Getting ready for the Season

I don’t know why I’m so surprised every year by how quickly the Christmas season gets here.  As a child it seemed to take forever, each day dragging slower than the next. I wished and prayed that it would speed up and get “here” and in the flash of a few packages and tinsel, it was over.  As an adult it comes and goes so quickly, My daddy always told me “the older you get, the quicker time will pass.”  Perhaps as a child I couldn’t wait for the toys and that’s why it seemed to take so long to get here. And as an adult the stress of getting all the presents and making it to all the Christmas parties stressed me so, that it seemed to fly by and I felt little joy in it. 

Now as a Christian, it runs so quick because I want so much to hang onto it so long.  I have not matured to some spiritual level of understanding and moved beyond the mere mortal realm of presents, wrappings, bows and the like, “I like presents.”  But now in faith I anticipate like a child for the season, because it reminds me of why that precious child was born, to die for my sin.  As an Adult I look forward to sharing the blessings the Lord has brought into my life, and as a believer I look forward to spending it in celebration with my family, Tucapau Baptist. 

Those of us who have been around for at least a few years, love reminiscing on our child hood and trying to recapture those feelings we had way back when.  We want them for our children, grandchildren, and those around us.  Why not start making new memories, new traditions, why not invite your family, friends, and neighbors to church this Season if they don’t have a church home.  Encourage them to make memories and traditions that will last them a lifetime, and why can’t those memories be around God’s Church, God’s People celebrating the birth of the Lord and Savior of the World.

We kicked off our celebration of the Season with our Hanging of the Greens, let us invite all to our Children’s Program Sunday December 9^th 6PM, and the Adult Choir program Sunday December 16^th 6PM.  What better way is there to slow down and catch your breath in the middle of the season than to take a seat and enjoy the praise of the Savior?

Psalms 77:11-14

¹¹ I shall remember the deeds of the LORD; Surely I will remember Your wonders of old.
¹² I will meditate on all Your work And muse on Your deeds.
¹³ Your way, O God, is holy; What god is great like our God?
¹⁴ You are the God who works wonders; You have made known Your strength among the peoples.

Blessings and Merry Christmas,

Pastor Eric
Galatians 2:20

 

 

Learning to be a Person of Conviction

One of the first things a Dad tries to instill in their child is a “Don’t Quit Attitude.”  It’s not that our hearts aren’t broken when we see our child hurting from a fall, a hit from a ball, or the agony of a knock on the head when our child collides unintentionally with another Dad’s child.  We hurt, we want to hold them and take away the pain, but the one luxury we don’t get as Dad’s is letting our child give up.

We teach our children, “Don’t Quit,” because we want our children to become a people of conviction.  Conviction doesn’t happen overnight, it happens over a lifetime of bumps and bruises, over broken hearts and sometimes even broken dreams.  The Merriam-Webster’s Dictionary defines Conviction as “a strong persuasion or belief” or “the state of being convinced.”  It is no accident that the synonyms (the same as) of the word are “assuredness, certainty, confidence, doubtlessness, satisfaction and sureness,” and that the antonyms (the opposite of) of the word are “doubt, uncertain, no confidence, and uncertainty.”  Conviction doesn’t happen by accident, it is learned on the battlefield of living life in a world that is imperfect.

We begin by teaching our children you don’t quit when things don’t go your way, because we know living in a sin-sick world, rarely do things turn out exactly as planned.  When we teach our children not to quit when things get tough we teach them to commit.  Commitment is serious business and it only comes when a person learns, “it’s not just about me.”  There is more than one party involved in a commitment; it may be a sports team, a work crew, a mission team or a marriage. As they say “there is no ‘I’ in ‘Team’.” Learning to make a commitment means growing up and putting childish self-serving ambitions aside, no longer is it, “me, myself and I,” it is about “you, we and us and even them.”  No longer am I the center of the universe, but I am a part of a much bigger plan God has for me. 

            When a child learns not to quit because there is much more at stake than just “me”, he sees beyond himself and sees that commitment benefits “we” and we includes “me”, and once commitment is set resolute in the heart conviction soon will follow.  Conviction in the sense of the spiritual is what holds us together when the world tries to tear us apart.  The conviction of truth in our life, regardless of what others say or do, this “truth” will hold us firm and grounded in a world where anything goes and commitments and convictions are like the sands on the shore constantly shifting giving us no firm foundation.  This world lacks conviction.

            Eventually a child’s heart will grow and “don’t quit” will lead to “I won’t quit,” “commit” will one day lead to “I can’t quit,” and “conviction” will lead to “you can’t make me quit.”  Imagine generations of children growing up learning that quitting is never an option, learning to commit to a relationship with Christ Jesus, and learning to stand firm in their convictions of the truths of God.  What would the schools look like, the work places, the churches, the mission fields and the world?  Imagine the frustration of the devil when the people of God look him in the eyes and say “you can’t make me quit.”    

