The Kingdom, The Kids, & The Cowboys

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Category: Central Church Family (Page 33 of 54)

G2G Community Cookout Tonight!

June 25, 2014 / / 0 Comments

The rain is holding off and Ellwood Park is promising to be packed with all kinds of holy potential tonight for our second annual “Gifted 2 Go” Community Cookout. We’ve mailed out nearly 1,300 invitations to our residential and commercial neighbors who live and work around our church building. And last Wednesday we knocked doors and handed out homemade cookies and advertisements to a more concentrated area of about 500 houses. Scott Flow’s got the barbecue grills roaring and several teams of people right now are packing ice chests with cold water, slicing onions and tomatoes, and setting up tables and canopies and chairs.

No Bible classes tonight at Central. No formal worship event in the chapel or gathering in Sneed Hall. Tonight, the Central Church of Christ is at the huge downtown park a block-and-a-half north of our building to take the gift of God’s mercy and love to our neighbors.

You know, the church is at its very best when we give up home field advantage. When we take our God-given talents and abilities on the road, that’s when we’re the most effective in doing what our Lord has empowered us by his Spirit to do.

When we look at our Christ in the Gospels, we don’t see him huddled up with his disciples in a building somewhere looking for inspiration or more knowledge. Yes, Jesus spent time in prayer and meditation, he spent time alone with his God and with his apostles. And, yeah, the biblical witness is clear that Jesus was a fixture at regular corporate worship gatherings and thought they were crucial to a life lived in relationship with the Father. But, more than that, we see Jesus outside the walls of the temple, beyond the confines of the synagogue, with the people. He walks and talks with the people around Galilee and Jerusalem. He climbs mountains to teach the people. He goes to their places of work and recreation. He goes to their parties and civic functions. He goes outside his own community to mix with people of different socio-economic brackets, different religious beliefs, different nationalities and genders. Jesus throws a picnic for four and five thousand people and provides all the food! And the whole time he’s blessing. Blessing. Blessing the people. Encouraging the people. Painting a picture of the Kingdom of God for the people.

That’s the goal tonight at Ellwood Park. Everybody in Amarillo is invited. If you don’t live in our town, I beg you to please pray for what God wants to do here tonight.

Peace,

Allan

Because of My Chains

June 23, 2014 / / 1 Comment

“I want you to know that what has happened to me has served instead to advance the Gospel… Because of my chains, most of the brothers in the Lord have been encouraged to speak the word of God more courageously and fearlessly.” ~Philippians 1:12-14

The Roman government had put Paul in chains to bind him and the Kingdom of Christ. They had imprisoned Paul to restrict him and the Kingdom. But you and I both know that God cannot be bound, his Kingdom cannot be restricted by any circumstances! Our God uses whatever he wants to do whatever he pleases.

God uses Moses’ rod and David’s slingshot and Gideon’s pitchers. God uses Joshua’s trumpet and Ruth’s mother-in-law. He uses Hosea’s unfaithful wife and Elijah’s water jugs. He uses a Roman cross. He uses a Jerusalem tomb. God uses whatever he wants. And now he’s using Paul’s chains.

“It has become clear throughout the whole palace guard and to everyone else that I am in chains for Christ… I am put here for the defense of the Gospel.” ~Philippians 1:13-16

If Paul is chained to a Roman guard 24 hours a day, and if those guards are changing shifts, Paul’s living in and for Jesus with anywhere from four to maybe even a dozen different men every day. Imagine being one of those soldiers. You’re chained to a guy who prays without ceasing. You’re bound to a man who is constantly sharing with you his experiences with the risen Jesus. You’re tied to a guy who is continuously writing letters of encouragement to little churches all over the Empire. Some of the soldiers in this elite unit had come to believe and submit to Jesus as Lord. Some of Caesar’s own household had come to Christian faith. And it wouldn’t have happened if Paul hadn’t been locked up!

How is God using your circumstances right now to expand the Kingdom? How is God using your current situation right now to take his love and salvation to others? How is God using your chains? Your sickness? Your loneliness?

Oh, that doesn’t apply to you?

OK, how is God using your blessed and unrestricted freedom to expand the Kingdom? How is God working through your good health and your wonderful family to bring his love and salvation to others?

Our God can use whatever he wants. Are you letting him use your situation to do his will for others? You may be chained right now, but God’s Word is never chained (2 Timothy 2:9).

