Category Archives: worship

by | August 15, 2013 · 9:31 pm

“This is all for you.”

The Video

I had never heard of Mobbed, but then my daughters showed me the video I am going to share with you. They said, “This is the best video EVER!”

I sat down with my dinner in front of my computer and started watching. It wasn’t long before I was crying. My daughters and wife were snickering and pointing at me (which is typical), but they had no idea why I was really crying.

Please, watch this video. It is truly a wonderful thing to behold, and you may tear up, too. But after you watch it, please read what I have written below.

Reasons for Tears

As I was watching this video with my wife and girls standing behind me, my initial thought was, “My gosh! I wonder how much that cost?…Oh great! What am I going to do for our 20th anniversary in just 10 months?!”

Then, as the bride-to-be was walking down the make-shift isle, the groom-to-be said (10:00), “This is all for you.”

I literally wept. Oh wow!

My memory immediately recalled Hosea 11:4, “I drew them with the cords of a man, with bands of love…” Then I remembered the message of other passages…

“Hereby perceive we the love [of God], because he laid down his life for us…” 1 John 3:16a

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”  John 3:16

“But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” – Romans 5:8

Stop and think about it!

We are the Bride, and God has done it all. He has paid the highest price; surrounded us with a “cloud of witnesses;” guided us when we didn’t know where to go; and surrounded us with beauty and surprises at ever turn. All of it was planned long before we knew what was going on, and He did it all…all for a “yes.”

One of my daughters said, “Wouldn’t it have been horrible if she had said ‘no’?”

Yes, it would have been. But just think of how many do it every day? How horrible! How sad for Him!

If nothing else, this video made me love Jesus even more.

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by | August 5, 2013 · 11:01 am

A Thought for Monday

Today is Monday, but you’ve probably figured that out, haven’t you?

Coffee always helps.

Coffee always helps.

How did you wake up? Was it with a sense of dread? Instead of turning off the alarm clock that woke you up, did you strike it like a mosquito that had been buzzing around your head for an hour?

I don’t like Mondays any more than you. As a matter of fact, Mondays are pretty rough. Mondays should be my day off, but I am what they call a bivocational pastor; therefore, my alarm clock feels like a mosquito, too.

However, the Psalmist (David) says…

This [is] the day [which] the LORD hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it. – Psalm 118:24 

Today…this Monday…every Monday…this is the day which the Lord has made. As a matter of fact, He has made every day. So, what will we do? Will we bemoan the blessing of waking up? Will we cry “foul” even before we enter the game? Will we start the day with the expectation that Monday will be like every other Monday?

This day was made by God. He knows what He is doing. Nothing will come our way that God is not already planning to use for our good – for those who love Him.

Today you may face a storm that leaves you feeling abandoned by God. You may feel like the disciples who were out on the Sea of Galilee all night fighting winds and waves. You may think that your Savior has forgotten you. Just remember that even in the worst storm, on the worst day, Jesus knows where you are. When the time is right you might even get an invitation to surf the waves of adversity (Matthew 14:27).

So, rejoice! Be glad! Seize the day! It’s been custom-made for you!

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by | July 8, 2013 · 10:40 am

Pipes and Pulpits

For the record, I think pipe organs are awesome. Even though I love praise and worship music played on a ’71 Les Paul, bluegrass gospel on a Martin D28 (if you have to ask…), and Amazing Grace on bag pipes, a well-played pipe organ can make you think you’re in the throne room of heaven.

pipe organ preacher

This is not a picture of me behind my pulpit. This is not a picture of me in the church I pastor. But this is a picture of what my church could look like if only our building committee would raise a few million dollars (I don’t know what’s taking them so long).

Seriously, if you have never heard a real pipe organ played by someone who knows what he/she is doing, you probably don’t know what goose bumps are, either.

I wonder how a banjo-mandolin-pipe organ trio would sound?

Hey! Did I mention I got a new mandolin?

Anyway, I have work to do, so have a great Monday!

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by | June 5, 2013 · 1:23 am

Tent Makers Unite!

In February of 2012 my wife and I decided to attend a special retreat for bivocational ministers and their wives. The retreat was held in Pigeon Forge, TN, at the Music Road Hotel and Convention Center.

We had a great time.

Bi-Vocational

Just in case the above term is unfamiliar to you, a bivocational minister is one who performs the duties expected of a full-time minister/pastor, while also having to maintain other (secular) employment. The size of their church or congregation (or how much they are compensated) has no bearing on their abilities or calling. They are only serving where God has sent them.

Unfortunately, bivocational pastors are often stigmatized as “second-rate” leaders. Some people think that if they were more qualified, more gifted, or better speakers they would pastor larger churches. The fact is that most churches, especially in my denomination, are led by men who are more than qualified to maintain a “higher station.” However, the real issue is that most congregations are smaller (35-100) and cannot afford to pay a full-time pastor.

