The world did not end in 2011...will it in 2012?

The predictions were made. Many thought it would happen but the world didn't end this past year. We are now just hours away from 2012 and I for one am very excited.

The one thing I am looking forward to the most in 2012 is the opportunity to see many more people come to faith in Jesus Christ as their personal Lord and Savior. That, my friends, is the biggest reason why the world didn’t end in 2011. The truth is that Jesus is going to return someday (the Bible is clear that we cannot predict exactly the time). But why hasn’t He done so yet? Why didn’t He do so last year? The Bible gives the answer to that question:

“The Lord is not slow about His promise (to return), as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance.” (2 Peter 3:9)

Why hasn’t Jesus come back yet? Why hasn’t the world ended yet? It’s not because God is late. He’s never late. It is because He is patient. It is because He is loving. You see, God loves you so much that He doesn’t want you to perish apart from Him. Instead, He wants you to enter into a relationship with Him through faith in the death and resurrection of Christ for your sins. That’s the message of the most popular verse in the entire Bible:

“For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.” (John 3:16)

That is why I am so excited about 2012. God in His patience and in His love is giving more time to communicate the greatest message in the world to the entire world…the message that says you can know for sure that you are going to heaven through faith in the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Happy New Year!

Here is to doing LESS in 2012

I have never really been into New Year's Resolution, but if I were going to make serious New Year's resolution it would be this:

"I resolve in 2012 to spill less coffee on the church carpet so that our custodians can spend less time cleaning up the messes made by their Lead Pastor!"

OK - I guess I set the bar a little high on that resolution. There is just no way that I can follow through on that level of a resolution. But here are some things I would like to do "LESS OF" in 2012:

Talk LESS

(James 1:19)

Sin LESS

(1 Peter 1:15-16)

Eat LESS

(1 Corinthians 9:25-27)

Waste LESS

(Ephesians 5:15-17)

Worry LESS

(Philippians 4:6-7)

Spend LESS

(Proverbs 6:6-8)

HERE IS TO DOING LESS IN 2012!

Teaching Truth in 2012

My greatest passion in life is teaching and preaching the Bible. Seriously, I would preach every day if only someone would come and listen! It is perhaps my greatest joy in being a pastor. So as we enter 2012, here are some truths I am looking to preach and teach to our SHEPHERDS (Elders); our STAFF and on SUNDAYS here at the Gaylord E-Free Church.

SHEPHERDS - I will be taking time once a month over the course of 2012 to walk our Elder Board through the book of Titus. This is a wonderful New Testament book written by Paul that deals with the importance of Elders in the church; the qualifications of Elders in the church; and the elements that Elders are to ensure are "set in order" in the church. My focus is to see our Elder Board become better equipped to be shepherds to our congregation here at E-Free and the book of Titus is a wonderful starting point. We will begin as early as Monday, January 2, by looking at Titus 1:1-5.

STAFF - We have a great staff here at E-Free, but as Paul so eloquently said in the opening verses of 1 Corinthians 13, even if have great talent and accomplish great ministry feats, if we don't have genuine, godly love, all of our labors are worthless. We will be using staff meetings over the first part of 2012 to allow me to lead our staff through key passages that teach us the finer elements of what love is. We will start with our full staff by discussing the 16 descriptions of true Biblical love as defined in 1 Corinthians 13 by Paul. At the same time, our ministry staff will be taking a detailed study of the Great Commandment given by Jesus in Matthew 22:34-40. We will take time over the coming months to learn what it really looks like to love God, love our neighbor, and even to love our enemies.

SUNDAYS - Sunday mornings over the opening months of 2012 will begin with a 7-week verse by verse study through Genesis 5-9 and the life of Noah. We will be calling the series, "The Noah Factor: All Are Welcome!" Following that series and leading up to Easter will be a very important Vision Series entitled, "Meeting & Moving: A Vision That Melts In Your Mouth!" Then, following Easter, we will have a 3-week series leading up to Mother's Day that we are simply calling "Word!" This will be a detailed look at 2 Timothy 3:15-17 as we see what the character of the Bible is all about.

A Boar in God's Vineyard

One of my all-time favorite speakers and authors has always been the delightful and insightful Chuck Swindol. He is about the best I have ever seen at taking spiritual truth and putting it out there in a way that anyone can understand it and apply it. And his humor is infectious. In fact, one of my most favorite books I have ever read is Swindol's "Laugh Again" which is a true masterpiece on the topic of Joy as seen in the New Testament book of Philippians.

Yesterday I watched a talk on You Tube that Chuck Swindol gave to a conference of pastors, ministry leaders and their spouses. He tackled a topic that most people don't want to admit is a reality. It deals with the ugly side of the church. In this penetrating talk, Swindol tackles the topic of difficult people in the church who cause division and destruction. If you would like to watch the video simply go to You Tube and type "Swindol - A Boar in God's Vineyard" into the search engine.

If you are a pastor, ministry leader, or the spouse of a pastor or ministry leader, you really need to watch this message. In fact, if you are a pastor or ministry leader, I can guarantee that you fall into one of three categories:

You have gone through an altercation with someone like this in your church!

You are currently dealing with someone like this in your church!

You will someday soon have to deal with someone like this in your church!

How do I know this is true? Because times haven't changed much. The Bible speaks of individuals like this that even the Apostle Paul and the Apostle John had to deal with in several different passages in the New Testament. Here are some examples:

"I wrote something to the church; but Diotrephes, who loves to be first among them, does not accept what we say. For this reason, if I come, I will call attention to his deeds which he does, unjustly accusing us with wicked words; and not satisfied with this, neither does he himself receive the brethren, and he forbids those who desire to do so and puts them out of the church."

(3 John 1:9-10)

"Now I urge you brethren, keep your eye on those who cause dissensions and hindrances contrary to the teaching which you learned, and turn away from them. For such men are slaves, not of our Lord Christ, but of their own appetites, and by their smooth and flattering speech they deceive the hearts of the unsuspecting."

(Romans 16:17-18)

"A Boar in God's Vineyard" by Chuck Swindol. This is a video that I will listen to again. If you are a pastor or ministry leader, you will greatly benefit from watching it as well! The topic is very disheartening but the way Chuck ends the message is uplifting and liberating. Invest an hour of your time in finding and watching it. You will be so glad that you did!

