We don't have a Church and Pastor's Council like most congregations in the Church of God. I made the decision decades ago to never have one for two reasons. First, the are a strange conflation of the Biblical offices of elder and deacon. Secondly, until our last General Assembly women could not serve on a Church Council. I resolved to conduct all business in church conferences open to all members. Then a couple of decades ago the Assembly authorized congregations to use Deacons and Elders without placing restrictions on membership. Most of our deacons and elders at New Covenant are women.
I often hear pastors complain about their councils or deacons. It is as if the lay leaders of their churches are their enemies, and maybe they are. I don't know. At New Covenant our deacons and elders are outstanding, mature, responsible, and cooperative brothers and sisters in Christ and I am thankful.
We had a deacon’s meeting this evening. A couple of years ago I delegated these meetings to our Assistant Pastor, Kim Belcher, because I was over extended at the Seminary. Frankly, I was negligent of my duties. I keep a close eye on the congregation’s expenditures and I know where we are financially, but I wasn’t staying in touch with these church leaders and the financial processes as I should. I would attend only when there was a critical issue demanding my attention. Our Assistant Pastor moved last summer to accept a residency as a hospital chaplain and I haven’t called a meeting since she left.
Our deacons are conscientious about their duties and understanding and patient with me, usually. The meeting tonight was to reorient ourselves, schedule regular meetings, and consider a request to purchase a van for our youth and children’s ministries. The Youth Pastor and Children’s Pastor had made the request having located a used van. I entered the meeting with a strategy to get the van; the two ministries would accept responsibility for raising the money to repay the church for the van over time. (We rent vans enough that it would have paid for itself in less than two years.) The plan was to assure the deacons we are fiscally responsible. Within the plan I had some reserved funds I could release to help cover the initial cost.
My plan worked, maybe too well. One deacon protested we should just purchase the van and let the children’s and youth departments use it “they are just as much a part of our church as we are.” I was extremely proud, but I couldn’t let it show. I challenged them we need to commit to raise the money. The specific van under consideration had been taken to a mechanic for inspection and found wanting so that our discussion was about locating a good used van and purchasing it. The deacons authorized up to $1,300 more than was initially request.
Our deacons are dedicated servants of God and the church. At times they are a little too fiscally conservative for me, but I prefer that over a Board that throws money around. They are also sold out to ministry. I am proud of them and thankful for their dedicated service.
Cleveland, Tennessee
October 20, 2010
JDJ
Wednesday, October 20, 2010
Tuesday, October 19, 2010
I am Thankful for the Hope of Heaven
[This entry is an adaptation of my sermon last Sunday, October 17, 2010. My text was John 13:36-14:11. Revelation 21 was read within the service as a parallel text. I also drew upon Isaiah 65-66.]
John 13:36 - 14:11 36 Simon Peter said to Him, "Lord, where are You going?" Jesus answered, "Where I go, you cannot follow Me now; but you will follow later." 37 Peter said to Him, "Lord, why can I not follow You right now? I will lay down my life for You." 38 Jesus answered, "Will you lay down your life for Me? Truly, truly, I say to you, a rooster will not crow until you deny Me three times. 1"Do not let your heart be troubled; believe in God, believe also in Me. 2 "In My Father's house are many dwelling places; if it were not so, I would have told you; for I go to prepare a place for you. 3 "If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself, that where I am, there you may be also. 4 "And you know the way where I am going." 5 Thomas said to Him, "Lord, we do not know where You are going, how do we know the way?" 6 Jesus said to him, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me. 7 "If you had known Me, you would have known My Father also; from now on you know Him, and have seen Him." 8 Philip said to Him, "Lord, show us the Father, and it is enough for us." 9 Jesus said to him, "Have I been so long with you, and yet you have not come to know Me, Philip? He who has seen Me has seen the Father; how can you say, 'Show us the Father '? 10 "Do you not believe that I am in the Father, and the Father is in Me? The words that I say to you I do not speak on My own initiative, but the Father abiding in Me does His works. 11 "Believe Me that I am in the Father and the Father is in Me; otherwise believe because of the works themselves.
Whatever became of heaven? There was a time not that long ago when we sang about it in almost every service, and talked about it and preached about it often. Today, it is a vanishing concept, no longer considered important to the Christian life. Perhaps we have backed away from this sacred promise because we have allowed the skeptics to intimidate us. They have bullied many into believing heaven is just a crutch for the underprivileged, a dream to counter their miserable lives. In the long shadows of the age of reason we need not hope in the unseen celestial city with healing leaves from the tree of life; we are comfortable and supplied with modern medicine. Others may find it more comforting to imagine a disembodied liminal state as our final destination; heaven is a state of mind or spiritual condition void of the burdens of the material world.
