“The King Who Came in Humility”

Micah 5:1-5

The Christmas story reminds us that God’s ways defy human expectations. Micah 5:2 foretells a remarkable event: from Bethlehem, an obscure, humble village, the eternal King would come to rule His people. God chooses the weak, the small, and the overlooked to display His glory. Bethlehem teaches us a profound lesson—greatness begins with humility.

What does this ancient prophecy teach us today?

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1. Trust God’s Plan in Smallness

“But you, O Bethlehem... who are too little to be among the clans of Judah...” (Micah 5:2).

The Savior of the world could have been born in a palace or a major city like Jerusalem. Instead, God chose Bethlehem—a town of little significance. Why? Because God delights in using the small and ordinary to accomplish His purposes.

Are there parts of your life that feel insignificant or unseen? Trust that God is at work. Whether in your small acts of faithfulness, your unnoticed service, or your personal struggles, He can display His glory. God’s plan never depends on earthly greatness—it rests on His sovereign grace.

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2. Embrace Humility as Christ Did

Jesus, the eternal King, entered the world not in splendor but in a stable. The humility of His birth—laid in a manger, surrounded by shepherds—shows us what true greatness looks like. The Son of God “emptied himself... taking the form of a servant” (Philippians 2:7).

In a culture obsessed with status, success, and recognition, Jesus calls us to follow His example of humility. Are you living to serve others, or striving for your own glory? As Jesus’ followers, we must embrace the mindset of our King—laying down pride and living to bless others.

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3. Submit to Jesus, Your Shepherd-King

Micah describes the Messiah as one who “shall stand and shepherd his flock in the strength of the LORD” (Micah 5:4). Jesus, our Good Shepherd, leads us with perfect care and strength. In Him, we find lasting peace: “And he shall be their peace” (Micah 5:5).

Are you following the voice of your Shepherd? In a chaotic world, Jesus offers security, guidance, and eternal life. Trust Him in every storm of life. Let His lordship bring you comfort and hope.

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Respond to the King from Bethlehem

The prophecy of Micah invites us to marvel at Jesus, the King who came in humility to bring peace and salvation.

• Trust God’s ways—He works through the small and insignificant.
• Embrace humility—serve others like Jesus did.
• Rest in your Shepherd—let Him lead and sustain you.

This Christmas, bow before the King who came in humility but will return in glory. Worship Him, follow Him, and proclaim His peace to a world that desperately needs it.

The Lifelong Discipline of Learning

As our minds focus on Dads and Grads, let us not neglect the need to be lifelong learners in our faith. Remember the words of Christ:

“Love the Lord your God... with all your mind.” -Mark 12:29-30

If we are to be faithful disciples of Jesus Christ, we must set ourselves towards the discipline of learning. I know what some of you are saying right now, “I HATE READING!” I know some think that it is possible to divorce the fire of zeal from continuing to grow in Christ, but I would warn you about two possible ditches you must avoid. You see Satan doesn’t care which ditch he places you on — the right or the left. He just wants you in a ditch. So here is the warning. First, on the right, there is the ditch of perpetual learning without truly understanding. This principle is best illustrated in 2 Timothy 3:7 which points to those who are “always learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.” Instead of applying, going, and doing for Jesus, these individuals just sit and talk about it, much like philosophy classrooms. This may include interesting or stimulating conversation, but nothing else.

The second ditch to the left is “zeal without knowledge” (Proverbs 19:2). Zeal is the passion and drive to do! Zeal represents burning hearts. This is to be moved on an emotional level only. Yes, the Lord called us to love him with our heart, but he didn’t stop there. We are called to love him with our mind as well. The need here is to apply oneself to diligent study of God’s Word.

It should also be pointed out that just because someone is full of days, doesn’t mean they have knowledge or wisdom. Job 32:9 points out, “The abundant in years may not be wise, nor may elders understand justice.” I once pastored a woman who told me she didn’t need anymore Bible study because she had learned everything she needed to know. I was both shocked and appalled by this statement. I also pitied her. Can we ever get to a point where we know too much about our great love, our Lord Jesus Christ? But oh how sweet to meet a blessed saint who has applied the discipline of study to their lives for decades! Their knowledge and wisdom blesses all they encounter.

we must learn what Christlikeness means and how Jesus wants us to follow Him. We learn this through the Bible, of course, but it involves learning nonetheless.

