Dear Brothers & Sisters in Christ,
This week we are sending a team to Mexico (Michael Dunbar, Janis Woods, Rick Peggs, Sharon Vinson), and yesterday, the team that is going to Kenya met to prepare for our trip next month (Cindy Dudding, Melette Meloy, David Holt, Kenn Swehla, Steve Schofield). This may bring up the question in your minds: why do we do missions in foreign lands? The short answer is that Jesus commanded us to, but we will unpack that a little more fully. The PRIMARY reason we go on mission trips is to RESPOND TO CHRIST’S CALL - [Jesus declared,] “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be My witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth." (Acts 1:8); Then Jesus came to them and said, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to Me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age." (Matthew 28:18-20); He said to them, "Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation.” (Mark 16:15). These commands of Jesus are clear and explicit.
Another important reason is it reminds us our primary allegiance in life is in God, and when we commit our lives to Christ, we are made brothers and sisters with people from all over the world. Remember the Bible’s description of Heaven, “After this I looked and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and in front of the Lamb.” (Revelation 7:9). The suffering people of Kenya and Mexico are my brothers and sisters, just as they are yours if you have committed your life to Jesus Christ. We know the obligation that we have to be our brother’s keeper, “What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if a man or woman claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save him or her? Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you says to him or her, "Go, I wish you well; keep warm and well fed," but does nothing about his or her physical needs, what good is it? In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead”. (James 2:14-17). Knowing the extreme suffering that is going on in Kenya, with people dying daily from lack of food, how could I not go? What good am I as a Pastor of the gospel of Jesus Christ if I turned away? I want my children to know that when the cry of world’s suffering people is heard, those who have felt the saving grace of Jesus Christ respond with compassion and action because God loves them as much as He loves us. That is why we go. Selah.
Wednesday, September 26, 2007
Wednesday, August 22, 2007
Newsletter Article August 22, 2007
Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
Along with “love” and “faith,” Jesus used the characteristic of “service” as the best evidence of being a true disciple. He continuously reminded His disciples, and us today, that He came not to be served but to serve. We are to do likewise. After exhibiting this truth powerfully by washing His disciples’ feet, Jesus says, "You call me 'Teacher' and 'Lord,' and rightly so, for that is what I am. Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another's feet. I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you. I tell you the truth, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the One who sent him. Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them.” (John 13:13-17). Our lives do not belong solely to us but to the One who made us, loves us, redeems us, and gives us life. He explicitly tells us that His purpose for our lives is to love and serve others. The Bible is clear, “If you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from His love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose. Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others. Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus . . ” (Philippians 2:1-5). This Sunday, each of you will have a great opportunity to see where you can be of service to the LORD and to other people through the ministries in our Church – the “Simply Serve” celebration. We are having an event set up in the Family Life Center after each worship service that will allow you to know what ministry opportunities exist for you in the Church and give you an opportunity to join with others in service to the LORD and others. The promise of the LORD is that you will be blessed if you serve, and I can testify to the truth of that promise in my life. Have the same attitude as Christ Jesus. Selah.
In Christ,
Steve
Along with “love” and “faith,” Jesus used the characteristic of “service” as the best evidence of being a true disciple. He continuously reminded His disciples, and us today, that He came not to be served but to serve. We are to do likewise. After exhibiting this truth powerfully by washing His disciples’ feet, Jesus says, "You call me 'Teacher' and 'Lord,' and rightly so, for that is what I am. Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another's feet. I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you. I tell you the truth, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the One who sent him. Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them.” (John 13:13-17). Our lives do not belong solely to us but to the One who made us, loves us, redeems us, and gives us life. He explicitly tells us that His purpose for our lives is to love and serve others. The Bible is clear, “If you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from His love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose. Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others. Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus . . ” (Philippians 2:1-5). This Sunday, each of you will have a great opportunity to see where you can be of service to the LORD and to other people through the ministries in our Church – the “Simply Serve” celebration. We are having an event set up in the Family Life Center after each worship service that will allow you to know what ministry opportunities exist for you in the Church and give you an opportunity to join with others in service to the LORD and others. The promise of the LORD is that you will be blessed if you serve, and I can testify to the truth of that promise in my life. Have the same attitude as Christ Jesus. Selah.
