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Published: 21 May 2015

I wish we could update the melody but the words to that hymn are great! I’m not sure why it didn’t make the cut for our current hymnal but in case you don’t know the words, here is the chorus…”It will be worth it all, when we see Jesus! Life’s trials will seem so small, when we see Christ. One glimpse of his dear face, all sorrow will erase. So, bravely run the race, till we see Christ.” We sang that song a lot in Bible College chapel. A good number of people that attended Spurgeon Baptist Bible College had left established careers because of “the call.” Most of us were working full time, going to school full time and we were expected to love our families well and be involved in our local church. We lived on little sleep, lots of prayer, too much coffee and more carbs than protein. I joke with people that I have been tired since 1981. That was the year we started living like that. I graduated in 1984 and thankfully we were never promised riches, prestige or comfort. Our professors promised hardship, loss, hurt and Him. We were reminded that life and ministry is about sacrifice, pain and occasional blessing. But in spite of the groaning of this life, we had assurance that God is with us and that the best is yet to come. I know to some people that seems like “pie-in-the-sky” ideology but I believe in God and I believe He has preserved His Word and He said His generosity is going to surprise us. His generosity is not limited to the there and then, it is evident in the here and now. I struggled leaving the farm and my small hometown but wow, I sure would have missed a lot had I said, “No.” I have a thousand more friends and I’ve experienced blessings too numerous to mention. We have a generous Dad. Jesus taught (Matthew 20) that the Father is far better than we imagine. The enemy and our own bent toward evil causes us to doubt God’s goodness to our peril. If you are facing a choice right now of doing the right thing with loss or doing the wrong thing with gain, please take Jesus at His Word. Any loss you experience for His sake will be more than cared for in this life and/or the life to come. I would only remind you of one thing…trust Him for the outcomes. Please don’t “set terms” with God or demand immediate recognition or compensation. If you do, you may well get what you want but it is all you’ll get. The Father is more generous than we can imagine. Let’s “do the right thing and watch Him bail us out.” It will be worth it all…

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Published: 13 May 2015

According to a number of research sites the average tenure for pastors is approximately four years. When people ask me how long I have been at Calvary my answer is usually followed by the question above. I often say, "Well I didn't plan to stay this long...and I didn't plan to leave." I honestly didn't have a plan! I believed that God led us here and that if He wanted us to leave He would let us know. I have had a quite a few opportunities to go elsewhere and there have been seasons when I really wanted to leave. I've experienced physical, emotional and spiritual trials that tempted me to quit many times. But, all that said, I do have some reasons and since I'm not going to be able to say anything on Sunday I'll say it here. 1) I've stayed because God hasn't moved us. 2) I haven't quit because I can't get over all that Jesus has done for me! 3) I've stayed because I have a supportive, growing, spiritual wife that has prayed, cried, worked, endured and been an amazing "help-meet." Diane is a great blessing to me and to this church family—only Heaven knows. 4) I've stayed because I have never felt alone here. Our Elders and Deacons have always been helpful, supportive, wise and encouraging. They haven't been afraid to tell me when I have been wrong. They have always taken good care of us. 5) I've stayed because this is my favorite church. Seriously! Whenever I go away and preach I always want to come back. Of course what I mean by "church" is not the building, it's you. You are the church and you are God's favorites and mine. 6) I've stayed because I am growing. Most of the changes that have been needed over the past 20 years have been changes in my own heart. In some ways it would have been easier to "cut and run." Had I done that, I would not have faced my own problems of pride, ego, selfishness etc. As someone once said, "A change in geography never corrects a flaw in character." Thanks for being one of the principal agents in my spiritual formation! 7) Finally, I have stayed because of our staff. The paid staff and volunteers here have been a delight to serve with. This "Celebration of Service" is really about us—all of us. We have endeavored to maintain Trinitarian unity and while there have bumps, bruises and even a few casualties along the way I believe that goal is worth clinging to with some tenacity. Jesus prayed for this, let's be an answer to His prayer. I doubt I'll be here another 20 years. While my inner man is being renewed the outer is fading away. There will come a day when I cannot do this any longer or the Lord may simply remove me. This is His church. He is the Great Shepherd. He purchased us with His own blood, He rose from the dead, ascended to Heaven and sent the Holy Spirit to give us abundant life. Let's keep pursuing that life together and continue proclaiming it to as many as will listen. Soli Deo Gloria!