My Church

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Today’s Word from Pastor Alex

My scripture reading for today includes these words from Paul’s letter to the Galatians:

Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. Whoever sows to please their flesh, from the flesh will reap destruction; whoever sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life. Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers.

(Galatians 6:7-10)

Today, my church family is laying to rest a dear brother in Christ who definitely “sowed to please the Spirit.” Marvin Beasley was a deacon, a teacher, an example, an encourager…and boy, could that man pray! When people in my community found out where I served as pastor, it was not uncommon for them to say, “That’s where Marvin Beasley goes to church, isn’t it?” And then they’d go on to say how Marvin had coached, taught, or mentored them in some way. And I’m glad to say that I, too, was often the grateful recipient of his kind words and ministry.

It has been hard for me to be absent from Marvin’s family and my church family as they deal with this time of loss. But I knew that this was one of the things that might happen during my sabbatical. And I’m deeply thankful for the way that so many in my church family have “stepped up to the plate” to minister in these circumstances.

My prayers are with Marvin’s wife Glenda and all the other members of his family today—not to mention all the friends who will mourn his passing. But it brings me comfort to know that Marvin knew the One in whom he believed. And I have no doubt that today he is “reaping a harvest” of life, joy, and peace in keeping with the seeds he sowed. May God grant all of us the grace to sow and reap in like fashion. Amen.

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In the Office: Praying in Faith Together

A member of my church came to see me yesterday. She came because she’s agonizing in prayer—seeking from the Lord an answer to a request that’s not for herself, but someone else; that she’s been praying over faithfully for quite some time; and that’s grounded in a deep awareness of who God is, and what prayer is, and what prayer is not. But as “persevering” as her prayers have been — and as deeply devoted to Christ as she is — an answer has not yet come.

At this point, I should probably rush to say that she knows all about the potential and very legitimate “reasons” that her request has not been granted. Perhaps the answer is “not yet.” Maybe God is using this time of prayer and waiting to cultivate some important quality in her life or in the life of the person for whom she’s praying. Perhaps the “open doors” about which she’s been praying would turn out to be the “wrong doors,” if she could see them from God’s loving and all-knowing perspective.

But that doesn’t change the fact that prayer is hard, especially when the incredible promises of scripture don’t seem to align with our experience. In fact, today’s Daily Office features one of those promises:

“Is anyone among you in trouble? Let them pray. Is anyone happy? Let them sing songs of praise. Is anyone among you sick? Let them call the elders of the church to pray over them and anoint them with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise them up. If they have sinned, they will be forgiven. Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.” (James 5:13-16)

Can I explain how we’re supposed to make sense of those occasions when prayer doesn’t “work” the way we hoped it would? No, I cannot. I wonder sometimes if part of the problem is that make prayer all about the “answer” that we’re seeking, while it’s really about the relationship with God and with each other that we experience in the course of our seeking. But with that very thought in mind, I do know these things:

  • I know that my friend is being obedient. There’s trouble; so she’s praying. And she’s doing that not just for the sake of getting some “reward” or “answer” at the end. She’s doing that because she loves the Lord; she trusts Him; and she wants to see Him glorified in the life of the person for whom she’s praying.
  • I know that God is faithful. He keeps His promises; and He neither abandons nor forsakes us. He might not always “answer” in the way or at the time that we thought was best. But in all things, He is working for the good of those who love Him and have been called according to His purpose.
  • And finally, I know – that in the midst of our praying with and for each other – there was healing, just as the Bible said there would be. There was the healing that comes from tears that acknowledge our brokenness and our longing. There was the healing that comes from moments that demonstrate our bond in Christ. There was the healing that comes from the reminder – that even in our incompleteness – God’s Spirit is interceding for us with sighs too deep for words. And maybe, just maybe, “connecting” with those sighs – “resting” in the arms of a Father who longs for us and in us and through us – is the greatest answer of all.
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Meetings and Partings

Almost six years ago – just a few months after I became the pastor of Calvary Baptist in Mount Airy – I received an unexpected phone call from a woman who had grown up in the church. Her mother, she explained – who was suffering from Alzheimer’s and was approaching the end of her life – was being cared for in the long-term care unit of the local hospital. And even though her mother was essentially unresponsive, this woman wanted me to come and visit so that I wouldn’t be placed in the awkward position of performing a funeral for someone I had never met.

