We all read for various reasons. Some read to relax. Some read to be stimulated. Some read to learn. Some read to be entertained. If you are like me you read depending upon your mood and what you hope to gain at the moment. I will try to gather some information on a topic(s) if I know that I will be preaching on something soon. I used to read a lot of fiction but because of schedules it has taken a backseat. I still like to read western fiction by Al Lacy; courtroom dramas by Robert Whitlow and Randy Singer; and suspense novels by Colleen Coble, Terri Blackstock, Brandilyn Collins, and some others. I call it my “escapist reading.” I used to read a lot of fantasy beginning with The Chronicles of Narnia to the books by John White (The Archives of Anthropos) and Steve Lawhead. But again, I have sort of pushed that aside.
Until now. I was in the local Christian bookstore several months ago and saw The Sword by Bryan Litfin and it caught my eye. I put it in my Cart at Amazon but just never pulled the plug until finally I said, “Go for it. Give yourself some escapist reading.” Man, am I glad I did! It reminded me why I loved this genre of writing and how much I missed it. The Sword is part of what will be called the Chiveis Trilogy. Chiveis is a territory where all spiritual truth is gone following a catastrophic war that wipes out modern civilization as we know it. It takes place far into the future with events that began in 2042 with what was called the X-Virus. I wrote Bryan about my enjoyment of the book and he informed that the landscape where the story takes place is Switzerland and also the Black Forest. Everywhere he describes is a real place, including a cathedral the two main characters found. The central area of Chiveis is the Interlaken region of the Swiss Alps.
Now, what I liked about the book is what some may not like. Bryan did not paint an overt Christian message into it. He weaved the story like a master craftsman as the two main characters (Teo and Ana) are affected differently after they find the book of Deu. He shows the uphill battle they face to present the truth of Deu to the people of Chiveis, who are influenced by the evil High Priestess. I found myself fighting the urge to keep reading when I knew my bed was calling. To protect myself I did leave my book at home so I would not be tempted to read it in the office.
I don’t know if fantasy strikes your fancy, or even fiction in general. However, if you want to do some escapist reading that has you turning pages and wondering what is next, I suggest you beg, borrow, but don’t steal a copy. Part 2 comes out in April of 2011. I look forward to it. I don’t want to spoil the fun of reading and discovery so if you want to know more, you can check it out here. You will find videos and interviews with the author as he talks about his book. I enjoyed listening to them.
Just so you know: I bought this book on my own and decided to do a review. This book was NOT sent to me by any publishing company for review, nor did the author request such.
I know this is different than I normally post. I also know that it will not may not appeal to you. But I do think that reading something worthwhile and giving credit for hard work done is a good thing. I hope you will agree if you get a chance to read the book.
I have to admit to times of thinking “I wish that would happen to/for me.” I hear this fantastic testimony of someone-maybe a healing or a miraculous answer to prayer-and even as I write this I can still hear me saying, “What about me God?” I do the recounting of all that I have “done for God” and therefore deserve whatever it is. There are many fallacies to that way of thinking besides a works-oriented “I deserve this” approach to God. One more glaring error is thinking that just because God did something one way for one person, He has to is going to do the same for me. I won’t lie to you and say that “pastor envy” is not a constant battle many of us face. Please don’t get me wrong here. I know who I am in Christ. I am truly thankful that God has put me where He has. I have no regrets in that at all. But if most pastors are honest they will admit to seeing “growing green grass” on the other side of the fence. But God is not in our box nor can He be put there. John Eldredge wrote the following in his book Wild at Heart:
The spiritual life cannot be made suburban. It is always frontier and we who live in it must accept and even rejoice that it remains untamed.” Howard Macy -p.208
Let me put it into other words: God is not in a rut as to how He is going to work. What works for one may not be the way He chooses to work for another. There are no formulas with God. If there are no formulas with God, then it only stands to reason that there are no set formulas for the way God deals with us. For further proof of that truth, check out this Scripture: “Oh, the depths of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways! ‘For who has known the mind of the Lord, or who has been his counselor? Or who has given a gift to him that he might be repaid?’ For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen.” Rom.11:33-36Okay, so sometimes the Bible is unclear in what it says. But this is not one of those times!God will work but it just may not be the way I want Him to.
You know what? I am glad. Sameness=boring=blahness (I know that is not word but please forgive me for using it). I know there are some people who need routine and this is not a slam against them at all. But I, for one, am so glad that God chooses to operate differently, for different people, in different ways. I would just hate to serve a predictable God who had no imagination. How boring and uninspiring that would be!!
