A week or so ago we wrote about my daughter and her obsession with the new television series "Glee." Her enthusiasm has not lessened since that time. It was my assignment to somehow work the show into the sermon for the week. That is exactly what I did. Part of the printed outline for Sunday used the word glee in it. We also mentioned how when you are excited about something that it becomes a topic for frequent conversation. That was the second study on how we can be successful as believers or as a congregation. We must have a positive message to share with others in need of hope. If we do not tell then others cannot hear.

Evangelism can be a scary word. Sometimes our image is that of going door to door like the old time bible salesmen to surprise people with an unannounced visit. Let me confess that this is one area of life that is always in need of improving. There are some believers who might could read out of a phone book and have people converted. This is not remotely true for me. My building relationships with those outside of church seems to go well but after that comes the struggle. But there is still something healthy about moving past the comfort zone in order to be a bridge between others and God. As one of my dentists would say, "It's character building."

Jesus would send the disciples out to learn how they could make a difference in the lives of people. They would be instructed to carry out the message that they heard so often. It would be the overflow of their encounter with Him. Here is the heart of being able to share the faith with others. We must have an experience with God that is worth sharing. Someone defined evangelism as simply telling someone what God did in your life since you woke up on any given day. You are indeed the visual image of God's work but there will always be the need for a verbal message.

This obviously calls for us to spend valuable time with our God in order for Him to continue shaping our life. We open our heart to Him as we pray for others as well as listen to His word to our heart. One outcome of this is that we learn to see people through the eyes of God. Too often we only surround ourselves with people like us. Outreach will demand that we spend time with those who may be very much unlike who we are. It may even involve getting to know those who at the moment have no interest in God. They can never begin to grasp His love for them if we are unwilling to express it. Even doing small yet practical acts of kindness can open the door for us to tell someone that it is our acceptance of God's love that moves us to action.

It's my belief that God rewards us when we are willing to break out of our fears or insecurities about telling someone what He means to us. We may not be the ones who see the eternal results but God will use us to open a door to their heart. We cannot be successful in our life or in our church without the choice to share our faith. This may mean we rub shoulders with some very talented sinners. It will also mean that the sinner just may become part of God's eternal purpose. Now that would be something worth celebrating!

Bro. Trey

My new glasses came in last Friday. It would seem that my prescription changed a great deal from the last time my eyes were examined. I was supposed to be wearing bifocals for the last few years but now I wonder. These new spectacles are like grandfather once wore. They come complete with the lined section for the reading part of the glasses. To say there is a big difference would be a huge understatement. It feels like my age jumped about ten years just by putting these on. It feels like the first time in ages my eyesight actually could catch up to the small print. I may look or even feel old now but at least the vision part is working.

This leads to the topic of the night. How do we view worship in relation to our spiritual life? One of my job issues is that of serving as a worship leader. But is it possible to take a congregation made up of all ages and opinions to create a realistic worship experience? We talked about this a few weeks ago. It was my thesis that we often begin with the wrong vision when it comes to worship. We usually begin with our preferences for how we do a service. Careful study shows that the first question to be answered revolves around God and His desire for our life. What we do on Sunday morning is for a audience of one. He is the one that is to be pleased in what we do.

We often mistake the act of worship with singing. No doubt that singing is an element of our worship but it is not the beginning point. When my ministry began years ago the prevalent style of church music was like the great evangelistic crusades that were popular. We all wanted to have the same style of song that we heard in those revival services. Before long the growing measure of music was if it was contemporary to the crowd. Music leaders and pastors flocked to conferences to learn the new tricks of the trade in singing the upbeat choruses. Today it seems that the cowboy congregation is the latest model in doing a church service. We moved in thirty years from the great songs of revivals to the "holy hoedown." Do not mistake that last sentence as being critical of those who do use the cowboy approach. It is simply a statement that what we tend to think is the great breakthrough in leading worship will again change in a few years. We will put our boots and spurs in a closet as soon as something else rolls along.

Music really isn't the issue in worship. Today there are even churches who are reverting back to very liturgical type expressions with great results. Some of the leading contemporary type congregations are starting traditional services with the old hymns of the faith. What was once old usually ends up being new again. Worship is about your heart and mine with God. Once you nail that down you can end the wars over style. If God's word does not change our heart in our encounter with Him then we can sing all the songs we like without much if any authentic worship. We need to nail down three questions in order to fully embrace real worship.

