I WAS NEW - AND YOU GREETED ME!

Debbie and I attend the Bethel Evangelical Presbyterian Church in Enon Valley.  We are still quite new to this congregation and cannot be there every Sunday because of occasional preaching assignments that come along for me.  I've always recognized the difficulty new attenders face in acclimating to a new church family. We have experienced this at least twice since my retirement two years ago. I am not a particularly outgoing person anymore, partly due to my severe hearing challenges. It is easy for me to simply slip out after worship and wait for Debbie in the car. This, of course, hampers the assimilation process considerably. I know that I must resist this 'avoidance behavior' and engage with people if I want to genuinely become part of the church family. However, it's hard to do so. If it's hard for me, imagine how difficult it is for a seeker who is not at all familiar with the expectations of participating in a church service. Many years ago (while serving the Oakland Church), I led a couple to Christ through marriage counseling. They opened my eyes to so many things through their casual comments and questions. She asked me once about all of the initials we used in our bulletin: FMY, CLC, WMFI, and LLMI. They helped me realize that these were 'insider terms' that were unwelcoming to guests. She also asked how everyone knew the words to the doxology? After that I printed the hymnal page for the offertory response.

At Bethel, I have pretty quickly learned that we usually stand to sing. When our pastor completes the reading of the scripture, he uses a liturgical statement:  "This is the Word of the Lord";  I now know that the congregation's response is, "Thanks be to God for His Word".  We stand and sing the doxology after the offering has been received.  I enjoy such involvement and find that it opens a way for me to give voice to my gratitude to God.

Learning the ropes of a congregation takes time and effort.  Some practices may be slightly off-putting or (more positively) challenging.  I've never been a fan of need-sharing in worship simply because most of the time you can't hear what's being said.  But at Bethel it is handled nicely by two ushers who hurry to the person with a microphone.  Following this sharing time, Pastor Jerry (Dodds) purposefully prays for every need that has been mentioned as we all agree with him in our own prayers.  It's a connecting time that is a nicely handled expression of genuine concern!

Having been a pastor, I know that the best way to assimilate people quickly and efficiently is to involve them in a small group!  Most churches (from my vantage point) struggle with this challenge.  Therefore, the new attender is often left to his/her own initiative in getting significantly involved.

I always trained leaders to be intentional about connecting with new people.  For instance, they knew that I was not available to them on Sunday morning;  I was focused on the crowd at that time!  I trained leaders to deliberately connect with newer people repeatedly.  They could then help the congregation to also connect!  This was an effective plan because new attenders were honored that a church leader remembered their name and was intentional about speaking to them.

The challenge of assimilating is not going to go away.  A growing church is going to continually see new faces.  If those people are going to become a part of the church community, it will be because someone was persistent in helping them to connect and fit in!  Where no effort is being made in this area, guests will show up for a service or two and then withdraw in disappointment.

Every church needs to systematically asses its plan for assimilating new people.

• What is our assimilation plan?
• Who is responsible for it?
• How will we know that we are being effective?
• Who follows up on the people who are slipping through the cracks?
• How do we keep our congregation focused on this need?
• What is our time-table for evaluating effectiveness at this crucial process?

A 1-2 minute 'greeting time' is a poor excuse for an assimilation plan - especially if guests are left standing awkwardly during those pregnant moments!  

John 13:35  (KJV)

By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.

To some extent, the burden for assisting new people to fit in rests on the whole congregation.  There is a man at Bethel Church who worked at Townsend Company (Fallston - New Brighton, PA) with my Dad years ago.  My first Sunday at Bethel, he sought me out to remind me that he worked with my Dad.  You must realize that there are not a lot of people around today who knew my father.  Making this connection meant the world to me!  Even this morning, Lloyd's wife made a genuine connection with me following worship.  It made me feel accepted!  

Ah, how vital that is!  

Maybe each of us who are part of a church family can have new eyes next worship service toward those who may be new attenders.  

While we were attending the Springfield Church of God, I would be greeted by people frequently who would say, "Are you new to worshipping with us?"  Even though I wasn't necessarily new, I was always warmed by the fact that they made a deliberate attempt to greet me!  

We have more power and influence than we realize!  Why not put it to work?  

LIKE A LAMB

Many years ago, when Debbie and I were just getting established in our marriage, we were cheated by a landlord in Nicholasville, Kentucky.  We had only lived in the apartment for a year and took care to leave it in immaculate condition.  However, the unscrupulous landlord refused to return our escrow.  By today's standards it was a small amount;  however, at the time it was a huge amount to us.  We felt so taken-advantage-of.  It was unjust and we felt the pain of it.

