"Blessed are you who are poor,
for yours is the kingdom of God" (Luke 6:20, NIV).
This is a small portion of Ron and Judy Babbit's monthly newsletter (Tulsa Urban Ministry) to their supporters. Ron is our preacher in the Contact Church of Christ. If you are a supporter of the Babbits, thank you!
"Do you remember our Double-Wide story? He obeyed the GOSPEL, and his wife was mad at him for his commitment to be baptized into CHRIST. I gave her a book and she read every word. Afterward he called and said, 'Ron, my wife now understands why I made the commitment to the LORD. She wants to be baptized.' The next Sunday, Double-Wide baptized his wife into CHRIST. Amen church! This is a story of a family who was living on the side of a mountain in a two man pup tent. I gave them who bikes and a large 5 man tent. That's why he obtained the name Double-Wide---he went from a two man tent to a double-wide tent. Muscles and Touchdown moved them into their home, that was a 6 month blessing. Bob Fitz called and said, 'Does that dude living on the side of a mountain need a job?' Fitz gave him a job and Double-Wide loves to work. He and his wife now have their own apartment, full of furniture. They are starting a Bible study in their home so we need to find another van to haul families from their hood because they are sharing how GOD has blessed their live. Kingdom opportunities!"
Sid (Double-Wide) and Beverly (Sonic) are a great couple. Sid is very out-going and appreciative of everything that everyone has ever done for him. Beverly is very reserved, but a nice woman. I always feel honored to be a part of the Contact Church. It's great to be able to play a small role in the urban ministry.
Sunday, August 12, 2007
Saturday, August 11, 2007
The Purpose Driven Life Part 2
Here are some more good quotes from The Purpose Driven Life by Rick Warren:
"We obey God, not out of duty or fear or compulsion, but because we love him and trust that he knows what is best for us" (p. 95).
"We are often challenged to do 'great things' for God. Actually, God is more pleased when we do small things for him out of loving obedience. They may be unnoticed by others, but God notices them and considers them acts of worship.
Great opportunities may come once in a lifetime, but small opportunities surround us every day. Even through such simple acts as telling the truth, being kind, and encouraging others, we bring a smile to God's face" (p.96).
"A church family moves you out of self-centered isolation. The local church is the classroom for learning how to get along in God's family. It is a lab for practicing unselfish, sympathetic love" (p.133).
"It may seem easier to be holy when no one else is around to frustrate your preferences, but that is a false, untested holiness. Isolation breeds deceitfulness; it is easy to fool ourselves into thinking we are mature if there is no one to challenge us. Real maturity shows up in relationships" (p.134).
"If you're not involved in any service or ministry, what excuse have you been using? Abraham was old, Jacob was insecure, Leah was unattractive, Joseph was abused, Moses stuttered, Gideon was poor, Samson was codependent, Rahab was immoral, David had an affair and all kinds of family problems, Elijah was suicidal, Jeremiah was depressed, Jonah was reluctant, Naomi was a widow, John the Baptist was eccentric to say the least, Peter was impulsive and hot-tempered, Martha worried a lot, the Samaritan woman had several failed marriages, Zacchaeus was unpopular, Thomas had doubts, Paul had poor health, and Timothy was timid. That is quite a variety of misfits, but God used each of them in his service. He will use you, too, if you stop making excuses" (p.233).
"We obey God, not out of duty or fear or compulsion, but because we love him and trust that he knows what is best for us" (p. 95).
"We are often challenged to do 'great things' for God. Actually, God is more pleased when we do small things for him out of loving obedience. They may be unnoticed by others, but God notices them and considers them acts of worship.
Great opportunities may come once in a lifetime, but small opportunities surround us every day. Even through such simple acts as telling the truth, being kind, and encouraging others, we bring a smile to God's face" (p.96).
"A church family moves you out of self-centered isolation. The local church is the classroom for learning how to get along in God's family. It is a lab for practicing unselfish, sympathetic love" (p.133).
"It may seem easier to be holy when no one else is around to frustrate your preferences, but that is a false, untested holiness. Isolation breeds deceitfulness; it is easy to fool ourselves into thinking we are mature if there is no one to challenge us. Real maturity shows up in relationships" (p.134).
"If you're not involved in any service or ministry, what excuse have you been using? Abraham was old, Jacob was insecure, Leah was unattractive, Joseph was abused, Moses stuttered, Gideon was poor, Samson was codependent, Rahab was immoral, David had an affair and all kinds of family problems, Elijah was suicidal, Jeremiah was depressed, Jonah was reluctant, Naomi was a widow, John the Baptist was eccentric to say the least, Peter was impulsive and hot-tempered, Martha worried a lot, the Samaritan woman had several failed marriages, Zacchaeus was unpopular, Thomas had doubts, Paul had poor health, and Timothy was timid. That is quite a variety of misfits, but God used each of them in his service. He will use you, too, if you stop making excuses" (p.233).
Wednesday, August 08, 2007
Toilets and Christianity
"If a man shuts his ears to the cry of the poor,
he too will cry out and not be answered" (Proverbs 21:13, NIV).
