Goin' Mercer…ramblings and rants!

Successful Soul Link Weekend

The weekend was a huge success. Wiley Lowe was a powerful and very entertaining speaker. Audio Adrenaline was loud and gave a good show. Josh Kasinger engaged the entire crowd with worship. The classes were challenging and fun. The videos were amazing quality and really proclaimed the point of the weekend. Everything worked for the Glory of God. Therefore, it was a success. Now, I am tired, but it is a good tired.

If you ever have the opportunity to work on a large event like our youth conference, I would strongly encourage it. It gives you an opportunity to learn valuable skills of communication, team work, hard work ethic, patience, and gives great joy.

I was able to work with some of the best youth ministers in the world on this event. They did an outstanding job for the event. I was blessed to meet youthworkers from all over Texas (paid staff and volunteers). We were able to incorporate our Christian Universities.

It doesn’t take the big event to do good ministry. However, there are great things that come from the big event. I am a blessed man for helping lead and working with Soul Link Youth Conference.

-Michael

Preparing Communion

This past month I have been bringing the communion thoughts to our church every Sunday. In the churches of Christ we celebrate communion every Sunday. This is one of our traditions. I have been honored to sit down each week and write out significant thoughts toward this part of our service. I believe I have even shared one with you on my blog. This has been a rewarding experience in many ways.

The most significant way is that I have prepared myself each week for taking communion. Usually I would just walk in and be a participant to communion. Take a piece of the cracker and a sip of the juice and try to keep concentrated on Jesus’ death, burial, and resurrection. It had never occurred to me before that preparing for communion formally or informally before I reach the worship service would be so rewarding. I was much more focused and I was able to not only think of the death, burial, and resurrection but also how we as a community of faith exist through Christ. Through this past February experience I now see communion as more than one of our traditions and commands of scripture, but also as a linking of me to Jesus and me to the church (community of faith) and the community of faith to Christ.

We eat his body, drink his blood in order to consume the spirit of Christ. He is in us and we in Him.

God, thank you for the meal, the feast of unleavened bread and juice in order to bring us closer to you. May we as Christians understand better its place in our community of faith and may it draw us to your Holiness!

-Michael

The Global Church

One of the goals of my junior high evening class on Wednesdays is to help students realize that the church expands beyond two blocks of El Dorado. One way we are doing that is through the newspaper headlines. We take a headline find out who and what is involved and then answer some serious questions. What are their spiritual needs? How can the church (Think Globally here) help? What does God’s word have to say about that spiritual need. Then they write out a prayer for those people.

Wherever there is need the church should be. People all over the world are in need of a savior. The church helps through various ways to proclaim that Christ is that Savior and can fulfill their spiritual needs.

How can we locally help the church globally expand and minister? We can throw money their way, we can go on short term missions, we can send supplies, and we can even dedicate years to them. However, we don’t have to transport our church to their turf in order to help the church be global. We simply have to continue to instill in the hearts of people that the church exists beyond our walls and we should do all we can to pray, serve, encourage, and support their efforts.

Sometimes being aware that we aren’t the only Christians stirs up in us much more creative possibilities in how we serve and puts a passion in our bellies for ministry. Without passion ministry becomes mundane, routine, and predictable. The problem is that people who need your ministry are sporadic, spontaneous, and completely unpredictable. That’s another topic for another day.

As we think of the church globally read this headline and answer the questions below.

Death toll from Iran quake at 500 and rising

1. Who is involved?

2. What are their physical needs?

3. What are their spiritual needs?

4. How can the church help?

5. What scripture or Biblical story seems applicable for this spiritual need?

6. What will be your prayer for this situation?

Enjoy!

-Michael

Twenty Five Things I have Done

My friend Brock made this kind of list on his blog and I thought it was a good idea. So I am stealing it.

1. Taught myself to ride a bike

2. Was baptized at 9 years old

3. Survived my Parents’ divorce

4. Learned to eat vegetables

5. Preached my first sermon at 15 years old

6. Drove the Sheriff’s Patrol Car

7. Played Baseball in High School

8. Won Several trophies in speech and drama during high school

9. Elected to National Junior Honor Society, Honor Society, and international Honor Society for 2 year colleges.

10. Successfully drove in Mexico

11. Learned Koine Greek

12. Graduated College Cum Laude

13. Rafted down several rivers

14. Almost drowned twice (not the same trip)

15. Officiated two weddings

16. Officiated two funerals (not the same event)

17. Survived a Kidney Stone (Senior year in High School)

18. Read through the Entire Bible

19. Preached in front of over 3,000 people

20. Led worship in front of more than 4,000 people

21. Bought a House (with the help of my wife)

22. One Act Play Regional Finalist (Hamlet, I was Ghost of Hamlet’s Father)

23. Rode a horse

24. Been the youth minister at the same church for over 5 years

25. Married the Woman of my Dreams!

There is much more to me than these twenty-five things. However, out of everything in my life and especially this list, number 25 is my absolute favorite and the best thing I have ever done, since committing myself to Christ. There are no words that describe fully my love for my wife and my God. Blessings to you today!

-Michael

Soul Link Approaching

Soul Link is a youth conference for the area-wide church of Christ youth in Houston. This is the fifth year we as a group of youth ministers have put on the event. This weekend the fifth annual Soul Link Youth Conference will take place. I am excited about what will happen this weekend through worship, scripture, teaching, social avenues, and more. God is blessing this event.

This is the second time that I have been co-chair for the event. Having that title brings much responsibility. We are expecting over 1,000 in attendance this year. Please pray that this event will bring glory to God.

Things are busy, but life is better in our house. Leah is finally over her sickness. We went to the doctor about her ear and surgery is needed but probably won’t take place until summer. Thank you for your continued prayers!

