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Archive for the ‘Community’ Category

We Were Created For Love

Posted in Community, Formation on November 23, 2011| Leave a Comment »

This morning as part of my morning reading, I picked up Thomas Merton’s A Book of Hours.  I read him fairly regularly and when I do, I rarely come away from the experience disappointed.  Take a look at this and let it rest on your soul for a few minutes

To say that I am made in the image of God is to say that love is the reason for my existence,  for God is love.  Love is my try identity.  Selflessness is my true self.  Love is my true character.  Love is my name.

If, therefore, I do anything or think anything or say anything or know anything that is not purely for the love of God, it cannot give me peace, or rest, or fulfillment, or joy.

To find love I must enter into the sanctuary where it is hidden, which is the mystery of God.

If we truly are made in God’s image (and scripture clearly says we are) and if God is love (and scripture teaches us this truth), then should not our purpose revolve around love – loving God and others.  In fact, isn’t that a part of what Jesus came to teach us?  The person God created me to be is to be defined by love.  Does that describe you today?

Love generously today!

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Will They See God In Me Today?

Posted in Community, Formation, Hope on November 21, 2011| Leave a Comment »

Typically, my prayer leading up to each Sunday is that God’s presence would be felt and known during our time together here at church.  I pray that God’s spirit would move and people would truly have the experience of coming face to face with God.  That will continue to be my prayer.

But this morning during my devotional time, I read this prayer:

Lord Jesus, may it be evident today that there is only one Lord in my life:  You.  As I interact with other today, my they sense that they have been in Your presence.

That has become my prayer for today.

How about you?  Will others sense that they have been in God’s presence after encountering you today?

Something to shoot for, don’t you think?

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Phil Keaggy and Friendship

Posted in Community, Motivational on November 17, 2011| Leave a Comment »

Isn’t it cool how God can use anything to connect people?

Last night at our church meal time, Mike approached me and said, “I noticed on your Facebook page that you are a fan of Phil Keaggy.”

I am sure my face lit up because it is not everyday that I run into people with common interests in music.  Actually, I am sure that there are many people out there who would like what they saw on my iPod (and probably a few who would be shocked) but it is not normally a conversation starter.

Mike has been extremely faithful to come to church and be a part of what we are doing but we had never really had a real conversation before.  But when he asked about my love of Phil Keaggy’s music and ministry, it gave us a common interest from which to have a 10 minute conversation.  I was blessed to stand there and talk with him.

Now, if you have never heard of Phil Keaggy, let me tell you a little something about him.  Since the invention of stringed instruments – going back to David sitting on a hillside watching sheep while he played his lyre – there has not been a more accomplished guitarist.  And his vocals aren’t too shabby either.  What Chuck Norris is in the hero world, Phil Keaggy is in the music world.  Maybe you get the picture that I’m a fan.  My dream in high school was that when I married, I wanted to get Phil Keaggy to play at my wedding.  Yeah, I guess I am a fan.

I made that statement to Mike last night and he said, “I did have Phil play at mine.”  My eyes got big and then he smiled and said, “We had one of his CD’s playing as ambient music.”  Why didn’t I think of that?

Here is the point I am trying to make – and it is not just to communicate that I am a huge Phil Keaggy fan.

God can use any part of us to make a connection with someone else.  I had seen Mike week after week and had exchanged the normal pleasantries, but we had never had a real conversation.  Until . . . we connected through music.

As I have mulled this over since last night, I have been reminded that God has given me a unique portfolio of interests, experiences and gifts.  My job is to figure out how to use those things to connect with others.

How about you?  Who is your Phil Keaggy?  If you don’t have one – might I suggest Phil Keaggy?  🙂

Seriously, what has God given you that can help you connect with those placed in your path today?   How will use those things to build a new relationship today?

Hey Mike – I say we find the next close Phil Keaggy concert and declare “Road Trip!!”

Be blessed today!

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On-Going Impact

Posted in Community, Formation, Leadership on November 15, 2011| Leave a Comment »

Yesterday, I told you about a man who distinctly influenced me early in my life.  Brother Green was the pastor of the church I grew up in as a child.  In fact, he is the pastor who baptized me.  I have to be honest, I can’t say that I remember every sermon he preached (did I mention that I was young?), but I do remember his passion in the pulpit and in the way he led the church.

