​A Tale of Two Professors
 
I returned to college later in life than most who attend. I was thirty-five when I began attending The University of the Cumberlands in Williamsburg, KY. A professor gave me the title Uncle Wes and it took with the students who were 15 years younger than me.
 
There were two professors in the music department at the time. One primarily taught Music Theory and the spouse taught Music History.
 
I really struggled in Music Theory. I was concerned I might fail the class and my grades in that class were lower than I normally achieved, but I did pass. Music History was a different matter. I had no problems with the class. I made A’s every semester. One assignment given to the class was to author a paper. It was to be twenty pages long, double spaced, with one-inch margins, and single sided printing. My paper was on Mozart. It titled it, “Mozart: Prodigy or Parental Influence?” Most everyone knows Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart but few, outside of music students and scholars, know that Mozart’s father, Leopold, was a composer as well. My paper examined how much of Mozart’s competency at composing was because he was a natural prodigy versus how much was because he was reared in a home where music was ever present, and with his father regularly composing music. I received an A on that paper.
 
Thus, I completed my degree barely getting by in Music Theory and excelling in Music History, if one uses the grades I received as the means of measurement.
 
The degree I earned was the Bachelor of Science in Sacred Music. It was a 120-hour degree which was more hours than Music Education or any other music degree. It encompassed Music Education, Sacred Music studies, classes in brass, woodwinds, strings, and percussion, along with the common courses in music history, theory, piano, voice (my emphasis). It had the most hours because the Scared Music degree was the baby of the Music Department Head . . .but I digress.
 
After graduating from The University of the Cumberlands, I moved the family to Louisville, KY so I could attend The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary where I continued my studies in music.
 
Every student had to take competency tests at the beginning of the school year to assess their level of education and to select which level of each class in which they would enroll.
 
This leads to the point of my article. Every area of music ability and knowledge was evaluated. The two this article is concerned with are Music History and Music Theory. I was surprised and shocked at the results. In Music History, in which I excelled in undergraduate school, I failed miserably. My scores were exceptionally low. However, in Music Theory, in which I struggled in undergraduate school, I did very well. How confusing!
 
The only conclusion I can make is that the difference was between the teaching of the two professors that taught me in those subjects in college. I surmise that the Music Theory professor was teaching at a very high level while the Music History teacher did not.
 
It is apparent to me that the Music Theory professor demanded more from us undergraduate students than the Music History professor. I dreaded my Music Theory classes at The University of the Cumberlands. I braced myself for my semester grade each semester preparing my mind to have to repeat the course because I had failed it. I thoroughly enjoyed Music History and looked forward to it each semester because it was so easy!
 
We often shortchange our students, young people, and our congregations when we “water-down” the information on our teaching of the Bible and all it encompasses. Certainly, it is possible to teach beyond what the student is capable of digesting, but I’m convinced that we have lowered the bar too far and that people can achieve much more than they believe they can if they are challenged and encouraged rather than belittled and shamed.
 
Jesus, to use a current vernacular, “blew the people’s minds” with His teaching. He turned the teaching of the Rabbis and other Jewish leaders upside down. He chided one who came to Him, Nicodemus, was puzzled by Jesus’ statement that he must be born again. Jesus stretched and expanded their minds, but He did it in such a wonderful way that the simplest of persons could understand their need to accept His gift of salvation, while the highly educated were challenged with the depth of His teaching.
 
Churches today are facing a dearth of believers who know and have a deep understanding of God, His Word, and His principles. Our churches are facing the problem increasingly of leaders to fill positions such as Deacons, Bible Study Teachers, and other mentors because we have not been teaching them adequately.
 
This is not a new problem. God led the writer of Hebrews to admonish the Hebrew Christians as “babes” in their knowledge saying by this time (in their spiritual development) they ought to be teachers managing the more profound concepts of faith in Christ. (Hebrews 5:11-6:3)
 
Unfortunately, besides teaching only the “elementary truths” of scripture we have acquiesced by eliminating Sunday evening worship and Wednesday Evening Worship, among other discipleship opportunities.
 
I understand the reasons for doing so but that does not make the practice right.
 
We need to encourage people to want to study God’s Word. One way to do that is to challenge them with the deeper truths of scripture. We must whet their appetite. We must demonstrate the depth of richness in God’s Word. We must be sure to not belittle the learner and we need to quit putting people in teaching and other leadership positions who are not properly well-versed in God’s Word.
 
We have dug ourselves a deep well. There is an adage often said regarding someone in trouble. It goes, “If you’re digging yourself into a hole, the first step is to stop digging!” This is a good analogy for the church. We need to stop digging the hole of poor biblical literacy. We do this by digging deeper into the deep truths of God’s Word. The previous sentences are paradoxical in nature. Stop digging but dig deeper. Opposite actions whose only explanation is the two actions are referring to different objectives. The first being digging a hole of biblical literacy whereas the second is digging deeper into God’s Word. Digging deeper into God’s Word results not in a hole but in a mountain of faith.
 
