10 Goodbyes to a Blue Christmas

“I’ll have a blue Christmas without you…” Elvis has long since left the building, but his Blue Christmas song can still be heard on the radio today.  And for many people, this is more than a song; it is a reality.  The rate of depression and suicide increases this time of year.

As people long for Hallmark-like Christmas gatherings that end up looking more like a Jerry Springer show, you can hear them sing, “I’ll have a blue Christmas…”

As the season magnifies the loss of a loved one, people sing, “I’ll have a blue Christmas…”

As one struggles to make ends meet all year, the holidays make the financial burden seem even more burdensome and people sing, “I’ll have a blue Christmas…”

As the days become gray and cold in Northeast Ohio, people like me who struggle with seasonal depression, sing, and “I’ll have a blue Christmas…” 

The point is there are plenty of reasons for any of us to find this time of year to join Elvis in his song of lament.  However, the question I have for my fellow blue Christmas brothers and sisters is what if we could trade our blue Christmas for a more joyful one?  Would we if we could? 

Now, I suppose there are some who would say, “I prefer to just be blue, thank you very much” and most certainly that is a choice that any of us have a right to make.  I will not in any way try to violate your will. On the other hand, for those who might be interested in singing a different song this Christmas, I invite you to take a little walk with me because I need this as much as anyone.  So, here are ten thoughts to consider for walking away from a blue Christmas.

10) Sing!  Even if you cannot sing, sing!  This time of year, Christmas music is everywhere.  Join in with the music; especially the music that reminds us what this season is about—Jesus coming!  The Bible says, “God inhabits the praises of his people.”  I have learned that the more blue I feel, the more praise has a place in my life because that is where God lives.  I wonder if this is one of the reasons why I keep hearing from people how meaningful the all-church Christmas caroling to shut-ins was?

9) Be with others!  Don’t sit in the house waiting for others to find you, go and find others!  The Bible teaches over and over again that God made us for companionship.  “It is not good for a man to be alone” (and that does not only apply to marriage.  God shows us through establishing his Church that he has made us for authentic community).  This is why we make such a big deal out of Sunday School and Connection Groups.  We expect every person (this, frankly, is each person’s own responsibility) to find a group because God made you to be connected because that is how he brings transformation in our lives.

8) Be a kid again in anticipation!  Advent is all about anticipation.  My kids can hardly wait for Christmas morning, but God wants them to grow up into real anticipation of his coming.  How can you help you and yours anticipate being in God’s presence every day and his return some day?

7) See the needs of others!  Remember the time in John 4 when it says Jesus was tired and hungry.  He sat down by a well and began to doze off.  Then he met a woman who was full of all kind of hurt, sin and brokenness.  By the time his conversation had ended he was wide awake and energized.  The disciples came back with food, saw him and thought he had already eaten.  But Jesus said, “I have food you know nothing about!”  In other words, when you see the need of others and get to be a part of God caring for those needs, the blues are not permitted to stay and you get filled up.  It reminds me of Tim and Donna Krabill’s video from Sunday.  As they shared about the needs of the children at Sahara Apartments how could you not see the joy in their faces as they shared about the opportunity God has opened for them and us to truly care?!

6) Be quiet!  In this season of hustle and bustle, it is Ok to say, “No thanks.”  Sometimes the reason we have the blues this time of year is because we overcommit.  The stress of running here and there can get to the best of us.  May be the most spiritual thing you can do during this season is say no to one or two events so you can just “Be still and know that I am God.”

5) Laugh!  “A cheerful heart is good medicine.”  I try to find a reason just to tilt my head back, clap my hand and laugh every day.  It really does do the body good.  Ought we to be the people of the world who laugh the most?  Hell thought it had won the day, but then God pulled a fast one and sent his son to overcome now and forever!

4) Exercise!  God did not give us life to sit on a couch.  Look at Adam and Eve.  They were in paradise, but they were caring for the earth.  They did not lay in hammocks sipping lemonade.  They were up tending the earth by day and walking with God at dusk.  Don’t devalue the spiritual aspect of exercise.  No matter what our age or condition, we can all find some way to move this body God has given to treat it like the temple he says it is.

3) Money matters!  Money is a spiritual matter all year long.  It is tempting at Christmas to throw out the window what God says about money. Our culture tells us to live outside our means, borrow money for wants, keep up with the Jones’ and justify materialism in the name of Jesus.  The reason Jesus talks about money second only to love is because he knows that how we treat our money will either put us in his hands or under someone else’s.  I just want to say thank you to those who live by biblical principles through not only tithes and offerings, but for the way you have sacrificially fulfilled your pledge to make us a church that gives money away to meet needs around the world and right here in Canton through Faith Promise Plus.

2) Ask not what you can get out of Christmas, but what you can give for Christ!  Sin teaches us to make everything about me, me, me.  Our culture says we have to look out for number 1.  But the truth is the more we focus on “I”, the more susceptible we are to being blue.  I have been amazed this Christmas season to watch our church family turn from self to loving God and others!  Boots and coats for Belle Stone, time and energy for Nextgen basketball, food for Thanksgiving baskets, cards of encouragement, money to help those you know who are in need in our church family and in your neighborhood, time given to show people God cares, cards made by children for the elderly and cookies made by the elderly for our children…the list of examples could go on and on!  The truth is, we should have a blue Christmas if we don’t make Christmas about someone besides me and mine.

1) Point people to Jesus!  Yesterday, our Keenager group did their monthly Nursing Home service and at the end one man said, “I want to commit my life to Jesus!”  Praise God!  Did you know that so far in 2004, 65 people have made decisions to follow Christ!   Every day and all year long, God is putting people in our life so that we might experience the joy of pointing them to Jesus. 

So, next time you hear Elvis sing about his blue Christmas, why not turn it off and say, “God thank you for giving me more than enough reasons for me to have something more in and through and for you!”  Come to think of it that is why Jesus came…Jesus moved into the neighborhood to show us how to truly live in our neighborhood (John 1:14, The Message).

