The Kingdom, The Kids, & The Cowboys

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Category: Central Church Family (Page 47 of 54)

Running the Race Together

June 6, 2012 / / 0 Comments

Our 83-year-old chapel here at Central has been transformed into a miniature stadium complete with colorful banners and cheering crowds, athletes and trophies, lockers and shoes and ice chests full of Gatorade. We’re kicking off our summer “Running the Race” series tonight and, as I’ve come to expect at this place, we’re going all out.

The hope is to use these nine summer Wednesdays to foster some strong intergenerational relationships. We’re not having Bible classes. No kids programs or youth groups. We’re not doing anything according to age group. We’re all eating together at 6:00, worshiping together at 7:00, and then playing together at 7:30.

Together. That’s the key word and the critical idea. Together.

We’re using as our theme passage Hebrews 12:1-3 where Scripture directly ties us disciples of Jesus today who are currently running the race to all the faith heroes in Hebrews 11 who ran the race before us. “Therefore,” it says, “since WE are surrounded by this great cloud of witnesses, let US throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let US run with perseverance the race marked out for us.”

By running the race together, Hebrews is not saying all of us in the Central Church of Christ. It’s not “we” or “us”  together in the United States. This huge host of faithful runners to which we belong is not limited by the boundaries of time and space, much less the man-made borders of nations and denominations. Hebrews 12:1 ties us together with Hebrews 11.

So, we run the race together with all the saints of all time. We run the race with Abraham and Ernie, with Moses and Lachelle. We run with Mollie and Johnny and Callie and with Noah and Jacob and Joseph. And these great witnesses who went before us are like spectators; they’re watching us as we run the race and they’re cheering us on. That’s part of the picture. But it’s more than that. They are witnesses in that they bear a testimony. Their lives are a witness to God’s faithfulness, to God’s great provision and his eternal promises. Their lives prove what we preach.

It’s not so much they’re looking at us to cheer us on as we’re looking to them for encouragment and inspiration.

We’re part of a heritage, a legacy; we’re living and running in a story that’s a whole lot bigger than most of us realize.

So, while we’re eating and singing together tonight, while we’re competing in three-legged sack races and tossing water balloons with people much younger and much older than us, we’ll be reminded that we’re always running this race together.

Peace,

Allan

Tzadeqah and Mishpat

May 24, 2012 / / 2 Comments

Righteousness and Justice. The Hebrew words are translated “righteousness” and “justice” in English. These words that are mentioned over and over in the Old Testament; these words that our God uses to describe himself; these words the prophets used to discuss the powerful and merciful actions of our God; these words the Bible uses and uses and re-uses to paint a picture of God’s holy will and his children’s responsibilities as God’s holy people. Giving people what is right. Treating people fairly. Equally. With generosity. Showing mercy and grace. Lifting up the fallen. Being kind to the orphan, the widow, and the stranger in the gate.

“He upholds the cause of the oppressed and gives food to the hungry.
The Lord sets prisoners free,
the Lord gives sight to the blind,
the Lord lifts up those who are bowed down,
the Lord loves the righteous.
The Lord watches over the alien and sustains the fatherless and the widow.”
~Psalm 146

For many years now the Central Church of Christ has committed to showing that kind of tzadeqah and mishpat to the entire Amarillo community. This church family understands that to reflect the glory of God we must reflect God’s eternal attributes and faithful characteristics. So, in Jesus’ name, we feed the hungry and clothe the naked, comfort the grieving and mend the broken, minister to the least of these.

For many years now the Central Church has also committed to seeing the world with Kingdom of God eyes instead of Church of Christ eyes. This congregation understands that the eternal reign and love and salvation of God is much bigger than any one group, much bigger than any one faith tradition or set of rules and practices. So, in Jesus’ name, we worship and work, minister and pray, serve the Kingdom with and beside all who call him Lord.

And when both of those ideals toward which we’re striving come together in an unprecedented partnership, well… we can only praise God and marvel at his matchless goodness and grace.

The Central Church of Christ is now partnering with the Southlawn Assembly of God to duplicate food pantry and outreach efforts throughout the poorer neighborhoods of Amarillo.

