Category: Central Church Family (Page 22 of 54)

The Vision

June 2, 2016 / Allan / 0 Comments

This is our two-part vision at Central. Transformation and mission, discipleship and ministry. Being formed into the image of Jesus in order to bless those outside ourselves. Paying close attention to what God is doing in us and what he is doing through us. We’re committed to it here. We believe in it. We’re sold on the truth that the more we think like Jesus, the more we talk like Jesus and act like Jesus, the more we behave and respond like our Lord, the more naturally we’ll come to consider the needs of others more important than our own. The more we’ll sacrifice for others and serve others and show the love and grace of God to others.

That is not the goal of other institutions. That’s not what the schools are doing. That’s not what your neighborhood Property Owners Association is doing. That’s not the government’s vision. And it’s not the goal of Apple, Fox News, or the Texas Rangers. Becoming Like Christ for the Sake of __________ is only the mission of the Church. Disciples of Jesus are the only ones committed to this vision. In fact, this Gospel vision actually opposes the vision of most all other worldly establishments. This vision makes us an alternative community. We’re the oddballs, the weirdos. We stick out. What we’re committed to as a group doesn’t make sense to the world.

“If anyone comes to me and does not hate his father and mother, his wife and children, his brothers and sisters — yes, even his own life! — he cannot be my disciple. And anyone who does not carry his cross and follow me cannot be my disciple.” ~Luke 14:26-27

We’re called by Jesus to break free from all the ties of society, he wants us to shake loose from this world’s way of thinking and doing so we can live in this radically new kind of life as a follower of Jesus.

And we do it together.

As disciples, we’re called to forgive others as Jesus forgave us. That means we have to forgive everybody, even people who hate us and want to do us harm. We’re called to suffer and serve instead of use our power and influence to get our way. We’re told to give up our freedom and rights, not fight to preserve them. We’re called to turn the other cheek, to walk the extra mile, to willingly die to ourselves every day. And that is so opposite of what everybody in the world besides Jesus is saying, that we can’t do this by ourselves. We have to do it together.

That’s Church. That’s us. Together. Committed to his vision of Becoming Like Christ for the Sake of __________.

This world, especially our culture here in the West, has no use for a philosophy or a position that puts others first. David Hume, the Enlightenment Age philosopher who was so influential in the mid 1700’s during the forming of the United States, wrote and spoke continually about the age of reason and logic, the age of the individual. This sample is from his Enquiry Into Morals:

“Fasting, penance, self-denial, humility, sacrifice, silence, solitude, and the whole train of monkish virtues — they are rejected everywhere by men of sense because they serve no manner of purpose. They do not advance a man’s fortune in the world, nor render him a more valuable member of society. They don’t aid him in entertaining company nor increase his power of self enjoyment. We observe, on the contrary, that they all oppose these desirable ends. These practices stupefy the understanding and harden the heart, obscure the fancy, and sour the temper.”

According to Hume and the foundational thoughts that formed this country, the highest purpose of human life is happiness and the well-being of the individual. Everything that might distract from that happiness or compromise that well-being has to be avoided.

Picking up a cross and becoming like Christ makes no sense to our world. It’s incomprehensible. Being crucified with Christ doesn’t compute. Losing your life for the sake of the Gospel sounds silly. But for children of God and disciples of Jesus, this is our calling.

Peace,

Allan

Short Week

May 31, 2016 / Allan / 0 Comments

It’s Tuesday. Feels like Monday. Tomorrow’s Wednesday. And I’m running behind. We concluded our “Marriage Matters” sermon series on Sunday with “Sex and Marriage.” I’d like to reproduce a lot of that sermon in a series of three or four posts here in this space, but it’s probably not going to happen this week. Stay tuned.

In the meantime, let me share a couple of links with you.

Erica Grieder has written a column in the current Texas Monthly about the San Antonio Spurs, claiming that they are not only the best franchise in the NBA, but the best professional sports team in the history of the state of Texas. She makes a pretty good case and she taunts Cowboys fans with a parenthetical “Prove me wrong!” You can read her column by clicking here.

Jim Martin has written an excellent post about being grateful on his blog “God Hungry.” As always, he makes a point that hurts: sometimes we say “Thank you” to everybody in our lives except the people we love the most. You can click here to read his post.