Acceptable Stealing

As you may or may not know, during October and November we experienced three theft incidents on Sunday mornings.  In all but one, the individuals were seen doing the act, addressed and the stolen items returned.  I was kind of getting fired up about this.  “What are we going to do about this?  I can’t believe people would do this in a place of worship...Man the gates…sound the alarms!” On and on I was ranting in my mind.  Then, Sunday afternoon, the still, small voice of the Holy Spirit asked me a convicting question.  “Chad, why are you upset about spiritually lost people coming to the church building and stealing, but not upset about Christians coming to worship and stealing from me?” 

I tried to push that thought to the back of my mind.  But then this week, God hit me again with this truth in my Scripture reading.  This year I have been using a Scripture reading plan through a Bible App.  Each day it chooses a Scripture reading for me as it leads me through a pattern of Old and New Testament readings.  Guess what “just so happened” to pop up on my screen this week?  Malachi 3.  When I saw it on my screen, I knew immediately that God was not letting me off the hook.  So, I read it knowing full well what it said:

“But you ask, “How do we rob you?” “In tithes [10 percent of one’s income] and offerings.  You are under a curse—the whole nation of you—because you are robbing me.  Bring the whole tithe into my storehouse, that there may be food in my house.  Test me in this,” says the Lord Almighty, “and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have room enough for it.”

After reading it, again the question came to mind: “Chad, why are you upset about spiritually lost people coming to the church building and stealing, but not upset about Christians coming to worship and stealing from me?”  But again, I put off sharing this with you because, frankly, I would rather just say something that gives you warm-fuzzies this time of year.

But then, an individual stopped by and knocked on my office door.  The person was talking about some of the exciting things that God is doing among us as we move through the refocus process.  And then, not knowing the question I had been wrestling with this week, the individual who has been round here for several years said, “You know, it is really sad but over the years, there have been and still are those in our church family who, when something happens they do not like, simply withhold their tithes and offerings to demonstrate their displeasure.”  Sadly, I was already aware of this as someone who had participated in this type of stealing had informed me of their actions.  As I was thinking on this reality again the Holy Spirit asked, “Chad, why are you upset about spiritually lost people coming to the church building and stealing, but not upset about Christians coming to worship and stealing from me?”

Now, I am sure you see why I did not want to share this.  This is simply not a fun question to ask: Why would we be upset about spiritually lost people coming to the church building and stealing, but not upset about Christians coming to worship and stealing from God?  Like it or not, this is a heart issue that must be addressed but not for the reason one might think. 

In Malachi 3, God points out this unacceptable stealing not to pronounce a curse, but to free his people of a curse.  Tithes and offerings are not a burden God puts on us, but his way of freeing us from being controlled by money.  It is not about God wanting to take from us, but helping us to see that when we withhold from God what he asks us to trust him with then we are demanding that he withhold from us.  If we do not trust him with our money, he even invites us to test him on this.  He says, “Give it a try and see if I don’t open flood gates.”  Does this mean he is going to make you wealthy?  Yes, but it may not have anything to do with money.  He is not asking the hard question to hurt us, but to get us to see the promise of which we are depriving ourselves.

So, I ask you one more time the question that has been bugging me all week: Why would we be upset about spiritually lost people coming to the church building and stealing, but not upset about Christians coming to worship and stealing from God? 

Thanksliving

I could hear him screaming.  I had hoped it was not him.  But when I walked up to his room there was no denying it.

“Grandpa, it’s OK…Grandpa, it’s me, Chad…your Grandson...”

He swung at me at first.  I grabbed his hand.

“Grandpa, it’s OK…I love you.  It’s me.”

He started to cry.  His mind was confused and he was often afraid in the nursing home. I held his hand.

“How about we get you shaved?” 

Out of the bed.  Into the wheelchair.  He loved to be shaved.  My Grandpa was always clean cut and well-kept.  He never had much money, but he certainly had class and style. 

“How about we take a walk down the hall and see what’s happening around here?” 

“Ok…if you want…” He’d say.

We would go to the common area and I would talk and hope that may be he would have at least something of a conversation.  But after a while, I’d quit trying and we’d just sit.  It seemed like that was enough for him at that point—just to have someone there that he knew he should know. 

While we would sit there I would notice another man.  I would notice that he never had anyone visiting him.  I asked about him.  I learned that it was true.  No one ever came to visit him.  I learned that he was not alone.  There were others who were at their end and all alone.  The only visitors they had were those the nursing home paid to visit them in order to meet the states requirement. 

You might ask, “Why such a depressing post the week of Thanksgiving?!”  I guess it is only depressing if thanksgiving is all about eating a meal and sharing with family that for which you are thankful.  In that case, this is depressing.  But if thanksgiving is about THANKSLIVING, then this post is very encouraging! It serves as fodder for the Holy Spirit to inspire you and me to find someone this week who feels alone and forgotten.  It gives us permission to walk down the hallway and remind someone who feels like no one cares that Jesus cares and so do we.  It serves as a catalyst for remembering that God gives us the opportunity every day to become his reason that some else can say, “Thank you, God!” This story is just one example of 100’s we walk past every day who are in desperate need for you and me to live out our thanks so that they can again find reason to give thanks!

More specifically, this story reminds me of why the all-church Christmas party this year is so important.  This year, instead of focusing on entertaining ourselves, we will focus on visiting all of the shut-ins of our church family.  Just imagine what kind of thanks may be lifted up to God if all of us together said we will set aside an extra hour on Sunday, December 7, just to let someone know they are not forgotten?

Have any Enemies?

Yesterday, I was visiting with someone in the hospital.  As I was listening, the individual suddenly said, “You know, I have enemies.”  I replied, “You do?”  

Then the person went on to share some stories of how without any intention to hurt, something that was said was taken the wrong way by someone the person was very close to and despite many apologies and attempts to reconcile, it would seem they would never again be anything more than an enemy. 