Gaylord Evangelical Free Church 2011 Annual Report - Lead Pastor's Article

Me? Move to Gaylord, Michigan? I have to be honest…at first glance it didn’t seem like the best fit. I had never golfed or fished. I don’t ski or snowboard. And I had never in my life even owned, let alone used, a snow blower. But after my family and I visited on the weekend before Christmas (2010) God sealed in our hearts that this was exactly where He was leading us and we are thrilled be living here in Gaylord and to be part of the E-Free family. In the 9 months since I came to Gaylord I have seen many strengths that this church has and that we can build upon for the glory of God. Let me highlight just four of them:

First, is the rich history of being an outward focused church. All churches “talk” about being outward-focused, but few churches really are outward focused. Pastor Jim has truly been used of God these past 24 years in leading E-Free to be outward focused and that is a history that is unique and one that we are blessed to have.

Second, E-Free Church has an exceptional reputation in our community. When my family visited for the first time in December 2010, we spent a lot of time in the community asking people what they thought about E-Free church. Every comment, without exception, was positive. One greeter at Meijer (who attends a different church) said, “That church is the best thing this community has going.” The sad truth is that if most churches shut their doors today, the community around them would not even notice. This is not the case with E-Free. If we were to close our doors today our community would feel the impact greatly.

A third strength is the amazing amount of lay people involved in leadership throughout our church. From Elders to Leadership Team members, to Ministry Team leaders and more, so many are involved in leading the different ministries within our church. These lay people really are the backbone of our church. Along with full-time jobs, families, and all the other pressures of life, they still choose to lead within our church!

A final strength I will mention is a team of committed staff members. From our Pastoral Staff to our paid Ministry Leaders, to our Administrative Team that works in the office, to our dedicated Custodial Team, we have a staff that is not only talented, but committed to the Lord and to the ministry of E-Free. What a thrill it is to be able to rub shoulders with them and partner with them daily in this place for the cause of Christ.

2011 has been a successful year of transition for our church. I believe that 2012 will be a successful year of continued ministry effectiveness. You are going to hear a constant theme in 2012. It will be easy to identify and remember. All you have to do is focus on the letters “M&M”! What does that mean? You will find out in the year to come.

JOY and BALLOONS

It was an amazing weekend at Gaylord E-Free. 1300 people were part of our two Christmas Eve Services which saw many put their faith in Jesus Christ for the very first time. Hallelujah! Then came the "icing on the cake" as we gathered together again on Christmas morning for some more Christmas worship.

Our theme Christmas morning was "MEGA JOY" and we illustrated the JOY of Christmas in a very special way. As each person entered the Gospel Center they were given either a blue or white star-shaped BALLOON filled with helium. As the service started I told everyone that the balloon they were holding represented the JOY that was in their heart. I then instructed them that at any time during the service in which their JOY was overflowing to simply let go of the BALLOON!

I can't tell you how cool and amazing it was throughout the morning as we worshipped to see these blue and white star-shaped BALLOONS floating up to the ceiling of our auditorium - literally hundreds of them. By the end of the service we could look up and see these BALLOONS covering the ceiling as each of us were able in a creative way to visibly and physically demonstrate our JOY on the birthday of Jesus!

Between seeing hundreds of people holding lit candles on Christmas Eve and then watching hundreds of these blue and white star-shaped balloons floating up to the ceiling on Christmas morning, it really was a special weekend at the Gaylord E-Free Church! And over the next several weeks you will be reminded of this special and joyful day every time you enter the church Gospel Center and see those balloons above your head. The way I see it, they should all lose enough helium that they will all float back down by about Easter Sunday!

Today Christmas is over - but the JOY continues!

Happy Birthday, JESUS!

"For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord!"

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

It's Christmas Eve...Here's Wishing You a MESSY Christmas!

Personally, I do not think Christmas Day is the bests day of the year. For me, the best day is today - December 24. I love this day. It is a day of non-stop anticipation. For the Distler family, the day will include all of the following:

we will begin with a home made sausage gravy and biscuits breakfast (this is usually our Christmas Day breakfast, but since Christmas Day falls on a Sunday this year and we will all be on stage for an exciting Christmas morning worship service at Gaylord E-Free, we are moving the annual sausage gravy and biscuits breakfast up to today)!

The majority of the day will then be spent in decorating Christmas cookies. This is when we see the real artistic revelations come out of our son. I will have to sneak away to the basement at some point during this time to wrap some gifts. My shopping is done and they are in boxes - all that is left is the wrapping.

Mid-afternoon our family will head out for our annual Christmas Eve dinner. Typically this takes place at Olive Garden. But since there is no Olive Garden in Gaylord, MI, we will have to experiment with a different Italian restaurant for this family tradition.

After dinner we head to church to get ready for our Christmas Eve services. We will have two identical services - one at 5pm and the other at 7pm. The theme is "MESSY Christmas!" Why? Because the very first Christmas was very MESSY! Jesus was born in a MESSY cave and lain in a MESSY manger. And it was fitting because He came into a MESSY world to follow a MESSY plan that would include a very MESSY cross. Even today, Christmas can get MESSY! That's what makes Christmas as meaningful now as it was way back then. It is going to be a great service. Laura, Joy and Jonathan will all be singing and I will be sharing a message which will include telling my favorite Christmas story of all-time about a boy named Wally. It's called "No Room! Go Away!"

Following our Christmas Eve services we will head home to continue our family Christmas Eve traditions. We open any gifts we have received from non-family. Then we open the stockings from my parents. We call them "Nana's Stockings!" This is always a time of great fun and laughter.

After Nana's stockings are emptied we will give Joy and Jonathan their first gift of Christmas from us. we will then sit down and watch a Christmas movie together.

Finally, it will be bed time but before we turn out the light, Laura gets to go through an extra stocking I do just for her. It's a purple stocking because purple is her favorite color!

After that, the best part of Christmas Eve takes place - SANTA ARRIVES!!!!!!

Happiness at Christmas is not the Goal!

I love Christmas! I love everything about it! And here we are just 2 days before Christmas and I am loving it! I am happy! There are many things that bring me "happiness" this Christmas:

The decorations make me happy. I just love our house at Christmas! I love all the lights around town (though I'm not a big fan of all the inflatable elements in people's yards)!

