The Sound of a Tractor

I’m sitting at my desk this morning after a busy weekend…and preparing for a busy week ahead.  As I sit here I hear the sound of a tractor running.  Bob Evans is plowing the garden near my home, preparing to plant.  

I like the sound of a tractor.  It reminds me of simpler times when I was a kid growing up on Antioch Road near Center Springs in Somerville, Alabama.  While my family didn’t “farm,” many of our neighbors did.  I can remember hearing the hum of tractors usually driven by Billy Shaddrick or Robert Turney.  Mr. Shaddrick cut and baled the hay on the land where we lived…and Robert Turney always had a large garden, big enough to feed a community if necessary.  

There are certain smells that a person is familiar with only if that person was raised up in the country.  Like the smell of freshly plowed dirt.  I can’t really describe it except to say it smells clean.  Dirt smells clean?  Well, yes.  But maybe it has something to do with the way I was raised.  Farming was respected.  Farmers were appreciated.  In the parking lot of Lester Whitten's Grocery there was always a tractor or two...especially during those spring and summer months. And the men who drove them smelled like the dirt they were plowing.  As a boy I looked up to them.  Forty years later, I still do.  

I like the smell of freshly plowed dirt.  I also remember the smell of a line-dried shirt.  Mother had a clothes-line.  We also had a clothes-dryer.  But, in the spring, summer, and early fall when the sun was shining and the breeze was blowing, she’d hang the clothes on the line rather than put them in the dryer.  If you’ve never worn a shirt that’s been dried on the line, you have no idea what I’m talking about.  

One more thing while I’m talking about smells.  One of my favorite smells was the aroma of supper on the stove…  On breezy, summer days Mother would open the windows and let the breeze cool the house.  And when she began to prepare supper, the smell of that delicious-ness would make its way out of the windows and into the yard where this 12 year old boy knew fried chicken, or something like that, would soon be served.  

I also knew that I’d soon hear the roar of the tires on my dad’s truck.  I could hear him coming a mile away.  More times than I can remember I ran to the end of the driveway, which was about a quarter mile long, to meet dad…jump on the back bumper…and hang on to the tailgate as we rode to the house.  Dad was home - Supper was ready - All was well.  

Good memories this morning.  The hum of tractors, the smell of plowed dirt and shirts dried on the line.  The smell of supper and the sound of dad’s truck.  Those are good memories.  M

The New Preacher

Have you heard?  The church is getting a new preacher.  For most churches it happens every three or four years.  Occasionally a pastor will stay ten, fifteen, or twenty years.  But most stay five years or less.  Some would say it is the most stressful job a person could choose.  Stressful on the person doing the preaching and stressful on his family.  But most of the guys who are pastoring are doing so, not because they chose to, but because they believe God chose them.  They even believe God has “called” them to pastor a certain congregation.  

Most pastors are never going to make the headlines because of immorality, dishonesty, or any lack of integrity.  Because, most pastors are the salt of the earth.  They’d give you the shirt off their back.  Most of these guys are simple.  Very simple.  They have no desire to be in the spotlight.  They just want to be faithful to God.  Most of these guys spend countless hours each week putting together sermons to preach…at least two each week and also a Bible Study for Wednesday night.  Many of them also teach a Sunday School class.  

Every week is an adventure.  Along with those two sermons and one Bible Study each week…these pastors are also on call 24/7.  If there is a death, a birth, an accident, an emergency, a family crisis…etc., they’re usually there at twelve noon or twelve midnight.  They are there not because they can do anything, but because they care.  They are there to hold hands, put an arm around a hurting wife or husband…mom or dad, there to pray and encourage.  Most pastors I know want to be there.  It’s more than an obligation - it’s where they want to be.  They are truly like shepherds watching over their sheep.

This new preacher lives in a glass house.  He, his wife, and his children are watched closely.  Most pastors never give this a second thought.  It comes with the territory.  Besides, they have nothing to hide.  

This new preacher has a vision and dream for the church God has called him to.  He sees the fields that are white unto harvest.  He has a heart for God and His word,,,and the Great Commission.  He is eager to hit the ground running.  He and his wife have prayed and have agreed this is God’s will for them.  They’ve resigned current pastorates and jobs, sold homes, and moved to different states or regions to pastor this new church.  

He isn’t there to get rich.  He comes with the understanding of what he will make and, again, he believes God will work everything out.  In fact, most of these new preachers didn’t even talk about money until they knew this was God’s will for them.  Money was not the main consideration - God’s will was.  

This new preacher has new ideas.  He preaches differently.  Dresses a little differently than the last guy.  His music tastes are different.  Be patient with him.  You may not agree with him about everything.  Be careful with him.  Pray for him.  Love him.  Take care of him.  

