What are you reading?
photo by Alexandre Dulaunoy

I have a stack of books in my office that I want to read.  These are great books that have been recommended to me by various people.  For my own personal growth and for my continuing education as pastor of this church, I really do want to read through these books.  The only problem is this:

My stack of books to read grows over time – it doesn’t get smaller!

You might think that I would actually make progress in my reading list, but unfortunately there are more books out there than anyone could ever read.  By the time I finish reading one book, three or four more have been recommended to me.  So many good Christian authors, especially in recent years, have written about the life of discipleship, obedience to Christ, faithfulness to God, church-related topics, and so forth.  What are we supposed to do?

It’s at times like these that I remember one particular Bible verse:

Of making many books there is no end, and much study wearies the body.  (Ecclesiastes 12:12b NIV)

This was a favorite verse for me in seminary, because it seemed like all I did was read books in school.  But my seminary friends and I always quoted this verse to each other tongue-in-cheek.  It really is a blessing to have access to so many different perspectives, authors, and ways of thinking about following Jesus Christ.

On my reading list right now are several books.  “You Lost Me” by David Kinnaman explores why young people who have been raised in the church are leaving it now that they are adults.  “Forgotten God” by Francis Chan is a book about our lack of emphasis on the Holy Spirit in our churches and our lives.  “10 People Every Christian Should Know” by Warren Wiersbe summarizes the lives and teachings of ten important Christian leaders from the past three centuries.  And that’s just scratching the surface.

What’s on your reading list?  Do you have a book or two handy (in addition to the Bible) that you are reading to help you along in your walk of discipleship?  Are you sharing your books with your friends and family?

If you don’t have anything to read that will help you grow in your faith, come talk with me!  I would be happy to share my books or the church’s books with you.  We have more than enough for everyone to use and to learn from!

–Pastor David

As long as we love him…
photo by theotherway

Recently, four of our congregation’s children completed their study on baptism.  These were the four who were baptized on Easter Sunday.  What a day of rejoicing that was!  In preparation for their baptisms, each student completed a study book on baptism in which they answered questions about Bible stories and passages relating to baptism.

One of the questions asked the children to read Romans 8:28 and write what it says in their own words.  Here is Romans 8:28 (NIV):

And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.

And here is one student’s summary of that verse:

As long as we love him, he will call us.

Take a minute to think about that statement!  As long as we love him, he will call us.  While that thought might not be exactly what Paul intended when he wrote those words, I think it’s a beautiful way of describing the relationship between our love for God and his call on our lives.  I have never thought of this relationship in quite this way, but it really interests me.  It might even help us adults answer some important questions that we face:

How can you tell if God has called you?  Well, if you love him, then he has called you according to his purpose.  It’s as easy as that!

What has God called you to do (or be)?  That’s a tricky question that each of us answers differently based on our talents, skills, interests, and situation in life.  But anything God has called us to do (or be) will be rooted in our relationship of love with him.  That’s the starting point.

Has God’s call on your life run out?  Have you completed your tasks?  Is it time to retire from the service?  No!  Remember, as long as we love him, he will call us.

God is always up to something new.  Sometimes God is making our lives new; at other times, it might be our families or our church or our community that he is calling to become new.  But we can rest assured that for as long as we love the Lord, he will indeed call us according to his purpose.  And we may be comforted to know the truth of the rest of Romans 8:28 – that in order for his purpose to succeed in our lives, God works all things for our good.  (The emphasis is on God’s purpose being fulfilled in us, not in our experience of all things working out.)

Friends, be encouraged by this child-like restatement of a scriptural truth.  Love God, listen for his call, and ready yourself for new avenues of service in his kingdom!

–Pastor David

What do you need for Easter?
photo by tiaragwin

I was listening to the radio this morning while exercising, and I heard a very strange commercial.  A well-known one-stop-shopping center was advertising “everything you need for Easter”:  candy, eggs, dye kits, baskets, gifts, toys, the plastic fake grass that gets everywhere and can never be completely cleaned up.  That commercial was a bit disheartening to me, because one completely commercialized Christian holiday (Christmas) is more than enough, in my opinion.