Watching all the Christmas specials on TV makes me happy (especially Ernest Saves Christmas)!

The fact that my stocking will be full come Christmas morning (and I'm not talking coal here) makes me happy!

Knowing there are beautifully wrapped presents under our Christmas tree with my name on it that makes me happy!

The food that will be on our dining room table this Christmas - that will make me happy!

Having both of my kids home from college for Christmas indeed makes me happy!

But it isn't the "happiness" of Christmas that I'm loving. That's not what I am most excited about! It's the joy! There is a big difference. Happiness is a temporary feeling that comes and goes based on circumstances. Joy is different. It's better - much better.

Think about it. The very first Christmas was filled with JOY! Everyone involved seemed to experience it. The angels told the shepherds of "Great" joy and the wise men rejoiced "Exceedingly." This wasn't happiness.

There were no decorations!

The wise men were not checking out the light displays in people's yards on the way to Bethlehem!

There were no stockings hung by the chimney with care!

There were no holiday specials to watch on TV!

There were no gingerbread cookies to eat or egg nog to drink!

There were no beautifully wrapped presents under fancifully decorated trees!

But there was joy! What makes the difference? It's Jesus! Joy has nothing to do with circumstances (that's happiness) but everything to do with Jesus (that's joy)! The Bible says it this way:

"And though you have not seen Him (Jesus), you love Him (Jesus), and though you do not see Him (Jesus) now, but believe in Him (Jesus), you greatly rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory!" (1 Peter 1:8)

So my Christmas wish for each of you over the coming weekend has nothing to do with "happiness!" My wish for you is much greater than a temporary feeling that comes and goes with circumstances. My wish for you is JOY - a deep, inner, abiding contentment in the fact that you know and are eternally secure in Jesus, no matter if your holiday circumstances are favorable or frustrating.

As Christians we owe it to the world to be supernaturally joyful! And there is no day like Christmas to let that joy shine! May your Christmas be one in which, because you love and believe in Jesus, you "greatly" rejoice with joy that is "inexpressible" and which is "full" of glory!

The Adjectives and Adverbs of Joy

It's not just any JOY that the birth of Jesus brings. Check out the adverbs and adjectives that described this JOY experienced by the shepherds and by the magi on that very first Christmas:

"But the angel said to them (the shepherds), 'Do not be afraid; for behold I bring you good news of GREAT joy which will be for all the people.'" (Matthew 2:10)

"When they (the Magi) saw the star, they rejoiced EXCEEDINGLY with GREAT joy." (Matthew 2:10).

Did you catch that? The Christmas message to the shepherds was not just one of joy - it was one of GREAT joy! The Christmas star didn't just cause the Magi to rejoice - they rejoiced EXCEEDINGLY! The shepherds and magi didn't just experience joy, they experienced MEGA joy!

Join us this Sunday morning here at the Gaylord E-Free Church as we celebrate Christmas with MEGA JOY! We will have one combined service at 10am. There will be no kid's programs but there will be child-care for those 2 years of age and under. There will also be a special gift for every child in attendance this Sunday.

And to actively show our MEGA JOY on Sunday morning, we will be doing something as part of our worship that morning that has never been done in a Sunday morning worship service here at E-Free (and is likely to never be done again!)!

It's isn't often that we get to include gathering together as a church family as part of our Christmas Day celebrations. Join us for a service of GREAT joy!

Christmas JOY in People

In yesterday's posting we looked at the concept of JOY seen all throughout the Christmas carols we sing each year during the holiday season. Today let's notice how we see JOY throughout the people in the Christmas story!

Zacharias - In Luke 1:14, when the angel tells Zacharias that his wife, Elizabeth, was going to give birth in her old age to John the Baptist who would be the forerunner of the Messiah, the angel said, "You will have JOY and GLADNESS, and many will REJOICE at his birth."

Mary - In Luke 1:47, after the angel had announced to Mary that she would give birth to Jesus, the Messiah, she said, "My soul exults the Lord, and my spirit has REJOICED in God my Savior."

Mary's Neighbors and Relatives- Speaking of Mary's neighbors and relatives, Luke 1:58 says, "Her neighbors and her relatives heard that the Lord had displayed His great mercy toward her; and they were REJOICING with her."

The Angel - In Luke 2:10, the Angel announced to the shepherds, "Do not be afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of great JOY which shall be for all people."

The Shepherds - In Luke 2:20, after finding and worshipping the Christ Child, the Bible says, "The shepherds went back GLORIFYING and PRAISING God for all that they had heard and seen, just as had been told them."

The Magi - When the Magi left Herod's palace and started toward Bethlehem, the star they had seen signifying the birth of a King reappeared. Matthew 2:10 says, "When they saw the star, they REJOICED exceedingly with great JOY!"

Like Zacharias, like Mary, like Mary's neighbors and relatives, like the angel, like the shepherds, and like the Magi, may you experience His JOY this Christmas! Merry Christmas!

Singing Christmas JOY!

JOY!!!! It is a key word at Christmastime, isn't it? You see it everywhere! Just think through the Christmas carols. You see JOY all through the lyrics. Sing through the following lines of these great Christmas hymns. May your Christmas this year be filled with JOY!:

REJOICE! REJOICE! Emmanuel shall come to thee O Israel!

Dear desire of every nation, JOY of every longing heart!

JOY to the world! The Lord is come! JOY to the earth! The Savior reigns!

And the mountains in reply echo back their JOYOUS strains!

JOYFUL all ye nations rise, join the triumphs of the skies!

How great our JOY! JOY, JOY, JOY!

Come all ye faithful, JOYFUL and triumphant!

A thrill of hope, the weary world REJOICES!

Good Christian men REJOICE with heart and soul and voice!

Pre-Service Stretching

I love to follow sports and one of the things I know is that most athletes have a structured routine that they go through on "game day" in order to be ready in all aspects to perform. As much as I love sports, God never gifted me with the talent to play them (Although my dream still remains to be able to use my God-given talent in communication to announce a game some day).

Yet, for me as a pastor, Sunday is kind of like "game day" in the fact that it is my big day of the week (that is not meant to mean that I see preaching as a performance). I have found that much in the same way that athletes have "pre-game routines," I have developed some as well on Sunday mornings. This routine helps me to prepare myself physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually. It's kind of like stretching before you run. For me, a typical Sunday morning goes like this.

