Definition of Church

I read this on a young ladies Facebook post today and it caused me to think: "A church is a family of believers in Christ that weep for one another, shout for one another, and laugh with one another. They hold each other accountable in godliness and encourage one another in holiness to better serve their Master."

The first part of the quote flows easily and I agree with "A church is a family of believers in Christ that weep for one another, shout for one another, and laugh with one another." The churches I have been blessed to be a part of do those things well and I have experienced them personally. It is what we are told to do in Romans 12:15,"rejoice when others rejoice, mourn when others mourn."

But I am not sure I have seen the second part of that quote played out "They hold each other accountable in godliness and encourage one another in holiness to better serve their Master." I can't speak for anyone but myself, but I don't tend to hold anyone accountable especially when it comes to godliness or holiness. I sometimes will mention that I think a certain movie is inappropriate or show some surprise when somebody sees a movie or listens to music that I think is not appropriate. But holding someone accountable is a far deeper level. And if I am very honest, I am not so sure I want anyone holding me accountable....BUT if I knew someone would??? Well, I am sure there are a lot better choices I could make when it comes to godliness, holiness and serving my Lord.

Accountability requires honesty. There is no "fooling" one another with true accountability, but I think the only way accountability would work for me is if it not salted with judgement. So I really like the way the quote says "encourage one another in holiness". I can't hold you accouountable for a standard I am not willing to set for myself.

So I am hoping in this move as we are looking for a church, that Steve and I will look for a church that "is a family of believers in Christ that weep for one another, shout for one another, and laugh with one another. They hold each other accountable in godliness and encourage one another in holiness to better serve their Master." Perhaps there will be such a church in Colorado Springs.

What Is A Confession?

I have a few soapboxes and one of them has to do with Baptism. Growing up in the churches of Christ we were taught there are "five steps to salvation: hear, believe, repent, confess and baptism". Our generation has realized the "legalism" in that approach and that salvation is not about steps and it doesn't end at baptism. Baptism is the beginning of our walk with Christ not the end. It is at that point that we recieve the gift of the Holy Spirit who then begins to transform us more and more in the image of Christ with the gifts of Himself: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, aithfulness, gentleness and self control. We rely heavily on the grace of God to cover all those areas where we fall short. But we make it our goal to live out 1 Peter 1:15-16 "But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written: "Be holy, because I am holy."

This is my soapbox. One of the things that has to happen in order to embrace the meaning of baptism is confession. Here are some scriptures about confession:
-Romans 10:9-10: That if you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved."
-Romans 14:11: "For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved."
-Philippians 2:10-12: "that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord,to the glory of God the Father.

So where did we get the tradition that when someone is baptized we ask them the question "do you believe that Jesus is the Son of God" and then the person being baptized says "yes". Is this really a confession? I don't think so, I think it is an affirmation. The person is affirming what they believe not confessing what they believe. The scripture says that we are to confess that "Jesus Christ is Lord", not the "Son of God" so my question is why don't we ask the person "who do you say that Jesus is?" OR "What do you believe about Jesus" OR "what is your confession today"? Any of those would lead to an actual confession.

-James 5:16: "Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective."
-1 John 1:9: "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness." Would we interpret these scriptures to mean I ask you "have you sinned?" and you say "yes, I have" that it was a confession of sins? I don't think so. So then imagine what would happen if this question was asked "why are you wanting to be baptized"? That the individual being baptized actually gives a testimony of their faith, how they came to hear, believe and what they are repenting of, actually confess that Jesus is Lord and are baptized. To me we have just made baptism a "step" and not a transforming life event. We fit it into a service instead of focusing a service around it.

On Easter Sunday we had a young girl baptized and I thought it odd to watch us take communion and she let it pass by her because it wasn't "official" yet and yet no one took communion with her afterwards?? Have we not missed the point??

Do I think God honors the baptism of all of us who just said "yes" to the question that was asked of us? Absolutely yes! But just wonder how many of us would have been more transformed if we had confessed that "Jesus Christ is Lord" and understood better what it meant for Him to be the Lord of our lives?

So there is my soapbox. I will not step down off of it.