Those whom the Bible considers wise and intelligent understand this. According to Scripture, “The wise lay up knowledge” and “An intelligent heart acquires knowledge, and the ear of the wise seeks knowledge” (Prov. 10:14; 18:15). So the primary measure- ment of wisdom and intelligence is not your IQ or GPA but whether you pursue knowledge, that is, whether you discipline yourself to continue learning the things of God throughout your life.

Intentional Learning

A hunger to learn the Word of God, the ways of God, and the will of God expresses a hunger for God Himself. Those who love God long to be taught about Him and from Him. That doesn’t mean all Christians are to manifest an affinity for learning exactly the same things and in identical ways. But it is true that apathy toward learning the things of God is a mark of those who do not know God.
We are blessed to live in a time when the means of and opportunities for expressing a love for God through learning greatly exceed our ability to take advantage of them. But all these profit little if a person doesn’t pursue them. This is why learning must always be a discipline, for a person can be surrounded by wisdom and knowledge yet live with- out their riches if he or she does not possess the discipline to learn them.

Thus, learning is indeed a gospel driven spiritual discipline; those who are not exerting themselves to learn the things of God will gain spiritual and biblical knowledge only by accident or mere convenience. By contrast, intentional learners will seek to learn the things of God and will do so individually as well as with the church, disciplining them- selves to learn from those who are gifted by God and recognized by the church as teachers.

What Is the Spiritual Disciple of Prayer?

You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions.”

-James 4:3 (ESV)

William Carey, (1767-1834) the father of the modern missions movement, once said that “Prayer - secret, fervent, believing prayer – lies at the root of all personal godliness.” But what is prayer? The most basic definition of prayer comes from the HIBD, which states:

                  

“PRAYER:  Dialogue between God and people, especially His covenant partners.”^[1]

I prefer the following definition for a fuller more biblical understanding of what prayer is:

“Prayer—is converse with God; the intercourse of the soul with God, not in contemplation or meditation, but in direct address to him. Prayer may be oral or mental, occasional or constant. It is a “beseeching the Lord” (Ex. 32:11); “pouring out the soul before the Lord” (1 Sam. 1:15); “praying and crying to heaven” (2 Chr. 32:20); “seeking unto God and making supplication” (Job 8:5); “drawing near to God” (Ps. 73:28); “bowing the knees” (Eph. 3:14).”^[2]

In the above passage, we have to ask what does it mean to ask “rightly” as opposed to “wrongly?” It would appear it boils down to a matter of transformed passions. What use is it to speak to God and ask Him for things that grieve Him or will not be for your benefit. In prayer, real prayer, we begin to think God’s thoughts after Him. Right and real prayer will mean to desire the things God desires, to love the things God loves, to will the things God wills. Gradually, we are taught to see our lives and others from God’s point of view. Prayer must be the main business of our lives. In Mark 1:35, we see Jesus getting up in the morning before the day, going out to a lonely place and praying.  King David’s desire for God broke the self-indulgent chains of sleep. And when the apostles are tempted to invest their time and energy into other important and necessary tasks, they determined to give themselves over continually to prayer and the ministry of the Word (Acts 6:4). Even Martin Luther the reformer once said, “I have so much business I cannot get on without spending three hours daily in prayer.”  John Wesley stated that “God does nothing but in answer to prayer,” and he went on to back it up by his conviction of devoting two hours daily to the sacred exercise.  So let’s make it our discipline, our intention to spend daily time with God in the most wonderful privileges of existence, speaking to our Lord and Savior.  If you have not already, carve out at least 10 minutes a day to speak to God in prayer and build that time up.  If you don’t have at least that much time to devote to prayer, you need to reconsider the priorities of your calendar.  Pray for our church to be ever increasing in faithfulness to the Great Commandments and the Great Commission.

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^[1]Randy Hatchett, “Prayer,” ed. Chad Brand et al., Holman Illustrated Bible Dictionary (Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers, 2003), 1320.

^[2] M. G. Easton, Easton’s Bible Dictionary (New York: Harper & Brothers, 1893).

Why Commit Yourself to the Disciple of Daily Bible Intake?

