Suddenly, inescapably, like a thief in the night

How’s your week? This week was full of surprises, ups and downs for me.

For all of us this week began with a tragic news of the F3 Tornado destroying picturesque Goderich in 2 minutes. Hearts of many moved people into action. I got a lot of calls and responses pleading to organize volunteering action. After a few phone-calls and emails I learned that during the first days only trained professionals are “welcomed” in the area. The volunteer force has to wait for the “green light.” Some of you may have heard about a Londoneer volunteer who got injured on the first day after, ending up in a hospital with broken pelvic bone, tail bone, and more, being propelled from a tree, while chainsawing it.

Monday many were upset with the news of Jack Layton passing, quoting his epistle to Canadians just a few days before – I saw it on your Facebook, twitter, and other social media “my friends, love is better than anger. Hope is better than fear. Optimism is better than despair. So let us be loving, hopeful and optimistic. And we'll change the world." Wonderful words, relevant words. Are we putting it in practice?

Then the earthquake in Washington. Then another tornado near Ailsa Craig & Nairn levelling the trailer park on Thursday. Those three days I was battling my kitchen ceiling, that suddenly peeled off and fell to the floor, after we tried to apply a popcorn stucco texture to it. In the process we discovered that an old leak, before we reshingled the roof, did sufficient damage to the ceiling. My whole schedule was set back by three days, and that’s while expecting the church family for potluck this Sabbath!

Friday morning we (Stepan & myself) did the final Bible study with Stajfer family, who are preparing their teens for baptism in October. The study was on the Biblical view of the last day events. A trend that is often repeated by evangelists in evident – “suddenly and inescapably,” the “thief in the night” reference not to a quiet and unnoticeable, but rather surprising, unexpected turn of events. How ready are you to deal with surprises?

As I talked with our ADRA director pastor Sargeant, we pondered how we must respond with readiness as we understand that end times will only escalate the frequency of disasters and challenges. Even as we live our day-to-day routine, knowing that troubles will increase in frequency just like birth-pangs, how must we live?

I invite you, church family to examine your personal life – are you ready for unexpected? Are you ready to meet adversities, without being alarmed, and being prepared to help others? Will you be an asset or liability for the Disaster Relief Agencies? Would you need others to salvage your stuff? Or would you be able to go and help others?

Be ready. Get ready. Live prepared.

What is a Church for you?

During vacation time I get to interact with the same people in a different way. It’s like their perception changes. I am still a pastor but during these three weeks my visits are considered not “on a job” but “personal.” I also find that during my vacation time funny things happen, like troubles that were dormant for months in some family suddenly come to heads and require immediate attention, or “sheep stealers” from some off-shoot movement show up at prayer meetings to see who is disgruntled to influence on the way out. I hear of families that all of a sudden are not happy with church programming provided and are considering alternatives elsewhere, in Sunday-keeping churches, either for bible classes, or scouts, or cadets, or family enrichment, instead of attending what is offered here, and partnering up to improve and grow our church family.

My first reaction is to “cut vacation short” and get back to visiting, counselling, encouraging, rebuking if need be. Yet, it is not my, but God’s church. I am simply doing my duty as the undershepherd, together with ten elders who are also overseers and undershepherds of God’s flock. I invite you to consider our purpose, as a church. Last Wednesday at the prayer meeting we focused on the designated theme for prayer for this month – spiritual gifts. Adventists all around the world are praying for revival of Spiritual gifts within each baptized believer. We all have received a deposit from the Holy Spirit into our lives as a downpayment (Eph.1:13-14) as a assurance of our salvation (Hebrews 2:3-4). Paul’s letters teach that Spiritual gifts are like body parts – given to different individuals as assignments for edification and benefit of all community (Romans 12 & 1^st Corinthians 12). God gifts at baptism every believer with a unique and specific gift. Some to function as an eye, other as an ear, another as a hand, one as a tongue, and when certain individual refuses to use and develop their gift, they make the whole body dysfunctional.

I invite you to consider yet another metaphor for the Church – the Shopping Window of God – a place where the Body of Christ is on display for the world in a walking distance to see. There must be a church, a “shopping window of God” within a walking distance in every community, where God’s Glory is revealed in everyday living, in practical terms. I believe that we are such a church, a display of the Body of Christ in Glen Cairn Community of London, Ontario. Look at this “shopping window” through the eyes of the neighbours – watching us drive in on time for the Sabbath School Bible study at 9:30 am. Staying for worship at 11, eating together at 1 pm. I remember when after VBS neighbourhood kids would run in for the free potluck. Coming to Pray together Wednesdays at 7 pm, and much more – music practices, choir rehearsals, kids Adventurers programs, youth Pathfinders training, training seminars.

My church is such a “shopping window” and those who are involved and engaged by participating, by “standing in a display,” by contributing to each function, are truly “members of the Body of Christ.” More churches need to be planted, so that every community would see and know. For now this one, at 805 Shelborne Street, the place we all call “church” - is a model.

Fanning the Flame of Revival & Reformation

For a whole week we (twenty four Londoners) were fellowshipping with thousands of Pathfinders from Ontario, Quebec, Jamaica, Barbados north of Ottawa, deep in the bush, static – no cell phones, no internet!!! The theme displayed on t-shirts, and paraphernalia was “Fan the Flame” (Ravivez la Flamme). The song lyrics said:

There’s a flame burning low, so afraid to let it show
But I need the world to see, the plan God has for me.
Let everyone see the flame, let all God’s children proclaim
That we have a truth to share, let our flame spread everywhere
Fan the Flame, fan the Flame, forever we will worship Jesus name

We saw 27 children baptized. I had a privilege baptizing two youth, a 13 & 19 years old Spencer Kozachenko & Paula Nardone, whom I knew from our previous work in Niagara District. I had another privilege of teaching the subject I am passionate about – the Sanctuary. Every day for two hours large groups attended, not for the sake of getting an “honour patch” awarded, but seeking a deeper understanding of the Adventist message.

Coming home, even on my vacation, I continue interacting with church members, and this week my mind was on this simple question – are Adventists in London fanning the Flame of the Gospel? A passage from Paul’s second letter to Timothy came to mind: “I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands. For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline. So do not be ashamed to testify about our Lord...” (2 Tim1.6-8 NIV)

Some of you may be more familiar with King James version rendering “stir up.” The Greek word there anazopureo means to rekindle, to stir up the fire. It reflects the passion of prophet Jeremiah 20:9 saying “God’s word is in my heart like a fire, a fire shut up in my bones. I am weary of holding it in; indeed, I cannot.”

How is your spiritual fire? Are you kindling it with prayer, are you stirring it up into high blaze with acts of kindness and service, are you letting the fire of God’s spirit mould your character?

I invite you to consider your personal relationship with God, your personal connection with the Holy Spirit. I noticed visitors from the “reform” movement coming by our church Wednesday nights during the Prayer meeting, seeking those who are sincere, and seeking to enter their homes with a message “get out of Babylon,” implying that our church is “confusion.” Let me remind you that the Church is what we make it to be. If you are on fire for God, the church is on fire for mission. Check your fire, fan the Flame, reignite the church family for service and mission!