Then the person looked at me and asked, “Do you have any enemies?”

“O, yes,” I said, “I have my share of enemies.” 

“Really?” the person asked.  “That makes me feel better.  I thought I was the only one.” 

I said, “It would seem we are in good company because even Jesus had enemies.”

John Wesley was known to ask his itinerant preachers two questions at their “annual review.”  He would ask: 1) How many people experienced salvation under your ministry?  2) How many people were offended by the gospel under your preaching?  It was said that if you did not give account to both questions, then he would relieve you of your duty.  He believed that the gospel of Christ leaves no room for indifference and that if it is truly being preached then people should either be drawn to Christ or made mad at the preacher (though the truth was, he would argue, their anger was grossly misdirected). 

Several years ago, I had to wrestle with what I would do with the reality that living for Jesus means I will have enemies both in and outside the church family.  Over the years and even now, I find Jesus instruction both helpful and convicting on this subject.

First, I am reminded that Jesus said, “Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you” (Matthew 5:44).  It is very easy to allow hurt and bitterness to take root in the presence of an enemy.  But Jesus sees an enemy as an opportunity for love rather than an obstacle.

Next, I am reminded that an enemy is a blessing from God.  “Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me.  Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you” (Matthew 5:11-12).  As I hear some Christians in the USA call for us to rally to “defend our religious rights”, I wonder what they do with these words of Jesus?  Of course, more a more important question is what do you and I do with these words when they are not just words but reality?

Then I am reminded to take a good look in the mirror.  “Do not judge or you too will be judged.  For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you” (Mathew 7:1-2).  I don’t know about you, but it is easy for me to see myself above my enemy, but Jesus has a way of reminding us that at the foot of the cross we all stand as equals. 

Of course, I am also reminded to do my best to reach reconciliation with my enemy.  If someone has knowingly or unknowingly wronged me it is not their job to make it right, but mine.  Matthew 18:15-20 spells it out very plainly.  Could our refusal to do this be one of the greatest sins of the church today including ours?

Finally, and, of course, there are many more that prove to be helpful and convicting to me, but for now it seems a good place to stop is at Romans 12:18, “If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.”  Sometimes you can do all that you can do on your side to turn an enemy to a friend and they will chose to remain an enemy.  At times like that, those words from Romans are very encouraging.

So, as my friend in the hospital asked me, I now ask you, “Do you have any enemies?”

Good Grief

     

The hospital hallway was dark and quiet.  It was the middle of the night, when our family was called and told to come quickly.  Our favorite Great Aunt, Marcella, on my Mom’s side had experienced a massive heart attack.  By the time the family arrived, she was already gone.  It was Thanksgiving.

Two weeks later, we received another call.  We arrived at the house just as the ambulance was pulling away.  I will never forget my mom, crying in the van, “NOOOOO…please God, NOOOO!”  Her Mom (the sister of my great Aunt) had a massive heart attack and by the time we arrived at the hospital only machines were keeping her alive.

That Christmas we went through the motions of our family traditions and we celebrated Christ’s coming, but we did so in the fog of grief.   What normally would have made us laugh together, made us cry together.  At family gatherings we all wanted to be together and we all tried to make the most of it, but it was so hard.  Grief is a force to be reckoned with for sure.  It engulfs like a cloud and distorts one’s perspective.  It puts its heels in the ground and urges one to stay put; to refuse accept the reality of the loss. It can seem as though it will never end and if grief has its way it won’t.  Certainly that is what the enemy wants.  He wants our grief to be permanent and even eternal. 

However, wherever God is so is his goodness.  His goodness has the power to change grief from being final to becoming a process.  In fact, those who do grief counseling explain that there are typically five stages of grief:  1) Denial, 2) Anger, 3) Bargaining, 4) Depression and 5) Acceptance.  The final stage is when grief becomes good.  Not that grief is good, but that the process of grief has gone from that which will be the end of a person to that which allows the person to have a new beginning. 

I would suspect that by this time in the refocus process, there are some who are feeling like they have just lost their best friend.  In some respects, it may actually make more sense to lose a friend than experience grief because of changes that are occurring in our church family.  If you lost a friend, you could go the funeral, see the dead body and begin the grief process because you know you are grieving.  However, in the case of a refocus the feelings of grief are real but there is no dead body to see in a casket.  Nevertheless, loss is loss and that means grief is grief. 

Today, I want to acknowledge and give you permission to grieve.  Yes, new people are accepting Christ and becoming a part of our church family, we have a growing influence in our community through Belle Stone, NextGen Basketball and Sahara, we have a children’s ministry that is flourishing both in new children and new servants, we have an leaders who are being equipped, we are becoming increasingly focused on our mission and vision, people are connecting and growing and on and on we could rejoice in what god is doing among us.  But if you are grieving the loss of something like the choir or what Wednesday nights use to be like or some other program that once meant so much to you, it is hard to see anything but the cloud of grief.  The enemy wants you to believe the end you have experienced is the end.  The enemy wants your grief to defeat you.  But God comes offering good grief.  Don’t stop in denial, anger, bargaining or depression…walk through those stages…but do not let hell keep you from reaching acceptance.  That’s good grief!

To be honest, acceptance is something I have best been taught by my brothers and sisters in AA.  They have helped me to see that grief becomes good when we trust God enough to lead us to acceptance.  They call it the serenity prayer and it goes like this…

“God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change; courage to change the things I can; and wisdom to know the difference. Living one day at a time; Enjoying one moment at a time; Accepting hardships as the pathway to peace; Taking, as He did, this sinful world as it is, not as I would have it; Trusting that He will make all things right, if I surrender to His Will; That I may be reasonably happy in this life and supremely happy with Him forever in the next. Amen.”

The Gift

Once upon a time there was a boy whose Father came home from a trip with a gift.  The boy’s eyes lit up as he imagined what might be inside.  The bright wrapping paper and the big box only encouraged his imagination.  But to the Father’s surprise, his son decided not to open the gift until the morning saying, “I just want to enjoy being excited about the gift a little longer.”  The Father said, “Suit yourself.  It is your gift.”  

