Mustard Seed & Mountains by Craig Hill

Monday night for the elders' meeting, Mike DeCamp asked us to explain how over the past month, considering Kent Brantly’s Ebola virus illness and recovery, we had been changed. My answer was not very much, because I know God answers prayers and can do all things. I did not know if Kent would survive Ebola, but I did know he would if God wanted him to. I prayed for Kent and also Nancy Writebol (Kent’s co-worker) to survive, so the world would know God’s power, and because Kent got sick doing God’s work, and God would save him from it, if God so desired.

Am I amazed Kent has survived Ebola? Yes. Am I amazed at God’s power in this situation? Yes. Of course! I should be amazed at God’s power in all situations.

Mustard Seed

In Mathew 17, verse 20, Jesus says, “Because you have so little faith. Truly I tell you, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.” So, while we should always stand in amazement of God, and be continually transformed by the way he works in our lives, we should not be surprised when he answers our prayers.

We should always be in awe of God’s power, but be confident that he hears our prayers.

Maybe I don’t have a lot of faith, but I think I have faith as small as a mustard seed. Is moving a mountain harder than curing Kent of the Ebola virus? I don’t know. But it wasn’t a sure thing Kent would survive it, despite being relatively young and fit, despite being a doctor, despite receiving an experimental drug, and despite being evacuated. From what I understand, Kent’s roughest days may have been before he was evacuated. Ebola is a viscious killer, and can kill anyone no matter how strong, young, or cared for. Complications can arise when your body’s organs and systems are attacked and ravaged.

And the miracle happened! Kent did survive, and so did Nancy! Wow! And yet, what did we expect? That God would take out these two great servants of His? Of course not.

The main question I raise to myself is: Did I pray more fervently for them than for someone else? And if so, why? I should always expect God to answer my prayers, and I should always pray fervently and with confident expectation. That’s what God teaches us. But do I? No. I don’t. But I should. So this is my resolution: to pray fervently always, and always with a faith. Good question Mike.

Health Ministry Newsletter-August 2014 by Lisa Fleetwood

Got the Blues?

It’s normal to occasionally get the blues but sadness that lasts more than just a few days could mean something more serious.

What is depression?

Depression is more than just a low mood – it's a serious illness that has an impact on both physical and mental health.

What are the symptoms of depression?

Those suffering from depression may lose interest in work, hobbies and doing things they normally enjoy. They may lack energy, have difficulty sleeping or sleep more than usual. Some people feel irritable and some find it hard to concentrate. Depression makes life more difficult to manage from day to day.

What causes depression?

Most likely, depression is caused by a combination of genetic, biological, environmental, and psychological factors. Some types of depression tend to run in families. However, depression can occur in people without family histories of depression too.

Who is affected?

Each year about 6.7% of U.S adults experience major depressive disorder. Women are 70 % more likely than men to experience depression during their lifetime. Non-Hispanic blacks are 40% less likely than non-Hispanic whites to experience depression during their lifetime. The average age of onset is 32 years old. Additionally, 3.3% of 13 to 18 year olds have experienced a seriously debilitating depressive disorder.

What are the treatment options?

Seeking help is the first step toward reclaiming your life. Contact your physician for an evaluation. Be honest about your concerns. Before your visit, write down your concerns and symptoms. Include severity and duration of each issue. Depression is treatable with therapy and medication but a critical component of recovery is achieved through social support. Reach out to those closest to you.

• Community's 24-hour crisis line (800-662-3445) provides immediate evaluations by phone and/or face-to-face for psychiatric emergencies.
• Mental Health America helpline: (800) 273.TALK (317) 251.7575/TEXT CSIS to 839863 Help is available 24-Hours a Day and is Confidential and FREE. Suicide Intervention/Relationship Issues/Substance Abuse/Depression/Stress Management

*Source: National Institute on Mental Health

A Happier Lifestyle

While clinical depression can involve alterations in brain chemistry and requires medical intervention for resolution, occasional sadness can be remedied with lifestyle changes. Try these tips to keep your emotional health in check!

Slow down. Hectic lives include packed schedules that leave us feeling empty and unfulfilled. When we cram too much into our day, we end up scurrying from place to place without taking the time to enjoy. By slowing down, we can actually take the time to experience life’s joys. Pick and choose what goes onto your calendar. Keep what’s important but say “no” to what doesn’t align with your core values.

