The market is up one day and down the next. Some analysts believe that the recession is nearing an end and others caution that the recession could linger for another year or two. How do you find personal and emotional stability in an unstable economy?  The only way I know is by practicing the principles of Christian stewardship, and there are no shortcuts.

Christian stewardship is a pragmatic spiritual discipline…a management responsibility which applies to every facet of life.  As believers and worshippers, we are accountable to God for how we exercise that managerial responsibility over all of our resources, especially our time, our spiritual gifts, our opportunities, and our finances.

Although Florida’s economy began to spiral downward in the aftermath of the sequential hurricanes in 2004-2005, the negative trends in Florida have been compounded by national growth in unemployment, a depressed housing market, a depreciating market, and global economic anxiety. Although we do not know how long these recession conditions will last, we do know that God’s economic guidelines bring stability during all of the seasons of life.

God’s plan for economics begins by calling us to a positive and proactive attitude toward managing. A primary step toward managing all of your God-given resources is to present the firstfruits, or the first tenth of your increase, as a tithe unto the Lord.  The prophet Malachi probably has the most emphatic words to say about giving:  Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this,” says the LORD Almighty, “and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have room enough for it.  Malachi 3:8-10 NIV

In his book, Full Disclosure: Everything the Bible Says about Financial Giving, Dave Bell writes, Stewardship is not just an opportunity to enter into God’s service but an opportunity for God to enter into you.  I believe that for those who dare to practice biblical stewardship, giving becomes a fun part of our management responsibility. Paul gives us a vivid description of a believer’s attitude toward God’s economic plan when he writes, Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver ( II Corinthians 9:7  NIV).

Herb Mather, author of Don’t Shoot the Horse (Until You Know How to Drive the Tractor), proposes that “The vertical relationship to God and the horizontal relationship to neighbor come together in the act of giving.” In other words, that cheerful spirit of managing and appropriating our resources for kingdom purposes cultivates within us a passion for mission and ministry.

How do you begin, or continue, the practice of Christian stewardship?

• Understand that all resources are a trust from God.
• Prioritize your tithes and offerings.  
• Provide for your family through careful management.
• Adopt a lifestyle of enjoying simple gifts.
• Be ethical and honest in all transactions.
• Limit credit liability and strive to eliminate debt.
• Invest in the future through a savings plan.

During these tough economic times God’s principles of stewardship can bring stability to our homes and our businesses, as well as the ministries of our church.

 

If you are on our church campus this week, you will likely notice the reverberating sounds of construction, you will hear the echo of orchestral instruments and a large chorus of vocalists rehearsing, and you will notice men of all ages curiously unshaven, some with a mature beard and others with adolescent fuzz.  This year, for the first time since Hurricane Ivan, First Baptist Church is presenting the Pensacola Easter Pageant.

For many years this annual musical re-enactment of selected scenes from the passion of Christ has been a culminating highlight of Holy Week for our community. The pageant itself requires a lot of work. Volunteers spend countless hours building and assembling props. Members of the music staff are relentless in recruiting the cast and costuming the major characters. The choir and soloists begin right after Christmas memorizing and rehearsing the music.  The closer we get to the pageant date, the more intense and numerous the preparations become.

Our church is blessed with a significant number of retired and semi-retired members who are skilled with both hammer and saw, so we have a dedicated crew to build the set.  We are gifted with an extraordinary choir and orchestra, determined that the music will be presented with excellence.  And typically we conscript an adequate and willing troupe to portray the cast of the biblical passion narrative.

Some of the dramatic roles are easy to fill.  As I compared this year’s cast to the video clips from pageants past, I have noted that Jesus is a carryover from the last pageant.  Although he has married since the last pageant, he is about the same size and though youthful, the guy can grow a beard overnight.

The disciples and the guards are a mix of new volunteers and repeat performers, some of whom are a little grayer and a little more portly than last time.  Mary, the mother of Jesus is a brunette, and Mary Magdalene is a blond.  Nicodemus has lost about 30 pounds, Joseph of Arimathea is a seminary graduate, and Judas is portrayed by an exceptionally honest naval pilot.

