Recently I had to make a long trip alone by car. I left early in the morning, while it was still quite dark, armed with a freshly charged cell phone and a travel cup of strong coffee. I don’t mind these occasional drives as they provide periods of uninterrupted time to think about a variety of matters. That is a luxury that I rarely get to enjoy—as is the case with most people I suppose.

After a few hours of thinking, listening to a favorite CD and having finished my coffee, I decided to look for some local news on the radio.  My car radio display is a small digital readout; probably the same as most of you have in your vehicle.  I turned on the radio and the display read 915. Knowing that this was probably the frequency I was tuned to, I decided to push the button to see what time it was, but the display still read 915. Slightly confused, I pushed the button a third time, thinking that I must not have really pushed it the previous times.  Again, the display read 915. After a few more seconds of bewilderment, it dawned on my fatigued mind that I was tuned to frequency 91.5 FM, and the time was 9:15 am. At the moment I was questioning the display, the frequency and time were the same—at least numerically. The only difference was a decimal and a colon, both of which were imperceptible to my slightly road weary eyes.

There are many such confusing signals that come to us in life. We can be looking for the answer to questions we have, and many time voices come to us with answers that seem to be just what we were seeking.  Yet how many times have we responded to answers in life with these words:  “That just doesn’t seem right.” Though the display on the dash seems to be flashing the answer we were wanting, something inside makes us question it.

As children of our Heavenly Father, he has given us His Holy Spirit to guide us in just such times.  As our Guide, He is not subject to our fatigue or emotional states. To avoid the traps and confusion that confront us in our daily walk, the Holy Spirit can alert us when what appears to be one thing on the display, is actually something else altogether. I John chapter 4 tells us:

“1Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world. 2This is how you can recognize the Spirit of God: Every spirit that acknowledges that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, 3but every spirit that does not acknowledge Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you have heard is coming and even now is already in the world.”

This is not a warning designed to breed paranoia in us or cause us to live in perpetual questioning of every incident in our daily living.  Usually, our good sense and experience allow us to make reasonably good decisions.  Rather, it is a guide to help us through those times when fatigue, worry or the other stresses of life cloud our perceptions.  It is then that our faithful God, allows His Spirit to alert us when things “don’t feel right.”  Then we can test the spirit.  The test may be as simple as pushing the button a second or third time to find out if you are looking at the frequency or the time. But the test will reveal the truth.  And the difference may be as slight as a colon or a decimal, but that may be all it takes to confirm what you are really seeing.

God’s Word tells us that the spirit of the antichrist is already in the world. Without living in the rather “spooky” times depicted in some movies and books of recent years, it is important to realize that we live in a culture that seeks to substitute the genuine Christ with a substitute. This substitute may appear on the surface to be the same—maybe a little more politically palatable, or less confrontational—but perceived purely through our fallible human senses and minds, the same.  It is critical then that we test such spirits according to the standard in this scripture.  The difference may be as small as that decimal mark, but it can reveal to you, what is actually flashing on your display.

This Sunday, is Pentecost Sunday. Let this be a time where we focus on “walking in the Spirit and being led by the Spirit” as followers of Jesus Christ.  If you want to be certain that you have the Holy Spirit as your guide, be in prayer this week and in service this Sunday morning as Pastor Harrup shares with us about the reality of a Spirit-filled life.

A group of people were gathered in a room, and randomly divided into two groups.  They were told that they would each be given a number to memorize.  Then they would be asked to go to another room where they would write down their number. Obviously, they assumed, as would we, that this was a test of memory. One at a time, each was given a number and they headed to the next room, no doubt concentrating on their memorized number.

 Remember that the participants were randomly divided into two groups. Without their knowing, half the participants were given a two digit number to remember and the other half a seven digit number to remember. As they started into the second room to write down their memorized number, they were met by a research assistant who asked them a simple brief question.  It was something like this:

“Excuse me, but we are having a snack after the test. Would you prefer fresh fruit or chocolate cake?”

Simple question—simple answer. They went on, wrote down their number and had their snack.

Here is the interesting thing: the vast majority of those remembering a two digit number chose fresh fruit; the vast majority of those trying to remember a seven digit number chose chocolate cake. At first, this can seem a bizarre and purely coincidental result.