However, heaven is a central component in the Biblical account of the incarnation. Before He ascended back to Heaven, fully God, fully man, to be seated at the right hand of the Father, Jesus gave the promise that if He went away He would prepare a place for us that we might be there with Him. In His Father’s house there are many apartments or dwelling places and our destiny is to live in them.
In order to fully appreciate Heaven we must consider some other good news. God is at work judging His creation. In time, all of creation will be judged. The earth will be scourged with fire; Satan and all who rebel against God will be cast into the Lake of Fire never to escape everlasting judgment. Death will come to all. And this is good news. God’s judgment announces His grace; His judgment is always toward the redemption of His creation. All have sinned and come short of the glory of God and the wages of sin is death. Believers do not escape death. They die in Christ, who died for their sins that they might live in Him. God’s judgment builds toward that great and final day, but make no mistake, it has already reached its pinnacle at Calvary where Christ embraced the cross and purchased the redemption of all.
Every act of God’s judgment is toward the redemption of His creation. God has not given up on the sons and daughters of Adam and Eve; neither has He given up on Eden. Jesus came into this world to reclaim all that was lost to sin. In the fullness of time all of creation will be gathered up in Him to be placed at the feet of the Father. Everything in the heavens and on earth belongs to Him and shall be restored to Him. This is good news because in His judgment God will reclaim His creation as His habitation. He will dwell on earth with humans.
Both in Isaiah 66 and in Revelation 21 to 22 the promise of the New Jerusalem is tied to the promise of everlasting punishment for the wicked, punishment in flames that do not quench. As hard as that may be for some of us to accept, it is this final judgment that makes evident and secure the reign of God on earth. The New Heaven and the New Earth are not simply free from the presence of sin as if sin never existed. Death, sin, and Hell remain forever conquered, a testament to the power of the love of God and a witness to the extent of His mercy.
Perhaps we have lost sight of our glorious destiny because we have become weary with the wait. Heaven is more than a place up above where our disembodied spirits go when we die to enjoy the glory of God forever. Heaven is not an escape from human history, no; it is rushing toward us from eternity to enter into our world as the epicenter of God’s presence with us. That day may be far off but it is breaking in even now.
Let us remember the story and the promise worth waiting for. Christ, crucified, buried and resurrected, has ascended to the throne room of God where He intercedes for us. When they die, those who are in Him go to be with Him; to be absent from the body is to be present with Christ. With the Apostle Paul we all proclaim, “For me to live is Christ and to die is gain.” But there is more; Christ is returning. When He does He will bring the sainted dead; they will be resurrected and those who are alive in Christ will meet them in the air. After a great battle, Satan will be bound and Christ will reign on earth a thousand years. Afterwards, Satan will be loosed and lead a rebellion after which there will be a final judgment. Satan and all the enemies of Christ will be cast into the everlasting lake of fire. Finally, there will be a new Heaven and a New Earth and a New Jerusalem will descend from the heavens and the throne of God will be on earth and He will dwell among us. Heaven will be on earth. That is our destiny.
Heaven is not a myth; it is not the mere product of human imagination. Heaven is our home, beckoning us forward into the reign of God over all of His creation. I conclude with three aspects of Heaven for which I rejoice and give thanks.
First, Heaven is home for the children of God. My idea of heaven on earth has been dominated by majestic mountains and flowing streams and to be honest the absence of people. I went to New York City when I was nineteen and promised myself I would never return. I felt threatened on every street corner. Just stopping to purchase fuel made me feel like I was being mugged. Cities are overcrowded with sinners. They are unsafe and inhospitable. Not so with Heaven.
There will be no sinners in Heaven, no one and nothing to fear. All will be safe as lion lies down with lamb, the child plays at the hole of the asp, and there is no war, hatred, bigotry, envy, strife, or bitterness. More importantly, Heaven will be home. All of eternity will be one grand family reunion absent the embarrassing behavior of a distant relative. Beginning with those we knew and loved in this life and extending undiluted outward to all the redeemed, we will know as we are known. No longer will we see through a glass darkly. Love, pure and undefiled, will bind us together so that we fulfill all that it means to be the body of Christ, the family of God, and the Temple of the Holy Spirit.
