For the Chimes Newsletter
By Pastor Gary Lewis
Easter Sunday is a message of hope in tough times. The disciples were scattered and afraid after Jesus’ crucifixion. For three long days it seemed their world had crashed down all around them. Even Peter, the designated leader, “the rock,” had denied even knowing Christ. In fact, he denied Jesus three times.
Cowering in fear, there’s very little doubt that the followers of Christ were looking over their shoulders for the authorities. If they crucified a sinless Jesus, it was a sure thing they would be crucified too. Matthew 28 is one of the four Gospel accounts of that first Easter Sunday.
Some women, who were followers of Jesus, show up at the tomb. They come there expecting to find the body of Jesus. They arrive with anointing oil and spices and they were going to prepare the body for long term burial. There wasn’t anything highly unusual about this trip. Although it was a somber ritual, it was a way for them to show their love for Jesus.
When they arrived the massive stone at the entrance to the tomb had been rolled away. There was an angel outside. This is where the story picks up in Matthew 28:5: “Then the angel spoke to the women, ‘Don’t be afraid. I know you are looking for Jesus who was crucified. He isn’t here. He has risen from the dead, just as he said would happen. Come see where his body was lying.’”
The first thing the angel said was “Don’t be afraid.” Scholars have concluded there are about 365 references in the Bible to “don’t be afraid” or “fear not.” Why did the angel say that to these early followers of Jesus? Well, if you went to a tomb expecting to see a body and the body wasn’t there all sorts of things would probably cross your mind. And most of those thoughts would send a chill down your spine. So there’s a practical reason why the angel said “don’t be afraid.”
If you go back three days prior, though, there’s another reason. On Good Friday, Jesus, the Lord, was arrested. In just a matter of a few hours, he was arrested, tried, crucified, dead and buried. Now, these women at the tomb might have thought their life was in danger at that very moment. So this angel said – “don’t be afraid.”
Don’t be afraid because the resurrection had changed everything. Easter teaches us a powerful lesson about having faith in tough times. A casual look at the economy, the on-going conflict in Libya, Afghanistan, Iraq and the unfolding disaster in Japan tells us we are living in a period of tough times. We need a strong dose of faith to overcome our fears.
Think about it. The Bible tells us the resurrection transformed the lives of the early church. Peter goes from being a denier of Christ to become the pillar of the new Christian church. The resurrection can change you, too.
Maybe you are facing some tough times. In the weeks following Easter we are going to look at where can I find faith to stand when things go sour? How do you face doubt with faith? How do you faith failure with faith? How do you face illness with faith? And then ultimately, how do you face death, itself, with faith?
Maybe you need an infusion of Easter faith in your life. This is going to be a great time to invite your friends, family and neighbors to Easter at First United Methodist Church. Make an effort to show God’s amazing love to the people you care about. Invite them to worship and I promise to share with them the Good News that ordinary people like us can overcome adversity in tough times. The story of Easter still resonates with a clarion call of hope.
Sunday, July 24, 2011
Becoming a 'Contagious Congregation'
For the Chimes Newsletter
By Pastor Gary Lewis
Dr. George G. Hunter wrote a book in 1979 with the title “The Contagious Congregation: Frontiers in Evangelism and Church Growth.” He is now the chair of Christian Evangelism and professor of Evangelism and Church Growth at Asbury Theological Seminary. He has probably written several dozen new books since then. Yet, I find this book to still be relevant today.
What I find most challenging is the title “The Contagious Congregation.” When we think about the word “contagious” we usually associate it with some sort of disease. When someone is contagious we want to wear masks and gloves to avoid being exposed. In the Christian context, though, being contagious means to be like Jesus. When non-Christians come into contact with a local church they should be exposed to Christ-like love and actions.
Would you consider our congregation “contagious” about its faith? Or do we put on masks and gloves (in a symbolic way) to avoid being exposed to those who struggle with faith or may have no faith at all?
I don’t know about you, but I want to be “contagious” for the Lord! Yet, I don’t always know how to go about doing that. That’s why we are in this together. We need to spend some time in prayer asking God to show us some ways to become more contagious. For Hunter, prayer means we take the time to “wait to receive power.” After all, it is really the Holy Spirit that does the real work of evangelism.
Let me be clear: I look at our attendance reports each week with a keen eye. I am well-aware of our ups and downs in both services. I care deeply about our outreach. Someone taught me a long time ago that when it comes to ministry “people vote with their feet.” Yet, this desire to be contagious for Jesus has nothing to do with the institution of our church. It is not about numbers. It has to do with being faithful to Jesus. I have this compelling drive within me to share the Good News.
How about you, dear reader, do you have such a compelling drive?
Most non-Christians are convinced that Christianity is an otherworldly enterprise far outside the real world concerns that occupy most thoughtful human beings. This is why the message our church brings must be relevant to those who do not embrace the Christian faith.
The message must be unambiguous. Often times, pastors and lay people simply speak a different language that cannot be understood by non-Christians. A similar problem with clarity involves saying too much. The message must be reduced to meeting a particular question or need at a particular moment.
