From the Pastor

Overcoming Uh-Oh's

Fri, 18 May 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Interestingly, the only Biblical account we have of the life of Jesus between His early childhood and adulthood was when He was twelve years old and His parents accidentally left Him behind in Jerusalem. You probably remember the story, recorded in the last part of Luke 2.

Joseph and Mary had gone up to Jerusalem with their family to celebrate Passover, which they did every year. On their long walk back home to Galilee--after a full day's journey--they realized that the boy was not with them. I can imagine the conversation.

Mary: "Where's Jesus?"

Joseph: "I thought He was with you."

Mary: "No, I thought He was with you!"

Joseph: "No, remember, I said I would pack the donkey, and you were responsible for getting Jesus."

Mary: "Uh oh."

After three days--one coming, another going back, and one day searching--they found Jesus, where they had left Him, in the temple courts, sitting among the teachers, "in His Father's house." There are several spiritual lessons here: don't forget Jesus; when you go looking for Him, He's right where you left Him; and He's always about His Father's business. But that's not why I share this story.

It is because in that context, I don't feel as bad admitting that one time, I left one of my children at a fast food restaurant. It wasn't on purpose, though that's something I considered more than once when they weren't acting so nice. But it was more than a little embarrassing, to say the least, to have to go back to Hardee's and face the manager who was trying to call me to tell me I had left my daughter behind.

I felt like a horrible parent, until I remembered I was in pretty good company--that Jesus' parents did the same thing with Him. And He turned out all right.

There wasn't much excuse in my situation. My wife was sick in bed when I came home from work. The kids needed dinner, and I was inept in the kitchen. So, I loaded them all up in the van to go grab something quick. The dinner itself was as uneventful as you would expect with a dad and six little kids. On the way out, I saw someone I knew. We talked, while the kids loaded into the van.

The conversation went long (as often happens with me) and one of the children realized she needed to go to the bathroom, and wandered back inside. Meanwhile, my conversation ended, I got in and started the engine, and drove off. We were gone about five minutes when the older sisters did a head count in the back of the van and reluctantly told me, "Dad, I think we forgot Rachel."

Uh oh!

Tomorrow afternoon, I'll have one of the greatest privileges a father can have, in giving my daughter away in marriage. I'm proud to say that she turned out all right, too, in spite of my less-than-stellar parenting, on that night and on many other occasions. By His grace, God has a way of overcoming our "uh-oh's" and blessing us in spite of our failures. And now it's time for Rachel to move on, and to be about her Father's business with her new husband Blake.

In light of the difficulties she has faced in the past month or so, it will be pretty special to walk her down that aisle. I'm thankful for all your prayers for Rachel, leading to this special day, and I hope each of you can join us for the wedding, Saturday at 2:30 at the Rosser Farm in Columbiana. All of the Shelby Crossings family is invited to the celebration.

And remember, never leave Jesus behind. Or, your kids either.

I'm grateful to be a part of such a wonderful church family, and I look forward to seeing each of you on Sunday, if not before.

--Pastor Ken

Relatively Speaking

Fri, 11 May 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Earlier this week, our president made a pronouncement that "made history." Aside from the politics of his change of heart, which I have no intention of getting into in this space, it does bring up an interesting point for all of us to consider. On what do we base our convictions?

Are we to determine what we believe based on conversations with others? Do we allow our convictions to "evolve" based on ever-changing cultural norms or what the media or academia tells us is "the right side of history"? And who defines what is right and wrong, what is acceptable and unacceptable? Our president? Our political party? Hollywood? Our church?

In our relativistic society, where people seem to make their decisions by which way the wind is blowing at any particular time, it's easy to feel the pressure to determine our belief system by the "everybody's doing it so it must be okay" mindset. To be out of step with the mainstream culture is to be out of touch, backwards, even intolerant and bigoted. Try to stand for a long-held conviction, and you're quickly labeled, and usually the label includes the word "hate."

When the subject moves to traditional beliefs on the family, the rhetoric tends to get even more heated, especially when the enlightened among us speak in condescending tones about our out-of-date old-fashioned values. It is very much in vogue to redefine family roles and values, as if there is no black and white and everything is gray.

But contrary to popular belief these days, right and wrong is not a moving target. There is a standard of absolute truth on which we can base our convictions, and that truth does not waver nor does it depend on the latest poll data. The truth of Scripture never goes out of style.

This Sunday, we'll begin a new series of messages that will address "family values" from a Biblical point of view. There will be no political statements, just practical Biblical answers from the New Testament book of Colossians for family living in the 21st century. It will be truth about living with our relatives, but the truth won't be relative; it will be grounded in God's word. I hope you can be with us.

In the mean time, have a wonderful weekend and a blessed Mother's Day. I am praying for you, as I hope you are for me, and I look forward to seeing you on Sunday.

--Pastor Ken

Who Packs Your Parachute?

Fri, 4 May 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Charles Plumb, a U.S. Naval Academy graduate, was a jet fighter pilot in Vietnam. After 75 combat missions, his plane was destroyed by a surface-to-air missile. Plumb ejected and parachuted into enemy hands, and spent six years in a Communist prison. He survived the ordeal and now lectures about lessons learned from that experience.

One day, when Plumb and his wife were sitting in a restaurant, a man at another table came up and said, "You're Plumb! You flew jet fighters in Vietnam from the aircraft carrier Kitty Hawk. You were shot down!"

"How in the world did you know all that?" asked Plumb. "I packed your parachute," the man replied. Plumb gasped in surprise and gratitude. The man pumped his hand and said, "I guess it worked!" Plumb assured him, "It sure did--if your chute hadn't worked I wouldn't be here today."

Plumb couldn't sleep that night, thinking about that man. "I kept wondering what he might have looked like in a Navy uniform--a Dixie cup hat, a bib in the back, and bell bottom trousers. I wondered how many times I might have passed him on the Kitty Hawk. I wondered how many times I might have seen him and not even said 'Good morning, how are you?' or anything because, you see, I was a fighter pilot and he was just a sailor."

Plumb thought of how many hours the sailor had spent on a long wooden table in the bowels of the ship carefully weaving the shrouds and folding the silks of each chute, holding in his hands each time the fate of someone he didn't know. Now, Plumb asks his audience, "Who's packing your parachute? Everyone has someone who provides what they need to make it through the day."

Look around this Sunday at Shelby Crossings at the parachute packers on every side, upon whom we each depend to "make it through the day." Their prayer and support, their encouragement and accountability, their love and friendship, and their faithful service on so many different sides, help sustain each of us through even the greatest falls. And as we approach life's leaps of faith, it's great to now that we have people packing our parachute that we can count on. That's what genuine Christian community is all about.

I'm sure glad our Lord has called us to serve Him together. I don't know another church in the world I'd rather be a part of than The Church at Shelby Crossings. I am praying for you, as I hope you are for me, and I look forward to seeing you on Sunday.

--Pastor Ken

Finding Your 'Safe Place'

Fri, 27 Apr 2012 00:00:00 GMT

You never know what a day may bring.

One year ago today, most of us were going about our business, before we started hearing the news of a few tornadoes that had passed through our area earlier that morning. As the day unfolded, we would soon realize that Wednesday, April 27, 2011, would turn out to be like few other days in our lifetime.

We watched on live television as a monster tornado made its way through Tuscaloosa, and then tracked that horrific storm right into the Birmingham area. There were even larger twisters--as hard as that was to believe--that devastated entire towns around our state. All told, over 250 people were killed in Alabama that day, and hundreds more across the southeast.

We were warned, that's for sure. The local weather guys, prone to crying "Wolf!" whenever a few storm clouds would arise and a hook echo showed up on radar, had a different kind of urgency in their voice that day. All their indicators told us that day would be different. And it was.

But in reality, for most of us the day wasn't much different than any other, except that we watched from the comfort of our living rooms as our neighbors just up the road lost their homes and, in some cases, their lives. We dodged that bullet--and more than a few tornadoes--and went on with our lives.

In the aftermath, it was great to see how the people of our state, and around the nation--and especially the community of faith--rallied around those in need after that tragic day. Perhaps some did so out of a "survivor's guilt," knowing that it just as well could have been them digging out from beneath the rubble, or burying their own family members.

Jesus once told the story--in rather abrupt terms--about a similarly tragic event that had taken place in Jerusalem. That story, recorded in Luke's gospel (13:4-5), mentioned that eighteen people had died when the tower of Siloam had fallen on them. Jesus asked, "Do you think those people were more guilty than all the others living in Jerusalem?" (He answered His own question with an emphatic "No!")

His point was, it could happen to anyone. You may have survived the last one, but there's no guarantee you will the next one. As Jesus stated elsewhere, the rain (and towers...and, even tornadoes) fall on the just and the unjust. His bigger application was summed up when He concluded: "But unless you repent, you too will all perish."

In other words, since we'll never know the exact forecast about when the storms--or falling towers--will come, then we had better be ready and right with God if and when that time comes.

I'm so grateful that the Shelby Crossings family was able to escape serious harm and injury from last year's tornadoes--even those who found themselves providentially in the direct path of a deadly twister on that day. But at the risk of sounding fatalistic, that doesn't mean the next one won't get us.

I hope, more than anything, that no matter what comes your way, you'll find your "safe place" in the arms of a God who loves you, and holds you securely in the palm of His nail-scarred hands.

I'm praying for you, as I trust you are for me, and I look forward to seeing you on Sunday.

--Pastor Ken

Giving Thanks

Fri, 20 Apr 2012 00:00:00 GMT

I hope you don't mind me using this space this week to share a few personal notes of gratitude. Quite honestly, that's been the one thing I think I've felt the most the past two weeks, even in the darkest moments--gratitude for God's presence, for the assurance that He is at work, and for the ministry of His body to us on every side. With that...

I wanted to say thank you to all those of who have prayed so diligently for my daughter Rachel, and for our family, during these crazy couple of weeks. Your prayers are being answered. Last week, I wrote of our despair because we had no answers or direction, but by God's leadership and the help of some dear friends we were able to get the care Rachel needed, and finally after nine days we were able to see some improvement. Rachel has been diagnosed with a rare neurological disease which resulted from a reaction to the yellow fever vaccine, which she had taken the previous week in preparation for her mission trip to Rwanda this summer. She finally has the tremors under control--He is our Healer!--and her walking is getting better. She has a long road ahead, so please continue to pray for her.

We also wanted to say thanks, again, for all your acts of kindness on our behalf. Your visits, calls, texts, messages, and emails--though sometimes overwhelming--were so very much appreciated. We could not have made it through this time without your support and encouragement. This is what the body of Christ was intended to be like. Of course, your generosity was amazing as well, from the meals and flowers and financial gifts, to help with Rachel's bridal shower--at the hospital! We were so very blessed--and are so blessed to be able to be a part of a family of faith like The Church at Shelby Crossings.

And finally, thanks be to God for His goodness and His faithfulness. The truth is, He is no more good this week than He was last week, even though we are surely feeling the relief that comes from His healing. But we are so thankful to serve a God who loves us more than we could ever know, and who uses times of difficulty to draw us closer to Himself to increase our faith in Him. I would not wish the past two weeks on anyone, but at the same time, when this is all said and done, I will be grateful for seeing God's touch on our lives in a way we could have never experienced had we not walked through it. He truly is the "God of all comfort."

To God be the glory. Thanks for your continued prayers for us. I looked forward to seeing each of you this Sunday as we celebrate His goodness together.

--Pastor Ken

In the Shelter of the Most High

Fri, 13 Apr 2012 00:00:00 GMT

I'm guessing by now that most of you have heard of the ordeal our daughter Rachel has been going through this past week. It has been one of the most difficult weeks of all our lives, to say the least, and as I write this there is still no real diagnosis, no answers, and no direction for where we go from here. Her condition continues to get worse, for the most part, though she has been in good spirits, at least during the times when her "episodes" are not occurring.

To say that we have been in despair is an understatement. Never have I felt so out of control, especially as a father, and never have I felt such frustration with a situation that I am unable to change. Being sent home from the hospital in worse condition than when she entered five days earlier was one of the most unfathomable decisions I've ever seen. It would be different if we were seeing progress, or if we knew that she just had to endure this a few more days and all would be better. But there's none of that; and so, we search for answers and we wait, trusting that the Lord loves Rachel even more than we do, and that somehow He will work this out, for His glory.

I thought I'd share here what I wrote on Facebook right after we came home from the hospital on Wednesday evening. That morning, on the way to UAB, we got behind a car, on I-65, and no matter how we tried to navigate the heavy traffic that same car always ended up in front of us. They took the same exit as us, and eventually we went our separate ways near the hospital. The car had a "vanity tag" on the back, with PSALM91 on it. Neither my wife or I mentioned it to one another but, we both felt that it was not a coincidence, that the Lord was trying to speak to us through that tag. When we got to the hospital, we looked it up, separately. Here's what He had to say to us:

Psalm 91

Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High
will rest in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the LORD, "He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust." Surely he will save you from the fowler's snare and from the deadly pestilence. He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart.

You will not fear the terror of night, nor the arrow that flies by day, nor the pestilence that stalks in the darkness, nor the plague that destroys at midday. A thousand may fall at your side, ten thousand at your right hand, but it will not come near you. You will only observe with your eyes and see the punishment of the wicked.

If you say, "The LORD is my refuge," and you make the Most High your dwelling, no harm will overtake you, no disaster will come near your tent. For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways; they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone. You will tread on the lion and the cobra; you will trample the great lion and the serpent.

"Because he loves me," says the LORD, "I will rescue him; I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name. He will call on me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble, I will deliver him and honor him. With long life I will satisfy him and show him my salvation."

He IS our refuge, indeed. We trust in His promises, and are confident that through all this He will show His faithfulness once again.

Let me also take this opportunity to express on behalf of our family our thanks for all your prayers, for your words of support and encouragement, and your acts of kindness and generosity to our family. We are so very grateful to have such a loving and giving church family. Please continue to intercede for Rachel, and for all of us, during this difficult time.

We love you, and hope to see you on Sunday.

--Pastor Ken

Follow Jesus...but Don't Forget His Church

Fri, 6 Apr 2012 00:00:00 GMT

This week's edition of Newsweek magazine has caused quite a stir in some circles. On the cover is a photo of a contemporary-looking "Jesus" standing on a city street, with the headline: "Forget the Church. Follow Jesus." Inside, the feature story is entitled: "Christianity in Crisis: Why we should ignore politics, priests and get-rich evangelists and just follow Him."

On the front end, I am sympathetic to their point; I'm not a big fan of politics or priests either, and I sure don't care much for get-rich evangelists. And I definitely think we are called to "follow Him." But the ideas of following Jesus and forgetting the church are mutually exclusive. Jesus loved the church so much that He died for her, and called each of us to be an active part of His body. It was He who said, "I will build My church, and the gates of hell will not prevail against it." It is at the very least contradictory to suggest that we can be a Christ-follower and neglect His church.

More than anything, I believe Newsweek's assertion represents a fundamental misunderstanding of what it means to be a part of the community of faith. It's a common theme in today's society, where people seek to have their own personal spirituality, while rejecting "organized religion" or the institutional church. Now I will admit that on some things we would probably agree. If the "church" we are to forget is a politicized organization, or a hierarchical structure, or empty ritual, or even a building, then we might all do well to "forget the church." That was essentially what Jesus Himself taught when He confronted first-century Pharisees caught up in their formal going-through-the-motions religion. "Come to Me," He said, "...and I will give you rest for your souls."

But if we think we can come to Jesus and avoid living in His family, we are cutting off our spiritual noses to spite our faces. We are isolating ourselves from His life-giving body, pulling our coal from the embers of a burning fire. We are only hurting ourselves, as we eliminate our own opportunities to be cared for, loved on, ministered to, served, encouraged, discipled, challenged, and on and on. And, for that matter, we also lose the opportunity of God using us as we serve others in the same way, in the "one another" ministry of building up His body.

Sadly, I have met so many people over the years who have had bad experiences and thus have similar views of "church" so that they too are ready to forget the church forever. I've talked to two such people in the past week alone. I can only wish that each of them, with their wounds and hurts, and their preconceived notions and presuppositions about what church is, could experience the love and joy and support of genuine Biblical community. They would never want to "forget the church" again.

I'm so thankful to be a part of The Church at Shelby Crossings, where I can live out my faith in the context and environment of grace and truth, and love and freedom. Truly it was for such a new community that Jesus died, and rose again.

I look forward to celebrating with you the death and resurrection of the Jesus that we follow this weekend at Shelby Crossings. I'm praying for you, as I hope you are for me, and I can't wait to see you on Friday night, and Sunday morning!

--Pastor Ken

Living Outside the Box

Fri, 30 Mar 2012 00:00:00 GMT

A few years ago the Associated Press reported a chilling incident from Tacoma, Washington. A little boy had been kept in a coffin-sized box for over two years because his step-grandmother thought he was brain-damaged. The rectangular box was 6 feet by 3 feet by 2 feet.

Once he was released from the box and authorities interviewed him, the horror of his situation was magnified. Psychologists reported that the little boy never tried to escape because "he did not know any different kind of life." It was, for him, normal. He didn't know any better.

The psychologists also discovered the boy was allowed out of the box regularly on only two occasions: 1) to go to the bathroom, and 2) to attend church.

Sadly, this tragic story illustrates the world many of us are trapped in, even in the Christian community. We have been fitted into the box of our secular world that shapes our thinking, and our lifestyle. Our culture tells us as Christians that we are free to climb out of our box once a week to go to church, but we dare not consider bringing our faith to bare in our culture, our schools, or our workplace. And many of us don't object, because "we do not know any different kind of life."

To borrow from the King James, "Brethren, this ought not so to be." God has called us to be salt and light in our culture, to be difference makers. But salt is no good if it's left in the salt-shaker, and light is of no value when it's covered by a basket, as Jesus taught. That means we have to climb out of the box the world would like to confine us to, with a God-given mandate to bring positive change in our society. We can't do that by living compartmentalized lives where we venture out only to "go to church" for an hour or so a week. Our relationship with God must daily impact our lives, or we'll never impact the world around us.

Paul wrote in Romans that we should "not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is--His god, pleasing and perfect will." (Romans 12:2) That only happens when we make a conscious decision to live outside the box the world has built for us.

So let me encourage you today to be bold in your walk with God, and to never settle with being trapped in isolation and seclusion, when God has so much more out there for you. May He use you this week to make a difference in the lives of those around you for His kingdom sake.

I'm praying for you, and I look forward to seeing you Palm Sunday.

--Pastor Ken

No-K is Okay

Fri, 23 Mar 2012 00:00:00 GMT

I read today about a race coming to Shelby County next week. It's along the same lines of all the popular races for charity that runners take part in almost every weekend. You know, the 3K, 5K, 10K, half-marathons, and the likes. Sign up, pay your money, get a t-shirt to say you ran, run as far as you can and finish as quickly as you can make it, and everyone wins.

Except this race is different. It's an April Fool's Day No-K. It includes everything that other races have--a $25 entry fee, a packet of goodies including a t-shirt, and all the money raised goes to charity--but in this case there is no running involved. Not a single kilometer. Instead, participants will just show up at Veteran's Park in Hoover, collect their stuff, hang out with their fellow "runners," and go back home without even having to break a sweat.

Already more than twenty people have signed up for the April Fool's Day event, with the start of the non-race scheduled for 2 p.m. on Palm Sunday afternoon. The organizers--who are themselves competitive half-marathon runners--hope to have a large number of registrants by "race" time, with all proceeds going to the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. They also hope to make it an annual event.

It may sound a little silly, but I do understand the appeal. Many people love to run, but even more love to wear the t-shirt that says they ran. It's kind of a status symbol among runner-types, especially those who aren't especially competitive and aren't very good runners. The No-K is okay, because it allows you to make a contribution to a good cause and wear the cool t-shirt, without requiring a lot of effort.

Of course, you know there's some sort of spiritual application coming--and there is. There are many parallels between this No-K and "the race" that many Christians run. They want to wear the outer garments to identify with the faith, and play the part of the "runner," without actually having to put a lot of effort into it. To borrow from our recent Shape Up sermon series, they want the appearance of godliness without the discipline. Instead of "No pain, No gain," they prefer the more comfortable motto "No pain, No pain."

Now let me say very clearly, the Gospel is nothing if not free. The grace of God that brings us the free gift of salvation requires no effort on our parts, except faith. We must trust in the sacrificial death of Jesus on our behalf on Calvary's cross. Let no one buy the lie that we ever have to work to earn God's love.

However, to grow into spiritual maturity is more than just slipping on a t-shirt that says we've been there, done that, and we got the souvenir to prove it. Sometimes, walking with God, and training in righteousness is nothing short of hard work. Just as there are no shortcuts to getting ourselves into shape physically, neither can we take the easy road and grow into godliness.

This week we'll be bringing the Shape Up series to a close with the most important message I've shared in this series. I sure hope you can be there to hear what God has to say to all of us. I'm praying for you, as I hope you are for me, and I look forward to seeing you on Sunday.

--Pastor Ken

March Madness

Fri, 16 Mar 2012 00:00:00 GMT

They were the ultimate #16 seed. Not much talent, not much experience, not much depth. Their opponent was a classic #1, with a formidable defense, more offensive weapons at their disposal, battle-tested and feared by all around. There was little doubt in picking this bracket.

When Joshua led the rag-tag warriors from the children of Israel to battle against the army enclosed in the fortress of Jericho, there wasn't much chance that they could win that battle. No one had ever heard of the little Israeli army of misfits who had spent the past generation wandering in the desert, and everyone knew that Jericho was not someone you'd want to mess with. It was truly a battle of grasshoppers vs. giants.

But as part of God's plan for His people to possess the possession of their promised land, Jericho stood in the way. The pagans who lived and battled in Canaan land may have looked like giants to those who doubted, but to those who saw with eyes of faith they were not to be feared. They were to be conquered.

The Old Testament book of Joshua, chapters 5 and 6, tells us that Joshua received his orders from no less than an angel of the Lord, and they were quite strange battle plans to say the least. He was to take his army and march around the fortified city of Jericho one time a day for six days, and then on the seventh day they were to march seven times, with the priests blowing their trumpets. After their seventh lap, and a long blast from the trumpet, all the people were to shout. And the walls of the city would collapse.

Seriously? What kind of game plan is that? March around a fort? That's it? That's madness.

But it worked. It did not require great wisdom, but obedience. There was no ingenuity expected, just a totally dependent faith. They weren't asked to be perfect marksmen, just willing marchers. And when they did what they were commanded--as outlandish and maddening as it may have appeared--God did His part in a way that confounded the wisdom of men once again. He does have a way of doing that, haven't you noticed?

It's that time of year when "March Madness" is at a fever pitch and everybody pulls for the underdog bracket-busting "Cinderellas" to sneak up on their higher-seeded opponents and surprise the nation in the NCAA basketball tournament. Unless, of course, you're my future son-in-law Blake, who went 15-1 in his picks on Thursday in his first bracket ever.

If you watch much basketball the next few weeks, you will no doubt hear references to the Davids facing off with Goliaths. Every time you do, I hope you'll be reminded that God has a history of taking the unexpected, unseemly and unlikely, and doing something unheard of, when we are willing to trust in Him. All He requires is that we march, in obedience to His leading.

I'm thankful that God doesn't always work by the seedings of the bracket, drawn up by the expectations of men. "The Lord does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart." (1 Sam. 16:7) May your heart be totally His today.

I'm praying for you, as I trust you are for me, and I look forward to seeing you on Sunday.

--Pastor Ken

What We Talk About

Fri, 9 Mar 2012 00:00:00 GMT

"No matter what I talk about, I always get back to baseball." --Connie Mack

Though there's officially a week or two left in winter, signs of spring are all around. The weeds are sprouting, the storms already blowing, and the flowers are starting to bloom. Spring is in the air. Or, is that pollen?

Of course, it's also time for baseball. For some of us, perpetual little boys that we are, hope springs eternal when baseball season arrives. And for our family, it has arrived at full speed this week.

Which reminds me of a quote from the aforementioned Connie Mack, whose given name was Cornelius McGillicuddy. Born during the Civil War, the Hall of Fame legend managed major league baseball teams for an astounding 56 years, from 1894 to 1950. (You may have also heard of his great grandson, Connie Mack IV, who is a Congressmen from Florida.)

Anyway, the elder Mack's life was obviously consumed by the game he loved. Hence, the quote above, given in an interview with Sporting News magazine in 1951, when he was 88 years old and retired from the game. He still couldn't stop talking about baseball.

We've all known people like that, whose lives have a singular focus, whose conversations always seem to end up in the same place. It may be their work, their family, their frustrations with the president, or Alabama football, but you come to expect that somehow, some time, the conversation will turn to what is most important to them.

It's really quite simple. It has everything to do with what's on our mind and what's in our heart, all the time. Jesus said it this way: "For out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks." (Luke 6:45) In other words, what you say flows from what is in your heart.

What does your conversation always get back to? Where does your mind naturally "settle" when the dust of life clears? Where is the "due north" your compass needle points to after you shake it up a bit? What is the central focus of your heart and mind?

My prayer is that no matter what you talk about, you'll always get back to Jesus, and the difference He makes in your life. Not a pious and phony religiosity--no one wants to hear that--but a genuine heart for Christ that oozes out of everything you do and say.

May He be honored in your conversation today. I'm praying for you, as I hope you are for me, and I look forward to seeing you again this Sunday.

--Pastor Ken

Remembering

Fri, 2 Mar 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Two middle-aged couples were enjoying friendly conversation when one of the men asked the other, "Fred, how was the memory clinic you went to last month?"

"Outstanding," Fred replied. "They taught us all of the latest psychological techniques, like visualization, association, and so on. It was great. I haven't had a problem since."

"Sounds like something I could use. What was the name of the clinic?"

Fred went blank. He thought and thought but couldn't remember.

Then a smile broke across his face and he asked, "What do you call that flower with the long stem and thorns?"

"You mean a rose?"

"Yes, that's it."

He turned to his wife, "Rose...what was the name of that memory clinic?"

We all need something--or someone--to remind us not to forget to remember. The Scriptures are full of calls to do just that, to practice remembering the works of God. Grab a Bible concordance (or log on to BibleGateway.com) and look up all of the references using that word "remember." Or, conversely, the warnings not to forget. You'll see a regular pattern of a biblical call to remember.

The children of Israel regularly rehearsed the stories of God's deliverance of His people from Egypt to remind them of His faithfulness and to grow their faith. They practiced remembering. In the New Testament, there is no clearer call to remembering than the inauguration of the Lord's Supper where Jesus called His disciples to "do this in remembrance of Me."

And so, we remember. But our intentional remembering is not just recalling good times, but actively commemorating the Lord's acts of redemption, and purposefully recognizing His work. Looking back and seeing God's fingerprints on our lives encourages us as we walk through difficult times, and helps to grow our faith as we face the future.

I will say, however, that it is not healthy, spiritually speaking, to live life always looking back ("Remember Lot's wife." Luke 17:32) But it is good to stop sometimes to recall and reflect on what God has done--in Biblical times, throughout history, in our church and in our lives. I hope you'll do that this week.

I'm praying for you, as I hope you are for me, and I look forward to seeing you on Sunday.

--Pastor Ken

You Be Jesus

Fri, 24 Feb 2012 00:00:00 GMT

"The Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many." --Matt. 20:28

A mother was preparing pancakes for her sons, Kevin 5, and Ryan 3. The boys began to argue over who would get the first pancake.

Their mother saw the opportunity for a moral lesson. "If Jesus were sitting here, He would say, 'Let my brother have the first pancake, I can wait.'"

Kevin turned to his younger brother and said, "Ryan, you be Jesus!"

I've discovered that it's not just 5-year olds that come up with such logic. As much as we all may believe that Jesus has set up an example of servanthood, and taught us to follow "in His steps" in putting others first, we often wait for the other guy to be Jesus.

Whether it's two little boys arguing over breakfast, or two supposed grown-ups, married to one another but posturing to see who gets their way, it's easy to expect somebody else to be Jesus. We'd rather not have to give up anything, and we're always afraid that if we don't take care of ourselves first, who will? It's the way of the world, you know.

But we're not of this world. Last Sunday's message on the discipline of Biblical servanthood may have gotten your attention, as many shared with me afterwards. It was indeed a radical idea that Jesus taught, that greatness comes not through power, but through servanthood. Some might even say it's downright "other-worldly."

But if we just hear it, or theorize over it, and don't put it into practice in the difficult struggles of real-life relationships, then we no more believe it than the world that would think the whole idea absurd.

Here's the challenge this week for those Christ-followers who seek to live out your faith where you are, be it at home, or at church, or in the marketplace. You be Jesus. Don't just talk the talk, but walk the walk. Love others unconditionally. Give your life away. Serve them, selflessly. Let them have the first pancake, even. Reflect the character of the one who gave His all for you, as you live a life of grateful obedience to Him.

I'm praying for you, that as you "discipline yourself for the purpose of godliness" (1 Tim. 4:7), our Lord will grow in you the grace of humility and dependence on Him. Have a blessed weekend.

--Pastor Ken

The End Is Near-er!

Fri, 17 Feb 2012 00:00:00 GMT

There it was, in black and white, right there in the distinguished journal Science, from a team of scientists who have discovered an asteroid seven-tenths of a mile wide that is headed for an apocalyptic collision with Earth. That gigantic, near-spherical boulder, officially named asteroid 1950 DA for the astronomers among us, is hurtling through space on an elliptical orbit around the sun. And it is heading right at us!

The odds of it colliding with Earth are better than any asteroid before, the scientists predict. And a collision with an asteroid of that size would be catastrophic in magnitude. It could, at the very least, wipe out a metropolitan area or devastate a coastline with tsunami-like tidal waves. Or worse, it could throw up such a huge cloud of dust that would dim the sum for years, causing a massive die-off of species.

Oh, by the way, the asteroid is scheduled to smack into our lovely planet on March 16.

Of the year 2880.

So that means we only have 868 years to get ready! Frankly, I'm not terribly concerned, because I don't expect to be hanging around here when the fireworks start. But if you're one to worry about those kind of things, you have plenty of time to get really worked up.

The truth is, we've never been closer to "the end of the world as we know it." Whether it's a report of a fast-approaching asteroid or the prophetic implications of the evening news from the Middle East, it's not hard to see the handwriting on the wall. It doesn't matter if you're looking at the Mayan calendar--or a Chick-Fil-A calendar--it's still easy to do the math. The end may not be near, but it's near-er than it's ever been!

It may be today, or on December 21--or in 838 years--but we know, on the authority of God's word, no less, that it's coming soon. Or rather, He's coming soon! The question is, are you ready for the Lord Jesus to return for His bride, the church? Will you be found "spotless, blameless and at peace with Him" when He returns? (2 Peter 3:14)

I'm praying for you, as I hope you are for me, that He is indeed preparing the way in your life, and that you are living your life on the edge of eternity to honor Him.

I look forward to seeing you Sunday.

--Pastor Ken

It's Complicated

Fri, 10 Feb 2012 00:00:00 GMT

If you're familiar at all with Facebook or other social media, you probably already identified the context of the title to today's column. It is one of the ways in which we describe our relationship "status": It's complicated. So, if you choose to play along, you get to check the box that best describes your relational category: "single," "married," "in a relationship," or..."it's complicated."

We understand what they're trying to say--or perhapsnot say--but I do believe there's a little redundancy in those options. For those of us who are married, or in a relationship of any kind, we know that they are all verycomplicated.

And no, this is not intended to be a column to talk aboutValentine's Day, coming up in just four days. (Guys, consider yourself reminded; you can thank me later.) Most of us of the male persuasion realize we are very much out of our league when it comes to all things related to dear St. Valentine.

However, as we have been teaching through our Sunday morning group on marriage recently, I have been reminded more and more how complicated relationships can really be. Though we may not actually be from Mars and Venus, as one author once described it, we still sometimes seem pretty alien in the way we communicate (or don't), and how we relate to one another (or don't).

Of course, the difficulties of relating to one another aren't confined just to relationships between husband and wife, boyfriend and girlfriend, or even suitor andsuitee. I was reminded this week in a couple of conversations how complicated many relationships are between parents and their children--even grown children--and between siblings, and friends, and co-workers, and neighbors. And the list goes on and on.

All that said, the good news today is that there is at least one relationship we all can have that is not so very complicated, as much as we sometimes would like to try to make it so. We can relate to God in the simplest of ways, heart to heart, without any question of motives, and always with the knowledge that we are infinitely and unconditionally loved.

Jesus Christ came to give His life to pay the penalty of our sin, and to tear down any wall that sin and man-made religion had built between us and God. He demonstrated God's infallible love for us, and cleared the way for us to experience an authentic, intimate relationship with our Heavenly Father that isn't full of confusion, distractions...or complications.

Quite simply, as a recent song reminds us, "He loves us....oh, how He loves us."

May your life be secure in the uncomplicated, unconditional love of God today, through His Son Jesus, and may you experience the fullness of what that relationship means. I'm praying for you, and I look forward to seeing you Sunday.

--Pastor Ken

Faith at a Snail's Pace

Fri, 3 Feb 2012 00:00:00 GMT

A guy hears a knocking on his door. He opens it up, and no one is there. He looks all around and he finally sees a little snail sitting on the doormat. He picks it up and throws it across the street into a field.

Ten years later, he hears a knocking on his door again. He opens it up and no one is there. He looks all around, and he finally sees a little snail sitting on the doormat.

The snail says, "What was that all about?"

I got that joke in my email box a while back. I shared it with a few people, but not many enjoyed it like I did. I'm not sure what that means. I think it's funny to me because I "get it." I mean, I really "get it." Or, maybe it's just one of those "you had to be there" things.

And I really feel like I've been there. My years of serving the Lord have rarely been what I expected. There have been good times, as well as frustrating times. Often, to be honest, there was seeming hopelessness and despair. We often asked, as we wandered through the wilderness and waited to see what God had in store for us, "Lord, what's taking so long?"

