Tuesday, February 27, 2007
10 LESSONS I'VE LEARNED IN MINISTRY
If you frequent my blog, surely you've noticed by now that I love lists. I'm a list guy. I make "to do" lists nearly everyday. When I start thinking about preaching, I often think of lists. Even blogging has become a list thing. I especially love "Top 10" lists. Remember these?

So I got to thinking of some other things I'd like to share and sure enough, I ended up with another "10 Things" post. So when it comes to lists, like them or not, they are here to stay on my blog.

Here are 10 Lessons I've Learned in Ministry...

  1. It's not a job. When you begin to see it as just a job you need to get out of ministry and do something else.
  2. You cannot please everyone, nor can you make everyone happy. So don't sweat it.
  3. Church bulletins are a necessary evil. They are a pain in the neck, but you cannot over-communicate with your congregation.
  4. Get out of the office and among people. You can't sit in an office all day and do ministry.
  5. Sometimes you have to let people leave the church. For example, Jesus allowed the rich young ruler to walk away. Another example, the space shuttle has to lose some of its parts to make it into space.
  6. There's a fine line between faith and stupidity. Knowing the difference can make all the difference.
  7. You can't do everything, so don't try.
  8. It's okay to rest, relax and sometimes go hide. Jesus did.
  9. Seek wisdom from others. There's some smart people out there.
  10. Far more important than your ministry and only second to God is your family. Don't neglect them.

So, what are some things you've learned from doing what you do?

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  posted at 3:13 PM · 18 comments




CHURCH ... IT'S FOR THE WEIRDOS TOO
I was reading through my journal from a year ago and found a quote that I wrote down that I really like. It's about the church and our discomfort with people who are different than us.

"The church loves blue hair on the little old ladies. But not on a 16 year-old teen who looks like he's just crawled out of a tackle box. Then we're not so sure about that."

How true. What is it about people who are different than us that we just aren't comfortable with? People with different looks, different opinions and different backgrounds often make us uncomfortable. When will we begin to understand that God loves the people we consider weird just as much as He loves us? He loves the pierced, tattooed, the black, the white and the foreign.

As the church we need to be as interested in reaching, loving and serving people different than us as we are in reaching the middle class white family that's just moved to town. Didn't Jesus spend all his time with the outcast, the different, the unloved and the lowly?

And understand, it's not our job is not to try to make people look like us. Our job is to share the Good News with them and let Jesus fix them on the inside.

I look around the church where I worship and thankfully I'm beginning to see more people all the time who are different than me. I'm beginning to see people from different backgrounds, kids who have never been to church and people who make some uncomfortable. Unfortunately, most of the people I see still look just like me. It is my conviction this year to reach out to more people that are different than me. People who I've overlooked in the past.

The church is in the people business, and when the church becomes just a business and quits being about people, reaching out to people and helping people, that's when the church ceases to be a church.



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  posted at 7:03 AM · 28 comments




Monday, February 26, 2007
TO TIRED TO BLOG
Wow, what a weekend. I left Friday afternoon with a big group of teenagers to go skiing in Santa Fe, New Mexico. After two hard day's of skiing, two short nights of little sleep and getting in last night at 1:00 a.m., I'm wiped out. I kind of feel like I've been run over by a large truck.

I haven't had a chance to check my email or blog all weekend, so I know I'm way behind on these. I'll try and catch up later today. I'll also try and put up a new sermon for those following along (Click here). But as for a really good post today on the blog ... I'm just too tired to think right now.

I would love some of your thought or ideas on what you'd love to blog about in the upcoming future. Any ideas?

See you after while.

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  posted at 7:29 AM · 11 comments




Saturday, February 24, 2007
"WHEN I WAS A KID I WALKED 5 MILES IN THE SNOW..."
This reminded me of my dad. He loves talking about things when he was a kid. He'd say things like, "When I was a kid, I used to walk 5 miles uphill in the snow." I think my favorite was when me and my brother were talking about where we were born, and he chimed in with, "You know the kitchen table in Grandma's house, I was born right there on that table." I remember thinking, "That's really gross dad, I've eaten on that table."



Can you think of any more "When I was a kid" sayings?

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  posted at 10:00 AM · 13 comments




Friday, February 23, 2007
LOOKING FOR THE PERFECT CHURCH?



