A new beginning

I will write my last blog tonight as the pastor of a congregation.  I am retiring after forty-five years of serving in this capacity,  It has been a wonderful opportunity for me to serve God and to pursue His clear calling upon my life.

On Sunday morning I will address my church family for the last time as their pastor.  I feel a myriad of emotions contemplating the task but it will be able to re-echo Paul's sentiments towards the Philippians, "I thank God every time I remember you..."

Such memories include holding a new-born baby, engaging in premarital counseling with couples about to be married,  weeping with parents over a drug-addicted teenager, presiding at the funeral of a saint, walking with a  family through relational crisis, listening to the testimony of one transformed by God's grace, leading a group of volunteers on a missionary trip, teaching eager children at a week of VBS,  stapling insulation on the walls of a new church building, staying up late to work with the elders through a church budget crisis, shooting baskets with the teens until the doctor said "Your knees are too old for that...", "rv-ing at church family camp, sitting with a wife through her husband's life-threatening surgery--these and many more experiences have dotted the landscape of pastoral ministry.  And I will never forget.

It is anew beginning for our church family --a new pastor, a fresh vision, an anticipation of continuing and growing the work we've all committed to.

And it's a new beginning for me.  Counseling, trips to Haiti, work with Hospice, some teaching--all of it springs from  a pastor's heart.  Same heart...new places...a new beginning.

Where is God?

The recent tragic loss of Caleb Frances, a young aspiring pastor killed in a train accident in India, coupled with the unfathomable tragdy of Newton, Connecticut resulting in the death of twenty-six innocent victimes, can't help but conjure up questions for me of God's whereabouts in such horrific events.

Of course, I am a pastor, and I have all the answers,,,?  I should, I suppose, be insulated from the quandry of such questioning but my human instinct is to try to make sense of the enignmatic. 

Jogn Frances, Caleb's father, has started 103 chuirches in India and his son was prepared to assume the leadership of a congregation.  What purpose could be served by his death?

Twenty six and seven year olds--their lives ahead of them--ruthlessly slaughtered.  How are there families to process such tragedy and what purposeful "good" can emerge from a catastrophe of such immense proportion?

And six adults--teachers--entrusted with the care of their classroom  children--sacrificing their own lives for their safety--how shall their families deal with their absence every succeeding Christmas season?

For these situations, and countless others like them, answers--if they were forthcoming--would not mute the pain or diminish the loss.  Our focus should be on  healing and wholeness as these families move forward in time, a process that will span the years ahead.

Along the way we hope that they will find comfort and strength from God, who did not stand idly by, but in allowing man free will, afforded them the opportunity to choose good and evil.  Sadly, we are all impacted by the choices we individually make, and those made by others.  The challenge is to know God and to seek to engage His strength and wisdom and to make choices that impact our world for ultimate good. 

The choice for us today is to reject cycnicism and bitterness and to choose instead to pray for those who are hurting and to affirm our faith in God's promise of grace for each day.,,in India, and in Newton.

Mondays

Mondays have always been a day of rest for me.  Following Sunday with  all of its attedant responsibilities as a senior pastor, Monday always beckoned me with its promise of rest and relaxation.  It didn't always work that well, but, generally, it was a needed break from my regimen of work.

Of course, I'm retiring, and, in fact, have seen a  drastic reduction of my responsibilties at Grace as transition is going full speed ahead.  I am already learning that Mondays look different than they used to.  I am being graciously allowed time to go through books and files, meet with families, and to be with the people of Grace as time allows.

I was thinking this morning, however, of how a creature of habit I have become.  Mondays for me, I guess, will always be Mondays!

Today, as usual, I laid in bed a few minutes, longer; as usual I drank coffee and sat around with Bev lounging.  As usual, we made arrangements to be away from the house--this time to do Christmas shopping.  As usual we ate lunch away from home--today we enjoyed a gift certificate at Olive Garden.

And tonight, I am on the computer--as usual--thinking about tomorrow, and the rest of the week.

Mondays are still Mondays, I'm discovering.

It's the rest of the week that's different.

