“Men of Athens! I see that you are religious in every respect.” Acts 17:22
As I looked over a website about the “Things to Do” at New Smyrna Beach I was stunned to see rated number one was “Bikram’s Yoga College of India”. Now I know your immediate thought might be like mine, “Boy, there must not be much to do in New Smyrna!” However, below the number one rated yoga college were charter fishing outfits, golf courses, a marine science center, Smyrna Dunes, and even the Ponce De Leon Inlet Lighthouse, which you can climb up and is the tallest lighthouse in Florida. Yet all of these attractions were rated behind the yoga college on the “Things to Do” list. Wow!
Now I’m not sure how this site gave out their rankings, but the rating system seems a little odd to me. Still it is very intriguing to me that in a small beachfront community in America that there would even be a yoga college, much less that it be considered a top “thing to do”. Yoga in New York City might be expected, but in New Smyrna Beach—not so much!
Now I am not ranting about yoga here. And I know this is simply an anecdotal piece of information. Nevertheless, this oddity served to remind me of the ever-increasing presence of religions like Buddhism on United States soil.
While yoga has long been a practice of Buddhists in Asia, now some form of it is a regular exercise offering at gyms and exercise centers across America. Karma is a specific doctrinal belief within Hinduism that motivates the actions of most Hindu’s throughout the world. Yet now that concept has worked its way into the everyday conversations of many Americans, even if in a joking way. Of course, I don’t need to tell you about the proposed mosque near Ground Zero in New York City or the rapid rate of Islamic mosques appearing in urban areas all over America.
Clearly, the religious make-up of America is changing. Our nation has become more pluralistic in every way than ever before in history. For followers of Jesus this is not a cause for alarm or fear. Yet neitehr is it a time for passivity and ignorance! Sadly, many Americans and many Christ-followers remain uninformed about the basic beliefs of these ever-growing world religions. This makes dialogue with their adherent’s difficult, mutual understanding problematic and redemptive witness toward them near impossible.
However, at FBC, Lake Wales we are working to change that. We want to equip you to dialogue with and lovingly minister to those from these varying belief systems and their worldviews. We want to inform you of their basic beliefs and how they differ from what the Bible teaches is the truth. Therefore, this coming Wednesday, May 4, I will begin a series for the summer months entitled “What’s the Difference?” It will be a study of world religions and a couple major cults. I will present much of the material and utilize various resources including multi-media. Additionally, others will present on some of the religions and cults we will study. I hope whether you are a young adult, a median adult or older adult you will want to learn of these faith systems so you might be better prepared to listen, understand, and maybe eventually share about your faith in the Risen Christ to someone who believes differently than you. Our hope is that you may be as confident and conversant as the Apostle Paul was at Athens!
Friend, the religious landscape of America is changing. And you can either bury your head in the sand or you can be equipped to live for Christ in the new, more pluralistic America. I hope you will choose the latter, even if that means changing your schedule to somehow make it to FBC on a Wednesday night by 6:15 pm. It will be exciting to learn many of these fascinating beliefs and become more strongly anchored to the distinctive beliefs of the Christian faith. I hope you will join me!
Loving & equipping you for Christ,
Pastor Scott
Friday, April 29, 2011
Who Knows What a Day May Bring Forth? (4/21/11)
By now most all of you know of the terrible attack by a stray pit bull on Monday morning. I was on my way to the office after dropping my youngest son at school when Charles Little called me. He began, “We have an emergency.” Charles then began to relay some of the events of the recent minutes to me. I was stunned. Since Charles insisted he did not need a ride to the hospital in Lakeland I told him I would drive to try to see Tammy and pray with her before the Life Flight arrived.
I made my way to the rescue vehicle where Tammy was being cared for until the helicopter arrived. Obviously, she was still shaken after such a violent attack. I could see the puncture wounds from the teeth of the dog in one leg. After prayer with Tammy I left her. As firefighter Brittany Sweeney said, “She is doing amazingly well after something like that.” Brittany went on to inform me, as Charles had, that her right arm was the area of greatest concern.
Within an hour or two numerable people from First Baptist Church had trekked to Lakeland Regional Medical Center to be with Charles and his three daughters, while Tammy endured three and one-half hours of surgery. Fourteen people from FBC came over that day to show their love and concern. Countless more of our church family rallied around the Little family in prayers given once news of the attack spread via our email, facebook, and phone calls. Hopefully, soon Tammy will rejoin us at FBC (plan is to go home Friday 4/21) and you can express your loving support directly. Also in due time I am sure the Little’s will share their own appreciation for the support we have given them amidst this sudden crisis. However, for now let me say how grateful I am as the pastor to once more see the love you have for one another. I marveled at how many people stayed all day with the Little’s at the hospital. Others were constantly praying while working and keeping an eye out for any update. Such loving concern within the body is part of what it means to live in community with each other as the church. I find it beautiful to behold!
