Monday, July 20, 2009

God's Beautiful Creation

I am with my family finishing up the "vacation" part of my sabbatical. We are at Amelia Island enjoying the incredible beauty of the Lord's creation - the beach, the Atlantic Ocean, the storms, the trails, the trees, the marshes, the flowers... on and on I could go. This part of North Florida is absolutely beautiful!

For church on Sunday I attended the Amelia Island Chapel, an interdenomination Christian community, which is a two-minute walk from where we are staying. I was again surprised and blessed to discover another stalwart of the Faith, Ted Shroder, is the pastor. He is a retired Episcopal priest who has fought the good fight for the Faith, led many to a saving faith in Jesus Christ, and inspired many others through his writings. His sermon was entitled "The Suffering of Creation" as he is preaching his way through The Epistle to the Romans. His presentation was a refreshing examination (and not a denial) of the suffering which is built into creation by God. One day there will not be any suffering, but until then, creation is doing its part in order to live, mature, and reproduce life - and suffering is a part of this. His encouragement was that believers should not deny suffering, but rather embrace it in the power of the Holy Spirit. Only then can the believer overcome and mature in the will of God. A lot to reflect on.... especially since I have been enjoying the beauty of creation.

I was impressed by the ministry and vision of Amelia Island Chapel. It is more of a church than many churches!! Check out their website at http://www.ameliaislandchapel.com/.

Tuesday, July 14, 2009

Christ Church Jacksonville

Christ Church Jacksonville meets in a high school after having to leave their church property and start over. About a mile before I arrived at the school, I began to see portable signs entitled “Christ Church, Jacksonville” with an arrow pointing the direction. Upon arriving at the school, there were more portable signs welcoming me, showing me where to park, and where to enter. There were greeters to welcome me and be of assistance. The atmosphere was warm and friendly, and seeing the Setup Team brought back many memories!

Christ Church has three Sunday services: 8:45 Traditional Service, 10:45 Contemporary Service, and a 10:45 1928 BCP Service. I attended the contemporary service which was very similar to the one at Holy Cross, Loganville. The sermon was given by the Rev. Mark Eldredge, a friend of mine who sits on the American Anglican Counsel Board of Trustees with me.

Rev. Edredge’s sermon was based on the reading from Luke 7:1-10 and was entitled, “Developing a Great Faith.” The sermon insert was most helpful. He spoke of three components needed for great faith:

1. I must realize my own position. The centurion knew who he was, and yet, he knew who Jesus was. He approached Jesus in great humility. So must we. We must approach Jesus realizing that we are sinners (saved yes!, but He is LORD).

2. I must recognize Jesus’ Power. The centurion knew because he was a man with authority and under authority that all Jesus had to do was to say the word – just speak it – and it would be done.

3. I can put radical obedience into practice. An exposition of Hebrews 11:1-31 demonstrated how obeying God led to great faith.

Quotes to remember: “The centurion’s faith stood out, will yours?” “Do I want to be satisfied with ‘ok’ faith, or do I want ‘great’ faith?” “Whatever Jesus is asking you to do; it is nothing like what He did for us – being nailed to the cross.”

I heard on the radio driving back from the church a recent Barna survey found that only 16% of those who call themselves Christians in the United States ask God for counsel about decisions or seek to gain guidance from the Bible about the issues they are facing in life. If this is true, we have our work cut out for us as we go and make “DISCIPLES.”

From Oswald Chambers this week: “The teaching of the Sermon on the Mount is not – Do your duty, but – Do what is not your duty. It is not your duty to go the second mile, to turn the other cheek, but Jesus says that if we are His disciples we shall always do these things. There will not be a spirit of – ‘Oh, well, I cannot do any more, I have been so misrepresented and misunderstood.’ Every time I insist on my rights, I hurt the Son of God; whereas I can prevent Jesus from being hurt if I take the blow myself. The disciple realizes that it is his Lord’s honor that is at stake in his life, not his own honor.”

Monday, July 6, 2009

Independence Day in Atlanta

Lord GOD Almighty, in whose Name the founders of this country won liberty for themselves and for us, and lit the torch of freedom for nations then unborn: Grant, we beseech Thee, that we and all the peoples of this land may have grace to maintain these liberties in righteousness and peace; through Jesus Christ our Lord, AMEN! (Prayer for Independence Day, Book of Common Prayer)

What a privilege to live in the United States of America at this time and era of history!!! Yes, we have our problems, and yes, we need to correct some things, and yes, we need to be vigilant to guard the freedoms we share, but this is still the best thing going! God has given incredible blessings so that we might share His Word about Jesus with the rest of the world. Let's not waste our opportunities.

I could not help thanking the Lord for the blessings he has given me in living and serving Him here. I will go wherever He leads, but I pray I will not squander the opportunities of the 'here and now'. While I believe overseas missions are very important, He has brought the mission field to us -- here! Let us be diligent and faithful to share the Good News to those He brings across our paths. For liberty in not liberty unless my spirit and soul are liberated from the bondage of sin and sin's destructive forces. Jesus came to set the captives free. That's you and that's me!

