He's one of my favorite players. I've been wanting to buy his jersey. Oh well, that's the NFL today. Brian Dawkins is no longer a Philadelphia Eagle.

The Denver Broncos have signed seven-time Pro Bowl safety Brian Dawkins, the team announced Saturday

Brian Dawkins leaves the Eagles as one of the most celebrated players in team history.  Dawkins signed a five-year, $17 million deal that includes $7.2 million guaranteed, reports NFL Network's Adam Schefter. The contract also has escalators that could boost the value of the deal to $27 million over five years, but the deal also could be voided to two years, $9 million, reports Schefter.

I will leave the sharing of any and all jokes, comments or experiences to your discretion. Watch till the end.

Oh yes, what every seminary bound, strapped for cash, humble minister wants…the DECANO self-adhesive sunroof.
+Gems Sty

It's UMC Night with the Spurs.  Have fun friends.

The Apostles’ Creed has stood as part of the fabric of the Christian faith throughout the centuries of its existence. Its theology was outlined and structured to provide a common statement of faith declaring the accepted beliefs and convictions of the Church. As the movement spread, complexities within the understandings of the faith moved leaders to develop new ideas and interpretations of the Scripture. In this struggle of comprehending the divine there were those concepts and contentions that proved to be inconsistent with the basic tenets of the majority of the Church. Many of these conflicting beliefs were labeled as heretical. Other creeds were developed to appropriately answer and silence those ideologies considered to be heretical. We find these later creeds follow much of the outline shaped in the Apostles’ Creed.

This one concrete statement of faith, the Apostles’ Creed, is comprised of several sub-categorical assertions that stood, and still stand, against many of the heretical beliefs and teachings of some in the early Church. Questions of the reality of the person Jesus, the work of the Holy Spirit and ultimate return of Christ, for example, are boldly upheld. The Apostles’ Creed stands incomplete, perhaps vulnerable, without each of the specific principles. Considering the significance of each witness, for this inquiry the one theological statement that will be interpreted is: Amen. The use of the “Amen” is widespread in the development of many of the other creedal statements. Employing the term does more than conclude the arguments; the use of the “Amen” decisively confirms the total proclamation. For this analysis common translations such as, “verily," "truly, "so be it" and "let it be as” should be considered for the Amen.

The affirmation begins in a very personal manner. Each of the three sections within the triad structure begins the same way. It is clear the importance of each of the faith claims made in the statement begin exclusively with each respondent. That is confirmed with the use of, “I believe…” There is no unity that can be fashioned or fabricated extensively without the personal affirmation of every believer. Where there is no strong value or belief in these declarations there will certainly be doctrinal conflict and personal value conflicts. By concluding the statement of belief with the Amen each individual is reminded of the truth revealed and proclaimed in their life. These personal confessions of truth and belief should shape, reshape and transform the reality for the one bold enough to proclaim, “Amen.” This life is then vividly characterized by a fidelity to the teachings and example of God, the Father Almighty, creator, Son and Lord, to the direction of the Holy Spirit and to the communion of saints (and all that entails).

Only time will tell which of the more contemporary creedal statements will survive past their own era’s urging. Perhaps it will be that the number of enduring faith affirmations will continually increase with every generation. It may be, however, that every time in the history of the Church finds its own toils that do not weigh on the minds of each subsequent cohort of church membership and leadership. While personal confession remains the foundation of the creed’s vitality, the confession must be to what is beyond the self. If each statement depicts mankind’s efforts, they will fail, if not abruptly then eventually. So then, what is confessed and proclaimed in word and deed are not ideas manufactured by our own desires and personal fancies, but that which is established by the Other. What sense can the human mind truly make of the Incarnation and all the specific claims made in the Apostles’ Creed? Our explanations would be just that, our explanations. In the quest to discover the reality each statement depicts it is in the look to the Other that Truth can be revealed. Therefore, the Amen draws the believer towards a greater trust and reliance on the Other.

Many pieces of the biblical text were prepared much the same way the Apostles’ Creed sought to unite and establish what is Truth. Both the Old and New Testaments work equivalently. A turn to the text reaffirms the use of the Amen. The assembly mentioned in Nehemiah 5:13 all said, “Amen.” Several of the books of Psalms end with amen. Jesus is written to have included the proclamation in the instructive Lord’s Prayer. Paul the Apostle uses the term on numerous occasions as well. Finally, the last verses of the New Testament end with amen. These instances provide a theological connection to the use of the word. We find that the creedal addition of the Amen offers a bi-directional legitimacy from Scripture to Creed and Creed to Scripture.