Practice Gratitude. My friend shared with me an interesting article she had read about gratitude. The article posed the question, “What if you woke up today with only what you thanked God for yesterday?”. Well, what would you have? To what extent do you practice gratitude throughout your day? Focusing on what you are thankful for shifts your thinking and changes your perspective. It may have been a rough day, but if you can find something good (and there is always something) you can transform your attitude.

Eat (And drink) Healthier. Refined sugars, processed foods, salt, and alcohol may contribute to feelings of sadness while foods like salmon and walnuts (high in Omega-3’s), berries (high in mood enhancing anthocyadins), and beans (high in depression fighting folates) can actually keep you feeling mentally sharp and upbeat. Try drinking water, too. According to a 2012 study in the Journal of Nutrition, those who were mildly dehydrated were more pessimistic than their well-hydrated counterparts.

Make a Change. Feelings of powerlessness contribute to sadness. Some of the issues in our lives that cause us to feel down are out of our control, but there are other things that we can change that will lessen the burden we feel. Reclaim your power and start on the to-do list that has haunted you for years. Clean your junk drawer, change your oil, and even make an appointment for your annual physical. Once you feel the weight of some of these smaller tasks lifted, your outlook will brighten as well. 

After Ebola, What Then? by Mike DeCamp

It has been just about two weeks since I learned of Kent Brantly’s battle with Ebola, and it has been quite a ride.  I’ve written a couple of blog posts.  I’ve done a radio interview on Moody Radio (Thank you Kelli Thompson).  I’ve watched the TV news visit our worship and interview a couple of my friends.  And, I’ve even seen our minister, Greg York be interviewed on a national Fox News TV show.  Not to mention that I’ve seen Kent’s picture on every media outlet possible.

I’ve prayed like I haven’t prayed in a long time.  With fervency.  With emotion.  Pleading.  Negotiating.  Reasoning with God.  Fasting was even in the mix.  (That is a practice we need to renew in our church culture.) 

I’ve been sad for the struggle that the Brantly’s have faced.  I’ve been concerned for the outcome.  I was full of Joy when I watched Kent step out of that ambulance and walk into the hospital.  And, I’ve been sorely tempted to be angry at the ignorant and frightened comments of people who are not fully aware of the facts; whether it was some noted public figure, or just some random person commenting on a newspaper article.

And, I’ve been amazed.

I’ve been amazed at the spirit of the church at Southeastern.  So many people jumping in…praying…asking others to pray…sharing information….encouraging one another.  Getting intimately interested in the struggle to care for the Ebola victims in Africa.  There has been a spirit of purpose and unity that I’ve just never seen before.

I’ve been amazed at how God seems to be using this situation.  Incredible new levels of attention from key potential resources have been drawn to the Ebola crisis through Kent and Nancy’s illnesses.  Potential treatments have leapt over years of study and could be brought to bear much, much sooner because of what happened.  And, then there is Kent’s sermon.  Wow.  In the week or so since the link was posted on our church Facebook wall, it has been seen by over 8000 people and been shared 94 times.  (And those are just the hits we can see on Facebook.  There have been more.)  Everyone from CBN to CNN to Fox News has checked it out.  The woman who interviewed Greg even said she had listened to the whole thing and was moved by it.  The message of God’s call on Kent’s life has touched incredible numbers of people in both high and low places…all to God’s own glory.

And the world is awestruck. 

I’m reminded of Matthew 5:16: “In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.” –Jesus

Kent has given us another very personal example of this to follow.  One article in a popular online publication even coined a phrase:  WWKD (What Would Kent Do?).  Well, I can tell you one thing he would do…he would reject that and point to God.  He would give God the glory.  Kent has done the things that he did because God did the things that He did.

So, it’s been a wild ride, and God has been working, and is being glorified like I have not seen in my lifetime.

But, in a couple of weeks, the crisis will be in the past, and what will we do then?

Will we use this as a catalyst for real change in our lives and in the life of the Southeastern Church of Christ?  Or, will we simply slip back into old patterns?  Will we continue to love more deeply?  Pray more fervently?  Share more urgently?  Care more passionately?  Give more fully?  Worship more zealously?  Or, is it back to the same old church that we were?  If YOU won't change, then WE won't change.

