Category: Pastor’s Blog

Benjamin Franklin once said, “It takes many good deeds to build a good reputation, and only one bad one to lose it.” Volkswagen, the world’s largest car maker, found that out this week. Their stock price has plunged by at least 20% on the news that they found a way to fake good results for emissions testing in their diesel cars. No word yet on why they did it or what they hoped to accomplish. Clearly this wasn’t well thought out. It’s a disaster for the company. The actions of several individuals who approved of this form of cheating have damaged the reputation and value of a firm that has been, until now, held in high regard. It’s just another reminder – as if we need one in this world – of how easy it is to lose trust. In his book The Speed of Trust, Stephen M.R. Covey argues that isn’t just about character. Sure, character is important and essential: if our personal honesty and integrity is compromised it can cause a lack of trust. But trust is also a function of competence: your capabilities, skills, results and track record. What you do is important. Your actions matter. The Psalmist Asaph wrote this about King David: So he shepherded them according to the integrity of his heart, And guided them by the skillfulness of his hands. (Psalm 78:72) David was far from perfect. His sins and shortcomings are in prominent view throughout Scripture. But he understood that his leadership depended on both his heart condition and his actions. As we share life with others we need to keep watch over our integrity. But we also need to ensure that our actions are helpful and don’t bring harm. It’s easy to lose the trust of others. I’ve done it many times. You have too. More often than not it has been a result of our actions or lack of action. We need to think about our behaviours and how they affect others. Are we building trust through our conduct or are we harming our reputation? The heart and the hand go together in building a legacy.

This coming weekend I turn 50 years old. Part of me doesn’t even understand what that means. The other part of me is ready and willing to accept it’s part of life. I’m not sure what one is supposed to feel or do at this age but I’m sensing two key emotions at this time. A Sense of Gratitude – Naturally, I find myself looking back at my life and feeling very thankful for all that I have received. I was born into a privileged family with parents and sisters who were loving and supportive. Our home lacked nothing, it was safe and secure. I had the opportunity to receive a good education and I have a love of learning that continues. I married well, really well. My amazing wife loves me despite all that she knows about me and has to put up with. She’s my treasure in life. It’s hard for me to describe how I feel about my four children. They are healthy, beautiful, bright, active, loving individuals who have ensured that the last 21 years have never been dull. It’s my greatest honour and most sacred duty to be their father. I’ve lived in five different countries on four continents and have travelled to some of God’s most beautiful places. It has been my privilege to be the pastor of three churches – all in different countries. I am blessed with close friends of many years. I’ve had excellent mentors and role models. All in all, it feels like an embarrassment of riches and at 50 I can’t help but feel grateful for it all. Like the Psalmist I can say, “Bless the Lord, O my soul; And all that is within me, bless His holy name!” (Psalm 103:1) A Sense of Anticipation – Once upon a time I thought people who were 50 were very old. Now I know better. Rhonda and I don’t really talk about retirement. It’s not something that is very close in our future. Lately, we’ve been talking about how to spend the next 25 years of life together. We don’t believe that we have peaked yet and we don’t plan to slow down too soon. There’s just so much more we want to do. We are excited about what lies ahead. In this next stage of life I want to focus more on giving back and helping others. I’m looking forward to writing more and perhaps doing some teaching here and there. I want to use what I have learned to assist others. Passing on our faith to a younger generation will be important. The world is changing rapidly and people need to understand how the timeless truth of the gospel makes a difference in society. I want to help others learn to walk out their faith in their generation. It will not look like my generation and that’s okay. What is important is that they follow Jesus – being guided by the Word and his Holy Spirit. There are definitely concerns for our world on the horizon. Yet I am not one to fear for the church, the cause of Christ or my own future. I believe more than ever that He is at work in the world and His purposes cannot be stopped. I want to be a part of what He is doing. So bring on the next 50 years! Like the prophet says, “But as for me, I will watch expectantly for the Lord.” (Micah 7:7)

