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April 15

Tuesday, April 15th, 2025

“You talk at an audience, but you talk with people.”  (Quote from The Dancing King by Glynn Young-p.131). I’m going to continue with my thoughts that The Dancing King spurred within me as I finished my reread of Book #3 in the series of 5. 

Interviewing for a job with the king, Jay said the preceding quote to King Michael.  Previous to that quote, Jay said this: “What struck me (after listening to Michael preach) about all of this is that you’re not a brand, but a person, a breathing, living person, and that comes through clearly in the videos and interview, but especially in the sermons. And from what I could tell, you want to talk with people, not communicate at them. Most communications people think of everyone as an audience, and I hate that. You talk at an audience, but you talk with people. And it seems to me that everything I’ve seen and read about you suggests that you want to talk  with people.” (pp.130-131) 

As a pastor, as a speaker, that statement hit the nail on the head. I honestly don’t care about branding (whatever that is and entails). I sincerely pray each Sunday that I am not in the pulpit to impress people or to WOW people. (I surely fail in that).  What I do want to do is plainly and clearly present the truth of the Gospel of Jesus and His love for each and every one of us. To borrow another quote from the book: “God does not ask me to campaign for social justice. He does not ask me to promote cultural pluralism. He does not tell me to promote inclusiveness as the only virtue left in a country that seems to have been stripped bare of its moral virtues (Note: he was speaking of the UK in the book but…). And he does not ask me to promote tolerance, because he knows that my efforts to promote tolerance will actually create intolerance.” (p.330).  And then the coup de grace: “He simply says, find the lost. Serve my people. Preach the gospel. Feed my sheep. Tend to my lambs. Disciple my flock. Watch over my people. Love them as you would love yourself. Love me with all your heart, and soul, and mind. Worship me, your Lord God, and not the false idols you have set up on the altars of your heart.” (p.330)

I was strangely challenged to take stock of my preaching and my love for the people of the church God has asked me to pastor after I read that. I wore a t-shirt Sunday that said, “This Pastor has an awesome congregation.”  I firmly believe that.  I want to be nowhere else and have no desire to be a mega church pastor.  My heart is here.  I am blessed with people who love me and have loved me for over 19 years.  And I thank God He has allowed me to love them back.

So ends my comments on Book #3. I suggest you read the books for yourself. 🙂

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April 3

Thursday, April 3rd, 2025

I have a habit of rereading some books, mostly fiction, especially when I need a break. Every day my mind is spent studying and reading books that challenge my thinking, add to my learning, or for use in sermon prep. So every once in awhile I like to read something totally not associated with my “serious” mindset. So I will often pick up a fiction book and read it again. I did that early this week. I picked up The Dancing Priest by Glynn Young. Glynn blogs at Fact, Fiction, Friends and I cannot tell you how long we have been reading each other’s blogs.  The Dancing Priest is #1 in a 5-part series.

It is the story of Michael Kent, who through a series of events finds himself on the front page of TIME magazine and a Tour de France hero. He is also ordained into the Anglican Church as a priest. Glynn has weaved together a wonderful story that even a non-religious person would enjoy. Even though Michael is a fictional character, one begins to admire this young man and his passion for life. Grounded without being preachy, The Dancing Priest is a wonderful story of faith, hope, caring for others, putting other’s interests before your own, and being sensitive to those around us.  Following his ordination, Michael finds our where his pastoral assignment is to be. (I will not tell you because that would be unfair if you have never read the book and decide you want to). Let me just say his heart is in Malawi, Africa and working with kids in an orphanage. 

The day he learns his assignment, Michael was speaking with the archbishop of York. (I plead my ignorance on how this denomination works since it is foreign to me. But it really is irrelevant to this story). Anyway, the archbishop tells Michael something that is relevant for all churches. He says, “Michael, the future of our church is in grave doubt. If there is a future, then you and others like you are that future. It will be better for you to be on the periphery than at the center because the center is rotting and collapsing. The future of the church is at the edges, and there you’ll find a willingness to abandon what’s dead, to meet the spiritual needs, to fearlessly preach the gospel-that is our way of survival.” (p.163).  A little later in the conversation Michael is told, “You are a remarkable young man. You will do great things, Michael. not as the world defines them, but great in the way God defines them.” (p.164)

The church is one generation away from extinction. If I was a younger pastor (and not 72 years old), I would “fight” to be part of the solution, not the problem. I would not want to be part of the collapse and rot but part of the building up and preservation of the truth. Yes, the story is about Michael Kent. But it is also about me…and you. Let’s be part of the resurgence not the decay of the church.

