Friday Links Roundup: espn360 Edition November 20, 2009

We don’t have TV anymore, but I am still getting to see a little bit of basketball. We love espn360.com.  Okay, I love espn360.com, and Leah admits that she’s glad I’m getting to see some college basketball, as well. In fact, on most days, there are more choices on there than on TV. I’ve already seen at least a few minutes of over 20 teams play and with the Thanksgiving week tournaments coming, I’m looking forward to seeing more. (Here’s hoping for a classic soon between Duke and UConn in their preseason tournament!)

On to the links for this week:

1. Cindy Colley (welcome to the blog reader) writes a powerful piece on the effect of the media on our attitude toward sin. You’ll want to read and reread “Moral Anesthetics.”

2. We are in the process of appointing additional deacons at Lebanon Road, so any study of deacons means a lot to us right now. Matthew Morine writes a beautiful post called “Deacons that See the the Mission.”

3. Scott McCown gives a personal thought that would make a great sermon. Study and reflect for yourself on “Jesus Wants to Change…“.

4. Two posts this week that are wonderful reminders about the Bible. The first is brief, but one of the best I’ve read in some time. A college student who blogs at justBECCAuse (guess what her first name is?) writes about her time with God’s Word here.

5. Also, Jeff Jenkins shares a similar story about a young man who loves God’s Word. Enjoy “I Like to Read My Bible.”

We hope you like the Friday Links Roundup each week. We are grateful for all the amazing posts we read each day. I subscribe to over 100 feeds, so narrowing it down to around 5 posts each week is hard work. Please continue to use this medium for God’s work!

We hope you have a wonderful weekend and that you worship God on His Day.

Reflections on “Where No One Stands Alone” November 19, 2009

When I was in the Sonshine Singers at Freed-Hardeman, we sang the beautiful hymn ”Where No One Stands Alone” many times. The song was also a favorite at campus singings and devotionals. It’s always fascinating to me what “old” songs are commonly sung by young people and young adults.

The hymn reflects a theme that is common to many other great songs: God’s protection. We go through moments in life when we feel alone, but, as the song eloquently states, we “cry” to God, “Don’t hide Your face from me.”

Aren’t you thankful that God is always there!

In my mind, though, it’s the chorus of the song that gives it a life that will not fade anytime soon. Here are the famous words:

Hold my hand all the way

Ev’ry hour, ev’ry day;

From here to the great unknown.

Take my hand, let me stand

Where no one stands alone.

The song admits a vulnerability in us: we don’t know what to expect either in life or when our time comes to die. We “do not know what the morrow may bring” as James tells us, and the unknown often frightens us. It’s also difficult for many–even strong Christians–to face the difficulties of death in ways that are hard on the body. While one may  not fear death itself, the process of dying can frighten so many.

It tears me apart to think of many who are lonely when illness, difficulty, and even the last hours of life come. They lay in beds at home or in a hospital in total fear of what is coming their way.

In  just the same way, it hurts to think of those who face life’s hard decisions alone. Maybe a job loss comes or a business fails. Maybe a mate decides to leave or a child becomes wayward. Maybe a loved one dies. These moments scare us, and rightfully so.

That’s when we ask God to hold our hand every hour of every day. But it’s the line “let me stand where no one stands alone” that ends the powerful song with a word of triumph. We know that these difficulties are but for a moment. And there is coming a time where, no matter how many in this world stand with us, we will not stand alone. We will be, as my friend Andy says, with the overcomers.

Are you unsettled? Do you fear? Pray that God will take your hand and guide you. You are not alone!

7 Little “Extras” that Make Visitors Feel Welcome November 18, 2009

Every congregation has visitors. Even small, rural congregations have visitors from time-to-time. Since we are in a fairly large city (and near the airport, Opryland Hotel, and LP Field), we have regular visitors. We are always excited to see new faces. Visitors are exciting, whether from near or far.

I have never met with anyone who says, “Our congregation just isn’t friendly.” Every congregation thinks it is doing well in welcoming visitors, but we’ve all had moments where we knew we didn’t feel welcome. What are some steps congregations can take? Here are just a few, and I hope you’ll add to the list in the comments.

