Mission and Ministry or Maintenance?

A short time ago a friend posted this story that has been around for some time. As I read it again I was led to consider how it reflects on our work in the church. What does it make you think of?

A group of alumni, highly established in their careers, got together to visit their old university professor. Conversation soon turned into complaints about stress in work and life.

Offering his guests coffee, the professor went to the kitchen and returned with a large pot of coffee and an assortment of cups – porcelain, plastic, glass, crystal, some plain looking, some expensive, some exquisite – telling them to help themselves to the coffee.

When all the students had a cup of coffee in hand, the professor said: “If you noticed, all the nice looking expensive cups were taken up, leaving behind the plain and cheap ones. While it is but normal for you to want only the best for yourselves, that is the source of your problems and stress. The cup itself doesn’t add to the quality to the coffee and in some cases even hides what we drink and yet you consciously went for the best looking cups.”

Then, he began eyeing each other’s cups. With compassion, he added, “Life is like coffee.  The jobs, money and position in society are the cups. They are just tools to hold and contain Life, and the type of cup we have does not define, nor change the quality of Life we live.  While you pursue the fine cups, be sure to keep focus on enjoying the coffee!”

This story makes me think of churches that are governed by folks focused on maintaining the church (as in the building) but not the mission and ministry we are to fulfill through the building. Thousands of dollars are spent on maintaining structures. But, the buildings exist for a purpose, to serve the Lord. The sanctuary is only worth the people who gather there to worship and sing praises to God. The offices of the church are only valuable because the people who work in them carry on the ministry of the church. The rooms of the church are only as important as the mission of the church that is fulfilled in them.

Mission and Ministry might be over simplified in the following thoughts.

The mission of the church is to go and make disciples. The Great Commission from Matthew 28 speaks clearly to the mission which involves proclaiming the Gospel, baptizing and teaching people to obey God’s Word.

The ministry of the church is how we carry out the mission. We hold events that welcome the community, we get involved in events in the community. We welcome people on campus to whom we might evangelize. We go to the world and share the message of Jesus with those who don’t come to us.

There is however that third “M” that exists as previously noted, ‘maintenance.’ What the church should be isn’t always what the church is.

What kind of church do you want our congregation of Immanuel to be? Do we aspire to be a church of mission and ministry, or one of maintenance?

Maintaining our buildings is undoubtedly important work, but only to the extent that mission and ministry are actively taking place within and through them. The true work of the church must always remain our priority. If we lose sight of this, we will also lose the truth embedded in our congregation’s name, ‘Immanuel,’ which means “God with us.”

Time for Coffee?

Pastor Bill

“What Kind of Example Am I?”

A good way to consider this question is to ask another question: “If everyone in our church were just like me what kind of church would we have?” Consider the implications of your example as a member of your congregation;

If everyone were just like me . . .

• What kind of prayer life would they have?
• How often would they read the Bible?
• What kind of marriage and family life would they have?
• Would the church have enough funds to carry on its ministries?
• What would the regular attendance of church services be like?
• How many folks would be in Sunday School each week?
• Could we find enough people to serve the Lord in the various ministries of the church?
• How would they handle their problems, difficulties, and conflicts?
• How many people would be won to the Lord?
• How many people would have been invited to church in the last month, year, ever?
• What would the mood of our church be?
• How would everyone talk about other members?
• Would everyone be positive about the future or lamenting about the past?
• What would everyone say about the pastor?

God is depending on you to set the example. In some areas we’d likely be great as you consider these questions. In some areas we would likely see we need to make some drastic changes. As a part of the Body of Christ in the family of your church, you are to be living examples of the grace of God, a commitment to Christ and showing forgiveness to others. In asking “How are we doing?” everything has to start with the individual member, and then we look at what we can become as the family of the Church and the Body of Christ.

~ Pastor Bill

LENT

It’s not about what you give up. It’s about what Jesus gave up.