I thought of that after I had a conversation with my wife the other night when I took her out for dinner on her birthday. It was one of those times when we reflected on how God has led us, and taken us to where He has us now. We contemplated where we've been, where we are, and where we're going. And with that, we were essentially asking, like the snail, "What was that all about?"

Richard Hendrix said it this way: "Second only to suffering, waiting may be the greatest teacher and trainer in godliness, maturity and genuine spirituality most of us ever encounter." I very much believe that is true. I've never forgotten another quote I heard once: "Faith proves itself in our willingness to wait on the faithfulness of God." Even when waiting is not much fun.

As much I have spent a good deal of my life afflicted by it, I believe a lack of patience reveals, ultimately, a lack of trust in God. And maybe that's what the Lord is trying to teach all of us more than anything else. To place our faith in Him, and His perfect will.

Someone said of the aforementioned snail's pace, "Life by the yard is hard, but by the inch, anything's a cinch." So we inch along, seeking to walk in obedience, learning to trust the Father as we wait on Him.

May the Lord continue to grow you up in Him, as you walk with Him this week. I'm praying for you, and I look forward to seeing you Sunday.

--Pastor Ken

A Return on Your Investment

Fri, 27 Jan 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Father O'Malley answers the phone...

"Hello, is this Father O'Malley?" "It is."

"This is the IRS. Can you help us?" "I can."

"Do you know a Ted Houlihan?" "I do."

"Is he a member of your congregation?" "He is."

"Did he donate $10,000.00?" (pause)

"He will."

Someone sent me that joke a few weeks back and I was reminded of it as we prepare to distribute statements for your 2011 charitable contributions to our church. If you gave to our church last year by check or using an envelope, please be sure to pick up your statement this Sunday so you'll have a record for your tax deduction purposes--and so we can save the postage of mailing them. We're always trying to be good stewards of the financial contributions you make.

Now, let me say up front that I have no idea what your statement will say and how much money you gave our church--I've always tried to follow the Biblical decree to stay away from the "filthy lucre" (King James) when it comes to church money. God does know, however, as we looked at in last Sunday's message. Your right hand may not know what your left is doing, but He's paying attention. He who is keeping up with what you do in secret also promises to reward your faithfulness.

One thing I can tell you with confidence, however much you may have given, is that your investment into the Kingdom through the ministry of The Church at Shelby Crossings brought a very good return. Just as many of you are getting end-of-the-year financial investment statements in the mail these days, I thought I'd remind you of some of the dividends paid on what you gave to our church.

To begin with, we can celebrate that several people came to faith in Christ in the past year, at least three of whom we'll baptize this Sunday. Dozens more moved into deeper levels of discipleship than they had ever imagined. Families were changed--a number of marriages restored, and teenagers who turned back to following Christ. There were children who grew in their knowledge of God's word, and learned to live out the principles of Scripture. The hungry were fed, their homes kept warm, and a roof provided overhead (sometimes literally). Then there were the precious little ones who were adopted into new homes.

Outside of our walls, the impact of your investment was felt literally around the world. There are churches that are being planted in at least four continents outside of North America because of our church's mission support. There are orphans who have a roof over their head, food in their stomachs, and loving care the year round, not to mention the opportunity to hear the Gospel. There are ministries that are making a difference--some in very hard places, and others in fruitful missions where the work is joyous and the reports exciting. There are unwed mothers and unborn babies whose lives are preserved, and homeless men who are fed in the name of Jesus.

Thank you for your continued faithful "investment" into the ministry of The Church at Shelby Crossings. May we each be trustworthy managers of the resources God provides us, and may He be honored with the way we invest that which already belongs to Him to change the lives of others for eternity.

I'm so excited to be a part of The Church at Shelby Crossings, and I look forward to seeing you on Sunday.

--Pastor Ken

Caution Against Injudicious Prodigality

Fri, 20 Jan 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Sometimes, the frantic pace of being a pastor, husband and father of several teenagers makes me think that there's just not enough time in the day. The past few weeks have been especially taxing, and more than a few times I've dreamed of a day with nothing on my plate. Those days are quite rare indeed.

I remember attending a conference for pastors many years ago, and hearing a noted speaker say something I've never forgotten: There's always enough time to do God's will. In other words, as busy as our days may be, God will never require more of us than the time of our life requires. And, if there's anything that gets in the way of us living our lives in God's will--if we're too busy--then those things need to be eliminated.

We have 24 hours in a day, 168 hours in a week, and God has a plan for us to steward the gift of life He's given us. Those of who who seek to be all things to all men--and do all things on all days--will quickly find out that we just can't do it all. Thankfuly, we were never intended to do so.

With that in mind, I thought I'd share a letter I came across this week that William Booth, the founder of the Salvation Army, once received from his wife Catherine when he was on a long and tiring ministry trip. The letter included these words:

Your Tuesday's notes arrived safe, and I was rejoiced to hear of the continued prosperity of your work, though sorry you were so worn out; I fear the effect of all this excitement and exertion upon your health, and though I would not hinder your usefulness, I would caution you against an injudicious prodigality of your strength.

Remember a long life of steady, consistent, holy labour will produce twice as much fruit as one shortened and destroyed by spasmodic and extravagant exertions; be careful and sparing of your strength when and where exertion is unnecessary.

Remember that William Booth was out doing good things, not wasting his time. His wife was not telling him to turn off the TV, quit surfing the web, or stop playing video games. This was in the mid 1800's, and he was engaged in giving himself to a ministry that was quite fruitful then, and would go on to impact millions in generations to come. But even then, the caution was to "be careful" and avoid an "injudicious prodigality of his strength."

We would all do well to heed the words of Catherine Booth (if we can understand them!), and seek to live "steady, consistent" lives submitted to God, instead of burning ourselves out trying to cram too much in our day. As someone once said, sometimes you have to stop and "sharpen the saw." You'll find you get a lot more wood cut when you take a break from sawing and make sure your saw is sharp.

My prayer for each of you in these busy times is that you would manage God's gift of time in a way that will maximize the fruit you bear as you live in the center of His will each day. May He be honored in all our lives as we live for Him.

What a privilege it is to be your pastor. I look forward to seeing you on Sunday.

--Pastor Ken

The Rest of Your Life

Fri, 13 Jan 2012 00:00:00 GMT

A skydiving instructor was going through the question and answer period with his new students when one of them asked the usual question always asked: "If our 'chute doesn't open, and the reserve doesn't open, how long would we have till we hit the ground?"

The jump master looked at him and in perfect deadpan answered: "The rest of your life."

Each one of us could probably ask that question in one form or another. The reality is, none of us knows when our "chute" will fail, and our time on earth will come to an end. But we do know what we have left: the rest of our lives.

So the big question is, what are you doing with the rest of your life? I remember talking to someone a few years back who was consumed with his job, and he said, with the best of motives I think, that he wanted to spend the first half of his life making a lot of money so he could retire early and spend the second half giving it all away. My question to him was, how do you know when you reach half-time?

The psalmist said it this way: "Teach us to number our days aright, that we may gain a heart of wisdom." (Psalm 90:12) In other words, since we can't count our days, we need to make our days count. We must start doing what we want to do with our lives now, since this is the only "rest of our lives" we'll ever have.

So, what is is that you plan to do "one of these days"? Spend more time with your family? Now's the time. Get in shape? Why wait? It'll never get any easier. Walk with God on a deeper, more consistent level? Don't put off a blessing you'll never regret.

You do realize that you have never been closer to the end of your life than now, don't you? I just wanted to encourage you with that. Since your time is running out, it's time to get on with it and become that person you've always wanted to be.

Have a blessed rest of your life! I'll see you Sunday.

--Pastor Ken

Super-Hero Faith

Fri, 6 Jan 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Some of you may be old enough to remember the TV show "Superman" of the 1950's and 1960's. It was a little before my time, but I have seen a few reruns. I also remember hearing as a child about how my older sister, after having watched the show, climbed up on top of the garage and tried to fly like Superman. It didn't work out so well for her. She broke her arm.

Anyway, the show would open every week with Superman flying faster than a speeding bullet and higher than the tallest building. Then he would stand still as someone shot at him because the bullets were supposedly bouncing right off. Then, as the criminal's gun ran out of bullets, the strangest thing always happened. The desperate bad guy would then throw his gun at Superman--and Superman would duck!

Why would the Man of Steel who is able to deflect bullets have to duck when a gun was thrown at him? I guess the powers of a super-hero only go so far.

No doubt, those powers are still pretty good at the movie box office. There have been dozens of successful movies the past few years that brought to the big screen the comic book superheroes and brought to their makers plenty of big bucks. From Captain America and the X-Men, to the Green Lantern and Green Hornet, to Spiderman and Batman and, of course, Superman, we do love those heroes. Maybe it's because they are larger than life and can come to our rescue.

I bring all this up in light of a good discussion we had in our small group on Wednesday night. We were discussing prayer--its power and possibilities, our struggles and inconsistencies--from James 5. The apostle includes an almost incidental illustration right in the middle of his call to pray. He says, "Elijah was a man just like us." And then he tells of Elijah's prayer and his faith in calling for drought, and then rain, as a prophet of God. God used Elijah in incredible ways--including one of my favorite Biblical stories when he faced down the prophets of Baal--and yet he was no superhero. He was "just like us."

I think we often look at the leading characters of the Bible as superhero-like and larger than life, even so much that we don't think we're capable of the things they did. But an important lesson of Scripture, from beginning to end, is that God uses ordinary people to do extra-ordinary things, when we put our faith in Him.

In some ways, there are similarities in those ordinary Biblical characters and our superheroes--and us. In reality, we are all the very ordinary Elijahs and Peter Parkers and Clark Kents who in and of ourselves won't make much of an impact on our world. However, when we allow God to work in us and through us, and His Spirit to supernaturally empower us, we see extraordinary things happen. You might not run faster than a locomotive, but you can do things you never imagined, with His help.

My prayer for all of us is not that we would be Superhero Christians in 2012, but that we would be faithful to Him, allowing Him to be honored through our obedience. If we do that, I assure you we'll all have a "super" year.

His grace is sufficient! I look forward to seeing each of you on Sunday.

--Pastor Ken

On Fresh Starts...and Choices

Fri, 30 Dec 2011 00:00:00 GMT

We stand on the brink of a New Year, with all of the possibilities of a fresh start and the opportunity for yet another new beginning. This is the time of year when we are inclined to make resolutions about what we plan/hope/wish to do in the year ahead, most of which fade as quickly as the fireworks in the sky on New Year's Eve.

For that reason I will not suggest any new "New Year's resolutions," but I will recommend a few choices. We all have decisions before us as to what we will do and who we will be in the year ahead, and those choices will be grounded in the real-life priorities that shape our lives.

As we look back a year from now and evaluate the lives we lived in 2012--assuming of course, that the Mayans were as good at prophecy as they were at maintaining their civilization, and we are still around--whether we will have succeeded or failed will largely be determined by the choices we made. Let's make good choices, to live our lives according to God's will.

Specifically in regard to our church, I am excited and encouraged about what God is doing in the life of our fellowship. There is a fresh wind blowing, no doubt, and I believe God has great things in store for us in the year ahead as we serve Him together. Howeve, we are reminded that "our church" collectively is made up of a bunch of individuals, all of whom have our own choices to make.

With that in mind, I wanted to specifically encourage each of you and your family to commit yourselves to do at least these five things in the New Year:

Pray diligently. Our church will only be as strong as our prayer lives, as we seek God's direction and His moving in our ministry. We can do what we can do, or we can ask God to do what He does. I prefer the latter. So...let us pray.
Attend faithfully. Every member of this body needs every other member, both as we gather together for worship on Sundays and as we connect with one another in community in our small groups. So, "let us not forsake assembling ourselves together."
Serve selflessly. Like Jesus, we're called to serve, more than to be served. Ask God to give you a servant's heart, and then open your eyes for opportunities to use it. See how you can give your life away in the year ahead.
Reach out compassionately. It is time we regain our passion for seeing lost people saved. They need hope. We have it. Share it.
Walk humbly with God. Ultimately, that's God's will for all of us, all the time. (Micah 6:8)

Happy New Year to each of you! May the Lord bless you and your family abundantly in the year ahead. I look forward to seeing you on Sunday as we kick off 2012 with a great day of worship together.

--Pastor Ken

The Difference Jesus Makes

Fri, 23 Dec 2011 00:00:00 GMT

"I want to live again, I want to live again," George Bailey cried out as he stood on the snow-covered bridge in Bedford Falls, the river dark and swirling below. With the help of Clarence Oddbody, Angel Second Class, George had discovered, to his horror, what life would have been like had he never been born.

No doubt you recognize that's the pivotal scene of the movie "It's a Wonderful Life," which makes its annual appearance on television this time of year (and is also showing this week at the Alabama Theater). Of all the Christmas classics, I would have to say that one is my favorite. Clarence the angel sums up the compelling theme of the movie so well in his words: "Each man's life touches to many other lives, and when he isn't around he leaves an awful hole."

With that in mind, I ask a different question this Christmas Eve eve, one that we should ask annually this time of year, as we remember and celebrate the birth of our Savior. What if Jesus had never been born? What difference would it have made in history or in our daily lives if a Bethlehem stable had not served as a makeshift delivery room for the promised Christ-child a little more than 2,000 years ago?

Dr. D. James Kennedy wrote a book with that very title--"What If Jesus Had Never Been Born?"--several years back, in which he gave persuasive evidence that people inspired by Jesus are responsible for everything from mass education, modern science, representative democracy, the elevation of women, the end of slavery, respect for life, and the creation of universities and hospitals. "Jesus Christ, the greatest man who ever lived, has changed virtually every aspect of human life--and most people don't know it." the author asserted. His truly was a wonderful life!

I doubt anyone would argue that the birth and life of Christ has not had a radical impact on world history. But my question for you today gets a little more personal.

What difference does His birth (and life, and death on the cross, and resurrection) make in your daily life? Is the promised "peace on earth" the angels sang about evident in your life, even in this stressed-out season? Does the hope of the coming of the promised Messiah sustain you in difficult times? Do the "glad tidings of great joy for all the people" show in the way you life your life?

If we celebrate only the birth and life of a historical figure from the 1st century without realizing His impact on our daily lives personally in the 21st century, then I believe we have missed the meaning of Christmas. He came to give us life, and peace, and hope and "great joy," not just in December but all the year round. I hope and pray, especially this holiday season, you have experienced those gifts of Christmas He came to bring.

So, from my family to yours, may you have a most blessed Christmas. I hope to see you Sunday at Shelby Crossings as we gather in His name to worship our Savior and King.

--Pastor Ken

One of Us

Fri, 16 Dec 2011 00:00:00 GMT

It's been sixteen years since a somewhat obscure singer named Joan Osborne released her hit song "One of Us." The song earned seven Grammy nominations, and made a virtually unknown singer an overnight sensation.

If you remember the song, you'll recall it was a song of spiritual questioning, about conceiving of God in a modern age. It ruffled the feathers of many conservative Christian groups because of its irreverence and complete disgregard for faith in the God of the Bible. Here's an example of one of the verses to the song:

If God had a name, what would it be,

and would you call it to his face,

if you were faced with him,

in all his glory,

what would you ask if you had just one question?

It was the chorus of the song that seemed to bother people the most. I remember being very uncomfortable with the words then, as I am now.

What if God was one of us?

Just a slob like one of us?

Just a stranger on a bus,

trying to make his way home.

I will admit, I know very little about Joan Osbourne, then or now, and I have no idea of her motives behind that song. I suspect she knew she was pushing a few hot buttons, and probably relished in the attention she received because of it. But even in her irreverence, she asked some very real questions.

The central question--the song title, "What if God was one of us?"--could very well be the most important question ever asked this side of heaven. The answer to that question, if it were known, would do no less than change every conceivable aspect of life for people on this planet. And it's a question that needs to be asked, no matter who asks it.

The good news is, we have the answer to that life-alterning "what if" question. He was one of us--that's what the incarnation of Christmas is all about: "Immanuel...'God with us'" (Matt. 1:23). Or, as the apostle John wrote, "The Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth." (John 1:14). God did come among us, and He did have a name. His name was Jesus.

Sometimes the thought of a "one of us" Jesus, with all of its implications, makes us as uncomfortable as the lyrics to Ms. Osbourne's song. But we mustn't work so hard to worship His divinity that we miss His humanity. God really did become a real baby--and lived as a real man in a real world. He was one of us in every way, except, as Hebrews 4:15 reminds us, without sin. Even still, He who knew no sin would go to the cross to "become sin for us, so that we could become the righteousness of God." (2 Cor. 5:21)

My prayer for each of you this Christmas is that you will be able to cut through the clutter of Christmas to relate to the one who became one of us so He could relate to us. May His presence be the best "present" you receive this December.

I look forward to seeing you on Sunday as we celebrate the present of His presence together.

--Pastor Ken

A Simple Christmas

Fri, 9 Dec 2011 00:00:00 GMT

Last week I wrote in this space about "going against the flow this Christmas," and choosing to simplify your holiday. This week I wanted to continue that thought with a reminder that sometimes simple is better, especially when it comes to Christmas.

One of the timeless traditions of many families this time of year is watching the Charlie Brown Christmas special together. It's such a simple story, with an unlikely ending for a program airing on a major network television, and according to a recent account about the special from the National Review, it almost didn't come to pass.

It all started in 1965 when Peanuts cartoonist Charles Schulz put together his first TV special, on very short notice and with a shoestring budget. In fact, Schulz was asked on a Wednesday to put write a special...by the following Monday. What he came up with was nearly rejected at first, and CBS executives were sure it would be doomed if it ever aired at all. However, to their surprise it was well-received the first year, and 46 years later it is still one of the most-watched shows of the holiday season.

Other than nostalgia, what makes the Charlie Brown special so...special? For one, Schulz insisted that it would have no laugh track, which was unheard of in that day. It was a what-you-see-is-what-you-get show, with no external cues on when to laugh. The backdrop is sometimes eery silence which accentuates the simplicity of the whole program.

Another peculiar part of the show is that all the voices you hear are children. Not adult actors playing children, but real-life kids. Again, that hadn't been done when Schulz proposed it, and network executives suggested it would never work, but Schulz knew that the simple, innocent voices of children would be the key to presenting the message.

But the most controversial part of the special was what bothered CBS executives the most. As the bumbling Charlie Brown, with his puny little Christmas tree, tries to discover the true meaning of Christmas, it is Linus who comes to the rescue in the climax of the show. And he does so by reading from--of all places--the Bible. He reads familiar account from Luke 2 about the birth of Jesus.

"And that's what Christmas is all about, Charlie Brown."

In a mid-1960's time of rebellion and questioning of al "truth"--when Time magazine's cover would ask the Nietzsche-inspired question "Is God Dead?"--Schulz and Charlie Brown would answer that question with a resounding "No." The hope in the midst of the chaos was our Emmanuel, God with us, a simple baby born in a manger in Bethlehem.

Like the Charlie Brown special, we would all do well this season to move away from the noise of our modern holiday, to approach Christmas with the simple faith of a child, and to focus our attention not on the trappings of the busy, over-commercialized season, but on the One who came to give us peace and joy and life in the midst of it all. Yes, that's what Christmas is all about, Charlie Brown.

Don't let the world trap you into an over-extended, over-spent, over-stressed Christmas. There's still time for you to simplify, and enjoy the wonder of Emmanuel this Advent season.

I am praying for you and I look forward to seeing you Sunday, morning and evening.

--Pastor Ken

Going Against the Flow This Christmas

Fri, 2 Dec 2011 00:00:00 GMT

I watched a History Channel special on the history of Christmas on Thanksgiving night. There was nothing in it that I hadn't heard before, but when it was all laid out in 2,000 years of sequence, it definitely got me to thinking--again--about all the trappings of the world that we've allowed to intrude on the way we celebrate Christmas.

From ancient pagan traditions that were adopted into the earliest forms of the "Christ mass," to Clement Moore's St. Nick poem and Madison Avenue's marketing here in America, we've been hit from every side with what I would call the accessorizing of Christmas. There are so many externals we've come to accept that really don't have anything to do with the incarnation of the Son of God. And as much as everyone wants to "keep Christ in Christmas," the reality is, most of what we do this time of year has little to do with Jesus, other than maybe a manger scene on our coffee table and a few Christmas carols that we hear playing in the mall while we shop.

Now, let me say, this is not intended to heap more guilt onto your shoulders. It is a suggestion, in this season of Advent, to re-evaluate what this thing we call Christmas is all about. What steps can we as the people of God take to do things a little differently? Are there realistic ways that we can remember "the reason for the season" and not get caught up in the commercialization we all complain about, yet most participate in? How can we honor Jesus in our environment of Christian community, and how can we truly put Him first in our family traditions?

My one suggestion: simplify. There's still time to make some choices--23 days, in fact--that you don't have to get caught in the world's trap, stress yourself out, spend all your money, and chase the fantasy that we've made Christmas into. Just say no. It's okay. Some people will probably think you're crazy, and no doubt some will call you Ebenezer Scrooge or the Grinch. But that doesn't matter. To truly be a follower of Christ, you often have to go against the flow. In fact, there's no occasion in all of Scripture that more confounded the conventional wisdom of the world than the birth of Jesus we are supposedly celebrating.

Who would have thought that the Messiah would be born to an unwed teenage mother, in an animal food trough? The witnesses were not royalty but lowly shepherds--and a few cattle. This was the greatest of stories ever told, yet it unfolded not with great fanfare but in the simplest and most unexpected of ways. So, if you want to follow the Biblical pattern, go against the flow. Strip away the unneccessaries, and all the expectations from the world, and do it your own way. Or better yet, His way.

I won't prescribe what your Christmas should look like, and how you and your family should celebrate the holiday(s), but I will suggest, strongly, that you not succumb to the pressure of the world to do it their way.

More on this subject next week. In the mean time, have a very joyous season, and may you truly experience "peace on earth" during this season of the year. I'm praying for you, and I look forward to seeing you on Sunday.

--Pastor Ken

God's Will...as a Way of Life

Fri, 25 Nov 2011 00:00:00 GMT

Someone once remarked that the worst of all possible moments for an atheist is to feel truly thankful and have no one there to thank. Most Americans are not actual atheists, of course, but as Calvin Miller wrote, they may be practical atheists. An actual atheist has no God to thank. A practical atheist has a God to thank, but never thinks of doing it.

As I mentioned in last Sunday's message, there is no clearer passage of God's will in all the Scripture than 1 Thessalonians 5:18, which states: "In everything give thanks, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus." Have you ever wanted to know God's will on an issue? There it is. Give thanks....in everything.

Of course, you are receiving this on the day after the one day of the year when we practice God's will the best in this matter, and I'm not just talking about praying over the turkey (or the afternoon indigestion). But Thanksgiving is not just a single day of the year, nor even a specific season. Neither is it so much about how much we have been blessed, but how much we are thankful. It's a recognition of God's gracious blessings of life itself, and His providential provision of our every need, just as He has promised. It's a general attitude of gratitude and about doing God's will as a way of life.

In fact, the art of thanksgiving is not a matter of how much or how little God gives us. America is proof that the blessings of God can wean us from remembering the necessity of God. The Bible warns and history has continually proven that when God blesses a nation with abundance, the people are not prone to love Him, but to love only His abundant provision. When He blesses us with material blessings, we don't typically become believers or thankers, but mere materialists.

The truth is, giving thanks is usually learned not in abundance, but in times of need, when we have more appreciation for the simple things of life. With that in mind, may I leave you this week with the words of the prophet Habakkuk, who offers some much-needed counsel on Thanksgiving for all of us:

"Though the fig tree does not bud and there are no grapes on the vines, though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no food, though there are no sheep in the pens and no cattle in the stalls...yet I will rejoice in the Lord. I will be joyful in God my Savior." (Hab. 3:17-18)

I hope you had a safe and happy Thanksgiving, and I look forward to seeing you on Sunday.

--Pastor Ken

Learning to Say Thanks

Fri, 18 Nov 2011 00:00:00 GMT

If you're on Facebook you've probably read the daily updates from your friends who are participating in the "30 days of thanks" campaign, or whatever it is. The point is to take time every day and post for all the world to see what you are thankful for on that particular day.

Some of the posts are predictable, some a little syrupy, and a few quite unexpected or silly. No doubt, most are sincere, and any exercise in counting your blessings, and naming them one by one (with apologies to the old hymn writer) is a good thing. We would all do well to take whatever opportunities we have to express our gratitude. And, there's no better time to do that than in a season of the year set aside to give thanks.

As I wrote in this space a couple of Thanksgivings ago,
though Thanksgiving Day is not a distinctly Christian holiday, thanksgiving as an act is a major biblical teaching. Scripture is full of admonitions to give thanks, and examples of those who did. There is no more specific exhortation than the apostle Paul's words in 1 Thessalonians 5:17: "Give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus."

There you have it. It's not only a good idea, it's God's will, and even a Biblical command to be obeyed. But for whatever reason, sometimes we are more like one of the nine lepers whom Jesus healed and walked away without even saying thanks, than we are the one who came back to express his gratitude. "Where are the other nine?" Jesus asked them, and I believe He asks that even today.

In fact, thanks-giving in and of itself is not a natural act for self-centered people like us. It must be learned, and in fact, it's something we're always learning. I read something this week from pastor Steve May on that very subject. He wrote of a friend who mentioned that she would never force her son to say "Thank you" unless he really feels like saying it. She said, "If I teach him to say 'thank you' when he doesn't feel thankful, I'm teaching him that it's okay to be a hypocrite."

That may sound nice on the outside, but it's all wrong. Feelings have nothing to do with genuine thanksgiving, or how we express it. Gratitude is not an emotion, it's an action. The act of saying "thank you" is not so much a feeling, but a choice, and when we are thankful to God (as commanded) it is an act that puts our lives in proper perspective.

That's why the Psalms so often refer to the "sacrifice of thanksgiving." It's an act of obedience, to a gracious God, in recognition of His goodness of our behalf.

Like children, I believe that all of us as Christ-followers must learn how to express our gratitude, and the best way we learn it, like most everything else, is by practicing it on a regular basis.

So, while I'm at it, let me take this opportunity to say, like the apostle Paul, that "I thank God every time I remember you," (Phil. 1:3), and that I am very grateful that God has blessed me by allowing me to serve as your pastor. I pray for each of you, that His grace would abound in your life, and I look forward to seeing you on Sunday.

--Pastor Ken

Thank You...Veterans

Fri, 11 Nov 2011 00:00:00 GMT

Today is Veteran's Day. It's been nearly a hundred years since President Woodrow Wilson first declared November 11 to be Armistice Day to celebrate the conclusion of "the war to end all wars," World War I.

Obviously, it wasn't, and several generations have come and gone since, with our nation's finest and bravest continuing to lay their lives on the line each day in service of our country. Literally hundreds of thousands have paid the supreme price defending of our nation, and as we commemorate Veteran's Day this Nov. 11, we must never forget their sacrifice.

I have been sitting here trying to think of something creative to write that might express my heart's gratitude for those men and women who have served in our military, both at home and abroad, in peace time and in war, to preserve our freedom and protect our lives.

But all I could come up with was...thank you.

For some reason, no matter how hard I try to craft my words to express something particularly meaningful, the words themselves just seem to come up empty. Sometimes a simple "thank you" does seem to say it all.

As I mentioned Sunday, I do have a profound respect for those who have served and try to take every opportunity I get to tell them so, whether it be at a funeral, at the Alabama Veteran's Memorial in Irondale (I would highly recommend this), or just out in public. I can think of a couple of dozen personal encounters I have had with American military servicemen and veterans over the past few years. It may have been standing on opposite sides of a gas pump; waiting in line at a fast food restaurant; talking to a World War II veteran at the public library; seeing someone in an airport dressed in their military uniform; or recognizing veterans like we did last Sunday at Shelby Crossings. Over and over, with genuine heart-felt gratitude, I've felt compelled to simply say, "Thank you."

And so, today, lest I cloud these sentiments with many words, I will say it once again. To all of you who have served, and are serving--and also to those who have sent your sons and daughters, brothers and sisters, or fathers and mothers off to serve in defense of our nation--please know how grateful we are for your sacrifice.

Thank you.

May I suggest that each of us find someone to thank, today, for standing in the gap for us. And don't forget to be in prayer for those serving in harm's way around our world even this day. May our Lord protect them, and may He be honored by their service.

Happy 11-11-11 to each of you. I look forward to seeing you on Sunday.

--Pastor Ken

Lord of the Rings

Fri, 4 Nov 2011 00:00:00 GMT

I have cousins in California, and when I was small my family used to make the Griswold-ian drive across country to visit them. I can only imagine now, looking back as a dad, what that was like for my parents driving 2,500 miles with three kids in the back seat of a car, without interstate highways. ("Are we there yet?")

One of my vivid memories of our vacation one summer was a trip to the Sierra Nevada mountain range where we visited the Redwood National Park. It was there that we saw some of God's most awesome creations: giant sequoia and redwood trees, some of which were up to 3,000 years old and stood more than 300 feet in the air. They looked like skyscrapers, including one they had carved a tunnel through so you could drive through it in your car.

I still have some pictures--black and white, of course--of me and my sisters standing next to the huge trees, and our car driving through the tunnel in the tree. I also remember seeing one of those trees that had been cut down, and the cross-section of the trunk stood more than 25 feet in height. It was amazing then for a little boy's eyes, and it still is for this not-so-little boy.

The park ranger told us how the rings of the tree tell the story of that tree's life, year by year. We've all heard how that works, in elementary science class, but it's pretty fascinating when you're looking a tree that is a couple of millennia old. There are thin rings, revealing years when the tree hardly grew at all because of a drought. There are thick rings, reflecting healthy years, when the tree grew by leaps and bounds. There are signs where the tree was struck by lightning, and signs from when it faced years of blight and disease.

Dr. David Seamands, in his book Healing for Damaged Emotions, uses the rings of those great trees as pictures of our own lives. "Beneath the protective bark," he wrote, "the concealing, protective mask, are the recorded rings of our lives."

If we were able to pull back the bark and look at our own lives like the cross-section of one of those big trees, we would see plenty of revealing signs, from deep scars to evidence of healthy growth, that make up our past. Some of those rings would represent wrongs done to us, and some the result of mistakes we made where we had to reap what we sowed. Others would show years of growth because of good choices we made, and because we "remained in the vine" (John 15:1-8) in our relationship with our gracious God.

Whatever the case, and whatever our "rings" may look like, God knows where we've been, and He's faithfully seen us through the good times and bad. He will use every one of those years--those we cherish and those we would choose to forget--to grow us up into what, and who, He wants us to be. He is, truly, the Lord of the rings of our lives.

May He bless each of you abundantly this week, that you may be "rooted" in Him. I'm praying for you and I look forward to seeing you on Sunday.

--Pastor Ken

October...Freedom

Fri, 28 Oct 2011 00:00:00 GMT

I used this space a few weeks ago to recommend a movie (Courageous, which opened on Sept. 30). I really don't see a career as a film critic in my future or anything, and never thought it would be something I would do again in this space any time soon. But, here goes again.

As many of you know, today is the day for the local premier of October Baby. The movie was filmed entirely in Alabama, by local filmmakers The Erwin Brothers, and as many of you know, was co-written by Shelby Crossings member Theresa Preston. Her husband Stephen also worked on the movie as a sound engineer, among other things. The movie is opening around Alabama and Mississippi today, with a major national release planned for the spring.

I had the pleasure of viewing October Baby at a screening a few months back at a local church, along with several other friends from the Shelby Crossings family. It is a powerful story, with heart-wrenching emotion, along with some pretty light and funny moments as well. The acting was good--you'll recognize several of the stars from TV and other movies--and the screenplay was well-written and compelling. Like a lot of "Christian movies," much of the story line was predictable, but there were more than a few surprises along the way as well. Personally, I also enjoyed seeing so many familiar places in the movie.

Because it deals with the hot-potato subject of abortion, it will no doubt face controversy, though the movie is done with great sensitivity and there's really nothing about it that is antagonistic or politically focused. From my view, it was more of a movie about forgiveness than anything else. And who among us doesn't need to be reminded of the power of forgiveness in our lives?

The truth is, we are all somewhere on the continuum of forgiveness. In all of our relationships, we come across situations daily that require that we forgive, or that we be forgiven. And sometimes there are very hard choices to let people off the hook and move on. As someone has said, one of the big surprises we discover when we make the choice to forgive is that when we do so, the person we release is not the one who has wronged us, but ourselves. It's where genuine Christian freedom is best lived out.

That freedom begins when each of us is offered the unfathomable gift of forgiveness wrapped up in the cross of Jesus Christ. Because of His great love and grace, God chose to forgive us, and to Himself pay the penalty for our unrighteousness--to let us off the hook for the sin we've committed. That's the centrality of the gospel. And once we've received that gift, there's a responsibility to turn around and give that same gift of forgiveness to others. That was one of the lessons, I believe, of October Baby.

I hope you'll get the opportunity to see October Babysoon, for several reasons. For one, it is an entertaining flick, and if you are a regular movie-goer I'm sure you will find that it is worth the price of admission. Also, I'll say the same thing I said when I wrote aboutCourageous last month: As easy as it is to complain about Hollywood and the lack of quality family-friendly movies produced, when such a movie does come along, we can send a message to the film industry best by buying tickets to see the movie. Money talks, and here's another chance to speak.

I also hope you'll be praying for fruit to be borne through the ministry of this movie. Thanks Theresa and Stephen, and the Erwin Brothers and friends, for all your efforts in producing this tool that I'm sure God will use. May He bless it, for eternity's sake.

I look forward to seeing each of you on Sunday.

--Pastor Ken

Good News for Mistake-Makers

Fri, 21 Oct 2011 00:00:00 GMT

A few weeks back, those of you who read the ePistle via email got a little surprise, when you saw your own name in the headline of this space. It was not on purpose--even though some people suspected it was aimed at them--and your name wasn't included on anyone else'sePistle but your own. It was something in the HTML code that added a greeting instead of the real heading, after it was sent. Another one of those cases where the machine outsmarted the man sitting at the keyboard.