Oh, may our people who profess a faith in Jesus Christ develop a thirst to know Him on a deeper level. Proverbs 12:1 says, “Whoever loves discipline loves knowledge, but whoever hates correction is stupid.” Don’t be stupid!

oMany who will read this will remember the occasion the title refers to. It was a time when there wasn’t whole house air conditioning. The house was only made bearable from the screen door at either end of the house that let air move through the house providing some cooling though not nearly enough.

But screen doors left open would let flies and other flying critters in and so the screen door was fitted with a spring. Open the door and the spring would stretch. Let go of the door and the spring would bring the door to a close with a loud slap!

The only way to prevent the slap was to slowly close the door thus keeping the flies outside while not putting your mother on her last nerve.

Unfortunately, this slow exercise doesn’t fit the life of a young child eager to get wherever they are going whether in or out. Usually, He or she would be on a full run and many feet away from the door when it slammed shut.

In these homes under these criteria there was a phrase heard several times a day. “Don’t slam the screen door!” The phrase was usually said at a volume that riveled the slamming of the door and was generally too late.

Most homes don’t have the problem these days. We’re all ensconced in our capsules insulated from the outdoors by our HVAC systems, Heating Ventilation, Air Conditioning. We can enjoy silent bliss with just the gentle sound of the HVAC fan circulating the air throughout the home.

That’s one reason we can enjoy the silence. The other is more bittersweet. You see that door slamming was preceded and followed by the running footsteps of a child. A child full of energy and joy. Often the noise was generated because our young one couldn’t wait to bring us a flower (weed) they’d found and found beautiful. Or perhaps it was to tell us of watching a butterfly escape from its cocoon prison. Whatever the reason, the exuberance of the child was too often squashed by the insistence that the door does not slam.

Too often good intentions are met by our requirement that things be done to please us. Sometimes a loving act is diminished by the insistence that the act performed be performed according to an accepted set of rules.
For example, I have heard of children writing to their mother and or father from camp or school. The child is first obeying the admonition to write home. I spent many weeks at summer camp as a young boy. To receive a letter from me, my mother would put pre-addressed, stamped envelopes and paper in my suitcase. Unfortunately, I too often returned home with those letters in tack and unused. But other children were more disciplined than I.

They would write the letters as they should telling Mom and Dad about the events of their day, the boys, or girls they had taken a fancy to, and a brief mention that they hoped their parental units were ok.

Some of those children who obediently and obligingly wrote home were excited when, a few days later, they would receive a letter from home. Inside was news from home but also inside was the letter they had sent previously except it was marked up in red. All through the letter were corrective marks noting incorrect spelling, missed commas, missed capitalizations, and other grievous grammatical errors.

Those children also report feeling crestfallen as it seemed the content of their letters wasn’t important, especially since what they had written was not responded to in kind. No, apparently, the only purpose for them writing home was to give the recipient another opportunity to point out how stupid and disappointing they were.

Now that I am a parent and a grandparent, I’m sure that the corrections written in red were intended as an act of love. That the correction the returned letters brought were from a desire to help the child be a better person. A person who could write intelligently and correctly. Certainly, this is a necessary skill for one to learn.

Many receive this same kind of reception today. No, their letters aren’t returned with red correction marks on the page, but the same occurrence happens, nonetheless. The scenarios can take many forms.

The specific occasions are too many to mention but the situation happens somewhat according to the following chain of events. A person sees a need or a want expressed by someone within their circle of friends and acquaintances. They desire to meet that need. Often the need is not met well or adequately. This may be due to many reasons. The person trying to meet the need may not have the necessary skills to perform the necessary actions. It may be they don’t have all the information needed to sufficiently address the need. It also occurs sometimes that the person expressing the need or complaining, doesn’t really want or need anyone to address the need…they were just venting. Another situation that occurs is the complainer wants the problem solved by a particular person.

And so, the effort to fix the problem is met with derision, mockery, or feigned appreciation. Regardless of the response the effort on the helper’s part is rejected and unappreciated.

Unfortunately, often, the effort is rejected due to the arrogance of the one receiving the assistance. There is arrogance from narcissism and there is arrogance from ignorance. In the first case the person has such an overwhelming ego that nothing anyone does for them is good enough. Unfortunately, too, the effort intended on their behalf is rejected because the recipient’s ego feels no gratitude because, after all, they deserve anything anyone does for him or her.

Arrogance from ignorance can occur for many reasons. The recipient may not know or realize that the help was offered for their benefit. It is also the case that the recipient does not know the effort required to affect a solution and they do not realize how much effort the giver put into trying to be of help. Again, regardless, the recipient fails to acknowledge the benefit done for them nor do they say or show appreciation.

Some go through life being reminded to not let the screen door slam. No matter how they try to help, their effort is ignored or rejected. Most simply quit going through the screen door of caring about another. In the former case the giver receives some reward because they have done what they did from an attitude of love, a desire to be of help. Purity of the heart is always rewarded in some fashion I believe. If not in the here and now than in the hereafter when our Savior and Lord says “well-done.”

The saddest case is when we become so jaded to helping others that we cease trying. No one receives any benefit in the latter case.

We must try to find the joy in the slamming screen door. We can make life better for the giver when we receive their gift with grace and appreciation. When we do that, the giver is blessed, we are blessed, and our Father in heaven is pleased.
​
Who is slamming your screen door?