Only you can decide.

Let me seriously challenge you.  And, frankly, this challenge starts with those of us who claim to be leaders.  (Are we going to lead?)  Make some specific decisions to change.  Renew your heart.  Renew your zeal for God.  Find God’s “call on your life” and give yourself to it.  I’m looking for my call…and I’m determined to be different as we come out the other side of this thing.  Are you with me?

Judges 5:2
“When the princes in Israel take the lead, when the people willingly offer themselves – praise the Lord!”

666,216 Hours by Mike DeCamp

666,216

666,216 is the average number of hours that a man in the United States can expect to live.  (709,640 for women.)  I’m approximately 52.5 years old.  That means I’ve used up somewhere around 460,212 of mine…should I only be average.  Which begs the question: How do I want to use the last 206,004 hours of my life?

Of course, I hope to be above average.  My personal goal is to live to be 100 years and one day old.  But, you just can’t count on ‘beating the house.’  In fact, there are a good number of people who fall short of the average.  So, let’s just say I’ll be average.  How do I want to spend those hours?

Maybe playing Candy Crush?  Nope!

Maybe watching TV?  Not anymore.

 

I don’t watch TV nearly as much as I used to, but let’s examine that one.  For conjecture sake…because I’ll never figure this out exactly…let’s say that I’ve watched two hours a day for the last 50 years.  Some days and years were much higher than others.  That’s an estimate, and it may be low because I used to watch A LOT of TV.  But, okay…two hours a day for 50 years is 36,525 hours.  Hmmm.  I’ve wasted 1522 days of my limited life sitting in front of the television.  That equals over four years sitting in front of an electronic brain-sucker.

That’s kind of staggering, if you think about it.  And, my guess is most of us don’t.

Sit on a sofa...or, go see this?

Now, don’t get me wrong.  I’m not opposed to relaxation or entertainment, and I’m not likely to give up TV altogether.  (I need my Walking Dead fixes.)  But, I can tell you, as a guy who has likely crossed the halfway point, I want to be a lot more mindful of how I use up those remaining hours.  I will no longer be donating them to mindlessness.

Frankly, I want to do something worthwhile with them.

I want to create.  I want to see beautiful and interesting places.  I want to worship with zeal.  I want to love deeper.  I want to make a difference in people’s lives.  I want to be available and useful to God.

Living a life well-spent!

I am challenged and inspired by the way that my fellow Christian and friend, Dr. Kent Brantly has devoted his life to serving others.  He could be living a fairly cush life here in the U.S. as a physician.  Nice house.  Nice car.  Maybe a club membership.  Instead, he has been donating himself to a cause where the only reward is the satisfaction of seeing people survive.  Since last fall, he has been working with Samaritan’s Purse at ELWA Hospital in Liberia, West Africa, sharing hope and providing medical care to people that most of the world ignores.  And further, now that he has been stricken with one of the most deadly diseases known to man—Ebola, he still remains committed to his course.  No regrets.  No second-guessing.  He is “praying fervently” for God to save his life, but either way, he has put himself in the Father’s hands.  He is faithful regardless the outcome.  And, based on news reports, still donating himself to others.

Whether he will meet or exceed the average life-span of the US male is very hard to say right now.  The next week or so will likely tell.  But, I can tell you with no hesitation that he has already made more of a difference in this world than most of us ever will.

So, I’m going to make some commitments right now.  I had already put Candy Crush in a cyber-coma.  (Whoever created that game should be…well, I won’t say, it wouldn’t be nice.)  But, I am now declaring it ‘dead to me.’  I had put Words with Friends on hiatus.  That hiatus is now permanent.  TV has been skimmed way down, and will stay that way.

I am going to look forward to my next 206,002 hours with much more intensity.  I will use them with a great deal more intentionality.  (I just gave a couple of them to you.)  And, I will renew my dedication to serving my God.

Now, a question for you…how are you going to use the hours you have left?  Are you ready to make some new, intentional commitments?

