Little Drummer "Bo"

I couldn’t resist the little change to the title of this year’s “Christmas week” Little Drummer Boy post to honor and welcome Bo. Bo, you have amazing parents and sisters. Your extended family is not too shabby either. :-) We all love you and can’t wait to get to know you.

The Little Drummer Boy is one of my favorite songs of the Christmas season. A fun fact about the song is that it was first recorded in 1955 by, none other than, the von Trapp Family Singers (yes, the von Trapp’s from the Sound of Music.) How is that for a great trivia question?!?

As much as I love the song, the story behind it makes it even better. While it is a fictitious story, there are several aspects from the story of the “Little Drummer Boy” that we can all identify with and learn from.

The song opens with the Magi (Wise Men) inviting him to come and see the newborn King.

Come they told me, pa rum pum pum pum

A new born King to see, pa rum pum pum pum

We are all called to seek Jesus just like the Dummer Boy did. 2 Chronicles 15:2 “If you seek Him, He will let you find Him.” A day spent without seeking the Lord is lost forever. Thankfully, He waits on us to come to Him.

The magi brought expensive gifts to baby Jesus.

Our finest gifts we bring, pa rum pum pum pum

To lay before the King, pa rum pum pum pum….

So to honor him, pa rum pum pum pum

When we come.

But, the boy had none to give.

Little baby, pa rum pum pum pum

I am a poor boy too, pa rum pum pum pum

I have no gift to bring, pa rum pum pum pum

That’s fit to give our King, pa rum pum pum pum…

The boy came to Jesus in his poverty and identified with Jesus as “a poor boy too.” That is a beautiful connection between him and the King of the universe. We, too, must come to Jesus in our poverty. Yes, we may have some earthly riches, good deeds and try to live the “good Christian” life but we are all inadequate, broken and desperate for a Savior. That is our poverty.

In his poverty, the boy had no gift to bring but he did have a talent to share.

Shall I play for you, pa rum pum pum pum…

Mary nodded, pa rum pum pum pum

The ox and the lamb kept time, pa rum pum pum pum

I played my drum for him, pa rum pum pum pum

I played my best for him, pa rum pum pum pum…

The boy gave the best of all the he had to the King. Do we do that? Do we give the “first fruits” of our time, talent and treasure to our Savior? God has blessed us and equipped us each uniquely. Do we fully understand our unique gifts? Have we opened the box? It’s there waiting for each of us to discover, to develop and to deploy in serving God and His people.

Then He smiled at me, pa rum pum pum pum

“He smiled at me.” Wow! All Christians look forward to the day that Jesus smiles at us. We all seek God’s favor.

Instinctively, we believe that He favors us the most when we are “good.” However, it tells us in Romans 3:10-12 There is no one righteous, not even one; there is no one who understands; there is no one who seeks God.
All have turned away, they have together become worthless; there is no one who does good, not even one.

Our instincts appear to be off base. Have we ever thought instead that the greatest gift that we can give to God is for Him to see us “full of joy” because of His gift to us? This will produce a life filled with joy and gratitude as we serve Him and others.

Pa rum pum pum pum

Me and my drum

Our lives will have a certain “tenor” as we play our own drums. What are others hearing from us - the flavor and message of our lives? We can all learn from the purity and simplicity of the Little Drummer Boy.

Merry Christmas,

Big E

Matt. 5:6

Prince of Peace

Lauren and I got to be a part of the Drive Thru Nativity at Briarwood again this year. It’s always interesting to find out what scene we are going to be in. This year it was the scene where Mary and Joseph arrive in Bethlehem looking for a place to stay. “Yours truly” was the mean Innkeeper and it was quite an experience having to tell Mary and Joseph over and over again to move along since there was “no room in the Inn.” I felt like such a heel having to do that. Ha. I’m looking at Mary’s pregnant tummy that is holding none other than the savior of the world and rejecting them time and time again.

Well, you know me, I couldn’t help but think that there has to be a Sunday School lesson wrapped up in there somewhere :-) Rejecting Jesus over and over again - isn’t that what we do as sinners? Yes, but as convicting as that was, there was an even more profound lesson of that moment and this season.

As I wrote last week, Isaiah 9:6 gives us the “throne names” of Jesus that are sung in the Hallelujah chorus of Handel’s Messiah - Wonderful Counselor, Almighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

As the Prince of Peace, Jesus provides elements of peace on many different levels. He give us peace “from” God, “with” God and “of” God. Peace “from” God means that he was sent by his Father to the world to save us. Peace “with” God means that in saving us, we are reconciled with God for our sins. The peace “of” God is the indwelling of the Holy Spirit that we have after accepting Christ - our continuous source of peace.

Philippians 4:7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.

The Innkeeper was not ready for the coming of the the Christ child - the Prince of Peace. He was probably a decent and honorable man, but like all of us at times, he found himself at full capacity with no room left for Jesus. The busyness and worries of life choked out his desire to make room. In hindsight, it’s hard to imagine him doing this, but we also are guilty of shutting Jesus out of our lives.

Make room for him today.

Merry Christmas,

Big E

Matt. 5:6

The Sounds of Christmas

We all have our attachments to the sights and sounds of the Christmas season. Christmas music is certainly one of the key pieces of that for each of us. Personally, I have to be really ready for Christmas music before I can listen to it. My timetable is a little different each year but when I’m ready, I’m ready. After listening to Lauren’s Radica group perform tonight, I am most definitely ready!

There are definite highlights (and a few lowlights) with Christmas music. I’ll admit that there are some secular songs that are good and help get you get in the mood for Christmas. However, there are some others that make me lunge for the dial to switch over to another station - we won’t mention those by name lest they might get stuck in our head…ha.

While I definitely love a great rendition of my favorites like O Holy Night, the unquestionable peak of the Christmas season is a choir version of Hallelujah in Handel’s Messiah. There is nothing like the power and majesty of that song. The Christmas season just wouldn’t be complete without it.

The lyrics of the song come, in part, from the following passage in Isaiah that point to the coming of Christ over 700 years before he is to be born:

Isaiah 9:6 For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given, and the government will be upon His shoulders. And He will be called Wonderful Counselor, Almighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

These descriptive “throne” names for Christ are all very important in our faith - Wonderful Counselor, Almighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Furthermore, they are interdependent and interconnected. In other words, if He is either all of them or. none of them. Only God’s son could fill this throne.

