TO ALL OF MY FULL TIME "PASTOR FRIENDS"

So, i always said that life is a roller coaster. I have used all kind of metaphors in trying to describe it when i was a pastor. Now that i am not one, I am defining it from a different view. I really.... I MEAN REALLY, was out of tune with the average worker. Now that i am working a couple of jobs I understand this side I'm on a little better. So, to all of my full time "pastor friends", please know that you may have a stressful job, but you also need to get out and join the sweating workforce from time to time and see what they are going through on a daily basis. Find out (lest you forgot) what its like to have to use a sick day to stay home with your kids When they are sick. Find out whats its like NOT to be able to go to "meetings" several times a week and brainstorm with your team at your Church. Find out what its like to be in the middle of the work force and see what they deal with 50 - 60 hours a week. Leave your office, leave your favorite coffee shop, leave your pulpit just long enough to smell, touch, taste, see and feel what your hard working "tithe paying" members are doing. Being a pastor is a calling... yes. But its also a privilege.

Halloween Memories

This Saturday is Halloween! Man, we had a good time growing up getting all of that free candy (those tiny snickers and reese's cups) I grew up in a family of 7 so we didnt get to buy our costumes. We would make ours. Wow, that brought out our creativity!
What is your greatest memory of Halloween?

DENOMINATIONAL NON-SENSE

- God calls a pastor to a city, not a denomination.

- If a Church wants a particular Man/Woman to be there pastor and he/She feels the same you'd think that would be the will of God.

- When a man/woman does not fit the "mold" of that denomination, they are rejected.

- God says yes, while man (denomination) is saying no.

- So, because God WILL NOT go against the will (free choice) of man, then the Church that is controlled by the denomination will suffer and loose its identity and be forced to shape up to a different image or ship out.

- Church planting??????? yea, i know its the thing to do right now. Yes, it works and it is awesome. however, what about Church "re-planting" ?

- Shouldn't existing churches (That are willing) be allowed to be transformed through leadership (pastor) that is not "like" the denomination?

- We are called to people, towns, cities, over seas, inner city, rural, etc....

- i guess the denomination might say (or probably think, because saying it would take to much guts) "Don't bite the hand that feeds ya"

- Sad

_ heartbreaking

- Dont ya think?

Rust

RUST

I have heard it said that there are three stages to relationship
1. Lust
2. Rust
3. Dust


Our relationship with anything requires attention – If not we get, awkwardness, lack of faith, lack of movement, which ends up being…..RUST

There are three key and vital relationships

1. God
2. Family
3. Strangers

Within these three it requires some type of communication – some type of involvement, some type of ongoing movement.

What happens to cause us to Rust Up? What is it that would cause us to come to a place of worthlessness, uselessness and depressed.

"Fe2o3"

That is the chemical formula for rust

What happens in this process?

At what point do we feel useless, broken, worthless and or depressed?

TEXT

Song of Solomon 2:15 (New International Version)

15 Catch for us the foxes,
the little foxes
that ruin the vineyards,
our vineyards that are in bloom

It’s the little things that cause us to rust. It’s the little things that we think , “no big deal”

There are several actions that take place when our vine is spoiled, or our relationships become rusty –

It’s a process , not an event

The first Action that causes Rust is – Oxidation
Oxidation is………

AN UNNEEDED CHANGE


The second action that causes Rust – Corrosion

Corrosion is……….

AN UNWEEDED CHANGE

The Final action that cause Rust is – Rot

Rot is…….

AN UNHEEDED CHANGE

Are you feeling a little Rusty?

Is Hope a Dangerous Thing?

I was watching one of the greatest movies of all times, "The Shawshank Redemption". Morgan freeman was responding to what Tim Robbins had said about hope. He said, "hope is something they could cannot take away."

"Oh, that I might have my request,
that God would grant what I hope for

That is what Job prayed in the 6Th chapter.

Hope is something that has to be dug up from deep rooted hurt sometimes.

There are three things that I am currently hoping for.

1. That i no more regrets. (the opposite of regret is joy)

2. That I can have enough finical peace to sustain my family more than ever.

3. The return of Christ.

Hope - Its a dangerous thing -

Its something that cannot be taken away.

What are you hoping for? What are you digging for?