Professor Shiva offers this explanation. (I am of course paraphrasing and greatly simplifying.) Two forces are at work in every decision we make: logic and emotion.  Logic says that fresh fruit is healthy, won’t make me fat, has vitamins, etc. and is a better choice.  Emotion says that chocolate cake is delicious, creamy, reminds me of mom and childhood, etc. and is the better choice. What Shiva’s experiment shows is that a simple mental act like remember seven digits for a few minutes, is enough to occupy our logic to the point where our emotion overrides our decision making.  Only five digits difference marks the line between making a logical decision and an emotional one.

This triggered so many thoughts in me.  Day after day, each of us wrestles with a lot more occupying our mind than a few digits to remember.  Some things awaken us in the night.  Problems, situations and trying to discern the future all occupy our thoughts day and night. No wonder it is so easy to make bad decisions.  It helped me realize how we can, in light of overwhelming evidence to our logic, sometimes choose poorly.

What all this most profoundly spoke to me, is how essential it is to depend upon God when making important, life affecting decisions. Proverbs 3:5 rings very loud and true:

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding.”

Trust, it seems to me, is the product of a conscious choice.  I choose to believe, based on any number of things:  experience, evidence, etc.  Our heart contains so much of our emotion, convictions, and other powerful influences not limited to cognitive process.  Our understanding comes from the convergence of all these influences.  And God is telling us it is better to lean on Him, trust Him, and give Him our heart than to make bad decisions that could derail our lives from the course He has for us.

Seems to be good advice to me…when I think how influential a few numbers and some chocolate cake can be. I think we would do well to remember this as we face the decisions we must all make in 2009.

Just before the end of this past year, I heard that the powers that be (such as Robert Frost aptly described in his short poem, “Departmental,”—“those whose work it is to find out God, and the nature of time and space”) had added one second to the length of the year 2008.

To the best of my limited knowledge, the length of a year has been 365 days, 5 hours, 48 minutes, and 46 seconds long.  So I suppose that we change that to 47 seconds for last year.  The people who made this change cite a slight slowing in the orbit of the Earth around the Sun for the difference.  Were Robert Frost still alive, he might see this as a “wearying” in the ways of the universe or a “fatigue” setting in to this good old earth.

I am glad that there are those who are so careful as to measure and keep track of such things. It is important for everything from space travel to keeping good time on my kitchen clock.  But I am much more grateful for a Sovereign God, who rules all aspects of all creation, and of time and space.

“He changes times and seasons.” (Daniel 2:2), and “With the Lord, a day is like a thousand years and a thousand years are like a day.” (II Peter 3:8) It is a great comfort to know that the One who loves us, who gave Himself to redeem us and who is coming to receive us unto Himself, is the one who holds time in His hands.

And until the day that this Sovereign Creator brings time to a close, let’s keep trying to keep accurate time, but let’s be even more careful to serve Him with the time he has given us.

One cannot sit like this without being filled with gratitude for the amazing blessings in life.  To be surrounded by loving family, precious friends and a life where our needs are met.  And above our needs, we enjoy so much that enriches our lives—opportunities, comforts and experiences that most of the world cannot even imagine.

At this time, I want to express my gratitude for the wonderful people in my life.  My family, who support me, love me, work with me  and endure me in ways that no one else can understand.  For the faithful people who work with me in ministry—our team of volunteers and church staff who labor as unto the Lord in developing venues for vibrant and meaningful worship and outreach.  For our church, its leadership and the wonderful people of our congregation who love God and each other.  For the people who God has added to His Kingdom, even as recently as our concert last Sunday night, for whom this Christmas Day will be the most wonderful they have ever experienced.  I could go on and on, but they day calls.

This morning, the news reported that this Christmas season was a failure: that retail sales were the most disappointing in years so profits would be a disaster.  How sad that the values of our culture have become so warped that in the midst of amazing blessings, that many can only see profit as the goal. I beg to differ with the media: far from a failure, this Christmas is as blessed as any have been or any that will come.

“This is the Lord’s doing and it is marvelous in our eyes.”

Merry Christmas

As far as our “private” or family Christmas celebration, it usually begins with the Christmas Eve service.  We began years ago, “extending” our Christmas season past December 25th usually until Epiphany. We continue to play Christmas music, talk about what the holiday means, and share fond memories and dream about the future as family.  We just don’t let the calendar stop our celebration.