Stepping back

I preach for the last time at Grace next Sunday, with a "farewell" sermon January 27th.  So the "end is near".

If that sounds bittersweet to you, it is for me.  The "bitter" piece is the voltional withdrawal from something I have loved for forty-five years; the "sweet" part is I'm tired and ready to "step back".

Actually, I've been stepping back for a year now, intentionally passing on responsibility to Pastor Mark, who was appropriately designated "lead pastor" this year.

Stepping back has allowed me a vantage point that I have enjoyed for several reasons...

*I've been able to watch our newly-appointed staff begin to demonstrate their giftedness that excites me about the future minsitry of Grace.

*I have been able to listen--to sit in the congregation and enjoy the teaching ministry of the men who are following in my place, and it has challenged me.

*I have been able to encourage those who are simply anxious about the prospect of change, and assured them of God's divine supervision in the direciton we have headed.

Stepping back has also confirmed some things in my heart.

*God is not done with me.  There is still work for me to do.

*God is still teaching me.  I am learning how to "walk by faith", however slowly.

*God has blessed me with life-long relationships and friendships that will remain even though my posiiton has changed.

Stepping back is allowing me to move forward--cautiously, I admit, but expectantly with anticipation.

Coming home

Returning from Haiti is always a mixed bag for me...

I am anxious to get home but sad to leave behind my dear friend, Gilbert.  I know our visits are an encouragement to him.

I look forward to my tempurpedic bed and jacuzzi tub but I feel guilty that I have so much and my Haitian brothers are grateful to have a roof over their heads.

I love my church but I miss the vibrant singing and smiling welcoming faces of the Haitian pastors.

I enjoy all the nuances of my work but I envy the simplicity of the Haitian culture where every little thing has significance.

I find my heart reverberating with passion about what I have seen and shared but am frustrated by my inability to accurately communicate the depths of my heart cry to my friends.

I am thankful for what we are able to do in one short week but heartbroken about what we cannot do because of limited resources.

I see how God is blessing in our small piece of Haiti but I'm reminded that there are nearly ten million Haitians in need of Christ.

It's a mixed bag.

But it is a bag filled with special memories of seeing God at work, coupled with strong motivation to continue His work there.

"How can I say thanks...?"

There is a wonderful song that asks the question, "How can I say thanks for the things God has done for me, things so undeserved that he gave His Son to die for me...?"  That questions is answered in the triumphant words of the chorus, "To God be the glory!"

Grace Fellowship Church, my home for sixteen years, honored my wife, Beverly and me, for our ministry on the eve of our retirement. We were joined by all six of our children, eight of our eleven grandchildren and another thirty of my relatives at a huge celebration with our church family.

Grace Fellowship Church has loved and supported Beverly and me with consistent love and concern.  we did not need a part to be reminded of their faithfulness..but it was a blessed evening for both of us,

We are singing today, "How can I say thanks...?", reflecting upon God's faithfulness through His people to us.  And we are affirming, "To God be the glory!"

Love ruling vs. Living rules

Pastor Mark Johnson, one of our Grace teachers, spoke last Sunday on Philemon.  As you may know, this is a companion book of Colossians since Philemon lived in Colosse; in fact, there was probably a house church in his home.  Paul calls Philemon to be reconciled to his former slave, Onesimus, and this letter to Philemon demonstrates the importance of reconciliation.,  Listening to this message would be worthwhile for anyone estranged form someone, and it can be heard at gracefellowshipamador.org, our church website under "Message, October 14".

A critical phrase in Pastor Mark's message was this, "When love is the rule, we do not need rules".  in Philemon, Paul encourages reconciliation not because he orders it from Philemon, but because he trusts it will come from the compulsion of his heart.

This is a tricky principle for us to understand.  when we study Colossians we are aware of the grace of God that has brought our salvation as Paul identifies the importance of the gospel and the supremacy of Christ in chapter 1.  In chapter 2 he wards against the problem in Colosse--some were trying to suggest that something needed to be done in addition to the work of Christ.  Whether it was Judaizers calling Christians to the observance of the law or Gnostics, suggesting there was a higher form of communication with God through the pursuit of mystical rituals and special visitationa from/with angels, Paul dismisses it as lacking"any value in restraining sensual indulgence".  That alone is the product of salvation in Christ, for "we have been given fullness in Christ". 