"They devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. Everyone was filled with awe, and many wonders and miraculous signs were done by the apostles. All the believers were together and had everything in common. Selling their possessions and goods, they gave to anyone as he had need. Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved" (Acts 2:42-47).

I find lots of humor in this video, but I also find lots of questions and reality. Are we willing to promise literally anything, just to attract new people? Is that good? And how far is too far? Do you see any differences in the church in the video and the church from the verses above?

And what about self-centered members who think it's all about them? Is it all about my wants, my needs and my desires? It is about the songs I like the best and the worship the way I want it? Maybe, it's not all about me. Maybe it's about Him. Maybe it's about others. And maybe if I'll just look in His book, I'll rediscover what real church is all about.

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  posted at 7:11 AM · 19 comments




Thursday, February 22, 2007
NEWS, UPDATES & LEA'S LIST
I'm an early riser. It's my favorite part of the day. It's still dark outside, I'm finishing up my 3rd cup of coffee and my quiet time has ended. I need to start dragging boys out of bed for school. I've a few things I need to tell you about and then, as promised, I'll give you Lea's list of "things she'd like me to whisper in her ear."

  1. Let's go out to dinner and a movie tonight.
  2. How about a back rub?
  3. Let's get some ice cream and go watch the sunset out in the country.
  4. Give me a list of chores.
  5. Pack your bags! We're going on a cruise!
  6. Let's use our tax return to by a new refrigerator.
  7. I'm cooking and cleaning up the kitchen tonight.
  8. Let's paint something.
  9. I love you.
  10. I've got us tickets to the night race at Bristol, baby!

PS: Trey does great with most all of these, but I'm still waiting for 5, 6 & 10 :) (Maybe we should start playing the lottery or something)

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  posted at 7:03 AM · 24 comments




Wednesday, February 21, 2007
IT TAKES MORE THAN SPERM
As you've probably noticed from previous posts, I'm passionate about parenting. I especially like to write about fatherhood. One reason is that dads need to step up and do their job when it comes to raising their children (Ephesians 6:4).

Steve Farrar says in his book Anchor Man, "If we stay on the current course, one day the United States will be known as the country of the founding fathers ... with no fathers to be found..."

A few years ago there was a full page ad in USA Today that was divided from top to bottom in to two columns. One the left-hand side of the page it simply said: What it takes to be a father. Underneath was a blown-up, magnified picture of a single sperm. On the right-hand side of the page the heading read:

What it takes to be a dad.

  • Read to your children.
  • Keep your promises.
  • Go for walks together.
  • Let your children help with household projects.
  • Spend time one-on-one with each child.
  • Tell your children about your childhood.
  • Go to the zoo, museums, ball games as a family.
  • Set a good example.
  • Help your children with their homework.
  • Show your children lots of warmth and affection.
  • Set clear, consistent limits.
  • Consider how your decisions will affect your children.
  • Listen to your children.
  • Know your children's friends.
  • Take your children to work.
  • Open a savings account for your children.
  • Resolve conflict quickly.
  • Take your children to a place of worship.
  • Make a kite together.
  • Fly a kite together.

It takes more than sperm to be a dad, it takes a man to be a dad. And it takes commitment.

How do you feel about this? Have fathers generally done their job as a dad? Why was it necessary for the USA Today to have an ad like this in their paper?

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  posted at 7:20 AM · 21 comments




Tuesday, February 20, 2007
10 THINGS I WISH MY WIFE WOULD WHISPER IN MY EAR
  1. Wanna snuggle on the couch and watch Sportscenter?
  2. The Deuce is my favorite restaurant too. Wanna go there now?
  3. You ought to upgrade your old mp3 player and get you an IPod Nano.
  4. The mufflers sound great on your pickup, but are you sure they are loud enough?
  5. Can I go running with you today?
  6. Our television isn't big enough, why don't you go pick out a new one!
  7. You're the best preacher in the whole world.
  8. Your feet have got to be cold, so why don't you put them on my side of the bed to warm them up!
  9. I don't need a new pair of shoes, let's save the money and go camping instead.
  10. Derwienersnitzel sounds great, I'm not really crazy about the Olive Garden anyway.
There are a few "sweet nothings" I'd like whispered in my ear by my wife. What would you like whispered in your ear by your significant other.

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  posted at 7:43 AM · 24 comments




Monday, February 19, 2007
10 WAYS TO PUT SOMEONE ASLEEP DURING THE SERMON
If I was wanting to bore someone to death or put them to sleep during the sermon, here are a few things I might try:
  1. Use big words that no one uses in everyday life.

