Hook, Peter Pan, & Faith

Have you ever seen the movie "Hook?" One of my all-time favorites!

"Hook" is the story of Peter Pan all grown up, living in the "real" world, working a job and raising a family. The problem: He doesn't know he's Peter Pan. It's not until Hook kidnaps his kids and Tinkerbell comes to find him that he even realizes who he was and what he is capable of doing.

I absolutely love this twist on a much beloved fairy tale. Actually, I enjoy all the Peter Pan stuff. Must be the little lost boy running around inside of me that gets a kick out of flying, sword-fighting with pirates, and living out of pure imagination. There have been several movies throughout the years about Pan's character. Another favorite is "Finding Neverland" which stars Johnny Depp as the playwright who actually conceives the story. But that's for another blog.

What is so intriguing about "Hook" is that I see so many things in the story that can be applied to our lives as followers of Christ. Men and women who are not living up to their ability in Christ. Those who have lost their joy, passion, and child-likeness because of the responsibilities of the "real" world. DO YOU BELIEVE IN FAIRIES?

Even down to one of the last scenes we are able to make this same application. Peter, played by Robin Williams, is fighting Hook. Hook has Peter pinned down and begins to tell him that he really isn't Peter Pan and that it's all a dream. He goes on to say that when he wakes up he will be just an accountant who drinks too much and hides from his family. My friends - if that doesn't sound like the enemy of our souls I don't know what does. How often have you been told that you couldn't believe God for ____________? Or God would never use you because you were a ____________? Whatever it is: DON'T BELIEVE IT! My God is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all the we could ask or think.

CLAP YOUR HANDS REALLY LOUD if believe that God heals, that God can use you to reach the nations, that God is able to equip you for any task, or that God still answers prayers. Do you believe? What happens in the movie? Well...you just need to take some time to watch for yourself. Who knows, maybe you will find that little "lost boy" inside of you again. Oh, how the church needs to find what it has lost. Maybe we are too educated...too provided for...too dignified...too established. I don't know what "IT" is but we have to recapture the joy, passion, and child-likeness that still says "I can fly."

This whole Hook, Peter Pan, & Faith thing hit me this morning after I considered everything I experienced this weekend.

Friday Night - After watching the "Passion of the Christ" with our church family and taking the Lord's Supper with my family I was blessed with the revelation that my daughter Haley had when she was too emotional to drink the juice from the cup. She said, "I can't do it daddy. It's too precious!"

Saturday - Working at the Crossroads Shelter here in Wytheville. God just giving us an opportunity to reach into our community and try to make a difference.

Sunday - Seeing 275 people pour into Pioneer Baptist Church to celebrate the resurrection of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ! (That's a record by the way). We baptized 9 people who were professing their faith in Jesus - they were so excited. We also had a time of prayer for an individual before I preached (one of our members "stood" in for a friend and we prayed over him) and I found out on Monday that his test results came back clear (he had heart issues and there were NO blockages).

I went home this past Sunday afternoon and began writing some things down. 275 people came!?! Why? What has Pioneer Baptist done to reach so many? When I went down the list I realized that there wasn't a list! We don't have an outreach/visitation program to point to. There's no bus ministry that can lay claim to bringing in all these people. We are simply worshipping God, preaching His Word, sharing the Gospel and inviting friends, ministering to people as God gives us opportunity, and doing what we can to help believers grow in their faith. What could I point to as the "thing" that God is using? I think I have an answer!

I had lunch with a friend last week who basically asked me this same question. He said, "Do you think that God is blessing you all the way He is because you are open to... (he pause looking for the right words to say). I broke in: "Yes! That's exactly it. We are open to...God, His Word, His Gifts, His Spirit." In other words: WE BELIEVE!