The 135th annual meeting of the Suwannee Missionary Baptist Association ended last night. Our church was represented well by leadership who attended as messengers from our church with voting rights in the meeting and by a large number of choir members who sang Monday night in a mass associational choir. I am grateful for their participation because people are watching us. Among the 38 voting churches and 1 new church under watchcare, we consistently rank among the top five churches. This puts us into an important middle ground for two reasons.
First, the larger churches know that we are a church that ranks with them – and God can use us to challenge them to do more. An example of this is in the area of baptisms. Last year we led the association with 20 baptisms; this year we were second with 25 baptisms. (Praise the Lord for the 43 baptisms that First, Branford saw last year.) My prayer is that we would take the presentation of the gospel message seriously and that we would consistently lead in this area.
Second, we still know what it is to be “small church”. For 90 years, we were one of them. God creates different churches in different sizes for different people to come to knowledge of Him. There is greatness in small church! This greatness comes from the fact that Christ died for those churches and that their role is absolutely unique in the kingdom. Sometimes bigger churches forget this and act as if the smaller churches are smaller in vision and importance.
We are thankful to be part of Suwannee Association; grateful that we have visionary leadership through Bro. Fritz (or as he is lovingly known here at Wellborn, Rev. Dr. Fountain); and excited about what God is going to do, not only at Wellborn, but among our sister churches.
Monday, December 04, 2006
Friday, October 06, 2006
After the Cup is gone again...
No one has given me an exceptionally hard time over the whipping that Tennessee gave to my University of Memphis Tigers on Saturday. Even if they did, though, I have really tough skin when it comes athletic loss. That tough skin was developed on the African continent and involved another event just a week ago: the Ryder Cup. For those of you not in the know, the Ryder Cup is a golf competition between the United States and Europe. For years, the US dominated the poor Europeans. No longer. The Europeans consistently make a laughing stock of our team. In fact, this year would have been the worst whipping in history had not one of the Europeans conceded a putt that was almost unmakeable. My African golf buddies took great delight in pointing out our deficiencies in the Ryder Cup – and that delight went on and on for months. Up to a year later, at the most inappropriate moments possible, one of them would call out, “Don, what happened to your boys in the Ryder Cup?”
Tough skin is a biblical concept. Here are two proverbs that illustrate what I mean:
Fools have short fuses and explode all too quickly; the prudent quietly shrug off insults. (Proverbs 12:16)
A man’s wisdom gives him patience; it is to his glory to overlook an offense. (Proverbs 19:11)
People talk. People say stupid things. What a wonderful church we would have if we could let stupid comments, offensive words to just pass…if we shrugged off insults and overlooked offenses. My prayer is that we’d develop tougher skin and hearts more tender than ever before.
Tough skin is a biblical concept. Here are two proverbs that illustrate what I mean:
Fools have short fuses and explode all too quickly; the prudent quietly shrug off insults. (Proverbs 12:16)
A man’s wisdom gives him patience; it is to his glory to overlook an offense. (Proverbs 19:11)
People talk. People say stupid things. What a wonderful church we would have if we could let stupid comments, offensive words to just pass…if we shrugged off insults and overlooked offenses. My prayer is that we’d develop tougher skin and hearts more tender than ever before.
Thursday, August 31, 2006
What a difference a year makes!
Incredible, the difference a year can bring. She drifted across the Gulf. Predictions about her path varied. She was going to come ashore here or there; she would be a category 5 – she wouldn’t be too bad. And we know now that Katrina’s impact will be long-lasting. (The last week of September Paul Dial and I will travel to Pass Christian to evaluate what we can do to help our sister church in its recovery.) Ernesto drifted up and looked like a hurricane. Mysterious to the weather prognosticators, he just fizzled into rain and a little wind. What a difference a year makes.
I was working through some church history stuff yesterday. March 2004 Wellborn was at the height of its history in terms of numbers. Then the pastor resigned and things quickly began to change. That same month, I was going about my normal life as a missionary. I met with African pastors – individually and as a group. I attended a national board meeting for Youth for Christ – I was serving as its national Vice-Chairman. We had short-term missionaries from another organization into our home. I was leading prayer meetings and worship services as the interim pastor of the Dutch Reformed Church in town. On the personal front, I played some golf (even a tournament) and had the only manicure of my life. What a difference a year made! By then, I was at the Wellborn blueberry pancake breakfast, sitting with Pasco and Loretta Jarvis. Sundays found me preaching. Weekdays found me in meetings about the life of Wellborn Baptist Church. (Sadly, my agenda shows no golf being played.)