Yeah, you’d better read that sentence again just to make sure you read it right. Church of Christ. Assembly of God. Partnering.

Southlawn pastor Jared Middaugh and others at their church have been convicted by God’s Spirit to stop looking in and start looking out. They want to see the city with God’s eyes. They want to serve. They want to put the needs of others ahead of their own. They want to be more Christ-like. They’re no longer content to just do church; they want to be church. They want to feed the hungry in Jesus’ name. They want to clothe the naked and free the prisoner and comfort the afflicted. But this is a new move for them. They need some direction. Some advice. So they called Mark.

(Let me just say right here what a blessing — what a joy! — to belong to a church that has this kind of reputation in our city. Another church wants to start an outreach ministry to the poor and they call us! Praise God!)

And Mark jumped right in. Immediately. We’ll help. We’ll partner with you. We’ll serve together and learn from each other. And we’ll do it in the name of Jesus to the glory of God. Mark brought the idea to our staff and we jumped in immediately. Yes, we’ll partner with them. We’ll work with them. We can teach them and they can teach us. Our God will use this cooperative effort to multiply exponentially what neither of our two churches could do alone. Mark then brought it to our elders and they all jumped in immediately. Of course, we’ll do this with them. Yes, we’ll give that church some money to get it all started. We’ll send our Prayer Breakfast and Loaves & Fishes volunteers to Southlawn every week to work side-by-side with these fellow Christians. We’ll share resources and share manpower and share our lives in sacrificial service to others!

(Did I mention this is an Assembly of God?)

The ministers and staff here at Central were joined in our daily prayer time this morning by Jared and their worship minister. We shook hands and introduced ourselves, we laughed some and smiled a lot. I was blessed to share the holy words of Psalm 146 that describe our righteous and merciful God who takes care of those in need. And then we prayed. Mark and I prayed on behalf of our staff. Steve prayed on behalf of our elders. Jared prayed on behalf of Southlawn. We thanked God. We blessed one another. A couple of us shed a tear or two, tears of joy, tears of amazement, tears of wonder. It’s overwhelming, really. Hard to believe. Overwhelming.

I have prayed that my kids and grandkids would someday be a part of a cooperative, non-denominational Kingdom of God on this earth. I have prayed that denominational barriers would be obliterated, that Christ’s disciples would be united by his blood and in his name, that we could someday really unite to show this unbelieving world that our God in Jesus really is changing everything. That we would all be one in Christ; that, as our Lord prayed, we “would be one.”

“I in them and you in me. May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that you sent me.”

I’m blown completely away that I’m actually experiencing some of that here at Central in Amarillo. I’m amazed we’re able to do this. I’m encouraged. I’m uplifted. I’m thrilled. And I have no idea how this is going to all turn out. I just know that God’s will is being done here on earth just as it is in heaven.

Oh, yeah, we have plenty of differences with those folks over there at Southlawn. There are dozens of ways we differ in belief and practice. Almost as many differences as you and the person who sits right behind you or right in front of you or six pews over from you every Sunday morning. But we have Jesus. He died for us, he calls us, and he commands us to live radically sacrificial lives to blow away the powers of this age. And we’re all interested in that.

Please join me in praying for this cooperative effort. Join me in thanking Jared and the children of God at Southlawn for this holy opportunity. May our merciful Father use us to his eternal glory and praise.

Peace,

Allan

I Been Hyp-NO-tized!

May 7, 2012 / / 2 Comments

Moving our oldest daughter to a new city and a new high school two weeks before the start of her senior year was the most difficult of many difficult parts of our decision to relocate our preaching ministry to Amarillo. We agonized over that part of it. We prayed about it and discussed at length the dozens of pros and cons. We were told the Huddles here at Central would help.

As it turns out, the Huddle leaders for this senior class, Jason and Kasey Love, have been a gracious answer to our prayers.

Jason and Kasey contacted us the week it was announced that we were moving to Amarillo to talk to us about Whitney. Within a week of our arrival here, Carrie-Anne and I were eating lunch with Jason and Kasey at Jorge’s. They promised us they would welcome Whitney into this already well-established group with open arms. And they did. Whitney spent every Wednesday night and countless Sunday afternoons at Jason and Kasey’s. Praying and singing with these twelve other seniors; playing and laughing, eating and sharing, watching movies and decorating brooms, studying and growing together in the name and the manner of our Lord. Jason and Kasey loved Whitney like they had known her for ten years. And, certainly because of their great leadership, the other kids in the group did, too.

