Cool Animation

I received  a link to something called Animator vs. Animation in an email from a friend.  It is pretty amazing.  Enjoy!

 Animator vs. Animation 

Dave

12 Days of Christmas

How would you like to join me in a revolution of sorts?  A revolution to take back the 12 days of Christmas!  Okay, I'm not the revolutionist type and I don't care quite enough to buck the modern trend, but I do care enough to blog about it perhaps inform you.  Maybe you could start the revolution!

I did not grow up in a church that followed the Church Calendar.  I didn't discover Advent until I was well into my adult years.  Even then it was in a Baptist church so was probably only half- accurate at best.  I took a course called Preaching Through the Church Year and learned a little about the Church Calendar.  I have incorporated my version of Advent into the churches I have pastored and enjoy the anticipation.  

But here's the problem, we don't truly celebrate Advent in the sense of true waiting and anticipation.  I don't know if liturgical churches do it right (maybe someone could enlighten me on that), but the churches I know mix the Advent and Christmas seasons together.  We sing Christmas hymns right along with Advent hymns(I actually only know a couple Advent hymns).  We have our Christmas programs and Christmas nativity scenes all set up.  We pretend we are anticipating, but we are celebrating everything that Christmas means at the same time.  I have a feeling that we are missing the best of both.

I discovered that, according to the Church Calendar, the Christmas season actually starts on Christmas Day.   That's what the twelve days of Christmas are all about.    You can read more about the history of the twelve days of Christmas in an article at Christian History.net.  Allow me to share a bit of what you'll find there.

Exhortations to follow this calendar rather than the secular one have become routine at this time of year. But often the focus falls on giving Advent its due, with the Twelve Days of Christmas relegated to the words of a cryptic traditional carol. Most people are simply too tired after Christmas Day to do much celebrating.

The "real" twelve days of Christmas are important not just as a way of thumbing our noses at secular ideas of the "Christmas season." They are important because they give us a way of reflecting on what the Incarnation means in our lives. Christmas commemorates the most momentous event in human history—the entry of God into the world He made, in the form of a baby. The Logos through whom the worlds were made took up His dwelling among us in a tabernacle of flesh.

So is there any chance we can keep Christmas out of the church until Christmas Day so we can appreciate the fullness of Advent and Christmas?  I didn't think so.  But I'd sure love to give it a try.  I'd love to get the full feel of the longing and anticipation, both for Christ's first coming and His coming again.  And I'd love to know what it would be like to extend Christmas and all it means for an extra twelve days instead of having it end on Christmas day.  Anyone like to join me? 

Grace and peace,

Dave

What Christmas is Really About

Winter Solstice and Christmas

Today (December 21/08) is Winter Solstice.  It is a special celebration for some people.  I decided to do a little research into its meaning and significance.  According to The Press Association this was the scene this morning at Stonehenge.

Hundreds of druids, pagans and tourists braved the gloomy weather to gather at Stonehenge on Sunday morning to celebrate the winter solstice.

The mystical stones attracted a crowd of 1,900 people, with some dressed in cloaks and robes, to see sunrise at the prehistoric site in Wiltshire.

The winter solstice is a pagan celebration held on the shortest day of the year.

Wikepedia says

The seasonal significance of the winter solstice is in the reversal of the gradually lengthening nights and shortening days...  Worldwide, interpretation of the event has varied from culture to culture, but most cultures have held a recognition of rebirth, involving holidays, festivals, gatherings, rituals or other celebrations around that time.

There are clearly pagan connotations to the observance of the winter solstice, but I can't help but see how well it also fits with Christ's coming.  It seems that scholars don't really know the date of Jesus' coming to earth as a baby, but choosing a date just after the winter solstice, for whatever reasons, fits beautifully.  Winter solstice marks the end of the darkness and celebrates rebirth or the sun god.  

Scripture portrays Jesus' coming in similar terms.  Zacharias' prophecy at the birth of John the Baptist points to the Dayspring(KJV) or Sunrise that will visit us from on high to bring us light.  See Luke 1:76-79 for some context.  

A couple Christmas hymns draw attention to this passage and another from Malachi 4.  The third verse of O Come, O Come Emmanuel uses the title Day-Spring.

O come, Thou Day-Spring, come and cheer 

Our spirits by Thine advent here

Disperse the gloomy clouds of night

And death's dark shadows put to flight.

Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel

Shall come to thee, O Israel.

Hark! the Herald Angels Sing contains the following words based on Malachi 4:

Hail the heav'n-born Prince of Peace!
Hail the Sun of Righteousness!
Light and life to all He brings
Ris'n with healing in His wings

"The Sun of Righteousness" is the correct spelling(not Son) taken directly from Malachi 4:2.  Jesus Christ is the sun of righteousness.  He is the Light of the world.  He is the dawning of a new day.  May we rejoice in His light and warmth this Christmas!

Grace and peace,

Dave

The Innkeeper- John Piper

I want to share a very moving poem with you, written by John Piper.  It is sad, yet victorious in Christ.  A lot like life is and can be.   It's worth it.  Enjoy!

Grace and peace,

Dave

Twelve Days of Christmas

I really hate the Twelve Days of Christmas song, but I like this video.  It's a great smile.  Hopefully your Christmas won't be this much of a hassle.  Take some time to ponder the Father's plan and the Saviour's gift.

Grace and peace,

Dave

Christmas Spirit

 My wife and I rang the bell and attended the kettle for a couple hours this afternoon in our town.  I had always assumed that the kettles were manned by Salvation Army personnel.  Not so, at least not exclusively.  A number of individuals and organizations get involved here.  Our church volunteered to ring the bells for a couple days this year.

We stood between the doors at our local Walmart.  It was an intriguing afternoon of observing people and their reaction to the kettle.  I tried to make eye contact with people coming in and either gave them a nod, a smile or a "How are you?"  Some acknowledged with a like response.  Some wouldn't make eye contact.  Some made a point of explaining that they had given previously.  Some put in loose change.  Some put in $20 bills.  All kinds of people gave and didn't give, but seniors seemed most open, friendly and prone to give.  I have no idea what all that means.  

It was an enjoyable experience: to chat with people I know and don't know, to help out a great cause, to give something back.  I found it a great boost to getting some real Christmas spirit.  So next time you pass by a kettle be sure to drop something in and give some thought to ringing the bells for an hour or two.  You won't be sorry.