The Christian Standard has several good articles about how Christians are responding to poverty, hunger, and HIV/AIDS in the current issue. The best of the articles is titled "Toilets and Christianity." It may be found at http://christianstandard.com/articledisplay.asp?id=672.
he too will cry out and not be answered" (Proverbs 21:13, NIV).
The Christian Standard has several good articles about how Christians are responding to poverty, hunger, and HIV/AIDS in the current issue. The best of the articles is titled "Toilets and Christianity." It may be found at http://christianstandard.com/articledisplay.asp?id=672.
Tuesday, August 07, 2007
Nothing Better
"I know that there is nothing better for men than to be happy and do good while they live" (Ecclesiastes 3:12, NIV).
Enjoy your life! Thank God for it! Look for ways to show kindness! Treat people the right way! God loves it!
Enjoy your life! Thank God for it! Look for ways to show kindness! Treat people the right way! God loves it!
Saturday, August 04, 2007
I've Been Tagged!
Bobby Ross Jr. (http://www.therossnews.com/) has tagged me.
The rules:
1. Players start with 8 random facts about themselves.
2. Those who are tagged should post these rules and their 8 random facts.
3. Players should tag 8 other people and notify them they have been tagged.
My 8 Random Facts:
1. Our dog is named Batdog. Our son, Christopher, is a huge fan of Batman.
2. I am watching Babylon 5 on DVD this summer.
3. We are a transracial family, a technical term that I did not know until after we adopted Christopher. A transracial family includes parents of one race and children of another. Janet and I are white. Christopher is black.
4. I can't talk Janet into moving into an apartment so that I can avoid yard work and repairs.
5. I am reading The Purpose Driven Life by Rick Warren and Quiet Strength by Tony Dungy.
6. My car is a right-hand drive station wagon.
7. On September 18, Janet and I will celebrate our 14th wedding anniversary.
8. I received my B.S.E. degree from Oklahoma Christian University.
And now...my tags:
1. Bob and Sarah Logsdon http://urbanlogfamily.blogspot.com/
2. Janet http://360.yahoo.com/tjclaud
3. Phil Sanders http://philanswers.blogspot.com/
4. Terry Rush http://terryrush.blogspot.com/
5. Sunshine Church bloggers http://sunshine-church.blogspot.com/
6. Preacher Man http://www.kinneymabry.blogspot.com/
7. Arron Chambers http://christianstandard.com/MyLordandMyBlog.asp
8. Jennifer Wright http://christianstandard.com/WriteAboutNow.asp
The rules:
1. Players start with 8 random facts about themselves.
2. Those who are tagged should post these rules and their 8 random facts.
3. Players should tag 8 other people and notify them they have been tagged.
My 8 Random Facts:
1. Our dog is named Batdog. Our son, Christopher, is a huge fan of Batman.
2. I am watching Babylon 5 on DVD this summer.
3. We are a transracial family, a technical term that I did not know until after we adopted Christopher. A transracial family includes parents of one race and children of another. Janet and I are white. Christopher is black.
4. I can't talk Janet into moving into an apartment so that I can avoid yard work and repairs.
5. I am reading The Purpose Driven Life by Rick Warren and Quiet Strength by Tony Dungy.
6. My car is a right-hand drive station wagon.
7. On September 18, Janet and I will celebrate our 14th wedding anniversary.
8. I received my B.S.E. degree from Oklahoma Christian University.
And now...my tags:
1. Bob and Sarah Logsdon http://urbanlogfamily.blogspot.com/
2. Janet http://360.yahoo.com/tjclaud
3. Phil Sanders http://philanswers.blogspot.com/
4. Terry Rush http://terryrush.blogspot.com/
5. Sunshine Church bloggers http://sunshine-church.blogspot.com/
6. Preacher Man http://www.kinneymabry.blogspot.com/
7. Arron Chambers http://christianstandard.com/MyLordandMyBlog.asp
8. Jennifer Wright http://christianstandard.com/WriteAboutNow.asp
Friday, August 03, 2007
Children's Bible Class Teachers
"At that time the disciples came to Jesus and asked, 'Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?' He called a little child and had him stand among them. And he said: 'I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore, whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. And whoever welcomes a little child like this in my name welcomes me'" (Matthew 18:1-5, NIV).
Sometimes it can be difficult for churches to fill the positions of children's Bible class teachers. It can be a difficult job. The younger children may need diapers changed. The older children may have questions that could never be answered in a mere hour. It can be a thankless job. Parents may never express appreciation. A church may never recognize the contribution that the teacher is making (although the Contact Church has always been good about showing appreciation to teachers).
However, a children's Bible class teacher has a great responsibility and potentially profound influence in the lives of children. When a child becomes a follower of Jesus Christ, he or she may not even remember that the Bible class teacher was the first person to introduce him or her to God, Christ, or the Holy Spirit. He or she may not recall that the teacher first explained such concepts as faith, repentance, baptism, prayer, heaven, hell, atonement, or propitiation. How many people would not be Christians today if not for children's Bible class teachers?
