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| Pastor's Blog | |
Friday, 20 November 2009
I recently ran across this article that might interest those who sometimes feel that teaching Sunday School to our young people is a waste of time.
May God continue to strengthen and bless you daily for the work you do!!
In Christ, Pastor John
The Significance of Spiritual Activity as a Child
With all of the time, money and effort that parents and churches invest in the spiritual growth of children, we find ourselves often wondering if there is really any statistical connection between childhood faith and adult religious commitment. A recent study by the Barna Group provides new insights into the age-old question.
The survey asked adults to think back on their upbringing and to describe the frequency of their involvement in Sunday school or religious training. The researchers then compared these responses to the current level of faith activity of these adults.
More than 80 percent of adults remembered consistently attending Sunday school or some other religious training before the age of 12. Seven out of 10 adults (69%) said they attended such programs weekly.
About 70 percent also recalled going to Sunday school or other religious programs for teens at least once a month. Half (50%) indicated they had gone to such teen programs at least once a week when growing up.
In connecting childhood and teen engagement with adult spirituality, the Barna team used four elements of adult religious commitment: attending church, having an active faith (defined as reading the Bible, praying and attending church in the last week), being unchurched, and switching from childhood faith.
"Those who attended Sunday school or other religious programs as children and teens were much more likely than those without such experiences to attend church and to have an active faith as adults," concluded the report. Fifty percent of those who attended such programs as a child said they have attended a worship service in the last week, which is slightly higher than the national average and much higher than those who did not attend such programs as children. Among those who frequently attended religious programs as teens, 58 percent said they had attended a worship service in the last week.
Being unchurched or changing from one's childhood faith were also correlated to early-life spiritual experiences. The study asked if people had the same faith perspectives today as when the were children or whether they had ever significantly changed their views. Twenty-two percent of those who recalled frequent religious attendance as children had changed their faith views from those held as a child. Among those who attended religious programs as teens, 21 percent had changed their core faith views.
David Kinnaman, president of Barna Group, noted, "It is important to clarify what this research does and does not indicate. First, correlation does not imply causation. This means that the research does not prove that spiritual activity as a young person causes spiritual engagement as an adult. In fact, the research confirms the pattern that many students who are active in early life disengage from their faith as they get older. And people's recollections of childhood activities are only one limited way of understanding faith durability. ... [However,] it provides clarity that the odds of one sticking with faith over a lifetime are enhanced in a positive direction by spiritual activity under the age of 18."
Thursday, 24 September 2009
What Is a Family Integrated Church?
We are one!! Victory has been from the very beginning in most ways so let me explain what's going to change.
When we look at the 1st century Christian Church, we see it's beginnings in homes. They worshiped together, studied together, and ate together in their homes. The entire family was involved: adults teaching each other and their children. I'm sure they didn't send the kids off to have their own worship service, their own study or their own meal. They were together!
Later on we see the church meeting corporately in larger buildings. They all worshiped together, studied together, and ate together. Again, there is no mention of the children doing their thing separately. It hasn't been until the latter part of 20th century that we've moved kids out to do their own thing. Prior to that there wasn't a nursery; infants, toddlers and school age children stayed with their parents.
Why the change? In America we became use to someone else taking care of our children; daycare, preschool, after school programs, TV and many other "babysitters." Leadership in the American Church decided that if the Church was to compete with the world we needed to adopt some things of the world . . . so we did. In my opinion it wasn't inherently bad just not helpful. So, here at Victory we're going to be rolling things back.
Beginning Sunday October 4th we will be bringing our kids back into the worship service! No longer will they be separated from the adults. We will no longer be having children's church or nursery care during the worship service. I know you're thinking "What about disruptive children?" I think you'll find there will be very little of that. But if one does get out of hand there is a room set up with a speaker for the parent(s) to take the child to and still listen to the service until the child quiets down. Or the parent can take the child to the rear of the worship room and quietly entertain them and still be part of the service. But I think you will find that our kids are well behaved. We will continue to have "worship bags" with coloring pages, stories, etc. that will help. I realize this is a bold step but I think it's a step in the right direction . . . time will tell.
