Veterans Day 2005

Both my brother-in-law and a cousin-in-law both sent this to me today. Click on the Video link to view the video. Check out the rest of the website while you are there.

Both men who forwarded this to me served in the U.S. Armed Forces. One of them was shot down in Viet Nam and to this day has problems with his back. The other served his entire career and recently retired as a Chaplain.

I have a great deal of respect for anyone who serves their country through the Armed Forces. I have several relatives & friends who are currently serving or have served in the past. I don't think that most who serve receive the gratitude that they deserve for their sacrifice.

With that in mind,

David - Thank You!
Neil - Thank You!
Matt - Thank You!
Darren - Thank You!
Alan - Thank You!
Michelle - Thank You!
Justin - Thank You!

I'm sure I have not named everyone I know who either has served or is serving, but you get the idea. Now, go and do likewise.

Old Words for a New Time

Recently I have been reading through The Training of the Twelve by A. B. Bruce. A friend of mine from Seminary highly recommended it and it finally made it's way to my doorstep.

This book on Leadership was first published in 1871. I'm finding that Bruce hit on some timeless aspects of change, specifically with respect to church life and change that bear repeating.

In Chapter 7 - Lessons in Religious Liberty, he presents an analysis of Jesus' response to John's disciples asking about why Jesus' disciples didn't fast, and His further illustrations of old & new cloth, and new wine in old wineskins. The following quote is the final paragraph of the chapter.

Too seldom for the church’s good have lovers of old ways understood Christ’s wisdom, and lovers of new ways sympathized with His charity. A celebrated historian has remarked: “It must make a man wretched, if, when on the threshold of old age, he looks on the rising generation with
uneasiness, and does not rather rejoice in beholding it; and yet this is very common with old men. Fabius would rather have seen Hannibal unconquered than see his own fame obscured by Scipio.”118 There are always too many Fabii in the world, who are annoyed because things will not remain stationary, and because new ways and new men are ever rising up to take the place of the old. Not less rare, on the other hand, is Christ’s charity among the advocates of progress. Those who affect freedom despise the stricter sort as fanatics and bigots, and drive on changes without regard to their scruples, and without any appreciation of the excellent qualities of the “old wine.” When will young men and old men, liberals and conservatives, broad Christians and narrow, learn to bear with one another; yea, to recognize each in the other the necessary complement of his own one-sidedness?

Bruce's analysis has been helpful in my situation. He has not negated the need for change, but does call me to be very wise in the process of change - especially in the church. All of us who are involved in the process of change within our churches need to be reminded of this.

Evangelism Redux

I was reminded of some of the things Joe said in his 6 part series on Evangelism. Read it and struggle with the concepts he presents. Especially if you have been around people who are quick to "lead someone to Christ."

Cowboy Hall of Fame

Last Saturday night, my parents, Jake and Geneva, 79 & 80 years old respectively, were inducted into the Hidalgo County (NM) Cowboy Hall of Fame. They were the only ones inducted who were alive - the other 2 died a long time ago.

It's a nice honor for them. They have spent the last 35+ years living on the same ranch, improving it a whole lot, and experimenting with different types of cattle breeds that would grow the best in that area, with my dad also working a full-time job.

We are glad that they were honored non-posthumously. I've never really understood posthumous awards. I guess the family gets something out of it, but isn't it better to say "You did a great job!" while someone is alive?

All my brothers and sisters were there. It is the first time that all of us have been together since D'Shon and I got married a little over 22 years ago. Needless to say, Family Reunions do not play a big role in our family!

Annual Association Meeting

Today was the Annual meeting of the Mount Graham Baptist Association. We are a really small association - six churches total, or in reality, five. One church has not sent any representation to any Association event in the past year, and appear not to be interested in cooperating. All our churches, except one, have a regular attendence of less that 75 people on any given Sunday morning.

I was asked last year to preach for this years meeting. My text was 1 Chronicles 12:32 "Of the sons of Issachar, men who understood the times, with knowledge of what Israel should do, their chiefs were two hundred; and all their kinsmen were at their command." The context of this verse is a listing of people who were pledging loyalty to David as he was preparing to become king in place of Saul. I found it interesting that the sons of Issachar were not fighting men, in the same sense of the others who were listed mentioning their particular skills in battle. Their importance to David was that they were "men who understood the times."

I spent a little over an hour talking to less than 50 people, many who are at minimum late 40's. My wife and I were the only early 40's attending - and were the youngest ones there!!! We learned about differences between the generations, what they expect, how they operate, how to reach people who could care less about Christ, let alone our current form of associating together as churches.

Should be interesting to see what happens as a result. They were introduced to the concept that the older generations will have to do most of the changing before those under 40 will even begin to take notice. One lady (from the church I pastor) said that she loved it when I told all the "gummers" that they were going to have to change!

I did not receive any negative feedback, but several thanked me for showing them that GenXers and Millenials have some potentially positive contributions to make to their churches.

And, on top of that, I was elected Moderator of the Association for the next year. Should be interesting........

Knowledge is a dangerous thing

Spent Monday and Tuesday in Goodyear, near Phoenix in a Biblical Stewardship Seminar. I've been through these types of things before, but this one relied on the biblical view of the role of a steward, not so much on money.

Now I will be held accountable for what I know. Some of it is not comfortable, other aspects are Ok. We will be going through this Seminar in our church soon. I don't want to be the servant who will be "beaten with few blows." Nor do I want to be held accountable for those I am responsible to teach these things.

Luke 12:42-48

42 And the Lord said, "Who then is the faithful and sensible steward, whom his master will put in charge of his servants, to give them their rations at the proper time? 43 "Blessed is that slave whom his master finds so doing when he comes. 44 "Truly I say to you that he will put him in charge of all his possessions. 45 "But if that slave says in his heart, 'My master will be a long time in coming,' and begins to beat the slaves, both men and women, and to eat and drink and get drunk; 46 the master of that slave will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he does not know, and will cut him in pieces, and assign him a place with the unbelievers. 47 "And that slave who knew his master's will and did not get ready or act in accord with his will, will receive many lashes, 48 but the one who did not know it, and committed deeds worthy of a flogging, will receive but few. From everyone who has been given much, much will be required; and to whom they entrusted much, of him they will ask all the more.

Grace in action

Today I got to "cowboy" as my girls call it. I helped move some cattle (around 65 or so) from the ranch house to a pasture a couple of miles away. We moved a couple of other cows from one pasture to another. I grew up on a ranch, so this was a lot of fun.

Chris and Monica are the owners of the ranch. She and I are fellow Rotarians and she asked me earlier this week if I was able to come help them work cattle. I got to know Chris better today. We had met somewhere before, but neither of us could remember quite where.

After we got back to the house and unsaddled, we sat outside waiting for lunch. Chris' parents were staying with them this weekend. They are in their early 90's, and live in a nearby town. His dad is legally blind, and his mom has Alzheimer's. I've never been around anyone who is afflicted with this disease.

His mom is a kind lady, although she asks the same questions pretty frequently. I learned a lot from Chris and Monica. They help take care of Chris' parents on a weekly basis. They have developed a patient attitude with them, and answer questions just like it was the first time it has been asked. Chris' comment was something to the effect that we need to enjoy them while we can, because sometime soon, they will not be around.

His dad prayed before lunch. He prayed a prayer that only one who has prayed for years can pray.

It was difficult to see the changes that Alzheimer's makes to a marriage relationship.

I saw grace in action from Chris and Monica, taking care of his parents in a way that brought dignity, patience, and humor to the situation.