Upon returning home, we shared the story of this injustice with Debbie's family in great detail.  After doing so, her father spoke very directly to me.  He said:  "Harold, you shouldn't repeat this story again.  Every time you do, you relive the anger of the moment.  Why do that to yourself?"

To be honest, I was offended at his admonition.  I had been wronged!  Didn't I have the right to share my pain with those I loved?  But, inside, I knew he was right.  The telling of that story raised vengeful feelings in me.  I wanted to get back at the landlord and even fantasized about doing so. This was not appropriate behavior for a seminary student.  It was not appropriate behavior for a Christian couple.  

The Holy Week experiences of Jesus reveal horrible physical and emotional abuse.  The sinless Son of God suffered immeasurably!  This chain of suffering ended with the cross and its cruelties and shame.  It is a week that we presently commemorate and regard as 'Holy'.  It is the pivotal week in the Christian year!  We reflect on this week with the deepest gratitude.  

Robin Mark sings it so well:

  You exchanged the Joy of Heaven

For the suffering of the cross
And the presence of Your father
For the friendship of the Lost

You took on the form of servant
All Your Godly glory veiled
For this broken world submitted
To the cross, the thorns, the nails

Now we know there was no other way
To release this world from sin
You endured the cross, despised the shame
Opened Heavens gates
So that we might enter in

Jesus endured the greatest of injustices as He laid down His life to be our sacrifice for sin!  He did not complain.  He did not cry out against the injustice.  There are many indications that He simply chose silence as His response:

Matthew 27:12

And while He was being accused by the chief priests and elders, He did not answer.

Matthew 27:14

And He did not answer Pilate with regard to even a single charge, so the governor was quite amazed.

Luke 23:9

And Herod questioned Him at some length; but He answered him nothing.

It's easy for us to forget that Jesus could have taken an escape route.  Remember in the garden when Peter drew his sword?  Jesus responded:   [Matthew 26:52-54]

"Put your sword back in its place,…Do you think I cannot call on my Father, and he will at once put at my disposal more than twelve legions of angels? But how then would the Scriptures be fulfilled that say it must happen in this way?'"

There seem to be three points for us to consider here:

1. It is probable that we have not fully appreciated the depth of Christ's sacrifice!  I will not expand on the details of crucifixion here, nor will I attempt to describe how it must have felt to have His Father abandon Him as He bore the sins of the whole world.  It is sufficient to say that there has been no greater sacrifice made in history - and He did it out of His love for me and you!
2. It is likely that we spend too much time and energy holding on to resentment and bitterness.  We unwittingly punish ourselves for the wrongs of others.  How foolish!  How much better for us and how much wiser to take the path of Christ:  "Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing."  [Luke 23:34] 
3. Jesus also offers us another alternative to injustice:  accept it as part of God's greater will and plan.  Don't resist it.  Trust the Father for the grace to endure and prevail.  Believe in His persistent love for you and His capacity to see you through the greatest of adversity with a high hand!  

I Just finished watching the Lord of the Rings trilogy with my grandchildren.  Repeatedly throughout these stories I find myself saying, "Well, this is the end;  they're surely defeated now!"  But in each scenario, resources and forces beyond my imagination rise up to deliver victory and freedom!  It is an epic story of good triumphing over evil despite overwhelming dilemmas.  

But, in the end, Frodo drops the ring into the river of fire and then after a brief respite back in the shire, he boards a ship for the enduring land.  

If we capture these truths, we can be certain - because of the empty tomb - that we will experience the same ending!  Trust Him!

RANDOM REFLECTIONS ON WORSHIP

[This is not a researched offering.  Rather it is a description of personal reflections about worship.  Please excuse any aspects of the worship movement that I may fail to comment on.]

My earliest experiences of worship took place in my 'growing-up' church:  the New Brighton Free Methodist Church.  I've gone to church since before I was born.  I suppose my first experiences of genuine worship took place during the singing of hymns.  New Brighton was a singing church with an amazing set of leaders.  Morrison Baker was the consummate song leader.  He was usually accompanied at the piano by his daughter, Martha Smeltzer, and at the organ by Helen Douglas.  Later, Anna Zahn and Larry Zahn (her son) also assisted at the piano and organ.  The congregation was fairly large for that time and so the singing was triumphant.

Music seems to have always been a large component of worship.  The Psalms give ample illustration of the part that music played in the worship of the Old Testament.  Exhortations to sing bleed over into the New Testament as well.  Singing and making music seems to be a natural way of expressing our love and appreciation to God.