Tent Makers

So, bivocational pastors carry on in the tradition of the Apostle Paul. Although Paul said in 1 Corinthians 9:14 that it is perfectly acceptable for “those who preach the Good News [to] be supported by those who benefit from it (NLT),” he chose to continue to make tents (Acts 18:1-3). But unlike Paul, many of today’s bivocational pastors have to work another job in order to survive. Some do it by choice, but most do it out of necessity, especially those with families.

Now, it may sound bad, but there is an upside to being bivocational: we know what it is like to live in the real world. We have to deal with employers and employees. We know what it’s like to have problems at work, then go to church. We have schedules to juggle, bills to pay, etc. We are just like the people to which we minister. We don’t live in ivory towers.

Extra Tough

But one of the real downsides to being a bivocational pastor is the loneliness. Many don’t understand that we have the same demands, if not more, as pastors of larger churches – yet, with no staff. On top of that, we don’t have time to go on ministry retreats, sabbaticals, or attend conferences during the week. We can’t even get together with other pastors for breakfast to “talk shop” like full-time ministers do – because we’re usually at work. And because of all of this, we get lonely. We get discouraged. We get tired. But it doesn’t have to be that way all the time.

Bivocational Pastors and Wives Retreat

I’ve said a lot to say this: even though it is hard to make the time, sometimes we have to make the time, regardless. That is why, even though it was inconvenient, my wife and I went to the retreat in Pigeon Forge. We needed the encouragement. We needed to be around others in the same boat, on the same sea.

If you are a bivocational minister, you need to seek out and maintain friendships with other men you can trust, especially men in the same kind of ministry. It is so important that you don’t try to do things alone. Likewise, there are probably other men out there who could use your friendship.

Churches, do your pastor and yourselves a favor: plan to send your pastor and his wife on a retreat. Both of you will benefit from the encouragement. He will be strengthened, and his burden will be lightened.

Towards the end of our retreat, a beautiful time of prayer took place. It was a little impractical for us to wash each other’s feet, but we did do something special. Scripture says “how beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news,” but sometimes those feet don’t feel so beautiful, or loved. I wish all of you could have heard the weeping and seen the tears as grown men, God’s men, got on their knees and humbly prayed over the feet of their brothers. I felt like I was in a room full of heroes.

One member came up to me the Sunday after the retreat and asked, “Something happened to you last week when you were gone, didn’t it?”

I said, “Sure did…“

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by | February 14, 2013 · 11:04 am

God’s Not Dead

Nietzsche said it, so it must be true. Right? 

God is dead. God remains dead. And we have killed him. —Nietzsche, The Gay Science, Section 125

I disagree.

IMG_8606The News Boys have been around a long time. When Michael Tate became the lead singer, their sound changed a little, but not the message in their music. That’s why I really like this song.

I know that stuff like this is a juicy worm wrapped around a hook, just hanging there for you atheists to chomp. But please, don’t think of it as bait; it’s not, really. It is just a great video proclaiming what many others, beside myself, believe to be true.

God’s NOT dead.

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by | January 26, 2013 · 12:58 am

“As Isaac”

The Band

as isaacIt is not often that I take such a liking to a group, but As Isaac is a band that has really made an impact on me.

Not long ago my daughter told me of some kids that went with her to Precept Ministries. She told me they had a band and were going to have a concert celebrating the release of a their first CD. She asked, “Daddy, can we go?”

Well, the great thing was that they were performing at their home church just a few miles away over Lookout Mountain. We went, not knowing what to expect, but left knowing we had heard some seriously talented, humble tools of the Lord.

The Music

One song, written and sung by Rachel Kelly, brought chills the first time I heard it. The name of the song is Speak Lord. So, as you could imagine, I was totally thrilled to find out that the band had come out with a video.

Let me just tell you something that really impresses me about these guys (and girls)…it’s the lyrics. Beside being wonderful musicians, the words of the songs these young people sing show evidence of a deep walk with Christ. These aren’t kids who write fluff just so they can get on stage and rock the house. These are deep, spiritual young men and women of God who have experienced a real walk with their Creator.

Do me and yourself a favor – watch this video. Then, go check out their website and order their music. You will not be disappointed, believe me.

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by | November 22, 2012 · 1:50 am

Thanking and the Thankee

I’m Thankful For…

So many people will be celebrating today (Thanksgiving) by starting off sentences with the words, “I’m thankful for…” Traditionalists will say it before carving a turkey. Vegans will say it before carving a large piece of vegetable protein disguised as something they secretly wish they could eat. Children will even say it just to please their grandparents and to be assured an extra scoop of Cool Whip on their pumpkin pie.

But one thing’s for sure, being thankful implies the influence of an outside source and suggests things could have been different, despite a person’s will. And even though it might sound crazy, being thankful suggests there is someone to be thankful to.

Thankful to Whom?