As a body united by a set of common beliefs, the Church establishes itself as an entity comprised of professing members. These members build the relationship between self, Other and others appropriately and accordingly to the tenets of the faith. The mention of self and Other have been discussed. There are several references to this relationship between the others as well. The first of these suggestions might be easy to overlook. This implication is made in the first half of the statement. It is found encompassed in the title prescribed to Jesus Christ as “his only Son our Lord.” The emphasis should be placed on “our.” This emphasizes the union of the larger body. To say that Christ is, at this or any other preceding moment, the Lord of each person is a different assertion than that of Christ being Lord of all (Acts 10:35-36). In other words, while Christ demonstrates His divinity in His passion, death, resurrection and ascension and thus carries lordship over what He has created, the heart that does not confess that belief will not confess Christ as Lord. That sounds simplistic, but it separates the believer from the unbeliever into the community of God. Now, the Amen firmly bonds these professing members to their responsibilities as servants of their Lord and to each other. Within the final section of the Apostles’ Creed other references to this communal relationship between members of the Church are given. The concepts of the “holy catholic church,” and the “communion of saints” lucidly builds further constancy to the Amen.

When brought together, the four insights are reaffirmed by the use of the Amen. By declaring that each statement of faith within the creed represents the revelation of Truth and vowing to live by what that Truth offers to the world, we recognize then that each proposition carries its own merit. Each turn holds the other accountable. The turn to self reminds the believer her or his responsibility to honor the Creator as Lord, to recognize Christ as begotten, to live in communion with others and reaffirm the value of Scripture. The turn to the Other places sole recognition of God as responsible for the saving acts found in the creed. That turn should shape the viewpoint of the self to the other three theological turns. So, we might suggest a hierarchy within the outlooks. There is no headway without personal confession; however, the confession has to be to the work of the Other. From there we can conclude that the focus to the Other actually directs all the other turns towards itself. That is, when the believer acknowledges God, she/he finds that God has been reaching outwardly to meet her/him.

It is my belief the common understanding of the Amen lacks the profound theological foundation it warrants. Perhaps a personal example will help best describe this deficiency. It is our family’s custom to join in a moment of thanksgiving prior to each meal we share together. As part of my intention to develop this practice in the lives of my children I will frequently ask one of them to offer a prayer. Our youngest child, (4) years old, volunteered on a particular occasion. In his prayer there was thanksgiving for “Mommy,” “Daddy,” “family,” “toys,” “race cars,” a few other blessings and finally for the food that had been prepared. To conclude his time he reverently continued and prayed, “The End.” Indeed, in my experience, many in the church would be satisfied with the concept of using the same ending. While the overwhelming majority most likely would not use it, that might speak to a habitual inclination to finish a prayer the “right way.”

I have taken from this interpretive exercise a greater appreciation for the development of the Apostles’ Creed and others like it that are common to our contemporary understanding of Christian worship. These statements are not battle cries, mere historical documents or even only “what we believe.” While there uses may have been distorted and exploited in the history of the Church they stand today as much more than common beliefs. Instead, we find in these words a connection. This connection transcends generations, cultures and traditions. Through these words the faith of many Christ believers throughout the world have been affirmed and encouraged. In that time new understandings of our relationship with God have developed and matured. That can be observed in the expansion of creedal statements employed by the Church. However, what unifies their implication is the willingness of the Church to live out each belief in word and practice. The use of the Amen stirs in the life of each believer the motivation to do just that.

Is it a good news, bad news thing? No. In the last several weeks our church website has done very well in terms of traffic. We’ve had a great number of visitors that includes several return visits. The word is getting out and people are responding. Now, your searches should lead you straight to our link. At this point, I’m not sure what venue has been the most beneficial for advertising. No method we’ve implemented has been anything over the top. I put in a usual church newsletter article, have kept a segment in the bulletin, put the address on the church marquis, placed the website in my email signature and also used Twitter. These are free, almost effortless ways I have used to display the site.