Certain songs seemed to have an almost guaranteed ability to allow us to transcend the natural world and gain an increased sense of the supernatural world.  Some that seemed to fall in this category were:

• "And Can It Be?"
• "Great Is Thy Faithfulness"
• "It Is Well With My Soul"
• "Wonderful Grace of Jesus"
• "Grace, Greater Than All Our Sin"

In that early season of my life, manifestations of the presence of God included seeing people weep, shout, walk the aisles, go to the altar, stand with arms lifted or walk back-and-forth at the front of the church holding a Bible high in one hand.  At the annual Camp Meeting, these manifestations would be even more dramatic and pronounced.  Although I occasionally doubted the authenticity of some of these responses, most of the time I felt they were genuine expressions of devotion to God!  They impacted me deeply and made me want to love and serve God more devotedly.

As I matured and became a leader in the church, worship experiences changed.  The more dramatic expressions seemed to occur less frequently.  Our worship (from my purview) seemed to become more dignified and perhaps less potent.  However, there were still times when we collectively knew that something beyond ourselves was happening.  When a holy Presence falls on a congregation, everyone seems to sense it - even children!  The best clarification I can give for these rare times is that you didn't want them to end!  

Two of the churches that I served stand out to me as being sprinkled with abundant times of impactful worship.

The first was the Oakland FMC (East Liverpool, Ohio) where I served from 1982 - 1995.  When I first arrived the worship was led by a song leader with Martha Anderson at the organ and David Kelly at the grand piano.  

This time period encompassed a time of major transition across the church in worship music.  It is often referred to as the 'Praise and Worship Movement'.  Short worship choruses became prolific during the 1980's.  Many churches had photo-copied sheets in the pew for singing these praise choruses.  The guitar was commonly reintroduced to worship leadership as well.  These choruses were easy to learn and often repetitive.  Effective leaders (and musicians) could weave them together in seamless worship offerings to a most worthy God 

During my years of service at Oakland, we transitioned the worship experience significantly in line with the P&W Movement.  Gradually, we developed a worship team approach.  The congregation largely grew in their love and devotion to God!  Sunday morning and evening services were characterized by vibrant and meaningful worship!  Key people - like Ron and Marilyn Kelly - made major contributions to the transitions.  David Kelly's Spirit-sensitivity became a frequent door used by God to bless and minister to our people!  

It seemed that people's worship experience was assisted by the simplicity and directness of these choruses.  The MASTER CHORUS BOOK was published (words only) to accommodate this phenomenon;  many churches added it to their pew racks.  Two music producing companies also rose up to be part of this movement:  MARANATHA MUSIC and INTEGRITY MUSIC.  Cassette tapes (and eventually compact discs) were produced to propagate a whole new movement of worship music.  Along with this came the introduction of the worship team concept of leading worship.  Many instruments began to replace the piano and organ that had held sway for a long season.  

The evolution of the worship team has gradually and increasingly led us to a more "performance oriented" style of worship.  Platforms became stages.  A single microphone was replaced with a sound system.  The song leader became the worship leader.  Words are now projected on a screen, so hymnbooks or chorus books were no longer necessary.  The congregation didn't need lights to read a hymnal, so the lights were projected onto the worship leader and team instead.  The end result of all these changes is significant, but one can question the effectiveness of these changes as related to one's experience of God in worship!  

As the 1990's came to a close, I became part of the leadership team at the Cornerstone FMC (Akron, Ohio), working under Pastor Brenda Young's leadership!  In time, I became the Lead Associate Pastor of this growing congregation, and when our worship leader left suddenly, I became the worship leader for the next several years.  

The Cornerstone Church was unique.  Pastor Charles Young had led the church to significant growth over a long period of ministry with the capable assistance of his wife, Brenda.  When Charlie was elected as the Ohio Conference Superintendent, Brenda became the Lead Pastor!  The church immediately erupted to a new level of growth.  I arrived a year-or-two into that new growth.  The next five years saw the congregation go from 400 to 700 worshippers.  

Brenda openly encouraged people to listen to the local Christian radio station.  She then instructed the worship team to use songs from the radio's playlist and to do them exactly as they were done on-air.  It worked!  

The Promise-Keepers movement was in full swing during this time!  Many Christian bands were creating music that was being adopted by the church for worship.  The Cornerstone Church was clearly targeted toward lost and hurting people.  It's mission was openly announced by Pastor Brenda every Sunday:  "Cornerstone Church exists to help people find the Father, a Family and a Fulfilling Future!"  Remarkably, nearly seventy-five percent of the congregation were first-generation believers!  It's the only church of its kind that I have ever known!  

