WINSTON COMMUNITY BAPTIST CHURCH

Earlier this week when I awoke, checked the weather and saw this: Dense Fog Advisory. It means that one should take care because the fog creates hazardous driving conditions.

Maybe we should post a Dense Fog Advisory when our lives are a little less than clear, when circumstances confuse and confound us. Others around us would know to steer clear of us during those times. Perhaps others would know how to pray for us more effectively. I have been struggling with a dense fog for the past few months. As I turn 60 this year, observe our 40^th wedding anniversary, and note my 25^th year of service as Pastor at Community Baptist Church I no longer see the future as clearly as I did a few years ago. I see the present much differently than I did when I was younger. Past failures appear magnified and past successes seem less impressive. The present seems foggier than it used to.

The solutions: take life a little more slowly – look more carefully to the margins much like one might pay more attention to the boundary markers on the highway when driving in dense fog. Proceed with a little more caution – I have always been too quick to say YES when I should have paused, prayed, and perhaps said, NO. Concentrate more on the present and worry less about the future. – I have a tendency to measure the effects of my life and ministry in comparison and often wonder about how my life will be measured.

One last thought: (I will share this with my folks on Jan 24) see Jesus! Keeping my eyes on the goal, the destination, the prize (all are NT words)! The fog will lift – it always does!

Dec 24 2015

This year is slightly different for us. Instead of being at home we are with our son, his wife and our new granddaughter- Sandra Gale. She was born 11-15-15 and then spent the next 4 weeks in the NICU at Dayton Children’s Hospital. Josh and Kalaya were able to bring her home on 12/15/15. She is doing well, growing quickly and is healthy as can be. Our daughter Megan was able to join us and the day after Christmas Cindy’s step-mom will fly in from KC to join us! We have already had a remarkable time…doing not very much at all but holding our granddaughter and spending time with family.

I am reminded that not everyone has the ability to be with family during the holidays (we have had years when our family was scattered at Christmas time as well!) but the promise of Christmas – even for those feeling loneliest is that God is present. Bethlehem was not a place of prominence and significance yet that is the town God had chosen to bring Messiah into the world. So, no matter how small or insignificant you may feel remember, God is present.

I am also painfully aware that many people struggle with depression and discouragement during this ‘most wonderful time’ of the year. Again I remind you ( and me) that God is completely aware of where you are, of your heart and hurt, and that His presence can and will supply you the strength you need for each day – just remember, take life one day at a time. Don’t borrow from tomorrow or spend time lingering over yesterday!

Christmas – certainly a wonderful time – is but one day a year. The presence of Christ is not limited to just that one day. We can know His presence every day…and because He is present we can live with confidence and assurance that His presence makes every day a wonderful gift!

May your Christmas be blessed – wherever you are!

PASTOR STEVE

“And He did not do many miracles there because of their unbelief.” (Matthew 13:58, HCSB)

As I read that verse the other morning I began to wonder. In His hometown Jesus was misunderstood and misidentified, which He acknowledged as normal (see vs. 57.). However, their unbelief was fueled not by their lack of understanding but by hostility – “And they were offended by Him…” (Matthew 13:57, HCSB).

I wondered if perhaps the ignorance of Jesus’ identity today and the unbelief that is so prevalent is rooted in the same kind of ‘offense.’ People are often offended by Jesus’ claim that there is only one way to the Father (John 14:6). People are often offended because of words and deeds done in Jesus’ name that do not reflect Him accurately. People are offended by the self-sacrificial life Jesus lived – dying on a cross, claiming to bear the sin of the entire world. This offense naturally leads to unbelief. And unbelief results in the inability of Jesus to perform many miracles there (see vs. 58).

So, I’ve been wondering. Do the people attending our churches (OK, the church I pastor) truly understand the identity of Jesus? As we move into the Christmas Season we are inundated with visuals portraying Jesus as a beautiful, helpless, dependent infant. For many this is the only picture of Jesus they ever see. Like those in Nazareth that day we often link Jesus with a flawed understanding of His origin-“isn’t this the carpenter’s son? Isn’t His mother called Mary…” (vs. 56).