Second, Heaven is drawing us by its majestic beauty. Yes, I believe there will be streets of gold and gates of pearl. The foundation will be lined with the most precious of jewels. The river of life will flow and the tree of life will bear its fruit and leaves for the healing of the nations. I will not be discouraged if when I get there I discover these to be figurative literary devices. I already know the description pales in comparison to the true grandeur of that celestial city.
Third, Heaven is the fulfillment of our created destiny. Fully human, forgiven, purged, cleansed, healed, transformed, and full of the Spirit, we shall see God face to face and dwell with Him forever more. We shall be and we shall proclaim His glory. The Father and the Son will be enthroned, and we will worship the Holy Trinity without inhibition and without end. With them we shall dance the dance of their embrace, choreographed before time began. We shall sing the song of the redeemed and all of creation will be our orchestra. And we shall cast our crowns before them crying “Holy, Holy, Holy is the Lord God Almighty.”
I am thankful for the hope of Heaven. It is not a delusion into which I escape. It is a siren calling from the throne of God for me to embrace my humanity and God’s creation, to lift my head and proclaim our redemption draweth nigh. Soon, and very soon, God will make His home among us.
Cleveland, Tennessee
October 19, 2010
JDJ
John 13:36 - 14:11 36 Simon Peter said to Him, "Lord, where are You going?" Jesus answered, "Where I go, you cannot follow Me now; but you will follow later." 37 Peter said to Him, "Lord, why can I not follow You right now? I will lay down my life for You." 38 Jesus answered, "Will you lay down your life for Me? Truly, truly, I say to you, a rooster will not crow until you deny Me three times. 1"Do not let your heart be troubled; believe in God, believe also in Me. 2 "In My Father's house are many dwelling places; if it were not so, I would have told you; for I go to prepare a place for you. 3 "If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself, that where I am, there you may be also. 4 "And you know the way where I am going." 5 Thomas said to Him, "Lord, we do not know where You are going, how do we know the way?" 6 Jesus said to him, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me. 7 "If you had known Me, you would have known My Father also; from now on you know Him, and have seen Him." 8 Philip said to Him, "Lord, show us the Father, and it is enough for us." 9 Jesus said to him, "Have I been so long with you, and yet you have not come to know Me, Philip? He who has seen Me has seen the Father; how can you say, 'Show us the Father '? 10 "Do you not believe that I am in the Father, and the Father is in Me? The words that I say to you I do not speak on My own initiative, but the Father abiding in Me does His works. 11 "Believe Me that I am in the Father and the Father is in Me; otherwise believe because of the works themselves.
Whatever became of heaven? There was a time not that long ago when we sang about it in almost every service, and talked about it and preached about it often. Today, it is a vanishing concept, no longer considered important to the Christian life. Perhaps we have backed away from this sacred promise because we have allowed the skeptics to intimidate us. They have bullied many into believing heaven is just a crutch for the underprivileged, a dream to counter their miserable lives. In the long shadows of the age of reason we need not hope in the unseen celestial city with healing leaves from the tree of life; we are comfortable and supplied with modern medicine. Others may find it more comforting to imagine a disembodied liminal state as our final destination; heaven is a state of mind or spiritual condition void of the burdens of the material world.
However, heaven is a central component in the Biblical account of the incarnation. Before He ascended back to Heaven, fully God, fully man, to be seated at the right hand of the Father, Jesus gave the promise that if He went away He would prepare a place for us that we might be there with Him. In His Father’s house there are many apartments or dwelling places and our destiny is to live in them.
In order to fully appreciate Heaven we must consider some other good news. God is at work judging His creation. In time, all of creation will be judged. The earth will be scourged with fire; Satan and all who rebel against God will be cast into the Lake of Fire never to escape everlasting judgment. Death will come to all. And this is good news. God’s judgment announces His grace; His judgment is always toward the redemption of His creation. All have sinned and come short of the glory of God and the wages of sin is death. Believers do not escape death. They die in Christ, who died for their sins that they might live in Him. God’s judgment builds toward that great and final day, but make no mistake, it has already reached its pinnacle at Calvary where Christ embraced the cross and purchased the redemption of all.
