“We are closer to God when we are asking questions 

than when we think we have the answers.”  Abraham Heschel

   Most of us have been there and it’s not a place that we want to be. Back when I was in my early twenties, as jobs were limited in Wisconsin, I headed south and ended up working for a water well drilling company out of Odessa, Texas that supported the oil field. As many of you know, I’ve never been mechanically inclined and tend to have three left hands. 

  We were out on a job and the trailer got a flat tire. As I was the new guy, it fell on me to change the tire. My co-worker, Roy, had retired from the Army and was about as rough as they come. I was handed a hydraulic jack and told to climb under the trailer and jack it up. Big problem – I’d never seen a hydraulic jack before. (It didn’t help that there was a scorpion near where I was supposed to place the jack). As I crawled out from under the trailer, admitting that I had no idea how to work the jack, Roy essentially asked me what planet I had come in from. He seemed to find some warped pleasure in humiliating me.

  Most of us have had a similar experience. We learned early on that it was better to remain quiet, than to ask questions and expose our ignorance and risk humiliation and shaming.

  It’s wrong that our culture discourages asking questions. Being around a child that’s three or four usually means being asked a myriad of questions nearly non-stop. Those tykes have such inquisitive minds and know, it seems instinctively, that the way to find out things is to ask questions.

  Life is full of questions. All of us have them. What am I going to do with my life? What will I be? What’s the right career? Will my kids turn out all right? What will tomorrow bring? Add to that, there are the philosophical ones – which comes first the chicken or the egg? How many angels can fit on the head of a pin? Or the one asked in a philosophy class: “If a tree falls in a forest and no one is around to hear it fall, does it still make a noise?”

  Consider all the places where questions are used as a tool; schools, the legal system, employment tests, and even surveys (to name a few). Questions are an invaluable resource for learning. Yet too often questions are shut down and those who ask them are sometimes shamed that they don’t have the answers. It’s horrible!

  While most of us have an area or two where we feel very confident, many of us feel that we’re in the deep end of the pool when it comes to questions about God and the Bible. If you’ve been attending Grace, even for a short amount of time, hopefully, you’ve picked up that we welcome questions, particularly about God and the Bible. We’ll also freely admit that we don’t have all of the answers. Yet as much as we can we’ll dig into God’s Word with you for the answers.

  Many who attend Grace either didn’t grow up in a church or if they did, studying God’s Word for His answers often wasn’t encouraged. At Grace, we don’t want you to believe something about the Bible just because we say that’s the way that it is. We’re also committed to understanding the Bible, not interpreting it. God gave us His Word so that we would understand it. He wants us to know Him and desires a personal relationship with each of us. The very best way to know God is to read and study the “love letter” that He has given us – the Bible.

  That’s why we’re excited about a new study we’re offering at Grace that begins this coming Thursday, September 29^th at 6:00 pm – Christianity Explored. It includes dinner together and it’s an opportunity for us to not only better know God and His Word, but to get to know each other.

  This study will meet every other Thursday for seven sessions. Each one will last two hours or less.

  We all know what it is to walk into a dark room and turn on a light. We’ve then gone from darkness to being “illuminated.” During this study, we’re going to use the Gospel of Mark (the second book in the New Testament) and explore the answers about history’s greatest person, Jesus Christ. The Gospel of Mark is a biography of Jesus. We’re digging into Mark because when we know and understand who Jesus is, the rest of the Bible begins to make sense. You’re going to feel like a great big light bulb has turned on in your mind, and perhaps, another one in your soul.

  Christianity Explored will be your guide on a spiritual journey that will lead you to the answers for some of your deepest spiritual questions. This study is designed to give you answers for some of the common questions that are asked about Jesus and Christianity, yet it’s designed in bite-size chunks. Each study will be from the Bible and will be relevant and easy to understand. It will be very informal with opportunities for you to ask the questions that you have in a safe environment.

  Who Jesus is of absolute importance to every person who has ever lived. The Gospel of Mark provides an accurate account of Jesus’ life. Each study will include a short DVD segment. We’ll work through questions like: Who was Jesus? Why did He come to earth? Why did He have to die? What does “grace” mean? What about His resurrection? and What is a Christian?

