Camp Meeting Services 2010

Indian Springs, Mossy Oak, Pine Log, Poplar Springs, Salem, Shingle Roof, and Smyrna are but a few of the nearly one hundred Camp Meetings that dot the state of Georgia. Camp Meetings are a historic institution. They go back to the early days of our nation. The first recorded Camp Meetings took place during the Second Great Awakening (1720-1780).

Camp Meetings in those days were a real religious experience. They often lasted five days or more. Preaching and worship took place day and night under trees and brush arbors. In the Camp Meeting worship services the people sang new and spirited songs. Hymnals were very limited in those days, so most singing was led by a song leader in a call and response fashion. Camp Meeting preachers were known for proclaiming the gospel with power and emotion.

The Cane Ridge, Kentucky Camp Meeting in 1801 drew 20,000 to 30,000 people. In the crowd were Presbyterians, Methodists, Baptists, and un-churched people. One day while I was at Asbury Theological Seminary, I drove out to Cane Ridge. Cane Ridge is located in Bourbon County, Kentucky. The old log cabin meeting house where the Camp Meeting revival began is still standing there. The Cabin stands in wooded grove in the middle of vast acres of rolling farm land. There were a few houses here and there, but Cane Ridge was and still is in the middle of nowhere.

As I looked out on the vast expanse of rolling farmland, I thought about the 20,000 to 30,000 people gathered there in 1801. I thought about where they came from. From the beginning Camp Meetings were a democratic and egalitarian experience. People from all walks and stations of life attended. I thought about the religious experiences they had while at the Camp Meeting revival. Reporters from those early camp meeting days tell of people shouting, jerking around, barking like dogs, and passing out in the spirit. I thought about the good news they took back to their homes and communities, and the change that news might have brought. Many congregations and churches were born out of Camp Meeting gatherings.

This month we will go back to the Camp Meeting days. We won’t travel to Cane Ridge. We won’t put saw dust on the floor. We will have air conditioning, hymnals, and soft pews to sit on. We will sing the old fashioned Camp Meeting gospel songs. I plan on preaching some old fashioned Camp Meeting sermons. We can only imagine how God might move in these services.

So come on and join me for Camp Meeting 2010. Let’s revive our faith and quicken our Godly living.

Missing Salem

If it is hot, then it is probably campmeeting time. It is hot and it is campmeeting time. As I write this, Salem Campmeeting is in full swing. Unfortunately, I am not there.
I love Salem. It has become part of my yearly routine. Salem Campmeeting and Campground are a place of respite and renewal to me. Salem affords me a time to rest and reconnect with family, friends, and God.
As usual, the Salem pulpit is graced with two good preachers this year--David Swanson from Orlando First Presbyterian and John Ed Mathison a retired United Methodist Pastor. Tom Roberts is leading the meetings in song and ordering the program.
I love Salem, but right now I am not there. "Absence makes the heart grow fonder." I pray being absent from Salem will help me appreciate it even more when I return tomorrow afternoon.
If you are in the Covington, GA/ Salem Road area of Conyers then come on down and join the good people at Salem. The meeting will continue until Friday night. Come and be blessed.

Jeopardy Introductions

As a young boy I would often spend many summer days at my grandparents' house in the hills of East Tennessee. At their home they had several routine practices. Once such routine was watching Wheel of Fortune and Jeopardy each weeknight. Sometimes I will keep their routine and watch these long running game shows.
When I was a lad and still today, I am surprised at some of the introductory remarks and information Jeopardy contestants share with the nation. Surely the contestant knows that they will be on national television. Surely the contestant has watched the program before, so they know what is going to happen. And I am certain the show producers even told the contestants to be prepared for Alex Trebek to ask them about their lives.
What surprises me, is that on almost every program there is a contestant who shares the most absurd, random, or boring fact about themselves. On tonight's show one of the contestants inhaled an ant through a soda straw. Another contestant was quick to share that she took a class with the Pope's secretary. The final contestant and champion, shared how his wife was planning on spending his winnings on a trip to Disney World. I guess these are interesting facts, but really is this the kind of information you want the millions of people watching you on television to know?
If you were a contestant on Jeopardy what introductory information would you like the nation to know?
Here's mine. "I have gone to Captain D's about once a week for 20 or so years." Or how about this, "One time I saw a man that looked like Kenny Rogers, but it wasn't him." Here is a good one, "I once bought a watermelon and thought it was ripe, but it wasn't."