The congregation has voted and called him because he is young and has new ideas.  Because he is a strong preacher who relates well to people of all ages.  Because he is doctrinally sound.  Because he has a vision for the church.  Because he wants to reach the lost.  And, the sad reality is, those are the same reasons his ministry never takes off.  Because his new ideas are too radical, and he’s too young, and his preaching is too strong, and because there are too many new people coming into the church…and because his vision is more of a dream than reality.  There’s a new preacher in town.  Pray for him.  Dream with him.  

What Am I Going To Wear To Church?

When you’re locked in to one church…one place of worship, it’s almost impossible to know what  other churches are doing - how they’re worshipping - and how they’re dressing.  Not so long ago getting dressed for church, for me as a preacher, was simple.  Put on a suit and tie and I was ready to go.

It’s just not that simple anymore.  I have been out preaching in different places for the past several weeks, and after a six year absence from the traveling preacher circuit, I have noticed some changes:  #1… how people dress when they come to church.  I find myself asking pastors these days, “What should I wear?”  So far, I have worn a tie only once on Sunday morning.  If I ask about wearing a tie at the evening meetings the pastor says something like, “If you do you’ll be the only one.”  

Most folks in the pew are not just dressing casual…they’re dressing very casual.  This winter I’ve seen ladies dressed in everything from dresses to sweat pants/sweat shirts.  Guys are wearing khakis, jeans, and shorts with polos and t-shirts.  

So why this article?  Good question?  Does it matter what people wear to church as long as they’re dressed modestly?  When did church become a “dress-up” event…and who decided it was time to dress down?  

Even when I was pastoring, most men in the congregation didn’t wear ties.  And, about as many ladies were wearing slacks as were wearing dresses.  So…does it really matter?  

My preacher friend Junior Hill says I am on the “bubble.”  At 50 years old, I am twenty years away from being 70…and twenty years away from being 30.  I like the music the 30 year olds like…and I like the music the 70 year olds like.  I’m ok with being new and relevant…I’m also ok with being old fashioned and traditional.  I like music from the Eagles…I also like Maroon 5.  I like Chris Tomlin…I like Bill Gaither.  ….Which brings me to my point - I can preach as good in a pair of jeans and a polo as I can a suit and tie.  I’ve preached in wing-tips…and I’ve preached in Sanuks.  

Does it matter what people wear to church in 2014?  …No.  No more than it mattered in 1914.  It matters that we are dressed modestly and that we come with a heart ready to worship and hear the Word of God.  Fashions may change but the Word of God never changes.  

Some would say, as I have said in the past, “We should dress our best for God.”  But, what is our best?  Listen to Peter: Yes, all of you be submissive to one another, and be clothed with humility, for, “God resists the proud, But gives grace to the humble.”  Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time, casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you.

The “best” thing I can put on as I get ready for church is “humility.”  One size fits all.  See you next Sunday.  What you gonna wear?  MM

Bigger Than The Grand Canyon

In America, we’re digging a hole bigger than the Grand Canyon.  In Arizona last week the Bible’s teaching about marriage was vetoed.  I understand the reasoning.  I don’t agree with it but I certainly understand it.  The reasoning was to prevent the backlash of protests, financial hurdles, and greatest of all… the Super Bowl might go somewhere else.  I wish there had been a better reason…

I’m not angry.  Not even surprised.  But I can’t believe it’s good for America when the Bible loses and popular opinion wins.  This brief article is not really about the issue of same-sex marriage.  This article is about a slow, down-hill slide away from the absolutes that God established as right and wrong.  My writing is simply an attempt to call anyone who’s interested back to God…back to the Bible…back to morals and values.

I don’t have to be right.  I got over that a long time ago.  I don’t have all the answers…I don’t even understand all the questions.  But what I see is a downward spiral away from God’s design.  I don’t support discrimination against people for reasons of race and sexual preference.  All people are valuable and deserve to be treated fairly.  My problem is when the Bible’s teaching is considered irrelevant in favor of whatever sin is up for a vote.

Some of us used to ask, “What would Jesus do?”  Now we ask, “Does it even matter anymore?”  When presidents, governors, mayors, and other elected leaders are pressured from what appears to be a majority who have forgotten God and a larger majority who really don’t seem to care…what are they to do?  Arizona’s governor did what most any governor would have done.  She is not the problem.  

The problem is bigger than one person.  Here’s the problem(s):  The Bible has become just another book on the shelf.  The church is just another building on the street.  God has become inconvenient and unnecessary. 

Listen to the Psalmist, “But as for me, my feet almost slipped; My steps nearly went astray. For I envied the arrogant; I saw the prosperity of the wicked.” (Psalm 73:2-3)  This is an easy thing to do as we become envious of those who prosper in a lifestyle void of any trust or belief in God.