This is why the message we share must be Biblical. The church is built on a book and people are interested in what Jesus proclaimed and taught. They are not interested in private opinions about our concept of Christianity. What matters the most is our relationship with others.
Hunter puts it best: “It is not necessary that one always (or even usually) verbalizes the gospel; the Christian has not ‘failed Jesus’ just because he has not mentioned his name. The essential purposes of presence ministry are to know people, to be known by them, to identify with them, and to demonstrate a caring interest in them, to build the friendships which can become the bridges of God.” (Page 135)
A key to all of this is that God’s workers must be intentional in their efforts. Every conversation, every contact, is an opportunity for evangelism. This is what it means to become a “contagious congregation.”
By Pastor Gary Lewis
Dr. George G. Hunter wrote a book in 1979 with the title “The Contagious Congregation: Frontiers in Evangelism and Church Growth.” He is now the chair of Christian Evangelism and professor of Evangelism and Church Growth at Asbury Theological Seminary. He has probably written several dozen new books since then. Yet, I find this book to still be relevant today.
What I find most challenging is the title “The Contagious Congregation.” When we think about the word “contagious” we usually associate it with some sort of disease. When someone is contagious we want to wear masks and gloves to avoid being exposed. In the Christian context, though, being contagious means to be like Jesus. When non-Christians come into contact with a local church they should be exposed to Christ-like love and actions.
Would you consider our congregation “contagious” about its faith? Or do we put on masks and gloves (in a symbolic way) to avoid being exposed to those who struggle with faith or may have no faith at all?
I don’t know about you, but I want to be “contagious” for the Lord! Yet, I don’t always know how to go about doing that. That’s why we are in this together. We need to spend some time in prayer asking God to show us some ways to become more contagious. For Hunter, prayer means we take the time to “wait to receive power.” After all, it is really the Holy Spirit that does the real work of evangelism.
Let me be clear: I look at our attendance reports each week with a keen eye. I am well-aware of our ups and downs in both services. I care deeply about our outreach. Someone taught me a long time ago that when it comes to ministry “people vote with their feet.” Yet, this desire to be contagious for Jesus has nothing to do with the institution of our church. It is not about numbers. It has to do with being faithful to Jesus. I have this compelling drive within me to share the Good News.
How about you, dear reader, do you have such a compelling drive?
Most non-Christians are convinced that Christianity is an otherworldly enterprise far outside the real world concerns that occupy most thoughtful human beings. This is why the message our church brings must be relevant to those who do not embrace the Christian faith.
The message must be unambiguous. Often times, pastors and lay people simply speak a different language that cannot be understood by non-Christians. A similar problem with clarity involves saying too much. The message must be reduced to meeting a particular question or need at a particular moment.
This is why the message we share must be Biblical. The church is built on a book and people are interested in what Jesus proclaimed and taught. They are not interested in private opinions about our concept of Christianity. What matters the most is our relationship with others.
Hunter puts it best: “It is not necessary that one always (or even usually) verbalizes the gospel; the Christian has not ‘failed Jesus’ just because he has not mentioned his name. The essential purposes of presence ministry are to know people, to be known by them, to identify with them, and to demonstrate a caring interest in them, to build the friendships which can become the bridges of God.” (Page 135)
A key to all of this is that God’s workers must be intentional in their efforts. Every conversation, every contact, is an opportunity for evangelism. This is what it means to become a “contagious congregation.”
Amazing Easter, SC, Youth Sunday Notes
For the Chimes Newsletter
By Pastor Gary Lewis
I am still in the “Easter Sunday” zone, so I can’t sit still enough to write a column this month. So, instead of a column, I decided to share with you some interesting facts, figures and projects God has put into my path.
We had an amazing Easter Sunday. I want to express many thanks to those “behind the scenes” folks who do so much each and every week to make things happen! I’m talking about the sound-TV-video-ushers-greeters-hospitality table people (depending on which worship service you attend.) When you have 254 at the Sanctuary service and 166 at The Gathering – you really appreciate all those unsung heroes who make things happen.
I want to say a special word of appreciation to all of our musicians who did an incredible job on Sunday (and every week). The song selection was excellent and fit our theme for the day “Faith for Tough Times.”
***
Did you make it to the Good Friday service? “Messages from the Cross” was our first attempt among the five “downtown” pastors to do a combined worship service.
From all accounts, the service was well-received. It was an honor to serve together with colleagues in ministry.
The 6:15 p.m. service at the First Church of the Nazarene attracted 148 people. Thanks so much to those of you from FUMC who attended. I got to have the final word at the service … it was pure joy.
Churches represented at the event included:
First United Methodist Church, First Christian Church, Wabash Avenue Presbyterian, Christ Lutheran Church and First Church of the Nazarene.
***
We have 26-30 people tentatively scheduled for the 24th annual mission trip to the Sea Islands of South Carolina. The group leaves June 10 and returns June 19.
This year, the group will be “sharing the load” with a shared leadership structure.