Taylor and Barrett trash talked sports with her. Alyssa and Kristel cared for her. They all treated Whitney like one of their own. And before too long, she was.

It meant so much to her mom and me to listen to Whitney during our Senior Sunday ceremonies yesterday here at Central thanking her youth ministers, thanking her fellow classmates, thanking other individuals in our church family for loving her and supporting her in this transition. She thanked us, too. But her words for Adam and Missy and Tanner and Jason and Kasey seemed to matter more. It meant so much for Kasey to meet Whitney at the podium, to hug her like she did, to grab her hand, and speak those precious words of blessing to our first born. It meant the world for Kasey to read those jewels from Psalm 9 to my daughter in front of our whole church family:

“The Lord is a refuge for the oppressed,
a stronghold in times of trouble.
Those who know your name will trust in you,
for you, Lord, have never forsaken those who seek you.”

Thank you, Jason and Kasey, for the love you gave to Whitney. Thank you for sharing your house and your food and your sweet kids with our daughter. Thank you for pouring your lives into her, for selflessly giving your time and energy to her, for showing her what it looks like to consider the needs of others more important than your own. Thank you for being that answer to a parent’s prayers for his girl.

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Last night’s Senior Banquet was the perfect ending to a wonderful day. As is the tradition here at Central, each senior’s family decorates that honoree’s table for the dinner. So, Carrie-Anne and Valerie went all out with an over-the-top Texas Rangers theme complete with Rangers balloons, Rangers pennants, Rangers plates and napkins, and Rangers tickets for placecards. There were baseballs in a vase and boxes of Cracker Jack at our table, bags of peanuts and popcorn, little miniature apple pies, and even two bowls of Carrie-Anne’s famous Oreo balls decorated like baseballs. Thanks to Greg, we didn’t take any of the Oreo balls home.

What a night! We took such delight in meeting and getting to know everybody’s parents and grandparents and close friends. All of the tables were decorated magnificently. The brisket dinner was delicious. The service provided by the high school Juniors and their parents was excellent. The slide show was hilarious (and informative). And the entertainment was a roar.

The hired hypnotist cast his spell on Jason and Kasey and six of our seniors. And for almost two hours they entertained us in ways that they can’t ever understand, even after they watch all the video. Corbin falling flat on the floor before the hypnotist was even two minutes into his act. Barrett prancing around a little too naturally as Lady GaGa. Taylor milking that imaginary cow like there was no tomorrow. Jason almost breaking through the stage while he “played the drums.” Kasey forgetting her own name. Aaren jumping out of her chair. It was unforgettably funny and indescribably strange. My head ached from trying to figure it out while my stomach and my face hurt from laughing so hard.

Thank you to Tanner and Adam and Elaine and all the parents and volunteers who gave the Central seniors and their families an incredible day. We’re so blessed to be here with you. So very blessed.

Peace,

Allan

Senior Moment

May 5, 2012 / / 1 Comment

Tomorrow is Senior Day at Central. My fifth one as a preacher. My first as a dad of one of the Seniors. Everything we do together as a church family will carry some added significance because Whitney’s baby pictures will be in the slide show. Whitney’s words will be in the video. The shepherds will hand our Whitney a new Bible and then pray for her. It’ll have some additional impact for me, Whitney’s dad.

Let’s not forget that you don’t have to be a mom or a dad or a grandparent of one of the Seniors for it to be special. It’s special because Whitney is your kid, too. In fact, all thirteen of our Central Seniors belong to you. And to me.

As a body of believers, as a family of God, our Senior Sunday is one of the ways we publicly acknowledge God’s proprietership, his ownership, of our kids. Our children should be taught that they belong to God. We should treat them like they belong to God. Because they do.

The Church, God’s community of faith, is built child by child. The Kingdom of God is established child by child. Our children are precious and priceless treasures. And the Son of God tells us he doesn’t want one — not one! — to be lost. With that in mind, we teach our children. We encourage and challenge, love and support our children.

