It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year

We are in the midst of the holiday season, and with the shopping chaos going on we forget to slow down and enjoy the time that we have to spend together. I have to admit I see this as an upside to our considered recession. Families are spending more time together and the focus has been removed from extravagant gifts and presents. People are taking advantage of the free opportunities and are finding a greater reason to latch to their families.
I must admit in the past I have been somewhat of a Scrooge. I think that it was because I was so nostalgic for the way I remember Christmas being as a child. I’ll admit presents were a great part of that equation, and waiting for Santa to bring those gifts always brought an excitement that is unequalled and unmatched to this day. However, I remember even more the amount of time that we spent with family, friends, and church family. I remember the Christmas season being filled with various parties and events at many people’s homes. Celebrations that were so crowded that even the small children had difficulty making it through the grouping of people. It may have been me, but it seemed like in recent years much of that togetherness had been lost. People had become infatuated with what gifts were the most popular. I was pushed over the edge with the trampling death of a person at a Wal-Mart during black Friday sales in 2008. I had decided Christmas was vain holiday of excess and the true Christmas was gone.
Then this year rolled around. What has made this year so special for me is that people have begun to rely on each other again. They have learned to laugh and enjoy the company of others again. Find the time this year to reconnect with the family, friends, or church family that you have lost touch with, and share in this special time of year.
-Kyle

Making the long trip

Rain was falling in sheets so thick that I could barely see the road in front of me and the deafening roar as it struck the roof of my car was drowning out any possibility of hearing any type of weather report on the radio. My headlights were of little to no use because the rain covered their beams like a blanket. The wind fought me for control of my car but I refused to forfeit possession and control. This continued for the next 2 hours. People went from driving 70 miles an hour to a meager 25 while trying to make it through all of this. A simple hour and a half trip to Nashville transformed into a two and a half hour journey. To add to the mix, I was traveling on little sleep and was quickly beginning to feel the effects. My internal battery was quickly draining and I knew that I couldn’t fall asleep on this road. I had to pull over, and for a while just give up the fight.

I had to stop because I had allowed myself to embark on this trip without proper preparation. I was not physically ready for the journey that I was taking. We find ourselves in that intersection in life. We are constantly beaten and barraged by a world that would gladly take control of our lives if we just quit resisting and give up. In both situations, it would lead to a result that isn’t desirable or pleasurable. We must begin to see this life as a journey that is filled with storms of unsure futures, and brave our way against those storms to get home. However, we may not always be ready to take that long journey spiritually. Just like I had to stop in a Wal-Mart parking lot to sleep for a few hours, we find ourselves having to stop spiritually because we are so exhausted. It’s part of the journey. Spiritual rest and replenishment are needed just as sleep is needed on a long journey. If we don’t we could find ourselves falling asleep in the journey and ending up in a spiritual wreck.

What Makes a Strong Church?

There are churches that have left their first love, and churches that are lukewarm and dead (Revelation 2 and 3), but we are interested in what makes a strong church. The best role model we have is the church in Jerusalem as recorded in Acts 2:42-47. In verse 42 "... they continued steadfastly in ..."

Doctrine – The doctrine that they had came from Christ’s teaching and the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. "They continued daily with one accord" (verse 46). They recognized the apostles' teaching as the only source of authority in religious matters. This brought them together in belief and practice. They were strong because they were united.

Fellowship – They lived a life that was exemplary of what it means to be a physical body. They forfeited their individual lives to the collective life of the Body of Christ, and found every opportunity available to enjoy life together. Food, family, and fellowship in worship were the critical foundations.

Breaking of Bread - We learn from Acts 2:42 and 20:7 that the church came together every first day of the week to partake of the Lord's Supper. This memorial feast centered on Christ reminded them why they had left their old lives. The only way the church can be strong and remain strong is by keeping its eyes fixed upon Jesus -- the Lord designed the communion for this purpose (1 Corinthians 11:20-26).
Prayer - They continued steadfastly in prayer. They recognized their weakness, and they recognized the unlimited power of God, therefore they prayed continually. When they were threatened and commanded not to preach the word of God, they prayed for boldness to preach, and God answered their prayer. When they appointed deacons, they prayed. When they were being put to death, they prayed for their enemies... Jesus had taught them, "that men ought always to pray, and not to faint.” They believed in prayer. It is my prayer that each congregation of the Lord's church will "... continue steadfastly in the apostles' doctrine, and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers." If so, we will remain a strong church.