In Christ,
Steve
Newsletter Article August 8, 2007
Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
I am very excited about the big worship event this Thursday at 7 p.m. in our Family Life Center. We are having a District Transformation Conference at our church; we were selected because of our excellence in Contemporary Worship at our 9:39 service. Our District Superintendent, Rev. Jackie Rose-Tucker, selected us and invited many in the Rome-Carrollton District to come and worship at Dallas First on Thursday evening. The worship will be led by our own 9:39 Praise Team and the sermon will be given by Dr. George Morris on the topic of evangelism. The Foundation for Evangelism describes the ministry of Dr. Morris thusly, “Dr. George Morris is a native of Virginia, and was selected as the 2005 Distinguished Evangelist of the United Methodist Church by The Foundation for Evangelism. He is currently the Dan and Lil Hankey Senior Professor of World Evangelism of the World Methodist Council and is considered one of the most respected scholars on evangelism in the world. Morris received his B.A. Degree at Asbury College and M.Div. and D.Div. Degrees at Vanderbilt University. He was ordained Elder in the United Methodist Church in 1964 and has ministered in the United States and in sixty-seven countries around the world. He has served rural circuit-churches, small town churches, suburban churches and two large inner-city churches. His last pastoral appointment was the First United Methodist Church of Peoria, Illinois, where he served as directing pastor for five years. In addition, he served on the General Board of Evangelism and the General Board of Discipleship of the United Methodist Church, as well as the executive committee of the World Methodist Council. For sixteen years, Morris was the Arthur J. Moore Professor of Evangelism at Candler School of Theology, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia. While there, he became the founding director of the World Methodist Evangelism Institute, a cooperative ministry of the World Methodist Council and Emory University. Currently, he is a member of the Academy for Evangelism in Theological Education, the International Association for Mission Studies, the Advisory Committee of the World Methodist Evangelism Institute and the World Methodist Evangelism Foundation board of trustees.” I invite you to come and worship the LORD together with us this Thursday at 7 p.m. Selah.
In Christ,
Steve
I am very excited about the big worship event this Thursday at 7 p.m. in our Family Life Center. We are having a District Transformation Conference at our church; we were selected because of our excellence in Contemporary Worship at our 9:39 service. Our District Superintendent, Rev. Jackie Rose-Tucker, selected us and invited many in the Rome-Carrollton District to come and worship at Dallas First on Thursday evening. The worship will be led by our own 9:39 Praise Team and the sermon will be given by Dr. George Morris on the topic of evangelism. The Foundation for Evangelism describes the ministry of Dr. Morris thusly, “Dr. George Morris is a native of Virginia, and was selected as the 2005 Distinguished Evangelist of the United Methodist Church by The Foundation for Evangelism. He is currently the Dan and Lil Hankey Senior Professor of World Evangelism of the World Methodist Council and is considered one of the most respected scholars on evangelism in the world. Morris received his B.A. Degree at Asbury College and M.Div. and D.Div. Degrees at Vanderbilt University. He was ordained Elder in the United Methodist Church in 1964 and has ministered in the United States and in sixty-seven countries around the world. He has served rural circuit-churches, small town churches, suburban churches and two large inner-city churches. His last pastoral appointment was the First United Methodist Church of Peoria, Illinois, where he served as directing pastor for five years. In addition, he served on the General Board of Evangelism and the General Board of Discipleship of the United Methodist Church, as well as the executive committee of the World Methodist Council. For sixteen years, Morris was the Arthur J. Moore Professor of Evangelism at Candler School of Theology, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia. While there, he became the founding director of the World Methodist Evangelism Institute, a cooperative ministry of the World Methodist Council and Emory University. Currently, he is a member of the Academy for Evangelism in Theological Education, the International Association for Mission Studies, the Advisory Committee of the World Methodist Evangelism Institute and the World Methodist Evangelism Foundation board of trustees.” I invite you to come and worship the LORD together with us this Thursday at 7 p.m. Selah.
In Christ,
Steve
Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
At the close of many of his letters, the Apostle Paul would thank and greet many of the saints that were providing the ministry that was allowing God to work through the individual churches. In this way, he illustrated that the work of the Kingdom of God requires many persons working in tandem to accomplish great things for the LORD. In just the same way, I wish to thank all of you who worked so diligently and graciously during our River of Life ministry. The Holy Spirit moved very powerfully during that week and those who attended the service on Sunday are well aware how many lives were touched in the name and by the power of Jesus Christ. That Sunday service was the culmination of many months of planning and praying. Our theme was “Amazing Grace” and it was beautiful to see the grace of God on display in all its myriad forms throughout River of Life. Some examples that moved me:
- working on the roof of a horse ranch that helps disabled children to heal . . .
- building wheelchair ramps to help free people to have better access out of their homes . .
- comforting a family who had recently lost a child . . .
