Category: Uncategorized

Neal Pollard

It is humbling to think about those men upon whose labor and study we feebly try to build.  The Bear Valley church of Christ has a legacy of outstanding men who have worked at this location, who have preached in the very pulpit it is my privilege to fill.  That is no doubt a contributor to the depth of Bible knowledge present in this congregation as well as the decades of sound, balanced teaching that has kept her from veering to the left or to the right of Bible center.  Perhaps you are unaware of the men, spiritual heroes, who have worked among us.

ROY LANIER, SR.

Brother Lanier’s biography was included in Loyd Smith’s 1986 book, Great Preachers of Yesterday, a volume that included the biographies of great men of the early and mid-1900s–Porter, Tant, Oliphant, McGaughey, Blue, Warlick, Rice, and many others.  Smith records the fact that Lanier wrote 11 volumes for Gospel Advocate’s Teacher’s Annual Lesson Commentary, 16 years as staff writer for Gospel Advocate, he debated, wrote several books, served as the first Bible Department head at Oklahoma Christian, Central Christian College, and served in that role at York College.  He was the first preacher to take the gospel to Salt Lake City, Utah. His last 15 years were spent helping start and run the Bear Valley School of Preaching that has met here on this property for 45 years!  Lee Hanstein is his granddaughter and Will is his great-grandson.

NORMAN GIPSON

Born about 19 years after brother Lanier in 1918, brother Gipson began preaching in 1935.  A Texas native who began preaching in Turkey, Texas, Gipson wrote tracts and books, spoke on daily radio programs, and debated through the heart of the 20th century (Preachers Of Today, Volume 2).  He worked in the northeast in the 1950s and was said to have a gentle disposition.  He converted several of our members, including the Randalls.

MONROE THARP

Preachers Of Today (Volume 5) featured brother Tharp, chronicling his long standing work in Christian camps and effective located work in Texas and Colorado.  He was among the original teachers in the school, and he began preaching in 1937.

ROY LANIER, JR.

A December, 1968, issue of The Minister’s Monthly, featured an already seasoned Roy Lanier, Jr., among featured “personalities.”  At the time, he was preaching in Midwest City, Oklahoma, but had already done local work in Iowa an Florida, too.  He would soon move to Colorado and be closely associated with this congregation for years.  He was known for conducting VBS, teacher-training, lectures, radio and TV, and foreign campaigns.  He spoke in a campaign in South Africa in 1968 that resulted in 76 baptisms.

AVON MALONE

Brother Malone was one of the early pulpit preachers at Bear Valley as well as a teacher in the school.  He was a teacher at Harding, Oklahoma Christian, Preston Road, and Brown Trail, too. He also did local work throughout Texas and Arkansas, wrote prolifically for periodicals as well as several books, including commentaries. He preached many, many gospel meetings throughout the post-war years. He is honored on the website, http://www.therestorationmovement.com.

WARREN WILCOX

A modest, self-deprecating man, brother Wilcox, as Willard Collins once said of Ira North, “never knew how great he was.” His scholarship was recognized by those who invited him to speak on lectureships, education, church growth, and evidences seminars, and World Video Bible School.  WVBS produced many videos of Warren’s classes on a great many subjects.  He was most beloved and an integral part of the growth and unity of the church in Denver area through his work with this church, the school, camp, and Singing Youth of Denver.

More could be said about all these men and others, especially men more contemporary to the present day.  What a legacy!  Thousands of sermons and articles, scores of baptisms, and hundreds of years combined experience speak to our richest of pasts.  What will we do to build upon this amazing and storied past?  May we endeavor to work today so that we can leave an imprint on this area, the church, and the world to the glory of God!

Neal Pollard

It is humbling to think about those men upon whose labor and study we feebly try to build.  The Bear Valley church of Christ has a legacy of outstanding men who have worked at this location, who have preached in the very pulpit it is my privilege to fill.  That is no doubt a contributor to the depth of Bible knowledge present in this congregation as well as the decades of sound, balanced teaching that has kept her from veering to the left or to the right of Bible center.  Perhaps you are unaware of the men, spiritual heroes, who have worked among us.

ROY LANIER, SR.

Brother Lanier’s biography was included in Loyd Smith’s 1986 book, Great Preachers of Yesterday, a volume that included the biographies of great men of the early and mid-1900s–Porter, Tant, Oliphant, McGaughey, Blue, Warlick, Rice, and many others.  Smith records the fact that Lanier wrote 11 volumes for Gospel Advocate’s Teacher’s Annual Lesson Commentary, 16 years as staff writer for Gospel Advocate, he debated, wrote several books, served as the first Bible Department head at Oklahoma Christian, Central Christian College, and served in that role at York College.  He was the first preacher to take the gospel to Salt Lake City, Utah. His last 15 years were spent helping start and run the Bear Valley School of Preaching that has met here on this property for 45 years!  Lee Hanstein is his granddaughter and Will is his great-grandson.

