The Faith Ride

You may know that I ride a motorcycle to work. It’s a bright red, brand new, shiny, 800cc – wait, I already digress.

I ride a motorcycle to work. I only started riding 3 years ago, in order to ride in the HOV lanes. Since then I’ve logged more than 40,000 miles. I’ve loved every minute of it, if you don’t count the times I fell over in the driveway before I knew what I was doing. Now I’m riding my second motorcycle – did I mention that it’s red, and new?

Since riding on two wheels is a lot different from driving with four, I had to find out how to do it. Before I touched a motorcycle, I took a class, which taught me a lot, but mostly it taught me how to learn how to ride. It also gave me a discount on my insurance, but that really has nothing to do with what I want to say here …

The main thing I’ve learned in those 40,000-plus miles – up to around 2,000 on my new, shiny red one – is that there’s always more to learn. That is, there’s always more to learn if I want to become really good at riding, and I do, especially since – did I mention this yet? - my bike is new, red and shiny and I don’t want to get any scratches on it.

Mrs. Ferrell would prefer that I don’t get any scratches on me, either.

So what I do is practice the things that I’ve learned. Today, on the way to work, for instance, I was practicing shifting smoothly, because I don’t want to ruin the gearbox on my shiny red, powerful, awesome – and it’s new – bike.  I’m getting better at it. I am always practicing as I ride, refining my approach to turns in the road, working on my braking skills, riding defensively in traffic – not just to keep my new, red shiny motorcycle from getting scratched, but to ride safely so that I can keep riding tomorrow.

I learn from practicing. I also learn from other people who’ve ridden motorcycles a lot more than I have. I have a friend who used to race motorcycles – he also has a new, shiny bike, but his is just blue – and he has taught me a great deal. I learn a lot from members of a motorcycle club (not gang!) that I belong to, as well.

And I also learn from reading books, like “Proficient Motorcycling,” by David Hough. I read a good bit of it this summer, and picked up on some things I was doing wrong, so when I got on my new, red shiny motorcycle, I was better prepared. Reading it also saved me from hitting a deer the other evening. In the book Hough says, “You’ll do whatever your habit is” in an emergency; the other night I’d already made a new good habit after reading his book, and it saved me from getting scratches all over me and my new, red shiny, powerful motorcycle, not to mention the deer.

Oh yeah, and Mrs. Ferrell didn't get any dents or scratches, either; she was riding on the back seat.

Hough also encourages his readers to pick his book up a couple or three times a year to refresh the memory on how to motor safely along on your new, shiny red machine.

One of the main principles involved in riding a motorcycle (or driving a car, for that matter) is to look all the way through a turn, keeping your head pointed that way, your eyes fixed on a point past the turn on the road. If you don’t learn to do this well, you have a good chance of wrecking.

Do these things sound familiar?

Hebrews 12:1-2 says, “… at 65 mph, maintain a minimum following distance of …”

Hang on, wrong book. Here it is: “Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.”

If we want to be really good at our faith, we have to keep our eyes – meaning our whole selves – on Christ, refusing to be distracted by the world around us. If we don’t, we can run right off the road:

“Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and there are many who enter through it. For the gate is small and the way is narrow that leads to life, and there are few who find it.” (Matthew 7:13-14)

On a narrow road, no matter how shiny, red, new and agile your bike is, you had better keep your eyes fixed on the road or you’ll end up in the trees; narrow roads require us to slow down, using a great deal of care to employ all of the skills we’ve learned, and refrain from doing anything that would send us off the pavement. We live in a fast world today – too fast for the Narrow Road. Few find the Narrow Gate because of riding too fast.

We build our faith, learn Godly skills for living, and grow, from God’s Word, the Bible: “So faith comes from hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ.” (Romans 10:17) But because the road we travel is narrow, and this world is fast, we need to immerse ourselves in His Truth, not just speed-read a couple times a year. To keep our eyes locked on Him, we need Him constantly, and we need to slow down enough through study and listening – and ultimately, we should come to a place where we want nothing else.

Finally, we don’t walk this road alone. Christ gave us fellow believers to walk alongside of us, who help us by keeping us accountable, by encouraging us with Godly truth and love when we fall down and scratch our shiny new, red motorcycle, and simply by being our friend when we really don’t deserve it – just like Christ is our friend while “we were yet sinners.”

Colossians 3 says in verses 15-17: “Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body; and be thankful. Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you, with all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with thankfulness in your hearts to God. Whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father.”

Now, those are words to live and ride by! We are called to live worthy and obedient lives in unity and fellowship with other believers - all for the highest purpose there is: We ride for God's glory!