Conversely, this site has seen a decrease in traffic. I’m not comparing the sites. They have their own place and purpose. This decline has stretched over the last couple of months; Oak Haven’s site has only been up for about four weeks. The church website is new and I’ve made intentional efforts to get people to visit. I haven’t done that for this blog lately. More to the point, I haven’t consistently added any content. That is a duh! fact of blogging reality. Search for ways to build websites and you will most likely find a common rule found in many places. If you aren’t giving readers anything worth their time they won’t visit your church….website.

Ah, shall we? Why aren’t the doors of our churches being overwhelmed by guests and newcomers? Here’s an over simplistic opinion. Maybe they feel Church has nothing to offer. Regarding those who say they have faith in God and Christ, if people thought they were missing something they would be there, right?

I’m not suggesting we try to appease every person and the social group they belong to. However, learn a lesson from this little blog: if we aren’t trying to address needs, build connections and offer Christ what more can we expect but for people to stay away or remain uninvolved? I have my excuses of why I haven’t done such a great job with this blog. What excuses do our churches have?

At Oak Haven I’ve informed our leaders it is time to get out in the community and knock on some doors to introduce ourselves. Our community doesn’t know us. A lot of churches, I think, are set up in similar ways. There is a desire for growth; we want others to join us. But we aren’t doing anything differently than what we have been doing (which apparently hasn’t “worked”). Also, we are not ready to have an influx of new people in our congregations. We’re just hoping to get them there and that they will want to stick around.

The next thought I will offer the leaders is: What do we expect to happen when those in our neighborhoods start showing up? In other words, how do we demonstrate our desire for spiritual growth? That is what we’re concerned about, right? How many times have you heard that from a small church? “Well, numbers aren’t important” or “We’re not growing in numbers, but spiritually.” That’s fine to say and even build on. How much do the current activities of most churches truly reflect that ideal?

All this is to suggest that we should be looking for ways to expand how we are making disciples. And please don’t forget about those who are already in your church. Actually, that’s the place you should probably begin. It isn’t just newcomers that need to grow spiritually. Yes, you and I need a little work here, there and everywhere.

Don’t let it be daunting. Take it one disciple at a time. And let it begin with whoever is reading this right now. Stay blessed…john

Theology has often sought to define who and what God is. In this ongoing process of defining and redefining we find an array of classifications and delineations based on the various fundamental approaches applied to the study. Unfortunately, too often we can find in these explanations, however distinctive they may appear, a common thread constantly embedded, both perhaps intentionally and unknowingly. It is in this observation we may conceivably and justly conclude we have not found the complete idea of God. Certainly that is an argument Rivera’s project A Touch of Transcendence seeks to explore.

Specific to Rivera’s work, this thread that has permeated common theological discourses centers on hierarchal viewpoints. While an understanding of the divine, considering the complexity of the concept of the Other, would have to entail a complex description Rivera would argue many of our ideas have been skewed by our inability to see past certain basic societal structures. We have inhibited our quest to discover the dynamic relationship we may have with God. Out of these structures we promote unrelenting oppression from many different angles. These hierarchal perceptions continually develop the need for a particular group to be at the top and others to be well below them. This difference has established its influence on our conceptions of our relationships with others and with God.

Unfolding a parallel between radical orthodoxy, liberation theology, feminism, philosophy and postcolonialism Rivera presents a remodeled vision of transcendence. It is necessary for Rivera to first begin to analyze the term transcendence. By so doing, we uncover discrepancies in our most common assumptions of what that concept is. With this new conception we follow an attempt to reconcile differences between God and His creation, and intrinsically between members of that creation. This is at the heart of what the term transcendence implies.
While the intent and aim may appear dissimilar, there are common elements in the particular discourses previously stated. However, in comparing their efforts and struggles we find there are more similarities than at first glance. All share in their work to dismantle, or at the very least confront, power structures that impede the actualization of a more common ground between certain groups. For example, the feminist viewpoint demonstrates the long suffering of women in their relationship with men. The gender difference has sustained an almost universal understanding of male dominance. Also, Latin American liberation theology expresses a desire to remove the strains of oppression induced by a dominant culture. Understanding our tendency to classify others based on some type of hierarchal structure we can identify where it would be possible to cloud our vision of who and what God is and is not.