For the Fourth of July, my wife, Allison, and I, ran the 40th Annual Peachtree Road Race. It is a 10K (6.2 miles) race, but it is really not a race, it is an event. We were 2 of 55,ooo folks who ran from Lenox Square (now 'Mall') to Piedmont Park in Midtown Atlanta. This was Allison's 29th in a row!!! My first one was the 5th Annual when I was in high school, but I have watched it as much as I have run it. Our son joined us later in the day and we watched the 4th of July Fireworks at Lenox -- always spectaculor!! and worth the cost of admission (none!).

O God and Father of all, whom the whole heavens adore: Let the whole earth also worship you, all nations obey you, all tongues confess and bless you, and men and women everywhere love you and serve you in peace; through Jesus Christ our Lord. AMEN. (From Evening Prayer, Collect for Mission, BCP).



Sunday, June 28, 2009

Dr. Charles F. Stanley

I was privileged today to attend the First Baptist Church of Atlanta and hear Dr. Charles Stanley. I will always be grateful to Charles Stanley who taught me how to Walk in the Spirit -- to obey God and to trust God. As a college student I sat under his tutelage and learned many truths about the Lord and principles from the Word of God from him. As I was running tonight, I realized that I had not heard Dr. Stanley live in over 25 years -- amazing how time flies!!!

I had not attended the church since they had moved to the new location in North Atlanta -- for those of us from Atlanta, that would be the old Avon building. I was immediately struck by how integrated the congregation was. At least half of the congregation was Afro-America -- how refreshing! I can remember the day a black family tried to enter the church under the previous pastor in the 1960's -- it was a sad day for the Christian church. But how things have changed as people of all kinds of ethnic backgrounds were worshiping the Lord together honoring Jesus Christ.

Dr. Stanley preached on Galatians 6:7f. This is a Scripture which I believe every believer in Jesus should put to memory:

Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. The one who sows to please his sinful nature, from that nature will reap destruction; the one who sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life. Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. (NIV)

He emphasized the principle from this verse which is ALWAYS true:

A person reaps what he sows

A person reaps more than he sows

A person reaps later than he sows

He explained and exegeted the passage explaining that you and I will always reap what we are sowing in our lives -- from the moment we wake up -- the attitudes, actions, and habits we practice. We will reap what we sow, more than we sow, and later than we sow it. Always! Are we sowing to the flesh or are we sowing to the Spirit? Do we realize that when we sow evil, debt, sin, meanness, love, kindness, giving --- we will reap a harvest????

Since this was their patriotic service, Dr. Stanley then applied this principle to our nation. Scary. The nation is sowing without God now, and we are going to reap a harvest of evil. Check out Isaiah 5:20-24. Sound familiar? Let us pray asking God what He wants us to do to help bring spiritual renewal in our land and public life.

It was good to see this spiritual father of mine and hear him share his heart. It was also good to be able to observe a small portion of the fruit of his ministry by worshiping with their congregation. There is hope America!! Don't lose heart.

Friday, June 26, 2009

A Glorious Worship Service

I was privileged to attend the Installation of Bob Duncan, Anglican Bishop of Pittsburgh, as the First Archbishop and Primate of the Anglican Church in North America. The service was absolutely glorious and wonderful!! Christ Church, Plano, the Rev. David Rosebury, and their congregation served the rest of us in amazing fashion. The Sanctuary and Nave is huge, warm, inspirational and was overflowing. The music, both traditional and contemporary, was done with excellence and superb quality. Because of the acoustics, the sound system, the quality of the choir, singers, and musicians, it literally felt like you were singing in the midst of a symphony orchestra choir. The liturgy and sermon was right on. The Ordination liturgy and Anointing was extremely powerful.


Sung Prayer for the Holy Spirit for the new
Archbishop and the Anointing with Oil. The
view is from the right transcept. The view is
not a close-up.


It is now time for the Anglican Church in North America to get on with the WORK -- the work of reaching people for Jesus Christ and discipling them as He commanded. Although some churches are in the midst of litigation because of being sued for their property, most of us should now get on with the mission. Since we are all under godly, anointed, and appropriate human authority, resting on the authority of the Word of God and the empowering of the Holy Spirit, we have no excuse for not reaching North America for Jesus Christ. Let us pray for one another and "go for it" in the Name of Jesus Christ!


A Sample of the Excitement in Worship. This
is taken from the right transcept where some of us
clergy were sitting.

From Oswald Chambers in My Utmost for His Highest: "We make prayer the preparation for the work, it is never that in the Bible. Prayer is the exercise of drawing on the grace of God. Don't say -- I will endure this until I can get away and pray. Pray now; draw on the grace of God in the moment of need."

Wednesday, June 24, 2009

Anglican Church in North America

The Anglican Church in North America is now official and we have been having wonderful days of fellowship and teaching. I have been seeing so many old friends who I have known over the years as we "shared in the defense and confirmation of the Gospel" of Jesus Christ. We are Anglicans who are charismatic. We are Anglicans who are Anglo-Catholic. We are Anglicans who are evangelical. And we are Anglicans with all kinds of variations of the above. Our focus together is sharing Jesus Christ and His transforming love and power with those in our culture who do not know Him as Lord and Savior.