The Old Man in Rome

I never talked to him, but what he did in those few moments taught me a lesson I still remember. He was an older man. He looked like he ate well. On his head he wore a floppy white hat that matched his white beard. He was wearing a plain yellow shirt and a pair of blue overalls. It wasn't his appearance that spoke to me. It was what he did.
In the summer of 1997, my grandparents gave me a wonderful gift. They enabled me to take a tour of Europe with the Heritage High School French Club. Madame Jane McDevitt was our leader. On this day we were in Italy. I believe we were in Rome, but it could have been in Florence. None the less, I found myself sitting next to an old water fountain.
This older man came stumbling down the street. He looked around. I guess he saw the group of young American tourists watching him. But I really don't know what inspired him to do what he did. He began to sing. From the depths of his body he began to belt out opera music.
In his voice I could hear his love of life. He was happy to be living. He wasn't ashamed. He wasn't bashful. He was living life. He was singing his song.
From time to time, like today for example, I think of this man. I will never know who he is. I do not know if he is still alive. All I know is that on that summer day in 1997 he taught me a lesson in living.
As I write this blog post, I am pondering my 29 years of living so far. Tomorrow I will turn 30. I might just celebrate by singing out loud in the middle of town. Who knows, I might teach somebody else a lesson in living.

How do I become a Christian?

A few weeks ago I was able a good friend prepare for a local youth revival. My friend was in charge of the after-care program that followed revival each evening. My friend was to make sure youth had the opportunity to talk to somebody about life issues or spiritual matters. In particular he had to be prepared to help kids make a decision for Christ or to rededicate their lives to Christ.
My friend asked me to help him prepare a guide or handout to help the after-care counselors share the way of Salvation with the youth that might respond each night. Since I am a Christian in the Wesleyan-Arminian-Methodist tradition, I went looking for something different from the Roman Road or Four Spiritual Laws. I began my pursuit by going to the United Methodist Church website. I knew I would surely find something helpful there. I was wrong. There was nothing about how to become a Christian. However, there was a plethora of information about how to become a United Methodist and join the United Methodist Church, but nothing about becoming a Christian. I even searched for an answer to my question with the InfoServe service.
Since the UMC.org lacked the information I was seeking, I went elsewhere. I decided to search for information from two of the great Evangelism ministries in the Methodist movement--World Methodist Evangelism and The Foundation for Evangelism. The only information I was able to find there was about starting an Evangelism ministry in the local church. They didn't have any information about becoming a Christian either. But I must say, The World Methodist Evangelism has produced a great pocket New Testament with evangelism information.
So, I was beginning to get really frustrated and surprised. I went to the North Georgia Conference website looking for information as well. Nothing there. I got in touch with a Conference executive and shared my frustration. Much to my surprise, they shared this same frustration. For many years this person has been trying to convince the Annual Conference to post something resource to help people make a personal commitment to Christ. The Conference executive suggested that I compile the type of resource I was looking for. I am in the process of doing that now.
But my quest has brought up some interesting thoughts. When I critically look at the United Methodist advertising and promotional materials about Ten Thousand Doors or ReThink Church, I realize that we are trying to get folks to join an organization. Sadly, I think we are simply trying to recruit folks to help us with our social work. Perhaps this is why the United Methodist Church has suffered from decades of membership decline. We are trying to get people to join in social work instead of kingdom work. I dare say we are becoming what John Wesley feared we would become--"I am not afraid that the people called Methodists should ever cease to exist either in Europe or America. But I am afraid lest they should only exist as a dead sect, having the form of religion without the power. And this undoubtedly will be the case unless they hold fast both the doctrine, spirit, and discipline with which they first set out."
We need to continue our work for social change and renewal. We need to continue to be about making the world a better place. However, we need to begin this work by preaching the Gospel of Christ and helping people respond to the Gospel message of love and everlasting life in Jesus Christ. When we become a Christian our hearts change, and from a changed heart social work becomes kingdom work. We go from doing good things for the sake of doing good to doing good things out of hearts filled with a great love for God.
So how do we come to know Christ and have a heart changed by God? In other words, "How do I become a Christian?" Here is what I have been working on for the past few weeks. It is based on the most known verse from the Holy Bible.

For God (perfect in love, power, and majesty) so loved the world (the world God created in goodness and love without sin or blemish) that He gave his Only (there is no other) son (Jesus Christ who was both fully God and fully human, perfect in love, power, and majesty) that whosoever (all people, everybody, there are no elect) believes in him (places there trust in God and God's son Jesus Christ) shall not perish (suffer the consequences and penalty for sin and death) but have everlasting life(spiritual life without end).