Hey, we all make mistakes. That's one of the encouraging messages of the Christian life--that we all blow it, that it doesn't surprise God that we blow it, that there are second chances when we blow it. In fact, that's the essence of the Gospel itself: Jesus came into the world to save sinners, and to give His life as a sacrifice to pay the price for our "mistakes," big and small. "God demonstrated His love for us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us." (Romans 5:8). Now, that's good news!

With His grace in mind, here are a few examples of some rather humorous mistakes, this time by people sitting where I'm sitting, in a church office. You have probably seen some of these before, in emails of "church bulletin bloopers" that have been circulating for years, supposedly real-life mistakes in real-life bulletins. Enjoy, all you mistake-makers, with a smile, reminded that God is still in the business of overcoming our mistakes!

The associate minister unveiled the church's new tithing campaign slogan last Sunday: "I upped my pledge. Up yours!"

The Rev. Adams spoke briefly, much to the delight of his audience.

The Ladies Bible Study will be held Thursday morning at 10. All ladies are invited to lunch in the fellowship hall after the B.S. is done.

Due to the pastor's illness, Wednesday's healing services will be discontinued until further notice.

The senior choir invites any member of the congregation who enjoys sinning to join the choir.

For those of you who have children and don't know it, we have a nursery downstairs.

Please place your donation in the envelope along with the deceased person you want remembered.

The cost for attending this year's Fasting and Prayer Conference is $39, which includes meals.

Ladies, don't forget the church yard sale. It's a chance to get rid of those things not worth keeping around the house. Don't forget your husbands!

Applications are now being accepted for 2-year old nursery workers.

Weight Watchers will meet at 7 p.m. Please use the large double door at the side entrance.

If you choose to heave during the postlude, please do so quietly.

And, I might add to that last one, please do so outside. I do hope you'll allow God to pour out His grace on your mistakes, whatever they may be. I'm praying for you, and I look forward to seeing you Sunday.

--Pastor Ken

A-mazingly Corny

Fri, 14 Oct 2011 00:00:00 GMT

You may have seen the story earlier this week about the family in Massachusetts who had to call 911 after they got lost in a local corn maze. Police received a frantic call from a woman asking for help getting out of the maze, and when they arrived at the "Haunted Corn Field" with their K-9 Unit they easily found her and her husband and two small children, still stuck in the maze.

The Connors Farm Corn Maze in Danvers, Massachusetts has been in operation for years, and though they've had their share of "corn-fused" patrons, they had never had anyone get so desperate that they had to call authorities to liberate them from the maze of maize. The saddest part was that the family was just 25 feet from freedom when they were "rescued."

I've been in one of those mazes, up near Hayden, Alabama, and though there were a few times I felt a little claustrophobic, I never would have considered calling for help. Maybe it was pride. Or maybe it's the fact that it was only corn, after all. At the very least I could have run through the walls, "Field of Dreams" style.

But I also recognize that sense of feeling lost and afraid, and being overwhelmed by not knowing which way to turn. There's certainly a parallel somewhere in there about our own navigation of the mazes of life, and how easily we lose perspective because all we can see are the stalks that surround us. We never know that we're just a few yards from our own freedom because we can't see beyond the forest for the trees...or corn.

It reminds me of a story I heard about a little 8-year old boy named Frank. Frank had a date with his father to go fishing on Saturday. They were going to fish the whole day. On Friday night he had everything laid out. He was ready to go.

But on Saturday morning he awoke to discover that it was raining cats and dogs, and they couldn't go fishing. So, little Frank grumbled and griped and complained all morning long. He kicked the furniture, the dog, the cat. His father tried to explain to him that the farmers needed the rain, but that didn't satisfy Frank. "Why does it have to rain today?" he asked.

About noon the clouds broke and the sun came out. His dad said, "Well, we can't go fishing all day, but at least we can fish this afternoon. Let's go." So they jumped into the truck, went to the lake and fished all afternoon, and caught more fish than they had ever caught before. Their baskets were full, and they had the time of their lives.

They came home and mom cooked some of the fish for supper. As they were sitting down to eat, Frank's dad called on him to ask the blessing. Eight-year old Frank prayed this prayer: "God, if I sounded a little grumpy earlier, it was because I couldn't see far enough ahead."

Whether you're lost in one of life's mazes, or frustrated because things just aren't going your way, that usually is the problem. We just can't see far enough ahead. But at times like that, we have to trust that God has a view that we don't, that He is looking out for us, and that Hecan see far enough ahead. He can be trusted you know, even if you can't see beyond the corn.

I hope you'll place your faith fully in Christ as you walk with Him this week. May He bless you abundantly as you serve Him. I look forward to seeing you on Sunday.

--Pastor Ken

Living Each Day

Fri, 7 Oct 2011 00:00:00 GMT

News of the death of Apple Computers co-founder and technology innovator Steve Jobs shocked the world on Wednesday. The 56-year old Jobs had been sick for some time, and recently stepped down as CEO of Apple because of health issues, but we still just didn't see it coming. The man who was called the "Thomas Edison of our time" impacted his generation like few have ever done.

Among the many tributes to Jobs the last two days, one of the most played videos of him are his words in a commencement address at Stanford University in 2005, about a year after he was first diagnosed with cancer. Specifically, he spoke in very frank terms about matters of life and death. Here is an excerpt of what he had to say to those graduates:

When I was 17, I read a quote that went something like: "If you live each day as if it was your last, someday you'll most certainly be right." It made an impression on me, and since then, for the past 33 years, I have looked in the mirror every morning and asked myself: "If today were the last day of my life, would I want to do what I am about to do today?" ...

Remembering that I'll be dead soon is the most important tool I've ever encountered to help me make the big choices in life. Because almost everything--all external expectations, all pride, all fear of embarrassment or failure--these things just fall away in the face of death, leaving only what is truly important. Remembering that you are going to die is the best way I know to avoid the trap of thinking you have something to lose. You are already naked. There is no reason not to follow your heart.

I must say I have great respect for Steve Jobs and all of his contributions to the world, many of which have benefitted the church and our ministries. Still, I would suspect that Mr. Jobs and I would have had serious differences of opinion and belief about matters of life and death and eternity--and from all I have read, I have never seen anything that suggested that he ever made the "big choice in life" to trust in Jesus Christ as His Lord and Savior. But I am not here to judge him, especially since I would have no way of knowing the matters of his heart.

That doesn't mean I don't agree with much of what he had to say in that speech, especially when his words are read through the lens of faith in Christ. As another man who greatly impacted his world in his generation, the apostle Paul, wrote in a Philippians verse we looked at just a few weeks ago, "to live is Christ, and to die is gain." In other words, once you've come to grips with the truth that "life is terminal," and once you've settled your eternity with the God who created you, then it sets you free to live passionately and "to avoid the trap of thinking you have something to lose," as Jobs said. To know Christ is truly a "win, win."

As for how we live until that day comes, I am reminded of the words of the psalmist, who said: "Teach us to number our days aright, that we may gain a heart of wisdom." (Psalm 90:12) In other words, since we can't count our days, we need to make our days count. And, as Jobs said, one of the best ways to do that is to live today like it was your last.

Have a blessed rest of your life! I'll see you Sunday.

--Pastor Ken

A 'Courageous' Movie

Fri, 30 Sep 2011 00:00:00 GMT

I have never used this space to endorse any kind of political agenda or product, and don't intend to start doing so now. However, I would like to recommend a movie.

Let me be the first to say that I am no Siskel or Ebert. I did review a Queen album for my high school newspaper, but that was a long, long time ago, and I pray that no copies still exist of that review.

I will also admit that I'm certainly no expert on movies. I could count on one hand the number of times I've been to a movie in the last five years that wasn't at the dollar theater. I am not a big fan of most of what comes out of Hollywood, and would have a hard time identifying half of the hot-list of actors and actresses.

Still, I do enjoy a good flick when I see it, especially when it has a compelling story line. My wife and I had the privilege of seeing such a movie a few months back, when we joined a couple of hundred other pastors for a screening of the movie Courageous. Unless you've been hiding under a rock and haven't seen all the promotion, you probably know that the movie opens in theaters across the country today, including in our area.

If you've seen Fireproof, or Facing the Giants, or evenFlywheel, you know the background of these movies. They are produced by Sherwood Pictures, which is an extension of Sherwood Baptist Church in Albany, Georgia. They are often a little cheesy, and even predictable, because they don't shrink away from their agenda of presenting family-friendly entertainment with a message. And that message centers, without apology, on the difference-making impact of the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Each of the Sherwood movies has improved over the previous one in production values and acting, and I believe the script-writing has gotten better too. It is my opinion that Courageous is Sherwood's best movie yet.

On the one hand, I would strongly recommend that you go see this movie, and others like it (including the soon-to-be-released October Baby, which was co-written and sound-engineered by Theresa and Stephen Preston from our own Shelby Crossings family)--if only to send a message to the movie industry that family-friendly films are worth producing. It's easy to complain about what's gone wrong with our culture, and blame Hollywood for their influence, but money talks, and when we do come across something that reflects our values one of the best ways we can make a statement is with our wallets. So, go buy some tickets, enjoy the movie, and help send Hollywood a message.

On the other hand, I would strongly recommend this movie simply because it is a good film, and worth watching. It's entertaining--you'll laugh, you'll cry--and it communicates a powerful message, especially to men who are fathers. Yes, it's over-the-top with its message but this is no ordinary good-enough-for-a-Christian-movie production. It's surely better than most of the options you could see at a theater tonight.

I'll say this one last thing. The movie Fireproof was used by God as an instrument to see literally thousands of people won to Christ and countless marriages restored. I believe Courageous will be used as a catalyst to restore a sense of Biblical manhood and fatherhood to this generation. I hope you'll give it a chance to make that kind of impact on your family.

That's my $.02. I do hope you get a chance to seeCourageous soon, and that you are blessed by it. I'm praying for you and look forward to seeing you Sunday.

--Pastor Ken

Overcoming Asklessness

Fri, 23 Sep 2011 00:00:00 GMT

"If you never ask, the answer is always no.

That's a common line in the world of sales and marketing, especially in reference to the need to close the deal. I came across that statement recently and it got my attention because it also applies to our prayer life.

James said, "You do not have because you do not ask God." (James 4:2). How much clearer could that be? He also said, in the same passage, that we don't receive because we ask with the wrong motives, but I am convinced, from my observations of others and from my own inconsistent prayer life, that the biggest problem for most of us is the first part of that equation. Someone I read recently called it "asklessness." If you never ask, the answer is always no.

On a similar note, I came across a blog this week from Grant McDonald, called "Pray Anyway." It hit me as a cure for asklessness, and a call to cut out the excuses for our lack of prayer. I thought I'd share it with you here:

When you don't know how to pray, pray anyway! Ignorance is no excuse.

When you don't feel like praying, pray anyway! Depression is no excuse.

When dullness sits on you like a vulture, and a you can't muster enough enthusiasm to change channels, much less to pray, pray anyway! Boredom is no excuse.

When you see no need to pray and no reason to intercede for those about you, recognize this as a sign of impending danger and pray anyway. Blindness is no excuse.

When you've grown spiritually lazy and feel that you'll never be able to pick up your Bible and read it the way you once did, especially pray anyway. Laziness is no excuse.

When you don't understand what the big deal is about prayer, and you think it's overrated because it never did you much good, pray anyway. Immaturity is no excuse.

When you're too tired to remember your own name, and you know God will understand if you don't pray, pray anyway. Fatigue is no excuse.

When you're embarrassed to be back before God, confessing the same sins and admitting the same failures, come on and pray anyway. Shame is no excuse.

When you've been unfaithful and know it and you feel that burden of guilt that makes you want to run and hide under the porch, pray anyway. Sin is no excuse.

When the nagging voice of the enemy keeps telling you there is no God and even if there were, He'd never have anything to do with a nobody like you, you, pray anyway. Unbelief is no excuse.

We can bless ourselves immeasurably by rescuing our prayer life from bondage to our emotions and circumstances. There is no time and there are no conditions in which prayer is not necessary, not helpful, and not the right thing to do.

Let us pray. "Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need." (Heb. 4:15)

Have a blessed weekend. I look forward to seeing you on Sunday.

--Pastor Ken

Never Alone

Fri, 9 Sep 2011 00:00:00 GMT

I was flipping through the channels the other night and came across a familiar movie I've seen a few times before, "Cast Away," starring Tom Hanks. If you've seen the movie, you know it's the story of a man named Chuck Nolan (played by Hanks), a FedEx executive who gets stranded when his plane goes down in the middle of the South Pacific. He is the only survivor.

It's a modern-day Robinson Crusoe story, without the man Friday. It's Gilligan, without the skipper and the rest of the gang. That's what makes the movie kind of strange, and at the same time compelling. We follow the main character, all alone on a deserted island, and because of that there is really no dialogue for most of the movie. What we do see is typical 21st century American having to learn to live in primitive conditions, all the while holding on to the hope of a love left at home.

There are but a few modern props, all provided when some of the cargo from the FedEx plane washes ashore. Among the items found were some ice skates and a Wilson brand of volleyball. In one particular scene, as Nolan tries to start a fire with a sharp stick, he cuts his hand. In frustration, he takes the volleyball and throws it as hard as he can. When it lands he notices that his bloody hand has made an imprint on the ball that looks like a fiery head. With his finger he draws a face in the blood, and right in front of our eyes, "Wilson" is born.

Throughout the movie, Nolan makes sure to keep his new friend Wilson nearby, whatever he's going through. He talks to him, reasons with him, and seemingly finds companionship with him--though he is obviously a man-made ball, with a man-made personality. An idol, if you will.

The sad part of the whole movie is that in all of the loneliness and fear and despair of trying to survive in a desperate situation, Nolan's character never once cries out to God. Instead, in effect, he makes his own god.

Sadder still is how often we all tend to do the same thing, whether we're in a desperate situation or just wading through the mundane details of our daily lives. We'll find just about anyone or any thing to occupy our minds and divert our attention, sometimes even making our idols with our own hands. But no matter how much we would like to imagine otherwise, these "gods" do not provide meaningful companionship, they do not offer us hope, they will not satisfy the longings of our heart. They are not real.

The good news is there's a real God who knows where we are, even if we feel like we're trying to survive on a desert island of our own. We are never alone, and will never be "cast away" from His presence when we come to Him in prayer. He is, as Scripture promises, "our refuge and strength, our ever-present help in times of trouble."

My prayer for each of us is that in the midst of all the idols of this world crying out for our attention, we'll give our full focus and devotion to God today. May He bless you and your family this weekend. I look forward to seeing you on Sunday.

--Pastor Ken

Warts and All

Fri, 2 Sep 2011 00:00:00 GMT

If there's one over-arching desire I have for the ministry of The Church at Shelby Crossings, it's that we would "get real." Whatever we do, we seek to cut through the artificial and superficial to relate to God and to one another in a sincere and genuine way. That's true for our worship, our small groups, and all of our relationships.

No pretense. No posing. No hypocrisy. Just real faith, in a real God, in real life.

Get real is a common expression of our generation. We don't have to define it; we know well what it means. But sometimes getting real means getting "messy." Life is hard, and when we take the step to take off our masks and cut through the surface-level layers of image-protection--and truly live in the abounding grace of our God--it makes us vulnerable and scares us to death. But it's worth the risk, I promise.

There's another common expression, passed down from years gone by, which is a little more earthy than cool: warts and all. Like a wart, getting real is not very pretty sometimes. But we must always resist the temptation to cover things over and act like everything's fine when it's not. We are imperfect people, in process, seeking to "get real" with ourselves, with one another, and most importantly, with God.

We in the church can be sure of one thing: the world is checking us out, not expecting that we would be perfect, but seeing if we are real. There is no greater turn-off to an unchurched world than artificial, hypocritical people, especially in church. They want to see substance, sincerely, authenticity. And often, they judge by our level of authenticity, how real they think our God is.

So, instead of acting like we've got it together, maybe we would all do well to work together to get it together, together. That's what the body of Christ is all about--living under God's grace and sharing in community with other imperfect people like ourselves, seeking to become all that He has called us to be. And that starts with getting real with Him...warts and all.

My prayer for each of us is that we'll experience the real-life joy of a real relationship with a very real God, even in the midst of all the real struggles and pain that we all face each week. God knows where we are, and He sees beyond our masks, and desires to meet us where we are and "get real" with us today.

May His sufficient grace be poured out in your life this week. I look forward to seeing you Sunday.

--Pastor Ken

Party Time!

Fri, 26 Aug 2011 00:00:00 GMT

You may have heard the story last month about an Australian schoolgirl who got a little overzealous about inviting her friends to her birthday party. Wanting to make sure her classmates knew about the party, she created an "event" on Facebook and invited everyone she knew. She also asked them to get the word out and to bring their friends. She even posted her home address in the invitation.

Her post went viral, and within 24 hours more than 20,000 people said they were coming. Then the number surged to 200,000! The party had to be cancelled, and her parents even had police stationed in the neighborhood the day of the supposed party for crowd control purposes. The girl's father also cancelled her Facebook account.

Happy birthday!

All of us have done foolish things like that, I'm sure, most of us before we had something like Facebook to magnify our mistakes. But in her defense, the young girl really had no idea what she was getting herself into. She was just excited about her party and wanted to invite everyone she could.

I couldn't help but think of Jesus' parable of the great banquet in Luke 14, and His own instructions about inviting everyone we know to the "party." He spoke, I believe, about life in His kingdom, and our call as disciples to "go out to the highways and byways and compel them to come in."

It's a simple illustration of someone excited enough about an invitation to a very special banquet that they wouldn't dare think of leaving anyone out, which should be our response to the gospel. When we are reconciled with Christ, His love "compels us" to be His ambassadors (2 Cor. 5) and invite others to know that same reconciliation. How can we who've been privileged to eat at His table not invite others to the same party?

That's really what Christ's Great Commission is about, extending the invitation we've accepted to those who have not yet heard. Whether it goes "viral" or is passed on one excited partier at a time, that's how God intends to reach our generation, using us as instruments of invitation, spreading the good news of His cross and His kingdom.

How excited are you about the party you've been invited to? Enough to pass it on? I hope you will.

I'm praying for you, as I hope you are for me, and I look forward to seeing you Sunday, for a great party of celebration of God's gracioius work in our lives. Invite a friend!

--Pastor Ken

Water-Walking Dogs and Half-Full Glasses

Fri, 19 Aug 2011 00:00:00 GMT

Two friends--one an optimist and the other a pessimist--could never quite agree on any topic of discussion. One day the optimist decided he had found a good way to pull his friend out of his continually pessimistic way of thinking.

The optimist owned a hunting dog that could walk on water. His plan? Take the pessimist and the dog out duck hunting in a boat. They got out into the middle of the lake, and the optimist shot down a duck. The dog immediately walked across the water, retrieved the duck, and walked back to the boat.

The optimist looked at his pessimistic friend and said, "What do you think about that?" The pessimist replied, "That dog can't swim, can he?"

Some people are like that, you know. The glass is always half empty to them. They always see the down side of things, and they have a way of bringing everybody else down with them. What's even worse, many of those people are Christians, which is almost a contradiction in terms.

If there's anybody on the planet who should have a hope-filled, positive perspective, it's believers. We who are saved by our faith should live by it, and faith, by definition, believes in the possibilities of what God can and will do.

So, how about you? Are your words filled with promise and possibility, or with negativism and frustration? Do you rejoice in all that is good, or complain about what's not?Do you see water-walkers or non-swimmers? Half full, of half empty? The choice, quite frankly, is up to you.

The apostle Paul suggested as much when he said in his letter to the Philippians that we should choose to "think on" those things that are good, instead of dwelling on those that aren't: "Whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable--if anything is excellent or praiseworthy--think about such things....And the God of peace will be with you." (Phil. 4:8-9)

Here's hoping you experience the God of peace in all that you do this week, and that those around you notice His hope oozing out of your life on every side, no matter the circumstances. I'm praying for you, and I look forward to seeing you Sunday.

--Pastor Ken

Take This Job...and Love It!

Fri, 12 Aug 2011 00:00:00 GMT

Most people spend four to eight years going to school to learn how to do it. Once we are done with learning how to do it, most Americans spend a minimum of 80,000 hours--or 10,000 days--of their lives doing it. If we can't do enough of it, we risk losing what we have. If we try to do too much of it, we risk losing our health and families. We can starve if we do too little, and we can burn ourselves out if we emphasize it too strongly.

Work. It's as old as humanity, but it's still a source of pressure and struggle for most of us. Whether you hold a traditional job in the market place, or if you put in your hours toiling as a stay-at-home mom (or dad), your vocation is no doubt one of the dominant themes of your life. Full-time or part-time, inside or outside the home, for yourself or for somebody else, or even as a volunteer, our work always seems to find its way to the center of our lives.

Work has been a major topic for so many in the Shelby Crossings family over the past year or so. We've prayed for several of you who have been seeking new jobs, and have been blessed to see answers to many of those prayers. For others, who work in a corporate world where "downsizing" is the order of the day in our reeling economy, your jobs teeter on the brink of being eliminated at any time. For all of us, there's the stress of long hours, hard work, and trying to pay the bills with what we bring home. And we haven't even mentioned having to put up with an ornery boss or a whining co-worker!

I hope you realize that you don't have to face your employment crisis alone. Your occupation is as important to God as it is to you, though sometimes we're prone to lose our perspective a bit. God invented work, and He desires that we provide for our families--and honor Him--through our work. His word speaks volumes on the subject of work and His will for how we approach our vocation. You might even call the Bible...the book of "job."

I hope you'll be able to join us for the next four weeks--through Labor Day weekend--as we share a new series of messages about God's will for our work, entitled Life @ Work. If you have friends who are facing particular job stresses, invite them to be with us. I'm excited to see what God has in store for us as we seek Him on this important subject.

I'm praying for you, as I hope you are for me, and look forward to seeing you Sunday.

--Pastor Ken

Light in Darkness

Fri, 5 Aug 2011 00:00:00 GMT

Bad news. And then, more bad news. Open up the newspaper or watch the news these days and it seems there's nothing but bad news in front of you. A recent double murder at a hotel in Alabaster, including one victim who was not even a year old. Another murder in Calera. Of course, neither of those stories compared to the calculated mass murder in Norway a few weeks back. Brutality and a general disregard for life seems to be the order of the day.

The economy continues to bottom out, with unemployment high and housing prices low. Then, there's the current tanking of the stock market, with yesterday's drop the biggest in years and a sign of a possible "double dip" recession. It's no fun to watch your 401K or IRA disappear right in front of your eyes--again--as many of you know firsthand.

In Washington there's the rancor and "end-of-the-world-as-we-know-it" rhetoric associated with the debt ceiling and budget woes, as all the politicians pass the political hot potato, blaming everyone else for the problems. Even the compromise deal this week that kept the government afloat left no one happy.

Locally, you have an on-going front page news of the corruption trial involving state politicians and their friends in the electronic bingo world. And, even closer to home, Jefferson County faces a hopeless financial situation and the probability of the largest municipal bankruptcy in the history of these United States.

The constant diet of bad news is enough to depress anybody.

So. What is our role? Can we as a local church make a difference in such a messed up world? What do we have to offer, to counter the constant barrage of bad news?

How about hope. And truth. And love. How about good news.

If nothing else, as Christians are bearers of the Gospel, which by its very definition means "good news." We can offer hope for the person who can't see a reason to go on, truth for those trapped in a world of dishonesty and inauthenticity, love for even those caught up in despicable sin. And that hope is in the person of Jesus Christ.

It's no secret our world is getting darker by the day. That's the bad news. But Jesus Himself said it didn't have to be that way. "You are the light of the world," He said. That's the good news.

May your light shine brightly for Him this week. I'm praying for you, and I look forward to seeing you Sunday.

--Pastor Ken

Find Us Faithful

Fri, 29 Jul 2011 00:00:00 GMT

This weekend, I'll have the privilege of "officiating" the renewing of wedding vows for my in-laws on the occasion of their 50th wedding anniversary. I had the same opportunity to take part in a renewal of vows for my own parents on their golden anniversary eleven years ago, and I am honored to be able to do it a second time.

I must say, I have some very special in-laws and I am exceedingly proud of them. The Scriptures speak much about children bringing honor to their parents, but they also say a lot about parents leaving a legacy of honor for their children (and children-in-laws). My in-laws sure have, and I am very grateful for the heritage they have passed down to their children, and grandchildren.

It takes a lot to live with someone for fifty years (especially if they're a Gentry!). Traits like patience and perseverance. Thick skin. Longsuffering. Self-sacrifice. Genuine love. And yes, the health to live that long.

But perhaps the one character trait that stands out, especially in this day and age, is faithfulness. The secret to a great long-lasting marriage is not so much the spectacular or romantic as much as it is doing the every-day-life things, every day. And, over the course of fifty years, that's a lot of days of staying the course, together.

When the apostle Paul in the New Testament compared our relationship to Christ with marriage--we are the bride of Christ--I think he had much of that idea of faithful love in mind. Jesus promises to always be faithful to us, and it is His model of faithfulness that we are called to follow.

I hope that of all the character traits you exhibit in your walk with God, and in your service to His church, a life of consistent, steady faithfulness will stand out above the rest.

Thanks to my in-laws for their testimony of faithfulness, first to the Lord and also to each other and to their family--and thanks to each of you as well for your weekly testimonies of faithfulness to Him and to his church. My prayer is that He would truly find us faithful.

I'm praying for you, as I hope you are for me too..

--Pastor Ken

Moments of Grace

Fri, 22 Jul 2011 00:00:00 GMT

What would happen if a world-class musician performed elegant classical music on a priceless instrument in a busy train station in an American city?

The Washington Post did a little experiment to find out for themselves in their own city in January of 2007. The musician was Joshua Bell, who can earn upwards of $50,000 for an evening's performance. The instrument was a three hundred year-old Stradivarius violin valued at $3.5 million. The music included the works of Bach and other masters.

The experiment was captured on hidden camera. How did people respond?

During Mr. Bell's 45 minute performance, 1,097 people passed by. Twenty-seven people dropped spare change into his open violin case, for a total of $35. Seven of them stopped what they were doing to listen for at least one minute. The other 1,070 people hurried past, oblivious, uninterested, unmoved.

It made me wonder how I might have responded had I been among the busy people in that Metro station that day. I probably would have missed it too, and I suspect you might have as well. The sad reality is, we miss such moments of wonder and grace every day.

How many times do we encounter truth, beauty, and excellence, without giving it a second look? How many messages of hope do we ignore? How many demonstrations of grace do we disregard? How many divine appointments do we overlook? What are we missing, trying to make our next train?

What would happen if, as a habit, we started noticing a little more. I've had a good opportunity to do my own little experiment at Vacation Bible School this week. I've tried to look at all the little urchins running among us--ordinary kids who are loud, attention-challenged, and bouncing-off-the-walls--to see them as what God can do through them, in His extra-ordinary ways, not in how much trouble they can be. They have such potential as His "workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works." (Eph. 2:10) They are little maestros, instruments of praise in God's hands, and how privileged we are to have the joy of spending the week seeing God work in their lives.

It's amazing how much wide-eyed expectancy can change your perspective on things, and on people. May I suggest you give it a try as well. Open your eyes in the midst of your busy-ness and recognize those brief moments of grace and opportunities for wonder that God sends your way each day. There will be at least a few today. Will you see them?

I'm praying for you, and I can't wait to see each of you this Sunday at Shelby Crossings as we gather together to experience His grace up close and personal.

--Pastor Ken

A Team Effort

Fri, 15 Jul 2011 00:00:00 GMT

Last Friday, the Space Shuttle Atlantis blasted off on its last flight to the International Space Station, marking an end to the shuttle program after 30 years. I can't say I've really kept up with the shuttle for many years, but I was surprised to hear the program was coming to an end.

I do remember as a kid the fascination we all had with the space program, in the days of the Apollo trips to the moon, the lunar modules, and that historic night we all got to stay up late and hear Neil Armstrong say, "One small step for man...." as he took that first step onto the surface of the moon.

That was 42 years ago this week, July 20, 1969. Even after all these many years and ater all the hundreds of astronauts that have made it into space, it's the name Neil Armstrong that is still most associated with the NASA voyages.

In reality, Armstrong was one of 218,000 people involved in making that first lunar landing happen. He may have gotten most of the recognition, but he would have been the first to tell you that it was a team effort. He never would have made it to the moon had it not been for a team of thousands of committed individuals who had worked day and night for years to make it happen.

I recently heard a story about a horse-pulling contest held at a county fair. The second place winner pulled a sled of 1,000 pounds. The first place winner pulled a sled of 1,500 pounds. But when the two horses were teamed up, together they pulled 4,000 pounds of weight.

Our walk as believers--and the ministry we carry out as the church--is likewise a "team sport." God intends for us to work together to do what we could never do by ourselves.

That is never truer than when we as a church join together for a wonderful ministry effort like the Vacation Bible School that lies before us next week. Already, so many of you have put so much time and effort into planning, writing, preparing, and praying for this week of ministry to the children of our church and our community. Working together as partners in ministry, God has already been honored, and He will be even more next week as this ministry bears fruit in the hundred or so children who will be on our campus.

Thanks to each of you, in advance, for your service, and thanks be to God for the eternal things He is doing to do in the lives of boys and girls next week. Please join us in praying for this work---and don't forget to invite the kids from your neighborhood to be with us!

I'm praying for you, and look forward to seeing you on Sunday.

--Pastor Ken

What's Wrong With the World?

Fri, 8 Jul 2011 00:00:00 GMT

I have to admit, I didn't keep up at all with the Casey Anthony trial until this week's verdict hit the Yahoo front page and then exploded onto Facebook. I was surprised at the reaction; first, at how many other people were following the case, and secondly, at how much emotion the verdict apparently evoked.

Someone--I do not remember who it was--posted a simple question on Facebook, expressing their disbelief: "What is wrong with this world?"

It reminded me of one of my favorite authors, G.K. Chesterton, who was a philosopher, Christian apologist, and even political commentator known for his insight and wit on a variety of subjects. He was in his prime as a prolific writer about a century ago in England.

In 1912, The London Times asked several prominent authors to write essays on the subject "What's Wrong with the World?" Chesterton's essay took the form of a very short letter to the editor:

Dear Sirs,

I am.

Sincerely yours,

G.K. Chesterton

It was typical Chesterton, succinct and very much to the point. It was not the expected lofty opinion of a respected author and thinker as much as a statement of his own humble position. Instead of finding someone else to blame, he looked past the specks in everyone else's eyes to see the plank in his own.

It was, stated in a simple yet profound way, an important theological proposition of the ultimate problem with the world, the fallen nature of humanity. I am...what's wrong with the world.

Sometimes, when we see evidence of the confusion and corruption and depravity of this world, and when we are tempted to wring our hands and wonder why those bad people don't straighten up and fly right (like us), we all need to be reminded that, like Pogo, "we have met the enemy, and he is us." A good humbling look in the mirror is healthy for all of us every now and then, just to be reminded of who we are, and who we are not.

Fortunately, that's not the end of the story. Thanks be to God, that He has given us His unfathomable gift of grace so that though we may be what is wrong with the world, He has made us right through the sacrifice of His Son Jesus Christ.

May His grace sustain you today, even in the chaos of the world we live in. I'm praying for you, and look forward to seeing you on Sunday.

--Pastor Ken

Happy Birthday, America

Fri, 1 Jul 2011 00:00:00 GMT

"The land of the free, and the home of the brave." At least that's how the "Star-Spangled Banner" describes these United States. Whether that is still true in either instance is very much in question.

For many of the freedoms upon which this nation was founded have been slowly eroding, especially those involving our public faith in God. Many of us have allowed voices in our culture to convince us that the "separation of church and state" denies any matters of faith in the public arena. We have given up our freedom to be "Christian," and the world we live in suffers dearly for it.

Which brings us to Independence Day, 2011. As our nation prepares to celebrate her 235th birthday on Monday, we would all do well to be reminded of the godly heritage on which this nation was founded. It is a heritage that is being increasingly imperiled by those who wish to purge our Christian ancestry from contemporary culture.

We need look no further than our first president, George Washington, to understand the roots of godly acknowledgment by our forefathers. In September, 1779, the House of Representatives, after passing a resolution calling for a day of national prayer and thanksgiving, received President Washington's response:

It is the duty of all nations to acknowledge the providence of Almighty God, to obey His will, to be grateful for His benefits and humbly to implore His protection and favor....That great and glorious Being who is the beneficent author of all the good that was, that is, or that ever will be, that we may then unite in rendering unto Him our sincere and humble thanks for His kind care and protection of the people...

You have to wonder if certain segments of our society wouldn't try to run the "Father of our Country" out of town on a rail for such comments today. Even so, as hard as they may try to remove God from our national heritage, they cannot. History will not allow it, and we mustn't allow it.

As we celebrate America's birthday with food, and family, and fireworks, let us not take lightly the godly heritage which has been passed down to us. And let us recommit ourselves to being distinctly Christian in our citizenship, for that is what our nation needs most.

Happy Birthday, America. And happy Independence Day to all of you, free and brave. Have a safe and blessed holiday weekend. I do hope to see you on Sunday.

--Pastor Ken

Searching for God?

Fri, 24 Jun 2011 00:00:00 GMT

Are you searching for God? You might want to consider looking in Sumter County, Florida. At least that's what the folks at American Family Publishers seemed to think a few years ago, when they mailed a sweepstakes notice addressed to "God" to a church in Bushnell, about sixty miles north of Tampa. The message: "God is a finalist for the $11 million top prize!"

"God, we're searching for you," American Family wrote in the letter, received by the Bushnell Assembly of God. If God were to win, the letter stated, "What an incredible fortune there would be for God!" according to theSumter County Times, which first reported the divine mix-up. "Could you imagine the looks you'd get from neighbors? But don't just sit there, God."

Church pastor Bill Brack was quoted in a CNN report about the letter, saying, "I always thought He lived here, but I didn't actually know."

I do hope they found Him there, even though I doubt He really needed the prize money. And I do hope you find Him as well, wherever you are looking.