Five Year Anniversary

Five years ago today, my life was forever altered by someone who decided they would get behind the wheel of a car (F150 truck) while drunk and entered the north bound lane of I-75 going south and hit me head on. Unfortunately, there has not been one day in that five years that I have not thought about that day. Unfortunately, the pain I still feel with every step I take, makes it hard to forget. But I am also thankful eveyday that I have two legs to walk on. We fought hard to keep my left leg and I am so very grateful that God healed it to the degree he did.

Time is interesting isn't it?? Someways it seems like five years was a lifetime ago and other ways it seems like it was just yesterday. I wish I could say that during these past 5 years that I have come to terms with it all, but I honestly still grieve the life that was taken away from me. I want that life back, but I know I can't have it. I am doing my best to embrace my "new normal" but I am not there yet.
I think that is one of the reasons I am looking forward to our move to Colorado Springs, it is a chance for a new start. No more driving on 75. Although I am nervous about finding a new orthopedist. I am just praying I won't need one. I go to see my orthopedist here April 22nd and hope that he gives me a great report and promising news about my future.

One of the things I will take with me is the memories of how wonderful all my friends and family have been! I could not have made this journey without the love and support of all of you! Especially all of your prayers!! The awesome thing about friends in the Lord is you know you will always have that love and support and they are there as prayer warriors anytime you need them. I am so very thankful for that.
I will be able to say as Paul did in Philippians 1:3-"I thank my God every time I remember you."

Celebrate Easter!!

Don't you just love Spring? I love the change of seasons and I love each of them for different reasons, but I have to confess that Spring is my absolute favorite. I love watching all of creation come back to life with all the brillance of colors! It is such a visual reminder to me of what my Lord Jesus has done for me. I was so very dead in my sin and He has given me Life. It wasn't till recently that I was contemplating the day that Jesus died and it came to me that Satan is not all knowing and He did not know that Jesus was going to rise from the dead. He actually thought He had won. That wasn't a new thought but what I visioned was when Jesus started to move and come back to life, can't you see Satan calling all his demon forces and them trying to keep Jesus down and Him breaking through and the victory that it was over Satan? No wonder He works so hard to keep so many from knowing the truth, and no wonder He works so hard on me to not live the life I have been called to live. 2 Corinthians 5:15-"Christ died for everyone. He died so that those who live should not live for themselves anymore. They should live for Christ. He died for them and was raised again." Thank you Lord Jesus that your death and ressurection did not just give me one time forgiveness, but every second, of every day forgiveness day after day because that is how often I need it!! Thank you for ALL the times you ressurect this dead heart and bring it back to life! This will be the first time in I don't even know how many years that I did not buy a new Easter dress. I decided that it was time to realize that Jesus did not die for me to have a new dress but to have a new heart.
My favorite Easter Song by Keith Green, one of the best Christian singers of all time.

LTC (Leadership Training For Christ)

For fifteen years Good Friday has always been busy loading up, driving to the hotel, unloading, organizing and waiting for kids to arrive to participate in Leadership Training For Christ. For the last five years I wasn't responsible for all the details but still tried to be a part of the weekend because it is something I really believe in. Helping kids discover their spiritual gifts and how valuable they are in the work of God just ignites my spirit. Tonight I listened to 15, 3rd to 4th grade girls read their Bibles for 2 minutes publicly. They were such a joy. You could tell from their voice inflections that many of them actually believed about the God they were reading about. I wrote on the bottom of each one of their score sheets "I hope you will Always love reading God's Word". You couldn't help but wonder what life would bring to each one of them in the years to come and if their roots would be deep enough to stand strong and withold all those storms? I hope so.
It doesn't matter if the kids do chorus, puppets, art, drama, speech, etc. every event has an opportunity to teach a spiritual message that will stay with each child for the rest of their lives. Look at some of the themes from past years.
Romans... I Am Not Ashamed
II Samuel...Chosen by the Lord
Luke...With God and Men
II Kings...Open Our Eyes
Revelation...He Shall Reign Forever and Ever
Genesis...In His Image
Matthew...Go
Life of Moses...Stand Firm
Luke...Lost and Found - Luke 15:32
Joshua, Judges, Ruth...Take the Lead - Judges 5:2
Acts...Unstoppable! - Acts 5:42
1 Samuel...Here I Am! - I Samuel 3:16
John...Light-Life-Word - John 1:1-5
2 Samuel...The Rock - 2 Samuel 22:2, 3, 32, 47