  Most of our questions about God have a common element that’s illustrated by the following story:

  “A college sophomore tried to prove how smart he was one day by asking his professor the following question, “Is the bird I’m holding dead or alive?” If the professor said the bird was dead, the boy was going to free the bird and let it fly away, but if the professor said that the bird was alive, the boy was going to crush the bird. The professor wisely looked at the young man and said, “My boy, the answer is in your hands.”

  Our answers about God and Jesus Christ are in our hands. He has given us the Bible so that the most vital questions that need to be answered could be. 

  If you’re wondering about the Bible and who Jesus is, I hope that you’ll sign up for this study. Because we want it to be a quality interactive study, our space is limited. If you want to join us, please sign-up on your Connection Card or contact the church office.

  I’m so excited about this study! It’s going to be great!

Can we help you spiritually? Can we help you know Jesus better? Please check out more resources on our church's web page, Gracechurchwi.org. Or, call us at 262.763.3021. If you'd like to know more about how Jesus can change your life, I'd love to mail you a copy of how Jesus changed my life in "My Story." E-mail me at Carson@gracechurchwi.org to request a free copy. Please include your mailing address.  

  

Grace Church Youth Ministries

“If I could relive my life, I would devote my entire ministry 

to reaching children for God!”   D.L. Moody

  Some years ago someone gave us what was little more than a limb of a Corkscrew Weeping Willow. At first, as it began to grow, I was careful to protect it and keep it growing straight, but it got away from me. Before I knew it we had a small tree that was tilting. If I had only directed it when it was much younger, it might be growing straight today. 

  That can be true with young people. Children and teens are setting patterns that often follow them into adulthood. As adults, we’re responsible for our choices. The time though to direct young lives is when they’re not yet set in their ways and so much more moldable.

  The young people in our church are our church’s future. They’re our investment in Christ’s Kingdom for tomorrow. This is why we’re making some adjustments in our youth ministries. At Grace we’re committed to investing in tomorrow today.  

  First, to make it more convenient for parents so that they don’t feel like they’re out another night or driving a “taxi cab,” we’re putting our midweek children’s and teen ministries on the same evening.

  AMPED, our biblically based children’s program is designed for those in 4-K through 5th grade. AMPED will now meet every Wednesday from 6:00 pm – 7:30 pm. Besides games, snacks and prizes, there are two vital ingredients in AMPED that we believe are vital for their spiritual future.

  Bible Memory. Amped has lots of things going for it – Bible lessons, games, crafts, snacks, etc. Yet one of its most important aspects is memorizing Scripture. Psalms 119:11 says, “I have stored up Your Word in my heart, that I might not sin against You.” When Jesus was tempted in the wilderness, He didn’t fight the devil off with His divine power. Jesus beat back Satan’s attack with memorized Scripture. Amazingly, every verse our Lord used was memorized from the book of Deuteronomy.

  Everyone knows that children have amazing memories and memorize easily. In fact, they often memorize effortlessly. Since memorization is so easy for them, they’re memorizing constantly. At Amped we want to utilize this God-given gift for the benefit of their spiritual growth.

  Studies show that this “window of opportunity” is open for about twelve years. After age twelve, memorization is harder — unless a child has been trained in the habit of memorization.

  Yet, what is learned in childhood is often retained for a lifetime. Memorizing God’s Word provides children with an ever-present counselor and protector. You and I can’t always be with our children. If the Bible is hidden in their hearts, they have divine wisdom with them at all times. God’s Word is much more powerful than our words. It can protect them from the attack of the enemy.

  GRACE STUDENT MINISTRIES (GSM). There are many good youth programs out there and we are thankful for how God uses them. At Grace, we are committed to…

  Biblical Truth. We have our teens for such a short time. After they enter adulthood the statistics are disheartening for how many of them drop out of the church, and sometimes never to return again. Then, they’re bombarded nearly 24/7 with anti-biblical messages. Usually, there are just three places where they are going to learn God’s truth from Scripture (your home), personal Bible study/devotions, and the local church.

  A good teen program isn’t going to succeed with teens if it’s another “classroom.” God’s truth shouldn’t be boring. They need the opportunity to be teens. They need socialization and freedom from screens. They need a safe place with no peer pressure and certainly no bullying.

  They need to be taught how to work through the Bible for themselves. They need to be taught how to feed themselves from God’s Word, not spoon fed. They need to be taught to ask the right questions and to know for themselves how to find the right answers, not be indoctrinated. God wants all of us to think and be wise. Wisdom is found in His Word!