But then I got to thinking:  what do we really need for Easter?  Certainly we don’t need candy, hard-boiled eggs, gifts, baskets, chocolate bunnies, and so forth.  (Although I admit that I do enjoy a good chocolate bunny.)  Those are all extras, add-ons, unnecessary ways that people spend money in order to observe a holiday.

My first answer to this question was straightforward:  “We just need an empty tomb.”  Without the resurrection of Jesus from the dead, there would be no Easter, no celebration, no Christian religion at all.  The way Jesus conquered the grave gives us ultimate hope for this life and for the life to come.

But then I settled on a second answer:  “We need the cross and an empty tomb.”  Without the cross, there is no tomb to be made empty on the third day.  Jesus’s victory over death means nothing if he has not conquered sin as well.

Brothers and sisters, as we walk through the upcoming week known as “Holy Week,” the most important week of the year, let us remember what we truly need in order to celebrate this season.  Enjoy all the trappings of the secular Easter season.  But make it a point to remember frequently the true stories that make this such a celebration:

Christ has died.  Christ is risen.  Christ will come again.

–Pastor David

April Youth Update

Spring is going to be a busy time for your Youth as we prepare for the Michigan State Youth Convention for the Church of God.  As of this printing, we have almost twenty planning on attending. Super Early Bird registration occurred through March and students may still register for an additional $10 through April.  The $115 total is a great deal for a youth weekend as it covers lodging, food, speakers, conferences, recreational activities and much more.  We are looking forward to how God is going to work in our lives.

The “Sticky Questions and Jesus” teaching series on Sunday night has concluded and we will be on to new things.  On April 1 we will be looking at Baptism and the Crucifixion then there will be NO YOUTH on Easter Sunday.  The remaining April meetings will be focusing on the 360 Revolution and how we incorporate it into our life.  It’s a fantastic tool for reaching people for Christ.

We have several fundraising opportunities on deck in the next couple of months.  As I am working on this, we are in the process of completing the Raking Project for Olive Deitsch and we appreciate her for providing this opportunity.  On Saturday, April 21st we will be have a Bake Potato Bar (and other menu things) at the Church from 4:45 to 5:45 for donation prior to the Forresters in Concert that evening.   On April 27 & 28 we are having a Youth Garage Sale at our home, 712 Stillmeadow, in town.  We are in the process of collecting donated “treasures” and will collect them through the sale. Sale items may be dropped off initially into the church garage, then will be transferred ASAP to the Grahams. Items can also be dropped off at our home.  Leftover items will be donated the Salvation Army after the sale.  Our last opportunity will be the selling of Hanging Plants from Kutchey’s Greenhouse.   Plants are usually the same price as the greenhouse, however, we receive them at cost, and then the students reap the profit.  The Hanging Plants would arrive at the church the week of May 8-11, just in time for Mother’s Day.   Our goal is for every student to earn their way to State Youth Convention and then even have funds for summer projects.

Speaking of summer, our tentative plans are to have our regular youth meetings on various dates throughout the summer so we can incorporate lessons/devotions/God’s Word into relationship with recreational activities.  For example, we might have our weekly lesson in conjunction with a trip to the TEXAN in Midland to enjoy their gigantic banana splits. Summer without school hours & responsibilities gives us more flexibility and other options.

For those people who follow FACEBOOK, we have a Mt. Haley Youth Ministry group page.  If you would like to be part of the group, just type it in and we will get you approved.  We post weekly with announcements, a summary of the week’s youth lesson and general comments and questions.

Once again, we would like to relay how important and how appreciative we are for our prayer partners.  Your daily prayers really make a difference.  As we enter the Easter week of celebration of the Resurrection of Christ, we encourage you to participate and be involved in Maundy Thursday services, Good Friday services at the Midland Missionary Church and come celebrate that HE is RISEN on Easter morning.  Easter begins at 8:00 with a service, followed by breakfast, an Easter Egg Hunt for children and then morning Worship Service and Baptism.  A day of celebration of His Resurrection and the saving grace of Jesus Christ, our Lord.

