I was driving west last night and as it grew dark I noticed all the lightning. As the darkness deepened and traffic on I-70 decreased, I watched the lightning flash. Sometimes it looked parallel to the horizon and other times it was definitely vertical with bright flashes which I guessed meant something had been struck. It wasn’t raining and there were no vehicles around and I was mesmerized by the intensely brilliant flashes of light. Each time, for a millisecond, it seemed as if everything was lit up; then darkness; then the first rumble and even over the road noise, it was as if I could both feel and hear the thunder roar.

The further west I drove the more it became obvious: I was driving into a storm. Soon there were so many flashes of lightning that they were individually indistinguishable. I pulled over for a much needed rest stop and for a few minutes stood outside watching the light show, feeling and hearing the thunder. It was loud. So loud I almost covered my ears and closed my eyes.

No. I wanted my ears to hurt and my eyes to be overwhelmed by the light.

I wanted to experience this storm in all its majestic ferocity. I kept thinking about the Apostle John’s vision of heaven: “From the throne came flashes of lightning, rumblings and peals of thunder.” (Rev 4:5)  In Psalm 18:12-13 David sings: “Out of the brightness of his presence clouds advanced, with hailstones and bolts of lightning. The Lord thundered from heaven; the voice of the Most High resounded.”

This was a rehearsal for being in God’s presence.

Suddenly the rain came. In sheets. Before I could get back in the car, I was soaked. But it was good.

As I drove the final miles to the hotel, I thought about this great God we worship. He is in the quiet as well as the roar. Darkness cannot hide him and brilliant flashes of light cannot reveal him. God is in the calm and the storm.

Prayer: Forgive us, God, for being so impertinent that we attempt to dictate how you should appear, sound and act. Give us eyes to see you – always, ever – in the thunderous volume and the painful glare as well as in the silence.

Several people have asked versions of the question: “How do we respond to people (especially those who aren’t followers of Jesus) about SCOTUS redefining marriage?”

This is a timely concern and deserves an answer (or at least an attempt).

Arching over any response should be a prayerful awareness that our words, tone of voice, and body language represent Christ, so let’s be careful to communicate grace and unconditional love. Let’s avoid arguments and debates – even heated conversations; just walk away. Here are a few bullet points to think about and possibly use in response.

• Jesus loves homosexuals. Because Jesus is our model and we seek to follow him, we too, love people who find themselves in the reality of same-sex attraction.
• We are disappointed that individual sexual autonomy has driven SCOTUS to re-define marriage – a concept that is not only Biblical but which has been the universal moral standard for the social and cultural construct of the family since the first time history was recorded.
• We are concerned because the Court failed to outline if and how to protect the rights of people and institutions who, for religious reasons, will steadfastly retain the definition of marriage as a union between one man and one woman.
• We are alarmed because the exalted right of individual sexual autonomy seems to lead to a “slippery slope” where bigamy, polygamy, pedophilia, and bestiality might also become legally protected.

We will distance ourselves from both the left and the right. We won’t succumb to societies’ pressure to celebrate homosexual practice but we don’t hate those who embrace homosexuality. We acknowledge the clarity of God’s Word which teaches us to say, “That’s wrong” and “I love you.”

Tim Keller, the articulate pastor from New York, puts it this way, “We’re far worse than we ever imagined and far more loved than we could ever dream.”

I believe this is the time for the church, the wholly devoted, committed followers of Jesus, to reach out in grace and love and say, “You’re wrong and you’re loved.” Jonathan Parnell says, “We have this incomparable opportunity to let the Gospel shine.”

Bad things happen to good people.

We live in a broken world. It all started in a perfect Garden,  thousands of years ago when the first humans were unable to obey a simple command and sin began to multiply in this world. Since that time, sin, which is at work in all of Adam and Eve’s descendants, compels us to be in charge of our own lives; to live without God. Living in a sinful world means we deal with accidents and sickness and all kinds of tragedies that happen to good and bad people alike.

If it were not for God’s mercy (when He withholds what we really deserve for our sinfulness) and grace (when He generously gives us what we could never deserve) our lives would be filled with the horror of constant tragedy, pain, and separation from all that is good. At this very instant, God’s goodness is being poured out all over the world because He loves us in spite of our rejection of His only Son, Jesus as the Master, King and leader of our lives.

Is God powerful enough to stop tragedies like the death of a teenager in a car accident? Yes, absolutely! And He does prevent accidents all the time – but not every time. That’s what we find so difficult to understand and accept.

Why doesn’t God stop all the bad things from happening? Because He loves us. God understands how foolish it would be to let us have our own way all the time. If I got my way and what I want every time, I would soon think of myself as god.

We have finite minds and that makes it difficult to understand an infinite God. Every day we grapple with the limitations of being human. But God is not limited. We can only guess what might happen tomorrow but God knows every detail.

Don’t reject God because He doesn’t measure up to your standard. My measuring stick and your standard is broken and faulty. God is trustworthy because He is all-powerful, always present, and knows everything. Even when everything seems to be going wrong, God is still in charge.

Trust God.

