These are my weekly (some would say, "weakly") columns from The Church Visitor--First Wesleyan Church's newsletter. It is available by clicking "newsletter" above.

There will come a time when we lay our crowns before His feet. We will join with Christians historically and world-wide in an eternal acts of worship. Until then, we “practice” for that day by faithfully and sacrificially joining with others in acts of worship.

Thursday, our nation will remember the largest scale terrorist attack on our country in history. 9/11 changed the way we think about security, travel, the economy and warfare.

Last night, after Church I watched part of a movie about a part of the 9/11 saga that is often overlooked—the crash of United Airlines Flight 93 into the Pennsylvania countryside near Shanksville.

As news of the other hijackings got to the passengers aboard flight 93, it became obvious they were part of a plan to create further damage. Resolve to stop the plot grew and a plan evolved. Ordinary peope found themselves in an extraordinary situation and behaved bravely.

What would I do if I found myself in a similar circumstance. Would I be cautious and hope everything would somehow work out or would I be proactive even at risk of my own life and the lives of others? I don’t know. I pray I would be brave if eternity were in the balance.

But wait! It is! Everyday, people go into eternity in far less spectacular ways and everyday, I find myself in a position to have some effect on where they spend eternity.

I’m sure the heroes of Flight 93 hoped they could overcome the hijackers and return control of the plane to the pilots. But all 44 people on board perished. When I choose to “speak a good word for Jesus” or perform some act of kindness in His Name, I do not know the outcome. But when I don’t, I know the outcome.

As we pray for those who lost loved ones and those who are our enemies, let us remember the words of Abraham Lincoln when he dedicated the Gettysburg Memorial.

“It is for us the living, rather, to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they who fought here have thus far so nobly advanced. It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us -- that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion -- that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain -- that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom -- and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.”

God bless America! And may God bless us with the bravery to make an eternal difference.

Sermons can be evaluated in a number of ways. One is “memorability.” Richard Stanley Sr. preached a sermon 25 years ago that I still remember. “Say Goodbye To Benjamin” was a sermon based on the story of Jacob having to say goodbye to his son, Benjamin when his other son, Joseph, demanded Benjamin come to Egypt (Genesis 43-46).

Rev. Stanley’s point was that sometimes, in order to have God’s best, we have to let go of things that are precious to us.

Mary and I had to do that this past weekend. We left our son, Graham at Indiana Wesleyan University—650 miles away! It might as well be Egypt!

I’m a son of Southern Wesleyan University but The Wesleyan Church has another fine university in the middle of the corn and soybean fields of Indiana. One of my mentors, Keith Drury, teaches there. So does one of my best friends—David Vardaman. There are other professors I have long admired and the students I met seemed friendly and genuinely interested in creating a community on the campus. The University has wonderful facilities and they communicate thorough preparedness to provide an environment for learning and growth.

I left without a single doubt that Graham will thrive at IWU. But I left without Graham. Mary said it felt like being “punched in the stomach.”

I have learned that God only takes things away in order to make way for better things. But in order to receive the best God has, I must be willing to give up what I think is best. Dad’s death and Graham’s departure came within 10 days. With Job I say, “The LORD gave and the LORD has taken away; may the name of the LORD be praised.” (Job 1:21)

I heard another sermon this weekend. Jim Lo, dean of the Chapel at IWU, preached at a special chapel for the freshmen and their parents on Saturday. His text was from Hannah’s dedication of the infant Samuel (1 Samuel 1-2). That was the same passage Mary and I used when we dedicated Graham to the Lord as an infant.

Dr. Lo’s message was a reminder that our decision to leave Graham so far away wasn’t made on a sunny, August Sunday in 2008. That decision was made on a warm, March Sunday in 1990. It was much easier then.

I have a hat that is known as my “Vacation Hat.” It is a simple straw fedora but it has dozens of hat pins from places I’ve visited. There’s a pin from Russia and Costa Rica as well as one from the Charlotte Hornets. When we travel, I try to pick up a hat pin to remember the visit.

The week before Dad died, Mary, Graham and I went to Washington, DC for a combination vacation and senior trip. Peter and Chandra provided us a place to stay and I guess they had something to do with the absolutely perfect weather we enjoyed (although Sue Myrick’s office tried to take credit as well!).

We visited the Holocaust Museum and it was the most moving exhibit we experienced the entire visit. The United States Holocaust Memorial Museum is America's national institution for the documentation, study, and interpretation of Holocaust history, and serves as this country's memorial to the millions of people murdered during the Holocaust.

The exhibits began with a comparison of the 1936 Olympics held in Berlin and those just completed in China. Comparisons between the two oppressive regimes and the world’s response to Germany and China are unmistakable and frightening.

The displays show how the Hitler propaganda machine first marginalized Jews and African Americans and did so by appealing to the national pride of the Germans which had been so humiliated by the decisions at the end of the First World War.

After convincing Germans they would be better off without the Jews and other minorities, Hitler began to systematically eliminate them by confining them to ghettos, the prison camps then gas chambers. Before it was over, 6 million Jews had died.

I don’t understand how people could be so cruel or unaware or both. Or do I?

Since early 2003, Sudanese government soldiers and a militia, known as the Janjaweed, have fought rebel groups in the western region of Darfur. Initially, the government strategy largely involved systematic assaults against civilians from the same ethnic groups as the rebel forces. The targeted victims have been mostly from the Fur, Zaghawa, and Masaalit ethnic groups.

Hundreds of thousands of civilians have died from violence, disease, and starvation, and thousands of women have been raped. More than 2.5 million civilians have been driven from their homes, their villages torched and property stolen. Thousands of villages have been systematically destroyed and more than 230,000 people have fled to neighboring Chad. But most of those displaced are trapped inside Darfur. Although large-scale government attacks against civilians have declined since 2005, millions remain at risk. Most of the displaced are not returning home for fear that their villages will be attacked again. The Sudanese government still bears primary responsibility for the danger to civilians, but the increasing fragmentation of the rebel groups and their use of violence have contributed to the high level of insecurity.

That brings me back to my hat. I bought a hat pin at the Holocaust museum. It is dull, gray metal and has the Hebrew word “Remember”. It doesn’t stand out among all the other shiny, colorful pins. It stands as a silent witness to do something so that the lives of the six million Jews who died are not in vain.

If I don’t remember their suffering, I won’t do anything to make sure it doesn’t happen again to some other group of people. Learn about Darfur, the Congo, Chechnya, Rwanda and Burundi. Pray for those who are working to end genocide. Support responsible action in these regions. Remember and don’t forget.

The first reports of rain came when Elijah’s servant reported, “I see a cloud on the horizon about the size of a man’s hand.” Elijah told Ahab, “You’d better get off this mountain while you still can!” The Bible describes the storm this way: “the sky grew black with clouds, the wind rose, a heavy rain came on.” ( 1 kings 18)

Sunday morning, we witnessed the “cloud about the size of a man’s hand.” When I first came here six years ago, the first thing I did was to organize two prayer meetings. Admittedly, they were not well attended. That may have had to do with the time they were scheduled or God’s timing or some other factor, but in general, people don’t see the value of corporate prayer. Earl Hall and I prayed before Wednesday night services and a few others prayed on Sunday night. Both prayer meetings eventually died from lack of interest.

A few years later, after one of the Area Revival services a group decided to meet twice a week to pray (perhaps that was God’s timing). Among other things, that group has cried out to God to make us the Church He’s always intended us to be. Yet another group formed on Sunday morning before Sunday School. I know that many others pray individually and in other groups for God’s outpouring on First Wesleyan.

What we witnessed Sunday morning as people testified, confessed and exhorted was “the cloud” not “the storm.” God has given us the promise of His evident presence in our Church. Whether we experience “the storm” will depend on several factors: Ronnie said we need to witness. Gene said we needed to pursue the gifts of the Spirit. Lu said we need to listen to the cries of others. Mary said we need to let God change us. And Graham, last night, said we need to feed on God’s Word.

Every exhortation we heard yesterday has this in common: revival can only be accomplished by God and only in a people who desire it more than anything else and its purpose is to glorify God not us.

So if you come to witness on Friday night out of a sense of loyalty to Ronnie or guilt that you haven’t done so before, don’t expect young people to listen to you. Or if you seek the gifts of the Spirit because it sounds exciting to see someone healed, don’t cancel your health insurance. But if your heart is broken for the needs of lost people you know whose lives are empty and purposeless and if you are willing to pay any price to see those people come to Jesus, then you better get off this mountain—there’s a storm coming, the likes of which, this Church has never seen! Lord, send the rain!

Graffiti covered the walls of the city. Pamphlets were published daily. There were riots and lawsuits. Minstrels composed satirical songs designed to ridicule. ‘Sound like a political campaign? It was an argument among theologians and it concluded this week in 325 A. D.

It was seemingly a simple question: “In what way is Jesus ‘Divine’?” The argument began when Alexander, the archbishop of Alexandria, began to teach his senior clergy that Jesus, the Son, shared the same Divine attributes as the Father. To one of his hearers, Arius, this seemed to undermine the primacy of God the Father over all others. After some debate, Alexander censured Arius and removed him from his Church. Arius appealed to the Emporer Constantine’s own archbishop, Eusebius who shared the same view at Arius.

Constantine called all the clergy to a council in Nicea and set them to the task of refining the Jerusalem Creed to what we know today as the Nicene Creed. The debate boiled down to a single word—“homoousios.” It means “of the same substance as”. For the Arians, it was unacceptable. But Alexander prevailed and all other views were declared herectical.

What relevance to does a decision made nearly 1,700 years ago have for us today? If Jesus is, as Alexander claimed, fully divine, then everything He said was true including the exclusive claim that there is only one way to heaven. And if that claim is true, then the professions of our culture that there are “many ways” is untrue. And that leaves the responsibility for sharing the Gospel squarely with those of us who are the sons and daughters of Alexander.

People still argue over the place Jesus holds. They may not do so in theological terms but the decision about Jesus is the most important one any of us ever make.

Last Saturday, Bill Adams’ friends and family gathered to wish him a happy 90^th birthday. It was a wonderful time of eating and greeting and gave me an opportunity to get to know Bill a little better through those who came to wish him well. Bill was born July 19, 1918 and graduated from Gastonia High School. He started work in his chosen career at 17 when he went to work for a grocery store.

At the tender age of 23, Bill became a member of the Local board of Administration of First Wesleyan Church. He served faithfully in nearly every leadership position from that time until he retired.

In 1941, he made his best investment when he married Mary Neel. Rev. J. A. Wood officiated and all four of their children, Hope, Dottie, butch and Nancy were subsequently married at First Wesleyan. Bill’s family now numbers 32, with 8 grand-children and 9 great-grandchildren.

The Second World War called in 1944 and Bill responded, as he had in every other are of his life—faithfully. He served in the European Theater until the war’s end in 1945.

Bill returned home and worked in the retail grocery store business all his life. He did so with honesty and integrity to both his customers and his Lord. the word I kept hearing about Bill was “faithful.” He was faithful to his wife, his family, his Church and to Christ.

Bill is an avid reader. He regularly brings me books and articles which enrich me and my ministry. But the Book he loves most is God’s word. Thus, it is not surprising that the Word would desccribe a man like Bill in these terms: Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked or stand in the way of sinners or sit in the seat of mockers. But his delight is in the law of the LORD, and on his law he meditates day and night. He is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither. Whatever he does prospers. (Psalm 1:1-3)

Happy Birthday, Bill! May God grant you many more, and us, more people like you!

This newsletter will be the last for our Church Office Secretary, Debbie Murphy. She began working here in 2002, and has become a vital part of the team here at First Wesleyan. Some people are “employees” and others are “team members”. Debbie has demonstrated her commitment to the ministry here at First Wesleyan by her willingness to work until the job was done regardless of the hours involved.

Debbie is a “people-person” and we will all miss her warm southern welcome and her eager desire to make sure that “everyone is taken care of.”

Debbie and her husband Donnie, have just opened “Murphy's Sailaway Bay Boat and RV Storage” on on South Point Road. Debbie will be working with her husband in that business. Donnie was recently featured in the Gazette for saving a piece of Gaston county history—the water tower from Daniel Stowe's Seven Oaks Farm.

We wish Debbie the very best of God’s blessings and offer her our sincere thanks for a job well done.

On behalf of Mary and her family I want to thank our Church family for their many expressions of sympathy at the death of Mary’s mother, Dorothy Medders. Many of you brought food, flowers and donations to the Saunders Irving Chapel Fund at Bethany Bible College. You sent cards and called and we are deeply grateful for your concern for us.

I also want to tell you what a celebration the past few days have been. Our loss of Mary’s mother has been an occasion to celebrate both her life and her legacy. Because Mom Medders had a clear testimony—a plain statement that she knew for sure that when she died she would go to heaven – her family never gave her eternal destiny a second thought. Instead, they gathered together to rejoice over her victory won and her race completed. Both the service here and the one in Alabama were characterized by joy, hope and faith.

It was also a delight to celebrate her legacy. The Baumgartel and Medders families are a testimony to generational righteousness. None are saved because of the righteousness of their parents but all have been influenced to follow Christ by their sincere faith and devotion to Him. One nephew said, “When I try to tell people how we do funerals, they just don’t understand.”

I want to live a life so that when I die, my family will have reason to celebrate my life and legacy.

How are your “talents” doing? Two Sundays ago, we gave away $20 bills like we had printed them ourselves! We distributed $2,160 of a $3,000 gift. On September 7^th, those who took money are encouraged to return their offerings and the money they have gained.

They idea is not new and comes from the parable Jesus told about the three servants who were given differing amounts of money and were rewarded based on what they did with what they were given.

Sports teams talk about it. The stock market refers to it. It’s “momentum”—the big “Mo”. Last week I reported the positive news about attendance and giving here in the Church and enrollment at First Wesleyan Christian School.

The scientific principle of inertia is “bodies at rest tend to stay at rest and bodies in motion tend to stay in motion unless they are acted upon by an outside force.” That principle is true for Churches. If a Church is not growing, the reasons it doesn’t grow tend to accumulate and keep it from growing. That’s the reason that, according to Thom Rainer, “70% of Churches in North America are not growing.”

But it is also true that Churches that are growing tend to continue to do so. The reasons they grow also tend to accumulate. In fact, there is a “snowball affect.” As the Church grows, it tends to grow faster.

The key to both conditions—stagnation and growth—is the “acted upon by an outside force” part. One of the books the LBA has read about “Turnaround Churches” says that most plateaued or declining Churches (ours, for the past 17 years) have to have a traumatic experience to overcome their inertia. We have managed to change directions without out such an experience. God has graciously worked in us through prayer, revivals and the leadership of the Church.

While this kind of change is far less distressing, it comes at a high price. Some of you are understandably weary of the plodding effort that has resulted in our growth. To you I want to say, “Lift up your hearts!” All of the effort is beginning to pay off. Now we must move forward with the momentum God has given us. That means winning lost people and discipling them to a mature walk with Christ. It means inviting your friends, neighbors and relatives who don’t go to Church to a vibrant, growing Church—First Wesleyan Church.

William Shakespeare was no theologian but here’s how he described our current condition:

There is a tide in the affairs of men.
Which, taken at the flood, leads on to fortune;
Omitted, all the voyage of their life
Is bound in shallows and in miseries.
On such a full sea are we now afloat,
And we must take the current when it serves,
Or lose our ventures.

Growth in a Church can be measured in many ways. Several years ago, one of my mentors, Keith Drury, wrote a “tongue-in-cheek” article entitled, “How to Show an Increase Without Actually Increasing” in which he suggested things like “count the number of cars in the parking lot and multiply by four.”

At general conference it was suggested that growth be measured by baptisms. Sometimes growth can only be measured by “depth” rather than “breadth.”

Less than a year ago, I asked people to pray that the empty seats in First Wesleyan Christian School would be filled. At the School committee meeting last night, Mr. Wilfong reported that in six years, the pre-school has doubled in size and is now full and the K-8 School has shown an increase in both attendance and enrollment for next year for the first time in six years.

These statistics don’t tell the story of changed lives in the Children’s Ministry, the Youth Ministry, the Cruiser Ministry or any of the other ministries of the Church. Nor are the causes for these increases indicated. Some faithfully give. Others sacrifically serve and still others pray. How do you measure the impact of a Sunday School teacher who teaches every week or a choir member who rehearses and sings “as unto the Lord” every Sunday?

Together, I believe First Wesleyan Church has turned a corner! To God be the glory!

People have always been interested in predicting the future. Prophets were not just Old Testament characters. People from Nostradamus to Jeanne Dixon have claimed the ability to predict the future.

My friend, Keith Drury, once showed the fallacy of such claims by making a series of predictions which are almost certain to come true. For instance, “A popular Christian celbrity will fall morally.” Since that happens almost every year and words like “popular” and “celebrity” are so general, it doesn’t take clairvoyence to make such a prediction and be accurate.

But sometimes, wondering about the future is not so much a matter of prediction as prayer. Today, news outlets announced the resignation of Fidel Castro as president of Cuba. Castro came to power in 1959, after an armed revolt against the dictatorship of Fulgencio Batista. He led this small island nation from wealth to poverty and from a tourist destination for the world to an isolated outpost of communism.

So what does the future hold for Cuba? Waiting in the wings is Castro’s younger brother, Raul who is pledged to more of the same kind of leadership which has afflicted the country for the past fifty years.

Also standing by is a huge community of expatriates (many of whom live in South Florida) who would love nothing more than to return to their homeland and reclaim their lands and homes.

But there is an even greater, more powerful Change-Agent Whose interest in the future of Cuba exceeds both the evil intent of her current rulers and the jingoistic fervor of the Cuban-American Community. The number of evangelical congregations in Cuba has grown from 1,250 to perhaps 4,500 since 1990. Many of these churches meet in homes and often without official government sanction.

So what is the future of Cuba? It probably depends, in part, on the prayers of God’s people. The transition of leadership could be a horrific crackdown as Raul Castro seeks to assert his authority. It could be another revolution like the one that brought Fidel to power fifty years ago. Or it could be a revival of faith that sweeps the island.

The prophet, Amos, foresaw such a time. He said, “But let justice roll on like a river, righteousness like a never-failing stream!” (Amos 5:24)

Join with your brothers and sisters around the world in praying for the future of Cuba. May God send a great revival there that will astound the world!

Today, is Abraham Lincoln’s 199^th birthday! The sixteenth president appears on most everyone’s list of the greatest to hold the office. The story of his persistence despite many early failures and tragedy’s in his life is legendary and his faith is often mentioned as a basis for his strength of character and his wisdom.

The Rev. James F. Jaquess was a Methosdist Episcopal (one of the predescent demoninations of the Wesleyan Church) minister holding revival services in Springfield, Illinois in 1839. Here is his account:

“It was a good sized church, but on that day all the seats were filled. I had chosen for my text the words 'Ye must be born again' , and during the course of my sermon I laid particular stress on 'must'.

Mr. Lincoln came into the church after the services had commenced, and there being no vacant seats, chairs were put in the altar in front of the pulpit, and Mr. Lincoln and Governor French and his wife sat in the altar during the entire service, Mr. Lincoln on my left and Governor French on my right, and I noticed that Mr. Lincoln appeared to be deeply interested in the sermon.

A few days after that Sunday, Mr. Lincoln called on me and informed me that he had been greatly impressed with my remarks on Sunday and that he had come to talk with me further on the matter. I invited him in, and my wife and I talked and prayed with him for hours. Now, I have seen many persons converted; I have seen hundreds brought to Christ, and if ever a person was converted, Abraham Lincoln was converted that night in my house."

"My dear President, I must repeat to you here what I said when at Urbana in 1856. My fear is that you will fall under the blows of a Jesuit assassin if you do not pay more attention than you have done, till now, to protect yourself...”

"You are not the first to warn me against the dangers of assassination. My ambassadors in Italy, France, and England, as well as Professor Morse, have many times warned me against the plots of the murderers which they have detected in those different countries. But I see no other safeguard against those murderers but to be always ready to die, as Christ advises it."

The end of Mr. Lincoln’s life came suddenly and tragically. He had no time to prepare for eternity that night in Ford’s Theater. Fortunately, he’d celebrated a birthday in 1839, which made the day of his death not an end but a beginning.

Of all the things a person might accomplish in this life, none is more important than to be “born again.”

Football fans were divided about who they wanted to win Super Bowl XLII (is this the only place people still us roman numerals?). Some would like to have seen the Patriots have a perfect season. When a baseball pitcher pitches a perfect game, we’re all glad for him even though he may not pitch for our team. Even though I’m not a fan of the Memphis Tigers, I check the standing to see if they are still undefeated.

On the other hand, everyone loves an underdog. And the New York Football Giants were that. They were the lowest seed ever to make it to the Super Bowl. They had to play all their playoff games on the road. Many wondered if their quarterback would ever be as good as his brother.

So now it’s Monday and the game is over. The perfect season was not quite. The baby brother joins his older sibling as back-to-back MVP’s. So did your team win?

Many of you “didn’t have a dog in the fight.” Some of you weren’t so much rooting for one team to win as for the other to lose. Some didn’t care and didn’t watch.

The outcome of a Super Bowl means a great deal of money for the host city, advertisers, television networks and players. But in the grand scheme of things, it is just a game. It arouses passions and emotions but it is just a game. No one’s eternal destiny is determined by the outcome.

The Gospel, on the other hand, competes every day for the lives and souls of men and women, boys and girls. It will matter for all eternity the outcome of the decisions people make about Christ.

Yesterday I had a little fun looking back at events in 1973. Some of you claimed I had used a picture of Austin instead of myself but no one seemed to doubt the picture of Mary! Hummmmm? Some of you laughed a little too hard at my picture. I must remind you that the same yearbook that picture came from has pictures of many of you as well! You’ve been warned! (;>)

The Supreme Court decision known as “Roe v Wade” which legalized abortion in the US was handed down on January 22, 1973. Twenty-five years later, on this date (January 29^th) Eric Rudolf (who grew up in Western North Carolina) exploded a bomb at a Birmingham, Alabama abortion clinic killing one and injuring another. Rudolf claimed it was his “Christian duty” to destroy those who provided abortions.

Eric Rudolf should have read his Bible more closely. It says that God has ordained the government to “bear the sword” (Romans 13:4) but that we, Christians fight not with the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. 5We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God (2 Corinthians 10:3-5).

Trading the weapons God has given us to defeat evil (prayer, faith, spiritual authority, healing, transformation) for the weapons of the world not only alienates and divides but it is like trading an M-16 rifle for a cap gun! God’s means and methods are far more effective than the twisted reasoning of people like Eric Rudolf and He will ultimately prevail. One day, the purveyors of legalized murder in all its forms will bow their knees before God and say, “I was wrong and You were right!”

Let us take up the arms of spiritual warfare against evil in all its forms. Pray that God’s will will be done on earth just as it is done in heaven.

This morning’s news reported that the Associated Press (as do other news organizations) have pre-prepared obituaries for well-known people who are “getting along in years.” That way, when the celebrity dies, much of the research on their life has already been done and written. All the AP has to do is add the details of their death and “Voila!” they are the first on the street with the obituary of the dearly departed.

Recently, however, the Associated Press did something they’ve never done before. They wrote a “pre-obit” for someone under thirty! Whose death does the Associated Press believe might be imminent? Britney Spears. It seems her recent self-destructive behavior (and being caught short on the death of Anna Nicole Smith) had prompted the AP to begin research “just in case.” Chilling. I hope Britney hears about it and amends her ways so that she will “live long and prosper.”

There’s a group of lesser-known individuals I’d also like to see “live long and prosper.” They haven’t called attention to themselves with outlandish and obscene behavior so I’d like to do my part to call attention to them because, sadly for many of them, their death is imminent. They are the victims of Muscular Dystrophy. MD is a genetic, hereditary muscle disease that causes progressive muscle weakness. Currently, there is no known cure.

I’ve lost two very good friends to this disease. One wrote beautiful poems about God’s love and raised a mildly retarded son to be a Gospel singer. The other did his best to live long enough to see his son graduate but failed. As I watched Austin walk across the stage at Ashbrook, I thought about him and the joy he missed.

Each year the Muscular Dystrophy Association asks people in our community to voluntarily get arrested and raise “bail” which goes to fund research and services for people. On Thursday February 7^th, an officer will come to the Church Office and take me to jail. Would you help set me free by contributing to the Muscular Dystrophy Association in my name? If you’d just as soon see me stay in jail, Bill Helms is also being arrested. Set him free. I’d appreciate your help and so would the quarter of a million children and adults who have the disease.

You can write a check to the Muscular Dystrophy Association and give it to me or you can give online at http://www.mdausa.org/help/donate. Just let me know you gave there so I can include your contribution toward my “bail.” Thanks in advance for your support.

I hope all of you will support our teens this Saturday as they shoot free throws in the gym to raise money to buy nets for people who live in malaria-infested areas of africa. These nets cover the beds and prevent disease-carrying mosquito bites while sleeping.

We don’t live in an area where malaria is a problem. We live in houses where we can close up the windows and doors to protect us from mosquitos. But that’s not the case for people who live in Africa. Malaria slays one African child every 30 seconds and affects between 300 and 600 million people a year, or almost twice as many as tuberculosis, AIDS, measles and leprosy combined. The World Health Organization reckons that insecticide-treated mosquito nets and speedy access to drugs can prevent nine out of 10 malaria deaths. Currently, less than five percent of children in Africa sleep under a bed net.

What is the cost to save nine out of ten lives. If they were ten of our children, it wouldn’t matter and perhaps even more importantly, Jesus said that when we’ve provided a bed net for one of the least of these, we’ve provided it for Him (see Matthew 25:31ff).

Each net, delivered to an African home costs $10. The goal of the Youth Group is to make 2100 free throws. If you pledge 1 cent per made free throw, that will be $21 from you and two people spared death from malaria. If you want to participate, contact Jason Crissman at jecrissman@hotmail.com or (980) 329-5101 or call the Church office.

My spiritual mentor, Rev. Gipsie Miller, has published her book! It is entitled Pilgrimage to the Promised Land -- An Experience in Spiritual Journaling available currently only through the publisher. You can order it online at www.tatepublishing.com . Under on-line bookstore, click "search our bookstore". Type in “Pilgrimage” and you will see her book. If you click on the name of the book it brings up the order page. The picture here is of Mrs. Miller when her family presented her with the first copy.

From the publisher’s website comes this description: “"In Pilgrimage to the Promised Land, Gipsie Miller shares her lifelong journey of daily walking hand in hand with Christ. Through honest revelation of over 60,000 personal journal entries, the roadmap of her spiritual voyage comes alive. Reverting back to her initial calling as a teenager of John 14:12, she has trusted God to accomplish greater and greater measures of His purposes through her surrendered spirit. Follow in her footsteps as you learn the benefit of spiritual journaling and what it takes to day after day place your life in His hands. Get started on your Pilgrimage to the Promised Land. "

The release date for the book is April 8^th, for those who order from local bookstores. If you order from the publisher, you will get their copy within 5 - 7 days.

Press releases will be sent out in April and interviews and book signings will probably be set up. Mrs. Miller is too weak for this so her granddaughter, Brenda Emmons, will represent her.

Brenda will be an appropriate “stand in.” Mrs. Miller began the process of distilling her journals, not for public consumption, but for her four granddaughters. She wanted them to know her own spiritual journey and to encourage them in theirs. Brenda took Mrs. Miller’s desire to heart. She is writing her own book chronicling her experience of finishing her grandmother’s book. It’s called Out Of Bounds and is her journey of trying to find the “God of my Grandmother in my life.” Brenda says, “Through this experience He has led me to the border of my own Promised Land through the inspiration of grandmother's writings.”

I’ve read Mrs. Miller’s book. For a day-and-a-half, I laughed and cried and rejoiced and repented. Read it. See what happens to you!

I don’t know if you believe that the things that happen at the first of the year are predictors of what will happen throughout the rest of the year. Like eating black-eyed peas and collards is supposed to assure good fortune and wealth. My guess is you don’t believe in such superstitions. But if it is true, I won’t have any trouble coming up with subjects for this column in 2008.

· I started an article two week ago about spiritual maturity. In the midst of a difficult situation, Mary Masters was asking, “What does God want to teach ME in this situation.” That is one of the signs of spiritual maturity.

· Herman Nolen celebrated his 90^th birthday on Saturday and was honored by South Mountain Retreat and Conference Center with a beautiful portrait which is on display at the South Mountain bulletin board. If you look in the dictionary under “Christian Gentleman” there is a picture of herman.

· Dr. David Medders (President of Bethany Bible College and brother of Mary Smith) preached on Sunday about revival. His message was powerful and convicting. He said, among many other things, that the same certainty with which we claim the promises of God for blessings and help is attached to God’s promises of judgment on His people if they will not seek Him with their whole hearts.

· There are big changes going on at Global Partners (formerly Wesleyan World Missions). The Wesleyan World magazine has a new name and format and the prayer guide, which many of you use is now in an annual format.

· There are two new discipleship opportunities beginning. One is a Sunday School Class led by John and Wilma Wilfong. The other is a Sunday Night small group on building successful families. Robbie Gunter will lead almost all the sessions. I’m going to lead one when the men and women meet separately.

· And there’s the usual New Year’s stuff about resolutions and the new budget year and giving and so forth.

You see, there’s just too many subjects from which to choose. So I guess I’ll just resolve to wish you all a Happy New Year. May this year be filled plumb full with all of God’s goodness and righteousness and every spiritual blessing in Christ Jesus!

Charles Wesley was the 18^th child and youngest son of Samuel and Susannah Wesley. He shared many of the same experiences as his more famous brother, John.

But these two were, by no means, clones of one another. Charles was converted three days before John’s heart-warming “Aldersgate” experience. Charles was in London recovering from a recurring illness in the home of some Moravians. The concern and sincere Christian testimonies of his hosts and others, deeply affected Charles. Opening his Bible at Isaiah 40:1, the light of salvation shone upon him! His Journal entry for May 21^st reads: "I now found myself at peace with God, and rejoiced in hope of loving Christ..... I saw that by faith I stood, by the continual support of faith.......I went to bed still sensible of my own weakness....yet confident of Christ's protection."

On the following day, Charles strength began to return and he began to write the first of some 6,000 hymns! John was converted three days later and to celebrate their joy, Charles wrote these words:

Where shall my wondering soul begin?
How shall I all to heaven aspire?
A slave redeemed from death and sin,
A brand plucked from eternal fire!
How shall I equal triumphs raise
Or sing my great Deliverer's praise?

One year later, Charles wrote one of his most famous hymns, "0 for a thousand tongues to sing." He recommended that it be sung "on the anniversary of one's conversion."

Charles was ordained in the Anglican Church and remained loyal to it until his death. He argued against John's path of increasing separation from the Church of England that included ordaining ministers, sanctioning their offering the sacraments, and scheduling of worship services at the same hour as local Anglican churches.

He wrote more than 6500 texts, including the poems and hymns. His range of poetic meters demanded the composition of new tunes and rhythms. Just as artwork had been the means of communicating theology to the illiterate in the Medieval Church, hymnody taught the early Methodists the truths of the Gospel.

His use of Scripture in his texts is unprecedented. Only the books of Obadiah, Nahum, Zepaniah, and Third John are not referenced. The brothers published sixty-four collections of hymns between 1738 and 1785, many of which consisted of only Charles' texts.

Bloody Sunday

There’s a genre of film called “slasher” movies. They measure success by body count and the only item allowed to go “over budget” is the line item for fake blood. I’ve never cared for that type of film but it has a huge following.

We’re seeing slasher films lived out in real life these days as the lack of respect for human life and the blurring of the line between reality and make-believe becomes more pervasive.

· On Sunday, two were killed at the YWAM Training facility in Colorado.

· Two more was later killed at a Church.

· Nine were killed in a shopping mall.

It’s not often that Satan, the one behind these acts of senseless violence, tips his hand and shows us the true nature of who he is. Death, destruction, fear and violence are his stock-in-trade. He has no positive plan for anyone’s life. His only goal is misery on this earth and damnation in the world to come.

why anyone would believe that aligning yourself with him was a good idea is beyond me! Especially in view of the love demonstrated by God when he offered His only Son to a violent death in order that those who believe in him might not only live but live abundantly!

It’s the Lighthouse, Saints!

It’s OK, Wish Me A Merry Christmas!

Some of you noticed the button I, was wearing at Church yesterday. It says, “It’s OK, Wish me a Merry Christmas.” I heard about the “Campaign For Christmas” on James Dobson’s “Focus On The Family” last week and ordered five buttons. It’s a way of telling those who would secularize Christmas that they don’t need to on my account. Campaign Founder, Ashley Tarter said, "With tens of thousands of buttons distributed nationally, retailers will hearken the public's message that it is okay to wish, 'Merry Christmas,' once again.”

Last year, growing consumer awareness of the disassociating of Christmas from December-buying pushed buyers to smaller independent shops where celebrating Christmas was still part of the occasion (America's Research Group, 2006*).

According to a 2004 Gallup Poll, 96 percent of Americans celebrate Christmas. In 2006, America's Research Group uncovered a major concern of buyers: the lack of Christmas decor. A majority - 53 percent - of Christmas shoppers were bothered by secularizing practices.

I gave one of my five buttons to Danny Garret and he wore it during our “hot chocolate give-a-thon” at the Christmas Parade. He told me someone wished him a “Merry Christmas” and he felt sure it was because he was wearing the button. If you’d like to order some, go to http://www.wmamc.com (the first letters in Wish Me A Merry Christmas), or call 1-800-487-7137.

You Learn Stuff If You Pay Attention

On Veteran’s Day, the choir sang a beautiful rendition of the National Anthem but it was an awkward time for some—including me. Some folks put their hand over their heart; others (including me) did not. Some kinda put their hand near their midsection. I wasn’t sure if they were being patriotic or if it was gas.

You see, I thought the “salute” (actually named the “Bellamy salute” after the man who wrote the Pledge of Allegiance) was reserved for the Pledge. Many of you knew better. You had undoubtedly read the “Flag Code” passed by Congress in June of 1942, which makes it law that you put your hand over your heart during the National Anthem (and the Pledge).

I learned my lesson the next week from one of the presidential candidates who was photographed NOT saluting during the national anthem. He took a lot of criticism for his gaffe—particularly from those who didn’t like him in the first place.

Though the procedure for listening to the National Anthem is spelled out in the U.S. Code, you can't be punished for breaking the rules. That would likely be considered a violation of the First Amendment. For instance, the Supreme Court ruled that Jehovah's Witnesses had the right to skip the pledge.

So I hereby repent of my unintentional lack of patriotism and vow to always cover my heart with my hand during the playing or singing of the National Anthem. Furthermore, to prove the sincerity of my pledge, I will instruct others, as I have opportunity, to show proper respect as well.

Hmm. I wonder if that approach (repentance, determination to do right and evangelism) would work on other things? I’ll have to think about that.

It’s the lighthouse, Saints!

Pastor Tim

Is It US?

Last year we sent two of our finest off to college. Jennifer Hart went to Gardner Webb and Grace McKinnon went to Appalachian State. This year, two extraordinary things happened at those two schools: App State beat Michigan at Michigan in football and Gardner Webb beat Kentucky at Kentucky in basketball!

When you add to this interesting phenomenon the fact that Ryan Williams and Amanda Kinney are at SWU where the baseball team and the women’s basketball team both won national titles and Nathan House is at UNCC where they are beginning to talk about having a football team, you have to ask yourself, “Is It US?” Are we, the saints gathered at Gastonia First, the cause of this atheletic phenomenon?

As preposterous as it sounds, there are some who attribute far more important occurrences to far more unlikely phenomena.

· Some believe personal holiness is a product of age or temperament when, in reality, it is a product of seeking God and obedience.

· Some believe soul-winning is a product of personality when it is actually the result of a burden for lost people and trust in God’s ability to use anyone for His purposes.

· Some believe Church growth and health is the result of location, leadership or luck when it is really a result of humble people following God direction for the life of a Church.

When people spout ridiculous theories about the JFK assassination or an alien crash in Roswell, we dismiss them as having little foundation in fact. But theories about spiritual growth for individuals and Churches are embraced with little regard for their basis in the Word of God.

Paul wrote to the Church at Corinth “But I am afraid that just as Eve was deceived by the serpent’s cunning, your minds may somehow be led astray from your sincere and pure devotion to Christ.” (2 Corinthians 11:3)

Don’t get fooled into believing it’s us; it’s Him!

It’s the Lighthouse, Saints!

Pastor Tim

Two Movie Reviews

This past Saturday, my Sunday School class attended a showing of a movie called “The List”. The book, on which the movie is based, is written by Charlotte-author, Robert Whitlow. It is a drama-mystery about the power of prevailing prayer. I recommend it to all who attend movies in the theaters and the rest of you when it comes out on TV or in the video stores.

But while I was there I noticed the advertisements for another movie that will debut on December 7^th, (“a day that will live in infamy” now, for more reasons that one!)

“The Golden Compass” is a watered-down version of a trilogy of books for children called “His Dark Materials” written by Phillip Pullman. Who’s he? This is a quote from a 2003 interview with the Sydney Morning Herald: "I don't profess any religion; I don't think it's possible that there is a God; I have the greatest difficulty in understanding what is meant by the words 'spiritual' or 'spirituality. My books are about killing God."

If you go to the website for the movie (goldencompassmovie.com) you can answer 20 questions and see your own “demon.” The website says “In our world it is possible for a person to have demons as well, only they are invisible. If you would like to learn more about your demon . . .”

Robert Pullman’s books have received extraordinary acclaim. Books of the trilogy have sold more than 15 million copies around the world, with Northern Lights (published as The Golden Compass in the US) winning the Carnegie Medal for Children's Literature in 1995 and in 2007 being awarded the 'Carnegie of Carnegies' for the best children's book of the past 70 years. The Amber Spyglass, the final book of the series, won The Whitbread Prize in 2001, making it the first children's book to do so.

My concern is that parents will take their children to see this movie without knowing its true content so please spread the word to everyone you know who has children. “The Golden Compass” misses True North by a mile!

It’s the lighthouse, saints!

Pastor Tim

“Written-Out” Prayers

We are not a liturgical Church so most of our public prayers are extemporaneous rather than written out. Liturgy can become formalism and often does. I’ve found myself saying the words of the Lord’s Prayer while thinking about something else. the problem is not with the form but with the “formee”—me!

A good illustration of this came to me via a prayer written by an anonymous student at Gaston Christian School. His prayer inspired me and lifted my thoughts heavenward. It caused me to think of God and His work in a way I’d never considered before. See what it does for you:

A Gentleman's Prayer
Class of ‘08
Gaston Christian School

Gracious and Almighty God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, may Your praise be ever on my lips and Your love ever in my heart. You alone are God, the Redeemer of the nations, and are the only One deserving of our worship. God of starburst and simple amoeba, Your perpetual providence is my solace all the days of my life. Though the hurricanes of life may stir the chaotic waters of my soul, You will calm these waters as You calmed the raging waters of Galilee. 0 Holy Paraclete, Wind of Heaven, Your abiding presence, even in the valleys of deep darkness, is like deep flowing streams that quench the parched on sultry days. How marvelous to consider that You, the Architect of Heaven and Giver of all Life, have called me according to Your purpose, cleansed me from catastrophic iniquities, and adopted me into Your loving family as a brother of Jesus Christ our Great High^— Priest, the Incarnate Love. Matchless God of galaxies, deliver me from my failures; strengthen the mediocrity of my faith and make me fluent in the language of confession, that I might be a noble vessel for the advancement of Your Kingdom here on earth, waiting anxiously for the day when that Kingdom is fully revealed. Thank You yet again for all my blessings great and small, tangible and intangible, perceived and unperceived. In the name of Jesus Christ, the Living Lord. Amen

It’s the Lighthouse, Saints!

Pastor Tim
Helen Rhyne Marvin

I wrote letters to and about Helen Rhyne Marvin long before I ever met her. She was a State Senator and sponsored and supported legislation that affected young people. I was a youth pastor (no, Methusala was NOT in my youth group—but Stan Childs was!) and then a pastor and I usually found myself on the opposite side of most issues from Senator Marvin. When I came back here to Gastonia, I joined the AM Optimist Club and Helen was one of the members. She and I became friends and, while we still disagreed about many issues, we did so agreeably.

Helen died of cancer last year and today, I hleped dedicate a garden in her memory at With Friends. Her life reminds me of two important principles:

1. People who agree on “What” can disagree on “How.”

Helen and I both cared about children and young people. We disagreed about how best to help them. Christians who share a common commitment to evangelism, worship, discipleship, ministry and leadership can disagree about whether to do evangelism on Friday night or Sunday morning and on the style of worship and the qualifications for leadership.

2. The good deeds of people live on after them (see Revelation 14:13).

Whenever I read a book or listen to music, I wonder if it will be around ten years from now and what makes anything stand the test of time. I, for one, do not want to waste my life. I want what I do to live on long after I’m gone. The life of Helen Rhyne Marvin is a testimony that it’s possible.

It’s the Lighthouse, Saints!

Pastor Tim
The Power of a Good Testimony

Last week we laid to rest Buck Cole. Buck gave my son, Austin, his first haircut. I have it all on videotape (that’s what we used back then). Buck traveled with our Wesleyan Faithfuls group for a few days at the beach. Jon Childs led the group in morning devotions from the book of James and then went around the room giving all who wanted a chance to talk about what “comfort” meant to them.

When it came Buck’s turn, he talked about growing up in a family that knew little about love. He said it wasn’t until he met Nadine that he understood what love was and that she introduced him to the love of Christ.

With that testimony barely off his lips, Buck suffered an episode that eventually took his life.

I’ve been around hundreds of families who were grieving in the past 35 years and I can tell you that nothing you can leave them in a will compares to a good testimony. It comforts those who are believers with the knowledge that they will one day be reunited for eternity and it challenges the unbelievers to commit themselves to the same hope.

If you haven’t done so recently, tell your family and friends that you know for sure that if you were to die right now (a possibility for every one of us!), you’d spend eternity in heaven because you have put your faith in the work of Christ on the Cross. If you can’t do so, let me commend to you the following passages of Scripture (Romans 3:23, 6:23a, 6:23b, 5:8, 10:13 and 10:9,10) or the following website: www.livingwaters.com/good.

It’s the lighthouse, Saints!

Pastor Tim

Redeemed! How I Love To Proclaim It

Sometimes I wonder about the wisdom of “calling off service” to attend an area church function. It seems we have lest than half of our usual attendance and those who attend do not generally include youth or children. But Sunday night at the “Fifth Sunday Singing” reminded me why it’s important and why I ought to encourage others to attend.

The McAdenville Choir sang the final song of the night. It was a medley of songs about being redeemed. The creshendo at the end included each member of the choir holding up a sign that said “REDEEMED” and the date that choir member was saved. The sight and sound of saints singing at the top of their hearts and voices was spectacular!

It made me wish I had a card to hold up to proudly proclaim, “Redeemed – February 2, 1970.”

When it comes to the presence of God and His blessings, it matters that you show up. That’s true whether you’re talking about your daily time-alone-with-God or your corporate worship. If you’re not there, you run the risk of missing a blessing.

Maybe that’s why the Hebrew writer said, “Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching. (Heb. 10:25)

If it’s Sunday Night and the Body of Christ is gathered to celebrate being redeemed, I want to be there. After all, God might show up! He did last Sunday night.

It’s the lighthouse, Saints!

Pastor Tim

Counting My Blessings

Last night, Bryce employed an old camp meeting ritual—During our hymnsing, he had us “count our blessings” between the verses of the Johnson Oatman Jr’s “Count Your Blessings”. I must admit that hearing people testify is one of my favorite things. But this morning, I began to count my blessings and it’s incredible “what God has done.”

Growing up in a parsonage, I felt the pressure of being a “preacher’s kid.” But the preacher loved me and my Mom prayed for me. Mom was the first saint I ever knew and Dad was the first “World Christian” I encountered.

In that home, I had the opportunity to interact with some of the great leaders of the Church who stayed in our home. I knew Dr. Nicholson and B. O Crowe and B. H. Phaup and E. L. Henderson. These men were Church statesmen—a quality in short supply today.

Southern Wesleyan University gave me an education that went way beyond books. Paul Wood took me apart and put me back together. Martin Labar gave me a sense of wonder about the natural world and a sense of awe of the spiritual world. Profs Elliott and Dongell taught me to love God’s Word. It was at SWU that I settled the issue of Who would be Lord of my life.

At Asbury Seminary I learned to think. Three professors had a profound influence on me there: Drs. Joy, Demaray and Wong. Through high school, college and seminary, my good friends Milton Lowe, Steve Jordan and David Medders added so much to my life (some of which I can’t talk about until the statute of limitations runs out!).

Other than salvation, the greatest blessing of my life is Mary and she gave me #’s 3a, 3b and 3c—Austin, Graham and Hannah. My family has kept me humble and human and happy.

I count the NC West District and the Wesleyan Church as blessings for which I am grateful. Jack Phillips gave me my first opportunity to serve in a Church and invaluable guidance while I did so. Watson Black “sent” me to Shelby to try out my wings. Marlin Mull repaired those wings and pointed me toward the two biggest challenges of my life. Keith Drury told me I could meet those challenges and showed me how. No one could have had a better spiritual mentor than Gipsie Miller.

So many other names come to mind: Vardaman, Kivette, McClung. Maybe this is how the writer to the Hebrews felt when he wrote, “And what more shall I say? I do not have time to tell about Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David, Samuel and the prophets,. . . ³⁹These were all commended for their faith, yet none of them received what had been promised. ⁴⁰God had planned something better for us so that only together with us would they be made perfect. (Heb. 11:32, 39-40)

My pitiful commendation of these people amounts to so little (some may even prefer to go unmentioned—like my piano teacher, Frances Rose, who said, “Don’t blame me!”). But I think I’ll send this copy to each of these I’ve mentioned to let them know the blessing they have been to me. Maybe you’d like to “count your many blessings—name them one by one” and let them know as well. Some, of course, I’ll have to wait until Heaven to thank. But then again, maybe they know.

It’s the lighthouse, Saints!

Pastor Tim

Constitution Day

Yesterday was “Constitution Day.” It is the 220^th anniversary of the signing of the US Constitution on September 17, 1787. Much has been written about the lack of familiarity by Americans of their own constitution (Quick: What five freedoms are guaranteed by the first amendment?*).

On that day, 42 of the 55 delegates to the Constitutional Convention held their final meeting. The only remaining item of business was to sign the document. Since May 25^th, the 55 delegates had gathered almost daily in the State House (Independence Hall) in Philadelphia to revise the Articles of Confederation. By the middle of June, it became apparent to the delegates that to merely amend the Articles of Confederation would not be sufficient. Instead, they would write an entirely new document designed to clearly define and separate the powers of the central government, the powers of the states, the rights of the people and how the representatives of the people should be elected.

After being signed, Congress sent printed copies of the Constitution to the state legislatures for ratification. In the months that followed, James Madison, Alexander Hamilton and John Jay would write the Federalist Papers in support, while Patrick Henry, Elbridge Gerry, and George Mason would organize the opposition to the new Constitution. By June 21, 1788, nine states had approved the Constitution, finally forming "a more perfect Union."

Four hand-written pages represent the greatest expression of statesmanship and compromise ever written. But they might never have been written at all save for the appeal of Benjamin Franklin. In the Summer of 1787, little progress was being made by the delegates. On Thursday, June 28^th, Mr. Franklin addressed the chair with these words:

“I have lived, Sir, a long time and the longer I live, the more convincing proofs I see of this truth -- that God governs in the affairs of men. And if a sparrow cannot fall to the ground without his notice, is it probable that an empire can rise without his aid? We have been assured, Sir, in the sacred writings that "except the Lord build they labor in vain that build it." I firmly believe this; and I also believe that without his concurring aid we shall succeed in this political building no better than the Builders of Babel: We shall be divided by our little partial local interests; our projects will be confounded, and we ourselves shall be become a reproach and a bye word down to future age. And what is worse, mankind may hereafter this unfortunate instance, despair of establishing Governments by Human Wisdom, and leave it to chance, war, and conquest.

I therefore beg leave to move -- that henceforth prayers imploring the assistance of Heaven, and its blessings on our deliberations, be held in this Assembly every morning before we proceed to business, and that one or more of the Clergy of this City be requested to officiate in that service.”

Tonight, the City Council of Gastonia will hear two ministers ask that prayers be freely offered at government functions. The objection of the City Attorney will be based on Federal rulings about public prayers. How ironic that the very government which now limits prayer was first established by it. May God have mercy on us.

It’s the Lighthouse, Saints!

Pastor Tim

* religion, speech, press, assembly and petition

Never Late; Rarely Early; Always On Time

I had planned to write something about the 6^th anniversary of the terrorist attack on “9-11” but I can’t overlook the incredible miracle I’ve just witnessed. We’ve all heard the story Phil and Becky Davis tell about their call to missions. When the Mission Director suggested Suriname, they didn’t even know where it was! And how odd that they speak Dutch there and Phil’s assignment was to run a Bible College. A shopping trip for library books in Holland brought them onto the campus of the very school Phil needed to attend in order to teach European pastors how to preach the Gospel to post-moderns in Europe. This whole series of improbable events clearly showed God’s hand in directing them to Europe. But they there’s the matter of the money. It’s expensive to live in Holland and the timing of the beginning of the school year waits for no man.

The e-newsletter was dated August 21^st. It said: “I'm writing with an urgent prayer request. We hope to move to Belgium within a month, and we need a financial miracle.” They needed $29,255 in yearly Faith Promises and $15,000 in their cash account.

The next newsletter is dated on Friday the 7^th. It said, “Faith Promise: an additional $13,000 per year. Cash account: $11,500 more. They leave in a week and Sunday, God provided! A generous (and spontaneous) offering of $1,800 It was what the Bible calls “almsgiving”. Individual contributions made up the rest—and more! The cash account is fully funded! There’s still a matter of “Faith Promise” pledges for their on-going support but as David said, “The LORD who delivered me from the paw of the lion and the paw of the bear will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine.” (1 Samuel 17:37)

We wish the Davises “godspeed.” But nothing we can ever do to send them to the field to which God has called them can compare to the incredible thing God has done for them. In those days to come in which Satan tempts them to believe God has abandoned them in Holland, they will be able to look back to the weekend of September 9, 2007 and say, “I don’t know everything but what I know, I know for sure!”

It’s the Lighthouse, Saints!

Pastor Tim

I’m A Slacker

Since I won’t be preaching for the nest two weeks, I thought I’d have someone else write my column as well. Seriously, I came across this story in Ray Comfort’s weekly blog and I wanted to share it with you. This, and most everything else I do for the next two weeks, will be in preparation for a new series that begins September 23^rd and continues through our fall revival. The series is entitled, “Saved 2 Serve.” The question I will be asking throughout is one I heard on the radio this morning: Do you have the faith to believe that your best days, spiritually, are ahead of you? With that said, here’s Ray Comfort’s story:

One hundred and fifty thousand children had been on the brink of starving to death, but thanks to the kind gift of a very generous billionaire, every child now had enough food to keep him alive. That gift had arrived in the form of one big check. The horror was now over. It was finished. It was just a matter of distributing the food using the few relief workers we had. Without them to get the food to the children, there would have been many more deaths.

Some days later, a frantic worker burst into the camp and cried, "Some of the relief workers have stopped distributing food. Masses of children are dying!"

Why would the workers stop when there was plenty of food? It didn't make sense. The distraught man said, "It's because one of them held up a sign that said, 'Feed the starving children. Where necessary, use food.' That has caused some of the workers to simply befriend the starving children without giving them food. It's insane!"

The Unspeakable Gift

Recently someone told me about a conference where 100,000 Christians gathered to worship God. When I asked if they were exhorted to go out and preach the Gospel to every creature, it was no surprise to me that they weren't. Instead, they were exhorted to live a life of worship. Again, that sounds spiritual, but you can't worship God without obedience to His Word, and His Word commands us to preach the Gospel to every creature.

I regularly meet those who think they can obey the Great Commission without using words. When they hear the Gospel preached that are usually offended and say things like, "I appreciate what you are saying, but I don't like the way you are saying it." With a little probing, they are the relationship folks, who think preaching the Gospel means building relationships with the lost, and never mentioning words like "sin," "Hell," and "Judgment Day." They think that real love is to withhold the Bread of life from those that are starving to death. Remember that Jesus said, "Whosoever therefore shall be ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation; of him also shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he comes in the glory of his Father with the holy angels" (Mark 8:38, italics added).

Listen to the Apostle Paul's sobering warning to his hearers: "Wherefore I take you to record this day, that I am pure from the blood of all men. For I have not shunned to declare unto you all the counsel of God" (Acts 20: 26-27). Perhaps he spoke about being free from their blood because he was familiar with God Himself warning Ezekiel of his responsibility to warn his generation: "When I say to the wicked, 'You shall surely die,' and you give him no warning, nor speak to warn the wicked from his wicked way, to save his life, that same wicked man shall die in his iniquity; but his blood I will require at your hand." (Ezekiel 3:18, italics added).

When someone thinks that they can feed starving children and not use food, that's their business. But when their philosophy spreads throughout the camp, it becomes an unspeakable tragedy. If we become passive about the Great Commission because we are more concerned about ourselves than the eternal well-being of others, we may be able to hide our motives from man, but not from God. He warns, "Deliver those who are drawn toward death, and hold back those stumbling to the slaughter. If you say, 'Surely we did not know this,' does not He who weighs the hearts consider it? He who keeps your soul, does He not know it? And will He not render to each man according to his deeds?" (Proverbs 24:11-12).

The time is short. The laborers are few. Please, cast off your fears and equip yourself to preach the Gospel with words. They are necessary.

It’s the Lighthouse, Saints!

Pastor Tim

Church Membership

There are basically two ways Churches think about membership. Some see membership as a part of their discipleship. As soon as a person becomes a Christian, they are received as a member of both the Church and the Kingdom. Membership is the first step toward involvement and maturity. The priviledges of full involvement in the Church are, however, reserved until the believer has been discipled and has matured sufficiently.

Other Churches see membership as a way to preserve and proclaim their doctrinal distinctives. When a person becomes a Christian they are discipled and encouraged to grow and when they have come to a place of both understanding and accepting those distinctives, they are received as members and given all the rights and priviledges which help proclaim and preserve those distinctives.

The Wesleyan Church has struggled for the past decade with what we believe about membership. Currently, the Wesleyan Church has two kinds of membership: Covenant and Community.

Covenant Membership is membership in the Wesleyan Church worldwide. As such, full agreement and support of the Wesleyan Church’s distinct doctrinal and lifestyle testimonies is required of all Covenant members.

