Tough Question: Why Should I Join a Local Church?

Tough Question: Why Should I Join a Local Church?

I’ve been asked the question before. Sometimes it’s said with genuine curiosity-“So explain to me what membership is all about.” Other times it’s said with a tinge of suspicion-“So tell me again, why do you think I should become a member?”-as if joining the church automatically signed you up to tithe by direct deposit.

For many Christians membership sounds stiff, something you have at your bank or the country club, but too formal for the church. Even if it’s agreed that Christianity is not a lone ranger religion, that we need community and fellowship with other Christians, we still bristle at the thought of officially joining a church. Why all the hoops? Why box the Holy Spirit into member/non-member categories? Why bother joining a local church when I’m already a member of the universal Church?

Some Christians–because of church tradition or church baggage–may not be convinced of church membership no matter how many times “member” actually shows up in the New Testament. But many others are open to hearing the justification for something they’ve not thought much about.

Here are just a few reasons why church membership matters.

1. In joining a church you make visible your commitment to Christ and his people. Membership is one way to raise the flag of faith. You state before God and others that you are part of this local body of believers. It’s easy to talk in glowing terms about the invisible church-the body of all believers near and far, living and dead-but it’s in the visible church that God expects you to live out your faith.

Sometimes I think that we wouldn’t all be clamoring for community if we had actually experienced it. Real fellowship is hard work, because most people are a lot like us-selfish, petty, and proud. But that’s the body God calls us to.

How many of Paul’s letters were written to individuals? Only a handful, and these were mostly to pastors. The majority of his letters were written to a local body of believers. We see the same thing in Revelation. Jesus spoke to individual congregations in places like Smyrna, Sardis, and Laodicea. The New Testament knows no Christians floating around in “just me and Jesus” land. Believers belong to churches.

2. Making a commitment makes a powerful statement in a low-commitment culture. Many bowling leagues require more of their members than our churches. Where this is true, the church is a sad reflection of its culture. Ours is a consumer culture were everything is tailored to meet our needs and satisfy our preferences. When those needs aren’t met, we can always move on to the next product, or job, or spouse.

Joining a church in such an environment makes a counter-cultural statement. It says “I am committed to this group of people and they are committed to me. I am here to give, more than get.”

Even if you will only be in town for a few years, it’s still not a bad idea to join a church. It lets your home church (if you are a student) know that you are being cared for, and it lets your present know that you want to be cared for here.

But it’s not just about being cared for, it’s about making a decision and sticking with it-something my generation, with our oppressive number of choices, finds difficult. We prefer to date the church-have her around for special events, take her out when life feels lonely, and keep her around for a rainy day. Membership is one way to stop dating churches, and marrying one.

3. We can be overly independent. In the West, it’s one of the best and worst thing about us. We are free spirits and critical thinkers. We get an idea and run with it. But whose running with us? And are any of us running in the same direction? Membership states in a formal way, “I am part of something bigger than myself. I am not just one of three hundred individuals. I am part of a body.”

4. Church membership keeps us accountable. When we join a church we are offering ourselves to one another to be encouraged, rebuked, corrected, and served. We are placing ourselves under leaders and submitting to their authority (Heb. 13:7). We are saying, “I am here to stay. I want to help you grow in godliness. Will you help me to do the same?”

Mark Dever, in his book Nine Marks of a Healthy Church, writes,

Church membership is our opportunity to grasp hold of each other in responsibility and love. By identifying ourselves with a particular church, we let the pastors and other members of that local church know that we intend to be committed in attendance, giving, prayer, and service. We allow fellow believers to have great expectations of us in these areas, and we make it known that we are the responsibility of this local church. We assure the church of our commitment to Christ in serving with them, and we call for their commitment to serve and encourage as well.

5. Joining the church will help your pastor and elders be more faithful shepherds. Hebrews 13:7 says “Obey your leaders and submit to their authority.” That’s your part as “laypeople”. Here’s our part as leaders: “They keep watch over you as men who must give an account.” As a pastor I take very seriously my responsibility before God to watch care for souls.
To give just one example, we try to be diligent in following up with people who haven’t been at our church for a while. This is a challenge. But if you never become a member, we can’t tell if you are really gone, because we might not be sure if you were ever here! It’s nearly impossible for the elders to shepherd the flock when they don’t know who really considers them their shepherds.

6. Joining the church gives you an opportunity to make promises. When someone become a member at First Baptist Church of Stanleyville, he makes promises to pray, give, serve, attend worship, accept the spiritual guidance of the church, obey its teachings, and seek the things that make for unity, purity, and peace. We ought not to make these promises lightly. They are solemn vows. And we must hold each other to them. If you don’t join the church, you miss an opportunity to publicly make these promises, inviting the elders and the rest of the body to hold you to these promises-which would be missing out on great spiritual benefit, for you, your leaders, and the whole church.

Membership matters more than most people think. If you really want to be a counter-cultural revolutionary, sign up for the membership class, meet with your elders, and join your local church.

Author: Kevin Deyoung
Date: May 14, 2015

5 Reasons to Not Worry About Money:

“Fear not, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.”-Luke 12:32

The reason God wants us not to be afraid concerning money and things is because that would magnify five great things about him.

First, not being afraid shows that we treasure God as our Shepherd. “Fear not, little flock.” We are his flock and he is our Shepherd. And if he is our Shepherd, then Psalm 23 applies: “The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not want”-that is, I shall not lack anything I really need.

Second, not being afraid shows that we treasure God as our Father. “If is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.” We are not only his little flock; we are also his children, and he is our Father. He really cares and really knows what you need and will work for you to be sure that you have what you need.

Third, not being afraid shows that we treasure God as King. He can give us the “kingdom” because he is the King. This adds a tremendous element of power to the one who provides for us. “Shepherd” connotes protection and provision. “Father” connotes love and tenderness and authority and provision and guidance. “King” connotes power and sovereignty and wealth.

