The Kingdom, The Kids, & The Cowboys

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Category: Golf Course Road Church (Page 1 of 26)

Together 4 Midland

February 22, 2026 / / 0 Comments

I’m still in awe of the grace of God that he would allow us to experience together what we experienced at the “4 Midland” Ash Wednesday service at First Baptist. Our Christian brothers and sisters from all four churches–First Baptist, First Methodist, First Presbyterian, and GCR CofC–worshiped together, sang and prayed together, confessed our sins and repented together, administered and received ashes together, and entered the Christian season of Lent. Together.

How beautiful. How powerful. What a blessing. An honor. What a generous gift of God’s grace.

 

 

 

 

 

The sanctuary was packed with what seemed to be a fairly equal number of us from each of our four congregations. I always joke to GCR that “it’s not a competition; but we want to win.” No, we were all pretty evenly represented Wednesday. And while my brother Darin, the pastor at First Baptist, worries that they just don’t have the chops when it comes to traditional Christian liturgy, they definitely have the music covered. My goodness, the orchestra! And the 85-member choir made up of the choirs and worship teams from all four churches!

It’s a glorious thing when God’s children can put aside their denominational differences to worship and serve together as the one Body of Christ. It’s an undeniable testimony to our community and a tremendous blessing for us. And it’s one way to physically answer the prayer of our Lord.

 

 

 

 

 

I always offer to take our GCR youth group out for ice cream after the 4 Midland Ash Wednesday service. I don’t know how appropriate it is to eat ice cream immediately after entering a season of prayer and fasting, but it gets our kids to the service and it gives me an opportunity to hang out with the coolest youth group on the planet. And, yeah, they are the best.

Over the past dozen years or so, Ash Wednesday has become a vital part of my walk with Christ, an indispensable move in the rhythms that guide my discipleship. I hope it’s that way for you, too. We’re following our Lord now to the cross, to the tomb, and then out of that empty grave. But the journey begins with this season of confession and repentance, reflection and transformation, fasting and prayer. What a gift from God that, for us, it begins with four Midland churches. Together.

Peace,

Allan

Sons & Daughters

February 4, 2026 / / 1 Comment

As I have studied the Scriptures and the mission of God in a more narrative way over the past 26 years, as I consider context instead of proof-texts, as I view the Bible as the ongoing story of our God and his people, everything–all of it–connects so much more clearly now and makes a whole lot more sense. Jesus didn’t just die for my sins; God is doing something big and eternal in the world with all people. It started in Genesis 1, not Matthew; and it’s finally accomplished not in Acts 2, but in Revelation 22. He is breaking down barriers, he’s reconciling all people and all things, he is reversing the curse, he is abolishing the consequences of the world’s sins so we can live with him and with each other in perfect relationship forever.

When it comes to discerning the leadership and service roles for women within the Body of Christ, we have traditionally only looked at the four verses in the whole Bible that seem to restrict our Christian sisters: two verses in 1 Corinthians 14 and two verses in 1 Timothy 2. We have historically viewed the whole of the Bible through the lens of those couple of sentences, assuming that women cannot lead or serve publicly in the worship assembly, and reading and interpreting the rest of the biblical witness through that assumption. But those few verses need to be read and interpreted in the context of the overarching story of Scripture. Genesis 3 and 1 Corinthians 11 and Galatians 3 and Acts 2 all need to be considered as we draw lines and adopt rules and make determinations about God’s will for his people. The story tells us that men and women are created equally by God in his image, that his Holy Spirit has been poured out equally on all our sons and daughters, and those gifts are to be expressed equally in both private and public settings to his eternal glory and for the edification of his people.

I believe sin is what has distorted God’s will in these matters. I believe sin and fallen human nature are what have solidified the disparate gender roles in our churches. I believe God’s desire is that all men and women exercise their gifts and express their faith equally in his Church. And I also believe teaching this and leading this is difficult.