Since the fall this year, we have been trying to do some much needed repairs, painting and small renovation to our home that has been put off for a very long time.  So, since August our entire home and life has been “out of joint” to quote the bard.

Boxes are piled everywhere around the house.  We have not had a functioning kitchen since October. Over half the house has floors stripped to the bare wood sub-floor.  I could go on and on, but you get the picture. At one point, we even talked about forgoing the usual trappings of Christmas because of the chaos we were trying to exist in every day. We just felt too overwhelmed to try to even think of decorating, buying gifts or even finding the Christmas CD’s.

Then one evening just after sundown, I walked out into the parking lot of North Kansas City hospital, heading for my car after a visit to a neighbor. The assortment of lights and decorations around caught my eye and I stood for a moment and took in the sights and sounds surrounding me on that cold hilltop.

Sirens were blaring from the highway.  Traffic was buzzing around the buildings at top speed.  I could hear voices from several sources around me…some loud, raucous…some very intent in conversation…some obviously arguing.  Helicopters raced across the sky over me to destinations unknown.  Machinery and trucks still on duty deafened me temporarily with their huge engines and back up alerts beeping.  Throngs of people pushed up and down the crowded sidewalks heading to and from their cars.  Most of their faces betrayed the anxiety that one feels when a loved one is in the hospital. Some just looked in a terrible hurry.

And there, above it all were the lights and decorations of Christmas, shining brightly above all the teeming humanity below them.  How contradictory it seemed to me, the emblems of the Prince of Peace would be thrown into the middle of such a chaotic scene.

Or is it?

It then became clear to me: this is exactly the kind of world into which Jesus was born.  It was not a neat, orderly and peaceful world that He found when he first opened his human eyes. It was filled with the same violence, noise, confusion and sorrow that we find in our current world. Jesus did not wait till the world was in perfect shape so that it could welcome him properly. He came to it when it was so lost and far from God, that it did not even recognize him.  He came, as scripture says, “in the fullness of time.” He came when we desperately needed him.

So with that thought in mind, we moved some of the piles of boxes around and made room for the Christmas tree.  Chacey managed to find most of the Christmas CD’s. Cindy even dug out some lights and put them on the mantel and found some rugs and sheets to cover part of the bare wood floor; we have put off trying to finish the painting for a few days.

So Christmas has come to our home. Not because the tree is up or the lights are on.  We decided to let the light of the Christ child shine in our imperfect hearts in this imperfect world.  It is an insidious message of our culture that says that we can’t be happy or fulfilled unless our lives are perfect. We decided to welcome the Christ of Christmas into our chaos just as He came on that first Christmas.

 In the midst of our chaos the lights of the season shine bright.  Our lives don’t have to be “perfect;” they just have to be open to receive the Christ of Bethlehem, the Son of David, the Son of Man.  He is the Prince of Peace and we only have to make room for Him and His Peace will bring rest to our harried existence.

May Emmanuel grant you all a blessed Christmas.

I stood in line at the grocery store early on Thanksgiving morning, with the obligatory list of last minute and forgotten items duly selected.  Those who know me know I am a “soft touch” and I confess I was probably the only guy in line that morning who became misty-eyed at watching families busily buying their Thanksgiving dinners. I thanked God as I stood there that in our nation, even in these difficult times, that the vast majority of people would eat well today—a rare situation still in this world. I thanked Him that most who had fallen on hard times, would be cared for by family, church and a caring community. That those who are protecting us on foreign soil would be remembered, honored and cared for on this uniquely American holiday.

My thoughts then turned to more personal items of Thanksgiving as I remembered times past, family and friends of whom I was especially thankful.  In the midst of this, a thought came to me that was unique in my personal regimen of giving thanks:  I began to thank God for the times he had denied me what I had wanted.

Suddenly I was viewing a panorama in my mind’s eye of past ambitions, desires, plans and goals. These were things which, at the time of my life that they were driving me, were of such importance, that I thought I might “die” if they were not achieved. To list or describe them would be of no value—what is significant is that I realized that none of these things, which I had longed for so badly, had been realized. And beyond that, for the first time, I realized that God had His hand in their denial and it was for my good!