But he answered, “It is written, “‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes
from the mouth of God.’” -Matthew 4:4

In the passage above, Jesus points something out to us that should be a common practice among
believers. The practice of feasting on the Word of God. The statement Jesus makes is to the devil as he is tempted to turn stones to bread. This highlights our need to feast on the Word of God regularly. It is a commitment we should make before the day starts. You would be surprised by the benefits of feasting daily on the bread of life. Let me give you several things regular Bible intake will do for your life:

1. Make you wise for salvation.

Have you ever wondered at times, “Am I really a Believer? Do I have saving faith?” The apostle Paul wrote to Timothy about his faith. He mentioned that Timothy had known the Scriptures from childhood and that they were, “Able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus” (2 Timothy 3:15). If you don’t know precisely what you believe, the best place to begin is to spend a year reading the Bible for yourself. Cultural Christianity and modern media quote the same ten verses time and again. Why not dig a little deeper and take the time to reflect upon the entire message? There is nothing lost by spending a year reading the Bible, and there is much to gain.

2. Grow Your Relationship with God.

All relationships take time to build. Friends plan times to get together and catch up. Spouses reconnect on date nights. Church members chat over pot-lucks or in-home Bible studies. Building a fellowship with others takes time. If we want to grow a friendship with God, we need time in His presence for that relationship to flourish. Reading the Bible daily allows us the opportunity to get to know God. What does God care about? How does God respond to what he cares about? Whom does God love?

3. Help You fight Temptation.

We all struggle with sin in many ways. The Bible offers stories of imperfect people: liars, adulterers,
murderers, and idolaters. We are told that these stories were written for our benefit. Read 1 Corinthians 10:1-13. The Bible illuminates our tendency towards sin, as well as prepares us to fight it. The word of God acts as a sword against the attacks of the devil (Eph. 6:17). The Psalmist tells us, “I have stored up your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you.” (Psalm 119:11).

4. Nourish Your Soul.

Psalm 1 tells us the man who delights in the law of the Lord is like a “tree planted by streams of water that yields its fruit in seasons, and its leaf does not wither. In all that he does, he prospers.” Isaiah 55 compares time with the Lord to a feast in which he can delight our souls in the richest of fare. Jesus told us that abiding in Him was more necessary than food or water. Apart from Him, we can do nothing (See John 15). However, in Christ, we can do all things (Philippians 4:13). The most important gift you can give yourself in the coming years is time with Jesus.

Why makes a movie like Avengers: Endgame a good film?

Over the weekend I saw the last installment of Avengers Endgame broke the box-office raking in 1.2 billion dollar on its opening weekend. If you have not seen it nor the movie before, stop here spoiler alert! While there were a couple of scenes, I didn’t care for, the counseling scene with captain America affirming the man dating other men and the feminism push with Captain Marvel and the other “super girls.” I didn’t care for these scenes, because I feel they push agendas and add no value to the overall storyline. I did appreciate that these were rather short. Anyway, let me now shift to what I did like.

The movie was emotionally riveting, and the parts of the story that made it really good were the borrowed themes from biblical narrative either intentionally or not. Let me show you what I mean.

• Dr. Strange is a profit. The profits in the OT times foretold of God’s plan. His plan to save man from their sins. God knew there was only one way to save humanity, and so did Dr. Strange. He looks into all possible futures and sees only one option. He tells Tony there was only one way and we are in the end game now.

• The theme of self-sacrifice we see this from the character black widow. The Bible makes it very clear that the way of salvation calls for self-sacrifice. See Matthew 10:39.

• The brokenness of Thor's effort falling short. Thor didn't take out Thanos in the Infinity Wars, he went for the chest instead of the head and paid the price for it. In a similar, we all get to the point of brokenness where realize we are not enough on our own works and deeds. How we react to it is key, we can either become like Thor: Drink, become fat, and play video games. Or we can embrace Christ in our brokenness. 

• Tony Stark is a Christ-like figure. Going from the most selfish avenger to the one who performs the most selfless act. He knew that snapping his fingers would rid the universe of all time from Thanos and his evil. Remember Thanos was going to dust all of the universe and make it over the way he wanted it. A “grateful” universe who would see him as God-like.

• Thanos is Satan. His real intention comes through in the final showdown at the end. He was going to tear the universe apart and rebuild it into a “grateful” one that worshipped him like a God. Sound like anyone else you know?

• Nebula plays the part of Judas and illustrates a biblical theme of "the old man vs. the new man." Even though it was really herself from years It remains, she betrays the mission to save those who are dusted. The good news is she faces her former self, shows she has been transformed and dispatches her old self. While a bit more dramatic, it is clear that her "old" self is put to death a new self remains. This illustrates the biblical concept of the "old man" vs. the "new man" in Romans 6:4-6. Before she was a slave to Thanos and his bidding, but now she is free.

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What Should We Pray For?