Every act of God’s judgment is toward the redemption of His creation. God has not given up on the sons and daughters of Adam and Eve; neither has He given up on Eden. Jesus came into this world to reclaim all that was lost to sin. In the fullness of time all of creation will be gathered up in Him to be placed at the feet of the Father. Everything in the heavens and on earth belongs to Him and shall be restored to Him. This is good news because in His judgment God will reclaim His creation as His habitation. He will dwell on earth with humans.
Both in Isaiah 66 and in Revelation 21 to 22 the promise of the New Jerusalem is tied to the promise of everlasting punishment for the wicked, punishment in flames that do not quench. As hard as that may be for some of us to accept, it is this final judgment that makes evident and secure the reign of God on earth. The New Heaven and the New Earth are not simply free from the presence of sin as if sin never existed. Death, sin, and Hell remain forever conquered, a testament to the power of the love of God and a witness to the extent of His mercy.
Perhaps we have lost sight of our glorious destiny because we have become weary with the wait. Heaven is more than a place up above where our disembodied spirits go when we die to enjoy the glory of God forever. Heaven is not an escape from human history, no; it is rushing toward us from eternity to enter into our world as the epicenter of God’s presence with us. That day may be far off but it is breaking in even now.
Let us remember the story and the promise worth waiting for. Christ, crucified, buried and resurrected, has ascended to the throne room of God where He intercedes for us. When they die, those who are in Him go to be with Him; to be absent from the body is to be present with Christ. With the Apostle Paul we all proclaim, “For me to live is Christ and to die is gain.” But there is more; Christ is returning. When He does He will bring the sainted dead; they will be resurrected and those who are alive in Christ will meet them in the air. After a great battle, Satan will be bound and Christ will reign on earth a thousand years. Afterwards, Satan will be loosed and lead a rebellion after which there will be a final judgment. Satan and all the enemies of Christ will be cast into the everlasting lake of fire. Finally, there will be a new Heaven and a New Earth and a New Jerusalem will descend from the heavens and the throne of God will be on earth and He will dwell among us. Heaven will be on earth. That is our destiny.
Heaven is not a myth; it is not the mere product of human imagination. Heaven is our home, beckoning us forward into the reign of God over all of His creation. I conclude with three aspects of Heaven for which I rejoice and give thanks.
First, Heaven is home for the children of God. My idea of heaven on earth has been dominated by majestic mountains and flowing streams and to be honest the absence of people. I went to New York City when I was nineteen and promised myself I would never return. I felt threatened on every street corner. Just stopping to purchase fuel made me feel like I was being mugged. Cities are overcrowded with sinners. They are unsafe and inhospitable. Not so with Heaven.
There will be no sinners in Heaven, no one and nothing to fear. All will be safe as lion lies down with lamb, the child plays at the hole of the asp, and there is no war, hatred, bigotry, envy, strife, or bitterness. More importantly, Heaven will be home. All of eternity will be one grand family reunion absent the embarrassing behavior of a distant relative. Beginning with those we knew and loved in this life and extending undiluted outward to all the redeemed, we will know as we are known. No longer will we see through a glass darkly. Love, pure and undefiled, will bind us together so that we fulfill all that it means to be the body of Christ, the family of God, and the Temple of the Holy Spirit.
Second, Heaven is drawing us by its majestic beauty. Yes, I believe there will be streets of gold and gates of pearl. The foundation will be lined with the most precious of jewels. The river of life will flow and the tree of life will bear its fruit and leaves for the healing of the nations. I will not be discouraged if when I get there I discover these to be figurative literary devices. I already know the description pales in comparison to the true grandeur of that celestial city.
Third, Heaven is the fulfillment of our created destiny. Fully human, forgiven, purged, cleansed, healed, transformed, and full of the Spirit, we shall see God face to face and dwell with Him forever more. We shall be and we shall proclaim His glory. The Father and the Son will be enthroned, and we will worship the Holy Trinity without inhibition and without end. With them we shall dance the dance of their embrace, choreographed before time began. We shall sing the song of the redeemed and all of creation will be our orchestra. And we shall cast our crowns before them crying “Holy, Holy, Holy is the Lord God Almighty.”
I am thankful for the hope of Heaven. It is not a delusion into which I escape. It is a siren calling from the throne of God for me to embrace my humanity and God’s creation, to lift my head and proclaim our redemption draweth nigh. Soon, and very soon, God will make His home among us.