#PrayForKent

#PrayForNancy

"Bittersweet" by Frank Black

“BITTERSWEET”

(F. Black – July 2014)

            As many of you know, my wife and I recently served with a Medical Mission team at Chimala Mission Hospital in Tanzania.  We returned about one month ago, but the mixed memories are indelibly stamped in our brains.  Why the title “Bittersweet”?  I give the credit for this term to Janice Bingham, the Nurse instructor from Harding University, who had eight of her senior nursing students with us.  In addition our team had three other nurses plus Dr. Dean Paulsen from Anderson, Indiana.

            I’ll write about the “sweet” part first.  First and foremost, it’s such a pleasure and a blessing to serve people who are so medically needy and so amazingly grateful. Our journey, long and laborious as always, went well.  Of course the trip had it’s usual hiccups – such as missing our flight from Zurich, Switzerland, to Dar es Salaam, Tanzania – necessitating spending an extra day in Zurich.  Nothing wrong with spending an extra day in Switzerland. Very enjoyable!!  Not to bore you with travel stories, I’ll just say that the journey is long, hard, fraught with necessary changes, and summons up all your energy and patience.  Along this line I’ll compliment our group. They were great travelers with not a ‘complainer’ or ‘wimp’ among them!  In adding to the “sweet” list:  Everyone worked very hard and well with excellent attitudes; We were able to medically help many, many patients and had a few cases we called our “miracle cures”; Everyone displayed a compassionate spirit in trying to represent Jesus to our patients; Lou Ann and I had a joyous reunion with our Tanzanian friends (remember that we lived there for five years); Everyone stayed healthy; We so appreciated the fine spirits of the Tanzanian people in the midst of their hardships; We enjoyed the beauty of the Tanzanian mountains and marveled at the African animals in Mikumi Game Park (elephants, lions, zebra, impala, giraffe, hippos, wart hogs, cape buffalo, etc.).

Now to the “bitter” part. I don’t want this to be a “downer” or depressive, but this is reality – their reality. You need to know this and consequently not only appreciate your blessings more but be more willing to help others.  When people ask, “How was Africa?”, I never know quite what to say.  I’m appreciative and know you are interested, but my mind spins with mixed emotions.  If I use the term “Bittersweet”, I get a quizzical look.  So I usually say something to the effect that, “We had a good trip, good group, and worked hard.”  To really explain the “bitter” part is rather difficult and takes longer.  I always feel at a loss and quite inept. Add to this that most Americans can’t really grasp the situation in a Third World ‘bush’ hospital.  They really don’t have a reference point.  My service in this type setting goes back 37 years, yet I still have difficulty in meaningfully explaining the situation. As Christian medical missionaries, we try and render the best health care possible while manifesting the love of Jesus. We know that our Lord cares for our physical health but that our spiritual health is more important.  So in addition to compassionate medical care, I always look to pray with patients, present devotionals at the hospital, and speak in churches.

Let me just give a few examples of why we come back with a bitter taste in our mouth.  No, it’s not disgust or disdain or dislike.  The bitter taste is more a sadness – a feeling of helplessness. 

• Many of our student nurses had never seen a patient die.  In one 24 hour period we had five babies die.  Can you just imagine the effect on the babies’ mothers and on our emotionally sensitive students!  Most of these babies were prematures – in the range of two to three pounds.  The facilities at Chimala are just not available to sustain these prematures. Our students took turns going to the hospital day and night to feed the babies with a dropper. The loss of these tiny lives really impacted our students.
• Rosina Kulanga is a lady about 65 (many Tanzanians don’t know their birth date).  She fell and broke her hip.  Many of you know of folks who’ve broken hips.  In the USA generally such patients are operated on the next day, get physical therapy, and are up on their feet within a day or two using a walker or a cane.  We didn’t have operative orthopedics available; and consequently, I put Rosina in traction (I call it 1950’s orthopedics).  She stays like this for six weeks!!  Can you even imagine?  She can’t read; no radio; no TV; no computer; etc.  She just lay there very patiently day after day with such a sweet spirit.  We took her books with pictures, some food, even coloring books.  Can you even imagine?
• HIV/AIDS:  Most of you don’t know anyone with this horrible, diabolical disease. Not so in Chimala where about 20% of adults are HIV positive. (I always hasten to add that HIV in Tanzania is almost always passed heterosexually – from man to woman or woman to man).  Untreated HIV cases then progress to clinical AIDS – which is fraught with horrible infections, organ failure, and the list goes on and on.  About one/half of both male and female wards were filled with end stage AIDS patients.  I felt horrible and hopeless in not being able to substantially help them.