By deconstructing the difference among us “without the difference destroying this relation and with the relation destroying this difference” (p. 125), we allow for the ever present transcendence of God to be realized in our relationships with others. That is how we can discover more truthfully the nature of the transcendent God. We find that this God is not at a distance, but rather in all things, in all peoples and, though beyond our complete understanding, within the touch of creation.

I have come to realize my interpretation of liberation theology’s focal point has been somewhat mistaken. Many of the assumptions I had regarding it stemmed from common (probably) misconceptions. These were expressed to me from various individuals in church leadership. I don’t discount their understandings, but I’m not quite sure they may have had a full understanding of the intent of the liberation discourse. For example, it had been my impression that the liberationist mindset is solely concentrated on social justice. Indeed, that is a primary objective. However, it is not merely an attempt to revolt against social ills. There is a foundation that considers the impact of the life and death of Jesus on societal constructs. I am unsure still though where the act of salvation and remission of sin from Christ stands as a base for the liberationist.

Another issue brought forward in Rivera’s work is the idea of radical orthodoxy. I would agree with her assessment that a complete return to a pre-modern philosophy of society would not abolish those oppressions spoken of earlier. In fact, while there may be some benefit to establishing new ideas centering on pre-modern thought, the influenced of the hierarchal structures we have mentioned would still be evident.

Finally, I appreciate Rivera’s concern in reminding us our lack of ability to fully understand the transcendence of God. It seems many people have the right answer concerning God. The confidence in their own assessment of the wholly Other concerns me. I find it difficult to limit who God is, our relationship with Him, and how He works in our world and the lives of others by mandating my own interpretations of the divine. While I’m not sure how much I completely understand or agree with all Rivera’s ideas, I am appreciative of her work as it has given me a new impression and outline of our ability to understand the presence of God in a more truthful way.

my life is complete....
Chump looks pretty much the same when it is written upside down.
+Futility Closet

The Psychiatrist and the Proctologist
Two doctors, a psychiatrist and a proctologist, opened an office together in a small town. They put up a sign reading, "Dr. Smith & Dr. Jones: Hysterias & Posteriors."

The town council was not happy with the sign so the doctors changed it to, "Schizoids & Hemorrhoids."

This was not acceptable either. In an effort to satisfy the council, the doctors changed the sign to, "Catatonics & High Colonics."

No good. Next, they tried, "Manic Depressives & Anal Retentives."

Thumbs down again. Then came, "Minds & Behinds."

Unacceptable, again! So they tried, "Analysis & Anal Cysts."

Not a chance. So "Nuts & Butts?"

No way. How about "Freaks & Cheeks?"

Still, no go. Maybe "Loons & Moons?"
Forget it.

Almost ready to admit defeat, the doctors finally came up with, "Dr. Smith & Dr. Jones: Odds & Ends."

+Rumors

Critics have commonly given attention to religious dogma to characterize part of the Church’s insufficient causes. Some would argue holding to these restricts one’s efforts in finding truth. There is also the argument that whatever might have been beneficial in church dogmatics is now stale and outdated. Perhaps it would not be to those that Karl Barth would direct his attention. Instead he would be more inclined to stir an interest in those who want to know more the value of the dogmatics. In his foreword to Dogmatics in Outline he admonishes those who would hold a skimmer’s view of the subject and consider the outline the last word in the study; he refers them to Paul’s words “If anyone will not work, let him not eat.”

Indeed, Barth would not hesitate to offer his view on the matter. How could he not? So many misunderstand what dogmatics are. Much attention has been given to explaining and compounding on the ideas of science. In this process we have neglected to engage the concepts of science to the study of dogmatics, for they are very much the same. Along the way, during this disconnect, the Christian Church, which in terms of the scientific is the study subject of dogmatics, has lost its ability to speak clearly to the world around it. It is safe to say the Church has let this happen, forgetting the authority, while certainly not equal to Scripture, dogmatics demonstrate in the faith life.

Using the Apostles’ Creed as a backdrop to his discussion, Barth shapes the argument phrase by phrase for the renewal of dogmatics in the life of the Church and the Christian. By so doing, the Christian can then acknowledge God as the original Creator, having no equal or competition (alone in the highest) and move towards a more stable view of Him as the Almighty, demonstrated as the Father, Son and Spirit. As it may be in our time, Barth understood how difficult it was to speak of such things to a society not interested in listening. This is all the more reason to refresh the thinking about dogmatics.

