Pastor Jon's Ramblings

Extreme Makeover: What Looks Good to God

2010-10-25T16:01:00.005-05:00

nRecently I started a new sermon series titled, "Extreme Makeover: What Looks Good to God."
The purpose of this sermon series is to take a look at the before and the after pictures of certain parts of our body. The before picture looks at our body and our habits before we accept Christ as our personal savior. The after picture looks at what our body and habits should be when we accept Christ and we are born again. Through the first four weeks we have looked at our ears, tongue, heart and hands.

Before we accept Christ we listen to others, and more specifically the voices we want to hear, but after we accept Christ the first person that we should listen to is God.

Before we accept Christ our tongues often get us in trouble because we use our tongues too quickly and in unhealthy ways. We may speak the truth, but more often than not we do not speak the truth in love. We also put our tongues to work in ways that are not healthy or helpful. We tend to be critical, to gossip, and to say things that really don't need to be said. We tend to go to the phone long before we go to the throne. After we accept Christ the first person we should talk to is God. We should also be quick to listen and slow to speak and when we do speak we should always speak the truth in love.

Before we accept Christ we are conditioned not to give our hearts much of a thought. We are trained that good behavior gets rewarded and bad behavior gets punished. We are not taught that our words and our actions flow from what is inside of our hearts. This tends to get us in trouble because our hearts will tell on us in the end. We may not know where our words or actions come from at first because we are not taught how to listen to our hearts, but when we think about it we realize that our hearts are the source of our problems. After we accept Christ we are given a new heart, a heart of love.

Before we accept Christ we use our hands in ways that benefit us mostly. We rarely use our hands for the benefit of others. We are always trying to provide for ourselves, protect ourselves, accumulate more stuff, and satisfying our own desires. We think that if we don't take care of ourselves then no one will. After we accept Christ we are called to use our hands for the benefit of others. We are called to trust God to provide and care for us and use our hands to help those around us.

This series has gone over extremely well so far. It is evident that God is speaking to people about their ears, tongues, hearts and hands. I have three more sermons in this series. I encourage you to think about the before and the after pictures of your legs, your knees and your feet. I cannot wait to see what God will do in these next three sermons.

The Gospel of Mark

2010-08-27T16:52:00.006-05:00

The Gospel of Mark is a rather interesting book of the Bible, but it seems to play a secondary role to the other Synoptic Gospels for a variety of reasons. Mark does not include the birth story of Jesus. Instead he starts with a one verse introduction and follows that with a quotation from Isaiah the prophet. This is followed by a brief story of John the Baptist. Due to the lack of a birth narrative it is not often used around Christmas time to talk about the birth of Jesus. Mark also does not include a lot of detail about Jesus after His resurrection (unless you consider verses 9 - 20, which is not in the earlier Greek manuscripts, but none the less these verses do not offer a lot of detail following the empty tomb). So it is not often used around Easter time to talk about the death and resurrection of Jesus. Mark does not include as many of Jesus' parables as Matthew and Luke. So it is not as prominent when discussing the teachings of Jesus. Mark also has a much different pace than Matthew and Luke. Mark's Gospel has a much faster pace. It kind of seems like you can never catch up to Jesus. But the Gospel of Mark was written for a purpose. As a matter of fact, Mark states his purpose in 1.1 when he says, "the beginning of the good news of Jesus Christ, the Son of God." Mark wants to talk about the Good News of Jesus Christ. What is this Good News? By most accounts the Good News is that the Kingdom of God is at hand. Mark takes 16 chapters to relate how the Kingdom of God is already present and how it affected the lives of the first century Jews and Gentiles. Mark fulfills his purpose in somewhat of a different way than Matthew and Luke and that is good for us because we get a third perspective on the life and death and resurrection of Jesus. I encourage you to take the time and work your way through the Gospel of Mark and see how the Kingdom of God affected their lives and consider how the presence of the Kingdom of God can affect our lives as well.

Going with God

2010-07-23T23:15:00.000-05:00

I recently started a new ministry assignment and my first sermon was based on Exodus 33. This passage of Scripture tells the story of when God was so fed up with the Israelites that He decided to send an angel ahead of them instead of leading them Himself. Moses pleaded with God to lead them not only for their sake, but also that people would know that they are God's people. My intent with this sermon was to set the tone for our ministry together. The decision to transfer to this new ministry assignment was not one that I took lightly. In my previous assignment God was opening doors for us to make connections in multiple areas of the community. These ministries were in the early stages, but they were very exciting and growing rapidly. In the midst of this God impressed upon me to move to almost 9 hours away to a new assignment. My wife and I spent over a month making this decision, but in the end we decided that if we were to go with God that we would have to move. This move involved moving to a new state, a new culture, a smaller community and a variety of other transitions. It is taking time to adjust. We have been at my new assignment almost two months now and it has amazed us how God has confirmed over and over again that this was the right move. We have learned that if we go with God, even when it does not make complete sense at the time, the benefits of obedience are remarkable.

"Into Your hand I commit my spirit"

2010-04-20T09:47:00.005-05:00

This morning I was reading Psalm 31. (My Bible says that Psalm 31 is a Psalm of Deliverance written by David presumably when Saul was out to kill him.) Verse 5 really grabbed my attention. It reads, "Into Your hand I commit my spirit; You have redeemed me, O Lord, faithful God" (Psalm 31:5, NRSV). As I read this verse my mind was immediately drawn to Jesus' last words on the Cross when He said, "Father, into Your hands I commend My Spirit"(found in Luke 23:46). I have studied the last words of Jesus many times, I have taken classes on the Gospel of Luke, and I have preached on the last seven words of Jesus. But for some reason as I was reading Psalm 31 this morning, Luke 23:46 seemed to take on an additional meaning for me.

