"Can't We All Just Get Along!" or "We Are The World"

Many years ago, a group of musicians all got together and recorded a single of which the sales were to go to the starving kids of Africa. Everyone alive during that time knew the song and could recite it with ease. The concept of the lyrics were considered to be idealistic and probably unsustainable in world with hate and strife. Even still, it gave everyone hope that maybe, just maybe, the world could unite for this one moment, and perhaps carry it on to others avenues as well. Of course this never materialized, but the sentiment was admirable.

A couple years ago, God was speaking to me about the need for the churches in the area I am serving in to unite and worship together. Little did I know, God had placed this same desire in 2 other men as well. Through a series of unlikely events, we all met and decided to hold a Creative Arts worship service for any church who wanted to be involved. I had heard this was impossible. I had heard we would go strong for 6 months then it would fizzle out. But God had a different plan.

When we started, we laid out a few ground rules.

1st, no sermons. We wanted to focus on those things which would unite us, not divide us. When you have a sermon, it is very likely a lot of people will disagree with the interpretation of the Word of God and thus they would not return.

2nd, Unity would be achieved through accepting those things which were different, but not wrong. We have African-American Churches, Rural churches, and white city churches all in the same service. So in this same service, you would have urban Gospel dancing one moment followed by a quartet of southern Gospel, followed by Skits and dramas. You just never knew what to expect! But we made should to celebrate our diversity. They aren't wrong, just different!

3rd, We would emphasize the fact that Jesus is the head of the church. And We, all of us,are the church! Different styles, One Savior! Different Locations, One Church! Different Look, Same Family! The World will know you are mine if you love one another!

As a result, we have grown and grown and grown! So much, the places we normally have the services are too small! Henderson County churches are coming together in record numbers, 2 years later!!! Now, we have churches partnering together in ministry that have never even spoken together before! They are even performing at the services together. God is doing a cool thing, and we seeing God use this thing He created to reach people who would have never heard before!

So let's continue to get along! Let's continue to serve with each other! Let's continue to realize we are not in competition, but rather we are on the same team!!!! All for the Glory of Jesus!!!!!

"It Takes Time To Grow" or "You Have WHAT In Your Garden?"

We've decided to give it another go this year. We are going to try and plant a garden again. Last year, our lives were very much up in the air that we couldn't do one. The year before that, a family of rabbits decided to help themselves to our garden. The year before that, we discovered God will not water your garden for you and a consistent basis! But with lessons learned, we are going to attempt to grow not just any garden, but an organic garden.

Most of the plants we buy are already started for us and we just transplant them into the ground. But a few, about 30 and counting, are being started from seeds. the ones we are planting from seeds are mostly unusual plants I never knew existed. We have purple, red, and white carrots. Purple tomatoes. Snow white cucumbers. Orange Watermelons. Purple potatoes. White Squash. Spaghetti Squash. And a whole assortment of herbs. (Bet ya want an invite to our cookout now, don't ya???) We do these unusual plants, frankly to keep me interested. I get bored with the usual garden items you can find in any grocer or farmer's market. I need to go beyond that. I need to stretch and grow as a gardener. (pun intended)

But we all need that in our everyday lives. Many years ago someone invented a revolutionary concept which is still being used today to stretch and grow us as Christ Followers. That concept was called Sunday School. It has gone through some changes and evolution over the years. In some churches the name has changed, in others the times and locations have changed, but the concept has basically stayed the same; A small group of people getting together to discover what the Word of God says about how God wants me to live my life today.

It is a wonderful, yet challenging time with a group of friends where we can discuss and help each other work through the issues and problems of our everyday lives. If you are not involved in a Sunday School/Bible Study/Fellowship Class then find one! You'll be glad you did!!!!

"I'm Bored" or "I'm Given All She's Got, Captain!"

There is one phrase you rarely hear around my house. It is, "I'm Bored!" Any time the girls use these two words of agony, then the next reply is always, "O.k. I have some laundry that needs to be done", or "I have dishes which need to be wash" or some other household chore just waiting for bored girls to take a hold of. So, now they have learned to suffer silently, quietly wishing things could be better, or at least more exciting.

The church seems to be this way. We have a lot of people sitting in the pews, bored, but afraid that someone will give them a job to do if they would dare utter their discontentment. They are bored with the same old, same old, week in and week out. Every year they know exactly what is going to happen, so they feel no compulsion to get up and do something new or even better.

There is another group in the church who do not have time to be bored. They are busy running in and out scurrying along doing the same jobs they have done for the last 20 years, whether they are effective or not. They don't have time to evaluate if lives are being changed or to even consider if God may want to do something new!

Maybe one of the problems of the church today is our calendars are full of predictable, ineffective activity which has not be prayed over or sought God's advise on. What if we did something so unpredictable the world had to stand up and take notice as we attempt unprecedented steps for the sole purpose of Knowing Him and Making Him Known?

What can you do? What will you do?

"Suggestions?" or "Wonderful Words of Life?"

Last Night, I watched, appalled and dismayed, Rob Bell spend a whole hour talking about Heaven and Hell and mishandling Scripture in such a reckless manner. He kept referring to Hell as an experience here on Earth, and Heaven as a way of living. People would ask pointed questions about heaven and Hell and He would take God's Word and interpret it in such a way that even my 9 year old could see that was not the meaning of the text. But then, it got me thinking, and that is always a dangerous thing.

Aside from the heretical teaching of Rob Bell, how have I handled Scripture in the past? I have to take a honest look and see that there is a real temptation in me to use Scripture in order to make my point. Whether or not it is the right point, is this the reason God has given us His Word?

God has sent us His word for one main reason. (There are many reason we gave us His Word but only one main reason) So we may know Him. Plain and simple, He wants us to get to know who He is. He wants us to interact with Him on a daily basis for purpose of getting to know the One who has created us and this world in which we live. He wants us to be able to see within His heart and mind. And the journey into the heart and mind of God is scary and wonderful adventure in which will absolutely change the very fabric of your being!

This knowledge of Him explains why we have the Law, Grace,Mercy, the Cross, Resurrection, and a host of incredible doctrines. All of this is so we can hear, feel, touch, and experience the unfathomable.

Rob says God is Love. He is right. But, He is so much more than just love. How do I know this.The B-I-B-L-E Yes, that's the book for me. I stand alone on the Word of God, the B-I-B-L-E! The ancient reformers were famous for proclaiming, "Sola Scriptura!" (Scripture Alone) they knew that all we do should be, need to be, desperately has to be based on His word.

Know Him? Read His Word!

"What's The Point?" or "Will You Be My Neighbor?"

I remember growing up and watching Mr. Rogers neighborhood. It seemed like a magical place where everyone knew and liked each other. A place where everyone cared and helped each other whenever there was a need. What a great place to live, I often thought.

The problem began when I grew up and the real world began to take shape. There were some in the neighborhood who were friendly for sure, but never had i seen the friendship and love I saw in the neighborhood of Fred Rogers.

Then I read the Scriptures and see the commands of God of how we are to treat each other and especially how we are to treat those who live among us and have yet have tasted the goodness of God's Grace!

However, we, in the church, have treated our neighbors as if they are our opponents or enemies who are out to try and harm us in every way imaginable. Or we seek them out in order to build up the church or reach a goal instead of loving them into kingdom of God and investing our lives into them because of love.

Let us look upon those who live among no longer with a suspicious eye or cautious acceptance. But rather, let us open up our arms and hearts and embrace them as people who God loves and as a result we love as well!