Fourth, not being afraid shows how free and generous God is. Notice, he gives the kingdom. He doesn’t sell the kingdom or rent the kingdom or lease the kingdom. He is infinitely wealthy and does not need our payments. So God is generous and free with his bounty. And this is what we magnify about him when we are not afraid but trust him with our needs.

Finally, not being afraid shows that we treasure God as happy. It “pleases” him to give you the kingdom. He wants to do this. It makes him glad to do it. Not all of us had fathers like this, who were made happy by giving instead of getting. But that does not matter, because now you can have such a Father, and Shepherd, and King.

So the point of this verse is that we should treasure God as our Shepherd and Father and King who is generous and happy to give us the kingdom of God-to give us heaven, to give us eternal life and joy, and everything we need to get there.

If we treasure God in this way, we will be fearless and God will be worshipped.

A True Friend:

Friends are valuable. They share life’s joys, disappointments, and hopes with us. They come to weddings, birthdays, hospitals, and funerals. Between friends there is straight talk and no barriers; there is trust and transparency; there is giving and getting. Friends share what’s on their mind and most important to them.

One of my favorite narratives is the story of Philip and Nathanael. This story depicts a good friend doing what good friends should do. Jesus came to Galilee and found Philip. When he found him he told him, “Follow me.” (Jn. 1.43) Being persuaded that Jesus was the Messiah he promptly did something that is both logical and instructive: he went and told his friend:

“Philip found Nathanael and said to him, “We have found him of whom Moses in the Law and also the prophets wrote, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.”” (John 1:45)

Philip, being convinced of who Jesus was, went to his friend Nathanael and told him all about him. This is the same thing that Andrew did for his brother Simon Peter after he was called to follow Jesus. In remarkable brevity we read in verse 42 about how Andrew served Peter: “He brought him to Jesus.”

This just makes sense, doesn’t it? Once we have realized, truly realized who Jesus is then we have to, we must tell other people who he is and what he’s done. We cannot simply look at Jesus, accept his claims, lean upon his promises, cling to his work, hope in his resurrection, view the world as he tells us and then keep our mouths shut! This doesn’t make any sense. In fact, it betrays a bit of our confession when we refuse to make that confession before others.

If you are a Christian, think of what we share with your friends. Think of what colors your conversation and time together. Do you tell your unbelieving friends and family members about Jesus? Have you walked up to that friend, that neighbor, that coworker, that family member and said, “Hey! Man, listen, I know that Jesus Christ is the King of kings. He is the only Lord and Savior. I gotta tell you about him.”

If you believe the truth about who Jesus is and what Jesus has done then, to the extant that you care about your friends and want to see Jesus honored, you will tell them about him. This is what good friends have always done.

Twin Pillars in My Life:

Declaring the end from the beginning and from ancient times things not yet done, saying, “My counsel shall stand, and I will accomplish all my purpose.”-Isaiah 46:10

The word “sovereignty” (like the word “trinity”) does not occur in the Bible. We use it to refer to this truth: God is in ultimate control of the world from the largest international intrigue to the smallest bird-fall in the forest.

Here is how the Bible puts it: “I am God and there is no other…My counsel shall stand and I will accomplish all my purpose” (Isaiah 46:10). “God does according to his will in the host of heaven and among the inhabitants of the earth and none can stay his hand or say to him, ‘What are you doing?’” (Daniel 4:35). “But he is unchangeable and who can turn him? What he desires, that he does. For he will complete what he appoints for me” (Job 23:13, 14). “Our God is in the heavens; he does whatever he pleases” (Psalm 115:3).

One reason this doctrine is so precious to believers is that we know that God’s great desire is to show mercy and kindness to those who trust him (Ephesians 2:7; Psalm 37:3-7; Proverbs 29:25). God’s sovereignty means that this design for us cannot be frustrated.

Nothing, absolutely nothing, befalls those who “love God and are called according to his purpose” but what is for our deepest and highest good (Psalm 84:11).

Therefore, the mercy and the sovereignty of God are the twin pillars of my life. They are the hope of my future, the energy of my service, the center of my theology, the bond of my marriage, the best medicine in all my sickness, the remedy of all my discouragements.

And when I come to die (whether sooner or later), these two truths will stand by my bed and with infinitely strong and infinitely tender hands lift me up to God.

An Open Letter to Parents of Teenagers:

I put my self in the shoes of a teenager and wrote this letter to all parents who are raising teenagers.

Dear Parent:

This is the letter that I wish I could write.

This fight we are in right now. I need it. I need this fight. I can’t tell you this because I don’t have the language for it and it wouldn’t make sense anyway. But I need this fight. Badly. I need to hate you right now and I need you to survive it. I need you to survive my hating you and you hating me. I need this fight even though I hate it too. It doesn’t matter what this fight is even about: curfew, homework, laundry, my messy room, going out, staying in, leaving, not leaving, boyfriend, girlfriend, no friends, bad friends. It doesn’t matter. I need to fight you on it and I need you to fight me back.

I desperately need you to hold the other end of the rope. To hang on tightly while I thrash on the other end—while I find the handholds and footholds in this new world I feel like I am in. I used to know who I was, who you were, who we were. But right now I don’t. Right now I am looking for my edges and I can sometimes only find them when I am pulling on you. When I push everything I used to know to its edge. Then I feel like I exist and for a minute I can breathe. I know you long for the sweeter kid that I was. I know this because I long for that kid too, and some of that longing is what is so painful for me right now.

I need this fight and I need to see that no matter how bad or big my feelings are—they won’t destroy you or me. I need you to love me even at my worst, even when it looks like I don’t love you. I need you to love yourself and me for the both of us right now. I know it sucks to be disliked and labeled the bad guy. I feel the same way on the inside, but I need you to tolerate it and get other grownups to help you. Because I can’t right now. If you want to get all of your grown up friends together and have a ‘surviving-your-teenager-support-group-rage-fest’ that’s fine with me. Or talk about me behind my back--I don’t care. Just don’t give up on me. Don’t give up on this fight. I need it.