Cleveland, Tennessee
October 19, 2010
JDJ
Monday, October 18, 2010
I am Thankful for Our Pastoral Staff
One of the great joys of my life has been to work with a pastoral staff at New Covenant. We are a small congregation with even smaller financial resources. Our staff members are all part time. They serve out of a sense of call and sometimes with a desire for experience and supervision before stepping out into full time ministry. Located in Cleveland, Tennessee we have a host of ministerial students from whom to select. Typically, we choose staff that first chose us as their home church in Cleveland. Occasionally, we must recruit from outside.
In addition to Cheryl and me as co-pastors, we currently have a Youth Pastor, a Children’s Pastor and a Worship Pastor. Our Children’s Pastor, Vernice Blackaby, works for Church of God World Mission; she has been a member of our church for many years and Children’s Pastor for four or five. Our Youth Pastor, Brian Dalton, has been a member for five or six years and our staff member for most of that time. Our Worship Pastor, Justin Spears, joined our staff a few weeks ago; He is a student at our Seminary.
I am full time at the Seminary; I preach most Sundays, provide pastoral care, provide oversight to all ministries and oversee the fiscal aspects of the church. Consequently, I can’t provide close supervision for the staff, especially in the last three or four years as I have directed the seminary’s reaffirmation of accreditation efforts. Imagine this: without my close supervision the children’s and youth ministries have expanded their programs and enlarged their numbers. More importantly, God is doing great things in the lives of our children and youth and those who minister to them.
Over the years we have had some outstanding young ministers: brilliant, gifted, devoted, visionaries. Some, like me, have been less than stellar in their skills but made up for it in faithfulness and devotion. Virtually all have ministered effectively out of both their strengths and hurts. They became significant members of our church family. They edified us as the Body of Christ, and we felt great loss when they moved on to other ministries. At least one found us less than stellar, void of a “spirit of excellence.” He just couldn’t grasp that church is far more than a weekly event.
I am truly thankful for everyone who has served on our pastoral staff over the years. We are so very proud of them. It is an honor to have walked and ministered beside them. Even the one who left us disappointed by our perceived lack of support for his ministry, gave us his gifts of service that touched our lives.
Cleveland, Tennessee
October 18, 2010
JDJ
In addition to Cheryl and me as co-pastors, we currently have a Youth Pastor, a Children’s Pastor and a Worship Pastor. Our Children’s Pastor, Vernice Blackaby, works for Church of God World Mission; she has been a member of our church for many years and Children’s Pastor for four or five. Our Youth Pastor, Brian Dalton, has been a member for five or six years and our staff member for most of that time. Our Worship Pastor, Justin Spears, joined our staff a few weeks ago; He is a student at our Seminary.
I am full time at the Seminary; I preach most Sundays, provide pastoral care, provide oversight to all ministries and oversee the fiscal aspects of the church. Consequently, I can’t provide close supervision for the staff, especially in the last three or four years as I have directed the seminary’s reaffirmation of accreditation efforts. Imagine this: without my close supervision the children’s and youth ministries have expanded their programs and enlarged their numbers. More importantly, God is doing great things in the lives of our children and youth and those who minister to them.
Over the years we have had some outstanding young ministers: brilliant, gifted, devoted, visionaries. Some, like me, have been less than stellar in their skills but made up for it in faithfulness and devotion. Virtually all have ministered effectively out of both their strengths and hurts. They became significant members of our church family. They edified us as the Body of Christ, and we felt great loss when they moved on to other ministries. At least one found us less than stellar, void of a “spirit of excellence.” He just couldn’t grasp that church is far more than a weekly event.
I am truly thankful for everyone who has served on our pastoral staff over the years. We are so very proud of them. It is an honor to have walked and ministered beside them. Even the one who left us disappointed by our perceived lack of support for his ministry, gave us his gifts of service that touched our lives.
Cleveland, Tennessee
October 18, 2010
JDJ
Sunday, October 17, 2010
I am Thankful for the Completion of a Hard Week
I have fallen way behind in my task of blogging about thankfulness. Unexpected changes to my Doctor of Ministry class consumed my energies for the past couple of weeks. Last week Cheryl and I taught our D.Min. course, “Leading Worship and Discipleship.” I found it quite enjoyable as usual. These are students are experienced in ministry who come together with a lot of insight to share. We met from 8 to 5 Monday through Thursday, including having lunch.