NORMAN GIPSON

Born about 19 years after brother Lanier in 1918, brother Gipson began preaching in 1935.  A Texas native who began preaching in Turkey, Texas, Gipson wrote tracts and books, spoke on daily radio programs, and debated through the heart of the 20th century (Preachers Of Today, Volume 2).  He worked in the northeast in the 1950s and was said to have a gentle disposition.  He converted several of our members, including the Randalls.

MONROE THARP

Preachers Of Today (Volume 5) featured brother Tharp, chronicling his long standing work in Christian camps and effective located work in Texas and Colorado.  He was among the original teachers in the school, and he began preaching in 1937.

ROY LANIER, JR.

A December, 1968, issue of The Minister’s Monthly, featured an already seasoned Roy Lanier, Jr., among featured “personalities.”  At the time, he was preaching in Midwest City, Oklahoma, but had already done local work in Iowa an Florida, too.  He would soon move to Colorado and be closely associated with this congregation for years.  He was known for conducting VBS, teacher-training, lectures, radio and TV, and foreign campaigns.  He spoke in a campaign in South Africa in 1968 that resulted in 76 baptisms.

AVON MALONE

Brother Malone was one of the early pulpit preachers at Bear Valley as well as a teacher in the school.  He was a teacher at Harding, Oklahoma Christian, Preston Road, and Brown Trail, too. He also did local work throughout Texas and Arkansas, wrote prolifically for periodicals as well as several books, including commentaries. He preached many, many gospel meetings throughout the post-war years. He is honored on the website, http://www.therestorationmovement.com.

WARREN WILCOX

A modest, self-deprecating man, brother Wilcox, as Willard Collins once said of Ira North, “never knew how great he was.” His scholarship was recognized by those who invited him to speak on lectureships, education, church growth, and evidences seminars, and World Video Bible School.  WVBS produced many videos of Warren’s classes on a great many subjects.  He was most beloved and an integral part of the growth and unity of the church in Denver area through his work with this church, the school, camp, and Singing Youth of Denver.

More could be said about all these men and others, especially men more contemporary to the present day.  What a legacy!  Thousands of sermons and articles, scores of baptisms, and hundreds of years combined experience speak to our richest of pasts.  What will we do to build upon this amazing and storied past?  May we endeavor to work today so that we can leave an imprint on this area, the church, and the world to the glory of God!

Neal Pollard

That little saying is written at the top of on one of the pages at the front of my Bible.  I have no idea who to thank for it or where it came from, but it is a profound statement.  When you consider Israel’s shortcoming, particularly in the wilderness, they typified the problems that attend the attitude without the gratitude approach to life.  God makes clear through His inspired writers that He did not appreciate their grumbling, complaining, and ungrateful state.

Today, despite economic “downturns,” the deflated value of the dollar, market struggles, and the like, Americans still live in the relative land of plenty.  Yet, there continues to be no shortage of ingratitude way beyond the pale of even the levels to which Israel stooped.  Whether it is a sense of entitlement, self-absorbedness, or years of being spoiled, this expectation for ease and disdain for difficulty surely cannot please our Lord.  How can we develop the grace of “less attitude and more gratitude”?

• –Make Thanksgiving A Part Of Your Spiritual DNA, Such That Others Would Associate Gratitude And Thanksgiving With You.
• –Notice The Kindnesses And Favors Done For You, However Big Or Small.
• –Immediately Write Thank You Notes, Call, Or Speak Personally To Those Who Have Done A Kindness.
• –In Prayer, Make Your Expressions Of Gratitude To God Specific And Heartfelt.
• –Try To Notice Your Blessings With Great Concentration, Trying To Discover Even Small Blessings One Normally Would Overlook.
• –Make It A Challenge Or Exercise To Look For As Many Ways You Have Been Blessed As You Can Discover.
• –Try And Find The Potential Blessings In Even Negative Or Hurtful Circumstances.
• –Trust That God Is Powerful Enough To Bring Good Out Of The Worst Happenings.
• –Consciously Work To Break The Habit Of “Whining And Complaining,” Perhaps Asking A Trusted Friend Or Companion To Hold You Accountable And Graciously Accepting It When They Point Out Times You Fall Prey To It.
• –See Trials As Stepping Stones To Good Character And Strength.
• –Realize That Everybody Has Problems And Most People’s Are Far Worse Than Yours.
• –Hold Yourself To The High Standards Of Joy, Peace, And Contentment, Not Settling For The Shame And Mediocrity Of Petty Murmuring.
• –Study The Bible To See How God Handled Those With More Attitude And Less Gratitude.
• –Make It A Deliberate Task In Your Child-Rearing To Strongly Emphasize The Importance Of Showing Gratitude To God And Others, Being Careful To Model It Before Them.

