Having just begun our new series in Philippians, my first message was from Acts 16, looking at the circumstances Paul faced when he, Silas, Luke and Timothy planted this wonderful church in the Greek city of Philippi. What we saw by way of introduction was that we all, if we understand what salvation means to us, need to be committed to evangelism. That’s how a church not only is established, but grows; it’s all through evangelism and discipleship!
In our study of Acts 16 we saw how Lydia and her household, the jailor and his family and very likely the demon possessed slave girl all came to faith in Jesus – all through evangelism.
As we get into Paul’s letter to the Philippians we will see his emphasis on evangelism in the opening chapter.
When I challenged our church family to learn a method of evangelism and then to step up our sharing of the Gospel, many came forward to make that commitment. As I shared that Sunday morning, I know that I too need to step up my commitment to evangelism. I need to be looking for more opportunities to share my faith. In talking with Pastor Paul Thompson earlier this week, being in the ministry most of our friends and associate know Christ as their Savior. That means I need to be looking all the harder for those opportunities.
As a result of my message and challenge, I have begun to journal each day about the opportunities God puts before me to share my faith and then record whether or not I was able to take that opportunity. I certainly am praying more through the day, “Lord, help me see the opportunity You place before me and help me to speak out the Gospel for You.”
As I personally take that challenge, along with some 30 + others from our church, will you join us?
This coming Sunday, Father’s Day, we will be looking at the second half of the book of Ruth, seeing how Boaz rescued Ruth and thus Naomi. He did it because he was their “kinsman-redeemer.”
In preparing for this message, I got to thinking about being rescued. As a pastor, much of what I do is to shepherd, care for, help, and nurture those under my care. So while I have helped a lot of people, it’s hard to say, “I rescued this person.” It is far easier for me to say who has rescued me. How about you, is that true for you?
Here are a few of my rescuers:
This was my biggest rescuing. Back in my former church in Pennsylvania, we were going through our second building project, doubling our sanctuary space, adding classrooms and expanding our foyer. Our building committee was not functioning as it should have been and I seemed to be the answer man for the project. I was overwhelmed because ministry was still going on as usual, but we were working in an “invaded” building. When the builders began the expansion of the foyer just outside my office, I was not handling it very well. It came to a head for me one Sunday morning when everything seemed in disarray and I had no where to go for a time of prayer, so I felt like walking away. I sure didn't feel like preaching … but I did. Well, before long Todd Miller, one of our deacons, a good friend, and also the sub-contractor for the electrical and heating, said to me, “Phil, I will answer all questions that come to you. You don't need to do that. Send them to me.” And Todd really did rescue me. On the one hand, what's the big deal? This shouldn’t have been so overwhelming, but it was. I was at an emotional breaking point and no one seemed to be helping me. But Todd came to my rescue. And I have thanked him for what he did a number of times.
My second rescue came from three pastors and a nurse. All are nameless to me. A month after being diagnosed with my Hairy Cell Leukemia, Lisa and I attended a pastors’ and wives’ conference in Indiana, PA. While in the first session, I began to feel chest pains. I thought I was having a heart attack. After calling our oncologist, we went to the emergency room of the hospital in town. They would not give me pain medicine until they figured the cause, and it was my spleen which had tripled in size. They were going to take me to Allegany General Hospital in Pittsburgh to have it removed. The spleen was a key piece to my battle with leukemia, and if they removed it, they would be taking years off my life. So I was very saddened by this news. Rachel was just 3 years old and Dan was 8. While in the hospital, I could hardly breathe and the pain continued. During that time, I just could not pray. I couldn’t pray because of my physical, but more so, my emotional pain. I had never experienced this before. However, three pastors who were strangers to me came from the conference to pray over and for me. Indeed they rescued me! I was then taken by ambulance to Allegany General Hospital, just over an hour away. While there, they ran many tests and while waiting for one test, lying on a gurney, I was very sick to my stomach. This was when I met my next rescuer, a brunette nurse who was so kind, caring, and helpful. I cannot remember her face, but she truly was a rescuer for me. The rest of the story … I was scheduled to go to surgery and when they came to do a final check on me, my spleen had returned to normal. Great answer to prayer!
My third rescuer is Art Miller, who was an elder here at The Chapel and one of our Building Committee Chairmen (before they moved to Ohio) for our new worship center. At one meeting, we were discussing the type and size of the foyer. We all agreed that it needed to be large. I was convinced that it needed to be a large rectangle, not a wraparound, as we do have. But I think I was the minority voice in that meeting, because it was expressed that all of the worship center doors needed to exit into the foyer. Well, I was pretty silent by the end of that meeting, and everyone left but me. After maybe 10 minutes or so, Art came back because he was concerned about me. I needed to see the space in actual feet, not on paper. So in his kindness, we measured off the area in the west wing hallway for length and width and …the rest is history. Art indeed rescued me from my emotional conflict over that issue.
