josh hall

Seven Thoughts on "Great Commission Baptists"

2012-02-22T00:34:00.011-06:00

If you haven't heard, the executive board of the Southern Baptist Convention gathered in Nashville this week to hear a report from a special task force on a possible new name for our denomination. You can read all about it here. The task force ended up recommending that we keep "Southern Baptist Convention" as our legal name, but that we also add the informal name (or tagline) of "Great Commission Baptists." Here are my seven thoughts on this development:

1) I appreciate the task force's heart. While part of the decision not to drop the name "SBC" was undoubtedly based on economic and legal factors, I also believe a large part of the decision was based on a desire to be peacemakers and find a good compromise. Regardless of what you think about the task force's recommendation, it is hard to find fault with their intention.

2) I hesitate to use this example, but if you're having a hard time envisioning how this will work, think about the Mormon Church. Often times, they are referred to as Mormons. But they are also known as "The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints." (LDS) Say what you will, but the alternative name has been an effective tool for them.

3) The informal name must now be passed by messengers at this year's annual meeting in New Orleans. I predict that it will easily pass, although not without a vocal minority opposing it. (And that's okay.)

4) Assuming passage, the best case scenario is that local churches and other entities with a strong allegiance to the term "Southern Baptist" will be happy/content to continue using it. While churches outside the SBC's traditional areas (that have found the word "Southern" to be a hindrance to their ministry) will benefit from referring to themselves as "Great Commission Baptists." Everyone (or nearly everyone - we are Baptists after all) will be happy.

5) The worst case scenario (or at least a bad scenario) is that the informal name will further drive a wedge into a denomination that already finds itself increasingly divided. The old guard will look with suspicion and derision on those who go by the new, informal name. While those who use the new name will paint those who cling to the term "Southern" as out-of-touch, anti-progress rednecks.

6) In the grand scheme of things, the name of the denomination isn't going to make a big difference one way or the other. We live in a post-denominational era. Local churches that boldly teach the Word of God, evangelize, and love on people will be healthy and strong regardless of what denomination they're affiliated with. Those that don't, wont.

7) We as Southern / Great Commission Baptists can call ourselves whatever we want, but if we don't humble ourselves before God, and find a way to work together, we will soon be irrelevant. We need to remember that God doesn't need us, but rather we need Him!

What are your thoughts?

Have We Forgotten What It's Like?

2012-02-17T15:09:00.004-06:00

I recently visited with a young woman that is fairly new to our church. In our conversation, she shared with me some of the fears she had when she first started attending. She told me when she first started attending Sunday School (which took some time) that she would silently pray before class that the teacher would not call on her, for fear she would not know the answer to the question. She thought she was the only one who wouldn't know the answer.

When she attended worship, if she did not know where to locate the sermon text, she wouldn't even try, for fear that someone sitting next to her would see her fumbling through her Bible and pick up on the fact she couldn't find it.

Since that time, this young woman has become a faithful attender of our church. She now loves Sunday School, and helps with our children's ministry. She has read through the entire New Testament, and much of the Old Testament. She has come a long way. But she did share with me one gesture that helped on her journey...

One night while sitting in Sunday evening worship, she didn't know how to find the sermon text. She closed her Bible and set it beside her. Then, one of our ladies sitting next to her, simply opened her Bible to the right location, and handed it to this young woman. The young woman told me that she may have otherwise taken offense to that act, but could not, because it was done in such a sweet spirit, without any judgment. It was a turning point for her.

I say all that to say this... I think sometimes those of us who have been in the Church for a long time, forget what it's like for someone who is new. We have forgotten how scary and intimidating it can be. We are callous, and it shows in our attitude toward guests, and the way we conduct our services.

I'm not talking about being "seeker sensitive" here. (That is to say, gearing the whole service around visitors.) I am a firm believer that corporate worship is primarily for the membership. I'm just talking about basic kindness. Being a good host to guests. Being aware. Trying to empathize a little bit with how they may feel.

How does this play out practically?...

If we care about guests, we'll have signs in our church that point them where to go. Have you ever gone into a big clinic or office building with absolutely no direction of how to find your destination? It is a vulnerable and frustrating feeling.

If we care about our guests, we'll have policies/procedures in place that protect children. Some might say, "Why do we need that? We all know each other!" A guest doesn't know you. A guest wants to know their children are safe and protected.

If we care about our guests, we'll make a deliberate and conscious decision to look for people we don't recognize in the worship service, and then introduce ourselves. Have you ever been a guest in a church where you sit down in a pew, and people walk right by you like your'e a bump on a log? Awkward, isn't it?

Pastors, if we care about our guests, perhaps we'll craft our sermons more carefully. I'm not talking about watering down doctrine, or avoiding Biblical terminology. I'm just talking about speaking in such a way that an average person can understand you. Taking time to explain those Biblical terms. Perhaps giving a little guidance when you announce your sermon text. (i.e. "You will find Judges in the OT, after the book of Joshua and before the book of Ruth.") Perhaps even announcing the page number of the text in the pew Bible.

Little things make a big difference. Little things communicate to a guest, "You are wanted and welcome here." One little thing, one little gesture, one little act of kindness (as noted above) can be a turning point in someone's life and walk with the Lord. Think about it.

This is Still the Place that We All Call Home

2012-02-13T19:30:00.004-06:00

I really like this song. It pretty well expresses how I feel about America right now. For all our country's shortcomings, I still love it, and it's still home.

Sermons on Sex

2012-02-09T15:33:00.003-06:00

Some of you have asked about the sermons I preached this past Sunday on physical intimacy. You may now listen to those sermons (entitled "The Act of Marriage") by scrolling down to the section entitled "Sermon Audio" and clicking on the appropriate links. To God be the glory.

Get Out of Your Context

2012-02-06T20:40:00.004-06:00

I have been very busy the last month or so, but it has been a "good busy." One day I spent the morning with a church planter on the northwest side of Springfield. He drove me around the community in which he feels led to plant a church, and shared with me his vision. Last week I spent three days in the southern suburbs of Chicago, talking to other pastors about missions, and looking at potential sites for our church's mission trip this summer. I also spent a couple hours last Friday (normally reserved as sermon day) serving pizza to students at our local community college, and visiting with them.

Why do I tell you this? Sometimes I think it's very easy for us as pastors (and believers in general) to get so wrapped up in our church, that we forget the Kingdom of God is very big, and that He is at work in many places. (At least I know I am often guilty of this.) While our primary responsibility is to shepherd our flock, I am convinced that one of the best things we can do for the health of our ministry (and by extension, the health of our church) is regularly experience a different context. It doesn't have to be far away. We just need to bust out of the "church bubble" from time to time. Here are some of the benefits of this, as I see them:

1) Experiencing a different context gives us perspective. It reminds us that the world doesn't revolve around our little town and our little church. There's a great big world out there, and we're just one little part of it. Maybe the latest "tiff" over the color of the carpet isn't a matter of life and death after-all.

2) Experiencing a different context reminds us the Kingdom is diverse. It's okay if we don't all look the same, dress the same, and sing the same songs. A church in Seattle does not (and should not) look like a church in Springfield. Our way is not the only way.

3) Experiencing a different context exposes us to good ideas others are trying. Often times when I visit other churches I learn new things that I take back to Selmore, that I never would have thought about otherwise. Usually they're just little things, but little things can make a big impact.

4) Experiencing a different context energizes us. It may be difficult, initially, to make the time to take a short term mission trip, or serve a meal at the downtown homeless shelter, or partner with a pastor across town on a ministry project. But the passion, vision, and personal renewal that results, make us more effective with the time we do have, and more productive in the end.

5) Experiencing a different context makes us more fresh and dynamic in our preaching. When Rachel and I were first married, we had a landlord that would come by early in the morning and ask, "Have you washed the stink off you yet?" This was his way of asking, "Are you up and at 'em? Have you washed your face? Have you got some fresh air yet?" There are some preachers that need to wash the stink off. Would you rather hear a stale sermon from someone who has been sitting around collecting cobwebs in his office all week, or someone who has been out working in the field, experiencing the movement of God firsthand?

Pastors, get out of your context. Even if it's nothing more than meeting with other pastors for fellowship and prayer once a month, don't be an island to yourself. Get out and see where and how God is at work in the world.

Church members, encourage your pastor to do this. It will make him a better pastor in the long run.

A Fulfilling Day

2012-02-05T23:43:00.001-06:00

It has been a fulfilling Lord's Day. Let me share a testimony of today's blessings:

1) A father and his grown son came forward together in this morning's worship service to make public professions of faith. I was privileged to lead them in the sinner's prayer together. It was a powerful moment.

2) I preached on physical intimacy in marriage in both services today. God blessed, and it ended up going pretty well. I love the challenge of teaching God's Word, and helping people apply it to their life.

3) We promoted today as "Choir Sunday" and set a goal of filling every chair in the choir loft. (30 chairs) And we met our goal! I know it sounds like a small thing, but it was a boost to the morale of the church.

4) A new family visited our church today. We are blessed at Selmore to have guests almost every Sunday.

5) At our church council meeting tonight, we approved a purpose statement (based on the Simple Church concept) to present to our church for adoption. We will be introducing it to the church this coming Sunday. I am excited about this, and believe it will be a great thing for our church to rally around.

Since I got home from church tonight, I watched the end of the super bowl, put in 20 minutes on the treadmill, and (obviously) updated my blog. Now it is time for bed. Thank you, Lord, for a good day.

Eloquence in Preaching

2012-02-05T00:05:00.007-06:00

In the book, The Power of Words and the Wonder of God, John Piper makes the case for eloquence in preaching. While the apostle Paul decried a certain kind of self-promoting eloquence (1 Cor 2:4), Piper makes the case that eloquence can be redeemed, and used to preach the Gospel with power and clarity. He lists five keys for doing so:

1) Keep Interest: Use artistic, surprising, and provocative language. This won't save your listener's soul, but it may keep him awake to hear the Word, which can save his soul.

2) Gain Sympathy: This does not mean telling sob stories but, rather, relating to your audience in such a way to earn their respect, attraction, interest, and concentration.

3) Awaken Sensitivity: If a poetic phrase can cause people to notice the magnificence of the sun, their next step might be to see that the heavens are telling the story of God.

4) Speak Memorably: Cadence, parallelism, meter, rhyme, assonance, and consonance are tools that can increase the impact of the message by making it easier to remember. (Could we add alliteration to this list?)

5) Increase Power: When eloquence and truth combine, it makes for powerful words. Indeed, anything less does the truth an injustice.

Of course, Piper stresses that all of the above are in vain unless the Spirit blesses our preaching. What do you think? Should a preacher intentionally strive to be eloquent? Or could this be considered a form of manipulation?

Love and Marriage

2012-01-31T23:36:00.001-06:00

This will be our February sermon series at Selmore; come check it out!

A True Hero of the SBC

2012-01-31T23:00:00.004-06:00

Meet David Peterman (on right in pic). David is a true hero of the Southern Baptist Convention. I met David today, and was blessed to hear his story and visit his church. David pastors Higher Ground Church on the south side of Chicago. Not too long ago, he was part of the corporate world. Then David felt the call of God into pastoral ministry. He left his corporate career behind, and began shepherding a declining congregation with a dilapidated building in a rough neighborhood. He and his wife moved into a little parsonage next to the church. That was almost one year ago.

Since then, Higher Ground has grown to 60-70 regular attendees in their primary worship service. They have baptized several, including the man you see in the picture with Pastor David, who now serves as the church caretaker. They have started a food pantry for the community. And they are steadily making improvements to their facility. In addition to their primary worship service, Higher Ground has a Hispanic service (Pastor David preaches with a translator) and a worship service geared toward children. (Their parents must attend as well.)

As one of my colleagues aptly remarked, "This is the guy who should be on the platform at our conventions." Amen and amen.

Heading to Chicagoland

2012-01-29T15:56:00.001-06:00

I will leave early tomorrow morning to spend the next three days in Chicagoland. Our church has a missions partnership with Three Rivers Baptist Association in the southern suburbs, and I will be joining three other leaders from our association in conducting a dialogue with their pastors regarding short-term missions, including how to host mission teams, and how to plan mission trips for your church.

If your church is in Missouri, and would like to take a short term mission trip this summer, I would highly recommend going to Chicagoland. It is near enough to drive there in a day, but it is far enough away to feel like you're out of your element. (And you truly are.) You can work in the city, the suburbs, or even fringe communities where subdivisions are surrounded by cornfields. The need for Christian influence in Chicagoland is staggering. There is plenty for everyone to do.

To get started, I would recommend contacting Rick Hedger at the Missouri Baptist Convention, or you can always email me at the address listed on my blog.

The 2012 Daily Bible Reading Challenge

2012-01-27T01:16:00.007-06:00

Do you need an easy-to-follow plan for reading your Bible every day? If so, let me suggest "The 2012 Daily Bible Reading Challenge." By clicking on the link, you can learn all about it, and print the instructions and the reading guide.

Basically, it entails reading individual books of the Bible from beginning to end, one chapter per day. Who can't do that? The challenge is designed to provide balance in your reading, alternating between Old and New Testaments, and incorporating selections from each of the 10 categories of Biblical writings. (i.e. law, history, wisdom/poetry, major prophets, minor prophets, gospels, church history, Paul's letters, general letters, apocalypse)

Check it out, and see what you think. If you don't like this plan, find another one! For those of us who claim to be followers of Christ, it is imperative that we're in the Word every day.

