Being Baptist

NorthHaven Church has a mission to enable people to discover a loving and inclusive fellowship, connect them with the principles of free and faithful Baptists, and inspire them to be the presence of Christ to the world. To assist us in our mission, we have decided to partner with the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship, the Cooperating Baptist Fellowship of Oklahoma, and the Baptist General Convention of Texas. We believe these networks and partnerships will empower us to remain free and faithful to our stated purpose.

As a congregation of faith, we are unashamedly Baptist. We hold true to the four fragile freedoms of our Baptist tradition: soul freedom, religious freedom, biblical freedom and church freedom. However, we realize the world around us is changing. We no longer live in a world where individuals and families seek out the denominational church of their childhood. In fact, many experts are claiming that we have finally arrived to a post-denominational age.

With that in mind, as a Baptist congregation, NorthHaven is seeking opportunities to maintain the traditions of our past and embrace a new openness in our participation with Christians from other traditions. We cherish the freedoms that our Baptist forebears blazed, while at the same time seeing the importance of working together as a Christian community. We have always maintained that being like Christ is more important to us than making Baptists. Therefore, the time for those words to be put into practice has come.

The Randall’s did not have a spectacular day yesterday when it came to interacting with their machines.  It all began when Missy’s car started whistling at her; not in the good sort of way.  Come to find out, she needed new brakes.

Shortly after pricking her car up from the garage, the car would not start.  She would turn the key and get the taunting clicking noise.  Come to find out, she needed a new battery.  Off to Walmart I went.

Later that night, Missy needed to print a work report on the printer.  The printer decided it did not like her report and refused to print it.  So, after a few updates and restarts, we finally got the thing to spit out her report.  Crisis resolved.

Finally, at about 4:00 AM, we noticed the furnace was not shutting off.  So, Missy staggered her way through the dark towards the thermostat.  Laying in bed waiting for her to alleviate the problem, I kept hearing this thudding sound coming from the hallway.  Investigating, I found my dear wife staring at the thermostat thumping it again and again with her finger.  Our touchscreen thermostat would not register her touch.  We turned the thing off and through another blanket on the bed.

As my darling wife drifted off to sleep in the wee hours of the mourning, I heard her whisper, “Why does technology hate me?”

They don’t hate you Missy, this is all just part of their plan to take over the world one person at a time!

Hopefully, many of you participated in a Veteran’s Day celebration and appreciation event yesterday.  In Norman, there were a few events thanking our veteran’s for their tremendous service and great sacrifice.  As we begin to enter into this season of Thanksgiving, I believe we would all do well to stop and thank a veteran for all they have done for our country.  

Therefore, I would like to personally thank all our veteran’s for their humble service, their deep commitment to freedom, and their never-ending sacrifice they and their families have made for our country.

It was fitting somehow, just days after Americans exercised their freedom to select a leader, we honored the very men and women who made and continue to make certain we maintain the right to vote.  

Thank a veteran this week and shake their hand.

Election day is tomorrow, as millions of voters head to the polls practicing the great experiment that is America.  Democracy in action means our country will elect a president, other elected officials, and decide on numerous state questions around the country.  It truly is one of the most remarkable days to be an American.

With that said, I want to offer some insight on what tomorrow brings…

First, our democracy is only as good as its citizens.  While it appears we are nothing more than a divided country between red and blue, there is more to being a citizen than which name we mark in the ballot box.  We should be informed voters reflecting on the candidates, their positions, and the issues at stake using thoughtful analysis and keen insight.  We should do our own critical thinking, permitting cognitive reflection, honest assessment, and personal conscience to be our guides.

Second, not only should we be informed voters, we should be respectful voters.  The time for meaningless rhetoric and venomous pre-election attacks should be behind us.  Tomorrow, even though we will not all cast the same ballots, we enter our polling places a unified people accepting the greater cause of democracy over our own agendas.  A democracy that cannot tame itself from the pettiness of partisan politics on election day is not a democracy worth practicing.  Be respectful, be informed, and be at your polling places ready to put democracy in action.

Whether President Obama is re-elected or Governor Romney becomes our 45th president, our democracy will continue to move forward.  If there is one narrative history continues to offer, it is the stark reality that elections come and elections go, but the citizenry of our great country remains steadfast as long as the people practice a responsible governance starting with themselves.

Tomorrow, our country goes to the polls.  Democracy will be well served.  Make certain you are a part of the great experiment.