Neal Pollard

The lady sitting next to me on the plane engaged me in conversation, and soon it came out that I was a preacher.  She then informed me of something I have heard with some frequency lately from people out in the world.  She said that she was on a spiritual journey.  It began in 2004.  She was in city government in a northern state, but left that job to move with her husband and son to the deep south where she now works as a civil engineer.  She is well educated and well-to-do, from what I could gather.  She grew up Lutheran and her husband grew up a Methodist.  Both were disenchanted with hypocrisy and liturgy in their particular congregations.  But, with the move and the fact that their only son was now in High School, she was searching.

Her “journey” took her in spiritual, mystical directions.  In the process, she has taken up tai chi–she now embraces the physical aspects but rejects the spiritual part.  She had investigated Buddhism, but found it unsatisfactory.  She has discovered the gnostic gospels, and especially is drawn to Pistis Sophia (the gnostic tradition of Mary Magdalene).  More recently, she has become absorbed with Michael Newton, a former atheist who has come to believe in reincarnation and helps his patients “discover their past lives” through hypnosis.

She was truly open and while I listened at length, I tried to gently guide her to biblical truth found in passages like Hebrews 9:27, 1 Corinthians 15:35-58, and 2 Peter 3:11ff.  We found common ground and she is very open to the possibility she is not on the “right path.”  It was difficult, however, to get her firmly convinced that God’s sole means of communicating was through scripture.  I ended our discussion by telling her that if she remains honest in her quest, she will find the answers for which she seeks.

That interchange made me think of Paul’s visit to Mars Hill in Acts 17, though this woman grew up in a church teaching belief in Christ.  She represents a world of people in our culture searching for something spiritual to fill the hole in their souls.  While the result of our impromptu, two hour Bible study ended inconclusively, I am certain that there are people in search of God all around us.  Our job is to guide them toward the Way, the truth and the life (cf. John 14:6).  No one will find what they seek apart from Him.  No one and nothing else can fill that “hole” in the soul that is Christ-shaped.  Let us be ready to guide whoever God puts in our path that may be on their own spiritual quest!

Neal Pollard

Let Us Pray Specifically.  Speak to God in specific terms.  Paul writes, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God” (Phil. 4:6).  God knows everything that is going one in all our lives, but He still says ask (cf. Matt. 7:7).  May it never be said of us that do not have because we did not ask (cf. James 4:2).   Prayers of the Bible are notable for how specific they often are.  Pray for people by name.  Pray for circumstances in detail.  Pray for specific outcomes.

Let Us Pray Sincerely.  Pour out your heart to God.  Take away any pretense, selfishness, or self-serving thoughts.  Hold nothing back, knowing that God will understand the content of your intent (cf. Rom. 8:26).  Do not let formality or rote repetition cast a shadow over your prayer life.

Let Us Pray Submissively.  Pray understanding that God’s will must be done, not just in matters of sickness but in all matters (cf. Matt. 6:10).  Submission and humility are linked (cf. James 4:7-10).  God is sovereign and can see what we cannot see, even in the circumstances closest to our hearts.  Ask with Abraham, “Shall not the Judge of all the earth do what is just?” (Gen. 18:25).  Trust not only in His power when you pray, but in His wisdom and perfect nature.  Then, no matter what, you can say, “It is well with my soul.”

Let Us Pray Surely.  James, speaking of making requests of God, counsels us to “ask in faith, with no doubting…” (1:6).  Jesus assures us, “And whatever you ask in prayer, you will receive, if you have faith” (Matt. 21:22).  Let us trust in the importance of our trusting in God’s power to do whatever is within the framework of His perfect will.  Truly believe in the power of prayer.  Have that confidence!

Let Us Pray Steadfastly.  Be like David, who said, “But I call to God, and the LORD will save me. Evening and morning and at noon I utter my complaint and moan, and he hears my voice” (Psa. 55:16-17).  “Be constant in prayer” (Rom. 12:12).  If such persistence can sway the heart of the wicked, how much more can our prayers influence the Righteous and Holy God (cf. Luke 18:1-7)?   Night and day found Paul praying exceedingly for the Thessalonians (1 Thess. 3:10).  The prophetess Anna did the same for possibly decades of time (Luke 2:37).