It is often helpful to review foundational beliefs with the purpose of understanding who we are and why we do what we do. With our church approaching a new church year (October 1) and with us soon meeting in the first church quarterly meeting of our new church year, it seems appropriate to review some of these foundational thoughts.

The first thought I will address is congregational polity. It is necessary to define some terms in order to fully understand Congregational Polity.

Polity is defined as a system for rule, governance, or order. Baptist churches traditionally, and by a near unanimous majority, hold  to congregational polity. This means that the congregation, made up of members of the local church, are the authority of the church. Final decisions rest with church members. The church members may, and usually do, delegate the tasks of the church to various groups and leaders. These groups and leaders may include deacons, elders, trustees, various committees, the Pastor and other church staff.

The individuals serving within these groups and the church staff people, are entrusted with various responsibilities. The members of the committees are elected based upon their education, experience, wisdom, knowledge, and faithfulness to the church. Church members typically follow the recommendation(s) of the delegated groups or individuals, however, the full body reserves the final say on any issues before the church.

Other systems of church governance include Ecclesiastical Polity (Catholic, Episcopal, Methodist, etc.) and Presbytery Polity (Presbyterians). Other faith groups practice Congregational Polity in addition to Baptists and not all Baptists practice Congregational Polity. Our church practices Congregational Polity.

Regular church business meetings are held to inform the congregation and to give the members the opportunity to ask questions and to express their preference (vote) in choices presented to them.

The process of decision making generally follows this order; the delegated group or individual considers a need of the church. That body, or person, either makes a decision that falls within their delegated area(s) of responsibility or they take the matter to the church for a decision. The group or individual's responsibilities and area of influence are given by the church. The church can remove that responsibility.

Typically the pastor of the church is consider ex officio for every committee. Ex officio is Latin meaning "from the office". It is because of the office of pastor that the Pastor is on committees. As an ex officio member the Pastor has all the rights and obligations of the board meetings or committee that they serve on. This includes the right to discuss, debate, make decisions, and vote. 

In Congregational Polity any member, as an individual, may bring a matter to the floor (meeting) for consideration. The members may discuss and act on the recommendation or, as per parliamentary procedure, the meeting moderator may refer the matter to a committee for consideration.

Parliamentary procedures are used to maintain order in the meeting. A typical parliamentary procedure system used is Robert's Rules of Order.

In summary, the Pastor, a duly elected committee, or a member may bring a matter before the congregation. The congregation is the final authority on the matter brought by the person or group.

Do you have a question you'd like an answer to, or a topic you'd like to know about? Leave a comment on this post or send your request via the Contact page. I'll review your comment and try to respond.

There is great wisdom in the Bible. One of my practices in my daily quiet time is to read the chapter of Proverbs that corresponds to the day of the month. There are 31 chapters so every month is completely covered. Then there is also Songs of Solomon, and Ecclesiastes both excellent observations about life.
There is secular literature that teaches great lessons as well. One of the more entertaining books to read is Fables of Aesop. These are short stories that teach a valuable lesson that should be thought about. One that comes to mind today is the fable about the Man, the Boy, and the Donkey. Here is the fable.

A Man and his son were once going with their Donkey to market. As they were walking along by its side a countryman passed them and said: “You fools, what is a Donkey for but to ride upon?”
So the Man put the Boy on the Donkey and they went on their way. But soon they passed a group of men, one of whom said: “See that lazy youngster, he lets his father walk while he rides.”
So the Man ordered his Boy to get off, and got on himself. But they hadn’t gone far when they passed two women, one of whom said to the other: “Shame on that lazy lout to let his poor little son trudge along.”
Well, the Man didn’t know what to do, but at last he took his Boy up before him on the Donkey. By this time they had come to the town, and the passers-by began to jeer and point at them. The Man stopped and asked what they were scoffing at. The men said: “Aren’t you ashamed of yourself for overloading that poor donkey of yours and your hulking son?”
The Man and Boy got off and tried to think what to do. They thought and they thought, till at last they cut down a pole, tied the donkey’s feet to it, and raised the pole and the donkey to their shoulders. They went along amid the laughter of all who met them till they came to Market Bridge, when the Donkey, getting one of his feet loose, kicked out and caused the Boy to drop his end of the pole. In the struggle the Donkey fell over the bridge, and his fore-feet being tied together he was drowned.
“That will teach you,” said an old man who had followed them:
“Please all, and you will please none.”

It is not difficult to see the wisdom in this fable. The man and son were doing nothing wrong walking alongside the donkey as they went to market. We don't know the age of the boy but apparently he was old enough to help his father when they decided to carry the donkey so he wasn't a small child.

Along the way they encounter people expressing their opinion. In meekness the father responds to each one. However it ends in tragedy since they lose the donkey and the donkey drowns. If they had not listened to the opinions of others they would have made it to market in tact, all would be well, and no one would be worse for the wear.

There is a balance that must be considered. Balance is one of my key words for life. My children grew up hearing often about having a balanced view.

We need balance between responding to someone's opinion and stubbornly sticking to our own. Certainly there are times that we are blinded by our view and considering someone else's opinion can be a benefit.  We also need to realize that we aren't proficient on every subject and probably not on any subject. By that I mean we can always learn even if we have years of study and experience. 