  2. Don't use humor.

  3. Don't make any life applications.

  4. Don't challenge me or encourage me.

  5. Quote tons of scripture and don't tell any stories.

  6. Preach about the Hittites, Perizzites or Jebusites instead of something relevant today.

  7. Be long winded. No one really has anything else to do anyway.

  8. Don't ever use visual stimulation like PowerPoint or object lessons.

  9. Use half your sermon to explain how to translate a word from the original Greek.

  10. Only beat me up, never build me up.

Get the idea? Every one's time is valuable. If I want people to come back, I'd better give them something they can use.

So, did I forget any? Agree or disagree with my list?




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  posted at 5:22 AM · 33 comments




Sunday, February 18, 2007
READY OR NOT, WE'RE REMODELING & NASCAR
We've been needing to remodel our church auditorium for some time now. As of Thursday morning, the remodeling project has begun, like it or not. You see sometime during the night Wednesday, a water valve broke in the balcony above the auditorium and flooded the balcony, auditorium and basement of the church building. Major water damage took place to the floors, ceiling, carpet and pews of the auditorium.

Friday we decided that we'd be unable to meet in the auditorium for services, so we'll be having services in the fellowship hall for the next few weeks while things are being repaired. We've got 325 chairs set up for services. It's a tight fit, but it did fit. I'm also anxious to see 300 plus people fit in the fellowship hall. I'm not sure we'll need the heater going.

I'm actually excited about worship in the fellowship hall for a couple of reasons. I think the singing will be fantastic and as tight as it is, the service will be up close and personal. :) Since everything was still wet up in the auditorium, I thought it would be neat if I showed up to preach this Sunday morning in my fishing waders or rubber boots.

I'm anxious to see how things go over the next few weeks. There will be no PowerPoint for my sermon, no overhead music for the singing and no tape recordings of the sermons. I'll try to update the sermon site each week with a sermon from last year that you haven't heard.

So for my Childress family, we'll have to adjust a little over the next few weeks, but we can handle it. So, let the remodeling project begin.

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NASCAR SEASON kicks off today with the Dayton 500. Yee Haw. I love NASCAR. If you watch it and don't know who to pull for, try Jeff Gordon in the number 24 car or Jimmy Johnson in the 48 car. I'm not going to have time to watch the 500 live, so I'll have to TiVo it and watch it when I get in Sunday evening. DO NOT tell me who won before I watch it.

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  posted at 6:00 AM · 8 comments




Saturday, February 17, 2007
ATTITUDE IS IMPORTANT

"Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus"
Philippians 2:5


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  posted at 8:04 AM · 8 comments




Friday, February 16, 2007
FEASTING ON THE DEUCE
A year or so ago while on a trip, my family of six ate at a nice sit down restaurant. It was one of those "order off the menu" places. When the food came we all enjoyed a good tasting meal, but 3 of the 4 boys said, "We're still hungry, is there anything else to eat?" We'd just dropped $50 on a meal that didn't fill half the family up.

Since that day, when we do eat out, we hit the buffets and no one leaves hungry. Places like Furrs, Golden Corral and Ci Ci's have become regular stops on out of town trips.

But living in a small town like Childress, your options are limited. We have only about a dozen places to eat. But our favorite has quickly become the Chinese Buffet 2. And since it's the #2, we've nicknamed this little place "The Deuce." Funny thing is that the name has kind of stuck around church and the community. We hear people all the time referring to the Chinese Buffet #2 as "The Deuce."

The owners and operators are Lee and Yen. A sweet couple that moved here from New York. Since we eat in there a lot, Yen and I have become pretty good friends. Yen's English is often hard to understand, but her smile communicates enough. Her husband, Lee, speaks very little English, so we haven't got to know each other as well. Sometimes, when it's been a while since we've eat there, we'll come in and Yen will greet us with a, "Where you bean?" in her Chinese accent.

When someone in our family has a birthday, that person gets to pick where they want to eat their birthday supper. Five out of six of our family will want the Deuce (Lea's a good sport about all of this). Last month on my birthday when we were eating there, Yen found out it was my birthday and brought me out a big plate of fresh crab legs. Um.

The nice thing about The Deuce? We like the food and when we leave there, every one's full. :)

So, where is your favorite place to eat?

