These next two weeks may be very difficult weeks for my family. I am asking that those of you who read this blog will pray for us over the next couple of weeks. We are at a crossroads right now in our lives as it relates to ministry and the church we have been ministering in. These decisions have been weighing on our minds. I am seeking the Lord's direction in these areas and I am praying for clear direction to the choices we must make.
At least six months ago Karen and I affectionately termed our ministry a "kamikaze" ministry. We decided that no matter what became of our "reputation" we were going to do what we knew to be Biblical. Shortly after we came to grips with that, the Lord started doing things in the life of the church that gave us hope as to our future there. However, in the last few weeks it has become evident that there is a distrust or fear (of me) that wasn't there before the kamikaze(ing) had to be done. We shall see where all this leads...
For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known.
Wednesday, September 2, 2009
Wednesday, August 26, 2009
It's About Time
My wife informed me the other day (as she was reading through her favorite blogs) that I hadn't written on mine for a month. I expected that.
I have an excuse. I have no time. Life is always busy. Our home is always busy. I continually say "If we can just make it through this week..." but then our very next week fills in so that one week hardly seems much different than the previous.
As I think on this fact, it strikes me that our children have no after-school activities. They don't play sports. They rarely watch television. They don't go to the mall and hang out with friends. They don't date (and they won't).
The fact is, it is not the social life of our children that keeps us busy. How is it that other families have the time to chauffeur their children to all of these things? Can it be that we are not as busy as we think? Do we have time to cram more things into our schedule? I doubt it.
I guess we could if we were willing to give some things up. What should we give up so that I have the time to blog more and my children have the time to play sports, go to the mall, watch television and date?
We could give up the rigid public school schedule. I say that tongue in cheek because we did that several years ago. What can we give up now?
We could give up schooling all together (It is tempting, but don't send the government my way, we won't do that). We could give up eating dinner at home as a family. We could give up our hobbies. We could give up maintaining our home. We could give up ministry. We could give up hospitality. We could give up Bible study and prayer.
Hobbies? Yes, I have hobbies. Good old red-blooded American hobbies. I hunt and fish. As a matter of fact, I have been fishing four times this summer. That is more fishing than I have done in any summer I can remember.
I am looking forward to hunting season. I hunt more than I fish. Fishing doesn't feed my family, but I am a more successful hunter. We eat venison all the time. We have been eating venison all year long. I could give that up this fall and get a job for a couple of months. That should provide enough money to buy a years worth of meat.
Oh, that wouldn't give me more time though. I would just be replacing one thing with another.
Now that I've taken the time to think about it, I don't think I'll give these things up. I've had the time to read 4 books, memorize a chapter of the Bible, mow the lawn, work 24 hours at the station, till the horse corral, eat with my family, work on Emily's computer, pay bills, sleep, spend some alone time with my wife, visit with my Father-in-law, spend time in prayer, wash the tractor, send out 12 emails and I am now sitting down for more Bible study (after I am done taking the time to write on this blog).
All of this since Monday morning. I suppose I have time.
Oh yes, blogging comes before sports, the mall, television and dating.
I guess it's time to teach the girls to blog.
I have an excuse. I have no time. Life is always busy. Our home is always busy. I continually say "If we can just make it through this week..." but then our very next week fills in so that one week hardly seems much different than the previous.
As I think on this fact, it strikes me that our children have no after-school activities. They don't play sports. They rarely watch television. They don't go to the mall and hang out with friends. They don't date (and they won't).
The fact is, it is not the social life of our children that keeps us busy. How is it that other families have the time to chauffeur their children to all of these things? Can it be that we are not as busy as we think? Do we have time to cram more things into our schedule? I doubt it.
I guess we could if we were willing to give some things up. What should we give up so that I have the time to blog more and my children have the time to play sports, go to the mall, watch television and date?
We could give up the rigid public school schedule. I say that tongue in cheek because we did that several years ago. What can we give up now?
