Goin' Mercer…ramblings and rants!

I Think They Got It!

Yesterday in our class we looked at the difference between apocalyptic and eschatological. The kids weren’t bouncing off the walls with excitement, yet they were listening and engaged and figuring it out. We tried to make it as simple as possible. Apocalyptic equals prophetic. Eschatological equals the end or last days. We also looked at some examples, Biblically were these types of writings took place. Again, not bouncing off the walls, but listening.

We are all curious what will happen in the end. And in some ways we should be. The end of this world will be our celebration of a new life. If we can keep that focus, then the trials of life while here pale in comparison. The problem is that we take scriptures that are prophetic and deal with Jerusalem’s destruction and fit them into our last days theology. Hopefully by the end of our study we will be better equipped to distinguish the two allowing us a better foundation to understanding those last days that we are promised.

Someone commented on what materials I am using. At the present it happens to be Matthew 24 and 25 and Revelation 21. However, if you know of some good book or resource feel free to share.

-Michael

Misunderstanding the End Times

To many times we have misunderstood the scripture about the end. However, we have also been known to dismiss it due to Jesus words in Matthew about not knowing the day or hour. Consider this humorous email sent to me by one of my members.

The end is near!

A priest and pastor from the local parishes are standing by the side of the road holding up a sign that reads, “The End is near! Turn yourself around now before it’s too late!”

“Do you think,” said one clergy to the other, “we should just put up a sign that says ‘Bridge Out’ instead?”

Yeah,…It’s kinda like that. We don’t know when, but Jesus did give some words in about being watchful, faithful and unfaithful servants, and a little in Revelation. He also told three parables about ten virgins, talents, and sheep and goats.

My class this semester for our high school group will deal with the end times. But first thing first, we must discuss the difference between what was apocalyptic and eschatological. Wish me luck! I know they can handle the depth of the conversation.

-Michael

Unity Above and Below

What does it mean to have unity?

Webster will say that it is the state of being all in one. Our churches and Christians in general tend to define this word differently. Some churches want to extend “unity” to those more like them. Some want to extend unity to those less like them. Some to those more conservative, while others to those more liberal.

How can we be diverse, yet unified?

It is difficult to lay down your pride in order to be unified. We raise our banner of scripture knowledge to define what will unify. We extend a hand of fellowship to those that have been left behind. We extend a hand of fellowship to those who have gone in front.

The only true unity is when we lay down our differences, focus on our commonalities, which should be all funneled through belief of Jesus Christ.

I desperately want conservative, middle of the road, progressive, liberal, and etc. to be in unity together. We as Christians will all be in Heaven together, why do we fight here on earth.

I encourage you to extend your hand to those who believe in Jesus Christ for unity. I encourage you to extend your hand to those who don’t believe for the sake of teaching Jesus, so then we can be unified.

Unity is not chosen, it is commanded. It is defined by you, but by God. Unity is not selective it is inclusive. True Unity can only exist in the name of Jesus Christ.

-Michael

Men’s Ministry Day

Here I am at the Men’s Ministry Day and feel so unprepared and useless. That may be a great thing, because then maybe I won’t get in the way of God. I have decided that I don’t like my topic as much as I did when I first thought it. How in the world will I be able to make my point. I am more skilled at teaching than my teaching note would suggest today. I love God and He loves me. I have been called to be a leader at home, church, work, and community. How can I lead effectively? Well there is only one way I will lead effectively…If I allow Jesus to lead me. I may scratch my entire text I had planned about Joshua and just speak of Jesus. Jesus was the ultimate balanced leader. Prayer alone with the father, church leader when he read the scripture, community leader when he spoke in public, and family leader with his apostles. I want to lead like Christ. I guess another of my main points today will be that we should lead everywhere, but not at the expense of our families and faith. Well I need to go pray!

On Another Note:

I went to the doctor. I have sinus infection. I have drugs, will heal. But today won’t be that day. Again, I need to go pray!

-Michael

I’m Sick

Well, I believe I have a sinus infection. I won’t go into the details of why I think that. Let’s just say I get one every year and Kleenex doesn’t lie. I go to the doctor tomorrow and I am sure that he will be as smart as me and say I have a sinus infection. The smart as me comment was a joke by the way.

I learned today that my granny (Dad’s mom) is in the hospital due to cough that won’t go away. My understanding is that she is there so that they can help her breathe better. Please pray for her.

After my doctor visit tomorrow I will teach at Clear Lake High school for history/coaching. I am expecting an eventful day. I hope I have the strength to do so. Saturday I have a Men’s retreat that I am speaking at here at our church. Finally I get to speak to adults about Jesus. This should be good. I am also looking forward to hearing the others who are speaking. I need a recharge in my own faith walk.

I hope to get back to my normal schedule of blogging next week. It has been really crazy around here.