In chapter 3 Paul acknowledges that we have been raised with Christ  and our "life is now hidden with Christ in God", and then proceeds in verses 1-17 to give a list of commands about holy living.  It has been rightly suggested these are the results of our relationship with Christ  and His indwelling Spirit, not rules to guide our determined human efforts.

So here's the point.  It is futile to grit our teeth and to determine we will keep the rules, if that's what the Christian life is reduced to.  But if we love God (John 15) we will want to keep his commandments and His Spirit dwelling within us makes that possible.  In our own strength, we cannot.  The beauty of our relationship with Christ is allowing our love for Him to rule our lives and then we will not be under the external short-lived compulsion to keep the rules.

In closing the Colossians 3 section, Paul tells us that we are to let the peace of God rule our lives and to let the Word of God dwell within us richly.

Reconciliation and living in agreement with the peace to which God has called us as believers is hard work.  In fact, it is impossible unless the love of God ruling in our hearts propels us to obey Him and to utilize the grace and strength He provides to what would otherwise be our own futile human effort.  When love is the rule we do not need rules.  We will want to obey.

Psalm 11

In my study of the Psalms I was struck by a verses sandwiched into the middle of Psalm11--"When the foundations are being destroyed, what can the righteous do?"

Without identifying my own political persuasion let me just comment on some things I think that make that question from three thousand years ago relevant today.

*Same-sex marriage continues to gain political advocacy.

*Abortion on demand remains a so-called twenty-first century "right".

*North Africa's political climate is rife with unrest and the nation of Israel seems increasingly vulnerable to attack.

*Countries like Iran and North Korea flaunt their nuclear capabilty with frightening arrogance.

*Greece, Portugal and Spain--once strong financially--now are in deep economic crisis.

*Our sixteen trillion dollar debt shows no signs of diminishing with congressional gridlock hampering any potential resolution.

*The current pre-election climate demonstrates how deeply-divided philosophically our country is and the accusations of deceit and dishonesty by both parties makes it difficult to discern what is true.

*Increasing incidents of mass murder escapades by disgruntled unbalanced individuals continue to result in unfathomable tragedies in our work place and on school campuses.

*The number of welfare recipients has increasing astronomically over the last four years, consistent with high unemployment figures.

*A large neighboring city of nearly 300,000 has declared bankruptcy, and there are other large cities--as well as entire states--precariously close to the same.

This resume of pain that affects our sense of well-being is not about to get better.  I am not a harbinger of doom but the forecast for the future of America and the world is alarming and discomfiting.  It seems as if the very foundations of our civilization as we know it are being diminished, if not destroyed.

"What are the righteous to do...?"  In the context the "righteous" are those who have heeded the commandments of God and are seeking to follow His guidance and to find "refuge" in Him.

The comforting tone of this Psalm is that God is alert to all that is going on--observing and examining the ways of men, both wicked and righteous, and in the end His justice will be executed. We are encouraged in the end that "the upright will see His face".

Until then, we must seek His face and His forgiveness for what we have is what we asked for.

Pastor Appreciation Month

October is Pastor Appreciation Month,  I am not soliciting support or comments. I feel deeply loved and appreciated by my church family whom I have the privilege of swerving.

For my church family, may I encourage you to let Pastor Mark, Pastor Logan and Pastor Christian know some way how much you appreciate their ministry in this season of transition.

Here are some ideas of how you might do that...

*a personal note

*a gift card to a restaurant or entertainment venue

*a dinner at your place

*a face-to-face comment and word of encouragement on a Sunday morning

*a volunteering to "babysit" so they can go out

*an evening together not talking about church

*a phone call expressing your thanks

Pick one of these and find a way to let one or all three of these families know how much you aprpeciate them!

Third world realities

Water is a precious commodity.  I've learned that from my frequent trips to Haiti where clean water is a rarity.

Hot water is a luxury.  Cold showers punctuate that forgotten trtuh.

