Hearts Change, People Change...It's Possible

Monday Night Reflections

A few thoughts on an amazing weekend:

*I am still thinking about Lindsey Hannan's solo at S. Main. Thank you for allowing God to use you! And they said you may not sing again....

*Is Derek Hickman not a great guy? He is a blessing to our church. Hold his arms up!

*The lighting of that first Advent candle does something to me...we do it at home and at church and that small flame represents a huge light.

*James Jaeger, I see Jesus when you sing. Thank you for leading the praise at The Bridge so well in Jessie's absence.

*Praise God Jessie got in safely from Atlanta.

*Praying for baby Kendall tonight. Her surgery went well today and Michael and Anitria are relieved.

*Wayne Hunter I appreciate your playing more than you know..wow!

*Praying for the family of Manley Combs tonight. He fought hard after his diagnosis but is at rest and out of pain tonight.

*My son, John loved his first track practice tonight...run Johnny run! And I was worried when he was born with a clubbed foot. Ha!

*I'm preaching on forgiveness Christmas Eve. This time of year brings stuff to the light doesn't it?

*I put the spotlight on our front door tonight for our wreath and Nativity and I had an epiphany.... boy, that glass door needs Windex!

*Why, why can I not get back to my exercise regime consistently? My surgery made me feel so much better but knocked me off of my routine...pray for me!

That's about it for now.......

Hard to See in Twilight

I purposely waited to upload this post until after my sermon this Sunday. I started not to even post it at all but I decided I needed to do it. Now I must be honest and tell you that I have always loved magic, "scary things," horror movies and the like. I grew up intrigued with those things and look, I'M A PASTOR! I turned out alright. Well, that's debatable. But I have watched the whole Twilight thing with much interest and have been troubled by it as a pastor in ways I have not been troubled by other things. Normally, I would not have paid any attention to Twilight but I drive a carpool with middle schoolers, so I almost, after eavesdropping on those conversations, feel like a New Moon expert. The problem I run into in watching teenagers literally insert themselves into this series is the fact that I believe that we not only live in a physical world but that we are surrounded by a world that is unseen. I firmly believe that there is a spiritual battle going on for our minds and hearts constantly. I don't see as much of a problem with media that clearly separates good from evil, even horror movies do that, as I do with media that blatantly glorifies evil woos people into it. Media that even boldly invites young girls to be sexually attracted to evil and bond with it, if you will. Now you have to know that I am not the sort of preacher that rails against these things from the pulpit. I try not to give things more publicity by jumping on a bandwagon against them. It first interested me that the author of the series, Stephenie Meyer, is a devout Mormon and these characters came to her in a dream. Now this tells me about her world view and spiritual beliefs. But I have been really troubled by literal worship I see of this series by young girls all over the world who also sit in our churches each week. There is something wrong with this picture. I am not going to turn this post into a lot of proof texting but there are so many scriptures that warn of playing with the darkness of the supernatural realm that is not just a fairy tale...it is very real. There is a literal war going on for the hearts of our young people and if we are honest, we are losing the war. And let me say that I have spent some time researching this. I was troubled by many aspects of the "Twilight" series but I remember one particular part that reminded me of the fairy tales of old where a young girl would dream of becoming a princess. Not so, with Bella, our Twilight character. After Bella’s “rebirth” as a vampire in Breaking Dawn, she says,

”I was amazing now – to them and to myself. It was like I had been born to be a vampire. The idea made me want to laugh, but it also made me want to sing. I had found my true place in the world, the place I fit, the place I shined.”


I don't know about you, but there is a certain perversion I find in that very small part of this series. There is more but I will spare you the details. This goes deeper than "it's just a love story." It's troubling. Just food for thought........

How Long Will You Live?

A friend of mine told me about a website address he saw in the Lexington Herald-Leader last week which included an online test that could "determine" how long you will live. I was intrigued and took the test myself. It was a great test and if nothing else caused me to look at my own lifestyle and genetics. According to a recent Harvard Medical School study, children born this decade in wealthy countries like the United States can expect to live a full century. At the beginning of the 20th century, life expectancy was half that, so we are making progress. It tells me a few things. First, that life insurance may be an even more lucrative industry for those looking to start a business. It doesn't sound like there will be many pay-offs in the near future. But it also shows that we are very curious about the afterlife and what death brings. As Christians, we are looking forward to Heaven but none of us wants to move into our mansion anytime soon! Health food, diets, vitamins, plastic surgery and everything in between are at an all-time high. We do all that so we can pursue youth but in the back of our minds we always know that the end will come at some point. Death is the great equalizer isn't it? No matter your education, background, financial situation or social status, we all will face the end in much the same way. Aging is a part of life. I'm interested that we embrace and even appreciate almost all of the natural processes of life except getting older. We are quick to take a test like I did, or even go to extremes to hang on as long as we can. But the fact is, the bible is clear that "to every person there is appointed a time to die." Now some reading this may think it morbid to even have this discussion but I believe we should talk about it more. My grandfather is 90 years old and his health is declining rapidly. As a matter of fact, he is being set up in the Hospice program as I write this. I was talking with my aunt about the situation with Pop (my grandfather) this week and she said, "You know, we really live our whole lives for this moment." Wow, that stopped me for a minute and I couldn't stop thinking about what she said. That is not a negative statement nor is it gloom and doom....her statement was the truth...the Gospel truth. As the people of God, we live our lives for the moment that we step over into the next life. For it is there that we will cry no more, our bodies will be perfect, lost loved ones will re-join us, and best of all, we will meet the gracious and almighty God face-to-face. We really do, or should live for that moment. I am reminded of a story about the great songwriter, Fannie Crosby. She was a genius and what made her even more interesting is that she had been blind since birth. A reporter once asked her if in she would undergo a medical procedure that would give her sight if one were available. She answered very quickly, "Absolutely not!" The reporter, taken aback by this asked her why she would not. I have always loved Fannie's response. She said, "Because the very first thing I want these eyes to see is the face of my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ." Wow! You see, Fannie Crosby got it. She understood the faith very well. We long for the day when we will see Christ face-to-face. We need not worry. Yes, take care of yourself....spruce up the temple now and then. But we should never forget that we will all, one day, leave this world behind. That's what I'm living for. Oh, I forgot to tell you the result of my test: I'm apparently going to die at 89 years old. Hmmmm, in that case, I think I'll have that Snickers bar this afternoon after all!

So Proud of WFUMC!

‘Church without walls’ plans Thanksgiving dinner for 700 (From the Winchester Sun)
By Rachel Parsons
November 16, 2009

The annual community Thanksgiving dinner has been a tradition at Winchester First United Methodist Church for more than 40 years, one of the longest-standing traditions the church has.

As far as pastor James Williams is concerned, it’s also one of the best.

“As a pastor, one of my ultimate goals is to be part of the community. Part of a pastor’s job is to help the least, and the needy, and this is a great way to do it,” Williams said.

The dinner was first hosted by the church’s mission team as a way for the church to reach out to the Winchester community. The event started out small, but over the years, the church has made it a goal to reach more and more people.

“It just got bigger over the years, and it got more missional over the years, where we’re reaching more needy people,” Williams said.

Dinner will begin at the church at 11 a.m. Thanksgiving Day. Meals will be delivered throughout Clark County all afternoon. The event is free and open to anyone in the community. To request meal delivery, call the church office at 744-5410 by Nov. 23. There is no limit to the number of meals per family.

Williams said that going to people’s homes and seeing their needs firsthand is an eye-opening experience. After delivering meals to a family with several small children last year, Williams recalled a powerful moment when one of the children thanked him for the food.

“The oldest one looked up and said, ‘Thank you for this food,’ and I thought, that’s exactly why we’re doing this,” Williams said. “The places we go to, there’s a desperate need.”

All meals are freshly prepared by church members, and Williams said that they make it a goal to only provide dinners they themselves would eat at their own homes on Thanksgiving. Each dinner includes turkey, dressing, mashed potatoes and green beans.

“The reason we do it at Thanksgiving is because it’s a little easier to take the help on that day, and it also helps with my goal to be a church without walls. I want most of what we do to be something that impacts all of Winchester, not just our church members,” Williams said.

Rick Mink, chairman of the church’s missions committee, said they expect to feed at least 700 people this year.

“This is just another thing that First United Methodist does to reach out to the community,” Mink said. “. … Right now, with the way the economy is, times are hard for some people. This is a good place to come eat. If someone needs the meal on Thanksgiving, we’re here to serve them.”

Mink said that although this is his first year to chair the event, he has participated several years in the past, often taking his two daughters with him to deliver.

“It’s another good example of people in our church opening their hearts and showing their generosity. … There are no rules or requirements. If they call the church, we’re gonna to bring them a meal if they want us to,” Mink said.

Because the event has grown so much over the years, the church now relies on volunteers from throughout the community to help with serving and delivery. Several different churches and organizations are represented, and both Mink and Williams said that it’s a wonderful way to bring the community together.

Volunteers are still needed for this year’s dinner, and anyone interested in participating should call the church office to sign up.

“It’s a really good way to go out and help the community and give back. It’s a good way to show that our church doesn’t just meet on Sunday and Wednesday,” Mink said.

Contact Rachel Parsons at rparsons@winchestersun.

