How did I become a preacher?

That is a long story, and it started before I was born. My mother was a committed believer and married a man who was not. He attended Church with her, and in his thirties, under the preaching of a man named Albert Amos, he accepted Jesus as his Lord and Savior.

From there, it was a lifetime of transformation. Some parts were easy to change, and others took decades of persistence. During this time, I came along as the youngest of three children. One of Dad’s dreams was for all his children to follow Jesus, too.

On the last Sunday in November 1980, I went forward during the “invitation time” at the close of the program. I looked to my left, and my brother, who was 13 at the time, joined me at the front of the Church. We made our confession of faith and were baptized together.

From there, I watched my dad change and grow. He became an usher, a deacon, an elder, and a Sunday School teacher through those years. Mom was in the choir, helped in the kitchen, and served beside Dad whenever possible. Their example is what laid the foundation of my faith.

When people ask me, “How did you become a preacher?” I know that many expect me to say that my dad was a preacher. Others assume I felt or heard some special call of God on my life. The truth is that I saw my parents take their faith seriously, especially my father – nothing more and nothing less.

I firmly believe that to have children who grow up to love and serve the Lord; the parents must make it an integral part of their life. People rarely stumble into commitment. They are usually guided by those with a deep commitment themselves.

Most people do not desire for their children or grandchildren to serve as staff in a Church. It can be a hard life. But the principle is still the same. If we want to raise the next generation to live with Jesus as their Lord and Savior in every area of their lives, then the people who surround them are a significant part of the story.

I will admit that following Jesus can be exhausting at times.

There is trying to be the spouse, parent, and child that God intended. We do those things while providing for our family’s physical, spiritual, and emotional needs.

Then there are all the good things that can be done. Serving at Church, loving our neighbors, and having a positive impact on society can be a full-time job.

Next, there are so many evils to avoid in society. Dark thoughts and ungodly things penetrate the mind and need to be pushed out. Bad habits and sins entangle our lives and need to be removed.

Finally, we need to learn the word of God. Taking time to read the Bible, pray, and worship is a significant aspect of every believer’s life.

None of those things take into account having fun, finding relaxation, and the need to recharge our personal batteries.

All these things take time and energy. It can be exhausting.

Often, our biggest problem is not living for God but trying TO BE God. We live and work as if everything in our lives, including our families, communities, and churches, depend on us.

One secret revealed in scripture is that we need to set aside a few minutes every day to “Be still and know that he is God” (Psalm 46:10). Take time to remember who it is you follow and his ultimate power.

Sure, some days will still be exhausting, but we can let go of the burden of thinking everything depends on us and find rest for our weary souls. The answer to an exhausting life is not to push away from God; rather, it is to lean into our faith, knowing that God will use whatever we do in his name for his glory and our good.

Philippians 4:8 Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy – think about such things.

As a pessimist, I tend to look for false teachers, shifty people, lies, ugly behavior, mean comments, and anything that might be harmful. It is a form of self-protection. I try to always live with my eyes wide open, searching for danger and preparing myself for the worst-case scenario.

While in prison, Paul tells the Christians in the city of Philippi to find the good and see the beauty in life. His final punch is to “think on such things.” Let positive thoughts and actions fill your mind.

My personality says the glass is half empty, but faith pushes us to see it as half full.

A significant part of following Jesus is transforming your beliefs and actions, and another part is transforming your perspective.

Leftovers. Scraps. Remains. Odds and Ends. Remnants. Whatever is left.

First piece. Best. Complete. Whole. Core. Nothing is lacking.

When you look at your time, talent, and treasure, what words best describe what you give to the Lord?

What if the people in your life treated you the way you treat them?

What if the people in your life served you the way that you serve them?

What if the people in your life talked about you the way that you talk about them?

What if the people in your life loved you the way that you loved them?

If your actions were the exact model for the way others behave toward you, would that make your life better or worse?

“Do as I do” is a powerful way to live.

These are the stories that shape our lives. So, it is essential to ask ourselves if the story is accurate. Do the statistics back it up? Does it align with the current data? Is there any way to prove that your core stories are right or wrong?

One example is the addition of traveling competitive sports teams to society. People do travel sports on weekends because they have told themselves a story that Johnny playing is the key to future success in sports; it will provide additional enjoyment to their life, and a scholarship waits at the end.

They are not listening to the data, which suggests none of those things are true. More sports typically equal less enjoyment, more injuries, and no greater chance of a scholarship. And for the followers of Jesus, it means the absence from Church worship, loss of connection to a faith community, and demonstrates a contradictory values system by the parents.

Stories shape worlds.

As a Christian, you need to make sure the story you tell yourself is backed by data and the word of God; if it isn’t, you need to find a different, more accurate story to guide your life.

There is a difference between being a critical thinker and a critical person.

One dissects ideas and attacks any false assumptions.

The other dissects the person delivering those ideas and assumptions.

You can be one without the other.  

They say that if you do something you love and enjoy, you will never work a day in your life.

I would tell you that it is better to do something meaningful than something enjoyable.

It is far better to give your life to something of eternal significance than temporary pleasure. Connecting to another human being in the name of Jesus has no equal. That does not mean the work is easy, and some days it is not enjoyable. But when I reflect on my life and how I have experienced the love of others, seen the transformation of people, and helped some rebuild after devastation, I cannot imagine doing anything else.

The wonderful thing about the message of Jesus is that any work you do can have meaning. Your life can touch coworkers and customers every day. You can demonstrate a different life and value system than everyone else. You can be an example of someone with a different set of priorities in your work ethic, water cooler talk, and kind spirit through disappointments.

When people look back on your life, the majority will not care what you did for a living; they will care about how you showed them Jesus while you did the work.

The last two weeks at our Church gathering have been incredible. If you ask almost anyone who attended, I am sure they will agree.

Two weeks ago, a group of ladies sang for worship with only a keyboard and light acoustic guitar. It was Mother’s Day, and the sound of their voices, the people singing, and the sermon combined for a moving worship experience.

Last Sunday, I spoke about why we sing in worship. Then, we followed it with four powerful songs of praise. Everyone sang their loudest, and it was truly inspirational. Everything tied together and made for another incredible experience.

We made the sermon available to everyone online, and you can listen to it. But I can guarantee you, it will not be the same experience for you.

When I was young, a group of people would be a part of something special. It could be an evening of laughter or a moment of moving motivation. Then, one member of that group would try to tell the story to a person who was not there. Not feeling the same about what happened, they would respond by saying, “I guess you had to be there.”

I believe every Sunday is a touching experience, but some are more powerful than others. I can try to explain it to you, but to truly understand, you have to be there.

The Church is here to help you grow spiritually until you reach maturity in the faith.

The Church community can provide you with people, programs, and pathways to help you become like Jesus. They select leaders who care for others. They organize programs to help you know the Bible, connect to other believers, and serve with your talent. They can help to point you down the right path in times of struggle and suffering. They want the best for you in every area of life, especially in your relationship with God.

That is all the Church can do. They can make the resources available for everyone to become complete in Jesus. The rest is up to the individual.

One way to help yourself in your walk of faith is to read the Church’s bulletin, look at the website, and follow its social media. The congregation you attend probably has something happening that will help you grow if only you participate.