Of course, we all know, theologically-speaking, that God is always with us. He is omni-present, meaning He is everywhere, all the time, even in Bushnell, Florida. However, we also know that the Bible tells us to "seek the Lord while He may be found," even as He has come to "seek and to save" us as well. That means we seek the one who seeks us.

The good news is that we have been promised that our search will not be in vain. Hear what the Lord promised His people through His servant Moses, in Deuteronomy 4:29: "But if from there you seek the Lord your God, you will find Him if you look for Him with all your heart and with all your soul." Are you seeking the Lord?

I wouldn't be surprised if we started getting a few letters addressed to God around here at Shelby Crossings, the way He has been "showing up" in our worship gatherings of late. We will continue to seek His presence, that He might reveal Himself to us in a real way, and speak to us from His word with clarity and conviction.

I hope you'll be praying this week, in preparation for our worship gathering this Sunday, for God to be in the midst of His people, drawing us to Himself, and inhabiting the praises of His people. I'm praying for each of you, and I look forward to seeing you Sunday. Why don't you invite a friend to join us?

--Pastor Ken

'Where Are You'?

Fri, 17 Jun 2011 00:00:00 GMT

You've heard the story, probably from your earliest days of Sunday School. Adam and Eve, living in the world's most perfect surroundings, with only one rule to govern their joyous existence. Who could ask for anything more?

And they still blew it. They fell to temptation, they ate of the tree, they sinned against God's perfect plan for their lives.

Suddenly they realized they were naked, and were embarrassed. They hid themselves, then sewed together fix leaves to clothe themselves and cover up their shame. And from their place of hiding, they heard the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day. He called out to them, asking simply, "Where are you?"

That whole scene has always fascinated me. I get a mental picture of a Tarzan-and-Jane world, except there was a perfect, unbroken fellowship with God that is hard to even imagine in our fallen world. Into that stressless environment of freedom and joy comes the tempter to throw a little discontent into their lives. Before you know it, there's sin, there's shame, there's hiding from God.

Then there's that question: "Where are you?"

It is important to realize that when the Lord asks His people a question, it's not because He needs more information. He knew where they were. He was just checking to see if they did. They thought they could hide from Him, but in fact, they were hiding from themselves. And so He broke the garden silence with that simple, yet profound question of penetrating self-examination.

I believe He still asks that question today to all of us who now live in this less than perfect world. And many of us are still hiding--from sin, from shame, from God, from ourselves. So, how do you answer that? Where are you, in your relationship with Him? God knows. Do you?

I hope you'll come out of your hiding place this week so you can be "found" by God. He loves you--anyway--and He's looking for you (even if He already knows where you are), with a desire to bless you more than you could imagine.

I look forward to seeing this Sunday.

--Pastor Ken

How to Change the World

Fri, 10 Jun 2011 00:00:00 GMT

The following words were written on the tomb of an Anglican bishop in the crypts of Westminster Abbey:

When I was young and free and my imagination had no limits, I dreamed of changing the world. As I grew older and wiser, I discovered the world would not change, so I shortened my sights somewhat and decided to change only my country.

But it too seemed immovable.

As I grew into my twilight years, in one last desperate attempt, I settled for changing only my family, those closest to me, but alas, they would have none of it.

And now as I lay on my deathbed, I suddenly realize: If I had only changed myself first, then by example I would have changed my family. From their inspiration and encouragement, I would then have been able to better my country and, who knows, I may have even changed the world.

So, what is it about the world you think needs changing? Or, closer to home, about our country? Or perhaps at your work place, in our church, or in your family? God wants to start right where you are and change you first, as He Himself transforms you by the power of His Holy Spirit, as you make yourself available to Him. From there He'll work in you and through you to change the world.

I pray that today you'll allow His touch of grace to minister hope and peace to your heart and bring change to your life first. I pray that for myself too. Who knows, you and I--and Jesus Christ working in us--may even change the world!

I look forward to seeing you Sunday morning, and later that day at our Shelby Crossings gathering at Oak Mountain. It's going to be a great day!

Have a blessed weekend.

--Pastor Ken

Safe...and Dangerous

Fri, 3 Jun 2011 00:00:00 GMT

Ever tempted to stay home and sleep in on a Sunday morning, instead of coming to worship with your church family? Here's some advice: Don't!

A study a few years ago by the United Kingdom's Department of Trade and Industry, reported in theLondon Times, says the average household is a pretty dangerous place. In a study of hospital records from 1999, government researchers found an 85 percent increase over the year before from injuries severe enough to require hospital admission associated with...tea cozies.

Since I had no clue what that was, I Googled it, and discovered (via Wikipedia) that a tea cozy is a cover for a teapot traditionally made of cloth or wool which is used to insulate the tea, keeping it warm while it brews. Very dangerous indeed.

In the same study, it was found that vegetables were indicted in 13,132 household injuries, toilet-roll holders 329, false teeth 933, and 16,662 were hospitalized after losing out to a sofa. "Trouser incidents" contributed to 5,945 injuries, compared to chainsaws at just 1,207. "It seems odd there are so many more accidents involving trousers than chainsaws," admitted James Eason of the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents, "but everyone has trousers and hardly anyone has chainsaws."

My first reaction is that those British folks are not very bright, or at least awfully clumsy. But I'm sure someone could do a study here in America and find similar statistics. We are constantly hearing of some report telling us the inherent dangers of our workplace, or traveling on the roads and highways, or riding a bike or scooter, or vacationing at the mountains or beach (Shark!). But when was the last time you heard someone say that "church" is a dangerous place to be? On the contrary, several academic studies have confirmed that people who attend church regularly are generally healthier, happier and live longer! So you might want to think again before you consider the "risk" of sleeping in this Sunday.

On the other hand, when you get serious about walking with the Lord and being an active part of His church, it can be kind of dangerous. One prominent pastor used to say he wanted his church to be "a safe place to hear a dangerous message." I'd agree that's what we'd like to be at Shelby Crossings--a safe place for people to find love and acceptance, while being confronted with the uncompromising and life-altering truth of the gospel that will turn their life upside down. Or better, rightside up!

Here's hoping you have a safe weekend, but that you make plans to join us for a little "danger" on Sunday as we kick off our new summer series of messages from the Old Testament book of Daniel I'm praying for you, and look forward to seeing you on Sunday.

--Pastor Ken

How to 'Go to Church'

Fri, 27 May 2011 00:00:00 GMT

"I was glad when they said unto me, let us go into the house of the Lord." --Psalm 133:1

Let me start off by saying that I know that church is not a place, but a people; and we don't go to church, we arethe church. That is fundamental to all that we are at The Church at Shelby Crossings, and I believe it is more than just semantics. As we have been discussing in our Sunday morning small group study the past few weeks, it is a mindset that determines how we see church, and how we "do" church week to week, outside the walls of our building.

Still, in our culture, so many people automatically assume that "church" is the place we go, or the service we attend on Sunday mornings at 10 a.m. Whatever we call it, I hope we can all agree with the psalmist that we are glad for every opportunity we have to gather with God's people in the (ware)house of the Lord.

The truth is, many are not so glad. They attend more out of obligation, or religious duty, or guilt management than because they love to celebrate God's grace in their lives or hear His truth proclaimed. I would suggest that how we "go" determines a great deal how glad we are when we get there. With that in mind, here are a few suggestions this week on how to "go to church."

First, we should go to church "prayed-up." No, that doesn't mean that you always have to be spiritually ready to come before the Lord--He still meets us right where we are when we come to Him. However, our spiritual preparation for corporate worship before 10:00 on Sunday morning will have much to do with how the Lord reveals Himself to us during our time together. Pray throughout the week, and on Sunday morning, that the Lord will be at work in your life and in our church. Then come expecting Him to move. He will.

It is also very helpful if you go to church on-time--or even, a little early! This has several benefits. For one, it gives you a chance to meet and greet other folks you're going to be worshiping with--especially guests you haven't met. It also causes less distraction to others when you can get seated before the service starts. You also won't miss vital parts of the service which are planned to lead you into worship in the presence of God. And finally, you'll be less stressed and more focused on connecting with God when you're not coming in late.

And finally, it's always better when you go to church...with a friend! As we seek to reach our community with the gospel, we want to provide a place where our friends and neighbors can come and check out authentic Christianity in a loving environment of real people. It's so much more exciting to go to worship with a friend you've invited, prayerfully expecting God's work in his or her life. What a wonderful way to come to the Lord, like the disciple Andrew, bringing someone with you.

So, let's "go to church" this Sunday--on time, expecting God to move, with a Bible in one hand and a friend on the other. It's going to be a great day!

--Pastor Ken

The Days of Our Lives

Fri, 20 May 2011 00:00:00 GMT

I took one of my children to a birthday breakfast this week. Except, in reality, she's not much of a child any more. Technically, she can have her own library card now, and order things off of television too, so I guess she's an adult. Or at least pretty close.

As best I can calculate it, this was somewhere in the neighborhood of my 90th birthday breakfast as a dad. It's a pretty big deal in my family, starting when the kids are around three years old. They get to go anywhere they want for breakfast with their father, but most often it ends up just being a fast food stop. And then we talk.

We won't get into all that is discussed, but usually it includes a recap of the past year, and talk about what the upcoming year may hold. Often times there's reminiscing about years passed, and even a recollection of their original birth-day. And then that leads to pulling out a napkin and pen, and doing a little math. Number of years x 365 days + leap years = days they have been alive.

I'm not sure when and why we started doing that little exercise, but it's almost expected now. We did the math again this week, but not on the back of a Chick-Fil-A napkin. This time we used a calculator from a cell phone. The times, they are a changin' I guess.

It may be a silly family tradition that doesn't mean much to you but for some reason it's come to mean something in the Letson household. At this week's breakfast pow wow, when the count reached more than 6,500 days, we discussed the reason why we count our days.

I brought up a familiar verse from Psalm 90:12: "Teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom." There it is, right there in Scripture; a call to number the days of our lives. It even gives the reason: so that we can get a wise heart. But what does that mean?

I would suggest that we count our days--whether literally or figuratively--so that we live our lives in such a way to make our days count. Recognizing that our time on earth is limited and our days are numbered helps remind us that we are stewards of the life God has given us. Life is short, "like a vapor" as another Psalm tells us. And we don't want to waste a single precious moment.

Have you done the math lately on your life? Not so much with a napkin or calculator, but maybe with a look in the mirror. Have you pondered whether you are making your days count--in your family, in your work, in your service of others, in your walk with God? You'll never get those days back. Make the best of them now, while you can.

My prayer for each of us is that we will invest our time here on earth into things that will count for something eternal, so that we'll never look back with regret when we count the days of our lives.

I'm praying for you and I look forward to seeing you on Sunday.

--Pastor Ken

Who Is My Neighbor?

Fri, 6 May 2011 00:00:00 GMT

Author Terry Muck tells the story of a man who used to have no interest in spiritual things. He lived next door to a Christian, and they had a casual friendship, as neighbors across a fence might have. Then the non-Christian's wife was stricken with cancer, and died three months later. Here's part of a letter he wrote afterward:

I was in total despair. I went through the funeral preparations and the service like I was in a trance. And after the service I went to the path along the river and walked all night. But I did not walk alone. My neighbor--afraid for me, I guess--stayed with me all night.

He did not speak; he did not even walk beside me. He just followed me. When the sun finally arose over the river, he came over to me and said, "Let's go get some breakfast."

I go to church now. My neighbor's church. A religion that can produce the kind of caring and love my neighbor showed me is something I want to find out more about. I want to be like that. I want to love and be loved like that for the rest of my life.

What made the difference in this man's life? It was that one Christian dared to care enough to....be there.

The devastation wrought by last week's tornadoes has provided so many opportunities for us to "Love thy neighbor as thyself." What does that look like? For some it means helping someone sort through the rubble of what was once their home, or clearing downed trees and debris. For others it's passing out food and water and supplies, and for others stacking and sorting in distribution centers filled with donated goods. Some ministry is seen, some not so much. But more than anything, for our "neighbors" across town, our call is tobe there.

My prayer for our church family in this time of unprecedented ministry opportunity in our state is twofold: First, that we would live out the Gospel and reflect the love of Christ in every divine appointment for ministry He provides, so that somehow through this all, people would be attracted to the God we serve. And secondly, that through our heartfelt service in this time of tragedy to those we don't even know, we would catch a vision for serving the neighbors we do know and that we will learn through this experience how we can love those neighbors in tangible ways long after "April's Fury" has come and gone.

Thanks to each of you who have been serving so faithfully the past week or so, making a difference for Christ as His hands and feet in this world. Please continue to pray especially for those in our body who have family members who were directly affected by the tornadoes.

I count it such a privilege to serve you--and serve with you--at Shelby Crossings, and I look forward to seeing you Sunday.

--Pastor Ken

Comfort in Life's Biggest Storms

Fri, 29 Apr 2011 00:00:00 GMT

I had half-written this week's ePistle column by Wednesday afternoon of this week, and I must say that it was cute and catchy with a nice, neat little package of meaningful spiritual truth. You would have loved it, I promise. But then the storms came.

Something just doesn't seem right about cute and catchy on the heels of such devastation and so much loss. Like so many of you, I've had a hard time wrapping my mind and heart around all the destruction wrought by the tornadoes that hit our state two days ago.

Surely we were blessed that our area was missed, with two very close calls in the Calera/Alabaster area, and I'm very grateful that we made it through the storms safely. But, it's hard to feel good about things when you know there are so many not far down the road from us who have lost so much.

From Hackleburg to Huntsville, from Cullman to Cordova, from Forestdale to Fultondale, it's hard to fathom how many cities and towns were all but obliterated by the string of super-cell tornadoes that swept through Alabama on Wednesday, as all the world watched live and in color. Even now the death toll seems to grow by the hour.

The whole scene of that one huge twister, caught on camera so that we could all watch it up close and personal, was nothing short of surreal. It was like watching one of those bad movies that you dismiss as too unrealistic to ever happen--except this time it did.

The hardest hit areas from that tornado that first touched down in Tuscaloosa and stayed on the ground for hundreds of miles, were very familiar territory for me, except the videos we watch now show territory that is hardly familiar, or even recognizable. Still, it hit a little too close to home, even if it was thirty miles away from where I now live.

My father was from Concord, my mother from Tuscaloosa, and she lived until recently in Pleasant Grove, where I made at least a weekly trek for a couple of years. I still have plenty of family in all of these locations, including a few who lost their homes and sustained serious injuries. So, even though I sat so far out of harm's way, watching it all in the comfort of my own home, I felt like I was taking a direct hit.

Many of you can relate, including one of our elders who literally sat with his mother in his childhood home that did take a direct hit, throwing the house into the air and destroying it, while he and his mother miraculously escaped without a scratch. Oh, how blessed we were to hear that good news; and even though many may have lost their homes, at this point we know of no one directly connected to our church fellowship who lost their life.

All that to say--well, I don't really know what I'm trying to say--except that even in times of despair and devastation, God's mercies are new every morning, and we are grateful for the very breath of life He gives. As we "weep with those who weep" and try to serve those who are digging out of the rubble in days and weeks ahead, may the Lord grant us genuine hearts of compassion, that we may authentically share the love of Christ with a world that so desperately needs Him.

He is still risen! May He be your comfort in life's biggest storms. I'll see you Sunday.

--Pastor Ken

Go Fly a Kite

Fri, 22 Apr 2011 00:00:00 GMT

Today is Good Friday, as we call it in English. In German, it is Karfreitag, meaning "Friday of Lamentation." In Armenia it's called High Friday, and the Russians refer to it as Passion Friday. In China, it's known as the Day of Christ's Suffering. Other languages usually refer to it as Holy Friday.

In England, hot cross buns are served on this day, and the BBC introduced its morning newscast today with a verse from Isaac Watts' hymn, "When I Survey the Wondrous Cross." But perhaps the most interesting of traditions for this holy day comes in the island nation of Bermuda, where the custom is to fly kites on Good Friday.

Before you assume they have taken another holy day and turned it into a vacation resort recreational activity, there's a deeper meaning behind their kite-flying. It is said that in Bermuda's early days a teacher used a kite to illustrate the crucifixion of Christ, and obviously that illustration made its point. A tradition was born, and today all of the kites used in the Bermuda Kite Festival are to be made using wooden frames in the shape of a cross.

The kites humming in the wind are said to represent the moaning of Jesus' mother Mary, and the sound of the crowd shouting "Crucify Him! Crucify Him!" Ultimately, as the kites soar into the sky, they symbolize Christ the crucified one who is now ascended into heaven.

I had never heard of the Bermuda Kite Festival until recently, but I do think I like the tradition. Admittedly, it is a symbol, and like any symbol it can lose its meaning, as I am sure it has for many of the Bermudans. But it does remind us of the point of Good Friday, and that is that our Lord Jesus shed His blood on the cross for the sins of the world.

I don't know if you have any Good Friday traditions, or intentional reminders you make use of to point you to the cross, but I would encourage you to at least take time today to reflect on the cross of Christ, and the sacrifice Jesus offered when He gave His life for us. If it helps, go fly a kite. Just remember Jesus when you're doing it.

I am praying for you, and I'm excited to have the opportunity of celebrating the risen Christ with each of you this Easter Sunday morning.

--Pastor Ken

The Strongest Language God Could Use

Fri, 15 Apr 2011 00:00:00 GMT

This Sunday is Palm Sunday, signifying the day of Jesus' triumphal entry into Jerusalem when His followers laid palm branches on the road to welcome Him as He entered the city like a king. It was the beginning of a most eventful "passion week," as it would later be called. Only a few days later, the crowd that cried out, "Hosanna! Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!" would be yelling, "Crucify Him!" And Jesus would innocently go to the cross to die a murderous death on our behalf.

Of course, three days later He arose, conquering death and the grave, and we celebrate the hope of the empty tomb every year in our commemoration of Easter, as we will do on April 24. But there's something about the events that led up to Easter--most specifically, the cross--that we cannot ignore. Why, we may wonder, did Jesus have to die such a cruel death on the cross? What was the significance of the blood that He shed?

I read a true story recently that reminded me of the answer to that old question in a new way. Several years ago in Ontario, Canada, George and Vera Bajenksi's lives were changed forever. It was February 16, 1989, a very normal Thursday morning. The phone rang at 9:15 a.m. "There's been an accident..." It involved their son Ben.

As they approached the scene of the accident, they could see the flashing lights of police cars and ambulance units. When they rounded the corner, Vera saw the largest pool of blood she had ever seen. All she could say was, "George, Ben went home---home to be with His Heavenly Father."

She later wrote that her first reaction was to jump out of the car, somehow try to collect the blood and put it back into her son's lifeless body. "That blood, for me, at that moment, became the most precious thing in the world because it was life. It was life-giving blood and it belonged in my son, my only son, the one I loved so much."

The road was dirty and the blood just didn't belong there. George noticed that some of the cars that were trying to drive through the intersection were driving right through the blood. He wanted to cover the blood with his coat and cry, "You will not drive over the blood of my son!"

Then Vera understood for the first time in her life one of God's greatest and most beautiful truths. Why blood? Why is the blood of Jesus so important in the message of the gospel? Because it was the strongest language God could have used. It was the most precious thing He could give--the highest price He could pay.

Through God's amazing love we were redeemed with the precious blood of Christ (1 Peter 1:18-19). As the great hymn writer Charles Wesley said so long ago, "Amazing love, how can it be, that Thou, my God, shouldst die for me!"

My prayer for each of us this week is that we would never forget the incredible sacrifice the Father has made, nor carelessly trample upon the blood of God's Son (Hebrews 10:29). May your "passion week" ahead remind you of how deeply you are loved, and may you live a life worthy of the gift you have been given.

I look forward to seeing you on Palm Sunday.

--Pastor Ken

Unsinkable?

Fri, 8 Apr 2011 00:00:00 GMT

I read this week that next Thursday will mark the 99th anniversary of the Titanic sinking in the north Atlantic Ocean. It was April 14, 1912 when the vessel hit an iceberg, broke in two and sunk in the wee hours of the next morning, April 15.

It got me to thinking about the famous maiden voyage of the "unsinkable" ship, which cost some 1,517 of the approximately 2,200 passengers and crew their lives, including captain Edward J. Smith, who went down with his ship.

Aside from the romanticized movie version, there are several lessons that can be learned from that fateful first and last voyage of the largest and most luxurious ocean liner of its time. The most obvious is what happens when pride convinces you that you are invincible. You are destined to go down, as the Scriptures consistently attest. "Pride goes before destruction," is the way the NIV translates Proverbs 16:18, "a haughty spirit before a fall."

No one believed the Titanic could sink, and so several precautions were neglected that could have prevented the disaster. Plus, as the movie so dramatically portrayed, there were only enough lifeboats for about half of the passengers. Assuming unsinkability was a fatal mistake.

Likewise, we endanger ourselves spiritually when we start thinking that it could never happen to us (whateverit is). We lose our sense of dependence on the Lord and we fail to acknowledge our vulnerability to sin and the weakness of our flesh, especially against the attacks of an enemy who seeks to steal, kill and destroy. That's why the apostle Peter wrote that we should "humble ourselves under the mighty hand of God," and therefore should "be alert, because your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour." (1 Peter 5:6,8)

We might paraphrase it something like this: "Don't think you're unsinkable (because you're not!)...Watch out for the devil who, like a hidden iceberg, lurks in the cold, dark waters around, seeking to sink your ship."

I'm praying for you, that you won't let him. Have a blessed weekend. I look forward to seeing you Sunday.

--Pastor Ken

April Fools...for Christ

Fri, 1 Apr 2011 00:00:00 GMT

"God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty." --1 Cor. 1:27

April is here. That means the "March Madness" portion of the NCAA basketball tournament has come to an end, with many a scorched bracket left in shambles and plenty of red-faced basketball experts left trying to explain what went wrong with their picks. The Final Four awaits, this Saturday, with the championship game on Monday night.

I, for one, love it when the Butler's and Virginia Commonwealth's confound the wisdom of the basketball world and pull off the upsets that take them to the Final Four. I think that's what makes the NCAA Tournament the most exciting couple of weeks in sports, when the Cinderellas get to go to the dance, and when David takes out his sling and slays the giant Goliaths.

It's funny that all four top seeds in the tournament will have nice seats to watch this year's Final Four--in the comfort of their dorm rooms in front of their televisions, while at least a couple of the so-called overachievers from smaller schools and not-so-Big 6 conferences compete for the national championship. It sounds like something right out of one of my favorite movies,Hoosiers (which not so coincidentally, the final game was played in Hinkle Fieldhouse on the campus of Butler University in Indianapolis).

There's something about the underdogs that draw our attention, especially for us as followers of Christ. The whole history of God's work in Scripture involves Him using the "foolish things of the world to shame the wise;" from having a shepherd boy defeat a giant warrior, to bringing the King of kings into the world by way of a poor, unwed teenage girl, to bringing salvation to the world through that King by way of the least likely place, an old rugged cross usually reserved for the worst of humankind.

Certainly that cross was not foolish, any more than the man who died on it, but it sure seemed that way to a world that just didn't get it, because it was looking for wisdom and strength, not foolishness and weakness. "For the foolishness of God is wiser than man's wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than man's strength." (1 Cor. 1:25)

The good news for us all is this: instead of using the wise, the mighty and the noble God continually and conspicuously chooses to use the foolish, the weak, the base, the useless, the unknown and the nobodies to accomplish His will on the earth. And that means He's not looking just for the #1 seeds to do His work; He uses ordinary folks like you and me. Sometimes He chooses the least likely to succeed to do His will, so that in the end it is He who is glorified through the process.

I hope you enjoy the Final Four this weekend, if you're one to watch those kinds of things. More than that, I pray that no matter how messed-up your brackets may be, you'll find your joy and your security in the cross of Christ, the foolishness of God by which we have eternal salvation through Him. I also hope you'll make the effort to allow Him to use you this month, however weak or foolish you may feel. You just might be surprised when you look back in 30 days to see what He did through April fools like us.

I count it such a privilege to be your pastor, and I look forward to seeing you Sunday.

--Pastor Ken

Honk, If You Love Jesus

Fri, 25 Mar 2011 00:00:00 GMT

Several years ago, Bruce Larson wrote in his book Wind and Fire about the interesting life of sandhill cranes. And since I know your week would not be complete without hearing some fascinating information about sandhill cranes, I thought I'd share it with you.

These large birds, which fly great distances across continents, have three remarkable qualities. First, they rotate leadership. No one bird stays out front all the time. Second, they choose leaders who can handle turbulence. And then, all during the time one bird is leading, the rest are honking their affirmation.

That's a helpful reminder of a good model we might want to follow at Shelby Crossings as we rally behind our new team of elders who have been led by the Lord to provide spiritual leadership for our congregation. We recently announced two "new" elders who were carefully selected through a process of nomination from the church body, evaluation by an elder selection team, and a time of seeking God's will for His direction and guidance. Both of these men have served as elders before, and will join five other elders who are holdovers from previous years.

Our new elders are Todd Cotton and Tom Vines, and they will join Skip Coulter, Mark Young, Lafero Ralph, Joel Wallace and Ken Letson on our elder team for 2011-12. We also want to recognize and express our appreciation to the two elders who are rolling off, James Vines and Ryan Smith, who have served faithfully during some difficult times of transition in the life of our church the past three years.

It's important that we realize, like the sandhill cranes, that we need leaders who can handle turbulence. This is especially important as we seek to be the kind of church that truly makes an impact on our community in an increasingly hostile world. We also need leaders who understand that leadership is to be shared, "team players" who understand what it means to serve one another. But most of all, we need to be a church that knows how to get behind our leaders and honk our encouragement. That's a key ingredient in helping our flock continue to fly high.

This Sunday, March 27, as part of our worship service, we'll have a short time of affirmation and prayer for our new elders, as we as a congregation rally around these shepherds and offer our support and encouragement. I hope you can be with us for this special time. I also hope you will be actively praying for The Church at Shelby Crossings, that God would keep His hand of blessing on our church and would lead us through these men of God.

And don't forget to "honk...if you love Jesus!"

I'm praying for you, and I can't wait to see you Sunday.

--Pastor Ken

Kitties from Heaven

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 00:00:00 GMT

I got an email not long ago that told a supposedly true story about a pastor who had a kitten that climbed up a tree in his backyard and then was afraid to come down. The pastor coaxed, offered warm milk, and tried everything he knew, but the kitty would not come down.

The tree was not sturdy enough to climb, so the pastor decided that if he tied a rope to his car and drove away a bit so that the tree bent down, he could then reach up and get the kitten.

He did all this, checking his progress in the car frequently, then figured if he went just a little bit further, the tree would be bent sufficiently for him to reach the kitten. But as he moved a little further forward, the rope broke. The tree went "boing!" and the kitten instantly disappeared into the air, sailing out of sight.

The pastor felt terrible. He walked all over the neighborhood asking people if they'd seen a little kitten. Dead or alive. No. Nobody had seen a stray kitten. So he prayed, "Lord, I just commit this kitten to your keeping," and went on about his business.

A few days later he was at the grocery store, and met one of his church members. He happened to look into her shopping cart and was amazed to see cat food. Now this woman was a cat hater and everyone knew it, so he asked her, "Why are you buying cat food when you hate cats so much?"

She replied, "You won't believe this Pastor," and told him how her little girl had been begging her for a cat, but she kept refusing. Then a few days before, the child had begged again, so out of frustration the Mom finally told her little girl, "Well, if God drops you a cat from heaven, I'll let you keep it."

She told the pastor, "I watched my child go out in the yard, get on her knees, and beg God for a cat. And really, Pastor, you won't believe this, but I saw it with my own eyes. A kitten suddenly came flying out of the blue sky, with its little paws outspread, and landed right in front of her!"

I have to admit, I'm a little skeptical of that "true story," but I have seen God come through in some pretty miraculous ways, reminding me that "nothing is too difficult" for Him. That's the focus of our new series of messages, "When You Need a Miracle," that we'll be continuing this Sunday at Shelby Crossings. I hope you can join us for it.

More than anything, I hope each of us is living expectantly of God's intervention in our lives. He has a way of dropping His blessings into our laps, and all He asks of us is that we trust Him enough to pray. So, what are you asking God for today? Whatever it is, look up...and be careful! You just might get what you ask for!

"I lift my eyes up to the hills--where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth." (Psalm 121:1-2)

I'm praying for you, as I hope you are for me, and I look forward to seeing you Sunday.

--Pastor Ken

Spring 'Break'

Fri, 11 Mar 2011 00:00:00 GMT

I've watched so many people on Facebook this week--and especially students--counting down the days till spring break. I can't say that I blame them. All of us need a break every now and then.

Of course, there's another side of getting a break. That is, getting broken.

It seems that no one ever wants to be broken, though it's a common theme biblically, and a wonderful virtue that we even sing about in many of our contemporary worship songs. But most often it's something we'd rather sing about than experience first-hand.

Interestingly, the word "broken" occurs 28 times in the book of Jeremiah, and three more time in the book of Lamentations (which Jeremiah authored). The weeping prophet, as Jeremiah was called, was a man whose heart was broken by the sins of his people and the tragedies of his times. It's not hard to feel his sadness sometimes when he writes things like: "Why did I come forth from the womb to see labor and sorrow?" (Jer. 20:18).

Would Jeremiah have avoided the brokenness he experienced had he been given the option? I think he probably would have. Most of us would do likewise. But I'm not sure we should miss the opportunities of the "breaks" that come in our lives, that lead us into brokenness. Even if they are painful.

Just think of how greatly God used Jeremiah despite--or even, because of--his broken heart. He drew people to God in his own day, he prophesied the return of Israel from exile in future days, and his book has been ministering to the world for more than twenty-six centuries.

So too, God used difficult times in the lives of so many of the great leaders in the Bible. It was through their brokenness that He was honored most.

In an interesting play on words, the apostle Paul wrote that the God of all comfort is able to comfort others with the comfort with which He comforts us in broken times (2 Cor. 1:3-7). We can't always avoid broken hearts, broken relationships and even broken promises. The truth is, for whatever reason in His providence, God doesn't want us to avoid those things. He wants instead to use them to "break" us of our tendency toward self-sufficiency and increase our faith and dependence on Him. Even if it's hard. And most often, it is.

When our brokenness is laid at the feet of Jesus, He can use our shattered circumstances to draw others to Himself, and we can rejoice in spite of our pain. After all, Jesus was broken and spilled out for us.

My prayer for each of us this spring break is that God would continue to break us, to mold us, and to teach us to trust Him as our full sufficiency. He is enough.

May He bless you richly, even in difficult times. I look forward to seeing you Sunday.

--Pastor Ken

Compassion that is Crazy

Fri, 4 Mar 2011 00:00:00 GMT

They are called Dude Perfect - six guys from Texas who started videoing crazy impossible basketball shots from their backyard, which went viral on YouTube. It got so big they began to make money off advertisements. They've now made shots from the top of a stadium and out of an airplane! What started off as a simple lunch bet became an Internet phenomenon. But more than that, they've used their skills for good. For every 100,000 views, they give advertisement proceeds to sponsor a Compassion child who lacks daily necessities for life.

Another place found "Compassion that is Crazy" is within our college students. Recently, they were challenged to sponsor a Compassion Child for one year. That's $38 a month for a year. They responded not to one child's needs but to four, as they are committing to give $152 a month to meet the needs of "the least of these." Pretty crazy for a group of students have little to no income.

Maybe you can't make a shot from a moving airplane (maybe you can, but don't try it!). But you can use your talents, resources, and social network to spread a love for the poor. Start where you are. Mother Teresa said, "If you can't feed a hundred then just feed one."

Read Deuteronomy 15:11. Moses said, "You will always have the poor with you" but a few verses earlier he said, "There shall be no poor among you" (v.4). So which one is it Moses? God's Word is saying there would be no needy among them IF all of Israel obeyed God's commands to be generous.

Professing to have faith in God without possessing a generous life toward the poor is not the kind of faith God required. God calls us to be generous and open handed with all our stuff while always having the less fortunate on our radar. Some might wonder, "How can an ordinary person like me give to the poor?" Often we only think of the poor as the homeless guy downtown that begs for money. The poor among you includes that guy, but there are many other kinds of poor. Some are poor financially, but many around you are poor in friendship, education, health, and most of all, poor in the sense that they lack a relationship with Jesus Christ. This is no excuse to neglect the literal poor but to expand our view of poverty around us. Many think, "I do not have enough to help someone" which usually means, 'I don't have enough to help someone and still have enough for what I want." Helping the poor requires sacrifice and carrying burdens. What can you give up and sacrifice in order to serve "the least of these?" How can you be a change agent to get others involved?

--Brian Fulton

Don't Drop Me

Fri, 25 Feb 2011 00:00:00 GMT

A few years back, news reports told the story of Randy Reid, a 34-year old construction worker who was welding on top of a nearly-completed water tower outside Chicago when he unhooked his safety gear to reach for some pipes. At the same time, a metal cage slipped and bumped the scaffolding he was standing on. It tipped, and Reid lost his balance, sending him to the ground in a 110-foot fall where he landed face-down on a pile of dirt, just missing rocks and construction debris.

A fellow worker called emergency services, and when paramedics arrived, they found Reid conscious, moving, and complaining of a sore back. As paramedics carried him on a backboard to the ambulance, Reid had just one request: '"Don't drop me."

Doctors later said Reid came away from the accident with no more than a bruised leg.

Sometimes we are like that construction worker in our faith; we trust God to save us from the long fall of our sins, then fret over the three-foot falls of everyday details. We may trust God with the big things we don't understand, and count on Him for our eternity, but when it comes to trusting in Him for our Mondays, or the mundane details of paying the bills and taking care of our families, we have a much more difficult time.

The Bible is full of occasions where God did incredible miracles to prove His protection for His people, only to see those same people whine and complain a short time later that they were somehow out of the scope of His care. You need look no further than the exodus of the children of Israel from Egypt, where they saw God miraculously deliver them through the Red Sea, and then had the pity party of the ages because they perceived He had led them into the desert to die. Oh, how soon we all are prone to forget.