As our Wonderful Counselor, Jesus is not our therapist, but instead is our “Helper” who comes along beside us. We are told this in several places in scripture - particularly in the Gospel of John. As our “Helper,” He provides trustworthy wisdom and daily direction in our lives. He’s more than just that but the “throne name” of Wonderful Counselor addresses this aspect of his being.

His door is always open and he is always approachable. Don’t let the busyness of the season keep you away from coming to Him with any request.

Stay hungry,

Big E

Matt 5:6

Thankful

I saw a great quote from Tim Keller this week:

It’s one thing the be grateful. It’s another thing to give thanks. Gratitude is what we feel. Thanksgiving is what we do.

I’m excited about the Christmas season but not quite ready to close the book on this season of “thanksgiving.” We have designated a day to celebrate it but, as Christians, it should be part of our DNA to be lived out daily. As Keller said, gratitude is a feeling, thanksgiving is the act of giving thanks for that which we are grateful.

Before we enter this Christmas season, I wanted to take the opportunity to thank God for some of the things that i am very grateful for from this year:

• Julie - my amazing wife of 33 years. Constantly serving, giving and encouraging us all. Emily & William’s wedding

• Emma’s great progress (spider-walking on the ceiling has to be my new favorite - ha) and Annie being such a great big sister

• Lauren’s acceptance to Samford & a great Fall of her Senior year

• Serving with Will and Emily at Outback and watching them both flourish in using their their gifts to serve others

• Watching Catherine and Paul with their great NICU ministry that continues impact so many

• Honeywood - an amazing family weekend

• Lifeline - I love that we are doing this as a family ministry and making a generational impact in the lives of other families.

• God leading us to Birmingham in 1993 so that years later we could welcome Paul, Kate and William into our family. Each of you are a gift to your spouse and to the family

• Briarwood Christian School - which has impacted all of us in powerful ways

• Our health - though we have definitely had a few challenges over the past year or so

This certainly isn’t a complete list but the ones that come to mind for this past year. I’m excited to see what the rest of the year has in store. Now I’m ready to bring on the Christmas season…

Grateful and thankful,

Big E

Matt. 5:6

Samuel - Faithful Judge, Prophet and Leader of Israel

Samuel played a very important role in the history of Israel and in Christianity in general. He led Israel from the time that the people were governed by judges to kings. Judges were local leaders that resolved disputes between people and provided some governance but most of them provided no real spiritual leadership or military leadership. The nations around Israel were all led by kings and Israel felt increasing military threats from them so they wanted a king as well.

What was different about Israel is that they were “God’s chosen people” and they already had a king - God. The problem was they weren’t looking to God because as it tells us in the last verse of Judges - “everyone was doing right in their own eyes.” Since they had basically rejected God as their king, they wanted a “man king” that they could see to lead them. In other words, they chose to live by sight and not by faith in the unseen God.

While I wanted to give you a historical context for the time surrounding Samuel’s life, there are a couple of key traits of his that we can all learn from and apply in our own lives:

1. Rise above our circumstances

2. Pray first

Rise above our circumstances - Samuel’s mother Hannah gave him to the Temple priest Eli to be raised in the temple. She honored her promise to God to do so after she was barren and He blessed her with a son. Unfortunately, Eli and his two sons, were not faithful men. The sons were predators of women coming to the temple to worship and they stole choice meat from those coming to make sacrifices. Meanwhile, Eli appeared to just look the other way.

In spite of his surroundings, Samuel grew up as a faithful young man and was known all over Israel as such. One biblical description of him as that “his words never fell to the ground.” In other words, everyone respected him and listened to everything he had to say. His life is a great reminder that that “circumstances don’t make the man, they reveal him.”

Pray first - When the people of Israel came to Samuel demanding a king, he did not like it at all because he knew that they were rejecting God. It was a big ask by them and one that he was not in favor of. Scripture tells us what happened next - “And Samuel prayed to the Lord.” Before Samuel did anything, he prayed first. He was clearly a man of action but he knew the proper order of things in effectively leading the people - pray first.

We will all have many decisions to make in our lives - some minor and some that are life changing. Samuel gives us a great guide on how to go about making wise decisions before we act.

We can always do more than pray after we have prayed, but not until we have prayed.

Samuel anointed King Saul as the first king of Israel. When Saul flamed out as king, he later anointed David to replace him. Jesus was a direct descendent of David’s so, at God’s leading, Samuel played a significant role in the birth of our faith. Even 3000 years after his life, Samuel is a role model that embodies the character of a godly man we can all look up to.

Stay hungry,

Big E

Matt. 5:6

Progressive? Yes ------ Progress? No

Earlier this year Harvard University appointed a new school Chaplain. His name is Greg Epstein and he is a confirmed atheist. You read that correctly - an atheist who does not believe in God. They are calling him a humanist chaplain to get around the “religious” aspects of the position of Chaplain.

Harvard defends their decision to go this “progressive” direction with the following statement:

There is a rising group of people who no longer identify with any religious tradition but still experience a real need for conversation and support around what it means to be a good human and live an ethical life.”

While this really isn’t that surprising given the significant spiritual decline that has occurred at schools all over the country, it is important to point out that Harvard was founded in 1636 by a Puritan minister named John Harvard. It is the oldest institution of higher learning in the US and had church ties from the very beginning. One of its central bylaws was this:

“Let every student be earnestly pressed to consider well that the main end of his life and studies is to know God and Jesus Christ who is eternal life–and therefore to lay Christ in the bottom, as the only foundation of all sound knowledge and learning.”

That’s quite a journey to go from a college founded with fundamental Christian values like this to one that would appoint an atheist as school Chaplain. It does check the box for progressive thought but has there really been progress made at Harvard by departing from the Christian principals on which they were founded?

Digging a little deeper we can get a good read on where the campus is in modern times. In 2006, the cover story of Harvard’s student newspaper, The Crimson, revealed the rampant de­pression among the university’s 6,700 students. The newspaper reported that 80 percent of the student body had experienced depression at least once during the school year. Nearly half (47 percent) of the student body found themselves depressed to the point of having a hard time functioning. Ten percent (650 stu­dents) had strongly considered committing suicide.

In February of 1993, Billy Graham meet with Harvard’s president, Derek Bok. As Graham was leaving, he asked Bok one last ques­tion, “What is the number one struggle the students at Har­vard have to contend with?” Bok needed no time to think about his answer, as he quickly responded, “Living with emptiness.”