We took our annual Central Boys Night Out trip to the Ballpark in Arlington last Friday to see the home team get clobbered by the Pirates. Didn’t much matter; we had an absolute blast. Dale won the homerun pool, I took home the double-play pot, and Speck lucked into the final-out bucks. Lou went to his first big league game, Andy wore an orange bandana around his neck, and we made Greg wear an Adrian Beltre shirt. We also learned that if you’re a cop, like Doug, you don’t have to go through the security line like everybody else. On the way we saw where Bruce grew up in Quanah, and on the way back we quietly lamented the idiocy that would destroy the baseball temple in Arlington and rebuild it next door with a retractable roof. And we all ate for the cycle.

Peace,

Allan

A Safe Place

April 18, 2016 / Allan / 0 Comments

Since last summer’s Supreme Court decision regarding gay marriage, the leadership here at Central has engaged in what we’ve called “conversations” about the issue. We’ve spent a few Saturday mornings together, elders and ministers, talking and studying and praying about our God’s will and listening for his clear direction. We started with “Scripture and Theology,” an in-depth look at what God reveals about homosexuality through his Word. We moved to “Gospel and Church,” listening to a panel of our own members whose children and siblings experience same-sex attraction. We mainly listened to our own brothers and sisters share their pains and their heartaches, share the experiences that, frankly, most of us elders and ministers don’t have. Then two weekends ago we went to “Ministry and Mission.” We brought in Sally Gary, the founder and director of CenterPeace, our sister and partner in the Gospel, to meet with our families, to talk and teach with our leadership, and to address our entire church during our Bible class hour on Sunday morning.

It was a powerful weekend for all of us.

Yesterday, Mike Robertson, one of our shepherds here at Central, talked to our church about our leadership conversations, a couple of key conclusions, and some next steps we’re already taking as it relates to ministry and mission in this volatile issue. I’ve condensed the text of his announcement here. This is for Central members who were absent from yesterday’s assembly, those who might want to be reminded of what was said, and anyone else who might benefit from our feeble efforts to walk faithfully with our God and his people.

“After the Supreme Court decision regarding gay marriage, your elders and ministers began studying what God says in his Word about the subject. As a result, it’s clear to us how God feels about sin — not just sexual immorality, homosexuality, or pornography; not just the sins we elevate and place on a high platform. Scripture lists dozens of sins Satan uses to tug at our hearts to pull us away from God. To be honest, some of the lower profile sins like greed, obscenity, course joking, and gossip hit much closer to home.

It has become painfully evident over the past few months that some of our own members at Central struggle with same-sex attraction. Also, a number of our Central families have children or other relatives who experience the same thing. We’ve listened to families describe the emotional scars they hold inside for fear of what their Christian brothers and sisters might think. One family here told us it was nearly six years before they could share their burden with their close friends at Central. One family feels their Bible class to this day is not a safe place for them to share their struggle and pain.

We should have been talking about this issue and the resulting pain ten years ago, not just beginning it now because the Supreme Court pushed us!

Once our deficiency became excruciatingly obvious, our staff led us to reach out to Sally Gary. We thank God for Christians like Sally who are willing to stand up and share their personal struggles and help others walk with God. But ministry on a deep and personal level like Sally’s can only occur where there is a safe Godly place for support and love.

I hope that you were blessed as I was by her presentation during our class time two weeks ago. I know there were a number who weren’t excited about the topic and a little fearful as to what would be said. Initially, I was there with you. But God has been working on my heart through this process. Sally’s story impacted me not because of the topic but because of the message. She grew up in a loving, Godly family and, as she said, a “good little Church of Christ girl.” But her family, both physical and spiritual, was one with which she could not share her struggles. As a father of three grown children and three additional children by marriage, a grandfather, a husband, and now an elder, I’m not sure I have been that loving, nurturing person with whom my family, physical and spiritual, can feel safe sharing their hurts, their pains, and their sins and still know they’re deeply loved. I may have been the firm, strong father rather than the safe, loving, nurturing father. Since Sally’s presentation, I have asked God to show me how to be the safe, loving father and husband and elder and servant of Jesus Christ. I refuse to be an un-safe servant of Christ. Hopefully, soon, I will know what that looks like and I pray that you strive with all your being to be a safe place through which God can work and minister. Our vision at Central is “Becoming Like Christ for the Sake of _______.” I personally feel like over the past few months, my blank has gotten bigger.