Transportation team leader is Mark McBee; kitchen team leaders are Peg Rose and Bev Bannon; mentor leader Ed Stuffle; devotion team leader is Monte Thompson; hotel team leaders are Sue Ann Ford and Karen Thada; t-shirt leader is Deb Zurawski; affirmation leader is Peg Rose; prayer leader is Jenny Lewis; thank you note leader is Carol Myhre; first aid kit team leader is Tiffany Issacs; corrugated procurement leader is Bev Bannon; coordinating leader is Cynda Mellish; construction leader is Bruce Whitehead.
So far, there may be 10 high school students making the trip this year. Three “first-timers” may also be on the team.
***
Three new members joined the church Easter Sunday at The Gathering. Sean and Chrissy Smith and Wilbert Falconer joined the First United Methodist Church family by confession of faith!
***
Do dogs go to heaven? Check it out on Youth Sunday, May 8, (Mother’s Day). The skit “Stairway to heaven” is featured with a dog, snake, hyena, vulture, squirrel, lion and lamb. The skit was created and written by the Middle School class. Each adult woman attending that day will receive a special gift. It should be a fun and memorable day with the youth.
***
Rainbows & Rhymes is completing its 18th year of ministry on May 13. There are 95 students enrolled. Age ranges include one year to age 4. Summer parents day out begins June 2. The pre-school is going bowling at C’ville Lanes in early May.
By Pastor Gary Lewis
I am still in the “Easter Sunday” zone, so I can’t sit still enough to write a column this month. So, instead of a column, I decided to share with you some interesting facts, figures and projects God has put into my path.
We had an amazing Easter Sunday. I want to express many thanks to those “behind the scenes” folks who do so much each and every week to make things happen! I’m talking about the sound-TV-video-ushers-greeters-hospitality table people (depending on which worship service you attend.) When you have 254 at the Sanctuary service and 166 at The Gathering – you really appreciate all those unsung heroes who make things happen.
I want to say a special word of appreciation to all of our musicians who did an incredible job on Sunday (and every week). The song selection was excellent and fit our theme for the day “Faith for Tough Times.”
***
Did you make it to the Good Friday service? “Messages from the Cross” was our first attempt among the five “downtown” pastors to do a combined worship service.
From all accounts, the service was well-received. It was an honor to serve together with colleagues in ministry.
The 6:15 p.m. service at the First Church of the Nazarene attracted 148 people. Thanks so much to those of you from FUMC who attended. I got to have the final word at the service … it was pure joy.
Churches represented at the event included:
First United Methodist Church, First Christian Church, Wabash Avenue Presbyterian, Christ Lutheran Church and First Church of the Nazarene.
***
We have 26-30 people tentatively scheduled for the 24th annual mission trip to the Sea Islands of South Carolina. The group leaves June 10 and returns June 19.
This year, the group will be “sharing the load” with a shared leadership structure.
Transportation team leader is Mark McBee; kitchen team leaders are Peg Rose and Bev Bannon; mentor leader Ed Stuffle; devotion team leader is Monte Thompson; hotel team leaders are Sue Ann Ford and Karen Thada; t-shirt leader is Deb Zurawski; affirmation leader is Peg Rose; prayer leader is Jenny Lewis; thank you note leader is Carol Myhre; first aid kit team leader is Tiffany Issacs; corrugated procurement leader is Bev Bannon; coordinating leader is Cynda Mellish; construction leader is Bruce Whitehead.
So far, there may be 10 high school students making the trip this year. Three “first-timers” may also be on the team.
***
Three new members joined the church Easter Sunday at The Gathering. Sean and Chrissy Smith and Wilbert Falconer joined the First United Methodist Church family by confession of faith!
***
Do dogs go to heaven? Check it out on Youth Sunday, May 8, (Mother’s Day). The skit “Stairway to heaven” is featured with a dog, snake, hyena, vulture, squirrel, lion and lamb. The skit was created and written by the Middle School class. Each adult woman attending that day will receive a special gift. It should be a fun and memorable day with the youth.
***
Rainbows & Rhymes is completing its 18th year of ministry on May 13. There are 95 students enrolled. Age ranges include one year to age 4. Summer parents day out begins June 2. The pre-school is going bowling at C’ville Lanes in early May.
Finding Focus in a World of Random Dots
For the Chimes Newsletter
By Pastor Gary Lewis
I have been trying to take a few more steps into the online world in recent weeks. The steps have been uncertain and shaky at times, but I am trying to persevere. It seems to be coming together all at once. I made Facebook the home page of one of my search engines and that has helped me to keep up with our church family. To be honest, though, I sometimes don’t know what to say. (And if you know anything about me this is very rare in real life.)
I updated my twitter account and my blog. You can find me at twitter@PastorWGL. So far, I have only one “follower.” (Thanks to my daughter Sarah.) My blog address is www.garylewis05.blogspot.com.
So what this means is that on one computer screen, I can now log into my Facebook account, read my e-mail, post my written work to my blog and figure out what a “tweet” is supposed to be all about!
Not bad for someone still trying to master the art of chewing gum and walking at the same time.
I have found the key to being able to do many things at once is not brilliance or electronic wizardry or even terrifying efficiency – the key to that ability is focus. And what is focus? Author/futurist Leonard Sweet calls it “the integration of peripheral vision.”
