After any big event I encourage the people involved to type in (or write down) their thoughts and reflections. I want people to get their ideas down about what worked and what didn’t, about ways we could improve and things we could change. This has been my process for years and it helps me to keep my thoughts straight the next time we have a big event. So here are some of the things I have on my mind after this year’s program.

1. Willing Servants Are the Heart Of A Church. The Church is not a building, it is people. Really it is not people, it is willing servants. Honestly, I question the faith of anyone who sits in a chair/pew on Sunday and does nothing more. Serving others selflessly is a trademark of the Christian faith. When someone steps up and helps another person, especially a child, they move beyond mere words of faith into a practicing Christian.

2. Real Joy is Found in Serving. Last week I loved watching some people serve for the first time. (At least the first time since I have been at ACC). They found great joy in being a blessing to other people. Yes, it can be exhausting some nights, but still there is so much joy in giving of ourselves. I rarely talk to anyone who regrets getting involved in ministry. In fact, the main frustration most people have is when the Church is not ready for people to serve. They have bad policies or procedures that hinder their ability to truly serve. I do not know if you can really understand this lesson until you serve.

3. The Church Needs People Willing to Lead. Last week we were blessed to have dozens and dozens of people willing to help. But for every group of people who want to help there needs to be a leader to show them the way. Leadership at its core is not about doing something for the people. It is not about making decisions about everything. Leadership is about equipping people to serve more and in better ways. I thank God for every servant, but I pray he will send more leaders.

4. Small Events Can Make A Big Impression. I have been in leadership so long that I have forgotten how it feels to be a new believer. Watching a young person make a small accomplishment for the Lord can be the building block for bigger accomplishments in the future. One small victory – singing in front of a group, a craft completed, a meal served, or any activity – these can be the first steps on a journey of serving the Lord.

5. Having a Program is Not the Same as Touching a Life. VBS is a great program. It gets people in the door and gives us an opportunity for something greater. Touching a life is when you personally connect with someone. A kind word, an affirming touch, a moment of listening and an assortment of other activities are where lives are changed and molded. It is one thing to ask people to serve and it is something more to have them open up their life to someone else.

The longer I have served in ministry the more I appreciate people willing to lead, to serve and to grow. Last week was a great opportunity for our Church, but it doesn’t end after one week. These lessons are the foundation stones of a great Church. My hope is that this week will be a starting point for a strong future.

Words can never seem to express the depth of gratitude I have for all of the people who donated their time in the service of the Lord through our Vacation Bible School program.
Still I want to shout “THANK YOU” to all of you in my blog.

1. Thanks to all the people who planned and prepared since January for this one event.

2. Thanks to Ike for planning, purchasing and creating our decorations for the week. His creativity every year ceases to amaze me.

3. Thanks to everyone who stayed after Church on July 5th to set up all of the decoration, move furniture and get everything ready. I especially thank all of the teens who gave their time that day to set up so much.

4. Thanks to Tisha, Hannah and Stacey who worked behind the scenes with registration and getting paperwork in order.

5. Thanks to everyone who made registration go well the first night. I believe we had 137 different children through our program this week.

6. Thanks for all those involved with music, crafts, activities and Jaron for the lesson.

7. A special thanks to Martha Reid for organizing the kitchen and to all the ladies who came and prepared the food each night. It was great to see you here early along with your laughter and joy. It was a great example of what ministry should be like for everyone.

8. Thanks to everyone who stepped up to help make my Jr. Mission events a success. Thanks Ike, Anna, Stacey, Hunter, Mallory, Brohde, Sue and Brian.

9. Thanks to all the kids who attended each night (average around 122 a night) and I especially want to thank all the kids who performed yesterday.

10. Thanks to everyone who stayed around yesterday and helped to tear everything down and put it all away while cleaning the building up. Many hands made light work.

I am sure there is someone or some group I forgot. I apologize. We had about 100 people volunteer in large and small ways over the last week. It is all deeply appreciated. You may not feel like your little contribution means much, but every little piece is an important part of the big puzzle.

Yesterday after Church we had one person rededicate their life and one person who stated that they want to be baptized (hopefully next Sunday). Those are immediate responses but I firmly believe the effects of this week will be felt for years to come. A seed was planted and one day their will be a harvest. Thanks to all the workers in the vineyard of Adrian.

