Tuesday, February 22, 2011

Church Meeting Devotions: Simple Church

2 Thessalonians 1:11 With this in mind, we constantly pray for you, that our God may count you worthy of His calling, and that by His power He may fulfill every good purpose of yours and every act prompted by your faith.


I had a coffee this morning with an old friend who belongs to another church. We talked about missions and ministries in the post-modern world, and what it means to be disciples in our local communities. My friend talked about deliberately growing smaller churches where members could concentrate on strengthening their faith and sharing the Gospel. He envisioned a simpler church where Christians would only be committed to short term projects instead of long term programs. Congregations would rediscover what the First Christians used to call “The Way,” – a much less complicated faith which brought people closer to Christ.

As he talked enthusiastically about this new “old style” church, I could only nod in agreement. Doing church has replaced being church. Pro-active membership has displaced prayerful commitment. Instead of giving our lives to God through Christ’s work, we want Christ to work at making our lives better. Rather than adding to our knowledge of God, we invent another program to add to our church schedules and bury our spirituality with busy-ness. Our congregations are smothered in satisfying our needs, instead of silently sitting at the feet of Jesus. In short, we have forgotten the Way and wearied our spirits.

It seems to me that God has called us to be congregations and churches to simply glorify Christ and share His Good News. Everything else is just fluff and merely burns out our exhausted souls. I think it’s about time we rediscovered the Way.

Prayer: Lord Jesus, help us to climb out of the morass of church activity that we have painfully created for ourselves. Enable us to focus on a few faithful things that will simplify our commitment and lead to a better understanding of what You want us to fulfill. Keep us from over-extending our time and help us to find our way back to You through prayer, study, and worshipping. In Your Holy Name, we pray. Amen.


John Stuart is the pastor of Erin Presbyterian Church in Knoxville, Tennessee. If you would like to comment on today’s message or ask a question, please contact him, by email at pastor@erinpresbyterian.org.

Today’s image is one of John’s latest drawings. It’s called “Jonquils for Julia” and depicts the first bloom of daffodils heralding that Spring is near. If you would like to view a larger version of the image, please click on the following link: http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5059/5427279505_5ed72e7ac5_b.jpg

Monday, February 21, 2011

Church meeting devotions: Fresh Fish - 2 Thessalonians 1:4

2 Thessalonians 1:4 Therefore, among God's churches we boast about your perseverance and faith in all the persecutions and trials you are enduring.

It was one of the worst days of my ministerial career. I was sitting in the Presbytery’s Clerk’s home and blubbering like a baby. I had only been in the parish ministry for three years, but I was ready to give it all up. I was at my wits’ end and thought that I would no longer be able to remain in the parish. I was absolutely gutted and inconsolable.

What had caused this? Two elders. Two elders who constantly attacked, confronted and belittled everything I was trying to accomplish at the churches I served. Every time I put forward a new proposal to grow the church, strengthen the faith, and expand the mission, these two elders would put up stumbling blocks immediately and sometimes vindictively. I was trying to do my best not just for God, but for the survival of the church itself. These two men wanted the church to remain in the comfort zone that they had created. They thought that I had too many new ideas and ambitions that might have worked in the big city, but this was a town and country charge; they didn’t go in for that sort of thing.

They were wrong and I knew it both instinctively and spiritually; but they were beating me down remorselessly. And so I ended up crying into my teacup at the Presbytery Clerk’s home.

He was a very wise man. He was practically blind, but he could see the truth in all situations. He talked to me gently about the hardships of ministry and he knew the whole history of the church I served. He promised to support me and above all he reminded me that God had called me to serve that particular church. He finished up with that great passage from Romans 8 and recounted to me how the Presbyterian Reformers of the past had relied upon Paul’s words: “If God be for us, who or what can be against us?”

I went back to the parish determined to do the work that God had called me to accomplish.

Today, I’m reliving that experience because I’ve just heard of another young minister giving up the parish after less than two years. The statistics are appalling: 80% of first time ministers give up in the first five years.

I don’t know what the answer to the problem is, but this I do know – young ministers are amongst the greatest gifts that God gives to the church. If we keep burning them out in the first five years, we’re not going to have any real leaders for the next generation of Christians.

Prayer:                        Lord Jesus, forgive us when our churches fail to support our youngest leaders. Grant us the patience to be more open to their opinions, ideas, and innovations. Remind us that they have been initially called by You, and that we, who are older, should treat them as equals, as visionaries, and as ambassadors of Your Kingdom. In Your Holy Name, we pray. Amen.

John Stuart is the pastor of Erin Presbyterian Church in Knoxville, Tennessee. If you would like to comment or ask questions about this message, please send him an email to pastor@erinpresbyterian.org.