I was in middle school playing basketball for the Fall Branch Cardinals. Before every game, the coach would ask one of our players to pray. The prayer was always the same, it was the Lord’s Prayer found in Matthew 6:9-13. I don’t know that it was terrible, but it was a tradition we did. After some time, it began to feel like a prayer rut to me. Have you ever felt like your prayer life was in a rut?

Remember that prayer is a powerful weapon that God gave us as a gift. In fact, Pastor John Piper says this about prayer, “Prayer is a wartime walkie-talkie, not a domestic intercom. God is more like a general in Command Central than a butler waiting to bring you another pillow in the den.” Of course, God is a Father, Lover, Friend, Physician, Shepherd, Helper, King, Savior, Lord, and Counselor. But let us not forget we live in a fallen world where we constantly are battling three enemies, our flesh, the devil, and the world. So, if we are to have maximum faithfulness in prayer, we must examine the content of the prayer. 

Before we look at what should be in our prayers let’s remember what shouldn’t be in our prayers, James 4:1-4 reminds and instructs us not to ask a thing to spend it solely on our selfish pleasures.  If you were to survey the prayers of the Bible that God answered you would find various patterns. The main pattern, where God answers the most prayers, concern the advance of His divine work and His Kingdom. An example of the main pattern would be Moses’ prayer for the nation advancing work through the desert (see Exodus 32:9-14). Fewer of the Bible prayers could be considered personal, like Hannah’s prayer for a son (see 1 Samuel 1:9-11). One interesting observation about would be that personal prayers do not contradict the nature and purpose of the divine work, but instead usually enhanced God’s work. For example, Hannah’s prayer produced Samuel, who holds a pivotal figure in Israel’s history (1 Sam. 1:10-20). Try this in your own prayer life. Keep a log of your prayers over a specific period. Dr. T.W. Hunt kept such a long, and he found that seven-ninths of his own answer’s prayers were primarily concerned with the advance of the kingdom work of God, and only two-ninths were personal. Hunt goes on to say, “all of the answered personal requests in some significant way accomplished a divine work that helped others and made a contribution to God’s work in the church.”[1]  Here are a few more items the early church prayed for:

•    Pray that God would exalt His name in the World. (Matt. 6:9)

•    Pray that God would extend his kingdom in the world. (Matt. 6:10)

•    Pray that God would save unbelievers. (Rom. 10:1)

•    Pray for boldness in proclamation/preaching. (Eph. 6:18-19, Acts 4:29)

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[1]Hunt, T.W., The Doctrine of Prayer. (Nashville: The Sunday School Board of the Southern Baptist Convention, 1986), 75.

When Should We Confess Sins Publicly?

“Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working.”-James 5:16

While many of us may feel conflicted anytime a public confession of sin happens, the word commands confession in verses like James 5:16. The question emerges, when does the confession of sin need to take place publicly in a local body? James reminds us that we all stumble in many ways (James 3:1). Also, while the Bible teaches that all sins are equal before God (James 2:10), the consequence of sins are not equal in this world. For example, the sin we engage in the sin of hate, it is known by God and us but perhaps by no one else. If we shoot and kill the person we hate, what follows in the church and community will be much different. Both sins are ugly, and Jesus calls them both murder (Matthew 5:21-22), but the consequences and scope of what follows differ significantly in this world. 

The same guiding principle applies to the public confession of sin. The scope of repentance must be as broad as the effect of the sin. So we should think of confession of sin through the lenses of the gospel but asking the following questions:

1.    Do we agree with God that what we have done is sin?

o    Simple but important. Many times we do not confess sin privately or publicly because we don’t agree with what the Bible says about our actions. We must overcome this first before we can move forward in forgiveness, healing, covering, and restoration.

2.    What is the scope of the consequences of the sin? 

o    As noted before, the extent of the impacts are they public or private? In 1 Corinthians 5:2, Paul instructs the church to skip the first three steps of the Matthew 18 process and put him out of the church. Why would Paul skip those steps? Because the sin was well known as sin by believers and unbelievers alike, and it was publicly known. The principle emerges here that the sin must be addressed at the scope it is known and affecting others.

3.    Do I understand that confession is a weapon to help me defeat sin?

o    Ephesians 5:11 tells us to expose “unfruitful works of darkness.” God gave us a powerful weapon when he gave us the confession of sin. When we tell others that our actions or thinking were sinful and wrong, the sin's power weakens on us. Make no mistake sin is powerful, and we are all just seconds away from most any kind. We need to battle it with all God has given us.  Not to mention it helps to defeat that same sin in others lives in the body when done publicly.