Community Membership is membership in a local Wesleyan Church. As such, it can be defined (within certain parameters established by the Denomination) in any way the local Church desires.

Last night the Local Board of Administration affirmed that Covenant Membership remains a way to preserve and proclaim the distinctives of the Wesleyan Church (such as personal holiness and social action). But they restructured Community Membership to become a tool of discipleship. From now on, at the close of most morning worship services, we will invite people to join First Wesleyan Church as Community Members by professing their faith in Jesus as their personal Savior and publicly declaring their faith by coming forward. Those who do, will be welcomed into the family of First Wesleyan Church and encouraged to move toward the privileges and responsibilities of Covenant Membership.

I believe John Wesley would be proud of the Board’s action. He invited people to join his class meetings with a single requirement—“a desire to flee the wrath to come.”

One final word to those who are currently active Community Members but who joined prior to the Board’s decision. You joined as a Community Member for a variety of very good reasons and no effort is being made to dishonor your decision. Some who join by public profession in the future will, like you, choose to remain affiliated with the Church through Community Membership. If we could designate you as “Super-Community Members” we would!

It’s the Lighthouse, Saints!

Pastor Tim

When God Says “NO!”

Like it or not, “No” is an answer. We have a sign at our house that says, “Attention teenagers: “No” is a complete sentence.” Have you ever prayed for something over and over again and found yourself wondering, “Why hasn’t God answered my prayers?” After all, we hear sermons about prayer and it seems like that if you follow steps one, two and three, you’re guaranteed an answer. What we forget is that sometimes, God’s answer is “NO!”

Paul wanted to preach in Bythinia (Acts 16) but God’s answer was “no.” I’m sure there were people who needed to hear the Gospel there but God wanted Paul in Macedonia so He said “no.” John the Baptist’s parents wanted a child but God said, “No for now.” Until “the time had fully come” for Jesus to be born, Zechariah and Elizabeth had to face Divine denial with faith.

There are some lessons to be learned when God says, “No.”

1. God always answers every prayer. He doesn’t keep us in the dark unless there is reason to do so. At one particularly difficult time in his life, Elijah prayed that God would kill him. Later on, when his circumstances improved, I’m sure Elijah was glad that God said, ‘no” to that prayer.

2. God’s reason for saying “no” may have nothing to do with your relationship with Him. Though his friends tried to make it seem so, Job’s prayers for relief were not the result of sin in his life.

3. God always has a purpose in what He does. There is nothing capricious about God. When He acts, He does so for a reason. Why was Leah able to have children and Rachel was not. Genesis 29:31 says it was to comfort Leah because Jacob loved Rachel but not her.

What should we do when we pray and God says, “no.” First, remember that God has not forsaken you. Even “no” means that He is still listening and responding. Second, just because He won’t doesn’t mean He can’t. Giving a child to Zechariah and Elizabeth in their old age was much more difficult than when they were younger. “No” doesn’t mean God is powerless. And third, “No” can be as much a part of God’s plan as “yes” or “wait” or any other answer our God may give. After all, He hears and answers prayer. Our job is to accept His answer.

It’s the lighthouse, Saints!

Pastor Tim

Left-Handers Day

August 13^th is International Left-Handers Day! I’m particularly excited because I am among the elite 8 to 15% of the adult population who is left-handed! We certainly deserve such a day because we are among the most discriminated-against minorities in the world.

It begins with language. In many European languages, "right" is not only a synonym for correctness, but also stands for authority and justice. Both “adroit” and “dexterity” come from root words which mean “right” while “sinister” comes from the word for “left.”

The oppression continues with implements. Scissors are the most notorious offenders but band saws, computer “mouses” and gravy ladles are also major tormenters. Even one apparent advantage is actually a slight (or a “left-handed complement” if you prefer). The standard English-language keyboard has more of the commonly used letters of words on the left side than the right. Thus the left hand does more of the typing. A testimony to the true dexterity of left-handers—right? Wrong! It was designed that way because in the days of manual typewriters, they believed putting the most-used keys on the right side would result in keys jamming if the right-handed typer hit too many keys too quickly.

Then, of course, there are the cultural disadvantages. Until the latter part of the twentieth century, Roman Catholic nuns in US and Canadian elementary schools would punish children for using their left hand to write, typically by slapping their left hand with a ruler if they attempted to pick up a pen with it. An example of such treatment involves baseball players Lou Gehrig and Babe Ruth, who both hit and threw left-handed and wrote right-handed after enduring left-handed suppression during their formative years.

By one count, the Bible contains over 100 favorable reference to the right-hand and 25 unfavorable references to the left-hand.

Despite all these disadvantages, left-handers have overcome! Seven Presidents of the United States were left handed, including four of the last six.

In addition, Dick Van Dyke, Charlie Chaplin, Kenny Stabler, Larry the Cable Guy and Dick Smothers have all put a smile on our faces despite their persecution. Albert Einstein, Nicola Tesla (ask James Brooks who he is), Isaac Newton, Ben Franklin, Picasso and Michelangelo all bore their cross brilliantly. Julius Caesar, Napoleon Bonaparte and Alexander the Great all led their armies to conquer predominantly right-handed foes.

Left-handed people are only one among many groups who are unjustly shown prejudice but with effort and perseverance, we can and have overcome the obstacles of life in a right-handed world. Sinners don’t have that same option. All their best efforts will never result in victory over sin. It is the blood of Christ alone that can accomplish that!

It’s the Lighthouse, Saints!

Pastor Tim

This Day In History

August 6^th is the anniversary of the bombing of Hiroshima. The first nuclear weapon ever used in war (nicknamed Little Boy) was dropped on Hiroshima by the crew of the American Enola Gay. The blast directly killed an estimated 70,000 people. Approximately 69% of the city's buildings were completely destroyed. In the following months, an estimated 60,000 more people died from injuries, and hundreds more from radiation.

Sixteen hours after the bomb detonated, President Harry Truman addressed the nation. In his speech he said, “We are now prepared to obliterate more rapidly and completely every productive enterprise the Japanese have above ground in any city. We shall destroy their docks, their factories, and their communications. Let there be no mistake; we shall completely destroy Japan's power to make war.”

Rightly or wrongly, the leaders of the United States war effort believed that the incredible loss of life inflicted by the atomic bomb did not compare with the continued loss of life a protracted war would yield. Four days later (after a second bomb was dropped on Nagasaki) the Japanese army surrendered without condition.

“Surrender without condition” is God’s goal for every believer. When does it happen?

On July 26, 1945, the presidents of the United States, England and China issued the Potsdam Declaration in which they warned Japan that unless they surrendered, the power of the Allies would lead to "the inevitable and complete destruction of the Japanese armed forces and just as inevitably the utter devastation of the Japanese homeland".

The Japanese government promptly rejected the Potsdam Declaration and eleven days later, the first bomb fell.

Against the might of God, surrender is inevitable (see Phil. 2:9-11) but destruction is not. He offers us generous terms of peace. Give up your self-will for the will of the God who loves you and you can have life abundant, full and free!

Is it time for you to surrender?

It’s the lighthouse, Saints!

Pastor Tim

Sports Theme Continued

Last week’s column on Satchel Paige has gotten me thinking about sports (a practice I don’t usually engage in until Tarheel basketball rolls around -- it’s 73 days, 13 hours and 22 minutes ‘til “Late Night With Roy” in case you’re wondering).

Cal Ripken Jr. and Tony Gwynn were inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame on Sunday. Their induction saluted both their careers on the field and their character off the field. Neither mentioned baseball’s steroid scandal but both commented on it. Said Ripken, "This day shouldn't be all about us. Today is about celebrating the best that baseball has been and the best it can be. Whether you like it or not, as big leaguers, we are role models. The only question is, will it be positive or will it be negative?"

Gwynn offered the same sentiment. "I think the fans felt comfortable enough in us, they could trust us and how we played the game, especially in this era of negativity. I don't think there's any question about that. When you sign your name on the dotted line, it's more than just playing the game of baseball. You've got to be responsible and make decisions and show people how things are supposed to be done."

Ripken spent his entire career in Baltimore. He played in 2,632 consecutive games and broke Lou Gehrig's record of 2,130. Of the streak, Ripkin said, “I always looked at it as just showing up for work every day. As I look out on this audience, I see thousands of people who do the same; teachers, police officers, mothers, fathers, business people and many others. You all may not receive the accolades that I have throughout my career, but I would like to take the time to salute all of you for showing up, working hard, and making the world a better place."

Ripken also thanked his Dad for the role he played. "Most of all, I count the blessings of my family. Imagine how lucky I am to call the man whose memories I revere to this day by so many important names — teacher, coach, manager, and especially dad. He was for me and many others an example of how to play and prepare for the game the right way — the Cal Sr. way.”

Tony Gwynn's family also got a prime role. His daughter, Anisha, sang the national anthems for both Canada and the United States to start the festivities. Gwynn played his entire career for the San Diego Padres. During that career, he had 3,184 hits — including 431 home runs and was a two-time American League MVP and a 19-time All-Star.

People will argue over whether Pete Rose and Barry Bonds deserve to be inducted at Cooperstown but no one will argue about these two men. Friedrich Nietzsche wrote, "The essential thing 'in heaven and earth' is...that there should be long obedience in the same direction; there thereby results, and has always resulted in the long run, something which has made life worth living."

Congratulations to Tony Gwynn and Cal Ripken, Jr.! Thanks for playing baseball and life the right way.

It’s the Lighthouse, Saints!

Pastor Tim

Satchel Paige’s Rules For Staying Young

This part of the summer is what sports fans call “dead time.” How dead is it? ESPN recently showed the National “Rock, Paper, Scissors” Championship! Seriously! The National Champion is Rob Twitchel, a carpenter from St. Louis. In a surprising and unconventional move, Rob threw “paper” two times in a row to win.

“Dead Time” has been enlivened somewhat by three scandals involving dog fighting, steroid use and point shaving.

Still, one wonders what some of the “statesmen” of sports might think of today’s state of sports. One of those statesmen was Leroy "Satchel" Paige, maybe the greatest pitcher in the history of baseball. In his prime, Paige was denied a chance at the big time because the major leagues enforced a color line: No black ballplayers. By the time he had his shot, he was 42 years old.

Paige, however, was not bitter. Life, he evidently believed, was for living and too short for that other stuff. And when he was striking out major-league ballplayers half his age, a reporter asked him how he stayed so young. Paige replied with the following six rules:

1. Avoid fried meats, which angry up the blood.

2. If your stomach disputes you, lie down and pacify it with cool thoughts.

3. Keep the juices flowing by jangling around gently as you move.

4. Go very light on the vices, such as carrying on in society; the social ramble ain't restful.

5. Avoid running at all times.

6. And don't look back something might be gaining on you.

Later on, someone asked him how old he was. Mr. Paige said, “How old you are, is how old you’d be if you didn’t know how old you were.”

Thinking about that is of far greater value than bogus championships and scandals.

Paul would have agreed with Satchel Paige, I think. He said, “. . .whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.” (Philippians 4:8)

It’s the Lighthouse, Saints!

Pastor Tim

Happy Anniversary, Mom and Dad

If the regular readers of the column will indulge me, I’d like to wish my parents a happy 65^th Wedding Anniversary. On July 11, 1942, they were married in a very simple ceremony in the parsonage of the First Wesleyan Church in Kannapolis, NC.

Their expectations for marriage were very different from couples who marry today. They didn’t have a big ceremony with lots of flowers. They didn’t go on a honeymoon. They didn’t have a house in which to live. They didn’t even spend their wedding night together.

But for all of their “didn’ts” they did believe that their love could last and it has—for 65years!

It has not always been easy. Dad was a traveling evangelist and he was gone from home for weeks at a time. For most of Dad’s ministry, he had to work a second job to support his family. My oldest sister, Elaine, was born with spina bifida and died in infancy. We lived in eight different cities from when I was born until I graduated from high school. Dad has traveled all over the world, often in places of danger and often with personal health problems.

Yet Mom and Dad have found a way, through their mutual commitment to Christ and His Kingdom to benefit each other and that Kingdom through their differences.

Once, when Dad was in Russia, he sent a series of letters to my Mom via email. Mom doesn’t “do email” so Dad sent them to me to give to her. They were down right embarrassing! His letters were filled with affection and longing to see her again.

Their love for each other, proven by 65 years of permanence, makes me think of a quote from Thornton Wilder in his play, The Skin Of Our Teeth: “I didn't marry you because you were perfect. I didn't even marry you because I loved you. I married you because you gave me a promise. That promise made up for your faults. And the promise I gave you made up for mine. Two imperfect people got married and it was the promise that made the marriage. And when our children were growing up, it wasn't a house that protected them; and it wasn't our love that protected them - it was that promise.”

Thanks, Mom and Dad, for making and keeping your promise.

I love you both, very much.

Tim

Happy Birthday, America!

Often when we celebrate the birthday of one of our children we will talk about their actual “birth day”—the events that surrounded the day; the people involved and so forth. If we look back to the founding of this great nation what can be clearly seen from the writings of those who were there, is quite different from those who would re-write American history to give the impression that we are a secular nation. Fr’instance,

· In the “Scheme For The Settlement Of A New Colony,” written in 1755, the purpose for doing so is stated “for the further Promotion of the Christian Religion among the Indian Natives,”. It further states: “THAT at least Twelve Reverend Ministers of the Gospel be engaged to remove to the said New Colony with such Numbers of their respective Congregation as are willing to go along with them.”

· In the letters of the delgates to the First Continental Congress, there are frequent references to prayer meetings being called and fasts being declared when thorny issues were being debated by the delegates.

· In the “Massachusetts Body of Liberties” (a precursor to our “Bill of Rights”), it states that in case there is a “defect in the law” the courts shall decide the case “by the Word of God.”

· In William Penn’s “The Charter of Priviledges” (1701) the sole requirement for citizenship was “Confesse and Acknowledge one Almighty God the Creator upholder and Ruler of the world and professe him”

· In George Washington’s declaration of the first Federal Holiday—Thanksgiving—he said, "to recommend to the People of the United States a day of public thanks-giving and prayer to be observed by acknowledging with grateful hearts the many signal favors of Almighty God, especially by affording them an opportunity peaceably to establish a form of government for their safety and happiness."

How any one could read the writings of the people who were there and NOT conclude that their frame of reference and their motivation was Christian? This week, as we celebrate the birthday of our nation, let us remember that we were founded for a purpose—God’s purpose. And let us pursue that purpose with all our hearts!

It’s the Lighthouse, Saints!

Pastor Tim

The Rule of Law

July 15, 1215 marks an importnt date for those of us who consider ourselves “law-abiding citizens.” It is the date of the signing of the Magna Carta.

The Magna Carta was the most significant early influence on the historical process that led to the rule of constitutional law today. The Magna Carta influenced the United States Constitution and Bill of Rights, and is considered one of the most important legal documents in the history of democracy. It was originally written because of disagreements between Pope Innocent III, King John and his English barons about the rights of the King. The Magna Carta required the king to renounce certain rights, respect certain legal procedures and accept that the will of the king could be bound by the law. It explicitly protected certain rights of the King's subjects - whether free or unfree - most notably the right against unlawful imprisonment. AND, it included an oath of fealty by his subjects to the King.

People who grew up under the influence of English Law are ingrained with a respect for law that governs how we respond to those in authority over us. Currently there is, in our country a rise in “lawlessness” which is predicted as a sign of the end of time.

But there are many nations and cultures who have no influence like that of the Magna Carta. For those nations and cultures the barbaric rule of “might makes right” holds sway.

In Iraq today, the United States (a Magna Carta nation) is seeking to impose a constitutional government on people who have no innate respect for the rule of law. Only generations of “law-abiding” can produce that common will among the people of Iran. I hope we don’t have to be “the police” for generations.

There is, however, one other way: The people of the Magna Carta countries are also predominantly Christian. As such the have the invaluable help of the Holy Spirit Who helps even bad people to behave themselves. The other way Iraq can be transformed would be if a mighty move of conversion swept across the sands and cities of that nation. And what a powerful testimony that would be to the world. What nations and negotiators for centuries have not been able to do, God could do!

Impossible? Don’t suggest that to the nearly 1,000 Christian Missionaries currently operating in Iraq. Most are working in ministries that offer food, medical care or orphanages but they believe Christ can make a difference—an even bigger difference than can be made by all the bombs and bullets of either side. Let us pray for those God-called men and women who represent Christ to the Nations.

It’s the Lighthouse, Saints!

Pastor Tim

Beat Up By The Devil

Sometime in the spring, I began to think about sermons for the summer. I had already decided not to do the “You Asked For It” series and I generally begin my planning with “special days” like Father’s Day. I’d been reading Psalm 112 and saw in it ten characteristics for Fathers. Last week I began working on the sermon but about the middle of the week, I sensed a need to change directions. Since Sunday was the anniversary of John Wesley’s birth, I began to pursue that subject and I found confirming help as I prepared. Then came Sunday morning . . .

I generally come to the Church early and pray in the Sanctuary. As I prayed, the Devil began to tell me that I’d gotten the wrong message. Despite my best spiritual efforts, I could not shake the doubt. Then when the sermon ran long and I had to hurry through the end of it, Satan came, once again, to say, “See, I told you so!”

Three things helped me on Sunday and I learned one new thing. If Satan is beating you up over something, maybe this will help you as well.

· Satan is an accuser. He offers no help or hope so his voice is relatively easy to recognize.

· The early morning prayer and praise group and later on, Bill Joles, prayed for me. They will never know how much their unsolicited prayers for me meant on Sunday morning.

· God is a God of Mercy. I never did shake the doubt completely despite “pleading the Blood” and every other thing I know to do but I did find help in this: God knows my heart. He knows that if I miss His will it is not due to rebellion. And He is merciful to those who seek to follow His will.

The thing I learned on Sunday is that the routine activities of life—the things you do regularly—can become a spiritual battlefield in a heartbeat. If Satan thinks he has a chance to get a victory, he will seize on any and everything to do so.

I am glad to testify that he did not win! I was sustained by things I’ve learned in the past about spiritual warfare, people God puts around me and the assurance that “the battle is the Lord’s!” Hallelujah! He did not win. God be praised! He did not win! And he need not win in your life either!

It’s the Lighthouse, Saints!

Pastor Tim

Have a “Frosty” This Weekend

No, I’m not talking about “our” Frosty (aka Ronnie Hallman). I’m talking about those delicious frozen treats available at local Wendy’s Restaurants.

Here’s the story: The Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption is a non-profit public charity dedicated to dramatically increasing the adoptions of the more than 140,000 children in North America’s foster care systems. Dave Thomas, founder of Wendy’s, created the Foundation in 1992 to assure that every child has a permanent home and a loving family. Thomas was adopted as a child and credits his family for making him the person he is.

As an adoptive parent, I want to urge you to celebrate Father’s Day this weekend by taking the family out to Wendy’s June 16^th or 17^th. Fifty cents from every Frosty purchased during Father's Day Frosty Weekend will be donated to the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption, in support of its signature program, Wendy's Wonderful Kids. The Wendy's Wonderful Kids program awards grants to adoption agencies across the nation to move children from foster care into permanent, loving adoptive homes.

Enjoy a Frosty this weekend and assure every child that he or she is loved and wanted.

It’s the Lighthouse, Saints!

Pastor Tim

Congratulations Graduates

This week we congratulate all our graduates who are completing a stage of their education. I say, “a stage” because study never ends. From time-to-time we may complete a degree or a course of study but the process of learning will continue on into eternity.

The first educators, and the champions of education, have always been religious people. That was, and is, because the ultimate goal of education is learning about God. Jesus said, “Seek first His Kingdom and His Righteousness and all these other things will be given to you as well.” (Matthew 6:33)

Congratulations Graduates! We are very proud of you!

From First Wesleyan Christian School

(Debbie, get the list from the Baccalaureate bulletin)

From Area High Schools

Jennifer Hart

Grace McKinnon

From Appalachian State University

Mark Zimmerman

Happy Memorial Day!

On Sunday night we are doing a series on characters from the Bible called (in the words of the USA Network), “Characters Welcome.” I found a list of the “top ten TV characters” (say that five times real fast!) and #1 was “I Love Lucy.” If you want to know the others on the list, tune in Sunday nights at 6:00 p.m. We’re on for an hour!

When people tried to guess who was on the list, one of the name’s inexplicably missing was Red Skelton. Known as a funnyman who created such memorable characters as Clem Kadidlehopper, Gertrude and Heathcliff (two seagulls) and the “Mean Widdle Kid,” Skelton had an artistic side as well. His paintings of clowns are sought-after by collectors. But Red Skelton was a patriot. He believed (with some bitterness) that his show was canceled by the executives at CBS because of pressure by anti-war activists. When he received a standing ovation from the Academy Awards in 1986, he quipped: "I want to thank you for sitting down, I thought you were pulling a CBS and walking out on me."

Red Skelton presented the following explanation of the Pledge of Allegiance and attributed it to one of his childhood school teachers. I think it’s an appropriate reminder for us on Memorial Day.

"I've been listening to you boys and girls recite the Pledge of Allegiance all semester and it seems as though it is becoming monotonous to you. If I may, may I recite it and try to explain to you the meaning of each word?"

I- me, an individual, a committee of one.

Pledge- dedicate all of my worldly goods to give without self pity.

Allegiance- my love and my devotion.

To the flag-our standard, Old Glory, a symbol of freedom. Wherever she waves, there's respect because your loyalty has given her a dignity that shouts freedom is everybody's job!

United-that means that we have all come together.

States- individual communities that have united into 48 great states. Forty-eight individual communities with pride and dignity and purpose; all divided with imaginary boundaries, yet united to a common purpose, and that's love for country.

And to the republic-a state in which sovereign power is invested in representatives chosen by the people to govern. And government is the people and it's from the people to the leaders, not from the leaders to the people.

For which it stands, one nation- one nation, meaning "so blessed by God"

Indivisible- incapable of being divided.

With liberty- which is freedom -- the right of power to live one's own life without threats, fear or some sort of retaliation.

And Justice- the principle or quality of dealing fairly with others.

For all- which means, boys and girls, it's as much your country as it is mine.

Since I was a small boy, two states have been added to our country and two words have been added to the pledge of Allegiance... UNDER GOD Wouldn't it be a pity if someone said that is a prayer

and that would be eliminated from schools too?”

It’s the Lighthouse, Saints!

Pastor Tim

Jerry Brecheisen writes a weekly on-line column called “Hope Above the Headlines” in which he takes stories from the news of the day and makes a spiritual application that I often find helpful and this time, downright funny! Enjoy!

May 9, 2007

Pants Suit
By Jerry Brecheisen

A couple in Washington may lose their shirt over losing a judge’s pants. Judge Roy L. Pearson Jr. (emphasis on “junior”) is threatening to take a sixty-five-million-dollar action against a “mom and pop” dry cleaning business in Washington. He claims the owners of Custom Cleaners lost his pants. Unless the suit has already been ironed out the pants claim is still on the hanger. Mr. and Mrs. Chung, owners of the cleaners, declare the lost has been found but the judge suggests their defense comes apart at the seams.

I find it difficult to understand why the judge is so upset. He spends most of his day sitting down, robed in government-bought rayon. Hardly anyone sees his pants. And sixty-five-million is a bit much. If anyone spent that on pants, they ought to get the store as a bonus. Pearson is suing for “mental suffering,” among other things. If he likes the pants that much, he should have accompanied them during the dry cleaning process.

Pearson Jr. is probably right about his rights. But taking those cleaners to the cleaners just doesn’t seem right. I’m glad that God has the final opinion on our rights and wrongs. Psalm 9:8, “He will judge the world in righteousness; he will govern the peoples with justice.” That’s an opinion we can live with!

If you’d like to receive Jerry’s free weekly column by email, sign up at his website: www.brecksong.com

It’s the Lighthouse, Saints!

Pastor Tim

Happy Birthday, Israel!

Today is the 59^th birthday of the nation of Israel—“the nation built in a day”. At the end of World War II, there was increasing pressure on Britain to create a Jewish state in Israel as a place for Jewish refugees from the war to go and settle. Arab nations which surrounded Palestine had pledged that the day the nation began and Britain withdrew her forces, they would attack.

On May 14, 1948 while Egyptian fighter-bombers flew overhead and the last remaining British troops prepared to depart, interim Prime Minister, Ben Gurion, and his cabinet gathered at the Tel Aviv Museum where they proclaimed the independence of the state of Israel. Later that day, the United States formally recognized Israel’s sovereignty. Modern Israel was literally “born in a day.”

One day after the state was declared, the armies of Egypt, Transjordan, Iraq, Syria and Lebanon invaded Israel and the War of Independence began. Israel emerged victorious, but not without great cost. Thousands of Israeli and Arab soldiers died and approximately 600,000 Palestinians fled their homes, thus creating a “refugee problem” that continues to trouble the region to this day.

When the Jews were exiled to Babylon for their disobedience and idolatry, God made a promise to them through the prophet, Ezekiel. He said, “For I will take you out of the nations; I will gather you from all the countries and bring you back into your own land.” (Ezekiel 36:24)

But perhaps even more amazing that the prophecy of the restoration of the nation is Isaiah’s prophecy that it would happen in a single day! “Before she goes into labor, she gives birth; before the pains come upon her, she delivers a son. ⁸Who has ever heard of such a thing? Who has ever seen such things? Can a country be born in a day or a nation be brought forth in a moment? Yet no sooner is Zion in labor than she gives birth to her children.” (Isaiah 66:7-8)

One final prophecy is significant. Jeremiah said, “Hear the word of the LORD, O nations; proclaim it in distant coastlands: ‘He who scattered Israel will gather them and will watch over his flock like a shepherd.’ (Jeremiah 31:10)

Israel has faced opposition and attack since the day of her birth but against all odds, she has survived. Why? Because He who scattered Israel [has gathered] them and will watch over his flock like a shepherd.

Happy 59^th Birthday, Israel! May God give you many more and one day—Shalom.

It’s the lighthouse, Saints!

Pastor Tim

“Summertime, and the Livin’ Is Easy”

In many ways, the month of May is a time for gearing down as well as revving up! The school year closes for many families, but summertime plans and activities quickly follow graduations and end-of-the-school-year celebrations. Someone has said “If you fail to plan you’ll plan to fail.” Think about the summer before you and see if you can’t make it an extraordinary one.

Mother’s Day – I read this week that the monetary value of a mother’s work is nearly $200,000! Why not show her your appreciation with more than just breakfast-in-bed or flowers. Why not plan to give her a whole summer of service.

Father’s Day – Dad’s like to do things. Why not plan to “do stuff” with your Father this summer. If your own isn’t available, choose one whose kids aren’t around.

Vacation Bible School – Everyone can be a part of this staple of summertime Church activity. If you are no longer active in VBS, think what it would mean for a group of people to come to the Church every night of VBS and spend the whole time praying in the chapel.

Mission Trips – This idea came from Jason’s plans for the FWCS Eighth Grade Trip. When you and your family go on vacation this year, plan to spend a day of your time in service to someone else.

These are just a few ideas for summertime. I’d be glad to hear yours. Plan to make this summer count for something eternal. You’ll be glad you did!

It’s the lighthouse, Saints!

Pastor Tim

Deep and Wide

As children, those of us raised in the Church sang, “Deep and wide. Deep and wide. There’s a fountain flowing deep and wide . . .”

The song, like many we sang as children is, of course, a salvation song. But on Monday night, Hank challenged us with a different meaning of the phrase—“deeper with God and wider in evangelism.”

What a great challenge! The heritage of the Wesleyan Church is “the deeper life” and the heritage of the Methodist Movement is evangelism. “Deep and wide” is, as they say in baseball, “right in our wheel house”—or is it?

Revival calls us both to what we have been as well as what we can be. Jesus warned the church at Ephesus, “You have forsaken your first love.” (Rev. 2:4) He then looks forward by saying, “To him who overcomes . . .” (Rev. 2:7)

How about you? Do you need to move back to commitments you made in the past that you’ve neglected in the present? Perhaps you need to “press on” toward greater things for God. Whatever your need, know this: You’ll never experience the blessings of God fully until you obey and God will help you! He wants you to be “Deep and wide!”

It’s the Lighthouse, Saints!

Pastor Tim

Why?

Children often repeatedly ask “why?” more as a way of engaging adults than getting information. But as those children grow, “Why?” becomes a useful tool to explore the depths of human experience. The philosophical question of “Why am I here?” has sparked thousands of years of debate and has spawned whole sciences.

But perhaps the most common occasion to ask “why?” is when tragedy strikes. Often people ask, “Why do bad things happen to good people?” or “Why did God allow this to happen?”

I dare say many have asked those questions since the senseless shootings at Virginia Tech and will continue to do so in the days to come. It seems there is a daily revelation of some new evidence which seeks to explain why one human being would kill another. Some answers offered are sociologic; others are phisiologic. Some blame parents, teachers, school administrators, drugs, gun laws, video games – the list is endless and unsatisfying to the hurt and loss of the family and friends of the 33 people who are dead.

As was the case in the first murder recorded in the Bible, disobedience to God began the downward spiral that ended in the death of one brother at the hands of another (Genesis 4). God said to Cain, “If you do what is right, will you not be accepted? But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you, but you must master it.” (Genesis 4:7)

Satan only has one plan for people: Misery in this life and damnation in the life to come. Last week, we saw Satan’s plan in full view. There are undoubtedly things to be gained by improving security, preventing bullying, controlling who is able to buy guns and all the other popular solutions offered by pundits. But ultimately, you must master sin or it will master you. And when sin is the master, it will destroy both you and those around you.

The Church is the only institution equipped to address the root causes of societal problems. Crime, poverty, abuse, addictions, hatred and exploitation all stem from disobedience to God and Satan’s desire to make people miserable in this life and damned in the next.

Edwin Hatfield was a 19^th Century temperance reformer. Hear the words he wrote in 1872:

What ruin hath intemperance wrought
How widely roll its waves!
How many myriads hath it brought
To fill dishonored graves!

And see, O Lord, what numbers still
Are maddened by the bowl,
Led captive at the tyrant’s will
In bondage, heart and soul.

Stretch forth Thy hand, O God, our King
And break the galling chain;
Deliverance to the captive bring,
And end the usurper’s reign.

It’s the Lighthouse, Saints!

Pastor Tim

Jackie Robinson

Sunday marked the 60^th anniversary of Jackie Robinson’s first game with the Dodgers which broke the color barrier in professional baseball. The stories of Pee Wee Reese’s arm around the shoulders and Ralph Bracha’s saving Jackie from falling into the St. Louis dugout abound. It is ironic that the Don Imus was fired this week for making, what many believed, was a racist remark on the radio.

The juxtaposition of these two events illlustrates the nature of change. Change happens all at once and it happens gradually—both at the same time.

With a single appearance at the plate and first base, Jackie Robinson opened the door for Sonny Brown and Larry Doby to join the St. Louis Browns a few weeks later. But it was not until 1954 that “Brown v. The Board of Education” addressed educational inequities and 1955 when Rosa Parks sat down at the front of the bus and 1964 for the passage of the Civil Rights Act.

When did you become a Christian? Most would say when they repented but many acknowledge that they were not a great deal different after their trip to the altar than before. They had some of the same bad habits, sinful attitudes and warped values. Change occurred gradually as they walked in the light, repented and disciplined themselves.

I suppose Doby or Brown or some other black player would have broken the barriers had Jackie Robinson not done it. But the process of opening the door to “color blind” baseball began the day Jackie responded to his manager, Ralph Bracha’s question: “So how you feelin’, Jackie?” with “Pretty good, Ralph. Ready to go.”

A lot happens to a person when he’s “ready to go.”

It’s the Lighthouse, Saints!

Pastor Tim

Surrender At Appomattox

This past Monday—April 9^th -- marked the anniversary of the end of the Civil War. With his army surrounded, his men weak and exhausted, Robert E. Lee realized there was little choice but to consider the surrender of his Army to General Grant. After a series of notes between the two leaders, they agreed to meet on April 9, 1865, at the house of Wilmer McLean in the village of Appomattox Courthouse. The meeting lasted approximately two and one-half hours and at its conclusion the bloodiest conflict in the nation's history neared its end.

Those who were in attendance at the meeting marked the difference between the two generals. Except for a pair of suspenders bearing his rank, Grant was dressed as a Union private. Lee, on the other hand wore a new uniform and carried a formal long sword which he intended to surrender to Grant.

Weeks before, Lee had visited his wife and as he was preparing to leave, she asked, “Shall I pack your dress uniform?” Both knew the only need he would have for the dress uniform was for a surrender. After some thought, General Lee instructed his wife to pack the uniform for his return to the troops.

Most actions begin first in the mind which is why the Bible lays such stress upon “renewing your mind.” It is my sincere hope that the past 50 days have been a time when you have renewed your mind to become more than a Survivor. I pray the habits of personal devotion you have engendered will help you to thrive spiritually.

It’s the Lighthouse, Saints!

Pastor Tim

Holy Week

This week begins the “end” of the journey. Palm Sunday comemorates the arrival of Jesus in Jerusalem for what would be His final trip there. Few understood the significance of what Jesus was about to do and even with our historical perspective, we may lose sight of the real meaning of this week.

To address our tendency to forget important things, the Church has traditionally named the days of the week as reminders of this last week of Jesus’ life.

Our Palm Sunday celebration marks the beginning of Holy Week. The children’s choir led us on an adventure that began at the “stump of the root of Jesse” and continued to the new life of “The Easter Tree” The Palms which decorated the Sanctuary so beautifully on Sunday will be saved and turned into the ashes we will use next Winter for our Ash Wednesday Service.

Maundy Thursday commemorates the Last Supper of Christ and His Disciples. Many traditions also include foot-washing as a part of this celebration. In fact, Maundy Thursday derives its English name from Mandatum, the first word of the Office of the washing of the feet.

On Good Friday, the Church mourns the death of Christ on the cross. In churches where vestments are used, they are all removed from the Sanctuary and ornate objects like crosses and offering plates are removed or covered with black cloth. Often, people will focus their attention on the “stations of the Cross”—sites at which traditionally Jesus stopped while carrying His cross to Calvary. These fourteen events begin with His condemnation before Pilate and end with His body being laid in the tomb.

Holy Saturday is a day of silence and prayer. In Churches where candles are used in worship, the lights are all put out. Some Churches have a “Tenebrae” (Latin for “shadows” or “darkness”) Service. As appropriate Scriptures are read, the candles which light the room are extinguished one by one unto the room is totally dark.

Easter Sunday begins early in the morning with the Scriptural reminder to have our lamps “trimmed and ready” for the arrival of the Bridegroom. For this reason, many Churches and communities (including us!) have a Sunrise Service. The worship service on Easter Sunday is the greatest celebration of the entire year. Paul wrote, “And if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith. ^{. . .}And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins.” (1 Cor. 15:14-17)

Easter and all it represents really is the cornerstone of our faith. So important an event deserves our thorough preparation.

It’s the Lighthouse, Saints!

Pastor Tim

Overheard At The Gym

This morning I overheard a conversation at the gym. Two people whom I do not know were talking while they got paper towels to wipe down the equipment they had just used. The conversation went something like this:

Man: “I didn’t see you at Church yesterday”

Woman: “No, I overslept. How was Church?”

Man: “Pretty good.”

First of all, as a Pastor, I know how much time and effort goes into making the Sunday Morning Service an experience that would rate higher than “pretty good.” On the other hand, “pretty good” is better than “it was awful!”

I don’t have any idea where these two people go to Church. I expect, however, they represent many who attended Church yesterday. Some “slept in” and didn’t go. Others went, and “slept in.”

Attending Church and being engaged in worship are two entirely different things. The first takes little or no effort and can be done by anyone who decides to do so. But only those who desire an encounter with the living God can engage in worship.

Those who have such a desire only begin with their presence in His House on His Day with His People. You can’t delegate a haircut. Sometimes (but hopefully not always) you go to Church out of duty. You don’t “feel” like it. You go because you can’t even hope to experience the presence of God in the same way if you are not there.

Next you begin to surrender yourself to Him—body, soul, mind and spirit. It is this intentional surrendering that is the line of departure for those who attend and those who worship. I’ve seen worshippers in surrender raise their hands or say “amen!” and attenders look at them in surprise. They were not on the same page.

Surrender is always followed by conviction. In the presence of God, we all see ourselves as God sees us. By comparison to others, we may look pretty good. But by comparison to Him, we are needy. I can always tell when I’ve worshipped. I know clearly an area of my life where I need to change.

Conviction leads to forgiveness and resolve to change. Change results in a desire to serve others.

I can, of course, short-circuit worship at any point along the way. I can not show up, or not surrender, or fail to seek forgiveness or fail to determine to change by God’s grace. But if I do worship over a period of time, God will change me.

So how was Church?

It’s the Lighthouse, Saints!

Pastor Tim

A Free Book

One of the perks of being the SENIOR Pastor is that the various departments of the Denomination send you stuff to encourage you to do the things they want you to do. At Christmas, Wesley Press sent me a pound of Starbucks coffee and two coffee mugs. I get a free book or two every year from the Department of Evangelism and Church Growth to promote their offerings. This year’s gift for the “Easter Offering” was a book I’d already heard about. It is entitled, The Church Jesus Builds and includes three chapters by professors at SWU—Drs. Don Wood, Roger McKenzie and Bob Black. It also has a chapter by Keith Drury (one of my heroes) AND one by his daughter-in-law, Amanda. That must make him proud!

Bob’s chapter is on worship and, as usual, he does a great job. He faces, head-on (apply directly to the frontal lobe!), the issues over which Christians disagree with regard to worship. He identifies four “families” of worship styles on a continuum from “form” to “freedom.” He then asks the insightful question, “Where is Jesus on the continuum?”

Bob then offers five principles to guide us in our thinking about how we worship. They are:

While Bob does not claim this list to be exhaustive, he states that “principles are more important than preferences in worship.”

What principles govern your approach to worship? Or is your approach governed primarily by your preferences? Free books are great; except when, like this one, they make you think. And thinking makes you change. And I hate to change! Maybe if I send it back they’ll send me a Bible Story Coloring Book!

It’s the Lighthouse, Saints!

Pastor Tim

Punching Holes In The Darkness

Yesterday we had a luncheon for those who are involved in the Cruiser Ministry. It was a wonderful opportunity for fellowship and “getting on the same page” for some of the challenges the increased size of the ministry has brought us. Dad shared some devotional thoughts with us from a book by Ida Nell Holloway entitled Punching Holes In The Darkness. Dad concluded with a poem by the author which, I believe, will become the prayer of everyone who desires to see lost people come to Christ:

Oh, God.

Let me stand at the window of heaven with you,

And see with your eyes,

And feel with your heart,

As we look out on this struggling world.

Let me see men blindly searching.

Let me feel the agony of their cries.

Let their loneliness pierce my soul.

Let me know the hunger

Of their bodies and their hearts.

Let me remember anew

What it is like without you.

Thrust into my soul

The burning love

That took you to Calvary.

And when my heart is broken

And I want nothing more

Than to be used of you

Then take me, Lord,

And show me what to do.

Today. Tonight. Right now.

It’s the Lighthouse, Saints!

Pastor Tim

A Different Kind of “Cruiser Ministry”

Several years ago, a number of us attended a marriage retreat at Myrtle Beach hosted by Hank and Mary Ann Williams. Everyone who attended found the weekend both fun and spiritually and relationally helpful.

Now Hank and Mary Ann have “kicked it up a notch.” They are offering a Caribbean Cruise AND a marriage retreat October 8-13, 2007. The cruise will be aboard Royal Caribbean’s “Enchantment of the Seas” ship and will depart from Ft. Lauderdale, FL, for Key West, Cozumel and the Bahamas.

Retreat sessions will be held at night and will feature Hank and Mary Ann showing through God’s Word how to “Keep Your Marriage Boat Afloat.”

Hank will be the preacher for our Area Revival this spring (April 29^th-May 2^nd). Mary Ann will lead a Women’s Session on Sunday afternoon (April 29^th).

I don’t receive any benefit from you going but I’ve known Hank since he was in High School and have watched as God has used him mightily to transform people’s lives.

If you are interested in going, there are flyers available at Church or you may contact Morningstar Travel at 704-483-4837 or by email at moringstartravel@bellsouth.net.

Enjoy a cruise and strengthen your marriage at the same time!

It’s the Lighthouse, Saints!

Pastor Tim

Working Within Your “Giftedness”

When I first came here I asked the Witness and Membership Committee to go through the Church directory and identify what they thought the “spiritual gifts” of each member of the Church Family was. I realize it’s not as “scientific” as having everyone take a “gifts inventory” but it showed some interesting trends. Three spiritual gifts were more prevalent by far than any others. They were teaching, music and hospitality.

God “gifts” a Church to enable them to do the work to which He has called them. Knowing that God has unusually gifted First Wesleyan in these ways is one way of knowing His will and direction for us.

for instance, it was through “teaching” that both the Prince of Peace and Turning Point Churches were established. the Cruiser Ministry is an expression of hospitality. Sunday morning we saw an excellent example of disccipleship through music and our Sunday night services have been transformed by music in the service and a Children’s Choir outside of the service.

Our church has been greatly touched by death recently. The list of people and families grows week by week. God always has a good purpose in all that happens to us so I began to seek to understand His good purpose in all these funerals. It became clear last week when I received the following thank you note:

“Dear Members of First Wesleyan Church,

We were amazed by the love, support and delicious food that you provided for Jerry Gunter’s funeral. . . . It has been evident to us from the beginthat [our son-in-law] was raised by a loving family. We now understand that his family has had the loving support by an extended Church family. We feel blessed that our daughter . . . is included in your circle. You were very gracious, from the lady who kept . . . the nursery, to the many smiles and offers of friendship. May God bless you . . .”

Over the past six or seven weeks, we have had the opportunity to exercise our Church’s spiritual gifts of hospitality and God has gotten the glory.

I want to thank all of you who have cooked, served, ministered and helped. You’ve made a difference in people’s lives.

It’s the lighthouse, Saints!

Pastor Tim

What Are You “TAKING ON” for Lent?

Ordinarily, we begin our run up to Easter on Ash Wednesday. Often people decide to give up something for those 40 days in order to focus on their need to become more like Christ. This year, I am encouraging you NOT to “give up” something for Lent. Rather, I hope you will “take on” something.

· Get one of the Spiritual Adventure journals and discipline yourself to write in it every day

· Read the verses recommended everyday

· Read a chapter a week in the book by Karen Mains, Soul Alert

· Memorize 1 Peter 2:9-12

In addition, I hope you will attend the morning worship services where the sermons are themed to the week’s journal and Scripture and participate in one of the small groups on Sunday or Wednesday nights.

Seems like a lot to “take on”, doesn’t it? Well, remember that it’s only for 50 days—less than two months. And put the value of it in perspective as well. Jimmy House sent me an email entitled, “Isn’t it strange . . .” Here’s a few lines from it:

· Isn't it strange how a 20 dollar bill seems like such a large amount when you donate it to church, but such a small amount when you go shopping?

· Isn't it strange how 2 hours seem so long when you're at church, and how short they seem when you're
watching a good movie?

· Isn't it strange that you can't keep your mind focused when you're praying, but you have no trouble thinking what to talk about with a friend?

· Isn't it strange how difficult and boring it is to read one chapter of the Bible, but how easy it is to read the newspaper (in print or on-line) daily or a John Grisham book?

· Isn't it strange how everyone wants front-row-tickets to concerts or games, but they do whatever is possible to sit at the last row in Church?

· Isn't it strange how we need to know about an event for Church, 2-3 weeks before the day so we can include it in our agenda, but we can adjust it for other events at the last minute?

· Isn't it strange how difficult it is to learn a fact about God to share it with others, but how easy it is to learn, understand, extend and repeat gossip?

You may be surprised what God does in your life when you “take on” these spiritual disciplines. Who knows what might happen?

It’s the Lighthouse, Saints!

Pastor Tim

What’s in YOUR “three or four city blocks”?

Dr. James Emery White planted a Church not far from where we lived in Charlotte named Mecklenburg Community Church. Recently, he was named as the new president of Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary. You’ll appreciate this article by him as we mark Black History Month and the birthday of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

“As we mark the national holiday celebrating the life and vision of Martin Luther King, Jr., let me tell you about a friend of mine. His name is Michael Haynes. He is nearly 80 years-old, and is a retired pastor. For over fifty years, he pastored the historic Twelfth Street Baptist Church in the Roxbury district of downtown Boston.

Twelfth Baptist Church is a direct descendant of the First African Baptist Meeting House on Beacon Hill, founded in 1805. In 1840, a band of dissenters from the church felt led of the Holy Spirit to become involved in the Underground Railroad, an organized means of smuggling slaves from bondage in the South to freedom in the North. They became known as the Twelfth Baptist Church of Boston.

When I first met Michael, I asked him what he did. He said he was a pastor of a church. "Just a little church, in Roxbury. Its ministry is pretty much serving the neighborhood around it." Then, with the kind of thoughtful pause and careful wording that reveals something of great significance, he added, "Those three or four city blocks are what I've given my whole life to. It's been my world."

One of the first persons on those blocks that he had a chance to serve was a young man named Martin. Yes, that Martin. Michael mentored Martin Luther King, Jr., gave him his first ministry opportunity in a local church, and even introduced him to a young woman named Coretta who would one day be his wife.

Michael kept serving those few city blocks, always with a vision for changing them. And they needed change: Michael's world has been a world of drug dealers, pimps, and gangs; poverty, homelessness and racism. He knew from the beginning that any real change would rest on leadership. Not just his leadership, but a generation of leaders. Leaders like Martin. But even more to the point, though he would never make such a claim, leaders like himself who would take up residence on their own few blocks in areas around the country and around the world where nobody would naturally want to reside.

So he began talking about training leaders, praying about training leaders, vision-casting about training leaders, until finally he witnessed the reality of training leaders. First with a few classes at Twelfth Baptist, then as an extension center of a seminary, finally as a full-fledged campus.

All on those three or four city blocks he's called home for so many years.

This is not all that Michael's life has brought to bear on this world. Dr. Haynes has served in the Massachusetts House of Representatives and as a member of the state Parole Board. He serves on the board of directors of several organizations including Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary, Christianity Today, and the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association. He also is a member of the U. S. Board of Daystar University, Nairobi.

There is much talk in Christian circles about critiquing culture. There is far less about creating it. Yet this is precisely what Christ intended through his famed metaphors of "salt" and "light." Taking our few city blocks, and bringing Christ to bear. And as Michael has demonstrated, it only takes a few blocks, and being faithful to them.

This month, we take a day to celebrate the legacy of Martin Luther King, Jr. And well we should. But it makes me want to celebrate another life with equal vigor. The life of Dr. Michael E. Haynes, who still lives on those few blocks in Roxbury.

Without whom, we wouldn't be thinking of Martin at all.”

It’s the Lighthouse, Saints!

Pastor Tim

Thanks, Faye!

Faye Jackson went to her eternal reward last week. Hers was the third consecutive funeral on thursday. We will miss Robert Brackett, Faye McCulloch and Faye Jackson. All of them contributed to our lives and their loss leaves us grieving.

Faye Jackson taught Sunday School here for more than forty years. It is some kind of record that a child could enter Edna Ruth’s class and exit Faye’s class and benefit from nearly a hundred years of experience!

Because of her love for children, Faye had other jobs where children were involved. She was first a mother to Debra and David. When her grandson was born, she started a daycare so she could care for him. But she is perhaps best known as a school crossing guard at the corner of Castlegate and Dixon Road near Sherwood School. for several years she wathed over the safety of children who crossed the street there. She prayed for each one as they passed and only heaven will tell the full story of the impact she has had on the students and their parents.

May God bless the memory of Faye Jackson.

It’s the Lighthouse, Saints!

Pastor Tim

Here Come The Kids!

That phrase may strike fear in the hearts of some or it may be a cry of joy from others but the reality of young people moving from “consumers” of ministry to “ministers” is here!

Last night, our teens led us in worship. I was talking with someone after service and neither of us believed we could have done what they did when we were that age. For me, as a teenager, singing in front of the Church would have been primarily a performance. For our teens, they worshipped and led us to do the same.

Next Sunday, our younger children will begin a Children’s Choir. They’ll be rehearsing for an Easter Musical we’ll all enjoy later in the Spring.

Teens were an integral part of a ministry to parents on Saturday night sponsored jointly by the Church and First Wesleyan Christian School. Parents were able to drop off their children for some “free babysitting” so they could enjoy an evening together.

On February 4^th, our guest speaker will be Selina Wheeler, the District Director of Children’s Ministry. Selina has a real heart for Children and I pray that her passion will ignite our own.

Hodding Carter said, “There are only two lasting bequests we can hope to give our children. One is roots; the other, wings.”

Let us commit ourselves to giving the Children of First Wesleyan Church both!

It’s the Lighthous, Saints!

Pastor Tim

Be OF Sin The Double Cure

Mary and I enjoyed a wonderful weekend at the Grove Park Inn thanks to your generosity on “Pastor Appreciation Sunday.” Thank you very much.

One of the groups who performed for the “Heart of Worship” Celebration was “Avalon.” They got my attention when they began their concert with an acapella rendition of “The Doxology.” Their four-part harmony was amazing! Later on in their program, they did “Rock Of Ages” (the one by Augustus Toplady). The first verse of that great hymn says,

Rock of Ages, cleft for me,
Let me hide myself in Thee;
Let the water and the blood,
From Thy wounded side which flowed,
Be of sin the double cure;
Save from wrath and make me pure.

Three of the four members of Avalon grew up in pastor’s homes but I don’t know anything about their theology. I do know something of the theology of Mr. Toplady. He once wrote a letter in which he called John Wesley a “red-hot Arminian” and accused him of a “lying abridgement” of the doctrine of predestination. Yet right there in the hymn he wrote and that Avalon sang is the truth of “a second work of grace” – “Be of sin the double cure; save from wrath and make me pure.”

Sunday morning we attended the Biltmore Baptist Church in Arden, NC. I wanted to go there because they are a Church who celebrated their centennial in 1989 and have experienced a real turn-around in the past 15 years. Their pastor, Dr. James Walker, asked this question at the beginning of his sermon, “Do you believe you can have victory over sin in this life?”

After his sermon from 1 Peter 4, there could be no doubt in anyone’s mind that Dr. Walker believed not only that you COULD but that you MUST!

What’s the point of this theological rant? I believe there is in the heart of every person (Calvinist and Arminian and everything in between and on both sides) a hunger to know for sure what will happen to them when they die. But before that hunger can be satisfied, there must be proof that the One who assures our eternal destiny can make a difference in the way we live now. It is to that hunger we must address the world both with our testimony and with lives of victory over sin!

It’s the Lighthouse, Saints!

Pastor Tim

A Tale Of Two Funerals

Last week we had two funerals of former heads-of-state—Gerald R. Ford and Saddam Hussein. President Ford was the thirty-eighth president and the first vice-president chosen under the terms of the 25th Amendment. He became President when Richard Nixon resigned. Acknowledging the unusual circumstances of his rise to the most powerful office in the world, he said, “You have not elected me with your votes but I ask that you confirm me with your prayers.” Taking office following the Watergate Scandal, Ford did a very unpopular thing in pardoning the former president. History has confirmed the wisdom of his action and even his successor, Jimmy Carter said and his inauguration, “"For myself and for our Nation, I want to thank my predecessor for all he has done to heal our land."

Saddam Hussein rose to power in Iraq in 1968 in a coup. He worked for many years behind the scenes modernizing Iraq and increasing government control. Often, his means to do so was violence and intimidation of those who opposed him. Hussein was captured by US forces and tried and sentenced to death by an Iraqi court. He was hanged and buried in his home town.

Both men came to power under less-than-ideal circumstances but chose radically different means by which to deal with those circumstances. One died in shame and dishonor while the other was praised by even those who opposed him.

The writer of the Proverbs said, “When a man’s ways are pleasing to the LORD, he makes even his enemies live at peace with him.” (Proverbs 16:7)

Both Gerald Ford and Saddam Hussein chose the way they lived their lives. But history has chosen how they will be remembered. Come to think of it, that’s true of you and me as well.

It’s the Lighthouse, Saints!

Pastor Tim

Did You Read It Through?

2006 was designated by the Wesleyan Church as “The Year of the Bible” and I urged you to read the Bible through during the year. Several of you committed to try and many of you bought the “One Year Bible” which provided readings from the Old and New Testaments, Psalms and Proverbs for each day. Others followed the pattern we distributed last January and printed in the Newsletter each week. I’ve heard from several of you who completed the journey but I’m sure there are others as well.

I’d like to know how many of you read the Bible through this past year but more importantly, I’d like to know how it affected you.

Early on in the year, I heard one person say, “I don’t like reading such large passages. I like to stop and chew on things as I go.”

I must admit, those are my sentiments as well. This is the second time I’ve read through the Bible in a year. The first was when The Message released the whole Bible. I read through it but I found the pace too fast. In order to keep up, I didn’t comprehend as well as I wanted to. So after a couple of months, I really bore down and finished in April so I could get back to my regular reading habits.

This past year, I followed the pattern of the “One Year Bible.” I appreciated the discipline the reading called for but again, I found the passages too long for my taste. There is a guide available that takes you through the Bible in Three years. Maybe that’s more my style.

In any event, I’d like to hear your response. Did you read it through? What effect did it have? How were you changed by it? Give me a call at 704-867-7206 or send me an email at tsmith@carolina.rr.com I’d love to hear your story—good or bad. I promise I won’t share anything without your permission but your experience might just be of help to someone else.

It’s the Lighthouse, Saints!

Pastor Tim

‘Twas The Night Before Christmas At First Wesleyan

Clement Clarke Moore (1779 - 1863) wrote the poem “Twas the night before Christmas” in 1822. The poem redefined our image of Santa Claus. Prior to the creation of the story, St. Nicholas, the patron saint of children, had never been associated with a sleigh or reindeers! The condition of publication was that the author was to remain anonymous. It was not until 1844, that Clement Clarke Moore claimed ownership when the work was included in a book of his poetry. Moore’s father, Benjamin Moore, was the Bishop of New York and officiated at the inauguration of George Washington.

My apologies to Clement Clarke Moore for this parody of his wonderful poem.

Twas the night before Christmas at First Wesleyan Church
It was time for the Staff to do some research.

It seems Santa’s computer had suffered a crash

And he needed some info as quick as a flash.

Now Billie and Dwight had turned in for the night

They’d canceled their party and turned out their lights.

So her records of giving were not to be had

And the prospects of info were looking so bad.

John and Wilma had left for Virginia’s quaint bash

While McKinnons headed south to check out the stash.

Jason and Kathy were gone where it snows

Driving so far on caffeine and no-dose.

Debbie was enjoying her house at the lake.

She couldn’t come back a report for to make.

