Sabbatical

Sabbatical  

noun: a period of time during which someone does not work at his or her regular job and is able to rest, travel, do research, etc.

Ok, I swore I would never do what I just did.  I have heard this done so many times - I promised myself I would not resort to using a Webster Dictionary definition to speak or write about something but now I have.  Maybe I need to take a break to recharge my creative batteries.

Thankfully, I have a church that understands that.  After ten years of pastoring at Northside, I was given a sabbatical leave of six weeks.  No, I am not making this up, just check with the Personnel Committee (as soon as they all return from their vacations).  I am writing this post to let you all know that I will be taking my leave for the month of July and the first two weeks of August.

We have a capable and hard-working staff here and I leave things in their well-equipped hands.  Mickey Ewing and Dean Meade will be taking care of my preaching/teaching responsibilities while I am gone.  They always do a great job and I know that you will support them well.  I will not be doing a blog, don't worry, you will find other things to read on the internet until I get back.  I promise you, you will.

What will I be doing?  There is a whole list of things – working on my parent’s place that I have long neglected, visiting other churches, having a colonoscopy, seeing my daughters and something I have never done before, going on a full two week vacation.  I keep hearing people talk about a “weekend.”  Since I have worked Sundays as a pastor for 26 years, I am going to try to find out just what is a “weekend?”  Maybe I should look it up in the dictionary.

for the journey...

Tim

What the Church Can Learn from the Spurs

I admit that I am a Spurs fan.  I know that some of you are not - I still love you and especially pray for you.  But allow me to share something I have been thinking about since the NBA Finals in a post today about five things that the church can learn from the five time champs.

1. Team work always trumps individual effort.  The Spurs beat the team of the "best player on the planet" by not having a single super star.  They played as a team.  We need to remember that in the church in a day of "superstars" and "celebrities" even in the church.

2. Selflessness always defeats selfishness.  The Spurs won by individuals giving up things for the sake of the team - the extra pass to the man who had the better shot.  The church functions best when it serves, when individuals give of themselves for the betterment of the whole.  In a spiritual sense, who do you need to pass the ball to?

3. We work best together when we get over ourselves.  Spurs' coach Greg Popovich said that one secret to the team's success is that they are a group of guys who have "gotten over themselves."  We only function as the body of Christ when we "get over ourselves."  If you have no idea what that means, then it is something that urgently needs to happen in you.  Have a little talk with Jesus.

4. Diversity can bring strength.  The Spurs are a diverse group from different backgrounds, ethnicities, languages and nations, yet they have found a way to use their differences as strengths not dividers. The church in heaven is made up of those from every tribe and every tongue and every nation.  The church on earth today needs to know that we do not all have to look alike, talk alike or think alike to be like the church in heaven.  That will bring strength.

5. The accomplishments of youth are celebrated.  When it was announced that Kawhi Leonard, one of the youngest players on the team, had won the Most Valuable Player award and not one of the veteran stars, the older, more accomplished players did not just politely applaud, they became like little boys in their affirmation.  Slapping, laughing, shoving, head rubbing and shouting their approval on their young team mate.  If we are to have a future, we must encourage and celebrate the accomplishments of those younger, even if it means we older ones don't get something we have "earned."

Someday all that the Spurs have done, as enjoyable as it is now, will pass away.  What we do as a church lasts for eternity.  Let's play as a team.  Let's get everyone in the game.  Let's follow our coach.

for the journey...

Tim

Bergdahl, Redemption and Me

Disclaimer:  In this post, I will be talking about a controversial figure in the news and decisions that were made regarding him that are equally controversial.  There are many others who will debate these topics much better than I will.  My goal is not to make any kind of point about the rightness or wrongness of actions taken by and for Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl - though those are important discussions worthy of debate.  I simply want to share some analogies to my (our) spiritual life from what we are seeing in the news.

A few months ago, I could have told you that there was an American soldier being held by the Taliban but I could not have told you anything more than that.  Now we all know the name of Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl, we wish we knew more of why he left his post and what his intentions were.  There is still a lot of controversy and will continue to be.  It has caused me to do some reflection on my own spiritual life though, that is what I want to share in this post.

The redeeming of someone's life is never simple, clear, easy or cheap.  It is costly, controversial, difficult and messy.  So was my redemption from sin.  And always there is the question, "Was it really worth the costs?"  Was what was given up worth what was gained?  What will be the future repercussions?

I must admit that I, and every human being since Adam and Eve spoke to the serpent in the garden, have had questionable, unfathomable and totally illogical dalliances with an enemy whose sole purpose is to steal, kill and destroy.

The very reason I needed redemption was because I had, in a sense, wandered away from my post - of what I knew to be right and what I professed to believe.  In so doing, I was taken captive by an enemy who used me to do his will.  I was lost and powerless to free myself.

My King, determined that I was worth redeeming, though the cost for that redemption was high.  It is said that six soldiers died in the search for Sgt. Bergdahl and they were not able to find him or secure his release, despite their best efforts and their supreme sacrifice.

My redeemer, sent to deliver me, did find me and secure my release at a great personal price.  Then there was the dealing with my wandering.  I was found guilty of my desertion that got me into trouble in the first place. 

Then here is the amazing thing - my redeemer then took my punishment for my failings upon himself. He took my sentence and died so that I could be set free.  Was I really worth it?  What could I give back in payment even if I devoted the rest of my life to fulfilling my duty that I had forsaken?  Nothing could ever be enough.  Yet my redeemer did all this lovingly and willingly.

This whole case shows me in a way I had not seen before the costliness of my own sin - it always costs me and it always costs others and it always causes a mess that I cannot clean up.  It also shows me the great love and sacrifice of my redeemer, who set me free.

This Lord's Day, we will come to the table to examine ourselves.  I have some new gratitude for my savior.  Will join me?

for the journey...

Tim

For Father's Day

My post on the video about Mother's Day - "The Toughest Job" is probably my most viewed blog posts.  So in following that vein, here is my post for Father's Day.  It is a video that answers the question, "What happens when kids tell the Bible story and the adults act it out?"  It was made by a group of adults at FBC, Marble Falls.

I hope you enjoy another video- blog because to be honest, I am too tired from VBS to write anything worth your time.  This is.

http://www.godtube.com/watch/?v=WGYW6WNX

for the journey...

Tim