ramblings

The List

noreply@blogger.com (Russ) — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 19:11:00 +0000

Someone called today and wanted a copy of "the list" from Sunday. I thought I'd go ahead and post it here as well. This is from my introduction to our study of Galatians...

How would you finish this sentence? If I want to be a really good Christian then I must _________. What would you put in that blank? I’m sure a few of you have some answers swimming around in your head that might fit, but I’m guessing that many of you are thinking right now, “I can’t answer that question....there’s not enough blanks!” That's because many of us here at this church grew up in churches or a religious environment where the answer to this statement is endless.

To be a really good Christian you must…attend every time the doors are open, three times a week preferably, don’t swear, don’t drink, don’t smoke, don’t associate with people who do, don’t listen to rock and roll music, don’t go to R-rated movies, don’t play cards, don’t use music in worship, take the Lord’s Supper every week, have a daily quiet time, pray, memorize Scripture, give regularly, men-wear a coat and tie to church and kept your hair short, women-don’t wear slacks to church and be modest, neither of you can wear shorts on Sunday, no mixed swimming, no dancing, only use the KJV, go to a church that’s sound in the faith, don’t clap, don’t raise your hands, don’t show excessive emotion in worship, do everything decent and in order, no eating in the church building, no women praying, no women teaching boys over the age of 13, be baptized in the right way at the right time in the right church by the right person, go to a church that has the right name on the sign, don’t mess up, read your Bible and pray to God you make it!

That's just to name a few. I’m sure you could come up with more and the answers vary depending on which fellowship you were raised in. Yours may include things like you must speak in tongues, show evidence of baptism of the Holy Spirit, believe in predestination or once saved/always saved. The list is literally endless and it’s no respecter of denominations.

Would it shock you for me to tell you that it’s also dead wrong? That there’s really only one answer to the question of what it takes to be a really good Christian. And I hear the objections now, “But what a minute! There are some good things in that list you rattled off, sure some of its traditions that we don’t fool with anymore, but you mentioned some really good practices for Christians!” I agree. But anytime we start using our practices to define our acceptability before God or our righteousness or justification, then we’ve gotten off message. And it’s wrong. Paul would say we’re teaching a different gospel, which is really no gospel at all.

Sunday Reflections

noreply@blogger.com (Russ) — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 03:25:00 +0000

Kicked off the Galatians series today. I'm really excited about this study. The message is awesome and one that's still needed. God, free us from legalism and performance-based spirituality!

I enjoy doing "intros" to new series and I always sense a little excitement about the upcoming messages. It's just that after I introduce a series I always fear that the rest of the messages won't live up to the hype. Oh well, we'll see. The material is certainly powerful enough in its own right. I just have to bring it to life and help it speak to today with the same boldness that it spoke 1,960 years ago.

We welcomed two new people to Maury Hills. We introduced Rick Richardson. He's a pharmacist who grew up in Linden, TN (just down the road from my hometown). He's been in a Columbia for a while and has been attending for the last few months. We also introduced Jessica Dodson. She just moved into town from Virginia and she's employed at the Tennessee Children's Home. We welcome both to our MH family!

We had a couple of responses today. One in the first and another in the second. Please keep Marvin in your prayers this week. Pray that God would give him strength. Also lift up Melinda as she wrestles with some struggles.

One of the things I love about our church is the way we handle responses. I love to see people come to the front and gather around those asking for prayer and put a hand on their shoulder or kneel beside them. It's powerful to see the church at work!

The teens took off on the Mystery Trip today. Since they've probably arrived I guess I can reveal the location. They went to Washington D.C. They'll be doing some service work for a local church and will find time to catch a Nationals game and go to the Smithson. Pray for their week.

Today was promotion day for our children's ministry. I was standing outside Bigtime as the kids were coming in and saw a couple of Kindergartners excited about moving up to the "big" kids room. My oldest moved up to Crew 456 which makes me feel old. She's growing up fast.

That's about it. No small group tonight so I hung out with the family. We grilled venison steaks and chicken and enjoyed some of our homegrown vegetables. I'm a farmer now you know! We've got okra, tomatoes, cantaloupes, watermelons, squash, zucchini and corn. After dinner the girls went outside and played in the rain. Good times.

Waddling On

noreply@blogger.com (Russ) — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 14:14:00 +0000

The nineteenth-century philosopher Soren Kierkegaard once told a story about a village inhabited by ducks. On Sundays the ducks would waddle out their doors to the church down the street. They waddled into the sanctuary and squatted on their favorite pews. The duck choir would waddle in, and the duck pastor would waddle up to the pulpit and open the Bible. And he would read, "Ducks! God has given you wings! With wings you can fly! With wings you can mount up and soar like eagles. No walls can confine you! No fence can hold you! You have wings. God has given you wings, and you can fly like birds." Excitedly, all the ducks shouted "AMEN!"--and then they all waddled home.

An accurate depiction of today's church?

Sunday Reflections

noreply@blogger.com (Russ) — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 20:14:00 +0000

It was good to be back home yesterday. Lots of people asked about the trip and I had several who talked about going next year or want to help with whatever long-term efforts we establish there.