  Community. All Christians, including teens, are called to live in a community with God's people. All Christians are called to serve other members of God's people, to love them, to be held accountable by them, to be taught by them. Teens desperately need that! If they do not have a circle of friends with the same values, if they don't have the freedom to participate in that community, it can be detrimental to their faith and spiritual future.

  Read the New Testament. It never teaches “Jesus and me.” It consistently teaches Jesus and us. It teaches community and multi-generationalism.

  From the Garden to eternity in heaven, God’s plan for us is community. In a culture of screens, young people are often isolated. They don’t know how to engage and interact with fellow teens. And asking them to interact and have Christian adult friends is like asking them to visit Mars.  

  Because teens often fail to develop adult friends during those critical years, once they’re post-youth group, they abandon the church because all of their friends are in the youth group. Young people need older adult friends who love them, pray for them, encourage them and mentor them. It doesn’t just happen at a midweek teen program.

  Standing Alone. Over and over again you will find that those who God uses have learned to depend on Him to stand alone from Joseph in Genesis, to David, to Esther, and even to Mary the mother of Jesus. All of us know what it is to face cultural peer pressure in today’s world. If our young people are not taught to have their own convictions and to stand alone, they will just be more tragic statistics of a culture gone mad.

  A youth program is only as successful as its ability to help young people know Jesus Christ personally. When young people realize they can have a personal relationship with God, it gives them a purpose by recognizing that their existence is part of His bigger plan.

  At Grace we’re committed to partnering with you as their parents in both Amped and GSM. We want to encourage you and come alongside you in helping your children transition into a healthy adult spiritual life, one that pleases God. If they learn to live for the Lord now during these formative years, it will help them live for the Lord when they’re independent adults.  

Can we help you spiritually? Can we help you know Jesus better? Please check out more resources on our church's web page, Gracechurchwi.org. Or, call us at 262.763.3021. If you'd like to know more about how Jesus can change your life, I'd love to mail you a copy of how Jesus changed my life in "My Story." E-mail me at Carson@gracechurchwi.org to request a free copy. Please include your mailing address. 

 

 

Run Well, End Well!

 

“Faith-healing is grand, but faith-enduring is grander.”    Charles Spurgeon 

  In 1983, Australia hosted its ultramarathon, a 573.7 mile foot race from Sydney to Melbourne. It’s a race that takes days to run, and professionals from all over the world came to participate. Shortly before the race began, a 61-year-old sheep herder named Cliff Young, wearing overalls and goulashes over his boots—walked up to the registration table and requested a number to enter the race. The folk at the registration table thought it was a joke—that somebody was setting them up—so they laughed. 

  But Cliff Young said, “No, I’d really like to run.” Well, people still thought it was a joke, but they gave him a number anyway and pinned it on his old overalls.  He walked over to the start of the race. All the other professional runners, who were decked out in all their running regalia, looked at him like he was crazy.  The crowd snickered. People began to laugh. They laughed even more when the gun went off and the race began, because all those professional runners with sculpted bodies and beautiful strides made their way out—and began to run, but not Cliff Young. He didn’t even run like a runner. Cliff Young ran with an awkward, goofy-looking shuffle.  All through the crowd people were laughing, and finally, someone called out, “Get that old fool off the track!”

  Well, five days, 14 hours, and four minutes later, at 1:25 in the morning, Cliff Young shuffled across the finish line of the 573.7-mile ultramarathon. Cliff Young had won the race! And he didn’t win by a nose, with the guy in second right on his heels. He didn’t win by a matter of minutes or even an hour or two. The second-place runner was nine hours and 56 minutes behind. He had set a new world record for the ultramarathon. It was unbelievable. He became an instant hero in Australia. The press mobbed him wondering what kind of special running shoes he must have had, and they rummaged through his backpack wondering what he’d survived on. They discovered he’d lived primarily on pumpkin seeds and water. But that wasn’t the secret of his victory.  You see nobody ever told Cliff Young that when you run in the ultramarathon, you run for 18 hours straight, and then you stop and sleep for three or four hours. So Cliff Young shuffled his way to victory without ever sleeping. He endured running five days, 14 hours, and four minutes non-stop at the age of 61.

  That’s how Christians run. We’re empowered by Jesus Who lives in us we run with endurance always keeping our eye on the goal. We never stop pursuing that goal. We persevere. James 1:12 says, “Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love Him.”