Copyright: The Winchester Sun 2009

It Just Is

Some of you have heard some of the ways giving has blessed me over the years. I remember as a child one year being literally, all alone on Christmas morning in an old apartment building in Albany, Georgia. The name of the street was Avalon Avenue...you never forget those times. Mrs. Harris, my 3rd grade teacher and her friend showed up at my door on that cold Christmas morning with a brand new, yellow bike. I was so excited I went out in my bare feet and rode all over the neighborhood. Another time was when I was about to leave for Kentucky to go to seminary. The church I was serving in SC as Lay Leader sent the Finance Chairman to our house and told us they had decided to supplement our limited income while I was in school and serving a church in Garrard County. They sent us a check every month for 4 years. Another time was my first year in full-time ministry. I was paying back my school loans, John had just been born with a clubbed foot, we had no health insurance and the medical bills were piling up before we connected with Shriners. We literally had a few cans in the cupboard, some milk and eggs in the fridge. I was too proud to ask for help and knew I'd be getting paid the upcoming weekend. We could make it for 3 days----men! I was an idiot, I know. But I did have the wherewithal to pray. That night I noticed the mailbox at the church had the red flag standing up and I knew I didn't have any outgoing mail....so I looked in the box. There was an envelope just marked "Williams Family" with two $100 bills in it. I could go on and on about how giving has affected me. But these instances I am sharing are two-fold. Yes, I was blessed. But the givers were blessed even more. Over the years, I have seen that God is good and He is always faithful. Our church wide emphasis Enough: Discovering Joy Through Simplicity and Generosity is nearing its conclusion. Last week, we talked about “Cultivating Contentment.” In our corporate worship, we addressed head-on our human tendency to accumulate possessions and wealth, and we discovered how to consciously change our ways. If you were unable to be with us, be sure to pick up your key tag this coming week at either campus on the information tables.

What defines your life? Is it wealth? Belongings? Faith? Many of us live with a scarcity mentality, worried that we must gather and hoard as much as possible, saving for some imagined “rainy day.” Or we focus on self-gratification. But the Bible promises both God’s blessings and joy for those who choose to live another way. Why does giving work? I don't know exactly. I know it brings joy. I know it is good for our spiritual and mental health. I know we grow faster through giving than any other way. It just is.......

Illness Can Be Physical or Mental

My 14 year old son and I were privileged to attend a showing of “The Soloist” at the Leeds Theater a few days ago. It was sponsored by the Winchester chapter of NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness).

Before the movie began, representatives of NAMI gave an outstanding presentation on the help that is available to those families who are struggling with mental illness.

As I listened to the presentation and then watched the movie, I was reminded of the stigma of mental illness and how so many in our community live in isolation because of it.

Growing up, I heard the derogatory remarks about the “crazy aunt or uncle in the attic.” Or the plight of friends and neighbors who just disappeared only to find out later that they had been banished to nursing homes or state hospitals.

Mental illness is difficult. It makes us uncomfortable. It challenges us to face our own mental health issues. It calls us to love deeper. But the fact is, it scares us to death.

It is interesting to me how when someone is diagnosed with cancer or some other serious illness we rally around the individual, take them meals and offer to help them with daily needs. But when someone is diagnosed with a mental illness, we stay away.

Mental illness is no different than any other physical disorder. These people are victims as well and need the extra love and care of a community — maybe even more so.

The movie brought to light how many with these disorders are really very intelligent and talented. I have seen this in my ministry over the years, and it is so sad to see how a brain chemistry attack can steal wonderful gifts that God has given these people.

That in and of itself is enough to cause us to reach out and support those struggling with mental illness.

But the other forgotten group are the caregivers of those with these illnesses. Often they have given up because they really have no support in dealing with a human being who is doing so many unreasonable things. So those with mental illness end up on the streets or moving from place to place.

We have organizations, walks, races, banquets, seminars and rallies for almost everything except those who struggle with mental health issues.

Churches and communities need to get involved because society is still very silent on this tremendous problem.

If any other illness or disease were stealing this number of talented and gifted people from us, there would be movement.

Some things are being done but when you see the statistics, it’s not enough.

Let’s think about what we can do for those so seriously ill, so imprisoned, impoverished and punished by their psychoses, that they are not at all “like you and me” — the 150,000 mentally ill who are homeless, the 231,000 who are incarcerated due to acting out when untreated, the 5,000 people who took their lives this past year, the 70,000 in state psychiatric hospitals and the 28 percent who get food from garbage cans.

They don’t deserve to be ignored. They are “the least” in our society.

And as a great man once said, “Whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.”

The Rev. James Williams is a Sun community columnist. Contact him at jwilliams@winfumc.net.

Copyright: The Winchester Sun 2009

Christians As Consumers or Disciples

(I promise I am going to post something original soon but this article by Bishop Wil Willamon was too good not to share...Excellent!)

Tony Robinson’s book, What’s Theology Got to Do with It? has some good insights on the theological basis of the church, insights that can help our efforts at congregational renewal in the Wesleyan spirit. This week I continue with some of Tony’s insights that I have found helpful.

Lutheran pastor Michael Foss argues that the central challenge facing many congregations today is to shift their dominant paradigm from being cultures of membership to cultures of discipleship. When Foss describes what he means by a culture of membership, he turns to the model of the now-ubiquitous health club. Writes Foss:


I don’t want to push the analogy too far, but for the sake of illustration, let’s think of the membership model of church as similar to the membership model of the modern health club. One becomes a member of a health club by paying dues (in a church, the monthly or weekly offering). Having paid their dues, the members expect the services of the club to be at their disposal. Exercise equipment, weight room, aerobics classes, an indoor track, swimming pool—all there for them, with a trained staff to see that they benefit by them. Members may bring a guest on occasion, but only those who pay their dues have a right to the use of the facilities and the attention of the staff. There is no need to belabor the point. Many who sit in the pews on Sundays have come to think of church membership in ways analogous to how the fitness crowd views membership in a health club.3


Foss argues that this understanding has misplaced the true purpose of the church and distorted its nature. The point is not membership. The church does not have clients, members, or consumers of goods and services. The point is discipleship. The church exists to form and sustain individuals and a people who are followers of Jesus Christ, who are his disciples. Rather than buying into a consumer model of the church, where the customer is king and the church simply meets customers’ needs, the church does more; the church redefines our true needs. The church transforms people according to the life and pattern revealed by God in Jesus Christ. It unites them with others who are committed to this way of life.

Nevertheless, perhaps because we have grown so accustomed to thinking of ourselves as consumers of various goods and services, the membership ethos is hard to break. I have noticed, for example, that in many congregations, when a new group gathers for the first time, the default option for introductions tends to take the form of name and number of years of membership. Length of tenure provides some useful information, and there is much to be said for loyalty and commitment, but something else often seems to be going on during such a ritual. A pecking order is established based on length of membership and an insider-outsider dynamic is suggested.
Indeed, as Foss notes, “The membership model identifies who is in and who is out. No wonder those outside the church consistently say that church people are more judgmental than others.”4

One Sunday when I was free from my pastoral responsibilities, I went to visit this small church. I parked on a nearby side street and walked to the front door, which was closed. I pulled on the door and found it would not open. It was locked. The Sunday service was to begin. I knocked on the door. After a while, an older member of the congregation pushed the door open and invited me in, saying, “We usually don’t open this door; everyone knows to come in through the back door.” Well, this arrangement was very cozy and friendly if you were part of the “everyone” who made up the aging and shrinking cohort of the congregation. If not, you hardly felt welcomed. The message was clear: members only. However, and here’s the crucial point, the congregation’s members were oblivious to the message of the locked front door as well as to the implications of their confidence that “everyone knows to come in through the back door.”

Congregations and clergy seemingly have often misconstrued or misunderstood the closing scene in the Gospel of Matthew where Jesus meets the disciples on a mountain and charges them with the Great Commission: “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you” (Matt. 28:19-20). Somehow it seems we have heard Jesus say, “Go therefore, and make members . . .”

While at times in the past, clergy or other church leaders may have had so much power and authority that they have been indifferent to the needs, desires, and opinions of church members, I am not advocating this stance as the antidote to religious consumerism. Yet perhaps we have swung in the other direction. Yes, congregational leaders must take seriously the experience of congregational members, but the church is not driven simply by people’s needs and wants. It is driven by God’s dream and purposes for creation.

Will Willimon

Wise Words, Fr. Matthew, Wise Words......

(My post to you today is a little long but I've been thinking a lot about the state of society. Just watch the news, we (and especially Christians) have become vicious commentators of the world around us instead of change agents. We are so quick to criticize and point out the wrongs of "they" instead of focusing on being Christ to the world. The following is from a sermon by Fr. Matthew Kelty. Matthew is a monk at the Abby of Gethsemane in Bardstown, Ky. He's 98 and pretty wise......."



It seems rather lame to speak of noting the splinter in your brother's eye rather than being aware of your own hampered vision. Is that to be taken as an answer to the world scene?

It seems so. For if the flaw in your brother is a problem with you, does that not indicate a critical view of your own flaws? For you cannot treat others any way except the way you treat yourself. If you can be savage in your comments on another, no one need doubt you are just as savage with your own heart, revealed in your speech. The beam in your own eye has never been removed in mercy nor the speck you see in your brother's eye.

We need to meet mercy if we are to do mercy to others. Anything less is sheer waste. The sinful heart that has accepted Christ's mercy approaches another in quite a different mode than does the one foreign to it.

