A Blue Bell Prayer

In my last blog entry I shared some thoughts about friendship based on a recent trip Sandy and I took to Houston. I have to be honest, though, and tell you that one of the things I miss the most about living in Houston (and Broken Arrow), is Blue Bell Ice Cream. Now if you've been a part of the Mount Pleasant family for any length of time, you know that I have a slight addiction to Blue Bell. My recent trip to Houston didn't help this addiction as I discovered a new flavor called "Candy Jar." Listen to how Blue Bell describes "Candy Jar" ice cream on their web site. "Rich caramel ice cream containing all of your favorite candy pieces - peanut butter cups, chocolate chunks, peanut brittle, chunks of caramel, and chocolate crisp pieces." Who could say "no" to that?

The original Blue Bell creamery is located in Brenham, Texas, located just outside of Houston so there was never any problem getting the ice cream there. The second creamery Blue Bell opened just happened to be in Broken Arrow, Oklahoma, and its opening just happened to coincide with my family moving to Broken Arrow. But, alas, there is no Blue Bell joy in Greenwood, Indiana. So for the past eight years I've had to be satisfied with occasional splurges of three gallon containers of Blue Bell Homemade Vanilla purchased from Carrabbas restaurant or a few days of Blue Bell gluttony when I'm on vacation. But the winds of change just might be blowing through Central Indiana.

According to INDYSTAR.COM Blue Bell has plans to break into the Indianapolis market with the construction of a cold storage warehouse on the northwest side. The article says, "Plans for an Indianapolis distribution facility appear to signal a major move into Northern markets."

http://www.indystar.com/article/20100215/BUSINESS/2130332/Blue-Bell-ice-cream-hopes-to-build-here?GID=3eT7/UFIjiUdALQLCWsKAq3l4Ku0KQflkgsHVWyLF0M%3D

Suffice it to say that we've all got something new to add to our prayer lists. If Blue Bell does make its way to Indianapolis, I'm going to be modest and only claim somewhere between 75% to 90% responsibility.

You can thank me later,

Pastor Chris

Friendship

This weekend begins a new six-week sermon series called, "A New Command" based on Jesus' words in John 13:34-35, A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another. (NIV) More than anything else, this series will be about how to build genuine caring relationships with one another which is something that is relevant to each of us.

There's no question that one of the greatest gifts God has given to us is the gift of friendship. I was reminded of that this past week as Sandy and I traveled to Houston for a week of vacation. Houston holds a special place in our hearts because it was where we met, where our kids were born, and where we had our first ministry. Houston is also home to some very special friends.

One of the unique things about friendship is that it is something that can bring great joy and great heartache. No doubt that's why Paul instructs us to "rejoice with those who rejoice" and "mourn with those who mourn" in Romans 12. We did both of those things while in Houston. I have two close friends named Darrel and David who I lived with before any of us were married. Sandy and I married first and then I had the privilege of marrying Darrel and Kathie and then David and Suzanne. Kathie and Suzanne stood with Sandy and Darrel and David stood with me when we were married. Suzanne is Sandy's long-time best friend who lived down the street from her while she was growing up. I don't have enough room in this blog to describe the depth of our friendship. So when we travel to Houston it's like we travel back in time and experience life the way it was over twenty-five years ago. We eat together, we go to movies together, we shop together, we play golf together, we stay up late together, but mostly we laugh together.

Houston is also the home of the best mentors Sandy and I have ever had. Two couples in particular are Jack and Charlotte Tipton (both from Oklahoma) and Rusty and Linda Wilfong (both from Illinois). We got to worship and have lunch with Jack and Charlotte on Sunday. On Saturday we got to see two of Rusty and Linda's kids and their families as we celebrated one of their granddaughter's birthdays at their new home in Fulshear, Texas. It was a beautiful, warm, blue-sky day with a light breeze...just the escape you're looking for in February. The only problem was that Linda wasn't there. The last time we were in Houston (February 2008) we were there so I could preach her funeral. The day after Valentine's Day that year Linda suffered a heart-attack, fought for her life in the hospital, but never made it home. It won't be a surprise to any of you that I didn't make it very long before I broke down and cried. That happened when I was praying for our lunch. A little later in the day, when everyone was gathered around the table singing "Happy Birthday" to three-year-old Addison, it was just too much for Sandy to take as she thought about how much Linda loved moments like that. I told her that she was supposed to be the strong one in our family. Later, as Sandy and I sat with Rusty on the back patio we talked about Linda and everyone cried.