How about you? Do you like sameness? Has God been unpredictable to you? How has He surprised you lately? OR have you missed His surprises because your eyes have been closed to His unpredictable ways? I would like to hear your thoughts.
“It was the best of times, it was the worst of times.”
That was the first line from Charles Dickens’ novel, The Tale of Two Cities. I reckon in some way I feel that way. Not in a bad way but in a good way. How is that possible you ask? Glad you did!
I normally try to post about once a day except on weekends when I generally will skip Saturday and will usually write or schedule a post for late Sunday when most will view it on Monday. (I bet you now feel enormously grateful that you now know the workings of my mind) I am late today and almost decided not to. But then I began to think that I have a story to tell so can I say it as loud as I can? THIS WEEK HAS BEEN A ZOO AND IT IS ONLY TUESDAY!!! Honestly now, I am not asking for your sympathy. Okay maybe just a little, but unless you plan to send (real) money, keep your hand in your pocket. No wiping of the tears. No covering the mouth in a chuckle. No hiding the eyes while you roll them and sing, “Cry me a river.” Don’t deflate me any more than I already am. So…what was I saying? Oh yeah. I was going to tell you why this has been a zoo around here and why it is the best of times and the worst of times. (Sorry my mind is scattered all over the place and can’t seem to find it all).
Sunday, my secretary (actually the church’s secretary but I claim her) left with her husband for LasVegas. No, not to gamble so don’t get your undies all in a bunch about church secretary’s gambling the church’s money away. Diana’s fine husband, Jim, is the General Manager of the Bloomington (IN) Harley Davidson. After the flood in Nashville changed H-D’s plans, they booked Vegas. I “gave” Diana “permission” to go with Jim (as if I had any say in it). Usually when she goes the office is pretty quiet, the phone doesn’t ring, and I can do what Bill wants to do. But this week has been different. It seems like every Tom, Dick & Harry knows she is gone and has made a pact to “hassle Bill any way we can.” Now, before you get our your violins and play for me or buy stock in Kleenex, let me tell you that while “it is the worst of times, it is also the best of times. “ I have already told you why it is the worst of times. I am busy!! I can’t do what Bill wants to do when Bill wants to do it (although I did close up shop at 11 this morning so I could ride my bike). But it is the best of times because of why I am busy. The church I pastor has just purchased its first building/property. (Big round of applause is heard) Do you know how much stuff is involved in making a move? Holy mackerel! (or is that Holy Overload Batman?) Meetings, meetings and more meetings. Call here or call there. Things Diana would normally do, yours truly is having to do. BTW: have you ever called AT&T and listened to that stupid robot on the other end? When can I talk to a real person?…but I digress. I have a new respect for church planters because even though we have been in existence for 6 years now, we are having to do things in less than 2 months that church plants and planters take 6 months to a year to do. Combine all that stuff with my normal work- studying, blogging, making/taking calls, taking people out to eat so we can talk, etc and I am one busy boy.
So I don’t rouse any sympathy for myself, there is a point to this. Something has to give. I am proud ashamed to admit that during my Quiet Time this morning, I dozed for about 1/2 hour. I was in la-la land and when I came comatose it took a moment to realize where I was. Then I read this post by Duane Scott. This seems to be a theme of some bloggers lately, too numerous to list here. Or maybe it is just me and the state I am in and knowing that as the date of our first worship experience in our new place gets closer, my life will probably get more hectic. (I almost said hecticer but I know that is not a word. It is underlined in red). I do hope by now some of you have put away your violins. However, instead of a musical solo, could I ask you to say a prayer for me? And then…please tell me how I can pray for you right now.
One last (totally unrelated) thing: the words of Charles Dickens rang through my mind and as they did so did a song. Dennis DeYoung was lamenting and writing about the closing of the Paradise Theatre in Chicago. I love the graphics of this video. Slow down and watch them.
Any thoughts you have? I would like to hear them (if you are not crying too hard for me or too swamped yourself).
Okay…first let me say that I am a rookie on this subject. Even as I begin writing this I really don’t know what I am going to say or how I am going to say it (No comments from the Grandi or any other peanut gallery). Here goes.
I have said it before and have heard others say it as well: the church is way too often known for what we are against rather than what we are for. (Can I hear an AMEN to that?) Rather than being a positive force with positive ideas in this world, we have often come off as judgmental and negative. Let me give you just two examples: homosexuality and abortion. ‘Nuff said? My purpose in this post is not to debate the rights and wrongs of either issue. It is not to debate what the Bible says about either one. So, please…if you respond don’t even go there. (For the sake of wondering: yes, I do have definite beliefs about each). Both are hot buttons in our world today…sure to get someone or someones hot under the collar with veins popping out. But my point is that the church should offer a positive alternative approach to both of those issues. Some do. One alternative to the abortion issue is the one being talked about even more these days: adoption.