Harvard students are among the brightest and academically talented kids in the world. Harvard also has a huge endowment so many of their students pay little or nothing to go there. They get a very sought after secular education and their job prospects after graduation would be among the best in the country. Yet, even with all of this, the biggest issue that their students collectively face is “living with emptiness.”

While not surprising, it is disappointing that the academic world cannot grasp the bigger picture of a life that involves faith in a God that they cannot see. Living only by sight produces fear and all sorts of other vices while ultimately leading to “emptiness.”

As we continue our study of 1 Samuel, I couldn’t resist using this story as a perfect example of how we are in the same place as the Israelites when they were described as “everyone doing right in their own eyes.” When you remove a Biblical standard for behavior, this is what you get - everyone doing as they see fit based on a standard they they have created for themselves. It creates chaos and moral collapse in a society. Emptiness and disillusionment soon follow.

Healthy, progressive thought should produce healthy progress. Sadly, in this case with Harvard, it will only keep them on the same path that they are on now. Gratefully, we Christians all share a Biblical worldview that allows us the see the bigger picture of a life lived by faith and the fruit of doing so. We are not empty but full of the Holy Spirit and the joy of the Lord.

Stay hungry,

Big E

Matt. 5:6

Honeywood

Ok so that isn’t really Honeywood but you get the idea…

Julie and I are really excited about being with all of you this weekend. It will be a great time for our family. We don’t have any earth shattering news or anything like that but I did want to give you an idea of a few of the things that I wanted to talk about when we get together Sat AM for our “business meeting.”

The topics that I’d like to cover are as follows:

• Lifeline sponsorships

• Overall giving strategy

• Acorn Legacy - Lake Martin

• Amelia

• Country Ridge

• Estate plan

• Prayer requests

Y’all feel free to arrive anytime after 3 on Friday. We’ll just be hanging out and enjoying the property that afternoon followed by dinner that night. On Saturday AM, we can meet around 9:30 or 10 and then have the rest of the day to watch football and do whatever you want on the property. We’ll have a feast that night. Sunday AM we will have a worship service and then we can all depart after lunch.

They have a couple of kayaks, a small fishing boat and a paddleboard that we can use. Lots of great places to go hiking as well.

Have a great week and we’ll see you on Friday.

Stay hungry,

Big E

Matt. 5:6

Eli - Leadership gone wrong

Eli was the High Priest of Shiloh where everyone would come to worship in Israel with sacrifices and prayer. This is where Hannah went when she asked God for a son (Samuel.) The difference between a Priest (Eli) and a prophet (Samuel) is that a priest represents the people to God while a prophet (Samuel) represents God to the people by bringing His word to them.

Eli had 2 sons – Hophni & Phinehas - that served with him in the temple. It says in 1 Samuel 2:12 ”Now the sons of Eli were worthless men; they did not know the Lord.” The sons and their practices were corrupt. They stole choice meat that was supposed to be offered as a sacrifice to God and they pursued women that would come to worship. No one wanted to go and worship at Shiloh because of them. This was certainly an indictment on the sons but also on Eli as their father.

Eli called out his sons for their sins but they didn’t take heed because they didn’t fear the Lord doubted the seriousness of their sin. A key aspect of knowing the Lord for all of us is to fear the Lord and to recognize the consequences of sin. Sin always has consequences of some sort because it creates separation from God.

Eli was rebuked for the sin of his sons. God says that Eli was honoring his sons more than God. He didn’t teach them, instruct them in the ways of the Lord. God then tells Eli that his sons will die together on the same day. Eli’s family is the most powerful in all of Israel and they are about the be wiped out for their disobedience.

Sin is never to be glorified. Our culture often glorifies sin – lust, greed, selfishness etc…It is the ultimate deceiver. The lie is that sin will bring us satisfaction but the truth is that whatever satisfaction it may bring will only be temporary.

Obedience brings peace while disobedience brings oppression and death. This pattern repeated itself for Israel over centuries of time. They would make a mess of things and then God would allow a persecutor to torment them until they turned back to Him for deliverance and then the cycle would begin again.

The Philistines were one of the main tormentors during this time of Eli’s reign as High Priest. Israel had recently lost a big battle to them so the Elders came together to question why they have been defeated. They now wanted to know why they lost but didn’t really focus on why God was unhappy with them in the first place.

Their solution was to get the Ark of the Covenant from Shiloh and bring it with them to their camp. The Ark was where God dwelled on earth & housed the 10 commandments. It was the most holy of all things on this earth and taking it out of the tabernacle was direct disobedience to Old Testament law. They were using the Ark superstitiously by putting their faith in it instead of God himself. They should have been focused on turning from sin – obedience

In the next battle with the Philistines, Israel was defeated again in a slaughter. The Ark was captured and taken by the Philistines and the 2 sons of Eli died in the battle. The news of his son’s deaths and the Ark being taken was reported to Eli and he literally fell backward off his seat and died. Scripture refers to him as “heavy” which points to him being overly absorbed in the things of this world instead of his responsibilities to God.

The consequences of unrepentant sin can be generational. At the same time, the impact of obedience and following God can be generational as well. This was highlighted to me in a unique and powerful way through studying 1 Samuel.

As i mentioned, I was inspired to study and teach 1 Samuel at The Cove by Will Graham - Billy Graham’s grandson. In contrast, we find out after Eli and his son’s deaths that the wife of one of Eli’s sons give birth to a son - Eli’s grandson. The mother ends up naming the boy Ichabod which means that “the glory has departed.” With that name, she was referencing the failed leadership of her husband, grandfather Eli and the departure of the Ark of the Covenant.

This is a stark contrast between the lives of obedience of the Graham family and the ones of disobedience of Eli’s and the generational impact that followed. Ichabod vs. Will Graham. Which do we choose?

Stay Hungry,

Big E

Matt. 5:6

Hannah - When there is nowhere else to turn

Over the next couple of months, we are going to study characters from 1 Samuel. Our focus will be less about the historical aspects of the book and more about the great application that these characters give us from 3000 years ago. The Old Testament can seem distant and intimidating to each of us but it is rich with lessons for us to apply in our lives today. One key thing to remember that the Bible is not just a book “about” God and His people, it is a book “from” God to His people. That’s us.

Hannah (her name means “full of grace”) was the wife of Elkanah and she was very loved by him. However, God closed her womb and she was unable to bear children. As a result, Elkanah took a second wife - Peninnah so that he could have children. Polygamy was never endorsed by God but it was tolerated by society back then.