Other than the role of Judas, the most challenging part to fill is the role of a thief.  Few who have played the part of the thief volunteer a second time. The role of the thief is strenuous and laborsome, being strapped to a cross for a significant portion of the program…condemned, semi-clothed, exposed….just hanging there helplessly for all the world to see.    

Our cast includes two thieves, one on each side of Jesus, a “good” thief and a “bad” thief.  There is just something about being the thief on the cross that many find a little distasteful or uninviting.  But you can’t have a real Easter pageant or grasp the full meaning of the Easter story without a thief.

In actuality, the thief should be one of the easier roles to fill, primarily because everyone, other than the original Jesus, has at least a little bit of real life experience playing the part. What usually happens when you are confronted with the gospel story is that you become aware of the thief within. To internalize the real Easter story each of us must identify ourselves as the thief before we are able to identify ourselves as a disciple.

Had you rather play the good thief or the bad thief?  The good thief was the repentant one.  

Easter is almost here. And it takes a thief to make the story come to life.

(Barry Howard serves as senior minister of the First Baptist Church of Pensacola, Florida.)

 

I admit it. “Church shopping” is a term that I loathe. I think the phraseology just sounds too commercial to apply to a community of faith. I also think that searching for a church home is a crucial life decision that requires a deeper level of introspection and spiritual guidance than can be found by following the usual church shopping guidelines.

Despite my disdain for the terminology, I do understand the popular concept and wish to offer a different, hopefully more pastoral perspective on what persons should look for in a church.

I begin by confessing my own biases. While I think of myself as somewhat progressive in my approach to ministry, many of my basic convictions about what it means to be church are not in sync with what I encounter in the pop church culture. For example, my preaching will probably never be as Lettermanesque as some postmoderns would like, but neither will it be as dogmatic and exclusively expository as some traditionalists prefer. My perspective on worship and ministry is much more missional (I prefer mission-driven) and much less entertaining or performance-based than you might experience in a big screen church. I also perceive that many church marketing schemes, often proffered as outreach strategies, seem to be veiled attempts at proselytizing (encouraging believers to leave their church to come to your church) and I unapologetically believe that proselytizing is a sin. We should be colleagues, not competitors, with other churches in our community. And I so firmly believe in covenantal membership, I contend that, with few exceptions, you should change church membership only when you change addresses.

A few years ago when I moved to Kentucky to begin serving as pastor in a small town rich in Appalachian folklore and history, I discovered that many of the local churchgoers had transferred membership between churches in the same community three or more times in five years. My plain-spoken retired pastor friend, Bob Lockhart, cynically suggested that our local ministerial association should begin offering a church passport so that our frequent church swappers would not have to go to the trouble to keep transferring their membership every time they became disgruntled.

I suppose that his comment helped me notice that “church shoppers” all too often become frequent “church swappers.” Along with other factors, that leads me to propose that when many people go on a church shopping spree, they use the wrong shopping list. In trendy religious magazines and captivating advertisements, typical church shopping tips might include encouraging someone in the market to look for a church where they like the pastor, where their favorite worship style is honored, where their beliefs are re-enforced, where the offering of activities is sufficient to “minister” to the whole family, and where they “feel” a sense of belonging. Lots of other things appear on church shopping lists, but these summarize the basic propositions.

This list may sound appropriate on the surface, but deeper probing reveals motivations that are a little too superficial and ego-centrical to survive gospel scrutiny. I cannot imagine Jesus, the one who spoke so radically about denying one’s self, giving his disciples such self-oriented guidance. I cannot fathom Paul, who wrote with gratitude about the diverse gifts within the body of Christ, encouraging converts to connect with a local faith community simply because others there already have similar gifts, similar passions, and similar preferences.

Perhaps the family or individual genuinely searching to connect with a church that stimulates growth and provides opportunities for missional service, should revise their shopping list. I’ve learned from experience that because pastors are charged with encouraging and equipping their congregations in ways that often challenge the status quo, a pastor’s “approval rating” can rise and fall weekly. Worship styles are constantly changing, as are the menu of activities and opportunities on most church calendars. And a sustained sense of belonging comes through engagement and participation. The immediate emotional appeal created when you visit a church that is new to you recedes quickly if you do not become connected relationally and missionally. In other words, using these popular criteria to select a church could doom you to perpetual frustration or frequent rotation of membership.

