Michael Quattlebaum

So finished up the first day of the Connect Conference at Charleston Southern.  The conference is really focusing on how to reach young adults.  From college students through young marrieds.   Basically 30-and-less-ers.  Heard some Great speakers:

• Ed Stetzer
• Tim Miller
• Sam Rainer
• Thom Rainer

Got a lot of great statistics about the interests of this generation of young people.  Interesting components of the statistics really pointed out that young people, while interested in faith, God, and even in Jesus Christ, are very disillusioned with the church.  As a guy who has been teaching this age group for 17 years, the shift toward not being crazy about the church is something that I’ve noticed as well.  So the real question is, what do we as a church, and more specifically as those trying to reach young adults, do to reach out and beyond what we may be comfortable with in order to bring this generation not only into belief in Jesus Christ, but also into position of leadership and service in His local Body of  Believers?

Many great points were brought up during the sessions.  This generation is one who values depth, integrity, and service.  They are open to understanding more about spiritual issues, and even are interested in the Bible, what it says about God, and most even believe that Jesus is who He said He is.  The problem is that many do not understand how that has any relevance to them at all.

In my experience all of this boils down to really two issues.  This generation wants:

• It to be REAL.  Genuine faith.  People who LIVE that faith out.  People committed to what they believe and show others how to do the same.  People who are transparent about their own struggles, and want to share how to help them avoid some of the same problems.
• They want to make a difference.  They want to know that life has meaning, purpose, and that they can impact the world…change it for the better.

So all of that being said, why the title of this post?  One of the key statements for me today actually came from the breakout session with Sam Rainer.  Sam pointed out that young adults today relate to people most by seeing them operate on a daily basis.  This holds true with my “REAL” statement above.  They want to hang out.  As leaders…living our busy lives…kids…activities…responsibilities…all of this interferes with our ability to do what MEANS THE MOST in reaching young adults….spending time with them.  Just hanging out.  Talking about life.  Experiencing life with them.  I think this applies from the senior pastor all the way down to small group leaders.  So friends, leaders, teachers.  It’s time to invest.  Invest in spending time.  Just hanging out.  Sharing a meal.  Sharing a cup of coffee.  Maybe some gelato or an incredible dessert.    And in the process share who you are, and reach them with the Gospel of Jesus Christ!

So those of you who follow me on Twitter know that Coach Brad Scott spoke at our church this past week (www.uticabaptist.com). Brad is a member of our church, and although I don’t know him well, I have enjoyed the interaction I’ve had with him so far.  Even so, I must admit that I was skeptical about him taking the pulpit on a Sunday morning and preaching.

Let me just say that I was blown away.  He taught from the life of Joseph, and applied his own struggles and experiences along the way that brought not only the story to life, but made me think about my own attitude and walk as I wait on God and His Will.

Here are a number of quotes from Sunday’s lesson that were meaningful to me, and I hope will be to you as well:

“What are you doing while you are waiting?”  The point was this.  While Joseph was dealing with being a slave and prisoner, he continued to be faithful and wait on God.  Our big moments come quickly, and sometimes without warning.  What are we doing for God as we wait?

“Prepare by doing a good job daily and being faithful.”  Enough said.

About Joseph:  “I think it was not so much his knowledge of dreams [that prepared him to face pharaoh], but his knowledge of God”

“Don’t miss an opportunity to give credit to God when your platform gives you opportunity.”

Powerful message on a powerful topic of living in the circumstances that you’ve been given.  Facing those circumstances with integrity and faith, and trusting God to use you in His timing.

Thanks, Coach!

OK…so I don’t subscribe to a newspaper. It’s been a long time since I have. Most are far too liberal for my liking, and often mishandle the facts. Reminds me of the newspaper in the Spider Man movies.

Anyway, I happened to be reading the Anderson Independent today at my dad’s restaurant and came across something that frustrated me beyond belief.

Here’s a link to the article from today’s paper:

http://www.independentmail.com/news/2009/jul/31/unexpected-thought-leads-reminder-god-universal-ca/

Nevermind the frustrating content of the article itself. Someone want to explain to me what the “New International Version of the King James Bible” is? Two different, very distinct translations of the Bible, but the NIV is NOT a translation of the KJV. Please, please. Writer, editor, or whoever…PLEASE get your facts straight. Better yet, get a writer who knows what they’re talking about.

This weekend there was a bit of discussion surrounding 2 Peter 3 at our church following our evening service. This passage has always been one of my personal favorites, and one that is intriguing from the perspective of God’s Will (revealed or however you see it).  We as believers often see our future as “fixed”…as “predetermined” if you will, without regard to our God perhaps being even greater, and perhaps even beyond, this type of thinking.  We cannot conceive of a way that God could still be completely in control, yet still have free will (and it be genuine free will, not predetermined free will).

