Brooklyn Park UB Church / Eden UB Church

This morning I got up, and as usual, one of the first things I did was to check my e-mail. Surprisingly, I only had 4 messages and (can you believe it?) NO SPAM! But anyway, I received an e-mail from John Christophel who is the Senior Pastor of Brooklyn Park UB Church near Baltimore, Maryland. The point of the e-mail was to ask other UB churches for support in their creating of an after school program, called UB Lighthouse Youth Mission. I won’t go into all the detail about all the violence and problems right near the church, but there seems to be a great need for this mission. I plan to ask Eden to join other UB’s in helping to assist Brooklyn Park.

After reading this, I got to thinking. I know that can be dangerous for some people like me! I am really impressed with Brooklyn Park’s vision and desire to see this happen. Then I look at the church I pastor. What is our vision? We are still working on that. What is our mission? I still think that is unclear to some of our congregation.
Our mission is to seek and save the lost. Our vision is to love God, love people, and serve others. We do have a set of values and goals that is formed from an acrostic:
Evangelize the Community
Disciple converts & church family
Experience: God
Fellowship with church family
Nurture Leaders and Ministries

I would love to see our congregation at Eden get behind the mission wholeheartedly. I realize that I need to pray and seek God’s guidance to clearly communicate the burden God has given me for lost people.

Now as Paul Harvey says, “Page Two.”
The Reedsville/Hockingport and surrounding communities have a need for the type of program that Brooklyn Park is implementing. We have an escalating drug and alcohol problem. I have dreamed of establishing a mission here, similar to the one at Laurel Mission in Kentucky. But, God will build His Church. Maybe this is not Eden’s time for a “mission”, but rather for us to simply get on task. I thank God for the drive that Brooklyn Park Church has. I pray that they are successful.

P.S. Click here for Brooklyn Park

Super Tuesday

Yesterday, we had the closest thing ever to a national primary election for the Republican and Democratic canidates for president. I have to say that I found it exciting to watch. Some people are understandably tired of the political stuff by the point. But I see this as history being made. For the first time since 1928 (or at least that is what I am told), we have no incumbant running for the presidency.

Barak Obama came out with 13 prizes, compared to Clinton's eight. Doesn't look like the results for New Mexico will be in until later today. Clinton has the advantage, winning big states such as California and New York. Obama still lost Massachusetts even after the Kennedy clan threw their support behind him. I was hoping Obama would pull out a win against Clinton, but I am not so sure that is going to happen. Change is a good thing, and while I don't think Barak Obama would be a good change agent, he would be better than Clinton. The Clintons had 8 years to change the country and instead they left us with the same problems Hillary blames on the Bush Administration. Just more of the same. I do agree with Mitt Romney... Washington is broken.

So, on to the Republicans. McCain had a huge night, winning 9 states, some of them "winner take all" states. Romney won 7 races, but most of them were in smaller delegate states. The only real prize Romney won was Masssachusetts, his home state. I think the real story of the night was Huckabee. He started out with a win in West Virgina, aided by McCain supporters, and then proceded to win 4 other states with a very close 2nd place in Missouri. Huckabee was underdog until he won Iowa and again until last night.

Here is my take:

• I like Romney because he is the most conservative. But to me, he has credibility problems. He does look the most presidential, if that really means anything. I won't vote for him except for in the general, if for no other reason than he went too negitive, too soon. He seems almost like the Clintons of the Republican party, as far as negitive campaigning goes.
• McCain. What can you say, America loves an underdog. He has real problems with conservatives and his absolute stance on global warming bothers me. The science is still not exact, so he position shouldn't be either. I like the fact that he is a moderate. I am a conservative, but want to see us become a party of inclusion, rebuilding another coalition, like Regean did with liberals and moderates as well as conservatives.
• Huckabee. My Hero! I don't agree with all of his positions, but I think he is very qualified with executive experience. He did raise taxes, but he did it to improve the infrastructure of his state. There are (gasp) good reasons to raise taxes... just not many of them. Huckabee will probably end up VP for McCain, which I am really hoping for.

I'm Just The Preacher

Last night, as I reading my Bible before I went to sleep, I had an epiphany. I am not the Savior of the world! Now, those of you who know me have known this from the first time you met me. But let me explain this to everyone.

I have noticed in my experience (granted, not too much here) that people in ministry of any level tend to feel absolute responsibility for those in their flock. If someone has a moral fall, well then you can blame the Sunday school teacher… After all, wasn’t that teacher in a mentoring relationship? Or when people have a hard time grasping a truth, especially an important doctrinal position, isn’t the pastor at fault for not teaching enough on the topic and to the full extent of his ability?

This past week, I ran across something that surprised me. I found that someone who has attended Eden said something that indicated a possible error in important theology. I say possible because what they said could just have easily been taken out of context. I realize that sort of thing happens all the time. But within minutes I found myself wondering why I hadn’t preached more on the subject. Maybe, I thought, we needed to form a small group to study the issue. Then I started wondering why this person wasn’t growing. All the other indicators of Spiritual growth are present, except this statement.

Finally, it seemed as though the Lord took me aside. I imagine the dialogue as this:
“Adam, take a break from your thinking and let’s reason together” God says that in a Sean Connery voice (hey this is my epiphany, God used things I would get!).
“Now Adam,” he continues “You don’t know what this person meant, although it could be troubling. It is not your job to sanctify them. It’s not even your job to save them. All I ask is that you preach and teach and lead from my word.”
“Okay, Lord. Whatever you say… And thanks.”

Like Paul says, it’s God that gives the increase.

What a relief… I am just the preacher.

A New Year; Same Direction.

Today is Februrary 1, 2008. January is gone. Before we know it, so will February. There is so much I want to accomplish this year and so far I am lagging behind. Christina and I decided that we would read the Bible through this year. I have never done that before. I have started reading through and made it all the way to Isaiah, but failed to continue. Anyway, according to the calendar, we are supposed to be in Levitcus and we are not even in Exodus!

Its another year, but so far I seem to be moving in the same direction. Eden had a great year last year. We declined a few percentage points last year, but in realilty, God seems to be working now more than ever. New Year; but same direction... No new surge, no new vital growth... Yet.

Its a New Year, and I believe that God is moving in the same direction... Forward! We may fail in our resolutions, but not God. He still loves us inspite of our faults. Even when the Church of Jesus is undergoing some promised pruning, the gates of Hell are still being pushed back.

Yes, I believe that Eden is moving in the right direction. I am sure we need to move faster, but finally, I believe we are starting to point in the right direction.