One other thought comes to me about what happened on Monday, April 18. The thought struck me as I arrived home at 5:30 pm from Lakeland. Though I arrived home around the typical time I do, my day was far from typical. It was no ordinary day. The events of that day were absolutely stunning and unexpected! How much more is that true for the Little family. As I arrived home I thought, “Who knows what a day may bring?” I was reminded of the words of James 4: 13-15 which read,
Now listen, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money.” 14 Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. 15 Instead, you ought to say, “If it is the Lord’s will, we will live and do this or that.”
The events of Monday reminded me that we have no guarantees about tomorrow. God can interrupt our plans and schedules with unexpected events at any moment. Do we live with that awareness, with that openness to adjust to whatever change he calls for from us on a given day? And do we humbly live knowing that what happens in our future is not ultimately determined by us, but by the will of God?
Of course, at this time of year I also think of those women who went to the tomb of Jesus that Easter morning expecting to anoint his dead body (Mark 16:1). Yet instead something absolutely stunning and unexpected happened. Their agenda and their world were turned upside down with the stunning revelation from the angelic messenger, “Don’t be alarmed, he said. “You are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who was crucified. He has risen! He is not here” (Mark 16:6).
The “interruptions” God brings to our lives may be tragic or adverse circumstances. However, sometimes his “interruptions” are miracles and joyous life-changing events. For those ladies on Easter morn the resurrection of Jesus was even more than that. It was an eternity-changing miracle that has altered history and offered life and hope for all who would believe in the Risen Christ. So I hope this Easter the resurrection of Jesus is no surprise to you, but rather is the cornerstone event your personal history has been altered by. Yet I hope the empty tomb and the events of this past Monday remind us that God alone knows what a day may bring forth.
Living TODAY for the Risen Christ!
Pastor Scott
I made my way to the rescue vehicle where Tammy was being cared for until the helicopter arrived. Obviously, she was still shaken after such a violent attack. I could see the puncture wounds from the teeth of the dog in one leg. After prayer with Tammy I left her. As firefighter Brittany Sweeney said, “She is doing amazingly well after something like that.” Brittany went on to inform me, as Charles had, that her right arm was the area of greatest concern.
Within an hour or two numerable people from First Baptist Church had trekked to Lakeland Regional Medical Center to be with Charles and his three daughters, while Tammy endured three and one-half hours of surgery. Fourteen people from FBC came over that day to show their love and concern. Countless more of our church family rallied around the Little family in prayers given once news of the attack spread via our email, facebook, and phone calls. Hopefully, soon Tammy will rejoin us at FBC (plan is to go home Friday 4/21) and you can express your loving support directly. Also in due time I am sure the Little’s will share their own appreciation for the support we have given them amidst this sudden crisis. However, for now let me say how grateful I am as the pastor to once more see the love you have for one another. I marveled at how many people stayed all day with the Little’s at the hospital. Others were constantly praying while working and keeping an eye out for any update. Such loving concern within the body is part of what it means to live in community with each other as the church. I find it beautiful to behold!
One other thought comes to me about what happened on Monday, April 18. The thought struck me as I arrived home at 5:30 pm from Lakeland. Though I arrived home around the typical time I do, my day was far from typical. It was no ordinary day. The events of that day were absolutely stunning and unexpected! How much more is that true for the Little family. As I arrived home I thought, “Who knows what a day may bring?” I was reminded of the words of James 4: 13-15 which read,
Now listen, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money.” 14 Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. 15 Instead, you ought to say, “If it is the Lord’s will, we will live and do this or that.”
The events of Monday reminded me that we have no guarantees about tomorrow. God can interrupt our plans and schedules with unexpected events at any moment. Do we live with that awareness, with that openness to adjust to whatever change he calls for from us on a given day? And do we humbly live knowing that what happens in our future is not ultimately determined by us, but by the will of God?
Of course, at this time of year I also think of those women who went to the tomb of Jesus that Easter morning expecting to anoint his dead body (Mark 16:1). Yet instead something absolutely stunning and unexpected happened. Their agenda and their world were turned upside down with the stunning revelation from the angelic messenger, “Don’t be alarmed, he said. “You are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who was crucified. He has risen! He is not here” (Mark 16:6).