When looking for a church home, choose a place where your spiritual gifts are needed. Consider a church that offers diverse styles in worship, expressions that span the generations and the ages. Think about joining a church where your beliefs are going to be stretched and challenged by the preachers and teachers, not simply validated. Choose a church based on the opportunities you will have to serve, not just to be served, opportunities you will have to minister, and not just be ministered to. And cultivate a sense of belonging by getting involved in the work of the church.

I am privileged to serve a great church that has an above average degree of spiritual health, but a perfect church does not exist. Every local congregation has strengths and weaknesses. When you change churches as a reaction to something you disagree with, or something you don’t like, or because you are searching for greener pastures, you will inevitably end up in a church whose strengths and weaknesses differ from your current spiritual family but are not as visible to you; a new church that will enrich you and frustrate you in a different way.

There are a few good reasons to change churches: If you relocate, if you are called to service in another church, or if your church alters its mission and becomes involved in witchcraft, sorcery, or idol worship. That’s about it. I don’t think that differing interpretations of Bible passages, varying styles of worship, new or expanded mission partnerships, or changes in the menu of church services are really good reasons to divorce your church and seek another.

If you are currently “dissatisfied” with your church, perhaps God is revealing ways that you can proactively help your church become a more effective family of faith. Rather than running from the problem, consider “blooming where you are planted,” offering your spiritual gifts and passions to propel your congregation to higher ground.

If you are shopping for a church, make sure to use the right list. Don’t just look for the things that you like, or the things that make you feel good. Connect with people with whom you can grow. Serve in a community where you can make a valued contribution. Find your niche’ and plant yourself firmly in a local congregation to live out your faith covenant in good times and in challenging times.

(Barry Howard serves as senior minister at the First Baptist Church of Pensacola, Florida.)

This year I think I’ll give up worry for Lent. The newspaper called yesterday Fat Tuesday, a day where many indulge in gluttonous feasting or revelry. Today is Ash Wednesday, which marks the beginning of the season of Lent, a time of intentional preparation for Easter. During this season, believers focus on self-examination, reflection, and repentance.

Traditionally, Christians give up something of importance to them during Lent. I have friends who give up one or more of their favorite things such as chocolate, coffee, sugar, or soft drinks. But since I am all too often compelled to worry, I think I’ll try to give it up for at least 40 days.

I don’t really like to worry. In fact, it’s not constructive. Worry is like spam or junk mail. It just takes up valuable space in my mind, space needed for creative thinking, planning, visioning, and problem solving. And I know I function better when I am not weighted down with excessive worry. But each time I kick worry out the front door of my mind, it seems to sneak around and re-enter through the back door.

Years ago a friend of mind had a huge poster mounted on the wall over his desk that said, “Don’t tell me worry doesn’t help. Half of the things I worry about never happen.”

I think worry is genetic. At least one of my grandparents and one of my parents would sit and worry for hours. It’s no wonder that I have a pre-disposition toward this mental distraction.

And I am in good company. I frequently have coffee with CEO’s, ministers, business owners, attorneys, physicians, and educators and they all tend to suffer from a similar dilemma. That is not surprising because there are so many things about which a person can worry… your business, your family, your investments, terrorism, the economy, the future. The list seems endless.

Perhaps my friends should give up worry for Lent also. Since Lent is a time of intentional preparation for Easter, maybe we should listen again to the words of Jesus who urged his followers to give up worry:

Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life? Matthew 6:25-27

Today is Ash Wednesday, I am going to try to give up worry for at least 40 days…and maybe, hopefully, longer.

This week marks the halfway point in my journey of preaching through the Spiritual Disciplines.  In recent weeks our congregation has focused on Mediation, Prayer, Fasting, Study, Simplicity, and Stewardship.  During the next six weeks we will highlight Submission, Service, Confession, Worship, Guidance and Celebration. 