The ministry (during the time I was there) focused on people experiencing the pain of divorce, the pain of addiction, and the pain of hopelessness!  People could receive counseling.  Classes for growth and better biblical understanding were regularly available!  Tracks for leadership were always welcoming new people!  Worship times were passionate and marked by nearly raucous responses from the people!  Baptisms were punctuated by hoots, hollers and wild applause!  Some gradually slipped away, but MANY were caught in ever-deepening cycles of love for God and service to Him!  

Although I'm now retired and no longer am leading the church, I still care deeply about its viability in the present age.  I think leaders need to continually examine the vehicles being used to minister to its people!  There are clearly perils associated with a consumer-oriented ministry and a performance-based worship style.  Leaders need to systematically ask the necessary questions:

• Are our people genuinely worshiping God?
• Do our systems lead them or do they entertain them?
• Are we investing prayerfully in our planning?
• How do we touch the individual needs of our people?
• What do we need to be doing to help our people connect with God?
• Are we just producing the same thing every week, or are we waiting before God for His agenda?
• Are we willing to hold our structures loosely with an open eye to the Spirit's movement?

During my years at Oakland, God gave me a crystal clear sign that His Spirit was moving!  When I would come to the end of my message and time to end worship, I would sometimes notice that three women in the church would be wiping tears from their eyes.  Gradually, God showed me that this was my sign of His supernatural presence!  As a result, when I would see those three women weeping, I would silently pray for God's direction.  Almost always, people would come to pray at the altar as a result!  

If we ask Him - He will lead us!  Thanks be to God!  May His Spirit continue to bless His Church!

A LETTER TO OUR SON

Dear Travis,

It was forty-three years ago that you officially entered our world.  We had a real scare while your Mom was carrying you and feared you might not make it.  Dr. Dunkelberger ordered your Mom to have complete rest for two weeks.  Every morning, I carried her from our tiny bedroom to the living room with many bright windows and canary-yellow curtains.  At that time we lived in a 40' mobile home in Wilmore, Kentucky.  That's right, you're a true southerner!  Then, in the evenings, I'd carry her back to the bedroom.  The precautions paid off and you startled us on this date all those years ago by letting your Mom know it was time to come into our world!  You were not expected for another five-and-a-half-weeks!  But you were joyfully received!

You continually brought us joy!  We remember taking you with us - late at night - to Pizza Hut and having you sit in your carrier while we ate and marveled over you.  We kissed your little feet and snuggled you at every opportunity.  You slept in a bassinet at the foot of our bed.  The bedroom was so small, your Mom had to climb over the bed to get into it!  Your Mom used cloth diapers, and you kept her busy washing them.  One time, when she was changing you, she saw your face redden.  Not wanting to see you go in a clean diaper, she reacted quickly and caught your disposal in her HAND!  Oh yes, she loved you!  

As you grew, we could see how intelligent you were.  You loved for us to read to you!  The VALUE books we bought were consumed over and over again.  Then, you began reading on your own.  I remember the day that you told me about a book titled "The Hobbit";  you seemed to think I would enjoy it.  You were right!  You did well in school, but always avoided doing too well;  it seems that you desperately wanted to avoid being considered an egg-head.  But your capability remained in reserve, as you eventually showed years later at the Naval Academy.  We were always so proud of you!  

Your socialization skills were off-the-chart!  You clearly got a large personality bequest from your Mom!  You made friends easily and brightened every room you ever entered.  People loved you!  Your friends valued you!  Your family prized you!  Your peers respected you!  You were a near-perfect blend of intelligence, humor, likability and reliability.  It served you well.

You had your down times.  You carried your burdens very privately.  Occasionally, you would ask us for advice - or prayer.  Dark periods visited your soul, but you always seemed to find your way through.  You had grit and determination.  But the wounds left scars to remind you of the lows you'd passed through.  

Travis, it's an understatement to say that you amazed us with your life and accomplishments.  You've done things and been places that utterly astound us.  Aside from your understanding about nuclear reactors, you compiled knowledge and experience in so many areas.  I remember you calling me one time when you were on the mast of the USS Parche.  The sub had just hit open waters and you were the last on deck.  You squeezed the call in for one last goodbye before submerging for 122 days (a record at that time)!  I sat stunned after your call for a long time thinking about you!

