The End Times

On Sunday Evening (September 11), our worship service is going to have a slightly different format.  We are going to begin a series of sermons on the book of Revelation.  Before we start, I want to spend an evening giving an overview of the Bible’s teachings about the End Times, and help us understand the general story that is told in the book of Revelation.

If most Christians are asked about the book of Revelation, they can probably tell you two things.  First, it has a lot to say about the end times; and second, it is very difficult to understand.  In Revelation, we read of signs and seals, beasts and horses, trumpet calls and bowls of wrath…it can become a pretty confusing picture.  On Sunday night, we are going to put those pictures into a single framework to get the overall picture of Revelation’s message.

While we do that, we also want to acknowledge that Revelation speaks about the End Times, which can also be a confusing picture.  We know about Judgment Day, the Millenium, tribulations, the antichrist, and other images that the Bible mentions about the final days, but we aren’t sure how they all fit together.

Even if you don’t normally come to the evening worship service, you might find this time helpful.  Bring your best questions about the book of Revelation and the End Times, and we will spend time helping each other grasp the Bible’s picture of God’s plans.

Using the Bible

I have to admit I cringe a little bit when I hear people boldly proclaim that the Bible has the answers to all of life’s questions.

I don’t cringe because I think the statement is false – I do believe the Bible offers insights that affect every aspect of our lives.  I cringe because I am concerned about the way Christians utilize the Bible.

Many people treat the bible like the owner’s manual to their vehicle.  When I have a problem setting the radio stations on my stereo, I get out the manual, look up stereo system, and find the appropriate section to learn how to program the radio buttons.

If I am having trouble as a parent, where do I turn in the Bible to find insights that will affect my parenting techniques?  Should I leave my kids at the temple like Hannah and Elkanah (1 Samuel 1)?  Should I give them their inheritance and send them on their way like the Prodigal Son (Luke 15)?  Do I think that David or Noah or Abraham set a good example for me to follow as a father?

The problem with this approach is that the Bible was not written to be a “life fix-it” manual.  Although God’s Word will affect our parenting, financial management, career choices, political preferences, and just about every other area of our lives, it is not a reference guide to give us quick advice.  It was intended to teach us about God, and to draw us into a life-giving relationship with Him.

Hospitality

 In the Old Testament, the word “hospitality” never appears.  The people of Israel had an identity of being former slaves, wanderers, and people who had to fight to establish and maintain a home in Canaan.  Because they viewed themselves as strangers, there may not have been much thought given to the concept of hospitality.

In the New Testament, the word for hospitality makes a few more appearances.  Paul writes of his appreciation for the hospitality that others have shown him, and both Peter and Paul encourage Christ’s followers to practice showing hospitality to others.

Hospitality is probably an underappreciated art.  We don’t think too much about how we will welcome people into our homes, or how we will make room or time to focus our attention on someone else.  We meet friends in restaurants or malls.  We go someplace together.  Even when we worship, we go to a common place, a church building, to spend time with others.

On Sunday, August 7, our church hosted an event following the Share the Rock basketball camp.  We planned an outdoor worship service, a barbecue lunch, and a recognition ceremony for those who participated in the basketball camp.  When I arrived at church that Sunday morning, I was overwhelmed when I saw all of the people who were working to make this day special.  People were testing the sound equipment, adjusting tents, setting up tables and chairs, preparing food, and carrying beverages to make our church a welcoming environment for our anticipated visitors.  If that wasn’t enough, once the rain rolled in, and interrupted our plans, people stepped up to move the food downstairs, set up more tables and chairs,  cover the sound equipment, and work to adjust our plans to the weather. 

It is easy to take these kinds of efforts for granted.  When you go to an event that runs smoothly, you probably don’t pay a lot of attention to the work that has been done to set up and plan the details, but the work is almost essential in order to make people feel welcomed.

The work of hospitality is an effort to make outsiders feel welcome.  It can happen very simply when you are standing in a circle, and intentionally move so that someone else can join the conversation.  It happens when you set an extra plate at your table to welcome a last minute visitor to supper.  It happened last Sunday when many worked so that visitors to our church would know that they are welcomed and valued by God’s people.

God’s work of salvation is largely the work of hospitality.  Jesus told His disciples that he was going to prepare a place for them.  His sacrifice allows us to enter God’s presence.  Even when we remember His death for our sins, we symbolize this by gathering at a table.  All of this reminds us that God is one who goes to great lengths to welcome us to Himself.

One final thought about hospitality:  When Jesus tells his disciples about the last days in Matthew 24, one of the criteria for separating the sheep from the goats is evidence of practicing hospitality.  He indicates that those he knows have welcomed strangers, fed the hungry, given clothes to those who were naked, and showed kindness to those who were imprisoned.  It seems as though when we follow and love Christ, the act of hospitality becomes a natural overflow of loving Him.

     
I want to thank those who volunteered to make the worship service on August 7 a special event.  I was thrilled to see so many serving to welcome others to our church family.

Healthy Self-Assessment

Did you know that our church was infiltrated by spies last fall?

As she began her work in our church as Director of Community Outreach, Liz Fledderjohann asked some people who were not members of our church to visit a worship service, and then meet with her to discuss their initial impressions. She informed the Elders that there would be some. She used an inquiry approach to help us determine how visitors might perceive our church.
At our Council Meeting on February 16, Liz presented the results of her research to the Council. We were pleased to discover that many of the visitors had positive comments about the worship service, singing, and the sanctuary. One person said that “it really felt like church.” Another added, “the liturgy was refreshing.”

