October 2011 Here’s a little bit about a lot of things as we move deeper into the Fall season. We are welcoming our Interim Youth Minister here at the beginning of October! Josh Bond will be working with our middle and high school students. Josh has had ministry experience here in the Black Hills and he brings a passion for relationships to our ministry team. Please stop by and get to know him over the next several weeks.Our three year olds through 5th graders are enjoying being Agents in Action for God this Fall. If your child is not involved in a Wednesday Night discipleship program, why not try out our Agents in Action? We begin with a free meal at 6pm in the Fellowship Hall and then our agents meet from 6:30pm-7:30pm. If you’ve ever had that inkling to learn how to play the guitar, we have free guitar lessons at 5pm on Wednesdays and our choir is welcoming new singers. They practice from 5:30pm-6:15pm. Our Wednesday Night Adult group is currently studying some material affectionately called, “The Wired Word.” If you’d like to check it out, please go to http://www.thewiredword.com/default.aspx We’ve been using this material for a couple of years now and it often inspires lively discussion. On Sunday, October 30th from 5:00pm-6:30pm, we will once again be celebrating Fall by hosting “Trunk or Treating” in the church parking lot. We are doing this to provide a safe alternative for trick-or-treaters. We will have cars lined up in the lot and children can come by to receive candy from people in our congregation. We hope you can join us for worship this Fall! Remember our worship times are at 8:30am on Sunday for traditional worship and 10:45am for contemporary worship. October 30th is a 5th Sunday and on the 5th Sunday we only have one service at 10:00am. Our Sunday School meets from 9:30am-10:30am and there’s a class for all age groups! Join us! August 2011 I had to break down and order a new Bible yesterday. I’ve pretty much been using the same Bible since I began this “preacher thing.” Right before the Summer of 1993, I purchased a rather cheap Bible to accompany me as I traveled around to different youth camps as a representative of the seminary I was attending. I wanted a cheap Bible because if I lost it, I wouldn’t be out anything. Well, that Bible turned into a mainstay. I’ve been using it ever since. It’s the Bible I preach from and has all of my hand-written notes and highlights. But it’s wearing out. I’ve re-taped the cover a few times. Some of more frequently read sections are now a bit grungy from oils on my hands and who knows what else. The lettering on the cover that says, “Holy Bible,” is worn away in one spot – exactly where my thumb goes when I hold the Bible open. To be honest, I’m a little skeptical about this new Bible I’ve ordered. Only time will tell if it ends up replacing my trusted companion. This new one just doesn’t have my story in it. It won’t have my hand-written notes or the smudges from the time I stood in the pouring rain reading a passage as a family said their goodbyes to a loved one in the cemetery. Some of you might have an attachment to a Bible like this. Or maybe to a favorite hat, pair of jeans, or a pencil that fits your hand perfectly. Our story gets into things, and things get into our story. One of the grungiest parts of my falling-apart-Bible is the book of Psalms. I’ve started to read through the psalms again. What I like so much about the psalms is their honesty. Writers share their most desperate thoughts, and greatest elation. They cry out to God, and express their frustration. It’s all here in the psalms. It’s known as ancient Israel’s hymnbook because so many of the psalms were sung in a worship context. But we also have psalms that express a person’s unedited and uncensored thoughts in solitary moments when that person never felt more alone. The opening psalm begins like this: “Happy are those who do not follow the advice of the wicked, or take the path that sinners tread, or sit in the seat of scoffers; but their delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law they meditate day and night. They are like trees planted by streams of water, which yield their fruit in its season, and their leaves do not wither. In all that they do, the prosper.” I’m planting myself in the psalms for this next season of life. They are a familiar friend, like my old Bible. But I’m also looking for God to speak to me in new ways through these ancient words. Why don’t you join me! July 2011 Jr. High Camp – I love Jr. Highers. They’re at that in between place in life. They’re not little kids anymore. They’re not adults either. They’re God’s special gift to the world! I’m going to share some thoughts throughout my week at Camp Judson with God’s special creations. Sunday, July 17th – I’ve been scrambling the past two weeks to put together my thoughts for Jr. High Camp. Seven sessions didn’t seem so daunting in February. There was still six months to go. On June 15th, it’s a whole different feel. Camp week was coming at me like the 1880 train that goes right by Camp Judson. Now it’s here. There are 100 girls and 50 boys at this camp. We had a good first night. The cabins are all pretty hot with this 100-degree heat. Tomorrow, I'm going to share some thoughts from Micah 6:8. All week long we are focusing on this question, “What’s it look like to take our faith to the edge?” Colby Houchin helped me design some t-shirts that we’re giving out this week as an incentive for campers to think about how they are going to take their faith to the edge. Monday, July 18th – Already, there are some God-things going on at camp. I talked with one young man today that is dealing with some family stuff that no Junior Higher should ever have to deal with. I can tell by the way that he talks that there’s not much safe space in his world to be open. He’s guarded and very careful in his word choices. He’s become very skilled at an early age in testing the reaction of others as he talks. Please pray for Hayden. Tuesday, July 19th – Another very hot day. We’ve been moving our large-group times around looking for cool spots. We found the best spot is in the basement of the cafeteria. It’s a bit tight for 180 people but it sure beats Scholl Hall when it’s 100 degrees. Rich Kallander and Tracy Koskan, and the rest of the camp staff, have been great and flexible. As I was walking down to the 9pm campfire tonight, I was reminded again how young people come alive at night. We’ve been hearing some reports of the Whoop Up forest fire down by Custer. Several times a day we see air tankers flying over helping to fight that fire. There’s a different kind of “Whoop Up” that goes on at camp when the sun goes down. There are crazy campfire songs that go on longer than any song I know of. There is energy and enthusiasm in abundance. At a time when I’m ready to crawl in to my sleeping bag and call it a day, these kids are just getting cranked up. I heard that the outcamp cabins were up until 3am today. It’s not hard to pick out the counselors for those cabins! Wednesday, July 20th – Another good day. A friend of mine, Steve Brenner, is the Activities Director for Jr. High Camp. He told stories of his deep and long family connections with Camp Judson. There are so many people who hold Camp Judson to be sacred ground. My dad went in for a heart procedure today. They put some stents in his arteries where he had some blockage. I talked with him on the phone. He seemed to be doing fine and hopes to go home tomorrow. My sister, Kelly, was there and I was glad. It’s hard to be 9 hours away on days like today. Thursday, July 21st – All week long, we’ve been doing a call-and-response phrase with the campers. Someone in leadership at the camp will say, “If you’re not living on the edge…” and then the campers will respond with, “…you’re taking up too much space!” It’s an enthusiastic reminder that we have to go beyond our own abilities and trust God. This became very real today as when my dad was getting ready to leave the hospital. He started to sweat and not feel good. They rushed him back to the hospital and apparently around one of the areas where they put a stent, he had a clog of plaque or blood. It’s a good thing he was still at the hospital because he had a heart attack. On a personal level, this event has taken my own faith to the edge of trust and leaving things in God’s hands. Friday, July 22nd – Last day at Camp Judson. We wrapped things up and I showed the campers a video clip from Nemo. In the clip, Dorie tells Nemo that they had to go through things rather than around them. When a lot of the campers go back home, they will be challenged in ways I never was challenged when I was in Jr. High. Ainslee and Eli came out and stayed with me parts of the past couple of days. We were able to ride on the “Scrape and Slide,” in the afternoon. Basically, this slide is a piece of thick black plastic placed in such a way that you go down one of the hills at camp. We run water down the plastic, put some Dawn dishwashing liquid to make it slick, and then slide down! It’s a lot of fun but a lot of kids have scrapes to show for their fun. Camp always leaves a mark on a person. This year, camp has left a mark on me too. This is one of the most important weeks of the year for our young people. Thank you to all of you for the support you provide for our campers. We are blessed to be so near Camp Judson. Thank you for the privilege of serving among you. July 2011 By now, most of you have heard that Mike Cole has resigned his position as Youth Minister to take a position with the Pennington County Sheriff’s Department. Because most human beings are resistant to change, some will ask, “What went wrong? How can we fix this?” I’ve spent a considerable amount of time talking with Mike about his decision and I’ve come to the conclusion that these are not the right questions. Mike is neither being asked to leave his role here, nor is he leaving because he’s angry about something. He’s simply has grown through this season of his life and is looking forward to the next part of life and the adventures that await him. There is new growth yet to take place in Mike Cole, but the same thing is also true for the people of First Baptist Church! I have enjoyed working with Mike the past several years. He brings a unique set of gifts and abilities to ministry. And now, he is simply going to grow and develop in a new context. In some of the Vantagepoint3 material we have used here at First Baptist, there’s a quote from Henri Nouwen that many of you