I Will Build

Even though there are scores of local church congregations across America and around the world, we remain unified by a common Savior, who has given us a common purpose. Romans 12 says:
4 For as we have many members in one body, but all the members do not have the same function,
5 so we, being many, are one body in Christ, and individually members of one another.

Local churches and denominations, as well as non-denominational churches, come in a variety of sizes and shapes - some are united by a strong governing body that sets church policy, others are part of denominations or organizations that have autonomous local congregations. But, what unites us is the presence of Jesus, and our willingness to serve Him in fellowship with other believers.  When we are functioning as one, even though we may belong to or attend different church bodies, we can see the power of God work to transform our communities.  

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The Church is the institution established by Jesus, who said, "I will build my church," so that the Church would reflect the love and life of our Savior. Ephesians 2 says:
19 Now, therefore, you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God,
20 having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief corner stone,
21 in whom the whole building, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord...

14.1 million people.

That's a powerful force for Christ from just one denomination.

The latest set of numerical figures regarding participation in the Southern Baptist Convention has just been released, and it shows that while 2020 was a year of decline in several key areas, there is still incredible potential.

Here is the raw data, from Lifeway Christian Resources:

Slightly more churches in operation, 62 more, in fact, in 2020, from the previous year, to tip the scales at almost 48,000 churches. 

But, membership was slightly down, from just over 14.5 million members to just under 14.1 - that's a 3% decline.

Baptisms were down significantly, from almost 236,000 in 2019 to just over 123,000 last year - over a 47% decline.

Average weekly worship attendance was down to 4.44 million, from 5.25 million the year before; all state conventions did not provide information in this category. The Lifeway summary of this data says this is a greater than 15% decline.

Lifeway's summary of this survey, the Annual Church Profile, states:

Scott McConnell, executive director of Lifeway Research, said a number of factors likely contributed to the 3 percent decline in overall membership, including fewer congregations, fewer additions through baptism and other additions, likely higher deaths from COVID-19, and other reductions in the membership of individual Southern Baptist congregations.

Yes, this was a COVID year, and you really don't know what story the numbers would have told had conditions been more normal, but the summary notes that the SBC has been in a "14-year trend of membership decline.", relating that, "Membership in Southern Baptist congregations peaked at 16.3 million in 2006, declining more than 2 million since." The summary also notes that, "This is the 9th straight year with fewer baptisms reported than the prior year."

But, as McConnell notes, “Socially distant behavior is helpful for containing a pandemic, but it hindered meeting new people, inviting people to church, and helping them take a step of obedience to be baptized...The additional outreach through online methods did not make a dent in the smaller number of opportunities to share the gospel in person, including fewer Vacation Bible Schools, live events, and weekly services to invite people to attend. The last year Southern Baptists saw this few people follow Christ for the first time was 1918 and 1919 when the influenza pandemic was sweeping the world.”

A Religion News story on the numbers included comments from a high-ranking SBC leader:

Ronnie Floyd, president of the SBC’s Executive Committee, said the report showed a need for a renewed focus on evangelism, missions and church planting.

“It may take years for us to know the full effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on our churches,” Floyd told Baptist Press. “There are lessons to be learned from 2020 as we put it behind us — such as the vital need for corporate worship, the value of being creative in developing ways to share the Gospel, and how much local communities need our churches to minister in difficult circumstances.”

As the Convention prepares to meet later this month in Nashville for an event that is reportedly approaching record numbers, there are certainly issues to be dealt with on the leadership level. But, one must remember that the SBC is comprised of autonomous local churches - so the cumulative statistics are made up of local church data.  And, this upcoming convention will likely have some substantive debates - a new convention president will be chosen from four announced candidates.  And, many Southern Baptists are still stinging from the hastily-passed Resolution 9 dealing with critical race theory and intersectionality, which a number of Baptists do not feel went far enough in repudiating these worldly ideas. 

I would also submit, that if you look at the numbers, Southern Baptists may be declining numerically, but the church landscape in local communities is changing.  There do seem to simply be more choices. And, researcher Ryan Burge wrote several years ago:

Are nondenominational Christians just Southern Baptists by another name? The answer is a tentative “yes”, with some caveats. Nondenominational churches are typically younger and more racially diverse than Southern Baptist churches. On religious matters, both groups attend church at the same rate, yet nondenominationals are more likely to hold a moderate theological position on the Bible than SBC churchgoers. Finally, when it comes to politics it seems that Southern Baptists and nondenominational Christians are very similar. Nondenominational parishioners are slightly more supportive of same-sex marriage and slightly less supportive of abortion rights, but these differences are small. Taken together it makes sense that there is so much movement between Southern Baptists and nondenominational churches as the differences are in many cases small or nonexistent.