Again, I look forward to seeing those young bright smiling faces in service, I hope you do too!
In Christ always,
Pastor John
Friday, 07 August 2009
You Are What You Think!
This last week I have been bombarded with negative minded people. I wondered what the Lord is trying to teach me? Was it about my own attitude or was it a much bigger problem? I think both. Sometimes I can be a negative person. I don't want to be but I bend that way. I call it the "realist" attitude v the "optimist" attitude. Never the less it's a big problem sometimes in my ministry as a pastor, a leader in the church. My attitude tends to rub off on people. But I have to tell you, the Lord and I constantly work on this. How about you? Do you bend toward being a negative person? The Lord can help you change. I'm not talking about sticking your head in the sand and ignoring reality and playing "Poly Anna," I'm talking about having a brighter attitude. I'm talking about having real joy that comes from the Lord and not circumstances.
As I go about my week greeting people the most often heard comments in return to my greeting of "How are you?" is "I'm tired." Of course you have to picture that statement with a slow, depressed drawl "I'm t-i-r-e-d . I hear it from both adults and teens but mostly from teens. Why is that? They're young, they're healthy and they should be full of enthusiasm for life. Has life beaten them down already? Or is it just a fad? I don't know but it's depressing to me and upsetting at the same time. Do they think they have no hope?
We have a young man in our congregation who is wheelchair bound and unable to speak or use his arms and hands yet I see a smile on his face all the time. Why the smile? Because he has made up his mind to be a positive person. He has become what he thinks. He is such an inspiration to me! and I would hope others with a negative mindset would take notice of his attitude.
I know some of you reading this are thinking "Pastor John, look around, what is there to be positive about? My job's on shaking ground. The economy is in the tank. Higher taxes loom in the future. I'm upside down on my home. I've lost 50% of the value of my retirement. Families are breaking apart at a record pace, to name just a few things, how can I be positive? Again, happiness and joy are two different things. Happiness comes from circumstances. True joy for the believer comes from our Lord Jesus Christ, regardless of circumstances. It just depends on what you want to think about.
Listen, if you set your mind on things of God instead of the things of the world you can't help but become a more positive person. His joy will overflow in your life if you allow it to. So you and I need to make a commitment together to become more positive in our thinking. And if you're tired...go take a nap!
In Christ Always,
Pastor John
Thursday, 02 July 2009
Are You Ready?
As the birthday of our Nation nears, I'm excited in a way about the direction of our country under the Obama administration. I know what you're thinking, either I've lost my mind or someone else must be writing this. But no, I really am. I'm excited because history has shown us that when people are faced with great adversity, and we are facing great adversity and will, in my opinion, face even greater adversity in days to come because of ill-conceived governmental policies, they turn to the Lord. This is great news for the Church! This adversity opens up opportunity after opportunity to minister to those who are struggling emotionally; spiritually; and physically. The question we need to ask ourselves is, "Are we ready?" If the size of our church doubled in a month with hurting people would we be able to minister to them? If you're a member of Victory, you need to search your heart for the answer. If you can honestly say "I'm ready" then that's fantastic! But I would venture to guess that the answer is "No, I'm not ready." Then what do you do?
Here's some suggestions:
#1. PRAY! Ask God for strength and direction.
#2. GET YOUR PRIORITIES STRAIGHT. Is God and His church #1 in your life or not? God will use you to help people if you're willing to be used.
#3. PRAY SOME MORE! We can do all things through Him.
#4. ENLIST OTHER TO HELP! We're in this together. God has given each of us gifts to support the whole body.
Finally #5. PRAY CONTINUALLY! You see the theme here?
Have an awesome 4th of July and celebrate your freedom in America while you still have it and celebrate your freedom in Christ which can never be taken from you.
God bless,
Pastor John
Thursday, 14 May 2009
I'm excited to announce not just a new ministry here at Victory but an entirely new outreach emphasis.
For many years now I've seen the results of what happens to a family after the loss of a husband and father through death or divorce. It can be devastating to the home in many ways; emotionally, physically, financially and even spiritually. We read in Scripture that as believers in Christ we have the opportunity - the privilege - even an obligation to minister to those mothers with children who are in need. As one member of our church put it "This is a huge task we are undertaking." He's correct, it is a huge task but we're not doing this alone. The fact is, God is actually doing it, we just get to help out where we can.