During casual conversations with me, a few of our members have speculated on which disciplines are the toughest to preach or to practice, and the usual assumption is that Fasting and Stewardship must be among the two most difficult.  At this point in the journey, I am thinking that Submission may be the toughest to deal with in a sermon or to practice in our daily lives.

From early childhood, our fast food culture indoctrinates us with a counter-Christian mantra that urges, “Have it your way!”  Rather than pressing to get our way, the Discipline of Submission teaches us to follow God’s way.  It is necessary, but not at all easy, to forego our personal ambition and to submit… submit to God, submit to our spouse, submit to our leaders, and to submit to our spiritual community.

This week I am preparing to tackle the subject of Submission in the sermon entitled Knowing When to Follow.  Many are surprised to learn through the study of numerous biblical texts that Jesus focused more on the importance of being a faithful follower than he focused on the role of being a leader.  Jesus implies that the key to becoming a good leader in your area of giftedness or expertise, is to first learn to be a good follower.

In his book, Celebration of Discipline, Richard Foster proposes one dimension of submission as the ability to lay down the terrible burden of always needing to get your own way.  As I lead a diverse and dynamic community of believers  who have been taught by the world and at times, the church,  to define success and happiness as having things go their way, I am finding it tough, but timely, to preach on the spiritual discipline of submission.

This year we join with the global Baptist family in celebrating the 400^th anniversary of the Baptist movement.  While many of the values and principles treasured by Baptist have been around since the time of Christ, 1609 marks the beginning of our Baptist Heritage as an identifiable movement within Christianity.

Throughout 2009 our First Baptist Family will celebrate our Baptist Heritage through a variety of worship and study emphases, through our newsletter and web page columns, and through our continued recognition and practice of historic Baptist distinctives.

On Wednesday evenings during our Midweek Worship Gathering in February and March, through word and experience, we will be highlighting the values and principles that are characteristic of Baptists…past, present, and future.  Here is our tentative schedule:

February 11     Celebrating Historic Baptist Distinctives

February 18     Baptists: Networking and Partnering

February 25     Baptists: The Early Beginnings  

March  4          Baptists: A Missionary People 

March 11         Baptists: Navigating Change

March 18         Baptists: Baptism by Immersion

March 25         Baptists: What Does the Future Hold?

This Sunday we continue our journey through the spiritual disciplines as we focus on Stewardship: Opening the Windows of Heaven.

On Sunday afternoons and evenings we are in week 3 of Ministry Madness.  This week you are invited to participate in Meet the Church. You can sign up in the atrium to serve at one of 8 locations in Pensacola and the surrounding area on Sunday afternoon as we become the hands and feet of Christ in serving our community.

I look forward to seeing you this Sunday as we gather for worship and Bible study.

 

 

My eyes were glued to the news story dominating the networks on January 15 when US Air Flight 1549 collided with birds, disabling both engines, and yet the aircraft made a successful emergency water landing on the Hudson River. Remarkably, all 155 of those aboard survived without serious injury.

A few days ago, I took my first flight since the incident and was amazed to notice how many more people paid attention to the flight attendants as they gave the pre-flight orientation. In fact, I was among those listening more carefully and investigating how my seat could become “a flotation device in the unlikely event of an emergency.”

As I have watched the follow-up news stories, listened with admiration to the interviews with the pilot and passengers, I think there are some valuable lessons all of us could learn about how to respond during an emergency:

• Stay calm and do what you do best.  Veteran pilot, C.B Sullenberger, remained remarkably calm and focused.  Passengers and crew have testified that the calm, professional voice of their pilot kept them remarkably poised and attentive during the ordeal.  Likewise the cabin crew followed their disciplined training striving to control the chaos by assisting passengers in locating exits and taking flotation devices.  If the pilot and crew had panicked, the outcome of Flight 1549 could have ended much differently.

• Pray.  When asked what the passengers did in preparing for this emergency landing, one passenger was quoted as saying, “my fiancée was crying and I just took her by the hand and kissed her and said ‘I love you’ and just started praying,”  Jesus taught his followers “to always pray and never give up” (Luke 18:1).