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February 25

Tuesday, February 25th, 2025

Politics or not? Racial shots or not?

I have pondered writing this since last night, but decided to sit on it. I’d like to preface it with these words from the Apostle Paul: “The message of the cross is foolish to those who are headed for destruction! But we who are being saved know it is the very power of God…When I first came to you, dear brothers and sisters, I didn’t use lofty words and impressive wisdom to tell you God’s secret plan. For I decided that while I was with you I would forget everything except Jesus Christ, the one who was crucified. I came to  you in weakness-timid and trembling. And my message and my preaching were very plain. Rather than using clever and persuasive speeches, I relied only on the power of the Holy Spirit. I did this so you would trust not in human wisdom but in the power of God.” (I Cor. 1:18; 2:1-5  NLT)

With those words in mind, please allow me to share my thoughts. While waiting for a delivery late yesterday afternoon, my wife had the TV on and featured was an African American “pastor” ranting and raving and hyperventilating this past Sunday morning from his pulpit. He was using racial slurs that if I had used them would have led to demonstrations and calls for me to be cancelled. It was, in my opinion, a disgusting display from the pulpit- the place where God’s Word and God’s Word only should be preached. I have NEVER in my 72 years and 50+ years of ministry ever preached politics from the pulpit (and I won’t start now), nor have I ever displayed the disgusting speech I heard from Sunday’s “sermon.” I will not give the man’s name since I don’t want to give him any press. I won’t call him a “pastor” because pastors are shepherds who feed sheep, not incite or beat sheep. Now, maybe his people are used to that type of carrying on. But I do not see that as anywhere close to what the Apostle Paul says ought to be our main focus: Jesus Christ and Him crucified. (2:2).  How anyone could have walked away from that display and said, “Christ was preached and honored today” would be beyond me. Nor could anyone walk away saying, “I heard the Gospel of Jesus and how much He loves me and I want Him as my Savior and Lord.”  All they would walk away with would have been hatred and vitriol and incitement to riot.

I’ll get off my soap box. I’ll close with more words from Paul: “You see, we are not like the many hucksters who preach for personal profit. We preach the word of God with sincerity and with Christ’s authority, knowing that God is watching us.” (2 Cor. 2:17 NLT). I will continue preaching the Word of God and only that. Not politics. Not incendiary garbage.  Christ crucified and raised and coming again.

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February 17

Monday, February 17th, 2025

“Pay attention!”

“Hello! Earth to Bill.”

“Did you hear what I just said?”

How many of you have heard those words or words which are similar? If I earned a dollar for every time I heard them I could retire and live off the interest.  🙂  It isn’t that I am ADHD. I’m not. But my mind is often not where it belongs and my attention is elsewhere. Someone may have dropped a thought moments ago and my mind is pursuing it instead of listening to what is being said or to who is saying it…NOW!

I recently reread a book I read many years ago. It is copyrighted 2004. In my effort to be a better leader in 2025, I have been reading a multitude of books on leadership. This particular book is entitled The Way of the Shepherd by Dr. Kevin Leman and William Pentak. It was invaluable as I read and highlighted and even re-highlighted some previously chosen sections. One that stuck out to me early in the book was the following (and inspired this post):

You have to take a personal interest in each of the people who report directly to you,” Neumann answered. “You need to discover their skills and interests. You need to know their goals and dreams, what motivates them when they walk through the door in the morning, what their career ambitions and frustrations are. In other words, Ted, you have to make a point of knowing what things are impacting them at the moment. (p.27)

Nothing makes people feel more “seen” or more “heard” than to know the one whom they answer to on a daily basis truly cares about them, truly listens to them and knows them. I’m not shaking any new stick when I say that people are complex and we are all different. What is on one person’s mind never crosses someone else’s mind. What is a burr in someone’s saddle is like a mere mosquito which is crushed by one slap to someone else. But it is absolutely essential that each person in your orbit know they are important to you. That is especially true if you are a leader.