Hence, the healing of the world does not begin in some far-off land that we must hasten to help, but in the geography of your own heart. There the sinner is washed in mercy and becomes thereby an instrument of mercy, not merely by his prayers, but in everything he does. For he is a vessel of grace. We cannot heal all the world's problems, but we begin with our own heart if our help is to amount to anything.

For our response is not limited to prayer for the afflicted. We practice justice, feed the hungry, clothe the naked, visit the sick, bury the dead. We forgive injury and do not resort to revenge, to reprisal, to contempt. In our world. Where we are.

It costs nothing and is worth more than anyone can tell. And it is in this way the world is healed, with Christ dying daily everywhere and we with Him.

And since the healing process is so slow, as it always is, we need to look ahead to the triumph at the end when Christ, put to death in humankind how many times, rises in glorious mercy. Amen.

We All Fall Short (All Means All)

I have been watching with great interest media coverage on the death of Ted Kennedy. As a pastor, I attend many funerals and have given numerous eulogies. I have always been careful to give comfort and celebrate a person's life. There have been very tragic situations where people were most likely somewhat nervous (and even in a sinister way, hopeful) about what I might say about the deceased because of some unpleasant things in their lives...maybe in even the way they died. In our humanness, I have found that we often find it very easy to herald the character flaws, mistakes and tragic decisions of others, yet we are very careful to keep our own covered. Over the past few days I have watched (and listened to on radio) the good, bad and ugly of Senator Kennedy's life. Amazed at some of the good things he did and not so surprised at the bad. Many minorities in our country no doubt, will thank the Senator for the Civil Rights Act, many enjoy voting privileges today because of his involvement in the Voting Right Act. I know several people who have benefited from his fight for COBRA which secures the rights of individuals to be covered by health insurance after leaving a job. The Violence Against Women and Matthew Shepherd Act have no doubt saved lives. "BUT," you may say. I know, I know. All too well have we been informed of the dark side of Kennedy's life. My "but" would be that we all suffer with the affliction of a dark side. And no one person's dark side outweighs another in the eyes of our Creator. I didn't make that rule. I just report on it. For my own life and family, I want to try to learn from Kennedy's mistakes. He leaves a legacy...positive and negative. Just as every one of us will. But be careful that you do not forget that Edward Kennedy was a flawed human being. That's all he was...no more and no less. And in the midst of all hoopla and negativity I cannot help but to be reminded of one thing: whatever side you're on, rest assured you will one day stand where Mr. Kennedy stands now. And the assessment you get on that day will be the only one that really matters.

Each One, Reach One

I hope the video above ministered to you. In ministry I have many opportunities to "make a difference." But it thrills me even more to see people outside of vocational ministry step out of their comfort zones to touch a person in need. Nicole Mullens song, "One Touch" is a wonderful example of how every word, every gesture has the potential to change a life. Jesus moved through the crowd slowly. So should we.....

Change for the Sake of Change

Our congregation has experienced a great deal of change over the past 3 years. I enjoy discussing change with folks because I am intrigued by the fact that it is so difficult. Much of the world struggles in their career, church, personal life and relationships because they do not like change. I had an excellent question posed to me yesterday that really sparked a "God" conversation between myself and someone that disagreed with me on a recent change we made in the church. The question was this: "Do you believe that change for the sake of change is necessary?" I immediately said, "No!" But it made me think. I mean, a light bulb came on in my heart. I only believe in change when there is a need for change. But often I think people resist it because they believe that sometimes change is occurring needlessly. So the auto-response is "fight it!" Communication is important. We are living in a world that is struggling to believe in Jesus Christ. Not only has technology made it more difficult to trust God (much like the Egyptian magicians replicating God's miracles) but they see a local church that trying to use the same methods to reach a new wineskin generation. It will not work. It is just like the Apostle Paul and Peter preaching a new message in a new way. It was just like Jesus himself taking the message of God to the streets instead of leaving it in the Temple. It was unheard of! It was change. And it was needed. But God is teaching me to be more sensitive. As a very driven, type A personality who loves a challenge, I sometimes, in my deep yearning to preach Christ to the nations, forget that some folks have to take it in slower than I do. It's not wrong. It is just different. And God is teaching me, not to stop, but to walk through the crowd a little slower when it comes to carrying out his plans for my ministry. This was made clearer to me the other day. I pay my mortgage online. Each month, I go to the site, put in my password, punch a button and my mortgage payment is made. Well, this month I logged in and the site had been totally changed! So much so that I could not figure out how to make my payment. Very frustrated, I called the bank. The dear lady explained to me that it was a new site and I would have to re-enter my information and when I did so I would be taken to a tutorial. Or I could pay over the phone with her but there would be a $6.00 charge. I was frustrated...no I was mad. And I said, 'Couldn't the bank have moved a little slower, sent me information and gotten its customers ready for this....CHANGE? It's like the world stopped as soon as I said it. God spoke to my heart so clearly I swallowed hard. God said, "James, now do you see how they feel?" WHAM! Right between the eyes. So I went to the site, navigated it and saw that I actually like it better..and it was needed. Fewer steps and I like all the online reports. But it taught me a lesson. We like what we like and that it is not necessarily wrong. I know the changes in our church over the past 3 years have been good and needed. We are already and are going to continue reaching more folks with the Gospel because of it. But I need a more loving approach sometimes in my thinking as well. I have a small plaque in my office that says, "Make No Small Plans Here." I still believe that. God has still placed some big dreams in my heart for our church. But the people have to come before the plan. God is so good~

A Class Act

Following is a post from Dr.Maxie Dunnam from his recent blog. It is his response to the above video posted on YouTube. He was exactly right to post his original video, not only in the content of his original message, which I posted on my Facebook page, but to post it on YouTube, it is a powerful tool. Right on target for our church and the Church universal. Dr. Dunnam is a wise man, and a modern prophet in my opinion. But, as happens often on Youtube, mainly to celebrities (congratulations Maxie) someone has taken the video, re-edited and tried to make Maxie look ridiculous. So, I have also posted the original video after Maxie's blog post below. His reponse to this is classic Maxie Dunnam, gracious, loving and with a sense of humor. My goal is to use this (funny and interesting..I must admit I laughed very hard :)) attempt to discredit Maxie's original message to give his original intent an even larger viewing....I know Maxie and see him occasionally. I just wish now I had gotten his autograph...I may have been able to sell it on Ebay. :) Welcome to the 21st Century! And thanks, Maxie, for being such a classy guy!

BY Maxie Dunnam: "I have been ‘mashed up’. I didn’t know what that meant until last week. A few weeks ago, I put two messages on You Tube, expressing my opposition to some constitutional amendments that were being presented to the annual conferences of United Methodism around the world. You can view these at www.maxiedunnam.com

Being technologically challenged, this was my You Tube debut. I soon learned the effectiveness of this communication media…positive and negative. Someone called me last week and told me to go on You Tube and view MAXIE MASH UP. There it was, and it was hilarious. I couldn’t wait to have Jerry (my wife) see and hear it.

But maybe I’m naïve. A blogger (gavoweb.com) wrote, "It’s what you get for going on you tube, maxie. A lot has been said over the latest rage in Methodism, taking your political viewpoint to you tube. One thing maxie dunham(he misspelled my name), who seems to have started this should have done his homework on the concept of mashup’s - cause buddy, you’ve been mashedup. I think the fact that someone did this is brilliant, rather slanted, but brilliance as I am sure the egos that decided this vehicle was the way to go didn’t see something like this happening."

Since this is my first venture on you tube, I’m still processing what this means. Knowing that someone would do this, would certainly not have kept me from using you tube to make my case. I’m continuing to laugh, but I’m trying to discern the message. I don’t mind a person seeing me mashed up, provided the viewer sees the message that is being mashed up. There can be no guarantee of that, thus my questioning.

I’m sure the “masher upper” (I don’t know the language) wants to discredit my message and so he does it, not by reasonable response, but by technologically manipulated distortion. That’s void of integrity, to say the least. It seems much easier to get away with such in this new cyber world in which we live. I guess I also feel that I can take this kind of bizarre mashed up response as well as the vitriolic incivility that characterizes so much of internet communication.

I’ve gone on YouTube two or three times in the last few months to watch the laughing baby and the drunk air line pilot videos. A good laugh is healthy for any of us. I think I’ll keep MAXIE MASH UP to look at when I am tempted to take myself too seriously. At last count, the laughing baby 2,821,370 hits, and the drunk pilot had 1,122,783. MAXIE MASH UP had barely 100. That gives me some hope. MAXIE MASH UP is not as funny as I thought it was. I bet it will be taken off you tube by the time you read this."

Time Passages

Following is great information on managing your day by John Maxwell. Several of this points have been helpful to me through the years:
Keep a detailed time log of your work. Break down every day for a week into 15-minute increments. Write in every single thing you do. This means what you actually spend time doing – not what you intended to do.

Identify your major time wasters and work to eliminate them. Everyone falls prey to certain time wasters, based on personality or work habits. Use your time log to discover yours. Then target and try to eliminate one each week.

Identify the activities you value. The greatest time management tool I ever learned came from the 19th century economist Vilfredo Pareto. The Pareto Principle (which I quote a LOT) states that if we devote our energy, time, and resources to the top 20% of our priorities, we’ll achieve 80% of the results we desire. Use your time log to clarify which activities are important to you. Then focus your schedule on the top 20%.