1. Greet people before they enter the auditorium. People have usually made up their mind about the friendliness of the congregation before they ever enter the auditorium (or Bible class). Don’t just stand around in the lobby talking to each other. Make sure you greet those whom you don’t recognize and let them know you’re thankful they are present. Ask where they are from or what brings them to town. You know you are thankful when that is done and you are the visitor.

2. Have greeters of different ages. Our young adults rotate having a family come early (about 20 minutes before services) to greet everyone, but especially other young adults. This has proven to be a wonderful idea. Don’t just “assign” greeters because someone has been a greeter for 50 years. Think of people of all ages who are friendly and can do a wonderful work. (Also, don’t think that you don’t have to greet just because you weren’t assigned!!!)

3. Greet in your Bible classes. We often fail to greet anywhere other than for worship. Taking that extra step and coming to Bible class isn’t easy for a visitor. Make sure you fellowship in your classes, but also make sure you include those who are from other places. They are probably pretty nervous to be in that room!

4. Offer your seat. What?!? Yes. You’re seat isn’t that important. Offer to give up your seat, or at least to let a visitor sit beside you. What a difference from “Excuse me, you’re in my seat!!!” You can worship from one row closer or further just as well as where you usually sit.

5. Offer a meal. Don’t let your friendliness end with the worship service or Bible class. Make sure a visitor (especially one from the area) has a Sunday meal. If a group is going out to eat or to someone’s home, what a wonderful offer to make to a visiting family! It’s a built-in way to show someone the Christian community outside the walls of the building.

6. Don’t just point…take the person where they need to go. I hate visiting and asking where a class (or restroom, water fountain, etc.) is, only to have someone point down a hallway and say, “It’s down there.” Unless your building is a university campus, you can take a few moments to walk that person to the place they need to get (or ask someone else to help you do that). That small personal touch tells someone you’re grateful for his or her presence.

7. Follow up. If your visitors fill out visitors’ cards, please use them as a resource to follow up. Don’t just count them and report, “We had 9 visitors’ cards from Sunday.” If they live out of the area, send a card or email (actually, the congregation sending 2 or 3 will help them want to come back if/when they are in your area again). If they live in the area, visit them MONDAY. Don’t wait! They took the time to fill out a card, you can take a few minutes to visit.

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What else do you do that is effective?

Commenting on Commentaries November 17, 2009

I love commentaries. I don’t have as many as I’d like to have, but I love the ones I have, and I like having the church library just down the hall to fill in some gaps in my own library.

Obviously, there are some that I like more than others, and some I trust very deeply. Others I read more for word study or just for a quote or two.

Some do not see the need for such volumes. 300 pages on James? Who needs that much material? (My dad has a 10-volume commentary just on Hebrews, and each volume has about 250 pages!!!)

Most preachers have at least a few volumes, while some have hundreds. When studying a particular Bible book, many preachers will “bulk up” their library on that one book. They may buy 4 or 5 commentaries on Matthew, for example.

Many Christians simply can’t spend that kind of money on commentaries, so let me offer a few suggestions on commentaries for as many people as possible.

1. Purchase a few volumes (used, if possible, to save money) by brothers in Christ. It’s worth starting with Burton Coffman, Gospel Advocate, and/or Truth for Today. If possible, buy these whole sets (although, personally, I would recommend Coffman only on the New Testament).

2. Use the church library for other commentaries. Many church libraries  have several single volumes and even a few sets. What a resource that often goes untapped! Less than 30 minutes in the church library can give you 3 or 4 perspectives on the same verse or section of Scripture. If you’re teaching, you may even find a very useful outline or quote.

3. Look online for commentaries. Yes, there are a few older commentaries now available for free online. You will probably want to use those by names you recognize. Often, someone who can’t publish a commentary just puts “his volume” online, and it wasn’t published for a reason!

4. While some don’t think it’s worth it, Matthew Henry’s commentary is still worth adding to your library. You won’t agree with everything he writes, but Henry’s commentary on the whole Bible has stood the test of time. For the money, it’s a good investment.

