Wholly, holy, holey

This weekend I finally got started on a project that began just after Christmas. I was putting away Christmas ornaments when I saw a piece of Formica in the attic that did not belong where it was. This chain of events led to me forgetting where I was standing and I suddenly found my self stepping off the attic floor into a space between rafters that was covered by insulation. I heard a popping sound as I quickly, but not quick enough, pulled my foot back up on the floor. I hurried downstairs to sounds of “what happened?” and explanations of, “I’m okay, but I need to see what the damage is.” I found the spot in the utility room, fortunately, where my foot pushed almost through the ceiling.

A few weeks later the power went out all over town and I needed to run the heater off of a generator. I considered how to get an extension cord up the stairs through the house; my heater is in the attic. Then suddenly as if by inspiration it hit me. I already had a hole in the ceiling close enough to an outside door to run a cord almost directly to the heater. Now my accident seemed almost providential, to me at least.

Time went on. Joyce wanted it fixed before Jamie’s wedding but things got too busy. Then summer came and it got too hot to work in the attic. I thought it was beyond my abilities to do by myself, even though I sheet rocked my shop by myself. Besides, it was in the utility room where no one ever sees it. Okay, Joyce saw it every time she went into the utility room. And, I could see it from my office. But it was easy to ignore.

Then, last week, I overheard Joyce talking about it on the phone with a daughter. The words that caught my attention were, “Things like that are just not as important to men as they are to us.” Hmmm. I suddenly realized that my hole was more than a simple misstep by me. It was a flaw in the home of the one I treasured most in this world. Furthermore, it was a flaw I caused and should have fixed a long time ago.

Saturday, after she left for the morning, and without telling her what I was doing, I fixed the hole. It took me less time than I thought. I still have some finish work to do but the hole is fixed. When she came home I showed her what I had done, she smiled and gave me a big hug and a “thank you.” Then she took me out to buy me a birthday present at Sportsman’s Warehouse.

The Bible says, “Husbands, love your wives.” (Eph. 5:25) When was the last time you expressed it in a way she appreciates? Maintaining a relationship is more important than maintaining a house. But it can also be just as simple.

Bro. Robin

PS. I submitted this to Joyce for her review, since it is also about her. This was her response: “I like the article, but MAN, you are SLOW!!!! love ya.”

Spiritual Priorities

How do we prioritize our spiritual life and bring it into focus? How can we relate that to our ministries as a church?

Proverbs 29:18a, King James Version, says, “Where there is no vision, the people perish. But he that keepeth the law, happy is he” The New Living Translation says, “When people do not accept divine guidance, they run wild. But whoever obeys the law is joyful.” This verse describes the need for focus with the word of God as our priority.

I would say that our first concerns should be the things that define us as Christians. What is our relationship to Jesus Christ? Do we read and obey His Word? Do we pray? Do we fellowship with believers? Do we tell others about Him as a witness?

My second group of concerns would be the things that define me as a member of this church. Do I attend? Do I contribute? What is my ministry? Am I doing my part in making the vision of this church a reality? With what group, or Sunday school class, do I fellowship?

My third group of concerns would be very simple. What else can we do to lift up Jesus and make worship a more meaningful experience for everyone?

I am sure many of us would have different lists, or word them differently. I would like to know what you think. How would you prioritize the ministries of your church? How would you prioritize your spiritual life? Email me at dr_robin@fbcgentry.org, or drop off your thoughts at the office.

At the Southern Baptist Convention a question was asked about a kind of theological triage to sort out issues under discussion. (search “triage” at almohler.com). The idea was suggested that primary issues identify us as Christians, secondary issues identify us as Baptists, and tertiary issues can be discussed and disagreed on without disrupting the fellowship. This rating scale for issues got me thinking about how we prioritize our Church ministries, and our own spiritual lives.

In keeping with the above rambling thoughts, how would you perform spiritual triage on your church? How would you perform spiritual triage on yourself?

Bro. Robin

Unity and Agreement

The Southern Baptist Convention is wrapping up its work in San Antonio. While many people who call themselves Baptist have little or no awareness of the Convention or how our denomination works, there are others who are totally absorbed and obsessed with it. I like to think I am somewhere in the middle of the extremes. I think it is important to know what is going on. Some aspects of our denomination affect us here.