• When the odds are against you, don’t give up hope.  The odds of landing an Airbus 320 on an icy river in the winter with no casualties seem almost impossible. But this landing defied the odds, reminding us that hope still floats.  If we are not careful, we can let the odds of any circumstance pre-determine the outcome, whether it is the odds of getting a new job in a tough economy or the odds of surviving a disease.  Maintaining a hopeful spirit, a positive attitude, and a strong faith when the odds are against you can help you to be an overcomer.

• Know when to get out of the way!  There are times when the best thing you can do is not become an encumbrance.  For example, you should never become a gawker at the scene of a house fire, an automobile accident, or a catastrophic storm.  And certainly, do not hold up the line during an evacuation or an emergency exit. While many passengers on Flight 1549 assisted others in exiting the plane, they also tell of one woman who had to be pushed out the door to make way for others when she stalled the line by refusing to leave without her luggage. If your assistance is not needed, get out of the way as quickly as possible.

• Don’t let success change your character.  Other pilots join the general public in applauding Captain Sullenberger as a hero.  However, Sullenberger himself credited his crew with the successful landing. Although he was at the helm of the plane, he said, “We were a team.”  On January 22, 2009, Sullenberger, along with the crew of Flight 1549, was presented the Master’s Medal by the Guild of Air Pilots and Air Navigators.  Though Sullenberger is genuinely a hero, he hasn’t seemed to let his success lead to arrogance.

Hopefully, none of us will have a harrowing experience like the passengers on Flight 1549. But you never know when you are going to get caught in an emergency situation. If you suddenly find yourself facing potentially traumatic circumstances, remember the lessons learned from that falling, and later floating, plane. 

Beginning February 1, we will launch 10 consecutive weeks of Ministry Madness, a Sunday afternoon/evening series offering a variety of opportunities for fellowship, equipping, and service.

The first Ministry Madness event is the Super Bowl Fellowship this Sunday evening in the ROC. Whether you are a football fan or fellowship fan, this Sunday evening is a great opportunity to introduce a friend to our First Baptist family, and for you to get better acquainted with the members of our church.

During these ten weeks of Ministry Madness all of the on-campus events will begin at 5:00 o’clock.  On the third Sunday of each month, events will be off campus as we join with other churches in the Pensacola Bay Baptist Association to participate in “Meet the Church,” where we will have an opportunity to serve the least of these in our community in a hands-on mission project on Sunday afternoon.

This Sunday morning as we continue our Celebrating the Spiritual Disciplines series we will focus on the discipline of study.  Our text is Romans 12:1-2 and our topic is “Becoming a Lifetime Student.”  Additionally, during each of our worship services this Sunday morning we will celebrate moments of Parent-Child Dedication.

As we grow stronger in our effectiveness as a family of faith, we are asking every church member to take a Spiritual Gift Analysis and to connect with a ministry team.  At First Baptist we are discovering that we are at our best when we work together in teams.  Be encouraged to connect with at least one ministry team that reflects your spiritual gifts and your personal passion.  If you are not yet a part of a ministry team, Comer Knight and Ross Lankford are ready to help you get connected.

As we continue to grow in faith and friendship, I look forward to seeing you this Sunday as we gather for worship and Bible study.

Coming up in the first half of 2009, we are looking forward to the annual Super Bowl Fellowship, the Children’s Winter Retreat, Scouting Sunday, the Pensacola Easter Pageant, the Worship Team Spring Concert at the Beach, Founder’s Day, Senior Recognition Sunday, the Chapel Choir Mystery Tour, and Vacation Bible School.  Also during 2009 we will have mission volunteers working on projects in Liberia, Haiti, North Africa, Costa Rica, Bulgaria, the Sudan, and Russia.

Also regarding 2009, earlier this week we witnessed the inauguration of the 44^th President of the United States.  No matter who we voted for in the recent election, let us covenant to pray for our President and his administration to lead with moral courage and extraordinary wisdom during these challenging times.

By the way, did you know that feeding the wrong appetites can undermine your spiritual growth? This Sunday morning we are zeroing in on the discipline of fasting, one of the most challenging of the spiritual disciplines, as we think about Becoming Hungry for the Right Stuff.  On Sunday evening during our Winter Bible Study we will be talking about Navigating Change when we meet in Pleitz Chapel at five o’clock.

