One Pastor's Perspective

We were setting up tonight for the Fall Festival and there was some debate on whether or not to take some of the games back because our committee does not have enough people to man them . . . I asked them to leave the games and promised to help find more helpers. HELP!! If you read this before Wednesday evening and are not signed up to help, please let me know. The game I saved is the Baseball Throw (ironic, huh???)

Also, since we are talking about help, please pray for the Habitat project. It seems there are some that would like to see this thing fail. I have even heard talk of people withholding their money. If that is true, they will answer for that before God some day. Just pray that we will open our hearts, calendars, and billfolds as God would have us to.

Hope to see you at the Fall Festival!!

David

Taking the high road is ALWAYS easier said than done. However, I am very impressed with some of the younger adults I know, who have been wronged in job situations, and chose to take the high road. I don’t know if I could be so classy.

I struggle with injustice. I struggle with those who call themselves Christians and act just like the devil. I really struggle with the high road. How about you??

Separate topic, but PRAY for our church, pray for the Habitat project, and pray for those in our fellowship that are looking for employment. I am astounded by the some of the folks that have had job problems lately, and impressed with their resolve and dependence on God.

David

I think there was a Norton Car Stereo decal on his front windshield . . .

I think so. I was amazed at the variety of responses to the “Evangelism Linebacker” video we saw this morning in worship. Sure, it was funny and it was supposed to be. However, some of the faces were in SHOCK! As if it was a horror flick, or porn, or something really disgusting! Mind you, many folks expressed positive feedback, including several visitors. I am convinced that the only way that video would offend would be IF we are thinking too highly of ourselves. And that is EXACTLY what James was talking about this morning, right???

Have you ever seen the movie “The Scout”??? It stars Brendan Fraser and Albert Brooks . . . Was released in 1994. It is a great story (although some of the language is rough, so be forewarned.) It is the story of a scout for the New York Yankees who is down and out on his luck. Down to his last straw, his last opportunity, looking for the next great baseball superstar. Fate takes him to a small town in Mexico where he is to take in a local game when the hotel clerk says, “oh , you MUST be here to see Steve Nebraska.” He answers, “Who??”

The next scene takes him to the baseball diamond, stands packed, people cheering. Suddenly, the Star-Spangled Banner begins to play, and the centerfield fence opens. In the outfield, we see the home team CARRYING this Steve Nebraska on a platform with a throne and awning over it. He enjoys the ride and waves to the crowd. (FREEZE THAT IMAGE FOR LATER)

Of course, he hits 500-feet homeruns, throws a 120-mph fastball, and is the new King Kong to take New York. He has a rough transition, but in true Hollywood form, makes it big for the Yankees (who are TRULY the Evil Empire, according to the guys at SportsCenter).

What hit me this morning as I drank my coffee, ate my breakfast, and watched is this: WE ALL WANT TO BE STEVE NEBRASKA. We ALL want to be carried in on a throne to the cheering of thousands. We all want the accolades of our peers and admiration of fans.

So, here is my proposal: Lets make a throne and take random turns on Sunday morning carrying people in! If we can’t suppress our selfish nature, lets just go with the throne!!! What do you think?? I will ask Dwayne White to build it, because that boy can build ANYTHING! Maybe we will give him the first turn!

David

What stresses you?? This is the first real day off I have had in a while, and I’ve been thinking a lot about things . . . About life . . . About stress and what seems to be pulling my chain lately.

Yes, even a pastor has stress in his life. You wouldn’t think so, since we only REALLY work two days a week (right??), but we do. Not only as a pastor, but as a husband and father, I am not immune to stress. One of the hardest facts of life to accept is that there WILL be people or situations (about which you can do nothing) that will cause you heartache. A few of them are really getting to me today.

It stresses me that there are people in our church family that consciously choose NOT to get along with others. That just boggles my mind. WHY would anyone even want to do that?? Is this a failure of leadership on my part, or do I just need to accept the fact that some people like living life this way?? I think the second, but I am beginning to question the first option.

As a Southern Baptist pastor, I also realize the volatile nature of my employment. I am commanded to follow God, to do as He says at all costs. If I ever fail on that one, He will take care of me. But the volatile part comes into play when taking a stand for something right, even if my people do not agree. Case in point would be what has happened at several of our churches in recent months. People don’t realize that some of these folks are friends of mine, and I hurt for them, too. And it makes me wonder . . .

Now, I will be the first to admit that I am not perfect. And I NEED your prayers. I concern myself with being a faithful child of God, a faithful husband, a loving father, a good pastor, and a friend to those who call me by that name. And that is just the tip of the iceberg!

David

I have . . . Of course, as the pastor of a Southern Baptist church, you KNOW I will see him. I saw him in the last couple of months in what happened to some of my friends and colleagues at First Baptist Florence and a couple of other churches in our association. Over the years I have seen his handiwork in our church, when pride and arrogance creep in to the lives of our people. Honestly, I see him trying really hard to bring our current Habitat for Humanity project to a grinding halt.

And the irony here is this: He has NO POWER other than that we give him in our lives. Satan only gains ground in the kingdom of God WHEN WE GIVE IT TO him. And, when it comes to the Habitat project, he is having a lot of fun. And that really disappoints me.

What can we do?? Pray and make sure he does not get a foothold ON US. If EACH MEMBER of Ebenezer would do this, there would be absolutely no problems whatsoever. Truth is, some are too proud to even admit that Satan could gain a foothold, and they won’t pray that prayer. And, we are in for a bumpy ride.

With all of that said, please pray for the Habitat project, and pray for me!!

David

My blogs have blown the minds of our web server . . . Okay, the REAL reason I am moving to this spot is that my thoughts are getting so random and scattered, and the mere lack of logic have crashed the servers several times . . . So, a new place and a new look are here!!

I STILL hope you will read, comment, and have as much fun with this blog location as we have had in the last 18 months on our church website!

Sound off and let me know if you made it over here!!

David