Although this was a first for me, I was deeply grateful for that invitation. Too often, I’ve known the challenge of celebrating God’s goodness as it was expressed in the life of someone with whom I’m unfamiliar. And so, this opportunity to develop at least the tiniest beginning of a relationship was a real gift.

As I said, that was almost six years ago. And today – many visits, and many prayers, and a much more meaningful relationship later – we are laying that beloved mother to rest.

I still don’t know this woman as well as I wish I could. In all the visits we’ve shared, she has never been able to share a word. She has not even been able to share a gesture in response to the things I’ve said. And yet, there have been moments when I have felt like I’ve seen the “light of awareness” in her eyes. And better still, I’ve had the opportunity to see the faithful care of a loving daughter – whose life will, in one sense, be emptier after today – but who will also, I pray, have the peace of knowing that she has done everything in her power to demonstrate her love, and who has kept her mother connected to the church family that she served so faithfully in the years before my arrival.

Thank you, Loving Lord, for the meetings and partings that fill our lives. And in this parting, my the family of my friend find themselves surrounded by your love.

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Tears at the Cineplex (or “How a Kids’ Movie Helped Prepare My Heart for Christmas”)

During the Thanksgiving weekend, my family and I went to the movies to see “The Rise of The Guardians.” Now just in case you’ve neither seen nor heard of the film, it’s a purely fanciful tale that features a cast of “mythical beings” (Santa Claus, the Easter Bunny, the Tooth Fairy and so on) who have been charged with the responsibility of being “Guardians” for the world’s children. Whenever the hope and wonder and joy of childhood are threatened, The Guardians spring into action.

Now I won’t even attempt a review of the film, which has plenty of flaws (although it’s also completely harmless, and – as is often the case with kids’ movies these days – the animation is fantastic). But I mention it in order to say that this film unexpectedly moved me to tears, and – in a funny way – helped prepare my heart for Christmas.

While trying not to give away too much, I’ll share that the story revolves around “The Bogeyman” (who is attempting to plunge the world’s children into a new age of hopelessness and fear) and “Jack Frost” (who has just been added to “The Guardians” to help stop him). Part of the tension in the plot comes from the fact that The Bogeyman has found away to make children stop believing in The Guardians, which robs them of their power. As is often the case in good stories, evil appears to have the upper hand. We reach the point that there remains only one child who believes…one tiny point of light against an ocean of darkness. But through the power of that belief – and the power of an act of self-sacrifice – The Bogeyman is defeated…and the darkness into which he aimed to plunge the world is transformed into a joyful and wonder-full light.

Sitting here writing about it, it’s hard for me to say what it was about the film that moved me. Maybe that’s just what happens when one of your frequent prayers is that God would more and more break your heart with the things that break His. But part of it, I think, is that I do see so much darkness in the world. Unlike some of my other “Baptist preacher brethren,” I tend not to localize that darkness in “them” (where “them” is shorthand for the enemy-du-jour: the lib’rals, or the gays, or the Chinese, or the pro-choice crowd, or…well, I think you get the idea). No, I tend to think the darkness is a whole lot closer to home and a whole lot more intricately woven into every human heart. I think the darkness is the division and partisanship that prevents us from truly listening to each other. It’s the lust for vengeance that keeps nations fighting each other, even when the battle is killing them both. The darkness is the subtle sense of dissatisfaction (stoked, of course, by endless streams of “Holiday Sale” ads) that makes us want the “newer” and “bigger” and “better” when we already have so much. There are other shadows, of course, that I perceive in the darkness. What do you see there?

Still…no matter how pervasive and powerful the darkness seems to be, the thing that gives me hope and moves me to tears is the realization that even one tiny point of light can beat back the darkness. The power of belief – and the power of self-sacrifice – can transform even the encroaching gloom of defeat into the joyful and wonder-full light of victory. But from where will that light and belief and sacrifice come? The fact is: it won’t come from us. If it could, we’d have conquered the darkness by now.

Thankfully, the Christmas Story reminds us that the light we need comes to us in the child of Bethlehem. “In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it” (John 1:4-5). And while I hope that my Advent thoughts about this light won’t leave me walking around in a constant state of tears…I do pray that my heart will be constantly and tenderly open to The Light – that gives joy and wonder and that defeats the darkness…even the darkness in me.

May THE Guardian – the Great Shepherd of the Sheep – guide you and protect you through this Advent season. And may you find some joyful tears along the way, as you contemplate the gift that comes to us through Him.

