The Day Has Finally Come!

I have heard of disunity in church. Now it is a reality.

Last Sunday morning at our church, during our worship service, we had a minor emergency.

A young man who is a walking miracle due to burns he recently suffered was back for the second time since his release from the hospital. Doctors initially told him that he had an 8% chance of living. He suffered the burns due to a gasoline fueled bonfire that went out of control. He was taken by airlife helicopter to Baton Rouge and spent a few weeks in ICU. He is still a bit weak.

The worship music began and the first song felt so powerful and worshipful. Things were rolling. During the second song, I sensed something wasn't right in the room. This young man got weak on his feet and almost passed out. Fortunately, we have several nurses who rushed to his side and were caring for him until an ambulance arrived.

What does one do? We stopped and prayed, and the choir sung on. There did seem to be a sweeter spirit, the music felt more powerful, and one lady joined our church at the service's conclusion. I enjoyed preaching and for a moment thought I might not get to deliver the sermon. I prayed for guidance and God provided. It is not always easy to weigh a person's needs with carrying on worship.

But as one man said, "What is better in a crisis like that than to be praising the Lord?"

At the conclusion of the service, we leaned of the young man's financial needs and our church took a significant love offering to help he and his wife out. Had he not come to church, that need might not have been addressed and there might not have been medical professionals around to help.

God is good.

God is sovereign.

He showed me that Sunday morning...again.

By the way, I found out that another church across the river from us also faced an emergency situation. The church was on fire...wel, just a bit of smoke from a burned out light ballast. But it did empty the building and that pastor did not get to preach. I reminded him that he can "coast" this week and use the sermon this coming Sunday...perhaps...

Save More Than 15%?

Just a thought...

If all these insurance companies who seem to be running cute, nonstop ads on Television and radio would not spend so much money on advertising, could they not save us way MORE than 15%?

Just a thought...

Prophetic Timeliness

Last Sunday, I preached a message on "Affirming Life." I stated my prolife stance concerning abortion, gave Biblical, scientific, and personal reasons for it, and invited the congregation to join us this in attending the Louisiana Life March event in Baton Rouge on Saturday, January 22.

Simple and direct. That was my plan.

It was also untimely, in the sense that this coming Sunday, January 23, is reserved as "Sanctity of Life Sunday." I was one week early.

No, the message was right on time.

I had felt a simple urging to preach on this vital topic for several days prior to Sunday, Jan 16, even though the official day was one week later. To be sure, it really doesn't make all that much difference.

But in this case it did.

I preached the message for three reasons:
1. The topic needs to be addressed.
2. I am pro-life.
3. I haven't addressed the topic as a sermon subject in a few years.
4. I wanted to publicize the Louisiana Life March coming this Saturday. To wait until January 23 would be one day late.

Actually, the message turned out to be right on time.

As it turns out, a person was considering aborting a baby on Monday, the day after I preached that message. A friend who heard the message was able to show the person considering the abortion that it would indeed affect a human life; a baby.

As a result, the person decided not to abort. A decision is made, and a life is saved.

One week later, if I had waited to preach that message, that life would have been taken.

Prophetic Timeliness.

I believe it was the work of the Spirit of God.

I stand in awe.

For The New Year...

Against the change of passing years
The crumbling stone and steel decay
And every cynic voice that jeers  
     Unchanged this simple truth will stay:
He serves God best unto life's end
Who plays the neighbor and the friend.
-Edgar Guest

Never In My 20 Plus Years

I've been going to Baptist State Convention annual meetings since I was pastor of a congregation located almost off the edge of Arkansas. I have a pastor friend, "Brother Rick," who seemed to like nothing better than "Conventioning," and always encouraged me to go with him to them. I guess old habits are hard to break.

It is nice to get away and get immersed in the news, networking, and preaching that goes on at a Baptist Convention. I see old friends, find out "Whereya at now?," and catch up on preacher talk.

I am also inspired as well as challenged by the reports and messages as they come from the convention floor.

Over the years, Southern Baptists have had plenty to fight over. Convention fights make for large conventions. I've attended the Louisiana Baptist Convention for each of the eight years I've served in the state.

But this is one convention where "I seen so many things I ain't never seen before." (Apologies to Hoyt Axton)

First, the attendance. The announced registered messengers at this year's Louisiana Baptist Convention was just over 700- less than half of the number registered just a few years ago. No controversy, (sigh) no show.

Second, I don't recall any motions being offered from the floor when time was alloted. A Baptist meeting and no one made a motion? Yes, miracles still occur. Even the resolutions, quite a sticking point in years past, sailed smoothly through the business session.

In one convention in Texas I attended, I voted on every motion and was in the majority on only two: the motion to extend time for debate, and the motion to adjourn. Hey, I have to feel I've won something.

Third, officers were handily elected- with one exception. That is a remarkable occurrence. When it came time to elect a second Vice President, there were NO nominations. No one took the floor. No line of messengers stood before the floor microphones ready to nominate and debate.

What do we do?

Mercifully, we were rescued by a messenger who finally came to a mike, was recognized, and then proceeded to nominate his son for the position. He then observed, "I don't know if he is even on the Convention Floor right now!" What 'till the boy hears what his dad just did!

How about that! Nominated after an embarrassing pause by your father, and you weren't even there. The moderator gratefully accepted the nomination and since there was no opposition, had the Executive Director place a unanimous ballot on behalf of the nominee. Now we had a new second Vice President. In years past, it seemed that virtually everyone at the convention had someone to nominate for President, Vice President, or Second Vice President. At the very least, everyone had a favorite in the race.

Not this time. There wasn't even a race.

Finally, another first for me, the avid convention goer: The annual Convention sermon scheduled to be preached by our president, Rod Masteller, on Monday evening was really not a sermon at all.

It was a message from a man with a broken heart. He literally wept as he spoke of his burden concerning the sins and hurts of our nation. He concluded by challenging us to fast at least once a week and seek God for our country's repentance and revival.

There was a sustained, holy hush over the assembled messengers. When he finished, the somber tone settled over us and we weren't sure what to do next. As he challenged us to pray, dozens of people knelt at their seats (on the concrete floor) or near the stage and prayed. The man who was to dismiss the session in prayer commented that we had just heard from a "weeping prophet."

I and my friends with me felt moved and challenged. A man had spoken out of the deep recesses of his soul and it was humbling to us all.

I've never seen that at an annual meeting of a Baptist Convention, either.

Perhaps humility, brokenness, and weeping would be a very good place to begin a new tradition at our Baptist gatherings.

All those in favor?

No, It's Not Me, Either

Barack Obama

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