The “interruptions” God brings to our lives may be tragic or adverse circumstances. However, sometimes his “interruptions” are miracles and joyous life-changing events. For those ladies on Easter morn the resurrection of Jesus was even more than that. It was an eternity-changing miracle that has altered history and offered life and hope for all who would believe in the Risen Christ. So I hope this Easter the resurrection of Jesus is no surprise to you, but rather is the cornerstone event your personal history has been altered by. Yet I hope the empty tomb and the events of this past Monday remind us that God alone knows what a day may bring forth.
Living TODAY for the Risen Christ!
Pastor Scott
Thursday, April 14, 2011
Do You Believe in Easter?
“Do you believe in Easter?” That question has stuck in my mind. I heard it as part of story being told by the Orlando-area Christian illusionist Don Townsend a few years ago. Don was doing a presentation near the Easter Holiday at Prime-timers, our monthly meeting for senior adults at FBC. Don shared some of his illusions that day and brought his presentation toward a close with the story that contained this question about Easter. As I recall it, he told of a lady who lived in an assisted-living facility. This vivacious Christian lady was always looking for ways to brighten the lives of other residents there. I believe Don said she would wheel around the facility in her wheel-chair attempting to cheer up residents by engaging them in conversations. As a follower of Jesus she also was continuously looking for opportunities to tell others about her Lord Jesus in a non-offensive way.
As the time of year for celebrating the resurrection of Jesus approached one year she found a very simple way to get people to dialogue about this event. She simply asked, “Do you believe in Easter?” She asked it of her fellow residents. She asked it of workers. “Do you believe in Easter?” It was an easy question to ask. It required only a yes or no answer. Yet if the person was willing it could open wide a whole discussion about Jesus, the resurrection, faith, living, dying, and eternity. You can imagine how such a discussion would be relevant and personal in a place occupied by the elderly!
As Don told the story about this woman I recall that he told of a female staff worker at the facility who was initially annoyed by this question. She refused to talk about it with the questioning resident. While the details elude me, I believe Don concluded the story by telling of how this worker eventually became a Christ-follower after the death of the Easter-loving resident. He wrapped up by saying how that worker now went around each year at Easter asking others that very same question that troubled her and eventually directed her toward faith in the Risen Christ. The staff worker now asked, “Do you believe in Easter?”
I have not forgotten that simple question. This time of year I think about that non-offensive, conversational approach that allows followers of the Risen Lord to talk about faith issues with the people all around them. Now this year I need to start asking it! Maybe you could join me in doing so. Will you ask people around you over the next week that question and hear what they say? “Do you believe in Easter?” I think the replies might be fascinating for you to hear. I imagine the conversations that ensue might be life-altering too.
Asking & Conversing about the Risen Son!
Pastor Scott
P.S. An easy follow-up in such a conversation is to invite those you dialogue with to learn more about the biblical meaning of Easter by attending the FBC Easter Musical Presentation coming next Saturday evening or Easter Sunday Morning. Or, for a lighter approach to a young family invite them to the Easter Egg Hunt on Saturday April 23.
As the time of year for celebrating the resurrection of Jesus approached one year she found a very simple way to get people to dialogue about this event. She simply asked, “Do you believe in Easter?” She asked it of her fellow residents. She asked it of workers. “Do you believe in Easter?” It was an easy question to ask. It required only a yes or no answer. Yet if the person was willing it could open wide a whole discussion about Jesus, the resurrection, faith, living, dying, and eternity. You can imagine how such a discussion would be relevant and personal in a place occupied by the elderly!
As Don told the story about this woman I recall that he told of a female staff worker at the facility who was initially annoyed by this question. She refused to talk about it with the questioning resident. While the details elude me, I believe Don concluded the story by telling of how this worker eventually became a Christ-follower after the death of the Easter-loving resident. He wrapped up by saying how that worker now went around each year at Easter asking others that very same question that troubled her and eventually directed her toward faith in the Risen Christ. The staff worker now asked, “Do you believe in Easter?”
I have not forgotten that simple question. This time of year I think about that non-offensive, conversational approach that allows followers of the Risen Lord to talk about faith issues with the people all around them. Now this year I need to start asking it! Maybe you could join me in doing so. Will you ask people around you over the next week that question and hear what they say? “Do you believe in Easter?” I think the replies might be fascinating for you to hear. I imagine the conversations that ensue might be life-altering too.
Asking & Conversing about the Risen Son!
Pastor Scott
P.S. An easy follow-up in such a conversation is to invite those you dialogue with to learn more about the biblical meaning of Easter by attending the FBC Easter Musical Presentation coming next Saturday evening or Easter Sunday Morning. Or, for a lighter approach to a young family invite them to the Easter Egg Hunt on Saturday April 23.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