4.    Following the confession, will my church now join in the covering for the sin?

o    The gospel is always the model for how sin is handled. Once we confess our sins, God is faithful to forgive us (1 John 1:9). Once God forgives, He separates sin from us and Him as far as the east is from the west (Psalm 103:12). Romans 4:7 says that our sins are “covered” following forgiveness. Anytime one of our precious saints confesses sin; the right response is for us to do as God does. To cover a sin means we don’t talk about it anymore. We should celebrate their courage and God’s work in their life! We don’t point out their sin anymore to others in the church or outside the church. We unite in grace, truth, and love to help and bless them. Depending on the sin they may have consequences they face with the local law, but as far as we are concerned the blood of Christ covers their sins.

Things I Learned from Pastor Victor “Vic” Wallace & his lovely wife Dorothy “Dot.”

On Sunday morning, January 13, Pastor Vic Wallace preached his last sermon as pastor of Oak Hill Baptist Church in Fall Branch, Tennessee. Beginning in the mid-1950’s, Pastor Wallace began a ministry lasting over six decades of pastoral ministry including Flag Pond, Mosheim, Mountain City, Kingsport, and Fall Branch. One of the longest pastorates was at First Baptist Fall Branch, Tennessee where I met him. His time at Frist Baptist which spanned 1975-1999 & 2003, 25 years in total a rarity today. Pastor Vic lead me to Christ at the age of 12 years old when he presented the gospel clearly to all the children at VBS in the summer of 1993. After he explained it, I asked to speak with him. There in his office, he took me down the Romans Road, and I prayed to receive Christ. He also baptized my mother, father, and sister. Later when I was called to the ministry, he became my father in the ministry (see 1 Timothy 1:1). God used him to help me pick a seminary. I wanted to share the following as things I learned from watching him pastor and serving alongside him:

1.    Love your family.

Loved not only by his church family, but Pastor Vic is also loved by his wife, son, and grandchildren. He showed the ability to balance his responsibilities at home with his duties to the local body. I think he always knew that if he failed at home, he would fail his office as pastor.

2.    Never compromise on the Word of God.

Pastor Vic served through the time our denomination experienced what has been now termed the “Conservative Resurgence.” The “resurgence” boiled down to a battle over biblical inerrancy. From the pulpit, he openly preached the Bible as the Word of God, not simply that the bible contained the word of God! He loved to quote leaders of the resurgence like W. A. Criswell. What a great example to us all.

3.    Love your church family.

While no pastor can be everywhere at once, Pastor Vic made efforts to be there for church members who were experiencing milestones in their lives: births, marriages, sickness, deaths, etc.… He showed the importance of loving people in all seasons of their lives.  He had a way to make you feel like you were the most important person to him.

4.    Love your community & be a soul winner.

He embodied lifestyle evangelism. I remember once, a man he had never met appeared to be having a hard time. He asked him if anyone had ever told him that Jesus loved him. The man replied, “No.” And he said, “On behalf of the pastors and churches in Kingsport, I want to apologize to you for that and tell you that Jesus Loves you!”

5.    Never forget the importance of pastoral ministry.

Vic always held the office of pastor in high esteem, but it was his wife that gave me the analogy which sticks with me today. When I announced my call to ministry, Dot said to me, “Travis, this is a calling and a job that is more important than the presidency of the United States of America.” The Bible tells us that pastors are a gift to the local church, and Pastor Wallace along with his lovely wife, genuinely have been that for all the churches they have served.

Does Luke 2:14 mean Peace on Earth to Everyone?

“Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.”

-Luke 2:14 (KJV)

You have probably received Christmas cards containing the above part of the angel’s song to the shepherds on the fields of Bethlehem. But most modern translations read differently for example the New American Standard Bible (NASB) reads:

"Glory to God in the highest , And on earth peace among men with whom He is pleased."

And the English Standard Version (ESV) reads:

"Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!"

Notice that the underlined portion of the newer translations are lacking in the KJV. Now don’t get me wrong I love the KJV, and I am not knocking it. In fact I always check it when I do sermon preparation. The difference between the KJV and the other translations is the difference between the nominative εὐδοκια[eudokia] in the KJV and the genitive εὐδοκιας[eudokias] in the NASB and ESV. The genitive case in Greek is used to show possession, but the function of the nominative case is to indicate the subject of the sentence. In other words, if a word is the subject of the verb it will have a nominative case ending. The new translations used the oldest and best manuscripts.

