Monday, December 8, 2008
Jim's Blog Has Moved
Jim's Blog has moved to http://threads.madisonparkchurch.org. This site will remain open as an archive for an indefinite time. Questions? Contact Kevin Majeski, Communications Director at Madison Park Church of God.
Tuesday, November 25, 2008
Fortitude, Light & Hope
by Jim Lyon, Senior Pastor
Everybody knows that the fabled pilgrims set sail on the Mayflower in 1620 and headed for Virginia—but landed in Massachusetts instead. Ouch. And you think you got lost trying to find that new little restaurant in Fishers. And then there was that whole surviving the New England winter thing (47% of the Pilgrims, in fact, did not survive), bitter cold, howling winds, blowing snow, and all the rest. Very unpleasant.
As troubled as that first year in the Plymouth Colony was, this band of Pilgrims interpreted their experience as just another step forward in their journey with God. They were accustomed to making sacrifices for their faith; the harrowing challenges of building a new life in the New World were preferred over the terrible price they had already paid for their old life in the Old World.
The Pilgrims were a congregation of believers who refused to conform to the prevailing (at the time) Church of England. While living at home in England, the Pilgrims found that it was actually against the law not to go to Anglican services on Sunday; every Englishman who did not attend was fined the equivalent of six pounds (about $10 today). Jobs were scarce, ridicule was abundant, official and social ostracism was unbearable. They would not accept what they considered to be a corrupted practice of Christianity and elected to flee first to The Netherlands. In a way welcoming, Holland still was a stretch for them; the Pilgrims found the cultural adjustments very rough. They treasured their English language and heritage, but saw it all falling quickly away as their children began to speak Dutch. Amsterdam, even way back then, was a place of moral license, in which the Pilgrims felt very uncomfortable and threatened. And it appeared that Spain might reassert control over the low countries (like Holland). The Pilgrims feared trading the persecution of one crown for another. Where to go? What to do?
The answer? Cross the vast Atlantic on the Mayflower, of course, and settle in America. They were not the first to do so—and certainly not the last. Few assumed greater risks to pursue their dream, though. Sailing from Britain in September and landing near Cape Cod on the following November 21, the Pilgrims were confined “below decks,” by the crew, stricken with scurvy and who knows what else for months. Wading ashore in that bleak, damp November, weakened, hungry, and rancid from so many months in closed quarters, the Pilgrims had to wonder, “What have we done?” as they considered carving a new home in the dark, overpowering wilderness.
The miracle of the colony’s survival, the drama of the small party’s ambition, the anchoring faith in God which held them steady and led them to overcome impossible odds is now too often dismissed as quaint legend. It is not. It is history. It is our history. It is the history from which the kernels of American self-government and civilization have been planted and grown. It is the history of Thanksgiving Day.
The story of that “first” Thanksgiving feast day (well, actually, days—it was a three day celebration) is at the core of the whole narrative. A people who might have spent days complaining and gripped by fear and doubt, chose instead to spend their days thanking God, acknowledging His sovereign hand and trusting Him for their future. The power of that thanksgiving to transform their course is what Abraham Lincoln recognized (in another very challenging season of the nation’s life) when, in 1863, he established the custom, by Presidential proclamation, of calling the nation to prayer and thanksgiving on the last Thursday of November. (Franklin Roosevelt later adjusted the traditional date from “the last” to “the fourth” Thursday in November–to extend the Christmas holiday shopping season in the wake of the Great Depression).
And so, these 387 years after the first Pilgrim Thanksgiving, as we stare into our future with confidence sometimes shaken, as we wonder what lies around the bend, as the-once-mighty General Motors teeters near collapse, as questions can seem to outnumber answers, as the November weather turns chill on its way to winter, we, too, can find transformational light and hope in the Pilgrim (and very biblical) commitment to thanksgiving.
This Thanksgiving Day, stop and pray. Pray with others in your house. Acknowledge God. Thank Him for His sovereign hand in your life (yes, even in the midst of tough stuff), and trust Him for the days ahead. Identify three things for which you can thank God out loud, in the company of witnesses. Read a Psalm (like Psalm 138); read it, also, out loud. Don’t even think about eating that turkey (or those sweet potatoes with melted marshmallows on top) without thanking God first.
And, oh yeah, thank God this year that those Pilgrims didn’t give up. Their faithfulness and fortitude have blessed generations. Yours can, too.
_________________________________________
Important Notice: On November 26, Jim's Blog will migrate to the Threads blog (http://threads.madisonparkchurch.org). This site will remain open as an archive for an indefinite time. Questions? Contact Kevin Majeski, Communications Director at Madison Park Church of God.
Everybody knows that the fabled pilgrims set sail on the Mayflower in 1620 and headed for Virginia—but landed in Massachusetts instead. Ouch. And you think you got lost trying to find that new little restaurant in Fishers. And then there was that whole surviving the New England winter thing (47% of the Pilgrims, in fact, did not survive), bitter cold, howling winds, blowing snow, and all the rest. Very unpleasant.
As troubled as that first year in the Plymouth Colony was, this band of Pilgrims interpreted their experience as just another step forward in their journey with God. They were accustomed to making sacrifices for their faith; the harrowing challenges of building a new life in the New World were preferred over the terrible price they had already paid for their old life in the Old World.
The Pilgrims were a congregation of believers who refused to conform to the prevailing (at the time) Church of England. While living at home in England, the Pilgrims found that it was actually against the law not to go to Anglican services on Sunday; every Englishman who did not attend was fined the equivalent of six pounds (about $10 today). Jobs were scarce, ridicule was abundant, official and social ostracism was unbearable. They would not accept what they considered to be a corrupted practice of Christianity and elected to flee first to The Netherlands. In a way welcoming, Holland still was a stretch for them; the Pilgrims found the cultural adjustments very rough. They treasured their English language and heritage, but saw it all falling quickly away as their children began to speak Dutch. Amsterdam, even way back then, was a place of moral license, in which the Pilgrims felt very uncomfortable and threatened. And it appeared that Spain might reassert control over the low countries (like Holland). The Pilgrims feared trading the persecution of one crown for another. Where to go? What to do?
The answer? Cross the vast Atlantic on the Mayflower, of course, and settle in America. They were not the first to do so—and certainly not the last. Few assumed greater risks to pursue their dream, though. Sailing from Britain in September and landing near Cape Cod on the following November 21, the Pilgrims were confined “below decks,” by the crew, stricken with scurvy and who knows what else for months. Wading ashore in that bleak, damp November, weakened, hungry, and rancid from so many months in closed quarters, the Pilgrims had to wonder, “What have we done?” as they considered carving a new home in the dark, overpowering wilderness.
The miracle of the colony’s survival, the drama of the small party’s ambition, the anchoring faith in God which held them steady and led them to overcome impossible odds is now too often dismissed as quaint legend. It is not. It is history. It is our history. It is the history from which the kernels of American self-government and civilization have been planted and grown. It is the history of Thanksgiving Day.
The story of that “first” Thanksgiving feast day (well, actually, days—it was a three day celebration) is at the core of the whole narrative. A people who might have spent days complaining and gripped by fear and doubt, chose instead to spend their days thanking God, acknowledging His sovereign hand and trusting Him for their future. The power of that thanksgiving to transform their course is what Abraham Lincoln recognized (in another very challenging season of the nation’s life) when, in 1863, he established the custom, by Presidential proclamation, of calling the nation to prayer and thanksgiving on the last Thursday of November. (Franklin Roosevelt later adjusted the traditional date from “the last” to “the fourth” Thursday in November–to extend the Christmas holiday shopping season in the wake of the Great Depression).
And so, these 387 years after the first Pilgrim Thanksgiving, as we stare into our future with confidence sometimes shaken, as we wonder what lies around the bend, as the-once-mighty General Motors teeters near collapse, as questions can seem to outnumber answers, as the November weather turns chill on its way to winter, we, too, can find transformational light and hope in the Pilgrim (and very biblical) commitment to thanksgiving.
This Thanksgiving Day, stop and pray. Pray with others in your house. Acknowledge God. Thank Him for His sovereign hand in your life (yes, even in the midst of tough stuff), and trust Him for the days ahead. Identify three things for which you can thank God out loud, in the company of witnesses. Read a Psalm (like Psalm 138); read it, also, out loud. Don’t even think about eating that turkey (or those sweet potatoes with melted marshmallows on top) without thanking God first.
And, oh yeah, thank God this year that those Pilgrims didn’t give up. Their faithfulness and fortitude have blessed generations. Yours can, too.
_________________________________________
Important Notice: On November 26, Jim's Blog will migrate to the Threads blog (http://threads.madisonparkchurch.org). This site will remain open as an archive for an indefinite time. Questions? Contact Kevin Majeski, Communications Director at Madison Park Church of God.
Tuesday, November 11, 2008
For Heaven's Sake
by Jim Lyon, Senior Pastor
I love working at Trunk ‘n Treat on Halloween. Our trunk’s lame décor will never win a prize—but some trunk displays could (like the fabulous Wizard of Oz set-up, featuring a yellow-brick road, tin man, and Emerald City-with-a-Space Needle, that Becky “Dorothy” Rosenberg and Chris Sheets brought to life … or the Ten Commandments extravaganza, complete with growling Pharaoh, pyramids, and smiling Moses) that the Trick Small Group staged a few trunks up from mine … or Steve and Linda Elliott’s Popeye and Olive Oil, surrounded by a tower of spinach cans … well, you get the idea).
As Maureen and I enjoyed that balmy Halloween evening last week, a dream suddenly was realized. I didn’t notice it at first, but something we had imagined years before suddenly was taking place, right before our eyes. From the first day we began dreaming of Madison Park we dreamed of a place where everyone would feel welcome. Traditionally, Anderson has had its “sides.” You know, there’s the “west side,” “east side,” “north side,” etc. Different neighborhoods and “sides” are owned by “them” or by “us.” I-69 has for 40 years been the southern boundary of “Anderson.” On the north side of the interstate, territory was essentially carved up. On the south side of the interstate, well, it was a “no man’s land.” It didn’t belong to anyone. Maybe that’s why Meijer is the most integrated supermarket in Madison County and why Ryan’s is the county’s most integrated restaurant. They’re both in the “no man’s land” south of the interstate. And now, our church is, too.
The dream? That Madison Park could be a safe place for folks from every segment of our community: “red and yellow, black and white,” and everybody else. It happened at Trunk ‘n Treat. I watched it. A gazillion kids and their families (okay, maybe not a gazillion, but over 1,300 anyway) representing every imaginable part of our community. White kids. African-American kids. Asian kids. Hispanic kids. Rich kids. Poor kids. Hearing-impaired kids. Physically-challenged kids. And challenging kids. They were all there. It was the world Heaven sees every day and a world we see all too rarely. It was a dream come true. Full of life and energy, laughter, hope and promise. Another Madison Park dream realized, if but for the moment. Awesome.
Dreams work. They really do. Joseph-in-Genesis had a dream. Joseph-in-Matthew was warned in a dream. Jacob had a dream. Peter’s whole sense of the Gospel was changed in a dream on a rooftop in Joppa. Paul was called to take the Gospel to Europe in a dream. Martin Luther King had a dream. You have some dreams. So do I. And together, we have been a part of the unfolding dream at Madison Park.
We’ve dreamed of thousands—yes, thousands—being saved. We’re on our way—with more baptisms and conversions at Madison Park in the last year than ever before in our congregation’s history. We’ve dreamed of being salt and light, actually changing the way our community lives. The GoTo26.com committee of local businesses (serving as a catalyst for enhancing the visibility and viability of development at Exit 26) was born at Madison Park. The Dove Harbor auction in The Commons last month (helping to underwrite this critically important Christian ministry to displaced women and children) was the best attended ever. The conferences and conventions we have been able to host at Madison Park in the last year have opened doors not just for us, but for all of Madison County. The dream of a convergence zone at Madison Park (with the church at its center) for the northeast Indianapolis metro stills lives. Believers across the world wait and pray for our dreams to come true, too--knowing that God will bless them as He blesses us over time.
I am absolutely convinced that Dreams-at-Madison-Park-do-work. But, like every God-given dream (as those guys in Scripture learned) every dream requires courage, daring, steady sacrifice, and long-term commitment. Thanks to each one whose faithful giving has helped bring us this far; thanks to each one who is joining the team. Remember, every one million dollars in debt we retire frees up $7,600 monthly for bringing new ministry to life. When you participate in the Dreams Work iniative, you literally change the world.
Check out the Dreams Word below. If you haven’t already signed up to be a part of Dreams Work, prayerfully do so this week. Madison Park needs you. God has opened a door of breathtaking opportunity right here, right now, for all of us.
In all the world there is no investment you can make anywhere that will do more good over time than investing in Dreams Work. I truly believe that. More people in more places will benefit than any other sacrifice you can make. And you’ll be blessed right-back, too. Your commitment matters. Be encouraged. And, keep dreaming, for Heaven’s sake.
_________________________________________________________________
Important Notice: On November 26, Jim's Blog will migrate to the Threads blog (http://threads.madisonparkchurch.org). This site will remain open as an archive for an indefinite time. Questions? Contact Kevin Majeski, Communications Director at Madison Park Church of God.
I love working at Trunk ‘n Treat on Halloween. Our trunk’s lame décor will never win a prize—but some trunk displays could (like the fabulous Wizard of Oz set-up, featuring a yellow-brick road, tin man, and Emerald City-with-a-Space Needle, that Becky “Dorothy” Rosenberg and Chris Sheets brought to life … or the Ten Commandments extravaganza, complete with growling Pharaoh, pyramids, and smiling Moses) that the Trick Small Group staged a few trunks up from mine … or Steve and Linda Elliott’s Popeye and Olive Oil, surrounded by a tower of spinach cans … well, you get the idea).
As Maureen and I enjoyed that balmy Halloween evening last week, a dream suddenly was realized. I didn’t notice it at first, but something we had imagined years before suddenly was taking place, right before our eyes. From the first day we began dreaming of Madison Park we dreamed of a place where everyone would feel welcome. Traditionally, Anderson has had its “sides.” You know, there’s the “west side,” “east side,” “north side,” etc. Different neighborhoods and “sides” are owned by “them” or by “us.” I-69 has for 40 years been the southern boundary of “Anderson.” On the north side of the interstate, territory was essentially carved up. On the south side of the interstate, well, it was a “no man’s land.” It didn’t belong to anyone. Maybe that’s why Meijer is the most integrated supermarket in Madison County and why Ryan’s is the county’s most integrated restaurant. They’re both in the “no man’s land” south of the interstate. And now, our church is, too.
The dream? That Madison Park could be a safe place for folks from every segment of our community: “red and yellow, black and white,” and everybody else. It happened at Trunk ‘n Treat. I watched it. A gazillion kids and their families (okay, maybe not a gazillion, but over 1,300 anyway) representing every imaginable part of our community. White kids. African-American kids. Asian kids. Hispanic kids. Rich kids. Poor kids. Hearing-impaired kids. Physically-challenged kids. And challenging kids. They were all there. It was the world Heaven sees every day and a world we see all too rarely. It was a dream come true. Full of life and energy, laughter, hope and promise. Another Madison Park dream realized, if but for the moment. Awesome.
Dreams work. They really do. Joseph-in-Genesis had a dream. Joseph-in-Matthew was warned in a dream. Jacob had a dream. Peter’s whole sense of the Gospel was changed in a dream on a rooftop in Joppa. Paul was called to take the Gospel to Europe in a dream. Martin Luther King had a dream. You have some dreams. So do I. And together, we have been a part of the unfolding dream at Madison Park.
We’ve dreamed of thousands—yes, thousands—being saved. We’re on our way—with more baptisms and conversions at Madison Park in the last year than ever before in our congregation’s history. We’ve dreamed of being salt and light, actually changing the way our community lives. The GoTo26.com committee of local businesses (serving as a catalyst for enhancing the visibility and viability of development at Exit 26) was born at Madison Park. The Dove Harbor auction in The Commons last month (helping to underwrite this critically important Christian ministry to displaced women and children) was the best attended ever. The conferences and conventions we have been able to host at Madison Park in the last year have opened doors not just for us, but for all of Madison County. The dream of a convergence zone at Madison Park (with the church at its center) for the northeast Indianapolis metro stills lives. Believers across the world wait and pray for our dreams to come true, too--knowing that God will bless them as He blesses us over time.
I am absolutely convinced that Dreams-at-Madison-Park-do-work. But, like every God-given dream (as those guys in Scripture learned) every dream requires courage, daring, steady sacrifice, and long-term commitment. Thanks to each one whose faithful giving has helped bring us this far; thanks to each one who is joining the team. Remember, every one million dollars in debt we retire frees up $7,600 monthly for bringing new ministry to life. When you participate in the Dreams Work iniative, you literally change the world.
Check out the Dreams Word below. If you haven’t already signed up to be a part of Dreams Work, prayerfully do so this week. Madison Park needs you. God has opened a door of breathtaking opportunity right here, right now, for all of us.
In all the world there is no investment you can make anywhere that will do more good over time than investing in Dreams Work. I truly believe that. More people in more places will benefit than any other sacrifice you can make. And you’ll be blessed right-back, too. Your commitment matters. Be encouraged. And, keep dreaming, for Heaven’s sake.
_________________________________________________________________
Important Notice: On November 26, Jim's Blog will migrate to the Threads blog (http://threads.madisonparkchurch.org). This site will remain open as an archive for an indefinite time. Questions? Contact Kevin Majeski, Communications Director at Madison Park Church of God.
Monday, October 27, 2008
Worship With Your Life
by Joe Webb, Senior High and College Ministries Pastor
I can’t believe that it has been over 6 years! I can’t believe I have had 3 boys! I can’t believe that I have lived in 3 homes, owned 4 different cars, had 3 different job titles and have had 2 different offices. A lot has changed since my wife Kristi and I came to Anderson so I could fulfill the role of Jr. High Director. And let me tell you, it has been wonderful! My life verse since I have been here can be found in Romans 12:1. It says (in Joe’s paraphrase) to live out your life as a worship song to God. It’s been a journey, and I have loved seeing God at work in my family.