Use planning to gain time. Every minute spent in planning saves ten in execution. End each day with just five minutes spent planning and prioritizing for the next.

Create systems to simplify. Here’s a truth to live by: You can’t devote 80% of your time to your top priorities when you’ve just wasted 40% of your time trying to find your to-do list. I’ve created systems for nearly everything in my life. My best rule is to touch any piece of paper only once – then I either throw it away, act on it, or file it.

Become results-oriented. You already know that activity does not necessarily equal accomplishment. If your busyness is not yielding results, it’s time to adjust. Begin prioritizing, planning, and organizing. And use deadlines. They’ll point you toward results.

Heartsill Wilson said, “God has given me this day to use as I will. I can waste it – or use it for good, but what I do today is important, because I am exchanging a day of my life for it!”

When you open your eyes tomorrow morning, remind yourself that it holds incredible possibilities. You can allow that day to slip away from you, or you can use it to make things happen. The choice is yours.

Walking Funny

I was born with bi-lateral clubbed feet and spent much of my childhood in casts and braces because of all of the necessary surgeries required by Shriners Hospital. That caused me to "walk funny" my whole life and even now, especially when I'm tired, I walk with a limp. It's been a painful part of my life but it really has been more of a blessing. For many years it caused me to be overly sensitive to "looking good." No one wants to walk with a limp. Over the years I have thought about not only limping physically but how hard it is not to limp in our spiritual walk. But I have found that the once our "walk" is given over to God, we don't have to work as hard to make it look better. I love Daniel:

"He knelt down on his knees three times that day, and prayed and gave thanks before his God, as was his custom." —Daniel 6:10

Have you ever wondered why a pigeon walks so funny? It's so it can see where it's going. A pigeon's eyes can't focus as it moves, so the bird actually has to bring its head to a complete stop between steps in order to refocus. It proceeds clumsily—head forward, stop, head back, stop.

In our spiritual walk with the Lord, we have the same problem as the pigeon or the same problem that comes with having a physical problem with our feet. But consider that poor pigeon: We have a hard time seeing while we're on the go. We need to stop between steps—to pause and refocus on the Word and the will of God. That's not to say we have to pray and meditate about every little decision in life. But certainly our walk with the Lord needs to have built into it a pattern of stops that enable us to see more clearly before moving on.

Daniel's practice of praying three times a day was an essential part of his walk with God (Daniel 6:10). He knew there's a certain kind of spiritual refocusing that we can't do without stopping. His stops gave him a very different kind of walk—one that was obvious to those around him.

What about us? At the risk of being thought of as different, as Daniel was, let's learn this valuable lesson from the pigeon: "Looking good" isn't nearly as important as "seeing well."

What's the Use?

I had a conversation this week with someone that made me really begin to think about prayer. The person said, "James, I pray and pray but nothing happens. What's the use?" Without even thinking something popped out of my mouth that I heard years ago. I said, "Because an unshakable faith comes from having your faith shaken." It was good for me to hear that for myself. Man, sometimes, I have to admit, I wonder the same wonders my people in the pew wonder. Believe me, I don't preach or teach from an ivory tower. My crises of faith may not last as long as they used to, but I have moments when I just want God to give me a sign...anything! A crack of thunder, make a vase fall off the table, find a $100 bill on the sidewalk...just give a sign you are there, God! But seriously, I do keep praying--not always with my eyes closed and almost always, when I am just about to say, "what's the use?" My shaken faith begins to settle and peace comes calling. Sometimes I get an answer, sometimes I don't. But the alternative is to walk away from from the very One who knows every fiber of my being...and loves me anyway. If you've read this far then you needed this today. Do you remember Job? Job said, “Oh that I know where I might find him, that I might come even to his seat!" (Job 23:3). I can surely relate to Job. There have been times in my life when everything was going wrong, and I was greatly discouraged, and wondered why God wasn't answering my prayers. Job experienced the same drought in his prayer life. It is easy to become discouraged and stop praying, saying “What's the use of praying”; but I have a quote written in the front of my journal and this is what it says:
“The thing that will reveal your faith is praying when no answer comes." Remember, no matter your circumstances, you are blessed and highly favored.

Is The Church Broken?

The following is from Mark Brown's Blog---Good stuff:

I am really bothered by the slowly eroding influence of the church in the West. Our message is still as fresh and as deeply relevant today as it was thousands of years ago. And without a doubt we continue to have something important to offer society. So it is with this conviction that I share my hopes for the church.

My hope is that we the church take the time to understand the society we seek to influence and serve, and out of this observation we shape our offerings to meet the contemporary reality.

My hope is that we the church are seen within the local community as an amazing resource for assisting people in navigating the challenges of life.

My hope is that we the church are an outspoken advocate for the poor, the marginalized and those with mental illness.

My hope is that we the church focus on growing people as well as congregations. We certainly need more people in church but equally we need those people to be growing in their faith.

My hope is that evangelism becomes part of the church culture and not some uncomfortable add on.

My hope is that the Bible will become not just a peripheral resource but a central part of the church’s practice and identity.

My hope is that creativity is encouraged within the church and that creative people are given more say and influence.

My hope is that we the church can honestly discuss the reality of our situation and see any predicament as a glorious opportunity for change.

What is your hope for the church?

Pain = Gain

Following is a blog post by Pastor Craig Groeschel:

Before God blesses your ministry publicly, he’ll often allow you to suffer with integrity privately.

Personal pain often precedes pubic gain. A.W. Tozer said, “It is doubtful that God can bless a man greatly until He has hurt him deeply.”

Scripture seems to imply that God will often test us before God blesses us. He wants to know if we’ll be faithful before giving us more.

The biggest tests I’ve faced involved doing the right thing when no one else knows. One time I had to make a public and controversial stand without the freedom to explain the reason. To expose the reason would have hurt too many innocent people.

I believe God called me to endure the criticism from uninformed people on behalf of those who were innocent. One explanation would have silenced all the critics, but also compromised my integrity.

I chose to stand alone. God knew the whole story. That had to be enough for me.

You may have to do the same. If you are facing private pain, rejoice that God might be preparing you for ministry gain.

Don't Judge a Book by It's Cover

I've always tried to be careful about pre-judging people. It's hard to get by our first impressions of people isn't it? I think it is human nature but we can train ourselves not to do that. Jesus was clear that we should love the heart not the flesh because that is the intention of God and we are made in that image. So it's not impossible for us it just takes genuine effort. I have not seen a better example of this than that of Susan Boyle's experience on "Britain's Got Talent." I had never seen this show but came across it on the internet and was blown away. Susan was always a very shy person and children made fun of her as a school girl in England. She never married and has taken care of her mother until she passed away 2 years ago. She had the courage to audition for this talent contest and I think it's safe to say she is going to teach the world a lesson. Click HERE to take a look:

He's Not Here

Wow! I can't believe how long its been since I last posted. Life gets ahead of me sometimes not to mention a stint in the hospital due to diverticulitis. I just turned 40. I thought I had at least until 50 before things started going haywire! But God is good. "He is not here!" Those words stirred up a few emotions over 2000 years ago. But it makes me wonder...where is Jesus not? I, like you, have been taught he is everywhere. And he is. But there are some places he is not. Jesus can't look upon or be a part of our sin, right? When he gave himself upon that cross and was resurrected, it took care of our sin nature. It gave us eternal life. But Jesus only brings good into our lives. I am learning though that he will not be a part of what I do to abuse my body, hurt other people, speaking words of negativity, turning my back on the poor. It in those moments, he is not there. That is comforting to me. Jesus, because of Easter, is always there attempting to lead me to the light...he will never follow me into the darkness. That is my choice and if I choose that, it's my journey. But if I keep my eyes on the resurrected Savior, he will lead me on the path of truth...even in difficulties, sickness and adversity. But it is my choice. Easter made it possible for me to choose life. The tomb was about darkness and death. Thank God, he is not there.

Pick Up A Stone And Make A Rock Garden

Some of you have asked for copies of my recent article in the Winchester Sun. It follows below. Use it however you would like.

Let me start with a disclaimer. The Winchester Sun has asked me not to be too "preachy" and God knows I try. You can take the pastor out of the pulpit but you cannot take the pulpit out of the pastor! It's just who I am. So, I want you to know I don't speak for The Sun. They are gracious (and brave) enough to give me a bullhorn from time to time. I also don't necessarily represent the views of my congregation in this forum. I am fortunate to have a variety of opinions among my flock. And I wouldn't have it any other way. But lately I have felt compelled to take advantage of this column and speak to the Winchester community about the state of the Church. After all, that is where I live everyday. My passion is people. Especially hurting people. I don't know why. It has just always been with me. And I believe, of course, the greatest prescription for pain in this world is the Christian faith. I do not apologize for that in any way. But we Christians really tend to mess up Christianity. Back in 2005 I read an article in Christianity Today titled, "The Church: Why Bother?" It really challenged my "If you unlock the door, they will come" mentality. I am more convinced than ever that the world, the "unchurched" feel condemned by the "people in the pew" to the point of being pushed farther away from the truth of the Gospel. And it is destroying the Church and people are continuing to hurt..more than ever I'd say. Consider the statistics from the Barna Group (The Gallup Poll of the Christian world)

There has been a 92% increase in the number of unchurched Americans in the last thirteen years.
In 1991 there were 39 million unchurched Americans compared with 75 million currently. (2008)

One out of three adults (33%) is unchurched. A proportion that represents over70 million adults in America.
10 million born again Christian adults are currently unchurched.
Men constitute 55% of the unchurched.

