Moving, Health Concern

Sorry it has been so long since I posted again.  Last week our family loaded up the van and took a road trip to Lockport.  It was a very productive couple of days. 

First, we were able to check out a temporary place to live while we are waiting for our homes to close.  At first it seemed no one would rent to us on a month to month basis, but Annie who volunteers in the church office heard about our situation and offered the parsonage of the AME church on South Street, one block north of the church God is good.   We checked it out and it will definitely meet our needs for the short term.

Second, we sold our house.  At least we have a contract on it.  We had three offers while we were in Lockport.  We accepted an offer that was not contingent on the purchaser's home selling.  If all goes as expected we should close on or before August 24.  We have an inspection scheduled for today--pray we do not have any unexpected fixes to pay for.  As soon as the inspection goes thru, we can begin moving forward with removing the contingency on the home on Union  Street in Lockport.  Also, we visited the home with the boys.  They loved the pool and were excited to pick out their rooms.

Third, we were able to register our boys for school.  Keegan, by the grace of God, got the last preschool spot available.  The boys we able to visit their school and play on the playground.  God is good.

I have rented a Uhaul for July 29-31.  We plan to load our home in Indiana on the 29th, drive to Lockport on the 30th, and unload on the 31st.

Finally, I went to see the doctor yesterday.  I have a large Kidney Stone that has been causing considerable pain on the right side of my abdomen.  The doctor will try to schedule surgery to break up the stone before we move.  Please pray we can get this taken care of before we move.

Trip to Lockport, Home Showings

Sorry it has been so long since I have posted an update to my blog.  Over the past week invited all of Paula's family up to our home for a couple of days--for a surprise 70th birthday party for her Dad.  We had a great time--and Jim was really surprised.  (By the way--I won the corn hole tournament.)  We also took her Paula's family to Winona Lake for the 4th of July celebration--fireworks were great.  We then went camping on my parents property in Southern Indiana and to Cincinnati to visit one of our very good friends.

Today I going to begin calling rental properties in Lockport to find a place where our family can rent on a month to month basis while we wait for our home to sell.  Let me know if you know of any places I should check out.  We plan to drive to Lockport on Monday to look for a place to rent.  Can't wait to be in our new home town.

On Weds. and Thurs. we had 2 couples view our home and three showings--one couple viewed it twice.  This is the most activity we have had on our home in a short period of time--maybe because we reduced our asking price 5k.  Also, we have an open house scheduled for this Sunday.

Keep praying for us. Specifically, pray for me as I have begun to work on my first sermon series.  Pray for my family as we begin to make our transition to Lockport.  Pray that we can find an inexpensive place to rent on a month to month basis 'till our home sells, and pray that our home sells quickly.  We know God's timing is perfect.

See you soon!

Still Trying to Sell Our Home

Thought I would write a quick update on the progress being made to sell our home.  This past Thursday we had a couple view our home for a second time.  They put it as the number 1 home on their list, but weren't ready to make an offer.  Our home is at the upper end of their price range and they wanted to look at a few more homes.  According to our realtor, another couple that look at our home twice is still very interested--yet no offers.  Today we have dropped our asking price 5k to help increase the traffic on our home and perhaps ellicit  an offer from one of these potential buyers.  Keep praying our home sells quickly.  Paula and I are beginning to plan a visit to Lockport to view rentals.  It is beginning to appear that we will likely have to rent as we are waiting for our home to sell and close.  Keep us in your prayers as we begin to consider this possibility.

The Hole in Our Gospel Book Review--Pt. 2

Part 2 of The Hole in Our Gospel is called "The Hole Gets Deeper."  In this section of the book Richard Stearns describes how the evangelical church has lost sight of the Bible's big picture or in technical language its metanarrative, suggesting many have "missed the forest for the trees." 

 In chapter 4 Richard describes what he calls "the twin pillars of compassion and justice."  He begins by quoting Micah 6:8--We know what God wants and thinks is good: Act Justly; Love Mercy and Walk Humbly with God--The McBeath Authorized Version.  He then explores Is. 58 and Matthew 25. 

Stearns breaks Is. 58 down as follows:

1. Verses 1-3--An inappropriate and insincere fast. The people of God's "holiness is shallow and insincere", concerned with letter and going through the motions of religious practices that have not change their heart.
2. Verses 3-5--God can tell  their heart has not been changed because their actions are not just.  They exploit workers, quarrel, fight...etc.  Its not about bowing one's head and wearing sackcloth and ashes.
3. Verses 6-7--God describes what he wants from society (his people): loose the chains of justice, untie yokes, set oppressed free, break every yoke, share food with hungry  provide poor with shelter, clothe those who have none...etc.  Stearns goes on to say that breaking every yoke is breaking any system, law, practice, that is unjust whether social, political, personal, economic.
4. Verses 8-11--God describes what a benefit a just society would be like--what he wants his Kingdom People to be like and the impact they would have: Light, Justice, Righteousness, Glory of God.

Next, he explains Matthew 25.  In this passage on the sheep and the goats those who take care of the "least of these" are the ones that inherit eternal life.  Then in Chapter 5, Stearns describes Jesus' 3 greatest commandments for his Kingdom people.

1. Love God
2. Love Others
3. Spread the love revolution around the world by making disciples

 Stearns quotes John 20:21 where Jesus says, "As the Father sent me, so I send you."  If one puts this in the context of Jesus' mission and strategy--we are sent with the "Whole Gospel" not just a truncated academic, head knowledge version.  Indeed, Jesus death and Resurrection or founded on Christ love for the Father and his love for us!

