Merry Christmas!

One of my favorite Christmas stories is about a family who purchased a nativity set at a local store. When they got home, they discovered they had two figurines of baby Jesus. Obviously when it was wrapped at the store, someone had mistakenly given them an extra Jesus. The mother quickly realized this meant someone would purchase a nativity set that was missing the baby Jesus. So she sent her husband back to the store to put up a cardboard sign that said, “Missing Jesus? Call ________.” Each time the phone rang the mother just knew it was someone calling for the missing baby Jesus. But no one called. Then on Christmas Eve the call she was waiting for finally came. But it wasn’t from someone who was missing the baby Jesus from a nativity set. The call came from someone who was just missing Jesus. And that Christmas Eve, the family who had two baby Jesus figurines spent their evening feeding, clothing, and loving a mother and two children who thought they were all alone in the world.

I can’t even imagine a Christmas without Jesus. So on this Christmas Day, as we conclude our annual “Twelve Days of Christmas” devotions, I want to wish you a Merry Christmas where Jesus is present in every thought, in every word, and in every deed.

He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For by him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by him and for him. (Colossians 1:15-16)

Merry Christmas!

Jesus cares,

Pastor Chris

The Blessing of Giving

Christmas is the season of giving. No one would dispute that. And while many people might wish they had more so they could give more, one Pennsylvania man reminds us that it’s not how much you have, it’s how you handle it.

The Associated Press reports in a story dated December 8, 2008, about a tiny church in western Pennsylvania which inherited more than $2 million from a farmer who lived in a mobile home. John Ferguson, a 71-year-old farmer who attended Hopewell United Methodist Church near the town of Black Lick, left his entire estate to the church. Ferguson died in January 2007, but the gift has been in probate since then. The church has just 80 members. Hopewell’s pastor Jason McQueen said that a panel from the congregation will choose projects to be funded annually from the income generated by Ferguson’s estate.

How would a Pennsylvania farmer who lived in a mobile home save $2 million? The story doesn’t give any specifics, but my best guess takes me to the words of Proverbs 13:11, Dishonest money dwindles away, but he who gathers money little by little makes it grow. (NIV) Amid all the stories of foolishness and greed dominating the news, a fact which has landed our country in the middle of a historic economic crisis, isn’t it refreshing there are still people with common sense and generous hearts who live out the words of Jesus? These are quoted in Acts 20:35, It is more blessed to give than to receive. (NIV)

I hope that your Christmas is filled with the blessing of giving this year. But more than that, I hope your life is filled with the blessing of obeying God’s Word about being a good steward of all that He has entrusted to you.


Jesus cares,

Pastor Chris

Gift Cards

One of the most common questions you hear this time of year is, “Have you gotten all your Christmas shopping done?” It’s an easy conversation starter and an easy way to make small talk with someone you don’t really know.

Undoubtedly many of us have “gift cards” or “gift certificates” on our Christmas shopping list. I know that Sandy and I do. You can give someone a gift card to a department store, a restaurant, hotels, gas stations, golf courses (Did you catch that last one?), etc. Gift cards are great! But I never thought I would see a gift card used the way that was described in a recent Washington Times article that said, “Indiana residents in need of a quick stocking stuffer this holiday season have an unusual option: Planned Parenthood gift certificates. The group’s Hoosier state chapter on Wednesday began selling gift certificates redeemable at any of its 35 facilities for any service provided - from basic health screenings to birth control to abortions.” Betty Cockrum, the president and chief executive of Planned Parenthood of Indiana, was reported as saying, “The gift-certificate program is the first of its kind by any of Planned Parenthood’s 99 affiliates nationwide.”

Albert Mohler, president of Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, KY, said, “Planned Parenthood claims that it is doing this in the name of women’s health. A gift certificate for health services might be a thoughtful and meaningful, if unusual, gift. But Planned Parenthood is the nation’s largest abortion provider, performing multiple thousands of abortions nationwide each year. The organization also receives hundreds of millions of dollars in income from performing these abortions. Abortion is a big business, and Planned Parenthood is the market leader.”

The Los Angeles Times corroborated Dr. Mohler’s comments by reporting that the Indiana chapter of Planned Parenthood performs about 5,000 abortions each year. If you go to the Indiana group’s website (which I did), you’ll see that you can purchase gift certificates online in $25, $50, $75 and $100 increments. They say you can use the certificates for a basic health exam for $58. So, why would someone need $100 gift certificates unless you were using them for an abortion?

According to The Washington Times, “Planned Parenthood affiliates operate more than 880 centers nationwide.” Ms. Cockrum said, “While it’s too early to judge the program’s success, she plans to offer the certificates year-round.”

Earlier this year, during our Think Biblically series I shared the following truths from the Scriptures about abortion:

1. Life begins in the womb.
2. This life is the special object of God’s loving care.
3. Unplanned and ill-timed pregnancies can lead to amazing things (That was certainly the case for Mary and Joseph).
4. God’s redeeming grace covers all our sin.

While I can certainly understand and even applaud the use of a gift card for basic health exams, it makes my heart heavy to think that someone could use a gift card for an abortion. It’s sad to think that at the time of year we celebrate the birth of one child who changed the world, we can also make it so convenient to end the life of so many others. Note: Special thanks to Barry Cameron at Crossroads Christian Church, Grand Prairie, TX (www.crossroadschristian.net) for some of the information contained in this article.

Jesus cares,

Pastor Chris

Carry each other's burdens

This past weekend I took a break from the pulpit as Sandy and I traveled to Mount Vernon, Illinois, to visit our friends Jamie and Tammy Allen. Jamie was my college roommate and is the Senior Pastor of the Central Christian Church in Mount Vernon. We had a great visit and were able to attend church with them for the first time.

A little over a year ago Jamie was diagnosed with prostrate cancer. His subsequent surgery and follow-up could not have gone better. He found out recently, however, that he was going to need to begin several weeks of radiation therapy. His doctor assured him that he was going to continue to have a good outcome from all of this, but the news was difficult to take. So this holiday weekend seemed like the perfect time to just go and be together. And I’m so glad I did. We spent our time talking, laughing, and remembering and I was reminded of the truth that sometimes the most powerful ministry we can be involved in is just being present.

In Galatians 6:2 Paul writes, Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ. (NIV) That word “burdens” simply refers to the things that sometimes become too much for us to handle on our own. Sometimes the best way to help someone handle the burdens of life is just to let them know that they aren’t alone. Sometimes our presence gives the people we love the strength and resolve they need to face the future.

I remember several years ago when I was ministering in Oklahoma I was particularly burdened by a funeral I was going to lead. A young man who lived next door to his mother and father had taken his life. He had been that son who never seemed to find his way in life and faced one trial after another. This was devastating to his parents, especially his father, who at the time was dealing with his own terminal cancer. I spent a lot of time with them leading up to the funeral and at times the father would just cry uncontrollably and question God about all that had happened. The night before the funeral we had an elders’ meeting at the church, and I shared with those men how difficult this was and how burdened I felt. The next day when I got up to lead the funeral, I looked out at the audience and saw every one of them present. They didn’t know the family, but together they took time away from their work to simply come and be present to let me know I wasn’t alone. That’s something I will never forget.

There are ministry opportunities that take place center stage, in the spotlight for everyone to see. I’m very familiar with those moments. But the visibility of those moments doesn’t necessarily make them the most powerful or important. Sometimes the most significant ministry takes place in the back, in the crowd, and out of the spotlight. And those are moments that all of us can be a part of.

Jesus cares,

Pastor Chris