Peripheral vision means achieving a sharper focus of the world around us. In the 1990s, “Magic Eyes” books were very popular. Although I’m not very good at it, those seemingly random dots can become highly focused three-dimensional images. Once you “get it,” a whole new world of experience opens to you. No matter what you think you’re seeing or how well you think you’re seeing, there is more to be revealed.
Another term to describe this focus is vision – the ability to see what could be within the realms of the here and now. Jesus did this all the time. He had amazing focus through peripheral vision. He brought into focus the smallest and the least even while addressing the cosmic concerns of his ministry.
In the midst of serving an anxious, pressing, crowd he could feel the touch of the hemorrhaging woman and focus on her needs. In the midst of teaching his chosen disciples, he could connect with the tiny children running underfoot and focus on their needs. In the midst of preaching to and healing a huge throng of people, he could hear the hungry rumblings of empty stomachs and focus on that need.
It is my belief that we can capture such a vision. The choice is ours. We can go through life looking at random dots and flat surfaces. Or, through patient observance of prayer and Christian fellowship, we can experience three-dimensional images of hope and ministry to others.
My prayer is that each of us will be able to see with the deep vision of faith in God. Look deep and hard, with a confident faith in God. Together, we can find ways to bring the Good News of God’s love to a seemingly flat and hurting world full of random dots.
By Pastor Gary Lewis
I have been trying to take a few more steps into the online world in recent weeks. The steps have been uncertain and shaky at times, but I am trying to persevere. It seems to be coming together all at once. I made Facebook the home page of one of my search engines and that has helped me to keep up with our church family. To be honest, though, I sometimes don’t know what to say. (And if you know anything about me this is very rare in real life.)
I updated my twitter account and my blog. You can find me at twitter@PastorWGL. So far, I have only one “follower.” (Thanks to my daughter Sarah.) My blog address is www.garylewis05.blogspot.com.
So what this means is that on one computer screen, I can now log into my Facebook account, read my e-mail, post my written work to my blog and figure out what a “tweet” is supposed to be all about!
Not bad for someone still trying to master the art of chewing gum and walking at the same time.
I have found the key to being able to do many things at once is not brilliance or electronic wizardry or even terrifying efficiency – the key to that ability is focus. And what is focus? Author/futurist Leonard Sweet calls it “the integration of peripheral vision.”
Peripheral vision means achieving a sharper focus of the world around us. In the 1990s, “Magic Eyes” books were very popular. Although I’m not very good at it, those seemingly random dots can become highly focused three-dimensional images. Once you “get it,” a whole new world of experience opens to you. No matter what you think you’re seeing or how well you think you’re seeing, there is more to be revealed.
Another term to describe this focus is vision – the ability to see what could be within the realms of the here and now. Jesus did this all the time. He had amazing focus through peripheral vision. He brought into focus the smallest and the least even while addressing the cosmic concerns of his ministry.
In the midst of serving an anxious, pressing, crowd he could feel the touch of the hemorrhaging woman and focus on her needs. In the midst of teaching his chosen disciples, he could connect with the tiny children running underfoot and focus on their needs. In the midst of preaching to and healing a huge throng of people, he could hear the hungry rumblings of empty stomachs and focus on that need.
It is my belief that we can capture such a vision. The choice is ours. We can go through life looking at random dots and flat surfaces. Or, through patient observance of prayer and Christian fellowship, we can experience three-dimensional images of hope and ministry to others.
My prayer is that each of us will be able to see with the deep vision of faith in God. Look deep and hard, with a confident faith in God. Together, we can find ways to bring the Good News of God’s love to a seemingly flat and hurting world full of random dots.
Saturday, March 26, 2011
Faith Lessons from a Fishing Pole
March 25, 2011
For the Journal-Review
The dew was still on the ground and my pants were wet from walking down the hillside to the spillway. A mist was coming from the water and you could hear the tiny rushing sound as the stream was full of bubbling water.
A glob of night crawlers was impaled to the hook and a red-and-white bobber was attached to the line. The rig kurplunked neatly on the water and the bobber stood tall. It floated gently downstream as my Dad adjusted himself on a rock.
It’s the anticipation that makes fishing so much fun. What’s going to happen? Will the bobber go down, detecting a bite? I remember the feeling in my throat as I looked at my Dad, hoping he would catch the first fish today.
I was talking to a friend about the joys of fishing. He didn’t get it. What happens when you catch one, he asked. What’s the big deal? What’s the point? I’m not going to reach my hand into that water. In fact, he witnessed a good-size catfish being caught right near his lakeside home. As a result, for him swimming has become a hazardous activity.
I realize not every reader is going to get it. Maybe I am a country boy at heart. For me, fishing is a concrete expression of fulfilling a dream. Years ago, a division of Paramount Studios would begin each movie with a half-moon in the sky and a Tom Sawyer figure sitting on the curved end, fishing pole in hand, and a bobber in the water.