Franklin* waved to me when he walked in the door of the restaurant where I was eating by myself. He sat down and talked as if we were long-lost buddies. Actually, I hardly knew him and struggled to recall his last name. I’d seen him in church a few times and vaguely remember a short conversation we once had. He said, “I know you think I need to be in church, pastor, but I enjoy most Sunday mornings out hunting in the timber. I think that’s worship when I can just breathe in the wonder of God’s creation. Don’t you think that’s just as good as being in church?” (*not his real name)

I said, “I think it’s great to enjoy God’s creative work, but that’s not a substitute for being part of a household of faith. It’s not an “either/or” choice but a “both/and.” We cannot ignore the need for personal time with God or enjoying His creation but we also can’t afford to miss the community of fellow Christ-followers and the challenge of corporate worship!

Following Jesus is not a private spiritual journey lived out independent of the fellowship of believers and the needs of others. A clear distinctive of the life of faith is that Jesus calls us into community with God and one another. No one truly comes to Christ only to be left alone.

The continuing work of redemption, sanctification, and reconciliation takes place in community. God’s presence is made real in Koinonia, through the proclamation of the Word; in worship; as we care for each other; and by serving one another in Christ’s name.

We are “members of God’s household, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone. In him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord. And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit” (Eph 2:19-22).

Scripture, the writings of great men of Faith, and our own experience confirms a deep conviction that God reveals Himself in and through the “Body” as we gather for worship, encouragement, and serving one another. The early Christians knew that “the Most High does not live in houses made by men” (Acts 7:48).

The language used in the Old and New Testaments to describe the presence of God always underscores the community of God’s people. Practicing the presence of God is never a private, solitary experience. Personal devotion is not in isolation from the biblical community. It is no more possible to follow Christ apart from the church than it is to have a shower without getting wet.

In the past 24 hours I’ve been on the phone multiple times with Bob* & Lori*, a couple I’ve known for more than ten years – since they were nineteen. Lois and I were at their wedding and we’ve stayed in contact as they completed their education and Bob began working in a church as the youth pastor. This morning I looked and found the letter of recommendation I wrote when Bob applied for this position five years ago. Last night at the church leadership meeting Bob was given an ultimatum: resign within 24 hours or, on Sunday morning it would be announced that he had been fired for “inappropriate conduct with an underage girl.”

About two weeks ago, Corrie*, a 16 yr old girl in the youth group, sent Bob a text. She attended a party where there was lots of alcohol and couples pairing off. She woke up not remembering much and now she was afraid she might be pregnant; she had questions and wanted to talk. Bob agreed to meet her at the local coffee shop – a favorite with the youth and a place he often met with teens. 

That night Lori and Bob talked about Corrie’s situation and prayed for her. Corrie continued to text Bob; they exchanged more than 200 texts over the next two weeks and Lori read most of those texts because she and Bob don’t have secrets. In spite of encouragement from Bob, Corrie did not want to talk to her mom and step-dad. They didn’t go to church at all and had problems of their own. Corrie thought her mom was already talking to a lawyer about a divorce.

Wednesday morning, while Corrie was in the shower, her phone rang and her mother answered. That call was soon forgotten as she began looking at Corrie’s text messages. She found the thread of messages with Bob about Corrie’s fear of being pregnant. 

Corrie’s mom demanded to know what was going on – and Bob’s last name. In spite of Corrie’s protests her mom was convinced she was having an affair with the youth pastor. That afternoon Corrie’s mom went to the church, with Corrie’s phone in hand, angry and screaming and threatening a lawsuit.  

The senior pastor looked at the texts – all the way back to the first ones where the meeting at the coffee shop was set up. Alcohol, parties, meetings at the coffee shop, fear of pregnancy – without Corrie and/or Bob & Lori to explain, the evidence was overwhelming. 

By this time Corrie borrowed a friend’s phone and called Bob to tell him about her mom but he was still surprised by the terse call he got from the senior pastor: come to the church right now.

When Bob walked into the church office he found the senior pastor, the chair of the church board, and Corrie’s mom. He was asked if he had talked or communicated with Corrie in any way in the past three hours. He said yes. Bob was stunned when the church board chair sternly suggested he say nothing more until he spoke to a lawyer. 

Bob saw no need for a lawyer – he’d done nothing wrong. He tried to explain and the senior pastor attempted to come to his defense but Corrie’s mom was unconvinced. She knew all about priests and pastors who prey on teenagers and every man she’d ever met only wanted one thing.  She walked out of the room. The senior pastor and board chair, even though they were trying to be supportive of Bob, couldn’t believe he had been so stupid as to meet with a girl and exchange text messages, many of which mentioned sex and menstrual cycles and parties. Even if Bob was completely innocent – and they wanted to believe that – this didn’t look good.

Then Corrie’s mom walked back in the office and announced she had just called the sheriff. He was on his way over to arrest “this predator” (she pointed to Bob). Bob told me at that point he just went numb. When the sheriff arrived and heard the story he wouldn’t arrest Bob because Corrie was not there to corroborate; her mother was livid and this time left the building. 

