The Glory Of Obscurity

John Knox (1510-1572) is widely known for leading the Scottish reformation and starting what we now have today, the evangelical Presbyterian denomination. Knox is also known for the early tracings of church and state which gives us the freedom to meet together for Church services without state interference. John Knox was a great preacher and was also put in prison with 120 pastors who were persecuted for preaching the word of God in Scotland. John Knox was buried in the old Church graveyard until the Church decided to pave over it and sell the space to a used car dealership. You can now pay your respects to the great reformer at his final resting place in Scotland, that is if you can get one of the used car salesman to move the KIA in spot 23!

"But I am afflicted in pain; let your salvation, O God, set me on high" Ps. 69:29

Grow Up!

You would of thought that there was a dark force out there preventing me from seeing the 4th movie in the series of Die Hard flicks. But I am proud to say I finally sat down and watched it the other night. What a movie, I loved it and was wondering if God was calling me to change my last name to McClain instead of Pond. Not too long after watching the movie I sat down to do some studying for a upcoming d-now I am preaching in February and to my surprise I saw some similarities between our hero John McClain and Paul. Before you think I am becoming a heretic before your very eyes let me explain. I would have to agree with Pastor Mark Driscoll in Seattle that too many men in our culture today don't want to have anything to do with Church. It's not so much that they don't love Jesus, but that when they see men in the Church today they see a bunch of pretty boys in the choir that love to skip down the church hallways sucking on lolly pops. On and did I mention that a lot of these men are still not winning the fight on kicking porn out of their houses, or learning how to be Godly husbands and fathers. In the language that we read in Paul's letters to Timothy, Paul uses language not too different than our kick Butt friend John McClain. Paul urges Timothy to not be shaken up by people questioning him because of his young age but growing up spiritually and being a good soldier of Jesus Christ. Paul urges Timothy to watch out for people with bad agendas who carry bad doctrines that want nothing more that to disrupt God's household and invade the minds of good lay people. The more we read of Paul's desire for the Church the more we can see that God is not wanting some goofy and wimpy men, but wanting some men of Godly integrity and men of the word to influence the world for one reason alone, the renown of Jesus Christ.

New year, Old story....

If you’re a blog reader I would begin to wonder why in the world you are reading this one. It does not get updated that often and when it does you may not see words but pictures or even videos. Sometimes it makes me laugh about how much we write in blogs while wondering if anyone ever truly reads them. At any rate, it’s a new year, and with a new year we expect new things. However, we cannot forget that what we live for, or rather whom we live for is nothing new, but it’s a lifestyle that is based on a true story not more than 2000 years ago. But are we bothered by something that is that old.
If you notice Christian culture in our country you will notice certain dissatisfaction with something as old as the gospel. More than a few years ago there were many folks that decided that we need to be like Paul, all things to all people. Our churches need to be relevant and opened to non-Christians. People should wake up on Sunday morning and having the option of going to church or going to the beach, they should pick going to church everyday and twice on Sunday. Besides, if our Jesus is irresistible why should church be any different? I totally embrace this idea, and for one reason alone, - these folks still held on tightly to the foundation of Christ and solid doctrine. They did not abandon old and trustworthy truths. Now we see something different in our world today. We see a group called the emergent church, a group that wishes to not only change the way church is done but change the way we read scripture, change our convictions, and make our theology more flexible like a trampoline (and example used by a guy named Rob Bell).
The Gospel does not need to be changed, we need to be changed. When we notice our lives becoming stagnant and dull, we need to realize we are stagnant and dull not the gospel. It’s a time where we embrace the same story as the early apostles did and grow in our process of learning what Christ wants to do on this earth and in our lives. I will never forget the story of my friend and mentor, Jay Ridenour. In his senior year of college, Jay went on a mission trip to Bolivia. The team traveled around village to village for a few weeks showing, “the Jesus film” to people who had never heard the gospel. The film was a simple brush of the life, death, crucifixion, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. After going from village to village carrying all kinds of audio/video equipment they came to the last village of their trip. As the movie began to play Jay was approached by a woman who had asked him to hold her baby so she could watch the film. As the film came to the part of the crucifixion she began to weep out loud, so loud that it was almost a disturbance to everyone who was trying to watch the movie. While the lady was disruptive as she began to cry more and more, the team of students became excited as the thought that she would be the first person to want to know more about this Jesus. When the end of the movie came the team rushed to the translator to ask if the woman had any questions about this story of Jesus. The team was quickly informed that this woman who had become too emotional from seeing the brutal execution of Jesus on the cross had a unique story about herself. The truth was that this woman had heard of the gospel before, in fact she had heard it many times. The fact of the matter was that this woman had been a Christian for nearly 40 years, and heard the gospel when she was a little girl. In her eyes, the gospel was as new to her as it ever has been.
In light of a new year I hope your prayer is that we embrace the old but glorious story told to us in the trustworthy pages of the Holy Scriptures. We do not have to do many great things this year; we just have to be mastered by one thing that is very great. May the gospel of Christ Jesus continue to amaze you this year and overflow in your daily life for the glory of the kingdom of God.

For His Namesake,
JP

State of the Pulpit - Joel Osteen

Church Needs Dudes

John Hodges Drake 6th

"Precious in the sight of the LORD is the death of his saints, O LORD I am your servant."
-Psalm 116:15,16

There are some things that preachers cannot preach. Some things that sermons cannot speak, and even music that can hardly communicate. When speaking about the glory of the Son of God, Jesus, the only thing that comes close is a complete life of a saint. In my eyes my grandfather was like an early church father full of wisdom, history, and the Holy Spirit. He was a soldier, a husband, father of 5, a grandfather, and an amazing singer who spent part of his life traveling around the globe singing gospel music with his wife who played the piano. More importantly he was a lover of God who influenced and led an entire family to the throne of the living God. A few weeks ago I was in Cincinnati to say goodbye but was amazed to see how many people this simple man had influence over. In 1972 after serving with P&G for over 20 years he decided to step in as administrator of a nursing home with my grandmother. From 1972 to 1997 they both found their purpose in ministry as directors of a nursing home, ministering to people who were in their last chapters of life before stepping into eternity. One of my last conversations with my grandfather consisted of him updating me on his ministry. They had both grown older and was ironically residence of a nursing home as they could not live on their own due to poor health. In the midst of aging bodies my grandfather told me that they had begun a Sunday service at the nursing home with a local pastor preaching and my grandfather singing and my grandmother of coarse playing the piano. He continued to tell me that the service was so well attended that he decided to start a Thursday night Bible study in the nursing home which many more attended. The amazing part of his last days was that he could hardly walk 2 feet without his wheelchair and helping my grandmother who is now unable to see clearly enough to play piano but continues to do so by memory. But they still both ministered to those around them up to his last days on earth, glorifying God with all they had even when their very own bodies would not permit it.
I am not sure if you have ever read the book, "Don't waste your life", by John Piper but it's about living for the glory of Jesus Christ all the days that He allows you to be on earth. I have read it and love it, it's very biblical! However, I have now seen it in the life of my grandfather and rejoice that there is such an example in these days for me to follow. I will miss him dearly.

"Can you hear me when I sing, you are the reason why the music is in me."

God Is Enough!