The Greek manuscripts used to translate the KJV contained a nominative, whereas the older manuscripts used to translate the modern version contains the genitive of the same word.  The literal transition would be “of good will” or “characterized by (God’s) good pleasure.” I n other words, the peace that the angles sang that  night belonged to the earth as a result of the birth of Christ is not a generic, worldwide peace for all humankind, but a peace limited to those who obtain favor with God by believing in his son Jesus (See Romans 5:1). Jesus brings peace to those who trust and believe in him, but to those who reject him their end will be judgement and he will wage war on them (see Revelation 19:11). This is why we must make the most of  the Christmas season to direct people to Jesus Christ, as we should in all seasons.

What are the greatest changes you are facing in your church and ministry?

Recently I was asked by a member of the Tennessee Baptist Convention the question above. I began in the ministry in 2001. I have watched many changes unfold in these past 17 years. I took my first full-time ministry in 2007. Here is my observations:

1. Social Media-The options of blogs, Facebook, tweeter, and Instagram changed how we communicate. There may have been a time when you could pastor without using these tools but not today. You must be online to be a good Shepherd and know where the pulse of the culture is.

2. Widespread Use of Cell Phones and Text Messaging- This has also changed the way we communicate. We can now have change plans instantly. I think this has led to lower commitment levels. Also, text messaging has allowed for an exchange of information without commitment to talking to one another. Sometimes this is good, but other times important communication cues are lost in translation.

3. Overcoming Legalism –For many years living a holy lifestyle was stressed, but sometimes at the expense of getting the gospel right. Many of those in my generation, Gen X and younger, need help to recover from the scars of legalism. I once wrote a blog answering a question about if it is ok to have a tattoo. I didn’t think much would come of it, but it resulted in the most viewed blog I have written to date. We have to remove the legalistic packing the gospel has been wrapped in if we are going to be effective in reaching out to others.

4. The influence of 24-hour news and shock jock radio –I remember when 24-hour news was kicked off during the 9-11 attacks. I think that the constant bombardment of news, mostly bad has affected our churches and communities. In the culture, the divide between the right and left are more distant than ever. And both sides are becoming more militant in their stance and lack of toleration for the other side. In fact, this has led to an inability to disagree on anything agreeably. The only groups are those who are for us, and those against. The effects of these groups continue to polarize our culture and churches.

5. Waiting longer to join a local Church-It is now not uncommon for an individual or couple to wait up to 1 or 2 years before they enter a church. This may be because of past hurts, and sometimes they just want to “serve God” not joining the membership at all.

6. The pornification of our society- No longer only accessible in movies and magazines, Pornography is now piped in through phones, iPad, PCs, and tablet devise. Also, it is no longer just for men.

7. Increase in Drug Additions- When I first entered into the ministry the empathies was on staying away from alcohol, but ask any police officer today, and they will tell you pills and harder drug additions are a bigger issue. Our area has one of the highest NAS baby births in the USA.

What are the greatest challenges you are facing in your church and ministry?

The biggest challenges facing our church I think are in two categories: Internal (challenges from within the church culture) and External (Challenges form the culture on the church). Let me start with the internal challenges:

• Fear of the Unknown- In our area the tried and true methods are the most trusted, but the tried and true deliver the same results. Innovation is not valued highly, part of the mountain culture I assure. I think that if you were to ask the average Carter County resident what they fear, they would say "leaving this area." This would be due to the fact that they don't know if they could survive outside this county. Our community in many ways remains in a time warp, lagging some 20 or more years behind many of urban settings in the US. Sometimes this is good, but sometimes it hurts us.

• Love of Comfort- In many ways this goes hand and hand with the first one. I think that people don't want to try new ministries or models of ministry because they are comfortable with what they have. While we are all guilty of this, it is especially true in this church. We all love comfort food, and to churches there are comfort ministries: Three to thrive, Sunday School, etc... The mistake made here is to mistake the practice for the biblical principle.

• Inability to Relate or Understand the Unreached- Flowing from an inward focus, the inability to see what the church does through the eyes of someone who is lost. Our Church needs to understand who the unreached are, what they are thinking, where they gather, and why they are not coming to church. The longer we are in church, this gets harder to do.

• A Balance between "Come and See" and "Go and Tell" outreach- Perhaps it is because the church has spent so much time and energy on its building or perhaps it is bad teaching. But we need a balance between inviting them to come and see what we have to offer, with going and telling what Jesus has to offer. The church often times doesn't see the value in going and telling. The attitude is, “if they want us, they know where to find us same place we have been for 75 years.” Praise God this is not what Christ's attitude towards us!