Dear Brothers and Sisters, even if you hate motorcycles, or even if your favorite color is blue, come to church on Sunday. Come to Sunday School; go to the service. Come to learn more of how to get along better on your “faith ride,” and because we need you there, too! And most of all, come "in the name of the Lord Jesus!"

See you there!

Mr. Ferrell

A Trial, and Blessings

Brothers and Sisters,

The chest pains were very real, and so was the nausea. Having been diabetic since I was 13, I reluctantly decided to find a co-worker to take me to the hospital to get checked out.

When my nausea manifested itself in a more tangible way to us, we decided it was best to call 911.

So within a few minutes, I found myself the VIP in a DC ambulance, on my way to the George Washington University Hospital emergency room.

That was last Tuesday. Almost one week later and after almost four days in the hospital, I find myself counting the blessings of this trial:

1.    I now know that my heart, and the rest of me, generally, is in very good shape!

2.    My roommate was a believer – God put us together to pray for each other!

3.    I learned a lot about how to trust God, even when I’m scared; He is worthy of my trust!

4.    I have experienced the love and concern of a warm church family who prayed for me.

5.    I have a better understanding about how all things work for His good – this life really is about Him, not me!

6.    God provided ways for me to witness to His goodness while I was there – He created me to do that!

7.    My wife is awesome! She always shows the love of Christ to me, and she was a great comfort during all of this.

8.    My sons are awesome! Spare the rod, spoil the – no, wait, that’s not what I meant to say … Ramey did a great job supporting his mother at home, and Coy blessed me with a call just to check in on me this evening from Latin Academy in Richmond.

9.    Regardless of what we may think of our healthcare system in the U.S., I had a place to go to help make me well again, and I had the insurance to pay for it. God provides!

10.My boss is very understanding and caring – and unlike my roommate, when I miss work, I still get paid. Meanwhile, my roommate said that God was providing for his needs.

11.Even so, my financial stability has caused me to be uncomfortable with my comfort; a blessing for sure! What does God want me to do with the wealth He has given me? All that I have belongs to Christ.

12.I have awesome co-workers, especially the one in whose trash can my nausea manifested itself …

13.This trial made me think more seriously than ever before about my own mortality and eternity: How can I better spend my life for Christ, rather than for myself?

14.Friends and family – and my local doctor and her staff – really care!

15.God is using this experience to teach me to keep my mind stayed – focused - on Him; and yes, His peace is there!

It is such a joy to be home again!

I am looking forward to our time of fellowship on Sunday!

Blessings!

Trusting in Christ,

Mr. Ferrell

From "Fruity-Tooty," to Fruit of the Spirit

“Slaves, in all things obey those who are your masters on earth, not with external service, as those who merely please men, but with sincerity of heart, fearing the Lord. Whatever you do, do your work heartily, as for the Lord rather than for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance. It is the Lord Christ whom you serve. For he who does wrong will receive the consequences of the wrong which he has done, and that without partiality.”

                                                         Colossians 3:23-25 (NASB)

 

Our discussion of this passage in Sunday School reminds me of a horribly embarrassing and shameful moment in my life - and of the blessings of the Lord’s conviction and discipline.

I once had an unbelieving boss whom I didn’t really like. He did things differently than the way I thought they should be done. He assigned me to do things that I thought weren’t necessary. I felt misunderstood, misused, and under-appreciated. I dragged my feet on things that he gave me to do that I didn’t like, and I resisted submitting myself to his authority.

So I did what every upstanding Christian man should do (NOT!): I made fun of him behind his back, and criticized him among my peers.

The part of the Colossians passage about the fact that we “will receive the consequences of the wrong” that we have done came true for me one day when I sent an email to a colleague whose desk was near his. What I didn’t know is that she set her email to display in extra large letters.

I don’t remember what the email was about, but as my boss - whose last name was Fruitrich - walked by her desk, he saw my reference to him as “Fruity-Tooty.”

Clever huh?

My boss didn’t think so, either.

A few minutes later I received an email from my boss letting me know how upset he was.

I felt horrible. So I did another thing that every upstanding Christian should do (NOT!): I tried to play dumb, as if I didn’t know what he was talking about.

But God convicted me in a few short and painful minutes that not only what I had called him was flat wrong, but also what I called him was born out of a poor attitude, a bitter heart. Not only did I need to apologize to him, admitting that what I’d done was wrong, but I also needed to change my heart toward him.

In other words, I was sinning.

God brought this very passage in Colossians to mind. He convicted me of the fact that I’m not even a slave, so if a person in physical bondage to another human being could have the guts to live by the power of Christ, then surely, so should I.