As you can see, something is wrong. I know that some reading this article may be thinking, "Nothing is wrong, I just don't want to go to church." Well my question is, "Why not?" What is it about The Church that is not drawing you?. I believe the world sees an institution full of people who say one thing but do another, who condemn others for certain things yet live the same way behind closed doors and who value their "church membership" in the same way they do the country or civic club. So I can understand the "Why Bother" attitude. Now I am an odd sort of preacher. I don't blame the hellacious, hell-bound world for the fact that more people are not beating down our doors. I blame "The Churched". My strong belief is that the Church has failed this world by presenting a Christianity of rules and do's and don't's that no one can live up to totally. We skim over grace and go right to the punishment and people are not attracted by negativity. Study the New Testament. Who did Jesus tongue lash? The tax collectors? The prostitutes? The doubters? The adulterers? No, he spent his time confronting the Pharisees. The Church people. The keepers of the rule book. They knew the law. They were the Deacons, The Administrative Council, The Session, The Leadership Team of that day. They were good, upstanding church goers. Every time the Temple door was open, they were there. And Jesus said, "You're liars." So we, the church, have forced people to keep their secrets, delay life changes and keep up the front. Sounds more like the mafia to me. What would happen if we really followed the message of Christ and became real with one another. What if we could share ourselves, with repentant hearts of course, admitting our faults and walk along side people instead of condemning them? I'm talking to myself. Preachers are not perfect. We are held to a higher standard by the Bible but we struggle with these same issues. I just wonder what the statistics would look like if we put aside our "assessments" of people and saw them with the eyes of Christ. What if we could love people of other beliefs (without compromising our own) and share honestly why we believe what we believe instead of joining categories and interest tanks? What if we could just admit that we can't keep all the rules. That no one can keep all the rules. But in spite of those facts we can still love and hold hands. I'm just one beggar telling another beggar where to find bread. If that was not just a message, a dogma, but the lifestyle the world saw in "The Church," the Fire Marshall would have to shut us down so we could build larger facilities. I know that Churches today are drawing folks and seeing changed lives but the numbers don't lie. We are behind the eight ball. We need to condemn less, tell the truth more and love in spite of anything. That's the true message of Jesus. This may be my last column...but I'm willing to risk it.

The Jetsons Are Here

Do you "Twitter?" Do you "Facebook?" Do you "Skype?" Well, I'm officially a "Facebooker" and a "Twitterer" and a "Skyper." Surely you've heard of the latest internet networking crazes. It started as an experiment for me. After repeatedly getting "Facebook invites" by email for the last 2 years and my fraternity brother from Charlotte giving me the final nudge...I'm in. I signed up and frankly immediately became uncomfortable with all the personal information it required. My mother-in-law has convinced me the internet may cause me to be kidnapped by a gang of thieves at any moment. She's more careful and smarter than I am. But I quickly began to see what a great tool it is personally and for ministry. I am connected with people I have not seen in 20+ years. I have had so much fun comparing my wrinkles to those of my compadres in past lives. But I am also praying for many folks I thought I'd never see again and they are praying for me. I'm meeting other pastors and sharing ideas, keeping up with my parishioners a little better and getting and sending quick messages without having to make a phone call. My college roommate, Paul is a Baptist pastor in Jensen Beach, Florida. He said one of his young church members told him that our generation is "ruining Facebook." I laughed when he said that because one of the youth in our congregation wrote a message on my "wall" and said, "Pastor James, I think it is so cool you are on Facebook!" Well, if nothing else, I'm cooler now. But this networking thing goes deeper if you want to dig a little. I believe we yearn to "be known." It's odd really. We hide so much yet we want to know we matter and that others really care that we exist. I think these internet sites have just tapped in to the basic human need to be connected. Now, I understand it is virtual and not totally realistic. But it is a form of communication and community in an age of isolation and individuality. I'm interested, for now anyway. I may get tired of all this and go back into hiding. But for now if you can't get me by phone or email, there is a new way to get my attention. Just visit me a www.facebook.com. Or follow my day behind the scenes on Twitter at www.twitter.com/jameswilliamsiv. And welcome to the 21st century.

Give Me Your Eyes

I heard a song this week called "Give Me Your Eyes." It made me think more and more about why I'm in this business. You know, I grew up surrounded by the Southern Baptist faith. I didn't go to church much, until I was much older I guess you could say I never went to church but I was acutely aware of the "churchiness" around me. When I was exposed to a community of faith, it was Baptist. But I must be honest...and this was just my experience (please read further with that filter)...I learned more about law, rules and "looks" than I did grace. Grace was something I just never learned about in the church experiences of my youth. It was more about getting saved, getting baptized and keeping out of Hell. You did this by, the old adage, "Don't drink, don't smoke, don't chew, don't run with girls who do!" I'm serious. I was dogged by the rules. I think a lot of folks have had this experience. Not just in the Baptist church but all churches. You know why? Because it's easy.........let that sink in. It's easy to learn the rulebook. It's easy to do "just enough" to say, "I'm in. I'm Saved" Let me assure you of something. That has nothing and I mean nothing to do with the Gospel of Jesus Christ. The Gospel is a lifestyle. Yes, you must make a profession of faith. But that's the baby step. Living it out, seeking to walk out this life with the eyes of Christ...now that's difficult. But it is the Call. I've been thinking about how I see people. Do I see them in my humanness or do I see them as Christ sees them? My experience as a pastor has been that "church people" are the WORST gossipers in the universe. We often kick folks when they are down and do not think twice about making hurtful assumptions about people's lives. The Enquirer has nothing on the local church. If I were in dire straits, I would hesitate to tell someone in the church. I didn't say I would not, but I would hesitate. Because instead of the church being a place of refuge for the broken, the dirty...even the nasty. Often, it is full of assessors, judges and Pharisees. I know I'm not winning friends and influencing people right now but hear me. The reason most churches in the United States are dying, stagnant and stiff is because we are in a word...mean. Just downright mean. Now you may think I have had a recent experience with this. I haven't. As a matter of fact, my parishioners are good to me. My church takes really good care of my family. They invite me to dinner, give me gifts, compliment my preaching and hug me every chance they get. But these same folks gossip about people in the community, kick their neighbors when they're down and walk past obvious needs everyday. I see folks who go to great lengths to preserve their power and protect their turf. And I feel like a pastoral failure. And you know, I look at them and see my own reflection. But I want to do life differently. I want to live out what I preach. But I don't want to do it alone. So, I am making a new commitment to take off my sunglasses and live seeing others with the eyes of Jesus. Because my brother, my sister...that is Christianity. Don't buy the bill of goods the Pharisaical legalizers have sold you. The buying has been done on a hill called Calvary. Let's live this thing out with the Eyes that give us life...in spite of us. After all, we're in this thing together.

Can You Die Better?

I struggle as a pastor to teach the people under my care about the true Jesus. There are so many different Jesus'in our world. Our society makes him into whomever they need at the moment I think. I really see this right now during the presidential election. Don't get me wrong, I vote. And I believe we can make a difference. But I also believe that we try to make Jesus vote...and that's wrong. I see it in the everyday lives of Christians. We WORK so hard to prove ourselves worthy of eternal life, the cross. We try to align ourselves with the right organizations, the right churches, the right think tanks, the right universities, the right schools for our children the right neighborhoods. There is nothing wrong with this so much...but we try to make Jesus choose the "right" areas and places to be as well. And If it goes against what we believe is right, then we back away from THAT Jesus. We categorize churches and make sure we know if they are liberal or conservative, left or right, in or out, pre-tribulation or post-tribulation etc, etc. At some level this ok, but we try to make Jesus do the same. We assess people's lives..."fruit inspect" when our own fruit is far from fresh. We watch people and decide about them. We assume and presume. That's human...that's our sin nature. But we try to make Jesus do the same. And...he can't, he won't. And it is a fight between shapes...we take him off a cross and put him in a cube. The true Jesus is in everything, every thought camp and every piece of rotting fruit. He is there breathing life, offering hope...bringing the dead back to breath. But we think we can do it better. We'd never admit it. We may not even know ourselves well enough. But we look at the cross...and think we can do it better. But I am struggling with a thought that I cannot shake. Can I bleed, can I fall on the dirt path, can I take a blow to my nose, can I allow spit to remain in my eyes, can I die...better than Jesus?

Christian Living Outside Christian Culture

Have your heard the term, "new monasticism?" It is a movement that is gaining recognition from Christians all over the world and I am intrigued by the thought and biblical understanding behind it. I saw this question posed in a recent article, "How can you worship a homeless man on Sunday and ignore one on Monday?" Wow! If that doesn't give you pause, nothing will. Individuals involved in this new movement are simply following an old method. The New Testament Church was a perfect model yet the modern Church just doesn't live there. We help individuals with food banks, clothing banks, giving annd the like but then...we go home. Biblically, we are to be in and stay in community with those we help and then they may someday help us. Isn't that a thought? We definitely have something to consider here as Christians. Take a look at how New Monasticism describes itself:

1) Relocation to the abandoned places of Empire.

2) Sharing economic resources with fellow community members and the needy among us.

3) Hospitality to the stranger

4) Lament for racial divisions within the church and our communities
combined with the active pursuit of a just reconciliation.

