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Can one person really make a difference? In his One Minute Uplift newsletter last week, pastor Rick Ezell shares this story: I lived in Chicago for eighteen years. I watched the Chicago Bulls win six NBA championships over an eight-year period. Why didn't they win those two years between their two sets of three championships? One major reason was that for most of those two seasons one of their players decided to try a different sport. The sport was baseball. The player was Michael Jordan. Those two years he sat out from basketball the Bulls did not make it to the finals, much less win them. Excluding Jordan, the personnel on the team was virtually the same. Michael Jordan made the difference. Yet for several seasons before the Bulls went on their historic run of six NBA championships Michael Jordan was playing and the Bulls did not win either. But then the Bulls drafted a virtually unknown player from a small college in Arkansas. Scottie Pippen brought a dimension to the Bulls that even Michael Jordan did not possess. Pippen was, for lack of a better term, a forward-guard. He would often bring the ball up the court. He could single-handedly break opposing team's full-court presses. Opposing teams found him difficult to match up with. He was too tall to be guarded by a guard. He was too quick to be guarded by a forward. He was an unselfish playmaker. He could play inside, but also was deadly from behind the three-point line. He was one of the best defensive players to ever play the game. Scottie Pippen made Michael Jordan a better player. And Michael Jordan made the Bulls a better team. Together, they won championships. Together, they made a difference. What is true for basketball is also true for a business or a club or a church. One person can make a difference. Will you be that one person? (Click here to subscribe to Rick's newsletter) http://www.rickezell.net/subscribe.html Michael
Duduit, Editor Click here to visit "I Was Just Thinking" (Michael's blog) for insights and observations about faith and culture issues. Mark your calendar now for the National Conference on Preaching, April 7-9, 2008, in Washington, DC. The theme is "Preaching and the Public Square: Where Do Pulpit and Culture Meet?" Watch for updates soon at www.preaching.com/ncp
Could you be thrown in jail for preaching? The U.S. House of Representatives recently adopted H.R. 1592, a bill that would dramatically expand the federal hate crime law to include violence against a person because of his or her actual or perceived sexual orientation or gender identity. The Senate will soon act on the proposal, which would have the effect of federalizing crimes against homosexuals as hate crimes, in addition to the underlying state or local crime committed. Why does this matter to church leaders? It matters because it has the potential to criminalize preaching or teaching which questions homosexuality as an appropriate lifestyle. Consider this scenario: in a sermon, a pastor calls homosexuality a sin. Later, a member of that church (or even someone who has visited the church) commits a crime against a homosexual person. If this proposal becomes law, that pastor could be charged with a federal hate crime violation. Charles Colson has asserted that, "the intent of the law is not to prevent crime, but to shut down freedom of speech, freedom of religion and freedom of thought. Its passage would strike at the very heart of our democracy." In a recent article, Mike Pohlman argues that advocates of H.R. 1592 "are pushing through legislation that would dramatically expand the power of the federal government to police speech. Inevitably, early scrutiny would go to the feared 'religious utopians' -- in their pulpits and through their media outlets across the country." Columnist Janet Folger warns: "Pastor? Have you ever counseled from a biblical perspective or read from Romans 1? I Corinthians 6? Genesis 19? Leviticus 18 or 20? Then if H.R. 1592 becomes law and someone who has attended your church, read your materials or heard your broadcast commits a crime -- such as pushing away a cross-dresser's unwelcome advances -- you are 'punishable as a principal,' as someone who 'counsels' and 'induces' the now-illegal belief that homosexual behavior is a sin." If this issue concerns you, then contact your US Senator soon. (Click here for Senate contact information.) Although the House has already passed H.R. 1592, you can also contact your representative about the issue. (Click here for contact information.) http://www.senate.gov/general/contact_information/senators_cfm.cfm
The plagiarism debate continues We've gotten lots of emails about the recent discussion of pulpit plagiarism, on both sides of the issue. Here's one I found particularly interesting: "I just want to let you know that I agree with everything in your article -- now. About two months ago I was confronted about my use of downloaded sermons which had deteriorated from use as a source to abuse. I admitted what I had been doing to the congregation and was extended grace and forgiveness. Many, if not most, thought I shouldn't worry about it. But the change in my own heart and the freedom I have experienced since then confirms that I did exactly the right thing by pledging never to use a downloaded sermon again. I experienced all that you described in your article. The thing is that before I was called to account, I was very adept at rationalization, even saying, 'I've been given permission to do what I'm doing.' But I was wrong and I am glad I have changed. Of course, I still use resources -- books and commentaries -- but I do my own work first, just like I learned in seminary! Go figure! Amazingly enough, some people would say my sermons have been better since the change. One thing for sure, I know it is 'my' sermon -- for good or bad." By contrast, another reader thinks the debate is much ado about nothing: "This not ever preaching another's sermon is an old outdated rule that has caused so much unnecessary guilt. Who created this rule? What is the basis for it, besides an opinion that one thinks every sermon should be a new creation? I thought the Bible said there is nothing new under the heavens. Why publish sermons by the thousands? Because we all know how hard it is to craft a new sermon every week and we understand we cannot really do that without a little help from one another. Why is it all areas of the body of Christ are to share, but not ministers and their messages?? I think we are." We've assembled a collection of comments from readers on the issue. Click here to take a look. (But be sure not to copy any of them. Write your own!) http://www.preaching.com/preaching/misc/feedback0507.htm