5. Check the Scripture references and compare, compare, compare. This is the main way to use commentaries. If only one writer has a particular view, it’s probably not the proper thought on a passage. If you see several saying the same thing–especially if they agree with our brothers in Christ–you probably have gotten to some of the meat of the passage.

6. Always go back to the Bible. I quote from a couple of commentators more than others (Woods and Barclay, for example), but I try not to be a walking commentary. I’d rather be a walking Bible. After all, it is still true that the Bible is its own best commentary.

What other suggestions would you give?

Friday Links Roundup: Too Early Edition November 13, 2009

I went to a mall today. That, in and of itself, is news. I just don’t like malls. I like a handful of stores, but I don’t like the whole mall culture.

As we were there, I heard something strange over the loudspeakers. It was Christmas music!!! Santa’s workshop was set up for pictures!

Folks, let me say this as kindly as I can: it’s too early!!! Can we please wait until Thanksgiving is over to start this stuff? We’d still have a month. That’s 1/12 of the year, and that’s plenty of time to center on one holiday.

After all, Thanksgiving is better anyway!!!

Whew. I feel better, but not as good as I’d feel if I were President and passed the “no Christmas stuff until after Thanksgiving” bill!

On to the links for this week:

1. It’s not hard to figure out that I love social networking sites like Facebook and Twitter (twitter.com/faughn4 to follow!). However, there is a limit to it. Are our kids running past that limit? Albert Mohler shares his thoughts in “The Hypersocialized Generation.”

2. Christians are seemingly being pushed to the edges of society, but some of that may just be perceived! Steve Higginbotham helps us think through this in “Subnormal, Normal & Abnormal.”

3. Scott McCown shares a wonderful sermon outline for preachers in his post “Boles on Preachers.”

4. What is the future of our nation? Wayne Jackson shares some thoughts on how God interacts with nations in a wonderful post entitled “National Security: The Real Solution.”

5. Every so often, we like to share a good financial article. “Survive a Financial Crisis: 12 Tips for Married Couples” is fantastic and practical. Enjoy and learn from this one.

We hope you have a great weekend (and we hope you avoid Santa’s lap for a couple more weeks!). No matter where you are, make sure you worship the Lord on His day.

Guest Post: “The Church and Vision” November 12, 2009

[Today marks the final installment in our "The Church and..." series. Chris Gallagher is our guest writer today. Chris lives near Charleston, South Carolina, where he preaches and also does motivational speaking. He is married to Carrie and they have three children. Chris is a graduate of Freed-Hardeman. You can check out his blog, Preacher's Pen, here. We are grateful to Chris for taking the time to write our final installment to our series.]

November is a challenging time for every congregation of the Lord’s church; because November begins the process of budget planning. A quick look at any church budget will give an in-depth look to the vision of that congregation. Many churches are budgeting based on current needs instead of the possibilities they expect to happen. Take local evangelism for instance, many congregations do not have a local evangelism budget and as a result, many lack a congregational vision for local evangelism.

The vision of which I speak is not God speaking to people in dreams, but instead it is the foresight and confident expectation (hope) we possess based on the blessings, grace and abilities God has provided for us. God’s awesome power is always present, but many times we hinder our reception of it because we lack of vision.

Vision is that which drives the inner being to a greater focus and a greater life. Without faith in the future, we lose power in the present. If we are not casting our vision to heaven, or as Paul puts it, setting our minds on things above (Colossians 3.2), we are hindering the possibilities of what we can accomplish with the power of God.  I know that we speak of an invincible God, but too often the temporary gets in the way of the eternal. Paul’s words to the Corinthian brethren speak volumes to Christians today,

So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal. (2 Corinthians 4:16-18; ESV)

As Paul’s words regarding eternal life echo through our minds, let them fall on open ears and allowing our minds to grasp the power of the present as we cast our faith to the future. Realizing the future holds unlimited possibilities, each Christian is granted a view of life differently than those without God. For all things are possible with God (Matthew 19.26) and our eternal focus should not limit the possibilities, but transform each moment into an opportunity to share the message of the Risen Savior.