The boy went to bed and could hardly sleep.  He was so excited for morning to come when he could open his surprise.  But when morning came, he thought to himself, “It is so fun being excited may be I will wait to open the gift once I return from school.”  All day he day dreamed about his gift.  It made a long, boring day at school pass much more quickly.  And perhaps that is why he decided to wait until the next morning to open his gift.  But, you guessed it, when morning came he decided to wait until after school. 

And so it went day after day.  Each day he promised himself he would open the gift the next day.  Until one day, he forgot.  Weeks, then months, then years went by and everyone once in a while he would think of the unwrapped gift with his name on it from his Father, but now he did not open it not because he enjoyed the excitement, but because it held no excitement for him at all. 

The boy grew up to become a man.  He moved out of the house.  One day the Father was cleaning out his son’s room, when he found the unwrapped gift.  He thought back to the business trip and how he had picked out the perfect gift for his boy; at least, for that time of his life.  “Well,” the Father thought, “I guess it is the thought that counts and he picked up the still wrapped gift to his son and threw it in the trash with other unwanted items of his son’s past life at home.” 

Whoever heard of a boy who won’t open a gift?  What’s wrong with that kid?  I am writing this story and even I want to know what was inside the gift.  “Open it for crying out loud!”  I want to shout to the son.  Why would you not receive what the Father gave you?  Why would you not at least open it up and see what it is?

I wonder if we can hear the heavenly Father asking the same questions of you and me as his children.  In John 16:33, Jesus says, “I have overcome the world.”  He does not say “I will” overcome…no he says, “I have overcome.”  I wonder if I am like the boy in the story in my relationship with Christ.  Am I waiting to open a gift from the Father that has already been delivered?  Am I praying for strength that he has already given?  Am I looking for peace that he has already purchased?  Am I longing for promises that he has already fulfilled?  Am I looking for him do to something that has already been done? 

Bless the Lord for he has already overcome!

Take the Steps

When I make hospital visits I have made a commitment to myself that I will take the steps rather than the elevator.  It’s just a simple way to keep me moving in light of a fairly sedentary vocation.  However, I have learned that six flights is about my comfort threshold and after that I am panting like a dog on a hot summer day.  Yesterday, I was called to the hospital and I noticed that the room was on the ninth floor.  My first thought was, “I’m taking the elevator.”  Then I thought, “Well, I can take the stairs to the sixth floor and then hitch the elevator for the next three.”  Then I thought to myself, “Wow!  I am thinking entirely too much about this!” Finally, I walked down the hall and started up the stairs.  Sure enough…at the sixth floor the panting for air started.  I was thankful a doctor was not in the stairwell for fear that he would have rushed me to the ER :-).  Finally, I made it to the ninth floor.  I paused at the top for a moment to gain composure and by the time I made it to the room I was thinking, “I am so glad I took the stairs.  I feel a lot better.” 

So, by now I would guess you are wondering why I am forcing you to be let in on this ridiculous conversation with myself.  But it was on the walk down the steps as I was continuing to pray for the person I had visited that I began to hear the Spirit speak to my spirit.  The word that came to mind was, “Encourage the people to keep on taking the steps.” 

Canton First Church family, “Keep on taking the steps.”  In just a few weeks our journey up the steps of refocus began one year ago.  On Sunday, November 10, 2013, my family met yours.  95% of you voted knowing full well that to call me was a vote for a refocus.  I think by now you would agree that we have past the sixth floor.  Perhaps you feel like you are panting like a dog on a summer day just trying to catch your breath.  I’ll be honest, right before our “Let it Go” balloon launch Sunday (Sept. 28, 2014—see the video on the Canton First Facebook page if you missed it), I was ready to call it quits.  The resistance was so intense that I did not know if it was worth continuing on for the sake of my family, let alone my own well-being.  It was to the point that the process had become personally painful.  Do you know what I mean?

But then, just when I thought I could not climb another step, the challenge was given through Luke 15 for us to run up sixth flights of stairs in one service.  The offer was made:  Come forward and release the red balloons that you as a church family named or go out the back door and do not return until you can wholeheartedly, honestly and humbly let go with us of the named red balloons.  It was amazing to watch about 380 people come forward and a much smaller group walk out.  Then it has been amazing to watch some of those who walked out now begin to return signifying that they too have now come to the point where they have also joined us in letting go of traditionalism, entitlement and heartsickness (pride, critical spirit and unforgiveness).  It is even a blessing that others who left have not returned because that means God has something better for them and us.  Furthermore, it has been amazing to watch in the past month since the balloon launch how many people have made commitments to Christ and how many new people from the community have started worshipping with us. 

My point is this…nothing in life that really matters ever seems to take place on the elevator.  I don’t know about you, but I have never grown spiritually when everything is easy, comfortable and relaxing.  No, the things that matter take place on the steps.  Spiritual growth happens in the places where you can barely catch your breath, your body aches and you think, “I can’t do this.”  Why?  Because the moment we admit we can’t, is the moment we are ready to experience God’s, “I can.”   And when we take the steps to the point where we can’t and He can, then we see God move and work in ways that we never would have imagined. 

I believe that is exactly what Isaiah was trying to get the people of God to see.

 Isaiah 43:16-21:

 16 This is what the Lord says— he who made a way through the sea, a path through the mighty waters,

17 who drew out the chariots and horses, the army and reinforcements together, and they lay there, never to rise again, extinguished, snuffed out like a wick:

18 “Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past.

19 See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland.

20 The wild animals honor me, the jackals and the owls, because I provide water in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland, to give drink to my people, my chosen,

21 the people I formed for myself that they may proclaim my praise.