But, it starts at the local level - with each of us!  A healthy church is made up of people who are growing spiritually, as well as people who find the church to be a safe place to bring their struggles. Every believer can examine how he or she is contributing to the spiritual growth of the local church.  When the love of Christ is being shared and the life of Christ is being lived, people will be drawn to what they see.  That's how the Church grows. 

Bad Influence

We have to be careful about the role models that we and our children select. Ultimately, we should be inspired by the behavior of those who are devoted to following Christ and who turn away from immorality, as Ephesians chapter 5 directs - we can read:
1 Therefore be imitators of God as dear children.
2 And walk in love, as Christ also has loved us and given Himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling aroma.
3 But fornication and all uncleanness or covetousness, let it not even be named among you, as is fitting for saints;
4 neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor coarse jesting, which are not fitting, but rather giving of thanks.

Of course, each of us, in our following of Christ, should seek to set godly examples, demonstrating that we know Him and that we love Him and all people, just as Christ gave Himself for the entire world.  We have to guard ourselves against the pollution of this world and not allow ourselves to be corrupted by immoral thinking that violates what He has taught regarding sexuality - He gives us the power to keep our thoughts, our language, and action pure.

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God calls us to a walk of purity, of honoring Him in thought, word, and deed. The world, unfortunately, has adopt views of sexuality that do not meet the purity standard and run contrary to the ways of God. 1st Corinthians 6 contrasts the world's activity with the teachings of Scripture:
9 Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites,
10 nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God.
11 And such were some of you. But you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God.

Romans 1:25 says that immoral people, "exchanged the truth of God for the lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever," and verse 26 says that this is why "God gave them up to vile passions..."

The Bible does not use flowery or vague language to communicate God's heart on matters of sexuality. That is why it is unacceptable for Christians to mix an acceptance of what the Bible does not support with the truth of the Scriptures.  We have to be consistent and adopting the ways of this world into the practice of Christianity is a harmful mix. 

For some time now, we have witnessed the emergence and advance of an event at local libraries called the Drag Queen Story Hour.  And, the upholding of the purity of the Spirit has been dragged down by men who dress like women and flaunt their disregard for the gender traits that are established by Scripture.  God made men and women different, according to His plan, and society is dedicated, it seems, to blurring the lines or outright crossing them.

We have seen a major U.S. denomination prepare to ordain for ministry a so-called "drag queen" and a toy manufacturer recently released a product that honors "drag queens."  While there are those that believe that the Story Hour is protected under the First Amendment, other say that libraries should not be promoting this deviant behavior to children.  I believe that if a community does not desire to have this behavior on display, that community pressure can lead to its elimination. 

But, as we have seen, the promoters of the LGBTQ agenda do not stop, they are always looking for ways to advance their agenda.  So, mass media has now taken up the baton.  A story at CBN.com says that: 

The Daily Wire reports the New York City Department of Education and the public media company The WNET Group are partnering together for a new education television program called "Let's Learn," which is geared toward kids ages 3 to 8.

The article says: 

One of the latest episodes of the program features a drag queen named Little Miss Hot Mess as the host. The drag queen reads and dances to a book he wrote...

The drag queen would like for children to regard his behavior as normal, saying, "Drag queens, we are everyday people who love to play pretend and dress up as often as we can. We love to wear shiny, sparkly outfits with all of our sequins and all of our glitter and a lot of jewelry and maybe a little too much makeup..."

The CBN article says that:

The Daily Caller reported the "Let's Learn" series doesn't belong to PBS, but the programming is being made available to PBS stations.

As CBN News has reported, Drag Queen Story Hours have spread to libraries, schools, bookstores, and even liberal churches across the country in the last few years, trying to convince young children the LGBTQ lifestyle is normal and exciting.

The library events are about 45 minutes long for children aged three to eight years old and intend to capture children's imaginations and normalize gender fluidity through "unabashedly queer role models," according to the Drag Queen Story Hour's official website.

The CBN article goes on to name two instances in which one of these "drag queens" was found to have been "convicted sex offenders."