Blessings,
Pastor Jerry 

Making a Difference
photo by star_trooper

One of our spiritual disciplines as Christians is to care for those who are in need, both within our circle of acquaintances and among strangers.  Different churches and church groups handle this type of ministry in different ways.  At Mt. Haley, we have a benevolence committee which functions as an advisory group for most of our charitable gifts to people in desperate situations.

Over time, in multiple churches, I have heard several people suggest that poverty is such a rampant problem in our society – rich though we all are, by the world’s standards – that we can never eliminate poverty completely.  People will always come asking for help with rent payments, electric bills, empty gas tanks, hungry children, and so forth.  Perhaps, though, we ourselves have asked (or will ask) for help in similar ways!  By helping those who are in need, we are putting into action Jesus’s so-called Golden Rule: “Do to others as you would have them do to you” (Luke 6:31 NIV).

Sometimes, people will cite Jesus’s words in Matthew 26:11 as suggesting that our devotion to him is more important than our care for the needy:  “The poor you will always have with you, but you will not always have me” (NIV).  But I don’t think that’s the best understanding of what Jesus meant.  He often helped the poor himself, particularly through miraculous feedings and healings.  His teachings are perfectly in line with the Old Testament standard, which I recently rediscovered and would like to share with you here.

Take a few minutes to read Deuteronomy 15:1-11, and notice how many times the words “needy” or “poor” appear.  The final verse of this passage says something startling:  “Since there will never cease to be some in need on the earth, I therefore command you, ‘Open your hand to the poor and needy neighbor in your land'” (NRSV).

Precisely because there will always be people in need around us, we should continue to look for ways to serve others.  Our work will never be complete.  Friends, don’t be discouraged by the poverty that surrounds us; instead, look for ways to be a blessing!  And don’t settle for allowing our benevolence committee to handle all our care for people in need; find ways to be benevolent yourself!  Let us each open our hands to our poor and needy neighbors, and in so doing share with them the love of Jesus Christ, which he has graciously given to us.

–Pastor David

Discipleship Goals
photo by Brian Hathcock

Recently, I spoke briefly about five criteria for church leadership that Pastor Dave Perry (from Edgewood Church of God in Ithaca) shared with several area pastors at our last monthly meeting.  I would like to summarize and explain those points here in writing for you to consider.  Remember that these are not rules that must be followed dogmatically, nor do they form a perfect and complete list of expectations.  But I agree with the other Pastor David that these form a good basis for how Christian church leaders should orient their spiritual lives.

These ideas are, I believe, also applicable to anyone who would choose to follow Jesus, to anyone who calls himself or herself a Christian.  No one is expected to be perfect in the church, but all of us should be expected to grow and mature into full disciples of Christ.

So consider these five criteria as goals for our spiritual lives.  Take a few minutes to do a self-examination:  where do you stand on these five goals?  How can you improve?  What is God asking to change in your life?

  1. A personal testimony:  Having a story of how Christ has transformed your life is crucial.  This has to do with being connected to Christ and, therefore, to other Christians.  First Peter 3:15-16 encourages us to be ready to explain what we believe at all times.  Are you able to tell (or share in any other form) your testimony of how you became a Christian?
  2. A regular worshiper:  Setting Christ first in your life includes making regular worship a top priority.  Hebrews 10:24-25 speaks about our need to meet regularly, and John 15 uses the imagery of a vine (Jesus) and its branches (believers) to illustrate our need to remain connected.  Is regularly attending Sunday morning worship a priority for you?
  3. A positive supporter:  As taught in Philippians 2:1-4, the unity and progress of the church are more important than personal control or personal preferences.  You are not asked to say “yes” to everything that the pastor or other church leaders propose.  However, once a decision is made that is the opposite of what you prefer, are you first in line to support and help in that direction?
  4. A person of growing character:  Desiring to be Christ-like and being willing to grow are incredibly important characteristics.  Colossians 2:6-7 implores us to continue always in our pursuit of growth in Christ.  Are you an example to others of a believer who has not yet arrived but is pressing on toward the goal?
  5. A tither:  Giving to God ten percent of all we earn helps us remember that everything we have belongs to the Lord.  This spiritual discipline helps us keep our material lives in perspective and helps orient our spiritual lives correctly.  Malachi 3:10 challenges us to bring the full tithe into God’s house.  Are you trusting God to provide for all of your physical and spiritual needs?