Well, now in my journey, as many of you know, the worship song must change. God has been calling me to lead worship full-time with my voice and guitar. I am excited and nervous all at the same time. That seems to accompany many adventures with God. Kristi, Jake, Luke, Kaleb, and I will be moving to Walla Walla, Washington in mid-November to take on a new role. I will assume the position as Worship Pastor at Blue Mountain Community Church.
I wanted to write to let you know that we love you! We will miss you! We will never forget you! Our time here in Anderson has shaped us, matured us, challenged us and grown us. We want to thank you for believing in us, supporting us, encouraging us, and reminding us of your love on a frequent basis. We truly will hold all of you close to our hearts. If I could say one last thing, I guess it would be: Offer your bodies and lives as a sacrifice to God! This is your spiritual act of worship. I can’t tell you where it will lead you, but let me tell you, it will be an amazing journey with the Creator.
We love you,
The Webbs
Covered in Prayer
by Jeff Matas, Senior Associate Pastor
On October 1, Joe Webb, our Senior High and College Ministries Pastor announced that he had accepted a call to be the Worship Pastor at Blue Mountain Community Church, a Church of God congregation in Walla Walla, Washington. Joe’s last day “on the job” at Madison Park will be Wednesday, November 12 as he leads Ignite for the final time. For the last eighteen months, Joe has sensed God calling him to worship ministry. His call to Blue Mountain Community Church was a result of much prayer, healthy dialog with Senior Pastor Jim Lyon and myself, and ultimately God’s leading. Madison Park has been blessed by Joe and the student ministry he has developed and led. The impact he has had on our students, past and present, is a tremendous legacy that will follow Joe... even across the continent to a far away place called Walla Walla. We will dearly miss Joe, Kristi, and their sons Jake, Luke and Kaleb.
As a pastor who has moved across the country, I know how important it is for a pastor and their family to be covered in prayer. Please join me in praying for Joe, Kristi and the boys as they prepare for this move; and also for their families back home in Indiana.
A search team is being formed that will lead the process of filling the Senior High and College Ministries Pastor position. If you have any questions, suggestions or comments please contact me at the Church. Your input and voice are important.
Important Notice: On November 26, Jim's Blog will migrate to the Threads blog (http://threads.madisonparkchurch.org). This site will remain open as an archive for an indefinite time. Questions? Contact Kevin Majeski, Communications Director at Madison Park Church of God.
I can’t believe that it has been over 6 years! I can’t believe I have had 3 boys! I can’t believe that I have lived in 3 homes, owned 4 different cars, had 3 different job titles and have had 2 different offices. A lot has changed since my wife Kristi and I came to Anderson so I could fulfill the role of Jr. High Director. And let me tell you, it has been wonderful! My life verse since I have been here can be found in Romans 12:1. It says (in Joe’s paraphrase) to live out your life as a worship song to God. It’s been a journey, and I have loved seeing God at work in my family.
Well, now in my journey, as many of you know, the worship song must change. God has been calling me to lead worship full-time with my voice and guitar. I am excited and nervous all at the same time. That seems to accompany many adventures with God. Kristi, Jake, Luke, Kaleb, and I will be moving to Walla Walla, Washington in mid-November to take on a new role. I will assume the position as Worship Pastor at Blue Mountain Community Church.
I wanted to write to let you know that we love you! We will miss you! We will never forget you! Our time here in Anderson has shaped us, matured us, challenged us and grown us. We want to thank you for believing in us, supporting us, encouraging us, and reminding us of your love on a frequent basis. We truly will hold all of you close to our hearts. If I could say one last thing, I guess it would be: Offer your bodies and lives as a sacrifice to God! This is your spiritual act of worship. I can’t tell you where it will lead you, but let me tell you, it will be an amazing journey with the Creator.
We love you,
The Webbs
Covered in Prayer
by Jeff Matas, Senior Associate Pastor
On October 1, Joe Webb, our Senior High and College Ministries Pastor announced that he had accepted a call to be the Worship Pastor at Blue Mountain Community Church, a Church of God congregation in Walla Walla, Washington. Joe’s last day “on the job” at Madison Park will be Wednesday, November 12 as he leads Ignite for the final time. For the last eighteen months, Joe has sensed God calling him to worship ministry. His call to Blue Mountain Community Church was a result of much prayer, healthy dialog with Senior Pastor Jim Lyon and myself, and ultimately God’s leading. Madison Park has been blessed by Joe and the student ministry he has developed and led. The impact he has had on our students, past and present, is a tremendous legacy that will follow Joe... even across the continent to a far away place called Walla Walla. We will dearly miss Joe, Kristi, and their sons Jake, Luke and Kaleb.
As a pastor who has moved across the country, I know how important it is for a pastor and their family to be covered in prayer. Please join me in praying for Joe, Kristi and the boys as they prepare for this move; and also for their families back home in Indiana.
A search team is being formed that will lead the process of filling the Senior High and College Ministries Pastor position. If you have any questions, suggestions or comments please contact me at the Church. Your input and voice are important.
Important Notice: On November 26, Jim's Blog will migrate to the Threads blog (http://threads.madisonparkchurch.org). This site will remain open as an archive for an indefinite time. Questions? Contact Kevin Majeski, Communications Director at Madison Park Church of God.
Monday, October 13, 2008
Ride the Wave
Everybody knows that we’re in the midst of a global financial meltdown. The Dow Jones has plummeted. Stocks worldwide have tumbled. Credit markets are frozen. Central banks from London to Brussels to New York are working together to stave off even more dread economic news. It’s enough to make even the most sage investor wonder. Are we watching the birth of another “1929”—a depression so grave that future generations will think we lived Steinbeck’s The Grapes of Wrath?
From the Federal Reserve to the European Central Bank, from President Bush to Presidential wannabes Barack Obama and John McCain, from Congress to the Bank of England, from the talking heads on CNBC to the Wall Street Journal, nobody seems to know what to do or how things will turn out. Events of the last few weeks are grim reminders of just how fragile our security blankets really are, of just how limited governments can be.
Still, God is on the throne. He works for the good always. His is a fortune that cannot be diminished, a portfolio of inexhaustible supply. Somehow, someway, He provides for His own. Be encouraged, even in the tempest.
Our congregation’s financial prospects ride the wave, just like yours. Our ability to pay the bills, live up to God’s call and purposes, and reach for the future are all hinged on the individual journeys of our members. Thanks for your faithfulness. Thanks for holding steady, for your generosity, and for acting on your faith: seek first the Kingdom of God and everything you need will be provided to you (remember, that’s Jesus talking in the Sermon on the Mount).
Here are some things for which to pray, as we watch the financial headlines unfold:
(1) Three congregations are “circling” around our Scatterfield property; two of these have actually conducted Sunday services there this fall. There is real interest in all three in buying the building from us. Pray that one will make an offer and that a deal can be closed soon. It is sacred ground on Scatterfield, as all of us know—and we are convinced the Lord has plans for it. I have come to believe one of these three may, before too many more weeks pass, make our last church home its own. We will save $7,600 each month for every one million dollars we reduce our debt—a Scatterfield sale should net us about two million.
(2) We are close to closing a deal on the sale of four acres at Madison Park to a developer from Chicago (who plans to build a three-story residential building there). This project will be a wonderful complement to our existing facilities and would be situated at the intersection of Providence Drive and South 67th Street. Pray that all of the details will be shortly ironed out. Construction is forecast to begin early next spring. This sale should net us about $600,000.
(3) Over the last few months, Madison Park has been the catalyst for a new initiative to enhance the visibility and viability of Exit 26 off Interstate 69. Dubbed GoTo26.com, the idea is to form a new business and community association to promote Exit 26 as a destination along I-69 and in neighboring counties. There are over 130 businesses between Starbuck’s and Menard’s in the Scatterfield corridor, including 38 restaurants, 37 retailers, 33 service providers (like banks, hair salons, and so on), and more. Of course, pulling traffic off I-69 gives the church new opportunities, too. GoTo26.com is not online, yet, but it is alive and growing. There has been enthusiastic support from the city, business owners big and small, and encouragement from the Chamber of Commerce, as well. Pray that Exit 26, which is already the convergence zone of Madison County, will grow and prosper—and that Madison Park will be salt and light here, always. Remember, 65,000 people drive by Madison Park every day on I-69.
(4) November will mark the first anniversary of our Dreams Work campaign—the emphasis last fall which invited all of us to dream and help underwrite the dream of ministry at Madison Park. Stay tuned for testimonies of God’s provision and goodness. He has opened hearts and minds to Heaven in ways we could not have imagined. Thanks, once more, to all who have sacrificed for the dream; thanks for all those who have shared in the dream. And, if you’d like to know more about how you can be a part of the Madison Park Dream, please give us a call: (765) 642-2000 and ask for Rob Spaulding. Dreams work. They really do. Keep dreaming.
The Lord is faithful. Invest in Heaven’s store and in God’s purposes. He will take care of the rest. Yes, it’s a risk, yes, you will be tempted to hoard in hard times instead of to give. But, when you think about it, are your investments otherwise any more secure? Hmmm. Thanks for your generosity and faithfulness, always, Madison Park. God will honor you.
From the Federal Reserve to the European Central Bank, from President Bush to Presidential wannabes Barack Obama and John McCain, from Congress to the Bank of England, from the talking heads on CNBC to the Wall Street Journal, nobody seems to know what to do or how things will turn out. Events of the last few weeks are grim reminders of just how fragile our security blankets really are, of just how limited governments can be.
Still, God is on the throne. He works for the good always. His is a fortune that cannot be diminished, a portfolio of inexhaustible supply. Somehow, someway, He provides for His own. Be encouraged, even in the tempest.
Our congregation’s financial prospects ride the wave, just like yours. Our ability to pay the bills, live up to God’s call and purposes, and reach for the future are all hinged on the individual journeys of our members. Thanks for your faithfulness. Thanks for holding steady, for your generosity, and for acting on your faith: seek first the Kingdom of God and everything you need will be provided to you (remember, that’s Jesus talking in the Sermon on the Mount).
Here are some things for which to pray, as we watch the financial headlines unfold:
(1) Three congregations are “circling” around our Scatterfield property; two of these have actually conducted Sunday services there this fall. There is real interest in all three in buying the building from us. Pray that one will make an offer and that a deal can be closed soon. It is sacred ground on Scatterfield, as all of us know—and we are convinced the Lord has plans for it. I have come to believe one of these three may, before too many more weeks pass, make our last church home its own. We will save $7,600 each month for every one million dollars we reduce our debt—a Scatterfield sale should net us about two million.
(2) We are close to closing a deal on the sale of four acres at Madison Park to a developer from Chicago (who plans to build a three-story residential building there). This project will be a wonderful complement to our existing facilities and would be situated at the intersection of Providence Drive and South 67th Street. Pray that all of the details will be shortly ironed out. Construction is forecast to begin early next spring. This sale should net us about $600,000.
(3) Over the last few months, Madison Park has been the catalyst for a new initiative to enhance the visibility and viability of Exit 26 off Interstate 69. Dubbed GoTo26.com, the idea is to form a new business and community association to promote Exit 26 as a destination along I-69 and in neighboring counties. There are over 130 businesses between Starbuck’s and Menard’s in the Scatterfield corridor, including 38 restaurants, 37 retailers, 33 service providers (like banks, hair salons, and so on), and more. Of course, pulling traffic off I-69 gives the church new opportunities, too. GoTo26.com is not online, yet, but it is alive and growing. There has been enthusiastic support from the city, business owners big and small, and encouragement from the Chamber of Commerce, as well. Pray that Exit 26, which is already the convergence zone of Madison County, will grow and prosper—and that Madison Park will be salt and light here, always. Remember, 65,000 people drive by Madison Park every day on I-69.
(4) November will mark the first anniversary of our Dreams Work campaign—the emphasis last fall which invited all of us to dream and help underwrite the dream of ministry at Madison Park. Stay tuned for testimonies of God’s provision and goodness. He has opened hearts and minds to Heaven in ways we could not have imagined. Thanks, once more, to all who have sacrificed for the dream; thanks for all those who have shared in the dream. And, if you’d like to know more about how you can be a part of the Madison Park Dream, please give us a call: (765) 642-2000 and ask for Rob Spaulding. Dreams work. They really do. Keep dreaming.
The Lord is faithful. Invest in Heaven’s store and in God’s purposes. He will take care of the rest. Yes, it’s a risk, yes, you will be tempted to hoard in hard times instead of to give. But, when you think about it, are your investments otherwise any more secure? Hmmm. Thanks for your generosity and faithfulness, always, Madison Park. God will honor you.
Tuesday, September 16, 2008
Hugs From Mom
Last year I received a “free ticket” voucher from United Airlines, after a flight schedule was changed. I learned that I couldn’t actually convert the voucher into a ticket unless I personally visited a United ticket counter—which, of course, means a trip to the Indianapolis airport, standing in line, etc. A hassle. I forgot about the “free ticket.”
In July I flew home from Charlotte on Northwest. While waiting in the airport security line, I found myself in front of the United counter. No passengers were there—none—but two agents were standing behind the counter. I fumbled in my briefcase and, yep, the voucher was there. I looked at my watch, I decided to take a chance.
I handed over the voucher. “Can you give me a free ticket?” The agent replied, “Sure; the voucher expires tomorrow.” She pointed out the “Expires July 14, 2008” in block print on the bottom. Whew. Just made it.
“Where do you want to go?” the agent asked. Uh, oh yeah. Where do I want to go? Something inside of me said, “Go to San Francisco and see your birthmother.”
I’m adopted; my birthmother has not seen me since my birth, 56 years ago. Like my wife, she is named Maureen. She called me once in 1991. And, then again in 2003 (I think). A few times after that. I cannot call her. I am her only child. She’s been married 50 years. She lives in San Francisco. She was born and raised in Ireland. She’s never told anyone about me; she was unmarried when I was born. Flying to San Francisco to see someone I’ve never met, who didn’t know I was coming, whose occasional phone calls are few and far between, seemed preposterous. But, “the still small voice” repeated, “Go to San Francisco.”
“San Francisco,” I said after a pause. “Fine,” the agent replied, “when do you want to go?” Hmmm. “The voice” said, “the week following Labor Day.”
“The week following Labor Day—but I have to be back by Saturday. I have a Sunday job, you know.” The lady behind the counter looked at me curiously, “Uh huh.”
I walked away with a $727.00 ticket, for free. I ran to the gate, boarded my plane, got home at midnight. I looked at the ticket to SFO. “What was I thinking? This is the stupidest thing I’ve ever done.”
Monday morning, July 14: I noticed there was a message on my cell phone. I picked it up and listened.
“Hello, Jim,” said the voice with the pronounced Irish accent, “it’s Maureen in San Francisco. I am sorry I missed you. I will try and reach you another time. God bless.” Incredibly, it was “the other Maureen,” my birthmother. Astonishing. I had no way to call her back, but I knew God was “the voice,” that He was at work.
She called again on September 2; I picked up the phone and told her I was going to be in San Francisco the next day. She wasn’t sure if she could see me. She just didn’t know. I got on the plane September 3. On September 4, while jogging along the Bay, I prayed earnestly for something to happen—a crumb, a call. “Maybe this was the stupidest thing I have ever done,” I thought. At 11:30am, she called again. “Can you meet me tomorrow at 11:40am?” asked the soft Irish voice. “Of course,” I answered, “I promise.”
I stood in the parking lot. What does she look like? I wasn’t looking for the diminutive little 76-year old woman standing nearby. At last, I noticed her: slender, short, dressed liked she’d walked out of a Talbot’s store. I walked over, “My name is Jim Lyon.” She immediately gasped and gave me a hug. We walked across the way and sat down, talking for an hour.
She was lovely. Bright. Engaging. Genuine. She described her journey, as I prompted her with questions. She repeatedly interrupted with a gentle, “I can’t believe it has taken 56 years …” “I have prayed for you so long …”
But, of all the things she said, one thing will never be forgotten. “When I discovered I was pregnant, my doctor encouraged me to have an abortion. I was terrified. I had nowhere to go, nowhere to turn. I did not know what I would do.” She took a breath, as if reliving those troubled days. “But I knew what I would not do. I would not end your life.” I stared back, my eyes tearing up. “It’s so good to see you,” she said, again, “after 56 years.”
She looked at her watch. Her husband would be waiting—she had to be on her way. He does not know. “It would kill him if he knew,” she told me. “Can you understand?” “Yes, of course, I understand. Thanks so much for seeing me today.”
“I will be in touch,” she said as she stood up and gave me another hug. “And, please give your mother my love. Tell her I thank God for her every day, for the way she has loved and cared for you. She must be a lovely woman to have raised a man like you.” She looked up and stared at my face again. “Thank you,” she said quietly. One more hug. And she was gone. I turned and began to cry. I didn’t mean to. I just did.
I flew home and gave my mom a hug.
In July I flew home from Charlotte on Northwest. While waiting in the airport security line, I found myself in front of the United counter. No passengers were there—none—but two agents were standing behind the counter. I fumbled in my briefcase and, yep, the voucher was there. I looked at my watch, I decided to take a chance.
I handed over the voucher. “Can you give me a free ticket?” The agent replied, “Sure; the voucher expires tomorrow.” She pointed out the “Expires July 14, 2008” in block print on the bottom. Whew. Just made it.
“Where do you want to go?” the agent asked. Uh, oh yeah. Where do I want to go? Something inside of me said, “Go to San Francisco and see your birthmother.”
I’m adopted; my birthmother has not seen me since my birth, 56 years ago. Like my wife, she is named Maureen. She called me once in 1991. And, then again in 2003 (I think). A few times after that. I cannot call her. I am her only child. She’s been married 50 years. She lives in San Francisco. She was born and raised in Ireland. She’s never told anyone about me; she was unmarried when I was born. Flying to San Francisco to see someone I’ve never met, who didn’t know I was coming, whose occasional phone calls are few and far between, seemed preposterous. But, “the still small voice” repeated, “Go to San Francisco.”
“San Francisco,” I said after a pause. “Fine,” the agent replied, “when do you want to go?” Hmmm. “The voice” said, “the week following Labor Day.”
“The week following Labor Day—but I have to be back by Saturday. I have a Sunday job, you know.” The lady behind the counter looked at me curiously, “Uh huh.”