• UnGodly Marriages-These are burning up the church. Marriages that are in trouble. Dealing with them takes a great amount of time and energy, sucking life out of a pastor and church. Even marriages we think are “OK” are not as good as we hoped. It is life draining to deal with these. Usually by the time they reach my desk the “eggs are out of the cart and smashed on the floor.” Can we as pastors put the eggs back together?

• Lack of Commitment to the Local Church –People see the church in one of two ways: either “what can it do for me” or “what can I do for her?” For me this is one of the most cutting. I have had to watch people I would have once counted as very good friends leave the church over petty issues. I often think they are trying to solve internal problems with external solutions. I am not sure how to help them and minister to them when: 1. I am hurt by their actions and lack desire to minster to them, 2. They don’t want me to minister to them in some cases.

• Legalism-Legalism is a “peculiar kind of submission to God’s law, something that no longer feels the personal divine touch in the rule it submits to.” And just as in the story of the Prodigal Son, we are much more likely to find the legalist near the Father’s house than out away form it. Legalism involves superimposing moral standards that are either non existent in the word or of minor issue. Joyful holy living has been replaced by something more ugly. The unreached pick up on this and run from it.

How should we respond to LGBTQ Festivals and White Nationalists rallies?

On September 15, 2018, the first annual TriPride Parade and Festival took place in Johnson City, TN. WJHL reported that 10,000 people celebrated at the Festival. In addition to this the Tennessee League of the South announced they will hold a rally at Sycamore Sholes State Historic Park on Saturday, September 29, 2018, at 9 am. According to the League State Chairman Tom Pierce, the purpose was to “draw attention to the continued assault upon our people and heritage.” They are protesting the fall of “Silent Sam” at the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill campus. The question is how do we respond to these groups in our community? 

First, I would like to point out that these two groups share distortions. Both groups are distorting God’s creation and plan for humanity. The LGBTQ community distorts God’s plan and the creation of gender, sexuality, and the family.  God made two genders in Genesis 5:2. God established the plan for the family in Genesis 2:24 stating that a man shall “leave and cleave” to his wife, beginning a new family unit. Two genders fulfilling the earth through a God defined marriage is His plan for humanity. Anything outside of this plan laid out in Genesis is a distortion of God’s good plan and leads to greater distortions and brokenness.

The nationalist community distorts the value and equality of all mankind through racism. Genesis 1:27 tells us that all are made in the image of God. This includes all skin color. We are also told that all, if we believe in Jesus, are one in Jesus Christ, Galatians 3:28.  The New Testament teaches us that justification by faith does not eradicate our gender, our vocation, or our ethnicity, but it does relativize all these things. Our first and most important identity is not male or female, American or Korean, black or white, but Christian. We are more alike then we are different. 

Lastly, bible last teaches us that partiality is a sin, see James 2:1. And 1 John 3:15 tells us that everyone who hates his brother is a murderer. Hate is murder of the heart because it looks at someone else or some other group and thinks, “I wish you were not around. You are what’s wrong with this world, and the world would be better without people like you.” That’s hate, which sounds an awful lot like murder. 

Here are some things to remember:

1.    We must be salt and light, but don’t throw salt in people’s eyes or blind others.While it may be enticing to join the anti-protests in each group, we should avoid this. We must show love for the persons trapped in these principalities, and stand against their messages. 

2.    Remember the church brings together what the world defines as natural enemies. We are all one in Christ Jesus. The separating of peoples at Babel in Genesis 11:7-9 was a cure, but bringing peoples together at Pentecost in Acts 2:5-11 was a gift God gave us.

3.    Be tough and tender, and be patient with all.Jesus was the toughest on Pharisees and tender towards people, like the woman at the well. We never back down from God’s Word, but we also need to have compassion for the brokenness of fallen human beings. Let us remember, were it not for the grace of God, we would most likely be in one camp or the other.

Why Move Trunk or Treat to Sunday, instead of October 31?