Question one simply asks if we know what God desires from us? It may surprise you that the Almighty desires that our heart in worship is connected to our habits in living life. He says over and over that His desire is for people to love Him and others first and foremost. Some people fall prey to a pride that says our interests or experience is more important than genuine humility. The second question asks if we understand what God does for us? Do we really get the meaning of the phrase, "sinners saved by grace?" He knows our heart whether good or bad. We may fool others but never Him. The third question asks about what God deserves from us? This answer depends on our grasp of His patience and mercy. Every person on this planet is eternally loved by God but do they recognize the magnitude of that statement? A person who gets worship is one who understands the undying grace of God in their life.

We could end with a long list of things that worship entails. We could talk about style constantly yet miss the heart of the matter. When you are deeply in love with another person it is less about style points than it is just expressing the truth of the relationship. We do not fail at worship as individuals or as congregations simply due to our methods. Failure begins and ends in our heart for the Father. This is what God wants eternally. He wants us to let His heart overflow into our life until we have to express it back to Him. Major on that and the minor issues of style or methods will melt away.

Bro. Trey

I am wiped out tonight. Not sure what truck hit me but it surely did and then backed up over me for good measure. The main culprit is probably the weather. We are in that part of the year where it may go from cool to warm in a hurry. Friday night was fairly cold for us in October. It was my pleasure to stand on top of a press box for about three hours filming a football game. Today was warmer with a south wind. The main point is that breathing is not nearly as easy as usual. Doing my three mile run/walk today didn't help matters any. Maybe the coming rain will ease the pressure in my nose.

At least we can report that it was a pretty good day. It seemed this morning's efforts went fairly well. The one thing that escapes me is how we planned a month long attendance push that never seemed to even reach a nudge. This really isn't to be whining as much as it is a serious question to ask myself over the next few days. It's my opinion that such special events do not work as well as they did even fifteen years ago. Too many people are in blended families or find themselves at work on Sunday. We have to grasp the concept that we as a congregation are called to participate in the work of the church. We are in this thing together for better or worse.

We did have a great time this afternoon and evening. It was our annual fish fry along with entertainment following. If you cannot get baptists to a fish dinner then you have to question their denominational loyalty! We had a typical fish dinner along with the trimmings. It was even an all you can eat meal. Let me just say that is exactly what I did. Luckily my three miles were already finished so there was a little extra room in my tummy. A local bluegrass gospel group sang for us afterward. They are an excellent band. The best part is they sang to a contented crowd who was too stuffed to move. It didn't look like we could get too excited or expressive from the weight of the catfish.

Sadly, the day also had a painful moment. One of my favorite adults here passed away late this afternoon. He and his wife mean a great deal to me. It was confirmed after the singing program concluded while the new widow spoke to me on the phone. So at some point this week it will be my honor to speak at his memorial. This is one of those things about my job that is hard to translate to others. At any given moment of any day there is the possibility of a time like this. It becomes part of the whole of a day. It does not ruin the quality of the entire day but it does serve as reminder that life is measured over a long period of time and not just by individual moments. This is true whether you view the day in a positive or negative light.

We will probably try to translate some of our recent Sunday studies into blog form this week. We are still discussing being successful in our spiritual journey. One of the things we are doing is to demonstrate how this works as individual or as congregation. My goal is to begin tomorrow with the writing. It's about time to call it a night. My bet is there will be little trouble sleeping for me. It's been a good day worth bringing to a close.

Bro. Trey

People who know me are aware of my interest in news and politics. It may be that to define it as an interest would be on the mild side. It seems like newspapers caught my eye at an early age. One of the career options of the past included journalism. Some of that urge was met in various forms through the years. You may not know I had a regular column in a small local paper back in the late 90s. It was even picked up on occasion in a larger city paper nearby. The politics issue takes care of itself. I am a baptist so there are great similarities between my job and being a politician. You can never kiss enough babies.

