To Close To Where I Got In

Donald Grey Barnhouse tells of a little boy that constantly fell out of bed. Night after night, the thump and cry would rouse the parents from their sleep. One morning, the father asked his son, “Why do you think you keep falling out of bed?” The boy thought for a moment and said, “I don’t know. I guess I stay to close to where I got in.”

While we may chuckle at the boys observations, this is a sad and unfortunate reality for many Christians. They remain to close to where they got in, and don’t stretch themselves to make sacrifices for Christ, and the result is too few people in church, too few baptisms, and too few dollars being given.

Salvation is an incredible transformation. Obviously, it is one that is essential to eternal life. However, Christ has called us, once transformed, to a life of growth. Peter said for us to desire the sincere milk of the word. (1 Peter 2:2) We are to grow our infantile spiritual lives through Bible study. But Paul encourages us to move, like a baby, from milk to meat. (1 Corinthians 3:2) I would say that we should move at least from milk to grits! If milk represents where we got in, and say T-bone steak represents full time vocational ministry, at least move on to some cereal or something! Start tithing, share your testimony, volunteer for a service ministry. Go from learning to teaching God’s laws and Christ’s principles. Christ tells us to multiply our ministry by going, telling, and replicating. (Matthew 28:19-20)

In order to do these, we cannot stay close to where we got in. We must move farther and farther into Christ’s Kingdom. It never ceases to amaze me how many people are involved in The Christian CIA. They come in to church on Sunday to get the game plan, then enter covert mode when they leave. Jesus doesn’t want undercover agents! He wants heralds, clarions, and preachers of the Gospel.

Where will your faith take you in 2009? 2010? Move closer to Christ; study the word, teach it’s precepts, and share the faith with everyone you meet. Please, desire the sincere milk, but for Christ’s sake move on to the blessings of a diet full of ministry meat.

Blessings

Steve

Take a trip

Take a trip to the far away land of Pattyville. Or, to A Girl And Her Spatula. Visit for a while at Being An Adult Isn’t Easy. (Amen to that!)

Need a place a little more academic. Visit Moore to The Point, or Dr Mohler’s Blog. Controversy your bag? Go to Grace And Truth.


Peruse and enjoy.



Blessings,

Steve

SBC Wrap Up and Vaction

SBC Wrap Up

As always, I find the SBC a refreshing and rejuvenating experience. Although I didn’t hear enough preaching this year, it was still an up lifting experience. Met many old friends. Spent too much time in the Lifeway store booth and not enough at the seminary booths. Had our picture made by Olan Mills, missed that the past few years, and spoke with SEBTS about their D Min program. I think I’ll stick with CIU for now.

The political back room, good-ole-boy system that took a ding with Frank Page’s election is back in full blossom. The GCR task Force was practically on the podium when the vote to form it was being taken. This is not surprising, mind you. Nor were the names listed. I am continually amazed that the small church pastors, who make up 80% of the churches are left off things like this. Our perspective will be sorely missed.

We took a firm stand FOR our beliefs by removing Broadway Baptist. This was not a stand against homosexuals. They do that well enough by themselves. This was an affirmation of a Biblical truth.

Vacation

Well, we’re off to the beach for some relaxation on the sand and some catching up on my reading. On my reading list for this week...you ask with baited breath.?. Here are a few



What Every Christian Ought to Know: Essential Truths for Growing Your Faith (a reread)

What in the World Is Going On? 10 Prophetic Clues You Cannot Afford to Ignore

Signs of Life: Back to the Basics of Authentic Christianity

Darwin on Trial

Fascinating Stories of Forgotten Lives: Rediscovering Some Old Testament Characters

The Significance of Salvation: A Study of Salvation Language in the Pastoral Epistles


Just kidding on that last one. Wanted my brain to look bigger!