This is the fight that will teach me that my shadow is not bigger than my light. This is the fight that will teach me that bad feelings don’t mean the end of a relationship. This is the fight that will teach me how to listen to myself, even when it might disappoint others.

And this particular fight will end. Like any storm, it will blow over. And I will forget and you will forget. And then it will come back. And I will need you to hang on to the rope again. I will need this over and over for years.

I know there is nothing inherently satisfying in this job for you. I know I will likely never thank you for it or even acknowledge your side of it. In fact I will probably criticize you for all this hard work. It will seem like nothing you do will be enough. And yet, I am relying entirely on your ability to stay in this fight. No matter how much I argue. No matter how much I sulk. No matter how silent I get.

Please hang on to the other end of the rope. And know that you are doing the most important job that anyone could possibly be doing for me right now.

Love, Your Teenager

Wednesday Worship

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What the Bible Teaches About Homosexuality:

While the Bible does address homosexuality, it does not explicitly mention gay marriage/same-sex marriage. It is clear, however, that the Bible condemns homosexuality as an immoral and unnatural sin. Leviticus 18:22identifies homosexual sex as an abomination, a detestable sin. Romans 1:26-27 declares homosexual desires and actions to be shameful, unnatural, lustful, and indecent. First Corinthians 6:9 states that homosexuals are unrighteous and will not inherit the kingdom of God. Since both homosexual desires and actions are condemned in the Bible, it is clear that homosexuals “marrying” is not God’s will, and would be, in fact, sinful.

Whenever the Bible mentions marriage, it is between a male and a female. The first mention of marriage, Genesis 2:24, describes it as a man leaving his parents and being united to his wife. In passages that contain instructions regarding marriage, such as 1 Corinthians 7:2-16 and Ephesians 5:23-33, the Bible clearly identifies marriage as being between a man and a woman. Biblically speaking, marriage is the lifetime union of a man and a woman, primarily for the purpose of building a family and providing a stable environment for that family.

The Bible alone, however, does not have to be used to demonstrate this understanding of marriage. The biblical viewpoint of marriage has been the universal understanding of marriage in every human civilization in world history. History argues against gay marriage. Modern secular psychology recognizes that men and women are psychologically and emotionally designed to complement one another. In regard to the family, psychologists contend that a union between a man and woman in which both spouses serve as good gender role models is the best environment in which to raise well-adjusted children. Psychology argues against gay marriage. In nature/physicality, clearly, men and women were designed to “fit” together sexually. With the “natural” purpose of sexual intercourse being procreation, clearly only a sexual relationship between a man and a woman can fulfill this purpose. Nature argues against gay marriage.

So, if the Bible, history, psychology, and nature all argue for marriage being between a man and a woman—why is there such a controversy today? Why are those who are opposed to gay marriage/same-sex marriage labeled as hateful, intolerant bigots, no matter how respectfully the opposition is presented? Why is the gay rights movement so aggressively pushing for gay marriage/same-sex marriage when most people, religious and non-religious, are supportive of—or at least far less opposed to—gay couples having all the same legal rights as married couples with some form of civil union?

The answer, according to the Bible, is that everyone inherently knows that homosexuality is immoral and unnatural, and the only way to suppress this inherent knowledge is by normalizing homosexuality and attacking any and all opposition to it. The best way to normalize homosexuality is by placing gay marriage/same-sex marriage on an equal plane with traditional opposite-gender marriage. Romans 1:18-32 illustrates this. The truth is known because God has made it plain. The truth is rejected and replaced with a lie. The lie is then promoted and the truth suppressed and attacked. The vehemence and anger expressed by many in the gay rights movement to any who oppose them is, in fact, an indication that they know their position is indefensible. Trying to overcome a weak position by raising your voice is the oldest trick in the debating book. There is perhaps no more accurate description of the modern gay rights agenda than Romans 1:31, “they are senseless, faithless, heartless, ruthless.”

To give sanction to gay marriage/same-sex marriage would be to give approval to the homosexual lifestyle, which the Bible clearly and consistently condemns as sinful. Christians should stand firmly against the idea of gay marriage/same-sex marriage. Further, there are strong and logical arguments against gay marriage/same-sex marriage from contexts completely separated from the Bible. One does not have to be an evangelical Christian to recognize that marriage is between a man and a woman.

According to the Bible, marriage is ordained by God to be between a man and a woman (Genesis 2:21-24; Matthew 19:4-6). Gay marriage/same-sex marriage is a perversion of the institution of marriage and an offense to the God who created marriage. As Christians, we are not to condone or ignore sin. Rather, we are to share the love of God and the forgiveness of sins that is available to all, including homosexuals, through Jesus Christ. We are to speak the truth in love (Ephesians 4:15) and contend for truth with “gentleness and respect” (1 Peter 3:15). As Christians, when we make a stand for truth and the result is personal attacks, insults, and persecution, we should remember the words of Jesus: “If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first. If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you” (John 15:18-19).

5 Things Jesus Says To The Gay Community:

There is a lot of noise on the news and in public forums about gay marriage and traditional values. Everyone has an opinion on what’s right and what’s wrong. But what would Jesus say? How would Jesus address a gay man or a lesbian? Looking through Scripture, Jesus makes His thoughts fairly clear.

5 Things Jesus Says To The Gay Community

1. I love you.

Amidst the protest signs, yelling crowds, and political referendums, the simple message of Jesus’ love for you is often drowned out. Never doubt that Jesus loves you more than you could ever know. Jesus doesn’t just love a future version of you; He loves you exactly as you are right now. Jesus’ love for you has no prerequisites or requirements. Even if you hate Him, Jesus loves you and wants what is best for you. Love is at the core of everything Jesus taught. Unfortunately His message of love has been conveniently left out by many who would rather make a point than make a difference  (John 3:16; 1 John 4:8-10; Romans 5:8; Psalm 86:15).

