The Corn Field

Bonhoeffer

2011-12-02T06:15:00.000-08:00

I have just finished reading the biography of Dietrich Bonhoeffer, a book which really changed my thinking. Like many evangelicals I had a vague understanding of Bonhoeffer as a German theologian who wrote a couple of well received books and then died at the hand of the Nazis in the closing weeks of Word War II. This book pulled back the curtain so that I could see the historical context of this scholars life and come to better appreciate the struggles which he faced. What's more, I came to appreciate a different approach to the Christian faith than my own.

One of the phrases which Bonhoeffer was famous for was "religionless Christianity." Now some took this to mean that faith in God was entirely a personal matter, or that it was something that only had meaning in the "existential now." In fact, the "God is Dead" theologians actually championed the use of this phrase "religionless Christianity." After reading this book I am more convinced that what the martyred theologian meant was that we need a faith that is more than just tradition, that we have to understand it is not just a set of rules for conduct. I am afraid that this has been the culture that I have grown up in and typically accepted without question. It seems to me that Brother Dietrich is speaking of something far deeper, indeed the sort of faith that could lead him to be involved in a plot to kill Hitler and to do so with a clear conscience.

I suppose at the core of all of this is his emphasis on the will of God. He was utterly convinced it was God's will to do everything he could to end the reign of the Nazis. Some German Christians abhorred what the government was doing just as much but could not bring themselves to oppose it, thinking it was their Christian duty to be obedient. Seeing how a man trained in ethics could come to the conclusion that he did makes for fascinating and thought provoking reading.

Pastor Appreciation

2011-11-03T12:40:00.000-07:00

We have just been through October which someone designated "Pastor Appreciation Month." I have to say that I felt a keen sense of appreciation this year in an unexpected manner. As much as I try to get across to people that I am more than a preacher, it seems that preaching is the one thing I do which the majority of folks cannot. To say it another way, I will always prefer to be called "Pastor Corn," but understand when church folks call me "Preacher."

Add to that the fact that I very seldom preach anywhere but my own pulpit. I don't know why, but I have never been much in demand as a revival or homecoming speaker. In a weeks time I had opportunity to speak in chapel at FWBBC and to the Cumberland Association. In the first of these I was filling in for Matt Pinson and in the second for Dr. Pic. Both messages were well received and I have gotten quite a few compliments on them.

I got to thinking about this late one Sunday night, just before falling asleep. Is it just possible that the Lord orchestrated these two speaking engagements to say to me, "Randy you have something to say. I appreciate you." That may be a humble way of being egotistical, but it is what I have come to believe. As I said at the outset of this post, I have felt a keen sense of appreciation during this "Pastor Appreciation Month." Now you know why.

Bad News

2011-08-31T10:35:00.000-07:00

It has happened again. An acquaintance in the ministry has been forced into resignation. I really don't know the particulars of this case, and I don't really want to, I'm just saddened by this all too common turn of events.

Why does this happen? How can something that starts out so positive and with all parties claiming they have made it a matter of earnest prayer, end in a power struggle? I think there is enough blame for everyone in such matters. That being said, what are the common problems that might be addressed and thus avoided?

First, I think that most churches don't know what they need when it comes to looking for a pastor. If you do a survey of the congregation and took seriously all the suggestions made you would end up with something of a cross between Billy Graham and Spiderman, with a little bit of Joel Osteen thrown in for good measure! Maybe this could be the time for an interim pastor who could observe the strengths and weaknesses of the church and then make some suggestions. Most church folks are too close to the problem or are just blind to what an outsider would see as a glaring need.

Second, I think potential pastors ought to be a bit more realistic. Let's face it, most pastoral types, especially young ones, are optimists. That can be a very good thing, but when you are told that the last three pastors of a church you are considering were fired it may be the better part of valor not to send in a resume.

All of this being said, I am sure there will continue to be more pastoral mismatches in the future. My prayer is that neither the churches, nor the dismissed pastors, will be damaged beyond repair in the process.

Yesterday's News

2011-08-06T13:18:00.000-07:00

Recently, I was in the process of refiling a number of articles from my old filing system into my new one. This resulted in reading perhaps half a dozen articles from Christian magazines published in 1994. I don't know if you have ever had this experience or not, but it is interesting to read something, written as breaking news, years after its publication. You have historical perspective and, if it is a field you have a good bit of knowledge about, you may know how things turned out. This same sort of thing can happen with books. While I was a seminary student I once came across a book that had an intriguing title, Millennial Studies. When I opened the volume I found an even more interesting subtitle, "Is Kaiser Wilhelm the Antichrist?" I suppose we know now that he wasn't.

Now, I suppose that one lesson to draw from this is that we shouldn't jump to conclusions, forecasting the darkest of all possible outcomes. Still, one of the purposes of articles and books are to alert us to possibilities. We might say that burden is on the writers, but in our information age there must also be a responsibility for the reader. There are some folks who figure that if it is in print, it must be true. We can't be that trusting, but neither do we want to become cynics. We must be discerning about what we read. I will generally look to see who the author is first and then if I'm unfamiliar with his or her work, I will look to see the publisher. When you come to something posted on the internet then all bets are off. I usually look at information from the web with a jaundiced eye. Does that mean I reject it out of hand? No, it might be accurate, it just needs some sort of verification.

I love to read. Wether it is a magazine or journal article, a book, or something on the web, I think that this is a wonderful time to be alive and swimming in the sea of information. I would just say that we need to be discriminating about what we consider a "float" in that ocean. Remember, not everything will stand the test to time.

Committee Meetings

2011-07-14T08:00:00.000-07:00

I remember reading years ago that the great preacher G. Campbell Morgan detested church committee meetings. If I recall correctly his comment was they were endless discussions of who could and couldn't have a key to the back door of the church! Well, I don't detest church committee meetings, but I do long for the day when they can operate on an agenda, take less than an hour, and be scheduled some time other than right after I have preached.

How do you accomplish that? Well, I suppose I could come up with the agenda myself and then push through the items limiting the amount of time on each. I could just say when we will have the meeting and do it when I am at my best. The problem with all of this is that I don't really think I have the right to impose the agenda with a pre-designed outcome in view. Why should someone spend their time coming to a meeting if all the decisions have been made before hand? And when it come to me picking the time, people simply will not bend their schedules to my will. In other words, if I want people to come I'm going to have to work with the majority and resign myself to being the most flexible person in the group.

