A specific prayer request

8 Mar

A number of you have asked what you can do for us, and we are humbled.   Lots of folks are already doing a lot of things.   Don’t worry, we WILL ask if we need anything!   However, there is a very specific way you can pray for us in the next few weeks.

Dr. Mezzonatte did a great job putting my elbow back together, but there are some gray areas that we know of.   One of them is, He is hoping the left elbow joint will stay tight as it heals and we begin therapy.  If it does not, they may have to attach an external fixator (not the end of the world, just a longer recovery time).  Pray specifically that that joint will stay tight and do what it needs to do to minimize recovery time.

We greatly appreciate all of your thoughts and prayers.  Pain is not too bad today. (strong pain medicine helps that a lot)   We are hoping that will be a trend for the rest of the week.

Here is how it happened

6 Mar

I know there are several versions of this story out there, because I have heard several.   But here is what happened:  Bill pushed me off the sidewalk.

Naahh…. Bill would never do that.  Thursday afternoon, I was loading some things into my car and as I walked back into the FLC I walked over that island outside the glass doors (that I have walked over a million times).  I misstepped off the island and everything went into slow motion.  The fall seemed to take about three minutes, although I know it was only a couple of seconds. I threw my arms out in front of me to catch myself and as I hit the ground I heard my left elbow break with a loud pop.  Since there was no one around, I knew I had to get up on my own.   I managed to get up and get into Bill’s office in the FLC.  I called Omerea and she came over, helped me stabilize the arm and started making phone calls for me.  She is a real champ!

Diana rushed over from Darlington and took me to the ER at McLeod.   It was there that John Ulmer was on call.  (John is a Physician’s Assistant with McLeod Orthopedics and one of our former youth).  John did an incredible job explaining what he saw on the X-Rays and walking us through.  John reset my left arm and splinted both arms.   The surgeon told us that when he first saw the films, he thought I had been in a car accident.  He said that people don’t normally break their arms like I did from a fall.   Surgery was scheduled for Friday morning on my left arm and I was admitted to the 11th floor at McLeod.

The surgery went well, but there is a long recovery and rehabilitation period ahead for my left arm.   The doctor says we really won’t know how close to full use of my  arm we can achieve until it heals and I go through some therapy.   Another surgery is in my future, but we don’t know if it will be days, months or years from now.    The good news is that they are not planning to cast my right arm.   The doctor thinks we will be able to get by with a hinged brace since the radial head in that arm is only cracked and the elbow is just chipped.

So, here we are.  God is still on His throne and He will pull us through.  Of that I have no doubt!!

 

Some Big Decisions coming

2 Mar

Just after my last update on Dad, the game changed … significantly.  Dad had a recheck with his neurosurgeon and now there is a discussion about putting the shunt BACK IN.  WOW!

A little over a year ago, the same doctor and I had a discussion about why the shunt COULD NOT go back in.  His subdural hemotomas were a result of the shunt, one of the unknown side effects of putting it in.  The doctor told me then if we put it back in and Dad had another episode like this, it would most assuredly kill him.  Now we are talking about putting it in????

Wow, I’m confused.  And I’m asking friends to pray for us to have wisdom.  And we are seeking a second opinion.  Please pray for Mom and Dad.  If this is the right thing, we’ll do it … but I’m going to be from Missouri on this one.

Remaining Relevant as a church

1 Mar

Much has been written, much has been said about remaining relevant as the local church.  Every church should strive towards relevance.  Some churches take great offense at the thought that they might not be relevant … still, other churches make part of their mantra the “fact” that traditional churches are NO LONGER relevant and all should flock to their brand of fun.  NEITHER OF THESE ARE BUILDING THE KINGDOM OF GOD.  (The kingdom is made up of all churches that seek to serve Him … look it up if you don’t believe me!!)

So, every church should be involved in the search for relevance.  Where will that search take us??  Worship styles?  The latest technologies?  A sharp-looking hologram machine that projects the pastor everywhere he wants to go and be so he can deliver a message from God in stunning 3D clarity … (OOOO, OOOO, one of those for Ebenezer, please!!!!!)