2. I understand rejection.

Jesus knows how it feels to be a social outcast. You would think the religious leaders would have been His best friends, but they hated Him. They sought to kill Him and publicly shame Him any chance they had. Eventually, the religious elite joined forces with local politicians and murdered Jesus in front of a cheering crowd. Rejection hurts. Jesus’ own family thought He was out of His mind; you probably understand how that feels. In Jesus’ greatest moment of need, His closest friends deserted Him.

You may feel rejected by society and the church right now, and that daily pressure takes a toll. Jesus understands. His heart always breaks for the rejected and the outcast. Jesus wants to gather you in His arms and let you know that He loves you. You have a home with Jesus, you belong to Him, and you are His child. Don’t reject Him because He has not rejected you (Isaiah 53:3; Mark 3:20-21; Matthew 26:55-56; Matthew 27; Ezekiel 18:21-23).

3. I also was tempted.

Jesus was tempted in every way that we are tempted. He does not shame you or reject you because of your temptations and feelings. He faced the same thing when He walked the earth. He never married, and faced daily pressure and temptation in every way imaginable. Some like to pretend they are perfect and never face any struggles, but they’re lying. Jesus really was perfect and still faced temptation.  He battled the desire to run away from His Father’s plan.

He understands what you are going through. If you read about His life, you will see it was no cake walk, but if you will walk with Him and obey Him, you will find a greater reward than you could ever imagine (Hebrews 4:15-16; Hebrews 2:17-18; Hebrews 12:2-3, 7-11).

4. I want more for you.

God created marriage and sex for your enjoyment. Sex was created for one man and one woman within the covenant of marriage, and it has been that way from the beginning. Anything else is sin. Sin is not a fun word or a comfortable topic, but Jesus will not stop bringing it to our attention because we will miss out on life with Him if sin is left unaddressed. You may think Jesus is trying to take the one thing you enjoy or spoil your fun, but that is not the case.The reason He clearly defined marriage and sex in the Bible is because He wants what is best for you.

Ignore the political arguments, the protestors, and the yelling. Jesus wants you to trust Him. Trust that He has good things in store for you. Trust that He wants what is best for you. Before you decide that what you feel is right, decide if you trust Him (Matthew 19:4-6; Ephesians 3:17-21; 1 Timothy 2:4).

5. I will be here for you.

You may disagree with Jesus’s thoughts on sex and marriage, but He will not turn away from you. You may enjoy the life you live right now even if it disagrees with the guidelines He laid out in Scripture. Jesus understands your hesitation to make changes. He does not give up on us. For a long time now, people have disagreed with Him, yelled at Him, and run from Him, and He patiently waits. Jesus is patient with us because He wants you to know Him. Jesus wants you to live the life He has planned for you. When you are worn out from doing things your way, He will be here. Turn to Him and ask for help, and He will be there before you can blink.

There is no permanent joy outside of Jesus. Jesus wants what is best for you, and He wants you to experience a full life. Jesus is not concerned with winning an argument or forcing you to do something you don’t want to do. Jesus wants you to know that your relationship with Him is better than anything else out there. Until you reach that point, He will be here patiently drawing you to Himself (Romans 2:4; 2 Peter 3:9; 1 Peter 5:7; Hosea 14).

Do I Want a Boy or a Girl?

Recently people have been asking me if I want a boy or a girl for my second child. To be honest I'm not exactly sure how to answer that question. Part of me wants a boy but the other part of me would be perfectly happy with another girl. When we found out Julia was pregnant with our first child we both wanted a boy. Allow me to rewind and explain

When Julia showed me the positive pregnancy test for our first baby, I blurted out, “Awesome! I just hope it’s a boy!”

Fail.

I figured that if I had a son I could teach him how to play basketball, throw a punch, and play in the dirt. With a girl, I’d be stuck playing dress up and other “girly crap.”

Epic fail.

After a few weeks of “I want a boy so badly” talk, our world came crashing down. The doctor told us we were having a girl and both Julia and I were shocked. God knew what He was doing and I truly believe that having a little girl has transformed me into a better, stronger, and smarter man than I would’ve been without her.

Here are some reasons why:

Revelation #1

I realize that everything I could do with a boy I can do with my daughter (i.e. play basketball, teach her how to throw a punch, and play in the dirt). Yes, I know that’s a big fat “duh” for many of you, but I’m a recovering knucklehead with minimal relapses, so please humor me. And yes, I’m going to teach her much more than those three things — but I promise you that I will teach her those three things.


Revelation #2

I realize that my daughter will use me as a benchmark for how men should behave. Again, that’s not really earth-shattering stuff, since every dad is the primary male role model for his children. Unfortunately, there are some dads who view their job titles as who they are instead of what they do. They’re accountants, vice presidents, CEOs, construction workers, etc., but they never describe themselves as dads and husbands first.

Those same men are the ones who feel that their responsibilities to the family ends once they walk out the front door. They’re not changing diapers, they’re not reading bedtime stories, they’re not giving baths, they’re not cooking dinner, and they’re not doing anything that doesn’t include sitting on their butts watching ESPN or surfing the Internet while their spouses do it all (even if said spouses did those tasks all day as stay-at-home moms or if they worked full-time office jobs). In other words, they’re just living, breathing ATM machines.

The best dads I know (and I know plenty of them) view their day job titles as what they do, but their jobs never become who they are. They are dads and husbands first and foremost. Some days are stressful and the only thing I want to do is rest when I get home. Then I think about my daugher.

I’ll be disappointed if she looks at me and thinks, “Daddy doesn’t cook, give us baths, read bedtime stories, or change our diapers. He just sits around while Mommy does everything. Maybe that’s how all men should act and that’s what I should expect from a future husband.” I do all of those things when I get home because that’s what a dad and a husband is supposed to do.