Spoke on the responsibility of wealth. A topic greatly influenced by Belize. The bottom line is that we have incredible wealth in this country and with that comes responsibility. Specifically to do good, be rich in good deeds, be generous and willing to help (1st Timothy 6:17ff)

It was one of those sermons where the compliments (if they come) are a little awkward. The best one was "Russ, that was well...it was...well...you know." And I did. Like most American Christians I too struggle to the Bible's teachings on money, maybe that's why it contains all those warnings about riches.

We didn't offer a formal time of response Sunday, but during second service we took time out to pray for a couple who've requested our prayers. Tyler and Sara Borne are facing some difficulties and they are looking to God for strength and courage. Please add lift them in your daily prayers.

After worship we had my niece's one year old birthday party and then spent some time hanging out with our friends. That's one of the reasons I love this church and this community. We're blessed with some great friends! Those don't come easily for preachers because a lot of churches don't allow it. They want the preacher to be friends with everyone, but its simply not possible. Ministers can be acquainted with as many people in the church as possible, but they also need to form some close friendships with a few. It's healthy on a personal level, family level and spiritual level. So if your preacher doesn't have some close friends where he doesn't always have to be in "pastor mode" then encourage him to get some. That's my mini-soliloquy for the day.

Join us next Sunday, July 12th for my series called "Freedom!" It's about overcoming legalism and discovering what it means to be free in Christ.

Declaration of Independence

noreply@blogger.com (Russ) — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 14:53:00 +0000

Some Americans celebrate the 4th by reading the Declaration of Independence. I read it this morning, but not because of the holiday. I was doing a little research for my upcoming series on Galatians. It got me thinking of another Declaration of Independence. This one from the Springfield Presbytery. I appreciate the ideals expressed here. It's one of the reasons I still answer "non-denominational" when people ask "What kind of church is Maury Hills?" (note...to keep the length of this post reasonable I only included select items, you can read the entire document here )

Last Will and Testament of Springfield Presbytery

The Presbytery of Springfield sitting at Cane Ridge, in the county of Bourbon, being, through a gracious Providence, in more than ordinary bodily health, growing in strength and size daily; and in perfect soundness and composure of mind; but knowing that it is appointed for all delegated bodies once to die; and considering that the life of every such body is very uncertain, do make and ordain this our last Will and Testament, in manner and form following, viz:

Imprimis. We will, that this body die, be dissolved, and sink into union with the Body of Christ at large; for there is but one body, and one Spirit, even as we are called in one hope of our calling.

Item. We will that our name of distinction, with its Reverend title, be forgotten, that there be but one Lord over God's heritage, and his name one.

Item. We will, that our power of making laws for the government of the church, and executing them by delegated authority, forever cease; that the people may have free course to the Bible, and adopt the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus.

Item. We will, that each particular church, as a body, actuated by the same spirit, choose her own preacher, and support him by a free-will offering, without a written call or subscription--admit members--remove offenses; and never henceforth delegate her right of government to any man or set of men whatever.

Item. We will, that preachers and people cultivate a spirit of mutual forbearance; pray more and dispute less; and while they behold the signs of the times, look up, and confidently expect that redemption draweth nigh.

Item. We will, that our weak brethren, who may have been wishing to make the Presbytery of Springfield their king, and wot not what is now become of it, betake themselves to the Rock of Ages, and follow Jesus for the future.

Item. We will, the Synod of Kentucky examine every member who may be suspected of having departed from the Confession of Faith, and suspend every such suspected heretic immediately, in order that the oppressed may go free, and taste the sweets of Gospel liberty.

Springfield Presbytery, June 28th, 1804

Did You Believe That I Loved You?

noreply@blogger.com (Russ) — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 15:20:00 +0000

Day Four

noreply@blogger.com (Russ) — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 04:31:00 +0000

Blogging live here from a bar in Belize City watching Micheal Jackson tributes on TV. It's taking me back to my childhood years (the Jackson tributes, not the bar).

Last day of the clinic and it was a little hectic. Not really that crowded but we had a lot of places to go and the schedule kept changing. A team went to Los Flores, another to Burrell Boom, another to the orphanage and another back to the prison.

I stayed behind at Burrell Boom for the morning. They were very happy to have us. Check out the sign they posted in front of the clinic (www.facebook.com/russadcox). Lincoln, the preacher there and one of my favorite Belizeans, has been talking the "Grand Muppet Show" for months! The team did a clinic there and then had the VBS around 2:00 pm.

Brian, Tiffany, Doug & Julie went back to the prison for a clinic. They set up dental and medical. The needs are great there. Doug ended up giving a guy the shoes off his feet. Literally. He went back to the hotel in his sock feet. Fann also took some money a guy named Anthony who I promised a phone card to on Monday. He got it and gave me and Fann some of his orginial writings. I might share them in a later post.

I dedicated today to exploring options for future plans here. First my Mom and I met with Bill Amason and Lincoln Jones about the work in Burrell Boom. We then had a chance to meet with Anna, the nurse at the local health clinic. Dr. Chaney joined us for that one. Anna is the only medical professional in a community of 3,000. She sutures wounds, delivers babies, diagnoses illnesses, etc. She does it all. If she refers someone to a doctor in Belize City only about half can afford to go. We toured the clinic and talked about how we could arrange for help. Also got to talk briefly with Dawn Flowers, one of the teachers at the school there.