Finally, Richard ends this section of the book by describing the hole in him and his ability to love "the least of these" in this way suggesting that this lack of love was a result of idolatry in his life.  He continues by describing Jonah's experience in the belly of the great fish as Jonah's clinging to the idolatry of what he wanted instead of what God wanted.  Further, we cannot find security in the idolatry of our ways; rather, this security is found in follow God's desires.  None of us are truly capable and equipped--like Moses--but God will equip those he calls to this revolution of love.

House and Showing Update

Hi Everyone.  Just an update to let you know we have another showing this Thursday between 5-6.  This is a second showing with a couple that viewed our home on Sunday.  They weren't very interested after that showing, but have changed their mind.  Additionally, their is another couple that is still interested.  Keep praying because your prayers are working!

Hole in Our Gospel--Book Review Pt. 1

I recently finished the book A Hole in Our Gospel. It is written by Richard Stearn the president of World Vision U.S.   He is a committed evangelical Christian.  The book has had positive reviews a broad spectrum of the evangelical world including notables Luci Swindoll, Kay Warren, Chuck Colson, Bill Hybels...etc.   Part 1 of this review will encompass part 1 of the book called "The hole in My Gospel--and Maybe Yours."

In part 1 of the book Stearn describes the "hole" in much of the "evangelical" worlds gospel--ch1.  Ch. 2 is called "A Coward for God."  In this chapter Richard describes his slow and cowardly realization that there must be "more" to the gospel.  And ch. 3 titled "You Lack One Thing," relates the parable of the Rich Young Ruler to the idea there is a hole in our gospel.

According to Stearn their is a hole in many Christian's "Whole" gospel and goes on define the word gospel as "Glad tidings esp. concerning salvation and the kingdom of God as announced by Jesus."  He continues by suggested that "Jesus' kingdom announcement  is very different than our truncated version of the gospel," that minimizes this life, emphasizes escape to the next life, comes across as little more than a fire insurance policy to keep one out of hell."
the king.

Next Stearn quotes Jesus in Luke 17:21 who says, "The Kingdom is within you."  He goes on to describe the Christian as one who initiates God's kingdom reign, the "first fruits" of the kingdom as the Apostle Paul describes.  As such, the Christian is to challenge the fallen world here and now with God's kingdom ethic.  He then explains that the primary metaphor for evangelism is "the harvest".  There is a lot of prep that goes into a harvest--in fact this is most of the work of the harvest.  One is supposed to prepare the soil, plant, water, week...etc for a wholes season.  Yet, most of our evangelism approaches don't emphasize the amount a relationship it takes to prepare for the harvest.  We rush straight to a 4 Spiritual Laws proclamation of the Good News and forget to prepare the soil through building relationships and helping/serving others. 

Next Richard describes Jesus' mission to spread the "Good News" and who this "Good News" is for.  He begins this section by quoting John 10:10 where Jesus states that "he has come to give life and life to the full."  Stearn believes this is Jesus' mission. Nest Richard describes Jesus announcement of his ministry and mission in Luke 4:18-21:

"And the Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to preach the good news to the poor.  He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to release the oppressed and to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor."

"Then he rolled up the scroll , gave it back to the attendant and sat down.   The eyes of everyone in the synagogue were fastened on him, and he began saying to them, 'Today the Scripture this fulfilled in your hearing.'"

Again Stearn suggest that the Good News Jesus has come to proclaim is more than an "escape from hell".  And that this is Jesus' action plan or strategy for accomplishing his mission to give life and life to the full.  In this passage Jesus strategy can be summarized with the following 4 points.

1. Proclamation of Good News of Salvation--more than escape from hell yet including this escape--even to the poor.
2. This full life includes helping people recover their sight which is a metaphor for a spiritual life that is represented by compassion for the blind, sick and sorrowful--see Is. 61--Jesus is quoting this passage.
3. Social Justice for those oppressed under Rome's occupation (any world's system that opposes God's ways), that includes freedom for the prisoners of that system, releasing the oppressed of that system, and offer God's system which is represented by a Jubilee year of God's favor where slaves are freed, debts are forgiven and land is returned to its original owners. 

It is Stearn's contention that when Christians offer a "whole gospel" that includes these things, we offer people an alternative system to the worlds system.  We offer a system that is based on God's Kingdom Way that is only available to those who place their faith in Christ, Christ's work on the cross, and resurrection where the believer receives new life that is characterized by this way of life. 

Questions:

1. What do you think of Stearn's assumption that their is a "hole" in the Gospel?
2. What do you think of Stearn's definition of the Gospel ans including the "Kingdom of God" or God's Kingdom way?
3. What do you think of the Stearn's suggestion that "The Kingdom"  is within the Christian and that the Christian is the firstfruits of that Kingdom?
4. What do you think of Stearn's assertion that to much of evangelism focus on the reaping of the harvest and not the preparation that goes into the harvest--before reaping can occur?
5. What do you think of Jesus' mission statement and strategy for accomplishing that mission as stated by Stearn?

Update on House and Move to Lockport

We had a good showing Friday.  The couple stayed 45 minutes and really liked the house.  They are taking the weekend to talk it over.  We have another showing Sunday between 3-4 with another possible buyer.  Keep praying our home will sell quickly.  We received our home inspection for the Union Street home we would like to buy in Lockport, made some fix it requests, should hear today what the owner's counter--if any.