Life can change quickly. The challenge is to be in on the plan that the Lord has for us. What will this year bring?
I was working through some church history stuff yesterday. March 2004 Wellborn was at the height of its history in terms of numbers. Then the pastor resigned and things quickly began to change. That same month, I was going about my normal life as a missionary. I met with African pastors – individually and as a group. I attended a national board meeting for Youth for Christ – I was serving as its national Vice-Chairman. We had short-term missionaries from another organization into our home. I was leading prayer meetings and worship services as the interim pastor of the Dutch Reformed Church in town. On the personal front, I played some golf (even a tournament) and had the only manicure of my life. What a difference a year made! By then, I was at the Wellborn blueberry pancake breakfast, sitting with Pasco and Loretta Jarvis. Sundays found me preaching. Weekdays found me in meetings about the life of Wellborn Baptist Church. (Sadly, my agenda shows no golf being played.)
Life can change quickly. The challenge is to be in on the plan that the Lord has for us. What will this year bring?
Tuesday, August 15, 2006
Careful with that toy!
As I began to write today’s thought, a commercial ran across my television screen for an X-box video game called “Dead Rising”. According to the advertising, Dead Rising “follows the harrowing tale of Frank West, an overly zealous freelance photojournalist on a hunt for the scoop of a lifetime. In pursuit of a juicy lead, he makes his way to a small suburban town only to find that it has become overrun by zombies. He escapes to the local shopping mall, thinking it will be a bastion of safety but it turns out to be anything but. It will be a true struggle to survive the endless stream of undead, but players will have full reign of a realistic shopping center, utilizing anything they find to fight off the flesh-hungry mob…” According to the TV commercial, you can “chop ‘til you drop.”
So, get this straight. From the moment the game loads until the moment that a gamer turns it off, they will use anything available to “kill” zombies in a massive slaughter of every being that comes in front of them.
There is a violence within our soul. It is not an unnatural part of how God made us. When it is tied to the conscience that the Lord left as part of our soul, it is a valuable aspect of who we are. It is from that core that a man would leap to the defense of a woman who is being raped or that a woman would battle to save the life of her child. We see it when children take the part of soldiers or policemen as they battle against the “bad” elements.
The problem is that the violence within our soul can become perverted. Games like “Dead Rising” can become the training ground of mass murder. A constant diet of this type thing was part of the lifestyle of the two Columbine murderers, Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold. And the product available to those two was tame compared to what is available in something like “Dead Rising”.
Warning to parents: These games are not this generation’s Pacman. Be careful of what you let them play. Be careful of what their friends play. And before you tell me to get a life, remember that we have one…a more abundant one. Somehow I can’t imagine Jesus sitting in front of a screen wiping out zombies.
So, get this straight. From the moment the game loads until the moment that a gamer turns it off, they will use anything available to “kill” zombies in a massive slaughter of every being that comes in front of them.
There is a violence within our soul. It is not an unnatural part of how God made us. When it is tied to the conscience that the Lord left as part of our soul, it is a valuable aspect of who we are. It is from that core that a man would leap to the defense of a woman who is being raped or that a woman would battle to save the life of her child. We see it when children take the part of soldiers or policemen as they battle against the “bad” elements.
The problem is that the violence within our soul can become perverted. Games like “Dead Rising” can become the training ground of mass murder. A constant diet of this type thing was part of the lifestyle of the two Columbine murderers, Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold. And the product available to those two was tame compared to what is available in something like “Dead Rising”.
Warning to parents: These games are not this generation’s Pacman. Be careful of what you let them play. Be careful of what their friends play. And before you tell me to get a life, remember that we have one…a more abundant one. Somehow I can’t imagine Jesus sitting in front of a screen wiping out zombies.
Thursday, July 27, 2006
Is the Second Coming coming?
The conflict in Lebanon and Israel is terrible. Israel is seeking to protect itself from enemies whose stated purpose is Israel’s destruction and whose behavior is consistent with their purpose. The enemy is not governmental but terroristic. They have hidden themselves among the population of Lebanon – some who support their purpose, but many who do not. Unfortunately, shells and rockets cannot differentiate between the two types of Lebanese.