The term “Lent” can be traced back to an Anglo-Saxon term meaning “Spring” or “Vernal Feast”. An understanding of these terms leads us to the definition “to lengthen”. This reflects the coming of more hours of daylight. Lent lasts for 40 days (not including Sundays). It begins on Ash Wednesday (this year on March 2) and ends on “Easter Eve”. Sundays are referred to as being “IN” Lent, not “OF” Lent. Lent originated as a time of penitence and grew into also including abstinence and self denial. Sundays are not included here because Sundays are always a day of celebration at the Lord’s resurrection. The primary focus of Lent is not giving up one or two of life’s minor pleasures, but rather rededicating oneself to the Christian life as a preparation for Easter.

While some sort of self-denial or giving something up temporarily may serve as a reminder for one’s spiritual needs and help in awareness, it should not become the focus. Consider a couple examples. If one gives up soda, chocolate or smoking, then take the same amount of monies that would have been spent on these and give it to Christian missions. If you give up a meal each day, take the time you would have set aside to eat and use it in prayer for the same amount of time.

Or perhaps instead you take something else on for Lent. Once a day invite someone to church. Just think if everyone invited 40 people to church over the season of Lent. We might have to go to multiple services to have room for everyone by Easter. Or set aside a dedicated hour for prayer for the members of our congregation and also other needs in our community of families. Maybe you perform a random act of kindness for a neighbor every day (or even every other day).

What is important here is that you are not making Lent about YOU, but keeping the focus where it needs to be, on Jesus.

Will you seek a rededication of yourself to the Lord throughout the Lenten season? Will you set your heart on increasing your service to Jesus, by increasing your service to others? Will you humble yourself instead making your life and time about yourself?

Our midweek focus will be on the Parables of Jesus. Why did He teach these parables? What is the meaning for us today and do we fit into them? Is there a role you see yourself in through these teachings of Christ, is there a different role we should take on as taught by them? Like Lent, no, the parables are not about you either! But, they are tools to help us be more faithful children of God that we might be part of increasing His Kingdom and sharing His Good News.

Until you cast of (Ephesians 4:31-31) the things that keep you from Christ, you cannot put on (Isaiah 61:10) the righteousness that He intends for you.

The only sacrifice of real value in Lent was then one made by Jesus. Let’s keep the focus on Him.

Serving with you in Christ’s Name,

Pastor Bill

StewardShip, Is It Sinking In The Harbor?

Over the years I’ve found that when we talk about Stewardship, everyone fears that we are talking about money. I think it may be because that is the area that we are all the poorest in with respect to stewardship. Hopefully we understand by now in our faith life, that Stewardship is a matter of our whole life. It involves the famous three, Time, Talents and Treasures.

Some are glad to talk about Stewardship in one way, but not in all ways. Sometimes we are too ready to point out those things we are better at, which others fall short on in life. Yet, when we are approached about an area of stewardship in which we need to improve on in our life, we are quick to defend our freedom to not do what it is that is expected of us. There are ministries that need you at Immanuel and in most cases an overlapping in how you are needed in all these areas.

There are ministries that need your time in service to the Lord at Immanuel: Ushering, working with the Audio/Visuals, Lay Reading, Green Thumb, Praying, Bible studies, Event participation, and much more. This is Stewardship.

There are ministries needing your talent in serving the Lord: Singing, preparing Meals, Building Maintenance, Hand Bells, Banner making, new ministries in outreach like Puppets, Teaching, Activity and Fellowship plans, Computer assistance, Web Page help, and more. This is Stewardship.

There are ministries that need your treasures in service to the Lord: Supporting Missions and Missionaries, blessing the Homeless or Children in need, Technology Maintenance (things break all the time), Support for New Ministries, Operating expenses, etc… This is Stewardship.

We are called by God to First Fruit Giving. Do we think that way with our Time, Talent and Treasures? Are you active in the ministries and missions of Immanuel? Or does God still receive the crumbs of our life long after we’ve fulfilled all the other wants in life?

I am always saddened when I read on social networking sites where someone talks about all their fun and plans for today – when that day is Sunday, and they didn’t start it with God and the rest of the family at worship. I’m always encouraged by those who say Church first today, then… whatever.” Or I see people spending hundreds, even thousands of dollars on frivolous things but bemoan the idea of tithing to support the work of the church. I love it when our priorities are straight and God comes first. After all, you came first for Him, even at the cost of His Son, Jesus.