So, does it sound to you like I'm a pastoral wimp? I can see how some of my "pastoral authority" friends might see it that way. I am simply trying to recognize the value of everyone on each of those committees. I do believe there is greater strength in consensus than dictatorship. I suppose you could say that I am trying to have long view of this issue. I just wish we could do it a bit more efficiently.

"I Read Your Blog"

2011-05-03T12:47:00.000-07:00

I suppose it was bound to happen sooner or later. I fellow pastor actually said to me, "I read your blog." What's more, he seemed to like what he had read. My first thought was, "now isn't that nice?" My second thought was, "Is there anything in there that might be a bit too revealing?" Ok, I know that second question makes me sound a bit paranoid, but I have heard of more than one person who seemed to think of their blog as a private journal instead of what it really is, a public forum.

I have thought off and on about that encounter for a couple of days now and it has reminded me about why I post a blog. I see this as a way to let a few people in on my somewhat private thoughts. There just isn't enough time to say these sorts of things from the pulpit, and besides that, not all are or will be proper pulpit fare. What's more the audience for this blog are a select group. You see, you really have to want to know what I'm thinking to take the time to look it up. Let's face it, a number of folks in the typical Sunday morning crowd are not all that curious about what the pastor thinks. They want to hear a good Bible message, sing some songs, put in their check, and briefly fellowship with a few friends. Who would want to add to that list, the exploration of the pastor's psyche? Only the few who really see their relationship with that pastor as a two way street. It is not just a matter of what he can do for them, or for the church, but perhaps what they can do for him that would make all of them a more effective team.

So, for the few, I say thank you and I hope that this little window will allow you to see me, and what I am about, a bit more clearly.

The Word On The Street

2011-02-18T09:03:00.000-08:00

I am sure that most everyone has heard the expression, "the word on the street." It is a way of saying what people are talking about, and it sounds so much better than saying what they are gossiping about! Truth is, people will talk and it isn't always gossip. That word gossip carries a negative, even menacing sort of connotation. When someone gossips they either intend to hurt someone or they don't really care if they do. It is hard to understand how a Christian could ever be so calloused as to do such a thing, and yet, sometimes, we do.

Now, as I said, people will talk. My caution is simply this, is what I am talking about gossip? Could it be hurtful to someone or is it being given with a careless disregard for the feelings of others? If you have to say yes to either of those questions, then why are you talking about it in the first place?

I heard a friend say once about a mutual acquaintance, "When that fellah dies, there won't be one secret in the casket with him!" The reason that is true is this man never seemed to think it was wrong to "share" whatever came his way. He never seemed to ask those two questions I posed earlier.

Spurgeon, in speaking to his ministerial students, once commented that every minister needed a "blind eye and a deaf ear." Yes, there is always going to be a "word on the street," but it may be wisdom to turn a deaf ear to it.

The Strength Of Weak Times

2011-02-07T06:33:00.000-08:00

Yesterday had all the makings of a train wreck. I don't really know why, but I just had a sense of foreboding as I left my office for the Sunday morning service. The attendance was down, and some of the most personally uplifting people in the church were not present. On top of all that, I was not all that confident of my sermon. I also have a real antagonist who just seems to glare at me through most of the services. I can almost read this disgruntled church member's mind. The usual message is "How long is this going to take?"

Now, that hardly sets the stage for a great message, and I am the last one to ask if one of my messages approaches greatness, but to use the biblical phrase, I delivered my soul. I really think it was a direct answer to prayer. After the service I recalled Paul's statement in 2 Corinthians 12:10 which says in part, "For when I am weak, then I am strong." I got some of the most sincere compliments on that message that I have ever received. I walked back to the parsonage thinking, it really must have ministered to people.

Now, why had I been so down beforehand? Some might suggest it was the work of the Devil, and they might be right. I prefer to think it was a lesson from the Lord. Just because I am not doing all that great, it doesn't mean the Lord can't use what is sincerely offered. That is also an illustration that in spite of the fact that I am the one standing the pulpit, it really isn't about me. Maybe those that were blessed saw more of the Lord and less of me. I hope so.

Gym Membership

2011-01-29T09:20:00.000-08:00

Today was, hopefully, the beginning of a new pattern of regular exercise at the gym. I have been a member for a little over two years now and I would have to say that my use of the facility has been sporadic. I usually will get into a pattern of going five days a week and then after about a month something will break the pattern. I don't really know why, but there will just be something that makes not going today easier if I didn't go yesterday.

All that being said, I have been there regularly enough to notice a pattern. I have been faithfully working away on the elliptical machine when someone comes in and signs up. You see them over the next month or so and then they disappear. I friend of mine told me that he bought a year membership and only went three times! I hope he got a great workout those times because he certainly paid a high price for them!

Why do we do that sort of thing? We pay for something and then don't get the benefit of it, even joke about avoiding it! If I knew the absolute answer to that I would write a book about it and make enough money to buy the gym. What I can say from my experience is that priority is critical. Just how high on the "To Do" list is working out? For me that translates into what I do first. In fact, I have found that when I determine to go to the gym first thing in the morning I am usually more successful in creating that pattern which all the exercise folks say is so important in improving overall health.

So, let me ask you, would you benefit from working out regularly? That is an important question, but the follow up is perhaps even more so, how high a priority will you set on this? Almost all of us would answer yes to the first question. How you answer the second question will determine if it is worth doing at all.

Organization

2011-01-27T14:51:00.000-08:00

I admit it, I have a thing for organization. Someone famously said, "a place for everything, and everything in its place." I have to admit that there is just something about working to get all my books in just the right order, my papers in just the right file, and a large pile of things "weeded out" and assigned to the trash. The other day I had one of those unusual days where no one would expect to see me. It had snowed, a wet, heavy snow. Traffic was at a crawl and I could invoke the "absolution of the snow" to justify my time in the office. I really enjoyed seeing everything "organized."

Now, typically I will do this sort of thing about once a year, and this was a bit early in the year for me to take on the task, but, as I said, the opportunity presented itself. Somewhere in the process it occurred to me that my life is something like my office. There are times that I need organizing. Somethings (maybe priorities?) need to reordered, other things are out of place and need to be put in the right file (read goals or ambitions), and finally some things just need to be chucked!

