Archive for October, 2007

I was serving as a Village Missionary in Colorado when the Colorado Rockies began as a baseball team.  What a great start!  Fans filled Coors Field every game.  Someone in our church had season tickets and every summer she would give us eight seats behind first base in the club section.  Our last summer in Red Feather Lakes I missed my once a summer game because a forest fire started above Red Feather and I had to, as a member of the fire department, go fight it. I’ve always been mad at that camper that laid a long log across his fire ring and then left it! By that time the Rockies were only a shell of what they had been at the start.

We moved in November and the Rockies continued their downhill slide.  I would check up on them occassionally but it always seemed like they were in the cellar. But now this year they are in the world series!

So, it was with interest that I read the article in the New York Times on Oct. 23 titled “Rockies Place Their Faith in God, and One Another.”  Although many on the team walk with Christ, the main emphasis has been the selection of a team based on character.  Could players with character actually help a team?  Absolutely!  I encourage you to read this article.

Have you ever seen a parade in which the parade stands still and the spectators walk around, viewing the parade? Bill Geist, in his book Way Off the Road: Discovering the Peculiar Charms of Small-Town America discovered just such a parade in the town of Whalan, Minnesota, population 62.

It seems that David Harrenstein wanted to have a parade. Unfortunately, Whalen is only two blocks long, so a parade would be over before it started. How can you have a parade in a town that doesn’t have a fire truck, police car, marching band, and, most important, a parade route?

As I read this chapter in Geist’s book, my thoughts drifted back to the many parades I was involved with in Red Feather Lakes. As a member of the fire department, I could be in the parade! We would assemble the parade at Butt Rock, so named because it looked like a …you get the idea. Our parade only consisted of our fire department, sometimes the Forest Service truck, a few other neighboring fire departments, a smattering of other vehicles, an occasional float, and Bill Mason’s lime green convertible carrying the newly elected Princess of Red Feather (my daughter had that honor). Once my son wore a Smokey the Bear costume, complete with a battery operated fan to keep you cool, while he rode in the Forest Service truck.

What we lacked in numbers we made up for in noise. As soon as the parade started, we would let go with every possible sound our fire trucks could make. Blasting furiously, we would slowly make our way to the town where people were gathered to view our procession. We proudly waved to the people as we drove up the gravel road that was Main Street, turned right at the Hilltop Outpost, and made our way back to the Fire barn. We had a longer parade route than Whalen, but not by much.

At this point, I should apologize to Phil Rownd, who now serves as a Village Missionary in Pickstown, South Dakota. One summer Phil was my intern while he was attending Moody Bible Institute. I gave him the job (largely because no one else wanted it and I certainly didn’t) of designing the church float. Phil used 10 rolls of duct tape (or maybe it was cases) to try to create a star, since we were Morning Star Community Church. Then Phil, dressed as Jesus, walked behind the float handing out invitations to our VBS. Phil tried to make a star but it looked more like a dream-catcher and I’m not sure people knew the person in a white sheet walking behind the float was Jesus. The things we dump on our interns! Sorry, Phil!

Anyway, back to the Whalen parade. David came up with the “breakthrough” idea of having a “standstill” parade in which the parade would stand still and the spectators would walk around the parade! Participants flocked to this novel idea of a parade. State Representative Greg Davids was quoted as saying, “I march in one or two parades every Saturday, and when I heard there was no walking in this one I said, ‘Now this is a good parade.’”

How does a standstill parade start? According to Geist, the crowd doesn’t understand at first. He writes:

They’re standing still or sitting in lawn chairs, the way you would in a normal parade. When the band plays “Anchors Aweigh” the crowd remains anchored to the curb. Finally, after some prompting and explanation, they slowly begin to stroll around the parade. (“Norwegians are slow learners,” quips a Swede.) A few stop to pet the horses or chat with members of the parade, things you simply could not do within the old parade paradigm. Others actually meander among the parade units, going where no parade-goers have gone before.

As I read this delightful chapter about the “Standstill Parade” of Whalan, Minnesota, I thought of the country church. So many country churches think they have to have a big parade! They think they have to have the big marching bands (worship bands), fancy floats (techno displays), and fire departments that make lots of noise (top notch facilities). Maybe they should use the same type of creative thinking that launched the “Standstill Parade.”