When we take the steps through the wilderness and the wasteland, it is grueling and painful and frightening, but is also the place where we find God providing streams of living water.  And when you drink of that water after a taking the steps, you can’t help but proclaim his praise.  CFNAZ, that is what God is doing for us.  So, without apology let us encourage and challenge one another to keep taking the steps!

Less Than Half--What a Great Number

On Sunday, I asked all of those who were presently serving in ministry in our church family to stand.  Again, I want to thank those who are presently serving.  You really are worth more than a 100 Grand to me, our church and the Kingdom of God!  Thank you for putting on the new clothes of self-surrendering love!

While I was thanking God for all those who are presently serving God, I also found myself saddened. I was sad because it was the first time since I have been here that I could see clearly that less than half of those who attend on Sundays are presently serving.  I was not only saddened but shocked by this.  It is beyond my understanding how one can warm a seat on Sunday and not be involved in service.  It then made sense to me why we had in the past struggled with the “red balloons” we named (Traditionalism—fear of change, entitlement—putting self-first and heart sickness-pride, critical spirit and unforgiveness). A lack of service stunts our spiritual growth and causes us to come to church to be served rather than to serve as Jesus exemplified when he washed the feet of his disciples. And when we are not participants we become susceptible to becoming critics.

So, I took this sad, shock of a revelation to the Father.  Ever since Sunday I have been praying burdened about the less than half.  “O, God, what are we going to do?  Father, help us!” I cried and bemoaned. 

And then, like a seeing a streak of lighting and hearing a crack of thunder, God stopped me in my prayer-tracks.  The Father showed me that less than half is a great number!  O my goodness…praise the Lord for less than half!  Hallelujah!  Do you realize what having less than half serving means?  It means God has already given us everyone we presently need to see his Kingdom expanded in and through us!

Less than half means we have plenty of people to be trained to serve as small group leaders for our teen ministry!  We were just talking last week about how if we don’t have more small group leaders we will not have room for our teen ministry to grow much more past who we are presently serving.

Less than half means we have plenty of people to serve in our children’s ministry rotation!

Less than half means we have plenty of people to join Tim Krabill in becoming missionaries to Sahara Apartment complex!

Less than half means we have plenty of people to serve in UPWARD basketball so we can show kids and families that God cares about them way more than basketball!

Less than half means we have plenty of people to join Mary Peterson in visiting our long list of elderly shut-ins!

Less than half means we have plenty of people to not only serve families in Belle Stone this year, but so we can begin praying about the next phase of the ministry next school year!

Less than half means we have plenty of people to be able to start a rotation to mow the church lawn next year rather than using ministry dollars to pay to have it done!

Less than half means we have plenty of people to join Bryan in serving in our worship music ministry!

Less than half means that we are in the perfect position to see God do immeasurably more than we could ask or imagine!

There is just one hitch.  Will you who are among the more than half that are not serving step up to serve?  Will you follow Jesus’ example?  Will you believe that serving is how you grow in love?  Will you let him move you to action? 

Jesus gave us the prayer to pray for such a need as this:  “The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field” (Matthew 9:37-38).

Even today one person came to me and said, “How can I serve?”  God is answering his prayer.  Who will be next? 

Wandering vs. Word

Wandering vs. Word

“Don’t question in the wandering the word you heard clearly in the quiet.”  Today I had lunch with Malone University Chaplain, Rev. Randall Heckert and in the course of our conversation he said those words as he was sharing a story about a conversation he had with someone last week.  I stopped him mid-sentence and asked him to repeat himself.  Again he said, “Don’t question in the wandering the word you heard clearly in the quiet.” 

Moses heard God clearly in the quiet of the desert as the bush burned without burning.  God said, “Moses, I have heard the groaning’s of my people. I have seen their suffering.  I will set my people free. Now, I am sending you.”  Moses offered his reasons why he was the wrong guy, but God made his calling undeniably clear.  A staff was turned into a snake and back.  His hand was turned white with leprosy and then restored. God was sending him his brother Aaron to be his mouth piece.  Moses could not question what he heard in the quiet because it was so clear.  God was calling him to go to Pharaoh and say, “Let my people go!”

Now, fast forward past ten plagues and the parting of the sea.  God is ready to take the people into the promise land, but the people let fear rule their hearts and they refuse to enter.  So now Moses will wander with them in the desert for 40 years until God can have a generation raised up who will trust him enough to enter the new land.  Imagine 40 years of wandering with those people.  Don’t you think Moses questioned himself…? “Did I really hear God in that bush?  If so, why am I in the dessert and not in the promise land?” 

Do you ever feel like that?  Life does not always go as planned.  Unexpected road blocks appear.  We run into dead ends.  People make decisions that we have no control over that detour the journey. We feel like we are wandering in the dessert for the forty years when we were certain God had painted a picture of a land flowing with milk and honey. What happened?  Did we hear God incorrectly?  Did we do something wrong?  For those of you who are wrestling with such questions right now, I invite you to receive with me this word from Rev. Heckert who learned it from the life of Moses, “Don’t question in the wandering the word you heard clearly in the quiet.” 

What is Your Sign?

Since the Cleveland Ave. exit is closed, I have been coming onto Cleveland Ave. at 25^th St., which means every day I drive by the Planned Parenthood facility.  Each time I pass by, I see at least two people standing outside the building with signs that say things like, “Let God Plan Parenthood” and “Abortion Kills.”  I have no doubt that these folks’ hearts are in the right place, but I can’t help but wonder if there time for Jesus might be better spent giving the hour they give holding a sign instead to volunteering at the Crisis Pregnancy Center just two doors down. 

You see, as I read Scripture it seems to me that Jesus’ example shows us that he did not have time to hold signs telling people what he was against because he was too busy showing what God was for through his loving service.  For instance, we know he was for finding the spiritually lost as he left the 99 to welcome and eat with sinners.  We know he was for healing because of the number of people he made whole.  We know he was for feeding the hungry because of what he did with a few fish and rolls.  Jesus life, death and resurrection was one big demonstration of love in action!