Is this conflict the beginning of the end? Is the coming of Christ around the corner?
No doubt, the conflict should cause us to pay closer attention to issues at stake. Even if this is not the beginning of a count down to the Lord’s return, the Scripture clearly tells us that “And do this, understanding the present time. The hour has come for you to wake up from your slumber, because our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed. (Rom. 13:11) His coming may or may not be tomorrow, but his coming is a day closer at the very least. Whenever the Lord comes, the mission of believers remains the same. Paul declared to the Thessalonian believers: For who is our hope, or joy, or crown of boasting in the presence of our Lord Jesus at His coming? Is it not you? For you are our glory and joy! (1 Thessalonians 2:19-20) The thing that we will have to offer the Lord when He returns are those who have trusted Him by way of our witness. Trouble should reemphasize for us the main mission: Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe everything I have commanded you. (Matthew 28:19-20)
Is this conflict the beginning of the end? Is the coming of Christ around the corner?
No doubt, the conflict should cause us to pay closer attention to issues at stake. Even if this is not the beginning of a count down to the Lord’s return, the Scripture clearly tells us that “And do this, understanding the present time. The hour has come for you to wake up from your slumber, because our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed. (Rom. 13:11) His coming may or may not be tomorrow, but his coming is a day closer at the very least. Whenever the Lord comes, the mission of believers remains the same. Paul declared to the Thessalonian believers: For who is our hope, or joy, or crown of boasting in the presence of our Lord Jesus at His coming? Is it not you? For you are our glory and joy! (1 Thessalonians 2:19-20) The thing that we will have to offer the Lord when He returns are those who have trusted Him by way of our witness. Trouble should reemphasize for us the main mission: Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe everything I have commanded you. (Matthew 28:19-20)
Wednesday, July 19, 2006
Two characteristics of maturity
A church can be an unforgiving place. Let’s face it. We expect more out of people in the church than we do in other places. After all, we are believers in Jesus Christ and to use a phrase “ought to know better”. The problem is that we are warriors who are in the midst of spiritual battles; we are sinners who have been redeemed but not yet perfected; and we are all at different stages of spiritual maturity. One of our deacon’s wives stated it perfectly this week when she said to me, “I know that every church has its problems.”
How do we survive as the family of God when we know that these problems aren’t going to go away? It’s no surprise that the Lord tells us how to handle it in His Word. Here’s what He says, “14And we urge you, brothers, warn those who are idle, encourage the timid, help the weak, be patient with everyone. 15Make sure that nobody pays back wrong for wrong, but always try to be kind to each other and to everyone else.”(1 Thessalonians 5:14-15)
Two characteristics more than any others help us to be the family of God: patience and kindness. When we become exasperated at something in the life of the church, we immediately need to check where we register on the patience meter. Am I upset because I expect someone to be further along spiritually than they are? When someone upsets us, we immediately need to check where we register on the kindness meter. Do I have plans to “get back” at someone? Have I learned to be kind for Christ’s sake even when I’ve been hurt? A church full of believers who have learned to be patient and kind is a church equipped to confront the needs of lost, selfish people.
How do we survive as the family of God when we know that these problems aren’t going to go away? It’s no surprise that the Lord tells us how to handle it in His Word. Here’s what He says, “14And we urge you, brothers, warn those who are idle, encourage the timid, help the weak, be patient with everyone. 15Make sure that nobody pays back wrong for wrong, but always try to be kind to each other and to everyone else.”(1 Thessalonians 5:14-15)
Two characteristics more than any others help us to be the family of God: patience and kindness. When we become exasperated at something in the life of the church, we immediately need to check where we register on the patience meter. Am I upset because I expect someone to be further along spiritually than they are? When someone upsets us, we immediately need to check where we register on the kindness meter. Do I have plans to “get back” at someone? Have I learned to be kind for Christ’s sake even when I’ve been hurt? A church full of believers who have learned to be patient and kind is a church equipped to confront the needs of lost, selfish people.
Thursday, June 08, 2006
On fountains and such
There is high drama afoot in Lake City. It seems that the city has built an interactive fountain in the Olustee Park. Additionally, the have built public restrooms for the park. It seems, however, that according to state health regulations a public restroom must be within 200 feet of an interactive fountain. The new restrooms in the park are 280 feet from the fountain and a health department variance has not been granted for the extra distance. So the fountain that cost $80,000 cannot be activated without significant changes.