Is your StewardShip in need of repair to set sail again for God? Can we really be happy to say over and again, God, I’ll get back to You when I need You. Or in essence, “Don’t call me, I’ll call You.” Or even, “after I’ve had my fun, you can have what’s leftover.” My prayer is that our priorities will always be right with the God who loves us, even at the cost of His own Son’s life. I hope to see you Sunday, and I promise not to charge you for your seat, God’s Sacrament, the music or any other blessings you might receive.

Pastor Bill

Blessings to Come

Immanuel Lutheran Church, Redondo Beach, California

Over the last couple of years, the Lord has been preparing Kathryn and I for something that we did not see coming. I have served all 26 years in which I have been a pastor in the great state of Texas, my home. We have been at Holy Cross in Arlington for over 15 years. In the last two years we went through Call process after Call process many times with many churches from coast to coast, outside of the state of Texas. All of these were a surprise as I have never sought to leave Texas.

In November I received a Call to California (Yes, the place that so many folks are leaving because of cost of living, crime, wildfires, homelessness, and poor governance. All of which are on the increase.) Still, when God says go, you must go.

One of my favorite brief devotions of all time is in the compilation of morning and evening daily devotions by C.H. Spurgeon. Specifically, the evening devotion for February 25^th, addresses Jonah 1:³ “But Jonah rose to flee to Tarshish from the presence of the Lord. He went down to Joppa and found a ship going to Tarshish. So he paid the fare and went down into it, to go with them to Tarshish, away from the presence of the Lord” [ESV]. The devotion considers the consequences of Jonah’s disobedience in shirking his responsibilities of serving the Lord as well as his self-centeredness in trying to flee from the presence of God Himself. The very name of God, Immanuel, reminds us that God is with us. We cannot continue to “kick against the goads” Acts 26:14b [ESV] and seek to go our own way and at least metaphorically run from God. We need to yield ourselves to God and remember that “God is with us,” Immanuel.

Our Holy Cross church family is in a great place. We have wonderful leaders, skilled musicians, a growing number of members (even in the midst of Covid 2020) and we are blessed in many ways by God.

In meeting the congregation of Immanuel, Redondo Beach the verses come to mind from the Gospel of Matthew 9: ³⁵ And Jesus went throughout all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom and healing every disease and every affliction. ³⁶ When he saw the crowds, he had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. ³⁷ Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; ³⁸ therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest” [ESV].

While the people of Immanuel RB are not harassed and helpless, they are in fact very talented and dedicated, I still saw them as sheep without a shepherd. They have been without a pastor for several years. Though small in number, having once been a large congregation, they have great potential to become one again. Micah 5:² “But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah, who are too little to be among the clans of Judah, from you shall come forth for me one who is to be ruler in Israel, whose coming forth is from of old, from ancient days” [ESV]. They need a full-time pastor to pivot around and tie all their gifts together and bless their community and themselves. California is also no Tarshish, any more than any other place fits the example of being Tarshish as well. It is a beautiful land filled with many good children of God.

So, God said this is where I want you to be. And the result is that Kathryn and I are going to be moving to Redondo Beach, California and joining the family of Immanuel Lutheran Church. We are filled with sorrow in leaving our family of 15 years at Holy Cross, we love the folks here so much and feel that love in return. But we are also excited about joining together with the wonderful people of Immanuel in Redondo Beach and being a part of the work of the Lord there. God will bless all of us. He is “with us”. Holy Cross, Immanuel, and Kathryn and I will all see the work of the Lord in and through us as long as we seek to continually, faithfully answer His Call to us. God has done great things and there are great things ahead.

That famous Christmas quote seems most appropriate here, “God bless us everyone.” And we know that He will.

Bill

Congratulations or Condolences (God is still in control!)

Your candidates won or your candidates lost. From a spiritual perspective I may like or dislike some policies that have taken place or will take place. But, from that same spiritual perspective I see that God is still in control today.