But we must also be careful to not forgo our own views for the purpose of pleasing another. 

There is one person we should always seek to please and that is The Creator, The Supreme Being, God/Jesus Christ/ the Holy Spirit. This God, the only God, is all truth, all wisdom, and in Him is no error, no deception, no self-serving attitude. What He says can be trusted. Besides His being the perfect source of wisdom and knowledge, He is also the final arbiter.

Too often in life we suppress our views for someone else's. As I've already written there are occasions when we should but to always assume someone is more "right" than I or should be pleased even when it's obvious they are wrong or misinformed is a mistake. I also concede that there are times when it is the better part of wisdom to forgo our preferences to "keep the peace".

God made us fearfully and wonderfully. We are intelligent creatures who can think. We can embrace the knowledge and wisdom of another but only when they have shown themselves trustworthy. We can trust our own ideas as we take time to read and research. It is a dreadful mistake to live our lives pleasing others. Strive to be pleasing but don't make pleasing others your goal.

It is an easy idea to grasp that at the end of life there will be a reckoning of how we lived our life. Most cultures have some concept of this occurrence upon death with a corresponding reward or punishment. It only seems fair or just. The Bible teaches that there is a judgement when we pass. When we think of that passing and ultimate judgement, isn't it logical to live in such a way that our life pleases the final judge? When I go to a civil or criminal court on earth would I not want the presiding judge to be favorable to my actions? Regardless of what the prosecution thinks about me, says about me, or can prove about me it is the judge (sometimes as a jury) who will decide my fate, not the prosecutor.

As so it is eternally. It is not your friend, family member, boss, or neighbor who will be sitting on the judgement seat when you die. Nor is it your pastor, deacon, Bible teacher, or elder. The only one deciding your fate is God. Thus live to please Him since it is He who will be measuring your actions.

The last line of the fable quotes an old man who had followed the three and watched all that transpired. After the fact he states, "Please all and you will please none." An even better adage is "Live to please The One!"

“I live before the audience of One-before others I have nothing to gain, nothing to lose, nothing to prove.” Os Guinness

All writers know the occasion of having a mind and heart full of thoughts that are urging to be shared. Then when the moment is taken to put those thoughts and emotions to pen, the words don’t come. The thoughts and emotions are raging inside, flitting about like a bird in a cage longing to be freed but there is no relief. That is where I find myself this morning.

In the past day or two, I have found myself in a different mood. Normally, I am overrun with ideas and the desire to attack many tasks waiting for completion. But then come those moments full of conflicting emotions. “Is it all for naught?” “Is it making a difference?” “Am I helping or being a nuisance?” “Should I stop pushing, me and others, forward and just let us be?” “How can I stop when there is so much to do and the need is so great?”

It was these kinds of thoughts I awakened with this morning. To add to the conundrum, I had a notification from Facebook that garnered my attention. It seems a college classmate from 30 years ago had “hearted” a post I’d made on her comment. In reviewing the notification, it seems that the original exchange occurred twelve years ago and yet she had, just yesterday, clicked the love icon on my post. Puzzling.

I don’t know her well. We attended Cumberland College in Williamsburg, KY at the same time. I friended her back when Facebook was new and like most of us do, I invited and accepted anyone who wanted to be a friend. Her posts were, are sad posts of hurt and anguish. Somehow, I learned that her anguish was caused because her husband had committed suicide. While I don’t know this tragedy in personal experience, I can easily imagine some of the questions, doubts, and confusion that would come from this kind of event.

In 2009 she posted on Facebook crying out from her feelings of weakness and confusion. In my attempts to connect and help, I inferred that I too go through similar feelings and that there is a song that helps me. The song is “I Won’t Last a Day Without You” released by The Carpenters in 1972. Some of you may remember that Karen Carpenter had a beautiful, soulful voice. She struggled with anorexia nervosa and died in 1983 at the age of 32 when her heart gave out.

Here are the words to that song and a YouTube link at the end of the article you can listen to: 

Verse 1:
Day after day I must face a world of strangers, where I don't belong, I'm not that strong
It's nice to know that there's someone I can turn to who will always care, you're always there
Chorus:
When there's no getting over that rainbow, when my smallest of dreams won't come true
I can take all the madness the world has to give but I won't last a day without you
Verse 2:
So many times when the city seems to be without a friendly face, a lonely place
It's nice to know that you'll be there if I need you, and you'll always smile, it's all worthwhile
Chorus:
Bridge:
Touch me and I end up singing, troubles seem to up and disappear
You touch me with the love you're bringing I can't really lose when you're near.
Verse 3:
If all my friends have forgotten half their promises, they're not unkind, just hard to find
One look at you and I know that I could learn to live without the rest, I found the best
Chorus:

I Won’t Last a Day Without You is a beautiful love song. The singer is feeling depressed and overwhelmed by the uncaring, busyness of the world but she takes refuge in knowing that there is one who loves her and is always there for her.

Verse three is the main verse that comes to my mind when I’m feeling lonely. That verse reminds me it isn’t that my friends don’t care, they do, and that true, real friends are very hard to find. Truth is we have lots of friendly acquaintances, but a friend is a rare person to find.