have heard me use before. When someone asked Henri Nouwen a parenting question, he replied with these words, “The greatest gift you can give to your kids is to be a growing person.” While we might not like it all that much at the time, some of the greatest periods of growth come in the midst of hard experiences. To your credit and Mike’s, there have been some very solid and deep relationships that have formed over the past 11 years Mike has been our Youth Minister. It’s hard to think about a change. There is uncertainty. Don’t be afraid to mourn and be sad for a season. Doing so means that your relationship with Mike meant something profound in your life. At the same time, this next season of life for all of us offers us new opportunities that we wouldn’t have without this change. What new things is God going to do in all of us? The prophet Isaiah brings a word from God to people at a time of uncertainty and says in Isaiah 49:13, “I am about to do a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it?” I believe that God continually provides opportunities for us grow in new ways. God’s doing a new thing in us and among us these days. God’s doing a new thing in Mike! Let’s celebrate the time we’ve had with Mike. Plans are in the works for a time in July when we can honor Mike and his family in a special way. Let’s pray for him and his family in this time of transition. Let’s also pray for God’s direction as this time of new things is upon us. Thank you for the privilege of serving among you. June 2011 It’s a good idea to stop once in a while and simply look around. When we do that, we often notice things that maybe we hadn’t picked up on before. I stopped for a few moments on this rainy Thursday morning and here are a few things I notice A good friend of mine was telling me about the National Day of Prayer service he attended in his city. He said there was very little time spent praying and a whole lot of time talking about “stuff.” Shouldn’t this day be about people on their knees before God? On Easter Sunday, we celebrated the baptisms of seven people: Matt Buer, Megan Golden, Nate Skinner, Delores Steenberg, Bailey Stover, Stetson Stover, and David Ulmer. These seven joined the church through baptism. Three others, Leah Ivy, Donna Skinner, and Tim Skinner have joined First Baptist through letters of transfer. If you don’t know who these people are, take a moment next time you see someone who isn’t familiar and introduce yourself. That unfamiliar person might very well be one of these new First Baptist folks. I’m starting to think about my week at Camp Judson (July 17th – 23rd). Are you going to camp this Summer? My daughter Ainslee gets to go to Jr. Camp this Summer. She’s very excited. Mike has been planning for Sr. High Camp too as he’s directing it this year. If you haven’t registered to go to camp yet, please do so soon. We can get you information about when the camps are if you don’t know. Don’t miss this opportunity! A lot of activities are wrapping up this time of year. The Vantagepoint3 group will be finishing their 9-month study in early June. The Exodus Bible study is going to take the summer off and pick up again in early September. The choir will be finishing up their singing season. The Wednesday Night adult group is finishing up their regular routine and Allen Hatch is going to lead a study this Summer through Romans (Wednesday nights from 6pm – 7:30pm in the Parlor). A change in routine is healthy. It offers opportunities for new experiences. We have good news to celebrate with our office manager, Stephanie Schaeffer-Kenner and her husband, Josh. They are expecting a baby at the end of November! It won’t be too long and it will be hard not to notice this change in Stephanie as this little one grows within her. I’ve noticed a number of people at First Baptist who are subtly and quietly serving God. They are doing this without fanfare and acclaim. What have you noticed as you look around these days? What will the Summer season offer you as a way to break up your routine and see the things of God in a fresh way? Thank you for the privilege of serving among you. May 2011 Happy birthday King James! These are not birthday wishes for LeBron James of the Miami Heat. On May 2, 1611, the King James version of the Bible was first published. On the 2nd day of May, 2011, this first King James Bible will be 400 years old! So happy birthday! My very first Bible was a Schofield Reference Bible written in the king’s English. Though mine is only 37 years old, it’s an important part of my faith journey. It still sits on my shelf and every once in a while I’ll still drag it out and use it. It’s the Bible I had when I was baptized at 9-years old. It’s the Bible my parents gave me and is the only Bible I have with my name imprinted on the front cover. Some of you use a King James Bible and I always enjoy hearing it read in the different Bible studies we have. You can always tell someone who has a well-worn King James Bible and has immersed him or herself in this translation. While I might stumble and fret my way through this archaic English, someone who’s used it all their life will read it fluently. It takes me back, makes me feel safe, and reminds me of the rich history of Scripture. I was thinking this morning about all the different Bibles we now have available. There are different translations and different ways to experience scripture. Some of you access a Bible through a website, your phone, your Kindle, or a software package. Some of you listen to the Bible through a CD while you’re traveling in your car. Some of you have parallel Bibles where multiple translations are displayed on the same page so you can compare and contrast. There are translations that try to be quite literal from the original Hebrew (Old Testament) and Greek (New Testament). And there are paraphrases that try to capture a more contemporary sense of what a passage is saying. So much more is available to us these days compared to those in earlier times. Only the rich could afford a Bible at one time. Now, we give them out free like samples at Sam’s Club on Saturday afternoon. The King James Bible grew out of conflict and national theological debate between the Puritans and Anglicans. It was a big deal and a national event in England. Now, we too often tend to keep our Bibles and faith as far from public life as we can. May is a time of transition around the church. During the summer months, some Bible studies that have been meeting, will take a break. People’s schedules will change and become a little more erratic. There is a great temptation to throw our Bibles up on the shelf and forget about them for a few months. But I would challenge you, as I challenge myself, to use the summer season as a time to let the Bible speak a fresh word to you. Pick a section, or book of the Bible, and slowly read through this ancient text. Let the Bible shape you as God speaks to you. I have a quotation written in the front of my “preaching Bible” that says, “The Bible doesn’t want to speak to the modern world; the Bible wants to convert the world we live in.” These are not just words we have, but a revelation from the living God. But there cannot be any transformation unless there is engagement. Are you engaging the living word of God? Another quotation I have inside the front cover of my Bible is from Johann Albrecht Bengel, a Lutheran pietist who wrote, “Apply yourself closely to the text; apply the text closely to yourself.” So, when you’re putting together your summer reading list, don’t forget to include God’s love letter to humanity – the Bible! February 2011 Yesterday, I had a very brief conversation with a worshipper who was asking about Lent. It’s one of those church words we throw around this time of year. She was wondering about its significance and meaning. As I explained that it was the period between Ash Wednesday and Easter, our conversation went deeper into the meaning of Ash Wednesday, where the ashes come from (usually from the previous year’s palm fronds), and what’s so important about this period for Christians. It was a fun little journey that we took together in that conversation. There are a number of places in the Psalms where the psalmist conveys this message, “Show me or teach me the way, Lord” (Psalm 25:4; 27:11; 86:11). Lent is a period of time on the church calendar where we really try to focus our attention on the journey Jesus took to the cross. We’re asking Jesus to show us the way to him. We need this focus because the Lenten season of repentance seeks to raise our awareness of just how far we sometimes wander off that narrow path Jesus taught about (Matthew 7:13). I’ve been reading a book by Eugene Peterson – the man behind The Message translation/ paraphrase. The book is entitled, “A Memoir: The Pastor,” and he’s telling his story about his life as a pastor. In the introduction, Peterson quotes a phrase from a poem by Denise Levertov, “every step an arrival.” For Peterson, this phrase characterizes his life as a pastor – each step in life was movement closer to the heart of God but also a landing spot in and of itself. I love this phrase. How will we make each step an arrival during this Lenten season? There are a number of opportunities we are placing before you so that hopefully we are all together moving closer to the heart of God. On April 9th, during both worship services (8:30am and 10:45am), we will have a presentation by the Jews For Jesus organization that explains in detail the connections between the Jewish Passover and what Jesus celebrated with his disciples. On Thursday, April 21st, at 7:00pm, we will present The Living Last Supper which tries to get inside the minds of the disciples and imagines what they were thinking as Jesus told them that one of them would betray him. On Easter Sunday, the youth will be leading our Sunrise Service at 7:00am. Don’t forget there is breakfast following the Sunrise Service. And then the choir will lead us in both services on Easter Sunday, April 24th, as we celebrate our risen Savior. Each one of these times can be both an arrival and another step closer to the heart of God. I hope that you will join us this Lenten season as we travel together. January 2011 I know this will date me, but do you remember the ad campaign from years ago when someone would say, “Wow! I could have had a V8!”