If you read nothing else, read the bold!

Wow, I haven't blogged in ages! I'm so far behind, but way too much happens in my life for me to give an update of the last month and a half. Thus, I'll just stick to recent happenings, and if any of you close to me really want to know what's been going on with me since my last entry, you'll just have to call me. Well, right now I'm on a break from a conference that I've been attending with my pastor and his wife. It's the MFI (Ministers Fellowship International) Northeast Regional Conference. Sounds exciting, huh? I had to read a book for this conference (prior to attending), called The 17 Indisputable Laws of Teamwork. That sounds equally exciting, doesn't it? Well, I was pretty bored with the book (I've been a leader for as long as I can remember, and have, therefore, already read a lot about teamwork, and been to countless summits, conventions, and trainings pertaining to it.), but it did have some interesting illustrations. Happily, the conference hasn't been as bad as I anticipated. The speakers have actually been interesting, insightful, funny and real. I'm especially pleased with the "real" part. Dick Iverson, the big cheese of this gathering, seems to be a really cool, normal, down to earth, humble guy. How refreshing! He stresses the importance of being "just normal Christians," and not having to appear as Christian super gurus. He also pointed out that while we tend to be very position and title oriented, God does not have the same hierarchy. A senior pastor is not such because he or she is a better person, or more loved by God, than others. This sounds like common sense, but I can guarantee that many people listening really needed to be reminded of that. In other news, I've been busy with ambulance calls, and I love it! I really enjoy being in the fire department, and going on calls. The camaraderie I feel amongst the members of the fire department (and especially the emergency squad members) is really great. We support, encourage, teach, and learn from each other regularly. Sometimes it feels like we're a family. Some of the calls we go on are easy; some are hard. Some calls are actually kind of funny, and some of them are really difficult, gory, emotional (although we completely suppress that during the call), and maybe even a little bit terrifying. No matter what the call is, though, we go through it together. Then, when it's over, we talk, laugh, cry, or whatever is necessary and appropriate. I think I could really go on forever about how great it is, and how much I've gained from being involved, but I'll stop for now. I'll end with this thought, though: In the fire department (EMS in particular) we really work well together. Where one person is weak, another person's strengths make up for it. One person picks up where another left off. If we succeed, we do so together. If we fail, we fail together. No one is left to fend for themselves. This is real teamwork. I wish I could say the same about the "team" we are supposed to have in the Church worldwide. Isn't it sad that this often seems to be the case in Christian circles? I've come across so many "Christians" that care more about what's in it for them, than the good of the "team," and more importantly, the good of building the Kingdom and glorifying God. We, as Christians, are called the Body of Christ. In order for a body to function properly, all the parts have to work together. Sadly, it seems that too many body parts are striving to be the Head. There can only be one Head!!! The Head is Jesus Christ! So many "Christians" look down their noses at non-Christians. From what I've observed through the years, it seems that many of these non-Christians actually display much more Christ-likeness than many so-called "Christians." Some of the people in the fire department with me are not Christians, but I'd trust most of them with my life (and more important things) before I'd ever trust a lot of "Christians." What is this saying about the church? You think about it. If you're reading this and you're not a Christian, I implore you not to reject Jesus based on the behavior of many people you've come across that call themselves Christians. (Don't get me wrong, there are some really wonderful men and women of God, too.) Instead, I challenge you to read the Bible, and see who Jesus really was, and what He was really like. If you are a Christian, I exhort you to continually examine your own life, and make sure that you're really trying to be like Jesus. I know it's a big cliche, now, but "WWJD?" Oh, and please be careful that you are trying to be like the Head, not become the Head! I'm not trying to sound like I've got it all together. I don't! I have a lot of work to do, too.