WHEN YOU WANT TO COMMENT HERE - PLEASE GIVE US YOUR NAME

I appreciate that a few of you are starting to comment on my blog. Thank you. My hope is that through some of the thoughts and ideas expressed here that we will be able to learn from each other, grow in our thinking, and appeciate one another's ideas.

Recently there have been a few annonymous comments. I liked some of the ideas and thoughts behind what was written. However in the future, I am planning on deleting annonymous comments. I learned in the second church that I served that people can be very unkind annonymously. Our staff rule was that these kind of letters were not even read. I notice that one of the options offered in my current blogging format is to comment annonymously. I will try to figure out how to not allow that option.

What I am hoping is that we can have honest expression of ideas and be loving toward one another. When there is no accountability for what we say there is a tendency to not say what we mean with care toward others. Hopefully this all makes sense -- otherwise -- feel free to comment!

blessings - a partner in the gospel,

Pastor Paul

Economic or Spiritual Stimulus Package?

The US government has announced that they are providing a $145 billion economic stimulus package to taxpayers. It is pretty exciting to think that our government is going to be sending most of us checks in the mail. I like that! This is being sent in hopes that it will be an “economic stimulus” package . Spend the money on something you want or need and give our lagging economy a needed "shot in the arm.” Although I am not convinced this will work, I certainly like the idea of putting funds into the hands of people. “Free” money is good. But I am wondering if it could be used for a greater stimulus?

There is an old saying that I have heard many times through my “brief” years. “Put your money where your mouth is.” I would like to change that a bit. I would like to encourage us to think in terms of “putting our money where we would like our hearts to be!” Jesus teaches; “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also (Luke 12:34).” Think of it! Most of us want our hearts more in tune with Christ and more alive spiritually. What if you could stimulate your heart through giving! I believe we can. It seems that this is one of the reasons Jesus teaches so much about money and possessions. Because he knows that money and possessions do affect our hearts spiritually, either for benefit or as a hindrance. Dare I say that faithful giving may prevent significant heart disease? Back to this economic stimulus package.

I am thinking that this gift of money from our government may have a greater value than merely being an economic stimulus package. What if the followers of Jesus Christ would take this money and use it as a way of directing or stimulating our hearts through the worship of giving? Moving this money from being an Economic Stimulus Package to a Spiritual Stimulus Package!

While I was in Ethiopia, it struck me that my wife and I will be receiving approximately $300 per child in our household and about $1,200 for us as a couple. The cost to sponsor a child through Compassion International is about $384.00 per year -- $32.00 per month (http://www.compassion.com/). What if we used a part of our economic stimulus package to affect the life of a child in the world? Think of the benefit to us and to the child. This got me thinking about this stimulus package even more. How can we use these monies to further the kingdom of God?

What about blessing your local church or a local church ministry? Our congregation is going into a building program in the next few months. We want to provide more seats for those who don’t know Jesus yet. We are also thinking of launching a new offsite worship venue so that we can bring the good news of Christ to more people. I am thinking that using a portion of the economic stimulus package to help launch our building fund or satellite worship venue, or even another area of ministry through our church, might be something worth praying about! Imagine what would happen if followers all around the U.S.A. would provide an influx of “over-and-above” gifts to their local churches or ministries to be used to help stimulate the spiritual lives of those around you. The options are as varied as our hearts. The point I am seeking to make is that we can just spend the money or use it for spiritual purposes. Let me tell you what I am praying about…

I have been thinking of getting a big screen television (it started as a 52”) since sometime before Christmas. I now have this free money coming and I am thinking: “Big screen television or sponsor another child?” I am struggling with “big screen television or helping HOPE, our church, extend the ministry of good news.

Think of the benefits to your life spiritually, the spiritual life of your family, if we all would sit down together with this money in hand and ask God: “Father, how can these monies be used as a Spiritual Stimulus Package? How would you like us to use this to impact Your kingdom or to do good in Your name?” Maybe we will find Him saying: “Go ahead treat yourself and give to this area of my kingdom.” I am not sure what the outcome would be for you or for me. I just think it will be good for us to be open to Him and ask the questions.

Your partner in the gospel,
Pastor Paul

P.S. If you give a gift as a result of the economic stimulus package may I encourage you to write on the check memo line: Spiritual Stimulus Package.

He is risen! You decide...

Lee Strobel quotes professor Gerd Lüdemann, professor at the University of Göttingen in Germany on the plausibility of the resurrection of Jesus Christ. The prof. says,

“If you say that Jesus rose from the dead biologically, you would have to presuppose that a decaying corpse -- which is already cold and without blood in its brain -- could be made alive again..." "I think that is nonsense."

The Apostle Paul, formerly Saul Tarsus -- who saw the resurrected Christ with his own eyes -- wrote:

"If there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised. And if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith. More than that, we are then found to be false witnesses about God, for we have testified about God that he raised Christ from the dead. But he did not raise him if in fact the dead are not raised. For if the dead are not raised, then Christ has not been raised either. And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins."