- working on the home of a woman who has given much of her life to helping the less fortunate
- reaching out to Jennifer McRaney whose husband David is serving our country in Iraq . .
- helping one of our clients commit her life to Jesus Christ . . .
- worshipping the LORD together with passion . . .
. . . and there were so many more. So thank you all and may God bless you.
In Christ,
Steve
Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
After this I saw a vast crowd, too great to count, from every nation and tribe and people and language, standing in front of the throne and before the Lamb. They were clothed in white robes and held palm branches in their hands. And they were shouting with a mighty shout, “Salvation comes from our God who sits on the throne and from the Lamb!” (Revelation 7:9-10)
This has always been one of my favorite passages in the Bible, because it is the description of John’s glimpse into Heaven. It reminds me that not only is Heaven a place of celebration and worship, but it is grander, wider, and more diverse than I can imagine. Sometimes I can become too focused on the Church here in America, and I forget that we are but a small part of a vast worldwide Body of Christ. This passage of scripture reminds me that God is at work around the world in ways that I cannot fathom and that knowledge inspires me.
This Sunday we have the opportunity to be inspired by a fellow brother and sister in Christ from Africa and Europe – our special guests will be Bishop Muruiki from the Methodist Church in Kenya and Rev. Susan Johnson from England. They are participating in the 8th International Evangelism Seminar being sponsored by the World Methodist Evangelism Institute at the Simpsonwood Conference and Retreat Center in Atlanta, Georgia, from June 19-27, 2007. The theme of this seminar is: "THAT THE WORLD MAY KNOW JESUS CHRIST: DEVELOPING MISSIONARY CONGREGATIONS." There will be several hundred Evangelists coming to Atlanta from over 70 countries for the conference, and they will be preaching in churches in the Atlanta area this Sunday. We are excited that God has sent the Bishop and Rev. Johnson to share with us what God is doing in their respective countries. The Evangelism Institute is a ministry of World Evangelism, the World Methodist Council, and Candler School of Theology, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, USA. The World Methodist Evangelism Institute is unique in world Christianity because no other world communion has an educational institution connected to a major university that is solely committed to the vision and task of world evangelization. I hope that you will come and celebrate with us this Sunday. Selah.
In Christ,
Steve
After this I saw a vast crowd, too great to count, from every nation and tribe and people and language, standing in front of the throne and before the Lamb. They were clothed in white robes and held palm branches in their hands. And they were shouting with a mighty shout, “Salvation comes from our God who sits on the throne and from the Lamb!” (Revelation 7:9-10)
This has always been one of my favorite passages in the Bible, because it is the description of John’s glimpse into Heaven. It reminds me that not only is Heaven a place of celebration and worship, but it is grander, wider, and more diverse than I can imagine. Sometimes I can become too focused on the Church here in America, and I forget that we are but a small part of a vast worldwide Body of Christ. This passage of scripture reminds me that God is at work around the world in ways that I cannot fathom and that knowledge inspires me.
This Sunday we have the opportunity to be inspired by a fellow brother and sister in Christ from Africa and Europe – our special guests will be Bishop Muruiki from the Methodist Church in Kenya and Rev. Susan Johnson from England. They are participating in the 8th International Evangelism Seminar being sponsored by the World Methodist Evangelism Institute at the Simpsonwood Conference and Retreat Center in Atlanta, Georgia, from June 19-27, 2007. The theme of this seminar is: "THAT THE WORLD MAY KNOW JESUS CHRIST: DEVELOPING MISSIONARY CONGREGATIONS." There will be several hundred Evangelists coming to Atlanta from over 70 countries for the conference, and they will be preaching in churches in the Atlanta area this Sunday. We are excited that God has sent the Bishop and Rev. Johnson to share with us what God is doing in their respective countries. The Evangelism Institute is a ministry of World Evangelism, the World Methodist Council, and Candler School of Theology, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, USA. The World Methodist Evangelism Institute is unique in world Christianity because no other world communion has an educational institution connected to a major university that is solely committed to the vision and task of world evangelization. I hope that you will come and celebrate with us this Sunday. Selah.
In Christ,
Steve
Tuesday, May 15, 2007
Newsletter Article May 16, 2007
Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
With the Pope’s visit to Brazil, the news media have actually begun to focus on the extraordinary growth of the Christian Faith in so-called third world countries over the last decade. We are living today in the greatest time of growth of Christianity in the history of the Church. God is working mightily and is inspiring millions around the world. The main question today for Christians in the United States is: will we be a part of what God is doing in the world or will we just become irrelevant? Consider this:
· Kenyan scholar John Mbiti has observed, “the centers of the Church’s universality are no longer in Geneva, Rome, Athens, Paris, London, New York, but Kinshasa, Buenos Aires, Addis Ababa, and Manila.”