Thursday morning Corrie showed up at Bob & Lori’s house. She can’t believe this is happening and wants to leave home and stay with Bob & Lori. They had to say no. That night the church leadership met. Bob & Lori and Corrie told their story and felt they were understood. They answered a lot of questions and, after some discussion, were asked to leave the room.

The church leadership decided it was “best for the reputation of the church” for Bob to resign. 

Even though God looks at the heart, people look at appearances. (See 1 Samuel 16:7)

My heart aches for Bob and Lori. I’ve prayed with them. Wept with them. Read scripture with them. Prayed some more. 

It’s 8:30 pm Friday; I just got off the phone with Bob. We reviewed his resignation letter one last time and he’s on his way to hand-deliver it to the board chair.

I asked Bob and Lori if I could share this because this could easily happen to about 50 people I know. We all need to be careful. If you think “this could never happen to me” you would be just like Bob this past Monday. Now his world has been turned upside down. 

Remember: an unguarded strength quickly becomes a terribly destructive weakness.

*Names have been changed, but this is shared with permission.

This past year has been one great adventure! I feel exhilarated by all the ways I’ve been honored to witness God at work.

My responsibilities with Christian Union came to an end in June after serving for almost 8 years as their pastor-to-pastors. I was honored to serve God by serving pastors. There’s a great deal of pain and confusion as to what the national organization of C.U. will look like in the future. A group of 11 churches in Missouri have asked me to continue to pastor their pastors and are providing a small honorarium. Our Pastors Conference in March will be the first time together since August and I’m looking forward to that weekend.

Every week I travel to the Cedar Rapids Alliance Church where I serve as a part-time interim pastor; speaking on Sundays and spending time in the office on Thursday mornings. What a privilege to come alongside and help them in searching for their next pastor. We are in serious, prayer-saturated conversations with a candidate and I anticipate he will be called to Cedar Rapids in the next few months.

One of the great things about helping the churches in Missouri and the church in Cedar Rapids is that I can live in the house at Doolittle Acres. Yes, it’s a 90 mile one-way commute to Cedar Rapids but that gives me time to make phone calls and pray and listen to God.

It also means I see Joy and Kari and my two sons-in-love and all six grandkids at least weekly because they’re just five miles away. Peter is still in West Des Moines and we get together about once a month. Of course, email, texting, phone calls . . . all help keep us connected.

My Mom, Clarice Eschenbrenner, is still at the Manor House just 20 minutes away and will turn 90 on January 16. She loves to get cards and it would thrill me to read your notes to her. Her mailing address is 1212 S Stuart Sigourney, Iowa 52591.

At 59 years young, I feel primed for whatever God brings along next! What will the next year hold? I don’t know. I’m trying to resist having any expectations beyond watching God continue to work. I love Margaret Clarkson’s great hymn, God of the Ages:

God of the ages, history’s Maker,
planning our pathway, holding us fast,
shaping in mercy all that concerns us:
Father, we praise you, Lord of the past.

God of this morning, gladly your children
worship before you, trustingly bow;
teach us to know you always among us,
quietly sovereign Lord of our now.

God of tomorrow, strong overcomer,
princes of darkness own your command:
what then can harm us? We are your people,
now and forever kept by your hand.

Lord of past ages, Lord of this morning,
Lord of the future, help us, we pray:
teach us to trust you, love and obey you,
crown you each moment Lord of today!

May the God of tomorrow give you confidence in His abiding presence!

Jim Eschenbrenner

October is Pastor Appreciation month and every church and each individual in those churches should do something to show their pastor appreciation for all he and his family give to the Lord by serving the church.

My Dad was a pastor – I was one of those “preacher’s kids.” Dad and Mom made huge sacrifices to serve God in local churches and although I never heard them complain, I knew that life for our family was a lot different from anyone else – except other pastors. And it wasn’t just dealing with the lack of money, or living in some parsonage that no church member would ever live in, or all the school activities and birthday parties and special events that were missed. 

I think the biggest sacrifice my parents made was in allowing – even inviting – the people around them to share their deepest hurts, betrayals, anger and disappointment and then truly “bearing” those burdens with them. They dealt with the disappointment of knowing when some people volunteered to do something in the church, it would soon be forgotten and my parents would, once again, be called upon to “pick up the slack.” There was an understanding of long lists of things expected of them which were never stated in a job description. They served as janitors and landscapers and snow movers. Rarely did a church reimburse all the expenses paid from the family checking account to host missionaries, evangelists, and youth groups from other churches “just passing through” who needed a place to sleep for the night.

My parents never mentioned any of these things – they just served. Let me clearly state: when God calls people to serve Him and they answer that call as pastors, every sacrifice is rewarded by Him. There is great satisfaction in being a pastor and most of us would not trade what we do for anything on this earth. 

Still, pastors need to be commended, thanked, rewarded – they need to be appreciated. Take action. DO SOMETHING to show your pastor, his wife and his family how much he is loved.

Whatever you do, don’t make a big show or give an announcement in church or ask the pastor and his family to stand up in front. Remember, he does hundreds of things in the life of your church that no one will ever know about. He is not looking for recognition. Your pastor puts great effort in pointing people’s attention to God – not to himself. Give him the gift quietly, when no one is watching. That will mean a lot.