I can’t think of a better description of dreams than the joy of fishing. Because it is the anticipation that counts – it is the hope of something biting that hook, playing it out, and reeling it in. For the past several years I have been a catch-and-release fisherman. I now prefer to release my catch. So I get the added bonus of watching that fish regain its strength and dash into the deep. Talk about a thrill!
You see, that’s what dreams do. It brings joy to our hearts. Every time I cast my line into the water I am committing an act of faith. I truly believe that my bait, my lure, my “presentation” as the experts call it, is going to trick a fish into biting. And when it happens, it brings joy.
Faith is a bit like fishing. All that God wants to do in your life, God does on the basis of faith. Someone once said, “Faith is to the Christian life what a mainspring is to a watch.” It is indispensable. Everybody has faith. Even an atheist has faith. The only difference is what you put it in and the amount you have.
Faith is such an important concept; you cannot describe it in simply one word or one definition. Faith is like a diamond. It has many different facets to it. It has many different shapes and sides.
Yet, it is important to have a working definition of faith. Why is faith important? What’s the point? What to do you do with it once you have it? How does it apply in my life?
Faith always begins with a picture, a mental image, a dream, a vision and an idea. God gave Abraham a picture. God came to Abraham one day and said, “Abraham, I’m going to make you the father of a great nation. You’re going to have a lot of children.” For Abraham, that was hard to believe.
So God gives Abraham a picture. He took him outside and said, “Look at the heavens. Count the stars, indeed, if you can count them! So shall your offspring be. That’s how may descendants you’re going to have.” God starts by stretching our imagination, by giving us a dream, a vision.
In Mark 5 there is a story about a woman who had been sick for 12 years. Her excessive bleeding made her ceremonially unclean in Jewish culture. That meant she had no social life. She couldn’t be out in a crowd.
One day she heard that Jesus Christ was coming to town. She said, “If I could just touch his robe I’ll be healed.” So she took the initiative and did something daring. She went out into the crowd and pushes her way through and comes up behind Jesus and touches the back of his robe. She is instantly healed.
Jesus recognizes the touch of faith. He says, “Who touched me?” People are pressing in all around him in the crowd. No one knew. But Jesus knew the difference in this touch. The woman comes in front and she says, “I did, Lord.” And he says, “Daughter, your faith has made you whole.”
She took the initiative. She broke the rules. She went beyond the boundaries. She pressed ahead, worked her way through the crowd, and because she took the initiative found the healing she so desperately needed. Faith is the solution to procrastination.
I know not everyone is going to get it. Just like fishing, people have different ideas on how to enjoy God’s gift of nature. I do believe though that God wants to give someone in Montgomery County a message of hope in tough times.
Don’t be afraid to stretch your imagination. Don’t be afraid to dream. This is what faith means. And, don’t be afraid to take the initiative. Don’t be afraid to make that first step even if seems unconventional in your world.
There is no greater thrill in life – even fishing pales in comparison – to a renewed life found in Jesus Christ. He beckons each one of us into a life full of anticipation, hope and fulfillment.
For the Journal-Review
The dew was still on the ground and my pants were wet from walking down the hillside to the spillway. A mist was coming from the water and you could hear the tiny rushing sound as the stream was full of bubbling water.
A glob of night crawlers was impaled to the hook and a red-and-white bobber was attached to the line. The rig kurplunked neatly on the water and the bobber stood tall. It floated gently downstream as my Dad adjusted himself on a rock.
It’s the anticipation that makes fishing so much fun. What’s going to happen? Will the bobber go down, detecting a bite? I remember the feeling in my throat as I looked at my Dad, hoping he would catch the first fish today.
I was talking to a friend about the joys of fishing. He didn’t get it. What happens when you catch one, he asked. What’s the big deal? What’s the point? I’m not going to reach my hand into that water. In fact, he witnessed a good-size catfish being caught right near his lakeside home. As a result, for him swimming has become a hazardous activity.
I realize not every reader is going to get it. Maybe I am a country boy at heart. For me, fishing is a concrete expression of fulfilling a dream. Years ago, a division of Paramount Studios would begin each movie with a half-moon in the sky and a Tom Sawyer figure sitting on the curved end, fishing pole in hand, and a bobber in the water.
I can’t think of a better description of dreams than the joy of fishing. Because it is the anticipation that counts – it is the hope of something biting that hook, playing it out, and reeling it in. For the past several years I have been a catch-and-release fisherman. I now prefer to release my catch. So I get the added bonus of watching that fish regain its strength and dash into the deep. Talk about a thrill!
You see, that’s what dreams do. It brings joy to our hearts. Every time I cast my line into the water I am committing an act of faith. I truly believe that my bait, my lure, my “presentation” as the experts call it, is going to trick a fish into biting. And when it happens, it brings joy.
Faith is a bit like fishing. All that God wants to do in your life, God does on the basis of faith. Someone once said, “Faith is to the Christian life what a mainspring is to a watch.” It is indispensable. Everybody has faith. Even an atheist has faith. The only difference is what you put it in and the amount you have.
Faith is such an important concept; you cannot describe it in simply one word or one definition. Faith is like a diamond. It has many different facets to it. It has many different shapes and sides.