Today I want to give glory to God by pointing out some examples of how people in our church family have forsaken signs for love in action.

I begin with Susan Testa.  Susan actually volunteers at the Crisis Pregnancy Center.  I caught her one day at the church with one of the young women she was encouraging and mentoring.  Susan has no time for holding signs because her arms are too full hugging expectant Mothers who feel all alone.

Did you know one of the Pastors of CFNAZ is named Mary Peterson.  Mary may not be paid and she may not have attended seminary, but she is every bit as much, if not more of a Pastor than I will ever be.  Pastor Mary visits faithfully and regularly with every one of the shut-ins of CFNAZ.  Just this week as I was officiating at the funeral of Bob Abbott, I saw Mary minister with my own eyes.  I always hear about Mary’s ministry as I make hospital calls and see our shut-ins, but this week I actually saw her ministry.  I watched as she hugged our newest widow, Edith Abbott.  I listened as Edith shared how much Mary’s visits meant to her and her husband. And then at the cemetery I smiled as I saw that Edith asked Mary to drive her.  Mary won’t be caught holding any signs on the street corner because she is too busy caring for the elderly shut-ins of our church family in a beautiful way.  Thank you, Pastor Mary. I don’t know what I would do without your ministry.

Another two people who have no time to hold signs is Tim and Donna Krabill.  These two are leading the way for our church family to become missionaries to the children and families at Sahara Apartment Complex.  They have 15 families who have committed to working with the Krabill’s and our church family to have on-site tutoring.  Through this tutoring not only will kids get help and parents find support but I also I have no doubt God will use the time to develop relationships that will allow his presence to be experienced.  (Let us know if you are interested in being a Sahara Missionary).

Next we have Brenda Walters (By the way, we need to find some help for her because the Belle Stone Ministry is really taking off).  This week hundreds of the Faith Promise Plus dollars were spent to help families in need.  Tomorrow Brenda and I will get to not only give them food but offer them support through prayer and extend the hand of friendship.  Trust me, Brenda has no time to hold signs while she is sorting food and clothes (Please keep the donations coming!).

Next we have a whole team of people who I cannot say enough about that is working with Cathy Hall for the weekly children’s Bible Quizzing (I thank Sue Barclay, Kimberly Current, Annemarie Hochstetler, Amanda Quinn and Cathy Vaughn—I hope I did not forget any of the ladies)!  I also want to give a special word of thanks to Mike Carlson and Pete Argabright.  These two men stepped up to help mentor our boys so they can see that real men love God’s Word!  In addition, Jaymie Schwartz recruited 40 mentors from our adult Sunday School classes to serve as encouragers and prayer partners for each of our quizzers.  There is no way they have time holding signs as this group ministers to 27 kids each week.

Then there are two new people to CFNAZ who have jumped right in by serving, Cathy McHorter and David Callender.  Cathy recognized the need of loneliness in her apartment building which is right next door to our church building.  She did all the work to open the door for me to lead a Bible study there.  Monday was our first week and it went great!  People openly shared and God’s spirit was present. In addition, David has expressed his willingness to help me with the Bible Study.

To be honest, I could write many more pages of examples of people who have no time to hold signs stating what we are against because they are two busy demonstrating what God is for through acts of loving service. 

May that very spirit increase just as Jesus commanded in Matthew 5:16, “In the same way, let your light shine before men that they may see your good deeds and praise your father in heaven.”

CFNaz Worship Leader Position Filled

Dear CFNaz Board, Staff and Church Family,

On June 10, 2014, the CFNaz Board voted unanimously to approve my recommendation to develop our worship band and choir as one entity with the purpose of the choir being used to lead our Sunday morning worship (see board approved statement below). The board and I truly felt this was the right direction for our church family.  However, as a pastor I have learned that the church family sometimes makes choices that allow me to see that the direction I thought was the best was an error of judgment.   Therefore, I have now come to see that my decision to see the choir as the ones leading worship was not the best choice at this time.  For instance, as you have noticed the choir has greatly dwindled in number.  I will say that the small choir that remains has truly served the Lord and led us in worship with all their hearts.  This small group has been committed to practice, prayer and demonstrated a beautiful spirit of worship.  Moreover, I want to thank this portion of the choir who has on three different occasions allowed me to share about the Worship Leader process and from which I gained helpful feedback.  In fact, the last conversation I had with this portion of the choir greatly influenced the decision I now share. 

On Tuesday, September 16, the Church Board and Staff, helped me interview two Worship Leader candidates.  Having considered their feedback, I have made the decision to hire Bryan Kandel as our part-time worship leader. Bryan is a Spanish Teacher for Perry School District.  Bryan and his wife, Robin, who once served as missionaries to Costa Rica, now have two young children.   Bryan will begin serving at CFNaz on Sunday, October 5, 2014.

I chose Bryan for the following reasons: 1) During the search process every board member indicated that they believed we needed to find a worship leader who not only could manage the technical side of the music ministry but who also felt called to and comfortable with leading the church family in worship.  Bryan has been leading worship and helping three different area churches in worship which has confirmed his calling and ability; 2) All of the board agreed that we needed someone who would consider the people and talent God has given us here at CFNaz and would help us discover and create our own unique worship style that is authentic to who we are as a church family.  Bryan not only plays hymns and worship songs, but he has written and recorded his own album, which demonstrates his ability to not only reproduce what others do, but to also find one’s own unique style; 3) The board agreed that we would want to look for a Worship Leader who has an understanding of what it means to engage the next generation in worship, but also understands the value of remembering that our congregation is made up of various generations. Bryan’s career as a local high school teacher puts him directly in touch with better understanding the next generation God has called us to reach.  In addition, his experience as a Worship Leader has made him sensitive to leading worship in a multi-generational context.

