Bethel Bible Church

Prayer

Last Sunday night at our annual Congregational Meeting, I shared my burden for the role of prayer in the life of our body. Not just the life of our body corporately, but I also have a burden for prayer in the role of our individual and family lives - all of them.

Though not comprehensive, I offer a few images of how prayer is really the fabric of the NT and the life of the church.

1. We must be committed to individual prayer that is authentic, intimate and full of faith (Matt. 6:8)

2. We must believe in the power of corporate prayer to build up, instruct and attract one another in the name of Christ (1 Cor. 14:16-19)

3. We must be committed to marriages that honor Christ for our prayers to be effective (1 Peter 3:7)

4. We must bear one another's burdens in prayer for the purpose of healing (James 5:16)

5. The ministry of God's Word must be accompanied with a devotion to prayer. In other words, your pastors and leaders must spend their time in prayer - this is their high priority (Acts 6:4)

6. We must pray for the rapid spread of the Gospel, the protection of the Gospel and those that will proclaim (that includes all of us)  (2 Thess. 3:1-2)

7. As we walk in the Spirit, we pray as the Spirit of God that inhabits us. God's Spirit is always praying for us and drawing us to abide with Christ in our prayer (Romans 5:3-5, 8:26-30)

The example from the New Testament is life and ministry that is bathed in prayer: from Jesus to Paul to the Early Church, to Peter, James, Stephen and John - all of the New Testament writers affirm the reality that we are dependent on prayer.

This next year, my chief devotion is going to be prayer. I have always struggled with a vibrant prayer life. Like many of you, I am a "doer." My mind is changing, transforming, to see that the my greatest labor is to be spent in prayer. And with that said, I am praying that you will join me on your knees, in your closets, in the sanctuary, with your family and small groups, as you drive, when you wake and as you lie down to pray. Pray with the reality that your "life" depends on it. Pray with the conviction that God hears you. Pray with the hope that God, before the foundations of time ordained that your life would be carried along by His Spirit in the labor of prayer.

Then, with eyes open and hearts tuned to Him, live and love and spend your life for the sake of the gospel, the advance of the Kingdom and to the glory of God. Amen.

Ross

Honoring your parents

This past week I spoke about the relationship between children and parents (Ephesians 6:1-4.) I talked about a child's primary responsibility of obedience and honor and that a parents primary responsibility with their children is to enforce both obedience and honor. Part of God's design in families is that parent's teaching and training their children in obedience and honor prepares them to love, honor, submit and obey God. In fact, I believe that the obedience a parent requires provides the opportunity for blessing in a child's life.

One of the aspects of this parent/child relationship that was beyond the scope of Sunday morning is what this looks like for adult children when they seek to honor their parents. The difficulty comes on many fronts, "What if my parent(s) abandoned me, were abusive, alcoholics, manipulative, unhealthy...?" The list could go on and on. In a day when much of my generation, and the generations that will follow, grew up in divorced homes or were full of dysfunction, honoring your parents as adult children has obstacles.

Let me offer a few thoughts here and then I look forward to your questions and comments.

1. If you are an adult child who has difficulty honoring your parent(s) then I suggest that you study your parent(s) and pick our areas which you can properly honor them.

2. Honor means respect and the primary way we respect others is in our actions and through our words.

3. We should look for things to speak well about our parents. Honoring them in our conversations with our spouse, children and friends can have a powerful effect on how we think and feel towards our parents.

4. We should resist speaking dishonorably about our parents or to our parents:

• This does not mean that we do not confront wrongs.
• This does not mean we do not set appropriate boundaries.
• It does mean that we have a sober respect for the reality that God has placed them in our life (or us in their life). We realize that God is the one that will judge their "parenting" - we are not the judges.
• We learn from our parents - the mistakes we perceive they have made - and then we seek to honor them where we can.

5. If you are married - to dishonor your in-laws is a terrible mistake... for any reason.

• To do so is to be in disobedience to God.
• When you dishonor your in-laws, you alienate your spouse.

Most of my adult life, I have failed at honoring my dad. I have felt justified because of decisions he made and the distance that has been between us. Maybe I have felt that focusing on his failures, choices and imperfections would convince me and those around me that I would never have made those mistakes.

