?) I thought about how we want the same thing out of God.
We want the problem children in church to be whipped into shape by the next Sunday, and we expect God to pull it off. Now granted, He can perform miracles. He's done plenty of them already around here. But just how much success do you think He will have if the participant isn't especially willing? Just because you want that committee member/elder/teacher/bully to start listening to God and behaving themselves, doesn't mean that it will happen overnight. They have to be willing to start to change on their own.
Now with Scooter the granddog, he will hopefully be given the initiative through the rewards program that he will learn next week. But with people, it isn't that easy. We have to educate them that what they are doing is even wrong. Pray for guidance first from God. Go to them. Talk to them. Try to show them how their actions are harming the work of the Lord. But sometimes you have to pray "Lord, if you don't move them, move me." Some people are unreachable. It is sad to say. And sometimes it is someone else who can reach them down the line. But if they are hurting your spirit and preventing you from serving, then sometimes you need to let God move you.
So anyway, it will be interesting to see if scooter gets "moved" or not. For his sake, I hope so. Our son loves him so much, but with his refusal/inability (not sure yet) to act upon a command from his owners, something has to be done.
So until next time, may God bless, and when God gives you a command, listen, don't make Him school you!  :-)

El Nino, La Nina, The Santa Maria and the Pinta Too!

I use Weather.com on a regular basis to keep up with upcoming conditions for the week. I like to work outside, and I can plan my inside and outside activities by what they predict for the upcoming forecasts (usually).
So today i noticed that they are predicting the next 3 months of weather patterns on the website. Cold for us, a possible repeat of last fall/winter (snow on Christmas Day again?) because of some ocean patterns in the pacific. I'm not complaining one bit if they are right. Anything above 70 is getting warm to me. I can always put clothes on, but nobody wants me nekkid in the summertime in this heat!
So they are going to use patterns from previous years to predict the upcoming months when it comes to heat/cold, rain/drought, snow/(hot christmas?!?). I somehow do not think that just because a pattern has done something in the past, that it will do it again.
So, have you ever realized that we do people the same way? If someone has done something either good or bad in their past, most people will assume (you know what they say about that word) that they will do it again. And they will pass it down to their gene pool. Trash begets (google it) Trash, Rich begets Rich (so, so true, unless they spend all of daddy's money first), Criminal begets Criminal and Christian begets Christian (news flash, God Ain't Never Had a Grandchild)!!!
People can change. People don't have to pass along their wrongdoings and the way of life that goes with it. That is what finding a "new life in Christ" is all about. That is salvation. You're being saved from terrible consequences that will happen if you don't change your ways, and do it quickly. Most unchurched people have a hard time grasping that concept. And it is a hard one to teach. Some people think it can be broadcast on a church sign or a billboard and everyone will fall down in front of it and repent. WRONG!
People need someone to explain to them. People need someone who will go door to door and visit. Get to know the folks in the area and let them get to know him/her. Then the opportunities to share Christ with others will arise and God's work can be accomplished.
Then forecasts such as: "Well, He is Senior's kid, and as sorry as that louse is, I guess he will be too." will be stopped in their tracks. There are many others but this is one that happens too often.
Let's stop all of this forecasting. Forget the persons past. Let's make a different path for their future. Then when we stand before God at His throne, we will hear Him say, "Well, done my good and faithful servant."
May God bless and come back to visit again.

Are you standing on Holy or holey ground?