Regarding the resurrection - you decide for yourself! You don't actually decide if it is true or not. Your decision, regardless of what it is regarding the resurrection, does not change the historical facts regarding Christ's rising from the dead. Either He rose or He did not. Your decision only affects how your life is lived within the reality of the truth of the resurrection. And that decision has huge ramifications for the life you get to live in the here and now and in the one to come.

"Christ is risen. He is risen, indeed!"

a partner in the good news of Jesus,

Paul

the one from Proctor, Minnesota -- not the one from Tarsus : )

The Redemption of St. Patrick's Story

Today we celebrate the man who allegedly corralled the snakes out of Ireland. We do this by eating corned beef and cabbage (a family tradition my daughter really dislikes), wearing green and talking in silly accents. Many will even indulge in green beer and a few will try to dance like a leprechaun. I won’t be attempting the dance this year. But there is so much more to this man who came out of incredible adversity to influence a nation through his devotion to Jesus Christ.

Patrick was captured from his "well to do" family home in Britain (probably Scotland) by men under the strong arm of a warrior chief. Around the age of sixteen, he was brought in bonds to the land of Ireland where he was enslaved. His chief, or master, was a barbaric man who had placed the heads of those who opposed him on posts throughout the land. It was during this time of brutal slavery, isolation and starvation, while he tended to the pigs that he began to contemplate the godly teachings of his childhood and the creation around him. He was convinced of the truths of Christ. This led to a devotion and relationship with the Lord that guided his entire life.


"I would pray constantly during the daylight hours," he later recalled. "The love of God and the fear of him surrounded me more and more. And faith grew. And the spirit roused so that in one day I would say as many as a hundred prayers, and at night only slightly less."


It was a vision from the Lord that led him on a 200 mile journey to the coast where he would board a trading ship to his homeland. He left as an escaped slave, but that is not the end of his story, obvioulsy. The beauty of Patrick's story is that several years later he would return to Ireland under the conscription of a new but loving master, Jesus Christ. He returned to the land of his captivity as a missionary/evangelist. Patrick used the things of the culture and his faith to lead these people, who were planted in his heart, toward the love of God.

This truly is a day when we can celebrate and be challenged by a man whose love for Jesus caused him to risk all for Him.

a partner in the gospel,

Pastor Paul "Frazier" Knight

Primary Source: Christian History magazine. http://www.christianitytoday.com/history/special/131christians/patrick.html

SUPER PASTOR -- NOT

It was time for the sermon and the point had to be made. I donned, at the suggestion of our worship director, the superman t-shirt and cape and sprinted to the front of the worship center. With arms outstretched (as though I was flying - a personal dream), I began my run across the front of the room, down the side aisle, and then finally up the center aisle. I opted out of the leap onto the platform and ran up the stairs. Gripping the pulpit, with super pastor strength, I pulled it up onto the platform and then lifted it above my head -- and held it with one hand. There was significant laughter and applause.

Then I launched into my message for the morning, between deep breaths and a desire for more oxygen, I made the point. "I am not truly Super Pastor and we all know this." I told them of about 10 years ago when I was exhausted and spiritually struggling. I further described how I knew I was not doing well, when I recognized that I was slipping into my office and turning off the lights between services. I didn't want the light to shine under my office door, because I was hoping no one would come to talk to me. I was too tired from trying to be more than God had made me to be. This led to the main point of the message for the morning. "We, all of us who follow Jesus, are a royal priesthood and God has made us all to serve together for His kingdom." I think, even despite the over the top theatrics, that the point was made. God desires to bless each of us with the priveledge of serving his kingdom. This was the end of first service.

Second service went pretty much like first service. Accept I faultered lifting the pulpit up over my head. I got it there, but it began to tip. I got it down quick, almost taking out the worship team's monitors, and launched into my message. Second and third services we also had Matthew West as a guest artist. This was a great blessing. He closed second service with "Only Grace" following our celebration of the Lord's supper. This led us to third service.

The worship time with Matthew West for third service was wonderful! God's presence was sensed as He was sensed the previous services. But now -- it was time for Super Pastor! I again donned my t-shirt and cape and sprinted to the front of the worship center. Struck a Super Pastor pose, right arm stretched to the skies and took off for my sprint around the room. Somewhere between that moment and the next I ended up planted into the carpet. I rose to the applause and laughter of the congregation. Bright red faced, I mouthed to our worship director, "I think I pulled something." Now with a much more vivid image, I worked my way up the platform, didn't run, and asked for help with the pulpit. Pain! I finished the message, the celebration of the Lord's Supper, and made the point that everyone needs to pitch in -- "I am not super pastor."

The end result is that tomorrow I have surgery to reattach my Achiles Tendon. Not the way I wanted to make the point. But it is clear: I am not super pastor. Not even really that powerful at all... Have a great week!

your partner in the gospel,
Pastor Paul