Favourite Christmas Music

I thought I'd join my son and John K in mentioning one of my favourite Christmas hymns.  There are many good ones, but one of my favourites is Thou Didst Leave Thy Throne.  It doesn't seem to be too well known so it is not over-played.  I like the reference to how much Jesus left behind to come to earth, His humility, and especially the inclusion of why He came--to die.  I like that it is also made personal with the prayer, "O come to my heart, Lord Jesus, there is room in my heart for Thee." 

The words are below.  You can listen to a choir version here.

What are your favourites?

 

Thou didst leave Thy throne and Thy kingly crown,

When Thou camest to earth for me;

But in Bethlehem’s home was there found no room

For Thy holy nativity.

Refrain

O come to my heart, Lord Jesus, There is room in my heart for Thee.

Heaven’s arches rang when the angels sang,
Proclaiming Thy royal degree;
But of lowly birth didst Thou come to earth,
And in great humility.

Refrain

The foxes found rest, and the birds their nest
In the shade of the forest tree;
But Thy couch was the sod, O Thou Son of God,
In the deserts of Galilee.

Refrain

Thou camest, O Lord, with the living Word,
That should set Thy people free;
But with mocking scorn and with crown of thorn,
They bore Thee to Calvary.

Refrain

When the heav’ns shall ring, and her choirs shall sing,
At Thy coming to victory,
Let Thy voice call me home, saying “Yet there is room,
There is room at My side for thee.”

My heart shall rejoice, Lord Jesus,
When Thou comest and callest for me.

"Always Winter, Never Christmas"?

Winter is most definitely my least favourite time of year.  I don't like the cold.  I don't like driving in snow or shoveling it.  I don't like going to work in the dark and coming home in the dark.  I don't get enough exercise.  I eat too much (Yes, I'm blaming those things on winter too).  I do not care for winter!  So why do I live in a part of the country that can have up to six months of it????

Yet there are a few bright spots in winter.  I must admit that fresh snow looks beautiful(from inside my house).  And then there is Christmas.  I do enjoy Christmas as the celebration of the birth of my Saviour and all the promises that will come to fruition in Him.  I'm reminded of the C. S. Lewis quote in The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe.  Under the reign of the witch it is said to be "always winter, never Christmas."  But Jesus has come and we get to celebrate Christmas in the middle of winter both in this physical world and spiritually.  Jesus brought beauty and joy to the world's long winter.  Praise God for Christmas!

Now how can I tie my photos into this?  Oh yeah, sometimes in the midst of the bleakness of winter you can find some real beauty.  I took these shots on the way home from Thunder Bay a few weeks ago.  I think they capture the bleakness of winter, but also the beauty of God.

Grace and peace,

Dave

     

Church Christmas Float

I am so proud of our church!  We are not a large church, but we managed to enter a float in our community's Christmas parade.  I say "we" but I really had nothing to do with it.  With the leadership of one couple, several people came together to contribute to the project.  I am blessed to be part of such a creative and gifted group.  I praise God for each one.  Here are a couple pictures of the results:

 

The Offense of the Gospel

I mentioned in my last post that our church was doing a version of the candy maker's witness.  Following is what we attached to the candy canes we handed out.

A candy cane is a great reminder of the true meaning of Christmas--the birth of Jesus and the reason He came to earth.

*When you turn the candy cane up-side-down you have a "J" for Jesus.

*Turned right-side-up the candy cane looks like a shepherd's staff and reminds us that shepherds were the first people to see the baby Jesus, and also that Jesus is the Good Shepherd.

*The white on the candy cane reminds us of Jesus' purity.  He is the sinless Son of God.

*The red stripe reminds us of Jesus' blood.  He came to die on the cross to forgive our sins.

*The green stripe reminds us of everlasting life in Heaven.  Like an evergreen tree is always green, everyone who trusts in Jesus to forgive their sins will live forever with Him in Heaven.

We concluded with an invitation to come hear more of the Christmas story at our Christmas Eve service and gave the church name and phone number.

One night this past week I suddenly woke up worrying about the message we were handing out with the candy cane.  I don't know if it was the pizza I had for supper, my overactive imagination, or the devil.  The thoughts that came to mind went something like this: Why can't those people do something nice without having to preach at the same time?  Why do they have to include a sermon with the candy cane?  And especially why would they talk about blood and dying at Christmas time and direct that at my child?  That is so rude and offensive!

I started thinking about how I would respond to such questions and accusations(and this while I still couldn't get back to sleep).  I think I can see their point in some of this.  Maybe the candy cane by itself would have been enough--coming from the church float.  Maybe the message should have been directed to the adults rather than the kids.  

As I pondered these things over the next couple days, many thoughts and responses came to mind.  First, I think I will be thankful to know that someone actually read the little message and cared enough to respond.  But the most critical thought that came to mind comes from God's Word.

  

Romans 1:16- "For I am not ashamed of the Gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes..."  

The message that we put with the candy cane is not the complete Gospel, but it certainly contains elements of God's good news.  Perhaps there are better ways to go about it, but I do not want to be ashamed of the Gospel.  I want us to keep finding ways to get this good news of Jesus Christ to our community.  We do have to be careful that we do not offend by our methods, but we also have to realize that the Gospel does offend and many people will not appreciate it.  Still, this is what we are to be about, individually and as a church.  Jesus alone is the hope for our world!

Grace and peace,

Dave        

Beware the Candymaker's Witness

Our church is entering a float in our town’s Christmas parade this weekend. It was decided to hand out candy canes attached to short piece about how the candy cane illustrates Jesus and why He came to earth. I came across such a story in my files called Candymaker’s Witness. Not remembering where this particular story came from, I decided to check its origin on Snopes.com. If you are not familiar with Snopes, it is an internet site that researches urban legends, rumour, etc., in an effort to prove or disprove them. According to Snopes.com this piece about a candymaker in Indiana inventing the candy cane to be a witness to Jesus’ birth, ministry and death is false. There appears to a possibility of some truth in parts of the story, but not as it reads in the story I have(which is the exact same one Snopes displays). You can read the article from Snopes here.

One of my pet peeves involves people who email all kinds of stories and warnings to their whole mailing list without ever checking them out. I consider it many times worse to use a story that is not true, but presented as true, to share the Gospel of Jesus Christ. How can we expect people to believe the Gospel if we mix it with untruth? We need to be so careful in what we say and how we say it so as not to cause unnecessary offense.