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  posted at 7:16 AM · 18 comments




Wednesday, February 14, 2007
THE OLD MAN
Looking back over my calendar today I noticed that 5 of the funerals that I had done over the past year were for people who had been married for 50 years or longer. I couldn't help but feel a pain in my heart as I thought of how hard it must have been on the spouse that was left behind after all the years of marriage.

What amazing memories they must have built together. They had gone through the newly wed stage, the children stage and the empty nest stage. I was in awe as I sat there thinking about how much more I still had left to experience in my own marriage. Where will I be in another 30 years? What kind of intimacy and marriage will we have after 50 plus years.

I think of all these long marriages, and it's these marriages that anchor me in my own marriage. I see them and it helps me to say, "They've made it, We can too." I've already made so many memories, and I may still have another 30 plus years to go. I'm so thankful for couples that have been rich in long marriages. They are our example and we should praise them.

As I sat and thought about long marriages, I remembered the story of the old man:

The Old Man

The old man held the hand of his wife as she lay in the hospital bed. She was weak and quiet. He had tears in his eyes as he prayed she'd hear what he had to say.

He said, "Honey, you know it's a mystery to me how time has made the days turn into years. Cause it seems like just yesterday, right down the hall, you and I were here. Simple little blood tests before we were to be married - you nearly fainted. We never knew getting married would hurt. We were so young, so sincere and so sure we could make it work. Then two years later and two floors down, our daughter was born. I had to borrow a dime from the doctor so the proud father could make a call. Then sometime later we came here again. I remember our son's broken arm. You were the one the nurses had to settle. And it seemed like moments ago we were here when the grand baby came."

Then the old man stopped talking and moved in close. He begged her to whisper his name just once more. So many times they'd been there together and together they'd always gone home, but this time was different. And the old man cried, because this time he was to leave there alone.


I think if you could ask the old man in the story, "Was it worth it?" He'd say, "Every last minute of it."


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  posted at 9:51 PM · 8 comments




MY VALENTINE

Lea



There she is. My valentine. The love of my life. I am rich in marriage. Money can't buy what I have. I have a soul mate and someone I can trust. I am minutes away from open arms at anytime during my day. She is my confidant, friend and lover. I have what all the Country & Western singers croon about. I've been blessed with a precious gift from God. And just think of it, my sweet wife only has ... me! Pray for her :)


Happy Valentine's Day Lea.

So what's one thing you love about your valentine?


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  posted at 6:59 AM · 5 comments




Tuesday, February 13, 2007
THE THIRD PIG
My 5 year-old son Cooper, climbed up in my lap last night with three books to read: The Giant Jam Sandwich, Owly and Great White Sharks. Usually included in his stack of books to read is "The Three Little Pigs." I think he likes it because dad can do a pretty mean "Big Bad Wolf" voice.

As I have read the the story of the three little pigs throughout the years, there are some obvious things that caught my attention:

Jesus told the same story, but with different characters, "Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash."

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  posted at 8:15 AM · 16 comments




Monday, February 12, 2007
MEMORIAL STONES
I really enjoyed preaching yesterday about memorial stones. In Joshua 3 and 4 we are told the story of when the Israelites were about to cross the Jordan River into their new promised land, Canaan. God stopped the flow of the Jordan so that the Israelites could cross the river on dry land. As they crossed the river on dry land God had one person from each of the 12 tribes pick up a stone from the river bed. That night when they camped God had them stack the stones up to make a memorial. The "memorial stones" were to be a reminder to everyone of God's power and faithfulness. God said, "In the future when your descendants ask their fathers, 'What do these stones mean?' tell them, 'Israel crossed the Jordan on dry ground.' For the LORD your God dried up the Jordan before you until you had crossed over (Joshua 4:21-23)."

We still have memorial stones today. They can be anything that reminds us of who we are, where we've come from or what we've been through. They are things that remind us of God's goodness and faithfulness during various times in our lives. Memorial stones don't have to be just stones, they can be anything (cards, rocks, notes, etc). I knew a man who carried 5 pennies in his pocket every where he went. These five pennies represented his five grandchildren, and the dates on the pennies were from the year each of his grand-kids were born.

So this past week, while preparing for my lesson, I began to look around for things that were "memorial stones" in my life. Here are a few I found and mentioned in my lesson and a few extras:

These are a few of my memorial stones. I'd love to hear about some of yours...