I love the fun that friendship brings. I love the laughter and the celebration...I wouldn't trade it for anything in the world. I feel the same way about the sadness and the pain that friendship can sometimes bring. It was a different kind of joy that Sandy and I felt as we sat there on the patio with Rusty, but it was still joy. Proverbs 17:17 says, A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity. (NIV)

Do you have a friend that you haven't laughed or cried with in a while? Life gets busy with work and grocery shopping and paying bills and Super Bowls and meetings and shoveling driveways and time spent worrying and sitting in front of a computer screen like I'm doing right now. Don't miss out on friendship. Don't miss out on the full experience of friendship. Whether you're laughing or crying, there's no question it's one of God's greatest gifts.

Pastor Chris

There was a time when I was a big baseball fan. When I was a boy, I loved the Cincinnati Reds (The Big Red Machine) because I liked Johnny Bench who was from Oklahoma. I suffered through their World Series losses to the Baltimore Orioles and Oakland A's in 1970 and 1972. But back-to-back World Series Championships over the Boston Red Sox and New York Yankees in 1975 and 1976 made it all worthwhile. When The Big Red Machine broke up, my support of the Reds went away, but that's when I became a Reggie Jackson fan. I loved the drama he brought to the Yankees and later to the Angels (in the end I guess I'm more a fan of specific players than I am of teams).

I don't follow baseball as much as I used to (although I was pulling for the Yankees over the Phillies in the latest World Series), but I was interested when the latest Hall of Fame vote was released. I was happy go see Andre Dawson elected. I used to watch him when he played for the Cubs, and I loved the way he looked so menacing at the plate. But the thing that stood out the most to me was the fact that Mark McGwire came up weak on the balloting. A player needs to receive 75% of the votes to be inducted, and McGwire received 23.7% of the votes in his fourth appearance on the ballot.

Any confusion about the McGwire vote was removed this past week when he finally admitted to using steroids during his career. That means his prolific home run totals, including 1998, the year he captured the attention of the entire country as he broke Roger Maris' long standing record of 61 home runs in a season (McGwire finished with 70), were all aided by performance-enhancing drugs. Now, to be honest, I like Mark McGwire. I always have. I've always liked the home run hitters. And I'm not interested in being overly critical. There is a part of me that feels bad for him. But in the end, all of this just reinforces something I've believed for a long time. There are no short-cuts to success.

Have you ever noticed how often someone who desperately wants to succeed never does? Oftentimes that's because in their desperation they're willing to try every short cut that comes along. And those shortcuts are the very things that sabotage their efforts. From a purely statistical standpoint Mark McGwire's career was a huge success. But do you ever think anyone will ever look at those statistics as being legitimate?

There are a lot of things that contribute to success in our personal lives, our families, our careers, our finances, etc, but there is never any substitute for things like hard work, honesty, and perseverance. I think that principle is found throughout the Scriptures. Proverbs 13:11 says, Dishonest money dwindles away, but he who gathers money little by little makes it grow. (NIV) Galatians 6:9 says, Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. (NIV)

This past Wednesday at our monthly all-staff luncheon, I spent some time challenging and encouraging our staff to embrace this truth about hard work and perseverance. I told them that one of the most important ministry principles they can ever learn is that leaders can accomplish big goals one step at a time. That's not what most people want to hear, that's not even something you find in a lot of leadership books and articles, but it is absolutely true. In a world where everyone wants instant gratification and instant success, perseverance isn't something that's talked about a lot. But there's no substitute. I'm not ashamed to say that I'm a “one step at a time” kind of guy because I know that God rewards faithfulness. I hope that's something that you know as well.

Jesus cares,
Pastor Chris

It’s Wednesday afternoon, 5:02, and I’ve been kind of depressed all day long. Now, before any of you fire off an e-mail telling me not to feel that way, I need to tell you why. Sandy and I just got back from a few days in Dallas where we were able to spend some time with our son and daughter-in-law. We did all the things we like to do except play golf (unseasonably cold weather in Dallas). We ate Mexican food, Blue Bell ice cream, and we caught up on all that’s been happening in their lives. That was Saturday through Monday. Then, we got up very early on Tuesday morning, drove to the airport to catch a 7:50 flight that got delayed and got home much later on Tuesday then we had originally planned. So I’m feeling a little depressed today because I’m tired, but mostly because I really miss my son.

According to MapQuest, it’s exactly 926.04 miles from my driveway to his. But it feels a lot farther. It will feel even farther on the 18^th when he celebrates his 25^th birthday and farther still on the 25^th when Kara and he celebrate Christmas because Sandy, Tricia, and I will be here, and he will be there.