Maybe if they just focus on doing what country churches do best—loving each other and caring for each other in the context of deep relationships—people will come. Maybe if they realize that a faithful preacher who loves them and knows them is a powerful preacher indeed, then people will be able to do things they are not able to do under the other church paradigm. Things like grow in Christ and be real in their Christian faith. And maybe, just maybe, members of such a church will go where other church members have not gone before—into a vital Christianity that transforms the world.

And we know One spectator and ultimate parade participant that will be there. He will chat with us, meander among us, and be very pleased that we knew that He could transcend our limitations.

I went to jail last night.  I go to jail every Thursday night to minister at the Polk County Jail with Prison Fellowship.

Going to jail works out well for me.  If I am traveling, the program continues very well without me.  It doesn’t require much preparation other than prayer so I, with three other men, show up and interact with the 30 or so guys who come each week.

I felt that I needed to go to jail.  When I was in Red Feather Lakes, I had plenty of opportunities to share Christ.  In country towns you do.  I think there must be some sort of counter intuitive law that states that as the population lowers the number of opportunities to share Christ increases.  That’s because small towns have a web of relationships.  As a community pastor, you’re expected to visit anyone from the town who is in the hospital.  When you walk down the street, it’s much easier to start a conversation because you already know them.  They want you involved in organizations like the Fire Department.  You have wonderful opportunities to share Christ with children and teens.  Anyone who believes in relationship evangelism should consider ministry in the country!

When I became Executive Director and moved to Dallas, I lost many of those rich opportunities to share Christ.  My travel schedule prevents a ministry that requires me to be there every week.  But now, at least every Thursday night, I can share Christ with guys who really need Him and are open to the Gospel.

Last night I made a connection with an event that happened outside of jail.  A fellow had gone to our City Park and hung himself.  We prayed for his family during our daily prayer time at the Village Missions’ office but I didn’t know many of the details.  Well, last night I found out that the man who hung himself had attended the two previous Thursday night meetings.

I could not connect a face with a name.  But I know that at least in those two meetings we presented Jesus Christ and invited the men to trust Him for their salvation.  This man had heard the Gospel and only God knows if he had trusted Christ before he once again succumbed to alcohol and despair.  As the guys filled me in on the details, I preached even more earnestly on the importance of trusting Christ and the importance of letting Christ control every area of our life.

It doesn’t matter what kind of congregation we stand before, in jail or out of jail.  Chances are there are some or many who are deeply hurting.  Some in the congregation will not live out the day or even the hour.  We know this but do we live it in our preaching?  May we always be ambassadors begging people, yes begging, to be reconciled to Christ (2 Corinthians 5:17-21).

David learned that his home base had been burned and all the inhabitants taken captive (1 Samuel 30:1-6).  Further, when he realized his men were questioning his leadership and discussing stoning him, Scripture says that David “strengthened himself in the Lord his God.”  It is something we should learn to do whenever we experience difficult circumstances.  Strengthening occurs when we bring the truth of Scripture to bear on the difficult circumstance we are encountering.

My prostate cancer has been an opportunity to strengthen myself in Christ.  In my last article, I mentioned the foremost reality that was strengthening me—the grace and mercy of God that far overwhelms whatever negative circumstance I might encounter.  The second reality that strengthens me in this trial is the reality that God’s purpose for me in this life is to make me more like Christ.

Some passages that reveal this are:

Rom 8:29: For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the first-born among many brethren; Eph 4:13: until we all attain to the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a mature man, to the measure of the stature which belongs to the fullness of Christ.  Col 1:28 And we proclaim Him, admonishing every man and teaching every man with all wisdom, that we may present every man complete in Christ.  NASB 

God’s purpose for me is not to make me prosperous or happy.  He does not intend that I lead a trouble free existence.  He does not promise that every thing that happens to me will seem fair.  He may give me long life or He may not.  He doesn’t even promise that my particular surgery will be successful and without complications.

Instead, He promises that He is interested in making me more like His Son.  Suffering is the chisel that God expertly wields to chip away parts of my life that are not like Christ.