At the Central Church of Christ, we’re raising kids. We’re not raising immaculate buildings and well-oiled programs. We’re not raising perfect worship services and effective curricula. Not money. Not comfort levels. Not statistics. We’re raising kids. We’re passing our faith to the children our Lord has entrusted to us. We’re shaping them through a context of love and grace, encouragement and respect.

As our thirteen high school Seniors prepare to graduate and rapidly move on to the next chapters of their young lives, it is imperative that we, their community of faith in Christ, be there tomorrow to encourage them. It’s important that we show them by our actions that we really mean what we say with our mouths.

When Jesus sent out his apostles, he did so with much cheering and encouraging. “You can do it!” he said. “Get out there and be great! Go out there and turn the world upside down! Go boldly and change everything!”

“And remember, you didn’t choose me; I chose you!”

God has chosen these thirteen. He has gifted them and chosen them to represent him and his Kingdom wherever they go. He’s ordained them as his children to partner with him in redeeming the world. He really believes in them. Let’s make sure we’re all present and focused tomorrow to show our high school Seniors that we believe in them, too.

Peace,

Allan

And When You Go To Church

April 20, 2012 / / 0 Comments

“Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts. Impress them on your children.” ~Deuteronomy 6:5-7

This Sunday is the fourth Sunday of the month. Here at Central, that means we will not be dismissing the youngest of our children from our main assembly for their own worship time in their own room. It means it will be a little louder in our worship center. It means our younger parents and those sitting around them will be a little more distracted. It means a little more crying, a little more fidgeting, a little more talking and giggling.

It means an opportunity to rejoice in the fact that our God has blessed us with five full generations of people within our church family. It means another chance to interact with the most precious and innocent among us. It means another moment to pass on to our children the faith that has been handed to us. It means another reminder that we are not running this race alone.

“Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. And when you go to church.” ~Deuteronomy 6:7

OK, I cheated. I added that last part myself: “…and when you go to church.”

Here at Central we believe very strongly that if our people are always with their own age group, always with their own peers and demographics every single time we come together, it does more harm than good. It’s vital — it’s critical! — to this holy task of passing on the faith that our children regularly worship and read, sing and study, listen and pray, commune and laugh and cry and learn with the entire corporate Body of Christ.

Don’t tell me the children don’t get anything out of it. Of course, they get plenty out of it. If they didn’t, or couldn’t, then why in the world do you read them bedtime stories every night? Why were you singing Jesus Loves Me to them before they could crawl? Why bother kissing them as infants or telling them you love them before they even know what love is? Because it matters. It’s important. They do get something out of it.

And don’t tell me you can’t get anything out of church when you’re wrestling with your kids in the pew. First, it’s not about you and your personal worship experience. It’s about all of God’s people coming together in one place at the same time as a family and the mutual responsibilities with which we’ve been graced by our Father. You get plenty out of it. You’re blessed to be able to view the magnificence of the Christian assembly through the eyes of a child. You’re privileged to partner with God as he draws your child to him and his Kingdom. You’re being shaped and transformed as you actively pursue what God has ordained you as a parent to do.

This coming Sunday I urge you to pay attention to your young children during our assembly. Don’t simply pacify them with an iPad or a plastic tub of Cheerios. Engage them. Interact with them. Sing with them. Read the Bible with them. Explain to them something you hear in a prayer. Talk with them about the bread and the cup. Be as fully present with them as you are at the park and at the dinner table. Don’t abandon your parenting during this most critical time. If anything, step it up!

And if you’re sitting around some of these younger parents with their small children, this goes for you, too. For all of us. Engage. Interact. Teach and encourage. We are all under a tremendous obligation by our God to teach our children and lead them toward him. Let’s approach these fourth Sundays with anticipation and excitement. Let’s also come to these fourth Sundays in reverent fear of our Creator that we would not neglect this great responsibility.

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Carrie-Anne and I were so blessed to participate in the CareNet Pregnancy Center’s annual banquet last night at the Amarillo Civic Center. More than 1,200 wonderful people gathered to praise God and to raise money for this most important of Christian ministries in our town.