When our vision becomes heavenward, our lives are blood-bought and sanctified in Christ, then our hearts cannot wait to share with others the life we live in Jesus. A heavenward focus allows us to see that each day is not another day on this Earth, but we understand it is another day bring us closer to heaven. As a result of our vision towards heaven, we will share the message so others can enjoy the eternal bliss that awaits.

Questions to Challenge Your Current Vision:

1. Do you watch more TV or read more of your Bible?
2. Do you check email more than you check on your children?
3. Do you look forward to your morning coffee more than your morning prayer?
4. Do you look at people’s social (temporary) status on the status of their eternal soul?

Our vision must be challenged each day as we walk about this secular world. Satan uses this world to overflow our minds with worldly thinking. Satan knows if he can change our vision and focus towards the material, then we will lack the spiritual. Why else would be have tempted Jesus with the lust of the flesh (Matthew 4.3) and the lust of the eyes (Matthew 4.8,9)?

Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world–the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride in possessions–is not from the Father but is from the world. And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever. (1 John 2:15-17; ESV)

Begin strengthening your vision. Allow your faith in the future to bring you power in the present.  Use the steps below to strengthen your vision and focus toward God.

Steps to Strengthen your Vision and Focus toward God

1. Digest Daily Spiritual Food – Begin reading the Bible every day!

2. Pray today! – Spend time in prayer….Daniel did, better yet, Jesus did!

3. Fellowship – Keep your feet moving, but move them toward the brethren. If you and the brethren grow closer to God, you will grow closer to each other.

4. Invest in New Glasses – Stop just looking at the outside of others; look internally and see they need Jesus just as much as you. (Yes, even if you do not like them, remember Matthew 5.39-44)

5. Stop Planning and Go Do It! Stop planning to reach to heaven, to reach out and to share the message…go do it!

Strengthen your vision toward heaven today, because after all, God gave you the opportunity today!

 Just some thoughts,

 Chris Gallagher

chris@preacherspen.org

http://www.preacherspen.org/

P.S. -> About the “church budget thing,” what does your budget say? Talking about where your congregation will be 20 years from now is just talk, you better be planning!

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In case you missed any of the previous posts in this series, here are the links to every post prior to this one:

Matthew Morine: The Church and the Lost

Dale Jenkins: The Church and Technology

Scott McCown: The Church and the Pulpit

Paula Harington: The Church and Children

Joey Sparks: The Church and Community

John Dobbs: The Church and Grief

David Lemmons: The Church and Her Elderly

Craig Ford: The Church and Money

Drew Kizer: The Church and Bible Study

Trey Morgan: The Church and Joy

Why Veteran’s Day Matters to Our Family November 11, 2009

[It's Wednesday, but there's no list today. I think this post will touch your heart on this great holiday, though.]

I’m thankful for Veteran’s Day. I’ve never had to serve in our nation’s armed forces, but our family has many who have served, helped, and trained throughout the years.

I’m grateful that we have that legacy in our family. While I don’t like war, I’m grateful for those who are willing to stand for freedom and who are willing to go away from family for lengthy periods of time to help others.

One of the legacies in my family is how my mother’s parents met. Grandpa was wounded in Europe in World War 2, and Grandma was an army nurse from Carolina. It was a great love story that grew through the years in Illinois and even to retirement homes in Kentucky.

Sounds almost like a song:

“Lord,

Thank you for those who have served our nation, whether it led to an American love story or not. Thank you for the men and women who worked and sacrificed for our freedom.

And, Lord, please continue to bless those who fight for freedom now. Keep them safe and bring them home to those who miss them dearly.

In Jesus Name,

Amen.”

Being Apathetic: It’s Pathetic! November 10, 2009

I’ll be the first to admit, I have my lazy moments. There are days when I don’t want to do anything but watch a ball game or just relax. This post isn’t about running 100 miles per hour 24 hours each day. Each person needs time to relax his mind and his body.

This post is about apathy, the desire to avoid work. I hate it when I waste a good opportunity. There are so many things I want to accomplish in a day, a month, a year, and (of course) in my lifetime that I hate it when I don’t get something done. It’s more than just being “driven,” it’s about seeing the big picture.