During my Mother's Day sermon I pointed out that every ministry we currently have here at Victory will be vital in fulfilling this new outreach emphasis and other programs will be initiated when needed, as well as tapping into additional community resources to assist in this outreach also.
I'm excited about this new ministry direction and I'm looking forward to working with you to fulfill God's plan.
In Christ's love,
Pastor John
Wednesday, 18 March 2009
I'm reading the "Shack" but to tell you the truth the first part is really boring so I'm struggling with it. But when and if I get through I'm sure I'll have some comments. In the mean time below you will find a review by Dr. Michael Youssef. If you have any other comments please share them with us.
God bless,
Pastor John
Book review 'The Shack Uncovered' by Dr. Michael Youssef, posted by Intermountain Christian News March 14, 2009
Everything we see, hear, and read must be examined before the mirror of God's Word. This is how we discern Truth from error. This is particularly true if something sounds almost right, but is dangerously wrong.
After reading the popular novel, The Shack, I find it necessary to bring to light some of its errors. The book is like a deep ditch covered with beautiful flowers ? and sadly, many Christians are falling into this ditch.
Whether you have read the book or not, my prayer is that you will develop a sense of discernment so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless until the day of Christ (see Philippians 1:10).
As I read The Shack, I tried to find out as much as possible about the author, Paul Young. He was the son of missionaries to New Guinea. He went to Bible school, and he had some pain in his life. He once believed in biblical truth until about four years ago when he embraced Christian universalism.
Universalism declares that Jesus is "a way," maybe even "the best way," but not "the only way" to the Father in heaven. So regardless of your belief system, we all get to the same destination ? heaven. Universalism destroyed Christianity in England and in all of Europe, and is now at work toward the same end in America.
To his credit, Mr. Young attempts to answer the question, "Where is God in a world full of pain and hurt?" The novel is about a man named Mackenzie (Mack) Phillips whose daughter, Missy, was brutally murdered by a serial killer. Three years after this tragedy, he receives an invitation by mail to meet with the holy Trinity in the same shack where his daughter was murdered.
Each member of the Trinity appears in a bodily form. God the Father is called "Papa," but his actual name is Elousia, which is Greek for tenderness. Papa appears in the form of a large maternal African American woman who is always cooking in the kitchen. Though, by the end of the book, she turns into a pony-tailed, gray-haired man to assure Mack that God is both male and female.
"One of the most devastating aspects of this book, The Shack, is the absolute disrespect and disregard for God by the main character."
Jesus is a middle-aged Middle Eastern man, dressed in a plaid shirt, with a tool belt around his waist. The Holy Spirit appears as a delicate Asian woman named Sarayu, meaning "air," who loves gardening. Mack also meets another woman, named Sophia, Lady Wisdom.
The novel is primarily a dialogue between Mack and the Trinity. Chief among the topics discussed are the nature of the Trinity, the cross, and forgiveness. As the dialogue progresses, Mack's faith in the God of the Bible falls apart completely and is replaced by a new understanding of who God is ? transforming him into a changed man.
The Holy Spirit depicted in the novel declares that the greatest evil is man's independence from God. Yet this evil is precisely what the author promotes in the pages of his book ? declaring his independence from the God of the Bible in favor of a new god, with very little resemblance to the true God.
Thankfully there are others who are just as concerned about The Shack as I am. Some of these have called it subversive and seductive, while Dr. Al Moehler refers to it as "undiluted heresy."
One of the most devastating aspects of this book, The Shack, is the absolute disrespect and disregard for God by the main character. When Isaiah saw a glimpse of God's glory, he was so overwhelmed that he cried out, "Woe to me for I am lost, for I am a man of unclean lips and dwell in the midst of people of unclean lips. For my eyes have seen the king, the Lord of Hosts."
The author of The Shack not only presents a false view of God; he mocks the importance and the uniqueness of the Bible. He makes the Bible equal to whatever your personal imagination says about God.
