Halloween is one day away. It's certainly not my favorite holiday at all, except that it's also the date when Martin Luther nailed the 95 Theses to the church door in Wittenburg, Germany (Oct. 31, 1517). Now that's an important date in Christian history!
Anyway, my family has participated in church-sponsored Halloween alternatives for many years. We have usually done this instead of going trick-or-treating with the kids. As a church staff member, I greatly appreciate the value of these activities in providing alternatives to some of the non-Christian aspects of this holiday. I've seen these programs help a church reach out to its community and share Jesus Christ. I fully support them and their potential in Christ.
However this year, my family and I will be spending Halloween in our own neighborhood. It's not because we want to trick-or-treat. It's not because we don't see the value in church-sponsored programs. It's not because we are endorsing the holiday - absolutely not! It's because we desire to reach our community for Jesus Christ.
Here is an article written recently by Dr. George Robinson that helps speak to this:
http://betweenthetimes.com/2010/09/28/why-all-good-christians-should-celebrate-halloween/
I went today and bought a lot of candy and Gospel tracts to hand out tomorrow night to families as they come by the house. We will also be going to visit the houses on our street, primarily to introduce ourselves and hopefully open the door for future ministry and relationship opportunities. Again, our desire is not to endorse Halloween, but to use this as a way to introduce people to Christ.
God continues to give our family a great burden to reach our neighborhood for Him. I must confess that we have been terrible at this. The time has come to obey what we know is God's desire for us.
We are certainly not giving up on church-sponsored events. But we believe now is the time to reach people with the life changing message we already know.
Pastor Randy
Saturday, October 30, 2010
Thursday, October 28, 2010
Pray Without Ceasing - Making the Most of the Moment
The Bible tells us an important part of our prayer life. 1 Thess. 5:18 tells us to "rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you." The key part I want to focus on is praying without ceasing.
One of the ways I try to apply this in my life involves stopping to pray when a need arises. We all lead very busy lives these days. It is quite likely that if someone asks me to pray about something during the day, I may forget about it later when I have more time to pray. Now, I should always strive to write these things down so I don't forget. But sometimes the opportunity to write something down is also not easy. Rather, what I try to do is to pause either at that moment or within a few minutes to pray for the need. I try to do the same later on, stopping to pray for the need as God reminds me of it.
I try to do the same type of thing throughout the day as needs come to mind. This is especially true when praying for my family, our school, our church, and other important things. I believe it's important to follow through when I tell someone I'm going to pray for them. I also hope others will do the same for me. One of the things I use Facebook and Twitter for is to pray for others. If I see something come through these tools that calls people to pray for a need, I try to pray for that need at that time.
I'm not trying to elevate myself in this. I assure you I have a lot to learn about prayer. But God has just shown me that this is an effective way for me to pray. I hope it is also an encouragement to others.
Pastor Randy
One of the ways I try to apply this in my life involves stopping to pray when a need arises. We all lead very busy lives these days. It is quite likely that if someone asks me to pray about something during the day, I may forget about it later when I have more time to pray. Now, I should always strive to write these things down so I don't forget. But sometimes the opportunity to write something down is also not easy. Rather, what I try to do is to pause either at that moment or within a few minutes to pray for the need. I try to do the same later on, stopping to pray for the need as God reminds me of it.
I try to do the same type of thing throughout the day as needs come to mind. This is especially true when praying for my family, our school, our church, and other important things. I believe it's important to follow through when I tell someone I'm going to pray for them. I also hope others will do the same for me. One of the things I use Facebook and Twitter for is to pray for others. If I see something come through these tools that calls people to pray for a need, I try to pray for that need at that time.
I'm not trying to elevate myself in this. I assure you I have a lot to learn about prayer. But God has just shown me that this is an effective way for me to pray. I hope it is also an encouragement to others.
Pastor Randy
Sunday, October 3, 2010
Pink Slips
So here's how it happens. I play the part of the mean, wicked math teacher, out to prey on unsuspecting students while wielding my favorite weapon - the pink slip. For you novices out there, the pink slip is often perceived as the weapon of choice for a teacher. We teachers stand in the hallways, throwing them at unsuspecting students, feeding on their cries of "but I didn't do it" while giving one of those famous Vincent Price laughs that .... well, you get the idea.
All joking aside, it's called a discipline referral form, and students are given one for a variety of reasons. Most of the time, at least for me, students are given a pink slip when they do something that goes against either school policy or my classroom procedures. Or if a student makes a choice to do something that directly or indirectly harms someone else, even if the offending one thinks their actions were harmless. The infractions can be minor or major. I guess this is similar to being sent to the principal's office in my day. I had that happen to me a couple of times when I was in middle school. It's a way to hold students accountable for their actions and build strong Christian character in them. It worked for me.
But God has changed my heart on the pink slip during my almost five years of teaching at a Christian school. I confess that in my first year or two, I gave almost no pink slips. In fact, I almost prided myself in this achievement, even boasting about it to my students at times. But what I saw consistently at the same time was the same students doing the same inappropriate actions over and over again. Now, I haven't gone completely the other way either. I still don't write a lot of pink slips. However, I believe God has convicted me that students need to be accountable for their choices and actions, just like we all are as believers before a holy God.