In May I had a chance to visit my father for the first time in many years. I was overwhelmed with a compassion had for him. I came away with the realization of God's grace in my life. I have failed my own children and will fail them in the future - I am sure time and maturity will reveal that more and more. I have made the decision that part of training my children is modeling how to honor my father despite his failure. I pray it is a lesson I teach well.

- Ross

Bethel's great staff

So last time I actually wrote here I listed all of the reasons I love Bethel. Today, I list all the reasons I love Bethel's staff. October is "pastor appreciation month." I really think it ought to be designated "church staff appreciation month." It is a whole unit. No part works without the benefit of the whole. Everybody plays a different role. But just like the body of Christ, there are no unimportant roles. Everyone of these staff are marked by their love for the Savior, His church and His people. They have given their lives to the body of Christ and model what it means to serve rather than be served.
Here are some other things that come to my mind when I think of our staff:

Jim Smithies - man, this guy has a pastor's heart extrodinaire! I have never been around someone who cared about people and their spiritual growth more than Jim. Jim has an incredible gift mix between being able to plan and build when it comes to strategy and also the temperment to be a great counselor. Jim is an encourager and I appreciate the way he always brings the wisdom of his experience to the table. Jim has a patience I long for and a grace I admire.

Mark Kuykendall - I love this guy. He is cool and a man's man. Mark kills things. I love that! He is a great dad and husband (of a very cool wife) and loves the kids at Bethel in very tangible ways. He is an administrative genius. He is great at building teams, a great teacher and is intensely passionate about building into the lives of our youth a very high and holy view of our glorious and sovereign God. I am thankful you guys came to Bethel and I love serving in ministry alongside you.

Todd Wright - Todd is the newest member of Bethel's awesome staff and at the same time it feels like he has been here all along. Todd is such a great fit for Bethel and brings depth, richness and creativity to a whole new level. Todd is a phenomenal musician who is an equally phenomenal encourager of those around him. Todd is a great dad and husband and I always look forward to video chronicles of his life. I am thankful for Todd's authenticity, openess and willingness to share his life in creative ways.

Cay Bolin - there are not enough words in the English language to capture the amazing "Mrs. Cay." I have never met anyone with a higher capacity. She is creative, a gifted teacher, a loyal friend, embodiment of hospitality, a foot-washer, an encourager, has tremendous strength of character and the list could go on and on. Cay has a pretty cool husband too. Cay has cast a God-sized vision for the littlest of those among us. 2 and 3 year olds memorize God's Word and are having their hearts cultivated for the Savior because of her vision and ministry. I am a thankful father.

Paula Myers - Paula is extremely loyal and works harder behind the scenes than most anyone I know. She is someone who will do what she says she will do - no matter what. She has a strong faith and high value for a deep prayer life. She can tell you story after story of specific prayers she has prayed and God has answered. She is honest and can always be counted on to tell you the truth. Paula's love and devotion to Matt, her family and this church sets the bar for all of us.

Donna Ridenour - I have never met anyone with so much energy and the ability to generate energy in those around them. Donna is the most amazing combination of "get it done" "people-person" I have ever met. Donna has an honesty and candor that clears the way for real relationship at the level everyone longs for and has a respect for the kids in her ministry that endears them to the Savior. Lee and Donna not only have an amazing ministry on Sunday mornings, but they also have an amazing ministry of building intimate community on Sunday nights. Thank you for how you love the Body of Christ.

Geri Spelbring - I have never been around anyone more gifted to communicate the love of God to children than Geri. Whether it is playing football with the 4-5th grade boys or holding and soothing an infant, Geri is right at home. Geri has a God-honoring value of excellence and attention to "details that you never see," but make all the difference. She has created an atmostphere of comfort and security along with a commitment for learning about the character of God and His Word from moment a child takes his or her first breath. Thank you Geri for all you do - especially the things we don't see.

Carole Hodges - Winfred (elder) and Carole are a one-of-a-kind couple in the body of Christ. Their love for Christ, His church, their marriage and their family exudes from every cell of thier being. Leslie and I want to be like the Hodges when we grow up. Carole's love for women and her passion to see them grow in Christ and love their families is contagious and compelling. The consistency, character and authenticity of your life, ministry and marriage is a blessing to us all.