We are going to use a version of the candy cane witness to hand out with our candy canes, but it strictly talks about how a candy cane can remind us of what Christmas and Jesus are about. It does not say that this is what the candy cane was invented to do. As the Snopes article says, there is nothing wrong with finding and celebration symbolism where there wasn’t any before. Let’s just be sure that the message is clear and not mixed with half-truths and falsehood.

Grace and peace,

Dave

Boys Will Be Boys

I "stumbled" across another blog today and found a post that seemed to fit with my last post about our boys birth and birthday.  If you have boys I'm sure you'll get a chuckle and some memories.  The writer, Susan Stitch, was gracious enough to allow me to re-print it here.  Check out Susan's blog, New Every Morning, for the context and more interesting things.

So, without further ado, I've learned that you know you are raising a son when:

10. A conversation on any topic can turn into a discusson on animal waste within three sentences.

9. You ask if he has a clean shirt on and he immediately looks down to see if there is any dirt (on the shirt you KNOW he's worn for three days)

8. You walk in his room to collect dirty clothes and find a week's worth of clean underwear in the corner...but no dirty pairs.

7. You have to create rules like 'no dinosaurs at the table'.

6. You decide to raise 'peace-loving' children but they still create guns out of sticks, fingers, and even sandwiches

5. He delightedly shows you that certain body parts 'bounce' when he jumps.

4. Bodily noises create gales of giggles and bragging instead of embarrassment

3. Your son proudly announces that he has discovered eight ways to create those embarrassing bodily noises

2. He chooses to drink root beer because it makes you 'burp better'

And the number one way to know that you are raising a son is....

1. When your family meets your daughter's boss (a minister) for the first time, he proudly announces that he hasn't made any of those embarrassing bodily noises in several days cause he's saving them up for a really big release!

Reminiscing 30 Years Ago

Our lives changed dramatically thirty years ago today, Friday November 17, 1978. Twin boys were born into our family that day! I remember getting a phone call at work saying that the doctor was going to do a C-section on my wife, Patti. They had been trying to induce labour for a couple days, but "lost" the heartbeat of one of the boys. At that point they decided to go in after them. The delivery went fine and just three weeks after discovering that there was more than one baby, we were the proud parents of twin boys: Jonathan David and Ronald Nathan.

Less than 48 hours later, our joy and excitement turned to fear. Patti developed blood clots and was taken by ambulance to a hospital in Hamilton, Ontario and put in Intensive Care. The next morning I received word that they were taking the boys to the same hospital, "just to be near their Mom." After spending time with Patti I went looking for my sons. I was directed to a section of the hospital, given a gown and mask to put on and buzzed in to see them. I didn't understand the gown and mask. I was shocked to see a little guy through the glass window with a bunch of wires going to his head and chest. I said a silent "thank you" that this was not one of my sons.  And then I found out it was! Apparently they had picked up some kind of virus or something and were deathly sick. I was scared to death.

God graciously answered the prayers of many people and brought all three home safe and sound. His grace continued over the years, giving us a daughter, bringing each of our children to salvation through Jesus, keeping us healthy and safe, blessing us with great times together, meeting all our needs and more, and keeping our kids walking with Him in spite of our many parenting mistakes.  

They have challenged us and given us some sleepless nights, stretched us, taught us as much as we've taught them, loved and encouraged us.  They have been a joy and we would not have traded away the experience for anything.   

Yes, our boys have reached their 30th birthday today, are loving husbands and fathers and working to be what God wants them to be. We are proud of both of you! We miss them, being separated by a couple days drive, but we manage to keep in touch.  We are thankful to God for His grace to all of us and continue to pray for our sons, daughters-in-law and grandchildren.  May God bless you and make you a blessing to many!

Happy Birthday Jonathan and Ron!

Grace and peace,

Dave

God's Power in Weakness: Jason Gray

I stumbled across Jason Gray today.  I can't even remember how.  I followed a couple links and there he was.  I thoroughly enjoy his sound, but even more, his message.  The message of his life and many of his songs is God's strength in weakness.  He suffers from a speech impediment.  I admire his courage/strength which comes from God alone.  His message fits so well with the overall theme of this blog which is also a major theme of my life as a pastor.  Have a listen to the video below in which Jason talks about his need for God daily in his life.

Jason

Now that you've met the artist, give his music a try.

 

If you like it, you can find more about Jason and hear more of his music by "launching jukebox" on his website.  And may we allow God to shine through our cracks.

Grace and peace,

Dave

Kakabeka Falls Rip Off

Kakabeka Falls, near Thunder Bay, Ontario used to be a highlight on our trip from southern Ontario to Bible school in Saskatchewan. Right on the Trans Canada Highway, it's billed as the Niagara of the North. It was a great place to stretch your legs and spend a few minutes in the wonder of God's creation.

It has been quite some time since we have stopped there, but on a recent trip to Thunder Bay we decided to take a few minutes to take a look and maybe a couple pictures. To my shock and anger I discovered that you now must pay to park and have a look. They have one of those automated machines and as far as I can tell it now costs $4.00 for an hour. I didn't bother to get out to check so someone may be able to correct me, but as far as I could see $4.00 was the minimum price, meaning that's how much it would cost even for a 10 minute look. We aren't talking about camping or even a whole day. I don't think there's that much to do there. We are talking taking away the privilege of stopping for lunch or for a rest or just for a few minutes to enjoy the sights. What a rip off!

I understand that upkeep of the parking lot and washrooms cost money, but why not just add a little more on to camping fees across the province or something like that? This is the major highway through Canada and people should have the right to see the beauty of this country without being charged for it. It seems to me that they've turned this beautiful spot into a cash cow. What a shame!

Dave

Work Hard and Play Hard But Never Confuse the Two

I want to share another lesson from Memoirs of an Ordinary Pastor.  Don Carson wrote,

"Mum used to tell us kids, 'Work hard, and play hard, but never confuse the two.'  By this she wanted us to know that while we were working, we should not fritter away the hours by squeezing in distractions and various kinds of play.  The result would be poor work combined with guilt feelings for a job poorly done.  Similarly, when we were playing we were not supposed to be thinking about work because that would dilute some of the regenerative value of downtime.  But Dad never learned Mum's simple maxim.  The total number of hours he put into his calling each week was excessively high, but occasionally--as much out of fatigue as discouragement--he would permit something else to intrude, and then feel guilty about it.  Mum's maxim should be posted on the mirrors of most ministers."  (p. 93)

I do fall into the trap of "playing" at work from time to time.  Well, not playing exactly, but I find it quite easy to "wander off" when using the internet to research this or that for a sermon or other work.  So many interesting links!  So much great information!  I can even still be learning, but I'm not getting my work done.  I need to be a little more disciplined in this area.

