Posted in Ministry

Learning to just listen

Posted on by William Douthwaite

Yesterday, I visited with a couple who have been attending our Sunday worship services.  At one point in the conversation, they shared with me some personal information, and added that they were very nervous about talking about it.  They didn’t know how I would react.  They wondered if they would still be accepted.

As I sat there listening, I also sent up a quick prayer, “Just help me to listen, Lord.”  Though there were lots of things I could have said in response, I just needed to listen and hear their story.  I did say I appreciated their honesty, and asked a few follow-up questions to make sure I understood the situation.

I don’t feel it’s appropriate for me to share any of our conversation, but I can share some things I’ve learned about myself.  In the moment, I did try to ask myself how Jesus would respond.  I like to think he would have simply listened, which could say more than any verbal response.  I also wondered, “Why are they sharing this with me?”  Clearly there was a level of trust and the hope that their admission wouldn’t change anything.  Whether I like it or not, I represent, to some people and to some extent, God himself.  I hardly feel up to that role, but that is how people approach a pastor.

Over the years, I’ve learned that I don’t have to fix things or set people straight on the spot.  I can talk it over with God, trust him to be at work in a situation, and realize that some situations take time to resolve.  And that’s OK.

Posted in Life

Florida State University Graduation

Posted on by William Douthwaite

Our family traveled to Tallahassee yesterday for FSU’s commencement this morning.  My son, Adam, received his bachelor’s of science degree in Sociology with a religion minor.  There were just under 1000 receiving degrees today (at the 9:00 am ceremony), with some master’s and doctorate’s mixed in, too.

For an occasion of that size, things were well-orchestrated.  Done in two hours.  A quick speech by an alumni, Gen. Jay Warner (ret.) got a nice round of applause.  Everything was done in a dignified and respectful manner, suitable for those who had worked so hard over the last four or more years.

I tried to remember my own college graduation 30 years ago from Franklin and Marshall College in Lancaster, PA.  Tough to do.  I remember that our speaker was science fiction author Isaac Asimov.  That’s about all I remember.  I am sure my parents have some pictures somewhere.  I should try and track them down.  My diploma, all in Latin, is in a folder on a shelf in my office at church.  Maybe it’s time to frame some of those documents.

Posted in Life

Baby Riley

Posted on by William Douthwaite

We just got back from the hospital in St. Augustine, visiting Jessica and her new baby daughter, Riley.  Mark, the dad, was out to dinner with his family, so we didn’t get to see them.  But we did see Riley, and she is pretty cute for all of two days old.

Newborns bring back memories of watching my own children being born.  I clearly remember two of the doctors saying, “If you’ve got a camera, it’s time to start taking pictures!”  And I did.  The old fashioned way, with film.  Got them developed and took them to church with me to show everyone.  Found out not everyone wants to see all the gory details.

Mark and Jess are young.  At least they seem very young.  23 and 21.  Let’s see, I was 28 when my first, Adam was born.  Lisa was 24.  We weren’t so old, either.  Somehow we figured out what to do.  I guess all parents do.

Babies are cool.  There’s no two ways about it.  You just have to like the little ones.  I’m looking forward to a baptism in the near future!

Posted in Ministry

Confirmation this Sunday

Posted on by William Douthwaite

We’re confirming seven of our young people during worship this coming Sunday.  I’ve taught confirmation every year I’ve been in the ministry (that’s twenty-three years this June).  Every time I do this, memories of past classes and students come to mind.

This year is a little different, with one of my own children in the class (the last one, our youngest, Olivia).  It’s also the largest we’ve had at Shepherd of the Coast since I’ve been here.  Now that I’ve been around for a while, I am confirming some of the children I baptized years ago.  It’s powerful to see how they’ve grown, and how our relationship has developed over the years.

I’ve picked out their Bible verses and prepared their certificates for Sunday.  I’ve gotten to know each one well enough that passages just pop into my head as I think of them.  That relationship is the most important product of confirmation, I think.  They may only remember a small fraction of what they’ve learned over the last two years, but hopefully, their relationship with God will continue, as well as their relationship with me.

Confirmation instruction most frequently occurs during seventh and eighth grades.  I enjoy teaching middle school, because most of them want to learn.  They’ve got a million questions.  It’s tough to get them to do work outside of class, but it’s easy to get them talking about various topics.

For me, confirmation is a powerful reminder of the Holy Spirit at work, calling, enlightening, sanctifying, and keeping us in true faith.

Posted in Ministry

Museum or mission

Posted on by William Douthwaite

zzzzA number of years ago, someone challenged me with the question, “Are we trying to build a museum or a mission?”  They were talking about our church (not the one I’m currently at), and the challenges we were facing.

