Isn't She Beautiful? Part 2

Today I met my beautiful wife at Chik-Fil-A (most excellent!) and as we were sitting there, we ran into three people that blessed my day.  First was Bob Young.  Bob was a teacher at Henry Clay when I was there back in the late 80's.  To say that this is a godly man is the understatement of the year.  While I was at Southern Acres, I was blessed to be able to visit and care for his mother in her final stages of Alzheimers.  I also was blessed to get to know his father, the incomparable Palmer Young whose life influenced countless preachers and churches through his 60-plus years of ministry.  Bob's kind, caring personality and his steady faithfulness is a witness to the love of Christ.

Five minutes after we talked with Bob, up walked a good friend named Greg Williams.  Greg is a man passionately devoted to Christ- if you talk with him for more than two minutes, you are hearing about Jesus.  His powerful walk with Christ inspires and challenges me to surrender more and more of my life to Christ, and his passion is contagious.  Greg's challenging, courageous personality is a witness to the power of Christ.

Five minutes after we talked with Greg, I saw an old friend from my youth ministry days named David Jones.  David was an up and coming youth minister- one of the best in the business- until several years ago he was fired from his church for some immoral behavior.  I lost touch with him until today.  When I saw him today, I found out that not only is he back in ministry, but he is in ministry at the SAME CHURCH he used to work at.  To say this is rare is an understatement- I have seen so many graceless churches that would never give a minister another chance.  David has gotten his marriage together, his life together, and is going full steam in ministry now.  What a blessing.  David's restored life and renewed sense of calling is a witness to the amazing grace of Christ.

Three friends.  Three different people showing three different examples of Christ.  Christ's love.  Christ's power.  Christ's grace.  All in a period of one hour.  As I drove away from Chik-Fil-A today, I just whispered to myself, "Isn't She Beautiful?"  I would not have known these fine men without the church.  Like I said in another blog, I have met some of the worst people I've ever met by being in the church.  But like I said before, and say again today, the very BEST people I've ever met, I have met in the church.  I saw three of them today.  Bob, Greg, David- what blessings you were to me today.  It just reaffirms the statement, "Isn't She Beautiful?"

Are We Living in the End Times?

For many years, I looked with scorn at such a question.  I remember hearing people say, "Repent!  God is coming soon!"  He never arrived.  At least, He didn't arrive in the way I defined "soon."  I also remember as a little kid wondering when Jesus would return (after all, the Bible says Jesus will return to earth one day).  I was told by many people, "No one knows the day or the hour.  Only God knows that."

As I grew older, however, I began to notice Bible prophecy and ask that question again.  Are we truly living in the end times?  Is this the last chapter of human history?  Is Jesus going to return soon?  While no one knows the day or the hour, the Bible says we CAN know the season.  Jesus even told us to be watchful.  He instructed us to look for the signs of His soon return in Luke 12:

 ⁵⁴ He said to the crowd: “When you see a cloud rising in the west, immediately you say, ‘It’s going to rain,’ and it does. ⁵⁵ And when the south wind blows, you say, ‘It’s going to be hot,’ and it is. ⁵⁶ Hypocrites! You know how to interpret the appearance of the earth and the sky. How is it that you don’t know how to interpret this present time?"

I began to get interested in Bible prophecy about ten years ago after hearing Dave Reagan speak at Southern Acres Christian Church.  As I have studied the signs of the times listed in the Bible, from the prophesied re-establishment of Israel in 1948 by the Balfour Declaration (an event the Bible says is the beginning of the end times) to the multiple signs in the world today (the movement towards a cashless society, the movement towards a one-world currency, the movement towards a one-world religion, the turning of the world against Israel, etc) I am more and more convinced that God is calling His people and the people of the world to "interpret this present time" as Jesus instructed us to.

We will be doing a six-week study of Revelation in a series called "The End" starting this Sunday.  What better time to talk about the return of Christ when the world is thinking about His birth?  Jesus arrived in this world once as a baby.  The second time He arrives, He arrives as the King of kings and Lord of lords.  We will be looking intensely at the way the Bible says everything will end.  We will also be talking about what the role of the Christian should be.  Should we be afraid?  Should we cower in fear? Should we worry?  Should we deny everything?  Or should we structure our lives so that the return of Christ will be everything we've ever looked forward to?


I have never taught a series on Revelation before.  I have never really thought about the end times seriously before.  I have always just kind of gone on with things, thinking the times will last forever.  They won't.  If they do, the Bible is full of lies, because over 20% of the Bible is prophecy.  The times won't last forever- there will be an end, and I happen to believe it is soon.  I don't know the day or the hour, but I do know how to read the signs of the times.  If you want to know what these signs are, come to Catalyst for the next six weeks and find out.  Hope to see you there!

Isn't She Beautiful?

I heard that a pastor named Rob Bell up north did a conference about the church called, "Isn't She Beautiful?"  The gist of the conference was the beauty and wonder of the church.  I am so very glad he did this, because quite frankly, it's very "in" to bash churches these days.  Everyone you hear has something negative to say about the church.  Everyone says the church is full of hypocrites.  Everyone says churches don't reflect Jesus.  Everyone jumps on the church-bashing bandwagon and has their two cents worth.

I used to do that.  I used to be very critical of the church, and Christians.  Maybe because I AM a Christian and do belong to the church.  I don't know.  One thing I do know, though, is that the church is beautiful.  Yes, I said it.  Beautiful.  I have never seen something so beautiful in all my life.  I have never seen a clearer picture of grace, beauty, forgiveness, love, hope, friendship, and passion as I have seen in the church. 

I can already hear the church bash police wagging their fingers like Brainy Smurf saying, "I know a church that  . . . .  (fill in the blank with the latest and coolest criticism).   I do too.  As a pastor, I've been treated far worse in the church than any layperson ever has.  I've been cussed, disrespected, lied about, lied to, berated, undermined, criticized- you name it.  I've also been loved, accepted, supported, believed in, forgiven, trusted, and encouraged.  The very best people I know are because of my involvement in church.  I've seen God work time and time again, and it's always through His church.  I've seen the church rebuild homes after a flood.  I've seen the church feed the hungry.  I've seen the church accept the uncool.  I've seen the church step out in faith and give to missions when it didn't make sense.  I've seen the church rescue human slaves from human sex traffickers.  I've seen the church change entire societies from despair to hope.  I've seen the church restore marriages, restore friendships, break down walls of hostility, and demonstrate grace.  I've seen the church speak for those that have no voice.  I've seen the worst people in the world change, not because of judicial punishment or a life sentence, but because of the grace the church has shown them.

I don't often rant and I don't want to now.  I guess I am just sick of hearing this amazing group of believers being bashed and trashed all the time.  I love the church.  I love the people of the church.  She is beautiful.  So very beautiful.  This weekend we are celebrating the end of the 40 Days of Grace project we have been doing as a church.  The church will be blessed with a party- a huge celebration of God's goodness and grace.  One major part of this weekend will be at least 6 testimonies from people who have had an amazing encounter with God and His grace.  I have already heard most of them, and to see people changed, moved, restored, reconciled to God and people, truly is beautiful.  It all happened through the church.  The beautiful church.  God's amazing church.  Now, every time I think about the church, I think, "Isn't She Beautiful?"