Two questions beg for attention. One is: why would you build an $80,000 fountain without covering all your bases? The other is: why would we have a state regulation for how close a bathroom has to be to a fountain? I would entitle this drama in Lake City, “Much Ado about Nothing”.
In the Lord’s church we need to make sure that we don’t end up in the same situation. We have been given the daunting task of representing Christ in the public arena, testifying to His power to change lives. We need to be careful to keep our focus on this purpose. If we aren’t careful we can create useless rules and regulations, simply for the purpose of showing our authority. Or we can ignore rules and regulations and find that it thwarts the purpose of our efforts.
Two questions beg for attention. One is: why would you build an $80,000 fountain without covering all your bases? The other is: why would we have a state regulation for how close a bathroom has to be to a fountain? I would entitle this drama in Lake City, “Much Ado about Nothing”.
In the Lord’s church we need to make sure that we don’t end up in the same situation. We have been given the daunting task of representing Christ in the public arena, testifying to His power to change lives. We need to be careful to keep our focus on this purpose. If we aren’t careful we can create useless rules and regulations, simply for the purpose of showing our authority. Or we can ignore rules and regulations and find that it thwarts the purpose of our efforts.
Saturday, June 03, 2006
Summer slump
Summer is here. Tonight is the last night of our suppers for a while and the summer schedule will be shifting around. We will probably plan some cookouts or special meals and we will be breaking for things like VBS. Summer also means smaller crowds for worship services as families take vacations (and seniors go off on cruises).
Summer is a great time for spiritual discovery! Our youth will have at least three major events this summer where great spiritual themes will be explored. Our children will continue to learn the Bible in Sunday School, about missions in CiA (and Mission Friends) and will be preparing a children's musical.
Summer can be a great time for spiritual discovery for you also. There are tremendous opportunities at every worship service to encounter the Lord of every season through music and message. As you encounter people in our community who seem to need spiritual direction, don't forget to ask them the question: “Have you found a place to worship yet?”
Summer is a great time for spiritual discovery! Our youth will have at least three major events this summer where great spiritual themes will be explored. Our children will continue to learn the Bible in Sunday School, about missions in CiA (and Mission Friends) and will be preparing a children's musical.
Summer can be a great time for spiritual discovery for you also. There are tremendous opportunities at every worship service to encounter the Lord of every season through music and message. As you encounter people in our community who seem to need spiritual direction, don't forget to ask them the question: “Have you found a place to worship yet?”
Wednesday, May 24, 2006
Turning back
Yesterday Carol, Dennis and I went to my parent’s house in Georgia to pick up some things my mother has given Carol. The low fuel light was glowing and I was trying to stretch it to get to Tifton for some of that cheap Georgia gas. Suddenly, traffic stacked up. Without thinking too much, I pulled the truck into the median and headed back to the previous exit and bought gas.
Life is a constant set of choices. We found out later that a watermelon truck that had burned caused the stack up. Would I have run out of gas? Would I have made it? No way to tell, at this point but sitting in the line, wondering if we were going to make it, would have been stress that I don’t need at this stage of my life. There are times to go backwards!
In our spiritual journey, we need to constantly evaluate our progress. The minute we discover that we’ve wandered off track, that we are going a direction not sanctioned by the Lord or we discover that we lack spiritual energy to get through --- we need to go backwards! Our journey should take us --- as fast as we can travel --- back to the place where we know we are in fellowship with the Lord.
Life is a constant set of choices. Do you need to pull onto the median today and get moving back to the source of spiritual power?
Life is a constant set of choices. We found out later that a watermelon truck that had burned caused the stack up. Would I have run out of gas? Would I have made it? No way to tell, at this point but sitting in the line, wondering if we were going to make it, would have been stress that I don’t need at this stage of my life. There are times to go backwards!
In our spiritual journey, we need to constantly evaluate our progress. The minute we discover that we’ve wandered off track, that we are going a direction not sanctioned by the Lord or we discover that we lack spiritual energy to get through --- we need to go backwards! Our journey should take us --- as fast as we can travel --- back to the place where we know we are in fellowship with the Lord.
