"Today is my someday."

I gathered with adult SS leaders last night to talk about our church's ministry in the summer. We are going to refresh Wednesday nights and we're calling the mid-week service, The Gathering. We are devoting Sunday evenings to SS class based ministry and mission service projects called, Walking. In defining a win for the SS teachers I said that I really wanted to see a number of our church members get involved in ministry for the first time. Watching church goers become the church for the sake of the Kingdom is one of my great passions. I read something this morning that helped me frame my thoughts on these things.

I got a samply of Mark Batterson's, "Chase the Goose: Reclaiming the Adventure of Living a Spirit-Led Life." I'm reviewing it for our twentysumthings ministry. Apparently the Irish called the Holy Spirit the Wild Goose. Batterson's work is about following the leadership of the Spirit. In the first session of this study he said this,

"In his inaugural address, President Kennedy challenged the American people, 'Ask not what your country can do for you - ask what you can do for your country.'The Peace Corp program emerged from that challenge. In the past year, the number of volunteers in their 50s and older has risen by 50 percent. One of those Peace Corp baby boomers is 64-year-old Loyci Stockey, who said, 'I never forgot his message, and I tucked it away in the back of my head to act on someday. Today is my someday.' That's a powerful statement." Indeed.

Many Christians have a sleeping dream in their hearts - a when I get around to it kind of thing. My prayer is that many of our church members will follow the Wild Goose into their God-given dreams this summer! I'm praying that many of us will say, "Today is my someday."

Current Reading

I'm reading Jerry Rankin's book on spiritual warfare. It has been very good so far.

Good Friday

The Lenten season and Holy Week have been calling me to connect with Jesus on a deeper level. Today is no exception. This is Good Friday and I'm spending it with my family. Meredith and Molly Katherine are doing some Easter shopping with Nanny. Wes and I are hanging at the in-laws house in Brandon. He's napping. I am sitting here thinking about the love of The Father and the sacrifice of The Son. I look at my son and marvel.

Molly Katherine and her friends washed each other's feet at church this week. When I look at a photo of those little hands and feet I can't help but think that Jesus was a kid once as well. A boy like Wes. He laughed and played. He grew and learned. He spent his life loving and being loved by his Father. They shared secrets. One Friday long ago their love for us reached a height that looks crazy from our perspective. The hands and feet that were once tiny were stained with the dark filth of a broken world. Why? Because we needed a savior and he came to save. Jesus went to the cross in obedience to the Father and becaused he loved us. I look at my sleeping son and shake my head.

How wide - the mercy of God.

The Prayers of the People

Everyone struggles with their sense of purpose from time to time. If you are a preacher I can tell you what to do when you struggle with yours. Have the congregation you serve write out their prayers and read them. You will never be the same.
This past Sunday night we had a concert of prayer at our church. The service ended with us placing our supplications into offering plates at the front of the church. I read them early Monday morning. They were filled with hurt, passion, desperation, longing, and hope. They were the honest words of genuine disciples. When one reads that kind of stuff every face in the crowd changes into someone Christ died to save. If you are a servant leader in a church then hear the prayers of God's people. It will change you.

Ears to Hear

I will give a talk this Sunday night about listening to sermons. I am a preacher but I spend most Sunday mornings, “on the other side of the communion table.” I’ve had a lot of time to think about listening to sermons and will share some of these insights this Sunday evening. Here’s what it’ll look like -

“Ears to Hear: You Can Make Every Sermon More Useful”
Deuteronomy 31:11-13

To make every message more useful you need to -

Appear (11) showing up is ¼ the challenge.

Hear (11) passionate listening is a key.

Adhere (12) we’ve got to be committed to “doing the stuff.”

Rear (13) messages are personal but they’re not private. We’ve got to use them to care for and lift up other people.


This could be a series but I’m going to chunk the material at you during an Equipped to Serve Sunday night environment. I’m pretty sure it will be helpful. I know it will be fun.

The Tribe of Inman

Amy Roller is the associate pastor at Central United Methodist Church. She will be preaching at FBC Meridian tomorrow during the noon Lenten service. I had the privilege of preaching at her church a few weeks ago for the same gathering. I'm looking forward to her being here and hearing her message. Amy's coming has given me a chance to think about women serving in ministry and the influence of Wesley's tradition. A little cross-pollination can help us at times.

Many people assert that the Methodist movement really began with Mamma. Susanna Wesley was passionate about Christ and her family. In 1711, her Anglican preacher husband, went to London and left the church in the care of a Curate named Inman. J.B. Wakeley described him as a, "very stupid and narrow man." Ouch! The church suffered under his leadership and starved for the word. Susanna Wesley began an "unauthorized evening meeting" in the parsonage. It began small but grew fast. Inman complained loudly but the ox was out of the barn. The work could not be stopped. Mrs. Wesley's strong spiritual influence impacted her sons and marked the Methodist movement.

I went to seminary at New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary. I had a friend there that was an Assemblies of God pastor. She walked in the tradition of Susanna Wesley (Many Pentecostals affirm the inerrancy of scripture and recognize the ministry giftings of women). She loved God, held a high view of scripture, and believed God called her to lead and preach. She is far from liberal. That label just won't stick to her. It is true that all liberals affirm women in ministry. It does not follow that the affirmation of women in ministry makes one a liberal.

Some of my friends just returned from a mission trip to India. One of them told me just last week of the female tribal pastors (Baptists) that labor to spread the fame of Christ. I celebrate their work. Sadly, there is still a tribe of Inmans that refuse to recognize that God's, "sons and daughters shall prophesy." I know that there are some difficult passages that we must take seriously. I don't think we shouldn't wrestle with the text. I just think we should wrestle with all of it and see grace at work in the lives of our sisters that faithfully share the message of Christ. May their tribe increase.

A Prayer for the Day

I bind unto myself today
the strong name of the Trinity,
by invocation of the same,
the Three in One and One in Three.

I bind unto myself today
the power of God to hold and lead,
his eye to watch, his might to stay,
his ear to hearken to my need;

The wisdom of my God to teach,
his hand to guide, his shield to ward,
the word of God to give me speech,
his heavenly host to be my guard.

Christ be with me, Christ within me,
Christ behind me, Christ before me,
Christ beside me, Christ to win me,
Christ to comfort and restore me,
Christ beneath me, Christ above me,
Christ in quiet, Christ in danger,
Christ in hearts of all that love me,
Christ in mouth of friend and stranger.

St Patricks' Breastplate, 5th century AD, adapted