5) Humble submission to Christ’s body, the church.

6) Intentional formation in the way of Christ and the rule of the
community along the lines of the old novitiate.

7) Nurturing common life among members of intentional community.

8) Support for celibate singles alongside monogamous married couples and their children.

9) Geographical proximity to community members who share a common rule of life.

10) Care for the plot of God’s earth given to us along with support of our local economies.

11) Peacemaking in the midst of violence and conflict resolution within communities along the lines of Matthew 18.

12) Commitment to a disciplined contemplative life.

Sounds like Jesus to me. So why I am so afraid of it?

I just finished a book by Edward Gibbons called The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire.
It was written in 1788 but some of his ideas about the empire are similar to the the current struggles we face in the United States. It's in 3 volumes so I "fast read" in a few areas but it is so interesting. He listed five reasons for the fall of the Roman Empire. If you make the comparison, it is little unsettling.
1) The undermining of the dignity and the sanctity of the home. Which is the basis of human society.
2) Higher and higher taxes: the spending of public money for free bread and circuses for the populace.
3) The mad craze for pleasure, with sports and plays becoming more exciting, more brutal and eventually more immoral.
4) The building of great armaments when the real enemy was within---the decay of individual responsibility.
5) The decay of religion, whose leaders lost touch with life and their power to guide.

It made me think...how about you?

The Face of Prayer

I spend a week each year at a monastery in Bardstown, Ky. Over the past 13 years, I have spent many hours with one of the monks there named Fr. Matthew Kelty. He is the oldest monk there at 91 and an amazing man. Back in 2002 I was talking with him one afternoon and we ended up on the subject of prayer. I asked him what "true prayer looked like" and he looked at me in silence for a moment with a tight smile I will never forget and said, "Do you own a mirror?" We both laughed and I have never approached prayer in the same way since. I have often thought of my conversation with Matthew. We are made in the image of God are we not? So when we go face to face with God in prayer...we are looking in the mirror. And the reflection is hope and love that is difficult to explain, but we know it when we get it. One of Matthew's best friends was another famous monk by the name of Thomas Merton. He said of prayer, "It's a risky thing to pray and the danger is that our very prayers get between God and us. The great thing in prayer is not to pray, but to go directly to God.... at the very root of your existence, you are inconstant and immediate contact with the infinite power of God.

There is no such thing as a kind of prayer in which you do absolutely nothing. If you are doing nothing you are not praying.

Prayer is the movement of trust, of gratitude, of adoration, or of sorrow, that places us before God, seeing both Him and ourselves in the light of His infinite truth, and moves us to ask Him for the mercy, the spiritual strength, the material help, that we all need.

The man whose prayer is so pure that he never asks God for anything does not know who God is, and does not know who he is himself: for he does not know his own need of God.

All true prayer somehow confesses our absolute dependence on the Lord of life and death. It is, therefore, a deep and vital contact with Him whom we know not only as Lord but as Father. It is when we pray truly that we really are. Our being is brought to a high perfection by this."

So, I ask you today, "Do you own a mirror?"

What's Your Policy?

We hate to be lied to, but we don’t mind lying when we need to. I love the old show, "To Tell the Truth." It was always fun to try to figure who was lying. An excited husband called to tell his wife he had been asked to accompany the boss on a fishing expedition to Canada. The husband had to leave that evening and asked his wife if she would mind packing a few things for him. He added, "Be sure to include my new silk pajamas."

She thought that sounded 'fishy', but said nothing. When the man returned from his trip, his wife asked how it went.

"Great," he said.

"Did you catch anything?" she asked.

"Yes, pike and walleye. What fun!" Then he asked, "But why didn't you pack my blue silk pajamas?"

"I did," she said, "They were in your tackle box."
“1 Help, LORD, for the godly man ceases to be, For the faithful disappear from among the sons of men. 2 They speak falsehood to one another; With flattering lips and with a double heart they speak. ” Psalm 12:1-2 NASB

“O LORD, who may abide in Your tent? Who may dwell on Your holy hill? 2He who walks with integrity, and works righteousness, And speaks truth in his heart. 3He does not slander with his tongue…” Psalm 15:1-3 NASB

“Behold, You desire truth in the inward parts, And in the hidden part You will make me to know wisdom.” Psalm 51:6 NKJV

2Lying lips are an abomination to the LORD, But those who deal truthfully are His delight. Proverbs 12:22 NKJV

Integrity was an issue in David's time just as it is today. Though it may be counter-culture to be truthful, God desires us to be people of integrity. This includes both what we speak and what we think.

Why does God feel so strongly about lying? He is the God of Truth. He knows the damage and destruction that even little lies can lead to. Once we start giving falsehood a foothold, the lies we say and think tend to grow. Another point is that every form of sin involves some kind of a lie. Like Eve, when we sin, we're buying into a lie of some sort that suggests the boundary God has established in that area is unreasonable or unjust, or that the consequences won't be as bad as God said they'd be. As a result, our decisions to sin damage our own lives and those of the people around us.

God calls us to worship him in spirit and in truth (John 4:24). In order to worship God in truth, we cannot be harboring lies in any area. God knows everything about us, so it’s futile to try to hide anything from him.

The clean up process starts with identifying the lies we've told and thought and confessing them to God. We then can ask God to purify us and strengthen us to walk in truth from this point forward (1 John 1:9). Additionally, the Holy Spirit will help us by “re-sensitizing” us to the truth. As the "Spirit of Truth," his function is to guide us in truth (John 16:13). This will help sharpen our recognition of the lies we have grown callous to so we can avoid them in the future.

Teen Rock Event at GRC High School

Over 1000 people attended the concert on Thursday night. Bill actually spoke to over 3000 students in our school district this week. 200 kids gave their lives to Christ. Thanks for all of your prayers and faithfulness. Video of the event above......

WKYT 27 NewsFirst Promoting TeenRock

Open Hands or Closed Fists....Matter of the Heart

There’s a familiar story about monkey trappers in the Far East. They had a rather clever way of catching the monkeys. What they would do is they would take a pumpkin gourd and they would carve a small hole in it and then carve out the inside.
They would then take a piece of fruit, like a banana, slip it down inside the gourd, then stake the gourd to the ground and wait.
Monkeys, being the curious creatures that they are, would soon descend from the jungle, find the gourd, see the hole, slide their hand into the gourd, discover the banana and grab it, and then pull back.
But when they pulled back, they discovered that they could not get their closed fist back through that opening. The only way they could get their hand free was to let go of the banana and slide the hand out the same way it went in.
But, unwilling to let go of the banana, they held on tenaciously and would scream and jump and soon the trappers would come. The irony of this story is, all those monkeys had to do was open their hands up and freedom was theirs.
But because they were unwilling to do so, and they held on with a closed fist, they lost their freedom forever.Someone may ask, “How could I have robbed God by not paying tithes? The money I earn is mine, and I haven’t stolen anything from God!”

As we know, “robbery” is the act of taking something that does not belong to you. God specifically used the term “robbery” in Malachi to show that the tithe (which means a tenth) belongs to Him. We must understand that God is the owner of this earth, and everything on it belongs to Him. “The earth is the Lord's, and all its fullness, The world and those who dwell therein” (Psa. 24:1).

Elsewhere, the Bible says, “The silver is Mine, and the gold is Mine, says the LORD of hosts” (Hag. 2:8). Before we become possessive about the treasures of this world, let us first remember that He created this planet and everyone on it, and even though Satan holds a temporary dominion through sin (2 Cor. 4:4), the earth still belongs to God.

Furthermore, God is responsible for every means that people have to make a living (John 3:27, Jas. 1:17). Are you a farmer? You plant God’s seeds in His earth and rely upon His rain and sunshine to ripen it to harvest. Are you an auto worker? All the steel, glass, rubber, plastic, oil and gasoline are products from God’s earth. Are you a craftsman? Your talent or skill to work at a trade is given by God. He has given you your brain, eyes, ears, mouth, hands, fingers, legs, and feet that you use to earn your living. Even the silver and copper in our coins, and the wood pulp in our paper currency comes from God’s earth. It is extremely fair of God to only require a tenth to be returned to Him, since He owns 100% of this planet.

Unfortunately, many Christians misunderstand the idea of tithing. They often think of it as giving a tenth from “their own” property to God. However, in reality it is God that has done the giving to us, and claims the return of only 10% of His own property. Tithing is not taking a tenth of our own money and giving it to God, but it is returning a tenth of what was already His to begin with! The scripture says,“But who am I, and who are my people, That we should be able to offer so willingly as this? For all things come from You, And of Your own we have given You” (1 Chron. 29:14). God is so generous to us. He gives us the 90% and retains only 10% of what is rightfully His.

Stewards Of God’s Property

Someone once suggested, “Well, if the tenth already belongs to God, why doesn’t He just automatically withhold the tithe and then give us the rest, like the IRS withholds taxes from our wages? That way God won’t have to depend on us to pay our tithes.”

God has chosen for us to personally return the tithe so that we can demonstrate our stewardship of his property. Stewardship is the faithful and responsible management of something that belongs to someone else. Obviously, if God observes that we are irresponsible to return the small percentage that belongs to Him as He has directed, He knows that we can neither be trusted with any greater responsibilities or blessings in the Kingdom of God (Luke 16:10-11).