6:30-7:10 - Wake up, shower, dress and grab a cup of coffee to go

7:10-7:15 - Drive to church

7:15-7:30 - Check email and eat a breakfast bar

7:30-8:00 - Read over my sermon notes and read a few additional commentaries on the passage I am preaching on just to refresh my mind on the content and context of the passage

8:00-8:45 - Go to a back classroom and practice my sermon out loud. This typically is my 3rd run through. My goal each week is to practice my sermon on Thursday afternoon, Saturday morning, and then again on Sunday morning.

8:45-9:00 - Go up to the sound booth and grab my microphone. Then check in with the video room and with the Worship Arts Director to be sure everything is "all systems go" and nothing has changed from the most recent plan for the service.

9:00-9:15 - Go back to my office and prepare my heart to preach by singing out loud several of the worship songs we are using in the service that morning. Typically, I plug the song titles into YouTube, crank up the volume on my computer speakers, and sing to the Lord from the bottom of my heart and the top of my lungs.

9:15-9:25 - Head upstairs and mingle with folks as they arrive at church.

9:25-9:30 - Prayer with the service participants backstage

9:30 - The service begins!

Christmas and Family

How's the song go again?

"Faithful friends who are dear to us, travel near to us once more!"

After all, isn't that one of the best parts of Christmas? In most cases we are able to spend this special day with family and friends that we don't always get to spend time with throughout the year. But then again, sometimes it's the family dynamics of family being there that can cause the most stress at the Holidays. If you don't think that's true, take some time between now and Christmas and watch a couple Holiday movies like "National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation" or "Home Alone!"

The truth is that for many, it is the absence of family that has put a cloud over their anticipation of December 25.

For some, this will be their first Christmas away from home.

For some this will be the first Christmas that the kids and/or grand-kids don't make it home.

For some this will be the first Christmas since losing a loved one to death.

For some this will be the first Christmas since a broken marriage took place.

This Sunday here at Gaylord E-Free we will continue our "Avoiding the Christmas Crash" message series and learn from Galatians 4:1-7, how we can avoid the Christmas Crash related to family. No matter what your family dynamic will be this Christmas, I think you will be greatly blessed and encouraged at what we will see this Sunday from this amazing passage in the Bible!

A White Christmas Guarantee

Here we are just 9 days until my first Christmas living in the snow belt of Northern Michigan and there is not a flake of snow to be found. Growing up in a Lake Effect snow area in Akron, Ohio, I can remember many White Christmases as a kid - what can be better? But then God took me to southern Ohio, where White Christmases were very rare. When we lived in northwest Indiana we had a little better chance for a White Christmas. But over the last 6 years living in southcentral PA I can't remember any White Christmases.

That is one of the many reasons our family looked forward to moving to Gaylord, Michigan. When you live were they average 150+ inches of snow a year you are pretty much guaranteed a white Christmas, right? Maybe not! I mean we have just 9 days left until December 25 and there is no snow on the ground and the weathermen don't seem to have much good news that anything significant will happen between now and then. So I guess my first Christmas in northern Michigan just may be a "green" (or more like a "brown") Christmas. BUMMER!

But wait...I have just been handed a special bulletin. It says, "WHITE CHRISTMAS GUARANTEED!" That's right! I have just been guaranteed a white Christmas. By the way, the special bulletin did not come from the Weather Service. It came from much higher up the weather ladder than that! It came from God, the Creator of the Universe. He just guaranteed me a white Christmas. Here is what the bulletin said.

"Come now, let us reason together," says the LORD. "Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool. (Isaiah 1:8)

How cool is that! No matter what the scene may look like outside of my window come Christmas morning, I will be celebrating a white Christmas. I will be celebrating the fact that because of Christmas, when God became flesh to save us from our sins, I am guaranteed a white Christmas. Though my sins (which are many) are as scarlet, through faith in the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ they have been washed white as snow! Now that is what I call a "white Christmas!"

Will you be having a white Christmas this year?

Where are the Christmas Wise Men Today?

Based on my last two postings it would be easy to conclude that I am "against" the Christmas "wise men." Such is not the case. In fact, we really need some Christmas-style Wise Men today. Here is what I mean:

In Matthew 2:1-2 the Christmas Wise Men sought out the newborn king to worship Him! We could sure use some Christmas Wise Men today who make worshipping Christ a passion and a priority!

In Matthew 2:10 the Christmas Wise Men "rejoiced exceedingly with great joy" when they saw the star reappear over the skies of Bethlehem. We could sure use some Christmas Wise Men today whose greatest joy in life is following hard after Jesus!

In Matthew 2:11 the Christmas Wise Men fell down and worshipped the Baby Jesus. We could sure use some Christmas Wise Men today who will humble themselves and make the exalting of Christ the greatest priority of their lives.

In Matthew 2:11 the Christmas Wise Men gave Jesus gifts of love and worship. We could sure use some Christmas Wise Men today who are more concerned about giving to Jesus then they are building their own wealth.

In Matthew 2:12 the Christmas Wise Men obeyed the warning of God in spite of the risk it was to them when they avoided King Herod on their way home. we could sure use some Christmas Wise Men today who will obey God at all costs.

Where are the Christmas Wise Men today? We could sure use them!

My Greatest Christmas Pet Peeve

In my blog post yesterday we talked about the many misconceptions there are today about the "wise men" in the Christmas story that we take as fact, though the Bible does not necessarily teach them as fact. This brings about my greatest Christmas Pet Peeve! I can barely look at nativity scenes today because almost always they have the wise men at the manger. Most everyone thinks that is how it happened. Even churches have the wise men at their nativity scenes. Whenever I see the wise men at the manger in front of a house or church I always want to stop and take those gift-bearing fellows and move them to a house across town. Why? Because as I read Scripture it seems apparent to me that they never visited the manger. The shepherds did but not the wise men. Why do I say this?

First, according to Matthew 2:11, the magi (who are more commonly today called "wise men" or "kings") came into the "house" where the mother and Child were. They did not come into the cave or stable. They came into the house. By the time that the wise men showed up, Mary and Joseph were no longer in a "cave" but were now in a "house."