I think we miss the blessing and encouragement of discipline. Hebrews 12:11 says, "now no chastening (discipline) seems to be joyful for the present, but painful; nevertheless, afterward it yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it." The pink slip is painful when it's given to the student. They have to suffer the consequences for their choices, usually an after school detention. But afterwards, the discipline they are given produces the Godly fruit of righteousness in them. You see, it's all part of the training that each student goes through. Even students who don't get a pink slip at school will still endure discipline from God, assuming they are a believer. So, in a way that is strange for us to understand, we need to see discipline as helpful to us....even joyful. Ouch, perish the thought! But also remember Hebrews 12:6, which reminds us that "for whom the Lord loves He chastens (disciplines)", and 12:5, "my son, do not despise the chastening (disciplining) of the Lord, nor be discouraged when you are rebuked by Him".
Now, I am certainly not encouraging my students to seek after the pink slip. Our sinful heritage will provide enough opportunities for discipline from the Lord. But I am encouraging my students to see the pink slip, should you receive one, as one way God uses to correct us and make us more like Christ. And that's exactly what we are to be.
A final thought on this - from this teacher's heart. I have never given a pink slip without a burden on my heart for the student involved. Many times, I wrestle with this decision and pray to the Lord about whether to give it or not. Many times, I think that maybe I can overlook this incident, maybe just talk with the student about it, and pray it doesn't happen again. Sometimes that is the best, God-honoring response, and when God confirms that for me, I follow His leading exactly. But there are more times when God confirms that providing discipline to a student is the best thing to do. I have even cried over a few pink slips I've given, so burdened for the student involved and what I can do better as their teacher. However, my aim in giving pink slips, as in all areas of my life, is to obey God. The Bible is clear that He will hold me accountable as the teacher, even more so.
My prayer is that God will use pink slips to fulfill the passages in Hebrews mentioned earlier in the lives of my students. And that any student who gets a pink slip from me will believe that it comes from a teacher who loves them and wants to see them do great things for Christ.
Pastor Randy
All joking aside, it's called a discipline referral form, and students are given one for a variety of reasons. Most of the time, at least for me, students are given a pink slip when they do something that goes against either school policy or my classroom procedures. Or if a student makes a choice to do something that directly or indirectly harms someone else, even if the offending one thinks their actions were harmless. The infractions can be minor or major. I guess this is similar to being sent to the principal's office in my day. I had that happen to me a couple of times when I was in middle school. It's a way to hold students accountable for their actions and build strong Christian character in them. It worked for me.
But God has changed my heart on the pink slip during my almost five years of teaching at a Christian school. I confess that in my first year or two, I gave almost no pink slips. In fact, I almost prided myself in this achievement, even boasting about it to my students at times. But what I saw consistently at the same time was the same students doing the same inappropriate actions over and over again. Now, I haven't gone completely the other way either. I still don't write a lot of pink slips. However, I believe God has convicted me that students need to be accountable for their choices and actions, just like we all are as believers before a holy God.
I think we miss the blessing and encouragement of discipline. Hebrews 12:11 says, "now no chastening (discipline) seems to be joyful for the present, but painful; nevertheless, afterward it yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it." The pink slip is painful when it's given to the student. They have to suffer the consequences for their choices, usually an after school detention. But afterwards, the discipline they are given produces the Godly fruit of righteousness in them. You see, it's all part of the training that each student goes through. Even students who don't get a pink slip at school will still endure discipline from God, assuming they are a believer. So, in a way that is strange for us to understand, we need to see discipline as helpful to us....even joyful. Ouch, perish the thought! But also remember Hebrews 12:6, which reminds us that "for whom the Lord loves He chastens (disciplines)", and 12:5, "my son, do not despise the chastening (disciplining) of the Lord, nor be discouraged when you are rebuked by Him".
Now, I am certainly not encouraging my students to seek after the pink slip. Our sinful heritage will provide enough opportunities for discipline from the Lord. But I am encouraging my students to see the pink slip, should you receive one, as one way God uses to correct us and make us more like Christ. And that's exactly what we are to be.
A final thought on this - from this teacher's heart. I have never given a pink slip without a burden on my heart for the student involved. Many times, I wrestle with this decision and pray to the Lord about whether to give it or not. Many times, I think that maybe I can overlook this incident, maybe just talk with the student about it, and pray it doesn't happen again. Sometimes that is the best, God-honoring response, and when God confirms that for me, I follow His leading exactly. But there are more times when God confirms that providing discipline to a student is the best thing to do. I have even cried over a few pink slips I've given, so burdened for the student involved and what I can do better as their teacher. However, my aim in giving pink slips, as in all areas of my life, is to obey God. The Bible is clear that He will hold me accountable as the teacher, even more so.
My prayer is that God will use pink slips to fulfill the passages in Hebrews mentioned earlier in the lives of my students. And that any student who gets a pink slip from me will believe that it comes from a teacher who loves them and wants to see them do great things for Christ.
Pastor Randy
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