We also taught our regular schedule of classes. We covered for each other during regular hours. For me that meant teaching from 8 A.M. to 8:30 P.M. on Thursday. We also had other responsibilities. On Tuesday I had a community meeting until 8 P.M. On Wednesday evening I had to catch up on my taxes. On Friday I completed my taxes and worked outside. Yesterday, I worked outside in the morning, we went to a wedding in the afternoon, and I did the bulletin and worked on my sermon in the evening. Today was church. I preached in the morning and evening I taught on our Declaration of Faith.
Okay, that’s my set of excuses. I’ve been too busy to write about being thankful. But, I have been thankful. The class went well. My community meeting went well. My taxes went very well (if the IRS agrees). God blessed in our morning worship. I preached on “The Hope of Heaven.” We rejoiced and tarried in the altar.
After the service I was talking with “the trinity,” three of our older, close-knit teenage girls. One of them I assisted in her parent’s wedding almost 20 years ago and Cheryl and I were at the hospital for her birth and we dedicated her. The oldest has been in our church for six or eight years and is now a college freshman. The third has been at New Covenant for three or four years. It has really been a joy to watch them mature in life and in their walk with God. Some time back they told me I couldn’t retire or leave New Covenant until I performed there weddings. Today, they informed me I couldn’t retire or die until after they died. I made no promises and I pointed out that when they reached sixty I would be a hundred. Never-the-less, I pray I never let them down and I am thankful to be their pastor.
Cleveland, Tennessee
October 17, 2010
JDJ
We also taught our regular schedule of classes. We covered for each other during regular hours. For me that meant teaching from 8 A.M. to 8:30 P.M. on Thursday. We also had other responsibilities. On Tuesday I had a community meeting until 8 P.M. On Wednesday evening I had to catch up on my taxes. On Friday I completed my taxes and worked outside. Yesterday, I worked outside in the morning, we went to a wedding in the afternoon, and I did the bulletin and worked on my sermon in the evening. Today was church. I preached in the morning and evening I taught on our Declaration of Faith.
Okay, that’s my set of excuses. I’ve been too busy to write about being thankful. But, I have been thankful. The class went well. My community meeting went well. My taxes went very well (if the IRS agrees). God blessed in our morning worship. I preached on “The Hope of Heaven.” We rejoiced and tarried in the altar.
After the service I was talking with “the trinity,” three of our older, close-knit teenage girls. One of them I assisted in her parent’s wedding almost 20 years ago and Cheryl and I were at the hospital for her birth and we dedicated her. The oldest has been in our church for six or eight years and is now a college freshman. The third has been at New Covenant for three or four years. It has really been a joy to watch them mature in life and in their walk with God. Some time back they told me I couldn’t retire or leave New Covenant until I performed there weddings. Today, they informed me I couldn’t retire or die until after they died. I made no promises and I pointed out that when they reached sixty I would be a hundred. Never-the-less, I pray I never let them down and I am thankful to be their pastor.
Cleveland, Tennessee
October 17, 2010
JDJ
Tuesday, October 12, 2010
I am Thankful for my Recliner
Actually, we have three recliners. One is quite old and uncomfortable. One is an electronic recliner. Cheryl bought it for me when I broke my collar bone a few years ago. It is comfortable but the electronics do not always work. My other recliner is one we bought several years ago. It was inexpensive, but very comfortable, curl up and go to sleep comfortable. It’s where I sit to write this blog and check my email, etc. A comfortable recliner is an inalienable right and a necessity for creativity – a necessity for, not a certainty of.
Cleveland, Tennessee
October 12, 2010
JDJ
Cleveland, Tennessee
October 12, 2010
JDJ
Monday, October 11, 2010
I am Thankful for Survival
We are in the midst of teaching a Doctor of Ministry Course, 8 to 5 this week. It is stressful but fun. There are a few other things going on this week. We will survive.
Saturday, October 9, 2010
I am Thankful for the Unexpected, Sometimes
When I went to bed Sunday evening my next day was planned. I was going to sleep in late, have breakfast, dress, go to the office for a couple of hours, and come home and work outside. We were on fall break. But I got a phone call at 8:05 the next morning and everything changed.
An adjunct professor was not going to be able to meet with his Doctor of Ministry Class and the director of the program was calling to see if I would cover for him. I was (am) scheduled to teach the same group of students next week. The problem was that I wasn’t ready. Cheryl and I are teaching the class together and because of some miscommunication between the Seminary and the students (they had not received their syllabi and therefore had not completed their pre-class assignments) I was in the midst of restructuring the entire course. Cheryl was in California speaking at Fuller Theological Seminary.
