I've got a telephone inteview with a church.
I'm praying that I will hear what I am supposed to hear & say what I am supposed to say and not what I want to hear or say. Does that make any sense?
I know how I'm supposed to act, feel and know the standard "trust in the Lord and let Him lead and guide" answers, but I really want to hear and say what is real and truthful. I'm looking for what is right and real.
Thursday, April 29, 2010
Wednesday, April 21, 2010
Randomness
Haven't posted in a while so I thought I would give an update on my thoughts...
I'm having a running conversation with the Lord regarding employment, what it means to be in ministry and my identity as it relates to those.
After 28 years of being a “professional, paid minister” while preaching and teaching that everyone is a minister (that whole “Priesthood of All Believers” deal) I’m finding it hard to accept that it just might be the Lord’s will that I earn my keep doing something that is not specifically in paid ministry, while remaining in ministry in a totally different way. That is what some would call bi-vocational ministry.
I have said for MANY years that I believe that the only way for many churches in small and not so small communities to survive is to have a pastor who is bi-vocational. Of course, that is the pattern that we see in the New Testament.
Perhaps, the Lord is leading me to model what I have taught. What do you think? Let me know!
I'm having a running conversation with the Lord regarding employment, what it means to be in ministry and my identity as it relates to those.
After 28 years of being a “professional, paid minister” while preaching and teaching that everyone is a minister (that whole “Priesthood of All Believers” deal) I’m finding it hard to accept that it just might be the Lord’s will that I earn my keep doing something that is not specifically in paid ministry, while remaining in ministry in a totally different way. That is what some would call bi-vocational ministry.
I have said for MANY years that I believe that the only way for many churches in small and not so small communities to survive is to have a pastor who is bi-vocational. Of course, that is the pattern that we see in the New Testament.
Perhaps, the Lord is leading me to model what I have taught. What do you think? Let me know!
Friday, April 9, 2010
New Dell Mini...
I'm trying to get used to my Dell Mini netbook. Got tired of lugging my notebook around. It wasn't that heavy or bulky especially when I remember my first "portable" computer with dual floppys and 512k ram during grad school. I hauled it back and forth to California. Thought I was really "high" tech. It weighed close to 20lbs...
The new Dell Mini netbook weighs maybe 2lbs with a 120+ gig hard drive and a gig of ram and was less than $300! Amazing!
The new Dell Mini netbook weighs maybe 2lbs with a 120+ gig hard drive and a gig of ram and was less than $300! Amazing!
Sunday, April 4, 2010
Easter IS a big deal down here!
After a really inspiring Easter worship service this morning, the love of my life and I weren't ready for lunch, so we headed over to the Barnes and Noble to find a cd she wanted. I also wanted to go by the mall and check out the Apple Store to see if she could discover a way to extend her battery life on her I-phone.
Barnes and Noble didn't have what she wanted, so I asked a young lady looking in the same section if the mall might have another music store in it. She said she didn't know but added, "The mall is closed. I guess Easter is a big deal down here." Wish I could report that we had a deep and meaningful conversation resulting in her accepting Christ and being baptized in one of the fountains, but it didn't. Perhaps it will give her pause and think about what Easter means.
The truth is that Easter is a big deal. In fact, it is the only really big deal that matters. Resurrection (Easter) Sunday is the day that makes all other days have meaning and purpose. 1st Corinthians 15:58 tells us that our labor is not in vain. That nothing done for the Lord will be lost, wasted or pointless!
How's that for a resurrection message!!
Barnes and Noble didn't have what she wanted, so I asked a young lady looking in the same section if the mall might have another music store in it. She said she didn't know but added, "The mall is closed. I guess Easter is a big deal down here." Wish I could report that we had a deep and meaningful conversation resulting in her accepting Christ and being baptized in one of the fountains, but it didn't. Perhaps it will give her pause and think about what Easter means.
The truth is that Easter is a big deal. In fact, it is the only really big deal that matters. Resurrection (Easter) Sunday is the day that makes all other days have meaning and purpose. 1st Corinthians 15:58 tells us that our labor is not in vain. That nothing done for the Lord will be lost, wasted or pointless!
How's that for a resurrection message!!
Tuesday, March 30, 2010
Checking in...
Well, I probably should check in just in case anyone is reading this on a regular basis...