Next, we headed back to the Liberty Learning Center in Ladyville to meet again with the principal (Ms. Tillet). Max & Marsha Boren went with me. We met for about an hour and then held an impromptu meeting with the Director of the orphanage (the school is located on their grounds). There's a lot of info to share. Too much for this post. We'll meet with everybody when we get back and come up with some options. There's some opportunity here!

Oh yeah...the home building team stayed behind in Belmopan today and finished the house! They put a roof on the house and prepared it for siding. The young couple they built it for are very appreciative. Several neighbors came up and asked "How do you get on the home building list?"

Overall, I would guess we treated well over 1,000 patients in the medical clinics and pulled over 300 teeth. Now we head to the island for a little rest. I probably won't blog after tonight. Just some Twitter updates to keep you informed. Check out the pics on Facebook and thanks for reading my ramblings.

In closing I would encourage you to consider that no message could have been any clearer, if you want to make the world a better place, take a look at yourself and then make a change.

Day Three

noreply@blogger.com (Russ) — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 03:04:00 +0000

Another day in Belmopan. We cut off registrations for the dental clinic after only 45 minutes and we still didn't get to all of them. There is so much need here. We could bring as many dentists as we want and pull teeth all day! Fann works hard while he's here.

The team went in several different directions today. A group went into the village to build a new floor for a young family. When they got there they found out that they were rented the home (I use the term "home" loosely. It was a 10x10 shack with a dirt floor). It was $45 a month. Long story short. They discovered that her sister owned a home nearby and they agreed to build them a room off of her home. They got the floor and posts in today. Tomorrow they'll add a roof and purchase the siding for the family to put up. Pictures are on facebook. www.facebook.com/russdcox (friend me).

Jenna and a small medical team did a home visit for a 90 year old lady who could not walk to the clinic. It was several miles into the village and they took the van as far as they could (until the road ran out). Then it was two miles through the jungle on a small path. The family lived on a farm that grew sugar cane. Sounded like an interesting trip.

Several "God's Twenty" stories are coming in. It's amazing to see what God can do with something as small as $20. Some real blessings (both for the giver and the receiver).

We had a VBS after the clinic today with a huge turnout. Tomorrow it's too the prison, the orphanage and the Burrell Boom community. By the way, last night, Anthony & Ira Booker led Bible studies at the church. Forgot to mention that.

The weather has been great here. It's in the mid-90s but there's a bit of a breeze and its much better than years past. Cooler than Tennessee from what I can tell.

That's about all I got for now. I need to let one of the newcomers blog one night. My observations aren't quite the same as someone who's seeing it for the first time.

Day Two

noreply@blogger.com (Russ) — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 02:19:00 +0000

We had a busy day at Belmopan today. There were about 100 people lined up outside when we arrived. Within minutes of opening the clinic was packed with folks! Organized chaos.

We cut off registrations for the dentist after about an hour. By then we already had more than we could see. Dr. Fann pulled teeth from 9:00 AM to 4:30 PM straight. Very hard work. Dr. Adcox (myself) and Dr. Kinnard (Doug) were allowed to pull a few. That's a big deal for me because the last time I worked in the dental clinic I passed out.

I'm really in the dark about a lot of what happened in the rest of the clinic because I was couped up with the dental team. I know that it was really busy.

The electricity just went out at our hotel. Nothing like sitting in the dark in the middle of a city in Central America. I'm reminded of that travel warning from the Embassy about now.

Tonight the team went to eat at the Banana Bank. Enchiladas and rice. Awesome! Then we had a devo and planned out the VBS for tomorrow.

Meet briefly today with Jason, the minister of the church in Belmopan. He also happens to be a school teacher at the high school. He said there is a great need for school sponsorships. It costs $15 a month for families to send their kids to school and many cannot afford it. He'd be willing to send us pics of the kids, bios, even their report cards. This idea is starting to take root.

Turns out I'm not going to the preschool graduation tomorrow. I'm staying in the dental clinic because things are really busy there, plus I didn't have a shirt and tie for the program (they don't know about my aversion to ties). Rick Tribby is taking my place.

Things are going well. You're prayers are appreciated. We expect another busy day tomorrow. Check out my facebook page for pictures (www.facebook.com/russadcox). If you're not a member then sign up (it's free) and send me a friend request.

Belize Day One

noreply@blogger.com (Russ) — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 02:26:00 +0000

Well, it's actually day three for everyone else, but it's my first day. I'll do this "Sunday reflection" style because I don't have a lot of time. Here's what's happened thus far...

Sunday the team worshipped with the Belize City Church of Christ. Anthony Booker preached in his normal energetic style. That evening several returned to worship with the church and some of the team worshipped in a home with the Burrell Boom congregation. The rest had a devo with a jaguar in the hotel.

Monday was the first day of clinics. The majority of the team set up a medical clinic in the Belmopan church. We'll be there the next two days. I wasn't there so I don't have a lot of info about it. I'll tell you about it tomorrow.

Another team went to the prison. I ended up there after arriving. That was my first experience with the prison. A little unnerving, but once you get to work you kind of forget where you are. Dr. Fann pulled teeth, did a little field surgery on someone's face and found a man with twelve fingers. Seriously. We have pictures.

Tiffany saw patients at the prison and I was her assistant, after two minutes of training on how to check blood pressure. She is really good with the patients. Great spirit and a lot of fun!

