tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5713845008033274772024-03-14T00:00:31.396-04:00Revival Fire AnnapolisWe seek to create a dwelling place for the manifest presence of God within the city of Annapolis, Maryland. We seek a place where God will come and rest with us, and so infuse us with His presence and His power that we will go forth flaming with His fire of revival to bring healing, wholeness and salvation to our city. Come, Holy Spirit!Pastor Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12270734664464734788noreply@blogger.comBlogger52125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-571384500803327477.post-77982976058368043442012-03-28T11:50:00.001-04:002012-03-28T11:52:46.393-04:00Hallelujah! Christ Arose!<span style="font-style:italic;">Low in the grave he lay, Jesus my Savior,<br />Waiting the coming day, Jesus my Lord!<br />Up from the grave he arose, with a mighty triumph o’er his foes;<br />He arose a victor from the dark domain,<br />And he lives forever with his saints to reign.<br />He arose! He arose! Hallelujah! Christ arose! </span><br />- Robert Lowry, 1874 (United Methodist Hymnal, #322)<br /><br />Imagine you had never heard the Easter story before. Walk with me through the words of this wonderful hymn. Allow yourself to experience the emotions of someone hearing these great truths for the first time.<br /><br />The first line is almost unbearably sad. Jesus is dead. He came to be our Savior, and now he is in the grave. How can a dead man save anyone? He is gone, our hope is gone, all seems lost.<br /><br />But wait. The second line speaks, not of loss, but of waiting. Waiting implies hope. When the time is right, at “the coming day,” something is going to happen. <br /><br />The second line also calls Jesus, “Lord.” That’s a huge step past “Savior.” Anybody can be a savior in the right circumstances. Even a dog can save somebody’s life. But no matter how grateful you are to be rescued, you’re never going to call the dog your lord. In order to fully grasp the significance of Easter, we do have to recognize Jesus as our Savior, who rescues us when we cannot save ourselves. But we also have to acknowledge him as Lord, as Master, as the one who has the right to direct our lives and command our allegiance. Recognizing and acknowledging this, and living in line with it, is the most basic meaning of being a Christian.<br /><br />The third line gets to the reason why we’re singing. “Up from the grave he arose.” Jesus didn’t stay in the grave. He came back to life. He came back from the dead!<br /><br />But Jesus didn’t just come come out of the grave. He came “with a mighty triumph o’er his foes.” This is not some reanimated corpse or zombie apocalypse. This is life, a whole new kind of life, a life this world hasn’t seen since the Garden of Eden.<br /><br />“He arose a victor from the dark domain.” Jesus allowed himself to be taken captive into the depths of Satan’s kingdom of death. Then he didn’t just escape death. Jesus defeated death! He faced the worst the devil could do, in the devil’s own stronghold, and Jesus arose victorious.<br /><br />“And he lives forever. . .” When death is defeated, life is eternal.<br /><br />“. . . with his saints to reign.” This isn’t just talking about Peter and John and Mother Teresa. When the Bible uses the word “saints,” it means everyone who has decided to trade life in their own strength for life in Jesus Christ. If we are in Christ, and Christ is reigning in heaven, then from the viewpoint of eternity, guess where we are? In heaven, reigning with Christ. God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus (Ephesians 2:6). <br /><br />Easter is not just about the resurrection of Jesus. It’s about resurrection and eternal life for every person who puts their faith in Jesus. It’s about hope and new life and never-ending joy, not just for Jesus, but for everyone who follows him. <br /><br />That’s why we sing on Easter, and every Sunday.<br /><br />“He arose! He arose! Hallelujah! Christ arose!”Pastor Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12270734664464734788noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-571384500803327477.post-53098289197678993122012-02-16T16:23:00.001-05:002012-02-16T16:28:14.141-05:00Holy to the Lord<span style="font-style:italic;">Prepare your minds for action; discipline yourselves; set all your hope on the grace that Jesus Christ will bring you when he is revealed. Like obedient children, do not be conformed to the desires that you formerly had in ignorance. Instead, as he who called you is holy, be holy yourselves in all your conduct; for it is written, “You shall be holy, for I am holy.”</span> - 1 Peter 1:13-16<br /><br />Lent, the season of the church year in which we find ourselves all this month, is traditionally a time for self-examination. Socrates said, “The unexamined life is not worth living.” But as we examine ourselves, what are we looking for?<br /><br />When most people think of Lent, if they think of it at all, they think in terms of giving up something. They may promise not to eat sweets or red meat. They may give up television or romance novels. It may be something they feel they ought not be doing anyway, or it may be something that is perfectly acceptable, but giving it up will be a sacrifice. One reason for doing this is so that every time we want a piece of candy, or whatever we gave up, we should be reminded of Jesus’ much greater sacrifice for us.<br /><br />It’s always good and valuable to remind ourselves, “Jesus loves me so much that he sacrificed his life for me.” But behind that is a deeper question. “Why did Jesus have to make that sacrifice for me?” Beyond the fact that all human beings are tainted by the sinful rebellion that is inbred into our race, this question should lead us to examine ourselves for the particulars of our own part in that sinfulness.<br /><br />God created us to be holy. “Holy” is not theological jargon for “goody-two-shoes.” Holy doesn’t mean, “never have any fun.” Holy doesn’t imply thinking you are better than everybody else, or that anybody who doesn’t follow your particular list of rules is on the wrong side of God. Actually, the literal meaning is, “set apart for a special use.” <br /><br />When I was growing up we had two sets of dishes in our house. We had the dishes we used every day for every meal. They lived in easy reach in the kitchen cabinets. We were reasonably careful of them, but if one broke, it was more an inconvenience than anything else.<br /><br />Then we had the special dishes. They lived in the china cabinet in the dining room, and the rare times they appeared on the table you knew something big was up. These dishes were set apart for a special use. You could say they were “holy to special meals.” To use one of those special dishes for a bowl of cereal or a peanut butter sandwich would almost be a sacrilege. We handled those dishes very carefully.<br /><br />In the same way, as Christians our lives are to be set apart as “holy to the Lord.” There are some things that are appropriate for Christian lives, and some that are not. We need to handle these special lives we have been given very carefully.<br /><br />Lent is a set-apart time for examining ourselves to see if there are areas where we are allowing our set-apart status to be compromised. God created you to serve and honor him, in your home and your work and your community as well as in church. There are certain things that the world considers acceptable that God tells us are inappropriate for those dedicated to him. Lent is a time for asking ourselves, “Am I letting myself in any way be contaminated by the world?”<br /><br />1 Peter 3:13-16 is a great outline for self-examination. Ask yourself: Do I keep my mind prepared to hear from God and act for him? How is my self-discipline? Are my hopes and dreams set on the promises of God? Is my desire to please my heavenly Father by doing what he wants? Have I shed the old desires that used to control me before I knew the Lord? Do my thoughts and words and actions demonstrate that I have set my life apart for God? Does my life honor the holy God?<br /><br />Don’t let this exercise end up in self-condemnation. The whole point of the Holy Week to which Lent leads us is that Jesus took our condemnation on himself when he died on the cross. There is no condemnation left for you to bear. Instead, there is grace and forgiveness and love and a fresh start. Lent leads, not to death, but to resurrection! So take the sins and failures and opportunities for improvement that you uncover, and offer them to God. Receive in exchange the power of the Holy Spirit to help you do better. None of us can make ourselves holy. The Spirit – the “Holy” Spirit – does that in us. Learn to sense his moving in your life and flow with it. (This is what we help each other learn the second and fourth Sunday evenings at Flowing in the Spirit. We’d love to have you join us!)<br /><br />You may find that Lent turns out to be the most joyful season of all!Pastor Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12270734664464734788noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-571384500803327477.post-92027239843550142382011-12-01T11:35:00.001-05:002011-12-01T11:40:21.205-05:00How Does God Heal?<span style="font-style:italic;">“These signs will accompany those who believe: by using my name . . . they will lay their hands on the sick, and they will recover.”</span> – Jesus, in Mark 16:17-18<br /><br />God heals in many ways. Most healing happens through the natural healing mechanisms God built into our bodies. Our immune system fights disease. White blood cells battle infections. Broken bones knit. Wounds are covered with fresh skin. Emotional and spiritual healing is not so automatic, but God provides for it nonetheless.