A Culture of Honor at Home

There is nothing quite as fascinating to a child as what can be created with LEGOs. Whatever you can imagine is possible: Vehicles, Building, and even Animals. While the dynamics are quite different, the same can be said of the home. Whatever you imagine is possible...but...you better have a plan.

I have been doing a lot of thinking (and reading) about what it takes to create a "culture of honor" within the church. Then it dawned on me...this can happen in the home! With the right attitude, proper authority within the home, and a little imagination - it's possible.

Matthew 20:25-36, "But Jesus called them to Himself and said, 'You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and those who are great exercise authority over them. Yet it shall not be so among you; but whoever desires to become great among you, let him be your servant.'"

Is there anyone reading this blog that doesn't want to be great? I mean...at least in one area of life...right? I want to be a great parent. I want my kids to look back on their lives at home and consider those days as some of the best ever. I want them to experience love, peace, and encouragement. With that being said, the only question I have to ask is how to make it happen. The answer I continue to receive is the one most of us don't want to hear: servanthood.

How can I best serve my family?
How can I best serve my wife?
How can I best serve the needs of my kids?
It's the answer to these questions that will allow me to move into greatness.

I have no doubt that some people would read this and say that I have the wrong approach. Most of us have been raised to believe that parents are the lords of the home. While I don't disagree with our lordship - I would disagree with our understanding of it. Jesus taught us that Lordship in a culture of honor takes on a new dynamic. The Lord doesn't mind putting a towel around His waist and washing the feet of His followers. With that view in mind: Can we put aside our "Rights" as parents and spouses to better serve the needs of our family?

These are hard questions. For many of us, just asking them is enough to cause our heads to spin. But just as God created Adam & Eve, provided for their needs, and then gave them some instruction on how to live life; we need to do the same. Are we willing to walk with our families and teach them how to get the most out of this life? Can we sit back and allow them to make mistakes? And when those mistakes are made, do we have enough grace to cover them? This is exactly the way God chose to respond to His creation. Will we do the same?

A culture of honor creates an environment that sustains life. Within this culture those with power learn how to empower those around them. The greatest qualities of this environment are grace, hope, and love. Grace is given to every person every day, Hope is instilled into the lives of every family member, and Love dominates every aspect of family life. Is this possible? Absolutely!!! As long as each of us are willing to submit our families to the Lordship of Jesus Christ.

Here's what I have discovered: Some of the best LEGO creations (that I have built) had a design to follow. The same is true of the house that I am building with my wife, family, and kids. God gives the design. I just have to follow His heart to create a culture of honor at home.

The Nature of Love

"It is not the nature of love to force a relationship but it is the nature of love to open the way." ~ Papa (The Shack p.192)

Have you ever questioned whether or not God was working in the lives of other people? You know...the ones that you have been praying for that never seem to change. There is one thing that I know for certain: God is always working.

Bill Faye, creator of "Share Jesus Without Fear", talks about this very thing. In his testimony he goes through a listing of people who shared the gospel with him. Most of those people were verbally abused, mocked, and rejected. However, he never forgot the faces or the people that shared with him. In his mind, they were successful witnesses to God. How is that possible? These people were successful because they were obedient.

Friends, I don't want you to ever lose hope when praying for the lost around you. You must trust in the power of the Gospel and the nature of God. God is always reaching out to those who do not know Him. He will never force a relationship on anyone. But every time you come around, every time you share the "Good News", and every time you trust in the Cross - you are opening the way to a relationship.

It seems as though we forget that not every person that came into contact with Jesus chose to believe in Him. In fact...many rejected, many cried out for His crucifixion, and even after His resurrection many still chose not to believe. Yet even in the midst of all this rejection, the way to a relationship was opened.

Take Note of What God Has Accomplished:
> God has reconciled Himself to the entire world.
> God has chosen not to count the sins of the world against them.
> God has forgiven the world already.
> God has provided an opportunity for everyone to be saved.
The death of Jesus has opened the door. What was once only attainable through obedience and sacrifice has been made available through faith in Jesus Christ. The salvation of the lost hinges upon the grace of God at work in the belief of an individual. If they will simply believe in the death and resurrection of Jesus, and choose to make Him Lord of their lives; they will be saved.