The point here is obvious. Trust Him. The same God you trusted your eternity to--the One who proved once and for all how much He loved you by sending His Son as a sacrifice for your sin--is worthy of your trust for all the details of your life. After you've enthroned Christ as Lord of your heart in an act of faith for salvation, you don't have to crawl back up on the throne to run your daily affairs.

He won't drop you, I promise. I look forward to seeing you Sunday!

--Pastor Ken

A Story of Three Gardens

Tue, 22 Feb 2011 00:00:00 GMT

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Time for a Check-Up?

Fri, 18 Feb 2011 00:00:00 GMT

You have probably heard the story about the little girl who went to the pediatrician's office for a check-up. As the doctor looked into her ears with an otoscope, he asked, "Do you think I'll find Big Bird in here?" The little girl stayed silent.

Next, the doctor took a tongue depressor and looked down her throat. He asked, "Do you think I'll find the Cookie Monster down there?" Again, the little girl didn't utter a word.

Then the doctor put a stethoscope to her chest. As he listened to her heart beat, he asked, "Do you think I'll hear Barney in here?"

"Oh, no!" the little girl replied. "Jesus is in my heart. Barney's on my underwear."

Whether it be your underwear or your heart, God knows all about it. The Bible tells us that man looks at the outward appearance, but God looks at the heart. And He knows for sure whether Jesus does indeed abide in your heart of hearts, just as He knows what color your undies are--or whose picture is printed on them! He knows.

The question is, do you know where you stand with the Lord? Are you certain that He lives inside your heart? If so, how does His presence in your life make a difference in the way you live? Can others see that difference? I hope they can.

Perhaps it may be a good time for you to get a check-up from your heart doctor this week. They don't call Him the Great Physician for nothing! He can change your life, heal your hurt, meet your needs, and fulfill your deepest desires. And the best thing is, He already knows what's inside you...and He loves you anyway!

This Sunday, I hope you'll join us at Shelby Crossings as we examine our spiritual health, according to God's standards. I look forward to seeing you there.

--Pastor Ken

[A personal note: Thanks to each of you for your prayers, your words of comfort and consolation, and your acts of kindness to my family this week after the loss of my mother. We are so very grateful to each of you for your love for us, and so blessed to be a part of the Shelby Crossings family.]

On Snow...and STOP Signs

Fri, 11 Feb 2011 00:00:00 GMT

I need to confess up front that I'm not one of those grown-ups who sit around saying that they sure hope the snow misses us. I not only like it, I've been known to stay up all night watching the TV weather guys hyping the latest "Winter Storm 2011," and enjoy it. And as I write this on Thursday morning, I have to say how much I love the picture of the snow-covered ground outside my office window.

I'm not sure why I'm so fascinated and excited about snow. Maybe it's because I've been waiting for more than twelve years to make good use of my Clark W. Griswald disk that my wife bought me for Christmas the first year we moved into our house with the steep driveway. All these years later, our driveway has still never been covered with snow. Not once. But I have not given up.

Or, maybe it's because I love to see the excitement in my children's eyes as they see the flakes flurry from the sky, and as they build the inevitable snow man (or, recently, the "ice man") in our yard. Or maybe it's the beauty of God's creation all decked out in white. Perhaps a few winters up north would cure me of it for life, but for now I do like to see the "wintry precipitation."

I understand everyone doesn't feel that way. When I prayed in our small group on Wednesday night, thanking God for the snow that was falling outside, I heard a few groans more than "amens." Some see snow as a great inconvenience to their busy schedule. Or a safety hazard--or an emergency trip for milk and bread--to be avoided. But I see it, often, as God's meteorological STOP sign. Here in the south, snow usually shuts down our world for the day. It's a free holiday--"Snow Day!"--usually with no school, little or no work, and lots of play. And then you come inside, take off the cold, wet clothes, drink hot chocolate and stand by the fire. It doesn't get a lot better than that.

Frankly, I think God wants us all to build more STOP signs into our lives, no matter the weather, to "be still and know that He is God" (Psalm 46:10). I hope and pray that at least some of the Winter Storms of 2011 have provided some days for you to do just that.

We probably won't get much more in the way of winter weather this year, but it won't be because I don't wish it. But we do have plenty of opportunities to stop...to be still...and to let God intervene in our routine, and surprise us with His blessings from above. I pray you won't miss those opportunities, even this week.

I will say that I'm glad the weather forecasts call for clear skies (and roads) for the weekend so we won't have any problems getting together for worship at Shelby Crossings. I am praying for you, as I hope you are for me, and I look forward to seeing you on Sunday.

--Pastor Ken

Super Sunday

Fri, 4 Feb 2011 00:00:00 GMT

Go to any supermarket, or check out the grocery store circulars in the newspaper this week, and you'll see there are plenty of snack foods and drinks of all kinds on sale this weekend. A coincidence? Nope. It's in preparation for the second biggest party day of the year (after New Year's Eve), Super Bowl Sunday. No doubt, whether you are "partying" or not, most of your TV's will be tuned in at some point Sunday evening to watch Super Bowl XLV.

It's the most watched sporting event in the world, with well over a billion people expected to be watching. Of course, it's not just the game that we watch, but also the creative new ads. This year advertisers are spending right at $3 million for each thirty-second spot in the game's broadcast--simply because they know that for once guys won't be hitting their remotes to switch channels during the commercials. And if past history is any indication, the buzz on Monday morning will be less about the Packers and Steelers than about the entertaining ads.

But still, when all is said and done, all the excitement is about a simple football game, an event that was once described as 100,000 people who need exercise sitting and watching 22 guys running around who need rest. For whatever reason, this game captures our imagination and our attention like none other. It is truly an American tradition, and the whole world stops to watch as well.

Of course, you don't have to tell people in Alabama how important football is in our lives, though the focus locally is usually reserved for the college variety. Many times our passion for the game in this state has been compared to a religious fervor, except that even in the Bible Belt, few people take their religion quite thatseriously. Some suggest that our three favorite sports in Alabama are football, spring football practice, and football recruiting (as evidenced by this week's hoopla over signing day). Just watch the sports on the local TV news or listen to sports talk radio any time of the year and you'll see what I mean.

There's nothing wrong with getting excited about a game now and then, but I hope we all keep it in perspective. More than anything, I hope we realize what's reallyimportant in life, and prioritize our lives accordingly.

When you realize that God sent His Son, Jesus Christ, to live and die on our behalf, so that we could have life--life eternally, and life abundantly--then every Sunday is Super Sunday. The fact that He loves us, and wants to have a deep and meaningful relationship with us that brings us lasting peace and joy like nothing this world has to offer is worthy of a celebration not just the first Sunday of February, but ever day throughout the year.

I hope to see you this Sunday at Shelby Crossings as we gather together in His name to celebrate the difference Jesus Christ makes in our lives. It's going to be a superday!

--Pastor Ken

The Secret of Life

Fri, 28 Jan 2011 00:00:00 GMT

In the 1991 movie City Slickers, Billy Crystal plays a confused, dissatisfied thirty-something character with a vague sense that life is passing him by. In a quest to find some excitement in his life, he gathers a few of his New York "city slicker" friends and heads to a special ranch out west for a cattle round-up, cowboy style. It's a genuine Wild at Heart-type experience.

In a memorable scene, the character played by Jack Palance--Curly, an old, tough, leathery cowboy who is wise to the ways of the world--asks Mitch (Crystal's character) if he would like to know the secret of life. "It's this," Curly says, holding up a single finger. "The secret of life is your finger?" asks Mitch, with typical New York sarcasm. "It's one thing," Curly replies. "The secret of life is pursuing one thing."

Somehow that really clicks deeply with Crystal's character. His life is scattered. He is torn between his obligation to his family and his desire for career advancement; between his need for security and his appetite for excitement. He is divided and emotionally fragmented. His life is about many things, and so, he senses, it is about nothing.

So what is the one thing? Curly can't tell Mitch, in the movie. "You have to find it yourself," he says.

And so too must we.

The book of James in the New Testament tells us that a "double-minded man is unstable in all his ways," and most of us can identify. Dutch philosopher Soren Kierkegaard saw double-mindedness as the essential disease of the human spirit. That disease, he wrote, was the failure to achieve simplicity--to have a life that is integrated, that is focused on one thing, what he called "the Good."

That sounds familiar. When Martha was frantically trying to work to get her house in order for Jesus while her sister Mary just sat at His feet listening to Him teach, Martha was quick to express her frustration. Jesus answered that Martha was distracted by too many things, and that she needed to focus on "one thing," that is, the "good" of fellowship with Him. (Luke 10:41-42)

Perhaps some of us need to heed the words of Jesus...and of Curly. In our over-commtted busy-ness, maybe we would all do well to simplify, to "seek first His kingdom," trusting that everything else will take care of itself. (Matt. 6:33)

My prayer for you this week is that Jesus will be the One Thing in your life, and that you will be fully satisfied with the life you live in Him. I'll see you Sunday.

--Pastor Ken

Showing Through

Sat, 22 Jan 2011 00:00:00 GMT

A little girl came home from church one Sunday morning obviously perplexed. When her mother asked her what was wrong, she replied, "Mom, our Bible study lesson this morning really confused me."

The mother was concerned, and asked, "Why is that?" The girl replied, "Well, the teacher said that God is bigger than we are. Is that true?"

"Yes, that's true," the mother replied. "She also said that God lives within us," the little girl continued. "Is that true too?"

Again, the mother replied, "Yes."

"Well," said the girl. "If God is bigger than us and He lives in us, wouldn't He show through?"

Out of the mouths of babes! That simple story makes a profound point, with obvious implications for each of our lives. If God is who we say He is, and if He is as "big" as we claim, then He should "show through" our lives to those around us. Does He?

In the gospel of John, Jesus said that He was "the light of the world" and that whoever followed Him would never walk in darkness (John 8:12). He also taught, in the Sermon on the Mount, that His followers would be "the light of the world." No one would light a candle, He said, and then cover it with a bowl. Instead, they would put it on a stand so that it could give light to everyone in the house. "In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven." (Matt. 5:16)

What was He saying? We are the light of the world, because He is the light of the world in us. His light "shows through." Jesus clearly taught that when those around us notice our good deeds and see our light so shine, they won't be inclined to praise us, but instead give praise to God. They will recognize the source of the light, and His glory will be revealed through our obedience.

I hope your life is a testimony to all around of how big God is, and that His light shines through you this week. I'm so excited about how He is at work in our church, and I can't wait until Sunday for another opportunity to gather with our Shelby Crossings family and celebrate the difference He makes in our lives.

I'm praying for you, as I hope you are for me, and I look forward to seeing you on Sunday.

--Pastor Ken

Cold, Blue, Stiff People...and Other Sinners

Fri, 14 Jan 2011 00:00:00 GMT

I came across an article I had saved from a few years back of a weird news story, reported by the Associated Press from Ashland, Mass.

Police officers were called to the scene of an apparent suicide, where a 39-year old woman was found slumped and unconscious in cold water in a bathtub, having overdosed on pills. Neither the officers nor emergency medical technicians detected any signs of life in the woman, and her body was taken to a local funeral home.

Then's when things got interesting. About 3 1/2 hours later, funeral director John Matarese heard a gurgling noise coming from her body bag. "It scared me half to death," he said. "The girl was alive!"

He quickly unzipped the body bag and held the woman's mouth open to keep her air passages clear. By the time emergency technicians arrived, she was breathing. She was hospitalized, and at the time of the article was in good condition.

"From everybody's observation, more time had elapsed than would have allowed resuscitation," said the Town Administrator in defense of his workers' near fatal slip-up. But one Massachusetts doctor who was an expert in hypothermia resuscitation, saw things differently. "The fact that they didn't take her to the hospital, just assumed she was dead, is the big mistake," said Dr. Murray Hamlet. "People have to understand that cold, stiff, blue people can be resuscitated."

I laughed when I first read that last quote. But then I realized how quick we are to write people off spiritually sometimes, and leave them for dead. All signs seem to point to hopeless, and not worth the effort of resuscitation, spiritually speaking. They may be caught up in the ugliness of sin, or looking for love in all the wrong places, or just completely disinterested in their eternal destiny.

Fortunately for all of us, God never gives up on us. He loves us, whatever our condition. And I believe our ministry to the broken and hurting people around us is one of spiritual resuscitation, breathing the life of God's grace into their desperate situations. That's what the ministry of the gospel is all about, even for cold, stiff, blue people.

Let's share the hope of Jesus with our communities this week, and invite the prodigals around us to come home and sit at the Father's table as we celebrate Him in worship this Sunday at Shelby Crossings.

I'm praying for you, and I look forward to seeing you Sunday.

--Pastor Ken

Happy Tin-th Anniversary

Fri, 7 Jan 2011 00:00:00 GMT

Someone reminded me this week that today marks the tenth anniversary of the founding of The Church at Shelby Crossings. It was Sunday morning, January 7, 2001 when the church had its first official worship service at Valley Intermediate School in Pelham. Over the past decade, much has transpired in the life of this community of faith, and there are many things God has done worthy of celebration.

Which got me to thinking, what is the traditional gift that is assigned to celebrate a milestone of such significance as ten years? I mean, we all know that 25 years is a Silver Anniversary, and 50 is a Golden Anniversary, so what is it for 10 years? So, I went to the source of all knowledge--Google--and discovered that the gift that signifies a ten-year anniversary is....tin.

Not exactly the kind of "precious metal" I would have chosen, but then again, I may not have been the best one to ask to begin with. (I probably would have suggested Dove Dark Chocolate as a gift for just about any year!)

I guess it doesn't matter what metal or stone or gift we use to signify such a momentous occasion. But it does matter that we stop, and reflect, and remember, and thank God for all the great things He has done in the life of our church over the past ten years. And so, we celebrate ten years of fruitful ministry God has allowed us to be a part of here.

The reality is, there are not a lot of people left among us who were there for that first worship service, but for those faithful few who have hung in there for the whole ten years, we say...thank you. And, even as we celebrate our first ten years, we hold to the words of the apostle Paul, who wrote of "forgetting what lies behind, and reaching forward to what lies ahead, we press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called us heavenward in Christ Jesus." (Phil. 3:13)

This Sunday, we'll celebrate our tenth--and "tinth"--anniversary with a day of worship at Shelby Crossings, and I hope you can be with us. But as we do so, we do it with an eye to a promising future the Lord has for us as we walk with Him and share His gospel faithfully with our community.

Let me close with more words from Paul's letter to the church at Philippi, which speak to us today at the church at Shelby Crossings: "For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus." (Phil. 1:6, NAS)

May the Lord bless each of you. I'm praying for you, and I look forward to seeing you on Sunday.

--Pastor Ken

A Big 'Thank You' for 2010

Fri, 31 Dec 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Tonight, we turn the calendar's page to another year. It's hard to believe that the year 2011 is just around the corner. I remember when the George Orwell book 1984was a futuristic tale, and when the movie 2001: A Space Odyssey was distant-future science fiction. Now it seems like both of those dates are ancient past.

Much has happened in 2010; some good, some not so good. I heard two different people from the Shelby Crossings faith family say in the last week that the past year has been the hardest year of their lives. So many within our church have lost dear family members in the past year, and others have faced relational and emotional difficulties that have almost been too much to bear.

Living in the worst economic times since the Great Depression, many of us have faced financial troubles and job transitions that have made 2010 a year we'd like to forget. As most of you know, our church has not been immune to those financial pressures, but the Lord has been faithful and we've been able to hang in there month to month, as we've gotten our financial house in order.

More than that, we have also had the privilege of making significant contributions to mission and ministry causes outside of our own church needs. As we look back on a tough year, I wanted to celebrate some of the good things we were able to be a part of because of our investment into God's kingdom work in our community and around the world.

Did you know that our church gave more than $25,000 to missions and benevolence causes in 2010? Part of those funds went to support our missionaries to France and Israel, who were home with us a few weeks back. We also invested in international mission opportunities in Swaziland, Rwanda, Haiti, Guatemala, Thailand and Australia, as well as in Oklahoma and New York.

Last summer, our church reached out to the children of Haiti to provide the funding to build an orphanage there, in partnership with the Global Orphan Project. We are anticipating hearing word of the completion of that orphanage soon, and we will continue to support those children, along with others from Uganda in the years ahead.

Closer to home, our investment in missions has included support of the Old Firehouse homeless shelter in downtown Birmingham, where we have provided an ice machine, lighting, and meals for the men there on a monthly basis. Dozens of volunteers have given of their time each month to feed those less fortunate through this ministry. Likewise, many of you have faithfully served in our Angel Food ministry, which provides "grocery relief" to our Shelby County neighbors, and in our "Dough-Nation" bread ministry, which distributes food each week to the needy of our community.

Add to that the assistance our church has provided to several families in our area who have experienced emergency needs; ministry projects such as the roofing of a house through Metro Changers in Birmingham, and the tutoring of children in a Montevallo after-school program; and, a wonderful outreach to the children of our community through our Vacation Bible School, which impacted the lives of nearly 140 kids.

No doubt, we could have done more--and we will, in 2011. But it's healthy sometimes to stop and count our blessings, to look back and celebrate what God has done--and He has done great things in and through the life of Shelby Crossings in the past twelve months. Only heaven will tell of the return on the investments we've made as we've laid up our treasures in heaven.

Let me say a big "thank you" to each of you for partnering with us at The Church at Shelby Crossings to touch our world with the gospel, and to reach out to the lost, the needy, the orphan and the widow with the love of Jesus Christ. I can't wait to see what He has in store for us in the year ahead as we are faithful in the opportunities He gives us.

I look forward to seeing you at Shelby Crossings on Sunday as we gather in His name to celebrate His goodness. It's going to be a great day, and I hope you'll kick off 2011 by worshiping with us. May the Lord bless you and your family with a safe and Happy New Year!

--Pastor Ken

The Indescribable Gift

Fri, 24 Dec 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Still trying to find that last minute gift? Maybe I can offer you a little Chrismas Eve help.

A few years back, on Good Morning America, Joan Lunden featured some gift ideas that were a little over the top. For instance, one of the gifts was a Jaguar automobile, the Jaguar 220 to be precise. If you wanted to order one, you could go down to your local Jaguar dealer and put down your $80,000 deposit. Then, when your Jag was delivered, you could pay the balance of $507,000. That's right, the total sticker price for a Jaguar 220: $587,000 each.

Another item that Lunden mentioned was a $300,000 gold and silver toilet seat inlaid with precious stones. Of course, there were cheaper gifts for those who may be on a tighter budget: an $18,000 frisbee, a $10,000 yoyo, a $12,000 mousetrap, and even a $27,000 pair of sunglasses. And for the proud grandparent who is wondering what to get the new grandbaby, how about a $28,000 pacifier?

Such gifts stagger the imagination, really. Or, they embarrass us for their gaudiness and ridiculously poor stewardship. Maybe, just maybe, they also remind us that the best give you can give at Christmas is not something you can afford anyway. In fact, the best gift we can give is a gift that has already been giving.

No, I'm not talking abou re-gifting, though I did read some helpful "rules for re-gifting" in the Birmingham News earlier this week. I am talking about sharing the gift that Christmas is really all about, Jesus Christ.

Though He wasn't talking about Christmas, the apostle Paul wrote of giving in 2 Corinthians 9, as he instructed the church in Corinth to take up an offering to give to the poor Christians in Jerusalem. He commended the Corinthians for their eagerness to help and reminded them that those who sow generously will also reap generously. Then he closes out the chapter with a reminder of the source of all of our giving: "Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift!" (v. 15)

That's what Jesus was, and is--the indescribable gift. Better than any extravagant automobile, toilet seat or yoyo...and better than any of the toys on your list this Chrstmas. Why don't you share the love of Christ, and even the "good news of great joy" that His birth introduced to this dark world, this Christmas. It will be the best gift you could ever give. Indescribable, even.

From my family to yours, may each of you truly have a truly blessed Christmas. We love you.

--Pastor Ken

Joy to the World

Fri, 17 Dec 2010 00:00:00 GMT

"I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people..." Luke 2:10

Let's face it. Sometimes joy can be a challenge for all of us, even in church. Or, for that matter, especially in church. It's easy to think sometimes that it's our obligation in church circles to overdo the imperative, filling the air with "should" and "ought" and "must." Do this, don't do that. If, on rare occasion, you come to church feeling fairly good about yourself, and about the world--well, we'll fix that.

But not at Christmas. "Joy to the world, the Lord has come!" And those simple, yet profound words from that familiar Christmas hymn remind us of why there is to be joy in Whoville....and Shelby County...during this Christmas season. Because the Lord has come.

We do get confused sometimes, thinking that the source of our joy will be the new Salad Shooter, or camo Snuggie, or Cam Newton doll, or gift card to our favorite dining establishment, or whatever else may be on your Christmas list this year. Those things may bring temporary happiness--"oh, you shouldn't have!"--but they don't bring genuine and lasting joy.

You have to remember, that when those shepherds heard the message from the angel as they tended their flocks by night (and were "sore afraid") it was the good news for which they had waited a lifetime. In fact, God's people had been awaiting their Deliverer for generations, since the prophet Isaiah had foretold His birth in a time of bondage and exile: "The people walking in darkness have seen a great light," he wrote. "...And He will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace."

In the least expected of ways, God the Father sent the long-expected Jesus into the world in a feeding trough in a Bethlehem stable. But the Light of the world had come, and He was--and is--"Emmanuel, God with us." That good news still sheds a different kind of light on us all, even 20 centuries later. Joy to the world!

I do realize that just because we sing, "'Tis the season to be jolly," doesn't make this "the most wonderful time of the year" for everyone. There is more depression at Christmas than at any time of year. Many of you are feeling the heartache of a first Christmas without a loved one, or are separated from family, or are going through specifically trying times this year that have dampened your holiday spirit. But do not despair.

Each of us, whatever our lot, can experience the joy of Christmas when we stop and reflect, recognize the presence of Jesus, Emmanuel, and live in the light of His presence, even in the midst of a dark world. I hope and pray you'll know that inside-out joy this Christmas.

I count it such a privilege to be your pastor, and can't wait to see each of you this Sunday at Shelby Crossings as we "repeat the sounding joy" of the gospel of Christmas.

--Pastor Ken

A 'Get Real' Christmas

Fri, 10 Dec 2010 00:00:00 GMT

I read recently where someone said Christmas brings out the "weird" in all of us: it's the only time of the year where families gather around a dead tree and eat candy out of their socks!

We do have some peculiar "traditions" associated with the holy-day we call Christmas. It's funny how a simple celebration of the birth of a baby 2,000 years ago can make us do such strange things. Like decorating our homes with fake icicle lights, hanging old socks on our chimneys or eating fruit cake. Indeed, so much of our Christmas celebration is wrapped up in tradition.

Since I pastor a less-than-traditional church like Shelby Crossings, I've been asked more than once "How does a 'contemporary' church celebrate such a 'traditional' holiday as Christmas?" Truly, it is a delicate balance. But rather than defining what we do by such labels, our key concern is to be "real" (and most of us do live in a contemporary world after all). The bigger question is, how can we cut through all the stuff that comes with our 21st century Christmas and celebrate the birth of the Savior of the world in a real way?

We can do that with age-old carols that bring back special memories of Christmas's past. We can do that with new songs that point to the freshness of God's gifts to us each and every day. We can read His word for real-life truth for our real-life lives---such as how the "good tidings of great joy" and the "peace on earth" apply to where we live today. And we can do our best to move past the cliches and focus on what the season is all about--the incarnation of Immanuel, God with us, in the person of Jesus, the babe born in a Bethlehem manger so long ago.

This Sunday, morning and evening, we will gather as a community of faith to celebrate a real Jesus--the baby born, the man who lived, the Savior who died on the cross for us--and a real hope promised to those who know Him. Whether it be contemporary or traditional, may our expressions of worship be not unlike those wise men of old, who, when they saw the babe, spontaneously knelt and worshiped Him. That would be the greatest birthday gift we could ever give Jesus this Christmas.

I look forward to seeing you this Sunday as we gather in Jesus' name for a special time of celebration. O come let us adore Him...Christ the Lord!

--Pastor Ken

Spiritual Habituation

Fri, 3 Dec 2010 00:00:00 GMT

In his book God Is Closer Than You Think, pastor and author John Ortberg writes of what psychologists call "habituation." As the word itself suggests, we humans are creatures of habit who are easily swayed into settling into the habit of our status quo.

Behind the specific psychological phenomenon of "habituation" is the idea that when a new object or stimulus is introduced into our environment, we are intensely aware of it, but, over time, our awareness fades. And so too that stimulus that so easily got our attention to begin with fades into the background of our habits.

For example, it might be a new wristwatch that we self-consciously feel on our wrist, until after a few days wearing it when we don't even notice it's there. Or, perhaps it's something we notice around the house that we simply must repair, until we get busy enough and distracted enough that we stop noticing it and it loses its sense of urgency. We learn to get used to it.

Maybe it's something we see, or something we hear, that we get accustomed enough to that we don't notice any more. When we moved into our home many years ago, I was constantly awakened by the sound of a train's horn just through the woods from our house. The trains are still there, many times a day, but I never even realize they're there any more.

As Ortberg writes, one of the greatest challenges for us as believers is fighting what we might call "spiritual habituation." We simply drift into acceptance of life in spiritual maintenance mode. It's a kind of spiritual attention deficit disorder (what I like to call S.A.D.D.) that stops noticing the details of our walk with God. We simply quit paying attention.

The apostle Paul wrote in Ephesians 5:15 that we are to "be very careful how you live--not as unwise, but as wise." The older translations said we were to "walk circumspectly." That suggests that we are to be aware, to pay close attention to how we live, to not allow ourselves to get into such a routine that loses it's heart in the habits of life. We are to live intentionally.

"I hold this against you," Jesus said to the church at Ephesus. "You have left your first love." They didn't mean to; they were as religiously busy as ever, as Revelation 2 tells us. But they were going through the motions in a habituated form of Christianity. I know how that feels, as I suspect you may as well, and I don't want to live like that.

My prayer for each of us--especially in this season of year when we are busier than ever--is that we will not fall to the subtle temptation to habituate our walk of faith, and that we will truly pour our hearts into a living and vibrant relationship with the God who infinitely loves us.

My family and I missed you last week, and we look forward to seeing you this Sunday at Shelby Crossings.

--Pastor Ken

Giving Thanks

Fri, 26 Nov 2010 00:00:00 GMT

It's Thanksgiving day and the aroma of roast turkey fills Charlie Brown's house. Snoopy, who is outside lying on top of his dog house, smells that aroma, and he is thinking, "It's Thanksgiving Day. Everybody eats turkey on Thanksgiving Day!"

So he lies there, watching the back door, eagerly awaiting his Thanksgiving feast. Finally, the door opens and here comes Charlie Brown with a bowl of dog food, and he puts it on the ground in front of his faithful pet. Snoopy gets off his house and stares at the dog food with a disappointed look on his face. He thinks, "Just because I'm a dog, I have to eat dog food on Thanksgiving Day."

Then the next square of the comic strips shows him looking at the dog food more intently, and he is thinking, "It could be worse. I could be the turkey!"

Indeed. Even in the difficult times many of us have faced the past few years, we all have much to be thankful for, even when we don't think things are going our way. I received an email last year about this time that reminded me how blessed we are, and encourages us to keep an "attitude of gratitude" all the year, but especially in this season of giving thanks. It said....

If you have food in the refrigerator, clothes on your back, a roof overhead and a place to sleep, you are richer than 75% of this world. If you have money in the bank, in your wallet, and spare change in a dish someplace, you are among the top 8% of the world's wealthy. If you woke up this morning with more health than illness, you are more blessed than the million who will not survive this week. If you have never experienced the danger of battle, the loneliness of imprisonment, the agony of torture, or the pangs of starvation, you are ahead of 500 million people in the world. If you can attend church meetings without fear of harassment, arrest, torture, or death, you are more blessed than three billion in the world.

And, I will add, if you have heard the gospel, have been introduced to God's grace, and have experienced a personal relationship with His Son Jesus, you are blessed for time and eternity! Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good, His love endures forever. (Psalm 107:1)

In this final ePistle before Thanksgiving, let me also express my thanks to God (and to you my church family) for the blessed privilege of serving as your pastor. I do count it such a joy to serve you, and serve with you, and, and I'm so grateful that the Lord has sovereignly led us together in this fellowship we call Shelby Crossings.

Have a blessed Thanksgiving!

--Pastor Ken

Take Your Medicine

Fri, 19 Nov 2010 00:00:00 GMT

It's beginning to look a lot like...flu season. Or something to that effect. I've heard from several folks the past few days who are struggling with everything from stomach bugs to bad colds to pneumonia. I hope this is not a sign of things to come for this winter, and especially for the upcoming holidays.

I don't know about you, but usually when I get sick, my natural tendency is to throw a big pity party. But I'm reminded of the Scripture verse that says, "A merry heart does good like medicine, but a broken spirit dries the bones." (Prov. 17:22) In other words, the Bible tells us that our attitude affects our physical health--and I have a choice about how I'm going to respond to difficulties.

Many years ago, Norman Cousins was diagnosed as "terminally ill." He was given six months to live and told that his chance of recovery was 1 in 500. Instead of rolling over and quitting, however, Cousins decided to make an experiment of himself. He would try to have as positive an attitude as possible, no matter how sick he felt. And laughter was one of the most positive activities he knew.

So he rented all the funny movies he could find. He read funny stories. He asked his friends to call him whenever they said, heard or did something funny. His pain was so great he could not sleep. But laughing for ten solid minutes, he found, relieved the pain for several hours so he could sleep.

He fully recovered from his illness and lived another twenty happy, healthy and productive years. His journey is detailed in his book, "Anatomy of an Illness." He credits laughter, as well as the love of his family and friends, for his recovery. It was "good like medicine."

I'm not saying that it's that easy, all the time, and I surely wouldn't want to discount the effect of faith in our physical healing--or sometimes the lack of healing as being part of God's will. But I am saying that maybe there's more to life than just how we feel. Maybe, just maybe, we do have some choices about how merry our heart will be, even if our circumstances--and our health--aren't so merry.

By the way, since Cousins' ground-breaking subjective work, scientific studies have shown that laughter has a curative effect on the body, the mind and the emotions. So, you might want to consider it sound medical advice to indulge in it as often as you can. Even if you don't like laughter, then take your medicine--laugh anyway! You'll be glad you did.

Here's hoping you have a merry weekend, and that we'll see you Sunday at Shelby Crossings.

--Pastor Ken

Go Ahead, Make My Day

Fri, 12 Nov 2010 00:00:00 GMT

It's a Dad thing, actually. Sometimes I can't help myself.

When you have a minimum of four teenagers at a time, as I have had for the past four years, you just can't help yourself sometimes. You do whatever you have to do to earn that embarrassed groan from your offspring, to get the gift of the rolling of the eyes. It's what dads do.

Often, the method of my dadness is a particularly corny joke--which pretty much describes most of my jokes, I guess. My kids rarely think my jokes are funny, and don't much like it when other people do. Usually, a little laughter by others will elicit the obligatory eye rolling, followed by my kids telling the other person: "Don't encourage him!"

I hope you won't listen to them when they make such requests. Because no matter how corny the jokes may be, we all need a little encouragement sometimes. So go ahead; make my day! Encourage me!

Actually, there aren't many of us who don't need encouragement. How many of you would say that you just get too much encouragement? Do people tell you how wonderful you are wherever you go? When you get to work does everyone stop and clap for you? When you arrive home do you get a standing ovation? Do your kids carry around pictures of you in their wallets and show them to everyone saying, "These are my parents, aren't they wonderful?"

Okay, that may be a stretch. But I'm guessing, either way, that your life is probably not much like that. As a matter of fact, all of us do need encouragement--it's the way God wired us. Charles Lowery says a good rule to remember is that if people are breathing, they need some encouragement.

There are plenty of Biblical admonitions for us to "encourage one another." In some ways, it's what the life in Biblical community is all about. The much-quoted passage of Hebrews 10:25 about "forsaking not the assembling of ourselves together" really focuses more on the call to "encourage one another, and all the more as you see the Day approaching." In other words, if we'll spend more time encouraging one another, we'll not have to worry about people "forsaking not" coming to church.

The Bible is full of stories of encouragers as well. One of my favorite accounts comes from the Old Testament, when David, who was called "a man after God's own heart," had to "encourage himself" in the Lord, as the King James Version described it (1 Sam. 30:6). He en-couraged himself; that is, he found strength and courage for the task at hand.

I think my favorite New Testament character was one who was mentioned only a few times. His given name was Joseph, a Levite from Cyprus. But you probably know him by the name his friends, the disciples, called him: Barnabas, which means "son of encouragement" (Acts 4:36). What a nickname! Not "Lumpy" of "Big Foot" or "Grinner" or even "Bubba," but "Encourager!"

Now let me ask you one question. Do your friends at work, at school, in your neighborhood or at church ever call you Encourager? Or let me ask it another way. Wouldn't you just love to hang out with a guy whose nickname is the Encourager? Of course you would--you wouldn't have to be like David and encourage yourself!

So why don't you make it your goal to be one of those en-couragers like Barnabas this week. Just look around you until you find someone who is breathing, and go to work on them. You might be surprised the difference you make for God's kingdom.

Be encouraged, and be blessed. I'm praying for you, and I can't wait to see you Sunday!

--Pastor Ken

Following the Crowd

Fri, 5 Nov 2010 00:00:00 GMT

We humans are such conformists sometimes, especially in the 21st century. You can see it no clearer than in the lives of teenagers, who try to follow the flow of the latest fad. But it's not hard to see that all of us are prone to go with the crowd, no matter our age. God's word, however, calls us to be different, to "no longer be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind." (Rom. 12:2)

Still, it is so much a part of our nature to try to follow the crowd. Merchandisers have found that customers find safety in numbers. We tend to judge a restaurant or recreational activity--and even a church--by how many other people are there. If there's a crowd, it must be good. I read of one man in Utah who bought several used cars and lined them up in front of his store. His business increased significantly.