<br /><br />Sometimes we need help with healing. God has given us wonderful gifts of medicine and surgery and therapy and other interventions, and the people who are skilled in them. <br />Prayer for healing is not over against these other God-given means of healing. Rather, it complements and works with them.<br /><br />Sometimes God chooses to answer our healing prayers by speeding up natural healing or increasing the effectiveness of medical treatment. Sometimes God chooses to answer our healing prayers by immediately making us feel better. <span style="font-weight:bold;">If you feel that you have been divinely healed of an issue for which you have been under doctor’s care, do not make any change in your medication or other treatment protocol until you check with your doctor. </span><br /><br />Sometimes it seems God has healed one problem and left another alone. Sometimes it seems that prayers need to pile up over time, then suddenly something happens. Sometimes there is a warm feeling or a tingling or some other physical sensation during healing prayer. And sometimes it may seem that God has done nothing at all. Those experienced in this ministry say that about half the people who are healed through prayer report feeling nothing special during the prayer time.<br /><br />God heals in many ways, some of which we may not even recognize as healing. Our part is to be obedient by praying, or by asking someone to pray for us. The Bible says, You do not have, because you do not ask. (James 4:2) <br /><br />Where can you ask for healing prayer? Church is a natural place. I love to see people praying for each other during the coffee time. Bible studies, prayer meetings, even committee meetings are wonderful opportunities for prayer. Healing prayer is part of our Communion services (the first Sunday of every month) and the Flowing in the Spirit gatherings (the second and fourth Sunday evenings). Many people are healed as others pray for them in their homes or even in the grocery store. Any place you can pray, you can pray for healing.<br /><br />One time specifically set aside for healing prayer is during the Annapolis Healing Rooms. Individualized prayer from trained intercessors is available at a variety of times and places. You can find more details online at annapolishealingrooms.blogspot.com.<br /><br />Jesus taught us to pray that God’s will be done on earth as it is in heaven. There is no sickness in heaven. Let’s pray and trust God to bring that about more and more on earth as well.Pastor Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12270734664464734788noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-571384500803327477.post-56958860578638718922011-09-15T12:46:00.004-04:002011-09-15T12:57:44.036-04:00Spiritual Football<span style="font-style:italic;">Do you not know that all the runners in a stadium compete, but only one receives the prize? So run to win.</span> – 1 Corinthians 9:24<br /><br />Football season is upon us. It strikes me that football provides a good analogy for the spiritual contest between the church and the devil. In football it’s all about winning, through offense, defense and special teams. In church it’s all about H.I.M.: Hosting God’s presence, Imitating Jesus, and Making him known. <br /><br />We know how a team moves the ball and scores in football. Here’s how the church moves the ball and scores in our spiritual battle.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Hosting God’s presence</span><br />• The church moves the ball every time we give more weight to what God wants in worship than to our own desires. <br />• The church moves the ball every time we give more weight to what will be attractive to those who need to find God than to those of us who already know him.<br />• The church moves the ball when our gatherings are as diverse as our community. <br />• The devil throws the church for a loss when we argue or complain about how we worship. <br />• The devil throws the church for a loss when people in the community say, “Those folks aren’t like me, I’m not sure I’d be comfortable there.” <br />• The devil throws the church for a loss if church services or other gatherings can be perceived as boring or artificial or self-serving or human-centered.<br />• When new folks say, “Wow, I felt God there,” that’s a touchdown!<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Imitating Jesus</span><br />• The church moves the ball when a Christian imitates the character of Jesus through the fruit of the Holy Spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self control (Galatians 5:22-23). <br />• The church moves the ball when a Christian imitates the wisdom and God-consciousness of Jesus through hearing and following the Holy Spirit (Romans 8:14).<br />• The church moves the ball when a Christian imitates the power of Jesus in praying for people to receive a miraculous touch from God (John 14:12; Mark 16:17-18).<br />• The church moves the ball every time a Christian tries something new for God. <br />• The church makes a big play when a Christian finds his or her fit in God’s plan.<br />• The devil throws the church for a loss every time Christians allows fear or doubt to laziness to keep them from doing any of these things. <br />• The devil scores big if a Christian says or does anything that a non-Christian knows isn’t right, so they say, “See, I knew it, all Christians are hypocrites.”<br />• When a non-Christian notices a Christian acting like Jesus, that’s a touchdown!<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Making him known</span><br />• The church moves the ball every time a Christian develops a genuine caring relationship with another person.<br />• The church moves the ball every time a Christian invites a new person to Jesus or a church activity. <br />• The church moves the ball big every time a Christian gains new skill or confidence in helping others know Jesus or grow in Jesus.<br />• The devil throws the church for a loss whenever a Christian is afraid to try something new. <br />• The devil throws the church for a loss whenever he keeps a Christian from doing any of the things mentioned above. <br />• The devil throws the church for a loss whenever he convinces people that only “trained professionals” or highly unusual volunteers can do all these things. <br />• When a Christian helps someone find his or her fit in God’s plan, that’s a touchdown!<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;"><br />Winning the game</span><br />• The devil will win if the church ever becomes so ingrown and self-centered that we stop doing the new things that are needed to attract and keep new people, because if that happens we will gradually shrink away into irrelevancy and, eventually, disappear altogether. <br />• The church wins the game when we keep reaching new people and helping them do the things that move the ball on the devil. <br />• If we can ever reach the place where ordinary everyday church folks are starting up groups that help new people know Jesus, in their homes or workplaces or schools or wherever, that’s winning the Super Bowl!<br />• And if those new people turn around and start their own new groups that reach even more new people, that’s a dynasty! And that’s what God had in mind when he created this team.<br /><br />A football team wins by constantly practicing the fundamentals. A church is the same way. Come to practice every Sunday, so you can be prepared to go out and win the game!<br /><br />Blessings,<br /><br />“Coach” DavidPastor Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12270734664464734788noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-571384500803327477.post-43585596926648344792011-08-22T10:37:00.003-04:002011-08-22T10:41:15.731-04:00How to Put On the Armor of GodI've been preaching a sermon series called The Greater One, which talks in practical terms about how to make real in our lives the fact that the one who is in us is greater than the one who is in the world (1 John 4:4). The audio for the 5-part series can be found on the website trinityannapolis.org.
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<br />As part of the most recent installment, on the armor of God, I prayed an example prayer of how I put on the armor of God. Several people asked for copies of that prayer. So for those who might be interested, I post it here.
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<br />Here’s how I pray it, based on Ephesians 6:10-19:
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<br />Lord God, thank you for your presence with me this day. As I prepare for the day, I put on the whole armor of God, according to the Bible.
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<br />I put on the belt of truth, that I may not deceive nor be deceived, nor deceive myself, but know the truth to be set free by it, and speak the truth in love to set others free.
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<br />I put on the breastplate of righteousness, that everything I say and do and think and feel may be righteous in your sight, O Lord.
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<br />I put on the shoes of the preparation of the gospel of peace, that I may be prepared for whatever happens to go in peace, stand in peace, and spread the gospel of peace in peace. Let me be prepared spiritually, mentally, emotionally, physically, and logistically. Let me make preparation a priority, and give me foresight to prepare.
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<br />I take the shield of faith, that I may quench the flaming arrows of the enemy. Give me discernment to recognize them and their source, wisdom to deal with them, faith to quench their flames and deflect their points, and faith to stand and to go in peace. Give me faith to believe all you have for me to believe - all the promises of the child of God, and faith to believe for miracles and healings; faith for all you have for me to receive - blessings and favor and fruitfulness and health and long life and abundance and love and friends; and faith to do all you have called me to do.