This previous weekend we went to the southwest mountains of Virginia and while there, we drove down to the Banner Elk and Boone North Carolina communities to look around. (we love to shop consignment stores and there are lots of them in the area.)
While we were in the area, we stopped at a place that rents cabins by the day or week to look at their facilities for a possible stay at a later date with the family. The people who own the facilities are good Christian people, which you could even tell by their website. One of the owners met us on the property and showed us around the cabins and all of the amenities and we talked quite a bit as we walked about.
The more we talked, the more it was evident that a godly man and woman who constantly sought the Lord were owners here. That made us both happy, as too many times people are scared to even acknowledge to a stranger that they are a Christian. And when I know of a Christian business in an area that I am in, I will try to give them my business.
Anyway, she told us about a place that we should visit nearby that she had visited and prayed while parked on the property. It was a storage facility. You know, the kind where the buildings are metal, long and really non distinct because every other facility looks the same as they do. Not exactly what you would perceive as hallowed ground.
When we left her place, we stopped at the facility. When we pulled onto the parking area in front of the metal buildings, you could feel something different. A calming came over me. A peace settled in, and at once I knew this place was different.
We sat in the car for a few moments and took it all in. Big metal buildings, orange roll up doors and gravel scattered around for parking and driving between the buildings. Then we saw it. The cross. It stood to the side of the buildings at the base of a hill that leads up to the office. The base of the cross is surrounded by stone and a crown of thorns sits at the top where the horizontal and vertical beams of the cross meet. There is a waterfall to the right of it that keeps a soothing sound flowing toward you and blocks some of the distraction of the road for the visitor.
We got out of the vehicle and walked up to the base of the cross, hand in hand, and stood there for a few minutes, just staring at the site before us. Two birds appeared from nowhere, squawking as they neared our spot, circled the cross where we stood and then quitely flew away in the distance, not to be seen again. All we could do was bow our heads and pray. We had been burdened by something, and we left it there at the cross. Neither one of us spoke as we made our way back to our vehicle. We just let God speak to us.
Some people think you can only worship in a church building or on the grounds of such a facility. To them, I say go and stand there on this property for 5 minutes and then decide if you've been on Holy or holey ground.
When you dedicate your life, your family and your property to God, something just feels different about you and your surroundings. Others will sense it too. God can use anything if we only give it to Him first.
It is obvious that this property has been given to God. It is obvious to anyone who will take a few minutes and pull off of the road onto this place, that you are on Holy ground.
So my questions to you are: have you given your all to God? have you handed up your family, friends, possessions to God for safekeeping? have you dedicated yourself and all that you have to God? is your place of business that you own and/or home Holy or holey ground? for that matter, is your church Holy or holey ground? just because it is a church, doesn't mean it is christian or godly!
Take some time and examine all that is around you. Do you need to dedicate your life, your work, your family, your possessions or your church to God? Or did you at one time, but somehow the world has crept back in? Do you feel a difference where you are? Are you making a difference where you are?
If not, start now. Gather your family and friends and start to pray. Not a 5 second prayer. But a blood, sweat and tears prayer. The kind where you know you have touched Heaven. Show God that you're serious and that He isn't some afterthought.
Then see what kind of blessings are poured out upon you. God is just like a father (or sadly for some, what a father should be) who loves to be talked to, given thanks and encouragement, who will then heap the same back upon His family, His children as He watches them grow in knowledge and strength.
Thank you for stopping by, and may God bless you as you continually strive to live for Him.

ps ... if you would like to visit the storage facility/Holy ground, the address is:

2535 Tynecastle Highway (Hwy 184), Banner Elk, NC 28604

The Christian cabin facility where we visited in Banner Elk, NC:

Cornerstone Cabins

I had a dream ...

If you have followed this blog for any length of time, you know that my father left me at a young age. I never really think about him, and I definitely don't dream about him. EVER. He just wasn't a part of my life.
Until last night.
My dream:
I was in a large car, possibly a cadillac sedan deville, with my father. We were in the nearest town to where I grew up, and we were downtown on the square. I was tired and sleepy, and he just wanted to go and do things, and I wanted to lay down on the big seats and sleep. Eventually we left without me getting any sleep and the next thing I know we're on foot walking on a dirt path that goes up a ridge. Someone else is with us, I do not know who, but they appear to be about my age (young man, 20's). In the pathway I see them step over something and continue on and as I come upon it, I find a box of albums (vinyl, for you younger people) with bands that I loved in my younger years (Boston, Led Zep, Aerosmith) and I almost reached down to take it, but something told me it was a trap, leave it alone.
We walked on and soon they were way ahead of me and I was approaching the side of the bridge where the bypass crosses the road into town. They are walking towards the direction of my hometown, and all of a sudden, a group of young men come out of the shadows. Dad and the other guy start to run, but I am cutoff from them. The hoodlum looking critters start advancing on me and one has a tubular object that is now pointing my direction. I try to retreat, but I am unable to go back.
Suddenly, a little girl (maybe 4 or 5 yrs old) rushes my direction and as she reaches me, the guy with the tube squirts a flammable liquid on us both and a lighter or match (happened so quick I couldn't tell) was thrown our way and we instantly went up in flames.
I remember the heat of the fire, and the screams of the kid, and then I woke up.
Talk about weird. Now that is weird.
Joseph, Gideon and Daniel are just a few that dealt with dreams and their interpretations.
I wish I had the same option available as was given to the people who come in contact with each of these listed above.
Until then, this dream and it's realism at the time will haunt me.
Is there anyone else who ever has a really strange dream that they wish could be interpreted for them?
I eagerly await your comments!