In a recent blog post Chuck Lawless posted a series of what he called random questions. One of those questions reads like this: “If you conducted a basic theological survey of your Sunday morning crowd, how would the findings compare to your church’s doctrinal statement?” [1]  I am not certain I want to ask that question but I recognize that just maybe, just perhaps, the lack of the supernatural and miraculous in our lives may be tied to this very issue.

Just wondering.

[1] http://chucklawless.com/2015/11/12-random-questions-to-ask-about-your-church-this-week/?utm_source=Blog+List&utm_campaign=28855bed45-Daily_Blog_Emails&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_1f3938126f-28855bed45-86591841, accessed on 11/5/15.

Luke 8:1-3

Some women – one of whom had experienced a significant deliverance from demonic forces – were risking money on Jesus – supporting Him and His preaching and proclamation out of their own pockets. In an era when women were generally ignored and usually overlooked, these women took the risk of financially supporting Jesus.

Luke 8:4-21

In several parables Jesus challenged His listeners to trust that the Kingdom of God was wt work – even when physical evidence might suggest otherwise. Jesus challenged the traditional understanding of ‘family’ and redefined His family as all who risked trusting in Him.

Luke 8:22-39

The disciples travelling with Jesus were overcome with their fear of the world in which they lived. When Jesus demonstrated a supernatural power over His creation their fear of Him grew. Immediately after this event Jesus and His followers were confronted by a feared man – demon possessed and uncontrollable. After confronting the demons the community which had banished this man to the wilderness was so afraid of Jesus they asked Him to leave.

Luke 8:40-56

Jairus and an unnamed woman both demonstrated a faith in Jesus that may have shamed His disciples. Jairus sought Jesus power for his ailing daughter. The unnamed woman sought relief from an ailment that had cost her more than we can imagine.Both demonstrated faith – even when fear threatened to overwhelm them (see vs. 45-48; 49-52).

Luke 9:1-6

Jesus instructed His disciples to go into the villages taking nothing but the authority and message He had given them.

Luke 9:7-9

Herod, who had killed John the Baptist because of his preaching, is fearful of the news of this Jesus. Herod thought he had killed the message by killing the messenger.

Luke 9:10-17

When the crowd following Jesus needed provision Jesus asked His disciples to provide. their lack of faith is evident when contrasted with the willingness of one to provide meager resources and Jesus’ confidence in God’s power to multiply those resource.

Luke 9:18-27

Jesus’ instruction regarding the cost of faith, and His Transfiguration remind us that even those closest to Jesus struggled with understanding all that it means to follow Him.

Luke 9:28-62

In these sections we see Jesus confront fear and call for faith as people try to understand who He is and what His purpose is.

CONCLUSION

Far too often I allow my fear – my insecurity, my anxiety, my need for the approval and affirmation of others – to dictate how I feel and the choices I make. Genuine faith requires that I, like the unnamed woman, trust that in Christ alone is all I need. But that sounds ‘fake.’ What does that mean? As I read these chapters I was reminded that genuine faith means being afraid but persevering through my fear.  Following Jesus is more than giving verbal assent to a specific set of statements or affirmations. It requires a commitment that is costly, continuous, and even courageous. Will I allow God’s presence, God’s Word, and God’s people to be the furnace wyhich produces that kind of commitment?

15 years ago Winston OR experienced a tragedy – two teenage boys died within days of one another. One of those young men committed suicide and the other died in an accidental discharge of a weapon. Unfortunately a few other suicides were attempted and an unrelated tragedy at the Oregon Coast cost another young person their life. After the events of that year I expected to never face another season of tragedy.

