What a wonderful week I have had.
Monday morning through Wednesday afternoon was spent at “The Academy for the Practice of Christian Ministry,” a continuing education event that will meet once each month from now through April. The group is composed of 14 newly ordained deacons and elders (within the last 5 years). We’re exposed to great speakers and cutting edge vision and training for church leaders.
But more than that, we are becoming connected to one another, and to the other dedicated clergy who lead and mentor us.
48 hours in the North Georgia mountains (
I’m getting what I asked for.
About 2 months ago, I’d had some particularly frustrating days. Those days come for pastors, too, you know.
My good wife reminded me not to give up when times get tough. She invoked the image of Moses in the wilderness. For forty years, he wandered with his people…lost.
“Yeah,” I said, “but at least Moses had a burning bush.”
She reminded me that God still speaks, and my answer might raise the hair of the average pew (well, it’s SOTH…so, table) sitter.
“I wish he’d speak up,” I said.
Wow…He really has.
In the weeks that have intervened, God has posted his notices before me at every turn.
The very night after my flippant “prayer” to hear God’s voice, he began to speak loudly. We had invited the parents of our youth to an informational and visioning meeting.
So many parents and youth attended, that the parents could not fit in a circle in our largest Sunday School room. A wonderful spirit filled the place as people began to hope for what might yet come to pass for the young people of our church and community.
The next weekend, SOTH hosted a district event where George Morris was the speaker. His words hit me like a hammer.
“Four things,” he said, “will guarantee a decline in the life of your church.”
1. Surrender the authority of scripture and its central place in the church’s life.
2. Lose your passion for lost and hurting people in your community
3. “Stiff-arm” (push away) the Holy Spirit
4. Forget that everything is about one thing --- Jesus Christ.
That presentation was followed by more conversations, by prayer, calls, worship and deeply penetrating encounters with scripture.
God is teaching me some lessons. In these lessons lies some wonderful good news.
All the work that you can ever do…all the learning you can ever acquire…all the leadership training that you can absorb…all the admirers that you can ever win…none of them count for anything next to the mighty power of a transformed life through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
That sounds like something a pastor should know, doesn’t it? It does. And I’m learning…not to ever give up what I’ve known in my heart for many years, no matter how hard the world works to steal my focus, and attention and heart.
I know another man who came to feel exactly the same way. He had worked hard. He had done the right things. He had followed all the rules…and still come up empty.
His name was Paul, and here’s what he had to say:
Philippians 3 (The Message)
To Know Him Personally
1 And that's about it, friends. Be glad in God! I don't mind repeating what I have written in earlier letters, and I hope you don't mind hearing it again. Better safe than sorry—so here goes.
2-6 Steer clear of the barking dogs, those religious busybodies, all bark and no bite. All they're interested in is appearances—knife-happy circumcisers, I call them. The real believers are the ones the Spirit of God leads to work away at this ministry, filling the air with Christ's praise as we do it. We couldn't carry this off by our own efforts, and we know it—even though we can list what many might think are impressive credentials. You know my pedigree: a legitimate birth, circumcised on the eighth day; an Israelite from the elite tribe of Benjamin; a strict and devout adherent to God's law; a fiery defender of the purity of my religion, even to the point of persecuting the church; a meticulous observer of everything set down in God's law Book.
7-9 The very credentials these people are waving around as something special, I'm tearing up and throwing out with the trash—along with everything else I used to take credit for. And why? Because of Christ. Yes, all the things I once thought were so important are gone from my life. Compared to the high privilege of knowing Christ Jesus as my Master, firsthand, everything I once thought I had going for me is insignificant—dog dung. I've dumped it all in the trash so that I could embrace Christ and be embraced by him. I didn't want some petty, inferior brand of righteousness that comes from keeping a list of rules when I could get the robust kind that comes from trusting Christ—God's righteousness.
10-11 I gave up all that inferior stuff so I could know Christ personally, experience his resurrection power, be a partner in his suffering, and go all the way with him to death itself. If there was any way to get in on the resurrection from the dead, I wanted to do it.