The Numbers Game

I’ve found myself in a complex internal conflict about how to measure success. We easily find ourselves trying to play the numbers game to measure what constitutes a strong congregation. What defines strength? I have realized that success isn’t so easily measured. Consider Gideon and his plight. He was from the weakest household in all of Israel, and of that household he was the weakest (Judges 6: 15). Gideon was charged with a great task, but was so unsure that he constantly required signs to ensure that this was really God. The food consumed by fire and the sign of the fleece were reminders that God wanted Gideon to carry out these battles against the Midianites.
God goes on to do something that from a military aspect would be considered suicide. He tells Gideon to diminish his forces. God told Gideon that he had too many men, and that if God delivered the Midianites up to them then he would not receive the praise that was due him. He wanted to show Gideon that great things could be done with a few people. God carried on showing Gideon what men to take, and by the time he was finished an army of 32,000 men of strength to a mere 300 men to take on the enemy. With simple instructions from God, Gideon led the 300 men to victory.
What can we learn from this? First, God can take the weakest person from the weakest home and make them a great and mighty leader if they are willing to play by His rules. Gideon was quick to admit that he was insignificant compared to those around him. God saw potential in him that he did not see in others. We play the comparison game with congregations. We look at other churches and convince ourselves that because we do not have 1000+ people or 5 figure contribution that we cannot make an impact on our community like they do. Gideon was smart enough to realize that when God calls, that it is possible for Him to provide success for those who will let him.
Second, Gideon realized that God had control over the situation and trusted Him to deliver what he promised. The numbers game forces us to believe that we have lost, that our success is dependent on ourselves wholly, and to forget that we have God on our side to bear our burden and strengthen us. We fall into a trap of pride and arrogance that merely sees God as an object to be praised and not as a participant in the battle. We must realize that God is participating and active. We have to factor him into our actions to measure true success.
We came become obsessed with numbers and believe that is truly a hindrance to success in the church. However, we must realize that success for us is not measured by number or action, but the spiritual maturity and willingness to listen to God that each of us strives for. Do not fall victim to the numbers game, but work towards developing a congregation of believers who are spiritually strong. Do this and in time the numbers that we can become so preoccupied with will come.
-Kyle

TOP 10 THINGS ADULTS SHOULD KNOW ABOUT YOUTH

1) Teens are people, too. Resist calling them "kids" (unless you mean it as a term of endearment) or speaking about them as if they aren't in the room.
2) Teens need time. Particularly during discussions, teens need a little time to think about what they want to say.
3) Teens like adults. Despite what you may remember from your younger days, teens do enjoy the companionship of adults. Many are at a point in their lives when they are trying to put a little independent distance between themselves and their parents, so they are seeking other caring adults to serve as mentors and role models.
4) Teens have a lot to teach us. In many ways, "The Breakfast Club" got it right. Young people are unique individuals with unique talents, gifts, attitudes, and perspectives. It would be a mistake to lump them all together as one homogenous group.5) Teens' body clocks are different from ours. Most teens need 8-10 hours of sleep a night and get much less. Additionally, most teens are not at their peak until late morning and many are "night owls."
6) Teens are passionate. The first part of the teenage brain to fully develop is the emotions center. This means that teens can have high-highs and low-lows all in one day; they really connect with the hurt of others, and can be very passionate about the things they believe in.
7) Teens want to "own" their experiences. Their struggles are real and they want them taken seriously, not dismissed with "I survived that and you will, too." The best approach often with young people isn't to offer advice, but just to listen.
8) Teens are fun to be around. You might think hanging with adolescents would make you feel old, but it's just the opposite. They often offer a perspective on life and the world that is refreshingly honest, hopeful, and new. And that sense of hope and possibility can be contagious
9) Teens can be a great source of frustration. Ok, Ok. Teens are great, but let's be realistic about this, too. They can be incredibly frustrating to work with .unless you are willing to be flexible, can take a little good natured ribbing and criticism. Remember they are still growing.
10) Teen are not adults. No matter how much they might look or act like adults, teens are still children, in the best sense of the word. For every moment of maturity, they have other moments where they grumble about taking out the trash, neglect their responsibilities, fight with their best friends and then make up an hour later, and choose goofing off over doing their work. Don't expect them to act like adults. Expect them to act like young people who are still growing, adjusting, stumbling, and trying to figure it all out.
Kyle