I am still getting my energy back after retreat. We had 56 students eleven adults and five elders attend. The elders came Saturday morning and it was good to see them and for the students to see them. They left shortly after breakfast and a devotional that they gave. We have good support from the elders in our ministry.

If you want to have elders support your ministry, invite them to see it first hand. They will appreciate the work and the things that maybe you forget to appreciate.

Maybe next week I can talk a little about diet. The funniest thing happened yesterday. I talked with my step-dad and he told me of his diet that day. For lunch he had a double-meat, double-cheese, and double-bacon burger. At dinner he had several biscuits with bacon. I told my mom that if he didn’t have a heart attack in the next 10 seconds he it was a medical marvel. Okay, so maybe I won’t talk about diet next week. It sounds like a depressing subject. Is there such thing as being healthily fat? Or is that an oxymoron.

Well, as you can tell I am on medication for my sinuses, hence the rambling. Well, until next week!

-Michael

Men as Spiritual Leaders

This is my topic for Saturday. Our church is having a kick-off to its new Men’s Ministry. Several of us were asked to speak for the event. I chose the topic “Men as Spiritual Leaders”. Somewhere within our churches we as men have neglected our spiritual leadership in the home and in the church. I am not speaking of authoritarian leadership. I believe we have plenty of that! I am speaking of the humble ways in which we as men need to be leading our wives, children, and brothers/sisters in Christ. Since, I have yet to complete my lesson I cannot necessarily give my talk in this blog. I just know that there is coming a void of significant spiritual leadership from Men. I hope to be the kind of dad that leads his children in the Lord. I strive to be the kind of husband that leads his wife in the ways of the Lord. I work hard at church and in my ministry to lead the members in the ways of the Lord. As I continue to discover what it is that we as men need to lead better I will share!

On Another Note:

Please pray for my fellow laborers in the Lord at Highland Church of Christ. After a car accident on the way back from a youth retreat they have lost a middle school boy and the other six middle schoolers were hospitalized. The driver is also hospitalized. Please pray for the recovery of these injured and the grief of the family who lost a loved one!

-Michael

Worship as Forming

My class last week was on Christian Worship. We spent from 8am to 5pm everyday taking notes, organizing worship services, and discussing the history of Christian worship as well as its place today. If I had only been able to stay the first hour my view of worship would have already been drastically changed. However, staying to the end was well worth the week. In the first hour the professor made a profound statement that will forever change my view of worship. He said that the we need to ask ourselves what kind of people are being formed by the worship? It wasn’t what did people like or dislike. It wasn’t that worship is for God and not us (even though this is true). It was the thought that the way we worship and the worship services we attend will form us a certain way.

I was convicted being one who loves contemporary worship and one who respects our traditions. That being conservative or liberal has nothing to do with who we are as much as whatever worship we provide will form us a certain way. Are we being formed by worship? Of course. Are we intentional in our churches, youth ministries, and lives of how the worship we present will form a community? That’s a tougher question.

As a youth minister I love to lead worship for students. I have never asked the forming question. I have asked the, “Will this engage the student?” question. I have made my worship services thematic. Now I want to think more deeply about the worship I lead so that it will be intentional of how it forms the participants.

This past Sunday night we had an area-wide worship service with several other churches of Christ but also some other denominations. What kind of people did this worship service form? It formed community oriented Christians. More worship like that and the remaining walls of sectarianism will be torn down and we will see Christians rather than denominations. On that same Sunday in the morning we revolved our worship around commissioning new Stephen Ministers in our church. Stephen Ministers are members who have been through extensive training in order to be better equipped to help others in and outside our congregation. That worship service formed a community of people who give care. With more services like that one we would be more involved in caring for the poor, needy, and broken.

We are always forming in our worship. We have formed the legalist, the consumer, and the liturgist. We have formed the caring, compassionate, word-oriented, and communal people. As I give thought to my retreat I will choose to be very intentional about the worship and how it will form my students this weekend.

-Michael

I’m Back at Last

Well these past two weeks have been amazing. I can’t put into words what kind of healing takes place when you are able to be with your wife for an entire week with no distractions. When both of us are working we tend to just be able to spend a few hours together each night, if even that. My elders have been gracious over the years and continue to be gracious to our family life. I had two weeks of vacation and was able to take the 2nd week after Christmas. We had many home chores to do and just hang out as a young couple should. We were able to see some family as well.

The second week I was gone I spent in Abilene, TX taking a course for my Master’s of Divinity. I took the course Christian Worship with Jack Reese. It was an amazing time of study looking back on centuries of worship as Christians. I still have a couple of assignments before I complete the course, but it has already been well worth it.

As I returned I jumped right back into work. We have a retreat coming this weekend and I am putting the last touches on it this weekend. Hopefully, I will be able to blog through it all. It is good to be back and I am grateful for the rest and study I received.

-Michael