This Scripture verse was actually quoted on my program the other day about another matter, but it's applicable here. Isaiah 5:20 says, "Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil; Who put darkness for light, and light for darkness; Who put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!"  The Drag Queen Story Hour and other instances that further the LGBTQ agenda would fit that description.  As it's been pointed out, there is nowhere in Scripture that homosexuality is presented in a positive light; it is presented as sinful behavior in a number of verses and passages in the Word of God. Yet, the agenda marches on - in and out of the church.  

Yet, there are those who struggle and should go to the Church and find help - for assistance in overcoming this sinful behavior and resisting its temptation, not for accommodation as part of someone's identity.  Paul clearly teaches in 1st Corinthians 6 that what we now know as LGBTQ actions are products of the "old nature," or the "flesh."  We confess our sins and receive forgiveness and power to walk in victory!  

But, we recognize there is the attempt to normalize what the Bible clearly condemns.  That is the nature of sin, any sin: we want to say, "well, that's just the way I am."  But, we have to dig into God's Word and see that there is a way that He has declared us to be, according to the new creation.  Sinful patterns and areas of vulnerability do not automatically go away, in most cases, but we can find new power and instruction in order to live in the light of God's truth.

One True God

There are many who claim that they are on the path to the knowledge of God, who are experiencing a higher spiritual plane. But what is spiritual is not necessarily Biblical. The Word of God says in the book of 2nd John:
7 For many deceivers have gone out into the world who do not confess Jesus Christ as coming in the flesh. This is a deceiver and an antichrist.
8 Look to yourselves, that we do not lose those things we worked for, but that we may receive a full reward.
9 Whoever transgresses and does not abide in the doctrine of Christ does not have God. He who abides in the doctrine of Christ has both the Father and the Son.

The Bible shows us what is accurate and what is not - and there are many cults in the world today that are centered on a particular person or ideology. And, in the occult, you find people who are devoted to the worship of spiritual beings rather than the one true God. We have to be careful that our religious practice is not predicated on a particular individual and that our beliefs and actions are inspired by and consistent with the teachings of Scripture.

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There was certainly a reason why God said that we are no have no other gods before Him. We are warned against idolatry, setting up false gods instead of the one true God. And, in Isaiah 44, we read this:
5 One will say, 'I am the Lord's'; Another will call himself by the name of Jacob; Another will write with his hand, 'The Lord's,' And name himself by the name of Israel.
6 "Thus says the Lord, the King of Israel, And his Redeemer, the Lord of hosts: 'I am the First and I am the Last; Besides Me there is no God.

No other God.  We get ourselves into trouble when we worship people, things, ideas, or even spirits that are not from God.  The good news is that we can come to know this wonderful God through a relationship with His Son, Jesus Christ.

There's a disturbing story out of Colorado about people who did not adhere to the ways of God.  They set up a false, human god, named her "mother God," and then somehow she ended up losing her life.  I came across the story at ChristianNews.net, which republished part of a story from The Independent; it led like this:

Seven people are facing charges related to abusing a corpse, as well as child abuse, after a cult leader’s mummified body was found decorated with Christmas lights and glitter in what appeared to be a shrine in southern Colorado in the US.

It goes on to say that 45-year-old Amy Carlson, "who was known as 'Mother God' by her followers, was found dead in a home in a small town in called Moffat in Colorado on April 28, according to...official documents. However, no details about the cause of death have been revealed."

The name of the cult: "Love Has Won."

An update on the CBS4 website out of Denver says: "the group has reappeared online. It appears the cult has changed its name." It goes on to say:

Calling itself “5D Full Disclosure,” members of the group posted a blue full page on a site stating, “God was here. She ascended, now it’s our turn.”

It also reports:

Two known members of the group posted on Facebook dated May 20 with Amy Carlson’s picture in the background.

One person said, “How did this happen. Everybody still loves mom… nothing changed.” It is a live stream entitled “The Return of the Oracles.”

Another story at The Independent website states, "The group are facing various counts of child abuse, abuse of a corpse, tampering with deceased human remains, and false imprisonment." It also relates that, "Several children at the property were reportedly taken into the custody of Child Protection Services."  The story relates that one member of the group has had a court appearance.

So how does this happen? BBC reports:

Little is known about the origins of Love Has Won, which is believed to have emerged in the late 2000s under a different guise.