"Keeping it Real" on Facebook

2012-01-25T11:21:00.000-06:00

Based on a couple of recent studies, doctors are now warning people of a phenomenon known as "Facebook Depression." Basically, the belief is that when people get on Facebook and see nothing but their friends' smiling faces in pictures, and status updates about how wonderful their life is (family, job, vacation, etc.), that it makes the individual feel like a failure, and causes them to fall into depression.

Here is my response to that...

First of all, can we admit that many of us spend WAY too much time on Facebook? Almost anything in moderation is fine. But what does it say when we allow a stupid website to dictate our emotions?

Secondly, and on a more personal level, I just want everyone out there to know that regardless of what I put on Facebook, my life is far from perfect. And if I have given anyone the opposite impression, I apologize.

Now having said that, I'm not going to sit here and pretend I've had a hard life. I haven't. I am a very blessed man. I have good parents, a loving wife, healthy children, and I love my job. God has been far better to me than I deserve. And I do like to talk about my blessings on Facebook. I love the Lord and I'm proud of my family and my church, and so it's just what comes naturally.

But in the interest of "keeping it real," if it makes you feel any better, I go through seasons when I'm pretty melancholy. (Mildly depressed?) Rachel and I spat sometimes. Occasionally, I'm too harsh with my kids. Money is tight for us almost every month. (The church takes very good care of me. But we do have four kids.) Our house stays messy. (Rachel is an amazing wife and mother, but she is also a full-time school teacher. She can only do so much. Have you ever tried to clean up after 3 and 2 year-old boys?) I struggle with my weight. I could go on. The point is, I want you to know, our life is far from perfect.

I'm sure I will continue to brag on my God and my family on Facebook, but I'm going to pledge right now that I will not post anything with the intention of making my life look better, or more important, that what it really is. That doesn't mean I'm going to start posting all the negative stuff that happens, or tell you about my personal issues. (Facebook is NOT the forum for that, people.) But I will do my best to "keep it real." Will you?

Is Your Church Utilizing Home Based Groups?

2012-01-23T08:48:00.000-06:00

On the fourth Sunday night of each month, our church does "Life Groups." These groups typically meet in homes for Bible study and fellowship, and are an extension of our adult Sunday School classes.

Last night my Life Group had a great time. For our devotional time, each member of the group read a Bible passage that has been significant to their life, and gave a brief explanation. We also discussed ideas for doing home devotionals with our children. We closed by praying for one another.

My personal opinion is that it's healthy for every church to incorporate some element of gathering in members' homes. This was an important component of the early church (Acts 2) and it still has benefit today. There is something about being in one another's homes that strengthens the bond between people. (This is also why it's important for pastors to regularly be in their people's homes.)

The concept of home based small groups has really taken off in recent years. If your church isn't currently doing this in some form or fashion, you might give it some prayerful consideration. If your church does decide to do it, make sure there are some general guidelines and oversight in place.

I Don't Have to Go to Church to be a Christian . . . Or Do I?

2012-01-20T23:15:00.008-06:00

I suppose it has always been popular to say, "I don't have to go to church to be a Christian." Technically, that is correct. Salvation is not earned, nor is it maintained, by doing good works - including attending church. Only the grace of God saves us, and only the power of God preserves our salvation. However, if you think God doesn't care if you attend church, you are wrong.

Hebrews 10:24-25 says, "And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching."

Make no mistake. God does expect Christians to regularly assemble with other believers. When you forsake this aspect of your faith, you are in direct violation of God's Word. It is impossible to be a healthy Christian, and not be committed to a local church.

There are many good reasons why God commands Christians to physically assemble together. We worship. We organize for ministry and evangelism. We grow in our faith. And we enjoy fellowship and encouragement.

At this point there are always those who say, "I can worship at home or on the lake. I can grow in my faith by watching a television sermon, or listening to a podcast. I can contribute to ministry and missions by giving directly to charitable organizations and Christian causes. Why do I need to attend a local church?"

Well first of all, if you actually do all those things on your own on a regular basis, congratulations. You're a step ahead of me, and most other Christians I know. But let's assume that's true. Let's assume you are the model Christian, and have no need for the encouragement and accountability of other believers.

It doesn't matter. Other believers need you.

Look again at Hebrews 10:24. What is the first phrase in that verse? - "Let us consider one another." Contrary to popular opinion, we don't just go to church for ourselves; we go to church for others. We don't just go to church to receive; we go to church to give. We go to church to be part of something bigger than ourselves... The Body of Christ. We need to remember this.

One final thought... While it is technically correct to say that church attendance doesn't make one a Christian, 1 John 1:7 does add this little wrinkle, "if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another..." You may not have to go to church to be a Christian but, on the other hand, you may not be a Christian if you don't go to church.

Lamenting Newt

2012-01-19T17:28:00.006-06:00

So apparently Newt Gingrich is gaining steam in South Carolina. The fact that he is a serious candidate says a lot about the overall weakness of the GOP field.

I remember working for the campaign of a Republican state rep candidate when I was a freshman in college. (My only foray into politics.) The Democrat running against my guy mailed a flyer to all the homes in our district with a picture of my guy right next to a picture of Newt. (Like they knew each other or something.) But, the point is, this was the Democrats' strategy all across the nation for beating Republicans that election. Just connect them to Newt. Simple as that. (No matter how preposterous the connection was.)

And now all these years later, he is one of the top 3-4 candidates? Yikes. And by the way, the Democrat won.

Weight Watchers

2012-01-17T09:57:00.004-06:00

Last Monday I started Weight Watchers. They hooked me with the Charles Barkley ads. (I like Chuck.) I am doing the online version. (I especially like the iphone app; it is excellent.) So far, so good. After the first week I lost four pounds. I am really impressed with the program. It forces you to practice moderation, but it isn't extreme and it doesn't restrict you from anything. It is designed for healthy, long term weight loss. It's not super cheap (about $18/mo), but if you drop the weight, that's a small price to pay. I've been working out pretty regularly recently, and I actually feel pretty good after the first week of WW. Thanks in advance for the prayers/encouragement.

The Toxic Church

2012-01-13T17:03:00.002-06:00

Have you ever watched a movie, or spent time with a certain person, and thought "I am now literally dumber for having had that experience?" (See above video clip.)

Can that same principle apply to churches? Is it possible that there is actually such a thing as a church that sends people away worse Christians than when they arrived?

Apparently so. Paul tells the Corinthians in 1 Cor 11:17, "you come together not for the better but for the worse." Such churches are poison. They are toxic.

What characteristics define the "toxic church?" If Hebrews 10 tells us why we should assemble together (to stir up love and good works, and exhort one another) then I suppose the "toxic church" does just the opposite:

1) Instead of stirring up love for God and one another, members of a toxic church stir up strife, envy, and selfishness.

2) Instead of stirring up good works (holiness) in one another, "works of the flesh" spread like a cancer in the toxic church: adultery, fornication, lewdness, idolatry, sorcery, drunkenness, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, heresies, etc.

3) Instead of exhorting (challenging) one another, and holding one another accountable, members of a toxic church turn the other way when fellow members are engaged in sin. They think, "What business is it of mine?"

Is there such a thing as a church that sends people away worse Christians than when they arrived? Yep. The toxic church. If you are in such a church, pray for God's direction. If He does not impress on you to stay and help reform it (which He may do), then go find a new church that loves God, loves people, and is faithful to the Word.

New Sermons

2012-01-10T16:42:00.000-06:00

Uploaded a couple new sermons today. You can click on them below (bottom left). I am going to try to keep this feature updated a little better. Take a listen. I hope they are a blessing to you.

Personal Retreat Day

2011-12-29T14:13:00.001-06:00

A couple years back I read that the Evangelical Free denomination encourages its pastors to take a quarterly, if not monthly, "Personal Retreat Day." This is not a vacation day, but a day to retreat to a secluded location and: spend time in prayer, spend time in the Word, reflect on the most recent season in the life of the church, and do some "big picture thinking" regarding how God would have the pastor to lead the church forward.

I think this is a great suggestion because, as any pastor knows, it is hard to find time to do prayerful "big picture thinking" due to the daily demands and frenetic pace of ministry. If we are not careful, we find ourselves merely along for the ride, always reacting to the latest circumstance, rather than proactively seeking God's vision for His people, laying it out before them, and then leading them to accomplish it.

For the remainder of today and tomorrow, I am taking my first "Personal Retreat Day." With the blessing of my very understanding wife, I am going to spend some time alone with God, and just seek His will for my life and my church. This Sunday morning, I will be delivering a "State of the Church" address, that will come out of this time.

If you are interested, here is a link to more information on this concept.

Book Review - Heaven is for Real

2011-12-27T01:44:00.006-06:00

Every few years a new book is released by someone who claims to have been to Heaven, and it causes a big stir. Typically, I am pretty cautious of such books. And honestly, I don't spend much money or time on them. I just figure Heaven is going to be better than anything I could ever imagine, and I'm pretty satisfied with leaving it at that. But recently one of our church's senior ladies handed me a copy of Heaven is for Real and asked me to take a look at it. I generally try to honor my elders' wishes, so I sat down today and read the book. And I must say, it was very easy to read and kept my attention well. I knocked it out in about two hours of reading.

The basic storyline of the book follows the Burpo family from rural Nebraska. The father, Todd, is a pastor of a small church. And his wife, Sonja, is a school teacher. At the time of the events in the book, the couple has a daughter named Cassie, and an almost four year old son named Colton. To make a long story short, Colton suffers a burst appendix, and almost dies from complications. Colton's parents, and his church family, pray on his behalf and he makes a miraculous recovery. In the coming months and years, Colton reveals to his parents, in bits and pieces, a remarkable story of leaving his body to visit Heaven during that critical time. In the process, he reveals details of Heaven that align well with Biblical texts, and he also describes meeting deceased family members, whom he had no way of knowing otherwise.

I mentioned I'm cautious about such books, and maybe even skeptical. It's not that I don't believe in near death experiences. Quite the contrary. I think it's pretty obvious that they do occur. But I am far from convinced these experiences are always godly in origin. (We know satan is the great deceiver.) Having said that, do I think there are Christians who have been given a legitimate peek into the world known to us as "Paradise" or "Heaven?" Yeah, I do. And I come away from this book tending to believe that Colton Burpo probably did.

Now, does that mean I believe that every detail relayed by Colton in the book is accurate? No, not really. I have a son the age that Colton was during his experience. There are times my three year old son will be saying something perfectly rational, and then without explanation or pause his thoughts/words will go in some totally goofy direction. Sometimes it's hard to distinguish fantasy from reality when he's talking to you. Also, is it possible a young child finds he gets attention for talking about Heaven, and then begins to feed off that and just starts saying anything that comes to mind on the subject? Perhaps. I don't know Colton Burpo, so I can't say for sure.

As for the book's Biblical merit, while I don't recall reading anything in Colton's account that I would classify as anti-Biblical, there were several things that were extra-Biblical that caused me to raise an eyebrow. Namely that Gabriel has a throne at the left hand of the Father, that Mary often accompanies Jesus in Heaven and watches over Him as a mother would a son, and that people in Heaven have wings (much as an angel would), which is a concept found often in art/tradition, but nowhere to be found in Scripture.

Having said that, many of the things Colton relates in the book seem to be very biblical. Here's some things I thought were pretty cool:

1) Colton returns with a passion/zeal for the exclusivity of Jesus, and that people know Him. At one point the little boy gets visibly upset at a funeral, "Did he know Jesus? He had to know Him! He can't get into Heaven if He didn't know Him!" He made such a scene his parents had to escort him out.

2) When asked what he did at night time in Heaven, Colton gets a disgusted look and asks his dad, "Who told you it gets dark in Heaven? It doesn't get dark there! God and Jesus are the light!" (Biblical)

3) Colton loves to play with swords. When his mom suggested there were no swords in Heaven, Colton vehemently tells her that's not so, reminding her that satan is still alive/well, and that when he (Colton) was in Heaven certain angels yielded swords to keep satan out. (He says he asked Jesus to play with their swords, and Jesus told him it would be too dangerous.)

4) Colton has a true disgust for modern pictures of Jesus. In all the pictures he has seen, only one does Jesus justice. (Interestingly, a picture painted by a little girl who also claims to have gone to Heaven.)

In the end, what you think of the book really comes down to a matter of trust. Do you trust the little boy and his parents are communicating an honest story? (I have no reason not to.) And if so, how accurate is their story to the actual events?

For me, the most edifying part of the book was not the part that spoke of Colton's experience in Heaven, but the part that spoke of the agony that Todd (Colton's dad) went through as he watched his son deteriorate to the verge of death, and could do nothing about it. He discusses the anger/agony/helplessness he felt in those hours. It is a great story of faith and God's grace but, I will warn you, it hits pretty close to home if you're a parent.

Overall, I would recommend this book. It is a good/uplifting story that honors God. As in all things, the reader just needs to use good discernment.

Christmas Sermon Starter

2011-12-23T11:04:00.000-06:00

"For unto us a Child is born, Unto us a Son is given; And the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace." Isaiah 9:6

Wonderful Counselor - Jesus is our HELP.
Mighty God - Jesus is our HERO.
Everlasting Father - Jesus is our HEAD.
Prince of Peace - Jesus is our HOPE.

Edifying Country Song of the Week

2011-12-22T22:48:00.002-06:00

I have always liked the song "Wave on Wave" by Pat Green, and heard it for the first time in a long time the other day. With a couple minor edits, it could very easily be a fantastic Christian song. Consider these (slightly modified) lyrics...