I agreed to meet the class at 10 AM and to begin our course sessions. After I got dressed I hurried to the school, gathered some materials, and began the class. From my perspective it went as well as possible. Cheryl and I worked this afternoon making final preparations for next week’s sessions.
As I have written before, I like routine. I don’t like it when my plans are interrupted. Self analysis suggests one of my coping mechanisms is to simply not make plans in which I am emotionally vested except for the bigger issues of life. It’s my “who cares” principle. If the event I am preparing for is not of some consequence then why should I get all worked up about it. A leisurely morning and projects outside don’t have to be done today.
One result of this attitude is that I may not look my best. People might think I am less intelligent than I otherwise could have fooled them into thinking that I was. Responding to the unexpected often means I must forget about myself and think about the needs of others. It also means I must recognize that I don’t really control my life; sometimes the unexpected is a requirement and not just a request.
Perhaps the greatest danger of the unexpected events of life is the temptation to allow the urgent to crowd out the important. A crisis may be of little significance. The truly important may in fact most often be found in the dull routines of life. Unexpected challenges force us to choose between the better and the best. They are tests of our heart; do I have the mind of Christ?
I am thankful for the unexpected because it affords great opportunity to be creative and to be open to new discoveries. I find that when I am responding to a situation completely outside of my comfort zone of self protection, I am most free to explore and discover, to look at old problems in new ways. At least this is true when I can push through my initial panic and set sail on the sea of trust. The truth that God is at work becomes more palpable when I know that I am not in charge of the outcomes; I am just a helmsman trying to do my part while He captains the ship.
Yes, I am usually annoyed by the interruptions of life. But once I get over my initial frustration, I most often find in them wondrous gifts. I am thankful for the unmarked detours of life. This entry would be so much more engaging if I could report a Divine encounter with the class on Monday, a miracle, or at least some great discovery. I can’t. I can only say that I felt God’s pleasure and it was wonderful.
Cleveland, Tennessee
October 9, 2010
JDJ
An adjunct professor was not going to be able to meet with his Doctor of Ministry Class and the director of the program was calling to see if I would cover for him. I was (am) scheduled to teach the same group of students next week. The problem was that I wasn’t ready. Cheryl and I are teaching the class together and because of some miscommunication between the Seminary and the students (they had not received their syllabi and therefore had not completed their pre-class assignments) I was in the midst of restructuring the entire course. Cheryl was in California speaking at Fuller Theological Seminary.
I agreed to meet the class at 10 AM and to begin our course sessions. After I got dressed I hurried to the school, gathered some materials, and began the class. From my perspective it went as well as possible. Cheryl and I worked this afternoon making final preparations for next week’s sessions.
As I have written before, I like routine. I don’t like it when my plans are interrupted. Self analysis suggests one of my coping mechanisms is to simply not make plans in which I am emotionally vested except for the bigger issues of life. It’s my “who cares” principle. If the event I am preparing for is not of some consequence then why should I get all worked up about it. A leisurely morning and projects outside don’t have to be done today.
One result of this attitude is that I may not look my best. People might think I am less intelligent than I otherwise could have fooled them into thinking that I was. Responding to the unexpected often means I must forget about myself and think about the needs of others. It also means I must recognize that I don’t really control my life; sometimes the unexpected is a requirement and not just a request.
Perhaps the greatest danger of the unexpected events of life is the temptation to allow the urgent to crowd out the important. A crisis may be of little significance. The truly important may in fact most often be found in the dull routines of life. Unexpected challenges force us to choose between the better and the best. They are tests of our heart; do I have the mind of Christ?
I am thankful for the unexpected because it affords great opportunity to be creative and to be open to new discoveries. I find that when I am responding to a situation completely outside of my comfort zone of self protection, I am most free to explore and discover, to look at old problems in new ways. At least this is true when I can push through my initial panic and set sail on the sea of trust. The truth that God is at work becomes more palpable when I know that I am not in charge of the outcomes; I am just a helmsman trying to do my part while He captains the ship.
Yes, I am usually annoyed by the interruptions of life. But once I get over my initial frustration, I most often find in them wondrous gifts. I am thankful for the unmarked detours of life. This entry would be so much more engaging if I could report a Divine encounter with the class on Monday, a miracle, or at least some great discovery. I can’t. I can only say that I felt God’s pleasure and it was wonderful.
Cleveland, Tennessee
October 9, 2010
JDJ
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