More than a hundred years ago, the Dutch philosopher Soren Kierkegaard warned that "the age of the crowd" was upon us. In such an age, said Kierkegaard, people would not think of deciding anything for themselves. They would look around and see what others were doing and just behave like them. Like sheep, just following the flock.

A television documentary a few years back showed a lot about the behavior of sheep--and perhaps humans too. One scene was a packing house where sheep were slaughtered. The sheep had to walk from their large pen up a narrow ramp and then turn right. In order to get the sheep to move up the ramp, a "Judas goat," as he was called, was trained to lead the sheep up the ramp to their death.

The goat was placed among the sheep and then walked confidently to the ramp as the nervous sheep watched. After the goat got about five feet up the ramp, he stopped and confidently looked around at the other sheep, who then began to follow. Near the top of the ramp the goat turned left, as a gate was opened only for him and then closed. The sheep, however, continued up the ramp and turned right, to their death.

"My sheep hear My voice and I know them and they follow Me," Jesus, once said. "I give eternal life to them, and they shall never perish; no one shall snatch them out of My hand." (John 10:27-28)

My prayer for you is that you will follow the Good Shepherd, and loved you enough to lay down His life for His sheep. Trust His leadership for your life, even if it means going against the flow of the crowd. It may be hard, but it will always be worth it.

I'm praying for you, and I look forward to seeing you Sunday.

--Pastor Ken

On Woodchucks, Hercules & Condominiums

Sat, 30 Oct 2010 00:00:00 GMT

I came across an old email recently that was one of those comical Top Ten lists...with a point. It's not intended as this week's obligatory guilt-trip, I promise, but it could be a helpful reminder that you may be missing something. Enjoy.

Top 10 Signs You May Not Be Reading Your Bible Enough

10) You think Abraham, Isaac & Jacob may have had a few hit songs during the '60's.

9) You open to the Gospel of Luke and a World War II Savings Bond falls out.

8) You thought French Peas really did guard the walls of Jericho.

7) Your favorite Old Testament patriarch is Hercules.

6) A small family of woodchucks has taken up residence in the Psalms.

5) You become frustrated because Charlton Heston isn't listed in the concordance.

4) Catching the kids reading the Song of Solomon, you demand, "Who gave you this stuff?"

3) You think the minor prophets worked in the quarries.

2) You keep falling for it every time when pastor tells you to turn to First Condominiums.

And the No. 1 sign you may not be reading your Bible enough:

1) The kids keep asking too many questions about your usual bedtime story, "Jonah the Shepherd Boy and His Ark of Many Colors."

So, why don't you move the woodchucks out of the way and commit to spending consistent time in God's word this week. All joking aside, God's word is God's way to reveal God's will in your life. And you just won't everget it, spiritually speaking, until you regularly spend time reading and meditating on Scripture.

Bring along your Bible and come join us this Sunday as we explore God's word together. But be careful...He just might change your life! I'm praying for you, and I look forward to seeing you Sunday.

--Pastor Ken

Complex Problems, Simple Solutions

Fri, 22 Oct 2010 00:00:00 GMT

You know, it seems that the problems we face in our world today are getting more and more complex. Ethical dilemma's arise daily that generations before us never had to face. The fast-paced world we live in tends to exaggerate all of our stressors. Financial pressures in a reeling economy seem to constantly eat us alive. And dysfunction in our relationships affect everything we do.

When someone offers you a simple God-focused, faith-based solution, it almost seems trite. I realize, especially as a pastor, how much people get sick of pat answers and trivial phrases, especially when it comes to the difficult problems they face each day. No one wants to hear a religious cliche at a time like that, much less some contrived spiritual-sounding sermonette that seems to have no connection to real life.

However, sometimes the more difficult our problems are, the simpler the solution is. I was reminded of that recently when I came across a story about engineers at NASA in the 1950's and '60's. It seems that when NASA began the launch of astronauts into space, they found that traditional ink pens wouldn't work at zero gravity. In order to solve the problem, they hired a consulting firm to explore their options and come up with a solution.

It took them a decade of work and more than $12 million of investment, but they were able to develop a pen that worked at zero gravity, upside down, under water, on practically any surface, including crystal. It could also write in extreme temperatures, with a range from well below freezing to over 300 degrees Celsius.

By the way, in our race to space, it was obvious that the Russians had the same problem. And what did they do to solve this complex scientific dilemma? They used a pencil!

Sometimes the simplest answers and the least difficult solutions are indeed best. Like, for instance, the simplest way to deal with the stress of family issues, your finances, your professional career, your health, and whatever else ails you. Have you considered turning it all over to God, and trusting Him with it? Seeking Him first, and letting "all these things" take care of themselves? It may sound simple, but it's not simplistic. It's just how God wired us, for dependence on Him. Try to do it your way, and you turn the simple trials of life into major complex pressures that are almost impossible to overcome.

So here's a piece of advice just for you, right out of the mouth of Jesus, no less: "Have faith in God." (Mark 11:22) It may not be the most "enlightened" wisdom you come across in our age of reason, but it's the truth that will set you free.

I look forward to seeing you Sunday.

--Pastor Ken

Money Talks

Fri, 15 Oct 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Never trust a preacher who talks about money!"

That's what a lot of people think, and I understand. Once you've heard that guilt-laden, high-pressure sermon to dig a little deeper and ante up a little more when the church coffers are running a little short, you never are too sure about the motive behind the "thus saith the Lord."

All of us have seen one too many preachers on television, pleading for a donation to keep their program on the air. So they can use their time on the air to plead for more donations to keep the program on the air, and on and on they go. And most have mastered the art of manipulating Scripture to convince you to send your money to them.

Some will even tell you that God will give back tenfold if you give to their ministry; that if you give $100, God will give back $1,000. I've always wanted to give them a call and tell them to send me the $100 and let God give them $1,000. I have a feeling their theology would not match their practice.

In these days of economic downturn and financial uncertainty, all of us feel the money pressure more than ever. As the old saying goes, "Money talks"-- and usually what it says is, "Goodbye."

Still, I believe that the reason most people are strapped financially is not so much because of the economy as much as it is because their security is wrapped up in the wrong things. They haven't learned the secret of releasing their finances back to God and trusting Him with their money. And giving back to Him--however uncomfortable it may be to hear a preacher talk about it--is still the way God helps us truly release it. Christian giving is always seen in Scripture as a blessing, not a burden.

With that in mind, I come before you with news of a great opportunity to get blessed. If you've been keeping up, you know that our finances at Shelby Crossings have experienced their own economic downturn over the past few years. The truth is, we need your faithful tithes and offerings to sustain this ministry, and even more so, to move forward into other areas of ministry where we're currently limited. We are seeking to be good stewards of the resources God provides, and will continue to do so, but we also ask that you prayerfully consider this need and give obediently as God leads.

I'm not promising any exponential returns just yet--at least not on this side of heaven--though I do believe the Scripture promises God's blessings on those who are obedient with their money. But more than anything, it is an opportunity to lay up for yourself treasures in heaven, and make an investment that will last an eternity.

I also hope you'll continue to pray for God's provision for our ministry needs, and let's watch and see how He works in and through the life of our church. I'm praying for you, and I look forward to seeing you this Sunday.

--Pastor Ken

Hurry Up and Wait!

Fri, 8 Oct 2010 00:00:00 GMT

"I said to myself, 'The Lord is my portion; therefore I will wait for Him." -- Lamentations 3:24

Whether it be sittting in traffic, standing in line at the DMV, or thumbing through magazines in the "waiting room" of a doctor's office, waiting is not one of our favorite activities. Perhaps the testing of your patience is more long-term, as you wait for a job, an answer, or God's provision for your family. In our microwaveable world, no one likes to wait for anything.

Why is it that we find waiting so very hard? Why is it that we get so frustrated when things don't go our way, on our schedule? Why is it that though we know from experience that waiting is such a normal part of our lives, we still think that somehow we should be immune to it?

The reasons are obvious. We live in a highly stresed, fast-paced society that simply does not have time to wait. Thre is little time for reflection, few moments of silence and soiltude, and very little encouragement to "stop and smell the coffee." Waiting, we're told, wastes our most valuable resource, our time.

And then there's people. They frustrate us, they let us down, they make us wait. Someone has said that life wouldn't be so bad if it wasn't for people. But then again, without people we would miss out on many wonderful opportunities to grow our character.

Like someone has said, sometimes God uses people as "heavenly sandpaper" to help rub off our rough edges and cultivate into our lives the Christ-like spiritual fruit of patience. But that doesn't mean it's easy. That's why I like the King James translation "long-suffering" of the more contemporary term "patience" in the New Testament, because it best describes what it is often like when I have to wait.

Richard Hendrix said it this way: "Second only to suffering, waiting may be the greatest teacher and trainer in godliness, maturity and genuine spirituality most of us ever encounter." I might also add that I think that ultimately, waiting is the primary means by which God teaches us how to practice genuinel faith.

Which means that from the experiences of waiting most of us are facing these days, God must really be at work growing our faith in Him! My prayer is that the Holy Spirit will continue to produce the spiritual "produce" of patience in each of us this week as we walk with Him.

I look forward to seeing you Sunday.

--Pastor Ken

A 'Prayer Request'

Fri, 1 Oct 2010 00:00:00 GMT

The story is told of a man who found an old bottle, and when he opened it, out popped a genie. (I didn't say it was a true story.) The genie told the man he would grant him three wishes, with one condition. Whatever he asked for, his mother-in-law would receive twice as much.

The man thought for a while, then gave the genie his requests. "For my first wish, I want ten million dollars. For my second wish, I want a large, furnished luxury home. And finally...I want you to beat me half to death!"

A bad joke, I know. But it does bring to mind our fascination with tales like Aladdin, "I Dream of Jeanie" and even Shaquille O'Neal's noteworthy acting debut as an oversized genie from a boom box in the critically acclaimed classic Kazaam (okay, it really wasn't that good).

Why do these mythical genies get our attention? Because we love to dream of having our wishes granted, of having access to someone who can give us anything we want. All we have to do is ask.

I guess you know where this is heading, so let's go there. I was reading the story of Jesus' healing of blind Bartimaeus again this week, from Mark 10, about how Jesus responded to that needy man. "What do you want me to do for you?" He asked. When Bartimaeus told Jesus he wanted to see, Jesus told him, "Go, your faith has healed you."

Did you notice who made the "prayer request" on this miraculous occasion? It was Jesus. He was the initiator. He asked Bartimaeus, "What do you want?" And Bartimaeus needed only to answer to give his "prayer request" to Jesus.

Have you ever considered that's how prayer is even now. The Father has extended an invitation for us to bring our needs to Him (Phil. 4:6). He asks, "What do you want?" and our prayer to Him is not really a request, but an answer to His request. He really wants to bless us, but most often we "have not, because we ask not" (James 4:2)

So, what DO you want? Ask Him. You just might be surprised how He works in your life.

Have a blessed weekend. I look forward to seeing you Sunday.

--Pastor Ken

Make Every Effort

Fri, 24 Sep 2010 00:00:00 GMT

God's grace is sufficient for us. We are saved by grace, through faith--not of works, lest any man should boast. Yet we are also called to "work out our salvation" with fear and much trembling. So, what is it? Should we be hard at work for God, or hardly working at all? Is our faith active, or passive; or perhaps actively passive, or passively active?

In so many ways, we mistakenly try to work our way toward God's favor, as if there was anything we could do that would improve on the incredible sacrifice He made for us at the cross to pay our price in full. Yet, most of us have also discovered that when it comes to our daily walk with God, and our ministries for Him--like most everything else in life--we get out of it what we're willing to put into it. Truly, we reap what we sow.

As we seek to be a church that reaches our community and disciples believers in their faith, one thing is for certain: good ministry requires hard work. Of course, more than that, it requires God's work, and we should be constantly and dependently praying for His hand of work among us. But there's no getting around the fact that our ministries bear fruit in accordance to our willingness to give of ourselves in service to the Lord, for His glory.

Check out the common theme in these many verses from the New Testament:

"Make every effort to enter through the narrow door (God's way)..." (Luke 13:24)

"Make every effort to do what leads to peace and to mutual edification." (Romans 14:19)

"Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace." (Ephesians 4:3)

"Make every effort to enter that rest (God's rest for His people)." (Hebrews 4:11)

"Make every effort to live in peace with all men and to be holy; without holiness no man shall see the Lord." (Hebrews 12:14)

"Make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love." (2 Peter 1:5)

"Make every effort to be found spotless, blameless and at peace with the Lord." (2 Peter 3:14)

God has done so much for us, and it's so exciting to see how He is at work in the life of our church these days. Let's be sure than in our walk with Him--and our service for Him--we give Him our best and make every effort to serve Him with our whole heart and give Him the glory He's due.

I'm praying for you, as I hope you are for me, and I look forward to seeing you Sunday.

--Pastor Ken

Turtles...and Ice Cream

Fri, 17 Sep 2010 00:00:00 GMT

"Mommy, my turtle's dead," the little boy, Andrew, sorrowfully told his mother, holding the turtle out to her in his hand. The mother kissed him on the head, then tried to console him. "That's all right," she said, "We'll wrap him in tissue paper, put him in a little box, then have a nice burial ceremony in the back yard. After that, we'll go out for ice cream."

"Ice cream?" the little boy said, wiping his tears and smiling. "Oh boy!" His mother said, "I don't want you..." Her voice trailed off as she noticed the turtle move. "Andrew, your turtle isn't dead after all!"

"Oh," the disappointed boy said. "Can I kill it?"

That's so much like a little kid, living for the moment, unable to see the long-term effects of a short-term decision, allowing temporary pleasure to lead him to do something he would otherwise never think of doing. But then again, we all do such things. Have you ever made a decision that later, in hindsight, you questioned, "Why in the world did I do something like that?" The ice cream is gone and so is the poor turtle.

That's why it's so important to base your life on a solid foundation of Biblical convictions, where many of your decisions are made ahead of time, outside of the temptation of the moment when emotions get the best of reason, and want-to tends to trump need-to. It may be moral choices, financial decisions or time priorities, but all of them demand a life grounded in intentional conviction, not flying by the seat of one's pants. That's a sign of true maturity--and for the Christian, a mark of spiritual maturity.

Here's the point: don't settle for ice cream today when you can have a pet to play with tomorrow. And don't settle for sin now, when its destructive consequences will always be revealed sometime down the road. Truly, you will reap what you sow. (Galatians 6:7) That might mean some hard choices in the short-term, but I can assure you, a life lived intentionally out of deeply held Christian convictions will be worth it.

I hope you're having a great week, and I look forward to seeing you Sunday at Shelby Crossings.

--Pastor Ken

Come As You Are

Fri, 10 Sep 2010 00:00:00 GMT

I got a mailout not too long ago inviting me to a new church that is starting up in the Birmingham area. One of their "selling points" was that you could wear jeans if you wanted. What a concept!

I'm surprised that would even be an issue any more, but we know how much it is. "Dress codes," or lack thereof, are important in our decision making, whether it be where we work, where we eat, where we play, or even where we worship.

The problem is, those dress codes are relative. What you would wear in church in the Bible-belt isn't what you'd wear in southern California. And those dress codes are always changing--another one of those "paradigm shifts" in our culture.

When I was in seminary I was told that I should never preach without a suit on--not just a coat-and-tie combination, but a full suit. And we were also strongly encouraged to always have our coats buttoned when walking into the pulpit. "A sure sign of a sloppy preacher is an unbuttoned coat!" I wonder if you're still considered a sloppy preacher if you don't even wear a coat.

The point is, clothes really don't matter in how you come to God. Yes, the Bible does instruct us to be modest in our choice of clothes. But otherwise, if you were to try to come up with a dress code from Scripture, you'd be hard pressed to find any consistency.

Perhaps we could all dress like John the Baptist, who wore a Fred Flintstone-looking camel-hair suit (check out the description in Mark's gospel and see if you don't agree!). Or, maybe Jacob, with his goatskin outfit, or his son Joseph, with his coat of many colors, could be our fashion guides. Of course, that coat almost cost Joseph his life!

The more carefree among us might prefer to dress like King David, who did a public worship dance in his underwear (or more specifically, his "linen ephod"). Or, for the more discreet, solemn look, sackcloth and ashes are a popular choice from the Old Testament.

I prefer the Biblical admonition of the apostle Peter, on how we dress in church: "All of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble." (1 Peter 5:5) Now that's how you dress for success.

I hope to see each of you in your "Sunday best" this Sunday.

--Pastor Ken

Following the Crowd

Fri, 3 Sep 2010 00:00:00 GMT

The story is told of a missionary recruit who goes to Venezuela for the first time, struggling with the language. He visits one of the local churches and sits in the front row.

So as not to make a fool of himself, he decides to pick someone out of the crowd to imitate. He decides to follow the man sitting next to him in the front pew. As they sing, the man claps his hands, so the missionary recruit claps too. When the man stands up to pray, the missionary recruit stands up too. When the man sits down, the missionary sits down.

Later in the service, the man next to him stands up again, so the missionary stands up too. Suddenly a hush falls over the entire congregation. A few people gasp. The missionary looks around and sees that no one else is standing. So he sits down.

After the service ends, the missionary recruit greets the pastor. "I take it you don't speak Spanish," the preacher says. The missionary replies, "No, not very good yet. Is it that obvious?"

"Well, yes," the preacher says. "I announced that the Acosta family had a newborn baby boy, and I asked the proud father to please stand up." Oops!

We all get into trouble like that every now and then when we find ourselves following the crowd. It's so easy just to go along with those around us, instead of making our own way. Or better yet, following the Lord's way. As Christ-followers, we need to be reminded sometimes that Jesus is our model, the example we are to follow to live out our faith. And we'll never go wrong if you choose to imitate im in the way you live our life.

Think about that this week. How would your life be different if your actions and your attitudes truly reflected those of the Savior whom you claim to serve? Are you more like the world you've been called out of, or the Lord who has called you to follow Him?

I'm praying for you this week, that your faith will be genuine and that your walk with God will be evident to all those around you--including you! I look forward to seeing you again this Sunday as we gather in His name to celebrate His presence. Invite a friend to join us!

--Pastor Ken

Got Church?

Fri, 27 Aug 2010 00:00:00 GMT

"I rejoiced when they said unto me, 'Let's go to the house of the Lord.' " (Psalm 122:1)

I had a conversation recently with a Christian friend who told me he didn't really need to "go to church." He said he often read the Bible, prayed with his wife, and was involved in a ministry, so he didn't feel the need to attend church on Sunday. Needless to say, I disagreed.

But it's obvious that a large segment of our society--including many people who would describe themselves as Christians--don't feel it's necessary to regularly attend church. And perhaps many more who do attend, do so more out of a sense of guilt and duty than of joy and celebration of God's love.

Why do you attend church? Or, if you don't attend much, why not? It's a question worth asking, and worth answering. There are several reasons for regular participation in congregational fellowship and worship. And yes, part of our motivation is a sense of faithfulness and obedience--we are called in Scripture to "forsake not assembling ourselves together."

But there are other reasons, some of which are downright selfish. For instance, did you know that surveys have shown that the best place in America to develop meaningful friendships is church? And in a culture of isolation and loneliness, who doesn't need genuine friendship?

And how about family life? A Gallup survey of American adults found that the activity believed to most strengthen family life is "attending church or religious activities together." In other words, the best thing you can do to keep your family strong is go to church together.

If that's not enought, there are also health reasons. A series of independent medical studies in recent years have determined the positive effect that regular church attendance has on a person's health. Researchers in one study found that those who attend religious services at least once a week have healthier immune systems than those who do not. Another recent study concluded that people who attend church on a regular basis have generally lower blood pressure than those who don't. Yet another survey conducted by researchers at the University of Texas found that those who regularly attended worship services lived an average of seven years longer than those who never attended.

In the most striking finding, Dr. Harold Koenig of Duke University Medical School has calculated that "lack of religious involvement has an effect on mortality that is equivalent to 40 years of smoking one pack of cigarettes per day."

We haven't even touched on the encouragement, hope and spiritual direction we get in a community of believers who are there to support us and lead us to a deeper level of faith in Christ. And yet, it's obvious, we really can't afford not to go to church!

"Church....it does a body good!" I hope to see you at The Church at Shelby Crossings this Sunday!

--Pastor Ken

You Are What You Eat

Fri, 20 Aug 2010 00:00:00 GMT

I came across an old account this week of one of the weirdest stories I have ever heard, and it's true. It's about a Frenchman named Michael Lotito, who has a rather weird appetite. Let's just say he's into metal.

Lotito, who passed away in 2007, was an entertainer with the nickname Monsieur Mangatout ("Mister Eat Everything"), who happend to like to eat things made of steel. At the time the article was written several years ago, he had eaten eleven bicycles, seven shopping carts, a metal coffin, a cash register, a washing machine, a television, and 660 feet of chain.

Lotito says it wasn't easy eating his first bicycle. (It never is!) "I started with the metal and moved on to the tires," he recalls. "It was really difficult to finish off the rubber. Metal's tasteless, but rubber is horrible." Later, Lotito learned to swallow pieces of tire and frame together.

But none of that compared with his biggest meal: a Cessna. That's right, Lotito once ate an entire light airplane, 2500 pounds of aluminum, steel, vinyl, Plexiglas, and rubber. With a meal like that he would cut the metal into pieces the size of his fingernail and consumed about two pounds a day.

Most people would agree that Michael Lotito had an unhealthy appetite. (Some of us would go ahead and conclude that he was a nut!) But sometimes our own appetites, especially as they relate to spiritual things, are equally questionable.

For both good and bad, what we take into our lives has a great effect on our spiritual growth and health, or lack thereof. That's why the Scripture is full of refrences to our spiritual diets. We are told to, "like newborn babes, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow in respect to your salvation." (1 Peter 2:2). Hebrews goes on to tell us that our diet should grow from spiritual milk to meat as we mature in our faith. (Heb. 5:12-14) Jesus said that "man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God." (Luke 4:4) In other words, our spiritual diets are so very important to who we become as Christians. Truly, we are--or we become--what we eat.

So, what's on your menu for this week? I don't recommend metal or rubber, but I would suggest highly that you take some time to feed on God's word this week. More than anything, my prayer for you is that you would truly "hunger and thirst for righteousness" so that you may be filled.

On a different note, I hope you are continuing to "devote yourselves to prayer" (Col. 4:2) during this time we have set aside as a church to do just that. I am excited to see how God is at work in so many ways.

I'm praying for you, and I can't wait to see you this Sunday at Shelby Crossings as we join together to worship our Lord.

--Pastor Ken

Eternity Here and Now

Fri, 13 Aug 2010 00:00:00 GMT

"If I sold my house and my car, had a big garage sale and gave all my money to the church, would I get into heaven?" a man asked the children in his Sunday School class. "No!" the children all answered.

"If I cleaned the church building every day, mowed the yard, and kept everything neat and tidy, would I get into heaven?" Again, the answer was "No!" "If I never told another lie and never said another bad word, would that get me into heaven?" Once more, a resounding "No!"

"Well," he continued, "then how can I get into heaven?"

A five-year old boy shouted out, "You gotta be dead!"

Maybe not the deepest of theology, but there's certainly some truth there. No, you won't get into heaven because you do a bunch of nice things and stop doing all the bad stuff. The Bible is clear that "there are none righteous, no not one" and that "all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God." That is, in and of ourselves, we would never have the ability to reach into heaven because of our good works.

But because of His mercy and grace, God allows us the opportunity to spend eternity in heaven through the sacrificial death of His Son, Jesus Christ, who sent to the cross on our behalf. "The wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord." (Rom. 6:23) Our only means of getting to heaven is accepting the gift He has offered, not earning our way to paradise. We come to Him by faith, believing in His promise that "God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life." (John 3:16)

The question for us--and for the little boy who answered the question above--is, when does eternal life begin? I would suggest that you don't have to wait until you die to experience the eternal blessings of a life with God, but that it is available now, even while you're alive. Jesus described it this way, in His own prayer to His heavenly Father in John 17:3: "This is eternal life, that they may know You." He was saying that the promise of eternal life is not just about a quantity of life--that we live forever--but a quality of life, that of knowing God and enjoying His presence in our lives. This--knowing God--defines what eternal life is.

That's why we were created, to live in right relationship with our Creator and to enjoy the blessings of His favor every day. So you don't have to sit around till you die so you can enjoy the "abundant life" that God offers, but you can start now. Eternal life for living people...what a concept!

I hope and pray that you know God and have experienced the joy of forgiveness and hope that comes only through a personal relationship with Him. If you haven't, we'd love to talk to you further about that and help lead you to trust Jesus Christ as your personal Savior so that you can begin enjoying the blessings of life everlasting in the here and now.

I'm praying for you, and I look forward to seeing you on Sunday.

--Pastor Ken

A God of a Second Chance

Fri, 6 Aug 2010 00:00:00 GMT

I saw on the news that today marks the 65th anniversary of the dropping of the atomic bomb on the city of Hiroshima, Japan. Two days later, on Aug. 8, 1945, a B-29 dropped a second bomb on the city of Nagasaki, effectively ending World War II.

I remember reading an interesting account about a Japanese civilian who had been in Hiroshima on the day the bomb was dropped, and survived the blast. He decided that there was no future in Hiroshima, and the next day, he moved. To Nagasaki. Of course, a day later, he experienced his second atomic bomb!

The article I read reported that after surviving his second nuclear blast, he did not talk much about the experience. I can well understand his reticence. The old line, "out of the frying pan into the fire" surely was his experience.

I have tried to imagine what it would have been like to have made the decision he made. You have just gone through a horror unlike anything you've ever experienced. Somehow, you lived through it. So, you move away, hoping never to experience another, and relocate yourself right onto the target of a similar horror. My guess is he probably never felt confident about another decision he made the rest of his life.

Though some would say this guy had the ultimate in "bad luck," I'd say this was one man who was truly blessed! How many people could say they lived in two cities that had atomic bombs dropped on them--and survived! It's a story of a second--and third--chance at life. I don't know how his life played out, but I sure hope he made the most of the extra opportunities that were providentially given to him by this survival.

God is still in the business of giving second chances, even if we don't see something as obvious as a nuclear explosion to recognize it. That's what the gospel is all about--that Jesus Christ paid the price so that we could have a new beginning.

The apostle wrote that "if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come" (2 Cor. 5:17). By His grace, God delights in giving us a fresh start. Be sure you make the most of yours!

I'm praying for you, as I hope you are for me, and I look forward to seeing you this Sunday at Shelby Crossings.

--Pastor Ken

In God We Trust?

Fri, 30 Jul 2010 00:00:00 GMT

You may have seen the news this week that a federal appeals court ruled against a lawsuit to remove "In God We Trust" from our nation's currency, dismissing claims from a Texas atheist that the phrase was unconstitutional. The lawsuit had called for the government "to destroy or recycle all circulating currency and replace it with new currency without religious inscription."

Congress approved "In God we trust" for the nation's currency in 1864, and made the phrase the official national motto in 1956. The Supreme Court has never decided a direct challenge to the motto.

I'm not sure how much difference such a symbolic statement like that makes, though I'm glad to hear of the court's decision. It often appears that people trust in just about everything else, especially as it relates to their money. With those four words so prominently displayed on all our currency, Americans have become more materialistic than any nation in the world. But it sure doesn't hurt to have that reminder staring at us whenever we handle money.

Like so many other things, I guess it's not what motto you profess on the outside, but what's going on in your heart that counts. It doesn't really matter how many times you say "In God We Trust," it only matters if you do.

That becomes especially clear when you commit yourselves to a time "devoted to prayer" (Col. 4:2) as we have at Shelby Crossings these past few weeks. There are so many things or programs or people that we are tempted to trust in--most notably, ourselves--but an intentional focus on seeking the Lord in prayer tends to bring to light how desperately each of us needs to trust in God, and God alone. I hope your time of devoted prayer this week has brought you to a new level of faith and trust in the Lord.

Listen again to the familiar words of Proverbs 3:5-6: "Trust in the Lord with all of your heart and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight." Now, that's a motto to live by!

I trust that you're trusting in God this week, and I look forward to seeing you Sunday, as we gather together in His name. I'm praying for you.

--Pastor Ken

50 Days of Prayer

Fri, 23 Jul 2010 00:00:00 GMT

This past Sunday, I began a new 8-week sermon series on prayer, entitled "Lord, Teach Us to Pray." In conjunction with the series, I asked the Shelby Crossings faith family to join me in "devoting yourselves to prayer" (Col. 4:2) beginning last Sunday, July 18 through Sunday, September 5. That's eight Sundays--seven full weeks, plus one day---a total of 50 days. I do hope you and your family will answer this call to prayer.

What does that mean? It means, first, that we start where we are. As we saw in last Sunday's message, prayer is something that can be learned. That's why Jesus' disciples specifically asked Him to teach them to pray. They knew it was something He did well, and it was something that was lacking in their own lives. So, if you feel like prayer is not one of your strengths, that's okay. Join us anyway, and allow the Lord to teach you, and grow you, in your prayer life these next six weeks.

Second, it means getting serious about prayer, and "devoting yourselves" to seeking God in prayer. That may mean that you set aside extra time by yourself each week to pray. You may want to devote special time in your small group to concerted prayer. You may even want to fast and pray one day a week, or more. I have no intention of prescribing what that means to you. I only hope you'll seriously consider the call to seek the Lord.

What, specifically, are we praying for? As a starting point, let me answer that with the words from 2 Chronicles 7:14: "If My people, who are called by My name, will humble themselves and pray and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land." Let's seek Him diligently and see what happens from there.

I can't wait to see what God is going to do in the life of His people as we take seriously the call to prayer in the next 44 days. Will you devote yourselves to prayer? I will.

I'm praying for YOU, and look forward to seeing you this Sunday.

--Pastor Ken

Too Busy (Not) to Pray

Fri, 16 Jul 2010 00:00:00 GMT

It was Martin Luther who once said, "I have so much to do that I must spend the first three hours of each day in prayer."

I came across that quote again this week during my preparation for our upcoming message series on the subject of prayer, which we'll kick off this Sunday at Shelby Crossings. More than that, I have been reminded of the truth Luther was communicating during our busy preparations for next week's Vacation Bible School.

No doubt, there's lots of important stuff to do to get ready to welcome the children of our community to our church campus next week, and present them a week's worth of fun activities and teaching times that will make an eternal impact on their lives. We have over sixty volunteers ready to lead and teach the kids through music, drama, crafts, lesson times and even recreation, and all that takes planning, studying, and lots of time-consuming preparation.

But if we do those things, necessary as they might be, with the best of motivations and intentions, and skip over the all-important communication and fellowship with the God we claim to serve, we will have truly missed the mark. "Unless the Lord builds the house, its builders labor in vain..." (Psalm 127:1) May the Lord help us not to do this "in vain."

Yet, so many of us live our lives that way every day--spinning our wheels, working hard, even planning diligently, but "too busy" to pray. We would all do well to listen to Luther's words and understand that in fact most of us are too busy NOT to pray.

So, whether you spend three hours or three minutes each morning, please don't miss the precious opportunity to invest your time into something eternal, through a life of concerted prayer to the Lord. There's no more important preparation we can make as a church--for VBS, for our Sunday worship services, or for anything else we do--than to give ourselves wholeheartedly to prayer. Let us pray!

I'm praying for you, and look forward to seeing you this Sunday--and all week next week for our Vacation Bible School. I can't wait!

--Pastor Ken

The Heart of a Servant

Fri, 9 Jul 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Over the past few weeks, we have seen plenty of encouraging displays of generosity, sacrifice, and service in and around the Shelby Crossings church family. I have constantly been reminded of the apostle Paul's words from Philippians 2, about our call to consider others more important than ourselves, and about having the same attitude as that of Christ Jesus, who traded in heaven's glory for the life of a servant, even to the point of dying on the cross for the very ones who betrayed Him.

With that in mind, I picked up a little coffee-table type book I received a few years back as a gift from a Christian internet site that I had registered with. It's called The Gentle Art of a Servant's Heart, with art by Vincent van Gogh and quotations by Chuck Swindoll from the Beatitudes.

I wanted to share with you a few meaningful quotes from Swindoll, minus the van Gogh art. May God use them as He continues to mold our hearts into Christ-likeness.

"The attitude of being poor in spirit is one of absolute, unvarnished humility. It is the portrait of one who sees himself/herself as spiritually bankrupt, deserving of nothing...who turns to Almighty God in total trust."

"The person with a servant's heart--not unlike a child trusting completely in his parent's provision--is promised a place in Christ's kingdom."

"A true servant stays in touch with the struggles others experience. There is that humility of mind that continually looks for ways to serve and to give."

"In the ultimate victory the gentle will win. Believe that, servant-in-the-making! Be different from the system!"

"Servants with renewed minds have a perspective on life and power to live life that is altogether unique--divinely empowered. That explains how wrongs can be forgiven, and how offenses can be forgotten."

"True servants are merciful. They care. They get involved. They offer more than pious words."

"Servants who are 'pure in heart' have peeled off their masks. And God places special blessing on their lives."

"It is doubtful Jesus despised anything among those who claimed to serve God more than hypocrisy--a lack of purity of heart. It represented the antithesis of servanthood."

"We don't need more knowledge than we already have. All we need is the will to do what needs to be done."

I'm praying for you, and I hope to see you Sunday.

--Pastor Ken

What Happens in Vegas...

Fri, 2 Jul 2010 00:00:00 GMT

As you may already know, I have spent the past week in "Sin City." I never would have imagined when I wrote this column a week ago that I would end up in Las Vegas within a few days, and spend nearly a week here. But as the old saying goes, the Lord works in mysterious ways.

You probably are aware that one of our Shelby Crossings elders, Mark Young, and his family, were in a horrific auto accident last Saturday evening on their way back from visiting family in California. A tire blew on their SUV as they traveled down the interstate in the desert near the California/Arizona state line, and their vehicle flipped several times. Two of their children were ejected from the vehicle--and miraculously walked away. Mark had to be cut out of the passenger seat and was airlifted to a hospital in Las Vegas. He suffered a broken neck, severe lacerations on his head and burns on his arm and hand, and had to undergo several surgeries this week. He is still in the Trauma ICU, but by God's grace, he is on his way down the long road to recovery.