Do you misuse scripture?

When serving as a pastor in a church, your members often question you on different things that are found in the bible. Usually they have some valid questions, other times they are simply clueless on easier issues. But I have found that my wife can ask questions that would only come from a seminary professor. The deep thinking that this woman has is incredible.
Too many people in too many churches (pastors included) read the bible from their favorite translation and take it literally. They preach that the words found on the pages are from "God's Holy Word."
Yes, that they are. But not everything can be read aloud and made law today. This is why too many churches get too far away from the real gospel and too perilously close to what the Pharisees and Sadduccees were several millinia ago.
To read the bible means to get into where the readers mind was at during the period of the writing. We have to understand what was going on at the time the words were given, especially in the letters to the churches or apostles that are found in the New Testament.
While going through some of the processes for pastoral search committees from different churches, I have been appalled at the number of misused scriptures that are being clung to, and even included in their statement of faith.
One church in general believes that speaking in tongues only occured in the book of Acts, and that the power of healing was only given to the disciples. Me and you cannot lay hands on someone and have them be healed. That person can ask God for healing, and he may do it on a whim, but even God keeps it to a sparse number. They use 1 Cor. 14 to say that women are not allowed to teach/preach in the churches. No one who is divorced may serve as a pastor, you can only divorce for adultery (they forgot to read the old testament and many other writings from that period on that one).
I highly recommend reading this for clarification on this subject: A Biblical Scholar's Writings on Divorce/Remarriage
Would you believe this is a Baptist church? Now before you start throwing your pencils/pens at the monitors before you, I'm not saying this is the belief of all Baptists (I happen to know others who have been taught by learned scholars), but just because the church has an accepted name on the door doesn't mean that what is taught inside is scriptural.
Just like the part about the women. There was a problem with the women in the church at Corinth who were causing a stir and trying to inject their own philosophies into what was going on. They had not ever been allowed in a place where the scriptures were taught, and Paul is simply saying, shut up, sit down, listen and learn. Women today have been in churches for centuries, and they are learned, some are even schooled in bible colleges or seminaries. So this line doesn't apply today. We have to find out what was going on behind the scenes, the events that were taking place, then we can understand the writings.
We have to remember. Corinthians, Ephesians, Galatians and others were written to specific churches to address problems that were going on within the churches and what was needed to rectify the situation.
Just like in 1 Tim., polygamy was still very prevalent. It really isn't today, but it is still found in some religions/societies. In order that a man may have his life in order, Paul says a deacon (or leader) should only have one wife and his kids should not be unruly. In other words, no distractions.
You know from your experiences if you've ever been married and had kids, life can be rather hard. Now add other women that have to be cared for, and most likely other children, and your time will not be available to serve the church as you are being called.
People, we need to quit making the bible say what we want. We have to study more than just the words in the bible. The internet has plenty of information available, most of it for free. There are some bible courses available online from accredited schools where you can study what the word of God really says if you are not able to go to a university/seminary.
The Old Testament is a history lesson, with plenty of times where God spoke to the people or person directly and we can gleen much information about how we're supposed to live our lives. It is a great history lesson on what not to do too! But you can't do everything in the Old Testament, saying that God is talking to you. Your name may match the person that is in the verses, but it doesn't mean all the Davids in the world should slay the giants. (It was what was needed at the time for the safety of Israel.)
The four Gospels, Matthew/Mark/Luke/John reveal Jesus's teachings on many subjects (though you had better go back and understand where the questions were coming from, especially from the Pharisees, if you want to understand the answer that Jesus gave, or many times it will seem contradictory.) The letters to the churches and apostles are just that. Letters that addressed problems. We can use these letters to be able to have our churches be the true houses of worship that they were meant to be. But we have to understand first why they were written, the time period in which they were written and the applicable laws of the land in order to be able to know what to apply to our modern day lives and churches. Lastly, the book of Revelations is a wonderful look at the end times. Jesus reminds us that no one knows when He will return again. (even He doesn't, he has to wait on His Father to tell Him to come) But to know what will transpire is awesome to study. So the 66 books/letters that were decided upon centuries ago that would make up the bible are a great teaching tool to educate us. We just have to understand and be willing to be taught what the words truly mean.
Thank you for stopping by and may God bless you in your daily lives. I hope you will take this to heart and start to seriously study God's word. Don't just read it. Dig in, find out and discern the real meaning and truth behind the scriptures. And go to a church where you can learn the truth, not just the words. Your life will be blessed for it.