I wandered out into the water
And I thought that I might drown
I don’t know what I was after
Just know I was going down
That's when You found me
I'm not afraid anymore
You said "You know I always had you baby,
Just waiting for you to find what you were looking for"

I love it! Enjoy!

One Pastor's Weekly Routine

2011-12-12T01:17:00.001-06:00

In terms of a work routine, every pastor has to figure out what works best for them. (And maybe some never nail one down.) But I am a creature of habit, and work best with a consistent routine. For what it's worth, here's mine. Maybe it will be a help to someone.

Monday: Sabbath. With rare exception, I crash on Monday. I turn off my phone, and set up a "vacation reply" on my email. I sleep in. I fish. I do yard work. I balance the checkbook. I run errands. I take a nap. I do lots of things, but none of them are church related. Monday is refresh, reset and recharge day. From the beginning, God established the principle of resting every seventh day. If you are not practicing this, I encourage you to do so. It doesn't have to be Monday, but you need to have a day of rest. It will make you a more effective pastor in the long run.

Tuesday: Office day. Tuesdays are full of emails, telephone calls, writing notes to guests, and other miscellaneous office work. I also schedule a lot of meetings, lunch appointments, etc. on Tuesdays.

Wednesday: Wednesday is a mixture of office work, and lesson preparation for Wednesday night Bible study. I also do some counseling on Wednesdays. I generally try to get home earlier in the day on Wednesdays, so I have some down time before returning to church that night.

Thursday: Visit day. Thursday is generally the day that I try to visit our people in their homes. My goal is to be in at least three homes every week. That may not sound like a lot, but a dozen visits every month adds up to 144 home visits per year. Most of these visits are with our elderly/homebound members. I also use Thursday to make sure I have my stuff into our secretary for the Sunday bulletin, and to prepare announcement slides for the upcoming Sunday worship service.

Friday: Sermon day. If I have had a good/productive week, I only have one thing left to do on Friday - write the manuscript for the upcoming Sunday morning sermon. Ideally, early in the week I have selected my text and have spent the week meditating on it, and formulating a rough outline/direction in my mind. Friday, then, is when the serious study takes place, and the rubber meets the road. (Or in this case, the fingers meet the keyboard.) This typically consumes the better part of my day.

Saturday: Flex day. Often times there will be some kind of church activity, birthday party, etc. to attend on Saturdays. If these things come up, they usually don't take up too much of the day. If I have the day free, that's okay too! I kinda go with the flow on Saturdays. We typically do family things on this day.

Sunday: Lord's day. I arrive at church at 8:00 or a little after, and usually leave church by noon. We typically eat out as a family, and then come home and nap. I go back to church around 3:30-4:00, and organize my thoughts for Sunday night worship which starts at 6:00. After Sunday evening worship, there is usually a meeting of some sort. Typically around 8:00 I am leaving church, and then it's off to Subway for a sandwich to take home and crash in my recliner. Sundays are exhilarating but also exhausting. But then you know all about that, if you're a pastor.

And then of course any given week there are the unexpected things - hospital visits, funerals, conflict resolution, etc. While it is important to protect certain days/times (I really try to protect my Mondays and Fridays), in many instances these things can't be put off. When that's the case, I just go with the flow and do what I can do. I hate finishing sermons on Saturday nights, but from time to time it is necessary.

In the end, it really helps to have a church that is understanding, trusting, and doesn't micromanage their pastor. I am very blessed in that regard.

(One thing of note that you may have found missing is staff meetings. I am the only full time staff member at our church, so we do not have weekly meetings. I meet with our other pastors/ministers on staff the first Saturday of each month.)

Marvin

2011-12-07T13:15:00.000-06:00

Yesterday, Selmore Baptist Church lost one of its patriarchs, Marvin Allen. Marvin was a 90 year-old, godly gentleman who along with his wife (who proceeded him to Heaven by several years) had mentored many of the current mature adults in my church. Marvin was the kind of man that will truly leave a hole in the heart of the church, and will be talked about for many years to come. I will save my personal thoughts about Marvin for his funeral service, but I would like to say a word about what I witnessed at his home yesterday.

When I arrived at his home yesterday morning, Marvin hadn't been gone very long. In fact, Marvin's body was still there. But by the time I got there, two other couples from our church had already come. What I saw touched my heart. The men had tended to Marvin's body until the funeral home could arrive. Their wives made his bed, and helped his elderly sister (who lived with him) get dressed. These couples found Marvin's IDs, prescriptions, helped make calls, brought food/drink to his sister, swept the porch free of snow, went out and bought lunch for the family, and did every little thing you could imagine to be a help. When the funeral home did arrive, it was the men of our church that helped carry Marvin to the vehicle.

Can you see that this is what church family is all about? That this is how it's supposed to be? Marvin invested his life in his church and, in the end, his church was there for him. May we all be so blessed.

How Many Churches Are Enough?

2011-12-06T00:01:00.008-06:00

That's a question I've often pondered since I did a little experiment a few years ago. I simply typed my church's street address into the "church search" feature on the Southern Baptist website, and did a search for all SBC churches within 15 miles of the church I pastor. To my surprise, there were 75 SBC churches within 15 miles of mine.

Admittedly, many of these churches are very small, and in decline. However, several are healthy churches that are reaching a good number of people and making an impact on the community. And again, the website search only counts SBC churches, not evangelical churches of other denominations, of which there are many. (In fact, there are three "mega churches" within 15 miles of my church. Two SBC and one A/G.)

Despite the abundance of churches in my community, new churches continue to be planted. And I get that. Our area (greater Springfield, MO) is a desirable place to live and minister. And to be fair, it is growing in population.

But contrast the number of churches in my community, to the number of churches in suburban Chicago, where our church has a mission partnership. Three Rivers Baptist Association, on the south side of Chicagoland, ministers to 11 counties with an estimated population of 2.4 million people. And how many SBC churches comprise TRBA, to try and reach this massive area and population?... 32 churches and four missions - less than half the established churches that exist within 15 miles of my own!

I know we need all kinds of churches in all kinds of places. And it's not my place to question the specific vision that God has given a particular group of people to plant a church. (I have been guilty of this in the past, and have judged wrongly.) My desire is to be an encourager to new churches. But in general terms, I just wonder if more churches in the suburbs of the Bible belt are the best use of God's resources. And some would counter that argument by saying, "But we're filling this niche or that"... (millennials, cowboys, bikers, artists, postmoderns, etc.) But is that not like adding one more entre to our buffet of churches while others starve to death for the gospel?

We desperately need men and women who are willing to go to the great cities of the northern U.S. and Canada, and the great expanses of the western U.S., (such as my brother, Jordan, who is serving in Montana), and foreign contexts, and sew down Biblically faithful churches that will grow and reproduce.

On this topic... David Platt, in his book Radical Together, affirms the importance of being "missional" in our local community. But he also says this, "I am convinced that Satan, in a sense, is just fine with missional churches in the West spending the overwhelming majority of our time, energy, and money on trying to reach people right around us."

Another man has put it this way, "We talk of the second coming. Half the world has never heard of the first."

ADDENDUM AFTER FURTHER THOUGHT...

I know that, in theory, this is the classic "both and" situation. We need new churches everywhere, both in the Bible belt and elsewhere. And no new church should be discouraged. A big part of me believes that. But considering the reality - limited church planters and resources - shouldn't our priority be on higher concentrations of lostness, with little to no gospel witness? I guess that's the question.

His Name is Wonderful

2011-11-26T08:30:00.003-06:00

From time to time in the Old Testament, the preincarnate Christ makes an appearance as the "Angel of the Lord." The translators let us know the places where the text supports that an angel is actually Christ, by capitalizing the word "Angel." Some examples of this are the Angel of the Lord appearing to Haggar in the wilderness, Daniel in the lions' den, and the parents of Samson to announce his impending birth.

It's this latter example that I read about last night in my devotional time. In Judges 13 the Angel of the Lord appears to Samson's mother first, and then later both parents. When Samson's father asks the Angel His name, I love his response, "Why do you ask my name, seeing it is wonderful?"

As we launch into the Christmas season, let's remember there is something supernatural, powerful, awe-inspiring, and wonderful about the name of JESUS.

Working Smarter, Not Harder, On Sunday Nights

2011-11-21T04:17:00.008-06:00

While many churches no longer have a worship service on Sunday nights (sinners... just kidding), there are still several that do. For those of us who pastor such churches, Sunday night sermons can be one of the more challenging aspects of pastoral ministry.

Obviously, you're going to put the bulk of your energy and study time during the week into your Sunday morning sermon, when the most people are there. Then most of us have some kind of midweek prep, such as Wednesday night Bible study, etc. Throw in an occasional funeral or other miscellaneous service during the week, and there's just not a lot of time left (if any) to prepare a quality sermon for Sunday night worship.

I am always interested to hear how other pastors deal with this predicament. Here's some approaches I've heard of:

1) The pinch hitter approach. If you're part of a multi-staff church, have another guy preach on Sunday nights. Most of us don't have this luxury. Even if there are other pastors on staff, the church usually expects the senior pastor to deliver the bulk of the sermons (and rightfully so).

2) The microwave approach. Dig out sermons from years gone by, warm them up, and preach them again. Before you're too critical of this approach, one well-respected pastor I know points out that his people are better off hearing a well-prepared sermon from several years ago, than a sermon he hastily threw together this week. It's a valid point. The same pastor also claims that most people will never remember any sermon over five years old. The drawback to this approach, of course, is the lack of a "fresh word" from the pastor's heart.

3) The scramble approach. As in scramble to come up with something to preach at the last minute. Enough said.

4) The multi-service approach. Some churches are going to this approach, presenting their Sunday night service as an alternative to Sunday morning, rather than encouraging people to attend both. Sometimes the style of music may be different than the morning service, but the sermon is the same. This is good for people who can't be at the morning service, but may disenfranchise those who have grown accustomed to Sunday night having its own unique service.

At times, I have used both #1 and #2. (I have also used #3 more than I would care to admit.) But I do want to share with you another approach not on this list that I have used the last three Sunday nights, that seems to be working well. (From my perspective at least. You would have to ask my people to know for sure.)

I call this approach "discussion points." The gist of this approach is that you use the same Biblical text on Sunday night that you preached from that morning. The difference is that you go a little deeper on Sunday night. Maybe you pull out a certain verse or phrase from the text, and really zero in on it. Maybe you bring out an application you didn't have time to bring out that morning. Maybe you explore some interesting "side roads" that were a little too "steep" for the Sunday morning crowd.

How I get started with this is to take my notes from my Sunday morning sermon (I typically preach from a manuscript which makes it easy), and begin to go through them and just put myself in the shoes of someone hearing the sermon for the first time, and jot down questions or "discussion points." These questions/points form the outline for the Sunday night "sermon." Some of the questions I answer myself, but others I pose to the congregation to facilitate some interaction and discussion. (I teach on Sunday nights from a lectern on the floor.) I also give the congregation a chance to ask any questions they may have about the morning sermon. (As a bonus, if you want to encourage your younger set to be involved, encourage them to text you questions about the Sunday morning sermon in real time. Let them know you'll answer them later that evening.)

The main benefit of this approach is that you're not having to deal with an entirely different passage on Sunday night. Because you've already done your homework/exegesis for your Sunday morning sermon, the hard part is already done.

The challenge of this approach is to not merely repeat the same things you said Sunday morning. If you don't bring a new insight/angle to the table, your people could feel like they're getting a re-run (understandably). You also have to be humble/secure enough that you don't mind laying your sermon out there, and allowing it to be picked over.

I'm sure this approach isn't for everyone. Who knows? It may not even be for me. (I've only tried it three weeks.) But so far, so good. Hopefully this approach can be a help to some of you.

Three Ways to Tell if You're a "Carnal Christian"

2011-11-18T13:56:00.001-06:00

"for you are still carnal. For where there are envy, strife, and divisions among you, are you not carnal and behaving like mere men?" 1 Corinthians 3:3

How do you know if you're a "carnal (i.e. immature/driven by the flesh) Christian?"

1) You struggle with envy or jealousy. You're never content with what God has given you. You must always have the latest and greatest "whatever" that everyone else has, or you're not happy. You must be the center of attention. It bothers you when anyone besides yourself (or your family) receives praise/recognition.

2) Strife follows you. You're always fussing with someone. There is always someone you're mad at (or vice versa), usually over petty things that have no eternal significance. Every day of your life is a soap opera. You live for drama.

3) You promote division rather than unity. This is often done under the guise of holiness, when it's really about personal preference. To you, there is no such thing as a secondary issue. Every issue is of primary importance, and everything is black and white. People are either for you, or against you. Those that are "against" you (or don't feel the need to pick a side) are quickly labeled and demonized. You need a battle to fight, and a side to take, to feel good about yourself.

Are Christians Making Life Harder for Tim Tebow?

2011-11-18T07:52:00.002-06:00

It's easy to understand why Christians want Tim Tebow to succeed in the NFL. Rarely has there been a more charismatic, outspoken proponent of the faith on the public stage. Tebow is handsome (so I'm told), articulate, and a heckuva football player - the kind of guy that would be homecoming king at any high school in America. Well, at least the red states. (Did I mention Tebow was homeschooled? Another reason many evangelicals root for him.) Christians also see in Tebow (accurately or not) a man who has been discriminated against because of his faith. Some have asserted this was the underlying reason he did not begin the year as the starting QB for the Denver Broncos (he has since taken over the starting job and has won four of five games). There are also those in the national media that seem to have an unwarranted venom for the young man. (Looking at you Merril Hoge.) So in Tebow, Christians see a fellow believer being persecuted, and the tendency is to rally around him.

