New blog

I googled my name tonight, and found that I share a namesake with a lot of artists and slaves or decendants of black slaves in the 1800's. Wonder if we're related? Some of them did look a little light skinned! :-)

Anyway, I forgot about this blog since I haven't used it in nearly 3 years. It just popped up on my google search. It was cool to read my thoughts from then. I'm at a new church now for the past 2 1/2 years - the University church in Monroe, LA. www.universitycc.net I also have a new blog if anybody is interested. I post...well...not too often. But, here it is anyway....

http://heyuguys.wordpress.com/

Misery of Ministry; Ministry of Misery

I subscribe to "E-votional" by Mark Batterson who has a multi-site church in D.C. Though we are from different "groups," it is one of my favorites and one of the few I read regularly (and can't wait to get). I think because it is real as well as practical and helpful. You can visit his evotional subscription page at Theaterchurch.com and his blog at: evotional.com . Not sure why the Evotional is at theaterchurch.com and the blog is at evotional.com but.…it's his stuff. Anyway, I recommend you subscribe to it.

In this week's evotional, he shared a couple of quotes I found interesting and blessed me. One was from Robert Bly, “Where a man’s wound is, that is where his genius will be. The other from T.D. Jakes is “Your misery is your ministry.” I may add that Your ministry is HIS ministry, therefore, your misery is His ministry. That is, we go through so many struggles in our lives. Some more than others perhaps, but we all have our own. The key is letting God use them for His good. Those who are ministers know that sometimes even our ministry can be our misery (or at least we think it is). I find myself feeling that way often. I don't want to imply that things are all bad, or that I think my ministry is a misery...but it does HAVE its miseries. Let's just say I don't always share the philosophies, thinking, and expectations that some in the church do. I'm not sure many understand GOD'S work as GOD'S minister (for all of us). I believe what we do should be done for God first, and be what works for Him. Not everyone thinks so. We can and should use our differences for good and to learn from one another, but frankly, that doesn't always happen. Yet, I strive to remain positive and thankful the Lord has put me in the ministry. I am thankful and I don't want to get out of it (though I do think of a change from time to time...but that's anotehr story). In my written "Philosophy of Ministry" I wrote, "Even if there is something I don't love about my work as a minister, I do love the work of a minister."

Point is that ministry itself has its challenges, but it also has its blessings. Like anything else, we can see it as a struggle or see it as a journey. As I recently explained to someone, I try to see it and all its challenges as a journey. God is constantly teaching us and training us if we are willing to listen and learn. If we remember that our misery is indeed our ministry, but that overall WE are His ministry (or as Paul puts it, "His workmanship" Ephesians 2:10). To remember that gives us the strength (at least it does me) to know that things may not always be what I want, and things may not happen in my time. But, they will happen in His and He is always working on me and has something in store for me. If that something better is here on Earth…hallelujah! If where I am (or something worse) is what He wants…hallelujah! Because no matter what….He has something else in store for me AT LEAST in the end. For now, our miseries are our / His ministry. One day, our misery and ministry will be our VICTORY!!!

1 Corinthians 15:57 "But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ." [NIV]

Enough Time

There never seems to be enough time. Problem is...too many projects. Too much to do. We often say, "I don't have time for...." Then, someone will say, "You have time if you make time." We can't make time. Time just is. God is eternal, but we live in time. We may readjust how we use our time, but cannot make time.

I am trying to work on my dissertation, coach baseball, watch my other kids' baseball, garden, spend time with my wife and family, and then of course the load of "church stuff" to do as a minister. This week I am not preaching (homecoming - guest speaker - Jon Hackett, Jr. from Tuscaloosa) so I figured, "Hey! I'll have more time to get stuff done this week." Yeah, right. I have had the same amount of time as I always have, and as you always have. It's just a matter of how we use it. I do start a new class in Business Ethics with Faulkner University tonight, so that has given me one more thing to do. TIME? I've got it - but can't make it. I just have to make good use of it. Don't do too much; Don't do too little. That's the key I think!
-james

My Latest Articles

Intentional worship

Last week, I wrote an article concerning entertainment in worship, or "worship as entertainment." You can find it at: THE BIBLE SAYS. DEFINING ENTERTAINMENT IN WORSHIP. I was thinking today how our worship can be intentional, despite what is going on around us. I personally prefer a more 'spunky' worship style, but the church where I preach is pretty much bound to a more 'traditional' style. I honestly believe I can better worship God, and more specifically worship God, when those around me seem to be more "into it" and where the style is more "vibrant." Yet, I ask the question, "Do I worship every Sunday in the 'traditional style' and is that worship pleasing to God?" The answer, I believe is, "yes." Because I intentionally worship God. Oh, I think it may be missing something, and it does take a much greater INTENTION (i.e. effort). I may ask, "Why then do we not create an atmosphere where we can worship better?" Good question I believe. Yet, there are some who believe they cannot worship properly or well with the more "spunky" style of worship. Really, we should all learn to be more acomodating and flexible I believe. What I want in worship, and what style I prefer DOES matter -- some -- a little -- but not that much. What REALLY matters is that I offer myself to God with my whole heart. Though it may be more difficult in some settings than in others, who said life, especially a life of serving God, was supposed to be easy? If God sees fit to put me in a more preferred setting...thanks be to God. If He chooses otherwise...thanks be to God. Only He knows what we need. Amen? We come to realize that when we realize that worship, and indeed all of life (whether or not we call it worship) is about HIM.

