Momentum

Milestones

This past May, my dad celebrated his 75th birthday.  My family from out of town was able to join us.  When I think about the psalmist who said, "teach us to number our days aright" I realize how wise those words are.  To look back at my dad's marriage of 52+ years, his calling, his strong biblical and reformed influence on me, his willingness to adapt to changes in ministry, are all qualities that make my dad's 75th birthday all the more meaningful!  Congrats, Dad - love ya!

This past weekend, Laurie's mom and dad celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary.  The Bouwer clan took them to Wildfire, one of my favorite restaurants.  To hear them talk about their wedding 50 years ago on a rainy Friday night brought joy to my heart.  What a gift Laurie and I have of witnessing both our parents celebrate 50 years of marriage.  When they said "I do" they meant it.  "In sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, till death do us part" is still God's plan.  I pray we see a revival in marriages in this country.  If you're married, stay married.  If you're single, only marry someone who shares your faith.  If you're divorced, seek God's forgiveness and next time make it the last time.  Milestones! 

Catalyst Blast

After a tough few weeks of deaths, illnesses, busyness, leadership stuff, etc. I had a three hour boost of joy last night.  I was invited to speak at Catalyst (20-somethings).  Pastor Ron asked me to speak on why Jesus is beautiful to me.  It was an awesome privilege to paint a portrait of Jesus.  I was in awe as Ron and I invited the close to 200 adults to commit to love Jesus more.  At the closing invitation, almost all of them came forward!  Jesus is beautiful. 

A shout-out to Ron Citlau, his leadership team, Katie and the worship team.  Thanks for a spiritual shot in the arm!

It's All Good

This week I led one of the more difficult funerals of my life.  Yet I would say it was one of the most wonderful as well.  The funeral was for Bruce Boomsma.  Several years ago I began meeting Bruce and a few other friends for a discipleship/accountability men's group.  It was something I always looked forward to.  We would talk about life, business, marriage, kids, the economy, and whatever else the Spirit of God would lead us into. 

I thank God that in my life on earth I was able to intersect with Bruce's life.  He was unique, special, fun, intense, and a visionary.  It was based on those times together that I was able to share at the funeral a message called "It's All Good.'  I'll share the main points of my message.

1. Bruce often said, "It's all good."
2. Bruce's death was not at all "all good" to us.
3. From God's vantage point, and from Bruce's, it is all good because Romans 8:28-30 says:
   1. it's all good because we are predestined by God to receive His love;
   2. it's all good because we are called by God to receive Jesus and gain a purpose for living;
   3. it's all good because we are justified by Jesus;
   4. it's all good because we are glorified in death with Jesus
4. We received these things by way of love from God, to God, through Jesus (verse 28).
5. The result: It's All Good!

At the service, Joel Norman sang a song that Bruce gave me that was a testimony of his life in recent years.  The song was "I've Been Searchin' So Long" by Chicago.  A couple of years ago Bruce gave me a CD of "The Very Best of Chicago" which a note saying, "Bob, song #14, that's me!"  Here's an excerpt:

As my life goes on I believe
Somehow something's changed
Something deep inside
Ooh a part of me

There's a strange new light in my eyes
Things I've never known
Changin' my life
Changin' me

I've been searchin'
So long
To find an answer
Now I know my life has meaning

Excerpts from “(I’ve been) searchin’ so long”
Words and music by James Pankow
Copyright 1974 Make Me Smile Music and Big Elk Music

 

We will miss Bruce, but in Jesus Christ, it is truly "all good!"

Men of Faith

What do men normally do on Saturday morning?  Work, sleep in, lawn work, hobbies, honey-do list, golf, fish, etc.  For 150+ men this past Saturday morning, it was a Men of Faith breakfast.  I gave the leaders of the men's ministry permission to belch and fart in the Atrium fro 7:30-10 am.  I sat in the back filled with joy, pride in Jesus, and pumped about our future.  150+ men surrendered their normal Saturday morning to be abnormally blessed.  Pastors Jeff Klein, Jason De Vries and Dave Weemhoff shared great challenges from God's word.  I want to give a big shout-out to Dante, Jimmy and a bunch more that inspired us to be Men of Faith.

Getting to Know...My Wife Laurie

Periodically I like to interview people in my life so you can get to know them better.  Today you're going to meet my wife, Laurie.

1. Where did you grow up?  In Hawthorne and Prospect Park, New Jersey (Bergen County, 1/2 hour from New York City).
2. Tell us about your family.  I have two married brothers, one in New Jersey, one in Canada; my parents are in Dyer.
3. When did you profess your faith in Christ?  In my early teens in a Christian Reformed church.
4. Where did you meet Bob?  At Northwestern College in Orange City, Iowa.
5. What is your degree in?  Elementary Education.
6. Kid update?  Courtney and Joel will be married one year this month, plus a puppy; Caitlin will be a junior at Bethel University in St. Paul, Minnesota; Grant will be starting at Calvin College this fall (John Calvin would be proud); and Carley will be a sophomore at Illiana Christian High School.
7. What do you do Monday through Friday?  Mom, home, hobbies, friends, and I work part-time in the Worship & Arts Department at Faith Church.
8. Where do you serve God?  Behind the scenes and at the Vine bookstore.
9. What is something we probably don't know about you?  I really enjoyed mechanical drawing in high school and still enjoy designing things.
10. When you and Bob have time to relax, what can you be found doing?  Drinking coffee, reading, traveling, and playing pinochle with friends.
11. Bob's nickname for you?  "Laurz."
12. What's something that people would be surprised to know about you and Bob?  We have a dream of RV-ing across the country.