Please know that I’m not a robot. Oftentimes I feel like grunting myself into unconsciousness after reading Brown Bear, Brown Bear for the 9th time in a row, or sometimes I’m so tired that I’ll mess up chicken on the grill so badly we will be in the hospital from food poisoning. But I do it anyway, because I want my baby girl to expect her daddy to be actively involved — always. Eventually when she becomes older and goes to college, I’ll be wishing for those days when my daughter sat on my lap to read books. I take the responsibility of being the primary male role model for my daughter very seriously.

Revelation #3

I realize that being “girly” is just a myth. What does that mean, anyway? Would my kid be less girly if she dressed up as Spider-Man for Halloween instead of a princess? Would she be less girly if she wanted to tackle little boys on the football field instead of taking ballet classes? Not to me. That would be like saying a dude who can bench press 250 lbs. is more manly than a guy who sings songs to his kids before bed.

I’ve learned that being a girl can be whatever the girl wants it to be, and I will never limit them when it comes to that. Additionally, I want to introduce my daughter to other women who are crushing it in male-dominated fields (executive leadership, sports journalism/broadcasting, coding, law enforcement, etc.) so she’ll understand that it’s possible to do anything that her little heart desires.

Revelation #4

I realize that being loud is a good thing. And by loud, I mean believing in something so deeply that she’ll shout from the rooftops about it without worrying about haters, naysayers, and other clowns have to say about them. In a world where women are still fighting for equality, I want my girl to speak up in the living room, classroom, and boardroom in order to be heard. Forget the foolishness about girls being viewed as “pushy,” or “bossy,” for having an opinion or for taking a stance. Closed mouths don’t get fed.

Revelation #5

I realize that I’m built for raising girls in today’s society, or at least I think I am. And let’s be real – girls have to deal with a lot of challenging things today — pressure to be liked by others, pressure to have sex, body image, mean girls, teen pregnancy, rape, etc. I’m sure I missed some, but I’m getting depressed listing them out. I can’t protect her from all of the ills of society, but I can ensure that she’ll have the confidence and smarts (both book smarts and street smarts) to thrive in this crazy world we live in. I want women to have a seat at the table when it comes to issues that impact them — and not just for my daughter, but for your daughter, too.

In closing – yes, I’m sure I’d be just as happy if our second child is a boy instead of a girl – but there’s something special about the bond between a dad and his daughter that cannot be explained, and I wouldn’t change that bond for anything.

Now if you’ll excuse me, the mall has a half-price sale on toddler jeggings.

What Should I Bring to Camp?: A Parent's Guide to Packing

What should I bring?

●     Bedding & Pillow for twin size bed

●     Towel and toiletries

●     One suitcase of comfortable, cool and modest clothes

●     Sunscreen

●     Light Jacket: it will get cool at night

●     Closed toe shoes

●     Money to stop for a meal on way down & money to stop for a meal on way home

●     Modest, one-piece swimsuit and beach towel (tankini is fine but must cover mid-drift)

●     Shorts are fine but no booty shorts

●     No spaghetti straps

●     Watch length of summer dresses (Julia & Patti have right to tell someone to change)

●     Bible, pen/pencil and journal

●     You may bring your cell phone but I am NOT responsible for it and if you are playing games on it during worship I WILL take it from you. Phone is for pictures not Clash of Clans.

●     Flashlight

●     WATER BOTTLE

●     Sunscreen

●     A PATRIOTIC outfit-- anything red, white, and blue!

○     There will be a patriotic night at camp, don’t’ want to be only one not dressed up

What is optional to bring?

●     Money for offering

●     Money for merchandise tables

What shouldn’t I bring?

●     MP3 players

●     Portable games

●     Alcohol

●     Tobacco

●     Weapons (including knives)

●     2 piece swimsuit

●     Valuable items

●     NO CLEATS!!

We are not responsible for lost, left, or stolen items.

PARENTS:

We will leave for camp at 9:00 am on Monday, June 22 and we will return around 2:00 pm on Friday, June 26^th. (We will call when we are an hour away from the church).

SCHEDULE

Day 1

• 3:00: Check In
• 5:00: Students at Waterfront with Journey Staff / Leaders meeting in Grace Chapel
• 6:15: Dinner served at Waterfront
• 7:00: Showers/Change for Evening Worship
• 7:30: Worship (Grace Auditorium)
• 9:30: Church Group Time
• 10:30: Late Night
• 11:30: In Dorms
• 12:00: Lights Out

Day 2 - 4

• 7:00: Morning Coffee / Leaders Meeting in Student Center (optional)
• 8:00-9:30: Breakfast
• 9:45: Morning Session
• 11:00: Morning Breakouts
• 12:00-1:30pm: Lunch
• 1:45: Team Organized Rec
• 2:30 - 5:30: Afternoon Activites (Tuesday: Ropes Course & Thursday: Lake Day)
• 5:30-7:00: Dinner
• 7:30: Evening Service
• 9:30: Church Group Time
• 10:30: Late Night
• 11:30: Inside Dorms
• 12:00: Lights Out

Day 5

• 7:00: Check Out
• 8:00-9:30: Breakfast
• 9:45: Morning Session
• 10:30: Check Out

ACTIVITIES:

Athletic

Archery, Soccer, Basketball, Ultimate Frisbee, Frisbee Golf, Volleyball, Dodge Ball, Sports Tournaments

Recreational

Spring-fed pool for swimming, Hiking trails with waterfalls and additional swimming holes, Climbing Wall, Toccoa Falls, Board Games, Team Challenge Course, Tallulah Falls Sliding Rock, Sling-shot slip n' slide, Lake Days (tubing, skiing, wake boarding and knee-boarding with professional ski instructors)

Artistic

Arts/Crafts, Musical Lounge/Jam Sessions, Photography

Spiritual

Prayer Experience

Room Assignments:

Females:

Patti & Julia

Anna & Hannah

Hope & Hailey

Emma & Chyanne

Ashlynn & Sydney

Males:

Mckenzie & Zac

Jordan & Dalton

T

Prayer Requests:

Nothing of eternal significance ever happens apart from prayer.-Jerry Falwell

●     Monday: Pray for safe travels to camp. Pray for all of the leaders and chaperones. Pray for the mercy of God strengthens them daily. Pray that they would be encouraged daily by the movement of God’s Spirit in the lives of our teens.