Let’s all continue to grow on the path of discipleship together!

–Pastor David

The Importance of Meditation
photo by rachel_titiriga

When was the last time you spent fifteen minutes just thinking about God?

You know what I’ll say next:  For many of us, our lives are so busy, so full of things to do and people to see, that we often can’t imagine taking a quarter of an hour to meditate on our Lord.  When can we fit that into an otherwise packed schedule?  That line of thinking affects even how we talk about “spending” time, as if it were money – and everybody knows there’s only so much money to spend before it runs out.  The same is true of time!  Right?

Sometimes you can find interesting factoids about how often specific words are used in the Bible.  When I searched through the NIV for words like “meditation” and “meditate,” I was surprised to find that sixteen of the eighteen times the Bible mentions meditation are in the book of Psalms.  (That may be of interest to those of you who are currently in our new women’s Bible study group, which is focusing on a group of Psalms together.)  The other two times are (a) in Genesis 24:63, when Isaac is waiting to meet his new bride Rebekah, and (b) in Joshua 1:8, when God is calling Joshua to be the new leader of the Israelites after the death of Moses.

All of the other mentions of meditation in the Bible have to do with people meditating on God’s laws, decrees, wonders, works, and so forth.  From early on in the history of God’s people, they knew that life was not complete unless they took time to remember, reflect, and give thanks for all that God is and all that God does.

Friends, is meditation part of your regular spiritual diet?  Do you frequently allow your mind to wander in the vast expanse of God’s love?  Do you use something so valuable – your daily allotment of time – in such a way that keeps you connected to the God who gave that time to you?  Do you pause to remember the great sacrifice and great victory that we have in Jesus’s death and resurrection?

I will sing to the LORD all my life; I will sing praise to my God as long as I live.  May my meditation be pleasing to him, as I rejoice in the LORD.  (Psalm 104:33-34, NIV)

–Pastor David

On “Leap Day”
photo by blinkingidiot

Today, as you are probably aware, is “Leap Day,” February 29, the day that only appears on the calendar every fourth year.  This is necessary because our 365-day calendar doesn’t line up perfectly with our planet’s full revolution around the sun.  One revolution takes a few hours longer than 365 days, so every four years we add a day to make up for the lost time.  But even then that’s not quite right, so every 100 years we don’t add the leap day, except for every 400 years, when we do add the leap day…!  Anybody confused yet?

Teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom. (Psalm 90:12 NIV)

On this particular day, when people (like me) feel compelled to talk about the passage of time, take a few minutes to read the full Psalm quoted above (here’s a link to Psalm 90).  If you think about our calendar confusion enough, you may realize that we live in a universe that is more complicated that we can fathom.  We cannot control everything around us.  Even the best of our days fly away before we realize it, and often our hardest days seem to last the longest.

In short, we are not God.  And that’s a good thing.

Psalm 90 reminds us of our dependence on God, our relationship to God, and our standing before God.  He gives us strength for every day’s labor, and he makes us glad with his love and compassion.  God is not bound by time; he is not confused by the rules for leap days; he does not even need to experience time like we do.  He is “from everlasting to everlasting.”  Before anything else was, and long after everything disappears, God is.

How good it is to be in relationship with this mighty one!  How amazing is his love, that he should die for us in the person of Jesus of Nazareth!  How wonderful it is that he walks alongside us, hearing us when we pray, listening to our needs and desires, giving us strength and peace in every circumstance!

Yes, Lord, teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.

–Pastor David

March Youth Update

February was a good month as we held our Super Bowl Party and our Lock-In with great participation and attendance over 20 at each event.  Connie and I were tired after both activities with the Super Bowl being the day after we returned home from Guatemala and the Lock-In —well, we stayed awake all night for those who doubted, having fun with each other and the Word of God.  Super Night, We welcomed two youth from the St. Johns First Church of God plus many friends beyond our own group.