With a  burst hot water heater we are making some minor adjustments and many of them revolve around water...or...the lack of hot water.  Tasks like washing dishes, taking showers, washing our    hair--things we have always taken for granted--now seem to have increased in value.

We have remarked in between short spells of whining that this is not like a third world country where the hope for clean water does not stand as a certainty at week's end.  We know we will have hot water by Friday.

In the meantime, all of our water is clean.

Third world realities are different than ours even when we are for a moment inconvenienced.  We are remembering that this week when we are tempted to complain.

"Ups" and "Downs"

I left for Haiti September 1st with a lot of uncertainty about what was ahead for us in this rescheduled shortened trip.  As we headed up into the sky from Sacramento International; Airport towards Port au Prince my apprehensions were quickly replaced with excitement as I thought about the great opportunities God was providing me to serve Him in a place to which He clearly called me to several years before.

As we descended down into Haiti, i was hit with a rush of heat and the noise of whirling fans in the terminal.  For just a  moment as I saw the people and remembered we had now been transported into the heart of the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere, just for a moment I asked myself, "What am I doing here?"

In a matter of moments my eyes were lifted up in the direction of a familiar voice and a smiling face--Gilbert had come to take us to his home.  All of a sudden there was a surge of joy and an affirmation of what made me come to Haiti in the first place.  It was that conversation when Gilbert said to me and a fellow pastor over two years ago, "We need someone to teach our pastors the Word of God".

In the few days we were there I spoke four times--three times with groups of church leaders who were struggling to get along.  Yes, even in Haiti the devil is at work to divide the church. It was encouraging to see those leaders embracing one another and seeking to move forward in a spirit of unity and harmony.

On September 6th I said "good-bye" to Gilbert, and along with my friend, Mark, headed back to California.  On the plane trip home, I talked  myself down--"And I am coming back inNovember?  I'm not sure I can do this again."  I wrestled with the allurement of thecomforts of home , the enticement of retirement, the desire to do something safer and easier.

On Sunday, September 9th I stood before my congregation with my heart lifted up by the groundswell of support my church family verbalized for our ministry in Haiti.  Once again I acknowledged in my heart the true joy there comes from serving God in spite of the "ups" and "downs" of it. Isn't that just like life?

Flexibility and Faith

Preparation, anticipation, excitement.

Disappointment, frustration, confusion.

That was the story during a stormy week here and in Haiti.

The real problem was Hurricance Isaac which wreaked its devastation on Haiti, causing flooding, creating impassable roads and encouraging the spread of cholera.  Our scheduled trip to teach and train pastors was a casualty of the storm.

All the preparation meeting printing and translation deadlines for materials, all the anticipation of seeing our brothers in Haiit, all the excitement of sharing the Word...

Traded for disappointment because it was obvious we could not get there from here, nor could they get to a seminar there.  Frustration because we so desperately wanted to go and they were so anxious for us to come.  Confusion..."Why, God?"

Faith in a sovereign God has to rest in Him even when the storm obscures our clear vision of what is happening in the moment.  I arrived at that point, kicking and screaming inwardly.  I am confident God knows what's best.  I know because in similar circumstances when my vision has been unclear, my retrospect has enabled me to see how God worked things out for His glory.

I don't have that picture yet, but a flexible schedule is allowing me the opportunity to travel to Haiti September1-6 to see what special things churches and believers can do to respond to the current crisis in Haiti.  Additionally, I'll be meeting with some church and small group leaders, trying to discern how we can help most.

It's not what we planned.  But it  may be what God has in mind.

So, I am willing to be flexible, and to step out in faith and to see what God will do.  Pray for us as we travel and seek to minister to our Haitian brothers.

Encouragement

I leave for Haiti in a few days and I am experiencing some apprehension about some challenges before me.

I have been praying and I know God is hearing and answering.

Today God sent me a friend whose input I value greatly, especially when it comes to missionary labor, where he has served faithfully all over the world.  we have a similar heart, I believe, for the training of pastors to understand the Word so they can teach it clearly.