It can also be a challenge to get play time in without feeling guilty.  My play this time of year is two hours of floor hockey once a week.  Last year, being at a new church I struggled to keep that night free.  This year I've done a much better job at protecting this time.  It's not always easy.  When you have a number of evenings out for meetings in the course of a month it is tough to find nights that work for every one.  I sometimes feel guilty when I say I'm busy that night knowing it is "only floor hockey" and I'm often tempted to give it up.  But I've told my board that I NEED to protect that night.  I need it for exercise.  I need it to manage stress.  I need it for fun.  I need it to build relationships with unchurched guys.  Therefore I refuse to feel guilty.  And when my wife tells me to be careful, my standard reply is, "I can't be careful and have fun!"

So, I encourage you too, to work hard, play hard, but never confuse the two!

Grace and peace,

Dave    

Serving Under the Gospel of Grace

Continuing to comment on this and that from D.A. Carson's biography of his father, Memoirs of an Ordinary Pastor, I want to quote Carson at some length concerning accepting one's weaknesses.

"So many aspects of ministry demand excellence, and there are not enough hours in the day to be excellent in all of them.  When I was a young man, I heard D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones comment that he would not go across the street to hear himself preach. (and I wrote in the margin, "Oh yeah!") Now that I am close to the age he was when I heard him, I am beginning to understand.  It is rare for me to finish a sermon without feeling somewhere between slightly discouraged and moderately depressed that I have not preached with more unction, that I have not articulated these glorious truths more powerfully and with greater insight and so forth.  But I cannot allow that to drive me to despair; rather, it must drive me to a greater grasp of the simple and profound truth that we preach and visit and serve under the gospel of grace, and God accepts us because of his Son.  I must learn to accept myself not because of my putative successes but because of his Son.  The ministry is so open-ended that one never feels that all possible work has been done, or done as well as one might like.  There are always more people to visit, more studying to be done, more preparations to do.  What Christians must do, what Christian leaders must do, is constantly remember that we serve our God and Maker and Redeemer under the gospel of grace.  Dad's diaries show he understood this truth in theory, and sometimes he exulted in it...but quite frankly, his sense of failure sometimes blinded him to the glory of gospel freedom." (pp. 92-93)

I suppose ministry isn't the only work that one feels such inadequacy and a sense that the work is never done.  That's one of the reasons I enjoyed the couple year break delivering desserts.  When I finished the day I could go home and forget about it.  But pastoring leaves me feeling inadequate on so many levels.  That's why I need this word from Carson.  Partly because it helps to realize I'm not the only one who feels this way.  But mostly because I need the reminder that ultimately I am accepted, not because of any successes, but because of God's grace through Christ's sacrifice.  Yes, I need to be faithful and work hard and pray and be the best pastor I can be.  When I fall short, and I will, I need to allow God's grace to minister to me!  Even when others see me as a failure, God sees me through His Son.  

I was going to leave this post at the end of the last paragraph, but I'm still struggling with how this works.  I understand that I am acceptable to God through Jesus and that will result in eternal life.  I know I don't have to work to measure up in that sense.  But how does God's grace make a difference when I fall and fail in life and ministry?  Perhaps it is in the fact that God has knowingly chosen weak and foolish people to serve Him and He does choose to accomplish His will through us for His own glory.  Does that make sense or is there still something I'm missing?  Feedback welcome!   

Grace and peace,

Dave

Only Such a Word as is Good for Edification

In the book, Memoirs of an Ordinary Pastor, the story is related of how Tom Carson found himself in the middle of a nasty conflict with the president of the denomination.  After pledging their support to raise money for a new congregation Carson was planting, the denomination changed its mind and withheld the money that had come in.  The new church had already paid a down payment on a building and would lose that money if contributions did not come in.  In the end Tom had to borrow another $1000.00(half his annual salary) to keep the deal alive.  At the same time he felt he had to leave the denomination so actually had NO income.

 I write that as background to what I want to share.  Some years later when son, Don (author of this book), was in seminary he heard about all of this for the first time.  He writes,

 So the next time I went home, I brought this matter up.  The conversation went something like this:

Me: I’ve been learning some interesting Baptist history from 1948-1949.

Dad: Oh?

Me: It seems you had a pretty significant part to play.

Dad: What were you told?

So I summarized the events as I understood them…

Dad: I suppose that’s pretty close to what happened.

Me: So how come you never told us kids any of this?

Dad: (after a long pause): There were two reasons.  First, you were children of the manse, and although you have seen the out-working of the gospel, you have also seen more than your share of difficult and ugly things, and we did not think it wise to expose you to this history when you were young.  Second, Marg and I decided we needed to protect our own souls from bitterness.  So we took a vow that neither of us would ever say an unkind thing about T.T. Shields (denominational head).  And we have kept our vow.

 That second reason grabbed me when I first read it and has not let go.  They took a vow not to say an unkind thing against a person that had caused them much hurt!  I find that remarkable.  It is certainly godly.  “Let no unwholesome word proceed from your mouth, but only such a word as is good for edification according to the need of the moment, that it may give grace to those who hear”  (Ephesians 4:29).  You’ve heard about church members who go home from church on Sundays and have “roast pastor for lunch.”  I’ve been guilty of returning the favour.  What caught my attention even more is their reason was to protect their own souls from bitterness.  I sense a great deal of wisdom in that statement.  We end up hurting ourselves more than the other person when we talk about them behind their backs.  Bitterness eats away at us when we refuse to let go.  It’s a lesson I need to take to heart.

 Grace and peace,

 Dave

Reflections on Memoirs of an Ordinary Pastor

This book probably would not have caught my eye on the store shelf, but it was mentioned to me by the Executive Director of our Conference by way of encouraging the faithfulness of ordinary pastors.  I checked on the review by Tim Challies and decided to buy it.