Tithing is a test of our stewardship over the property of God, a test of our honesty to return to God what is rightfully His, a test of our obedience to do what He told us to do, and a test of our love and desire to please Him with our lives. Tithing is a demonstration that we believe in God, and that we acknowledge that He is the provider of all material blessings. If you haven’t the faith to believe that the tithe belongs to the Lord, neither can you have faith in Him to meet your financial needs. After all, if you don’t believe that the tenth is His, you must not believe that the whole earth is His either. Without that confidence in His supremacy, there could be no confidence in His ability to provide our needs.

Most of us realize that robbery is a serious offense in our secular society, and those convicted of this crime can be sentenced to years in jail. But what happens to a person who is guilty of robbing God? The scriptures say that he will be “cursed with a curse” (Mal. 3:9). What kind of curse is this? From Malachi we see that God’s blessing to the tither is to open Heaven’s windows and pour out abundant blessings, and to rebuke the devourer (Satan) from destroying their increase and fruitfulness (Mal. 3:10-11). In contrast, the non-tither is cursed by having no protection to prevent the devourer from destroying their prosperity, and God cannot shower them with His abundant Heavenly blessings. God cannot bless or protect the prosperity of the person who does not tithe! This indeed is a curse.

Some claim they can’t afford to pay their tithes. But let me ask, “Can you afford to be cursed? Can you afford to not have God’s blessings and protection over your finances? Can you afford to be considered a thief or robber of God’s property? Or can you afford to be a person who does not obey the Word of God?” The fact is, you cannot afford not to pay your tithes, because this is the principle that God has chosen to bless you!

Another person once asked, “Why does God need my tithe?” In answer to this question, He doesn’t need your money or anyone else’s. Remember, God is the owner of the whole universe and all its wealth. However, He has chosen to use your tithes and offerings for the expenses of maintaining “spiritual meat” in His house (Mal. 3:10). On the first day of the week you are to bring your tithes and offerings to the “storehouse” of your Church where you are spiritually fed (1 Cor. 16:2). How important it is that we are faithful in our tithes and offerings, as this is God’s method of funding the preaching of His Word and the spreading of the Gospel (1 Cor. 9:13-14).

The Tithe Is Your Seed

God is blessed by your tithe as an expression of your love and obedience to Him, yet tithing is primarily for your own benefit so that God can bless you. There is a universal law that God has placed in both the natural and spiritual realms. This is the law of sowing and reaping. “...God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap” (Gal. 6:7). The tithe is “seed” that you plant in God that will bring the harvest of prosperity.

All farmers understand God’s law of sowing and reaping. After a harvest in Bible times, before the farmer would use any of the grain as food for his family or livestock, he would first go through the harvest grain and pick out a percentage that exhibited the best qualities of size, weight, color, and set this aside as seed for the next season’s crop planting. This early form of genetic selection helped assure that the next generation of crops would produce higher yields and greater quality.

This illustrates our tithe, why it cannot be the 10% that is left over after we pay everything else. The part that God claims and uses as seed is the first and best 10% of your increase, called the firstfruits. “Honor the LORD with your possessions, And with the firstfruits of all your increase; So your barns will be filled with plenty, And your vats will overflow with new wine” (Prov. 3:9-10).

Don’t “eat your seed grain.” Do not use the Lord’s tithe for anything else! Because if you don’t sow, you can’t reap.

How We Receive From God

The tithe is God’s property that we are required to return to Him, however an “offering” is that which we give voluntarily out of our own property after the tithe has been subtracted. As we give our tithes, and give offerings above our tithe to God, He will continue to bless us and multiply our return in proportion to our investment in Him (2 Cor. 9:6).

I challenge you to become a tither and a giver to God, and “prove” His promise to bless you, just as He invites you to do in Malachi 3:10. Give to God in faith, expecting Him to bless your return (Mark 11:24), and give cheerfully, expressing joy and confidence in giving to God (2 Cor. 9:7). The same proportion that you open your faith to give to Him, He will use that same proportion as His measurement to bring blessing back to you!

“Give, and it will be given to you: good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over will be put into your bosom. For with the same measure that you use, it will be measured back to you” (Luke 6:38).

Great Post from Maxie Dunnam

The following was written by Maxie Dunnam on his blog at www.maxiedunnam.com
15 Minutes with Mr. Obama
January 8th, 2009
Recently I was invited to contribute to a newspaper article. The reporter invited a number of United Methodist leaders to share what they would talk about if they could have a 15 minute conversation with Mr. Obama. The following is what I shared that would guide my conversation if I had this opportunity. I’ waiting to see how the reporter incorporates what I would say into her article.

Congratulations, Mr Obama, and God bless you! You have the potential…the gifts and graces…and the national circumstances are right for you to become one of the three or four greatest presidents in our nation’s history. I’m excited about your leadership.

Your arriving at this place in history is little short of a miracle. I urge you to shepherd this historical opportunity with the kind of thoughtfulness, shared guidance, and deliberate seeking of counsel that you have already demonstrated. While the Office of the President will shape you, don’t let it distort who you really are.

You have inspired the nation by bringing together a diverse people. You have done this by not being so rigidly ideological, and by unfolding an expansive umbrella of acceptance and affirmation. While some would call this “political expediency”, it doesn’t have to be. Compromise is not a dirty word, but an essential dynamic of leadership. You can’t lead without creative compromise. But I urge you,

Don’t compromise human rights for short-sighted national security.

Don’t compromise a fragile environment for short-term economic gain.

Don’t compromise the lives of a million babies each year for a right to privacy notion that is self-serving.

Don’t compromise the health and medical care of children for the fear of crossing over some sort of “socialized medicine” line.

Don’t compromise the values of a Judeo-Christian culture for a valueless tolerance that will become a religion of secularism, or on an international level suffer from a naive tolerance of radical Islam.

Don’t compromise the place of America in the international community by not sharing our God-given resources and human progress with the world, or by failing to champion the principles of democracy that has made us great.

Don’t compromise the most positive dynamic of our nation’s life by thinking that religion and politics don’t go together. There can be no separation of religion and public life, faith and politics. We within the United Methodist Church are committed to contributing a prophetic, healing faith that will not claim God’s blessing for all our national policies and practices, as though God is always on “our side”. Rather, with one of your favorite presidential mentors, Mr. Lincoln, we worry a lot and pray earnestly as to whether we are on God’s side.

W.W.J.D.2.D

As a pastor I hear “WWJD” all the time. I know lots of people who wear the wrist bands. And you would not believe the mail offers I get with the WWJD theme printed on everything from hats to flashlights!

Yes, the church has its own ideas about marketing! And don’t be fooled. Unfortunately, Christianity can be lucrative. But “What Would Jesus Do?” How would he react to our interpretation of him? I think we’d be surprised.

Many years ago, I read an article about how Jesus would react to current society. I’ve never forgotten it and often wonder, literally, what he would say if he came back and walked among us again in the flesh. If Jesus were physically here among us for a while, I believe:

He would weep at the graves of little Michaela Watkins and Wesley Dylan Mullins. He would shed tears for all abused and battered children and wonder how we can be so cruel to his true messengers on this earth. However, he would visit the prison and offer forgiveness and grace to the ones who murdered them but decline to appear on CNN, Fox News or Maury to describe the meeting. He would not pray at the opening of a UK basketball game. He would be blackballed for membership at most country and social clubs. He would be dumbfounded by some of the things started and built in His name.

He would spend the night with some of the men and women housed at the Ark of Mercy. He would say “no thank you” to visiting the White House and decline any celebrity or political photo opportunities. He would spend the summer following migrant workers through the Kentucky harvest and then would exhort us into ending their exploitation. He would be disappointed in the level of modern quality in his old craft, carpentry. He would not endorse any version of the Bible and be amazed at how his words have been misquoted. He would refuse any book offers to “tell his story.”

He would feel no need to explain his theology to Nancy Grace, Larry King or Bill O’Reilly. He would visit city and county governments and urge them to set firm and fair regulations on the condition of rental housing in Clark County. He would visit the Winchester Center for Health and Rehabilitation and empty the bedpans of the elderly. He would ask Christian denominations to cease their war with each other. He would thank the Gideons for enriching every hotel room in America. He would lead a drug march through Winchester and would not only walk us through downtown, but also through some of our “most respectable” neighborhoods. He would hold the hands of homosexuals, invite them to worship in our churches and offer each church member the opportunity to cast the first stone.

Because he is the only perfect human who ever lived, he and he only would reserve the right to say, “Go and sin no more.” If in the mood for miracles, he would switch the skins of all black and white people. He would offer a special blessing to the mentally ill and urge us to love them in spite their unreasonable actions. He would have breakfast in the woods behind the Holiday Inn Express or “Hobo Hill” with the invisible homeless in our town. He would encourage us, even when we know we’re being taken advantage of, to offer help to those who lie and deceive just to get a “free handout.” In doing so, we’d be reminded that but for the grace of God, we are that person. He would spend Saturday night at The Playhouse building relationships, shooting pool and trying to understand why better friendships are formed there than “his house.”