  If you’re not facing struggles, you will. In this sin-contaminated world, all of us face some tough problems. Some of you are struggling financially because you need a job. Others are struggling because there is great pressure at their job. Some are struggling in their marriage or with their children. Others are grieving. Some struggle with emotional issues. For these and many other reasons you may feel like your strength is flagging—you feel like giving up. DON’T. Remember—Jesus didn’t quit. Keep His example always in mind. Ask for His help—but keep running—keep enduring—keep pursuing the goal of becoming more like Jesus.

  Are you a quitter? A quitter gives up when things are hard or uncomfortable. A quitter gets discouraged thinking a job will never be finished. Instead of quitting, God wants you to persevere. But persevering means to keep going through a hard time without giving up.

  The Bible tells of so many like Noah or Moses or Ruth and Esther…and countless others who faced fear and discouragement, but they persevered. There will be hard times in your life when you'll be tempted to quit. You might feel sorry for yourself and think it's just too hard to be a Christian, but God can give you perseverance. God has wonderful plans for you. He just wants you to trust Him as He works them out in your life. Don't get discouraged. Don't be a quitter. Keep on keeping on! God says, “Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest [be rewarded] if we do not give up” (Galatians 6:9). 

  The Christian life is not a sprint; it’s a marathon. How many of you have ever run a marathon or a half-marathon? You know the importance of pacing yourself so you can finish the race. The history of the marathon comes from the legend of how a Greek soldier, Pheidippides ran about 25 miles from Marathon to Athens to announce the defeat of the Persians. After making that long run, he was so exhausted he fell over dead.

  The key to finishing well is having the right focus. Hebrews 12:1-2 says, “Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.”

  That term “fix our eyes on Jesus” means that we stare intently at Him. A good runner always keeps his or her eyes on the finish line. They don’t turn to look at the other runners or they can lose precious time. Another reason I believe those witnesses cheering us on aren’t looking at us is because I believe they are also looking at Jesus. It’s important to understand that we aren’t running for the applause of those in the grandstands. We are running for the approval and the applause of only One, the Lord Jesus Christ. They are cheering us on, but we have eyes only for Jesus. You can’t run this race without His strength. As you run, keep chanting, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me!”

  There’s an old Steve Green song that says: “We’re pilgrims on the journey of the narrow road; And those who’ve gone before us line the way; Cheering on the faithful, encouraging the weary; Their lives a stirring testament to God’s sustaining grace. Surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses; Let us run the race not only for the prize; But as those who’ve gone before us; Let us leave to those behind us; The heritage of faithfulness; Passed on through godly lives. Oh may all who come behind us find us faithful; May the fire of our devotion light their way; May the footprints that we leave; Lead them to believe and the lives we live inspire them to obey; Oh may all who come behind us find us faithful!”

Can we help you spiritually? Can we help you know Jesus better? Please check out more resources on our church's web page, Gracechurchwi.org. Or, call us at 262.763.3021. If you'd like to know more about how Jesus can change your life, I'd love to mail you a copy of how Jesus changed my life in "My Story." E-mail me at Carson@gracechurchwi.org to request a free copy. Please include your mailing address. 

 

I love my job?

 

“Learn to love your work and you'll never have to ‘work’ again.  

                                                                            S. Truett Cathy

  Chick-fil-A is my favorite fast food restaurant. It has been nearly all of my life. If you Google their history, you’ll find that the first Chick-fil-A was opened at Greenbriar Shopping Mall in Atlanta, which was less than four miles from my home. It was the go-to place when I was a kid. I’d even ride my bike to the mall to meet friends and eat at Chick-fil-A. 

  Truett Cathy was the founder of Chick-fil-A. He was widely known as a godly man of character. Like begets like. That’s why this story about Truett’s son, Dan Cathy, didn’t surprise me. Pastor Rick Warren shared about a trip he made with Dan, the President of Chick-fil-A. Warren shared that they’d been out visiting some ministry sites. When it became lunchtime, they stopped at a Taco Bell. But before eating they freshened up in the men’s room. Rick Warren said that before they left the bathroom, Cathy took down extra paper towels and cleaned the sinks! Warren acknowledged the powerful impression that left. The President of a massive fast food chain quietly cleaning the bathroom of a competitor. “We teach our staff to try to leave every situation they encounter better than they found it.” Dan Cathy walks the talk. He learned it from his Dad.

