Consumers?

If you listen to the news for any length of time or read news magazines you will discover that economists have a term for you and I. It is: Consumers. Do you like being known as a consumer? I don’t. It gives me the idea of the old video game, Pack Man. You just go along and your only purpose is to eat things up, consume things. I am not an economist; you will see that pretty quickly. But if I understand them correctly, to say that we are all consumers is to say that we must constantly be purchasing and using up stuff. I realize that eight years ago our country fell into a deep recession and there is still a debate about whether we are completely out of that recession. To the heart of that thought is the way economists refer to the growth of our economy, or lack of it. Usually they say the economy is “sluggish”. The way they defined sluggish is: you and I purchased a certain amount of stuff last month, and now we have purchased the same amount of stuff this month plus a little more. That is a sluggish economy. If we purchased the same amount of stuff as we did last month, plus a lot more stuff then we have a healthy economy. You see, in order for our economy to be healthy, you and I must constantly be buying a lot more stuff and possibly going into debt because of it. Why can’t we be satisfied with the stuff that we have? Why do we constantly have to be buying more stuff? Now I realize that we do need to have food and certain necessities each day. We need to continue purchasing these things. But that’s not what the health economy is based upon. It’s not based upon whether we eat or using certain necessities of life. That’s a given. No, a growing economy means you go out and you buy a lot more stuff, maybe stuff you don’t even need but you just want. Why can’t we be content with what we have? This I think, teaches us not to rely upon Christ in life, not to be content with what we have, to be one of the rats in the rat race of life in our culture. The gospel says something completely different. Rather than acquiring more stuff for ourselves we are to think of our neighbors. Rather than our happiness to be based upon the things that we have, be content with what we have and enjoy life because of the people we are close to, not the stuff we have. The Christ like way is certainly different than our culture.

These five things

When you have to leave your chosen profession early because of your health, there are many challenges that come your way. Your family has a hard time with it, your finances are affected, your self-worth is in crisis, not to mention the issues of your personal well-being. Like anyone who is faced with serious life issues, I was forced to reinvent myself and decide what was most important in my future. Who am I? What would the rest of my days look like? Because of the progression of this illness I constantly have to readjust to a new normal and remain in a positive frame of mind. The illness is not currently life-threatening but it certainly has changed my life and continues to. Through this experience I have learned what is really important to me. I could list them as five areas easily: 1- My daily walk and relationship with God. I will have personal devotions every day and will seek to draw closer to him. I will make myself available to the Holy Spirit. 2- Ministry of some kind, whether large or small. I will be involved in some kind of helping ministry whether spiritual or simply helping the poor & those in need. 3- My family. This includes my loving wife of 40 years, my two sons, their wives and their children. It also includes my extended family and friends. One thing I have learned to do is become a househusband. While my wife is working I take care of the house, make the purchases, cook the food, and do what anyone else at home does. I also seek to build a close relationship with my sons and their wives and their children. I have found this a great joy. The Lord has made it possible for us to live six months out in northwest where we can be closer to one of my sons and his family. This is been a great blessing. Back in the East we are closer to our other son. 4- Art. I love to paint in acrylics and pastels. It is amazing that anybody thinks it's worth looking at or even purchasing but I don't do it for that, I do it because I love it. I would like art to be in some way a ministry but I'm not sure how that would happen. 5- Writing. Now that I am not preparing sermons every week nor devotionals, etc. I want to express myself by writing. Speaking is very different than writing. I want to learn how to write effectively. I know that involves practice and understanding the principles. So I am involved in that on a regular basis. It would do us all good to determine what is most important and pursue that in life. We probably would waste less time on those things that are not very important.

Some Personal Stuff

After almost 3 years of not adding to my blog, I have decided to begin again. During these last years a lot has happened in my life and it has taken me a while to process it. In early 2012 I felt it necessary to leave the pastoral ministry and go on disability for health reasons. I had several major surgeries that year which were supposed to help with my problems. They helped some and hurt some. That is the way it is with surgeries. God created us to be whole and complete and when we are cut into there is often some collateral damage that occurs. When doctors try to solve one problem they sometimes unwittingly create another. We also had to move and sell the home that we were living in because my salary was cut in half by this change in life. We moved into a small country home in North Carolina that I inherited from my father's family. Thankfully, my wife was able to continue working as a home health nurse. Now we are three years down the road and much more educated as to what happened to me and what the future holds. My big problem has always been my spine from my head down to my tail. Having six surgeries and many different kinds of treatment have helped in many ways and hurt in other ways. Because of this I live with daily, constant pain. But I am mindful of the many blessings that I do have in life and am thankful each day for having the opportunity to wake up and be a part of life. I have also learned that drugs that reduce pain don't really help after a while. Narcotics and other drugs are usually not meant to be taken permanently. I think I have tried all of them that are available today. They do help with breakthrough pain and extremely bad days that come but that is not where help comes for the long-term. God has made our bodies magnificent in so many ways and the more we understand our bodies, the more we can deal with the things that happened to us. Pain is governed by the brain and we can learn to deal with pain by doing things with our mind. That's one thing I am learning and I'm thankful for some understanding in that area. Even though I am not a full-time pastor I do have some involvement in ministry. I have opportunity to speak in churches from time to time and get involved in other helping organizations as much as I can. I am thankful that there are a couple of areas where God leads me to be involved and am happy to do it. Jesus Christ is still alive and well and continues to impact my life daily!