Many folks had their politics driving their emotions over the last few months and this is understandable considering the massive influx of political ads and information that has been placed on our brains. Still, now is a time to let go of that and be magnanimous in your dealings with others no matter your perception of their views. Stop taking things personally that were never meant that way. Stop hearing every counter argument that someone made against your ideals as them being against you.

Yes, what you have in most cases is a “perception” of others’ views. We typically latch on to one or two ideas about people and then draw a narrative to fit our own personal prejudices. More often than not it is not other’s prejudices that are the problem, it is the person who is projecting their labeling on another and drawing conclusions from their personal ideas of how those things add up.

Are there people who are racist? Yes, without a doubt. But, just because people of every race can be racist, does not mean that all people are racist. Just because men are men does not make them all misogynistic, but there are men who are misogynists. There is agism and classism and there are all kinds of discrimination, but the fact that it exists does not make all those from opposing groups liable (in the non-legal sense).

Not every issue involving people who are black and white is about race. Not every issue involving politics can be summed up in a Democrat vs. Republican stance. Not every action against someone who happens to be gay is an act of homophobia. The list goes on. People are sinful and will always act in sinful ways. But, that is often where we need to leave it, and not ascribe and impose all of the various personal prejudices we want to see in others.

Now, back to the idea of today, a new day and tomorrow new yet again. Remember, God is in control and particularly in His church. Whomever you voted for and whoever won or lost, in a spiritual people we treat each other in spiritual ways. As God has treated us with the forgiveness of sin, love and compassion, so we should treat each other. In the church we will do no less.

100 years ago, 50 years ago, 10 years ago, a year ago, 6 months ago, we knew the church as a place of love, acceptance and forgiveness. No one was looking at your voter ID card to check your party affiliation. Oh, there have been a multitude of problems in the church as well over time, but God has continued to be God.

On Sunday God’s people will come to church. Do you know how they voted? In some cases, yes absolutely, as they have not hidden anything. But do you know all the issues that drive that person? To think we do is to proclaim ourselves a fool. We may know a reason or two behind where people stand on issues, we may know an issue or two that drive people, but beyond that to continue to draw conclusions is to draw that narrative that fits our own prejudices.

In the church we will welcome all God’s people. In the church we will still seek to reach all people with the Gospel of Christ. In the church we will follow the example in how God has treated us with forgiveness, love and compassion. If that is the kind of Christian charity that drives you, then I look forward to worshipping along with you, in a physical sense (for those in my home church) or in a expanded spiritual sense (with Christians around the world). If you still can’t get past your own prejudices in judging others, then I ask you to please stop looking in a mirror and start looking at the cross. God is still in control.

Amen,

Pastor Bill Lowrey

Dealing with Politics and Race (Back to the Basics)

If I were to vote on a presidential candidate based on their past, I would say toss them both out and start again. They have both been immoral, downright creepy and borderline, if not way over line, focused on self. They both continue to play the role we sadly have come to expect of politicians and are lying continually about things and even in what they say about each other.

But when it comes to judging others, if people were to choose to listen to me as a pastor based on my past, many would turn away and find me unworthy to serve as a minister. Hopefully, they would see however that I am a forgiven child of God, as are they, and that I continually seek to change my ways to be more in line with God’s will.

Are we following God? Are we being the children of God that He has called us to be? Are we forgiving and compassionate toward those of differing mindsets? Are we still sinners? Let’s go back to the basics of how we are to relate to others in this world.

Matthew 7:¹“Judge not, that you be not judged. ²For with the judgment you pronounce you will be judged, and with the measure you use it will be measured to you. ³Why do you see the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? ⁴Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when there is the log in your own eye? ⁵You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother’s eye.”

Are you posting online, saying, or even thinking for that matter evil upon those candidates that you don’t support? Are you passing along the rumors and gossip? If so and you don’t see yourself as a hypocrite in your actions, then you just showed yourself as a hypocrite in your response. Oh, how we abhor the idea of someone calling us a hypocrite, but those are God’s words not mine. Take it up with Him. Politics is not the only place this is an issue, also the back and forth regarding racial tensions has become horrible and is no longer productive in many cases.