This a hole bigger than the Grand Canyon…bigger than the state of Arizona…bigger than the issue of same-sex marriage.  Like the Psalmist admitted, and we have gone even further…we have slipped away- fallen away- gotten away from God.  In his day, the prophet Isaiah said it like this, “We all went astray like sheep; We all have turned to our own way…” Isa. 53:6

Jesus said in John 3:17 He was not sent to condemn the world… “but that the world through Him might be saved.”  Jesus is the hope for the world.  May God have mercy on us.  MM 

O How I Like Jesus

Of course I know how the song goes...but I am convinced we sing many songs we don't mean.  "O How I Love Jesus" is one of many.  This is another one of those areas in church life where I know we mean well, we have good motives, we really want to love Jesus - But when the dust has settled on Sunday evenings and we've sang, preached, prayed, fellowshipped, given offerings, shook hands, hugged, and said things like, "Love you brother..." and "Praying for you"...do we really love Jesus or do we just like Him a lot?

I think we like Him a lot.  I think we appreciate what He did for us and does for us.  But LOVE Him?  I don't think so.  Here's what I observe in my own life - and in the churches where I preach each week: We love our church.  We love our music.  We love our preacher.  We love the way we feel when we're at church.  We love one another (most of the time).  Some of us love the old hymns while some of us love the "new stuff."  We love our Sunday School class and our Sunday School teacher.  We love all that our church does for the elderly, and the ministries we offer for the children.  We love the choir, the ensemble, the soloists.  We love church trips, and church fellowships, and church Christmas parties.  We love the men's church campouts and the women's retreats.  We love to wear t-shirts that say we love Jesus.  We love to wear crosses.  We love to promote Jesus on our bumpers and our bodies.  We love to sing, "O How I love Jesus" we just don't love Jesus.

It's OK if you disagree.  You're not enjoying reading this article?  Well, you're in good company.  I'm not really enjoying writing it.  I know I need to take a class on how to be tactful...but till then I'll make an awkward effort to speak the truth in love.  Or, in like.

Much of what we do at church we could do without Jesus.  And too often we do.  Take me for instance...  I've been preaching so long that I could probably give a few good speeches on Sunday about politics, sports, the economy, etc... sprinkling in a little scripture here and there for good measure and never mention the name of Jesus.  It's possible no one would be offended.  What if we removed the name Jesus from the songs we sing?  Would anybody notice?  What if we stopped praying in Jesus' name?  If we just closed our prayers with "amen" would anybody really notice?

The sad truth is Jesus is not a real priority in church today.  We can say "It's all about Jesus" but it's not.  It's all about us.  That's why we need a revival.  That's what we need a surprising outpouring of the Holy Spirit.  That's why we need an awakening...a stirring...a mighty move of God.

Because we've become predictable, programmed, and void of Jesus.  We've gotten so used to having weekly worship services where we seldom if ever worship Jesus - Many of us wouldn't know how to worship any other way.  Maybe the problem is as I have said before...It's not that we love Jesus too little.  We simply love ourselves too much.

Whatta you say we make a promise?  Me and you?  Let's promise ourselves that we will put our attention back on Jesus...we will turn our hearts back toward Him.  I don't know what that will look like...but what if we did?  I really want to love Jesus - and if, by chance, I already do...I want to love Him more.

The first and greatest command is that we love the Lord...  God help us work on that.  MM

Baptists Don't Believe In The Holy Spirit

That's what she said...  "I've heard that Baptists don't believe in the Holy Spirit."  Her statement kinda caught me off guard.  How dare her say such a thing.  Obviously she didn't know what she was talking about.

It was a couple of weeks ago when I was talking to her.  I had never met her before, and she had never met me.  We were a part of a mission team in Guatemala.  She attends a church/denomination that I really know nothing about.  So, we were talking about what we believed...  I asked her if she knew any Baptists.  She admitted she knew very few maybe one or two.  I then asked her what she had heard about Baptists.  That's when she said it...  "I've heard Baptists don't believe in the Holy Spirit."

Well, being the good Baptist that I am, I quickly corrected her.  I quoted a little scripture, defended  all Baptists everywhere, and preached a quick sermonette about our strong belief in the work of the Holy Spirit.  I felt really good about myself and my beliefs and the fact that I had set her straight about what Baptists believe.

And then I got to thinking.  I wonder how many of us "Baptists" really do believe in the Holy Spirit.  I wonder how many of us follow the leading and the inspiration and the conviction of the Holy Spirit.  I wonder how many of us are really Spirit-led.  What I said to her was the truth...or maybe what I hoped to be the truth...maybe what I wanted to be the truth.