Elkanah had several children with Peninnah and she cruelly provoked Hannah over this for years. Producing children was vitally important in that culture so that they could help the family do their work to survive. As a result, it was incredibly deflating to Hannah not to be able to bear children.

After years of torment on being barren, Hannah turned fully to God. She went to the Temple to pray and begged God for a son. She made a vow that she would give him to God as a Temple priest meaning that he would be raised in the Temple once he was weaned.

1 Samuel 1:11 And she made a vow and said, “Lord of armies, if You will indeed look on the affliction of Your bond-servant and remember me, and not forget Your bond-servant, but will give Your bond-servant a son, then I will give him to the Lord all the days of his life

We sometimes doubt the power of prayer because of our expectations. Our “wish list” isn’t answered in the way that we expect it to be. The reality is that one of the outcomes of prayer is to bend our will to His will – not just to control our wants and wishes.

1 Samuel 1:18 She said, “Let your bond-servant find favor in your sight.” So the woman went on her way and ate, and her face was no longer sad.

When Hannah left the Temple she was changed - “her face was no longer sad.” She approached the throne of God and did leave the same way as she came. Why did Hannah leave in peace? Her circumstances had not changed at all. She was still barren and she still had mean Peninnah to deal with.

While Hannah’s circumstances had not changed, her heart had. She released her issues to God, who is bigger than our problems/circumstances, and left with a changed heart.

Soon thereafter, Hannah’s circumstances did change. “The Lord remembered her “ – he answered her prayer and blessed her with a son. Hannah gave birth to a little boy named Samuel – his name means “asked of” because she had asked of God. Samuel became a most famous judge and prophet. Everyone in Israel knew him and he led them through a huge transition from judges to kings, ultimately paving the way for our king - Jesus.

God had a purpose for Samuel’s birth and the timing of it. Sometimes we doubt God’s sovereignty – His purposes for the things we go through. Hannah provides a great model for fully turning our ambitions, cares and struggles over to God.

Now it’s time for Hannah to honor her commitment to give up the child once he was weaned - the child they had always wanted. She was willing to give him back to God after waiting so long for him.

1 Samuel 1: 26-28 And she said, “Pardon me, my lord! As your soul lives, my lord, I am the woman who stood here beside you, praying to the Lord. For this boy I prayed, and the Lord has granted me my request which I asked of Him. So I have also dedicated him to the Lord; as long as he lives he is dedicated to the Lord.”

This is great act of faith on Hannah’s part. It was also an act of worship which involves sacrifice. True worship always has a cost – our time, service, giving etc… Our culture is looking to take. We ask - what do I get out of this? Worship is about giving, not taking.

I encourage you to read 1 Samuel 2:1-10 which is known as “Hannah’s song.” It’s a beautiful and joyful prayer that points to God’s sovereignty and care for His people. Hannah went from bitterness to rejoicing as she learned to turn fully to God. God became her “rock” and gave her the strength to “smile at her enemies.”

There are many places that people look for answers with life’s challenges. Idols and self-reliance abound in our culture and we often attempt to fill our voids with them. Let us take note of the life of Hannah to always remind us of the true source of strength and refuge.

Stay hungry,

Big E

Matt. 5:6

The Best and Worst of Times

“It was the best of times, it was the worst of times,
it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness,
it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of skepticism,
it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness,
it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair,
we had everything before us, we had nothing before us,
we were all going direct to Heaven, we were all going direct the other way
—in short, the period was so far like the present period…

These are the opening words from Charles Dickens’ classic novel A Tale of Two Cities. This passage is viewed as one of the most famous in all of English literature. While I haven’t read the entire book, I have seen this text referenced many times for the “parallelism” that he is using - good/bad, light/dark, hope/despair etc… I received a missionary update this week where the passage was cited and it spoke to me on a few different levels.

The last month or so in our country has been very heavy with the situation in Afghanistan and the 20th anniversary of 9/11. These events, along with other current events in our culture that we all see day in and day out, remind us of the presence of darkness in this world. It’s easy sometimes for each of us to be negatively affected by these events and issues. We see things that make no sense to us, go against our Biblical view of the world and are even hostile to the way that we want to live our lives. I don’t want to minimize any of these realities; however, it’s also important that we maintain a proper perspective of “the present period.”

I love a summer project. This summer my project was studying 1 Samuel and preparing to teach it in Sunday School over the next few years. One thing that is always apparent when you read the Old Testament, is the presence of both good and evil. The events of 1 Samuel occurred about 3000 years ago - about 40 generations before us. The book is chock full of great history, stories and characters.

It’s interesting to learn about the lives of these people that lived so long before us. One of the biggest takeaways from my study is that they struggled with the very same issues that we do - fear, anger, discontentment, envy, pride, unbelief etc… Thus, its very apparent that the existence of sin is no more or less prevalent then than it is right now. There are many awful things that occurred back in Biblical times and there are many that occur today. Even though it is easy sometimes to think that these days have so much evil (and they do,) God’s presence through His people in this world is also alive and well.

Our relationship with God brings out the best in us and the existence of sin exposes our worst. Studying human character helps us see that this has always been the case - and always will. There is plenty to see out there - both good and bad. It’s the best of times and also the worst, as it is with every era in human history. There will come a day for all Christians when the best will last forever. Until then…

Stay hungry,

Big E

Matt. 5:6

The Rope

Before we bought our lake house at Smith Lake, we kept a boat at Ryan Creek Marina. We would often go up for the day and cruise all over the lake before heading back to Birmingham to pig out at Niki’s West. Fun memories for sure!

One Sunday afternoon we were out on the lake having a blast and enjoying a beautiful late Summer day. It was about time to start heading back to the marina but then two things occurred to me - we were very low on gas and there was a thunderstorm that had popped up right behind us - seemingly out of nowhere.

There was another marina that was a lot closer to us than Ryan Creek Marina but I wasn’t sure if it was still open. It was in the opposite direction and, if it wasn’t open, we would be stuck there with no gas and possibly cutoff by the storm. Ryan Creek Marina was much further and in the opposite direction from the storm but I didn’t know if I had enough gas to make it back there. Normally it wouldn’t be that bad to run out of gas on the way since there are plenty of people around to help. However, I had 3 young children in the boat, Julie was pregnant and we had a big storm chasing us. Running out of gas would not be good.

I had to make a quick decision and decided to try to make it back to our marina. Pridefully, I didn’t alert anyone to our problem. We just took off and I did everything I could to preserve gas. I maintained a consistent speed and tried to take the tightest lines down the river. I even turned the music off at one point thinking that just maybe that would help - ha.