 

I’ve only begun to scratch the surface.  I hope you can realize why the term “Bittersweet” seems to fit. I just want you to better realize how much of the world is forced to live and how blessed you are.  I’ve summarized this concept by saying that:

“You have the blessing of location.”

“They are the victims of location.”

Health Ministry Newsletter-July 2014 by Lisa Fleetwood

Taking the Temperature of Your Health Ministry

When Jesus set the example for the early church, he was clear about the role of health promotion and restoration. Matthew records that Jesus’ “health ministry” began almost immediately after choosing his disciples.

Matthew 4:23-25 (NIV) states:

“23 Jesus went throughout Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom, and healing every disease and sickness among the people. 24 News about him spread all over Syria, and people brought to him all who were ill with various diseases, those suffering severe pain, the demon-possessed, those having seizures, and the paralyzed; and he healed them. 25 Large crowds from Galilee, the Decapolis, Jerusalem, Judea and the region across the Jordan

followed him.”

Jesus also validated his commitment to health through his miracles. Of the thirty-five miracles recorded in the gospels, twenty-three involved healing the body (and three more involved raising the dead). Jesus not only healed the sick, but he charged his followers with healing as well.

Matthew 10:1 ESV “And he called to him his twelve disciples and gave them authority over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal every disease and every affliction.”

So, (1) if Jesus centered his ministry around healing and (2) he commanded his disciples to heal the sick, why doesn’t the twenty-first century church take more responsibility for the care and health of our members and greater community? Perhaps, we don’t know where to begin. After all, we live in the age of modern medicine with state of the art technology and medical advancements. Isn’t it the physician’s, hospital’s, insurance company’s and now the government’s responsibility to heal the sick? Have they been successful? Unfortunately, the answer is no. Despite our technology and wealth, we aren’t healing. In fact, we are sicker than ever.

The reason for this is simple. Healing doesn’t end in the hospital, it only begins there. Healing doesn't end when we check out of our physician’s office. Instead, we are challenged to begin the real restorative work when we walk out of the waiting room and into our life. We are looking to secular organizations to provide us what traditionally has been owned by our faith body. The church provides the encouragement to steward our body the way we would our bank account and gives us the skills we need to handle stress by relying on our faith. The church brings meals to the sick, transports members to the doctor, and opens pill bottles for those without strength and dexterity. These actions and more restore the sick to wholeness as they are lovingly provided by fellow members.

Prevention. According the CDC, the vast majority of chronic conditions can be prevented. They state in 2009’s The Power of Prevention, “As a nation, more than 75% of our health care spending is on people with chronic conditions. These persistent conditions—the nation’s leading causes of death and disability—leave in their wake deaths that could have been prevented, lifelong disability, compromised quality of life, and burgeoning health care costs.” Health ministries can focus on prevention by providing educational courses on diet and exercise, organizing a walking group or Zumba class, or teaching a CPR course. Flu shot clinics and blood pressure screenings also serve as powerful educational springboards for topics ranging from sodium and stress to hand washing and over-the-counter medication safety.

Discharge Care. According to the U.S. National Library of Medicine and the National Institutes of Health, 23% of heart failure patients, 19% of heart attack patients, and 18% of pneumonia patients are actually readmitted to the hospital within thirty days of hospital discharge. Why? Often times, the patient does not receive adequate care at home. Unfortunately, family members are not prepared, supported, qualified, or able to provide effective home care despite their best intentions. Discharge instructions include cautions on medications, activity, follow-up appointments, and diet. When understanding and implementing the entire discharge plan depends upon one individual, the task can seem daunting. Now add in the age of the caregiver and their own health issues, it may prove impossible. A church’s care team can assist the member with reminder phone calls and encouragement to maintain activity, provide meals that adhere to the patient’s recommended diet, ensure the member has necessary medication and supplies, and provide transportation if needed to follow-up appointments or therapy. These actions, though simple, contribute significantly to patient recovery and ensure the patient avoids re-hospitalization and complications that delay healing.

Support. There is no other organization capable of providing the level of support and sense of community like one’s faith body. Galatians 6:2 NIV says, “Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.” An effective health ministry does just that by providing members opportunities to learn, grow, and share through grief support groups, parenting classes, substance abuse programs, and caregiver respite services.