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<br />I take the helmet of salvation, that I may have the mind of Christ and the holy boldness that comes from knowing that I'm saved. Lord, give me your thoughts, your ideas, your attitudes, your feelings and emotions and responses, your creativity, inspiration, priorities, disciplines, wisdom, compassion, insight, foresight, understanding, perseverance, leadership skills, prayer skills, miracle skills, people skills, management skills, family skills, communication skills, everything I need to do what you have called me to do.
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<br />I take the sword of the Spirit which is the word of God. Please give me a growing love for your word, an ability to read it and understand it and apply it and obey it and teach it and convey it and impart this to others.
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<br />Help me pray at all times in the Spirit, that I may remain in constant communication with you. Please open my spiritual eyes, that I may see in the spirit realm. I want to see you, see what is happening and what you are doing so I can fall in line with it, see dreams and visions, see people as you see them, including myself. Open my ears to hear your voice, so I can speak your word and follow your guidance. Let me know your will and your way with clarity, accuracy, confidence and timely obedience.
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<br />Lord, I offer myself for whatever you have for me this day. Thank you that you are always with me. In Jesus' name, Amen.
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<br />Pray this every day and I guarantee it will change your life!
<br />Pastor Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12270734664464734788noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-571384500803327477.post-71749301961020804512011-08-03T10:27:00.001-04:002011-08-03T10:29:27.735-04:00Dream On!<span style="font-style:italic;">Now glory be to God! By his mighty power at work within us, he is able to accomplish infinitely more than we would ever dare to ask or hope.</span> – Ephesians 3:20<br /><br />God’s church, which is the body of Christ and the temple of the Holy Spirit, has been working on this earth for just short of 2000 years. So why hasn’t the message of Christianity been spread and demonstrated and accepted in every corner of the globe long before now? I’m sure there are many factors, but I’m convinced that one of the major reasons is something that may surprise you.<br /><br />Lack of faith? That’s certainly a problem – few Christians take the time and effort to build and use the faith God gave each of us. Lack of prayer? If anything is more important than what I have in mind, prayer would be it. But I’m thinking of something else.<br /><br />Perhaps the biggest reason the church has not reached its potential, perhaps the biggest reason most Christians never reach their potential, is the failure to do one simple thing: dream.<br /><br />Moses dreamed of delivering his people from slavery. Nehemiah dreamed of rebuilding the demolished city of Jerusalem. Esther dreamed of saving her people from genocide. Paul dreamed of spreading Christianity throughout the Roman Empire.<br /><br />What would have happened if they never had those dreams? What would have happened if they never followed through on them?<br /><br />I want you to especially notice one thing, because this is the part that surprised me when I realized it. None of those were things that God specifically told them to do. Moses, Nehemiah, Esther and Paul dreamed up those things by themselves. <br /><br />I’m not saying that God was opposed to what they did. In fact, God wanted those dreams to be fulfilled. My point is that those four, and countless others throughout history, didn’t just sit around waiting for God to tap them on the shoulder. They were close enough to God that they would not dream of doing things for selfish reasons or against God’s will. But they were free enough to follow their dreams.<br /><br />(Yes, I know God appeared to Moses in a burning bush, but that was after Moses already tried to rescue his people in his own power. I know God called Paul to be a missionary, but it seems that it was pretty much up to Paul where he went – only once is it recorded that he was called to a specific place. There is no indication of any kind of divine commissioning for Nehemiah and Esther.)<br /><br />Jesus said, “I do not call you servants any longer, because the servant does not know what the master is doing; but I have called you friends” (John 15:15). God doesn’t want you to think of working for him, like an employee. God wants you to think of working with him, like a friend. <br /><br />In other words, don’t sit around waiting for God to say, “Go do this job for me.” Instead, God says, “I have all kinds of important projects going on. I’m educating children. I’m fighting hunger and poverty and disease. I’m importing some of the beauty of heaven to earth, in art and music and craftsmanship. I’m expanding freedom and justice. I’m rescuing and protecting and defending people. I’m making goods and services available to make people’s lives easier. I’m doing all kinds of things, all over the world. I’d love to have you work with me. What sounds interesting?”<br /><br />One of the great characteristics of God is that God is creative. God made you in God’s image (Genesis 1:27). That means God made you creative. Creativity starts with a dream. So dream!<br /><br />I believe one of the main jobs of a church, and of a pastor in particular, is to encourage and help the people of God to dream God-size dreams and then carry them out. We have not always done a good job of that, and the world is the worse for it. But it’s never too late to start.<br /><br />What is your dream? <br /><br />Psalm 37:4 says, “Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart.” You can never dream bigger than God can fulfill. You may not get to see it through to completion – somebody said, “The only things worth doing take more than a lifetime.” But if you don’t get it started, who will? <br /><br />Dreaming with you for God’s kingdom,<br /><br />DavidPastor Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12270734664464734788noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-571384500803327477.post-34040016479809775482011-06-01T19:20:00.001-04:002011-06-01T19:23:11.398-04:00Dream On!Now glory be to God! By his mighty power at work within us, he is able to accomplish infinitely more than we would ever dare to ask or hope. – Ephesians 3:20<br /><br />God’s church, which is the body of Christ and the temple of the Holy Spirit, has been working on this earth for just short of 2000 years. So why hasn’t the message of Christianity been spread and demonstrated and accepted in every corner of the globe long before now? I’m sure there are many factors, but I’m convinced that one of the major reasons is something that may surprise you.<br /><br />Lack of faith? That’s certainly a problem – few Christians take the time and effort to build and use the faith God gave each of us. Lack of prayer? If anything is more important than what I have in mind, prayer would be it. But I’m thinking of something else.<br /><br />Perhaps the biggest reason the church has not reached its potential, perhaps the biggest reason most Christians never reach their potential, is the failure to do one simple thing: dream.<br /><br />Moses dreamed of delivering his people from slavery. Nehemiah dreamed of rebuilding the demolished city of Jerusalem. Esther dreamed of saving her people from genocide. Paul dreamed of spreading Christianity throughout the Roman Empire.<br /><br />What would have happened if they never had those dreams? What would have happened if they never followed through on them?<br /><br />I want you to especially notice one thing, because this is the part that surprised me when I realized it. None of those were things that God specifically told them to do. Moses, Nehemiah, Esther and Paul dreamed up those things by themselves. <br /><br />I’m not saying that God was opposed to what they did. In fact, God wanted those dreams to be fulfilled. My point is that those four, and countless others throughout history, didn’t just sit around waiting for God to tap them on the shoulder. They were close enough to God that they would not dream of doing things for selfish reasons or against God’s will. But they were free enough to follow their dreams.<br /><br />(Yes, I know God appeared to Moses in a burning bush, but that was after Moses already tried to rescue his people in his own power. I know God called Paul to be a missionary, but it seems that it was pretty much up to Paul where he went – only once is it recorded that he was called to a specific place. There is no indication of any kind of divine commissioning for Nehemiah and Esther.)<br /><br />Jesus said, “I do not call you servants any longer, because the servant does not know what the master is doing; but I have called you friends” (John 15:15). God doesn’t want you to think of working for him, like an employee. God wants you to think of working with him, like a friend. <br /><br />In other words, don’t sit around waiting for God to say, “Go do this job for me.” Instead, God says, “I have all kinds of important projects going on. I’m educating children. I’m fighting hunger and poverty and disease. I’m importing some of the beauty of heaven to earth, in art and music and craftsmanship. I’m expanding freedom and justice. I’m rescuing and protecting and defending people. I’m making goods and services available to make people’s lives easier. I’m doing all kinds of things, all over the world. I’d love to have you work with me. What sounds interesting?”<br /><br />One of the great characteristics of God is that God is creative. God made you in God’s image (Genesis 1:27). That means God made you creative. Creativity starts with a dream. So dream!