Room To Breathe

For 22 1/2 years, I had the privilege of serving with David B. Young at Trinity Baptist Church, Lakewood WA. Naturally, we shared many stories and one that David shared ended up becoming both an ongoing joke and one of those markers that subtly helps to keep ministry on course. The story boiled down to a person who, when addressing the "cup half empty, cup half full" scenario, said, "Don't say the cup is half empty. Say it's full!" That is optimism with blinders on.

We need to acknowledge when the cup is half empty, half full. We also need to be aware of whether it is draining, filling, or stagnant. Each calls for a different response. However, eleven months ago, we were confronted what seemed to be a shattered cup as the pandemic put an end to the comfort of routine. The cup did not appear half empty, half full, or stagnant. The cup seemed to be gone. We were left without a familiar context in which to perform.

"Necessity is the mother of invention." In the new reality of guidelines, social distancing, self-quarantine, masks, and contradictory evidence/opinions/science, we found new (to us) ways to accomplish those things that we deemed necessary. 

Our congregation had never put anything online. We did not have the experience, the equipment, or the know how. Even so, we did not miss a single week. One Sunday we were meeting in person and the next, our congregation was viewing their worship service on YouTube. Yes, it was pretty basic. A member in the Navy brought his camera over to our house while we were on vacation and video taped our son, Aaron, "preaching" a sermon while sitting on our couch. The camera battery ran out of power and a cell phone was employed to finish the job. The two recordings were spliced together and uploaded to the newly created YouTube channel for Kitsap Lake Baptist Church. That was it—no titles, no sermon notes, no music, no lighting, no explanation.

It turns out, the cup was there after all. We were still the ekklesia—the congregation/assembly, the bride of Christ, the family of God—and Jesus was still the groom and the head of the body. Our focus needed adjusting in order to recognize it. We were and still are flawed to the core, but a half empty cup has air to breathe and room to grow and, by the grace and leadership of God, we have grown. Sure, we have increased some of our technological ability—a tripod, a USB camera, a USB microphone, better lighting—but we have become more aware of who we are and what is important. Comfort, familiarity, and tradition have taken a back seat to striving to live as Jesus did—glorifying the Father, ministering to the needs of others, cherishing the fellowship, and opening our eyes to His mandate to seek what is right and just for all people.

We have a long way to go—a very long way—but we are working to stay on course and to see the cup filled. Our online services can vary, depending on circumstances, but they remain another tool to be His light in the world. Today, it is snow, not a pandemic, that is keeping us from meeting together. But, because of COVID-19, we do not have to call off worship as we provide an online opportunity for families and individuals to gather for praise and hearing from God's word. The recording was "put together" quickly, with just one person on camera, and it lacks the benefit of multiple people being involved, but it is certainly better than cancelling everything.

By the way, here is the link for February 14, 2021—Valentines Day and our first online Snow Day: https://youtu.be/mUPQTwrnVIk 

Preaching to the Preacher

I used to think that I learned from the sermon while I was preparing it and that was it. Now I know it is not the only time God speaks to me through my preaching. At least twice in the past couple of weeks I have had content from sermons brought back to mind and applied.

Instance #1: After experience inner turmoil for about ten days without being able to identify the cause, I was reminded of a suggested application at the end of a sermon. That application (to be concerned with living up to God's expectations rather than people's expectations) immediately shed light on what was causing my angst, followed by joy and peace. Now, I just have to live up to God's expectations. How hard can that be?!

Instance #2: Following a sermon (and Church Council retreat Bible study) that identified fasting as temporarily giving up a regular part of life—normally thought of as food—in order to gain more time for something else—normally thought of as prayer, I found myself needing to accomplish four weeks worth of work in just two weeks. I decided to forfeit an activity I enjoy doing as a distraction and focus on getting the work done. Lo and behold, by temporarily giving up something that probably consumed a total of ten minutes a day, I was able to accomplish many more hours of prayer, Bible study, and sermon preparation. I know the math regarding time does not work out but it happened anyway and I thank God!

The Last To Know?

When our time with God does something to us that becomes evident to others, are we the last to know? I truly agonized over yesterday’s sermon from John 6:60-69 (22-69) while preparing it, spending more hours on my knees seeking shelter and relief from God than for any other sermon I can remember. Yet, when it came time to preach it, the anxiety and even fear of not communicating clearly was mostly absent. What had been prepared and even rehearsed was preached.

I did not “feel” any different from the hundreds of other times I have preached yet comments received by individuals in each service convinced me that God had spoken powerfully to those who were listening for His voice. The ones making the comments gave glory to God while commenting about what had been preached. I was very relieved and glad when they told me because I had no idea, only the hope that God had answered my prayers with His undeniable and powerful presence.

You might think that the person God uses would always know how powerfully (or weakly) His presence is evident in that person’s life. But God reminded me this is often not the case as He called to mind Moses in Exodus 34:29 as well as Peter and John in Acts 4:13. Apparently, even though everyone else took notice, it was enough for Moses and the two disciples that they were following God.

May that be enough for me!

Exodus 34:29-35 (ESV)

The Shining Face of Moses

 ²⁹When Moses came down from Mount Sinai, with the two tablets of the testimony in his hand as he came down from the mountain, Moses did not know that the skin of his face shone because he had been talking with God.

Acts 4:13 (ESV)

Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated, common men, they were astonished. And they recognized that they had been with Jesus.