Sadly, many people are apathetic. They have lost the desire to work. They are happy with things as they are and they see no need to press forward. They don’t think anything depends on them, and they see no need to go “the extra mile.” But that’s not just apathetic…it’s pathetic!

God commands us to be diligent workers as Christians. When we consider the scope and seriousness of the Great Commission, and when we try to imagine all the good works to be done, our workload is tremendous! It’s no wonder, then, we are told “let us not grow weary in well-doing!” It’s important to know that God teaches us to “always [be] abounding in the work of the Lord.”

• Personally, don’t be apathetic! If it takes writing your “to-do’s” or goals down, do that. Fill each day with more than just busy work; fill it with ways to encourage, learn, teach, evangelize and mature.
• As a young family, don’t be apathetic! Have family devotionals and teach your children the Truth of God’s Word. Take your children visiting, or have them help you serve someone in need. What a legacy you’ll be passing on!
• As a single Christian, don’t be apathetic! It’s easy to have the “lonely” syndrome and make it worse. If you’re single, you don’t have to convince anyone but yourself to work for the Lord. Take some time to encourage someone today!
• As an empty-nest couple, don’t be apathetic! The kids are out of the house? Don’t just sit around thinking of memories. Fill the time with work in God’s Kingdom.
• As a retired couple, don’t be apathetic! Truth be told, you have one of the greatest opportunities for ministry of anyone. Show younger Christians what it means to be filled with good works!
• As an eldership, don’t be apathetic! If the elders just “keep house,” so will the congregation. If elders are on fire and constantly seeking to work, so will the congregation!
• As a deacon, don’t be apathetic! Whatever area(s) it is in which you are to serve, go all out. Meet people. Do the work. Involve others. See this as your area of service and do it with “all your might!”
• As a preacher, don’t be apathetic! Work, work, work! One of the reasons I have this blog is it gives me motivation to work even more!!! Preachers should work more than 2 days each week, and should be seen as pace-setters when it comes to work ethic.
• As a congregation, don’t be apathetic! “Nobody wants to come here. After all, we don’t have any young people.” Or “We just don’t have the money to do huge programs.” So what?!?! Work, work, work. Don’t look at what you can’t do; look at the opportunities, talents and abilities God has given you.

Can you see how being a worker is wonderful?

Can you also see how being apathetic…is pathetic?

10 Reasons We Love College Basketball November 9, 2009

It’s not hard to figure out that I love sports, but there simply is no greater sport than college basketball. College football is fun, but until they actually decide the title on the field, it will never be as great as college basketball. With the first games scheduled to tip off at 6PM Central today, I thought I’d share a fun post of 10 reasons to love this sport! Enjoy. This will take a while, but it’s worth your time for a little fun!

10. Comebacks. Purists can say what they want, but the 3-point line did a great thing for basketball, including allowing huge comebacks in games. Teams down 10 or even 20 still hold out hope that a couple of three-pointers will get them right back in the game.

It even happens for teams who are down 31 as this video (of a game I watched) shows.

Or how about when a team comes from 10 back in one minute?

9. Coaching meltdowns. Of course, we don’t encourage cursing or other insane activity, but watching a coach lose it near the end of an intense game is fascinating. To me, it shows how much these guys want to win and how deeply they fight for their teams. I couldn’t find a video of my favorite (when Larry Eustachy went crazy in the NCAA tournament for Iowa State. If anyone has that video, please let me know where it is.)

But Mike Davis gave a pretty good meltdown, too! (this is a pretty funny video)

8. The “b” word: “Bubble!”  From about mid-January on, all we hear about are teams trying to get off the dreaded “bubble” and into the NCAA tournament. For my part, I’m always hoping the tournament will put more of the smaller schools in, and several get those spots, but bubble talk is purely a college basketball tradition.

And it all leads to moments like this (it takes a couple of minutes to get there, but it’s worth the wait):

7. The “WOW” Moments. Those moments when one play seems to turn an entire game and get the crowd to go berzerk. No other sport seems to have more of them. Here are just a couple of examples that I remember.

How about Darvin Ham?

Or maybe UAB’s pass against Kentucky.

