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There are 5,446,646 people named John in the U.S. I'm just Another John.

Under the Oak: November 2010

10/30/2010 0
So, do you have anything against my full head of hair? Do you find it difficult to understand my football loyalties? Then do something about it.

In this month's edition of Under the Oak you will find out just how to grind your ax. Also, you can read about something a lot less picayune on page 2. It is a great story.

Enjoy!
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10/29/2010 0
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Is That Church Growing: When In the Lion's Mouth

10/25/2010 0
How will I feel next Sunday when I give a sermon that is not part of a series?  Two months (almost) in a series helps keep things ordered for a busy schedule.  

This was the final sermon in our series entitled Is That Church Growing?  Whether you have heard the sermons or not I'd be interested to hear what you think "growing" churches have in common, or what are practices/attitudes of growing churches?


My favorite line from this sermon was, "We let sin cover a multitude of love." 


I know you would never miss them, but in case your faith has been weak here are the other six sermons:
Sermon 1: Where Grace Happens

Theme: A place where the “lost coins” are celebrated when they are found, and people are looking for them

Sermon 2: Praying Like That

Theme: Prayerfully united that God’s will would be done in the world, not just for the people we like

Sermon 3: Imagine That

Theme: A church that knows it is a mission

Sermon 4: Seniors Who Don’t Get Discounts

Theme: Committed to teaching young people

Sermon 5: Here, Have My Gospel

Theme: Shares their good news.

Sermon 6: That’s the Book for me & Other Misconceptions

Theme: Cherishes and learns the Bible

Sermon 7: When In the Lion's Mouth

Theme: A place where people are not left alone

All available for 3 installments of $48.73. Or something like that.

Stay blessed...john
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Church Appreciation Video

10/07/2010 0
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You Tawkin to Me?

10/06/2010 0
Before you continue reading you might want to make up your mind what label is more useful for you to use for your local minister…preacher….reverend….brother/sister in charge...or whatever else there is to call that person(s) your church pays to know more than the average lay person.

You’ve probably met both, and many in between. Remember Mr., Dr., Rev., New Sliced Bread, II, Ph.D, WWE. Don’t hate him. There are also those for whom it made more sense to invest in a domain name rather than an academic title; their name lacks the abbreviations, but is accompanied by a copyright symbol. Nice.

No, it's not me, but it's a nice look!
No wonder many people don’t know what to call their clergypersons (whatever you already decided to call them). People often ask me what I preferred to be called. “Johnny” is reserved for Momma, so don’t go there. I do like the title, “And our winner is…” Scholarship checks make me feel the best when they call me, “Pay to the order of….”

Remember, though, I’m just another john. I’m just happy to be here. If I ever get caught up with what title people put in front of my name then I’ve forgotten the joy this calling has giving me. That said, I understand how some people, church members, struggle with it. Some cannot call me John. Pastor is my name and your church is my game. Others want to be more professional or respectful and change my name to Reverend. My favorite title came when I was an associate pastor. Don’t tell me it was an accident that Associate was abbreviated with only the first three letters!

All that is to say this: Call me whatever you’re comfortable with. Typically, based on what title someone gives me I can tell what expectations they have for my role, at least which one stands out the most. No one title encompasses everything we’re supposed to be and do as ministers; and no one title limits what we are able to do just the same.

So, what about it? What do you call your pastor(s)? Have you thought about why you use that title, or don’t? How do you think what you call your pastor dictates what you think their role in the church should be?

I’m very interested to hear what you have to say. Stay blessed…john
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Disciples--Transform!

10/05/2010 0
If one meeting is indicative of anything, our Disciple I group will be a lively one. We met for an informational meeting last week. All I did was talk about the elements of each lesson, necessary participation and what materials to bring. From that a good discussion arose about the ministry of the church. Oh, the places we will go!

