Family Priority
Where does the time go?
Look at your calendar for last month. Was it crazy busy? What about for this month, or even this week? Do you ever stop to wonder how family life got so busy? And as you look at that busyness are you really able to do the things that you most want to do with your family? What is capturing most of your time, and does that function have God changing leverage for you, for your family?
The core value of family is that God has given us family as the primary context in which we practice, learn and live out the grace and truth God calls us to. When it comes to loving God back with everything we have, family is both the easiest place to get started and the hardest place to consistently get it right.
This week, as we prepare for worship, think about the motivations that you have behind the choices that you make for your family with your time, talents, and resources. Then ask God to help you align what you do with what you believe. Ask Him to give you the power to make life choices for you and your family that most honor, celebrate and emulate Him.
Blessings!
-Lori
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Lori Ferguson serves as Children's Director at Navarre UMC, and has been at the church since 2015. When she's not planning or teaching, she enjoys spending time with her grandkids. Read more about Lori here.
Not Everyone's Holidays are Happy
Trick or Treat?
My family was one of those that turned off all the lights and hid in the basement on Halloween, praying no kids would knock on the door. I’ve never been trick-or-treating, although I’ve helped with a few trunk-or-treats at church. I only dressed up twice for a church function as a kid: Once I was Darkwing Duck, and once, I kid you not, I was the full armor of God. For the most part I didn’t care about not going trick or treating and I didn’t feel like I was missing out on anything. Except for costume day in first grade.
I guess some schools still do it today where kids can wear their Halloween costume to school one day before Halloween. When I was a kid, m class went on a parade to all the other classes and every kid was wearing a costume - except me. Everyone got to show off their costume and tell people about who they were and why they wanted to be that for halloween. And because kids don’t always handle awkward social situations the best, I got asked over and over again what I was dressed as. And when I said I wasn’t dressed as anything I would inevitably be asked why I wasn’t and I would have to got through a little spiel about how my family didn’t really do halloween and blah blah blah. It started to wear on me. I was about to break down and just start crying when a random kid in a class answered for me when the other kids asked who I was.
He said I was dressed just like that guy from Back to the Future.
That was it. The guy said a total of twelve words in my presence. He didn’t even say the words to me. I think he might have given me a thumbs up or an ok sign or something but somehow everything was better after that. I didn’t even know what Back to the Future was but from then on I got to say I was dressed as the guy from it, the questions stopped, and I knew I had a third grader on my side. As I’m typing this out, I completely realize how ridiculous this is. I was planning on writing something different about Halloween. But even 25+ years later, I can’t talk about Halloween without thinking about what a complete stranger did for me when I was six.
It's OK to not be OK
We are about to head into the biggest holiday season of the year. We have Halloween next week, Thanksgiving next month, and Christmas is just around the corner (just walk through Walmart and try to ignore all the Christmas merchandise already out). While for a lot of us this is the most wonderful time of the year, there are people who can’t wait for this time of year to be over. The holidays will remind them of people they’ve lost, remind them that spouses or parents are overseas, or make people wonder how everyone else is so happy while they feel so miserable (SAD, or seasonal affective disorder, is a real thing that affects over 3 million Americans each year).
This is why the youth are going to go reverse trick-or-treating (going around neighborhoods handing candy out instead of asking for candy). It’s why Boo at the Zoo matters, why we encourage people to serve at Richard’s Memorial for Thanksgiving, and why we’re doing something new this year known as "the Longest Night" in December. None of these are extravagant things. But in the simplicity of them, we acknowledge that for some people the holidays are rough. That not everyone feels perpetual hope, and that we are willing to meet people where they are. So as we do these organized things as a church to reach our community, be on the look out for simple ways that you can personally make a connection with someone. Maybe it’s just an encouraging word, or a hug, or bringing someone a cup of coffee. The little things, even things as little as twelve words and a thumbs up, can make a huge, lasting, impact on someone.
-Nathan
Nathan Persell serves as our Youth Director. When he's not leading devotions and playing basketball with teenagers, he enjoys disc golf and bike riding. Learn more about Nathan here.
Multiplying Disciples
You then, my child, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus; and what you have heard from me through many witnesses entrust to faithful people who will be able to teach others as well.
2 Timothy 2:1–2, NRSV
Learning to Be Like Jesus
In the past the only way you learned a trade was to find a master of that trade and learn from them. That is still the way to learn many trades today: brick masons, pipe fitters, carpenters and steel workers.
It’s the same way with following Jesus. I marvel at the way Jesus handled critics, showed compassion and spoke about God. Those are things I would like to be able to do. So, the only way I can learn to respond as Jesus did is to learn from him – become his disciple.
Discipleship is, in the simplest terms, becoming an apprentice of Jesus. We become apprentices of Jesus by watching, listening and practicing what he did. To that we have to spend time with him in prayer, read his words, observe his actions, mirror his devotion to God and do what he says. However, to truly follow Jesus, there is one additional step we have to take – we have to make disciples too.
Paul Discipled Timothy
Paul describes the process for one of his young apprentices, Timothy, “Take what I have taught you and teach others who can then teach others.” That is the key. Being a disciple means that we pass on to others what we have learned from those who taught us, so that they can teach others. A true disciple never lets the process end with them.
Paul taught Timothy who taught others, who taught others. They taught others who taught others and so on and so on. Then someone taught Bertha Norris and Fred Melvin and James O’Shields and John Chisum and Dot O’Shields who taught me. Chances are you have never heard of any of those people, but each of them played an important part in helping me follow Jesus.