Most of these lost dreams were not evil in themselves, but they were not right for me. They would have led me down a path that wandered away from what God had planned for my life.  And to these things God had said, “No.” Some of these desires were completely wrong and He had blocked the way to them, not unlike Balaam’s donkey, keeping me from disastrous decisions and actions. Of course, at the time of my life when these plans failed, I was distressed, disappointed, sometimes angry and often confused. But on this Thanksgiving Day, I was overwhelmed with God’s mercy in keeping me from what I thought I wanted so much.

I am not sure why God’s grace was given to me so freely, and so often in denying me bad choices I would have made.  I do know that throughout my life, I have been blessed far beyond what I can understand by people who have faithfully prayed for me—day after day, without fail. That in itself has an impact that I cannot possibly hope to understand in this life. Beyond that, I think that God’s mercy is showered down upon us all in greater measure than we know and certainly than I deserve.

Several years ago, a thought came to me and while I do not know its origin, I feel there is truth in it: The saddest person in the world is the one who comes to the end of their life, having achieved all that they dreamed, and finds it was not really what they wanted at all.

 I am truly thankful for the blessings God has given me and for the things in my life that I have achieved.  But this Thanksgiving, I am just as thankful for the many things in my life that God denied.

Most of us have heard of the Harvest Moon and maybe some of the Hunter’s Moon.  These refer to the special characteristics of the full moons which occur closest to the Autumnal Equinox, which of course corresponds to the time of harvest here in the northern hemisphere. Although I am no astronomer, I had a wonderful science teacher in junior high.

You may have noticed that the full moons in autumn seem to stay in the sky later and longer than usual. This is due to the fact that the Harvest and Hunter’s moons begin their thirty to fifty minutes later each month than normal. That means they are in the sky later and shed their brightness longer into the night. The period of darkness is shortened during these times. Many people say that these full moons seem brighter than normal.  Astronomers say that this is caused by the particular tilt of the earth at this point in its orbit.  It causes the rays of the sun to be more directly reflected to earth; hence the brightness of the Harvest and Hunter’s moons.

I suppose many may think that these are mere coincidences of nature or that life evolved to adapt to these preexisting conditions. But I see it as another example of a loving God providing for us in ways that we often overlook. Romans 1:20 does tell us that “For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made…” For thousands of years, famers have worked into the night aided by the light of the moon. Crops have been brought safely into storage out of the approaching winter weather by God stretching out the harvest time.  Ancient hunters tracked and harvested their quarry, and perhaps, found their way home aided by God’s extra bright, extra long, full moon. In much the same way, when winter takes earth in its cold embrace, I think of how God sustains life in difficult times.  How the trees drop their leaves so the snows and winter winds do not destroy all their branches. How the leafless trees allow maximum sunlight to reach the ground for the animals and foliage below. There are countless other provisions that God makes that we do not always understand or even see.

It reminds me that such a God can see us through the winters of our lives.  That a God who can see to prepare the moon that he created before time began for our good, is not surprised at the difficulties and trials that currently surround us.  He has provided for us long before we knew we needed it. I am confident He will provide for us still.

As Thanksgiving Day approaches this year, I want to live in thankfulness by seeking to be more acutely aware of God’s provision around us.  I would encourage each of us to do so.  As we do, we will be reminded that the good things in our lives do not just “happen” but rather “Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.” (James 1:17)

However, I recently came across some research that exposes the "myth" of multi-tasking. Researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and the University of Michigan have done extensive testing that proves that the human brain can only focus on one thing at a time.  What we CAN do is switch very quickly from one task to another.  This shifting our focus in exceedingly rapid time can create the illusion of multitasking, but brain scans prove that we can only have one center of focus.

As I read this, I could not help but think of Matthew, chapter 6.  It is a chapter that we normally think of in terms of God's provision for us. And certainly that is the primary focus of Jesus' teaching there.  But as I thought about verse 33, "But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well," it seemed to me there is a message there about our focus.

There are many different aspects of life bombarding us each day that demand our attention, our resources, our talents and our allegiance.  And most of them are good things...things that we can enjoy. But all of them demand a sharing of our focus.  What alarmed me about my own life was this: can I really keep so many things crowding the focus of my life and still fulfill the primary goal of seeking first, God's kingdom and righteousness? Our culture presents us with the temptation of "spiritual multitasking." And just like our human brains...it's impossible. 