We miss you so much, son!  Last night, your Mom was very quiet and kind of grumpy.  She almost went to bed at 7 o'clock, but waited ultimately until 8:30 PM.  I suspected she was struggling;  her puffy eyes were a big clue.  I retired with her and held her as she sobbed for half-an-hour before finally falling asleep.  This happens over-and-over.  It's as though part of her was ripped away when you left us!  We miss you every day!  We especially miss you at holidays and family gatherings.  We miss your laugh.  We miss your fun-loving ways.  We miss seeing you tear into Christmas packages with reckless abandon.  We miss your cooking.  We miss your generosity!  We miss your unpredictable phone calls.  I miss your, "Hey Pops, what's up?"  We think of you every day and wonder how life would be different if you were still with us!  

I hope you'd be happy to know that Josh has truly become part of our family.  We love him as we loved you!  He is fulfilling the role of 'the loving and generous uncle' to Rylie and Coltin!  They love him as they loved you!  Tracie and Jon are doing everything in their power to help them always remember you!  

Our pain runs deep as we move on in life without you!  Troy and Tracie still bring us great joy, of course.  Our lives are good - but different than they would have been.  I hope you understand that I just couldn't let your birthday pass without talking with you a bit.  It's therapeutic for me to talk with you like this.  I miss you, son!  And I love you...

Pops

NEED A LYFT?

I kept pretty busy for the first fifteen months of my retirement, but then I started to feel some boredom.  I would occasionally wake up with no distinct plan for the day.  My consumption of television news began to grow.  I felt a drag on my motivation.  Some days I was accomplishing very little.

• "It's too cold to work outside today."
• "I don't want to waste the propane to heat the garage."
• "I'll just do some reading and sorting today."

I considered looking for a part time job, but held back because I don't want to be tied down.  

Then I got online to see what kinds of part time jobs were available.  I considered Dollar General, WalMart, and Chick-Fil-A...but just wasn't motivated to move on any of them.

Then, I came across two ideas that captured my attention.  

1. teaching English as a second language online, and
2. being a Lyft driver.

I'm moving forward with each of these, but pursued the Lyft driver position first.  I got as far as their request to do a background search - and stopped.  For several months they pursued me to continue the application via texts.  I still kept the 'pause button' on.  

In early December they tempted me with a $400 bonus if I continued and gave one ride by December 20.  I immediately told them to begin the background search.  I submitted all of the required documentation - which was promptly accepted.  The background search took some time.  

On December 24, I was approved to drive.  I spent the full morning online doing all of their company training tutorials.  I was very impressed with the training materials and felt fully equipped to begin driving.

I picked up my first rider on South Avenue in Youngstown and took him home from the grocery store.  It was one mile and I made a little less than three dollars.  :-)  

After giving a few more rides (on Christmas Eve) I headed home happy - and $30 richer!  

Right after Christmas I received a text to all Pennsylvania drivers that beginning in 2019, we had to have a 2004 vehicle or newer;  I was driving a 2003.  :-(

I gave a bunch more rides that week and then quit driving on New Year's Eve.  Bummer!

I immediately began looking for a 2005 Camry, figuring I would be able to drive it for at least two years.  I found one and bought it.  After waiting for the title, getting some repairs, getting it licensed and inspected, I was approved to drive again!  Woo Hoo!  I pushed to get my 50th ride in before we left for vacation, because it qualifies me for a bonus!  [Lyft is big into bonuses for drivers!]

I love my new job!  I can drive when I want, as long as I want.  I do my own scheduling.  I get paid every Tuesday - straight into my bank account!  I'm doing research into how I'll be affected by taxes and am trying to calculate that against my expenses.  I've clearly got a lot to learn.  

I've found the company to be very helpful and cooperative.  They even gave me the $400 bonus, even though I missed the deadline by a few days!  :-)  

I'm meeting new people every time I drive.  All are nice and some are happy to talk while we ride together.  I've gotten some tips - some in cash and some online.  Tips are all mine!  My longest ride so far was from Poland, OH to Cleveland!  That was nice!  

I feel useful.  I'm providing a service to the community.  Many people without cars use Lyft (and other ride-sharing services) to do their shopping as well as getting to and from work!  I get to provide a cheerful greeting and a piece of candy to lots of people.  Hopefully, I can be a bright spot in their day!  I've had people of many kinds in my car.  I've heard languages I couldn't decipher.  Some people hop in front with me - I like that.  Others choose to ride in the back seat.  

The Lyft App for drivers is comprehensive and provides all of my directions.  I still make occasional wrong turns, but by-and-large, it's easy!  I'm actually excited to get home from vacation and start driving again!  

If you're interested in driving for Lyft, please use my referral code in the process (or contact me).  You'll get a bigger bonus if you go through me than if you go directly to their website;  and, of course, I'll get a bonus too!  My code:  HAROLD88049

If you have questions or want to talk more about it, contact me:

halinasia@psmail.net

(724) 944-3881

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HAVING A HEART FOR GOD!