? Someone would take the palm of his or her hand and slap their forehead in regret because he or she had chosen the wrong beverage and could have had vegetable juice. This was that company’s signature marketing campaign and they sold a lot of vegetable juice because of it. We’ve all been the victim of missed opportunities. We might miss a sale at the grocery store. Perhaps your dream girl or boy walks right by and you didn’t say, “hello!” Maybe you wanted to go to the last Harry Potter movie on opening night and the tickets were sold out before you could buy one. Most of us recover pretty quickly from the missed opportunities I’ve described above. But what about a missed opportunity with God? Jacob was on his way to his Uncle Laban’s house. His father, Isaac, sent him there so that he could find himself a wife. Now, don’t get too rattled by Jacob marrying his cousin. That’s part of the way things happened at this time. One night while Jacob is traveling to good ‘ole Uncle Laban’s, he has a dream that we know as the famous Old Testament story of Jacob’s ladder (see Genesis 28). In this dream, Jacob is promised numerous descendants, an abiding Godly presence, and land. That’s a pretty good dream wouldn’t you agree? When Jacob wakes up, it doesn’t take him long to realize the significance of his dream. Dreams like this just don’t randomly happen. Jacob exclaims when he wakes up, “Surely the Lord is in this place and I did not know it!” (Genesis 28:16). This is one of those, “Wow! I could have had a V8!” moments but it wasn’t about vegetable juice. Jacob feels he was oblivious to God’s presence and missed a Divine opportunity. It’s another new year. You might have set some goals for yourself or hopes for the days ahead. Can I suggest to you as we move into 2011 that you keep this verse, Genesis 28:16, as a close companion for this new year? What if we all committed this verse to memory and wove this idea into our thoughts? What if our greatest fear for 2011 was: I don’t want to miss you and your moments, God! For me, nurturing a constant awareness is a bigger part of the battle. We need to turn our God-radar up to the highest sensitivity settings possible! God is not hiding from us. But God usually doesn’t barge in and take over the room either. Many of us will miss God’s movements in our lives because life is too full or our attention will be focused elsewhere. And some of us might be like Jacob in that we’ll “sleep” right through moments in life when God is all around us. May God give to all of us the will and desire to cultivate an awareness of Godly moments in 2011 ********************************************************************************************************** December 2010 I was doing some straightening in the garage the other day. I came across an item from Christmas 2009. It was a piece of our 2009 Christmas tree. Every year since Diane and I have been married, we have had a live Christmas tree and each year we have cut off a small section of the trunk and saved it. You can see the collection we have in the picture. You might even be able to make out the year numbers. As I laid out all the pieces, I did a little reminiscing. Our favorite tree is the White Pine. The 1995 tree came on the heels of Hurricane Fran – our first hurricane. The 2002 and 2003 trees mark the years of our children’s births. The 2008 tree was right before my oldest nephew got married. Each tree was a little different. Each Christmas has been unique. But I noticed something and you may have noticed the same thing. Where is 2007? I have all the other years but don’t have a piece of our tree from 2007! I know we had a tree in 2007. It was our first Christmas here in Rapid City so it marks a time of great change for us. So where is that important piece of our family history from 2007? I’m hoping it is simply in another of our boxes somewhere. But I also know that just because I don’t have a tree stump from 2007 doesn’t mean that memories of that Christmas are gone. I love the story in Joshua 3-4 about the Israelites coming into the Promised Land. It was high water season. The people needed to cross the Jordan and so God stops the water and the people cross on dry ground. It’s almost a sequel to the Red Sea crossing. Once they are all across, God tells Joshua to have one representative from the twelve tribes of Israel take a stone from the middle of the Jordan as a reminder of what God did at that time and in that moment. Then in the future, if someone would ask, “What’s this rock for?” the story could be told once again. Something as simple as a rock from the Jordan River could tell the story of God’s faithfulness. Something as simple as a remnant from our Christmas trees reminds Diane and I of our married life together. It won’t be long and the pace of our lives will shift up a gear. The holiday season always brings an increase in activity. But there will also be opportunities when some of the simplest of occurrences could create a lasting memory. A conversation with a stranger, re-connecting with a person from our past, or maybe an unexpected event will cause us to stop and wonder. Some of you might even keep a memento from those moments. And some people might carry with them memories from an encounter with us that will change their lives. We are the Church. We are representatives of Christ in this world. This time of year, we celebrate Jesus coming to us. Yes, there will be lots of tangible reminders of this Christmas – presents, Christmas tree stumps, etc. But there might also be other reminders that are not tangible – like 2007 in my Christmas tree stump collection. May our faithfulness and Christlike lives be the tangible reminders that Christ is present and active in our world! Blessings! November 2010 Last month, I took some time off and went back to central Iowa to help my cousin with the harvest. While I was there, I spent a fair amount of time asking questions about my grandfather, Alfred. You can see a picture of him to the left that was taken in the late 1960’s. Grandpa Gast was a hard worker, a good farmer, but didn’t always say a lot and so that’s why I spent a lot of time asking questions. One of the things he passed down to successive generations was a mindset that you don’t have to be fast, you just have to be steady. When you go fast, that’s when stuff often breaks. When you go fast, you get sloppy. Steady is better. This code for farming has permeated my cousin’s farming operation. If you watch my cousin harvest, his combine might not be the fastest going through the field, but there is very little “wasted motion” – one of my Uncle’s favorite phrases. My cousin gets in the field early, goes steady through the day, and before you know it the harvest is done.  I believe this principle, “You don’t have to go fast, just go steady,” has application that goes beyond farming. How many people have you known who have sprinted out of the spiritual gate but then quickly flamed out? I think most of us could think of more than a few. I know quite a few pastors who have done the same thing in ministry. James 1:2-4 says, “My brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of any kind, consider it nothing but joy, because you know that the testing of your faith produces endurance, and let endurance have its full effect, so that you may be mature and complete, lacking in nothing.” This is one of those “not fast but steady” verses that I come back to again and again. Eugene Peterson wrote a book in 1980 entitled, “A Long Obedience in the Same Direction,” that has become very instrumental for me in ministry and faith. On one of the early pages Peterson writes, “There is a great market for religious experience in our world; there is little enthusiasm for the patient acquisition of virtue, little inclination to sign up for a long apprenticeship in what earlier generations of Christians called holiness.” We live in a world of quick-fixes, drive-thru’s (note that the sign you see for most drive-thru’s don’t even take the time to spell the word out!), and instant gratification. A long persistent obedience to God is not very appealing because it implies that the fruits of growth might be years down the road. Yet, this patient, persistent, mindset is often where God does the best work in us. I think Peterson and my Grandpa Gast would have enjoyed one another’s company. A lasting faith is not built fast, but grows through a steady persistence. October 2010 As I write this, two weeks from today my daughter will be a 3rd grader and my son will be a 1st grader. We’ve had a great Summer as a family, and now it’s time for school to begin again. We’re turning the page on Summer. When we talk with friends who live a long ways from us, a common response from them after we tell them which grade our kids will be in this year is: “I can’t believe Ainslee is going to be in 3rd grade! Is Eli really a 1st grader?!” I’m learning that the expression, “They grow upfast!” is often true. It’s sometimes hard to see one of your children grow out of a favorite phase in life and into another phase. And even though we often say something like, “I hope they never grow up!” I’m not sure we really mean that. One author put it this way: “It kills you to see them grow up. But I guess it would kill you quicker if they didn’t.” As I think about some phases of a growing child, I think there’s a lot of wisdom in this author’s statement. What about our spiritual growth? It is a much less-predictable growth cycle don’t you think? We can’t say, “Well, you’re 30 years old, here’s where you should be at on the spiritual growth chart!” It doesn’t work that way. I know some teenagers who are much more spiritually mature than some 40-year olds! We just don’t link a person’s biological age with that person’s spiritual maturity. It is much more important that a person intentionally takes steps toward growing in his or her relationship with God. One author’s book title puts it very well when he suggests that spiritual growth is “A Long Obedience In The Same Direction.” It takes a lifetime of intentionality to grow…and a large dose of God’s grace! So, what steps are you taking toward intentional spiritual growth these days? Here are a number of ways where we might help: Sunday School has been around for a long time. There are classes that fit you. Why not get involved? There are Wednesday Night classes for preschoolers up through senior adults. We have a meal at 5:45pm followed by classes at 6:30pm. Join us! Mike Cole will be offering different events/classes for the Jr. and Sr. High. Contact him to find out more about these offerings. Starting Tuesday, September 14th at 10:00am in the Fellowship Hall, we’ll be starting a new verse-by-verse exposition of