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A pretty great day for our Central church family and our particular small group on Sunday when Beau Baer returned to us from a ten-month stint in Kandahar, Afghanistan. We rejoice with Shirlene and Creed and Chloe and their whole family with his safe return. And we continue to pray for safety for all those on every side of the conflict in this world and for God’s peace to overcome.

Click here for a short story from KAMR Fox-14 on the emotional scene at the airport. And click here to see the story Fox-14 did a couple of months ago on Shirlene bringing Beau to church every Sunday via Skype.

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We also were forced this weekend to say “goodbye” to Matt & Sara Richardson and their sweet girls, Ellie and Amy Kate. We’ve known the Richardsons since just before we moved to Amarillo and we’re really grieving the loss. Sara was a key member of the search committee that helped bring my family to Central and Matt has become a really good friend and ministry partner over the past three years. Sara always pushes me; Matt always challenges me. Valerie and Carley have both spent extensive time at Richardson Manor babysitting those rapidly growing girls. We’ve laughed and prayed together, dreamed and cried, blessed and been blessed, and shared more than a few Sunset Enchiladas at Ruby T’s. Tough to see them go.

We send them to the booming edges of Dallas-Fort Worth with our love and appreciation and admiration. We send them to join the disciples of Jesus in Argyle, to bless and encourage them as they have us. And we send them to join God’s Church in Denton County and to partner with them in reconciling that part of the world back to the Father.

Peace,

Allan

Shine!

June 9, 2014 / / 0 Comments

Vacation Bible School began today at Central with the simple and powerful theme of “Shine!” Yes, there are strobe lights and glitter and sparklers all over the worship center today and a giant disco ball hanging over the stage; everything is pointing the kids to the idea of “Shine!” It reminds me of a Stephen Curtis Chapman song, See the Glory. It’s a song about being fully awake to life in Christ, fully alive to what God is doing all around us. One of the stanzas, I think, really captures the idea that sometimes we’re just kind of sleepwalking through life:

I’m playing Gameboy standing in the middle of the Grand Canyon;
I’m eating candy sittin’ at the gourmet feast;
I’m wading in a puddle when I could be swimming in the ocean.
Tell me, what’s the deal with me?
(I know the time has come for me to)
Wake up and see the glory!

Of course, the apostle Paul said it first: “Wake up, O sleeper, rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you!” (Ephesians 5:14)

Open your eyes. Pay attention. Don’t be lulled to sleep by the monotony of the sameness in your daily life. Don’t be distracted by the noise and activity and flashing lights of the world. God is fixing things. God is restoring things. God is re-creating everything to his eternal praise and glory. Including you!

Pray today that he will open your eyes and show you clearly what he’s doing right under your nose. And then jump in!

Peace,

Allan

Invitation to Possession

May 13, 2014 / / 0 Comments

I see movie trailers all the time teasing the next big demon-possession flick: based on a true story. Movies about demon-possession: based on historical events. Books about demon-possession. Newspaper and magazine articles about demon-possession.

You ever heard of an angel possession?

Why is it always the demons?

See, the Spirit of God is not interested in a violent takeover. Of anything. God’s Spirit will never enter your heart or your head or your body and cause you to do things against your will. That’s not how our God operates. God’s way is through invitation.

“Come and see.” “Come and eat.” “Come follow me.”

Gracious invitation.

“Give me your burdens.” “Cast your cares on me.”

Gentle, loving invitation.

The ways we act with each other and with the world will reflect our views of God. Our thoughts and deeds will communicate our understanding of our Savior. A kind invitation will always go a lot farther than an aggressive assault. And it’s much more in line with Christ-likeness and godly behavior.
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This past Sunday may have been Mother’s Day at your church. Here at Central it was Delta Day!

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 Yu Darvish finished one out away from a no-hitter at the temple Friday night and there were ten of us in the seats down the third base line to witness it together. It was probably a little weird for Brock since his dad and Greg Dowell and Spruce and Hub-Daddy were all there. It probably felt like we had made the trip for an intervention. But we just had an absolute blast. Greg ate for the cycle. Danny kept threatening to take off his shirt. I won $13 dollars from the rest of the guys on Martin’s homer in the 5th. Lanny tried to double-down on the Dot Race. I think Hub was actually rooting against the little kid running the stolen base promotion. And Andy was oblivious to all of it because he kept his eyes laser focused on the field the whole night.