The most important decision so far has been a strong affirmation of the Baptist Faith and Message, our doctrinal statement of faith. This statement on the BF&M was adopted earlier this year by our executive committee and reads as follows:

"The Baptist Faith and Message is neither a creed, nor a complete statement of our faith, nor final and infallible; nevertheless, we further acknowledge that it is the only consensus statement of doctrinal beliefs approved by the Southern Baptist Convention and such is sufficient in its current form to guide trustees in their establishment of policies and practices of entities of the Convention."

This statement does several things. First it says the BF&M is good enough as it is and we don’t need to add to it to please every little group that comes along. The statement also says something about who we are as a Convention. We are a collection of autonomous churches who have agreed to cooperate for the sake of missions and for the gospel. An important part of our cooperation is our agreement on the most important doctrines. That is the purpose of the BF&M. Beyond that we realize that there will never be an end to what we can disagree on. But we all agree that the Gospel is the main thing, and we need to keep it that way.

Unity and agreement are not the same things. Jesus calls us to unity. Together we will be victorious, but division is defeat. Agreement, total agreement anyway, is an impossible dream. I once heard that for every two people there are at least three opinions. With the love of Jesus comes respect and with respect comes unity. We can work together without having to be carbon copies of each other.

Besides, if we were all alike, wouldn’t that be boring? Read Psalm 2:4

Bro. Robin

Empty Nest

The big wedding day has come and gone and Joyce and I are finally getting rested up. We appreciate so much this church and all the people who helped with, and attended, the wedding. We are blessed with the choices our children have made as we see our family grow.

Someone decorated my truck, as our attention was on the newlyweds, with the words, “Empty Nest,” and, “Free at Last.” I understand the sentiment of both expressions but see them both as misnomers.

All of the kids have been out of the house for several years, counting college, work, and marriages. So the nest is only empty part of the time. When they are all away it is quiet but Joyce and I have learned to enjoy the time together. When they are here the nest has never been fuller, and gets fuller with every passing year. Now there are grandchildren to enlarge the nest. What I always heard is true. They are more fun than their parents were. But their parents also seem to be more fun now. So maybe we have gotten better too.

I also would not say we are free at last. Every stage of life brings new responsibilities and blessings. Our relationships with our families change like seasons with the seasons of our lives. There is a touch of sadness when we do not get to see them as often as we would like. Our children are scattered all across the country living their own lives. But that is what we raised them to do. At some point the fruit leaves the tree, is planted, and grows into its own tree. There is also a joyful satisfaction as we see our children grow into their own persons.

There comes a time when we all say goodbye to our childhood and become adults. I have discovered that adulthood has many major shifts as well. We can try to hold on to the past, but the past does not cooperate well with that approach. Or, we can embrace each new turn in the journey of life as an adventure. I prefer the adventure.

Bro. Robin
1 Corinthians 13:11-13

Blossoms and Fruit

The ice is finally over, we hope, and things are beginning to bloom, again. The rain we have been seeing lately has brought out green growth everywhere. Spring is here and it is a joy to see things bloom and grow. It is no different in the church than it is outside.

I see blossoms of children as I look at plans under way for the summer children’s’ program and children’s camp. It is always a joy to see so many children here two days a week all summer as they go on activities, learn about Jesus, and have fun together.

I see sprouts of youth getting ready for leadership training, the Iowa Mission Trip, and Youth Camp. We will see our leaders shine and all of the youth grow in ways that will bless us all, and maybe even surprise themselves a little.

I see the fruit of missions setting on as the Bahamas Mission Crew starts training to sail. We will be doing Vacation Bible School and Sports Evangelism for two days each at two different locations in the Bahamas. We will also be doing market place evangelism, holding beach services, and crewing our own boat, (with the help of Captain Steve). Pray for us as we take 18 members on this unique mission trip.

I also see the garden being tended by a helpful group of servants as many of you take time to serve the Lord this summer. There will be projects with the Outdoor Ministry, Building and Grounds Ministry, and many others with opportunities for everyone to serve, have fun, and fellowship together in the Lord.