While many of you know this truth, it is good to be reminded of the nature of God's love. All you need to do is be a demonstration of that love. A love that never condemns, never shames, and is ready to accept all of those who come by faith. There is not one person in this world that is outside of the reach of God's love. There is no such thing as a hopeless situation or lost cause. God manifests His love through you, the Holy Spirit does all of the convicting, and Jesus stands ready to save all who call upon Him. That is the nature of love. The question is: Are you ready to demonstrate His nature to those around you?

Get Busy Living...

"If your memories are greater than your dreams, then you're already dying." ~ Kris Vallotton

When I initially read this quote by Kris Vallotton, I immediately thought of Andy Dufresne from the movie Shawshank Redemption: "Get busy living or get busy dying."

When we continually live in the past or with a lack of hope for the future, we have chosen to stop living the life that God has in store for us. Have you ever met someone whose best days were behind them? I'm sure that they never said it in those exact words but by their actions and excitement over the past it seems as though they have stopped progressing.

Consider this:
Are the greatest memories of your life stuck in high school?
Do you think of your marriage in terms of what it used to be?
Did you reach the pinnacle of your faith in Jesus immediately after you were saved?

The Word of God says that Christ in me is the hope of glory. Through my faith in Jesus I am continually compelled to something greater than what I have experienced. I do not have to rest in the success of the past, glory in what has already transpired, or ever consider that my best moments with God are behind me. While I may be able to look back at some awesome experiences, and remember the lessons of the past, I was made for continual revelation in the knowledge of Him. God is so infinite that there is so much more to this life than I have already experienced.

Think about how many moves of God become memorials to what God used to do. I'm a believer in the God who has more to give than what we have already experienced. The book of Acts is not meant to be just a history of the moves of God among the early church. It is meant to be an inspiration to those of us who do not live in that time...a consideration of what God could do in the church of today. I don't believe the apostles considered that we would look back and say "Oh...that God would do that today." I truly believe that Paul, Peter, and the rest believed that our story would be a continuation of what God started in the 1st century.

Let's get busy living. Let's believe that God has more in store for us than what He did in the past. Let's allow our faith to compel us to do more, be more, and experience more than what our patriarchs in the faith experienced.

I believe the words of Jesus: "Greater works than I have done..." The Holy Spirit in me allows me to walk in everything that Jesus walked in and even more. His ministry was to give us the hope of greater ministry. His life was to unlock the potential of the human race when we live in agreement with God's will. He was the forerunner of our faith: the author and finisher. Why not run with Him? Why not believe that God can do more. Allow your dreams to be fueled by God's purpose and plan. GET BUSY LIVING!!!

Here's to seeing God do more in and through you than what you could have ever dreamed, asked, or thought. He is able!!!

Learning to Partner With Life

"Death and life are in the power of the tongue..." (Proverbs 18:21)
"The mouth of the righteous is a well of life..." (Proverbs 10:11)
"A wholesome tongue is a tree of life..." (Proverbs 15:4)
Have you ever considered the power of your words?

According to these wonderful gems from the book of Proverbs, along with other verses found in the Bible, we see the amazing power behind the words that we speak. I carefully chose the portions of Scripture that focused on the positive rather than the negative. The reason for that is quite simple. Most of us have endured the pain of hurtful words. Many have had to overcome word curses, words spoken out of season, or the lack of encouraging words. I want us to learn how to partner with life.

Have you ever seen a child excited to share something with their parents only to be struck down with words of discouragement? Not only have I witnessed this, I have taken part in it. Whether it is purposeful or not, we need to understand that our words can give life or they can bring death. I have also seen people in a church setting that have not partnered with life. Instead...through our condemnation and shame we have kept people from rising up to be who God has created them to be.

Here's what I am learning:
Most people that we encounter don't need words of fresh condemnation or shame. They already have plenty of it. What they need is a fresh affirmation of God's love. When you look at the life/ministry of Jesus, you never see Him trashing those who haven't lived up to their potential. I often think of the woman who was caught in the act of adultery. Jesus' words to her? "Neither do I condemn you. Go and sin no more." This is one of the greatest examples of how we can speak life into those we encounter.