⁷ "But you, be strong and do not lose courage, for there is reward for your work

2 Chron 15:7

Blessings,

Pastor Eric

Getting Away from the 20/80 Mess of Church Work

What I am about to suggest to you is probably the most counter-intuitive thing you will find me ever saying, at least among church folks and pastors.  It is not the norm and nowhere near what most church people are used to hearing at least from Church leadership, “We need our people doing Less Work.”  Now, before you misunderstand give me just a moment to explain.   

I have never been a fan of the “20% of the people doing 80% of the Work” mantra in the church.  First, it’s not true, because in most churches it’s usually less than 20% of the people doing more than 80% of the work.  Second, it doesn’t work, hasn’t worked and will eventually burn out those who are in the “20%” working.  Of our church folks working, they are getting burned out, when they do too much.   

It is a constant struggle to find people to serve in church ministry. Some feel ill-equipped or unqualified, well you are if you’re trying to do it under your own power.  God is not looking for the equipped or qualified, He is looking to equip and qualify those who are faithful, available and teachable.  Others feel if I say “yes,” then I will be hounded till “Jesus comes” to do everything else. Unfortunately, this latter point is far too true in churches today.  Guilt should never be a factor in your decision to serve the Lord.

I would like to suggest a new model for us as God’s people. A model I call “My Primary Ministry.”  I have no clue if someone else has presented this or not, most likely someone has, “nothing new under the sun,” as they say.  What would ministry life be like in the church if everyone had one primary ministry that they poured their life and efforts into?  Here’s how it might look;

Have one “Primary Ministry” that you know God has called you to serve in. It doesn’t have to be a ministry you head-up or you’re in charge of, but one you pour your efforts into that will not be neglected, no matter what, the kind of ministry where you say, “it’s mine, it’s all mine.”

Have one “Secondary Ministry” that you’re assisting in when needed, usually helping someone accomplish their “Primary Ministry.” This can take some time and effort but never at the expense of your Primary Ministry.  Example; being an assistant teacher when needed, filling in when someone is on vacation, etc.

A “Third Ministry” might be just seasonal ministries you support because they are short term and/or require a limited amount of time or effort or at least only for a very short time.  Example; mission trip, Nursery or children Church Worker, being on committee team, setting up or taking down tables and chairs for an event, etc. Yet again, it should never affect your Primary Ministry.

         People might say, “if we do this a lot of what we do might not get done.”  Churches are doing a lot of things these days, but out of all that they are doing, “what are they doing well?”  Jesus speaking to His disciples in John 4:34 said, “My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me and to accomplish His work,” (emphasis mine).  A lot of us are doing, but what are we accomplishing for God? 

         Maybe if each of us were doing what we have been called to accomplish, it would no longer be said “20% of the people are doing 80% of the work,” but it might be said that “100% of the people in church are accomplishing 100% of what God has called them to do.”  And Yes, we may be doing less but we might accomplish more for the glory of God.

Blessings,

Pastor Eric
Galatians 2:20

"Commit" A simple Word Study

           Doing a Simple word study recently I chose the English word “Commit.”  What I discovered was up until Psalm 22 the word “commit” was always in the negative, “do not commit [this sin],” or  “they commit [that sin].”  In Psalm 22:8 a change is made to the positive;

Commit yourself to the LORD; let Him deliver him; Let Him rescue him, because He delights in him.

            Psalm 22:8       

                       

The root word in Hebrew is Galal meaning “to heap onto,” the understanding is that we are to heap ourselves onto the Lord. 

I know it sounds kind of funny but think of it this way; a child comes into a room and sees daddy on the floor doing something (it doesn’t matter what), the child in a sense of frenzied glee charges with all his might leaping through the air heaping himself onto his father.  A child in his love for his father rejoices in the fact that he can climb all over someone who doesn’t mind the attention and rather enjoys the company.  God calls us to heap the whole of our lives upon Him, even much more than the father mentioned above.  God rejoices in the companionship of His children, as Psalm 22:8 concludes God “delights” in the attention, love and admiration of his child. Several other passages also include this same Hebrew word.

Commit your way to the LORD, Trust also in Him, and He will do it.
He will bring forth your righteousness as the light And your judgment as the noonday.
Psalms 37:5-6

Commit your works to the LORD And your plans will be established
Proverbs 16:3

            Commitment in the eyes of God is much more than a passing fancy of coming to church when you feel like it or reading or even praying when you feel like it.  God wants us to throw ourselves onto Him with all our might, heaping onto Him our very being, our very way of living life, and everything we do in that life. Commitment is the complete and utter surrender of all our hopes and dreams to the will of God. 

            Let us renew our commitment to our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Let us renew our love and devotion as we did when we first accepted the glorious gift of Salvation. Let us commit our time, tithes and talents to the Body of Christ, the only thing Jesus promised to build.