One personal God moment for me came on the night of the “End of the Summer Bash.”  One of the bands scheduled for the night dropped out at the last moment.  Bryan Kandel was invited to fill the spot.  As Bryan began to play and sing worship songs and hymns, I had three senior adults, one middle age adult and a teenager all express their desire for me to interview him.  I thought to myself, “Lord, is this not what I prayed?  That you would help us find a worship leader who would bridge generation gaps? Could he be right for our church family?”

Next, Bryan was very upfront about the fact that he does not have experience leading a choir.  At first, I thought this would exclude his name from our consideration based upon my initial recommendation to the board as stated above and below.  However, as I watched the church family reveal the error of my thinking regarding the choir serving as our worship leading team, it became clear to me that it did not make sense to hire someone who could lead a choir in hopes of rebuilding our choir, but to simply admit I was wrong and to allow God to lead us in a new direction.  Therefore, I have asked Bryan to treat our music department as though it is just beginning.  Bryan will create clear and written expectations and purpose for our musicians and vocalists.  He will then meet with any present or new musicians and vocalists to explain those expectations, interview them and then invite them to make one year commitment to our music ministry.  With this clean slate so to speak, we will prayerfully, patiently and excitedly wait to see who God raises up and what will be our own unique worship team and style.  Perhaps as the worship team grows we will again be able to have a full choir at which time we would seek assistance to provide Bryan with the necessary training or we would have Bryan recruit someone to assist him.  However, at this point none of us can know exactly how God will lead in the future.  What we do know now is that God has answered our prayer for a Worship Leader, we have the opportunity to start fresh and we will certainly get to see first-hand God doing a new thing among us. 

Will you please join me in praying for Bryan and his family?  Will you pray with me for musicians and vocalists to step forward to serve?  Will you pray for our church family as we all continue to learn to worship God in spirit and in truth? 

Below you will find the Part-Time Worship Leader job description.  If you have any questions about the job description and the decision that was made, please feel free to contact me. 

 

Letting Go with You,

 

Chad Current, Lead Pastor

 

June 10, 2014 CFNAZ Board Meeting Considerations for the Future Worship Ministry:

•The following two questions were discussed at length:

1)            Could it be said that in our attempt to please all we have pleased few, if any?  Do we have a band or an orchestra?  Presently, it would seem we have both.  Would it not make more sense to choose one?  In light of our present culture, and in our attempt to let our worship be a witness to non-believers, we would recommend we move to a band that would incorporate the same instruments that we now have in a different way.

2)            Could it be said that our choir and our band/orchestra function as two separate entities on the same stage and worship setting?  Is it not in fact treated as such since the band and choir do not practice together?  Is that point not further made by the fact that when Tim is absent he have one person lead worship and one person lead the choir? Furthermore, our band does not play the music for our choir specials and so doesn’t that further create the dichotomy? What could happen if our choir and worship musicians were treated as one entity; all working together to lead people into the presence of God through praise and worship? We voted to move in this direction to see what good God could bring.

The above was discussed at length and approved with a unanimous vote.

 

Job Description:

Title: Pastor of Worship at Canton First Church of the Nazarene

Paid position for 16 hours per week

Part-Time Worship Pastor Responsibilities:

•             Prepare music for and lead a band practice prior to Sunday and then rehearsal on Sunday.

•             Prepare the weekly order of worship using the planning center.

•             Insert worship slides on sanctuary computer.

•             Work with Lead Pastor and staff to develop the flow and intentionality of worship each week.

•             Interview and establish clear guidelines and expectations for our music ministry participants and new people that are recruited.

Immediate Supervisor: Lead Pastor

Life is Great if You Don't Weaken

“Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up” (Galatians 5:9). 

Think about the irony of that verse.  Doing good is referenced as being potentially tiresome.  It’s true, isn’t it? 

My Grandpa use to say it this way, “Life is great if you don’t weaken.”  Then he would talk about how all the time people do the wrong thing, the hurtful thing, the cheating thing, the lying thing, the manipulative thing and they seem to get away with it smelling like roses.  But then he would look at me and say, “But Chad while it may not be fair, but we do the right thing anyhow.”  I heard that speech from my Grandpa Current more than once as we swung on their carport porch swing drinking an ice cold Pepsi.  And yet, it is a message I want to rebel against.  There is something inside of me that wants to throw myself on the floor and throw a tantrum of sorts.  I want to scream, but that is not how it should be.  Why is it so easy to do bad and so hard to do good?  Why does it seem the waters part for injustice, but waters crush in on every side those who try to bring justice?  Doing good should be energizing, not draining. 

But as my Grandpa alluded to and as Galatians directly spoke to, doing good must be done in the perspective of the long-haul, not the present moment.  Just a verse before Gal. 5:9 Paul writes, “A man reaps what he sows.  The man who reaps to sow his sinful nature, from that nature will reap destruction; the one who sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life.” 

As we move through the Refocus process, I will be the first to admit that it is easy to become weary.  Perhaps you are feeling something it.  This process has its moments of excitement, but right now it has a lot of moments of just plain, hard work.  It is a good work.  It is a necessary work.  It is a work to which God has called us.  Nevertheless, it is challenging.  It would be much easier to simply look at things and say, “We’re fine.  All is well.  We’ll just sing a song, hear a sermon and go on our way.”  It would definitely be easier.  Believe me…I have considered doing that very thing.  However, such an easy way out would be sowing a harvest that we would later regret. 

Instead we look past the hard work of doing good now to the promise God gives to us.  He promises us that if we carry on; if we do not give up in the discomfort of change; if we keep our eyes on what matters most—Loving God and others and going into all the world with the gospel, then we will experience the reaping of a harvest that is better than we can imagine. 

There is only one thing standing between us now and that good harvest which is to come. There are two words the Scripture names as the deal breaker:  “Give up.”  If we give up on doing the good to which we are called, then we also give up on the good harvest God is preparing us for even now. 