When Sandy got pregnant, I just knew we were having a boy. In fact, I was so confident that I went out and found a small Rawlings Signature Series baseball glove with the autograph of Reggie Jackson (my favorite baseball player) and stuck it on the corner of his crib. Andrew grew up to be a baseball player and gave me more thrills than I can even describe. When he was 14 and playing in his last baseball season before high school ball, he got hit in the face with a pitch and broke his jaw. For six weeks his jaw was wired shut. When the wires were finally removed, there were a few games left in the summer season, and he wanted to play. I was worried, not knowing what it would be like his first time up to bat. But in the first at bat of his first game back, he hit a two-run home run over the right field fence (the ball completely smashed the windshield of a car parked in the wrong spot). That’s just one example. Earlier this year he got the opportunity to preach in the Sunday morning services of the church he serves in Grand Prairie (Crossroads Christian Church). It was their back-to-school Sunday, and there were over 4,300 people there. Sandy and I listened to the message online, and it was awesome! It was even better than a two-run home run. Some days it just hurts to be so far away—to be separated from someone you love so much.

I wonder what it was like for God the Father when His Son Jesus chose to give up His heavenly position and authority and come to Earth to identify with people like you and me.” I mean, I know that He is the Sovereign God of the Universe. I know He is not limited by, or subject to, the frailty of flesh and blood like we are, but I wonder how it felt. We know there was a deep love between Father and Son. Matthew 3:17 says, “And a voice from heaven said, ‘This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.’" If I can feel the heartache of separation from my son, just imagine how God felt when Jesus became a man. Just imagine what it was like for God the Father to see His Son lying in a manger in Bethlehem knowing full well that one day that baby in the manger would be nailed to a cross.

I hope this Christmas gives you the opportunity to be close to the people you love—to family and friends. But more than that, I hope this Christmas gives you the opportunity to understand, maybe for the first time—maybe like it’s the first time all over again—the great love that God has for you. A love so strong that He was willing to send His Son and experience the pain of separation so that you could experience the joy of togetherness with Him.

Merry Christmas,

Pastor Chris

P.S. I hope you will be at our annual Christmas service this weekend, and I hope you will invite a friend to join you. We have designed this service to be very “guest friendly.” That doesn’t mean it will be “watered down.” That just means it will draw people in and then confront them with the gospel. Don’t let anything keep you from being a part of what God is going to do this weekend.

It’s been a couple of weeks now since the conclusion of our very special “What’s Your Story” campaign, and yet I continue to hear and receive comments about how meaningful it was to so many of you. I can honestly say that I have never been a part of a series that was so genuine and real in its impact. God always moves in powerful ways when we talk about things like dealing with trials or the importance of forgiveness. There are just some topics that will always evoke a lot of emotion. But this series was different. This series seemed to touch everyone on some level. Whether it was taking the time to think about and share your story or listening to the courageous testimonies that were given each week or taking a closer look at the lives that Jesus touched in the gospels, or watching people that you worship with every week stand up on the platform and show how Jesus has changed the story of their life, this series found a way to touch everyone.

One of the biggest challenges that those of us in full-time ministry face is the fact that as soon as one weekend (one sermon or one series) is over, there is a new one just days away. That doesn’t afford us much opportunity to think about the past. I’m currently involved in preparing for a new four-week series called, “The Wise Family” that will look at what the book of Proverbs has to say about family life and living. But I’ll be honest; I really needed a couple of weekends out of the pulpit to recover from where we have been. That might sound odd but “What’s Your Story” just took a lot out of me. But beyond that, I’m glad I’ve had a couple of weeks to simply reflect on everything that happened—everything that God did. I can’t seem to stop thinking about it. Just this morning I watched the cardboard testimonies one more time. And here’s something that I know for sure. While our “What’s Your Story” campaign may be over, the fact that everyone has a story is still true. And I know that God can work both in and through your story to do great things in your life and the lives of the people you know and love.

So, here’s my encouragement. Embrace your story no matter what it is, give it to God, and just watch what He will do. Perhaps the best thing that came from this entire campaign is we all learned that we’re not alone; we’re not the only one with struggles; we’re not the only one with a past; we’re not the only one with ________. I’m praying that God will use that realization to build a stronger church than we’ve ever known before. You can help that happen if you’re willing to answer this one simple question, “What’s your story?”

Jesus cares,

Pastor Chris

Next Steps

This past week Sandy and I traveled to Savannah, Georgia, to visit my brother and his family. My brother moved to Savannah about six months ago to serve in their global and local outreach ministry. But after being there for just a brief time, they gave him a new position, and he is now the pastor of what they call their east campus (Savannah Christian Church is one of the largest Christian Churches in the country with a main campus and three different satellite campuses). He’s very excited about this new opportunity. Not only am I excited for him, but I’m very proud of him.

Normally everything at the satellite campus is “live” except for the message which is a video from the main campus. But this last weekend my brother brought the message. He preached from Psalm 51 and talked about how important it is, if we’re ever going to changed into the person God wants us to be, to be honest about our sin.

