What We Need is a Change of Heart...

Here goes Darren, treading into the stormy sea of tithing and giving. But I read this article today, and it hits some pretty good points. I still can't believe the figure that the average church goer only gives about 2.5% to the church.

I'm not necessarily a "10% at all costs" kind of guy. When we were having financial struggles earlier this year, we didn't give for three weeks. It was either tithe or eat. Sorry, we ate! But when we have, we give 10%. Period. I feel my pastors and my church are worth it, especially as they endeavor to reach the world with the Gospel. It takes money to do this, and I put my wallet where my faith is. I enjoy giving. And we've seen God pull us out of crazy situations, because of our mindset that the money really isn't ours to begin with.

See what I mean? This can go around forever. Read what Dr. Dean has to say. Leave comments if you are so inclined...

Membership Up, Giving Down: What's the Heart of the Problem?
Dr. Paul Dean

As an expository preacher who generally preaches verse by verse through bible books, I typically preach on giving or tithing when it's in the text; and that means rarely. The heretical health and wealth gospel is a blight on the bride of Christ and the scandalous "sow your monetary seed" preaching that is propagated in a variety of circles must be eschewed by every man of God who is called to herald the glorious gospel of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ. Yet, the issue of giving is of import in terms of both gospel advance and individual Christian commitment.

Citing the Washington Times, Monday Morning Insight noted that "church members continue to give less of their income to churches despite increases in membership." Church members gave only 2.56 percent of their income in 2004. "The study also found more than 85 percent of contributions to churches funded the general operations of the local congregation, while about 15 percent went toward 'benevolence,' which was defined as for "the broader mission of the church, beyond the local congregation."

Sylvia Ronsvalle, co-author of the study, raises a few questions: "Has the church lost its vision? Is the church turning into a club, or does the church see itself as salt?" She further noted a correlation between a decrease in giving and an increase in income. "When everyone was poor, you obviously gave. You knew that your kids were one step away from it. When we all started getting comfortable in this world... ministers found that people weren't so excited hearing about the poor." At the same time, she asserted that the issue is a question of leadership. "Who can galvanize people to say, 'We don't want to live in a world where people are dying?'"

Surely Ronsvalle is on to something when she speaks of the church losing its vision and turning into a club of sorts. So often the church is a social outlet for those who can't afford the local country club. For others, it's a place not unlike the local chamber of commerce where folk can network. All but lost is the notion, let alone the commitment to the reality, that the church is the body of Christ in the world and her members gather to worship and scatter to evangelize.

At the same time, if persons formerly gave to the poor out of a realization or fear that their own children were one step away from poverty, their motivation was all wrong. Biblical giving is not grounded in a focus on oneself. Giving that honors God is motivated by a desire to see Him glorified. Love for others is certainly involved but even that dynamic is grounded in a desire for Him to be praised by others. God has a heart for others and those who long to see Him exalted among the nations will have His heart. If Dr. Piper will allow me some license, love is most exemplified in us when we see to it that God is most glorified in others.

The Lord Jesus Himself said, "For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also" (Luke 12:34). As always, to borrow from Henry Brandt, "the heart of the problem is a problem with the heart." Christians in America seem to have a lot of treasure but precious little of it is in the form of kingdom advance, others orientation, or the propagation of God's glory. To translate the Lord Jesus, people are committed to what they love. When it comes to giving, in the end, we don't need a vision, a fear of poverty, or better leadership. What we need is a change of heart.

Congratulate me! OK, just humor me and applaud or something...

Because I posted earlier this week that I was abandoning my efforts to write the Great American novel a second time during NaNoWriMo to get back into my Berean School studies. Well, I have moved out in my efforts to finish my classes. This morning, I woke up early and not only finished all the essays I needed to submit (all seven pages of them, plus a reference list. I haven't done bibliography work in 14 years!), but I had enough time, I decided to take the final exam, too. Drum roll, please...

I got a 90% on the test! Hallelujah! I won't know on the essays for a few days, but I'm confident they're good. So, two classes down. Next up is a survey class in the book of Acts. From there, it's on to hermeneutics, ethics in ministry and other classes in level one. Then, levels two and three. From there, who knows? Stay faithful and let God lead. Don't get too far ahead, but don't sit back and wait for Him to do everything, either.

That's all for now. I'm going to take advantage of the extra hour of sleep tonight and go now. So, the clock actually says 11 pm, but it's really 10 pm. A clock is a confusing thing to me on a regular day. How the stink am I supposed to navigate this now? Maybe Berean will have a class on clock management. Of course it will never start on time. HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!

Oh, that was good. WHEW! I'm exhausted now. See ya...

Fast food nirvana (not Heaven, it'll be better there. However...)