Remember that the prayers of righteous people are productive (James 5:16).  Let us be valiant soldiers in praying for especially each other, as well as the lost and ourselves.  Perhaps nothing preaches the profound importance of our prayers to God more than the symbol of Revelation 8:1-4.  The seventh seal is broken and there is silence in heaven for a half hour, a brief but significant moment.  What causes the silence?  It is the prayers of the saints coming up to God and the attention God pays to those prayers.  How humbling and awesome, that our prayers mean that much to God!  Let us not neglect this great reservoir of power God has asked us to use!

Neal Pollard

Several years ago, I asked the Winklers to pass along advice for married couples on how to have a successful, happy marriage.  They were very kind to comply and I have the material, in brother Winkler’s easily distinguishable handwriting, in my files.  Their suggestions were broken into two categories, the first being positive things couples can do for their marriages and the latter being habits, actions and attitudes that hurt a marriage.  Here are the answers from a couple who seemed as happily married as any two people I have known (Wendell Winkler passed away in 2005).

Positive Things:

1) Put your companion first.

2) Build the confidence of each other, never making the other feel inferior.

3) Maintain a beautiful togetherness [laugh, cry, plan vacations, and work together]. Walk through life together.  Do not ride off in opposite directions [in interests, finance, recreation, etc.].

4) Adjust to your companion’s interests [if he fishes, she learns to fish; if she loves to shop, he learns to shop].

5) Be united in your goals and aspirations [for your children, for your retirement].

6) Cooperate with each other [in disciplining your children, etc.].

7) Make your companion a partner in all things.

8) Be open, free and uninhibited in your communication.

9) Close each day on a positive note.

10) Practice 1 Corinthians 13:4-8.

Things To Avoid:

1) Excessive debt.

2) “Me” and “I” syndrome instead of “we.”

3) Suspicion and distrust.

4) Failure to understand what is involved in “headship” and “submission.”

5) Misarranged priorities.

6) Failure to be commendatory.

7) Failure to notice and apply the little things

8) Refusal to eliminate annoyances

9) Failure to keep romance in the marriage [never become too old to hold hands].

This material was written down by brother Winkler on February 14, 2004.

Neal Pollard

In defense of disobedience, people will appeal to the fact that God is a God of love.  That He certainly is (John 3:16; 1 John 4:19)!  But, how loving a Father would you consider Him if He had told His Son that He would have to die on a cross, enduring tremendous suffering (Heb. 12:2) in order to save a world of sinners, watch Christ go to earth, live, die, arise and come back to heaven, and then say to His ascended Son, “I was not telling you the truth.  It does not matter whether people obey the gospel or not.  I am going to save them anyway.  For all you have done of their behalf (cf. Heb. 13:12), I will ask them nothing in return!”

Such a cruel portrayal of God flies in the face of the essence of His pure and holy nature.  That He would expect the very most from His sinless Son, a co-eternal member of the Godhead, but expect absolutely nothing from the worthless ones for whom His Son died is non-sensical and illogical.  Obedience to the gospel and faithful living thereafter is but the least we could do in appreciation for our atonement.  We cannot earn our salvation (Eph. 2:9), but neither does God place zero expectations upon us (Jas. 2:26).  He only gives the benefits of His grace to the ones who obey His will (Heb. 5:9).  Let us do away with the type of “none of self and all of thee” mentality which wants all of the grace without any of the obedience.  It just doesn’t work that way.

Neal Pollard

We bought the boys “The Blind Side,” and as the boys were watching it via Clear Play they arrived at that dramatic point when Michael Oher has to write an essay in order to get his GPA high enough to graduate eligible for NCAA college football.  Tim McGraw’s character claims that “The Charge Of The Light Brigade” by Alfred Lord Tennyson was written to depict the rivalry between two SEC football programs.  Actually, Tennyson wrote it after reading an article in the London Times in 1854, written to describe a particular part of the Battle of Balaclava during the Crimean War.  Ironically, though written during the Victorian age of logic and reason, Tennyson’s most famous line may have been, “Theirs was not to reason why.”

What about for us?  Certainly, the Bible encourages us to reason together over spiritual truths (Isa. 1:18).  God endowed us with native intelligence, able to decipher right and wrong.  We can “know” (cf. John 8:32).  But, there also arises a time and circumstance in which we must cease rationalizing and reasoning away, content to follow the great Commander of the soul and to say, “Where He leads me, I will follow.”  Too many have ceaselessly made it their business to “reason why.”  God gives clear instructions, but they incessantly say, “Why?”  He says, “Follow. Teach. Purify. Yield. Obey.”  Is ours to reason why?