A follower encouraged Ms Carlson to join their movement, paving the way for her elevation to the head of Love Has Won. Its disciples do not appear to have a fixed set of beliefs. Instead, they practise and preach a fluid theology consisting of New Age philosophy, conspiracy theories, and messiah worship.

Their messiah was Ms Carlson, who was known as "Mother God".

Her teachings were sacrosanct, and her claims were even more fantastical than her title. She was Jesus Christ in one of her 534 past lives, could cure cancer, and could speak to the spirit of the late actor Robin Williams, she would often claim.

OK, let's get to the point: There is no messiah other than our Messiah.  No human being can save the soul.  We should never worship a person or group of people in order to meet the spiritual needs of our hearts.  We have to be careful not to get off track in our pursuit of "salvation" so that we seek it in things or people who do not satisfy.  There is no god other than the One True God.  There are scores of unworthy counterfeits, but fall far short of the criteria of savior. 

I think of the name of this group, Love Has Won.  I'm not sure how the seven people charged in relation to this woman's murder are carrying that out, but we have to realize that the world has its values, which do not necessarily line up with Scripture.  And, the enemy of the soul is at work in a significant way.  We have to be discerning so that we do not corrupt the practice of the Christian faith by interjecting worldly ideas.  When the Church adopts that philosophies of humanity to solve its problems - and we are seeing that with greater regularity, it seems - we become guilty of designing our own religious practice that does not conform with the simplicity and the power of the gospel message. 

Together in Battle

There are battles that we face each day, and we can be confident that we are not alone, that God goes with us, and we can take great care to rely on Him. We also see that the Bible teaches that He brings people into our lives for us to encourage. Galatians 6 states:
1 Brethren, if a man is overtaken in any trespass, you who are spiritual restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness, considering yourself lest you also be tempted.
2 Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.
3 For if anyone thinks himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceives himself.

The law of Christ, referred to in verse 2, is predicated on God's love for us and our love for each other. Even the law is given in order that men and women may be right with God and to live in right relationships with fellow human beings. We can appropriate what the Lord has provided so that we can be strong in our own battles and so that we can walk alongside others who are struggling.  In humility and with a servant's heart, we can offer ourselves to be used of Him.

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In an age of conflict and division, Christians are called to chart another course, to demonstrate love for and even responsibility for other people. In Genesis 4, we see the story of two brothers, Cain and Abel - we pick up in verse 4:
(4b) And the Lord respected Abel and his offering,
5 but He did not respect Cain and his offering. And Cain was very angry, and his countenance fell.
6 So the Lord said to Cain, "Why are you angry? And why has your countenance fallen?
7 If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin lies at the door. And its desire is for you, but you should rule over it."
8 Now Cain talked with Abel his brother; and it came to pass, when they were in the field, that Cain rose up against Abel his brother and killed him.
9 Then the Lord said to Cain, "Where is Abel your brother?" He said, "I do not know. Am I my brother's keeper?"

One of the great lessons of Memorial Day is that we are all involved in spiritual battles, and we need each other.  We think about those who have risked and given their lives for a cause greater than themselves, and we recognize that they did not go into battle alone.

The film, My Brother's Keeper, had a limited theatrical run not long ago and is now available in home video.  It stars T.C. Stallings, who has an amazing story of his own - you may be familiar with him from his work in the films War Room, Courageous, and A Question of Faith. 

My Brother's Keeper was shot in the Columbus area and the filmmaker, Ty Manns, lives in Phenix City. Local television station WTVM spotlighted the movie around the time of its release.  Manns said that the story is "somewhat based on my father’s experience when he returned home from Vietnam..."

Stallings said, regarding his character, “The movie does focus on the struggles he has with PTSD, but then there’s also the struggle of faith..." The article notes that Stallings, "is not a military veteran, but did extensive research on PTSD for his role as decorated war hero Sgt. 1st Class Travis Fox." He said, “That’s how I got some of the mannerisms I would show, listen to soldiers talk about how [PTSD] felt, what their dreams were like. You listen to some of the people, real people, and you just want to do it justice..."

Manns served 24 years in the Army, and his last stop in the military was at Fort Benning in 2003.  His father served and his two sons are currently in the military, according to the NowHabersham website, which relates that Manns had a long-term desire to make movies. 

WTVM reports that Manns...

...was 10 years old when his father came home from war and it got so bad that their mom packed up the kids and left.