Yet, it is important to have a working definition of faith. Why is faith important? What’s the point? What to do you do with it once you have it? How does it apply in my life?
Faith always begins with a picture, a mental image, a dream, a vision and an idea. God gave Abraham a picture. God came to Abraham one day and said, “Abraham, I’m going to make you the father of a great nation. You’re going to have a lot of children.” For Abraham, that was hard to believe.
So God gives Abraham a picture. He took him outside and said, “Look at the heavens. Count the stars, indeed, if you can count them! So shall your offspring be. That’s how may descendants you’re going to have.” God starts by stretching our imagination, by giving us a dream, a vision.
In Mark 5 there is a story about a woman who had been sick for 12 years. Her excessive bleeding made her ceremonially unclean in Jewish culture. That meant she had no social life. She couldn’t be out in a crowd.
One day she heard that Jesus Christ was coming to town. She said, “If I could just touch his robe I’ll be healed.” So she took the initiative and did something daring. She went out into the crowd and pushes her way through and comes up behind Jesus and touches the back of his robe. She is instantly healed.
Jesus recognizes the touch of faith. He says, “Who touched me?” People are pressing in all around him in the crowd. No one knew. But Jesus knew the difference in this touch. The woman comes in front and she says, “I did, Lord.” And he says, “Daughter, your faith has made you whole.”
She took the initiative. She broke the rules. She went beyond the boundaries. She pressed ahead, worked her way through the crowd, and because she took the initiative found the healing she so desperately needed. Faith is the solution to procrastination.
I know not everyone is going to get it. Just like fishing, people have different ideas on how to enjoy God’s gift of nature. I do believe though that God wants to give someone in Montgomery County a message of hope in tough times.
Don’t be afraid to stretch your imagination. Don’t be afraid to dream. This is what faith means. And, don’t be afraid to take the initiative. Don’t be afraid to make that first step even if seems unconventional in your world.
There is no greater thrill in life – even fishing pales in comparison – to a renewed life found in Jesus Christ. He beckons each one of us into a life full of anticipation, hope and fulfillment.
Sunday, December 26, 2010
Kingdom Work is our Primary Mission
Journal-Review
December 15, 2010
By Pastor Gary Lewis
First United Methodist Church of Crawfordsville
We often use special words in the Church to describe certain efforts and events. For many, though, such words might leave them scratching their heads. For example, on Nov. 28, we began a new season in the church year known as “Advent.”
Advent is from the Latin word adventus meaning “coming.” It is the beginning of the Christian year and refers to a time of expectant waiting and preparation for the celebration of Christmas. The Latin word adventus is the translation of the Greek word parousia, a common word used in reference to the second coming of Christ.
In other words, as we anticipate the coming of Christ to the nativity scene in Bethlehem we are also keeping our eyes open for the return of Christ in the final days of the world.
Another word, or phrase, we often hear about in the Church is the “Kingdom of God,” or the “Kingdom of heaven.” When you read the Gospels (the first four books of the New Testament), it seems this is the only thing Jesus wanted to talk about. In fact, some 120 times in the Gospels, in one way or another, he refers to that Kingdom.
This is exactly what Jesus came to do: to establish the Kingdom of God, “on earth as it is in heaven. “When the disciples came to Jesus saying “Teach us to pray,” Jesus tells them to pray for this, that God’s kingdom would come, that God’s will would be done, on earth as it is in heaven.
A seminar speaker once suggested to some church leaders, “Each one of us has a few strengths and many weaknesses. Identify your strengths and work hard to hone them and don’t spend time bringing your weaknesses up to the level of mediocrity.”
I like what the late John Wooden, a hall-of-fame basketball coach, once said about weaknesses: “Don’t let what you cannot do interfere with what you can do.”
I have been thinking quite a bit lately about the future of the Church. “What are the strengths of our congregations? How can we own them and hone them?”
I have been reading the book “When the Sand Castle Crumbles,” by Jim Somerville, pastor of First Baptist Church of Richmond. In it, he describes how the church needs to get back to its primary task of Kingdom work.
“This is what I think the church of Jesus Christ ought to be doing – bringing heaven to earth – and the more I think about it the more I think the Lord’s Prayer is a perfect reminder. It’s the kind of prayer a soldier might pray before going onto the battlefield, the kind of prayer a missionary might pray before going onto the mission field.”
If the churches in Montgomery County would view Kingdom building in such a light, imagine how it could change things. “As a result, church begins to happen everywhere, all the time, and not only in our building (on Sunday morning).”
Here’s how to do it. Somerville writes, “Just look around for anything that doesn’t look like heaven and then roll up your sleeves and go to work.” Perhaps one person will see a need to help feed the hungry at the FISH food pantry, another to serve at the weekly soup kitchen, or share the gospel with people who don’t know Jesus.
Some might volunteer to work with Bud Rose at Habitat for Humanity. Some people might visit those in the nursing homes, others will make time to have coffee with a friend in need, still others will teach children in Sunday school.
Somerville makes this declaration: “Let’s stop counting how many people happen to be in church on Sunday morning and instead start counting how many times church happens between one Sunday and the next.”
