A New Language

One thing I have learned with the work I am doing for the Global Methodist Church is the realization that I need to be a good translator.  There are applicants for clergy ordination that range in age from the 20's to the 90's.  There are large churches with a hundred people on staff to those with only a part-time pastor and no other paid staff.  All of these people and organizations communicate at different levels.  Add to this dynamic, the Korean and Hispanic congregations in the Alabama Emerald Coast Conference, and the language-confusion becomes even more dramatic.

There is an old testament story of a place called Babel.  The story is from Genesis 11.  The people said, "Let us build ourselves a city with a tower that reaches to the heavens." In the south (this is where those translation skills become useful) we would say the people had become "too big for their britches."  They wanted the city for their control and ownership ("let us build ourselves a city").  They wanted to become like God ("let us build a tower to the heavens").  Their arrogance was not unnoticed by the Divine Counsel, so God said, "Let us go down and confuse their language."  This is why we use the term "babel" to describe nonsensical language.  So (according to Genesis 11) the people stopped building the city and were scattered over all the earth.

Then, at a place called Jerusalem (Acts 2) at the Feast of Pentecost.  Jews from many nations were gathered at this feast that celebrated the harvest, 50 days after Passover.  Many languages were spoken in this mishmash of humanity.  After being given the Holy Spirit, the disciples ran out into the street and began proclaiming the Good News of the Gospel.  Many things happened that day, but one of those happenings was, God rescinded the curse of Babel, for each person heard the message "in their own language."  Acts 2 said the people were "utterly amazed."

In 2000, I was honored to be able to go to Brazil, to a little place called Cacoal, the 4th largest city in the Rondonia region.  About 85,000 people lived there.  During my visit, I got to preach at a little church using an interpreter.  At the end of my message an old man came into the back of the church.  The interpreter was not where I was in the back of the church but here is what the people said happened.  I was speaking English to a group, and we were talking about our mission, our Savior and just sharing the Gospel.  The old man walked up and said, in Portuguese, "I heard the Americans were here and I want to become part of your church and give my life to Jesus."  He had overheard the conversation, in English.  He had missed my "eloquent" message.  But he was ready to follow Jesus.  Until I reread both of the above stories, I didn't understand.  Then, I realized God's message getting into the ears and hearts of people, depended less on me and totally on the movement of God's Spirit.

I am speaking this month about what we do on "The Day After The Day Of Pentecost."  When the Spirit comes, don't we go out and proclaim the Gospel?  Don't we tell our stories (bold witness) of how God has changed and transformed our lives?   Don't we tell everyone how Jesus has opened our ears and eyes to the truth and beauty of His message?

Every day, as I speak to people all over the nation about God's movement in the Global Methodist Church, I get to share my witness, and His story.  I think this is what Peter (1 Peter 2:5) meant when he wrote, "you, also, like living stones are being built into a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood ..."  Not tombstones that say, someone died here.  Living stones saying, "Look what God has done and is doing here."  All of this is a new language to many of the people I speak with.  They (we) have never been in this place in the context of our chosen "body of believers."  They are excited, thankful and expectant as God gives them (and us) words of witness.  Don't worry if you think you lack eloquence or words to tell what God has done ... the Spirit has broken the curse of Babel, and God will do whatever translation is needed.  Randy

Setting the Sails

If you were part of Nicey Eller's VBS Bible study, you might remember that one of the slides said ... "Don't pray for wind ... set the sails."  I love that thought, but in a small town where we a) believe we have tried it all, b) we think we know all the people and c) we think we are moving along in "OK" fashion, we have a few obstacles.  Some are happy with where things are and, truth be told, want things to stay the way they are.  Some are unhappy with things and want to direct change and blame people, situations or things (I understand this ... we want a quick fix).  But some ... probably only a few ... might have a solidly-Biblical understanding of movement, power and God's provision.  I will speak, today, to all of these people, whether you listen or not.  The prophet Ezekiel was told by God ... "If you fail to warn the people, it is on your head, but if you warn them and they are unresponsive, it is on their head."  So ... here is my instructive warning for today.