Today’s image is one John’s latest images of Christ. It’s called “Christ Icon” and is based upon the famous Sinai Icon of Christ. If you would like to view a larger image, please click on the following link:

Friday, February 18, 2011

Church Meeting Devotions: 1848 Repeated - Psalm 145

Psalm 145:19              He fulfills the desires of those who fear him; he hears their cry and saves them. 

Any serious history student would know that all of the current civil unrest in the world, the riots in Arabian countries, and the protests in Wisconsin are very similar to what happened in 1848 across the world. In the history books, the revolutions of that year are called the “Springtime of Nations” because both Germany and Italy were formed after those revolutions. Before 1848, those countries did not exist and were made up of different kingdoms and small states.

Most of the 1848 revolutions across Europe and the rest of the world failed. Reactionary governments quickly suppressed the riots and maintained their authority over the people. Most of the revolutions were actually food riots, the likes of which we are seeing in Egypt and Yemen. A lot of people think this is a democratic global revolution, engendered by the freedom of internet information. If the truth be told, it’s more about sky high food prices and young people who can’t find work.

If history repeats itself, especially when we never learn from our past mistakes, we’ll soon see the cracking down of these revolutionary forces. Bahrain and Jordan, Yemen and Saudia Arabia are already doing this. Egypt is beginning to look like post-revolutionary Iran and we’re likely going to see a theocratic government take the place of the military authorities. I’m not prophesying these things; I’m just recognizing that historic events sometimes follow pre-existing patterns.

My concern is for the minority Christian communities in these revolutionary areas. When a revolution starts to dissipate, a minority group is often targeted as the enemy by both revolutionaries and reactionaries. These Christian communities have suffered for years. My hope and prayer is that the Lord will hear their cries and protect them.

So in the midst of our prayers for the world, let’s remember the Christian communities who are struggling for existence in these areas.

Prayer:                        Lord Jesus, once again the world is suffering from political and religious turbulence which is destabilizing peace throughout the world. We pray that Your Spirit of peace will prevail, especially in those revolutionary places where the Christian church is harassed and persecuted. Listen to their cries and save them. Hear their prayers and protect. In Your Holy Name, we pray. Amen.

John Stuart is currently the pastor of Erin Presbyterian Church in Knoxville, Tennessee. If you would like to comment or ask questions of today’s message, please send him an email to pastor@erinpresbyterian.org.

Today’s image is one of John’s 2011 Holy Week drawings. It’s called Passover and depicts the moment when Christ on the Cross passes over into death. You can view a larger print of this image at the following link:

Wednesday, February 16, 2011

Church meeting Devotions: Nearer to God - 1 Thessalonians 4

1 Thessalonians 4:16             For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. 

Understand this: Jesus is coming back at a time that we least expect. Will we be ready?

Probably most of us go through each day from one event, experience, or hour until the next without giving any thought to Christ’s Return. We are so far removed from the time of Paul that we go about thinking something like: ‘well, if Jesus has waited almost 2000 years to return, He probably won’t get here in my lifetime.’ We forget, though, that unlike Paul, we are now 2000 years nearer to that incredible day when Jesus arrives to finally judge the Earth.

This is why changing our present lifestyles is so crucial: honestly ask yourself this: if Jesus arrives today, will I be ready? Will I be taken or forsaken? Will I go to heaven or hell?

Some people turn off when preachers talk like that. They stick their heads in the sand and go into denial about what’s going to happen. They think that if they shut it out from their minds, it won’t ever occur. All they want to listen to is Pollyanna preaching and read happy-go-lucky theology. They don’t want to accept that their time, civilization, culture and society will be no more when Christ returns.

So for those people, let me reiterate: Understand this: Jesus is coming back at a time that we least expect. Will we be ready?

Prayer:                        Lord Jesus, free us from fooling ourselves and for filling our lives with trivial pursuits. Remind us that we each have everlasting souls and that the destiny of those precious souls depends upon the faith choices that we make on Earth. Keep us from making the colossal mistake of setting aside Biblical truths and replacing them with cultural philosophies. In Your Holy Name, we pray. Amen.

John Stuart is presently the pastor of Erin Presbyterian Church in Knoxville, Tennessee. If you would like to comment on today’s message or ask him a question, please send an email to pastor@erinpresbyterian.org.

