Book: “The Principle of the Path” by Andy Stanley

I have appreciated previous Andy Stanley books, so I was looking forward to reading this one. Also, this topic is one that resonates with many, for the question it addresses is a common one. How do I get to where I want to go? This question applies to all areas of life: relational, financial, career, and spiritual. What I read caught my attention. Stanley writes that the principle of the path governs the way that our lives progress, whether we're aware of it or not…and that certain actions and decisions always have the same results. In other words, the principle of the path is like the principle of the harvest, we reap what we sow.

One quote that summarizes the book is this: "Today's decisions create tomorrow's experiences." It is easy enough to identify when someone else seems to be on the wrong path - one of disappointment or regret. But, this is not as easy to see in our own lives. We can look back and see this after the fact, but while we are in the midst, we are blind to it. One of the most helpful things about the book is that it gives us questions for self-examination or self assessment. These questions help us identify the areas which we need to address.

Stanley also stresses that it is direction not intention that sets our destination. He writes that by acknowledging and acting on this cause and effect principle, we can avoid the regret that might come on many levels. But, beware, this book does not try to provide a solution or fix, what it offers is a guide to better self awareness.
As for the author’s style, it’s typical Andy Stanley. The writing is anecdotal, clear, and an easy read. I found the book interesting and helpful and would recommend it to those who are looking for a tool to examine their own life.

Moving towards extinction?

Is the Adventist church in North America becoming extinct? In a recent copy of the Adventist Review, Jeffrey Rosario said, “There’s a 50 percent chance that a teenager who gets baptized in his or her mid-teens will leave the Adventist Church completely by the time he or she is 25.

And, hear is a painful stat to see, “One in every five Adventist churches in North America doesn’t have a single child, teenager, or young adult. In fact, the median age in our churches is nearly 60—20 years older than the average American."

Something to consider...

Violence at SDA President Wilson's California Speech

The last thing you’d expect to see at a large meeting of Adventist seniors, most of them retired church workers, is someone throwing a sucker punch to the mouth. But that’s what happened recently in Redlands, California.

It was February 21 (Presidents Day), and General Conference President Ted Wilson addressed the retirees at the Redlands Adventist Church, telling them of his vision for the church, reporting on his recent travels and taking questions. For a conservative leader, it was a tailor-made audience—receptive to his presentation, supportive and approving for the most part, with only a few questions from the fringes of la-la land. And even those he handled as much with a pastor’s comforting hand as with an administrator’s care for the institution he represents.

One of those questions came from a man who was much younger than the average attendee. Short, with salt-and-pepper gray-blond hair, the man complained to Wilson that some pastors and church employees in Southern California were conducting themselves in ways that did not comport with Adventist doctrine and practice. He suggested that Wilson and the General Conference use the enforcement of the trademarked name “Seventh-day Adventist” to crack down on what he perceived to be this abuse. He also railed against “apostasy” in Southern California, citing women’s ordination, political involvement, and social justice as examples.

Wilson, who had just competently fielded several other unusual questions (one man claiming to have “new light” on a passage from Ellen White’s writings, for instance) listened to the younger man and said he’d be glad to look into the question and to receive more information from him after the meeting, if the man could provide it.

The event ended, and many people crowded around Wilson in the front of the sanctuary as others left. At the rear, Southeastern California Conference pastor Jared Wright, who writes for Spectrum Magazine, approached the questioner to ask more about his specific complaints. (Wright says that the man has been identified as Yucaipa resident Warren Stevens.)

Wright identified himself as representing Spectrum, and Stevens raised his voice and said, “You’re part of the problem.” He poked Wright in the chest with his finger and kept escalating his voice.

Then after making verbal threats, Stevens allegedly shot a right jab to Wright’s face, punching him in the mouth. Wright staggered and moved away with his laptop computer and phone, which he was using to record the man’s answers (the phone caught the entire confrontation). Others circled Stevens and began urging him to calm down, and ushered him out of the sanctuary and into the church foyer.