So how does your health ministry stack up? For resources, information, and support contact Faith Health Initiative at lfleetwood@ecommunity.com or llauderdale@ecommunity.com today.

Hurry, Hurry, Hurry; Go, Go, Go! by Chris Kirby

Hurry, Hurry, Hurry; Go, Go, Go!

This summer has flown by. We are over half way from when school dismissed in early June to the start of a new school year. As some of you know, this is my crazy time of year. Between youth group trips and the normal craziness that comes with having a family with young kids, it’s just a whirlwind for me! The first “big event” each summer for the Youthreach is a trip to IMPACT at Lipscomb. The event itself feels like it was ages ago (I’ve been to Charleston, SC and Spring Mill since then, and am in Chicago this week). However, the message at the heart of IMPACT really stood out this year and gave us a lot to chew on. There have been several times in the last couple of weeks that I’ve gone back to think on it more and to really unpack how it applies to my life personally. There were several facets to the message, but one of the aspects that really hit me was the concept of living within our present reality and being used by God for opportunities that are right in front of us.

Ironically, it is this time of year that is so full of ministry opportunities that I can easily miss out on the heart of what God wants me to see. I can get so busy planning, organizing, and running at full speed in youth ministry that I look right past something powerful that God might be trying to show me. I might miss the point of why we are so busy; I have to be careful to stop and re-center so that I don’t just survive the blur of a summer schedule, but rather experience the greatness of the mission I’ve been invited to participate in with the awesome teens in our congregation. I am afforded the opportunities to see how God cultivates spiritual growth in them, how He exposes them to their gifts and how to use them to minister to the world, and witness the development of community in our group that reflects Christ. Hopefully, the distraction of busyness doesn’t make me miss these powerful opportunities to see God’s grace and mercy play out in His Kingdom.

Not everyone shares the same distractions as I do. For some of you, summer is the most laid back and relaxing time of year. However, distractions can take many different forms. For many of us, we’ve allowed our technology to consume us. We become so tied to what is on our phone, TV, or social media that we don’t know what is going on the in the reality around us. Some of us have turned things that aren’t overly important into idols that devour our time, energy, and focus. I’m always amazed at how sports, designed as games for recreational activity, run the lives of so many families in our culture and create so much stress and frustration that they are now counter-productive to their original intent. For some, the drive for success can lead us to a perverted sense of what is important. Sin can darken our hearts from allowing God to lead us in his desires. Whatever the case might be for you personally, I hope that you will step back and ask honestly what it is in your own life that keeps you from living out God’s full plan in your life. I hope we can be a people who seek after God with all our being and witness the great things that he has in place for us. As the author of Hebrews states in 12:1, “let us throw off everything that hinders, and the sin that so easily entangles”!  

E. A. Elam--A Peacemaker on Confessing our OWN Sins by Terry J. Gardner

E. A. Elam – A Peacemaker on Confessing Our Own Sins

By Terry J. Gardner

 

Edwin Alexander Elam was his mother’s firstborn child. Just a few minutes after his birth—on 7 March 1855 in Fosterville, Tennessee—Sister Elam “earnestly prayed for divine help and guidance to train E. A. for usefulness in the service of God.”

In 1871 Elam was immersed into Christ but that did not cause him to be zealous or regular in church attendance.  Elam entered Franklin College in 1872 and studied under Jack Fanning.  Fanning taught him how to study and to think for himself.  As he was leaving for college his mother gave him a Bible with special passages marked for him to remember.  By 1874 Elam had become more zealous and regular in his church attendance.

In 1879 Elam moved to Florence, Alabama, to teach with and study under T. B. Larimore in Mars Hill Bible School.  Earl Irvin West noted that both Larimore and Elam “had notable similarities in oratorical powers and in the gentleness of the inner man.”

By the early 1880s Elam had begun to write for the Gospel Advocate and to develop a relationship with David Lipscomb.  By 1901 Elam was on the Board of Directors of the Nashville Bible School (now Lipscomb University) and was the front-page editor of the Gospel Advocate.  From Elam’s association with David Lipscomb came a character of steely resolve. He soon developed a personal slogan, “For Truth and Right, Always the Same.”  Combining Larimore’s gentleness with Lipscomb’s firmness and his own commitment never to be a respecter of persons, Elam became a peacemaker who was often called to help resolve congregational conflicts.