I walked away with a $727.00 ticket, for free. I ran to the gate, boarded my plane, got home at midnight. I looked at the ticket to SFO. “What was I thinking? This is the stupidest thing I’ve ever done.”
Monday morning, July 14: I noticed there was a message on my cell phone. I picked it up and listened.
“Hello, Jim,” said the voice with the pronounced Irish accent, “it’s Maureen in San Francisco. I am sorry I missed you. I will try and reach you another time. God bless.” Incredibly, it was “the other Maureen,” my birthmother. Astonishing. I had no way to call her back, but I knew God was “the voice,” that He was at work.
She called again on September 2; I picked up the phone and told her I was going to be in San Francisco the next day. She wasn’t sure if she could see me. She just didn’t know. I got on the plane September 3. On September 4, while jogging along the Bay, I prayed earnestly for something to happen—a crumb, a call. “Maybe this was the stupidest thing I have ever done,” I thought. At 11:30am, she called again. “Can you meet me tomorrow at 11:40am?” asked the soft Irish voice. “Of course,” I answered, “I promise.”
I stood in the parking lot. What does she look like? I wasn’t looking for the diminutive little 76-year old woman standing nearby. At last, I noticed her: slender, short, dressed liked she’d walked out of a Talbot’s store. I walked over, “My name is Jim Lyon.” She immediately gasped and gave me a hug. We walked across the way and sat down, talking for an hour.
She was lovely. Bright. Engaging. Genuine. She described her journey, as I prompted her with questions. She repeatedly interrupted with a gentle, “I can’t believe it has taken 56 years …” “I have prayed for you so long …”
But, of all the things she said, one thing will never be forgotten. “When I discovered I was pregnant, my doctor encouraged me to have an abortion. I was terrified. I had nowhere to go, nowhere to turn. I did not know what I would do.” She took a breath, as if reliving those troubled days. “But I knew what I would not do. I would not end your life.” I stared back, my eyes tearing up. “It’s so good to see you,” she said, again, “after 56 years.”
She looked at her watch. Her husband would be waiting—she had to be on her way. He does not know. “It would kill him if he knew,” she told me. “Can you understand?” “Yes, of course, I understand. Thanks so much for seeing me today.”
“I will be in touch,” she said as she stood up and gave me another hug. “And, please give your mother my love. Tell her I thank God for her every day, for the way she has loved and cared for you. She must be a lovely woman to have raised a man like you.” She looked up and stared at my face again. “Thank you,” she said quietly. One more hug. And she was gone. I turned and began to cry. I didn’t mean to. I just did.
I flew home and gave my mom a hug.
Tuesday, September 2, 2008
Desktop Snapshot…
I’ve heard it said that the surface of a desk is a snapshot of the person who works there. For example, a clean and tidy desk discloses the order of its owner; conversely, a chaotic collection of random papers, books, and post-it notes suggests somebody’s treading water and may drown. Hmmm. Although there are limits to the premise, of course, my desk does say something about me, I guess. Yours probably does the same for you.
I like to keep my desk top generally clear. There’s a lot of paper traffic that flies across my desk each day, processed, tossed, responded-to, and, sometimes, stuffed into the drawer below. But, I keep the top clean, most of the time. As I look at it just now, a few things jump to my attention:
(1) There’s a memo about the roof at Madison Park. Everyone knows that our new building at Madison Park has been marvelous in every way, except that “talking roof.”
Our builders (W. R. Dunkin & Son) have worked tirelessly, over the last year to resolve the problem. In May, our Board of Elders approved a deal to replace the roof with a new material and amended design. The roofing subcontractor (Fredericks) and the manufacturer (Firestone) have agreed to replace at no cost. Additionally, the Elders approved $65,000 to add a new layer of decking between the roof and the ceiling to minimize any future creaking (produced by the ordinary heating and cooling of the roof’s exterior surface). Today’s memo explains that the work will begin on September 8; the project should be complete within a few weeks, maybe even days. Our Sunday and Wednesday meeting schedules will not be interrupted. Thanks for being patient when you are redirected away from the main front doors on in-between days, as the “old” roof is removed and the new one installed (across the Main Auditorium and Commons). We are very thankful for the outstanding work W. R. Dunkin has done on our behalf throughout the whole project.
(2) A note reminds me that our new Grow U options (on both Sunday mornings and Wednesday evenings) have been an unqualified success this fall, as a fantastic line-up of adult learning electives has been filling our Main Street classrooms at Madison Park. Hats off to Discipleship and Education Director Sarah Trick and her team for dreaming, launching, and managing Grow U. Check out the catalog and very cool Grow U “self assessment” materials at the Information Center in the Commons this week—or, as always, go on line: www.madisonparkchurch.org. Learn. Stretch. Grow U.
(3) Two other notes alert me to the violence sweeping through the Indian state of Orissa this week, as rampaging Hindu extremists have torched Christian churches, orphanages, and schools. Religious persecution is no stranger to this area, but events are spinning out of control. The Church of God has extensive work in Orissa (including the historic school and orphanage compound at Cuttack); it is at Cuttack that Christians Broadcasting Hope (CBH) produces its Hindi and Oriya (a regional language spoken by 65 million) broadcasts. The Christians there are in grave danger and are appealing for our prayers; Church of God leader, Asim Das, has issued an urgent plea; other sources (from the BBC to voices from other parts of India) are also sounding the alarm. Pray that God will supernaturally protect and provide for His people. Never take your freedom to worship for granted.
(4) My open Bible keeps me focused. I just read the Lord’s famous words (Matthew 5:13-16) calling us to be “salt and light,” reminding us that salt has no value if it looses its saltiness, challenging us to shine light everywhere. It’s not always easy knowing how to be salt and light—and it’s always easier to shrink back from controversy and struggle, trying to alter the taste of the world in which we walk. But, the imperative to try is nevertheless clear. My present preaching series (Change your life. Change your world.) is hinged along this line. My last Threads column, in which I reflected on the Anderson Community School Board’s conduct, is also a part of bringing this word to life. There’s much more to tell; stay tuned.
(5) There’s a post-it note with a web address on my desk. It’s from a guy in California who asked me to check it out. He’s just beginning (at age 66) to explore the Gospel and has started attending church. He wants to know if the church he has chosen is safe—if it is legit, in my view. I’ve gone to the website and been very impressed. I think he’s in good hands. But, that reminds, me: check out our website, too. You can read our Core Values there and see what anchors us. It’s good stuff—worth revisiting, from time to time.
There’s another corner of my desk that I never clear, though … three framed photos: two of my wife and me, the other of our sons and daughter-in-law. Maybe my desk top does give a snapshot of my world, after all. I’m very thankful to be right here, right now.
Wednesday, August 20, 2008
Speak the Truth In Love
On April 21 of this year, Robert Scott resigned from the Anderson Community School Corporation (ACSC) Board of Trustees. Shortly thereafter, ACSC invited interested persons to submit “letters of interest,” to be considered for appointment completing the remaining two years of Scott’s “at-large” term. The Board President explained that interviews would be conducted from the pool of prospective candidates. State law requires the Trustees to fill Board vacancies within 30 days. The law does not outline a process for doing so.
The deadline for submission of “letters of interest” was set for May 9–three days after three incumbent members of the Board were to face re-election on May 6. Two of these (Teddy Bohnencamp and Wally Fitch) were subsequently defeated at the polls. In a three-way race, 62% of those voting voted against incumbent Bohnencamp. By May 8, Bohnencamp had declared her intention to seek appointment to the Board, hoping to move into Scott’s at-large seat (after surrendering her own).
Eleven other candidates also submitted “letters of interest.” Without even a day’s notice to any of the applicants, the Board met on May 20, announced that “the three most sincere candidates” would be interviewed and then a decision made. The interviews consisted of one question each and took less than five minutes. Bohnencamp was interviewed last. Just minutes later, the Board voted unanimously to appoint her to complete Scott’s unexpired term, fourteen days after the public had denied her another term at the ballot box.
So, Jim, what’s the point? Well, I was one of the 11 other citizens who submitted a “letter of interest,” after prayerful and thoughtful reflection. Here’s my story:
When I was called to lead this congregation, I was given a license—a mandate, really—from the church’s leadership to become engaged with the larger community, to be a voice for the common good, to be salt and light. To that end, I have been a member of the governing boards of agencies like United Way, Hopewell Center, and the Community Health Network in Indianapolis; I have served as Board Chair at Anderson’s Community Hospital. I represented 74,000 people in northwest Seattle in the Washington State legislature (before moving to Indiana) and have a long history providing leadership in many other religiously affiliated and charitable organizations. I am the Chair of the India Gospel League (NA), which will this year educate 300,000 children in India. I was the founding pastor of the Fairview Christian School in Seattle; my family has filled many leading volunteer roles in ACSC. And, oh yeah, we raised our four sons in Anderson Community Schools. I may not have been the best candidate, but I was credible.
When the process of appointment unfolded without even rudimentary contact or any substantive public review—I felt like someone had to stand up and say something. If I can be so easily dismissed, what happens to others who have less standing or no platform from which to speak? Teddy Bohnencamp is a good woman; I believe she has our school system’s best interest at heart. Still, some questions must be asked. Who established the May 9 deadline for applicants, following the May 6 election? Was it a “parachute” for potentially vulnerable incumbents? Did the Board develop a framework for appointment, following Scott’s resignation? If so, why weren’t any of the candidates or the larger public informed? If not, why not? Is serving on the school board so incidental that no thoughtful process needs to be crafted and implemented? Why weren’t applicants contacted before May 20? Why wasn’t receipt of their “letters of interest” acknowledged? Does anyone in the ACSC comprehend how compromising the whole sad chapter appears?
The ACSC Board holds in its hands our future. No group of persons requires more moral authority, wisdom, or the ability to inspire a community-wide collaboration than this group does. The appointment of Bohnencamp has become the “poster child” for many other weak links in our public education chain. The most important step the Board can now take to strengthen that chain is to provide clear, unequivocal answers to the questions above. They have declined to do so since first posed in person (and by letter) on June 10. Incredibly, the Board unanimously elected Bohnencamp its new President on July 8. The woman turned out of office on May 6 is now the Board President, without any explanation to the public, except: “Everything done has been legal, ethical, and fair.” Board member P. T. Morgan, alone, has gone on record expressing regret for his part in this debacle.
I have no personal issues with any member of the Board. But, the Board’s conduct has been so deeply flawed, its blank stare in the face of public skepticism, its unwillingness to even address the questions its course has birthed, and its apparent intention to proceed as if nothing problematic has occurred, seats us all at a kind of Mad Hatter’s Tea Party at which down is up and the obvious is ignored. New, fundamental concerns about how ACSC is governed spring to life each week that passes under this shadow. And that should concern all of us.
Pray. Get involved. Pay attention. Be encouraged. Speak the truth in love. JesusTuesday, August 5, 2008
The Famous, the Infamous, the Lame
“What did you do last summer?” It’s the proverbial first assignment of every school year, the essay everyone professes to dread, often because “I didn’t do anything last summer,” or, at least, “I didn’t do anything really cool last summer.”
My school days are long gone, though. Too bad. Because I’ve got some really neat stuff to tell about my vacation this year.
I had the chance to visit my oldest son, Jacob, in Alaska. Jacob moved to Anchorage two years ago, to take a new job. He’s loved it; he’ll never move back to Hoosierland, so far as I can tell. There’s something about the adventure, the challenge, and the excitement of the nation’s “last frontier” that has stolen his heart.
After visiting Jake in the 49th state, I know why.
Here’s some fascinating trivia that would make great filler for my “what did I do last summer” report:
Alaska is the English adaptation of the Aleut word Alyeska, which means “great land.”
Alaska spans four time zones. If a map of Alaska was superimposed over a map of the lower 48, it would stretch from coast-to-coast. There are uninhabited tracts of land in Alaska larger than the state of Texas. Denali National Park (which includes Mt. McKinley, the continent’s highest peak) is larger than the state of Massachusetts. But at 6,000,000 acres, Denali is small potatoes compared to the Wrangell-St. Elias National Park. Wrangell is the nation’s largest national park—almost twice the size of Denali and larger than Switzerland (with more mountains, too).
Anchorage is one of the world’s busiest airports. Why? It’s the number one air cargo transfer point in the world—as jumbo jets carrying merchandise between Europe, Asia, and the two Americas stop, transfer, and refuel there 24/7.
Over 50% of Alaska’s land mass is owned by the federal government. Another 30% is owned by the State of Alaska. The “native corporations” (owned by Alaska’s original peoples like the Eskimo, Aleut, and Athabascan) own another 19%. That leaves only 1% of Alaska for private development. But, that 1% is no small chunk—that 1% is still almost three times the size of Delaware. The North Slope School District is the world’s largest, covering 93,000 square miles (that’s almost three times the size of the whole state of Indiana).
Over 25% of the oil produced in the United States comes from Alaska. The state government’s share of that oil wealth means that Alaskans pay no sales or state income tax. They’re still mining gold in the Alaska mountains, too—and have been ever since Joe Juneau discovered it in the panhandle in 1880.
Alaska remains a land of astonishing opportunity—a place that seems everywhere to be “in the making.” The state’s motto: “north to the future” is more than apt. The culture of optimism, can-do, “let’s give it a try” no matter what the odds, is contagious and energizing. We can see why Jacob loves it there.
For all of the superlatives, though—for all of the spectacle of Mt. McKinley in stark relief against the deep blue sky, for the hushed wonder of watching grizzly bears, wolves, caribou, doll sheep, eagles, and more in the vast wild (yep, we saw ‘em all), for all of the breathtaking glaciers and whale-watching on the Seward coast (yep, we saw the whales, too)—nothing can describe the best part of “what I did last summer.”
The best part? It was walking off the plane in Anchorage and seeing Jacob Lyon at the gate. Because he works in the tourist trade, he has a security clearance at the airport. He was actually standing at the arrival gate, as we walked off the jetway. Tall. Self assured. Handsome. Grinning ear-to-ear. As he swept his mother into his arms and gave her a hug I was all but overcome. He is our first-born. Our son. The child we prayed for and prayed over. And now, he has found his place, at last, in the last frontier.
Wherever you go in the world, whatever wonders you see, the best, most fulfilling, most memorable, most life-giving moments are always those defined by relationships, framed by love. You don’t have to be a parent to experience this. You don’t have to be married to know this. You don’t have to go to Alaska to taste this. You just have to have a heart tuned to God’s own. And, if you do, you will find that relationships are the gold, the oil, the wealth and wonder of lifetimes.
If Jacob had been standing at the airport in Fargo or Timbuktu, my summer could not have been more complete. Seeing him made seeing Mt. McKinley look lame.
Okay, so Mt. McKinley can’t be described as lame. But, you get the idea.
What did you do this summer? Did you invest in somebody, somewhere? Did you find a hug—and give one back, too? Did your unconditional love become the summer’s postcard never to be forgotten? What’s the most beautiful thing you’ve seen this summer? Bless and be blessed, Madison Park. You don’t have to fly across six time zones to Jesus B. B Jesus wherever you are.
My school days are long gone, though. Too bad. Because I’ve got some really neat stuff to tell about my vacation this year.
I had the chance to visit my oldest son, Jacob, in Alaska. Jacob moved to Anchorage two years ago, to take a new job. He’s loved it; he’ll never move back to Hoosierland, so far as I can tell. There’s something about the adventure, the challenge, and the excitement of the nation’s “last frontier” that has stolen his heart.
After visiting Jake in the 49th state, I know why.
Here’s some fascinating trivia that would make great filler for my “what did I do last summer” report:
Alaska is the English adaptation of the Aleut word Alyeska, which means “great land.”
Alaska spans four time zones. If a map of Alaska was superimposed over a map of the lower 48, it would stretch from coast-to-coast. There are uninhabited tracts of land in Alaska larger than the state of Texas. Denali National Park (which includes Mt. McKinley, the continent’s highest peak) is larger than the state of Massachusetts. But at 6,000,000 acres, Denali is small potatoes compared to the Wrangell-St. Elias National Park. Wrangell is the nation’s largest national park—almost twice the size of Denali and larger than Switzerland (with more mountains, too).
Anchorage is one of the world’s busiest airports. Why? It’s the number one air cargo transfer point in the world—as jumbo jets carrying merchandise between Europe, Asia, and the two Americas stop, transfer, and refuel there 24/7.
Over 50% of Alaska’s land mass is owned by the federal government. Another 30% is owned by the State of Alaska. The “native corporations” (owned by Alaska’s original peoples like the Eskimo, Aleut, and Athabascan) own another 19%. That leaves only 1% of Alaska for private development. But, that 1% is no small chunk—that 1% is still almost three times the size of Delaware. The North Slope School District is the world’s largest, covering 93,000 square miles (that’s almost three times the size of the whole state of Indiana).
Over 25% of the oil produced in the United States comes from Alaska. The state government’s share of that oil wealth means that Alaskans pay no sales or state income tax. They’re still mining gold in the Alaska mountains, too—and have been ever since Joe Juneau discovered it in the panhandle in 1880.
Alaska remains a land of astonishing opportunity—a place that seems everywhere to be “in the making.” The state’s motto: “north to the future” is more than apt. The culture of optimism, can-do, “let’s give it a try” no matter what the odds, is contagious and energizing. We can see why Jacob loves it there.
For all of the superlatives, though—for all of the spectacle of Mt. McKinley in stark relief against the deep blue sky, for the hushed wonder of watching grizzly bears, wolves, caribou, doll sheep, eagles, and more in the vast wild (yep, we saw ‘em all), for all of the breathtaking glaciers and whale-watching on the Seward coast (yep, we saw the whales, too)—nothing can describe the best part of “what I did last summer.”
The best part? It was walking off the plane in Anchorage and seeing Jacob Lyon at the gate. Because he works in the tourist trade, he has a security clearance at the airport. He was actually standing at the arrival gate, as we walked off the jetway. Tall. Self assured. Handsome. Grinning ear-to-ear. As he swept his mother into his arms and gave her a hug I was all but overcome. He is our first-born. Our son. The child we prayed for and prayed over. And now, he has found his place, at last, in the last frontier.