●     Tuesday: Pray God speaks to each of our students. Pray that every teenager would experience Jesus in such a way that their lives are forever changed. Pray that God saves those who do not know Him and He encourages & edifies those who are already following Him.

●     Wednesday: Pray that there would be no distractions or drama. Pray that our teens would be united and a powerful sense of unity and friendship would be evident among everyone.

●     Thursday: Pray that our teens would surrender every aspect of their lives at the altar. Pray that they would bow their knees to the Lordship of Jesus Christ in their lives & they would allow Jesus Christ to guide, lead and direct them.

●     Friday: Pray for safe travels back home. Pray that the commitments made at camp would be real and genuine as they return home. Pray they follow through on the commitments and God receives all of the glory.

As always my cell phone will be on at all times. Please do not hesitate to call if you need anything. 

Should Christians Boycott Wells Fargo?

Franklin Graham, son of evangelist Billy Graham, said Christians should boycott business that promote a gay lifestyle-just as he did with Wells Fargo after the bank ran ads featuring same sex couples. (Read the article here: Article) Christians are noterious for jumping on a bandwagon and protesting. I can remember Christians boycotting Disney, Harry Potter, the Dixie Chicks, Starbucks, and I think we were suppose to boycott certain comics because of a homosexual character. Once again a prominent Christian is calling others to boycott and judging by my news/twitter feed some Christians are wondering whether we ought to join in the boycott. I say no.

It’s not that I’m saying a boycott in and of itself is always evil or wrong. It’s just that, in this case (and in many like it) a boycott exposes us to all of our worst tendencies. Christians are tempted, again and again, to fight like the devil to please the Lord.

A boycott is a display of power, particularly of economic power. The boycott shows a corporation (or government or service provider) that the aggrieved party can hurt the company, by depriving it of revenue. The boycott, if it’s successful, eventually causes the powers-that-be to yield, conceding that they need the money of the boycott participants more than they need whatever cause they were supporting. It is a contest of who has more buying power, and thus is of more value to the company.

We lose that argument.

The argument behind a boycott assumes that the “rightness” of a marriage definition is constituted by a majority with power. Isn’t that precisely what we’re arguing against? Our beliefs about marriage aren’t the way they are because we are in a majority. As a matter of fact, we must concede that we are in a tiny minority in contemporary American society, if we define marriage the way the Bible does, as a sexually-exclusive, permanent one-flesh union.

Moreover, is this kind of economic power context really how we’re going to engage our neighbors with a discussion about the meaning and mystery of marriage? Do such measures actually persuade at the level such decisions are actually made: the moral imagination? I doubt it.

I’m all for protecting marriage in law and in culture, and I’m for that partly because I believe it is necessary for human flourishing for all people, believers and non-believers alike. But there’s a way to do so that recognizes the resilience of marriage as a creation institution and that rests in the sovereignty of God over his universe.

Those who are scared of losing something are those who seem frantic or shrill or outraged. Those who are fearful resort to Gentile tactics of lording over others with political majorities or economic power. The winners, on the other hand, are able to take a longer view. We’re able to grieve when our neighbors seek to copy marriage without the most basic thing that makes marriage work: the mystery of male and female as one-flesh.

But we don’t persuade our neighbors by mimicking their angry power-protests. We persuade them by holding fast to the gospel, by explaining our increasingly odd view of marriage, and by serving the world and our neighbors around us, as our Lord does, with a towel and a foot-bucket.

We won’t win this argument by bringing corporations to the ground in surrender. We’ll engage this argument, first of all, by prompting our friends and neighbors to wonder why we don’t divorce each other, and why we don’t split up when a spouse loses his job or loses her health. We’ll engage this argument when we have a more exalted, and more mysterious, view of sexuality than those who see human persons as animals or machines. And, most of all, we’ll engage this argument when we proclaim the meaning behind marriage: the covenant union of Christ and his church.

Fear can lead us to cower and to hide a view of marriage that seems archaic and antiquated. That’s why so many evangelical Christians have already surrendered, in their own lives, on such questions as round-the-clock daycare or a therapeutic view of divorce. But fear can also lead us to a kind of enraged impotence, where our boycotts and campaigns are really just one more way of saying, “I’m important; listen to me.” Marriage is too important for that.

A Roman governor thought Jesus was weak when he refused to use imperial means of resistance. But Jesus’ refusal to fight meant just the opposite of what Pilate assumed. “If my kingdom were of this world, my servants would have been fighting,” Jesus said (Jn. 18:36).

Let others fight Mammon with Mammon. Let’s struggle against principalities and powers with the One thing they fear: a word of faithful witness that doesn’t blink before power, but doesn’t seek to imitate it either.

With the confidence of those who have been vindicated by the resurrection of Christ, we don’t need to be vindicated by the culture. That ought to free us to speak openly about what we believe, but with the gentleness of those who have nothing to prove. Let’s not boycott our neighbors. Let’s not picket or scream or bellow. Let’s offer a cup of cold water, or maybe even open a checking account, in Jesus’ name.

An Ode to My Chacos:

On Friday, June 5, Julia and I celebrated our 5th wedding anniversary. For our wedding anniversary Julia surprised me with a brand new pair of Chacos. (You can see the old pair in the picture to the right). I was very excited. Anyone who knows me, knows I wear my Chacos everywhere. I wear them to the office, out to eat, to the hospital, exercising, I'd even wear them on Sunday morning but I don't think they would match my suit. When I opened my present I was excited and sad that I would have to get rid of my old chacos. I had worn them almost everyday for three years, they had traveled with me to six different countries and many life experiences took place while they were on my feet. I was a little sentimental as I disposed of my old Chacos in the trash.