How does suffering make us more like Christ?  Suffering causes us to examine whether we are aligned with His great purpose in making us like Christ.  Am I rebelling at this particular turn of events?  Am I angry with God?  Do I wonder, “Why me?”  If so then I am out of alignment with the intent of all that happens in my life.

Suffering also moves us toward deeper fellowship with Christ.  Scripture tells us that suffering better qualified Jesus to come to our aid (Hebrews 2:18).  We are encouraged to draw near to Jesus in part because His suffering has qualified him to “sympathize with our weaknesses” (Hebrews 4:15).  When we are tempted to give up because of the difficulty facing us, we are to fix our eyes on Jesus and “consider Him who has endured such hostility by sinners against Himself” (Hebrews 12:2-3).  In the deepening of our fellowship with Jesus, a deepening that only suffering can bring, we grow at His feet and become more like Him.

I know that my Savior will use His chisel wisely.  He will only chip away that which detracts from His image in my life.  No stroke will be by mistake nor will any stroke be too deep.  May I embrace the necessary cuts!

I would also like to update the Mission family on the decision we have made and the process involved in coming to this decision.  Out of many different options, Carole and I have decided that I will have prostate cancer surgery.  The surgery has been scheduled for December 3.

The decision process first involved prayer for God’s wisdom, a prayer that he promises to answer in James 1:5.  Our decision also involved information gathering.  I found some good articles on the web, especially from the National Cancer Institute.  You have to be wise about information sources on the web and select reputable sources.  On the National Cancer Institute site, I found a very helpful list of questions to ask the doctor as well as a thorough discussion of the various treatment options.  We would have never thought of many of these questions, which ended up being quite beneficial in making our decision.

We then met with our doctor.  He met with us for over an hour, patiently and thoroughly answering our questions.  We asked him what his rate of complication was and how many prostate cancer surgeries he did each month.  His willingness to answer questions and take time with us were big factors in deciding both to have surgery and to have him do our surgery.

At the end of our meeting he gave us a book called, not surprisingly, The Prostate: A Guide for Men and the Women Who Love Them by Dr. Patrick C. Walsh and Janet Farrar Worthington.  Dr. Walsh has written another book, called Dr. Patrick Walsh’s Guide to Surviving Prostate Cancer, Second Edition, which is more recent.  This book was very thorough and very helpful, although not what you would call gripping reading.

We also talked to others.  Carole’s sister has a friend who is an urologist in Grand Rapids, MI and he was extremely helpful.  We talked to other individuals who have had prostate cancer.  Scripture commends the use of many counselors (Proverbs 11:14; Proverbs 15:22; Proverbs 24:6).  We just have to remember that the greatest counselor of all is Scripture itself.  The Psalmist writes, “Thy testimonies also are my delight; They are my counselors” (Psalm 119:24 NASB).

Village Missionaries have two additional resources that are invaluable.  Dr. Larry is always available and willing to discuss a medical situation with you.  Medical Rehabilitation Consultants, the company that does our pre-certification, will also help you walk through the maze of medical care.  I know of several instances where they have called Village Missionaries almost every day to make sure they are getting the proper treatment.  I talked at length with Steve at MRC.

Why do I go into such detail about what is a very private matter?  First, perhaps my experience will help someone else make greater sense of health care today.  In today’s world, we have to take charge and inform ourselves about our medical care. 

Second, with our self-funded plan, whatever we can do in prevention and in early, proper treatment will help ourselves, help the churches we serve, and ultimately help Village Missions.  Our self-funded plan is in the forefront of what Christian and non-profit organizations can do to manage health costs.  Our monthly premium is lower than most similar insurance and self-funded plans.  Our Benefit Board keeps working at ways to provide better medical care and lower costs.  Their efforts directly affect our ability to provide leadership to churches with limited financial resources.  Yet, they will not succeed without our cooperation.  I have tried to work with them in developing an excellent plan and now, hopefully, will model how to further the Benefit Plan when ill.

Next month I will continue the series on strengthening and keep folks posted on further developments.  Carole and I are very grateful for the many who have indicated that they are praying for us.