Our shepherds at the GCR Church here in Midland have made the decision, after several years of careful study and prayerful conversation, to affirm the Holy Spirit giftedness of our sisters when it comes to serving and leading in our Sunday worship assemblies. They have determined that, for too long, we have restricted women in ways the Bible never does. And they are shepherding us through this shift in practice with thoughtful teaching and pastoral care.

This page on our church website contains the statement our elders presented to the church on the matter this past Sunday, plus a schedule of Bible classes, sermons, and a Q&A-style conversation with the shepherds that are open to our entire church family. You’ll also find there the latest “GCR Family Update,” an introductory video/podcast on this move, with two of our shepherds and Ryan and me. It’s a really good start to what is certain to be a time of tremendous blessing and growth for our community of faith.

Personally, I am looking forward to the reconciliation: experiencing equal dignity and recognizing equal Spirit-giftedness at GCR.

I’m looking forward to a truer expression of the Gospel: living into God’s will and his call together.

I’m looking forward to our body growing together through the different perspectives and insights that are sure to come. The truth is, our sisters experience God and express their faith in God differently than most men. Hearing their voices and their hearts will open us up to broader understandings and new appreciations for our Lord’s love and grace and faithfulness.

I’m looking forward to clearing up the inconsistencies in our practices so our daughters and granddaughters, our wives and sisters, are equally encouraged and affirmed.

I’m excited to see the evangelism potential of what God is going to do as we remove a significant barrier to his Gospel.

And I’m really looking forward to the blessings. We’re going to hear the Word of God in ways we’ve not heard it before. We’re going to experience facets of God’s character we’ve never felt before. We’re going to pay closer attention to the readings and the prayers. We’re going to be moved differently. Our sisters will display their hearts and communicate God’s faithful promises and will in a way that most men just don’t. I’m looking forward to some of our older sisters limping up to the stage and praising God in prayer through their pain. I’m looking forward to our younger sisters serving my family the bread and the cup through their great joy. I’m looking forward to hearing some of GCR’s giants of the faith read the Word of God that dwells so deeply in their hearts.

God bless us. Together. And God bless GCR. May this move make us more available to our Lord’s transformation and mission, to being changed by him to love like Jesus. And may his holy will be done in and through his people here just as it is in heaven.

Peace,
Allan

Church on a Snow Day

January 26, 2026 / / 0 Comments

We made the decision to open the doors Sunday morning and hold a worship service at GCR Church. It was snowing, the roads were icy, and the temperatures were in the teens; it was a winter weather situation we don’t get into that much in Midland, maybe only once every four or five years. Several Midland churches cancelled their services on Friday. As Friday turned into Saturday, even more churches posted their announcements that they were canceling their worship gatherings.

The restaurants were open. The grocery stores and retail outlets were open. The movie theaters and Costco and Bass Pro Shop were open. The club teams were all going forward with their basketball practices.

It seems to me that if two-thirds of the town is open, the church should not be closed.

We are ordained by God and charged by our community of faith to administer the sacraments of Word and Table every Lord’s Day. If 500 people show up to worship, it’s great. And if only five people show up, it’s still really great. God still meets us. God still transforms us. We are still in his presence, gathered together in the name of Jesus and by the power of his Spirit. Why would we cancel?

I know the rub. In situations like this, all the people younger than me who have no problem navigating the weather conditions will stay home, and all the people older than me who shouldn’t be out in this stuff will go to church. So, the thinking goes, we have to cancel so the older people don’t hurt themselves.

I’ve never known what to do with that. I’m open to suggestions.

I was at the building early Sunday morning, but not before Tim and Justin. They were here at 6:00am, shoveling the snow and ice and blowing dry the south and east sidewalks, preparing the way to church.

I called Carrie-Anne from the building at 9:00am. “Do you want me to come pick y’all up?” She replied, “Who am I? Your grandmother?! I know how to drive on this stuff!” I think I offended her. I love her for that.