My chacos were on my feet the first time I stood up on a box in downtown Raleigh and preached in the open air. They were on my feet when a young man came up and began to yell and cuss me out for sharing the Gospel in public. They were on my feet when an old man bowed his head and received Christ as His Lord and Savior while I preached in the open air.

My chacos were on my feet when we said good-bye to family and friends to spend two years overseas. They were on my feet when we landed in Burkina Faso and the plane was engulfed in a dust storm and we had to walk across the tarmack with dust blowing everywhere. They were on my feet our first night overseas when the power went out, we couldn't open our window because there was no screen & bugs would get in so the temperature in our room climbed to the upper 90's. They were on my feet when we spent the weekend staying in an African hut with a roast infested bathroom. No lie, roaches would come pouring out of the hole in the ground whenever you went in to use the toilet. I can remember walking out, looking at Julia and telling her that she was going to have to hold it for three days.

They were on my feet when we arrived in Nalerigu, Ghana for the first time and saw how rural the city was we would be living in. They were on my feet as we learned how to live in the African bush; three hours away from the nearest city and an hour away from the nearest paved road. They were on my feet when we went from surviving overseas to thriving. They were on my feet when we began working with women accused of witchcraft, when we began working with tuberculosis patients and even when I was diagnosed with tuberculosis. They were on my feet as I took a pill everyday for 9 months to contain the tuberculosis and make sure it didn't become active and contagious. They were on my feet the night the hospital ran out of water (long night) and they were on my feet when I fell through my roof trying to clear branches off before the rains came. They were on my feet when the chief almost set me on fire. They were on my feet when we established a church which still meets today under a mango tree. They were on my feet when the young man I was discipling came to me and said he wanted to be a Pastor and they were on my feet when I watched him preach his first sermon.

My chacos were on my feet when we went to Kenya and watched a female lion track her prey across the African plane and they were on my feet when we spent the night stranded in the Ethiopian airport. They were on my feet when I traveled to Turkey to finish Seminary and they were on my feet when I graduated (still in Ghana) with my Masters of Divinity and we had a mini ceremony in an African village.

My chacos were on my feet when Julia told me she was pregnant with our first child, they were on my feet when we learned our first child was going to be a girl and they were on my feet the very first

time I ever held Piper.

Finally, my chacos were on my feet when we packed up, said good-bye to friends who had become family and moved back to America. They were on my feet when I received the call from First Baptist Church of Stanleyville that they were offering me the Associate Pastor/Minister of Students position and they have been on my feet almost everyday in the office. (I can't stand shoes and if I was forced to wear closed toe shoes in the office I would probably quit).

Finally, (for real final) they were on my feet when we closed on our first house and I had just taken them off my feet when Julia told me she was pregnant with our second child.

There is a line in Forest Gump in which Forest says, "momma said those were my magic shoes and they could take me anywhere." My old pair of chacos felt like magic shoes and took me anywhere and everywhere, thousands of miles and many experiences. 

I don't know what will happen in my life with my new pair of Chacos but I am excited to find out. I'm excited to travel the miles with this new pair of shoes and see what's in store. 

The Story of His Grace:

In spite of all
My sin, God said, "Now go, enthrall
Yourself with her, and call her your
Delight, and keep your love as pure
As mine for you. She is a gift
From me. And if you ever lift
Your hand or voice against your wife,
Remember that I hold your life
Here in my hand. Instead, go make
A parable for Jesus' sake,
And show the world the kind of grace
That put Julia in your embrace."

I fear I have not written well
This parable, and truth will tell
How marred the tender tablets are,
And time will show how deep the scar
That I have left with my poor script.
Too seldom was my stylus dipped
In oil before I wrote in this
Soft clay. Some things a tender kiss,
Cannot undo, and worse is none
Than this: The good that was not done-
The happy praises left unsung,
The bell of thankfulness unrung,
The exultation left unsaid,
And tears of sympathy unshed.

I wish that I could start again.
But that is not to be. So then,
I will make good on this our day
Of anniversary, and say,
My wife is to be praised! Let this
Be sung today. Nor will I miss
This chance to ring the happy bell
Of hope and thankfulness, and tell
The world in words, I can't conceal
The exultation that I feel,
And inasmuch as it lies in
My pow'r to let the tears begin.

God has been good to me. Far more
Than I deserve he put in store,
And made me drink the cup of bliss
From your kind hands, and taste the kiss
Of mercy all these solid years,
In spite of all my sin. No fears
Destroy my hope that we will last,
Because God's mercy is steadfast,
And he delights to cross the broad
Expanse of all my sin, my flawed
Creation of this parable
Of love, and by his nearness, full
Of truth, make marriage here a place
To write the story of His grace.

June Newsletter

For Parents on the Go:

1. Sunday, June 7th Graduate Recognition Services to honor all high school & college graduates. If at all possible please wear your graduation robe and be in attendance at both services.
2. Sunday, June 14th after each AM service there will be an informational meeting for parents who have a son or daughter attending The Journey Camp in Toccoa Falls, Georgia.
3. Saturday, June 20th; Volunteer at Tangelwood Park. 10:30-4:00 PM. Meet at the church at 10:30 am and volunteer to help Old Vineyard's staff picnic. We will help run the booths and games.
4. Leave for Summer Camp on Monday, June 22 at 9:00 AM and return on Friday, June 26th at 4:00 PM.
5. Thursday, July 9th: 8:00 am-8:00 pm. CAROWINDS Summer Camp.

Dear Parents,

By now, you’ve probably seen the Vanity Fair cover where Bruce Jenner introduces the world to his new persona: Caitlyn.

It’s the kind of image that takes your breath away, eliciting all sorts of panging emotions—aversion, compassion, and deep, deep sadness. It’s also the kind of image that will become a cultural lodestone for generations to come, like one of those classic Life magazine covers

It’s an image that crystallizes a national metamorphosis as much as a personal one. It’s proof of micro-evolution—of a man, a magazine, a world shedding its skin. It’s also an image that resists complacency. Once you’ve seen this magazine cover, you are without excuse. You are forced to choose: Are you now looking at a man or a woman?

