The past week and a half has been a whirlwind. Situations, planned and unplanned, have been a source of stress for me and my family. There have been a lot of “rubber meets the road” ministry opportunities. Nothing was covered in any class, seminar, or training that have ever been to. It has made me painfully aware of the grip that sin has on our small town. I have mentioned before the sense of oppression here. That things are never going to get better. That things are the way they are and that’s the way it is. I have seen and heard things recently that literally blow my mind as to how Satan is attacking out town, our children, and our families. Stuff you hear on the news is hitting right here at home. Too often, there is a “no worries” attitude about it all. I think I want to call it “Bible Belt-itis.” We live in an area where everyone “goes” to church or knows someone who “goes” to church or used to “go” to church. This is American Christianity in a nutshell. It’s like getting your oil changed. Get it done every once and a while at the cheapest and fastest place you can find and everything will be alright. The Bible talks very plainly about people who don’t tithe, aren’t active as the body of Christ, sin freely, spend foolishly, engage in sexual immorality, neglect their families, and speak with untamed tongues. It says those people are lost, foolish, heathen, will not inherit the kingdom of God(Galatians 5:19-21), and are to be chased after like a lost sheep, coin, and son(Luke 15). I am taking a hard look in the mirror today. Am I doing enough to shed the love and light of Christ in this town? What price am I willing to pay to see all 2,000 residents won to the Kingdom of Christ? You cannot actively rebel against the will of God and be a Christian. You can’t be living in sin and expect to see the gates of Heaven, pearly or not. I am too tired and too old to be beating around the bush in regards to the sin that has overcome so many people I know and love. I want to be a little more like Peter and little less like a pansy. So, to everyone in Denton, if you’re looking for a youth pastor who’s cool with your kid never having their Bible with them…I’m not your guy. If you’re fine with your sons looking at porn on the family computer with no accountability…can’t help you. If it’s okay with you that your daughter dresses like she just walked off of the set of MTV’s Spring Break-Out…sorry. If you’re looking for someone to cry with you when your child, whom you’ve never modeled the Christian life for or tried to seriously engage with Jesus through an active church youth group, turns up pregnant, drugged up, dropped out, alcoholic, porn addict with an STD you can’t pronounce then I will be happy to hold your hand, answer the “how” question bluntly, and do everything within the power God gives me to see you and your child redeemed by the blood of Christ. This afternoon, I will be making phone calls. I will be laying it on the line with lots of kids. God, forgive me for not doing and being this sooner. What’s that smell? Smells like a Revolution to me. Who’s with me?
God help you, and us. No, I don’t suppose there is a pastor’s workshop (or lay workshop) for that.
WELL SAID, HEATH!!!! You can count me in!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!