The other observation is that the song could well be sung about, and to, God. He is a true friend who is always there and who always cares.

Back to my Facebook friend. I don’t know what prompted her to “heart” my post twelve years after it was first posted. All I can assume is that she is feeling similar emotions and in re-reading this exchange it spoke to her again. That observation and realization led me to lift a prayer on her behalf once again.

In our world we struggle with the desire to be recognized as the unique individual that we are. As the Bible says, “I am fearfully and wonderfully made” (Psalm 139:14) And yet while we are uniquely individual, we are also very common in similarity with our fellow humans. We all labor and dream. We all have joy and celebration. And we all experience grief and sadness, loss and confusion, dejection and frustration. We should be able to extend grace to each other better than we do but too often that consoling, understanding friend is hard if not impossible to find. Certainly, one should be able to find that respite and a resting, safe place in our churches, but too often when they turn to the church they only receive criticism and reproof, not a hug or sympathetic ear.

We all suffer hurts, setbacks, disappointments, and fear and if we allow, our Lord God will effect healing in our mind, body, and soul. More than that, He will teach us how to be “The Wounded Healer,” helping others through their pain.

There is a book titled “The Wounded Healer,” authored by Henri Nouwen. It is a small paperback book and can be found in print, as an audiobook, or as an eBook. I recommend it to everyone especially Christians who, like our Lord Christ, wish to be a help to those struggling.

The premise of the book is simple but profound. Basically, our healing from wounds we experience can give us greater empathy and capacity to help others in their time of pain. While we all have much to do and not enough time to do it, if we can learn to stop when another, friend or acquaintance or stranger, is in need we can build something greater than any edifice we could construct. We can build a stronger person.

We ooh and ah when we see pictures or occasions of a hen covering her chicks with her wings to protect them, or when we see a mother dog, cat, cow, any animal in fact caring for her loved ones. Jesus expressed that kind of love for Israel as recorded in Matthew 23:37. He longed to love and protect them, but they were not willing.
​
May we first be willing to let Jesus cover us with His healing wings when we are hurting and then once healed and or comforted, may we cover others with our wings that they too may be healed. That is the love of Christ that will resonate in a lost and dying world!

Anyone who reads the Bible, especially the Old Testament of the Bible, will come away with the observation that it is very male oriented and dominated. The Hebrew culture and the cultures around them were very patriarchal. That is irrefutable.

However, the fact that the Bible contains writings that are patriarchal does not mean that is God’s desire or practice. Throughout the Bible, Old and New Testament, we read of God’s instructions to protect women, treat women with respect, and women are written about with great admiration and regarded as heroes.

For example, in Genesis, Miriam, Moses’ sister, is first his protector when he was a child, and later she was an integral part of his leadership of the Hebrew people. Moses relied on her in his decision making.

In the Book of Joshua we read of Rahab. The book begins recounting the death of Moses and that Joshua was now in charge of the Hebrew people. He is preparing to take the people into the Canaan land that God had ordered them to enter forty years earlier. Joshua sent spies into the land to gain knowledge to be used in development of their strategy. The spies enter a town and the home of a prostitute, not an auspicious beginning. The enemy was looking for the spies. The enemy approached Rahab’s home to search for the spies. Rahab first hid the spies and then assisted them in escaping the city. For her help and valor, Rahab and her family were allowed to leave the city before the Hebrew army over ran it. Rahab is even mentioned in the genealogy of David in Matthew chapter one.

In Judges chapters 4 and 5 we read of Deborah. Deborah was a prophet of the Hebrews. A prophet in those days was a leading governmental official. She was instrumental in advising the army of the Hebrews in defeating their enemy.
In 1 Samuel we read of Hannah. Hannah was the wife of Elkanah, and she was barren meaning she was unable to bear children. Being unable to bear child in the Hebrew culture meant her only worth was as a housekeeper in the home. However, Hannah was a woman of great faith. She cried out to God for mercy and asked that He open her womb. God heard her prayer, opened her womb, and she and Elkanah conceived a child. Hannah had promised God that if God gave her a child she would dedicate the child to God’s service. Hannah was true to her promise. Once Samuel, Hannah’s child, was born and weaned, she brought him to the temple and gave him to Eli so Samuel could live his life serving the Lord. Samuel became one of if not the most important prophets in the Old Testament. God used him mightily in leading the people. He led the coronation of King Saul and King David as well as advising them. If it were not for Hannah’s rearing of Samuel and dedicating him to the service of God, Israel would not have had his powerful, faithful leadership.

On and on the list goes of women who figured prominently in God plan for Israel. There were also many prominent women in the New Testament beginning with Mary the mother of Jesus, and Elizabeth the mother of John the Baptist. There were women who taught the Apostle Paul and helped him. Timothy’s mother and grandmother were noted for their faithfulness and upbringing of Timothy.

Throughout God’s word many women are mentioned as a vital part of God’s work with His people.

In addition, God commanded Moses to include in the law instructions that were designed to protect woman from being abused and treated unjustly.

In my life and ministry, I have been blessed to know many godly women without whom the respective churches could not have succeeded or survived!