For a long time I believed that the main message of Jesus' last words was a verbal declaration of Him giving up His life to do what we could not do for ourselves. Now it also seems to mean that Jesus was also sending a message to those who could hear His these words. Many of the people around the cross were undoubtedly familiar with the fact the Jesus was from the house and line of David, but I am sure that they were very familiar with not only David's life story but his Psalms as well (research shows that many of David's Psalms were written as literature or as a musical piece, which would aid in prolonging the knowledge of his life).

If you look at these two passages of scripture they are somewhat similar in nature. David was being hunted down by Saul. Jesus was on the cross about to take His last breath. Saul appeared to be jealous of David's growing popularity. The religious leaders felt that Jesus was a threat to them and their leadership. The primary difference is that Jesus is literally seconds away from death and David has a long life still ahead of him.

It seems that Jesus was intentionally trying to convey a message to those around the cross by reminding them of David's Psalm. Jesus had a way with words and He was often able to communicate different ideas to different people with one statement. I think the same is true here. I doubt this is accidental, but what does it mean for us today? Any thoughts on what it might mean?

Living in God's Promises

2010-04-16T11:19:00.005-05:00

Last week I started a new sermon series called "Living with Hope: Learning to Walk in the Promises of God." I started this series by looking at Hebrews 6:13 - 20, which reads:

The Certainty of God's Promise
13 When God made his promise to Abraham, since there was no one greater for him to swear by, he swore by himself, 14 saying, "I will surely bless you and give you many descendants." 15 And so after waiting patiently, Abraham received what was promised.
16 Men swear by someone greater than themselves, and the oath confirms what is said and puts an end to all argument. 17 Because God wanted to make the unchanging nature of his purpose very clear to the heirs of what was promised, he confirmed it with an oath. 18 God did this so that, by two unchangeable things in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled to take hold of the hope offered to us may be greatly encouraged. 19 We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure. It enters the inner sanctuary behind the curtain, 20 where Jesus, who went before us, has entered on our behalf. He has become a high priest forever, in the order of Melchizedek.
(NIV, copied from www.Biblegateway.com)

This passage of Scripture reminds us of the certainty of God's promises. God has made many promises. Some Bible scholars say that God's promises number in the 1000's. As we look through Scripture many of these promises are made to a specific person or people group at a specific time and in a specific situation.

For example, God's promise to Abram (later called Abraham) that he would be the father of many nations. For this to happen, Abram would have to become a father first. Abram and his wife did not have any children and it it took several years, decades really, for them to have a child of their own. God's promise was fulfilled in their lives and Abram was the father of many nations. This a specific promise to a specific family at a specific time and place.

Not all of God's promises are so specific. Many of the promises that we find in Scripture are promises that we can not only claim in our own lives today but live by them as well. This Sunday we are going to start looking at these promises that we can claim for ourselves. The first promise we are going to look at is the promise of God's presence in our lives. This is a powerful promise for all of us that offers us a tremendous hope. We can life with hope because the author of our hope is present in our lives.

God's Promises

2010-04-07T21:57:00.002-05:00

The word promise is full of hope. A promise is especially hopeful if the promise is made by someone that is faithful in keeping their promises. All of us have experienced both fulfilled promises and broken promises. When someone breaks a promise that they have made to us we become skeptical of the next person to make a promise. Over time this skepticism grows as more and more promises are broken. When we find someone who consistently keeps their promises they become very special and a consistent source of hope. God is faithful in keeping His promises.

God has made many promises and they are found in Scripture. Mark Dever, in his book "What Does God Want Of Us Anyway?", outlines God's promises in Scripture. He looks to the Old Testament as the place where God makes His promises. He looks to the New Testament as the place where God keeps His promises. Dever does an excellent job and looking at God's promises. He shows how these promises are full of hope, not only because the promises are made, but more importantly because God keeps all of the promises that He makes.

While the promises that God made are centuries old, they are still relevant to us today. They are still living and full of hope. While many of these promises were made in a specific time and place and to a specific person or people group, these promises are still available for us to claim because God made these promises out of His character of love.

God's promises are still a source of hope to us today. Beginning this Sunday we are going to be seeing how we have hope in God's promises.

Sunday's Comin'

2010-04-02T09:26:00.002-05:00

True For You But Not For Me - Book Review

2010-03-31T12:13:00.005-05:00

Recently I read "True For You But Not For Me: Overcoming Objections to Christian Faith" by Paul Copan, published by Bethany House. This is the third book in a row from Bethany House that has dealt with objections to the Christian Faith or other faith traditions. "True For You But Not For Me" has been as insightful as the last two books. One thing that I really took away from this book was that notion that evangelism is a process not an event. As a pastor of a local church this is very helpful idea. More often than not evangelism has been reduced to either personality style or single events scattered throughout the year. This notion makes evangelism so much more than that. It helps us to see that evangelistic events are just part of a larger activity of the church. But more importantly is helps us to remember that evangelism is more relational in nature. It takes time and trust. I really appreciate Copan's understanding of evangelism as a process. This book is worth reading for just that one point, but there is so much more to this book. I would recommend this book to anyone interested in sharing the Christian faith.

Scandalous - Book Review

2010-03-26T23:37:00.003-05:00

In his book "Scandalous: The Cross and Resurrection of Jesus" D. A. Carson takes a fresh look at the story of the cross and resurrection of Jesus in 5 specific passages. This is an excellent book. I found the first chapter on Matthew 27:27 - 51a very insightful. Carson looks at four ironies in this passage of Scripture: Jesus as King, Jesus as powerful, Jesus as Savior and Jesus' trust in God. While this passage of Scripture has been looked at over and over again, especially at Easter time, Carson looks at this passage with fresh eyes and offers helpful insights into understanding it. Carson offers the same helpful insights into Romans 3:21 - 26, Revelation 12, John 11:1 - 53 and John 20:24 - 31. This book is an quick an excellent read. I highly recommend this book. It offers several new insights into often read passages.

