My cousin Steve used to lead a camping program that ministered mainly to children of prisoners. In listening to him speak a couple of years ago, he said that doing ministry to hurting children is much like hugging a porcupine. I'll let you use your own imagination to conjure up images of how that may feel, but at the very least he was saying that it will not be easy. But, at the same time, he was pointing out that there are rich rewards. I dare say that the rewards are worth the cost.
Heb. 12:2 tells us that Jesus, "for the joy that was set before him, endured the cross and scorned not it's shame". In other words, for Jesus, the reward of souls redeemed was worth cost of the Cross.
Hug a porcupine today - it's worth the cost, and it will change your life.
Friday, November 24, 2006
Monday, November 13, 2006
Praying with (and for) the kids
He met me at the top of the stairs, and the first words out of his 12 year old mouth were, “Did you pray for my Dad tonight?” I had to admit that I hadn’t, so we stopped right there, had a short prayer and off he went, satisfied that his work was accomplished. It’s only been a week, but I find his words hard to get out of my mind: “Did you pray for my dad tonight?”
Each Sunday night at our church’s Kids club, we have a few moments for “pop-corn prayer.” It simply means that a child prays a one or two sentence prayer and then says “pop”, indicating that it’s someone else’s turn. At the beginning, I was amazed that the kids wanted to pray. After getting over that initial surprise, I continue to be intrigued by two things about their prayers.
First, I am surprised by the weight of the things they pray for. Of course they have a wish-list of toys and things they would like to have. But they quickly get past that, and turn their attention to the things that really matter to them – their brothers and sisters, their Moms and Dads. A significant number of them have major health concerns in their immediate or near family members, and every week these are the focus of their prayers.
Secondly, I am surprised at how they gravitate towards the adults who join them in their prayers. Every Sunday I watch the 12 year old I mentioned above as he seeks out a 58 year old man of the church and starts to tell him about his week. The ONLY thing these two have in common is that together the boy and the man have prayed for the boy’s dad.
Do you want to make a change in your community? When you pray tonight (you will pray tonight, won’t you) get past your own wish list, and begin to pray for a young teen. Get to know their name, and let them know you pray for them.
“Hey pastor! Have you prayed for my Dad today?” “Why yes, young man, I have!”
Each Sunday night at our church’s Kids club, we have a few moments for “pop-corn prayer.” It simply means that a child prays a one or two sentence prayer and then says “pop”, indicating that it’s someone else’s turn. At the beginning, I was amazed that the kids wanted to pray. After getting over that initial surprise, I continue to be intrigued by two things about their prayers.
First, I am surprised by the weight of the things they pray for. Of course they have a wish-list of toys and things they would like to have. But they quickly get past that, and turn their attention to the things that really matter to them – their brothers and sisters, their Moms and Dads. A significant number of them have major health concerns in their immediate or near family members, and every week these are the focus of their prayers.
Secondly, I am surprised at how they gravitate towards the adults who join them in their prayers. Every Sunday I watch the 12 year old I mentioned above as he seeks out a 58 year old man of the church and starts to tell him about his week. The ONLY thing these two have in common is that together the boy and the man have prayed for the boy’s dad.
Do you want to make a change in your community? When you pray tonight (you will pray tonight, won’t you) get past your own wish list, and begin to pray for a young teen. Get to know their name, and let them know you pray for them.
“Hey pastor! Have you prayed for my Dad today?” “Why yes, young man, I have!”
Thursday, November 02, 2006
We Really Do Need Each Other
- They used to be nominal church members. I forget how it started, but they became part of an unoffical small group in the church. (I say unofficial, because we didn't have any "official" small groups.) They met regularly with three or four other people, - studying the Bible together, praying together, encouraging each other - and it was amazing to watch the growth in their lives. The reality of the presence of Jesus began to show through their lives in a way that it never would or could if they had kept up the routine of merely coming to worship on Sunday mornings.
- She was a solid part of the church community, an exemplary Christian ... had been for years. Attended, worked, gave ... all the things people are expected to do. But she was alone ... until circumstances in life forced her to touch base with some others. She began to ask for prayer, and another unofficial small group was formed; not a "group" in the sense that it met every week, but a cadre of concerned individuals that took each others lives and needs seriously, a group who conscientiously prayed for and encouraged each other in the Lord, a group that knew they could trust one another.
I see the way people's spiritual lives bloom when they begin to trust fellow worshippers with their concerns, and I wonder "Why don't we all do that?"
Who are you praying with?
Who is praying for you?
Your church family will become a much more vibrant part of your life when you start to look on it as your family - when you start to ask each other for help, when you begin to pray and encourage each other.