My encouragement for you is to think back through your life. Who has been a rescuer for you? Think about them and then share your story with them. If possible, try to thank them for how they “rescued you.” I have. Will you?
As I have been driving around beautiful southwest Michigan, the trees in blooms are breath taking, aren’t they? They are just so beautiful! The Dogwoods are so delicate, and the Red Bud trees, I love the purple. Even this morning I saw the lilacs beginning to open. And the gentile, light green on so many trees …. what a wonderful time of the year!
In light of our study in Matthew 24, I said to myself this morning, I need to make it a habit, that when I see a flowering tree, I will direct my thoughts to the Lord about His return, and pray, “Lord, how can I serve you today in light of your coming?” As we saw this past Sunday, April 25, from Matthew 24:32, “Now learn this lesson from the fig tree: As soon as its twigs get tender and its leaves come out, you know that summer is near. 33 Even so, when you see all these things, you know that it is near, right at the door.” I want to be prepared for the coming of our Lord, remembering that He is “at the door,” that the end of time could break in at any moment.
As I am studying for this coming Sunday’s message, (May 2) my thoughts are on this idea, “So how do we prepare?” What we will see and what I need to be reminded of is this, we prepare by doing exactly what God has called us to do …. today! We simply need to serve the Lord faithfully today, where He has put us.
As we drive through southwest Michigan these next few weeks, will you talk to the Lord about His coming, as you notice these beautiful flowering trees? I will. As we know summer is coming, so is the Lord Jesus. Let’s be faithful servants today. That’s my commitment.
April 19th will be the last meeting for this year’s elder board. It is hard to believe that Al Holaday, Ken O’Neill and Georg Schultz have completed their three year term, but they have … and we will miss them.
In our relational meetings (the second meeting of the month) we have been studying through the book of Joshua, and we will finish our study next month. In preparation for it, Joshua 24, the theme is on serving. The opening two discussion questions I will ask are: 1.Why do you serve the Lord? 2.Why might people not serve the Lord?
As you read this blog, go ahead and think about those two questions. For me, I wrote: Why wouldn’t a believer serve the Lord? I am responsible to use my spiritual gifts within the Body of Christ. I do it out of love for the Lord knowing His love for me. I serve, wanting to see others come to faith and grow in their walk with the Lord.
In thinking of the second question, why might people not serve the Lord, I wrote:
Possibly because they are not committed to Christ. They don’t understand what Christ has done for them. Maybe they don’t know how to serve the Lord? It is possible when one feels hurt or disappointed by the church, fellow Christians or by the Lord that they will not serve. What do you think?
In the 24th chapter, we can form principles on how to help others learn to serve the Lord. If you read that chapter you will see the major emphasis on remembering, remembering what God has done for you in the past. If we will remember how God has led us, helped us, provided for us, how can we not serve Him?
I love when Joshua speaks up to the people and says, “Now fear the Lord and serve him with all faithfulness . . . But if serving the LORD seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your forefathers served beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living.” And I love what he said next, “But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord.” Isn’t that great? He speaks for himself and all of his family, “we will serve the Lord.” Joshua certainly knew the faithfulness of God.
As a church, having entered the spring of the year and looking forward to summer, we have many ways in which you can serve the Lord here in this local church family. I often say from the pulpit that it hurts me to see Cindy Swearingen and Jan Brandt work so hard to fill ministry positions within our Children’s Ministry. So I ask you, as you have seen God faithful to you, will you faithfully serve Him? If you are a parent, you know how your children have been well ministered to here at The Chapel. Will you help fill a gap, a last minute hole in a class? Maybe you would be a permanent teacher or helper. We need both. Vacation Bible School is coming and it is a ball with all those children. There is so much energy running through this building! I encourage you to “get in on the excitement.” Lisa and I will. Will you? Will you help to pick up the slack in our Children’s Ministry? I know that God has been faithful to you, could you be faithful in this very important area? Give Cindy or Jan a call.
Let’ all be able to say with Joshua, “But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord.”
Each year at The Chapel, I lead a new believer’s small group starting in the Fall. But this year I did something different. Back in July we hosted a conference with Dale Ratzlaff, a former Seventh Day Adventist Pastor and leader who left the SDA church, as well as Richard and Colleen Tinker who serve with Life Assurance Ministries. The Tinkers publish the great quarterly magazine called “Proclamation.” Also at the conference were several other apologists.
As a result of this conference, Lisa and I are hosting a Bible Study in our home for those who are transitioning out of Adventism. One couple from our church also comes, wanting to learn more about the differences between the SDA church and what we believe as evangelicals. Carolyn Macomber, who placed her faith in Christ alone for her salvation in July of 2008 and was baptized in the summer of 2009, leads the group. Carolyn had deep roots in the Adventist church, even serving as an associate pastor. My role is that of “resident theologian” which sounds bigger than it is. My purpose is to encourage those growing in their walk with the Lord with the truth in Scripture. We discuss doctrinal and other differences between Adventism and the evangelical position as we study Paul’s letter to the Galatians. Also in our group is a couple who has made the break from Adventism and is coming to the Chapel. The fourth member, who is also coming to The Chapel, recently made that same break from Adventism. The night of our second study she prayed, trusting the Lord as her Savior, knowing that He paid the full price for her sins through His death on the cross. One key difference with Adventism is the sufficiency of the sacrifice of Christ’s atonement, that salvation is the work of Jesus and Him alone.