Reference
rethinkingyouth.blogspot.com/.../top-10-things-adults-should-know-about.html

7 Things You Can Say To Harm A Child

I have to admit that of late I have left the social media giant of Facebook to latch onto the next wave of sharing every detail of my life. Twitter is a social networking service that gives you 140 words to say whatever you want. The best thing I have found out about Twitter is the connections that you can make to other members of the church, and met others from the “Christian” community. Adam Faughn posted a link to his blog the other day on Twitter and I thought I would share its contents.

What can we say that will harm a child?

1. “You’ll never be able to…” That might be true in some cases, but a small child doesn’t need to hear it. Let a child experiment and try new things. If a child fails, he or she can learn from that failure. But by saying that they’ll never be able to do something, you are keeping them from striving for improvement.

2. “You’re stupid!” (dumb, or irritating, or annoying, etc.) If we tell a child one of these horrible characteristics, sooner or later (and probably sooner) the child will believe it. If we tell a child he’s stupid, we shouldn’t expect him to do well in school. If we tell a child he/she is annoying, we shouldn’t be surprised when he/she acts out.

3. “You’re in the way.” There are times to say this, and there are times to avoid it like the plague. At “normal” times, a child is NOT in the way!

4. “Meet our accident.” Parents often talk about an unplanned child as an “accident.” What does the child think about that? The last time I checked, the Bible said that children (all children) are an heritage from the Lord!

5. “Can’t you do any better than that?” Maybe the child can’t, but there is a different way to say it! “That’s a good job, honey, but daddy’s going to help you do even better!”

6. For preteens: “Who’s your boyfriend/girlfriend?” This is one I have trouble avoiding, but we need to stop trying to pair off small children. Let the child have a childhood and stop trying to force them into some type of relationship. Even by kidding around about it, these words make it seem as though pairing up is just what you do.

7. Nothing. When a child asks a question or asks you to look at something, by all means, respond. Even if you say, “Daddy will in just a second, dear,” you have at least acknowledged the presence and request of the child. Don’t just let a child’s question “hang” out there. Over time, the child will learn just to say nothing to you.

Adam has a great point in this list. Sometimes, we can become wrapped up in ourselves and forget the needs of the children that are around us. We must realize the impact that your words have on children, and understand the influence and direction that they can place in their life. ~Kyle
Reference-http://faughnfamilyof4.wordpress.com/2009/11/04/7-things-you-can-say-to-harm-a-child/

Should I not have pity on Nineveh?

In my personal Bible study, I am making an attempt to look back on the stories of the Old Testament and see their relevance today in my life. There are so many stories that we learn when we are young, but miss the point entirely in our older years. We treat them as childish fables and move on. As I was studying this week, I began to rethink the situation of Jonah in relation to what expects of those who answer his call. It is in this call to Jonah that we can understand our search for our calling in life.

1. God placed a very specific calling before Jonah. Go to Nineveh (Jonah 1: 1). Time and again God tells Jonah where he wants him to go. Nineveh was described as a great city that had done terrible things against God.
2. Resistance to God’s call is impossible- Jonah tried to avoid the God’s demand. He ran away and boarded a boat for Tarshish to escape the presence of God. However, God had set this on Jonah, and would not let him escape this calling.
3. Jonah was seemingly proud of his calling- Jonah felt some weight from this call, and was not afraid to tell those around him why he was traveling (v 10).
4. The calling brought with it a sense of responsibility - Jonah was remorseful for the trouble that he cause the sailors because of his attempt to run, and offered to throw himself overboard (v 12).
5. Jonah nearly died because he did not answer God’s call- The prayer of Jonah described in Chapter 2 of the book provides some insight into the mind expanding experience of Jonah. What he describes here paints a picture of his own drowning but rejoices in being saved by God.
6. Jonah’s calling only required him to inform the people- Jonah followed out his calling to the letter. He was required to tell the people of Nineveh their sin, and the consequences of their actions. He did just that. No more, No Less.
7. Jonah found it difficult to have pity on the people of Nineveh- Jonah became bitter because God spared the people of the city, and began to grumble and complain about their salvation. God used a plant to show Jonah that if he could have pity on a plant, then God could have pity on Nineveh.

