Ever wish that you had tons of money, loads of fame, and a lifetime to enjoy it? Most people go through a stage in life where that scenario is quite appealing. Hopefully, most of those same people grow out of that stage. Since the beginning of time people always wanted more of things in order to feel better about themselves. You can find accounts of men and women in the earliest of Old Testament writings that chose to live by a desire for more. Sometimes we get the idea that greed, lust and other similar temptations are recent discoveries. When you read through the Scriptures, you discover that the heart of man is basically unchanged even if the objects of desire have.

While reading up on the news today it seems we are still troubled in our search for more. There was the account of the starlet who was arrested on a DUI who closed out her weekend passed out from partying. There was an article on a professional athlete who should be enjoying his fame along with his talent but is hurtling down a path of self destruction. A trip to the grocery store is never complete without the attention grabbing headlines of the week's tabloids. With all the money anyone could ever want it seems people still do not have a handle on life. Now it seems that the "stars" of today do not have a complete resume without a trip or two to a trendy rehab center.

When you pause to observe people around you it becomes clear these issues are not for the rich and famous alone. My observation is that it is irrelevant how much a person does or does not have in the bank. More money or fame doesn't solve anything for anyone. In fact, it seems to only complicate life. The news outlets and the tabloids are a reminder that if what you have turns out to have you, then it isn't a matter of how much or little it is. Is it no wonder that God lovingly warns us again and again not about money but about our heart? The book of Proverbs is overflowing with such warnings. Jesus used His most famous sermon to remind His listeners to guard the heart. Whether our bank accounts are small or whether they are comfortably filled, the key to life is the heart. My hope is our heart will always be healthier than our bank statements.

Bro. Trey

Every so often, someone will ask me the following question. "Pastor, do you enjoy your work?" Now that is a no win question if answered honestly. Since this is my blog, let me answer it candidly. Yes, my work can be extremely enjoyable at times. No, there are times my frustration comes perilously close to anger or depression. See there, it is a question that defies rational explanation. Perhaps this is true because this job is beyond explanation. Many times my response is conditioned by the ongoing currents of ministry. Catch me on a day when the winds are mild and the response will be positive in tone. Find me on a day when the squalls are blowing all around and be prepared for more raw honesty than you wished.



This is not my story alone. Question any minister and my gut feeling is the responses would be similar to mine. Ministry begins in that unique moment of God's call. In those early days the world is full of promise. Most of us in ministry live through the times when our view is how lucky God is that He called us! It only takes a few sermons that bomb to rid us of such a grand view of ourselves. It takes time to realize the call to ministry isn't about us, but it's about God. The moment that reality hits will alter the way we view what we do. There arises a problem in that discovery. Ministry is often with people who are about themselves and not God.



Ever wonder how much Jesus dealt with that idea? God comes in the flesh to pour Himself out and people miss that. It does help the frustration when you remember our Lord Himself was not immune to human frailty. Certainly there were those whose motives were not nearly as tainted by selfishness as some. But notice Jesus tends to respond to the selfish as well as to the gracious. His ministry is not driven by the actions of a few but by the awesome love of God He displays to others. Herein lies one of the "secrets" of authentic ministry. Sometimes we have to be mature enough to give to others not on the basis of what they deserve but of what God would have us do. It never is easy but it is the eternal method of grace.



The answer to enjoying ministry will always be yes and no. There are always going to be those who are difficult at best. Other adjectives come to my mind but the blog is meant to keep a safe rating! Some of my best friends are coaches. We share many similar traits. We even on occasion use the same language. It is just that my adjectives are there adverbs and vice versa! In all seriousness, the ministry will have its ups and downs as long as people are involved. This is just part of the evil equation of our current state in the world. The only hope is to tie the ministry to God's purpose and not let go. So there is no one answer to the earlier question to be found here. The only way to thrive is to never let go of the God who never lets go of us.

Bro. Trey

Looks like my blog is still here after almost a month away. It's a small wonder the website didn't throw me out after awhile. If anyone reads the blog then you should know this is usually a busy time around the house. When you add various crises that multiplied over the last few weeks then there is even less time. We will continue to hold out hope that the blog entries will pick up over the next week. This is a common problem to superheroes and ministers who blog. We get so wound up saving the world that we forget to detail the adventures!

Saving the world sure isn't as easy as it once was. Linus from Peanuts speaks of my frustration when he says, "I love mankind, it's the people I'm not so sure about." Yet, people are now and always will be at the heart of church work. My hope is someday that we will discover we are frail, sinful humans at best. When we understand that then we finally open up for the unlimited power of God's grace to run rampant among us. Until then we will excuse the sin in our life as a personality quirk or worse. Some people will behave in horrific fashion while defending their right to sin. Church is the place our personality should be marked most by the fruit of the Spirit. Here is where we can see God do His most intriguing work.

We can take today as a perfect example of how God operates. There are those who tend to be critical of the local church. Today we spent time focusing on almost every age group between the cradle and the grave. We recognized both graduating seniors as well as senior adults during the morning. Where else can families come together like that to enjoy how good God can be? Then this afternoon went even better with my run at the school. Please do not mistake my running as anything remotely attractive. At my age, the goal is survival not setting records. The evening concluded with our preschool graduation where about twenty adorable children displayed their talents for us. How amazing that we can participate is such variety on any given Sunday? This is part of the marvel of being church. We share life together.

Thank God for church. We may not be perfect but we are in relationships with One who is. This is the core of who we are. Our relationships deepen over time. Our lives are shaped by the experiences shared with one another. We learn about keeping our promises to God. We succeed together as well as stumble together. We become better than we are alone. Thank goodness God doesn't write off His people. Let's show the same faith this week.

Bro. Trey