We really do need each other.
- She was a solid part of the church community, an exemplary Christian ... had been for years. Attended, worked, gave ... all the things people are expected to do. But she was alone ... until circumstances in life forced her to touch base with some others. She began to ask for prayer, and another unofficial small group was formed; not a "group" in the sense that it met every week, but a cadre of concerned individuals that took each others lives and needs seriously, a group who conscientiously prayed for and encouraged each other in the Lord, a group that knew they could trust one another.
I see the way people's spiritual lives bloom when they begin to trust fellow worshippers with their concerns, and I wonder "Why don't we all do that?"
Who are you praying with?
Who is praying for you?
Your church family will become a much more vibrant part of your life when you start to look on it as your family - when you start to ask each other for help, when you begin to pray and encourage each other.
We really do need each other.
Wednesday, October 25, 2006
The Danger of Misinformation
In a group email a few weeks ago, someone asked about a mutual acquaintance, and I responded to the group with the latest "authoritative" information that I had.
Here is a direct quote from my response - You mentioned _____ and _____. I just heard today from (another mutual acquaintance) that a couple of weeks ago, there was a flooded basement, and so the home they were looking forward to moving into is not available for a while. There is mold, which of course must be taken care of. So, in their first weeks of retirement, everything is in storage, I think they are living with friends (or family)
Today I got an email from the couple we were talking about. He says:
"Hello Thurland. How are you doing? I've been so busy that our computers are still sitting around unpacked. I'm emailing from the local library (which works fine). Regarding the above quote, nothing could be further from the truth! I wonder how these stories are put together! I'm happy to tell you that we are doing very, very fine. We are counting our blessings from the Lord day by day, sometimes hour by hour! It is truly wonderful here, and we've never been happier.
He goes on to tell me some more details, but the point is that my original story was comppletely false. Fortunately, on this one, it doesn't matter a lot. But it is a good lesson. How often do we pass on "facts" that really aren't "facts"? And how much damage might be done by those "non-facts"? Probably a lot more damage than having mold in the basement.
An old Sunday School song comes to mind. O be careful little mouth what you say (2x) For the Father up above is looking down in love. So be careful little mouth what you say."
Here is a direct quote from my response - You mentioned _____ and _____. I just heard today from (another mutual acquaintance) that a couple of weeks ago, there was a flooded basement, and so the home they were looking forward to moving into is not available for a while. There is mold, which of course must be taken care of. So, in their first weeks of retirement, everything is in storage, I think they are living with friends (or family)
Today I got an email from the couple we were talking about. He says:
"Hello Thurland. How are you doing? I've been so busy that our computers are still sitting around unpacked. I'm emailing from the local library (which works fine). Regarding the above quote, nothing could be further from the truth! I wonder how these stories are put together! I'm happy to tell you that we are doing very, very fine. We are counting our blessings from the Lord day by day, sometimes hour by hour! It is truly wonderful here, and we've never been happier.
He goes on to tell me some more details, but the point is that my original story was comppletely false. Fortunately, on this one, it doesn't matter a lot. But it is a good lesson. How often do we pass on "facts" that really aren't "facts"? And how much damage might be done by those "non-facts"? Probably a lot more damage than having mold in the basement.
An old Sunday School song comes to mind. O be careful little mouth what you say (2x) For the Father up above is looking down in love. So be careful little mouth what you say."
Thursday, October 19, 2006
THINKING & PRAYING EVANGELISTICALLY
The theme of our Tuesday night midweek (open to all, but realistically consisting of 5 people on a low night, 15 on a high night, and regularly 8-10) is "Thinking and Praying Evangelistically."
In fact - Our church is a member of an evangelical denomination. This simply means that we embrace the doctrine of personal salvation espoused by Jesus when he told Nicodemus, "You must be born again." We believe in a real heaven, and a real hell, and we believe that Jesus is the way of salvation.
In actuality - While our church is evangelical in name, it falls short of being evangelistic in practice. This means, that while we say we are evangelicals, in practice we have not placed a high priority on sharing this with members of our community.
In faith - It is our Tuesday night prayer that that will change. the Tuesday night midweek is praying and believing that we will train ourselves to not only "think and pray evangelistically", we will begin to "act evangelistically." Will you pray with us?
What do you think? Is evangelism important. Is it important for Winchester Wesleyan to regain this impetus? Are you going to be a part? Do you have real people with real names for whom you pray? Do you pray that God will open a door so you can share the Gospel with them?
Are you an evangelistic thinker? An evangelistic prayer? Are you willing to make the personal changes necessary in order to become one?
Click the comment button below and let us know what you think
Thurland
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