Tag Archive - marriage

Church Word Search

January 26, 2009 in Ministry with 6 Comments

Church Word I’ve been in church most all of my life. (Please don’t hold that against me.) Every week I hear words and think that if I hadn’t grown up in church I would have never heard them.  Let’s go ahead and remove “true” Christian and/or Spiritual words like righteousness, holiness, sin, forgiveness, or atonement.  I’m talking about good clean fun church words; the kind of words that we’ve adopted from the King James Version and woven them into the normal church vernacular.  These are words you just NEVER hear outside of a church setting.  Get it?

 

 

 

 

Here are some I’ve come up with:

  1. Appropriation
    1. I understand that this is a theological word; but I’ve been told to appropriate my faith for just about every area of life.  I’m still not totally sure how I appropriate things into my marriage…
  2. Devourer
    1. This is commonly worked into offering sermons.  As a kid I always thought of the Devourer being some sort of villain that would battle Superman.  I get the principle of Malachi 3:11, I just think the word Devourer is a weird overused word.
  3. Condemnation
    1. As a pastor I regularly work Romans 8:1 into counseling meetings, but I’m not sure I would hear this word outside of church.  Isn’t there a more understandable word?
  4. Deliverance
    1. I dare you to suggest deliverance to the next co-worker that complains about their teenager.  Double-dog dare you!
  5. Testify
    1. Anyone want to testify?
  6. Anoint
    1. Usually involves cooking oil; and sometimes requests for a “double-portion.”

 

I have a few others in mind, but I’d love to hear some others…  If my descriptions confused you, then check out this great resource. Church-Speak 101

A Second Opinion

January 5, 2009 in Ministry with 0 Comments

As I head into a 2009 filled with so many new opportunities, I’ve been dwelling on something that I think I need to have more of going forward. I’ve very clearly felt compelled to have more opinions. I know, I know, those that are acquainted with me have just shuttered in horror at any chance of me having more opinions. But I’m speaking to opinions that matter. Opinions that could possibly dictate my actions. Wikipedia defines an opinion as:

a person’s ideas and thoughts towards something which it is either impossible to verify the truth of, or the truth of which is thought unimportant to the person. It is an assertion about something especially if that something lies in the future and its truth or falsity cannot be directly established. An opinion is not a fact, because opinions are either not falsifiable, or the opinion has not been proven or verified. If it later becomes proven or verified, it is no longer an opinion, but a fact.

I love this definition. It’s something that is impossible to verify the truth of. I can have an opinion that the Dallas Cowboys have a truly terrific football team, but that is neither a fact nor is it possible to prove.

But what about the opinions that matter? I’ve been challenged to think about my opinions on the important things related to my family, relationships, and ministry. And am I ready to move these opinions in the direction of facts? Here are the opinions that I’m challenging myself to get in writing, and committing time to really think through how I can move them into the realm of facts.

  • What is my opinion on the best ways to communicate love to a kid? Is it through my words, actions, or both? And what is the best way for each individual kid?
  • What is my opinion on leading a child to Christ? Is there a way that is better than the other ways? Is there a way to lead a child to Christ, where their decision is truly life changing? Is it effective in a large-group environment?
  • What is my opinion on dedicating a child in a church setting?
  • What is my opinion on what makes a strong marriage? Is my opinion on this impossible to prove?
  • What is my opinion on the best way to mentor and raise up new leaders? Is there a more effective way to do it than I’m currently doing it?

Switcheroo

July 16, 2008 in Ministry with 0 Comments

So about a month ago I was asked to teach at the Wednesday Night program here at the church. Wednesday Nights are an informal gathering of Life Groups and support groups, but there are also two adult large-group classes offered in the evenings. The topics change every few months, and I’m sure you get the point…

I was asked to teach in the Marriage and Family class. That’s cool. I have a family, and I’m married. I should be able to do this, right? So I extend a Wedding sermon I did in late June and I’m fired and ready to go. Then I find out that I’m not teaching in the Marriage & Family class, instead I’m teaching in the Blood Covenant class. (We have a really great Bible teacher that tackles some of the heavier classes, and people eat it up out here.) So tonight I have a Marriage & Family talk ready for the Blood Covenant class. I know, I know I could tie those together somehow. But I don’t have time to tie them together, instead I will be pulling out a oldie-but-a-goodie from the ol’ sermon bag. Reminds me of what my Homiletics professor used to always say.