When I moved to pastor OVCF in November, 2005, I did not know the two couples who have taken positive action in this. They both soon began attending OVCF and I learned that both, almost at the same time, had adopted a little girl from China. Reed & Amy Elkins (Lucy) and Chad & Terri Dow (Annalei) both had sons, Mason and Dahlen (respectively), who welcomed their little sisters with love and acceptance. Lucy has had some health issues with a cleft palate but she is loved so much. It is fun watching her interact. She made me hurt the other day when she showed me how to do a split like the gymnasts do. Annalei is a little shyer than Lucy (least around me. Could it be me?) but it is so cool watching her be loved. Chad & Terri are now in the process of adopting another one-an 8 year old girl. I have seen pictures of her and all they are waiting for is “the word” to go get her. I could say more but I would prefer to let Terri say it. Please check our her blog here. They just had a reunion with 5 couples who made the same trip as they did. Check it out!
The Elkins’ and the Dow’s are just two couples whom I know who have taken a positive step to give love to a child who is “unwanted” in a society that says “one child.” I know there are others but these I know. Perhaps you are one of them. Do you mind telling your story? I would love to hear from you and so would others.
Afterword: Jo & I have talked about adoption but our age (I will soon be 58 and won’t tell you how much older she is than me) has halted that. But I also know another couple who has adopted a girl from China: my brother, Garry, and his wife, Deborah, adopted Lia in 2003. I regret that they live in Pennsylvania and we have always lived so far away and it has kept us from seeing her grow up. My prayers and a tip of the hat go to all of the couples who have taken a positive step and given adoption an option in their lives.
I don’t think I am alone when I say that there have been times I have been paralyzed by my past or by a fear that someday soon everything could come crashing down on me. When I was younger and more foolish than I am now (I hope I have learned from my mistakes) I seemed to be looking over my shoulder a lot. Sometimes I felt inadequate as a pastor because of my personality or my inability to figure something out. Recently I read the following quote by the late coach, John Wooden:
“Do not let what you cannot do interfere with what you can do.”
WOW! So simple a quote but so profound! While I have been mulling that quote over in mind for the past few days, I was privileged to read these two blogs: Julie’s blog here and Jay’s blog here. I know I am asking you to take a few more moments to read but please, if you must forego mine, read theirs. Much of our fear and insecurity comes from not knowing who we are in Christ, of what we have received (His grace and forgiveness). Plainly put: we feel inadequate for the task God has called us to. I AM NOT talking to just those who are a pastor or are in some form of church work. I am talking to anyone who reads this and feels God’s call on your life in some way or another. You may be a seeker but afraid to admit it and give your life away in surrender to God. You may be a bread-maker or candlestick maker (or whatever you do) but you are afraid to turn your business over to Him. You may be one who thinks (like Jay pointed out) that you cannot be forgiven for what you have done. I believe just the opposite! You can be forgiven, and are forgiven, because of what Christ has done for you.
So…once again I ask that you take the time to read Julie and Jay’s blogs. Comment on theirs if you like and then if you still have the time I would love to have you come back here and let me know what you are thinking. I truly would love to hear how you are being given a “voice.”
Have you ever sat down to consider the questions God asked at the beginning? He spends time creating all the we know: earth, sky, water, air, land, animals, etc. They were all statements. But did you ever stop to look at the questions God eventually asked? In preparation for this message, I started looking and found four of them. The first one was directed to Adam: “Where are you?” The second was directed at Adam and Eve: ” Who told you that you were naked?” The third was directed at Cain: “Why are you angry and your face has fallen?” The fourth was also directed at Cain and man, was it a doozy: “Where is Abel your brother?” God knew the answer to each one of them but He wanted to hear our ancestors answer. For this week’s message the latter one intrigues me. But actually, not so much His question but Cain’s answer: “Am I my brother’s keeper?” Most of us know the story surrounding the question. Cain was jealous of his brother because God accepted Abel’s sacrifice-but according to Hebrews 11: 4 it wasn’t so much the type of sacrifice as it was the attitude accompanying the sacrifice. Long story short: Cain’s jealousy blew up into a full-blown rage, he killed his brother, then tried to hide him. That is when God asks His question and gets Cain’s cryptic answer.