So, what’s next for Central?

~ We envision that the body of Christ at Central will be a safe place for everybody. As a leadership, we pledge to do the hard work necessary to make Central a place where we can talk openly and honestly about our struggles without wondering whether or not we’re going to be loved and accepted.

~ We may not always know what this looks like, but there are those who have walked this road and gone before. On the issue of same-sex attraction, one such individual who has walked a lonely road is Sally Gary. We will utilize her experience to guide our efforts. Her CenterPeace ministry offers numerous retreats and resources for both those who experience same-sex attraction and for their families who struggle with them. If you or your family feel like you could benefit from a CenterPeace retreat, we’d like to help you make that happen. We want to minister to our church family.

~ We do pledge to listen to where God is calling us to minister. Don’t be surprised if God taps you on the shoulder and asks you to be a safe place for ministry.

~ Please do not let your fears or your opinions or pains on this issue build this into something it’s not.

~ We all need safe avenues within the church for honest conversation. We are going to be safe elders and safe ministers. And we all envision a congregation full of safe brothers and sisters who can talk openly about anything in a context of unconditional love and support.

If you have any questions, please visit with an elder or minister. If you or your family are currently struggling with any sin — any sin! — or any issue, please know that the leadership here is a safe place for sharing and walking side by side.”

I’m grateful to belong to a ministry-minded church like Central. I praise God that he placed my family and me with a congregation of brothers and sisters who are not afraid to learn new things, who display little fear in branching out to try new ministries in new areas of need, and who tackle all new opportunities with gusto. And, man, our elders! What a great bunch of godly men who pray without ceasing and who would much rather err on the side of love and grace than write policies and rules.

May we be wide open to whatever our Lord is sending our way. May we love and minister, console and teach, in the name and manner of Jesus. And may our God’s will be done here at Central and in Amarillo just as it is in heaven.

Peace,

Allan

Marriage Matters

April 11, 2016 / Allan / 1 Comment

What a great start to our “Marriage Matters” series yesterday at Central! We had great attendance, an uplifting song service, an inspiring time together around our Lord’s table, a profound moment of prayer for our marriages, and a brilliantly crafted and executed sermon. But all anybody wants to talk about is the video!

Yes, the video.

From the tip of Steve Rogers’ bandana to the seat of Wayland Danile’s Levis, the video featuring our own married couples was the hit of the service and the water-cooler topic all day today. Our thanks to Leon & Marilyn, Tom & Carol, Shelby & Patsy, Bobby & Polly, Steve & Judy, and Wayland & Barbara for their (mostly) willing participation. And our plea for their forgiveness for the five other videos that are in the works.

In case you missed it yesterday or in case you want to be mesmerized all over again by Shelby’s on-camera charisma, just click here to see the full video on our church website.

Peace,

Allan

One Hit Wonder

April 4, 2016 / Allan / 0 Comments

The Rangers only got one hit today in their opener against King Felix and the M’s, a cheesy little blooper from Cecil Fielder in the 5th inning. That was it. But somehow they miraculously combined that wobbly drop shot with five Hernandez walks and a couple of tragic Seattle Mariners errors to pull off a wild come from behind 3-2 win. You don’t want to make a habit out of getting just one hit in a game. In fact, once a season will be plenty. Today they played “Little League ball,” as Fielder described it. And they made it work. Hello, Win Column!

I did come down with a bit of a cough and a trace of fever at about 2:45 this afternoon and reluctantly left the office so I could sit in front of the TV and feel better. Of course, at Central, our ministers and staff always celebrate Opening Day with a cookout lunch. We wear our baseball caps and T-shirts, we bring our gloves and play long toss across the street, and we eat a lot of baseball food: hot dogs and brats, nachos, peanuts and Cracker Jack, and ice cream sandwiches. We open up fresh packs of baseball cards and enjoy a traditional rite of spring together. Today the weather was a perfect sunny and 82-degrees with barely any wind at all.