 Written by Don Carson about his father’s pastoral ministry in Quebec, it begins with an interesting, short history of Quebec, including its root in Catholicism and the spread of the Gospel.  From there it recounts the life and ministry of Tom Carson.  Don Carson sets out his reason for writing this book in the Preface.  After mentioning that a few pastors are extremely gifted and productive he, writes,

 “Most of us, however, serve in more modest patches.  Most pastors will not regularly preach to thousands, let alone tens of thousands.  They will not write influential books, they will not supervise large staffs, and they will never see more than modest growth…Most of us—let us be frank—are ordinary pastors.  Dad was one of them.  This little book is a modest attempt to let the voice and ministry of one ordinary pastor be heard, for such servants have much to teach us” (p. 9).

 Carson tells the story of his Dad’s life, interspersed with writings from his father’s journals and letters, and mixed with his own comments and applications. 

 I found the book to be both encouraging and convicting.  Some of the encouragement came from seeing much of myself in Tom Carson.  He was quite introspective and hard on himself, often journaling about his weaknesses and perceived failures and discouragements.  That may not seem like encouragement, but it is good to know one is not alone in feeling some of these things.  Even though he struggled with such things he was sure of his calling and continued to serve the Lord in some sort of pastoral ministry right to the end of his life(in his 80s).  I appreciated the author’s thoughts and comments in talking about this aspect of his Dad.  He says,

 “…I think it wise to pause here and reflect a little on the discouraging face of this chapter.  The longer I have spent getting  to know pastors in many small and medium-size churches (and some larger ones!), the more I have become aware of the chasms of discouragement through which many of them pass.”

 He continues on to offer some great insights into dealing with pastoral discouragement.  I’ll share some of that another time.

 The convicting aspects come in that, though he struggled with his own adequacy, Tom Carson seemed tireless in his ministry.  In spite of being “ordinary” he was hard-working and faithful to his calling.  At over seventy years of age he was still working anywhere from five to eleven hours a day on top of caring for a sick wife!  When I read of his work ethic and compare it to my own, I come out feeling even less than ordinary!  There is discouragement in that, but also motivation.

 There is much more that could be said and I plan to blog further on various comments in the book, but in closing I’d like to suggest who might benefit from this book:

*Ordinary pastors of small churches; especially those needing encouragement

*Anyone who would like more insight into the life of a small-church pastor

*Anyone interested in a snapshot of Christian ministry in Quebec

*Anyone who doubts that God can use ordinary people

 That’s all for now,

 Dave    

My Thoughts on the ESV Study Bible

My copy of the new ESV Study Bible arrived last week.  The ESV has been around for about seven years now; the study Bible for a few weeks.  Well known Christian leaders have given the version high marks.  For example:

"The ESV satisfies the preaching, memorizing, studying, and reading needs of our church, from children to adults. We are building all of our future ministry around it.”  John Piper

"The translation is outstanding. The ESV achieves a new standard in accurate Bible translations for our day."  Dr. R. C. Sproul

The study Bible gets equally rave reviews.  

"An invaluable and inexhaustible resource... I am deeply grateful for this magnificent work." Nancy Leigh DeMoss

"Finest study tool I've seen in 50 years of Bible teaching."  Jerry Bridges

With that kind of support what more needs to be said?  Well...at risk of showing my ignorance more than anything else, I want to share my thoughts on the new ESV Study Bible.  I find that the English flows much better than the NASB which makes it a good Bible for public reading.  The study notes and helps are excellent.  And I love that when you buy the study Bible you also receive access to the whole thing online.  

But I struggle with some of the interpretation choices I've come across in recent study.  Romans 12:16 in the NASB says "Be of the same mind toward one another."  ESV says, "Live in harmony with one another."  I don't think they necessarily mean the same thing and from what I can tell, the NASB better represents the Greek.  I see the same kind of thing in Romans 14:1.  NASB: "Now accept the one who is weak in faith."  ESV: "As for the one who is weak in faith, welcome him."  Is welcoming someone the same as accepting them?  I claim virtually no knowledge of the original languages; I am undoubtedly out-classed in this by the people I have quoted above.  So perhaps I am way off base here and over my head.  Perhaps I'm trying to make something out of nothing.

Perhaps for me, it is really about preference.  I have been reading, studying and memorizing the NASB for over twenty years now, since I was told in Bible school that it was the most literal translation.  Obviously I have grown accustomed to and comfortable with it.  Could it be simply that, as the previous generation was unwilling to give up the KJV, I prefer to cling to what has become familiar?  

I do plan to use the ESV for some personal and public reading.  I will make good use of the study aids and will include this translation for study comparison.  But for now, I plan to keep the NASB as my main study and pulpit Bible and if anyone asks, will continue to make it my recommendation. 

Grace and peace,

Dave

New Books!

I love books! I love reading. I even love bookstores. I can spend an hour and a half easy in a book store, especially a Bible book store. Besides my kids and grandchildren, that's probably what I miss most about our move. That and a Harvey's hamburger once in a while. The closest Christian bookstores are four hours away!

We do have a decent library here, but there aren't many new Christian books to choose from. I already have a somewhat bad habit of reading too much secular fiction. I don't think that's wrong, but I can easily get in the rut of only reading secular fiction. And you have to be so careful of what you choose in the secular market to avoid a lot of sexual content. I need to be filling my mind with better quality material. In Spiritual Leadership, J. Oswald Sanders wrote,

"The leader who intends to grow spiritually and intellectually will be reading constantly...Leaders should determine to spend a minimum of half an hour a day reading books that feed the soul and stimulate the mind."

It's not quite the same as going into a bookstore and browsing the shelves, picking up books, reading the reviews and the Table of Contents, but I am thankful for online stores like Amazon. And thanks to a generous budget line for professional development from my church, I recently ordered and received several new Christian books from Amazon Canada.

Five of the seven I ordered came this week so I'm excited. I chose a couple on the recommendations of some Conference leaders and the rest by reading reviews on Tim Challies' blog. I tried to get a good variety of topics. I ended up with:

ESV Study Bible

Memoirs of an Ordinary Pastor--D. A. Carson

The Discipline of Spiritual Discernment- Tim Challies

The Reason for God- Timothy Keller

Who Stole My Church? -Gordon MacDonald

Still to come: When Sinners Say I Do- Dave Harvey; Polishing God's Monuments-Jim Andrews.

I'll let you know what I think of them as I get them finished-some sort of book review. Whether that interests you or not, it will help me to be accountable to get them read in a timely fashion.

I'd also like to know what you're reading at the moment or have recently finished. I've put a poll question in the side bar for you to let me know what genres you prefer to read. Not a lot of choices there, but it may be interesting to see the results(you can choose more than one category). And if you have a recommendation for me, please let me know that too. Looking forward to hearing from you.