We are now waiting for the great health care debate to move into high gear. It is true that my television stopped on Cspan during the committee meetings. It just seems fascinating to me that we can actually watch Congress craft a bill for a vote. My life is truly lacking for excitement! Right now there are several versions of such legislation floating around. One website just reported that the bill reaches over 1500 pages. Anything that takes that amount of paper to print cannot be totally good. This bothers me because of my personal connection to the issue.

You know if you read here often that my dad is a doctor. My job also takes me into hospitals on a regular basis. You should know that our health care system in this country is stunning with all the breakthroughs in medicine. You should also know that we already struggle with who is really in charge of health care. Some opponents of reform argue against having the government being the determining factor in getting help. What is forgotten in that reasoning is that today it is the insurance company that often decides what you can and cannot receive in terms of assistance. We are also facing the future shortage of rural family practice physicians. My home town once had a great local clinic and hospital at its disposal. You did not have to go to a larger city to see a specialist. The doctors did surgeries, delivered babies as well as staffed an excellent emergency room. That type of care is only a memory along side 8-track tapes.

Change is coming to the health care system. There are those on the left who are determined to establish a system like that often found in Europe. That will not be the answer. There are those on the right who seem opposed to any significant changes from our current method. That is nowhere close to a solution. A single payer system alone will only make our current problems worse. However, we have to face the reality of how big insurance is acting with few limits on the how and when they refuse to authorize treatment. The answer will be found as it usually is somewhere in the middle. Congress has the opportunity to create a plan to benefit all. But it is those same politicians who take in lots of money from either side of the argument. This cannot end well.

What are we to do? As citizens we can and should speak up to those making the decisions. I heard one prominent senator say in a speech that we as people should not and cannot make decisions on what we want without the government telling us what we want. How absurd is that comment? We can also try to take care of ourselves to avoid a disease or injury that we may bring on ourself. Another idea is to remember that all of this along with God's help may offer hope for real change. Scripture tells us to pray often and earnestly for those who make the laws. My hope is that we will do all we can knowing that change is in the wind. We may not like what happens next but we can start being ready for it.

Bro. Trey

Today was a good day. You never know before a day begins how the end of the story will be resolved. This can be called a good day. Sometimes you can have facts and figures to measure the value of time. There are other occasions when you simply have to go by gut feeling on if it was a success or a failure. Here is one of those times when both methods are valid. Facts and feelings both are signaling this day was good.

My feelings are telling me that I am spent after the activity of work and personal time. It's one of the nights where what little brain I possess is drained. Last week turned out to be a good one for preparation. It seemed as if there was a definite guidance to pulling all the study together that was communicated with clarity. Trust me, that is not always the case. The downfall of my personality is in making connections in a study that may only work in my mind. Too often my studies major on vague and lack in specifics. I will be grateful to God if the message went halfway as smooth as it seemed.

My facts tell me this was a good day. We got to use the baptistery again. To make it even better, the water was actually warm. My memories contain the humorous as well as the meaningful moments of baptisms past. It is one of my best moments when someone goes through the celebration of that occasion. We also added a new family to our congregation. Sometimes people join for reasons that escape me. This family sought out solid information on who we are then followed up by praying about their decision. Maybe we can continue to turn the corner on being a divine gift to others around us. That would honestly answer one of my most ardent desires for church.

Soon it will be time to rest. My body needs it tonight. During the fall, the days of Friday through Sunday can be hectic. There are football games to attend as well as work seeing that my job is to film the game for our coaches. Saturdays are when yard work may be done along with taking my son out on some grand adventure. Sundays are obviously hectic regardless of if there are meetings or not. It's when the three mile run/walk gets squeezed in as a break from the occupation. Tomorrow is a new day. My hope is it will be good also. That's my wish for you as well.

Bro. Trey

It seems impossible to have a conversation lately that does not revolve around our weather. We get rain almost every day. Driving to the store today was an adventure that almost demanded an ark for transportation. Creeks are rising up beyond the banks and into the woods or even the roads. One can barely remember the last sunny day we enjoyed. We lived through a hurricane last year that did not dump as much rain as we are seeing. God said that He would not flood the world again but it looks like He is coming close! The weather has been so dreary that it almost makes me want to swear. But no worries, this blog is rated G for no ugly words.