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Thanks for “Being” (vs. “Doing”) the Church

I have been the pastor at Calvary Baptist in Mount Airy for a little more than a year now. Having invested much of the past twelve months in building relationships and learning about the congregation’s character, hopes and dreams; it has begun to feel in many ways like it’s time to start tackling the question: What do we need to do? (What new ministries do we need to launch? What new projects should we undertake? What new actions can help us enhance our fruitfulness as God’s people?)

And yet, I must confess that even asking this question creates a certain tension for me. Sometimes, I feel like those of us in church life get so preoccupied with “doing something” that we miss the greater blessing that comes from simply “being something.” Maybe the church doesn’t (or shouldn’t) grow because we trained everyone in the latest evangelism technique or launched a new outreach emphasis. Maybe the church should grow because we were faithfully and authentically being the people of God, with the result that others were drawn to that light.

An example of the difference comes from a couple of stories that deacons in my church have shared with me recently. One of these deacons was checking into the hospital not long ago for an outpatient procedure. While he was filling out the necessary paperwork, the receptionist who was working with him received a phone call, informing her that some members of her family had been in an auto accident. She was clearly distraught, and so this deacon took her by the hand and asked if he could pray for her. When she said, “Yes,” he did exactly that – with the result that she was reminded of the presence of God and the support of His people.

The other deacon is a local business owner whose shop was broken into a few weeks ago. The young man who committed the crime was caught and convicted. But when the deacon learned that this young man had attempted the burglary because he was desperate to provide for his wife and child, he did a rather radical (and I think, rather Christ-like) thing: he offered the young man a job.

Of course, these are somewhat extraordinary examples of people “being” (versus “doing”) the church…or are they? The fact is that all of us are given opportunities almost every day to offer those small acts of care and compassion that can make all the difference in someone’s life. And quite frankly, our responses to these opportunities can’t really be schedule or programmed or even encouraged in any systematic way. They grow out of who we are…out of our willingness to notice the open doors and our eagerness to be the church.

I’m so grateful for the way that these small acts happen with ‘blessed regularity’ in the life of my church family. Naturally, this doesn’t mean that we’ll never make the decision to do something special. Sometimes there are needs and opportunities that call for an organized and focused response. But for today, I just want to say, “Thank You” to those two deacons – and to all those others who are the family of God through the way they allow the character of God to shine through them. Thanks for “being” (vs. “doing”) the church.

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Somewhere It’s Snowing

Last night brought my family’s first snowfall in our still-somewhat-new hometown of Mount Airy, NC. It was one of those beautiful snow events…just heavy and moisture-laden enough to cover every tree branch with a blanket of white. Up to this point, we’ve had a very mild winter; so you could almost hear the collective sigh of relief from local teachers and students when they cancelled school for today. But in spite of the unexpected holiday, I’m here in the office (gladly, by the way). When you’re a pastor, Sunday morning approaches quickly, regardless of whether there are snow days or not.

As I drove to the church this morning, I was reminded of a great anthem that the choir of my Baptist Student Union used to sing back when I was in college. If memory serves, it was composed by Mark Hayes and went something like this…

I once read in a poem – when snow covers the earth –
That it hides the worlds scars and gives nature new birth
And they say when a man turns from sin to the Lord
That God’s grace – like the snow – covers him evermore
And somewhere it’s snowing. See the soft drifting down
As the snowflakes surrender to the hardening ground
Like the good grace of Jesus that now covers our sin
In the kingdom of heaven, it’s snowing again

So thank you, Lord, for snow and beauty. Thank you for great memories of good friends. And most of all, thank you for the good grace of Jesus – which still covers sin…and which allows me to start this day with a full heart.

 

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The Fearsome Joy of Renovation

My family and I have just commenced our first ‘home renovation’ project since moving into our home in Mount Airy last fall. We’re not undertaking anything too dramatic; quite frankly, we don’t have the resources for that. But we do want to update some fixtures, change some colors, and add some touches that make the house our own.

Thankfully, we know that the ‘finished product’ of these renovations is going to look great – mostly because the work is being done by a talented crew – supervised by our church’s own Bill Norman of Bill Norman Construction. (Now Bill…about that ‘free advertising discount.’ ) But let’s face it: going through a renovation isn’t a lot of fun. You have to move a bunch of your stuff out of the way. Comfortable routines get disrupted. And almost inevitably, the work churns up dust and debris that has to be dealt with somehow. But in spite of those headaches, we’re renovating anyway – because we believe that the end result is worth it.