I could keep on writing and writing, but as usual will get to the point:  The search to remain relevant will ALWAYS LEAD to the feet of God.  EVERY CHURCH that seeks to obey Him totally and completely WILL REMAIN RELEVANT.  And WILL BUILD THE KINGDOM OF GOD.  And WILL FULFILL THE GREAT COMMISSION.  And that is my vision and desire for Ebenezer, because I believe that is GOD’S VISION AND DESIRE FOR EBC.

And the only way EBC will do this is if the PEOPLE that make up EBC DO IT!!!!  You see where this is heading??  And the same rule applies to ANY CHURCH.  Think about it!!!!

What’s goin on with Dad??

23 Feb

Here is the latest, as I understand it:

We had a GREAT weekend visit with Mom and Dad last weekend.  It was the first in a long time that I didn’t feel like he’d taken a step back … With that written, on Sunday he was very weak.  He is always tired after we visit, because he doesn’t go to bed until late Friday night and refuses to take a nap on Saturday.  But this time it was different.  Mom had to call EMS because he couldn’t even get up.

After spending most of the evening and early morning in the ER at Greenville Memorial, he was diagnosed with a severe urinary tract infection, given some IV antibiotics, and sent home …  via ambulance!  Monday was a pretty good day.  Tuesday was not so good … Dad has to be patient and allow the medicine to do its job.

Betty Moore-Bell told me the biggest challenges Dad will face with his current health will be UTIs.  She was correct!!  I’m just praying today for a quick recovery.  Hope you will join me in that!!

NO IDEA!!

22 Feb

I freely admit this … I HAVE NO IDEA WHERE I AM GOING!!  I HAVE NO IDEA WHERE EBENEZER BAPTIST CHURCH IS GOING!!

Some will read this and say “AHA!!  I TOLD YOU HE DIDN’T KNOW WHAT HE WAS DOING!!”  Yes, I’ve heard that a time or two in my years at EBC.  But, not to worry … I have NO IDEA where I am going, but I am following THE ONE Who DOES!!!

Last night, I committed (along with a few others) to take a journey.  A journey led by God.  And I realize we are very much like Moses and the Children of Israel (except, hopefully NOT the unfaithful part)!  But we are on a journey to wherever God leads us!!  The key is HE is leading, not us!!

This flies in the face of conventional wisdom.  And that’s okay.  There are times, as followers of Christ, when conventional wisdom just doesn’t apply.  Or, maybe another way to write that is “there are times when God’s wisdom outweighs conventional wisdom!”  When, you might ask??  ALL OF THE TIME!!!

So, today I have NO IDEA.  And it is WONDERFUL!!  Lead on, GOD!!!

Respect for His House

16 Feb

You know, it’s interesting to see and hear the different levels of respect for God’s house in 2011.  I was talking to a friend Sunday morning before he walked into the sanctuary.  He had a travel mug in his hand and was drinking coffee from home.  As he stood there and talked to me, he said “I’ve got to finish this before I go in there.”  WHY??  RESPECT.  Bryan and I both grow un in a age where we were taught to REALIZE we were in God’s house and respect it.  I know that was an act of devotion to God, as simple as it might seem.

When I lived in New Orleans, things were different.  It was nothing for a kid to get up and move around … and maybe RUN around … during worship.  People would drink coffee in the sanctuary.  BUT THERE WAS STILL A REVERENCE.

Reverence … RESPECT … for God’s house is an attitude of the HEART.  I really do think it extends to EVERY SPECK of His property.  In the Youth Assembly Building.  In Young Hall.  In the Family Life Center.  It ALL belongs to God and we should respect and revere it.

But, if we really believe He owns the cattle on a thousand hills … that HE created it all and there is NOTHING that is not subject to Him … then shouldn’t we live our lives EVERYDAY in respect and reverence to Him??  Shouldn’t we behave with a reverence to God NO MATTER WHERE WE ARE??

It really is all a state of the heart!  And, what if respect for His House extended to EVERY NOOK AND CRANNY of this planet??  I think maybe it does ….