Before I got to the prison I went with Rick Tribby (Indiana), Bill Amason (Florida) and Bill M. (Illinois) to the Liberty School. We met with the principal about the possibility of funding the school and sponsoring the children who attend. A really encouraging meeting in light of the things we talked about Sunday. She asked me to say a prayer at thier graduation on Wednesday and we'll have more chances to talk.

Then I spoke with Lincoln Jones, the preacher at Burrell Boom. He has some property for a clinic that he wants us to look at on Thursday and we have a meeting set up with the principal there. Do something big! Dangerous prayer.

We ate at the Banana Bank tonight. One of my favorite places in the country. Saw the jaguar, the monkey and the birds. Pictures will be on Facebook shortly. www.facebook.com/russadcox

I challenged the team with "God's Twenty." We gave everyone on the team a $20 bill and told them this was not their money, it was God's. They received this gift from Him and they were to regift it to someone in need. So for the next three days everyone be looking for someone to bless with their twenty. The rules...1) You have to give it away, 2) You have to do it secretly, 3) You have to explain why you're giving them the money, 4) You can't take credit. Thanks goes to God.

That's about it. Very busy day for my first day. I'm pumped about the possibilities here!!

Sunday Reflections

noreply@blogger.com (Russ) — Sun, 21 Jun 2009 21:49:00 +0000

Good day today at MH! Did part two of Do Something Big! Focused on serving others. Talked about our dreams of building a medical clinic in Belize, sponsoring a school in Belize and starting a Maury Hills Makeover project here in Columbia. Listen here.

Was once again blown away by the volunteer spirit of our church! Had four different people come up to me after worship and volunteer to lead or help with the makeover project.

Announced the new shepherds...Buddy Norman, Mike Smith and Martin Chaney. All tremendous guys and will be great shepherds. The affirmation vote will be July 5th.

Had several scattered abroad today...16 in Belize and 31 at Impact. Christopher Taylor left after the 2nd service to go baptize his daughter at Impact. Congratulations Cynthia!

I leave for Belize tomorrow morning early. Will try to keep people up date assuming I have decent (and cheap) internet access throughout the week. I'll either blog or twitter or I may do both. You can follow the twitter updates here.

Jess Severe will be preaching for me on the 28th. He sings on our praise team and plays Vinny for Beach Club. He always has some great insights and we've enjoyed several conversations about spiritual topics. I think you'll enjoy!

Set up a unique opportunity this afternoon. On July 5th the group Vocal Union will be leading our worship. Mateo Cornado sings with them regularly and he attends Maury Hills. They offered because we've been allowing them to use our Worship Center for their rehersals.

That's about it. Off to pack and spend a little time with the family before leaving!

More Books

noreply@blogger.com (Russ) — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 14:57:00 +0000

Still trying to get caught up on my book reviews...

The Greatest Thing in the World. One of my shepherds gave me this book. It was written in 1874 by Henry Drummond and according to one biography, sold more than 12 million copies. Wow! Didn't realize that when I read it. It's a short read, easily done in one sitting. Basically a brief exegesis of 1st Corinthians 13 with the conclusion...there is nothing more important than love. I wholeheartedly agree. The shepherd who gave me the book said, "I think this is the one thing missing from the Restoration Movement." I agree with that too.

Historic Maury County: People & Places. My wife got me this book for our anniversary (by request). It contains short articles about the historic homes in Maury County. Our county has an amazing number of antebellum homes. Each has a unique story and usually a fascinating set of circumstances. Whenever I would drive around the county hunting and fishing I would notice these old homes and wonder about the story behind them. This book answered a lot of those questions and now I'm full of interesting bits of knowledge that I unload on unsuspecting passengers. It's not a book you sit and read cover to cover (although I did), it's more of a reference book. It's amazing the amount of history we have sitting in Maury County.

The God Who Smokes: Scandelous Meditations on Faith. Our Student Minister handed me this book. He thought the title was right down my alley. Plus, it was written by a guy named Stoner so how could you go wrong? Honestly, it's been a while since I've finished the book and nothing really stands out about it. That's probably telling. It was basically the random thoughts of a fellow Christian and I don't really remember any of them being scandalous (at least not to me). It did contain some balanced perspectives on the emergent church movement which was good for me to read on the heels of reading Velvet Elvis last year.

Co. "Atych": First Tennessee Regiment. Loved this book! I've already acknowledged my love for local history and the Civil War is my favorite time period. This book combined both. Sam Watkins was a Confederate solider who enlisted with the Bigby Greys out of Mt. Pleasant and ended up fighting with Company H (Maury Greys) of the First Tennessee Regiment. Of the 120 in his company, he was one of seven to survive the war. He grew up in the Ashwood community and is buried just a mile from my home. It was fascinating to hear him describe the same countryside I drive past everyday and hear him talk of churches that still stand today (Zion & St. John's). The book was originally written as a series of articles in the local newspaper and published as a book in 1882. It's basically a diary of the war from the perspective of a common solider. As he explains in the introduction, most histories are written by the generals and those far from the field of battle, this account is first-hand. He personally witnessed the thrills and tragedies of this terrible war. His descriptions of battles and people are intriguing. I'll probably re-read this one in a couple of years!

Sunday Reflections

noreply@blogger.com (Russ) — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 12:25:00 +0000

We opened up two new children's rooms today. A second nursery and a second Primetime group just for two year olds. Both rooms look awesome! We have some incredibly talented and creative people.

