Back to Church Sunday

Change is Good… Kind of. Actually, if we are honest, change is complicated and stressful. When we say that change is good, it does not always consider the process. The good part is usually the result.

Misty and I have had a lot of change over the summer. We went to visit my oldest son, Camden, and his wife, as well as their two children, to celebrate my grandson Benjamin’s 2^nd birthday in Columbus, GA. My second son, Dawson, and his wife moved from Tennessee to North Carolina. He completed his Special Operations Training, and his wife graduated from Nursing School. Kohl begins his final semester at Mount Union, James begins his senior year at Ouachita Baptist University, and Talyn begins her senior year at Louisville High School. We have three seniors. I was able to see James as he graduated from Officer Training at Ft Knox before returning to school. Jessica is beginning her second year at Ouachita and throws in a few trips to Columbus, OH, to see my third grandson. Whew, that is a lot.

I am proud of all of them and happy for them. The process of getting them to each place has been exhausting. Misty and I actively manage some of it. Some of it is stuff that we watch, and there is very little we can do about it. But all of it is stressful. We have had some tears in transition, realizing that our youngest is a senior in high school, so it is a year full of last things—last things for Talyn, but also last things for us as parents.

Not to mention all the changes that have happened at FBC, we celebrate the completion of the fellowship hall. We welcome Mike Lazar as our new worship leader. We have spent some time diving into our new Mission and Vision Statement. We are doing everything we can to make sure we are fiscally responsible and focus on a new chapter in ministry.

Again, I am both exhausted and excited at the same time.

Several years ago, I discovered a small counseling tool called the Holmes-Rahe Scale Inventory. It is a simple diagnostic that helps determine your stress level. High scores on a test are usually desirable, but you don't want to score too high on this one. Basically, there is a list of events. All of them bring stress. The scale wants to know how many of them you are going through at the same time. One is hard; two is worse. Some people have 3-5, 7-9 of them all happening at once. The point is an objective tool that shows you how much pressure you are under at any given time. You're welcome to take it for yourself if you'd like.

https://www.stress.org/holmes-rahe-stress-inventory

Casually, I will use some of the markers from the Holmes-Rahe Scale when counseling individuals. Especially young couples, before they get married. Sometimes I will hear the couple describe a flurry of changes. They have just bought a house, changed jobs, gotten a dog, and lost a loved one, among other things. Sometimes it is stuff that happens, and sometimes it is stuff they jump into. My caution for them is to ensure they do not become overwhelmed in this season marked by change. Even good stuff can cause stress and be overwhelming. Don’t get overwhelmed. That is good advice for an engaged couple, sound advice for a pastor, and good advice for you.

It is in the midst of this season of stress and change that we talk about Back to Church Sunday on September 14th. For those with busy lives, wouldn’t attending church add to the schedule? Perhaps, maybe. For those who come every Sunday, I hope that the weekly rhythm of faith and community provides a sense of calm and peace. It keeps you balanced. For those who have not attended in a while, I wonder if life is intrinsically better for not attending. Perhaps something is missing; maybe you need something in your week.

While I am a huge advocate for getting things off your plate, church is not one of them. It might very well be the thing that keeps us all from going overboard in other areas of our lives.

Change does not come by just adding things to our schedule. Change comes when we actually change things or when we ask God to change things. Paul writes in 2 Corinthians 5:17, "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!" Christ wants to do a new work in us.

The new stuff and the change we need will not come by making your life busier. Believe me, I have tried that. All it brings is stress. Perhaps coming back or adding rhythm to your life is what you are missing.

Another thing that helps combat stress is actually two things—evangelism and acts of kindness. Stress always focuses on me. The things that are happening to me and how I am reacting to them. An incredible stress buster is super easy: invite someone to church. Do something for someone else. It is hard to be stressed when sharing good news or serving others.

The Biggest Pizza Tip Ever!

We are still in the afterglow of seeing what God did at our ARK Pizza Party. I am amazed at how our church showed up. The amazing thing was that no one seemed stressed as they left lunch yesterday.

Prayerfully, I look forward to seeing you on September 14^th.