As we rediscover this treasure, we cannot suppose it is only beneficial to the Church; this argument is made clear in The Christian’s Place in Society. The Christian, described by Barth using Paul’s words as “Christ in us,” must present the goal and future that society can find when Christ is allowed to work in the “special people apart from other people.” This is the Christian’s responsibility. Society cannot have connections “with the kingdom of Heaven” outside of what is displayed in the lives of the faithful. God can be seen in His activity in the events of history and should be the focus of what is implied in these matters.

Too often, in Barth’s view, we can derail from what is important to the issue. A case in point would be the religious experience. A religious experience does not take the place of God’s revelation to us. Its parallels are too close to that which can remove us from God. So, the real revelation comes, for us and others, when we allow God to move in our “secular life.” In other words this thought of God must be lived: “Life can be lived only by being lived.” His willingness to share this freedom with us brings us from death to life, brings “Life into life,” and exposes our dependence on Him.

Barth sums this process up in one word: understand. Understanding is our key to finding peace in the situation. It also allows us to recognize where our growth as people originates. We are called to move into a trust with the Creator that spears our hearts towards the eternal and follow more closely God.
It is an unspoken observation and/or compliment—thought perhaps not entirely. The ability of a speaker (preacher, professor, etc) to eloquently present a subject matter without the use of a manuscript demonstrates to a listener a quality of trust and confidence in the individual. This is the feeling I had while reading the two selections from Barth; reading the foreword in Dogmatics in Outline indicated he hadn’t used a manuscript due to the circumstances he found himself in. In these small readings there was a passion about what was important in a Christian life pouring out.

For Barth, God was the ultimate, the “highest.” Everything that can be spoken of has to come out of that acknowledgement. It should be impossible for the Christian to view the world without seeing God. This knowledge we have of God does not come from our own understanding. Rather it is part of God’s desire to reveal Himself to us and our response to that is based on the faith we demonstrate. So not to confuse this God with thoughts of other gods, Barth clearly asserts the God he refers to is the One who has revealed Himself as the Trinity—Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Out of this great freedom (faith) given to us we should be willing to offer our “Christian instruction,” lest we find we have yet to truly believe (Outline, 34).

Barth’s overwhelming charge to bring Christian influence into society brought for me a reflection into John’s words in Revelation 3:15-16. Being a lukewarm source of water does nothing for the work of the churches John speaks to. There is no real use for Christ the person who remains in a lukewarm state. Rather it is in our willingness to be a refreshment or cleansing to those who would accept, all the while acknowledging this ability comes from the Creator. That is our place in society. Barth argues that we betray society when we are content “building churches and chapels and do not learn to wait upon him in a wholly new way” (Christian’s Place in Society, 281). That is a strong assertion considering how it would appear society often betrays itself or those in it; Barth’s arguments come out of a time when there is a sense of this betrayal, and he certainly knew this betrayal personally. Regardless, considering the work of God, what other option is there for the Christian other than to “follow attentively what is done by God” (Christian’s Place, 327)?

Don’t let it happen to you. You know better. When was the last time you backed up your hard drive? If it’s been longer than it needs to be then let me be the one to wake you up. It’s time to back up!

I hadn’t since the move. Now, after having my laptop crash on Wednesday, I’m out six months worth of material. Pictures of my children, sermons, bulletins, newsletters, reports, Annual Conference material, graphics, programs and I’m still trying to figure out what else is gone.

Now is the time. Do it now. Go buy your CDs or plug in the external hard drive. What’s worse for me is that I had been thinking I better get around to doing it. The choice was made for me. Let me help you, get it done. Stay blessed…john

In reviewing the work of Anselm, specifically Cur Deus Homo, readers find an effort to exhort the nature of God. God’s nature can be found in the work of Jesus Christ. Through his role in the atonement on the behalf of mankind, Christ provides a glimpse into man’s inability to sustain a restored relationship with God. This demonstrates the impossibility of man to obtain salvation by his own merit. Where this uncovers God’s nature is in the fact that this restoration isn’t an obligation on God’s behalf. By establishing the atonement God has demonstrated His grace to man. He also concludes that God’s redemption plan must fall in suit with His nature. So, the appropriate manner to reconcile sin, a turning away from God, involves a plan that includes the working of His justice. His plan then is presented to man in Christ’s death which provides the suitable justification for us to God (Romans 3:22-24).