This is what we know from Scripture: God is Spirit, and He does not have a body, yet He chose to reveal himself in the masculine form. Nowhere does God reveal himself as a goddess.
"The day is coming when Jesus Christ is going to sit on the judgment bench to separate those who have accepted His Father's plan from those who have accepted another plan."
The Bible is very clear: Dare not portray God in an image. It is impossible to make the Creator part of the creation. Jesus said, "God is Spirit, and he who worships Him must worship Him in Spirit and truth" (John 4:24). The second commandment forbids us from making a visual portrayal of God. To worship such an image is pure idolatry. To worship an image of God is to worship the creation, not the Creator.
Since Adam and Eve first sinned, there has been one plan for our redemption. God revealed it through the pages of the Old Testament, and then 2,000 years ago, at His appointed time, He fully revealed that plan in His Son, Jesus Christ. The plan was for Jesus to pay the punishment for our sin ? for everyone who comes to Him and receives Christ's payment for himself and for herself. That's the plan of God.
The day is coming when Jesus Christ is going to sit on the judgment bench to separate those who have accepted His Father's plan from those who have accepted another plan. He will separate those who tried to stretch His plan, who are trying to make the plan popular, or are trying to rewrite His plan.
The question that you must ask yourself is this: Am I willing to accept God's gift of eternal life as it is revealed in the Scripture? Your eternal life hangs in the balance and depends on the answer to this question.
Do not be blown away by every wind of doctrine, or by your emotions. Never allow your emotions to control your mind. Let your mind be the thermostat that sets the temperature of your emotions. Cling to the God who loves you so much that He gave His all. Don't be misled by all kinds of warm and fuzzy descriptions that do not fit His own personal revelation in His book.
Thirteen Heresies in The Shack
1. God the Father was crucified with Jesus.
Because God's eyes are pure and cannot look upon sin, the Bible says that God would not look upon His own beloved Son as He hung on the Cross, carrying our sins (Habakkuk 1:13; Matthew 27:45).
2. God is limited by His love and cannot practice justice.
The Bible declares that God's love and His justice are two sides of the same coin ? equally a part of the personality and the character of God (Isaiah 61:8; Hosea 2:19).
3. On the Cross, God forgave all of humanity, whether they repent or not. Some choose a relationship with Him, but He forgives them all regardless.
Jesus explained that only those who come to Him will be saved (John 14:6).
4. Hierarchical structures, whether they are in the Church or in the government, are evil.
Our God is a God of order (Job 25:2).
5. God will never judge people for their sins.
The Word of God repeatedly invites people to escape from the judgment of God by believing in Jesus Christ, His Son (Romans 2:16; 2 Timothy 4:1-3).
6. There is not a hierarchical structure in the Godhead, just a circle of unity.
The Bible says that Jesus submitted to the will of the Father. This doesn't mean that one Person is higher or better than the other; just unique. Jesus said, "I came to do the will of Him who sent me. I am here to obey my Father." Jesus also said, "I will send you the Holy Spirit" (John 4:34, 6:44, 14:26, 15:26).
7. God submits to human wishes and choices.
Far from God submitting to us, Jesus said, "Narrow is the way that leads to eternal life." We are to submit to Him in all things, for His glory and because of what He has accomplished for us (Matthew 7:13-15).
8. Justice will never take place because of love.
The Bible teaches that when God's love is rejected, and when the offer of salvation and forgiveness is rejected, justice must take place or God has sent Jesus Christ to die on the cross for nothing (Matthew 12:20; Romans 3:25-26).
9. There is no such a thing as eternal judgment or torment in hell.
Jesus' own description of hell is vivid ... it cannot be denied (Luke 12:5, 16:23).
10. Jesus is walking with all people in their different journeys to God, and it doesn't matter which way you get to Him.
Jesus said, "I am the way, the truth, and the life, and no one will come to the Father but by me" (John 14:6).
11. Jesus is constantly being transformed along with us.
Jesus, who dwells in the splendor of heaven, sits at the right hand of God, reigning and ruling the universe. The Bible says, "In Him there is no change, for He is yesterday, today, and forever" (Hebrews 11:12, 13:8; James 1:17).