In 1929 F. B. Srygley wrote of this friend, “Brother Elam did more, perhaps, than any other man among us in settling church troubles.  He was sought after far and near to help settle church troubles.  It seems to me that the promise Christ made when he said, ‘Blessed are the peacemakers:  for they shall be called the children of God,’ was his; and this promise can be relied upon.  Another passage seems applicable:  ‘Brethren, if any of you do err from the truth, and one convert him; let him know, that he which converteth the sinner from the error of his way shall save a soul from death, and shall hide a multitude of sins.’ ”

 

In 1919 Elam offered insight not only into his way of resolving church conflicts but also into making peace between angry Christians.  In part, he wrote,

Why should I be always confessing the faults of others, telling them and relating to others how unwarranted, uncalled for, inexcusable, unjust, slanderous, and wicked many of their deeds are, and never be able to see and to confess my own sins?

“Confess therefore your sins one to another, and pray one for another, that you may be healed.”  (James 5:16).

The only right way and, therefore, the shortest way out of wrong is to confess it, repent, and seek forgiveness.  Then it has gone forever.

One of my sons when very small ran in crying and told me his brother had struck him.  I seized the opportunity to teach him a lesson which I hoped would benefit him in after life.  So I asked him what he had done to his brother.  He was confessing his brother’s wrong.  He replied to my question that his brother had hurt him by the lick.  I replied, “I do not doubt that,” but pressed my question, “What did you do?”  He answered again by saying:  “But he hurt me.”  I replied again:  “I believe all you say:  your brother struck you, he hurt you, he should not have done so, and has done wrong, therefore; but tell me what you did to him.”  Seeing I was fair and just, he said:  “Well, I bit him.”  Then I had both sides, and got them from the one who made the complaint.  Another little fellow at another time came with his waist soaking wet from top to bottom, complaining that a grown boy had “poured a pitcher of water down his neck.”  “What did you do?”  I asked.  “I threw some water on him,” was the reply.  “Were you both playing?” I asked.  “Yes,” was the reply.  “Go, then,” I said, “out on a dry waist, and do not come home crying because the other fellow got the better of the play.”  Just so, grown children in the church come complaining that they have been very badly treated in various ways, but they rarely ever tell what wrongs they have done.  I want to ask: What did you do?

There can never be a quarrel without two quarrelers; there can never be a fight without two fighters.

A man ran in haste down the street.  One met him and asked why such haste.  “I am trying to prevent a fight between two men.”  “Who are they?” was the question.  “I am one,” he said, and ran on.  Suppose church members were so afraid of strife, trouble, and a church fuss that they would run from them?

I have assisted in settling a few very grave church troubles.  At one time two congregations were united when the church had separated and the withdrawing faction had built another house of worship.  This was done by fair and just and frank dealing—by teaching from the word of God each one to confess his own faults.  I have never failed when I could persuade the parties to the trouble to do this.  I have always failed when I could not lead them to do this.  If wrongdoers cannot see their own sins and will not repent of them, troubles can never be adjusted and their souls can never be saved.

Some seem to care no more for God’s teaching on “the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace” and the things essential to this than some others do for the teaching of the New Testament on baptism, the Lord’s Supper, or against the divorce evil.

Some people seem never to have learned how to say they have done wrong or to beg another’s pardon; and some others seem never to have learned how to grant pardon or to forgive.  They can never “get over” anything.  There is as much grace in granting pardon as is required to ask pardon.

Let us think on these things a while, and the Lord have mercy upon us all.[1]

---

[1]

E. A. Elam, “Was It ‘An Unwarranted,’ ‘Uncalled-For,’ and ‘Inexcusable’ Thing?” Gospel Advocate 61 no. 1 (2 January 1919): 11.

Battles of Encounter

Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his power. Put on the whole armor of God, so that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For our struggle is not against enemies of blood and flesh, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers of this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.