The women include my mother who made sure I attended church and who supported my desire to learn about God as a child and to later enter the ministry. My wife’s mother served as a missionary for 30 years to the people of Kenya alongside her husband. My wife’s faithfulness is a paramount support in my service to God and in the rearing of my children both of whom have been and are serving their church in paid and unpaid positions.

Given the time I could tell you of Ernestine Roberts, Nelle Edgin, Florence Deddens, Agnus Masterson, Ruth Miller, Betty Hallmark, Leffa Moore, Pat Teodorski, Jackie Stucki, and on and on my list goes. I have been instructed, encouraged, admonished, and taught by these great women as they lived their life before God.

These women brought intelligence, unique skills, and a motherly love to so many who were blessed to come into their sphere of influence. Some had children and some were childless, but they all showed nurturing love to everyone.

This is one reason when Mother’s Day comes around on the calendar I choose to honor all women, not just those who have given birth, for the nurturing love that seems ingrained in them.

So, I encourage you to honor and respect women, all women. Hold them high on a pedestal of respect. Secondly, do not be fooled by some who want to belittle them and diminish their role in the world and the church.
Ladies, I hope you will not take a surface view of God and think He is against women. Read His word and see for yourselves how much God teaches how to treat women with honor and respect.
​
I’ll leave you with this story. My mother enjoyed a relaxing cup of coffee, and she treasured the times she could stop, sit down, and enjoy her coffee in a pretty, flowery cup complete with a matching saucer. The cup was fine china. It was beautiful and of much more worth than a big, heavy mug. It was cherished and treated with care and protection. Women to me are like that china cup. Beautiful and valuable and to be cherished and cared for. Men are mugs. Thick, sometimes ugly, but strong. You can throw a mug on the ground and chances are it will just bounce and not break. Do that with fine china and it will chip at best and most probably break into many pieces. As fine china they are strong and capable and can bear some challenges better than any man. But they should be respected for their strength and cherished for their beauty of body, soul, and spirit.

Many of you will remember a movement that occurred in the 1990s called WWJD or What Would Jesus Do? It was very popular for a while and fostered many items to help us ask ourselves this question in each situation we encountered. A WWJD bracelet was produced that became a big favorite.

The thought and phrase initially occurred many, many years ago. Perhaps the first published book on the subject was Imitatio Christi (The Imitation of Christ) written by Thomas à Kempis in the early 1,400s. Charles Spurgeon mentions the book and uses the phrase, what would Jesus do, in a sermon of his from 1891.

Perhaps the most well-known book written on this subject is Charles Sheldon’s In His Steps subtitled “What Would Jesus Do?” Sheldon’s book, written in 1896, grew out of a series of sermons he preached at his church in Topeka, Kansas. Sheldon’s book took a different application than previous teachings. He used the term in Christian Socialism as more simply what Jesus would have done in everyday activities and situations in people’s lives versus a more theological application. The book has challenged many Christians and non-Christians to put their beliefs into practical application by helping people in practical ways.
The thought and movement were resurrected in the 1990s by Janie Tinklenberg, a youth minister in Holland, Michigan. She was looking for a way to motivate her youth to live daily and constantly for Christ.

Thus, the phrase, thought, and practice has been around for a very long time. However, that doesn’t diminish the truth contained in the question. What would Jesus do is a valid question each one of us can and should ask ourselves as we face the many challenges in our lives and in the attempt to help others.

Lately, a corollary has come to my mind. It is What Does Jesus Want? I don’t mean to assign any profundity to my thinking. The thought has grown out of realizing I need to develop the mind of Christ as Paul says in Philippians 2:5. “Let this mind be in you as was in Christ Jesus.” (KJV)

While we live by faith in Christ alone, God did endow us with a beautiful, powerful mind. We have a great capacity for thought and those thoughts guide us. Again, while we live by faith we should use our mind to gain knowledge of God and gain understanding of His way designed for us. The author of the wisdom literature in the book of Proverbs penned in Proverbs 23:7a, “For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he:” The Apostle Paul enjoined us to, “Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.” Colossians 3:2. Jesus taught us to “lay up treasures in heaven” or have a heavenly mindset.

As we seek to serve Jesus, we can do that best when we know what He wants. Once we know what Christ wants, we can align our desires with His desires.

I been married to my wife for 47 years. While I won’t state that I know everything she is thinking, in mundane, daily decisions like eating out, I have learned what she likes. When we go to a restaurant, I can order for her. That’s not a statement of masculine chauvinism it is a fact and an ability that can help. When we’re choosing a place to go have a meal, I can choose a place she’ll enjoy because I know her mind about eating.

Our walk with Christ should be that natural and automatic. In common, daily occurrences I should be so in tune with the mind of Christ, that is knowing what He wants, that I don’t have to ask Him what to do, I don’t have to think about what I should do, I just do because what I do is in sync with Him on an ongoing basis. I’m walking in His way, living by His Spirit.