I was impressed by author Gary Thomas’ speech. I was inspired by Amy Spears’ song. I was moved by the videos. But I was completely blown away by Candy Gibbs, CareNet’s Executive Director. She speaks like Eugene Peterson writes. Her speech was amazing. She’s careful, very deliberate, with her words. She preached to us, she preached with us last night. And. It. Was. Powerful. (You can read the transcript of Candy’s speech on her blog by clicking here.)

I’m impressed with CareNet because last year 103 pregnant young ladies went there to talk about their planned abortions and 100 of them were moved by prayer and counseling to decide against it. I’m impressed because CareNet counselors in Amarillo made 9,868 client visits last year to encourage and equip, to strengthen and heal. I’m impressed because in 2011, through the efforts of CareNet and by the grace and power of our God, 187 young women and men submitted to the Lordship of our risen King.

But here’s what’s most important about CareNet: they have rejected the ways of the world and embraced the ways of our Lord. This is not an organization that’s out there waving flags and signing petitions and lobbying congress and pressuring law makers and threatening litigation and marching in the streets. No. They’re not pushing for legislation to outlaw abortion. They’re actually telling dozens and dozens of young ladies every month why abortion is against the plans of our Heavenly Father, and making promises to these young ladies to walk with them through their difficult journeys. They mentor these young ladies and their new babies. They counsel with them. They provide education for them. They meet with them and pray with them. They become friends and family with them. They love them with the compassion and grace and mercy of Jesus. They walk with them for years after they’ve made the decision to have these babies. It’s really quite beautiful. And very counter cultural. Very Scriptural. Very like our Christ. They’re doing it differently. And it’s working. Just like Jesus promised us it would.

I can really get behind a deal like this. I’d suggest you look a little more into it, too.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Valerie and I are gearing up for the Warrior Dash tomorrow down in Roanoke. It’s a 5K run with thousands of crazy people through an obstacle course in the mud. Of course, events like this are targeted to people half my age who drink a lot more than just Dr Pepper. But we ran it last year with several of our great friends from Legacy and just had an absolute blast. We’ll hook up in the morning with most of the same crowd: John & Suzanne, the Cliftons and Engers, Josh Penn. Tracy and Samantha are running it with us this year and I think Steve & Sandy will also be there.

It’ll be crazy. It looks like a lot of the obstacles are different from last year. There seems to be a couple more water obstacles and the climbing obstacles look to be a little more difficult. But Valerie and I are committed. We’ve signed the waivers that promise we won’t sue anybody even if we suffer horrible injury, we’ve packed our grubby shorts and T-shirts and shoes we don’t mind losing, and our warrior attitudes are primed.

I hope you’re doing something really cool this weekend, too.

Peace,

Allan

Confess That We Have Been Wrong

April 12, 2012 / / 3 Comments

We’re hosting a free Acappella Reunion concert here at Central tomorrow night. The current touring group will be joined on stage by Keith Lancaster and some of the originals, including our very own Kevin Schaffer, for what promises to be a high octane, high energy show. I’ve been blessed to enjoy the worship and encouragement led and provided by Acappella many times over the course of my life. In Abilene, in Tulsa, and at various churches over the years, including a really wonderful show two years ago at Legacy. Keith Lancaster, of course, has always blessed us with his gifted song leading and a cappella workshops.

Most of the older guys got into town last night and blessed us this morning with an impromptu performance at our weekly Loaves and Fishes outreach ministry. It was just a couple of songs, but they had about 140 of us snapping our fingers and clapping our hands and really getting excited for tomorrow’s concert. So good to see Keith again. And, man, Kevin is really on Cloud Nine. Big time.

The doors open at 6:00 tomorrow evening here at Central for those who have their free tickets. Doors open for everybody else at 6:45 and the show starts at 7:00.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Acknowledging together that we in the Churches of Christ must do something different if we’re going to remain a viable witness to the Christian faith in our rapidly changing world, we’re spending the next several days in this space taking Leroy Garrett’s “What Must the Church of Christ Do to Be Saved?” chapter by chapter.

To paraphrase Garrett, what must we do to escape extinction in the decades ahead, to avoid being regarded as an insignificant Texas-Tennessee sect? What must we do to be loyal to the Scriptures and true to our Stone-Campbell heritage of unity? What’s it going to take for us to, as a movement, advance toward being “truly ecumenical, truly catholic, truly holy, and truly apostolic?”