That is what Paul instructed Timothy to do. It’s a job not just for ministers, but for everyone. Only two of the persons listed above were ministers; the rest were just followers of Jesus who cared enough to share their lives in Christ with me.
What about you? Is there anyone around you who needs an example of how to follow Jesus? I think there is.
Blessings!
Alan
CLICK HERE FOR THIS WEEK'S FAITH NOTES.
Alan Cassady serves as Senior Pastor at Navarre UMC, and has been at the church since 2011. When he's not preaching and teaching, he enjoys sci-fi movies and FSU Football. Read more about Alan here.
Voting as a Christian
Teach them God’s decrees, and give them his instructions. Show them how to conduct their lives. But select from all the people some capable, honest men who fear God and hate bribes. Appoint them as leaders over groups of one thousand, one hundred, fifty, and ten. They should always be available to solve the people’s common disputes, but have them bring the major cases to you. Let the leaders decide the smaller matters themselves. They will help you carry the load, making the task easier for you. If you follow this advice, and if God commands you to do so, then you will be able to endure the pressures, and all these people will go home in peace.”
Exodus 18:20-23, NLT
I hear many Christians talk about why they feel our nation has become "less Christian". I hear them say it's because our president or elected representatives are leading our country in the wrong direction. Yet during our current presidential debate, all I have heard is people looking at each candidate and wondering, "could I be that person's friend?" "Do I like them as a person?"
If you really want to know my thoughts, I don't like either of them as a person. I'm sure that doesn't surprise you because that is the general consensus of Americans right now. So, people feel they have to choose between "two evils." I want to challenge you to look at things from a different perspective.
Things to Consider When Voting as a Christian:
- What are the issues at hand? Most of the debates have been focused on the candidate's character, so it is up to us to dig into the issues. The Billy Graham Association did a comparison of the nuts and bolts of the issues of each party called Democratic and Republican Party Platforms: Where They Stand on the Issues. It's a great way to get down to what each person is for.
- Where does scripture lie on each of these issues? Spend time in prayer and ask yourself, "how do these issues fit within my understanding of scripture?"
- Pray for discernment. Yes, I did say pray. We cannot separate our spiritual life from our political one. If we want our nation to become a Christian one again, we must pray over the person we elect, and we must pray for the individual who is elected every day.
Israel needed people to govern them in Exodus, so God had Moses choose people. It was a big decision. Today, we still need people to govern us. Involving God in our politics is the only way to make real, lasting change!
Please be in prayer for our nation and the upcoming election. And remember, we all have differences of opinion. It's not a reason to lose a friend.
Blessings,
Pastor Faith
Faith Parry serves as our Associate Pastor, and has been at the church since 2015. When she's not preaching and teaching, she enjoys documentaries and TV. Read more about Faith here.
The Power of Your Story
But even if you do suffer for doing what is right, you are blessed. Do not fear what they fear, and do not be intimidated, but in your hearts sanctify Christ as Lord. Always be ready to make your defense to anyone who demands from you an accounting for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and reverence. Keep your conscience clear, so that, when you are maligned, those who abuse you for your good conduct in Christ may be put to shame.
1 Peter 3:14–16, NRSV
Our Stories
Our lives are made up of stories. Stories are the way we make sense of life. Stories tell us who we are, where we have come from and where we are going. The same applies to God’s revelation to us.
Much of the Bible is story or narrative. In those stories we see God’s interaction with people and learn about God’s nature by seeing how God interacts with other people.
Stories are powerful! Your story is powerful! That’s right. Telling the story of how God has changed your life and helped you through different challenges is a very powerful thing.
Your Story is Yours
People may be able to argue with your doctrines and propositions, but your story stands tall. Why? Your story is your experience with God and your experience with God is yours. Now, to be honest, your story needs to rest on sound doctrine and be the general tenor of Scripture – no fairies, trolls or special potions.
Your story helps people identify with you in the struggles of life and God’s help in those challenges . Our stories can give people hope in their struggles.
Peter is writing to people living in what is today northern Turkey who were suffering from various kinds of persecution. The persecution and suffering happened because of their commitment to Christ and the difference that commitment had made in their lives. Peter urges them to continue to live their lives in full integrity, trusting God in the struggle. He also tells them to be ready to give a reason for their hope in Christ. In other words, be ready to tell their story.
Stories of Trust
Sunday we will be specifically looking at the stories of how we came to trust Christ in our life and so to help us tell those stories the Christian to the Core helps us shape those stories to be as clear as possible.
First, we help people understand what our lives were like without Christ. Our story could start with emptiness, guilt or selfishness. Be honest about your life at that point. Second, we need to tell how we came to Christ. Try not to use religious language, sometimes that just confuses people and creates a barrier to understanding. Then tell people what your life is like with Christ; how Jesus has helped you overcome the issues of your past. Then give people a clear and straightforward invitation follow Jesus for themselves.
I hope you will take the time to work through this section in the workbook and be willing to share your story when your group meets this week. Your story is powerful! Remember this passage from Revelation:
But they have conquered him [the devil] by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, for they did not cling to life even in the face of death. -Revelation 12:11
Blessings!
-Alan
CLICK HERE FOR THIS WEEK'S FAITH NOTES.
Alan Cassady serves as Senior Pastor at Navarre UMC, and has been at the church since 2011. When he's not preaching and teaching, he enjoys sci-fi movies and FSU Football. Read more about Alan here.