I was born in Cobleskill, New York and, thanks to my job with Hear For You, I get to work down there one or two days a week. My schedule during the day typically means I'm seeing patients all day and I have to run back to Rotterdam (approx. 30 miles) to file my reports and order any hearing aids. So I end up eating fast food for lunch. Now, I'm a very knowledgeable junk food eater. I remember my first Whopper (age 6, brought home by my mom. Ate it in her bedroom watching TV. I think I ate the whole thing, too.). The McRib sandwich was a big hit when I was young, too. Then, I expanded my options when I went to college - Subway, Taco Bell, Wendy's among others.
But there is something about fast food in Cobleskill. I'm not sure why, but the end result you get in the bag is just...better! It tastes better. It's cooked and fresh, nice and warm. I've had many cheeseburgers at the Mickey D's and they just don't taste the same as they do anywhere else. Just the right amount of ketchup, mustard and fake onions.
Then it happened today (which is why I'm taking time out of my day to post this). I went to Arby's in Cobleskill and had a Reuben sandwich combo. Now, Arby's is a little different. You get what amounts to "real food", no junky burgers. But at the Arby's in Rotterdam, the Reuben was thin, a skimpy slab of corned beef. Cold. Small. Ick. Especially when they're asking almost 7 dollars for it. But today - it all changed! I opened up the Reuben today...whoa! 3/4 inch of beef, loads of sauerkraut, just right temperature. The curly fries? Not too crispy, full container of fries. And I always ask for a soda with no ice. The cup was FULL! They didn't cheat me because of not having ice! I was so happy after I ate. Fat, bloated, and happy.

Yep, I eat too much fast food. But I can't imagine if I lived in Cobleskill. I'd be 650 pounds by now. And let's not get into the pizza I had at Little Law's on Main Street a few weeks ago while my family visited my mom's house...wonderful thin crust style!

That's my rambling for today. I need a nap...

A note on my writing and a note on someone else's...

Hey, there! After a few days of musing, I have decided to table my efforts to write my second NaNoWriMo novel. I'm not giving up writing or anything. It's just in the last couple of days I've been led to other things. Back about a year ago, some of you may remember I started taking correspondance classes through Berean School of the Bible, an A/G program. Well, I breezed through my Intro to Pentecostal Doctrine class - got a 96 final average! Then I hit the second class on the Synoptic gospels. I'm not really sure what happened or how I got derailed, but I never finished. And the books kind of sat on my desk. I'd move them, look at them. Wonder where the excitement went. Put them down. Sigh. Walk away.
But this week, a lot has happened. Tricia and I were seriously considering ditching everything here and moving to Missouri so I could enroll at A/G Seminary. I'd quit my job, we'd sell the house, the whole enchilada. Life and people and situations and the threat of Governor Eliot Spitzer were all beating down on me and I figured it was just time to go. Tricia wasn't excited about it, but I really didn't think there was any other option. We've been hearing all these messages in church about leaving all, giving everything, going to the ends of the Earth. So it seemed like confirmation. Those books kept looking at me funny. Like I had the answer sitting in front of me and I was "too spiritual" to see it.
Then, I get an odd out-of-nowhere vote of confidence at work. Then an informational meeting is happening in two weeks about overseas adoption. Then we realize our church family is more important to us than we could've imagined. Little by little, those books are starting to speak..."Remember us? We're part of the plan. Study to show yourself approved!"
So it doesn't make all the sense in the world, but we're staying put. I'm still working for Hear For You. We're still at Calvary Tabernacle. We're letting our roots grow down and we're going to enjoy the journey. We're considering adoption. My son. Ministry? I've got a lot to learn. I'm not ready for the responsibility yet. God's not done on this "threshing floor" journey He's taking me/us on.
Something's going to happen in February. It's just an impression the Lord gave me months ago. Not sure what, but something. Stay tuned on that...
Oh, and that brings me back to NaNoWriMo. If I'm going to devote time to my classes (polish off the Synoptic Gospels class, go through the Book of Acts, then it's on to hermeneutics!) I need to put off other things for now. So no NaNoWriMo. Tricia's going to do it, though! I should set her up with a blog so she can post her stuff, too. Fifty bucks says she gets to 50,000 words!

Anyhow, that was my writing. Now for someone else's...go to www.jakecolsen.com. You will find there an intriguing book, "So You Don't Want to Go to Church Anymore?" written for the skeptic and searcher in all of us. It's posted on-line, so you don't even have to spend money and buy a book that will sit on your shelf and collect dust! I read the first chapter and was blown away by the down-to-earth style and refreshing honesty by the author(s). If you have a chance, check it out. And pass the link on...

Did you ever feel like everyone's ganging up on you?