I think that’s a great question.  Have we set out to build a museum or a mission?  A museum will contain many great memories off the past, and people may or may not come by to see them.  A mission, on the other hand, will not be an exhibit, but a journey to those who need to know Jesus Christ, and all that He has done for us.

Sometimes it seems that most of the business of the church is about the “museum.”  Memorials, buildings, and something static you can stand there and look at.  Why don’t we worry more about our mission, which will always be somewhere else, somewhere in the community, or somewhere in the world, where we are proclaiming the gospel.

It’s real hard for me to get excited about a museum, but easy to get motivated about mission.  Rather than working to enhance what we have on our site, why don’t we pour our efforts into going someplace else, where someone, anyone, needs to know about our Savior?

Whenever I’m really quiet at a meeting, it’s usually because the discussion has digressed into museum talk, rather than mission dreams.  I try to be patient and listen, but it’s hard not to say, “Who cares?  Let’s do something meaningful for the kingdom of God, rather than ourselves!”

Posted in Ministry

Mt. Calvary

Posted on by William Douthwaite

Last Thursday night (Feb 5), I attended one of the new sanctuary worship services at Mt. Calvary Baptist Church, right next door to us.

As I arrived, I introduced myself to one of the ushers (she was dressed all in white) and she told me, “I will seat you.”  She took me right down front and sat me in the front row in the center.  I was honored.

I should mention that Mt. Calvary is an African-American congregation. I was the only caucasian in attendance that night, but that was OK.  I vicared in Baltimore, MD, and we were the token non-blacks in our neighborhood.  It brought back many good memories of that year.

This is a pretty traditional black Baptist congregation.  And I say that with great respect.  They know how to worship!  Everything the pastor said was meet with comments from the congregation.  The guest preacher was excellent, and worked from the assumption that this is God’s word and we’re going to listen to it and it’s going to do something powerful tonight.

There was always something going on.  People arriving.  Some standing, some sitting.  Some singing along, some listening.  Some setting up musicl instruments, some responding to the preacher.

I thoroughly enjoyed the two hour service and hope I’ll have the chance to worship again there soon.  They offered me a seat on the dais, but I declined, not wanting to draw too much attention to myself.  It would have  been very hard to drift off during that service.  My favorite quote from the preacher: if people  bought pews to put in their homes, they would get a pretty good night’s sleep!

Posted in Ministry

5 Hour Energy

Posted on by William Douthwaite

The commercial for 5 Hour Energy says they sell 2.5 million of them each day.  I guess the odds are pretty good that you’ll encount2005_chaserenergy_bottlegifer someone wired on that stuff today or any day.

What do you do to renew your strength?  Take a nap (one of my favorites)?  Take a walk?  Get a snack?  The gist of Isaiah is that trusting God will renew your strength.  Everyone gets weary, even exhausted — except for God that is.

BTW, they also have an extra strength version of their  product in case regular just doesn’t do it for you.

Posted in Ministry

First look at Sunday, February 8

Posted on by William Douthwaite

bald_eagle_soaringThe Old Testament text is Isaiah 40:21-31, ending up with the familiar (at least familiar to me) “they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength.”

Isaiah reminds his readers that God can pretty much handle everything.  From His perspective “above the circle of the earth,” earthly princes and rulers don’t present much of a challenge to Him.He never loses track of the stars, so why would you think that He doesn’t care about you?

There’s the challenge.  It’s easy to feel like God either doesn’t know or doesn’t care about your situation.  If He did, He’d act, right?  He’d do something.

The idea of waiting for the Lord is then tied to mounting up with wings like eagles.  Eagles can catch an updraft and soar for hours, not expending, but regaining energy.  What updrafts can we catch so that we aren’t killing ourselves trying to do everything and make things work out?  When might it be better to wait and trust the Lord rather than try harder?

Posted in Ministry

The rest of my story…

Posted on by William Douthwaite

So I called Rick back on Friday night as promised.  In fact, the last thing he said to me before I left him on Tuesday was, “You’re going to call me Friday night, right?”  I assured him I would.

I called about 8 pm.  He answered, “Hey, what’s up?”

I said, “Hi, this is Pastor Bill.”

“Yeah.  What’s up.”

“Well, I promised I would call and see if you got into your new place alright.”

“Yes and no.”

“What do you mean?” I asked.

“She left me.  Went back home.”

I said, “I’m really sorry to hear that.”

“Well, no sense crying over spilled milk.”

“Uh..OK…well, I be praying for you.”

“Thanks.”

And then he hung up.  That was it.  For a guy who needed my help so much on Tuesday, he hardly knew me on Friday.  There were lots of other voices in the background, possibly from a bar.  As much as I wanted to believe differently, I won’t see him again.

My instincts were pretty good on this one.  So I helped out, but perhaps not in the best way.  But you never know till it’s over.  I have to admit, his story and approach were pretty smooth.  Like he had done this before.  A lot.