For years, Janet has taught Bible classes in the Jenks Church and the Contact Church of Christ on Sunday mornings and Wednesday evenings. For the past 6 years, she has taught the children at the Normandy Apartments while I have taught their parents and grandparents on Monday nights. In her honor (and in honor of others like her), I am posting a portion of Harold Shank's Children Mean the World to God:
I never ran away from home, but I readily identify with...loneliness, vulnerability and despair. The confusion mounted in my mind throughout my sixth grade year. Finally the Church of Christ VBS came around again. The teacher was a nice gray-haired woman named Mildred Stutzman. After VBS, Mildred took me aside. I couldn't figure out why she wanted to talk to me. I was just a kid from the neighborhood who went to VBS every summer. She explained that she also had a sixth grade class on Sunday morning. It met in the same room. Some of the same children that were in VBS were in her class. She invited me to attend.
I remember being amazed at what Mildred was asking. In the grand scheme of things I wasn't important. I was the naive child who never went to church. But I was struggling with the God question, wondering where I would get answers. Then came a voice asking me to come to a place where those questions might be discussed. God heard my cry. He answered it with Mildred Stutzman...
So I started going to Sunday school and staying for church...
Two years later, with a great deal of thinking about the God-stuff in between, I told the preacher, "This is what I want. I want Jesus in my life and I want my life in this church." I became a Christian.
Today, Harold Shank is one of the most influential leaders among the Churches of Christ and a Bible professor at Oklahoma Christian University. It all started with a children's Bible teacher named Mildred Stutzman reaching out and teaching an ignorant little boy about God. The most amazing thing is: This is happening all the time in Sunday schools, Wednesday night classes, and urban ministries around the country and around the world. Often, we miss seeing it, because it takes time to see believers develop.
Sometimes it can be difficult for churches to fill the positions of children's Bible class teachers. It can be a difficult job. The younger children may need diapers changed. The older children may have questions that could never be answered in a mere hour. It can be a thankless job. Parents may never express appreciation. A church may never recognize the contribution that the teacher is making (although the Contact Church has always been good about showing appreciation to teachers).
However, a children's Bible class teacher has a great responsibility and potentially profound influence in the lives of children. When a child becomes a follower of Jesus Christ, he or she may not even remember that the Bible class teacher was the first person to introduce him or her to God, Christ, or the Holy Spirit. He or she may not recall that the teacher first explained such concepts as faith, repentance, baptism, prayer, heaven, hell, atonement, or propitiation. How many people would not be Christians today if not for children's Bible class teachers?
For years, Janet has taught Bible classes in the Jenks Church and the Contact Church of Christ on Sunday mornings and Wednesday evenings. For the past 6 years, she has taught the children at the Normandy Apartments while I have taught their parents and grandparents on Monday nights. In her honor (and in honor of others like her), I am posting a portion of Harold Shank's Children Mean the World to God:
I never ran away from home, but I readily identify with...loneliness, vulnerability and despair. The confusion mounted in my mind throughout my sixth grade year. Finally the Church of Christ VBS came around again. The teacher was a nice gray-haired woman named Mildred Stutzman. After VBS, Mildred took me aside. I couldn't figure out why she wanted to talk to me. I was just a kid from the neighborhood who went to VBS every summer. She explained that she also had a sixth grade class on Sunday morning. It met in the same room. Some of the same children that were in VBS were in her class. She invited me to attend.
I remember being amazed at what Mildred was asking. In the grand scheme of things I wasn't important. I was the naive child who never went to church. But I was struggling with the God question, wondering where I would get answers. Then came a voice asking me to come to a place where those questions might be discussed. God heard my cry. He answered it with Mildred Stutzman...
So I started going to Sunday school and staying for church...
Two years later, with a great deal of thinking about the God-stuff in between, I told the preacher, "This is what I want. I want Jesus in my life and I want my life in this church." I became a Christian.
Today, Harold Shank is one of the most influential leaders among the Churches of Christ and a Bible professor at Oklahoma Christian University. It all started with a children's Bible teacher named Mildred Stutzman reaching out and teaching an ignorant little boy about God. The most amazing thing is: This is happening all the time in Sunday schools, Wednesday night classes, and urban ministries around the country and around the world. Often, we miss seeing it, because it takes time to see believers develop.
Thursday, August 02, 2007
Radical Generosity
"Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share" (1 Timothy 6:18, NIV).
"Radical Generosity" is the topic of today's devotional article in Our Daily Bread. When I read Marvin Williams' piece, I thought of the wealthy and generous Christians and churches that support the Contact Church of Christ and our ministers. Where would we be in the urban ministry without kind and generous believers who are willing to share their wealth? We could never do it alone. We need God and his people. The article may be read at http://www.rbc.org/odb/odb-08-02-07.shtml.
"Radical Generosity" is the topic of today's devotional article in Our Daily Bread. When I read Marvin Williams' piece, I thought of the wealthy and generous Christians and churches that support the Contact Church of Christ and our ministers. Where would we be in the urban ministry without kind and generous believers who are willing to share their wealth? We could never do it alone. We need God and his people. The article may be read at http://www.rbc.org/odb/odb-08-02-07.shtml.
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