I know I have recently. I don't know who originally said it, but I heard it first in a Billy Crockett song - "Just because you're paranoid doesn't mean they really aren't out to get you". Sometimes, that rings true. You just feel like you can do nothing right. You can't please anyone. You can't even breathe correctly without someone getting offended. In the last few weeks, I've had five separate occasions (two work, three personal) where conversations or circumstances just kind of spiraled out of control. Getting blamed for things I didn't do and had no control over. Being confronted over the stupidest stuff.
Now, if you know me, you know I'm typically "the nice guy". I'm easy going, friendly. I rarely start a fight. Why? Everything's cool. The problem with that is that if something bad does happen to you, and you need to stand up for yourself or defend a position, you can't. You don't know how. That's been my problem throughout my life. I'm always afraid if I'm pushed over the edge, I can't trust myself with my response. I may get violent, irrational. Ungodly. Or, I'll make a snap decision that I'll pay for years down the line. In turn, I bottle up my anger and rage. It simmers somewhere under the surface, just below a boil. Then, when acted upon, it fires up to nine billion degrees. That's why a little spilled milk by a child can lead to punching a hole in the wall. A man doesn't have a rage problem. It's no problem - he's GOOD at it. The problem is the outlet. Learning how to stand up, with self-control, and defend your position with righteousness.
Now, of course, this doesn't mean you should get into petty arguments with everyone you disagree with. Scripture warns us to put aside petty squabbles. And, if you are really wrong, it doesn't mean you should try to win a battle of persuasion to make people think you're right. If you're wrong, bend over and take it like a man!
Example - I do a monthly in-service at a retirement home where I check people's hearing. This past month, out of four appointments I had, the care staff at the facility only brought one down to my exam room on time. Very frustrating. One of them was taken to lunch! In finding this out, I told the staff to make sure she hurries up, and I'll see her when she's done shoveling her food down. Well, it was more than an hour later and I was already into my next appointment, and the lunch-eating lady winds up at my door. Nothing I can do. She'll have to reschedule.
The activities coordinator comes into my room a few minutes later. I think she's ready to apologize for the mix-ups. No, she's in the room to blame ME for the problem. "This is your problem, because you told her to eat lunch first. You never should just change the schedule. You should talk to the staff first.". She's talking to me like I'm seven years old. And ignoring the fact that it was HER staff that brought her to lunch instead of my office in the first place. But, here I am, sitting in the principal's office after throwing spit wods at Pauline Zanger (obscure 6th grade reference). It's hard enough to be spoken to like that, but (and this is going to sound sexist) when a woman does it, it's even worse. It's like you're getting your testicles ripped off. That alone can stir up great amounts of anger, not to mention the false accusations.
So, what do you do? Well, the religious left-wing progressives would say, "It's simple. Turn the other cheek." Excuse me? "Sure, Jesus faced all sorts of accusations, but he never got angry at anyone. So we should not get angry at anyone, no matter how wrongly they treat us.". Really? So, in Luke 12, when Jesus is scolded by the Pharisees for healing the woman on the Sabbath and he stares them down and calls them hypocrites, then in the next chapter calls the Chief Priest an "old fox", then later in Matthew's gospel brings down the seven woes upon the religious leaders in a tone that is just dripping with venom, and I haven't even mentioned those famous temple tables yet...this is "turning the other cheek"? Eldredge wrote about this in Wild at Heart -

"We have really misused that verse. You cannot teach a boy how to use his strength by stripping him of it. Jesus was able to retaliate, believe me. But He chose not to. And yet we suggest (my note: in reference to playground bullies, of whom I always ran away from, never standing my ground) that a boy who is mocked, shamed before his fellows, stripped of all power and dignity should stay in that place because Jesus wants him there? You will emasculate him for life. From that point on all will be passive and fearful. He will grow up never knowing how to stand his ground, never knowing if he is a man indeed. Oh yes, he will be courteous, sweet even, deferential, minding all his manners. It may look moral, it may look like turning the other cheek, but it is merely weakness. You cannot turn a cheek you do not have. Our churches are full of such men." (p. 79)

Like I told Delray, my worship leader and pastor's wife, "God is teaching me not to curl up and be abused. If I get spit at, I need to know I can stand up and spit back." Now, again, I must be on the side of truth and righteousness. And I'm not advocating being a Spirit-filled vigilante. But we have the right not to be spoken to condescendingly, especially by the world. DOUBLE ESPECIALLY by other Christians. We can speak up and say, "That is wrong!" and not be labeled judgmental.
Paul said in Ephesians, "Be angry, but do not sin". There is nothing wrong with anger in and of itself. It is a God-given emotion. Anger motivates. Anger makes us seek justice for the wronged. Anger is a passionate tool. But you don't throw out the tool because the one who wields it does so inappropriately. You give it to the craftsman. A knife can perform surgery or it can kill. Pick the person you want to execute the right one.
So, what did I do with that annoying lady? I refused to agree with her. That would give her power. The conclusion she was coming to was wrong. She should not be made to win. So, in as calm a voice as I could, I repeatedly told her my point of view. As she got angrier (because I was not just kneeling down and submitting, like her employees probably do), I kept repeating her statements back to her. When she would make a blind accusation, I would say, "So what you're saying is...". Two reasons: first, maybe she'll actually hear how crazy some of her proposals were and second, so I was sure I was hearing what I was actually hearing. A lot of times, we'll get into arguments with people over miscommunication. Asking the other person what they meant on the spot resolves that. And it also helps in the final step - this week, my boss and I and her boss will be meeting to discuss the situation. Hopefully, if this is a trend, she'll be reprimanded for it. My job is not to punish. It's simply to speak the truth. And I will.
I've always run from confrontation. Don't return a phone call. Don't answer an e-mail. Avoid it. Ignore it. Maybe it'll go away. But God is pulling me out of my comfort zone. He's forcing me to live from the strength He's placed there. Don't be afraid of it. It's the passion that can get a lot of things done. But it's wild now, like a stallion. There's danger, but there's a fierceness to it, too. We need to practice controlling our anger and hostility, so that when we are provoked, we are able to speak the truth without crushing someone's skull. That'd be baaaaad.
Actually, I just thought of another work issue I need to address tomorrow. I think everyone...EVERYONE...is really out to get me. At least I know I trust in the strength He supplies. Bring it on, puppy! Bring it on!

