Richland Creek Welcome Ministry

A Christian friend of mine was dealing with a problem that came about because of an ongoing conflict between his son and another boy. It seems his son had been on the receiving end of some schoolyard bullying. I don’t think it was too severe, but it had apparently been going on for a while because my friend had talked with me about it several times over more than a month and he was never quite sure how to handle it.

When someone tells me about a problem like this, even before I look to scripture for a specific answer, I suggest praying. I think most believers will do what’s right if they allow the Holy Spirit to lead them, assuming they’ve been spending time reading the Bible. After all, isn’t that one of the reasons we read Scripture? Aren’t we supposed to hide it in our heart, even if we don’t have it memorized by book, chapter, and verse? Aren’t we supposed to know the lessons of the Bible before we actually need them?

So the first thing I suggested to my friend was to pray. But his response surprised me. He said that prayer wasn’t going to help in his situation because he didn’t have any idea of what he should do and until then he didn’t know what he should pray for.

I wonder how many people think like this. How many people wait until they’ve got it “figured out” before they go to God in prayer? I know I’ve been guilty of this. I wait until I know what I think is the desired outcome and then I pray for God’s help to get to that outcome. After all, the world says we’re supposed to handle our own problems. “Cowboy up,” “don’t be a cry baby,” and “just deal with it” are the kinds of worldly counsel you’re likely to get when facing challenges. So even as a Christian we think we’re at least supposed to know what to do and then pray to God for His help in putting our plan into action.

Boy, does the world have it backwards! I’ve heard it said, “If you want to make God laugh, tell Him about your plans!” God’s plans always trump our plans, so why not go directly to Him and just get on with it? In James 1:5, we’re told, “If you need wisdom–if you want to know what God wants you to do–ask him, and he will gladly tell you. He will not resent your asking.” (NLT) James then goes on to say in verse 6, “But when you ask him, be sure that you really expect Him to answer.”

I know I get irritated at work when I’m brought in to manage a project after all the preliminary decisions have been made and the problems that result from bad decisions start to pile up. And I bet God gets a little miffed with us when we don’t bring Him into our lives until we’ve made a mess bigger than it needs to be. Perhaps, we should try Plan A first. Now, there’s a concept. Maybe, if we go to God to start with, we’d never need a Plan B.

Thom Fishow

February 20, 2011

I remember once when my wife Sandra and I were at a restaurant and we held hands across the table and prayed out loud before we ate, as we always do. While we were eating a couple came over to us and commented that they were encouraged to see someone praying there in the restaurant. I didn’t notice this couple before they came to our table so I don’t know if they had taken the time to return thanks before they ate. And since we weren’t really praying for their benefit, I didn’t think too much about it, because after all, isn’t a prayer just a prayer?

Several months later when I was meeting a gentleman for a business-related lunch, I asked him after he joined me at the table if it would be okay if I prayed. (To be honest, I would have prayed regardless of his response, but I always ask first.) After I prayed, he volunteered that he never prayed at a restaurant while he was sitting at the table, but prayed as he was walking to the table since he felt a little awkward praying in a public place. Although I didn’t say anything, I questioned the part about praying as he was walking to the table and I was honestly disappointed by his apparent embarrassment to be seen praying in public.

I wondered about this man: If he was ever confronted, would he back down if someone “accused” him of being a Christian? Would he deny Jesus as Peter did if he felt threatened? (John 18:25-27) I wondered if I could trust this man enough to do business with him. Would I be able to depend on someone like this “to have my back” if I ever needed to count on him during difficult times?

Jesus said, “whoever is ashamed of Me and My words, the Son of Man will be ashamed of him when He comes in His glory, and the glory of the Father and of the holy angels.” (Luke 9:26) Was this man with whom I ate lunch afraid of what people might think of him for taking a minute to thank God for His blessings? He told me he was a believer. But was he ashamed of our Lord?

I wonder: Are there other people who give thanks before a meal at home but forgo this “ritual” when eating out because they feel self-conscious praying in public. I wonder if more people were to start praying at restaurants, would it feel a little less awkward. I never thought of praying in public as being a particularly bold thing to do; but if it is bold, aren’t we supposed to be bold? Maybe a prayer is a statement of our faith when done in public. Maybe we should make that statement every chance we get before we’re told we can’t pray in public anymore because it makes other people feel uncomfortable. Maybe we should think about how we would feel if Jesus was embarrassed to know us. Maybe we should be ashamed, not of Jesus but of ourselves, if we’re not setting the right example for others to follow. Now that I think about it, maybe a prayer isn’t just a prayer.

Thom Fishow

February 13, 2011

I was talking to a business associate the other day when the name of an old friend came up in the conversation. I asked what our mutual friend was now doing and was told, “He’s in the ministry.” I asked what exactly he was doing and was told he was a youth pastor at a church out of the area.

It was good to hear about my old friend, but it got me to thinking. I wonder what people say about me when someone asks, “What is Thom doing?” Do people say I’m Information Technology working at the State Employees’ Credit Union? Or that I’m married with four children and five grandchildren? Or, perhaps, that I’m the director of the Welcome Ministry at Richland Creek Community Church? Exactly what do people say about me?

And I wonder if there are any who would say, “He’s in the ministry?” In 2 Corinthians 9:1 as well as other passages in Corinthians, Paul makes reference to the Corinthians’ “ministry to the saints.” Well, shouldn’t you and I also be ministering to the saints in our own churches as well as to others, including non-believers with whom we either have shared or hope to share the Gospel? The fact is, the people to whom we should be ministering could literally be anywhere.

Here’s my point. When we go about our normal activities of the day, do others see us as Christians working at our jobs, ready to share our testimony and to serve with a Christian heart whenever the opportunity arises? Or, are we seen as someone who’s doing pretty well in his or her chosen profession and who also goes to church on Sunday? In other words, does our ministry carry over from Sunday to the rest of the week in such a way that others see our “ministry” as the most important characteristic defining who we are?

God doesn’t call us all to be Pastors, Elders, or Deacons. In 1 Corinthians 12, Paul talks about the body of the church and the importance of the various roles the members play and the gifts they are given. It is clear that every member of the church body can’t be a Pastor. Simply put, we’re not all expected to be “in the ministry” as my old friend was described which really meant having a profession in a religious field.

With all of that said, we are all called to ministry. Some are called specifically to the mission field. Others to work with children or with seniors. And still others, the vast majority, to work at jobs usually referred to as secular. But that doesn’t mean we aren’t first and foremost in ministry to expand God’s Kingdom. The last thing Jesus said in His time on earth was, “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations.” (Matthew 28:19) Yes, we can do that in our churches. But the truth is, there are many people in the workplace who never step foot inside a church. That’s a field ripe for a harvest. But before we can reap that harvest, we need people “in the ministry” willing to work in the field. It’s a different ministry, but no less important than working within the confines of the church.

So, are you in the ministry?

Thom Fishow

January 6, 2011