As a church we need to think about our mission in this way. It is easy to get distracted with programs and ministries that may be very good. However, in their pursuit we can lose sight of Christ’s desires and miss His leading because we are obsessed with our work. We miss the great because of the good we are doing. Too often the effect is that of the “tale wagging the dog.” Rather than us utilizing a method or program to achieve the goal of Christ, the program has ballooned to entrap us, eventually causing us to fail in accomplishing the mission of Jesus Christ.

One way we can keep us in the center of God’s will is to regularly ask ourselves, and measure our actions by the question, “What does Christ want? If we measure our actions against the standard of what Christ wants, we can determine if our actions are appropriate. The more we go through this process the more natural it is to know the mind of Christ. The mature Christian will find every action they take in Christ’s will from beginning to the end.

Does Christ want me to invite my neighbor to church? Yes! Does Christ want me to tell my neighbor about the saving grace of Jesus Christ? Yes! Does Christ want me to go out drinking and carousing with my friend? No! Does Christ want me to help my friend financially? Maybe, maybe not! That takes a specific inquiry.
​
If we are serious about knowing and doing God’s will for me, we will make this process a constant attitude of our heart. If we are serious about knowing and doing the will of God for our church, we will do this process!

A favorite poem of many is Dylan Thomas’ “Do not go gentle into that good night.” Here is the poem.

Do not go gentle into that good night,
Old age should burn and rave at close of day;
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

Though wise men at their end know dark is right,
Because their words had forked no lightning they
Do not go gentle into that good night.

Good men, the last wave by, crying how bright
Their frail deeds might have danced in a green bay,
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

Wild men who caught and sang the sun in flight,
And learn, too late, they grieved it on its way,
Do not go gentle into that good night.

Grave men, near death, who see with blinding sight
Blind eyes could blaze like meteors and be gay,
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

And you, my father, there on the sad height,
Curse, bless, me now with your fierce tears, I pray.
Do not go gentle into that good night.
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

The occasion was the dying of Dylan Thomas’ father. Mr. Thomas was angry with his father because he felt his father wasn’t trying hard enough to fight his oncoming demise. He wanted his father to fight against death. He didn’t want his father to die.

I get to where I want to scream this poem out to our churches today. So many seem to be laying down and letting the fog and darkness of cessation slowly envelope them. Perhaps like the accident victim who has suffered a trauma they are weak from the blows they’ve suffered and don’t realize they are slipping into unconsciousness and then death. The end descends peacefully upon them as the final breath is breathed.

Perhaps it’s weariness that is overwhelming these churches. It’s true it has been a long fight and here I do not mean the kind of fight where brother is pitted against brother. No, this fight is one where brother, and sister, stood alongside their sibling and contended against the forces of destruction that are increasing their attacks against our loved and their despised institution. The soldiers see the battle excruciatingly closely and sense the defeat coming. Their bones tired and their spirit disheartened they wait, very consciously, for the enemy to overrun their position and the only hope they have is that their post will not fall before they have passed so that they do not have to endure the defeat.

In either scenario the trauma victim nor the soldier realizes there are spectators and fellow soldiers screaming at them to continue the fight. Kindred spirits who have the additional grief of friends giving up the battle.

The semi-comatose have grown deaf to their band of brothers who are still in the fight. Perhaps in their semi-comatose state they derisively laugh at the foolishness of their companion's continued struggle against the dying of the light. “Enjoy sweet slumber,” they whisper.

So too the ones weary from battle suffer from limited vision. They cannot see the other troops waging battle successfully on the other side of the hill. Their reality is all that seems to exist. They slip into slumber not realizing that if battle tactics were changed the fight could turn. That if they would press on replacements and replenishment would arrive to sustain the post. If they would but receive current orders and not insist on outdated ones, the enemy could be defeated, and the townspeople saved. Faithfully and stubbornly, but foolishly they cling to outdated battle plans and ineffective missions.

In their depleted vision and memory, they do not see their leader advancing. They do not hear the words of encouragement that they are conquerors. They do not remember that the battle is won, that the enemy is defeated and that the attacks being lobbied are the death throes of the enemy not the successful advancement. If only their vision could be improved. If only their hearing were sharpened perhaps then their strength would return. Perhaps then they would not be nattering nabobs of negativity. Perhaps then the dimming of their eyes would see their city shining bright.

If only their faith in their leader could be renewed. If only their confidence in their commander could be restored. If they could realize their efforts are not in vain. If they could value saved lives more than their life’s comfort. Perhaps then the battle could turn. The commander continues to speak, He is ready to strengthen wobbly knees, He is ready with replenishing resources. His storehouses are not emptied but His laborers are few.

He's waiting to see if there is sufficient faith. He’s waiting to see if there are trustworthy individuals. He’s waiting to hear the shared call for help. He’s listening for unity. He’s waiting for the fervorous call and the submissive obedience. He’s waiting to hear the call for new orders and to have the confidence they will be followed.

Church – Do not go gentle into that good night. Rage, rage against the dying of the light. Your personal ending is not the end of all. Fight as long as you have life and help the rest to live!