Another memorable aspect of Brother Green was that he was a giant of a man.  Not just in stature even though he was over 6 feet tall, he was and is a giant in character as well.  I remember him as being a man whose word was as good as any written contract.  If he said he was going to do something, he did it.

But at the top of my list of how L.D. Green impacted my life was what I saw in his heart.  His heart for people was (and is) something that, even as a child, I had no problem recognizing.  It was obvious that his love for people was a direct result of his love for God.  He  loves people.  He taught me that one can say all day long that they love God, but if it is not evidenced in the way they love people, then is there really any love of God present in their lives.  Even at age 90, he is still loving God and loving people.

Thanks Brother Green for the way you impacted my life – and so many others.  And thank you even more that you are still at work serving God and loving others.

You are an inspiration!

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Coming Face To Face With L.D. Green

Posted in Community, Formation on November 14, 2011| 2 Comments »

After church yesterday, the family and I went to a fundraiser luncheon to eat and enjoy a little of the Littlefield Marching Band.  We had a great meal and heard a little music and then got up to sneak out so that I could get some work done.  As we were leaving, one of our faithful Wednesday night attenders met me at the end of the table.  Janine wanted to introduce me to her pastor.  She attends a church in another community on Sunday and then attends our church when there is nothing going at her church.

At any rate, I turned to shake the hand of the man standing next to her and as I looked him in the eye, I knew that I knew this man.  As she introduced him, “This is my pastor, L.D. Green,”  –   the life of my childhood flashed before my eyes.  This was the first pastor that I can remember as a child.  He is the man that led me into the baptismal waters at an early age.  I was dumbstruck.  What could I say to this man who has had such an impact on me during my formative years.

I knew he lived in Lubbock, and I thought he was retired.  In fact, a couple of years ago I actually called him on the phone to chat and check in on him.  But this was the first time in over 30 years that I had actually seen him.

He turned 90 this past August and yet, for the last 6 years he has driven the 25 or so miles from Lubbock to Spade to pastor the Baptist church there on Sunday mornings.  There is so much I could tell you about this spiritual giant in my life.  In fact, I think I will do just that over the next couple of days.

For today, let me ask you two questions.  Who has impacted your life in a positive way?  Have you told them what they mean to you lately?

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A Month of Giving Thanks

Posted in Church, Community, Hope on November 7, 2011| Leave a Comment »

We are quickly approaching the holidays.  In fact, last night as I left the church to head home, I noticed a Christmas tree standing in the window of a house down the street from the church.  We are exactly one week past Halloween and already a Christmas tree!

I love Christmas as much as the next person, but let us not jump past Thanksgiving!  And not just because of all the great food and time with family.  This is one holiday during the year that we are encouraged to stop and count our blessings.  But is one day enough for us to do this issue justice?  I don’t think it is.  I think we need to make having gratitude more of a lifestyle.

To start us off, I have called our church into a month of giving thanks.  Yesterday, we talked about stopping and counting our blessings.  I asked the question, “What three things would you miss the most if they were taken away tomorrow?”

I ask you the same question today.  I encourage you to take some time today to think about that question.  Let it resonate in your mind and heart.  Once you have an answer to the question, spend a few minutes thanking and praising God for these blessings!

Be blessed today!

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My Story of James

Posted in Community, Formation on October 11, 2011| Leave a Comment »

James came to see me yesterday.  I had never met James but I was notified that he was here to see me.  I went and escorted him to my office.   He was a worn looking fellow – but clean.  He had tired blue eyes that caught my attention as he sat down in one of the chairs in my office.  I took the chair next to him as he began to tell of his day’s journey.

He had been walking for close to a month, starting in Nebraska and now ending up here.  He was on his way to a community about 2 hours south of here and so he just wanted a place to stay and a hot meal.  I told him that we had already helped two different gentlemen last week and I did not have the funds to put him up for the night but I would make a call to see what I could do.  I called a fellow pastor in town and he agreed to put James up in a local motel for the night.  As I returned to my conversation with James, I began to relate to him the location of the motel and how it would be easy then to get on to Lubbock from that location.  His eyes got big and he said, “Oh, no.  I don’t go through big cities.  It would not be a good idea to try and walk through a big town.”