SBC part three,

1) I made it to the seminary today, and I’m very happy I took the time to get there. I got to see the sesquicentennial addition to Norton. Walked through the Honeycutt Center, picked up a new shirt at 5th and Broadway. good times

2) Met the Kindrick brothers. See pics below. Patty cries every time we watch FTG, and I thought she was going to choke up today. They are very nice men; an example of humility.

3) Laughed at the resolutions that were declined. Who-boy. I love the resolutions that come every year….
We resolve that Government Schools are satanic…
We resolve that the SBC should change the name of Easter to Resurrection Day…
We resolve that the SBC should tar and feather anyone not baptized in a Baptist church and at the hands of a Baptist minister. And we’ll start with the shuttle bus drivers…
We resolve that the Lord’s Supper should be close. Or closed. In-other-words, for us four and no more…
We resolve that Biraq Insane Osama be impeached immediately if not sooner because he is a gay Mooslum. Or a Mooslum who loves The Gays. Which ever way it was, he should be imprecably impeached through Psalms! And we resolve to pray for him with Christian, brotherly love. Using imprecatory Psalms. Because we care about him. And are proud of him. Even though…
We resolve that he is the Anti-Christ.


More to come…

Steve








Patty with Kindricks





Ditto with Luke

SBC Observations Part Deux

1) The most notable thing was the absence of any motions made by Wiley Drake. Perhaps he was afraid to fly after praying imprecatory psalms against the president, or since making threats against the president is a crime, perhaps he has been added to the No Fly List.

2) It never ceases to amaze me how “Calvinists” are blamed for everything wrong in the convention. This latest attack comes from Morris Chapman, most likely caused by the GCR document. Like many in power, Chapman seems most afraid of losing his grip, and the money is the most important tool in keeping said power. So he lashed out at Dr Mohler who made the GCR motion.?. I can tell you this, not a single one of these anti-Calvinists can say that Dr Mohler does not believe in sharing the gospel or trying to win the lost! It was under Dr Mohler leadership that Southern requires all seminary students to take Personal Evangelism, for Pete’s sake! And the only ones who are making a fuss are the anti-Calvinist folks. Most of whom I have known drive off plenty of folks every year all y themselves.

3) There was a lot of name-calling this year. It is wise to remember that labels libel.

More to come….

Steve

Tweeting

I am considering starting to tweet. Or, twitter. Is the verb form Tweeting or Twittering? I really believe in my heart of hearts that people care that I am going to bed. Or that I’m watching The Bachelorette. Well, typing while Patty watches the Bachelorette. But you understand. I saw on their website that BP was Tweeting from the convention. Wow. Next, Jerry Vines will be tweeting. Then I must have twitter.

Hmmmmmm. Maybe not

Well…TTFN

Smiles

My mentor, Jim Phillips, snapped this pic on Sunday. A picture is worth a 1000 words. And this picture represents why we do what we do. It's not about us and our proclivities, our doctrine, or what we think shoud be secondary or tertiary. It is all about Him, and showing people how wonderful His love truly can be.

Blessings,

Steve

At the convention

So here I am at the 152 session of the Southern Baptist Convention in Louisville.

Observations:
1) The shuttle service is horrible this year.
2) The exhibit hall is hopping, as always.
3) the pastors conference is a bust so far. Haven’t heard Huckabee yet.
4) the Italian ice is pretty darn good. But they need Peach flavor.
5) Looks like I will not make it to the campus or the luncheon from my alma mater Mid Continent. That’s a shame.

* Anonymous

You know who you are. I have received unsigned cards and letters before, and I am not intimidated by them. I suppose all pastors have...from time to time. Dwight Moody did. Often, actually. He has the greatest one-liner of all times. Once, during a revival meeting in 1899, Moody was handed a note with one word, “Fool!” When he arose to preach he mentioned the note saying, “I have received many letters with no signature, but never a signature with no letter.” HaHa.

As I said, I have received a few before. Two came to me and one to my deacons while in Symsonia. They basically said I was an idiot and that the deacons were cowards. The funny thing is that even though the person thought they were anonymous, we all knew who had written them. (Hi Mureen.)