WHAT’S WRONG WITH YOU?!?!?!?!

15 Feb

Last night I attended one of Drew’s basketball games … on Valentine’s Day … Yeah, I know.  As we waited for the game before ours to finish, I was disappointed in a man I know.  At least, I’ve seen him attend church basketball league games FOR YEARS.  I don’t know his name, and that is a good thing right now … Because I believe HE is what is wrong with our church basketball league today.

As the game before ours was winding down, the ref made a call he didn’t like.  Have you ever noticed that when a referee makes a call in ANY kind of sport, HALF of the fans there DO NOT LIKE IT???  I wonder why??

Anyway, he went on a tirade that ended with an expletive … I was standing there, stunned, wondering “Did I really hear that??”  From that moment on, I had one eye and one ear on this guy.  At one point, I think his wife told him I was the pastor at EBC … (Or that I had no father … my lip reading is not great).

Needless to say, he did not say ANOTHER WORD.  But when I look at this, it helps me understand why those kids all act like this is life-or-death.  THIS IS CHURCH BASKETBALL.  That is all.  Not something to die over.  Certainly not something to step into God’s house and cuss about.

Any spectator in the EBC FLC is an invited guest of EBC.  And, legally, we can ask someone not to return if their activity warrants it.  The next time I hear anyone yelling like that, you can bet I will ask them to leave.  Our referees (who have control of the entire gym during a game) will be instructed to do the same.

And I sit here, not surprised, but disappointed …

Ten years??

11 Feb

On February 3, 2001, Ebenezer made a bold and daring move.  Some said it was a great one.  Some said disastrous.  They called their former youth pastor as their senior pastor.  And life has never been the same since …

And I realized this week that the tenth anniversary of that day had passed.  I will never forget that day, nor will I forget the events leading up to it!!

Ebenezer had been through some tough years (some of which I was a part, and some before we came to Florence).  In August of 1999 I was asked to preach for six Sundays while the Pastor Search Committee found an interim pastor so they could begin their search.  I’ve been doing that almost every Sunday since then!!

But on the Sunday the vote … the Sunday when I had to preach a trial sermon … WOW.  I don’t think I’ve ever felt that kind of pressure or been on that much of an emotional rollercoaster in my life!!  You cannot imagine and I hope you never have to experience it.  It really brought me face-to-face with how much I love Ebenezer and how much I really had to trust God to carry me.  I’ll never forget that day!

When I look back over those years, I KNOW God was in control and had a plan because there is NO WAY I COULD’VE MADE IT WITHOUT HIM!!  We’ve been through some really tough times and some great times, too!  And I can honestly say I’ve never been more excited about what God is doing in this place than RIGHT NOW!!  My prayer is that He will restore my first love for this place and keep leading all of us toward HIS goals for Ebenezer!!!

It used to bother me …

9 Feb

I take my role as a shepherd at EBC very seriously.  And it used to really bother me when I saw people openly thumbing their noses at God.  Making excuses.  It would really bend me out of my frame to have people tell me the reasons why they were unable to attend church, and by extension unable to put God first in their lives, and yet they have the time and money to engage in recreation, travel, livin it up.  And for YEARS it bothered me.

And now, times are changing.  I have fretted over things like this.  I’ve let them get under my skin.  I’ve even let them derail me from doing what God called me to do at times.  And God has finally given me a peace about this.

And, that is probably one of the strangest things you will ever see a pastor write.  But it’s true.  No, I do not LIKE the fact that sheep so openly live lives that are careless toward God.  And toward His church.  I guess social media has made this all the more open and obvious.  But God has begun to minister to me on this and has assured me of two things:

1.  HE will handle those issues.

2.  There are some, unfortunately, that will miss out as He sweeps us up in His arms and moves forward!!

This is still tremendously sad.  But it is a fact of life.  My hope and prayer is that YOU will be part of what HE is doing at Ebenezer (or at YOUR church, wherever that might be!!)  BUILD HIS KINGDOM!!  Seek first the Kingdom of God and HIS righteousness!!

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