May God be praised,

Pastor Eric 

Your Name is Not Your Own

“A good name is to be more desired than great wealth” Proverb 22:1

            Fathers often use this passage of Scripture to explain to their sons the importance of ones reputation within a community.  I have often tried to explain to my son how important it is to keep your word, to let your “yes, be yes and your no, no” (Matthew 5:37, James 5:12).  Our reputations are all we really have, the world at any moment can come in and steal and destroy everything we have within our possession.  The world can even take our life, but what is left after everything is gone is our reputation. What would the people that know you, remember of you, when the Lord calls you to give account.

Before you answer the question if you are a child of God, that you have made Jesus the Lord and Savior of your life, you have a name you bear that is not your own.  Much as my son bears my name where ever he goes, we bear the name of Christ as believers in Jesus, but unlike my son who will one day own the name Nixon for himself, we will never own the name of Christ.  Though we call ourselves Christians the name is the Lord’s.  We are merely Ministers of Reconciliation between a Holy God and sinful man (2 Corinthians 5:18), Ambassadors of Christ (2 Corinthians 5:20) called to serve God and man with a love that is selfless and sacrificial in nature, but we must never forget that Name has been given to us for one reason to reach a lost and dying world in need of a Savior and it will always belong to Him.

Exodus 20:7 says, "You shall not take the Name of the LORD your God in vain, for the LORD will not leave him unpunished who takes His name in vain.”  Often we have heard it preached or taught not to use God’s name as a curse word or in false promises you never intend to keep.  I would submit to you that taking the Name of Christ, as a “Christian” and never intending to live according to the Word of God is itself using the Name of the Lord in vain.  We bring an approach upon the reputation of God when we refuse to live according to God’s Word in willful disobedience.  When we proclaim Christianity as our faith before men and misquote Scripture or even leave it out of the conversation because we dislike what the Lord has to say.  I believe we misuse the Lord’s Name when we remain quiet in the midst of the torrential sinful storms destroying our culture as what once was hidden in the Dark is brought to light and celebrated, “woe to those who call evil good and good evil” (Isaiah 5:20).

May we have a reputation for standing for what was right.  May people speak well of us when we are gone not that we accepted the cultural trends of the moment, but that we were the kind of people when all else was shifting sand we held our ground on the Rock of Christ.  That we cried out and reached out to rescue broken hearts adrift in a sea of lonely despair and desperation.  May we bring Honor to our King and God Jesus Christ that we bear His Name well.

Blessings,

Pastor Eric

How important is Sunday School to you?

           The first open-air preaching service by the Apostle Peter lead to 3000 souls being saved.  The people following the message were called to repent (turn from their sin and turn to Christ Jesus), be baptized and they would receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. The gift of eternal life would be for all who would call upon the Lord.

            Peter, “with many other words he solemnly testified and kept on exhorting them, saying, "Be saved from this perverse generation!"  So then, those who had received his word were baptized; and that day there were added about three thousand souls.  They were continually devoting themselves to the apostles' teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer (Acts 2:40-42).”

How important is Sunday School to you?

            The Apostles had been chosen by Jesus to carry on the message of the Kingdom of God and they had been commissioned and empowered to do so.  Now they had 3000 new disciples who most likely had never even known the teachings of Jesus.  It was now time to put into practice what Jesus had poured into them over the last three years.

            Jesus in the Great Commissioning in Matthew 28:20 called us to teach “them to observe all that I commanded you.”  This task is an impossible task if done from the pulpit alone.  The new disciples wanted all they could get, which is a true sign of a believer, many would be leaving Jerusalem soon to go back home with nothing more than the verbal teachings of the Apostles. These new believers were devoting themselves to the teachings of the Apostles to get as much as they could.  They would meet in fellowship to learn and discuss how to practically live out the Christian life.

            Folks, this is the purpose of Sunday School, to grow people to be just like Jesus.  Sunday School is not a program, but a part of the process of discipleship. In our Worship service we learn to love God, in our Sunday School classes we learn to love people the way God loves us.  You build relationships in Sunday School you don’t have time to build in Worship.  Intimacy with God is built upon in Worship; intimacy with people is built within Sunday School. 

             Sunday School provides age appropriate study of the Scriptures and personal application, a platform to serve through teaching and administration, training for Christian growth, and a sense of belonging, fellowship and accountability.

            Teachers take your duty seriously for the Word of God proclaims those who wish to teach will be judged more strictly (James 3:1).  Be on time if not a few minutes early just in case.

Students keep in mind that those who teach you will be judged as such, respect them for their time and effort they put into their study for your benefit, you to shall stand before God to give an account (Romans 14:12). Students, young and old, be on time invest in your teacher, pray for them, encourage them by being there, invite others and bring your Bibles. 

I am making the commitment to support my Sunday School Teacher in prayer and attendance. He works hard to provide a good meal of the Word for me and my Wife.  Do the same.

Blessings,

            Pastor Eric