Cause for Reflection….
After the recent death of comedian George Carlin, one of the funniest men on the planet–also, one of the dirtiest–the Florida Baptist Witness ran a guest column from Don Walton, a vocational evangelist whose blog is www.timefortruth.org. Titled “Seven Words You Can’t Say in Heaven,” the article credits Carlin with “more than anyone else” being “responsible for turning the profane and irrevent into comedic material.”
Walton picks up on Carlin’s infamous “seven words you can never say on television,” a routine he was sometimes arrested for performing. Now that he has died, Walton says, he “stands before a much higher tribunal than our nation’s Supreme Court.” And, here are seven words he cannot say in Heaven: “I’m sorry, Lord. I was just joking.”
Cause for Rejoicing….
Last Sunday, Memorial Baptist Church in Metairie dedicated their newly restored sanctuary. This is one of the few churches in our association that suffered great loss due not to the floodwaters that followed Katrina but the winds and rain that comprised this hurricane. When winds tore off the roof of the sanctuary, water rushed in, ruining the upstairs offices and the interior of the worship center.
For nearly three years, Memorial has met in their fellowship hall. A number of churches across the Southern Baptist Convention, including Nashville’s Woodmont Baptist Church and Allen, Texas’ First Baptist Church, have been faithful encouragers to Memorial during this time. Prestonwood in Dallas has sponsored their Unlimited Partnership seminary student, if I’m not mistaken. That student, Jonathan Young, recently graduated from seminary and has become Minister of Education at Opelousas’ First Baptist Church.
Pastor Jackie Gestes came to us some two years ago–in the depth of the church’s need–and has become a faithful friend and shepherd.
Sunday, the congregation ringed the inside of the worship center, holding hands, and dedicated this building and themselves to Christ anew. I’ve known this good church since arriving in New Orleans in 1964 and can say the sanctuary has never been more beautiful.
We will appreciate prayers for Pastor Jackie, his wife Joani, and the church leadership as they tackle the impressive challenges before them.
Cause for Concern….
An article in Sunday’s Times-Picayune pointed out that a high percentage of today’s retirees are going to find that their retirement income is going to be inadequate. Retiring at age 60–when one’s life expectancy is in the 90s–is a sure way to run out of money before you die, experts are announcing.
Since I’m within 10 months of retiring from my position as Director of Missions for the Baptist Association of Greater New Orleans–I’ll be 69 then–this is not welcome news, although it’s no surprise. Over the past year, I’ve joined a lot of other ministers in our denomination in watching my retirement income slowly seep away.
Margaret and I had “the” conversation Sunday. We discussed the newspaper article, went over the assets we have, and talked of my need to continue working following retirement. Oddly, I find myself with a blend of complete confidence the Lord will open up just the right place–and a smidgen of anxiety.
She and I recall the identical feelings in 1990 when we were between churches and within 3 months of having no income. In the Spring of that year, I turned down a fine church that would have met every financial need we had, simply because the Lord was not sending us there. Then, at the last minute–the Lord seems to get a special pleasure out of those last-minute rescues!–He led us to First Baptist, Kenner, where we labored for the next 14 years.
So, we’re curious about the future, definitely interested in what the Lord’s next step for us will be, and we’re confident. After all, “My God shall supply all your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:19)
Cause for Rejoicing….
Good News Baptist Church of New Orleans will be dedicating their brand-spanking new plant the week of July 20. Pastor Oscar Williams and First Lady Marlita have become wonderful friends and such positive influences in this fellowship of churches. They joined BAGNO following Katrina, and have been meeting all this time with the First Baptist Church of Destrehan where Dr. Benny Jones is pastor.
The church is having a week of special services, and you are invited to attend. They are located at 2301 Painters Street in New Orleans. Services will be Tuesday night through Sunday. Freddie Arnold will be preaching Tuesday night at 7, and I’ll have the Wednesday night service. (Oscar said, “The last I heard, the electricity is not due to be turned on until Saturday before our first Sunday. Pray we’ll have lights!”
Cause for Anger….
A relative told me recently of running into a distant cousin at a funeral. She was horrified to see how skinny the woman is, just skin and bones. The relative said, “You know how thin I am–but I made two of her!”
That led into a discussion of a couple of other friends who have also wasted away physically, one admitting that her dress size is “zero.”
I said, “My observation, for what it’s worth, is that anorexics are frequently the victims of sexual abuse in childhood. They grow up hating their bodies and determining to do everything in their power to make themselves unattractive to men in order to guarantee such a violation of their bodies never occurs again.”
In one church, I was counseling with three women at the same time who had suffered at the hands of men in childhood and were battling anorexia.
Now comes an article a friend has sent on the subject of the sexual abuse of children. The opening line declares that if the reports are true, there are pastors and deacons and Sunday School teachers abusing their children sexually. The writer goes on to tell of her own experience. As an 11-year-old, she walked to a neighbor’s house to pick up pay for babysitting the night before and was grabbed by the man of the house. When she finally got away and ran home, she ran the bathtub full of water, and was crying that too much water was flowing out of the overflow drain, that she just could not get enough water to get clean. Her sister heard her sobs, checked on her, then told the mother.
The mother decided that, in spite of the fact that the man was reported to have abused other children, it would be better “if we didn’t put you through the rigors of a trial.” Consequently, the woman writes, “Nothing was done and I was left feeling that it was all my fault.”
My heart breaks for that child, now an adult and a mother and my friend.
Someone wrote a book years ago by the title, “A Time for Anger.” If ever there was a cause and a time to get angry, child abuse is the cause and now is the time.
Just one day ago, a local pastor told me of turning in a father for physically abusing his child who attends their church’s day care. “As far as I know,” he said, “the authorities haven’t done anything.”
Let’s have pastors and church leaders speak out on this issue, let’s protect our children, and let’s urge those who learn of such behavior to report it and to stand strong.
More Cause for Rejoicing….
Grace Baptist Church in the Bywater Section of New Orleans is having a strong impact on that neighborhood. Pastor Charlie Dale reports, “Probably the most exciting thing happening now is our youth sports camp. We are hosting mission groups to conduct what you might think of as a sports-oriented backyard Bible club. We’ve been attracting mostly boys with a few girls here and there, ages 8-14. I think we’ve averaged 15-20 a day. It’s been a ton of fun with only a minimal number of fights to break up.”
Shawn Moore of Oklahoma is leading this sports camp. Recently, Shawn resigned his job in his hometown, raised his own support, and relocated to New Orleans without a clue what he would be doing come next fall. He and the church’s minister of worship Chris Wilson were robbed at gunpoint around the corner from Grace Church. Charlie told Shawn, “It’s interesting that you came here to reach black teenage boys in this neighborhood and within a week of your arrival, two of them pointed a gun in your face.” He asked Shawn if that changed his mind about wanting to reach out to these kids. It didn’t. Charlie says, “Shawn has a real heart for these kids.”
Charlie asks for prayer for Grace Church. They are reaching new people for the Lord all the time and the attendance is slowly increasing, but “we seem to be having trouble holding on to new people.”
How does a pastor in such circumstances stay positive? “Shannon and I remind each other of how things were one year ago today. We can usually see progress among the attitudes and activities of the members that encourage us.”
Charlie says, “If you pray only one thing for us, pray that we will fall in love with Jesus more and more.”