Second, according to Luke 2:21-24, eight days after the birth of Christ, Mary and Joseph took Him to the temple to have Him dedicated and to be circumcised. This would include offering a sacrifice. Luke's account tells us that they offered two turtle doves or pigeons. Now if you compare this with the details of the Law as seen in Leviticus 12:6-8, you will discover that this was the sacrifice of a poor person, which Joseph must have been. Those who were not poor would have offered a lamb.

Now how does this show that the wise men had not come yet? According to Matthew 2:11, what did the wise men bring when they came? They brought expensive gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh. Had they already visited and given these gifts, wouldn't it be reasonable to assume that Joseph could have afforded a lamb to offer? Why, then, was he only able to offer the sacrifice of a poor man? I believe it is because the wise men had not yet visited.

So, please do me a favor! Spare me some Christmas grief. Do what we do at our house. Take the wise men out of your mangers and set them somewhere clear across the room. Hmmmm, in looking around our own church, maybe we need to do some "redecorating" here as well!

Christmas - Dragnet Style

I love Christmas, but as is the case with everything, there are parts of it that get under my skin a bit. If there is one area of the Biblical account of the very first Christmas that tends to get twisted when it comes to "the facts", it's those guys we commonly refer to as "wise men." Now don't get me wrong. I believe that these "magi" were part of the story, but I also think we have taken some liberties with the facts.

I would like to recommend a "Dragnet" (for those who remember that great detective show from TV days gone by) approach in which in Jack Webb style we say "Just the facts, please" when it comes to the Wise Men. I encourage you to read Matthew 2:1-12. The only "facts" we know related to the visit of these "magi" come from this passage. Notice what is missing:

It does not tell us exactly how many there were (I know the song says, "We three kings" but the Bible does not give that number).

It does not tell us the mode of transportation that the wise men used (most people say "camels" as if that were certain, but that fact is not mentioned specifically in the Bible).

It does not tell us what country these men were from.

It does not tell us that they followed the star from their homeland all the way to Bethlehem. Honest, it doesn't. Go back and read it. The sign in the sky informed them of the birth of a king over the Jews. They didn't follow a star across the desert directly to Bethlehem. Their journey took them first to Jerusalem. That made sense. If they were looking for a king, the palace was the most logical place to go. Once at the palace, they hear from the Scribes that the prophecy talked about Bethlehem. So they head toward Bethlehem and "rejoice" when the star that they originally saw now reappears over the place where the Christ-child was.

And most of all, it does not tell us that they visited the manger! That misconception is my greatest Christmas pet peeve. I will talk more about it in tomorrow's posting.

Santa Claus is Feeling Kind of Down

I have it on good authority that even Santa is struggling this year with the Holiday Blues. If you know the song about him you know that this is true. I know you are familiar with the beginning of this great Holiday Classic. But do you know all of it?

You better watch out

You better not cry

You better not pout

I'm telling you why

Santa Claus is coming to town

He's making a list

He's checking it twice

He's gonna find out

Who's naughty and nice

Santa Claus is coming to town

He sees you when you're sleeping

He knows when you're awake

He knows if you've been bad or good

So be good for goodness sake

BUT

There's a rumor this year

He's not coming back

The elves went on strike

And the grinch stole his sack

Santa Claus is feeling kind of down

Dancer and Prancer

They both split the scene

They got all fed up

With that housetop routine

Santa Claus is feeling kind of down

BUT

There's a story to tell

Better than tinsel and tree

It's Christmas true meaning

And it's for you and me

Someone greater is coming to town

He sees you when you're sleeping

He knows when you're awake

He died upon a rugged cross

And all your sins did Jesus take

SO

You better repent

You better believe

Turn from your sin

And Jesus receive

Jesus Christ is coming...

Jesus Christ is coming....

Jesus Christ is coming to town!

Learn How to Avoid the Post-Holiday-Let-Down

Even the best Christmas can come with a post-holiday-let-down! Just think of the first Christmas! It started with Glad Tidings. There was the birth of a baby! There were angels! There were shepherds. And ultimately there were Wise Men bringing amazing gifts. What a special Christmas.

But then the Glad Tidings of that first Christmas rapidly turned to a Great Threat! There was an evil king. There were murderous plans. There was an angelic warning. And ultimately there was a flight to Egypt in order to save a child's life.

See what I mean - even the best Christmas ever came with a post-holiday-let-down. Chances are very good that your Christmas this year will as well. Join us here at Gaylord E-Free this Sunday at 9:30am as we look at this story in Scripture and learn together learn three principles that we can apply to our lives even now to help us to avoid the Christmas Crash of the post-holiday-let down!

www.gaylordefree.org

An E-Free Holiday

The 9 days between Christmas Eve and New Year's Day are going to be absolutely awesome here at the Gaylord E-Free Church. Don't miss any of these holiday celebrations:

December 24 - We will have two identical Christmas Eve services at 5pm and 7pm. Each service will include drama, video, music, stories and candle-lighting suitable for the whole family. Child-care will be available for those 2 years of age and under for both services.

December 25 - We will have one combined Christmas morning worship service beginning at 10am suitable for the whole family. In fact, we will be doing something special as part of the service that has never been done in a service here at Gaylord E-Free (and may never be done again). There will also be a special gift for every child in attendance. There will be no Kid's Church or Children's Church and no 2nd hour classes for kids or adults. There will be child-care for those age 2 and under.

December 31 - Before you ring in the New Year, come to Gaylord E-free for a 7pm showing of the new movie, 'Courageous.' The event is free and will be designed as a true theatre experience for all. There will be no child-care available.

January 1 - We will have one combined New Year's Day morning worship service beginning at 10am suitable for the whole family. The theme will be, "Keep on Celebrating!" There will be no Kid's Church or Children's Church and no 2nd hour classes for kids or adults. There will be child-care for those age 2 and under.

JOIN US AT GAYLORD E-FREE FOR THE HOLIDAYS

www.gaylordefree.org

Why Joseph?

Mary gets most of the press in the Christmas story and that is well deserved. But my question is, "Why Joseph?" Why did God pick a poor carpenter from Nazareth to be the greatest human example to Jesus when God became flesh? Why did he pick Joseph out of a choice of thousands to be the human (not biological as Jesus was born of a virgin) father of Jesus. I think I know the answer.

In Matthew 2:13, an angel of God appears to Joseph in a dream. His first two words to Joseph were "Get Up!"