We sing the old hymn, "All is vain unless the Spirit of the Holy One comes down..." But I wonder how many of us worship each Sunday with never a hint of the Holy One coming down.  I wonder how many of us routinely say prayers yet never allow the Spirit to lead us as we pray.  I wonder how many of us who are preachers, actually preach sermons where the Spirit has guided our preparation.

I'm afraid we are about the Holy Spirit like Ron Dunn says we are about the Bible.  He said, "Most of us believe the Bible from cover to cover, we've just never read it from cover to cover."  Ouch.

Maybe we do believe in the Holy Spirit, we've just never followed his guiding.  From the Gospel of John we learn these things about the Holy Spirit...  "He will guide you into all truth..."  "He will convict the world of sin, righteousness, and judgment..."  Jesus said, "He will testify of me..."  I believe all that, but am I really following Him as he guides me into all truth?  And I really following His convictions about sin, righteousness, and judgment?  And, am I so filled with his presence that I am keeping my focus on Jesus?

I haven't been able to forget what she said.  I have been bothered about what others think about us... Bothered about the possibility of what she said being the truth.  Maybe her perception is reality.  Maybe we don't really believe in the Holy Spirit.  Maybe we are guilty of taking matters into our own hands without the help of the Spirit.  Maybe we're too selfish and judgmental.  Maybe we're too involved in church politics...too busy manipulating and maneuvering to force our will...too busy that we've forgotten Who saved us and why.

I remember reading in Judges 16 about Samson after he had lost his hair...and lost his strength.  Delilah warned him of the coming Philistines.  He went out to fight, just as he had before not knowing his strength was gone.  The Bible says it like this...  He awoke from his sleep and said, "I will go out as before, at other times, and shake myself free, " but he did not know the Lord had departed from him.  We're just as guilty of going out and doing our best to shake ourselves free from the shackles of sin and selfishness - never realizing the Lord is not with us as He once was.  But we go on anyway...we go through the motions of worshiping, preaching, teaching, and doing all we call "church"...without the power of the Holy Spirit.

Thanks, Olivia, for making me think.  I sure hope what you heard about Baptists is wrong.  But I am afraid, for many of us, what you heard was right.  Thank you for making me examine my own heart and life.  Thank you for making me a little uncomfortable...and for reminding me just how much I believe in the Holy Spirit and how much I need Him.

After a week's worth of thought and self examination I can honestly say, "I believe in the Holy Spirit."  God help us all.      MM

Everyone Welcome

"Everyone Welcome..."  This may be the biggest lie ever told in churches.  Yes I know that's a blunt statement - not much tact and kindness in those words.  But I believe it's true.  So, swallow hard and think about it.  Is your church ready to welcome everyone?  I doubt it.

I know we mean well.  I know our motives are right.  We really want everyone to come...until they come.  "Everyone" means everybody.  Everybody with all their problems, addictions, issues, struggles, and beliefs.  "Everyone" means every color of skin, every type of background, every kind of person you can imagine.  Most churches aren't ready for that.

We aren't ready because we're too perfect.  Well, at least we appear that way to "everyone."  What if we became honest about who we are behind the walls of our perfect churches?  We'd realize we are only what we are by the grace of God.  And it's a miracle we aren't divorced, addicted, broke, homeless, unloved, unwanted, and unnecessary.

"Everyone" could be your son or daughter...mom or dad...  "Everyone" could one day refer to you.

I preached about the Samaritan woman this past week.  I have preached that story from John 4 so many times...but each time, it seems, God shows me something new.  We've all heard of the Good Samaritan...well this story could well be called the Bad Samaritan.  She was a sinner no doubt.  She was a Samaritan for sure - an outcast, ridiculed and rejected.  But what I see anew is that she was searching.  Searching, not for another husband, but for peace, for answers, for hope, for a Savior.

"Everyone Welcome" includes people like this woman in John chapter 4.  People with messed up lives.  People, so far from perfect it's not even funny.  Imagine that - the next time someone visits your church, that doesn't quite measure up.  They may be searching for hope.  Searching for answers and love and peace and all that can be found in Jesus.

Jesus didn't condone her sin - but neither did he condemn her sin.  He had a way of causing people to confess their sin.  He said to this woman who had been married five times and was now with another man... "Go get your husband."  He didn't make that request to embarrass or humiliate her.  He did it so she would see her sin.  And she did.  Not many verses later she's running through the streets telling people to come see a man who "could be the Messiah."  And, later we read, "Many Samaritans believed on Him because of the testimony of the woman..."

Wow.  She is one of the "everyone welcome" that we're probably not ready for.  But if we will receive her, love her, and point her to Jesus we would realize in God's church, "everyone" really is welcome.

Sin is sin.  Grace is grace.  God's grace is sufficient for your sin.  "Everyone welcome!"  MM