Here is my concern with all that.

I hope in rooting for Tebow that we do not elevate him to a status that no one can live up to. By the comments of some, one might be tempted to think that Tebow himself is the second coming. It's almost like we're making Tim Tebow into the pastor's kid. You know, the one that everyone pats on the head and tells them that they're going to make a fine preacher, just like their daddy. The one that everyone thinks is perfect. How does that usually turn out?

The fact of the matter is that Tim Tebow, as a popular professional athlete, is surrounded by temptations that most of us could never imagine. And as much as we'd like to think we do, none of us know Tim Tebow's heart or even what he does in his free time. I'm not trying to imply anything. I just know human nature. (My own nature, mainly.) So maybe before we prop him up too much, it would be better just to let Tebow be a football player.

Now don't get me wrong. We can still appreciate the fact that he is a fellow believer, and root for him because of that. (I know I will.) And we should definitely pray that God help him stay true to his faith. But perhaps it would be better for us and him both if we simply looked at Tim Tebow as a football player that happens to love Christ, rather than "THE Christian football player."

Pastors' Learning Community

2011-11-16T15:54:00.003-06:00

Today I got to attend one of my favorite things - Pastors' Learning Community. PLC is a group of pastors that meets about 6-8 times per year for lunch and discussion of a selected book. We meet at Ridgecrest Baptist Church in Springfield, which provides us an excellent lunch for a minimal cost. John Marshall of Second Baptist Church and Hosea Bilyeu of Ridgecrest lead the discussion each month. We begin at 11:45 and typically end promptly by 1:00, so it doesn't take too much of the day. I often tell people that PLC is the single best thing I've been part of to challenge me intellectually and help me grow as a pastor. Not to mention that I've been introduced to some wonderful books, a couple of which have profoundly impacted my ministry. If you are a pastor in southwest Missouri, consider checking it out. It will be well worth your time. Contact Ridgecrest for more information.

A Good Prayer

2011-11-13T21:58:00.000-06:00

Unlike the infamous "Nascar Prayer," here is actually a very good prayer associated with an athletic event.

A Good Saturday

2011-11-12T18:20:00.001-06:00

It's been a good Saturday. Played in the leaves with my kids. Went to lunch with my in laws. Took a long nap. Putting some soup on the stove for supper. After the kids go to bed, I will do the powerpoint slides for tomorrow's sermon. Then I will wake up in the morning and worship with an awesome church family. Tomorrow is "Youth Sunday," so our teenagers will be helping in various parts of the service. That will be cool. After worship, the church is taking our family (and the rest of the staff) to Golden Corral and buying our lunch. Life is good. God is good.

2011-11-10T09:26:00.001-06:00

As the leaves continue to turn outside, I wanted to post this song called "Every Season" by Nichole Nordeman. The lyrics are some of my favorite of all time. They compare the seasons of nature to the seasons of life. And as we know, at the end of this life, the Christian awakens to a glorious and eternal spring. Enjoy.

A New Look

2011-11-09T00:07:00.000-06:00

Hope you like the new look of the blog! It was time to spiff it up a bit. The name of my blog is no longer "Gone Fishin" but simply "josh hall." Also, please note the web address has changed to www.halljosh.blogspot.com. Finally, there is a new feature that links to audio files of my Sunday sermons if you're interested. Thanks!

My Struggle with Self-Control a.k.a. Weight

2011-11-07T09:35:00.002-06:00

Today I am getting back on track with my weight. I hesitate to use the word "diet" because I'm not going to do anything crazy. I'm simply going to begin tracking intake and output, to hold myself accountable. (Calories in and calories out.) I have a reasonable daily calorie goal, and I'm going to exercise at least four times per week. (I walked 30 minutes this morning.) I would like to lose 60 lbs in the next 12 months, and then we'll see after that.

My struggle to lose weight is a humbling thing. I have tried and failed many times. But I will not give up. Ultimately, being overweight is not the problem, but a symptom of the problem. In my case, that problem (or "sin" more accurately) is lack of self-control. Being overweight is just one way this sin manifests itself in my life.

Even if I eventually fix this particular symptom, the underlying sin will just rear its ugly head in another way in my life unless it too is dealt with. For instance, consider people who use smoking to lose weight. All they do is trade one addiction (food) for another (cigarettes). Now they won't die of obesity, but they will die of lung cancer. The symptom was treated, but not the underlying problem (self-control). And so the sin just manifests itself in a different, but equally destructive, way.

So while I work on the symptom, I must also pray that God continues His sanctifying work in my life on the underlying problem. One of the fruits of the Spirit is "self control," and ultimately that is the cure I need.

Pray for me! And thanks for reading!

Sunday Sermon Starter

2011-11-04T09:58:00.006-05:00

Concerning the Scriptures
1 Corinthians 2:13-16 (NKJV)

1) Scripture is not the wisdom of man, but the teaching of the Holy Spirit. (13)

2) The value and meaning of Scripture is hidden from the "natural man." (13-14)

3) The value and meaning of Scripture is revealed to the "spiritual man." (15) The first instance of the word "judges" in this verse means to discern or understand.

4) The authoritative teaching of Scripture will always bring opposition. (15-16) Others will judge you and challenge you. Note the sarcastic question in v16 - the same question Job's "friends" asked of him.

5) Our authority to proclaim Scripture as absolute truth comes from Christ. (16)

My Thoughts on the 2011 Missouri Baptist Convention

2011-11-01T21:30:00.000-05:00

I am blogging tonight from my hotel room at Tan-Tar-A resort at Lake of the Ozarks, where I am attending the annual meeting of the Missouri Baptist Convention. A warning... If you are not a Southern Baptist and/or not from Missouri, you probably will find this post very boring. But I am writing this for my church folk (and anyone else) who couldn't be here and would like a report.

On a personal level, it has been somewhat of an eventful convention. Yesterday I was elected treasurer of the pastors' conference that precedes the annual meeting each year. That doesn't mean a lot right now, but it does mean that in three years I will be the president of the conference and will be responsible for lining up speakers and making all the arrangements. It will be a big responsibility, but I am hoping it will be fun and rewarding as well. The other officers for the pastors conference are Micah Fries (pastor of Frederick Boulevard in St. Joseph) and Phil Bray (pastor of FBC-Macon).

And then today I had the honor of leading the convention in a Scripture reading and prayer, which was a very neat and humbling experience.

The highlight of this year's convention was the installation of Dr. John Yeats as our state's new executive director. Dr. Yeats comes from Louisiana and is a highly respected leader in the Southern Baptist Convention. In Dr. Yeats' inaugural address, he shared what he believes to be the seven primary roles of a state convention. Dr. Yeats is fiery and folksy, and he will be well received by Missouri Baptists. We must pray for Dr. Yeats as he begins this new position. Missouri Baptists have been through a lot in recent years. We desperately need good leadership.

Speaking of good leadership, I was so glad that Mr. and Mrs. Jay Hughes were given a Caribbean cruise by the convention last night, for Jay's work as our interim director over the last ten months. (Jay is normally one of our associate directors.) Jay has become a good friend, and they don't come any better than him in my book. Jay provided a steady hand when things very easily could have fallen apart. Well deserved.

John Marshall has done a tremendous job of moderating the convention. Dr. Marshall is the George Washington of the MBC - known and respected by all. He has kept the meeting moving, but also lighthearted. Last night Mrs. Marshall (Ruth) helped Dr. Marshall make some presentations on the stage, and had the entire convention laughing so hard they were in tears. Some suggested that perhaps Ruth should be president. :)

One exciting measure that was approved today was a partnership between Missouri Baptists and Iowa Baptists. The history of our two state conventions is closely linked. I am told that, at one time, every Baptist church in Iowa was started by a Baptist church in Missouri. Iowa is not a traditional Southern Baptist state, and we have very few churches there. In recent times a merger has at least been kicked around between the Missouri and Iowa conventions, but for now it will simply remain a partnership. It will be fascinating to see what God does with this.

The annual meeting ends tomorrow, and then it will be time to return home. As always, I want to thank my church for paying my way to come to conventions such as this. It is a nice break and morale booster. If your church does not currently pay for your pastor to come to the state convention (hotel/meals/mileage), please consider raising the issue. It will mean a lot to him personally, and it is good for your church to have a seat at the table.

Thanks for reading.

Springfield, MO

2011-10-30T22:47:00.006-05:00

Click on the pic to see a bigger image.

The Queen City of the Ozarks on a beautiful October evening. Downtown on the left horizon. Springfield is a beautiful city in the fall.

What Can Pastors Learn from Peyton Manning?

2011-10-15T22:54:00.001-05:00

Peyton Manning is one of the greatest quarterbacks of all time. He is a Super Bowl champion and a four time Most Valuable Player. He has led his team, the Indianapolis Colts, to nine consecutive playoff appearances. But perhaps the most impressive Peyton statistic is that coming into this year he had started 208 consecutive football games - an amazing feat of durability in the physically demanding NFL.

But over the off-season the unthinkable happened. Peyton had surgery on his neck, and didn't heal in time for the beginning of the 2011 season. In fact, it is now doubtful that he will play this season at all. For the first time in 13 seasons, the Colts are forced to face life without Peyton Manning.

So far, the results have not been pretty. The Colts have lost their first five games. At times they have seemed lost and bewildered. One does not easily replace a player of Peyton's considerable talent but, at the same time, should losing any one player really make that big a difference? Perhaps as the season goes on the Colts will find their way and win a few games. But right now, it really doesn't look good. As long as Peyton was behind center, they did well. But as soon as he's gone, "poof," they can't win a football game. Somewhere along the way the Colts became overly dependent on one player.

Could the Colts coaching staff, or even Peyton himself, done more to prepare the team for a scenario in which Peyton couldn't play? I don't know for sure, but it certainly seems that way.

It makes me wonder how many churches are in the same boat. How many churches are so centered around their pastor that if he ever left, or was unable to continue, the church would fall apart? It happens.

A good pastor is like a good quarterback. If you lose him, there's no way the team (church) won't take a hit. But a good church should be able to recover. Others should be prepared to step up, fill in, and provide stability until new leadership is in place.

Pastor, are you equipping others to do the work of ministry, or is everything built around you? If anything happened to you, what would become of your church? Would others know what to do, or would they be lost? What ministries would suffer or cease altogether if you weren't there to do them? Perhaps these are the ministries that you should begin now coaching other people to lead.

For all of Peyton Manning's greatness, his team is not prepared to carry on in his absence. Pastors, we can do better by our churches.

"Courageous" Movie Review

2011-10-10T10:45:00.002-05:00

Courageous is a good movie. Not a good Christian movie. Just a good movie, period. And I'm not the type to just jump on the bandwagon of the latest, cheesy, "Christian" fad. But it was solid. I would compare it very much to a good, made-for-television movie. (Which Rachel and I usually like better than the big screen movies.) Maybe the acting isn't always the best. Maybe the plot is a little predictable. Maybe there are no high tech special effects or giant explosions. But it makes you laugh a little, cry a little, surprises you here and there, and after it's over you're glad you watched it. Here are some random thoughts on the movie. Some good. Some bad...

1) It was about 30 minutes too long. It drug a little toward the end.

2) Much like it's predecessor "Fireproof" laid the groundwork for marketing "The Love Dare," this movie has some products it wants to sell as well. (I won't spoil it by telling you what they are.) The only difference is that these products seemed more forced into the plot of this movie than "The Love Dare" was in "Fireproof." I actually thought the not-so-subtle commercials were unfortunate, and hurt the overall quality of the movie a bit.

3) There are some legitimate, blood pumping, action scenes in this movie.

4) There are some very funny scenes in this movie. That's the loudest I've heard people laugh at a movie theater in quite awhile.

5) There were some particularly gutwrenching/sad scenes. Maybe a tad bit of overkill here.

6) Kudos to "Courageous" for following in the footsteps of its predecessors and plainly sharing the Gospel, without being preachy. People will come to Jesus through this film.

7) Again, good movie. Really glad I saw it. But in the Sherwood family of movies, nothing will ever measure up to "Facing the Giants" in my opinion!

Making a Friend

2011-10-07T07:41:00.000-05:00

Our church is making an effort this week to get out in the community. Last night our family visited an apartment complex, and handed out "goodie bags," and invited people to church. This little girl asked if we would come to her apartment, which we gladly did, and went on to have a good conversation with her mom and grandma.

If you're interested, our goodie bags contained the following: evangelistic tract (my favorite is Mark Driscoll's "Vintage Jesus"), magnet with our church information, fliers to upcoming events at the church, and a few pieces of candy.

Hopefully we will see this little girl, and her family, at church soon!

Joshua 3:5

2011-10-05T09:51:00.000-05:00

And Joshua said to the people, "Sanctify yourselves for tomorrow the Lord will do wonders among you." Joshua 3:5

The word "sanctify" means to be set apart for a special purpose, to be made holy. In terms of our walk with the Lord, it refers to the process by which the Holy Spirit conforms us to the image of Christ, and empowers us to overcome the flesh (sin).

For Joshua, the Lord doing "wonders" among the people was directly tied to their sanctification. The same can be said of churches today. Often, we say we long for God to do something great in our church. But for many churches it's been a long time since they've seen God do anything out of the ordinary. Why is this?