We could give up schooling all together (It is tempting, but don't send the government my way, we won't do that). We could give up eating dinner at home as a family. We could give up our hobbies. We could give up maintaining our home. We could give up ministry. We could give up hospitality. We could give up Bible study and prayer.
Hobbies? Yes, I have hobbies. Good old red-blooded American hobbies. I hunt and fish. As a matter of fact, I have been fishing four times this summer. That is more fishing than I have done in any summer I can remember.
I am looking forward to hunting season. I hunt more than I fish. Fishing doesn't feed my family, but I am a more successful hunter. We eat venison all the time. We have been eating venison all year long. I could give that up this fall and get a job for a couple of months. That should provide enough money to buy a years worth of meat.
Oh, that wouldn't give me more time though. I would just be replacing one thing with another.
Now that I've taken the time to think about it, I don't think I'll give these things up. I've had the time to read 4 books, memorize a chapter of the Bible, mow the lawn, work 24 hours at the station, till the horse corral, eat with my family, work on Emily's computer, pay bills, sleep, spend some alone time with my wife, visit with my Father-in-law, spend time in prayer, wash the tractor, send out 12 emails and I am now sitting down for more Bible study (after I am done taking the time to write on this blog).
All of this since Monday morning. I suppose I have time.
Oh yes, blogging comes before sports, the mall, television and dating.
I guess it's time to teach the girls to blog.
Tuesday, July 28, 2009
Thursday, July 23, 2009
Still Questioning Authority
Over the last couple of years the issue of church governance has been on my mind quite a bit. I think this stems from not only what the Lord has been teaching me, but also because of what our church has been going through.
For those of you that read this blog regularly, you will know that this has been something that I touch on when we have struggled as a church. In fact, here is the third post that I wrote on Novermber 6th, 2007.
Church polity
It has been a long process since I authored that post. We presented a new form of government to the church. Instead of the deacons having the charge of the church and the pastors being subject to them, we presented a constitution that was "Elder (or Pastor) Led". However, the authority does not reside with the Elders. Here is the paragraph from our constitution on the issue of authority.
Our governmental democracy has affected our church in a lot of ways. Unfortunately, I think it has negatively impacted the church as it relates to leadership. I know that there are verses included in the constitution that supposedly support congregational rule. Yet, none of these verses show that the congregation should vote on the spiritual matters of the church, instead, the congregation is expected to follow the direction given to them by the Apostles and Elders.
I included the verses on "ruling" in the previous post because I believe that God has placed an authority to "rule" in the church. I believe that it falls on the Elders. In the Elder qualifications it says he must rule his house well or how will he know how to rule the house of God? In Romans 12, ruling is listed as a spiritual gift. It says in I Timothy 5 that the Elders that rule well are worthy of double honor.
Would you agree that this ruling is to take place in the church?
Is the paragraph on authority in our constitution biblical?
For those of you that read this blog regularly, you will know that this has been something that I touch on when we have struggled as a church. In fact, here is the third post that I wrote on Novermber 6th, 2007.
Church polity
It has been a long process since I authored that post. We presented a new form of government to the church. Instead of the deacons having the charge of the church and the pastors being subject to them, we presented a constitution that was "Elder (or Pastor) Led". However, the authority does not reside with the Elders. Here is the paragraph from our constitution on the issue of authority.
ARTICLE III AUTHORITY
The ultimate authority of the local church is Jesus Christ and the Word of God. Under God, the authority in the local church rests with the congregation.
Our governmental democracy has affected our church in a lot of ways. Unfortunately, I think it has negatively impacted the church as it relates to leadership. I know that there are verses included in the constitution that supposedly support congregational rule. Yet, none of these verses show that the congregation should vote on the spiritual matters of the church, instead, the congregation is expected to follow the direction given to them by the Apostles and Elders.
I included the verses on "ruling" in the previous post because I believe that God has placed an authority to "rule" in the church. I believe that it falls on the Elders. In the Elder qualifications it says he must rule his house well or how will he know how to rule the house of God? In Romans 12, ruling is listed as a spiritual gift. It says in I Timothy 5 that the Elders that rule well are worthy of double honor.
