Bad Seasons

After a bad football season, it is common to hear talk of firing the coach or at least part of the staff. Surely, someone else can put a better program together and achieve a winning season. In life, we often get mad at the coach when we have a bad season. Our circumstances steer us in a new direction. Surely, things will get better if the calls are made differently. I am currently in a tough season. With the premature birth of twins, having one home and one in the hospital. Not getting ideal news at the doctor, and various other stressors. When I evaluate the season, the true coach has been revealed and he must be fired! I have let the circumstances of the season determine my loyalty and my faith. I have been trying to call the plays. God is still good when life is difficult, when things don't go as planned. If God's existence and goodness hinged on how I feel, my physical condition, financial condition, or relationships, then he wouldn't be Lord. Often, we give our lives to the Lord but turn our backs when circumstances are bad, when the season is not so great. We must ask ourselves who has the coach been? If our relationship with God depends on what makes us happy and makes the season good in our minds, then God is not the coach. We have been running the season on our terms. Lately, my attitude has been effected, my attitude has been blah and I have learned that I have been relying too much on ideal circumstances and not on the author of my life. The good news about a bad season is that another season is on the horizon. Make sure you have the right head coach even if that means firing yourself!

Anticipating what's next

There is mystery in a television series. What direction will it take? How will the story develop? What will become of the character? Faith is similar. What will God do next? How will God work through our current situation. Often times, mystery keeps the viewer watching the program. What if mystery kept us faithful to God? I have often been left in wonder of how God has shown up and brought me through tough times. Where is the expectancy? Instead of waiting in wonder, many just give up. We often give our time to entertainment, anticipating next week's episode. We give little thought to what God will do in a week. It's tough to have patience with God's timing. When we reflect on what he has done, when we remember where he has led us. The Exodus from our past, anticipation should be our response! Isaiah 43:19

Your Arrival

I prayed. In that moment, I remembered God's promises. "Call to me and I will answer you." "Fear not for I am with you always." I was scared. Nervous. If anything checks faith, it is uncertainty. The doctor said best case scenario would be to delay your arrival. I told God that I trust him and believe in his timing. Before I knew it, you guys were on your way. You didn't come like your sisters. This was a whole new experience. I didn't know what I should do. My attention bounced from mom to baby, mom to baby..wife to child. Gibson, they were quick to get you breathing and they rushed you away. I was overwhelmed. Another baby had to be born. They rushed your mom down the hall. I wasn't sure what to do. I prayed. The bible says that the Spirit hears our sighs and intercedes for us. Wordless groans... I prayed! Neely, it wasn't long before my attention floated from you to your mom, wife to my child. Watching heart rates drop, praying. Your mom got to kiss you before they took you downstairs. Downstairs, beeps, blinking lights, ambient noise. I was ushered down, torn between two rooms. Torn between floors. Your mom upstairs, you guys separated. Your sisters at home. I prayed. Now life is treading highway, precious moments, watching you learn to thrive. Praying. It's tough to know that you are there and we are here. I trust in God! This may not be the hardest distance that we face. You may one day move across the country, overseas, far away. You may not be just a drive away. Thankful. I'm thankful that you're here. I have seen you, touched you, smelled you. I have been praying for you all along, now I've prayed over you, with you in wordless groans. I pray that you two come home soon. I trust God's timing and what is best for you. While we wait, we pray... Not because it's all we can do but because it is what we do.

Lay Down Your Armor

I am the demographic. If we are talking about worship as marketing, or branding, I am the demographic. I am a musician who loves slick guitars, flickering lights, loud crashing symbols. Worship style is something that has become the mark of the church. The problem with this, is that marketing by practice is all about image, looking better, more appealing than the competition. Competition?.... The fight over worship styles has been going on for decades. I literally cannot remember a church experience where it wasn't an issue. It seems like it has been going on for an eternity...that's just it though, it's not eternal.

What Is The Church? Acts chapter 2 gives us a great model for what the church started out to be. In my Bible, the header reads something like, "The fellowship of believers." We read about people working together, sharing together. The word daily pops up often throughout the section. Those inspiring words "Many were added to their number daily, those who were being saved" is what the church of today wants. Why did the people come? Why did they seek to be a part of the early church. I have looked it over time and time again and there isn't much about personal preference, music, church building, or formulas. The early church was a community that gave and sacrificed for one another in the name of Jesus, who came to put others before himself even to the point of laying down his life. Jesus told Peter that if he loved him, he would feed his sheep. Jesus did not tell Peter that if he loved him, he would run his business. I have worked for several businesses that had a C.E.O, I never got to know them, I certainly didn't have a personal relationship with them. That C.E.O expected us employees to run the business well, to represent the company well. God is not a C.E.O, he seeks personal relationship, he calls us to love, not to a product.

