One Pastor's Perspective

I am not usually the polar bear type, but I am glad to see a little cool air coming our way. I was beginning to wonder if we would have winter at all, but the seasons do change. College Football is now history (and, I was one of the few that picked the Gators to win it all). Time for basketball and a look forward to the Final Four.

In all this, we cannot forget the important things. At a meeting last night, one of my friends talked about how watching a three-hour football game was a tremendous waste of time. She is right. The more I think about it, I even channel surfed during the first half of the game Monday night. It has to be a really good, close game to hold my attention.

Now, back to the important things. Football?? No. Basketball?? (Gulp) No. Baseball?? ABSOLUTELY No.

26 kids coming from Sneed Middle School everyday, taking a New Testament class at Ebenezer and getting academic credit for it, and many of them do not have a church home?? YEP, that will do!!! IF they can survive Professor McAlpin.

I was asked by a good friend yesterday about the forgiveness sermon out of Philemon a couple of weeks ago. He asked a good question and I will put it out there for you: What do you when you have tried this route, when you have done right by another party that has done you wrong, and they refuse?? What do you do when you are willing to forgive, but they don’t give a rip??

Does this actually happen??? YOU BETCHA. As a former youth minister and now pastor, I can tell you that people WILL get mad at you and refuse to forgive . . . I know about that!!! What can you do?? You can go as far as you can go, and then I believe they have to meet you. You can try and try and try, and if they do not want to forgive (OR want to be forgiven), you have done all you can do.

My friend talked about a relationship that had been this way for decades. I asked him, ‘If this person came to you today and wanted to sit down and make it right, would you sit down with him?’ He said, ‘Yes.’ Well, that is the HEART of forgiveness God requires.

You cannot make anyone forgive you, and as ridiculous as it sounds, you cannot force anyone to accept forgiveness. If your heart is there, you are there . . .Unfortunately, sometimes all you can do it let it go and move on!

Remember that video from the 80s?? REO Speedwagon???

Justin and I were on an 80s video bent today, and we found this one again. It is really neat and even has a little theology in it. If you dare watch it, here it is:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D1iICZshg4Q

Watch and let me know what you think! This all started with a discussion of the 20 Best Videos from the 80s on Vh1 right now. (This was not one of the top 20, but is a classic 80s style video)

That was the thought for the day in my daily dose of Mikey’s Funnies (an e-mail newsletter to which I subscribe). I love that thought, and it is so true. The more time passes, the sweeter the memories become. I guess over time our memories and our dreams mix together and it becomes harder to distinguish between the two. When I was a kid, I really COULD jump up and jam a basketball against the rim (never could dunk, but I was almost there). Now I am unsure if I could touch the rim with a ten-foot ladder.

However, I also know that the older I get, the more I see God in things. I think it is because the more time I spend with God, the clearer He becomes in everything. He is at work, in spite of us and our own wills, and He will prevail. And, even though there are some terrible things people could do to me or to you, no one can EVER snatch us out of His hand.

SO . . . Enjoy your memories, enjoy your week, and let God have control!!!

Yesterday I took a new approach to our game. I have coached basketball since before I graduated high school (coaching intramural teams as a junior and senior). I have always loved the game and coaching is a natural way to stay connected now that I am an old man.

The new approach I was talking about was I told my team I would NOT be yelling too much at them during the game. I was going to let them play their game, and do my yelling in practice. (By yelling, I do mean instructing them with enthusiasm). We teach in practice: Come game time, they need to play and have fun. This year, Keith and I did not split them into two teams, although we probably have enough to do it. We only have two big men, and both of them are twelve. It really would not be fair to them to split them apart, and if we did not do that, the team that did not get them would be like sitting ducks. It was a tough decision, but that is what we did.

The down side of that decision is that we have players constantly rotating in and out. Nobody really gets to play a lot. But, yesterday in the game after ours, I saw the UPSIDE to this decision when another church, who had split their guys into 11s and 12s, played each other and the 12s won yesterday 30-1. YES, I typed ONE for the 11s score. It was pitiful.

And, even though I am sure there are parents unhappy with my decision to keep our guys and girl together, I stand by my call. Church basketball, to me, is all about learning the game, having fun, and doing our best. Winning if we can, but doing our best either way. But I also believe I need to give them a fighting chance. To me, keeping them together is accomplishing the last part of that statement. This way, the younger guys will get to learn from the older guys and next year, the younger guys WILL BE the older guys. And it will be their turn . . .

There is a real victory in all of this I need to share. (I shared this same post on the EBC blog site, http://ebenezerbaptistchurch.blogspot.com )

The financial report is not quite closed yet, but here are some numbers that are pretty solid, and I wanted to share them with you:

Budget Offering Needed this year $929,970.49
Budget Offering GIVEN this year $965,267.58

That is $35,000 OVER what was needed this past year. When I think about the fact that we were right at $35k UNDER last year and we stepped out on faith and increased the budget anyway, that is pretty awesome.

The total budget was $950,282, and we have spent ~ $852,000 (that is the part that is not closed yet, but it is pretty close). In the end, we will have come in very close to $100,000 under budget in SPENDING.

All of this is GOOD!!

Now, we did have 53 Sundays this year (which happens every once in a while), but that does not dilute the fact that we gave $811,000 last year and $965,000 this year, a difference of ~$154,000!!! We gave that much more this year!

And NONE OF THIS includes the Habitat House, Honduras offerings, or any other extra offering project!

That is a REAL VICTORY!!

About the remarks from two blogs ago . . . It is truly unfortunate that I should have to retract anything written here. But, here goes: The opinions expressed in this blog are in no way the opinions of a sane individual. His family would like to deny all associations with him. Please do not hold his opinions against his darling wife, his princess-like daughter, or his handsome son.

In other words, NO PIES WERE HARMED in the writing of that blog or any other blog (but, I am not above it).

Hope you have a great weekend!

By the way, we set up a staff blog at http://ebenezerbaptistchurch.blogspot.com to use as an information forum. Check it out periodically and see what is going on at the church!!

I am ASKING, not telling!! I get so frustrated when I am around people that continually see the glass half empty, no matter how full it really is!! “Well, it IS partially empty.”

AUGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH! I am a pastor, and folks think I am supposed to be above such emotion, but let me assure you and I am completely human (just ask the fam). I also know that it is a fact: There will ALWAYS be people in life that see the down side of everything (just like Debbie Downer on SNL). Maybe those people are in our lives to keep us grounded, and maybe that is a good thing. However, I do not consider myself a “pie in the sky”kind of guy (although I LOVE pie), I do see myself as a realist and can usually handle a little naysaying. But after a while, my glass gets FULL!

Maybe part of the theraputic value of this blog is that I can blow off a little steam and be okay. Besides, things are good today: My Heels won last night (although they were playing Pennsylvania) AND LSU won last night (Geaux Tigers . . . that was for you, JD). LSU looked good, and it is always a good night when Notre Dame loses.

Thanks for letting me scream a little!

I can just hear Jasmine and Aladdin serenading each other atop the magic carpet right now . . . Okay, with a daughter born in the 90s, I know the words to WAY TOO MANY Disney movies.

But we have moved into a whole new world in 2007. When you look at the events of the past month, let alone the past year, you know that we live in a world that is constantly changing. And while many things in this world change, one thing remains the same: GOD LOVES YOU. Jesus Christ died for you. TODAY you can know peace and forgiveness. And it really is a whole new world, and wonderful one, too.

I hope 2007 brings you much joy and success, and I know that can all begin with a relationship with Jesus Christ today!