Life is a constant set of choices. Do you need to pull onto the median today and get moving back to the source of spiritual power?
Wednesday, May 17, 2006
They're coming.....
I’m trying hard to keep my ear for Portuguese. My thought is that if I can keep remembering how it sounds and what they are saying, I should be able to speak it – if I ever have that necessity. Yesterday, I watched the afternoon news from Portugal over the Internet. One of the lead stories points out how different cultures can be: it seems sardine fishermen are extremely upset over the quotas and prices that have been set for their trade!
Sardines are important to the Portuguese. We’re not talking about the little sardines in a can. The Portuguese love the larger sardines. Fresh ones. Grilled. I’ll never forget the first time I smelled those fish over the fire – they smell almost like a tire burning. Not one that I enjoyed and not one that would entice me to try them, but the Portuguese have a national obsession over anything that comes out of the ocean and sardines are a favorite.
Can you imagine CNN, Fox or a leading network news show leading off with how sardine fishermen are upset? Only if it were the slowest news day in history!
Countries are different; cultures are different; and, what is important to people is different. Yet, despite all the differences there is one fundamental need: to know Christ and the power of His resurrection.
Different kinds of people are headed our way. They will come from all over the United States and will retire here in our part of north Florida. They will come with all sorts of different accents, attitudes and obsessions. Despite this, they will have the one fundament need: to know Christ and the power of His resurrection. The question is: will Wellborn be faithful to share the message that has changed our lives?
Sardines are important to the Portuguese. We’re not talking about the little sardines in a can. The Portuguese love the larger sardines. Fresh ones. Grilled. I’ll never forget the first time I smelled those fish over the fire – they smell almost like a tire burning. Not one that I enjoyed and not one that would entice me to try them, but the Portuguese have a national obsession over anything that comes out of the ocean and sardines are a favorite.
Can you imagine CNN, Fox or a leading network news show leading off with how sardine fishermen are upset? Only if it were the slowest news day in history!
Countries are different; cultures are different; and, what is important to people is different. Yet, despite all the differences there is one fundamental need: to know Christ and the power of His resurrection.
Different kinds of people are headed our way. They will come from all over the United States and will retire here in our part of north Florida. They will come with all sorts of different accents, attitudes and obsessions. Despite this, they will have the one fundament need: to know Christ and the power of His resurrection. The question is: will Wellborn be faithful to share the message that has changed our lives?
Thursday, May 04, 2006
Illegal immigration?
A debate is raging in our country over illegal immigration and its effects on us. Protests over the last couple of weeks have raised the level of debate, especially as it relates to illegal workers from the south – whether Mexico or other Central American countries. The illegals say that justice demands that they be allowed access to the freedoms American citizens enjoy. The President and Congress seem stymied by what to do about it all.
Carol and I can testify that immigration is a difficult process in America. Hoops have to be jumped through; a good bit of money has to be paid; but those steps have to be done in order to be recognized as a citizen of the United States.
There is a citizenship far superior to US citizenship. The basis for becoming a citizen of that place cost far more than US citizenship and was far more complicated. Every person in the world begins as an alien to this citizenship – and as the Scripture says, is “without hope and without God in the world.” But Christ Jesus stepped into our hopeless and broke it – by having his own body shattered on the Cross of Calvary. Now, those of us who have accepted His sacrificial work on the Cross have access to the Father by the Spirit. Now we have been granted a new status, not on the basis of our labor, but on the basis of His sacrifice. Now we are considered citizens – citizens of heaven. (Eph. 2:12-20; Phil. 2:19)
Carol and I can testify that immigration is a difficult process in America. Hoops have to be jumped through; a good bit of money has to be paid; but those steps have to be done in order to be recognized as a citizen of the United States.
There is a citizenship far superior to US citizenship. The basis for becoming a citizen of that place cost far more than US citizenship and was far more complicated. Every person in the world begins as an alien to this citizenship – and as the Scripture says, is “without hope and without God in the world.” But Christ Jesus stepped into our hopeless and broke it – by having his own body shattered on the Cross of Calvary. Now, those of us who have accepted His sacrificial work on the Cross have access to the Father by the Spirit. Now we have been granted a new status, not on the basis of our labor, but on the basis of His sacrifice. Now we are considered citizens – citizens of heaven. (Eph. 2:12-20; Phil. 2:19)
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