The later it got in the week and the more buildup we heard from our local Midland media and saw on everybody’s Facebook posts about how terrible it was going to be, I was convinced that everyone had already made up their minds about whether or not they were going to attend church. I began getting the texts on Wednesday. “What are the chances we cancel church Sunday?” I responded, “Almost zero.” It felt like people had already decided. I started telling people by Thursday that even if it’s sunny and 40-degrees on Sunday, we’ll still have fewer than 100 people here.

Does that mean we should cancel?

Doesn’t cancelling church when most of the town is open and most of our congregation is eating out and going to practice and buying groceries send a message that church isn’t as important as we say it is? No, we are going to open the doors and greet one another warmly and hear the Word and eat and drink the communion meal; we’re going to sing praise to the Lord and hug each other and pray together and be reminded that we are redeemed children of God, that we belong to him and to one another, and that this is our primary identity and purpose.

More than 70 people showed up. Younger and older and lots of in-between. I even met a couple of visitors. We all huddled together down front, closer together, not spread out. Cory made a couple of jokes about the “Frozen Chosen” and we launched into the singing. We heard the Word of God from Philippians 2. I told some stories about God’s mission and how giving yourself to God’s mission changes us. I was able to make eye contact with every person in the room. We ate and drank the meal together. Richard gave us some news about the budget (Can you believe we come to church on a day like today and it’s Budget Sunday?!?). And we sang some more. And, afterwards, everybody hung out in the Worship Center talking and visiting, laughing and catching up with their brothers and sisters in Christ.

It was sweet. It was intimate. It was special.

We had our monthly 4 Midland lunch today. Me and my great friends, these pastor partners who knew we had church on Sunday when they didn’t. As soon as I sat down, Steve asked me, “Well, how many showed up?”

“The Lord showed up,” I replied. “And he was awesome.”

Peace,
Allan

Church is God’s Work

January 13, 2026 / / 0 Comments

I paid off a Cowboys debt today. I bet Myles back in August that the Cowboys would not get seven wins this year. Myles is a squirrely 13-year-old kid in our youth group and the son of the wonderful Brandon and Ashlee. He and I share a love for Whataburger, the Texas Longhorns, Stevie Ray Vaughan, and our Lord Jesus. But that’s about the extent of what we have in common. He loves the Cowboys. Poor kid.

Our wagers are always for lunch at Whataburger. Loser buys. Including the vanilla and strawberry shakes. So, I picked up Myles from school today. And his friend, Nolan. I’m not sure how I got roped into buying his lunch, too. I don’t know this kid. Why am I buying his lunch?

When’s the last time you shared a meal with a teenager from your church? I’d suggest doing it soon. It’s awesome.

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A lot of people have this idea that the church is a volunteer organization; that every person in the church makes his or her own decision to belong or not; like we each experience a personal relationship with Christ, and then we join a church that promotes my individual spiritual health. This way, people join the church or leave the church based on whether they feel like their needs are being met or not.

No. Our knowledge of God–understanding who God is and what he is doing–re-shapes the way we think about Christian community, the way we view church. Church is God’s work, not ours. Not yours and not mine.

“You are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light… Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God.” ~ 1 Peter 2:9-10

Earlier in 1 Peter 2, the apostle writes that you–this is the plural form of the word, you all, or, as I like to say, y’all–are chosen by God and precious. You (y’all) are being built into a spiritual house. You are not building it; you are being built by God. Belonging to a community of faith is not your choice, it is God’s decision. It’s God’s work.

“God has called you (y’all) into fellowship with his Son Jesus Christ our Lord.” ~1 Corinthians 1:9
“Brothers and sisters, think of what you (y’all) were when you were called.” ~1 Corinthians 1:26
“It is because of God that you (y’all) are in Christ Jesus.” ~1 Corinthians 1:30

In the Bible, whenever the Gospel is preached, wherever the power of what God has done and is doing in Christ Jesus is proclaimed, these communities of faith just pop up. The churches in the Bible are defined ONLY by their acceptance of the Good News and their commitment to Christ and to one another. Jews and Gentiles together. Rich and poor together. Free people and slaves together. Men and women, tax collectors and Zealots, national citizens and foreigners together. Young and old, fugitives and business leaders together.