In many (most?) instances, this is because the people of the church are not living sanctified/holy lives. God will not "do wonders" where unconfessed sin lingers. When the church is nothing more than a slightly sanitized version of the world, we should not expect to see God move.

If we truly want to see God revive our churches, then we must deal with any/all sin that is in the camp.

A Word to Frustrated Pastors

2011-09-26T23:44:00.001-05:00

"Therefore I write these things being absent, lest being present I should use sharpness, according to the authority which the Lord has given me, for edification and not for destruction." 2 Corinthians 13:10

Paul was apparently tempted to "tell off" the church at Corinth a time or two. In fact, he said it was better for him to write the Corinthians from a distance, rather than be with them in person, due to the fact that he might be tempted to "use sharpness" with them. He goes on to say that he realizes his authority (calling) was for edification of the Church (building it up) and not destruction (tearing it down).

What a good reminder for pastors! Even when we're disappointed or frustrated with our people, even when correction is necessary, we must always remember our calling is to build God's people up. Not to use words or actions in the flesh to tear them down.

Life Group

2011-09-26T10:01:00.003-05:00

Our young adults and senior adults combined our Life Groups last night. Good food. Good devotional. Beautiful fall evening. Good times!

Clay and Sarah Calhoun have a beautiful place.

The kids enjoy Life Groups as much as the adults.

Trouble

Looking Forward to Sunday

2011-09-23T11:55:00.001-05:00

This Sunday I have the honor of preaching my good friend, Jim Flora's, ordination service.

Jim and I have been friends since we were kids. We spent countless hours on the creek and ball field together. Attended the same church. Went to the same high school. Roomed together in college. Got married the same summer. Have kids the same age. You get the picture. And now, by God's providence, He has called us both to serve as pastors of churches in the Springfield area. I am looking forward to Sunday. It will be fun!

Jim's ordination service will be at Lone Star Baptist Church, a few miles north of Springfield, just off Hwy 13, at 2:00.

Giving With Forethought

2011-09-15T22:49:00.003-05:00

"Therefore I thought it necessary to exhort the brethren to go to you ahead of time and prepare your generous gift beforehand, which you had previously promised, that it may be ready as a matter of generosity and not as a grudging obligation." 2 Cor 9:5

The Corinthians had agreed to give an offering for the struggling church at Jerusalem. Paul would be the one to physically collect and deliver the offering. Rather than wait to collect the offering when he got to Corinth, he sent sent some men ahead of him to give the Corinthians plenty of advance notice. This brings up an important point. Giving to the Lord is best done with forethought and prayer. When we take the time to pray and consider what God would have us to give, then giving to the Lord becomes fulfilling, even exciting. In contrast, when we just throw in the plate whatever happens to be in our wallet, giving becomes a "grudging obligation." Something we do out of guilt or necessity rather than love.

Most of us, if we're being honest, would rather receive a gift that was carefully planned and selected in advance by the giver, than something bought at the last minute as an afterthought, just to avoid the doghouse. Does God deserve any less? Take time to prayerfully consider your finances, and what would be a generous/sacrificial amount for you to give to the Lord's work. Then give it cheerfully!

Five Characteristics of Healthy Church Leaders

2011-09-14T15:07:00.000-05:00

Hey, church leaders, check out this helpful post by Thom Rainer. Or if you would prefer the summary...

1) They spend time in prayer and the Word. Many, more than an hour each day.

2) They have longer tenure in their church. Most, over five years.

3) They demonstrate obvious love for the people in their congregations.

4) They have a consistent, missional leadership push. They promote an outward focus.

5) They lead incremental change. They "eat the elephant" one bite at a time.

Sunday Sermon Starter

2011-09-09T10:01:00.000-05:00

Five Keys to Sharing Your Faith
1 Corinthians 2:1-5

(v1) It's not about you. - Paul did not come with excellence of speech or wisdom.

(v2) Keep it simple. - Christ and Him crucified.

(v3) It's okay to be afraid. - Paul came in weakness, fear, and trembling.

(v4) Know your role. - It is not our job to persuade people, but the Spirit's.

(v5) It is about Him. - Keep God as the focus. It's not about being a good person. It's about knowing Him.

Thoughts on 9/11/01

2011-09-08T20:46:00.001-05:00

As we approach the 10th anniversary of the September 11 terror attacks, here is a blog post I wrote back in 2008 sharing my thoughts and emotions on the subject. They are basically the same today as they were then. Thanks for reading.

Is America Doomed?

2011-09-07T15:05:00.000-05:00

The pastor of FBC-Dallas thinks so. Check out this link. Call me crazy, but I think he's right.

A Few Guidelines for Email

2011-08-30T21:39:00.000-05:00

A Few Guidelines for Email

Many of you Millennials will be evaluated to some degree by what you communicate and how you communicate. Email for now is the dominant form of communication in businesses and other organizations. With humility, allow me to suggest a few guidelines for your younger generation to be most effective in this mode of communication. And it wouldn’t hurt for your older peers to follow along as well.

Respond promptly to email. Many of you see texting as a form of instantaneous communication and email as something you can get to in a day or two or three. Business leaders expect responses within 24 hours or sooner. When email was first created for businesses, the inbox had limited capacity by design. It was to be emptied each day. That’s a rule I follow with few exceptions. Use your email folders for emails you may need to keep beyond a day.

Make your email a reasonable length. I have requested briefer emails from some of the Builder generation in my organization. These older workers, including some Boomers with a proclivity toward formality, have a tendency to write with a bit of verbosity. It is not necessary, I tell them, to begin an email with “I am writing to you today to tell you . . .” Your generation, however, has a tendency toward brevity to the extreme. Write in complete sentences. Don’t use acronyms as you do in texting. Some of us older guys may take several minutes to discern what you mean by “ROTFL.”

Put something in the subject line. An empty subject line indicates laziness and an unimportant topic.

Make certain you use good grammar. Some young workers can be passed over for opportunities because they write so poorly. The most common errors I notice are capitalization errors, both in the Millennial generation and in older workers.

Do not forward jokes or other non-business email. Others will perceive that you have too much time on your hands.

Use the “cc” for multiple recipients sparingly. Some leaders will delete emails quickly if they have a long list of recipients.

Similarly, use the “reply all” button sparingly. Most leaders do not want to know how every recipient responds to an email. It is too time consuming.

Make certain your email has a signature with contact information. That will reduce other emails requesting that information.

Be extremely careful in writing critical or angry emails. Most of us have a tendency to put things in writing we would never say face to face. Remember, anything we write electronically is permanent: emails, blogs, Facebook, Twitter, and other social media. Think twice before hitting “send.” Your words may backfire on you later.

Remember that company emails are not private. Always assume that other eyes can have access to your emails if needed.

(Borrowed from the blog of Thom Rainer)

Hurting People Ministering to Hurting People

2011-08-29T21:54:00.000-05:00

We often celebrate the story of Jesus feeding the multitude with the five loaves and two fish. What we often forget (and I was reminded tonight as I read the kids their Bible story) is that this event occurred when Jesus was trying to get to a "deserted place by Himself." He had just received the news that His dear friend and cousin, John the Baptist, had been murdered, and He was no doubt seeking a place to be alone and mourn. Jesus was hurting. Nevertheless, as He looked out across the great multitude following Him, He was "moved with compassion toward them." Despite His own pain, He couldn't just ignore them. Has there ever been anyone more selfless than Jesus? (That's a rhetorical question. We know the answer, don't we?)

I have heard it said that "pastors are hurting people ministering to hurting people." Life is hard. Pastors are like everyone else. We hurt. We struggle. We experience disappointment. We get disillusioned. There are times when we must find solitude to mourn, to take stock, to rest. But what keeps us coming back? The multitudes. Sheep without a shepherd. Hurting every bit as much as us (and many of them more so). Pastor, keep shepherding. Even when you hurt, keep shepherding. Even when life gets hard, keep shepherding. "And when the chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that will not fade away."

My All-Time Most Popular Posts

2011-08-26T10:53:00.001-05:00

Believe me, "my all-time most popular posts" is not saying much. I get as many hits in a year as some people get in a day (literally). But according to blogspot, here are my top five posts for number of views:

1) Show Me a Man's Friends Early thoughts on the Obama presidency.

2) Thoughts on the Mosque at Ground Zero If I had it to do over, I would probably soften this one a bit.

3) Horizontal vs. Vertical Worship Services Observations from my 2010 sabbatical.

4) Why Should I Care About the Denomination? Fair question.

5) Adventures in the Bathroom Stall at the Christian Bookstore A bit of humor.

Sunday Sermon Starter

2011-08-26T10:22:00.000-05:00

THE GOSPEL
1 CORINTHIANS 1:18-25

1) The Gospel evokes one of two responses. Either we accept it as fact, or dismiss it as foolishness. (18)

2) Only the Gospel, not our intellect, has the power to save us. (19-21)

3) The Gospel cannot fail. It will accomplish God's good pleasure. (22-25)

Thank You for Prayers

2011-08-19T20:09:00.000-05:00

I want to say "thank you" to everyone who has prayed for us this week. Rachel has had a nasty stomach bug for going on eight days now, along with a fever. It would be bad enough any way, but this week was the first week of school and Rachel teaches 5th grade. She has toughed it out as best she can, but she is exhausted. After a trip to urgent care earlier in the week, we took Rachel to her PCP today, and she gave us some instructions that she is confident will have Rachel feeling better by Monday.

If that were not bad enough, Jackson and I have been fighting off a stomach bug ourselves (though not to the same extent as Rachel). So without going into all the gross details, you can imagine it has been a fun week in the Hall household. But we are making it by the grace of God, awesome parents, and a loving church family. (Our supper has been provided for us every night this week!) We are blessed.

All you people having a rough time right now, hang in there. We're all in it together. Keep praying, and take it a day at a time.

Should Ladies Wear Head Coverings in the Church? (A Genuine Question)

2011-08-16T11:00:00.003-05:00

Some genuine questions from 1 Corinthians 11. I would love to hear your thoughts...

1) Chapter 11 teaches a woman is to wear a head covering when praying or prophesying. What are we supposed to do with this? Or perhaps a better question is - What is our rationale for not doing this? This is NT stuff, after all. Not OT.

2) This is not the only instance of the NT associating ladies with prophesying, but what exactly does this mean, and what is the application to us? What influence (if any) should this have on the typical Baptist position that ladies don't preach?

3) What in the world does Paul mean in v10 when he says ladies ought to wear a head covering "because of the angels?" Does that seem bizarre to anyone else?

Again, no agenda here. Just asking questions.

Adventures in the Bathroom Stall at the Christian Bookstore

2011-08-12T22:10:00.004-05:00

Tonight we received an awesome gift. Two of our senior adult ladies asked if they could come watch our kids, while Rachel and I went on a date. (Smart ladies to tag team the Hall kids.) Then, to top it off, before we left they gave us a card with cash and a Barnes and Noble gift card from the senior adult Sunday School class. This touched our hearts. Church members, do not underestimate what a small token of appreciation can mean to your pastor. I can tell you that little gesture meant a lot to us tonight.

So what does a pastor and his wife do on a hot date without the kids? Go to the Christian bookstore of course! (I know that is horribly lame, but Rachel had to to laminate some stuff for her classroom at school, and this was the best place to do it.)

While at said store, I had to use the facilities. Once in the stall, I looked up and observed a fascinating art form I had never before encountered - Christian bathroom graffiti. (Only in the Bible belt.) Instead of curse words, phone numbers and lewd pictures, there were carved Scripture references, variations of "Jesus loves you," and even one riveting theological debate that went something like this...

"I love God."

"Oh yeah, then why do you vandalize bathroom stalls?"

"Like you just did?"

While I was pondering the deeper implications of this dialogue, I was interrupted from my thoughts by someone occupying the stall immediately next to mine. As I was wondering what kind of heathen would violate the unspoken man code that you leave a courtesy stall in between, I looked down at the man's feet and saw toenail polish and polka-dot flip flops.

Panic.

Could I have possibly gone in the wrong restroom? I estimated the young lady to be 10 years old or so by the size of her feet. I sat perfectly still, unsure of what to do, mindful of the article in today's newspaper that a man in the city had recently been arrested for lurking in women's restrooms. I texted my wife. She thought it was funny. I did not. I prayed the young lady wouldn't notice my big, ugly man feet in my Redhead sandals. A few moments later my hypothesis of her age was confirmed, as she sung happily along with the contemporary Christian song playing over the bathroom speakers in a sweet, little girl voice.

I sat perfectly still for what seemed an eternity. Finally, she did her business and left, singing merrily all the way out the door. I got up as quickly as I could and headed for the exit. Was I in the wrong bathroom? And then I remembered something... When coming into the bathroom, the men's door and ladies door were side-by-side. On the ladies door was a flyer for a Beth Moore event. (Only in the Bible belt.) I quickly and decisively chose the other door. (No offense to Beth.) Yes!

And then, there it was. The most beautiful thing in all the world - the urinal. Indisputable evidence. I was in the right restroom! Disaster averted. The night was saved.

What adventures did the pastor and his wife have on the rest of their date? Well let's just say it got a little crazy. Rachel and I got ice cream at two different places. (She got hers at Coldstone. I got mine at Orange Leaf.) What can I say? That's how we roll.

Sunday Sermon Starter

2011-08-12T10:01:00.000-05:00

What Does God Do For His Church?
1 Corinthians 1:4-9

1) God gives us His grace (4) - GOD SAVES US.

2) God enriches our speech and knowledge (5) - GOD GROWS US.

3) God confirms our testimony through gifts (6-7) - GOD EQUIPS US.