The same cannot be said about our current state of affairs. Swearing almost seems to be the fashionable thing to do today. You cannot watch a sporting event without hearing the athletes cut loose with cussing. If you are a lip reader then you can easily make out which phrases are their favorite. A political news website wrote the other day on the overwhelming amount of foul language being used by politicians. What was once cleaned up by the news is now being reported word for word. You do not have to be an expert to read between the expletive deletions in journalism. Swearing among politicians appears to be as regular as kissing babies.

It's my policy to avoid using ugly language. It also helps that my job fairly discourages such talk on a regular basis. However, my family history details the ability of relatives to use colorful language in intriguing ways. My maternal grandparents seemed to appreciate the turn of a colorful phrase. My grandmother had the ability to take a single syllable swear word and turn it into at least three syllables. No doubt but if I were given the chance that this ability was probably passed down to me. Still, cussing would be something to be avoided rather than embraced. Now my job does allow me to use a few lesser words often used by those who do cuss. It's just that my use of the phrases are in terms of being adjective and not adverbs. That is as close as I want to come to swearing.

Do not think of me as being a prude on this subject. I know all the words plus how to effectively use them. But what does it say about us as a whole when we simply choose to air out our blue language in public? Years ago, George Carlin did a comedy routine on the seven words that you cannot say on television. He had to rewrite that piece before his death. Some of those words are now allowed on even "free" television. It just seems to me that cussing is terribly boring compared to finding alternative expressions. Our biblical characters were quite familiar with using strong language. This does not mean they were content with cussing.

My personal approach is that of the cartoon character Charlie Brown. We share the use of the phrase "good grief." Years ago a couple of high school radio announcers broke out a "good gosh a mighty Joe Friday." That one seems to be very creative in expressing disappointment. You cannot go many places without hearing the big bombs being dropped. No wonder our children pick up the ability to swear at an early age. Jesus said that our words do matter. They reflect our closeness to Him as well as the condition of our heart. Maybe the tide will turn and cussing will again be out of fashion. My mind and heart tells me this is wishful thinking. We will probably have to live with the increasing amount of swearing around us. May we have ears to close out that noise. May we have a heart that is committed as well as clean.

Bro. Trey

So today my Dad sends me a note. He is leaving Minnesota for a week or so to go fishing on the Texas/Mexico border. It's probably his group of guys that go off golfing, hunting or fishing together. Odds are pretty good that there will be little shaving or showering while he is away. You would have to say this is a guys thing he is doing. There are no hard feelings here. He always enjoyed fishing almost as much as his brother. My only worry is he is very dark skinned with black hair. He will probably be mistaken for a fishing guide who resides locally. Let's hope he can get back to Minnesota without too much legal wrangling. I know he will have a great time no matter how many fish he does or does not catch.

We all have favorite things in our life. By now you probably know what mine are. My daughter enjoys a few shows on television. Her tastes do run a little different than mine with the exception of "Lost." It will have its final 16 episodes starting in January. We will keep following the story there as we have every year since it began. This year, one of her favorite shows is "Glee." Think of it as a kinda grown up "High School Musical." I enjoy the show as well but nowhere near to the zeal she has. We may have to consider a 12 step program for her at this rate. But to be fair, the musical numbers really are top shelf. Some of the story lines may not be as biblical as some would want but it is a very good show.

This Sunday my assignment is to work the show into the sermon. Thank goodness the topic isn't something depressing or finding a reason to even utter the word glee would be a challenge. It could be that the phrase may end up in the printed sermon outline if that comes together. Maybe the concept of just enjoying something whether it is a program or fishing can be weaved into the remarks. But you can be assured that my daughter's wishes will be fulfilled. She may be 17 but she is still my little girl.

The overall topic for Sunday will concern caring for others enough to share your faith. It might be appropriate to ask if we are "gleeful" for the gospel? Most people think of the faith as just attending church. We don't consider faith as something to be enjoyed as much as going to endure another church service. Jesus models real joy in His life. Doing the will of God was not something to simply be endured. He embraces the unique call on His life then lives it out with abundance. This obviously does not mean that life was always easy. It means that His relationship with His Father was one of real love. This is why He can exclaim at the end of earthly life "it is finished." His life was not just poured out at the cross. It was given each day of His life. He didn't just come to the end of His days but He made those days matter.