“We watched his lifestyle, we saw it spiraling out of control,” Manns said about his father back from war. “They couldn’t afford professional counseling, so they went to see the pastor.”

His dad, a war hero, eventually became a pastor himself. Manns said that turn to God is a key part of his latest film.

“The faith had to be [in the film] because it was the faith that saved our family years ago,” Manns added.

The stories of bravery during times of war fuels the celebration of Memorial Day, and we can remember the boldness that God gives to each of us to fight the battles we face.  On so many occasions, we have internal struggles - resisting temptation, or being healed and restored if we have succombed to it. Like it or not, we live in a world where the spiritual enemy is present, and we need to rely on the resources, the weapons of our warfare, that God gives. 

The title of that film, My Brother's Keeper, speaks powerfully to a phrase used in Scripture. Cain asked the question in Genesis 4, and the Bible goes on to show that the answer is "yes."  We are not designed to go through life alone; we are placed in the family of God, the body of Christ, so that we can draw strength from one another.  We can be agents of encouragement as we take that responsibility seriously.

Don't Care?

The possession of hope in Christ will produce a sense of diligence and urgency - we should be, as the Bible tells us, contending for the faith, as we can read in the book of Jude:
3 Beloved, while I was very diligent to write to you concerning our common salvation, I found it necessary to write to you exhorting you to contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints.
4 For certain men have crept in unnoticed, who long ago were marked out for this condemnation, ungodly men, who turn the grace of our God into lewdness and deny the only Lord God and our Lord Jesus Christ.

God calls us to pursue a walk of righteousness and holiness, to know Him better and to reflect His presence in our lives.  We are navigating our way through a world that is full of rejection of our Lord and for His people. That should enable us to seek out opportunities and seize those opportunities so that Christ might be proclaimed and fruit produced for His glory. The gospel is still a source of hope, even though there are those that related in a recent survey that they "don't care" about the existence of God.

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We are called to be diligent in our pursuit of the gospel, not wooed by a laissez-faire attitude that is not productive. 2nd Peter 1 relates a sense of intensity, when it says:
10 Therefore, brethren, be even more diligent to make your call and election sure, for if you do these things you will never stumble;
11 for so an entrance will be supplied to you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

The departure from time-honored Biblical principles is being seen all around us, and it can motivate believers to continue to hold on to and share the teachings of Scripture.

George Barna has continued his excellent work of documenting trends in the Church and the culture through his position as Director of Research at the Cultural Research Center at Arizona Christian University.  The Center has released more information in its American Worldview Inventory series, which reveals an indifference among the millennial generation regarding the things of God.

The youngest millennials will be turning twenty next year, with the high end currently being 36 or 37. The lead statistic in articles about this survey on CBN.com and The Christian Post: as CBN puts it, "43 percent of Millennials stated they either don't know, don't care, or don't believe God exists..."  That contrasts to 28 percent of Boomers, the group born between 1946 and 1964.

There are other generational differences.  The Christian Post states that...

...nearly half of all boomers believe that when they die, they will go to Heaven only because they confessed their sins and accepted Jesus as their Savior, compared to only 26% of Gen X and 16% of millennials.

Gen X are those born between 1965 and 1983.  Also, the Post points out that concerning the builders, the generation born between 1927 and 1945: "A staggering 90% of builders believe you treat others as you want them to treat you, while less than half of millennials agree."

CBN points out that:

The CRC research shows that some of the biggest differences are in definitions like success in life, abortion, evolution, Biblical practices, reincarnation, karma, horoscopes, according to Relevant Magazine. Millennials and Gen X beliefs align more closely to one another, while Boomers and Builders hold more similar beliefs.

The Christian Post relates:

Commenting on the study, George Barna, CRC director of research, said that Gen X and the millennials have “solidified dramatic changes in the nation’s central beliefs and lifestyles,” adding: “The result is a culture in which core institutions, including churches, and basic ways of life are continually being radically redefined.”

The Post reported that the researchers wrote, "...this radical spiritual revolution has created a generation seeking a reimagined world without God, the Bible, or churches..." This is indicated, even though "a majority of Americans call themselves Christian, ranging from 57% of millennials to 83% of builders."

