Thursday, August 16, 2007

VBS - The Church at its Best!!


This past week, our church spent every afternoon ministering to about 45 children per night through our Vacation Bible School Program we call Kids Adventure Week. This ministry was coordinated by our amazing children's ministry leader, Nelda, and a platoon of dedicated members who extended hard days of work into the twilight hours by serving children, interacting with their parents and teaching them about Jesus.

What made this year special is that several of our members are in seasons of personal challenge. They are dealing with issues like terminally ill parents, uncertain job futures, chronically ill spouses, their own chronic illnesses, and a host of other life challenges that would send many people into a downward spiral of despair. Thes members, however, proved their belief in Jesus' ability to carry their burdens, their church families willingness to share their burdens and their hearts readiness to put the needs of others first.

It was truly spectacular to see brothers and sisters in the Lord in the midst of their own problems taking up the slack when others had to take a day or two to care for pressing personal needs. It was was even sweeter to the others returning the favor when those who had served for them needed respite. It was a true manifestation fo the Body of Christ at its best!

When I think of the bottom line of how church should be, I believe this week sums it up for me -God's people, in the midst of their own problems, leaning on Jesus and living out His love everyday to the surrounding community and also to one another. That's true Christianity!

Until next time,


Sam.

Thursday, August 2, 2007

The Trouble With Fame and Fortune


As the father of four daughters, I have been troubled by the very public struggles of several young female Hollywood personalities. The latest exploits of Lindsey Lohan, Jessica Simpson, and Britney Spears have proven to be fertile ground for the tabloids and a rich source of gossip for celebrity watchers everywhere. On a human level, however, the stories are troubling and ought to touch us at a deeper level. These stories expose some age-old truths to a new generation and should cause those of us who are parents to think carefully about the futures we wish for our children and the goals we encourage our children to pursue.

High on the life pursuit priority list for most of us is a deep hope that our children will one day achieve fame and fortune. What could be better than knowing that our children have arrived and that they will be well-known and well-compensated for what they do vocationally? Who doesn't relish the thought of one's children being power players in the world, able to call the shots and mingle at will with all of the beautiful people? All of us would love to have this happen to our children - at least on the surface! It's clear, however, that fame and fortune do not necessarily lead to a care-free life. In the cases of these young women, fame and fortune have led to temptations, trials and tests that have left them diminished professionally and damaged emotionally. It seems like forever since their carefree days of seeming innocence with the Mickey Mouse Club and other kids' adventures.

These women achieved their fame initially as young stars - full of promise, hope and wholesome images. A powerful underlying theme in all of their lives is a relentless pursuit of fame at the cost of their childhoods and normal progressions of development. Celebrity biographies expose astounding tales of children behind the scenes playing perilously close to an adult world with only a facade of youth. We often see children dealing with demanding work schedules, incredibly unsupervised pursuits of pleasure and intense experimentation with some very undesirable lifestyles. Nevertheless, all is justified because they have "arrived" in that they are recognized and admired around the world and can anesthetize themselves with anything money can buy. But fame can't assure contentment, and as to paraphrase what the Beatles sang, "Money can't buy [you] love".

Jesus warned us of the limitations of monetary pursuits. He asked, "What profit is it to gain the whole world and lose one's own soul?" Scripture further tells us that "A good name is better chosen riches" Note that it doesn't say a famous or well-known name, but a good one. It is interesting to note that in our day, we seldom differentiate between fame and infamy or the goodness or lack thereof that has helped someone the achieve a well-known name.

We need to remind our children of the importance of seeking to be known by God and to be known for pursuing His blessing and His will. Many years ago, a young man named Jim Elliott penned words that serve as a challenge to every generation to pursue the things that really matter:
He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain that which he cannot lose.

We can't keep the fame and fortune of this world forever. Jesus warned that these things rust, decay, or are taken away. Let's pursue and teach our children to pursue the indestructible riches of godly character, selfless service and faithful resilience that comes from walking with the Lord and being dedicated to His purposes for our lives. These are true riches that will pay dividends beyond ourselves to other people for generations to come. Until next time,


Sam.