  I love reading leadership autobiographies, often about someone who started a business or company. Yet, you’ll often find a sad chapter in these histories of business leaders about halfway through the book. Too often you’ll come to a section where the author says something like “about this time I went through my first divorce.” If you’re familiar with successful business leaders, it’s common. It seems many successful leaders make a choice – to focus on their marriage or to focus on their business. In nearly every situation where the marriage failed, it was because it couldn’t compete with the business.

  What an example Truett Cathy was! Not only was he able to build a remarkable business, but he also kept his marriage healthy and raised a family that loved Jesus. It’s inspiring to me when the positive values of the business match the positive values of the person.

  Yet, Truett Cathy didn’t have an individualistic faith. He believed in the importance of community and the local church. He was a member of the First Baptist Church in Jonesboro, Georgia and taught a boys’ Sunday School class there for more than 50 years. He said that the Bible was his guidebook for life. Because of his strong religious beliefs, all of Chick-fil-A’s locations, whether company-owned or franchised, are closed on Sundays to allow its employees to attend church and to spend time with their families. The policy began when Truett was working six days a week and multiple shifts. He decided to close on Sundays.

  I saw this firsthand. His daughter, Trudy Cathy-White, is a few years older than I am and was a cheerleader at the high school I attended during my freshman and sophomore years. Like her father, Trudy, is a beloved leader, communicator, and entrepreneur. When she was just 19 years old, she began working for the family business and became an operator of a new Chick-fil-A restaurant in Birmingham, Alabama - making her the youngest Operator at that time. Though she’d just finished her freshman year at Samford University, Truett believed in his daughter and handed her the keys. She took a year off from school to run the restaurant and, in that time, hired fellow Samford student, John White. “When he came in, I knew I needed to hire him. It didn’t hurt that he was good-looking,” Trudy laughs. They’ve been together ever since.

  Throughout their marriage, Trudy and John White have actively sought opportunities to connect with and invest in others’ lives. They served for 20 years in missions. For ten of those years, they served as missionaries in Brazil.  “When I think back on my time as an international missionary,” Trudy explains, “I remember these words my Dad said to me: ‘If you help enough other people get what they want in life you’ll eventually get what you want out of life.’ Today, I know that true happiness is less about me and more about others. That's what brings me real joy.”

  Most of us spend 40+ hours a week in the workplace. One of our greatest places of influence and opportunity to serve Jesus is at work. A lost world desperately needs Christians who don’t hide their faith, who don’t just talk about their faith – they actually live out their faith. There are many biblical truths that we could highlight about the workplace, let me focus on one.

  Be excited about your job. Last year the church office received a call from an area employer. They mentioned the person’s name and then said,  “__________ is such a great employee. We’re looking to hire and wondered if your church had more individuals like this.” That individual was truly living out what it means to be a Christ-follower at work!

  Colossians 3:23-24 says, “Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward.  You are serving the Lord Christ.” As Christians, while we have employers who sign our paychecks, we must remember that we have a higher reporting chain. Higher than our boss is the One we must work heartily for—the Lord. While our boss might decide our salary, the Lord is capable of giving us a much greater reward.

  What does that look like in practice? Well, here’s something that will please both the Lord and your employer. When people are standing around grumbling about the boss, management, and so on, do your work! Instead of joining in the pity party, do your job.

  In your work, always keep this in mind – Jesus never took the easy way out. He was God manifest in the flesh, and still worked as a carpenter for decades. Jesus never cut corners, produced shoddy output, or complained about the people He worked for. Furthermore, He didn’t miraculously turn wood into structures—He did the work with His own two hands!  

  If you’re going to have a Christ-honoring testimony in the workplace, your work ethic absolutely matters. Your co-workers, managers, peers, and subordinates will take notice. If you’re a Christian, you’d better believe that folks are taking notes! Yet, far more important than the note-takers, your Heavenly Father will take notice. He’s taking notes, too, and the stakes are much higher! Give Him the place and honor He deserves, and serve Him as you serve others on the job. And now it’s time for some waffle fries. Writing this made me hungry!

Can we help you spiritually? Can we help you know Jesus better? Please check out more resources on our church's web page, Gracechurchwi.org. Or, call us at 262.763.3021. If you'd like to know more about how Jesus can change your life, I'd love to mail you a copy of how Jesus changed my life in "My Story." E-mail me at Carson@gracechurchwi.org to request a free copy. Please include your mailing address.