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From the PastorWant to get pastor Ken's wit and wisdom delivered fresh every week? Subscribe to his blog using the RSS icon below.  Wandering in the SnowFriday, January 15, 2010
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 YearFriday, January 08, 2010
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 RevolutionWednesday, December 30, 2009
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 ChristmasWednesday, December 23, 2009
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!Friday, December 18, 2009 "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 JesusFriday, December 11, 2009
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 LifeFriday, December 04, 2009
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?Friday, November 27, 2009
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 Friday, November 20, 2009
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!Friday, November 13, 2009
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
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