Wherever you go in the world, whatever wonders you see, the best, most fulfilling, most memorable, most life-giving moments are always those defined by relationships, framed by love. You don’t have to be a parent to experience this. You don’t have to be married to know this. You don’t have to go to Alaska to taste this. You just have to have a heart tuned to God’s own. And, if you do, you will find that relationships are the gold, the oil, the wealth and wonder of lifetimes.
If Jacob had been standing at the airport in Fargo or Timbuktu, my summer could not have been more complete. Seeing him made seeing Mt. McKinley look lame.
Okay, so Mt. McKinley can’t be described as lame. But, you get the idea.
What did you do this summer? Did you invest in somebody, somewhere? Did you find a hug—and give one back, too? Did your unconditional love become the summer’s postcard never to be forgotten? What’s the most beautiful thing you’ve seen this summer? Bless and be blessed, Madison Park. You don’t have to fly across six time zones to Jesus B. B Jesus wherever you are.
Tuesday, July 22, 2008
A Rhythm To Life
There is a rhythm to life—you know, that whole “time to laugh, time to cry, time to celebrate, time to mourn,” deal (as in the Old Testament book of Ecclesiastes). The whole Bible is pretty big into the rhythm thing. Think about the creation narrative in Genesis: six days of work, one day of rest, and then a repeating cycle, a pattern even enshrined in the Law some centuries later.
We have the greatest potential for success and wholeness if we embrace this concept of rhythm in life, balancing our days with routines that conform to God’s original order. Doing so anchors us and gives us a sense of order in a world of chaos. It also maximizes our ability to grow.
Church life, in its best moments, reflects these rhythms. It frames the week’s beginning and end—and its middle, too. It can be a touchstone that reassures and stretches us, both at once.
“Assembling together” on “the Lord’s day,” the first day of the week, Sunday, is a no-brainer. Going to church isn’t so much about receiving, but giving and encouraging. Giving our time and attention to God, encouraging His people to “love and good works” (read Hebrews 10 on this count, for instance). Jesus Himself was routinely in a house of worship with God’s people on the day of rest, that one day set apart in seven, observing the rhythm of creation. Maybe it’s this discipline, as much as any other, that reminds us that we are a “new creation,” re-born and re-created.
There’s another day in the middle of the seven, though, that’s always been a part of my weekly rhythm. It doesn’t have the same weight of Biblical endorsement as does Sunday, but it has long been established as a time to ground ourselves just the same. It’s Wednesday—the mid-week—the halfway point between Sundays.
I don’t know about you, but the world in which I live can wear me out between Sundays. It’s a complex world and it’s easy to get sidetracked. Wednesday-evening-with-my-church-family somehow always puts some new wind in my sail and keeps me steady until the next Lord’s Day (when I have a chance to stop, take a deep breath, look back at where I’ve been and place my life once more in the Lord’s hands for the days to come). With this in mind, I’m very excited about our new fall mid-week line-up, which launches August 20 at Madison Park. Our congregation has always had a strong mid-week ministry, but this fall (our second in the new building) is especially promising.
Our junior high and senior high student ministries will be separated for the first time in living memory, with new options for high schoolers in the Crossroads Auditorium and a new small group outreach and discipleship program for junior highers in other meeting rooms. Adults will be able to choose from a wide selection of elective learning and growing classes, all under the umbrella of Grow U. A new and improved Men’s Fraternity (that’s where I’ll be!) will be one of those electives, meeting on Main Street. Stay tuned for the whole Grow U line-up—coming soon. Our children’s ministry will also field new programs for kids on Wednesday night. And, the evening will begin each week with the wonders of the Lighthouse Café (for everyone!) in The Commons.
Wednesday nights will start off a half-hour earlier this fall, with all programming beginning at 6:30pm (except, of course, for the Lighthouse Café in The Commons, which will open its doors at 5:00pm). Children’s, student, and adult Grow U ministries will all run for 75 minutes, dismissing by 7:45pm. This way, everyone will be able to go a little deeper at mid-week and get home a little earlier, too.
To set the stage properly, our regular Wednesday evening schedule will be suspended during the first two weeks of August, as we prepare for the Fall 2008 Wednesday Launch on August 20. These two weeks without regular programming will allow our staff and volunteers to pull out the stops on August 20 and each Wednesday thereafter.
If Wednesdays at Madison Park haven’t been a part of your weekly routine in the past, give it a try this fall; it will strengthen your heart’s rhythm, I promise. If you’re already in the Wednesday-night groove at Madison Park, it’s my guess that you’ll be very pleased with what you find this fall. “Better than ever” is what I imagine we’ll hear, over-and-over.
And so, the countdown begins: one month until Grow U and all the rest is unveiled. Don’t miss August 20 at Madison Park. Get into a rhythm of life that anchors, sustains, inspires, and breathes Heaven’s air into everything you do, all week long. Make church on Sunday a non-negotiable priority—and add a mid-week spiritual energy stop at Madison Park into your mix—and the Lord will bless it. No doubt about it.
Thanks for growing with us, Madison Park. All summer long. And, this fall on Wednesdays, too.
We have the greatest potential for success and wholeness if we embrace this concept of rhythm in life, balancing our days with routines that conform to God’s original order. Doing so anchors us and gives us a sense of order in a world of chaos. It also maximizes our ability to grow.
Church life, in its best moments, reflects these rhythms. It frames the week’s beginning and end—and its middle, too. It can be a touchstone that reassures and stretches us, both at once.
“Assembling together” on “the Lord’s day,” the first day of the week, Sunday, is a no-brainer. Going to church isn’t so much about receiving, but giving and encouraging. Giving our time and attention to God, encouraging His people to “love and good works” (read Hebrews 10 on this count, for instance). Jesus Himself was routinely in a house of worship with God’s people on the day of rest, that one day set apart in seven, observing the rhythm of creation. Maybe it’s this discipline, as much as any other, that reminds us that we are a “new creation,” re-born and re-created.
There’s another day in the middle of the seven, though, that’s always been a part of my weekly rhythm. It doesn’t have the same weight of Biblical endorsement as does Sunday, but it has long been established as a time to ground ourselves just the same. It’s Wednesday—the mid-week—the halfway point between Sundays.
I don’t know about you, but the world in which I live can wear me out between Sundays. It’s a complex world and it’s easy to get sidetracked. Wednesday-evening-with-my-church-family somehow always puts some new wind in my sail and keeps me steady until the next Lord’s Day (when I have a chance to stop, take a deep breath, look back at where I’ve been and place my life once more in the Lord’s hands for the days to come). With this in mind, I’m very excited about our new fall mid-week line-up, which launches August 20 at Madison Park. Our congregation has always had a strong mid-week ministry, but this fall (our second in the new building) is especially promising.
Our junior high and senior high student ministries will be separated for the first time in living memory, with new options for high schoolers in the Crossroads Auditorium and a new small group outreach and discipleship program for junior highers in other meeting rooms. Adults will be able to choose from a wide selection of elective learning and growing classes, all under the umbrella of Grow U. A new and improved Men’s Fraternity (that’s where I’ll be!) will be one of those electives, meeting on Main Street. Stay tuned for the whole Grow U line-up—coming soon. Our children’s ministry will also field new programs for kids on Wednesday night. And, the evening will begin each week with the wonders of the Lighthouse Café (for everyone!) in The Commons.
Wednesday nights will start off a half-hour earlier this fall, with all programming beginning at 6:30pm (except, of course, for the Lighthouse Café in The Commons, which will open its doors at 5:00pm). Children’s, student, and adult Grow U ministries will all run for 75 minutes, dismissing by 7:45pm. This way, everyone will be able to go a little deeper at mid-week and get home a little earlier, too.
To set the stage properly, our regular Wednesday evening schedule will be suspended during the first two weeks of August, as we prepare for the Fall 2008 Wednesday Launch on August 20. These two weeks without regular programming will allow our staff and volunteers to pull out the stops on August 20 and each Wednesday thereafter.
If Wednesdays at Madison Park haven’t been a part of your weekly routine in the past, give it a try this fall; it will strengthen your heart’s rhythm, I promise. If you’re already in the Wednesday-night groove at Madison Park, it’s my guess that you’ll be very pleased with what you find this fall. “Better than ever” is what I imagine we’ll hear, over-and-over.
And so, the countdown begins: one month until Grow U and all the rest is unveiled. Don’t miss August 20 at Madison Park. Get into a rhythm of life that anchors, sustains, inspires, and breathes Heaven’s air into everything you do, all week long. Make church on Sunday a non-negotiable priority—and add a mid-week spiritual energy stop at Madison Park into your mix—and the Lord will bless it. No doubt about it.
Thanks for growing with us, Madison Park. All summer long. And, this fall on Wednesdays, too.
Wednesday, July 9, 2008
Awesome! Connect. Grow. Serve.
Last month, Maureen and I worked in “God’s Big Backyard” (Madison Park’s Vacation Bible School)(VBS). This year’s VBS was wonderfully conceived, superbly organized, and blessed, so far as we can tell, in every way. Hats off to Pastor Paula Spear, Children’s Ministry Director Lisa Ritchhart, and all those who made this ministry possible, reaching literally hundreds of kids. It was awesome.
One inescapable signature of “God’s Big Backyard” was the phenomenal staging. You remember: the larger-than-life tree house in the Main Auditorium, the white picket fencing, and all the rest. Honestly, when I first saw the collection in place I wondered if we had robbed Disney. Who could have guessed that paper mache could look so good?
When I asked where the tree house et al came from, I discovered that the VBS props were produced by a Madison Park Small Group—a circle of friends led by Paul and Lori Browning. “The Browning Small Group” learned of the VBS theme six months ago and decided to tackle the construction of “God’s Big Backyard.” Working week-by-week through the first half of the year, the Brownings and their fellow-groupies created the whole set (without blueprints) in their driveways. During the process, they found themselves drawn ever closer together as friends, as followers of Christ, learning, working, and serving together as a team. The rich fabric of their relationships, already established in small group Bible study, deepened as their small group stepped up to serve. Once more: “Awesome.”
In recent years our small group ministry has really moved to the center of our church’s life. In small groups, we connect to others, we develop relationships that transcend just the “coming and going” of Sunday services, we learn more about God, we find personal support in stretching times, and (as the Browning Small Group has discovered) we can do some really cool stuff that blesses the Lord’s work way beyond ourselves.
We have small groups that: have adopted children in developing countries, assumed responsibility for the preparation of Communion elements (no small task, when you think about filling 2,000 of those little cups!), provided food for people in need, provided transportation to doctor’s appointments for folks who otherwise had none, given birth to whole ministries (like the Lighthouse Café), taken the lead to support and encourage troops stationed abroad and their families who remain here at home, and … well, you get the idea.
Some people, of course, are not a part of a Madison Park Small Group—they don’t think they need one, until, er uh, well, they need one. Sooner or later, we all need one. We all need that point of personal connection that links us to the larger Body of Christ.
My wife and I are in a Madison Park Small Group (it actually meets in our home, every other Sunday evening). There are 18 in our group—mostly couples, some single. We’ve walked through the Bible and some other books together, but, mostly, we’ve walked through life together. When our kids succeed—or fail, when our health is good or not-so-good, when our marriages are strong or threatened, when the day is sunny or overcast, our small group has provided a safe place to be loved and understood. Never underestimate the power of honest, authentic conversation, covered by caring and intentional prayer.
It was, at first, a little scary for my wife and I to be a part of a small group. I mean, well, I’m the pastor. Can we really share? Can we really be transparent? The answer: “Yes, of course.” I’m not processing any church business in the group—Maureen and I are just like everybody else, finding our way as husband and wife, parents, friends, children, etc. I know: it can be a bit intimidating for you to get involved in a Small Group, too. But, don’t let your fears or sense of “I can’t add one more thing to my plate” rob you of the chance to really connect, grow, and serve.
Yes, yes, you can be part of a group that meets otherwise—a small group outside the sphere of your church family—a circle of friends “on its own.” But, when you connect to a Madison Park Small Group, not only will you find a place “to call home,” you’ll be exposed to many opportunities to grow and serve in the larger church family. Who knows, you might even find yourself up to your neck in paper mache one day, setting the stage for hundreds of kids to learn about Jesus in “God’s Big Backyard.” And, along the way, you’ll find friends-for-a-lifetime.
If you’d like further information about our Small Group ministry, if you’d like to know what the options are, if you’d like to join the 700+ adults in Madison Park Small Groups, contact Sarah Trick at the Church Office, (765) 642-2000 or strick@madisonparkchurch.org. She’s our Director of Discipleship & Education and she’s just waiting for you to inquire. Well, okay, she’s busy with ministry on several fronts, but, she’s still very glad to speak with anyone who is interested in small groups. Don’t wait for another day to go by … there’s a small group waiting for you, too.
One inescapable signature of “God’s Big Backyard” was the phenomenal staging. You remember: the larger-than-life tree house in the Main Auditorium, the white picket fencing, and all the rest. Honestly, when I first saw the collection in place I wondered if we had robbed Disney. Who could have guessed that paper mache could look so good?
When I asked where the tree house et al came from, I discovered that the VBS props were produced by a Madison Park Small Group—a circle of friends led by Paul and Lori Browning. “The Browning Small Group” learned of the VBS theme six months ago and decided to tackle the construction of “God’s Big Backyard.” Working week-by-week through the first half of the year, the Brownings and their fellow-groupies created the whole set (without blueprints) in their driveways. During the process, they found themselves drawn ever closer together as friends, as followers of Christ, learning, working, and serving together as a team. The rich fabric of their relationships, already established in small group Bible study, deepened as their small group stepped up to serve. Once more: “Awesome.”
In recent years our small group ministry has really moved to the center of our church’s life. In small groups, we connect to others, we develop relationships that transcend just the “coming and going” of Sunday services, we learn more about God, we find personal support in stretching times, and (as the Browning Small Group has discovered) we can do some really cool stuff that blesses the Lord’s work way beyond ourselves.
We have small groups that: have adopted children in developing countries, assumed responsibility for the preparation of Communion elements (no small task, when you think about filling 2,000 of those little cups!), provided food for people in need, provided transportation to doctor’s appointments for folks who otherwise had none, given birth to whole ministries (like the Lighthouse Café), taken the lead to support and encourage troops stationed abroad and their families who remain here at home, and … well, you get the idea.
Some people, of course, are not a part of a Madison Park Small Group—they don’t think they need one, until, er uh, well, they need one. Sooner or later, we all need one. We all need that point of personal connection that links us to the larger Body of Christ.
My wife and I are in a Madison Park Small Group (it actually meets in our home, every other Sunday evening). There are 18 in our group—mostly couples, some single. We’ve walked through the Bible and some other books together, but, mostly, we’ve walked through life together. When our kids succeed—or fail, when our health is good or not-so-good, when our marriages are strong or threatened, when the day is sunny or overcast, our small group has provided a safe place to be loved and understood. Never underestimate the power of honest, authentic conversation, covered by caring and intentional prayer.
It was, at first, a little scary for my wife and I to be a part of a small group. I mean, well, I’m the pastor. Can we really share? Can we really be transparent? The answer: “Yes, of course.” I’m not processing any church business in the group—Maureen and I are just like everybody else, finding our way as husband and wife, parents, friends, children, etc. I know: it can be a bit intimidating for you to get involved in a Small Group, too. But, don’t let your fears or sense of “I can’t add one more thing to my plate” rob you of the chance to really connect, grow, and serve.
Yes, yes, you can be part of a group that meets otherwise—a small group outside the sphere of your church family—a circle of friends “on its own.” But, when you connect to a Madison Park Small Group, not only will you find a place “to call home,” you’ll be exposed to many opportunities to grow and serve in the larger church family. Who knows, you might even find yourself up to your neck in paper mache one day, setting the stage for hundreds of kids to learn about Jesus in “God’s Big Backyard.” And, along the way, you’ll find friends-for-a-lifetime.
If you’d like further information about our Small Group ministry, if you’d like to know what the options are, if you’d like to join the 700+ adults in Madison Park Small Groups, contact Sarah Trick at the Church Office, (765) 642-2000 or strick@madisonparkchurch.org. She’s our Director of Discipleship & Education and she’s just waiting for you to inquire. Well, okay, she’s busy with ministry on several fronts, but, she’s still very glad to speak with anyone who is interested in small groups. Don’t wait for another day to go by … there’s a small group waiting for you, too.
Tuesday, June 24, 2008
Summer Stretch
It’s summer time “and the livin’ is easy” … well, maybe not exactly “easy,” but summer does offer a change of pace. Most of us will find some vacation days (daze?) with which we can interrupt the ordinary routines of the year and take a break. And, even if you don’t have some days off on your calendar, there’s something about summer that invites an afternoon in the hammock or a little time spent in a park or at poolside on a sunny day.
It’s those moments that beg for a good book—something that can take our mind into new territory, something to read that stretches or comforts or startles or encourages us. For the last few years, I’ve recommended a summer reading list in my pastor’s column. Here’s the 2008 edition. Yes, yes, I know that my interests may not exactly be your “cup of tea,” but still I think there’s something in each of these books you’ll find worthwhile.
The Grand Weaver (Zondervan), by Ravi Zacharias, is one of those “discussion books,” the kind you read and then want to discuss. Zacharias is a storyteller who illustrates his ideas with real life. In this book, he explores the many threads in life that are woven together by God’s unseen hand. It’s an interesting and easy read, straightforward and thoughtful. It’s the kind of book you’ll recommend to someone else—and then want to talk about it later.
The Shack (Windblown), by William Young, is the book everyone seems to be talking about these days. A fictional story set in the Pacific Northwest (okay, that Pacific Northwest thing is enough to peak my interest), The Shack has been extravagantly praised and roundly condemned. For a few readers it provokes nothing more than a “so what’s all the fuss about?” response, a kind of flat, “no big deal” effect. But, for most, this book stirs profound emotions, both for and against. Maybe it’s the “where tragedy confronts eternity” byline, maybe it’s the fact that the stage is set by the murder of a young girl on a family camping trip, maybe it’s the premise that God shows up as a black woman named “Papa.” In any case, this is a story you will not soon forget. And, another book that you’ll eventually want to process. With somebody.