Food for Christian thought for a Thursday...

All credit to my pal Pastor Denes who posted a link to this article on his Crimson Line blog -

http://ncregister.com/site/article/242/

Look past the fact that it's on a Catholic web site. Does that automatically mean it's rubbish? Not in this case. For us "Wild at Heart" men, the article speaks volumes.

"It is only when the human person takes his place as the redeemed creature God made him that we begin to truly see his face and know his name." The new name! Right! And elsewhere, "That is what sin is: a betrayal of who we are, not a revelation of who we are.".

Brilliant stuff. And it's only part one of three. Stay tuned...

I've got to be out of my mind!

I said I wasn't going to do it. I told myself that last year was a fluke, a year of destiny never to be repeated. I was standing strong, dedicated, determined. My past was behind me. My future staring me in the face...

I am not doing National Novel Writing Month this year. What, have I got a death wish or something?

Sure, it was exciting last November. The fact that this wierdo actually got through a 50,000 word book in less than 30 days is amazing (I still have my winner's certificate and my picture of the word count saying 50,000 words, but I've yet to frame them). I count it as one of the truly awesome events of my whole life. I set out to do something that was, as Kevin Costner puts it in Field of Dreams, "highly illogical". And I actually followed through and did it! My book, On the Fritz, is really quite a good story. Truth be told, it's not really finished in the "God did it all in six days and then rested and declared it all good" kind of finished. It has a great beginning and a superb ending. The middle is still a little off. I actually re-visited it mid-summer to redo the middle. I expanded it a bit and thought it would work, but it didn't. It's actually a tad longer now. Probably close to 52,000 now. But it's still not really "done". I also thought of turning it into a screenplay. There's about 15 or 16 pages of that on my hard drive, though it's really not good. I probably would need another set of eyes to do that.

I was awoken this morning at 5. Nablina's purring (not to mention a thrilling view of her "pinkhole") first caught my attention. Then, Rachel's bony little foot kicking me in the stomach added to my anxiety and startled emotional state. But as I lay in random states of conciousness, a thought crossed my mind:

Go downstairs. Log on to nanowrimo.org. Sign up to participate. Write another book. Call it Declan Rummel's Dark Ride. Do it. Don't be a puss.

I know, that's a lot to get all at once. What can I say? Dinner must've been very spicy last night. But I'm trying to listen to the odd thought more and more these days. Anyone can walk through life and not do the "odd thought". What fun is that? Where's the adventure? The risk? Now, obviously, I'm not going to just do something freaky for the sake of being on display. But there are so many things I want to do during the rest of the time I have here on earth. I want to preach and teach the Word of God. I want to publish a book or have a movie made of a screenplay I write. I want to write a song that people use to worship God. I want to go to a baseball fantasy camp. I want to drive a new car - just once. I want to go to Australia. Even with my "Don't ask yourself what the world needs..." mentality, it's incredibly easy to get caught up in the day to day BS. So, every now and then, throw life a curve...or at least a 3-1 slider that gets the hitter out on his front foot and even if he doesn't swing and you walk him, the next hitter has no idea what you'll do if he gets in the same situation. As a true movie icon, Ferris Bueller, said, "Life goes by fast. If you don't stop and look around once in a while, you might miss it." Not me.

So, I guess doing Nanowrimo is a necessity, a mandate, huh? I'm being summoned unto the high ground of writing a 50,000 word novel in 30 days.

Ok, ok, ok. I'll do it. Now can I go back to sleep?

"If the Son has set you free..."