I opened the meeting by making reference to many people’s concerns about participating in Disciple. The entire length of the study turns many people off immediately; the weekly commitment can be difficult. In some ways, then, it seems rather difficult. Prayer begins everything in Disciple. With that in mind, to open our meeting I shared this prayer taken from an older book entitled leaves from a spiritual notebook:

O Father, this day may bring some hard task to our life, or some hard trial to our love. We may grow weary, or sad, or hopeless in our lot. But, Father, our whole life until now has been one great proof of Thy care. Bread has come for our bodies, thoughts to our mind, love to our heart, and all from Thee. So help us, we implore Thee, while we stand still on this side of all that the day may bring, to resolve that we will trust Thee this day to shine into any gloom of the mind, to stand by us in any trial of our love, and to give us rest Thy good time as we need. May this day be full of a power that shall bring us near to Thee, and make us more like Thee; and, O God, may we so trust Thee this day, that when they day is done our trust shall be firmer than ever. Then, when our last day comes and our work is done, may we trust Thee in death and forever, in the spirit of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen


We begin next our meetings tomorrow.  Just think: a group of young disciples transformed the entire world. Ten people are signed up in a small church in Irving, Texas (and other places, too). Away we go!

Stay blessed…john
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Music Monday: How Sweet the Name

10/04/2010 0



A great song.  If you cannot listen to the player below click here.  I couldn't find a music video, but you can follow the lyrics.

What would I have become
If you'd never stopped to pull me through
What would this life had done
If you'd never whispered liberty
I heard you sing so sweetly a song of love

Jesus how sweet the name
The name that saves
Jesus how sweet the sound
The sound of grace
The sound of praise
The sound that saves

So many songs I've sung
But there's none more beautiful than you
And here I've found myself
So I'm happy to be lost in you
I hear you sing so sweetly, a song called love



The stone the builders rejected has become the capstone; the Lord has done this, and it is marvelous in our eyes. This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.
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Is That Church Growing: Seniors Who Don't Get Discounts

10/04/2010 0
Yesterday's sermon was the fourth in our series entitled Is That Church Growing?  I was looking forward to this one.  It was a little different than usual.  The focus was on the young people and the church's ministry with them.  Here's a quote:

We've done a good job of giving our young people things that make like more comfortable, but the church has done a poor job of giving them things that make life meaningful. 


As always, you can view the bulletin here.  The sermon loads in the player below, or click this link to open it up. Let me know your thoughts.  Don't forget to complete the "Now What" related to this sermon: This week: Pray specifically for the young people of our church; you know their names, right? Consider, as an adult who cares for them and their spiritual development, write letters to them encouraging them to continue learning and growing.




Stay blessed...john
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Will you still Like us?

10/01/2010 0
That Oak Haven website outviewed this site once again last month! Those UMW loved that directory post; helped me catch up, but I couldn’t get ahead.

Now, I want you to keep helping Oak Haven. Are you on Facebook? Most of you probably are. Oak Haven is, too. When I set up that account I didn’t know all the rules. I just agreed to the terms. You probably did too! All that means is that the Oak Haven UMC account most people are familiar with is set up against Facebook terms. Organizations cannot have profile pages. They must have Fan Pages. We’ve since straightened all that out by creating a Fan Page.

Now, we need your help. The against-the-rules profile page has a decent number of friends following it. We would like to fully transition to our Fan Page without losing all of those friends following us. So, here is what you can do:
  1. Visit the Oak Haven United Methodist Church Fan Page. If the Spirit so moves click on the "Like" button.  This helps us raise our Fan Page following.
  2. If you are a friend of the bad Profile Page then unfollow Oak Haven UMC.  We want to stop using this page in the somewhat near future.
  3. Share this article with everyone you know on Facebook :)

You are appreciated! Stay blessed…john
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Relationship Help?

10/01/2010 0
HOW WOULD YOU MAKE A MARRIAGE WORK?
Tell your wife that she looks pretty, even if she looks like a truck. Ricky, age 10 (The boy already understands)

That is only one question answered here.   Take a look at the list for your dose of relationship help.  Enjoy your Friday!  Stay blessed...john

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