ILLUSTRATION: Influence, Mentoring In his Friday Evenings newsletter for May 4, Tom Barnard writes: With a first name like "Mentor," he would be a teacher, right? Right. And he would be from New York, right? Wrong. How about eight miles west of Greensburg on Brush Creek, in Kentucky? Few people other than historians are familiar with the name, Mentor Graham. His better-known uncle -- Nathaniel Owens -- owned extensive lands and slaves and was probably the wealthiest man in the county at the time. He opened the Brush Creek Academy, and one of his pupils was Mentor. Owens taught algebra, astronomy, and surveying -- all of which were helpful for the pupil who would eventually mentor Abraham Lincoln. Born in 1800, Graham became a teacher and continued teaching for about 50 years. He died in 1886. Perhaps his most significant contribution to society occurred in the 1830s after he had met the young Lincoln. Graham is credited with having taught Lincoln whatever "higher education" he received. Lincoln's schooling beyond grade school was short -- about 18 months, according to some records. But those months brought Lincoln into contact with Graham, who loaned him his personal books to read and instructed him in math, English, and surveying. Lincoln's education was, for the most part, self taught. According to one source, Lincoln studied the Bible, the works of Shakespeare, American history, and English history. Later, Lincoln studied law on his own and became a well-known lawyer in Illinois before his election to public office. But there was a time in Lincoln's young life when a simple teacher from Kentucky influenced him to read. He left an imprint on Lincoln that never wore off. We will never know how much Graham influenced Lincoln. But we know he contributed something to the life of one of America's greatest presidents. Whom are you mentoring? Whose life have you influenced this week? What young person have you observed accepting your credit card at Wal-Mart? Perhaps there is a "Lincoln" out there who is longing for someone who will take an interest in them -- to love them, to challenge them to make something of their life. Mentoring other people is something everyone can do. (To subscribe, write to barnard22@cox.net)
ILLUSTRATION: Spiritual Warfare In his book The Holy Spirit, Billy Graham writes, "An Eskimo fisherman came to town every Saturday afternoon. He always brought his two dogs with him. One was white and the other was black. He had taught them to fight on command. Every Saturday afternoon in the town square the people would gather and these two dogs would fight and the fisherman would take bets. On one Saturday the black dog would win; another Saturday, the white dog would win -- but the fisherman always won! His friend began to ask him how he did it. He said, 'I starve one and feed the other. The one I feed always wins because he is stronger.' "This story about the two dogs is apt because it tells us something about the inner warfare that comes into the life of a person who is born again. We have two natures within us, both struggling for mastery. Which one will dominate us? It depends on which one we feed." (Click here to learn more about the book The Holy Spirit.)
ILLUSTRATION: Secrets During a recent vacation in Atlantic City, a couple went to see a popular magic show. After one especially amazing feat, a woman from the back of the theater yelled out, "Hey, how'd you do that?" "I could tell you, madam", the magician answered, "But then I'd have to kill you." After a short pause, she yelled back, "Ok, then . . . Just tell my husband!"
"The real measure of our wealth is how much we'd be worth if we lost all our money." (John Henry Jowett)
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ILLUSTRATION: Speed A New York boy was being led through the swamps of Louisiana by his cousin. Nervously he asked, "Is it true that an alligator won't attack you if you carry a flashlight?" The cousin smirked and replied, "Depends on how fast ya carry the flashlight."
"It is not lost time to wait on God." (J. Hudson Taylor)
Signs your baptism service isn't going well 8. The Coast Guard becomes involved. 7. The service is held at "Splash Mountain Water Park." 6. The Pastor has to wear a scuba outfit and air tanks into the water. 5. As the baptism begins the organist plays the theme from JAWS. 4. The preacher uses plastic animated singing Billy the Bass as special music 3. You keep hearing the pastor say, "Honestly, sister, I didn't know about that drop-off." 2. The deacon board shows up with fishing gear and packing a cooler. 1. Two words: Alka Seltzer (from Mikey's Funnies)
And finally . . . Sometimes you just have to keep working on your game. 78 years, to be exact. Howard Tanner, a 90-year-old man playing golf in Coconut Creek, FL, got his first hole-in-one last week. He was playing the 123-yard ninth hole at the Wynmoor Community Council Golf Course. Tanner first started playing as a teenaged caddie in Long Island, NY. According to a May 11 AP article, "Three other players were with Tanner when he teed off, but no one saw the ball drop into the hole -- including Tanner. The group searched the green before eventually checking the hole. "I have very poor eyesight," Tanner said. "I seldom see where the ball goes."
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