Our Tour of Churches took us to the Tomball Bible Church, in Tomball, Texas. A young man (Skeet Alderson) who was in our youth group in El Campo will soon become their Senior Pastor. A very nice, surburban church in transition from a standard, typical church into a contemporary, more cutting edge church as their community becomes more contemporary and more cutting edge.
Skeet appears to be the man for the job! I think he'll do fine!
Our Tour of Churches took us to the Tomball Bible Church, in Tomball, Texas. A young man (Skeet Alderson) who was in our youth group in El Campo will soon become their Senior Pastor. A very nice, surburban church in transition from a standard, typical church into a contemporary, more cutting edge church as their community becomes more contemporary and more cutting edge.
Skeet appears to be the man for the job! I think he'll do fine!
Sunday, March 21, 2010
Our Tour of Congregations
So far our "Tour of Churches" has taken us to: Lakewood, Sagemont, First Colony C of Ct, First Colony Christian, River Pointe, Central Christian in Austin, Faith United Methodist, and Family Life Christian Fellowship... A different congregation each week!
Lots of ideas to consider when our next ministry opportunity knocks!
Where will we wind up next week?
Any suggestions?
Check back next Sunday!
Lots of ideas to consider when our next ministry opportunity knocks!
Where will we wind up next week?
Any suggestions?
Check back next Sunday!
Saturday, March 13, 2010
The Passing of a Friend
My friend Ron Thomas died last Thursday afternoon at the Veterans Hospital in Houston. I talked with Ron on Wednesday and knew that he had an appointment on Thursday. We were to talk again on Friday, but I did not hear from him. His sister in Oregon called today and told me that security at the VA found him dead outside the clinic Thursday afternoon. Ron had survived numerous strokes and heart attacks the last few years and had a family history of early deaths. An autopsy was preformed and showed that to be the case. He will be cremated and his ashes transported to his mother in his hometown of Cincinnati, Ohio.
Ron was a loner, a rebel and an outcast. Some of that was of his own choosing and some due to his decision to be and live as he wished. When he was discharged from the Air Force (interestingly, he was stationed at Cannon Air Force Base in Clovis, New Mexico, my hometown while I was in high school!) he determined that he would not live according to anyone’s expectations or be concerned with what others thought of him.
Ron began attending the church I pastored simply because I decided to be his friend and because he wasn’t rejected by the people he met at there. He knew there were some who did not care for his appearance, hair, smell, etc…, but thankfully comments were not made to him directly. He was extremely grateful that he had some friends and was back in church!
Ron was certainly one of those to whom Jesus referred to as “the least of these.” Ron taught me that it is ok to be friends with those no one else wants to be friends with. I consider ministry to Ron the past couple of years some of the most important in my career. On a related note, Chuck Thornton, another of those “least of these” died Thursday, as well. I never got Chuck to come to church, but he at least let me pray for him before he was transferred to the VA in Houston a couple of weeks ago.
Because of Ron, I have a renewed sense of purpose to see the world with the eyes of Jesus and to seek to be his hands and feet in service to “the least of these.” As my friend Jesus said: “Go, thou and do likewise.”
Pressing on!
Rev. Elvis
Ron was a loner, a rebel and an outcast. Some of that was of his own choosing and some due to his decision to be and live as he wished. When he was discharged from the Air Force (interestingly, he was stationed at Cannon Air Force Base in Clovis, New Mexico, my hometown while I was in high school!) he determined that he would not live according to anyone’s expectations or be concerned with what others thought of him.
Ron began attending the church I pastored simply because I decided to be his friend and because he wasn’t rejected by the people he met at there. He knew there were some who did not care for his appearance, hair, smell, etc…, but thankfully comments were not made to him directly. He was extremely grateful that he had some friends and was back in church!
Ron was certainly one of those to whom Jesus referred to as “the least of these.” Ron taught me that it is ok to be friends with those no one else wants to be friends with. I consider ministry to Ron the past couple of years some of the most important in my career. On a related note, Chuck Thornton, another of those “least of these” died Thursday, as well. I never got Chuck to come to church, but he at least let me pray for him before he was transferred to the VA in Houston a couple of weeks ago.
Because of Ron, I have a renewed sense of purpose to see the world with the eyes of Jesus and to seek to be his hands and feet in service to “the least of these.” As my friend Jesus said: “Go, thou and do likewise.”
Pressing on!
Rev. Elvis
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