Is it just me or does it seem as though fewer and fewer children are outside trick-or-treating on Halloween night?  For the last few years, Missy and I have made an attempt to make Halloween special for the children living in our neighborhood.  A few years back we created our infamous “Garage of Ghouls” letting children walk the gauntlet of ghouls (our teenage son and his friends) to receive candy from each.  Seriously, getting seven pieces of candy at one house was a haul for any kid, let me tell you!

For last night, Missy put together a really scary “Behind the Black Curtain” porch for kids to walk behind to retrieve their candy.  When they approached a pirate head floating in a sea of candy shadowed by a strobe light, Missy would release a life-sized ghost beside them.  The screams were loud and the laughs that followed were even better.  Now, before you start sending emails our way, we did have a bowl of candy out front for the wee-little-ones.  We did want them to sleep some before turning sixteen.

Fun was had by all, but the reality remains there seems to be fewer and fewer families walking the streets on Halloween night.  My observation got me to questioning.  Why?  Where is everyone?  Why has Halloween lost so many of its participants?  Was there something better on television?  Did a new game come out for Xbox?  Or, is somehow the church to blame?

Churches now offer an alternative to Halloween they call “Fall Festivals.”  Now, I understand some of the reasons why they host them.  Some want to provide a safe place for their children.  Who can blame them?  Others want to use the event as an outreach to their community.  It is always a good idea when the church opens her doors wide for the community.  Even here at Northhaven, we have our own version calling it a “Pumpkin Party” the week before Halloween.

At NorthHaven, along with other churches, we think offering a fall fellowship is important, but so too is the opportunity to mingle with neighbors.  How often can you sit on your front porch and visit with neighbors you have never met before or seldom visit with throughout the week.  Sometimes it feels as though we Christians have become such isolationists we forget the importance of relating to a world outside our church doors.

This just may be me agonizing over an apparent dying out of a tradition, but I cannot help but ask what would Jesus do about Halloween?  Personally, I think he would cut some holes in a sheet, get some candy, and make a new friend!  What do you think?

It is time to do what we missional Christians do best, mobilize our efforts to help those suffering from great tragedy.  NorthHaven Church is a proud partner with the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship Disaster Response ministry.  At this very moment, Cooperative Baptist state and regional organizations on the East coast are working feverishly to assist victims of this terrifying storm.

Therefore, we are creating a means for anyone wanting to donate their resources for helping storm victims.  Through NorthHaven’s PayPal Donate Page Link, we will make certain every dollar you contribute goes to help in the relief efforts.  We will be collecting these funds and immediately send them to the headquarters of the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship in Atlanta, GA where they will distribute them to state and regional organizations on the East coast who are actively engaged in disaster relief work.

Every relief dollar is precious so contribute now.  Just think, through social media sites such as Facebook and Twitter, we can spread the word and make a real difference for those currently suffering.  My sermon text this week is about the Great Commandment, “Love God with all you heart, mind, and strength…and love others as you would love yourself.”  Here is our chance to demonstrate the love of Christ to those needing some hope now.

There are key moments in the life of every great organization when evaluation, assessment, and planning for the future must take place.  As NorthHaven begins to break ground on our new Children and Youth Education Center, the time has arrived to begin discussing what future ministry and mission possibilities are before us.

Similar to the recommendation to create more usable space generated the current building project, the time to access current ministries and develop new opportunities is at hand.  Every great organization takes time to evaluate current conditions and realities, which hopefully produces a narrowing of present focus and an expansion of future possibilities.

Therefore, on Sunday evening, at 6:00 PM, NorthHaven will convene for an especially important Confero.  The term Confero means “to confer for conversation.”  Our congregation will meet over the course of two Sunday nights to discuss a wide range of topics, helping us to refocus our faith and practice in hopes of becoming more mature disciples and expanding our missional congregation.

Here are some examples of the questions we will be exploring this upcoming Sunday…

What are you currently doing to grow your personal faith?

In what ways are you investing in NorthHaven ministries and missions?

What would compel you to invite someone to church?

How much time each week do you have for church activities?

What currently excites you about your faith and your church?

What are you willing to do to invest in the future of NorthHaven?

These are just a few of the questions we will be exploring on the first night of Confero.  During our second gathering, we will then turn our conversation to specific ministries within our church in which people participate. In addition, we will explore any future ministries people would like to invest in for the purpose of engaging others with the presence of Christ.

We hope to see every person in attendance, interested in the future of God’s work through NorthHaven Church.

During October, I have been highlighting dastardly characters in my sermon series entitled “Villains in the Pew.”  Thus far, we have evaluated The Wicked Witch of the West and Darth Vader.  This week, we will be taking a look at a pop-culture icon, which some people forget started out as a villain.  We will be examining The Terminator and how technology seems to be taking over our lives.

