Great opportunity amidst crisis

News reports about the killings of four police officers in Parkland Sunday morning are still unfolding.  The site is not too far away from where Katharine grew up.  As I write, police have not located the accused and believe he could have been fatally wounded.

He was recently released from the Pierce County, Tacoma. Why was the bail set so he could be released?  There are all kinds of unanswered questions. This tragedy could have happened in many places--a post office, school, or grocery store.

The church has another huge opportunity amidst a large community asking solid questions about what we all hold dear.  Rick Warren recognized these times as opportunities to be, "the church's greatest hour."  Ostrich living for God's people isn't what any of us want to be.   What should we do?

Olson suggests taking steps like this:

 
1. build bridges with love and servant leadership in our community.

2. present the Christian message to connect with true spiritual needs.
3. practice hospitality and build redemptive bridges to our neighbors.

4. be the mission of Jesus.

Author David Olson asks two very important questions in his book, "The American church in crisis":

1. How can a church witness survive amidst such iniquity?

2.How does the church speak and act out the gospel in the midst of this overwhelming evil?

We live in what has been called for years a post-modern and post-Christian society. His portrayal of our American culture fits so many we all know--secular yet spiritually "curious."  There is virtually no meaningful religious memory, as in the culture the author identifies from 1965 to 2000. When faithful Christianity is defined "primarily as protecting the truth, insulating our children, and surviving the onslaught of competing thoughts," the battle is lost. 

He suggests further the church at-large is competing for members and dollars by transferring participants hiding behind skirts of a few selected Scripture verses about purity, while burying our talents in the sand for fear of making a mistake with them.

Dangers for young men

While at the RJC sharing in both 1-on1s and in small group settings, one set of messages for young men has consistently been well-received and hard-hitting.  It is from a book by J.C. Ryle entitled, "Thoughts for young men."  It's worth every penny and moment of your time to read for any young man, youth pastor, or parent.  Writing in about 1900, my reflection is his message is written for today's young men.

Men have responded in open tears, repentance, and gut-level agreement as Ryle makes his case.  It may be just what you need for yourself and the young man in your life!

5 Dangers for Young Men - J.C. Ryle

Mike Anderson

Director of the Resurgence
J.C. Ryle's writing will punch you right in the face. He was an Anglican Bishop to the working class of Liverpool during the industrial revolution. He had tough words for tough people, and we could all use a bit of a challenge.

I first learned about Ryle by listening to a Sunday school message he delivered. Ryle wanted the kids to know that they were accountable for their actions, so he told them the story of Elisha calling calling 2 bears out of the woods to kill some kids who mocked him. Could you imagine a little kid's response to that? You can be sure Ryle will bring the truth, no matter how difficult.

5 Dangers from Thoughts for Young Men by J.C. Ryle

1. Pride
Young men, take to heart the Scriptures just quoted. Do not be too confident in your own judgment. Stop being so sure that you are always right, and others wrong. Don't trust your own opinion, when you find it contrary to that of older men, and especially to that of your own parents. Age gives experience, and therefore deserves respect.


2. Love of Pleasure
Youth is the time when our passions are strongest—and like unruly children, cry most loudly for indulgence. Youth is the time when we have generally our most health and strength: death seems far away, and to enjoy ourselves in this life seems to be everything... "I serve lusts and pleasures:" that is the true answer many a young man should give, if asked, "Whose Servant are you?"

3. Thoughtlessness
Not thinking is one simple reason why thousands of souls are thrown away forever into the Lake of Fire. Men will not consider, will not look ahead, will not look around them, will not reflect on the end of their present course, and the sure consequences of their present days, and wake up to find they are damned for a lack of thinking.

Young men, none are in more danger of this than yourselves. You know little of the perils around you, and so you are careless how you walk. You hate the trouble of serious, quiet thinking, and so you make wrong decisions and bring upon yourselves much sorrow.

4. Contempt of Religion
This also is one of your special dangers. I always observe that none pay so little outward respect to Christianity as young men. None take so little part in our services, when they are present at them—use Bibles so little—sing so little—listen to preaching so little. None are so generally absent at prayer meetings, Bible Studies, and all other weekday helps to the soul. Young men seem to think they do not need these things—they may be good for women and old men, but not for them. They appear ashamed of seeming to care about their souls: one would almost fancy they considered it a disgrace to go to heaven at all.