This year the theme was The Rock and here are the lyrics to the songs that we sang:

There is no rock, there is no God like our God
No other name worthy of all our praise
The rock of salvation that cannot be moved
He’s proven himself to be faithful and true
There is no rock, there is no God like ours

Rock of ages, Jesus is the Rock!
Rock of ages, Jesus is the Rock!
Rock of ages, Jesus is the Rock!
There is no Rock, there is no God like ours!

I'm standing on the rock of ages,
Safe from every storm that rages
Rich, but not from Satan's wages.
I'm standing on the solid rock.

Through my disappointments, strife and discontentment
I cast my every care on the Lord.
No matter what obsession, pain or deep depression
I'm standing on the solid rock.

Even though He's gone now, I don't feel alone now,
With comfort came the spirit of the Lord.
Now His hand will guide me from temptation hide me
I'm standing on the solid rock.

Now I'm pressing onward, each step leads me homeward
I'm trusting in my Savior day by day
Close is our relation, firm is it's foundation
I'm standing on the solid rock.

I'm standing on the rock of ages,
Safe from all the storm that rages
Rich, but not from Satan's wages.
I'm standing on the solid rock.

When my burdens heavy won’t you lead me to that rock
Lead me to that rock, yeah lead me to that rock
My load will be made lighter if you’ll lead me to that rock
It has been a shelter for me.

Lead me to that rock that is higher than I
Higher than I, so much higher than I
Lead me to that rock that is higher than I
It has been a shelter for me.

Now when the devil tempts me won’t you lead me to that rock
Lead me to that rock, yeah lead me to that rock
He can never defeat me if you’ll lead me to that rock
It has been a shelter for me

Lead me to that rock that is higher than I
Higher than I, so much higher than I
Lead me to that rock that is higher than I
It has been a shelter for me.

My prayer is many years from now when the sweet girls that sang this song face something that shakes their foundation that they will remember that God is their rock and He will help them stand firm.

In years past we had up to 50 kids participating in LTC. This year there were seven.
I confess that I am really struggling to understand why our young families are not supporting this great event?? There is time for dance lessons, gymnastics, year around sports, plays etc. but 6-8 weeks of an hour a week preparations for this event is too much? Many object to it being on Easter Weekend. I could understand that if I saw the majority of these families were particpating in Good Friday services and spending time in family devotionals contemplating the true meaning of Easter. Guess I am too judgemental, but Easter seems to be more about new Spring clothes and egg hunts and candy with a little Jesus on the side. Then I stop and see how 10,000 children participate in LTC each year (don't know how many families that is, but last year it was 489 churches) and I realize somewhere people do embrace the value of LTC and I am thankful. Then I think of my sweet friends the Deans who have a daugther who is participating in her 2nd LTC this year and how excited they are about it...their sweet Gillian is confined to a wheel chair and has a major seizure disorder. She doesn't speak but can light up a room with her smile and yet she completed the service project segment of LTC because her parents were intentional about taking her to visit others and brightening their day, and then tomorrow she will do signing for the deaf and be part of their chorus. Her parents are at a church that values what kids can learn through the LTC experience and where everyone from young to old gets involved to support it. Did I hurt for my girls singing tonight that there were only six people in the room cheering them on? You betcha! But I hurt most for all of those who weren't there to be blessed by listening to these sweet girls sing about their love for the Lord.

LTC has been around since 1960 and keeps growing, so I think it will be around for a long time. And I am glad to know there are many other adults that will continue to keep the legacy alive. Best of all who knows perhaps those girls I was with today will actually be coordinating their churches LTC one day.

This was WAY too long for anyone to read, but I just needed to express my heart as this will probably be my last LTC unless someone brings it to Colorado. If only I was younger :-)