Exodus. If you’re free on Tuesday morning, you should join us! I’m hoping to lead another Vantagepoint3 group this Fall. This is a nine-month commitment toward growth as a follower of Jesus and development as a leader. We’re going to meet on Sunday afternoons from 12:30pm - 2:00pm. Does this scratch any itches for you? We’re hoping to have 5 different Truth Project groups going in homes this Fall. The Christian Education Ministry is heading up this effort. Be looking for more information about these small groups. None of these offerings are a quick fix for spiritual growth. But they are a step in the right direction. What will your next step be this Fall August 2010 My birthday happened while we were on vacation this year. A few days before my birthday, my youngest nephew saw an ad for a company that sells skydiving experiences. A trained professional, will take you up in an airplane between 10,000-15,000 feet and then you will be strapped to that trained professional as you jump out of that airplane. My youngest nephew didn’t blink an eye. He was all for it. So was his girlfriend. My brother-in-law is an adventuresome sort and he was in too. They asked me if I wanted to go and I declined because I reasoned that the cost was too high. But I wanted to see the whole thing so I tagged along. When they came out of the little shack where this business was located after having signed up, they said, “Happy birthday! You’re going with us!” I didn’t know what to say. Perhaps I tried to speak but words just didn’t come (a rare thing for a preacher, I know). We’ve all heard different “in-law” jokes about how your in-laws will try and do you in. I wondered, “Is this my time?” My brother-in-law and I have always had what I consider to be a great relationship. Have I missed something along the way and offended him so that now he’s going to exact revenge? As I filled out the paperwork – and by the way on each page I signed were these words in bold print, “Warning: Skydiving is dangerous! You may be injured or killed!” – my anxiety level was rising. We climbed into a small airplane and I was glad I had a parachute because the plane looked less than top-notch. I was hoping to not be the first one to jump but as we climbed in and sat down, guess who was right by the door? It wasn’t my brother-in-law! Higher and higher we climbed. The trained professionals tell that you’ll be free-falling for about a minute and then by parachute for the last 5-6 minutes. The trained professionals also tell you that the FAA prohibits skydiving through clouds but guess what rolled in while we were getting ready to jump? Clouds! The pilot gave the signal when we were at the right altitude, the side door of the rickety plane was rolled up, and while I’d like to say I willingly went out the side, I’m guessing “pushed” was a more accurate description. The free-falling meant that we were reaching speeds of 120 mph. We broke through the clouds (I was actually kinda glad they were there because for about the first 30 seconds I couldn’t see the ground), and once the chute opened up, a beautiful landscape below was revealed. The trained professional who held my life in his hands – a man named Jason – skillfully guided us to the ground with a feather-touch landing. Since that day, I’ve been pondering the spiritual connections to my experience. I thought of Proverbs 10:21 which says, “The lips of the righteous feed many, but fools die for lack of sense.” I’m not sure I would do this again. I’d have to think about it. A greater connection can be made to the anxiety I had before we jumped. We are such forward-leaning creatures as human beings. We constantly are worrying about and thinking about what lies ahead. Jesus told us to not worry about tomorrow because today has enough trouble (Matthew 6:34), yet no matter how much we might try, we constantly worry about what lies ahead. I had to have faith in my trained professional – Jason – to move ahead. Faith was not a last resource but it was a first and abiding necessity. If I didn’t have a reasonable amount of faith that I was going to be OK, I would never have agreed to get on that plane and I certainly would have sat by the door! It didn’t mean I wasn’t anxious and nervous about the experience, but faith carried me through the anxiety. Maybe this is what Paul means when he writes to the Christians in Colossae, “I can do all things through him who strengthens me.” Paul was writing about Jesus. Paul’s promise is that Jesus can carry us through our anxiety. It may mean that through faith our anxiety disappears or it might mean that the anxiety will exist, but will not stop us from moving ahead. Either way, faith is a non-negotiable. July 2010  As I write these words, we are neck-deep in Vacation Bible School.  This is our first year of VBS Alive – a cooperative effort of several churches here in Rapid City.  One of the nurturing things about this kind of event is that we get to know people from other congregations.  I have enjoyed getting to know some of the leaders at Bethel Assembly, Destiny Foursquare, Fountain Springs Community, and Westminster Presbyterian.  Those relationships began back in January and we’ve been working on them for several months.  I hope that we will continue to look for ways to partner together!  As the week of VBS Alive progresses, I’ve met more new people from these other churches.  This has been a very positive thing on many levels!       When we meet someone new, we look for connections.  We try and remember his or her name.  Maybe he or she works at a similar job.  We ask questions about people we might both know.  As I’ve been overhearing conversations among many people this week, quite often I’ve heard, “Are they from your church?” or “Does she work at your church?”  I know the comments and questions are quite innocent.  We’re all just trying to make a connection.  Perhaps it’s my own theological allergy flaring up but aren’t we all part of the same Church – Christ’s Church?       Right after Peter answered Jesus’ question, “But who do you say that I am?” with his proclamation, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God,” do you remember what Jesus said?  Jesus said, “And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church…” (Matthew 16:18).  Was Jesus referring to Peter’s church?  I think not!  Jesus wasn’t giving Peter the keys to the church.  Paul wrote to the Christians in Colossae, “I am now rejoicing in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I am completing what is lacking in Christ's afflictions for the sake of his body, that is, the church” (Colossians 1:24).  Again, whose body are we talking about?  We’re talking about the body of Christ – the Church!  And the Church has always, and will always, belong to Jesus.       It may be a simple thing, but sometimes the little things can be indicators of one’s heart.  Let’s always make sure that we are remembering whose Church we are a part of – Christ’s Church.  Let’s reflect that in our language, our perspective, and our devotion.  I believe Jesus wants us to show ownership in our faith, devotion, and commitment.  But it will always be Jesus’ Church and Christ will always be the One we worship. June 2010 When I was 10 years old, I jumped into the business world.  I began a lawn mowing business and mowed grass for Bessie Jaspers, Marie Eilders, Henry Buthman, and Effy Harms.  When my push mower wasn’t up to the task any longer, my dad found a used Snapper 30” riding mower for sale in Cleves, IA.  He took me to check it out and we decided it might be exactly what I needed.  The next day, my dad took me to the bank and I took out my first loan for $200.00.  I remember lying in bed that night worrying whether I could make the $18.66 per month payment.  The note was for 2 years and between mowing grass in the summer, walking beans, and scooping snow in the winter I figured it would all work.       Let me tell you I loved that lawnmower.  I repainted parts of it, built a wooden toolbox for tool storage, and found an old Speed Queen washing machine emblem that I mounted on the front because I thought it looked cool.  I learned a lot about how things work mechanically simply by working on it and attentively keeping it in top working condition.  I even washed and waxed that mower after every use.  I had the only mower in town that was waxed twice a week and I waxed it so much that some of the paint started to come off!  In many ways, that mower was my first love.       When I got older and didn’t mow lawns any longer, the mower was still around but I didn’t wash it very often and certainly never waxed it anymore.  It got very little attention from me.  It still mowed the yard where my parents lived, but it eventually just kind of fell apart.  I had moved on to bigger and better things!        I know the analogy isn’t perfect, but don’t we sometimes treat our relationship with God in similar ways?  Early on we might care for that relationship and nurture it with lots of attention.  We probably learned a lot simply by spending time in that relationship.  But often, even if it’s only for a season, we move on to what we feel is the bigger and better.        I’ve been reading through Jeremiah lately.  In Jeremiah 2:13, God tells the people that they have failed in two ways: (1) they have forsaken their first love – God; and (2) they have moved on to what they feel is the bigger and better – essentially taking matters into their own hands.  Both failures constitute an abandonment of their relationship with God.       As we move into the Summer months, there will be lots of competition for your time and devotion.  Please remember who loved you first in the midst of all the fun, vacations, and different rhythms that Summer brings.  God loves you immensely and many of you have loved God as one of your first loves.  In the midst of a whole host of new possibilities and experiences this Summer, God wants to be part of your life.  May 2010 Last year, the people of Steamboat Rock, Iowa, (my home town) erected a memorial for the veterans who are from the area and/or are buried in the cemetery.  It was a great undertaking for the small town.  Money had to be raised.  Designs for the memorial were studied and discussed.  Many chipped in and helped out with the construction.  Labor Day weekend 2009, the community gathered and celebrated the accomplishment but more importantly, they gathered to honor and remember veterans.  The memorial itself is nothing more than marble, concrete, and metal – simply construction materials.  