You and I don’t CHOOSE to belong to group like that. We would NEVER choose that. Putting a church together is what God does.

Peace,
Allan

December Inevitabilities

December 15, 2025 / / 0 Comments


December means Christmas parties, trips to see Santa, and the Cowboys being eliminated from the postseason. Let’s take those annual winter inevitabilities in reverse order.

If your quarterback is struggling and your offense stinks, just play the Cowboys. Once again, the Dallas defense made a bad offense look good and a mediocre quarterback look like Joe Montana in last night’s embarrassing home loss to the Vikings. Minnesota rookie J.J. McCarthy, in just his eighth start, threw for the most yards in a game in his career, averaged 10.4 yards per attempt, threw for two TDs, and ran for another. After beating the Eagles and Chiefs in back-to-back games, Dallas has now given up 78 points in two straight losses to demolish whatever hope a few Cowboys fans might have had.

I feel sorry for Dak. I really do. Prescott now becomes only the third quarterback in NFL history to start for the same team for at least ten years and not win at least one divisional playoff game (the other two are Tony Romo and Archie Manning). Dak is finishing his tenth season as the Cowboys QB, his fifth missing the playoffs.

It’s not his fault.

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The grandsons saw Santa Claus over the weekend and, by all accounts, killed it. Not a problem. Elliott didn’t fully embrace the experience the way Samuel did. But he didn’t cry. He endured.

In case you’re wondering, yes, the boys do own several pairs of shoes.

I was relieved to see that Santa is aware of Oklahoma. I’ve never been sure about that.

But it doesn’t matter because the boys are coming to Midland one week from tomorrow for Christmas and Santa and all that entails. It’ll be their first-ever trip to Texas. They might bring their parents.

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Our dynamic GCR youth group finished their progressive Christmas dinner at Stanglin Manor last night. Somewhere between 40-45 teenagers and a few brave adults (that’s only about a third of the people in that picture) crammed into our living room for desserts, hot chocolate, and an awkward gift exchange. It was another inspirational demonstration of the intergenerational nature of our congregation.

If our teenagers at GCR know anything, it’s that the adults in our church love them and support them and want the best for them and enjoy spending time with them. We work really hard to ensure our young people know they are a vital part of our community of faith. And these same teenagers are pouring into our children’s ministry, too. One of the coolest things I’ve seen at GCR was at the kids’ Christmas pageant Wednesday evening when four rows of our youth group showed up to support and cheer on the children!

I thank God for what he’s doing in and through our youth group. These are all fabulous kids who really do love this church and each other. I’ll continue to say that if you want your kids to truly be more like Jesus, if you’re really serious about the spiritual formation of your teenager, you want him or her to spend as much time with Jadyn and J.E. as possible. And with this group.

Peace,
Allan

Transforming Moments

December 3, 2025 / / 1 Comment

The latest episode of the new-ish GCR podcast with Jadyn and Jim, Transforming Moments, just dropped today and, in case you’re not following it yet where you get your podcasts, here it is. Right here.

In this installment, Jim and Jadyn interview me about our GCR partnership with the 4Midland churches. We talk about the origins of our alliance, the theological basis for our public demonstrations of unity, and our plans for the future. But mainly the conversation is about spiritual formation. How does worshiping and serving with Christians from other denominations shape us more into the image of Jesus? How does being with different kinds of people in their spaces contribute to the “mind of Christ” among us? And does this have bigger Kingdom of God implications beyond our four churches?

The conversation is laid-back, personal, and includes a reference to Blaine Nye. I recommend it.

Peace,
Allan

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