We have been blessed to hear some wonderful teaching. Below are some of the quotes as I have written them down from my notes.

The Rev. David Short, Rector of St. John's, Vancouver: "The resurrection of Jesus Christ is the Great Reversal of God; repentance is our reversal to surrender to the Great Reversal."

The Rev. Rick Warren, Pastor of Sattleback Church in California.... Go watch his whole talk!! Watch it four or five times. Should be up on Anglicantv.org. "A great commitment to the Great Commandment and the Great Commission will grow a Great Communion." "Don't pray for God to bless what we are doing; rather pray and ask God to help us do what He is blessing." "The church which doesn't want to grow is saying the world: 'You can go to hell!'" "Is there going to be anyone in heaven because of you?"

The Rev. Dr. Eric Dudley, Rector of St. Peter's, Tallahassee: "Everything you do with your body you do with the Body of Christ."

His Beattitude, Metropolitan Jonah, the Orthodox Church in America's Archbishop of All America and Canada: "Jesus Christ did not die so we could have rituals, but you have to surrender to God in the depths of your being. It takes tremendous humility." "Repentance means being transformed by the renewal of your minds." "We must eliminate immorality from ourselves and denounce it, but not in condemnation and judgementalism." "Our morality is not a legalism, but a harmonization of our will with the Divine Will." "Immorality destroys personhood; it destroys the soul."

Monday, June 22, 2009

St. Vincent's Cathedral

The day began on Sunday for the College of Bishops with morning worship at the church hosting the Provincial Assembly, St. Vincent's Cathedral, Bedford, Texas. St. Vincent's Cathedral and the Diocese of Fort Worth are the center of Anglo-Catholic Anglicanism in the new Anglican Church in North America. St. Vincent's has five services each Sunday:

7:05 Morning Prayer
7:30 Holy Eucharist
9:00 Choral Eucharist
11:30 Holy Eucharist
6:00 Evening Prayer

For the second week in a row, I worshiped in Anglo-Catholic fashion. The service was high church formal with incense, santus bells, and chanted liturgy. Even the Gospel reading was chanted. Benjamin Nzimbi, the Primate and Archbishop of Kenya, delivered the sermon. He preached on Mark 4:35f. After exegeting the passage, he applied the text to the new thing which God is doing in America with the Anglican Church in North America. He reminded us that Jesus is in the boat and there will be storms, but we must call upon Jesus to still the storms we encounter -- not only in ministry, but in our lives. He reminded us we are called to preach the Gospel of Jesus and when we do, people will receive Christ, people will repent of their sins, and people will walk in the power of the Holy Spirit. He said: "It is through repentance that God will do a new thing so we must humble ourselves."

After lunch we had another teaching by Archbishop Gregory Venables, the Archbishop and Primate of the Southern Cone. Using John 11 and the story of Lazarus, he noted that after Lazarus had been raised from the dead, others had to unbind the grave clothes. He could not do it himself. He then called the bishops of the church to a holy life and that there are still grave clothes which need to be unbound -- some which we cannot undo ourselves, but must go to others, humble ourselves and receive help. He said Jesus is calling us to be NORMAL CHRISTIANS, not American Christians, not Anglican Christians (although we are Anglicans), but "raised from the dead, unbound Normal Christians." He called us to be Holy Leaders and models. He then listed some areas which he said many leaders need to deal with...

* very hardened hearts -- it is a barrier holding back the Spirit of God
* sin that we will not let go of -- What God has called sin is sin! Sin is doing what God has told you not to do.
* fear of trusting God - too many us only trust Him when there is no other option. Don't allow fear to stop you from trusting God. "God is greater than our greatest fear."
* terrible emotional or psychological bondage -- get a counselor and get some help
* a refusal to deal with our addictions -- don't let your addictions destroy your ministry
* a bondage of having to dominate (control) or be dominated (have others tell you what to do) -- we must step up and be leaders who do not Lord over the flock, but are "leaders."
* problem of pride -- we never see it in ourselves. If we see something in others, it is probably because it is in us. Be vulnerable to others and deal with pride.
* bondage of negative attitudes -- especially resentment, unforgiveness, bitterness, and taking on a victim mentality.
* skeletons in the closet -- make sure you have dealt with your family history, your personal history in regards to the occult, evil practices, etc. Cover it with the Blood of Jesus. Learn to discern oppression which is the result of a curse -- there are those who will put a curse on you and you must break that curse with the Blood of Jesus and power of the Cross.

He summarized his teaching by telling us that if we leave our 1st Love, none of it is worth it. The secret of not doing this is: BE LOVED FIRST. We love because He first loved us (1 Jn.4). Bath in God's love daily and often. Remember, HE LOVES YOU.
Later in the afternoon, we officially inaugurated the new Province, the Anglican Church in North America. The overseas bishops and Archbishops signed the document first, then the bishops who were present, and the we who were Vicar Generals were able to sign as "witnesses" since only bishops can officially sign this document. The Provincial Assembly will hopefully affirm this and the New Church is official.