I have to admit, it is more difficult to organize myself than it is to organize my office. It takes time and typically time without distractions. I had the luxury of a "snow day" for my office. I think wisdom would be to just take a personal organization day, regardless of the weather.

Baptized?

2011-01-26T13:08:00.000-08:00

It was early one week day when I got an unusual phone call. A pleasant sounding young lady had an inquiry. She wanted to know if we kept records of baptisms? The answer to that is both yes and no. I know that some churches keep a sort of "accession book" which notes when anyone is baptized or when someone is voted into the church membership. Yes, we have a membership roll, but no, we don't have a book where we just note when someone is baptized.

So far, so good, then she hit me with a follow up question that I had a hard time getting my mind around. "Well, I might have gotten baptized there, but I really don't remember. I was hoping you could clear that up for me." My first thought was that she had a recollection of getting baptized, but was unsure about which church had performed this ordinance. No, she was unsure if she had ever been baptized and thought that if she had, it would have been at the church I serve.

Baptism is supposed to be a symbolic identification with the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ. If you can forget whether you did that, then do you really understand its significance?

All of this was running in the back of my mind as I assured this young lady that I would look into our records. My hope is that I can find some record of her, or her family, which would give me the hope of making a connection. Perhaps I can point her in the direction of a real relationship with God. She mentioned that she had not really "been in church" since childhood. Who knows, maybe this curiosity of hers was planted by God? I don't know about her past, but I hope there can be a relationship between her and God in the future.

Elections And Their Commercials

2010-11-03T16:14:00.001-07:00

Well, the election has come and gone. I have to admit that I will be glad to not be getting "robo-calls" from candidates and those that endorse them. I will also be glad to have all of the attack ads off the TV. Now, it is not that I don't mind politics, it is just that so many of the attack ads are just stupid. I wish politician would learn the simple lesson that the most memorable way to get across a message is just to either be very straight forward, without being sanctimonious, or to be genuinely funny. The only example I saw of the latter was in an ad against the mayor of Winnipeg Manitoba. They actually have a clip of this guy in a soccer match where he kicks a young player in the face! The commercial went viral and is high on the list of Youtube viewings. Now that is political advertisement! I suppose it is not very substantive, but it certainly is memorable and in politics that is half the battle.

So, here is to all those that spend millions of advertising dollars. I am sure the TV, radio, and newspaper people love you, but could you spend a little more money and come up with some better commercials? If you have no sense of humor then just be straight with the public and tell them what you want to do. Be specific without being a policy wonk. If, on the other hand, you do have some sense of what will bring a smile to our faces then by all means do so. The Lord knows we could all use a good laugh, and who knows it might just win you some votes. Really good humor is a sign of intelligence and the world needs smart folks at the helm. Prove you are one of them by finding a humorous way to get your message across.

What Is The Big Idea?

2010-10-23T12:10:00.000-07:00

On my bulletin board, just over my computer printer, I have a picture of one of my homiletical heros, Haddon Robinson. Dr. Robinson has been teaching preachers how to preach almost as long as I have been alive. He worked first at Dallas Theological Seminary, and then at Denver Seminary, and finally at Gordon / Conwell. I suppose though that his biggest claim to fame is the book he wrote years ago, entitled Biblical Preaching. I suppose I have read that book three times from beginning to end, and I have always profited from the experience.

I got the picture of Dr. Robinson from an ad for Gordon / Conwell where he is pictured with a quizzical look on his face and underneath are the words, "What is the Big Idea?" Anyone who has read Robinson's book will know that this referring back to one of his cardinal concepts about preaching, it must have focus. In other words, every sermon needs to be about something, which he calls the "big idea." I hate to admit it, but I have heard messages where the subject of the preacher's sermon was so disguised or confused that you just couldn't find it. Sadly, some of those sermons were my own!

That is why I have the picture where I see it every time that I sit down at my computer. I need that reminder that what I have to say must be focused if it is going to communicate. On more than one occasion I have refined or even rejected an idea because I just couldn't state it clearly enough. Clarity is an important goal for me.

I think that is essentially important in the day that we live. This has been called the "information age," and I suppose that is as descriptive a name for it as any. The implications for me as a preacher though are arresting. There are tons of "messages" out there which the average attender at Bethlehem Church is exposed to in the media. Some are tedious, others mundane, but a few are malicious. That is why it is so important to effectively communicate God's message to the church. It is, after all, the good news. It is so important to get that message across. I need all the tools of the effective communicator to accomplish that task. Humanly speaking, one of the keys it focus. I don't want anyone leaving church on Sunday asking, "Now, what was the big idea?"

Friends

2010-09-24T09:37:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I had opportunity to eat lunch with a couple of guys that I have known since my college days. While we have not always been in close proximity to one another, we have for the last four years. Our lunch conversation focused on areas of common interest with a joke or two thrown in for good measure. I suppose it was while I was driving home that it struck me just how important it is to have friends.

Maybe that is one of the reasons that fellowship is such an important part of church. I suppose we could get the information that we receive in Sunday School or worship from television or by reading a book, but that interactive element would be missing.

Thinking of friendship, and its role in Christian discipleship I think it is pretty clear that we need it. I have to admit that my friends have been a help to me in terms of my Christian walk. Now, this is not some sort of accountability group where you expect that sort of thing. No, this is just people who care about me manifesting that concern. I am grateful for it, and I have to hope my friends get as much benefit from knowing me as I do from knowing them.

There Is Power!

2010-09-22T08:45:00.000-07:00

Currently, I am reading a book by Chuck Swindoll entitled, "Flying Closer To The Flame." I'm only about half way through, but it seems to me that Dr. Swindoll wrote this book to correct an error which he sees in the evangelical church. From his perspective, there is so much fear of "wild fire" when it come to the Holy Spirit that, many evangelicals act as though the Spirit is not part of the Trinity. No, we are not about to change our doctrinal statements, but in practice we are nowhere close to what the New Testament says we can have.

I think that the esteemed president of Dallas Seminary may be onto something. Let's face it, the Charismatics are all over religious TV and some of them are just down right strange. I don't want to be associated with them, but has my fear of that kept me from a balanced appreciation for the ministry of the Spirit? I think it has. That is why I have begun making a study of what the Bible says about the Holy Spirit and, to the best of my ability, I intend to personally apply it.