5. Fear of Man's opinion
The fear of man" will indeed "prove to be a snare" (Proverbs 29:25). It is terrible to observe the power which it has over most minds, and especially over the minds of the young. Few seem to have any opinions of their own, or to think for themselves. Like dead fish, they go with the stream and tide: what others think is right, they think is right; and what others call wrong, they call wrong too. There are not many original thinkers in the world. Most men are like sheep, they follow a leader. If it was the fashion of the day to be Roman Catholics, they would be Roman Catholics, if it was to be Islamic, they would be Islamic. They dread the idea of going against the current of the times. In a word, the opinion of the day becomes their religion, their creed, their Bible, and their God.

Dessert in Bothell and Kentridge

Katharine and I recently attended a donor's appreciation dessert for Prisoners for Christ at the Eastside Foursquare Church in Bothell.  The dessert honored workers with PFC and featured the Kate White Band, who presented a concert.

His Harmony, from our home church, Faith Baptist Church, was recognized for 15 years of service providing music ministry in jails and prisoners in western Washington.

I actually went to my first Prisoners for Christ University at Cedar Park in Bothell in 2004 and went on my first eastern Washington missions trip in 2006.  We now take three trips a year and venture into Oregon.  My main ministry is as the associate chaplain at the Norm Maleng Regional Justice Center, the second King County Jail, in Kent.

I'd love to be at the RJC more regularly with greater financial support but the Lord has been faithful to supplement our income as I continue to serve as a guest teacher this year in the Auburn School District. I am seeking to increase my financial support as a missionary chaplain as I receive no funds from the RJC. So many are faithful to provide for us financially, prayerfully, and with heart encouragement.

This past Monday, I also attended my 13th appreciation dinner for the Kentridge High School Chargers football program.  Our KRHS volunteering started for Katharine and me in 1997.  Katharine keeps the sideline score book and I support statistics, whatever the coaches need, and call the newspapers (and sometimes television sites) with the game highlights and statistics.

There is nothing like Chargers high school  football for Katharine and me.  I've enjoyed getting to know Robbie Steen and then Chris and Marcus Subia, from our church. Chris is now playing football at the University of Puget Sound.  Marcus, now a junior, is focusing on basketball so I'll be cheering him on at as many games as I can with Rollin and Karin, Mom and Dad around the Northern Division of the South Puget Sound League.

Keeping football statistics began in junior high when charted games while listening to former Oklahoma coach Bud Wilkinson during college football games on TV and then at Federal Way High School in about 1967.  Scoring baseball games began maybe in the sixth grade.

Pouring rain in Forks

Jim Dixon and I traveled to Forks Saturday for a concert worship service at the Olympic Corrections Center, for our monthly ministry. Jim plays his guitar, sings awesome ballads, and shares his story with the men. We have served together for 2 1/2 years on eastern Washington and Oregon missions tours and several other prisons. We are very good friends and serve fruitfully together.


In this picture, Jim is on the right and is sharing with Jerry Corelli, another awesome singer and guitarist, as we met together for fellowship and to prepare for future ministries.

It takes four hours each way to travel going through Aberdeen and north up the coast on Highway 101. We traveled cautiously as there was a very strong wind and rain storm on the Washington coast. Trees fell across the road that had been cut and moved by the time we drove through. The wind was calm but it was raining very hard all the way. When we go again on December 5, Jim committed to bringing his chain saw as a precautionary measure.

The 12 men who joined us were very responsive as we sang choruses while Jim led on the piano, while he presented his concert, and then I used a word study on an joyful attitude or mind Christlikeness. I shared about what it means to experience the mind of Christ from Philippians.

Praying for His change in our church

I have been giving the themes of change that our Faith Baptist Church faces in the coming months and years with our new Lead Pastor John Nagel serving with us. He was very clear in everything he said before he came that he will bring change. Nobody should be stunned when he and our church leadership team continues to take steps.

The first big step is the Sunday morning prayer time beginning in his office at 8:15 which has been going on now for several weeks. His heart is to see that group expand to another room outside his office and finally to fill our sanctuary. So, our first step is not to talk or teach about prayer, but really pray together.

How much are we willing to change to impact our community for the Kingdom of God?

If you read just what is below, I think you will agree we in our local church need to change.

While at the Converge NW meetings recently in Beaverton, Oregon, Steve Welling, the executive director, pictured to the right, began to stir my thinking. Or, I hope this ongoing stirring it is the powerful work of the Holy Spirit as I consider our local church and my ongoing ministry with Prisoners for Christ.

“The American Church in Crisis” Book Review

from: http://shepherdsnotes.com/?tag=church-planting

I picked up The American Church in Crisis by David T. Olson based on several strong recommendations from church planters who said that I simply must read it in order to understand the need for modern day church planting.

