Tag: Service

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Heavenward ‘Applause’

For a moment, think about how we train our young people. Those in our children’s Bible classes and up through the teen years.

So often we talk about teaching our young men to lead, but stop short of providing them with the opportunity. We provide summer trips, monthly activities and weekly Bible studies, we even practice song leading and preaching (with Leadership Training for Christ, Lads to Leaders, Timothy classes, etc.) But how much of the teaching and training of our young people is focused on actually leading as opposed to entertaining. Young men prepare talks, practice singing and then stand up before the congregation to lead. But rather than accept audience-applausetheir work, honor their contribution and receive edification from their message, we smile and applaud. In like manner a young person makes the great confession, is baptized into Christ and the first thing they hear coming up from the watery grave is the sound of clapping. What message are we hoping to give when we clap for their service? Are we saying, “good job,” or “congratulations,” or “we approve?”

In a society that is devoid of hard work, the sound of applause is heard at the accomplishment of a task. A beautiful, musical score played or sung by a talented musician is means for applause. The athlete hitting a deep drive into the gap, or making a catch or scoring the winning run is honored with a standing ovation. But when he’s training and practicing for the performance, where is the clapping? Yes, we want to recognize the accomplishment, but why clap for one who is training to lead and teach? Too often we honor the servant when we should be glorifying the Master. In John chapter 13, verse 16, just hours before His arrest and crucifixion he said, “…truly, I say to you, a slave is not greater than his master, nor is one who is sent greater than the one who sent him.”

A congregation in Nashville, Tennessee (Woodson Chapel church of Christ) participates in the Lads to Leaders program. During an extended training opportunity for their boys who have been trained, one young, 3 year old boy asks if he can lead a song. Not being old enough to participant in the ‘official training,’ this little man stepped up to lead the congregation. Listen and watch him as he ‘directs’ the saints in the song, “Blue Skies and Rainbows.” But more importantly listen to the lesson this body of believers teaches him AFTER the song has been sung.

You’ve heard it said, “Actions speak louder than words.” Our children will learn from what we do as well as what we say. If we truly want to glorify God, we’ll consider carefully how much ‘glory’ we give each other. We must train our father son singingyoung people to ‘…honor all people, love the brotherhood, fear God and honor the king.’ I Peter 3:17. Honoring all people and the king doesn’t mean to applaud their service. Loving the brotherhood doesn’t refer to clapping at their new birth, but fearing God does mean…‘By those who come near Me I will be treated as holy, And before all the people I will be honored.’ Leviticus 3:10 Remember the preacher and the song leader are nothing more than servants, and each of us should concern ourselves with who we honor and how we honor them. Perhaps we should focus more of our ‘applause’ heavenward.

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Do We Want More? (part 1)

molassesA young, southern boy was sitting down to the breakfast table with his older brothers and sisters, ready to feast on momma’s pancakes.  As the youngest in this family finally gets his plate of hotcakes, his momma asked if he’s ready for some molasses.  With all the southern slang the little boy had grown up with, he innocently replies; “How can I have mo’ lasses when I hasn’t had any yet?”

A comical story about a little boy’s understanding of ‘more,’ but an idea I’d like for us to follow for while.  As we consider wanting/needing ‘more’ of something perhaps we should ask the obvious, more of what?  On a tangible level, we might want more money, more help, or more vacation time.  But in reality we might say we want more strength, more understanding, or more time.  But either way we tend to want ‘more.’

The hymn we will be examining is focused on our lives and the holiness we aspire to.  Written and composed by Philip Bliss in 1873, this song repeats the word ‘more’ twenty-four (24) times.  With just three short verses what could we possible be praying for more of?  Look deeper at how much ‘more’ we should be aspiring for.

In verse one alone we seek (sing); more holiness, more striving, more patience and more sorrow.  More faith, more sense, more joy and more purpose.  One by one let’s consider what are we asking God to give us ‘more’ of:
1) More holiness give me…  Holiness, by definition, is the state of being set apart.  We are asking to be set apart for God’s service.  Read Titus 2:11-14, through Christ we are redeemed to God, “…a people for His own possession.”  We are called to be holy.  Deuteronomy 7:6, “For you are a holy people to the Lord your God…”

2) More striving within… why would we pray for striving?  It indicates we are looking for an inter-struggle.  A fight against our human nature of worldliness.  Paul explained it when he wrote, “…I am of flesh, sold into bondage to sin. For that which I am doing, I do not understand; for I am not practicing what I would like to do, but I am doing the very thing I hate…” Romans 7:14-15.  Consider how many times you’ve said, ‘I wish I hadn’t done that.’  In short, we need ‘more striving within.’

struggles3) More patience in suffering.  Again, read the text in James 1:1-2, “Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, know that the testing of your faith produces endurance.”  Not something we want or look forward to, but something we know we need, patience.