Just the other day I was talking with someone from our congregation. They had went though a lot of difficulty in life. They had made plenty of bad choices over the course of a couple of years. It was in this moment of sharing that they had recognized the position they had placed themselves in. The light bulb had come on and they were now able to see the choices that needed to be made. I simply said, "Well...you didn't commit the unpardonable sin. God has enough grace to handle you." Those few words spoken at the right time (and in the right season) have produced life. The individual called me and thanked me for never condemning or shaming them. It brought great encouragement to know that in that moment I partnered with life.

We have to learn how to speak to the solution rather than the problems of life. Most of the people around us know what is wrong. They simply don't know how to come out of it. God uses our words...at the right time...in the right season...to encourage, edify, and comfort those in need. The question is whether or not we will partner with Jesus and say "Neither do I condemn you..."

Learn how to speak life to everyone you encounter. Allow your words to be a well of life for someone who is struggling. Be a positive voice into all the negative around them. And watch what God accomplishes. Rather than speaking to the hopelessness and discouragement, learn how to point to the hope we have in Christ. I am discovering that most people who are going through difficulty have actually positioned themselves to experience a greater awareness of God's activity. You will be amazed at how the words "I think you are getting ready to experience God's faithfulness" can bring great encouragement to their life. How is this possible? It allows them to stop focusing on the problems and look to the solution.

Proverbs has it right. Life and death are in the power of the tongue. I hope you will start learning how to partner with life.

Determine in your heart to be encouraging.
Make the decision to speak hope into every situation.
Seek to discern the Lord's heart for every person.

Learning to Rest

"Busyness is the tranquilizer of society." ~ Glenn Beck. This quote was used to open a message this past Sunday entitled "The Joy of Resting in God." Psalm 46:10 tells us to "Be still and know that I am God." It is an invitation to stop all of the activity of life and wait upon His goodness. Are you ready to learn how to rest?

In this place of stillness, you come in contact with the Peace of God.
- To "be still" means to cease. It is also used in reference to mending (healing). It is literally a stillness that brings healing. Too often in life we are trying to figure out all of the solutions to our problems. Not only have we forgotten the importance of prayer and reading God's Word, we have lost the ability to be still before Him. You would be amazed at the peace that God can bring when you learn to rest in Him. Trusting Him to be your Provider, your Protection, and your Possession in life teaches you to fall back into His care for the needs of life. God has promised to give you peace. In this place of stillness, peace abounds.

As you learn to rest in God's goodness, you also experience the Person of God.
- To know that He is God...LITERALLY!!! God is good. That statement can stand alone. However, when you learn to cease your activity and watch Him work; you are able to experience a dimension of His goodness that you would normally miss. Your anxiety doesn't move Him. It's not the cries in the night that stir His compassion. It is God's very nature to be good. It is the goodness of God that brings about your provision. But I have found that there are times I have to take my hands off my life and trust Him.

In this place of rest, you also experience the Presence of God.
- Psalm 46 says in two different places that the "God of Jacob is our refuge." The God who blessed a man who was always a wrestler. What I am learning about resting in God is that I don't have to grab hold of Him and demand He bless me. When I understand that "The Lord of hos is with us", I realize that the very God who sent Immanuel (God with us) is working on my behalf. The phrase "with us" comes from the Hebrew word "immanu" - the root of the prophetic name for Jesus - Immanuel. Isn't good to know that God will never leave you nor forsake you?

All of this is possible when we learn to BE STILL. And we will only be still when we learn to cease the activity of life - stop all of the busyness - and meditate before the Lord. Give Him an opportunity to move in your life. Allow God to be God. He doesn't need you to sit on His throne. He is quite capable to caring for you. But you have got to learn how to "clear the mechanism." Stop allowing your mind to wander, and stop trying to figure it all out. God wants to walk with you through every situation in life. All you gotta do is REST.

The Beauty of Restoration

"Brethren, if a man is overtaken in any trespass, you who are spiritual restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness, considering yourself lest you also be tempted." (Galatians 6:1)

I want to share some personal thoughts with you about the verse up above. I say personal because it is not my intent to bring a new teaching. I have a heart and desire to see Galatians 6:1 fleshed-out in the Body of Christ.

Think about it this way:
> How many of us have known someone in the church who has been overtaken (caught) in sin?
> How many of us have actually seen that someone restored?