I received an “anonymous” card yesterday. You know who you are. And can I just say...
Thank You. The card was sweet, the timing perfect, and you are incredibly appreciated. I do believe that God gives us the strength to endure, but a little pick-me-up from a friend (or friends) is always great! Patty and I are thrilled, as always, to have such a loving group of people to be blessed to pastor. So again I say, thank you (or thank y’all.)


May God bless you with his special favor and wonderful peace. (1 Peter 2:1)


Blessings,

Steve

Baptist Business Meetings

All pastors have their horror stories. “The big one of ’95.” “The church business meeting where a fist fight broke out.” True story: once during a special called business meeting, one man who was on the losing side of a vote, walked to the front of the church and removed his offering envelope from the plate before walking out the door.

Rick Warren says that because we vote, we have winners and losers. If you hang around church long enough, eventually everybody loses, and so the church is just a bunch of losers. Of course some people just love to fight. Some only come for the show. (You can spot these folks easily, because they have brought Coke and popcorn to the meeting.) Some truly have the best interest of the church at heart. Some are there because they believe themselves to be parliamentarians. (You can spot them also. They are the ones with their Constitution and By-Laws at every meeting.)

I came across an article outing some proposed rules for business meetings. And…I thought I would share them with a hardy Amen!

Here are a few rules I would like to suggest that churches employ for their business meetings.

First, non-tithers should not be allowed to speak or vote at church business meetings. If that rule seems unfair then the time allotted for members to speak should be in direct proportion to how much they give. For example, a person who gives 2 percent of their income to the church should be given the opportunity to speak for 20 seconds, the person who gives 4 percent should be allotted 40 seconds, the person who gives 10 percent for 1 minute and 40 seconds and the person who gives 20 percent should be allowed to speak for 3 minutes and 20 seconds, etc.

Second, no one should be allowed to speak or vote at the church business meeting who is more conversant with the church constitution/by-laws and Robert's Rules of Order than the Bible. I have known deacons who could quote Article III, Section 4, paragraph 6 of the church constitution, but couldn't find the Gospel of John in the Bible.

Third, the only members who can speak or vote at church business meetings should have at least a 75 percent attendance record. In other words, if the church has Sunday morning, Sunday evening, and Wednesday evening worship services or Bible studies each week or 12 such meetings a month, a member should be in attendance for nine of those meetings in order to participate in a business meeting.Having this rule will prohibit conniving members from importing scads of inactive members for crucial votes -- like for the termination of a pastor.

Fourth, a man who is silenced and controlled by his wife should not try to make up for his lack of authority at home by attempting to assert himself and control the church business meeting. Unfortunately, some men are as bold as a lion at a church conference and as meek as a lamb at home.

Fifth, some church business meetings should be held in a wrestling arena or hockey rink, because there is nothing spiritual about them and they hardly qualify to be held in a "house of prayer." Half Nelsons and flying pucks are more likely to be seen in some church business meetings than grace and unity.In case you think the preceding suggestions are manifestly unspiritual, I want you to know that I have written them facetiously or tongue-in-cheek -- well, maybe somewhat facetiously. Others of you may be cheering the suggestions because if they were employed, your church business meetings would be significantly improved.

Here is the question: What kind of impression would an unsaved person get about your church if his only exposure to it were a business meeting? Furthermore, if the resurrected Christ were to visibly walk into your church business meeting would He feel at home in His Church?

You can read the entire article here:
http://www.sbc.net/redirect.asp?ci=955&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww%2Ebaptist2baptist%2Enet%2FIssues%2FGCR%2FMHC%2D05%2D29%2D09%2Easp

The bigger question is, "What do unsaved people think about us?" When they hear us talking about the church, the meeting, the preacher, the choir, the youth. Would what we say make them want to turn to Christ? And if not, why would we say it!?

Food for thought.

Blessings,

Steve