Neuroscientist Earl Miller made a statement that riveted my attention. "People can't multitask very well, and when people say they can, they're deluding themselves. The brain is very good at deluding itself."

I fear that sometimes as Christians, we can be good at deluding ourselves as well.  We encumber our lives with as many facets of our culture as our appetites deem worthy. Yet we delude ourselves into believing that we can "multitask" our Christian walk and maintain our focus on Christ, His Kingdom and righteousness. I fear our hearts can be deluded as easily as our brains sometimes.  I have determined to try to sharpen my focus upon the centerpiece of my walk with the Lord. Lots of the things that delude me into "spiritual multitasking" are good things in themselves...but are costly in time, resources and focus. Are they really worth it?

One of the by-products of the myth of multitasking is stress...the other is danger....as in driving, talking on the phone, texting, eating and more,  all at the same time.  It occurs to me that there are spiritual dangers if we lose our focus as well.  Sometimes the consequences can be great. Instead, let's focus on God's kingdom and righteousness and enjoy the blessings He bestows upon us as a result of focusing on Christ.

Recently, I was on the campus of a university where I have friends on the faculty and where I have done some post-graduate work.  As I walked across the green, I noticed for the first time, the monument surrounding the campus flags. To my surprise, I found inscribed on it the first ten amendments to the Constitution of the United State—the Bill of Rights.

As I stood for a moment, my mind focused on the sacrifices made by the founding fathers and the generations that followed them, so that I could be standing there on the grounds of an institute of higher learning in the middle of the plains of the Midwest. As I watched the students walking past me, caught up in conversation, hilarity or texting, I wondered how many of them truly appreciated the opportunities being afforded them because of what others had done before them.

No undue condemnation to the average student intended, but looking back on my own undergraduate years, I know that I did not fully appreciate the amazing opportunities that surrounded me at that time.  And here, in a small Missouri town, is an institution filled with people who have devoted their lives to the discipline of learning and to sharing that learning with others.  There are excellent buildings filled with the best of equipment, books, computers, and vast stores of the accumulated knowledge of man. Every possible accommodation has been made to maximize the learning process. For most of the students there, four or five years of college will represent the single part of their lives where their only responsibility is—to learn.  What a marvelous, amazing and limitless opportunity!

But too often, immediately gratifying experiences come and rob the time, focus and energy of the student. These are not always “bad” things that come along; they are merely things that divert the student from their prime responsibility—and consequently priceless opportunity is lost.

Like those students, we are all presented with rich opportunities every day. So often, opportunity usually has a very short shelf life: we must act on it when it presents itself.  The same is true with spiritual opportunity.  There are particular times and seasons where we can embrace the leading of the Holy Spirit to grow in our relationship with Christ.  There are other times when God wants us to minister to someone in need or share the Gospel with a person who is open to receive it. What a tragedy to miss times of spiritual opportunity.  Very often, these times come because of the faithfulness of someone before us, who prayed or gave or sacrificed so that we could have the blessings and opportunities that we too often take for granted.

I find Matthew 23:37-39 to be among the saddest verses in the Bible.  Jesus seems to me to be actually grieving, saying:

"O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing. Look, your house is left to you desolate. For I tell you, you will not see me again until you say, 'Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.'

Jerusalem had missed an unprecedented opportunity that would never come in the same way again.  The only Begotten of the Father, the Son of God, had come to dwell among them, teach them, redeem them and lead them.  But things…an almost limitless list of things…had caused them to miss their opportunity.  And all too quickly, that unique opportunity had passed.

Before we are too quick to condemn them, let’s each reflect on opportunities that have passed us by. But only enough to spur us on to resolve that we will not let such opportunities slip through our fingers again-- especially those spiritual opportunities that have eternal outcome. We must stay sensitive to the Presence of the Holy Spirit in our lives, that He may open our spiritual eyes to the marvelous opportunities in God that surround us every day.

A miraculous event occurred this week. The muggy, fatiguing heat of summer gave way to the cool crisp days of invigorating autumn. Most people who know me, know I don't like hot weather at all and prefer cool, even cloudy, misty weather to it. But these beautiful fall days of cool sunshine and breezes are highly energizing to me.

As I felt the change this week, my mind went back to an event in my life, many years ago. I was visiting my brother in Washington DC. Our daughter was quite young and my wife had elected to stay home with her on this trip.

