January 27, 2012

This morning I return to a more normal routine, most Holy Lord. I have the privilege and the time to think and write an inspiring sermon about Your love never failing. The congregation called Wesley in Springfield is a great expression of your body. There is ample opportunity to pursue your will and purposes through the pastoral office into which You have placed me. Guide me this morning as I read scripture, meditate and seek Your face. Thank you for the opportunity to return to my roots in Richardson, Texas. Guide me as I provide a healthy, spiritual context for the five year-olds of today and tomorrow.

It is good to be back home. The Large Church event in Dallas was well worth attending. I should summarize what I gleaned. Here is a flow of consciousness, to be organized later: Gratitude is so important for the next gift! We need to get out of the church business. Returning to a church I belonged to 52 years ago, experiencing its fruitfulness reminded me of children and future. The church doesn’t need a mission, the church is the mission. Aiming at Christian Maturity – defining what a mature disciple is and designing the pathway. Inspire hearers through preaching. Taking care of the balance of work and family is so important. Paying attention to the seasons of a long pastorate – I can do some thinking and writing in this area. The culture of an organization is so important – it involves the people but is so much more. Relationships endure over time – Steve Rankin, Mark Stamm, Steve Wood (Mt. Pisgah), Bob Farr, Jon Spalding. What I had hoped to glean: specific, technical aspects of pastoring the large church – for me that would be staffing, conflict, fruitful growth, stewardship. As I review this paragraph, I conclude that I got what I needed, and the way it came was not in technical solutions, but in overall experience. In conversation I also gained some insights on possible next steps for a particular situation at Wesley.

Romans 8 (Scripture for Sunday’s sermon)

“There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus!” (Verse 1) This is a powerful statement of comfort and promise for the lives of Jesus’ disciples. I have been blessed by this statement since 1974 when I first experienced real forgiveness, and the shedding of guilt and condemnation. This is a step that every victorious child of God must experience and live. Otherwise life is a burden weighed down by guilt.

On Sunday my goal is to provide hope and substance to the question – “Will God’s love prevail?” I will conclude with the powerful affirmation of verses 38 and 39 “For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Amen! Hallelujah! Preach it! Teach it! Live it!