Change

2010-03-26T09:43:00.003-05:00

Recently I picked up a copy of John Maxwell's "The Maxwell Daily Reader" off of the bargain book rack. Usually you get what you pay for, but I found something here. Maxwell has put together a daily reader with leadership insights "to develop the leader within you" (subtitle of book). The entry for March 22 is titled, "Change Requires Additional Commitment." In this two paragraph reading Maxwell hits on three important ideas. Time is a valuable quantity and change often requires more time of individuals, at least initially. And change is a matter of attitude and perspective. Willingness to change is a matter of attitude and Maxwell believes there is not much you can do with someone who has an unwilling attitude about change. But he goes on to say that the ability to change is a matter of perspective. Most of the time change does not happen because there is not an accurate perspective of the current situation. Maxwell says that as leaders we are called to help clarify the perspective of reality and of the current situation to show the need for change, if change is needed. If there is a need for change and we understand that need for change it all boils down to our attitudes. What is our attitude towards change?

Religions of the Stars - Book Review

2010-02-26T09:39:00.003-06:00

Bethany House has done it again. First "The Karma of Jesus" and now "Religions of the Stars." In "The Karma of Jesus" author Mark Herringshaw took the time discuss the God's grace in comparison to Eastern Religions. In "Religions of the Stars" author Richard Abanes looks at the buffet of "religions" in Hollywood. In both books the authors attempts were to educate on other religions. Abanes takes this opportunity to respectfully present foundational information about each "religion." I think he does a good job at presenting the basic beliefs of each "religion." This book is very helpful for Christians to have a working understanding of Oprah's New Spirituality, Mormonism, Buddha, Scientology, Kabbalah, and the Occult. The belief systems that have been promoted by influential celebrities have been been slowly eroding away how Christianity is viewed and understood. Even though Abanes is respectful in his presentation of these "religions" his book helps us to understand how different they are and how they can affect us as Christians living in America. I recommend this book to all Christians.

Miserly Moms - Book Review

2010-02-18T20:25:00.002-06:00

Jonni McCoy has compiled several excellent practical guidelines for saving money in her book Miserly Moms: Living Well on Less in a Tough Economy. While not all of these ideas are new, but they are still helpful none the less. One of the greatest aspects of McCoy's book is her ability to inspire the reader to save. Many financial guidelines can seem burdensome and overwhelming, but McCoy has a way of encouraging the reader to want to take these guidelines and put them into practice. I highly recommend this book.

The Karma of Jesus - Book Review

2010-02-16T12:47:00.002-06:00

I appreciate Herringshaw's attempt to articulate an apologetic of grace against the Eastern understanding of karma. I found the illustrations helpful in his endeavor to help us, as Westerners, to begin to understand what we have for so long ignored or avoided. Upon further study this book does not completely reflect the full scope of Eastern religious beliefs and how we me might form a helpful dialog, but that is not the intent of this book. I feel the intent is, at the very least, to introduce the conversation and to that end Herringshaw was successful. I did find the book educational, but I would do more study if I wanted to have a well informed discussion with someone from an Eastern Religion. I do appreciate his willingness to help us understand a culture that is by and large defined by beliefs that are pieced together from various religious belief systems. It is a reminder that we need to be careful with our beliefs. We need to understand them and accurately present them.

Closer: Devotions to Draw Couples Together

2010-02-13T17:56:00.001-06:00

Jim and Cathy Burns put together an excellent weekly devotional for couples. Their format is very helpful (scripture, personal thought, faith conversations and a step closer). Not only the format, but the topics they discuss are very timely and helpful (trust, attitude, forgiveness, etc.). This is an excellent book for any couple no matter how long they have been together. One of my favorite chapters is titled "The Happiness Effect." I really like the reminded that our circumstances do not dictate our happiness, but our happiness comes from within. This book is full of these kind of helpful reminders and it is well worth the reading.

Easter: A Hunt for Hope

2010-02-10T22:53:00.005-06:00

Wednesday, February 17th, is the beginning of the season that we celebrate Easter, the season of Lent. This is a season that many Christians give something up and replace it by spending extra time in prayer, reading the Bible or some other way to draw closer to God. What is standing in your way of drawing closer to God? Over the next few weeks you might consider how to remove this obstacle and draw closer to God.

Starting on Sunday, February 28th, I will begin a sermon series titled Easter: A Hunt for Hope. We will be looking at Easter and the hope that it has to offer us. If you are in need of Hope this sermon series if for you. By drawing closer to God we come closer to the hope that we will be looking at over the next few weeks.

Regret-Free Living

2010-01-21T19:49:00.000-06:00

As a pastor one of the things I like to do is to come up with a theme for each year. This year I have decided on the "Year of Hope." In my search for resources and ideas on where people need hope and the hope that they have I came across a book by Stephen Arterburn entitled "Regret-Free Living: Hope For Past Mistakes And Freedom From Unhealthy Patterns." One area of hope that I decided I wanted to talk about was in the area of relationships. Many people seem to have a lot of difficulty with destructive and unhealthy relationships and habits. This book offers some helpful insight into this area. This book does not pat you on the back and make you feel good just to make you feel good, but instead Arterburn shows us that we have accept responsibility for our actions and the state of our relationships. He also takes the time to help identify some tools that we have at our disposal to help us live a regret-free life. This book, while it is specifically about hope for relationships, has been a help in that area. I recommend this book for those seeking hope in your relationships.

Thought for the Day

2009-12-09T09:22:00.002-06:00

Recently I came across a statement in a book that has stuck with me.

"We need to quit focusing on what we want and start focusing on God's will."