So, for now, I ask you to carry on in doing good by sharing with me what you believe might be the “red balloon” of CFNAZ.  Turn in the card you received yesterday (or on any scrap piece of paper) this coming Sunday in the offering basket or email our church secretary who will keep your name anonymous. Please help us do the good work of this season of the refocus by giving your feedback.  As I read through all of the replies, I will prayerfully be looking for the common threads that reveal the red balloon God is asking us to release.  Then on Sunday, September 28, we will rejoice together as we LET IT GO!  I believe it is going to be a turning point day for us as we sow seeds for a harvest that will benefit even the generations that follow us

Light is Sown

When I read Scripture each day, I typically pray and ask God to direct me to a sentence or a phrase in that I can meditate on for the rest of the day.  On Monday I was reading in Psalm 97 and my attention especially landed on verse 11.  I have been stuck on a phrase of the verse ever since then.  Psalm 97:11 says, “Light is sown for the righteous…” 

My morning walks are in the dark just before dawn.  Today as I was walking and praying on that verse, I began to notice that while I was walking in the dark, lights were all around me.  There were the blinking red lights on the cellular tower across the way at the end of our street.  There were porch lights, a few street lights and even the light that the moon had to offer.  Even though the sun had not risen, my steps were made certain by lights sown all along my path. 

The Psalmist noted the same experience in his walk with the Father.  He acknowledges that this world can be very dark.  But his focus is not on how dark the world is, but on the light that the Father has sown before and all around him.  As a follower of God, he can’t take even a step in the dark without being made aware of how His God is shining in the darkness. 

As I walked this morning noticing all the lights in the darkness, I was reminded that the enemy wants my attention to be on the darkness.  But God is inviting me to pay attention to his light.  Where I give my time, energy, thoughts, prayers and words will determine whether I am one who is overcome by the darkness or one who is guided by the light.

Father, open my eyes to the light.  Help me not to miss the crop of light you are growing in my world right now.  Let me be just as mindful of where you are breaking in with your light as I am of any time of darkness I may find myself walking through.  Father, I pray for my friends who might read this that they too would see you sowing light everywhere they go.

Rocks, Grass and Sticks

Yesterday evening I was playing with the kids in the yard.  I picked a blade of grass and gave it a funny voice as I pretended it was a little person.  Pretty soon Seth picked up a piece of grass and started talking to my piece of grass.  Soon sticks and rocks also had voices and personalities of their own.  Now, Anna, was much too sophisticated for the child-like antics of her Dad and younger brother, so she took her share of grass, sticks and rocks and began to turn them into artistic expressions on the driveway. 

Now, it is not like my kids don’t have other things with which to play.  They have a trampoline, too many toys and even a couple of video games.  But last night we played with rocks, sticks and blades of grass.  Seth laughed until I thought he’d have an accident and Anna blew me away with how she took such simple things and turned them into recognizable art.  And God knew how much I needed that moment. 

I would imagine you have discovered this for yourself as well…ever since I have become an adult it sure does seem like life has a way of getting complicated.  Relationships easily get complicated.  Work became a curse after the fall of Adam and Eve and so it is no surprise that it gets complicated.  Decisions that need to be made can become very complicated. One might think that preaching the gospel and pastoring a church in living out the gospel should be simple, but friends, trust me even that gets complicated at times. 

Just when life is about to become so complicated that I start to feel overwhelmed, I have found the Father in heaven has a way of reminding me that in Him I have permission to simplify.  Jesus said look at the flowers of the field…look at the birds of the air…They do not worry and fret…why?  Because they do not make life more complicated than it need be.  Jesus says the key that unlocks the door to simplification is, “Seek first his kingdom and his righteousness and all these things will be added unto you.”  It does not mean I will get everything I want—it is that very desire that makes life complicated.  Rather he promises I will gain everything that matters.  And most of the time what matters most is not what I want, but what I need.  And what I need is not complicated.  It is very simple.  I need his kingdom and his righteousness.  And when that is my focus, then life itself becomes amazingly uncomplicated and next thing I know instead of being stressed I am free to laugh until I think I might have an accident and free to see expressions of art in even the most unexpected of places. 

Watching for the Morning

All week long Psalm 130: 6 has been playing over and over in my mind: “My soul waits for the Lord more than watchmen wait for the morning, more than watchman wait for the morning.” 

In the first 5 verses, the Psalmist has openly expressed his cry for mercy.  He feels like he is in the dark of a long night.  Have you ever been there?  I have.  Sometimes it has actually been a long dark night when I cannot sleep because my mind is troubled.  At other times the sun is shining but in my spirit I still feel like it is midnight.  Can you relate to the cry of the Psalmist?  May be you feel like you are in the midst of a long night right now. 

We have three families in our church grieving the loss of a loved one this week.  Gator Hullinger lost his sister, Cindy Schmidt, her Mother and Ruth Carey, her Father.  Certainly times of loss can usher in the night. 

What brings the night to you?  Broken relationships?  A difficult work environment?  Hurt from the past?  Stress in the present? 

It is easy to begin to think, “This is never going to end. This will never get any better.  I don’t know if I can make it through this.” 

But just when the night seems darkest the Psalmist is captured by hope.  “My soul waits for the Lord more than watchmen wait for the morning…”  The watchman, of course, was the person stationed at the city wall to keep watch over the city at night.  Every night, no matter how dark or long, the watchmen knew that the sun would rise.  Just as it had come the day before and the day before and ever since God spoke and there was light, the watchmen knew that the morning would come.  And like the watchman, the Psalmist is suddenly reminded that the morning will dawn for him as well.  It is not a question of “if” the dark night will cease, but “when?” 

Friends, the same is true for you and me.  The morning is coming.  Take hold of this hope with me.  The stress may seem unbearable right now in the dark night.  The pressure may seem too much.  Doubt may be screaming in your ear.  Weariness may be setting in and discouragement may be heavy on your heart.  But the morning always comes for the one who waits for the Lord.  God will bring an end to the night and you will see a sunrise again. 

So, in the meantime, may God help you and me both to watch for the morning like a watchman.  Expect it!  Anticipate it!  Thank God for it in advance!