<br /><br />I believe one of the main jobs of a church, and of a pastor in particular, is to encourage and help the people of God to dream God-size dreams and then carry them out. We have not always done a good job of that, and the world is the worse for it. But it’s never too late to start.<br /><br />What is your dream? <br /><br />Psalm 37:4 says, “Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart.” You can never dream bigger than God can fulfill. You may not get to see it through to completion – somebody said, “The only things worth doing take more than a lifetime.” But if you don’t get it started, who will? <br /><br />Dreaming with you for God’s kingdom,<br /><br />DavidPastor Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12270734664464734788noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-571384500803327477.post-9677216795056046452011-03-04T10:54:00.001-05:002011-03-04T10:54:46.078-05:00Getting UnfrazzledWe often hear that we shouldn’t be part of this rush-rush society we live in. In fact, many doctors are telling us that the stress of constant busy-ness is downright unhealthy. But isn’t that the way the modern world works? Is there really anything we can do about it?<br /><br />God had an idea we might run into this kind of thing. That's why he told us - no, commanded us - to take one day out of seven just to relax. It’s number four in the Ten Commandments: “Remember to observe the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. Six days a week are set apart for your daily duties and regular work, but the seventh day is a day of rest dedicated to the LORD your God.” (Exodus 20:8-10).<br /><br />Personally, as somebody who works on Sunday, I define “Sabbath” as whatever rest day works for me – as long as I get one every seven days. And I define “work” as anything I have to do, and “rest” as anything I want to do that makes me feel relaxed, restored or rejuvenated.<br /><br />I love the story of when Jesus was told that his friend Lazarus was on his death bed. Jesus didn't automatically rush back and heal him. Instead he asked God what to do about it. God told him to take his time. When Jesus did get back there (four days late by most people's estimation) the miracle was even bigger. And Jesus wasn't frazzled.<br /><br /> The other part of it is to be sure we don’t try to cram too much into the other six days. Some of us just need to learn to say “no.” <br /><br />But then, what if we wind up with not enough to do? We sure don’t want to be bored. I find the middle ground is to not overbook appointments or things with deadlines, so I don't get frazzled, but always keep a project going so I have something to do if boredom threatens. <br /><br />The big thing is that God knows how much you can do in 24 hours, including the necessary rest and personal care, and he doesn't expect you to do more than that. The key is differentiating between God’s expectations and people’s expectations – including our own.Pastor Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12270734664464734788noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-571384500803327477.post-88608222442781076612010-07-15T20:27:00.001-04:002010-07-15T20:27:57.461-04:00Show and TellAs we continue looking at what Ezekiel can teach us about revival, we come to a very interesting command from God. <br /><br /> “And now, son of man, take a large clay brick and set it down in front of you. Then draw a map of the city of Jerusalem on it. Show the city under siege. Build a wall around it so no one can escape. Set up the enemy camp, and surround the city with siege ramps and battering rams. Then take an iron griddle and place it between you and the city. Turn toward the city and demonstrate how harsh the siege will be against Jerusalem. This will be a warning to the people of Israel.” – Ezekiel 4:1-3<br /><br />God calls us to proclaim his message by word and by action. We understand proclamations issued in verbal form. Modern western society is all about words. Proclamation by actions is another matter.<br /><br />Usually when we hear someone say we should proclaim God’s word by our actions, we think in terms of living a good and kind and holy life. We may think of St. Francis’ saying: “Preach the gospel always; use words when necessary.” <br /><br />(I understand the point behind St. Francis’ words, but I think it can become an excuse for not using words. After all, if people think that I’m a nice guy just because I’m a nice guy, and don’t know that it’s because of Jesus, it doesn’t help them toward the kingdom of God.)<br /><br />All this is good, but it’s not what God was telling Ezekiel to do. God instructed Ezekiel to perform what theologians call “prophetic acts.” Regular people would call it “street theater.” God wants his message to get across, and he knows that some people’s eyes glaze over whenever a preacher starts talking. So he told Ezekiel to add to his preaching something that would communicate with the non-verbally oriented people. God basically told Ezekiel to do a show-and-tell.<br /><br />Annapolis is a highly educated town, and most people can understand verbal communication. That doesn’t change the fact that many people respond better to other means of getting a message across. I believe God is calling his people to be creative. After all, God created us in his image, and God is the creator. What kind of show-and-tells can we create to help make God’s message clear and accepted? The better we can do that, the better our chance of making Annapolis a target of God’s revival fire.Pastor Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12270734664464734788noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-571384500803327477.post-60428289725825031362010-07-07T10:51:00.000-04:002010-07-07T10:52:44.384-04:00Speak Their LanguageThen he said, “Son of man, go to the people of Israel with my messages. I am not sending you to some foreign people whose language you cannot understand. No, I am not sending you to people with strange and difficult speech. If I did, they would listen! I am sending you to the people of Israel.” – Ezekiel 3:4-7<br /><br />Ezekiel would have been a very successful missionary. God said that if he sent Ezekiel to a foreign people with a difficult and obscure language, they would listen. But God did not call Ezekiel to be a missionary.<br /><br />Why would God deliberately steer someone away from a ministry in which he would be successful? That’s not my topic here, but take note: just because you are good and successful at something, even something that seems like God’s work, that doesn’t necessarily mean that’s what God wants you doing with your life. Take the time to seek God until you receive his specific guidance for you. (In the meantime, do what seems best, trusting that God will let you know when it’s time for a change.)<br /><br />God has sent me to Annapolis. With regard to that, I want to look at what may seem like a very minor point. God didn’t refer to the other nations as a people “who cannot understand your language.” He said, “whose language you cannot understand.” The emphasis was on Ezekiel’s ability to adapt to and understand the language of the people, not vice versa. <br /><br />Shortly after being beginning my ministry at a previous church, I convened a staff meeting and asked why there was not a monthly newsletter. The answer was, “If people want to find out what’s going on at the church, they can call the office.” <br /><br />To me, that’s totally backwards. We no longer live in a culture in which people seek out the church. We are the ones who are trying to get our message to them. If that means getting a newsletter physically into their house through the U.S. mail, or putting up a sign that is so big and clear that they can’t help but see it even if they aren’t looking for it, or whatever it takes to get their attention, that’s what we have to do. If we want to communicate with people, we can’t demand that they learn to understand our language. We have to understand and use theirs.<br /><br />A recent article said that the model of evangelism that is based on inviting or attracting people to a church service or event no longer works for 60% of Americans. “Come to church” is not part of their operational vocabulary. What they are saying is, “If you want me, come to me.” If we don’t understand that, we effectively eliminate over half the population from our efforts at advancing the Kingdom of God.<br /><br />God’s message never changes, but the way we communicate it must. Even Jesus used a variety of methods: sermons, stories, miracles; in synagogues, in homes, in fields; with individuals, with small groups, with large crowds. <br /><br />Certainly we must keep up our efforts to attract people to church, because four out of every ten people are open to that. But we must also learn the language of those who consider themselves spiritual, even love Jesus, but don’t want to have anything to do with church.Pastor Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12270734664464734788noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-571384500803327477.post-75846433281234288732010-06-23T15:50:00.002-04:002010-06-23T15:53:52.938-04:00Refocusing on RevivalIt’s time to return to the original purpose of this blog. I apologize for the digressions of recent months. Let’s talk about revival!<br /><br />Several years ago I attended Randy Clark’s School of Healing and Impartation at Washington Crossing United Methodist Church in Pennsylvania. While I was there, Pastor Scott McDermott prayed over me twice, on different days. Both times he used the words, “Ezekiel anointing.” <br /><br />I took it as a word from the Lord. When I returned home, I re-read the book of Ezekiel, looking specifically for what God might have been saying to me through Scott. Here’s what I gleaned from it. It has come to form the basis of my understanding of revival.