“We should always be ready to do three things at a moment’s notice.
Preach, Pray, and Die!”

Wedding Prayer

June 23, 2008 in Personal with 1 Comment

Last night I had the privilege to marry a couple that serves a BIG role in our Children’s Ministry at Trinity. They’re a fantastic, super talented couple, and now they get to share the path God has for them together as an official ‘married couple.’ Last night was a beautiful outdoor wedding, with lots of candles, music, and dancing. It was everything I’m sure they hoped it would be.

At the end I prayed a special prayer of blessing over the couple, and here is that prayer. I’m not quite sure where it came from, but I can comfortably say that I did NOT create it. It is a fantastic prayer, and I will be using it again in the future.


Bless this husband. Bless him as provider for the needs of those he loves. Sustain him in all his struggles in the contest of life. May his strength be her protection, his character be her joy and assurance. May he so live that she may find in him the haven for which the heart of a woman truly longs.

Bless this loving wife. Give her a tenderness that makes her great . . . a deep sense of understanding and a great faith in You. Give her that inner beauty of soul that never fades, eternal youth that is found in holding fast to the things that never age. May she so live that he may be pleased always to reverence and adore her.

May they never make the mistake of merely living for each other. Teach them that marriage is not living for each other. It is two uniting and joining hands to serve You, the living God. Give them a great spiritual purpose in life. May they seek first the kingdom that is yours, and its righteousness, so that all other things may be added unto them. Loving you best, they shall love each other all the more. And faithful unto You, faithful unto each other they will remain.

May they not expect that perfection of each other that belongs alone to You. May they minimize each other’s weaknesses, be swift to praise and magnify each other’s strengths and beauty, and see each other through a lover’s kind and patient eyes. Give them a little something to forgive each day, that they may grow in the grace of long-suffering and love. And may they be forbearing with each other’s omissions and commissions as You are with theirs. Make such assignments to them according to Your will as will bless them and develop their character as they walk together. Give them enough tears to keep them tender, enough hurts to keep them humane, enough of failure to keep their hands clenched tightly in Yours, and enough success to make them sure they belong to You. May they never take each other’s love for granted, but always experience that breathless wonder that exclaims: “Out of all this world, you have chosen me!” Then when life is done, and the sun is setting, may they be found, then as now, still hand in hand, still so proud, thanking you so very much for each other. May they serve You happily, faithfully, together, until at least one shall lay the other in Your arms. This we ask through Jesus Christ, great lover of souls. Amen.



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10 Years Is A Long Time

June 13, 2008 in Personal with 1 Comment

10 years is big. 10 years is super big when you’re only 32 years old. I’ve been thinking about what to do for this 10 year thing. I can’t really afford any of these, the out-of-town trip thing didn’t work out as planned(read the twitter feed to catch-up), and I’ve thought that maybe since Starr wants to be away from her kids on Mothers Day(as many Moms do) that she might want to be away from me on our Anniversary. But then it hits me….

That’s just it. She wants to be with me. I don’t mean that in the cheesy, “She deserves a reward for putting up with me for 10 years!” followed by a knee slapping and loud belly laugh. She wants to be with me in a way, that in 10 years I have NEVER worried about her not being there for me. She’s opinionated, don’t get me wrong; but never have I felt alone. She has an amazing ability to always make me feel like every decision is our decision, and not just my decision that she’s ‘going along with.’ So for 10 years she has been right beside me, and what a 10 years it has been. I hear many people talk about their most difficult year of marriage, but in 10 years I haven’t really had a difficult year. Not to say that there hasn’t been challenges, or disagreements; but I sincerely have not had a bad year with this wife of mine. And with absolute certainty I can say that she would say the exact same thing.

Happy Anniversary Starr, I Love You.

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