We had some wonderful speakers at the North American Christian Convention in Orlando this week. I felt privileged to get close to some of them. I sat just a few feet away from Reggie McNeal as he presented a seminar. I spoke to Bob Russell in the hallway. I sat 3 rows from Rick Warren in the worship service this morning. It was so wonderful to be in the presence of such greatness!
Oh, and Jesus was there too!
“…And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”—Matthew 28:20.
One of my heroes died yesterday.
I first heard of Billy when he was a star pitcher for a Little League baseball team in a nearby town. I later met him when we played on the same high school basketball team; he was a senior when I was a freshman. Still later, we became teammates on a softball team that won the Kentucky state tournament in 1979. Along the way I grew to love him dearly.
I looked up to Billy in many ways. He was a great athlete who excelled in every sport he tried. He had a winning personality; everybody liked Billy. He was a respected businessman in the community. He was a wonderful husband, father and grandfather. Billy’s parents were proud of him. Who wouldn’t want to be like Billy?
I moved away from my hometown for many years, so I didn’t see Billy often, but I still admired him from a distance.
Billy began to experience some serious health problems. A serious heart attack at a young age led to a heart transplant. If that wasn’t enough, cancer attacked his body…several times. Billy always fought back. Even in sickness, he was a good role model, speaking at churches about how—with the Lord’s help–he had dealt with adversity.
Billy had won so many battles against serious illness, his friends and family thought he would win this latest battle as well. But even heroes have to die sometime. One of mine, Billy Barbour, died yesterday morning.
We will meet again, and it is all made possible by a hero who will live forever—Jesus Christ!
The Tuesday evening session of this year’s North American Christian Convention included a tribute to some of our influential servants who died in the past year. Among these faithful men and women were church leaders, teachers, preachers, worship leaders and those who worked for Christian colleges.
As the names appeared one-by-one on the big screen, I wondered if Fred’s name would be there. This friend of mine passed away last September. After decades of preaching the gospel and ministering in local churches, this dear saint went to receive his heavenly reward.
Fred worked with me in his retirement years. He occasionally filled the pulpit and was diligent in shepherding the flock. He and his wife Marge were great encouragers to me in my ministry. I thought that it would be a well-deserved tribute to Fred if his name were included with the others who were being recognized.
Finally, there it was—Fred Whitacre. Even though I had anticipated the moment, I still was surprised by the emotional impact. It was a very moving experience to see my friend honored this way.
The Bible says that we are surrounded by a “great cloud of witnesses”, faithful people who have gone on before us (Hebrews 12:1). It means a lot to me to know that Fred is now among that great cloud.
Do you have someone in heaven who inspires you to keep the faith?
I’m in Orlando, Florida this week for the 2012 North American Christian Convention. The NACC is an annual meeting of members of the Christian Churches and Churches of Christ.
My wife and I started attending the NACC in the mid-nineties, and the only one we have missed since then is the year we took a mission trip to Thailand. The convention means a lot to us, and we always look forward to attending.
I have long thought that the word “convention” is quite misleading. I don’t know what I would have called it, but the NACC seems to be more of a gathering for fellowship and worship.
We always see a lot of old friends at the North American—many of whom we met in school, or served with in previous churches. It’s wonderful to see old familiar faces and get caught up with people we haven’t seen in a while. It’s fun to see other people exchange smiles and hugs as they meet up with their old friends too.
This particular NACC is especially exciting for me, because in addition to my wife, I also have my mother, two aunts and the youth minister from our church here with me. I look forward to spending time with them.
However, the worship services at the NACC are more important to me than the fellowship (although I suppose it could be argued that you really can’t completely separate the two). It is always a moving experience when thousands of brothers and sisters in Christ gather to worship God in spirit and in truth.
The fellowship and worship that I so eagerly anticipate is a glimpse of what heaven will be like, when countless believers—from every age and from all over the world—will be gathered together to praise God forever!
It’s going to be a great week!