Neal Pollard

Jake drove over to the next county to buy a new bull for the farm. It cost more than expected, and he was left with only one dollar. This was a problem since he needed to let his wife know that he’d bought the bull so she could come get it with the truck–and telegrams cost a dollar a word. He thought for a while and said, “Go ahead and just make it this one word: comfortable.”  “How’s that going to get your point across?” asked the clerk. “Don’t worry,” said Jake.  “Sue’s not the greatest reader. She’ll say it real slow” (via THE FURROW, March 2010, p. 28).

How is your communication in marriage?  Do you know your mate well enough to know how best to give and receive messages? Sometimes we get so comfortable that we begin to make assumptions about what our spouse knows and understands.  How can we dwell together in knowledge without making the investment in one another, an investment that includes time, talking, and attention (cf. 1 Pet. 3:7)? Such biblical mandates as “love” (Eph. 5:25; Ti. 2:4) and “submission” (Eph. 5:22-24) cannot be properly obeyed without knowing one another and communicating.

We should be comfortable with each other, at ease and not on pins and needles in a marriage.  How miserable that must be!  Yet, when comfortable means presumption and assumption we may be in more trouble than a man with a bull and no way to get him home!  Let’s become comfortable with communicating.

Neal Pollard

Since arriving in Jasper, Alabama, on Saturday, I have been treated to speckled butter beans, the tastiest green beans, pinto beans, and a variety of delicious beans and peas. Yet, the piece de resistance was lovingly laid on the potluck table in the Curry church of Christ building last evening undoubtedly by some angel of whom I am as yet unaware. There was a dish of “white acre peas.” For the uninitiated, these scrumptious delicacies are in the cow pea and butter pea family and are also known as Lady Cream. They are very considerate plants, growing so quickly that you don’t need to weed them and they grow plentifully–just not anywhere outside the very deep south.

My wife and I used to eat those glorious peas at least once a week. We never knew a day would come when we could not buy them on demand. They were cheap, easy to cook, and tasty. Now, many years removed from our days as newlyweds in Livingston, Alabama, we still occasionally mention the good old days eating white acre peas.

I find it interesting that we were created with that ability to remember and long for something that comparatively small and simple. Reminiscing is a trait unique to humans among all creation. Longing for the past implies intelligence.

How many feel a spiritual longing that has long since evaded them? Perhaps it was a time when they were happy, faithfully serving God and productively serving Him. Maybe it was a time before they fell into a lifestyle of sin. It could have been back to a time of innocence. The hollowness left by such a longing infinitely eclipses any other kind of yearning for the past. David expresses it well in repenting of his horrific behavior with Bathsheba and disposal of Uriah, saying, “Restore unto me the joy of Your salvation” (Psalm 51:12a). Israel felt it in Babylon, when asked to sing the songs of their homeland and past (Psalm 137:3-4). So many, long since ravaged by the effects of their sins, may feel that the goodness of their past is gone forever. Yet, I know many who have come home and through determined faithfulness have found the joy of their salvation returned to them. Remember, we serve a God of hope (Rom. 15:13). He sent Christ to suffer, die, and rise again so we could experience the realization of that hope! Do not let that be in vain for your life!

Neal Pollard

The story is told of a poor old Indian who walked into a Western military camp to beg for food.  They found suspended from his neck a locket, inside of which they found a piece of paper containing his honorable discharge from the U.S. Army.  The paper, entitling him to a pension, was signed by none other than George Washington.  Perhaps because not many native Americans actually enlisted individually to fight as soldiers in the Revolutionary War, this old vet may have been unaware of procedure and protocol or of the value of that piece of paper which he likely could not read.  He was entitled to what the Government had to offer, but he did not know to ask.  Thus, rather than having his needs supplied, he was severely deprived.

However sad and tragic this man’s story seems, how many children of God entitled to the privileges of strength and help from prayer, Bible study, and Christian fellowship find themselves spiritually starving, alone, and struggling?  God is their Father.  Jesus is their elder Brother.  All spiritual blessings are theirs.  Yet, they do not seek and ask.  How sad that there are Christians with access to all the help of heaven who have chosen to be lonely beggars!  May we live up to that worthy name and life into which we were called when we were baptized into Christ.

Neal Pollard

As one who could not be more creeped out by snakes, I was thrilled for my sons to tell me what was the deadliest snake in the world.  The Inland Taipan, native to Australia, is the most venomous land snake on earth, and it has the most toxic venom known to exist.  Yet, it is a shy snake, not known to be aggressive toward humans.  Far more people die from cobras, rattlesnakes, and mambas (!) than reclusive, though deadly, snakes like the Taipan, the boomslang, and the tiger snake.