One illustration that Swindoll used made me smile even as it made its point. I know there is power in the Spirit, just like I know there is power in an electrical outlet. I know it abstractly, intellectually. If I were to put a paper clip into that outlet I would know that there is power in the outlet experientially! That leads me to say that I'm not doing this just to better understand the doctrine of the Holy Spirit, I want to feel that power!

2010-09-22T08:44:00.000-07:00

Multitasking?

2010-09-17T12:21:00.000-07:00

We live in a day when people want to make the most out their time. The result is what has been dubbed "multitasking." Now, I have read my share of books on time management and I own more than one "productivity tool" which is intended to help me multitask, but I have to ask, is all of this good? Really, I have come to wonder if some folks over commit to secondary things just so they will have an excuse about not doing the primary things.

I am sure that someone reading the previous paragraph would be thinking, "well, the real issue is priority." I would agree, but there is something even more important which we need to remember. There is value, from time to time, to doing nothing. Truth is, by doing "nothing" you are doing "something," but I mean the kind of nothing that can't be checked off a "To Do" list. The thing that most often escapes me is that elusive thing called serious thought. Just rolling something over in your mind and mentally looking at all the aspects of something. If you fail to do this, you may end up making major decisions in too hasty a manner. Who wants that? Believe me, I have done enough of that for a lifetime and I always see the value a little more thought would have brought to the process.

Another aspect of this is captured by the phrase, "a jack of all trades, but a master of none." It takes time to master things. If that area becomes primary in your life, it may mean the neglect of some secondary items, but then that is why they are called secondary.

So, if after reading this post you think not just in terms of the "To Do" list but also of the priority of those things I will have accomplished part of what I set out to do. If you move on to spend some time in the mastery of the primary, even if it means the neglect of the secondary, I will have hit the bulls eye.

Unending

2010-06-18T08:05:00.000-07:00

Whenever I think of an unending task I think of the pile of articles I have waiting to be read and filed. When I was in Seminary I took a Christian Education class where we talked about filing systems. I promptly adopted the one that made the most sense to me and happily began filing things away. That system involved using hanging folders and as many subcategories as you could think of. For instance, I had a file on Church History and behind that I had a file on Baptist Church History, and eventually I had a file on Free Will Baptist Church History. I think you can probably visualize this idea. The beauty of this was in putting all the articles on a given subject in the same file, which could be done with just a glance at the article.

Along the way I began to get frustrated with this plan. I had probably been using this method for 15 years when I decided to revamp the whole thing. I was finding that it was not easy to cross reference an article, to find something by a bit of secondary information, like who wrote it or what publication it appeared in. What I decided upon is a modification of another plan that was also presented in Seminary. What I do now is to use hanging folders which will hold 25 articles. The tab simply reads, "1-25" or "576-600," etc. Whatever article I am currently reading becomes the next number. These articles are then indexed on my computer using Bento, a scaled back version of File Maker. This means that I can cross reference all of these articles by all sorts of secondary subjects and the result is much more use from the articles I have filed away. The down side to this is that I really have to digest the articles to know what all the secondary subjects are. That initially meant rereading everything that I had filed in 15 years of ministry. Once I got past that task, I decided to cut up all my back issues of Christianity Today and file them. I now have two huge stacks of articles, mostly from Christianity Today, but also some other sources, that I need to read, index, and file. I have steadily worked at this for something like three years and have seen some progress. It does seem to me that about the time I really make a dent in this mountain of papers another stack gets added. I suppose it could be called an unending task.

Now, what possible lesson can be gleaned from this little snap shot of my office work? First, it is good to have an efficient information retrieval system. I have benefited from this in my work, especially on sermons. I am glad that I have a good system. Second, I may never finish this task. I suppose I could say I know that I won't finish. Short of stopping my subscriptions to all periodicals and my mother in law not giving me any of hers, I will always have a constant flow of information coming in. In fact, I have articles coming in faster than I can get them read, indexed, and filed. That led me to a realization the other day. When I retire, die, or for whatever reason, end my ministry I will have a stack of unread papers on my desk. That is a subtle reminder to me that the work of the church, whether you are thinking about a local church, or the entire Christian movement, is bigger than me. You might be thinking, well you are quite the egotist to ever think it wasn't bigger than you, and you would be right. I am convinced though that I am in a long line of pastoral egotists who have entertained the same thought. There is always more than can get done and when an undue portion of it falls to you time after time you begin to think it all depends on you. Wasn't that Jeremiah's lament, "I alone am left!" Well, Jeremiah was not the only one left, and neither am I.

So, back to that mountain of paper, which has come to symbolize to me the work of ministry. Will I ever get through all of it? I don't think so, but I can get some of it done and there will be benefit from that. A perfectionist might throw his hands up in frustration, but a pragmatist will take the next article from the top of the stack and start reading.

Dedication

2010-06-15T17:33:00.000-07:00

While on my vacation I decided to read an autobiography that my wife had recommended to me. It is entitled Gifted Hands, The Ben Carson Story. It is story of one of the most gifted neurosurgeons alive today. It has some really touching moments and some stories of truly remarkable operations, but by far the most interesting part to me was the dedication of Ben Carson.

Steve Martin used to have a comedy routine that started, "I was born a poor black child..." Well, Ben Carson really was, and yet through the prodding of his mother, a strong faith in God, and boundless determination to achieve he graduated from Yale and ended up as a neurosurgeon at Johns Hopkins. Now, it is pointed out in the book, and hinted at in the title, that Dr. Carson possesses a remarkable gift of eye hand coordination, but what would that have been without his determination to use it as a surgeon? Who knows, maybe he would have focused on athletics and even have made it to the professional ranks, but what is that compared to the ability to perform even one life saving surgery?

As I see it Dr. Carson is an example of someone who had a natural talent and used it for the the greatest good. I have to believe that part of the reason for that is what I alluded to in an earlier paragraph. Ben Carson is a man of faith. I believe that he allowed God to channel his life into becoming a neurosurgeon. It was not an easy path, even for a man like Dr. Carson but it is clear from his book that the destination was worth the trip.

Personally, I believe that God has gifted all of us is one way or another. We know what Ben Carson did with his gift, what are you doing with yours?

A Small Gift

2010-06-11T08:19:00.000-07:00

If you have read the last entry in this blog then you might have come to some conclusion about the black cloud that seemed to have been hovering over me. Well, I am here to give you a further weather report. The first ray of sunshine came on Wednesday night. It seemed to me that there was an exceptionally good spirit at the mid-week Bible study. This is really surprising given that I had labored all day under the impression that it was business meeting night. I had decided to work ahead of myself and study the passage that I had planned to preach from Sunday night in our Life Group. About ten minutes before the service I realized it was not the date for the Quarterly Business Meeting! I walked in with the notes for the Sunday night message and it went over much better than I would have expected.