On October 1, 2015 a gunman opened fire in a classroom at Umpqua Community College just a few miles north of Winston. Before the carnage ended nine people were dead, seven others were wounded and the shooter took his own life. Some eighteen days later many of us in Douglas County are still dazed and confused. The hours and days following the shooting were packed with counseling family members and community members impacted by the event. Even with a 30 hour break (my wife and I were able to get out of town for a few hours) the dazed confusion persists. Numerous memorial services have been held and several more are planned for the community. Grieving together helps but the confusion persists.

After eighteen days let me offer a few random observations – because if for no other reason I need to communicate:

– Though I had no direct connection with anyone involved in the attack, the thought that people have been killed and maimed still leaves me confused. I can’t seem to put a word together on what it is I am feeling. I likely will never forget the looks on the faces of family members as they realized their loved one was either injured or dead. Listening to some who were in an adjoining classroom – their fear, their anxiety, their sense of dread about going back on campus – those emotions that poured out of them have stayed with me.

– I have learned – again – that presence is more important than words in the midst of unimaginable pain. Just being with those people was the most I could offer. Even now I don’t have words to offer those who are hurting and I don’t need anyone to use words to comfort me. I just need those who have agreed to walk with me through this process.

– Pastoring is much broader than merely paying attention to your own congregation. I have lived and served in Winston for over 24 years. Though our church is normal size – certainly not the largest and not the smallest – the role of pastor includes a community of contacts that reaches far outside the boundaries of any denomination or church fellowship. When tragedy strikes boundaries that may have been in place often crumble with the need simply to be together. When people are hurting they are more open to receiving the ministry of presence.

– Finally, though I have said multiple times that time is the one thing that enables us to move on, I am rethinking that theory. Time is certainly important. Healing, however, needs more than time. There needs to be specific application of remedies as time passes!

Still on the Journey

Steve

The peaceful routine of fall days was shattered yesterday morning as a gunman opened fire in a classroom at Umpqua Community College, just north of Roseburg OR. In just under ten minutes there were ten dead including the gunman, seven injured by gunfire and hundreds and thousands stricken with grief, anger, and fear.

We who live here have read about these type of incidents in other parts of the country and the world. But those events do not happen here. Until now. The chaotic scene at UCC, Mercy Hospital, and the Douglas County Fairgrounds, where students, staff, and faculty were bussed to be reunited with their family and friends, demonstrate just how real this event was.

Multiple press conferences, hours of media speculation, and a statement by the President of the Unites States continued to hammer home the reality of the horrific act of a lone gunman, who was shot and killed in an exchange of gunfire with police.

Yesterday afternoon multiple pastors, chaplains, and licensed counselors from every imaginable agency gathered at the Fairgrounds to offer counseling and support. Community agencies and businesses stepped in and provided food, water, and other snacks. The Red Cross responded with a significant amount of their own volunteers and other resources.

As I sought to assist families and others affected by the shooting (which truly impacts every resident of Douglas County) I was reminded that words are never enough. Watching families wait for the agonizing minutes and hours as the busses rolled in from the campus was heartbreaking. Even more painful was to meet with families whose students were not on the bus, but presumed victims of the gunman. Words were not enough.

When words are not enough even prayer can be hard. After all we use words when we pray. When words are not enough the presence of the Holy Spirit making Jesus Christ real and tangible in ways words cannot express is the only gift I can bring.

Many have asked what they can do to help and support the community in the aftermath of this horrific event. My answer: prayer. Pray that those pastors whose church families lost loved ones, pray for the church families that are ministering to those who are still hospitalized, pray for the administration, faculty, staff, and students of UCC. Classes are slated to resume Monday, Oct. 5. Many who were present are fearful of returning to the site of the tragedy. Many parents and school age children throughout Douglas County are afraid. Schools are often thought of as the safest place in the community. As this incident reminds us safety is a hard thing to guarantee. Pray for our law enforcement officials and first responders. Most of them have never experienced anything like this event and are struggling to process their own feelings. Finally, pray for God’s Spirit to be poured out in Douglas County as believers and churches seek to communicate hope in the midst of hopelessness, courage in the face of fear, and strength in the midst of weakness.