Anselm then would assert that theology is strongly related to the working of the Church. Understanding what God has provided to us is an essential part of the theological process. Faith seeking understanding is Anselm’s basic conception of what theology is. There is a responsibility to attempt to explore the tenants of faith. An attentive look at Scripture and the creedal statements of the church are an important part of this responsibility. By so doing, we are reminded of the grace of God and drawn in a deeper relationship with God.

Much like Anselm, Karth Barth sought to acknowledge God’s plan of redemption. He perceived the task of theology was to promote human reflection on the work God has done. The task cannot be done without the intentional effort of arranging how we see ourselves in the Church with the context of God’s nature as the backdrop. As discussed in the October 7th lecture, Barth advanced a critical view of theology. Without an upfront, critical, thoughtful and careful approach to the relationship shared by God and man, the risk is to fall into a complacent set of rules that widens the gap between man and God, derived from our own thoughts of who we are.

So, I've had several people ask me about Twitter. I am making use of it on the church website. It's the first time I've used and so far I think it's gonna be beneficial for us. Plus, now that I have found FutureTweets, we should be able to do a few more things with it and it won't bog me down with more work at untimely...times.

If you're wondering what and how it works, then here 'ya go:
+Heal Your Church Website

Funny: Do You Like Dog?

Sorry, I didn't even know TV Guide was still around. I did use to read it when I was a kid. We never had cable, so I always got to look at what I couldn't watch.

I don't know if you have a need for this, or have already heard about it, but here is a wonderful resource for churches. Sermon.net provides a free sermon player to churches and other ministry organizations.

For about three months I've made use of it. If you're looking for an easy, effective way to present your sermons or other recordings I would certainly recommend this. It's free. Too many free services have drawbacks that make you think thrice about making use of them. However, the free sermon player provided by sermon.net is easy to use, looks nice and is user friendly (I believe).

There are options for video and other source material. I haven't gotten that far, yet. From my experience with the audio portion of the site, I would have to venture to say that will work fine as well. Give it a try. Here's how I've been using it.

The free part doesn't make it less, but only makes it a pretty good resource. Stay blessed...john

I used this on Saturday at the women's event:

"People will forget what you said
People will forget what you did
But people will never forget how you made them feel"

It’s one of life’s little great gifts. Well, at least for me. Some people must have their first cup of coffee, some aren’t the same without reading the paper, but some, like me, just need “ten more minutes.” Oh what a difference the little snooze button can make—that little ingenious source of renewal and sloth. Of course, too much of a good thing can’t always be a good thing. It is possible to abuse the power of the snooze and find yourself already behind the schedule for the day (not to say that has ever happened to me).

In our faith life, safe to say, we tend to put things off. What do I mean? Sometimes we figure we’ll find the right time to start reading the Bible, or perhaps tonight will be a better time to pray. Unfortunately, many times, those things get postponed. If there were a snooze button for faith maybe that would be a little more obvious, or we could move the clock further away to make us get up. But there isn’t and we can’t. We can, however, decide now is the time to start (or restart). So, your ten minutes are up…wake up!

You’ve seen those shows. People bring items they’ve been holding for years. You never know which is the next million dollar item or another piece of junk—it’s your junk so it’s special. As people speak with experts about their items they are told what makes it unique. Of course, the climax is learning what the value is. We get to see the surprises. People are shocked to find out their items are worth more than they could imagine. Interestingly, many share the same response: “It’s nice to know how much it is; I’m would never do anything with it.”

Many of us CHRISTians hear the promises of God. We go to church and are reminded of the ways God has moved in history by hearing the stories of the Old and New Testaments. Unfortunately, many just come to hear. Like our friends who only want to know the value of an item, we can fall into merely admiring the Bible’s words without any intent to live out those words. Our faith should not be something we leave on the shelf to admire. Find ways to keep your faith a reality that goes beyond the church walls. Trust me, it’s worth it!