<br /><br />Through a strange and unforgettable vision, God calls Ezekiel to go to his own people, those whose language he understands. God tells Ezekiel that though many will not listen, he must persevere in his message: warning people of God’s righteousness and judgment while encouraging them about God’s grace and promise of restoration. Ezekiel does this through a series of speeches and memorable prophetic actions.<br /><br />In chapter 37 the story shifts to a series of visions, beginning with the famous valley of dry bones. As Ezekiel speaks God’s message over the bones – the same message of righteousness, judgment, grace and restoration – the power of the Holy Spirit brings them to life and forms them into a vast army. <br /><br />The scene shifts again. This time Ezekiel sees a vision of God’s temple – not the stone temple which lay in ruins in Jerusalem, but the ideal which the stone temple was intended to represent: the dwelling place of God. From the temple flows a stream of water. As Ezekiel follows the stream farther from the temple, it becomes deeper and wider, and trees grow along the riverbank, with healing power in their leaves.<br /> <br />The New Testament uses the images of army and temple in referring to Christians. In other words, Ezekiel’s visions are pictures of the church. <br /><br />More than that, these visions are pictures of what God wants each local church to be, at least in part. The farther Ezekiel got from the temple, the wider and deeper the river got. Water must have been flowing in from other sources. The only source of Holy Spirit water is Christians, whom Jesus said are to be fountains of living water. So the increasing size of the river speaks of the varied contributions of all the different local churches flowing together into one great river of life.<br /><br />Taking this all together, I condensed it into what I believe is God’s personal mission statement for me: to go to my own people, whose language I understand, and, regardless of their response, to faithfully proclaim through word and action God’s message of righteousness and judgment, grace and restoration, prophesying the Holy Spirit over the dry bones to form them into a dwelling place for the manifest presence of God and a source of the river of living water that brings healing to the nations.<br /><br />The people of Annapolis are certainly my own people. I grew up in the area. I don’t believe God is calling me to try to organize some big revival movement. But neither do I believe that God has called me to focus on building my own little local church empire. You can’t dam up living water. You can’t catch it all in a cistern inside the temple and keep it for yourself. The purpose of the river living water is to bring life and healing to all those who are outside the walls.<br /><br />So that’s what I hope to focus on in this blog from now on. I appreciate your prayers and your comments.Pastor Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12270734664464734788noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-571384500803327477.post-2537700033961294792010-04-24T11:45:00.001-04:002010-04-24T11:47:29.352-04:00Thank you, Stan and Jen!<em>Let the elders who rule well be considered worthy of double honor, especially those who labor in preaching and teaching.</em> – 1 Timothy 5:17<br /><br /><br />Most of us wouldn’t call Stan and Jen Bice “elders.” But they are older than the teens in our Trinity youth group. Since 2003 they have done a wonderful job of “preaching and teaching” and even “ruling” (in the words of 1 Timothy 5:17) our Trinity youth group. Now that they are stepping down from that position in order to give their growing son Corey the attention he needs, I want to be sure we give them “double honor.” They certainly deserve it.<br /> <br /><br />For seven years Stan and Jen have selflessly given of their time and their hearts to the young people of Trinity Church. They have been there for them in times of fun and times of crisis. They have played games with them, taught them, listened to them, counseled them, and encouraged them. They have provided a shining example of what a Christian relationship between a guy and a girl should look like. They have taken their vacation time to attend youth leader training events.<br /> <br /><br />Young people today face problems and pressures most of us even one generation older can’t begin to imagine. Stan and Jen have been there to help our kids navigate these rocky waters with grace and faith.<br /><br /><br />In twenty-nine years of ministry I have worked with many youth leaders, paid and unpaid. I can say unequivocally that Stan and Jen are among the best I have ever worked with.<br /> <br /><br />In the past, Trinity has had paid youth directors. As we are in the process now of returning to that once again, I urge everyone to make a point of thanking Stan and Jen Bice, unpaid servants, for the difference they have made in the lives of many, many young people, and in the life of Trinity Church.<br /><br /><br />Thank you, Stan and Jen! You’re the best!<br /><br /><br />Blessings,<br /><br />David WentzPastor Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12270734664464734788noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-571384500803327477.post-68116103728116092832010-03-27T18:37:00.003-04:002010-03-27T18:43:17.547-04:00Haiti and Holy WeekLast night (Friday, March 27) Trinity Church was honored to host a marvelously eclectic concert of music to benefit long-term care of orphans in Haiti. Organized by David Slade of the SladeChild Foundation, a great collection of local jazz, blues and worship musicians donated their time, and the appreciative audience donated approximately $1500, 100% of which will go to Haitian orphan care.<br /><br />I think this was a tremendous way to lead into Holy Week. But the way many people approach the week before Easter, they might miss the connection entirely.<br /><br />Holy Week, sometimes called Easter Week, starts and ends with celebrations. Palm Sunday, a week before Easter, recalls the cheering of the crowds as Jesus rode into Jerusalem on a donkey. The people knew that Jesus was the Messiah, the deliverer promised by God. They cheered, sang, and made a carpet of palm branches and their own coats to keep the road dust down as the donkey carried Jesus.<br /><br />At Trinity, we will celebrate that tomorrow (March 28) with the premier presentation of “Majesty on a Donkey,” an original cantata for praise band (we call it a Praisata), written by our own George Lewis, at the 9:00am and 11:00am Sunday services.<br /><br />Holy Week ends with Easter, which celebrates the fact that Jesus rose from the dead as a guarantee that all who put their faith in him will also rise from physical death to eternal life. Trinity, like churches everywhere, will be bursting with music, praise and joy.<br /><br />But there’s a third name for Holy Week or Easter Week: Passion Week. The passion of the Christ, as many people know from the movie by that name, was a horrible episode of betrayal and sadistic torture that Jesus endured in between those Sundays. When the formerly-cheering crowds discovered that Jesus had come to deliver them from spiritual bondage, not from the Roman army that occupied their country, they turned on him. He was beaten, whipped, and nailed to a cross to die. And in so doing, he paid the price for all the sins of all the people of the world.<br /><br />That’s why we celebrate. And that’s why I think it is so appropriate to lead into Holy Week by doing something to help Haitian children orphaned by a massive earthquake. Because the children in Haiti are suffering. And if you take away the Sundays, Holy Week is all about suffering. Jesus knows what those children are going through, and Jesus cares. <br /><br />Some people might wonder about jazz and blues music in church, especially leading into Holy Week. But the Bible says, “Pure and genuine religion in the sight of God the Father means caring for orphans and widows in their distress, and refusing to let the world corrupt you” (James 1:27). I think a concert that raises money to help orphans is the purest form of religion. <br /><br />So have a wonderful Holy Week. Celebrate Palm Sunday! Celebrate Easter! But find a church service on Maundy (Holy) Thursday or Good Friday to remember what the celebration is all about. If you live near Annapolis, we'd love to see you at our service at Trinity on 7:30pm Thursday. Many people say it is one of the most moving services of the year. Or join the 24-hour prayer vigil starting at 8:00am Friday, organized by our youth.<br /><br />And remember: in Haiti the ground has stopped shaking, but the work has just begun.Pastor Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12270734664464734788noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-571384500803327477.post-87336601761004818122010-03-16T10:03:00.002-04:002010-03-16T10:06:50.890-04:00Fourteen Rules for Happy RelationshipsFrom marriage to work to the clerk in the store, it’s all about how you treat people. Jesus said, “Treat other people the way you would want them to treat you.” Here are fourteen specific ways to apply it.<br /><br />1. Smile<br /><br />2. Take the initiative - most people are insecure, so say “Hi” first<br /><br />3. Set the tone for every interaction by projecting the fruit of the Holy Spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control (Galatians 5:22-23)<br /><br />4. Look for God’s image in everyone<br /><br />5. Accentuate the positive, eliminate the negative – choose to focus on things you like about the other person and things they are doing right<br /><br />6. Watch your mouth – Let everything you say be good and helpful, so that your words will be an encouragement (Ephesians 4:29)<br /><br />7. Pay attention – To get anything worthwhile you have to pay something, to get a good relationship you have to pay attention<br /><br />8. Don’t take offense – choose to give the benefit of the doubt<br /><br />9. Give the defense a rest – proving your innocence is not always the most important thing<br /><br />10. Look for win-win – relationships are not a zero-sum game<br /><br />11. Ask, “Which is more important: getting my way, or this relationship?”