You can hear a recording of the altercation at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uzIg9lB9p1A

What If - Donald Miller

Next

This past Saturday, I finished a message series on the topic of worship. That's our theme this year at the Santa Rosa Adventist church...and my desire for all of us...that we will grow in our worship of God, that it will become more authentic, real, and that it will bless God.

This last week, I ran across a picture with a saying that really caught me. If you attend the Santa Rosa Adventist church, you know that there are certain sayings that are part of the fabric of our culture, things like, "Come as you are," or "Food, Fun, Fellowship"... Check out the one below and see what you think...

This saying has prompted some thoughts for upcoming messages. Look for them in February.

January Sermon Series

This month, I am doing a sermon series on Authentic Worship. This in not only our theme for the year, but my personal desire to grow in my worship of God. I will be presenting a 4-part series, the weekly titles are: Why Worship Matters, Worship Responses, Individual Worship, and How Worship Changes You.

Homeless Guy with Golden Voice

The Cleveland Cavaliers have offered him a job!

What time is it?

One of the things I have been reflecting about recently is the issue of time. It seems to me that our culture is preoccupied with time. Part of the reason for our preoccupation with time is the busyness of life (which I think is the curse of our age). We tend to constantly be asking "What time is it?  or, "How much time do I have?" Maybe the better question to ask is, "What am I doing with my time?"

If you are interested in further reading on this topic, I recommend a couple books, “Time and the Art of Living, by Robert Grudin,” or  “Boundaries,” by Henry Cloud and John Townsend.

The Book Of Daniel

We have been studying the Book of Daniel at the Santa Rosa Adventist church. This week, we conclude our study. If you want to do some futher reading on the subject, I recommend Jacque Doukhan's book, "Secrets of Daniel. Doukhan has so much insight to the Jewish culture and Hebrew language that when he disects the scriptures, they come alive.

If you missed a sermon, you can past sermon's at http://santarosasda.adventistfaith.org/Sermons.

Angkor Wat

I just got back from speaking in Bangkok, Thailand, and since I was so close to Cambodia, I had to take a couple of days to go to Angkor Wat.

Branded Faith

Check out this video from my friend and fellow pastor, Kumar Dixit.

Branded Faith Film part 1 from Dixit Media Group on Vimeo.

Rescue

I thought you might find this interesting...I am not sure how I feel about some of the comments made...

Adventists Claim Credit for Chilean Miner Miracle

by Jared Wright

 

As dramatic rescue efforts continue in Chile, where thirty-three miners were trapped deep inside a San Jose mine for 69 days and counting, Adventists are vying for recognition as the ones responsible for the miracle.

According to a report from the Guardian, "Evangelical, Adventist and Catholic clerics are vying to stamp their own faith on the expected rescue of the trapped men."

The report notes that each denomination is taking credit for what many Chileans perceive to be divine intervention in the miners' two-month survival.

An Adventist pastor who oversees the northern Chilean district of Copiapo has claimed direct involvement: "God has spoken to me clearly and guided my hand each step of the rescue," said Carlos Parra Diaz, a Seventh-day Adventist pastor at the San Jose mine. "He wanted the miners to be rescued and I am His instrument."

On August 31, the Adventist News Network reported that Parra Diaz coordinated the delivery of small Bibles with accompanying magnifying glasses to each of the trapped miners.

Each Bible is labeled with the words, "We are praying for your return." [A Brazilian news] magazine also said that Psalms 40 is highlighted in each Bible. The passage reads, in part, "I waited patiently for the Lord; and he inclined to me, and heard my cry. He also brought me up out of a horrible pit ... and set my feet upon a rock, and established my steps."

The church also gave a copy of the Bible to the ministers of health and mining, as well as to each of the families at the rescue site. Parra is acting as the camp's chaplain, local Adventist leaders said.