Showed the video from last week's summer camp before worship. It looked awesome. The 4th-6th graders went to the overnight camp (last week) and the K-3rd are headed to day camp this week.

"To God be the Glory" was the hymn before my message. Older hymns are rare at Maury Hills, but this one seemed to fit. Of course, Christopher added a different chorus. :)

Talked about the vision of Maury Hills. I never get tired of talking about this!!

We announced a new staff position today! We're hiring a children's minister!! Initially, it will only be part-time (20 hrs a week), but if this ministry continues to grow we'll be moving to full-time shortly. We're gearing up to handle 200+ kids on Sunday mornings.

We prayed for the Belize Mission Team at the end of the service. This is our 5th year to set up medical/dental clinics in that country. We have 16 going from MH and we're teaming up with folks from Carmack Blvd. The team will be there June 20-28. Keep them in your prayers.

Our students leave for Impact this week as well. The Junior High students go June 19-22 and the Senior High students are there June 23-27. It's an unbelievable experience and we're praying for God to do some great things with our students.

Last night we had another Maury Hills' Coffeehouse. Our own Gary Anderson and Enoch Thweatt took the stage first for a little warm-up act, then Bethany Nobles treated us to some great music. Her husband, Jonathan Chu (who plays with Skillet) also joined her for several numbers. They were both great!

Lots going on right now. I'm just trying to hang on and see where God takes us!

The Secrets of Lasting Love

noreply@blogger.com (Russ) — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 20:48:00 +0000

Love seems the swiftest, but it is the slowest of all growths. No man or woman really knows what perfect love is until they have been married a quarter of a century. --Mark Twain

In the seven weeks following Easter our congregation participated in a church-wide study of love. It's one of the best studies we've done in a while. We asked everyone to commit to coming each Sunday, attend a small group and participate in daily readings. We covered themes like kindness, honesty and forgiveness. The last message of the series focused on what it takes to have lasting love. Building off Mark Twain's thoughts on the subject, I asked everyone who'd been married 25 years or more to give us the answer on a 3x5 index card. I read their answers at the end my message. A little risky because I had no idea what to expect, but we received nearly 100 cards and they contained over 2,000 years of relationship wisdom.

Some reflected humor. One man married 38 years wrote "I always get the last word--Yes, Ma'am." Another who'd been married equally as long wrote "Don't ask questions, just do what she says." Then there was the one married 43 years who wrote "patience, love and ear plugs."

Some contained deep reflections. A couple married for more than four decades explained (via a Ravi Zacharia quote) that "love is more a matter of will, than emotion."

Some gave advice..."kiss each other goodnight," "don't take your problems home to Mama," "say 'I love you'," "spend time together," "give more than you take."

Some were honest..."it's only by the grace of God that we made it."

And some were embarrassing (at least from the pulpit on a Sunday morning)..."the secret to lasting love is great sex!"

My favorite was from a couple who'd been married 56 years. While most cards contained long answers, they both only wrote one word. One wrote "commitment" and the other wrote "endurance."

I'm now working on compiling the information into themes and thinking about what to do with it from there. The most oft repeated themes were patience, forgiveness, commitment, faith and humility (putting their needs before yours). All good practices. All easier said than done. All essential to lasting relationships.

Numbers

noreply@blogger.com (Russ) — Mon, 08 Jun 2009 15:20:00 +0000

Some interesting stats from Scot McKnight (circa 2004)...

In the Christian world today, 1.06 billion are Roman Catholic, 286 million are Independent-Pentecostal, 342 million are Protestant, 215 million are Orthodox and 79 million are Anglican. There are more non-white Christans than white, more in the Southern Hemisphere than the Northern, and the center of gravity is shifting to the South and to the East. By the year 2050 only about one-fifth of the world's Christians will be non-Hispanic whites; the vast majority will be conservative and charismatic.

And we thought the Bible-Belt was the center of world-wide Christianity?

Sunday Reflections

noreply@blogger.com (Russ) — Sun, 07 Jun 2009 18:54:00 +0000

A quick Sunday reflection because the water is calling my name...

We looked at the story of the prodigal son today. It's not so much a story about a lost son as it is a story about a loving father and an older brother.

Compared and contrasted "loving father" churches with "older brother" churches. God calls us to be "loving father" churches!!

We had another baptism! Micah Severe (Jess & Rebecca's son) was baptized after the second service. His Dad baptized him and there were four generations present...pretty special.

Beach Club was today. I caught the first 10 minutes before I had to go preach. Love this program. Our volunteers put a lot of work into it and it shows. It's a great way to introduce the kid's virtue every month.

The worship leader for Beach Club had a really rough week, but she still got up there and led the kids. Don't know where she found the strength but I suspect her faith had a lot to do with it!

New faces today! I'm feeling a little overwhelmed each Sunday. There are so many new people to meet.

That's about it. Our small group is taking a week off so Halle Jane and I are going fishing. The black perch in Swan Creek should be on alert. My girl can fish!

Update

noreply@blogger.com (Russ) — Fri, 05 Jun 2009 15:54:00 +0000

My apologies for the lack of posts the last few weeks. I've been doing Sunday Reflections and that's about it.