· Today, in the Ethiopian Christian Church alone there are 25 million members – roughly the equivalent of Southern Baptists and United Methodists -- the two largest Protestant Denominations in the United States -- combined.
· A recent study by the Chinese Government estimates that there may be as many as three times the previously thought number of 70 million underground Christian worshippers.
· In South Korea, the Kwang Lim Methodist church reported 150 members in 1971 and 85,000 by the end of the century.
· By 2025, the estimated leading continents of Christianity will be Africa with 633 million Christians and Latin America with 640 million Christians.
These facts should not alarm us but make us excited to be living in a time when God is moving so purposefully in the world. We must begin to think more globally about our faith and look for ways to partner together with Christians in order to participate in God’s Kingdom building work in the world right now. Selah.
In Christ,
Steve
With the Pope’s visit to Brazil, the news media have actually begun to focus on the extraordinary growth of the Christian Faith in so-called third world countries over the last decade. We are living today in the greatest time of growth of Christianity in the history of the Church. God is working mightily and is inspiring millions around the world. The main question today for Christians in the United States is: will we be a part of what God is doing in the world or will we just become irrelevant? Consider this:
· Kenyan scholar John Mbiti has observed, “the centers of the Church’s universality are no longer in Geneva, Rome, Athens, Paris, London, New York, but Kinshasa, Buenos Aires, Addis Ababa, and Manila.”
· Today, in the Ethiopian Christian Church alone there are 25 million members – roughly the equivalent of Southern Baptists and United Methodists -- the two largest Protestant Denominations in the United States -- combined.
· A recent study by the Chinese Government estimates that there may be as many as three times the previously thought number of 70 million underground Christian worshippers.
· In South Korea, the Kwang Lim Methodist church reported 150 members in 1971 and 85,000 by the end of the century.
· By 2025, the estimated leading continents of Christianity will be Africa with 633 million Christians and Latin America with 640 million Christians.
These facts should not alarm us but make us excited to be living in a time when God is moving so purposefully in the world. We must begin to think more globally about our faith and look for ways to partner together with Christians in order to participate in God’s Kingdom building work in the world right now. Selah.
In Christ,
Steve
Wednesday, May 9, 2007
The Knowledge of God
Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
Do you ever wonder why we should ever bother to study about God? Surely, we can never fully understand the mysteries of God. The Bible tells us, "For My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways My ways," declares the LORD. "As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways and My thoughts than your thoughts.” (Isaiah 55:8-9). The Apostle Paul counseled the Roman church, “Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable His judgments, and His paths beyond tracing out! Who has known the mind of the Lord? Or who has been His counselor?" (Romans 11:33-34). Therefore, any study of God is bound to end in futility if our eventual goal is complete knowledge. At this point, many persons put aside seeking to grow in knowledge of God as impractical and irrelevant to their daily lives. Several years ago Microsoft founder and CEO Bill Gates remarked to TIME magazine that "Just in terms of allocation of time resources, religion is not very efficient. There’s a lot more I could be doing on a Sunday morning." Maybe you have thought something similar to this at some point in your life. This is a tragic mistake.
God has created us to thirst for knowledge and has created knowledge as a way of transformation. There is no greater knowledge than to seek the One who has created you for a purpose and has given meaning to your existence. In his very next point after speaking of the “unsearchability” of God, the Apostle Paul wrote this interesting advice, “Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is—His good, pleasing and perfect will.” (Romans 12:2). Although, we will never attain full knowledge of God in this life, it is in the seeking that we will be transformed and renewed into mature Christians with greater and greater wisdom. This is a life-long process of growth and God really is in the details. C.S. Lewis once observed that knowledge of God is analogous to the Sun – we may not be able to stare directly into the Sun but as it shines brighter in our lives we begin to see everything else more clearly by its light. We may never understand the fullness of God, but as He shines more brightly in our lives and minds we can understand everything else more clearly by His light. Selah.