Trunk or Treat last year was a big success! Actually, it was more successful than we were prepared for. The Facebook event was shared some 30 plus times, leading to over 700 children plus attending the event. This led to discussions in church council. It was decided by the council to move the date to Sunday October 31 for the following reasons:

1.     To Redeem Halloween to the Max-Anytime we find something in culture we have three choices as believers- we can:

a.     Reject Halloween-this holiday has pagan roots, so we can’t have anything to do with it. The problem with this view is that we can’t say that just because something has a bad root or beginning means it is totally bad. If that were true, we should stop driving Volkswagens because they were originally invented by Adolf Hitler. We will also be hard pressed to explain to children why biblically we can’t dress up and receive some treats. (see Gen. 50:20)

b.     Receive Halloween- This is simple, we will receive the holiday as it is. The problem with this view is accepting practices of the holiday we cannot go along with as Christains, like inappropriate customs (1 Timothy 2:9), any kind of celebration of witchcraft or pagan worship (Leviticus 19:31), and any kind of seeking to speak with the dead (Deut. 18:10-14).

c.     Redeem Halloween-As I child, I grew up in an unchurched/unreached family, and we always celebrated Halloween. I have many fond childhood memories. We often think of this from a churched or Christian perspective, but let’s try to put ourselves in the shoes of the unreached. My unreached family did not worship pagan Gods, play with ouija boards, or seek out spiritual mediums. For us, it was about three things: a sweet costume, which you wanted to wear every day, letting your neighbors see your sweet costume, and CANDY! I don’t recall ever going to a church to trick or treat, and to be honest, it never crossed my mind. But going to a neighbor’s house, sign me up! October 31 is the ONLY night of the year when lost people knock on our door. Will we be home to be salt and light to them, showing them the love of Christ?

2.     To allow maximum volunteer participation-The reality of last year was that we could have used more man power. For various reasons, several of our volunteers could not come on October 31, as it usually falls on a weekday. Most work schedules simply do not allow for them to participate. Another group stated they always hand out candy at their house, as it is a community event for them. Another still stated they could not help due to family activities on October 31^st. These three issues knocked out a block of help, the Sunday before removes these hurtles.

3.     To be kind to our neighbors-We have been approached by several from Thomas Blvd about the tremendous pressure it puts on them when we hold our event on Oct. 31. The 700 plus people will visit the surrounding homes either before or after our event. 

4.     To have a backup plan for bad weather-With this even being outside, holding the event on October 31 gives no backup date. In the event that Sunday’s weather doesn’t work, we can always pick the three other days! 

o  Bonus: If we have good weather, the leftover candy can be handed out at church members homes who have lots of traffic.

Baptism Service Haiti 2018

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What is an Honorarium, and how much is appropriate for a pastor on a wedding or funeral?

I was once asked by someone if they could rent me from the church to do a funeral or wedding. The answer is, you don’t rent a pastor from the church, but you can be a blessing to him. An honorarium is a payment made without the giver recognizing themselves as having any liability or legal obligation to a person for his or her services in a volunteer capacity or for services for which fees are not traditionally required. So at the conclusion of any funeral or wedding, you may ask the pastor, “What do I owe you?” and the answer will always be, “Nothing.” But what is the service the pastor has given to you in a time of need or blessing worth to you?

Pastors often HATE to discuss compensation with their church, and this falls into that arena. Pastors don’t get into the ministry to get rich. I also understand that funeral costs are rising and fewer people are buying life insurance policies. With that being said, if a family is strapped for cash no decent pastor expects anything; but, in the case where a family has means to do so I want to provide you with some things to consider, and some guidelines for how much to give a pastor.

First off consider how much time he is taking to serve your family and who is really paying the price. A pastor’s time must be weighed against his family and/or church responsibilities. An average local funeral or wedding will easily add on a minimum of 8 to 12 hours of work for a pastor’s week. He has his regular responsibilities to the church and his family. Remember he does more than just preach he takes time to meet with the family when death occurs, plan the service, do premarital counseling, show up for rehearsals, plan the wedding service, and prepare his sermon. He will have to make of the time somewhere, and often time with his family is sacrificed. When I receive honorariums, I seek to use it for Christmas or vacation with the family as repayment to my wife and children for the time they have lost with me.

So now for the scale, I have been asked for many times. Keep in mind I have asked many pastors about this, and this is from personal experience. I spoke to one of my mentoring pastors who has done 1,000 of funerals in his lifetime, and he was in agreement with this scale. So here it is and I have kept this on the low side:

·       Minimum: $100 (note: this has been the minimum for about 20 years so $150 would be a better minimum bar today)

·       Very Nice: $200-250

·       Blessing His Family: $300-350

·       Being Generous: anything over $400

·       One final note that should be considered, if you are going to appreciate a pastor, don’t forget his travel expenses- mileage, meals, and rooms. I would say that you need to add a minimum of $250+ for travel. I have heard of some honorariums being as high as $800-1,000.