Pastor Larry Johnson - May, 2012

During my childhood, our family received a newsletter from R. G. LeTourneau, a gifted inventor of heavy machinery and successful businessman.  I remember how this man inspired my father and others by making generous gifts to charity.  At the same time, my father would repeat the adage, “A penny saved is a penny earned.”   Generous giving and disciplined saving seemed like opposites to me. How could anyone do both?  Which carried a higher value, generous giving or disciplined saving? To be honest, I still wrestle with these questions.

When people make sacrificial gifts of money to the ministry, missions, or deacon’s fund, they bless and inspire.  I wonder how many financial gifts are rooted in values of disciplined saving.  According to Financial Peace University teaching, these virtues can go hand in hand.  Disciplined savers become qualified and often generous givers. 

Whether we give money, time, or skills, something beyond our capacity or means to do so must motivate us. It may be a visible and worthy need or simply a thought of gratitude.  While motivations may be multiple and diverse, biblically there is one that stands out.  I Corinthians 13 tells us that love is preeminent.  Also, John 3:16 says that God so loved, that he gave. Realizing that He loved first should awaken within us a response of love and gratitude. 

We recently honored mothers, selfless givers of nurturing love.  Soon we will remember military personnel who gave their lives serving our country.  Whether Mother’s Day, Memorial Day, or Graduation Day, would it not be fitting to salute all inspiring givers this May?

Larry Johnson

I awoke this morning to five of our grandchildren in various stages of activity. The girls were playing with dolls, the boys were deconstructing the compound, and the baby was eating her breakfast. Our children are visiting during their spring break, making possible a midyear family reunion. With three generations of family under one roof, I am reminded of the many times we biblically refer to “family”. We speak figuratively of the family of God, and other times, plainly of the nuclear family.

We live in a time and place that tends to isolate one generation of the family from another. Perhaps this isolation stems from significant differences between generations. It seems not that long ago that I was denied certain privileges or responsibilities because I was too young. My children and grandchildren are likely experiencing this now. Currently, I am more likely to face limitations because I am too old. While we differ in abilities and limitations, we also differ in our likes and dislikes. We develop sensory style preferences along generational lines as we express our opinions regarding how things look and sound. As a result of all these differences, we tend to associate in social settings and service activities with those roughly our age and in a similar stage of life.

Are we in danger of “throwing the baby out with the bath water” when we divide our society according to age? When I play with my lively grandchildren, I am reminded why Carol and I raised our daughters when we were still young. However, while small children require much energy and patience, they teach us volumes about God’s grace and mercy for the most innocent among us. Further, when I converse on weighty matters with my adult children and their peers, I am impressed with their insight and wisdom. In reciprocal fashion, I hope that I also have something to share, based on my age and experience that is encouraging, biblical, and grandfatherly. Or perhaps in the interest of staying young, I would settle for just “fatherly” interaction.

When we as a church talk about unity within the family of God, we usually address language, culture, and ethnic issues, but we also should address generational issues. As it does in my own nuclear family, greater integration of generations would yield new perspective and stretch our appreciation of others.

Pastor Larry Johnson's Daughter, Kristie King (mother of 2 little girls)

Life will be easier when the baby can feed herself. I can’t wait to take uninterrupted showers. I wish I had more time to tackle my reading list.  Sometimes in looking ahead to tomorrow, I miss the joy in today. I’m particularly guilty of this on a Nap Fail day. But I view such days differently now because of my big sister, Julie.

Julie and her husband are foster parents. Two years ago they welcomed a little girl, just past her first birthday, and her three-day-old baby sister. After a year of bonding as a family (first steps, first words, first “smeared the diaper cream all over herself” incidents), they began pursuing adoption. Sadly, the girls’ birth mom still had not proven fit to parent. Adoption seemed overwhelmingly likely. However, sitting in a courtroom just three months ago, they were shocked to learn that the girls would be transferred permanently to a new foster home, never to return. Julie fought for the girls. But despite widespread agreement that the girls were already in a great home, the court’s decision remained unaltered. For two months, Julie waited for the phone call that would set these changes in motion. Finally the call came. They packed up the girls' things, and 18 hours later, they said goodbye forever.

I grieved with my sister for the loss of my nieces. Then, looking back, I realized something. Before listening to me vent about a frustrating day with my two daughters, Julie had woken up wondering if this would be the final day with hers. Further, she had willingly embraced her girls for 700 days knowing they might ultimately be taken from her. And had she known the outcome in advance, she would not have chosen differently. She understands that caring daily for a child, though costly, is invaluable. When asked if she and her husband will continue with foster care, she answers, “Absolutely! There are still kids out there who need to be rescued.”

Julie’s selflessness encourages me to cherish every day I have with my little ones. The reading list can wait.

Pastor Larry Johnson

Several of my grandchildren are old enough to play basketball, soccer, or another organized sport.  While watching them play it is clear that each of them, especially our grandsons, place a high value on winning.  They personify the thrill of victory and the agony of defeat.  We learn early that winning and success is preferred over losing and failure.  Applying these values to world evangelism, can we identify some keys to “winning”?  World Outreach Festival week will expose us to winning ways in practice.

Joshua learned that victory was only possible when he fought battles God’s way.  The Israelites won every battle when they trusted Him to give victory.  They lost every battle that they tried to fight within their own strength.  The Lord said to Joshua, “Be STRONG and very COURAGEOUS.  Be careful to obey all the law my servant Moses gave you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, that you may be successful wherever you go.” Joshua 1:7

David instructed his son, Solomon, how to approach the task of building the temple. He said “Be STRONG and COURAGEOUS, and do the work.  Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the Lord God, my God is with you.”  David learned the value of trusting God and obeying his methods.

World Outreach Festival week, February 19 –26, will provide various opportunities to hear from global workers who are pursuing kingdom fruit by practicing deep faith and unselfish obedience.  Their stories told in Life Group meetings, luncheons and other settings will inspire us to   STOP, YIELD, and GO.   Also, let us use that week to affirm and value these workers, encouraging them to continue in courageous work. 

Finally, unless we have outgrown our desire to win and succeed, we would do well to follow the pattern of Joshua, David and Solomon, as well as our own global workers.  They show us the value of STRONG faith, and COURAGEOUS obedience.

Pastor Larry Johnson 
Christmas Day is always special. Candlelight services, spending time with those we love, enjoying holiday food and watching young children open presents. This year, Carol and I greeted the Swanson’s (Julie and Scott) and their children as they arrived at our home for the holidays. We hugged their three boys and two girls as they came through the door. The girls, now two years and three years old took turns holding out their arms seeking a brief ride to Boppa Daddy’s shoulder. All was well with the world--except for one thing. After two years as the foster family for these little girls, authorities decided to place them with a different family. This decision dashed our hope for adoption. The impending imminent separation evokes a certain heaviness of heart.

Many of us experienced challenges and even disappointment in year 2011. Some struggled with employment, shortage of finances, others with health issues, and still others with fractured relationships. Life may have become heavy and discouraging. It seems that beginning a new year should be a good time to renew hope. It has been said that hope is the parent of faith.  A flicker of hope, a sense that something good is about to happen, must precede faith in God to direct and provide. But where is new hope to come from? Romans 8:28 says, “in all things God works for the good of those who love him” (NIV).  If God is good and we are his children, is that enough reason to expect that something good is about to happen? 

In the tapestry of life, individual events may not be good, scarred by the brokenness of this world, but the expectation of God somehow synthesizing all occurrences together for good becomes cause for renewed hope. With a new year before us, let us begin with refreshed hope.