In Christ,
Steve
Do you ever wonder why we should ever bother to study about God? Surely, we can never fully understand the mysteries of God. The Bible tells us, "For My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways My ways," declares the LORD. "As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways and My thoughts than your thoughts.” (Isaiah 55:8-9). The Apostle Paul counseled the Roman church, “Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable His judgments, and His paths beyond tracing out! Who has known the mind of the Lord? Or who has been His counselor?" (Romans 11:33-34). Therefore, any study of God is bound to end in futility if our eventual goal is complete knowledge. At this point, many persons put aside seeking to grow in knowledge of God as impractical and irrelevant to their daily lives. Several years ago Microsoft founder and CEO Bill Gates remarked to TIME magazine that "Just in terms of allocation of time resources, religion is not very efficient. There’s a lot more I could be doing on a Sunday morning." Maybe you have thought something similar to this at some point in your life. This is a tragic mistake.
God has created us to thirst for knowledge and has created knowledge as a way of transformation. There is no greater knowledge than to seek the One who has created you for a purpose and has given meaning to your existence. In his very next point after speaking of the “unsearchability” of God, the Apostle Paul wrote this interesting advice, “Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is—His good, pleasing and perfect will.” (Romans 12:2). Although, we will never attain full knowledge of God in this life, it is in the seeking that we will be transformed and renewed into mature Christians with greater and greater wisdom. This is a life-long process of growth and God really is in the details. C.S. Lewis once observed that knowledge of God is analogous to the Sun – we may not be able to stare directly into the Sun but as it shines brighter in our lives we begin to see everything else more clearly by its light. We may never understand the fullness of God, but as He shines more brightly in our lives and minds we can understand everything else more clearly by His light. Selah.
In Christ,
Steve
Newsletter Article May 2, 2007
Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
Here are some random thoughts to digest this week:
- If Jesus spoke more about the Kingdom of God than any other subject, why is it that we hear so little discussion about what it is?
- Spring always reminds me that I can’t always trust my senses. It always seems to me as if the flora and fauna explode into bloom overnight and I never see it coming . . . I think God sometimes works this way in my life.
- I wonder why my prayer life is always in disarray – some weeks I pray long and often and others I just don’t find the time. I would love to be as disciplined as Martin Luther who said that the busier he became the more hours he prayed everyday (yes, you read that correctly - “hours”).
- I am enjoying reading the stories from the Bible to my 5-year olde daughter Faith, because the questions she asks and the delight she shows for the stories have rekindled the memories of awe that I had for the stories as a child. It is a great gift God gives us to reencounter the joys of our childhood in the eyes of our children.
- For centuries the primary impulse for creating great art was God. Today, it seems as if the Christian world and the Art world are two worlds apart; that doesn’t make sense to me. I agree with Dorothy Sayars that one of the ways in which we are made in God’s image is our ability to be creative, and I fear that we in the Church stifle that creative ability sometimes . . .
- It heartens me to know that God loves me, even on my worst day . . .
- Finally, the older I get, the more I see the hand of God in everyday life. As a youth, I saw God primarily as a Judge, as a young man I saw God primarily as Inspiration to Shake Up the World, and now I am beginning to appreciate that God is Savior, Lord, Friend and Artist and has given us a beautiful life and world to enjoy. William Blake said that when you can see the work of God in a blade of grass, you are beginning to understand . . . Selah
In Christ,
Steve
Here are some random thoughts to digest this week:
- If Jesus spoke more about the Kingdom of God than any other subject, why is it that we hear so little discussion about what it is?
- Spring always reminds me that I can’t always trust my senses. It always seems to me as if the flora and fauna explode into bloom overnight and I never see it coming . . . I think God sometimes works this way in my life.
- I wonder why my prayer life is always in disarray – some weeks I pray long and often and others I just don’t find the time. I would love to be as disciplined as Martin Luther who said that the busier he became the more hours he prayed everyday (yes, you read that correctly - “hours”).
- I am enjoying reading the stories from the Bible to my 5-year olde daughter Faith, because the questions she asks and the delight she shows for the stories have rekindled the memories of awe that I had for the stories as a child. It is a great gift God gives us to reencounter the joys of our childhood in the eyes of our children.
- For centuries the primary impulse for creating great art was God. Today, it seems as if the Christian world and the Art world are two worlds apart; that doesn’t make sense to me. I agree with Dorothy Sayars that one of the ways in which we are made in God’s image is our ability to be creative, and I fear that we in the Church stifle that creative ability sometimes . . .
- It heartens me to know that God loves me, even on my worst day . . .
- Finally, the older I get, the more I see the hand of God in everyday life. As a youth, I saw God primarily as a Judge, as a young man I saw God primarily as Inspiration to Shake Up the World, and now I am beginning to appreciate that God is Savior, Lord, Friend and Artist and has given us a beautiful life and world to enjoy. William Blake said that when you can see the work of God in a blade of grass, you are beginning to understand . . . Selah
In Christ,
Steve
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