All these aspects sound similar to the calling of Christ. We have a specific calling that is inescapable to those we serve God, and we have the responsibility to bear witness to our calling in one way or another. For us, failure to answer the call of Christ results in death, but he finds a way to use our darkest times to bring us to that call. He only asks that we share the story of Christ, and understand that we do so out of pity on the lost souls of this world. Those who are a great city and are living against God need to hear that message of God, and maybe their story can turn out like Nineveh.

Forgotten?

Have you ever found yourself in a public place and met someone you knew from long ago? Did you remember their name? Did they remember yours? We all have a need within us to be remembered. We long to leave an impact that will affect generations to come. We long to be remembered. Sometimes in this life we enter into dark situations and we begin to question where God is?
Psalm 13

How long, O LORD? Will you forget me forever?
How long will you hide your face from me?How long must I take counsel in my souland have sorrow in my heart all the day?How long shall my enemy be exalted over me?

Consider and answer me, O LORD my God;light up my eyes, lest I sleep the sleep of death,lest my enemy say, "I have prevailed over him,"lest my foes rejoice because I am shaken.
But I have trusted in your steadfast love;my heart shall rejoice in your salvation.
I will sing to the LORD,because he has dealt bountifully with me.

There are moments in this life when we feel completely and utterly forgotten. The emptiness that comes with that feeling only isolates us more, and drives us further into our own despair. The fact is that even during these times we forget that God is still there for us. However, we are so lost in our own self pity and loathing that we assume that he has left us as well. David felt this way when he was on the run from Saul. God is the source of all joy, all wisdom, all strength, and life itself, but David felt separated from Him because of his current situation. David ends by returning to a trust in God that reaffirms his faith and drives his fears away.
We need to take a page out of David’s book here. When life becomes dark and drear and we feel like God has turned his back on us, we must make the conscious effort to focus our minds back to His faithfulness. Overwhelming fear must be cast out by an overwhelming God. Just remember, the next time that you feel like God has turned his back on you that you don’t serve a God who is in the business of deserting people.

Time Together

I have to admit that Recharge (6-12th grade devotionals) is one of my favorite times to come together as a group. We spent last Tuesday night at the Dickson’s, and we had about 20 people in attendance in all. The aspect that I loved the most was that I see developing leaders among our youth and young adults who are becoming more confident in their own ability to lead. For many of us, we know that the first steps towards leading can be difficult and intimidating. While our youth are building leadership abilities, they are learning to reach out to those around us. One of the major joys of Recharge is that it provides a chance for young people to come together in an environment that is welcoming to outsiders, and is not a religious overload that scares them into making a decision about God in that moment.
Ultimately, Recharge is about spending time together with each other and God. Psalm 133 sums up the feeling and concept of Recharge:

“Behold, how good and pleasant it is when brothers dwell in unity! It is like the precious oil on the head, running down on the beard, on the beard of Aaron, running down on the collar of his robes! It is like the dew of Hermon, which falls on the mountains of Zion! For there the Lord has commanded the blessing, life forevermore.”

The Psalmist describes the bondage of unity as an anointing and a blessing on those who are involved. The oil poured on the head of Aaron symbolizes the preparation that was needed for the high priest to come before God, and the psalmist is equating the concept of unity to preparation and glory before God.
This forces us to rethink our walk towards unity. It is a positive concept, but to realize that it is an expectation and a preparation to come before God forces to rethink our own approach to unity with each other and with those we come into contact with. Recharge provides our youth with that chance for unity with each other. What are we doing to maintain unity among the body to ensure that we are prepared and blessed before God?
Kyle

