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.”