Mike O’Shea, author of Venemous Snakes of the World, was interviewed by Princeton University Press, and in the course of the conversation he mentioned many of the fables and myths about treating poisonous snake bites that actually do more harm than good.  He listed tourniquets, razor-cuts, venom extractors, and herbal, magical, or traditional treatments, and all of us have heard of some or all of these suggested “cures,” as wrong ways to treat such a bite.  Then he said what was most effective: keep the bite area and the victim still, keep the victim awake and as reassured as possible, keep pressure on neurotoxic bites, keep the airways clear, and perform CPR as needed.  Obviously, in all cases, the biggest, best thing to do is get the victim medical help and get a description of the offender if unable to kill and bring it with you and the victim to the hospital.

The Bible calls the devil “the serpent of old” (Rev. 12:9; 20:2).  It also draws some correlation between the serpent and the devil in 2 Corinthians 11:3, 13-14 (deceiving and craftiness).  Most feel certain that the devil was involved in the Eden events in which a serpent beguiled Eve.  Likening the work and effects of the devil to that of a deadly snake is not a stretch.

If a species of snake enjoyed in physical terms the success the devil enjoys in spiritual terms, every health and emergency services agency in every nation around the world would rise up today and make its eradication their top priority.  They would not rest until this creature was fought and defeated.  To say they would be diligent would be to grossly understate the matter.

Yet, the devil is inserting his toxic poison into the hearts of willing victims every second of time.  If only the worst he could do was kill the body.  He is ruining souls (cf. 2 Tim. 2:25-26), which impacts eternity.

We should avoid places where he is likely to be (1 The. 5:22).  We should take precautions (1 Pet. 5:8).  We should know his habits and methods (2 Cor. 2:11).  We should fight him (1 Pet. 5:9; Js. 4:8; Eph. 6:11).

If we are “bitten” by him, we need to seek help, being reassured that Christ has the power to heal us if we properly treat the “wound.”  As scary as the devil can seem, God is more powerful.  We have the help of others at our disposal, but more importantly we have God’s help and His cure is 100% successful if applied.

Neal Pollard

As one who runs with an ipod when not running with Bob Turner, I was riveted by this headline.  Running certainly has its hazards, but never has aircraft been one of them.  But, that is exactly what caused the death of Robert Gary Jones who was running on the beach on Hilton Head Island, South Carolina.  The 38 year old husband who was the father of two apparently never heard the single-engine plane, which had lost its propeller, as it made an emergency landing on the beach.  The pilot had engine troubles and was trying to get to the Hilton Head airport.  The coroner’s office said that this type of plane, an Experimental Lancair IV-P, is so quiet that Jones might not have heard it even without the earphones (news information via WTOC.com).

Whenever such a random, tragic act occurs, we are baffled.  It certainly points out that life could not be more uncertain and we cannot possibly anticipate the future (cf. Jas. 4:13). We might be tempted to wonder what this man did wrong to die such an unlikely death.  Jones may have been an evil man, but he could just as easily have been an upstanding citizen and model husband and father.

Jesus warns against such thinking that would see this as an act of divine judgment or punishment.  Luke 13:1-5 says, “Now on the same occasion there were some present who reported to Him about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mixed with their sacrifices. And Jesus said to them,’Do you suppose that these Galileans were greater sinners than all other Galileans because they suffered this fate? I tell you, no, but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish. Or do you suppose that those eighteen on whom the tower in Siloam fell and killed them were worse culprits than all the men who live in Jerusalem? I tell you, no, but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish.’”   His message is universal in scope.  Everybody has the same individual responsibility.  We must live holy lives, repenting of the sin in our lives.  We may suffer some terrible earthly tragedy that is in no way brought on by our own sinfulness.  In a fallen world, these kinds of things occasionally happen.  Our task is to live ready for eternity in every moment!

Neal Pollard

In Kent, England, you can go to “Digger World,” and enjoy and even reenact your favorite parts of the Bob The Builder show and books.  Or if you prefer a Buddhist-themed amusement park, you might try Suoi Tien Park in Vietnam–complete with waterfalls coming out a sage’s beard or an aerial bicycle ride over a lake filled with 1,500 crocodiles.  What fun!  If in the Baltic region, try “Stalin World.” This is Lithuania’s attempt to remind people of the dark days of Communism.  You can even be interrogated by a KGB officer and wear a gas mask!  America is not exempt from eclectic amusement parks, as New York’s Coney Island that perhaps enjoyed its heydays in the heart of the 20th Century.  Freak shows and side shows aplenty give Coney Island its offbeat reputation (information from travel.yahoo.com).