Each week a lot of unraveling takes place as God ministers in our midst. Those who have left Adventism need to take off what they have been taught, especially the false teachings of their prophetess Ellen G. White. In our group we have those “aha” moments when the truth of God’s Word clicks in. One week we looked at the doctrine of the Trinity. We talked about the purpose of Christ’s coming to earth as God in flesh. For one of our members, the “aha’ moment was, “Jesus Christ didn’t come JUST to be our example. He came to be our Redeemer.”
We hope our small group will grow in the months ahead. If you have Adventist friends who are questioning what they believe and would like to try our Bible Study group, my recommendation is for you to come with them to the study. If you think this is a possibility, please give me a call first.
As I approach the end of my Sabbatical as well as the end of the year, stepping through the Christmas season, I am very grateful to you, The Chapel, to our elders and staff for this time away from my pastoral routine. I will be finishing up my writing project on Marriage, Divorce and Remarriage, as well as doing some projections on our growth, how to manage growth until we have the next wing completed.
For me, as I would enter November, I would normally be thinking about Christmas, how to rework the birth narratives for December. Then I would be thinking about how to make Christmas Eve special. That is all a normal pressure that every preaching pastor feels. So being on sabbatical this Christmas season, I am so thankful for Pastor Blair as he took on this responsibility to plan out the Christmas series and take on the Christmas Eve Service.
As I look back in my years of ministry, this will be my first Christmas Eve off since 1978, which means I can enjoy the service with Lisa and our daughter Rachel and her husband Joe. (Dan and Allison and grandsons will join us on Christmas day.)
Looking back over the last number of months with our solid staff, it has been tremendous not to have any worries that ministry elements would slip through the cracks. I am greatly thankful for each one who serves this church family. So I want to express my thanks:
To Pastor Blair for his planning and preaching most of the weeks of my sabbatical, for watching over many details.
To Pastor Paul, who with his many years of senior pastorate experience, he is that solid rock for our staff.
To Kent as he has continued to faithfully lead and direct our Sunday morning worship, taking care of our tec needs.
To Pastor Dan as he uses his gifts in ministry to teens, leaders and parents.
To Cindy and Jan who are great overseers of our Children’s Ministries, which is a huge responsibility.
To Sara Steinke who works behind the scene on our website and e-news letter and helps us in idea development.
To Shirley Hackney and Beth Clark, our administrative assistants, who have continued to keep the flow of the office running smoothly.
As we remember the birth of our Savior and look at a new year, may we stay focused on God’s call in each of our lives, to live for Him, to be committed followers as God directs our steps. Have a wonderful celebration of the Lord’s Birth.
Having entered my sabbatical, I am reminded that no matter how old I am, I need to keep learning and growing in who I am. Others may be quick to tell us how we need to change, so in our defensiveness we tell them, “Well, that’s who I am.” We tell ourselves “they don’t know what they’re talking about.” Of course we know ourselves better than anyone else knows us, and certainly there are areas in our personality that we do need to work on. But are we willing to work on those changes? Are we willing to never stop learning, not just who we are, but how to live Christ, seizing every opportunity that comes our way?
So what am I like in my personality? I tend to be organized, planning out my day, doing and working more rather than doing less. How about you? I usually prepare more material to teach and preach than I have time to go through. I function the best when I am in my routine, ordering my day and yet I want the Holy Spirit to break into my day of study, of working in the office, of meetings or whatever, as He knows best, that needy phone call, that visit which needs to be made now…
Now that I am on sabbatical my routine is very different. The pressure of the weekly sermon and all that goes with it is gone. But I find myself being very self-motivated and self-pressured to get my projects done. I also know I need to “sabbatical” or work on rest. Clearly my sabbatical is a change of pace, a change from the routine, but I still need to learn through this time, not information, but about me, who I am. I need to keep my attitude right when not in the routine, feeling that I am still accomplishing, even though the results may be slow or different than the norm. What if I don’t get all my projects done? What then? The pressure isn’t coming from the elders, it’s coming from me, my personality. I need to be able to put the project down and go for a walk with Lisa, to continue to read our book on marriage, to sit and take the time to just read.
This is a great time to work on me, in my personality, not on those major issues, but edges of who I am, to be more balanced, to be more like Christ. I need to learn more about being flexible, “hanging loose” over the pressure of the clock, not getting done what I thought I should get done. Is that hard for me? Sure it is. Will I learn? I hope so.
How about you? Are you in a situation where your personality is being stretched? Instead of lapsing back into the “old you” are you willing, am I willing, to learn a new way? I’m working on it, will you?
