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I will celebrate by 57th birthday later this summer. As I think about the future of my ministry and the assignments God has given me I am wondering how to begin sharing whatever few insights I have learned with a younger generation of leaders. I have been deeply involved in city, county, and state issues relating to providing services for at-risk children and their families for around ten years. I am finishing a two year term as President of the NWBC – and we recently elected a new executive director who will lead us into that future (see http://www.gonbw.org/). 

In these last 12 years I have been privileged to serve alongside a group of community leaders that have helped engineer significant social change in our community of 6,000 people. As we all get older I am hoping for opportunities to pass on some of the skills and knowledge this group has gained about changing community norms. 

So, my hope is to use this space to share some of the lessons learned in the battles and point to dangers (into which I have far too often fallen) along the way.

So, stay tuned….

One of the ways I have chosen to be involved in our community is through training students and adults in the 40 Asset model of positive youth development (see http://www.Search-institute.org). I recently spent three class periods (Dec 3,4,5) with the 8th grade leadership class at Winston Middle School. Funny how some things are the same and some things are different. It has been several years (oops, I mean decades) since I was in Middle School (actually it was Junior High School). But the more things change the more they stay the same. Cliques still exist- around sports, around popularity, around skill sets and the like. Some kids are still left out and loners, others are still vying to be the class clown. 

In watching this particular group of students I noticed several things: First, kids still talk about the same stuff we talked about years ago- friends, family, sports, games (no,we didn’t talk about video games but rather games we played at home-outside). Second, kids are still looking for affirmation. They want to be acknowledged, they want to be heard, they want to know that adults outside their parents and family care about them. Third, many of them do think deeply about how they can influence those around them- siblings, friends, even other students. 

I am thankful for a district and building administration that allows me access to students. I am thankful for a teacher who is willing to allow me to take a class period for three days. 

Though much is changing in education- funding, support, curriculum, and the like- kids are still kids! They still need us to be involved and engaged in their lives. 

Fall has fell (although it was over 75 yesterday and supposed to be near 70 today)! Red, yellow, and green shine vibrantly in the abundant sunshine (after the fog burns away). The signs of the changing season are evident for all to see.

Spiritually I sense the end of a season. The past few weeks have been brutal as I have struggled with a specific temptation. Far too often I gave in and spent far too much time in a repentance that was shallow and empty. But the season has changed. I woke this morning sensing that the season has changed. The temptation will still rear its head, but at least for now I trust that God has granted me strength to resist. As I was spending time with God this morning I read Psalm 57:2-3 ” I call to God Most High, to God who fulfills His purpose for me. ‎He reaches down from heaven and saves me, challenging the one who tramples me.”  Those words, written some 2700 years ago (give or take a day) resonated in my heart and mind, reminding me that I don’t cause the seasons to change! When I exit a time of struggle and temptation such as I recently endured there is a huge challenge to assume that in my own strength I survived. Those seasons of struggle ought to remind me of just how weak and helpless I am before the attacks of the Adversary. As this season changes I need to celebrate that goodness and graciousness of God.

As the season changes new temptations will come- of that I am confident. But as the season changes, I am also confident that God will respond to my heartfelt cry and He will ‘challenge’ the one who seeks to trample me!

just posted a long overdue article at wcbcpastor.wordpress.com

It has been far too long since I posted. So, a goal: post at least once a week! I’ve been sharing a series of messages (we used to call that ‘preaching’) titled, Before You Vote. Over the few weeks of the series I tried to show what God’s Word has to say about the pressing issues around this election: Abortion/Euthanasia; Economy; Marriage; and The Role of Government. This Sunday I will to share a final message : What’s At Stake? Some have declared that this is THE MOST IMPORTANT election since 1860. I believe every election is important and needs to be taken seriously. This election, however, has ramifications that will impact us as believers and as a nation for decades to come. 

But what is often lost in the noise is a simple reality: regardless of the election God’s people must recover a biblical vision of holiness and purity that empowers us to be distinct from the surrounding culture. We blend in too easily to the consumer mind-set that has swallowed our lives. Even in churches we market to our niche audience and craft our style and strategy to the crowd we are trying to reach. Really? 1 Peter 1:15-16 reminds us “you are to be holy in all your conduct; for it is written, Be holy, because I [the Lord] am holy.” 

I don’t have a problem with marketing and discovering our niche. But lets be careful lest we reframe the Great Commission into merely a strategy to fill our buildings. Let’s focus on creating a culture that is conducive to holy living and allow the Holy Spirit to use as to reveal the presence and power of God as Jesus Christ is made real in us.

RT @micahfries: Jesus doesn’t want to be invited into your life. Your life is a wreck. Instead He invites you into His life. – @drmoore

It’s a good thing I like books. After a VERY busy six weeks (VBS; 3 weeks of travel- wedding, deliver stuff to our daughter in Washington DC; home for 6 days, then a week at our associational youth camp) the books I want to read have multiplied (wonder how that happens?)
Finding time to read is always a challenge. Deciding what to read is a challenge. But, read I must! As Thomas Jefferson noted, I cannot live without books!
So, this late summer books await! Can’t wait to dig into them.
Perhaps I’ll even find time to post some reviews!