I prayed and asked God for help on the way but I was mostly consumed with frustration. How could I let this happen? I wasn’t being a good father by endangering my family like this. I should have been paying closer attention to everything around me. Of course I was still holding all of this in so that no one would be scared or realize the situation that I had put them in.

When we came around the corner for the last turn, I saw the beautiful marina less than a mile from us. All of the sudden, my mood totally changed. I swelled with pride. What a great decision I had made! I made the right choice and everything was going to be fine. What a good father and husband I am!

The fuel gauge was on empty - dead empty. I figured that we were running on fumes at that point and we were. When I was about 100 yards from the dock, the engine sputtered and eventually cut off. However, our momentum was still carrying us forward so I went up to the front of the boat and looked down into the water to watch our progress. With my head down watching the nose of the boat slowly glide through the water, the boat finally came to a complete stop. I then looked up and saw a smiling young teenage standing on the edge of the dock holding a rope. We had stopped a mere 10 yards short but the young man threw me the rope and pulled us in just ahead of the oncoming storm.

I learned several things that day other than just humility but one lesson that stands above them all. We can make every effort to do the right things in life. We can try to live in obedience and seek God’s wisdom in all things; however, we will always fall short. We can’t do it on our own. Thankfully, we don’t have to. Isn’t it wonderful to know that Jesus is there waiting for us on the dock ready to throw us the rope?

Stay Hungry,

Big E

Matt. 5:6

Investing

In 1990, Julie and I had been married a couple of years and were members of Peachtree Road United Methodist Church in Atlanta. We had a great Sunday School class that we were very involved in and still have many friends from that class even today - including Matt and Diane Moffett.

Our class did a service project one Saturday at the Methodist Children’s Home in Atlanta - a home for kids whose parents were not able to take care of them. We basically just went to the home to play with the kids that day and I saw a boy playing by himself with a football. I went over to meet him and we had an instant connection. We threw the football and played all afternoon.

This was how I met Brandon Goins who was 9 years old at the time. Brandon had a tough life to that point and, even though he was a very playful kid with tons of spirit, you could see the hurt in his eyes. He never left my side that day and when we left I knew that I wanted to spend more time with him.

I called the Home and found out that they had a Big Brother program and I excitedly signed up to be Brandon’s big brother. We got to hang out on weekends and do the things that big brothers and little brothers do. We took many trips to The Varsity and I even got to take him to a Georgia football game. I always gave him a hug before I left and eventually he learned to hug me back.

After a couple of years Brandon left the home to go and live with an Aunt and Uncle who became like parents to him. He stayed with them through high school and became quite a good athlete. We had moved to Birmingham at that point and only sporadically stayed in contact but I did get to go over and watch one of his HS football games.

I lost touch with him completely for a few years when he went into the Army after high school but I got a call from him one day and he excitedly told me that he was going to graduate from Airborne Ranger School. He wanted to know if I could come to his graduation at Fort Benning. I was thrilled to be able to go and took Will with me. It was a very proud day for both of us.

I lost touch with him again after he was deployed to Afghanistan and other places. I honestly thought that he had been killed in action because I hadn’t heard from him in a few years and had no way of reaching him. I searched for his name online but was never was able to come up with anything. I resigned myself to the fact that I would likely not see him again.

And then one day I got a call from Brandon. He was out of the Army and living in High Point, NC where he worked as an electrician. He was a father with 2 young daughters and seemed to be doing really well. Ironically enough, I have a client that is located in that area so I was able to see him on my next trip up.

I’ll never forget the first time that I went to North Carolina to see him. We went over to his house and he told me that he had something to show me. He pulled out the program from the Georgia football game that I took him to over 20 years ago. He proceeded to then tell me everything that we used to do and everywhere that we went. He remembered it all in vivid detail because it meant so much to him.

Hearing that from him was very impactful to me. Brandon desperately needed someone to believe in those difficult early years of his life. I needed someone to “invest” in and God brought us together and met those mutual needs of ours. The fruit of our relationship is still being made today and I am reminded of that every time that I go up to see them. Brandon served his country well and is working hard to support his family - 3 daughters and Courtney. He is doing an excellent job!

Brandon inspires me to want to keep making great “investments.” God will lay the opportunities before us and we just need to be paying attention and make ourselves available. Little did I know that day 31 years ago what God had in store for both of us.

I saw a great quote from a missionary this week that really spoke to me and was my inspiration for wanting to write about Brandon.

I am not afraid of failure. I am afraid of being successful in things that don’t really matter.

May God give us all the wisdom to recognize and invest in the things that really do matter.

Stay hungry,

Big E

Matt. 5:6

Ambition vs. Contentment

So here’s an interesting question to ponder – how do we balance ambition with contentment?  Ambition is a good thing right? We’ve all been taught that it’s the American way for us to want to do our best, to win, to be all that we can be.

At the same time, contentment is considered a Christian virtue – a trademark of spiritual maturity. Paul tells us in 1 Timothy that we gain in godliness if we live in contentment.

1 Timothy 6:6  But godliness actually is a means of great gain when accompanied by contentment. 

Does the biblical calling to contentment conflict with being ambitious? How can we climb the corporate ladder or live out our self-imposed continuous life improvement plans (yes, I am an Enneagram 1, ha) if we live in a state of contentment.

These are great questions to consider. I’m glad that I know where to go for the answers! Scripture helps us reconcile these potential contradictions.

Ambition - Scripture clearly calls us to do our best in our work:

Colossians 3:23-24  Whatever you do, do your work heartily, as for the Lord rather than for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance. It is the Lord Christ whom you serve.

 The above passage speaks not just to our effort but also to our motives.  In other words, the motivation behind are efforts are to be pleasing to God and not just to man or self-glorification. In that light, a “healthy ambition” is one where we always strive to do our best but we do so with the proper motives.

Contentment - Are we free to ambitiously work to change our circumstances – to improve our financial situation and careers, our health, our marriages, etc…?  

1 Thess. 5:16-18  Rejoice always,  pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.

This passage is calling us to be thankful “in” all of our circumstances. However, there could be times where we may not necessarily be thankful “for” our circumstances. We may be thankful for them later when it is revealed how God has used those circumstances to teach us or bless us in some way but we may not be able to see that in the midst of them. This passage is telling us to “rejoice always” and be content even in the midst our circumstances.

