Where's the Pastor

I've been off for about 7 weeks now and am itching to get back in the saddle. I've accepted a few speaking engagements in the Chicago area. I'm excited about sharing the Word of God with the extended Body of Christ.

This Sunday (7/1) I'll be in my old stomping grounds Cross and Crown. This is the church Grace and I planted way back in January of 1981. We served there for a bit over 20 years and have many fond memories and experiences of God's working in and through us. It will be great to be reunited with old friends and have the opportunity to make new acquaintances.

On July 8 we've been invited to speak at Rock Church in Rockford. Our good friends John and Becky Sprecher are the pastors of this great church. They have faithfully served Rock for over 25 years. I had the privilege to speak at a worker appreciation dinner there a few years back. The good folks at Rock are an engaging and delightful audience. We're believing God for a timely word that will challenge and inspire the people of God.

July 22 finds us at Church in the Word in Elgin. Pastor Patrick and Tami Hoban lead this new and young congregation. I remember when Pastor Patrick and I first met. He was just then thinking of planting the church and we invited him to share their vision with our church in the city. What a great work they have done in a short 7 years. The church is growing and making their presence felt in the Fox Valley. I was excited and humbled by their invitation to share the Word.

Please join with Grace and I in prayer as we prepare to visit these churches. We count it a blessing to contribute something to their growth and development and take our charge very seriously.

House For Sale

Blogging has been light the past couple of weeks as I have taken all available time to prepare our home for sale. It's amazing how many little things you let slide and learn to live with, but have to repair in order to sell your home. Most of these things really don't need attention, but you convince yourself that others would notice if they weren't done. Take one example:

We have two maturing trees on the parkway in front of our house. They have been growing aggressively over the past few years and would be the envy of many homeowners for the shade they provide as well as the natural beauty. But they obscure the view of our home. In order for a potential buyer to get enticed by "curb appeal" I had to spend the better part of a 90 degree day trimming back and cutting limbs. The next owner will probably allow the tree to grow uninterrupted for another 5-10 years.

Here's another example. We painted our bedroom a rich color to reflect our tastes. Upon making the decision to move, we had to repaint it a boring, neutral color because a potential client might make his/her decision based on a paint job they didn't like. Ironically, the new owner will probably paint the boring color within a few weeks or months to suit their tastes. I would have preferred if the new owners just told me what color they wanted and I would have saved them the trouble of having to paint after they move.

We are now officially on the market. All indications point to a slow market. We need to sell our home relatively quickly. We did our part of prepping the home, now it is totally out of our hands. We'll trust the Lord to prepare the new owner for us.

Hot Button Issue #8:: MARRIED IN THE EYES OF GOD…

A young couple asks you to dedicate their infant daughter to the Lord in a worship service. While explaining to them the significance of dedicating children, you discover they are not married. “If you’re going to commit yourselves to raising this child ‘in the fear and admonition of the Lord,’” you say, “you need to line your actions up with your words.” You explain that you will be happy to dedicate their child after they marry, since living out of wedlock does not teach Christian values.

“We can’t marry,” they reply. He provides well for his ex-wife from his salary, but she would extract an exorbitant amount from any joint business venture by the new couple. Remaining single enables them to avoid an unfair situation with his former wife.“Anyway,” they say, “we’re married in the eyes of God even if we’re not married in the eyes of the state.” How do you respond? And do you dedicate the child?

Some Parenting Rules that Actually Work

Are you a parent spending more time pulling out your hair rather than combing it? Are your children under your feet incessantly whining about every little thing? Try reading this simple column and find some answers to parenting that will lighten your load.

My wife have always advocated that parents need a few, not many, but a few simple rules that are applied consistently and parenting becomes a much easier task. When the rules are clear, and they are applied consistently and fearlessly, the lines of authority are not blurred. Parents can be parents, and children can be children.

Children exhibit two kinds of behavior. Normal behavior, and acceptable behavior. You must expect a child to act their age, but it is your responsibility as a parent to teach them to act in a responsible, acceptable manner. At age two, tantrums are normal. At age 8 they are annoying. At age 12 they become a manipulative tool used against parents because apparently they work. Establishing a few basic rules will wean a child away from childish behavior and cause them to act at a socially acceptable level. The key is consistency.

Many parents fail on this front. It seems easier to just give in to a child's demands so that they are not creating a scene. But it only prolongs the inevitable confrontation. Putting in the hard work of consistency in the beginning will pay big rewards in the long run. Children will always test the boundaries until they know where the boundaries are. After finding out where the boundaries they will occasionally test them again to see if they have been moved. That is normal. Be ready with your consistent, but firm application of a few simple rules and you will end up with well adjusted children. For the most part:)

"Train up a child in the way he should go and when he is old he will not depart from it." (Proverbs 22:6)

Update on FCA Sextuplets

Update 6/29: Two of the Morrison Sextuplets continue to fight for their lives. Another of their little daughters passed on 6/24. The couple has released a statement that "althought the times are difficult, their faith remains strong." Don't forget to keep them high on your prayer priority list. I'll update you as news comes in.