Using the Unthinkable

Ministering to others in our current times is so much different than what it was just a decade ago. Facebook and Twitter helps everyone keep up with our every thought that we post, the internet is full of christian sites that either supply materials or make for great inspirational reading.
I personally love Biblegateway as you can pull up any verse in many of the translations. Since going to bifocals, I find it harder to read and concentrate on my printed bible, so I do most of my bible studying on sites such as Biblegateway where I can make the print any size that I want it to be on my browser.
I remember growing up, mom was not afraid to try anything new. I think she got that from her own mom, who was known for making things from scratch using items that most people wouldn't think of, such as her Vanilla Wafer Cake. Yep, you read that right. No flour, baking soda or any of the other dry products we use as a base for things. Vanilla Wafers, crushed and mixed with the rest of the ingredients gave the cake it's body. Yum Yum.
When we got our first car, the drivers floorboard was rusted out. Mom and her dad mounted a cookie sheet to keep her feet in the car. Not an ordinary fix, but it worked.
Many people balk at using unusual things for ministry. I'm sure that no one 20 years ago imagined using a computer for anything church related, other than bookkeeping maybe, but just look at how many churches have websites now. And for good reason too. Did you know that in a recent survey, over 60% of people who answered said that they always check for the website before ever setting foot in the door of a church. This provides a great avenue to put your best foot forward churches. Post your ministries, pictures and short bio's of the staff, pictures of outings and events and one other thing that most don't do. Post your beliefs. "Well, we are a bible believing church." This simply doesn't cut it. Post your "Statement of Faith" and your "Bylaws" so that people can know what they are getting involved in. If your budget allows, post either a video or mp3 of at least the sermons each week, but it would be even better to have the entire service, so that others can know what transpires during your worship time.
A great resource for ideas that you probably haven't thought about is 94 Servant Evangelism Ideas for your Church in which Steve gives different ideas and uses for common ordinary things that can spread the gospel and help with building your church at the same time.
Cute sayings on church signs, Billboards with " _ God" do not move people anymore. Such much is thrown at everyone from so many directions, and everything in the media seems the same to many people now. We have to be willing to go further, break the bonds of "well, we've always done it this way" and start reaching out to the community.
My favorite thing that VERY FEW churches ever do is to have church outside. Bring the folding chairs, invite people to bring their lawn chairs, set up a portable sound system under a tent (funeral homes are great places to get these from) and have church. Don't do anything different than you would if you were inside. Let the world on the outside see what happens on the inside without ever having to step foot inside your church. Get their interest, peak their curiousity, and show them that you're not like the other hypocrits down the road, you really do worship, and you're real when you do it.
Then you can know that you are reaching the community. Have free coffee and tea/lemonade for the people who show up, this gives your servers time to greet the new faces and thank them for being there.
Step out of your comfort zone. Step out of the box, and have a vanilla wafer cake for once!
May God bless you for visiting this blog, and have a blessed day!
ps.... the recipe, just in case you're curious ....

1 box of Vanilla Wafers, crushed (name brand works better, but store brand can be used)
6 eggs, room temperature, then whipped
2 cups sugar
2 sticks butter (works better than margarine, though margarine can be used)
1 cup pecans
1 cup coconut (not frozen)

Grease a Bundt Pan really well
Preheat to 300 degrees F
Cream sugar and wafers
Add wafers and eggs until blended well.
Fold in coconut and nuts.
Pour in pan and bake for 90 minutes.