1 Samuel 17:38-39 (MSG) Then Saul outfitted David as a soldier in armor. He put his bronze helmet on his head and belted his sword on him over the armor. David tried to walk but he could hardly budge.
David told Saul, “I can’t even move with all this stuff on me. I’m not used to this.” And he took it all off.

The church today faces a giant. How will we proceed? How will we make it? How will we add to our number daily without it being about the number? Saul thought he had the formula for battle figured out. Saul fitted David in his armor, after all, every soldier needs to be fitted in the best armor for battle. David took it off, it didn't fit him. David couldn't even walk in it. It's a sad state to be in, when the church can't even walk. Putting on the armor that has worked for another congregation, may not fit your congregation. It's time to look beyond what has been successful for others. All David needed was what he had and faith in God, who had always been with him and could not be stopped. The early church loved Jesus, and that is what drew the people in. The church needs to take off the armor, and just love Jesus! Forget the ledgers, the attendance records, the service planning and just lay everything at the feet of Jesus. There is no perfect formula, there is no sure fire answer. There is only Jesus, and he is all that we need. The armor wasn't what David needed, trust was. If there is a reoccurring theme about approach in scripture, it's that God does big things when people trust. It never looks the way everyone thinks it should, God is creator, he is creative, and he created us to be too.

Multi Vocational

Bi-vocational ministry is a difficult thing to juggle. I certainly don't have the expertise on the subject but, I do have some experience. I like to tell people that I am quad vocational. I technically have three jobs and I am finishing up my degree as well. One of the biggest struggles I face is turning my mind off. I have checklists at each job and with my school work. When the day is over, I am sometimes wondering if I did everything I was supposed to do. It can be difficult to be present at home when my my is still concerned with my day time checklists. For all ministers, it is important to spend time in the word. It can become difficult to keep up with devotionals among work responsibilities, school assignments, and lesson preparation. Here are a few practice I have adopted over the past few years for reading God's word and keeping up with students.

TAKE THE WORD WITH YOU The YouVersion Bible app has been a game changer. It is very easy to follow a reading plan and set reminders on your phone. There are several different Bible apps and plans out there. I currently use the YouVersion Bible app and Spurgeon's Morning and Evening app on my phone. Aside from those applications, I keep an old copy of Grace for The Moment by Max Lucado in my desk at my first job. It is helpful to have the short devotional handy to help focus my day.

BE INTENTIONAL ABOUT YOUR TIME Sometimes I arrive to work early just to have time to sit in my car alone and read from my Bible app. This way I don't have to worry about being late or rush through the reading. I am already at work and just have to walk in when I am finished reading. I really think that we sell ourselves short if we try to squeeze in a quick devotion. It is important to have time to sit and listen and reflect. I find that when I rush through, I am setting the course for the rest of my day. I am trying to fit things into my schedule and I am really only seeking to serve myself when I do that.

TECHNOLOGY I am fortunate to work at a school where a lot of my students attend. I get to see a few of them throughout the week which is awesome. Sometimes, when you are working secular jobs, you don't get to connect at all except at church. Technology has enabled us to check in. I know this old school knowledge now but, it's still pretty rad (just to keep it old school) to be able to connect in some way with just the click of a button or two. Church snaps is an app that offers some cool ways to interact.

FINAL THOUGHTS Bi-vocational ministry has it's benefits. You truly get to do life with your students. Sure, it would be nice to have the opportunity to focus all of your energy on ministry, in fact you probably dream about how awesome your ministry would be if you could focus your time on just that. When a student is stressing about their schedule and time management, you can identify with them. Bi-vocational ministry affords us some credibility that isn't available to the full-time minister. We know that the full-time minister's job is hard, we know that it is more than hanging out and playing games. We experience a taste of it, while breaking our backs elsewhere. Bi-vocational ministry is a good example to students of how to manage multiple responsibilities and spiritual growth. Persevere!