I’m eight years older than my brother. He and my younger sister were still at home when my parents divorced, and life for them got pretty difficult. Everyone deals with difficulty in different ways, and, for a time, my brother made some really bad choices. But one day when he realized things needed to change, he called me. We talked for a little while, and then I said, “I want you to come and go with me to church camp.” I was scheduled to be the dean of a senior high week at Tanglewood Christian Camp in Lexington, TX. So he went. While he was there, God dealt with his heart, and he made a commitment to turn away from his sin (the Bible calls that repentance). He also made a commitment to enroll at Dallas Christian College (he had already been to two different colleges where he spent most of his time…well he doesn’t really remember much about that time). So my brother enrolled in and graduated from Dallas Christian College. While he was there he met his wife Jolene, and they have been serving the local church together now for almost twenty years. And it all started with a moment of recognition followed by a phone call.

I imagine there are many moments of recognition in all of our lives. The problem is we don’t always take that next step. For my brother Kenneth, it was a phone call to someone he could trust…someone he knew loved him. What would it be for you? One of the great examples of that next step is found in the parable of the prodigal son in Luke 15. After this son had demanded an early inheritance from his father and wasted it all on wine, women, and song (loose translation), he found himself with nothing but a job feeding pigs. Luke 15:17 says, When he came to his senses, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired men have food to spare, and here I am starving to death! I will set out and go back to my father and say to him: Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me like one of your hired men.’ (NIV) You know how the story ends. The father was actually waiting for him to come home. And when he did, the celebration was incredible.

Is there some next step you need to take? Is there something you need to do? Don’t let anything stand in your way. Somewhere there’s a celebration waiting to happen.

Jesus cares,

Pastor Chris

P.S. The weather in Savannah and Hilton Head was perfect every single day. I ate a lot of Blue Bell ice cream and played a lot of golf. How cool is that!

The Evolution of a Blog (one pastor’s experience)

Monday, October 12, 2009 (10:15 a.m.)

Wow! That’s all I can say about this past weekend’s worship experience. I could feel the power of the Holy Spirit in each service, and I know that everyone who was present was blessed and challenged. But I have to be honest and tell you that I was really disappointed (It has always been hard for me to hide my disappointment) in the number of empty chairs…especially at our 9:00 service. Several months ago when I first began to imagine this series, I actually checked the Colts schedule and the school calendar so that I could schedule this particular weekend at a time when there were no obvious conflicts. That’s because I knew how powerful it would be. That’s why I took the time to encourage everyone a couple of weeks ago to make sure they didn’t miss the last two weeks of this series. The end result was our lowest “What’s Your Story” weekend attendance…almost 500 fewer people than previous weeks. Someone told me they believed the low attendance was due to the temporary seating in the Worship Center. I suppose that could be a possibility, but I just can’t bring myself to believe that something like that would really keep someone out of church, not unless they had some genuine physical disability. Someone might read this and think that I’m overly concerned with numbers. That’s really not the case. I just know how much time and effort went into last week’s service, as well as how important the message was. (Whoa. There’s no way I can publish this. It’s way too negative/honest. I should know better than to try and write a blog on a Monday.)

Tuesday, October 13, 2009 (8:45 a.m.)

Wow! That’s all I can say about this past weekend’s worship experience. I could feel the power of the Holy Spirit in each service, and I know that everyone who was present was blessed and challenged. But I have to be honest and tell you that I was really disappointed (It has always been hard for me to hide my disappointment) in the number of empty chairs…especially at our 9:00 service. Several months ago when I first bean to imagine this series, I actually checked the Colts schedule and the school calendar so that I could schedule this particular weekend at a time when there were no obvious conflicts. That’s because I knew how powerful it would be. That’s why I took the time to encourage everyone a couple of weeks ago to make sure they didn’t miss the last two weeks of this series. The end result was our lowest “What’s Your Story” weekend attendance…almost 500 fewer people than previous weeks. (Apparently Tuesdays are not much better)

Wednesday, October 14, 2009 (2:37 p.m.)

(Nope)

Thursday, October 15, 2009 (5:14 p.m.)

This weekend marks the conclusion of our special “What’s Your Story” campaign. I hope you’ve been blessed by what God has done each and every week. I have been particularly thankful to those who have had the courage to share their story whether it’s been in the main service, on our web site, or in a small group setting. One of my main goals for this series was to try and communicate that we are not a church filled with “stained-glass saints” but real people with real lives in real need of God’s grace. We have a very special element planned for this final weekend that I believe is something we will all remember for the rest of our lives. I hope that you are planning to be present at one of our four services so that you can be a part of what God is going to do. I have to tell you that we will once again be sitting in temporary chairs. It’s painful for me to have to write that. We tried to synchronize our re-model schedule to only have to do this for a couple of weeks, and this will be the sixth straight week with the folding chairs. It’s not our fault. The only thing we’ve been guilty of is believing the people who sold us the new seats when they gave us our delivery date(s). I apologize for that. Please don’t let it keep you from worship this weekend. Thanks for your patience.

Jesus cares,

Pastor Chris