To Sheri, With Love

Today I want to do something just a little bit different. I want to make this blog about someone who next to God, Jesus and The Holy Spirit means everything to me.
Her name is Sheri.
She is my wife.
Being in the ministry is not an easy thing to do. And after having taken a break to write a book and do a few other projects, I am now looking to re-enter the ministry full time. And it has at times been a bit scary and very uncertain. Pastoral employment doesn't work the same way as a regular job as committees review your resume, often wanting to visit your church and hear you preach if you currently have a congregation or watch a DVD (or youtube/godtube) of you giving a previous sermon. There are multiple steps to the process and it will usually take a church 6 months to a year to find another pastor that they can "mostly all" agree on.
In the meantime there are a lot of highs and lows for the pastor seeking to serve.
And it helps to have someone who will stand beside you and listen to your frustrations, give you comforting words and once again push you toward your goal. It also helps if she is a godly woman who is attentive to the Holy Spirit and knows when He has spoken.
Much is the case with my wife. Until I am called to a church full time, I attend a local church here in Easley, SC called Total Praise Worship Center where I currently play the bass guitar in the praise band. My pastor that serves this congregation, Jeff Doughty, is a spirit-filled man who is passionate and a God seeker! He is the kind of preacher who listens to what God wants him to say, and he says it.
Many times the Holy Spirit has used him for confirmation on issues that I have been struggling with or questioning God about, although Jeff may not have realized that the words were being given to me specifically. Last night was no different.
I knew that God was talking to me with many things that were specifically said, and they are still inline with other prophesies and words that God has given through Jeff in the past. When I got home from church, I could feel it still pouring on me, and I asked my wife if it was just my imagination or did she hear the same thing. Her words were, "I closed my eyes and as he spoke I could feel the light beams zooming from him to you." (I can only imagine the sight with lightsabers being waved around or streams of light passing by my window as I look out from the starship into the universe. Okay, so I'm a trekkie!)
Other times we have left the church, and before we could hardly get home, she would be asking "What did He say? I know He said something. What did He say?" (talking about God.) I would tell her and she would also have a confirmation many times that she was given.
Other times she has come to me with a word that God give her that I needed to hear. Jeff and Sheri (no, not the Easter's, although they are an awesome Southern Gospel singing group) have never been off track with anything that they have said. Each part has come to pass, and it is comforting to me to know I have surrounded myself with godly people.
Other times I have had the Holy Spirit tell me to do something, and all I had to do was to tell her what had to be done. No questions. She always knows where it came from, even if it is as silly to some as holding up a checkbook during prayer time.
Now, I'm not saying my wife is perfect. She is human and she has her downfalls. But for a woman that I would want beside me charging through the gates of Hell to take back the loved ones that were lost, I can't think of a better person to be beside me.
Because of the many years spent in ministry and some events that took place during this time, I had actually considered not returning to pastoring. But once a pastor, always a pastor. On our first date, she told me within the first couple of hours (it lasted 8 hours) that I would be a pastor again. She has said repeatedly that she knew it for certain back then, and she still does now. And I believe her. Because of her, I am ready to dive back in and do what I love best. Leading a church to victory in Jesus and in the community.
So, for those who are seeking a wife or husband. First, make sure that you are in-tune with God. If you can't hear Him, how will you know when He tells you something. Second, when it comes to searching for a mate, find a godly one. Not just a church go-er. My first wife was that, and come to find out, the whole time we were married, she wasn't saved, though she did lead me to think so at times. Find someone who is passionate about God. Someone who prays daily, not only reads their bible, but studies it. Find someone who can give you confirmation of things from God and through their life you will see an affirmation of their faith.
And for those who say you don't need to attend church regularly, if you don't surround yourself with godly people to whom you can turn to for advice and a word from God, where are you going to get it? I have no problem with TV evangelists and preachers, but they can't minister to you as easily as when you are in their midst. To have someone whom is local, that you can observe and learn what kind of a person that they are so that you can trust in their teaching is something that you won't gain from a TV or DVD.
I've said it before in this blog and I'll say it again, find a Christian church (not all the churches with the word Christian in their name really are!) where the word is spoken, prophesies are given (no, it doesn't have to be all gnashing, thrashing and wailing to be told something by God) and you can rest assured that your path will be guided as God would have it to be.
Then sit back and watch what God would have for you. Christian life is never easy, but it is the most rewarding if we give it our all.
Thank you Sheri for giving it your all.
Both to God and to me.
'Til next time, God bless and stay safe!

