Thank You, Dr. Neller

There are a few things I will do today when I walk into my office and begin a week full of ministry.

At some point today, I will open God’s Word and beg God to speak to me, to change me, to guide me. There is a great difference in studying for life change and studying to help other people experience life change. The Word must speak to me before I speak it to others.

At some point today, I will thank God that he has put me at this place in His kingdom and worry very little about where I might one day be.

At some point today, I will be more concerned with pleasing God, glorifying Jesus, and living empowered by his Spirit than I will about critics, difficult days, and greener grass.

At some point today, I will connect with someone whom I can pray with, guide, speak Scripture over, and practically bring them the Good News and ministry. I may prepare for a baby blessing, a hospital visit, a funeral service, or a wedding ceremony. From life to death, I am tasked with helping people experience God’s presence in their day to day activities.

At some point today, I will use the Bible software program Accordance that enables me to have all my teaching and study materials all in one place.

At some point today, I will read a little Greek.

At some point today, I will attempt to navigate the waters of being a scholar pastor. I will try to learn much while loving people more.

I will do all these things today and every day because I had the opportunity to be profoundly influenced by Dr. Ken Neller.

Dr. Ken Neller, professor at Harding University and shepherd/minister at Downtown Church of Christ, passed away suddenly last Thursday. His memorial service was yesterday. I was unable to attend the service but, over the last few days, a few thoughts have bubbled to the surface and I would like to share them today as a tribute to his influence on me and many others.

Dr. Neller was one of the best professors at Harding and I was privileged to have his New Testament Survey, Greek 3, Christian Ministry and Christian Worship Classes. My freshman year, the powers that be decided to place all the Bible majors into the same Old Testament Class and New Testament class. As far as I am concerned, that was the greatest thing the University could have done for us. It created a group of men and women who could rely on one another as they navigated the experience of learning to love God and love others. We became a close knit group of majors. So much so, that in the Spring semester we organized a “field trip” to the old fairgrounds in Little Rock for a Bible Majors Night at the Hockey Game. We invited our OT professor, Dr Dale Manor, and Dr. Neller came along with us as well. I have so many fond memories from that night and that entire semester. It was a year in which I experienced, without a shadow of a doubt, confidence in God’s call on my life for ministry.

As time went on, I had Dr. Neller for Christian Ministry. This was a class that covered the practical, day to day flow of life as a full-time minister. We visited hospitals and funeral homes. We visited retirement centers and served within our community of Searcy. His insight and leadership from that one class has had a profound impact on the way I approach ministry to this day.

I grew up in a very large congregation (1700+) deep in the heart (clap, clap, clap) of the Bible Belt. To me this was normal and so, of course when I graduated, my first ministry position would be in a similar congregation. That’s just how it works. I wasn’t delusional I was simply naive. Dr. Neller stopped class one day out of the blue and said, “Gentlemen, realize this. The average church in America is less than 100 people. The vast majority of you will not end up at large churches in Dallas or Nashville.” My immediate reaction was to push back and argue. Instead, because of his genuine care and concern for us that was on display every day, I let his statement wash over me. An overwhelming sense of peace came over me. I knew that he was right. From that day forward, I never once looked for a position or a church that was big. I have instead tried to find where God was leading me. Some big congregations have looked at me, interviewed me, passed on me, or offered me a job. A minister can go crazy trying to jump through the hoops, worrying about image and disappointment, moving from job to job in an effort to climb the ministry ladder. Instead, I know that my God is faithful and will place me where he wants me, when he wants me there, and for as long as he wants me there.

After Sandy and I were married, we were invited into the Neller’s home on a weekly basis for a Young Marrieds’ Bible Study. We were with two other future ministry couples and two other great couples who were incredible influences on us. These weekly Bible Studies were an opportunity for us to grow in so many ways and I will never forget the times we spent with the Nellers, the Stockstills, and the Fryes. Their dedication to God, one other, us, and ministry was on full display for us to glean from. Many nights, I think back to those evenings gathered together with God’s Word, good friends, and incredible mentors.