It occurs to me that something very similar can be said about the “heart and life renovation” that Jesus wants to perform within each of us as individuals – and among all of us as a church. We know that the finished product will look great. After all, God’s Word promises that when the project is completed, “we will be like Him, for we will see him as He is” (1 John 3:2). But along the way, a bunch of our stuff is going to have to be moved out of the way. More than likely, some of our comfortable routines will get disrupted. And Lord only knows what kind of ‘dust and debris’ will get churned up! If we’re going to become more like Christ, there will be fears and sins and hurts that will have to be dealt with somehow. But in spite of all that, wouldn’t we want to renovate anyway? Don’t we believe that the end result is worth it?

Here are a couple of questions that I would really like you to make a matter of prayer. First: What renovations does Jesus want to do in you? Is there some old sin that he wants to tear out? Is there some spiritual practice (like prayer or Bible reading or giving) that he wants to ‘freshen up’? Is there a new addition that he wants to add – like a new act of compassion or a new form of ministry? Second (and similarly): What renovations does Jesus want to do in us as a church family? What no longer works and needs to be updated? What’s cherished-but-worn-from-use and needs to be restored? What new opportunities, needs and gifts are inviting us to step out in faith and embrace something different?

In many ways, the Christian life would be so much easier if we could hire someone like Bill Norman Construction to handle our ‘heart and life’ renovations just like they’d handle our home projects. But our Lord and Savior requires us to be more personally and more passionately invested than that. The transformation that the Spirit is producing within us calls us to “work out our salvation with fear and trembling” – to roll up our sleeves, pick up our tools, and dive in. But thankfully, this is no “do-it-yourself” affair. We have beside us a Master Builder, who knows every hidden part of us and who understands how to maximize our potential. And it is His promise that he will see this project through. After all, the scriptures remind us: “God, who began the good work within you, will continue His work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns” (Philippians 1:6, NLT).

Will we embrace the fearsome joy of renovation?

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The Rest of The Story

“And now you know…the rest of the story.”

For those who don’t recognize it, this was the famous tagline of Paul Harvey – a radio personality whose commentaries often examined current events by digging a little below the surface, thus revealing how one’s perspective can change when you know all the facts and the context of any particular happening. Indeed, it is amazing how different things can look when you know ‘the rest of the story.’

Of course if that’s true about today’s headlines, it’s probably even more true about the life of faith. The victories we win and the challenges we face tend to make the most sense when viewed from the larger perspective of what our Heavenly Father is trying to do in our lives and in the world. The inspiring stories and the startling promises of scripture can only be understood correctly when seen within the context of “The Grand Story of God” – that begins in a garden…that ends in a Holy City…and that is signed by the Author on every page.

For these reasons and more, our church is preparing to engage in a special discipleship emphasis called “The Story.” During the season of Lent—the weeks that begin on Sunday, February 26 and lead up to Easter on Sunday, April 8—we will examine together “The Story” of the Bible. Our goal will be to gain insight into what God is doing in the world…and to see more clearly the ways that His Story intersections with our stories.

There are many ways for you to participate in “The Story.” Our Sunday morning messages during this emphasis will focus on the overarching plot of scripture: Where did it all begin? Where will it all end? And how does this help us make sense of God’s call in our lives along the way? In addition, many of our Sunday School classes will spend this time focusing on “The Story of Jesus,” allowing us to see the way that all God’s plans find their fulfillment and highest expression in him. Finally, one of our Wednesday Night Family Night offerings will be “God’s Story – Your Story,” a Bible study developed by Max Lucado that helps us see the connections between what God did in Christ and what God is doing in us.

I hope you’ll plan to be a part of “The Story,” and with that goal in mind, I’d like to ask three things of you…

  1. Will you make every effort to be with us on Sunday mornings, Wednesday nights or both as we seek to deepen our understanding of God’s Word?
  2. Will you pray that God will use “The Story” to inspire us and to give us a clearer picture of what He desires from us and for us?
  3. Will you invite others to worship and study with us as we draw nearer to God and each other?

God is writing an incredible Story – in you…in me…and in the church family that we call Calvary Baptist. And His Word promises that not even the gates of hell will be able overcome us when we submit to His will and pursue with passion His purposes for us. Wouldn’t you like to be a part of that? Wouldn’t you like to know…the rest of The Story?