One big building project will be the remodeling of the Gates house for offices. We are already in it but a lot of work still needs to be done. We also need to raise around $20,000 for the project. We need your help. Give generously of your time and resources and let’s make this the best summer ever at First Baptist Church, Gentry.

Bro. Robin

Cold Snap

It is amazing what a little cold weather can do. I was really enjoying this spring. All the flowers and trees were budding out. The leaves on my Japanese Maple were really looking like this would be the year for it to come into its own. Then the cold came. Like many of you, I covered as much as I could with drop cloths and sheets, night after night. But it was just too cold too long. That which started out beautiful is now wilted.

The experts I read and hear are saying that we should wait and see what the plants will do. The damage is done and trimming or feeding the plants could cause more damage. It is sad but there are limits to what we as humans have control over. When we reach those limits we have to let God do what God can do.

I thought about our spiritual lives and how this cold snap relates to us. We too can be doing so well in our Christian walk and one cold incident can set us back. It can be something outside our control like an illness or tragedy, or something to someone close to us. It can be a lapse in our behavior, giving in to temptation, anger, or some other bad habit of the flesh. Like the cold weather on the plants it can take the glow of Christ off our faces, drag us down, and lead to something worse if we do not take important precautions.

What can we do? We can cover ourselves against the cold just like the plants. Instead of drop cloths and sheet we cover ourselves with prayer and bible reading everyday. If the cold lingers we need to get to church for worship and fellowship. We then need to apply these coverings in the way that God directs for each of us. He has a plan that puts us in the center of God’s purpose and will.

Cold winds blow, on plants and people. That is why Paul said, “Put on the whole armor of God that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.” (Ephesians 6:11)

Dr. Robin

Do Overs!

In the summer time my neighbor had a basketball goal. I was never very good one on one playing basketball; he was taller and had more reach. But I could shoot good enough to keep up playing “horse.” We took turns shooting and trying to duplicate each other’s shot and when one missed the other got a point and could choose the next shot. Sometimes the game got intense and we resorted to more creative measures to get the other to miss. So, we had to come up with some rules. You could not actually touch the player who was shooting or directly interfere with the shot. If you did the player was allowed a “do over.” He got to do it over again.

It would be nice if everything in life allowed for a “do over” when we make a mistake or someone interferes with us. We could have made better grades in school. We would all have started saving money earlier. We would have no regrets about anything. It could all be fixed with a “do over.”

God has given us the next best thing to a “do over.” He provided a way for us to be forgiven for all our sins, through faith in Jesus, and start our life at a fresh new point as if the past had never happened. It is not a total “do over” in the sense that we cannot go back and fix things and still have to live with the physical consequences of some of our mistakes. But it is as close as we can get from God’s perspective. He forgets our mistakes and His memory is the one that counts in eternity.

Spring represents God’s attitude about life. Every year the earth gets a fresh start. This new start has to build on the growth and decay of previous years. But that can also be a good thing when we allow God to do the building. He is the master designer. If He can build a universe out of nothing He can build a life for you out of what you have so far.

That is what it really means when Paul says, “And we know that all things work together for good to those who love the God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.” (Romans 8:28) Is it time for a “do over” in your life?

Dr. Robin

The Wise, Children, and Secret Knowledge

One Wednesday night at Bible Study we were discussing a question about a passage. As I was answering a question I remarked that I could give the historical background but that I would not do that this time and go for the simple answer instead. One of the younger participants said loudly, “Good.” When everyone laughed, she laughed too, and said, “Well, you know ten times more useless information than anyone I know.” I had to laugh at myself. Sometimes I get so caught up in the details I lose sight of the question and make the answer more complicated than it should be.

When I study something I want to know all sides and details. But many of those details are just that, details. The Bible is written so that the basic truths can be understood by anyone. No special education, or secret knowledge, is required. We can all read God’s Word for ourselves.

In Luke 10:22, (and Matthew 11:25), Jesus says, “I thank You, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that You have hidden these things from the wise and prudent and revealed them to babes.”

This verse got me thinking. There are many more times in Jesus ministry where He rejected the “wise” men of His day. He preferred the more obvious approach, the kind that was so obvious a child could get it. That is why His story translates so well. Basic truths do not need hidden meanings.