Grace and peace,

Dave

Help! I Can't Sleep

I got up at 4:30 this morning.  I didn't really want to, but I wasn't sleeping so I thought I could use my time better than lying in bed.  The reason, you ask?  Promise not to laugh?  This always seems to happen to me when we are getting up early to travel somewhere.  I don't know why.  Excitement?  You wouldn't think a four hour trip to pick up my wife's brother from the airport would cause that kind of excitement.  Afraid of sleeping through the alarm?  Maybe.  Anyone else have this problem?  Whatever it is, I just can't seem to shut my mind down concerning the trip and all kinds of other things.  I was lying there at 3:45 thinking about some things I could add to my previous blog entry to make it a little better.  Ridiculous!

Well the alarm is set to go off in 7 minutes so I'd better finish this off.  So if you hear I met my demise by driving off the road or running into a moose, you'll know why.  (-:

Grace and peace,

Dave

Another Lesson at the Gas Station

This lesson could have come in any setting but it was another gas station episode for me.  Not that it was a big deal, just a good reminder.

I had a clear lane of two gas pumps to pull up to.  I make it a habit to pull up to the furthest so someone can pull in behind me, but today the second pump was out of order so I stopped at the first.  A truck behind me suddenly swerved around me and the guy gave me a dirty look like I should have pulled up further.  I could almost hear what he was thinking:  "What a stupid jerk!  He couldn't pull up twenty more feet?!  People don't think of anyone but themselves!!!!"  I can imagine such words, or worse, because they've been on my minds and lips many times before in similar situations.  Of course when he got to where he thought I should have been he realized his mistake and had to turn back around to get to the pumps on the other side.

How many times have we judged someone's actions and motives without seeing the whole picture?  I've done it many times, and probably many more than I even realize.  It is so easy to jump to conclusions and think wrongly about people.  

As I write this, I ask myself how I can try to respond better.  I think patience is part of the answer.  Always being in such a hurry about everything is a sure way to misjudge people.  Forming a habit of thinking the best of people, starting with giving them the benefit of the doubt instead of thinking the worst will also go a long way to fixing this.  And finally, when it's possible, good communication is vital: asking a question for clarification instead of assuming you know what they meant.

I'm glad I was on the receiving end of this glare instead of handing it out this time.  It's a good reminder.

"Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother's eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye?"  Matthew 7:3

Dave 

The Wonder of Creation

I love God's creative power and work!  I am so thankful to God that He has given me such an appreciation for His creation.  Whether it's the power of a thunder storm or the delicate beauty of a tiny flower or an ant, the works of God are amazing and direct my thoughts to His greatness and beauty.

"For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made, so that they are without excuse."  Romans 1:20

If you revel in the creative power of God, you may be interested in a new blog I recently discovered.  It comes from RBC Ministries and is called The Wonder of Creation.  The writer looks at various aspects of creation and relates it all to God.  I'm putting it in my list of Blogs of Interest to remind me to check back regularly.  Check it out.

Dave 

God's Faithfulness

I was lamenting to my son tonight that I've run out of ideas to blog about.  Call it a dry period or writer's block, whatever.  But then I got thinking about how awesome our God is and that reminded me of a Scripture that touched me recently.

Before I go to that Scripture I have a couple other thoughts to tie in with it.  We were talking about faith in our adult SS class this morning.  What is faith?  How does it work?  Trust was mentioned as a synonym.  We talked about faith needing to be placed in God, not in self and not merely faith in faith.  But what can we trust God for?  Can we trust Him for whatever we think we want or need?  That's not biblical faith.  We have faith that God can do anything, but it isn't biblical faith to say we believe He will do whatever we want.  Rather, I believe faith is believing in what God has promised us.  If He has said it, we can believe it.  If He hasn't said it we can't expect it.

So what can we trust God for in this economic crisis?  Having sold our house in Alberta to move here and not needing to buy a house here because the church had a house for us, we have some money for the first time in our lives.  But that's not money to waste.  We will need to buy a house again at some point in the future.  So that money has been put into the money markets to grow.  Terrible timing!  The past year and a half has been dismal for such investing.  On paper at least, we have lost a considerable portion.  Where will it end?  Can we trust God to come through for us and spare us this loss?  Can we trust Him to protect our money and make it grow?  I don't see any such promises or guarantees that we can count on.  Rather we need to trust God Himself to do what is best for us, to teach us to depend on Him alone.  That's where this Scripture from Habakkuk fits.  I want to declare with the prophet(even though I struggle with it at times):

"Though the fig tree should not blossom, and there be no fruit on the vines, though the yield of the olive should fail, and the fields produce no food, though the flock should be cut off from the fold, and there be no cattle in the stalls, Yet I will exult in the Lord.  I will rejoice in the God of my salvation.  The Lord God is my strength, and He has made my feet like hinds' feet and makes me walk on my high places."  Habakkuk 3:17-19

Dave

Sponsor a Child

This subject has been on my to-blog-about list from the beginning.  Just haven't gotten around to it yet.  I was reminded today as I wrote a letter to our Compassion child and sent some money for a Christmas gift.

We have only been involved with Compassion for a few months now.  We've known about these organizations for years and have felt some guilt about not helping out, but never felt like we could afford it.  Our daughter has been sponsoring a child for around a year now.  That was certainly a reason to consider it.  I think the turning point was when I read Randy Alcorn's book, Money, Possessions and Eternity, and especially when I taught a Sunday School class from that material.  A main point of that teaching was, God blesses us so we can bless others!

We made the decision to get involved and then went to Compassion Canada online to see how to go about it.  Once you see those faces and the need, the tough part is trying to decide which child to sponsor.  Some children are labeled as Priority Children, meaning they have already been waiting several months for a sponsor.  We decided to go that route.  The other criteria we used made it much more personal to us.  We decided that we wanted a little girl who was born the same year as our first grandchild, Kadence.

Kadence went to be with Jesus when she was just four and a half months old.  We barely got to know her.  We barely got to spend any time loving her, encouraging her, or buying anything for her.  We decided to honour her memory by finding someone  the age Kadence would be now.  We do not see this in any sense as replacing Kadence.  We have five other grandchildren to love, encourage and buy things for.  But we thought it would be fitting to send some love and help to someone in need, in her honour.  