The future tense gave room for breath, room for thoughts and prayers and well-postulated arguments. But that time’s gone now, so somewhere—and likely sometime soon—you will be asked, “Did you see that Vanity Fair cover? What did you think?”

Christians are called to give a reason for the hope we have in the gospel. We are expected to do so with gentleness and respect, with a clear conscience, so that the ones who are speaking maliciously of our good behavior in Christ would one day be ashamed of their slander (1 Pet. 3:15–16). 

Working backward through these verses, we find a useful template for thinking through our response to culturally celebrated icons that stand in proud opposition to the hope we have in our Lord Jesus and his finished work in our place.

1. Expect disagreement at best, malice on average, downright hostility at worst.

Assuming you speak up anywhere other than the friendly confines of your church or Christian friend groups, you should expect to be found heartily disagreeable. Expect to be misrepresented and misunderstood. Perhaps even ostracized and belittled.

That weight you feel is the cross you’re called to bear. It’s been enjoyably light for so long, at least where I live, but that’s increasingly no longer the case. What once felt like floating through space will soon feel like walking below sea level.

But even in this new era, there is hope for the Christian. We can be confident that “those who speak maliciously against our good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander” (1 Pet. 3:16).

God will be mocked, and as his emissaries so will we, but not forever, and not with the slightest hint of ultimate victory. Yet our Lord’s unfolding plan is often surprising. After all, this same Peter wrote just a chapter earlier: “Keep your conduct among the Gentiles honorable, so that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day of visitation” (1 Pet. 2:12).

Our godly words and deeds will often be met with derision, but they will not always end that way. Here again, we embrace the future tense: a time when many present-day slanderers will exchange their shame for joy as they glorify God on and into eternity.

2. Whatever you say, make sure it’s true, gentle, and respectful.

Shortly after the Vanity Fair cover released, I saw two basic responses proliferate across the internet: undiluted praise and undiluted parody. Surely few of us were tempted by the former. But the latter carries some appeal. After all, these are strange times, and it’s right to want to disarm the unrelenting strangeness by giggling in its face, sneering at its narrative, and, eventually, meme-ing it to death.  

But by God’s grace, let’s do better. Let’s not give in to a kind of deflective constitution that corners itself into being incapable of sincerity. Such a habit may win friends for a time, but in the end it will be shown for what it is, little more than cynicism with a smile. Instead, let’s “speak the truth in love” (Eph. 4:15). Let’s speak “with gentleness and respect, keeping a clear conscience” (1 Pet. 3:16).

Part of speaking the truth in love means reminding ourselves that it’s unloving to stay silent as human beings—image bearers of God—languish in their sin.

So telling the truth means telling people that gender reassignment surgery is wrong, that it’s an affront to God’s good design. But telling the truth in love means saying so not via juvenile online jabs but over a meal or the phone, not through clenched teeth but sad eyes.

Telling the truth means telling the world what it just might already know: that no amount of surgical reconstructing or dexterous Photoshopping will re-make or beautify Bruce’s self-inflicted wounds on his way to becoming Caitlyn. But telling the truth in love means listening, really listening, when other Caitlyns tell you why their Bruces needed to go, why they always felt like impostors in their own skin until that skin was sovereignly rearranged and knit back together, fearfully and wonderfully made another way, their way.

Telling the truth means telling today’s prophets and pundits—those who call death “life,” who call tragedy “victory,” who are exclaiming “Peace! Peace!” when they should be crying “Ruin! Ruin!”—telling the truth to these people means begging them to lift their eyes and behold their Creator. It means begging them to put down their cameras and their scalpels and their keyboards and to recognize that with every flash of the bulb and stitch of the knife and stroke of the finger, they are more and more and more without excuse, just like those of us who’ve seen that Vanity Fair cover.

But what does it look like to tell this truth in love? Is it even possible?

3. Always remember: Jesus is Lord.

Peter tells these Christians, “But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have” (1 Pet. 3:15).

This hope is everlasting, ever-increasing joy on a new earth with God our Father. This hope began with the forgiveness of sins, the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, the community of forgiven rebels in the church. This hope began with faith by hearing, and its final act will begin with joy by seeing. It began by being born again while still in our old bodies, and it will end with new and perfect and glorified bodies—our uniforms for eternity.

And in all this, our reason for hope is the same reason we can tell hard and unpopular truths in love: Jesus is Lord.

We endure the inevitable derision because Jesus is Lord. We endure the frothing accusations of hypocrisy, of having no right to judge someone we don’t know, because Jesus is Lord.

We pray also that those who speak ill of or deny the design of God would be ashamed of their slander. We pray that those who, even now, busy themselves by slandering God’s people would become the fruition of 1 Peter 3:16. We pray for the freedom of repentance. We pray such profligate misuse of God’s creation would deceive fewer and fewer and fewer, that the celebration of self-mutilation would cease. Because Jesus is Lord, we pray the hissing snake of the sexual revolution, even as it’s greedily eating its own tail, will soon have its head crushed.

Yet, because Jesus is Lord, we also pray for Caitlyn Jenner. We pray because we know that all those the Father has given the Son will come, and whoever comes to the Son will never be cast out (John 6:37). We pray Caitlyn would become the fruition 1 Peter 2:12—one who saw good deeds among Christians and responded by glorifying King Jesus on the day of his visitation. We pray Caitlyn would experience a true and better metamorphosis, one not wrought by human design or a doctor’s hands, but by the Spirit of God, to the praise of his glorious grace.

One last time, we embrace the future tense.

Please take time to talk with your teenager about the Vanity Fair article concerning Caitlyn Jenner. We will be discussing the article briefly tonight in CREW. If you have any questions please don't hesitate to call or email.

Reaching, Teaching, & Releasing,

T Welch