What I’ve been up to and why you haven’t heard from me

It’s that time of year again where I lament the fact that I have been missing out on posting lately. In fact, I almost had a post in time for Easter, but it didn’t come together when I wanted it to. So for now, you’ll have to settle for this year’s installment of “Where’s Jakob?” And no, I won’t be wearing a red and white striped suit while hiding among mythical creatures in strange environments.

Church

There are many exciting things happening with the Church in general and the youth ministry in particular. I have been working with the music teams every other week for almost a year now, and we have seen some good growth and connective-ness in the teams and individuals on them. We’re glad to be serving in this way!

Likewise, although the youth group remains small (numbers wise) we have had great chances to partner with other Churches to do fun and constructive events (snow camp, tubing, community service, etc).

School

Emmalie and I will be graduating at the beginning of May; she with an AA and I with a BA in Biblical Studies. We have been working hard at finishing which means many a long night working on homework and trying to squeeze time in together. With the end in sight, we hope we can finish well and continue to serve God as greatly as possible.

Life in general

I am still employed with the Home Depot and Emmalie remains at the local nursing home as the receptionist. The cool thing, though, is that she will be beginning a part time job as the Church secretary in mid-April. We’re excited about this and are looking forward to her extended ministry within the Church (she already teaches Sunday School faithfully!).

The Calling

Lastly, I have been working with the Gospel Alliance on the Calling Youth Conference for the greater part of this year. This is a one-day conference being held at our Church (FBC in South Portland) next Saturday which will hopefully see a good number of youth leaders, students, and even their parents as we seek to encourage and discuss the idea of the message of Jesus being the one thing that restores the brokenness of the world. (Shameless plug, for more information: www.callingyouth.com . There are free books involved as well: http://gospelalliancene.com/free-books-for-all-who-attend-the-calling/).

Thanks for listening in! As I mentioned, graduation is in May… we’ll see what happens at this blog site then!

Being a blessing

Two elderly couples are sitting at two different tables at the same restaurant. Both couples are professing Christians who are involved in their respective local Churches. Both frequent this restaurant quite often.

One couple (the ones I happen to be sitting with) is jovial: laughing with the waitstaff, smiling, and sharing concerns about the Church while expressing their desire to remain faithful there. The other–seated a table away– not so jovial. I don’t know the exact nature of their conversation, but I do know the response the waitress gives: “I am sorry… for that I do apologize.” This apology, as marked by the look on her face, was not for something she had done but for something they had complained about. Something meaningless and unimportant; it is just food, after all.

And how do I know them to be believers? As they leave they excitedly greet our dinner companions and it’s explained that this couple was there when our host came to Christ.

I wish this was an anomaly, but it isn’t. I have been in multiple situations where I have witnessed professing believers (once right after an Easter morning service) enter the community and trash Christ’s name through their attitudes–meanwhile wearing their “Church” clothes.

Our gracious host

Christmas is coming. This is a time where the Church remembers in a special way that Christ didn’t count equality with God something to be grasped but made himself nothing and became a man for the sake of dying a humble yet terrible death on our behalf. We sometimes miss the part about humility–and us having the same mind.

Our host that night didn’t. True, our waitress was also slightly emotional, but for a different reason; our host handed her this letter to the editor he had once written:

I am writing relative to a hard-working group of people in our society today. My wife and I enjoy dining out frequently, and we notice the hard-working waiters and waitresses who serve the public in our local restaurants. We watch them try to be pleasant, courteous and efficient as they work. We see them try to give service as they serve food, clear tables, carry heavy trays and deal with unhappy costumers. They work hard for the minimum wage (which is lower than the state minimum). We also feel there are many people who do not leave the proper gratuity (at least 15 percent) that is expected today.

We know there are days and weeks set aside to honor nurses, teachers, secretaries and other service people. This is a fine thing to do. They deserve it. We also think of those faithful wait-people who deserve to be honored for a job well done.

Passing on humility

Christ came to call us to be part of His Kingdom through His death and resurrection. What does that resurrection do for us? Well, for starters, it affects our attitudes so that we are no longer walking in the ways of the flesh but in the Spirit with love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control (Gal. 5.22-23). But these attitudes are worthless if left unexpressed. Our responses must be kind and good, gentle and loving, and spoken with patience and self-control. If they are not, is Christ glorified? If we recognize our failures, is He glorified in our apologies to the victims of our words? Many of us who are in Christ would do well to check our hearts and invite more of the Spirit’s control whenever we interact with unbelievers.

Maybe then we can do as this gentleman did–recognize the good that others are doing and respond with love and admiration to them.