What is worship? I so often get asked this question. We often use that word of singing. But is worship simply singing? Is worship the music in the background? Or is it something we do only Sunday morning? Yes, that is a form of worship or part of it. However, worship is so much more than just singing on Sunday morning. Here are a few thoughts on how we ought NOT to worship in church. 1. “I worshiped God because somehow, when I raised my hands, God blessed me!” Now, don’t get me … [Read more...]
The COVID crisis miracle
The coronavirus has touched us all. Some consequences have been mere inconveniences, such as not being able to enjoy breakfast at one’s favorite restaurant or suffering with foggy glasses with every donning of the mask. Such minor ramifications have affected us all. For millions, the impact of the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) – the official name given to this virus – has been life changing. Of the 6,000,000 cases in the United States as of August 27, 2020, … [Read more...]
Those yellow shirts
Celebrate! The Facebook post showed our big yellow 18-wheel Disaster Relief truck with a trailer in tow, pulling into the parking lot of First Baptist Church, DeRidder, La. I must tell you that my heart was encouraged because “bringing help, hope and healing” is not just a slogan. It is the heartbeat of Missouri Baptists to be on mission with God. Some Go. Many Pray. Others Give. These warriors of faith are cooking food for volunteer teams and hungry people. They are using their trusty … [Read more...]
A newspaper for the people, to the glory of God
Several decades ago the Southern Baptist Convention’s Executive Committee completed a readership study of the state convention newspapers. Subscriptions were declining and leaders wanted to know why. Ultimately there were several reasons, but one caught my eye. Most state newspapers targeted pastors and church leaders as their primary subscribers. This was understandable because the denomination’s leaders needed to know what was happening throughout the SBC and in their states. The … [Read more...]
‘Hurry sickness’ or waiting on God?
At the beginning of 2020, I was reflecting on changes I wanted to make and ways I hoped to grow over the upcoming year. My life was so busy and seemed at times to be almost out of control. I had heard the phrase “hurry sickness” and decided to do some research to see if I was afflicted with this “illness”. I found a checklist of symptoms: • Constant state of worry/stress – check. • Consistently multitasking – check. • Always feeling rushed/moving quickly – check. • Anxious when things … [Read more...]
Home school or public school?
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths.” – Proverbs 3:5,6 There are many wondering just what to do about the education of their children due to the turmoil produced by the coronavirus. There seems to be no end to discussion as to what is best for both the students and teachers. Perhaps the situation provides a good time to evaluate whether we should start home schooling those gifted … [Read more...]
Scratching where it itches
I confess I don’t have the greenest thumb on the block. As a matter of fact, I was thinking it might be easier to just give up on all other greenery and grow a poison ivy garden instead. Except that at this point I’d have to start from scratch. Scratch? Get it? Anyway, I decided it would probably be better not do anything that “rash.” That’s because we really do have to be careful what we plant. We will reap what we sow. It’s right there in Galatians 6:7. And according to the verse that … [Read more...]
Attracting God’s eye
With an avalanche of concerns cascading in my mind and heart, I needed a fresh word. I was reading a prayer expressed by a Puritan brother of the past. The verbs articulated my cry to the Lord: “O Lord, Bring us into that state which attracts Your eye . . . Show us our danger that we may fly to You for refuge . . . Possess us with more faith which is the key to all vital godliness . . .” In these troubling times, no matter how gifted or experienced we are in life, we must have the … [Read more...]
The Cooperative Program, The Pathway, religious liberty
Cooperative Program giving has a tremendous impact in supporting our missionaries around the world and in Missouri. But there are other ways it influences. In one recent instance, through The Pathway. For the past five years, an Oregon couple, Aaron and Melissa Klein, owners of a bakery named Sweet Cakes by Melissa, have been the victims of an unjust lawsuit by two lesbians who sued after the Kleins refused to bake them a wedding cake. In 2015, the Oregon Bureau of Labor and Industries … [Read more...]
Bringing Kingdom relief
It was hot. Now not any hotter than normal for late July in Missouri. It was only 97 degrees, well within expected ranges. But it felt unusually hot because as we drove across Missouri the vehicle in which I was driving no longer “conditioned” air. You see the day before, I harvested my first deer. I was on vacation in Colorado, and while I had planned on fly fishing (caught six my first time out, not bad I thought) I had not planned on going deer hunting. A 2017 Toyota Highlander is … [Read more...]
How should Christians wrestle with decisions?
Life is plagued with tough decisions. How to spend time, which restaurant to visit, which job to pursue, or which person to marry are small samplings of life’s various decisions. Because decisions carry consequences, people respond in different ways to decision making. Wanting to move on with life, some people impulsively make decisions with little deliberation. For others terrified of making a wrong decision, debilitation often accompanies long deliberation. Endless lists and irrational … [Read more...]
Tagged in His message
Have you ever been tagged—maybe trapped—in a group text? You’re begging your phone. Please, not one more notification. And your phone answers with: zzzzzt. Even worse, you go to bed early while the other 30 in your group have a night owl session. Get up the next morning, get your coffee, and get comfy. I know it’s your day off, but turn off that show you wanted to watch and don’t even think about reading a book. Because you have four thousand messages. I’m sorry, but I’ve got news for … [Read more...]
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