Leslie Strader - I didn't hire her... but she is totally hot! I'll blog about her another day, but I want you to know that she eclipses me in every way. Leslie has a passionate commitment to God's Word and a desire for those around her to love God's Word. She is the most gracious wife and amazing mother. I am thankful for her everyday.

Kay Rice - Kay has the most unbelievably gracious, loyal and caring spirit. She loves people, serves people, cares for them, protects them and encourages them. The counsel and encouragement that she provides to Bethel and its staff everyday is the glue that keeps this place together. When she is gone from the office, we are all lost. Kay models the grace of family and friendship that is an example for us to follow.

Betsey Bradberry - I have never heard an unkind word come from Betsey. She is fiercely loyal and makes everyone feel welcome with her gift of hospitality in whatever setting she is in. She loves numbers and people (I didn't even know people like that existed!). She has an infectious laugh and is a great friend. Her deep desire to serve our Lord grows every day. It is such a joy to serve with you Betsey!

Eric Weir - Eric is what I would call a "Servant Theologian." Not only does Eric keep the place together with his quiet strength, character and unfailing service, but Eric is a prayer warrior passionate about the heart of God. Eric loves God's mission. Lost people are always at the fore of Eric's mind and heart. Eric has been at Bethel since the beginning and has served this body in every possible way - every single day. Without Eric, Bethel would not be Bethel.

So staff, I appreciate you and I am thankful to God for bringing us and holding us together. I could not--could NOT--do what I do without you. And for those reading this, please take a minute and thank these godly men and women for their faithful service to you and yours, to the glory and honor of God.

I love this church

Every time I speak about Bethel, I describe it this way, "If we had moved to Tyler for any other reason... Bethel is the church we would have landed in." I cannot tell you the great joy that statement is. I cannot begin to relay the great joy God has given me to pastor such a great church.

Some of the reasons I love Bethel:

1. Bethel is authentic. I have never been in a gathering of people that are more committed to being real as when I am with you.

2. Bethel loves God and His Word. There is not a week that goes by that I am not overwhelmed with the weight of what it means to stand in front of this church and open God's Word. I fell in love with Scripture watching my grandfather's affection for it. He would pour over it. He wept over it. He depended on it. He prayed through it. He journaled all over it. He soak it in and taught it and loved it with all his being. And the reason he did is because it changed his mind and heart and set his affections on the Father. I caught that from him. I pray with all my being that you would catch a glimpse of that from me.

3. Bethel loves children. Not only do we have the most unbelievable Children's Ministry team (props to Cay, Donna, Paula and Geri), but Bethel loves its children. The time that you have invested in my own children overwhelms me and humbles me. Bethel has such a passionate pursuit of children's hearts for the Savior. My little 3yr old Katherine knows 10 verses by heart. "I can do all things through Christ!" - That tiny voice fills this house with those words. Thank you for loving children!

4. Bethel loves marriages and families. Every time I am with the elders we pray for your marriage. The world is set up in opposition to marriage and family in so many ways. But Bethel is for you as a couple and a family and wants more than anything for you to enjoy the blessings of a healthy union. And we have a profound commitment for all marriages to be healthy. I am so thankful for all of the marriages that have weathered the storms of life and change and children and teenagers and finances and "winters" and empty nests. You encourage me. Don't quit asking Leslie and me how we are doing. We need you. All of us need you... you are the lighthouse to so many of us in the dark days.

5. Bethel loves missions. Christ came out of eternity into creation to redeem sinful, rebellious, ignorant and blasphemous people like me. He came to save me and cleanse me and change me and present me pure and holy to His Glorious Father. And Bethel knows what it means to be the body of Christ. I have not been around a people more passionate about the gosple going to all people and all nations. I have sat in meetings and seen passion ignited when talking about the "what if's..." of taking the gospel to an unreached people group. I have seen that same passion and celebration when the gospel finally penetrates the 40 year resistant heart. The truth that Jesus, the Son of God, came to this planet born of a virgin, lived a perfect life, died a horrific and sin-satisfying death, and victoriously rose from the grave is the driving passion behind the mission of Bethel. I am honored to be a part of that.