What the memorial stands carries far greater significance.       As Joshua is leading the nomadic Israelites into the Promised Land, the people pause on the banks of the Jordan River.  It’s harvest time and the Jordan River this time of year often floods its banks.  Joshua tells the priests who were carrying the ark of the covenant to walk into the water (Joshua 3:15).  Sounds crazy doesn’t it?  Who walks into flood waters and lives to tell about it?  Yet, when these priests do, we have the Red Sea crossing all over again.  The waters upstream stop and these wandering people cross the river on dry ground.  Once they are safely across Joshua tells the people to select a person from each tribe.  Those twelve are to pick up a stone from the dry riverbed and a memorial is built to tell the story of what God has done.        I don’t think the stones themselves were anything significant.  They were probably just regular old river rocks.  In fact, Joshua predicts (Joshua 4:6) that in years to come, kids would ask, “What’s this ‘ole pile of rocks here for?”  And then the story could be told once again of what God did for the people.  The power of the memorial was not in the stones themselves.  The power was in the story and making sure that it wasn’t forgotten.       On May 23rd, we are going to honor our Veterans and military personnel in our worship services.  It’s an opportunity for us to say, “Thank you,” to those who have stepped into all kinds of hazards so that we can enjoy the freedoms we do.  I love to read books on military history.  Sometimes the tasks put before our soldiers seem as far-fetched as being asked to step into flood waters!  Yet, American history is filled with soldiers who have willingly done so.  Their service and their lives are this nation’s memorials so we don’t forget.       On May 23rd, we will once again recognize our military personnel, both past and present, who sacrifice for us.  Most of these soldiers are common people.  Yet, they have a story that becomes a memorial for future generations.  And when our kids ask, “What’s this Memorial Day thing about anyway?” we can tell that story once again and be thankful for how God used them to shape this nation.       I hope that you will join us on May 23rd at both 8:30am and 10:45am for our worship.        Blessings! April 2010 I came upon this quotation as I was doing some reading, “And a lot of us preachers will get it wrong again.  Even with Herculean efforts not to be deadly boring, we’ll still get it wrong.  We will wax lyrical about the shocking surprise of Easter morning.  We will remind our anxious and weary hearers that those first Christians were also anxious and weary.  And for the end of the sermon we’ll ransack our thesauruses for synonyms for ‘joy,’ ‘wonder,’ ‘elation,’ and ‘ecstasy’” (Gene McAfee, “Easter-Forward Christians).        Why is that we get Easter wrong so often?  The reason why we get Easter wrong so often is that we are too often pointing people in the wrong direction.  Easter is not backward looking.  Easter is for the present and the future!        I was talking with Mike Cole a few weeks ago about those WWJD (What Would Jesus Do) bracelets that have been so popular.  As we were talking about them, I told Mike, “The problem I have with those bracelets is that they too often point people in the wrong direction.  Instead of ‘What Would Jesus Do’ I think a more accurate expression would be, ‘What Is Jesus Doing’ (WIJD).”  But WIJD doesn’t seem to roll off the tongue quite so easily.  If we are resurrection people then Jesus being raised is for the here and now!  Yes, the resurrection is a historical event that happened around 30 CE.  But the resurrection is more importantly for the here and now!  We have a resurrected Jesus on the loose in our lives offering salvation and hope for today!  Jesus is not on some kind of Divine vacation waiting for those who believe in him to show up in Heaven.  Jesus is active, living, working, and transforming lives today.       How will we celebrate that this year?  I want to remind you of a couple of things.       On Thursday, April 1st, we’ll have a Maundy Thursday gathering at 6:00pm in the Fellowship Hall.  We’ll be celebrating a traditional Seder Meal as we connect elements of the Passover with Christ as the Passover Lamb.  If you’d like to come to this event, please contact the church office (343.0342) to let us know you’re coming so we’ll have enough.       On Friday, April 2nd, we’re going to have a Good Friday service in the sanctuary.  This will be a rather solemn service as we reflect on the suffering and pain Jesus went through.  We’ll end this service by leaving the sanctuary in darkness and quietness.       On Sunday, April 4th, the Youth will be leading a Sunrise service at 6:30am.  After the service, we’ll be gathering in the Fellowship Hall to enjoy a breakfast.       Then, on Sunday April 4th during our 8:30am and 10:45am worship services, we’ll be celebrating our present and living Jesus!  In Luke’s Gospel it says, “…suddenly two men in dazzling clothes stood beside them.  The women were terrified and bowed their faces to the ground but the men said to them, ‘Why do you look for the living among the dead’” (Luke 24:4-5).  Our Choir will be leading us in worship as we celebrate a living, present, and future Jesus who is alive and active in our world!       So, join me as we look in the right direction this year.  We serve a Jesus who did some amazing things for us in history.  But this same Jesus is alive and well in our world today!       Blessings! March 2010 The Lenten season is a reminder of our need for God and a time of reflection as we consider our own discipleship.  How are you following Jesus these days?       I recently read an article about a man who tried to literally live the way Jesus lived.  This man, Ed Dobson, is a Christian and he records his experience in a book, The Year of Living Like Jesus (Zondervan Publishing).  Dobson ate kosher meals, he attended synagogue on a regular basis, he observed the Sabbath, he celebrated the Jewish feasts and festivals, and tried to think and act like Jesus.  When he reflects on his experience, here are some things I thought were interesting: • There was a youth pastor in Dobson’s town that wanted to join him in this experience.  This young man started growing his beard and reading the Gospels every week.  Finally, after a few weeks, the young man said, “I can’t live like Jesus.  I work full-time in a church!”  Does this say something about this young man or say something more about how we often function in the church? • Dobson says that he was struck by how much time Jesus spent in relationship with his disciples.  He goes on to say, “We talk a lot about relationships in church, but we don’t make time for them.” • When Dobson was pastoring during this year of living like Jesus, the church he was serving cancelled all their programs for a year – all youth activities, outreach efforts, Christmas and Easter programs, etc.  They only had Sunday and Wednesday services.  They read the Bible, shared their faith, and invested themselves in relationships.  How did that go over?  Dobson says they lost hundreds of members who were primarily attached to the programs of the church.  But he also says, “…we learned that the less you do, the more spiritual you become.” • Dobson also found that as he tried to associate with “sinners,” as Jesus did, that people everywhere are very interested in Jesus.  People want know how your travels with Jesus affect your life.  How has your faith changed you?        It all sounds quite radical doesn’t it?        Luke 5:1-11 has the familiar story of Jesus calling the disciples by the lake of Gennesaret.  Jesus gives Simon Peter, James, and John a miraculous catch of fish after they had fished all night and caught nothing.  Jesus then says, “Do not be afraid; from now on you will be catching people.”  And then Luke ends the story with this statement: “When they had brought their boats to shore, they left everything and followed him.”        My mind immediately goes to questions like, “What about the fish?  What did they do with that big catch?  Surely, they didn’t just leave it all there!?”  But Luke writes, “…they left everything and followed him.”  These men began a new life – a life focused on trying to live like Jesus.  I guess I stand convicted by my own questions.  How about you?       Blessings! January 2010 One of the privileges I have as a pastor is that people often invite me into their deepest thoughts and experiences in life.  I get to be there shortly after babies are born, and when people say goodbye to family members at the end of their earthly lives.  I get to be a part of major decisions.  I get to celebrate with you when life hurdles have been cleared.  But I also get to be part of the conversation when family life is a struggle.       This last aspect of my privilege, being a part of the conversation when family life is a struggle, has seen an uptick recently.  More and more people have been coming and talking with me about problems that they are having in their family.  I don’t know if it’s related to economics, or the holidays, or the convergence of a number of factors.  But there’s definitely been an increase in the number of people who feel there are some unhealthy aspects in their family life.       Culturally, we see this all around us.  Over 4,000 women die each year at the hands of angry husbands.  Over 31% of children are living in fatherless homes.  Around 3,000,000 people are diagnosed with sexually transmitted diseases each year.  The suicide rate among those 65 and older is 50% higher than the rest of the population.  Hearing statistics like these can dampen the mood very quickly.  But living through any of these statistics does more than simply dampen a mood!       Starting in January 2010, we’re going to start looking at the question, “What does it mean to be a healthy family?” in our worship services.  There are a lot of biblical stories that illustrate healthy…and unhealthy…aspects of family life and so we’re going to begin looking at some of those stories and then make practical application for living in the family today.  I believe the biblical principles and their application will fit many different definitions of family because there are many different types of families out there!  So, I hope that in your own definition of family, there will be something from God’s Word to challenge you and help you become a more healthy family.  