 

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In This New Year: “Aroma of Christ” or “Unholy Stink”

Did you hear the news? Buried deep within the “post-Christmas” and “pre-New Year” press reports about political campaigns and holiday sales figures was one of those stories that make me scratch my head and think, “You’ve got to be kidding!” On December 28th, the Associated Press noted that up to 100 Greek Orthodox and Armenian Apostolic priests and monks clashed inside the Church of Nativity in Bethlehem in a frenzied, broom-swinging, turf battle. Apparently, the fight broke out as the church was being cleaned in preparation for Orthodox Christmas celebrations that take place in early January. The scuffle was so bad that Palestinian police—using batons and shields—were called in to break things up.

I don’t know about you, but this is the kind of thing that makes me wonder—deep down in some secret part of my soul—if maybe we Christians have it all wrong. I mean, come on: if supposedly holy men can get into a knock-down, drag-out fight—right in the very spot that Jesus was born—over something as trivial as who gets to clean which part of the manger…then something’s not right. If the grace and love that we receive through Christ can’t produce more meaningful change than this, then maybe we misunderstood something…or maybe the message wasn’t that true and powerful to begin with.

Of course, this example of our human capacity to let petty rivalry and self-centeredness trump the beautiful message of reconciliation through Christ is probably so frustrating only because it’s so obvious and so ridiculous. The truth is – that every day – every one of us is “giving testimony” to the true power of the gospel. We either “spread the fragrance of the knowledge of Christ” (2 Corinthians 2:14-16) by living in ways that are compassionate and forgiving and full of grace…or we raise an “unholy stink” by living in ways that are prejudiced and contentious and prideful.

Jesus once said, “By this everyone will know that you are my disciples: if you love one another” (John 13:35)…and hopefully, there won’t be any “broom-swinging” church fights in my congregation or yours any time soon. But I can’t help but wonder: as people look at our church family in the year ahead, will they see things that make the gospel less believable – or more believable? Will we draw them to Christ through lives that are holy and unified and passionate about God’s kingdom? Or will we make them scratch their heads and think, “You’ve got to be kidding”?

May God so move within and among us in this New Year that all who come into contact with us will sense the “aroma of Christ”…and may we truly be able to say (with the prophet Isaiah): “Yes, LORD, walking in the way of Your laws, we wait for You; Your name and renown are the desire of our hearts” (Isaiah 26:8).

 

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My Holy Night

As I suspect is true for a lot of us, many of my earliest Christmas memories have to do with all the festivities of the holiday season. I remember trips to visit family…and the decorating of Christmas trees (with meticulously hung pieces of tinsel, no less! Who uses tinsel anymore?). I remember standing in line to see department store Santa’s…and – of course – I remember the joy of tearing into brightly wrapped gifts on Christmas morning. But among all these festive memories, there is one that stands out for its decidedly different tone – and for the way that it continues to shape the thing I long for most at Christmas.

My father was a singer – and a good one! Trained at a well-known music conservatory, he had sung with symphony orchestras, in musical theater productions, and in countless churches. So it’s really no surprise that in the small-town church of my childhood, he was one of the ‘anchor voices’ in the church choir. But at our congregation’s annual Christmas Eve service, my dad would leave the choir. He’d sneak away into the balcony, positioning himself where he couldn’t be seen. Then – during that portion of worship where candles were lit and the Christmas Story read – he would sing, “O Holy Night,” his voice filling the sanctuary like sacred incense – and filling me with pride (because – after all – that was my dad).

But more than allowing me to hear the voice of my father, those moments introduced me to the voice of The Father. They awakened my soul to what the ancient teachers of the Church called the “mysterium tremendum et fascinans”—the tremendous and fascinating mystery that is the holy presence of God. And I suppose it must be said…that to this day…the thing that I most desire in the Christmas season is that God will allow me to experience again those moments of sacred wonder—moments when lights and music and the closeness of family and friends become the doorway to something even deeper and more life-changing: the reality that God Is with Us.

Thankfully, the awareness of God’s holy presence is not limited to candlelight worship services on Christmas Eve. God can slip into our lives in all kinds of unexpected ways and at all sorts of unexpected places…which is kind of what the Christmas story is all about. How and where will you discover the holy mystery of God’s nearness this Christmas?

My dear friends, I’m thankful for all the ways that you have been the presence of Christ to me this year. And I pray that God will fill your season with “O Holy Nights”…and “O Holy Days”…and with countless reminders that you are loved with an everlasting love.