<br /><br />12. Pray God’s blessings for the other person<br /><br />13. Look for ways to be God’s blessing for the other person<br /><br />14. Love ‘em all and let God sort ‘em out<br /><br />What if it still doesn’t work? “If it is possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all” (Romans 12:18). A relationship is a two-way street, and some people just won’t cooperate. Don’t let them make you feel guilty about it.Pastor Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12270734664464734788noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-571384500803327477.post-9052428741233092032010-03-08T11:43:00.003-05:002010-03-08T11:58:38.433-05:00It Feels Good to Get Something DoneThree years ago I was invited to speak at a conference on the Holy Spirit in Turkey. Being invited to speak anywhere is exciting. Being invited to speak on the Holy Spirit is really exciting. But being asked to do it for the Christians in Turkey, which is 99.7% Muslim, is downright cool.<br /><br />A year later I was invited back to lead conferences for Turkish pastors and church leaders in two cities. I will be going back to do the same again in September. <br /><br />There are fewer than 100 churches in Turkey, a country of over 70 million people. About half of the churches are in Istanbul. Few of them have been in existence longer than about ten years. As a result, there are very few experienced pastors in Turkey. There are also very few Christian books available in Turkish, and none that I know of on the practical aspects of administering a church. That may explain why my talks on that subject were so well received.<br /><br />In the last year I have been working intermittently on expanding my notes into a book that can be translated and made available to Turkish pastors and church leaders. It will be in three sections, on the pastor, the local church, and the wider church. This morning I hit a milestone. I finished the first draft of the first section! <br /><br />I know what you're thinking. "You've been working a year, and you just finished the first draft of the first third of the book?" In a word, yes. And it feels good. If you've ever worked a long time of a big project, you can identify.<br /><br />Please pray that it is useful, and that I finish the rest of it more quickly. (As many of you know, the biggest problem is setting aside time to work on it regularly.)<br />And please pray for God's work in Turkey.Pastor Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12270734664464734788noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-571384500803327477.post-89643130475182146932010-02-16T10:36:00.002-05:002010-02-16T10:41:43.357-05:00I Am No Longer My Own“I am no longer my own, but yours. Put me to what you will, rank me with whom you will. Put me to doing, put me to suffering. Let me be employed by you or laid aside for you, exalted for you or brought low for you. Let me be full, let me be empty. Let me have all things, let me have nothing. I freely and heartily yield all things to your pleasure and disposal. And now, O glorious and blessed God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, you are mine, and I am yours. So be it. And the covenant which I have made on earth, let it be ratified in heaven. Amen.” - John Wesley, founder of Methodism<br /><br />A spiritually significant event happened in the Sunday morning services on February 14. The people of Trinity United Methodist Church formally and officially renewed our recognition and acknowledgement that Trinity Church does not belong to us, but to God. <br /><br />We did that by praying together John Wesley’s Covenant Prayer, printed above. <br /><br />I know this is not the first time the people of Trinity have prayed that prayer. In fact, when I first moved into the pastor’s office here, I found several copies of a Covenant Service in which that same prayer had been used. Nonetheless, I believe it was a significant act. <br /><br />I spent most of the sermon time talking about what it means to tell God that we “freely and heartily yield all things to your pleasure and disposal.” I told of two churches who have prayed that prayer. For one, God chose to “let it be full” and “let it have all things.” It’s now one of the largest United Methodist churches in the world. The other church was one of the largest United Methodist churches in its area when they prayed that prayer. God chose, at least for a time, to “let it be brought low.” (You can hear the sermon at www.trinityannapolis.org.) <br /><br />When a church prays the Wesley Covenant Prayer, there is no guarantee which way God will take it. On February 14 the Trinity congregation heard the possibilities, took time to search their hearts, and were invited to freely pray it or not. It sounded to me as if almost everyone chose to pray it. <br /><br />When we acknowledge that the church belongs to God and not to us, then it’s up to God what he wants to do with it. We know that it will be for the greater good, but it may not seem to be for our local good, at least at first. <br /><br />I’m blessed that Trinity is a people who understand this. For instance, many were very skeptical of putting a big screen up in the front of our beautiful traditional sanctuary, but you were willing to go along with it if that’s what it takes to reach people who don’t know Jesus. And most of us have found now that we actually are glad to have the screen. Going along with God’s plan doesn’t have to be painful.<br /><br />Of course, all this applies when we pray the same prayer for our own individual lives. Do you trust God that much?<br /><br />So we’ve prayed the prayer. What will happen now? I believe that God will choose to take Trinity’s yieldedness to his will and turn that to something that, like the video screen, will not only bless our community but bless us as well. I can’t guarantee that, but it’s a feeling I have. <br /><br />God has a plan for Annapolis. Trinity Church has now publicly said to God, “Whatever you need us to do to make your plan happen, we’ll do it.” I’m excited to see how God is going to answer that prayer. I don’t think we’ll have long to wait.Pastor Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12270734664464734788noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-571384500803327477.post-1735552299954957042010-02-06T07:09:00.002-05:002010-02-06T07:11:52.936-05:00Snow DayAs I write this we are in the middle of what will probably be called “The Blizzard of 2010.” I’d guess we have at least fifteen inches of snow on the ground, and forecasters are calling for five to ten inches more by the time it’s over.<br /><br />Some people have to work during a snowstorm, and I thank God for the plow drivers, first responders, power line crews, and others.<br /><br />But for most of us, especially if we don’t lose electricity, a snow day is something we look forward to. I know it is for me.<br /><br />A snow day is a chance to just sit back and relax. Nobody expects us to go to the office. Nobody expects us to run any errands. Nobody expects us to work in the yard or drive anyone anywhere. <br /><br />So what do we do instead? Read by the fire. Work a puzzle. Play a game. Drink hot chocolate. Odds are the whole family is there in the house together, which may not happen often anymore, and we can do these things together. We might go out and build a snowman or have a snowball battle. Or we might just sit and talk to each other – which most of us need a lot more of. <br /><br />And when it’s over, you feel good. You feel relaxed. You feel refreshed and rejuvenated. And you may think, “Wow, we ought to do that more often.”<br /><br />You know what? God thinks so, too. In fact, God thinks it’s so important that he made it one of the Ten Commandments. One day out of every seven. The Bible calls it “sabbath.” It’s a time to rest, relax, be with family and friends, and be with God.<br /><br />Your body needs it. Your mind needs it – just ask a doctor how many health problems are caused or exacerbated by stress. Your spirit needs it. Your family needs it. <br /><br />Don’t wait for a snow day to force you to obey the Fourth Commandment. Do it every week. Start with church, which refreshes your spirit in worship and refreshes your soul by being around a wonderful bunch of people. Then spend the rest of the day doing things you enjoy and you aren’t required to do. You’ll be amazed at the difference it will make for you the rest of the week.<br /><br />God didn’t command us to take a weekly snow day because he likes rules. He did it because he loves you. So enjoy it!Pastor Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12270734664464734788noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-571384500803327477.post-1001884731425651802010-01-28T14:40:00.004-05:002010-01-28T14:57:56.535-05:00What We're All AboutIt's a well-known fact that people who read Revival Fire Annapolis are exceptionally knowledgeable and intelligent (not to mention good-looking). As such, I would like your help with something.<br /><br />We're doing some work on our Trinity Church website right now. As of this writing, none of the changes are published, they are still in draft stage. One of the things we are adding is some explanation to go with our vision statement: "Jesus: It’s all about H.I.M. - Hosting God’s presence, Imitating Jesus, and Making him known."<br /><br />The below is what I wrote to go on the first page of our website. I would love to hear your thoughts. Is it clear? Is it engaging? If you were looking for a church, would this make you more likely to try Trinity? Is there anything about it that doesn't seem right?