People find the strangest things to amuse themselves.  Back in the period of the Judges, the Philistines found a deadly means of “amusing themselves.”  It was the Samson Show they all came out to see, the last thing 3,000 of them ever witnessed.  Do you ever wonder what they tried to get Samson to do or why they thought that trotting out the formerly strong, now blinded judge would be amusing?  Their amusement became their annihilation (see Judges 16:25-30).

God created us intelligent beings, and with that endowed us with creativity, inquisitiveness, aesthetic appreciation, ingenuity, and the like.  Put another way, we often enjoy being amused.  It might be a funny comedian or movie, a hobby, books and literature, or any number of similar things.  Amusement can be a great way to cope with the often painful realities of life.

Yet, let us keep something in mind about the ways we amuse ourselves.  God has guidelines that govern such things.  Beware any amusements that pander to the lusts of the flesh and detract from our cultivation of the fruit of the Spirit (cf. Gal. 5:19-23).  If we are amused by the sinful, the smutty, and the suggestive things of life, we are setting ourselves up for a more terrible end than that experienced by Samson’s tormentors.  There is nothing in the world worth our embracing it to the loss of our own soul (cf. Matt. 16:26).  Enjoy life!  Have fun!  But avoid anything that will drive a wedge between you and God because that’s not funny!

Neal Pollard

I am aware of the financial crisis still gripping our nation, leaving so many of our brothers and sisters unemployed and facing grim prospects for finding a new job.  The moral downturn in our country continues its frightening slide, with homes disintegrating and values regarding sexuality, character, and community eroding.  War, atrocities, and even natural disasters are leaving a social, economic, and moral crater on the global landscape.

While not minimizing the reality of all of this, I could not think of a better time or brighter future.  This morning, Brian Wilkie is going to deliver, on behalf of the elders, the plan of work for this congregation as it relates both to the budget and our non-monetary commitments.  While what you will see will be radically different from our mode of operation in the past, you will leave this morning thinking that nothing could be more New Testament and, thus, biblical.  In fact, I suggest that what the elders challenge us with today will pave the way for such growth and opportunity as we could have only dreamed of in our most outlandish hopes.  This eldership is committed to shepherding the way outlined in scripture.  Our deacons are committed to carrying the workload and enlisting our aid as members.  We want to grow and we want to honor Christ’s authority and Lordship.  Because this is true and because the elders are outlining a tangible plan for this, we will embark starting today upon some incredibly exciting times!  I hope you are committed to making this journey as Brian, Clint, Mark, and Maynard lead us forward to a faith-filled, fertile future!

Neal Pollard

Paul says that in Ephesians 4:27.  It is a succinct imperative in the midst of several in the context, sandwiched between the call to control your anger and do not steal.  In a series of specific sins, there is this general principle.  But what a powerful principle it is.  We surely cannot give him a foothold, but Paul says not to even give him a toehold.  He will settle for any small crack where he can set up shop and do his thing.

While this command seems tied to the one on anger, it is a general rule needed in any circumstance.  If you let his worldview and mindset taint a single thought, color a single word, lace a single moment of anger, settle onto a single action, it can unleash an avalanche of consequences whether immediately or ultimately.  History has proven him to be patient and certainly wiley (cf. 2 Cor. 2:11), but undoubtedly he’s dangerous (1 Pet. 5:8).  Given even the slightest opportunity, he can wreak havoc in one’s life.  Do not give the devil an opportunity!

Neal Pollard

Villanova. Kansas. Kentucky. Syracuse. Duke. Ohio State.

Robert Morris. Montana. Wofford. North Texas. Oakland. Northern Iowa.

Mid-majors.  Bracket busters.  Automatic bids.  Giant killers.  Buzzer beaters.

It has its own vocabulary and persona.  The NCAA basketball tournament is one of the sports highlights of my year.  I especially love the potential upsets in the first and second rounds.  Sometimes, a Cinderella team will “dance” into the Sweet Sixteen or Elite Eight. Many of us will fill out brackets and try to predict all the winners and the ultimate winner.  There are so many fascinating team and individual stories along the road to the Final Four.

I cannot see where it is bad to have intense interest, even passion, for something like “March Madness.”  We may live vicariously through the younger, more athletic and skilled players we see on the screen.  We may enjoy the suspense, the intense, and the defense.