4) God confirms us to the end (8) - GOD PRESERVES US.

5) God calls us into fellowship (9) - GOD UNITES US.

Take a Walk, Pastors

2011-08-06T23:07:00.000-05:00

Wednesday night I got to do something I really should do more often, and that is simply take a walk around the building and see what's taking place in our church. At Selmore, we offer six classes for kids and a class for youth, in addition to our adult Bible study on Wednesday nights. But because I normally teach the adults, I hardly ever get to see what's going on in the other classes. This past Wednesday I made my way around the building. Some classes I just listened quietly outside the door. Other classes I actually went in and sat for awhile. What I observed blessed my heart and made me proud. In all of our classes, our teachers were diligently on task, teaching God's Word to their students.

I also got a chance to ride the church van before and after church to help pick up kids. It had been quite awhile since I had last done this. What an important ministry this is, picking up children that have little to no exposure to the Gospel any other time! I can't speak for anyone else, but I am guilty of taking these kids for granted. What a blessing to have them at our church! Our van driver, Jon, is so faithful to transport these children week after week. I am so grateful for him. (Selmore folks, if you're not taking a turn helping Jon on the van, you truly are missing a blessing.)

Pastors, when was the last time you took a walk around your building? You may be surprised at what you learn, and how it might encourage you. Also, as I heard a guy say one time, how can you tell people your Sunday School or Wednesday night program is great, when you really have no idea? It's kind of an integrity issue too.

To Bean or Not to Bean?

2011-08-03T08:48:00.004-05:00

In watching the St. Louis Cardinals last night (huge fan) a scenario happened in last night's game that has always made me think... The Cardinals' superstar, Albert Pujols, was thrown a fastball high and tight that caught him on the hand, and nearly in the face. In retaliation, the next inning, the Cardinals' pitcher, Jason Motte, drilled one of the Brewers' best hitters with a 96 mph fastball in the middle of the back. This is the honor code of baseball, one of the unwritten rules that makes the game great - Old Testament justice - eye for an eye. You hit one of our best players, we will hit one of yours. This unwritten rule actually prevents a lot of people from getting hurt, because the thought of retaliation makes the pitchers be a little more careful about those high/inside fastballs that have shattered many a face and killed more than one.

In baseball terms, particularly in last night's game, this had to be done. In addition to the reasons mentioned above, the Cardinals are chasing the Brewers for the pennant. The Brewers have had their way with the Cardinals on the field this season, and the Cardinals needed to send a message, "You can't push us around." In the end, the Cardinals won last night's game in 11 innings. It was a fantastic, exciting game with lots of twists and turns. The kind of game that can define a season.

But the question I have lies in a Christian's role in such antics. Is it wrong for a Christian pitcher to purposely bean someone with a baseball?

Furthermore, on occasion, a batter may charge the mound after he's been hit to personally show the pitcher he won't be bullied. (The most infamous charging of the mound in baseball history is shown in the video above - 23 year-old Robin Ventura charging 46 year-old Nolan Ryan. The old cowboy gets him in a headlock and pounds some sense into him.)

One of the most vicious beat downs of a pitcher I've ever seen was Mike Sweeney of the Royals (built like an NFL tight end) chasing down Jeff Weaver in the early 90's (he caught him out by the SS position) and beating the stuffing out of him. Sweeney was an outspoken Christian, and actually a youth pastor in a KC church. He immediately apologized to his church youth, and later would call Weaver and ask his forgiveness as well.

So what do you think baseball fans? Is it wrong for a Christian athlete to be involved in a bean ball war? Is it sin, or just an understood part of the game? Would your opinion of Pujols (an outspoken Christian and Southern Baptist) be lowered if he charged the mound?

Bragging On a Friend

2011-07-26T15:34:00.000-05:00

I am excited that one of my closest friends (I consider him a brother), Jim Flora Jr, just answered a call to serve as the pastor at Lone Star Baptist Church north of Springfield. Lone Star is Jim's first pastorate. He will do a great job. He will also continue to teach and coach at Pleasant Hope High School. Please pray for Jim, Sara, and their kids as they start this new adventure!

Two Good Websites

2011-07-26T08:17:00.001-05:00

Here's a couple good websites for you to take a look at...

1) If you're interested in ministry topics and particularly SBC life, you definitely want to check out SBC Voices. It's a compilation of Southern Baptist bloggers from all over the country. Good stuff.

2) By the creator of SBC Voices - a children's ministry website called ministry-to-children.com. Lots of good resources here.

Have a great week!

Just An Update on Life

2011-07-24T23:23:00.001-05:00

Well, I feel like I should update my blog even though I don't have anything particularly interesting or profound to say...

This past week was a really good week. It felt good to be back at work. We had VBS the first part of the week. Our directors and workers did a super good job. The best part of VBS (to us) was that our next door neighbor came and brought her little girl. This is the first time our neighbor has come to church with us in the seven years we've lived here. We are happy about this, and pray they come again soon.

Thursday night we were invited by our friends, Jim and Carrie Hubbard, to attend a Springfield Cardinals game with them in an air-conditioned suite through Carrie's work (right behind home plate). This was our second time to enjoy the suite (Hollie Hinton invited us the first time) and I can tell you one thing - that is the only way to watch a baseball game! What a blessing that was for our family. For a big Cardinals fan like me, it is so cool to have the AA team in our backyard. If you like baseball, and you've never been to Hammons Field, you should really go. It's very close to a major league experience for a fraction of the price.

Saturday evening we took all the kids to the OC and enjoyed the pool. We recently re-joined the OC. (I worked out five times last week!) Saturday was the first time I had really swam in a couple years. It was so refreshing! Again, we are so blessed to live in a nice community with access to things like indoor pools/waterparks. I hope our kids understand how spoiled they are.

Today was a good day at church. We had a full house with lots of first-time guests. Our oldest daughter, Hannah, sang "Mighty to Save." But at my request, she did so after the sermon. (Dad wouldn't have held up very well trying to preach after hearing his daughter sing.) I leaned over and told Pastor Jeff before I preached today, "Man, I'm a little nervous!" which he thought was funny. I'm hardly ever nervous anymore, but after taking a couple weeks off, I had a few butterflies today. Tonight we had Life Group. It is a blessing to be with our age group, and watch our children play together.

Have to brag on myself... When we got home from Life Group tonight, I had about an hour before dark. In that hour, I managed to install a new clutch cable in my riding mower, and get it all put back together. I am getting to be a decent lawnmower mechanic.

Tomorrow morning, Lord-willing, I will be on the river by sunrise and will fish a little topwater. I'll be done by 8:00 or 8:30. I've had some tremendous fishing trips this summer, and hopefully tomorrow will be a good one as well. I will try to post a pic or two.

Shameless Self Promotion

2011-07-11T22:05:00.002-05:00

I was asked to write the sermon for this year's Missouri Missions Offering. You can read it (and a brief bio) here on the official MMO website.

Back from Rushmore

2011-07-11T01:35:00.001-05:00

Just got home tonight from a six day trip with our family to Mount Rushmore. We met my brother's family there, as it is a good in-between spot for us to rendezvous (they live in Montana). We ended up renting a house in a picturesque valley in the Black Hills, just outside of Rapid City. The owner of the house (who is a state rep in South Dakota) stayed in a small camper with his wife and daughter a hundred yards or so away, while we used their home. To us this seemed a little strange, but apparently this is not an uncommon thing for homeowners to do in Rapid City during tourist season. It worked out good for us because it was a lot cheaper than two hotel rooms for that time period.

I was kind skeptical going into the trip how much I would really get out of Rushmore, but I was very impressed with the beauty of the Black Hills (reminded me a lot of the Rocky foot hills just west of Denver) and Mount Rushmore was actually quite impressive. There is a lot more to do there than just look at the mountain. Among other things, there is a great museum, which I would like to visit again when I am not trying to corral a one year old!

Besides Rushmore, we did all the typical, touristy stuff. The only thing I regretted was not bringing a fishing pole. There was a small, clear mountain stream in the vicinity of our house named "Rapid Creek" that flowed through beautiful rock gorges, and in one place where I looked had several rainbow trout. If you know me, you know I have a love for small streams. I would have loved to have spent a morning trying to catch some of those trout, but I will know for next time.

If you need a good vacation place, I would definitely recommend Rapid City/Rushmore area. There were other day trips from there we could have done as well, but the kids wouldn't have liked sitting in the van any longer after the 15 hour drive to get there!

The second week of vacation I will spend a little closer to home, getting some things done around the house that I have fallen behind on. I am enjoying the time off from work, and it also rejuvenates me and makes me want to be a better pastor when I return. See you then!

Post Chicagoland Thoughts

2011-06-19T23:13:00.002-05:00

Pastor Tom of New Vision Baptist Church, Kankakee, IL
along with me and Pastor Gregg of FBC-Crane, MO

It is Sunday night and I am worn out! Still trying to recover from the mission trip. My primary goal today was simply to survive church, and I accomplished that, so it was a good day. Actually, it was a real good day. We had a great service today, including a powerful Fathers Day drama. And our mission team did a really good job tonight of reporting to the church on our trip.

This year's Chicagoland trip was probably the smoothest mission trip I've ever been on. Everything worked out just as it was supposed to. Each of our three teams (VBS, construction, survey) had productive weeks. The fellowship was sweet, and the worship times were powerful. I really think we are beginning to make an impact on Chicagoland, and specifically the Three Rivers Baptist Association (comprising the 12 counties on the west and south sides of Chicago). Lord-willing, we will continue this partnership in the coming years, strengthening/encouraging exisiting churches, and helping lay the foundation for new churches.

Looking forward to a day of rest (and fishing) tomorrow. Good night!

Report from Chicagoland

2011-06-13T22:18:00.005-05:00

It has been a good, first three days on our mission trip. There are 28 total people as part of our mission team: 17 from Selmore, five from FBC-Crane, and seven from a Baptist church in Anna, IL (near Cape Girardeau, MO).

Our 28 people are split into three sub-teams: One sub-team is doing construction work on a small African-American church in Kankakee, IL. One sub-team is doing a Bible club in Momence, IL. And one sub-team is doing a community assessment for a new church plant in Watseka, IL. All of these churches are in the outlying area around Chicago known as "Chicagoland."

Cornerstone Church Worship Service

I am working with the team that is conducting the community assessment for the new church plant. It was a blessing, Sunday morning, to worship with them. There is something liberating and exciting about worshipping with a new congregation. Everything is current and fresh. There is no such thing as ritual or status quo - only a spirit of joy and anticipation among the people.

Pastor Gregg Boll from FBC-Crane, and his team,
conduct a survey at a house in Watseka, Illinois.

Today (Monday) we began our community assessment. This consists of interviewing community residents and leaders to help the new church better understand its community and context. When we are done with our assessment, we will put our collected data in the form of a report that the new church can keep and reference as it crafts its strategy going forward. In the process of conducting the interviews, there are many opportunities to share the Gospel, and build a prospect list for the new church.

Pray for all our sub-teams, that we may finish strong the last three days we are here, advancing the Kingdom, and building up the local churches in this corner of Chicagoland.

Memorial Day Weekend

2011-05-30T15:09:00.001-05:00

Kneeling by the official marker designating Plato as the population center of the U.S.

My kids at my grandparents' headstone.

Pics from Joplin

2011-05-25T20:22:00.003-05:00

Southern Baptists doing what Southern Baptists do best. The SBC is the third largest relief agency in the USA. This church had moderate damage of its own, including a large tree on the roof, yet offered its building to help others. Even the sanctuary was full of supplies and cots.

This home fared better than most. It still has standing walls. This neighborhood was on the outer edge of the damage. At certain points in the city, one can look for miles, and see practically nothing left standing. U.S. flags hoisted atop rubble were a common sight around the city.

For Sale By Owner - A welcome bit of humor. Notice the bed perfectly in place while the wall is blown away.

The Lord's Supper table is one of the only things left standing of Harmony Heights Baptist Church. 53 people were in this church when it was destroyed. By the grace of God, 50 lived.

This member of Harmony Heights was digging through the rubble looking for his Bible. Amazingly, the interim director of the MBC, Jay Hughes, found it for him while we were there!

100 Baptisms

2011-05-24T21:43:00.001-05:00

Baptizing my oldest daughter, Hannah, in 2008.

This Sunday was a special milestone at Selmore. God allowed me to baptize the 100th person during my eight year tenure here. Every single baptism represents a precious soul that God pursued and saved for His own purposes and glory. He gets ALL the credit!

"So then neither he who plants is anything, nor he who waters, but God who gives the increase." 1 Cor 3:7

1 Thessalonians 4

2011-05-23T19:51:00.000-05:00

"But I do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning those who have fallen asleep, lest you sorrow as others who have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who sleep in Jesus."

As we approach Memorial Day weekend, this is a good reminder for believers. If we've lost loved ones who also knew the Lord, we have the promise of God's Word that He will one day resurrect their bodies, just as He resurrected the body of Jesus. (To be reunited with their souls, which went to Paradise the instant of their physical death.)

Thus, we are not to "sorrow as others who have no hope." That's not to say Christians shouldn't grieve the loss of a loved one. Grieving is natural and part of the healing process. Even Jesus cried when His friend Lazarus died. However, it is to say we shouldn't grieve in the same way as a lost person would grieve. Why? Because as a follower of Jesus, we know we'll see our Christian loved one again. For the Christian, death is not the end. It is only a temporary separation.