While I’m talking about definitions of family, we must not forget that a congregation is a kind of family too.  And we’ll be addressing that as well.  Just as congregational life can illustrate a model for healthy family life, congregational life can also be one of the most unhealthy places in our world.  How do we as a congregation need to become more healthy?       I would ask that you be praying about this.  Maybe you know some people who don’t have a church home and are stuck in some very unhealthy family situations.  Perhaps this is an opportunity to reach out to them.  Invite them to come with you this next year.  Perhaps there are some aspects to your own family life that need some fine tuning…or perhaps a complete overhaul.  Let’s be intentional about nurturing healthy families this next year.       Blessings! ------------------------------------------------------------- December 2009  This Fall, a group of us men have been meeting together on Sunday mornings during the Sunday School hour and we’ve been talking about growing up.  Now, these are all grown-up men that we’re talking about here – at least chronologically.  But we’ve all recognized that there are many areas of life where we have some growing up to do: relationally, spiritually, vocationally, etc.        The material that has been the focus of our conversation uses Ephesians 4:15 as the centerpiece.  Paul writes, “But speaking the truth in love, we must grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ” (New Revised Standard).  In one of the first conversations we had, we read a story about Henri Nouwen who said to a woman, “There are a lot of good things that can be said of parenting a child, but the greatest gift you will give your son is the gift of you being a growing person yourself.”  Paul writes that we are to grow up into Christ.  We are to be on the path toward maturing spiritually.        For better than three weeks now, we’ve been coming back to the question again and again, “Am I a growing person?”  It’s been a good question for us to wrestle with.  We are a group of men of various ages and stations in life and in the course of our conversation, we’ve come at the question from different angles.  One conclusion that I’ve come to after several weeks now of conversation with these men is that “growing up” will mean different things to different people.        Let me turn the question in your direction.  Are you a growing person?  If what Nouwen says is true, that being a growing person is one of the greatest gifts we can give to another person, are you giving to others one of the greatest gifts we can give?  Paul writes that, “…we must grow up in every way…” which implies that our growth will be multi-faceted.  One size does not fit all and the cutting edge of your growth might be different than the edge of others.       We’d like to invite you to explore your “growing up” here at First Baptist.  Please join us! November 2009 Last week, I received an email from Riley Walker, the Executive Minister from the ABC Dakotas.  He was passing on a quotation from John Schaar that he felt was worth pondering.  It reminded me of some work I did several years ago when I studied the difference between those who simply survive in life, and those who thrive.  First, consider the quote from John Schaar:       “The future is not a result of choices among alternative paths offered by the present, but a place that is created—created first in the mind and will, created next in activity. The future is not some place we are going to, but one we are creating. The paths are not to be found, but made, and the activity of making them, changes both the maker and the destination.”       I believe there’s a lot of truth in the statement above.  Sure, there are some things that happen in life in which we have no control and we simply have to ride out those events and try and survive.  An unexpected death in the family and sudden job loss might be examples of experiences where we try and survive.  Surviving is when life happens and we react.  But I also believe that so much of life unfolds based on our choices.  As John Schaar suggests, “The future is not some place we are going to, but one we are creating.” Thriving happens when we actively pursue our future and believe that we have some degree of responsibility for that future.  A successful business doesn’t normally just drop out of the sky for us.  We have to pursue that business venture!       When it comes to your faith, and First Baptist Church, are you/we survivors or thrivers?  Do we simply let our future unfold and take what comes or doesn’t come (survive)?  Or do we go out and actively pursue a life of faith and health in the church (thrive)?       When I think about the choice to survive or thrive, I believe there is a strong biblical imperative that we be thrivers.  In Joshua 1, the people were getting ready to go in and take the promised land and Joshua tells the people, “Prepare your provisions…take possession of the land that the Lord your God gives you to possess” (Joshua 1:11).  Joshua told the people that God had given them the victory, but they still had to go in and claim the land.  Thrivers go in and actively claim their future.  We as people of faith and a church need to stake out the future in where God leads.  If we just wait for things to happen, difficulties can linger and spill over into other areas of life.  Later in the Joshua story, parts of the promised land had still not been claimed by God’s people.  The Gibeonites tricked Joshua into a treaty (Joshua 9).  It took a bold thriver named Caleb to jump start the people again to finish off claiming the land (Joshua 14).       As we move deeper into Fall, we will be faced with opportunities to simply try and survive, or move toward thriving.  In your faith, your family, and your church, we can simply let it all come to us and take what comes, or we can proactively pursue what God is waiting for us to claim!  We can survive…or thrive?  What will we choose?  What will you choose?  I want to be a thriver.  October 2009 If someone tells you, “That’s normal,” are you reassured or offended?  This Fall, I’ve been thinking a lot about, “What’s normal?” for us at First Baptist Church and for me as a person!  Normal is brushing my teeth several times a day, playing with my kids, and coming to work.  I don’t think there’s anything wrong with this kind of normal.  In fact, some normal is healthy!  But normal is also too often settling for mediocrity in my faith, trying to survive instead of trying to thrive, and searching for the abundant life that Jesus promises in John 10:10 and feeling like I often come up short in that search.  If that’s normal, then I’m not so sure that I want anything to do with normal!             I’ve come across some interesting thoughts about “normal” the past several weeks.  Consider these:             “Normalcy brings a degree of routine, comfort and security.  That’s not all bad.  Society needs a measure of order.  But normal can also dud out.  It can privilege the majority at the expense of the minority.  It can demand excessive conformity.  It can lean toward the lowest, most boring, most self-serving denominator.” – Anonymous             Canadian singer/songwriter Bruce Cockburn writes, “The trouble with normal is it always gets worse.”             Boston Globe Columnist Ellen Goodman writes, “Normal is getting dressed in clothes that you buy for work and driving through traffic in a car that you’re still paying for – in order to get to the job that you need to pay for the clothes and the car and the house you leave vacant all day so you can afford to live in it.”             And another anonymous quote: “Every once in a while it’s necessary to leave normal behind, to risk the scorn, opposition and gut-tightening awkwardness that comes when norms are transgressed.  Every once in a while it’s necessary to walk right to the edge of normal and take a big, awkward step, maybe even a leap…”             A few weeks ago, someone my wife Diane and I know was talking to us about their son.  This young man is not a church person, but is curious enough about a life of faith to say, “I’m not a church person, but if I was, I would probably go to Diane’s or Gregg’s church because they seem normal.”  Initially, I felt complimented.  But lately, I’ve been wondering if maybe I should feel convicted!             Jesus challenged almost everything that was normal in his world.  He redefined greatness as service, losing one’s life as gaining one’s life, and didn’t get sucked into a religious system that was life-taking rather than life-giving.  Was Jesus normal?  He certainly grew up in a common setting, a carpenter’s household, and was not a silver-spooner so in that sense he was normal.  When Jesus taught, he used common life experiences to illustrate his theological points.  But his approach to life, and what was important to him, was anything but normal.             Lately, I’ve been doing some self-evaluation about what’s normal and I would invite you to join me.  The benchmark or model for evaluating our normalcy is Jesus.  He is the example for us to follow.  When you think about what’s normal for you, is your normal life-giving or life-taking?              