Spiritual ideas are not necessarily religious nor Christian.  It's cool in some circles to embrace spirituality, but Christianity demands surrender to Jesus and His principles, whereas a more vague "spirituality" can be styled by the person who practices it.  But, the upside of being a Christian far outweighs worldly, human-centered ideas - here on this earth and in the afterlife, which is by no means certain for many younger people these days.

But, there is cause for optimism.  The CBN article featured quotes from Nick Hall of the PULSE Movement, who said, "There's all sorts of opinions about all sorts of things, all sorts of ideas and yet there is one thing that changes everything, and so I am seeing people praying, fasting, and really believing that, man, no matter what happens, we know that God is in control and we need to trust Him now more than ever."  The Christian Post quotes Jacob Bland of Youth for Christ, who said, “Teens today are facing crises like never before, but it’s often in the darkness that light shines the brightest,” adding, “To enter into a disciple-making relationship where you're introducing a kid to an unconditional love that maybe they've never even considered, showing them the goodness and love modeled in Jesus — there's a lot of hope in that.”

There is a challenge for faithfulness. God wants us to be faithful to walk in His ways, to be grounded in the Word and dedicated to sharing the love and truth of Jesus Christ.  Some may not care, and it seems like almost half of millennials fit in that category; but that does not exempt us from caring about them.

Shredding

Jesus paints a wonderful picture in John 15, letting us know that as we remain in communion and communication with Him, we will see Him do amazing things in our lives. He says to us:
5 I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.
6 If anyone does not abide in Me, he is cast out as a branch and is withered; and they gather them and throw them into the fire, and they are burned.
7 If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you.
8 By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples.

We can consider whether or not we have a veracity for God's Word.  If we regard Christ as our Savior and all-sufficient One, we will allow Him to have His way in our lives, and the Bible gives us the principles by which we can live a fruitful life for Christ.  By His Spirit, He wants to fill us and flow through us, so that His nature may be seen in us.  His life becomes our life, we are, as 2nd Peter says, 
"partakers of the divine nature."  We have access to eternal and abundant life through Christ. 

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At the conclusion of the forty years that the Israelites spent in the wilderness, Moses encouraged the people to recognize the spiritual food that they had been given. In Deuteronomy 8, we read these words from the Israelite leader:
2 And you shall remember that the Lord your God led you all the way these forty years in the wilderness, to humble you and test you, to know what was in your heart, whether you would keep His commandments or not. 

3 So He humbled you, allowed you to hunger, and fed you with manna which you did not know nor did your fathers know, that He might make you know that man shall not live by bread alone; but man lives by every word that proceeds from the mouth of the Lord.

That last phrase is probably familiar to you - remember Jesus spoke those words to the devil in the wilderness, a reminder to us about how valuable and powerful the Word of God is to us in dealing with the challenges we face.

We are about to embark on the summer months, and while there are many who are looking forward to a vacation at some time during the next few weeks, especially coming out of the COVID pandemic, there is a youth minister in Texas that has definitely put a unique spin on the summer for his youth group.

It's at Paramount Baptist Church in Amarillo, and pastor Will Standridge has challenged his students to a 66-day journey, exploring the 66 books of the Bible. 

Baptist Press reports that Standridge had a group that had a hunger for God's Word, and had questions, especially about the Old Testament.  The article says:

He wanted to choose a plan that was more of an overview where students could see how the two testaments connect in the big picture.

Standridge said, "I want the students to see that the Bible from Genesis to Revelation is one grand story all preaching the name of Jesus..." The youth pastor had heard about this method of Bible reading from Clayton King at a training event, who "spoke about a plan to 'shred' through the Bible in 66 days with small groups of students."  The 66 days start tomorrow, and the participation has already exceeded expectations, with 20 students having signed up as of the time the article was written.  And, there's some grace: if students don't finish the prescribed book for the day, they start the next day on the next book.

But, this Bible reading activity is not just an end unto itself, not merely something to do, or some sort of gimmick; Standridge has a clear motivation; the article says:

A passion for God’s Word was something Standridge said he wanted to bring to his students. Seeing all of the stories of students leaving the church or “deconstructing” their faith after turning 18 really inspired him to examine the role church youth groups played in these trends.

Standridge said he believes a lack of open and honest conversations with students while studying Scripture could play a factor in students’ leaving the faith.

“I think a big reason a lot of students don’t seem hungry (for the Word) is because they’re not in environments where they feel like being hungry for those things is allowed,” he said. “I think for so long we’ve just made this very incorrect assumption that students don’t come to church to learn, they come to church to hang out, and that’s just not true.”