With the help of some generous friends, my wife Nan and I came out to Las Vegas on Monday to be here to support Mark and Maribel and offer help with the logistics of trying to get things settled so far from home. Along the way, we have watched our church family 2,000 miles away pull together to pray for and support the Young family in a way that has truly honored the Lord. In case you haven't seen it, you can check out the details in the "Praying for Mark and Maribel Young" group on Facebook. In that light, let me say, on behalf of Mark and Maribel and the kids, thanks so much for your intercession, for your financial support, and for your expressions of love and encouragement. You have been such a blessing.

Earlier today, I had a conversation with Mark, who was recounting what he remembered from the accident, during the time he was moving in and out of consciousness. He remembered being awakened by the sound of them cutting through the top of the Excursion to extract him from the vehicle, and the thought occurred to him that it didn't sound like the sound of heaven, so he must still be alive! Accordingly, he thought, God must still have him around for a reason. Much of what we've talked about the last few days has been what that reason migh be.

When you think about it, I guess that's true for all of us, isn't it? God still has us around for a reason, because He still desires to accomplish His purpose in, and through, our lives. The question all of us must ask, and answer, is...what's that purpose? Why in His sovereignty, has God left me here, and how can I serve Him while I'm still here?

Thank God that He has preserved Mark's life--and please pray that He continues His work of healing for him in this difficult time. And don't miss the lesson from this teachable moment, as you serve the Lord this week.

I count it a privilege and a joy to be your pastor, and I look forward to returning home on Friday, and to seeing each of you on Sunday.

--Pastor Ken

On Naked Cans and Denominational Labels

Fri, 25 Jun 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Labels make us comfortable. I was reminded of that during a discussion in our midweek small group this week. We were talking about the days when my wife and I lived and worked at The King's Ranch as relief house parents many years ago. Every week or so the truck would arrive at the ranch with part of our "salary"--in the form of "dented cans and torn boxes" from a few area grocery stores. The stores would donate these items that they could no longer sell to help feed the needy children of the ranch, as well as the needy workers like us who served there.

From time to time, we would get more than a crushed box of corn flakes or a beat up can of vegetable soup. Those times, we would get a plain, aluminum--and unlabeled--can of food. Or at least you hoped it was food.

It was almost like Christmas morning when we were preparing to open a naked can to prepare for dinner. (I said almost!) Oh what anticipation! What was in the can? Was it some high-priced brand of peas or beans or corn that we would have otherwise been unable to afford? Or perhaps a bad generic offering that we wouldn't have wanted to purchase to begin with. Maybe one of those atrocious vegetables that make you wonder, who eats that stuff. It might be fruit cocktail or it might be hominy. Could even be Alpo! Inquiring mindsdid want to know.

Fun memories, actually. But it also reminds me, again, why labels do make us comfortable, because they tell us on the outside what's on the inside. Or, at least we think they do.

The topic of labels comes up regularly when I talk to people about our church. They want to know about what kind of church we are, and the name "The Church at Shelby Crossings" just doesn't give them enough information. Before they visit they are curious as to our beliefs, our style, our philosophy of ministry, our "flavor." Are we traditional or contemporary? Causal or formal? Conservative or liberal? KJV or NIV? Charismatic of....whatever is the opposite of charismatic? And what about denomination? Do we have one, and we're hiding it? Or do we not have one for a reason? Even those who are turned off by denominations want to know our "label" so they can know where we stand.

Whatever our labels, I would hope we at Shelby Crossings would continue to seek to be a Christ-focused, Biblically-rooted, Spirit-led family of believers who genuinely love the Lord and care about the people of our community. But the truth is, like the mystery cans of The King's Ranch, people will find out who and what we really are not by looking at the labels on the outside, but by seeing who we are when the can is opened.

I pray that the community of faith we call The Church at Shelby Crossigns would truly reflect the gospel of Jesus Christ to Calera and our surrounding communities, to His glory. I look forward to seeing you Sunday. Invite a friend!

--Pastor Ken

Dog-Gone Excited

Fri, 18 Jun 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Ever felt "dog-tired" and just didn't want to get out of bed to go to church for Sunday morning worship? Sorry, but you're about to lose your excuse.

I read this week a story from a few years back about a dog in Portugal that rolled out of bed early every Sunday morning and never missed church. In fact, "Preta" the dog even walked 16 miles to get there.

Every Sunday for several years, the pooch headed out of her owner's home in the northern Portuguese town of Sobrado at 5 a.m., the newspaper Correio da Manha reported. A former stray, Preta--Portuguese for "black"--walked alone to a church in the neighboring village of Enmesinde to take her usual place next to the altar in time for the 7:30 a.m. service. Whenever worshipers stood or sat down, Preta did the same.

Once the service was over, she usually walked back home. Sometimes Preta would return in a car--but only with a human she knew. The congregation grew at the village church as many people came just to see Preta.

The story made me wonder, about a lot of things. Like, how did the dog know when it was Sunday? Did her owners attend church--and if so, why couldn't she have hitched a ride with them? (Or, were they of a different denomination than Preta?) And, what was so special about the church service that would inspire a dog to get up every week and make such a long walk?

It's my prayer that our worship services at The Church at Shelby Crossings would be so exciting, inspiring, encouraging, challenging and attractive that people from all around--young and old, black and white, churched and unchurched, man and beast!--would be willing to make whatever sacrifices are necessary to come celebrate the hope we have in Christ!

Is that unrealistic? Perhaps. But so is the good news of the gospel. It's still almost unimaginable that an awesome and loving God loves us so much that He sacrificed the life of His only Son to redeem us from the bondage and penalty of sin, so that we could live eternally with Him. But He did. And that's something worth getting up in the morning to celebrate!

I hope you don't have to walk 16 miles to be with us this Sunday at Shelby Crossings, but I do hope you'll be able to join us as we gather together to worship our Lord. I doubt we'll have a peculiar canine present to draw a crowd, but I do expect God to be there. And that's pretty "dog-gone" exciting!

I'm praying for you, and I look forward to seeing you Sunday

--Pastor Ken

Remotely in Control

Fri, 11 Jun 2010 00:00:00 GMT

While the television remote has been around for nearly sixty years, it has only been widely used in the last couple of decades. Some of us old-timers can actually remember having to get up and walk over to the television to change the channel. How pre-historic!

Actually it was in 1952 that Zenith introduced a remote called, appropriately enough, "Lazy Bones," which was attached to the television via a long cable. This wasn't a popular device as there were so few channels to change. Three years later, the "Flash-o-Matic" appeared--a flashlight that when shined toward light-sensitive cells in each of the four corners of the TV would perform different remote functions. This device proved to be a problem, however, if the television was placed near sunlight. The sun's rays would play havoc on the operations of the TV.

A group of engineers then developed the Zenith "Space Command," a wireless remote using ultrasonic waves, in 1957. It worked pretty well, except for its functons being affected by clinking metal, such as dog tags, and its high frequencies making dogs bark. In spite of its drawbacks, the ultrasonic remote was used for two decades until engineers discovered the infrared remote control. Now the infrared beam pointed in the direction of the TV gives viewers--especially male viewers--control of their television from the comfort of their easy-chair.

We humans do relish control, don't we? With the advent of such new technologies, we can now remotely control not only our televisions, but also our DVD players, sound systems, computers and car locks. I'm not even sure I would know how to operate our DVD player without the remote, and I don't know that my key has ever been used to open my car door (and it's a '98 model!)

There's just something about the awesome power of pushing a little button and gaining instant control of our environment. Some things, however, were never meant to be in our control, no matter how much we might wish otherwise. God, in fact, has a plan for each of our lives, and ultimately, that plan always involves our recognition that we are not in control, and that He is. It is submission to His will--His control--that is at the heart of true Christian discipleship.

I have to admit, I don't always like that; I'd much rather be able to control my situation, especially if I could just find a device that would allow me to change things I don't like with the push of a button. But that's just not the way life is.

The truth is, there is a comfort in allowing God to graciously control our lives, and a security that comes when we learn to trust His sovereign plan. What soul rest we experience when we don't have to worry about tomorrow. What peace we know when we realize we don't have to control our little world, not even "remotely." He is in control!

I'm praying for you, and I look forward to seeing you Sunday.

--Pastor Ken

From D-Day to V-Day

Fri, 4 Jun 2010 00:00:00 GMT

We live between D-Day and V-Day. I remember studying that assessment of our Christian existence by theologian Oscar Cullman when I was in seminary. I didn't really understand it then, both because I wasn't that familiar with the military history of World War II and because I didn't have a grasp of the warfare that comes in living the Christian life. I understand both a little better now.

Cuhlman's point was surely more familiar to those of his generation who lived the agony, and the victory, of a world war. But with the 66th anniversary of the famous Normandy invasion coming up this Sunday, I was reminded of the truth he stated all the more.

For those who are "historically challenged," let me refresh your memory a bit. On D-Day, June 6, 1944, the Allies launched the largest amphibious invasion in human history on the northern coast of German occupied France. It was one of the bloodiest battles ever for the Allied forces, with tens of thousands killed and injured For our generation, the horrific realities of that battle were brought to life in the opening scenes of the movie Saving Private Ryan.

More than anything, D-Day marked the turning point of the European war against Hitler's forces. In fact, many considered D-Day "where the war was won." The problem was, it took another 337 days of fighting, and thousands more lives lost, before Germany finally surrended on May 7, 1945. The next day, May 8, was declared V-E Day, to celebrate the victory in Europe.

What's the point for us as Christians? Jesus Christ "decided" our final outcome 2,000 years ago on the cross. That victory is assured, and secured for us, because of His sacrifice on that "D-Day" at Calvary. Yet, we still must face our share of spiritual battles--many of which we lose--as we await V-Day, when our Lord will return and receive us into Himself, forever to live in His peace.

So, hang in there as you faithfully "fight the good fight." We already know the outcome, even if sometimes the battle gets fierce. We win!

I hope to see you Sunday as we celebrate that victory together.

--Pastor Ken

On Men-Fishing

Fri, 28 May 2010 00:00:00 GMT

When Jesus called His first disciples, He invited them to "Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men." (Matthew 4:19) Two thousand years later, we're still trying to figure out how to best do that.

Some folks go "fishing" by knocking on doors to share their faith. Others witness in their schools, work place or neighborhoods. Still others use social media like Facebook and Twitter to proclaim the gospel. But most just use the low-key approach, like wearing an initialed bracelet or putting a bumper sticker on their car.

Have you ever wondered what the "world" thinks when they see such things? One of the first things a good fisherman must do to catch fish is learn to think like a fish. But that may be harder than it first appears,especially when you're so isolated from the world that you forget what it's like not to be a Christian. As followers of Christ, we are called to be "in the world

, but not of it," and it's important that we understand the people God has purposefully placed in our path to impact with His gospel.

If you take a step back, you just might realize that the people around you have a different perspective on your religious expressions from the outside-looking-in than you do from the inside-looking-out. We would all do well to take a fresh look at how we are communicating

to those around us what it means to be a follower of Christ.

With that, I found this humorous top ten list (original source unknown) I wanted to share with you, with hopes that it might help you to understand the "fish" a little better as you seek to live out Jesus' Great Commission this week:

Ten Things People Won't Say When They See a Fish Symbol on Your Car

Look, let's stop that car and ask those folks how we can become Christians.
Don't worry, Billy, those people are Christians; they must have a good reason for driving 95 mph.
What a joy to be sharing the highway with another car of Spirit-filled brothers and sisters.
Isn't it wonderful how God blessed that Christian with a brand new Mercedes!
How come people who drive like that don't get thrown in jail? Son, that driver is a Christian and God probably protects him from getting arrested.
Oh, look! That Christian woman is getting a chance to share Jesus with a police officer.
No, that's not garbage coming out of their windows, Bert; it's probably gospel tracts for the road workers to read.
Oh boy, we're in trouble. We just rear-ended one of God's cars.
Quick, Alice, honk the horn or they won't know that we are Christians too.
Stay clear of those folks, Martha. If they get raptured, that car's gonna be all over the road!

Here's hoping your faith in Christ is contagious and that as you follow Jesus He will truly make you into the kind of fisherman that impacts your world positively with the gospel.

Have a safe and blessed Memorial Day weekend. I am praying for you, and I look forward to seeing you this Sunday.

--Pastor Ken

Driving Scared

Fri, 21 May 2010 00:00:00 GMT

We had an interesting discussion about the things we fear this past Wednesday night in the small group that meets at my house. We discussed everything from sharks and pigs and crowded elevators to MRI machines and flying monkeys. I shared something that scares me a bit, and I'll go ahead and confess it here as well.

Sometimes, when I drive over a high bridge, especially over water, a weird sense of fear grips me. A knot-in-my-stomach, weak-in-the-knees kind of fear. Not all the time, but sometimes. It's not just a fear of heights, it's a fear of specifically driving over bridges. Very few things really frighten me, probably because I don't have sense enough sometimes to be afraid when circumstances would dictate I should. But driving over a high bridge can really do a number on me.

So I was comforted when I read an article a few years back that I am not alone, that there are many others who "suffer" with the same problem. Our group discussion got me to thinking about that article, and by the miracle of Google, I was able to find it. The article told of people who are so afraid of bridges that they will drive hours out of their way to avoid them. Others try to cross but have a panic attack in the middle of the bridge and can't go on, blocking traffic.

Because of this, the operators of some of the longest and highest spans in America now offer a driving service. On request, one of the bridge attendants will get behind the wheel and drive your car over the bridge. A few years back, Michigan's "Timid Motorist Program" assisted 830 drivers across the Mackinac Bridge, which is five miles long and rises two hundred feet above the water. At Maryland's Chesapeake Bay Bridge, which is over four miles long and also rises two hundred feet above the water, authorities took the wheel and helped over a thousand fearful motorists.

The truth is, bridges aren't the only things that cause fear in people's hearts. Whether it's an officially recognized "phobia" or just something we face every day that makes us a little nervous, fear is a natural human condition. Over 500 times, in fact, the Bible records God--or one of His messengers--telling people: "Fear not!" Why? Because obviously they were already afraid. Often, the admonition to no longer be afraid was accompanied by a promise: "...for I am with you."

In a terrifying situation the way to get over the paralysis of fear is to do like those motorists crossing the bridge--turn the wheel over to someone else. Turn the situation over to God and then trust Him to handle it for you. You may still have to cross that bridge, but you're not doing it alone, and God is the One in control.

Is there anything you are afraid of today? Something giving you a knot in the pit of your stomach? Making you nervous even to think about it? Just turn it over to the Lord, who will never leave you nor forsake you, and let Him handle things. He can. And will.

I'm praying for you, and I look forward to seeing you on Sunday.

--Pastor Ken

Life Isn't for Cowards

Fri, 14 May 2010 00:00:00 GMT

In the days of the wild and woolly West, a lone cowboy went riding through the valley and came unexpectedly upon an Indian lying motionless on the road. His right ear was pressed to the ground, and he was muttering soberly to himself.

"Ummm," he said. "Stagecoach! Three people inside. Two men, one woman. Four horses. Three dapple gray, one black. Stagecoach moving west. Ummmmmm."

The cowboy was amazed and said, "That's incredible, pardner! You can tell all that just by listening to the ground?" The Indian replied, "Ummmmm. No! Stagecoach run over me thirty minutes ago!"

Dr. James Dobson used that illustration to open one of the chapters of his book, Parenting Isn't for Cowards. He said it reminded him of what mothers face trying to raise more than one rambunctious preschooler simultaneously. Many of you can probably identify. Perhaps you, like the Indian in the story, have found yourself lying flat on the floor muttering, "Mmmmm. Three kids. Dirty hands. Wet diapers. Mud on feet. Tearing through the house. Making me crazy! Help!"

But you don't have to be a parent to sometimes feel like you've been run over by a stagecoach. Sometimes that's just the way life is. We've got more pressures and stressors packed into our days than any generation in history, and most of us feel overwhelmed by it all every so often. And by the time you put your ear to the ground, it's too late. You've already been run over.

Dr. Dobson could very well have written a book entitled "Life Isn't for Cowards." For it isn't. Especially if you want to life your life for Jesus. It's just hard sometimes, just as Jesus Himself said it would be.

But take heart, for our Lord promised us that we can overcome even the most distressing of circumstances if we'll only trust in Him and not give up. I hope you'll do just that this week.

So, look out for those stagecoaches, and preschoolers, and whatever else that comes your way trying to run you over. And don't give up. God knows where you are, and He's not finished with you yet!

May He bless you richly this week as you serve Him. I'm praying for you, and I look forward to seeing you Sunday.

--Pastor Ken

Happy Hallmark Day

Fri, 7 May 2010 00:00:00 GMT

The mother of Mother's Day would not like your plans for a store-bought card for Mom.

"A maudlin insincere printed card....means nothing except that you're too lazy to write to the woman who has done more for you than anyone else in the world," Anna Jarvis once said.

Miss Jarvis, a teacher, was appalled to see what had become of her Mother's Day by the end of World War II. She died in 1948 after fighting the commercialization of the day she established.

This year, Americans are expected to send more than 150 million greeting cards for Mother's Day, and $200 million worth of flowers and plants will be delivered nationwide. Hallmark alone produces more than 1,400 different Mother's Day cards.

The first official Mother's Day service was held at Miss Jarvis' home church, Andrews Methodist, in Grafton, West Virginia, on the morning of May 10, 1908. West Virginia declared it an official holiday a century ago--in 1910--and Congress followed in 1914 with a declaration signed by President Woodrow Wilson.

Today, people from all over the world visit the International Mother's Day Shrine at the restored Methodist church where Miss Jarvis began a day to, as she wrote in 1908, "brighten the lives of good mothers. To have them know we appreciate them, though we do not often show it as we might."

That's still a worthy goal for the "holiday" 102 years later, to "brighten the lives" of mothers and "have them know we appreciate them."

To the many of you in our church family who are mothers--who work at what Dr. James Dobson calls "the most important job in the world"--please know that you are very much appreciated. May the Lord Himself brighten your day this Sunday (and all through the year) with the satisfaction that you are making an incredible impact for His kingdom.

We'll see you on Sunday.

--Pastor Ken

Coincidences Happen

Fri, 30 Apr 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Do you believe in coincidence? I don't. When you believe in a sovereign God who is active in the every-day details of life, you realize that nothing happens "by chance." He is in control, and, as if we open our spiritual eyes, we can recognize His work all around us each day.

Which brings me to an old quote I came across this week from Archbishop William Temple. I'm not sure if it was delivered "tongue-in-cheek," but it sure makes a great point. The archbishop said, "When I pray, coincidences happen, and when I don't, they don't.

There is within that simple, yet profound, statement a recognition that God works His purpose in our lives as we pray. Things that would not otherwise happen, do happen--"coincidentally," the world might say--when we pray. And when we don't pray--coincidentally enough--they don't happen.

Quite frankly, I was convicted of that statement, because I realize that often I sit around and wait for things to happen, when God allows me the privilege of being a part of their happening by engaging in the ministry of prayer. There's no telling what "coincidences" I might have missed because I didn't pray.

With that in mind, I wanted to remind each of you to take seriously the Christian responsibility--and privilege--of prayer. I believe that prayer is the most important ministry each of us have as Christians.

As we approach next Thursday's National Day of Prayer, I hope you'll join in praying for our nation, that God would bring revival to our land. I also hope you'll pray for the ministry of The Church at Shelby Crossings. If you don't know what to pray, let me make a few suggestions:

Pray for God's protection for our body from the enemy's attacks, and for purity and unity in our church fellowship. Pray for the moving of the Holy Spirit in our church, not just on Sundays as we gather in worship, but as we are about our Father's business throughout the week.

Pray that the Gospel would go forth from our church, and that God would empower our witness, as He provides us "divine appointments" with those He would have us to reach. Pray for the Lord's provision of the financial needs of our church. Pray for our staff, elders and deacons, as well as all those who serve weekly in the ministry of our church, that the Lord would lead us, mature us, protect us, and use us for His glory.

I can't wait to see the "coincidences" happen at Shelby Crossings as we get serious about praying for God to do His work in His church.

I'm praying for you, and I look forward to seeing you Sunday.

--Pastor Ken

Your Walk Talks

Fri, 23 Apr 2010 00:00:00 GMT

"Your walk talks and your talk talks, but your walk talks louder than your talk talks."

I received a story in my email box recently, supposedly true, about a woman who was driving down the road with her 4-year old daughter, and beeped the horn by mistake. The little girl turned and looked a her mother for an explanation for the unexpected honk. "I did that by accident," Mom said. "I know that," the daughter replied, "'cause you didn't say 'JERK!" afterward."

It's amazing how insightful little ones can be, and how easily they can figure us as adults out. Their impressionable little minds do pick up on what we do and say in different circumstances, and that is how they learn to respond to similar events as they grow up. We can tell them all we want, but what we show them is what really counts. As the old saying goes, there's much more caught than taught.

When you teach your children to be kind to one another, do they see that in the way you respond in a traffic jam? When you tell them to be honest, do they get the same message when the telephone solicitor calls and you're "not home"? When you teach them about sharing, do they see you do likewise with your precious "stuff?" They will imitate you more than you know.

Even more so, when you teach them to love God, do they see your love for Him in your daily life? Does your life truly communicate the priority of a personal relationship with Christ, or is that just Sunday talk? Do the core values you say you hold dear play themselves out in your daily decisions involving people and work and time and money?

I am a collector of religious cartoons, and one of my favorites is an old one I picked up years ago, that is so very simple. It's a picture of a little boy, who is obviously arriving home from church to see his dad, sitting in his favorite chair reading the Sunday paper. The look on the father's face says it all, as the child somewhat innocently asks, "What to know what I learned in Sunday School today, hypocrite?" Ouch!

The question for all of us is, does what we say and believe and teach match what we do and who we are? We must be careful, for we are being watched--not just by little eyes beneath us, but by the omniscient, omnipresent eyes of our Heavenly Father. My prayer for you is that those who know you best will truly respect you most, because your words and actions are consistent, and your life, both publicly and privately, honors our Lord.

I'm praying for you, and I look forward to seeing you this Sunday.

--Pastor Ken

Show and Tell

Fri, 16 Apr 2010 00:00:00 GMT

I came across an old copy of a Focus on the Family magazine from several years that I had saved because of a real-life story on the back cover submitted by one of their readers. The story came from a Kristin Molstre in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. I'll let her tell it:

While I was clipping her toenails, my kindergarten daughter mulled over what to bring to school the next day for show and tell. When I finished hers, I clipped my own. My daughter was fascinated by the size of my toenails. The next morning I forgot to pack something for show and tell. I expected my daughter to be crushed when I picked her up. I cautiously asked her how her day was, and she replied, "It was just the best day, Mom!" Surprised, I told her how sorry I was that I forgot show and tell. "It's okay, I brought something really great. It's in my backpack." I opened her backpack to find my toenail clippings--all 10!"

I don't know about you, but the first thing I imagined when I read that story (other than "eww, gross!") was the look on the teacher's face when the little girl pulled out her mom's toenails for show and tell. Certainly, that story was the talk of the teacher's lounge before the day was over!

I also imagined the bright red color of a blushing mother's face when she thought about how the tale of her clippings was making its rounds at the school. All because a little girl was proud of the "trophies" she collected from her mother's toenail clipping, and was all too happy to share them with her little world.

Show and tell. An interesting concept. And a pretty good synopsis of our call as Christians to "show" the world the life-changing difference Christ makes in our lives, and "tell" them of His love for them. It all starts, I believe, with our being excited enough about the Lord and His grace to us that we can't help but want to "show and tell" others about the gospel.

Do you really believe Jesus Christ is the answer to the uncertainty and hopelessness of our world today? If so, does your life show it? And are you telling anyone about Him? "How can they believe if they have never heard about Him?" the apostle Paul asked. "And how can they hear about Him unless someone tells them?" (Romans 10:14, NLT). How, indeed?

My prayer for each of you is that your life and testimony for Christ is a memorable "show and tell" for the world around you this week. I look forward to seeing you this Sunday.

--Pastor Ken

Death and Taxes

Fri, 9 Apr 2010 00:00:00 GMT

If you've looked at the calendar lately, you probably noticed that we're nearing the middle of the month of April. Thats right, next Thursday, April 15, is the dreaded annual deadline for filing your tax returns, if you haven't done so already.

I think it was Benjamin Franklin who first said that only two things in life are certain: death and taxes. This time of year we're reminded how certain taxes really are. The friendly folks at the Internal Revenue Service are pretty serious about collecting their cut of our hard-earned wages to fund our blessed government's endeavors.

So, the tax man cometh. Perhaps you have heard of the new simple tax form that some have suggested. At the top of the form you write your name and Social Security number. Then there are two lines with the simplest of instructions: How much did you make? and Send it to us.

For those last minutes filers, here are a few things you cannot do when it comes time to file your taxes. You cannot write off last year's tax as a bad investment. You cannot claim depreciation on your wife and children. You cannot deduct health club dues as a total loss. And the IRS won't buy the idea that if you spend it before you earn it, it's not really income.

Really, there's not much you can do about taxes (short of having six children!) but pay them. Even Jesus taught that we are to render to Caesar what is Caesar's. But then again, we can also vote to determine who our Caesar will be, depending upon how much he or she wants to tax us. That's a message for another day.

The good news of this season is that old Ben Franklin wasn't as wise as he thought he was. Taxes may be certain, but death? Not so much. For believers in Christ, we have hope when it comes to matters of life and death. That's what last Sunday's Easter celebration reminded us.

When Jesus rose from the grave He defeated death--not just for Himself, but for all of us who know Him. That truth from Scripture doesn't just apply on Easter Sunday; we live with the promise of the hope of the resurrection every day of the year.

So regardless of your standing with the IRS, the tomb is empty, and your life doesn't have to be! May that truth affect how you live your life this week, even if you still have to do your taxes.

I look forward to seeing you this Sunday.

--Pastor Ken

Good Friday?

Fri, 2 Apr 2010 20:31:46 GMT

"Holy week" continues as we count down toward this Sunday's celebration of Easter. As I write this, it's Good Friday morning. Some of you are already off work today for the holiday weekend for Good Friday. Others are out of school. I noticed that even the New York Stock Exchange is shut down.

I heard on the radio the other day that the city of Davenport, Iowa has been in an uproar during the last week, after the city administrator officially designated that Good Friday (which had long been observed as a city holiday) was now to be called the "Spring Holiday." The city council and mayor eventually overturned the decision, changing the day back to Good Friday, but not before it caused quite a stir. Whatever it was called, the city employees got their day off.

However, I wonder how many of them have stopped to think today about why they are off work, or why their city offices are not open. And, I wonder how many Wall Street brokers have really reflected on why the stock exchange is closed down. Other than a paid off-day for some, what's so "good" about Good Friday?

It is a little ironic, to say the least. I've always found it kind of strange that we refer to the day on which the most important person in human history was murdered, as "good." The thought of a man brutally beaten beyond recognition, hanging on a barbaric cross with nails in his hands and feet, a crown of thorns piercing His head, and a spear thrust into His side, doesn't usually elicit the description of "good."

Good Friday can be good only because Easter Sunday is even better! Jesus Christ did die that cruel death on our behalf, but His crucifixion was not the end of the story. His victory over death and the grave is what gives us life, hope, peace--and our own victory through His sacrifice. As the apostle Paul wrote, "Death has been swallowed up in victory!"

This weekend as you celebrate Good Friday and Easter Sunday, I hope you'll take time to remember what Jesus did for you and me on Calvary's cross, and that you'll live your life in such a way that it will be worthy of such a sacrifice. "He died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for Him who died for them and was raised again." (2 Cor. 5:15)

Have a good Good Friday, and a great Easter Sunday! I am praying for you, and I look forward to seeing you Sunday.

--Pastor Ken

Matters of the Heart

Fri, 26 Mar 2010 00:00:00 GMT

If you've traveled north on I-65 in the past few weeks, toward Huntsville, you probably discovered quite a traffic back-up in the Hartselle area. That's because the Alabama Department of Transportation had to close several miles of the northbound interstate after a massive sinkhole devoured a couple of the northbound lanes. News reports tell us that they hope to have the sinkhole filled and the road repaired within the next week or so, but for now you can expect some frustrating detours.

It reminds me of a few years ago, right after they opened the new Colonial Promenade shopping center in Alabaster, when large sections of the parking lot caved in because of sinkholes. It does make you wonder what road or parking lot may cave in next. I've driven on that stretch of interstate many times. What if the road had collapsed at one of those times when I was driving across it, heaving me into the abyss, never to be heard from again. What if?

Sinkholes are an interesting phenomenon. They are basically a geological problem, and occur for varioius reasons when underground streams either dry up during a drought or wash out during times of heavy rain, causing the ground at the surface to lose its underlying support. Mining can also lead to the same effect, especially when it produces voids beneath the surface of the ground and causes shifts in those underground streams. Suddenly, and often unexpectedly, everything just caves in, leaving people with the frightening suspicion that nothing--not even the earth beneath their feet--is trustworthy.

The truth is, there are a lot of people whose lives are like one of those sinkholes. At one time or another, you feel like you're on the verge of a sinkhole-like cave-in, just a moment away from a collapse that will threaten to sweep your entire world into a bottomless pit. It is what author Gordon MacDonald calls The Sinkhole Syndrome.

The question is, do we have something "solid" beneath the surface of our lives that will provide a strong foundation whatever comes our way? Or have we just spent most of our time and energy focusing only on that which is visible, while neglecting the subterranean matters of the heart?

It's an easy temptation, especially in a world that focuses so much on how we project a surface-level image instead of deeper, "below-ground" issues. But God calls us to do just the opposite, to make sure our heart is in order as our top priority. The challenge for us, as usual, is to go against the flow of our society and invest our lives more on internals than externals. When we do, we find that the matters of the heart are truly the heart of the matter.

My prayer for you is that God will shore up your life from the inside out, so that you will never have a cave-in, no matter how much pressure you face. When He fills your life, all the weight in the world cannot overwhelm you. As the old hymn reminds us, He is the Solid Rock.

I look forward to seeing you again at Shelby Crossings this Sunday as we gather to worship together.

--Pastor Ken

Changing Time(s)

Fri, 12 Mar 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Finally, it's starting to feel a little more like spring, bringing with it a monsoon or two, and the blossoms of new life all around. Trees will soon be budding, flowers blooming, new weeds sprouting in my yard--annual indicators of the changing of the seasons. And here at Shelby Crossings, there's a new excitement in the air as well. (Or is that just pollen?)

Of course, this time of year also means something else: the changing of the clocks. This Sunday marks the beginning of Daylight Savings Time, the day of the year when the "time fairy" sneaks into our homes during the cover of night and steals an hour of life from us. That's 60 minutes of our lives, simply vanished!

So don't forget to set your clocks forward an hour on Saturday night, and get to bed early so you can "beat the clock" and come well rested and ready for worship on Sunday. Don't sleep in, and put it off until Monday; that will only make your Monday worse, in more ways than one!

Most people I talk to think the time change and the whole Daylight Savings Time is a pretty dumb idea anyway. A few states actually refuse to participate, keeping their clocks the same year round. The spring time change sure does affect our moods and our sleep patterns, among other things. And did you know that Daylight Savings Time may be hazardous to your health?

Studies have shown a marked increase in accidents the week immediately following the spring time change, when we lose the hour of sleep. In a two-year study of Canadian traffic accidents, psychologist Stanley Coren of the University of British Columbia found that accidents jumped about 8 percent the Monday after the spring shift, perhaps because of the drivers' loss of an hour of shut-eye.

Coincidence? Perhaps not. Coren also noted a 1996 New England Journal of Medicine study that accidents dropped about 8 percent from normal the Monday after the shift back to standard time in the fall (and the gain of an extra hour of sleep). No one knows the correlation between those who had accidents and those who didn't go to church....but let me just say, you don't want to be one of those statistics!

So be sure to get a good weekend of rest, and make sure you don't miss worshiping with us at Shelby Crossings on Sunday. You might also want to be extra careful on the road this coming Monday. For that matter, maybe all of us should pay a little more attention to how we use the precious allotment of time we have been given each and every day. It is, after all, the time of our lives!

"Therefore, be careful how you walk, not as unwise men, but as wise, making the most of your time, because the days are evil." (Ephesians 5:15-16, ESV)

I look forward to seeing you Sunday.

--Pastor Ken

Living in 'Wonderland'

Fri, 5 Mar 2010 00:00:00 GMT

You've probably seen the TV ads touting the release of the new movie Alice in Wonderland, scheduled to open across the country this weekend. It looks a little strange, which is pretty much what you would expect from something written by Lewis Carroll, directed by Tim Burton and starring Johnny Depp.

I saw that it was rated PG "for fantasy action/violence involving scary images and situations, and for a smoking caterpillar." I'll have to say, I don't think I've ever seen a smoking caterpillar before. I doubt I'll see the movie anytime soon--at least not until it arrives at the $1 theater--but I have always been fascinated by Carroll's book, Alice's Adventures in Wonderland.

I don't know that I actually ever read the book, but I remember as a child hearing about it and was always struck by its characters. What was most appealing about the story of Alice was that it was so crazy. Masterfully crazy. The cast of zany and twisted characters tries to make Alice believe nonsense is actually good sense. The Mad Hatter. The Cheshire Cat. The Caterpillar. And my personal favorites, Tweedledee and Tweedledum, the original Dumb and Dumber.

Today we live in a culture that reminds me more and more of Wonderland. And I'm Alice, looking around and seeing nonsense called reason, wrong called right, evil called good, and lies called truth. The issues are endless, from both a moral and cultural standpoint, where truth and good sense are daily turned on their head. And we as the church are expected to sit quietly while the Dumb-and-Dumbers of the world tell us what to believe, however non-sensical it may be.