He would have a meal at the Clark County jail with prostitutes and drug users. He would visit the area’s abortion clinics and embrace those with unwanted pregnancies while asking the medical professionals who present abortion as a reasonable and viable option, “How could you?” He would visit the AAA Pregnancy Care Center and simply say, “Thanks.” He would visit Clark County Community Services and People Helping People and commend them for their hearts and urge them to work together to share his name. He would ask why we waste so much food. He would want to know how we plan to follow his advice on beating swords into plowshares and spears into pruning hooks. He would stop by Jane Burnam’s house and ask her to sing gospel songs. He would spend a few hours at Rapha Ministries’ free health clinic and bless them for remembering “the least of these” in Clark County. He would walk the halls of the Clark County Courthouse and talk with the accused about a better way while sharing the often forgotten verse, John 3:17, “God did not send his Son into the world to be judge of the world; he sent him so that the world might have salvation through him.”

He would have deep concerns as to why a country such as ours employs a chaplain for the Senate, prints “In God We Trust” on its coins and asks God to have mercy on the Supreme Court but refuses to leave Christ in Christmas.

The "Not So" Jolly Green Giant

In ministry I have found that the most destructive thing I encounter almost everyday is envy, jealousy, the "green-eyed monster." We're funny aren't we? As blessed as we are, even Christians, we get thrown off so easily by those we perceived to have "more." I'm not just talking about money. I'm talking about everything. We covet other's friends, jobs, homes, children, spouses...I've even heard people say, "Boy I wish I only had THEIR problems!" It's insane...wanting someone else's problems because we perceive theirs to be less problematic. God forgive us. Take a look at some of these quotes I came across:

Love looks through a telescope; envy, through a microscope. ~Josh Billings


Envy is the art of counting the other fellow's blessings instead of your own. ~Harold Coffin


Jealousy is no more than feeling alone against smiling enemies. ~Elizabeth Bowen


Envy is thin because it bites but never eats. ~Spanish Proverb


I've spent most of my life walking under that hovering cloud, jealousy, whose acid raindrops blurred my vision and burned holes in my heart. ~Astrid Alauda


Envy is a sin that grows in the background of another's preeminence. The seed of envy is the fruit of another person's accomplishments. It is the dread that the accomplishments of others will reach above our own. This is exactly what Saul saw in his new rival David. It says in 1 Samuel 18:30, "....And so it was, whenever they went out, that David behaved more wisely than all the servants of Saul, so that his name became highly esteemed." David was a man that acted with prudence and with caution and as a result he prospered. "Base envy withers at another's joy, And hates the excellence it cannot reach" (Thomson). When David prospered, it angered Saul that much more. Dwight L. Moody once told the fable of an eagle who was envious of another that could fly better than he could. One day the bird saw a sportsman with a bow and arrow and said to him, "I wish you would bring down that eagle up there." The man said he would if he had some feathers for his arrow. So the jealous eagle pulled one out of his wing. The arrow was shot, but it didn't quite reach the rival bird because he was flying too high. The first eagle pulled out another feather, then another--until he had lost so many that he himself couldn't fly. The archer took advantage of the situation, turned around, and killed the helpless bird. Moody made this application: if you are envious of others, the one you will hurt most by your actions will be you. This was true of the Jews who delivered up the Christ to be crucified and it was true of Saul who was bent on living his life to kill David. This is also true of anyone today who becomes envious of others. We must cultivate the kind of mind that the apostle Paul mentions in Romans 12:16-18: "Be of the same mind toward one another. Do not set your mind on high things, but associate with the humble. Do not be wise in your own opinion. Repay no one evil for evil. Have regard for good things in the sight of all men. If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men and women." Let's be real and be happy for the blessings of others. The circumstances don't matter...bless them.

Our Spiritual Homeland

Following is from an organization called the FLAME. I support them and urge you to as well. Info following is good to help understand the situation in the Holy Land.

Israel responds in self-defense to five years of Hamas rocket attacks on civilians . . . and of course, Arabs and the U.N. are "outraged"
Dear Friend of FLAME:

Since 2003, Hamas terrorists have been launching rockets from Gaza into the Western Negev desert town of Sderot and more recently the larger city of Ashkelon---well over 5,000 missiles have landed in Israel to date, hundreds of which were launched in the last week, including one recent day in which 80 rockets hit Israel. This is clearly war, initiated by Hamas. Predictably, the Arab world is "outraged" at Israel's response, and the U.N. security council has called for both parties to cease fire.

Imagine how the U.S., Germany, Italy, Turkey or China would respond to attacks like this. How long would these countries permit daily cross-border rocket attacks on their civilians to continue without definitive, crushing response? Yet Israeli response until this weekend has been restrained, limited to occasional targeted retaliation on individual Hamas rocket-launching teams, when they could be located.

Israel cannot delay any longer. Its citizens plea for a stop to the attacks and a return to security. Now is the time for Israel to protect its cities through a military response against the terror infrastructure in Gaza. It's called self-defense.

Israel turned Gaza over to the Palestinians five years ago to create an opportunity for peace. In return, the Hamas terror organization took control of Gaza and is using its citizens as cover while it a) deliberately targets Israeli residential communities, b) espouses destruction of the state of Israel, and c) rejects every peace overture offered by Israel and the international community. For example, Israel agreed to a truce with Hamas through Egypt, which was violated by Hamas through continued rocket attacks, attempts to plant improvised explosive devices (IEDs) in Israel, imprisonment of Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit, and smuggling of increasingly deadly arms through tunnels to Egypt and by sea.

Even Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas declared this weekend that he had reached out to Hamas, urging them to continue the recent ceasefire with Israel. Even Abbas says that Hamas is responsible for Israel's forceful response. Why then does the international community put the onus on Israel (as it did during the Lebanon war in 2006) to end the fighting?

Imagine this: Despite everything, Israel continues to allow shipments of medical and other humanitarian materials into Gaza, it treats Palestinian victims of misaimed Hamas rocket attacks, and it attempts to avoid or minimize harm to Palestinian civilians, hundreds of thousands of whom live in neighborhoods and buildings in which Hamas has located its operations headquarters.

Unfortunately, Hamas cynically abuses its own civilian population and uses their suffering for propaganda purposes. Clearly, the responsibility for harm to Palestinian civilians lies with Hamas.

Hamas is a terrorist organization, supported by Iran, which does not represent the legitimate national interests of the Palestinian people. Rather, it advocates a radical, global Islamist agenda that seeks to impose fundamentalist religious law (Sharia) upon its people and all other people in the Middle East.

While confronting Hamas, Israel continues to believe in a two-state solution and remains committed to negotiations with the legitimate Palestinian Authority in the context of the peace process, launched at Annapolis. In defiance of the international community, Hamas has consistently and categorically rejected this path to peace.

Israel deserves our support---as well as that of the European Union, the U.N. and the rest of the international community---as it confronts the agents of global terror and fights for all those who hope that a spirit of peace and co-existence will determine the agenda of this region.

Best regards,

Jim Sinkinson
Director, FLAME

P.S. Now that the Israeli Army has finally decided to act with force in Gaza---hundreds of fighter jet sorties, dozens of Hamas operation centers destroyed, and more than 200 Palestinian terrorists killed---it's critical that we get Israel's message out as to why this operation is happening. Believe me, the outcry from the Arab street, Muslim states, the U.N., Europe and even factions in American society will become hysterical, demanding that Israel give up its right to self-defense. Pressure will mount on members of Congress and President-elect Obama to force Israel to make unreasonable concessions. To counter this propaganda, FLAME will be sending out thousands of explanatory email messages like this one to its supporters. I hope you'll pass this and future messages along to your friends, colleagues and fellow congregants.

To make sure Americans clearly understand the issues and stakes surrounding the issues in Gaza, FLAME continues to publish its hard-hitting position papers in media nationwide. That's why we recently published "Rockets Over Sderot: What should Israel do to stop this outrage?" This piece has appeared in dozens of publications, including college newspapers, in recent months and has reached tens of millions of Americans. We've also mailed it to every member of Congress. I encourage you to print this article out and pass it on to others. Most of all, if you agree that this kind of public relations---I call it "truth-telling"---on Israel's behalf is critical, I urge you to support us. Remember: FLAME's powerful ability to influence public opinion comes from individuals like you, one by one. I hope you'll consider giving a donation now, as you're able---with $500, $250, $100, or even $18? (Remember, your year-end donation to FLAME is tax deductible.) To contribute online, just go to http://www.factsandlogic.org/make_a_donation.html. Thanks for continuing to help us keep the flame alive: Am Yisrael Chai! (Israel Lives!)


P.P.S. I think you'll also appreciate a recent piece we just posted on our website, by commentator Barry Rubin: "Liar, liar, pants on fire"---which explains in detail the cynical, self-destructive (and even stupid) strategy of Hamas in escalating the violence against Israel at this time. Rubin outlines the implications of Hamas's ceasefire rejection on Israeli elections, Palestinian power struggles and Barack Obama's Middle East policy. It's an excellent piece for Zionist insiders. If you support FLAME in our efforts to publicize fearlessly the truth about the enemies of Israel and the U.S., please take a minute now to make a year-end donation to FLAME---online at http://www.factsandlogic.org/make_a_donation.html. Remember, FLAME receives 95% of its financial support from committed supporters of Israel, one by one, like you.

Uh-Oh!

Hello my faithful friends! Whilst trying to "spruce up" my blog I accidentally deleted it. Blogger says they will re-upload it for me but I'm on a list for it to be done. So, I am still here....it's just that if you want one of my old posts, you'll have to ask me for now. I had them backed up on my Facebook page. Sorry for the inconvenience and I'll keep rebuilding here until it is restored...if it can be. Thanks for reading my posts......