One Hope Community Church
– our LPD Church of the Week
Thanks to Anna (Ben)
Crumback at Sointula Community Church for producing the Church of the Week!
Last weekend was a
highlight in many district churches. What a joy and honour to preach the
good, but costly News of Easter to churches filled with visitors, to conduct
baptisms and gather with family. Easter is a highlight weekend!
Now, it is the Sunday after the week before. Back
to the routine… Are we feeling “pumped up” or ”
let down.”
It is often after “spiritual highs” that a servant of God can
struggle – such it was for Elijah. On Mount Carmel, he had experienced the
decisive demonstration of God’s presence and power over that claimed for Baal.
Yet, the very next day, he was cowering in fear and in hiding. He said, “I have had enough, Lord. Take my life; I am no better than my ancestors.”
(1 Kings 18,19).
So it was for the disciples. After the Triumphal Entry, Jesus was crucified,
and it seemed to his followers that it was all over. With him died their hopes,
dreams and ambitions. They had given up everything to follow him. What now?
As two disciples walked the road towards Emmaus, the risen Jesus joined them
and engaged in their conversation. Not recognizing him, the two disciples
expressed their disappointment that Jesus did not “pan out” to be
the, “…one who would redeem Israel,” (cf. Luke 24). Later, as they
broke bread together, “…their eyes were opened and they recognized
him.”
The disciples gathered together in a room in Jerusalem, behind locked doors,
for fear of the Jews. Though it had been reported to them that Jesus had risen,
they were doubtful, and it was only when He appeared among them that they
believed and were overjoyed! Knowing that Christ was risen and empowered
by the Holy Spirit, the disciples gave their lives to, and all but one gave
their lives up for Christ.
Today, the Sunday after Easter can also feel like something of a “let
down” for us. We have come down from the mountain top of Easter, and now
may feel that we are in the valley of the routine. But, because Christ is
risen, ministry is worthwhile and though not easy, totally worth it! Let’s
follow up on the “high moments,” and trust that these will come to
bear further fruit. As Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 15:58, “Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stand firm. Let
nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because
you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.”
Thursday morning’s
reading in Oswald Chamber’s “My Utmost for His Highest,” speaks to
this. It reads,
Many of us suffer from the unbalanced tendency to “be ready” only “out of season.” The season does not refer to time; it refers to us. This verse says, “Preach the Word! Be ready in season and out of season.” In other words, we should “be ready” whether we feel like it or not. If we do only what we feel inclined to do, some of us would never do anything. There are some people who are totally unemployable in the spiritual realm. They are spiritually feeble and weak, and they refuse to do anything unless they are supernaturally inspired. The proof that our relationship is right with God is that we do our best whether we feel inspired or not.
One of the worst traps a Christian worker can fall into is to
become obsessed with his own exceptional moments of inspiration. When the
Spirit of God gives you a time of inspiration and insight, you tend to say,
“Now that I’ve experienced this moment, I will always be like this for God.”
No, you will not, and God will make sure of that. Those times are entirely the
gift of God. You cannot give them to yourself when you choose. If you say you
will only be at your best for God, as during those exceptional times, you
actually become an intolerable burden on Him. You will never do anything unless
God keeps you consciously aware of His inspiration to you at all times. If you
make a god out of your best moments, you will find that God will fade out of
your life, never to return until you are obedient in the work He has placed
closest to you, and until you have learned not to be obsessed with those
exceptional moments He has given you.
***Let’s
encourage one another through both the ups and the downs of ministry
Here is an article for some perspective:
Three Dangers the Day
After Easter: Dan Reiland
3-dangers-the-day-after-easter
***
Last week, results of
a recent study on religion (or lack thereof) in BC was released. It paints an
interesting and challenging picture of our mission field.
Here’s an excerpt:
This region of 2.3 million people now has the fewest inhabitants of any major Canadian metropolitan area who call themselves Christian, according to the National Household Survey, which is Statistics Canada’s first major measurement of national religiosity since 2001.
Only 41 per cent of Metro residents are Christian, compared to a national average of 67 per cent. B.C. has the fewest Christians on average of any province or territory.
Here’s a link to Douglas Todd’s article in the Vancouver Sun.
b-c-breaks-records-when-it-comes-to-religion-and-the-lack-thereof
***
AROUND THE LPD:
This Sunday, Karen and I look
forward to joining Randy
and Allana Lemke at Abbotsford EFC (Abby Free), where I have
the privilege of preaching and we can join in worship.
Last week, Karen and I, and Dr. Paul and Jin Yang (LPD Korean Church Liaison)
joined with One Hope
Community Church (This
week’s Church of the Week), to welcome them into our LPD/EFCC
Family. It was a wonderful day of celebrating Easter, and what God is doing in
and through this new work.
***
Please pray for:
Upcoming Events:
May 5 – 6 | Johnston Heights
Church Surrey 7:00 – 9:00 pm
Registration is required, so please RSVP by purchasing your $10 ticket soon at
the above link.
Dr. Paul Chamberlain is the director of
the Institute for Christian Apologetics at Trinity Western University and
teaches ethics, philosophy of religion and Christian Apologetics and Leadership
there. He has also worked with Ravi Zacharias International Ministries during
part of that time. He is an effective communicator both in and out of the
classroom. His humorous, down-to-earth manner appeals to a wide variety of
people. Drawing from the media and using a professional power point
presentation, his seminars are both interesting and relevant. Dr. Chamberlain
has appeared on numerous radio and television talk shows, debated on university
campuses, and is a frequent guest speaker at public functions. He is the author
of five books: Can We
be Good Without God, Final Wishes, How To Talk About Good and Bad Without
Getting Ugly: A Guide to Moral Persuasion, Why People Don’t Believe:
Confronting Seven Challenges to Christian Faith, and Why People Stop Believing,
as well as a number of articles addressing current social and moral issues.
***
Attend this conference
and the EFCC Annual Meeting live in Okotoks,
or join us via livestream. You can register for this individually, or join with
others locally at:
Islanders: Parkdale EFC in Victoria
Mainland: Abbotsford EFC
Here’s a link: https://www.efccm.ca/wordpress/conference-2019/
***
LPD Pastor and Staff Cruise
– a day with
colleagues in ministry.
Wednesday, May 29
***
CAMP EVERGREEN
August 5-10
This local summer camp is affiliated with the Lower Pacific District, and provides a great opportunity to extend your church ministry through camp, and to follow up afterwards. Many district families, including ours have benefited through this ministry, both in the children’s camp and leadership development in the LTD program. This summer, there is a children’s camp (Aug. 5-10), a teen camp and the LTD Leadership Program. Check out their website for details:
https://www.campevergreen.ca/
***
LPD Pastor and Spouse Retreat
Nov. 22-24, 2019
Hello LPD pastors,
we’d like to invite you to join us on Nov.
22-24, 2019 for a Pastors’ retreat! We’d like to
encourage you to take a breather in late November (before Advent begins) with
your fellow pastors at Camp
Charis in Chilliwack.Registration is open on our
LPD Website:: Please see
https://www.lpd-efcc.ca/event/lpd-pastor-and-spouse-retreat/