Today’s image is one of John’s latest “Scotland in Winter” prints called “Bonnie Dunkeld.” It depicts the beautiful town of Dunkeld covered in snow. You can view a larger image of this print at the following link:

Tuesday, February 15, 2011

Church Devotions: Challenged and Changed

1 Thessalonians 4:7 For God did not call us to be impure, but to live a holy life. 

This is one of those verses that challenge all of us today, including me. We live in the most impurest of times and we are all tainted by some degree of sexual immorality. Rather than change our lives as Christians, we find it more and more convenient to change the rules and appease our consciences. Instead of submitting to Biblical authority, we subvert the Word of God, making it fit our worldly ways and self-centered civilization.

If we speak out against the brazenness and sickness of our society, Christians and preachers are called bigots and dinosaurs, hypocrites and schismatics. Then the teaching of the past is cast aside as a new one world vision is embraced and religious morality is abandoned. People can do what they want and when they want to, without meddling preachers spoiling the fun. God is now created in society’s image and people make Him the Almighty Approver of our world view.

But God did not call us to be impure; He called us to live holy lives. Unfortunately, we have all failed miserably and as our society continues to degenerate, holiness is replaced with haughtiness. The World challenges and chides the Church to change its ways, instead of the other way around.

For the sake of our salvation, we need to change our ways, but not because the World says so; we need to change our ways because we are called to live holy lives. Let us pray that it is not too late to do so. The future salvation of our children and their children depends upon what we decide and do now.

Prayer:                        Lord Jesus, we have all fallen short of God’s glory, but instead of turning back to You and changing our lives, we give into the World’s demands and desecrate the holiness we once had. Forgive us for being arrogant and foolish, sexually immoral and wickedly brazen. Call us back to purity and holiness, faithfulness and prayer. In Your Holy Name, we humbly ask. Amen.

John Stuart is the pastor of Erin Presbyterian Church in Knoxville, Tennessee. If you would like to comment on today’s message, please send him an email to pastor@erinpresbyterian.org.

Today’s image is one of John’s latest Scottish drawings. It depicts the Military Tattoo that takes place at Edinburgh castle, Scotland each year. If you would like to view a larger image of this print, please visit the following link:

Wednesday, February 9, 2011

Church meeting devotions: Routine recovery - 1 Thessalonians 2

1 Thessalonians 2:9   Surely you remember, brothers, our toil and hardship; we worked night and day in order not to be a burden to anyone while we preached the gospel of God to you.

I would like to get my life back. For the past eighteen months I’ve felt as though my routine has been shattered into a million pieces. I didn’t realize how much of my work would be connected to the building, renovating, and renewal of the church campus. Before we began the campaign, an elder stated that this was the equivalent of going to war. I laughed at that suggestion; I am not laughing now.

However, the church has reached that 3/4s of the way of this process and we are at the point where light can be seen at the end of the tunnel. And once I get this new office cleared of the old office junk, I’ll be able to settle in and get back to what I enjoy most: writing and preaching the Gospel.

I think that the church staff, elders, and members are feeling the same way too. We’ve labored hard together, night and day, week after week, and month after month, to make this renovation work. Hopefully, by this time next year, everything will be totally completed and we can move on into a brighter future. It will be wonderful to concentrate on our own ministries and missions, programs and projects.

When Paul wrote his letters long ago, he tried to inspire and encourage the new churches that had just been established along the Mediterranean. Lives were changed by the Spirit of Christ and the Gospel turned everything upside down. In the midst of all that newness and disarray, Paul wrote clearly and candidly in order to strengthen the foundations of faith amongst those new Christian communities. Without his letters, solid theology, and inspiring words, those churches may never have succeeded. He helped them develop a pattern, a routine, and a ministry that still exists today. He worked hard and long, but the fruits of the labor made it all worthwhile.

Perhaps you’re finding it hard to carry your faith. Maybe you’re experiencing tough times, individual illness, or personal problems. Being a Christian is never easy; being a Christian in hard times can be exhausting. But the Gospel of Jesus Christ, the Good News of salvation, and the God given promises of the New Testament still inspire, encourage, and support us today. Our routines and lives may be disrupted at times, but God’s love and hold on us can never be thwarted nor taken away.

Prayer:                        Lord Jesus, when our lives are chaotic and out of kilter, be our anchor and mainstay. When our routines are disrupted and our days are problematic, be our Hope and Healer, our Encourager and Enabler. In Your Holy Name, we pray. Amen.

John Stuart is the pastor of Erin Presbyterian Church in Knoxville, Tennessee. If you would like to comment on today’s message, please send him an email to pastor@erinpresbyterian.org.

Today’s image is one of John’s latest Appalachian winter series. It depicts an old shack covered in snow beside an East Tennessee road. If you would like to see a larger version of the print, please visit the following link: http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5010/5374651292_96837167f6_b.jpg