[I was privileged to give this message at an English/Chinese church while teaching in China.  I have left tis context in place.  It was given on June 8, 2014.]

Psalm 119:32 (NKJV)

I will run the course of Your commandments, for You shall enlarge my heart.

California Chrome is a racehorse that set the thoroughbred horse-racing world on fire this year.  The story of this horse will inevitably be made into a movie.  California Chrome – with the running of New York’s Belmont Stakes in early June (2014) – failed in his attempt at the Triple Crown.  So, the trophy will be packed away for a future hope and a future horse.

Having lived for three years in the state of Kentucky, we were exposed to the verdant, gated communities of thoroughbred race horses.  The manicured farms set against the rolling hills of Kentucky stand out for their immaculate white fences and majestic animals.  In 2010, a movie emerged about one of those horses. 

If you don’t know the background, Secretariat (also known as Big Red) was a large horse that is thought by many to be the greatest race-horse to ever live.  In 1973, the summer Debbie and I were married, Secretariat won what is called the Triple-Crown of thoroughbred racing:  The Kentucky Derby, The Preakness Stakes, and The Belmont Stakes. 

Secretariat was the ninth horse to win the Triple Crown.  At the time Secretariat won the Triple Crown, it hadn’t been done for 25 years!  Since Secretariat’s win, two other horses have won the Triple-Crown:  Seattle Slew in 1977, and Affirmed in 1978.  We’ve been waiting forty-one years for another winner!

In The Kentucky Derby, Secretariat ran each quarter-mile segment faster than the one before it. The successive quarter-mile times were 25 1/5, 24, 23 4/5, 23 2/5, and 23. This means he was still accelerating as of the final quarter-mile of the race!

After winning the Kentucky Derby (1 1/4 mile), and The Preakness, many felt that he would lose in The Belmont since it was 1 1/2 mile.  

Only five horses ran The Belmont Stakes that year.  Three were considered non-contenders.  Secretariat was favored, but some still wondered if Sham might win this longer race;  Sham had finished second at The Kentucky Derby and at The Preakness Stakes. 

Secretariat was noted for pressing against the back of the gate at the start of a race.  Consequently, he was noted for being the last horse out of the gate.  Nearly every race he ran was a come from last place to win!  He was a very exciting horse to watch! 

However, at The Belmont Stakes, he and Sham took the lead together and ran side-by-side – a sixteenth of a mile ahead of the other three horses.  After running for three quarters of a mile, Sham began to tire – dropping back to eventually finish last.  Secretariat astonished spectators by continuing the fast pace and opening up a larger and larger margin on the field. Viewers heard the wonder in CBS Television announcer Chic Anderson's voice as he described the horse's pace: "Secretariat is widening now!  He is moving like a tremendous machine!" 

In the stretch, Secretariat opened a 1/16 mile lead on the rest of the field. At the finish, he won by 31 lengths (breaking the margin-of-victory record set by Triple Crown winner Count Fleet, who won by 25 lengths) and ran the fastest 1½ miles on dirt in history, 2:24 flat, which broke the stakes record by more than 2 seconds. This works out to a speed of 37.5 mph for his entire performance. Secretariat's world record still stands, and in fact, no other horse has ever broken 2:25 for 1½ miles on dirt.

Earlier, I read Psalm 119:32, “I will run the course of Your commandments, for You shall enlarge my heart.” 

When we cooperate with God, He grows our heart!  [You might want to read that verse and comment again]

I have certainly experienced this to be true and I’ll bet most of you have, too. 

After leading churches for many years, I read some books that revealed God’s heart to me more clearly than I had ever seen it before.  I began to experience God’s passion for lost people throughout the world.

The Holy Spirit continually stirred my heart and I grew increasingly discontent doing what I was doing.  I felt compelled to leave my comfort zone and do something that most people would consider radical. 

The door opened for us to come to China for a year.  That first year turned into a second year;  and now the second year has led to a third year.  When we came, we had no special passion for China.  To be painfully honest, we knew very little about China – its history, its culture, or its people! 

However, as a result of our obedience to God’s challenge to leave our comfort zone and reach out to the lost – God has grown our hearts for China!  Consequently, we’re having difficulty leaving and returning to our former lives! 

In Acts 13:22 (NASB), we read:  “After [God] …removed [King Saul], He raised up David to be their king, concerning whom He also testified and said, ‘I have found David the son of Jesse, a man after My heart, who will do all My will.’