<br /><br />I really appreciated the insightful comments I received on an earlier posting. Please let me know what you think of this. Thanks!<br /><br />"Jesus: It’s all about <strong>H.I.M.</strong> - <strong>H</strong>osting God’s presence, <strong>I</strong>mitating Jesus, and <strong>M</strong>aking him known.<br /><br /><strong>Hosting God's presence</strong>: God created people to share his love, so God's great desire is to live with his people. Our great desire is to be a people God wants to live with, comfortably and freely expressing himself to us, in us, and through us. We want everyone who comes among us to know beyond a shadow of a doubt that you are in the presence of the living God who loves you, and a church of people who want to love you as well.<br /><br /><strong>Imitating Jesus</strong>: As a church, our job is to help each other become more and more like Jesus. This means growing in the four great characteristics of Jesus, by the power of the same Holy Spirit who lived in Jesus and who now lives in every Christian.<br /><br />• <em>Spirit-filled character</em> - Jesus always demonstrated the love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control that are the fruits of the Holy Spirit. We want to do the same.<br />• <em>Spirit-led wisdom </em>- Jesus always knew what to do as he followed the guidance of the Holy Spirit. We want to do the same.<br />• <em>Spirit-powered actions</em> - Jesus brought God's miraculous power to help in time of need. We want to do the same.<br />• <em>Spirit-motivated multiplication</em> - Jesus invited and equipped others to join him in advancing the Kingdom of God. We want to do the same. <br /><br /><strong>Making him known</strong>: This is too good to keep to ourselves. We work to equip, motivate and encourage every Christian to carry the presence of God in love and power everywhere they go, to everyone they meet. And we want every small group of Christians to be ready to be the church and do church any time, any place, with anybody.<br /> <br />We base this on the following passages from the Bible: Revelation 21:3; Ephesians 4:13; Galatians 5:22-23; Romans 8:14; Acts 1:8 and John 14:12; Matthew 28:18-20; Acts 8:4-8."Pastor Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12270734664464734788noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-571384500803327477.post-20264337169070256512010-01-21T11:30:00.003-05:002010-01-23T18:23:54.679-05:00The Most Natural Way to Connect with GodWhat is the best, most natural, most spiritual way for human beings to connect with God? What spiritual practices result in the greatest spiritual passion and fulfillment?<br /><br />Some say it's all about the Bible. Others say no, the Bible is good, but the Bible is really just to point us toward the real thing, which is experiencing God's power.<br /><br />Wait, another one says. If you really want to connect with God, go in a closet and close the door and stay there. But that idea freaks out somebody else, who really finds God best by taking a walk in the woods.<br /><br />As a pastor and a musician, I have had to faced the frustrating fact that in Sunday morning worship services, some people put up with the music in order to get to the sermon, while others endure the sermon as the price they have to pay to hear the music.<br /><br />And then there are those who say all that is OK, but Christianity is all about serving people, and the only way to truly connect with God is by actively serving someone in need.<br /><br />Who's right? <br /><br />All of the above.<br /><br />Two recent books each outline nine different ways in which different people most naturally connect with God. Christian Schwarz, in The Three Colors of Your Spirituality, calls these spiritual styles. Gary Thomas, in Sacred Pathways, calls them spiritual temperaments. Every denomination and tradition contains people of each style or temperament. The key to spiritual growth is first to discover your natural or native syle or temperament (both books provide help in this), and then to intentionally develop an appreciation for the others.<br /><br />The point is that no one way is right for everyone, and no way is wrong (as long as it leads you to Jesus, as Jesus is described in the Bible). No one way is more or less spiritual or Christlike. But when we all work together and pool our connection with God, then we have something awesome.Pastor Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12270734664464734788noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-571384500803327477.post-6733351184971777092010-01-16T10:36:00.003-05:002010-01-16T10:48:49.519-05:00"Why?" Is the Wrong QuestionThe prayers and thoughts of people all over the world are with the people of Haiti, and those trying to help them. The last estimate I read said they expect 200,000 deaths from the earthquake, with countless more injured and homeless, without medical care, shelter, food or even water.<br /><br />When terrible disasters happen - and it seems like we've had a lot of them lately - it's only natural to ask, "Why?" If God is real and God is good, why do things like this happen?<br /><br />It's amazing how much time and effort people put into trying to find an answer to that question, and the number of different answers they come up with.<br /><br />"Why?" is a natural question. But I think it's the wrong one.<br /><br />I'll be talking about that tomorrow morning in my sermon. I won't ignore the "why," but I will be trying to shift us to something I believe is more relevant: what God expects of us in the face of such things. If you can't make it, it should be available in the form of a podcast on the church website by Tuesday.<br /><br />In the meantime, the two great needs for Haiti right now are prayers and cash. You can pray by just talking to God, wherever you are, in whatever language feels right to you, right now. You can donate at church, or through a number of online sites. I recommend www.umc.org. The United Methodist Church has an excellent emergency/disaster relief program, and 100% of your gift goes straight to the need, because the denomination covers the overhead.Pastor Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12270734664464734788noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-571384500803327477.post-24607167703871903742010-01-12T12:13:00.007-05:002010-01-12T13:18:14.885-05:00What If I Didn't Get Healed? (Or Stay Healed?)A few months ago Trinity Church hosted a guest speaker who led a weekend of healing services. There were some amazing reports of miraculous healings. Many of those who were healed are enjoying their new freedom. Praise the Lord for that!<br /><br />But some people received prayer and didn't get healed. And others had their symptoms disappear, only to have them return again. <br /><br />What's going on? <br /><br />Some people say this kind of thing proves God doesn't really heal, it's all in people's heads. Others say it proves God is capricious or arbitrary or he plays favorites. Some say if you didn't get healed, you don't have enough faith, or the person praying didn't have enough faith, or the church doesn't have enough faith. Some say if something doesn't work every time, it isn't scientific, so forget it.<br /><br />I don't buy any of that.<br /><br />People don't get healed every time they go to a doctor. Does that mean all medicine is a fake?<br /><br />People who do find relief through medicine sometimes find their symptoms returning. Does that mean we should forget the whole thing?<br /><br />I believe God wants us well. The Bible refers to Christians as the children of God, the body of Christ, the bride of Christ, and the army of God. What loving Father wants his children sick? What head wants its body sick? What groom wants his bride sick? What general wants the army sick?<br /><br />God so much wants us to be well that he has given us numerous redundant systems to make it happen.<br /><br />In the natural realm, God put healing in our bodies through an incredible immune system. He gives us medicines, surgery, nutrition, exercise, and alternative therapies. <br /><br />In the supernatural, the Bible describes a wide range of ways in which miraculous healings are ministered. I have seen people healed in many of these ways.<br /><br />For a long time I didn't pay a lot of attention to the subject of healing, though I always believed in it and prayed for it and from time to time would see miracles.<br /><br />Recently, though, God has brought this much more to my attention. In fact, I'm currently working on a book about what I believe are some neglected aspects of the subject. I appreciate your prayers for this project.<br /><br />The ultimate healing, of course, comes after the death of this mortal body. That's when we receive our new resurrection bodies, fit for eternity. But God wants us well in this life. <br /><br />God's will is not always done on earth as it is in heaven - that's why Jesus told us, in the Lord's Prayer, to pray for that to happen more. So sometimes people are not well. But that doesn't mean sickness is God's will.<br /><br />To paraphrase Dr. Robert Tuttle, it's not a sin to be sick and die. But it is a sin to allow someone to be sick and die without doing everything we can to alleviate it.<br />That includes physical and spiritual remedies. <br /><br />So I'm learning what I can, and doing what I can. I don't think any of us can do less.<br /><br />P.S. I always appreciate comments, but I would really like to hear from you about this subject, especially if you have stories or questions.Pastor Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12270734664464734788noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-571384500803327477.post-86668010359060463262009-12-21T10:14:00.002-05:002009-12-21T10:27:36.966-05:00Non-rehearsed Children's Christmas Eve PageantWe're doing it again this year. Trinity's 7:00pm Christmas Eve service will feature a non-rehearsed children's Christmas Eve pageant.