Lost in Christmess

2009-12-04T09:13:00.003-06:00

Christmas has always been an exciting time for me. I always loved it as a kid. First I loved it because I got presents. And then I loved it because I got a couple of weeks off from school and I got presents. But as I entered my teen years I became expected to purchase gifts for those I loved. The only hard part was usually I did not have much money so I had to be creative. Then when I was old enough to work I saved money to buy gifts for Christmas. One of my first jobs was at a toy store and I had to work on Black Friday. Working my first Black Friday I began to realize how much stress and crazy behavior the Christmas season brings out in people. I have seen people go without sleep and spend a lot of money, money they usually did not have, all because they thought getting the gifts their loved ones wanted would make this year a better Christmas than last year was. I have even seen two women over the age of 85 fight over that last toy at the toy story. We have gotten lost in Christmess. (Christmess is the name that Pastor Bob Coy gave to this time of year because of what we have done to it and what we have turned it into.) This past Sunday I began reminding us what we have forgotten or set aside at Christmas time because it is not the shiny new toy or the last piece of technology. It is a gift that all of us need, but very few really want. It is the Gift of Jesus Christ and what the gift of this little baby boy offer us. The birth of Jesus offers us hope, peace, joy, and love. This year, lets not get lost in the mess we have made of Christmas, but lets take the time to share Jesus with those who need Him most. Accepting Jesus makes a world of difference.

Drop Like Stars

2009-08-21T16:06:00.002-05:00

Last night I had the opportunity to attend a "seminar" by Rob Bell. The pastor from Mars Hill in Grand Rapids, MI. I had never heard him in person before so I had no idea what to expect. As the auditorium began to fill up I could sense the excitement of some of the people in attendance. As Rob began to share I was immediately taken in by his first story about living life in the hallways. The entire time he spoke, just under two hours, was great. He has a way of connecting the stories to draw you in and to make you understand, and even feel, what he is talking about. I don't want to give it away, but I want to encourage you to take the time to either take in this seminar or read his book, Drop Like Stars. It is well worth the investment.

"What Being A Missional Church Gets You"

2009-08-10T10:27:00.002-05:00

Those were the words of Dr. Eugenio Duarte when he accepted the election as the 37th General Superintendent of the Church of the Nazarene at the last General Assembly. This past week Dr. Duarte presided over his first District Assembly for the Kansas City District. Thursday night was a powerful representation of the movement of God. Dr. Duarte, a product of the mission work of the Church of the Nazarene, ordained 10 members of the sending church. One pastor said, "the missions church is ordaining the parent church." Sometimes we get to see the work of God come full circle. When the Church of the Nazarene was first presented with the opportunity to take the work of the church over seas they had a decision to make. Would they step out on faith or wait until they had gotten everything together before they took this risk. They stepped out on faith and God has used that faithful decision to reach over a million people through the mission work of the Church of the Nazarene. And last Thursday night the church that took that step of faith almost one hundred years ago had the privilege and honor of seeing someone who came to faith because of their missions efforts not only hold the highest office in the Church of the Nazarene but share in the sacrament of ordination. It was an amazing sight. God truly has a way of showing us how awesome He is. Lets continue with the missional spirit that God blessed our church with and make disciples as we are going.

2009 Kansas City District Homecoming and District Assembly

2009-08-05T10:40:00.002-05:00

Tonight is a historic night in the life of the Church of the Nazarene. Last month at the 27th General Assembly of the Church we elected the first international General Superintendent. Dr. Eugenio Duarte from the Cape Verde Islands was elected as the 37th General Superintendent. Tonight Dr. Duarte will begin presiding over his first District Assembly, for the Kansas City District. This is an exciting event for several reasons, but for me it shows how far God has brought the Church of the Nazarene in the last hundred years. Who would have thought that a merger of various holiness groups and movements would only 101 years later have a leader who was born and raised in the Cape Verde Islands. God is leading us to share the message of holiness around the world and His message is being heard, accepted and lived out. I encourage anyone on the Kansas City District to come and take part in this historic night and celebrate what God has done and God is doing in our midst.

Wednesday Night Electives

2009-07-30T14:25:00.000-05:00

Our church is looking into the idea of offering more alternatives on Wednesday to help people along their spiritual journey. To help us with this decision we are interested in hearing from you. What classes or ministry opportunities would help you the most in your walk with the Lord? There is a poll on the left hand column that lists a few options If the option that fits you best is not listed, simply post a comment to his blog post and it will go directly to my mail box. Thanks again for your help. We look forward making this journey together.

Book Review: Sometimes a Light Surprises

2009-07-27T18:37:00.004-05:00

It's time for another book review from yours truly!! The book I read is called Sometimes a Light Surprises by Jamie Langston Turner. The story is about two people -- a man named Ben who has never recovered after the tragic death of his wife and a young lady named Kelly. The lives of these two characters intersect and give each other a new point of view. The book, overall, was pretty good. It took a few chapters to lay the groundwork for everything that was going to happen and to build the character in the reader's mind so that we would be able to relate with what was happening. The ending of the book is open-ended. I'm not sure if there will be another book to follow or if it was left open-ended because the author wanted us to draw our own conclusions.

The theme of the book was healing. We all have had hurts, struggles, and heartache. Each one of us deal with it differently, but we all eventually have the deal with it. And at some point we either forgive or we carry the hurts with us. The characters in the book are both hurting and Kelly is teaching Ben more about healing then he ever imagined a young girl could.

The book is a good reminder that the way we live our lives every day can truly affect those around us. We can be an example for others -- whether that example is a good one is up to us.

If you're interested in the book you can find it here.

My 2009 General Assembly Experience

2009-07-05T08:24:00.003-05:00

Two weeks ago my wife and I made our way to Orlando, FL, for the 27th General Assembly of the Church of the Nazarene. I was not sure what to expect. I knew there was going to be a partial change of leadership. Three of our General Superintendents were retiring and we needed to elect their replacements. I also knew that we were going to discuss the identity, mission and purpose of the church. We were scheduled to discuss some of the tenets of the faith. I also knew that there some differences of opinion about the direction of the church.

This past week we elected three Godly men to lead our church. Our church is a missional church and it was exciting to see a gentleman from the Cape Verde Islands elected to help lead this church. Dr. Eugeno Duarte will bring a global mindset to our leadership. Dr. David Graves will bring a passionate pastoral mindset. And Dr. Stan Toler will bring a strong leadership and evangelistic mindset to our leadership. The gifts that these three men bring will powerfully move our church into its second hundred years.