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  posted at 9:28 AM · 20 comments




Friday, February 09, 2007
His Needs & Her Needs
Lea and I have always tried to attend marriage seminars, His Needs/Her Needs training and other things that build our relationship. I think every couple will agree, "We want the best marriages possible." If my marriage is bad, I want to make it good. If my marriage is good, I want to make it great. If it's great, I want to make it even better. But just like anything else, marriage takes work. Sometime hard work. Good marriages don't just happen by accident.

According to Dr. Willard Harley's book called His Needs/Her Needs. Here are the top needs of husbands & Wives:

A Husband's Top 5 Needs:
Sexual Fulfillment
Recreational Companionship
An Attractive Spouse
Domestic Support
Admiration

A Wife's Top 5 Needs:
Affection
Conversation
Honesty and Openness
Financial Support
Family Commitment

A wonderful Gospel preacher from years ago named Ira North used to preach a lesson called, "Help for husbands and Wisdom for wives." His lists looked something like this.

What A Husband wants in a Wife:
A wife that will be his playmate
A wife that will dress with the aim of pleasing her husband
A wife that will give him lots of admiration
A wife who's not dominating and controlling
A wife who's warm and wonderful

What a Wife wants in a Husband:
A husband that will continually court her
A husband that will communicate in a caring way
A husband that will give the family plenty of time
A husband that will serve her cheerfully
A husband that will be the spiritual leader in the home

Dr. Harley in his book Love Busters tells us that there are a few things that kill relationships. He calls them Love Busters and lists six:

Love Busters:
Selfish demands: Who wants to live with a dictator?
Disrespectful judgements: Who wants to live with a critic?
Angry Outbursts: Who wants to live with a time bomb?
Dishonesty: Who wants to live with a liar?
Annoying Habits: Who wants to live with a dripping faucet?
Independent Thinking: Who wants to live with an inconsiderate jerk?

Helpful Marriage Links:
Dr. Willard Harley's Marriage Builders
Family Dynamics
Focus on The Family

So here's my challenge to you and I (hold me accountable) this weekend: Let's take the list above, show it to our spouses and ask them how their needs stack up to these here. Find out what his/her top 5 needs are and then make it your goal to focus on those needs this next week. Hey, why not? It's Valentine's Day next week.

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  posted at 6:22 AM · 40 comments




Thursday, February 08, 2007
My Top 5 Favorite "Older" Posts ...
1. I Don't Like Church

2. Trey, Tell Me God Won't Take My Baby

3. Real Church

4. A Few Things I Think About Grace

5. Toilet Lids, A Male Bonding Weekend & God's Will

Tomorrow we'll finish up some "family' things as we look at marriage.

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  posted at 6:56 AM · 9 comments




Wednesday, February 07, 2007
Weddings -vs- Funerals & Cussing the Preacher
No article here today, just a few random thoughts. I have done close to 100 weddings and probably twice as many funerals. Both are a part of what I do.

As I was leaving the cemetery yesterday following a funeral I was asked, "Funerals or weddings, which would you rather do?" To me the answer was simple.

So which do you think I'd choose if I had the choice between doing one of the two? Weddings or funerals? (I hope some others in ministry will chime in here too with their opinion).

Oh, and by the way, following the funeral yesterday I had a man shake my hand and say, "Hell of a funeral, preacher, hell of a funeral." Wow, that was a first. I really believe he was trying to pay me an honest compliment. One of these days I've got to write a book of "funny funeral experiences." I have a list of stories a mile long.

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  posted at 7:57 AM · 25 comments




Tuesday, February 06, 2007
4 Phrases of an "Unforgettable Father"
Nothing is more important to me than raising my 4 boys. And as a dad, I don't want to be "just a father," I want to be an "unforgettable father."

So how can I become an unforgettable father? Where do I go to find an example of an unforgettable father? What can I say to my children that will affect them for a life time.

Notice what God said to His Son: "When all the people were being baptized, Jesus was baptized too. And as he was praying, heaven was opened and the Holy Spirit descended on him in bodily form like a dove. And a voice came from heaven: "You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased." Luke 3:21-22


Here are 4 Phrases "Unforgettable Fathers" Use on a Regular Basis:

1. I Claim You.

  • God told His son, "You are MY Son..."