Kevin Kruse writes a fascinating overview of the 1950’s-1980’s and the growth of what he describes as the corporate invention of Christian America.[1] Drawing on extensive research Mr. Kruse, a professor of history at Princeton University, makes the claim that our understanding of America as a ‘Christian’ nation only dates back to the 1950’s.

He seeks to draw a straight line between businessmen and other leaders who were opposed to President Roosevelt’s ‘New Deal’ and the development of a revisionist history claiming that America was founded upon Judaeo-Christian values and ideals (p. xvi). Tying together business leaders, important religious figures, and political leaders Kruse seeks to explain how phrases like ‘One Nation Under God’ and ‘In God We Trust’ have etched themselves into what others have called America’s ‘civil religion’[2].

The book is a fascination behind-the-scenes look into the connections between business leaders and prominent clergymen such as Billy Graham and how they were able to rally Americans for political change. The section describing how the phrase ‘One Nation Under God’ was added to the pledge is unrivaled in political history writing. Kruse also describes how all branches of the US government were working with and against one another in the battle over prayer in schools. His detailed description of the congressional hearings regarding a prayer amendment illuminate how congress truly works.

Also worth reading is Mr. Kruse’s description of how President Eisenhower in particular set a tone of religiosity unlike presidents before him. Kruse describes the partnerships of business and congressional leaders that were able to work together in setting a religious tone for Pres. Eisenhower’s inauguration and his establishment of the National Prayer Breakfast. He explains Eisenhower’s first inauguration as setting the tone for the entire administration. President Eisenhower instituted beginning every Cabinet meeting with prayer and many Cabinet Secretaries followed suit in their own departments.

His thesis that the “rites of our public religion originated not in a spiritual crisis, but rather in the political and economic turmoil of the Great Depression” misses the spiritual dimension of the very event. Certainly the alteration of our pledge and the acceptance of a motto are recent developments historically. However to assert that they are simply expressions of a newly found faith obscures the facts of history. The original pledge did not contain the phrase, ‘One Nation Under God,’ but a careful reading of American history would suggest that the idea was implicit from the era of America’s origin. Even Kruse acknowledges that President Roosevelt’s first inaugural contained explicit biblical themes. President Lincoln was also adept at calling for national days of prayer and thanksgiving during the Civil War. As Carawardine writes, “[B]y a short proclamation Lincoln could use one of his most supportive networks [i.e. Northern Protestantism] to secure a national charge of adrenaline.”[3]

Certainly a national motto and the addition of words to our pledge are relatively recent. The adoption of those phrases, however, seems to suggest something deeper than merely businessmen and politicians seeking power and influence.

[1] Kevin M. Kruse, One Nation Under God: How Corporate America Invented Christian America (New York: Basic Bools, 2015), 352 pp.

[2] Putnam and Campbell write, “Embedded in the American psyche is an implicit article of patriotic faith that the nation owes its very existence, and survival, to a God in the heavens.” Robert  D. Putnam and David E. Campbell, with the assistance of Shaylyn Romney Garrett, American Grace: How Religion Divides and Unites Us (New York: Simon & Schuster, 2010), 517.

[3] Richard Carawadine, Lincoln: A Life of Purpose and Power (New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 2006), 298.

Our Kids: The American Dream in Crisis

Robert D. Putnam

New York: Simon & Schuster, 2015

387 pages

Weaving statistical analysis with stories from families all across the economic spectrum Mr. Putnam makes a compelling case for the danger that income inequality poses for ‘our kids.’ Drawing on his own experiences growing up in Port Clinton, Ohio, and his classmates he illustrates the growing divide between the haves and have-nots and the impact this inequality has on succeeding generations.

Interspersing interviews with upper class families and not-so-upper class families Putman illustrates differences between families. For example, he cites research that indicates children of well-off parents hear some 19 million more words than children of working-class parents. The statistics he presents clearly illustrate a growing divide in our country.