Why I voted for Barack Obama

The election is over for which I am extremely glad and I am happy with the presidential outcome. Yet, I appear to be in the minority of many Christians by voting for Mr. Obama. Here in the South, there has been a strong push from conservative Christians to vote for Romney. In fact most of the southern states including North Carolina where I live supported Romney. So, I have put together four reasons why I voted for Mr. Obama: 1. Pres. Obama eliminated sanctioned torture in our military as soon as he came into office four years ago. This is very important to me because I cannot imagine Jesus sanctioning torture for any reason. 2. Pres. Obama cares for and works for the poor in this country. American cultural Christians put great emphasis on being against abortion and same-sex marriage. They state that this is because of their strong Christian values. I have no argument with that, but Jesus spoke more about the poor then he did abortion (which he did not mention once) and he emphasized the need for caring for the poor more than same-sex marriage (which he did not mention once. In fact, the Bible does not address the committed, same-sex relationship.) Cultural Christians today twist God and the Bible to support their strongly held positions. Some of those positions are credible. Even though the Bible says very little about them, but one should not ignore what the Bible does clearly emphasize. 3. The Republicans have fought Pres. Obama from day one and have not given him a chance to move forward in several very good ways. Yet, even with that gridlock the economy is improving, albeit slowly. 4. Billy Graham and his organization have revised their theology to state that Mormonism is no longer a cult. Where I live in Charlotte, Billy Graham is a spiritual hero. As a pastor, I have always appreciated Billy Graham and feel that he is one of the few TV/world evangelists who are actually honest. I admire the lack of scandals in his long and successful career. In my way of thinking theology, the study of God, is more important than any political position. I had no problem with Romney's Mormonism and the presidency. But to set aside a long-held position simply to throw one’s support to a Mormon candidate reveals a weak theological foundation. I am surprised at that. I realize these reasons fall outside the purview of most conservative Christians today but I can see the character, the words, and the practice of Jesus agreeing with all of them. It is time for us to follow Jesus and the Gospel not just the popular, cultural, Christian position.

Women's Ordination

I have been following the developments of women’s ordination issue in the Adventist church for years. Now the Columbia Union Conference and the Pacific Union voted (August 2012) to allow women's ordination. Technically the union conferences have authority to approve ordination. Though the General Conference (our chief governing body) has no power to stop it, they have taken a very hard stand against this movement in the interest of unity. In my opinion their argument should be identified as one for "uniformity" not unity. Unity is something that comes in the midst of diversity. Uniformity is when we all look and act the same. In Acts 15 there was a major issue arising in the early church when Gentiles, who had never become Jews, joined the church. Some Jewish Pharisees, who converted to Christianity felt that the Gentiles should "… be circumcised and required to obey the law of Moses." (Acts 15:5) The apostles, Peter and Paul with others went to Jerusalem to discuss this with the leadership there. Peter addressed them, sharing how God had sent the Holy Spirit upon the Gentiles just as He had done for the Jews. (Acts 15:7-10) Then Paul and Barnabas spoke about the miraculous signs and wonders God had done among the Gentiles through them. (Acts 15:12) The Council of the church in Jerusalem (the General Conference of that day) then decided not to require the Gentiles to follow the Jewish ceremonial law. Clearly, they recognized what God had already done for the Gentiles. To ignore the evidence of God would be to ignore God. Many consider women's ordination in the Adventist church to be a similar issue. God has shown his acceptance of women by giving many the gift of pastoral ministry and today there are many women serving in our church as pastors. For years the general conference has discussed the ordination issue but keeps putting it off until a later date. A Commissioning service is meant to appease women. Votes to give them equal pay have also come; but still no true ordination. Maybe the GC is stuck in bureaucracy. So now the union conferences are beginning to act, to affirm what God has already done. Right before our eyes God has called women to serve in ministry, without asking our permission. It is time to affirm that gift. I wish our church had a clear theology of ordination. What we do in ordaining pastors as higher than local elders has no biblical basis. Women can be ordained as local elders but not pastors. Until we have a clear theology of ordination, we're just arguing. Since our church is avoiding that issue as well, it is time for a more local body to take a stand and recognize women as equal to men, under God, in the gift of pastoral ministry.

Personal...