And Carla had cleaned til she could do so no more

And she didn’t hear the call over Bobby’s loud snore.

The only one’s left were the Smith’s and the Pursley’s.

Could they be counted on for info to appease?

So to them Santa asked of each member and home

Nice? Or Naughty? No time for a tome.

With faces so sober and countenance straight

They gave a good report for each one and his mate.

The children were easy to commend to Saint Nick

But some of the teens required quite a trick.

But soon each one had been given a grade

And Santa was grateful for their pastoral aide.

So into his sleigh the gifts he then tossed

Not noticing Bryce and Tim had their fingers both crossed.

So on Christmas morn’ when you open your presents

And you are surprised by their bounteous quotients

Knowing you really weren’t all that good;

Remember the men who flirted with falsehood.

And give thanks that Jesus did more than just fib

He died on a cross with a spear in His rib.

His grace is sufficient for your every need

Merry Christmas to all! On that we’re agreed!

21^st Century Children’s Ministry

One of the things to which I believe God has called First Wesleyan church is an excellent Children’s Ministry. He has clearly given us families in First Wesleyan Christian School who do not attend Church anywhere but who feel strongly about their children’s education—strongly enough to pay taxes for a public education and tuition for a private one.

First Wesleyan Christian School offers excellence in education, so why would parents expect less from the Children’s Ministry of the Church that sponsors the School?

We saw two examples of excellence on Sunday. The first was Edna Ruth Williams receiving an award from Gospel Light Publishers as one of the “Top 100 Sunday School Teachers” in America for 2006. Former students, both children and adults, stood in testimony to the many years of service Edna Ruth has given.

A second example was the extraordinary children’s program presented on Sunday. Our children told the “old, old story” of Christmas in a new and fresh way through the eyes of the animals who lived in the manger. Then it was time for “not your momma’s flannel-graph.”

The “clay-mation” of the Christmas story was the product of an extensive study of the life and times of Jesus begun back in June in Children’s Church. It was incredible!

They say “the more things change the more they stay the same.” Continued excellence in Children’s Ministry requires change but that change is not in the quality of our teachers nor the Message they teach. As “sword drills” give way to “google searches”, Jesus is the same, yesterday, today and forever!

It’s the Lighthouse, Saints!

Pastor Tim

The Power Of A Testimony

Two weeks ago, I shared a story that had been passed along to me by Jeff Stowe. He’d heard it on WMIT and it was about a young girl who went on a mission trip and “coincidentally” encountered a girl who had received a shoe box that the young girl and her family had packed.

Mary and I went down to SWU last night to hear Austin in a Jazz Band Concert. We are taking up the torch passed on to us by Danny and Rhonda Garrett who used to make such trips to see their girls perform.

Afterward the concert, I was talking to Bob Black who is a professor of Religion. He said that he had read the story about the shoebox in our newsletter and had shared it with his class that morning!

Behold the power of a testimony!

· Had the young girl not shared the story with someone, WMIT would never have heard it.

· Had WMIT not put the story on the air, Jeff would never have heard it.

· Had Jeff not shared the story with me, I would probably have never heard it.

· Had I not shared it through the newsletter, Bob would have never heard it.

· Had he not shared it with his class, . . .

I dare say (for I know preachers and you can choose to be either original or good but not both!), that story will show up in some young preacher’s sermon soon and will bless the people who hear it. All because Jeff Stowe gave a testimony. I’m glad Jeff was obedient when he couldn’t see the result.

And I’m glad miracles happen all the time in ways we sometimes don’t expect and can’t see! But when we do see them, we ought to testify about it to others. You never know what might happen as a result.

It’s the Lighthouse, Saints!

Pastor Tim

The Importance Of Forgiveness

I’m in the LIFT Sunday School Class and on Sunday, we began a study of Keith Drury’s book, There Is No “I” In Church. The LBA read this book back during the summer in preparation for our annual retreat. Keith’s book is a companion to one we studied on Wednesday night some months ago on “personal spiritual disciplines.” No “I” In Church is about corporate spiritual disciplines.

Just as personal spiritual disciplines (prayer, fasting, scripture memorization) are designed to make the individual Christian more like Jesus, corporate spiritual disciplines (corporate prayer, the public reading of Scripture, fellowship, testimony, evangelism and the Lord’s Supper) are designed to prepare the Body of Christ to stand before God as the Bride of Christ “without spot or wrinkle.”

One of the “wrinkles” we talked about on Sunday was the way people say hurtful things to each other. One of our class members made this observation: “If someone in the Church says something to you that hurts your feelings, you should deal with that person; not blame the Church.”

AMEN!

A Miracle And A Testimony

Someone said, “A miracle is when the improbable happens and God gets the credit.” The quote may limit, somewhat, the scope of God’s miracles but it certainly applies to the following story. Jeff Stowe heard it on Billy Graham’s radio station in Black Mountain—WMIT:

Jeff said, “Today as I came to work I was listening to a lady on WMIT tell of an experience her daughter had had on a mission trip. Her daughter met a young girl from the mission field who wanted to show her something that she had. It turned out to be the very shoe box that her and her mothered had packed some time before nd sent to Samaritans' Purse. This miraculous unlikely coincidence gave the daughter a confidence to witness that she had not had before the remarkable meeting God had planned.”

That’s the miracle; now here’s the testimony. Jeff continued in his email to me:

“I have finally gotten around to contacting the guys that I counseled at the Will Graham Celebration. Tonight when I called Jacob Lay I did not get to talk to him since he was out with friends, but I did get to talk to his mother. It turned out that her husband works for one of our landscape customers and he is someone that we know well. I had met her here with her husband buying plants for their house a couple of years ago. I felt more comfortable talking to her because of this. She told me that Jacob had told them about accepting Christ and that she would have him call me back. I appreciate the way God makes things work out.”

Now which one did I say was the miracle?

It’s the Lighthouse, Saints!

Pastor Tim

Warfare Prayer

We in the holiness tradition have pretty much left the subject of “Spiritual Warfare” up to the charismatic side of the house. Consequently, when we are faced with the kind of struggle in which we find ourselves with the Cruiser Ministry, we either have bad information about how to pray or no information.

Spiritual warfare praying is different from other kinds of prayer. Contrast the difference between Jesus’ prayer in the Garden before His crucifixion (warfare prayer) and His “High Priestly Prayer” in John 17. They are both important but they are definitely different. Warfare praying is much more desperate and visceral. Warfare praying relies heavily on Scripture because it is the only “offensive” weapon found in the Christians “battle gear.”

Let me ask that those of you who know how to pray, pray the following prayer for the Cruiser Ministry this week:

Father in Heaven, I pray that

_____ would be strong in God and put on the armor God has provided to fight the good fight. Ephesians 6:10-12: Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.

_____ would be bold in his/her faith not giving in to fear. 2 Timothy 1:7: For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline.

_____ would recognize the reality of spiritual battle. 2 Corinthians 10:3-5: For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.

_____ would live a life of a bond servant to Christ. Luke 17:10: So you also, when you have done everything you were told to do, should say, `We are unworthy servants: we have only done our duty.'"

_____ would invest their lives in eternal things. Matthew 6:19-21: "Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

_____ would flee the world and live for eternity. 1 Timothy 6:11-12: But you, man of God, flee from all this, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness. Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called when you made your good confession in the presence of many witnesses.

In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Just as the Cruiser Ministry could not succeed without the help of those who make chili and slaw and those who buy soft drinks and water and those who cook and work on the lot, we cannot succeed in seeing men and women and boys and girls come to Christ with the prayers of the Church. Please help us! We depend on your prayers.

It’s the Lighthouse, Saints!

Pastor Tim

Editor’s Note: I wanted to write something “glowing” about our wonderful celebration of the 35^th Anniversary of First Wesleyan Christian School, but Ted Haggard’s public fall compels me to write about something else. I was at SWU when a leader there fell and I remember the effect it had on me. I looked a godly men like Claude Rickman and Martin LaBar and asked myself privately, “Are you for real?”

Ted Haggard was the president of the National Association of Evangelicals and pastor of a mega-church in Colorado. I dare say many of my brothers and sisters are asking today, “How could it happen?” and “Could it happen to my pastor?”

For insight, I’ve turned to one of my mentors, Keith Drury. Here are his thoughts on the subject:

The Bigger They are, the Harder They Fall

by Keith Drury

How come so many “big guys” get caught in sexual indiscretion?

Is it just me or does it seem that we have had a LOT of evangelical “big guys” falling into sexual indiscretion? Those of us who have been around since 1980 saw the public collapse this week of Ted Haggard, President of NAE and merely added one more name to our growing list: Jimmy Swaggart, Jim Bakker, Sandi Patti, Gordon MacDonald and a few dozen others. Is this becoming normal?

What would make a “big guy” hire a prostitute, have sex with a ministry secretary, carry on a long-term affair, or employ a male escort? Why risk their good life and ministry by doing such dumb things? Last week, John Kerry said a stupid thing but his sin was nothing as stupid as thinking you can get away with a tryst with a male prostitute when you are the chief spokesmen against gay marriage and the head of Evangelicals in the USA. How can this be? I’m trying to figure out what the factors are that contribute to a “big guys” descent into sexual indiscretion.

Let me be clear—I am not beating up on Haggard or any other sinner. Actually I am fairly soft on restoration. I hurt for these people and their churches, ministries and families. I believe any Christian can be restored and I think that applies even to ministers. I am the co-writer of a ministerial restoration process so I am not one who shoots the wounded. But I still am asking, “Why?.” What would trigger such stupid behavior by a “big guy leader?”

Here is my starter list—I welcome your additional insights. Perhaps as we examine the “big guys” we might discover something that applies to ordinary ministers like you and me.

Why would a “Big Guy” fall into sexual indiscretion?

1. OVERWORK

Overwork is an occupational hazard. But the big guys are over-overworked. They "burn the candle in the middle along with both ends." Big guys are high energy, do the work of two (or five) others, stay up late, get up early, travel all over the place, and generally get more exhausted than the rest of us. And, they sleep less. Sleep deprivation has two effects: It impairs judgment and erodes one's strength of will. Perhaps the big guys are thus easier targets for doing something stupid and have weaker wills to resist because they are simply physically exhausted?

2. GREATNESS

Big guys are great. But their very greatness is a snare. The guy with ten talents, five spiritual gifts, a brilliant mind, wonderful track record, successful resume, and powerful position might get totally insulated from authority—to whom does the big guy submit? When ordinary pastor Pete in Middletown USA starts straying, there are a whole set of layers of people to knock him in the side of the head and straighten him out. Do the big guys might get insulated from this accountability?

3. "TRAPPED"

All pastors sometimes feel trapped, but the big guys have fewer escape routes. Actually big guys have fewer opportunities. Curious, huh? An ordinary pastor in a church of 75 has 50,000 other churches in the USA he or she can go to next. How many places does the “Big Guy” think he has? Perhaps the biggies secretly hope they do get caught providing a way of escape from their rat-race life everyone else thinks is “success” but they know is empty? Are they committing “professional suicide?”
4. OPPOSITION

The bigger you are, the bigger your enemies. If you have a big ministry, big success, a big reputation with a big following, you probably also have big opposition. Sure, all ministers have opposition, but the opposition the big guys is, well, bigger. And it is sometimes more twisted. The big guys often are targets of a twisted envy where people secretly hope they’ll collapse. Is there something weird working here? Are other Christians are secretly wishing for their collapse? Can you hope a person toward moral collapse, or at least temptation? I hope not, but could it be?

5. COP-GONE-BAD

Could it be that some big guys fight sin so bravely that they get oriented to the very sin they are fighting all the time—like cops who work with criminals so much that they “turn into the very people they’re fighting?” It my town the minister most famous for fighting against the “adult book store” in the 1980’s is in prison in now for sexually molesting little girls in his church’s day care. Can being a powerful big sin-fighter actually reorient a big guy to the very sins he or she fights hardest against?

6. REWARD-FOR-WORK

When a biggie is doing such wonderful things for God and everyone agrees to their greatness and effect do they get the notion that a little fleshly satisfaction on the side is merely a tiny and justifiable fleshly reward for all the good? Do they think privately that God will wink at a little illicit sex “considering” all the good? This may be especially true if he can claim he did not go all the way and “have sex” and is thus still faithful to his wife? Has Bill Clinton’s definition of “sex” been adopted by these leaders?

7. EXTRA TEMPTATION

Do the biggies actually get more temptation than ordinary ministers like you and me? Are they particular targets of the Devil and thus they get knocked off more because they are “in the line of fire” more than regular folk?

8. EXTRA SEXUAL ENERGY

Some have argued (two theologians particularly: Wayne Caldwell and Chris Bounds) that the seat of great spiritual energy and the seat of great sexual energy reside so closely to each other that great spiritual leaders “burn more.” Could I be that the biggies have greater spiritual energy but also greater sexual energy and thus they are more prone to sexual sins and thus more prone to fall?

7. WHAT ELSE?

I’m still trying to figure this out. Maybe most all ministers are sinning like this and we only hear about the famous ones? Is that true? What would you add? How in the world could so many “great evangelical leaders” fall sexually? What’s going on?

November 5, 2006 Keith Drury (reprinted by permission of the author)

It’s the Lighthouse, Saints!

Pastor Tim

All Hallows Eve

Wednesday, Nov. 1^st is “All Saints Day.” It’s ironic that Believers are more familiar with today—All Hallows Eve or Halloween.

“All Saints Day” is a day to honor all the saints who don’t have their own day. Some saints, like Patrick and Nicholas, have their own day but for all the rest, there’s “All Saints Day.”

Protestants don’t venerate saints so we don’t pay much attention to “All Saints Day” but maybe we should. After all, the Bible says that those who are Believers are “saints”. Forty-five times, the New Testament calls Believers, “saints.”

And we certainly have our share of “saints” who are forgotten.

Fr’instance, many of you don’t know Rev. H. W. Hawkins. He was the founding pastor of First Wesleyan Church. Hawkins was called the “grand old man” of the North Carolina Conference. He and Rev. H. C. Abbot came to Gastonia and held a tent meeting. Out of that tent meeting grew a Church that has occupied this corner of Church and Franklin for over a hundred years. He pastored the Church which met in a tent and in people’s homes for the first two years and then did much of the manual labor to construct the first wooden structure.

Rev. J. A. Wood came to the Church in the 30’s during the Great Depression. Times were hard for everyone but Rev. Wood did not give up and the Church grew.

The list goes on but the point is that saints who may be forgotten within a few years ought to honored right now.

On Sunday, you honored me on Pastor Appreciation Sunday with a gift that Mary and I will enjoy in January. But there are many more who deserve honor as well. Why not intentionally honor some of our saints? Your Sunday School Teacher. The folks who work in the Nursery. The guys who usher. Let them know you appreciate the work of the saints.

It’s the Lighthouse, Saints!

Pastor Tim

Whew!

The revival last week at Nebo caps a period of intense activity for me this fall. Our own Church Revival, writing assignments that were due, my hospitalization, the Will Graham Celebration and the usual “hectivity” of life kept me very busy for about two months.

Whenever we go through periods of time like that, there is always the danger of a “letdown” afterwards. Some might call it an “adrenalin crash” but I tend to think of it as normal, helpful and dangerous.

Normal, because life is made of peaks and valleys; helpful, because we need times of decompression and dangerous because during those times we can become either spiritually lazy, hyper-critical or both. In the past few days, I’ve found myself doubting the value of all I’ve been involved in and were it not for a clear sense of God’s leading on the front end of those activities, I might become cynical about involvement in the future.

Prior to Jesus’ public ministry, He spent forty days of prayer and fasting in the desert. We know about His temptation there but only by inference do we understand that it was there He and His Father formulated the “job description” He espoused in Nazareth: “The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to release the oppressed, ¹⁹to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.” (Luke 4:18-19)

For the next three years, Jesus gave Himself to that task without reservation. You have to wonder if there weren’t times when He despaired of the Disciples’ faithlessness and lack of understanding. Or the lack of gratitude by the people to whom He ministered. But it was the rock-solid conviction on the front end of His involvement that kept Him focused on the goal.

The holidays are coming. Need I say more?

It’s the Lighthouse, Saints!

Pastor Tim

A Soul-Winners Testimony

Among many images in my mind of the Will Graham Celebration are those of the people from our Church leading others to Christ.

Ronnie, with a bigger-than-usual smile on his face, after leading a young boy to the Lord.
Wilma, kneeling on the grass with a child.
Mary, who couldn’t wait for the “go signal” to begin counseling.

Jeff Stowe wrote his own experience and I want to share it with you:

“I would like to say how much I have been blessed by participating in the Christian Life and Witness Training course. I was blessed by the time spent doing the home work and was convicted of not having a regular devotion and quiet time with God.

I would also like to say I got a taste of what it is like to have a hunger for lost souls. I know the classes helped me to get that taste, but believe the taste is mostly an answer to the prayers and examples of those in our church who are praying and hoping that we will become a body of believers with a burden for lost souls.

As a counselor I did not feel worthy of the opportunity but I believe that God gave me the excitement and desire to participate. On Monday night I did not get the chance to counsel. But on Tuesday I got the chance to share with a 15 year old named Jacob from Dallas who came forward to receive Jesus as God's Son and his Savior. I was so excited I could feel tears of joy coming up but God gave me the control to lead Him through the "My Commitment" plan for salvation, a prayer for salvation, and then tell him a little bit about his book of devotion for a new believer. I know as counselors we only helped "usher" these new believers in to the Kingdom but WOW, it was great.

On Tuesday night I was worried that I would not get a chance to counsel anyone but then a supervisor held up a blue card and I was able to talk with a man about my age, a Sunday School teacher and a Christian, who wanted to rededicate his life to Christ.

I thank God for the chance to see so many saved. For the hunger of those in our church and others whose faces I can see walking out on the infield to counsel and help win the "Eternal" Series. I know that Jesus is holding up blue cards for all of us to see those who are seeking Him.

It’s the Lighthouse, Saints!

Pastor Tim

What Are We Gonna’ Do With All These Fish?

It’s a great problem to have and the Disciples were glad to have it. They had fished all night, according to Luke 5, and had caught nothing. Now Jesus (a carpenter—not a fisherman) tells them to fish. Out of obedience rather than conviction, Peter says, “Okay, we’ll do it because you say so.” That’s when the problem of fish started.

Several of our Graham-trained counselors attended the “Kidzfest” on Saturday morning with “Go Fish.” Some of them expressed hesitance about serving as a counselor. But they heard the plea from the stage—“Too many fish!” We need every counselor. They responded in obedience if not conviction and were rewarded with a “great catch.” They all said it was a great experience and my guess is, they’ll be much more comfortable Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday nights.

When we’ve tried to fish on our own, we’ve come up empty handed but when we’ve gotten out into the dangerous “deep water” Jesus has more fish than we know what to do with.

Pray this week for those who will come to know Christ during the Greater Gaston County Celebration with Will Graham.

It’s the Lighthouse, Saints!

Pastor Tim

Revival Makes Strange Bedfellows

On the eve of the invasion of Normandy called “D-Day,” a furious debate raged between the three “titans” of the Allied Forces. Charles DeGaulle, Wnston Churchill and Franklin Roosevelt all had a political stake in what was about to happen. DeGaulle wanted to become president of France after it was liberated. Churchill had “hosted” the invasion force and wanted to be seen positively by his own war-weary citizens. Roosevelt’s general, Dwight Eisenhower, was “in charge” and he wanted to keep it that way.

Yet on the day of the invasion, June 6, 1944, the three “titans” joined together in a united front because they believed the invasion of Nazi-controlled France would break Hitler’s grip on Europe and bring an end to the war.

Next week this time, we’ll be involved in an invasion of enemy territory. Satan’s grip on our County will be threatened by an evangelistic effort at Sims Park led by Will Graham and the team from the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association. It is time for the “titans” of prayer in this county to come together for a larger and more important purpose than building our own Churches. It is time to unite in the greater cause of evangelizing men and women, boys and girls and teenagers for the Kingdom of God.

It is my sincere desire and hope that the Greater Gaston Celebration with Will Graham will be a catalyst for evangelism and unity in the Body of Christ in our County.

It’s the Lighthouse, Saints!

Pastor Tim

A “Good” Board Meeting

In Luke 18, a “certain ruler” came up to Jesus and said, “Good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” Jesus response is somewhat puzzling. Instead of seizing the opportunity to answer his question, Jesus questions his use of the word “good” to describe Himself. “Why do you call me good?” Jesus answered. “No one is good—except God alone.”

What makes a “good” service or a “good” Board meeting? Some would say “if it’s short; it’s good!” Others would say, “if there’s no conflict; it’s good.” Monday night, we had a “good” Board meeting. We handled all of the business items and then tackled a follow-up to our Board Retreat in August. Teams of two were to bring concrete and specific recommendations as to who to encourage the corporate spiritual disciplines we studied at the retreat. You’ll notice some changes in our worship service this Sunday. Over the next few weeks and months, you’ll have opportunity to participate in some of the changes as we seek, as a Body of Christ, to become more like Him.

The Bible says that on Judgment Day, Christ wants to present the Church to His Father as His bride “without spot or wrinkle.” Clearly we have some work to do to become “unspotted” and “unwrinkled.” Corporate spiritual disciplines like evangelism, testimony, the evident presence of God, public reading of Scripture, corporate prayer, fellowship, and communion are Biblical admonitions to help us become more like Christ AS A CHURCH! May He help us to do so!

It’s the Lighthouse, Saints!

Pastor Tim

Spiritually Hungry

It’s only the first day of our revival but already God is at work in my heart. Tom Harding had supper with the staff at our house last night and we were “picking his brain” about Church and outreach and stuff like that. He said that at his Church – ALIVE*--the thing that unites everyone is being “spiritually hungry.” Sinners are spiritually hungry for relief from guilt and the effects of sin. Believers are spiritually hungry because they desire to become more like Christ. Even people who have walked with the Lord for years and who have been the recipients and beneficiaries of God’s grace are spiritually hungry for more of God. Spiritual hunger unites everyone in a common pursuit.

Spiritual hunger removes the kinds of barriers represented by labels like “sinner” and “seeker” and “believer” and “disciple.” We are all in a common pursuit.

Jesus promised that “those who hunger and thirst for righteousness. . . will be filled” (Matthew 5:6) That promise was for all who heard him that day—Pharisees, Disciples and Sinners.

God has created in many of us over the past several weeks a real hunger for more of His power and presence in our lives. May this Revival be a time when we are filled.

It’s the Lighthouse, Saints Spiritually Hungry People!

Pastor Tim

* ALIVE stands for Adoring our God…..Worship; Loving our Community….Fellowship; Instructing Believers…..Discipleship; Valuing the Lost……Evangelism; Equipping for Ministry….Service

Their website is www.aplacetocomealive.com

Revival—By Sonar or GPS?

Sonar is a technology in which sound waves are sent out. They bounce off various objects and the “echo” tells the sender what is around and what it’s like. Sonar is used by bats to fly in darkness and by submarines to navigate underwater. GPS relies on a signal from a satellite in orbit high above the earth. It’s used by UPS trucks and boy scouts.

As we enter the final week of our preparation for Revival, let me urge you to use GPS rather than sonar. Don’t rely on the unreliable things of this world like revivals of the past or what God’s doing (or not doing) in someone else’s life. Rather, be directed by “things from above.” God’s Word and His Holy Spirit will faithfully guide you to the Revival God wants to give us.

It’s the Lighthouse, Saints!

Pastor Tim

P.S. Thanks to all of you who prayed, called and came by during my recent illness. I am feeling fine and trust that God will continue His healing work in my body.

Why Florida State Won

Last night, the first ACC college football game of the season was played in Miami. It featured the Florida State Seminoles against the University of Miami Hurricanes. I’m not much of a college football fan. Basketball is more to my liking (since UNC is not as likely to lose to the State University of New Jersey in basketball). But last night’s game got my attention. It is a huge in-state rivalry. It is now a game between two ACC teams. It often has implications for the National Championship. Bobby Bowden is the winningest active coach. Miami just fired most of their coaching staff and hired new coaches—particularly on offense.

The final score was 13-10 in favor of Florida State. It was, as they say, “a defensive struggle.” The two teams combined had only 56 yards rushing. The difference, was a field goal. Ironically, it has been the kicking game that has led to defeats for Florida State on several occasions in the past.

What does all this have to do with Church? Last week I talked about a defensive strategy against Satan’s attacks. As the UM/FSU game proves, defense—even a good one—is not always enough. It also takes offense to win.

When David visited his brothers at the Valley of Elah he heard the accusations of the giant, Goliath and asked, “Who is this uncircumcised Philistine that he should defy the armies of the living God?” To challenge Saul, or the nation of Israel was one thing but to impugn God was inexcusable. The story of David’s preparation for battle is well known but listen again to his challenge to Goliath: “You come against me with sword and spear and javelin, but I come against you in the name of the LORD Almighty, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. ⁴⁶This day the LORD will hand you over to me, and I’ll strike you down and cut off your head. Today I will give the carcasses of the Philistine army to the birds of the air and the beasts of the earth, and the whole world will know that there is a God in Israel. ⁴⁷All those gathered here will know that it is not by sword or spear that the LORD saves; for the battle is the LORD’S, and he will give all of you into our hands.”

In this battle in which we find ourselves as a Church for the hearts and souls of our friends, neighbors, relatives and co-workers. We must establish a solid defense but we must also remember that THE LORD FIGHTS FOR US! He wants to see people saved even more than we do. He wants this Church to be what He always planned for it to be even more than we do. And He will be more active in this fight than we will be.

Take heart in this, Saints: THE BATTLE IS THE LORD’S!

It’s the Lighthouse, Saints!

Pastor Tim

It’s Always Darkest Just Before Dawn

It’s an old adage but according to nature photographer, Daryl R. Gibson, “It’s not correct. I can attest that it’s not always darkest before the dawn in real life. Truth is, there’s usually quite a bit of light out before the actual sunrise – and even if we count “dawn” as the first little bit of light, it’s still not necessarily darker then than any other time during the night. A more accurate statement would be, ‘It’s always darkest when it’s dark’.”

I hate when that happens! Someone comes along with the facts and ruins a perfectly good long held axiom. ‘Next thing you know, lazy people will question “early to bed, early to rise makes a man healthy, wealthy and wise!”

But if you’re discouraged or going through a difficult time or trying to fight your way through some challenge, “It’s always darkest when it’s dark” doesn’t quite cut it. But sometimes, waiting for the dawn doesn’t either. Sometimes you need to (as we say here in the South) “cut a light on.”

The sources for discouragement are many but Paul understood that one of them was Satanic opposition. He also understood that as the effectiveness of the Gospel increased, so did the opposition. Thus, sometimes, just before a major spiritual breakthrough, Satan’s opposition would be the greatest—thus, “It’s always darkest just before the dawn.”

Satan’s opposition can come from anywhere. Well-meaning friends, physical weariness, circumstances, depression and loneliness can all be used by Satan to cause us to quit just before God gives the victory.

I believe we are in just such a battle here at First Wesleyan. God has brought us a long way toward becoming the “Lighthouse” He always intended us to be. But we are not there yet and the closer we get, the greater grows the opposition. Martin Luther wrote, And though this world, with devils filled, should threaten to undo us, We will not fear, for God hath willed His truth to triumph through us: the Prince of Darkness grim, we tremble not for him; his rage we can endure, for lo, his doom is sure, one little word shall fell him.

This is a spiritual battle. It will not be won, and cannot be fought, with physical weapons. Paul wrote, “We are not unaware of [Satan’s] schemes.” (2 Cor. 2:11b) The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. (2 Cor. 10:4)

What are those weapons? Let me suggest the following:

· Praise. When God’s people praise Him, Satan is silenced. His accusations, lies and threats are the roots from which grow unbelief and rebellion towards God. Often we try to figure out which of these thoughts are ours and which are Satan’s. What we ought to do is PRAISE by singing or speaking! When we do, God is honored and Satan is silenced.

· The Word of God. Jesus overcame Satan in the Wilderness by the Word of God. He didn’t argue or reason or any other human means. He quoted the Word of God. John wrote, “. . . I write to you, young men, because you are strong, and the word of God lives in you, and you have overcome the evil one.” (1 John 2:14b) ‘Think you’ve got a better idea?

· The blood of Jesus. We don’t hear about this one as much as we used to. “Pleading the blood” was a staple for earlier generations. Here’s the facts: We all sin—either intentionally or by “falling short.” When we do, the “accuser of our souls” uses that sin, either directly or through others, to rob us of the power we have in Christ. “Pleading the blood” simply means saying, “Yep, I’m guilty but Jesus’ blood was shed for that sin. In modern idiom, you say to Satan, “Talk to the Hand. The one with the nail in it!”

· Prayer. Prayer is not preparation for the battle—prayer IS the battle. Why? Because when we pray we are totally dependent on God and not ourselves. When we are quoting Scripture and praising and pleading the Blood, WE are doing something. When we pray, we are alone with our thoughts. We are vulnerable. Only the presence of God can make prayer more than a ritual or an opportunity for Satan to distract and confuse.

· Your Testimony. The Psalmist said, “Forget not all His benefits.” (Ps. 103:2) Saying what God has done for you is a reminder of what you have and is an antidote for Satan’s recollection of what you don’t. Everyone who is born again has a testimony. Everyone who has received an answer to prayer has a testimony. John wrote, “They overcame [Satan] by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony; (Rev. 12:11a)

In the days ahead, Satan’s attacks will grow stronger on First Wesleyan Church and YOU, if you’re a vital part of it. Be “wise as serpents and harmless as doves.” (Matt. 10:16). Recognize Satan’s schemes but respond with Heavens weapons.

It’s the Lighthouse and it’s under attack, Saints!

Pastor Tim

A Call To Revival—From The Past

On Sunday, Audrey Thornton gave me a devotional from a book by Dr. George Failing. For many years, Dr. Failing was the Editor of the denominational magazine of the Wesleyan Church. His words, written so many years ago, are relevant for us as we prepare for a “Big Change”

DAY 17

I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones (Isa. 57:15)

REVIVALS ARE AS CLOSE as the closet --the closet of secret prayer.

Revivals are never precipitated simply by conventions, by campaigns, by human promotion. These may precede, but of themselves they never precipitate revivals.

Revivals are born in hearts that are desperately athirst for God. Only dissatisfied Christians can experience revival, Christians who are humbled by their own faults or by the coldness of the Church.

Revival is a personal experience, not a mass movement. While there were 120 in the Upper Room, the Spirit fell "upon each one of them." There was personal readiness before there was revival.

Revival is the result of a heartbreak over my own sins of neglect, my own difficulty in personal relations, my own fears and resentments, my own struggle to preserve my place and my rights. When I receive fresh forgiveness for my neglects, fresh cleansing from my accumulated impurities, fresh releases from my quest for my own ways and desires, revival comes.

Revival comes as a fire to burn away all dross, to destroy, all the idols. It brings death to all that is unlike Christ in my habits and plans, and puts life into all spiritual activities.

When revival comes — and not until then — I can pray through for someone else, I can forgive all who have wronged me, I can bless all who persecute and abuse me, I can see God's purposes triumph. Why don't we bring ourselves — each one of us — to Christ's cross again, and there remain to die until we truly live? Then we will have revival.

It was the Lighthouse then and it’s the Lighthouse now, Saints!

Pastor Tim

Back To School Sunday

It is hard to believe that it’s time for children and young people to go back to school. Where did the summer go? Sunday, we will celebrate the return to school with “Back To School” Sunday. Our young people will participate in the service, we will have a special prayer of dedication for both students and faculty and our Youth Pastor, Jason Crissman, will preach.

First Wesleyan Christian School begins her 35^th year or service this year. Our celebration of that milestone will be in November with Dr. David Spittal of Southern Wesleyan University.

Young people today have a very different environment in which to learn than many of us had. Discipline, political correctness and the danger of violence were not problems when many of us went to school but they are facts of life for students today. We certainly need to pray for our young people and those who work with them. God alone can protect them from the dangers of life today. More than ever, our influence is spiritual, not physical. Paul said, “For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. ¹³Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand.” (Ephesians 6:12-13)

May God bless and keep our students this year.

It’s the Lighthouse, Saints!

Pastor Tim

A Short Lesson In Greek Grammar

It was my priviledge to sit under the teaching of Professor Marling Eliot. Prof. Eliot was fluent in New Testament Greek. He would take his Greek Testament to Church and follow along with the reading of the Scripture. He would translate “on the fly” in class. I wasn’t a very good student but Prof Eliot gave me a love for the Bible because he not only knew the language; he knew the “writer.” His passion to know God by knowing His Word was one of the shaping influences of my life.

One of the things I learned about Greek was that the pronouns are both singular and plural. We understand that here in the south. We say “you” when we refer to one person and “y’all” or “y’uns” when we mean more than one.

In Greek, the words are “su” (pronounnced “soo”) and “umeiV” (pronounced “humais”). Unfortunately most translations of the Bible don’t differenciate between singular and plural so we are left to our own interpretation and most of the time, we do so self-centeredly. Keith Drury points out in his new book, There Is No “I” In Church, our misinterpretation of Philippians 2:5. It says, “Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus:”

Most of us would interpret “your” to be singular so that the verse would mean “I should develop Christ-like attitudes.” The pronoun is “umeiV” – plural! In fact, most of them are in the New Testament. It is the Church that is to develop Christ-like attitudes. Repeatedly, the Bible reminds us that “we come to the Cross alone but we go to heaven together.”

While it is possible to have a personal “revival,” I believe God wants First Wesleyan Church to have a “revival” together. We can have such a greater impact if we are united in our passion to see men and women, boys and girls come to Christ.

I want to encourage you to begin working through the “Big Change” booklet you received Sunday morning. There’s a Scriptural prayer for revival adapted from Mary Stuart Relfe and a self-study to help you see the areas God wants to work on in your life and finally, a forty-day devotional aimed at revival. The Bible’s promise is “if my people” (note: not “person”) “will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land.” 2 Chronicles 7:14

It’s the Lighthouse, Saints!

Pastor Tim

Corporate Worship and Intimacy

There never seems to be enough time to say everything that needs to be said in a sermon. One of the things I left out of Sunday’s sermon was how worship can be both “corporate” and “intimate”. The two words seem at odds in part because we don’t understand their meanings.

“Corporate” comes from the Latin word “corpus” which means “body.” A “body” is made up of many parts that are all dissimilar but have a single purpose. Paul uses the “body” as an illustration of the the Church—we are Christ’s body. Thus we are each a unique part with a common goal.

“Intimate” comes from a Latin word which means “to impress” or “to make familiar.” Perhaps the latter meaning is the key to why we misunderstand corporate intimacy in worship. The old adage says, “Familiarity breeds contempt.” When we lose our sense of wonder about our partner, we lose the romance of marriage. When the excitement of a new baby is replaced with the drudgery of changing diapers and midnight feedings, we begin to feel more like servants and less like parents. Similarly, worship can become commonplace and rote and can become “familiar.”

Our culture promotes individuality at the expense of corporate values. It’s true in the Church as well. “If you don’t like the music, go somewhere else.” “If you don’t like the preaching, go somewhere else.” “If you don’t like the people, go somewhere else.”

Rarely do people ask, “What does God like?” “What will honor Him?” “What can we do to bring glory to His Name?” In both the Old and New Testaments, worship was primarily a corporate experience.

In corporate worship, everyone is part of the play, and the audience is God. Every worshipper has a role to play, and all that is done is directed toward God. The attitude of the worshipper should be to give to God, not to get something for the self (though that will happen in intimate worship).

What is your role? If we were actors, none of us would think of participating in a play without preparing and memorizing our lines. Does God deserve less or more than we would give mere mortals?

The Psalmist urged US to “enter His gates with thanksgiving and His courts with praise.” For most of us, that would be a good place to start.

It’s the Lighthouse, Saints!

Pastor Tim

Christian Life and Witness Course

There are a lot of benefits to a county-wide event like the one we will have with Will Graham in October. Churches pray together and work together and give together. I’m reminded of the Gospel song, “Heaven came down and glory filled my soul.” In heaven, we will, all of us who are saved by grace, pray and praise and work and give—together! The Jesus Video Project and the Will Graham Celebration are a foretaste of what unity will one day be like.

Another significant benefit is the “Christian Life and Witness” Course provided by the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association for those who want to be counselors at the Celebration. Anyone can attend (whether you want to serve as a counselor or not) and the classes are free. The classes deal with the fundamentals of the Christian life and how to communicate those truths to others. I hope everyone in our Church will attend the three-week training between August 28^th and September 16^th. Here are the dates, times and places:

A ministry of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association

CHRISTIAN LIFE AND WITNESS COURSE

Course Options: August 28^th– September 16^th, 2006

Mondays

August 28 and September 4 &11

Tuesdays

August 29 and September 5 &12

Wednesdays

August 30 and September 6 &13

Thursdays

August 31 and September 7 &14

Saturdays

September 2, 9 &11

CHERRYVILLE

BELMONT

DALLAS

MOUNT HOLLY

GASTONIA

Second Baptist Church

7:00-9:00 p.m.

201 N. Houser St.

704-435-9657

First United Methodist

Church of Belmont

7:00—9:00 p.m.

807 South Point Rd.

704-825-2106

Hardin Baptist Church

7:00-9:00 p.m.

548 Hardin Rd.

704-922-3763

Harvest Time Church of God

Student Emphasis

7:00—9:00 p.m.

707 Westland Farm Rd.

704-822-8033

Live music begins at 6:30 p.m.

First Wesleyan Church

10:00 a.m.—Noon

208 S. Church St. 704-867-7206

GASTONIA

St. John Missionary Baptist Church

7:00—9:00 p.m.

1282 Bradford Heights Rd.

704-864-6222

STANLEY

First Baptist Church

7:00—9:00 p.m.

409 Old Mount Holly Rd.

704-263-4783

Attend one class per week for three weeks. No registration is necessary. Each class is two hours in length.

It’s the Lighthouse, Saints!

Pastor Tim

Two Dollars and Two Minutes

In just a little over 12 weeks, Gaston County will have the opportunity of a lifetime. Churches from across the county will gather at Sims Baseball Park for the Greater Gaston County Celebration with Will Graham. Will Graham is Billy Graham’s grandson but that is not what makes this event so important. It is important because of the scope of outreach possible when Churches unite their efforts to see lost men and women come to Christ.

Just like our local Wesleyan Church could not send a missionary to a foreign land by ourselves, when we unite with 1200 other Wesleyan Churches across North America, we are able to mount a sizeable force for the Kingdom.

This united effort begins like any other effort with prayer and that’s where the “Two Dollars and Two Minutes” comes in. Myra Hanks, who runs “Joyful Noise” Music Store just west of us on Franklin has purchased 2500 green rubber wristbands and she’s giving them away! Anyone with half-a-brain knows that’s not a good business decision but it is a good “Kingdom” decision. These rubber bracelets are prayer reminders for the Celebration.

I put one on a little over a week ago and I have to be honest—I hate it! It annoys me to have this bracelet on my arm but that’s its purpose! Every time I see it (you can’t miss it—it’s bright green) or feel it (the rubber pulls my arm hairs) I remember to pray for the Celebration AND for five lost people whose initials I have written on the band. The minor discomfort (compared with, say, nails in my hands—cf. 2 Cor. 4:17) of this bracelet is nothing compared to the time I’ve spent praying that I wouldn’t have spent had I not put it on.

I want to challenge each of you to get a bracelet, donate $2 (to help Myra pay for her investment), write the initials of lost people you know who need to come to the Celebration and to Christ and start being annoyed. It’s a small price to pay to see the people you love come to Christ. You do love them that much, don’t you?

It’s the Lighthouse, Saints!

Pastor Tim

An Evangelist

One of the great priviledges of growing up in a parsonage was the opportunity to meet some of the great evangelists of the previous century. I met them, not in the context of a Church service but in the context of a home. Men like John R. Church, B. O. Crowe, Roy S. Nicholson and J. P. Trueblood all made an indelible impression on me. They were assisted by able song evangelists like J. W. Stiles and Dick Whitener. Others did the work of an evangelist as well. Two women, traveled as music evangelists and played the xylophone and a chalk artist, Edwin Wallace.

The variety of styles and approaches of these gifted and called men and women were used by God to reach thousands of unsaved people over the years.

More recently, our Church has benefited from the ministry of evangelists as well. It was after our revival with Hank Williams that God gave us a ministry to the Cruisers. It was after the Area Revival with Anthony Graham that the prayer groups really took off. Adrian Despre’s ministry resulted in real heart-change among many of our members.

God gave the Church evangelists becasuse He knew we needed them. We need people with the unique calling and gifts to present the Gospel in a pursuasive way. Evangelists DO NOT take the place of believers, each of whom has the responsibility and priviledge to share their faith with others as well. Rather, they serve a unique function of reaching the lost and equipping others to reach them as well. Paul put it this way: “It was he [God] who gave some to be . . . evangelists,. . . ¹²to prepare God’s people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up ¹³until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ. (Ephesians 4:11-13)

In order to effectively reach the lost in our community, we need compassion to motivate us, prayer to give us direction, workers to do the work of ministry and an evangelist to show us how by doing it.

Jesus told a parable once about two men, each building a house. One built on sand while the other constructed on rock. When the inevitable storms came, the house on the rock stood while the house on the sand failed. Jesus’ application of this parable was that people who heard the truth and didn’t obey it were foolish like a man who builds on sand.

What I have told you over the past four weeks is the truth! Don’t foolishly read it and do nothing. Rather, evaluate where you are in God’s plan to reach the lost. Perhaps you feel little compassion for lost people. Spend time with them and understand again the guilt and hopelessness of being lost. Perhaps your aren’t praying—at least not sacrificially so. Get with other believers who will both hold you accountable and inspire you to pray. Perhaps you’re not involved. Find a need and fill it. Perhaps YOU are the evangelist we need. Don’t limit God by your own opinion of what you can do. God has someone to equip this body of believers to win lost people—perhaps that somebody is you.

In 1858, a prayer revival that had begun in New York City reached Chicago. A young shoe salesman went to the superintendent of the Plymouth Congregational Church, and asked if he might teach Sunday School. The superintendent said, 'I am sorry, young fellow. I have sixteen teachers too many, but I will put you on the waiting list.'

The young man insisted, 'I want to do something just now.'

'Well, start a class.'

'How do I start a class?'

'Get some boys off the street but don't bring them here. Take them out into the country and after a month you will have control of them, so bring them in. They will be your class.'

He took them to a beach on Lake Michigan and he taught them Bible verses and Bible games. Then he took them to the Plymouth Congregational Church. The name of that young man was Dwight L. Moody, and that was the beginning of a ministry that lasted forty years.

It’s the Lighthouse—more than ever!

Pastor Tim

Workers

Thus far we’ve considered compassion and prayer as elements of a vision from God. Compassion provides motivation; prayer provides direction and workers provide—well, WORK!

Recently our state adopted the heinous practice of selling lottery tickets. Ostensibly the goal is to fund education with the profits but the damage the lottery does as an educational practice far outways whatever minimal and short-term benefit the profits may provide. The state of North Carolina is now in the business of teaching her citizens that you can get rich without working for it. Few people understand the difference between being “rich” and “having money”.

William "Bud" Post won $16.2 million in the Pennsylvania lottery in 1988 but now lives on his Social Security. "I wish it never happened. It was totally a nightmare," says Post.

A former girlfriend successfully sued him for a share of his winnings. It wasn't his only lawsuit. A brother was arrested for hiring a hit man to kill him, hoping to inherit a share of the winnings. Other siblings pestered him until he agreed to invest in a car business and a restaurant in Sarasota, Fla., -- two ventures that brought no money back and further strained his relationship with his siblings. Post even spent time in jail for firing a gun over the head of a bill collector. Within a year, he was $1 million in debt. Post admitted he was both careless and foolish, trying to please his family. He eventually declared bankruptcy. Now he lives quietly on $450 a month and food stamps. Bud Post “had money” but he wasn’t (and isn’t) “rich”.

In recent years, society has grown increasingly critical of the “Puritan Work Ethic.” Admittedly, some have allowed work to so consume them that faith and family have suffered. But work and its reward are valuable tools in the hands of God to shape our character and stamp out our carnality.

Jesus said the harvest was plentiful but that workers were not (Matthew 9:37). Anyone who works in any volunteer-driven organization (religious or secular) will tell you that recruiting workers is one of the most difficult tasks—even more so than raising money.

Even Jesus had a volunteer turn him down! In Matthew 19, Jesus met a young, wealthy man who wanted to volunteer for Jesus’ mission. When Jesus made clear the requirements of the job and the remuneration, the young man (like so many potential volunteers) refused to serve. His decision underscores the key element in seeing God’s vision accomplished. The rich young man refused to serve because, in his mind, the sacrifice was greater than the reward. Jesus said to him: “sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven.” When earthly reward is more important to us that eternal reward, volunteering is difficult. Jesus put it this way: “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. ²⁰But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. ²¹For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” (Matthew 6:19-21)

It’s no use telling ourselves we believe in a thing (our “heart” is there) if we aren’t willing to invest our treasure, or time, or talent or testimony. Involvement, not words, is the acid test of what we value. Saying we believe in children’s ministry and evangelism and prayer is “having money”; being involved in those things is being “rich.”

It’s the Lighthouse, Saints!

Pastor Tim

Prayer

It’s one thing to go to a mountain and receive direction from the Lord. Moses received the Ten Commandments but returned to “the sound of singing” and the disobedience of God’s people. Implementing a vision is one of the hardest things any leader has to do. Many people feel compassion but the step to action is usually a tough one.

That’s why prayer is always the first step. Compassion that leads directly to action has given us some bizarre results. There’s a petition that has circulated for more than 20 years, first by hand and now by the internet, that says Madalyn Murray O’Hare has gotten a bill before Congress to ban religious broadcasting. Another says that the President of Procter and Gamble claims to be a satanist and that the corporation’s profits go to fund satanist projects. These rumors are circulated by well-meaning Christians who feel compassion but do not pray before they act.

Prayer allows God time and opportunity to conform us to His will. Seeking to do even the right thing in the wrong way or at the wrong time can be disastrous. Prayer opens the door to God’s thoughts in our minds.

Paul reminds us that our bodies are the “Temple of the Holy Spirit” (1 Cor. 3:16) and that the “Spirit Himself intercedes for us” (Rom 8:26). Imagine then that the Holy Spirit within us prays with an understanding of God’s will that is perfect because of His unity with the Father. Jesus told His followers to “watch and pray.” (Matt. 26:41).

But prayer can also be a cover for a reluctance to act. Many (some would suggest most) of the things Christians need to be doing (loving your enemies, witnessing, fasting) don’t need to be prayed about. God has clearly stated His plan and desire for us. Some Christians are still praying about whether they ought to attend Church regularly or tithe or forgive someone who has wronged you. God has already answered those prayers.

So how do we achieve balance between praying and acting? Pray until God acts and then join Him in what He is doing. The old-timers called it “God opening a door.” As you pray, “watch.” See where God is doing something and as soon as you do, join Him. If, for some reason, you’ve misunderstood what God is doing, He will understand your heart and your desire to be obedient.

How does this relate to the Cruiser Ministry? On Friday, June 30^th, we will have a “Two Year Anniversary” Celebration beginning at 7:00 p.m. Anyone who is interested in the Ministry is invited to come. At the meeting, we will make some decisions about how best to reach lost people. So that means that the two weeks between now and then are crucial. Pray that we will be able to see what God is doing. He wants to see the lost who come to our Church on Friday Night saved even more than we do.

It’s the Lighthouse, Saints!

Pastor Tim

Compassion

Last week I wrote about my trip to the mountains for a time of spiritual reflection and of the Lord’s direction regarding soul-winning. For the next few weeks I want to expand on each of the four areas: compassion, prayer, workers and an evangelist.

The Hebrew word for “compassion” comes from the root word for “fondle” (hence the “passion” part of the word). The New Testament word is more familiar to us in the King James—“bowels of mercy.” These two meanings underscore the visceral nature of compassion. It is not an act of the will—compassion is a function of the heart. You don’t read about “knowing” compassion; you “feel” compassion.

Compassion is a quality God shares with us. In Exodus 33, God says to Moses, “I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion.” (v. 19) Psalm 103:13 says, As a father has compassion on his children, so the LORD has compassion on those who fear him; So though we may say that “compassion” is a human emotion, it is more than that! It is a quality God has chosen to share with us.

Is it possible to develop “compassion” or is it something that you either fell or don’t feel? The Bible suggests that God is in a constant state of “compassion” (constancy being a quality He DOESN”T share with us). Our compassion comes and goes but can compassion be intentional? I believe it can. If you are riding along NOT feeling compassion and see an injured animal, you feel compassion for the animal. If you are watching TV NOT feeling compassion and one of those commercials for suffering children comes on, your feelings change. Compassion is generated when our attention is called to a need.

But what happens then? It is possible to FEEL compassion without doing anything about it. We might fear an injured animal and we’ve certainly watched commercials for suffering children and not donated. In Mark 1, Jesus is “moved with compassion” and touches and heals a man with leprosy. Compassion can result in being moved to take action.

The work of reaching lost people is for the tortoise, not the hare. Motivation from guilt or enthusiasm won’t last. Godly compassion for lost people will last as long as there is a need.

Developing compassion comes from seeing the need. To that end, I’d like to invite anyone to come see what goes on here on Friday night. I believe Jesus looks at the parking lot of First Wesleyan Church on Friday Nights and has compassion for people who are harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. Come see what Jesus sees.

It’s the Lighthouse, Saints!

Pastor Tim

I’ve Been To The Mountain!

Mark 6:46 After leaving them, he went up on a mountainside to pray.

Jesus understood the value of retreat. Not “retreat” in the face of battle—“retreat” before the battle. What follows this statement is Mark is Jesus establishing His Lordship over nature by calming the sea. Jesus understood the need to prepare. He did so by getting alone with His Father.

I’ve just had the opportunity to do that. Brian Matherlee’s Dad, Tom and his wife Charlotte, invited six pastors to use their home in the mountains for a couple of days to retreat. We spent the first six hours or so practicing the discipline of silence and solitude. The next six, we spent in honest and open sharing about God’s work in our hearts. Six were spent sleeping and six focusing God’s direction for our lives and Churches and in praying for one another. The numbers aren’t exact and we didn’t plan it that way but that’s pretty much how it happened. You may have noticed the absence of two things usually very important to preachers—eating and golf! That was by design.

Each of us came away with a unique word from the Lord. Mine had to do with winning lost people. I am burdened that we are not doing a better job of reaching lost people and seeing them become mature followers of Christ. It is Christ’s first priority for the Church.

· We will have all of eternity to worship but we only have until Jesus returns to win the lost.

· We can feed the hungry, clothe the naked, visit the sick and park the Cruisers but if they die and go to hell, nothing else we did for them mattered.

· We can say we care about lost people but if we don’t do everything we can to win them, we are like a “sounding brass or a tinkling cymbal.”

The most productive field we have as a Church right now are the people who come to our Church on Friday night for the Cruiser Ministry. They are a broad cross-section of people—teens, young adults, families, homeless people—the very sort of people described by Matthew: “When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. ³⁷Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few.” (Matthew 9:36-37)

I believe Jesus looks at the parking lot of First Wesleyan Church on Friday Nights and has compassion for people who are harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. I think He then turns to us—His disciples--and says, “The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few.”

Jesus is calling for the people of First Wesleyan Church to be workers in the harvest of souls on Friday Night. Let me suggest several ways:

Compassion—St Thomas Aquinas said, “I would rather feel compassion than know the meaning of it.”

Prayer—We need those who will come before and during Cruisers and pray. Like Aaron and Hur held up the hands of Moses (Exodus 17:10), we need those who will pray sacrificially for the salvation of the lost.

Workers—As the ministry grows, we need people to commit to one or two Friday’s a month to help set-up, serve, mingle and tear-down.

An Evangelist—James Brooks called our attention to a passage from the Sunday School lesson on Sunday. Philippians 4:9 Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. . . We need God to raise up someone who knows how to present the Gospel to Cruisers in an effective way. There are many of us who are more than ready to “put it into practice.”

It’s the Lighthouse, Saints!

Pastor Tim

Another Call To Prayer

Yet another call to prayer was issued this week. This time by an outsider.

When the Church invited me to come here as pastor, I began to pray for a vision from God as to His priorities and plans for the Church. One of the first impressions I had was to call the Church to pray. One of the first initiatives I undertook when I got here was to invite people to pray on Wednesday night before Church for physical healing and Sunday night for the salvation of the lost. Several prayed from time to time but Earl Hall joined me faithfully on Wednesday and Ronnie Hallman on Sunday. Earl continues faithfully in heaven today while Ronnie leads the LBA prayer meeting on Sunday morning.

Following the Area Revival two years ago, a group began to meet on Tuesday and Thursday morning. Sometime after that, Jimmy Hart and Bill Joles began a group to gather for “Prayer and Praise” on Sunday morning before Sunday School. Barry McKinnon has called us to “Half-Days” of prayer from time to time. Special prayer efforts in support of the teachers and staff at FWCS and the Lighthouse Women’s “Ladies Night Out” and the Youth Group have called us to pray.

And God has heard and answered our prayers. It hasn’t been on our timetable and it hasn’t been always what we expected but God has heard and answered!

I remember when we started the “Cruiser Ministry.” We’d sometimes sit around for hours without a single person coming by. Some nights now, we long for those more relaxing days as we try to keep hot dogs cooked and drinks cold and people welcomed. The change in the Cruiser Ministry occurred a year ago this past weekend. A tragic accident involving two cars who were racing and customers at the Dairy Queen brought the spotlight of public attention to our ministry and it has been growing ever since. What Satan intended for evil, God used for good.

What will it take to get First Wesleyan Church to pray as She has in the past and as She must for the future? Metropolitan Tabernacle in London, England reached 10,000 people every Sunday in the late 19^th Century under the leadership of Charles Spurgeon because they had a “Boiler Room” where hundreds of people prayed. Today, the Brooklyn Tabernacle under the leadership of Jim Cymbala reaches thousands of New Yorkers because of a Tuesday Night Prayer Meeting.

God has faithfully called us; this past Sunday in the person of George Bell. George rededicated his life to the Lord some months ago and has visited our Church several times. He has always come to the early prayer meeting and has been burdened by the fact that it was not better attended. Throughout this past week, his burden to “say something” grew. On Sunday morning, he prayed that God would help him to speak kindly and clearly and that his message would be heard.

God is calling First Wesleyan Church to concerted, corporate prayer. He has issued the call from various sources. Because He wants us to trust in Him and not ourselves, He will continue to call until we listen and obey. Or, He will find someone who will. Jesus said, “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.”

It’s the Lighthouse, Saints!