First, I want to thank all of you who prayed for Joe, Steve and myself this past Saturday as we ministered at the Greene County Correctional Facility. Joe is the Chaplain there, as well as one of the elders in my church. It was his idea to do a one-day Wild at Heart seminar with the guys there, most of them need lots of help in understanding what it means to be a godly man. Joe gave me a lot of tips on what to expect and how to handle being inside; but nothing really prepares you for what it’s like to be in there.
For instance, the slamming of iron doors is freaky. Where we were was a medium security facility, so there are many larger open areas for the guys to walk around, get fresh air. The large doors are actually outside. But that doesn’t mean they’re any quieter. They stay more in large bunk rooms than in cells. They are locked down and after lights out you can’t so much as sit up in bed without a corrections officer giving you a hard time. But during the day, there’s a lot of movement. The medium facility had two facilities on either side; one was a maximum security where guys are locked down, two to a cell, at night (what you might commonly think of as jail). On the other side was the "super max", where the worst of the worst are in small cells 23 hours a day. They get one hour of sunlight and recreation. Otherwise, they’re planted in a room. You know, sliding the tray of food under the door and all. I did not go into these other two buildings. Nor did I want to.
You’re familiar with the wire that is set on top of the fences to make it harder for the prisoners to escape, right? Think it’s just regular barbed wire? Think again. Try "razor wire". Two-inch long razor blades, positioned every two feet or so around the wire. If you do try to climb a fence, the razors will slice you up. And if you happen to make it over the first fence, there’s about 30-40 feet before another fence just like the first one. But don’t worry about scaling the second fence. The security guards in the sniper positions above the buildings will gun you down before you ever start the second climb.
Our meetings were held in Building 38, a multi-purpose room that looked a lot like many church fellowship halls. Florescent lights, tile floors, high ceilings - bad acoustics. Joe wanted to do some worship, so he set up the electric piano. One of the men played a bass guitar and there was a beat-up old drum set in the corner. They gave me the drum sticks (they had to be taken out from a locked box - we are in prison and a drumstick IS a potential weapon!) and we lifted a mighty praise! We played standard worship fare - "Blessed Be Your Name", "How Great is Our God", "Holy, Holy, Holy", and others. The guys were really ministered to by the music (they LOVE to worship) and by my playing. One guy wanted to have me give him lessons. I ended up praying at the end for him to receive a "drum anointing". :)
Joe and Steve taught their sessions in the morning. Joe talked about the spiritual battle we’re all in and how the enemy wants to rob us of our masculine strength. Steve did a great interactive talk about the false images we portray and how we need to live out our lives as God designed us to really be. The men really were following along, because right before lunch, the guys split into groups to discuss all that had been shared to that point. I sat in on a group of five or six and the leader, I forget his first name, was speaking powerful, healing words into the lives of some of the guys. I was blown away, especially considering he is only 21! There are pastors I know who do not have the power in their character to minister the way he does.
After lunch, we worshiped a little more (including "O Happy Day", a song I had never played before). Then, it was my turn to preach. I shared how our hearts are central in our lives, how they are broken through the wounds we take (primarily from our fathers), how Jesus came to heal our broken hearts and set us on the path to our original glory, set down from before we were made in our mothers' wombs. Alot to get through, and I only had 45 minutes! I got to share some of my testimony and talk about how though we may walk this life with no earthly father, we have a Heavenly Father who came confirm in us all the things the world never would. I was afraid I was going to lose them, from the length of time I spoke (their attention span is rather short) and the seriousness of the subject. But they hung on every word. Joe seemed to be very excited about how everything went.
I had a chance to bless and encourage a number of the guys one-on-one, which was exciting. I always used to be the guy who’d stand in the corner, shy and afraid. Saturday, I was walking right up to guys, asking them about their deep, dark stuff. We were definitely covered in prayer; I did not feel much spiritual oppression. But I was only in for a few hours. And we were prayed up well, so I could well have been isolated from it, which I am thankful if that is the case.
Picture the scene, 50-60 guys, most in their 20's or 30's, who are inside for some pretty serious stuff. But they had a peace that passes understanding and, to repeat a word I used before, a depth to their walks with the Lord. When you teach prisoners, you’re not dealing with idiots. They may not read very well and can’t tell you all about politics and quantum mechanics, but they are so close to God that if you’re a fake, they’ll smell you a mile away. And they were digging into the topic. You could tell by their comments and their questions that they saw their need for a deep inner healing. Many are on their way to incredible freedom in Him, a freedom many on the outside never experience.
On a personal level, God really spoke to me on several different levels. God further released something in me that had laid dormant for years - the desire to preach and teach the Word. I’ve been feeling like Jeremiah lately - if I don’t preach, it’s like fire being shut away in my bones. I spoke with very few notes and went for 45 minutes, held prisoners’ short attention spans and actually had something to say. He gave it to me. I trusted Him, didn't over prepare and stifle the what the Spirit wanted to do, and the Lord held up His end of the bargain. I told my wife last night as we talked about it, "That's it! That's what I'm put here to do. Minister. Preach and teach the Word. Be mightily used in His service. It's time to stop pleasing myself and striving for what I want. Drop the nets. Expand my circle. It's time."
Now what do we do? Seminary, on-line or distance learner? Straight into ministry? There must be more. But to me it doesn’t matter. He has a plan and a destiny. I will fulfill it! I can’t wait to get Lorenzo’s "Flying Blind" sermon. I’ll probably post it up here when I get a chance. And, if you have it, listen to Steven Curtis Chapman’s "Free", on the CD Signs of Life. His song is almost word for word what I experienced.

There is so much more to say. I’m sure I’ll share more as we go along. Again, we believe your prayers were vital in us having the success we have had. Thank you!

For now, I’m falling asleep. In fact, you should’ve read some for the stuff I erased as I was trying to write and sleep at the same time. Good stinking luck! No psychologist can figure that out!

Walk with God...

Prayer for me tomorrow! (But pray now, please!)

Hello!

Wanted to send out a prayer request for me, Joe Prisk and Steve Black as we'll be ministering at Greene County Correctional Facility tomorrow from 9am-2:30pm. Joe is the Chaplain there, and he's organized a seminar day based on Wild at Heart. Originally, it was going to be a very structured event, based around the message of the heart. But the more I've been praying, the more it seems God just wants the three of us to go in there, give our testimonies, be transparent, and let the Holy Spirit show up. Joe, Steve and I are meeting tonight to pray and do final prep for the event.