Do you remember, God has said that we should treat others as we wish to be treated ourselves? If not, here is a refresher…

Matthew 7:¹² “Whatever you wish that others would do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets.” And again, Luke 6:³¹ “As you wish that others would do to you, do so to them.”

Have you been a part of the name calling and finger pointing, the meme sharing, the attacks on someone that is not your favored candidate? What does the Bible say?

Matthew 5:²² “Whoever insults his brother will be liable to the council; and whoever says, ‘You fool!’ will be liable to the hell of fire.

“Fool” is pretty light compared to some of the things I’ve heard and read that people say and post about politicians they don’t like or even people who support politicians they do not like. How liable to Hell are you? You will be held accountable for your actions. Do you need to get that cooler of Ice Water, “to go”?

How should we be treating others in these days of divisive politics and racial tensions? Let’s go back to the basics again.

John 13:³⁴ “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.” Also 1 Peter 4:8 ⁸ “Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins.”

As I’ve said before I say again, speak about the positive things concerning your beliefs, ideals, political candidates or whatever. You make a better argument when you point to the positive things you support and why, rather than when you come across as bitter, mean-spirited and spiteful towards others. Grow up in your faith! And step up as a Christian! That is, if the Spirit of God is within you.

I remember back in a previous congregation I served many years ago where we had a school with students up to 8^th grade. I taught the religion (day school confirmation) classes for the 8^th grade class. One day there was a child who was acting horrible and saying horrible things to other students. He was wearing a cross necklace and I had him come forward and took him to the hall. I told him to remove the cross and give it to me. After some more of his name calling, now directed at me, reluctantly he removed the necklace and handed it to me. I told him, if he is going to behave like he was, I didn’t want him to wear the cross and make others think that is how Christians behave. I said, when he was ready to apologize to me and the entire class, I would give it back to him. It was about a week later when he humbly approached me and said he was sorry. I told him he now needed to say that to the classroom, which he willingly did. They in unison forgave him aloud. I joyfully took the cross out to the drawer and hung it on his neck. He was showing what it was to be Christian, to live being forgiven and as a fellow child of God.

I’m certain there are many who would not approve of the method I chose to teach him, but I would not change my approach if it were to have happened still today. If you call yourself His child, if you claim to be a Christian, if you wear a cross or religious t-shirt, don’t advertise a faith that you are not living.

With all this, you can also be certain that there is no need to call me out on the mat for this note and not living it faithfully myself. As the old though goes, when you point a finger at someone you are pointing 3 back at yourself. Or as I learned in writing sermons that whatever I say to people in a sermon, I have to have said first to myself.

1 Timothy 1:¹⁵ “The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the foremost.”

Live the life you claim in calling yourself Christian. Ask for forgiveness and as is said in John 8:¹¹ “go and sin no more.”

Chief of Sinners,

Pastor Bill

My Covid Clamor

It breaks my heart when I see people posting places online (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and so on) places they are going and things they are doing these days, but they are not coming to church.

“But it’s not safe” (as if all these other places are), “I’m not comfortable around so many folks” (unless it is in some other activity than joining in worship) …

Since when are all these other places and activities safer than coming together with the Body of Christ in worship? At the church we are using the government approved sprays and wipes that kill the Covid 19 virus. Between each time of worship, activity, meeting, Bible study, anything we disinfect everything. We are wearing the masks. We are social distancing.

Plus, this is where we worship the God of all who alone holds us, our lives, our health in His hands. But, He doesn’t rate high enough on our list to merit the attention we give to other things people are doing during these days. It’s of more value to go and have some worldly fun than it is to seek joy together with the Christian family in signing God’s praise.

There are certainly a great number of people who are not going out at all or only minimally for medical reasons or groceries or the like. These folk need to stay home and feel safe and loved and be careful about their health.

But there are many more who seem to think that all these worldly places are worth the risk of exposure, but church is just not a safe place or a place they are comfortable to attend.

I think about the parable of the Prodigal Son. The Father stands at the gate waiting for his son to return from using his free will to live in the world instead of turning to Christ and the family.

I grieve for them, I weep for them, I ache for them, I pray for them. And then I grieve, weep, ache and pray a little more.