6. Excited Announcers. Let’s be honest. Some people don’t like certain college basketball announcers because they yell too much, but they also share the emotion that we love about the sport. Their calls help put “the moment” in our heads forever. Here are just a couple that I love.

“Send it in, Jerome!”

“Hamilton, NO. Hamilton…YES!”

5. Rivalries. This is true in every sport, but in basketball there is something very special about just 2 hours making or breaking the hearts of teams and fans. Only 40 minutes of game time and so much can change. No videos on this one, but here are what I think are the five greatest college basketball rivalries.

#5  Indiana-Purdue

#4 Illinois-Missouri

#3 Kentucky-Louisville

#2 New Mexico-New Mexico State (maybe shouldn’t rank this high, but it is a nasty rivalry!)

#1 Duke-North Carolina (and notice which is first in that listing!)

4. Overtimes. Five minutes and no idiotic sudden death. Multiple overtimes are better, but overtime in college basketball is classic because one possession can win or lose the game. Here are a couple of those games where teams gave their all for well over the 40-minutes allotted.

Baylor-Texas A&M (the best part of this video is that it starts in the first overtime!)

But nothing could have us ready for the laaaaate night we went through watching Syracuse and Connecticut last season.

3. Upsets. Let’s be honest: unless your team is playing, you want the little guy to win. College football wants to shut the “little guys” out, while college basketball gives them a shot. Sometimes, they take that shot and run with it.

How about Santa Clara over Kansas or maybe Hampton over Iowa State. (I couldn’t find videos of these).

Maybe you like dream shots for the upset. See Cleveland State over Syracuse:

Or Gardner-Webb over Kentucky.

2. Buzzer Beaters. Let’s say it: everyone likes the buzzer-beating shot to win a game. They are what make March the greatest sports month of them all. Here are just a few from the past few years:

1. One Shining Moment. How many sports have a highlight of the season after the final game? CBS’s “One Shining Moment” has become a tradition that helps remind every fan of how great March really is. Well-produced, the song has become a part of the tournament. Here are a couple of examples.

2008

1991 (my favorite!)

Enjoy the season!

Friday Links Roundup: Two Cool Numbers Edition November 6, 2009

I love numbers. Yes, I liked the TV show (Numb3rs) when it first started, but I’m just talking about numbers in general. I’m a sports stat freak, and I like math quite a bit.

So, this week’s roundup deals with two numbers that were significant in the last few days.

First, the number 27. As a Yankees’ fan, that’s now an “old” number, because the Yankees won their 27th World Series title Wednesday night. When they were 13-14 to start the year, I was actually worried. Then A-Rod came back, and the rest is a 103-win season history! I’ve been a fan of the Yankees since the early 90s, when they couldn’t beat anybody, so these past few years have been a lot of fun.

The other number is 31. That number became significant on Wednesday, too, because our blog was ranked #31 among church of Christ blogs in the world by Matt Dabbs! He does these rankings every few months, and it’s the first time we’ve ever made the list. I find it exciting, but also humbling, that we are there. Here’s the full list.

On to the links for the week:

1. The story made the rounds this week of a Planned Parenthood worker who quit after seeing an ultrasound picture. The truth is, this technology has kept a lot of abortions from occurring, thankfully. Let’s pray that trend continues. Here is a news video and interview with the former Planned Parenthood worker.

2. David Brumley shares a great story from his Bible school class of one of “those” moments, when the kids “get it.” Enjoy “I, Barabbas.”

3. Robbie MacKenzie posts a great article about not comparing where you are with where others are. Read and learn from “Avoid the Comparison Game.”

4. Dale Jenkins presents some very good thoughts on alternatives to just automatically firing a preacher. This is a great read for elders.

5. I love thinking big. I love dreaming big. Some, though, just like to “keep house.” Matthew Morine challenges that way of thinking in a brief but excellent post, “There Has to be a Bigger Goal.”

We hope you have a wonderful weekend. We are praying for a harvest at Lebanon Road this Sunday, and we hope you are thinking the same way no matter where you are.

Don’t forget the Lord at any time, but especially on His day.