Update 6/21: Yet another Morrison baby has passed away. Words alone cannot express the pain this couple must be feeling. The three remaining children (1 boy and 2 girls) continue to need our prayers.

Ryan and Brianne Morrisohave suffered the loss of two of their six babies born on June 10. The babies were only 22 weeks gestational and weighed 11 ounces to 1 pound and 3 ounces. They gave birth to 4 boys and 2 girls. Two boys and two girls remain in critical condition. They need time to have their organs develop.

Although tiny, babies of 22 weeks have survived with increasing frequency. With today's medical care, the power of prayer, the love of their parents, and the intervention of God's power, these children have a lot going for them. We mourn along with the Morrison's on the loss of their two sons. Let's continue to lift up the Morrison babies and family in prayer as they trust in the Lord for His will.

Sextuplets Born to FCA Mom

The babies pictured here are someone elses, but, these we claim as our own. The mom (Brianna) is daughter to Pastors Brent and Melonie Balkan of Lighthouse Christian Church in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin.

Although the website hasn't been updated yet, the babies have come, all six of them. They are as small as they are premature,weighing from 11 ounces to just over a pound. They need our prayers and support.

You can read about their incredible story here and find out how you can help them during this exciting but tenuous time.

Many of you know Brianna from her days at the FCA camp. You probably remember her mom and dad as they were the camp directors and provided the worship experiences of camp for many years. My own children benefitted from this wonderful families witness and ministry.

Please include this couple and their babies in your prayers.

Hot Button Issue #7: I'm Only Rescuing Her . . .

A man, a member of your church, becomes romantically involved with a married woman, also a church member. You admonish him to break off all contact with the woman, even as she begins divorce proceedings against her husband. He insists he is doing nothing inappropriate. Indeed, he claims to be supporting her as a friend through this difficult time. After all, she was the victim of abuse by her husband, also a church member.

The man rebuffs all arguments that he should abandon the relationship, so you rescind his church membership and inform him he can no longer participate in church activities or worship services. He says, “You treat outsiders better than you treat me. I’d be more welcome if I were a heathen instead of a member.”You have to admit he’s right. You have actively encouraged people with sinful lifestyles to come to church and seek God. So how do you explain your seemingly inconsistent treatment of him?

The Death Penalty as Deterrent

A few years ago, as a parting gesture when leaving office, then governor of Illinois George Ryan declared a moratorium on the death penalty. His decision was partly due to an imbalance in the way the death penalty was administered, as well as taking into account that new developments in DNA testing had cleared a number of inmates who were on death row erroneously. Now some new evidence and studies may show that the death penalty is indeed a deterrent to violent crimes like murder.

Christians debate the death penalty's effectiveness as a deterrent as well as its morality. Some of the issues that are brought up during the discussion include whether it is indeed supported by the Bible and more directly whether Jesus would sanction the use of the death penalty. Other arguments center around whether there is a humane way of executing a convict or if it is always "cruel and unusual punishment."

If the execution of a convict results in deterring others from harming innocent victims, would that alone justify using capital punishment? Is the biblical injunction of the Old Testament still binding in New Testament times? Is it just to administer the death penalty in an obviously imbalanced manner targeting minorities and those who cannot afford top legal counsel?

The studies will have to undergo strong scrutiny. More studies will be done. But if the evidence continues to come in favor of capital punishment's deterrence, you can expect that more executions will take place in the future.

Hot Button Issues #6: Only Harmless Fun?

You learn that a man in your church frequents the local casino. “It’s just harmless fun for me,” he says. “If I spend $100 a month there or $600 on a ski trip, it’s all just entertainment.”
You might be inclined to let his comment pass, but just a week earlier you met with a woman whose marriage was crumbling because of her husband’s compulsive gambling. They were on the verge of losing their home, their savings, and their relationship because he could not control his impulses.What do you say to the man who wants his “harmless” fun?

Scary Stats on Porn Addiction

I'm not sure what to make of this, but the figures are eye-opening. If these figures are indicative of the true picture of what is happening in the church, then it explains, at least in part, the anemic record the church in the U.S. has in challenging, shaping, and changing the culture.

The numbers have to be interpreted in the sense that these figure reflect the percentages within those who answered a survey. More scientific surveys need to be taken to get a more accurate picture, but I must admit, these findings were staggering.

The allure, and easy access of the Internet has tempted many men and women to take the bait of the forbidden fruit. The relative ease in which a person can view pornographic images within the privacy of their own homes has added to the anonymity of the experience.

The mainstreaming of sexual images, in even the most mundane sitcoms or commercials, has done much to deaden the conscience of even discriminating Christians. We are living in perilous times.

While steps can be taken to protect yourself and your family from Internet porn, the only surefire way of eliminating the temptation is to get rid of your computer altogether. That just isn't going to happen. So, how do you protect yourself from this alluring temptation? Is it possible to continue watching television, surf the net, read magazines, and go to the theater believing that these images won't have an effect on your or your family?