So becoming a Christian means we place our trust and hope for living in God who created a good world, sent his only son into a world that turned its back on God by sinning and trying to become like God. Becoming a Christian means we place our trust in Jesus, God's only son, who died for all of us and all of our sin and the sin of all creation on the Cross. Becoming a Christian means we place our trust in Jesus who rose three days later from the dead and by doing so conquered the powers of sin and death. Becoming a Christian means me turn from trying to be like God and living a life that pleases God by following the life teachings of the Bible. We can become a Christian by praying to God and asking God to live in our hearts.

This is what I have. It probably needs a bit more work. But at least it is something.

Finance Committee Meetings

Sometimes I wonder if Finance Committee Meetings in the local church would be more enjoyable if they were conducted during a game of putt-putt.

Evangelism Nightmares

Last night at a routine church meeting a thought about evangelism came to my mind. I would like to share it here and see if what anyone who happens to read this post thinks.
First of all I might need to explain the "Nightmare" part of this post's title. I have recently begun watching a Television titled "Kitchen Nightmares." The series features famous English Chef Gordon Ramsey. Chef Ramsey visits struggling restaurants, looks at current problems and challenges they face, and offers practical help to end the Kitchen Nightmare.
In the several shows that I have watched, the restaurant featured is on the verge of closing due to financial problems. The kitchen can't cook a decent meal. Employees and management are dysfunctional. Customers aren't too pleased with their dining experience. Many times the restaurant is stuck in a time wrap--they are operating like it was ten or fifteen years in the past.
Sometimes I think churches fall into this pattern of function or perhaps dysfunction. We need are in an Evangelism Nightmare. We can't come up with a decent presentation of the Gospel message. Laity and clergy are dissatisfied and sometimes can function well with one another. Visitors that do come to the church leave unimpressed. And don't get me started about the church being stuck in a time wrap to the past.
So what is the key. Well I love how Chef Ramsey approaches each Kitchen Nightmare. He doesn't provide a one fits all cure, but deals with each nightmare on an individual basis. However, there are common things that he does in each situation. First of all he observes. He takes note of what is working and not working. He talks to management, cooks, bar staff, and the servers. He pays attention to customers. He tastes the best food that the restaurant has to offer. He goes out and looks at the community.
Second he shares what he has observed. He tells the people of the restaurant what he sees as strengths, weaknesses, and opportunities.
Then he plans a course of action. In most of these nightmares Ramsey has to bring back hope to a chef or a manager that has lost the trill of cooking. In all most every episode he has to get chefs to stop using pre-cooked or frozen nastiness and cook fresh, simple, and tasty food again. The outdated and often complex menu is thrown out and replaced by a new menu that builds upon the strength of the cook, unmet needs in the community (for example one Italian restaurant was in a community full of other Italian restaurants, so Ramsey suggested they focus on cooking fresh steaks), and is simple for the customer to understand.
Ramsey trains the staff in cooking the new menu and serving the new menu. Everyone on the team knows what they are getting ready to do. He prepares the team.
Most of the time the restaurant gets a makeover and some new signage. This helps people feel like they are in a new place. There have been some restaurants that didn't even look like a restaurant to begin with.
After all of this prep work and planning, a grand opening occurs. Chef Ramsey spreads the word. He invites civic leaders. The restaurant is usually full on the night of the grand reopening.
Even with all of this hard work and expert help the nightmare doesn't always end. The cook team often struggles a bit on opening night. Table orders get misplaced. A stressed out cook or manager quits and comes back. That is part of the drama of reality TV. But what matters is that the restaurant made an effort to end the nightmare. They did something. Sometimes their hard work changes the tide, and other times it doesn't.
As I write this I do think of the local church. I believe there is much for us to learn from a show like Kitchen Nightmares. Are we loosing "customers"? Do we offer programs and a message that is out of date and doesn't relate to the needs of the community in which we live? Are we heating up frozen, bland, pre-cooked presentations of the Gospel and trying to pass them off as fresh and home-cooked? Do people know that the building is a church? Do people know how to find the church? Is the church doing ministry in a way that goes back two or three decades? Are we busy trying to bring back members who used to dine frequently at our table, but now dine elsewhere?
There is much for us to learn. The Gospel is timeless. God has given us a great message to share, a message that is fresh everyday! There are people who want to hear the good news of God's love for them. There are people who need to hear the good news of God's love for them. There are needs in every community that are not being met by every local church. Each church has a strength and a challenge that can become an opportunity. The question is will we turn to God and participate with God's work in helping us end our Evangelism Nightmare?