When we arrived it did not take long before I was encouraged. After attending a few seminars and attending a worship service, it was obvious that God was working. Not only did not take long to be encouraged, but I was also challenged by what was being shared. Our mission is "To Make Christlike Disciples in the Nations." This is not just a fancy mission statement but this is at the core of what we believe. God has called us, equipped us, and sent us. Everything that happened that last two weeks was planned with the purpose of helping us fulfill this calling better. All the seminars and worship services powerfully fulfilled this purpose.

The Church of the Nazarene shares the message of holiness of heart and mind. This message of freedom from a life of sin needs to be heard today in the midst of our economic uncertainty. We believe in the God of the immeasurably more, but to allow God to be the God of the immeasurably more we must be radically obedient to God.

I went to the 27th General Assembly of the Church of the Nazarene in Orlando, FL, curious about what was going to happen. I was curious about who would be elected as the three new General Superintendents and about the future of the church. And I left General Assembly very encouraged about the new leadership and the direction of the Church. God has truly blessed our church in the last two weeks and I cannot wait to see what God is going to in the Church and through the Church in the next four years. God has been good to us.

2009 General Assembly - Stan Toler Elected

2009-07-02T13:21:00.002-05:00

On Thursday, July 2nd, the General Assembly went back to work at electing the 39th General Superintendent after Dr. John Bowling rescinded his election. Dr. David Graves was declared to be the 38th General Superintendent. It took 16 ballots to elect Dr. Stan Toler. When he was elected, he began weeping. When we reached the platform he joked that he was not dressed for the occasion. He said, "I humbly accept this election."

Toler shared some of his testimony. He said he was saved in Sunday School when he was four years old and called to be a pastor a few years later. He began his pastoral ministry when he was 17. He said he "never aspired to be anything but a pastor." A few weeks ago someone told him not to be so closed minded.

On June 4, 2009, he was elected as the District Superintendent of the Southwest Oklahoma District and he was supposed to assume that role upon returning home from General Assembly. Not he has other plans to make.

God knows what He is doing. Sometimes we can get ahead of God but God has a way of calling us back to Him.

Praise God for these three Godly men who will lead our church in the years to come.

Dr. John Bowling Rescends Election

2009-07-02T13:06:00.002-05:00

After successfully electing three Godly men for the office of General Superintendent, one of these men demonstrated his sensitivity to the voice of God. Dr. John Bowling was elected as the 38th General Superintendent of the Church of the Nazarene on Tuesday, June 30th. However, on Thursday, July 2nd, he awoke at 3 am feeling "checked" by God. Immediately after his election on Tuesday, Dr. Bowling was torn by the decision to leave Olivet Nazarene University, the school that he loved, to be the 38th General Superintendent. Dr. Bowling did not feel at peace with this decision and felt it was only right to rescind the election.

This sincerity and sensitivity to God goes to remind us that we need to be sensitive to the voice of God and not to the voice of man. While God can and often does speak through humanity, the voice of man cannot replace the voice of God.

"A step forward in God's will is always a step (in the right direction) even if in the eyes of men it appears to be a step down." - Charles Bledsoe

God is to be praised for this step of obedience by a Godly man.

General Assembly 2009 – Wednesday in Review

2009-07-02T12:54:00.003-05:00

Yesterday was a great day at General Assembly. The voting for the 39th General Superintendent finally came to a conclusion. Dr. David Graves was elected. Dr. Graves has served as the pastor of College Church of the Nazarene in Olathe, KS, for the last three years and he served as the denominational Sunday School Director for 5 years before that. The election was not without drama though. It took 22 ballots. Dr. Graves started out well after the election of Dr. John Bowling, but he seemed to stall and then he fell back before the morning session concluded. After lunch and after a delegate asked to spend an extended time in prayer before voting on yet another ballot Dr. Graves began gaining some momentum. Then once he began regaining momentum it only took 8 more ballots to receive of two-thirds of the assembly.

When Dr. Graves was elected he was swarmed by a group of delegates and it took several minutes to reach the podium. Once he reached the podium he began to share an abbreviated version of his testimony. He said, “It is no greater honor than to be called ‘Pastor.’” He confessed that he had mixed feelings but long ago he said to God, “Wherever you want me to go, I will go. Whatever you want me to do, I will do.” He concluded by saying, “My heart’s desire is to serve the church as I serve God.”

While this is a great election is truly a blessing from God it is a great loss for College Church. The last three pastors (Dr. Cunningham, Dr. Warrick, and Dr. Graves) have all been elected to the highest office in the church.

General Assembly 2009 - Historic Election

2009-07-01T07:32:00.004-05:00

Tuesday, June 30, 2009, is already being called a historic day in the life of the Church of the Nazarene. Entering this assembly we had three General Superintendent retiring and we need to elect replacements. In a process that usually takes several ballots, our first international General Superintendent was elected on the seventh ballot. Dr. Eugenio Duarte was elected as the 37th General Superintendent of the Church of the Nazarene. Dr. Duarte received 783 votes out of a total 959 ballots. Dr. Duarte was serving as the regional director for the African region. He is a native of the Brava, an island in the Cape Verde Islands. When the election was announced the entire assembly gave an prolonged standing ovation and the African delegation surrounded Dr. Duarte. They placed the Cape Verde flag around him and they picked him up on their shoulders. It was very clear that Dr. Duarte was a spiritual father to these good people and they were overcome with emotion when their "dad" was elected to the highest office in the Church of the Nazarene. After several minutes, when Dr. Duarte approached the microphone, he was overwhelmed, but he was able to say, "I do not feel adequate, but I do not have the right to say no to God." Dr. Duarte went on to say, "This is what being a missional church gives you." He concluded by saying, "Thank you very much for trusting the mission." God has a mission for His church and we are part of that mission. It was clear that the hand of God is on Dr. Duarte and Dr. Duarte is a humble servant of God. It was an amazing sight to see the movement of God. God truly blessed the Church of the Nazarene with this election. (NCN News article www.ncnnews.com/nphweb/html/ncn/article.jsp?sid=10000023&id=10007297)