That does not mean education is totally unimportant. Knowing the languages of the Bible, for example, can help us clarify the meaning of scripture. Difficult passages can become easier to understand with a little study. There are passages with deeper meaning that can raise the level of our knowledge of God. But a deeper understanding of scripture should make the meaning clearer, simpler, and more practical, not point us in a different direction from basic truth.

His Word says, “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever,” (Heb. 13:8), and “‘But the word of the Lord endures forever.’ Now this is the word which by the gospel was preached to you.” (1 Pet. 1:25)

God’s Word is for you today, all of it. Read His Word for all its worth.

Bro. Robin

When the power goes off

With the recent ice and snow storms we found ourselves staying in a little more and appreciating simple things. We take for granted things like electricity, light, heat, the ability to cook, and the things we have come to depend on for entertainment. Hearing from others I found a variety of reactions.

Some were so connected to their technology that they sat around bundled up in the dark, using all their resources to stay warm. Others put another log on the fire and enjoyed a conversation or game without being interrupted. It seemed to divide us by generations. The older generation made do while the younger generation fretted over the situation.

It seems that we have forgotten how to make the most of every situation. It also seems that we have allowed technology to communicate with us and for us so much that we have nearly forgotten how to communicate with each other. I was glad when the lights came back on. But I also enjoyed the challenge of finding things to enjoy while they were off.

The bible reminds us that if God takes care of the sparrows He can surely take care of us. We know that in our heads but how often do we trust Him in our hearts and lives? I read once that the distance between heaven and hell is the same as the distance between your head and your heart. It is also the distance between faith and fear.

The power is back on in our houses but it may be a good time to check the power in our relationships. What do you do when it is just you to yourselves? “He who loves his brother abides in the light.” 1 John 1:10a

There is no substitute for time spent in a relationship with God and with others.

Why I am a Southern Baptist

I have been a Southern Baptist all my life but the journey has not been a blind one or an easy one all the time. My parents were active in Jefferson Heights Baptist Church when I was born and the only time we moved our membership away from there was to help the mission church, Echo Valley Baptist, for a time while Dad led their music. After our time at the mission we made a few side trips to see what some other denominations offered. It was just Mom, Dad, and I left at home, and they were not at all sure if being Baptist was meeting their Spiritual needs at the time.

We would visit other churches for weeks, sometimes months at a time, to see for ourselves what they really believed and practiced. The churches we visited like this included United Pentecostal, with our neighbor, Assembly of God, Nazarene, Holiness, Church of God, and other Baptist churches. Eventually we came back to Jefferson Heights Baptist, where I was licensed to preach, but these experiences left a lasting impression on me.

In College I continued to visit around. I became friends with a born again Catholic layman, Ralph Flori, who became a mentor and friend. I also came to know and respect the Baptist Student Center Director, Dr. Thomas Messer. These two men helped me understand God’s call on my life and how that could best be realized as a Southern Baptist. (Years later Ralph and I renewed contact with each other online and he shared with me how he eventually left the Catholic Church to become a Baptist!) During those years I made the decision to be a Baptist, by choice. My senior year I fell in love with a Baptist girl and became the interim pastor at County Line Baptist Church. The rest, as they say, is history.

I made the decision to be a Baptist by choice for several reasons that are still very important to me. I want to mention just three of them.

First, I chose to be a Southern Baptist because our claim to be a people of the book, the Bible, is more than a claim, it is a way of life. We read the Bible, study the Bible, teach the Bible, and practice the Bible with an open heart and mind more than any other group I have experienced. I speak comparatively here. I remember a Sunday School mission statement that read, “Teach the Bible to win the lost and encourage the saved.”

We are unyielding on primary doctrines and for most of my life we have allowed discussion at the table on secondary doctrines. One concern that drove me away from other denominations back to the Baptists was that most other denominations have made one interpretation of secondary issues into a primary doctrine. We need to stay on our guard against that.

Second, I chose to be a Southern Baptist because we believe in the Grace of Jesus Christ and the power of God to save. We believe in being soul-winners. We may not all go about it the same way. But, the main thing is still the main thing.

