New approach to stewardship?
(Copyright Gospel Communications International, Inc. — www.reverendfun.com)
Someone left a comment on Proclaiming Softly (a blog that I read) that I found interesting. They said imagine all the good that a church could do if everyone biblically tithed 10% (See: What Can a Church Afford?)…<Pause to reflect>…fun to imagine, isn’t it?
REMEMBER: God has given us everything that we need.
-edh-
Fun web site discovery
Someone left this web site address on my wife’s desk yesterday: www.jcplayzone.com (I have linked this on the left hand side of my page under my favorite web sites). This web site is designed for children and it’s filled with fun games, crafts, printable coloring pages, recipes, and more. With all the crap that kids can come across on the Internet it is refreshing to see places where kids can play (and learn) safely. Check this site out and share it with your kids. I plan to publish this web site in my bulletin on Sunday.
Fun baccalaureate sermon discovery
I have said this before and I will say it again. I am always amazed with the whole sermon prep process. I try to begin the process without an agenda. If I am faithful to keeping preconceived notions at "home" then something amazing happens in the end — a sermon — a message for God’s people. God is faithful. And because of God’s relentless faithfulness, I feel guilty every time I enter the sermon prep process with worries – wondering and fretting over what I will preach (silly boy, it’s not you preaching but God through you). One of these days I will get that through my thick skull (and heart).
With that being said, the baccalaureate sermon I was asked to give is basically done. I have some fine tuning to do yet today, but it is done. My plan is to talk to the seniors about "Living water". In college (or where ever they are going) they are presented with so many sources of so-called "living water". These kids are searching for meaning and purpose and often times willing to try anything. My point to the seniors tonight is to not forget who you are or whose you are through baptism. Your meaning and purpose in life has been given to you in Jesus Christ — the only "Living water" you will ever need. Who knows if they will listen to me, but you got to believe someone will…right?
(Maybe not so) fun meal planning discovery
Before you go off and eat something from the frig, make sure your wife (or husband) wasn’t planning on having that later. For lunch yesterday I had a cheese ravioli Lean Cuisine. This morning my wife calls me at work and says, "Where’s my cheese ravioli!?!" I knew right then and there I was in trouble. Apparently part of my wife’s meal planning for the week included her having that ravioli for lunch today at work. I guess I missed that memo and I got a feeling my wife will make sure I see that memo in the future.
God bless you as you make fun discoveries of God’s love and faithfulness and remember to "drink in", "bath", "bask" and enjoy the "Living water" of Jesus Christ. You just can’t go wrong with that. Amen. -edh-
P.S. And don’t eat your wife’s lunch.
Check out the following cartoon I found (I couldn’t help help but to laugh):
(Copyright Gospel Communications International, Inc – www.reverendfun.com)
The Gospel text from John 5:1-9 ends in a way that makes me smile. Jesus is talking to a crippled man by a healing pool outside the city gate and asks a very usual question, "Do you want to be made well?" I mean, seriously, want kind of question is that. But the guy’s answer is just as curious. He doesn’t come out and say, "Yes, of course I do". The crippled man goes into an explanation of why he has not managed to get himself healed. Basically, a long way to say , "Yes". After the man’s needless explanation, Jesus says, "Stand up, take your mat and walk" The man got up and walked away. Then the Gospel writer says (emphasis mine) "Now THAT day was a Sabbath." And let me tell you…THAT was a sabbath day. It was a sabbath day like nothing anyone had ever seen before. What a sabbath day.
I wonder what the church would be like if people today said something like that. I am not expecting people to say, "Whew…what a sabbath day…that sermon was something else, wasn’t it?" I am sure this is a fantasy for nearly every pastor. But what I am talking about is people saying, "Whew…what a sabbath day…my sins are forgiven. Can you believe that?" People just don’t seem to care about forgiveness. Maybe it is my vantage point that is skewing my vision, but people today seem to take forgiveness for granted. What can we as preachers do about that?