About his students, Will Standridge says, "As we go into the summer they aren’t as much interested with what fun things we’re going to do, but they’re interested in what can we do to grow in our faith."

So, as you make your summer plans, perhaps this story can be inspiring for you. Perhaps you can consider if and how spiritual growth is part of your agenda for the summer.  And, ideally, we should be growing, moving forward, each day - trusting God and allowing Him to do His work in our hearts. 

Jesus talked about abiding in the Word of God.  He is the vine and we are the branches, so through our connection to Him, we are promised that we can bear fruit for His glory.  Jesus talked about the Word of God being seed, producing fruit - in the right kind of soil, that is. So we can also consider if our hearts are right, prepared for the work of the Lord.  

The word "shred" is an interesting one; I think it connotes really digging in, making a concerted effort, to, as what you'll find online suggests, "tear in" to the Word of God - as we open the Word with veracity and open our hearts with diligence, we can know God's Word and grow in Him.  

All We Like Sheep

Jesus described Himself as the "good shepherd," and when we are in need we can consecrate ourselves to Him, so that we might know His power. In Mark 6, we can read:
34 And Jesus, when He came out, saw a great multitude and was moved with compassion for them, because they were like sheep not having a shepherd. So He began to teach them many things.
35 When the day was now far spent, His disciples came to Him and said, "This is a deserted place, and already the hour is late.
36 Send them away, that they may go into the surrounding country and villages and buy themselves bread; for they have nothing to eat."
37a But He answered and said to them, "You give them something to eat."

Here we see the contrast between human wisdom and heavenly wisdom.  Jesus, we are told, was "moved with compassion."  His disciples wanted the people to feed themselves, the intent of Jesus was to feed them.  The views of the situation were quite different, and can be a reminder to us - when we are tired and desperate, we can go to our shepherd, our good shepherd, who brings His wisdom into a situation and provides for us according to His will.

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Even the great shepherd David recognized the importance of regarding God as his shepherd, as we read in the 23rd Psalm. In Isaiah 53, we see insight into the human condition:
5 But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; The chastisement for our peace was upon Him, And by His stripes we are healed.
6 All we like sheep have gone astray; We have turned, every one, to his own way; And the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all.

Maybe you have seen it on social media - a video of a sheep who had become wedged inside a ditch.  A boy reached in and extracted the sheep from its predicament.  Newsweek described the video and an odd twist:

A sheep getting trapped is nothing unusual, but moments after it was freed the animal proved it may not have shared the same intelligence as other members of its flock.

When it was let loose, the sheep jumped away before it landed itself, almost with pinpoint precision, back into the same trench, just a few yards away.

The article said that the video had been viewed "tens of millions of times." It related that Brady Boyd, Pastor of New Life Church in Colorado Springs had shared it with his over 16,000 followers, with the comment: "Every pastor knows this to be true. We help the sheep get out of the ditch only to see them jump back into trouble."

The website, Not the Bee had a brief commentary on this series of events.  This is a site that actually publishes stories of real-life occurrences that might be considered too bizarre for real life and might find a home at the satire site, The Babylon Bee, if it were not real.  The Disrn website, also operated by the Bee, has now merged with Not the Bee. 

The video, from Allie Stuckey's Twitter feed, was embedded in the story. And, writer Joel Abbott said: "The moment that sheep got free, he immediately imprisoned himself again," adding, "You and I do the same thing every day with our shortcomings, addictions, and habits."

The good news? It's right here, as the writer points out:

"I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep." - Jesus

There is the powerful analogy in Scripture, and it's no coincidence that Jesus referred to Himself as the good shepherd.  As the old hymn says, we are indeed, "prone to wander."  We think we have all the answers, but human wisdom is fallible, God's wisdom is perfectly reliable.  As His followers, we can be diligent to submit to Him.

We can also be confident that God will not abandon us when we fall.  In fact, in our brokenness, we can know His strength and healing.  When we make the wrong decision and perhaps get ourselves in hot water, we can call upon His name, we can call out to the rescuer.  We may have to face the consequences of our self-reliance, but we can experience the fruit of His abiding presence.

We can be purposeful, then, to walk in God's wisdom.  The Bible says that when we lack it, we can ask of Him - human wisdom will certainly lead us astray, but God's wisdom will enable us to walk in His way.