Random Thoughts

Thanksgiving is just two days away. As I began my morning with my laptop & coffee, random thankful thoughts started flooding my mind. And when I say ‘random’……well, you’ll get the point.

I am thankful…

- that I no longer have 3 broken teeth.

- for a working dishwasher.

- for great friends & family in at least 10 states.

- to be a proud Mac user.

- for Starbucks holiday drinks.

- that I can color the grey out of my goatee…and admit it.

- for 4 great kids & an incredible wife.

- for Spirit-minded church leadership.

- that Christ gave His life 4 me…and wants me to partner with Him…despite my many flaws!

“Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good! His faithful love endures forever…Let them praise the Lord for his great love and for the wonderful things he has done for them.”

Psalm 107:1,8

What are you thankful for this week?

Church & Parents…can they partner together?

I recently had the opportunity to hear Reggie Joiner passionately talk about The State of the Church and Family (2010), a study done by the reThink Group and the Barna Group. They surveyed parents all over the U.S., both churched and unchurched. When asked if they thought that leaders in the church were a good source for help with developing a parenting plan, this is what they said:

57% - churched parents – VERY HELPFUL

19% - unchurched parents – VERY HELPFUL

These results give us immense insight that the church in America must address. First, less than a fifth of unchurched parents would think to go to the local church for help with their parenting efforts. Personally, I’m not overly shocked with that finding. It’s the 57% of churched parents that share the same feelings on that subject that…to me…is unacceptable & inexcusable! The Word of God contains valuable information on parenting, and I know that many churches teach those principles from the pulpit, in their adult elective classes, and in their small groups. Why then, are so many parents doubtful of the church’s ability to support families in this area? Do parents not think that anyone else knows what they are going through? Is the church not willing to openly discuss issues like physical discipline (spanking), sexual orientation, drugs & alcohol use at home, domestic violence, etc?

I’m sure the causes of these survey results are many & complex. But church…we cannot let this knowledge go unattended. The very backbone of our society is the family unit. If parents can’t/won’t look to God’s church for guidance, where will they turn? We must raise our hand and clearly say, “We can help.”

We aim to please!

Have you ever known someone who needed to gain approval from others? It might be an athlete to a coach…student to a professor…or worker to an employer. While this is not always completely wrong or unhealthy, there does come a point to which a re-focus must happen. A wide-receiver may desire mass recognition from his fans to gain fame. Likewise, an associate may push themselves to strenuous limits to be recognized by the higher-ups in order to get that promotion. Whatever the task…whatever the benefit…and whatever the reason, we must all regularly ask ourselves one gigantic question, “Who am I trying to please here?”

…we urge you in the name of the Lord Jesus to live in a way that pleases God, as we have taught you…

1Thessalonians 4:1 (NLT)

Gaining favor with people is fine, but I would argue that it shouldn’t be what drives our efforts. When our work is done to honor and please God, people see it and notice a difference in how we do things. Additionally, aiming to please Him greatly affects our drive…our work ethic. One final point would be this. We may get some fame or fortune from pleasing others, but Christ promises eternal riches, life, and happiness. May God be pleased with our lives this week.