Locked out

As I write this very article, I find myself sitting on the back porch of my own home. I know it sounds a bit strange that I would just so happen to be relaxing on the back porch and think to write an article, but there is a bit more to the story than that. As I was preparing to leave for the office on Wednesday, I had gathered all my things and headed out of the house. When the door shut I knew immediately, I had left my keys inside. At this point, I was powerless. I did the only thing I knew to do and started calling out to people around me. I first called my father who has the only other key in existence to see if he was off work, and because he wasn’t I had to call my brother to come pick me up to go to the base. I then called Aunti Joan (who is probably chuckling the whole time she reads this) at the office to let her know that I’d be in late. If I wouldn’t have had the ability to call others then I never would have been as successful in getting back into the house, as I needed to be.
We all find ourselves outside of the House of God at some point. The cares and worries of the world can pull us out or tempt us to leave without the keys to get back in. So what are our keys to get back into the House of God?
Confession of Jesus as the Savior- Peter struggled with his own confession, and Jesus said the Church would be built on it (Matthew 16:18). However, Peter faltered in that confession not long after and denied his discipleship (John 18: 25-27). Confession shows an acceptance and acceptance leads to a willingness to follow.
If we are locked out, and want back in then we must reach out to those who are in the family of God. If we have someone reach out to us, then we must help him or her. Apollos erred from the truth and was gently guided back to the truth by Paul (Acts: 24-19:1). Paul goes on to say that we are to bear one another’s burdens (Gal. 6:2). This requires that we are active in the lives of our brothers and sisters in Christ, and they want to re-establish that relationship with God.
It is easy to get locked out of the house sometimes. We get wrapped up in what we do and before we know it we can’t get back in. We need to be looking for those who have locked themselves out and help them get back in. For me, I’m off to pick up a spare set of keys.

Kyle

Locked out

As I write this very article, I find myself stranded on the back porch of my own home. I know it sounds a bit strange that I would just so happen to be relaxing on the back porch and think to write an article, but there is a bit more to the story than that. As I was preparing to leave for the office on Wednesday, I had gathered all my things and headed out of the house. When the door shut I knew, I had left my keys inside. At this point, I was powerless. I did the only thing I knew to do and started calling out to people around me. I first called my father who has the only other key in existence to see if he was off work, and because he wasn’t I had to call my brother to come pick me up to go to the base. I then called Aunti Joan (who is probably chuckling the whole time she reads this) at the office to let her know that I’d be in late. If I wouldn’t have had the ability to call others then I never would have been as successful in getting back into the house, as I needed to be.
We all find ourselves outside of the House of God at some point. The cares and worries of the world can pull us out or tempt us to leave without the keys to get back in. So what are our keys to get back into House of God?
Confession of Jesus as the Savior- Peter struggled with his own confession, and Jesus said the Church would be built on it (Matthew 16:18). However, Peter faltered in that confession not long after and denied his discipleship (John 18: 25-27). Confession shows an acceptance and acceptance leads to a willingness to follow.
If we are locked out, and want back in then we much reach out to those who are in the family of God. If we have someone reach out to us, then we must help him or her. Apollos erred from the truth and was gently guided back to the truth by Paul (Acts18: 24-19:1). Paul goes on to say that we are to bear one another’s burdens (Gal. 6:2). This requires that we are active in the lives of our brothers and sisters in Christ, and they want to re-establish that relationship with God.
It is easy to get locked out of the house sometimes. We get wrapped up in what we do and before we know it we can’t get back in. We need to be looking for those who have locked themselves out and help them get back in. For me, I’m off to pick up a spare set of keys.

Kyle

First Love

When we think back to our teenage years, most of us can recall our “first love.” There was that person that we thought we were going to be with forever. We could not get enough of our time with him or her and they consumed our every thought and action. We would have done anything thing to make them happy, and by doing that we found ourselves to be happy. It was the greatest feeling we may have experienced.
However, we also remember when that first love crumbled. It fell apart because of dissatisfaction or unhappiness with the other person. We began to bicker and fight over frivolous things that really did not matter that much until we found a big issue that we knew could create a rift. Some of us were cheated on while others were just tired of the fighting. Before we knew it, it was all over, and we were utterly shattered.
Have we found ourselves in a breakdown of relationship with God? Have we taken little things and created arguments over them until we find the big thing to argue about? Are we still doing that? Have we become disgusted with God and are looking elsewhere? Are we trapped in a break-up with our first love with God?
In John’s vision we know as Revelation, Jesus speaks to the church at Ephesus (Rev. 2:4-5). He asks them why they have left their first love. Why had they fallen away from God? I find it interesting that Jesus says that they have left their first love. This indicates how we should be feeling about God. We should be joyful we are going to be with God forever. We should never become tired of spending our time with Him. God should consume our every thought and action. We should be willing to do anything thing to make Him happy. By doing this, we find ourselves to be happy. It should be the greatest feeling we experience. We must get back to our first love with God.