There has been intense spiritual warfare going on the last few weeks, so as if we didn't figure that we were invading enemy territory, it's more apparent right now. Also, I'm feeling like this is a "test case" for me. I've been feeling more and more that God is calling me to preach (or to finally move on a calling that He planted years ago and I've buried under my own plans). I'm excited to have the chance to do it with a heart that's "wild, unfettered and free". More of Him, none of me.

Thanks for your covering. I'll be sure to post highlights later this weekend.

Walk with God...

Cool video...just for you!

Our worship leader extraordinare, Delray Agnes, sent a link to this video on the WorshipHouse Media web site. We're going to be playing the video clip on our Jumbotron while we play "Nothing But the Blood" over it. I don't know, Telecast's song is pretty cool, too. Check out the other samples found on the site. Good to see creative people doing neat stuff for the Kingdom.

The link is here: http://worshiphousemedia.com/index.cfm?hndl=details&tab=MM&id=4522

Walk with God...


Darren

REPENT!!!

I subscribe to a number of free e-mail services. Some are great, like John Piper's. Others are, to be blunt, advertisements for the latest church growth gobbledy-gook. I got this one today from Ray Pritchard. I thought it so excellent that I'm posting it here for your edification. Pritchard has a whole blog of his own at www.crosswalk.com. Just search for it...

Repent! The Forgotten Doctrine of Salvation
Ray Pritchard

Please see Acts 17:30.

In 1937 the American Tract Society sponsored a contest in which they offered a prize of $1,000 for the best new book written on one of the “essential evangelical doctrines of the Christian faith.” Sixty-one years ago, $1,000 was a lot of money and a great many well-known Christian authors entered the contest hoping to win the prize. A committee representing six denominations judged the entries. The judges unanimously chose a book written by a man whose name I have mentioned before — Dr. Harry Ironside, who for many years served as pastor of the famous Moody Memorial Church in downtown Chicago. The book he wrote is entitled Except Ye Repent. The title is taken from the King James Version of Luke 13:3 where Jesus said to the men of his day, “Except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish”.
Let me quote the first sentence from Dr. Ironside’s introduction: “Fully convinced in my own mind that the doctrine of repentance is the missing note in many otherwise orthodox and fundamentally sound circles today, I have penned this volume out of a full heart.” Repentance, he says, is the missing note in many otherwise sound churches. If it was so in 1937, how much more it must be true in 2006.

In our day, and in our circles, the doctrine of repentance is not preached very often. There are several reasons for this. First, we live in a superficial age and any preaching of repentance is bound to cut through the superficiality. This is one point on which both liberals and conservatives share unspoken agreement — no one wants to go to church and hear hard truth from the pulpit, and repentance is the ultimate hard truth. Second, some evangelicals fear the preaching of repentance because they think it somehow opposes the gospel of grace. Their fears are justified if repentance is made to equal penance, the act whereby a man atones for his own sin. But that is not true biblical repentance. Where true repentance is preached, it actually promotes the grace of God.

A Major Biblical Topic Even a casual reader of the Bible soon discovers that repentance is a major biblical topic. All the prophets mention it in one way or another. Isaiah called Israel to repent, as did Jeremiah and Ezekiel and Hosea and Micah and Malachi. A survey of the New Testament shows that the words “repent” and “repentance” are used in various forms 55 times. John the Baptist cried out, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near” (Matthew 3:2). The entire message of Jesus is summed up in these words: “Repent and believe the good news” (Mark 1:15). When Jesus sent the 12 apostles out, they preached “that people should repent” (Mark 6:12). Our Lord also declared, “I am not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance”(Luke 5:32). When Luke recorded his version of the Great Commission, he tells us that Jesus ordered that “repentance and forgiveness of sins be preached in his name to all nations, beginning in Jerusalem” (Luke 24:47). Evidently Peter took those words seriously because on the Day of Pentecost he concluded his powerful sermon by calling on his hearers to “Repent and be baptized … for the forgiveness of your sins” (Acts 2:38).

Before we move on, consider these two verses:

“The Lord is not slow in keeping his promises, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance” (2 Peter 3:9).

“In the past God overlooked such ignorance, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent” (Acts 17:30).

What is God saying?
He wants you to repent!
He commands you to repent!

That last statement would have bothered the men of Athens. Up until this point, they would have been quite happy with Paul’s message on Mars Hill. Even if they didn’t agree with everything, the Stoic and Epicurean philosophers would have found much food for thought. But with the mention of repentance, they would have become very uncomfortable. Intellectuals love to discuss but hate to decide. The men of Athens would have welcomed Paul’s theological presentation but they could not accept his demand for repentance. That came too close for comfort.

But our text is perfectly clear. If you want to go to heaven, you must repent of your sins. This is not only God’s desire; it is also God’s command. As all good soldiers know, when a command is given, you don’t discuss it or debate it. You have but one choice — to obey. If you don’t, you are guilty of insubordination.
No one likes to be commanded to do anything. But here is a command from Almighty God that applies to every man, woman, boy and girl born on this planet. God says you must repent. No excuses will be accepted. If you do not obey God’s command, you will someday face a divine court-martial.