It was so good to get caught up with Byrnes and the Drakes. And, yes, Darvish is impressive. Wow. I’ve been to countless hundreds of baseball games in my life. Still never seen a no-hitter.

On a side note, wouldn’t the Rangers be really, really good if Darvish could pitch every night?

Peace,

Allan

Bold Community

April 20, 2014 / / 0 Comments

“Just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life!” ~Romans 6:4

If we understand that resurrection and eternal life with the Father is what awaits us when we die and that, until then, Christ’s resurrection Spirit is what gives us power, that will radically impact the way we live. We have no problem risking our reputations, our popularity, our well being, even our very lives. A resurrection community is bold. Risky. No fear. We know that the salvation of the world and the salvation of our community is in the loving and powerful hands of the same God who brought our Lord out of the grave. So we can do crazy things, outrageous things, in practicing and living the resurrection every day.

Resurrection boldness is what compels us to give $353,000 in one day to help spread the good news around the globe. Resurrection boldness is what pushes us to work and worship with the Baptists and Methodists and Presbyterians for the sake of our city. Resurrection boldness is what prompts us to buy an apartment complex across the street that we don’t know what to do with yet except that the truth and the experience of the Resurrection assures us that God is not going to let it go to waste.

Resurrection boldness causes us to cancel Bible classes so we can bake cookies and build birdhouses for the children of our neighborhood, to bring Franklin Graham to Amarillo, and to build a beautiful chapel during the Depression.

Resurrection boldness motivates us to build when others might tear down, to stand up when others might sit, and to go when everybody else may want to stay. It’s why Elaine goes to Kenya, why Tim goes to Martha’s Home, why Brett goes to India, why Patrick is leading  Bible class, why Daniel and Alisha keep fighting and why Cadence and Erin and Doug got baptized today!

Don’t tell me we can’t or we shouldn’t, because they killed Jesus, they killed him dead, and they put his dead body in a grave, and on the third day our God brought him back to life to reign with all power and authority at his right hand forever. Don’t tell me we can’t; the Resurrection says we have to! And our resurrection community at Central will not stop being bold, we will not stop taking risks, because our Savior lives and his resurrection spirit is in us!

Peace,

Allan

Hearing God at Central

April 9, 2014 / / 0 Comments

“He who has ears to hear, let him hear!” ~Mark 4:9

Our God is a God who speaks. Our God is not silent. That truth that our God is a talking God is what differentiates him from all other gods, it’s what separates Christianity from all other religions. Our God has a voice and he uses it. Our God creates us to hear his voice, he indwells his children by his Holy Spirit in order to communicate directly to us. But we rarely tune him in. In a world growing louder and noisier with distraction and static, we are increasingly unable and, maybe, unwilling to hear the voice of God. Or, possibly, we’re just not trained and equipped.

“Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you saying, ‘This is the way; walk in it.'” ~Isaiah 30:21

As children of God and followers of his Christ, we need to improve our hearing. We need to grow in our capacities to hear the voice of our God. We need to diligently work to eliminate the barriers to our hearing so that our Father’s merciful encouragement and direction can come through loud and clear.

We’ve just concluded a six-weeks study here at Central on “Hearing God.” Yes, I admit, I stole most of the ideas from a three-session series Rick Atchley presented at several conferences a little over a year ago. The main point during the study here was that our relationship with God is intended to be a dynamic, personal, intimate, two-way relationship. It’s not a monologue in which we’re the only ones doing the talking; it’s a dialogue in which God talks back! And it was good for us. It was good for the preacher and for the congregation.

As part of the series, we handed out a few hundred blank canvases and asked our church family to illustrate what “Hearing God” means to them. As the art projects came in, we displayed them on the walls inside our worship center as a continual reminder that we each experience the voice of God in different ways. It’s different; but it’s real. Very real.

Our Worship Minister, Kevin Schaffer, made an excellent slide show presentation that highlights each of the paintings. And we shared it with our church family on the last Sunday of the series. You can see the video by clicking here to get to our church website and scrolling down that home page to the “Hearing God” video. It’s about five-and-a-half minutes and well worth your time. It’s an excellent video and, again, highlights the varied ways we all hear the voice of our God.

“My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me.” ~John 10:27

 

 

 

 

 

 

God wants us to hear him in order to know him. He longs for an intimate and dynamic relationship with his children. Let’s commit together to continuing our practices of listening for his voice, of being still and tuning in to the many ways he communicates with us, and responding to his loving guidance in trusting obedience.

Peace,

Allan

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