Tommy Mitchell / The Rurban Church Blog

What My Dad Taught Me!

My Dad taught me some stuff as I was growing up!

1. Read the Bible!

2. Go to church!

3. Respect all women!

4. Work!

5. Work hard and care less who gets the credit!

6. Be a man!

7. Thank people for their work!

8. Help people who are struggling!

9. Respect the house of God!

10. Look like somebody!

11. Stand up for your wife! Defend her if necessary!

12. Don't pick a fight - don't run from one either!

13. Be resourceful - have some basic tools and know how to use them!

14. Pray!  Pray often! Then pray some more!

15. There are some decisions only you can make!

16. Mow your yard and make it look as good as you can!

17. When you preach, make it count!

18. Repairing stuff is usually cheaper than buying new stuff!

19. You don't have time to be lazy!

20. Don't wish for the day to be over - it will end on it's own soon enough!

Less is More - Except When It's Less!

Missional studies fascinate me! I have been engaged in them since about 1997!  With the downturn in the economy, every ministry is examining what they do and seeking more cost effective ways of doing missions!  This is impacting the missional world for sure!

In some instances, less is more!  As has been pointed out by many and reaffirmed today at the "Verge" conference, we can not only be more cost effective in our missional approach, we can also be more helpful with a little thought! 

Example: Why spend thousands of dollars to take 20 people to Africa when we could send one or two persons with thousands of dollars to drill wells, provide medicine, etc.?!?!

Why spend tens of thousands sending team after them overseas to build housing / clinics / you name it - when we could find the connections to hire the local people in that overseas community and help them procure  the materials at a much cheaper price?  You help the locals have a job - earn money - and provide cheaper housing than we can ship in!

There are countless examples of how we sometimes end up overspending and wind up creating dependencies that are not good through our mission efforts!

So, at times less can be more - if we take the time to create a better strategy!

At times, though, there is no substitute for people being with people and declaring the Good News of Christ!  Then we make disciples - and we help those disciples get pointed in the direction of Christ and His Word!  Less is more - except when it is less - then we to do whatever we must to be wherever God leads us! 

My thought- we will not ever do this perfectly - but we can do this better!

The Cure for What Ails Us!

We surely do have a mess in this country! No need to rehash the causes of the mess or even describe the mess!  We all look around and see the mess and know we need drastic changes.  All of our problems are not centered in politics either!  The moral decay is overwhelming in the US! 

Watching the primary results tonight and listening to all the pundits talk about which one will emerge as the Presidential candidate is interesting for sure!  And the big contest coming in November will certainly be important.

But, folks, I believe we are living under the judgement of God! We cannot kill our unborn, flaunt sexual perversion,  live in a stupor, and proclaim that right is wrong and wrong is right without encountering the judgement of God!  The solution is not political!  As a matter of fact, I am even doubtful that political change would make a difference.  God doesn't end judgement based on an election!

The remedy is proven - timeless - and effective!  It is simple!  2 Chronicles 7:14
14 if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land.

What we need more than an election is a genuine revival of souls! A turning to God! A turning to God based on repentance!  The kind of revival that leads people to abandon their perversions, forsake their laziness, turn from immoral living, reject blaming others for their problems, and experience true life transformation!  If we will survive as a nation we must repent! Otherwise, our captivity, whether it be to economics, corrupt politicians, sexual immorality, or a foreign power will simply be a tragic result of thumbing our noses at God Almighty!  He cannot be mocked!

Truths that Aren't!

Some things just aren't true!  We are being told many things these days that no matter how cleverly said, will never be true!

* We will spend our way out of debt!    (Never has worked for me)

* Taxing the wealthy will end poverty! (Then we should take all their money)

* Insurance companies will (must) provide free services! (Nothing is free)

* A fetus is not yet a human being!    (if left alone, a baby is born, not a cat)

* People are basically good!  (what part of human experience tells us that?)

* There is no absolute truth!  (gravity?)

* We are not spending enough on education! (we are - but it may be true if one considers that we
           spend enormous amounts of money in schools for things that do nothing to teach genuine
           courses to children!)