Become as these…

All to often we underestimate the impact and power that young people can have in our congregations. We see them as mere children, and our perception of the abilities of children are seen as weaknesses. Children are dependant, innocent, ignorant, in wonder of the world around them, and easily distracted. They do not provide for themselves, but are reliant on a parent or guardian to make it to adulthood. They must be fed early on in their lives, because they can not feed themselves. They can be disruptive and unruly, and require discipline to become well rounded adults. They are moldable and are quick to mimic what they see around them. Even though they do something wrong we do not hold it against them, but we show them why it is wrong.
Yet our attitude is not the same towards those who are new believers in God. We are appalled when they do something that is out of the ordinary in a worship setting. We believe that they should be knowledgable enough to make the journey on their own. We hold the sins that they have confessed and been forgiven for against them long after God has forgiven them. We are appalled by their inability to provide for themselves spiritually. We act in un-Christian ways expecting no one to say anything, but we are the first to jump when they do the same things. We expect them to be fully mature believers in God, and to be completely independant in their faith.
Jesus paints a different picture.
At that time the disciples came to Jesus, saying, “Who then is greatest in the kingdom of Heaven?” Then Jesus called a little child to Him, set him in the midst of them, and said, “Assuredly, I say to you, unless you are converted and become as little children, you will by no means enter the kingdom of Heaven. Therefore whoever humbles himself as this little child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. Whoever recieves one little child like this in My name receives Me.” Matt.18:1-5
Not only are we supposed to help those who are young in their faith, we are supposed to be just as dependant on God as they are. We should realize that we are innocent by the blood of Jesus, we are ignorant compared to the knowledge of God, we can only be fed by God and His Word, and we are his to mold. Considering these things will change our outlook on new believers, and on ourselves.

Having all things in common....

“And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and fellowship, to the breaking of bread and prayers, and awe came upon every soul, and many signs were being done through the apostles, And all who believed were together and had all things in common. And they were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need. And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts, praising God and having favor with all the people, And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved.” –Act 2: 42-47
The early church had something going right of them. They were growing rapidly, and seemed unrestricted in their amount of growth. How was this so? Quick highlights:
1. They were devoted to discipleship.
2. Fellowship was important to the early church.
3. They were willing to make a sacrifice to help those in need.
4. Their fellowship was a daily activity.
5. They were appreciative of the necessities that God had provided them.
6. They had a good reputation within the community as people and believers.
7. Praising God was an important part of their life.
The life of the early Christians did not focus around the physical life here but the life that was to come. They lived each day as if it was their last, and reminded themselves that they were not alone in this struggle by surrounding themselves with other believers. They cut out the frivolous things in life, and simplified to the things that were truly important: strong faith, a tongue of praise, a prayer of thanks, good food, and good company. The critical part is that they were willing to share this with others. We often believe the luxuries of modern life are the necessities that we need, and we have an unwillingness to share the simple things of life with others. The challenge is for us to rid our life of luxuries, and look for the simplicity that the early church lived.

Are you a Cain?

What would you do for a member of the family of God? Do you love them enough to do what ever they need, or are you willing to cut them down at the knees? When we think back to the earliest history of the Bible, we see the story of the first brothers: Cain and Abel. Here were two men who both served God, and lived to serve him. However, Cain’s gift to God did not please God and it counted to him as unrighteousness. Cain grew envious and jealous of Abel, and struck him down.
Now many of you are saying, “I would never kill another brother! I could never be a Cain!” However, John paints a different picture in I John 2:11-18. He explains here that the world hates you, but we have passed out of that death into a new life. Love is the marker of this new life, and if it is not present then it means that we reside in death. Then John makes a bold statement to tie it all together, “Everyone who hates his brother is a murderer and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him (v. 15).” John solidifies this accusation by sharing that those of us who are blessed with worldly gain and see a brother in trouble, but do nothing to help are void of the love of God. We become spiritual murderers of our own brothers, and create an elitist idea based on material goods. John simply ends by saying, “Little children, let us not love in word or talk, but in deed and in truth.” We must begin to live by these words. Empty words are the song of failure, but actions are the anthems of success