<br /><br />What, you ask, is a non-rehearsed children's Christmas Eve pageant?<br /><br />I figure every church needs at least one time a year when the kids can dress up in costumes and the grandparents can take pictures. Christmas is a great time for that. Unfortunately, the traditional children's Christmas pageant requires several weeks of rehearsals to get ready, creating a lot of stress on everyone's schedules just at the time they don't need more stress.<br /><br />The solution? A Christmas pageant with no rehearsals! <br /><br />Every child who shows up at Trinity's Christmas Eve children's service will be invited to be a part of the pageant. We will provide the costumes, the script, the coaching, the music, and the microphones. The kids take it from there. The more the merrier! We especially enjoy and welcome new children and families.<br /><br />We did the NRCCEP ("Non-rehearsed Children's Christmas Eve Pageant") last year for the first time, and it was ... it was ... well, it's kind of hard to describe what it was. Let's just say it wasn't a time of solemn reflection. It wasn't even "A Charlie Brown Christmas." But everyone had a wonderful time and everyone definitely wants to do it again. And I firmly believe all the children came away with a greater understanding of the Christmas story. <br /><br />So we're doing it again this year. <br /><br />I hope we'll see you there. And bring somebody with you!Pastor Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12270734664464734788noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-571384500803327477.post-33704238353824989742009-12-09T17:40:00.002-05:002009-12-09T17:55:19.491-05:00Thanksgiving and ChristmasJust a quick thought - <br /><br />What if everyone made a list of the things they were thankful for at Thanksgiving, and then for Christmas tried to find at least one person who didn't have one of those things and give it to them? <br /><br />I don't mean things like a DVD or a box of candy. I mean the more meaningful ones. <br /><br />For instance, at Thanksgiving I said I was thankful for my wonderful family. This Christmas, how can I bless someone who doesn't have a family?<br /><br />At Thanksgiving, I was thankful for the bountiful food. This Christmas, how can I bless someone who doesn't have enough food?<br /><br />You get the idea. What did you tell people you were thankful for this Thanksgiving. How can you give someone else the opportunity to be thankful for the same thing this Christmas?Pastor Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12270734664464734788noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-571384500803327477.post-72801579751621471842009-11-04T12:31:00.004-05:002009-11-04T13:39:49.921-05:00God Will Provide - Really?I found the discussion fascinating. I expected it to be boring, a rehash of things I already knew, but the variety of people and experiences made it everything but.<br /><br />The setting was a monthly meeting of United Methodist clergy. The subject was (stay with me here) stewardship. Often that means, here’s how to get people to give money to the church. But this was very different.<br /><br />It started in the plenary session when Chris, the leader, read from Mark 7 where Jesus castigates the temple leaders for their concern with worldly acclaim, then points out the widow who put her last pennies into the temple offering. I have always heard this held up as an example of great faith on the part of the widow, but Chris read an interpretation saying the real point is the scurrilous scribes who are living high on the backs of the gullible poor. Then someone referred to a news story about a church that was being sued - the pastor promised that if people gave money to the church, God would double it for them in nine months, and it didn’t happen.<br /><br />We moved into smaller groups and continued the discussion. How do you preach about money when people are losing their jobs and their homes? How do you expect people to think about spiritual things when money is such a real and pressing issue? What does it mean to trust God to take care of us?<br /><br />One African-American pastor told of being a poor seminary student in Mississippi. He had almost nothing, but his pastor had asked everyone to contribute $100 towards missions work. About the only thing he owned was his clothes – a few casual clothes, and (as required by the church culture) four suits. He privately determined to sell two of his suits to raise the $100 to give to the church. Just then he received a letter. A couple in his church had been praying, and this pastor had arisen in their hearts. They had talked about it and decided to do something to help him out. Enclosed with the letter was $500.<br /><br />I told a similar, though less dramatic, story of a time in seminary when someone brought my family a bag of groceries at a crucial time. Several others agreed that God always comes through.<br /><br />But another pastor told of a church she served in Appalachia where families were struggling to live on $12,000 a year. She told of several women who would faithfully put money in the church offering plate every Sunday, only to see their children go without food for one or two days each week because the money was all gone. She said there was no question of the faith of these women, or their genuine love for God. So why was God allowing their children to suffer from malnutrition?<br /><br />Other questions came up along the way. Is giving out of gratitude for God’s gifts the only really spiritual motivation for giving? Is it wrong to expect something from God in return? Is tithing a legalistic Old Testament relic or mandatory for Christians or somewhere in between? <br /><br />We didn’t arrive at a clear agreement on any of these points. Some felt that preaching tithing to poor people drives them further into poverty, while others agreed with my experience that tithing has proven to be my lifeline out of deep financial distress. Some felt that we give as a response to what God has given us, while others said that we have to give first, as you have to plant a seed before you can expect a harvest.<br /><br />I had never heard of God failing to come through for people who were genuinely trying to put him first, as in the case of the poor women who couldn’t feed their children, and I said so. A couple others agreed with me. It really caused me to think. And here’s what I think.<br /><br />God does his work through his people. The church is the body of Christ, and Jesus is the head. A head can’t get anything done if the body doesn’t cooperate. If that couple had not listened to God and followed through by sending something to that poor seminary student, he would have had to sell his suits. If the people that brought my family a bag of groceries had failed to listen to God and obey him, we would have been pretty hungry. <br /><br />Does God provide for his people? Absolutely. But he does it through other members of the family of God. And we haven’t always come through very well. May God have mercy on us all.Pastor Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12270734664464734788noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-571384500803327477.post-40029355172046981182009-10-06T11:40:00.003-04:002009-10-06T11:56:26.548-04:00Musings from Vacation, Part 1After a long day in the air and in four airports (Baltimore, Detroit, Salt Lake City and Oakland), we finally arrived in California, complete with luggage. We had tight connections and delayed flights - in Salt Lake City we had 15 minutes from the time we deplaned at one end of the airport until our connection was scheduled to depart from the other end - and due to overbooking our carry-on luggage wouldn't fit in the cabin and had to be checked through, and we had not time to buy meals in the airports and no meals were served on the planes, but we made it. I will never again wonder about Paula bringing "just-in-case" food in her purse.<br /><br />On the shuttle to the airport we met a very friendly Southwest Airlines pilot who was staying in the same motel. He warned us not to try to walk to a restaurant, so we ordered a pizza and shared it and conversation with him. He seemed very interested when we told him of the healings that we saw in the revival services last week, and said he would love to see something like that - he has had very little experience with church. We will be praying for him.<br /><br />Due to the three hour time difference, Paula and I went to bed around 7:30pm and awoke at 4:30am. The RV folks won't pick us up until around 10:00am, so we have had several hours to just sit in the room. That could sound very dull, but in fact it's very nice. Between reading, napping, and surfing the net, we are finding it very relaxing already, and we aren't even out of the motel! There really is something to be said for getting away from everyday responsibilities - I guess that's the main "musing" for today. I tried a "stay-cation" for two weeks in June, taking vacation time but staying at home, and while it was nice, it really wasn't what we needed. This two weeks in the mountains and along the Pacific coast, away from all normal responsibilities, promise to be wonderful. I guess God really knew what he was doing when he commanded us to take a rest day every week, and set up all those mandatory annual feasts in the Old Testament. They were basically big community barbeques when nobody worked and everybody ate. Some of them even required people to go to other cities or camp in tents for several days. A great idea from our loving God!<br /><br />More the next time we have internet access. Blessings from vacation!Pastor Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12270734664464734788noreply@blogger.com