Mondays are for Fishing

2011-05-09T17:38:00.001-05:00

A stringer of spring goggle-eye on my first outing of the year - nine to be exact. Also caught a couple 12" smallmouth and four perch. Water was still pretty high, but clear, and surprisingly not too cold. Felt good to be at the creek. Like seeing an old friend!

My Mom

2011-05-07T22:14:00.000-05:00

Happy Mother's Day to all you moms! I am blessed with a wonderful mother whom I love very much. A mother who sang to me, and taught me Scripture, and threw batting practice, and made me get good grades. I am especially blessed to have her in my life today. Mom and Dad live just a few minutes away, and are members of the church I pastor. Mom watches my kids during the week, and cares for them the same way she cared for me. Hardly a day goes by that she doesn't help Rachel and me in some form or fashion.

Thank you, Mom, for all you've done and all you contine to do. Love you.

A Tale of Two Funerals

2011-05-06T19:54:00.003-05:00

I preached two funerals today.

The first funeral was for a man who devoted his life to serving the Lord, and caring for his family. His funeral was attended by kids, grandkids, friends, neighbors, and members of his church family. In fact, several of his church family took off work just to sing at his service and serve food to his loved ones. As for me, I was his pastor and he was my friend. We had a genuine relationship. Thus, in my remarks when I spoke of his personality, character, and talents I spoke from experience. I knew him. I cared about him.

The second funeral was for a woman I had never met. Her obituary stated she attended a local church, but her appearances must have been few and far between for the funeral home had to call me to preach her funeral. She had no formal service, just a small gathering of people at the graveside. Noticeably absent from the service was her only son. I do not know why he wasn't there, and did not want to ask. At one point in my remarks, I had to give my notes a quick glance to make sure I was saying the correct name. I knew nothing of her. I still don't have the first clue what she even looked like. There were no stories to share. No personality quirks about which we could all share a smile. And most sadly, because I didn't know her, no assurances that she was in Heaven with the Lord, or that they would ever see her again. I was not a pastor at this service. Only a hired gun. Someone to say a few comforting words, read the 23rd Psalm, and say a prayer. Any random Joe off the street could have done the same thing. I don't think it's supposed to be that way.

Who will preach your funeral?

Ozark National Day of Prayer

2011-05-05T08:43:00.000-05:00

I just got back from the Ozark NDP breakfast, and I just have to say a brief word on what a blessing it was. First of all, it kinda reminded me of the scene in one of my favorite movies (The Stand) when they have the first community meeting in the Boulder Free Zone and they all sing the National Anthem. That scene always gives me goosebumps. While the breakfast this morning didn't quite reach that level, it was definitely cool to see a few hundred people from all walks of life gathered together in one place to pray for our nation and community.

I hope our community realizes how fortunate we are to have Christians in public office, and other positions of leadership. I heard some hard core prayers this morning. Not just the fluff that is common at these kinds of events. I heard the Presiding Commissioner of Christian County offer a prayer of personal and corporate repentance on behalf of the county... repentance! I heard the superintendent of Ozark schools invoke the name of Jesus repeatedly as he prayed for his faculty, staff, and students. The list goes on... Michael Bendtiz, the manager of Ozark Walmart (and one of our church folk) prayed for the business community. Sarah Forhetz of KY3 prayed for wisdom and integrity for the media. It was just a blessing. That's all I can say.

Today is the National Day of Prayer. Find a few moments today to pray for President Obama, and the rest of your national, state, and local leaders.

Philippians 1

2011-05-03T00:15:00.000-05:00

1 "To all the saints in Christ Jesus who are in Philippi, with the bishops and deacons."

Here we have Scriptural basis for the two offices of the NT church... bishops (pastors) and deacons.

6 "being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Christ Jesus."

Our salvation is a process. It begins with the new birth, and culminates when we die and go to Heaven, or Jesus returns (whichever comes first). Once God begins the work of salvation in a person, He will see to it the work gets completed. God always finishes what He starts. This is the security of the believer.

18 "in every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is preached; and in this I rejoice..."

In this section, Paul makes the point that not everyone who preaches the Gospel does it for the right reasons. Nevertheless, as long as their message is truly the Gospel, we should rejoice it's being preached. The Gospel has the power to transcend the imperfections of the preacher. (thank goodness)

21 "For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain."

Paul is saying, "If they let me live, I get to serve Christ. If they kill me, I gain Heaven." A win-win!

Ephesians 5

2011-04-25T22:16:00.000-05:00

"Nevertheless let each one of you in particular so love his own wife as himself, and let the wife see that she respects her husband." Ephesians 5:33

I don't claim to be an expert on marriage, but I can say this with certainty... Respect is a really, really big deal to men. Most married men derive their value from how well they provide and care for their wife and children. It's how God made us. Wives, whether or not he says it, your husband lives for your respect and admiration. He wants to be your hero. Bearing that in mind, you absolutely have the power to make or break your man with a few little words. One little complement about what a strong and able man you have, will send him strutting around town ten feet tall and bulletproof. On the other hand, one little cutting remark about his insufficiencies will send him home with his tail between his legs.

A wife who is loved unconditionally by her husband, and a husband who is respected by his wife, make for a very happy and healthy marriage.

When Was the Last Time Your Church Did Something New?

2011-04-21T23:08:00.002-05:00

"Sing to the Lord a new song"... "if anyone is in Christ he is a new creation"... "a new heaven and a new earth"

I'm going to make a deep theological statement here... The Lord likes new stuff. He makes new things, and He likes it when His children offer new things to Him. New is fresh. New is life-giving. New represents thought and effort. New is exciting.

When was the last time your church did something new?

One thing I have always appreciated about Selmore is that they are willing to try new things. One of our key lay leaders always says, "We'll try it once and if it doesn't work, we'll know not to do it anymore." Church people, do you know how liberating it is to your pastor to have permission to try something and fail? It's a gamechanger!

Is there a culture of "new" in your church? Is it okay to try new things, even risky things? If not, will you be the one that's brave enough to step up and say, "Hey, let's give this a try?"

The Future of the SBC

2011-04-15T08:03:00.001-05:00

Much has been made in the last year about the future of the Southern Baptist Convention. Two, young pastors have written opposing viewpoints on what our future can and should look like. This is a must-read for anyone who cares about the Southern Baptist Convention. You can read it here.

Galatians 6

2011-04-12T13:50:00.004-05:00

I finished reading through the book of Revelation, and am now reading through the book of Galatians. As I often share with people, the Bible is technically not a book. Rather, it is a collection or library of "books" that were each meant to stand on their own. And so while it isn't necessary (or even advisable) for one to start at Genesis and read straight through to Revelation, it is a good idea to start at the beginning of an individual book and read straight through to the end. This is, after all, how the author originally intended for it to be read. This also ensures the reader is understanding Scripture in its context, which is crucial to proper interpretation. Daily devotionals that jump from book to book and verse to verse are a fine supplement to one's spiritual life, but should not be confused with a true study of the Bible.

My thoughts on Galatians 6 come from verse 1... "Brethren, if a man is overtaken in any trespass, you who are spiritual restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness, considering yourself lest you also be tempted."

The first thing that jumps out is that Christians are to hold one another accountable. When we see a brother in trespass, we are to "restore" them, meaning that we are to confront them in such a way that leads to their repentance and restoration. There is a story of a jungle tribe that was converted to Christianity. Each of the members of the tribe would walk to their own designated place in the jungle each morning to pray. As a result, over time, they each wore a slick path to their place of prayer. If one of the members was not praying as he ought, the grass would begin to grow back on his path. At which point, a fellow tribesman would ask, "Brother, why does the grass grow on your path?" Accountability.

Secondly, and just as important, is how we confront them. It says to do so in a "spirit of gentleness considering yourself lest you also be tempted." I recently heard this concept summarized this way, "If you're going to confront someone with their sin, you had better have tears in your eyes." In other words, if you're going to confront someone, you had better be so broken over that person's sin that they can literally see the pain on your face. To confront a brother about his sin in a spirit of pride and self-righeousness (the opposite of gentleness) is not only hypocritical; it's ignorant of the fact that you can fall to temptation just as easily as the person you're confronting, should you also drift from the Lord.

One Last Trip for OSG

2011-04-09T23:01:00.000-05:00

Tomorrow, after morning worship, I will drive to Jefferson City where I will have two plus days of meetings with the Organizational Study Group (OSG) of the Missouri Baptist Convention (MBC). It's hard to believe it has been 16 months since our group was first given the task of bringing recommendations to the executive board of the MBC regarding how to make our convention more effective. It has been an eventful 16 months. Now the journey is nearing its end. Monday night will be the time we make our formal presentation to the full board. Then we will have some follow-up meetings on Tuesday, and be done.

This has been the first time I've been seriously involved with Baptist work on the state level, and it has been a good experience. The average Missouri Baptist gives very little thought to what goes on in Jeff City, but there are a lot of awesome people there doing great work on behalf of our churches. I have also really enjoyed getting to know my fellow team members on the OSG, who serve all across our state.

Missouri Baptists have a rich heritage of Kingdom work. Pray that God continues to use us. God does not need Missouri Baptists, but we desperately need Him!

We Sing Hymns from the Hymnals

2011-04-08T15:32:00.004-05:00

Sigh. I took this pic of a church marquee today. I cropped out the name of the church, as I have no desire to embarass them. The church is in SW Missouri, but not around Ozark.

I am sure the people of this church love Jesus and mean well. But they need to understand (accurate or not) this is what people like me hear when we read this sign:

1) Our church is self-righteous. We do church the correct way. We are holier than these "liberal" churches that sing praise choruses and/or use screens.

2) Our church is insecure. The world around us is changing. Rather than undergoing the somewhat scary/uncertain process of adapting, we will retreat even further into the church bubble, and criticize those churches that don't follow us.

3) Our church worships tradition. The most important thing is not genuine worship from the heart, but that you're doing it the "right way" on the outside.

Now, may I humbly suggest a few things to my fellow believers who agree with the sentiment of this sign?...

1) The Bible teaches us to utilize diversity in worship music (Eph 5:19). One could make the case that if a church only utilizes one style of worship music from one particular era, that it's being disobedient.

2) Putting lyrics on screens frees our eyes and bodies from being "chained" to a book. God meant for us to express worship with our entire being. (Scary for Baptists, I know.) To understand what I'm talking about, how does it feel when you sing a hymn that you know the words by heart, and you're able to set the hymn book down and just worship? Feels great, even liberating, right? Screens allow this on every song.

3) For new churches, or those churches who need to replace hymnals, you can purchase a projection CD with every song in the book on it for about $200 and a projector for $500. Or, you can buy 300 hymnals at $15/piece. Which is better stewardship? You do the math.

Just some things to think about. Take it in love.

Edifying Country Song of the Week

2011-04-02T09:16:00.001-05:00

Beautiful song. Not a "Christian song," but nevertheless describes what Christ does for us, and what we should do for each other.

Share-a-Sermon

2011-04-01T11:54:00.000-05:00

Matthew 5:5-10
"Characteristics of a Missionary"

1) The Missionary's Call - Often to a specific people. (5-6)

2) The Missionary's Message - It's all about the Kingdom. (7)

3) The Missionary's Ministry - Showing Christ's love in hands-on ways. (8)

4) The Missionary's Motive - Purely the grace of God, not about money. (8)

5) The Missionary's Confidence - In God's provision. (9-10)

Should Patriotism be Part of Worship?

2011-03-31T17:17:00.000-05:00

A worship leader from Louisville poses this provacative (in some circles) question in an open letter. It is a good and quick read. I agree with the gist of what he's saying, although I would push back a little bit on point #3.

Revelation 20

2011-03-29T23:20:00.000-05:00

This chapter describes the Millenium - 1000 years of peace on the Earth after the second coming of Christ. During this time, Satan will be bound. At the end of the Millenium, v7-10 say that Satan will be released to deceive the nations once more. Apparently he will succeed in this, as v9 says he will gather an army to surround the "camp of the saints." However, as soon as this evil army is formed, God immediately devours it with fire from the heavens and casts Satan once and for all into the Lake of Fire where he will be "tormented day and night forever and ever."

Here's the question I've always had about this (and I am assuming a pre-millenialist position)... What's the point? What's the point of the Millenium? What's the point of Satan being released and being allowed to stir up trouble again? Wouldn't it be a lot cleaner if God said, "Earth is done. Sin is defeated. The redeemed go to Heaven. The lost go to Hell. The end." Why the extra drama? Help me out here. (And yes, I would like to hear from amillenialist and post-millenialist friends.)

Daily Bible Reading

2011-03-29T22:51:00.001-05:00

The single most important spiritual discipline for any Christ follower is to read the Bible daily. Without the Bible, we don't know how to pray. We don't know how to properly evangelize. We don't know what a healthy church looks like. We don't know truth. We don't grow in our faith. We don't even know who God is without Scripture.

While some advocate reading the Bible completely through in a year (and I would certainly never discourage that) I have found for me that pace is a little too quick and a little too much pressure. For my devotional reading (separate from sermon/lesson prep) I typically read through books of the Bible, one chapter per day. (Some would argue that sermons should stem from your devotional reading, and they make some very good points, but right now I keep it separate.) One chapter a day allows me to really think about what I'm reading, and take it all in.

From time to time, I am going to begin posting some very brief thoughts from my daily Bible readings on my blog. Writing is a tremendous way to process what you've learned. When you must articulate what you believe, it forces you to have a better grasp of it. So it will be good for me. There may be other times when all I do is pose a question, and hopefully provoke some discussion. Enjoy.