Pastor Tim

A Little History

Sunday, we celebrated the 106^th Anniversary of the Church. We learned a bit about Rev. H. W. Hawkins, the founder of our Church. He contributed to the founding of more than 35 Wesleyan Churches in North Carolina. He “went to bat” to save the District from being disbanded in 1902.

The second pastor of the Church was a woman by the name of Rev. Belle McClure. Under her ministry, the District Campmeeting was begun on the land now occupied by FWCS. The Campmeeting started in a tent and later built a tabernacle.

Rev. W. C. Lovin became associated with Gastonia, First. He was attending Central College and came to Gastonia in the summers of 1913 and 1914 to work in the broom factory which had been started by Rev. H. W. Hawkins, and later bought by Mr. C. L. Eppley, a member of First Church. Apparently many “would-be preachers” earned money for college expenses by working there during the summers.

Rev. Lovin related that he attended two summers of Camp Meeting while he worked in the broom factory and “Brother Hawkins appointed me as a bell boy. I would have to ring the bell every few hours.” He related that after he rang the ten o’clock bell, which would be equivalent to “lights out.” “All the sleeping places would be filled up and I would have to rake up some straw under the tabernacle and sleep there.” He told how the tabernacle would be filled with from 500-600 people and “the whole hillside would be covered with people that couldn’t get into the tabernacle.” Membership records show that Rev. W. C. Lovin joined the church February 7, 1914 and was granted his letter January, 1917, presumably after being called to pastor a church. His high regard for the church can be seen by his choosing three Gastonia First girls as his wives: Beulah Ramsey Lovin, Lucy Beatty Lovin, and Bessie Ramsey Lovin.

In 1976, W. C. Lovin’s son, Wesley, came to pastor the Church and some of the greatest days of the Church’s history were under his leadership.

How might history have been different had Rev. Hawkins not started a broom factory or Rev. McClure, a Campmeeting?

What will history say about the Cruiser Ministry or the Ladies Night Out?

The writer of the book of Ecclesiastes said, ”Sow your seed in the morning, and at evening let not your hands be idle, for you do not know which will succeed, whether this or that, or whether both will do equally well.” (Ecclesiastes 11:6) It’s time for YOU to ring the bell!

It’s the Lighthouse, Saints!

Pastor Tim

Do You Know This Man?

Mary and I went down to SWU last Saturday to fetch Austin and all his belongings for the summer. We decided to stay over for the Alumni banquet because Mary’s brother, David Medders was receiving an “Outstanding Alumnus” award.

2006 is the 100^th Anniversary of Southern Wesleyan University. Several special events are planned throughout the year culminating with the October Homecoming celebration. At the Alumni Banquet, two men were honored as “Alumni of the Century.” The first, Dr. Virgil Mitchell, was touted as “the greatest College President Southern NEVER had!” He was to succeed R. C. Mullinax as president of the college but was elected General Superintendent by the General Conference of the Wesleyan Church in the summer of 1968.

The second was Dr. Roy S. Nicholson. Dr. Nicholson came to SWU in the Fall of 1959, from the General Superintendency of the Wesleyan Church. He had led the Wesleyan Church as the last solo General Superintendent. Four Superintendents replaced him when he left! Some actually opposed his election as Chair of the Department of Religion because they felt he was too liberal (read that—“not legalistic enough”). Dr. Nicholson served with distinction until he “retired” in 1968. At the beginning of his tenure, he asked the Lord to give him 100 ministers whom he could influence. Many of the names of those men and women are familiar to you: James Capps, Marlin Mull, Willard Kiser, Gary Cockerill and Bob Black.

While I never had the privilege of sitting under his teaching, after the death of his wife, Dr. Nicholson lived in the retirement apartments at First Wesleyan in High Point. I was on staff at Hickory Chapel in High Point and used to go see Dr. Nicholson as often as I could. His scholarly, devout personality and genuine interest in the Church and in me made those visits cherished memories.

The Wesleyan Church owes an enormous debt to many men and women who have gone before us. As the song-writer says, “May all who come behind us find us faithful!”

It’s the Lighthouse, Saints!

Pastor Tim

The Power of Corporate Prayer

Many of you have followed the story of Carl Stowe. Carl is a local physician’s assistant and active member of the Volunteer Fire Department at Crowder’s Mountain. On March 29^th, he was critically injured in an automobile accident near his home. Many of the men and women Carl had trained in rescue efforts worked to free him from his vehicle and administer life-saving aid. Carl was transported to Carolina’s Medical Center in Charlotte with life-threatening injuries.

The following night, friends and co-workers gathered at the Crowder’s Mountain VFD where Carl had worked and held a PRAYER vigil. The Gaston Gazette reported that Crowders Mountain Fire Chief Mike Horne said, “We’re asking for prayers. Pass the word on to church prayer lists. The next 72 hours are going to be a critical time. We all need to be doing some heavy-duty praying”

Carl’s office has been turned into a prayer room and doctors, nurses and friends spend time there asking the Lord to heal Carl. Prayer is working! Claudia Toner is Carl’s younger sister and she reports in the Hunter Huss Alumni Newsletter, “Carl was taken off the respirator yesterday!!! He is answering yes and no with a nod or shake of his head. Thank you so much for being such faithful prayer warriors. The battle is being won! God is so merciful and good! Please continue your prayers for his kidneys and liver to begin functioning!”

Carl has experienced an amazing turnaround as people have prayed. Many of the people involved are trained in what to do when someone is injured. Those folk, more than most, know when a person is likely to live and when hope is dim. Those people knew that Carl’s injuries were serious—too serious for mortal hands to heal. So they prayed. And it worked! Carl Stowe will most likely recover from his injuries.

E. M. Bounds said, “The power of the Church truly to bless rests on intercession—asking and receiving heavenly gifts to carry to men.”

If that is so, doesn’t it make sense to spend more time praying TOGETHER for the things that are important? Unsaved friends and loved ones. People who are sick. Broken relationships. Strong families.

Some of you members of “The Greatest Generation” that I talked about on Sunday remember “cottage prayer meetings.” They weren’t Bible studies or social occasions. A small group of people met in someone’s home to pray. They prayed for unsaved people and the sick and the disenfranchised and for families. And God answered their prayers. People got saved and folks were healed and the Church was healthier.

If you’re not involved in a regular time of prayer with other people, let me encourage you to do so. People like Carl Stowe are counting on you.

It’s the lighthouse, Saints!

Pastor Tim

Church Elections

This Sunday, we begin the process of electing our leaders for the year to come. If it seems a little early to be doing so that’s because it is! This year, the North Carolina West District is transitioning to a District Year that begins on May 1^st and concludes on April 31^st. Those who have served this past year have only served eleven months and all our records and averages for this year will be based on eleven months as well. From now on (or until a good reason to change presents itself), the year will run from May to April.

We certainly have much to be thankful for as we conclude the records for this year. God has blessed us and, as many have said, “God is on the move!” Sunday School, Youth, Children’s Ministry, Cruisers, the Music Ministry, Wesleyan Faithfuls, Lighthouse Women and Wesleyan Men have all experienced a good year. Foundational to both the changes we’ve seen and the ongoing success is the prayer effort of the Church. It wouldn’t have started and it won’t continue unless we pray.

Wayne Schmidt is the pastor of the Kentwood Wesleyan Church in Michigan. Several years ago he wrote a book entitled, Leading When God is Moving. In it, he warned of two dangers of which we need to be aware:

1. Making growth the goal rather than “doing the right things.” The reason we’ve had a good year is because we’ve prayed and focused on people and all the other things that make for healthy Church growth. Keeping those things our priority is essential to continued growth.

2. Recognizing the attack of the enemy for what it is. This Church has had more than Her share of experience with satanic attack. Seeing someone’s failure or choice or mistake for what it is—Satan’s attack on a Church that is making inroads into his turf—demonstrates maturity and vision on the part of the leadership of the Church.

That’s why your choices over the next few weeks are so important. Choose wisely those who know Christ well. Choose those who can lead when God is moving—because He is!

It’s the Lighthouse, Saints!

Pastor Tim

Holy Week

For most of us, this week is like most others. We may have the day off Friday, we may plan to attend some special service on Thursday or Friday or we may plan to get together with family and friends at some point, but for the most part, Holy Week is no more “Holy” for most of us than any other week.

It was not that way for Jesus. Following the “Triumphal entry” into the city on Sunday, Jesus looked around the Temple observing the irreverent commerce. Those who attribute Jesus’ later “cleansing of the Temple” to an outburst of anger need to understand the considered approach Jesus took to ridding the Temple of these thieves.

All that week he stayed with Mary, Martha and Lazarus in Bethany on the far side of the Mount of Olives from Jerusalem. Each night, He and the Disciples would return there to rest.

On Monday, on the way in to Jerusalem, Jesus encountered the barren fig tree which he cursed for its barrenness. Once in Jerusalem, He drove out the money-changers and sacrifice-sellers declaring that God’s House was to be a place of prayer.

On Tuesday, Jesus returned to Jerusalem and on the way, taught the lesson of the now-withered fig tree. Once in the Temple area, He was examined by the Temple leaders in much the same way the priests were examining the Passover lambs. This examination continued Wednesday and Jesus used the occasion to teach by both parable and prediction. Sometime Wednesday, Judas made contact with the Pharisees and agreed to betray Jesus for 30 pieces of silver.

On Thursday, the Disciples made preparation for the Passover Meal with Jesus. This “last supper” preceded a walk across the Kidron Valley to a cave near the olive grove where Jesus prayed. It was in that grove that Jesus was arrested. Thursday night and in the wee hours of Friday morning, He was tried before both Jewish and Roman courts and found innocent at every turn. Only a mob intimidated Pilate into issuing the death sentence for Jesus.

By 9:00 a.m. Friday morning, Jesus was on a Cross and by 3:00 that afternoon, He was dead. Had Friday been the end of the story, we would call Jesus’ last week “unholy.” It was, after all, filled with persecution, betrayal and torment. But the story ends on Sunday! The tomb, in which they laid the lifeless body of Jesus was empty and the living Christ was out and about appearing to first one and then another and to groups of people. Each one confirmed that Jesus was alive!

This week is “Holy” because, not only did Jesus die for your sins and mine, He rose from the dead to conquer sin and death.

It’s the Lighthouse, Saints!

Pastor Tim

Two Wheelchairs

Last night, after the evening service, Mary and I took Kerry Pickard out for supper to Cracker Barrel. Seated in different parts of the area in which we were eating were two people in wheelchairs. Despite that similarity, they could not have been more different.

The man was with a large group of people who were all having a great time. He participated in the fun and was included in the group. When the food was served, the woman with him had to help him with some of his food and getting things arranged so that he could eat. Those preparations were done quietly and naturally without undue attention.

Across the room was a woman in another wheelchair. She and the man she was with, ate with little converstation. When she did speak, it was to complain that her table wasn’t the right height. She complained both to the man and her waitress.

I don’t know the situations of these two people nor the extent of their disabilities but they reminded me of the words Kerry had read from Isaiah 45:3 “I will give you the treasures of darkness, riches stored in secret places . . .” In times of “darkness” God has, for each of us, treasures we could never discover in the light.

It’s the Lighthouse, Saints!

Pastor Tim

What’s In It For Me?

It’s not a very flattering sentiment but often times, consciously or unconciously, we evaluate our decisions as to whether to commit our time, talent and treasure to a person or an event based on “what’s in it for me”.

· If I wait in line at this restaurant, will the reward be worth the investment?

· If I help out South Mountain, will my children or grandchildren benefit?

· If I give to World Hope for Katrina Relief, will my money make a difference?

So “what’s in it for me” to spend half-day in prayer on Saturday? Let me suggest five values:

1. For extended fellowship with God -- beyond your morning devotions. It means just plain being with and thinking about God. God has called us into the fellowship of His Son, Jesus Christ. Paul wrote, God, who has called you into fellowship with his Son Jesus Christ our Lord, is faithful. (1 Corinthians 1:9) Like many personal relationships this fellowship is nurtured by spending time together.
2. For renewed perspective. Like flying over the battlefield in a reconnaissance plane, a half-day of prayer gives opportunity to think about our world from God's point of view. That is especially true when we are going through some difficulty. We need this perspective to sharpen our vision of the unseen, and to let the immediate, tangible things drop into proper place. Our spiritual defenses are strengthened while we "fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For . . . what is unseen is eternal" (2 Corinthians 4:18).
3. For catching up on intercession. There are non-Christian friends and relatives to bring before the Lord, missionaries on various fields, your pastors and staff, your neighbors, your government leaders—just to name a few. Influencing people and changing events through prayer is well-known among Christians but too little practiced. And as the times become more serious around us, we need to reconsider the value of personal prayer, both to accomplish and prevent.
4. For prayerful introspection -- personal inventory and evaluation. When we are faced with an important decision, we will invest time and energy into research, thought and seeking advice. Will we invest an equal or greater amount of time in prayer? A half-day of prayer is a great time to evaluate where you are in relation to your goals, and get direction from the Lord through His Word.
5. For adequate preparation. If God has given us plans and purposes in these times alone, we will be ready when opportunity comes to move right into it. We won't have to say, "I'm not prepared." The reason many Christians are dead to opportunities is not because they are not mentally alert, but they are simply unprepared in heart. Preparation is made when we get alone with God.

Join Pastor Barry McKinnon and other like-minded saints for a half-day of prayer Saturday, April 1^st (no foolin’!) at 8:30 a.m.

It’s the Lighthouse, Saints!

Pastor Tim

March

Mary began her teaching career in Selma, Alabama. After graduating from Auburn University (War Eagle!), she taught music at two Junior High Schools in Selma. I was anxious to visit her in Selma both because I was pursuing her romantically and to see the Edmund Pettus Bridge. The bridge is a concrete and steel half-moon on the edge of Selma that leads onto Highway 80 to Montgomery.

On this day (March 21^st) in 1965, 3,200 civil rights demonstrators led by Martin Luther King, Jr., began an historic march from Selma to the State Capitol in Montgomery in the name of voting rights for African-Americans. Twice before, on March 7^th and 9^th, King had tried to lead the march only to be stopped by Alabama State Police as they crossed the bridge.

On March 21, U.S. Army troops and federalized Alabama National Guardsmen escorted the marchers across Edmund Pettus Bridge and down Highway 80. When the highway narrowed to two lanes, only 300 marchers were permitted, but thousands more rejoined the Alabama Freedom March as it came into Montgomery on March 25. On the steps of Alabama State Capitol, King addressed live television cameras and a crowd of 25,000, just a few hundred feet from Dexter Avenue Baptist Church, where he got his start as a minister in 1954. That August, Congress passed the Voting Rights Act, which guaranteed African Americans the right to vote. By 1967, African-American registered voters in Alabama had nearly tripled.

We’ve all been to an Edmund Pettus Bridge. There’s one in Concord, Massachusetts where brave patriots took a stand against British tyranny. There’s one on a hilltop outside Central, South Carolina where a group of men decided to plant a school to train ministers and missionaries for Wesleyans in the South. There are Edmund Pettus Bridges in Tiananmen Square in China and one in Bagdhad that are yet to be crossed.

Edmund Pettus Bridge is wherever there is a cause for which sacrifice is required to cross. The one in Selma eventually cost Dr. King his life to cross. But Dr. King and those who followed him believed the sacrifice was worth the crossing.

Things of real value are rarely convenient. David said, ^{“. . .}I will not sacrifice to the LORD my God burnt offerings that cost me nothing.” (2 Samuel 24:24)

Prayer, faith, change—they all require sacrifice but “answered prayer” and “rewarded faith” and “Christlike change” are worth it. When I look at where God is working in our Church, every place is an Edmund Pettus Bridge.

                    The song writer said, “Got any rivers you think are uncrossable?”   Take the Edmund Pettus Bridge.

It’s the Lighthouse, Saints!

Pastor Tim

SSDP ST SSR SSS

Acronyms! They are all around us and sometimes very puzzling. Recently we’ve learned about IED’s (Improvised Explosive Device). ASAP reminds us of the urgency of a matter. FWCS is a leading school in our area. ‘Know what NASCAR stands for? National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing.

So what is SSDP ST SSR SSS? Let’s break it down.

· SSDP is the “Sunday School Development Program.” The District Sunday School Committee is working with nine Churches to help their Sunday Schools grow. We are one of those nine.

· ST is “Session Two.” The first meeting we had was for the purpose of surveying the teachers and staff of the Sunday School. Last night was the second meeting.

· SSR is “Sunday School Renewal.” Most Sunday Schools have been declining for the past 20 years. It is in need of renewal.

· S is “Spirituality.” The first result of the survey’s taken was that spiritual growth is the #1 priority of Sunday School. If that is not true, Sunday School becomes mechanical. “Teaching the lesson” becomes the goal rather than “life change.” For growth to occur requires two things: New people—obviously. And new converts. If people attend Sunday School but aren’t vitally changed by it, what is the point?

· S is “Strategy.” The surveys produced four strategies: Start new classes that have a new focus and a new mission. Train teachers and leaders so that existing classes will have a uniform approach to growth and new classes will have personnel. Improve outreach by finding better ways to build bridges of friendship and communication to unbelievers. Target children. Adults have to have their minds and hearts changed to become a Christian but children only have to have their minds and hearts shaped to do so. The “payoff” with children, however, is not “next week” but the next generation.

· The last S is “Score.” The only way to know if you are winning is to keep score. So over the next year a couple of things are going to happen. First, the Sunday School leaders will meet to adopt a strategy to attract guests to Sunday School and to train leaders. Pray for them to have wisdom and vision. We’ll begin keeping track of the number of guests who visit our Sunday School. Growth cannot happen unless that number goes up. After six months we will evaluate how we are doing. That will be ST (Session Three) of the SSDP. Finally, after a year, we’ll “tweak” what we’ve done to make it better. Growth is a moving target.

I was encouraged that some of the things we need to do, we are already doing! Targeting children, for instance. And there seems to be enthusiasm growing for change that produces a harvest. After all, ITLS!

Pastor Tim

The Deaths of Celebrities

It seems there’s been a rash of “celebrity deaths” recently. Don Knotts who played Barney Fife on the Andy Griffith Show; Kirby Puckett, hall of fame baseball player; Christopher Reeves’ (who played superman and became an advocate for people with spinal chord injuries) widow, Dana Reeve; “Festus—Dennis Weaver. Of course, people die every day. I doubt if there’s ever been a day when the Gazette didn’t have at least one obituary. But a lot of attention is paid to the deaths of “stars.”

There’s a website called www. deadoraliveinfo.com where you can type in a celebrity’s name to see if they are dead or alive. Quick now. George Beverly Shea? John Wooden? Mitch Miller? All alive and in their nineties!

The Psalmist wrote, ^“Precious in the sight of the LORD is the death of his saints.” (Psalm 116:15) Sainthood is underrated and under-reported.

The story is told of an old missionary couple who had been working in Africa for years and were returning to New York to retire. They had no pension; their health was broken; they were defeated, discouraged, and afraid. They discovered they were booked on the same ship as President Teddy Roosevelt, who was returning from one of his big-game hunting expeditions.

No one paid any attention to them. They watched the fanfare that accompanied the President's entourage, with passengers trying to catch a glimpse of the great man. As the ship moved across the ocean, the old missionary said to his wife, "Something is wrong. Why should we have given our lives in faithful service for God in Africa all these many years and have no one care a thing about us? Here this man comes back from a hunting trip and everybody makes much over him, but nobody gives two hoots about us."

When the ship docked in New York, a band was waiting to greet the President. The mayor and other dignitaries were there. The papers were full of the President's arrival. No one noticed this missionary couple. They slipped off the ship and found a cheap flat on the East Side, hoping the next day to see what they could do to make a living in the city. That night the man's spirit broke. He said to his wife, "I can't take this; God is not treating us fairly".

His wife replied, "Why don't you go in the bedroom and tell that to the Lord?"

A short time later he came out from the bedroom, but now his face was completely different. His wife asked, "Dear, what happened?"

"The Lord settled it with me", he said. "I told Him how bitter I was that the President should receive this tremendous homecoming, when no one met us as we returned home. And when I finished, it seemed as though the Lord put His hand on my shoulder and simply said; "But you're not home yet."

The Dead Sea Scrolls

Saturday night my Sunday School Class went to see the exhibit of the Dead Sea Scrolls at Discovery Place in Charlotte. The Wesleyan Faithfuls will go there tomorrow. It’s an amazing combination of the ancient and the modern. Each attendee is issued a handheld “remote.” Each exhibit has a number and when you punch in the number, you get a recorded explanation of the exhibit. It was crowded on Saturday night and it took us about two hours to complete the exhibit.

The exhibits include the life of the Essenes (the people who copied and preserved the scrolls), the preservation and discovery of the scrolls and the significance of the scrolls for archaeology and our understanding of the Scriptures.

Interesting “factoids” are throughout the exhibit. For instance, most people in those days had head lice so combs with very fine teeth were used to rid the hair of lice and their eggs. Lice from these combs are providing DNA evidence about the people who lived back then.

Even more significant facts about the role of ritual purity in the religion of the Jews at the time of the Essenes are also well presented.

All of the peripheral exhibits lead to a large, darkened room where the actual scrolls are displayed. These small scraps of preserved animal skins with carefully written text are but a small portion of the volumns preserved by these desert-dwellers. We saw a portion of Deuteronomy which includes the Ten Commandments and a portion of Psalm 133 that says, “How good and pleasant it is when brothers live together in unity!”

I must admit to being somewhat overcome with the thought that John the Baptist may have handled and read these very scrolls!

The Essenes saw their role in God’s plan as two-fold. First, to maintain the purity of the Jewish Faith until the Messiah would come and set up His earthly reign. And second, to faithfully copy the Scriptures. When the Romans invaded in 70 A. D. (or “C.E.” as the politically correct exhibit says) the Essenes put their precious scrolls in clay jars and hid them in the natural caves of the area. They lay undiscovered in the Judean desert for 2,000 years. They will only be in Charlotte for 100 days. Don’t miss the opportunity to see this exhibit. It will remind you once again of Jesus’ promise: “Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.” (Luke 21:33)

It’s the Lighthouse, Saints!

Pastor Tim

Two Sermons

Last week I attended part of the Southern Area Ministers Conference at Southern Wesleyan University. It was a wonderful opportunity to see old friends and classmates. I also participated in interviewing our District’s ministerial students who are at SWU. They are a bright group and offer great hope for the future of the Wesleyan Church and the Kingdom of God. I took our students out for supper on Monday night (they all seemed to have other plans for Tuesday night—Valentine’s Day!). Amanda, Austin and Ryan are all doing well and enjoying their college experience.

The Conference itself featured two greats in their respective fields. Dr. Jim Garlow is the pastor of the Skyline Wesleyan Church in San Diego, California. Jim is an expert in both the history and the future of the Church. His ability to integrate where we’ve been with where we’re going is eye-opening, challenging and frightening.

I didn’t expect the second sermon. It came from the “music guy.” Ken Medema has been blind from birth. He began playing piano at age 5 and has progressed from professional training as a music therapist to a performer of international acclaim. Ken has the unusual talent of being able to make up songs “on the fly.” While he plays piano (and this electric piano that he can make sound like any instrument in the world!) Ken makes up verses and sings in every style you can imagine. He’s funny. He’s convicting. He’s edgy. He can “see” his audience better than most fully sighted speakers can.

It was inspiring to sit under the ministry of both these men. I’ll never be the expert Jim Garlow is and I’ll certainly never be the singer and musician Ken Medema is (though I’m working with some friends on a little surprise for April of ’07). But the two sermons I heard inspired me to work harder at being a better preacher of the Word and a better listener to the One who wrote it.

It’s the Lighthouse, Saints!

Pastor Tim

Revival At Asbury College

This week, I will return to my alma mater, Southern Wesleyan University to participate in the Southern Area Minister’s Conference. Sessions will be held in Folger Fine Arts Building. I never enter that building without thinking of the day in early February of 1970, when the “Asbury Revival” came to Central.

I’d been out the preceding weekend with a “Gospel Team.” We’d held “Youth Week” services at Ennis Street Wesleyan Church (now, “Trinity”) in High Point. I had preached and young people had come to the altar to be saved. I am ashamed to admit that had I died that night, I wouldn’t have been saved. I was living in concious, willful rebellion against the known will of God. I was lost. But having grown up in the Church, I knew how to pretend.

Sunday night we returned to the campus and the lights were uncharacteristically on in the College Church. I went over out of curiosity to find people praying at the altar. I learned that a revival had broken out at Asbury College in Wilmore, Kentucky the preceding week and that students who had graduated from SWU and were now students at Asbury Seminary would be in chapel services on Monday to share about what God was doing. I pretended to join in the prayer.

The next day, the “Asbury Revival” came to Central—and to me. I quit pretending for good. I entered into the most intimate, vital relationship with a Person I’ve ever experienced.

Well, it’s happened again! Last Monday, February 6^th, revival came again to Asbury College. Here part of the report:

On Monday morning (2-6-06) during the student led 10 am Chapel at Asbury College in Kentucky God broke in resulting in praise worship and prayer. The praise, worship, and prayer has continued uninterrupted at Hughes Chapel since Monday and is still going. Students are committing their lives to Christ for the first time and scores of others are rededicating themselves to the Lord. Jesus is at the center of it all.

Why did God choose Asbury College? Why then? Why again now? Revival is a sovereign move of God. Jesus said, “The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit.”(Acts 3:8)

My prayer is not to understand “why” but that God would choose us. The report of the revival on the Asbury College website says this: “God is answering the passionate and persistent prayers of committed students who have been fasting and praying for weeks for this kind of spiritual breakthrough.”

Perhaps that is our role in revival. Perhaps God sends revival to people who passionately and persistently pray and fast for it.

God can do more for us in a day of revival than we can do for ourselves in a lifetime. Thank God for revival at Asbury College then and now. May He send revival to us as well.

It’s the Lighthouse, Saints!

Pastor Tim

(If you’d like to read more about the revival at Asbury go to www.asbury.edu/press/chapelcontinues06)

George Bell

After Church yesterday, the phone rang. The man on the other end was George Bell. George came to my Church in Charlotte a number of years ago because a friend had invited him to attend a Wesleyan Church in Maryland. At a Christmas musical, George gave his heart to Christ. He had a lot to overcome—addictions, broken relationships and bad habits. But he began to read his Bible and pray. I took him with me to a revival to give his testimony. George grew as a Christian and was involved in the Church.

George and another man from a similar background went through the membership class to join the Wesleyan Church. Although George had given up tobacco, his friend had not. When I explained that the use and sale of tobacco was a “test of membership”, both men declined to join the Church.

George came to me about his living arrangements. The woman, with whom he was living was not his wife. George reasoned that his daughter needed a mother—and she did. But marriage was not an option for George and my suggestion that his daughter would be better off in a single-parent home that was obedient to Christ than a two-parent adulterous home fell on deaf ears.

It wasn’t long until George began to miss Church. The last time I talked to him was 13 years ago. He was drunk, standing in his mother’s driveway. He told me he had stayed drunk from then until two weeks ago.

George had to go into the hospital. Once the alcohol got out of his system, he began to think clearly about his life and the Faithful Holy Spirit began to work. George said “the only time I’ve ever been happy in my whole life was when I was walking with the Lord.” He got out of the hospital and once again began to read his Bible. Saturday, he prayed for the first time in 13 years. George Bell became a new creature in Christ. Old things passed away. All things became new.

George’s daughter grew up in single-parent home anyway. But George wasn’t the parent. His unmarried partner was. She died of cancer three years ago. George’s mother died last August. George has a lot of regrets about the lost years. I assured him that God could “. . . repay you for the years the locusts have eaten. . . “ (Joel 2:25a)

As the Lord brings George to your mind, pray for him. Pray that God will help him overcome his alcohol addiction. Pray that he will faithfully read his Bible and pray. Pray that he finds a Church where people will love him and encourage him. Pray for the restoration of his relationship with his daughter. And pray for people like George that you know. People need the Lord.

It’s the Lighthouse, Saints!

Pastor Tim

I’m Going To jail!

On Thursday, February 9^th I’ll be going to jail! It seems I’ve been accused of having a big heart when it comes to children and my arrest is designed to raise “bail money” for the Muscular Dystrophy Association.

My bail has been set at $3,000 so I need your help. You can donate on-line at this link: https://www.mdaevent.org/ONE/ParticipantInfo.aspx?j=9c97ebb9-92f2-4d8f-9915-1a20dce4bafe

Or you can send a check made out to Muscular Dystrophy Association to me at 208 South Church Street Gastonia, NC 28054.

I’m a little nervous about this project. One guy said he’d give $10 to get me out or a $100 if they’d keep me!

MDA is a voluntary health agency — a dedicated partnership between scientists and concerned citizens aimed at conquering neuromuscular diseases that affect more than a million Americans. MDA combats neuromuscular diseases through programs of worldwide research, comprehensive medical and community services, and far-reaching professional and public health education.

I checked them out with the American Institute of Philanthropy (a charity watchdog group). They gave MDA an “A minus” which indicates strong integrity in fundraising and expenditures.

I’d appreciate your help and so would the children affected by Muscular Dystrophy.

It’s the JAILHOUSE, Saints!

Pastor Tim
Pray, Give and Go!

Last night we heard an inspiring report from Amado Leiva, Pastor of Prince of Peace Wesleyan Church and one of his laymen, Miguel Mejia, about their work with the Good Shepherd Wesleyan Church in Supola, Guatemala. The images of poverty and the story of the pastor’s need for eye surgery prompted all who heard it to feel compassion for these brothers and sisters of ours in Central America.

But feelings of compassion are never enough! The Christian response to need is always threefold: Pray, Give and Go. We must pray for those whose need is greater than ours and whose resources are fewer than ours. We must give out of the abundance we have received from God’s hand. We must go when our talents and abilities can encourage or enable others.

Pastor Amado reminded us of Jesus’ words from Matthew 25: “. . . ‘I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.’ (Matthew 25:40)

“Praying, giving and going”, rather than “feeling” is the measure of our compassion. James said: “What good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save him? ¹⁵Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food. ¹⁶If one of you says to him, “Go, I wish you well; keep warm and well fed,” but does nothing about his physical needs, what good is it? ¹⁷In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead. (James 2:14-17)

Even our best efforts alone will hardly make a dent in the need of the people of Supolo. They have been devastated by storms, mudslides and systemic poverty. It was encouraging to hear that other Wesleyans from Wisconsin, Pennsylvania and Canada have also partnered with the Guatemalans to address their needs.

Yes, we ARE our brother’s keeper. Let us faithfully pray, give and go!

It’s the Lighthouse, Saints!

Pastor Tim

Welcome Home!

We’d all looked forward to Jason Evans’ return from his year-of-service in the Czech Republic. His return was made doubly “sweet” (his word!) by Carla Davis—Jason’s fiancee. Carla served in the Czech Republic for two-and-a-half years primarily teaching english as a second language. In the short amount of time I’ve been around them, they seem really good for each other and we wish them the best as they prepare for marriage and life and ministry together.

Jason and Carla hve talked about the difficulty of living in a foreign land. Language and cultural barriars, separation from family and host of other issues make it difficult for anyone seeking to minister in a foreign country.

Jesus welcomed home one of His own last night—Johnny Mercer. Johnny was a good friend to me. He was kind and generous. I found him to be interesting and interested. Johnny was a cowboy and a cattle-breeder for the Earl of Herford (yes, THAT Herford!). He has traveled all over the world. Here at home he was a thoughtful giver-of-gifts to those who befriended and helped him.

But Johnny didn’t fit here. Just as Jason and Carla found it difficult to live in a foreign land, Johnny found it difficult to live here on earth. He marched to the beat of a drum-beat different from most of us. He even found a relationship with Christ to be difficult. He compared his own walk with those of us who seem to find it easy (or at least pretend to) and found himself wanting.

But now, Johnny is finally home in a place where he “fits in” perfectly. He “fits in” because the Bible says that “. . . we know that when he appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is. (1 John 3:2)

Last night about 10:30 p.m., Johnny saw Jesus and became like Him. Welcome Home, Johnny!

It’s the Lighthouse, Saints!

Pastor Tim

God-Speed, David and Kay

David and Kay Vardaman leave for Russia today and we wish them, “God-speed.” Theirs has been a torturous journey. Kay’s recurrence of cancer and the delays associated with that have caused all of us to ask, “Why?” They are clearly called and all of their money was raised. Why would God delay their ministry in an area that needs people like them ? That answer, like a lot of “Why?” questions, will either be answered in time or in eternity.

What is clear now is “faithfulness.” It would have been both easy and tempting at various points for David and Kay to say, “Maybe we missed God’s will. Maybe when we thought God was calling us to Russia, He wasn’t.”

Instead of secumbing to those doubts they have consistently reaffirmed what God showed them. I have long admired David and Kay. David is an intellect and a man of compassion and thoughtfulness. I remember being with them just before Kay’s first surgery and observing their incredible faith in God and love for each other. They are both dear friends.

But today, as they board the plane for Russia and a full year of missionary service, they are “overcomers”. Not because they are sacrificing family, friends and familiarity for the rigors of a Russian winter but because they have persevered.

Jesus said, “To him who overcomes and does my will to the end, I will give authority over the nations” (Rev. 2:26) God-speed, David and Kay. We will pray and give as you go.

It’s the Lighthouse, Saints!

Pastor Time

Putting Away Christmas

Billie Ballard called me Monday to turn off the alarm so that she and her fine crew from the Appearance Committee could come and put away the Christmas decorations. The big poster of Aslan is gone (you may be able to purchase it from Jennifer Hart on Ebay, however!) along with Bryan and James’ lampost and Bill’s costume. I saw some discarded Christmas trees on the side of the street. People are “putting away Christmas.”

Ebenezer Scrooge remarked at the end of his harrowing Christmas Eve experience, “I resolve to keep Christmas in my heart everyday throughout the new year!”

Achieving a balance between the necessity of moving past this wonderful season of the year with its decorations and songs and good will and keeping hold of the spirit of the season is a difficult task. The Church has traditionally tried to do so by keeping a Liturgical Church Year with other events highlighted.

The next one is Friday, January 6^th —Epiphany. It celebrates the arrival of the Wise Men and commemorates the revelation of the Christ to the Gentiles. It’s not long after that when Lent begins that takes us up to Easter. Then there’s Pentecost and before you know it we’re back to Advent and Christmas.

The point is that the Church, long ago recognized our need for ongoing reminders of our faith. Several years ago Graham came home from Youth Camp with a renewed determination to read his Bible everyday. When I asked him about it he said the Camp Evangelist had said, “If you want to keep a fire going, you have to put wood on it everyday.” Out of the mouths of Bubbas!

Shortly after our Area Revival with Adrian Depres last year, it was not uncommon to see people worshipping with their hands raised in the air. Now that is rare. Why? William Booth, the founder of the Salvation Army, said, “It is the tendency of fire to go out.”

What will you do this year to keep the fire of God’s Spirit burning brightly in your heart? Will you join a prayer group? Read the Bible through? Volunteer for Children’s Ministry? One thing’s for sure: If you put away Christmas and don’t get something else out, the spirit of the season will be gone before you know it.

It’s the Lighthouse, Saints!

Pastor Tim

Christmas Sunday at First Wesleyan

It won’t happen again until 2011 but Christmas Day falls on Sunday this year. What a wonderful combination! Christmas—the celebration of Christ’s birth—and Sunday—the celebration of His ressurrection! If ever a day called for our best worship it is this one!

God came in the flesh—Emmanuelle. Imagine laying aside all of the glories of heaven to come to earth. He gave up the joy of heaven for the pain and trauma of childbirth. He left a place where His Father’s will is done perfectly for a place where His Father’s will is opposed violently. He risked everything for the promise of nothing.

Why? The choir sang it so beautifully Sunday night—for love. He loved us.

But He not only came from heaven to be one of us, He arose victoriously to be the first of us! By defeating death, hell and the grave, Jesus showed us that in Him, we too could conquer death and live forever. He is the first of many who will declare, “Death--where is your sting? Grave—Where is your victory?”

Sunday, we get the opportunity to celebrate both at once! And we will do it Jewish style! On Christmas Eve, bring your family anytime between 6:00 and 8:00 p.m. for “Carols, Candles and Communion.” I’ll serve communion to individual families during that time. Then Sunday morning, after you’ve had time to open presents (providing you’ve been good this year!) join us for a Christmas Worship Service at 10:30 a.m.

Don’t miss the opportunity to honor the Babe in the Manger and the Risen Lord all in the same day! You won’t have another opportunity this decade!

It’s the Lighthouse, Saints!

Pastor Tim

Civil Discourse

One of my favorite Democrats is Helen Rhyne Marvin. I’ve gotten to know her because of my involvement with the A.M. Optimist Club. Helen is a former State Legislator and has long been an advocate for children. Recently she was asked by former-Gazette Editor, Bill Williams to talk about what she saw as the greatest need in our community. She talked about our need for “civil discourse” on the issues that affect our commmunity –housing, education, crime—and not surprisingly for Helen, children.

Civil Discourse means that people of differing opinions can discuss those differences without rancor or personal attacks.

Our founding fathers understood this principle and were able to hammer out a Declaration of Independence and a Constitution that have proven worthy and long-lasting. They were at least as different in their beliefs as are conservatives and liberals today but they held a common belief that no one person has a corner on all the truth and that we are stronger together than we are separately.

Few leaders today understand that truth. Personal attacks are used to shore up weak arguments and personal agendas supplant the greater good.

The angels of Bethlehem sang, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests.” Many have said, “There will never be ‘Peace on Earth’ until Jesus returns’.” But notice the words the angels used. “Peace to men on whom his favor rests.” Peace is possible, and in fact likely, for those on whom the favor of God rests.

Saturday afternoon at 1:00 p.m. at the Rotary Pavilion will be a rally to keep the Name of Christ in Christmas in public discourse. I hope you will attend to show your support. Be assured that the purpose of this rally is NOT to attack those who have chosen to say “Happy Holidays” but to encourage those of us who regard the Name of Christ to hold it high in the public market.

It’s the Lighthouse, Saints!

Pastor Tim

The Narnia Connection

I have to admit that I play favorites. If I am in charge of choosing someone to sing, I ask Dwight and John. I love to hear them sing both for the way they sound and the spirit in which they sing—They genuinely enjoy singing.

I have a favorite Scripture reader too—Christine Robinson. In my mind, her British accent gives God’s Word a dignity It deserves. I’d have her read every week but it makes her nervous to do so. That’s probably part of her charm as well.

Yesterday, I learned that Christine has a “Narnia Connection.” During the Second World War, Christine, like the Pevensie children in the story, was evacuated from London to the home of her Great Aunt in Long Crendon in Buckinghamshire. One of her childhood friends was a girl named Lucy Barfield. Lucy’s father was Owen Barfield, a writer and philosopher who helped found “The Inklings.” Lucy’s godfather was none other than C. S. Lewis! In fact, The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe was dedicated to “My Dear Lucy.” (If you read the book, don’t miss the dedication. It has a great line in it about being “old enough to start reading fairy tales again”).

Christine feels certain that growing up, she probably met C. S. Lewis but children are not usually impressed by celebrities.

I mention Christine’s connection for two reasons. During this Advent season while we’ve been using The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe as a springboard for our Advent Worship, I’ve heard two concerns expressed:

The first is that we are making too much of C. S. Lewis. He’s just a man and a flawed man at that. But he is a great Christian writer. His books have influenced some of the great Christian leaders of our time including, Billy Graham, Bill Bright, Josh McDowell and Lee Stroeble. I hope the writings of C. S. Lewis will influence you as well. Start with Mere Christianity. Read The Screwtape Letters. Tackle The Problem of Pain. And read the Chronicles of Narnia to your children or grandchildren. I’ll guarantee reading the works of C. S. Lewis will do you more good than watching Oprah or Letterman!

The second concern I have heard has to do with the “magic” in the Narnia stories. Is it appropriate for a Church to promote stories that feature witches, spells and magic?

I believe the answer to that concern is a matter of context. The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe was published in 1951 when witchcraft and black magic were not given much credence. As such they were written in innocence. Many of us would not think of celebrating Halloween today but did so in innocence 30 years ago. The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe is a classic tale of good versus evil. You won’t find anything appealing about the “bad guys” in this book.

Narnia opens this Friday. Take a child to see it and become one yourself. Jesus said doing so was a pre-requisite to entering His Kingdom.

It’s the Lighthouse, Saints!

Pastor Tim

A Little Girl’s Prayer

My wife, Mary, teaches music at the Catawba Heights campus of Gaston Christian School. That may seem a bit incongruous since GCS is, in some sense, “the competition” for FWCS. But Mary has taught there since Austin was in the third grade and faculty tuition discounts have made it possible for Graham and Hannah to attend a Christian High School.

Mary teaches music and each year she directs the children in a musical at Christmas. This year, the thirteen classes began to pray that God would give them 13 people who would get saved as a result of their singing. That specific kind of praying has helped the children to see what they are doing in preparation as more than just learning words and music. They are preparing a message.

One little kindergarten girl told her teacher the she and her Mommy were praying that her Daddy would be one of the “thirteen.” Her Daddy won’t be one of the thirteen who get saved at the musical—he got saved last Sunday night!

Children believe it can! Fantasy is just that to we wizened adults but Santa Claus and the Tooth Fairy are real possibilities to a child. Because of their ease in believing the unbelievable, faith is easier for children.

In The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe, Lucy has reported her visit to Narnia to the other children. Her two older siblings, Peter and Susan, are concerned that Lucy is “going daft” because of her insistence on the reality of Narnia. They take their concerns to the Professor. He says, “Why a land such as Lucy has described is the most reasonable thing there is!”

The Professor reasoned that only one of three things could possible be true. Lucy was lying (She had not been known to tell lies). She was “daft” (Her other actions did not suggest mental incapability). Or she was telling the truth (which the children later learned to be the case).

Do you know someone who, you cannot imagine being saved? Perhaps the depth or breadth or length of their sin suggests that salvation is an impossibility. One of three things is true: He can’t be saved; he won’t be saved or he can be saved. Children believe he can!

Jesus said, . . . “I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. ⁴Therefore, whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. (Mat. 18:3-4)

When I look at my life and the holiness of Christ, I cannot imagine being allowed to enter the place where He is. But childlike faith believes it can! The humility of children acknowledges that they can’t but Mommy or Daddy can!

For whom are you believing this Christmas season? A little girl at GCS—Catawba Heights has her Daddy with her and her Mommy in the Kingdom of God this Christmas because she believed the impossible.

It’s the Lighthouse, Saints!

Pastor Tim

Welcome the World To Narnia

On December 9^th, the world will be invited to join four young children as they enter the magical world of Narnia. Theaters across the nation will premier C. S. Lewis’ The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe.

In the fall of 1939, soon after the outbreak of the Second World War, the threat of bombing raids on London prompted the evacuation of children to the countryside. One small group ended up at The Kilns, a sprawling, rather ugly house in several acres of woodland southeast of Oxford. One of the residents of The Kilns was a balding middle-aged man named C. S. Lewis. Lewis was a professor of Mediaeval Literature at Oxford and Cambridge Universities. Because of his commitments at Oxford, Lewis rarely encountered the evacuees, but one day he saw them sitting around bored and began to think of a story to entertain them. One of the children had been interested in an old wardrobe in a bedroom and had asked Lewis what was behind it. This, it appears, acted as a creative spark. Lewis began a tale about a family of children who had been evacuated to a large old house in the country owned by a mysterious professor. It seems the story was never written down and was eventually forgotten. But Lewis returned to the theme nearly a decade later when it formed the start of one of the best loved and most successful series of children’s books ever written, The Chronicles of Narnia.

C. S. Lewis was born November 29, 1898, in Belfast, Ireland. He authored over thirty books, which included adult science fiction, literary criticism, poetry, and Christian apologetics, among these The Problem of Pain, The Screwtape Letters, The Great Divorce, Miracles, and The Four Loves. Lewis died on November 22, 1963, the same day that Aldous Huxley and John F. Kennedy died.

Lewis' early life was a happy one, of "good parents, good food, and a garden (which then seemed large) to play in." When Jack (a nickname he carried with him from his childhood) was nine years old, his mother died and things took a turn for the worse. Shortly after her death, Lewis' father sent him and his brother, Warren off to boarding school in England. It was during this time that Lewis gave up the faith he had adopted from his parents with "the greatest relief."

His love for Norse literature led him to a friendship with J. R. R. Tolkein (author of The Lord of the Rings). That friendship led him first to accept theism and then, Christ.

He writes of his own conversion: You must picture me alone in that room in Magdalen, night after night, feeling, whenever my mind lifted even for a second from my work, the steady, unrelenting approach of Him whom I so earnestly desired not to meet. That which I greatly feared had at last come upon me. In the Trinity Term of 1929 I gave in, and admitted that God was God, and knelt and prayed: perhaps, that night, the most dejected and reluctant convert in all England. I did not then see what is now the most shining and obvious thing; the Divine humility which will accept a convert even on such terms. The Prodigal Son at least walked home on his own feet. But who can but duly adore that Love which will open the high gates to a prodigal who is brought in kicking, struggling, resentful, and darting his eyes in every direction for a chance of escape? The words compelle intrare, compel them to come in, have been so abused by wicked men that we shudder at them; but, properly understood, they plumb the depth of the Divine mercy. The hardness of God is kinder than the softness of men, and His compulsion is our liberation.

This December, take a child to see The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe. And prepare to have your own heart changed as well.

It’s the Lighthouse, Saints!

Pastor Tim

A Prayer For Wisdom

We’ve all read the passage from James: If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him. ⁶But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. ⁷That man should not think he will receive anything from the Lord; ⁸he is a double-minded man, unstable in all he does. (James 1:5-8)

God has called us to reach lost men and women and boys and girls with the Gospel. That must be our #1 priority until Jesus comes. Only those who receive Him will spend eternity in heaven and those who reject Christ will suffer for eternity in hell. Everyone we meet every day is either on their way to heaven or hell. So the question we ask God is not WHETHER He wants us to reach the lost but HOW!

Soul-winning Christians of the past did not think of going after the lost as a "method." To them winning souls was a duty, mandated by the Great Commission. Direct soul winning has not characterized only one era in church history; it has been the passion and work of Bible-believers in all eras.

Christian evangelism has had a profound influence on our history and the culture of our nation! The very settlement of the colonies in America was motivated in part by soul-winning zeal. The famous Mayflower Compact declared that the Plymouth Colony was "undertaken for the glory of God, and the advancement of the Christian faith."

How has God called First Wesleyan Church to win the lost? Different Churches win the lost in different ways.

Emmanuel Baptist Church in Glen Rose, TX (population 2,000) averages about 160 on Sunday morning. Last year they baptized 50 people. To put that in perspective, if we, in Gastonia, did that we’d baptize 1,659 people! Their worship is mostly traditional but sometimes blended. A group meets at 9:00 a.m. on Sunday morning to pray for the lost. Wednesday night prayer meeting in solely a time to pray for lost people. A group of women meet on Tuesday morning to pray for the lost. They go door-to-door using Evangelism Explosion.

Garden City, Kansas (pop. 24,097) is just west of Dodge City. One Church there baptized 55 last year. They are very much like the Church in Texas except they don’t go door-to-door. They win the lost through the Sunday School.

Another evangelistically growing church does so through its midweek program. Yet another through “big events.” Some still use busses and revivals are still a means to win the lost.

There are some consistent features of every evangelistically growing Church—prayer, Bible-preaching and evangelistic Sunday Schools—but the point is that Churches win the lost in ALL KINDS OF WAYS.

What is the “First Wesleyan Way?” I don’t believe it is in a box on a shelf at a bookstore somewhere. Nor do I believe we have to “re-invent the wheel”. I believe it is in the mind of Christ and that He has promised that if we ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, . . . it will be given to him”.

Would you join me in praying for God’s wisdom to know how to win the lost in our city? We must win them before it is too late—for them and us!

It’s the Lighthouse, Saints!

Pastor Tim

Ladies Night Out

This past week, Lighthouse Women sponsored a “Ladies Night Out.” More than a hundred women gathered for a delicious meal catered by our own Linda Nolen and served by the talented waitstaff of Wesleyan Men. Many hours of loving labor went into the success of the evening. Ashley Hartley shared her testimony of how God has kept His hand on her throughout her journey. The women alternately laughed and cried as Ashley shared her story.

But the great success of the evening was not the creative decorations or the inspiring music. The success was in the changed lives. Two women prayed to receive Christ. Many others responded to God’s call to trust Him in various areas. Sunday night, ten women gathered to begin the Beth Moore Bible Study, “Believing God.”

“Thank You!” to all who worked so hard to make the evening wonderful. But “Thanks be unto God!” for making it a success!

A Taste of Heaven

Last night we enjoyed a wonderful night of music at the Gastonia Area Wesleyan Churches Fifth Sunday Singing at McAdenville. Randy Lineberger from McAdenville began the service with a beautiful trumpet solo and Pastor Brian gave a warm welcome to us all. I want to come back to that welcome in just a moment but first, a word about the talent.

Years ago, a predominant TV genre was the “Variety Show.” It featured singers, dancers, magicians, contortionists, plate spinners and animal acts. There was something that would please everybody in a variety show. Last night was far from a “show” but it did have variety.

The Praise Team from Grace Wesleyan featured a saxophonist that reminded me of Boots Randolph. The Ragan Choir, under the direction of Elvis Whitener “looked great and sounded better.” The much-anticipated “Worship Leaders Quartet” sang a great Gaither Vocal Band song. Diana Ervin and Mary Smith led the congregation in singing two great old Gospel songs. The choir from Catawba Heights sang a song of praise that would have had Israel Cohen dancing in the aisles. Our own choir blessed everyone with the great revival song about the “Days of Elijah” they sang Sunday morning and then sang a beautiful rendition of everybody’s favorite—“Amazing Grace.” The host Choir from McAdenville concluded the music with a great song and a solo from a young lady whose voice is significantly bigger than she is. David Pittman, the Pastor at Grace closed in prayer reminding us that our next opportunity to be together will be on the Tuesday before Thanksgiving when we gather for the Area Thanksgiving Service.

Now, back to what Pastor Brian said: He reminded us that Sunday morning we were five separate congregations, all worshipping the Lord and enjoying His presence. Sunday night, we were one congregation, worshipping the Lord and enjoying His presence.

What a picture of heaven! Each of us in our own local Churches labor in our own part of the vineyard—some planting, some watering and others harvesting. But one day, we will all gather as one around the Lord of the Harvest. The saxophone player and the Gospel quartet will all be unified in praise to the One who is worthy. Until then, don’t miss the opportunities for a “taste of heaven.” The next “Fifth Sunday Singing” is January 30^th!

Dis-Integration

This morning I attended a “Pastor Appreciation” breakfast sponsored by Gaston Christian School. Alfred &Charlie’s catered the meal so you know it was good and I need to write this column in a hurry because I feel a nap coming on!

Fred Chase, principal of the Middle School, had devotions. He is a grandfatherly type who has given more than fifty years of service to God’s Kingdom. He’s been my wife’s boss and my children’s principal and over the years I have grown to respect Fred as a man of enormous wisdom.

When he speaks, he does so articulately. He enunciates his words, placing emphasis on them that brings fresh insights to their meaning. This morning, one such word was “dis-integration.” He said it just like that “dis (pause) integration.”

When he said it, I thought of a car commercial where a car pulls up by another and as it drives away, the other car turns to dust and “disintegrates.”

“Integrate” means to “combine appropriately.” Schools are integrated. Circuits are integrated. To disintegrate is to reverse that process.

It is easy for life to become dis-integrated. Sacred can be dis-integrated from secular. Church can be dis-integrated from faith. Making a living and making a life. School and education. Sports and recreation. Love and marriage.

It would be great if we could just “duct tape” the important things in life together and they would stay integrated. But they don’t. We are constantly having to adjust and re-evaluate and prioritize in order to keep in “appropriate combination” the important areas of life. Not to do so results in dis-integration. Relationships, families, —our very sanity depends on being able to integrate. We call people who can’t “schizophrenic” or “bi-polar.”

Jesus said He came to give us an “abundant life.” Given the number of people in our world who are hurting or in poverty, He clearly did not mean an abundance of the things that will one day “disintegrate.” Rather, He meant a life that is fully integrated. Jesus prayed, “. . . that they may be one as we [the Father and Jesus] are one. (John 17:11) Our lives will be integrated to the degree we are one with Christ.

We’re the Lighthouse, Saint’s!

Pastor Tim

Movie Night

Over the past 50 years, this story of the martyrdom of five missionaries in Ecuador has inspired and infuenced millions of Christians around the world to greater faith and commitment. Some will recall the tragedy from the late ‘50s, but very few people know the story of the reconciliation that still lives on as a testimony to the power of the Word of God to change human destiny.

Deep in the Amazon jungle, the Waodani (usually called Auca Indians) people grew up with this truth: “Spear and live or be speared and die.” No one had ever been face-to-face with the Waodani and lived to tell about it. They were not only hostile to foreigners; over the centuries, the tribe had brought themselves near the point of extinction.

In 1956, after 13 weeks of delivering gifts by airplane to the tribe, five American missionaries decided to meet the Waodani face-to- face. They believed they could make a difference in the lives of others. They believed that by giving their lives away, they would discover what it meant to really live.

Jim Elliot, Nate Saint, Ed McCully, Pete Fleming, and Roger Youderian landed on “Palm Beach” one January day and waited for the Waodani. They wanted to share the Gospel with people who desperately needed to hear and understand God’s message of love. But it was not to be. When the Waodani came to Palm Beach, they speared all five missionaries to death.

The news of the killings made headlines around the world, but the violent end of the missionaries’ lives was only the beginning of the Waodani story. The families of these five missionaries had also grown up with a truth: “Living out God’s Word can change a human heart.”

Instead of abandoning the effort to reach the Waodani, Elisabeth Elliot, the wife of one of the men, and Rachel Saint, the sister of another, went to live with the Waodani. Later, Steve Saint, the son of one of the slain men, moved his family from Florida to live with the same Waodani family that killed his father.

Beyond the Gates tells the story of Waodani life before the missionaries came. The very same Waodani who killed the five missionaries in 1956 now share their incredible story of how their lives—and the lives of their people—have been changed forever.

The first news of the death of the missionaries in the late ‘50s sent a shockwave through the Church culture. As the story was broadcast by major news organizations around the world, millions of men and women were impacted by the brave commitment of the families. The story inspired one of the greatest movements into ministry and missions in church history. Church leaders like Chuck Swindoll, Pat Robertson, Nancy DeMoss, the late Dr. Bill Bright, and many others credit this story as a major influence in committing their lives to ministry.

Narrated by Steve Saint, son of missionary pilot Nate Saint, Beyond the Gates of Splendor will take us on an emotional journey to the jungles of Ecuador. Hear the story from the people who lived it Sunday night at 6:00 p.m.