There is honestly some glee in my preparation this week. My sermon is connected to a real relationship with my oldest child. Hopefully, the message is also connected to an authentic relationship with God. Maybe anyone who listens will decide to live dangerously with real passion on a daily basis. Now that would make God indeed rejoice with glee.

Bro. Trey

You can get me to admit that much of my life revolves around sports. Some guys love hunting or fixing cars but my life always had a sports theme. You read here before that my first real memory of baseball was back in 1968 during the World Series. Games were mostly played during the day back then. Another great memory is the college football game back in 1969 between the Universities of Texas and Arkansas. My paternal grandfather was living in Arkansas back then so it could be my thought was if Texas won then it was something big. The game really was a big game since even President Nixon showed up. Most of my free time during the day was spent throwing a ball of some sort around at home. There was always time to try out what little skill I possess at home.

Playing sports was also fun. My first team sport was baseball after my first grade year. There was much room for improvement at that age. During my school years the pattern was to play football, then basketball and then baseball. Thirty years later it still is a topic of conversation at reunions. My skills were never enough to amount to anything but it was still great fun for me. Great friendships develop while playing a team game. Some of the best times of my growing up years happened on one field or the other. You learn a great deal about yourself and others when working hard together for a common goal.

You learn to live or interact with all types of people. When the ball is in play there is no thought about the color of your teammate. You are just one team trying to win. This is where sports reminds us of the best and worst in our history. Sports Illustrated has a great article this week on the color barrier being broken in professional football. It is not however an uplifting piece on how we all learn to live together. History is usually more than the myths surrounding a story. The irony lies in us celebrating integration of a game which requires the admission of a racist past. It is a given that this fact works two ways. No one is immune to stupidity simply because of their ethnic heritage. This article really bothered me. Humanity likes to point out its moral nature yet it has to acknowledge an immoral reality. We isolate people with labels or other terms due to ethnicity, gender or other differences. We tend to practice selective enlightenment.

Lately the thought keeps rolling through my brain on how far too many of us are selective in our life. We observe our peculiar standards of religion with no recognition of other sinful areas. We prefer our style of church without noticing if it really is inclusive. We say we want our church to grow but only with our kind of people. We want to pray for a select few but neglect wanting God's best for even our enemies. Paul wrote that we are to offer our bodies a living sacrifice to God. That means giving Him everything which leaves no room for selecting what we give and what we keep. God wants more than what we choose to allow Him to have. He even deserves what we have not selected to yield. The first step is not stop being selective in how we view our life including our sin. Doesn't our hymn say, "Jesus paid it all, all to Him I owe. Sin had left a crimson stain, He washed it white as snow?" Or are we already selecting what part of the song we sing and what part we avoid?

Bro. Trey

If any of us live through this week of bizarre weather it will be a miracle. Yesterday we were all wearing long sleeves in the cool air. Today we were all turning up our air conditioners on high. Tomorrow looks like another chilly day before we break out the short sleeves again on Thursday. Since we didn't have rain today it seemed a good idea to grab another three mile walk/run. Maybe it's just my age but there sure seemed to be a lack of oxygen during my last few laps. My body usually recovers within a few minutes of finishing my run but today it seemed to take almost an hour.

Let me take a commercial break now. Should this post finally make it up then it will be my second attempt at writing tonight. Earlier I wrote what seemed to be a decent blog post only to have it disappear into nothingness. Maybe the owners of this site are Catholic so it went to a blog purgatory. Regardless, this is my second time to write. Maybe we will cut out some of the other stuff in my memory and just move to the main point. Technology is for the most part a wonderful thing. Sometimes it is just a huge pain in the neck. Now back to our regularly scheduled blog.

October also means the beginning of the post season playoffs in baseball. Eight teams set out tomorrow with their eyes on the ultimate prize of being the champion. There was a one game playoff tonight to see who would get that final spot in the playoffs. The Minnesota Twins played the Detroit Tigers for that final entry. The game was played in Minnesota in the Metrodome which may be the worst place to see a game. My daughter and I got to go to a few games while traveling to visit my dad. Their presence with us made the stadium easier to bear. Next year the Twins move to an outdoor stadium without a roof. Late spring and early fall can be miserable in Minnesota with the weather. The Metrodome may be almost a dump but at least it is enclosed. The game could not be played today if it were outside. Luckily for us baseball fans this one went on with no trouble from the elements outside.