Face to face, I apologized to my boss that day. It was a very difficult thing to do! I acknowledged that what I had said was wrong, and let him know how sorry I was that I had hurt him. I have always been thankful that he received my apology, because in human terms, he really didn’t have to.

But I knew that it wasn’t over with my apology to him. The Holy Spirit convicted me that I need to change my heart toward my boss. God led me to talk to my two of my co-workers, who were also believers, including the woman to whom I’d sent the email, and we agreed that all of us needed to do so. God gave us the strength to begin to really serve my boss.

So, setting aside reluctance, I began to do my boss’s assignments with enthusiasm. Instead of criticism, I strived to make the most of whatever assignments he gave me. Instead of focusing on myself, on my own ideas and wants, I strived to grasp his ideas and make them fly.

When he gave me an assignment to do, I worked hard to do it cheerfully. The only questions I asked were designed to better understand his concept of things, so that I could do a better job of satisfying him. I was working hard to put him first.

I was learning to do my job as for the Lord! As my colleagues and I learned this, God changed our hearts. We no longer held contempt for him, or had know-it-all attitudes. We learned to do our jobs with the “sincerity of heart” of which the passage speaks. We began to exhibit the fruit of the spirit to our boss - and it felt so much better than before, because we knew we were pleasing our Lord!

And another interesting thing happened: the work of our whole department improved. We became more and more creative, and all of us – my boss included – began to work better and better together.

We became a team: A really good team!

But the most amazing part of this miracle to me was the fact that we began to really like our boss. He became a human being with whom we shared joys and sorrows, rather than an adversary. We became friends! The feeling was mutual, too.

When he moved on to another job, I was very sad to see him go. He was a great boss. After God showed me how to be a better man of faith, God helped me to see that. It became a joy to serve the Lord by living out my faith in such a real way.

So as you apply your life to God’s word, to what He says in this passage, whether you are striving to serve the Lord on the field of sport, or on stage, or in the workplace, or wherever the Lord leads you, remember that the Holy Spirit is always there, and seek His counsel. Be ready for His conviction to stir your heart, and welcome His presence, even if it hurts - and respond in obedience and gratefulness!  

Piper's a Twitterer, Are You a Twitterer, Too?

Here's an interesting answer to a question I ask myself every time twitter comes up: Why in the world?

John Piper is the preaching pastor at Bethlehem Baptist Church in Minneapolis, Minn. He's written 30 books on our faith, and is a frequent speaker at pastors' conferences that WBF elders and leaders attend; in short, he's a good guy, whom you can trust to come at things from a Biblical viewpoint. 

He also writes the "desiringGod" blog, a link to which is also over there on the right, down a little ways.

On that blog, he wrote a post called, "Why and How I Am Tweeting." Even after reading Piper's post, I still don't really get why twittering has become such a sensation for so many; more evidence that

I am getting old, I guess - just like Ernest Ariola.

For instance, do I really need to know that Zach Ovington just shaved his head? No. I think I can figure that out when I see him on Sunday. Do I really need to tell you that I erased all of the music on Ramey’s new iTouch and loaded it with Frank Sinatra tunes? Nah, you’ll hear about it from Ramey, anyway.

But Piper has a good argument here - a way to keep the focus of twittering on Christ, on glorifying God, rather than on ourselves. 

Keep in mind, though, that he points out that it's not for everyone. (I don't think it's for me!) But it is for some, perhaps. So have a look and talk it over with your parents and other believers you trust.

And also remember our discussions about God and entertainment, about how all that we do should follow the pattern set out for us in Philippians 4:8.

Here's the link to Piper's post:

Why and How I Am Tweeting :: Desiring God

Shared via AddThis

 

Eldership: The Bald Truth

When I found out that Trey’s dad, Ernest, was being put before the congregation as a candidate for church elder, I asked Pastor Kuvakas, “I already know Ernest is old – does he really need an official title?”

From Pastor Kuvakas’ response, I got the feeling I’d missed something …

Anyway, you may already know that tomorrow - this Sunday, as in May 31 - during the Sunday School hour at 10 AM, instead of Sunday school, we’ll have a Town Hall meeting about Mr. Ariola.

The current elders, church staff and Mr. Ariola will field questions concerning his qualifications, and the process of becoming an elder. The Elders and Staff will also be ready to answer any other questions or dialogue about the church, our direction and our processes in how we pursue that direction.

I have to confess that my major concern about Mr. Ariola, besides his age, is the fact that he’s a Cowboys fan. But Pastor Kuvakas says that I am misinterpreting scripture to say that’s bad. …

So I won’t be asking him about that – but I want to encourage all of you to come. This is a very important part of our fellowship as believers. Once an elder, Mr. Ariola will be one of God’s leaders in our family of believers. That’s a pretty big deal!