Fantasy Church

This year I’m involved in a “Fantasy Football League.” Before the season, the guys who are in the league gathered at Pastor Jason’s house for a “Draft Party.” No, it didn’t involve a keg! We drafted players for our fantasy team.

Fantasy football began in 1962 on a rainy night in a Manhatten hotel. Bill Winkenbach was the owner of the Oakland Raiders; Scotty Sterling was a sports writer for the Oakland Tribune and Bill Tunnel was the PR guy for the Raiders. At that time, the Raiders could not afford to travel back and forth to the West Coast so they were on a three week tour to play Boston, Buffalo and New York. The three men began to imagine what it would be like if you could pick a “fantasy team” from all the best players in the league. That night they formed the GOPPPL: The Greater Oakland Professional Pigskin Prognosticators League. It sounds like maybe a keg was involved in that endeavor!

The idea of fantasy football is to choose the best players at each position and then award points for how that player performs. Currently I am tied for fifth place in our league. Some of my picks have done surprisingly well. Others (like the Baltimore Defense) have been tremendous disappointments.

I’ve never been a big fan of professional sports—too much money and too many egos. College sports is more to my liking. But I have to admit that fantasy football has caused me to take a greater interest in the outcome of the games and the performance of the individual players. Even with this increased interest, football is still, just a game.

I wonder how many Christians play fantasy Church? What could we do if we had David Jeremiah as our Preacher or Chris Tomlin as our Worship Leader or Rick Warren as our Sunday School Superintendent or Beth Moore as our Lighthouse Women director?

Jesus was complimenting John the Baptist one day and said this, I tell you the truth: Among those born of women there has not risen anyone greater than John the Baptist; yet he who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he. (Matt. 11:11)

Later on, speaking of you and me Jesus said, I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father. .(John 14:12)

God says YOU are on HIS fantasy team! And regardless the opponent or the playing onditions, God’s team is going to win.

You’re the Lighthouse, Saints!

Pastor Tim

The Puzzle Pieces All Fit

With the hiring of Wilma Wilfong, the “staff” puzzle is now complete.

· Debbie Murphy provides administrative support in the Church Office not only for me and the rest of the staff but for the Church as a whole.

· Bryce Pursley stepped into the big shoes of Doug Childress and has continued to move the ministry of music forward leading both contemporary and traditional worship.

· Barry McKinnon has trained small group leaders and planned “attraction events” (like the Easter Egg Hunt and the fall festival) as well as leading the very productive “Half-Days of Prayer.”

· Jason Crissman leads the fastest growing part of our Church. His use of games and food combined with his sincere heart to see young people saved and living for Christ make him and extraordinary youth pastor.

· To this fine team we have now added Wilma Wilfong as our Children’s Pastor. She is imminently qualified and excited about the opportunity.

Each of these ministers is ably assisted by spouses who give sacrifically as well. Many thanks to Mary, Donnie, Karla, Martha, Kathy and John.

Each of these leaders and their ministries is an essential part of the overall plan to be the “Lighthouse” God intended us to be. In order to reach the un-churched families of First Wesleyan Christian School, we need events to attract families. When they get here we need a quality Children’s and Youth Program to offer and small groups in which the adults can find a place of acceptance and growth. Our worship must be alive with God’s Spirit and prayer must undergird everything we do.

Please pray for me and these leaders. We have an opportunity to see a transformation here at First Wesleyan not witnessed very often. After many years of plateau and decline, we can be witness to growth and new life. We are equipped and ready to move forward!

Sabine Barring-Gould was truly a “renaissance man” of the 19^th Century. He wrote these words:

Like a mighty army moves the church of God;
Brothers, we are treading where the saints have trod.
We are not divided, all one body we,
One in hope and doctrine, one in charity.

Armies have generals, sergeants and privates but they all serve the same Commander. May God help us all to serve faithfully in His army.

It’s the lighthouse, Saints!

Pastor Tim

What You Don’t Read

Each month the Local Board of Administration receives reports of the activities of the Church. These reports include attendance, financial and calendar items and events. Most of them, frankly, are received “as information” and receive little notice otherwise. However, from time to time, something comes to us that is worthy of special note. One such report was from Jason Crissman, our Youth Pastor. I want to share a portion of it with you:

“This past month has seen a continued flourishing of God’s Spirit and favor poured out upon our youth program. . . . We started ‘Sundaes in September’ as a way to encourage youth to invite their friends to come. I do believe that food, especially ice cream for that matter, can be quite a motivating force. I do not believe, however, that that it is by any means the sole reason for the increase in youth attendance on Wednesday nights.

We have had twelve youth who have never come to this Church before, attend either Wednesday Night Bible Study, Sunday School or a youth event, with an overwhelming amount of them coming on Wednesday night. Six of them were students from the school [FWCS] (one was just visiting, as she currently does attend Church elsewhere). The other five have no other Church. Two youth who have been quite regular the last three weeks were fruit of the cruiser ministry. . . . Two other youth are friends or family of students from the School. The final two were friends of the core youth.

All said and done, I know that ministry is not about numbers, yet I cannot help but get excited about how God is moving in the hearts of so many youth to motivate them to invite friends to Church, especially those who have only recently started coming themselves.”

God is at work in our Church! The lighthouse grows brighter each week.

· Gary Heim’s Sunday School Class has committed (during an anointed prayer time) to win four souls in their age group this year.

· The Wesleyan Faithfuls held an outdoor service on their Beach Trip. Many Springmaid guests listened from their balconies as they sang the old hymns of the Church.

· The Cruiser Ministry received an award from Mayor Jenny Stultz last week and Bill Joles gave a clear testimony to the Council Chamber and the Public Access television audience that our motivation for beginning the ministry was a burden for the souls of the young people who cruise Franklin.

With God so clearly at work, I have two “nautical” words of caution. The first is “Don’t miss the boat!” If you are not sensing this stirring of God’s Spirit in our own soul, seek it! Pray. Fast. Get around people and programs that are on fire so that you don’t miss what God is doing.

The second is “Batten down the hatches!” Satan is not happy. Expect his attack. It will come from outside, inside and from where you least expect it. It is not a matter of “if” but “when.” So “when” Satan’s attack on First Wesleyan Church comes, remember that lighthouses are built for storms, not fair weather.

We’re the Lighthouse, Saints!

Pastor Tim

Sacred vs. Secular

Thursday marks the one hundred and forty-third anniversary of the signing of the Emancipation Proclamation. New York Times columnist, David Brooks wrote a column (reprinted in the Charlotte Observer) about the struggle of faith Abraham Lincoln experienced to sign the document which granted freedom to slaves in the United States. According to Brooks, Lincoln told his cabinet that he had promised God that if He would give Lincoln a victory at Antietam, he would sign the Proclamation. Lincoln’s cabinet was stunned. They were not used to the President basing policy decisions on promises he made to God so they asked him to repeat himself. Lincoln said, “God had decided the question in favor of the slaves.”

A President today would have a hard time making a statement like Lincoln’s though few would argue with the “rightness” of his decision or the Divine help needed to see it through (we Southerners were a “tough out” on the battlefield!). There is a “great gulf fixed” between the sacred and the secular in our society today. That gulf has not just been put there by Judges who want to take “under God” out of the Pledge of Allegiance and Supreme Court justices who found a “wall of separation” in the Constitution that was never put there by the Framers. That “gulf” has also been built by Christians who divide their lives into the “sacred” and the “secular.”

“Sacred” is going to Church and singing in the Choir and teaching Sunday School. “Secular” is work, school, sports—everything else. I’m not sure God looks at our lives that way.

· He said we should teach our children about the things of God when we “. . .sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.” (Deut. 6:7)

· He said to slaves “Serve wholeheartedly, as if you were serving the Lord, not men,” (Eph. 6:7)

· God even told husbands to treat their wives well so their prayers wouldn’t be hindered. (1 Pet. 3:7)

Dividing life into “sacred” and “secular” is an artificial exercise designed to rob both of meaning and purpose. Seeing all of life as God’s gift to be used for His glory gives honor to the most menial task (like washing feet, for instance) and recognizes God’s rightful place as the recipient of “all glory, praise and honor.”

Christians have been responsible for incredible changes in society. Some (like the canals and the railroads) were championed because they were good for society. Others (like the Sunday School Movement and the Temperance Movement) because they were good for the Kingdom. And still others (like abolitionism) because they were good for both. But the Believers who promoted these changes did so primarily because, as Abe Lincoln said, “God had decided the question.”

Our society is no less plagued with ills than the societies of previous generations. Poverty, violence, discrimination, abuse and addiction destroy 21^st Century people in the same way previous generations were destroyed by other ills. The real solution to such evil is found only in the transforming power of Jesus Christ and the only institution equipped and called to offer that power is the Church.

It’s the Lighthouse, Saints!

Pastor Tim

LBA Retreat

This past Saturday, 13 members of the Local Board of Administration traveled to South Mountain for a day of focusing the direction of our Church. We were informed by a book by Gene Wood called Turnaround Churches.

We began by looking at where we are. Statistics show a general decline in attendance since 1990. The decline in attendance reflects an even broader decline in ministry and outreach.

The history of the Church is one of faithfulness but over the years of decline, there has been a “faithfulness” to things NOT related to the purpose, objectives and goals of the Church. The Bible is clear that God desires and expects “fruit” from His Church and warns that “fruitlessness” will result in judgement.

What kind of fruit? Righteous character and conversions—or, as the Methodist Revialists used to cry, “Make us holy; give us souls!”

There is, among the members of the Local Board of Administration, a growing burden and passion to be done with Church as usual and see lost people come to Christ.

Evangelism is the #1 priority of the Church. We will have all of eternity to worship but we only have until Jesus comes to evangelize. Evangelism demands discipleship. It produces fellowship and it results in service but the priority of the Church MUST be evangelism. If the people with whom we come in contact die and go to hell, nothing else we did for them matters!

The LBA did NOT conclude we needed to tear up the Church and start over. In fact, we observed several areas of genuine encouragement. The increased number of people praying together, the Cruisers Ministry, a very successful VBS, growth in the Youth group and Sunday we even had the highest Sunday School attendance we’d had since May! God is on the move at First Wesleyan Church!

Rather, the LBA concluded we needed to refocus and re-energize the Church. Our focus will be on what we believe to be five unique ways in which God has called and gifted First Wesleyan Chuch.

· First Wesleyan Christian School—For nearly 35 years, the Church has offered the community a quality Christian Education for children. Only eternity will tell the full impact of the sacrificial efforts of many. But one day, all of us will stand before God and give an account for the families who came to our Church five days a week and didn’t go anywhere on Sunday. They are our “Jerusalem.”

· Children’s Ministry—A quality Christian school calls for a quality ministry to children. We have a plan developed by Pastor Patrick and the Board of Christian Education. We have extraordinary volunteers who have labored faithfully. But we need leadership. The Board is committed to finding a Children’s Pastor to lead.

The next three relate specifically to the way in which God has uniquely gifted First Wesleyan Church.

· Music—We are blessed with music. Historically God has used the music ministry to both reach people and bless people in the Church. God has not stopped gifting people at First Wesleyan musically so it follows that He intends to use music to reach and bless.

· Teaching—We have an abundance of people who can teach. Again, God has used teaching to reach lost people. Both the Prince of Peace Wesleyan Church and Turning Point Christian Ministries are the result of the teaching ministry of this Church.

· Hospitality—Most Churches have an abundance of people with the spiritual gift of hospitality. But many Churches do not understand the evangelistic potential of social events designed to move people toward Christ.

Time and full tummies (the result of a delicious meal prepared by Mary Smith) inhibited our ability to produce more substantive conclusions but those will come in subsequent meetings. What has been produced is a unified determination by all present to reverse the trends of the past and become the “lighthouse on the corner” God has called us to be.

It’s the lighthouse, Saints!

Pastor Tim

The Storm

Editor’s Note: The following is an article from the Wesleyan Church website about the damage and recovery efforts of the Wesleyan Churches in the path of Katrina.

“Calling Hurricane Katrina’s damage to southern coastal states in America “an end time havoc,” The Wesleyan Church’s Board of General Superintendents, administrative, and spiritual leaders of the Fishers, Indiana-based denomination has mobilized the Church—which has congregations and ministries in 80 countries—to pray, give funds, and volunteer labor in the clean-up and restoration efforts. Saying, “Let the Church rise up in prayer and action as God directs us day by day,” the church leaders also asked The Wesleyan Church World Headquarters departments and personnel to set aside daily times of prayer for the victims and displaced persons of the region affected.

Expressing their personal concern and condolences for those who have lost loved ones, livelihood, and properties, the Board of General Superintendents is encouraging the Church’s members to work with World Hope International—a faith-based relief and development organization—in meeting the overwhelming needs of people affected by the Hurricane. World Hope International partners with The Wesleyan Church in worldwide compassionate ministries. The Alexandria, Virginia-based organization is mobilizing teams of volunteers, receiving and disbursing contributions, and providing resources for regional ministries in helping with what the General Superintendents have described as “a national disaster of unequaled proportion.”

Early reports indicate that three of the Church’s congregations in the region have sustained extensive damage. Faith Community Wesleyan Church in Kenner, La., located near the New Orleans International Airport has experienced extensive flooding. Its members have taken refuge in neighboring states, waiting word on when they will be able to return to their homes. Magnolia Springs Wesleyan in Magnolia Springs, Ala., is without electricity and has experienced wind damage. Bayou La Batre Wesleyan in Irvington, Ala. (a town on the waterfront south of Mobile), has experienced wind damage.

Since the Bayou La Batre church sits on higher ground, it is being used as a shelter for over 70 people. Rescued by emergency personnel, those taking refuge in the church arrived at the church with nothing but the clothes on their back. The church has no lights, running water, or communications, but it is providing meals for the refugees. Bayou La Batre Wesleyan has a thrift store ministry located in the heart of town that has been destroyed by flooding, leaving the town without a major source of relief help. South Coastal District Superintendent Dan Berry is working with World Hope and District personnel in helping to coordinate relief efforts for the community. He said, “We can’t help everyone, but we can help this town. This is a town that we can wrap our arms around and make an impact for Christ.”

The Wesleyan Church is not only seeking to meet the needs of its congregations in the region; it is also urging its constituents to help local communities in relief efforts. You can contribute by donating online at www.worldhope.org or directly to: World Hope International, P.O. Box 96338, Washington, DC 20090-6338. Anyone interested in volunteering in the relief efforts, please contact Shirley Homan, Hope Corps Disaster Relief Coordinator, at shirleyh@cwcmilton.org or by phone at 570-742-8987 ext. 241 or 570-538-9132.”

It’s the Lighthouse, Saints!

Pastor Tim

A Letter From The Vardamans

The spiritual insight of David and Kay Vardaman during their preparations to go to Russia has been amazing to me. I have learned and been inspired by their responses to God’s direction and Satan’s obstacles. Here is Kay’s most recent letter. Note also their new contact information at the end of the letter.

It’s the Lighthouse, Saints!

Pastor Tim

Dear Praying Partner,

A huge note of praise: I just learned that the pathology report showed no cancer cells outside the surgical site. This means I will not need additional follow-up treatment to the hysterectomy. (Yippee! No chemo!) This is the best possible report. Thank you for praying for me.

We are now living in a house provided by the Lord while we wait to go to Russia in January. We praise God for this provision and thank him for the generosity of College Wesleyan Church.

Do you sometimes get our emails and think, “Those Vardamans; they go three steps forward and two steps back”? Well, you’re right. It sounds like the most frustrating of circumstances. It might make one think we were misguided and mistaken. Should we ask, “Hey, what’s the deal? We don’t deserve this. After all, we said we’d be missionaries.” There are numerous other questions which could be poised, pondered and pitied. But I’m so glad God doesn’t have us dwell there amongst the unanswerable.

Instead of dwelling in the dumps I’m looking at things to do while waiting. I found these in Psalm 27 and want to share them with you, knowing that many of you are also sitting in one of life’s many waiting rooms.

Three useful things to do while waiting.

First, “Review your Resources in God.”

He is our light, salvation, and stronghold. The psalmist writes of his great confidence in the Lord despite opposition of the worst kind. We have a God who is able to take it all in stride. In fact I like to picture God astride the earth, leaping over the mountains and stepping across the oceans. He brandishes the thunderbolt and twirls the hurricane with his hand. Even this picture is way too small, but you get the idea. How do you picture his greatness?

Second, “Review your Priorities.” Verses 4 through 6 speak of wanting “to dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life.” That is the number one priority. The best way to feel far off from God is to move yourself out and away from Him. So get close and “gaze” on His beauty. “Seek “Him and “dwell” with Him. “Sing and make music to Him with shouts of joy.”

Finally, Listen to Him calling, ”Come and talk with me.” Then do it. Waiting goes so much faster when you have someone to talk with. If you’ve spent much time in hospital waiting rooms (or doctor’s offices) then you already know this. Engaged in happy conversation with someone you love, the time flies by. We have no better friend than Jesus for discussing this life and the next.

So you can see that I’ll be busy, even while I’m waiting through the next few weeks. David will be busy too as he teaches a full load of classes at Indiana Wesleyan University and preaches at the Schuyler Avenue Wesleyan Church in Lafayette, Indiana. Please pray for his strength and health as he carries this load. Pray also that we both continue to see God’s hand at work in every situation and that we grow in confidence in our stronghold. Pray that we trust in Gods timing.

Whatever you are facing in life, I recommend Psalm 27 to you:

Wait for the Lord;

Be strong and take heart

And wait for the Lord.

Sincerely in Christ,

Kay Vardaman

Contact Information:

Email: DLVardaman@yahoo.com

Home phone: 765-674-4210

Address: 3817 S. Race St., Marion, IN 46953

God Is On The Move!

Sherry Brooks reminded us Sunday Morning during the “Prayer and Praise” time at 9:00, of a quote from District Director of Evangelism and Church Growth, Harold Bumby. He said of the District Church Planting efforts, “God is on the move!” And in the words of Pastor Jason Crissman—“He is indeed!”

Wayne Schmidt is the pastor of Kentwood Wesleyan Church in Grand Rapids, MI. He started the Church in 1979 with a small core group and today, more than two thousand attend each weekend and the Church has “birthed” several other congregations—as far away as Atlanta, GA. Wayne wrote a book entitled, Leading When God Is Moving. He says that as a young pastor he had the opportunity to spend a few hours with Dr. Adrian Rogers, pastor of the First Baptist Church of Memphis, TN. Dr. Rogers said, “You can’t spiritualize management issues and you can’t manage spiritual issues.”

In other words, no amount of revival will neutralize poor management and no plan or program will bring about revival. We are at the front end of a revival. I know it! I don’t just “feel” it—I know it.

God is on the move in First Wesleyan Christian School. He is moving in our worship services. He is at work in Sunday School. He is moving the hearts of believers to pray. He is moving among our children and youth. Lighthouse Women are on the move following God where He is going. Cars move up and down Franklin and in and out of our parking lot every Friday night—and so does God! He’s moving twelve of our men to Costa Rica in a few weeks to help build a Church—where He is ALSO moving!

The sovereign move of God cannot be planned or predicted. It can only be observed and appreciated. But it does call for a response—actually several.

1. Get on board. If there’s a “west-bound freight” coming, you can either get on, get out of the way or get run over but you can’t stop it. The best thing to do is to get on board.

2. Get ready. The time to prepare for the harvest is not when you’re reaping the harvest. It’s before the harvest comes. Our Church’s infrastructure of assimilation, fellowship and discipleship must be in place BEFORE it’s needed.

3. Get hunkered down. Satan will not take revival laying down. A lukewarm Church is not a threat to the Devil but a revived one is. Be prepared for an onslaught of his worst. Put on YOUR armor every day and remember that the Church overcomes by the by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony; they did not love their lives so much as to shrink from death. (Rev. 12:11)

4. Get moving. It is easier to steer a car when it’s rolling. If you want to be a part of the sovereign move of God that is beginning at First Wesleyan, get moving now! If you’re not in a group of people who are praying, get in one. If you’re not going to Sunday School, start. If you’re not part of a Lighthouse Women small group—join one. Don’t be left behind when God is moving!

It’s the Lighthouse, Saints!

Pastor Tim

Vacation Bible School

Becky Johnson of the Rivermont Baptist Church in Danville, VA is an enthusiastic supporter of Vacation Bible School. Let her tell you why:

“I'm flying high. Literally, the plane is cruising at an altitude of 33,000 feet. However, in a different sense, I'm flying high with hope and excitement. As a math teacher, I enjoy numbers and statistics, and I have just learned some rather shocking statistics that indicate a wonderful opportunity.

George Barna in his book Transforming Children into Spiritual Champions, reports that three-fourths (that's 75%) of all 13-year-olds believe the devil does not exist. If there is no devil, even though the Bible says there is, maybe there is no Savior, either. From what would we need to be saved?

Barna also reports that young people acknowledge that they are influenced by their role models. Yet almost half of the preteens polled conceded that they don't have any role models. Isn't it important to help our young people see that we can live godly lives, to observe how that is done, and to appreciate that in others?

Finally, Barna reports the probability of someone accepting Jesus as Savior is 32% between the ages of 5 and 12. That is roughly equivalent to a 1-in-3 chance that if you talk with a child about trusting Jesus during those years, he will respond. Or, if you talk to three children about trusting Jesus, one will respond. If ever there were a field ripe unto harvest, it would be our field of children.

The probability of someone accepting Jesus as Savior between the ages of 13 and 18 diminishes to 4%. You would have to talk to 25 teens to get one response. Clearly our best opportunity is to reach them as children!”

Listen to these stats for Lifeway's VBS Ramblin' Road Trip. In 2003:

over three million people were enrolled in Vacation Bible School.
over 100,000 decisions to accept Christ as Savior were reported as a result of VBS. This number is probably much higher-many churches do not turn in reports.
more than 3000 people committed their lives to church-related vocations during VBS.
Over 44,000 people were enrolled in Sunday School as a result of VBS.

VBS is the single largest outreach event for most churches. About 28% of baptisms are the result of VBS. More people have come to know Jesus as Savior through VBS than through any other single outreach event.

Next Monday, August 15^th, our Vacation Bible School—Serengetti Trek—begins. There’s a light supper at 6:00 p.m. and VBS begins at 6:30. But the work for this week began months ago. Under Martha McKinnon’s able leadership, supplies have been ordered, leaders trained and plans made. Now it is our turn to work! In order to see VBS have its maximum impact, all of us must do two things:

1. Pray. Prayer must undergird the work of VBS if it is to have any spiritual impact. Many people will devote the hours from 6:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. the week of August 15-19, to working with children; will you turn off your TV and devote yourself to pray for those hours?

2. Invite. We need children. Are there children in your neighborhood? Family? Friends? Invite them. Offer to bring them and pick them up. What busy parents wouldn’t enjoy a week of free evenings? Not comfortable with inviting children you don’t know well? How comfortable would you be if those same children died tragically the following week and you had done nothing to assure their eternal destiny? ‘Kinda puts it in perspective, doesn’t it?

It’s the lighthouse, Saints!

Pastor Tim

A Half-Day of Prayer?

But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed. (Luke 5:16)

Over the past year we have emphasized the importance of corporate prayer. During that time, several “prayer groups” have begun and matured. These groups contribute mightily to the current movement of God’s Spirit in our Church.

Praying together was central to all the Early Church did, and amazing things happened when they prayed. They were guided to new leaders, the Holy Spirit fell in great power, the church grew, missionaries were sent out, prison gates opened. Praying together was not boring or a waste of time or something they were too busy to do - it was fundamental to their existence.

That's the experience of many churches round the world today - but so rarely in the West. The incredible growth of the Korean church in recent years has been accompanied by huge numbers attending early morning prayer meetings before they go to work.

Praying alone can so quickly become earthbound, but in a group we can encourage one another in praise to 'set our minds on things above,' to 'put our hope' in our heavenly Father, to share our particular sense of God's goodness at that moment. Just as two heads are better than one, so two or more hearts full of praise are better than one.

So what is the value of solitary praying. Obviously, Jesus saw value in it for the Bible says He did so “often.” Why?

Jesus taught those gathered on the hillside, “Whenever you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret.” (Matthew 6:6) Daily private and secret prayer, where no one sees us but our heavenly Father is the prayer of intimacy. It is a time to freely unfold our hearts, far from all prying eyes, at the knees of our Father.

After he had dismissed them, he went up on a mountainside by himself to pray. When evening came, he was there alone, (Matt. 14:23)

It seems Jesus prayed alone both before and after ministry-intensive experiences. “Before” to prepare Himself through communion with His Father and “after” to repair Himself from the rigors of ministry.

Solitary prayer fosters a whole different attitude toward one's feelings; it puts them in a different frame of reference. Most extreme feelings come from a sense of insecurity, especially when we feel threatened. But when you are being constantly reaffirmed by the presence of God in communion with Him, you are not afraid of being contradicted or imposed upon. In the presence of God, you become humble enough to learn something from insults and humiliations without being overwhelmed by feelings of self-depreciation or revenge. In the quiet of solitary prayer, you are a new person, or rather, you are the person God sees.

We need both but on Saturday, August 6^th, you’ll have an opportunity for an extended time alone with God. Come prepared to be changed.

Did You Ever Wonder Why

. . . World War II Kamikaze Pilots wore helmets?

. . . prison officials use sterile needles to administer lethal injections?

. . . when a deaf person goes to court it is still called a “hearing?”

. . . if people evolved from apes, why are there still apes?

. . . who the first person was to look at a cow and say, “I think I’ll squeeze these dangly things and drink whatever comes out!”?

There’s a lot in life that doesn’t make sense. Proverbs 30, contains the saying of “Agur, son of Jekah”. He uses a common middle-Eastern literary device (“There are three . . . there are four”) to call attention to “the fourth.”

“There are three things that are too amazing for me, four that I do not understand:¹⁹the way of an eagle in the sky, the way of a snake on a rock, the way of a ship on the high seas, and the way of a man with a maiden. (Prov. 30:18-19)

The mystery of human relationships has mystified people for all of history. How two people (who are generally quite opposite) can meet, fall in love and commit to one another for a lifetime, is indeed a mystery. Yet Agur describes all four as “amazing” and since eagles, snakes and ships are not intrinsically bad, neither is the “way of a man with a woman.” On the contrary, God said that differences between men and women created by God were “very good” and that it was “not good” for man to be alone.

Still, figuring out how a man attracts a woman with the very qualities that later on will drive her crazy and how a woman attracts a man with the very qualities that he will soon find frustrating is “amazing” to say the least. It led one wit to say, “She marries him hoping he’ll change and he doesen’t; he marries her hoping she won’t change and she does!”

Can anyone figure out how relationships work? Thankfully, yes! It’s not Dr. Phil or even Dr Dobson—It’s the Creator. The One who made us, knows us, our needs and the areas of our lives which need to be shaped and conformed to His image. At some point, He brings into our lives people whose job it is to knock off some of our edges that are unlike Him. That process is often painful and sometimes people quit before God’s work is complete. Most of the time, our goal for relationships is to be “happy”; but God’s goal is that we be holy. He knows that if we are holy, we’ll have something that is better than “happy”—we’ll have JOY!

It’s the lighthouse, Saints!

Pastor Tim

Terrorism Is Nothing New

Terrorism has been in the news a good bit lately. The London bombings, the increasingly deadly violence in Iraq and the trial of Eric Rudolph all keep terrorism in the forefront of our thinking. But terrorism is nothing new.

On this date, July 19, 64 A.D., the first state-sponsored terror against Christians in the Roman Empire came at the order of one of the most debased of all emperors: Nero.

Nero's debaucheries and cruelties led the Romans to distrust him. When Rome caught fire, popular opinion attributed the catastrophe to him. Many citizens perished in the flames. A rumor spread that Nero had appeared on a stage during the catastrophe and sung a song "comparing present misfortunes with the calamities of antiquity," especially Troy (hence the saying, “Nero fiddled while Rome burned”).

Nero tried to counter this downturn in his "public approval ratings" by throwing open his own resources to the homeless. He sponsored a number of religious activities designed to show himself innocent. Nothing worked. And so he determined to find scapegoats. He fastened onto the Christians as most suitable to his diabolical purpose.

Beginning a few weeks after the fire, the city was the scene of every imaginable torment. Nero held nightly spectacles in which every torture was applied to the suffering saints. Some were burned alive. Others were sewn into the skins of wild animals and given to dogs to tear. Still others were crucified. Martyrs were exhibited in the circus.

So many Christians died so brutally that public sympathy swung in their favor. The people realized that Christians were being put to death not for starting the fire but to cover Nero's crimes and to sate his appetite for cruelty. Compassion for the meek followers of Jesus, whose blameless conduct was apparent to many, led to a new wave of conversions. Among those who almost certainly perished in Nero's fury in Rome was the apostle Peter.

Terrorism is designed to give power over the mighty to the weak. Nero appeared to have power but his actions before, during and after the fire proved him to be morally and spiritually weak and his terrorism of the Church failed because true power comes from within.

God told the people of Israel, When you go to war against your enemies and see horses and chariots and an army greater than yours, do not be afraid of them, because the LORD your God, who brought you up out of Egypt, will be with you. (Deut. 20:1)

It’s the Lighthouse, Saints!

Pastor Tim

*historical information for this article is from Christian History Magazine.
Real Courage

At District Conference our General Superintendent, Dr. Earle Wilson, reported on visiting 30 churches in Egypt who are joining the Wesleyan Church. He commented, “Muslims in America are treated far better than Christians in Egypt.”

Why is that the case? Why is this nation so much more tolerant, even of people and groups who intend us harm?

Our tolerance stems from our founding. People in Europe who settled this country often came here to escape religious oppression. Once they arrived, they seemed to want to build into the fabric of the new nation religious tolerance so the oppression they’d left wouldn’t reoccur.

But our tolerance extends far beyond minimal acceptance of others’ beliefs. The same courage which motivated the early patriots to take a stand against oppression and for liberty still drives people today to believe that right will triumph. As a nation, we believe those ideas based in truth will dominate over those based in falsehood. We have the courage to wait for that natural law to take effect.

Other nations are not so. Totalitarian states believe they must control the lives of people by economics, religion or force to achieve their utopia. Fear-driven control may produce obedience but it will never cause people to flourish in creativity or achievement.

Nowhere is freedom granted more completely than in the Cross. Jesus said, “. . . If the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.” (John 8:36)

Robert J. McCracken said, “We on this continent should never forget that men first crossed the Atlantic not to find soil for their ploughs but to secure liberty for their souls.”

May God give us grateful hearts for the religious liberty we enjoy in this Nation and may the freedom to worship spread throughout the world. And welcome to our new brothers and sisters in Christ and the Wesleyan Church who worship in Egypt. We stand with you.

It’s the Lighthouse, Saints!

Pastor Tim
Who’s Next?

Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O’Connor resigned leaving a vacancy on the Court which must be filled by President George Bush. Who will he choose? The pressure on him is enormous and will increase daily until he makes the appointment. Then the pressure will shift to the candidate as he or she is scrutinized by the media and congress prior to confirmation.

Judge Robert Bork understands the intensity of that scruitiny. He was nominated by President Richard Nixon in 1987 but was rejected by the Senate after a vicious battle waged between pro-life and pro-abortion groups. His treatment during the confirmation process actually gave rise to a new word: “borked”. The Random House Webster's College Dictionary lists the following:

bork, v.t., borked, borking, to attack (a candidate or public figure) systematically, esp. in the media.

Judge Bork is not a candidate for the Supreme Court but he has written, "We are increasingly governed not by law or elected representatives but by an unelected, unrepresentative, unaccountable committee of lawyers applying no will but their own."

In a recent article in the Wall Street Journal (July 5, 2005) entitled “Their Will Be Done”, Judge Bork described the accomplishments of the Supreme Court:

“The Justices have weakened the authority of other institutions, public and private, such as schools, businesses and churches; assisted in sapping the vitality of religion through a transparently false interpretation of the establishment clause; denigrated marriage and family; destroyed taboos about vile language in public; protected as free speech the basest of pornography, including computer-simulated child pornography; weakened political parties and permitted prior restraints on political speech, violating the core of the First Amendment’s guarantee of freedom of speech; created a right to abortion, virtually on demand, invalidating the laws of all 50 states; whittled down capital punishment, on the path, apparently, to abolishing it entirely, mounted a campaign to normalize homosexuality, culminating soon, it seems obvious, in a right to homosexual marriage; permitted racial and gender discrimination at the expense of white males; and made the criminal justice system needlessly slow and complex, tipping the balance in favor of the criminals.”

President Bush’s appointment is a crucial issue for the future of our country and I urge all of us to make it a matter of prayer. Paul wrote to Timothy, I urge, then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone—²for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. (1 Tim. 2:1-2) Never was that admonition more needed!

It’s the Lighthouse, Saints!

Pastor Tim

Shifting Gears

Most cars today have “automatic transmissions.” You don’t “shift gears”; they are shifted for you. But we all still understand the principle: When the engine gets to a certain speed, the transmission shifts to a gear that allows the motor to work most efficiently.

We are shifting gears this week. For the past year, our emphasis has been on prayer. As a church, we’ve started prayer groups, held a “1/2 Day of Prayer” and numerous other encouragements to pray. The District has exceeded its goals for prayer meetings and fasting.

Now, we shift gears. Our emphasis next year is “Evangelism.” Just as God has changed many of us in our approach to prayer, I expect He will do the same this year in our thinking and behavior about winning the lost.

Does that mean we’ll lesson our praying? On the contrary, we’ll continue to pray and do so even more! Witness this true story from John Edmiston:

“Praying for the lost works: In 1993, I led a Bible Study series with a group of twenty or so rather boisterous university students who asked to be taught about prayer. In the process we had a book for the prayer points with three columns, Request, Date Entered, and Date Answered. They started praying for their friends salvation, and within a couple of weeks the converts started rolling in, two or three a week, and often ending up at the bible study. Every person 'put in the book' for prayer came to Christ, and naturally enough the prayer journal became known as the 'book of life.' If memory serves me correctly about 25 people came to Christ, through prayer alone, that semester. Prayer worked, even with inexperienced believers, who hated witnessing, and people were saved.”

What are they key ingredients to such successful prayer evangelism?

· A group of believers gathered in unity. (Matthew 18:19,20)

· Being taught in how to pray. (Luke 11:1)

· And praying in faith. (Matthew 21:22, Mark 11:24

· For the lost. (Romans 10:1-3, 1 Timothy 2:1-8)

· Who are their neighbors, friends and relatives. (Luke 10;25-37)

· Lovingly by name. (Exodus 33:17, Isaiah 43:1

· Regularly and persistently. (Luke 18:1-8)

· And recording the answers and building faith. ( 1 Chronicles 16:4)

That said, why does prayer evangelism work?

· Prayer wrestles against the powers and principalities (Ephesians 6:10-20) that keep people in spiritual bondage (Ephesians 2:1-4, 4:17-19) and which can deceive them away from the truth (1 Timothy 4:1-4).

· Prayer opens people's spiritual eyes. (Colossians 1:9, Ephesians 1:17-19) and assists with the Holy Spirit's work of convicting them of sin, righteousness and judgment. (John 16:8)

How then can a local church or home church undertake prayer evangelism?

· Teach people how to pray. (Luke 11:1). Christians generally have to be taught in how to pray. It is a process of learning about who we are in Christ, our spiritual authority, and how the promises of God can be claimed in faith.

· Get a Prayer Journal and use it. Faith is built when we see prayer answered. It is good to record the deeds of the Lord. So get a large notebook and rule it into three columns, a wide column for the prayer request and two narrower columns for date entered and date answered. Make the Prayer Journal part of every prayer meeting and weekly bible study for that group.

· Pray regularly and persistently. Pray each week at the bible study or small group meeting.

· Pray for all the unanswered items, each week. Within four to six weeks you should start seeing people saved.

· Pray in faith and expect answers. (Matthew 21:22, Mark 11:24). The Scriptures tell us to pray “believing we have received” faith and holy expectation reach Heaven.

· Pray lovingly by name for people. Names are important to God who 'knows us by name' and 'redeems us by name' (Isaiah 43:1 Exodus 33:17)) and for some reason have great power in the spiritual realm. Prayer that is directed personally and lovingly, in faith , on the basis of redemption of a soul, is powerful.

· Pray for 'friends, neighbors and relatives who are lost.' God has put us next to certain people for their salvation. There is often a divine purpose in who we meet and who the Lord places on our hearts. Ask God to give you a prayer burden for specific people of your family, friends and neighbors. Any group of three believers can do this. It does not require you to 'be an evangelist,' to hand out tracts or to knock on doors.

You don't need to form a committee! Just get your notebook, your Bible, a couple of friends and pray for the lost. Are their any lost people you love enough to seriously pray for them?

It’s the Lighthouse, Saints!

Pastory Tim

When Is An Apology Not An Apology?

As we approach the birthday of our nation, my patriotic sensibilities have been seriously offended. Illinois Senator Dick Durbin compared the work of American soldiers at Guantanamo Bay who are guarding enemy combatants of the war on terror to “Nazis, Soviet Gulags and Khmer Rouge leader, Pol Pot.” Whatever abuses may be true in Cuba or Abu Ghraib, they in no way compare to the murdrous cruelty of those regimes. To suggest that they are trivializes the suffering of millions of Germans, Russians and Southeast Asians and is an offense to soldiers who wear the uniform of the United States military. Americans bend over backwards to see that people are treated fairly—regardless of their beliefs. Senator Durbin should apologize.

As it turns out, he says he did.

"I have learned from my statement that historical parallels can be misused and misunderstood. I sincerely regret if what I said caused anyone to misunderstand my true feelings: Our soldiers around the world and their families at home deserve our respect, admiration and total support,"

Quite apart from Senator Durbin’s beliefs about the treatment of prisoners, his statement is not an apology. And from it, you and I can learn something about the time-honored but often neglected art of apology. The key is the word “if.” “. . .if what I said. . .” implies one of two things: “I didn’t say anything wrong but you took it the wrong way” or “ You misunderstood what I said.” “If” implies “you” are the problem, not “me.”

Contrast Senator Durbin’s (and a host of others) apology with that of King David. Confronted by the prophet, Nathan, with his adultery and subsequent murder, David said, “I have sinned against the LORD.” (2 Sam. 12:13a)

A true apology begins with an admission of guilt. Anything other than that is some form of justification or excuse. David’s apology is complete when he identifies the One against whom he had committed the offense.

On the basis of David’s apology, Nathan was able to say, “The LORD has taken away your sin. You are not going to die.” (2 Sam. 12:13:b)

People today live with a lot of guilt. It results in all kinds of aberrations—physical, spiritual and emotional. A return to old-fashioned apologies would clear up a lot of guilt. The “apology” that saves face loses effectiveness.

There is one final step that would help us all. Old-timers called it “restitution.” It means that, to the extent you are able, you go back and “make right” the damage done by what you said or did. The effect of restitution is not forgiveness—that is accomplished by repentance. The effect of restitution is to keep your conscience tender. If you don’t make restitution but rely solely on forgiveness, it won’t be long before your conscience no longer alerts you to your need to make an apology. And that is a dangerous place in which to be.

Senator Durbin, you ought to apologize to the dedicated men and women who give you the freedom to say what you please. For their sake—and yours.

It’s the Lighthouse, Saints!

Pastor Tim

Hooray For The “Red White and Blue”!

The Fourth of July is traditionally celebrated as America's birthday, but the idea of an annual day specifically celebrating the Flag is believed to have first originated in 1885. B. J. Cigrand, a schoolteacher, arranged for the pupils in the Fredonia, Wisconsin Public School, District 6, to observe June 14 (the 108th anniversary of the official adoption of The Stars and Stripes) as 'Flag Birthday'. For years to follow, Cigrand continued to enthusiastically advocate the observance of June 14 as 'Flag Birthday', or 'Flag Day'.

Inspired by three decades of state and local celebrations, Flag Day - the anniversary of the Flag Resolution of 1777 - was officially established by the Proclamation of President Woodrow Wilson on May 30th, 1916. While Flag Day was celebrated in various communities for years after Wilson's proclamation, it was not until August 3rd, 1949, that President Truman signed an Act of Congress designating June 14th of each year as National Flag Day.

An unknown author penned these words entitled, “I Am The Flag of the United States of America”

“I was born on June 14, 1777, in Philadelphia. There the Continental Congress adopted my stars and stripes as the national flag. My thirteen stripes alternating red and white, with a union of thirteen white stars in a field of blue, represented a new constellation, a new nation dedicated to the personal and religious liberty of mankind. Today fifty stars signal from my union, one for each of the fifty sovereign states in the greatest constitutional republic the world has ever known. My colors symbolize the patriotic ideals and spiritual qualities of the citizens of my country. My red stripes proclaim the fearless courage and integrity of American men and boys and the self-sacrifice and devotion of American mothers and daughters. My white stripes stand for liberty and equality for all. My blue is the blue of heaven, loyalty, and faith. I represent these eternal principles: liberty, justice, and humanity. I embody American freedom: freedom of speech, religion, assembly, the press, and the sanctity of the home. I typify that indomitable spirit of determination brought to my land by Christopher Columbus and by all my forefathers - the Pilgrims, Puritans, settlers at James town and Plymouth. I am as old as my nation. I am a living symbol of my nation's law: the Constitution of the United States and the Bill of Rights. I voice Abraham Lincoln's philosophy: "A government of the people, by the people, for the people." I stand guard over my nation's schools, the seedbed of good citizenship and true patriotism. I am displayed in every schoolroom throughout my nation; every schoolyard has a flag pole for my display. Daily thousands upon thousands of boys and girls pledge their allegiance to me and my country. I have my own law—Public Law 829, "The Flag Code" - which definitely states my correct use and display for all occasions and situations. I have my special day, Flag Day. June 14 is set aside to honor my birth. Americans, I am the sacred emblem of your country. I symbolize your birthright, your heritage of liberty purchased with blood and sorrow. I am your title deed of freedom, which is yours to enjoy and hold in trust for posterity. If you fail to keep this sacred trust inviolate, if I am nullified and destroyed, you and your children will become slaves to dictators and despots. Eternal vigilance is your price of freedom. As you see me silhouetted against the peaceful skies of my country, remind yourself that I am the flag of your country, that I stand for what you are - no more, no less. Guard me well, lest your freedom perish from the earth. Dedicate your lives to those principles for which I stand: "One nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all." I was created in freedom. I made my first appearance in a battle for human liberty. God grant that I may spend eternity in my "land of the free and the home of the brave" and that I shall ever be known as "Old Glory," the flag of the United States of America.”

Leadership and Faith

On this day in 1805, Meriwether Lewis (of Lewis and Clark) discovered Great Falls, Montana. Of course, then, it wasn’t Montana; but it was a “Great Falls.”

During the winter of 1804, the Lewis and Clark expedition had stayed with the Mandan Indians in what is today, North Dakota. The Mandans had told them of a “Great Falls” on the Missouri River. When Spring came, the expedition continued their trek up the Missouri. On June 3^rd, they came to a fork in the river. The river coming in from the north was muddy like the rest of the Missouri and most of the men believed it was the Missouri. Lewis reasoned that the water from the Missouri would have traveled only a short distance from the mountains and would be clear and fast-running like the south fork.

Over the objections of the men, Lewis and Clark chose the south fork. But just to be sure, Lewis and four others went ahead of the main body. On June 13, 1805, Lewis wrote the following: I heard "the agreeable sound of a fall of water." Soon after he "saw the spray arise above the plain like a column of smoke.... [It] began to make a roaring too tremendous to be mistaken for any cause short of the great falls of the Missouri." By noon, Lewis had reached the falls, where he stared in awe at "a sublimely grand specticle [sic].... the grandest sight I had ever held."

The decision at the fork was critical. Had they chose the north fork (the Marias River), they would have gone up into the northern Rockies and eventually found a pass but they would have missed the Shoshone Indians, from whom they were able to get horses for the trek over the mountains. Without those horses, the crossing might well have failed.

Two lessons from this story:

The majority is not always right. Our democracy-based society has crippled leadership. There is no place where that is more true than in the Church. When God sets out to do a great thing, He begins with a leader. God gives that leader a vision for His plan. Everyone may not see the wisdom of the plan but if it is God-given, it will not fail.
“Faith is the evidence of things not seen.” Lewis knew he was on the Missouri when he heard the sound of the falls and saw the column of mist. If you want to know what God is doing, don’t wait for “Judgment Day” to ask Him. Look for evidence. Are people being saved? Is there unity among believers? Is there opposition from Satan?

God’s future for the Church calls for both leadership and faith. We’d better practice both now before we come to that “fork.”

It’s the Lighthouse, Saints!

Pastor Tim

We Don’t Smoke And We Don’t Chew . . .

The Wesleyan Church in Australia submitted a proposed constitution to the General Board of Administration of the Wesleyan Church. It is part of the process of them becoming a General Conference. One of the provisions was removing abstainance from the use and sale of alcohol, tobacco and gambling from the list of requirements for membership in the Wesleyan Church.

Though the proposed constitution was supported by some on the General Board, there was enough opposition that the matter was tabled.

Alcohol is the third largest killer in America today. More than 85,000 people every year die from alcohol and alcohol-related causes. Let me put that in perspective:

If we had a “9/11” everyday for 28 days, it would equal the number of deaths from alcohol in a year.
If we had a “Pearl Harbor” every day for 35 days it would equal the number of deaths from alcohol in a year.
If we took all the deaths in Vietnam from 1964 until 1974 it would equal about 2/3 of the deaths from alcohol in a single year.
At the current rate of death, it will take 5 years for as many people to die of AIDS as will die from alcohol in a single year.

There’s good news and bad news in these comparisons. The good news is that this many deaths will one day, under God’s providence, cause society to turn against alcohol the way it has turned against tobacco (for those numbers, multiply everything above by 4.7!). The bad news is that tobacco is the #1 killer and alcohol is the #3 killer; but the #2 killer is “poor diet and lack of exercise.”

If we are to be prophetic about this issue, we must begin in our own back yard. The moral foundation Christians must build from which to stand in witness against the destructive effects of tobacco and alcohol is a balanced, healthy lifestyle. The Bible is full of both feasting and fasting. Christians must do both. The destructive effects of overindulgence in both food and worry are inappropriate for those called to follow Christ.

Now, if you’ll excuse me; I need to go to the altar!

It’s the Lighthouse, Saints!

Pastor Tim

Congratulations, Graduates!

Today’s Gazette had pictures from graduations held this past weekend. Celebrity speakers and celebrity graduates make the papers but every graduate from Kindergarten to PhD’s are celebrities in the eyes of those who love them. I have been that parent of a Kindergartener and now of a High School Senior and I can tell you the pride is undiminished.

We are justifiably proud of those in our Church Family who are graduating at all levels of education.

This Thursday we will graduate our second Middle School Class from First Wesleyan Christian School. These young people are:

Amanda Kinney—Graduating from Butler High School in Charlotte and planning to attend Southern Wesleyan University in the Fall.

Austin Smith – Graduating from Ashbrook High School and planning to attend Southern Wesleyan University in the Fall.

Ryan Williams -- Graduating from Forestview High School and planning to attend Southern Wesleyan University in the Fall.

Each of these students has been impacted by the ministry of First Wesleyan Church and wherever they go and whatever they do in life, your influence and that of your brothers and sisters in Christ will be a part of their lives. God has given First Wesleyan Church the opportunity to minister to children and their parents through First Wesleyan Christian School. In addition we have a rich heritage of effective and fruitful ministry to children and youth. The effects of that ministry can only be tabulated in heaven.

An unknown poet pictured our ministry to children and young people at First Wesleyan this way:

Drop a pebble in the water,
just a splash and it is gone,
but there are half-a-hundred ripples
circling on and on and on.
Spreading from the center,
flowing onward to the sea,
and there is no way of telling
where the end is going to be.

Today at about 5:00 p.m., Jason Evans leaves for the Czech Republic for a year of service. We’re all familiar with his story and his plans for a year of sports ministry and teaching at the Majak Ministry Center in Brno. We’ve all been witness to the gifted way Jason has with children and youth here. That predicts good things for him there.

On Sunday, someone said to me, “I can’t imagine what it’s like to let my child go for a year.”

My answer was stock: “Would you rather have your child next door and out of God’s will or half-way around the world and in it?” Then I added, “Please remind me that I said that.”

Any of us who have sincerely stood before an altar with our children and “dedicated” them to the Lord have done so with the realization that God’s ownership of their lives might one day mean service overseas, grandchildren being born in a foreign country, missed holidays and extended periods of time apart. Knowing our children are in the will of God does not make the pain of separation in less but it does make the pain worth it. The pain of children in rebellion and disobedience in no way compares to the pain of missing them while they go off to serve the Lord.

So Godspeed, Jason. As Pastor Patrick prayed Sunday night, “May the Spirit of the living God descend upon you and abide with you always. May His holy anointing impart to you the grace for every trial, and gifts for every duty. May His presence be to you a pillar of cloud by day, and pillar of fire by night, all along the journey of life. And may the blessing of God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, be with you now and evermore. Amen.”

Last night the Annual Wesleyan Women Mother-Daughter Banquet featured women wearing wedding dresses. Two women could still wear the dresses in which they were married! Several were worn by teen girls (which brought a tear to this Dad’s eyes). One dress was hand-made and had been worn by six different brides, representing over 240 years of marriage!

Ed Masters and I sat at the office desk outside the room where the women were getting ready. We could hear the excitement as the women prepared to model the dresses. I was reminded that Christ is also preparing His Bride—the Church—to present us to His Father “without spot or wrinkle.” Sometimes I’m not so excitedwhen Christ is scrubbing out that stubborn sin in my life or when He’s ironing out my rough spots. But oh the joy of that day when it’s time to be presented! I want to be ready, don’t you?

One year ago this week, the Rev. Anthony Graham was one of the preachers for the Gastonia Area Revival . He told us about a prayer meeting at his Church every morning at 5:00 a.m. Several of us were convicted by our own prayerlessness and decided to begin meeting twice a week at 5:30 a.m. Next week is our one-year anniversary.

During this year we have seen God do amazing things. Perhaps the most amazing, though is what He’s done in us. He’s not only drawn us closer to Himself but also to each other. The inconvenience of the early hour has been eclipsed by the desire to meet together for “mutual edification.”

Before I came to First Wesleyan, I asked the Lord to send me a “prayer partner”; someone who would pray for me regularly. I wrote the request on a piece of paper and signed and dated it. I stuck it in my Bible and continued to pray for God to send such a person into my life. My intention was that when the person volunteered, I would pull out the paper (probably with a flourish!) and show that person how God had answered a prayer I’d prayed for years. It would have all been very dramatic!

During a recent time of some discouragement, God showed me something I hadn’t seen. Instead of giving me one prayer partner, God had given me five or six! “Exceedingly, abundantly!”

God has brought about a significant change in my life over the past year and I believe that change is more or less, permanent. I may change the day or time at some point in the future but I don’t believe I’ll ever be satisfied not to have a group of people with whom I pray regularly. Ever!

So what now? This year, Adrian Despres has focused on evangelism. * I wonder what changes God will work in my life this year? What will I be writing a year from now? God has given the Church evangelists. Their work is not the week-in, week-out work of the pastor-teacher. It is intensive, and focused. One is the work of a nutritionist; the other the work of a surgeon but they are both designed by God for the health of the Body.

Revivals are not intended to be solely mountaintop emotional experiences. They are intended to be times of change. I hope this Gastonia Area Revival has been a time of change for you and that the change will be permanent and that it will produce health in the Body of Christ.

* It is interesting that last year was designated by the NC West District as the “Year of Prayer” and that next year is designated as the “Year of Evangelism.” Coincidental? I think not! Providential!

As a follow-up to Sunday’s sermon on planting, I wanted to share this story with you that came to me from Ziana Clinton:

Several times my daughter had telephoned to say, "Mother, you must come to see the daffodils before they are over."

I wanted to go, but it was a two-hour drive from Laguna to Lake Arrowhead "I will come next Tuesday", I promised a little reluctantly on her third call. Next Tuesday dawned cold and rainy. Still, I had promised, and reluctantly I drove there. When I finally walked into Carolyn's house I was welcomed by the joyful sounds of happy children. I delightedly hugged and greeted my grandchildren.

"Forget the daffodils, Carolyn! The road is invisible in these clouds and fog, and there is nothing in the world except you and these children that I want to see badly enough to drive another inch!"

"Well, you won't get me back on the road until it clears, and then I'm heading for home!" I assured her.

"I was hoping you'd take me over to the garage to pick up my car."
               "How far will we have to drive?"
               "Oh...just a few blocks," Carolyn said. "But I'll drive. I'm used to this."

After several minutes, I had to ask, "Where are we going? This isn't the way to the garage!"

"We're going to my garage the long way," Carolyn smiled, "by way of the daffodils."

"It's all right, Mother, I promise. You will never forgive yourself if you miss this experience."

After about twenty minutes, we turned onto a small gravel road and I saw a small church. On the far side of the church, I saw a hand lettered sign with an arrow that read, "Daffodil Garden." We got out of the car, each took a child's hand, and I followed Carolyn down the path. Then, as we turned a corner, I looked up and gasped. Before me lay the most glorious sight. It looked as though someone had taken a great vat of gold and poured it over the mountain peak and it's surrounding slopes. The flowers were planted in majestic, swirling patterns, great ribbons and swaths of deep orange, creamy white, lemon yellow, salmon pink, and saffron and butter yellow. Each different-colored variety was planted in large groups so that it swirled and flowed like its own river with its own unique hue. There were five acres of flowers.

"Just one woman," Carolyn answered. "She lives on the property. That's her home."

Carolyn pointed to a well kept A-frame house, small and modestly sitting in the midst of all that glory. We walked up to the house. On the patio, we saw a poster. "Answers to the Questions I Know You Are Asking" was the headline.

The first answer was a simple one. "50,000 bulbs," it read. The second answer was, "One at a time, by one woman. Two hands, two feet, and one brain." The third answer was, "Began in 1958."

For me, that moment was a life-changing experience. I thought of this woman whom I had never met, who, more than forty years before, had begun, one bulb at a time, to bring her vision of beauty and joy to an obscure mountaintop. Planting one bulb at a time, year after year, this unknown woman had forever changed the world in which she lived. One day at a time, she had created something of extraordinary magnificence, beauty, and inspiration. The principle her daffodil garden taught is one of the greatest principles of celebration. That is, learning to move toward our goals and desires one step at a time--often just one baby-step at time--and learning to love the doing, learning to use the accumulation of time. When we multiply tiny pieces of time with small increments of daily effort, we too will find we can accomplish magnificent things. We can change the world.