-Michael

Working at Home

The last two days I have done quite a bit of working at home. Yesterday I was home all day and worked on my lessons for the week as well as my communion thought for Sunday. Today I left at 1pm and went home to take care of my wife and work as well. Again I worked on lessons, communion thoughts, and Soul Link. Working at home is good and bad. It is good because it is comfortable and convenient. It is bad because it is comfortable and convenient.

I wasn’t interrupted much, but I was distracted. When I am at home working I find all the things that don’t usually get done and want to do them. The distractions were tougher yesterday morning than they were today. Because after constantly telling myself no to all the distractions, I decided to use them in my favor. It helps me to really reflect in order to write my lessons or come up with my communion thoughts. So I chose to do dishes, clean the house, or file papers to think. The actions I was doing were pretty mindless, so I thought on the things of my work while doing them. So, by yesterday afternoon and this past afternoon the distractions were less and my work more productive.

I am glad that my job is flexible enough to be able to take care of my wife while I work at home. This has been a blessing these past two days. However, there is something pretty wonderful about my office and the people I see everyday. I have missed them. Hopefully tomorrow Leah will be able to sit up and move around without getting sick and I can stay all day. Keep her in your prayers.

-Michael

24

It has been 24 hours since Leah became extremely ill. I have worked at Clear Lake Church of Christ for over 5 years and this may have been only my 3rd day to take off for illness. Granted I am not ill, but my wife is and could not be home alone. It has been twelve hours since we called the doctor and it was only four hours ago that Leah actually got to take medicine. It has been a day and I am tired. But my wife is much more tired and has had a much worse day. All that happened to me is to lose much sleep. However, for her it has been a battle all day against the stomach flu.

Hopefully she will feel better tomorrow and maybe I can go to work for half a day. Unfortunately neither her nor I’s responsibilities cease when we aren’t at work. I look forward to the life we had before sickness, death, and surgery beckoned our door. However, how would we know the greatness of God and the awesome privilege of a perfect heaven without the imperfections and struggles of this world.

In the next 24 hours I look forward to recognizing the great blessings of our Lord and how wonderful my life is with Him. What a great sermon: 24 hours with God! One day I will preach that sermon. Maybe soon!

Again, thank you for your outpouring of love. My friend Jacob’s comments on my previous blog overjoy me. He is soon to be a dad and in the midst of life about to change forever, he thinks of us and drops a note. Thank you friend. Also, there were countless emails from friends encouraging us through this time. Thank you for the blessings.

-Michael

Rough Days Behind; Rough Days Ahead

Friday at the funeral was a very tough day. My poor wife ended up sitting by herself, I was a pallbearer, and couldn’t grieve near completely. I cried, “toughened up”, and then would cry again. We had a much closure and was able to grieve as a family. However, every day since I have still grieved and so has Leah. Church on Sunday was especially hard on us, since that is what we had the most in common with my granny. We are people of faith.

The days to come will get easier. I look forward to those easier days. I plan on taking half a day today, since I have not been alone since I have heard of her death. The funeral was beautiful and everything went really well. The church that hosted her funeral had been her place of faith for decades. The normal attendance on a Sunday morning is around 10-12. However, the church holds around 200 people. On the day of the funeral the church was packed and people were standing. Only my granny could bring that many people into the church. She was a special lady.

Thank You for your prayers, emails, cards, and love. Leah and I are very grateful!

-Michael

A Legacy of Faith

The following is an obituary for my granny who passed away this past Tuesday from respiratory complications. I have tears, fond memories, and peace all come on me this week. I love my granny and I mourn today and tomorrow at her funeral. I do not mourn for her departure and new arrival into heaven, but for my family and myself who will miss her dearly. Thank you for your prayers while she was sick and your continued prayers for the family during their grieving. She was a blessing to her family, friends, church, and anyone who knew her. She was a special lady and a wonderful grandmother. But most of all she was extremely faithful, even to the end and those around her were constantly encouraged by her faithfulness. May we be the same!

Bertie L. Mercer – GANADO

Memorials: Medina Children’s Home or Bluebonnet Youth Ranch.

Tomorrow is the funeral and it also happens to be my 28th birthday. What better way to celebrate my new year of life than to celebrate at the same time my grandmothers new eternal life. May the Lord bless you and keep you!

-Michael

Hide and Seek

One of the best games known to man. It has been played for years and the only needs to play this game is willingness and objects to hide around. It is also a game that any age can play and have fun. There are also some great applications that can be made from the game.

I try to use some inventive and creative ways of making my point in Sunday morning Bible class. Hide and seek was one of those ways this past Sunday. Our topic of study is “The End Times” and this particular week we were looking at Matthew 24: 36-51. The point of this section is simply that we do not know the day or hour of when Christ will return. I wanted the class to get the sense of anticipation for waiting and the idea that we don’t know when it will happen. So I had the class of 6 choose one leader. The leader counted to 50 as the other five hid in our gym. I told the leader that as she approached 50 not to shout that she was coming, just to go and find them. The search became somewhat difficult as the students chose to hide on our stage in pitch black and the leader chosen was having vision difficulties that day due to contacts or something. No matter the point was made.

We may not be hiding from the Lord, but we do wait in anticipation in the dark about the time of his arrival. Those who look and rely on signs to tell us the end of the world is coming have misinterpreted the scripture and have confused the destruction of Jerusalem with the end of time. To look and rely on those signs is to miss the point that the end is so special that only God knows and has hidden it from all creatures in heaven and on earth including his son Jesus.

The point is be ready, watchful, and alert. Do not be afraid and miss the point of being here only worrying about the end. However, live your life in such a way that you are ready to meet the Lord whenever that time may be.

-Michael