On one of my free afternoons I drove down through Virginia and visited the Civil War battlefield at Petersburg. Only about twenty five miles south of Richmond, it is an amazing place. Beginning in mid-June of 1864, Grant began the longest siege in American history, almost 300 days, to Petersburg. It was a crushing effort that eventually led to the fall of Richmond and the surrender of the Confederacy.

All throughout the battlefield, I saw the remnants of the trenches that the soldiers had dug for protection from the snipers and artillery that unceasingly bombarded them. Little mounds of earth, nothing more, to protect them from the onslaughts that sought to destroy them. It was a hot, sultry day in mid-September when I visited. A hurricane was making landfall to the south of Virginia and its tropical air was making the climate miserable.

As I stood and thought about what had gone on in this battlefield, my mind focused on the recent onslaughts in my own life. In the past I had seen people that I admired fail, the institutions and systems that I had given myself to shaken and nearly destroyed. At times, I had questioned my own faith, my beliefs and the direction of my life. Was it real...was it worth it...what was to happen to me and my family.

Then a thought came, which I sincerely believe was spoken to my heart by the Holy Spirit. All people, institutions and organizations that I had clung to were no more effective at protecting me and the ones I love than those miserable piles of dirt those poor soldiers hid behind over 100 years before. My hope, my strength, my fortress and my provider were God alone. All the bastions of this world, though good, were temporal. Only God would never fail, never disappoint and never forsake. In that moment, I repented, renewed and refreshed myself in Him.

Walking to my car, I heard a rustling in the tops of the trees, and in moments felt the coolness of clean, fresh air. By the time I left the park, all the muggy air, heavy with the debris of a turbulent summer had been displaced with the lightness of a crisp autumn afternoon. And as I drove back to my brother's apartment, it began to snow.

The scripture came to my mind, "Like the cold of snow in the time of harvest is a faithful messenger to those who send him, for he refreshes the soul..." (Proverbs 25:13). Life can become bogged down with its events, problems and fatigue-just like the heavy air of a turbulent summer. We can try to bolster ourselves with our own best defenses, but they amount to no more than pitiful piles of dirt on a battlefield. But if we make the Lord our fortress and defender, he can send His Sprit, like a faithful messenger, who can wash away the debris of our souls as quickly as a northern wind can dispatch the tropical winds of a hurricane and bring the cool of snow to refresh our sprits and give new life and energy.

As maturing Christians, we know we are to face the difficulties that come our way without complaining. But let's learn to embrace the times of refreshing as well.

A few months ago, I happened to hear De Montebello interviewed regarding his retirement. His many accomplishments were touted including the fact that the Met literally doubled in size during his tenure. But De Montebello's comments revealed a very different perspective of his work and literally riveted my attention.

When commenting on the important principles of running a world class museum, without hesitation he declared "the primacy of art." He then went on to contrast going to the museum "to experience art" with going for the "museum experience." De Montebello recalled how that in his early days as a curator, people talked about going to the museum to see the paintings, sculpture, etc. Now they talk about going to the museum, and as he puts it, "...one isn't quite sure what it means." Sometimes they visit a museum because it is in a flashy new building, or has a fashionable gift shop, or a gourmet restaurant or a trendy coffee shop. All of these things are wonderful additions to the "museum experience" but cannot replace the primacy of experiencing art.

My mind immediately went to the words of Moses while in the wilderness with the Children of Israel. He said to the Lord, "If Your Presence does not go with us, do not send us up from here." (Exodus 33:15) Moses understood the primacy of the Presence of God and the futility of trying to exist without it.

Here in the North American church world of the twenty-first century, we have every kind of ministry, activity and convenience one can imagine. We have beautiful buildings, coffee shops, media shows, every style of music you can name, sports, support groups, great websites-and the list goes on. And all of these things are wonderful expressions of ministry in our culture.

But we must be careful that we never substitute the "church experience" for the "primacy of the Presence of God." I have determined to take inventory of my personal focus every time I head to church. And I am challenging every person who ministers with me in the arts to have the same focus. If I am not going to experience the Lord's Presence, then all of the wonderful aspects of the "church experience" may make me feel good, but cannot substitute for encountering the Living Christ.

Thank you, Dr. De Montebello.