In summary, I do believe that we are clearly free to live ambitiously and to work to change/improve our circumstances. However, we are to live in contentment as we work to change them. This makes contentment a constant in our lives and not a state that is only reached when we have achieved certain goals. God may allow us to achieve certain things for His purposes but he may also choose to change us in a way that makes those goals no longer desirable. This is why we must learn to cling harder to God that to our own goals and desires.

One truth that I have discovered in my own life is that the more we are focused on our “calling,” the easier it is to be content. Our calling is much broader than our circumstances and, since it is “Kingdom focused,” it takes the focus off of ourselves .There is a great source of contentment in finding and living out our calling.

Author and theologian Ken Boa says it well:

If you are not content with what you have, you won’t be content with what you want. Ken Boa

Stay hungry,

Big E

Matt. 5:6

The Power of Words

Our tongues are the most powerful parts of our body. With our words we have the opportunity to either build up or tear down. Our words can be used to praise God, encourage others and show gratitude but they can also be used to destroy relationships, criticize and even start wars.

Our words also tell on us - they reveal what is in our hearts. Jesus said in Matt. 12:34 …”for the mouth speaks out of that which fills the heart.” Others can make judgments of us based on how we look, what we do or where we live but our words ultimately reveal the core of who we are as a person.

As you would imagine, the Bible has much to say about the power of words. There are 60 verses in Proverbs alone that caution us about sinful speech. These are words that intend to tear down or deceive others like gossip, lying, slander and criticism. Often, our sinful speech has selfish motivations that attempt to make us feel better about ourselves in some way by putting others down.

The book of James has much to say about the tongue. In the passage below James details the the effects of a sinful tongue.

James 3:3-12 When we put bits into the mouths of horses to make them obey us, we can turn the whole animal. Likewise, the tongue is a small part of the body, but it makes great boasts. Consider what a great forest is set on fire by a small spark. The tongue also is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole body, sets the whole course of one’s life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell. All kinds of animals, birds, reptiles and sea creatures are being tamed and have been tamed by mankind, but no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison. With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse human beings, who have been made in God’s likeness. Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers and sisters, this should not be. Can both fresh water and salt water flow from the same spring? My brothers and sisters, can a fig tree bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs? Neither can a salt spring produce fresh water.

Here are the key lessons from this passage:

• James calls us to control the tongue because its potential to sin is so great. We speak somewhere between 7-20,000 words a day. That’s lots of opportunity for sinful speech.

• The tongue has such great power to control. V 3-4, “we put bits in the horses’ mouths, that they may obey us; and we turn about their whole animal.” You have to break horses with a bit in their mouth and then you can control their whole body. That’s what James is saying. Get control of our tongues and we can direct our whole bodies.

• V. 5-6 –”The tongue is a fire.” It has dangerous and limitless power. It can be a devastating thing and must be kept under control. Each of us can remember for years or even a lifetime words that have been said to us – encouraging things and discouraging things. Words are impactful.

• V. 7-8 “But the tongue can no man tame; a restless evil, full of deadly poison.”The tongue is untamable like a wild animal - primitive, undisciplined. Without the help of the Holy Spirit, we cannot ultimately control our tongues.

• The Duplicity of the tongue. V 11 Can both fresh water and salt water flow from the same spring?Along with all of the destructive things that the tongue can do, it can equally do good. It can build up instead of tear down. It can create love, enthusiasm, encouragement, peace & joy

Rock star verse that we all should commit to live by:

Ephesians 4:29 Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.

If our lives have been transformed by Christ, it will be reflected in our speech.

Stay hungry,

Big E

Matt. 5:6

A City on a Hill

On our last morning at The Cove, I went to my favorite spot and opened up my Bible Gateway app to read the verse of the day. Interestingly enough, it was the passage that I picked 8 years ago for our 25th wedding anniversary. I bought this candelabrum pictured below for the occasion. The candle in the middle represents Julie and I and the four surrounding candles represent each of you along with your families. Matthew 5:14-16 is inscribed on the base. Hopefully, this passage reflects our family’s lives in this world.

Matt 5:14-16 “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden; nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on the lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. Your light must shine before people in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.

I love this passage from Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount. However, if you were continue to read on through his sermon into Chapter 6, you would come across another passage that seemingly contradicts what He just said above:

Matthew 6:1-4 “Take care not to practice your righteousness in the sight of people, to be noticed by them; otherwise you have no reward with your Father who is in heaven. “So when you give to the poor, do not sound a trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, so that they will be praised by people. Truly I say to you, they have their reward in full. But when you give to the poor, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your charitable giving will be in secret; and your Father who sees what is done in secret will reward you

This is one of a few well known but inaccurately framed “contradictions” in the Bible. The truth is that the Bible does not contradict itself. However, in order to fully understand how to reconcile these surface level “contradictions,” we have to take the time and effort to understand the full context of what is being said and who is saying it. This is the case with these two passages about works being done in full view of others versus works being done in secret.

In the first passage (Matt. 5:14-16) Jesus is commanding us to be the “light of the world.” He is telling us a few things here:

• The Christian life is not meant to be lived in hiding. It is intended to be shared with others.

• We should never be ashamed of our faith. Sometimes that requires that we do good deeds in public for God’s glory.

• A true saving faith will radiate in our lives like a city on a hill. How could we hide such a great light that lives in us?

• Jesus wants the world to know of God’s glory.

• We are the hands and feet of Christ and we are called to do good deeds for Him.

The second passage (Matt. 6:1-4) does not contradict the first but addresses a different aspect aspect of good deeds - our motives. Here are the key points of teaching:

• Our motives for doing works should be done solely for God’s glory - not our own.

• Our works should point toward the goodness of God and not toward ourselves and our own attempt at godliness.

• Every good deed has its beneficiaries, but its audience should not be broader than those who will truly see benefit from them.

So, now we see that there is no contradiction once we understand that the second passage is really about motives. Specifically, it comes down to humility vs. selfish ambition. God gives us His light and wants us to let it shine so that all the world will see Him. When He is glorified in the process, we are serving in obedience. We are not the light ourselves but are able to reflect His light through serving others - like “a city on a hill.”

Stay hungry,

Big E

Matt. 5:6

Mountaintop Time

Julie and I recently had an awesome week at The Cove in Asheville. It was our third trip and I realized this year that it has become our “JH Ranch” for this season of life. There is nothing like “mountaintop time” away with God and The Cove is a great setting for it. You may remember that is was at The Cove last Summer that God put adoption ministry on my heart. We are off and running with Lifeline so i was excited about hearing from Him again this year.