I can honestly say (outside of my own ministry) that there has been very little restoration within the church. I don't say that in arrogance, nor am I trying to boast. I'm simply saying that I have watched churches either not deal with the sin or they have went the extreme route. They either ignore the individual or they shame them. Which brings us to the question: How do we restore these people instead of watching them fall to the wayside?

#1 - It takes spiritual people to restore them.
This is not a ministry for people who do not operate in the Spirit of God. That may seem like a strange statement to make concerning the church, but I have discovered that there are people who operate from an emotional or analytic mindset. Emotion tends to bring about anger while the analytic tends to bring about shame. Only the spiritual can operate in a spirit of gentleness.

#2 - There has to be some ownership.
You cannot be healed of what you will not own. For the person that has been "caught", they have to be willing to confess that they were wrong. They need to agree with God about their sin. They need to seek forgiveness and restoration. Anyone who is not willing to deal with their issues will not deal with their issues. They have to humble themselves, confess, and be willing to do what is necessary to be restored.

#3 - We must keep a watchful eye upon ourselves during the process.
All of us can be tempted, however, none of us have to give in to it. God's ability within our lives gives us victory. But I have seen so many who are quick to condemn or bring judgement that find themselves falling in other areas of life. We cannot bring restoration through arrogance or pride. We must be gentle and humble. When this happens, we will see the beauty of restoration.

The point of all this is simple: We have a God who longs to restore. He's not willing that people perish. He's not willing that people get left out in the cold. This gospel of grace not only works for the lost but for the saved as well. We need to create a culture within the church that seeks to restore.

So the next time you are talking with a believer who is struggling - don't be quick to condemn. In a spirit of gentleness, speak to the solution and not the problem. You will be amazed at how God works in their heart and life when they are willing to own the problem.

May the God of all mercy grant us hearts that seek to be merciful.

The Measure of Spiritual Maturity

I have a challenge for you today. I want you to think about the "best" Christian you know. Ask yourself what it is about this person that allows them to stand-out in your mind. I have a feeling that it has nothing to do with their "gifting" but everything to do with their "abiding."

Spiritual heroes tend to be evaluated not by what they do but by the lifestyle they lead. Unlike the sports figures we looked up to when we were kids, we rarely rate the influential people in our lives by their performance. An honest assessment tells me that it is all about the intimacy they carry with the Lord that causes His fruit to stand our in their lives.

Consider this:
The church is full of highly gifted people. In fact, God has provided the gifts of the Spirit to every believer. All of us have the ability to operate in the 9 Spiritual Gifts that we find in 1 Corinthians. Because we have the Holy Spirit dwelling inside of us we have access to all the gifts. However, it doesn't take us long to discover that not all "gifted" people display the fruit of the Spirit the way the could/should.

Kris Vallotton puts it this way: "The gifts of the Spirit do not validate our walk with God. It is the fruit of the Spirit that is developed as a person matures in Christ...These fruits grow in our lives as we allow the Holy Spirit to work in us and not just through us."

The gifts of the Spirit are available through asking. We are to earnestly desire the gifts that God has made available. The fruit of the Spirit, on the other hand, becomes visible through our intimacy with Christ. As we "walk in the Spirit", we manifest love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Why? When we learn to abide in Christ, then we are able to manifest His nature to the world around us. It's great to operate in gifts, but imagine what happens when your couple the ability of Christ with the nature of Christ. That, my friend, is a life worth pursuing.

It is confusion over these matters that has hurt many churches. How often have we seen pastors and other ministry personnel called based upon their gifting, only to discover that they struggled to walk in intimacy? For many of these people, it's not as much their fault as it is ours. Since we have decided to elevate people based upon ability rather than intimacy, we have created a culture around us that misses God's heartbeat of relationship.

Not only is this true for the people on the platforms, it is also true in our lives. Give me a person who has developed their character and gifting over the course of time, learning to walk in the Spirit, and watch what happens. They will be more fruitful in the long-run and have the ability to stay with you through everything. If all I have is gifting, without the ability to persevere, then all you will see is the "flash in the pan" effect. I may jump out of the gate but it is short lived.

Allow God to work in you. Allow Him to develop your character. You may continue to seek spiritual gifts, and God will give them, but you will be able to incorporate them into a life that has learned how to hear the voice of God, respond in obedience, and reflect the very nature of Christ.