6. Bethel loves and exalts Christ. He is the King of kings, Lord of lords and every knee will bow at the majesty and glory of His return. Bethel gets that! I live in the midst of a people who long for His appearing and seek His pleasure and live for His reward. I live in the midst of people that are not tethered to this world but are fueled by the power and promise of the next. Heavenly citizens committed to earthly good for the sake of the one that said, "They will know you are my disciples by your love for each other..."

7. Bethel loves the body of Christ. Bethel loves the church. Not just this church. Bethel loves the body of believers committed to exalting Christ for the Glory of God and the salvation of all people and nations. Most tangibly, your love for one another and every person that walks through the door is moving. I have never witnessed anything like it. It speaks to your authenticity (see #1). It speaks to the reality of Christ in you. It speaks to your love for Christ and his body in this church and in every other church. Keep it up. This is kingdom thinking and Christ loves it! The growth of Bethel is not the goal... the expanse of the kingdom is. Thank you for knowing that and living that!

There are many more things I could comment about here, Bethel's love for its staff, each other, youth, spiritual growth, it's community...

No, Bethel is not perfect. It's filled with a bunch of sinners like me and you. But it is healthy. It is thriving. I have heard so many say that they are experiencing here what it means to be the church. I love that. And I am honored to be a part of it, serving alongside you. I am so thankful for children to grow here, for my marriage to thrive here, for my ministry to mature here and my relationships with you deepen.

If we were in Tyler for any other reason, Bethel is the church where we would be.

-- Ross

Twisted Sisters

You know it is going to be a bad scene when two girls end up with the same guy. Especially when the two girls are sisters. But here is the twist—the guy is their father...

I read this story last week in my attempt to keep up with the bible study my wife is going through (The Amazing Collection). It stopped me dead in my tracks. I think that is what I love about the Bible - it never glosses over the ugly places, it leaves them right out there in plain sight for everyone to see. It is one of the reasons I am convinced it is true. I know how much I would like to edit my own life. It could only be a Holy God with a divine remedy to man's sin that is unashamed to to tell the whole story.

Genesis 19:30-38
There are some important things to know here. The sisters are adults, probably early twenties. Daughters sleeping with their father was not some “ancient custom.” This was not acceptable in this society.  The sisters action of getting their father drunk so that he would not know what was happening to him would be considered a felony crime in today’s language.

The most fascinating part of this story is that at the beginning of this chapter, the sisters were saved from a terrible fate by the angels. In v.8, Lot offers his daughters to the wicked men as a consolation prize so the angel/guests would be protected. Unbelievable! Now, in a soap opera type turn of events, the sisters are violating their father. And remember… these are the “good” people that were saved from the destruction of wicked Sodom and Gomorrah (Genesis 19:1-29).

The wickedness of sin can infect any of us. In fact, it has infected all of us to some degree. We all deserve the fate of Sodom and Gomorrah because of the sin in our life. We are all sinners and have fallen short of the glory of God (Rom. 3:23). Not one of us is righteous (Rom. 3:10).  And, the payment for the sin in our lives is death (Rom. 6:23).

That is why Jesus Christ came to this earth as an innocent baby. That is why he lived for thirty-three years preaching that the people of God needed to repent. And that is why he had to die on a cross for our sins. The payment we owe is far too much for us to bear. He had to bear it for us. He had to make the payment for us. And when we accept him as our Savior, we find forgiveness and salvation from the sin and death in our life.

At the end of this chapter, we do not see the judgment of God. We see his grace. He does not bring down fire on this family (Genesis 19:1-29). He blesses them with children. They did not deserve it. They were shown mercy and grace. The first half of the chapter we see the judgment of a holy and mighty God. The last part of the chapter we see the grace and mercy of the same holy and mighty God.

Remember, this chapter is not about the wicked people. It is about the character of God. That is the focus. When we consider the greatness of God we should confess our sins and give thanks for his incredible grace and mercy.

Ross Strader is married to Leslie and the father of three amazing children. Ross is the lead pastor and focuses his attention on teaching, vision and leadership. You can also find him here.