Along with positive comments about the friendliness of our church, we also noticed comments that reveal the need to be prepared to welcome people who are not familiar with our church customs. Some visitors pointed out that it was too noisy and crowded to visit after the worship service. Others said that they would have liked to stay for Adult Education while their kids were in Sunday School. One visitor struggled to find our nursery, and wished there had been a more convenient place to change her child’s diaper.

In the coming months, Council will continue to discuss the comments from this informal study, so that we truly are prepared to welcome people into our church fellowship.

Safe Child Policy

In 2004, the Council approved a policy that was intended to protect children from harm while they were participating in the children’s ministries at our church. Included in this policy are guidelines for any leader in a children’s ministry (eg. Sunday School, Jr. or Sr. High Youth Group, Cadets, GEMS, Story Hour, Nursery, etc.), qualifications for serving in a children’s ministry, rules for responding to allegations of abuse, recommendations for safe classrooms and nursery, and the requirement that anyone who serves as a leader or helper in the children’s ministries at our church should fill out an application which allows the church to run a background check on all who volunteer in our church’s children’s ministries.

Although that policy was approved in 2004, it was never fully implemented. As we strive to have a greater influence in our community, and as we hope to effectively enfold new members in to our church family, it is important that parents of young children have a high level of confidence in the children’s ministries at our church.

This year, we are planning to implement the child safety policy that was approved in 2004. This means that we will be asking all children’s ministry volunteers to fill out an application that will allow a police background check. Although the policy originally allowed people who had served in children’s ministry prior to 2004 to forego the application, we will be asking all who serve in these ministries to participate in this process, so that we can let people know that we have worked to ensure the safety of children who participate in our church ministries. The staff members of our church have all filled out their applications, and we will be asking volunteers to fill them out prior to the beginning of the 2011-12 school year.

Choir Loft Pews

In the fall of 2010, the Worship Planning Committee had a discussion about how we utilize our worship space. We noticed that during our worship services, we often have people standing between the pulpit and the first row of pews in the sanctuary. Whenever the bell ringers play, the praise team sings, or children are dismissed for worship center; the front of the sanctuary can feel crowded. During that discussion, we also noted that the choir loft is not used too often. The choir will often sing while standing around the piano, or on the steps by the pulpit, and the space that is filled with the choir loft pews is rarely utilized.


The committee first discussed the possibility of remodeling the front of the sanctuary. After discussion and research, they decided the cost of such a project was prohibitive at this time. As an alternative, the committee explored the possibility of removing the choir loft pews, and utilizing that space for our worship services.


In January, the Worship Planning Committee submitted a motion to council asking them to remove the pews from the choir loft. The Council approved this motion, and asked the Building and Grounds Committee to see if there are aesthetic considerations that have been overlooked, and to schedule a time to remove the pews. We anticipate the Building and Grounds Committee will report back at the February Council meeting, and that the pews should be removed from the choir loft sometime in the next few weeks.

More Than Programs

This month we have made some quiet, but significant changes in our church. We have welcomed Kelli Hofstra to Highland, and she has begun her work as our new Director of Youth Ministries (Kelli will be commissioned on Septemer 12). We have also commissioned Liz Fledderjohann to serve as the Director of Community Outreach in our church.

With the arrivals of Kelli and Liz, we have a good representation on our church staff. We hope and pray that the programs and activities that Kelli plans for the Middle School and High School students in our church will be tremendously successful. We also look forward to the challenge that Liz will bring to our congregation as we seek to be more intentionally engaged in our broader community.

More than likely, you will notice some of the programs that are introduced by Kelli and Liz. The Director of Community Outreach may plan activities to welcome people into our church and may challenge us to be ready to welcome new people into our church family. The Director of Youth Ministries will probably include announcements in our News and Notes about activities, service projects, and regular meeting times for the students in our church.

As we move forward as a church, it will be important for us to realize that effective church ministry is not measured in the “buzz” that surrounds a particular program.

Earlier this month, our church partnered with Mercy Hill Church and Suburban Bible Church to host the “Share the Rock” basketball camp at the Lincoln Center in Highland. It was a great event, as more boys came to the camp each day. There was even an article in one of the local newspapers about this ministry program. It might be tempting to think that the program was a success because many people attended the camp, and because the local newspaper wrote a favorable article. The basketball camp certainly received favorable “buzz.”

We could also argue that there were many intangibles about the camp that made it successful. It was wonderful to partner with other churches from our community for a purpose that supersedes denominational differences. We were blessed to work with Dan Voudrie, the men’s head basketball coach at Purdue University Calumet.

But the effectiveness of our ministry should not be measured by the “buzz” our programs create, nor by the good feelings we get from cooperative efforts. The focus of our ministry efforts is to see lives transformed by people coming to a deeper knowledge of God’s grace.

Sometimes, we see this transforming work in the lives of people who attend the ministry programs. After the camp concluded, I received a phone call from a mom who expressed her thanks not only for the camp, but for the volunteers who dropped off school supplies and information about other church ministries for her son. Hopefully, that family saw God’s hand at work through the ministry of a program.
Sometimes, we see this transforming work in the lives of people who serve within our ministry programs. I was excited to see young men and women from our churches using their gifts to lead boys from our community. I hope that those who participated were able to see God’s hand working through them to touch others.

Please welcome Kelli and Liz to our church staff, and pray for them as they serve God within our church family.  And remember: as we work to create and manage ministry programs, the goal of our ministry is not merely to create successful programs, but to see lives transformed.