One of the things that has always confirmed my call to preach is when I preach well. Now, you might be thinking, how do you know if you are doing it all that well? It is partly how it feels to me, it is partly the response of the audience, but mostly it is the subjective sense that I have "delivered my soul." That is the way that I felt when I walked out of the church on Wednesday night. It certainly didn't hurt any to see Joy smiling at me while I was preaching or to hear her words of affirmation afterwards.

This was followed up by all the tasks of Thursday and the realization that the church softball team would be playing at 8 p.m. It was at the game that I got a small gift that really broke up what black clouds remained. While watching the game Joy and I had also been noticing and talking some with the Johnson girls. At the end of the evening Kayla, the oldest, came over and sat close by me and offered me some of whatever it was that she was eating. I didn't take any, but the offer really touched me.

The kindness of a child is a wonderful thing. I am glad that I get to say I am Kayla's pastor. My prayer is that I will be able to say that for a long time.

A Straw Poll

2010-06-09T12:15:00.000-07:00

I remember seeing a college football coach giving an interview after being asked to leave the school he worked for. He commented that there were only two types of college coaches, "those that have been fired and those that will be." I remember thinking that there was something a bit cynical about his perspective, but it also rang true.

Recently, I was told that two different individuals had asked how to go about taking a vote of confidence on me. I have always wondered about the way churches use that phrase. In most parliamentary bodies it is not called a "vote of confidence" but rather a "vote of no confidence." Maybe church folks just want to say it in a nicer way. Well, nice or not, I have now come face to face with the issue for the first time in my pastoral career. I really did not know how to take this and I suppose my emotions were all across the spectrum. What was particularly irksome about all of this is that I had mentioned through the years that if folks wanted me gone, all they needed to do is come and explain to me why and tell me who agreed with them. That is not to say that I would leave over one crank, but there would at least have been the possibility of resolving the conflict rather than inflaming it and running the risk of embittering folks.

All of this led to a "straw poll" being taken while I was on vacation. I knew it was going to happen before it did and I suppose it had the virtue of assessing the feelings of folks before they polarized. Only 61 people voted and it was 44 to 17, or about a 70 / 30 split for me to continue as the pastor. Now, if I were a politician I would be elated with such an approval rating. The problem is I'm not a politician, I'm a pastor. The question I have to ponder now is, can I be effective if 30% of the church are wishing for me to move out of the parsonage? It is also troubling to me to think about who would follow me. Now, I have a healthy ego, but I don't think I'm close to being the best pastor to ever open a Bible. Could the church attract a dynamic, hard working, energetic guy who could motivate those who have not been motivated or better yet, find enough new folks, to remake this church? I really don't know the answer to that. I don't suppose anyone does.

One thought keeps circling through all of my thinking on this issue. Were people just thinking of this "straw poll" as a vote for the "status quo" or a vote for change? I would think that just about everyone would like to break out of the strictures of the status quo. I am convinced that Bethlehem Church could do more and be more than it is. I suppose that working at that for 15 1/2 years may have tired me out a bit. What I know for certain is that the critical issue here is not keeping either the pastor or the 30% happy. We must remember that we have a biblical mandate, a mission to fulfill.

Youth

2010-03-15T13:26:00.000-07:00

Today I had reinforced in my thinking that I am getting older. Now, that is a note that can be heard in many different places, but this one came on the campus of Vanderbilt University. I had decided that I would drop by the Divinity Library to do a little reading and maybe check out a book or two. When I went to the counter I was informed by a very helpful librarian that my card had expired--about three years ago! "Don't worry, all you have to do is go to the Card Center in the basement of the Student Center and get a new one," she said. She made it sound so easy. Well, after going in two wrong buildings and asking twice for directions I arrived at the Card Center. Yes, they could give me a card, but there was a form that I had to get at the library which necessitated another trip across campus.

What this all meant was that I had to go through the Student Center twice, both times packed with students. It was on that second trip that I began to notice the age of the people. Sure, the big majority would have to be college age, it is after all a university, but I was struck by the fact that I didn't see one person who looked like they might be on the high side of 30. Of course, I am on the high side of 30, in fact I'm closer to 60 than I am to 30! Realizing that you are the oldest person in a crowded room had an unexpected impact on me. As much as I might covet the opportunities those young people have before them, I wouldn't change places with them. I remember all too well what that period of my life was like. I am far more at peace now at 54 than I was at 24. It would be nice if I were not afflicted with the pains and strains of moderate age, but if it takes that to gain wisdom then it is worth the trade.

Someone said that youth is wasted on the young. Maybe so, but just about any period of your life can be wasted if you fail to enjoy it. That is what I hope to do with however much time I have left on planet earth.

Unrelated And Yet Connected

2010-01-26T07:29:00.000-08:00

The pinnacle of professional football, the Super Bowl, is just around the corner and this year it will be between the Indianapolis Colts and the New Orleans Saints. The Colts have been to and won the Super Bowl, but the Saints never have. You would think that simple fact would be enough for a good number of folks to pull for the Saints, but I am already seeing something else looming larger.

Everyone knows that New Orleans was devastated by Hurricane Katrina and that the Super Dome, the home field of the Saints, was used as a disaster relief center. Some are suggesting that the Saints "deserve" to win the Super Bowl because it would be such a psychological lift to the city that has been down for so long. I don't doubt that New Orleans feels down or that winning the Super Bowl would be a big emotional boost, but what do either of those facts have to do with the game of football? All of this reminds me of my childhood when my Mother would instruct me to let my little brother win at basketball!

New Orleans may very well win the Super Bowl this year, but I think it will have a lot more to do with the play on the field than some sort of cosmic karma that determines the final score. What's more, I cannot imagine Peyton Manning, the coaching staff, or the owner of the Indianapolis Colts, giving such thoughts a moments notice.

Civil Religion

2009-12-07T11:12:00.000-08:00

We are all too aware these days of the lawsuit pending against the Cheatham County School System. Were I a lawyer I might be able to discuss with some benefit the nature of the charges and the legal precedents involved in this case, but I am a pastor, not a lawyer. As a pastor, I tend to think of the ethical dimensions of things because as someone has said, “Ethics are the fruit of our theology.”