First, we are not a Church that is waiting for the power of God.  Jesus said, in Acts 1, "You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you." In Acts 2, this happened.  The receiving of power is a factual and real event that has happened.  Stop waiting.  Don't' pray for wind ... set the sails.

Second, God's power through God's Church is often manifested by understanding how God works.  Do you want God's power in our Church and in our lives?  Step out in faith!  In Joshua 3:14-17 we find a group of obedient people who have been given direct information about how God works.  they could have balked ... they could have questioned God ... they could have waited for a more clear message ... they could have done nothing.  But they did what God asked.  12 priests step into the Jordan River at flood stage, expecting God to do just what He said, and their action said, "We are invested whether we cross on dry ground or whether we drown."  Faith in the unseen.  Faith in the knowledge of God as a promise-keeper.  Faith in a God that has power over the seen and the unseen.

Let's devote our time and energy to expecting God's action and power.  Let's start setting our sails ... for the wind (ruach [Hebrew], pneuma [Greek]) of the Spirit has been given!  Randy

You Gotta Move

Do you ever overcomplicate God's work in your life?  We over think.  We over analyze.  We over plan.  We just plain process God's call until we can place it in the past.  Then we move on ... but not where God wants us.

There is a story Jesus tells us about this.  In Luke 9 the 12 Disciples are sent out.  That important event is the backdrop for Jesus telling the disciples and prospective followers about the cost of discipleship.  The conversation begins with someone saying, "Jesus, I will follow you wherever you go (Luke 9:57)."  But Jesus knows people like this man (and you and me).  Words are easy and sometimes empty.  Jesus tells the man and all who are listening about discipleship, ending the conversation with these words ... "Anyone who puts a hand to the plow and looks back is not fit for the Kingdom of God."

I will let us all ponder on this statement for the coming week, as I pray and plan for our service and message.  But I can't help but think about an old blues song by a group of "found" hippies from the Vietnam Era called the Lost Dogs.  They sing a song we will try to sing Sunday.  It is called, You Gotta Move.  One line goes like this ... You may be high, you may be low, you may be rich child, you may be poor ... but when the Spirit says move, you gotta move.

There is a profoundness to the simplicity to these lyrics.  First, God's activity and action isn't based on your feelings or your situation ... when God wants you to move, you gotta move.  Second, your socio-economic status doesn't matter to God ... when God wants to move you, you gotta move.  When God's Spirit chooses to do something, it moves from an idea to a fact.

So ... are you a fan of Jesus, or are you in the dangerous game of following and serving?  Has the Spirit said "move" to you?  If so, then you gotta move!  

Disguised and Revealed

In the novel Screwtape Letters, CS Lewis exposes the nature of both evil and good.  The setting is training from a senior demon to an apprentice demon.  The senior demon's general approach is to conceal, obfuscate, evangel and trick the human subject into behavior that will lead to destruction.  This is consistent with the Biblical titles for Satan as "Father of Lies,"  "Accuser," "Adaddon (destroyer), "Prince of Demons," and "Tempter."  Lewis understood the nature and purpose of Satan.

In our series where we seek to become a church that acts like a church plant, I will take a moment to expose some ways that Satan will attempt to take us off course and away from God.  You only have to look as far as the Acts Church to find examples.  First, Acts 1 sees the disciples seeking to spend time, energy and effort on knowing when Jesus will restore the kingdom of Israel.  Maybe we want to know when Christ will bring our church back to its "glory days."  Maybe we want to know when Jesus will restore our nation to its heyday.  Maybe we are seeking to know when Jesus will return, and we crave some prophetic clue.  I think all of these desires are quelled by Jesus' answer to the disciples in Acts 1 ... "It is not for you to know the times and dates the Father has set by his own authority (Acts 1:7)."  Jesus, instead, turns the disciples toward the more important and relevant matters ... 1) receiving the power of the Holy Spirit and 2) being Jesus' witnesses everywhere (both of these things destroy Satan's hold on them).