The measure of spiritual maturity isn't how many gifts I can carry at one time. Spiritual maturity is measure by how much fruit I bear as I walk in the Spirit. May God find us ready to be still before Him, obedient to ever prompting of His Spirit, and willing to learn of Him.

Blessings to you all as you learn to live in intimacy.

In Control or In Charge?

Here's a question for you: Is God in control or in charge? While some would argue the validity of the question, these two words mean different things. To be "In Control" means to exercise authoritative or dominating influence over. To be "In Charge" means to impose a duty, responsibility, or obligation on.

While I do not wish to go too deep with this thought, I want you to consider that God is in charge and has given us control over many of the things that happen in this life. Just consider what Jesus said in Matthew 5:13-16: In these verses we discover that we have been designated as the salt of the earth and light of the world. This is our position. In other words, has given us the responsibility of affecting the culture in which we live. While many people are waiting for God to "do something" in our cities and towns, I believe that God is waiting for us.

Bill Johnson said, "God wants to transform cities but that only happens when they are full of transformed people." God is most definitely in charge and it is His will to transform our cities, but He has allowed us to control what happens. Only when God people choose to be salt and light where they live will we see transformation happen. It is our privilege to respond to Him as salt and light in the earth.

So often I hear people praying for a lost loved one without ever considering that it could be them that leads that person to Christ. We pray for sickness around us but never consider that we could be the ones to lay hands on them, pray, and see them recover. We keep hoping that someone will talk to that couple we know is having problems without ever asking God if He wants us to be a part of their reconciliation. The only way that we can change this mindset is to know our identity in Christ, realize that we have great potential through the grace of God to impact everything and every one around us.

This change in thinking causes us to cease praying for revival and to seek to be a revival where we live. It allows us to see ourselves as the holy nation that God has called us to be and to respond accordingly. Jesus was the manifest presence of God in the earth but He did not wait for the religious leaders of the day to step forward, nor did He wait for God to "do something." No...Jesus realized that because He was on the scene that God was doing something. The same happens when we agree with what the Father is doing in us. We say "God, I'm here. Use me!"

> Do you want to see your work environment change?
> Do you want to experience God in your home?
> Are you still waiting for lost loved ones to come to faith in Christ?
Then rise up child of God and take your place in the world. Take inventory of who you are in Christ. Recognize that the Kingdom of God resides within you through the Holy Spirit and that He has provided everything you need to be salt and light in the earth.

Don't miss this opportunity to partner with the presence and power of God. Reach out and take the controls with full knowledge that God is in charge. He will guide you, speak through you, and use you for His glory. Live with the expectancy that God is ready to do great things through you.

Last Day of School

There is a ton of anticipation within Wythe County schools today. When 12:30pm rolls around, the school year is officially over.

Praying that all of the kids, teachers, and staff enjoy a restful and joyful summer.

In honor of the kids getting out early...I'm signing off for the week.

Be Blessed!!!

Make a Decision

According to the latest "On Mission" magazine (publication of the North American Mission Board), the population of Alaska is only 626,932. When you compare the population of bears in Alaska with that numbers, there is one bear for every 21 people. The church population ratio is 1 to 6,916. Startling numbers? You bet!!!

It seems that in Alaska that it is much easier to get eaten by a bear than to hear the Good News of Jesus Christ. The question remains: Who is Hungrier?

Jesus told His disciples in Acts 1:8 that they would be a witness unto Him in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and the end of the earth. This process of making disciples began nearly 2,000 years ago. Doesn't seem odd that we continue to talk about the lostness of America when you consider that so many people profess to know Jesus Christ?

The lukewarm nature of the church seems to be the main culprit. I know that others would cite that so many people simply do not want to give up their lifestyles. We actually believe that the draw of this world upon the flesh is stronger than the drawing power of the Holy Spirit. I disagree. In fact, I believe that if our churches were grounded in the unconditional love of God that a lot of these numbers would change.

When you read the book of Acts it's easy to see the influence of the church. Countless communities were won to faith in Christ. The power of the Gospel partnered with the power of the Holy Spirit, became a convincing force within the world. Families, cities, and towns were transformed. We can have this same impact in our own nation. The question remains: Who is Hungrier?