If you made it this far, thanks for listening to my rant.

He who has ears…

Pastor Bill

“The Indian Weather Rock”

“The Indian Weather Rock” (Luke 12:49-56)

⁴⁹ “I came to cast fire on the earth and would that it were already kindled! ⁵⁰ I have a baptism to be baptized with, and how great is my distress until it is accomplished! ⁵¹ Do you think that I have come to give peace on earth? No, I tell you, but rather division. ⁵² For from now on in one house there will be five divided, three against two and two against three. ⁵³ They will be divided, father against son and son against father, mother against daughter and daughter against mother, mother-in-law against her daughter-in-law and daughter-in-law against mother-in-law.”

⁵⁴ He also said to the crowds, “When you see a cloud rising in the west, you say at once, ‘A shower is coming.’ And so it happens. ⁵⁵ And when you see the south wind blowing, you say, ‘There will be scorching heat,’ and it happens. ⁵⁶ You hypocrites! You know how to interpret the appearance of earth and sky, but why do you not know how to interpret the present time?

So far our text:

This is the tried and true weather predictor of the Old West. Used by early pioneers as they learned from the native Indians. You placed this outside your cabin or even your wagon, if travelling, and looked at this special rock to know what the weather was going to be like. You would simply go outside and look at the rock.

As the wise and mystical Indian prediction saying went:

If Top Of Rock Dry No Rain
If Top Of Rock Wet It’s Rainy
If Top Of Rock Hot It’s Warm
If Top Of Rock White It’s Snowing
If Rock Under Water Start Swimming
You’re In A Flood

There are signs that stocks may rise or fall… some folks buy and sell accordingly.   Signs of the seasons changing. The mesquite tree in Texas is the last to leaf out in Spring. When it is leafing out – that means winter is over, no more freezes to worry about.

There are signs that it may rain… rain lilies appear in the yard or bar-ditch, the Texas sage bush starts to bloom.

There are signs for this, signs for that. There are signs that a couple is falling in love…. There are signs when people fall out of love. We can interpret the signs of the times. When Wal-Mart starts selling candy corn (which they have by the way. I got some on Friday and brought it to the Friday night Lock-In. It’s all gone already) you know Fall and Halloween are near. When you start hearing the song “It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas!” at Hobby Lobby, you know that Christmas is near. (Although they already have Christmas Trees up for sale.)

Have any of you ever read the Farmer’s Almanac? They are actually a wise guide to knowing when to plant things because of the different zones and times of the year. However, they are not so good at making their predictions for the weather, which they do for a year in advance. Although, the local weather people aren’t really any better. Hey kids, just an idea if you don’t already know what to do with your life when you get older, become a Meteorologist. The are right half the time and wrong half the time and still get paid in full. So, you get a salary for making predictions that can be completely wrong and still get paid.

But people do not follow the signs that say pay attention to the here and now. The sign is, that now is the time to examine our lives and say are we really for God and following Him.

This passage really makes us uncomfortable from beginning to end. Jesus tells us He’s come to bring division, not peace. But the division is between the things that we hold to on earth which we make more important than God. Then we are told, you can seemingly read the signs around you about the worldly things, but you have not held to what is truly important.  Look at the empty Cross before us, it is one of the greatest signs we have. It shows us that Jesus, who lived, died and rose again for the forgiveness of our sin is very much alive and here for us now.

Have you ever looked at the other folks, perhaps the younger generation, perhaps the older generation, perhaps a parent of a child and thought “They just don’t have a clue!” That’s sort of what God is saying here to us. Do the signs indicate that you should follow the Lord with ALL your life? If you answer no, we need to set up a time to talk. If you answer yes… How does it feel to be called a hypocrite? Or more so, how does it feel to be called a hypocrite by God? Because that is what He does in the text. We aren’t living the way we say we should be living.