First Ladies (Volume II): The Saga of the Presidents’ Wives and Their Power, 1961-1990 (Quill), by Carl Sferrazza Anthony. Don’t let the long title overwhelm you or suggest that this is some sleepy historic tome. Au contraire: this is a lively real life drama that seamlessly weaves together the stories of seven American women who find themselves following one another into the White House. From the stunning challenges facing the just-31-year-old Jacqueline Kennedy to the shy, self-conscious housewife who became Barbara Bush—and Ladybird Johnson, Pat Nixon, Betty Ford, Rosalynn Carter, and Nancy Reagan all in between—this exceptional narrative will inspire and impress. The bond that develops between this singular class of women is especially moving. You’ll also have some sympathy for Cindy McCain and Michelle Obama as they approach 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue (and Laura Bush, too, as she prepares to leave).
The Lazarus Life (David C. Cook), by Stephen Smith, takes a fresh look at the familiar story of the raising of Lazarus from the dead, recorded in John’s Gospel. Smith wrestles with life moments we all face, from time to time (“God is far away and unresponsive,” “My life is defined by disappointment,” “Everything feels and looks hopeless,” “If only …”), and finds parallels in Bethany so long ago when Jesus showed up at the house of Lazarus, finally, after his sick friend had died. It’s an interesting treatment of the biblical history and a book filled with life lessons. You’ll lay this one down feeling better than when you picked it up.
We Survived: Fourteen Stories (Westview Press), by Erich Boehm. This is a classic, first published in 1949 and now reintroduced (in 2003) with some thoughtful reflection, new introductory material, and follow-up. It is an anthology of fourteen stories, each true, about “the hidden and the hunted” in Nazi Germany. Written shortly after the war, the narratives have a compelling immediacy that is spellbinding. Some of the contributors were Christians, others Jews, still others political or cultural foes of Hitler’s Third Reich—but all share this in common: they lived in an upside down world, where wrong was right and night was day, and survived to tell about it. Their amazing commitment to life itself and to a life that did not compromise their values and soul is breathtaking. No fiction could trump these tales of incredible fortitude, resiliency, and triumph, even in the face of impossible odds. Whatever you’re facing this summer, We Survived will remind you that you can, in fact, face it.
Okay, so there’s the Summer List for 2008. But, remember, never replace your Bible with these (or any other) titles. As you read the Scriptures, you’ll be able to properly interpret the rest of what you read. There’s never a substitute for God’s Word.
But, with that in mind. Read on. And, enjoy. And, oh yeah, don’t get sunburned in the hammock; you’ll have a hard time putting some of these books down!
It’s those moments that beg for a good book—something that can take our mind into new territory, something to read that stretches or comforts or startles or encourages us. For the last few years, I’ve recommended a summer reading list in my pastor’s column. Here’s the 2008 edition. Yes, yes, I know that my interests may not exactly be your “cup of tea,” but still I think there’s something in each of these books you’ll find worthwhile.
The Grand Weaver (Zondervan), by Ravi Zacharias, is one of those “discussion books,” the kind you read and then want to discuss. Zacharias is a storyteller who illustrates his ideas with real life. In this book, he explores the many threads in life that are woven together by God’s unseen hand. It’s an interesting and easy read, straightforward and thoughtful. It’s the kind of book you’ll recommend to someone else—and then want to talk about it later.
The Shack (Windblown), by William Young, is the book everyone seems to be talking about these days. A fictional story set in the Pacific Northwest (okay, that Pacific Northwest thing is enough to peak my interest), The Shack has been extravagantly praised and roundly condemned. For a few readers it provokes nothing more than a “so what’s all the fuss about?” response, a kind of flat, “no big deal” effect. But, for most, this book stirs profound emotions, both for and against. Maybe it’s the “where tragedy confronts eternity” byline, maybe it’s the fact that the stage is set by the murder of a young girl on a family camping trip, maybe it’s the premise that God shows up as a black woman named “Papa.” In any case, this is a story you will not soon forget. And, another book that you’ll eventually want to process. With somebody.
First Ladies (Volume II): The Saga of the Presidents’ Wives and Their Power, 1961-1990 (Quill), by Carl Sferrazza Anthony. Don’t let the long title overwhelm you or suggest that this is some sleepy historic tome. Au contraire: this is a lively real life drama that seamlessly weaves together the stories of seven American women who find themselves following one another into the White House. From the stunning challenges facing the just-31-year-old Jacqueline Kennedy to the shy, self-conscious housewife who became Barbara Bush—and Ladybird Johnson, Pat Nixon, Betty Ford, Rosalynn Carter, and Nancy Reagan all in between—this exceptional narrative will inspire and impress. The bond that develops between this singular class of women is especially moving. You’ll also have some sympathy for Cindy McCain and Michelle Obama as they approach 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue (and Laura Bush, too, as she prepares to leave).
The Lazarus Life (David C. Cook), by Stephen Smith, takes a fresh look at the familiar story of the raising of Lazarus from the dead, recorded in John’s Gospel. Smith wrestles with life moments we all face, from time to time (“God is far away and unresponsive,” “My life is defined by disappointment,” “Everything feels and looks hopeless,” “If only …”), and finds parallels in Bethany so long ago when Jesus showed up at the house of Lazarus, finally, after his sick friend had died. It’s an interesting treatment of the biblical history and a book filled with life lessons. You’ll lay this one down feeling better than when you picked it up.
We Survived: Fourteen Stories (Westview Press), by Erich Boehm. This is a classic, first published in 1949 and now reintroduced (in 2003) with some thoughtful reflection, new introductory material, and follow-up. It is an anthology of fourteen stories, each true, about “the hidden and the hunted” in Nazi Germany. Written shortly after the war, the narratives have a compelling immediacy that is spellbinding. Some of the contributors were Christians, others Jews, still others political or cultural foes of Hitler’s Third Reich—but all share this in common: they lived in an upside down world, where wrong was right and night was day, and survived to tell about it. Their amazing commitment to life itself and to a life that did not compromise their values and soul is breathtaking. No fiction could trump these tales of incredible fortitude, resiliency, and triumph, even in the face of impossible odds. Whatever you’re facing this summer, We Survived will remind you that you can, in fact, face it.
Okay, so there’s the Summer List for 2008. But, remember, never replace your Bible with these (or any other) titles. As you read the Scriptures, you’ll be able to properly interpret the rest of what you read. There’s never a substitute for God’s Word.
But, with that in mind. Read on. And, enjoy. And, oh yeah, don’t get sunburned in the hammock; you’ll have a hard time putting some of these books down!
Tuesday, June 10, 2008
Twelve Months Ago...
The San Antonio Spurs bested the Cleveland Cavaliers to win the NBA championship. The average price for a gallon of gas in the United States fell from May’s peak of $3.11 to$3.00. Russian President Vladimir Putin threatened to aim nuclear warheads at Europe for the first time since the end of the Cold War, if the United States was allowed to pursue development of a missile shield in Poland and the Czech Republic. Paris Hilton was released from jail. And, oh yes, Rudy Giuliani and Hillary Clinton were pegged by pundits as the inevitable frontrunners heading into the 2008 Presidential contest. It was June, 2007. What a difference a year can make.
I have only vague memories of those headlines, though (the $3.00/gallon-at-the-pump seems especially vague just now!), because June, 2007, was also the month our congregation moved into its new home at Madison Park. It was a whirlwind, in a way, and yet, strangely, also a season of perfect calm and clarity.
The weather was perfect. The building project came together almost flawlessly (although the concrete floor finish in The Commons proved to be unsatisfactory and carpet would not arrive for a few weeks after our first Sunday). The projectors were not positioned properly in the Main Auditorium and, yes, the roof began to creak, every now and then. But, in the big picture, all of these were incidentals. The sparkling new Madison Park Church opened its doors on time on Father’s Day, 2007, and welcomed an overflow crowd for what would be an historic moment. In the life of our church. In the life of this community. In my life. And yours. Unforgettable. Blessed. Sobering. Exciting. Humbling. Exhilarating. Terrifying. And, filled with promise. All at once.
In the weeks and months that followed, we experimented, we adapted, we wondered, and we watched. We took some chances. We stubbed our toes, every now and then. We experienced some stunning successes, too. We welcomed hundreds of new friends. Sadly, we said goodbye to a few, as well.
But, in the end, we found ourselves stretched, growing, stronger, better. We found ourselves reaching out in unimagined ways to folks we never dreamed would walk through our doors. We found that the facility quickly became an anchor in Madison County’s life, as we became a community resource. Pastors’ Conferences. Civic banquets. School programs. Teaching seminars. All-day retreats for hospital staffs that provide health care for us all and strategic planning round tables for mission agencies that circumnavigate the globe. Public officials. Private agencies. Charities and no-profits. Businesses. Quilting societies. Weddings. Funerals. Anniversary celebrations. High school baccalaureates. Mark Lowry. The Everlasting Love Tour. Stephen Arterburn. They’ve all found sacred space at Madison Park. And the list goes on.
To meet the opportunities and grow with the promise, we’ve rearranged some staff assignments, brought in some new team members, and worked to develop our staff and lay teams already in place. There’s still so much to be done and so much to learn; there’s still so much to improve and so much to do better. But, as I look back over the last year, I, frankly, stand amazed. Amazed at what God has done among us. Never have so many been engaged doing so much good, in Jesus’ name, in this church’s life. Never has our impact for the Gospel been greater. Never have we seen more baptisms.
Heard more testimonies of God’s goodness. Seen so many lives transformed. And the list goes on.
Celebrate with us this Sunday (June 15), Father’s Day, 2008. Help us mark one year at Madison Park. It will be another historic moment. We’ll have three services: 9:00am and 10:45am in the Main Auditorium and Current (our new contemporary service with an edge) in the Crossroads Auditorium at 10:45am, as well.
Great transitions have taken place over the past 12 months, but some things never change: God’s love for us and this church’s commitment to Him. God’s promise to lead us and our willingness to follow Him. Our providential opportunity to be salt and light for Madison County. This church’s faith to take a chance-to risk and to dare for Heaven’s sake.
My love for you, this most precious and amazing church family. These have not changed. Thank you, Madison Park. What an honor it has been to walk with you always, but never more than during this last sea-change of a year. Be encouraged. Praise God. Celebrate with us, June 15.
I have only vague memories of those headlines, though (the $3.00/gallon-at-the-pump seems especially vague just now!), because June, 2007, was also the month our congregation moved into its new home at Madison Park. It was a whirlwind, in a way, and yet, strangely, also a season of perfect calm and clarity.
The weather was perfect. The building project came together almost flawlessly (although the concrete floor finish in The Commons proved to be unsatisfactory and carpet would not arrive for a few weeks after our first Sunday). The projectors were not positioned properly in the Main Auditorium and, yes, the roof began to creak, every now and then. But, in the big picture, all of these were incidentals. The sparkling new Madison Park Church opened its doors on time on Father’s Day, 2007, and welcomed an overflow crowd for what would be an historic moment. In the life of our church. In the life of this community. In my life. And yours. Unforgettable. Blessed. Sobering. Exciting. Humbling. Exhilarating. Terrifying. And, filled with promise. All at once.
In the weeks and months that followed, we experimented, we adapted, we wondered, and we watched. We took some chances. We stubbed our toes, every now and then. We experienced some stunning successes, too. We welcomed hundreds of new friends. Sadly, we said goodbye to a few, as well.
But, in the end, we found ourselves stretched, growing, stronger, better. We found ourselves reaching out in unimagined ways to folks we never dreamed would walk through our doors. We found that the facility quickly became an anchor in Madison County’s life, as we became a community resource. Pastors’ Conferences. Civic banquets. School programs. Teaching seminars. All-day retreats for hospital staffs that provide health care for us all and strategic planning round tables for mission agencies that circumnavigate the globe. Public officials. Private agencies. Charities and no-profits. Businesses. Quilting societies. Weddings. Funerals. Anniversary celebrations. High school baccalaureates. Mark Lowry. The Everlasting Love Tour. Stephen Arterburn. They’ve all found sacred space at Madison Park. And the list goes on.
To meet the opportunities and grow with the promise, we’ve rearranged some staff assignments, brought in some new team members, and worked to develop our staff and lay teams already in place. There’s still so much to be done and so much to learn; there’s still so much to improve and so much to do better. But, as I look back over the last year, I, frankly, stand amazed. Amazed at what God has done among us. Never have so many been engaged doing so much good, in Jesus’ name, in this church’s life. Never has our impact for the Gospel been greater. Never have we seen more baptisms.
Heard more testimonies of God’s goodness. Seen so many lives transformed. And the list goes on.
Celebrate with us this Sunday (June 15), Father’s Day, 2008. Help us mark one year at Madison Park. It will be another historic moment. We’ll have three services: 9:00am and 10:45am in the Main Auditorium and Current (our new contemporary service with an edge) in the Crossroads Auditorium at 10:45am, as well.
Great transitions have taken place over the past 12 months, but some things never change: God’s love for us and this church’s commitment to Him. God’s promise to lead us and our willingness to follow Him. Our providential opportunity to be salt and light for Madison County. This church’s faith to take a chance-to risk and to dare for Heaven’s sake.
My love for you, this most precious and amazing church family. These have not changed. Thank you, Madison Park. What an honor it has been to walk with you always, but never more than during this last sea-change of a year. Be encouraged. Praise God. Celebrate with us, June 15.
Wednesday, May 28, 2008
Telling Our Stories
Everybody has a story. You do. I do. How we tell it reveals a great deal about who we are and what we think about God.
As I write, it’s near midnight and I am seated in my hotel room in Berlin. Around the corner from my hotel is the Topographies des Terrors (the Topography of Terror). It is a deliberately-left-vacant city block on which once stood a collection of buildings that changed the course of history. One housed the Nazi Gestapo headquarters. Another was the SS Central Command. Another was the SS Security Office (SS = Schutzstaffel), Hitler’s personal (schutz) guard (staffel). A Gestapo prison also stood here. It was in these buildings that the Nazi reign of terror was conceived, hatched, and executed. The Holocaust was born here. The myth of Aryan superiority was imposed by force here. The torture and death of millions was literally managed here. The buildings were leveled during the war, but the basements remain. A sobering collection of photographs line a path across the basement floors, the hush interrupted occasionally by the sounds of Nazi voices recorded decades ago and intermittently broadcast across the vacant lot for effect. The whole effect is both creepy and chilling. Hitler came to power 75 years ago this year; this block tells a story, also.
Sections of the Berlin Wall still stand nearby, as well. That’s another whole story, the iconic emblem of the Cold War, the stand-off between East and West. Every inch of the Wall tells a story; crosses mark places where East Berliners lost their lives trying to break free.
These places are only a stage, though. The real stories have been lived. Today I walked with Wallentin Shula. He’s a German, born in what was the Soviet Union. His parents found themselves caught in the crosshairs of Hitler and Stalin, the War, and, ultimately, deportation deep into Soviet central Asia. Wallentin faced hair-raising persecution for his faith and German ancestry, growing up under Soviet Communism. Eventually, he escaped to the West. His is a harrowing tale, spanning generations— but told with a sense of God’s leading, of Providential protection and grace. A lesser soul might be bitter, asking “Why me, God?” Walletin, now 57, preaches the Gospel in Russian to the land that once oppressed him. Anatoli Derkach is 49. Just days ago I had dinner in his home in Ukraine. His parents were Christians. His father was one of 13 children; only two survived Stalin’s reign of terror in the 1930’s and lived to fight the Nazis in the 1940’s. Anatoli’s grandparents and eleven of his aunts and uncles were all deported to Siberian death camps—the Gulag—because of their Christian faith; all died there. After surviving the horrors of World War II, his father worked in the Ukrainian coal mines for the same Soviet government that had murdered the rest of his family. He never lost his faith in God, though, and introduced his son to Jesus. Anatoli grew up persecuted for his faith and then was drafted as a young man by the Soviet army. He refused to pledge allegiance to the Soviet state, on biblical principle; his life was held in the balance for six months, as the KGB tried to persuade him otherwise. He would not break; he survived. Now, Anatoli is a Church of God pastor in Mauripol on the Sea of Azov. I might have thrown up my hands and cursed God, given such a story. Anatoli sees God working for the good through it all and praises Him. Reading this, you might think, “Well, my story isn’t as dramatic as all that; mine is not so interesting.” Isn’t it? True, you may not have endured the tumultuous world of Wallentin and Anatoli. You may feel far removed from the Potsdamer Platz, the Topography of Terror, Hitler, Stalin, the Cold War, and all the rest.
But have you faced trouble? Has your world been turned, at times, upside down? Have you found life unjust or unfair? And, if so, how have you told your story? How have you interpreted it? And, what does that say about you and your relationship to God?
This I know: Walletin and Anatoli tell their stories in a way that glorifies God, without complaint. Extraordinary, really. They tell their stories in a way that blesses others and leads them to the same grace and peace that has sustained them. They tell their stories modestly, but in a way that inspires.
They tell their stories like Jesus tells His story. In a way that sees God-atwork, even in the most desperate hour. I want to tell my story that way, too. Jesus B, my friends. And, start working on your own story.
Genesis 50:20.
As I write, it’s near midnight and I am seated in my hotel room in Berlin. Around the corner from my hotel is the Topographies des Terrors (the Topography of Terror). It is a deliberately-left-vacant city block on which once stood a collection of buildings that changed the course of history. One housed the Nazi Gestapo headquarters. Another was the SS Central Command. Another was the SS Security Office (SS = Schutzstaffel), Hitler’s personal (schutz) guard (staffel). A Gestapo prison also stood here. It was in these buildings that the Nazi reign of terror was conceived, hatched, and executed. The Holocaust was born here. The myth of Aryan superiority was imposed by force here. The torture and death of millions was literally managed here. The buildings were leveled during the war, but the basements remain. A sobering collection of photographs line a path across the basement floors, the hush interrupted occasionally by the sounds of Nazi voices recorded decades ago and intermittently broadcast across the vacant lot for effect. The whole effect is both creepy and chilling. Hitler came to power 75 years ago this year; this block tells a story, also.
Sections of the Berlin Wall still stand nearby, as well. That’s another whole story, the iconic emblem of the Cold War, the stand-off between East and West. Every inch of the Wall tells a story; crosses mark places where East Berliners lost their lives trying to break free.