That is still a good question to ask, you know? Richard Stearns, the author of The Hole in Our Gospel (an excellent book I believe everyone ought to read), says, “If your personal faith, and my personal faith, has no positive outward expression, then your faith-and mine-has a hole in it.” Last week I spoke about godliness. There are several things that can be true: 1) godliness should proceed an outward expression toward our brother since we need to be like Christ; 2) outward expression must accompany godliness but not supersede it. If it does then we have become like a Pharisee in Jesus’ day. I am not on the “social justice” bandwagon since I tend to feel that it is overblown these days (although I also believe it is necessary to practice) but I will mention Micah 6:8: “He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?” I am going to close with four expressions of how we can love our brother.
Do you have anything to add to my thoughts? I welcome any suggestions I can use on Sunday. What are your thoughts on the “social justice” message? I would certainly appreciate your prayers for me and the church I pastor.
Thanks, as always, to Dan for the banner. Wait till you see the upcoming ones!
I heard something cool yesterday that got me to thinking. After all, my banner does say”Ramblings from the mind of a guy who’s mind is always spinning and a spinning…” I thought it would be a great “pick-me-up” and also tells a great story.
In the absence of a youth pastor, I had made a commitment at the beginning of the summer to visit our church camp each week we have a camper-boy or girl, one/two or more. Little did I know that we would have someone each week! Needless to say I have put some miles on my vehicle just going to camp but I do not regret it one bit! Every one of the kids have greeted me and allowed me spend some time chatting with them…without making me feel like I spoiled their party. Yesterday (Wednesday), I went to camp and there were two young men there. I call them young men because they begged me to and because they treated me well. Actually they are not quite teens yet but I had a great visit with them. It was what one of them said that is my point for this post. Not about me. But about the other one. Dominick looked at me and said Eli was his “Jonathan.” Then assuming I may not know what he meant or that I didn’t know who Jonathan was, he proceeded to tell me that Eli would be there as a friend to help when he needed help. Implied in his words was that Eli would also keep an eye on him. And he would be Eli’s “Jonathan.” I told him/them that was cool! “That is the way it is supposed to be-one watching out for the other.”
That stuck with me the rest of the afternoon on the way home and then as I laid in bed last night. Those two boys…excuse me, young men…get it. It takes more than one to stay on the right path. It takes a friend, an ally, someone who will stick with you through thick and thin, someone who will “call you” on stupid things and will listen to advice. I have a Jonathan. I wrote about him here. We all need one. I am glad that Dominick and Eli have made this “pact.” I am hoping and praying even more that they can stick with it because I am looking for some good stuff from both those young men.
Do you have a Jonathan? Do you have any thoughts you would like to share on this? I would like to hear them. BTW: if you don’t have one, you need to find one. Yesterday.
You have probably read this at one time or another. I have. But when I saw it again this morning it just did a number on me:
When the great sixteenth-century reformer John Knox prayed, “Lord, give me Scotland or I die, ” he sensed the Lord responding, “Die, John Knox, and I will give you Scotland.”
I live in the small town of Spencer, IN, population about 3,000 with Owen County (OC) having a population of about 21,000. OC is really spread out so to use that number sounds like, “WOW! You live in a pretty densely populated area.” You would be “off” a little. OC is the second lowest income county of Indiana and the #1 Meth producer (if you knew how much farmland there is you would understand that latter stat). Quite a distinction you know? In November, Jo & I start our 6th year here as I pastor of this church.
Why am I saying all this? Because I gotta wonder what sort of impact we are making in our community. I’m not talking about the county but the community in which our people live, move and breathe. The same community I live in but, ashamedly, barely know my neighbors except to say hi. Maybe, just maybe, I need to pray this prayer and insert my community and my name in it.
Any thoughts? Do you know your neighbors? Do you find yourself having an impact upon them? Would you consider praying this? If we do, maybe one town at a time we can make a difference.
Having been a pastor for over 35 years I have been through a gamut of “do-this-and-you-will-succeed” ideas. I am not talking about just the church. I would love to have all the money I spent running to this or that conference learning all the latest “tricks of the trade” of “How To Have a Successful Church” or “How to Have a (fill the type of church you want to have ) Church.” I could go on but you get the idea. I ran to leadership conference after leadership conference to find out how to be a better leader only to find that God made me to be me and I need to hone those skills that He has given me. Again…I could go on but you get the idea.