Unlike last year when God woke me up in the middle of the night multiple times about helping families adopt children, He let me sleep through the night this time - Ha. I have to say that I was actually a little disappointed because I was expecting something similar this year. I just knew that He would lay something on my heart that I could take back with me. God never disappoints.

The truth is that God has been teaching me things all year. After ringing in 2021 with COVID and then dealing with multiple health issues this year, I figure that God is trying to tell me something. I guess that I am a slow learner but I think that I’ve finally gotten the message. :-)

The point of today’s blog is not to share what God has been teaching me but rather to point how much God wants to communicate with each of us. None of us can be reminded enough about the importance of spending time with Him each day. However, we also need some “mountain top” time with Him periodically. This is extended time with Him when we are able to unplug from our normal lives and focus on the things that matter most.

During the conference, our speaker asked a very profound question, “What things are you currently doing in your lives that will really matter 100 years from now?” Hmm. Wow. When you think about it, it’s really a very short list. The point isn’t that we should only spend time on items on that very short list, but that the items on that short list are consistently at the top of our priority list - our “big rocks.”

Mountain top time helps us develop that short list and ensure that we don’t drift too far off course with our focus on it. Since most of us may not be able to have another JH experience any time soon, we have to find that mountain top time somewhere else. It might be hiking in the woods, on a beach or at a retreat like The Cove. What is important is that we prioritize that time. Without it, we may find ourselves drifting off-course, slowly but surely.

Jeremiah 29:13 And you will seek Me and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart

Mountain top time re-centers us. It helps us develop and stay true to our short list - our big rocks. If we take care of the big rocks in our lives, it’s a lot easier to get the little rocks to fall in place. It’s not about re-ordering our lives, it’s about re-ordering our loves.

Find your peak,

Big E

Matt 5:6

Where is Wisdom? Part 3 of 3

Well, we get to land the plane this week in our search for wisdom. We have established the fact that man doesn’t really know its value, that we often look for it in the wrong places and that our adversary does not want us to have it. In light of all that, where do we turn?

The final passage of Job tells us:

Job 28:20 Where then does wisdom come from?
And where is this place of understanding?

23 “God understands its way,
And He knows its place.
24 For He looks to the ends of the earth;
He sees everything under the heavens.
25 When He imparted weight to the wind,
And assessed the waters by measure,
26 When He made a limit for the rain,
And a course for the thunderbolt,
27 Then He saw it and declared it;
He established it and also searched it out.
28 And to mankind He said, ‘Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom;
And to turn away from evil is understanding.’”

There are several key truths from this passage that help us understand the source of wisdom:

• God demonstrates His own wisdom and power through the design of the natural world. I love the prose that the author used to describe God’s process of creation. He “imparted weight to the wind; “assessed the waters by measure;” “made a limit for the rain and a course for the thunderbolt.” These words help us understand the greatness and power of God.

• We’ll never fully understand the mind of God.

Deuteronomy 29:29 The secret things belong to the Lord our God, but the things revealed belong to us and to our sons forever, so that we may follow all the words of this Law.

• While specific aspects of God’s wisdom may not be revealed to us, the path to wisdom is to revere God and avoid sin. God has provided us his “revealed will” through scripture. In other words, we are responsible for that aspect of God’s will because he has revealed it to us in the 66 books of the Bible. Reverence and obedience lead us to wisdom.

• He gives wisdom to those who ask for it.

James 1:5 But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him

Now we know the source of wisdom, that it is in limitless supply and we obtain it through our reverence for God and obeying his commands. A pretty clear cut path I might say…

Stay hungry,

Big E

Matt. 5:6

Where is Wisdom? Part 2 of 3

Solomon became the king of Israel before the age of 15 succeeding his father David. As Solomon was becoming the “boy” king, the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said that he could “Ask what you wish Me to give you.” Solomon was given the opportunity to ask God for anything that he wanted and he responded with the following - “So give Your servant an understanding heart to judge your people and to discern between good and evil. For who is capable of judging this great people of Yours?”

God was very pleased with Solomon’s request for wisdom instead of asking for riches, long life or deliverance from his enemies. As a result, He told Solomon that because he had asked for wisdom that he would also bless him abundantly with these other things as well. What a great lesson in well-placed priorities!

As we continue to look at the wealth of lessons in Job 28, this passage gives us more great teaching on wisdom:

Job 28:12-22

12 “But where can wisdom be found?
And where is the place of understanding?
13 Mankind does not know its value,
Nor is it found in the land of the living.
14 The ocean depth says, ‘It is not in me’;
And the sea says, ‘It is not with me.’
15 Pure gold cannot be given in exchange for it,
Nor can silver be weighed as its price.
16 It cannot be valued in the gold of Ophir,
In precious onyx, or sapphire.
17 Gold or glass cannot equal it,
Nor can it be exchanged for articles of pure gold.
18 Coral and crystal are not to be mentioned;
And the acquisition of wisdom is more valuable than pearls.
19 The topaz of Cush cannot equal it,
Nor can it be valued in pure gold.
20 Where then does wisdom come from?
And where is this place of understanding?
21 It is hidden from the eyes of every living creature,
And concealed from the birds of the sky.
22 Abaddon and Death say,
‘With our ears we have heard a report of it.’

Lesson #1 - Man doesn’t fully know the value of wisdom

Solomon, even as a boy, understood the value of wisdom. Man, commonly, does not. Far more time, effort and focus are put into the pursuit of earthly possessions. Pursuing earthly possessions certainly isn’t wrong. God showed that to David when he blessed him with those things abundantly. But, God did it only after he knew that Solomon’s heart and priorities were in the right place.

Lesson #2 - Man looks for wisdom in the wrong places

Verse 13 states that wisdom “is not to be found in the land of the living.” It cannot be found in the oceans or in all of the precious treasures of the earth like gold, sapphires and onyx. In verse 21 it says that “It is hidden from the eyes of every living creature and concealed from the birds of the sky.” These are beautifully written and powerful illustrations of how man is deceived into thinking that we can find true wisdom on this earth.

Lesson #3 - Our Enemy know it exists but does not possess it - nor does he want us to have it.

Verse 22 refers to Abbadon and Death which is basically the realm of the enemy. He does not have wisdom nor does he want us to have it. He probably loves nothing more than to watch us pursue earthly treasures and try to make this our heaven. He also loves to see us spend our time on trivial pursuits that produce no lasting good or eternal significance. We play right into his hands when we do this.

