What's that Smell?

“But thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumphal procession in Christ and through us spreads everywhere the fragrance of the knowledge of him. For we are to God the aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing.”  (2 Corinthians 2:14-15)

Deodorant.  Soap.  Body Wash.  Perfume.  Cologne.  All of these items and many more make up a billion dollar industry focused on one thing, making sure we don’t smell bad.  Our culture has an obsession with how we smell.  No one wants to smell bad, if we are going to smell we want it to something pleasing to ourselves and others.  The Apostle Paul picks up on this idea in the verse above explaining how we are to “smell” as ambassadors of Christ.

Christians are commanded to spread the word of God concerning Christ.  It seems that we all know we have this responsibility yet sometimes we differ on how to accomplish the mission.  Some Christians seem to thrive on confrontation while others, it seems, would rather have no contact whatsoever with those who are lost. 

Paul’s idea of a Christian, however, is one whose life is so wrapped up in Christ and the word of God that he can’t help others from finding out.  If we are what God would have us to be then people around us can’t help but smell Christ.  If this is true then where is the need for confrontation?  If this is true then how can one be a Christian and go through life without anyone else finding out?

I think I’ll go take a bath and maybe put on some cologne.

NEW - Podcast: Attitude Makes a Difference

Due to some problems with hardware compatibility, it has been a while since I posted a new podcast.  We have all of those issues sorted out and I have posted my most recent sermon, Attitude Makes a Difference.  You can listen by using the mini-player below or download the file to your computer using the link below.

The easiest way to get my sermons is to subscribe to my podcast in iTunes by clicking here or use the sermon player in the left menu column.  Enjoy!



Download Attitude Makes a Difference

What I Love About the Church

This post was originally written for Preacher's Pen. Be sure to check out this awesome website by Chris Gallagher!

To me there is really only one answer to the question, "what do you love about the church?" It's the people. One of my earliest memories of church is being in bible class and learning the poem complete with hand signals, "Here is the church and here is the steeple, open it up and see all the people!"


Without people the church loses its purpose and reason for existence. In Romans 12:4-5 (NIV) Paul explains the church in this way, "Just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, so in Christ we who are many form one body, and each member belongs to all the others." The Contemporary English Version (CEV) says it this way, "A body is made up of many parts, and each of them has its own use. That's how it is with us. There are many of us, but we each are part of the body of Christ, as well as part of one another." I love the thought expressed here, that while there are many of us we each individually make up the church.


I think sometimes we miss out on all that church has to offer because we have failed to understand this all important element of relationship in the church. Consumerism has turned the church into a business relationship where people search for the perfect organization with the most to offer. This was never what Christ envisioned when he established his body of believers on earth. It was only when I finally understood this aspect of the church that I was able to begin to fall in love with the church's people. I was never able to love a business model no matter how shiny it was but falling in love with people was something that just came naturally.


Granted, some people are easier to love than others but it is also true that some people need more love than others. I love the church because no matter how bad things get in my life here on earth I know that people's prayers are streaming heavenward on my behalf, no business model can replace that! I love the church because no matter how difficult things may become I know that there are real live actual people who care and who act because we share a common love for Jesus Christ.

This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers. If anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in need but has no pity on him, how can the love of God be in him? Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth. (1 John 3:16-18)

Why I love my iPhone (My top 15 Apps)

A few months ago I finally took the plunge I had long been wanting to take, I bought an iPhone. I waited too long.

Before listing my top 15 apps I must first mention some of the standard features that make the iPhone stand out. The integrated iPod is something I use everyday. I love listening to music and since the radio in my truck is broken my iPhone comes in handy. The calendar on the iPhone is something I also use daily. The functions are pretty basic but I would literally be lost without it. Texting is common on all phones today, many even have a full keyboard, but the iPhone allows you to keep entire conversations with people in a neat list.

Top 15 Apps

These are the apps I use basically everyday.

1. YouVersion Bible - a free app from LifeChurch.tv it features tons of versions to read plus a "Live" function that allows users to follow along with my sermons and even respond to questions in real time.

2. Logos - another bible program that I use. You don't need Internet connectivity or even cell service to use this one (if you download one or more versions).

3. TextLater - allows you to schedule a text for a later date and/or time. I mostly use this to remind me of important tasks.

4. Fox News - I like to keep up with current events

5. WSMV Channel 4 - Ditto

6. ESPN ScoreCenter - I get all the latest scores from just about any sport you can think of.

7. Google - if I don't know the answer, I can find it here. Plus, all you have to do is speak, no typing necessary.

8. Solitaire - great for down time and killing time. It also keeps the mind sharp.

9. QuickOffice - I can edit or create documents or spreadsheets and view PowerPoint slideshows. Fully compatable with Microsoft Office, this app allows me to work on and polish my sermons anywhere.

10. Maps - this app actually comes with the phone but it's functionality is much better than even MapQuest. It works with the GPS embedded in the phone and is highly accurate.

11. Dictionary.com - with all the writing I do a dictionary is a must! This app is simple but has some extras like a thesaurus and "word of the day" that make it a favorite.

12. TV Guide - with so much on television I use this much as you would the paper version. Ratings and synopsis' of each program makes finding family friendly programing a breeze.

13. Evernote - this app fully sync's with your online account which means you can use it anywhere. You can store any kind of info in Evernote and retrieve it in various ways. Can't remember the name of a person you meet two months ago at a conference but you need to call him? With Evernote you can take pics of business cards, store them by name, business name, phone number, etc. But the coolest thing is that even if you can't remember the name all you have to do is search your business cards by location. You remember meeting a person in Nashville then Evernote does as well.