*  Our country was not really founded on Christian principles! (people rewriting history are tiresome)

It is amazing how we are living in the fulfillment of scriptures which say,

"3 For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. 4 They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths. 5 But you, keep your head in all situations, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, discharge all the duties of your ministry." 2 Timothy 4:3-5

Ethicists Argue for Post Birth Abortions

Yep! You read that correctly! It is so shocking, that you have to read it more than once to see if the title of this post says what you think it says! It does!

First, saying that "ethicists" are arguing for the right to "post birth abortions" (that is - murdering newborns)  is kind of like saying, "Firemen argue for legalizing arson!"  Well - sort of like that! Because it is far worse.

Alberto Giubilini and Francesca Minerva, from Austrailia and the UK respectively, have co-authored a proposal entitled, “After-birth abortion: why should the baby live?”  

This is where you end up when you go all in for abortion! They make the argument that a baby is not a protected person until "self-awareness" becomes a reality.  Well, when is that?  Two months, three months, 1 year? 

What door does that open towards eliminating the mentally disabled? It's not "murder," just cleaning up the "damaged" .......well - what do you call these folks? Post-birth fetuses - medical waste?

Call these guys what you will - but ethicists?  Hardly!  God help us!

Old Technology!

I started school in 1964! Around the 4th grade, we started using a great technology - 16mm educational films.  Some of the more fascinating films were related to two things - the Bell Telephone Company and NASA!  There were many other films on everything from farming to biology! But NASA and Bell were creating fabulous new technologies - Bell in communication - and NASA in a myriad of things - because space travel created many spin-off technologies.

It was neat to grow up in that environment.  Tonight I was looking up 16mm projectors and films from that era!  Apparently there are still quite a few of them out there!  It would be neat to watch some of them now - especially to hear their predictions about the future development of their inventions!

My bell telephone memory includes being on a party line - then private line!  The long distance plan was to call the operator and get them to place the call.  They would call you back when they had made the connection.  Later, you would only have to call the operator to place a long distance call and hold on for moment while they connected you! The big development was when direct dialing was introduced, enabling you to call a long distance number directly!  We went from rotary phone to touch-tone dialing!  It seems that I remember there was a fee for having touch-tone service! 

All that technology was new and cutting edge!  Hard to believe how far we have come in such a short number of years!

Sometimes, It Hurts to Preach!!!

Today was the last Sunday in our marriage series, Strengthening Your Marriage!  It was also one of those days that dealt with painful issues - some of them particularly fresh and current for many of our couples!  Those painful issues were more aligned with circumstances these couples have faced or are facing rather than some wrongdoing! 

I preached on the kind of love that it takes to handle the "down-side" of our vows!  "For better or worse, for richer or poorer, in sickness and in health!"  The down-side of these vows means that some people in the congregation have gone through or are going through some of the pain for which you are trying prepare the rest of the folks present. 

As I mentioned that the loss of a child will be a test of love in a marriage, I tried to be as careful as possible - for I could see the moistening eyes of people sitting in the congregation who had lost children!  Preaching about sickness that can arise with a spouse, I could see numerous couples who have gone through terrible sicknesses - some even now!  In speaking of the stresses and concerns that come on a marriage as you care for aging parents - I could identify with that myself, along with several others.  

The most painful part of preaching this morning was the conclusion - to have and to hold from this day forward, until death do us part!  Those words sound so promising and right in a wedding ceremony - but in preaching about them this morning I saw women, young and old, whose spouses have died in the last couple of years.  I saw men who have lost their wives - some in just the last few weeks!   Yet, everyone else present needs to be gently reminded that we need to love, cherish and honor our spouses - because one day - probably before we are ready, we may lose our spouse to death!

Yet, I would really rather have skipped that part!  Sometimes, it hurts to preach!

Through the Ears of a Child!

When children are little, they don't always know what they are hearing - but they will tell you what they think they heard!  The following are children's "uncensored" commments - mostly about the Bible!

In the first book of the Bible, Guinessis, God got tired of creating the world, so he took the Sabbath off.

Adam and Eve were created from an apple tree.

Noah's wife was called Joan of Ark.

