This Sunday, we will look at unity. How do you measure unity in a church? You can measure baptisms and budgets. You can count attendance and offerings. You can list the value of buildings and property, but how do you measure unity?
In the Bible there are measurements of "homers" and "talents." There is never a mention of a homer of harmony or a talent of togetherness. It does say, "they were all in one accord" but Honda has never released those numbers. (Bad play on a really old joke, I'm sorry).
How can something so vital to the church be so immeasurable? I do know this, when Hattie Marshall came to our church from a neighboring African-American Church, she and her husband Victor brought some diversity to our church. Hattie had a unique voice, no one else sang like her, no one else shouted Hallelujah like her (no one else ever shouted but her) and no one else spoke quite like her. But that difference, that diversity, brought a greater sense of unity. We grew more diverse but not more divided, we became something more than what we had been and we became more unified.
Hattie went home to be with the Lord this morning. She is now in a place where there will be people from every tribe and every tongue and every nation but that place is more unified than any place here on this earth. In Christ, the greater the diversity, the greater the unity. That is not what common sense would lead us to think - unity should come from uniformity - not with God.
Common sense would lead us to say then that we need to focus on diversity to get to unity but that is not the case either. Unity and diversity are only possible in the church as we as individuals step out in faith as Christ leads. Hattie always said that Jesus led her to our church. No transition like that is easy but she came. I really think Jesus did not lead her here for her but he led her here for us - and for a new sense of unity. So the way to unity and the measure of it, is only something that happens when we obey Jesus. Can someone say, "Hallelujah, thank you Jesus!" Can you shout it today? Hattie can.
for the journey...
Tim
Saturday, May 31, 2014
Friday, May 23, 2014
Borderline Dangerous
I went to see a controversial movie last night. It is being universally panned by media and movie critics. Here are a few of their comments:
I saw a Christian movie about two stay at home mom's who invite their pastor's wife out for a quiet dinner (with out husbands and children) called "Mom's Night Out." I laughed harder in this movie than I have in a long time. I did not have to feel uncomfortable about the humor because it was all clean and, for me, totally relatable. Let's just say nothing goes as planned for the ladies and their families when they take a "Mom's Night Out."
I cannot see how so much negative has been spewed at a simple comedy with a good hearted message. Of course, it is not something new to see a Christian movie being blasted by critics. That will always be the case, but "borderline dangerous?" Another reviewer spoke of how Christians should not even attempt a comedy movie because comedy by its nature had to have "tension" over things appropriate. There was also the lament that the movie was not "as crass as I had hoped it would be." Clean comedy is dead - at least to reviewers. Audiences though seem to be enjoying it.
As a Christian, do you feel that you are seen more and more as the enemy just because you are a Christian? It seems that way to me. This Sunday, we will talk about how Paul dealt with that. It should be no surprise to us that if we really live for Christ we will really offend those don't by our mere existence. This is not a problem without benefits and blessings though. I hope you will join me Sunday for a message that I am sure will be "borderline dangerous."
for the journey...
Tim
- "unintentionally grotesque" and "worthy of damnation" Rafer Guzman, Newsday
- "depressingly regressive and borderline dangerous" Christy Lemire, rogerebert.com
- The movie, "consigns the [main] character into Eisenhower-esque irrelevance" Inkoo Kang
I saw a Christian movie about two stay at home mom's who invite their pastor's wife out for a quiet dinner (with out husbands and children) called "Mom's Night Out." I laughed harder in this movie than I have in a long time. I did not have to feel uncomfortable about the humor because it was all clean and, for me, totally relatable. Let's just say nothing goes as planned for the ladies and their families when they take a "Mom's Night Out."
I cannot see how so much negative has been spewed at a simple comedy with a good hearted message. Of course, it is not something new to see a Christian movie being blasted by critics. That will always be the case, but "borderline dangerous?" Another reviewer spoke of how Christians should not even attempt a comedy movie because comedy by its nature had to have "tension" over things appropriate. There was also the lament that the movie was not "as crass as I had hoped it would be." Clean comedy is dead - at least to reviewers. Audiences though seem to be enjoying it.
As a Christian, do you feel that you are seen more and more as the enemy just because you are a Christian? It seems that way to me. This Sunday, we will talk about how Paul dealt with that. It should be no surprise to us that if we really live for Christ we will really offend those don't by our mere existence. This is not a problem without benefits and blessings though. I hope you will join me Sunday for a message that I am sure will be "borderline dangerous."
for the journey...
Tim
Friday, May 16, 2014
Lottie's Prayers
"...and a little child will lead them. Isaiah 11:6
Over the past few years, we have been privileged to baptize around twenty students who have come from China to Victoria to study. Our Chinese Fellowship has done a great job of reaching out to them and loving them to Christ. This Sunday, there will be another baptism of Chinese visitors but this time it will not be a student but parents of a student.
A while back a young lady from China - I will call her Lucy - came to Christ while here in Victoria and she was baptized at Northside. When she went home to visit, her parents could see a change in her life. They wanted to know more about what had happened to her. She began to tell them about Christ and the difference he makes. They also were witnessed to by a sister-in-law here in the Chinese Fellowship. They have found a church to belong to in China.
Sunday, they are being baptized here while in the U. S. to see their daughter graduate with a Master's degree and begin her career in New York City. Lucy is a very small, quiet young lady but her life spoke volumes to her own parents. I watched intently as I met with her parents about baptism and she translated and shared Bible verses in Mandarin from her phone. There was a joy about her in being a part of this moment.
