Marketing the Church

These comments are in response to another blog and its comments. You may read them here: http://blog.9marks.org/2008/09/does-your-churc.html

It seems to me that the church has forgotten Heb 10:23-25. The "church gathered" is for encouragement and exhortation. It is a refuge to meet with one another to build up each other in the faith. Corporately we share our individual expressions of faith. I thought our songs of praise were for our Lord. If I sing off key, what is the difference? I am not trying to impress anyone. It is my heartfelt expression of my love for Him. I come together with other believers to be exhorted and encouraged by the teaching of the Word. If a believer (visitor) comes to a service and cannot see that as the emphasis of our services, I am sorry. Is it not rather a sad commentary on the believing visitor, looking for a church home that the emphasis is on the music, or size of the youth group or how new and swank is the church's building? The question we need to ask is, "Just how critical is this time to me? It it optional or foundational and essential?" If an unbeliever visits a service, I would hope that they would pick up on our heartfelt worship and encouragement. However, the service is not aimed at them. Evangelism is for the "church scattered". It is there in homes, schools, workplace, etc. that we share the gospel. It is the winsomeness of the Savior that should attract unbelievers. Don't get me wrong, I am all for excellence in all that we do. I just won't let the lack of it get in the way of my worship. I remember who I am... as one of my friends used to say... "a good for nothing, saved by God's grace."

God's Wonders

Last Night's Moon

Josette

Forgiveness

The question has come to me of late from a couple of sources... "How can God forgive me?" The sources were believers wondering how God could forgive (and forget). This may not be one of my better answers.

First, if we confess our sins He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. (Okay, that one wasn't too far off Biblically!)

Second, If God was like us (and He isn't), then even if He threw our sins into the depths of the seas, He would not have any problem retrieving them to use them against us! Same for the sins being separated East from West. (See how far we can slide in so short a time?!)

Third, If God is God (and He is) then He cannot forget. He chooses to remember our sins another way. (See if you like this mental picture). When Satan accuses the brethren, he calls God's attention to our failures and lists our sins. Yet when God looks at a believer's "bill (listing our sins and the payment due)" all He sees is the big, stamped in red, PAID IN FULL. The statement of debt, great or small, is overshadowed by the notice of payment. In other words, when Satan accuses us, God uses it to "remind" Himself of the glories of His Son and his perfect work on the cross. He is "reminded" that the work was totally sufficient (thus the PAID IN FULL). The accusation has just the opposite impact on God than Satan intends. Instead of the focus being on our sins, it is now on our Savior and His Son. Another round of rejoicing goes up in heaven!

We don't sin that grace may abound... but grace does abound!

With my love...

In the middle of things

I am writing this in the middle of the night (2:33a.m.). It is warm in the house, in the low 80s (I apologize for referring this as warm to those that live where it is HOT). It is officially Friday. Last night, Thursday (earlier this night) I officiated at a wedding. I have known the new bride for years, as she had gone to school with Ruth. The atmosphere at the wedding center was festive. During the reception Diane and I sat with a lady from Woodland that we have known for years and we had a good visit. All in all it was a very pleasant night out. Of course, the focus was the wedding and I pray that the couple will have a wonderful life together.
Now I am in the middle... as tomorrow (Saturday) I will officiate at a memorial service for my friend Lynn Anderson. It will be a bitter sweet time. Lynn certainly is in a far better place now... in the presence of the Lord. But my heart goes out to his bride, Arla, who no longer has her companion. When Lynn was in the hospital in ICU during the last week of life here on earth, she had recounted to me that she had completely placed him in the hands of the Lord... and then asked if there was anything that she could do! I think we all recognize that action.
Arla asked me to preach "a hell fire and brimstone message and not to quit until four or five were down front on their knees repenting." I smiled at the thought of that picture, family and friends squirming in their seats. yet I also long for the heart change of those who are there at the service. I had a flash back to some 40 years ago when I heard a friend, Vince Villaryo, preach one of his first messages. In his yearning to have his mother saved, he cried out. "I wish that I could take the top of your head off and pour in the truth so that you would know what I know about the Savior." I have felt the same way many times. I know the Holy Spirit can effectively do that without the messy surgery!
Well I should be in bed asleep. I will post this blog and go to bed. I hope it still makes sense to me in the morning! Goodnight!

Helpful while helpless

This week has had me at the Salmon Creek Hospital in the ICU unit on a daily basis. One of the men from our church family has been there since last Saturday. The prognosis for a long earthly stay is not good. Thankfully he is heaven bound. However, the family must deal with their own thoughts. I realize that I have NO control over upcoming events... thus, helpless. However, I can point the family to the one who loves them with an everlasting love... the one who does nothing without total righteousness... the one who is the Father of mercies and the God of all comfort. Maybe in some small way I can thus be helpful...

Birthday pixs

Great, hot day

Today was great. Hotter than I like, but a great day none the less. Ruth and Ray had invited some of their friends over to our house to celebrate Josette's first birthday and Mikayla's fourth. With the temperatures climbing to an eventual 100 degrees, this was a day spent in the shade. As the guests arrived, we had a mixture of generations. Some guests were family (Ray's parents and grandparents made it), some guests were parents bringing their children to the party and others were friends of Ruth and Ray. Hot dogs and hamburgers cooked on two grills were the foundation to a filling meal. The guests supplied salads, chips and all the other goodies to make for more than anyone would want.

The children played at first and then joined in with the meal. After lunch, the children donned adult sized t-shirts and "painted" an LARGE drawing of a rocking horse that Esther had done. Then it was time for water balloons! I had taped some pictures of hippos on the porch wall and they began lobbing balloons at them. Some hit and broke and others bounced off and were grabbed up again... all accompanied with giggles. You could tell we were hosting pre-school children as not one took aim at anything but the targets!
The cupcakes were then brought out and the kids had fun icing them. All enjoyed little ice cream cups. Finally, all poured into the air conditioned living room to open presents. All were so generous and the birthdays girls seemed to have a lot of fun. So... a party on a hot day. Four hours of fun, beginning at 11 am. Wow...
I am worn out! And I hardly did anything.
While I certainly was not the oldest attending this party, I did reflect on a time... not so long ago, it seems, when Diane and I were these parents ages. The reminder that we should redeemed the time was forcefully thrust home today!