What’s better than victory? Better than achieving a goal? We all love victory. We love to win. Whether it’s a sport, a board game or a personal goal, we love accomplishment.  Bookstores and social media sites are full of advice on how to win or how to achieve our goals. Why shouldn’t we seek to win? In our Christian life we are often discouraged by the lack of progress we make. So often we don’t feel like we are living victoriously. We struggle with a variety of sins. We wrestle with our attitudes and desires. When we realize how we fall short we feel defeated. One of my favourite Christian authors, Jerry Bridges, writes: “It is time for us Christians to face up to our responsibility for holiness. Too often we say we are ‘defeated’ by this or that sin. No, we are not defeated; we are simply disobedient! It might be well if we stopped using the terms ‘victory’ and ‘defeat’ to describe our progress in holiness. Rather we should use the terms ‘obedience’ and ‘disobedience’.” (The Pursuit of Holiness, p.84) We aren’t helpless in our daily struggle to live a holy life. God’s Holy Spirit was given to help in moments of weakness. Too often we just decide not to obey what we know to be God’s will. It’s a simple choice we make over and over again. God is concerned about our personal growth and development as a believer. He desires that we live holy lives. But we also have a responsibility. We don’t simply overcome because we are now Christians. We face a daily choice of obedience or disobedience. We are told to “put to death” the sin in our life and to stop walking in the way we used to go. (Colossians 3:5-8) Now that we have new life in Christ we are expected to act like it. We are required to do something about holy living. Obedience to the things of God is valued more than victories and accomplishments. God said he desires obedience even over sacrifice. (1 Samuel 15:22) If we are obedient in the things that God calls us to, then we will have victories. But if we simply try to be victorious we’ll keep on failing. Work at obedience and these other things will be added.

For part of his homework this week my son asked me about the difference between “migrant” and “refugee.” I explained that while all refugees are migrants not all migrants are refugees. That wasn’t really very helpful to him. So I said that we are migrants (or immigrants) because we have left our home country but we did so willingly. Refugees (are also migrants but) leave their home because they have to – in order to avoid violence, oppression, starvation or some other danger. The refugee crisis is big news here in Europe. The shores are overwhelmed with people fleeing dangerous situations in Syria, Afghanistan, Iraq, parts of North Africa and elsewhere. As the tragedy unfolds many are risking their lives in order to reach the European Union. Yet there is no guarantee they will be safe once they arrive and unfortunately they aren’t getting a warm welcome. As Christians we need to hear what the Bible says about such people – refugees and foreigners in our midst. Here are just five points to ponder: 1. Many figures in Scripture were refugees. The early patriarchs often had to leave home due to famine. The story of Ruth is all about displaced people. Even baby Jesus and his parents were refugees for a time in Egypt. Seeking refuge and safety is a theme throughout the Bible. At times I wonder how much has changed in the last few thousand years. 2. God loves refugees and gave commandments that they were to be cared for. Passages like Deuteronomy 10:18-19 are pretty clear: “He defends the cause of the fatherless and the widow, and loves the foreigner residing among you, giving them food and clothing. And you are to love those who are foreigners, for you yourselves were foreigners in Egypt.” 3. In the Old Testament a portion of one’s income was to be given to those in need. See Leviticus 19:9-10: “When you reap the harvest of your land, do not reap to the very edges of your field or gather the gleanings of your harvest. Do not go over your vineyard a second time or pick up the grapes that have fallen. Leave them for the poor and the foreigner. I am the Lord your God.” When the phrase, “I am the Lord your God” is used it’s a reference to the second commandment. Do this – because I am God. 4. Jesus tells us in the gospels (Luke 10:25-27) to love our neighbours as ourselves. So, who is our neighbour? Take a guess. The parable Jesus tells doesn’t give us any excuses. It’s the foreigner. 5. When we get to heaven we will give an account of our actions towards those in need. “‘I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.’ They also will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?’” (Matthew 25:42-44) Now all of this doesn’t really help us in developing a refugee policy or answering tough questions about who should or shouldn’t get refugee status. It doesn’t bring us to any quick conclusions about how this current crisis needs to be handled. And while it doesn’t spell out what the government should do, it does talk to us about our attitudes towards those in need. It does challenge us to do something when we see those in need. “For whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.” – Matthew 25:40

Sue Markham really wanted a dog. Her husband wasn’t so keen on the idea. He finally relented and agreed that they could get a dog if it was a small one that wouldn’t take up too much space in their home. Sue began looking for a puppy at animal shelters and when she saw little Yogi she just had to have him. She brought Yogi home and told her husband that he was a Jack Russell Terrier and would not likely ever be over twenty pounds. Then Yogi started to grow and Mr. Markham became concerned over the amount of food that Yogi was eating. Mrs. Markham had to confess that Yogi wasn’t really a Jack Russell. She was hoping that her husband wouldn’t notice her little “white lie” until it was too late to change his mind. She hoped he, too, would love their new pet. In reality, Yogi is a Great Dane. And not just any Great Dane but a Boston Great Dane, which just also happens to be one of the single largest breeds on the planet! A news reporter writes: “Today, Yogi is weighing in at about 200 pounds, and is around six feet, ten inches from tip to tail. Much bigger than your everyday Jack Russell, that’s for sure. He’s a neighbourhood favourite as well, gaining tons of attention for his very large size and gentle giant manner.” Mr. Markham must be the forgiving type because he and his wife are still living together and he has come to love the small pony that now lives in his home. The story has a happy ending but not all little white lies end so well. King Solomon offers advice to all of us in the Song of Songs: “Catch us the foxes, the little foxes that spoil the vines.” (2:15) Solomon tells us that it is the little foxes that spoil the vines – the little things that can have a big impact. This appears to be a warning to you and me. We need to watch out for subtle dangers of so-called “little sins”. It is often the “little sins” that grow into larger problems if they go on unchecked. God’s word is clear that sin is sin. We try to excuse these “little sins” by saying something like, “It was just a little white lie. It won’t hurt anyone. No one will really notice. It’s not like I murdered anyone.” Indeed, the consequences of certain sins may be more serious than others. What we need to guard is the attitude of our heart. We don’t want little things growing into big problems. It’s better not to start with any “little sins” but rather to stop them from starting. Most of us don’t have room for a Great Dane in our lives.