These places are only a stage, though. The real stories have been lived. Today I walked with Wallentin Shula. He’s a German, born in what was the Soviet Union. His parents found themselves caught in the crosshairs of Hitler and Stalin, the War, and, ultimately, deportation deep into Soviet central Asia. Wallentin faced hair-raising persecution for his faith and German ancestry, growing up under Soviet Communism. Eventually, he escaped to the West. His is a harrowing tale, spanning generations— but told with a sense of God’s leading, of Providential protection and grace. A lesser soul might be bitter, asking “Why me, God?” Walletin, now 57, preaches the Gospel in Russian to the land that once oppressed him. Anatoli Derkach is 49. Just days ago I had dinner in his home in Ukraine. His parents were Christians. His father was one of 13 children; only two survived Stalin’s reign of terror in the 1930’s and lived to fight the Nazis in the 1940’s. Anatoli’s grandparents and eleven of his aunts and uncles were all deported to Siberian death camps—the Gulag—because of their Christian faith; all died there. After surviving the horrors of World War II, his father worked in the Ukrainian coal mines for the same Soviet government that had murdered the rest of his family. He never lost his faith in God, though, and introduced his son to Jesus. Anatoli grew up persecuted for his faith and then was drafted as a young man by the Soviet army. He refused to pledge allegiance to the Soviet state, on biblical principle; his life was held in the balance for six months, as the KGB tried to persuade him otherwise. He would not break; he survived. Now, Anatoli is a Church of God pastor in Mauripol on the Sea of Azov. I might have thrown up my hands and cursed God, given such a story. Anatoli sees God working for the good through it all and praises Him. Reading this, you might think, “Well, my story isn’t as dramatic as all that; mine is not so interesting.” Isn’t it? True, you may not have endured the tumultuous world of Wallentin and Anatoli. You may feel far removed from the Potsdamer Platz, the Topography of Terror, Hitler, Stalin, the Cold War, and all the rest.
But have you faced trouble? Has your world been turned, at times, upside down? Have you found life unjust or unfair? And, if so, how have you told your story? How have you interpreted it? And, what does that say about you and your relationship to God?
This I know: Walletin and Anatoli tell their stories in a way that glorifies God, without complaint. Extraordinary, really. They tell their stories in a way that blesses others and leads them to the same grace and peace that has sustained them. They tell their stories modestly, but in a way that inspires.
They tell their stories like Jesus tells His story. In a way that sees God-atwork, even in the most desperate hour. I want to tell my story that way, too. Jesus B, my friends. And, start working on your own story.
Genesis 50:20.
Wednesday, May 14, 2008
Broadcasting Hope Worldwide
In 1947, the Church of God launched The Christian Brotherhood Hour, a weekly radio program. Dale Oldham, then the pastor at the Park Place Church in Anderson, stepped forward on air, speaking, quite literally, to the world.
In many ways, CBH was a pioneer in religious media. Previously, “church radio” was imagined as just that: the broadcasting of a church service somewhere. Dr. Oldham conceived a half-hour program that was a mix of music and message, designed for radio—not a church service which was incidentally also broadcast. His conversational style and commitment to speaking the Gospel to a broad audience proved to be a winning model. What was unique to CBH then is now the norm across the face of Christian media.
Much has changed over the years, though. Other voices have, in turn, sat behind the CBH microphone. Secular media has moved increasingly to formats (think Oprah), in which a host interacts with guests. The world is becoming a smaller place, interconnected by technology. Ideas fly from one place to another just by moving the cursor on a computer screen.
Radio remains, however, the world’s most accessible medium. More people have access to radio than any other form of communication. From villages in the African savannah to the front seat of your family’s minivan, radio is virtually omnipresent.
And, oh yes: the world increasingly wants to learn English. On every continent people on the street know that English is the ticket to advancing economically. English-speaking radio (think the BBC) is a global phenomenon. People listen to learn English, even if they are not originally interested in the content.
CBH has adapted to these developments, too. The moniker has been subtly changed to Christians Broadcasting Hope. Later, in the 1990s, I was invited to become the voice behind the microphone, but with more interviews and guests. CBH established the church’s first 24-hour, toll-free access line (so that listeners could respond from anywhere, anytime). We moved into cyberspace, making the program available online. We embraced email as a response channel, too.
We also began to take “the show on the road.” With advances in technology, digital recording equipment has enabled us to produce programs in previously unimagined locales. These CBH-on-Expedition broadcasts have been some of our most popular, (think National Geographic-for-Jesus or NPR). Once a listener is hooked by the travelogue frame, the listener can see not just the world but God-at-work in the world.
The Madison Park Church has a contract with Church of God Ministries (which owns the CBH program), which reimburses our local church for my time.
As part of that arrangement, CBH takes me abroad once each year, to interview, teach, and produce programming in the field. From Beirut to Bombay, from the Amazon to the Nile to the Mekong River Delta, well, CBH has found God-at-work and brought the stories to the world.
This month, I will spend a few days in Europe taping for CBH. The Church of God is establishing an international ministry center in Berlin; our CBH team will attempt to capture some of the excitement and promise of this bold new venture, on air, in the context of a rapidly changing European Union.
We’ll also spend time with new believers in the Crimea (Ukraine). Ten congregations of the Church of God have been formed in this region over the last few years by the ministry of our Russian-speaking partners at CBH-Russian. The CBH-Russian broadcast is produced in Germany and throughout the former Soviet Union (which includes the Ukraine). These congregations are a stunning testament to the power of the Gospel-on-radio. We will be bringing their stories to a global audience on CBH-English.
It’s a privilege, of course, to be a part of the CBH ministry. I receive feedback from all over the world—from the woman who listens on the Pacific Coast of Washington State, struggling with a call to ministry, to the depressed young man in the United Kingdom who found hope listening, to the customs officer at the airport in Grand Cayman who recognized the sound of my voice as I entered the Crown Colony in transit, to the guy in Prague who was beside himself because his girlfriend had left him, to... well, you get the idea. Christians. Broadcasting. Hope. That’s who we are.
Thanks, Madison Park, for being a part, too. Not only have you partnered with CBH to allow me to invest time there, but you also help underwrite the broadcast financially, both locally and worldwide. Thanks for covering CBH with prayer, too. The Lord is honoring the work. Auf Wiedersehen. Sieh Sie in der Kirche am 25 Mai. Ermutigt werden. Jesus ist Herr.
In many ways, CBH was a pioneer in religious media. Previously, “church radio” was imagined as just that: the broadcasting of a church service somewhere. Dr. Oldham conceived a half-hour program that was a mix of music and message, designed for radio—not a church service which was incidentally also broadcast. His conversational style and commitment to speaking the Gospel to a broad audience proved to be a winning model. What was unique to CBH then is now the norm across the face of Christian media.
Much has changed over the years, though. Other voices have, in turn, sat behind the CBH microphone. Secular media has moved increasingly to formats (think Oprah), in which a host interacts with guests. The world is becoming a smaller place, interconnected by technology. Ideas fly from one place to another just by moving the cursor on a computer screen.
Radio remains, however, the world’s most accessible medium. More people have access to radio than any other form of communication. From villages in the African savannah to the front seat of your family’s minivan, radio is virtually omnipresent.
And, oh yes: the world increasingly wants to learn English. On every continent people on the street know that English is the ticket to advancing economically. English-speaking radio (think the BBC) is a global phenomenon. People listen to learn English, even if they are not originally interested in the content.
CBH has adapted to these developments, too. The moniker has been subtly changed to Christians Broadcasting Hope. Later, in the 1990s, I was invited to become the voice behind the microphone, but with more interviews and guests. CBH established the church’s first 24-hour, toll-free access line (so that listeners could respond from anywhere, anytime). We moved into cyberspace, making the program available online. We embraced email as a response channel, too.
We also began to take “the show on the road.” With advances in technology, digital recording equipment has enabled us to produce programs in previously unimagined locales. These CBH-on-Expedition broadcasts have been some of our most popular, (think National Geographic-for-Jesus or NPR). Once a listener is hooked by the travelogue frame, the listener can see not just the world but God-at-work in the world.
The Madison Park Church has a contract with Church of God Ministries (which owns the CBH program), which reimburses our local church for my time.
As part of that arrangement, CBH takes me abroad once each year, to interview, teach, and produce programming in the field. From Beirut to Bombay, from the Amazon to the Nile to the Mekong River Delta, well, CBH has found God-at-work and brought the stories to the world.
This month, I will spend a few days in Europe taping for CBH. The Church of God is establishing an international ministry center in Berlin; our CBH team will attempt to capture some of the excitement and promise of this bold new venture, on air, in the context of a rapidly changing European Union.
We’ll also spend time with new believers in the Crimea (Ukraine). Ten congregations of the Church of God have been formed in this region over the last few years by the ministry of our Russian-speaking partners at CBH-Russian. The CBH-Russian broadcast is produced in Germany and throughout the former Soviet Union (which includes the Ukraine). These congregations are a stunning testament to the power of the Gospel-on-radio. We will be bringing their stories to a global audience on CBH-English.
It’s a privilege, of course, to be a part of the CBH ministry. I receive feedback from all over the world—from the woman who listens on the Pacific Coast of Washington State, struggling with a call to ministry, to the depressed young man in the United Kingdom who found hope listening, to the customs officer at the airport in Grand Cayman who recognized the sound of my voice as I entered the Crown Colony in transit, to the guy in Prague who was beside himself because his girlfriend had left him, to... well, you get the idea. Christians. Broadcasting. Hope. That’s who we are.
Thanks, Madison Park, for being a part, too. Not only have you partnered with CBH to allow me to invest time there, but you also help underwrite the broadcast financially, both locally and worldwide. Thanks for covering CBH with prayer, too. The Lord is honoring the work. Auf Wiedersehen. Sieh Sie in der Kirche am 25 Mai. Ermutigt werden. Jesus ist Herr.
Tuesday, April 1, 2008
Embracing the Times
Twenty-five years ago, when I was serving as pastor at the Fairview Church in Seattle, a member of the congregation named Rob Moore wanted to install a computer network in the church office. He had some new fangled stuff he wanted to donate that he believed would revolutionize the way we “did business.”
We thought we were already a state-of-the-art kind of place—why, we had IBM Selectric typewriters with electronic memories and changeable type! We had a monster Xerox machine that could copy and collate. No Flintstones here, boys—nope, I grew up with Captain Kirk and Star Trek.
I had worked before for Northwest Airlines, so I was no stranger to computer screens and databases. But, c’mon, a computer network in a church office? No way. Word processing? What’s that? Toss out “Memory Mabel?” (that’s the name I gave to one of our IBM memory typewriters)—preposterous!
Rob explained that his employer wanted to donate some equipment that would be just right for the church. “Let us give it a try, Jim,” he pled earnestly, “You won’t be sorry.”
I trusted Rob. He was one of the finest men in the church, faithful and true. He was bright and fun. He worked for some sort of start-up company— one of those nerdy little firms stuffed with people who read Popular Mechanics when they were kids. It had some odd, goofy name, you know, something like—oh yeah, it was called Microsoft. Nobody knew what it was then.
I gave the nod and Rob moved in a collection of computer screens and keyboards. They sprouted up all over the building. Before 30 days passed, we were all typing up a storm on pixel screens, printing to remote printers, interfacing with the copier from our desktops, and more. Amazing. “Memory Mable” was cruelly dumped onto the dustbin of history.
Before the world had heard of Windows, Fairview Church was looking through a new window of technology. Nothing in the office would ever be the same.
These days, computers are everywhere. At church. At home. At work. Laptops on our laps. Wireless. Wired. New words like “Google” have become a part of our everyday conversation. Words like “Amazon” have been completely redefined—few people think of the river anymore. “Dot com” and “email” addresses are as common as street addresses.
Like the printing press and broadcasting in generations before, electronic communication has transformed the way all of us live. Like every other dimension of life, church life is also adapting and embracing the new technology to stay in touch with new generations (and older ones, too!).
That’s one reason why Threads is now being published just every other week, instead of every week. In addition to halving our printing and mailing costs, we are hoping more and more folks will find church news online. We’re working on new weekly online updates; we’re working to enhance our software programs to leave older PDF files (in which Threads can now only be read on the internet) behind, with better, faster online Threads access.
The “GoAheadAskAnything.com” website has been very successful, drawing hundreds of questions (and as many comments!) from people who speak online like some people speak on the phone. Some questions are just that: questions. Others have been cries for help (to which we have replied privately). My blog has opened a door for Threads readers to reflect on what they’ve read in the newsletter. The “Great Chocolate Giveaway” link from our homepage has become a forum for testimonies from folks on Easter Sunday.
Our MadisonParkChurch.org website podcasts have been very popular—you can listen to Sunday’s sermon or the latest Men’s Fraternity installment from anywhere in the world. Email correspondence is now, by far, the most popular form of communication with our church staff. My email “inbox” is crowded with literally hundreds of emails (from parishioners here at home and others from around the world) each week. Notes and cards are still delivered by surface mail every now and then, but e-cards come every day.
We have an outstanding team at Madison Park which works tirelessly to keep the technology up and running, so that communication, good ideas, encouragement, and soulfood can keep flowing freely, 24-7. Don Vosburg and his sons invest many hours as IT specialists at Madison Park. Kevin Majeski is our Communications Director, who manages our websites and produces the artful design you find there. Ryan Woolsey is our Technical and Media Director, feeding the web with audio streams each week. These three are the “point men” for a larger team of creative and talented staff committed to the communication necessary to maintain community; we thank God for them.
Rob Moore retired from Microsoft at the age of 35—15 years ago. Fairview—and Madison Park—have updated their computer systems several times since then. It can be mind-bending trying to keep up. But we are. For Jesus’ sake.
We thought we were already a state-of-the-art kind of place—why, we had IBM Selectric typewriters with electronic memories and changeable type! We had a monster Xerox machine that could copy and collate. No Flintstones here, boys—nope, I grew up with Captain Kirk and Star Trek.
I had worked before for Northwest Airlines, so I was no stranger to computer screens and databases. But, c’mon, a computer network in a church office? No way. Word processing? What’s that? Toss out “Memory Mabel?” (that’s the name I gave to one of our IBM memory typewriters)—preposterous!
Rob explained that his employer wanted to donate some equipment that would be just right for the church. “Let us give it a try, Jim,” he pled earnestly, “You won’t be sorry.”
I trusted Rob. He was one of the finest men in the church, faithful and true. He was bright and fun. He worked for some sort of start-up company— one of those nerdy little firms stuffed with people who read Popular Mechanics when they were kids. It had some odd, goofy name, you know, something like—oh yeah, it was called Microsoft. Nobody knew what it was then.
I gave the nod and Rob moved in a collection of computer screens and keyboards. They sprouted up all over the building. Before 30 days passed, we were all typing up a storm on pixel screens, printing to remote printers, interfacing with the copier from our desktops, and more. Amazing. “Memory Mable” was cruelly dumped onto the dustbin of history.
Before the world had heard of Windows, Fairview Church was looking through a new window of technology. Nothing in the office would ever be the same.
These days, computers are everywhere. At church. At home. At work. Laptops on our laps. Wireless. Wired. New words like “Google” have become a part of our everyday conversation. Words like “Amazon” have been completely redefined—few people think of the river anymore. “Dot com” and “email” addresses are as common as street addresses.
Like the printing press and broadcasting in generations before, electronic communication has transformed the way all of us live. Like every other dimension of life, church life is also adapting and embracing the new technology to stay in touch with new generations (and older ones, too!).
That’s one reason why Threads is now being published just every other week, instead of every week. In addition to halving our printing and mailing costs, we are hoping more and more folks will find church news online. We’re working on new weekly online updates; we’re working to enhance our software programs to leave older PDF files (in which Threads can now only be read on the internet) behind, with better, faster online Threads access.
The “GoAheadAskAnything.com” website has been very successful, drawing hundreds of questions (and as many comments!) from people who speak online like some people speak on the phone. Some questions are just that: questions. Others have been cries for help (to which we have replied privately). My blog has opened a door for Threads readers to reflect on what they’ve read in the newsletter. The “Great Chocolate Giveaway” link from our homepage has become a forum for testimonies from folks on Easter Sunday.
Our MadisonParkChurch.org website podcasts have been very popular—you can listen to Sunday’s sermon or the latest Men’s Fraternity installment from anywhere in the world. Email correspondence is now, by far, the most popular form of communication with our church staff. My email “inbox” is crowded with literally hundreds of emails (from parishioners here at home and others from around the world) each week. Notes and cards are still delivered by surface mail every now and then, but e-cards come every day.
We have an outstanding team at Madison Park which works tirelessly to keep the technology up and running, so that communication, good ideas, encouragement, and soulfood can keep flowing freely, 24-7. Don Vosburg and his sons invest many hours as IT specialists at Madison Park. Kevin Majeski is our Communications Director, who manages our websites and produces the artful design you find there. Ryan Woolsey is our Technical and Media Director, feeding the web with audio streams each week. These three are the “point men” for a larger team of creative and talented staff committed to the communication necessary to maintain community; we thank God for them.
Rob Moore retired from Microsoft at the age of 35—15 years ago. Fairview—and Madison Park—have updated their computer systems several times since then. It can be mind-bending trying to keep up. But we are. For Jesus’ sake.
Tuesday, March 18, 2008
Lost. And Found.
The chartered bus was waiting at the curb. Nathanael jumped out of the car and ran toward the bus, suddenly stopping half-way between. “Where’s my wallet?” he asked, half speaking to himself and half pleading with mom and dad to find the answer. “I had it in my pocket in the car and now it’s gone.”
“You have to have your wallet, Nathanael,” I replied, “It has your driver’s license and you need I.D.”
“I know, I know,” he muttered, tearing the back seat of our car apart, searching for the wallet.
Maureen and I jumped into the fray. The clock was ticking. The bus was supposed to be loaded and on the road in five minutes. The Highland Singers were on their way to Orlando to take the stage at DisneyWorld in a national choral competition; Nathanael was slated for a solo competition there, too. Aw-ugh-man-oh-man, where was the wallet? “Are you sure you had it in your pocket?” “Yes, mom, I’m positive,” Nathanael rolled his eyes. The tension—the desperation— was palpable.