It seems clear that having a heart after God includes being willing to do His will!

This may be the biggest issue for many Christ-followers today.  It involves ignoring our own desires to prioritize God’s desires.  It means subordinating my will to His will!  It means saying:  “Not my will, but Your will be done!” 

God is searching for men and women who love Him supremely!  People who love Him more than themselves.  People who want what He wants.  People who are willing to live in temporary dwellings, who are willing to leave their homeland, who are willing to endure hardships. 

But God doesn’t expect people to do this unrewarded.  He has promised a great reward to those who will make His priorities their priorities!  These rewards are VERY exciting!  They will be VERY real.  These rewards will be given in Heaven after all its inhabitants have arrived!  At that moment we will be truly glad that we made the sacrifices we are making.  We will live for all eternity with a sense of gratitude that we used our time on this earth wisely.   

But how does one come to a place in his/her life where they are willing to live this way.  What makes a person commit his/her life so deeply to an unseen God? 

What else but a deep conviction that God is real and the truths of His Word are compelling! 

Of course, we must realize that many Christians never really mature in their faith and never really study His Word.  They live for themselves and give homage to some of the principles of God’s Word.  Yet they fall far short of the expectations God has for His children. 

God yearns for His children to be consumed with a passion for the lost.  He hopes to see their hearts grow through exposure to His own heart!  He expects to see people act on the things that are most important to Him!  That one thing always has been and ever shall be those who are spiritually lost! 

Whether reaching across the street, across the aisle, across town, across the country, or across the world – God desires and expects us to reach out intentionally to the lost!  When we’re doing so, we are pleasing to Him!  When we’re not doing so we will experience His nudging to move toward the lost – either in our sphere of influence or around the world. 

The call is the same for all:  Go into all the world and make disciples of all nations… 

Those who join God in this will have their hearts grown!  God’s love will multiply in their hearts as they reach out with the message of hope.  Jesus came to seek and to save the lost!  As the Father sent Him, now He has sent us! 

David Platt writes:  “The stakes in this spiritual battle are eternal.  There is a true God over this world who desires all peoples to experience everlasting joy in heaven.  And there is a false god in this world who desires all people to experience everlasting suffering in hell.”

I wholeheartedly believe that those who deny their personal desires and deliberately press into the harvest will find that their hearts will grow.  They will discover an ever-deepening satisfaction that results from the affirmation of God!  Seeing lost people turn, with interest, toward Christ is a most rewarding moment!  Seeing them embrace Christ and change their lives ignites the deepest kind of joy! 

Those who accept the challenge of the Great Commission will do what they do less and less out of obedience and more and more out of love!  As their hearts grow, their love for the lost will also grow!  Their grip on the things of this world will loosen and their grasp of the rewards of the next world will become a growing hope! 

If we go.  If we go, then we - like the Grinch - will find that our hearts have expanded and a new love has been born in us that will forever motivate us to prioritize the priorities of our God!

Remember Secretariat?

There is something in thoroughbred horses that they refer to as the x-factor.  It essentially means that the horse has an exceptionally large heart.  It’s traced back to a horse named Eclipse, whose body was studied in 1789.  His heart was found to weigh 14 pounds – which is twice the normal weight of a horse’s heart. 

They have found that this trait can only be passed down through the daughters of the horse.  It was later discovered that Secretariat traced through his dame line to a daughter of Eclipse.  At the time of Sham’s death, his heart was found to weigh 18 pounds!  At the time of Secretariat’s death, his heart was estimated to weigh 22 pounds;  two-and-a-half times that of a normal horse! 

It can literally be said that this great racehorse had a huge heart! 

Listen!  I don’t know about you.  And I can’t speak for you.  But I can tell you this from me:  I want to run this race like Secretariat!  I want every quarter to be faster and better than the last!  I want to get better and more effective with each quarter-mile!  I don’t want to lose passion.  I don’t want to run out of steam.  I don’t want to slow down.  I don’t want to wear out or burn out or fall out or fake out or die out.  I want to progressively become more and more given over to the purposes of God. 

I want to grow my heart for God, and grow my heart for God, and grow my heart for God until that heart enables me to run the longest race and endure the most challenging of situations without denying Him or failing Him.  I want to finish like Paul, saying:  “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith…”  I don’t want to do this for honor’s sake or for legacy’s sake, or for my family’s sake;  I want to do it as a lifelong act of love and obedience to my Master and my Lord!  

When I stand at the judgment seat of Christ

And He shows me His plan for me

The plan of my life as it might have been

Had He had His way, and I see

How I blocked Him here and I checked Him there

And I would not yield my will,

Shall I see grief in my Savior’s eyes,

Grief though I love Him still?