It had been almost 8 years since we had a land line at our house. There was a time when we just weren't at home very often. So, our cell phones were more than sufficient. Since coming to Oak Haven, with senior pastor obligations, it has become necessary to have a home phone. I can't tell you how many telemarketers have called since it was installed! I don't hate 'em; I use to be one, but AAAHHH!

I was reading the SWTX conference newspaper and came across an article from my former D.S. (Bob Allen). It was a great thought. Here it is, reprinted without anyone's permission....

Each and every time the telephone rings there is a mystery attached as to “what” may be on the other end of the line. Is it another telemarketer or in days past, a promo for a particular political candidate? This is always a part of the mysterious moment. Do I let it ring and ring and ring until voice mail kicks in or do I brave it out and press the “talk” button? When you see your caller ID, is it the determining factor as to whether you will answer or ignore? What goes through your mind when it says, “Bob Allen” or the “Kerrville District Office?” Is your first reaction, “I wonder what they really want?”

I personally have experienced the telephone as an instrument of good and bad news. I have often wondered about the split-second timing that takes place in determining “if” and “how” I will answer a call. Will I be casual or will I be formal? Does my voice go “up” or does it go “down?” Each and every time the phone rings there is a mystery attached that can affect my life in ways I may not be prepared for. Do I accept the call or do I reject it within the blinking of an eye? Some calls do not make any impact upon my life. They are nothing more than noise on the other end of the line. However, there are some calls that can literally change everything in my life or for the one who is calling. A few months ago I received a “wrong” call. It was from a person who simply dialed the “wrong” number. They were trying to reach a friend and when they discovered they had made this mistake, they apologized profusely for the bother they caused at such a late hour. I replied, “It’s ok, you are not bothering me.” And within a moment I merely added, “Are you alright?” to a “who” I didn’t even know from Adam. And they responded, “No, not really.”

I did nothing more than listen to a “wrong number” that suddenly became “right.” Was it my obedience to the Holy Spirit that made me trustworthy for this stranger in the night? Why did God choose to use my sleepy head at such a late hour of the night? What if I had chosen to ignore this one call? And I wonder about all the missed calls in my life and all the opportunities that were mine to have but were thrown away. Each and every time the telephone rings there is a mystery attached as to “what” may be on the other end of the line. When it rings, how will you answer?

I had been preparing for a talk to give during our United Methodist Women's annual brunch tomorrow. It's a big event here with over 100 ladies expected to attend (pray for me!). As I prepared I came across this:

Love at first sight is easy to understand. It’s when two people have been
looking at each other for years that it becomes a miracle.

Stay blessed...john

Okay, I’m ready to say the church website is up and running. It has been online for a few weeks, but incomplete. As far as I can tell, everything is okay—at least everything works as it was designed to. I am using Blogger as the platform. That limits some of what we are able to do, but for now, and probably for a while, it will be totally sufficient. Another reason I went this route was the ease of Blogger. I’ll be looking for someone to maintain the site eventually; if you can run a word processor you can work Blogger (yes, this means you….or you). So, I’ll live with the limitations while enjoying the ability to tell someone, “It’s easy to do.”

Everything on the site is pretty basic. At this point it’s all informational. I think it answers most questions someone might have about our church. That’s what it was intended for. Later I’ll look to add more interactive elements. Who knows what that will mean, but we’ll see when we get there.

So, give it a whirl. Tell me what you think. What should I adjust, erase, or respell? Come on you know you can be honest. That’s http://www.oakhavenumc.org/
Stay blessed…john

One can dream, right? What if everyone listened to pastors the way they listened to weathermen? No, I’m not jealous, but those lucky weathermen get three slots in a news program and are welcomed every 5-7 minutes on any given talk radio station. They may not always be accurate with the rain predictions, but we want to hear what they have to tell us. One thing they do that I like is to tell the wind chill factor. While the current temperature may be accurate, it’s the wind chill factor that lets us know what the weather is really like.

The wind chill has to be factored into a weather report because you can’t ignore its presence. In the Bible we are shown ways the Holy Spirit moves. As believers in Christ our lives are a presentation to the world of God’s work. You and I may not always feel up to that task. That’s why we look to the Spirit to guide us. It’s the Spirit that helps us show the world what our God is really like. Your life may not include all sunny days, but you are promised the gift of the Holy Spirit. How’s that forecast?

Stay blessed...john