This week I am participating in the annual Minister’s Metro Conference where I will join with several other pastors who serve similar churches to FBCP that will gather to pray for each other, to share ideas, and encourage each other as we strive to provide proactive and healthy leadership to our congregations.  Thank you for providing opportunities for each of our ministers to participate in events that sharpen our ability to serve.

I look forward to seeing you this Sunday as we gather for worship and Bible study

by Barry Howard

As a minister, I most frequently deal with grief among parishioners as a process that follows the death of a friend or loved one. When a friend or loved one dies, a bereavement process begins, a journey that allows the grieving one to proceed through a variety of stages of grief.

Many years ago, Dr. Elizabeth Kubler-Ross gave us the five stages of grief:  Denial, Anger, Bargaining, Depression, Acceptance.  When I took a course in Death and Dying at the university I was taught that different individuals pass through the stages at different speeds and perhaps even in different orders.

But I was also taught that grief is not limited to the experience of loss through death. Grief could occur over the loss of a limb, the loss of a job, the loss of income, or the loss of one’s freedom.

Since my first visit to the funeral home at the age of six I have been aware of the kind of grief that accompanies death. Only in recent years have I come to understand the grief one can experience for those who are still alive.  Three family sagas have given me a new appreciation for how we grieve for the living.

First, in 2004, my father was diagnosed with small cell lung cancer.  Although he responded to early treatment, a heart condition caused the suspension of therapy, and during the ensuing months I grieved for his loss of weight, his loss of independence, his loss of mobility, his loss of modesty, and ultimately his loss of breath.  By the time he died, barely recognizable to his friends, I seemed to have made multiple stops at every one of the five stages. In actuality, I grieved more during his deterioration from cancer than I did after his death.

The second saga began almost one year after my father’s funeral when my wife’s mother was diagnosed with ovarian cancer.  For my wife and me, the same grief cycle began all over again.  Although there were many good days and fun visits with my mother-in-law who demonstrated extraordinary hope and perseverance, we grieved over her loss of hair, her loss of dexterity and balance due to neuropathy, her loss of ability to hold her grandchildren, her loss of appetite, her loss of youthfulness, her loss of vitality, and her loss of ability to serve in her many volunteer positions. When she died this past November, three years after her diagnosis, we believe death came as a blessing, an act of deliverance from the terrorism this disease can inflict upon a body.

Finally, just over a year ago, my grandmother was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s.  And our family began to experience grief over a different kind of loss.  This severe form of dementia expresses itself in a variety of ways.  Although many of the symptoms seem to come and go, and some days are better than others, during the past year we have grieved over her loss of memory, the loss of her familiar personality, the loss of her awareness of her surroundings, the loss of her freedom, the loss of her driving, the loss of her home, and because she has been relocated to a care facility, the loss of her church, the loss of her community, and the loss of her network of friends.

I am still thinking about how grieving for the living differs from grieving for the deceased.  As a pastor I am more aware of how many in my congregation grieve over loss related to those who are alive…the grandmother who is grieving over the grandson who is in prison, the father-in-law who is grieving over the loss of his daughter-in-law because of the divorce, the former manager who is grieving over the loss of his colleagues after his job was terminated, and the school teacher who is grieving over the loss of contact with students following her retirement.

In reflecting on my own experience, I would contend that grieving for the living can be more complex, more long-term, and more exhausting in many circumstances than the grief associated with a death. 

When grieving for those who are still alive, here are a few suggestions that friends and counselors offered to me:

• Try to practice good self-care.
• Remain connected with your faith community.
• Strive to maintain a good regimen of exercise, nutritious diet, and rest.
• Maximize your time with your loved one.
• Maintain at least one hobby, project, or activity that is replenishing for you.
• Allow and encourage friends and family members to grieve at their own pace in their own space.
• Ask God to renew your strength.

Grief lasts for a season.  But remember, each season is unique in scope and duration.

(Dr. Barry Howard serves as the senior minister of the First Baptist Church in Pensacola, Florida.)