The Holy Ghost Don't Need No Re-post

I am a somewhat fan of social media. Blogs and Facebook are a great way to express yourself and keep up with what is going on in people's lives. I enjoy reading about their latest exploits and seeing the pictures of the family and kids having fun, whether indoors or at parties. It's nice to know that in this chaotic world we live in, with bad news at every turn, life really does go on still, without chicken little screaming in our living rooms on our 50 inchers every night at 6.
But the one thing that has always puzzled me is: Why do so many put things on their facebook page, then knock you down if you don't repost it? For example: (from a facebook friend) (copied and pasted)
"GUARANTEE NOT 1 OF MY FACEBOOK FRIENDS WILL COPY THIS POST...IF YOU WOULD BE THERE FOR ME THEN COPY THIS... I'M DOING THIS TO PROVE A FRIEND WRONG THAT SOMEONE IS ALWAYS LISTENING"
Hmmm... Number 1: They guarantee no one will repost it. Okay, I didn't. That way I did my part to assure them of their guarantee.  Number 2: This supposed Christian is trying to prove to a friend that someone is always listening. Well, the posts from this person get even worse quite often.
This is not to knock down this person, but rather I want to talk about how we communicate to others.
I did my part on number one.
Now for number two. (hmmm potty break anyone?!!? LOL)
I do believe that someone is listening to all that I say, and He is watching all that I do.
David writes this in Psalm 18:5-7
"A hostile world! I call to God, I cry to God to help me. From his palace he hears my call; my cry brings me right into his presence— a private audience!"
So I know that God hears me. And what is even better is the fact that He will act upon what He hears. When I pray, it tends to be more of a rap (no hip hoppers) session. I talk to Him. He knows my every thought (just like mom always knew what I was thinking somehow) but mom and God still wanted to have me talk to them. Too boring if conversation is just a one way street. I talk, He listens, He talks, I listen.
Many times when I ask something of God, I do get a direct response.
Okay Rev, so you're running around hearing voices? Only when I turn my hearing aid up! lolol  No, when God speaks to you, you just know. There is no doubt that it was Him. But when I am stupid and ask Him to prove it, He will do that too.
I'm going through something right now that only me and my wife know about. It has burdened me down greatly, almost to the point of stopping me from being able to concentrate on anything else (which is why the blog has been so sparse the last few weeks ... sorry, I apologize! I will do better from now on.)
So I told God, "God, I need to hear it from you in a way that I know for sure that it was only you."
Anyway, a woman in our church stood up and gave a prophesy and a word from God this past Sunday at our church service. She didn't speak in unknown tongues, prophesy is given in a native tongue also. (see Ouch! You're Standing on my Foot which is an earlier blog that I talk some about prophesy. There are plenty others also in my earlier blogs.)
So anyway, I love this woman to death. She is very outspoken, and you never know what is going to come flying out of her mouth. But by gosh, she speaks her mind, no matter where her mind may be! So she gave this word Sunday during our P &W time, while standing in her place that she stands/sits every Sunday, and it was as though God said, "Alright, in front of every one of these people, I'm going to call you on what you want. Here are my thoughts, and what I need and don't need you to do. I have it in control, in my time and I don't need you to keep mucking it up with your actions." Everything I had asked of Him, He answered in the words that flowed from her mouth.
SO you ask, how do you know it was from God? Did her voice change? Did the words "bowl you over?"
No, but they came from someone who did not have a clue as to what I had asked of God (even my wife was not in the house during the prayer time, and the dogs can't talk (yet ... although one of them keeps trying). So no one could have told her, except God.
He filled her mouth with words that I needed to hear. And I listened. And I acted upon. I made the last step that I needed to do in order to be in line with God and His wishes.
SO, God, it is yours now. I give it up to you.
One of my favorite bible passages I now take to my heart and will hold dear until (and even after) the Lord reveals the plan He has in store for me:
Isaiah 40: 27-31 NIV 1984

 ²⁷ Why do you say, O Jacob,
   and complain, O Israel,
“My way is hidden from the LORD;
   my cause is disregarded by my God”?
²⁸ Do you not know?
   Have you not heard?
The LORD is the everlasting God,
   the Creator of the ends of the earth.
He will not grow tired or weary,
   and his understanding no one can fathom.
²⁹ He gives strength to the weary
   and increases the power of the weak.
³⁰ Even youths grow tired and weary,
   and young men stumble and fall;
³¹ but those who hope in the LORD
   will renew their strength.
They will soar on wings like eagles;
   they will run and not grow weary,
   they will walk and not be faint.

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