There is a story about a young boy standing in the British National Museum looking at the picture of Jesus knocking on the door by William Holman Hunt. The painting is entitled “The Light of the World” and is based on Revelation 3:20, “I stand at the door and knock.”

The young boy looked at his father and asked, “Daddy, Why don’t they let him come in?”

The dad paused for a moment and said, “Maybe they are making too much noise inside to hear him knocking.”

I believe it is possible to be making so much noise that we miss the sound of God in our life.

We are told that Elijah once went to cave and was listening close to hear the voice of God.

1 Kings 19:11-13 (NIV) The Lord said, “Go out and stand on the mountain in the presence of the Lord, for the Lord is about to pass by.” Then a great and powerful wind tore the mountains apart and shattered the rocks before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake. (12) After the earthquake came a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper. (13) When Elijah heard it, he pulled his cloak over his face and went out and stood at the mouth of the cave. Then a voice said to him, “What are you doing here, Elijah?”

Often the Lord speaks with a quiet steady voice into our lives. The problem can be that we are living a whirlwind and earthquake life and totally missing the whisper of God.

So how might God be speaking to you today? Could it be in the quietness of his written word? Could it be in a conversation with a friend? Could it be in the words of a prayer? Could it be in the words of a song you have playing in the background? How?

Sometimes God grabs us and throws us the right direction with a loud voice of change. Quite often God is nudging us with subtle hints and quiet whispers. The real question is, “Are we listening close enough to hear Him?”

Last night I was debriefing after our VBS program was finished. It was some of the usual questions: “How many kids did we have?” “How many new kids showed up?” “How did it go for you?” “Was everything okay in your areas?” After all of the usual conversation we began to dig deeper into the evening. Upon evaluation my second night had gone much better than the first night in about every way. The more I talked the more my mind focused on two primary changes between the two nights. First, I was far more prepared. On Monday I had twice as many kids as expected and I needed to adjust my plan and schedule. Second, I noticed a change in some of the kids. Most pointedly we had added three new Jr. High students and we had the subtraction of a couple of kids. Finally the conversation landed on the effect one child has when he is part of the group. Don’t get me wrong, this is a good kid. This child just brings a dynamic to the group that changes everything.

This whole discussion has me thinking about the influence of one person over a group of individuals. Some people really have no influence on the larger group but others seems to dominate a group no matter what the size. Their impact can either be very positive or very negative to the larger group. This lead me to some personal evaluation questions.

1. Do people’s attitudes improve when I enter the room? Are people glad to see me? Do they smile when I enter a room?

2. Do people generally avoid me or embrace me when I enter the room? Do other’s often turn their back toward me when I head their way?

3. How often to I apologize for my negative attitude? Because I can sense other people’s uneasy feelings am I constantly apologizing for my attitude?

4. Do my words build people up or am I constantly tearing people down? This can be obvious with gossip and backstabbing. It can also be subtle with constant complaints, questions and arguments.

5. Are people thankful that they spent time with me? This might not be quickly apparent in most situations, but over a long period of time do I have people who are thankful for my words and actions.

These are some simple questions and I am sure there are more that I could ask. For me, it is easy to see the effect some people have on a larger group because I am a leader. The real issue is not how I see other people but what my behavior shows. Some people walk through life leaving a trail of frustration and confusion without ever knowing it. I do not want to be one of those people. I hope you don’t either.

This week I am working with a group of Junior High students during our Vacation Bible School program. They call my young people a “Jr. Mission” group as we spend the week trying to do some minor displays of mission and ministry. For example, tonight we are taking a meal to the senior housing community to try to give them a good home-cooked meal. Tomorrow we are heading to the Life Choice center to help clean and beautify their property. Basically we are trying to teach these kids to be selfless. I hope they somehow grasp the concept that life is not all about them and they can use their life as a blessing and not just as a consumer. My overall hope is that they will learn the three parts of serving and loving others.

1. Say Something – I honestly believe that the greatest tool most of us could use for good is our tongue. A word of encouragement is greater than gold. A statement of concern is more powerful than medicine. A compliment is more valuable than cash. Send a text, write an email, hand write a note, make a phone call or just sit down and talk. Listen to the other person and use your words to build them up.

2. Do Something – Everyone has at least one job they are avoiding. They do not have the time, the strength or the money to get the job done. You could help them accomplish this task. A helping hand is a great gift. Setting aside all that I could do to help another person is the best use of one’s time and talent.