Following the election of Dr. Duarte it only took 8 ballots to elect Dr. John Bowling as the 38th General Superintendent. Dr. Bowling has served as the Presdent of Olivet Nazarene University for the past several years. Following the vote Dr. Bowling asked for a few hours to spend time with his wife in prayer. At about 8:15 pm EST last night Dr. Bowling approached the microphone and shared that God has called him to the Nazarene universtiy campus for the better part of the last 42 years. Then Dr. Bowling said, "I feel God nudging me to a new chapter in my life." He then gladly accepted the election. This is reminenscent of Dr. Gunter's Sunday afternoon sermon where she reminded us of the story of Joshua. God was calling them to do something new and they had two options: to step into the water and do something new or they could settle down and make a monument. God is calling Dr. Bowling to do something new and he stepped out on faith. (NCN News article www.ncnnews.com/nphweb/html/ncn/article.jsp?sid=10000023&id=10007304)

One election to go. Stay tuned.

God taught us two strong lessons yesterday. First of all, we are not adequate to do what God calls us to do. That is because He is the one who supplies the ability and the resources. But who are we to say no to God. Second, God often works in new ways. While it may be uncomfortable it is better to step out on faith and do something new with God than it is settle down where we are comfortable by ourselves.

God has great things in store for the Church of the Nazaene. What an exciting day it was. On a side note, there is a great chance that the Kansas City District will have Dr. Eugenio Duarte as its presiding General Superintendent next month. This will be his very first District Assembly as the 37th General Superintendent. You will not want to miss it. The Kansas City District Assembly is August 5 - 7.

General Assembly 2009 - Honoring the Generals

2009-06-30T08:56:00.002-05:00

Yesterday afternoon, Monday, June 29th, we had the opportunity to honor and celebrate the leadership of three great Nazarenes, Dr. Paul G. Cunningham, Dr. Nina Gunter, and Dr, Jim Diehl. Dr. Diehl and Dr. Cunningham have served the church as General Superintendents for the past 16 years and as pastors before that. Dr. Gunter has served as a General Superintendent for the last 4 years and as the General NMI Director before that. Combined these three people have served the church for over 135 years. Yesterday's general session was dedicated to honoring them for their faithful service to the church they love. We owe these three our heartfelt thanks. In some ways it seems like we were saying goodbye to some good friends. We have learned a lot about them and their hearts over the years, through their sermons and times of leading the church. While it is sad to see them ride off into the sunset of retirement (or in the case of Dr. Gunter, she is gone fishing), it is great to know the God is in control and God is leading a new crop of leaders to help the church follow God's direction in the generations to come.

General Assembly 2009 - Sunday Afternoon Worship Celebration

2009-06-29T13:42:00.003-05:00

Yesterday afternoon Dr. Nina Gunter brought the second message of the 2009 General Assembly. She shared the story of Joshua with us. Joshua had led the Israelites to the edge of the water. They needed to cross the Jordan River to enter the promised land. This was not like crossing the Red Sea. God was calling them do something that they had never done before. Normally the Jordan River was only a few hundred feet wide, but it was flood season and when the Jordan River flooded, it could get up to a mile wide. God was leading Joshua to lead the Israelites across the Jordan River during flood season. This did not make much sense to the Israelites, but God was presenting them with a new challenge.

When God presents us with a new challenge will we have the faith to be radically obedient to follow God in the next phase of our journey? Dr. Gunter said we have two options when God presents us with a new challenge: 1) We can step into the water and be radically obedient to God, or 2) We can settle down where we are at and become a monument to what we used to be.

God often chooses to work in new ways and we faced with the decision f radical obedience. The decision is ours. How will we respond?

General Assembly 2009 - Sunday Morning Worship Celebration

2009-06-28T18:27:00.003-05:00

The 2009 Church of the Nazarene General Assembly kicked on this morning, Sunday, June 28th, with a tremendous worship celebration. During this celebration Dr. Paul Cunningham shared an encouraging message about the God that we serve. He declared that the God of the future is the God of the immeasurably more. He preached from Ephesians 3 which talks says that God is capable of doing much more than we could ever dream or imagine. That is so exciting especially today.

Dr. Cunningham said, "God has chosen us to carry the vision forward. He trusts us, and He has equipped us for doing good. He has gifted us - or promised to us - everything we need to fulfill that mission. We serve a God who is greater than our problems. This is a story too good to keep. That's why the Church of the Nazarene has been giving it away for a hundred years. It is such a great story. In fact, it is our mission to give it away, and we have gladly embraced the mission. We somehow knew that missions was the engine that God used to drive everything else"

Dr. Cunningham also reminded us, "When we are generous with God and His work, He is generous with us, and He knows He can trust us with further ministry."

Ephesians 3:20 - 21 say, "Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen."

Dr. Cunningham reminded us that for God do immeasurably more that we must be radically obedient to God. If we are not radically obedient we are not trusting God and we are not letting God do His will in us and through.

It is time to be radically obedient to God.

How Sweet It Is: Book Review

2009-06-12T07:40:00.005-05:00

There's been a hostile takeover! A kidnapping! I have wrestled the blog of Pastor Jon away from him. Stole his computer and am currently holding him down with one hand while typing with the other! NAH! Not really -- but that sure would have made a good story! Speaking of good stories, I have a book review for you (how's that for a "segway"?!)

I read the book, How Sweet It Is, by Alice J. Wisler. This is a new author to me and really a new author to the Christian fiction world, as this is her second novel. It is a contemporary novel; the setting is here and now. First of all, I want to say that even though you can't judge a book by it's cover...the cover on this book looks delicious and makes me want cake! The bright vibrant colors on this book alone would have made me stop and look. Yes, I am a sucker for a good book cover.