My, if pioneer missionary to China, Lottie Moon, could see this today! A Chinese girl came to Victoria, Texas and met Christ. Went home to lead her parents to Christ in China. Now she takes the gospel with her to New York and her parents get baptized in Victoria and return to take the gospel to China. God does answer prayers beyond anything we could 'dare to ask or even imagine.'
It all produces a joy. A joy that the gospel can travel so far, overcome so many barriers and keep spreading through so many different circumstances. It is the same joy the came into Paul in jail in Rome as he wrote back to the church at Philippi. It is that joy that we can celebrate Sunday and everyday because the gospel does not stop working. It is that joy that we can know because God wants us to experience it. I hope you can be here to share it, but also know His joy knows no barriers.
for the journey...
Tim
Over the past few years, we have been privileged to baptize around twenty students who have come from China to Victoria to study. Our Chinese Fellowship has done a great job of reaching out to them and loving them to Christ. This Sunday, there will be another baptism of Chinese visitors but this time it will not be a student but parents of a student.
A while back a young lady from China - I will call her Lucy - came to Christ while here in Victoria and she was baptized at Northside. When she went home to visit, her parents could see a change in her life. They wanted to know more about what had happened to her. She began to tell them about Christ and the difference he makes. They also were witnessed to by a sister-in-law here in the Chinese Fellowship. They have found a church to belong to in China.
Sunday, they are being baptized here while in the U. S. to see their daughter graduate with a Master's degree and begin her career in New York City. Lucy is a very small, quiet young lady but her life spoke volumes to her own parents. I watched intently as I met with her parents about baptism and she translated and shared Bible verses in Mandarin from her phone. There was a joy about her in being a part of this moment.
My, if pioneer missionary to China, Lottie Moon, could see this today! A Chinese girl came to Victoria, Texas and met Christ. Went home to lead her parents to Christ in China. Now she takes the gospel with her to New York and her parents get baptized in Victoria and return to take the gospel to China. God does answer prayers beyond anything we could 'dare to ask or even imagine.'
It all produces a joy. A joy that the gospel can travel so far, overcome so many barriers and keep spreading through so many different circumstances. It is the same joy the came into Paul in jail in Rome as he wrote back to the church at Philippi. It is that joy that we can celebrate Sunday and everyday because the gospel does not stop working. It is that joy that we can know because God wants us to experience it. I hope you can be here to share it, but also know His joy knows no barriers.
for the journey...
Tim
Friday, May 9, 2014
The Toughest Job
What is the world's toughest job? Watch this video as people hear about it and discover what it is (hint: it is not being a pastor). Also notice the impact it has on them.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HB3xM93rXbY
for the journey...
Tim
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HB3xM93rXbY
for the journey...
Tim
Friday, May 2, 2014
Everlasting Love, Eternal Prayers
This week I lost a cousin and her husband, Margaret and Frank Hendrix, in a tragic accident. A blown tire in an oncoming truck only took an instant to cause the collision that ended their lives, but they live on in a better place with their Lord.
There was a very nice article written about their lives in the local paper. My cousin, Margaret Ann (as a cousin I have the right to use her first and middle name just as she had the right to call me Timmy) was a long time elementary teacher here in Victoria. The paper interviewed several former students about her life and her impact. In the article, one former student related the following encounter she had with Margaret Ann long after her elementary years that led Margaret to pray with her former pupil.
"I was going through a divorce at the time, and it had been a bad day for me," she said. "I was trying hard not to cry, but she gave me a hug, told me to let it out, and as I cried, [Margaret] prayed over me. I can't put into words what that single act of kindness meant to me."
Long after we are gone, what will remain at work in this world? The love we showed and the prayers we prayed. How and who we loved remain because people and love are eternal (1 Corinthians 13:13). The prayers we prayed also outlive us because they touch the eternal.
The day they died was a pretty normal - until the accident. The day Margaret prayed with her student was pretty normal for her as well - that is the kind of person she was. Yet both of those days now are now marked in eternity; one in tragedy, one in kindness.
On normal days, we do eternal things. We love people who live eternally. We offer prayers that live on in eternity too. We may never see those moments coming or even recognize them when we are gone but they come none the less.
Today and everyday, we can love and we can pray and we can touch eternity? How have you done something eternal this week? Join me Sunday as we talk about the places in life where, "All we can do is pray." We will find those are not moments of powerless but of touching eternity.
for the journey...
Tim
There was a very nice article written about their lives in the local paper. My cousin, Margaret Ann (as a cousin I have the right to use her first and middle name just as she had the right to call me Timmy) was a long time elementary teacher here in Victoria. The paper interviewed several former students about her life and her impact. In the article, one former student related the following encounter she had with Margaret Ann long after her elementary years that led Margaret to pray with her former pupil.
"I was going through a divorce at the time, and it had been a bad day for me," she said. "I was trying hard not to cry, but she gave me a hug, told me to let it out, and as I cried, [Margaret] prayed over me. I can't put into words what that single act of kindness meant to me."
Long after we are gone, what will remain at work in this world? The love we showed and the prayers we prayed. How and who we loved remain because people and love are eternal (1 Corinthians 13:13). The prayers we prayed also outlive us because they touch the eternal.
The day they died was a pretty normal - until the accident. The day Margaret prayed with her student was pretty normal for her as well - that is the kind of person she was. Yet both of those days now are now marked in eternity; one in tragedy, one in kindness.
On normal days, we do eternal things. We love people who live eternally. We offer prayers that live on in eternity too. We may never see those moments coming or even recognize them when we are gone but they come none the less.
Today and everyday, we can love and we can pray and we can touch eternity? How have you done something eternal this week? Join me Sunday as we talk about the places in life where, "All we can do is pray." We will find those are not moments of powerless but of touching eternity.
for the journey...
Tim
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