So, what does it ethically say about our society that we are growing increasingly secular? Make no mistake about it, this lawsuit is just one bristle in the broom that intends to sweep America clean of any form of civil religion. Note that I said “civil religion” not “evangelical Christianity.” It would be a great misunderstanding on the part of the secularist to assume that having a Cross on the classroom wall, a Bible on the teacher’s desk, or even granting the Gideons access to give away copies of the Bible is an effort to coerce conversion. Rather, that Cross might cause a student to think twice before cheating on a test, that Bible may demonstrate a concern on the part of the teacher that transcends academics, and those Gideons are giving students a free copy of the best selling and most influential book ever written. What I am saying is that “civil religion” has many positive aspects, not the least of which is to produce better citizens.

Sir Frederick Catherwood, a Christian and a member of the European Parliament once wrote, “To try to improve society is not worldliness but love. To wash your hands of society is not love but worldliness.” This is no time for Christian people to retreat to their sanctuaries and decry the world outside. We must be engaged with the society and that will mean using the tools that our democratic republic affords. Foremost among these is freedom of speech. We must express our opinion, in as convincing a manner as possible, to those in power. We must not forget the power of the ballot and be willing to vote both for those who share our convictions, and against those who oppose them. Lastly, there must be engagement on the judicial level. This is, after all, the way most of these things come to pass. This is not the time to be “washing our hands” of it all.

G. K. Chesterton wrote that, “America is a nation with the soul of a church.” I am convinced that cleansing our school system of any vestige of civil religion would be an abandonment of what we as a nation really are. Let it never be that our national motto is emptied of all its meaning. In God We Trust.

Revival

2009-11-21T07:22:00.000-08:00

This past week we had our Fall Revival at Bethlehem. Our attendance was better than usual and a good spirit seemed to pervade the services. We received a record love offering for our evangelist and that seemed to me to say that he was a wise pick. We had some of the best special music that we have had on such an occasion. Now, I feel that if I were to run a poll of the church they would say we had a good revival, and I'm thankful for that. I say all that with an old saying rattling around in my mind, "the proof of the pudding is in the eating." It can look good, smell good, and have a great reputation but the only way to really know is to take a bite. How does that apply to Revival? I would have to say it is a bit more subjective, but I think everything I have said about our Revival earlier was like bragging on a bowl of pudding. We need to take a bite, i.e. we need to see Christians drawn closer to the Lord. What does that look like, or to keep with the analogy, taste like?

Revived Christians are people who have renewed an old friendship. Typically we rejoice in that and are eager to share it with others. In terms of a revived spirituality it will be "sloshing out all over."

Revived Christians are eager to catch up on that relationship. I think the manifestation of that is really twofold. First, there is a keener interest in the Bible and second, there is a greater desire to pray. If you think about it, that really is what we do when we catch up on an old friendship, we talk with and listen to our friend.

Finally, revived Christians are people who enjoy being around other revived Christians. Like the saying "birds of a feather, flock together." We want to sustain and build upon this deepening relationship. That is best done in a group setting.

So, did we have a good revival? I think so, but I'm also going to be evaluating it by the criteria above.

Online

2009-10-15T11:20:00.000-07:00

For about a year now I have had an interesting part time job. I am one of the facilitators for an online class offered by my alma mater, FWBBC. I have guided two classes through the "Introduction To Biblical Studies" class and I am currently working with a group in a class entitled "Christian Ethics."

I think the great value of the virtual classroom is the level of interaction students are required to have to get a good grade. I have spent a number of years in both college and seminary and I know it is possible to be present without really being present. Let me explain what I mean. You don't have to ask any questions and if you are lucky you won't be asked any directly. It may even be possible to borrow someone else's notes or get with a study group of more diligent students before the exams thus allowing you to be present without being present. This kind of hiding in plain view is not possible in an online class. The students have to give their answers or opinions on each issue we bring up. What's more, they are expected to interact with one another as the discussion progresses.

Now, is this better than the traditional classroom setting? The answer to that question is both yes and no. As I have already stated, it does have some positive elements, but can you really know the other members of your class or your instructor in a virtual classroom? I do believe it is a solution for many who can't relocate to a traditional campus and yet want the intellectual discipline of serious study.

All that being said, I would like to meet all of the folks who have gone through the classes I have been the facilitator for. If they stay with the program through graduation and actually receive their diplomas at FWBBC, I want to be there. Online interaction is a good thing, but it does not quite measure up to the real thing, at least in my mind.

The Ghost Of Pastors Past

2009-10-09T14:17:00.000-07:00

I am now serving the fourth church of my career. I have been here since February 1995 and when you consider that I began my pastoral ministry in 1982 it means that better than half of the time I have been Pastor Corn it has been here at Bethlehem. Still, I have fond memories of the places I served before I landed in Ashland City. I have been thinking a lot about that in the past few months since one of the churches that I served is seeking a new pastor. I didn't really know their pastor, but he had called me to come for a Homecoming service a couple of years back and I was very impressed with him. It seemed to me that he was a good fit and the future looked brighter than it had for that church in some time. Now, the church is casting about for a new pastor. I have wondered if I could be of any help to them. After all, I do know a bunch of the preacher brethren and I do know some of the people in that church fairly well. I was just about convinced that I ought to call up some of the guys on the board when I stopped myself. Do I really want to recommend someone? What if that person is a colossal flop? I might end up hurting the church far more than I might help them. In the final analysis I decided I could not risk it. Now, if they call me and ask about someone that they are considering that might be different, but I'm not even sure about that.

Pastors seeking churches usually don't have keen perception of what churches really are like. What's more they will put their best foot forward in the interview process. Churches often don't know what questions to ask. It is something of a minor miracle that good pastoral fits ever occur. So, what can be done? I can pray for my former charge. It is the least that I can do and perhaps the most as well.

Reading

2009-09-18T08:25:00.000-07:00

I have always loved books. I think it began with my Mom buying the complete set of Dr. Seuss books for me. From that beginning I have vivid memories of sitting down with our brand new set of The 1965 World Book Encyclopedia and thinking how great it would be to read all of them. No, I didn't do that but I think it says something about my personality that I would value such and undertaking.

