Father's Day

On July 5, 1908, a church in West Virginia held the first event explicitly paying tribute to fathers, a sermon dedicated to the 362 men who perished in the Fairmont Coal Company mines explosions from the previous December. At the time, this was a single event and not an ongoing tradition. The following year, Sonora Dodd, inspired by her experience of being brought up by a single father, sought to create an official day for recognizing fathers, similar to Mother's Day. She rallied support from local churches, the YMCA, shopkeepers, and government officials. She succeeded, resulting in the first statewide Father’s Day in Washington State on June 19, 1910. Gradually, the celebration gained national acceptance. Eight years later, President Coolidge encouraged states to recognize Father’s Day.

Father’s Day shockingly did not come about without controversy… One historian wrote, they “scoffed at the holiday’s sentimental attempts to domesticate manliness with flowers and gift-giving, or they derided the proliferation of such holidays as a commercial gimmick to sell more products–often paid for by the father himself.” This was more true back then as opposed to now. A dad could say: “You are buying me a gift with the money that I made, is it really a gift?!?!?”

God’s Good Design

Certainly, Father’s Day is not a biblical holiday, nor is it a requirement to celebrate it outside of American life and culture. However, the celebration of fathers and the family unit is a Biblical outlook due to God’s good and perfect design. From Genesis to Revelation, God celebrates the nuclear family. The Bible clearly reveals that both men and women are created in the image of God and stand equal in terms of human worth, equal in sinfulness, and are equally in need of a Savior. Men and women alike can find redemption through the same gospel—the gospel of salvation through the atoning work of Jesus Christ, who died for our sins. This is the real meaning of Galatians 3:28, where the context is the common ground of our salvation. Christians, both men and women are gifted and called to serve in unique ways in their families and the local church. The Bible calls for dads to serve in a unique leadership position that can provide life to a family, local community, and church.

Humble Leadership

Not every dad is celebrated on Father’s Day. Some fathers choose not to work, while others pour their life into their jobs at the expense of their families. Some dads are ungodly and controlling, while others seem detached. Unfortunately, a few dads will cross into abuse. Potentially worse, there are also fathers who, choose to abandon their families completely. Some might wonder, “Where do good dads come from?” Good dads come from the perfect sanctifying work of Jesus Christ. They are devoted to following Jesus and seek to serve and please Him. Fathers lead their families through their devotion to Christ and His church.

So how do we as fathers lead well? We follow the biblical directives and allow God’s grace to lead us in various areas of personal and corporate growth.

Our Family

Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish. So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife loveth himself. - Ephesians 5:25-28

And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. - Ephesians 6:4

Our Singing 

Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. - Colossians 3:16

Our Worship

Give unto the Lord the glory due unto his name: bring an offering, and come before him: worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness. - 1 Chronicles 16:29

Our Giving

Now concerning the collection for the saints, as I have given order to the churches of Galatia, even so do ye. Upon the first day of the week let every one of you lay by him in store, as God hath prospered him, that there be no gatherings when I come. - 1 Corinthians 16:1

Our Involvement

Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching. - Hebrews 10:25

Our Care for One Another

Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another; - Romans 12:10

Our Witness

And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. - Mark 16:15

Our Care for the Vulnerable

Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world. - James 1:27

While not all fathers are celebrated on Father's Day due to their varying attitudes and behaviors, good fathers embody Christ's sanctifying work, leading their families with dedication to Him and His church. Following biblical teachings and seeking God's grace is the simple yet effective means of godly fatherhood.

Build a bigger, better barn...

Build a bigger, better barn...

I was reading Solomon's lament this week in Ecclesiastes about creating wealth, having possessions, and gaining notoriety only for it all to be given to someone else or be taken over by someone else when we die...a brief commentary on chapters 1-2...he was not thrilled about it.

You then read of Jesus' teaching in Luke 12 about a fella that was immensely successful in business with products and profit. He ended up with a "problem" that perhaps most of us would sure like to have- he had too many possessions and too much money. His solution was to utilize his wealth to build a bigger storage area to ensure he could hit his next level of financial success.

In Americanise- his money was making money and he needed to figure out what to do with his more money to make more money...or simply said, his net worth was soaring.

What a great problem to have?!?!?!

Jesus' commentary- he was poor towards God. Note, he was not doing decent with both or generous for his time or context or reasonable or giving his kids a great chance or doing his part...he was poor towards God.

As we continue walking through Missions Month, it is important that we ask ourselves about our eternal net worth rather than concentrate on our earthly one.

It begs us to ask ourselves the question, "Am I poor towards God?"

While this could be a larger conversation, let me give us a few considerations to help us navigate through this idea.

Start with eternity- God, angels, and people inhabit heaven for eternity; of the three, only people are the group that we can directly impact cumulatively. If the book of Romans instructs us of the need to enable the Gospel to go forward by sending people, then we must prioritize our spending on that which sends the Gospel to others. This is the primary mission of a church locally and then internationally through mission partnerships. We give to and through our church to facilitate this goal. Our first question must be- how will this money, possession, or investment help more people be in heaven?