The Christmas season is a perfect time to begin practicing Kingdom work. The world is going to be all anxious and in frenzy mode; the newsmakers will be talking endlessly about what’s wrong with the world.
Are you willing to roll up your sleeves and go to work – to bring the kingdom of heaven to earth?
For 2011, I plan to conclude every staff meeting and every church meeting I attend with these amended words of the Lord’s Prayer:
Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, thy will be done IN CRAWFORDSVILLE as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever. Amen.
December 15, 2010
By Pastor Gary Lewis
First United Methodist Church of Crawfordsville
We often use special words in the Church to describe certain efforts and events. For many, though, such words might leave them scratching their heads. For example, on Nov. 28, we began a new season in the church year known as “Advent.”
Advent is from the Latin word adventus meaning “coming.” It is the beginning of the Christian year and refers to a time of expectant waiting and preparation for the celebration of Christmas. The Latin word adventus is the translation of the Greek word parousia, a common word used in reference to the second coming of Christ.
In other words, as we anticipate the coming of Christ to the nativity scene in Bethlehem we are also keeping our eyes open for the return of Christ in the final days of the world.
Another word, or phrase, we often hear about in the Church is the “Kingdom of God,” or the “Kingdom of heaven.” When you read the Gospels (the first four books of the New Testament), it seems this is the only thing Jesus wanted to talk about. In fact, some 120 times in the Gospels, in one way or another, he refers to that Kingdom.
This is exactly what Jesus came to do: to establish the Kingdom of God, “on earth as it is in heaven. “When the disciples came to Jesus saying “Teach us to pray,” Jesus tells them to pray for this, that God’s kingdom would come, that God’s will would be done, on earth as it is in heaven.
A seminar speaker once suggested to some church leaders, “Each one of us has a few strengths and many weaknesses. Identify your strengths and work hard to hone them and don’t spend time bringing your weaknesses up to the level of mediocrity.”
I like what the late John Wooden, a hall-of-fame basketball coach, once said about weaknesses: “Don’t let what you cannot do interfere with what you can do.”
I have been thinking quite a bit lately about the future of the Church. “What are the strengths of our congregations? How can we own them and hone them?”
I have been reading the book “When the Sand Castle Crumbles,” by Jim Somerville, pastor of First Baptist Church of Richmond. In it, he describes how the church needs to get back to its primary task of Kingdom work.
“This is what I think the church of Jesus Christ ought to be doing – bringing heaven to earth – and the more I think about it the more I think the Lord’s Prayer is a perfect reminder. It’s the kind of prayer a soldier might pray before going onto the battlefield, the kind of prayer a missionary might pray before going onto the mission field.”
If the churches in Montgomery County would view Kingdom building in such a light, imagine how it could change things. “As a result, church begins to happen everywhere, all the time, and not only in our building (on Sunday morning).”
Here’s how to do it. Somerville writes, “Just look around for anything that doesn’t look like heaven and then roll up your sleeves and go to work.” Perhaps one person will see a need to help feed the hungry at the FISH food pantry, another to serve at the weekly soup kitchen, or share the gospel with people who don’t know Jesus.
Some might volunteer to work with Bud Rose at Habitat for Humanity. Some people might visit those in the nursing homes, others will make time to have coffee with a friend in need, still others will teach children in Sunday school.
Somerville makes this declaration: “Let’s stop counting how many people happen to be in church on Sunday morning and instead start counting how many times church happens between one Sunday and the next.”
The Christmas season is a perfect time to begin practicing Kingdom work. The world is going to be all anxious and in frenzy mode; the newsmakers will be talking endlessly about what’s wrong with the world.
Are you willing to roll up your sleeves and go to work – to bring the kingdom of heaven to earth?
For 2011, I plan to conclude every staff meeting and every church meeting I attend with these amended words of the Lord’s Prayer:
Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, thy will be done IN CRAWFORDSVILLE as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever. Amen.
Wednesday, November 3, 2010
The Body of Christ is Always Better Together
When it comes to ministry there is one important truth I have learned: We can do it better together. Two is always better than one. No matter what the community need might be, Christians make more of an impact when they work together.
The Bible calls it the Body of Christ. I am grateful for the churches in Montgomery County that have combined efforts to share the love of Christ with a hurting world. I have witnessed the formation of the www.montcares.org website. I have seen the development of Hub Ministry, where volunteer case workers gather to better serve the needy. In cooperation with Trinity Mission, a transient housing ministry may soon be launched. The food pantry has expanded from three to five days per week.
Six churches are working together to send a Basic Utility Vehicle (BUV) to the Congo. This simple, sturdy, high-mileage-per-gallon vehicle can be used to transport children to school, gather fresh water and haul supplies. It could literally change the lives of an entire community in the Congo. Our goal is to raise $5,000 to purchase and ship the BUV to Africa. On Oct. 31, a fund-raising event is planned near the Habitat for Humanity headquarters on Jennison Street.