Well, it has been a long time since then. Through Bible College and three different seminaries I have come to amass some 4000 volumes. More than once I have had church people ask me if I have read all of them and a few have questioned the sense of having so many. I always think of that question in terms of my older brother. He is now retired from a career at Ford Glass Plant where he had been promoted up to doing "tool and dye" work. Over the years he began to collect tools and now he has a workshop that is literally crammed with everything from a metal lathe to a belt sander, to two different sorts of table saws, and hundreds if not thousands of other tools. He enjoys making knives, all sorts of wood working, and compound bows. I have told him he ought to go into making golf clubs, but there just isn't the interest.

Now, here is my point. Some of the same folks who would question my book collecting would admire my brothers arsenal of tools. What they ought to understand is that my books are my tools. Preachers work in words and those books help me in the process. I have all of my books cataloged in one fashion or another and everyone of the volumes of sermons is indexed by text, author, and title. I bring the content of perhaps a dozen books to bear on the production of every sermon. I think that makes me a better preacher. Some might argue that I could get by with less and that is probably true. But, let me ask you, have you ever been doing something for which you knew there was an ideal tool and you didn't have one? You might be able to improvise but the finished product may not be as good as it could have been if you had that tool. There is also a strong possibility that your improvisation will take longer than the same task done with the right tool.

So, have a sold everyone who might ever read this blog on the value of reading? Probably not, but I do hope that I have made my "biblio-mania" seem a little more normal.

Lingering Over Leviticus

2009-09-17T07:48:00.000-07:00

This morning I completed reading through the book of Leviticus. I have been pursuing a plan for a number of years which keeps me on track to read through the whole Bible about twice in each year. Sometimes I do more than that, sometimes less.

I always have a hard time with Leviticus. I suppose the initial reason for that was that it seemed so remote from my experience. After all, I have never sacrificed an animal or been involved in any sort of religious service that was nearly so liturgical as what the OT Jews went through. The book became a bit more understandable when I realized that it was essentially an outline of the proper way to approach God. My Presbyterian friends use something they call the "Regulatory Principle" to guide their worship, which I believe originated in the Westminster Confession. Leviticus is something of an expansion of that idea.

Even knowing that, I was still a bit uncomfortable with the book. Then I decided to highlight the times that the word "holy" occurs. It is amazing how often Moses returns to that word. It is easily the key word to the book, and perhaps it is the major reason that I have a hard time getting through Leviticus. While the books speaks of holiness in all sorts of ways I am increasingly convicted about how unholy I am.

I want that realization to do more than slow down my reading. I want it to change my nature. I don't know who first said it, but I remember reading the analysis of one Christian writer that the world is made up of only two groups of people; there are sinners who think themselves saints, and saints who think themselves sinners. If being part of that latter group is the first step toward holiness, then I have made it. I have a feeling I will be lingering over Leviticus more in the future.

The Paramore Principle

2009-09-03T07:49:00.000-07:00

In my sophomore year at FWBBC I met Sterl Dixon Paramore, Jr. Little did I realize that he and I would develop a friendship that would last from then till now. There is just something about our senses of humor that resonate off of one another. We have jokes that we have been laughing about for better than 30 years.

Of course, it has not all been laughs. Both of us have been very transparent about the hard times we have been through. In 2005 I was told that I would have to have by-pass surgery and I called Sterl, along with a number of other friends, to ask them to pray for me. Even though Sterl lives in Cookeville he drove to Nashville to see me before I was rolled out of the room a little after 6 a.m. on a Monday morning. That really meant a lot to me.

I don't really know why some friendships last and others don't. I would have told you that I had closer friends than Sterl when I was in college, but some of those are just an occasional meeting at the National or a friend request on Facebook. The older I get the more I value those who have a long track record with me. I suppose I would say the bottom line of all of this is that I thank God for all of my friends, but especially for the one that "left a good job in Memphis..."

Monday

2009-08-31T08:17:00.000-07:00

I have been a pastor since the fall of 1982. That means I have pretty extensive experience with the let down that comes on Monday. Think about it, the whole week gears toward Sunday and then, it's over. You might think that would leave you with a sense of accomplishment, and sometimes it does, but there is always that realization that no matter how good you thought your message was you will be expected to turn out another next Sunday. Beyond that, I heard a physician on James Dobson's radio program say that most ministers will have an increase in adrenalin on Sundays and then it will crash on Monday. So, you have two strokes against you on the best of Mondays. That is a dangerous place to be.

There is a standard bit of pastoral wisdom that says, "Never resign on a Monday!" Most ministers of my acquaintance have thought about it. I know I have, but the real question is how you are looking at the situation. If it is about me, how I am treated, or if it is about results, how the church is numerically doing, then there would be lots of times to quit. What I have come to realize is that it must be about Jesus. How will He be most glorified? Now, that sounds somewhat mystical and I am no mystic. How can I know if Jesus is being glorified? I think the only thing we can do is step back from things and take a hard look. That generally means getting away from it for awhile, and then looking at the church with fresh eyes. I have done that more than once. I am sure I will be doing it again.

Up When Things Are Down

2009-08-16T14:07:00.000-07:00

One of the things that I face from time to time is how to be up when things are down. Coming on the heels of an entry about loneliness, it may sound like things are falling apart in my world, but believe me they are not.

Today was one of those kind of Sunday services where a sizable number of folks were just not here. Some were on vacations, one family was at the hospital, another was attending a baby dedication at another church, a few were sick, and some were just backslidden. Now, what do you do in that situation? Do you get angry at the folks who are not there? Do you fall into the "slough of despond" and project that so that everyone feels equally depressed? I have tried both of those approaches and have not been all that pleased with the results. What I did today was to put as positive a spin on things as I could. I made a conscious decision that I was going to be up. My hope is that such an approach will be contagious, that the service will be, in the best sense of the word, uplifting. But, there is a down side to being up. Suppose you walk into church and see a lot fewer people than ought to be there and just about the time you are getting worried the pastor comes on like nothing is wrong, as though he is oblivious to what seem so obvious to you. Somehow, I want the church to know that we do not live or die by the statistics, that we can worship the Lord with many or with with few. I want to project a balanced concern about where we are and where we ought to be numerically, but that I refuse to allow that to rule my emotions. Maybe that is too nuanced a message to get across in the tone of a Sunday morning service. Maybe that is why I have a blog, to develop those ideas for the two or three folks in the congregation who will read them.

