Guy Night Tomorrow Night!

Don't forget- Guy Night is tomorrow night! We are going to have a great time. It won't be burning up hot. The rain will hold off and it will be a great night. We have sold out the original 40 seats and have reserved 5 more. But if you still haven't talked to Matt Stomprud, call him right away. I'll bet we can figure out how to get you there. I am stoked about the new guys who are taking this opportunity to get connected to the great guys of Lakeside. This is awesome!!!

Remember- Bring your dads-bring your sons-bring your grandsons- bring your cameras!

Meet at the church at 6:15pm ready for a good time.

BE THERE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

He Did It!

Well, he did it. Eight events. Eight gold medals. Seven world records. Michael Phelps is the undisputed king of the Olympics. What he did is unimaginable; to keep focus, stay rested, give everything over the past week and compete at the highest level in four different strokes.

What does a 23 year old who has reached that level have to look forward to? What will he be doing when he is 33?

Coffee Shop Culture

Yesterday Carole and I visited the Red Cup on Classen Blvd. for an afternoon coffee. It has been three or four years since I was there, but I wanted local coffee shop atmosphere. I wasn't disappointed. It was peopled with an interesting blend of personalities and appearances. This is not a coffee shop review. I just wanted to be around some people whose theology and political positions were most likely different from mine. It is easy to assume that "a lot of people feel like I do" when you are only in the company of people who feel like you do.

Learn to feel at ease around people who are not like you and you might be surprised at what you find.

Also, feel free to recommend other coffee shops around OKC for me to try. (I've already been to Starbucks.)

It doesn't take much.

Last Monday I went to McDonalds after my morning round of golf. As I was walking to the door I saw a lady headed to her car with both hands full of bags and trays of drinks. I saw that she was unaccompanied and I saw that she would have a lot of trouble getting her car door open so she could unload her cargo. I just asked her if she could use some help getting her car door open and she gratefully said yes. I opened the door and she unloaded. Took about 6 1/2 seconds out of my life. She said, "I guess there are still good people out there."

It doesn't take much to be exceptional these days.

Random Question

Are you pro or anti- histamine?

Michael Phelps

Is this guy superhuman or what? So far, 5 races, 5 gold medals, 5 world records. What a story. Imagine a guy so dominating that expectations will not be met unless he wins 8 gold medals in 8 events. If he wins a silver in one event, people will be asking him, "what went wrong" and "are you disappointed?" I can't even imagine what that would be like. Is the glory enough to justify the pressure?

What is the Deal?

What is it about southern gospel music that elicits such an immediate and powerful response from people? I was in a quartet Sunday evening with Robert Reeder, Larry Riggs and Pastor Darren and we sang an old favorite, "Sweeter as the Days Go By". It has a catchy tune, with lyrics that are nice, but light. But when we sang it, the Sunday night crowd erupted. I know it wasn't just that song; rather it was the type of song that elicited the response.

My guess is that the southern gospel songs represent a time in a generation's life when the Word was new and fresh in their lives. They were young, with career issues, new children, and Cold War fears (later, Vietnam War concerns) on the evening news. Their time at church in the company of dear friends, singing songs of hope in heaven, and listening to good old fashioned gospel preaching was precious. Hearing one of those tunes sweeps them back immediately to a time when all of life's possibilities lay ahead and their trust in God was foundational to their existence.

Today's young families face the same problems in different wrappers. All of life's possibilities lie ahead of them, as do all of life's difficulties. Their new children cause excitement and fear as they realize the responsibilities that come with raising children. Career issues are different because the day of the "company man" is gone, but the need to feed the family is the same. Cold war superpower foes have been exchanged for idealogical terrorists, but the songs written with the chord stylings and rythmns of today touch their hearts just as dearly as the southern gospel style did for the generation before them. I can envision 20 or 30 years from now, the 20 and 30 somethings of today will hear a song from today and be immediately drawn to the powerful tug of the Holy Spirit on their hearts they feel now. They won't be able to comprehend how the young people of that time won't appreciate their songs, but they will appreciate it when someone cares enough to sing one of "their" songs.