I was shocked to hear about Dr. Neller’s death. It hit me and the rest of the Harding community hard. The outpouring of love and support toward Barbra, his wife, his sons and their families is proof that the Neller’s live lives that impact others to the glory of Jesus Christ.

I’m not nearly as articulate as some others who have expressed their tributes and memorials this past weekend on blogs and social media.

All I can say is that I loved Dr. Neller and knew that he loved me and my family in return. I am a better Disciple, Husband, Father, and Minister because I was able to be impacted by a great man of God.

Thank you, Dr. Neller.

2013 Sermon Series: The Word Overview

Series Title: THE WORD
This Week: THE WORD ABOUT THE WORD

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Passages:
John 1:1
Psalm 119:16
Hebrews 4:12-13 NIV11
Psalm 119:11

Series message: The Bible isn’t simply a book. It is actually a collection of 66 books, written by over 40 authors, over the course of thousands of years, on 3 different continents. The Bible tells stories, sings songs and poems, lists rules and regulations, and recounts history. It address topics as wide ranging as love, hated, life, death, family, war, sin, suffering, fear, joy, worry, worship, choices, and wisdom. However, there is ONE THEME that is constant in all this diversity: God, the creator of all things, is at work redeeming the world through his love and grace. The Bible is not just a book; it is the Living Word of God.

This week’s message: The Bible is the world’s bestselling book (and it’s most shoplifted) yet many people today take The Word for granted. If we truly want to know about God and his desire for our lives than we must make The Bible a TOP PRIORITY in our lives. It is my prayer that this week’s message will help you fall in love with God’s Word. Let The WORD feed you. Let The WORD minister to you. Let The WORD change you. Let The WORD shape you.

Why is this important? Statistics show that nothing has a greater impact on our spiritual growth and development than ENGAGING with God’s Word. When we READ Scripture , God reveals himself to us- his character, his will, and his desire for our lives. When we MEDITATE on His Word, God can speak to us through the noise of our day and call us to repentance and new life. When we LIVE out the invitation and challenge of Scripture, we are demonstrating our FAITH that God’s ways are greater than anything else we can choose. However, most of us are missing out on this incredible opportunity to know God and His will for our lives. Our Bibles sit unused on a shelf or on our desks or in our cars. The Bible is the way we can connect to God and his desire for our lives.

What do I want people to do with this message? I want everyone to be awakened to the potential spiritual growth that can come from ENGAGING with THE WORD everyday. I want people listening to this message to be inspired, encouraged, equipped to read their Bible- reflect on Scripture and it’s meaning for their lives. The Bible must function as the DNA of the church. I want people to become crazy passionate about connecting with God through THE WORD.

What is the single most persuasive idea? THE WORD of God is the greatest opportunity we have to come to know the story of God and his work of redeeming us through his love and grace. When we make reading our Bibles a top priority we will be changed.

Week One: THE WORD ABOUT… THE WORD
Week Two: THE WORD ABOUT… GOD
Week Three: THE WORD ABOUT… YOU & ME
Week Four: THE WORD ABOUT… JESUS
Week Five: THE WORD ABOUT… LIFE

21 Days To Experiment With

Today, was the first day in my 21 day challenge to Become a Morning Person.

For most of my life I have been a Night Owl. However, recently I have been winding down much earlier and when I have been up late I have felt less productive than in the past.

The biggest change though has come from not experiencing the effects of my insomnia. I was diagnosed with simple insomnia over 10 years ago and have had to live with the fact that there are some nights when I don’t sleep. Over the course of the last 2 years, I can probably count on two hands the number of times that I have stayed up, involuntarily, for nights on end. I feel as though, by the grace of God, my sleeplessness is under control.

The truth is I love being up early. Some may find that hard to believe but I really do. Once I’m awake, it’s on brother! I feel more productive in the mornings and I feel more creative before noon than any other time in the day. I recently read some research that claimed Morning People make more money, are more satisfied, and live longer. Struggling through sleepless nights never made me money, never made me feel satisfied, and never ever left me feeling healthier. This year I’ll turn 33 and life is too short to continue down a path that leaves you frustrated, drained, and weak.