Just say no to the American Dream- This country is incredible to live in! We have freedom and opulence in ways a majority of the world does not possess with the majority of our citizens enjoying both. Such blessings tend to make us pursue what our culture tells us are "essential" for life, to be a good parent, to be important, to have meaning, etc. Our second question could be- how much of my current spending, saving, and investing is based upon my cultural idea of what is "essential" vs. what God has said is enough for contentment, even enjoyment?

When will it be enough- What is the most you are willing to be in debt? What is the largest house you need? Do you need a third car? How much in your savings account or retirement account is enough? I worry that "the next..." is our answer instead of having clear goals that then facilitate greater giving rather than "storing up". A third question might be- what I am aiming to give away for the Gospel per year and lifetime? Whatever the answer is should then structure your budget and reduce your expenditures to make it happen.

This article is NOT about making less money, having less stuff, ignoring investing, or having a small net worth.

This article IS about being rich towards God.

My encouragement for each of us as followers of God is to build BIGGER, BETTER barns for eternity rather than strive after the vanity that Solomon already warned us about.

Serving together,

Pastor Paul

Making the Most Out of “Make Your Mark” Sunday

From time to time, we as a church, seek to emphasize the reality of global missions and our opportunity to participate in God’s commission to reach people with the gospel. Jesus Christ will not be stopped in carrying out the promise of Matthew 16:18, “I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it." The promise of the gospel stands, “this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come.” (Matt. 24:14). This is the essence of the term missions. Deriving from the Latin motto (meaning “to send”), missions is the English term signifying the sending of Jesus’s followers into his global harvest of all peoples. For three hundred years, missions has been used in particular for world evangelization, for pioneering the gospel among the peoples to whom it has yet to advance. One author explains that missions is the expansion of Christianity amongst groups within the world of non-Christians. This particularly includes the church playing an active role through the use of individuals, congregations, or missionary agencies to further the gospel.

In God’s gracious providence, he has allowed us to participate in the commission to reach people with the Gospel. Matthew 28:18-20 helps provide the structure for the mission of the church and God’s plan for worldwide discipleship. The Greek text indicates that there is only one imperative verb in verses nineteen and twenty: matheteusate (“make disciples”). Surrounding this imperative are three participles: going, baptizing, and teaching. The Scripture is clear that followers of Jesus are to make disciples of “all nations.” This scope includes but is not limited to all nations, tribes, and people groups. This passage teaches that disciples of Jesus are imperatively instructed to duplicate themselves in others specifically through the bringing of people into a saving relationship with Jesus.

So, how do I participate in world evangelism?

1) Reach

Engaging in global missions begins by sharing the love of Jesus with the people in our immediate surroundings. When was the last time that you meaningfully shared the gospel with your friends, family, neighbors, or coworkers who have not yet encountered the life-changing message of the Gospel? As followers of Jesus, we must be intentional in fostering relationships and creating opportunities for meaningful conversations about our faith. You and I can help others experience the transformative power of Jesus and create a ripple effect that extends far beyond our local community.

2) Give

By generously contributing to missions, we as followers can help to provide the necessary resources for missionaries, church planters, and other ministry workers/gospel works to carry out their mission in spreading the gospel. The Scriptures are very clear — people who squander all their resources on things that do not last, plowing their wealth right back into “unrighteous mammon” are NOT good stewards of the living God (Luke 16:1-13). In fact, often, what we do with our treasure reveals where our heart really is. What can you and I sacrificially give to further the work of the gospel?

3) Go

As followers of Jesus, we must be prepared to heed the call to serve as His ambassadors in other areas, nations, cultures, and contexts. This may involve stepping out of our comfort zones, embracing new challenges, and being open to unfamiliar experiences. Whether it involves short-term mission journeys, long-term missionary commitments, or various types of cross-cultural engagement, being willing to go signifies a readiness to leave behind our familiar American comforts and engage with a world in need. Our church has had numerous opportunities to participate through domestic trips (Indianapolis, Phoenix, Cincinnati, Boston), international trips (Jamaica, Honduras, Mexico), and church planting efforts (Columbus). Although our church as a whole actively participates in the call to go, not all members seize the opportunities to make a difference. Maybe this is the time that you might consider contributing to the growth and expansion of God's kingdom on earth through the command to GO.

As we anticipate "Make Your Mark" Sunday with Brother Dale Bigham, let’s open our hearts to the challenge he will give from the Scriptures. This is an opportunity for each of us to reflect on our role in global missions and reevaluate our commitment to reach, give, and go, to participate in God's plan for worldwide discipleship. Let’s make the most out of "Make Your Mark" Sunday by being willing to heed to the Word while embracing our calling to fulfill the Great Commission.

Sincerely,

Pastor Jordan