In Matthew 2:14, the Bible says, "So Joseph Got Up!"

In Matthew 2:19-20, the angel reappears to Joseph in a dream and again his first two words to the carpenter were, "Get Up!"

Matthew 2:21 then describes Joseph's reaction with the words, "So Joseph Got Up!"

Both times God said, "Get Up!" Both times Joseph "Got Up!" In fact, back in Matthew 2:14, after the angel appears to Joseph and tells him that the baby conceived in Mary was of the Holy Spirit and to go ahead and take Mary as his wife, the Bible says, "And Joseph did as the angel of the Lord commanded."

Why did God pick Joseph to be the earthly father of Jesus? I think it was because God wanted a father for Jesus who was committed to obedience. After all, isn't that the greatest quality of a dad? The best dads are the ones who are committed to obeying God!"

It kind of makes me wonder. If I were a Jewish man at the time that God sent His Son into the world, would I have been on His short list to be Jesus' dad? Am I known to God as a man who is committed to obedience?

My Goal Every Sunday is to LIE

Aren't preachers supposed to tell the truth? They probably are. But the truth is that my goal is to LIE. That's right. Each and every Sunday when I preach here at Gaylord E-Free I intentionally try to LIE! That is how I view a successful sermon. If I didn't LIE, the message probably wasn't effective. Let me explain. I am using the word LIE as an acronym. Each letter in the word stands for a goal in my preaching. Here is what I mean:

L = Learn! My goal each Sunday when I preach is that every person who is present will learn something they never knew about the Bible. This can be a challenge because each Sunday our Gospel Center auditorium is filled with a wide variety of people. Some are brand new believers. Some have been Christians years longer than I have been alive. And many are checking out the truths of Christ and have yet to cross that line of faith and place their trust fully and solely in the death and resurrection of Jesus for the forgiveness of their sins and for their eternal home in heaven. Yet, my goal remains that each person who attends can leave having learned something from Scripture that they did not know when they came to church that morning.

I = Inspire! The first letter ("L") deals with education while the letter "I" deals with application. My goal each Sunday is not just to teach facts about the Bible but to motivate each listener to desire to take steps of faith based on those facts about the Bible that they have learned and apply these principles to their lives. My prayer is that God would use the message to convict and stir the heart of each person who comes to E-Free on Sunday in such a way that they would leave church different in some way, shape or form through the working of Spirit and the power of the Word.

E = Encourage! My goal is that each Sunday every person would walk away, not only having learned something and being motivated to change their life accordingly, but that each person would also leave encouraged in their faith, in large part due to the message they heard preached.

That's what I mean when I say that my goal each Sunday when I preach is to LIE! If at the end of the morning of worship I didn't successfully LIE, how successful was I really? So be sure to invite someone to attend church at E-Free with you this Sunday as we continue our "Avoiding the Christmas Crash" message series. Lord willing, they will leave having LEARNED; having been INSPIRED; and having been ENCOURAGED!

E-Free Core Values Acronym

At our Leadership Planning Day here at the Gaylord E-Free Church last Saturday, we broke into groups and discussed our core values as a church and how we would word them if we were using the acronym for E-FREE where we had one core value for each letter. Here is what the groups came up with (one of them actually included hand motions):

E = Exalt God and Emulate Christ

F = Faithful to the Scriptures

R = Reach people for Christ

E = Edify and Educate the body

E = Excellence in the Execution of ministry

E = Exalt Jesus Christ

F = Focus on God's Word

R = Reach out

E = Edify one another

E = Engage

E = Evangelism

F = Following God's Word

R = Reaching our to connect people

E = Encourage service to God

E = Excellence in all we do

E = Exalt God in all we do

F = Fellowship in Christ

R = Reach out to the community

E = Edify the body

E = Excellence in everything

E = Exalt Christ

F = Fulfill His commands

R = Reach the lost

E = Emphasize the Bible

E = Encourage one another

E = Evangelism

F = Faith

R = Relationships

E = Experience God's presence

E = Exemplify Christ

How do these pictures represent your church?

I started our day long planning meeting with our "3-legged stool of leadership" (Ministry Staff, Elder Board and Leadership Team) Saturday by having them discuss how the following pictures represent our church here at Gaylord E-Free.

So what are your thoughts? How do the following pictures represent your church?

My Christmas Gift to Each of You...Early!

A large part of Christmas is “gift-giving.” Now believe me, I love gift-giving at Christmas but sometimes it is a hectic part of the Holiday Season that can steal our joy. We have to find the right gift for each person. Then we have to get them all wrapped and in some cases mailed in time for them to be opened on Christmas morning.

So between all of the list-making, shopping, wrapping and mailing, the whole process of “gift-giving” often causes us more stress than it does joy. And in most every case, the gift always focuses on the physical. But what if we were going to do something different this year and instead of a physical gift we were going to give each other a spiritual wish for Christmas. Let me share with you what Christmas wish I would give to you.

My Christmas wish for each of you comes from the little postcard of a letter called Third John found in our New Testament. This letter was written by the Apostle John and is one of the shortest books in the New Testament. John writes this letter to a man named Gaius who was a convert of John and an influential person in the church.

In this book, John makes a wish for Gaius. It is seen in the phrase in verse two, “I pray that in all respects you may prosper and be in good health just as your soul prospers.” This first part of this phrase was a standard greeting. The word “prosper” simply means to succeed or to have things go well. John refers to two specific areas…Gaius’ “health” and “soul.” The word “health” is obviously speaking of physical health and the word “soul” refers to his spiritual health. John’s desire for Gaius was that his physical advancement (and the advancement of every other area of his life) would be equal to his spiritual advancement.

Gaius’ spiritual life was vibrant and growing, characterized by the description, “walking in the truth.” This is the ultimate goal of every Christian pastor and parent - That we would teach the truth; that our people (children) would understand the truth; and that our people (children) would live out the truth. If you really want to give a gift that brings joy to people this year, give them the gift of being a spouse, a parent, a child, a friend, a neighbor or a coworker that walks in the truth of Jesus Christ.

So that is my Christmas gift to you. You can’t physically open it. You can’t necessarily wear it on your body. And you can’t take it back to the store and exchange it. It is a wish. It is a wish that your spiritual life would be so vibrant and your love for Jesus so genuine that I could say that my wish for you this Christmas is that your life as a whole and your physical health would prosper in the same way that your spiritual life is prospering as you walk in the truth of God.