For one, I've been super busy. I rarely speak outside of MH but the last couple of weeks I've had some outside speaking opportunities and those consume time. We've also got some big projects underway at MH (looking at future staffing, future shepherds, expanding ministries, etc.).

Two, I started twittering. It's basically like a mini-blog (only 140 characters per post). I'll think of something to post on the blog and just end up twittering it. Anyway, if you're interested in keeping up with my ramblings, you can follow me at www.twitter.com/russdcox. And if you're on Facebook, shoot me a friend request. I approve most requests, unless the picture is really creepy or you're in the habit of complaining a lot.

I do plan to keep the blog for my longer posts, but right now I'm enjoying the mini-blogging!

On another note...I stopped doing a weekly bulletin article and now just email a mid-week update on Wednesdays. It's much easier than doing the article and folks can read it on their phones (no .pdf files). However, it's no longer posted on our website, just emailed. You can sign up if you wish...shoot an email to mhcoc@bellsouth.net

Sunday Reflections

noreply@blogger.com (Russ) — Mon, 01 Jun 2009 04:51:00 +0000

Another great Sunday at MH!! This was the conclusion of our 40 Days of Love study. It's been a great study for our church. Intense, but worth it! If you're a smaller church interested in doing the study, let me know (russ@mauryhills.com). We'd like to share our resources...

To wrap up the study I asked couples who'd been married 25 yrs or more to give us the "secret of lasting love." We passed out index cards and I read them at the end of the message. Wow! Years of wisdom packed in those answers.

I'm now trying to figure out some way to share all the answers with the church. For example, if you were in the 2nd service you missed all the 1st service answers and vice versa.

As one of our members wisely noted afterwards, longevity doesn't automatically equal health. Very true. Still, there's something to be learned from those who've stayed together for that long.

Most common answers...commitment, forgiveness, laughter, humility.

My favorite answer...endurance (from a couple married 57 yrs)

Answer that got the most crowd reaction...great sex!

Most of the comments about the message were about what I said at the conclusion. It was only about two minutes and unscripted. Just a word of encouragement to those whose relationship didn't last. Many churches have beat them up and I wanted them to know that they are loved and accepted here.

Went to the Lawrence small group after our own small group (we've been doing two groups during this study). Their group was awesome! So many powerful comments about how love had affected their marriages, friendships and spirituality.

One said, "I've been in church all my life, but I'd never felt forgiven until Maury Hills." Incredible!

This afternoon somebody asked me, "What's next?" I said, "I have no idea!" I really don't. Monday will be busy.

Sunday Reflections (via Tuesday)

noreply@blogger.com (Russ) — Tue, 26 May 2009 16:48:00 +0000

OK, so Memorial Day weekend took precedent over the blog. My apologies. I went home Sunday afternoon and did nothing but eat, sleep and fish until this morning. Here's my belated reflections...

It was a holiday day weekend so you never know who will show up. We were down. Only about 435 joined us for worship, but I love the fact that 435 is down!!

Christopher lead "We are Standing on Holy Ground" right before my message. That was Denise Sandrell's favorite song and this was our first Sunday without her. May she rest in God arms.

Noticed a handful of people sitting through both sermons. Not sure if that means they liked it so much that they wanted to hear it again or they were so confused after the first that they stayed for the second.

Spoke on 1st John 4 (God is love). Wow!! What a powerful passage. Not sure I quite communicated the power and depth of those verses. Not sure I fully realize the power and depth of those verses.

That's about it. I'm getting cranked on a short week for this Sunday. We're picking up where we left off this week...since God loves us this much, we really ought to love one another.

The Resurrection of Believers

noreply@blogger.com (Russ) — Wed, 20 May 2009 16:06:00 +0000

I'm working on a funeral message today and was reading through the 15th chapter of 1st Corinthians. The resurrection of the dead seems to be a much-neglected topic in our churches today. You may not even know what I mean by that term. I'm not referring to just the resurrection of Jesus, but to the eventual resurrection of all believers. I've been in church my entire life and I've heard plenty talk of heaven, but little talk of resurrection. Not sure why, especially after reading words like this...

Now, let me ask you something profound yet troubling. If you became believers because you trusted the proclamation that Christ is alive, risen from the dead, how can you let people say that there is no such thing as a resurrection? If there’s no resurrection, there’s no living Christ. And face it—if there’s no resurrection for Christ, everything we’ve told you is smoke and mirrors, and everything you’ve staked your life on is smoke and mirrors. Not only that, but we would be guilty of telling a string of barefaced lies about God, all these affidavits we passed on to you verifying that God raised up Christ—sheer fabrications, if there’s no resurrection.

If corpses can’t be raised, then Christ wasn’t, because he was indeed dead. And if Christ wasn’t raised, then all you’re doing is wandering about in the dark, as lost as ever. It’s even worse for those who died hoping in Christ and resurrection, because they’re already in their graves. If all we get out of Christ is a little inspiration for a few short years, we’re a pretty sorry lot. But the truth is that Christ has been raised up, the first in a long legacy of those who are going to leave the cemeteries.