Props to Ali and Ken

Saturday morning we had our monthly men's breakfast and had about 25 men there. Ali Afshari and Ken Wickham prepared a great breakfast of eggs, bacon, pancakes and fruit. Those guys are a blessing. They showed up early, did all the cooking and cleaned up afterward. They are a prime example of our Lakeside GUYS acronym- God Uses Your Strengths. They have an ability to cook and they make that ability available to God.

Great job, Ali and Ken!

Are You Called?

My entire life has been lived in the pentecostal church culture. There has never been a day in my life when I wondered whether or where I would go to church. But lately I have been giving much thought to the topic of "the call". Throughout my lifetime I have heard many different preachers talk of their call to ministry and it always sounded emotional, mysterious and specific. As a result, for most of my life I considered myself among the "not called" because I never had a specific revelation concerning ministry. The fact that I had specific abilities and general predispositions toward things of God were ignored because I hadn't received a "call". I did things for the Kingdom when I saw a need and knew that I had ability to help with that need, but I never saw it as "evidence of a call" and I never had a career minister challenge me or encourage me in any other way than as a good church member.

A couple of years ago I made the decision to pursue ministry credentials for several reasons, none of which are pertinent to this post. But I was disturbed in the application process when there were questions about the "clear evidence of a call", because I was never awakened in the middle of the night and given a vision concerning the specific call placed on my life by God. I just wanted to do some things that would only be possible with ministry credentials. I wondered if I was an imposter.

In Bible study and reading of books related to this topic I have decided a few things. First is that I believe that God does call people in a miraculous, mysterious, and specific way, but that not everyone gets that kind of call. Second, that everyone who has received salvation is called to ministry. We are all to be involved in evangelism and discipleship and we should all be preparing and ministering constantly. Thirdly, God gave me the gifts He gave me to be used for His Kingdom purposes. For me to see a situation which I am uniquely suited to do and not to do it because I haven't felt "led" or "called" is wrong. Fourthly, the qualifications for ministers listed in the New Testament focus much more on character than calling.

I would encourage you that if you have a predilection toward some type of ministry activity, don't wait for a shining light from Heaven to get involved. Obviously there are issues of preparation and submission, but don't live your life without doing ministry because you haven't experienced "the call". That is an excuse; not a reason.

Men's Breakfast

This Saturday morning at 9am we will have our monthly men's breakfast in the church fellowship hall. Ali and Ken will be cooking, so you know it will be good. We will have a special guest by the name of Gary Gunsolus. He is the coordinator for MAPS construction teams in our region. He coordinates teams who help local churches with construction projects. Some of our guys met Gary back in June when we were in Arizona on our construction trip. Gary will be sharing with us how we can get involved in MAPS teams here in Oklahoma and also he will be telling us about a new concept for local disaster outreach, such as immediate response to a tornado that would hit close by.

Come on out for the food. Stay for the fellowship.

Why does golf have to be so hard?

I played golf yesterday, which is my usual golf day. I have been playing golf, off and on, since I was a teenager, and it is as hard now as it was then. I still shoot the same terrible score. I have flashes when I seem to be gaining consistency, and then all of a sudden I start playing like I am playing my first round ever. I have never worked so hard to stay so mediocre at anything in my life. But wait until next week. I think I have it figured out!

What good does it do?

Who benefits from a mission trip? Certainly the people we minister to even if the ministry is just being friendly. Of course the missionaries are glad to have people come and help in the work (if indeed they help and don't just use the missionary as a local travel guide). Projects get completed sooner when churches partner with missionaries financially and with people to do specific tasks. People from the local churches who go benefit by having a greater understanding of how our missionaries do their ministry. They see that God works in ways that they haven't witnessed before and that expands their outlook on God possibilities. Local pastors get members who have an enlarged vision of God. I guess everyone benefits from a mission trip.