3. Give Something – My life has been blessed in so many ways just by the giving of one small gift. It may not seem like much at the time but the gift of a meal, of fresh produce, of something with value and meaning is a wonderful gesture. The list of possibilities are unlimited.

Tonight I am leading these young people in the process of taking their time to help prepare a meal and give it to some older people while visiting with them. It will not seem like much to them but it will bless people in ways they never imagined. In a world of selfish people who want to be in every picture, express everything they are feeling and be the center of attention this activity holds the possibility of changing the world. Maybe not the world as a whole, but at least our littler corner here in Adrian Missouri.

This issue is not just something that Jr. High kids need to address. It is a question for all of us. Will we spend our life totally on ourselves or will we seek to bless others? The answer lies in what we are saying, doing and giving.

Well, it has been an interesting few weeks in my life. First I was on vacation, where I traveled to see my parents. Then I was in the office and trying to grind things out. Finally I enjoyed some extra time with the family over the holiday weekend. As a result of all of these things my mind is filled with lots of thoughts to share.

1. Thanks to Adrian Christian Church for the gift for my 1 year anniversary at your Church. Thanks for the flowers for my wife. Your kindness is appreciated!!

2. Yesterday my parents celebrated 56 years of marriage. Congratulations to them

3. Many of you have asked about my dad. He is doing well and improving daily. He still has a long way to go in his recovery but is doing well. Thanks for your prayers!

4. I enjoy the fourth of July celebrations and fireworks, but think that when you have seen one firework you have seen them all.

5. I have strong feelings about patriotic Church programs – THIS ARTICLE – captures some of my feelings.

6. A HUGE Thank You to everyone who helped set up for VBS yesterday. Thank you for giving up 3 hours or more to help!! It is greatly appreciated. I especially thank the Whitaker family for their planning, design work, and creativity.

7. Say a prayer for our VBS this week. Pray for the leaders and teachers and every person that interacts with a child.

8. Thanks to everyone who has shared produce from your garden. It is a great blessing, especially since my first year with a garden has gone very wrong:-)

9. I am still working on the ministry sign up sheets. If you have not been contacted yet, do not be discouraged. My vacation and VBS have slowed progress with some ministries and volunteers, but I am still making progress and will cover it all by August. Please be patient with me.

10. More rain in the weather forecast for here in Adrian. Is anyone else getting tired of this?

11. A new concrete slab has been poured at the Church building. We have made a plan to purchase a very nice basketball goal which we hope to have up very soon. The leadership hopes this will be a place where our young people can play anytime and invite their friends. It will also be a space for any Church activity that needs a flat place with solid dry ground. I am excited to see it used and my boys are excited for it to be ready.

12. I really enjoyed these two pictures. People happened to be in the right place at the right time and caught something special.

Thanks for a great first year and I look forward to many more in the future. May God bless you all today.

I really enjoyed this post by Kaley Thompson over at People of the Second Chance

This is the week for sparklers and the star spangled banner. We’re coming together to grill out, hang out and celebrate the independence of our nation. As you pull out your lawn chairs and blankets to prepare for the July 4th evening, here are few life lessons you can learn from a firework.

Be ignited.
For a firework to be lit, someone has to use a lighter to catch the wick on fire. In the same way, for us to reach our fullest potential, we need to be lit. Let someone else’s passion, faith in us, and belief that we have something exciting to offer the world ignite us to live life fully.

Brighter is better.
Sparklers are a child favorite. They glitter for a while and can be used to twirl into designs in the night air. Like a sparkler, let your light shine. Your unique talents, interests, and gifts are meant to be enjoyed. When life gets dark, it’s these things about you that causes others to find joy and happiness. We want to see you.

Burst at the right time.
Have you ever been watching a firework show and you notice that one that comes up a little short? It flies through the air and is missed because it doesn’t burst high in the sky or fizzles out before it pops. Rushing through life can also cause us to try to force our fire. You are not a failure if you don’t make a booming impact right away. This ride of your life has a great purpose in getting you where you need to be.

Be bold.
What makes a firework show excellent is the variety of shapes and colors that streak across the sky. We all have something that shines about us. Embrace those distinct qualities because who you are is a vital part of something much bigger. Your strength is what complements the weakness of someone beside you. Your design is intentional and you are placed where you are for a reason. So be bold and burn bright. Your story plays a great part in a grand design.