In the book of Revelation, Jesus tells the church of Laodicea that He wishes they were either hot or cold. The lukewarm nature of the church became a sickening influence within the earth. Rather than being on fire or refreshing, this body of believers became content and complacent. A lukewarm church does not produce works that are befitting those who have repented. The believers in America need to make a decision: Will we be hot, cold, or lukewarm?

Another problem with the staggering numbers of lostness has to do with the perception the world has of the Body of Christ. Allow me to share some things I believe would help change that perception and give us a greater platform for the gospel:

1) We must be grounded in the unconditional love of God.
- This schizophrenic gospel that we have propagated over the years is hurting us. Why many people within the church struggle to see God as good. While we give praise to God for the good things that happen in our lives, we also question God over the bad stuff. We treat God as if He is the author of both. However, if we can ground ourselves in the goodness of God then we will not struggle in understanding His love for every person that He created.

2) We must be convinced that sharing the gospel is the responsibility of every believer.
- God never intended that the proclamation of the gospel be limited to a select few. Every believer has the call upon them to make disciples. Every person who has been saved by the glorious gospel becomes a vessel fit for use.

3) We must lose our religious mindsets.
- While there are many people in the world who do not understand the gospel, they seem to understand everything that we are against. They see our traditions, our rituals, and hear our condemnation of those who are not like us. What the world needs is an encounter with God and this encounter comes through us. We owe them that! They need to experience the Word made flesh dwelling among them. Are you ready to be the manifestation of God in the life of others? Can you junk the religious mindset and take on the mind of Christ?

4) We must believe that God is not willing that any should perish.
- Peter made it clear to the church that it is God's will that all should come to repentance. He takes no glory in the death of the wicked. God gains glory through the salvation of the lost. He paid the ultimate price to bring about the salvation of mankind. Now it's our turn to go to those who have not heard.

5) He must increase & we must decrease.
- In other words, God has to become the center of attention. It's not about our churches, our ministries, or our denominations. If we focus our efforts on highlighting all the good things that we do, then we simply give the world something to compare us with all of the other charity organizations out there. However, if we will make it a point to share the gospel with every person then we simply point to God's undying love for His creation. Let's make it about Jesus!

I'm believing God for Alaska. I know many believers in the state and trust that the gospel will win. I'm also believing God for our nation. We have far too many resources, people, and opportunity within our country to see the lost saved. It's a matter of hunger. If we are hungry to see America come to Jesus then we will do everything within our power to make it happen.
WE WILL GIVE!
WE WILL GO!
WE WILL SHARE!

Next week, we will have a team of missionaries from PBC that will be going to Alaska. Pray that God will bless them in all they do, anoint every word that proceeds out of their mouths, and use them to transform the city they will be working in.

***
An update from our Community Fun Day:
PBC was able to feed over 750 people this past Saturday.
Many heard the Gospel of Jesus one on one w/ 12 people accepting Jesus as Lord and Savior.
It was a wonderful day of laughter, music, food, and fun.
Thanks to all who participated in helping share Jesus in our community.

Something Borrowed...

A friend of mine shared this blog on facebook yesterday. The writer is Scott Linscott. The title of the blog entry: "Your kid's an All Star? Wow! Someday he'll be average like us." Scott makes some great points and I hope that you will read it through.

One disclaimer: I have several friends that have chosen the route of travel sports for their kids. That is their choice as parents. The reason for this post is not to shame anyone, make them feel guilty, or to condemn. I simply ask that you read, evaluate, comment if you like.

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The church in America is puzzled. Young adults are leaving in droves. Magazines, books and blogs are wagging the finger of blame to point out who is responsible. Some say it is a failure of youth ministry, some point to church budgets and some nail the blame on outdated, unhip worship services. We parents are shocked that our kids just really aren’t all that into Jesus.

When I look for someone to blame I head into the restroom and look into a mirror. Yupp, there he is. I blame him. That parent looking back at me is where I have to start.

If you’re a parent, I’m might tick you off in this post. But, hear me out. I think that we, as parents are guilty of some things that make it easy for our kids to put faith low on their priority list.

Keys to Making Your Kids Apathetic About Faith

1) Put academic pursuits above faith-building activities. Encourage your child to put everything else aside for academic gain. Afterall, when they are 24 and not interested in faith and following Christ, you’ll still be thrilled that they got an A in pre-calculus, right? Instead of teaching them balance, teach them that all else comes second to academics. Quick … who graduated in the top 5 of your high school class? Unless you were one of them, I bet you have no idea. I don’t.