Would you agree that this ruling is to take place in the church?
Is the paragraph on authority in our constitution biblical?
Thursday, July 16, 2009
Rule On This One
I want to ask a two part question that might be unpopular in the church today. Why did the Lord include so many verses (for the church) in the Bible about "ruling" and how does this fit in with a view of the church being a democracy?
One that ruleth his own house, having his children is subjection with all gravity; For if a man know not how to rule his own house, how shall he take care of the church...
ruling their children and their own houses...
Let the elders that rule well be counted worthy of...
Remember them which have the rule over you, who have spoken unto you the word of God...
Obey them that have the rule over you,...they watch for your souls, as they that must give account...
Salute all them that have the rule over you, and all the saints.
he that ruleth, with diligence; he that showeth mercy...
Obviously these are all from the New Testament. If I were to include synonyms of "rule" the list would be longer.
One that ruleth his own house, having his children is subjection with all gravity; For if a man know not how to rule his own house, how shall he take care of the church...
ruling their children and their own houses...
Let the elders that rule well be counted worthy of...
Remember them which have the rule over you, who have spoken unto you the word of God...
Obey them that have the rule over you,...they watch for your souls, as they that must give account...
Salute all them that have the rule over you, and all the saints.
he that ruleth, with diligence; he that showeth mercy...
Obviously these are all from the New Testament. If I were to include synonyms of "rule" the list would be longer.
Tuesday, July 14, 2009
Nick of Time
Nothing special to write tonight, unfortunately I just don't have the time. I am heading to bible study in 3 minutes. I just wanted to check in so that you all knew that I was still alive and hadn't dropped off the face of the earth.
We had a great week of vacation and a good weekend when we got home. I was able to preach three times in Glenwood Iowa and I thank the Lord for that opportunity!
We have a busy week but I will try and post in the next few days. Keep checking in, Jon
Whew 23 seconds to go
We had a great week of vacation and a good weekend when we got home. I was able to preach three times in Glenwood Iowa and I thank the Lord for that opportunity!
We have a busy week but I will try and post in the next few days. Keep checking in, Jon
Whew 23 seconds to go
Wednesday, July 1, 2009
Still Hunting
I cannot believe that the post titled "hunting for intelligence" has not prompted any comments. Has the post been skipped over or do words fail you as well?
Just to give you a quick update, we are having the church out to our house tonight for a Fourth of July celebration. I will be giving a quick devotional and reading excerpts from our Declaration of Independence.
My question will be about our rights. The Declaration states that we have the right to "life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness..."
I believe that these "rights" have negatively impacted many believers. You see, we may have these rights from a governmental standpoint but we don't have them in our personal lives. In other words...
Mark 8:35 ; Galatians 2:20 - life?
I Corinthians 8:9; Galatians 5:13-14 - liberty?
Romans 14:19 - pursuit of happiness?
As believers, if we could forget about our rights, we could be more righteous. Right?
On July 12th I will be filling the pulpit at another church. I will be teaching Sunday School on our right to life. During morning worship I will be preaching on our liberty, and for the evening service... You got it! The pursuit of happiness.
Happy 4th of July!
Just to give you a quick update, we are having the church out to our house tonight for a Fourth of July celebration. I will be giving a quick devotional and reading excerpts from our Declaration of Independence.
My question will be about our rights. The Declaration states that we have the right to "life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness..."
I believe that these "rights" have negatively impacted many believers. You see, we may have these rights from a governmental standpoint but we don't have them in our personal lives. In other words...
Mark 8:35 ; Galatians 2:20 - life?
I Corinthians 8:9; Galatians 5:13-14 - liberty?
Romans 14:19 - pursuit of happiness?
As believers, if we could forget about our rights, we could be more righteous. Right?
On July 12th I will be filling the pulpit at another church. I will be teaching Sunday School on our right to life. During morning worship I will be preaching on our liberty, and for the evening service... You got it! The pursuit of happiness.
Happy 4th of July!
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