So we chose Silvia.  Silvia is a nine-year-old from El Salvador.  Even though Silvia is from another country, culture and language, for us, she is  a sweet reminder of Kadence and something of what Kadence might be like now.  It is a privilege and a joy to get to know this little girl and have a small part in her life.  We have received one letter with hand-drawn pictures from her.  We look forward to getting to know her better over the coming years.

Such is the privilege of being involved with a needy child through Compassion.  I recommend it to you.  There is great joy in knowing that God can use us greatly for so little effort.  We have found Compassion to be well-organized, reputable and committed to Christian teaching as well as material aid.  

However you look at it, this is an investment in eternity--for the child and for yourself as you lay up treasure in Heaven.  Especially with the way the economy is going, this is a far better investment than you will find on the financial markets.    

God's Power in the Weakness of the Stauffer Family

I just want to take a minute to point you in the direction of God's power and the Gospel at work in a real family in an extremely painful time.  Most of you know of the murder of Emily Stauffer, daughter of Pastor Terry and his wife Juanita.  In the midst of this severe trial Terry has blogged a few times to update those who are praying.  He  talks about their weaknesses and pain, but also the great hope they have in Christ and how God has used a variety of resources to help them.  I have been touched and encouraged by his honesty and faith.  That combination is a powerful testimony and ministry to others who may be or will experience pain.  I highly recommend that you bookmark his blog and go there regularly to remind yourself to pray and to learn from this godly family.

  Dave

God's Perspective?

I took this picture of mountains from the plane somewhere between the Okanagan and Calgary.  This was the first time I've seen mountains from above.  I LOVE the mountains from the ground--the height and size and majesty that dwarfs me and leaves me in awe.  I love how they point to God the Creator.  While I enjoyed this view of them too, they appeared less awesome.  I could take in several at once and rather than huge and majestic they looked a little flat. Looking down on them and taking them all in at once, it seems to me, is much more God's perspective.  He holds the whole world in the palm of His hand and He deserves this view of His creation.  He is far above and greater than it all.  I am not.  I'm perfectly happy with the ground view. 

I think next time I fly across the mountains I'll let my daughter have the window seat! 

Keeping Things in Perspective

It has been some time since I've posted.  In fact I noticed that I had fewer posts in September than any month since I started blogging and this is the first one this month.  Much of that has to do with having had a tough month at which point blogging takes a back seat--way in the back of the bus.  

We finished our vacation time for this year the end of the first week of September.  We had a great time on Vancouver Island with our son, daughter-in-law and two grandsons who we hadn't seen in  a year.  So it was tough saying goodbye, coming back home and getting back into the routine.  And being September also meant life was busy at church--the  Fall start up of AWANA, Sunday School, Small Group study, as well as other things that happen this time of year.  All things that add to my work load.  I was starting to feel some pressure.

But that was just the beginning.  Before long I was neck deep in dealing with issues of various sorts that caused me a fair bit of stress.  I guess the honeymoon of being the new pastor is over and I started feeling those old familiar stirrings of reluctancy in pastoring.  And I started arguing with God about why He keeps putting me back into pastoral ministry when I can't handle it. 

So I've tried to take a step back and look at things from a different perspective--hopefully a more godly one.  I've tried to see some good in all this.  One thing I was reminded of is something I have reminded others of in the past: we should expect problems and conflict in the church.  The church is made up of sinners saved by grace and in the process of being sanctified, but certainly not there yet.  The New Testament church had problems; so will we.  In fact I suspect that God uses these things to grow us.  The key is to act rightly when the problems and issues come.  All of that to say, problems should not surprise me/us.

Along the same line, a step back helped me realize that the devil is at work because God is at work.  Things have gone quite well in my first year in the church.  God has been moving in a couple salvations, some baptisms, some growth in individuals and the church.  It is inevitable that Satan is going to try to undo that.  I find it frustrating that we let him trick us and use us to do his dirty work, but I need to keep in mind that this is a battle and we have an enemy.  That enemy is not one another, but the evil one.

Another thing I've realized is that all of this pressure has affected my walk with God for good.  I have felt a greater weakness, a greater need and gone to the right place to find strength and God has shown Himself faithful.  He has listened to my doubts and complaints and cries for help and has not only given help and wisdom in some situations, but inner strength and peace in the midst of stress and fatigue.  

And finally, I have realized that my struggles are a walk on the beach compared to what others have gone through and are going through.  This hit me particularly hard this past week with the news of the death of Pastor Terry Stauffer's 14-year-old daughter in Alberta.  Pastor Terry is an acquaintance and my heart goes out to them as my prayers go to Heaven on their behalf.  My struggles are real enough, but not on the same scale as the pain this family and many others are facing.  It reminds me how much I have to be thankful for. 

Dave

The Christian Thing To Do?- Update 2

In case you're wondering if there has been any more news on my gas station episode, the answer is no.  I have not heard from the store manager.  A bit of an update from another place though: When I shared this at a men's breakfast recently one young guy suggested I pay forward the money I saved on the gas.  Actually John K. suggested something similar when he said I could give that money to the church.  So if the manger doesn't call in the next while that's my plan, to pay it forward to some deserving cause.

Dave

A Long Obedience in the Same Direction

I was saddened last week to read that Christian music artist, Ray Boltz has let it be known that he is a homosexual.  If the name doesn't ring a bell for you, he was well-known for his songs "Thank You,"  and "I Pledge Allegiance to the Lamb."

Apparently he has been struggling with this sin since his youth.  He came to Christ and hoped that would cure him, but he says although he married and had children the feelings have never gone away.  He broke the news to his family over 4 years ago, but has not gone public with it until a couple weeks ago.  He is now divorced from his wife and living a homosexual lifestyle. 

Especially discouraging is that this is not just something that he continues to struggle with.  He has apparently completely embraced it and deceived himself into believing it's okay.  In a recent interview he said,

If this is the way God made me, then this is the way I’m going to live. It’s not like God made me this way and he’ll send me to hell if I am who he created me to be … I really feel closer to God because I no longer hate myself.

There are a number of different ways we can respond to this and things to think about, but I have one particular thought I want to address.  It seems too many Christians, as they get older, fall headlong into some sin or another, or simply fall away from the Lord(can't think of any other specific cases offhand).  It's another clear reminder of how weak we really are and how much we need to keep clinging to our Saviour and to one another as believers.  We need to be constantly aware that the possibility is there for all of us to become deceived and fall away.  I cringe when I hear people say that it won't happen to them.  Being aware that it can happen is half the battle.