2) Chase the gold ball first and foremost. Afterall, your child is a star. Drive 400 miles so your child can play hockey but refuse to take them to a home group bible study because it’s 20 minutes away.

2b) Buy into the “select,” “elite,” “premier” titles for leagues that play outside of the school season and take pride in your kid wearing the label. Hey now, he’s an All-Star! No one would pay $1000 for their kid to join, “Bunch-of-kids-paying-to-play Team.” But, “Elite?!?” Boy, howdy! That’s the big time!

2c) Believe the school coach who tells you that your kid won’t play if he doesn’t play in the offseason. The truth is, if your kid really is a star, he could go to Disney for the first week of the season and come back and start for his school team. The determined coach might make him sit a whole game to teach him a lesson. But, trust me, if Julie can shoot the rock for 20 points a game, she’s in the lineup. I remember a stellar soccer athlete who played with my son in high school. Chris missed the entire preseason because of winning a national baseball championship. With no workouts, no double sessions, his first day back with the soccer team, he started and scored two goals. Several hard-working “premier” players sat on the bench and watched him do it. (Chris never played soccer outside the school season but was a perpetual district all-star selection.) The hard reality is, if your kid is not a star, an average of 3 new stars a year will play varsity as freshmen. That means there’s always 12 kids who are the top prospects. Swallow hard and encourage your kid to improve but be careful what you sacrifice to make him a star at little Podunk High here in Maine.

2d) By the way, just because your kid got a letter inviting him to attend a baseball camp in West Virginia does not mean he is being recruited. You’ll know when recruiting happens. Coaches start calling as regularly as telemarketers, they send your kid handwritten notes and they often bypass you to talk to your kid. A letter with a printed label from an athletic department is not recruitment. When a coach shows up to watch your kid play and then talks to you and your kid, that’s recruiting.

3) Teach your kid that the dollar is almighty. I see it all the time. Faith activities fly out the window when students say, “I’d like to, but I have to work.” Parents think jobs teach responsibility when, in reality, most students are merely accumulating wealth to buy the things they want. Our kids learn that faith activities should be put aside for the “responsibility” of holding a job. They will never again get to spend 100% of their paychecks on the stuff they want.

3b) Make them pay outright for faith activities like youth retreats and faith community activities while you support their sports, music, drama and endeavors with checks for camps and “select” groups and expensive equipment. This sends a loud and clear message of what you really want to see them involved in and what you value most. Complain loudly about how expensive a three-day youth event is but then don’t bat an eye when you pay four times that for a three-day sports camp.

4) Refuse to acknowledge that the primary motivating force in kids’ lives is relationship. Connections with others is what drives kids to be involved. It’s the reason that peer pressure is such a big deal in adolescence. Sending kids to bible classes and lectures is almost entirely ineffective apart from relationship and friendships that help them process what they learn. As kids share faith experiences like retreats, mission trips and student ministry fun, they build common bonds with one another that work as a glue to Christian community. In fact, a strong argument can be made that faith is designed to be lived in community with other believers. By doing all you can to keep your kids from experiencing the bonds of love in a Christian community, you help insure that they can easily walk away without feeling like they are missing anything. Kids build friendships with the kids they spend time with.

5) Model apathy in your own life. If following Jesus is only about sitting in a church service once a week and going to meetings, young adults opt out. Teenagers and young adults are looking for things that are worth their time. Authentic, genuine, relevant relationships where people are growing in relationship with Jesus is appealing. Meaningless duty and ritual holds no attraction.

There are no guarantees that your children will follow Christ even if you have a vibrant, purposeful relationship with Him. But, on the other hand, if we, as parents do not do all we can to help our children develop meaningful relationships in Jesus, we miss a major opportunity to lead them and show them the path worth walking.

I want my kids to see that their dad follows Jesus with everything. I want them to know that my greatest hope for them is that they follow Him too.