  • Unforgettable fathers tell their children, "I'm so glad you are mine," and "I wouldn't trade you for anything in the world." Do you know that children who have fathers who bless them, tell them they are special and are actively involved in their lives are more likely to succeed in all areas of their lives? (More on that later this week.) Children need to hear from their dads how special they are. Don't take for granted that they know, just tell them.

2. I Love You.

  • God told His son, "... whom I LOVE ..."

  • Unforgettable fathers show their children an irrational love. I remember doing a funeral for a Christian man who had raised a beautiful Christian daughter. But, I remember hugging her neck, and as she wept she kept saying over and over, "I know my dad loved me, but why didn't he ever tell me." Children need to hear their fathers say, "I love you."

3. I'm Proud of You.

  • God told His son, "...in Him I am well PLEASED."

  • Unforgettable fathers tell their children, "I believe in you," and "I'm your biggest fan." Children need that affirmation from their dads. Just like the little boy who grabbed the football and told his dad, "I'm going to the back yard to kick the football. You come out with me and say 'good job.'" When is the last time we told our kids "good job." I still remember flubbing up my first ever sermon. I knew I had stunk-up-the-show. Following the service, my dad was one of the first to meet me down front to tell me, "Great job. It was the best sermon I've ever heard." Unforgettable fathers tell their children, "I'm proud of you."

4. I'm Sorry.

  • God was the perfect father so He never had to say He was sorry to Jesus.

  • I'm far from the perfect father, so "I'm sorry" has to be a regular part of my vocabulary. I fail as a parent more times than I'd like to remember. I fail to love unconditionally. I'm often selfish and controlling. Sometimes I discipline out of anger and not love. So the question is, what do I do with my failures? I ask my children to forgive me. I'm not too big or prideful to say, "I messed up." And hopefully I model for them how to handle a mistake. I believe unforgettable fathers are able to tell their children, "I'm sorry."

Four phrases I need to add to my regular vocabulary. Three of them I learn from the greatest Father of all. I don't know about you, but I don't want to be just a father, I want to be an unforgettable father.

Can you think of a time in your life where your father blessed you in one of these ways? How about sharing one?

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  posted at 7:16 AM · 11 comments




Monday, February 05, 2007
"Children See, Children Do"
I'd like to focus some posts this week on families. We'll be covering a few things like parenting, marriage, and traits of healthy families this week.


I want to start the week off with a powerful video. Since we are such visual learners it makes videos, such as this, a great teaching tool. Watch, think and learn from this.


Warning: Violent Content





How does this video make you feel? As a parents or grandparent, what are your children seeing in You?

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Happy Birthday, big Sis ... It's 47 Today!

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I know some are keeping up with the sermons. "Winning the Spiritual Super Bowl" is done. Click here to listen to it (or sleep through it).

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  posted at 6:45 AM · 17 comments




Saturday, February 03, 2007
Super Bowl Coaches known for Christian Faith











For the past two weeks the media has only focused on the fact that, for the first time ever, the two Super Bowl coaches are both black. The following is another story that I found about the similarities between the two coaches that you probably won't see in the paper. I thought it was extremely cool.


MIAMI (BP)--Super Bowl XLI will feature two teams making their first super game appearance in two-plus decades, two Midwestern teams separated by only a couple hundred miles, but most importantly two coaches who are strong believers in Jesus Christ.

Head coaches Tony Dungy of Indianapolis and close friend and fellow Christian Lovie Smith of Chicago gave credit to God following their respective teams' victories in the conference championships Jan. 21.

“The Lord set this up in a way that no one would believe it,” Dungy said following the Colts' win over New England. “The Lord tested us a lot this year, but He set this up to get all the glory.”

The news that two witnesses for their personal faith in Jesus Christ would have a two-week international spotlight for their beliefs thrilled Christian leader William Pugh, executive director of sports ministry Athletes in Action, a branch of Campus Crusade for Christ.

“We are so excited to see the Bears and Colts in the Super Bowl,” Pugh, a close friend of both head coaches, said. “We could not have picked two better coaches to represent all that is good about sports.”

AIA organizes and runs the annual Super Bowl breakfast the day before the game. Last year, Dungy was the keynote speaker just weeks after his son’s tragic death, giving an inspirational message about God’s love in the best and worst of times.

Smith is in his first tenure as a head coach and hasn’t had the public opportunities to share his faith like Dungy, but he has told the Chicago media he believes in Christ, listens to Christian music when driving his car and does not smoke, drink or curse.