But it also applies to each family. Each church. Each business. Each sports team. Each class. Each job. Each person is just that, one person. That is why the short statements I gave at the beginning are so crushing. To have them used is like saying, ‘I have my thing; you are have yours; and never shall the two cross.” I’m glad Jesus sees each of us as individuals and not as a group. He doesn’t lump us all together as “Unruly” or “Disinterested” or “Prime listener” or “___________.” He pays attention to us one sheep at a time.

That’s good advice as you begin your week.

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February 12

Wednesday, February 12th, 2025

One of the essentials of any leadership team is the element of trust. If the CEO or pastor or whatever title is given does not have the trust of those under his watch and care, the business/church/entity will go nowhere. Stagnation is the result. Likewise the other way. If the main leader cannot trust those under his watch to do what they are supposed to do and work as a team, the entity will falter.

I have been devouring books by Jon Gordon, Patrick Lencioni and James Hunter since the first of the year. I want to be the best leader I can be as the pastor of the church, but know there are some serious blanks in my abilities. Along with that, at the age of 72 I need to work on a succession plan (and have been). None of us will live forever-including Bryan Johnson, the centimillionaire tech entrepreneur who has that as his goal-so I need to have a plan in place. Frankly, I need to “shore up” my leadership skills to be better prepared to lead and to hand off my role here.

But the question which haunts me and should every leader (and maybe all of us to some extent) is Why? Why am I doing what I am doing? Patrick Lencioni has written a leadership fable called The Motive and I have yet to dive into Simon Sinek’s book Start with Why, but Lencioni writes, “At the fundamental level, there are only two motives that drive people to become a leader. First, they want to serve others. Two, they want to be rewarded.” (Edited for space-found on page 131) When you think about it those really are the two reasons why we do what we do. It comes down to this question: do I want to  benefit someone else or do I want to benefit myself? Do I want to make another person’s life richer or do I want to promote myself to enrich the only one who matters…me?

I don’t want to belabor this point but want to simply ask one question: as you go through your day today, who are you looking out for? Whose life will be made richer by your presence and an interaction with you? You or another person? I was deeply moved by a book I would like to recommend to you on this topic: The Hard Hat by Jon Gordon. It set me back on my heels as it talked about a lasting legacy.

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February 11

Tuesday, February 11th, 2025

“You matter to us because you matter to God.”

That was the mantra of what has become known as the “Attractional” church. Or perhaps you have heard it called “The Purpose-Driven Church.” On the surface that sounds really good. And it is. But as time moved on it morphed into a mantra that began to signal some really strange practices.  Churches began to replace hymns and truly good worship songs with contemporary “secular” songs with veiled meaning. Some lyrics were changed into really bad songs. I read of one church that did “Highway to Hell” by AC/DC as an opening song for their Easter service. Seriously? I have to admit that when I read that I about spit out my Diet Dr Pepper. While many have abandoned that “all things are a go” approach, they graduated to some really bad songs with horrible doctrinal errors.

Back to my original words and off the rabbit trail… 🙂

On the surface, that statement is true. People should matter to us because they do matter to God. We could point to the cross for proof. Or, strangely enough, we could point to Numbers 1-2. “Are you kidding me Bill? Have you ever read Numbers 1-2?”  As a matter of fact, I have and did again this morning. Only this time I approached it differently. Thanks to Paul David Tripp’s devotion for today in his Everyday Gospel Devotional, he brought several ideas to the forefront.  He began by writing, “On the surface these accounts seem like unneeded historical detail, not very interesting, and easily forgotten. But the apostle Paul says that they are in your Bible for your spiritual maturation and readiness.” (p.52)  I took those words to heart as I read this morning. I underlined what Moses wrote in chapter 2 about where each tribe was to be in the order of moving from place to place. (Check out verses 9, 16, 24 and 31. Verse 17 shows us the Tabernacle was put between the second and third group).

God was orderly and efficient. The inclusion of these two chapters was not just willy nilly filler space.  I borrow again from PDT when he writes, “It reminds us of the intimate and specific care God has for His people.” And there you have that opening statement statement in a different way. God chose His people and ordered the numbering of his people (especially the warriors) for a specific reason.