An often quoted verse in the discussion of free will is 2 Peter 3:9:
“The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance.”

First for a bit of context. The discussion leading into this verse is clearly about the end times. God’s impending judgment on the world. So God’s “slowness” (as it was perceived) is with regard to His holding back His judgment on the world…His delaying His return.

The question is, “Why is God patient, and to whom does He show this patience?”  Well, Peter’s writing is to the church.  And there’s nothing in the passage to indicate that he is addressing anyone else.  So the patience that is desribed here, is with the church.  Not toward non-believers that they might believe…but toward us, to share with the non-believer.

Then Peter goes on to address the specific question of why God is not coming sooner.  He says that we should be people who are found with “holy conduct and godliness, looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God” (verses 11-12).  What does it mean to “hasten?”  The word means to quicken.  To speed up.  That must mean, then, that we should be desiring God to come sooner rather than later, and that there is, in some way, something that we can do about it.  It does not say “if possible, hastening”.  It says that “hastening” is something we should be doing, in the same way that we should be holy in our conduct.

If, then, we can do something to speed up His coming, what is that?  Verse 15 ties it all together.  It says that we should “regard the patience of our Lord as salvation.”  That means that the hastening is brought about by our own sharing of the gospel with the world.  And that God’s desire is for men to come to know Him.  And that His delay in returning and sending judgment on the world is out of His own grace, and desire for MORE people to come to know Him.

Church, this passage is a call to arms.  It is a call for us to do what God has called us to do…to reach more people, and speed up His coming by our being faithful to this call.

In Him is all glory and honor and praise.

For Him and His Glory,

Michael.

This weekend our pastor, Dr. Rudy Gray (http://www.jrgray.org/) was teaching on Genesis Chapter 13.  The main topic was Lot and Abram separating, and the way God used that to direct Abram.  Incredible message.  But one point really hit home with me.

In Genesis 13:3-4, the Word says:

3 He went on his journeys from the Negev as far as Bethel, to the place where his tent had been at the beginning, between Bethel and Ai,  4 to the place of the altar which he had made there formerly; and there Abram called on the name of the LORD.

Dr. Gray made the point of how important spiritual markers can be for us.  The places where significant spiritual emphasis has occurred in our lives.  For Abram, after spending time in Egypt (and being blessed despite his deception), he returned to the place where he had called on the name of the LORD.  One of these places for me is the Chapel up on the hill at McCall RA Camp.

It was the summer after 3rd grade.  It had been a good year, as best I can remember, but over the summer my Uncle Frank had gotten really sick.  He was on his death bed when I went to RA Camp that summer.  I had been the 2 previous summers, and really enjoyed it.  I wasn’t really into RAs at church…I enjoyed Cub Scouts much more, but Stanley Smith always encouraged me to come, and I usually did…along with my twin brother, David.  What I did enjoy about RAs was summer camp.  That summer we hiked to the top of the hill where the chapel was every night, as always.  But that summer, on decision night, something happened to me.  I don’t remember who the speaker was, or even what he said.  But for the first time, I started thinking about what would happen to me if I died.  My uncle was dying.  I knew that, and I knew that I wanted to be with him one day in heaven.  I was faced with what that meant, and was overcome with a desire to find out how that could happen.  I went forward that night in the little chapel on the hill.  And a counselor lead me through the steps to coming to know Jesus as my personal savior.    It was real…unlike a lot of people who walk an isle at a young age, and then later realize it wasn’t real.  I came to know the creator of the universe that night, and He has been there for me ever since.

Two years ago I had the privilege of going with my own son, Caleb, to Lad/Dad camp at Camp McCall.  I had not been back to the camp since that week many years ago.  I was not sure what it would be like for me, and as I got closer to the chapel up on the hill for the first night of devotions and worship, I was overcome with emotion.  It truly was…and is…a very special place to me.  The first thing that struck me was how small the chapel actually is.  I guess to a 3rd grader…one who was walking an isle that night from the back row of the chapel…the isle seemed very long.  In actuality, the chapel is a small building, but the time there with my son was still very special.

My son is now a believer, along with both of my daughters.  He came to know Jesus at a different place.  But I hope that his time at Camp McCall will also be a time that he looks back with fond memories of this place that so changed my life.

Thank you to all of the counselors, staff members, cooks, and others who make McCall a special place for so many people.

http://www.friendsofmccall.org/

http://www.scbaptist.org/campmccall

Our pastor, Dr. Rudy Gray (http://www.jrgray.org/) was talking today about our wanting out of circumstances, and asking God to take us out of the trials in our lives.  The quote that I really liked today was his thoughts about God’s response to our asking Him to take us out of our circumstances…

“Take you out?  Why?  I’m the one that put you there!”

The things we often think are trials sent by Satan are indeed allowed by God for our own growth and learning.