Tomorrow at E-Free

Tomorrow (Sunday) is going to be one awesome day at Gaylord E-Free Church. Here are all the elements that we will experience in a 75 minutes worship service:

KLFC (Children's Ministry Team) performing a mini Christmas musical entitled, "The Great Christmas Give Away"

Wonderful Worship Music

"Moments with Martha" original video to introduce the message

A message from 3 John 2-4 as we continue our "Avoiding the Christmas Crash" series which will include my giving to each person present their very first gift of Christmas

An original monologue in lighting our Advent Candle

Worshipping Christ through communion with the bread and the cup

DON'T MISS THIS SUNDAY AT GAYLORD E-FREE

The First Gift of Christmas

We have a Christmas tradition at our house that I started several years ago. We call it "the last gift of Christmas."

At our house we have a certain way of doing things on Christmas Day. We start with the Santa Gifts (Yes, even though my kids are now 22 and 20 and are in college, Santa still visits our house and I half suspect that he always will!).

Then comes our most favorite part of Christmas - the stockings. It takes us a while to do stockings because we go slowly with each person one at a time pulling out just one item at a time from their stocking. That takes us to breakfast.

Later in the day we open the gifts from grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins. After opening each set of gifts we stop and call that family member to say thanks and wish them a "Merry Christmas." That usually takes us right up until dinner time.

After dinner we open the best gifts of all - the gifts from each other. By this time it is well into the evening. And it was at this point every year, when we came to the last gift from each other, that my wife and kids would say, "I hate it when it's over."

So several years back I bought my wife, my daughter and my son one extra gift each without them knowing about it. I waited until it was about 11pm on Christmas and everyone was thinking about turning in for the night. Then I called them into the family room and presented them with "the last gift of Christmas." It has become a tradition that everyone in my family looks forward to. I try to make sure that "the last gift of Christmas," though inexpensive, is special in some way. That is how our Christmas celebration now comes to an end.

While you will not be at my house at 11pm on Christmas this year to receive a "last gift of Christmas," I would still like to do something special for each of you who are part of the Gaylord E-Free family. As a result, this Sunday I am going to give to each of you your "first gift of Christmas." That's right! You don't want to miss Sunday and this special gift. I have put a lot of time and thought into it and I think it is a gift that you just may end up appreciating more than any other gift you receive this holiday season.

So don't miss Sunday here at Gaylord E-free as I give to each of you your "first gift of Christmas!"

A Meeting of the Three Legs

I like to use the picture of a 3-legged stool to describe the leadership structure here at the Gaylord Evangelical Free Church in Gaylord, Michigan where I am privileged to serve as Lead Pastor. What do the "3 legs" represent? They represent three groups that make up the leadership of our church. We have the Ministry Staff which I lead. We have the Elder Board which is led by our Elder Chairman. And we have the Leadership Team which is led by our Church Chairman.

As is the case with any 3-legged stool, for that stool to be stable and usable, all three legs have to be equal in length and strength. If not, the stool will be wobbly and useful for very little. As a result, this coming Saturday will be a very special and important day in our church as we will be bringing together all the individuals who make up the 3 legs of this stool as the Ministry Staff, Elder Board and Leadership Team all meet together for a Leadership Planning Day.

It is my goal that we all walk away from this day thinking, "What a great day together! I am so excited about our church!" Below are just some of the topics that will consume our day and our thinking:

Unity (as seen in Philippians 2:1-5)

Core Values of E-Free Church

The Path to a Vision Plan

The State of the Church

B.H.A.G.'s

Saturday will be a very special and very important day in the life and future of our church. If you are part of the Gaylord E-Free family, please be praying that God would use this day in a major way. If you are not part of our church family, we'd love to have you pray for our day together as a a "3-Legged Stool" as well!

Visit the new E-Free Web Page

Have you visited the web page of the Gaylord Evangelical Free Church lately? If not, I would encourage you to do just that at:

www.gaylordefree.org

Our Media and Marketing Team here at Gaylord E-Free has worked for more than a year on this project and the end result shows what an amazing job they have done. I could take a lot of time to highlight why I am so excited about this new web page, but as the old adage goes, a picture is worth a thousand words. So don't wait any longer! Go to our new church web page right now at:

www.gaylordefree.org

Take some time to peruse all the pages. I'm sure that you will be as impressed with it as I am! Thanks, Media and Marketing Team! Awesome job!

More Thoughts for the Modern Day Martha

Last Sunday we started our "Avoiding the Christmas Crash" message series by looking at the different ways that Mary and Martha responded to having Jesus in their home for dinner as seen in Luke 10. We found Mary sitting at the feet of Jesus listening to His words. We found Martha distracted from Jesus by all of the preparations which resulted in her dip into self-pity.

We can easily compare this passage to Christmas today. Just as Jesus was the central guest of honor at the dinner in Mary and Martha's home, so He is also the central focus of Christmas. But how often do we blaze through the Christmas season so focused on all of the preparations and accomplishing our "to do" lists that we allow our busyness to distract us from the main focus which should be spending time listening to and worshipping Jesus.

This is such a vital lesson for us to learn that I have added a few more thoughts below in a "Q&A" format:

Is this story in Scripture teaching that preparations are unimportant? NO! With Jesus and His disciples coming over for dinner, someone still had to be concerned with the preparations. If not, there would not have been much of a meal. The problem in the passage is not that Martha was working on the preparations. The problem was that she allowed all of the preparations to distract her from the main focus - JESUS!

How do we know that Martha's focus on the preparations got out of balance? We know she had lost her focus when she dipped into a state of self-pity and scolded Mary for not helping her (when Mary was sitting at the feet of Jesus). In fact, she even kind of scolded Jesus in the process with her words to Him, "Do you not care that my sister has left me alone to do all of the work?" When your focus on the preparations takes you into self-pity and causes you to scold others, chances are very good that your focus is out of balance.

Is this story showing Martha as a bad person? NO! Martha was preparing a meal for Jesus! That is hardly a bad thing. Martha is a great example in the Bible of someone who had a bent for hospitality. That's a good thing. Though I do not see hospitality as a spiritual gift in Scripture, the book of Romans and 3 John both teach the need for each of us to show hospitality to others. Again, what Martha was doing was a good thing. But as is the case with anything, too much of a focus on even that which is good can cause us to lose our focus on what the most important element is - JESUS!