Honestly? I always struggled with the “Set a Goal of 1-3-5-10 years” or whatever length is in vogue at the time. I don’t think it was necessarily because I was short-sighted, although that may have been part of the problem. I think it was something else…something else that hit me this morning as I read from Proverbs. In 19:20-21 it says, “Listen to advice and accept instruction, that you may gain wisdom in the future. Many are the plans in the mind of man, but it is the purpose of the Lord that will stand.” I reckon that has been my sticking point. I know I am supposed to listen to advice and I have tried. I know I am to accept instruction and I have tried to do so. But, as much as I now hate to admit it, in the back of my head was this little voice that said, “Bill, what is the use of planning ahead so far. God is going to do His thing anyway so why worry about it?” How’s that for leadership motivation? Let me ease your brain somewhat…it isn’t. Like many young pastors I was full of dreams when I started out. I am sad to say that many of them never came to fruition. I am also happy to say that many of them never came to fruition. If I had my own way, I would have missed an incredible ride! Like a roller coaster at Cedar Point, my ministry has had some wild and crazy ups and downs and I would have missed many of them if God has simply done what I had planned out. “Thank you Father for not letting me live my life to my blueprint! Yours had a whole bunch of nuances that I never would have figured into the drawings.” For a further look into what I have come to conclude is where I need to be, take a look here at this post by a new blogging friend. Not only does he absolutely nail it, he nails it with my favorite portion of Scripture in the OT.
Has your life gone according to your blueprint? If not, what have you learned along the way that can increase my learning in this area? How have you coped with the change of plans? I would love to hear from you.
A perfect game in baseball is a pitcher’s milestone. A milestone might be getting your first book published or having your first song recorded. For a pastor a milestone might be an ordination or reaching a certain year in the ministry (10 or 25 for example). For a church, celebrating its 10th year or 100th year may be a milestone. For a blogger it might be reaching a certain amount of readers or countries. I have reached a milestone of sorts. I honestly have no idea how many readers I have. I have never kept any sort of counter for that. I know I have readers from other countries-UK, Tanzania, and…I think that is it. I have young and old. I have family and some friends who read my blog. I have gained some new friends via this blog and I am eternally grateful for the sharing of ideas and thoughts.
My milestone? My counter tells me this is post #1000.
My first post was on February 20, 2008 with this thing. Hopefully, it has progressed to be something worthwhile to read. I have had readers come and go. Some visited for a little while and then have disappeared. Others were here for quite some time and then have quit blogging, gone on to FaceBook or Twitter, or have just chosen to vacate the premises. I have done the same so I reckon that is fair. I know some blogs are closed to comments but I have chosen to leave mine open for the sharing of ideas-agree or disagree. I was once “accused” of using my blog to do an end-run around the leaders of the church I pastor and get other ideas so I can “browbeat” the leaders into accepting my way of thinking. I have one thing to say to that: Hogwash! Some of my leaders read it, some don’t. Shoot, except for a very few, most of my readers are from outside the church I pastor!
All that to say this: thanks for coming by my blog. I hope when you leave here you are challenged, enriched, encouraged, disturbed (not mentally), loved, made to laugh at times, and made to cry at times, but always…always… challenged to seek Jesus and His desire for your life. I reckon the blog will continue until I feel I have nothing else to say that enriches lives or God says, “Enough.” (I think that would be a pretty strong motivation don’t you?) Until then…thanks from the bottom of my heart for making my world richer and brighter and a whole lot of fun.
Part 2 comes out in April of 2011. I look forward to it. I don’t want to spoil the fun of reading and discovery so if you want to know more, you can check it out here. You will find videos and interviews with the author as he talks about his book. I enjoyed listening to them.
So…what was I saying? Oh yeah. I was going to tell you why this has been a zoo around here and why it is the best of times and the worst of times. (Sorry my mind is scattered all over the place and can’t seem to find it all).
(Big round of applause is heard) Do you know how much stuff is involved in making a move? Holy mackerel! (or is that Holy Overload Batman?) Meetings, meetings and more meetings. Call here or call there. Things Diana would normally do, yours truly is having to do. BTW: have you ever called AT&T and listened to that stupid robot on the other end? When can I talk to a real person?…but I digress. I have a new respect for church planters because even though we have been in existence for 6 years now, we are having to do things in less than 2 months that church plants and planters take 6 months to a year to do. Combine all that stuff with my normal work- studying, blogging, making/taking calls, taking people out to eat so we can talk, etc and I am one busy boy.
Let me ease your brain somewhat…it isn’t. Like many young pastors I was full of dreams when I started out. I am sad to say that many of them never came to fruition. I am also happy to say that many of them never came to fruition. If I had my own way, I would have missed an incredible ride! Like a roller coaster at Cedar Point, my ministry has had some wild and crazy ups and downs and I would have missed many of them if God has simply done what I had planned out. “Thank you Father for not letting me live my life to my blueprint! Yours had a whole bunch of nuances that I never would have figured into the drawings.” For a further look into what I have come to conclude is where I need to be, take a look 