If there’s no chance of resurrection for a corpse, if God’s power stops at the cemetery gates, why do we keep doing things that suggest he’s going to clean the place out someday, pulling everyone up on their feet alive? And why do you think I keep risking my neck in this dangerous work? I look death in the face practically every day I live. Do you think I’d do this if I wasn’t convinced of your resurrection and mine as guaranteed by the resurrected Messiah Jesus? Do you think I was just trying to act heroic when I fought the wild beasts at Ephesus, hoping it wouldn’t be the end of me? Not on your life! It’s resurrection, resurrection, always resurrection, that undergirds what I do and say, the way I live. If there’s no resurrection, “We eat, we drink, the next day we die,” and that’s all there is to it. But don’t fool yourselves. Don’t let yourselves be poisoned by this anti-resurrection loose talk.

Think straight. Awaken to the holiness of life. No more playing fast and loose with resurrection facts. Ignorance of God is a luxury you can’t afford in times like these. Aren’t you embarrassed that you’ve let this kind of thing go on as long as you have? Some skeptic is sure to ask, “Show me how resurrection works. Give me a diagram; draw me a picture. What does this ‘resurrection body’ look like?” If you look at this question closely, you realize how absurd it is. There are no diagrams for this kind of thing. We do have a parallel experience in gardening. You plant a “dead” seed; soon there is a flourishing plant. There is no visual likeness between seed and plant. You could never guess what a tomato would look like by looking at a tomato seed. What we plant in the soil and what grows out of it don’t look anything alike. The dead body that we bury in the ground and the resurrection body that comes from it will be dramatically different.

This image of planting a dead seed and raising a live plant is a mere sketch at best, but perhaps it will help in approaching the mystery of the resurrection body—but only if you keep in mind that when we’re raised, we’re raised for good, alive forever! The corpse that’s planted is no beauty, but when it’s raised, it’s glorious. Put in the ground weak, it comes up powerful. The seed sown is natural; the seed grown is supernatural—same seed, same body, but what a difference from when it goes down in physical mortality to when it is raised up in spiritual immortality! [selected readings from 1st Cor 15 MSG]

I'm not saying I fully understand it, but I do believe it! The grave is not the end!! Resurrection awaits!!

Sunday Reflections

noreply@blogger.com (Russ) — Mon, 18 May 2009 01:48:00 +0000

New faces! I saw several of them today, of course that doesn't mean this was their first Sunday. I'm so thankful for all the new people at Maury Hills. They bring fresh energy and fresh perspectives.

Tough sermon topic today...love is not easily angered. I struggle with this one personally and I told the church about it. I love that I can be honest in my preaching. I can say things here that would get me fired in other places.

After the first service had someone thank me for the move to two services and the amount of emotional energy it takes to preach twice. I was really appreciative of that comment because its not something a lot of folks think about. It does take energy, but I'm ready for the day when MH needs three services!

Had a great conversation between services with one of our members. He was just asking for prayers for him and his wife, but I was really moved by his honesty and desire to be the man God is calling him to be.

Sang some new songs today which is always tough, but thank goodness we have a Worship Leader who keeps it current.

Was again blown away by the generosity of this place. We gave $2,800 towards the housing remodel project last week. This week someone volunteered the labor for the siding and said they'd help us get a good deal. Also had a couple ask what they do for the lady besides work? Sit with her? Pray with her? Just be a friend? MH is great!!

Prayed for Shalena today during the response. She has to endure a lot with a group home situation. She's got such a sweet spirit.

Sat in on the college class between services. We have some great college students and I'm so thankful to have them home for the summer. I was tempted to skip preaching and stay in there!

Before I preached I prayed, "May the Holy Spirit speak through me." A dangerous prayer. He took me off notes a few times today, but it was what we (and me) needed to hear. Now the challenge...live it!!

Books

noreply@blogger.com (Russ) — Wed, 13 May 2009 13:34:00 +0000

Another new feature on this blog...this year I'm trying to be more diligent in my reading so I started a reading list for a little accountability. I add books as I start them and I rarely read one book at a time (probably some mild form of attention deficiency). Anyway, the first three or four books on the list are the one currently in progress and those further down are the ones I've completed. As a little more accountability and to help the info sink it a bit, I thought I'd write a review of each book as I finish them. Of course I'm way behind, so the first few reviews will be mini-snapshots. Here we go...

The Intellectual Devotional: American History. This book is actually still in progress, but its designed to be read over time. It contains 365 daily readings that cover seven different areas from politics & leadership to arts & literature. Each reading contains a brief bio of a significant figure or event from history. I'm not doing the daily readings, just picking it up whenever I have a few minutes and reading a few entries. If you like American history, it's a great book. I've learned some new things about well-known people/events and I've learned some new things about lessor known people/events. It's amazing how much of our history has shaped our lives today.

The Things They Carried. This is a first person account of the Vietnam War. It contains some gut-wrenching stories and a honest writing style. I was really enjoying this book until I flipped over the cover and noticed that it said "fiction" in the upper corner. What?! That can't be! Everything was written as if it actually occurred to the author, but after a little research it turns out that it really was fiction (although the lines are blurry). The author actually served in Vietnam, but not everything in the book happened to him. At least he was honest enough to admit it in advance, unlike "Million Little Pieces" author James Frey. Still, the stories are plausible and many mix fact with fiction. It's an eye-opening read of the horrors of war and its long-ranging effects on the participants. It was good, but I'm not sure I would have read it if I'd of seen the "fiction" designation first.