Thank you for the privilege of serving among you. September 2009 My son Eli goes off to kindergarten in a few weeks. My daughter Ainslee is going to be a 2nd grader. My wife Diane is working on her doctorate through Columbia Theological Seminary and will be going to Decatur, Georgia, in a few weeks for another course. I did some continuing education while I was in Pasadena, California, at the American Baptist Biennial. Some of you are in the constant swirl of education too. You might be gearing up for a new school year, taking some classes to complete a degree, or maybe just sharpening your skills for your favorite hobby. We never quit learning or growing. It’s fun for most of us. Paul wrote in Philippians 2:12, “Therefore, my beloved, just as you have always obeyed me, not only in my presence, but much more now in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.” When Paul was in Philippi, many embraced the Gospel message. People committed their lives to Jesus (Acts 16). God had “worked in” grace, forgiveness, and a call to salvation through Paul’s preaching. Now the Philippians were to “work out” this calling in their lives. Paul’s words for the Philippians were not to try and earn salvation or be good enough to gain God’s acceptance. Paul’s challenge was for the Philippians to grow in their faith through discipleship and service. In September, there will be a number of ways you can answer the call to grow in faith and discipleship. How will you heed Paul’s words, not for the Philippians, but for us Rapid Citians (I just tried to make up a word J)? Sunday School will resume in September in its traditional form. There are classes for all ages. We meet from 9:30am-10:30am each Sunday. There are opportunities to teach, but also learn. Sunday School has been the meat and potatoes for discipleship for a lot of years. It still works. But it’s also a habit. You’re either in the habit or you’re not. Why not start a good habit this September? On Tuesday mornings from 10:00am-11:00am, you can join us in the Fellowship Hall as we work through Acts verse by verse. Join us as we study our story – the story of the early Church which continues on through us! On Tuesday evenings from 6:00pm-8:00pm, we will be offering the Financial Peace University program which encourages healthy financial habits in our families and church. Eric and Katie Peterson will be leading this study which will wrap up before Christmas. If you are interested, please contact the church office (343.0342) and we’ll put you in touch with Eric and Katie. On Wednesday Night, we have Bible learning for kids through adults. Our younger children (preschool through elementary) sing, learn, and make crafts from 6:15pm-7:30pm. The Jr. Highers (6:15pm-7:30pm) and Senior High Youth (6:30pm-8:00pm) mix in a blend of contemporary topics and Scripture. The Adults meet from 6:30pm-7:30pm in our Wired Word study which takes current event topics and sifts them through the truths of Scripture. We also will be offering the Vantagepoint3 “Emerging Journey” again this year. Last year, we had one small group go through this process as a pilot group. This year, we are expanding the offering and hope to have a men’s group which will meet early in the morning (probably 6:00am-7:30am on Tuesday or Wednesday), and a women’s group which will meet at a yet-to-be-determined time. This process focuses on discipleship and leadership centered on three questions: Who is God? Who am I? What is God up to in my life? If you are interested in this, please contact the church office (343.0342) and we’ll put you in touch with the facilitators of these groups. Paul’s words in Philippians were direct and intentional. He didn’t say, “If it works into your schedule, then try and work in some faith growth.” Paul wanted the Philippians to make their Jesus-following a priority for their lives. That same call comes to you and me. Join us for some spiritual work outs this Fall! Thank you for the privilege of serving among you. May - August 2009 I don’t know about you, but I am both fascinated and frustrated by prayer. I have probably read more than the average person about prayer so you’d think I might have a pretty good handle on it. Wrong! I have wondered whether my prayers are getting through to God. I have felt guilty about my prayer being self-centered. I have ignored prayer, and spent extended periods of time focusing on prayer. Yet, I still would classify myself as a novice. Don’t get me wrong! I believe in the power of prayer and that God changes lives through prayer! So, why is something so life changing such a struggle? I like to write quotations in the front cover of my Bible of things that seem to ring with significant truth. One of the quotes I have written is: The only way to pray is to pray. The only way to pray well is to pray much. This Summer, we are going to spend time looking at some of the great prayers of the Old Testament. People like Abraham, Moses, Hannah, David, Solomon, Jeremiah, Job, and Ezra (to name a few) have given us some of the greatest examples of prayers that we have. We’re probably not going to look at these great heroes of the faith week after week this Summer, but we are going to spend considerable time this Summer looking at their prayer life and drawing application for our own life of prayer. I hope that you can join us this Summer as we pray…and learn about prayer. April 2009 I can think of a number of times in my childhood when someone said to me, “Gregg, grow up!” Most of the time, the context was one where I was not acting appropriately in relation to my age. It’s not a good fit if you’re sucking your thumb at age 18. If you and your spouse disagree about something, it’s pretty bad form to lie on the ground and throw a fit until you get your way. We have expectations as we move through different stages in life to act, think, and live in appropriately mature ways. How does this apply to our life of faith? Easter is now over and we are going to spend some time in worship looking at this idea of growing up. Ephesians 4:15 says, “But speaking the truth in love, we must grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ.” As I’ve been studying this verse, it seems that almost every word in this verse is spilling over with practical applications for our lives. On April 19th, we’re going to look at the last phrase of this verse, “…into him who is the head, into Christ.” In this last phrase there is both a destination and way in which we grow. On April 26th, we’re going to take the phrase, “…we must grow up in every way…” As I was thinking about this phrase, it dawned on me how vitally important follow-through is in life. If your life is a constant entanglement of loose ends, this might be an area of growth for you. On May 3rd, we’ll look at the first phrase in this verse, “But speaking the truth in love…” How honest are you with people in your life? There’s a call in this verse to be honest, but to be honest in ways that are loving toward the other person. Spring is the season of new growth. I hope to see you in the next few weeks as we are intentional about a little growing up in our lives. March 2009 I have spent a lot of time in the past year asking this question, “Do you know how to get to ____________?” You see, I am directionally challenged. A friend of mine told me once that I could get lost in a cardboard box! I don’t think it’s quite that bad but I am very thankful that my wife, Diane, has a wonderful sense of direction. We all need people in life that can help us and give us some direction when we lose our bearings. This applies to finding the Safeway, choosing a doctor when we’re sick, and gaining a sense of spiritual direction too. I find it’s a pretty big deal that in the story of the early Church, one of the primary ways the followers of Jesus were identified was by calling them “the Way.” Six different times the author of Acts (Luke) uses this expression (9:2; 19:8, 23; 22:4; 24:14, 22). Only once were people in the early faith community called “Christian” (Acts 11:26). This is probably something that we should pay attention to. We are to be guides helping people find their “way” to Jesus! For some people, a life with Jesus has been a destination they’ve never been able to find…or haven’t wanted to go that way. For other people, a life with Jesus was a place they went to once, but as they’ve traveled on through life and moved away from Jesus, they haven’t been able to find the way back again. I don’t know if either of these descriptions fits you, but we are trying to be people of “the Way” at First Baptist. Maybe we could help be a guide for you on your faith journey. Maybe you could help us! I hope to see you soon! Febuary 2009 This past weekend, I had the privilege of officiating at my oldest nephew’s wedding in Minneapolis.  As I stood before him and his bride-to-be, I marveled at how quickly he had grown up and what a fine young man he has become.  I’ve never been one of those people who has said, “Oh how times flies!” but that realization startled me this past weekend.  I should be wrestling with him on the floor or playing football with him in the yard…not asking him, “Will you keep yourself for her only as long as you both shall live?”!!!  I’m sure it didn’t help that my daughter Ainslee was the flower girl and the way her hair was fixed, she looked more like she was 16 than 6! Do you find that the pace of your life continues to pick up speed?  A book publisher sent me an advertisement this morning about a new book entitled, “Addicted To Hurry: Spiritual Strategies for Slowing Down.”  I almost clicked the “Buy” button but then figured I’d spend more time feeling guilty about not having time to read the book so I declined the offer. February 25th will mark the beginning of the Lenten season.  It’s a time when we invited to slowly walk through the Scriptures that climax with Jesus on the cross.  I would invite you to join me in that spiritual discipline this month.  Take some time and read through one of the Gospel accounts of the week before the cross.  Increase the margins in your life so you can have some space to reflect.  Intentionally put the brakes on life so you can enjoy “wasting” a little time with God.  January 2009 How will you begin your New Year?  In January 2009, we will be spending a good portion of the month in our worship services focusing on beginning our new year with Jesus.  I hope that as we turn the page on our calendars that you will consider joining us as we worship God, grow in our faith, and reach out to others.  Here’s a snapshot of what’s coming up in January 2009. On Sunday, January 4th, I’ll be preaching from John 1:1-18.  If you’d like to do some thinking prior to our worship services, spend some time thinking about this: What does it mean to receive Jesus?  Take a look at John 1:12 and that’s where I’ll be landing as we talk about beginning 2009 with Jesus at the center of our lives. On Sunday, January 11th, I’ll be preaching from Genesis 1:1-5 and Mark 1:4-11.  Mark’s Gospel describes for us the baptism of Jesus in this passage.  On January 11th, we will ‘plunge’ into what our baptism means. On Sunday, January 18th, we’ll take a look at John 1:43-51.  Here, Jesus calls Philip and Nathanael.  Isn’t it amazing that we worship a God who invites us to join Kingdom work?  What’s your place in the Kingdom of God?  What do you love doing and have you found a position of service to exercise those gifts? Receiving Jesus, baptism, and finding our place of service in the Kingdom.  These are all essential understandings that we need for a life of faith.  I hope you will join us at the beginning of 2009. ------------------------------------------------- June 2008 In this year’s NCAA college basketball tournament, tiny little Davidson College almost made it to the Final Four.  