The book's main character, Deena Livingston, is moving from Georgia to North Carolina where she has inherited her grandfather's cabin. However when she arrives she realizes that holing up in the cabin, running a cake decorating business, as she has planned, is not going to happen. She begins working at a center for teens and a whole new world is opened up to her. She learns that living in the past, not allowing the hurts from yesterday to let go, is going to cause her to miss living in the present.

I think everybody can relate to this book. We all have hurts and struggles. And forgiveness doesn't always come easy. This book is a reminder that we aren't alone and can move past the hurts. Through wonderful characters, such as the Dr. Seuss-quoting plumber, a handsome social worker, and a group full of hurting kids, you will feel at home with Deena, and may even find yourself reflecting upon your own hurts...and finding it's time to let go!

And speaking of letting go (oh, look another, segway! I should totally be a writer!). I'm going to let go of Jon and let him have his blog back! I'll be back with more fiction book reviews in the future, so be watching for me!

Katy

P.S. You can go to Bethany House to read more or to purchase this book!

"Leading On Empty" Part 2

2009-04-22T11:07:00.004-05:00

As a young minister I found this book very helpful and very enlightening. It is a journey to discover who you are as a pastor and it can take quite a toll on you and your family if you let it. It is easy to justify the long hours and the time away from family. We are doing God's work after all. This is what we are called to do. Wayne Cordeiro offers some very helpful advice that can, if listened to, can help prevent that fate that awaits so many pastors. He says, "to finish strong, you must learn to rejuvenate your spirit early in ministry" (pg. 33). It is in the early stages of ministry that often develop patterns and processes of ministry that will guide us throughout our ministerial life. One of those patterns needs to be a time of rejuvenation. This needs to happen early and often. The longer you go without restoration or rejuvenation that harder that proverbial brick wall becomes. We must heed Cordeiro's advice. Ministry is a marathon, not a sprint. We need good spiritual disciplines early to finish the race strong.

"Leading On Empty"

2009-04-09T17:37:00.003-05:00

Wayne Cordeiro offers an excellent book for any pastor, especially younger pastors who still may be finding their pastoral identity. It has taken time to discover who God created me to be as a pastor and to some degree that is a journey in process. Pastoral ministry, like any other job, can wear you out. And if this goes on without taking the time to re energize yourself you can quickly run out of gas and run on empty. This is where Cordeiro's book is so helpful. Hearing his story offers us insight into our story that will help us see the caution signs that will inevitably appear. This book is a must read for every pastor no matter what stage of ministry you may be at.

Worship Together

2009-04-01T13:52:00.002-05:00

Sunday evening we had a great time of praise and worship. Our church combined with Turning Point Church of the Nazarene for a time of worship and fellowship. It turned out great. We had more people that we had anticipated, but more importantly the aspect of community and combined Kingdom building was evident. We came together, not as competing church, but as sister churches working toward the same goal, to worship and praise God. And the fellowship time after church was great as well. We got to see some old faces and meet some new friends. It made me think that we experienced a very small piece of heaven. We were all together in one accord and we were worshiping God. It was amazing. I believe that heaven might look a little like this, only on a much grander scale. I look forward to our upcoming combined worship times. God is moving and it is a great ride.

Book Reviews

2009-03-15T20:54:00.005-05:00

I am really excited. I have been reading a lot of books lately and I have decided that I would like to share some of what I have been reading with you. Currently I am reading two books. The first one is called "The Comeback Church" by Ed Stetzer and Mike Dodd. This book has been very encouraging to me. The authors surveyed over 300 hundred churches that were able to comeback from decline and in some cases almost death. The premise of the book is simply to present the results of the research. There are really helpful insights in this book. You will be hearing more about them in later posts.

I am also reading "The Secret Message of Jesus" by Brian D. McLaren. While I don't agree with everything that McLaren claims, it is a very interesting read. Yesterday I read the chapter on God's interaction with humanity especially dealing with miracles. I am still thinking over his thoughts, but he makes that case that God maintains a relationship with humanity at all times. This close relationship determines how we understand how God performs a miracle. There is an understanding that miracles only happen when God breaks into our reality and alters the process that has already been set in motion. But McLaren states that this close relationship redefines how we understand God's activity in the world. He seems to be saying that God is already active in this world so God would not have break into our world because he is already there. This will take more time to consider, but it worth looking into. Stay tuned.

Soon you will be reading about two more books that I will be reading soon: "Unleashing Courageous Faith" by Paul Coughlin and "Leading On Empty" by Wayne Cordeiro. I welcome your thoughts on any of the books that I am reading.

Wednesday Night Dinners

2009-03-04T13:52:00.003-06:00

Tonight is a great night for the church. We are taking a step of faith to reach out to the community surrounding the church. We live in the midst of some great need and we feel led by God to try to respond to one of these needs. We are going to be feeding the kids that live in the community around the church. Many of these kids do not receive the proper nourishment for a growing child. We have no idea what God has in store for this ministry but I cannot wait to see what it is.
Children have played an important part in the Gospel. The word "children" appears 401 times in the New International Version of the Bible. Jesus welcomed the children when they were brought to Him. Jesus said that we must have a childlike faith. Jesus also welcomed those who were willing to feed those who were hungry. While we live in a country of great wealth we also live in a country of great need and God is calling all of us to do our part to meet the needs of those around us.
God is moving!