The Body of Christ is an image of being spiritually connected. Over and over again the Bible calls the church the body of Christ. Romans 12:5 says in the Living Bible: “Just as there are many parts to our bodies, so it is with Christ’s body. We are all parts of it and it takes every one of us to make it complete for we all have a different work to do. So we belong to each other and each needs all the others."
This one passage is full of spiritual truths. Here are four:
1. First, notice the Apostle Paul acknowledges we are all different. Each of us is unique. God doesn't want you to be like anybody else. Often, folks resist cooperating with other believers from other churches because of our differences. What matters is what we hold in common: faith in Jesus Christ.
2. We all have different roles to play, different work to do, different niches to fill. In a body not everything does the same thing. Can you imagine if all the parts of your body did the same thing? Imagine if every part of your body did the digestion. It would be redundant and uncomfortable because our body does more than digest food. All of us have different roles to play in the body of Christ.
3. Everyone is needed to make the body complete. The hand cannot say to the foot, "I don't need you," and the ear cannot say to the nose, "I don't need you." We are all needed in the body of Christ. While some parts are small, they are still needed. Have you ever damaged one of your little fingers? Few people realize how important your little finger is until it is injured. Even the most insignificant part of your body plays a role. If it gets hurt you notice. There are no insignificant people in the body of Christ. At night, the most important light in my home is not the big chandelier in the dining room. It is the little night light that keeps me from smashing my toe. Everyone has a role to play in the body of Christ.
4. We all need to be connected with each other. The Christian life is not just a matter of believing. It means being connected to each other. When we become disconnected our effectiveness wanes. Community needs are far too great for one church to tackle alone. When our ear becomes detached from the body, it no longer functions. Unless it is attached to a body it is no good. What good is a foot if it becomes detached from a body? A foot cannot do anything unless it is connected to a body. Why did God choose the body as an illustration of what the church is to be? Because in a healthy body all the parts grow together - they grow in harmony.
Our most important connection is to Jesus Christ. The second most important connection is to get connected to the body of Christ, the local church. And when local churches work together to tackle community needs, our witness as a light in a dark world is strengthened considerably. As Jesus told Peter, “On this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.” (Matthew 16:18, ESV)
The Bible calls it the Body of Christ. I am grateful for the churches in Montgomery County that have combined efforts to share the love of Christ with a hurting world. I have witnessed the formation of the www.montcares.org website. I have seen the development of Hub Ministry, where volunteer case workers gather to better serve the needy. In cooperation with Trinity Mission, a transient housing ministry may soon be launched. The food pantry has expanded from three to five days per week.
Six churches are working together to send a Basic Utility Vehicle (BUV) to the Congo. This simple, sturdy, high-mileage-per-gallon vehicle can be used to transport children to school, gather fresh water and haul supplies. It could literally change the lives of an entire community in the Congo. Our goal is to raise $5,000 to purchase and ship the BUV to Africa. On Oct. 31, a fund-raising event is planned near the Habitat for Humanity headquarters on Jennison Street.
The Body of Christ is an image of being spiritually connected. Over and over again the Bible calls the church the body of Christ. Romans 12:5 says in the Living Bible: “Just as there are many parts to our bodies, so it is with Christ’s body. We are all parts of it and it takes every one of us to make it complete for we all have a different work to do. So we belong to each other and each needs all the others."
This one passage is full of spiritual truths. Here are four:
1. First, notice the Apostle Paul acknowledges we are all different. Each of us is unique. God doesn't want you to be like anybody else. Often, folks resist cooperating with other believers from other churches because of our differences. What matters is what we hold in common: faith in Jesus Christ.
2. We all have different roles to play, different work to do, different niches to fill. In a body not everything does the same thing. Can you imagine if all the parts of your body did the same thing? Imagine if every part of your body did the digestion. It would be redundant and uncomfortable because our body does more than digest food. All of us have different roles to play in the body of Christ.
3. Everyone is needed to make the body complete. The hand cannot say to the foot, "I don't need you," and the ear cannot say to the nose, "I don't need you." We are all needed in the body of Christ. While some parts are small, they are still needed. Have you ever damaged one of your little fingers? Few people realize how important your little finger is until it is injured. Even the most insignificant part of your body plays a role. If it gets hurt you notice. There are no insignificant people in the body of Christ. At night, the most important light in my home is not the big chandelier in the dining room. It is the little night light that keeps me from smashing my toe. Everyone has a role to play in the body of Christ.
4. We all need to be connected with each other. The Christian life is not just a matter of believing. It means being connected to each other. When we become disconnected our effectiveness wanes. Community needs are far too great for one church to tackle alone. When our ear becomes detached from the body, it no longer functions. Unless it is attached to a body it is no good. What good is a foot if it becomes detached from a body? A foot cannot do anything unless it is connected to a body. Why did God choose the body as an illustration of what the church is to be? Because in a healthy body all the parts grow together - they grow in harmony.
Our most important connection is to Jesus Christ. The second most important connection is to get connected to the body of Christ, the local church. And when local churches work together to tackle community needs, our witness as a light in a dark world is strengthened considerably. As Jesus told Peter, “On this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.” (Matthew 16:18, ESV)
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