I. The Definition of Repentance Before going further, it’s important that we clearly understand what repentance really means. In the Old Testament, two Hebrew words help us understand repentance. The first is the word nacham, which means to turn around or to change the mind. The second is the word sub. It is used over 600 times in the Old Testament and is translated by such words as “turn,” “return,” “seek,” “restore.” You see it very often in phrases like “to turn to the Lord with all your heart.”
When you come to the New Testament there is one word you need to know — the Greek word metanoia, which literally means “to change the mind.” Repentance fundamentally means to change your mind about something. It has to do with the way you think about something. You’ve been thinking one way, but now you think the opposite way. That’s repentance — the changing of the mind.
Let’s suppose a man wants to learn how to parachute. So he goes to a parachute school and they show him how to rig up his gear, how to pull the rip cord, and how to land safely. Finally the day comes when they take him up in an airplane. He’s scared to death but he’s afraid to back out. The moment comes when he is to jump. He goes to the door of the airplane and sees the ground 7,000 feet below. His legs grow weak, he’s about to throw up, and somebody behind him is trying to push him out of the airplane. At the last second he says, “No. I’m not going to do it.” “Go ahead, you can do it,” his instructor shouts. “I’ve changed my mind,” he replies. “I’m not going to jump.” And he doesn’t. That man has repented. He’s changed his mind in a decisive way. That story illustrates how repentance works. Repentance is a change in the way I think that leads to change in the way I live. When you really change your mind about something, it’s going to change the way you think about it, talk about it, feel about it, and act about it. I’m suggesting that true repentance is more than just a mental game. Repentance is a decisive change in direction. It’s a change of mind that leads to a change of thinking that leads to a change of attitude that leads to a change of feeling that leads to a change of values that leads to a change in the way you live.
I can remember almost 40 years ago going to a small Baptist church in northwest Alabama to hear Ed McCollum — my father in the ministry — preach in a revival meeting. I’ve never forgotten how he explained the doctrine of repentance. He went to one end of the platform and started walking. About the time he got to the other end, he turned around and started going in the other direction. “That’s what repentance is,” he declared. “You were going one way in your life and now you are going in another.” That’s why the typical Old Testament word for repentance is “turn.” Turning is always involved in repentance. It’s a change of mind that leads to a change of direction.
Someone may object — rightly — that to leave the matter there may make it seem as if repentance is an outward work I do, a kind of self-reformation where I try to clean up my life. That would indeed be opposed to the gospel of grace. But that’s not what I mean. What I am trying to show is that true repentance affects the way I live and if it doesn’t affect the way I live, it’s not true repentance. It’s not just mental arithmetic; it’s a true change in the values by which I live my life. There are dangers on both sides. I think by far our greater danger is that we will minimize repentance to the point where it doesn’t mean anything at all.
Only God Can Grant RepentanceIt’s also crucial to point out that repentance is a gift from God. We are all born with a sin nature that leads us constantly away from God (Ephesians 2:1-2). Left to ourselves, we will always walk in the wrong direction. No one will ever have the slightest desire to change directions — and no one will have the power to make the change — unless and until God touches that person with the power of the Holy Spirit. That’s why both Acts 11:18 and 2 Timothy 2:25 speak of God granting the gift of repentance. Without that gift, no sinner could ever turn from his sin and find the Lord Jesus Christ.
In passing, let me say that there are two things that repentance is not. First, repentance is not mere sorrow for sin. Repentance is not measured by the number of tears you shed. Judas, we are told, regretted having betrayed Christ. He was genuinely sorry but he did not repent. There is a place for weeping and agony of soul, and we would all be better off if we took our sin more seriously, but sorrow in and of itself is not repentance. Second, repentance is not merely a promise to do better. I’ve already said that repentance is not self-reformation. It’s not a spiritual New Year’s Eve resolution. Yet repentance includes both ideas. When I truly change my mind about the way I have been living, there will be sorrow for sin because I will see my sin the way God sees it. It will grieve me the way it grieves God. And repentance implies a decision to make a break with the past and to live a life pleasing to God. So those two things aren’t wrong; they just don’t go far enough.
The first step in changing the direction of your life must come from within. You’ve got to want to change. If you don’t want to change, no one can make you change. And you must be willing to do the hard work of repentance. Most of us change slowly and often only under great pressure from within or without. That explains why Christians often continue in sinful patterns of conduct even when we know we are hurting ourselves and others. It’s easier to keep on doing what we’ve been doing. Real change is hard work. But if there is no real change, there is no real repentance. Until you can say, “I was wrong,” you will never be able to repent. If you never admit your faults, you can never be healed. Until you admit that you are traveling down the wrong road, you can never change the direction of your life.
Once when preaching on this topic, I asked the congregation to say "I was wrong" out loud with me. With more than a few sheepish grins, we all said it together. Why not stop reading and say it out loud wherever you are? As you grow spiritually, it ought to become easier and easier to say those words.