"It makes me sad in a way," I admitted to Carolyn. "What might I have accomplished if I had thought of a wonderful goal thirty-five or forty years ago and had worked away at it 'one bulb at a time' through all those years? Just think what I might have been able to achieve!"

Would you revolt over eggplant? In November 1637, Japanese peasants of the Shimabara peninsula and the Amakusa islands revolted. Afterwards, a commission looked into the events and concluded that the rebellion occurred because the Prince of Karatsu was more tyrannical than most. In addition to the usual taxes, he added surcharges on the poor farmers which included the best tobacco leaves and numbers of eggplant. To this unbearable tax burden, he added cruelty and torture, especially of Christians and their leaders and evangelists.

Because of the isolated situation of the peninsula and the Amakusa islands, Christianity made greater headway there than in the rest of Japan. The new Christians, with more zeal than understanding, were filled with Messianic hope. Many joined the rebellion. It proved costly to the future of the faith in the islands of the rising sun.

The lords of Nagasaki, who had recently departed for Edo (Tokyo) rushed back to defend the city. In December, a force of 3,000 men stormed Amakusa but all but 200 died in the offensive. During the fight, Christians waved banners and shouted the names of Jesus and Mary. Afterwards, they tore down Japanese religious symbols and raised Christian ones in their place. The invocation of Jesus and Mary did not bring victory in the next battle, however.

A thousand Amakusa survivors fled to join 35,000 rebels in Shimabara. The rebels assaulted the principle government fortress and almost captured it. Having failed, they holed up in the Hara fortress where they were led by Masuda Shiro, a brilliant young strategist whose age is variously estimated between fifteen and nineteen, and who went by the Christian name Jerome (sometimes given as Jeronimo). Aided by severe cold, they inflicted major defeats on the government forces. In one night sally alone, they killed 2,000 of the government's 100,000 troops. Despite its cannon, the government could not dislodge the rebels and lost over 8,000 men in January and February while the rebels lost hardly a soul. Japan asked a Dutch ship to shell the Hara Fortress, which it did, but with little effect, except to lose two of their own men to rebel sharpshooters.

But the end was inevitable. Having held out for four months, the rebels ran low on food. Deserters reported this to the government. Encouraged by the news, government forces began an all-out assault on the fortress on this day, April 12, 1638. It took them three days to overcome the desperate peasants and their Christian allies. Afterward, Christianity was strictly banned from Japan as a troublesome religion.

This is “Tax Week.” I don’t expect any of you are going to “hole up” and fight off the “revenuers.’ But this story is a reminder that a great deal of harm has been done to the cause of Christ by well-meaning believers who had “zeal without knowledge.” The Bible urges us to “. . .submit [your]self to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God. ²Consequently, he who rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves. ³For rulers hold no terror for those who do right, but for those who do wrong. Do you want to be free from fear of the one in authority? Then do what is right and he will commend you. (Romans 13:1-3).

The world sat by the bed of two people dying last week. How different were the surroundings of Pope John Paul II and Terri Schivo. In one instance, the courts, the family and the media all took sides as to the timing and manner of death. Acrimony, division and mistrust characterized the Schivo/Schindler scene.

Contrast that with the atmosphere around the death of John Paul II. Love, respect, dignity. What makes the difference? President Bush calls it “a culture of life.” It is a fundamental commitment that life is precious and that under most circumstances, it ought to be preserved. John Paul II consistently valued life even when it brought him into conflict with allies who had decided to go to war. In the end, however, the high premium he placed on life benefited him. He was allowed to live until he died.

It is a slippery slope when people begin to advocate for the death of innocent people. If there are errors to be made, they should be on the side of life.

Martin Niemoller lived and preached in pre-war Germany. Rev. Niemoller was protected until 1937 by both the foreign press and influential friends in the up-scale Berlin suburb where he preached. Eventually, he was arrested for treason. Perhaps due to foreign pressure, he was found guilty, but initially given only a suspended sentence. He was however then almost immediately re-arrested on Hitler’s direct orders. From then on until the end of WW II, he was held at the Sachsenhausen and Dachau concentration camps. Near the end of the war, he narrowly escaped execution. After the War, he wrote these words:

In Germany they came first for the Communists, and I didn't speak up because I wasn't a Communist.

Then they came for the trade unionists, and I didn't speak up because I wasn't a trade unionist.

Then they came for the Catholics, and I didn't speak up because I was a Protestant.

I make so many mistakes, I thought I better underline the word in my title so people would know I meant to say “time” instead of “dime.” “Brother, can you spare a dime?” is the title of a song recorded by Bing Crosby and written by Yip and Gorney Harburg in 1931. The song bemoans the Great Depression. The phrase came to be identified with the despair honest, hard-working people felt when they wanted to work but couldn’t find a job. Many had to resort to “panhandling.”

· If you want to make a million dollars, invent something that saves people time.

· Martha Stewart says the value of homemade gifts is the “time-investment” they represent.

· “Multi-tasking” allows us to accomplish twice or three times as much in the same amount of time.

· People know they need to spend more time with their families but the demands of life and work make that impossible.

· Christians know they need to spend time daily in the Word and prayer but there just aren’t enough hours.

· Church people know the secret to a healthy Church is dependence on God not preachers, programs or people. But dependence requires time.

Dependence means you wait on God’s timing. Dependence gives up control of everything—including time. It’s a lot easier to be in charge than to be dependent. Independent—good; dependent—bad!

Some people who lived through the Great Depression, when many banks failed and many depositors lost their life savings, still don’t trust banks. Dependence involves trust. If I’m going to be dependent on God, I have to trust that the time He requires is not more than I can spare and that whatever time is left will be enough to meet all my other responsibilities. Martin Luther said, “I’ve got so much to do today, I must spend the first four hours in prayer or I’ll never get it all done!”

Lent is a season devoted to three things: Prayer, fasting and giving alms. For the six Tuesdays of Lent, I have shared with you stories of how people gathered to pray and God miraculously answered those prayers. Today is the last Tuesday of Lent and I conclude this series with another amazing story and one a little closed to here and now.

In 1989, a prayer meeting had a great effect on a society. For several years already, four churches in Communist Leipzig, East Germany, had been holding weekly prayer meetings every Monday evening at five. Political change was in the air during 1989, and these meetings began to grow.

After the prayer meetings, people would light candles and walk peacefully through the city streets, a gentle protest against the Communist regime. This peaceful protest grew. As many as 50,000 eventually joined in.

The Germans call October 9^th, "the turning point." The East German government sent police and soldiers with orders to shoot the protesters. Many feared a bloodbath. When one church opened its doors for the weekly prayer meeting, two thousand Communist Party members rushed in to take all the seats but the church opened the balconies for the usual prayers and the Communists had to sit through a prayer meeting!

Many German Christians believe prayer silenced the weapons. Shots weren't fired that night in Leipzig as 70,000 people marched peacefully through town. The next Monday, 120,000 marched. The next, 500,000--nearly the entire population of Leipzig!

In early November nearly a million marched through the capital, East Berlin. Police defied orders to shoot. The president resigned in disgrace. And soon there was an opening in the famous Berlin Wall. The stunning developments spread throughout Eastern Europe as peaceful revolutions dismantled Communist regimes.

What had these prayer meetings wrought? The New Republic reported, "Whether or not prayers really move mountains, they certainly mobilized the population of Leipzig." Certainly there were political and social undercurrents, but don't miss the spiritual dimension. It was obvious to the people most closely involved. A few weeks after that dramatic "turning point," someone put up a banner in Leipzig. "Wir danken Dir, Kirche," it read. "We thank you, Church."

Here’s a report of the power of prayer from closer to home and closer to now. It’s part of an email I received from Wes Brown, pastor at Firestone Wesleyan: “Firestone is rejoicing at the move of God . . . In three services, we had thirty-eight decisions for Christ (8 on Friday, 11 on Saturday and 19 on Sunday morning)! We are now faced with the joyful task of baptizing and discipling these who made a profession of faith and/or renewed their faith in the Lord!”

Does God still hear and answer the prayers of His people? Clearly He does! Is He still the God who, as Dr. Bob Black reminded us last week, “is ruler of the kings of the earth” (Rev. 1:5)? Cearly He is! Will He hear and answer YOUR prayer no matter the difficulty of your need? Clearly He will. Prayer works every time it’s tried!

Lent is a season devoted to three things: Prayer, fasting and giving alms. For the six Tuesdays of Lent, I’d like to share six stories of how people gathered to pray and God miraculously answered those prayers.

A prayer meeting made an enormous difference in New York City. It was not a good time for churches in downtown Manhattan, and the North Dutch Reformed Church on Fulton Street resorted to creative measures, hiring a businessman named Jeremiah Lanphier as a sort of outreach minister. He knocked on doors in the neighborhood and distributed pamphlets and Bibles, but response generally was dismal.

"One day as I was walking along the streets," Lanphier wrote in his journal, "the idea was suggested to my mind that an hour of prayer, from twelve to one o'clock, would be beneficial to businessmen." The idea blossomed: a weekly prayer time, open to anyone, bankers to broom-pushers. Come when you can, leave when you must. Handbills advertised the first meeting--at noon on September 23, 1857.

Lanphier waited for the first attenders. No one showed up for the first ten minutes, twenty, thirty. Then one man straggled in, then another. The hour ended with six men present, praying. The following week there were twenty, the next week forty. Soon a hundred. Some of them wanted to meet every day. Rooms were packed. The church had to ask another church to handle the overflow. When churches ran out of room, the prayer meetings moved to theaters.

By March, 1858, the New York Times could report that Burton's Theater on Chambers Street was packed as famous preacher Henry Ward Beecher led a crowd of 3,000 in prayer. Some estimated that up to a million people became Christians in the 1857-58 revival.

What caused such immense interest in prayer? A stock market crash might have had something to do with it. Business leaders enslaved by money were suddenly seeking a more reliable master. When he started his humble prayer time, Jeremiah Lanphier had no way of knowing about the impending financial collapse. He just knew people needed to pray.

I don’t know what the future holds for me, this Church or this community. The recent shootings in Atlanta and Wisconsin reinforce what I learned the day of the (9/11) attacks—there is always something going on beneath the surface. Not only is Satan planning and executing his most diabolical and destructive schemes but God is preparing His people. And “greater is He that is in you, than he that is in the world.”

The real question is, “Will the Church “hear what the Spirit is saying’?” We will not unless we are devoted to prayer.

Perhaps one of the most famous prayer meetings in the history of the American Church is called “the Haystack Prayer Meeting.” In the summer of 1806, in western Massachusetts, a thunderstorm drove five Williams College students to seek refuge. Samuel Mills had gathered a few buddies for an outdoor prayer meeting, and after they took cover under the eaves of a lean-to, beside a haystack, they got talking about a geography class at school. This led them to pray for the people of Asia, the continent the class had just been studying.

God often asks us to help answer our own prayers. That's what happened here. Within a few years, those collegians had inspired the founding of the American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions. Several of the students, including Adoniram Judson, went to Asia as missionaries (the first foreign missionaries sent from America), and Samuel Mills stayed stateside to recruit others. (He later helped organize the American Bible Society.)

That Haystack Prayer Meeting sparked an explosion of American support for missions that continues today. Do you suppose those five students sensed the history-altering nature of their gathering? I expect not. They simply gathered, as they had before and would do again, to pray. But God was ready to move on their hearts and in their lives.

I wonder if I’ve missed a “move of God” by not being where I’m supposed to be, when I’m supposed to be there? If I’m supposed to be home watching a basketball game, then that’s where God will move. But if I’m watching a basketball game when I’m supposed to be praying, I’ll miss a historic move of God.

There are many opportunities for corporate prayer at First Wesleyan. None of them are anywhere near a haystack! I hope you are taking advantage of one or more of them. Don’t miss out when God moves!

The American army encamped for the winter at Valley Forge, Pennsylvania. British troops had taken Philadelphia and enjoyed the relative comforts of the city while fifteen miles northwest of the city, the revolutionary soldiers were freezing and starving. In these unusually bitter months, rations were scarce, and so were blankets. Many of the men died from exposure.

General George Washington was often seen praying about the situation. One officer wrote, “On every practicable occasion, he sought God's blessing, and when no chaplain was present, he often called his staff officers around him and lifted his heart and voice in prayer”.

One morning the troops noticed something odd about the Schuylkill River. There was a disturbance in the water--like it was boiling. When they investigated, they found thousands of shad swimming upstream. This was far too early in the season for these fish to be migrating, but the soldiers didn't stop to puzzle over the situation. They waded in with pitchforks and shovels and flung onto the banks all the fish they could. Miraculously, the army had all the food it needed, with some salted away for future meals.

The chorus we used to sing in Sunday School asked, “Got any rivers you think are uncrossable? Got any mountains you can’t tunnel through? God specializes in things thought impossible and does the things others cannot do.”

What is the most impossible situation in your life right now? What is the person or circumstance that seems absolutely out of your control. As of today (March 1^st), there are twenty-seven days until Easter. Could you pray for God to hear and answer your prayer with fervency and urgency for twenty-seven days? Who knows but that God may supply your need and even more!

The first Thanksgiving feast was held by the Pilgrims in 1621. They invited the neighboring Native Americans to share their first harvest. But they didn't plant enough in 1622, so that harvest was too small for a celebration. In 1623 they did extra planting, but a serious drought threatened their crops. For twelve weeks, it didn't rain. Even the natives had never seen anything like it.

The Pilgrims wondered if God was angry with them. One of their leaders, Edward Winslow, wrote that the group decided “to humble ourselves together before the Lord by fasting and prayer. To that end, a day was appointed by public authority and set apart from all other employments.” Winslow wrote:

“The day-long prayer meeting began under clear skies, but by late afternoon the weather was overcast, the clouds gathered on all sides. On the next morning distilled such soft, sweet and moderate showers of rain, continuing some fourteen days and mixed with such seasonable weather, as it was hard to say whether our withered corn or our drooping affections were most quickened or revived, such was the bounty and goodness of our God!”

Winslow added that “the tribespeople took note of the goodness of our God towards us, that wrought so great a change in so short a time, showing the difference between their conjurations and our invocation on the name of God for rain.”

What is the effect of praying people? It is two-fold: God hears and answers prayer and the needs of His people are met. But of equal importance is the effect of answered prayers on lost people.

· If we were to pray for divine, miraculous healing and people were healed, do you think the world would take notice?

· If we were to pray for people who are addicted to drugs and alcohol and they were to be set free from both their addiction and their sin, do you suppose their friends, who are also addicted might seek our help.

· If we were to pray for families with rebellious children or parents whose love has grown cold and those families were restored and renewed, do you suppose other families might hear about it and seek our spiritual care?

The secret of the Pilgrim’s prayer was this: “the group decided ‘to humble ourselves together before the Lord by fasting and prayer. To that end, a day was appointed by public authority and set apart from all other employments’.”

On “Good Saturday” (March 26^th), we will have a “half day of prayer” here at the Church. I want to urge everyone to be a part of it. We will meet from 9:00 a.m. until noon and again from 1:00 p.m. until 4:00 p.m. Please join us for one of the two halves. Our purpose will be to “humble ourselves together before the Lord”. Bring your “umbrella” and expect “rain”!

Lent is a season devoted to three things: Prayer, fasting and giving alms. For the next six Tuesdays I’d like to share six stories of how people gathered to pray and God miraculously answered those prayers.

Ever since the early believers felt the ground shake under their prayer meeting (Acts 4:31), Christians have realized that when they talk to God, things happen. One such occasion happened in 1540. Martin Luther sat by the sickbed of Philipp Melanchthon. These two men had already engaged in what often looked like a “good cop-bad cop” routine that changed the face of Europe. "I am rough, stormy, and altogether warlike," Luther once wrote, "but Master Philippus comes along softly and gently, sowing and watering with joy." Where Luther made brash pronouncements, Melanchthon offered gentle persuasion.

But now it looked like Philipp was done for, and Martin prowled around his bedside. "O Luther, is this you?" Philipp murmured. "Why don't you let me depart in peace?"

"Because we can't spare you yet, Philipp. We cannot spare you yet." For nearly an hour, Luther knelt in prayer. Rousing from his stupor, Melanchthon once again begged his friend to let him die, but Luther kept praying. And he ordered some soup for the dying man.

Refusing the soup, Melanchthon said a third time, "Luther, why will you not let me go home and be at rest?"

"Because we cannot spare you yet, Philipp," came the thundering Reformer's reply. "Now, take this soup, or else . . . or else. . . ." What leverage did he have? "Or else I will excommunicate you!"

The joke worked--along with the prayers and the soup. The dying man came back to health. Luther commented later, "God answered my prayer and gave me my brother Melanchthon."

The following years were very important for Melanchthon as he organized and solidified the gains of the Lutheran movement. It was Melanchthon who crafted the Augsburg Confession, and he tried valiantly to iron out differences with the Calvinists and the Roman Catholics. Luther was right: they couldn't spare him. As it turned out, Philipp would outlive Martin by fourteen years, taking leadership of the Lutheran movement at a crucial time in its history.

Does God still answer prayers for the sick? I believe He wants to. But He’s looking for some “lutherans” who will “prowl around” and “pray for an hour” and challenge the efforts of Satan with a clear affirmation of God’s will—“we can’t spare you yet!”

Just as Advent prepares our hearts for Christmas, Lent prepares us for Easter. In many countries dominated by Catholic churches, today is “Shrove Tuesday” (“shrove” means “shrine”). It is the conclusion of “Mardi Gras” (French for “Fat Tuesday”). Mardi Gras began on January 6^th, Epiphany Day, which celebrates the revelation of the Christ Child to the Gentile wisemen. “Fat Tuesday” is a time of celebration and excess which preceeds Lent. Lent continues for forty days from Ash Wednesday to Easter not including Sundays. Sundays are “feast” days.

Ash Wednesday is tomorrow—February 9^th. We’ll have a special service in the Sanctuary where we will consider our own need for forgiveness and grace and receive ashes made from the palm branches our children used to proclaim “Hosannah” last Palm Sunday. They are a reminder of the fickle nature of our faith.

Ash Wednesday begins a forty day journey which will take us to Easter Sunday on March 27^th. I am praying this journey will end with a victorious celebration on Easter. The victory I am praying for relates to the very soul of First Wesleyan Church.

Over one hundred years ago a group of people organized a Church on the corner of Church and Franklin to win the lost and preach holiness to believers. In the 100 years since the Church was organized, there have been times when the passion to do so has burned so brightly that people called this Church a “lighthouse” on the corner. At other times, the light has dimmed and become so faint as to be nearly unrecognizable from the lights of the Dairy Queen or the Sun Drop plant.

Revivals have fanned the flame. So have ministers and lay people. Programs and ministries have renewed the vision as well. I haven’t been around for all of those 100 years (contrary to the belief of some!). But I know enough about the work of God to know that behind the Revival services and the people and the programs, there were people praying.

By “praying” I don’t mean the usual kind of praying may of us do regularly. I mean that in times when the light burned brightest on this corner, there were people desperately seeking God. They understood that however anointed the Evangelist or talented the leader or flashy the program, “unless the Lord builds a house, they labor in vain who build it.” Apart from the active work of the Holy Spirit in Pentecostal power, the best Evangelist and the greatest pastor and the finest program is a “sounding brass and a tinkling symbol.”

I want to urge you in the strongest possible way to fast and pray for the next forty days.

· If you want to see First Wesleyan Christian School reach its full potential as an outreach to this community, fast and pray.

· If you want to see this Church minister effectively to the poor and homeless and addicted and disenfranchised, fast and pray.

And if you don’t want to see those things happen, you’d better fast and pray as well!

Do you ever play “What if . . .”? Do you ever try to imagine what things would be like if no limitations were placed on you? It is a good exercise. Let me encourage you to try it using this one:

The Local Board of Administration did this a couple of weeks ago. We asked ourselves what were the “Top Ten” prayers we would pray for the Church. Here they are:

5. Groups within the Church – Children, youth, young adults, couples, seniors.

8. Success in what we are currently doing in ministry (ie. cruisers, reaching un-churched families at FWCS).

Wednesday, February 9^th is “Ash Wednesday”. As a part of our service that night, I’m going to ask each of you to think about your own “Top Ten” prayer requests. Then, for the forty days until Easter, I hope you’ll pray earnestly and fervently that God will hear and answer your prayer. I hope you will pray so passionately that things like food and sleep and television become secondary in importance. I hope you will be so burdened by your prayers that you enlist others to help you.

I believe that if the people of First Wesleyan were to pray like that, our celebration of Easter would be glorious! However good the Choir’s music might be, it would take a back seat to the praises of people whose deepest prayers had been answered!

Andrew Murray wrote, "It is one of the terrible marks of the diseased state of Christian life in these days, that there are so many who rest content without the distinct experience of answer to prayer. They pray daily, they ask many things, and trust that some of them will be heard, but know little of direct definite answer to prayer as the rule of daily life. And it is this the Father wills: He seeks daily intercourse with His children in listening to and granting their petitions."

President Bush’s Inaugural Speech last week has been characterized by some in the media as “over-reaching” and “grandiose.” He spoke of big issues like Life and Liberty. His desire to see an “end to tyrany” is indeed a big dream that will require big countries and big leaders to see it accomplished.

I don’t have any idea whether President Bush or any other leader will ever see that dream realized but I’d much rather spend my life pursuing a dream that was too big than one that was too small.

God has consistently called those who follow Him to pursue God-sized dreams rather than one we can accomplish on our own. When we set ourselves to achieve His will it will inevitably be a task too large, too complicated and too fraught with obstacles for us to achieve on our own. His purpose is not that we achieve but that we learn to trust Him.

David and Goliath come to mind. Goliath was a problem, not because he was a mighty warrior. Although he was imposing in size, armies overcome the odds all the time. Goliath was a problem because he was challenging Israel’s God. David said to him, “You come against me with sword and spear and javelin, but I come against you in the name of the LORD Almighty, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. ⁴⁶This day the LORD will hand you over to me, and I’ll strike you down and cut off your head . . . and the whole world will know that there is a God in Israel. (1 Samuel 17:45-46)

This Sunday, brave Iraqis will go to polls despite threats of harm to cast a vote to determine the direction of their country. Is that too big a prayer? It is for me—that’s why I’ve been praying it! It seems that humanly this election doesn’t have a chance. If freedom (which includes freedom to worship) is accomplished in this part of the world and if it proves to be the blessing it has been in other places, it could open the door to evangelism and social reform in one of the darkest places in the world.

If such a transformation were to happen, it would be difficult for any man or country to claim credit. It is a God-sized task.

This week, pray big prayers. The Iraqi elections. The tsunami relief. An end to abortion-on-demand. Revival in Gaston County as a result of the Jesus Video. Because God is the one answering our prayers, the bigger they are; the harder they fall!

Juxtaposition—n. a putting side by side or close together especially for the purpose of contrast or comparison.

Fred Downs mentioned it in his prayer Sunday night and I’ve been thinking about it ever since. We laid to rest Lucy Hall Thornton on Saturday at 11:00 a.m. and baptized Emma Caroline Benson at 11:00 a.m. on Sunday.

Lucy Thornton was born in 1903 and celebrated her 101^st birthday last September. She lived a long and fruitful life because she lived in the Word of God and regularly spent time in close communion with Him. She will be missed here but she will be celebrated in heaven.

Emma Benson was born on Christmas Eve. She has almost all of her life still ahead of her.

Mrs. Thornton expressed the ultimate faith of a believer. She closed her eyes in death with an assured hope that when she opened them, she would be with Jesus. Emma’s parents similarly expressed faith that one day Emma would respond to the message of the Gospel and believe in Christ as her personal Savior.

Think of the changes Mrs. Thornton has witnessed over ten decades of living! Cars, planes, space travel, television, the internet and “9/11”. Emma will bear witness to a world none of us can imagine. What will sustain Emma in her future?

It was grace that made possible the life Mrs. Thornton lived and the legacy she leaves behind. That same grace which sustained Lucy Thornton is available to Emma Benson--and it will sustain her as well.

Sunday’s Sunday School lesson from Nehemiah was a good one. It told of Nehemiah’s first exposure to the devastation of the walls of Jerusalem. Nehemiah 1:4 says, “When I heard these things, I sat down and wept. For some days I mourned and fasted and prayed before the God of heaven.

Nehemiah had a burden for the city of Jerusalem. He knew that people in that region looked at the destruction of the city and said, “So this is how the God of Israel takes care of His people!”

The burden Nehemiah had for the city altered the way he lived his life. The Bible says he “wept, mourned, fasted and prayed.” We don’t generally associate the emotions of “weeping, mourning, fasting and praying” with the “victorious Christian life.” In fact, I’ve heard people say you shouldn’t allow any negative emotions to bespoil your confidence in God’s ability. Try telling that to “busted up” Nehemiah. He lived pretty close to the Lord but when it came to Jerusalem, that was home and he was sorry for what had happened to Her.

Come to think of it, Jesus felt the same way. He, too, “wept” over Jerusalem. And Jeremiah. And David.

Do you “weep” over anything? I’m not talking about the sentimental weeping like we do at the end of “Old Yeller.” I’m talking about the kind of behavior that characterized Nehemiah. Is their any concern you have that alters the way you live your life? Is there any concern that causes you to not want to eat, or to wake up from a sound sleep or to “go over” your prayer time?

The Bible suggests there is precedent for asking God to give you a burden for something that burdens Him. It also suggests we ought to bear each other’s burdens. Privately, we might ask God to burden us for lost people or victims of abuse, neglect and injustice or any other person, group or circumstance we know affects the heart of God. As you ask God for that burden, you will begin to see a shift in your priorities. The spiritual will gradually take precedence over the physical. It will become natural to share your burden with other believers. They’ll say, “You don’t look so good.” And when you tell them why, some of them will join you in weeping and fasting and praying. Soon Heaven’s gates will be constantly bombarded with the prayers of God’s people. God gave a promise to Solomon for people who carry a burden: if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land. (2 Chron. 7:14)

Why would any believer seek to be miserable? Are we, as some have charged, a bunch of masochists who can’t be happy unless we are sad? No, the motivation of a burdened believer is much higher than that. Believers carry burdens of others because Christ carried one for them. He laid aside the glory of heaven and despite His sinlessness, took on the burden of the sin of the whole world. His example of “burden-bearing” inspires us to seek and carry a burden of far less intensity. Burden, anyone?

In the days of Moses, God decreed that “mediums” (people who use demonic spirits to appear to communicate with the dead) were to be put to death. Enlightened people first said, “There’s no such thing; people who believe in witches are superstitious and un-educated.” Next, they embraced and popularized them with everything from “Bewitched” to “Crossing Over” to a new show which graced the cover of the Gazette’s TV Section Sunday—“Medium.” Even Nancy Reagan consulted a medium while her husband was President of the United States.

So which is it? Are people who claim to be able to communicate with the dead especially blessed or especially cursed or simply shysters? The world doesn’t seem to know how it feels or what it thinks.

Now God is getting the blame for this tsunami in southeast asia. They call it “an act of God.” Reports say that many have “lost their faith in God” because so many innocent victims died and “how could a God who claims to love people allow something so unfair?”.

Okay, let’s have a “fair” God. Every time you told a lie (no matter how insignificant) a “fair” God would reach down out of heaven and jerk your tongue out of your mouth. Every time you stole anything (no matter how small) the Divine Hatchet would sweep out of Heaven to sever your hand. ‘Still want a God who is “fair”?

Jesus said “He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.” (Mat. 5:45) God is a merciful God who abundantly blesses and patiently forstalls the effects of sinful people and a fallen world so that men and women may hear the Gospel and believe. Yet, it seems, the world ungratefully accepts these blessings without any recognition of their Source UNTIL some tragic result of this world’s fallenness demands Someone at whom we may direct our anger and frustration.

If I were God, I wouldn’t put up with it. But God not only puts up with our lack of faith and understanding of His ways but He continues to love and bless and protect and spare and save. John said of Jesus, He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. (John 1:11)

My children have introduced me to a country song by Joe Nichols entitled, “If Nobody Believed in You.” Here’s the last verse:

What if God quit tryin', He just turned away?
There were teardrops on his face?
Tell me, how would you feel?
You'd probably give up too,
If nobody believed in you.

I guess that’s where you and I come in. We know from eternal experience God will NEVER give up. And neither must we! Our proclamation of the goodness of God EVEN in the face of tragedy is essential if the world is to know the One True God. In the face of accusations against the goodness of God, Job said, “Though he slay me, yet will I hope in him;” (Job 13:15)

Ron and Pauline Zimmerman attended their grandson’s Band Concert at his school a few weeks before Christmas. The conductor was trying to emphaize the importance of students practicing at home and parental involvement. He told the audience, “We rehearse at school; we practice at home.”

Rehearsal is much more difficult when you don’t practice at home. When I was in the first few years of elementary school, I took piano lessons from Marcella Childress. She was a great teacher but I was not an equally great student. Balls and bikes and buddies were much more appealing to me. I didn’t practice much at home and consequently when I went to my lesson there was a great deal of awkward silence while I tried to “practice” when it was time to rehearse.

Maybe it’s an occupational hazard for me as a preacher but there’s a tremendous spiritual application there! “We rehearse at school but we practice at home.”

You’ve heard me say on numerous occasions that most of our worship is “rehearsal” for heaven. When we sing, we rehearse for our eternal song of praise to God. When we give, we rehearse casting our crowns before Him.

But if corporate worship is the rehearsal, when do we practice? Clearly each of us has a responsibility to prepare for what we do on Sunday from 11 o’clock to noon, by what we do the other 167 hours during the week.

The winter sermon series is focused on “Preparation For Worship.” Will you help me preach it by the way you “P-A-H”?

Webster defines “saint” as “a person officially recognized as having lived a holy life.” In reality, everyone is either a “saint” or a “sinner” – saved or lost. There are no degrees of sainthood. Having said all that, I want to share with you part of a Christmas letter from a Saint.

Rev. Gipsie Martin Miller gave her heart to the Lord as a young person in the Wesleyan Church in Asheville, NC. She later sought and received the blessing of a second work of grace—sanctification. She began the spiritual discipline of journaling early on in her walk with the Lord and has continued the practice until today.

Mrs. Miller was married to Rev. Dewey Miller and served alongside him in local Churches and the District Office. She has been a leader in Women’s Ministry in both the District and General Church.

At 97 years young, she continues a ministry of writing, prayer and spiritual mentoring. I count her among the people who have most influenced my life.

Each year, until last year, Mrs. Miller has written a Christmas letter. On Nov. 9, 2003, she had a wreck that nearly killed her. Later on, she fell and fractured her right thigh. Injuries such as these often claim the life of older adults—but not Mrs. Miller. Read carefully her words:

“Three weeks after the wreck, I went into delayed traumatic shock; in some ways, worse than the wreck. I could not pray. I could not put words together to pray. I would try to but couldn’t. Prayer had been my life and now it was gone. I was living in a strange, prayer-less world. I remember a night spent pleading one word over and over again – Jesus.

I had a deep-seated yearning for the Bible and I read it hours a day; not studying it, just reading it. I did not realize what this Bible reading was doing until later. It was the sanctifying and cleansing of my prayer life by “the washing of water and the Word.” (Eph. 5:26) The Word – the great instrument for cleansing in all its searching, humbling, rebuking, stimulating, refreshing and life-giving power. It had done its work. I could pray again. Praise the Lord!

The year has passed. The waters were deep but they never overflowed. I lost some things but I have gained far more than I lost. My prayer life is on another level. I’m ‘learning to lean, learning to lean, I’m learning to lean on Jesus. Finding more power than I’ve ever dreamed, I’m learning to lean on Jesus’.”

Pastor Tim
The date was December 7, 1941. At approximately 7:49 a.m. Commander Mitsuo Fuchida, 39, led a fleet of 360 Japanese fighter planes through the billowy clouds high above Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. He had one thought in mind—cripple the American enemy.

During the ensuing hours, a pounding fury swallowed up the quiet waters as, one by one, American battleships were hit and began tilting into the sea—succumbing to the surprise invasion. And 3,622 U.S. military personnel were reported killed or missing, with more than 800 wounded. "It was the most thrilling exploit of my career," Fuchida later stated.

That same morning, Sergeant Jacob DeShazer was on KP duty peeling potatoes at a U.S. army base in Oregon. When news of the attack on Pearl Harbor by the Japanese came over the loudspeaker, DeShazer became enraged and shouted, "The Japs are going to have to pay for this!" At that moment, intense hatred for the Japanese was born in young Jacob DeShazer’s heart, and it grew with every passing day. He soon volunteered for a secret mission as a bombardier in a squadron that became known as the Doolittle Raiders. Four months after the attack on Pearl Harbor, DeShazer and the other Raiders made a surprise raid on Tokyo, Japan. But after completing their mission, DeShazer’s plane ran out of fuel. He and the crew were forced to parachute into enemy territory. DeShazer was captured the very next day and was held in a P.O.W. camp for 40 long months—34 of them in solitary confinement. During his captivity, DeShazer was severely beaten and malnourished. Three of his buddies were executed by a firing squad, and another died of slow starvation. All of this added fuel to DeShazer’s fire of hatred for the Japanese, which was becoming all-consuming. "I began to ponder the cause of such hatred between members of the human race," he recalls. "I wondered what it was that made the Japanese hate the Americans, and what made me hate the Japanese." He was about to find out.

DeShazer remembered hearing about Christianity and how it changed hatred into love. Suddenly overcome by a longing to examine the Bible to see if it held the secret, he began begging his captors for one. Finally, two years into his imprisonment, a guard granted his request, but said he could have it for only a few weeks. DeShazer dove in with wild abandon, eagerly reading chapter after chapter—first the Old Testament, then the New. He began to understand that his sin—including his hatred for the Japanese people—was keeping him separated from God. But it also became clear that he could be reconciled with his Heavenly Father through Jesus Christ. On June 8, 1944, DeShazer came across Romans 10:9: "… if you confess with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved." With a believing heart, DeShazer confessed his sins to God and discovered what true forgiveness is all about.

DeShazer began praying for God to forgive his torturers. And he vowed to someday return to Japan and share the message of salvation with its people, that they too might be reconciled to God. On August20, 1945, the war came to an end and prison guards released DeShazer and the others. True to his commitment, he entered a Christian college and began studying to be a missionary, equipping himself to return to Japan and make Christ known.

After Pearl Harbor, Commander Fuchida was a national hero. With the end of the war, Fuchida’s illustrious military career was over and he returned to his home village near Osaka to begin farming. Summoned by General Douglas MacArthur to testify about war crimes, Fuchida stepped off a train in Tokyo one day when an American handed him a pamphlet entitled I Was a Prisoner of Japan. The author-Jacob DeShazer. Fuchida was moved as he read how the dynamic power of Christ had transformed DeShazer’s life and his attitude toward his former captors. The peace that DeShazer had discovered was exactly what Fuchida had been seeking. Since the American had found it in the Bible, Fuchida purchased one, despite his Shintoist heritage, to see for himself. It was the account of the crucifixion that grabbed Fuchida’s heart, particularly Jesus’ prayer at the time of His death, as recorded in Luke 23:34—"Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do."

Realizing that Jesus had given His life as a substitute for the wickedness of this world, Fuchida prayed, asking God to forgive his sins and change him from a bitter ex-pilot into a well-balanced Christian with a purpose. From that moment, Fuchida’s life started to change. God began releasing the shackles of bitterness and hatred that once bound his heart, replacing it with love and compassion and a desire to tell others about freedom in Christ.

Fuchida did tell others about Christ, as did DeShazer. In fact, they both spent many years as evangelists—DeShazer in Japan and Fuchida throughout Asia and the world—sharing about the forgiveness they found through Jesus. Perhaps as important, the two former enemies became friends—a testament to God’s miraculous healing of hearts. Only after DeShazer and Fuchida were reconciled to God were they able to find forgiveness in their hearts for those who had sinned against them. They learned that without God’s forgiveness in their lives, they lacked the capacity and desire to forgive others. The forgiveness that DeShazer and Fuchida found through Jesus Christ is as available today as it was during World War II.

Next Tuesday is the anniversary of the bombing of Pearl Harbor—a day, President Roosevelt said would “live in infamy.” That day is, for ”the greatest generation,” what the assassination of John Kennedy is for my generation and “9/11” is for my children. My friend, Ron McClung, discovered an interesting connection between Pearl Harbor and John Wesley.

Surely not much, you’re probably thinking. After all, Wesley’s era in England was 200 years before Pearl Harbor in Hawaii. Yet influence is an interesting thing.

Some of the ministers in Wesley’s movement became circuit riders, which means they rode horseback from place to place, preaching wherever they could. James Taylor, an English villager in the eighteenth century, hated the circuit riders. He loved to throw rotten eggs at them.

However, one day as he was preparing to hurl an egg at one of the preachers, the minister quoted Joshua 24:15: “As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord!” (KJV). It touched James’ heart because he was about to be married. In fact, the story goes that he prayed so long on his wedding day that he arrived late for the ceremony.

His faith, influenced by one of Wesley’s circuit riders, passed from one generation to another until their great-grandson, James Hudson Taylor, went to China as a missionary and founded the China Inland Mission.

In his book, On This Day, Robert J. Morgan relates that Hudson Taylor’s grandson, James Hudson Taylor II, took his family to China as missionaries before World War II. Unfortunately, their children had to be put in a boarding school 1,000 miles from the parents. And that’s where they were on December 7, 1941, when the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor.

The boarding school, although in China, was in Japanese-occupied territory. Along with other children, the Japanese herded the four young Taylors into a concentration camp, where they detained them for five years. After Americans liberated them, the children rejoined their parents.

One of the boys, James Hudson Taylor III, grew up to become the general director of China Inland Mission (now Overseas Missionary Fellowship). He was the great-grandson of the great-grandson of the man who hated Wesley’s circuit riders.

And now you know how Wesley and his followers significantly touched a person who eventually influenced people and events affected by the bombing of Pearl Harbor.”

Undoubtedly that early Wesleyan circuit-rider thought little of his words that day but the power is in the seed, not the sower. Your words may have impact for generations as well so choose them wisely!

It’s the Lighthouse, Saints!

Pastor Tim
Come, Ye Thankful People, Come

One of the hymns we sing at Thanksgiving is written by Dean Alford, “Come, ye thankful people, come.”

When Alford was sixteen years old, he wrote these words in the fly-leaf of his Bible:

“I do this day, in the presence of God and my own soul, renew my covenant with God, and solemnly determine henceforth to become His, and to do His work as far as in me lies.”

This harvest hymn first appeared in 1844, with the title, “After Harvest.” It was originally accompanied by the text, “He that goeth forth and weepeth, bearing precious seed, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him. (Psalm 126:6)

Mary and I want to thank you for the wonderful outpouring of appreciation yesterday. We are grateful for the opportunity to serve in a place where we love and are loved. Thank you—and remember . . .

Ten years ago Dr. Keith Drury, a professor at Indiana Wesleyan University, was asked to peak at the Presidential Breakfast of the Christian Holiness Association. His address was entitled, “The Holiness Movement Is Dead.” If you haven’t already read it and would like to, I’ll be glad to provide you with a copy or you can go to his website (www.drurywriting.com/keith/dead.footnoted.htm). Dr. Drury identifies eight factors that contributed to the death of the holiness movement. Ten years later, Dr. Drury has footnoted that address with observations about the Movement now. Schmul Publishing is putting together a book that includes Drury’s writing plus dialog between him and three other leaders of the movement, Drs. Richard Taylor, Kenneth Collins and Wallace Thornton.

Among the many observations made by these three holiness leaders was this one by Drury:

“It is interesting to me that so many of us addressing the matter see the loss of testimony as a key factor in the declining holiness movement. Ironically we find ourselves in the midst of a postmodern generation where testimony (i.e. “story”) has great validity, even authority. So the question for those who want to re-ignite the wet wood is: which shall we start with—the chicken or the egg? If testimony is important to ignite experience, yet testimony follows experience how do you jump-start this cycle? For sure a church might start by sharing desire, belief and journey even if not realized yet—these create a hunger.”

There was a time when we were less conscious of schedules and it was not uncommon for testimonies to occupy a significant portion of most any public Church service. These testimonies gave credence to the doctrine we preached because they were real-life stories of the struggles and victories of people just like us. As our approach to worship became more sermon-centered, we quit hearing these affirmations of the truths of Christian experience and soon many were unconvinced of our doctrines.

There have always been those who took advantage of “testimony time” to rehearse 30-year-old experiences and to simply “talk to be heard” but the value of genuine examples of the validity of proclaimed doctrine cannot be underestimated.

Think about your own testimony. What has God done for you lately? ‘Next time you have the opportunity—share it! There’s probably some struggling believer who needs to hear about your victory.

Dad and I received a warm and gracious welcome from the people of the Wesleyan Church in Costa Rica. We’ll be sharing more next Sunday night but I wanted you to read a portion of a “Thank You Note” the pastors and leaders sent you. I’ll post the original (which includes all their signatures) on the bulletin board.

To: All our brothers and sisters of First Wesleyan Church of Gastonia, North Carolina

It is a blessing for us to have people as special as you you are, sending love and effort to other people that you don’t even know personally.

At the bottom of the card there were two flags—American and Costa Rican. As you know, the elections were held while I was gone. President Bush is not generally liked in Costa Rica because of the war in Iraq and some of his trade policies. Yet the love of these people supercedes national loyalties.

You also have some other family there. This picture will be clearer Sunday night on the screen but on the “Church sign” outside this Church near the Costa Rican rainforest it says, “Wesleyan”. It broke my heart to see our brothers and sisters living and worshipping in such poverty. Poverty (both financial and spiritual) is a complicated issue but we serve a great God and these are family members. May He help us find a way to help them. After all, “It’s the lighthouse, Saints!”

By the time you read this, Dad and I will be in San Jose, Costa Rica teaching and preaching with the pastors and people of the Wesleyan Church there. Costa Rica is a republic in southern Central America, bounded on the north by Nicaragua, on the east by the Caribbean Sea, on the southeast by Panama, and on the southwest and west by the Pacific Ocean. The capital city of San Jose has a population of 300,000. The Country was named by Christopher Columbus as he sailed along her Caribbean shore. The name means “rich coast.” Coffee and bananas are the country’s chief exports and the largest banana plantation in the world is located on the Pacific Coast. 95% of the population is Roman Catholic. The Wesleyan Church has been organized in Costa Rica for several years. Global Partners involved n ministry there include: Rev. Robert Barrantes - district superintendent, Rick & Clara West - Latin American area director, Tom & Lydia Hines - developers and directors of the Latin American Area Resource Center (CREA), Robb & Denita Trapp - administrative assistants for the area director and CREA and Jim and Julie Eckhardt - regional director for Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua.

Dad and I are going to preach and teach on the subject of “holiness” – particularly the crisis experience of holiness which is one of the distinctives of the Wesleyan Church. Several of you have been my “guinea pigs” on Wednesday night as I have “tried out” my lessons.

While preparing the lesson on the history of the holiness movement I began to have a burden for a Pentecostal outpouring in Costa Rica. This body of believers has long had a reputation for soul-winning and Church planting. My prayer is that God will do even more for them.

When I return, we will begin our Church revival with Dr. Wingrove Taylor. Dr. Taylor is a renowned holiness preacher so what I pray for the believers in Costa Rica, I also pray for the believers at Gastonia First.

As you pray this week, please remember Dad and I and pray for Dr. Taylor as well. But especially pray for an out-pouring of God’s Spirit on His people.

Election Day is November 2^nd and I, for one, can’t wait for it to get here. I’m burned out on campaigning. Traditionally, candidates used to launch their campaigns on Labor Day. Two month’s and two days would be about right. Each year the campaigns seem to grow more trivial in their attacks and the media (from both the left and the right) seems to grow more biased. Couple all that with my growing conviction that God is in charge and I’m glad to see this political season come to an end.

Former President Bill Clinton has thankfully recovered from his heart surgery and is back on the campaign trail. He ran two successful campaigns despite scandals and terrorist attacks. He was successful in part because he had a single focus. In his campaign office was a large sign on the wall where everyone could see it all the time. The sign read: “IT’S THE ECONOMY, STUPID!” That singleness of purpose helped him ride out all the other issues that competed for his attention and the attention of the people who worked to get him elected. People might disagree on foreign policy, jobs, education but the driving force of every speech and every publication was “the economy.”

I think we need just such a sign in our Church. It would read, “IT’S THE LIGHTHOUSE, STUPID!” (Well, OK, we might leave off the “stupid” part; maybe insert the word “saints”)

We will probably not ever agree on a lot of things. Issues like style of worship, appearance, use of resources and the like will always have people on all sides of every issue. But there is a single thing I believe we can all agree on. Men and women, boys and girls need to know Jesus before they die and go to hell.

God established this Church and has preserved it here for more than a hundred years. Over that time it has had several periods of greatness. I daresay that every one of them can be directly linked to a burden for lost people.

That singleness of purpose will help us place in proper perspective all of our differences. It will focus our worship, resources and efforts. And by the way, it will please Jesus!

Pastor Tim
“You lost a good member in Herman Beauchamp.” I don’t know how many people said words to that effect after the death of our friend and brother in Christ. But did we?

At the graveside I usually say something like this: “I hereby transfer the membership of ____ from First Wesleyan Church, the Church Militant, to the Church Triumphant.” It may seem a little self-possessed to do so but it calls attention to an oft-neglected truth—the communion of the Saints.

In the Apostle’s Creed we say, “I believe in the Holy Ghost; the holy catholic Church; the communion of saints;” The “Holy Ghost” (or “Holy Spirit” in modern parlance) speaks to the birth of the Church on the day of Pentecost and our union with that Church through the Holy Spirit’s abiding in us. The word “catholic (with a lower case ‘c’)” means “universal” and identifies us with fellow-believers around the world who affirm the same truths the Creed announces. But “the communion of Saints” unites us with men and women who have gone before us and who now form a “great cloud of witnesses” who “surround” us as we “run with endurance the race that is set before us.” (Rom. 12:1)

When we receive new members into the Church we tell them that at First Wesleyan you “stand in the tradition of Jasper Beauchamp, The R. A. Christenbury Family, Ruth Gibson, Hilbert and Grace Huffstetler, C. A Hendrix, “Mom” Nolen, C. A. and Neely Ramsay, Grover Ramsay, Maud Richardson, W. R. Upton and J. A. Wood.” Most new members have no idea who most of those people are but their names are a partial list of people who witness our struggles and cheer our victories from the porticoes of heaven. We are a part of them and they are a part of us. We, alive and MORE alive, are the Church of the Redeemed!

So we didn’t really lose Herman, we gained a prayer warrior, a cheerleader and a witness. He’ll be good at all those.

Today is ”Columbus Day.” Celebrated every second Monday in October, it commemorates Christopher Columbus landing on an island in the Caribbean—the first European to do so. Columbus believed he had discovered islands east of the fabled cities of Asian first traveled to overland by Marco Polo. For the rest of his life he sought a passage through the islands to these cities and never realized he had, in fact, discovered a new continent between Europe and Asia.

In 1792, a ceremony organized by the Society of St. Tammany, or Colombian Order was held in New York City honoring Columbus and the 300^th anniversary of the landing. On Oct. 12, 1866, the Italian population of New York organized the first celebration of the discovery of America out of the pride for their native son. In 1869, Italians in San Francisco first called it Columbus Day. 1968, President Johnson declared it a federal public holiday on the 2^nd Mon. in Oct.

The name “Christopher” means “Christ bearer” and Columbus believed his name had significance. He found direction for his life and calling in the words of Isaiah: “Listen to Me, O islands, And pay attention, you peoples from afar. The LORD called Me from the womb; From the body of My mother He named Me. . . . I will also make You a light of the nations So that My salvation may reach to the end of the earth." (Isa 49:1,6)

Billy Graham just concluded a Crusade in Kansas City on Sunday night. At 85, he has plans for a Crusade in Los Angeles and another in New York City next year.

“Christ-bearers” – people who take Christ to the world. Whether you do so in three small ships or Arrowhead Stadium or any other means, the Bible commends those who “bring glad tidings of good things.” (Rom. 10:15) What better way to celebrate (particularly if you’re not Italian) Columbus Day than to “bear Christ” to someone who needs to know Him?
Confessions of a Reformed Traditional Worshipper

Sunday morning the Choir pulled a “fast one” on me. They started out with this great rendition of a contemporary chorus—“Majesty.” It was written by a Pentecostal Pastor from California named Jack Hayford way back in 1981. It has become so “mainstream” that it is even in our hymn book on page 122.

Then they segued into another chorus: “He is Lord.” It’s based on a passage of Scripture from Phillipians 2. Like “Majesty” it has been around so long it has made its way into our hymnal on page 269.

“Majesty” is a great chorus that will probably become a “classic” like “There’s Something About That Name.” It has wonderful words on which I found myself thinking as the choir sang. “Unto Jesus be all glory, honor and praise.”

I was so inspired by the thought that “He is Lord”, it was the focus of my Pastoral Prayer. Jesus is Lord of everything—or else He will be one day!

Then the Choir threw me a curve. They began to sing “Holy, Holy, Holy.” It’s the first song in our hymnbook and the first one we’re going to sing when we get to heaven. I teared up as the Choir sang, “. . . merciful and mighty. God in Three Persons, blessed Trinity!”

I was raised on great hymns and the words have always held such power for me that when contemporary choruses came along, I dismissed them as “lightweight” and “fleeting.”

Two years ago when we began experimenting with contemporary worship, the Lord convicted me of a prideful attitude about music. “My music” was “better than” “their music.” God reminded me it was “His music.” And my sons reminded me “it’s not how you worship but Who.”

So I determined to learn to use the words of whatever song we sang (and there are some real “duds” in traditional music too!) to worship the Lord.

While the Choir was singing Sunday, I realized that God had given me the victory! “Majesty”, “He Is Lord” and “Holy, Holy, Holy” were, for me, a single offering of praise to a God who is worthy. I’m grateful for God’s transforming power. I’m a better, “free-er” worshipper today because of it!

Maybe I’m not quite ready for “Drop Kick Me, Jesus, Through the Goalposts of Life” but then, I’ve never much cared for “In the Garden” either.

People (mostly women) have already warned me not to schedule the Sunday School Picnic and Homecoming on the same weekend next year. ‘Something about too much kitchen time. Be that as it may, it was a great weekend. David and Sandra Snipes planned a wonderful afternoon of fun and fellowship. Whether you played volleyball or simply sat under the trees and talked, it was a wonderful time. Jimmy House prepared delicious hot burgers, hot dogs, hot peppers and hot cabbage (cabbage on the grill?) and when it was combined with the “fixins” made for a meal fit for kings and queens.

Bryce Pursley’s program of gospel singing was not only inspirational but led to one accepting Christ as his Savior! Hallelujah! The testimonies of God’s faithfulness in the past, His activity in the present and His dream for our future challenged all of us to seek Him more earnestly than ever.

Mary Masters and her crew provided a fitting feast to conclude the weekend’s activities.

What is it about such a weekend that makes it so enjoyable? I’d like to suggest several things:

1. We worked together. The names listed above are just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the people necessary to make such a weekend happen. Beginning with Lonnie Emery who helped David set up tables at the Rankin Park Shelter to John Wilfong who helped us get the tables in the Gym back where they belong for School on Monday, people worked together and it made the job easier and the fellowship closer.

2. We fellowshipped together. We don’t have nearly enough time to simply talk to each other. Occasions like this past weekend demonstrate once again that we are better off with each other than alone.

3. We ate together. I don’t know what it is about food but eating together has a spiritual quality to it. Old Testament feasts and our Lord’s Supper prove it.

4. We worshipped together. Our worship was relaxed, informal, interactive and effective. God was honored. People were encouraged. Lives were changed.

Do you see the common thread in this past weekend? “Together.” Jesus said, "By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another." (John 13:35) Our world values the individual experience more than the corporate one when it comes to spiritual things. That is not the position the Bible takes. Someone has said, “We come to the Cross alone but we go to heaven together.”

Sunday is “homecoming” at First Wesleyan. We didn’t have one last year and I’m not sure if it has been a practice of the Church in the recent past but I think “homecomings” are important.

They were originally designed to provide an occasion for people who had moved away or gotten mad and joined another Church to return to their “home church” to renew old friendships and restore broken ones. They were an excuse to invite back former pastors with the struggles of the past healed by time. And then here’s the food! Most “homecomings” were accompanied by “dinner-on-the-grounds” where the Church’s great cooks had an opportunity to show off their “spiritual gifts.”

Our “homecoming” will incorporate some of those elements. Everyone is invited. The Sunday service will be patterned after the “Bill Gaither Homecoming Videos” where all the singers will sit up front and we’ll sing great old Gospel songs interspersed with “special music” and testimonies. After the service, we’ll gather in the gym for a meal. My guess is, it won’t be “carb-friendly.” There won’t be an evening service so you can take a serious nap Sunday afternoon.

All that sounds like fun but is there a point? Most of the things we do in Church are practice for heaven. When we sing together, it is practice for when we will join with the angelic choir to sing praises to God. When we pray it is practice for conversations with God. Even when we give our offerings, it is practice for that time when we will lay down our crowns at the feet of Jesus.

Homecoming is practice for that time when people from every age and tribe and nation will be gathered together before the Throne of our Great God. Fellowship will be made perfect as the barriers of language and culture and time are all removed and all together we can do the one thing we were created to do and that pleases God—worship. So as the special singers rehearse and the cooks prepare, let us remember that our days on this earth are preparatory for a greater day that is to come. And remember: Practice makes perfect.

Sunday night we talked about the importance of prayer. Our District Prayer Coordinator, Jerry Lumston, has declared this the year of prayer in our Churches and the theme is “Standing On Your Knees.” Our goal for the Churches of the NC West District is:

It is our desire that our churches become praying churches. To that end, we will work together to hold at least one thousand meetings specifically and totally dedicated to prayer. Your church will have an opportunity to help us reach this goal designed to bring a “revival of prayer” throughout the district.

Prayer should not be restricted to the four walls of our churches. We believe God will lead individuals to the streets of their communities. We purpose to see at least one thousand prayer walks in communities all across our district. As we walk and pray, God will surely increase our vision and burden for those who live around us.

Some things will only be accomplished by prayer and fasting. We intend to overcome the most difficult spiritual barriers and impossibilities by giving ourselves to God through a focused effort of prayer and fasting. We will be inviting Wesleyans throughout our district to join this united effort to move forward in His power and presence.

To that end, we will begin a time of prayer and praise each Sunday morning at 9:00 a.m. in the Sanctuary. The prayer and praise time will feature a few familiar songs led by an acoustic guitar, an opportunity for testimonies and prayer. This simple format will allow those who attend to prepare for study and worship and to support the ministries of the Church.