If He took that much detail in numbering and giving His people specific places to be, imagine how concerned He is about you and me. Kind of makes your day doesn’t it? 🙂

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January 30

Thursday, January 30th, 2025

One of the more frequent comments I hear is “I don’t have any special gifts or talents.” People often feel like they don’t have much to offer if the gift or talent is not something big. I’m sure you know how that goes: “I can’t do what so-and-so does, so what do I have to offer?” The comparison game is an unwinnable game to play or at least it seems to go on forever like Monopoly or Risk or some other seemingly forever game. We will never measure up (in our eyes) to that other person.

The Bible tells us that God has given each of us a gift or gifts to use to build up the Body of Christ, the church. Some of those gifts stand out; some are behind the scenes. Just FYI: a gift and a talent are different. A talent is something the seemingly comes fairly natural or can be developed, whereas a gift is something given by God to be used for a specific reason. But whether we are talking gift or talent it is to be used not kept to oneself.

I was struck by this as I read Exodus 36-38.  Yes, it was sort of tedious because it involved the building of the Tabernacle and furniture for the Tabernacle according to God’s design. But what struck me were the opening words to chapter 36: “The Lord has gifted Bezalel, Oholiab, and the other skilled craftsmen with wisdom and ability to perform any task involved in building the sanctuary. Let them construct and furnish the Tabernacle, just as the Lord has commanded. So Moses summoned Bezalel and Oholiab and all the others who were specially gifted by the Lord and were eager to get to work.” (Verses 1-2)

I’d like to echo Paul David Tripp (January 30 from Everyday Gospel Devotional) as he makes two important points:

  1. We are told that God put skill in these men’s minds. What an incredible statement of the power and presence of God.
  2. It tells us that God not only gives gifts, but stirs up our hearts to use the gifts He has given.

Those two thoughts tell us that we have been given our creative ability by God, and two, we need to be thankful for the One who gave them. They have been given to us for a reason. Use them. Don’t hoard them.

{Note Scripture used is from the New Living Translation}

Today is Jo’s birthday. It would be bad form to tell you what number. 🙂 I am taking her to Ohio to see our grandson (and our daughter). 🙂 Please feel free to post a comment. I will approve it when I have a chance to do so. And please pray for a safe trip. We are both driving there and giving Jo’s car as an early graduation present to our grandson. It is an 8 year old car with 42k miles on it. It should serve him well as he graduates and heads off to college (which I am not allowed to reveal yet).

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Burning Hearts – Two Recipes

Friday, January 10th, 2025

How many different ways can you cook (fill in the blank)?  We recently had a chili cook-off to raise money for a mission trip to help hurricane victims. There were 13 different types of chili-from the sublime to the ridiculously hot. In all honesty, I chose to abstain except for the mac and cheese and cheesy potatoes.  Forrest Gump used to say, “Life is like a box of chocolates.” Choices. Choices. and more choices.

The Scripture passage for this week’s message is from Genesis 16-34. That’s a long passage and it is filled with people making choices.  Abram. Sarai (soon to be renamed Abraham and Sarah). Lot’s choice of Sodom and Gomorrah. His daughters’ decision to sleep with him. Hagar and Ishmael. Abraham being tested by sacrificing Isaac. Finding Rebekah for Isaac. Jacob and Esau’s whole wrangling.  Jacob marrying Leah (not his choice) and Rachel (his choice). Jacob wrestling with God. Jacob meeting Esau. Whew! That makes me tired just thinking about all those choices. 🙂

So…where did I get the idea of Two Recipes? I decided to look at the Scripture in two ways: a recipe for disaster and a recipe for success. We all have choices. Some choices we make will be stupid and lead down the wrong path, maybe even to disaster. Can anyone say Abraham and Hagar and Ishmael? And the opposite is also true: some decisions we make will lead to success.

Providing the snow doesn’t visit us again (they are predicting a possible 4-5″ this weekend), I will see you at 9:00 and 10:45. If you can’t be here is person, you can watch our live stream. You can send a request to join our Facebook Group at Owen Valley Christian Fellowship or view our public page at Owen Valley Christian Fellowship-Spencer, In. Or you watch via YouTube at Owen Valley Christian Fellowship. Unless there is a weather event we will live stream both services.

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January7

Tuesday, January 7th, 2025

In his book, The Motive, Patrick Lencioni gives a great illustration to show the difference between a reward-centered leader and a relationship-centered leader.