I then asked how he planned to get to Snyder if he did not go through Lubbock (one of the highways that intersects Littlefield goes through Lubbock and straight on to Snyder).  He told me he was planning on traveling down Highway 385 and then cut across to Snyder – which would take him right through Levelland (where I am still living).  So at that point, I could not see putting him up here and then having him walk to Levelland when I would be driving to Levelland in another 45 minutes.  So I called a connection I still have there and got him a room in Levelland.

He made himself at home in my office while I finished up a few things and then we headed out.  As we drove, I asked him to tell me his story.  As I listened, I learned some things about this man and his life.

Check back tomorrow and I will tell you what I learned.

But for today, think about this:  As James told me his story, I realized that he was being written into mine.

As the story of your life unfolds, who is it that God is writing into your story?

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Open and Accepting

Posted in Church, Community, Grace on October 10, 2011| Leave a Comment »

Yesterday, we had a great day at church.  The energy was high and our people were engaged.  We had a young guy in our service who came to lead worship so that the church could see if this was a worship leader they would like to call to be a permanent member of our staff.  He did a great job of leading our people to worship and everyone responded.  Overall, it was a wonderful Sunday morning.

But one of the best parts of the morning for me was not the service, but what happened afterwards.  You see, in our church, if someone comes to be a part of our family, we have a meet and greet time after the service concludes where just about every person in the service lines up to come by and shake hands and hug necks of the folks who have come to be a part of what God is doing in our church.

Yesterday was no exception.  The line went half way around the auditorium and it took about 30 minutes to get everyone through the line.  As I stood there watching our people file past this young couple, I was struck by the acceptance and openness our people offered.  It was a picture of what I believe God created us to be as the church.

I am proud of our church for striving to be open and accepting of others!

Where do you go to take refuge and be accepted for who you are?  If you don’t have a place – – our doors are always open!

Be blessed!

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Stop and Take It All In

Posted in Community, Formation, Hope on October 4, 2011| Leave a Comment »

Sometimes we need to stop and thank God for the beauty of creation.  This morning I got to the office a little early, so I did the unusual (which is not that unusual for me).  I took my coffee and climbed up on the roof of the church to see the sun come up.

A little extreme?  Maybe.  But I have found it inspiring not only to see God’s creation from that vantage point but also to see the community to which God has called me from that vantage point as well.

I wanted to share this sight with you from this morning.  God is good!  Stop today and take in what God has created and pause to give thanks!

Be blessed today!

 

 

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Take a Break from Pressing Forward

Posted in Church, Community, Family, Formation on September 29, 2011| 1 Comment »

Most of the time, my mind and heart are focused on pushing forward – never being satisfied with the way things are and where I stand in my relationship with God, in my family life and in my work.  I approach my leadership with the church in the same way – we cannot sit and stagnate, we must constantly being looking forward and pressing on toward the goal for which Jesus has called us.

But every once in a while it hits me.  I serve a loving and compassionate God who occasionally tells me, “Why don’t you just sit a minute and rest in me.”  Unfortunately, it takes discipline for me to do that but when I do, it is amazing!

I also need to remember that God has given me a wonderful, caring, supportive and totally hot wife whom I love with all my heart and who loves me.  And beyond that, God has  blessed us with three amazing young men for sons.  While I am not the husband and father that God wants me to be all the time, I am trying.  So maybe for today, I need to stop trying so hard and just for a moment simply be present and offer thanks for a great family.

And as it relates to my work – my calling, I serve the God of the universe who has placed me in what might just be the best congregation in America.  Our people are loving, supportive, welcoming, outward focused and committed to pray for me as their shepherd.  What more could a pastor want?  I had one of these loving and supportive members approach me last week after the service and say, “You are exactly the person our church needs as our pastor.”  As I gave her a hug, it dawned on me and I told her, “This is exactly the church that God knew I needed too!”

Today, I am taking a break from thinking exclusively about how things should be (just for a minute) and thanking God for how the important things are in my life.  The result?  I am truly blessed!

How about you?  Has God blessed you?

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