Loneliness

2009-08-14T14:56:00.000-07:00

It was the great explorer, Shackelton, that said, "loneliness is the price of leadership." There are times that truth comes home to me and this week has been one such time. I doubt if anyone but another pastor would realize how much of the typical pastor's week is spent alone. Even the most compulsive "people person" sorts will spend time in an office alone, typically in an empty building. Visitation is a good outlet, but you have all the time getting to the folks, and let's be really honest here, they don't always want you to show up. Further, those visits are about ministry, not really focused on fellowship.

That is where friendship comes in. I have been blessed with some really good friends, especially in the ministry. They know where I'm coming from because they have been where I am. My hope is that I will make those friendships real "two-way streets." I enjoy getting from the relationship, but I have to give as well. The Scriptures counsel, "for a man to have friends, he must show himself friendly." I think it is a good investment. You never know when you are going to really need a friend.

Fifty Something

2009-08-06T16:58:00.000-07:00

I was at a coffee shop with some ministerial buddies when one of the guys began to bemoan his station in life. He had served churches in many different capacities and is quite a talented guy, but can't seem to find another position. He didn't really want to "put his name out" because that just didn't feel right to him. What's more, he was sure no one was interested in hiring a fifty something guy without a full head of hair and few to many pounds.

I knew what he was saying. There have been times that I have moved from one ministry to another. I have never been all that comfortable with the system. Do you just send your resume to every church you hear is open? What is the real difference between that and calling someone like the state promotional director to serve as an intermediary? Somehow you have to get your name in front of the committee which will make a recommendation to their church. Now, just how do you do that?

I have known a few fellahs that just said they would pray and leave it in the Lord's hands. I have generally observed they are the ones who either have a network of friends who go to work for them or they end up selling insurance and working the night shift at Walmart.

Clearly, we need a better system. I would only suggest that the preacher brotherhood become a bit more caring about one another. Point in case, I have talked to three friends about "finding" a ministry position for my unemployed acquaintance.

I really don't know how this friends situation will resolve. I do know there is a crying need for good pastors. I can only hope that our imperfect system will work for this fifty something friend.

"Turn Your Radio On"

2009-08-04T08:39:00.000-07:00

Soon after I came to Bethlehem Church I learned about what was then called the Ashland City Ministerial Alliance, or the ACMA. It has sense changed its name to the Cheatham County Ministerial Alliance in the vain hope that if we made the name more expansive it would grow the organization. In any case, one of the things that this association did for me was to give me the opportunity to host the Monday morning edition of the "The Shepherd's Hour." I have done it almost from the beginning of my ministry in 1995. Corky Albright, the owner of WQSV, does this as a public service to the community. Each week day a different host or hosts launches out into the ether. I was actually tempted to say "hello world!" the first time I went on, but I fought back the urge.

The Shepherd's Hour really is an hour long, so I have plenty of time to play the sermon from the preceding Sunday and some good Christian music. I have also read all the way through a couple of books, one, the autobiography of Warren Wiersbe more than once!

One recent change to all this is that the radio station has gone on the internet. I actually have a member of the church I pastored in Illinois who listens in on Mondays. I sometimes joke about my "vast media empire" because while the station may saturate Cheatham County and parts of the surrounding counties, I have no way of estimating how many listen. Just about the time that I think nobody but my Mother-in-law is, I will meet someone who mentions that they enjoy the program.

I have written all of this to make an analogy. Ministry is not an easily quantifiable thing. It is possible to get to thinking no one is listening, that no one is being helped. It is just about then that the Lord moves upon someone to send a note or go out of their way to express appreciation. In other words there is a tangible proof that God is using me.

I have every intention of going down to the radio station next Monday from 9 to 10 a.m. I hope it will be a blessing to someone, but I may never know if it is. Just so, I will do my best to remain faithful to God's calling on my life. I am confident that it is doing more than I will ever know.

Editorial Revision

2009-08-03T05:31:00.000-07:00

After I wrote my first real blog entry, I naturally wanted to show it to my wife. While she generally liked it, she expressed concern about a couple of things. First, she did not think I was positive enough about the Sunday morning service. Maybe she is right. I may have made it sound like I was just glad there were few folks asleep during the service (there are always some). My point to her was that I didn't want to "over-sell" the service. I have seen some church web sites and pastoral blogs where you would assume that Pentecost had come again, and it is happening every Sunday! I suppose what I really meant to get across was that I felt like the congregation was with me. That doesn't always happen. I am sure it is sometimes my fault when that happens, and sometimes circumstances work against us, but whatever the reason, every preacher knows the difference between a congregation that is following the sermon and one that is not. Sunday at the Bethlehem FWB Church, they were with me.

Second, my wife wondered if I might be setting a dangerous precedent by writing about the church service. Will people expect that I will offer my analysis every Sunday? What about when something doesn't go all that well? Will I bring that up for review in this blog? Well, let me just say that this blog is pretty open ended. I think it would be rare for me comment on every service, but from time to time I would imagine that it will happen. I am "Pastor Corn" after all. I am writing this to express things about my vocation.

Finally, I have no real expectations that this blog will be widely read. How many thousands of them are on the web these days? How many thousands of those are written by pastors, who at heart are frustrated writers? In fact, I doubt that a tenth of the folks who attend Bethlehem will ever look at this thing. So, why write it? I'm doing it for me as a creative outlet and perhaps as a source of inspiration to a few others. That's enough.

Sunday Night

2009-08-02T18:03:00.000-07:00

This may be my favorite time of the week. It is Sunday night and I am back home from church. There is a sense in which Sunday is "game day" for the typical pastor. Everything builds up to Sunday and when you get to this time of the day, it is all over.

I have to say that I thought today went reasonably well. Sure, I could have wished for a better attendance in Sunday School and in the morning worship service, but I thought the service itself went well. There are times that I am the last person to ask about how a sermon went. I can on this occasion say that I felt everything went smoothly. Preaching is a spiritual activity, so you can't really quantify it, but there are just times that you know it has gone better than others. Today was such a time.

Tonight we had a fellowship supper and a presentation by Bonnie Kate Simpkins about her trip to Cuba with "E-Team." I thought she did a very good job and I was glad she had this experience. Who knows what sort of long term effect it may have on her?

2009-08-02T15:07:00.000-07:00

This is the sample run of this blog. I have been inspired by the blogs which other Pastors have posted and decided I would give it a shot. More later.