The American Church in Crisis is a book detailing the results of The American Church Research Project. While I normally could care less about statistics, Gallup polls, and all of the Barna research in the world this particular study did grab my attention because rather than cold calling people, this was a study of actual church attendance between 1990 – 2006.

The book is full of significant information about churches, church attendance, etc. (i.e. on any given Sunday 17.5% of the population actually attends an orthodox worship service and that number includes Catholics), but the main thrust of the book is that the church in the United States is falling significantly behind in attendance when you factor in the large population growth that the US is experiencing.

The population of the United States has grown by 52 million people from 1990-2006…Among those new arrivals are 68,510,978 newborn babies and 22,873,578 immigrants – a total of 91 million additional people. Accounting for 39,611,000 who died in that time period produces the net population growth of 52 million people…While this robust growth in the number of Americans has taken place, no growth in church attendance has occurred! In 1990, 52 million people attended worship each week – in 2006 the number remain unchanged.

The big idea behind The American Church in Crisis is that churches grow in two primary ways 1) Having babies by evangelism and especially by birthing new congregations and 2) Having babies and raising those babies in the church. While this observation alone does not seal the deal on the priority of churches to plant other churches, it is a tremendously significant insight that certainly begs the church to ask the question, “Why aren’t we planting churches when there are so many more people living here today than just 16 years ago?”

The book is full of other useful and interesting pieces of information. One of the most convicting was a look at the demographics of current evangelical churches.

The American church is growing the fastest in zip codes that are more affluent…A similar study on educational attainment produced [virtually identical results]. Evangelical churches, in particular are growing in suburbs that are home to affluent, educated residents.

If there is a bias in Scripture, Jesus’ inaugural sermon in Luke 4:18-19 reveals the predisposition. His heart was drawn toward the poor, the captive, the brokenhearted, and the oppressed…If the church is indeed becoming the home of affluent, educated, and suburban Americans, we had better let the countercultural power of the message of Jesus reshape our lives. That gospel is for all classes and types of people. That was part of the appeal of the church from the beginning.

In addition to statistical data and analysis, Olson offers advice on what the church ought to be doing today to correct these trends. The advice and suggestions were something of smorgasbord as far as their helpfulness. Some items were extremely helpful, while others would have been better left unsaid.

In the end, this was a very good book and very helpful and forming my thoughts on the need for church planting.

Church missions committee

I was privileged to meet with our Faith Baptist Church missions committee this past Sunday night to share developments with the Prisoners for Christ missions service. I really enjoyed sharing how ministry to inmates is remarkably cross cultural as the practical worldview of this incarcerated people group is so different from what we deal with on a daily basis.

I hope to hear back from Joseph, now serving time at the state penitentiary in Walla Walla, after he was found guilty for a Alzheimer's nursing care death in Federal Way. His last letter stated the case is reopened for further investigation. I am also corresponding with Josh in Shelton, John in Monroe, and Scott and Jason and Clallam Bay.

On Wednesday nights, I join Dwight at the Regional Justice Center for a service in the D-unit. As I shared previously, the RJC has been reduced to 525 inmates as a precautionary step as the Green River valley prepares for potential flooding.

On Friday, November 20, Katharine and I will be attending a donor appreciation dessert up in Bothell. At that dessert event, "His Harmony" from our church will be recognized for 15 years of ministry with PFC.

Then, the next day, Jim Dixon and I will be headed back to Forks for an appreciation event and service at Olympic Corrections Center.

J5OM PFC tour

We saw the Lord produce rich fruit on our missions tour through prisons in eastern Washington and Oregon on November 6-8. I was privileged to accompany the band J5OM, just five old men, who are from the Olympia area and present music written by Keith. Besides Keith, the band is Mick, Andy, Reggie, and Dennis.


Each of the chaplains were welcoming and accommodating. We did concert services at Walla Walla-East, Pendleton, Umatilla (2), and Ahtanum, just outside Yakima.

Service statistics:

Walla Walla, 35, 15 came forward for prayer

Pendleton, 32, 10 came forward for prayer

Umatilla, 80, 10 raised their hands to make first time commitments to Christ for salvation

Ahtanum, 25, 2 came forward for prayer

So, we presented to 172 men, prayed with 27, and saw 10 make first-time commitments for salvation.

There was a great deal of clapping and tapping while J5OM played in each service. When we arrived in Umatilla, there was not enough time planned to get unpacked, moved through inspection, and set up in the chapel so the first service was moved back and we ended up presenting to a second concert to a primarily Hispanic audience which had been planned as a Seventh Day Adventist service.

The band played several songs and then I preached a direct evangelistic message from John 1:9-13 and Jaime translated. At the end, I asked if any wanted to receive Christ and 10 raised their hands.