He encouraged me and reminded me of some special passages in I Thessalonians 2 where Paul talks about how he behaved among the Thessalonians.  I Thessalonians 2:11 caught my attention, this being a favorite verse of mine.
"For you know that we dealt with each of you as a a father deals with his own children, encouraging , comforting and urging you to live lives worthy of God, who calls you into His kingdom and glory".

I am refreshed, leaving with that goal in mind--to be an encourager and comforter by proclaiming the Word, and to urge my Haitian brother pastors to join me in living lives that bring glory to God.

Pray for me that I'll go and teach in God's strength, not mine. It would be frightening to undertake such a privileged task on my own!

Off to college...

I joined a fellow pastor with his wife and teenage daughter for lunch today.  She leaves for college this weekend.

Lots of emotions for me.  More for them.

I knew her when she was four years old introducing me to her play area in her bedroom as we visited her parents inquiring about their willingness to come work with us in ministry.    Little did I know that the next fourteen years we would watch her grow and blossom into an outstanding young woman.

She is an artist of unquestionable talent, a competitive athlete, an excellent scholar, her high school home-coming queen, and a singer.

I've watched her learn to sing.  Musically-gifted parents jump-started her but she has emerged as a special talent.

Her last  Sunday here she joined her sister in singing a duet that left us all breathless...

And thankful...that the four year old, now eighteen years old...is off to college, where she will surely  continue to grow and blossom.

We'll miss her.

Watching the body work...

I love this part of ministry.  It's incredible how the pieces so neatly fit together as God directs His people to do His work.

*Today we helped three families outside the church with their rent through our Benevolence Fund.

*A church air conditioning contractor had to go out of town but still made time to send  someone to repair the unit in the midst of hot summer weather.

*A lawyer in our church who travels out of state made  time to orchestrate our third family camp that serviced over a hundred people...a great ministry!

*A man hospitalized over an hour away testified of how caring and loving the church people were in their visits and expressed concern towards him during a protracted stay.

*Stephen's Ministers at Grace are connected with 15-20 individuals who are benefitting weekly from their love and care.

*A group ministered at a local rest home on Sunday, sharing Christ's love with those shut-in there.

* A group of church men are working together to assist a church member who is undergoing preparation for a kidney transplant with transportation and funds for traveling between here and Los Angeles.

Just some examples of how the body works!

Should encourage you to be connected to the body.

Blogging

One of my favorite means of communication is blogging.  I currently write three blogs, including this one and two others.  I am blessed by a  number of friends who read my blogs but very few choose to respond on line.  I am hoping you might choose today to just respond and say, "I read your blog site" so I can determine how many weekly contacts I have.

I have a blog site that relates to my counseling-coaching practice, full-lifecoaching.blogspot,com, and another relating to my new work in Haiti, theleadershipconnection.blogspot.com.    If you have an opportunity, take a look at those as well and it will introduce you to some other areas of ministry in which I am invested.

Thanks for reading.

The Calm of Communion

I visited someone yesterday who asked me to serve him Communion.  He is dying and barely able to speak but he, along with his wife, are believers and wanted to do this one more time before he goes to be with the Lord.

He was weak and restless--not uncommon signs for someone who is "pre-terminal"--and unable to communicate.  I decided not to serve communion and after reading the Word and praying with him, prepared to leave.  But he began to gesticulate wildly...and we determined that he indeed wanted to take Communion before I left.

We took the elements--he could not swallow them himself--and recited the scriptural references that identify their significance,  We shared communion together-awkwardly, but with deep meaning and reverence for what it represents to a  child of God.

When I left, he was exhausted.  He had invested all of his limited energy in sharing in that moment of intimacy with God.

When I checked later in the evening his wife said he had fallen asleep peacefully and was resting.  There was a calmness she had not seen over the last few days.

There is no magic in participating in Communion, but it is a proclamation of our confidence in  the forgiveness of our sins through Christ's shed blood on the cross.  For all of us who know Christ, it brings a calmness and peace to know we are in right relationship with God because of Christ's work.

"Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with god through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access into this grace in which we now stand", Romans 5:1,2.

a little piece of information

I was processing an issue this week and engaging in dialogue with a friend. I arrived at some conclusions that were unfortunate, but, obvious, I think, given the information I had.  As a result, my counseling response was at some levels inappropriate.

I received a little unsolicited piece of information that changed my perspective; in fact, it relieved me, though I realized it had caused me to reach a different conclusion than I would have with that piece in hand, and, perhaps, inflicted some unnecessary pain upon my friend.

My response was to communicate with my friend, revamp what I had said and to acknowledge that the absence of a little piece of information had influenced my reaction and caused me to reach an inappropriate conclusion.  I was sorry to have added to the pain he was already experiencing.

What's the point of all of this?
1.  Make sure you are responding to the right information.
2.  If you're not sure, take more time and gather the information you need.
3.  If you feel a response is necessary,  carefully and lovingly communicate your concern.
4.  If you got it wrong--minus a little piece of information--make it right.

I am still in the school of learning.  It's a little piece of information I won;t forget.

The best team I ever played on

I've been on lots of sports teams, playing high school, college and city league basketball.  I've also been involved in team ministries at four different churches.  I've been called to serve on denominational leadership teams and participated in team-teaching ventures in foreign countries.

Each of these to be successful requires a melding together of talents and abilities and a willingness to do whatever it takes to make the efforts of the team successful in attaining their goals and reaching their objectives.

Having just completed a special event at Grace Fellowship, the church where I currently pastor, I am prepared to say this is the best team I've been privileged to be partners with.  Here's why...

1.  Everyone shares the "glory", deflecting it to others who have helped carry the load.

2.  Each person does their job with excellence, with the highest level of professionalism.

3.  Everyone enjoys the task, jointly committed to the objective of reaching a common goal.

4.  Each person follows through in organizing, delegating and finishing up.

5.  Everyone serves as a volunteer, often donating their own resources to accomplish a task.

We just honored our pastor of seniors who is retiring.  The team I picked--that was my part of the responsibility!--went beyond the proverbial call of duty and provided for our honored guest an  afternoon to be remembered.

Good job team! I'm proud to have been one of you!

Father's Day

All four of my children called and left messages on Father's Day and, for me, it was enough.  I would have preferred to have them come from New York, Tennessee and Texas to deliver their greetings in person but that didn't happen for obvious reasons.

I look forward to Father's Day for a couple of reasons.

1.  My dad was significant in my life and his birthday falls around the time of Ftather's Day so I am gernerally predisposed to thinking about him anyway.  He's been gone for twenty-four years and would have been ninety years old June 10th.

2.  I take my role as a father seriously and I always am pretty self-deprecating in reviewing my performance for a variety of reasons, i.e. workaholism, perfectionsim, etc.--not great parenting traits.  But Father's Day messages remind me that I get a passing grade from my kids and affirms the fact that though my fathering was flawed my love for them was apparent and "love covers a multitude of sins".

3.  The evolutuion of my role as a grandfather is an exciting dimension of the whole fathering role.  Though it is vastly different there are some similarities in terms of imperfect performance yet mutual affection.  I also have the advantage of watching my two sons and step-sons perform well as fathers and am welcomed by them as time and space allow into my role as "grandpa"--one I relish.

4.  "Forefathers" also play into my Father's Day mindset--the early patriots who wrote the Deckaration of Indepoendnce and formulated the Constitution under the shadow of "In God we trust", as well as amed service men who stormed places like the beaches of Normandy in WW II at great personal risk toi preserve the freedom we celebrate today.

5.  Finally, I am directed to Romans 8:16 which talks about the unique privilege we celebrate in being a part of the family of God--adopted as sons having trusted in Christ's saving work,  We can call the Creator of the universe "Abba, Father", or in today's vernacular, "Daddy".  How amazing is it that we can have an intimate relationship with a tranmscendant God!

I am living in the afterglow of Father's Day--a conversation today with one of my son's, a message saying "I learned it from the best"...and a reminder that in spite of my flaws and imperfections my children love me, my grandchildren love me...and, most importantly, God  my Heavenly Father, loves me.

How good can it get?