Scientists say that it takes around 21 days for a new habit to take hold. Becoming a Morning Person isn’t a resolution. This is an experiment.

I can do anything for 21 days so I thought I should give this morning thing a chance and see how it fits on me. If after 21 days if I do not see any difference or benefit to being up before the birds than I’ll go back to staying up late.

Life is a series of experiments. Some work. Some don’t. Keep what works. Throw out what doesn’t.

Ditch the resolutions and start experimenting. I’ll be here when you wake up tomorrow.

What lifestyle change do you want to experiment with? Leave your comments in the comment section or connect with me on Facebook or Twitter. Let’s be lab partners for the next 3 weeks!

Dream Out Loud for 2013

In the final moments of 1989, U2 played a handful of shows at the Point Depot in their hometown, Dublin. The concerts brought their Love Comes to Town tour to a close and marked the end of what had been a phenomenal and meteoric rise to becoming the World’s Biggest Rock Band.

dublin1989xl5

Two years earlier, the band released The Joshua Tree. This seminal album contains the hits Where the Streets Have No Name, With or Without You, and I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For. These four boyhood friends from Ireland had officially made it. The album went on to win Album of the Year and the band became a household name. Next they made a movie and released the follow-up/extension album Rattle and Hum. They had rode a fast and high wave to superstardom and in the final days of the decade many, including the members of U2 themselves, wondered what was next.

As the clock counted down the last remaining seconds of the decade, the band started playing the opening chords to Streets and then as the clock struck midnight, Auld Lang Syne kicked off a pretty boisterous and incredible live show that was broadcast on the radio all over the world.

Sometime during the night Bono, the lead singer of the band, address the crowd saying, “This is just the end of something for U2. And that’s what we’re playing these concerts — and we’re throwing a party for ourselves and you. It’s no big deal, it’s just — we have to go away and … and dream it all up again.”

Of course, everyone wondered if the band was breaking up. They weren’t.

Bono has a flair for the dramatic but he and his bandmates were at a crossroad. They had experienced tremendous success as a result of their very hard work and effort for many years. Here they were at the top of the game and faced with a new year and a new decade they had to wrestle with what to do.

Today, is January 1, 2013.

What I love about the beginning of the New Year is that we all get the opportunity to “dream it all up again.”

You may have experienced your greatest success last year. However, what got you here may not be enough to duplicate that success in 2013.

Conversely, 2012 may have been devastating for you. It might have been so bad that you were actually looking forward to the Mayan apocalypse. The great news is that today is a new day. Today is a new year.

U2 did go away for a while. In fact, the start of the new decade actually was an extremely difficult time for the band personally and professionally. The process that they endured as they dreamed it all over again was rough but it was not a wasted effort.

In 1991, U2 released the album Achtung Baby complete with a brand new sound and look. They had dreamed big and it paid off. Achtung Baby also won the Album of the Year and for some, it is an even greater album than The Joshua Tree.

So, what are you going to do today?

I would suggest that you do reminisce about the year that has just past. Give Thanks where Thanks is due. Address mistakes and work to strengthen relationships with those closest to you.

And after that… dream it all up again.

All is quiet on this New Year’s Day. Don’t let the sun set on January 1st without making some concrete decisions to do things differently this year. Don’t rely on your past successes and never allow past mistakes to crush you completely.

My prayer for you is that God will pour out every grace and mercy he has on you so that 2013 might be your greatest year ever. As you dream about what may happen this year and what you may do, allow God to give you His agenda for your life. He is the one who wired us to dream and He is the one who gives us the strength to move.

I’ll leave you with some more of Bono’s words from that first day in January, 23 years ago.

“Forget about the past. We’re gonna celebrate the future. Seeing as it’s New Year’s Day you probably expect me to get all sentimental, yeah? Well, you’re exactly right. The only limitation are the limits of our imagination. Dream up the kind of world you want to live in. Dream out loud at high volume. That’s what we do for a living.”

Happy New Year everyone! Dream out loud today. And tomorrow. And the day after that.