Deep Well Discipleship

Just a short note as I contemplate much today.  I am preparing the final touches on Sunday mornings sermon out of Acts 6 & 7 looking at the Character of a Christian based on the life of Stephen.  It has been compelling to me as it has caused me to look at my own life.  Do I truly reflect Christ in Scripture, I mean truly reflect Him; not my opinion of Him, not what I think others see Him as, not what I want Him to be, but who He truly is in Scripture?  As I have prepared I have read through a book written by Dan Crawford about the Wedgwood Church shootings in 1999.  What a remarkable read, you can read it for free -  http://www.wedgwoodbc.org/files/NightOfTragedy_ADawningOfLight.pdf  (I would encourage you to take some time and read this - full of many who reflect Christlike Character.) I have also been pursuing the web and looking at how the world views Christians and also how Christians themselves view their character, it has been disturbing to...

In my most humble opinion I believe that social media can be an incredible means to present the gospel to a culture that is in dire need of Christ Jesus.  But I fear that many are destroying the Gospel more than actually presenting it.  People in mass are posting "I love the Bible" and "God loves you" along with a multitude of Bible verses yet the average Facebook poster, twitter user, etc can see if this is truly authentic or just another ruse.  We did this in real life so we turned to social media and we are ruining it there as well.  You know, professing Christ with our lips and living completely opposite - I call it Bi-Polar Christianity, which I would argue is not Christianity at all (see 1 John 1:5-7).  I am reading more people showing their disgust towards this type of lifestyle than ever before, maybe they have a point?  Maybe it's time those that claim Christ live like him authentically.  Read Acts 19:15 and understand that the world, and Sata...

WOULD ANYONE CARE? I have been reading through Darrin Patrick and Matt Carters book "For the City".  It has been challenging and convicting to me as a pastor and leader.  The question that has weighed on me most heavily as I have read this is, "If FBC Seminole shut it's doors, would anyone in Seminole know we were gone and would they even care?"  This question was posed in chapter one by Matt Carter in regards to his own church in Austin Texas.  Stop for a minute and ask yourself this question.  Would anyone care if your church shut their doors for good, would they even notice?  The answer is haunting and sad because for many of our churches the answer is that they wouldn't. Why is this happening?  For many churches their concern is not the community around them and reaching them with the gospel but instead it is focused on programs, finances, and numbers.  Nothing, by the way, is inherently wrong with these things but instead of these...

This week all over the country High School students will take "the walk", they will take the step from students living at home to young men and women entering the world.  Some will head to college, others will start a career, and many will enter into the armed forces to serve.  The opportunities seem limitless when your 18 years old and the world is your oyster with endless possibilities.  Parents, like mother birds, watch their children leave the nest headed out into the unknown.  we celebrate their achievements and watch them at one of the first big mile markers of their lives.  My prayer as pastor is always that we have prepared them for this time.  That they are ready to face the world through the lens of scripture and that Christ will be their focus.  The desire from my standpoint is that we have taught them more then morals (do's and do nots), and shallow theology, but deep truths of scripture that lead and guide them out into the world. Ch...

Matthew 4:19 And he [Christ] said to them, "Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men." (ESV) I remember hearing this call in my life.  I was 9 and sitting in the front room of my parents home in Shelbina, MO.  The youth pastor, Denny Daum, sat in the mustard colored swivel rocker and I on the footstool.  I don't remember if it was spring or fall.  I can't recall if it was sunny or cloudy.  I can't remember if anyone else was present.  But I remember in the moment of that conversation when I heard the call, the voice that pierces to the very core of who we are, the deep awakening of the dead man (or boy at the time) to come to life.  In that moment of our conversation I realized I needed to repent and follow Christ Jesus.  That walk ever since has been one of intrigue, difficulty, indelible grace, joy, peace, sorrow, grief, trial, tribulation, miracles, hope, and more than I would have ever imagined in my finite mind. When Christ call...

1 Peter 2:9 (ESV) "...that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light." While leaving the care center yesterday I sat and talked with one of the residents.  She told me that when she was a little girl she was deathly afraid of lightening and storms at night.  One night when one particularly large thunderstorm was moving through she cried out for her mother.  When her mom came in the room she put her arms around her and said "Don't worry, it will be daylight soon." The Bible is full of example of light and darkness.  Darkness is used to describe wickedness (Prov 2:13-14), Judgement (Exodus 10:21), death (Psalm 88:12), and separation from God (Matthew 22:13).  Darkness evokes thoughts of fear and isolation.  Children fear the night, they are scared of the darkness because everything is hidden and unseen.  Darkness describes our spiritual separation from God.  Isaiah 9:2 speaks of this da...

Waiting..... I can be a very impatient person.  I'm trying to sell a home that is 900 plus miles away and cannot be there to talk to potential buyers, to fix problems, to deal with my real estate agent, etc...  Patience is difficult because waiting is hard...  My brother in law was recently diagnosed with cancer and as they wait for test results I find myself impatient.  You want to know what is wrong and what will be done and how long it will take and what the prognosis is and, well the ands go on and on.  Waiting is down right problematic because even though we are in Christ our flesh wants immediate answers, results, etc... Before you chide me, Yes I know that patience is a fruit of the Spirit and as a Christian I am to bear this fruit, but I still find myself being impatient.  Let me explain.  As a pastor I look at the landscape of the church and see such potential.  My human nature is to immediately jump to action and take control. ...