But, may our greater passion and pleasure be in serving our Lord.  May we never have our heads so stuck “down here” that we forget about what we should be doing “out there” and preparing to live “up there.”  Nothing should capture a bigger place in our heart that “the kingdom of God and His righteousness” (Matt. 6:33).  It should be a daily madness, not confined to a calendar or a season.  Faithful, dedicated, and loyal service should dominate our interest and longing.  May our greatest zeal be in serving Christ, trying to get ourselves and others there with us (cf. Titus 2:11-14).

Neal Pollard

In Luke nine, the inspired doctor writes about a certain group of Samaritan villagers who would not show hospitality to Jesus and His disciples.  This did not sit well with James and John, who asked Christ, “Lord, do You want us to command fire to come down from heaven and consume them?” (9:54).  They probably did not expect that the Lord would rebuke them for having such an idea, but He did.

What made these sons of thunder think of fire?  Earlier in the chapter, the brothers had met Elijah up on the mount of transfiguration (30-34).  There’s good reason to believe that the route they were taking back to Jerusalem would have put Mount Carmel in view on the horizon.  Recently, they had heard the discussion about who people thought Jesus was and the mention of Elijah (19).  Elijah could well have been very much on their minds!  Elijah was a man who you would associate with fire.  He prayed for God to send fire upon his evening offering to prove Jehovah to be the only true God (1 Kings 18:38; Elijah killed the 450 false prophets of Baal for good measure).  In 2 Kings 1, Elijah sat upon a hill and sent word back to Ahaziah that he would die of his illness since he prayed to Baal-zebub rather than the true God.  Ahaziah sent three companies of 50 soldiers up the hill to bring Elijah down to the wicked king, and Elijah called down fire from heaven to kill the first two captains and their fifty men.  In 2 Kings two, Elijah is carried to heaven by a chariot and horses of fire (11).

James and John were probably, as good Jews, students of Old Testament history.  They knew how God had acted against the wickedness of those in Old Testament times.  It is not implausible that they were hoping for a similar showing from God.

It is interesting that Jesus, who came to earth to show us the Father (cf. John 14:9), did not share their desire for fiery vengeance on that occasion.  Why? He says, “The Son of Man did not come to destroy men’s lives, but to save them” (9:56).  The Samaritans were part of those whom He came to save.  He tells the disciples to take the gospel to the Samaritans (Acts 1:8).  Ironically, John would go with Peter to the Samaritans to do “follow up” work with the new Christians there (Acts 8:14).

Maybe James and John wrestled with the nationalism that infected so many of their contemporaries.  Maybe they saw Samaritans as worthless people, worthy of fire for even the slightest slights and fractional infractions.  But, Jesus saw them as souls to be saved.

Do the atheists, false world religionists, and all others in error draw your ire and contempt as they flaunt God’s Word?  What would you have God to do with them?  I will tell you what He wants us to do with them.  Share the good news of grace and the hope of salvation.  Most will reject it, maybe even laughing you and God to scorn.  But some will change!  Through us, they can escape the fire (Matt. 25:41)!

Neal Pollard

On Sunday, March 8, Sandra Bullock won an Oscar as best actress for her role in the movie “The Blind Side.”  She turned in a riveting, convincing performance as a gritty, determined mom from the deep south (I say as the son of a southern mom).  The night before, however, she received the dubious distinction of earning a “Razzie.”  The Razzie  is given for awful performances or movies, and Bullock got hers for starring in the box office bomb, “All About Steve.”  Asked about being the only person in history to win an Oscar and Razzie in the same year, Bullock said, “You take the good with the not so good.”  She also said, “It probably means more because it happened at the same time, because it’s the great equalizer. Nothing ever lets me get too full of myself.”  She mentioned that she’d probably put both awards side by side, though the Razzie might sit  on a different, lower shelf (Bruce Kirkland, “Calgary Sun,” 3/8/10).

You and I will not likely find ourselves on as big a “stage” as Ms. Bullock.  Our work may not draw such public praise or put downs, but we are all subject to both.  Now, we may wish that all we ever drew was accolades and honors for what we do.  And, who gets warm and fuzzy about being criticized?  But, if you ever amount to anything or hope to contribute anything of significance to society, community, or the church, you will get some thumbs up and some thumbs down.  Don’t let that cripple you or move you to self-pity.  Don’t get angry and quit your involvement just because not every word is a word of commendation.  In this matter, Bullock is right.  It’s good to have the razzies to keep us humble, to build our determination to do better, and to keep us grounded.  While we all need recognition to keep encouraged (and should remember that in doing all we can to encourage others), life cannot consist of just that.  Jesus said, “Woe to you when all men speak well of you, for their fathers used to treat the false prophets in the same way” (Lk. 6:26).  Build character and resilience when you are hero or goat.