-- Ephesians 6.10-12

 

In the history of warfare, there is something called a “battle of encounter.” That is, there are times (especially in the days before sophisticated intelligence gathering) when great armies collide unexpectedly and have not had time fully to prepare offensive or defensive strategies. The most significant battle on U.S. soil is such a “battle of encounter.”  On July 1, Confederate General Robert E. Lee’s Army of Northern Virginia and Union Army of the Potomac, commanded by the lesser known General George Meade, collided at the little Pennsylvania town of Gettysburg.  Lee had invaded northern territory, and Meade was attempting to lure Lee into battle a little south of the Pennsylvania state line in Maryland. It did not work out that way as advance parties of both armies encountered each there at Gettysburg.

 

In such a situation, everyone has to think fast; everyone has to react on instinct. Battles of encounter tend to foster many moments of improvisation and acting “in the moment.” Such battles in many cases start unexpectedly and continue to present the unexpected.

 

Part of what turned the battle of Gettysburg into a Union victory (and turned the war in the Union’s favor in the East) was a series of people thinking well—and acting responsibly based on their training and what was needed—at the critical, unanticipated moments of encounter.

Here is but one critical example:

On July 2, the second day of the battle, the Army of the Potomac’s Chief Engineer, a man named Gouverneur Warren, noticed that the Rebel attack had found a lightly defended spot on the extreme left end of the Union line, at a place called Little Round Top. If the Rebel attack succeeded in taking Little Round Top, they would be in a position to “roll up” the Union line; in other words, battle over. It would be a resounding Confederate victory. Warren immediately sent one aide to Gen. Meade to let him know the situation and then sent another aide to find troops to reinforce Little Round Top (in a sense, he was acting without authorization…but was certainly in line with what Gen. Meade would want). Warren’s second messenger found a Corps commander who then sent out a courier to one his division commanders to see if he could help. That courier shortly ran into a brigade commanded by a Colonel named Strong Vincent. The courier told him who he was looking for and why. Immediately Vincent, realizing the gravity of the situation, told the courier, “I’ll take my brigade there,” bypassing the chain of command. “I will take the responsibility,” he emphatically said to the surprised courier. Vincent then led his brigade just in time to Little Round Top, into fierce and bloody and ultimately successful fighting. He led them into one of the many moments like that at Gettysburg that may well have saved the Union. (You never hear about Col. Vincent in the history books, do you? Actually, not much about Gen. Warren, either. And yet, without the initiative of these two men who acted responsible and instinctively in the moment…)

 

Blah, blah, blah with the obscure history lesson, Greg; is there a point to this?

Yes.

As the reading from Ephesians at the top of this entry notes, we, too, are in a war. And, we will have many battles of encounter with the enemy. There will be moments when we will have to react based on our training and developed instincts.

How will we perform in our “battles of encounter” with the enemy, with sin? And those “battles of encounter” are not “ifs,” they are “whens.” They will come, both in the form of temptations to sin and in the form of opportunities to serve God’s purposes.

The writer of Hebrews speaks of “…the mature… those whose faculties have been trained by practice to distinguish good from evil” (Hebrews 5.14).

 

Are we well-trained?

 

Certainly this is about how we do morally – do we do what is right when faced with temptations to sin?

Do we get better at doing what is good because we practice doing good? Are the “habits of our heart,” the things we have learned to do almost instinctively, habits consistent with God’s character?

 

But being well-trained is also about how we do missionally – do we act when we are in a position to put in a good word about Jesus? Do we act responsibly when we are in a position to represent Jesus? Do we have to wait for someone to give us permission to talk about the difference Jesus Christ makes in our lives, or do we take on ourselves the responsibility to do that? Are we prepared to serve God’s purposes at a moment’s notice?

 

Seems like that is what Peter is getting at in 1 Peter 3.15b-16a: Always be ready to make your defense to anyone who demands from you an account of the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and reverence… 

“Always be ready.” Not sure I’m always ready. What’s my excuse for that? A lot of times it’s that I’m just not paying attention, just not expecting opportunity.  

I’m pretty good at coming up with ways to “seize the moment”…after the fact. What I need to get better at is seeing and acting on the opportunity to do good in the moment. 

This blog is primarily supposed to be place where Southeastern’s leaders have a chance to talk about spiritual growth. So, here’s my point for that purpose: Maybe our spiritual maturity, individually and as a community of believers, is measured by our ability to act well in the moment, whether to avoid sin or to seize an opportunity to serve God’s purposes. 

By that measure, the measure of my “battles of encounter,” how mature am I really?