How do we see that Martha grew in the process? In John 12:1-3, Jesus is again invited over to Mary and Martha's for dinner. This time Martha is again working in her love and strengths which is serving. However, there is a major difference this time. Her serving doesn't control her focus and plunge her into a state of self-pity as happened earlier. This time she serves but with the understanding of the importance of worshipping Jesus as well. Even in verse 3 when her sister, Mary, breaks open a full pound of expensive perfume and uses it to lavish her love on Jesus, Martha does not in any way complain (Judas does -but that is another story!).

Is there anything wrong with being a Martha? NO! God has wired a lot of people to be like Martha - servants who understand the importance of preparation and hospitality. That is a good thing! But if you are a "Martha" type - please be careful this holiday season that you don't become so focused on the preparations that you miss out on the most important part of the whole celebration - JESUS!

The Christmas Chainsaw Massacre

Some 15 or more years ago was a Christmas that still sends shivers down my spine and causes me to break out in a cold sweat just to think about it. We decided that year that instead of buying a tree from the corner tree lot like usual, we would do things the old fashioned way - cut it down ourselves. So I borrowed a chainsaw from a friend, got a quick instruction on how to start it, and headed into the woods.

If you know me, you know that I am very challenged when it comes to fixing anything and the simplest of tools, let alone a chainsaw, is very dangerous for me to have in my hand. Fortunately, a handsaw did the trick in the woods and we tied our prize to the top of our car and headed back to our house.

I drug the tree inside and down the steps to the family room leaving a trail of pine needles and tree sap all along the way. I then hoisted up the tree and jammed it into the tree stand only to discover that it was way to tall for our drop ceiling. "No problem," I thought, "I have my friend's chainsaw." I could shorten it!

Instead of dragging the tree back up the stairs and outdoors, I puled it into the utility room where the furnace and hot water heater were located and brought the chainsaw down to the tree. Next I primed the instrument as I had been instructed, put my foot (wearing only my house slippers) in the right location on the chain saw and right there in our utility room I began to pull the cord in an effort to start the cutting device.

To my utter frustration I could not get that chainsaw to start for anything. Today I realize how good of a thing it was that it did not start. Remember, I am in my utility room and my slipper clad foot is resting firmly on the chainsaw. Cuss words began to whip through my head with each failed attempt at the rip cord.

Finally, completely angry, I went out and turned on the TV to calm down (how ironic that the sitcom, "Home Improvements" was the show on at the time!). I then went back into the utility room to try again to start the chainsaw. Again, I was met with nothing but failure.

Outraged, I walked across the white carpet of our family room, up the white carpeted stairs, out into the garage and got the handsaw and followed my path back to the utility room via the same white carpet. Unknown to me, my slippers were now covered with small engine oil and my footprints were now all throughout our house on the white carpet.

I didn't realize what I had done to the carpet until I heard my wife YELL!!! Now my frustration and anger turned to rage. I marched back into the utility room, took the handsaw and cut a large piece out of our Christmas tree. I then walked across the white carpet (still wearing the oil laced house slippers) and stuck it into the tree stand only to discover that I had cut way too much off of the tree which now stood no more than 4 feet in height.

This, along with the soiled white carpet throughout the house, led to more "not so loving" words between my wife and I. Finally, about as angry as I have ever been in my entire life, I marched back upstairs (you guessed it...still wearing the oil covered slippers) where my small kids sat in wide-eyed wonder at the "Christmas spirit" wafting through our home and declared to them that "Christmas was cancelled this year!!!!"

I told that story the next Sunday at the church I was pastoring in Indiana and a couple who deeply desired that their pastor's marriage stay in tact, bought us an artificial tree. We have used an artificial tree every since...UNTIL NOW! Pictured above is my son and I with our first live Christmas Tree since that infamous Christmas so many years ago. However, it may be a little too tall for our living room...

Anyone got a chainsaw I can borrow?

Preparing for a "Mary" Christmas

Last Sunday here at E-Free church in Gaylord, Michigan, we kicked off a new holiday message series that we are calling "Avoiding the Christmas Crash." The goal of this series is to help each person to experience the most joyful and peaceful Christmas that they have ever had. Or to put it another way - this series is our way of wishing you a "Mary" Christmas!

We saw last Sunday from Luke 10 a story in the life of Jesus when two sisters, Mary and Martha (who had a brother names Lazarus that Jesus would later raise from the dead), invited Jesus and His disciples over to their house for dinner. Now how would you react if Jesus accepted a dinner invitation at your house? Mary and Martha responded differently.

Mary was a worshipper. While Jesus is at her house she spends her time sitting at His feet, listening to Him. Not Martha! Martha is in the kitchen. Jesus is sitting in her living room but she is zoned in on one thing - the PREPARATIONS!!! After all, much would need to be done if you had Jesus and 12 of His friends coming over to your house for dinner.

After a while, Martha goes out and in a huff asks Jesus to tell Mary to help her with all that needed to be done. I love Jesus' response. He begins by telling Martha that she is distracted by so many things. He goes on to say that Mary had chosen the good thing -spending time with Him.

The truth is that most of us are pretty much like Martha when it comes to Christmas. There is so much to do. It isn't just the "most wonderful" time of the year, it is also the "most busy" time of the year. Christmas is all about Jesus, but we get so distracted with all of the preparations that we miss "the good part" of Christmas - spending time with Jesus! Sunday I ended the message by encouraging you to take to heart 3 insights.

First, LOOSEN up! If all the decorations don't get put up - that's OK! If all the cookies don't get baked - that's OK. If there is only 24 side dishes for Christmas dinner rather than 25 side dishes - that's OK! If all the presents don't have hand made bows on them - that's OK!

Second, LIGHTEN up! Martha, due to her distraction with the preparations, attempted to draw Mary away from sitting at the feet of Jesus. Sometimes in our zeal to have the "perfect" Christmas we can rob others in our family of joy and peace. Let's not do that this year!

Third, LISTEN up! Decide now that each day, now and all the way through December 25, you are going to carve out some time to sit at the feet of Jesus, talk to Him, sing to Him, and listen to Him through His Word.

I wish you a "Mary" Christmas!