Connected To My Truck

Two weeks ago I got a new (used) Ford Ranger. It was a deal that I could not pass up! When my wife told me about this truck, she mentioned that it was a manual transmission and, knowing that I have driven automatic transmissions since she met me, she asked if I knew how to drive a manual. I don't, but I'm sure I'll pick it up, it can't be too difficult.

For the first day or so after we got the truck I skipped around in the parking lot and down some of the side streets throughout our neighborhood, I killed the engine a couple dozen times as I learned the delicate balance of shifting into first gear, and I jarred the kids heads into the headrests several times as I they rode along with me. Then, I began to get the hang of driving a manual transmission truck.

The key to learning to drive this truck was simply getting a sense for when I was about to stall the engine and applying more gas or more clutch. Once I was connected to the truck in this way I found that getting it into first gear was simple. Likewise, having an established connection, where I could feel when the engine was being strained gave me the knowledge needed to shift up or shift down when I would drive this truck around town. And, this connection could only be established through time spent driving the truck.

When I considered this new connection with my truck I also considered other connections in my life; my connection with my children, with my wife, and with Christ. Wouldn't it be amazing if I could establish a connection with people in my life in the same way I have created a connection with my truck? Wouldn't it be amazing if I could sense when I am drifting away or, even better, if I could sense a need in their life or in my life to draw closer? wouldn't it be amazing if I could establish a connection so great that when their is pain, hurt, or sorrow, that I could immediately make an adjustment to correct the situation before the relationship begins to strain or, much worse, stalls out.

I desire this type of connection with my children, my wife, and with Christ. And I desire this level of a connection, where I can sense a drift and a strain int he relationships that we share. However this level of a connection can only come through one thing. This level of connection comes through the same thing that I was willing to pour into my truck and into learning to sense its needs, time.

I wonder what relationships are important to you. I wonder if you have the same desire to see a connection to people in your life as I do - to sense a drift or a strain as it is happening. I wonder if you are willing to pour in the needed time to see the connections made in these relationships established. Let us begin today.

Your Connection Has Been Lost

On January 1st the law went into affect in Illinois, making it illegal to talk on a cellphone while driving without a hands-free device. Because of this law, I broke down and purchased a blue-tooth hands-free device.

I have been enjoying this device for talking on my mobile phone, becoming more productive while having a conversation. I have also been enjoying the ability to listen to music and podcasts throughout the day. 

The other day I left my phone on my desk and, as I walked through the church, I got out of range. As this happened my blue-tooth device notified me, in the most polite way, "your connection has been lost". 

Wouldn't it be nice if we had such a notification when we had lost other "connections" in our lives? What if a gentle voice spoke to is when we were loosing connection with our children or our spouse? We could, then, restore the line of communication or spend more time and attention reestablishing this needed connection. What if this same notification came to is when we had lost connection with God? We could be alerted that this essential life-sustaining relationship was strained or broken and take the required steps toward restoration. 

"Your connection has been lost." The fact is, God gives us just this type if notification, if we simply listen to it. God's Spirit lets us know when we have walked to far away - or gotten out of range. God's Spirit notifies us when we are in danger of loosing one of the connections in our life. God's speaks to us, daily, at just the right time and in just the right way. But, we must be tuned in, we must listen, and we must take notice when He speaks!

Report on Growth Groups

In an effort to promote more options for Christian education and/or discipleship within our church, we introduced Growth Groups this past spring.

As this was a new idea within our church, we were aware that it would begin slow and that it would be a process of introducing people to the idea and to promoting with various individuals. Likewise, we wanted to fit the ultra-demanding schedules of our church family, and of their friends and families. It was for these reasons that we began with only three Growth Groups on three different nights of the week.

All three of these groups began with different leadership personalities as the facilitators, at different locations in and around our community and they all three began with the same discussion questions and discussion format. After only a few weeks it was apparent that the format needed to change and that several of the more mature individuals desired more of a Bible study format rather than a discussion. Likewise, it was apparent that many of the questions and discussion topics were unnecessary and that a beneficial discussion could blossom from four simple questions. These questions are an adaption of the four questions that John Wesley used to use when he first began his small groups prior to the Methodist movement. Likewise, these questions align with our church's ministry process.

1. How is your connection with Jesus this week?
2. What are you doing to foster your own spiritual growth?
3. What opportunities have you had to serve and witness this week and how did you act upon them?
4. What temptations have you faced and how did you overcome them?