14. Fandango - look up movie times and locations and even purchase tickets right from your phone.

15. GoVolsXtra - news about University of Tennessee sports powered by the Knoxville News Sentinel.

Honorable Mention

A few apps I use that could be on the list but due to their nature I just don't have need for them everyday.

1. Disney World Wait Times - gives you the wait time for every attraction in WDW Orlando. Users submit actual wait times and on our last trip to Disney I found it to be highly accurate.

2. iPitchPipe - just like the pitch pipe your song leader uses just easier to keep up with.

3. Sleep Machine - I must have background noise in order to sleep. This app gives several options and is always with you when you travel.

4. Travelocity and Kayak - have you ever been on the road and looking for a place to stop for the night? These work wonders and you don't have to make 10 different calls to find a vacancy.

5. BlogPress - this app lets me compose and post articles to my blog right from the iPhone (in fact, I'm using it right now!). I'm sure this one will move up the list in a hurry.

So what are your favorite/most used apps?



- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Location:Hurricane Hill Dr,Waynesboro,United States

FINAL UPDATE 4/7/2010 Go Fish

The series is now complete.  I'll be adding the SlideCast for the final messages as soon as I get my new computer.  Enjoy!

So many people have been asking for copies of the podcast for this latest series we are doing on Sunday Morning that I decided to make a 'store' for one stop, easy downloading.  As each new episode becomes available you can come here to download.  You will also be able to get them in the usual way, by using the Sermon Player in the right menu, or by going to iTunes (download a la carte or subscribe).  

Be sure to direct your friends here to listen to these inspirational messages!

Remember

~Followers Fish~

Go Fish Message 1 

Go Fish - "We Were All Fish Once"

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Go Fish Message - 2

Why Fish

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Go Fish Message - 3

Fish Guts

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Muddy Water - Message 4 (My Personal Favorite)




The One that Got Away - Message 5

This series was inspired by Andy Stanley & David Salisbury

 

Culture and Evangelism

Our culture has been conditioned to look for the latest and greatest fix for any problem that confronts them. One example of this is health care where there is always a new pill for whatever ails you. Whether we realize it or not, our cultural conditioning shapes the decisions we make and the opinions we hold when it comes to church issues. Evangelism methodology is a great example of how culture has an effect in the church. The scenario usually goes something like this, we begin to notice a decline in attendance until we finally become uncomfortable and then the push to evangelize kicks in. This push is often accompanied by selecting a certain program or method of reaching out to the lost. Some members will remember door knocking campaigns and tent meetings which were highly effective in their time and suggest that this is the way to grow the church. Other members will suggest a newer program of outreach that they have seen work in other congregations and suggest that this is the way to grow the church. Soon the focus turns from seeking the lost into seeking the program as we argue over which way is the best way.


 
If we desire to reach people with the gospel, we need only to get the gospel in front of them. If you want to see how powerful the gospel can be, you don't have to look very far. If you open your bibles to the book of Acts, you can read about the powerful explosion of our faith and the church only days removed from the crucifixion. This explosive growth came about because people were excited about a message and nothing would stop them from sharing that message with their friends.


 
In other words, followers of Christ were not content to be followers only. These early Christians used whatever means were necessary to share the good news of Jesus Christ. They became the right person at the right time for someone in need of salvation.


 
How has God used you to be the right person at the right time? Please share your story with us in the comments section!


 

~ Followers Fish ~

Go Fish

As Christians we focus on being followers of Christ, I've heard many sermons on the subject and I've preached several as well, however, if all we do is follow Christ then we aren't living up to our calling. Over the next few weeks at Waynesboro church of Christ on Sunday morning, we are going to be talking about this very subject as we seek to let God transform us from followers into fishers. We are going to learn to become "fishers of men."

Go Fish is the title of our new sermon series and as you might surmise, we are going to be talking about evangelism. However, this will not be the same old lessons which tell you "how" to evangelize or that lays out a program of work designed for the entire congregation. The "how's" of evangelism cannot be taught in a sermon, and honestly, what works for me quite possibly will not work for you. The way you witness to your friends and even to strangers is very personal, each of us will handle a situation in our own unique way.

Our focus for Go Fish will be on the need for transformation from followers to fishers and upon how we take that journey. Just as the disciples, who left everything to follow Jesus, we also are called to follow him, yet, if you continue reading in your bible you will find those first followers of Jesus transforming to become exactly what Jesus wanted them to be, fishers of men sharing the story of Jesus.

As we Go Fish, we are going to learn how to overcome some of the obstacles that get in our way when we want to share the message of Christ. Things like, "I'm just not good at that," or "I've got too many skeletons in my closet. People won't take me seriously." We are going to discover how God perfectly positions us to reach someone with the Gospel.

You really need to plan to be here for this series and bring your family. We're not going to talk about door knocking or study methods because becoming a fisher of men is not something you do, it's something Jesus wants to do in you. So, be ready for the next few weeks and don't be surprised that during the process you find yourself energized to evangelize!

Remember this phrase because you are going to be hearing it a lot this entire year:

Followers Fish!!!

You will be able to listen to the entire series by subscribing to my podcast on iTunes or by using the SermonPlayer in the left menu bar.

Thanks to David Salisbury and Andy Stanley for inspiring this series of sermons.

The Joy of Christmas

Listen to my two sermon series "The Joy of Christmas."  (You can use the Slidecast option which allows you to hear the sermon while viewing the Powerpoint.) The first sermon in the series "The Three Gifts of Christ" was inspired by a sermon by my friend John Dobbs. The second is "A Savior is Born" and by many accounts is one of my best. Please leave your comments and have a Merry Christmas!

You can subscribe to my podcast on iTunes by clicking here or listen to them using the player in the column on the right.

A Savior Is Born

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Three Gifts of Christmas

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