C.S. Lewis said it best when he stated that the “safest road to Hell is the gradual one - the gentle slope, soft underfoot, without sudden turning, without milestones, without signposts…”

In other words, it is one who drifts along with the currents of the world with no thought given to the wisdom that God offers to direct our lives.

If the Enemy can’t have us, then he wants to render us ineffective for God’s kingdom. Don’t take the bait.

Stay Hungry,

Big E

Matt. 5:6

Where is Wisdom? Part 1 of 3

I went to Haiti on a short mission trip a number of years ago. The first morning I was there I went up on top of the 2 story building where we were staying for some devotional time. It was the perfect spot to go because I could see over the walls of the compound and had a view of the city around me in the early morning hours.

Despite the great view from my perch, I was feeling somewhat unsettled. I had a few things weighing on my mind at the time and I also felt uneasy about being in Haiti. I’m not sure what I was looking for that morning but I definitely wasn’t feeling assured and peaceful. I decided to just open my Bible to see where God would lead me and find some peace in the midst of my unrest.

It seemed like a bad joke when I realized that I had opened my Bible to the Book of Job. Job, really?!? More specifically, I opened it to Job 28. While I had read Job before I certainly wasn’t familiar with this specific chapter. Little did I know that it would provide me exactly what I needed to see above the walls of my own situation. It has become one of my favorite passages in all of scripture.

We are all familiar with the story of Job. God allowed Job to be tested by Satan to see if he would renounce his faith and turn away from God. He lost his family and his fortune in the process but ultimately stayed faithful to God. Job’s calamities are noted in the first couple of chapters in the book while many of the following chapters recount his discussions with his 3 friends - Eliphaz, Bildad and Zophar. They cover a few key topics like “Why do the righteous suffer?”

In chapter 28 the topic of wisdom surfaces and each seems to have their own opinion as to the origin of wisdom. Eliphaz claims that it comes from “observing and experiencing life” while Bildad says that we should strictly “look to the past and learn from others.” Zopher claims that wisdom is only possessed by a few and we have to rely on those that have it.

While none of these opinions are entirely wrong, they don’t fully address the question of the true source of wisdom. Job speaks to this in Chapter 28 and we are going to go though these passages over the next couple of weeks starting with 1-11. It’s a beautiful piece of literature that is also loaded with truths that will help all of us in our search for wisdom.

Job 28:1-11

“Certainly there is a mine for silver
And a place for refining gold.
2 Iron is taken from the dust,
And copper is smelted from rock.
3 Man puts an end to darkness,
And to the farthest limit he searches out
The rock in gloom and deep shadow.
4 He sinks a shaft away from inhabited areas,
Forgotten by the foot;
They hang and swing, away from people.
5 From the earth comes food,
And underneath, it is turned over like fire.
6 Its rocks are the source of sapphires,
And its dust contains gold.
7 No bird of prey knows the path,
Nor has the falcon’s eye caught sight of it.
8 The proud animals have not trodden it,
Nor has the lion passed over it.
9 He puts his hand on the flint;
He overturns the mountains at the base.
10 He carves out channels through the rocks,
And his eye sees anything precious.
11 He dams up the streams from flowing,
And brings to light what is hidden.

In this opening passage, Job eloquently describes the process of mining the treasures of the earth. He goes into great detail about the extravagant lengths that man goes to find gold, diamonds and sapphires below the earth’s surface. Man invests a tremendous amount of time and effort in the mining process - even risking life and limb. Job’s purpose in this passage is to set up a comparison between what man is willing to risk and expend to find earthly treasures compared with his search for wisdom. This leads to some important questions for us:

• How does our appetite for earthly treasure compare to our appetite for wisdom?

• What are we willing to expend/risk to obtain each?

This world is drowning in information but starving for wisdom.

Hunger and thirst for wisdom,

Big E

Matt. 5:6

A Church Home

Some of you are going to be looking for a new church home in the near future so I wanted to share some thoughts and biblical insights that might help you in your search. It’s a big decision with far reaching impact so its important to approach it from the right perspective. A good place to start is to gain an understanding of the true purpose of the church given to us in scripture. Before we go there, I want to look at some key influences in today’s culture that impact church attendance - technology and “consumer-oriented” worship.

Even before COVID hit, virtual church was becoming more and more appealing to some and it was a concern to those in church leadership. COVID made it a necessity for a period of time and it is now viewed by some as an acceptable substitute for attending church. I completely agree that technology can be a great asset in our spiritual lives. It is very useful for studying, devotionals and to use when we cannot attend church. However, it cannot replace our physical presence in gathering together for church anymore that FaceTime or texting can replace in-person communication with our spouses or friends. It supplements, but doesn’t replace.

There is a trend referred to in church world as “consumer-oriented worship.” This refers to those that come to church (the consumer) looking to be entertained and fulfilled through worship and church programs. They are basically making the church experience about themselves instead of who they came to worship. We live in a “consumer-oriented” society so this just becomes a natural extension for many with that mindset. The truth is that God should be the “consumer” of our worship and our approach to church should be reflected in that. We benefit and are blessed in many ways from the church experience but our focus is on God - not ourselves.

What then is the purpose of the church?

The original Christian church in Jerusalem was referred to in Acts 2:42 and this has long been considered the purpose statement for the church:

Acts 2:42 "And they devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers.”

Based on this passage the original stated purpose of the Church is as follows:

1. Teaching Biblical doctrine

2. Providing a place of fellowship for believers

3. Observing the Lord’s Supper

4. Praying together

There are several other key roles of the church that are mentioned in other passages in the Bible:

1. Evangelism - Being a “lighthouse” in the community that points people to Christ

2. Ministering to those in need - the vulnerable

3. Helping believers with their personal growth in purity and righteousness

4. Equipping believers to serve by helping them discover and develop their spiritual gifts

5. Children - The church is a big part of the “village” that helps us raise up our children in the faith and with a biblical worldview.

As you visit churches, it’s important to remember that no church is perfect. Churches are made up of imperfect people and led by an imperfect staff. However, when the “body of Christ” gathers together in the form of a church, God works mightily through his people. Perfection is found when we have our eyes set on Christ and not ourselves.

Your church home should have all of the characteristics listed above. Use this list to help you compare one church to another. I pray that you find a church that is perfect for you and that your experience there points you to our perfect Lord.

Stay hungry,

Big E

Matt. 5:6