He would have me rich, and I stand there poor,

Stripped of all but His grace,

While memory runs like a hunted thing

Down the paths I can’t retrace.

Then my desolate heart will well nigh break

With tears that I cannot shed.

I will cover my face with my empty hands

And bow my uncrowned head.

Lord, of the years that are left to me

I yield them to Thy hand.

Take me, mold me, make me,

To the pattern Thou hast planned.    

– anonymous       

[Love That Lasts, Jill Briscoe, p.152]

HIGH FIVES IN HEAVEN TODAY!

Charles (Charlie) Young had tons of friends - I was one of them.  Charlie had many circles of friendship;  I was probably in the fifth or sixth circle, but I counted it a privilege to be there!  He went to Heaven last night after a prolonged, mysterious physical struggle.  To say that he will be missed is the understatement of the year!  

When a truly godly man passes, our world takes a hit.  A godly man's influence is of inestimable value!  

Debbie and I attended Asbury Seminary at the same time as Charlie and Brenda.  Our paths crossed off-and-on through the years at various conferences.  We knew they had landed in Akron and were making a significant impact for Jesus there.

Charlie was the camp evangelist at the Tri-State Camp in the mid-1980's.  I remember several of his messages from that camp.  I also remember that he preached for over an hour every night!  But I never heard a complaint!  :-)

Charlie and Brenda were the speakers at a Pittsburgh Conference Pastor's Retreat back in the early 1990's.  It was one of the best we ever had!  Brenda spoke a "word of knowledge" to me at that event that changed my life!  

While we were living in Spencerville, Maryland, Brenda was brought in for a one-day pastor's training event.  Their ministry at Cornerstone Church was dynamic and they were each getting opportunities to speak during this season.  

Eventually, Charlie was called up to a greater level of service as the superintendent of the Ohio Conference.  It was at that time that Brenda began leading Cornerstone Church.  

A family crisis caused us to leave Maryland and retreat to our family in western Pennsylvania for several months.  Eventually, we landed a job in Akron running a licensed home for behaviorally challenged children in Summit County.  We knew when we moved to the area that we would attend Cornerstone Church.  We looked forward to being part of the ministry of this great congregation.

On our first visit to Cornerstone, we noticed that they were saying farewell to an associate pastor.  Within weeks, Brenda hired me as a part-time pastor.  A few months later, another associate left and I was bumped up to the Lead Associate position.  Over the next six years we got to know Charlie and Brenda a lot better.

Charlie always impressed me!  He had a strong impact on men!  They seemed drawn to him!  He had shown himself capable of church-growing, church-planting and church-rescuing!  He accrued this reputation without arrogance or standing aloof from others!  He loved people equally and thoroughly. He modeled a godly life for everyone and did so with excellence.  

He gave a message at Cornerstone one week that I've never forgotten!  He told of the Passover and the command to the Israelites not to allow anyone to leave their houses that night as the angel-of-death moved through the city.  In doing so, he talked about the love of a father and suggested that many fathers that night sat in a chair in the doorway to prevent any children from accidentally slipping out of the house.  Charlie brought out a chair and set it on the platform.  With tears, he talked of a father's love and a father's desire to protect his family!  It was a deeply moving message for men! 

Charlie led his family with strength!  On more than a few times, I have heard him address Brenda with the words, "Now dear..."  When he spoke the word "dear", his voice had a slight dip to it that matched perfectly the twinkle in his eye.  It was the most tactful setting of a boundary that I've ever observed!  ;-)   

Charlie used his gift of humor masterfully and his contagious smile and belly laugh brought joy to any group he participated in!  He was a big guy physically;  I eventually came to realize that he had to be in order to contain such a great heart for God and others!  

His legacy is well-established!  It'll be carried on for generations through Rachel, Zach and Jacob.  And then it'll go even longer through the grandchildren's lives that he has touched!  But more than that, it'll be carried on by the thousands of people whose lives were changed and impacted through his preaching, teaching, modeling and friendship!

One thing is certain!  Charlie is enjoying his reward today!  He'll be missed beyond description by his family and a LOT of others;  but, he laid a foundation of strength that will carry his loved ones through!  

Debbie and I are sad and surprised that he's gone on ahead of us!  We happen to be on vacation and will be unable to be a part of any farewell events for Charlie.  That makes us feel badly, but our prayers will join with those of MANY others to bless this family and call on God for strength for Brenda, the family and Cornerstone Church!  

So long, Charlie!  See ya later!  :-)