Third, I chose to be a Southern Baptist because we have found a way to support missionaries and missions that far outdoes everyone else. We pool our resources in the Cooperative Program which allows every church, big and small, to share in the greater work of the Kingdom. Our missionaries can focus on bringing salvation to the lost while they are on the field and sharing testimonies to inspire us when they come home. We do missions right.

Baptists are like any other group of people. We do not agree all the time on everything. We would not be Baptists if we did. However, we do agree on the most important things. Sometimes we drift into faulty areas and need a correction. Sometimes the correction drifts too far. Correction needs to be exercised with a heavy dose of wisdom. I still believe being a Southern Baptist is the best choice, until Jesus comes back.

Dr. Robin

All and None

A smart man I once knew told me, “All generalities are false,” and then laughed. The statement is funny, of course, because it too is a generality. We make a mistake in logic when we use generalities to prove an argument. The statement itself assumes that the speaker is an expert of omniscient proportions, or else he thinks you are an idiot. It can also mean the speaker is the idiot and has no clue what he is talking about.

That is what I love about the current debate over private prayer language. The articles I have read so far are laughable if not heretical. I mean laughable in the way a crazy man laughs when he realizes the rest of the world is never going to get what is going on in his mind, and he is suddenly ok with that.

The cessationists look at all tongues alike. To them, all tongue-speakers are Pentecostal/Charismatics and embrace Pentecostal/Charismatic theology, as if they all agreed and had a common theology. (Start with GeoffBaggett.wordpress.com - Geoff does a good job explaining this point of view, his blog is worth reading even if you don't agree with him) Wow. And… all Baptists are alike and embrace Baptist Theology. Sure we are.

I remember hearing Herschel Hobbs say, “You can always tell a Baptist, you just can't tell him much.” Look at any index of denominations and you will find quite a variety, including a variety of Baptists. We seem to be winning the world for Christ with the old military strategy of Divide and Conquer, only we are doing all the dividing. Instead of the Body of Christ we have become the Amoeba of Christ. I do not think that is what Jesus meant for us to become.

I also enjoy reading some continualist bloggers who suggest that cessationists just need to keep an open mind, as if this debate is winnable. Who are you kidding? It is about as winnable as the debate between Sunnis and Shiites, which has been going on since the 600s with no end in sight. Let’s get real here for a moment. Sometimes people get so committed to a side in an issue there is no reasoning. It is part of our nature. It is why we have different political parties, and different denominations. It’s ok. Jesus will one day sort it all out. There are some things we cannot fix ourselves. Of course, that does not mean we should not try. I commend the attempts. I just have my doubts.

The problem with the PPL debate is that we are not speaking the same language, (pun intended). Both sides have defined their terminology in a way that proves their point. There is no common ground for discussion. The cessationists cannot comprehend that the Theology of Baptists who use PPL is radically different, in most cases, from that of Classical Pentecostalism, (which is also different from Charismatic Theology, etc.). WE have allowed this to happen. But the point is, we cannot discuss intelligently a topic that we are approaching from radically different sets of assumptions.

We are not all alike. Calm down. It’s ok. Jesus sees us. Seize us Jesus.
Dr. Robin

What's in Your Wallet?

What’s in Your Wallet?

That is the catch phrase for a popular credit card ad. It is also a question I have been asking myself post-Christmas. There is certainly little money in mine and the credit cards I have are keeping my wallet warm.

When the kids were small Joyce made me a t-shirt that I keep wearing even though it is starting to wear out. It shows a Papa Bear surrounded by four baby bears. The caption underneath says, “Dad has pictures where money used to be.” I like it because it is not only true but also because I would not have it any other way.

Yes, we budget our money at Christmas and try very hard to stay within it. Yes, I probably spent too much anyway. Yes, it was worth it all. It was worth it all because it was not just spent on presents. I also bought new inflatable beds, and bedding to accommodate more family, and food, lots of food.

Another popular credit card ad lists the cost of an event and then describes the reason for the event as “Priceless.” That is what Christmas is, priceless. The Gift of God’s Son is priceless. The gifts God gives in blessings are also priceless.

It is not about the money but the meaning. It is not about the presents but the presence of Christ. It is not about the food but about our family all together.

What’s in your wallet? There will be some new pictures in mine. And as for the New Year? There are also some new happy memories still echoing in the rooms of our house.

Bro. Robin