He writes, “Imagine young men being drafted into the NFL. When some players get chosen by a team, they feel primarily a great sense of relief and accomplishment. ‘I’ve finally made it. After years of hard work, I’m being rewarded and recognized. My life is about to become more enjoyable, and I don’t have to worry about money. I can’t wait to celebrate, find a house, buy a car,…'”

“Other players, though grateful for and gratified by their accomplishment, immediately feel the weight of proving their worth to the team that drafted them. ‘I can’t wait to get my new playbook and start preparing for the season. I don’t want my coaches and teammates to look back on this next year and regret choosing me. I need to find a place to live as soon as possible and get to work improving on…”

There is a fundamental difference between these two players, one that will almost always have a greater impact on their eventual success than their talents and skills. Simply stated, players who are responsibility-centered almost always exceed expectations. Players who are reward-centered almost always fail to live up to theirs.” (quoted verbatim from Page 136)

Since I am a pastor I thought about that in my realm of the world. There will always be those pastors who think they deserve recognition. They seek entitlement. They seek rewards. They lead a church because it gives them honor, prestige, a name, and recognition. They are invited to conferences to speak about their success. They have articles written about “their” church and its size or success or its physical building.

On the other hand, there are those who work hard, not seeking fame or fortune. They work for the glory of HIS name not their own. They don’t care if they are never invited to speak at a conference of their peers. Their labor of love is focused on the church they serve, no matter how small or how big.

IMHO it is the latter I want to emulate. This April I will celebrate my 50th year of ordination. In those 50 years I have never been asked to speak at a conference. I have never had my name in lights. I have never served a big congregation. That used to bug me…tremendously. But not any more. In fact, I now see why I never experienced those things. I COULD NOT HAVE HANDLED IT! The church I serve now-I started my 20th year in November-is the one I love. I want to be nowhere else (except when visiting my grandson or on vacation). Speak nowhere else. Serve nowhere else (except when we have 15-18″ of snow and temps in the 20s). 🙂 

I did not intend on this post becoming about me and my love for the church I pastor, but sometimes you just can’t help it. Ya know? So let me finish with a question: what kind of leader are you or do you look for?

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January 6

Monday, January 6th, 2025

Well…the order of the day is snow, snow and more snow. First, let me be very clear: I did not order the snow! Some goofy youth pastor of the church we pastor ordered it. As we were getting ready for the live stream yesterday (due to having to cancel in person worship due to the…ahem…snow), he decided to get on the bad side of the four of us who were there (sound tech, Power Point & her husband, and me) by spouting off how much he loved snow and couldn’t wait to get out in it to play with his three teenagers. Yeah, they all need their head examined. Good thing I like him and he is doing a great job!! I jest, of course. As much as I hate to admit it the weather people got this one right. Gone (for now) is my saying from Back to the Future when Doc Brown says, “Since when can the weatherman predict the weather.” It started with a light snow around 9ish and then as the day moved on it picked up volume.  As I type this this morning I have heard conflicting reports of 8″ up to 12″.

As I already stated, we did live stream yesterday. The decision was made on Saturday at noon in order to give our folks enough lead time to know, but also to give our “callers” the time to do their ministry. They either call or text people on their list to let them know of the change. Diana, our church secretary (also known as Lady Boss or the more professional, Administrative Assistant) spearheaded getting the ladies to help and then sends out a text to all of them to pass along. Now THAT is efficiency! That means I work with a youth pastor who thinks he is funny but good at what he does, and a very efficient secretary who often goes above and beyond her “job description.” I wonder where that puts me? 🙂

It all makes me appreciate even more those I work with. I’ve been rereading some works which are called fables. They are leadership books/fables written by men like Jon Gordon and Pat Lencioni, leadership gurus who have been around a long time. The Garden, Stick Together, and The Carpenter by Gordon; The Motive by Lencioni; and The Servant by James Hunter have been great refreshers for me on leadership. They have reminded me of the value of a good team, but that it really does start with me. Planting seeds of positive reinforcement, making sure we work together with a common goal, giving the best we can but realize we need breaks, making sure we are a leader for the right reason, and knowing being a servant leader is the primary leadership principle, are all part of being a leader. I have no pretense that I am a great leader (I try and want to be), but one of my desires for 2025 is to become a better leader. I’m going to do what I can to make that happen. 

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