The interviews and statistics illustrate that the divide is not primarily about racial differences, though racial issues are still prevalent. He notes in particular the continuing neighborhood segregation than has been part of our social fabric for the past half-century. Our neighborhoods, he writes, have a pronounced impact on our kids primarily during infancy and later adolescence.

Of particular interest to me were the comments about religious influences and the role of the public schools in failing to take positive action about the growing inequality. First, using statistics and anecdotal information Mr. Putnam writes, “poor families are generally less involved in religious communities than affluent families.” This impacts childhood development in a variety of ways. Research indicates that young people involved in religious activities are less likely to abuse drugs or alcohol and they tend to have better academic scores than those children who are not involved in religious activities.

Second, the public school system comes under scrutiny by Mr. Putnam, an educator himself. The issues challenging public schools are complex and often difficult to untangle. Neighborhood sorting, i.e. segregation, continues and creates unequal schools which result in radically different outcomes for students. Putnam writes, “there’s no denying that rich and poor kids in this country attend vastly different schools nowadays.” He notes that experts indicate that school funding has no appreciable impact on student performance. The most important factors in student performance are the things the student brings with him/her into the school: income level, the parenting skill of parents, neighborhood influences, and funding for extra-curricular activities.

The book closes with a chapter devoted to suggesting solutions, or as he writes “a menu of complementary approaches that have some collective promise of changing our current course.” The suggestions make for interesting reading. However, most of them involve at one level or another the redistribution of wealth. He writes, “[S]imply providing relatively small amount of additional cash to porr families can improve the achievements of their kids at school….” Where will that cash come from? He suggests extending the Earned Income Credit and existing child tax credits. But to extend those credits means that someone else has to pick up to slack. Who might that be?

He also suggests that schools make significant investments in student guidance counselors. Given current school budgets, at least in Oregon, that might require letting core subject teachers go in order to hire guidance counselors.

Ultimately as the statistics and anecdotes remind us, the single most influential aspect of student achievement is not the income gap but the ability of parents to spur their kids on to greater achievement and the ability of communities to foster an environment that is more conducive to providing family stability. Indeed, our kids need more than we often are providing.

I often struggle with my self-worth. The evidence of this struggle is my inability to say NO to opportunities that do not necessarily promote the ultimate purpose of my life; my constant struggle with trying to earn God’s favor; and my (almost daily) battle with anxiety and depression. This morning as I was reading God’s Word Psalm 71:1 forced me to pause and wonder why I keep living a narrow lens life. The Psalmist states, “In You, O LORD, I have taken refuge; Let me never be ashamed” (NASB).

Since my identity is bound up ‘in Christ’ my life is not just ‘my’ life. Rather, there is a broader and wider view I need to examine. First, there is God’s ultimate purpose for the Creation – as seen in Genesis 1-2 and as seen in 2 Corinthians 5:16. I am a living specimen of God’s ultimate purpose of calling people to Himself from chaos and uncontrollable sin.

I am also part of a larger movement of God’s purpose in my world – as a citizen of the Kingdom of God living in the US, residing in Oregon, serving the Lord as a husband, parent, son, and family member, in Douglas County with the people of Winston Community Baptist Church. My life is part of a larger picture – one that God is directing and moving towards a purpose far greater than I can ‘see’ from my limited vantage point.

As I read God’s Word I am reminded that there is a purpose far beyond my circumstances, far beyond my immediate challenges. Lord, continue to open my eyes to the wide-angle view of life that is so clearly revealed in Your Word!

Some dear friends of mine received news of a terrible tragedy yesterday. Their Facebook pages have filled with people sharing words of comfort and encouragement – even though there are no words that can convey how deeply the family hurts or how much those of us who know the family care.

However, there are words that convey comfort even in the hardest of times and darkest of days – the Word of God. As I was reading my Bible this morning and praying for the needs of the day I was struck by just how powerful God’s Word’s is. By a word He commanded all that is into existence, and by The Word (Jesus Christ) life continues to exist.

Some events literally leave us speechless – such as the tragedy which struck my friends yesterday. So when there are no words, turn to The Word of God!