“I found it!” Maureen shouted, “It was wedged in between the door and the back seat.” Nathanael grabbed the wallet and ran. The lost had been found. All was well. In a moment, everyone’s attitude was changed. Hope restored. Life resumed. And, oh yes, he ran back and gave us a hug.
We’ve all experienced the frustration of losing something—something really important. Everyone who wears contact lenses can testify to that (just ask me). But there are even more traumatic losses than a contact lens or a wallet. Or even a house. Or even a loved one.
When you lose hope and a sense of better days tomorrow, you lose everything. Life has no prospect of contentment or joy left, when there is no hope. When a dream is lost—and no new dream comes to life to take its place … when the anticipation of something wonderful is taken away and there is no hope of receiving it back … when the shadows close in and all seems to be lost … well, that’s when we surrender to despair and resign ourselves to a desperate end.
And that, at its core, is the story of the crucifixion and burial of Christ. A sense of overwhelming loss, with a capital “L”—and no reasonable, imaginable, or explainable hope of finding Him again. No more bright moments on the hillside overlooking Galilee, listening to the unmistakable Voice describe the lilies of the field. No more astonishing miracles of healing and calming the storm. No more breathtaking gifts of forgiveness. No more stories that disclose the heart of a God we were learning to call, “Father,” and no more of the unforgettable teaching like the Sermon on the Mount. Gone. All gone. He’s gone. Never coming back. Hopeless. Lost.
On that first Easter Sunday, though, the Lost was found—He was found, alive. And with Him, all of the hopes and dreams and truth He inspired. Healing. Forgiveness. Understanding. God’s favor. Life. They all came back with Him. We couldn’t imagine how or why, all we knew was that He is. He is alive.
That’s worth celebrating. The same enemy that sought to rob Jesus of His life—and to rob of us of the life He brings—is hard at work stealing and deceiving and discouraging today. That adversary is forever seeking to deny the reality and power of the Resurrected Lord. Satan wants us to grovel in the loss; he wants us never to find.
But, this Easter, once more, the Madison Park Church will proclaim the truth of Jesus being found, alive. Whatever your trouble, whatever you have lost and believe is locked in a tomb, whatever grave you think has claimed your dream, whatever despair you have called home, we are here to bring you good news: “He is risen.” Jesus has triumphed—and with Him, we can, too. Jesus B lost, for a few days, anyway. And then, Jesus B found. His story can be our story. Lost. And found.
Bring a friend. Invite a row-full. Fill up those empty seats in our Main Auditorium. This Sunday. Easter. March 23. At 9:00am and 10:45am: two services, just alike. With a 53-piece orchestra. Music made in Heaven. The preached Word. The sweet fellowship of the Holy Spirit. And the celebration of life and hope found. For everyone who will hear.
You can live without your wallet. And your contact lens. And your coat. And even treasured relationships. But, you cannot live without hope and the life it brings. That’s the Easter story. Our first Easter at Madison Park. Don’t miss it. See you then.
“You have to have your wallet, Nathanael,” I replied, “It has your driver’s license and you need I.D.”
“I know, I know,” he muttered, tearing the back seat of our car apart, searching for the wallet.
Maureen and I jumped into the fray. The clock was ticking. The bus was supposed to be loaded and on the road in five minutes. The Highland Singers were on their way to Orlando to take the stage at DisneyWorld in a national choral competition; Nathanael was slated for a solo competition there, too. Aw-ugh-man-oh-man, where was the wallet? “Are you sure you had it in your pocket?” “Yes, mom, I’m positive,” Nathanael rolled his eyes. The tension—the desperation— was palpable.
“I found it!” Maureen shouted, “It was wedged in between the door and the back seat.” Nathanael grabbed the wallet and ran. The lost had been found. All was well. In a moment, everyone’s attitude was changed. Hope restored. Life resumed. And, oh yes, he ran back and gave us a hug.
We’ve all experienced the frustration of losing something—something really important. Everyone who wears contact lenses can testify to that (just ask me). But there are even more traumatic losses than a contact lens or a wallet. Or even a house. Or even a loved one.
When you lose hope and a sense of better days tomorrow, you lose everything. Life has no prospect of contentment or joy left, when there is no hope. When a dream is lost—and no new dream comes to life to take its place … when the anticipation of something wonderful is taken away and there is no hope of receiving it back … when the shadows close in and all seems to be lost … well, that’s when we surrender to despair and resign ourselves to a desperate end.
And that, at its core, is the story of the crucifixion and burial of Christ. A sense of overwhelming loss, with a capital “L”—and no reasonable, imaginable, or explainable hope of finding Him again. No more bright moments on the hillside overlooking Galilee, listening to the unmistakable Voice describe the lilies of the field. No more astonishing miracles of healing and calming the storm. No more breathtaking gifts of forgiveness. No more stories that disclose the heart of a God we were learning to call, “Father,” and no more of the unforgettable teaching like the Sermon on the Mount. Gone. All gone. He’s gone. Never coming back. Hopeless. Lost.
On that first Easter Sunday, though, the Lost was found—He was found, alive. And with Him, all of the hopes and dreams and truth He inspired. Healing. Forgiveness. Understanding. God’s favor. Life. They all came back with Him. We couldn’t imagine how or why, all we knew was that He is. He is alive.
That’s worth celebrating. The same enemy that sought to rob Jesus of His life—and to rob of us of the life He brings—is hard at work stealing and deceiving and discouraging today. That adversary is forever seeking to deny the reality and power of the Resurrected Lord. Satan wants us to grovel in the loss; he wants us never to find.
But, this Easter, once more, the Madison Park Church will proclaim the truth of Jesus being found, alive. Whatever your trouble, whatever you have lost and believe is locked in a tomb, whatever grave you think has claimed your dream, whatever despair you have called home, we are here to bring you good news: “He is risen.” Jesus has triumphed—and with Him, we can, too. Jesus B lost, for a few days, anyway. And then, Jesus B found. His story can be our story. Lost. And found.
Bring a friend. Invite a row-full. Fill up those empty seats in our Main Auditorium. This Sunday. Easter. March 23. At 9:00am and 10:45am: two services, just alike. With a 53-piece orchestra. Music made in Heaven. The preached Word. The sweet fellowship of the Holy Spirit. And the celebration of life and hope found. For everyone who will hear.
You can live without your wallet. And your contact lens. And your coat. And even treasured relationships. But, you cannot live without hope and the life it brings. That’s the Easter story. Our first Easter at Madison Park. Don’t miss it. See you then.
Wednesday, March 5, 2008
One...Two...Three...
Four. That’s the number of subjects this column will cover. Four bases covered. Four seasons enjoyed. Four winds that blow. Four quarters that make a whole. Okay, alright already, you get it: four subjects. Here goes:
First, as you know, we moved into our new facilities at Madison Park last summer juggling some key staff portfolios temporarily. Many members of our staff team picked up new responsibilities in the short-term to see us through, wearing several different hats at once. Now that the dust has settled, the Board of Elders and Personnel Committee have confirmed some new staff permanent appointments:
Jeff Matas has stepped in the role of Senior Associate. Originally hired to work with Front Door Ministries and Assimilation—and then adding some Discipleship and Education management to the mix, Jeff served as interim Senior Associate during the last half of 2007. The Senior Associate’s first call is to come alongside the associate pastors and ministry directors, helping them to succeed and work together as a team. It’s a big job—and a critically important one. Jeff worked abroad for a large multinational corporation and then served as Senior Pastor in several churches Stateside, before moving to North/Madison Park three years ago. He has a bachelor’s degree from Anderson University and a MBA from Temple University in Philadelphia. His experience in secular management and in pastoral ministry brings a skill set to our table that’s hard to beat.
Shelly Stottlemyer has been called to serve full-time as our Front Door and Assimilation Ministry Director. Shelly has worked for the last four years as part of our Children’s Ministry team; her success in welcoming new children and their families into the church and her ability to dream and work with others to bring those dreams to life have impressed all of us. Energy. Life. A welcoming smile. And so much more. Shelly will be managing all of our church life initiatives that help welcome and integrate new friends into our church family—from children to adults.
Sarah Trick has been called to serve full-time as our Discipleship and Education Ministry Director. Sarah graduated from Anderson University prepared to teach school—but, the conventional children’s classroom wasn’t her ultimate destination. She has always had a passion to work with adults, facilitating relationships, organizing systemically curriculum and small groups to deepen our experience with God and each other. For several years, she has been employed part-time at Madison Park, working with our small groups; in the last few months she picked up some new pieces (like adult Sunday School and mid-week adult learning electives)—and now she has stepped into the Discipleship and Education role full-time. Passion. Ideas. A commitment to spiritually nourishing relationships. And so much more. Sarah is up and running with our discipleship and education portfolio.
There are some other staff appointments and adjustments that are falling into place, too—more on those later. But today, thank God for these three.
Second, our Volunteer Coordinator, Marti Freeman, has been hard at work in the last few months organizing a data base of our church’s volunteers. Last week she presented a report to the staff that was a great encouragement—and I’d like to share it with you. No matter how talented the staff, a living community of faith is dependent on volunteers. Marti has identified 870 adult volunteers at Madison Park, who serve each month in our church family, filling 1361 adult volunteer positions (some people volunteer in more than one area—but 870 individuals are committed and serving). That represents about 48% of our adult membership at Madison Park—awesome. There’s always room to grow—but this expansion of volunteer participation is a significant index of our church’s expansion since we moved to Madison Park. If you’d like to get involved, give Marti a call in the Church Office—she can help connect you to a ministry in which you can serve.
Third, Easter comes early this year, March 23. Start praying now, if you haven’t already, about who you might invite to join us at our first Easter at Madison Park. The services (at 9:00a and 10:45a) will be moments-never-to-be-forgotten. Jesus B. Bring somebody to celebrate.
And, fourth, “Go ahead. Ask anything.” It’s a new sermon series that I’ll launch on the first Sunday in April—but you get to help decide its content in March. Go to our website (www.GoAheadAskAnything.com) and pose a question or two—go ahead. Ask anything. Ask a question you’d like to hear answered from the pulpit in a sermon on Sunday, any question, about anything. Your questions—and the questions of others posted on line (you can do so anonymously, if you like) will then be listed on a ballot, also online—and then you can vote. Vote for three of the questions on the list—and the top ten will be answered on Sundays in April and May—one question will be the subject of the sermon each week. Go ahead. Ask anything. And, invite your friends (outside of the church, too) to do the same. Stay tuned.
There you have it. Four bases covered. Thanks for reading through to the end. I thank God for you, Madison Park Church!
First, as you know, we moved into our new facilities at Madison Park last summer juggling some key staff portfolios temporarily. Many members of our staff team picked up new responsibilities in the short-term to see us through, wearing several different hats at once. Now that the dust has settled, the Board of Elders and Personnel Committee have confirmed some new staff permanent appointments:
Jeff Matas has stepped in the role of Senior Associate. Originally hired to work with Front Door Ministries and Assimilation—and then adding some Discipleship and Education management to the mix, Jeff served as interim Senior Associate during the last half of 2007. The Senior Associate’s first call is to come alongside the associate pastors and ministry directors, helping them to succeed and work together as a team. It’s a big job—and a critically important one. Jeff worked abroad for a large multinational corporation and then served as Senior Pastor in several churches Stateside, before moving to North/Madison Park three years ago. He has a bachelor’s degree from Anderson University and a MBA from Temple University in Philadelphia. His experience in secular management and in pastoral ministry brings a skill set to our table that’s hard to beat.
Shelly Stottlemyer has been called to serve full-time as our Front Door and Assimilation Ministry Director. Shelly has worked for the last four years as part of our Children’s Ministry team; her success in welcoming new children and their families into the church and her ability to dream and work with others to bring those dreams to life have impressed all of us. Energy. Life. A welcoming smile. And so much more. Shelly will be managing all of our church life initiatives that help welcome and integrate new friends into our church family—from children to adults.
Sarah Trick has been called to serve full-time as our Discipleship and Education Ministry Director. Sarah graduated from Anderson University prepared to teach school—but, the conventional children’s classroom wasn’t her ultimate destination. She has always had a passion to work with adults, facilitating relationships, organizing systemically curriculum and small groups to deepen our experience with God and each other. For several years, she has been employed part-time at Madison Park, working with our small groups; in the last few months she picked up some new pieces (like adult Sunday School and mid-week adult learning electives)—and now she has stepped into the Discipleship and Education role full-time. Passion. Ideas. A commitment to spiritually nourishing relationships. And so much more. Sarah is up and running with our discipleship and education portfolio.
There are some other staff appointments and adjustments that are falling into place, too—more on those later. But today, thank God for these three.
Second, our Volunteer Coordinator, Marti Freeman, has been hard at work in the last few months organizing a data base of our church’s volunteers. Last week she presented a report to the staff that was a great encouragement—and I’d like to share it with you. No matter how talented the staff, a living community of faith is dependent on volunteers. Marti has identified 870 adult volunteers at Madison Park, who serve each month in our church family, filling 1361 adult volunteer positions (some people volunteer in more than one area—but 870 individuals are committed and serving). That represents about 48% of our adult membership at Madison Park—awesome. There’s always room to grow—but this expansion of volunteer participation is a significant index of our church’s expansion since we moved to Madison Park. If you’d like to get involved, give Marti a call in the Church Office—she can help connect you to a ministry in which you can serve.
Third, Easter comes early this year, March 23. Start praying now, if you haven’t already, about who you might invite to join us at our first Easter at Madison Park. The services (at 9:00a and 10:45a) will be moments-never-to-be-forgotten. Jesus B. Bring somebody to celebrate.
And, fourth, “Go ahead. Ask anything.” It’s a new sermon series that I’ll launch on the first Sunday in April—but you get to help decide its content in March. Go to our website (www.GoAheadAskAnything.com) and pose a question or two—go ahead. Ask anything. Ask a question you’d like to hear answered from the pulpit in a sermon on Sunday, any question, about anything. Your questions—and the questions of others posted on line (you can do so anonymously, if you like) will then be listed on a ballot, also online—and then you can vote. Vote for three of the questions on the list—and the top ten will be answered on Sundays in April and May—one question will be the subject of the sermon each week. Go ahead. Ask anything. And, invite your friends (outside of the church, too) to do the same. Stay tuned.
There you have it. Four bases covered. Thanks for reading through to the end. I thank God for you, Madison Park Church!
Tuesday, February 19, 2008
A Little Extroversion
I’m profoundly introverted. That means that I process thoughts and ideas, almost to the extreme, internally, privately. My mind is always switched on, my brain seems to be in overdrive, and my head spins with ideas all of the time. But, I rarely speak about them.
Yes, yes, I know you hear me talk incessantly. In a way, I am paid to talk. But, talking out loud is not my nature. I have to work at it. Because, I’m an introvert.
That’s not to say that I don’t have conversations routinely. I do. The problem is, many of those conversations are in my head; I’m so dysfunctional that sometimes I can’t remember if I actually had a conversation out loud with someone or if I just had it in my mind—a conversation in which I spoke to and listened to myself (and just thought it was you). I’m a mess.
Extroverts, on the other hand, process thoughts and ideas externally. They find it helpful to articulate everything, as part of the journey to a conclusion. Introverts are prone to come to conclusions silently and then articulate them. Such is the wonder and diversity of human life. Both introverts and extroverts are imagined by God and complement each other.
Of course, no one is exclusively introvert or extrovert. We usually fall somewhere in between on a continuum. I just happen to fall toward—way toward—the introverted side.
Over the years, as I have become aware of my native introversion, I have also been attempting to balance it—to force myself to speak my thoughts, instead of just thinking them: to share, disclose, process, and listen more actively. I’ve made some progress; I still have some distance to go.
What might I disclose today? What might I share today that might be relevant and helpful? How should I engage the larger world around me? Hmmm. That’s my challenge, day-by-day. Maybe that’s your challenge, too.
Let’s see. Well, first, let me tell you that I’m still very excited about Madison Park and what God is doing there—and what He will do there. I honestly still get a rush every time I walk into the building. I am energized by the conversations I observe in the Commons, by the ministry that takes place everywhere under that roof. From the kids’ wing to the Crossroads Auditorium and all of the Main Street classrooms in between—well, it’s just awesome to see God (and His people!) at work.
I’m excited about what happens in the Main Auditorium, too. The kneeling response at the end of each Sunday service has been very moving. God is speaking—and people are listening. I’m actually excited about the empty seats, too. Because each one of those seats is appointed for someone we haven’t seen yet.
I recently visited a church (Buckhead Church in Atlanta) where the pastor has this sentence pinned to the wall: “If we want to reach people no one else has reached yet, we’ll have to do things no one else has done yet.” Yep, I’m excited on Sundays as I see people finding their seats—and noticing how much room there is to grow, too.
To be truthful, I do grow weary sometimes of listening to people find fault. The world is full of problems and things that need to be mended—no doubt about it. But, listening to people talk often about how unhappy they are with this or that, well, it just wears me out. That’s when I want to retreat into my introversion. I’m not speaking about church complaints here—I’m just talking about complaints, period. I’ve endured people complaining about restaurants and schools and spouses and friends and government and the weather and how they’ve been wronged and how “nobody knows the trouble I’ve seen” and, well, you get the idea.
I’m invited out of my introverted shell, though, by those who problem-solve and look at the world around them with promise... people who see God at work, always find something positive to say, put the best spin on things, eschew cynicism, and extend grace. When the table server at the restaurant fumbles, well, “we all make mistakes.” When wronged, “I’ve probably wounded somebody along the way, too.” When disappointed when expectations are not met, “God always works things together for the good.” When faced with the broken, “I know God can work this out.”
Now, that’s processing externally in a healthy way. And, that’s the way I want to process internally, too.
Help bring me out of my cave and give me a word of grace and hope. It’s always good to hear a good report. Always. I’ll try and extrovert in the same way for you, too. Be encouraged.
And, oh yes, I need to say it: I love my church family. Absolutely. Unconditionally. How could I not love you? You are the best. Whew. That felt good. I said it. Out loud. And, on paper.
Yes, yes, I know you hear me talk incessantly. In a way, I am paid to talk. But, talking out loud is not my nature. I have to work at it. Because, I’m an introvert.