Jesus brought a simple message of hope into this world. You could call it his mission statement. Standing in front of people who had watched him grow up, who knew him and his family, Jesus read from the prophet Isaiah.   The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me,     because the Lord has anointed me     to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted,     to proclaim freedom for the captives     and release from darkness for the prisoners,  to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor     and the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort all who mourn,      and provide for those who grieve in Zion— to bestow on them a crown of beauty     instead of ashes, the oil of joy     instead of mourning, and a garment of praise     instead of a spirit of despair. They will be called oaks of righteousness,     a planting of the Lord     for the display of his splendor. (Is. 61:1-3) When he finished, Jesus told his listeners that this passage was about him and his ministry or mission. What a needed mission in our world today! To proclaim the good news of God’s kingdom to people who are tired of this sin-sick world. To bind up the brokenhearted and help those in pain. To set people free from captivity that robs them of life. To turn sadness, disappointment and grief into joy and praise. To establish people with great strength. What a difference this makes. This was the mission of Jesus and it needs to be the mission of his church. As a pastor I get distracted with so many things. The towels in the washroom need changing. Our internet is down again. We need more Sunday school space. The sound system isn’t working properly. And on the list goes. All these things need to be cared for but they aren’t why we are a church. In doing these things we can’t forget our main calling as a church; which is to echo the mission and message of Jesus. Otherwise we fall short. I’m committing this passage to more prayer, spending more time examining my activities and believing more than ever that Jesus is still in the business of doing this kind of work. It’s what the world needs but more importantly it what I need. Let’s make room this coming season at Crossroads for Jesus to do his life giving work. Let’s be people who actively cooperate with the mission of the risen Savior. Nothing could be more significant. 

I like to spend some time during the summer months getting organized for the next season ahead. Once September comes along I find I’m non-stop busy until Christmas. If I don’t do some planning I get overwhelmed when the rush comes. So I’ve been doing some reading on being more productive at work. I want to be productive and engage in meaningful work but sometimes it also means hard work and difficult circumstances.   What was the most productive time of your life? Can you think of a period of time when you experienced great productivity and perhaps great personal growth? I bet as you look back there is a sense of satisfaction as to what was achieved and what was accomplished. I also bet that, given the choice, you wouldn’t want to go through it again. Our growth, our productivity, often comes in times of pressure, hardship and opposition. When I think about the international moves our family has made I know they were challenging but also brought growth. There is a sense that we are stronger and have achieved something that we would not have it we hadn’t jumped into living overseas. We grew through some very hard trials.   Our personal and spiritual growth often comes in those difficult times; the breaking of long-term relationships, the death of a loved one, changing jobs, losing a job, health issues and illness, or difficult financial times. None of us ever wants to enter those periods but when we emerge we know that God has used those times to enrich and build us. It seems so counter-intuitive. I often say that the Kingdom of God is the upside-down kingdom. The easy-going times are times for coasting but the difficult times are times for growth and productivity. You can get very good at lifting a five pound weigh but you won’t grow muscle until you add some new weigh and struggle to lift it. So James writes:  Dear brothers and sisters, whenever trouble comes your way, let it be an opportunity for joy. For when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be strong in character and ready for anything. (James 1:2-4) As crazy as it seems joy can come in the midst of difficult circumstances and hard times. That’s because joy that comes from God isn’t based on our surroundings but rather on our relationship with him. Because we know him, because he loves us, because he is in control – we can have deep seated joy in the storm. We just need to remember he is present. 