Here’s Garrett’s first suggestion: We must confess that we have been wrong about some things.

The sin that we must confess is our patent refusal to have anything to do with other churches and Christians. In the old days we attacked other churches from the pulpit and mailed out tracts condemning “denominationalism,” implying of course that we were not a denomination. On the radio we “skinned the sects” and we debated anyone who had the nerve to take us on. We soon gained the reputation of believing that we were the only true church, the only faithful Christians, and the only ones going to heaven. We succeeded in causing other believers to resent us if not hate us. When they showed such resentment our response was that they didn’t really want the truth. In rejecting us they rejected God himself!

You know, I grew up this way, believing and proclaiming that we were the only ones going to heaven. Did you? I vividly recall as a young child telling my good friend and next-door-neighbor, Kevin, that he was going to hell because he didn’t go to church. And I know I told my across-the-street neighbor, Sherry,  just as many times that she, too, was going to hell. Sherry went to church. Every Sunday and Wednesday. She just went to the wrong one.

I cringe when I remember those arrogant positions with which I would so proudly and confidently beat up my friends. I don’t remember exactly when I stopped spouting that nonsense out loud; it probably was during my college years when I heard about God’s grace for the very first time, and actually experienced it first hand. But, even while keeping those thoughts to myself and, perhaps, beginning to mature out of them, I still harbored this sectarian attitude deep inside me. I ran into an old high school football coach at a Tulsa Workshop in 2004 and, while exchanging comments during a powerfully moving congregational song (probably led by Keith Lancaster), I said to him, “Yeah, but I’m still not sure about us trying to get back together with the Christian Churches.”

That was less than ten years ago!

Wrong! Wrong! Wrong! I was wrong. So wrong. God forgive me.

Garrett calls for corporate confession of this sin. Preachers and elders, in the pulpits, on our websites, in our publications, confessing the wrong, expressing remorse, accepting the blame, and vowing to change.

Garrett says even though the “we’re the only ones going to heaven” rhetoric has declined — significantly, thankfully — we’re still very “sectarian  and exclusivistic” in the ways we behave. We don’t talk badly about other churches, but we still don’t have anything to do with them. It’s as if they don’t exist. No joint Thanksgiving or Easter services. No joint community service projects. No cooperative campaigns. We still talk about “the Lord’s church” or “the church” and mean “Church of Christ.”

We can be saved from such sectarian exclusivism without compromising any truth we hold. Our preachers can belong to the ministerial alliance and we can join “the denominations” in a Thanksgiving service without approving of any doctrine we consider false, just as we can read a commentary written by a Methodist (as we do) or sing hymns written by Roman Catholics (as we do) without approving of any error practiced by those churches.

We are supposed to be a people who believe in and work for the unity of all Christians — that is our heritage! — but how can we be a witness for the oneness of all believers when we isolate ourselves from all other believers?

There is only one answer to all this: We must change our ways and confess that we have been wrong. We are wrong when we imply that we are the only true church or that we are the only Christians. We are wrong when we suggest that people have to belong to what we call the “Church of Christ” to be saved and go to heaven. We are grievously wrong when we believe that if people are “not of us” they are going to hell.

I’m thankful that during the Great Communion autumn of 2009, we at Legacy participated in a joint communion service with all the Restoration Movement churches at Compass Christian. In fact, I’d say there were more Legacy people there than Compass people. It was beautiful. But we need to do more. I’m thankful that here at Central our shepherds actively call up elders at other churches in town and meet at their buildings to pray with them. I’m grateful that we’ve already swapped pulpits in the past with preachers in the local Christian churches. I’m so blessed to be encouraged here to meet and pray and plan with the pastors of the other downtown churches here in Amarillo. It’s beautiful. It’s powerful. But we need to do more.

Garrett claims that if we actively confess that we were wrong and enthusiastically begin to embrace other believers as equals by the grace of God, our Church of Christ people would be liberated and encouraged. And our elders and preachers would be shocked to quickly learn that most of our members didn’t really believe that way anyway.

Peace,

Allan

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