I love the Book of Proverbs in the Bible. There is such a wealth of wisdom in the, usually, short sayings. One piece of wisdom that stands out to me is Proverbs 24:33,34. It reads, “A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest— and poverty will come on you like a thief and scarcity like an armed man.” God thought it was so important to say this that He led the scribe of Proverbs to include it two times! In Proverbs 6:10,11 we read the exact, same saying.
While some of the proverbs can leave one scratching his or her head, this one is easy to understand. One must work diligently throughout their life, or everything worked for will be gone in what seems like an instant. People will wonder, “How did this happen!”
I often think of this proverb in relation to churches. I’m passionate about the local church. My intensity regarding the local church is too much for many people. I get that and I don’t like that it makes people uncomfortable, but I see the times and I have concern and I grieve regarding the state of the local church.
Here are some anecdotal reasons why. Here in Louisville, there is a nice church facility that was operating as a Baptist church when we moved to the area some 25 years ago. It is now an Islamic school. I don’t begrudge Islamic parents seeking parochial education for their children, but it grieves me that this Baptist Church no longer exists at that location.
There is another church facility near me that was once a large Baptist church. That church is now owned by a Christian school. Again, I’m happy that children are being trained in the Christian faith, but I grieve that the church is no longer worshipping in that location.
A few years ago, there was a church that was very involved in local area ministries and had a building in which they housed volunteer Vacation Bible School workers who came to Louisville for the summer to help various churches. On one occasion I drove by the church and the property was surrounded by chain link fences and was apparently closed. I asked an associational leader what happened. He told that the church had gotten to a place financially where it was largely supported by one elderly woman. She passed away, her support stopped, and the church was no longer able to keep the doors open.
There are many more stories I could tell of Baptist churches that have closed or merged with other churches because they became too small to stay open and or be self-supporting. There are many other non-Baptist churches that are no longer operating like a Presbyterian church that is now owned by Indians (India Indians). Again, I don’t begrudge the Indians practicing their faith, but it grieves me that an Evangelical Christian Protestant church is no longer functioning.
Then there are the statistical studies. For 40 years or more I’ve been told in various meetings that 80% of churches are plateaued or declining. Thom Rainer’s organization did a study and found the number was more accurately 65%; better but still troubling. Recently I reached out to one of our state Baptist workers regarding the number of Baptist church closures over the past few years. He reported that 30 church had closed in the previous four-year period. That is an average of 7.5 churches per year! While not as bad as I had expected, 7.5 churches a year still makes me grieve and that is just Kentucky Baptist Churches. The reports on mainline church decline are much more troubling.
Following is a clipping from the July 13, 2021, Christianity Today article, “Mainline Protestants Are Still Declining, But That’s Not Good News for Evangelicals”, “By their own membership tallies, mainline denominations are showing drops of 15 percent, 25 percent, and even 40 percent over the span of the last decade.”
Finally, in 2009, I served as Part-Time Minister of Music for a church in Louisville. In the 1960s and 1970s the church had as many as 1,200 people attending worship. At one time they were a leading Southern Baptist church in growth. When I came in 2009 the church usually ran 150 in worship with occasional “special day” attendance of 200+. By pre-COVID 2019 the attendance was approximately 70 and now the church is averaging 40.
Certainly, COVID has hurt our church attendance, but it doesn’t deserve all the blame as church decline was well evidenced before the Spring of 2020.
I believe I am justified in my grief and intense passion regarding church decline. I’m no expert in church growth. I have read Thom Rainer’s books and followed his blog for years. He is a leading Southern Baptist professor, author, and researcher on church growth. I have also stayed informed by publications released by The Barna Group especially when George Barna was alive and heading the organization.
I don’t know the answer and the truth is there is no THE answer that applies equally well to each church. A friend, George Yates, has written a book, “Reaching the Summit: Avoiding and Reversing Decline in the Church.” In addition, he has worked as a consultant with many churches across the United States to help them avoid and reverse decline in their church. I’ve heard Reverend Yates say that he feels the decline can be traced back to an initial cause mentioned in Revelation chapter two. God is speaking to the church in Ephesus. Initially He commends the church for their hard work. However, in verse four God says, “Yet I hold this against you: you have forsaken the love you had at first!” (NIV)
I think there is a lot of merit to his observation. Too many churches seem to have lost their, or have a seriously reduced, love for Jesus Christ. I fear too many in the church do not have a genuine relationship with Jesus Christ.
I grew up attending church and I have a deep love for the local church, any local church, not just the one I attend. I want the churches, including my church, to be healthy and growing. I want them to be a joy to attend. I want to sing with my friends the great hymns of the faith and the great new songs of faith. I want to be challenged and enlightened by a deep look into the scripture and I want to challenge and enlighten those to whom I am sharing God’s word. I know there is a wonderful abundant life in store for those who love God and live according to His purpose, and I get very intense in trying to help people grow in Christ and have that abundant life.
If my intensity has offended you, I apologize. It was not my intent to offend. However, I cannot serve my God with a lukewarm attitude and action. I will try to be less offensive while maintaining my zeal for His church. My prayer is that God will remind you of His love for you and that your love will be restored to what it once was.
Finally, if you know you don’t have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ and you have never accepted Him as your personal Savior, I urge you to get with me or some other Christian you respect, and resolve this today. Also, if you believe or thought that you had made a genuine profession of faith years ago but today are not sure, I urge you to meet with me or some other Christian you respect and resolve your position with Christ today!