That’s not to say that I don’t have conversations routinely. I do. The problem is, many of those conversations are in my head; I’m so dysfunctional that sometimes I can’t remember if I actually had a conversation out loud with someone or if I just had it in my mind—a conversation in which I spoke to and listened to myself (and just thought it was you). I’m a mess.
Extroverts, on the other hand, process thoughts and ideas externally. They find it helpful to articulate everything, as part of the journey to a conclusion. Introverts are prone to come to conclusions silently and then articulate them. Such is the wonder and diversity of human life. Both introverts and extroverts are imagined by God and complement each other.
Of course, no one is exclusively introvert or extrovert. We usually fall somewhere in between on a continuum. I just happen to fall toward—way toward—the introverted side.
Over the years, as I have become aware of my native introversion, I have also been attempting to balance it—to force myself to speak my thoughts, instead of just thinking them: to share, disclose, process, and listen more actively. I’ve made some progress; I still have some distance to go.
What might I disclose today? What might I share today that might be relevant and helpful? How should I engage the larger world around me? Hmmm. That’s my challenge, day-by-day. Maybe that’s your challenge, too.
Let’s see. Well, first, let me tell you that I’m still very excited about Madison Park and what God is doing there—and what He will do there. I honestly still get a rush every time I walk into the building. I am energized by the conversations I observe in the Commons, by the ministry that takes place everywhere under that roof. From the kids’ wing to the Crossroads Auditorium and all of the Main Street classrooms in between—well, it’s just awesome to see God (and His people!) at work.
I’m excited about what happens in the Main Auditorium, too. The kneeling response at the end of each Sunday service has been very moving. God is speaking—and people are listening. I’m actually excited about the empty seats, too. Because each one of those seats is appointed for someone we haven’t seen yet.
I recently visited a church (Buckhead Church in Atlanta) where the pastor has this sentence pinned to the wall: “If we want to reach people no one else has reached yet, we’ll have to do things no one else has done yet.” Yep, I’m excited on Sundays as I see people finding their seats—and noticing how much room there is to grow, too.
To be truthful, I do grow weary sometimes of listening to people find fault. The world is full of problems and things that need to be mended—no doubt about it. But, listening to people talk often about how unhappy they are with this or that, well, it just wears me out. That’s when I want to retreat into my introversion. I’m not speaking about church complaints here—I’m just talking about complaints, period. I’ve endured people complaining about restaurants and schools and spouses and friends and government and the weather and how they’ve been wronged and how “nobody knows the trouble I’ve seen” and, well, you get the idea.
I’m invited out of my introverted shell, though, by those who problem-solve and look at the world around them with promise... people who see God at work, always find something positive to say, put the best spin on things, eschew cynicism, and extend grace. When the table server at the restaurant fumbles, well, “we all make mistakes.” When wronged, “I’ve probably wounded somebody along the way, too.” When disappointed when expectations are not met, “God always works things together for the good.” When faced with the broken, “I know God can work this out.”
Now, that’s processing externally in a healthy way. And, that’s the way I want to process internally, too.
Help bring me out of my cave and give me a word of grace and hope. It’s always good to hear a good report. Always. I’ll try and extrovert in the same way for you, too. Be encouraged.
And, oh yes, I need to say it: I love my church family. Absolutely. Unconditionally. How could I not love you? You are the best. Whew. That felt good. I said it. Out loud. And, on paper.
Tuesday, February 5, 2008
Seeking Everlasting Love
St. Valentine’s Day is just around the corner—and with it a boatload of heart-shaped boxes of chocolate, bouquets of flowers, and gushy greeting cards, all nestled in red velvet dreams of romance.
Medieval Europe believed that February 14 was the day birds began to mate each year. Ancient Rome dubbed February the first month of spring and the season to pair up with a significant other. The Roman Catholic Church set February 14 as the feast day for St. Valentine in the fifth century— Valentine was a Christian clergyman thought to be martyred for officiating at weddings in defiance of a ban by the Emperor Claudius II (who believed that single young men made better soldiers, and, therefore, forbid them to marry).
Most of us have been passing out Valentines since the first grade, all in the shadow of these historic threads. If only real life was as simple as a “I’m yours.” Real-life relationships are oh-so-more-complicated than that.
Have you ever been stumped by the minefield of love and romance? Have you ever wondered where you fit in—or, how to pick up the pieces—or, how to get started—or, how to make a good thing even better—or, how to save a relationship on the brink—or, how to feel whole inside by making somebody else feel complete?
The Everlasting Love Conference, scheduled for Madison Park on Friday night, February 29, and Saturday morning, March 1, is the perfect fit for every adult—single, almost married, used-to-be-married, happily married, struggling to survive marriage, in love, out of love, young, old, and everyone in between. It’s a phenomenal study of the Old Testament gem-of-a-book, the Song of Solomon. In the Song’s eight brief chapters, the Scripture outlines all of the key principles you’ll need to understand and master: love, marriage, sex, and romance. No lie—this stuff really works... straight out of God’s Word.
The Everlasting Love Conference has stormed the country, from coast-to-coast. Madison Park has been chosen to be the host site for the Indianapolis metro. Our facility, with lots of parking and adjacent to I-69, has won the hearts of the conference team. This is an event Anderson would otherwise never see.
Kyle Idleman will be the key teacher at the conference. Kyle is the Teaching Pastor at Louisville’s Southeast Christian Church. He speaks to 18,000 people each week at Southeast Christian; it will be a privilege to welcome him to Madison Park.
Joining Kyle on the platform will be musician Jon Abel. Jon (who writes with Chris Tomlin and is a part of Nashville’s Universal/Brentwood Benson Music team) leads worship at his home church (Highland Park Presbyterian in Dallas) each week, but also is committed to the Everlasting Love Conference ministry. Over 225,000 people have been blessed by attending the Conference so far. This is your chance to be blessed by it, too.
Early registration for the Conference ends February 18—although you can register (as long as space is available) after that date. Registration by February 18 costs just $35— it’s $45 after that. If you get together a group of ten, you can save $10/person. The ticket is worth it—your ability to develop sacred, nourishing, healthy relationships will be upgraded and enhanced. Guaranteed.
The Conference will cover: (1) The Art of Attraction and Dating, (2) The Art of Intimacy, (3) The Art of Conflict, (4) The Art of Romance, and (5) The Art of Commitment. All of the sessions are grounded in the Song of Solomon—one of the Bible’s most extraordinary books.
You can register online (www.songofsolomon.com), at the Information Desk in the Commons at Madison Park, or at our Cross Street Ministry Center. Start making your plans now to worship, learn, laugh, listen, and grow at the Everlasting Love Conference February 29-March 1. Talk it up at work, at school, everywhere. I’m looking forward to being there, too.
And, if we turn out and support this national tour coming for the first time to our area, we’ll be able to welcome other outstanding events of this kind throughout the year, too.
Madison Park is not just a building for our Sunday meetings—it’s a community resource for Madison County. Valentine’s Day never looked better.
Medieval Europe believed that February 14 was the day birds began to mate each year. Ancient Rome dubbed February the first month of spring and the season to pair up with a significant other. The Roman Catholic Church set February 14 as the feast day for St. Valentine in the fifth century— Valentine was a Christian clergyman thought to be martyred for officiating at weddings in defiance of a ban by the Emperor Claudius II (who believed that single young men made better soldiers, and, therefore, forbid them to marry).
Most of us have been passing out Valentines since the first grade, all in the shadow of these historic threads. If only real life was as simple as a “I’m yours.” Real-life relationships are oh-so-more-complicated than that.
Have you ever been stumped by the minefield of love and romance? Have you ever wondered where you fit in—or, how to pick up the pieces—or, how to get started—or, how to make a good thing even better—or, how to save a relationship on the brink—or, how to feel whole inside by making somebody else feel complete?
The Everlasting Love Conference, scheduled for Madison Park on Friday night, February 29, and Saturday morning, March 1, is the perfect fit for every adult—single, almost married, used-to-be-married, happily married, struggling to survive marriage, in love, out of love, young, old, and everyone in between. It’s a phenomenal study of the Old Testament gem-of-a-book, the Song of Solomon. In the Song’s eight brief chapters, the Scripture outlines all of the key principles you’ll need to understand and master: love, marriage, sex, and romance. No lie—this stuff really works... straight out of God’s Word.
The Everlasting Love Conference has stormed the country, from coast-to-coast. Madison Park has been chosen to be the host site for the Indianapolis metro. Our facility, with lots of parking and adjacent to I-69, has won the hearts of the conference team. This is an event Anderson would otherwise never see.
Kyle Idleman will be the key teacher at the conference. Kyle is the Teaching Pastor at Louisville’s Southeast Christian Church. He speaks to 18,000 people each week at Southeast Christian; it will be a privilege to welcome him to Madison Park.
Joining Kyle on the platform will be musician Jon Abel. Jon (who writes with Chris Tomlin and is a part of Nashville’s Universal/Brentwood Benson Music team) leads worship at his home church (Highland Park Presbyterian in Dallas) each week, but also is committed to the Everlasting Love Conference ministry. Over 225,000 people have been blessed by attending the Conference so far. This is your chance to be blessed by it, too.
Early registration for the Conference ends February 18—although you can register (as long as space is available) after that date. Registration by February 18 costs just $35— it’s $45 after that. If you get together a group of ten, you can save $10/person. The ticket is worth it—your ability to develop sacred, nourishing, healthy relationships will be upgraded and enhanced. Guaranteed.
The Conference will cover: (1) The Art of Attraction and Dating, (2) The Art of Intimacy, (3) The Art of Conflict, (4) The Art of Romance, and (5) The Art of Commitment. All of the sessions are grounded in the Song of Solomon—one of the Bible’s most extraordinary books.
You can register online (www.songofsolomon.com), at the Information Desk in the Commons at Madison Park, or at our Cross Street Ministry Center. Start making your plans now to worship, learn, laugh, listen, and grow at the Everlasting Love Conference February 29-March 1. Talk it up at work, at school, everywhere. I’m looking forward to being there, too.
And, if we turn out and support this national tour coming for the first time to our area, we’ll be able to welcome other outstanding events of this kind throughout the year, too.
Madison Park is not just a building for our Sunday meetings—it’s a community resource for Madison County. Valentine’s Day never looked better.
Tuesday, January 29, 2008
Facing the Giants
This post was written by Mike Schwartz, Associate Pastor of Pastoral Care, Madison Park Church of God
Giants. What does this word conjure up in your mind? Some of you may be thinking of a pro football team. Others may be thinking of a young shepherd boy taking on the nemesis of his nation, Goliath, with only a sling and a few smooth stones. Maybe your mind takes you along the path of Frodo and the Lord of the Rings? Wherever the word may take you, it will surely strike a sense of adventure and challenge!
One thing I know about most men is we share an inner need for adventure and challenge... that which causes our hearts to beat faster, our breathing to quicken and adrenaline to pump through our veins! Not everyone experiences adventure in the same way.
For nearly 250 men, some women, and nearly 40 young people on Saturday, January 19, at Madison Park Church of God, the word “giant” would likely bring images of the majestic whitetail deer or a Tom turkey in full strut! The challenge of entering these incredible creatures' back yard undetected is both exciting and fulfilling. It is also a spiritual experience as we encounter our Creator in the most basic and primal element, and become a part of the circle of life.
From Nimrod in Genesis chapter 10 (who was recorded in scripture more for his prowess as a great hunter than being credited for uniting the major cities of Babylon known in ancient times as the land of Nimrod and later as Assyria) to Esau in Genesis 25 who gained the admiration of his father for bringing home Isaac’s favorite food from the field, hunters have historically been essential to the health and well-being of their families.
In modern times, hunting may not be as essential as it once was to providing life-giving protein for the family, but it still stirs the blood and meets a deep need in the hearts of many. In many ancient cultures, hunting was the primary way boys gained the right of passage into manhood. In North America today, hunters are the primary reason for the health and recovery of many species of animals through our conservation efforts and dollars spent. The fraternity of hunters is one that builds deep and lasting relationships. The memories that are created and shared are told and re-told, often for generations to come. The experience is often re-lived in a way that few other experiences can be. The bond is one that few men can put into words.
To bring Christ into these relationships is very effective evangelism. It isn’t preachy, which often drives men away. It is a lifestyle evangelism that reaches right into the heart of men and meets them where their passion lies.
It takes time, but then God’s love is often spelled T-I-M-E. The wonder of God’s creation is a fantastic cathedral where their spirits are ripe to receive Good News. It is also a wonderful arena to mentor young people in. Learning basic skills of safety, patience, ethics and conservation carries on into all of life. Learning to honor, even revere God’s creation is never time wasted. Time spent sharing with a young person is always time well spent. Many families enjoy hunting in the great outdoors together. Women are the fastest growing segment of the hunting population.
The first Deer and Turkey Seminar hosted by Madison Park Outdoors was a huge success. A sell-out crowd enjoyed great food, fantastic training for safety and field skills by experts Charles Sorrells and Brent Henderson who kept us literally on the edge of our seats, and vendors who offered their many talents and tools to anyone who wanted to take advantage of these great opportunities.
A special thanks to the pro-staff of Madison Park Outdoors; Brandon Jeffress, Kevin Anderson, Neal Kirby, Jerry Helvey, and Forrest Bricker for their hard work in pulling this event together. For all the vendors who contributed door prizes, drawings and great give-aways... “thanks” doesn’t say it well enough. For each one who attended, I am convinced that new friendships and future memories began. Thanks for coming and making this event such a great one!
These are the things that Madison Park Outdoors will elevate: a lifestyle-evangelism building lasting relationships of authentic Christian manhood, mentoring young people and encouraging fathers and grandfathers to pass on the rich heritage they have received, and if not to children of your own, pass it on to another young person who is not fortunate enough to have someone to mentor them.
Madison Park Outdoors will work hard to provide other opportunities to invite people to share the great adventure in the great outdoors in ways that gets their heart beating. Maybe you find adventure in backpacking, kayaking, fishing, photography, or just fill in the blank... we want to give you opportunities to find that adventure and build relationships that will introduce the Jesus in you to others.
Watch for more exciting opportunities to come through Madison Park Outdoors. If you happen to hear an unusual noise, it might be me practicing my turkey calling. I won’t mind if you just shake your head and ignore me; I’m just getting excited for my next great adventure!
Giants. What does this word conjure up in your mind? Some of you may be thinking of a pro football team. Others may be thinking of a young shepherd boy taking on the nemesis of his nation, Goliath, with only a sling and a few smooth stones. Maybe your mind takes you along the path of Frodo and the Lord of the Rings? Wherever the word may take you, it will surely strike a sense of adventure and challenge!
One thing I know about most men is we share an inner need for adventure and challenge... that which causes our hearts to beat faster, our breathing to quicken and adrenaline to pump through our veins! Not everyone experiences adventure in the same way.
For nearly 250 men, some women, and nearly 40 young people on Saturday, January 19, at Madison Park Church of God, the word “giant” would likely bring images of the majestic whitetail deer or a Tom turkey in full strut! The challenge of entering these incredible creatures' back yard undetected is both exciting and fulfilling. It is also a spiritual experience as we encounter our Creator in the most basic and primal element, and become a part of the circle of life.
From Nimrod in Genesis chapter 10 (who was recorded in scripture more for his prowess as a great hunter than being credited for uniting the major cities of Babylon known in ancient times as the land of Nimrod and later as Assyria) to Esau in Genesis 25 who gained the admiration of his father for bringing home Isaac’s favorite food from the field, hunters have historically been essential to the health and well-being of their families.
In modern times, hunting may not be as essential as it once was to providing life-giving protein for the family, but it still stirs the blood and meets a deep need in the hearts of many. In many ancient cultures, hunting was the primary way boys gained the right of passage into manhood. In North America today, hunters are the primary reason for the health and recovery of many species of animals through our conservation efforts and dollars spent. The fraternity of hunters is one that builds deep and lasting relationships. The memories that are created and shared are told and re-told, often for generations to come. The experience is often re-lived in a way that few other experiences can be. The bond is one that few men can put into words.
To bring Christ into these relationships is very effective evangelism. It isn’t preachy, which often drives men away. It is a lifestyle evangelism that reaches right into the heart of men and meets them where their passion lies.
It takes time, but then God’s love is often spelled T-I-M-E. The wonder of God’s creation is a fantastic cathedral where their spirits are ripe to receive Good News. It is also a wonderful arena to mentor young people in. Learning basic skills of safety, patience, ethics and conservation carries on into all of life. Learning to honor, even revere God’s creation is never time wasted. Time spent sharing with a young person is always time well spent. Many families enjoy hunting in the great outdoors together. Women are the fastest growing segment of the hunting population.
The first Deer and Turkey Seminar hosted by Madison Park Outdoors was a huge success. A sell-out crowd enjoyed great food, fantastic training for safety and field skills by experts Charles Sorrells and Brent Henderson who kept us literally on the edge of our seats, and vendors who offered their many talents and tools to anyone who wanted to take advantage of these great opportunities.
A special thanks to the pro-staff of Madison Park Outdoors; Brandon Jeffress, Kevin Anderson, Neal Kirby, Jerry Helvey, and Forrest Bricker for their hard work in pulling this event together. For all the vendors who contributed door prizes, drawings and great give-aways... “thanks” doesn’t say it well enough. For each one who attended, I am convinced that new friendships and future memories began. Thanks for coming and making this event such a great one!
These are the things that Madison Park Outdoors will elevate: a lifestyle-evangelism building lasting relationships of authentic Christian manhood, mentoring young people and encouraging fathers and grandfathers to pass on the rich heritage they have received, and if not to children of your own, pass it on to another young person who is not fortunate enough to have someone to mentor them.
Madison Park Outdoors will work hard to provide other opportunities to invite people to share the great adventure in the great outdoors in ways that gets their heart beating. Maybe you find adventure in backpacking, kayaking, fishing, photography, or just fill in the blank... we want to give you opportunities to find that adventure and build relationships that will introduce the Jesus in you to others.
Watch for more exciting opportunities to come through Madison Park Outdoors. If you happen to hear an unusual noise, it might be me practicing my turkey calling. I won’t mind if you just shake your head and ignore me; I’m just getting excited for my next great adventure!
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