If you can’t attend the Sunday morning prayer meeting, choose some other time. If no other already established prayer time suits you, gather a few other believers together at a time and place that suits your schedule and PRAY!

All of the wonderful programs our Church offers will never accomplish their intended purpose unless we PRAY!

And our prayers cannot be those of convenience or ritual. They must be burdened, passionate prayers born of a desire to see the face of God. His promise to us is “draw near to God and He will draw near to you.”

Bryan Brooks drew this picture of me a couple of Sundays ago. I think it is a remarkable likeness. Stan Childs and Jennifer Hart have both sketched me as well but neither of them have quite captured “the real me” as has Bryan.

How do you see yourself? Too fat? Too skinny? Too old? Too young? Too shy? Too sinful?

Paul urged us not to “think of yourself more highly than you ought” (Rom. 12:3) but to use “sound judgment” when you practice self-evaluation.

Anyone who knows me can tell I don’t look like the picture Bryan drew (at least from the neck down). I flatter myself when I say it looks like “the real me.” Self-deception in a drawing is foolish but probably not harmful. But self-deception practiced in more important areas of life can be deadly.

Do any of those sound familiar? We have an amazing ability to deceive ourselves and thus a great need to have Someone outside ourselves evaluate us instead. God gave the Law for just such a purpose. It is designed to show us who we are. But as Martin Luther said, “The Law was given to chase us to the Cross and no further.” Using the Law as a measure of our unworthiness is wise but using anything other than Grace to measure our performance is not. The Law is like a mirror; it is great for showing us where the dirt is but it makes a terrible wash cloth.

Thanks, Bryan, for a great picture! And thanks be to God who sees us as we really are and loves us anyway!

Sixty-nine years of marriage. One hundred and one years of life. And, oh yes, turning fifty.

Congratulations to Herman and Frances Beauchamp. On Monday, they celebrated their sixty-ninth wedding anniversary! How do you live together for sixty-nine years? Well for one thing you have to live about a quarter of a century longer than that (in Herman’s case) but the more difficult thing is the service, sacrifice and good humor it takes to survive adjusting, children, finances and the myriad of trials tht are a part of every marriage. Herman and Frances have faced trials that would cause many couples today to fold their tents and run home to Daddy. By sticking it out, they have not only testified to the sufficiency of God’s grace but to the way change makes us into the people we always wanted to be in the first place. If you’re around them very much, you see the tender care, respect and love they have for each other.

Congratulations as well to Lucy Thornton. She turns 101 on Saturday. When she does so, she will be a godly woman who not only loved the word of God but lived it. She still does. She still prays for the Church and the people in it. She’s still interested in what goes on here and whether it is pointing people toward holiness. She receives extraordinary care from her daughters, Audrey and Marilyn as well as many others both in and out of her family.

And then there’s Bryce. Our Minister of Music turned fifty on Monday. Think of it. Herman and Frances celebrated their 19^th wedding anniversary the day he was born! Lucy is more than twice his age! Despite our best efforts on Sunday night to convince him he was “over-the-hill,” the fact is, he’s just a “young’un”!

Time is an interesting concept. When it measures a marriage, fifty is a long “time.” But compared to more than a century of living, fifty is not half way.

What is a lifetime in comparison to eternity? Is there anything so precious in these brief days on earth that you would rather have than eternal blessing? As staggering as the difference is between time and eternity, there is an even greater difference between the two eternal destinies.

Congratulations to Herman and Frances and Lucy and Bryce. And “Hallelujah” for all who have chosen Heaven as their eternal home!

After my sermon Sunday on “Patience In Marriage”, someone asked me an interesting question : “How can a human being find fulfillment from a Divine God?”

I like questions like that! I like it because it shows that someone is paying attention and it prompts me to think about an aspect of the sermon that hadn’t occurred to me.

A friend of mine preaches on Sunday morning and then, on Sunday evening has a more interactive teaching time on the same subject but he fields questions as well. He says the practice allows further exploration of subjects and gives him opportunity for feedback on his sermon.

I’ve already put the question in a folder for next summer’s “You Asked For It” Series. (Maybe by then I will have figured out the answer!) But the question raises another question about “walking in the light.”

When God reveals new “light” for our lives – a command to obeyed, a path to be followed or a discipline to be learned – it is His expectation that we will “walk in it.” “Walking in the light” is the only sure-fire way for a believer to live in victory, joy and obedience.

How often do we hear a lesson or a sermon or read something in our personal devotions that sheds “new light” on our path? But before we have time to get our questions answered and put into practice our new light, we hear a new lesson or a new sermon and we get more “new light.” Soon we are overcome with light and we may feel like Saul on the road to Damascus—knocked from our horse and left blind!

Remember what Saul did? He heard the voice of the Lord and obeyed. He didn’t try to figure out all of his obedience for the rest of his life, he just obeyed as far as the house on Straight Street. God took Saul from there to the ends of the earth but it began with obedience in the here and now.

One writer said, “Ours is not to obey what lies dimly in the distance but to do what lies clearly at hand.” Light’s like that. Walk in all you have and you can be sure God will shed more before you find yourself in the darkness.

The Lord has blessed First Wesleyan Church with a number of people with the spiritual gift of hospitality. He has also provided extraordinary facilities, including a great Kitchen. Because it is used occasionally and by many different people, in order for it to remain useful, we must all cooperate.

· First Wesleyan provides cups, napkins, table covering, plates and plastic ware for Church functions. Please do not buy additional supplies that do not conform to the supplies provided by the Church. If you are purchasing special “fancy” supplies for a reception or shower, please take the leftovers with you. Don’t leave them “for someone else to use.” They tend to not be used by others and they clutter an already cramped supply room.

· Perishable food stored in the refrigerator will be disposed of the following second Monday. Please label and date any stored food when you place it in the refrigerator.

· When you purchase soft drinks in large bottles, do so frugally. Opened bottles will be emptied.

· Food containers (including those in the freezer) which are “out of date” will be discarded.

· Please don’t leave condiments (butter, salad dressing, ketchup, etc.) “for someone else to use.” Others see it in the refrigerator or freezer and assume exactly what you intended: “it’s for someone else”. Use what is available in the refrigerator. The rule for leftovers in the refrigerator and freezer is “use it or lose it!”

· And finally, personal containers, utensils and dishes left in the kitchen for more than fourteen days will be cheerfully donated to a local charity. If you are not feeling so charitable with your crock pot, take it home.

In a community of grace, we’ll be happy to consider special circumstances—but please consult the Church Office. If you have suggestions about other ways we can make this facility more useful for everyone, please advise the Church Office. God has blessed us with a wonderful facility out of which hospitality flows. We want to be good stewards of His blessings—all of us!

Blanche Dubois in Tenessee Williams’ “A Streetcar Named Desire” said, “I have always depended on the kindness of strangers.” You all are, by no means, strangers but my family and I have relied on your kindness heavily this past week. From the touching “hugs” given to us by the pre-schoolers Sunday morning to the numerous offers of help, you have been genuinely gracious in your care for us after the fire at the parsonage. Many have loaned us clothing, prepared meals, loaned us furniture and a hundred other acts of charity for which we will always be grateful.

Ken Henry of Servicemaster estimates it will take about three weeks to get the parsonage back to a livable condition. In the meantime, we are staying across Patrick Street in Walt Windley’s empty rental house. Our answering machine is still hooked up at the parsonage and we will check it regularly. You can also reach us on our cell phones or by calling the Church and leaving a message.

Mary and the children and I have witnessed first hand your generosity and warmth to us in time of need. Although we have always known you loved us, we have now experienced it. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts.

Peter urged believers, . . . make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; {6} and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; {7} and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love. {8} For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. (2 Pet 1:5-8)

An accidental grease fire early Monday morning on the stove in the parsonage kitchen did considerable fire damage to the room and produced smoke damage throughout the home. Prompt action by Woody Thomas Jr. and the firefighters at Station 6 on Ozark Ave. prevented further damage.

Dr. and Mrs. David Medders, of Bethany Bible College, were guests in the home at the time of the fire but they, along with everyone else, were safely evacuated.

A representative of the Utica Insurance Company and a cleaning company are to survey the damage on Tuesday but many from the Church Family showed up on Monday to begin cleaning and repairs. Those efforts, however, had to be put on hold pending the insurance company’s review.

Ed Masters, Vice-Chair of the Local Board, said, after seeing the damage: “These are just things. They can be repaired and replaced. I’m just grateful all the people who live here are safe.”

The Gazette published an article in the “Feedback” section on Saturday in which a man cited a quote of mine in an article some time ago about the Federal Marriage Amendment. I’ve since received a phone message which added another Scripture to the ones I should read.

The following is the reply I sent to the Gazette—just in case it doesn’t get published there.

I want to thank Bill Sawyer of Mt. Holly for giving me the opportunity to respond to the article from which he quoted. Apparently Mr. Sawyer’s facility with Scripture does not extend to Matthew 18:15ff and Galatians 6:1, as did a sister-in-Christ who called me and expressed similar concerns about the quote.

My quote was in the context of whether or not gay people are entitled to the rights guaranteed to every American by the Constitution. I believe they are. Being a sinner does not disqualify citizens from protection under the Law and protection by the Law of the United States will offer no shelter for those same sinners when they stand before the Law of God.

The reporter who interviewed me would agree that my statements of opposition to gay marriage along with an entire chapter I forwarded to her from Dr. Dobson’s book on the subject would leave no doubt that I am unequivocally opposed to it. I would agree, however, that the quote does not reflect accurately the entirety of the interview.

Marriage has historically been defined legally and culturally as the union of a man and a woman. If it can be redefined today to include gay couples, it can be redefined tomorrow to include multiple partners, animals and even children.

Sinners are supposed to sin. It is not the job of the government to keep them from sinning. That is the job of Christians to confront them with the liberating truth of the Gospel. The job of government is to see that no citizen, saint or sinner, is denied the rights granted by the Constitution. The Federal Marriage Amendment was designed to protect the institution of marriage which has served both saints and sinners well since the founding of this great country.

I hope I have clarified my position on this matter. If I have not, my phone number is 704-867-7206. Saints are required to call; sinners are encouraged to do so.
The Old Gray Sabbath; She Ain’t What She used To be

The Gastonia Gazette reported Sunday that observance of Sunday as a special day for rest and worship is nearly disappeared. Historian John Hinshaw said, “Today, for a lot of Americans, Sunday’s just another you have to go to work at Wal-Mart.”

“Blue Laws” were enacted by a previous generation to force businesses to honor Sunday and to encourage people to worship and rest on one day in seven. Their demise has been gradual but now there are few, if any, places where the Lord’s Day receives even the attention paid a minor holiday.

We in the Church are quick to blame greed and the encroachment of worldliness for the change. In reality, it is the Church, not the world, which has allowed the change.

Jesus said, "You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled by men. {14} "You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. {15} Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. {16} In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven. (Mat 5:13-16)

He was saying to us that influence comes from who and what you are, not by the position you hold or the power you wield.

Standing before Pontius Pilate, Jesus said, . . . "You would have no power over me if it were not given to you from above. . . " (John 19:11).

The influence you and I have to change the world around us in enormous but it is not found in the voting booth, the court room or the Oval Office. Our influence comes from the One who is the Creator and Sustainer of the whole universe. He has called us to be salt and light in the world to preserve and enlighten it with truth, justice, righteousness and mercy.

This week, do not allow Satan to hide your light by intimidation or fear. Get out of the saltshaker and into the world!

The Gastonia Gazette today has an article reporting that Vice President and Mrs. Cheney have a disagreement about the need for an Amendment to the Constitution defining marriage solely between a man and a woman.

The tenor of the article is “So What?” What is the big deal about letting gay people marry? Few want to deny them their civil rights. What’s the fuss about letting them get married?

James Dobson has written a great book entitled Marriage Under Fire which deals, in part, with that very question. In the chapter on homosexual marriage, he lists 11 reasons why homosexual marriage ought to be opposed. Space will not permit me to include all of them and some are too complicated to address adequately here. If you are interested, you can read the chapter online at:

1. The legalization of homosexual marriage will quickly destroy the traditional family.

When marriage is reduced to a partnership, available to any who choose it for its attractive benefits and sexual convenience, the concepts of life-long commitment and purity are severely jeopardized. In Scandinavian countries where de facto homosexual marriages have existed for some time, short-term relationships and cohabitation have risen dramatically.

The step away from traditional marriage leads inexorably to polygamy. If it is the “right” of two individuals to define marriage as they choose, why not three, or four? In fact, why not include barnyard animals? Even children?

The point is, if marriage, as it has been defined by law and culture for most of human existence can be redefined by this generation, then any succeeding generation can redefine it again to suit their own desires.

More than ten thousand studies have concluded that kids do best when they are raised by loving and committed mothers and fathers. They are less likely to be on illegal drugs, less likely to be retained in a grade, less likely to drop out of school, less likely to commit suicide, less likely to be in poverty, less likely to become juvenile delinquents, and for the girls, less likely to become teen mothers. They are healthier both emotionally and physically, even thirty years later, than those not so blessed by traditional parents. Social scientists have been surprisingly consistent in warning about the impact of fractured families.

The family has been God’s primary vehicle for evangelism since the beginning. Its most important assignment has been the propagation of the human race and the handing down of the faith to our children. Malachi 2:15 reads, referring to husbands and wives, “Has not the Lord made them one? In flesh and spirit they are His. And why one? Because He was seeking godly offspring. So guard yourself in your spirit, and do not break faith with the wife of your youth.”

That responsibility to teach the next generation will never recover from the loss of committed, God-fearing families. The younger generation and those yet to come will be deprived of the Good News, as has already occurred in France, Germany, and other European countries. Instead of providing for a father and mother, the advent of homosexual marriage will create millions of motherless children and fatherless kids. Are we now going to join the Netherlands and Belgium to become the third country in the history of the world to “normalize” and legalize behavior that has been prohibited by God himself? Heaven help us if we do!

The debate on this amendment will take place this week and a vote is likely by the end of the week. Please contact your representatives and urge them to assure the sanctity of marriage in America.

David was fighting the Philistines and it came time for him to make a tactical decision. So David “inquired of the Lord”. God told David: Sneak around back and attack in front of the willow trees. But wait till you hear the sound of marching in the tops of the willow trees; then move quickly because that sound will mean “the LORD has gone out in front of you to strike the Philistine army.”

“The sound of marching in the tops of the willow trees" has become synonymous with sensing the moving of God. I don’t consider myself a person of great spiritual perception but I believe I hear a little “marching” in the tree tops!

The unofficial moniker of First Wesleyan Church for many years has been “the lighthouse on the corner.” Lighthouses provide guidance, safety and protection by extending a beam of light out into the darkness. For many years this Church has been a light of salvation and help to Gaston County and beyond.

At District Conference, we reported an average attendance in our morning worship services for the past year of 159 . Last year our average was 169. Five years ago, we averaged 189. ‘See a pattern here?

Attendance is not the sole indicator of growth but certainly if people are being saved and discipled, growth is a natural outcome.

Beginning with our revival last year there has been a renewed burden to pray. Whenever God does anything, He begins by calling His people to pray. Those efforts have continued and increased and our ultimate success in winning the lost will directly relate to our prayers. Let me say that more clearly: If you want to see people saved, you must pray regularly, sacrificially and specifically for lost people.

Our District emphasis this year reinforces that truth—“Standing On Our Knees.”

The “sound of marching” also reverberates in the “Turn-Around Cruiser Ministry” which begins July 16^th. This is a long-term, sacrificial commitment to building relationship that will, in time, yield fruit. When God’s people believe the souls of lost people are worth more than their own comfort, His favor follows.

Finally, the addition of Bryce, Patrick and Barry to the Ministry Team is encouraging. They are all “on the same page” when it comes to the issues of evangelism, prayer and sacrifice.

In the end, David and his army still had to fight the battle but victory was assured. If we as a Church regain our fervor for the lost, we will be attacked. While we are vulnerable to Satan’s attack, we are not doomed to defeat. Greater is He that is in us than he that is in the world!”

(The following was sent to me by Jimmy House. While I can’t verify it’s authenticity, the sentiment of this message is certainly appropriate for this week of the Fourth of July. Tim)

                I was sitting alone in one of those loud, casual steak houses that you find all over the country. You know the type—a bucket of peanuts on every table, shells littering the floor, and a bunch of perky college kids racing around with sizzling platters.
                Taking a sip of my iced tea, I studied the crowd over the rim of my glass. My gaze lingered on a group enjoying their meal. They wore no uniform to identify their branch of service, but they were definitely "military:" clean shaven, cropped haircut, and that "squared away" look that comes with pride.
                Smiling sadly, I glanced across my table to the empty seat where my husband usually sat. It had only been a few months since we sat in this very booth, talking about his upcoming deployment to the Middle East. That was when he made me promise to get a sitter for the kids, come back to this restaurant once a month and treat myself to a nice steak. In turn he would treasure the thought of me being here, thinking about him until he returned home to me.
                I fingered the little flag pin I constantly wear and wondered where he was at this very moment. Was he safe and warm? Was his cold any better? Were my letters getting through to him? As I pondered these thoughts, high pitched female voices from the next booth broke into my thoughts.
                “I don't know what Bush is thinking about. Invading Iraq. You'd think that man would learn from his old man's mistakes. What an idiot! I can't believe he is even in office. You do know, he stole the election."
                I cut into my steak and tried to ignore them, as they began an endless tirade running down our president. I thought about the last night I spent with my husband, as he prepared to deploy. He had just returned from getting his smallpox and anthrax shots. The image of him standing in our kitchen packing his gas mask still gives me chills.
                Once again the women's voices invaded my thoughts. "It is all about oil, you know. Our soldiers will go on and rape and steal all the oil they can in the name of 'freedom'. Hmph! I wonder how many innocent people they'll kill without giving it a thought? It's pure greed, you know."
                My chest tightened as I stared at my wedding ring. I could still see how handsome my husband looked in his "mess dress" the day he slipped it on my finger. I wondered what he was wearing now. Probably his desert uniform, affectionately dubbed "coffee stains" with a heavy bulletproof vest over it.
   "You know, we should just leave Iraq alone. I don't think they are hiding any weapons. In fact, I bet it's all a big act just to increase the president's popularity. That's all it is, padding the military budget at the expense of our social security and education. And, you know what else? We're just asking for another 9-ll. I can't say when it happens again that we didn't deserve it."
                Their words brought to mind the war protesters I had watched gathering outside our base. Did no one appreciate the sacrifice of brave men and women, who leave their homes and family to ensure our freedom? Do they even know what "freedom" is?
                I glanced at the table where the young men were sitting, and saw their courageous faces change. They had stopped eating and looked at each other dejectedly, listening to the women talking.
                "Well, I, for one, think it's just deplorable to invade Iraq, and I am certainly sick of our tax dollars going to train professional baby killers we call a military."
                Professional baby killers? I thought about what a wonderful father my husband is, and of how long it would be before he would see our children again.
                That's it! Indignation rose up inside me. Normally reserved, pride in my husband gave me a brassy boldness I never realized I had. Tonight one voice will answer on behalf of our military, and let her pride in our troops be known.
                Sliding out of my booth, I walked around to the adjoining booth and placed my hands flat on their table. Lowering myself to eye level with them, I smilingly said, "I couldn't help overhearing your conversation. You see, I'm sitting here trying to enjoy my dinner alone. And, do you know why? Because my husband, whom I love with all my heart, is halfway around the world defending your right to say rotten things about him." "Yes, you have the right to your opinion, and what you think is none of my business. However, what you say in public is something else, and I will not sit by and listen to you ridicule MY country, MY president, MY husband, and all the other fine American men and women who put their lives on the line, just so you can have the "freedom" to complain. Freedom is an expensive commodity, ladies. Don't let your actions cheapen it."
                I must have been louder that I meant to be, because the manager came over to inquire if everything was all right. "Yes, thank you," I replied. Then turning back to the women, I said, "Enjoy the rest of your meal."
                As I returned to my booth applause broke out. I was embarrassed for making a scene, and went back to my half eaten steak. The women picked up their check and scurried away.

                After finishing my meal, and while waiting for my check, the manager returned with a huge apple cobbler ala mode. "Compliments of those soldiers," he said. He also smiled and said the ladies tried to pay for my dinner, but that another couple had beaten them to it. When I asked who, the manager said they had already left, but that the gentleman was a veteran, and wanted to take care of the wife of "one of our boys."
     With a lump in my throat, I gratefully turned to the soldiers and thanked them for the cobbler. Grinning from ear to ear, they came over and surrounded the booth. "We just wanted to thank you, ma'am. You know we can't get into confrontations with civilians, so we appreciate what you did."
     As I drove home, for the first time since my husband's deployment, I didn't feel quite so alone. My heart was filled with the warmth of the other diners who stopped by my table, to relate how they, too, were proud of my husband, and would keep him in their prayers. I knew their flags would fly a little higher the next day.
                Perhaps they would look for more tangible ways to show their pride in our country, and the military who protect her. And maybe, just maybe, the two women who were railing against our country, would pause for a minute to appreciate all the freedom America offers, and the price it pays to maintain it's freedom.
                As for me, I have learned that one voice CAN make a difference. Maybe the next time protesters gather outside the gates of the base where I live, I will proudly stand on the opposite side with a sign of my own. It will simply say, "Thank You!"
(Lori Kimble is a 31 year old teacher and proud military wife. A California native, Mrs. Kimble currently lives in Alabama)
The Influence of What We see

Researchers suggest that nearly 80% of what we learn comes from what we see. For most of us, vivid memories of things we have seen last long after things we’ve heard or read fade. Images, icons and trademarks all testify to our ability and inclination to identify things visually. Sometimes the image is even stronger than the product it represents. Whenever I see a bunny with a drum, I know it’s about a battery but for the life of me I cannot remember which brand.

The Church has long availed itself of the value of visual imagery. Stained glass windows, artwork and statues, crosses and stars are visual reminders of people and events important to the Church. Flannelgraph boards and chalk boards have tapped into this natural desire for visual stimuli.

Video is not new to the Church. It started with “film strips” and “slide shows.” Missionaries were on the cutting edge of video technology when they showed up with pictures from the field on slides we could all see.

One of my favorite cartoons shows a preacher on vacation in Rome. Upon entering the Sistine Chapel the caption observes, “Rev. Brown noticed immediately the design flaw in the Sistine Chapel: No blank walls for overhead projectors.” (Even that illustration would have been funnier if you could SEE the cartoon.)

In the next few weeks, we will be installing a state-of-the-art video projection system in our Sanctuary. Every effort has been made to preserve the beauty of the Sanctuary as we have planned for the installation. Rev. Brandon Munger, pastor of the Wesleyan Church in Boger City, has assisted us out of his years of experience as Director of Audio/Visuals at Houghton University.

The screens and projectors will allow us to visually present announcements, words to songs, responsive readings, sermon outlines and illustrations and a host of other images designed to enhance our worship.

As with any change, there will be a period of adjustment and learning but the end result will be enhanced opportunities for people who are technical to be involved in ministry and for all of us to add visual

Sunday is Father’s Day. Sonora Dodd, thought of the idea for Father's Day while listening to a Mother's Day sermon in 1909 (see, some good comes from not paying attention to sermons!). She wanted to honor her father, a Civil War veteran and widower, who had raised six children as a single parent.

Sonora's father, William Smart, was born in June, so she chose to hold the first Father's Day celebration in Spokane, Washington on the 19th of June, 1910.

President Calvin Coolidge, in 1924, supported the idea of a national Father's Day but it was not until 1966, that President Lyndon Johnson signed a presidential proclamation declaring the 3^rd Sunday of June as Father's Day.

While in Russia, I was reminded once again of the esteem the Russian Wesleyan Church holds for my Father. Almost every time I was introduced it was as “Hoover Smith’s son.” In Russia, that introduction gets you off to a good start with the people.

Dad visited Vladimir shortly after the fall of communism with my brother-in-law who wanted to start a business in this emerging market. As he does everywhere he goes, Dad made friends. My brother-in-law brought a group of civic and business leaders to the states for a visit. They visited my Church in Charlotte one Sunday and heard and experienced the Gospel in a group of loving, interested Christians. One of those men is now the Russian leader of the Wesleyan Church! His daughter plans to attend SWU this fall!

Dad started taking people from this District to Russia. They saw how the Gospel could benefit these people emerging from religious and political oppression. Many of you who are reading this made one or more of those trips.

Then CoMission began. The government of Russia recognized the need for moral and ethical training for their public school teachers. Americans responded—many Wesleyans and many of you among them.

Some of you traveled to upfit the ministry center in Vladimir (a former Kindergarten). Others went as Go-Netters. Today the Ministry Center trains and equips Russian Wesleyans to plant Churches and do evangelism. The Bible College was recently invited by the University to offer classes in religion on Campus. That opens the door to more than 15,000 of the brightest minds in the City.

All of this work began, not because my Dad was a international scholar or diplomat. This work began because Dad serves, with his whole heart, a GREAT God! When faced with a situation too big or too complicated or too costly for Dad, he simply refers the matter to his heavenly Father. That practice has held Dad in good stead with people and governments and Churches for more than fifty years.

Last Wednesday, Dad turned 81 years old. He doesn’t show any signs of stopping and has only slowed down a little. God has blessed him with a strong constitution and an even stronger faith.

On this special day on which we honor our fathers, I am proud to honor mine. Thanks Dad. You’ve set the bar very high but you introduced me to the God who can help me clear it.

One of the things I’ve learned over the years is not to “sweat the small stuff.” I used to get uptight about traffic until I lived in Charlotte. I used to hate delays until my flight from Moscow to Frankfort was canceled yesterday.

I left Vladimir at 2:00 a.m. to be at the airport by 5:00 a.m. The flight was supposed to leave at 7:00 a.m. but at the appointed hour, no one had boarded. After some time the Captain announced the flight had been canceled due to mechanical problems with the plane and that other arrangements would be made. Each time the Lufthansa representatives came in the room, they were swamped by people, many of them angry and frustrated at the delay. I waited out in the concourse until the representative left and asked him to repeat his instructions in English for me. I thanked him for his patience and tolerance. He told me what gate my flight would leave from and that he would bring my new itinerary to me there.

When I got my tickets and boarding passes I was mostly concerned with time of departure. I was able to make the first flight from Moscow to Frankfort easily but the connector to Washington was pretty tight. The plane was boarding when I got to the gate and to my happy surprise, I had a seat in first class! Seats in economy were full so the only one available for me for the 7 ½ hour flight was in a seat that is wide and reclining. My seat-mate had to show me how to use all the controls. The food was excellent. The service was attentive. I was able to sleep most of the trip.

I’m glad the first plane didn’t take off with a mechanical problem. I’m glad I didn’t join with those who were angry about the situation. I’m glad I remembered to say “thank you.” And I’m glad I got to fly first class. The next time I am frustrated, I hope I’ll remember that delays sometimes lead to a first-class seat. Jesus said, Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? (Mat 6:26)

P.S. I want to say a word of thanks to all who filled in while I was gone. My Dad, the two Jeff-s (especially the “long-winded” one who made me look good (;) ), Barry, Ronnie, Ed, Debbie and Mary. Being gone for two weeks is a long time but the strong leadership of this Church made it much easier.

This is my third trip to Russia but it is the first time I’ve ever ben asked to preach in a Wesleyan Church here. Dr. Ken Blake, Field Director for Russia and pastor of the Tokareva Church, asked me if I would preach on Sunday the 30^th. I was delighted to do so and honored that he would ask. I have since been asked to preach at the Resurrection Wesleyan Church on June 7^th.

When the warm glow of being asked had worn off, I suddenly realized that I’ve got to have a sermon! What can I say to these people who are, in many ways, so different from me? What illustrations will translate well? I’m used to preaching for about a half hour. But that would be an hour-long sermon because everything I say has to be translated by the interpreter. And what about humor? If my jokes fall flat at home, what will they do here?

Then I remembered that the Gospel of Christ has always been presented “cross-culturally.” It was first presented from Jews to Gentiles. It was presented from believers to pagans. The Gospel has always gone from people who had been “made alive in Christ” to people who were “dead in trespasses and sins.” Paul wrote, (Gal 3:28) There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.

Language, culture, gender-they have all been bridged by the Gospel of Jesus Christ!

So how did it go? Saturday afternoon I met with my translator, Lena Davedianova, to go over the Scripture and my outline. She was very helpful and made suggestions which I incorporated Saturday night.

The Tokareva Wesleyan Church is the mother-Church of Russia. It meets at the ministry center. They meet in two services on Sunday morning because of space limitations. The early service (9:30 a.m.) is slightly smaller and attended primarily by the older members. A praise team leads the worship and they sang all choruses accompanied by guitar and piano.

I preached a message on holiness. I used an object lesson--a handkerchief with the Russian word for “sin” printed on it in permanent ink. I had a small basin of water and tried to “scrub away the stain of sin.” At the close of the service, those who wished to pray were invited to a classroom just off the Sanctuary to meet with Ken. Three women responded saying, “I want what he talked about.” Hallelujah!

The second service was nearly full. This is the season when people go to their dachas (summer homes with small gardens) on the weekends so attendance was “off.” The second service is mostly young people—teens and young adults. The music is more contemporary and the praise team adds in drums and a bass.

After the second service, a woman with two small children responded to me and, through an interpreter, I counseled and prayed with her. Her tears of conviction were replaced with tears of joy as God gave her victory.

I thank the Lord for every opportunity to preach but this unique occasion reminds me again that God has chosen the “foolishness of preaching” (1 Cor. 1:21) to “save those who believe.”

It is Saturday morning in Russia as I write this and nearing midnight, Friday night, in Gastonia. The trip here was long but thankfully, uneventful. It was a delight to see David and Kay Vardaman’s smiling faces when I boarded in Washington. They both send their love to all their friends at First Wesleyan.

Arriving in Moscow after a two-year absence gave me opportunity to reflect on some changes. Russia is much more prosperous than when I was here before and tremendously more so than when I was here in the early nineties. There are new stores and housing developments being built. Traffic was a nightmare on the six-lane “outer belt” around Moscow.

Ken Blake, one of our missionaries here, told me there are more “billionaires” in Russia than any other place in the world other than the US. He said that every year there are 400,000 new cars placed in service.

With all this increased affluence, one might think there’d be the danger of what one writer called, “affluenza.” But the Church in Russia has never been stronger. This morning they will convene their District Conference. They only meet once every four years (now there’s an idea worth pursuing!) and on the agenda will be matters of Church planting and the ordination of women. It will be interesting to watch a group of people whose focus is primarily on Kingdom work deal with more mundane matters of Church government and parliamentary procedure.

I look forward to worshipping with Russian believers tomorrow and enjoying the enthusiasm and excitement their Kingdom-focus brings to their worship. I’m supposed to bring a “word of encouragement” to the group—a three-to-five-minute testimony or devotional thought. I feel wholly inadequate to “encourage” a group of people who already know the encouragement from being united with Christ, (Phil 2:1).

Monday I begin teaching the first-year students here at the Bible College a course on Theology. As the Lord brings me to your mind, I’d appreciate your prayers. These folks are so in love with Jesus, I don’t want to mess anything up! I’ll write more next week but until then, “dobrah eh ootrah” (good morning!)

I won’t be here for the reception Sunday night to honor Doug so I thought I’d put down a few thoughts about him here.

Doug is a pioneer. When he came to work with my Dad at Long Shoals Wesleyan Church in the late fifties, he was one of four “staff” pastors in the Denomination. I remember people saying, “Why should Long Shoals have two pastors when some churches don’t have any.”

Long Shoals had two pastors because they were visionaries and Doug was a pioneer. I was in his Children’s Choir. That didn’t just mean rehearsals and singing in Church. Being in Doug’s Children’s Choir also meant “bike hikes” and trips to Kings Mountain National Park. Not that he didn’t expect excellence in choir practice! He once kicked me out of the choir for misbehaving in Church!

Gastonia First called Doug in 1961. It was here he “made a name for himself.” As a teenager, the Gastonia Area Youth Chorus was stuff dreams were made of. Traveling, singing, meeting the President, DRUMS! That was “cutting edge” stuff in 1961.

Doug’s pioneer spirit extended to the construction of a new Church Building. He served as a member of the Building Committee that designed and built our current facility. It didn’t “look like a Church.” But it was designed for worship and service to the community.

The Denomination recognized Doug’s pioneer spirit and he and h~~HE AND H~~is family left for Marion Indiana. There Doug became the Music Director for a new evangelistic ~~ven~~ venture in radio called, “The Wesleyan Hour.” Doug organized and rehearsed a choir from the Marion college and community and took them down to a recording studio owned by a couple of Gospel singers named Gaither.

The Wesleyan Church recognized that Doug was not only an innovator in popular Church music but in the classics as well. He was asked to be a part of the Hymnal Commission which produced Hymns of the Living Faith. Throughout the process, Doug was a champion for “singable” Church music.

Someone said, “It’s the pioneers who take the arrows.” Undoubtedly Doug has “taken a few arrows” over the years for his innovative and creative leadership in the Church. Some would have allowed those wounds to fester and corrupt—but not Doug. He has remained positive and upbeat. Even during his recent illness, Doug was thinking of new and better ways to do things here at the Church.

It has been an honor for me to have known one of the pioneers of Church music and staff ministry and to have worked along side him for these past two years. I do not know what the future holds for Doug but I’d bet it will be something few have done before.

Someone has said, “Change is not a choice; managing change is the only choice.” Certainly that is true in the Church. Imagine the traumatic change involved for the early Christian converts from Judaism. All of their lives, they’d been told that keeping the Jewish Law was the way to please God. Now, their new Christian leaders were saying, “(Gal 3:2) . . .Did you receive the Spirit by observing the law, or by believing what you heard?

Change happens in the Church and everywhere. When it does, our ability to manage change determines whether change produces progress or discord.

Effective May 31^st, Doug Childress, the twice-selected Minister of Music, will step down from his duties. Doug came to First Wesleyan the first time in 1961, and served the Church for 11 years. During that time, he organized the Gastonia Area Youth Chorus which traveled nationally and internationally representing the Church and Community. Doug was an active member of the Building Committee overseeing the construction of the current Church building. Doug stepped down in 1972 to go to Marion, IN where he served as the Music Director for the fledgling “Wesleyan Hour.” Over the years, he has served the Church and the denomination in various roles including the Hymnal Commission.

In 1998, Doug returned to First Wesleyan in a part-time role as Minister of Music. He has organized numerous Choirs and groups and directed musicals and programs.

Doug will be missed both for his talent and his friendship . to all of us. A reception to honor his years of service will be held on Sunday, May 22^nd following the evening service.

Bryce Pursley stepped in to a difficult role the day before Easter. Doug’s sudden illness left us without musical leadership on one of the most important Sundays of the year. Bryce had practiced with the Choir and stepped in to lead them. He continued to do so until Doug’s physical condition allowed him to resume his duties.

Some time ago, the Local Board of Administration decided to have a dual focus in our worship services. A morning service that is traditional and a contemporary evening service is the result of several efforts to meet the varying needs of the congregation. Musical leadership for both types of services was needed and Bryce Pursley is well qualified to provide such leadership.

Bryce was graduated from Appalachian State University in 1978 with a degree in Music. He served churches in Drexel, Charlotte, Belmont and Gastonia as Minister of Music. Bryce returned to school at Catawba Valley Community College in 1982 and currently works as a Senior Systems Programmer at Duke Energy. Bryce is a partner in life and ministry with his wife of more than 25 years, Karla. They have two children, Benjamin, a student at App State and Kristin, a High School freshman at Gaston Christian. Bryce will begin his duties on June 1^st.

Patrick Dagenhart will assume the role of Pastor of Student Ministries. Patrick is the son of Steve and Beth Dagenhart of Concord, NC. Steve pastored the Bethel Wesleyan Church for many years until MS forced his retirement. Patrick follows in his parent’s strong example of godliness and determination. He is a 2004 graduate of Southern Wesleyan University. While there he served as Chaplain and President of the Student Body. Patrick has a strong background in music and youth ministry having traveled with “From The Heart” representing the school at Camps and local Churches. This summer he will complete an internship with Kingdom Building Ministries which will take him to Colorado, the Far East and Youth Camps and Inner City youth programs here in the US. Patrick will begin his duties here on August 15^th.
National Day of Prayer

The first Thursday of May (May 6^th this year) is the National Day of Prayer. Since the first call to prayer in 1775, when the Continental Congress asked the colonies to pray for wisdom in forming a nation, the call to prayer has continued through our history, including President Lincoln's proclamation of a day of "humiliation, fasting, and prayer" in 1863. In 1952, a joint resolution by Congress, signed by President Truman, declared an annual, national day of prayer. In 1988, the law was amended and signed by President Reagan, permanently setting the day as the first Thursday of every May. Each year, the president signs a proclamation, encouraging all Americans to pray on this day. Last year, all 50 state governors plus the governors of several U.S. territories signed similar proclamations.

Dr. Barry Black, Chaplain of the US Senate has encouraged believers everywhere to pray the following “Prayer For the Nation” at Noon on Thursday, May 6^th.

Gracious God,
You have been good to us beyond our deserving, making our Nation a land of liberty. Help us to protect our freedoms with diligence and integrity.

Lord, bless our military as it advances freedom’s cause around the world. Bless also the institutions of power and influence in our society – the government, the churches, the media, the schools and the families. May each bring glory to Your name.

Forgive us when we stray from right paths. We place our trust in You, O Lord, believing that Your hand will sustain America. Let no shadows obscure the pathways which we should tread.

Though the National Day of Prayer focuses most of its efforts promoting the annual day of prayer, we realize that true life-altering, world-changing prayer cannot happen in a single day. It must become a discipline. Freedom Five is an initiative that challenges you to commit to prayer for our country on a daily basis. It involves praying for five minutes a day about five centers of power: Government, Media, Education, Church and Family. By targeting these specific areas, America can experience the freedom that accompanies God’s power.

I want to encourage you to join with believers across our nation in praying for our great country on the National day of Prayer and everyday.

This week we have been enjoying the Gastonia Area Revival. The GAR began as the “GATR” –Gastonia Area Tent Revival. A group of ministers in the area recognized that the District Campmeeting was not well attended by people from the area because of the distance involved.

The prospect of a “Old Fashioned Tent Revival” like the ones that had been the genesis for many of the area churches (including First Wesleyan) was appealing. The scent of a sawdust floor and the open-air witness to the community was attractive. The visibility and novelty of a tent where the Gospel would be proclaimed was interesting and charming. But the primary motivation was (as it usually is at campmeeting) fellowship.

The meetings throughout the year to plan the event always end conveniently at lunchtime. The conversations among people from the various churches in the area precede, interrupt and follow the services.

Christian people like to be together with each other. Several years ago, as a cost-cutting measure, a proposal came to General Conference to meet every five years instead of four. It was soundly defeated because we like to get together.

Fellowship is one of the essentials of a healthy church and a healthy Christian. Unfortunately, some people find friendships difficult to engage. Reaching out to such folks is as much an act of compassion and evangelism as working in a soup kitchen or handing someone a tract. And for many people it is easier!

Jesus told a parable in Matthew 25, about sheep and goats. The sheep reached out in love to people while the goats did not. The goats said they would have if they had known the people in need were important people—like Jesus. The sheep reached out in fellowship and compassion because it was their nature to do so. Jesus noticed.

I watched one night this week as a lady entered the Area Revival service, sat alone and left. I’m sure she enjoyed the music and the sermon but I believe her experience of worship would have been more complete had someone sat with her and connected with her.

Is it your nature to look for others around you in need of fellowship? If not, perhaps you need to ask the Holy Spirit to “get your goat.”

I realize that last week’s article was about “Birthdays” and at the risk of getting into a rut, I want to wish a Happy Birthday to my wife, Mary. She will turn 50 tomorrow. By comparison to Lucy Thornton and Arthur Williams, Mary is only “half way there” but this milestone seems an appropriate time to pay tribute to the love of my life.

I met Mary when she was a junior in high school. She was blond and beautiful and I have to admit that it was her looks that first attracted me to her—they still do!

I had known Mary’s Dad and Brother for some time and her brother and I roomed together at SWU for a year. Knowing her family gave me insight into Mary that went deeper than her good looks. Wardner (Mary’s Dad) and David (Mary’s Brother) were people of strong character. They had a vibrant love of people and life. They were both extremely talented. They both knew the meaning of hard work and sacrifice and were willing to do “whatever it takes” to see a worthwhile job accomplished. They were both fully and radically committed to Christ.

As I got to know Mary, I discovered that she shared those qualities with her Dad and Brother in abundance.

Mary’s character has enabled her to make tough choices from time to time about her time, her involvement and her priorities.

Mary loves people—all people. She can find a “new best friend” in a grocery line! She can hear of a tragedy affecting a perfect stranger and be moved by it.

Mary is fun. Last year she decided to take the family to the beach for a day. She hauled us all out of bed in the middle of the night, packed a picnic lunch and set out for the coast. We returned home that night exhausted but filled with memories we will cherish the rest of our lives.

I’ve seen Mary stay up late and get up early in preparation for musicals and productions and retreats and holidays. She genuinely believes that no effort is too great when you are doing it for the Lord.

Mary has been a minister for most of her life. Her considerable musical talents have placed her in a position to lead choirs and congregations but her passion in doing so has never been limited to excellence in music. She has always strived to see life-change in those she has led. She became burdened for other minister’s wives and founded Southern Wives In Ministry to minister to their unique needs. She teaches elementary aged children every day how to love Christ through music and she is training the next generation of Church pianists how to play with more than just technical expertise.

God has blessed me with a wonderful family, great kids, a fulfilling and challenging ministry and a measure of good health. But without question, His greatest blessing to me, apart from salvation, is the gift of Mary’s love.

May I never boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through
which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.

Chances are, you've never heard of George Bennard. He was born in 1873.
He lived in Ohio, then moved to Iowa, and at the age of sixteen, with the
death of his father, he joined the Salvation Army. After he married, he
and his wife joined the Methodist Episcopal Church and he became a highly
esteemed minister. For several years, he conducted revival services
throughout the states of Michigan and New York.

Are you yawning yet? Is this article headed for the trash? Well, not so
fast. I haven't gotten to the good part yet.

One day, Mr. Bennard was returning to Michigan and he went through what can
only be described as an experience similar to that of the Apostle Paul.
Suddenly, he became convicted of the presence of the cross as the key to the
Bible message. Now, I cannot find any report of exactly what Mr. Bernard felt
on his "Damascus Road" experience, but the fact that he had one can be seen in
the result of his amazing revelation. A short time later, he composed the
melody and later wrote the words to a song that reflects the spirit of the
Easter season and the Christian faith more than any other. You see, George
Bennard wrote the hymn, "The Old Rugged Cross".

What did Mr. Bennard see in that beast of a cross? He saw beauty. He saw grace,
love, compassion, hope, sacrifice, joy, pain, glory and resurrection. Like the
apostle Paul, he was changed and that new vision about the cross compelled him
to pen these words: "Oh that old rugged cross, so despised by the world, has a
wondrous attraction for me; for the dear Lamb of God left His glory above to
pardon and sanctify me." He goes on to say, "In the old rugged cross, stained
with blood so divine, a wondrous beauty I see;"

Do you see the beauty or the beast when you look at the cross? To be honest, I
don't like reading about the cross, looking at the cross or thinking about the
cross. It is a beast to me. But there is a beauty in that old, rugged cross
that all of us need to embrace. It is because of the blood, sacrifice, pain,
agony and torture that Jesus endured on that beast that we now experience the
beauty of forgiveness and never-ending love.

George Bennard had a life-changing experience in which he suddenly
saw the cross of Christ as a beautiful, wondrous work of healing redemption. So,
the next time you sing this glorious hymn, think about a common man named George.
Then, think about an uncommon man named Jesus, whose decision to die on that ugly,
horrible beast remains the most beautiful story ever told.
We’re a most unusual Church

How many churches of our size do you suppose have TWO one-hundred year old members? Perhaps not very many. There are about 76,000 “centenarians” living in the US. When Willard Scott of The Today Show first started announcing 100th birthdays in 1980, he had a trickle of letters; now, the show gets 400 per week! In the next 20 years, it is predicted that there may be as many as 2,500,000 persons 100+. In addition, there are currently 45 (43 women and 2 men) who are “supercentenarians”—they are at least 110 years old!

Lucy Thornton turned 100 last September 3^rd and Arthur Williams reached the century mark last Friday. Think about how the world has changed in the span of their lifetimes! Here are the U. S. statistics for 1904....

Solomon wrote, Gray hair is a crown of splendor; it is attained by a righteous life. (Prov 16:31)

Congratulations to both our “centenarians” and may God grant you continued grace and health!
The Highest and Holiest Day

Sunday is the “highest and holiest day” of the Christian Year. It is true that the Gospel consists of “the virgin birth, the sinless life, the atoning death and the bodily resurrection”. It is also true that we “non-adventist” believers celebrate the resurrection every Sunday when we gather to proclaim “Jesus is Lord!”

So what makes Easter so special? Unlike Christmas which is always celebrated on Dec. 25th, Easter is celebrated anywhere between March 21^st and April 20^th. It coincides with the Jewish observance of Passover which was created in an agrarian society for whom seasons have more to do with planting and harvesting than calendars.

Jesus’ celebration of the Passover Meal with His Disciples the night before His Crucifixion and Pilate’s release of Barabbas as a goodwill gesture at the Jewish Passover remind us of our Hebrew heritage.

Passover reminds us of God’s liberation of His people from slavery. Once liberated, however, Israel still had the obstacles of the Wilderness and the occupants of the Promised Land to overcome. In addition, they were hindered by their own faithlessness and lack of courage.

In the resurrection, Jesus overcame all of the obstacles and hindrances. He defeated “sin and death.” Paul exulted, “There is therefore now no condemnation!”

The Resurrection of Jesus stands alone as the most significant event in salvation history. It makes Jesus unique among the leaders of the world’s religions and relegates Satan to the role of a defeated foe.

Join us Easter Sunday as we celebrate a Risen Lord. He is alive and that is reason to celebrate!

I suppose everyone has either played a practical joke or been the object of one on April Fool’s Day. Some April Fool’s hoaxes have been pretty elaborate.

· In 1957, the respected BBC news show Panorama announced that thanks to a very mild winter and the virtual elimination of the dreaded spaghetti weevil, Swiss farmers were enjoying a bumper spaghetti crop. It accompanied this announcement with footage of Swiss peasants pulling strands of spaghetti down from trees.

· In 1962 there was only one tv channel in Sweden, and it broadcast in black and white. The station's technical expert, Kjell Stensson, appeared on the news to announce that thanks to a newly developed technology, all viewers could now quickly and easily convert their existing sets to display color reception. All they had to do was pull a nylon stocking over their tv screen, and they would begin to see their favorite shows in color.

· In 1996 the Taco Bell Corporation announced that it had bought the Liberty Bell from the federal government and was renaming it the Taco Liberty Bell. Hundreds of outraged citizens called up the National Historic Park in Philadelphia where the bell is housed to express their anger.

· My personal favorite (being left-handed) ocured in 1998. Burger King published a full page advertisement in USA Today announcing the introduction of a new item to their menu: a "Left-Handed Whopper" specially designed for the 32 million left-handed Americans. According to the advertisement, the new whopper included the same ingredients as the original Whopper (lettuce, tomato, hamburger patty, etc.), but all the condiments were rotated 180 degrees for the benefit of their left-handed customers.

Unlike most of the other “nonfoolish” holidays, the history of April Fool's Day, sometimes called All Fool's Day, is not totally clear. There really wasn't a "first April Fool's Day" that can be pinpointed on the calendar.

The closest point in time that can be identified as the beginning of this tradition was in 1582, in France. Prior to that year, the new year was celebrated for eight days, beginning on March 25. The celebration culminated on April 1. With the reform of the calendar under Charles IX, the Gregorian Calendar was introduced, and New Year's Day was moved to January 1^st. However, communications being what they were in the days when news traveled by foot, many people did not receive the news for several years. Others refused to accept the new calendar and continued to celebrate the new year on April 1. These backward folk were labeled as "fools" by the general populace. They were subject to some ridicule, and were often sent on "fools errands" or were made the butt of other practical jokes.

Ray Comfort has declared April 1^st, “National Atheist’s Day” because “A fool has said in his heart, ‘there is no God’.”

However you celebrate Thursday, April 1^st, remember that God is truth and that Satan is a deceiver. Deceptions designed for fun on Thursday may be relatively harmless but Satan seeks to “kill and destroy.” Don’t be fooled by the Devil—Thursday or any other day!

CCM Magazine is published to provide news and opinion about “Contemporary Christian Music.” In a recent issue they reviewed a new “Passion” CD entitled, “Hymns Ancient and Modern.”

The “Passion” worship movement began in 1997, when several campus pastors welcomed 2,000 college-aged young people to a prayer and worship event in Austin,Texas. Their desire was to see a revival among college students. Attendance at the events increased. The “OneDay” Conference held on a farm out side of Memphis, TN, was attended by 40,000.

Speakers have included the late, Bill Bright, Beth Moore and John Piper. Worship leaders are familiar names in contemporary worship music: Chris Tomlin (who led worship at the Charlotte Youth Convention last Christmas), Charlie Hall and the founder of the Passion Conferences and Atlanta pastor, Louie Giglio.

This newest Passion CD was recorded last spring at the “Thirsty” Conference. The rule for song selection was that “no song could be less than a hundred years old.” Interviewed about the CD, Giglio said, “If you want to be on the cutting edge, you have to look backward, not forward. Worship isn’t ancient or modern to God. These hymns remind us that our faith and worship aren’t a week old. We’re part of a stream that is thousands of years old. Many have gone before us and found Him to be true.”

The CD includes songs that have been sung in our Church (When I Survey The Wondrous Cross/The Wonderful Cross), How Great Thou Art, O Worship The King and a song written in 200 A.D., Phos Hilaren—The Hilarious Light.

Reading this review, I was feeling so good! “At last these young whipper-snappers are seeing the light on the value of the past. They’re finally seeing things my way!” It was just about then I felt the familiar “check of the Spirit.” I was reminded that worship is not “my way” but God’s way. It is about what pleases Him.

My Dad was reminiscing about the Church in which he was raised the other day. He said that in the Church were sinners, new believers, legalists and grace-filled saints. Despite all their differences—some of which were pretty tightly held—all of them were united in love for each other because they had a common goal—the salvation of lost men and women and boys and girls. To that end they would not allow division in the Church because they knew it would hinder their ability to reach the lost. I’m glad they were able to see the bigger picture. My Dad was saved in that Church along with many others. More than 30 of them became ministers and missionaries so that the soul-winning effort of the Church was multiplied many times over.

Sinners can’t worship the Living God because they are dead in trespasses and sins. But they can watch us worship and if we do it right, they can hunger for the kind of intimacy with God we celebrate in worship. I think I’m finally beginning to see things HIS way!

Thank you to all who participated in yesterday’s voting. I am disappointed in the results of the pastoral vote because they indicate continued division within our Church. I had hoped that by this time we would be moving toward greater unity of purpose and direction rather than away from it.

Votes are sometimes difficult to interpret. One preacher said, “Sometimes you count ‘em and sometimes you weigh ‘em.” A simple “yes” or “no” does not tell the “because” of the vote. Our District Superintendent sends out a questionaire to the LBA members in which they evaluate my leadership. Those results were generally positive and helpful where they were negative.

When I came here 20 months ago, I did so with an equally poor vote and an equally clear sense that this was where God wanted me. That sense of God’s direction remains as strong today as it was then.

Because I believe I have the support of the leadership of the Church and because I sense God’s direction and affirmation to be here, I will accept the call of the Church to serve for another four years pending the approval and appointment of the District Conference.

I continue to believe that everyone who voted did so with the best interests of the Church at heart. Together let us seek God’s will to know and do what is in the best interests of His Kingdom.

Last night, while the Men’s Chorus was rehearsing, a “mighty wind” swept through Gaston County. That was the headline in the Gazette this morning—“A Mighty Wind”.

The lights went out. We could hear the violent shaking of the shrubbery against the windows of the Church. People were frightened. Ed had to lock the door to keep it from being blown open. Doug used his PDA as a makeshift light to lead the men to the rear of the Sanctuary.

I couldn’t help wondering what the effect of the “sound of a mighty rushing wind” was on those gathered in Jerusalem on the day of Pentecost.

We were surprised by the storm and they were “waiting for the promise” Jesus had given them that the Holy Spirit would come. But I can’t help be believe that anything that is both powerful and not under our control would not engender some fear.

· It caused us to re-orient our priorities (from rehearsing to being with our family members and getting home)

The Wind of the Spirit on the Day of Pentecost also interrupted the praying of the Disciples, re-oriented their priorities caused them to work together and revealed leadership qualities. So what made the two events different?

First of all, there’s a huge difference between the Holy Spirit of God and Mother Nature. Both are equally out of our control but the Holy Spirit is intentional and accomplishes the purposes of God.

Secondly, our experience with Mother Nature is that, in time, the wind will stop blowing. The Holy Spirit, being both eternal and unchanging, doesn’t change.

Meteorologists could tell us why we were buffeted by such violent wind gusts last night but as Jesus explained to Nicodemus, “you see the Spirit’s effects but you can’t tell where He comes from or where He is going.”

Finally, Mother Nature blows on the outside while the Holy Spirit works from the inside.

The Greek storyteller/philosopher Aesop told the story of a competition between the wind and the sun to see who cold get a man to take off his coat. The wind tried to blow the coat away from the man but his efforts only caused the man to clutch tighter still to his coat. The sun gently warmed the air until the man willingly took off his coat.

So it is with the Holy Spirit. He works within us to profoundly affect who we are and how we behave. Not because we must but because we can.

Yesterday was a most unusual day. “Leap Day” is added to our calendar every four years (almost—see below) to accommodate a solar year that is just a shade over 365 days long.

The Romans originally had a 355-day calendar. To keep up with the seasons, an extra 22 or 23-day month was inserted every second year. For reasons unknown, this extra month was only observed now and then. By Julius Caesar’s time, the seasons no longer occurred at the same calendar periods as history had shown. To correct this, Caesar eliminated the extra month and added one or two extra days to the end of various months. This extended the calendar to 365 days. Also intended was an extra calendar day every fourth year (following the 28th day of Februarius). However, after Caesar’s death in 44 B.C., the calendars were written with an extra day every 3 years instead of every 4 until corrected in 8 A.D. So again, the calendar drifted away from the seasons. By 1582, Pope Gregory XIII recognized that Easter would eventually become closer and closer to Christmas. The calendar was reformed so that a leap day would occur in any year that is divisible by 4 but not divisible by 100 except when the year is divisible by 400. Thus 1600 and 2000, although century marks, have a Leap Day.