How do I explain the state of my life now? At the end of 2011 everything was as it had been for 30+ years. I was enjoying the exciting task as the pastor of a local church. As most pastors I looked ahead months in advance and made plans for the future. This was done bathed in study and prayer. But as January 2012 rolled around I knew something was just not right. Because I have been dealing with back and neck pain in various forms for the last 18 years, had 5 surgeries on my spine and was taking very heavy medications to help, I knew it could not go on. Some of the surgeries helped, others did not. This disabling pain was affecting my ability to succeed in ministry. I took a look at myself and realized that I was not putting in a full day's work. I was not being honest with my calling. I would spend time resting, reflecting, avoiding, because of my personal battles. I was tired; I didn't have the energy to fight the battles pastors need to fight. So I fell upon the mercy of the Lord and the Carolina Conference and was placed on paid family leave for 3 months. This leave became a disability leave with insurance taking over in financial help. Now, some eight months later I really don't think I will be returning to pastoral ministry. I have had three more surgeries since going on leave and am not significantly better, yet. I have come to grips with the fact that my pastoral ministry is concluded and for all practical purposes I am taking an early retirement. When I started my schooling at Southern in 1977, I was as a brand plucked from the fire. My life was going nowhere fast. I was lost in every sense of the word. I needed rescuing quick! And God rescued me! He provided parents to support me, a fine institution to teach me discipline as well as how to know the Lord and a beautiful Christian wife to labor with me. Some 30 years later I can look back and say that I have no regrets. It has been a wild, adventurous, satisfying and exciting ride. I have had experiences that most people know nothing of. I have seen God work in ways that no one could even imagine. God took this wayward, rebellious, hippie, beach bum surfer and turned him into a Minister of the Gospel. Every day God was leading, helping, empowering, and blessing! For without God's help I would not have lasted a day. He has been there and is still there, even now in this new life chapter. I have seen the good, the bad and the ugly in God's people and tremble as I think of the future of our church. We are cascading through the 21st century trying to grapple with issues that are bigger than mankind. I love the Seventh-day Adventist church for which I have labored in Christ all these years. Nothing has changed in my heart. I now will allow younger and healthier men and women to lead the people in following Christ. It is only as we seek God's guidance that we can find the strength and the courage to move on. Jesus is the most important name in the world and we need to trust in his presence and His Word. I continue to do that and look forward to what God can do in my life even now.

They Shall Pick Up Snakes

At the end of Mark's gospel there is a section in chapter 16, verse nine to the end of the chapter, which brings up a few things that are somewhat new to scripture and which are disputed because some earlier manuscripts do not contain this section. Most of what appears in this section is found in other Gospels. But there is one area in verses 15 through 18 that can easily be misunderstood. Mark 16:17, 18. Jesus is speaking, "And these signs will accompany those who believe: In my name they will drive out demons; they will speak in new tongues; they will pick up snakes with their hands; and when they drink deadly poison, it will not hurt them at all; they will place their hands on sick people, and they will get well." Looking for signs of Jesus presence or activity or approval is nothing new today. The church leaders who followed Jesus around in the first century often asked for miraculous signs from him. Today, we can get over anxious to have signs from God that affirm us. In our zeal to be seen as followers of Jesus, we can recklessly force God's hand (so to speak) to vindicate us with a miraculous sign. I am speaking only of the part about handling snakes and drinking poison. How shall we relate to these things? Is this to prove our faith and demonstrate we are true followers? Are we trying to force God's hand? And what then is the conclusion if we die from the snake or the poison? Does that mean we had imperfect faith? Does that mean we are not a follower of Jesus? Can someone in their desire to see signs from heaven, do something which ends their life within 24 hours, not as a result of persecution, but what looks to the world as a reckless disregard of danger. But what is testified by the church is that they were following Jesus. I have no desire to sit in judgment upon someone else's faith. We are all pilgrims in this world; none of us has complete knowledge. We must join together as seekers and followers of Jesus, not emphasizing our differences which can only divide us but encouraging one another in our common faith. But as a pastor and theologian I am afraid of taking a fundamental position on Scripture that would lead one to be that reckless. Is it possible to survive a poisonous snake bite or ingest some poison while on a missionary journey? Of course. The apostle Paul, after being shipwrecked on Malta, was building a fire (Acts 28:3-6), and while gathering brush was bitten by a viper. He then shook it into the fire. He suffered no ill affects. God protected him from the snake’s bite. That is quite a different scene that if Paul had gone looking for poisonous viper's and handled them, let them crawl all over his body, allowing them to bite him to demonstrate his faith. That would strike of presumption to me. Once again, I have no desire to sit in judgment upon someone's faith. But to use the word of God as a way to prove you are a follower, which sets you apart from others, can be reckless and result in a very sad end. This seems to do nothing to spread God’s love and gospel. In a Charlotte Observer story, June 23, 2012, Randy Wolford handled a timber rattle snake while preaching at the Apostolic House of the Lord Jesus Christ. He tempted the snake to bite him, and it did. Refusing any medical treatment, Randy died that night; leaving his wife and four children without a father. I'm sorry, this served no gospel purpose, and in my mind is an example of the worst in Christian fundamentalism. What kind of example did Randy leave for his family? When we discover that Randy's father suffered the same fate years ago, we wonder if this is some rite of passage. I only hope that Randy's four children do not follow in his footsteps. For I wonder how the gospel of Jesus Christ is spread and affirmed through this practice. Maybe the opposite is happening.