Acts 4 brings the religious authorities into the mix.  Evil always tries to discredit and suppress truth and God's message. Peter and John are healing and witnessing in the name of Jesus.  Satan, and those with religious authority, oppose Jesus' message, and Peter and John are jailed and brought before the authorities.  Peter and John proclaim the Gospel message to the leaders and we find one of the greatest compliments in Scripture ... "they took note that these men had been with Jesus (Acts 4:13)."  The leaders warn Peter and John to stop speaking in Jesus' name.  Peter and John respond, "We cannot help speaking about what we have seen and heard."  

Acts 5 brings us another part of Satan's message to people.  In Acts 2 and 4 we read that the believers share their possessions.  In Acts 5, Ananias and Sapphira become examples of what happens when our possessions own us.  They lie to God about their possessions and they lie to the Bride of Christ, the Church.  Their very lives are demanded for their deception.

So ... how do these examples expose Satan and reveal the nature of the Church?  Satan wants us to expend life and energy seeking knowledge that won't benefit us or others ... God wants us to seek His Spirit and the lost.  Satan wants us to seek religion ... God wants us to seek Him and His kingdom.  Satan wants to place God's message in the box of our comfort and control ... Jesus wants us to follow Him and tell everyone the truth of the Gospel.

As we seek to be a church that lives out our faith like a church-plant, let's remember that Satan will oppose us.  He will divert us to non-essential things.  He will tell us to be religious instead of faithful.  He will tell us to be focused on our stuff, not the needs of others.  He will disguise these things as virtues.  But God's Spirit will reveal them and lead us into truth (John 16:13 says ... "all truth").  Now that is a promise I will claim!  How about you?

Acting Like A Church Plant

Last Sunday I used words from an old song, which are also words in a new song.  The old hymn is "The Solid Rock."  The line from the song is "I dare not trust the sweetest frame, but wholly lean on Jesus' name."  I love this line about relying on the right thing.  This is especially important in our current state as a "new congregation."

Many of you probably wondered about that last phrase ... "new congregation."  Some are saying, "We have been right here since 1896!  We aren't new!"  Others are saying, "My sons and daughters were part of this church!"  But let's remember, on November 7th, 2022 we became one of the first Global Methodist congregations in the old Alabama-West Florida (Now Alabama Emerald Coast) Conference.  I hope we can lay claim to the "new thing" God speaks about through the prophet Isaiah in Isaiah 43 ... "See, I am doing a new thing.  Now it springs up!  Do you not perceive it?  I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland."

On July 2nd I spoke to about 30 people at Webb Methodist.  They were from Webb, Denton Road Methodist and Mt. Zion Methodist.  They were small congregations and were concerned that they were alone, isolated and simply forgotten.  I wanted to assure them that the Global Methodist Church would not forget them and that the "new" focus was not on what a Bishop called the "mother church" but was on the local church, whatever the size.  As I spoke to these good people, I came to a realization.  If one of our goals, as Global Methodists, is newness and not repeating the errors, omissions and mistakes of our former denomination, what could we do?  How about this novel idea?

1) Claim Isaiah 43:19 and become a "new thing" that God is doing

2) Claim Isaiah 43:19 and become a way in the wasteland

3) Claim Isaiah 43:19 and becomes streams (living water) in the wilderness

4) Claim Isaiah 43:18 and "forget the former things and do not dwell in the past."

Another way to frame this conversation is ... act like a church plant!  During the month of July (a month in which we remember freedom and liberty) we will intentionally focus on this idea of newness, becoming a way, becoming living water and becoming those who look forward, not back.  Our Vacation Bible School will invite adults to a 3-day series called "Still Day One - Living In The Day After The Day Of Pentecost."  Nicey Eller will lead this study, and it will be awesome!  I will send a link to the book, and you can come at 5:30pm July 8-10.  Our sermons in July (and maybe August) will focus on being/becoming like a church plant.

When I read Isaiah 43:18-19 and overlay it on the book of Acts, I am shocked by the suddenness of how new life, new believers and new problems/solutions just happen.  We will talk about some of these stories and how the Acts church can inform a little congregation in Abbeville, Alabama.  I invite you for how we become a way, living water, a church that lives into a new future, and a congregation that "wholly leans on Jesus' name."  Randy