The Most Loving Place in Town. This is a Ken Blanchard book. I read a lot of his books when I was in business. They're all written in parable form. Very simplistic stories which carry along his principles and points. His main point for this book is that the church should be known as the most loving place in town. It's about an elder who's getting ready to step down when he receives a mysterious letter that accuses him and the church of "forsaking their first love." The letter puts him on a journey that causes the church to reevaluate everything in the light of love. It's a simple read with a great point. I ended up giving a copy to all my shepherds and its kind of become a little bit of a catch phrase for us...MH should be the most loving place in town! Funny that it took at business writer to point that out.

The Lost Message of Jesus. I stole this book from my father-in-law's library and he's not getting it back. It's a small little paperback, but it was packed with some good stuff. It's basically a synopsis of Jesus' life with an emphasis on what he preached...the kingdom of God! I didn't do a series on this book (although it crossed my mind), yet a lot of it ending up working its way into my messages. I particularly liked his thoughts on the revolutionary nature of Jesus' teachings and how he ushered in the "upside down" kingdom. The book has some good theology, but the authors sprinkle in enough stories to keep it interesting.

More to come...

Marriage Counseling

noreply@blogger.com (Russ) — Tue, 12 May 2009 15:04:00 +0000

Read this from Rick Warren this morning...

Let me give you a whole lot of marriage counseling in two words: grow up! The number one cause for marriage incompatibility is not incompatibility. I don't even believe in incompatibility. It is a myth made up by divorce lawyers. Any two people can become compatible if they're willing to grow up. If they're willing to be unselfish. The root cause of every single marriage problem is selfishness. I want what I want when I want it and you want what you want when you want it. My will and ego faces your ego and we're going to fight.

It's all about I. It's all about me. It's not about we. It's about me. Even when one person wants to do the we if the other person want to be an I you're going to have problems. It really comes down to just grow up.

What is incompatibility? It is immaturity. Any two people can learn to get along with each other if they're willing to grow, if they're willing to be loving, if they're willing to think of more than themselves, if they're willing to compromise and willing to think of the other person.

This should really reduce the amount of time I spend counseling couples. I'll just sit them down and say in a really kind voice, "You both really need to grow up. I'll see you next week."

Sunday Reflections

noreply@blogger.com (Russ) — Mon, 11 May 2009 02:03:00 +0000

I have a new idea for this blog that I stole from Perry Noble's blog. Not sure I'll be faithful enough to do it every Sunday because sometimes I'm just too worn out, but I thought I'd give it a try...

...Had a great spirit in the 1st service this morning. It's a really fun crowd with a lot of interaction. If I ever get the guts to allow Q&A after my sermons, these folks would go all morning.

...Taylor was baptized right after 1st service! He responded at the end of my message, but I knew it was coming. His Dad had told me about it but they wanted to surprise Mom. What a Mother's Day present!

...It was a powerful baptism. Martin (his Dad) talked about how Taylor was born on Mother's Day and how he remembered the preacher coming over and praying that Taylor would one day give his life to Christ. Of course Martin couldn't hold back the tears and neither could most of us.

...At the close of both services I announced a opportunity that had been brought to us to fix up someone's house. They needed a new roof, siding, gutters and a paint job. I was flooded with checks. They gave over $2,800! MH is a generous place.

...God keeps blessing us with growth. The new kid's wing is already overflowing. Two months in and we're running out of room. Great problem to have!

...Had a new family that placed membership (Tony and Debbie) and another that told me they were ready to commit. They asked a classic question, "If we place membership does that mean we have to stop parking in guest parking?"

...My uncle Jimmy was in town this Sunday. He's not only my uncle, but one of my mentors. 30+ years preaching experience. It makes me nervous whenever he's in the audience.

...Had a great small group. I love my friends in that group and the fact that I can be honest with them. Talked about forgiveness. Easy to discuss, tough to practice. This love study is hard!

A Prayer for the Media

noreply@blogger.com (Russ) — Thu, 07 May 2009 18:06:00 +0000

Today is the National Day of Prayer and Columbia had a ceremony at the courthouse. Pete Tackett, First Baptist's pastor, called me at 8:30 this morning and asked if I'd fill in for a last minute cancellation. My topic was the media. Here's what a wrote after this call and this was my prayer today...

Father,

Right now we want to lift up a prayer for our media. In today’s world, they hold one of the greatest positions of influence. Those who write the stories and those who tell the news have the power to influence and direct the opinions and attitudes of our culture. Father, remind them that with great power comes great responsibility. I pray that those who work in the newspapers and TV stations and cable news and the Internet would love and respect the truth. That they would be fair in their presentation of the facts and avoid any temptation to push agendas or skew things towards a particular bias. May they report the truth with accuracy and honesty and fairness. Be with them and strengthen them in this endeavor. Help them to recognize the tremendous power of influence they possess and give them the courage to use it for good.

And Father, sometimes we as believers don't always feel that we are treated kindly by the media, but the fact it, we have not always been kind in our treatment of the media. Forgive us for our negative attitudes and unloving actions or words towards the men and women who work in this arena. Forgive us for the criticism and cynicism from our pulpits and churches. As a people of the light, we’re called to a higher standard. The standard of love. So grant us patience, kindness, understanding, humility, gentleness and respect as we deal with the media. May we always stand for the truth and may we always defend the truth, but may we do so in the spirit of love. We pray this prayer in the name of the very one who taught us to love, your son Jesus,

Amen.