Revitalize Your Church

Two determined women with Watchtower magazines showed up at our doorstep one day. “Hello, we are in your neighborhood discussing the Bible . . . and with all the horrible things going on the world right now . . .” “I’m sorry, but we’re not interested,” I interrupted and quickly shut the door. They shook the dust from their feet and moved on to Ray’s place, across the street. A half hour later, there was another knock. This time, I was met with two friends from our church bearing cookies. “Come in!” I greeted them warmly, “I’m so glad you came.” Later, I pondered the events of the day. Why did I shut the door on the first pair and welcome the second? Here’s the primary difference: To my first visitors, I was a project; and to the second pair, I was a friend. (Also, I might add, the cookies helped. Door-to-door evangelists would get a much warmer reception if they brought dessert.) An excerpt from my new book   Purple Fish: A Heart for Sharing Jesus  (Available July 2014...

"I often think of the Holy Spirit as a mighty river, but a river dammed and held back by obstacles of one kind or another.  Fancy a man standing on the dam and pleading in prayer with the river to flow on.  How absurd! 'Why,' the river would answer, 'That is just what I want to do.  Don't waste your energy in such vain repetitions. It is my nature to flow.  I am more anxious to flow than you are to see me flow.'" -- Oswald Smith

We live in an anxious age where stress is epidemic.  It is impossible to live a stress free life, but there is a healthy way to navigate.  Allow me to suggest seven healthy ways to reduce stress and anxiety in your life. 1.  Embrace the demands. I have discovered that it takes much more emotional energy to dread and avoid difficult situations than it does to just dive in and accept them.  At least half of the emotional drain comes from worrying ahead of time. 2.  Ask, "Why am I doing this?" Busy activity tends to accumulate, especially for people who have trouble saying "no."  Review your commitments regularly, looking for unnecessary burdens.  Is this a part of your mission in life?  Does your schedule reflect your priorities and purpose?   What activities bring delight?  Which ones drain you?  It is ok to drop unmeaningful duties that drain you. 3.  Build breathing space into your schedule. Busy peop...

Wesleyan theologian, John Drury, once defined heresy as "substituting part of the truth for the whole."  He went on to say, "this is why heretics are not completely wrong and often have much truth to share. The problem with heresy is not its utter falsity, but its one-sidenesses." I believe the Drulogian is right on target here . . . and the funny thing is, the harsh, rigid, narrow folks who are most likely to call others "heretics" are, by this definition, heretics themselves!

One day, while troubled in spirit, I happened upon this beautiful hymn. It was written by rural pastor, Hugh Stowell, and published in The Winter's Wreath (1828). From every stormy wind that blows, From every swelling tide of woes, There is a calm, a sure retreat: Tis found beneath the mercy seat. There is a place where Jesus sheds The oil of gladness on our heads; A place than all beside more sweet; It is the blood bought mercy seat. There is a scene where spirits blend, Where friend holds fellowship with friend; Tho' sundered far, by faith they meet Around one common mercy seat.

Dr. Frederic Loomis, a busy obstetrician, worked long, harried hours in his California hospital. One day, he received a letter that completely transformed his life: Peking, China Dear Doctor, Please don't be too surprised in getting a letter from me. I am signing my first name. My surname is the same as yours. Your won't even remember me. Two years ago I was in your hospital under the care of another doctor. I lost my baby the day it was born. That same day my doctor came in to see me, and as he left he said, 'Oh, by the way, there is a doctor here with the same name as yours who noticed your name on the board and asked me about you. He said hewould like to come in to see you, because you might be a relative. I told him you had lost your baby and I did not think you would want to see anybody, but it was alright with me'. And then in a little while you came in. You put your hand on my arm and sat down for a moment beside my bed...

"Blessed is the man whose strength is in thee, in whose heart are the ways of them, who  passing through the valley of Baca, make it a well ; the rain also fills the pools. They go from strength to strength—every one of them in Zion appeareth before God." --Psalm 84:5-7   (KJV) Some time ago, after I'd preached on this verse, my friend, Jim Burmeister, loaned me a casette tape by Jack Hyles  on the "The Valley of Baca." Jack Hyles was snortin', yellin', narrow minded, independant, fundamentalist Baptist preacher. But a few years ago, he went home to glory and his rough edges have been sanded off. He's probably a gentle Wesleyan now. I wasn't too eager to hear Hyles yell at me, so postponed playing the tape as long as I could.   Then, one day, on a long drive to St. Mary's Hospital in Duluth, I finally gave it a shot.   I was surprised to discover substance beyond the snorting,  Ol' brother Jack actually preached a very good sermo...