On top of that, if Carolina wins the NCAA Championship tonight, I win our office pool and the Stanglin family pool. It’s been a while since I won any of these brackets. Two free lunches from Whitney and from Dowell will be sweet. Go Tarheels!

Peace,

Allan

CenterPeace at Central

April 3, 2016 / Allan / 2 Comments

I sincerely appreciate the sensibilities of our leadership group at Central. Truth and grace is not just something Jesus said, it really is a guiding principle for us here. In fact, our elders and ministers are more likely to argue with each other about whether we’re showing enough grace than about anything else. We’ll delay and delay and delay and talk and pray and pray some more to insure we’re expressing enough compassion. We’d much rather risk being wrong about something than to write a rule about it.

And I love that. Not all churches are like this. Not all leadership groups act this way. We’re all very blessed by the merciful and gracious sensibilities of our leaders at Central. Our church is blessed and I believe our city and God’s world is ultimately blessed by the Christ-like attitudes of our leaders.

And lately we’ve been praying and talking together about same-sex attraction and homosexuality. Since June last year. In our staff gatherings and elders meetings. On Wednesday nights and Saturday mornings. We’re committed to having the conversations. We’re committed to talking about this difficult topic. And we’re committed to showing the love and grace of our Lord to all men and women, just like he did.

We’re also dead set on working harder to make Central a safe place to have these conversations. One thing the Supreme Court decision legalizing gay marriage did was force us to start talking about something we should have been talking about 40 years ago. We’re so far behind on this deal. We’ve put our heads in the sand for too long, rationalizing our refusal to engage the issue because “nobody here is dealing with it.”

Well, those days are over. More and more people are struggling with same-sex attraction issues themselves and within their families. And we must be able to talk openly about it at church. The world is certainly ready to talk about it. We can’t keep ignoring it and acting like nothing’s going on. Following that Supreme Court decision last summer, lots of churches just added two new sentences to their wedding policies and moved on to something else. And we’ve decided we can’t do that. There has to be Christian ministry. There has to be prayer. There has to be loving engagement with the hurting.

Sally Gary, the founder and director of CenterPeace, was kind enough to give up her weekend to spend parts of three days with our church family here in Amarillo. Sally’s ministry is devoted to making churches and families safe places to have these conversations about homosexuality. And having her here to talk to and to process with was a terrific help. Sally spent three hours Friday night with some of our leadership and five Central couples who are dealing with same-sex issues in their families. Blessing them. Listening to them. Loving them. Encouraging them. And showing us how to do it. She spent nearly four hours with our entire leadership Saturday morning walking us through her story, challenging us to “keep the conversation going,” to “keep the doors of communication open,” and to remind people that God loves them. Then today she spoke to nearly 500 members of our church, imploring us to make Central a safe place to talk, reminding us that there are people in our congregation, young people probably, who have questions, who are struggling, who desperately need somebody to talk to. Again, the world is ready to talk. God’s Church needs to be just as ready.

It’s very, very easy for me to get to a place pretty quickly where I’ve got everything figured out. I have all the information, I know what we’re supposed to do, I know the strategy and the course of action, and here we go. And then I have a two hour lunch with a young person struggling with sexual identity or a long phone conversation with a friend whose daughter has come out as gay or a weekend with Sally Gary. And I don’t know what to do. I don’t know what God wants us to do. I don’t have any answers really at all. I’m only convinced for sure that all men and women are created by God in his holy image, that he loves them dearly, and that Jesus died for them all and was raised for them all. And that I’m supposed to love all people. I’m supposed to engage all people with his mercy and grace. His Church is called to show his love to all people. And church should be a safe place for us to talk about anything. We ought to be able to talk and pray together about difficult things and still feel very protected and very safe. And deeply loved. Those are the things I know. And that’s about all I know for sure.

I’m grateful to Sally for the weekend we’ve just had at Central. We all pray for her God’s richest blessings of boldness and courage, strength and peace. And I’m grateful to God for our elders and ministers at Central who are leading us through this conversation. May God’s holy will be done in and through this church just as it is in heaven. And may we be faithful to him, may we reflect his glory, as we pursue the conversation.

Peace,

Allan

Category: Central Church Family (Page 22 of 54)

The Vision

Short Week

A Safe Place

Marriage Matters

One Hit Wonder

CenterPeace at Central

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