God is pointing out how comfortable we have become with the world. It’s almost like we like the life in Egypt, the brick making, the slavery, the pain and death, the Pharaoh ruling our daily lives. God wants more for us. He wants life and salvation. He wants forgiveness and a future. He wants us to pay attention to the signs that matter, the cross before us. Look at the skies and know that dark clouds mean rain is coming. In a Texas Summer, when the south wind blows, it will be hot and smoky. Then in winter and the North wind blows, we’ll have a blue Norther, cover the plants. We trust the weather, more than we trust the Lord. He tells us what’s best for our lives. He leads us to fellowship and Christian living and we don’t seem to get that these things are critically important.

Søren Kierkegaard, the Danish philosopher, and sort of theologian, from the 1800’s said, “From the very beginning, the purpose of Christianity was to change the world.” That is 100% accurate, Jesus came and changed everything. He ushered the New Covenant. Jesus didn’t come to make peace, and He certainly didn’t come to be ignored, or to be preached about once a week and forgotten about the other 6 and a half days. Jesus came to divide us from the world and help us to come to Him. So, in the week ahead you’ll have the opportunity to talk to people. What will you talk more about? About the weather? Or about Jesus? Which will be more important?

Amen.

Pastor Bill Lowrey

“What Kind of Kids Eat Armour Hot Dogs?”

One of the “Armour” meat processing plants was in the Ft. Worth Stockyards for almost 70 years. Go there and a memorial POI marker briefly tells of their existence and a few curbs still bear their name in paint. The company was popular for many items other than meats, all made from slaughterhouse beef byproducts; soap, glue, fertilizer, drugs, buttons, hairbrushes and even Oleomargarine©.

Armour started playing a radio commercial in the late 60’s and then made into a TV commercial a few years later. Do you remember the lyrics?

Hot dogs, Armour hot dogs, what kind of kids eat Armour Hot Dogs?

Fat kids, skinny kids, kids who climb on rocks, tough kids, sissy kids,

even kids with chicken pox love hot dogs, Armour Hot Dogs. The dogs kids love to bite!

Well, they certainly couldn’t air this commercial nowadays. We are so easily offended, but we don’t seem to care as much about offending others. We are riding a wave of political correctness. I hear cries for tolerance, and then the same people shout down and condemn folks who have views different from theirs.

We are hypersensitive to every new trendy plight. You can’t tell jokes because you’ll be labeled a bigot, homophobic, a racist, sexist, etc… The squeaky wheel continues to get the grease. Hurting someone’s feelings is equated to bullying (note: we should never intentionally seek to hurt someone in any way). Ask most people over 50 what real bullying is from the days of their youth. So few of the population (disclaimer: no actual study has been made, because studies are tainted by the questions, questioners, demographics and many other methods within which they are made or compiled) would have ever cared enough to get riled up unless these human fuses started screaming out their supposed heartaches which is too often for attention to themselves more than the newly arisen cause. People look to ‘take’ offense at things. There are a few Hollywood folk and politicians who have a chronic case of taking offense at every opportunity.

We can’t solve these problems because people won’t talk to each other anymore, at least not and maintain a civil conversation. They text, email, tweet, Instagram and do anything as long as they don’t have to speak face to face. The only time the word compromise is used is when one means you should change your way of thinking to be like mine.

People believe that being politically correct actually means that they are correct. Jesus didn’t practice political correctness. He was called to be “A stone of stumbling, and a rock of offense.” (1 Pt. 2:8) He called it as it was when He dealt with ideologies, faith, culture, politics, actions, etc… Jesus calls us to be salt and light. We are to speak the truth in love, (Eph. 4:14-15). A Christians we should neither conform nor yield to culture, laws, philosophies, or anything that is in opposition to God’s Word. 

Political correctness is not the answer to making our world a better place. Jesus is the answer that is still needed, holding to His truths, Biblical truths. Hold on to God’s Word, where truth is found. Our words and interactions with others should be kind and genuine. But, politically correct? No, our standard is Scripture (1 Tim. 3:15 & 2 Tim. 3:16). Being politically correct will not endear us to God and it is killing churches. It changes doctrines and hearts. Make your goal to please God, not mankind. Love and follow God who calms the seas, not the back and forth waves of the world’s ideologies.

“They will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths” (2 Tim. 4:3-4).

So, it’s the world or the Word. It’s time to choose one or the other.