Author George Orwell was more than just a writer of science fiction novels (remember the "futurist" 1984?). He was also an outspoken thinker, who knew that as truth was removed from our society we would be gullible enough to believe just about anything. When observing the world in which he lived, he once responded that "sometimes the first duty of intelligent men is the restatement of the obvious." If we as the church are truly going to be "intelligent" in our world of Wonderland, we need to do just that.

The moral of today's story? Don't buy the lies. Absorb yourselves in truth, the absolute truth of God's word, and be willing to "state the obvious" to a culture groping in darkness. Do not believe them when they tell you up is down and down is up, or when they say your Biblical morality is open to change and every wind that blows. Ground yourself solidly on a foundation of truth, and stand firm against the nonsense that is passed across daily as the "wisdom" of our world, even if you're in the minority. Sometimes--perhaps even all the time in Wonderland--you just have to go against the flow.

Here's hoping and praying that you and yoru family stand up and stand out for the God of truth this week, that you may truly be salt and light in a world gone crazy. May God bless your obedience and faithfulness.

I look forward to seeing you Sunday.

--Pastor Ken

Needing God

Fri, 26 Feb 2010 00:00:00 GMT

You've probably seen the email that occasionally circulates around, telling the story of a group of scientists who got together and decided that man had come a long way and no longer needed God. So they picked one scientist to go and tell Him that they were done with Him.

The scientist walked up to God and said, "God, we've decided that we no longer need you. We're to the point that we can clone people and do many miraculous things, so why don't you just go on and get lost." God listened very patiently and kindly to the man. After the scientist was done talking, God said, "Very well, how about this? Let's say we have a man-making contest." To which the scientist replied, "Okay, great!"

But God added, "Now, we're going to do this just like I did back in the old days with Adam." The scientist said, "Sure, no problem," and bent down and grabbed himself a handful of dirt.

God looked at him and said, "No, no, no. You go get your own dirt!"

That silly story illustrates how much we take God's work in our very existence for granted. He is creator, we are His creation, and we are completely dependent upon Him. It is the nature of sin, more than any act that we do, to try to control our own destiny. Such an attitude of pride and and rebellion--the creature challenging the dominion of the creator--is what usually gets us into trouble the most. But that last statement--"You get your own dirt!"--reminds us how we ultimately depend on God for everything.

There is an old Latin term that describes the unique ability of God as creator. He creates ex nihilo, or, "out of nothing." That is, He is able to take nothing and create something. That is how He created the world those many generations ago, and even our most brilliant scientists today cannot duplicate that ability today. He is, after all, God--and we're not. That in itself should humble us from our pride and self-sufficiency and lead us to trust Him with all of our lives.

The great Protestant reformer Martin Luther too that truth and expanded on it even further. "God creates ex nihilo...out of nothing," said Luther. "Therefore, until a man is nothing, God can make nothing out of him." How very true.

I pray that you'll realize how very much you need God, and that you'll find the true joy of submitting your life to the One who created you, sustains you, and loves you so much He sacrificed the life of His only Son to redeem you.

Share His love with someone else this weekend. I'm praying for you, and look forward to seeing you Sunday.

--Pastor Ken

Small Stuff

Fri, 19 Feb 2010 00:00:00 GMT

I heard someone say once that he had two principles that governed his life. Number one was, "Don't sweat the small stuff." The second one was, "It's all small stuff."

That's a pretty good way to live. I'm not sure how much you stress over little things, but it's never worth it. Except that how we handle the small things in life pretty much determines how successful we are with the big stuff. In fact, in the big picture it really is all small stuff.

Think about it. How many of us have ever been bitten by a lion or tiger, or stepped on by an elephant? Very few, I imagine. On the other hand, how many have been stung by a bee, bitten by a mosquito, or harassed by a fly? If you've ever spent the night with a mosquito hovering over your bed, you know how powerful small things can be.

Until a few years ago, there was an enormous pine tree that grew in the mountains of Colorado. It was only half grown when the Pilgrims landed at Plymouth Rock. A close study revealed that it had been struck by lightning 14 times and survived centuries of Colorado's bad winters. Fires didn't kill it, nor did rumbling earthquakes. Many came to believe the old tree was indestructible.

Then it happened. It was done in by a bug--a little pine beetle that was so small you could crush it between your thumb and finger. A tiny insect proved more powerful and destructive than "earth, wind and fire."

One of the reasons small things are so important is because they lead to big things. That principle applies in so many areas, be it relationally, emotionally, professionally, financially....and spiritually. Life is basically made up of a series of small things--"it's all small stuff"--that, combined together, make much bigger things. How you handle the small bites of life will determine how you handle the big stuff.

The truth is, if you want to do great things in your life, you have to start with the small opportunities the Lord gives you each day, and do them in a great way. That may be simply sharing the gospel with a neighbor or co-worker, spending a few extra quality minutes playing catch with your son in the yard, offering a word of encouragement to a friend in need, or serving dinner to the homeless men at the Firehouse this week. Whatever the opportunities, however big or small, do what you can with what you have where you are.

Jesus said it this way: "Whoever can be trusted with very little things can be trusted with much." (Luke 16:10) I hope you'll be trustworthy with the "very little" things God gives you to do this week, and that He'll bless you with "much."

I'm praying for you, as I hope you are for me, and I look forward to seeing you Sunday.

--Pastor Ken

All You Need Is Love

Fri, 12 Feb 2010 00:00:00 GMT

"All I really need is love, but a little chocolate now and then doesn't hurt!" --Lucy Van Pelt (from Peanuts, by Charles Schulz)

It was the Beatles who, more than 40 years ago, sang that "all you need is love." Of course, everyone from Barry White to Barry Manilow to Barry Gibb has been weighing in on the subject ever since, just as they were singing about love long before John, Paul, George and Ringo came on the scene. Everybody, it seems is singing about love, but like the weather, few people are doing much about it.

I bring this up as the day of the year approaches that is focused on "love" more than anything else: St. Valentine's Day. You can usually tell when the day is drawing near even without the benefit of a calendar--just check out the sweat accumulating on the brow of most married men who have no idea what they going to do for the big day. It's truly a Maalox moment for a Hallmark day.

The truth is, most people have no idea what they are celebrating when they talk of St. Valentine's Day. In reality, there is lots of confusion about the history of the holiday itself. We do know that there were two early Christian martyrs--both named Valentine--who were killed in Rome, supposedly on Feb. 14. In AD 496, Pope Galasius I named Feb. 14 as St. Valentine's Day.

Actually, like many other "Christian" holidays, Valentine's Day was probably a replacement for a pagan festival already in place on that date; it was called Lupercalia. That festival was intended to ensure protection from wolves. During the celebration, young men struck people with strips of animal hide. Women took the blows because they thought that the whipping made them more fertile. Now that's romantic!

So in 15 centuries, we've moved from that.....to this. Obligatory cards, flowers, candy, dinner reservations, and romantic weekend getaways, all for a price. I think some of us would just as well go back to the Lupercalia festival and make sure we keep the wolves away. Except for that part about the fertility.

The point here is--and yes, there is a point--that we shouldn't have to have a special day to celebrate and remember the love we have for one another, either sweetheart-to-sweetheart, or Christian-to-Christian. Jesus even said that it was love that would be the distinguishing mark of the genuiness of our commitment to Him.

"They will know you are My disciples by your love for one another," He said. Well, do they? May I suggest that in all of your Valentine's preparations this weekend(and yes, guys, it's time to start preparing!), you remember first how Jesus showed love, and that was by giving of Himself. That's what real love is all about.

So, have a blessed, love-filled St. Valentine's Day--and the other 364 days of the year as well. I'm praying for you, and I look forward to seeing you Sunday.

--Pastor Ken

Blooming Where You're Planted

Fri, 5 Feb 2010 00:00:00 GMT

A man was stranded on a proverbial deserted island for years. Finally one day a boat comes sailing into view, and the man frantically waves and draws the skipper's attention. The boat comes near the island, and the sailor gets out and greets the stranded man.

After awhile the sailor asks, "What are those three huts you have here?" "Well," the castaway answered, "that's my house there."

"What's the next hut?" asks the sailor. "That's where I go to church." "And what about the other hut?" the sailor asks one more time. "Oh, that's where I used to go to church."

That would be funnier if it wasn't so sad. We do live in a generation of church-shoppers and church-hoppers who are prone to switch churches at the drop of a hat, for one reason or another. Perhaps they were offended by someone, or disagreed with a decision made by the church body. Or maybe they didn't like the pastor, or the music, or the color of the carpet (or, in our case, the concrete floors). Whatever the case, it's pretty easy in our consumer society to think it's normal to move on when we don't like the "product" that's offered.

The difference is that church is more than the local franchise of God's larger corporation. It is a family, a connectedness of relationships, melded together by the Holy Spirit into a holy community that is the local expression of the body of Christ. Like any family, there will always be disagreements and conflict, which provides a great testing ground for seeing how our faith and Christian character operates in the real world--among other sinners like us. And the big truth most of us discover eventually anyway, when we do pack up and move, is that the grass is rarely any greener on the other side of the fence.

The reality is, there's something about commitment and faithfulness that not only reveals our character, it grows it. God calls us to persevere in tough times--and even in times that aren't so tough but aren't terribly exciting either--and to serve Him faithfully where He places us, even when we might just as well go somewhere else. No, that doesn't excuse complacency, nor does it give cause for just going through the motions, but it does remind us of the truth of the old cliche: "Bloom where you're planted."

The Church at Shelby Crossings, like any other church, is not perfect. We will always have our struggles, and we'll probably butt heads now and then. But God has supernaturally and sovereignly called us together to serve Him, and, in effect, this is where He has planted us together.

I want to encourage each of you to dig your roots deep into the soil of God's word, and to start blooming! You are an integral part of our minstry's fruitfulness, and I hope you'll commit to being faithful in our fellowship as we seek to carry out His will in this community.

There's not another church in this world that I would rather be a part of, or that I would rather have the opportunity to shepherd. I do count it a privilege to be your pastor. I am praying for you, as I hope you are for me, and I look forward to seeing you Sunday.

--Pastor Ken

Borrring!

Fri, 29 Jan 2010 00:00:00 GMT

I will admit up front that what I write to you today reeks of boredom. Actually, I came across an article recently on the subject of....boredom. It wasn't a terribly exciting article, as you might have guessed, but it did have some interesting facts on the topic, as well as some theories from some boring experts. Oh wait, those were boredom experts.

It seems that several authors have written books in the past few years about the dangers of boredom in our contemporary society. They claim that boredom fuels everything from extramarital affairs and drug addiction to coronaries and car accidents.

Curiously, boredom seems to be a modern ailment. The word didn't exist in the English language until after 1750, notes Patricia M. Spacks, author of Boredom: The Literary History of a State of Mind. "If people felt bored before the 18th century, they didn't know it," she says. But, once the concept had a name, it became universal. Philosophers ruminated over it. Teenagers whined about it. And psychologists churned out lots of research.

One of the more unexpected findings is that the best cure for boredom might be more boredom. Folks today have a lot more diversions at their disposal--DVD's, MP3's, PDA's and Internet access everywhere. But we might not be any better off. One of the great ironies of modern life is that "in an age when we have more entertainment available to us than ever before, there seems to be an epidemic of boredom," writes psychiatrist Richard Winter in his book, Still Bored in the Culture of Entertainment. Winters and other commentators believe society is so saturated with movies, TV, video games and advertising that people are losing their sense of wonder.

So, what is a Christian response to boredom? To begin with, as children of God, we should never be blamed for being bored, or for that matter, boring. Jesus said He came to give us life, and life more abundantly (John 10:10). That doesn't sound boring to me. Though many people have the impression that a life of faith is mundane and excitement-free, I would beg to differ. Jesus' call to committed discipleship is an invitation to a life of daily challenges and change, to incredible opportunities and possibilities, and to connect with the supernatural God of the universe. And that is anything but boring!

However, if you sometimes wonder if you're catching the epidemic of boredom, let me suggest a few faith-focused solutions, for some real-life "boredom busters":

1) Enjoy the mundane. The apostle Paul said, "Rejoice in the Lord, always. And again, I say, rejoice!" (Phil. 4:4) Boredom is a state of mind, more than it is circumstantial--and so too is enjoyment. Jesus said He came to put His joy in us, and that our joy would be complete (John 15:11). Learn the secret of contentment (that Paul explained later in that same chapter of Philippians): it's what's inside, not what's outside, that counts! Enjoy the simple pleasures--family, conversation, even eating! Which leads to...

2) Simplify your life. Have you noticed that more gadgets, toys and information don't satisfy your longings? The more you have, the more you want, and the more your dissatisfaction is magnified. Don't allow yourself to get sucked into the trap of thinking the world owes you constant entertainment, and don't just hurry from one activity to another, missing out on the meaning along the way. Take stock of the "wonder" in and around your life. "Be still and know that He is God." (Psalm 46:10)

3) Serve somebody. There's always something else to do, somebody else to serve. My kids know to never say, "I'm bored," because they will get one of two answers. One is, "It's not our joy to entertain you." And the second is, "If you need something to do, we'll find you something to do!" If you are complaining that your life is boring, I doubt you've looked very hard for something to do. Jesus said He didn't come to be served, but to serve (Matt. 20:28), and He called His followers to be servant-minded like Him. I don't know about you, but I just can't imagine Jesus ever whining about being bored. And neither should we who call Him Lord ever be bored, as long as there are people to love and serve and reach out to in the world around us.

I hope and pray that as a child of God, you'll never get bored with your relationship with Him, or of your involvement in His church. I pray also that He will pour out His abundant blessings on your life, from the inside out. I look forward to seeing you Sunday.

--Pastor Ken

A National Tragedy

Fri, 22 Jan 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Today marks the 37th anniversary of the tragic Roe v. Wade Supreme Court decision legalizing abortion in the United States. Since that time, on Jan. 22, 1973, more than 50 million innocent children have lost their lives, a horrific figure that swamps all of the world's natural disasters combined during those 37 years.

I would consider myself pro-life, in every sense of the word. I have marched in the streets for the cause of life, I have voted for pro-life candidates, and have given my time and money to ministries that are on the front lines every day, fighting for the unborn--and their mothers. So, you might expect me to use this space today to rail against the evils of abortion and to say that it is time that we as the comfortable American church get on our faces before God for our nation.

However, I hope you don't mind if I use the occasion of today's anniversary to go in a slightly different direction. We are often naive when we deal with the subject of abortion, as if it is an "us and them" discussion. That is, the typical evangelical Christian who takes a stand in the public arena for life, and againstabortion, often acts as if it's the church against the world, the conservatives against the liberals, Republicans against the Democrats, or whatever other category of opponents you prefer.

But the giant reality is that often, we are....them. The person working in the cubicle next to you may be living with a hidden secret. Your neighbor across the fence may have made their own "choice." The friend sitting next to you in worship or in Bible study on Sunday morning may themselves have been one of those statistics.

The truth is, most every one of us--in the church and out--have been affected, either directly or indirectly, by the tragedy of abortion. You may know a friend or family member who was faced with an unplanned pregnancy, and did not choose wisely. Or, perhaps it was you, or your partner, who made that decision at an earlier time in life and have lived with the unspoken regret and grief and pain from which you feel you can never recover.

To each of you, the message of God's word is clear: His grace is sufficient for you, too. Regrets are normal, and grief is to be expected, but forgiveness is real, and God is still the God of second chances, no matter the sin. The apostle Paul said in Romans that "even while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.' He even died to pay the penalty for the sin of abortion.

I do hope you can get involved in taking your stand for the unborn--whether it be in the political arena, adoption, caring for unwed mothers, or praying for God's deliverance for our nation from the scourge of abortion. I hope you want back down from speaking up for what is right, to be the salt and light in our culture He has called us to be, even on "uncomfortable" issues like abortion.

But I also hope you'll be one to reach out with compassion to all the victims of abortion, even if they are victims of their own choices. No sin is outside the scope of God's grace and love.

I look forward to seeing you on Sunday as we gather together to celebrate the sacred gift of life (and life eternal) that God has given us. Have a blessed weekend.

--Pastor Ken

Wandering in the Snow

Fri, 15 Jan 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Perhaps that title caught your eye, in light of the recent meteorological disappointments in our area of predicted snow that did not come to pass. No, I haven't had any occasions myself to wander in the snow myself of late, but I did come across a story that I found particularly intriguing, if only because it didn't turn out like I expected.

Famed architect Frank Lloyd Wright once told of an incident that seemed insignificant at the time, but had a profound influence on the rest of his life. The winter he was nine years old, he went walking across a snow-covered field with his reserved no-nonsense uncle. As the two of them reached the far end of the field, his uncle stopped him. He pointed out his own tracks in the snow, straight and true as an arrow's flight, and then young Frank's tracks meandering all over the field.

"Notice how your tracks wander aimlessly from the fence to the cattle to the woods and back again," his uncle said. "And see how my tracks aim directly to my goal. There is an important lesson in that."

Years later the world-famous architect liked to tell how this experience had greatly contributed to his philosophy in life. "I determined right then," he'd say with a twinkle in his eye, "not to miss most things in life, as my uncle had."

If you're anything like me, I suspect you'd already jumped ahead and figured out the "moral" of Wright's story, or at least you thought you had. How we should determine our goal and go for it, not letting anything get in the way. How we should be focused, prioritized, and intentional. Purpose-driven, we might say. But that's not what he learned, and in many ways, we would all do well to learn a lesson from the lesson Wright himself discovered on that snowy day.

Sometimes in your pursuit of a goal, a dream, a vision--or even "God's will"--you miss what He is doing in you life along the way. In fact, we often get frustrated by the "detours" we are forced to take because they are keeping us from going where we think we are headed, insteading of experiencing God and His blessings in the midst of our "wandering."

He's at work, even now, in your life. Have you noticed? I'm praying that you do see His hand at work in your life this week, wherever you wander, and that you see His fingerprints (if not footprints) all over your situation.

One other note: please continue to pray for Haiti, and the recovery efforts underway there even today.

I look forward to seeing you this Sunday.

--Pastor Ken

After the First of the Year

Fri, 8 Jan 2010 00:00:00 GMT

I do enjoy the Christmas and New Year's holidays. What's not to enjoy about special times with my family, holiday traditions, lots of Christmas goodies, fireworks and football, and, of course, a few days off. It's a fun time of year, for the kid in all of us.

But what I dislike the most about the holidays is how much life is put on hold. Because of the busyness of the season, we tend to put off everything during the holiday season, until "after the first of the year."

I bet I've heard that expression a few dozen times since Thanksgiving, and I've used it at least that many times myself. With all the distractions--holiday activities, people traveling out of town, etc.--we've all learned that it can be fairly frustrating to try to get much done during the last few weeks of December. And so, our whole world is put on hold and we become unproductive while we wait till "after the first of the year."

Well....after the first of the year is here! No more excuses, no more procrastination. It's time to get back in the swing of things and start living intentionally again.

It may be that you want to get a consistent quiet time with the Lord again. Or maybe you've planned on getting involved with a small group, helping out with the children's ministry, or serving at the Firehouse. Or, on a different level, perhaps you've planned to go on a diet or exercise program, a financial budget or reading plan. There's not a better time to start than now.

As a church, it is my desire that the New Year will bring a new momentum for ministry, as we seek to live out our faith and reach out to our community with a new zeal and passion for Christ. That will not happen passively, however. It will happen because we choose to become who we say we are, and because we set in motion the things that constitute living God's will for our lives.

So I say, "Happy New Year" again to each of you. And welcome, 2010, the beginning of "after the first of the year." I believe God has great things in store for us, individually and collectively, as we serve Him in the year ahead. May He truly bless you and prosper you, and continue to grow you up in Him as He grows us deeper in our fellowship.

I'm praying for you, as I hope you are for me, and I look forward to seeing you this Sunday.

--Pastor Ken

Resolution Revolution

Wed, 30 Dec 2009 00:00:00 GMT

It's that time of year when a lot of folks make promises they can't keep. We call them New Year's "resolutions," because we are supposedly resolved in our hearts to change our ways, and improve ourselves as the fresh start of a new year approaches.

Or, you may be one of the many who have finally given up on making resolutions. I read this week that only 37% of Americans make New Year's resolutions any more, and that means that almost two out of three people are either satisfied with the way they are or don't want to fail again in 2010.

Of those who do make resolutions, they are usually pretty predictable. The number one resolution people make is to get control of their money. Next is to stop smoking, followed by losing weight and exercising more regularly.

It's not hard to figure out the general theme of all those typical resolutions--discipline. And perhaps that's why 63% of us don't resolve to do anything different, because we realize it requires discipline.

May I make a suggestion for a good New Year's resolution for 2010. Choose to take seriously the Scriptural call to "discipline yourself for the purpose of godliness." (1 Tim. 4:7, NAS). Or, as the NIV translates that verse, "train yourself to be godly." In other words, make up your mind and resolve in your heart that by God's grace you will make the effort to get your spiritual life under control in 2010. I have a feeling that the other areas of your life will follow if you do.

It all comes down to getting your life in order, beginning with the priority of your relationship with God. That's the kind of resolution that can cause a revolution in every area of your life, and in the life of your family.

I pray that you'll make a renewed commitment to follow Jesus in the year ahead, and then follow through as you walk with Him day by day.

Have a safe and blessed New Year. I'll see you Sunday.

--Pastor Ken

A Big-Hearted Christmas

Wed, 23 Dec 2009 00:00:00 GMT

On February 24, 1948, one of the most unusual operations in medical history took place in Ohio State University's department of research surgery. A stony sheath was removed from around the heart of a 30-year old man named Harry Besharra.

As a child, he had been shot accidentally by a playmate with a 22-caliber rifle. The bullet had lodged in his heart but had not caused his death. However, a lime deposit had begun to form over the protective covering of the heart adn gradually was strangling it.

The operation was a delicate one, separating the ribs and moving the left lung to one side. Then the stony coating was lifted from the heart much in the same way as an orange is peeled. Immediately the pressure of the heart was reduced, and it responded by expanding and pumping normally. "I feel a thousand percent better already," said the patient soon after the operation.

There is a parable of life here. It is so easy for our hearts to develop a hard protective coating because of accidents and incidents and injuries in our life. They are coated by the deposits of a thousand deceits and disappointments, hardened by the pressures and problems of circumstance. Inevitably, they become smothered and insensitive, choked out even to things divine.

Ever so gradually we find it easier to sneer than to pray. It becomes simpler to work than to worship. Self-satisfied, proud, often cynical, our hearts need a spiritual operation that only something so refreshing as Christmas can perform when we dare to surrender our hearts' burden before the cradle of Bethlehem. There's something about meeting the innocent babe in the manger that softens our hearts.

I am reminded of the story of How the Grinch Stole Christmas, the Dr. Seuss cartoon story which we've been watching since 1966. Why the Grinch was such a "mean one" and hated Christmas was up for much speculation in Whoville, if you will recall. It could have been that his head wasn't screwed on just right. It could have been that his shoes were too tight. But we knew that the most likely reason of all must have been that his heart was two sizes too small.

For all of us, in this busy and stressful time of year, we can miss the wonder of Christmas if we allow the trappings of the season to make our hearts hard, or even to shrink a few sizes too small. Here's hoping you have a big-hearted, joy-filled Christmas this year, with plenty of opportunities to be a cheerful giver and share the hope of our Savior with the world around you.

Merry Christmas!

--Pastor Ken

Fear Not!

Fri, 18 Dec 2009 00:00:00 GMT

"And lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round them; and they were sore afraid." (Luke 2:9, KJV)

Have you ever been so fearful that it made you sore? I'm not sure if that's what the King James translation of that familiar verse about the Christian shepherds really means, but I do understand about being afraid. Perhaps you do too.

One particularly dark and stormy night, a mother was tucking her small son into bed. She was about to turn the light off when he asked in a trembling voice, "Mommy, will you stay with me all night?" Smiling, the mother gave him a warm, reassuring hug and said tenderly, "I can't dear. I have to sleep in Daddy's room." A long silence followed. At last it was broken by a shaky voice saying, "That big sissy!"

We all know what it's like to be fearful. Psychologists now list several hundred fears that officially qualify as "phobias." These include claustrophobia, the fear of closed places; acrophobia, the fear of heights; hydrophobia, the fear of water; peladophobia, the fear of baldness; and porphyrophobia, the fear of the color purple.

If this little exercise in psychological definitions bothers you, you may be suffering from calyprophobia, the fear of obscure meanings. Or maybe you're afraid of being afraid. In that case, you may have phobophobia, the fear of fear itself. (Apparently that was a weakness of FDR.)

The Bible is full of people who, like us, were afraid. Afraid of death, persecution, failure, embarrassment...or in the case of the shepherds, afraid of glowing angels appearing in the midst of their sleepy sheep in the middle of the night. All through the story of the "first Christmas" it seems, there were fearful people. And to each, the message was simple: Fear not.

To those shepherds, the angels proclaimed God's great cure for fear: the Gospel. "Fear not, for behold I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people."

Good news! That was the point of Jesus' coming, you know. A Savior was born, Christ the Lord. And because we now have our Immanuel--"God with us"--we never have to be afraid again. Joy to the world!

I must say this Christmas season that I count it such a joy to be your pastor. I pray that you and your family have a blessed Christmas, and a wonderful New Year. I hope to see you on Sunday.

--Pastor Ken

Stealing Jesus

Fri, 11 Dec 2009 00:00:00 GMT

You may remember the story from a few years back about a Gadsden church that had it's Nativity scene looted. It was in the newspaper and all over the nightly news as a sad sign of the times we live in.

The thieves walked away with figures of Mary, Joseph and a wise man, as well as a camel. They also stole the exhibit's centerpiece--a figure of the Christ child.

A cardboard sign in the shed covering the Nativity scene which read "Put Christ in your Christmas and in your life" was not taken.

Bethel United Baptist Church had displayed the same Nativity scene annually, without incident, for nearly forty years. Needless to say, church members were disheartened by the yule-tide pilfering.

"It broke my heart to think someone would steal something like that from our church," the church's custodian, J.T. Hollingsworth, was quoted in The Birmingham News.

Now, it would be easy to use this story to illustrate the depravity of our society, that some dastardly individual would stoop to such a low as to steal Jesus and Joseph and Mary--and a camel--from a church's outdoor manger scene.

However, I'm not sure that many of us don't do the same thing, figuratively if not literally, each year. When we get caught up in the hustle and bustle of the season--decorations, shopping, parties, and busy holiday schedules--and leave Jesus out of His birthday celebration, are we not also "stealing" Jesus from our Christmas?

So once again, like the sign left over a vacated manger scene in Gadsden, Alabama, let me encourage you to "Put Christ in your Christmas." It may be a cliche, but it's still true.

I look forward to seeing you this Sunday--morning and evening--as we celebrate the glorious birth and life of our Lord. He is Immanuel, God with us. May He be with you today.

--Pastor Ken

A Wonderful Life

Fri, 4 Dec 2009 00:00:00 GMT

December has finally arrived, which means it's almost time for the annual showing of my favorite Christmas movie, It's a Wonderful Life.

Through the magic of re-runs (or a trip to the Holiday Film Series at the Alabama Theater), we can all make a visit back to the black-and-white world of Bedford Falls and experience a snowy Christmas Eve with George and Mary Bailey, Clarence the angel, and Bert and Ernie. (Rumor has it that the Sesame Street characters got their names from the movie's characters.)

What makes that movie so popular is still a mystery. When it was originally released in 1946 it was considered a box-office flop. It wasn't popular with audiences or with critics. It did get five Academy Award nominations but won none. And yet 63 years later it is considered a holiday classic.

There's a simple theme of It's a Wonderful Life that is consistent from first to last. Clarence sums it up perfectly in these words: "Each man's life touches so many other lives, and when he isn't around he leaves an awful hole."

How true that is. George Bailey got to find out the hard way. Many of us often wonder what life would have been (or would be) like without us around. But the fact is, we are around. For a reason. And God has called us to touch the lives of those around us. When we miss out on touching others, we too "leave an awful hole."

That's such a wonderful picture of Biblical community. Each of us are interconnected in so many ways, that if we are not around, we truly are missed. Whether we are reaching out to the lost and hurting of our world, or encouraging and exhorting our brothers and sisters in Christ, God has given each of us opportunities to impact the lives of hundreds around us.

The question is, in what way are we impacting them? Let us not miss the "divine appointments" God sets for us this Christmas season to reach out and touch someone with the love and life of Jesus. It might not make bells ring (or angels get their wings), but it sure will honor the One who came to give us "a wonderful life."

I trust you'll have a blessed weekend. I look forward to seeing you Sunday as we celebrate Jesus together.

--Pastor Ken

Just a Game?

Fri, 27 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMT

The day upon which most of Alabama waits for 365 days a year has arrived. That's right, in case you were so fixated on Black Friday that you missed the news, it's time for the Iron Bowl, that much-anticipated gridiron contest between Alabama and Auburn.

From trash talk to expert predictions, the newspapers and airwaves and Internet message boards have been filled this week with pre-game reports, hyping the biggest annual event in our state.

Want to know my prediction for the game? Okay, here it is. There will be frenzy and excitement. There will be hype, and more hype. There will be a tremendous traffic jam. There will be lots of noise. And, as someone once described it, there will be 22 college students who need rest chasing each other around in front of 90,000 people who need exercise.

And then, when it is all over, players from both teams will gather together on the field for a little perspective-shaping.

There on the turf of Jordan-Hare Stadium, opposing gladiators, football enemies for 60 minutes, winners and losers alike, will lay down their arms, kneel together, clasp hands, and pray.

Perspective is everything.

I expect that like most of you I'll be in front of a television later today, watching the game. But I pray that each of us will have the same Godly perspective off the field that those players will have on the field when they join together and give thanks to their Heavenly Father.

For whatever the game's outcome, He is still God, and He has made us eternal winners through the sacrifice of His Son. Now that is something to get excited about!

Have a great weekend. Enjoy the game. And then join us on Sunday morning at Shelby Crossings for a real celebration! I look forward to seeing you there.

--Pastor Ken

Thanksgiving, Thanks-living

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMT

If you're like me, you can almost taste it already. The Thanksgiving holiday is just around the corner, and the anticipation of the annual turkey-day feast makes my mouth water just thinking about it. For many of us the memories of Thanksgivings past bring a warm feeling to our hearts, and perhaps a little phantom indigestion to our bellies. For others, it just means plenty of stress.

What that in mind, I hope your Thanksgiving this year isn't anything like Scott Nelson's. You've probably never heard of him; I hadn't either until I came across his story a few years back. His is the story of a truly stressed-out holiday.

Back in 1990, the 33-year old Nelson was charged with assaulting his wife on Thanksgiving Day. Apparently he became enraged that his turkey had not defrosted. So he went out in the parking lot of their apartment complex and threw the frozen bird and a pie on the pavement.

It gets worse. When his wife, Jackie, gathered up her child to flee, he hurled the frozen turkey at the car, breaking the windshield. Scott ended up spending part of Thanksgiving Day in jail, charged, I suppose, with assault with a dead(ly) turkey. He definitely lost perspective.

That's not hard to do this time of year, especially with all the trappings of the holiday season. When we do, we miss out on what Thanksgiving is all about. In our increasingly secular culture, it's easy to become ungrateful--not unlike the TV cartoon brat Bart Simpson. When called on to say grace in one episode, he prayed "Dear God, we paid for all this stuff ourselves, so thanks for nothing."

The reality is that Thanksgiving for the non-believer is one of the most perplexing days of the year. Why? Because giving thanks, by definition, requires that you are thankful to Someone. And as Mary Ann Vincent says it, "The atheist's most embarrassing moment is when he feels profoundly thankful for something, but can't think of anybody to thank for it."

Though Thanksgiving Day is not a distinctly Christian holiday, thanksgiving as an act is a major biblical teaching. Scripture is full of admonitions to give thanks, and examples of those who did. There is no more specific exhortation than the apostle Paul's words in 1 Thessalonians 5:17: "Give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus."

There it is in a nutshell. It is God's will for us to be thankful, in everything, even when times are tough. And, for whatever it's worth, it's not just mouthing words of Thanksgiving before we slice into the turkey, it's living life with an attitude of gratitude, day by day. Thanksgiving is thanks-living.

Here's hoping we don't miss the significance of the Thanksgiving holiday festivities this year. May we count our blessings, and make our lives count with hearts that are truly grateful for all God has done for us through Jesus Christ.

Oh, and one more thing: don't throw your turkey. You could get in a lot of trouble.

--Pastor Ken

Happy Clean Fridge Day!

Fri, 13 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMT

On my way in to the office this morning, I saw them hanging the holiday snowflakes on the light poles along Highway 31 in Alabaster. I also noticed the other day that Magic 96.5 has already started playing their non-stop Christmas music. And, as I drove through my neighborhood last night, it was hard to miss that one of my neighbors already has his Christmas tree up and decorated with bright lights.

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas! Already?

It does seem that Christmas season comes earlier every year. Even Thanksgiving is viewed by many as little more than an opportunity for more Christmas sales. But as far as I'm concerned, November is still Thanksgiving month. I can only handle one holiday at a time.

But then I found out that I don't have to wait until the fourth Thursday in November to celebrate. There's more to November than I ever knew! Did you know that this month has also been officially designated as both Peanut Butter Lover's Month and International Drum Month? (Try celebrating both of those at the same time!)

It's a little late to celebrate now, but Nov. 3 was Sandwich Day, the birthday of John Montague, the Fourth Earl of Sandwich, creator of the world's first fast food. (Wonder if he ever used peanut butter?) Maybe we can begin now planning for next year's observance.

Or perhaps we could just focus our attention on tomorrow's big celebration. What's so special about Saturday, Nov. 14, you ask? It's National Clean Out Your Refrigerator Day, of course. I bet you've been waiting all year for this special day.

The truth is that for those of us who have been redeemed by a gracious God, every day is worthy of celebration. Why don't you take a little time today to celebrate the wonderful gift God gave us in Jesus Christ. You don't have to wait for Christmas to celebrate Jesus, and you don't have to wait 'til Thanksgiving to be thankful.

Happy today to all, and to all a good night.

--Pastor Ken