4) More sorrow for sin. This alone should make us stop and think about our life.  Do we feel regret, guilt or sorrow when we sin?  Not when we’re CAUGHT in sin, but for our sinful acts.  We sing (and pray) that we’d be more sorrowful for our sin.  Philip Bliss would agree, more conscience of our sin.

5) More faith in my Savior.  What does it take for us to strengthen our faith?  Perhaps we find the same sentiments from the father of a young boy in Mark 9.  You’ll remember the discussion Jesus had with the man until the boy’s father in desperation cried out, “I do believe, help my unbelief.”  In other words, I need more faith in my Savior.

6) More sense of His care.  How much does God care about you?  Do you understand (can you sense) how much you matter to God?  “For God so loved the world…”  We do have some realization of His care.  But do you care enough to concern yourself with Him?  If we had the sense to realize His gift (Christ on the cross) we’d do all we can to give Him our all.

7) More joy in His service.  Many of us equate serving to working.  Who finds joy in their work?  Paul states it best in Colossians 3:24, “…do your work heartily, as for the Lord rather than for men…”  When our heart is right with God, then we’ll service (work) with joy.

8) More purpose in prayer.  Why do you pray?  Do you have an objective when you bow in prayer or is it just a routine, something you’re supposed to do?  What is your purpose?  We pray for the sick, for those who are traveling, for those who are hurting…we have a purpose, don’t we?  I Corinthians 14:14, 15 (one of my favorite passages), “For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays, but my mind is unfruitful.  What is the outcome then?  I shall pray with the spirit and I shall pray with the mind also…”  In other words, be purposeful in prayer.

We’ll continue the study of this song in later weeks, but until that time take a look at the other two verses; there are still sixteen more ‘mores’.

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Securing the Hearts of Our Youth…Part 2

As we consider the importance of ‘securing the hearts of our young people’ for a life of faithful service, let’s continue to investigate the components of this pressing topic.  Digging deeper into the question at hand, we turn again to examine the previously mentioned, three basic elements of securing their hearts.  Together, I believe that each of these will help us in mentoring our youth.

To review ‘Part 1’, let’s reiterate the importance of a faithful example in mentoring our youth.  Consistency and faithfulness on an individual basis is important.  But next let’s consider the wisdom in the old saying, ‘You can lead a horse to water, but you can’t make him drink.’  So if the time of establishing expectations is passed and the individual choice is in place, we have to ask the burning question; “If I can’t make a horse drink the water, what will make a horse drink?”  Here in lies the second method of training up and teaching our young people faithfulness.  A horse lead to water will drink…when he’s thirsty.  An understandable conclusion, but what indeed makes a horse WANT to drink?  A thirsty horse is one that has been working.  We must provide opportunities and for our young people to get involved in the work of the church.  There are vast areas where we expect work to be done around the church building and within the church family.  So who will do the work?  Often it’s easier to hire out the work to be done (missionaries, janitors, etc.) rather than putting the onus of responsibility on the family.

We live in a modest home in north Dallas with a good size yard on a corner lot.  One look around the house and you’ll find we have lots of grass to mow in both the front and back yards.  But who will do it?  For several years I hired out the work to a local lawn service.  They made it look easy and quick (actually they were much quicker than me) and the cost was minimal.  But then my oldest boy turned 12.  My wife and I quickly realized that the monthly cost for mowing could be put toward a new lawn mower and some yard accessories and then he could work with me mowing the yard.  But it wasn’t easy at first.  My son had to be trained.  There were times I was frustrated and could have simply told him to step aside and let me do it.  (Actually, that was said on more than one occasion.)  However, if he was to learn to serve the family and ultimately be able to do work in the yard by himself, he had to be taught, trained and provided the opportunity to ‘get involved.’  Let the young, baptized men of your congregation go to work serving.  Train them to read scripture and serve on the Lord’s Table.  Teach them, as Christ did, how to pray.  Show them how they can lead (yes…even the song service).  Let the young ladies get involved too.  Teach them how to teach in the toddler’s classes.  Introduce them to building bulletin boards or even baking unleavened bread.  Give them opportunities to be involved and start getting thirty.  But you know…training will take time and energy.  So ask yourself the question; “Do I really want the help secure the heart of our youth?”  If we want our young people to grow into a life of faithful service, we must we willing to do what it takes to mentor them into serving.

How shall the young secure their hearts and guard their lives from sin?  Next time we’ll look at the third and most vital of all elements when it comes to preparing our youth.  You’ll remember…“Thy word the choicest rules in part…”  See you next time!