Mt. 6:33 "Steep your life in God-reality, God-initiative, God-provisions. Don’t worry about missing out. You’ll find all your everyday human concerns will be met." (The Message)

On a personal note: I know the struggle. My wife and I have lived the struggle firsthand. My son was recruited by a few D1 NCAA schools for baseball and opted instead to attend a small D3 school. My daughter was recruited to play field hockey by a couple D2 programs and ended up playing D3 when the scholarship offer was not enough to make her top school affordable. Both played in “premier” leagues. Both got A’s in high school though we often told them not to stress out too much over it. Both are in honor societies in college and my son now has offers from UNC, Univ. of Wisconsin, Johns Hopkins and Weil Cornell for a Phd in Pharmacology. Neither ever missed a youth group retreat, conference or mission trip because of their sports or academic commitments. Both missed a game or two to attend faith-based activities. Both missed school for family vacations. Both held down part-time jobs in high school and learned to give employers advance notice for upcoming retreats. My son often changed into his baseball uniform at church to arrive in the third inning of Sunday games. Robin and I did all we could to make sure they connected in student ministry even when it meant driving straight from a tournament to a music festival at midnight so that they would not miss out. It was that important to us. My youngest, a culinary student, lost a restaurant job because he went on a mission trip. That’s fine. Thankfully, all 3 have strong faith walks today. That is due only to God’s grace. But, I do believe that our efforts and example helped them long for a community-based faith.

Here's the link should you want to read more from Scott Linscott: http://scottlinscott.wordpress.com

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Thanks for stopping by today. I hope you were as challenged as I was. I also pray that we as parents will make the best decisions for our children. Blessings to you all.

Community Fun Day

Pioneer Baptist Church will be hosting the 7th Annual Community Fun Day @ the Max Meadows Ball field this Saturday - June 4th - 10:30am until 2:30pm.

What initially began as an outreach opportunity, "Park Day" has become a great way to give back to the community. Since we started hosting this event - the name has changed, the color of the t-shirts have changed, and many of the faces of the volunteers are new. However, the impact is still the same: lots of food, fun for the kids, great giveaways, and a wonderful family environment.

PBC asks that you pray for this event.

I look forward to sharing with the PBC Voice readers all that God does this Saturday!

My Message to The Graduates

Over the last few years, we have been able to go to the local high school and share in a Baccalaureate Service. The following is a condensed version of my message to the Class of 2011 from FCHS. May it bring encouragement to your life as well.

"Our nation has a strong heritage of men and women who believed in something greater. Men and women who understood that we were all endowed by our Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life liberty and pursuit of happiness. They were men and women of great courage, great imaginations, and great resolve. However, with each and every generation there comes a time to pass the baton. Someone else has to take the place of greatness. This generation is poised to take that place."

After giving the class some background into the scripture that we were about to read, I shared with them Joshua 1:1-9. I simply shared a few points with them hoping to help them move into the destiny that God had designed them for.

1) The Promises of the Past Need to Become the Pursuit of the Present (vv.1-3)
- Joshua had heard all of the promises that God had given to Moses. Now it was his turn to pursue these promises in his generation. God's Word also gives us great and wonderful promises for abundant life. Our nation was founded upon the promises that life could become more than what we were currently experiencing. These promises need to fuel our lives.

2) Who You Are is More Important than What You Have Done (vv.5-6)
- Up to this point, Joshua had been in school. Walking with Moses was his training ground. However, he could not live the rest of his life being the understudy of Moses. He had to take his place as the leaders of God's people. For this to happen, he had to understand that God had designed Him for this time and place. I told the class that the time has come where their identity could not be built upon who they were in High School. They, like Joshua, had to discover the identity they had from the Creator.

3) You Cannot Allow the Greatness Before You to be Defeated by the Fear Inside You (7-9)
- God continually encouraged Joshua by saying "Be strong and courageous...be strong and very courageous...do not fear...do not be discouraged." The moment before him was huge but he did not shrink back in fear.

"History is filled with those who achieved greatness. It is also filled with those who never tried. Some people never get over their past while others never move past their fears. I would much rather my life be spent pursuing the greatness that God has created me for rather than settle for just an 'O.K.' life."

I'm thankful for the opportunity I had to share with these graduates. I pray that the next few years of their lives will not be spent trying to discover who they are but that they will find their identity in Christ. I truly believe that we will be amazed at the generation that rises up and chooses to walk in their prophetic purpose in the earth. God will do AMAZING THINGS!!!