Kansas, a #1 seed in the tournament, finally beat out Davidson and many basketball fans who were hoping for the Cinderella story to continue to with an eventual national championship for Davidson, were disappointed.  When the little guys win against the big guys, it gives everyone hope.  When the long shots come out on top, everyone has a chance.             Jesus came for all the long shots in life.  One of my favorite authors, Brennan Manning, says that Jesus came for those who struggle and know they don’t have it all together.  He came for those who stand on wobbly and weak knees.  He came for those that are the little guys in life…those not expected to amount to much.             Take a look around our website.  As you click through our different pages, understand that we’re not a perfect church.  We have a wonderful group of very talented people, and people who are passionate about serving God.  But we’re also a collection of long shots.  Without Jesus, we don’t amount to much.  Jesus is our Lord and Savior.  And through God’s grace we are winners!  July 2008 Sometimes I am asked, “What makes your church different from other Baptist churches? What makes your church different from the Presbyterian, Methodist, Reformed, Open Bible, Wesleyan, etc. church?” Most of the time that’s a very difficult question to answer because difference is often in the eye of the beholder. One person’s experience of “friendly” might be another’s definition of “stand-offish.” Conservative to one person might be liberal to another. In some churches, only having the piano accompany the singing instead of the piano and the organ might be a move toward contemporary worship whereas in other churches, if the praise band is not introducing new original praise music each week, then the church has lapsed into routine. I hope you catch a sense of how difficult it can be to describe and compare one church’s style and ministry compared to others. The best way to find out if a church is right for you is to walk with that group of people for a while. You need to find out what their passions are. Find out if their voice for ministry scratches an itch that you have too. How does that church seek to grow and nurture followers of Jesus? I hope that as you click through the different pages of our website that you’ll begin to discover some of the passions we have for ministry. But to truly determine if First Baptist is the right place for you to grow in Christ, you’ll need to walk with us for a while. My goal is not to have everyone come to First Baptist. My passion is to help people find a church that’s right for him or her. If that’s First Baptist great! If that ends up being somewhere else then I want to help you find that place that’s right for you! August 2008 I trust that your Summer is going well.  One of the things that we’ve been doing as a family this Summer is yard work.  Sounds exciting, eh?  I’ll bet you’d like to become an honorary member of our family!        Since we currently don’t have any grass or landscaping, we’ve been working on a lot of these projects ourselves.  One project in particular is an attempt to conceal and landscape around some utility boxes.  Since these utility boxes are right on the property line between us and our neighbors, we have been working on this project together.  It’s been a great chance to get to know our neighbors and develop a friendship.        Since we have moved here from North Carolina, we’ve begun to make new friends.  We’ve also continued to maintain contact with friends we already have.  Friends have been a great source of strength and encouragement in our transition.  Proverbs 18:24 says, “Some friends play at friendship but a true friend sticks closer than one’s nearest kin” (NRSV).  I’ve realized again that one of the greatest treasures I have in this world are people I know and who know me.       During August, we’re going to be focusing on the topic of spiritual friendship.  What does the Bible have to say about friendship?  What’s it mean to be a friend?  How can we help one another along in life, and be helped along?  I hope that you can join us for this look at friendship.       We’re also going to use this study to introduce some new opportunities to be connected to others.  This Fall, we’ll begin a spiritual friendship ministry where we’re going to pair a more mature Christian with a less mature Christian for regular conversations about life.  We’re also going to invite people to join a small group for 8-10 weeks where conversations about growing up into Christ will be the focus.  Both of these opportunities are a way that friendship can be nurtured.       Some of you may not have ever been to First Baptist before.  This might be a great time to come and worship with us and get to know us.  Who knows?  New friendships might be waiting for you here. September 2008 It won’t be long that I’ll have been serving among you at First Baptist for a year already.  The well-worn expression has seemed true: the time has gone fast.  As I was reflecting on my first year here in Rapid City, I thought back to my first year of marriage.  In my first year of marriage, I didn’t know what I was doing most of the time (at least this one still applies to me after 14 years of marriage now J), we spent a lot of time just getting to know one another, and I probably was overly sensitive about making a catastrophic mistake!  Some of those same approaches to my first year of marriage have been applied to my first year here.        Now that a year is up, I’ve been telling people that I feel like I’m gaining some traction in ministry and have a much better handle on what’s going on.  As we enter this Fall season (by the way, Fall is my favorite season), here is some evidence that the pace around here seems to be picking up.       Around 30 people have signed up to participate in our Spiritual Friendship ministry.  Basically, this is being intentional about regularly meeting with one other person and sharing your life with that person.  Our Vantagepoint3 discipleship/leadership development group will begin meeting this month.  We are focusing on 3 questions: Who is God?  Who am I?  What is God up to in my life?  Chan (our Music Minister) is working on a student musical that will be presented to the congregation on November 23rd.  Mike (our Youth Minister) has been working with some students on having a worship band that will jam on Wednesday nights before their study time.  These are some new things that will be happening this Fall.        Some familiar opportunities will also be continuing or have just concluded.  WOW (Worship on Wednesday) will begin this week (9-10-08) with discipleship opportunities for all ages.  The Bell Choir will be wrapping up their season of ringing soon.  Sunday School is kicking off another year with 9:30am-10:30am classes for all ages.  And we just had a great weekend out at Camp Judson for our Church Retreat where we talked about what it means to be one of Christ’s sheep.        If you’re looking for a church home, we’d love to have you explore whether First Baptist is right for you.  Just as my marriage is not a perfect marriage, we are not a perfect church!  But we’d love to have you join us as we continue to gain traction in our walk with Jesus. October 2008 A few weeks ago, my kids (Ainslee and Eli) and I were outside looking at the hill behind our house.  There was an autumn chill in the air and we started talking about sledding on that hill this winter.  As we pondered and dreamed, we wondered if we took our string trimmer and cut down the old grass, if we’d be able to sled even with minimal amounts of snow?  It seemed like a logical conclusion.  So we started cutting down that grass and we discovered that the dead grass was quite slick on the steep hill.  We wondered if sledding would work on the dead grass?  Maybe we didn’t have to wait for the snow!  Sure enough, our plastic sleds zipped right down that hill so we’ve been sledding now for a few weeks on the hill behind our house.  Here are some pictures of my kids to prove it!  The great thing about this “grass sledding” is that it has been a vehicle for meeting new people in our neighborhood.  People will stop and watch, (perhaps some in disbelief!) a few have joined in the fun, and some will just stop and talk for a few minutes.       When I hear the stories about how people have come to be a part of First Baptist Church, there are often some unusual circumstances connected to their arrival.  A conversation takes place at a soccer game, someone helps you fix a flat tire, or there’s a curious event like “grass sledding” that captures your attention and then the next thing you know, you’ve met a new friend.       God works through the common and strange experiences of our lives to bring us together and help us grow in our faith.  Perhaps there is a common or strange growth possibility waiting for you at First Baptist?  I hope to see you soon! December 2008 At the end of this month (November 30th), the first Sunday of Advent will roll around again.  In case this term is unfamiliar to you, Advent is the season of the Church year when we look forward to the celebration of the birth of Christ!  The Christmas season comes at the end of the year on our calendars.  But did you know that on the Church’s liturgical calendar, that Advent marks the beginning of the new Church year?        Advent is the time when we look forward to God’s breaking into our world in surprising ways.  As I’m writing this, the weather forecasters are predicting our first big snowstorm to hit.  Since I love snow and winter, there’s a certain excitement and anticipation that I’m feeling today.  For you, it may not be a snowstorm but there’s something that stirs your excitement juices.  That’s the emotion and mood of Advent.       As we prepare for this upcoming Advent season, I would like to invite you to make a new beginning with us at First Baptist Church.  This new beginning might be a search you’re in the midst of for a church home.  You might be looking for a new beginning because of some challenging life circumstances.  No matter what your search, we worship a God who breaks into our lives in some surprising and wonderful ways.  Why not join us as we long for, worship, and experience this God together.http://www.thewiredword.com/default.aspxhttp://www.bing.com/images/search?q=wow+I+could+have+had+a+v8%23focal=ebbc691577fd07617a47d2d50b32964b&furl=http://lh5.ggpht.com/_xLxdufyYQcs/S_7fOQURQZI/AAAAAAAAzJU/re2CifGXTzc/s800/Could-Have-Had-A-V1-thumb.jpgshapeimage_2_link_0