Macy’s had a slogan for a 4th of July celebration that said “It begins with a spark.” The disciple Matthew wrote, “let your light so shine before men… (Matthew 5:16).” Let this holiday mark the point where you began to find your fire, ignite your passions and share what makes you shine.

Family –

10 Texts to Send Your Husband in the Next 10 Days

Christian Life –

4 Questions Everyone Should Ask Themselves

Did You Win?

5 Reasons Pastors Fail Morally (And What To Watch For in Your Own Life)

Church –

First Impressions Matter: 5 Areas to Spruce-up At Your Church

9 Things That Will Still Be True for Your Church in 10 Years

Same Sex Marriage –

Don’t Expect a Flood of Gay Marriages

Some Advice on Same-Sex Marriage for US Church Leaders From a Canadian

40 Questions for Christians Now Waving Rainbow Flags

These are great insights from Thom Rainer –

The ten things you SHOULD NOT say to guests are:

“You are sitting in my pew/seat.”
“Is your husband/wife with you?”
“Are those your children?”
“The service has already begun.”
“There is not enough room for your family to sit together.”
“You will need to step over these people to get to your seat.”
“That’s not the way we do it here.”
“You don’t look like you are a member here.”
“Have you considered attending the church down the street?”
“The nursery is real full.”

(My addition – “I never thought I would see you here”)

The seven things you SHOULD say to guests are:

“Thank you for being here.”
“Let me help you with that.”
“Please take my seat.”
“Here is my email address. Please let me know if I can help in any way.”
“Can I show you where you need to go?”
“Let me introduce you to ___________.”
“Would you join us for lunch?”

Like many of you I have been following the Supreme Courts decision and I have been reading numerous articles in its wake. While I am not an expert in all facets of this issue, I do have a few thoughts that I want to share. My main influence is the Bible on this topic (READ THIS To Help) Much of my thinking is about how the recent decision will affect the Church and Christians here in Adrian Missouri and maybe rural Churches everywhere.

1. Homosexuality is not a huge issue. I have been reading numerous polls and surveys. One of them suggested that most Americans believe 25% of the population is homosexual. Yet, on the flip side, less than 6% of the population actually claim to be homosexual. We have been led to believe that a huge number of people are struggling with this issue when the number is much smaller than we imagined. Think of everyone you know and then calculate how many are openly homosexual. I am guessing that in a rural community the numbers are very, very small. It is a real issue, but not as big as the newspapers make us believe.

2. Pornography is a huge issue. It is currently estimated that 90% of males under 30 years of age have viewed it. Many are viewing it as early as 12. Addiction is very high and access is easy. As a result it is ruining marriages, men and Churches. I can think of at least 10 men right now who are struggling. It is important to every Church to keep its eye on the ball. The Church has always had to deal with sexual issues on numerous levels. Be careful not to neglect one area while focusing on another. Satan is crafty.

3. Our Church has been making changes to help with gay marriage issues that might come up. Early this year our leadership decided to no longer have our building as a “public use” facility. We will no longer rent our facilities for functions of the general Adrian community. Our facility will be for the use of our members. The end result is that no one can call the Church and use our facility for gay marriage. We are constantly talking about this issue and praying for God’s direction in our decisions.

4. Same sex marriage numbers will quickly drop. Worldwide numerous homosexual couples have decided to never marry (READ THIS). My prediction is that the issue of same sex marriage will quickly reduce. Part of the reason is because homosexual people have a hole that marriage alone cannot fill. Their need is deeply spiritual and marriage alone will not solve the identity crisis so in time the idea of marriage will hold less joy and hope. [Hasn’t that already happened to many heterosexual couples??] People need a Savior not a partner.

5. Don’t be surprised when non-Believers act like non-Believers. Believers and non-Believers will have enormously different views on these issues. That is expected. People who do not claim Jesus as their savior will do all kinds of ungodly behavior. Our job is not to stand and condemn them, but to offer them the grace of Jesus. Hear me, “I want homosexuals to come to our Church.” Why? Because I want them to hear the message of a Savior. I am not the judge of mankind, I am a messenger of grace.

There is a lot more that could be said, but I wanted to share what I am learning through all that I read, hear and observe. This issue has been going on in several other countries for the last few years and wisdom is coming from their communities for all of us. (LIKE THIS) My final suggestion is that we read our Bibles, listen to God, pray and seek his will in every part of this issue. Be informed and be wise.