Romans 14:8 For if we live, we live to the Lord; and if we die, we die to the Lord. Therefore, whether we live or die, we are the Lord's.

-james

Think - Think - and Rethink

I had (actually am having) cereal for breakfast. In case anybody cares.

You know the thing I love about the church of Christ (other than it is the body of Christ - His, etc. Matthew 16:18; Ephesians 1:22-23), is that we are free. Free to study the Bible for ourselves. There is no denominational headquarters with manuals and books to tell us "if you are going to be a ________, here is what you are to believe"....... or so it would seem. (I'm speaking primarily to those affiliated with the church of Christ, but you are all free to read on).

I love the restoration principle and slogan, "In matters of faith - unity; In matters of opinion - liberty; In all things - charity." That's a liberating slogan don't you think? But, the problem is: Who decides what is faith and what is opinion? If I believe something different than what I am "supposed" to believe - nevermind that I actually read, studied, thought, and prayed about it - I had better be quiet about it or risk.....well....lots of things. Don't get me wrong. I believe the "basics" of salvation (though who decides what those basics include?). But, the more I read and study for myself, the more I see what many in the church of Christ are seeing, and many in denominations are seeing and have been for years. Tradition is not the law. Christ is the freedom from law - at least the laws that man decide, and the law of perfection including the O.T. law. We see churches beginning to "rethink" (the catch phrase) issues such as instrumental music, baptism, open fellowship, and "innovations" in worship (hand clapping, power point, praise songs, and so forth). On the other side (should there be an "other side"?), some are rethinking issues they have held such as how to support orphans homes, and how to serve communion. The Baptists, Methodists, Catholics, and Episcopals are all "rethinking" things as well (at least some of them - I often hear Baptists debating whether or not it is right to have a "band" or must they only have a piano and organ; Some Episcopals have "re-thought" acceptance of homosexuality). Not all are arriving at the correct conclusions. Certainly not all are arriving at what I UNDERSTAND are the correct conclusions. But, at least we are rethinking.

I've been "rethinking" for a long time. I have been studying. Ironically, when I preach those things I have studied FROM THE BIBLE and have re-thought, ....let's just say it doesn't always go over so well. It is usually called "philosophy" by some in my congregation. Lately, I have heard comments such as "You have been studying more, You are preaching Biblical sermons instead of that philosophy stuff." I tell them (sometimes), "No, I have just been preaching what you already believe and not encouraging you to think." Not that I have caved. There are just a few things I have found the Bible did not teach, at least in my opinion. A couple of things were important enough to preach about, but mostly to encourage us all to think, study, and listen to God. Those sermons that are called "philosophy" have actually been more scripturally based than many other issues. It isn't philosophy because it isn't scriptural, but because it is different that what we already thought. We don't like to re-think. It's easier just accept something 'because'. I have tried to be more cautious of what I preach, but I also do not want to preach and live something I do not believe. I keep studying...keep growing.

The things I have re-thought have not turned me against the church of Christ. Quite the contrary. I believe all the "basics" (depending on who defines them). I'll be honest: I don't believe a person is dying and going to hell because they bang on a piano, though neither am I ready to roll one in Sunday for various other reasons. I am even more supportive of the freedom we have to study the Bible and 'think - think- and rethink' for ourselves. I am seeing some congregations who have adopted an "anything goes" approach. I'm not sure they really THOUGHT about that one first. But, I am also seeing more and more congregations who are allowing members the freedom to think. They are allowing them to do things in worship they see as right and good, even though not everyone agrees. Not everyone agrees with doing them or not doing them. Do we always have to agree with each other on everything? Impossible! I am seeing bold and spiritually minded leaders who are making decisions in prayer, study, and different from what we've always done. They are putting off the politics in church and putting on the Spirit of Christ. They are not even doing necessarily what they want, but what they see is best for the Lord and His church. They are listening first to God and secondly to others. They are refusing to hear complaints and rejections that do not have a clear scriptural teaching (not just a passage we can MAKE say what we want). Others, I'm afraid, are still like the Pharisees (and many denominations) - do this because we said so, because we've always done it, or...just because.

We call others to think and study. Put off the man-made doctrines and creeds of their churches. Stop following what man says you must believe, and follow only what God says you must believe. Realize that in matters of faith, we must have unity (though we are all still learning and growing). In matters of opinion, what's wrong with liberty? Christ is liberty. In all things charity. God is love (I John 4:8). We call them to think-think-and rethink.....shouldn't we do the same!

-james

New Waters

I set up this blog back in August of 2005 (wow - didn't know it had been that long). But, somehow the idea of putting my innermost thoughts on the internet just doesn't appeal to me. So, don't look for too "innermost" thoughts, but perhaps some slightly more than skin deep. Anyway, why do people blog? Good question huh? Do we want to teach and share? Or is it perhaps for a more "selfish" reason such as having ourselves an "outlet"? I think perhaps both, depending on the person and depending on the day. Anyway, I have read some good blogs that were very helpful and interesting. I have read others about what somebody had for breakfast -- who cares! If I tell you what I had for breakfast...bear with me. But, if that is all I do...ask me to leave!
-james