Focused on the Goal
12-14 I'm not saying that I have this all together, that I have it made. But I am well on my way, reaching out for Christ, who has so wondrously reached out for me. Friends, don't get me wrong: By no means do I count myself an expert in all of this, but I've got my eye on the goal, where God is beckoning us onward—to Jesus. I'm off and running, and I'm not turning back.
15-16 So let's keep focused on that goal, those of us who want everything God has for us. If any of you have something else in mind, something less than total commitment, God will clear your blurred vision—you'll see it yet! Now that we're on the right track, let's stay on it.
What a wonderful thought. And a wonderful week. My deepest prayer is that you will reach out to Jesus. That you will follow him and know what it means to be his disciple. There is nothing as good as the peace that God offers us in redemption, and hope and grace-filled goodness.
Land…Buildings…Programs…Vision-Statements….God can handle them all, and he will add all of these to us…when we seek him first, and his great righteousness.
May we be people of tender hearts…prayer…passion and possibility.
If it’s not Jesus…may the people of SOTH “dump it in the trash,” just like the Apostle Paul. With great joy in my heart, and the freedom of Christ, I look so forward to seeing you this Sunday.
Grace and Peace,
Adam
LIFE AT SOTH: SOTH exists to make disciples of Jesus Christ through ministries of...
Worship -- We’ll worship this Sunday morning, 9 and 11 AM. Our series, “Celebrating the Differences” will conclude with a word from Jeremiah about God’s passion for all his children, “God said.” Don’t forget to stay for Sunday School between services, for children, youth and adults at 10:15 am.
Scripture -- This Sunday we’ll look at Jeremiah 1:1-9
1 The words of Jeremiah son of Hilkiah, one of the priests at Anathoth in the
The Call of Jeremiah
4 The word of the LORD came to me, saying,
5 "Before I formed you in the womb I knew [a] you,
before you were born I set you apart;
I appointed you as a prophet to the nations."
6 "Ah, Sovereign LORD," I said, "I do not know how to speak; I am only a child."
7 But the LORD said to me, "Do not say, 'I am only a child.' You must go to everyone I send you to and say whatever I command you. 8 Do not be afraid of them, for I am with you and will rescue you," declares the LORD.
9 Then the LORD reached out his hand and touched my mouth and said to me, "Now, I have put my words in your mouth.
Prayer: If you don’t receive SOTH prayer concerns, please email your address to sothumc@bellsouth.net. Thanks to God for the wonderful news received by Debbie Garrett, cancer free report last week! Thanks to all of you who have kept the Garretts in your prayers, and please continue to do so!
Relationships: Our youth visioning process continues to bear great fruit! Let’s give thanks to God for the near 30 kids who continue to participate each week. This past Sunday we traveled to see the great things happening at
We are beginning a similar visioning process for our children’s ministry. Children’s Director Kathryn Beasley and I will be on hand with all those who have kids and who are interested in the future of children’s ministry at SOTH on Tuesday night next week, August 28th. Contact Kathryn@sothumc.net for more details and to reserve childcare.
Proactive Evangelism Ministries, led by Rev. Jim Hollis will be present on site with their staff the weekend of September 28, 29 and 30 to begin their process known at “Discovery and Reflection.” Jim and his team will spend time listening to every ministry team and committee in our church. They will also seek input from individuals and families, as all SOTH members and attenders (past and present) are invited to interview and submit surveys about their experience of our church and what they feel that God might be calling us to in the future. This is an outstanding process for ministry discernment and vision and big thanks are due to our Church Council for the vision and confidence to approve taking this next step!
Giving and Service: Don’t forget SOTH’s currently ongoing outreach efforts: The Pantry, The Foster Clothes Closet and Faith in Action. The Pantry is a new food ministry located in downtown Douglasville. You can bring non-perishable food items to SOTH and they’ll be collected and delivered to the Pantry. Contact Mara Cleveland at maraigolf@aol.com for more information. The “Foster Clothes” closet is located on the back patio of “The Ranch,” and donations of gently used children’s clothing goes to foster families as they clothe the children they welcome into their homes. Faith in Action is an email of churches and concerned citizens who work together to meet DFACS needs when notified via email. SOTH will always send along these requests and we’re committed to helping this network meet needs in our community.
Big congrats to the SOTH Co-ed softball team who finished its season in first place!!!