Yesterday I took a short canoe trip up the Ohio River. The temperature was close to 100 degrees and the water was calm when I put in about a hundred yards from my house.
In the hour-and-a-half I was on the water, I enjoyed several fascinating sights from God’s creation.
Schools of minnows swarmed along the surface. Bigger fish occasionally jumped out of the water. Some even bigger ones lurked in the shallows.
The birds, too, put on quite a show. Small birds of prey swooped down to catch an unsuspecting fish. A larger hawk landed in a tree to begin his stakeout for dinner. Then I saw a bald eagle flying up ahead of me. (It might have been a bigger thrill to see a bald eagle on July 4 than on July 6, but I doubt it.)
I really enjoyed seeing these beautiful sights, but I also witnessed some things that weren’t so beautiful. Trash floated down the river and littered both banks. It’s sad to see that so many people still don’t understand the importance of disposing of their garbage properly.
It occurred to me that my canoe trip was just a snapshot of life. We experience a lot of beauty along the way, but there is also no shortage of ugliness.
How do we deal with this? The Bible says we must “…Hate what is evil; cling to what is good.” (Romans 12:9).
What type of evil might you encounter today, and how will you hate it?
What kind of good do you hope to see today, and how will you cling to it?
Happy paddling!
One of the reasons The Andy Griffith Show was such a success was due to a change they made in the early going. When Don Knotts was brought in to play the part of deputy Barney Fife, the chemistry of the show changed.
“I was supposed to have been the comic, the funny one,” Andy Griffith once said. “But when Don came on I realized by the second episode Don should be funny and I should play straight to him.”
The rest is television history.
In the church, we need to see the value of allowing others to shine. We have to understand our own role and be willing to let others have the spotlight. When we do that, everybody wins.
“Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it.”—1 Corinthians 12:27.
Andy Griffith
The recent passing of legendary television star Andy Griffith has given us a reason to contemplate his amazing career. Part of Griffith’s success came from the fact that he learned early on to play to his strengths. He once said, “Any time I try to play anything that doesn’t come natural, I’m just plain bad.”
God has given us unique gifts and talents, and when we try to do things outside of our strengths, sometimes the results are not good.
David tried on Saul’s armor, but it just didn’t seem right. He had his own way of going into battle, and it worked out pretty well for him (1 Samuel 17).
Don’t try to be somebody other than who you are. Be aware of how God created you, and play to your strengths. Don’t try to be the next Andy Griffith or another David. Just be the best you that you can be.
Today we celebrate Independence Day, the birthday of the United States of America. I suppose you could make an argument that we gained our freedom through a process that occurred over time. Did we become free when the colonies banded together in rebellion against Great Britain? Or did it happen when the Declaration of Independence was signed? Was the magic moment when the war for independence actually began? Or did we officially become free when the treaty to end the war was signed?
While this might be fun to discuss, it won’t prevent any patriotic American from celebrating the Fourth of July. Many of us will enjoy a cookout, spend time with family, watch a fireworks display and be thankful for the veterans who risked their lives to gain and preserve our freedom.
When it comes to the freedom we Christians have in Jesus, it is easier to pinpoint the time when mankind’s freedom was gained. When Jesus died on the cross to pay for our sins, he said, “It is finished.” (John 19:30). At this point in time, Jesus had completed all that God had given him to do to save us. He had given his life to give us freedom from sin, guilt and punishment.
Let’s take some time today to celebrate the freedom we have in Christ.
I was doing some trimming in front of my house when a praying mantis jumped out of a bush and onto the porch. I doubt that he had ever encountered anything as terrifying as the fearful electric hedge trimmers I held in my hands. He decided he had a better chance of surviving if he ran away.
I guess there is a time to pray; and there is a time to run.
Joseph could have taken time to pray when Potiphar’s wife tempted him to engage in sexual immorality with her. “…But he left his cloak in her hand and ran out of the house.” (Genesis 39:12).
Like I said, I guess there is a time to pray; and there is a time to run.
Jesustrek 