Eugene Petersen titled one of his books, A Long Obedience in the Same Direction.  He borrowed the phrase from Friedrich Nietzsche.  The Bible uses words like steadfastness, perseverance, faithfulness.  May we do our part and trust God to do His so that we can stay true for a lifetime.

Dave

The Christian Thing To Do?- Update

Well I've been back from vacation for a week now and this is my first post.  Not so much a time issue(although it has been busy), but more because I wasn't ready to update you on my gas station episode.  Finally I am.  I want to thank all of you who posted responses on my blog and on John K's, and also others I talked to face to face.

When it happened my immediate response to myself and to the attendant was, "What do we do now?"  She immediately replied that she didn't know what happened, but it was okay, not to worry about it.  I accepted that and gave her the $20.  

It wasn't until later when I had more time to process it that I started to wonder if I had done the right thing.  My greatest concerns were: 1. Did she have the authority to say it was okay?  2. Would she have to pay it herself?  3. What would Jesus do?  I likely should have gone back that day to check it out, but (excuses) we were busy getting ready to go away and I didn't think I'd have much chance of finding the store manager(this was a Safeway gas bar).  

Anyway I finally got back to the store today and talked to a manager.  I told him what had happened, and that I am a Christian and the pastor of the Baptist church and for that reason I wanted to be sure that this was looked after properly.  I told him that I was willing to pay.

The manager told me he had not heard anything about it(sounded like he thought he should have) and that he wanted to check into it with the gas bar manager.  Then he wondered aloud why he hadn't heard anything and if there might have been some cover up.  Now I'm feeling bad that I may have gotten someone in trouble by not dealing with it right away if that's the case. He thanked me, took my name and phone number and said he'd let me know.  

Perhaps I should have done something different to begin with but it is usual that I need some time to think things through.  I'm not great at spur-of-the-moment decisions.  Regardless, I can't change that now.  I believe I've done what I can now.  I'll let you know how it turns out.

I do want to address some of the comments you made before I sign off.  I disagree with the use of the verses from Romans 13.  I don't believe I legally owed the money or that it was stealing as I didn't try to get away with it.  I was told it was okay.  When I turn the situation around to look at it from the other end I ask, If you were the business owner that made a mistake would you expect your customer to pay for it?  I wouldn't and I don't think most people would.

On the other hand, I like what John K said about this being a great opportunity to be a witness for Jesus.  In the end I decided I would rather be on the side of grace rather than law.  I guess a verse that makes sense to me here would be to do unto others as you would have them do unto you.  Praying that God will somehow use this in my life, yours and the others involved.

Comments welcome!

Dave

The Christian Thing To Do?

I'd appreciate your help with something that happened to me yesterday.

We are going on vacation tomorrow.  The first leg of our trip is driving to Winnipeg, a four hour drive from home.  To get to Winnipeg we drive through a piece of Minnesota where I always gas up because it is much cheaper there than here.  I wasn't sure that I had enough gas to get us to the gas stop in Minnesota so I decided to get $20 worth of gas at our local gas station.  I could have run across the border to the U.S.A. here to get some.  It would have only taken 10-15 minutes, but I didn't want to bother with the border crossing and I didn't have enough U.S. money to get gas there and also on the way to Winnipeg.  So I was willing to pay an extra 30 cents a litre for the $20 I was going to get here.

The gas station here is full service so I told the attendant I wanted $20 of regular.  She set the pump then went off to help other customers.  A couple minutes later I realized the pump was still going and I quickly got out to shut it off.  It was just over $54.00.  The girl saw me get out and came running over to see that it had not stopped at the $20 she said she had set it at.

I was torn as to what to do; as to what the Christian thing was to do.  If I had wanted to fill it I would have gone across to get the cheaper gas.  Yet I did get much more than $20 worth of gas.

What would you have done?  What should I have done as a Christian?  Please give me your opinion and feel free to use Scripture to support your point if you like.

We are leaving tomorrow for 2 weeks vacation  so it is doubtful (a slight possibility, but doubtful) that I'll be blogging in that time.  I look forward to your advice on this issue and I'll let you know what I did when I get back.

Dave

A Quiet Place

Early mornings by the river, an eagle or pelican in flight, an occasional deer and a cup of Tim Horton's coffee;  These are some of the things that mark our quiet place.  My wife and I get up early about four times a week to take in God's creation, spend time catching up with each other, and reading and praying together.  We are presently reading a daily devotional about how God's Word has touched peoples' lives.  In the past we have read books on marriage, prayer and spiritual growth.

As much as we still rely on the TH coffee to help get us out of bed, the other elements are far more beneficial.  We continually marvel at God's creation.  We grow through time together.  We start the day with God.  

If Jesus needed to get away to a quiet place with His Father, how much more do we need it.  I realize it is probably not possible to get away outside the house if you have a young family.  You just need to do the best you can at home.  But if at all possible, find a special spot to meet with God.  I highly recommend it. 

Dave 

Youth Ministry in Small Churches and a Small Town

What can you do when you have a few teenagers, but no volunteers who feel skilled enough to lead a youth group and too small of a church to afford a paid youth minister? That concern has been on my mind and in my prayers for the year I've been pastoring at Bethel Baptist.

God has begun to work to answer our prayers. No, we haven't suddenly had a large infusion of money to be able to hire a youth worker. We haven't had a sudden influx of people wanting to become youth leaders. What we have had is a coming-together of a few pastors and a Canadian Sunday School Mission missionary to pray, talk, and dream. Three evangelical pastors meeting together monthly for encouragement and prayer were joined one month by Debbie, the CSSM missionary. Debbie and an advisory board working with youth in a neighbouring town had a desire to reach out to teens in our town's high school. With the support of the pastors, Debbie got going.

All of this led to several teens and adults from four churches coming together for prayer and planning over several weeks. So far this has resulted in the first joint Christian youth get-together in our town in a long time. The plan is to develop a core group of teens who love the Lord to reach out to youth in their school.

My role is not hands-on. Some good people have come forward from the churches to be on the front lines. I see myself as more of a cheerleader and interceder and if necessary, a resource person. But this is definitely one of the things I like about this small town. It is awesome to see Bible-believing churches and people coming together to serve the Lord and our youth! I'm pretty sure Jesus loves it too.

Dave