Availability!

Availability-this is a word you often think of when your work asks you "What are your hours of availability?" But do we think hard enough about the availability of our pastors. I remember one particular minister growing up that I could never seem to get a hold of. Not everyone is called to be the pastor’s best friend, and perhaps that was my fault back then, but they are at least supposed to be able to get a hold of him!
Now, as I myself am a pastor I wonder at the fact that so many churches have pastors who cannot be contacted-while I myself am available and have plenty of time to take calls (I've yet to not answer a call with the attitude that I am too busy!)
"Pastors, we are not professionals!" And even if we were, why would we want to treat our customers like burdens instead of blessings? Pastors, be available!

Despise Not the Day of Small Things

This is where I got my start preaching! Bosworth Baptist Church out in the country of Missouri. The people there were very gracious to me and more than generous...better then I deserve. God opened the pastorate to me there as an answer to my prayers that He would confirm my calling to ministry. There were plenty of challenges, but I learned a lot and owe the people a great debt! Ignore the date on the photo-I was pastor there from October 2007 to April 2008.

"Do not despise the day of small things."

This week, I was on the radio helping to host a Christian call-in show. Guests call in each week to ask area pastors difficult questions about the Bible. One of the inquiries this week was "Can a woman hold the office of Bishop?"

There were two pastors who said that a woman cannot hold the office and there were two women pastors hosting the show with us men. I answered the question this way:
This is a very controversial question. There is some evidence in the New Testament that there were possibly women Apostles in the Early Church. There were women deacons for sure. The fact that women pastors today are preaching the Gospel should encourage the men to step up. I also stated that I am glad the Gospel is preached, however it is preached.

Lastly, I'd like to add that the office of "bishop" is the same as that of "elder" and "pastor" in the New Testament, so that the three terms are interchangeable. There are only two offices-Bishop and Deacon. I as a Pastor am also a Bishop. The use of the term Bishop to differentiate between “a pastor” and “a pastor of pastors” was not until about the time of Ignatius of Antioch and later.

Coffee! It is one of the most popular beverages in our day. According to surveys conducted by The National Coffee Association and The Specialty Coffee Association of America: "Nearly 52% of Americans over 18 years of age drink coffee every day. This represents over 100 million daily drinkers. 30 million American adults drink specialty coffee beverages daily; which include a mocha, latte, espresso, cafe mocha, cappuccino, frozen/iced coffee beverages, etc." (http://www.espressoforums.com/viewtopic.php?t=137)

My cousin who just became a Mormon stays away from caffeine. Others, like my mother-in-law who is a good evangelical also stays away-but for different reasons. Both think it is bad for you. One stays away for religious reasons-another for purely health reasons. I myself, love coffee and wanted to tell everyone out there in bloggerlandusa, “All things are lawful for me, but not all things are profitable. All things are lawful for me, but I will not be mastered by anything”
(1 Corinthians 6:12).

Recently I have made a better effort to read the Bible. It has been quite pleasant to read from the New Living Translation, copyright 2004, 2007 Tyndale House Publishers.

I started with the Book of Job and found it to be refreshing. And Job is known as one of the dryest books of the Bible.

In fact, I found that two of my favorite scholars, Drs. Douglas Moo and Thomas Schreiner are on the translation committee for the books of Romans and Galatians.

Also, Dr. Gordon Fee an eminent New Testament scholar of our day recommends the NLT as an excellent reading Bible in his book "How to Choose a Translation for All Its Worth."

To learn more about the New Living Translation visit http://www.newlivingtranslation.com/ or pick up a copy at Wal-Mart today!

Check out this Series of Messages :)

If you love to hear the Word of God preached, check out this series of messages at

http://www.baptistmeetinghouse.com/

Pastor Stuart is preaching his third message tonight (7/26/09) in a series of five messages. Past sermons can be viewed by clicking on links at our above web address. Enjoy! If you are in the area-hope to see you there.