The calendar we use today, known as the Gregorian calendar, makes our year 365.2425 days only off from our solar year by .00031, which amounts to only one day’s error after 4,000 years.

An added benefit to leap years is a tradition begun in Ireland in the 5^th Century. St. Bridget convinced St. Patrick to allow one day that a woman could propose. If the man refused, he was fined (incidentally, St. Bridget proposed to St. Patrick that day; he said no).

Cartoonist Al Capp seized on the Irish tradition to get a husband for one of his hillbilly characters, Sadie Hawkins, -- "the homeliest gal in the hills." Sadie grew tired of waiting for the fellows to come a courtin'. Her father, Hekzebiah Hawkins, a prominent resident of Dogpatch, was even more worried about Sadie living at home for the rest of his life, so he decreed the first annual Sadie Hawkins Day, a foot race in which the unmarried gals pursued the town's bachelors, with matrimony the consequence.

By the late 1930's the event had swept the nation and had a life of its own. Life magazine reported over 200 colleges holding Sadie Hawkins Day events in 1939, only two years after its inception. It became a woman empowering rite at high schools and college campuses, long before the modern feminist movement gained prominence. The basis of Sadie Hawkins Day is that women and girls take the initiative in inviting the man or boy of their choice out on a date.

Sunday was indeed a rare day that occurs only occasionally. It was a fifth Sunday in the shortest month of the year. It occurred in 1976 and will not happen again until 2032.

But Sunday will occur again in just seven days! And once again, it will be a rare day. We call it “The Lord’s Day”. It will be a decreed day of rest, renewal and worship. It will be a day when God, like Sadie Hawkins, “chooses us.” Don’t miss this “rare day.”

Ashes are what is left over when the thing itself has been burned and used up. Ashes have little further use. Since they are worthless, they are usually thrown out.

In the past, people used ashes as a sign of mourning when a loved one died. They would put ashes on their head as a sign to others that they were grieving. The opposite was when they would put oil on their heads. That was a sign of rejoicing.

On Wednesday, we will use ashes on our foreheads (or on the back of your hand if you prefer) as a sign of our sorrow for our sins. “Ash Wednesday” marks the beginning of forty days of spiritual preparation for Easter.

When Jesus began His ministry, He journeyed into the wilderness to fast and pray. For forty days He was tempted by Satan to take short-cuts to the victory God had planned for Him on the Cross. Jesus successfully resisted those temptations by using God’s Word and His own will steeled by the disciplines of prayer and fasting.

Are there any victories God has planned for you? Victory over a besetting sin? Victory over a broken relationship? A past failure? A habit of righteousness you need to establish? Is there some specific area where you need the help of God to move you forward in your relationship with Him? If so, this Lenten season is a great time to focus your attention on winning that victory! For the next forty days, you could, by prayer and fasting (of food or anything else—TV, net surfing, recreational reading) move from where you are spiritually to a new and better place of confidence and intimacy with God.

Then on Easter Sunday morning, when we gather to celebrate the resurrection of the Lord, you would have a victory over sin and the Devil to celebrate as well! Perhaps that’s what Paul meant when he said, (Rom 8:17b) . . . if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory.

Ashes for now and oil for later. May your Lenten Season be blessed with victory!

I can’t remember when a film has generated so much controversy. Most of the times when a film draws this much attention before its release it’s because of some instance of pushing back the boundaries of what has previously been acceptable to public morals.

· Midnight Cowboy premiered in 1969, and caused a stir because it portrayed homosexuals in a believable and even sympathetic way.

· Pretty Baby in 1978, was the story of a young girl growing up in a house of prostitution and got a lot of attention because of an underage nude actress named Brooke Shields.

The Passion of the Christ has garnered enormous attention as well. Some have condemned it as a “passion play” which, in the past, has been used to inflame the emotions of Gentiles against the Jews for “killing Christ.” Some have praised it as the most effective evangelistic tool to be produced in this generation. (Has anyone heard of the Four Spiritual Laws and the Jesus Video?)

Mel Gibson (star of Braveheart and The Patriot) produced and hlped pay for the making of the film. Gibson belongs to a sect of Catholicism which practices their faith as it was done prior to Vatican II. He is a conservative Catholic. He believes the Bible is the literal word of God. Gibson says that he sensed God’s help in making the film and in the scene where Christ’s hands are nailed to the cross, it is actually Gibson’s own left hand that holds the nail. He believes Christ was killed, not by the Jews alone but by the “sins of the whole world—including mine.”

The film is rated “R.” It is extremely graphic and many children’s ministers say it should not be viewed by anyone under 13. There is a particularly graphic scene in which Judas is tormented by demons-who appear as children. That and the brutal images of Christ’s suffering may be difficult for many children to assimilate.

People who have seen the film say it is a visceral experience. It is not a movie you watch—you experience it. The movie is, by all accounts, a faithful retelling of the events of the last few hours of Christ’s life based on the Gospel accounts. It has been shown to select groups of theologians and religious leaders and has been re-edited several times based on their comments and observations.

The film premiers Ash Wednesday (February 25^th) at theaters everywhere (including Gastonia). Whether or not you decide to view the film is a matter of personal conviction and taste.

I plan to see it. I do so with this caveat. The Passion of The Christ is a film. It is not The Bible. Mel Gibson is a film-maker, not an inspired Scripture writer. I expect to be profoundly impacted by the film because I am of a visual generation for whom images on a screen carry powerful influence on what I think and feel. Communication with God is solely the purview of the Holy Spirit and He speaks most plainly and accurately through His Word. I sense God’s help when I preach as Mel Gibson says he did when he made this film. But I do not believe my words carry anything like the authority of Scripture.

Jesus told a story about a rich man and Lazarus. After their deaths, Lazarus rested with Abraham while the rich man suffered torment. The rich man called out to Abraham to send Lazarus back to earth to make a powerful film about the sufferings of hell but he responded: 'If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be convinced even if someone makes an epic movie about it.'"

I pray that God will use The Passion of the Christ to reach many lost people with the message of the Gospel and that many believers will gain a new appreciation for the sacrifice Christ made when He suffered and died on the Cross and that a special blessing will be suited to Mel Gibson for his courage in making this film. But I pray even more that everyone would read the Bible.

Monday was the Winter meeting of the District Board of Ministerial Development at Southern Wesleyan University. That group overseas ministerial students from the time they announce their calling until they are ordained. Meeting with these students is one of the great joys of my ministry. The group Monday were all students at Southern Wesleyan University. There was Amanda Baker, a beautiful Senior planning to go to Ajurbajan as a Missionary. There was Matthew Tietje, a preacher’s kid whose confidence and giftedness were so evident. There was Brian Charles who is getting ready to graduate and looking for a place of ministry. Young and old, tall and short, rich and poor, fat and thin. Some are headed to Seminary, some to the pastorate, some to youth work and music ministry. God has gifted some to preach, others to lead worship—some are good one-on-one. As I said after Grace McKinnon sang Sunday, the future of the Church is in good hands.

The students hate to hear two things for the Board: “Tell us about your devotional life” and “How much debt have you incurred thus far in your schooling?” Most of us, ministerial students included, struggle to develop a consistent devotional life. We keep asking because it is essential for ministry. School is expensive and many student graduate saddled with an enormous debt that, in some cases, inhibits the kind of ministries they can pursue. As a Denomination, we need to find a way to address this problem of ministerial training.

We took all the students out for supper (their favorite thing to hear from us). Western Sizzlin’ in Clemson has a steak called “The Biggest One We Got.” They just barely had enough to go around!

Monday also began the Southern Area Minister’s Conference at SWU. I had a meeting here in Gastonia on Tuesday morning so I only planned to stay for the Monday evening session. Little did I know I’d get to see John Wesley!

Roger Nelson has performed a one-man program of John Wesley for more than 25 years. Wearing authentic costumes and speaking the words of Wesley’s Journals, Nelson portrays Wesley at age 70 reflecting on his life to that point. He tells of his rescue as an infant from the burning Rectory at Epworth and his struggles to find an inward assurance of salvation that became the hinge-pin of his preaching. Nelson uses humor and audience interaction to hold attention and drive home Wesley’s key points.

Driving home last night I reflected on the similarities of the Ministerial Students and John Wesley. None of them (or the members of the Board for that matter) are as disciplined as was Mr. Wesley. Perhaps none have his oratorical skills. But many of them share a key quality with Mr. Wesley: Hope. At age 70, John Wesley believed there was no man or woman beyond the reach of Christ’s Gospel. It was his determination up until his death to take the message to them. I found that same hope among our ministerial students. The Gospel can make a difference. It always has and it always will!

Pastor Tim
Monday, February 2^nd, is “Groundhog Day.” At 7:27 a.m., on Gobblers Knob in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania, Punxsutawney Phil, the “prognosticator of prognosticators” saw his shadow predicting six more weeks of winter.

The tradition came from Germany. A Christian festival called “Candlemas” featured a hedgehog predicting the end of winter. The Pilgrims couldn’t find any hedgehogs in the New World so they used the next-best-rodent, the groundhog.

The reason groundhogs come out of their burrows is to see if it’s time to stop hibernating. According to the official Punxsutawney Phil website, during hibernation the groundhog breathes about once every four minutes, its heart beats four times a minute, and its body temperature drops from a normal of about 99 degrees Fahrenheit (about the same as ours) to about 36 degrees—just above freezing. Actually, since the groundhog hibernates about eight months of the year, 99 degrees might be called its abnormal temperature. Nearly frozen and nearly dead is a groundhog’s normal state!

Groundhogs rarely come out of hibernation on February 2. If it’s cold, they might not come out until March. When you see the President of the Punxsutawney Groundhog Society fetch Phil from his burrow, it’s a publicity stunt. Phil normally lives in a cozy facility at the Punxsutawney Public Library with his two “companions”, Phillis and Philamina. In fact, they often have to wake Phil up to have him do his annual appearance.

A close look at hibernation suggests that there might be more to this groundhog story. Hibernation is not a constant state but a cycle. The creature goes into hibernation, comes out, and goes back in again. At the top of its cycle, it may even awake for a few minutes. One reason for this waking is to check the temperature, which is a groundhog’s main cue for when to start or stop hibernating.

The idea of holing up for a long winter’s nap might seem idyllic for some of us who lead busy lives but people were not made to hibernate. Long cycles of inactivity lead us to atrophy, not survival. We are created for daily rest and weekly renewal but never hibernation.

If you are feeling sluggish in your spiritual life and ineffective in your service to others, the key may be greater and more focused involvement rather than more sleeping. The writer of the Proverbs said, (Prov 6:9-11) How long will you lie there, you sluggard? When will you get up from your sleep? {10} A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest-- {11} and poverty will come on you like a bandit and scarcity like an armed man.

A Canadian researcher studied Punxsutawney Phil’s predictions and found him to be accurate only 36% of the time. God’s Word has a 100% accuracy record and Jesus urges us: As long as it is day, we must do the work of him who sent me. Night is coming, when no one can work. (John 9:4)

The adjoining article about Edna Ruth Williams acknowledges not only her commendable efforts but the 18^th anniversary of the Wesleyan Faithfuls! Many of us remember the day because of the pace tragedy that occurred. We gathered in the Sanctuary to talk about the future of ministry to older adults at First Wesleyan Church. Marlin Mull had haired me, in part, to work with this age group. In a self-study conducted earlier, the Church had discovered it had a full-time assistant to work with 30 teens but no one to work with more than 60 adults over 65!

After some discussion and prayer we decided three things: Jim Johnson would be the leader. He was warm and funny and everybody liked him. Edna Ruth was chosen to be the secretary and treasurer of the group. She’s a good organizer and has lots of great ideas. “Wesleyan Faithfuls” would be our name. In my letter to Edna Ruth, read at her celebration I said that often times organizations take on the qualities and characteristics of their leaders.

A lot has changed over the years of the ministry of the Wesleyan Faithfuls. Several of her members have gone on to a greater reward in heaven. Some are sick and unable to attend now. Some have moved away or become confined at home. But the Wesleyan Faithfuls have continued their ministry of fellowship and service. They have led the way in both work and giving for the new camp ground at South Mountain. Most of them will never get the full use of that facility but now as 18 years ago, they are thinking about the future. Thank you, Wesleyan Faithfuls for 18 years of service to the Church and to God’s Kingdom! May you have many more.
My Response To Amy Kaylor’s Article

If you didn’t read last week’s visitor, some of what I say in this week’s column will not make much sense. Of course, there’s always the possibility that if you DID read last week’s column what I say won’t make much sense! Oh well, here goes . . .

Amy Kaylor wrote an article in the IWU Student paper in which she decried the absense of “God focus” in much of contemporary worship music. I reprinted her article last week.

I remember when the Living Bible paraphrase of the Bible became popular and many Christians (many new believers from the “Jesus Movement”) were attracted to its simple, down-to-earth style. I also remember the day a teen-ager came to me with his well-worn Living Bible in his hand and asked, “Is there some other translation I could read? This one doesn’t seem to be as good as it used to be.”

I was glad to recommend to him the NASB (the standard at the time) and he continued to use that Bible until it too probably had to be updated.

Worship music is like that. The Early Church sang mostly Psalms until Gentiles (who didn’t grow up with the Psalms) became believers and a new expression of worship in song was needed. Early hymns were largely statements about what the Church believed and were a teaching tool to communicate the beliefs of the Church to those who worshipped. One such hymn is included in 1 Tim 3:16

The threat of heresy led the Church to codify her hymns and forbid the singing of hymns by the congregation. That changed with the Reformation when the power to unite ideas and music to yield passion was rediscovered.

The Church has been singing ever since. Hymns, psalm singing (the Puritains believed if wasn’t in the Bible, it shouldn’t be in the worship service), Gospel songs, choruses (like “Kum By Yah”) and praise choruses (like “Majesty”).

Every so often, we need to re-invent our praise music so that it reflects who we are, who we’re trying to reach and what our circumstances are. Truth doesn’t change but the expression of truth does.

Amy Kaylor points out that some of our currently popular music reflects primarily on our experience rather than truth. She tips her Calvinistic hand however when she says that music should be from “we” (the Body of Christ) rather than “me” (the individual believer). Our roots and our music,go deeply into the Pietistic Movement which emphasized the inner witness of the Spirit.

She also seems hesitant to sing anything she is not currently experiencing. Sometimes the best way to get to victory is to praise your way there when you don’t feel like it. God is the same regardless of how I feel and regardless of how I am living.

Finally, we need to remember the difference between “wrong” and “unwise”. Much of the music Ms. Kaylor describes is not “wrong”. It is preferable to all of what passes for music in the secular market. Music may be unworthy of God without being wrong.

I hope you pray regularly for those who plan and lead our worship. As Amy points out, they have a difficult job. They each have their own preferences. They are all seeking to do what honors the Lord and they have to listen to all of us! May the Lord give them “ears to hear what the Spirit is saying to the churches.”

My friend and mentor, Keith Drury, writes a weekly column on-line. Recently he allowed one of his students to be his guest columnist. As far as I know, Amy Kaylor is not related to the Kayler’s from our Church but I believe they might be proud to claim her. What she has to say may seem inflammatory to some of you. I don’t agree with all of it and I plan to respond in next week’s column. If you have thoughts, I’d be glad to hear from you.

“God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in spirit and in truth” – John 4:24,underline added

I used to be all about “modern worship.” Hymnals? Yuck! Let’s break out the Chris Tomlin, Matt Redman, “this-is-the-air-I-breathe-I-love-you-I-will-never-let-you-go” songs. But somewhere along the line, I got tired of singing about how I feel and what I’m going to do.

The problem I have with modern worship—whether in IWU chapel or in the local church—is the phenomenon of what others have so aptly named “Jesus is my boyfriend” songs. When you think about it, most of the “praise choruses” we sing to God could really be sung to a boyfriend/girlfriend, without changing much of anything.

As a result of all this emotional sappiness, our “praise and worship” has lost a whole lot of meaning. We’re not really worshiping God at all—we’re worshiping our feelings. These days, I’m hard pressed to find one slide in a worship set that doesn’t have the word “I” or “me” anywhere on it. These pronouns are problematic in and of themselves (the Bride of Christ is the collective Church, so shouldn’t it be “we”?), but the point is, it’s about us. Despite the fact that we sing, “It’s all about You, Jesus,” we sure don’t act like it.

I’m not saying using “I” or “me” is wrong; I firmly believe that there’s a place in worship for subjective, emotional response. But that’s just it—it should be a response. What are those subjective emotions based on? If they come as a response to the objective truth of God—His character and His actions—then fine. Let’s respond to those revelations by telling God how much we love Him, how desperate we are for Him, how we’re never going to leave Him.

But I don’t always feel that warm-fuzzy “in love” feeling about Christ; He isn’t always “my heart’s one desire,” and chances are, I won’t always cling desperately to Him. I’m not that constant. What sustains my faith is the fact that He is. In worship, we need to focus our attention, our songs of praise, on the One who is worthy of worship. Let’s sing about His mighty acts, His glorious deeds. Even better yet, let’s sing about who He is—sovereign, holy, merciful, loving, righteous, for starters—besides what He does for us.

If we’re singing about God, I can worship regardless of how I feel. Sure, I’d like to “feel” close to Him, but even if I don’t, I can still sing about how and why He’s so worthy of my praise. But when I don’t “feel” close to God, I can’t do much of anything in most modern worship services.

During one recent chapel, we sang: “…all I really long for is You / All I really yearn for is You…” I sat in silence because I couldn’t honestly sing those words—can you? Really? If so, please write a letter to the editor and tell me your secret…cause although I want that to be true, I long for other things besides God. I yearn for other people than Him.

I went to Sunnycrest Baptist Church for the first time last weekend, and I didn’t know many of the songs we sang. But what a breath of fresh air! We were actually singing about God, not about ourselves. We were declaring the splendor and majesty of our Creator, our Savior, our Counselor—and that made me want to respond.

Response is valuable, but only if it’s response. You’ve got to have something substantial to respond to—otherwise all that emotion is pointless. I understand that leading worship and selecting song sets is difficult; I’ve done it. But won’t our worship be a whole lot more meaningful if we start worshiping God and stop worshiping our feelings? My feelings won’t be the same an hour from now, let alone next week…but my God is the same yesterday, today and forever—and that is worthy of my praise.

The children went back to school this week. Some went gladly because they missed their friends and were bored with being at home. Others went less than enthusiastically because they enjoyed the time off and would like for it to last a little longer.

But children weren’t the only one’s going back to school. The principal at FWCS will be attending our denomination’s FLAME classes in High Point. He is taking two classes (History and Discipline of the Wesleyan Church and Theology of Holiness) to complete his requirements to transfer his ordination to the Wesleyan Church. Next summer, at District Conference, John Wilfong’s ordination as an elder in the Wesleyan Church will be complete!

The Pre-School Director, Holly Williams’ husband, Steve, will also be attending FLAME classes. He’s preparing for the ministry and he asked me to help him with a project. For a preaching class, his assignment was to interview a minister who has been preaching for at least 10 years and ask two questions: “What brings you the greatest satisfaction and joy in sermon preparation?” And, “What is the greatest frustration in sermon preparation?” Here’s my “homework assignment” for Steve.

“What brings you the greatest satisfaction and joy in sermon preparation?” That’s easy. It’s when you are studying a passage and you think a thought you know didn’t come from you. It might be an insight into a truth or an application or even a pneumonic device but you know the thought came from the Lord and not from anything you’ve ever read or heard. It’s an affirmation that the passage you’re working on and the direction you are going is “of the Lord.” If you’re going to stand before a group of people and occupy their time, you need to have an assurance that what you’re saying is not just some speech you came up with. To preach with confidence and anointing, you have to know that God helped you prepare.

“What is the greatest frustration in sermon preparation?” My first thought was “time.” I’ve never preached a sermon I thought was “finished.” If I’d had just a little more time I could have looked up another word in the passage or consulted one more commentary. But while that is a frustration, it’s not the greatest.

The greatest frustration is “relevance.” I wonder sometimes if my view of the world is like that of the people to whom I preach. I know that many issues are the same—spouse, children, bills, temptation, stress. Those are common to all of us. But I wonder if my place in the Church is somewhat of a “ivory tower” that insulates me from the real issues with which people deal. How can I preach to needs I don’t understand?

“Relevance” also extends to the diversity of the congregation. We have rich and poor, young and old, mature and immature in the faith. How can a single message address the needs of such a broad spectrum of people?

I don’t expect to “hit the mark” every Sunday with every person but if I’m consistently doing so, would you please tell me? I don’t want to waste your time—or mine!

Several years ago, I attended the most helpful and practical seminar I’ve ever attended. Not a week goes by that I don’t receive at least one advertisement for a seminar that promises to change my life and the life of my Church I don’t remember why I decided to attend this one but I’m glad I did.

John Maxwell was the leader and it was hosted by Indian Trail Baptist Church in Charlotte. The subject was “stewardship.” Your former-pastor, David Vardaman, also attended.

John gave some of the most practical instruction and advice about stewardship for the Local Church I’ve ever heard. He talked, not about “fund raising” but about the spiritual nature of Biblical stewardship.

One of the things he told us to do was to preach a stewardship series each year and he recommended that we do it in January. I’ve preached a stewardship series every January since. I did it the first year because John said to do it and I had just gotten back from his seminar. But I did it ever year thereafter because I saw the spiritual benefit that a commitment to stewardship of our time, talent and treasure produces.

Every year I have seen believers commit themselves to steward God’s resources and I have seen those same believers grow in their relationship with God as a result.

So when I began thinking about my preaching for the winter months, I began to prepare a series on stewardship for January. I did quite a bit of work on it. I noticed the “well” seemed a little dry. There didn’t seem to be the same conviction and discovery that I usually sense. So I asked the Lord, “Why?” I got no answer so I kept working and it became increasingly difficult to do so.

Someone asked me a question about the Bible and I was looking up the answer when I came across these words, Neither do men pour new wine into old wineskins. If they do, the skins will burst, the wine will run out and the wineskins will be ruined. No, they pour new wine into new wineskins, and both are preserved." (Mat 9:17)

They jumped off the page at me and even though I wasn’t working on sermon preparation at the time, I knew those words were God’s Word to me! My predictable, human pattern of preaching was not God’s plan for this winter. He has something new for us and it is found in Paul’s letter to the Ephesians. It’s a message to the Church and I can’t wait to get started on it!

Stewardship is still important. Many of you struggle spiritually because you do not put God first in your time, talent and treasure. Until you do, you will continue to struggle. But for me, “putting God first” meant shelving the work I had done on the Stewardship series and starting all over with the series from Ephesians. In so doing, the joy of discovering God’s Word has returned.

In November of 1214, a group of English barons made a trip to an abbey north of London. There they did little praying but great deal of talking about their King, John.

King John was the youngest son of Henry II and became king after the death of his brother, Richard the Lionhearted. He failed to hold on the British land in France. He was excommunicated by the Pope and he was opposed by the Barons. His quarrel with them was due to ruthless money-raising for the war in France and his practice of punishing vassals without a trial.

In the abbey, the Barons hatched a plan. King John’s birthday was Christmas Eve and he always celebrated in a grand fashion surrounded by his subjects. Christmas of 1214 would be different. The Barons swore an oath to each other that none of them would attend the celebration. Instead, they delivered a list of demands to the King. Their “Christmas List” began negotiations that concluded in a meadow called Runnymede on June 15, 1215, when King John signed the Magna Carta.

Winston Churchill called the Magna Carta “the most famous milestone of our rights and freedom.” Two provisions formed the basis for our own U. S. Constitution—no taxation without representation and the right to a trial of your peers.

Yet another King gave a birthday party at Christmas and though the invitation was delivered by angels the rulers and religious leaders of His day chose to stay away. That birthday led to a declaration of freedom for all men everywhere:

Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, {2} because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death. (Rom 8:1-2)

May the freedom from sin offered in Jesus Christ be yours this Christmas Season!

The idea began in Denmark. A postal worker named Annoyer Holboell thought patrons would be willing to pay an extra half-cent for a special Christmas stamp to benefit victims of tuberculosis. In December of 1904 the stamps went on sale and proceeds built two hospitals after only two years.

Tuberculosis was second only to pneumonia as the leading cause of death in the Western world. Dr. Edward L. Trudeau was diagnosed with the disease (called “consumption”) and moved to Lake Saranak, NY to die. Instead of dying, Dr. Trudeau got better and turned his cottage into a hospital for tuberculosis patients. He formed the National Tuberculosis Association in 1904, the same year Annoyer Holboell sold his first Christmas stamp.

Jacob Riis, a noted American author, received a package from Copenhagen with some of the Danish stamps on it and wrote an article about the work being done there. Riis had a personal interest in tuberculosis because six of his brothers had died from the disease.

Emily Bissell of Wilmington, Delaware read the article and saw the stamps as a way to help fund the work of her cousin, Dr. Joseph Wales. Bissell borrowed money to have 50,000 stamps printed and they went on sale December 7, 1907.

Each package contained 25 “seals” and sold for one cent. The packaged had this message:

Sales were brisk the first day and $25 dollars was collected. Interest waned until Teddy Roosevelt heard about the project and lent his support. By Christmas, more than $3,000 was raised! In 1908, sales yielded $135,000.

Today, “Christmas Seals” is a registered trademark and each December, seals are mailed to 40 million households asking for a contribution. Proceeds are used for all lung related diseases including cancer, emphysema, chronic bronchitis and only occasionally, a case of tuberculosis. Research and preventive medicine have virtually wiped out the disease that used to be the #2 killer in America.

Solomon wrote, Sow your seed in the morning, and at evening let not your hands be idle, for you do not know which will succeed, whether this or that, or whether both will do equally well. (Eccl 11:6)

Pursue the things about which you are passionate. You never know when you may have an idea like “Christmas Seals”.

Every generation has defining moments. We’ve just celebrated the fortieth anniversary of that moment for my generation—the assassination of John F. Kennedy. This generation will be defined by where they were and what they were doing when “9/11” happened. My parents’ generation is defined by the events of December 7, 1941, termed by President Roosevelt as “a day that will live in infamy.” On that Sunday morning, the Japanese attacked the U. S. Naval Facility at Pearl Harbor. The attack marked the entrance of Japan into World War II on the side of Germany and Italy, and the entrance of the United States on the Allied side.

One of my former pastors, Ron McClung, discovered an interesting link between John Wesley and Pearl Harbor. He writes:

“Some of the ministers in Wesley’s movement became circuit riders, which means they rode horseback from place to place, preaching wherever they could. James Taylor, an English villager in the eighteenth century, hated the circuit riders. He loved to throw rotten eggs at them.

His faith, influenced by one of Wesley’s circuit riders, passed from one generation to another until their great-grandson, James Hudson Taylor, went to China as a missionary and founded the China Inland Mission.

In his book, “On This Day,” Robert J. Morgan relates that Hudson Taylor’s grandson, James Hudson Taylor II, took his family to China as missionaries before World War II. Unfortunately, their children had to be put in a boarding school 1,000 miles from the parents. And that’s where they were on December 7, 1941, when the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor.

One of the boys, James Hudson Taylor III, grew up to become the general director of China Inland Mission (now Overseas Missionary Fellowship). He was the great-grandson of the great-grandson of the man who hated Wesley’s circuit riders.

And now you know how Wesley and his followers significantly touched a person who eventually influenced people and events affected by the bombing of Pearl Harbor.

Several of you have asked for copies of the humorous reading I did at the Wesleyan Faithfuls Thanksgiving Banquet last week. I wish I could give credit to the author but it came from that great resource in the sky—the internet. My thanks to Pastor Joe Edwards of the Grace Wesleyan Church for sending me the first copy I got. Here it is with apologies to Clement C. Moore.

And may your gratitude for all of God’s blessings reside in your heart throughout the holiday season.

One day the animals of the forest decided there should be school to educate the younger animals in the skills needed to survive. The first task was to choose a principal and the owl was chosen because he looked very wise and could turn his head all the way around.

Next, a curriculum was needed. The owl suggested flying, hunting and nest building. The squirrels and other small rodents objected to the flying and were adamantly opposed to the hunting. The birds were all in favor of the curriculum proposed by the owl. The beavers objected to the flying and thought nests were for “sissies”.

School began and the robins immediately went to the head of the class in flying and nest-building but were intimidated by larger creatures in hunting so they failed the class. The beavers failed flying and refused to participate in hunting but built nests that were the envy even of the owl. By the end of the first semester the squirrels were the only animals passing all the courses. They could, by throwing themselves off a high branch, appear to fly briefly. They could build a passable nest and were able to deceive the owl by dressing up pecans to look like small rodents. It turned out that owls don’t see well in the daylight.

After a second semester, the school closed and was declared a failure. No one was happy because they were failing classes and the squirrels rarely attended due to injuries.

Jesus said, ". . . do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? {26} Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? . . .{32} For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. {33} But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.

Tomorrow is the 11^th day of the 11^th month. At the 11^th hour, we will pause to remember the veterans who have fought for the cause of freedom. It is fitting that we do so. Jesus said, (John 15:13) Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.

Did you notice the change in the format of The Visitor? This change of format allows us to use a single stick to seal and address the newsletter. It will save us considerable time, a little money and satisfies the requirements of the US Postal Service.

But most of us don’t like change very much. We’d rather hold on to the familiar and the comfortable. We change when we have to and when we become convinced that the change is in our best interests. It still not easy but we are, at least, willing to change.

We face another difficult change. Beginning November 16^th, we will re-combine our two morning worship services into a single blended service. The new service will be unlike either of the two previous ones. It will be much simpler. Singing (both hymns and choruses), praying, giving and preaching—that’s it! It is my hope that by simplifying our worship, we can concentrate more on it. I believe we, as a Church Family, have much to learn about the worship of God. He is worth of more and better than we typically give Him each week. If this change of format serves to help us improve in that area, it will be well worth the effort.

Change rarely produces universal acceptance. Some will embrace the change early; others later and still others will never accept it. Some will take this change very personally. Some will be hurt by it.

The decision to recombine the services was made after careful deliberation by the leaders elected by this Church to act in, what they believe is, the best interests of the whole Church. They don’t claim infallibility but they are sincere in their desire to see the whole Church helped.

I hope you’ll b present on the 16^th, as we begin a new style of worship never before tried here at First Wesleyan. I hope you’ll come with an open heart and mind and that your focus will be on worship, not style of worship.

Matt Redman is a worship leader from England. His pastor, in an attempt to get the Church to worship better, banned all singing from the Church services for a period of time. Out of the experience of having to learn to worship God in other ways than those that were familiar and comfortable, Redman wrote these words:

Saturday, Nov. 1^st is “All Saints Day.” It’s ironic that Believers are more familiar with the day before—All Hallows Eve or Halloween.

“All Saints Day” is a day to honor all the saints who don’t have their own day. Some saints, like Patrick and Nicholas, have their own day but for all the rest, there’s “All Saints Day.”

Rev. J. A. Wood came to the Church in the 30’s during the Great Depression. Times were hard for everyone but Rev. Wood did not give up and the Church grew.

The list goes on but the point is that saints who may be forgotten within a few years ought to honored right now.

As we enter the Thanksgiving Season, why not intentionally honor some of our saints? Your Sunday School Teacher. The folks who work in the Nursery. The guys to usher. Let them know you appreciate the work of the saints.

For the first four Sundays in November, I will be conducting a membership class for those who are interested in joining First Wesleyan Church. Attending the class does not obligate you to join nor will it answer every question you might have about the Church. But the class will provide a basis to make an informed decision about Church Membership.

But why join this or any other Church? What difference does having your name on some roster of members make?

Being a Christian involves more than believing; it includes belonging. C. S Lewis said that the word "membership" is of Christian origin. "It has," Lewis said, " been emptied of its meaning by the world."

Today the word "membership" conjures up thoughts of paying dues, meaningless rituals, silly rules and handshakes and your name on some dusty roll. The Apostle Paul had a very different image. He saw "membership" as being a vital organ in a living body. Paul wrote: (Rom 12:4-5) "Just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, {5} so in Christ we who are many form one body, and each member belongs to all the others."

Any organ detached from the body will cease to provide its intended function and will soon shrivel and die. Every believer ought to be a vital part of a local body of Christians.

If you have repented of your sins and trusted Jesus for your salvation and have given public testimony to that experience by being baptized, we welcome you as a Community Member. If you are a member of another Church where you repented of your sins and trusted Jesus for your salvation and gave public testimony to that experience by baptism and desire to transfer your membership to United Wesleyan Church, we welcome you as a Community Member on your statement of those conditions. Community Membership is membership in First Wesleyan Church of Gastonia with all the rights and priviledges this local Church grants to Community Members. It is the first step toward Covenant Membership.

If you are a Community Member who has completed the Membership Class and has signed the Membership Covenant, we welcome you as a Covenant Member. Covenant Membership is membership in the Wesleyan Church world-wide and carries with it all the rights an privileges associated with Covenant Membership.

· You have the pledged support of the family of Covenant members to "pray for you, love you, support and comfort you."

· Through involvement in small groups and ministry pportunities you will develop some of the closest friends you will ever have.

· You are eligible to elect the leaders of the Church and approve the Church Budget.

· You are eligible to hold any elected office in the Church for which you are nominated and duly elected.

· You have access to development and training opportunities which will enhance your personal life, enrich your spiritual life and enable you as a minister.

We welcome everyone to our Church Family who has joined the Kingdom of God by repentance and faith. We welcome everyone to Community Membership who has testified to that relationship by being baptized. We would love to welcome all believers to a covenant relationship in which together, we can impact the world in a broader fashion that we could on our own.

How can we continue the “spirit” of Revival when the “events” of Revival are passed? Today, I’d like to suggest three things. These aren’t three generalizations true for all churches. Rather they are three “legs” of a stool that will support the spirit of Revival we have experienced at First Wesleyan Church.

The first “leg” is “Ongoing Prayer”. I believe the most significant, long-term, corporate effect of this revival will be that we learned in our hearts and in our heads that prayer works! For forty days, we intentionally found ways to encourage prayer and the Lord “heard and answered.”

If the spirit of revival is to continue, we must develop an ongoing prayer effort that is effective and sustainable. The spirit of revival did not come by our efforts and it will not stay by our efforts. We must pray that God will continue to energize our services and enable our ministries.

The second “leg” is “Evangelism”. I believe God is pleased with many things about First Wesleyan Church. But I do not believe He is pleased with our effectiveness in reaching the lost. We must determine how God wants us to win the lost and buildings and programs and believers from other Churches and think God is pleased with us. Rather we must follow the example and command of Christ to win the lost.

The third “leg” is “Accountability Groups” The secret to keeping the commitments we’ve made this past week is to establish small groups of people who will hold us accountable to do so. These groups cannot be formed by the outside intervention of others but must come from the desire of believers to become more like Christ and to help others do so as well. In my sermon Sunday, I suggested five kinds of accountability.

1. Mentor--Here you submit yourself to the spiritual direction of another, more mature Christian.

2. Group—Here you join with a few other believers for general and specific questions that relate to spiritual growth.

3. Double-Date—This kind of accountability is especially helpful in keeping commitments relating to marriage and child-rearing.

4. Spousal—Here you and your spouse hold each other accountable for commitments you could perhaps not share with anyone else. Be careful! Remember, this is a “tool” not a “weapon”.

5. One-to-one—This is perhaps the most effective kind of accountability because there is “no place to hide.” It’s just you and one other person.

I believe these three “legs” will sustain what God has done for us. Immanuel Kant said, “So act, that your act may become universal”. My question is, “if everyone in this Church did exactly what you are doing to sustain the spirit of Revival, what would the Church be like in six months?”

Hank told a wonderful story about Bill Borden, heir to the Borden Milk fortune. Bill Borden sensed God’s call on his life to serve God as a missionary to the Muslims in China. He gave up his fortune and future to travel to Egypt for language school and two weeks later, died of spinal meningitis. Under his pillow was a piece of paper with the words, “No reserve, no retreat, no regrets.”

Our Revival has called us to that kind of life. Giving God everything. Standing for what is right. Making the most of every opportunity.

During this revival, each of us will make various kinds of commitments. Some will commit to a more consistent devotional life. Others to abandoning a particular sin. Still others will commit to witness or service. God has worked individually in each of our lives to change us and make us more like Jesus.

But what has He done corporately—for the Church as a whole? I believe the greatest lesson learned by the whole Church is that God answers prayer!

The “secret to our success” in the Revival is that we earnestly prayed for it! For 40 days in big and small ways we prayed that God would send a Revival and He did! We prayed for individuals to be saved and they were. We prayed for young people to be called into full-time Christian Service and God called them.

This is the most costly Revival we’ve ever had. I’m not talking about the financial expenses. God has provided for those long before we started. I’m talking about the time, sacrifice and energy we’ve invested over the past 40 days. Was it worth it? If you are the parent or the spouse of one of those people helped, it was worth it. If you were blessed by the anointed preaching, singing and worship then it was worth it. If you are more like Jesus than you were last Saturday, then it was worth it.

Is the Revival over? The services end tomorrow night. Whether the Revival continues depends on what we are willing to invest in the days and weeks to come. If we continue to pray, invite, obey and respond, the Revival will continue. If we quit investing, we will not go back to where we were before the Revival. Spiritual light, not walked in, turns into condemnation.

Having received the blessings of God, we must respond with “No reserve, no retreat, no regrets.”

So when we planned a 24-hour prayer vigil, many of you felt you couldn’t sign up because you didn’t think you could pray for a whole hour. The vigil begins next Friday night at midnight (Saturday morning) and continues through midnight Saturday (Sunday morning).

The secret to being able to pray for an hour is to learn to pray in segments. If you learn the discipline of praying for a few minutes, you can accomplish an hour and soon, you will be able to pray for extended periods of time. Try this:

Ask God to help you spend this time profitably with Him. Ask His guidance. Ask Him to keep you alert. Give yourself to Him for this hour.

Spend time confessing to God recent sins which weigh on you. Read I John 1:9. Ask His cleansing, then accept it by faith and thank Him for it.

Begin to think about the goodness of God. Thank God for His goodness to you. “Count your blessings; name them one by one.” As your heart begins to adore Him, you'll sense His presence more deeply. If you have trouble, read a hymn of praise. Allow the words of the hymn-writer to express how you feel about God.

Prayer promises – 5 minutes

Read the following promises from God that He will hear and answer prayer: John 14:11-14; John 15:7; 1 John 3:21-22

Now you are ready to ask God for revival. What would you like to see change? In yourself? In the Church? In our community? What would God need to do for those things to change? Ask Him to act.

Talking and listening

Prayer is “interactive.” You speak and God speaks and you both listen to each other. If you do all the talking, you have missed the instruction ad direction of the God who is all wisdom.

Pray by name for friends, relatives, neighbors, fellow workers who don’t know Christ as their Savior. Talk to Him about their lives and needs. You can boldly ask Him for their salvation because Jesus died for them. Ask God to bring Christians into their lives, to alter circumstances, and to give you opportunities for witness and sharing in depth.

Listen to God about lost people - 5 minutes

Think back over the people you have just prayed for. Is there any way you could influence them to attend the Revival services? If so, tell God what you want to do, when you will do it and ask Him to help you.

Intercession for complacent people – 5 minutes

Pray by name for Christians you know who have become cold and satisfied in their walk with God.

Listen to God about complacent people. – 5 minutes

Intercession for our Evangelists – 5 minutes

Pray for Hank Williams. Pray for Butch King. Pray that God would prepare their hearts and anoint them to minister to us.

Intercession for the “Details” – 5 minutes

Someone has well said the Devil is in the details. Pray that our own musicians, the special musicians, those in charge of sound and audio visuals, meals, child care and a host of other “details” will forsee problems and overcome them.

Pray for “follow up” – 5 minutes

Pray that the plans in place to provide an atmosphere for growth and discipleship following the Revival will succeed. Pray that new believers will want to be baptized on October 12^th. Pray that those who will disciple new believers will do so with patience and understanding. Pray that small groups which form following the Revival will bring about maturity and growth.

Pray through – 5 Minutes

Look back over the things you have just prayed about. Is there anything that you feel particularly strongly that God is going to do? If not, simply thank God for the time the two of you have had together and make an appointment with yourself and Him to spend another hour in prayer later on. But if you feel strongly that God is going to answer one or more of your prayers, thank Him NOW for answering the prayer.

There you’ve done it! You’ve prayed for a whole hour! By breaking an hour down into smaller segments and having a plan that will both guide you and keep you alert, you have answered the call of Christ, “Could you not pray with me for one hour?” You have also taken the first step to a prayer life that will be rich, rewarding and fruitful. This plan will work for other things other than Revival. Simply modify the segments and soon you’ll be saying, “Only an hour?”

· Suppose we have a revival. Does that mean I’m going to have to be even more involved in Church than I already am? I don’t have enough time as it is!

Revivals are cyclical. In the past 250 years, there have been four great revivals that were national or international in scope and affect.

Churches need regular revivals for the same reasons houses need regular cleaning and cars need regular refueling. It is our human (and carnal) tendency to sink to mediocrity and comfort. Revivals call us to higher and holier living. The intensity of revival is not meant to last; but the effect is.

When you add cream to coffee, you stir it. You don’t continue to stir while you drink. Revival stirs us and then we carry on in the effects of the “stirring.”

Revivals also result in greater involvement. But it is different for several reasons:

1. It is refined involvement. Revived people don’t want to go through the meaningless motions of involvement. They want passionately to do things that matter for eternity.

2. It is inspired involvement. The reason we complain about any involvement is that it keeps us from doing the things we really want to do. Revived people really want to be involved in the Church because they see it as a way to broadly influence others. “Burn out” is replaced by “burning up.”

Why do we need another series of revival services. The truth is, we don’t! God could move among His people and revive them without a preacher or a service. The services are simply an opportunity for all of us to focus our attention and effort toward that goal. If God comes and begins a revival next Sunday, we certainly won’t tell Him to wait ‘til October 5^th! But if the question is “Do we need a revival?” The answer is a resounding “YES!” Without it, we will continue in uninspired mediocrity—Jesus called it “lukewarmness.”

But with revival we will enjoy the blessings of God. Hezekiah described the revival of his day this way: (2 Chr 30:26-27) There was great joy in Jerusalem, for since the days of Solomon son of David king of Israel there had been nothing like this in Jerusalem. {27} The priests and the Levites stood to bless the people, and God heard them, for their prayer reached heaven, his holy dwelling place.

Labor Day is the traditional end of summer and the beginning of school (though most schools in this area have been in session nearly a month!) As such it marks the end of vacations, trips and holidays. Most Churches gear up their fall programs after Labor Day because people don’t travel as much on weekends during the school year.

Labor Day was first celebrated in 1882 but there is doubt as to who first proposed it. It was to be a “workingman’s holiday.” Samuel Gompers, founder and long-time president of the American Federation of Labor, said, "Labor Day differs in every essential from the other holidays of the year in any country. All other holidays are in a more or less degree connected with conflicts and battles of man's prowess over man, of strife and discord for greed and power, of glories achieved by one nation over another. Labor Day...is devoted to no man, living or dead, to no sect, race, or nation."

Labor Day has variously been celebrated with parades, speeches and displays all honoring the social and economic achievements of American workers.

This Labor Day saw many more people out of work than in previous years. Particularly among textile workers, jobs are scarce. Our own Sunday School Superintendent, Randy Self, is having to relocate to Georgia because the company for whom he had worked many years “consolidated” its operations.

Labor is part of the curse. God told Adam that because he had sinned by eating the forbidden fruit “By the sweat of your brow you will eat your food until you return to the ground. . .” (Gen. 3:19). We were not made for work but for worship.

Yet labor has always held a place of honor among fallen people. God commanded that we labor for six days and then enjoy a day of rest. Most of the Old Testament religious observances were timed around the working patterns of the people. Paul warned New Testament believers that if people didn’t work, they shouldn’t be fed.

Jesus said, As long as it is day, we must do the work of him who sent me. Night is coming, when no one can work. (John 9:4) The work of spreading the Gospel can only be done now. Opportunities past cannot be redeemed. Future chances are uncertain. But today we have the opportunity to labor for that which will not pass away.

Someone said, “Luck is when preparation meets opportunity.” Mike Young used to say that a coincidence was a “miracle that God doesn’t get the credit for.” I don’t believe much in luck or coincidence. I believe God is in control (in that one point, I would make a good Calvinist). I believe He “works all things together for good to those who love Him and are called according to His purpose” (Rom. 8:28)

The last three sermons that have been preached from our pulpit have all been about “stumbling blocks.” It started last Sunday night when our study of Saul focused on the success of Jonathan in spite of the reticence of Saul. Last Wednesday, the book study, Who Are You To Judge?, was also about “stumbling blocks”. Barry McKinnon’s sermon Sunday morning was about –you guessed it—“stumbling blocks!” Coincidence? Luck? I think not!

Though not planned, the repetition of this theme tells the spiritually aware person that God has a message for His Church and that it has to do with “stumbling blocks.” It seems appropriate as we approach revival that God might seek to remove from us any hindrance to what He wants to do in us--a “stumbling block.”

Without trying to re-preach the past three sermons, a “stumbling block” is that which hinders. A “stumbling block” can hinder an unbeliever (as in the case of the Cross – 1 Cor. 1:18, 23) but most commonly affects believers and keeps them from God’s best for their lives (1 Cor. 8). Stumbling blocks can be intentional or unintentional.

Astronomers have identified “black holes” in space. They can’t see them. Their gravitational pull is so great that not even light can escape! Astronomers know they are there because light passing near them “bends” due to their strong gravitational pull.

A believer may not see a stumbling block but can see the affect of it and thus know it is there. Our Church needs a revival. We need a time when a significant number of the Body of Christ see their current spiritual state and make a conscious, willful decision to change a become more like Christ. Satan hates revival among the people of God and will place stumbling blocks to keep it from happening. I believe the message of God to the Church is to find and remove the stumbling blocks to revival.

Let me offer the following to assist you in identifying stumbling blocks in your life:

2. Is there any relationship in which you are involved that is not pleasing to God.

3. Is there anything which, if you knew for certain it was God’s will, you would be unwilling to do?

4. Is there any broken relationship that needs to be healed through forgivenss or restoration?

I believe God wants to send revival to First Wesleyan Church. Why would He tarry? Perhaps the Lord’s Providence awaits your obedience.

Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints... Pray without ceasing"
(Ephesians 6:18; 1 Thessalonians 5:17).

"Every new victory which a soul gains is the effect of a new prayer... In the greatest temptations, a single look to Christ, and the barely pronouncing his name, suffices to overcome the wicked one, so it be done with confidence and calmness of spirit. God's command to 'pray without ceasing' is founded on the necessity we have of his grace to preserve the life of God in the soul, which can no more subsist one moment without it, than the body can without air. Whether we think of; or speak to, God, whether we act or suffer for him, all is prayer, when we have no other object than his love, and the desire of pleasing him. All that a Christian does, even in eating and sleeping, is prayer, when it is done in simplicity, according to the order of God, without either adding to or diminishing from it by his own choice. Prayer continues in the desire of the heart, though the understanding be employed on outward things. In souls filled with love, the desire to please God is a continual prayer."

A week from tomorrow (Tuesday, Aug. 26^th) will mark 40 days until our revival services begin. While there is nothing magical about “40 days,” it is an appropriate amount of time for us to spend in preparation for our upcoming revival services. Think of it as an investment. For forty days you will sacrifice something so that for the next forty years, you can reap a dividend. Unrealistic?

In the early 1700’s, the revival fires of the Reformation had burned low. There was rampant immorality in society which issued in the abuse of women and children. Families were disintegrating. Alcoholism was epidemic. Government was corrupt.

The Church’s response was to pass the Act of Uniformity which forbade 2.000 Puritan ministers from preaching. Men like John Bunyan preached anyway and were imprisoned.

In Saxony, on the estate of Count Ludwig Von Zinzendorf, the Moravians were praying. On August 13, 1727, God came to a relatively small group of people and the Revival began!

That revival was the direct cause of other revivals led by men like John and Charles Wesley, George Whitfield, Jonathan Edwards and others. The rebirth of Western Christianity and the reversal of the social, moral and political declines can be traced back to a small group of Moravians praying for revival. While the Great Awakening did not occur until 1735, it began with the praying Moravians.

Hark what a sound, and too divine for hearing

Please join me in forty days of prayer for revival. You, and history, will be glad you did.

Temple Year

When each of my children have turned twelve-years-old, I have taken them on what I called a “Temple Year Trip” When Jewish children turn twelve, they go through a rite of passage called “bar mitzvah” (or “bas mitzvah” in the case of a girl). Children prepared by learning to read the Torah. On the big day, he would read from the Torah among the Elders of the Synagogue.

When Austin turned twelve, we went to Israel. Last year, Graham and I toured the Civil War battlesites. As you read this, Hannah and I are in Alabama on the farm of her great-grandmother.

Rites of passage are important events in our lives. First kiss, marriage, children, retirement. They are all times in our lives when things change significantly. Change is a normal part of life. It happens whether or not we want it to or are prepared for it. Our best hope in life is to try to manage change as best we can.

Next Sunday we will experience change. We begin a Contemporary Worship Service at 8:30 a.m. We do so because we believe God has gifted our Church with leaders who can lead a contemporary service and whose gifts and abilities cannot be fully used in a blended service. We also believe there are a group of people (myself included) who worship best in a traditional setting.

The Contemporary Service will require change and adjustment (like getting up much earlier!) for those who attend. There are new responsibilities for the nursery. Sunday School follows the service rather than precedes it. There will be changes; the question is whether or not we will manage the change.

The Traditional Service will also change. We will use more of the great hymns and readings of the Church. They can add richness and depth to worship or they can become rote and dry.

We’ll all change. Let us manage the change in a way that will honor our Lord and the tradition of First Wesleyan Church as a “lighthouse” for a lost world.

Working in the Nursery

Last Sunday was my turn in the nursery to work.

God has blessed us with children in our Church Family and concomitant to that blessing is the responsibility to adequately care for them. God has also blessed us with a dedicated and caring staff of Nursery and Toddler Room Workers led by Christy Brooks.

With the addition of an early worship service at the beginning of August, we are in need of people to work once-a-month in either the Nursery or Toddler Rooms.

Warm bodies will do but we are looking for people who see the ministry of caring for children as part of the overall evangelistic ministry of the Church and God’s Kingdom. If you can help, please contact Christy Brooks at 704-435-0961 or by email at cgbbdb@yahoo.com.

If you don’t help, those currently serving will continue to provide high quality care for our children at the sacrifice of their own times of worship. The Body of Christ ought to work better than that though! And it will if everyone who is able will help. Can I count on you?

Pastor Tim

Bastille Day

The Bastille is a former French prison built in Paris in 1370 as a part of the city fortifications. It became a symbol of royal tyranny during the 17^th and 18^th Centuries. The Court of Louis the Fourteenth used the prison to house political opponents as well as ordinary people who simply displeased the Court.

At the beginning of the French Revolution (1789), the Bastille was attacked and destroyed by a mob. Today it stands a symbol of the French struggle for independence and is celebrated with a National holiday on July 14^th.

The riddle we used to tell as children was “Does France have a July 4^th?” Knowledgeble people would say “No, it’s on July 14^th –Bastille Day.”

Men and women from every age and every country love freedom and celebrate it when it is theirs. Whenever good people have learned of oppression they have insinuated themselves into the fight for freedom.

Just last week, the newly appointed “Ruling Counsel” in Iraq voted as their very first act to declare the day Sadaam Hussein fell from power as a National Holiday.

Citizens of the Kingdom of God celebrate freedom as well. Every Sunday we express our confidence in Christ as Conquerer and on Easter we celebrate His victory over death and the grave.

Look around you. Do you see any people oppressed? Perhaps not politically but economically, emotionally and especially, spiritually. Satan has many of your friends, neighbors and relatives in bondage to sin.

Our District Superintendent, Henry Williams, in his annual visit reminded us that when a shepherd has a lost sheep or a woman, a lost coin, they lay aside the ordinary occupations of life to find that which is lost.

The French are not in the good graces of many Americans right now but we can still celebrate their Independence Day by becoming “Freedom Fighters” ourselves. We can storm the gates of Hell with our prayers and seek to liberate men and women, boys and girls from the “Bastille” of Satan’s influence. Viva la liberte` !

Bloody Sunday

There’s a genre of film called “slasher” movies. They measure success by body count and the only item allowed to go “over budget” is the line item for fake blood. I’ve never cared for that type of film but it has a huge following.

We’re seeing slasher films lived out in real life these days as the lack of respect for human life and the blurring of the line between reality and make-believe becomes more pervasive.

· On Sunday, two were killed at the YWAM Training facility in Colorado.

· Two more was later killed at a Church.

· Nine were killed in a shopping mall.

why anyone would believe that aligning yourself with him was a good idea is beyond me! Especially in view of the love demonstrated by God when he offered His only Son to a violent death in order that those who believe in him might not only live but live abundantly!

It’s the Lighthouse, Saints!

It’s OK, Wish Me A Merry Christmas!

You Learn Stuff If You Pay Attention

When Is An Apology Not An Apology?

As it turns out, he says he did.

"I have learned from my statement that historical parallels can be misused and misunderstood. I sincerely regret if what I said caused anyone to misunderstand my true feelings: Our soldiers around the world and their families at home deserve our respect, admiration and total support,"

On the basis of David’s apology, Nathan was able to say, “The LORD has taken away your sin. You are not going to die.” (2 Sam. 12:13:b)

People today live with a lot of guilt. It results in all kinds of aberrations—physical, spiritual and emotional. A return to old-fashioned apologies would clear up a lot of guilt. The “apology” that saves face loses effectiveness.

Hooray For The “Red White and Blue”!

Undoubtedly that early Wesleyan circuit-rider thought little of his words that day but the power is in the seed, not the sower. Your words may have impact for generations as well so choose them wisely!

It’s the Lighthouse, Saints!

Pastor Tim Come, Ye Thankful People, Come

Prayer promises – 5 minutes

Talking and listening

Listen to God about lost people - 5 minutes

Intercession for complacent people – 5 minutes

Listen to God about complacent people. – 5 minutes

Intercession for our Evangelists – 5 minutes

Intercession for the “Details” – 5 minutes

Pray for “follow up” – 5 minutes

Pray through – 5 Minutes

Hark what a sound, and too divine for hearing

Temple Year

Working in the Nursery

Last Sunday was my turn in the nursery to work.

God has blessed us with children in our Church Family and concomitant to that blessing is the responsibility to adequately care for them. God has also blessed us with a dedicated and caring staff of Nursery and Toddler Room Workers led by Christy Brooks.

With the addition of an early worship service at the beginning of August, we are in need of people to work once-a-month in either the Nursery or Toddler Rooms.

Pastor Tim

Bastille Day

Pastor Tim
Come, Ye Thankful People, Come