Lord, Teach Me to Pray

I have always been curious about I Thessalonians 5:17.  It says, “Pray continually.”  Other passages say, “Pray without ceasing.”  When I meditate on those words, many thoughts come to mind.  I think about how little time I pray compared to “without ceasing.”  I think about people we compare to and to “book-end prayers” that start and end a day or a meal.  Often these verses stir up guilt.  I want to propose two thoughts that may help. 

 

First, I want to offer what I call twitter, cell phone, and land-line prayers.  Twitter prayers are tiny prayer thoughts we can “tweet” to God all day long.  Prayers like, “God bless so-and-so”, “Lord, help me to…”, and “God, I need wisdom in this situation.”  Cell phone prayers are short conversations with God that last 30-60 seconds, like cell phone calls.  They are the prayers I often pray out lout in my car, when I’m running, showering or walking into a meeting.  The last kind of prayers is land-line prayers.  They are the long-distance calls to friends and family that have no time boundaries.  It’s those great conversations where you catch up with a friend, give details, ask questions, and express love and thankfulness.  If you pray with twitter, cell phone and land-line prayers, you will pray continually and without ceasing.

 

Second, what helped me was hearing Dallas Willard speak about prayer and “living in the omnipresence of God.”  The omnipresence of God is the knowledge of God’s presence wherever we are.  If you think about it this way, it means we can converse with God at all times.  When we are happy, we can praise Him.  When we are sad, we can seek His contact.  When we are heading into sin and temptation, we can seek Him.  I hope this helps you as it has really helped me.

 

The disciples said, “Jesus, teach us to pray.”  We as Jesus’ disciples should have the same request.  Lord, teach us to live constantly in conversation with You, for You, in and through You.  Pray on!

Life is a Mist

I preached/taught on James 4:13-17 seven times in the last two weeks.  My three points were that life is a mist; you can't control the mist; God controls the mist. 

This morning I got a call from the brother of a friend that I disciple telling me that Bruce had just died in a car accident.  As I drove to the hospital I kept hearing in my head James 4:14b, "What is your life?  You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes." 

I thank God that I was able to disciple Bruce and be a friend.  He was a joy to me.  I witnessed him get fired up for Jesus.  I witnessed him learn to read his Bible daily.  I prayed for him, with him, and heard him pray.  I texted him every Friday at 7:00 am to hold him accountable to Jesus, his wife, God's word, and us to each other.  I won't be texting him any longer, discipling him, calling him, laughing with him...but in his own famous words, he is "all good" because of Jesus.  Jesus made it all good, makes it all good, and will be making it all good when we see Him face to face someday.  Life is a mist!

Weekend Reflections

As the sun was cresting on Sunday morning, I was arriving at Suncrest Christian Church in St. John to preach/teach at their three morning services.  It was a great morning for me and I trust that it was for Suncrest Church as well.  Here are some of my reflections:

 

1.     It was a true ecumenical experience.  When I was in seminary we were encouraged to be ecumenical.  It always bothered me because they were pressing toward churches and denominations that were quite liberal, liturgical, and traditional.  Suncrest and Faith Churches have differences, but we have far more in common: namely, salvation in Jesus Christ, a high view of the Bible, and vision, passion and care for the hurting.

2.     It was strange to preach/teach the same message a total of seven times, four at Faith last weekend and three at Suncrest.  It went well, but it felt a little bit less fluid.  I’m processing that yet.

3.     People are people.  Every church has people that remind you of others.  There are the great servants, the friendly smiles, the detail person, the kidder, the buster, the sincere questioner, and many more.  We are all the body of Christ.

4.     Why are they called the St. Louis Cardinals when cardinals are a mean bird?  Cubs are always cute and loveable.

5.     How proud I was of Faith Church.  After the last service at Suncrest, I came back to Faith and was so blessed by Greg’s wonderful comments about Faith Church.  He was bragging on the security team, band and singers, quite frankly everyone.  Way to go church!

6.     How much Suncrest and Faith want to see Jesus lifted up in northwest Indiana and to the ends of the earth!

7.     Our hope is to add at least two more churches to the One Prayer group in June 2010.

 

Do you have any reflections?

Treasuring Christ

This video hit me.  I enjoyed it.  I hope it touches you as well. 

 Blessed weekend to all.

One Prayer, Week One

This weekend we started a new series called One Prayer. In John 17, Jesus prayed that His Father would "make His disciples one."  One Prayer is a partnership of churches that wondered if churches themselves could be an answer to that prayer.  Last year, over 1800 churches around the world partnered to plant over 660 churches in 18 months!  Faith Church is partnering with Suncrest Church in St. John on this series.  While we don't have as ambitious a mission, we are building on our relationship to multiply our efforts for God's kingdom in our area.  Each weekend of the One Prayer series focuses on a different attribute of God.

This weekend was God Is...in Control.  I shared the stories of some Faith Church members over the past seven days: stories of life, death, near-death, business closings...most of which were unexpected events.  But God has each day in our lives planned out, and he knows exactly how many of those days we have here on earth.  James 4:14 tells us our life is "a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes."  

Think about how short-lived "mist" is: the steam in your coffee cup, a morning fog, opening the freezer on a warm day; a tub full of hot water.  Do you think of your life in those terms?  Do you live your life with the perspective of being here for just a little while?