Several weeks ago I was becoming a bit discouraged when the participation in the Growth Groups in our church of over 100 had stalled at 18. Of course, I tried not to take it personally but it was, all the same, discouraging. Then, in the midst of these feelings, we hosted our weekly group at our home and it was then that God revealed to me, exactly what we were accomplishing.

We only made it to one of the questions that evening but we had wonderful fellowship, excellent discussions, and several prayers together. My eyes were opened to see that it was not about the number of people that were participating every week, those things are minute and will turn around. No, rather, it was about the accountability, it was about the support, it was about the friendships, it was about living our lives, as Christians, together. You may struggle while I am soaring, I may struggle just as you are achieving a new level of spiritual high. And that is what it is about.

As I wrote about the conclusion of our spring Growth Groups in our church newsletter this month; "we met together to simply live life together. We grew in relationships as we met casually and we grew in our walk with Jesus as we talked about struggles, concerns, and joys. What a great Spring!"

We will be kicking off Growth Groups again this fall, if you are in the area, I invite you to join in.

Visiting through the funk

This afternoon I had the great duty of visiting with some wonderful people! 

One of the duties of my job is visitation. Visiting with the members and attendees of our church, visiting with various individuals from the community, and visiting with shut-ins and those in the hospital. While this is not the part of the job that I enjoy THE MOST, it is a fairly enjoyable task. Connecting with various individuals, ministering to them and allowing them to minister to me, this is very fulfilling and I count it a true blessing.

Yet, there are times that I find it very difficult to visit with people. Sometimes I find myself in a "funk" and don't feel like going out, carrying on a conversation, or entertaining the interests of others. And, although these moments of "funk" are few and far between, I find that these seem to be the most fulfilling moments of visiting and connecting. When I force myself past that "funk" I soon find the joy and pleasure in visiting with these wonderful people. 
 
This morning I was reading from Psalm 23 and the sixth verse really caught my attention: "Surely your goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever." 

Just as there are days that I find myself in a "funk", without the desire to visit with others, I sometimes find myself in a "funk", without the desire to visit with God. These are times when I don't want to read Scripture, I don't want to pray, I don't want to do anything. Yet these are the times David is writing about in Psalm 23:6, times when God says; "don't worry about visiting with me, I'm going to visit with you right now. Why? Because you are my child and I love you. Why? Because I am here for you, forever. Why? Because I am God and you need me, even when you don't always know how much you need me.

Just as God walked in the garden when Adam and Eve were hiding in sin and shame, and he called out to them; "Where are you?" How often God pursues us and calls out, "where are you". God is good, always! God is love, always! God is there, always! Perhaps He is calling for you right now.

"Where are you?"   

making the connection

Recently we have been working to develop our ministry plan, purpose statement, mission statement, and so on, most of you know the drill. (It is complete but I feel compelled to unveil it for our church family before unveiling it here). Anyhow, one element of this is the word "connect" (more on that in a moment).

Every week the local paper runs a section titled "Faith and Family" in which they list every church in the community and/or county with information about that church. This information is submitted weekly by the local church and will include service times, visitor names, participant names, etc. They have a list of stipulations such as not listing sermon titles, Scripture references, and so on. One of the things that I wanted to include in our churches listing was "come and connect with God and with others this Sunday", yet I noticed (after several weeks) that this statement was never included. I emailed the newspaper to ask why this statement and others were removed from our listing every week? The response shortly followed;
This was a well prepared and well worded response. As I thought more about it though, it brought to mind many of our worship services. Can we as Christians, and those of us as pastors make the claim that those who worship with us will "connect with God and connect with others"? My prayer is that we can make this statement and that we are constantly evaluating our times of worship and asking this question.

As Christians we understand that people who attend church and Sunday School can "Connect with God" and "Grow in the Word of God", but as a newspaper providing information to the general public we do not have an authoritative source to confirm that information. If you were placing a paid advertisement expressing yours or the church's opinion those words would be fine.

As I sit here on a Saturday evening, preparing my heart to worship The Lord tomorrow and to lead others to worship His majesty and give Him glory, I must ask myself. Will you connect with God tomorrow? Will those that walk through the doors of the church connect with God tomorrow? How will you help to make that connection possible? How will you connect with others tomorrow to show the love of God in a hurting world to so many people who need to see it?

May God bless us all as we strive to connect with Him and connect with others.