“I’m so happy for Lovie who does things the right way, without cursing and shows things can be done differently,” Dungy said of Smith. “We give God all the credit.”

Dungy has served as the cover spokesman for a special Super Bowl witnessing video and tract. Several of his players, including star tight end Dallas Clark, put out a special faith-based DVD titled "Power to Win" about their faith in Christ and their need to honor Him in all that they do.

While the media will concentrate on the game itself, the men in charge of leading their teams to the big game plan on sharing the most important things in their life, something that has nothing to do with runs or passes or even the final score.
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You're welcome to leave a Super Bowl prediction if you'd like...

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  posted at 12:15 AM · 10 comments




Thursday, February 01, 2007
The Church and Fighting Over Change
Many people are uncomfortable with the words change and church being in the same sentence. Some people are comfortable with the way things are, and don't want anyone changing things up. Many Christians want things only done one way. Because of this many people have often come to blows over change in the church. Some want to change everything. Some want to change nothing. There must be balance. (And then there are others who are content doing nothing but sitting back and complaining.)

Actually, change is inevitable. In just the past 10 years, you and I have changed physically, emotionally and spiritually. Your hair has changed. Your weight has changed. Your furniture has been moved. You are probably driving a different car. You probably now carry a cellular phone that you didn't have 10 years ago. Your life and mine is full of changes. Not many things actually stay the same.

The same is true with the church. Change is inevitable. And for the church to grow and mature, it must change & make changes with the times. If we're not willing to change, we're not going to grow. But understand not all change is good. There are certain things that shouldn't ever change. Our problem is figuring out what we can change and what we shouldn't change. We sure don't want to all change in an area God doesn't want us to change. So what things are changeable and what things shouldn't be changed?

1. Things that are Changeless in the church...
  • The Master is Changeless (Hebrews 13:8). Jesus should always be at the center of everything we do. Jesus needs to be the focus of the church. We need to strive to be like him, serve like him and love like him. Don't change Jesus.

  • The Message is Changeless (John 3:16). Our message must be the gospel. The message must be that eternal life is available for everyone. Don't ever allow the message to change.

  • The Mission is Changeless (Matthew 28:18-20). The great commission wasn't the great suggestion. It isn't an elective. Jesus said our mission is ... go. Let's don't change the mission of the church.


2. Things that are Changeable in the church...

  • Our Methods should Change (1 Corinthians 9:20-22). We can't always keep doing the same things the same way. I know that the Gospel Meetings of old that were used for reaching out to the community don't work here like they used to. So we've had to change our "methods" of outreach. We've replaced Gospel Meetings with Friends Day and other community outreach events. Don't be afraid to change methods for outreach, because the 7 last words of a dying church are, "We never did it that way before."

  • Our Mindset should Change (Philippians 2:5). Our mindset needs to change to be more like Jesus' every day. Jesus was a giver and a servant, and that's the mindset we should have. Every person has a gift that God wants them to use to show others Christ. We need to become people who aren't afraid to wash feet and get our fingernails dirty. Our mindset is how we think, and we need to get off our rear-ends and be more servant oriented like our Savior. Don't be afraid to change your mindset.

  • Our Ministries should Change (Acts 10:1-48). Who are you ministering to? Jesus ministered to those who no one else would. He ministered to the sinner, the tax collector, the prostitute and the less fortunate. How many times do we overlook the drug addict, the homeless and the divorcee to reach out to the new middle class family that moved into town? It's time we start looking for the ones that Jesus would look for. We definitely need to change our ministries.

It's been said there are 3 kinds of people in a church: Risk Takers, Care Takers and Undertakers.

  • Risk-takers are willing to try something different to reach more people with the message of Jesus.
  • Care-takers are just satisfied doing what they've always done. Don't stir the water and leave things just as they are.
  • In the last 100 years more churches have closed than opened. We don't need more undertakers .

What kind of "taker" will you be? Hopefully someone who's not afraid of change. Hopefully you'll be a "risk-taker" for Jesus.

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  posted at 6:00 AM · 31 comments




About Trey


On this blog you'll find my thoughts about life, marriage, family, raising children, Christian community, the mission of Christ and the life God intended for us all. I am a Christian husband & father who has served as a minister for the past 20 years. My wife Lea and I have been married for 19 years. We are doing our best to raise our 4 awesome boys, who are all growing up way too fast. I currently preach for the Childress Church of Christ in Childress, Texas.

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