The Way We Were

As the seasons begin their transition, we find ourselves at an impasse within the year. Children are returning to school, football season is about to begin, and everyone is looking to fresh starts. I may be a bit nostalgic but the beginning of the new school years has always held the concept of new beginnings. Things are swiftly changing around us, and often leave us desiring the way things once were. We begin to long for things that are long past, and as a result, our outlook on the present becomes muddled. Nostalgia is enjoyable, but there comes a negative connotation on the present because of it. We become dissatisfied, and set out in search of that feeling we once knew.
We can become too nostalgic in the church, and can be upset that things are not as they once were. For me, I miss the gathering of grandfatherly men out in front of the building dressed in their overalls sharing conversation over a smoke. Alas, this can never be again. As much as I want that to be present, the parts that made it up are not the same. We find ourselves longing for what used to be, but forget things will never be as they once were.
This is why we must look ahead to the future, and stop living in the past. If we want to be a Family of God, we cannot just talk about it, but we have to live in that way. If we want to grow in Spirit and in number, we have to be willing to do something about it. We must start with the vision of what we want to be. Proverbs 29:18 clearly states, “Where there is no vision, the people perish.”
Kyle

Small things with Big influences....

It's been a crazy last few months, and I have faced one of the most challenging classes I have faced in my Graduate studies career. I have missed writing these posts, and hope that the impact that they have is vast. I pray that God uses the message that this blog spreads to change how Christians and the world impact the Church, and how we live our daily lives. 

One must take into consideration the impact that the message they preach. In the book  of James we read of the impact of the tongue over the whole body. Now for most of us, we relate this to the physical body and how we live our lives, but what if there is more to this message than an understanding of how to live a common sense Christian life. After studying this passage, I believe this could also apply to the Body of Christ.  As the tongue goes so does the body. Understanding this could allow us to find some of the open doors that God has provided for us. 

We must begin by understanding that the tongue of the Body of Christ is really represented in two parts.  The tongue (voice) is composed of several parts, but lets focus on two specifics. The language or words used to speak are the Scriptures that we have been given. It is the language of the faith that we so dearly believe, and without it we are voiceless. We can not cast it and its message to the side to please the ears of those around us.  The Word of God is the first part, because without it we have no reason to speak. The second part of the tongue (voice)  is the tone. This is a key portion of the message that I honestly believe we miss sometimes.  We must understand that the pulpit sets the tone for the whole congregation, and the Christians who fill the pews each time the doors are open. This means the message that is being presented from the pulpit directly influences the attitudes and lives of the individuals which attend there. A constant message of negativity creates a congregation which faces internal turmoil, and likely will begin to see the amount of attendance begin to drop. A dismal air will take hold and members will quickly become disheartened. Am I advocating that we remove any preaching about Hell or sin? No. We must understand that the tone of our message must be as the message which Jesus preached. The Kingdom coming and hope of salvation were the keystones of his message.  This message was one that took a dismal future and offered a positive alternative and escape that gave the people confidence and hope. This message of positivity is one that we too should follow.

When James describes the tongue, he describes it in several ways. First, he compares the tongue to the bit in the mouth of a horse. James is describing how the message has the ability to control the power and influence over the whole body.  Second, James compares it to a ship which describes the influence the message has over the direction of the congregation. The message presented can lead a congregation to spiritual and numerical success or cripple the same congregation from being fruitful, and it's all dependent on the tone of the message preached. Third, James compares the tongue to a small fire. Passionate speaking and messages can inspire us to do great things, and to live a life more passionately. The Message of God preached passionately and positively has the ability to truly change the lives of those that it touches.

The tongue has great ability and power within it, and for the Church the tongue is the message that is presented to Christians. We must realize that it sets the tone for the Church, and it directs, empowers, and guides us as Christians.