The Message of Jesus

2009-02-23T11:04:00.003-06:00

Recently I started reading the book, The Secret Message of Jesus: Uncovering the Truth that Could Change Everything by Brian McLaren. I have not made it through the book very far, but my curiosity has been peeked by McLaren's purpose for writing this book. The purpose of his book is to gain a better understanding of Jesus. He is honest in saying that he does not know everything nor does he understand everything about the message of Jesus, but he is also honest in his desire to know more about the message of Jesus. McLaren is strikingly honest in this search. For some this journey seems uncomfortable because they want to focus on what they know to be "real" in this life. For others, they think this journey is unnecessary because they already have the message of Jesus all figured out. But in truth, McLaren brings us back to reality by reminding us that while we are on this earth we will never fully understand or grasp the full message of Jesus. When we think that we have completely figured out the message of Jesus it can become something that we can control and manipulate. It is true that we have great insight into the heart and the message of Jesus from what we have in the Bible, but the Bible does not tell us absolutely everything about Jesus. We are not given an account of everything that Jesus ever did or said from birth to His entrance into heaven. These gaps of missing information prevent us from knowing the full message of Jesus. Also, the knowledge that the Bible is "living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart." reminds us that we are subject to the movement of the Holy Spirit in our understanding of Jesus' message. It is truly a journey to learn and to know more about Jesus' life, work and message. I am really excited and inspired to continue to draw closer to Jesus on this journey. Won't you join me?

Google Earth

2009-02-13T23:02:00.005-06:00

Recently I came across a program that Google has created. It is called Google earth. Google Earth is a satellite view of the world. You start off looking at a view of the world and you can zoom all the way down to street level in many areas of the world. I spent a few minutes learning how it worked. I typed in St. Joseph, MO, and I worked my way around to see how close of a view I could get. Much to my surprise I started to see a blurry picture of the church. Then I noticed little cameras placed on the screen. I clicked on one of the cameras and to my surprise I saw a picture of the church. The I worked my away around some and found a picture of the parsonage. When I zoomed in a little further I actually saw my car setting in the driveway. I thought this was pretty cool so I began to move around St. Joseph to see what I could see. The more I looked the more things I recognized. I saw pictures of the stores that I frequent. I even saw many of your houses, that is if you live in St. Joseph. After I looked around St. Joseph, I spent a few minutes looking around Kansas City. I saw pictures of the Nazarene seminary and even some pictures of the publishing house. The more I saw the more I realized how big God is. It is amazing to take a few moments and look at pictures online around my neighborhood and realize how big the world really is. But is more amazing when you step back and think that God has the whole world in His hands and He loves each and everyone of us. God created a great big world, but God loves us so much that He desires a personal relationship with each and every one of us. Kind of like Google Earth, God zooms in on our lives and seeks to have relationship with us, but God also sees the big picture as well. It is a great source of comfort to know that God is in control. I would much rather trust in God, who sees everything, than trust in myself, who has a very limited view of the world. Wouldn't you?

Faith with Legs

2009-02-05T12:48:00.003-06:00

This week my wife and I had the opportunity to go to a Christian concert. During the concert one of the acts took a moment to share that we need to put legs to our faith. This is not a new concept by any means. James spent quite a few verses in chapter two talking about the need that faith and works are two sides of same coin. He even says in verse 26, "As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead." (New International Version) I have been thinking about this idea ever since. It is so easy to say that we have faith but how often do our actions back this up? It is easy to say, but hard to do. Nehemiah was a man of both faith and action. Even in the midst of oppression, ridicule and threats of attack he continued to do the work that God called him to do. He had the a great excuse for giving up and stop doing what God called him to do. Most of us don't have that kind of excuse, we just say life gets in the way. If we are living our life for the Lord our life should be one of faithful action. How can our life get in the way if we are living for the Lord? We must be a people that not only has faith in God, but that our faith is seen through our actions. We are all ministers of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and this is an assignment that we can never retire from. It is our life's work.

Conception Abbey

2009-01-28T18:40:00.005-06:00

The last 48 hours I spent at a Catholic monastery in northwest Missouri. I was on a pastor's prayer retreat. I had never been to a monastery before and it was an interesting experience. For almost 2 whole days we lived the routine of a monk. We started our days at 6 am in the sanctuary for prayer time. There were 5 prayer times a day in the chapel (6 am, 7:15 am, 11:45 am, 1:05 pm, and 7 pm). It was amazing to watch how these monks centered their lives around prayer. They started their day together in prayer and they ended their day together in prayer. They spent most of their days between prayer times in one of three ways: they ate together, they worked together, and they learned together, but for almost 5 hours a day they prayed together. Their prayers centered around a a few things. They prayed for forgiveness, they prayed for increased faith, they prayed for the growth of their church, they prayed for their leaders and the world leaders. Many of their prayers had an attitude of thanksgiving and awe. They were so thankful for what God had given to them and they were amazed about how big God was. This really struck me. Many times we think we have God figured out. We know what to do and what to say. We even know how God is going to respond to us. But far too often we forget about the mystery of God. It as times like these that we can get frustrated at God because He is not working on our time schedule or doing the things that we had hoped He would. God is much bigger than we can imagine. God's ways are too high for us to understand. But through it all God loves us and comes to us. This reminded me of the story of Nehemiah that we have been looking at lately. God gave Nehemiah a vision to restore Jerusalem, but it took 5 months before Nehemiah discovered the next step of his journey. It is a mystery to my why it took five months. Why did Nehemiah have to wait five months? What did he do during that time? God ways are higher than our ways. We need to remember that the is beauty in the mystery of God and it is during times of mystery that God is working on us. Lets remember that we cannot put God in a box, but let's take joy in the fact that God's ways are higher than our ways. He is still working.

Get Connected

2008-08-11T10:51:00.001-05:00

Church Information:

Baraboo First Church of the Nazarene
1800 Crawford St.
Barabooo, WI 53913

Service Times

Sunday:
8:00- FREE Breakfast
9:00- Sunday School for all ages (Nursery provided)
10:00- Worship
6:00pm - Bible Study

Wednesday:
7:00 - Adult Bible Study, Caravans for kids, Youth Group

Community Events

2008-08-11T10:44:00.010-05:00

Please note: If you do not attend Baraboo First, but are interested in any of these activities, please contact the church at (608)356-3774.

Regular Services

Sundays:
Breakfast: 8am
Sunday School: 9am
Morning Worship: 10am
Evening Bible Study (Walking through Mark): 6pm

Wednesdays @ 7pm :
Adult Bible Study
Children and Youth Combined Summer Events