Five Ways to Make Your Kids Hate Church

2011-03-26T17:15:00.001-05:00

Parents, check out this post - Five Ways to Make Your Kids Hate Church

Sermon Outline

2011-03-25T15:33:00.009-05:00

This outline isn't anything special, but maybe it will help some of you guys working on a last minute sermon this weekend.

MATTHEW 9:35-38

When it comes to personal evangelism, we must follow Jesus' example in:

PRACTICE (v35)

A. Jesus went about all the cities and villages. He was a missionary. He was proactive and intentional. He went to where the people were, rather than waiting for them to come to Him.

B. Jesus was balanced in His approach. He both shared the Gospel (teaching and preaching) and showed the Gospel (healing every sickness and disease).

PERSPECTIVE (v36)

A. When Jesus looked at lost people, He felt compassion. Sadly, when we look at lost people we often feel one of two things - self righteousness (They deserve what they get.) or apathy (Who cares?)

B. Jesus saw beyond the exterior to the heart. He saw the multitude as weary and scattered. That's what happens to sheep that don't have a shepherd.

1. People today are weary. In an increasingly fast paced world, their bodies and souls are tired. They need peace and rest (see Psalm 23) but don't know how to find it.

2. People today are scattered (isolated). We have more ways to talk than ever before, and yet we truly communicate less than ever. We need fellowship. Few things are more vulnerable than a sheep isolated from its flock.

C. When we begin to look at people from Jesus' perspective, our self-righteousness and/or apathy is replaced with a godly compassion for their salvation and well-being.

PRAYER (v37-38)

A. It is interesting that Jesus does not instruct us to pray for the harvest itself. The reason is that the harvest belongs to Him (see 1 Cor 3:6-7). The details of the harvest are ultimately His concern, not ours.

B. However, Jesus also makes clear the harvest is plentiful. All over the world, people are waiting to hear the Gospel, respond in faith, and be saved. If there is a bottleneck in reaping the harvest it is because there is a shortage of laborers. This is why Jesus instructs us to pray for the Lord to send laborers.

C. Churches and individuals who are serious about evangelism pray regularly for God to send out laborers into the harvest, both at home and abroad.

D. And even while they pray for God to raise up others, they are obedient to go where God sends them!

My Heritage

2011-03-21T22:22:00.001-05:00

I spent today in northern Missouri with my dad at my grandparents' hometown (Princeton, MO). We attended the funeral of my great aunt, who was 102 years old when she passed away. We also got to do a little sightseeing of the old Hall homeplace, and some other notable sites...

This is my great grandparents' headstone in the Fairley (pronounced "Farley") cemetery just outside of Princeton, MO. Interestingly, one of their daughters (Mae) shares the same headstone. Great Grandpa Levi is the namesake of my oldest son.

This is the Fairley Baptist Church. (Now closed.) My Grandpa George was saved in this church, and served as the song leader.

Great Pic

2011-03-17T21:54:00.003-05:00

Great pic from today's NCAA tourney.
The mascot and the head coach share in the agony.

The Place I Grew Up

2011-03-16T10:11:00.001-05:00

Check out this article from the St. Louis Post Dispatch on the place I grew up - Plato, MO. The white building in the right foreground is the Baptist church where I professed faith in Christ. The building with the blue roof is the gymnasium of my elementary school. And I know I don't have to tell you I spent many hours fishing underneath that bridge.

Spring Break

2011-03-14T02:05:00.000-05:00

This week is Rachel's and the girls' spring break, so I am taking a break from work along with them. Frankly, it could not come at a better time. I am exhausted in just about every way. Don't get me wrong. I don't have anything to complain about. God is good to me. I am blessed. But it will be very good for my mind and spirit to have some down time. I hope to spend some time outdoors this week, take the kids to see their grandparents, and spend some time with my wife . . . Even though my Bears are not in the NCAA tournament (sore subject), I will also look forward to watching the first two rounds of March Madness this week - my favorite sporting event of the year. Indiana State and Utah State will be the teams I am rooting for. Have a good week, everybody.

10 Things I Think I Think

2011-03-07T23:35:00.000-06:00

It's been awhile since I've posted anything. A combination of sickness and busyness has kept me out of the blogosphere. It's also been awhile since I've done an edition of "10 Things I Think I Think," about random things that probably no one else cares about, so here goes...

1) I think the I.D. channel's special on Springfield's three missing women tonight was really good. I also think the SPD should dig up a little concrete underneath the parking garage of Cox South to see if the women are there. I don't see what there is to lose. If they are there, praise God. If they are not there, it will at least put that rumor to rest. (A rumor that has been substantiated by numerous tips over the years, and at least one expert's imaging equipment.)

2) I think it is not very fun being the fan of a mid-major college basketball team. If this year's Bears get left out of the tournmaent with a record of 25-8, an RPI around 40, and a conference championship, how in the world is a mid-major team supposed to get in? For the Missouri States of the world, anything short of perfection isn't good enough. And I don't want to hear this stuff about a lack of quality opponents. We all know the BCS schools won't schedule teams like Missouri State. (I am looking at you, Mizzou.)

3) I think the sound of peep frogs in March is one of the sweetest sounds on Earth.

4) I think Ozark, Missouri has the fastest McDonalds drive-thru in America. I shouldn't go through it as often as I do, but they are really impressive.

5) I think Cardinal fans should get ready for a long, long season. (I will post my annual predictions on the Cardinals a little later.)

6) I think that Plato High School is going to have a final four girls basketball team in a few years. How do I know that? They have four little Hall girls (my cousins) that will be on the same team. I watched their 5th-6th grade team play a team of all-stars from the Nixa area Saturday night, and they held their own.

7) I think a lot of people say they want the government to live within its means, but then villianize any government official that actually makes hard decisions.

8) I think I am really wanting to visit the beach. I love the ocean. It's good for the soul. I wish it wasn't so far away.

9) I think I am very excited about landing two tickets to see George W. Bush at College of the Ozarks next month. I am going to do my best to get my copy of "Decision Points" signed.

10) I think God is good all the time.

Egypt and the Bush Doctrine

2011-02-15T01:31:00.000-06:00

In the days following 9/11, President George W. Bush developed a strategy to protect our country that would become known as the "Bush Doctrine." One prong of this doctrine was known as the "Freedom Agenda." In short, the Freedom Agenda asserted that the best way to protect America was to encourage the creation and development of democracies around the world. (By in large, people who are free don't feel the need to attack others.)

The Freedom Agenda, in and of itself, was not a new concept. In fact, this was similar to the strategy of our country after WWII (Truman Doctrine). Where President Bush deserves special credit is that he recognized the Middle East had largely been bypassed by the tide of freedom that swept the world during the second half of the 20th century, and thus made the Middle East the focus of his Freedom Agenda. In theory, the birth of a new democracy in Iraq would be the cornerstone of this plan, and would pave the way for the spread of democracy in the Middle East.

Many "experts" and pundits (including some in his own administration) called Bush naive, and all but declared that the peoples of the Middle East were incapable of democratic government. The Freedom Agenda, they said, was doomed to failure. (At least in the Middle East.)

Today, in 2011, the people of Egypt have just cast off a repressive regime (see above pic). And tens of thousands have taken to the streets in places like Tunisia, Iran, Bahrain, Kuwait, and Yemen. People much smarter than me will debate how much of this can truly be attributed to the Bush Doctrine. But for what it's worth, I think there's a very good chance that if the Egyptian Revolution turns into something much larger, future historians will point to the Bush Doctrine as the "push" that got the snowball rolling.

President Bush led on principle, and whether or not you agreed with him, you always knew where he stood. (Lessons the current administration could stand to learn.) I admire President Bush, and I believe history will ultimately bear him out as one of our great presidents.

My Brother

2011-02-14T23:04:00.000-06:00

My younger brother, Jordan, is a Southern Baptist pastor in Sidney, Montana. You can listen to a recent interview he did with a local radio station here. God is doing a great work through Jordan in a part of our country that is often overlooked. If you get a chance, please listen. We are proud of him and Mandy.

Thoughts on the Super Bowl

2011-02-07T00:11:00.003-06:00

Like everyone else in America, I watched the Super Bowl tonight. Actually, I recorded it on DVR and watched it when I got home from church. I know, I know... our church is hopelessly old fashioned. We still have church on Superbowl Sunday night, unlike all you other backsliders...

Okay. Let me climb off my high horse for a moment. I'm only kidding... Not about church. We did have it tonight (and a good crowd, by the way). But about the backsliding part, I'm kidding. I'm not from the school that thinks the more time you spend in the church building, the better Christian you are. Nor am I from the school that thinks the surest way to turn the devil loose in your church is to cancel Sunday night services. That's not me. I'm not that guy.

I am, on the other hand, a sports guy. I follow the NFL pretty closely. (Finished second in my fantasy league this year!) I look forward to the Super Bowl. And in the interest of full disclosure, I must admit, we did cancel our church council meeting after services tonight, so we could get home and watch the game. (There, I feel much better now that I have that off my chest.)

But having said all that, let me say also say this... Something bothers me about the priority that many of us put on the Super Bowl. It seems to me that it's almost taken on the status of a holy day. When Super Bowl Sunday is a bigger deal in most Christian homes than Easter, what does that say about our priorities? When a quick scroll through Facebook shows dozens of posts by Christians about the game, and nothing about what God did in their church this morning, what does that say? (Maybe it's an indictment of our churches?)

Maybe I'm out of line. Maybe I'm being grumpy and judgmental. Maybe I'm making a mountain out of a mole hill. I don't mean to do any of those things. God knows my heart. I don't look down on anyone for watching the Super Bowl. If our church didn't have services tonight, that's definitely what I would have been doing... All I'm saying is that it seems like we get a lot more excited over the Super Bowl than we ever do about God, and somehow that doesn't sit quite right with me.

Now, on to more important matters... Did Aaron Rodgers have a game, or what?

Nothing More Beautiful

2011-01-29T22:25:00.002-06:00

Last week I blogged on the passing of my friend, Terry Eden. Yesterday, I attended Terry's funeral, and it was one of the most touching services I've ever attended. As the service neared its conclusion, the officiating pastor opened up the floor for anyone who would like to say a word about what Terry meant to them. You never know what to expect when you do something like that, and I wondered how many would actually have the courage to stand up and speak in front of a packed church. But one by one they did...

One elderly lady recalled Terry was always faithful to visit her. A middle aged man told of how Terry came to pray with him in jail. A young man described how Terry led him to the Lord. A middle aged women noted that Terry was always good to check on her elderly parents. Another middle aged man shared that Terry taught him what it meant to be a godly husband and father. On and on it went for I'd say close to 30 minutes.

As a pastor myself, it moved me deeply to hear about the lives that Terry had touched, and to hear the obvious affection in the voices of those who spoke of their shepherd and friend. Here was a man who, by the world's standards, was insignificant - a simple school teacher that (to my knowledge) never pastored a church of more than a few dozen people. But I will tell you this... Many a king would give away his kingdom to have a funeral with as many people who genuinely cared about him, as did Terry Eden.

On the drive home from Terry's funeral, a line I recently read in a book came to mind, "There is nothing more beautiful on this earth than the love of a parish for a faithful pastor."

Going to Jeff City

2011-01-25T19:23:00.001-06:00

I will leave bright and early tomorrow morning for Jefferson City, for two full days of meetings with the Organizational Study Group (OSG) of the Missouri Baptist Convention. As our name would suggest, the OSG is assigned the task of studying the current organization of the Missouri Baptist Convention, and bringing recommendations to the Executive Board for an effective organizational structure for the 21st century. This will be the first time our team has met since the resignation of Dr. Tolliver as the MBC's executive director. Please pray for our team as we press forward in challenging circumstances. Additonally, pray that the MBC would be a worthy partner for the churches of our state, as they fulfill the Great Commission.

Good Bye to a Friend

2011-01-24T21:36:00.011-06:00

A short time ago, an important person in my life went to Glory. His name was Terry Eden. When I was a young boy, Terry was a devoted layman in our local church. He was, among other things, my Royal Ambassador leader and my Sunday School teacher. When I was a boy, Terry seemed like a bear of a man. When he got angry, his face would get red and his eyes would flash, and he could be kind of scary. But Terry also had a soft heart. And it was not uncommon for those same eyes to well with tears and his voice to crack when speaking of the Lord.

Terry was not only a church acquaintance, but he and his wife (Karen) were also good friends of my parents. And so as a young boy, when I responded to the conviction of the Holy Spirit, and made my way to the front of the church during a Sunday night invitation, it was Terry that knelt beside me at the altar and led me in a prayer to surrender my life to Christ.

As time went by, Terry became the pastor of another local church. About this same time, my family moved to a different town, and so I wasn't around him quite as much. (Although the Edens remained part of our lives.) But as a young man struggling with doubts about my conversion experience, it was Terry I sought out for guidance. He gave me great peace, as he recalled in vivid detail praying with me that night, and assured me that he had never seen a young child who had a better understanding of the Gospel. After God called me to preach, Terry was among the first to offer his pulpit as an opportunity to get some experience. Terry encouraged me to be faithful to preach the Word.

There are lots of little memories I have of Terry - too many to write about here. Many of them involve fishing and camping. Terry Eden was a good man, and a godly man. Hopefully you can see why he was a special man to me. His wife, Karen, is a special lady to me as well. Please say a prayer for her and the rest of the family.

"Thank you, Lord, for Terry. Help me be to someone else, what Terry was to me."