Imagine being at that pool outside the city gate the day Jesus showed up. As you watch the scene you notice Jesus talking to a man who has been crippled for 38 years. You can’t hear the conversation but the next thing you notice — the man is walking. Wouldn’t that get your attention? If you were the one healed, wouldn’t you say "Now let me tell you, THAT was a sabbath day"?
God’s forgiveness of our sins through Jesus Christ is amazing. We are totally unworthy of God’s forgiveness yet Jesus says to us, "Stand up, take your mat and go home." My friends THAT is amazing. After you leave worship next time, think back. Think about your sinfulness. Think about the fact that you are unworthy. Think about the fact that on our own we are lost and hopeless. Then remember the words of the worship leader speaking on behalf of Christ, "Your sins are forgiven". I don’t know about you, but THAT is something. Praise God always and forever. Amen! -edh-
Greetings everyone,
So far I am surviving being home alone. As you may remember, my wife went to the cities to spend time with her sister, brother-in-law and Michael (our cute little nephew). I have stayed in this house alone before but I keep forgetting how creepy it can be when you are by yourself. I tell my wife she is crazy when sleeps with a couple lights on and a two foot mag-light in the bed when I am gone. But maybe she is not so crazy (I am seriously considering the mag-light tonight).
Anyway, the following is am email forward I got from my wife a couple days ago. I usually don’t do this type of a thing. Usually when I get a forward I read it(sometimes) and then delete it. This one was good so I saved it. So here it is…enjoy.
FROM THE MOUTHS OF BABES:
A Sunday school teacher asked her class, "What was Jesus’ mother’s name?"
One child answered, "Mary." The teacher then asked, "Who knows what Jesus’ father’s name was?" A little kid said, "Verge." Confused, the teacher asked, "Where did you get that?" The kid said, "Well, you know they are always talking about Verge n’ Mary.”
KIDS IN CHURCH
3-year-old, Reese:
"Our Father, Who does art in heaven, Harold is His name. Amen."
A little boy was overheard praying:
"Lord, if you can’t make me a better boy, don’t worry about it. I’m having a real good time like I am."
After the christening of his baby brother in church, Jason sobbed all the way home in the back seat of the car. His father asked him three times what was wrong. Finally, the boy replied, "That preacher said he wanted us brought up in a Christian home, and I wanted to stay with you guys."
I had been teaching my three-year old daughter, Caitlin, the Lord’s Prayer for several evenings at bedtime, she would repeat after me the lines from the prayer. Finally, she decided to go solo. I listened with pride as she carefully enunciated each word right up to the end of the prayer:
"Lead us not into temptation," she prayed, "but deliver us some E-mail.
One particular four-year-old prayed, "And forgive us our trash baskets as we forgive those who put trash in our baskets."
A Sunday school teacher asked her children, as they were on the way to church service, "And why is it necessary to be quiet in church?" One bright little girl replied, "Because a lot of people are sleeping."
Six-year-old Angie and her four-year-old brother Joel were sitting together in church. Joel giggled, sang, and talked out loud. Finally, his big sister had had enough. "You’re not supposed to talk out loud in church." "Why? Who’s going to stop me?" Joel asked. Angie pointed to the back of the church and said, "See those two men standing by the door? They’re hushers."
A mother was preparing pancakes for her sons, Kevin, 5 and Ryan 3. The boys began to argue over who would get the first pancake. Their mother saw the opportunity for a moral lesson. "If Jesus were sitting here, He would say, ‘Let my brother have the first pancake, I can wait.’" Kevin turned to his younger brother and said, "Ryan, you be Jesus!"
A father was at the beach with his children when the four-year-old son ran up to him, grabbed his hand, and led him to the shore where a seagull lay dead in the sand. "Daddy, what happened to him?" the son asked. "He died and went to Heaven," the Dad replied. The boy thought a moment and then said, "Did God throw him back down?"
A wife invited some people to dinner. At the table, she turned to their six-year-old daughter and said, "Would you like to say the blessing?" "I wouldn’t know what to say," the girl replied. "Just say what you hear Mommy say," the wife answered. The daughter bowed her head and said, "Lord, why on earth did I invite all these people to dinner?"
Have a great evening and God bless. -EDH-
The Heart of a Pastor 