II. Repentance Illustrated It’s not hard to find many examples of true and false repentance in the Bible. On the positive side we have the prodigal son (Luke 15:11-32) who took his share of his father’s inheritance, left home, went to the “far country,” and wasted it all on riotous living and sexual immorality. When the famine came (as it always does sooner or later), he found himself broke, hungry, friendless and penniless, far from home. He ended up hiring himself out to a farmer where he fed the pigs and dreamed of eating the husks himself. Finally he came to his senses, he realized what a fool he had been, and resolved to return to his father’s house. He mentally rehearsed what he would say: “I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me like one of your hired men.” Then he got up and began the long journey home. But when his father saw him coming, he ran to him, embraced him with tears, and welcomed him back with joy. The son repeated the words he had rehearsed and his father responded by putting a robe on his shoulders, a ring on his finger, and sandals on his feet. He called for a great celebration because his son who had been lost at last was found — as if he had come back from the dead.
On the other hand consider Judas who betrayed the Lord for the price of a slave. When he realized his error, he returned the money to the high priests and tried to cancel the deal, but it was too late (Matthew 27:1-10). The older versions say Judas repented, but the newer versions more accurately record that he was filled with remorse. Later he ended up committing suicide.
What made the difference between these two men? Both knew they had done wrong, both felt deep remorse. Yet one was forgiven and the other was not. Why? Surely the crucial point must be that the prodigal son cried out to his father for forgiveness while Judas did not. He confessed his sin — but not to God — and that made the difference between heaven and hell.

III. Repentance Applied Repentance is the doorway to heaven and there is no other entrance. That’s a bold statement to make — yet I believe it is entirely biblical. If we fail to preach repentance, we are leaving out a vital part of the gospel message. Our failure in this regard has produced an anemic gospel, stripped of its power to change human lives. But there is more to repentance than the initial act of coming to Christ for salvation. Repentance is to be part of our daily walk with God. It is foundational to a growing Christian life. When Martin Luther nailed his 95 Theses to the door of the Castle Church in Wittenberg, Germany in 1517, he began with this crucial statement: “When our Lord and Master, Jesus Christ, said 'Repent,' He called for the entire life of believers to be one of repentance.” In a sense the entire Protestant Reformation hangs on those simple words. If you are a Christian, repentance ought to be part of your daily life.
When Paul said that by the Spirit we should “put to death the deeds of the flesh” (Romans 8:13), he was talking about repentance.When he said, “If we would judge ourselves, we would not be judged” (I Corinthians 11:31), he was talking about repentance.When Peter said to his readers, “Rid yourselves of all malice and deceit” (I Peter 2:1), he was talking about repentance.When James said, “Wash your hands, you sinners” (James 4:8), he was talking about repentance.When John said, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (I John 1:9), he was talking about repentance. The words are different but the meaning is the same.
One reason revival does not come is that we take our sins too lightly. Repentance is hard work. It demands we stop excusing ourselves. It means looking at life from God’s point of view. The reason we don’t want to repent is because we know our lives would have to change, and that makes us uncomfortable.
The doctrine of repentance is not given to heap more guilt upon us. It is given to free us from guilt. We drift and slide away from Christ precisely because we don’t want to repent. Repentance means a genuine change of mind about ourselves and the way we’ve been living. It’s costly. It’s not easy. Things are going to change if we repent. But if we dare to obey God when it isn’t easy, if we break up the hard soil of our hearts, God will plant within the seeds of joy and peace. Repentance is not opposed to grace; true repentance leads us on to grace where we are forgiven and restored to fellowship with God.
When I preached this, a friend commented that anyone who thinks repentance is opposed to grace doesn’t understand either one. I think he’s right.

What Repentance Looks Like What does repentance look like in practical terms? Here are five statements that help us answer that question: I know I have repented when…

A. I admit I did wrong.
B. I feel sorrow over my sin.
C. I confess my sin to God and to others.
D. I resolve to make restitution where possible.
E. I walk in the path of new obedience.

Our greatest need is for a holy dissatisfaction. Not a morbid introspection. Not a self-conscious recital of every sin we have committed. But a holy hunger for God to reveal himself in a new way. Where do we go from here? We need to have a time of prayer and personal commitment. I think many of us are somewhere on a downward slide spiritually. Many of us are conscious of being so busy that we hardly have time for the Lord anymore. That’s the first step in a bad direction. Now is the time to turn away from our sin and find forgiveness and cleansing.

One final word. The Gospel invitation begins with repentance. The first step in becoming a Christian is changing your mind about Jesus Christ. Jesus said, “Unless you repent, you too will perish.” It would be terrible to go to hell because you never repented of your sins. Terrible because God has already done everything necessary for you to go to heaven. He sent his own son to die on the cross, bearing your sins, taking your place, paying your penalty. A hymm written in 1759 by Joseph Hart contains a verse that says it well:

Let not conscience make you linger
Nor of fitness fondly dream.
All the fitness he requireth
Is to feel your need of Him.

If you go to hell, don’t blame anyone but yourself. The way to heaven has been open for 2,000 years. Jesus died that you might enter God’s presence forever. No one else could have done what he did. No one else would have done it. The same hymn contains this message of gospel hope:

Come, ye weary, heavy laden,
Lost and ruined by the fall;
If you tarry till you’re better,
You will never come at all.

The refrain promises that Christ will welcome us when we come to him:

I will arise and go to Jesus,
He will embrace me in His arms;
In the arms of my dear Savior,
O there are ten thousand charms.

Do you feel your need of him? If you do, I urge you to come to Christ and put your trust in him. Do it today and enter into the salvation God has prepared for you. Amen.