I was having trouble last week with my banking card. So I decided to call the bank and find out what the problem was. I poured myself a cup of coffee, sat down at the computer and called the bank. I was prepared to sit through several minutes of listening to music while on hold, perhaps an endless round of pushing numbers until I got someone to speak with. Imagine my surprise when after three rings an actual person answered the phone and then proceeded to help me with my problem. No waiting on hold. I was impressed. When the culture around us changes gradually we don’t often notice the differences that are occurring. Remember, way back in the late 1980s, it was considered cutting edge to have an answering machine in your home. Of course, it was attached with many wires to your land line which probably had a rotary dial. In the early 1990s we had a friend who got ‘caller ID’ on his land line. He could decide whether or not to take your call. We were all amazed at technology. The other night my son and I ‘rented’ a movie on iTunes. I tried to explain to him that we used to have to go out to a store and rent a VHS tape. We’d have to rewind it before returning it to the store the next day. He didn’t really understand what I was talking about. Kids these days! Things have changed. We feel so much more advanced now. Always connected to the internet we check Facebook, Twitter and our email multiple times throughout the day. We have in-depth conversations with people around the world while sitting quietly in the same room with our family members. I’m not going to complain about technology today or scold people for using devices which have become so common. But my encounter with the bank reminded me that it was nice talking to an actual person instead of dealing with a computer screen. In the 1980s, as new technology was taking off, John Naisbitt coined the term “high tech, high touch.” Among the many things that this phrase has come to mean is the idea of finding balance between the high tech skills that are necessary for life and the high touch skills that are essential for enjoying life. Naisbitt understood that the very technology which was intended to free us from certain tasks could end up enslaving us. With great foresight he argued that we need to be involved in activities that keep us healthy, creative, energized and in relationship with other people. The prophet Isaiah asked an insightful question: But can the ax boast greater power than the person who uses it?     Is the saw greater than the person who saws? Can a rod strike unless a hand moves it?     Can a wooden cane walk by itself? (Isaiah 10:15 NLT) In other words, people are more important than the tools they use. Advances in technology have always been with us and will continue to be. But technology is meant to serve us. Too often we find ourselves serving the technology, tied to our devices and desperate for a digital fix. Finding the balance isn’t just helpful – it is essential. Our spiritual life and development depends on it. We must stay connected to God and the people around us in a meaningful way. The world has lots of ‘high tech’; what it needs now is some ‘high touch.’

When I was growing up there was a popular TV show in Canada called Front Page Challenge. A panel of journalists had to guess the identity of a mystery guest. The mystery guest was usually a well-known person who was currently in the news. Guests could include famous musicians, politicians, authors and various types of celebrities. For the panel, the trick was to guess the identity of the person in as few questions as possible. The show ran for almost 30 years. It’s similar to a party game that many people play today. The contestant is given a mystery identity and must ask questions to find out who he or she is. Basically players have to answer the question, “Who am I?” Jesus asked similar questions of his disciples except he wasn’t in the dark about his identity. He asked his disciples two questions. First, he asked them, “Who do the crowds say that I am?” (Luke 9:18) Jesus had been ministering for some time among the people. Yet, he remained somewhat vague about his identity and mission. People were beginning to form their own ideas about who he really was. Many thought he was a prophet come back from the dead. Then Jesus asked his second question, “But who do you say that I am?” This is the key question that each person must answer. It doesn’t matter what the crowds say about Jesus. Their opinion is often wrong. What matters is whether or not we correctly understand who Jesus is. Jesus has left a lot of evidence about who he is, what he has done and what he will do. Each one of us has to examine the evidence and come to a conclusion. Peter concluded that Jesus was “God’s Messiah.” (Luke 19:20) Our life now and life in the future rests on how we answer this one simple question, “Who is Jesus?” He is either the savior of the world or he isn’t. There is no in-between answer.

He was warned. But he got eaten by the alligator anyway. A marina owner recently put up a sign next to the bayou, “Beware of Alligator.” The twelve-foot-long reptile had been seen lurking about the area. Alligators are common in that part of Texas but don’t usually hang around developed areas. Local people were advised to be careful and everyone had been staying out of the water. But one young man ignored the warning. Two of the marina employees told the 28 year old that it would be dangerous to go for a swim. But he went anyway. Horrified, his girlfriend watched as the alligator grabbed the man and carried him underwater. It was the first time in 179 years that someone has been killed by an alligator in Texas. Sadly, it didn’t have to happen. What is it about human nature that refuses to take warnings seriously? Despite the risks, people do careless things every day that endanger themselves and others. In Genesis 4 we read about two brothers, Cain and Abel. Cain was angry with his brother because Abel’s sacrifice to God had been accepted and his wasn’t. God sought to help Cain deal with this issue and then warns him about harboring anger in his spirit.  “Sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you, but you must rule over it.” (Genesis 4:7) God warns Cain about the dangers of sin. Sin is waiting for Cain, ready to pounce on him. Cain needs to be alert or he may wind up doing something terrible. But he doesn’t listen. Instead he ignores the danger and kills his brother. As believers we have many blessings in Christ. Over the years we grow stronger in discipleship and maturity. But beware: sin is crouching at your door. We should never dismiss this warning. It’s why we need to be on guard at all times. Examine your heart regularly and watch out for sin that wants to overpower you. God gave us a warning in the early chapters of the Bible and it still applies.