Therefore, prior to the sermon, I have a few questions I would like to ask.  These questions will provide an idea of how much technology plays a part in our lives.   Once we stop to consider the sheer amount of time we spend with technology, we might be challenged to get up from our desks and take a walk outside on this beautiful Autumn day.

Here are the questions (Note: the questions ask about weekly minutes):

• How many minutes do you spend working on a computer or tablet each week?  This includes word processing, excel files, data entry, email, or any other program you utilize for work?
• How many minutes do you spend on a computer or tablet each week for leisure?  This includes Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, surfing the web, watching Netflix, or anything else just for fun.
• How many minutes do you spend talking on the phone for work and private conversations each week?
• How many minutes do you spend sending and receiving texts each week?
• How many minutes do you spend listening to or watching something on your smartphone or tablet each week?
• How many minutes do you spend playing games (Angry Birds and Words for Friends count) on a smartphone or tablet each week? 
• How many minutes do you spend playing video games on a gaming console per week?
• How many minutes do you spend watching a movie or television shows each week?

Now, take that amount of time and subtract it from 10,080 (minutes per week) and this leaves the amount of time you have for other activities.  Now, subtract 2,940 (seven hours of sleep per night) and this gives waking minutes for other activities.  How many do you have?  Surprised?  How so?

Now if this is way too much math or time to spend helping the pastor, answer this simple question for me.  Over the next hour, tell me how many times your eyeballs look at your phone?  Two per hour?  Six per hour?  Twelve per hour?  Are you looking at your phone right now?

If so, set it down and go take a walk.  The sunshine will do you good.

See you Sunday as we examine The Terminator!

For seventeen years I have been pastoring churches.  For many of those years I have taught countless children’s lessons during services.  Furthermore, for the last five years, I have been pulling items out the Mystery Bag and developing spontaneous lessons without any problem.  That was, until yesterday.

For those who are unaware of what we do at NorthHaven, instead of a traditional Children’s Sermon during the service we offer the children an opportunity to bring something special to them and place it into the Mystery Bag.  The Mystery Bag, my old seminary satchel, is taken home by the children and brought back with something unbeknownst to me inside.  During the service, I open the bag to reveal what the child has brought and attempt to come up with a lesson right there on the spot.  It has been a great time for the children and an even better time for the adults when they know I’m stumped.

All has gone swimmingly over the last five years until yesterday.  A child brought a collection of bottle caps and marbles that his grandmother gave him.  They were all secured safely inside large mason jars.  Well, Pastor Mitch really liked the sound the marbles made when they hit the side of the jar.  So, I was showing the other children the marbles and giving them a shake when all of sudden the jar cracked.

It may have been my lowest point ever with the kids.  I felt absolutely horrible.  The young man was extremely gracious telling me it was all right, but I felt like the worst pastor ever.  Not only did I break this little boy’s container, I did it in front of the entire congregation.  Needless to say, the “lesson” took a backseat to the more important lesson of learning to say you’re sorry when something goes awry by your own doing.

For the record, once again, Z I am sooooo sorry!  I owe you one, but thanks for being so understanding, gracious, and Christ-like with your response to my clumsiness.  You, my friend, are one in a million!

The Pew Research Center released a survey recently which was very interesting for those interested in the religious landscape of America.  Religion & Ethics NewsWeekly, a program produced by PBS, will be airing a three-part miniseries on the topic called, “None of the Above: The Rise of the Religiously Unaffiliated.”  Check local listings for the program dates and times.

The rise of the none’s (religiously unaffiliated) has grown to nearly 20 percent of the population, which comprises 46 million Americans.  These are startling figures.  However, as troubling as these numbers seem to be, there are some interesting contradictions.  One apparent contradiction revealed the religiously unaffiliated are not necessarily opposed to faith.  Sixty-eight percent of those designated “none’s” say they believe in God or a universal spirit.  This indicates that most of the religiously unaffiliated are not necessarily opposed to God, rather they have grown distant from organized religious institutions.

What does this say to those of us within organized religious instructions, such as the church and denominations?  It would be easy to lay the blame at the feet of the none’s, claiming they have given into the temptations of the world.  There is no doubt our culture has changed.  The world has become a more alluring place for those seeking an escape from reality.  However, much of the blame I am afraid can be set squarely at the front door of the church.

Here are some reasons I think we bear much of the blame…

Are there any other reasons you would add to this list?

If you are a “None” then I would really like to hear from you.