Your students are being PRAYED FOR EVERY DAY!  Students identified as a regular have a “Mt. Haley” church adult (A Prayer Partner) holding them up in prayer daily.  So, if your student receives a note of encouragement or call, don’t be surprised.  The great news is we will be adding new students for prayer this month. God is working within our youth ministry and prayers are being answered and making an impact.

“Jesus and Sticky Questions” will continue to be our topic in Sunday night youth meetings throughout March.  Ask your students about the topics we are dealing with.  They would be great topics even for adults.  On April 1 we will have a special lesson on “The Crucifixion” and then the following Sunday we will not have Sunday night youth because it is Easter Sunday.  Your students have an opportunity for “Baptism” on Easter Sunday if they feel called by God to participate in this sacrament.  If a student is interested in being baptized, please contact Pastor David or me as soon as possible.  We will take you through the purpose of baptism and the steps needed.

We are working on several events during April & May, however, our BIG event will be STATE YOUTH CONVENTION held at Western Michigan University in Kalamazoo on the weekend of May 18-20.  Fundraisers will be coming SOON to help raise money for the convention.  A Super Early Bird $40 registration will be DUE by March 25 which will guarantee a $115 cost to the convention.  During April it jumps to $125 and in May it jumps to $150. It pays to plan ahead!

This year’s convention features the speaker Don Jackson.  He was so popular last year, that he is coming back this year.  The weekend worship leader is Joel Hutton with our Friday night guests being Nate Felierstien and MOCI.  The convention costs not only include guests and concerts, but two nights lodging, four meals, tailgate party and all programs. (Tournaments – 3 on 3 basketball, dodgeball, volleyball, chat with Joel Frymire, Don Jackson and MOCI, Talent Search and more)  We also have the opportunity to order a convention T-Shirt for $10.  Look for the posting in the youth room to see what it looks like.

We encourage all of our students to attend our Sunday night youth meetings every week and to participate in all the events of the youth ministry.   The more they attend weekly and participate in the Youth Ministry’s events, the more they will make friends and feel part of God’s people.  We also invite and encourage our students and their families to attend the 11:00 AM Worship Services at Mt. Haley.  We would love to have you join us.

Thank you for sharing your son or daughter with us, your support and your prayers.

Blessings,
Pastor Jerry

Ash Wednesday
photo by Sarah Korf

Today is Ash Wednesday, which falls forty days (excluding Sundays) before Easter Sunday.  Traditionally, this begins the season called Lent, an intentional time of prayer, fasting, repentance, contemplation, and meditation on Jesus’s death and resurrection.  A broad majority of Christians begin that season today.

You may notice some folks with smudges on their foreheads; those are ashes that have been applied to believers’ foreheads as a sign of their repentance and humility before God.  I remember seeing a college student of mine some years ago come into math class with ashes in the shape of a cross on her forehead.  She was always kind and respectful in class, but her demeanor seemed even more sincere and thoughtful on that day.

The Church of God does not always make a big deal of Ash Wednesday.  In fact, this will be the second year that our movement engages in a new program called “Focus 40,” which begins next Wednesday and counts forty days (including Sundays) through Easter Sunday.  You will hear more about Focus 40 very soon!

Why is Ash Wednesday so important?  What’s the big deal about ashes on the forehead, anyway?  The whole practice has to do with a correct understanding of ourselves.  All of us have sinned, and we all fall short of God’s glory.  The death and resurrection of Jesus is an event to celebrate, to be sure, but it also encourages us to be mindful of ourselves as sinful people who have been redeemed at great cost.

Just after Adam and Eve ate the forbidden fruit in the Garden of Eden, God sent them out of the garden and explained the curses that would follow them for the rest of their lives.  In Adam’s curse, God states that the man will have to toil and labor as he works the ground for food.  This is because Adam was taken from the ground; “for dust you are and to dust you will return” (Genesis 3:19 NIV).

Friends, remember that our need to work hard in this world is a result of our sinfulness before God.  Our sins have real consequences that affect our lives.  And our sins had real consequences for Jesus, as well, who went to the cross on our behalf so that our sins might be forgiven and that we might live holy, God-pleasing lives.

Perhaps it would be good for us to wear ashes on our foreheads all the time, if that would help us remember our position before God.  Be blessed in this season of preparation for Easter.

–Pastor David