12. There is no need for faith or reconciliation with God because everyone will make it to heaven.
Jesus said, "Only those who believe in me will have eternal life" (John 3:15, 3:36, 5:24, 6:40).
13. The Bible is not true because it reduces God to paper.
The Bible is God-breathed. Sure, there were many men through 1,800 years who put pen to paper (so to speak), each from different professions and different backgrounds, but the Holy Spirit infused their work with God's words. These men were writing the same message from Genesis to Revelation. If you want to read more about the place of Christ in the Scripture, read "We Preach Christ" (2 Timothy 3:16).
Wednesday, 18 February 2009
Last Friday night Pam and I and Chris and Shannon attended the well advertised benefit in support of the Memorial for the Unborn. Idaho Senator Russel Fulcher (Majority Causcus Chair) was the guest speaker. There were also several well know people from the Treasure Valley including Melissa B. (Brandi) Swindell the National Director of Generation Life and probably better know as the Co-chair of Keep The Commandments Coalition. It was a very enjoyable evening with a time of fellowship and some GREAT desserts and touching stories.
I know you're asking yourself "So, why is this important enough to get on the Pastor's Blog?" I'm glad you asked! I have noticed that over the years the "Church," believers in general, will turn out in droves to lay down some serious bucks to attend a football game, a hockey game, even a baseball game which in the long run does not serve a purpose other than to entertain ourselves. It saddens me to think that our hearts have grown so cold to others in need who are looking for some type of relief, some type of healing from a loss that we wouldn't take 2 hours out of our precious "Me Time" to at least come and see how we maybe able to help.
I know we all have very good excuses why we don't attend these types of events. The big one is, "It's so expensive." Well, it cost Pam and I $28.00 for the two of us. For $28.00 we received some outstanding desserts (all we could eat), all the coffee we wanted, a performance by wonderful pianist, guitarist, singer, and outstanding inspiring speakers. But most of all we were able to help support a very good cause, and bring hope to those who worked so hard to put this event on. How much did it cost you to stay home, order a pizza and watch some dumb thing on TV? I bet it was close to that. Or, how much did it cost you to go to the movies? More than that I bet. "But I'm so tired on Fri. nights." I would venture to say if someone asked you out for a steak dinner you'd miraculously find the energy.
How much did it cost the mother and father who lost a child to a miscarriage, or a still birth or even an abortion who still grieves their loss?
Maybe I'm being a little too harsh. But I don't think so. Over many years the church has tried to put on different events; events to inform, educate even entertain. Events like the "Purity Conference" which has the potential to change lives. We've brought in some wonderful powerful guest speakers; noted authors, historians and entertainers. But just like the Benefit for the Memorial to the Unborn event they also continue to be poorly attended.
The frustrating part for me is I don't see a change. What I do see is the attendance for such events continuing to decline and not only that but attendance in our churches on Sundays continue to decline. Why is that? Have our hearts grown so cold to the things of God? Have we joined the world and become a "Me" society?
What say you?
In Christ's Love,
Pastor John
Friday, 06 February 2009
This Sunday you will see a flyer in Sunday's program advertizing the 1st Annual Unborn Memorial Dessert Banquet, February 13th @ 7pm Central Valley Baptist Church. Please read it carefully and consider attending. Why? In America and really throughout the world there are memorials for everything. Places for people to go to help them remember and to heal. This memorial is uique in that it is to the unborn. A place to help those who have experienced the loss of an unborn child due to abortion or miscarriage. Many times meaningful closure can be reached by giving the child a name, finding a place and way to memorialize him or her and allowing yourself to grieve your loss. This proposed memorial to the unborn will provide a serene place to memorialize your child, grieve and pray. The coordinator of this event and the force behind this proposed memorial is Randy and Lynett Jackson. This couple has been and continues to be a loud voice for the pro-life movement here in the Treasure Valley. Recently Randy and Lynett lost a child due to a miscarriage and God is working through this couple to bring something good from what was a tragic event in their lives. Pam and I and Shannon and Chris will be attending how about you?
God bless - Pastor John
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