According to the Guardian, however, the Adventist minister has competition. A litte bit further up the hill of Camp Hope, the improvised settlement of miners' families, rescuers, government officials and media, an evengelical preacher, Javier Soto , wandered from family to family with a guitar and songs of praise. "He listens to the music," said the pastor, gesturing to the azure sky.

Still, the Advantage may belong to Parra Diaz, who was granted permission to speak to the miners' families on a regular basis, the Guardian reports. Diaz stole a march over his rivals by obtaining permission to give a 10-minute talk to the assembled 33 families before their nightly briefing by government officials. "I do macro work. I am pastor to all." The other churches, he said, did "micro" work.

A Catholic cleric on hand refused to be drawn into the competition for religious prominence. Bishop Quintana, after concluding a mass in which TV cameras outnumbered worshippers, declined to be drawn on the subject of competition but said he had received supportive emails from all over the world. "What matters is that God is acting through human ingenuity to rescue these men."

It seems evident that the successful conclusion to this crisis situation is a boon for religious organizations including the Adventists in the area. However, given the routinely high mortality rate of miners in Chile's extremely dangerous privately owned mines, perhaps the religious leaders involved would do well to expand the scope of their petitioning for divine intervention. To include the hardworking poor and unprotected in prayer would be no minor miracle.

Hospital for sinners

"Church is a hospital for sinners, not a country club for saints."


Ever had that statement before? The truth is that in the church, everyone has a common problem, it’s a sin problem. It’s not just that we sin, the real problem is that we were born with a sinful nature, which means whether or not we are committing acts of transgression against God’s law, we are still sinners.
Unfortunately, many pretend they don't have a problem. In many churches stories are told about people who used to sin, and that’s OK as long as those people give testimonies that have happy endings, “I used to have a problem, but then I met God, and now I'm doing much better.”

Imagine seeing a counselor and saying, "I only want to talk about problems I used to have. Don't ask me to acknowledge having any current problems, okay? I mean, it's embarrassing. I'm afraid you might reject me." Why would anybody go to a counselor to try to convince him/her that they don't need a counselor?

Church is a place to come with your struggles, addictions, dysfunctions, doubts, fears, and victory over sin through Christ. The church needs to be the place of greatest safety and healing. The church needs to be a place where we enter into relationships that will encourage us and hold us accountable. The church should be a place where we can have conversations with other sinners, conversations that lead us to repentance, forgiveness, growth, healing, and change

So, let us do our best to remember that the church is a hospital for sinners. And, let’s extend God’s mercy, love, and forgiveness to all that come through those doors.

Just Courage

A couple of years ago, I heard Gary Haugen speak at the Leadership Summit and learned about the International Justice Mission (IJM). IJM is a human rights agency that works to get justice for victims of slavery, sexual exploitation, and other forms of violent oppression all over the world. I was moved by the presentation and the reminder that God is at work all over the world, using a variety of different means to bring relief and salvation to the poor and oppressed. Sometimes we think God only works through one group of people and in only one way, or that God is most concerned about what we know instead of what we do. Not so!

After the presentation, I bought the book, "Just Courage" by Gay Haugen. If you are looking for a read that will inspire you to be used by God to help and serve people, then you might want to check it out.

Also, check out the IJM web site at http://www.ijm.org/

Walla Walla University church

This past Saturday, I had the opportunity to worship at the Walla Walla University church. We were there to drop off our oldest daughter for college. Two things caught my attention.

One...was the excellent and timely message by the pastor. One of my church member's non-SDA husband came with his wife to drop off his son at Walla. He told me he had not understood why his son wanted to attend an Adventist college so badly. That night, we had supper together and he told me he now he gets it. Awesome!

Two...the church members who greeted the new students outside of church on their way in were AWESOME! They welcomed the students, took their names and numbers down, invited them to their homes to eat and to join their weekly home group for college students (which includes freeding them).
 
Again, I was impressed and left assured that my daughter is in good hands. I love it when the church works!