The Twins won in extra innings 6-5. A baseball game usually lasts 9 innings but this one went 12 wonderful innings. Drama was in abundance as these two teams played their hearts out. Over 50,000 people crowded that old stadium for what could have easily been the last baseball game played there. The teams began a little after 4:00 p.m. and concluded long after 8 o'clock. It was one of the best games in my recent memory. It will remain one of my best memories long after the playoffs are over.

It seemed fitting to call my dad late in the game. He lives less than an hour from Minneapolis. He said he and his wife with their dog were engrossed in every pitch. We talked about the game along with the players. My daughter and I also root for the Twins except when they play our Texas Rangers. We get most of the Twins games on satellite so we watch them through the season. It was a fun visit for me. His dad and uncles played the game all over Arkansas and North Louisiana even when he was young. Maybe my passion for the game is inherited. My daughter and I are huge fans of the game. Even my autistic son loves nothing more than going to Rangers Ballpark with us to see "our" team. Maybe someday she will pass her love of the sport to her children as well. Few things would make me any happier.

Baseball truly is a game that bridges generations and families. No other sport has that same almost romantic feel to it. Over 50,000 in Minnesota tonight share a memory of seeing a classic game. My night was better from cheering for a favorite team. A dad and a son talked about a shared passion. God gives us gifts in unexpected places. My hope is you will be receptive to them when they come your way.

Bro. Trey

My drivers license says that my age is now 48. It stands to reason that there is no arguing that fact. Normally this reality does not bother me much. My job reminds me that every day is a gift for which being grateful is the norm. Sadly, this truth came to me over the years the hard way. My family history says there is a chance at a healthy life for the time being. This is why it is so important for me to exercise plus try to take care of myself. Some life and death issues may be beyond my control but it seems a bit foolish to up the odds. It's been a long 48 years but maybe the good outweighs the bad.

It's also true that my career in this town lasted quite awhile. This is the beginning of my tenth year in this church. This is the longest that I've lived in one place since my growing up years. In one respect it's been a long time of work here. In another respect it seems as if my boxes were being moved in only yesterday. In the end, it is hard to imagine how long that I ended up staying here.

Church work is very much like life. You have good days and you have bad days. This is true in both my life and my work here. Someday the story may need to be told of all the issues waiting on me upon arrival. There is also a chance all the inner workings of the turmoil will be taken to my grave. A more courageous blogger might say it was due to carnality run amok. My decision is to say that it was human beings just being human. Regardless of how you define the cause it remains that it was a real problem to face in my early days. What would be difficult to imagine would be the ugliness expressed by those who attended church services on a regular basis. Please do not read me as judgemental toward anyone. My years are also marked with more than its share of carnality. This is only my observation over time. It does not excuse me of my own failings.

My hope is the day will come when some understanding is given to me as to why people who claim to know Jesus can do such horrible things. Yes, that statement also includes me in the mix. But how is it some can be so critical or judgemental to others in the light of God's mercy? How is it some can verbally attack others then use that same mouth to claim to be wanting the will of God? Why is it too many churches settle to blame others or situations for their own lack of devotion? The answer has many facets but the same root. We still tend to want what we want and will not let anyone get in our way. In other words, we are still capable of sin even when thinking we are spiritual.

Having said all of that leaves another area of the last nine years to mention. My life is richer because of the good people God brought across my path. I am fortunate to share history here with many remarkable people. Part of the joy of this career is in watching people discover more of God's desire for their life. Sometimes it happens in a young person who says yes to God's grace for the very first time. There are times it happens while sharing a moment with a proud parent. It even happens through the observation of those in the so called golden years of life. There is so much to still learn from others if allowed to take place.

My age says that some of the best days of my life are behind me. No amount of physical discipline repels the aging process. It remains my daily goal to live fully with the days God allows me to live. It could be some of the worst days are behind me here with my work. This leaves room for many good days to follow. It will remain my hope to see more of the positive effects of God in the lives of the congregation. Maybe we will even grow old together.

Bro. Trey