You can read about the requirements and qualifications for being an elder in 1 Tim 3:1-7 and Titus 1:5-9 - it’s a pretty tall order!

The congregational vote on Mr. Ariola will be on Sunday, June 7.

And here’s something to think and pray about; If you are 16 or older, you can become a voting member of the church! All you have to do is take the church membership classes, WBF 101 and 102.

We’ll talk a little more about church membership in future posts, since there’s more to it than just voting. You are an important part of our fellowship!

But there’s a WBF 101 class beginning next month, too – summer would be a great time to take it! If that won’t work for you, Pastor K and Pastor Hoke are willing to sit down with you, one on one.

Either way, just talk to me, any of the pastors, or ask your parents, and we’ll get you signed up!

The Spiritual Angle on the Turner's Great Adventure

Yesterday's post included a mention of Taylor Turner's upcoming big fishing trip with his dad - I'd forgotten that they have a cool web site devoted to their trip. Click on the map above to see their route.

I've created a permanent link from the above logo that you can find in the links column over there on the right (scroll down!), so you can keep up with them whenever you want. You can even track their progress with live GPS! Here's how Taylor's dad describes the trip:

"On June 13th, 2009 my son Taylor (age 17) and I will embark on a nationwide quest, a quest to Fish 50 Trophy Waters in 50 States in 50 Days.  Our journey will span 15,000 miles by land, 6,000 miles by air (Alaska and Hawaii), cover 500 miles by water, with no shortcuts. Our Cause:  Our hope is that our adventure, our quest, will inspire others across the nation to realize their dreams for adventure and connect once again.  To find and live out that adventure in their lives - to build a lasting memory - to rekindle that long lost relationship - to Leave a Legacy."

Okay, now for the spiritual angle. (Get it? Huh? Get it? “Angle – Angler?” I know you’re laughing!) Here’s an email from some friends of the Turners, asking us to support them with prayer. Who’s in? Email if you want to participate – I’ll give you their contact info so you can sign up.

“Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

We are writing to you on behalf of the Turner family: Jeff, Beth, Lauren and Taylor.  As many of you may know, in just 2 weeks, Jeff Turner and his son Taylor will be embarking on an epic father–son adventure, to fish 50 trophy waters in 50 states in 50 days.  We encourage you to visit their website to learn more and follow their journey, www.fish5050.com.  This is far more than just a fishing trip, it’s a father seizing the moment, leading his son on an adventure, which will be a lasting memory for the two of them.   Perhaps like us, the Turner’s quest is an inspiration to you, to no longer be overcome by the daily demands of work, bills, soccer practices, doctor appointments and countless other commitments; to make sure we are leaving a legacy for our sons and daughters as we usher them into adulthood and launch them into the world. 

When one considers the shear magnitude of the Turner’s fishing trip, it becomes clear that this truly is a daunting task.  As with all great quests, one cannot succeed on mere human efforts, but only by the abundant grace of God.  And so we ask that you might consider joining the Turners on this grand journey, by joining us in providing Jeff, Beth, Lauren and Taylor, prayers over their entire 50 day journey.  Our hope is to have at least 50 people, with at least 1 person per day, supporting and praying for the Turners, from June 13 through July 30.  If you would like to provide prayer coverage for the Turners on at least one of the days of this journey, please let us know.  We are actively filling out a prayer calendar spanning the 50 days. “

You made news!

Congrats to Emily Tolley, a.k.a. "Joy," for her performance in Fresta Valley's production of Cinderella on May 22-23. The above photo was in the Fauquier Times-Democrat on May 22, but they didn't post the article online. I just have one question for Emily: "Did you borrow that wig from Little Orphan Annie?" 

How about Taylor Turner's upcoming fishing trip with his Dad? Hey, Taylor, I'll come along and bait your hooks! They're leaving June 12 to fish in each state at least once, in 50 days. Keep them in your prayers as they prepare, and as they go -- that God would keep them safe, and bless their time together and use it to glorify Him! Here's where you can read more: Fauquier Times-Democrat article; Culpeper Star-Exponent article.

  

Here's an article about someone a lot of us know - Daniel King winning the  2009 Times-Democrat Fauquier Future Leader scholarship contest. He's one busy dude!

And you know I have to mention Coy Ferrell, who's going to Latin Governor's School this summer. How do you say, "Cool, man!" in Latin? It's all Greek to me - but way to go, Coy!

 

Anyone I'm missing? Let me know!

Blessings,

Mr. Ferrell