Noah built an ark, which the animals come on to in pears.

Lot's wife was a pillar of salt by day, but a ball of fire by night.

Samson was a strongman who let himself be led astray by a Jezebel like Delilah.

Samson slayed the Philistines with the axe of the Apostles.

Moses led the Hebrews to the Red Sea, where they made unleavened bread which is bread without any ingredients.

The Egyptians were all drowned in the dessert.

Afterwards, Moses went up on Mount Cyanide to get the ten amendments.

The first commandment was when Eve told Adam to eat the apple.

The fifth commandment is to humor thy father and mother.

The seventh commandment is thou shalt not admit adultery.

Moses died before he ever reached Canada.

Then Joshua led the Hebrews in the battle of Geritol.

The greatest miracle in the Bible is when Joshua told his son to stand still and he obeyed him.

David was a Hebrew king skilled at playing the liar.

He fought with the Finklesteins, a race of people who lived in Biblical times.

Solomon, one of David's sons, had 300 wives and 700 porcupines.

When Mary heard that she was the mother of Jesus, she sang the Magna Carta.

When the three wise guys from the east side arrived, they found Jesus in the manager.

Jesus was born because Mary had an immaculate contraption.

St. John, the blacksmith, dumped water on his head.

Jesus enunciated the Golden Rule, which says to do one to others before they do one to you.

He also explained, "A man doth not live by sweat alone."

The people who followed the Lord were called the 12 decibels.

The epistles were the wives of the apostles.

One of the opossums was St. Matthew who was also a taximan.

St. Paul cavorted to Christianity. He preached holy acrimony, which is another name for marriage.

A Christian should have only one spouse. This is called monotony.

Salome was a woman who danced naked in front of Harrods.

The Pope lives in a vacuum.

Paraffin is next in order after seraphim.

Today wild beasts are confined to Theological Gardens.

The patron saint of travelers is St. Frances of the sea sick.

A republican is a sinner mentioned in the Bible.

Abraham begat Isaac and begat Jacob and Jacob begat twelve partridges.

It is sometimes difficult to hear what is being said in church because the agnostics are so terrible.

 

Simple Pleasures!

While at Waukaway Springs for a marriage retreat, Andrea and I went walking!  It was a reminder to me that "simple pleasures" are such a blessing!

Cold, clear water!  Waukaway has a spring fed water recreation area! The water is COLD - all year!  And it is CLEAR!  It was a simple pleasure to stick our hands in it!

Wood fire! We had a fireplace in our meeting area - with a nice fire in it! Warming up to it - listening to it crackle - and smelling the smoke from it outside - simple pleasure!

Iced down drinks!  We had colas and bottled water iced down!  Iced down drinks are just plain cold! Especially when you get to that ice/slush stage in the cooler!  Nothing like the "simple pleasure" of an ice-cold drink!

Woods!  Waukaway is a very wooded area! The quiet of the woods, the smell of the woods, and the nature sounds of the woods - all simple pleasures!

Smell of Coffee!  I love smelling coffee even if I am not drinking it! It was cold this morning - but the smell of fresh brewed coffee made it seem warmer!  Another simple pleasure!

Conversations!  We had lots of conversations with others - sometimes alone - sometimes in groups! Always wonderful! Another simple pleasure!

Marriage Blessings!

Andrea and I just returned home from an overnight Marriage Enrichment Booster with our church! Ronnie and Bevery Cottingham provided our leadership for the event.  My favorite part was in our last sesssion this afternoon.  We sat in a circle and each spouse was given the opportunity to publicly affirm the two greatest things they love about the other.  This was done "out loud" and for all to hear!

Well, it was probably one of the most moving and thoughtful things I have ever seen! Every couple shared these public affirmations!  People were very expressive and everyone was blessed by the heart-felt sharing! 

I know that I serve wonderful people in our church, but I was reminded again just how wonderful they are!  People expressed affirmations for their spouse being a provider, wonderful Dad, wonderful Mom, etc..  But also the joy and admiration for great care through sickness and difficulties that come to every marriage! 

We had a blessed weekend! Glad I was there! Hope even more couples will be at the next one!