Maybe you have never stopped to think about it, but being thankful for anything is pretty ridiculous when there is no one to be thankful to. The Concise Oxford English Dictionary* defines “thanks” as  a “plural noun…an expression of gratitude…another way of saying THANK YOU.” So, who is the “YOU” that you are thankful to?

According to many of the stories I have heard, especially in public schools, the original celebrants of Thanksgiving were thankful only to the Indians (Native Americans). According to many accounts, the Pilgrims were so happy that the Indians provided them with food and land that a party was necessary. So, in other words, the first “thanks” of Thanksgiving was given to Squanto and the Wampanoag people.

That’s not totally correct.

Thankful to God

Like those who celebrated in 1623, I am thankful to God. Unlike the common history lessons, the Pilgrims recognized the true Source of blessing.

‎ “Inasmuch as the great Father has given us this year an abundant harvest of Indian corn, wheat, peas, beans, squashes, and garden vegetables, and has made the forests to abound with game and the sea with fish and clams, and inasmuch as He has protected us from the ravages of the savages, has spared us from pestilence and disease, has granted us freedom to worship God according to the dictates of our own conscience.

‎ Now I, your magistrate, do proclaim that all ye Pilgrims, with your wives and ye little ones, do gather at ye meeting house, on ye hill, between the hours of 9 and 12 in the day time, on Thursday, November 29th, of the year of our Lord one thousand six hundred and twenty-three and the third year since ye Pilgrims landed on ye Pilgrim Rock, there to listen to ye pastor and render thanksgiving to ye Almighty God for all His blessings.”

‎—William Bradford, Ye Governor of Ye Colony

If I am going to be thankful, I am going to be thankful to the “great Father…who has granted us freedom to worship [Him] according to the dictates of our own conscience.” As a pastor, I will lead my congregants in praise to the “Almighty God for all His blessings.”

What am I thankful for?

I am most thankful for those things which I could not have had if it were not for the grace of God. Among those things are mercy and forgiveness; a family; a peace that passes all understanding; joy unspeakable and full of glory; and even a love for my enemies.

I am also thankful for and to those who serve this great nation, putting their lives at risk for my (and others’) freedom.

I am thankful for and to those who enforce the laws and keep the peace here at home, and for those who brave dangers to rescue us from harm.

“O give thanks unto the LORD, for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever.” – Psalm 107:1

And ultimately, I am thankful for all the blessings which I do not deserve, including all of you who read this blog, even those who do not believe a word of what I am saying.

One More Thing

One more thing…being that I have some Cherokee blood in me, I understand that Thanksgiving may not be a Native American’s favorite holiday, but the principle of thanksgiving remains. When we give thanks, whom do we give thanks to?

“All nations whom thou hast made shall come and worship before thee, O Lord; and shall glorify thy name.” – Psalm 86:9 

“O praise the LORD, all ye nations: praise him, all ye people.” – Psalm 117:1 

“After this I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands;” – Revelation 7:9 

One day, when all is said and done, we will all stand before God and give thanks, for He is the God of us all, despite what we have done to each other.

*Catherine Soanes and Angus Stevenson, Concise Oxford English Dictionary, 11th ed. (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2004).

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by | November 14, 2012 · 5:57 pm

Walking or Riding?

A Familiar Story

If you are familiar with the Bible, you probably remember the story of Jesus walking on the water. And if you remember that, you may also recall that the apostle Peter was the one who walked on the water with Jesus – until he began to look around.

But if you don’t remember the story, here it is as found in the NIV version of Matthew 14:25-33.

During the fourth watch of the night Jesus went out to them, walking on the lake. When the disciples saw him walking on the lake, they were terrified.

“It’s a ghost,” they said, and cried out in fear. But Jesus immediately said to them: “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.”

“Lord, if it’s you,” Peter replied, “tell me to come to you on the water.” “Come,” he said. Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus.

But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, “Lord, save me!” Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. “You of little faith,” he said, “why did you doubt?”

And when they climbed into the boat, the wind died down. Then those who were in the boat worshiped him, saying, “Truly you are the Son of God.”

Familiar Pictures

Now that you are familiar with the story, have you ever seen paintings or illustrations depicting this passage of Scripture? Of all the ones I have ever seen, Jesus is usually portrayed as a calm, sad-looking, and often effeminate water-stroller. Peter is always some scruffy-looking, heavy-as-stone fraidy-cat.

Then what about those waves? In all the depictions of this story, how high are the waves? Usually they are no more than just a few inches high around the Lord and his bobbing disciple, Peter.

Well, I am here to challenge the common perception based on these fallacious (that means stupidly wrong) paintings.

The Waves

I am not a seafaring man like my friend David Welford, but I would bet even he would say that 6-8 inch waves would have been NO problem for some experienced fishermen. What ever frightened Peter, once he looked around, had to have been more than a ripple on the surface.

Consider how the Bible described what was happening to the boat in Matthew 14:24: “But the ship was now in the midst of the sea, tossed with waves: for the wind was contrary.” Do kiddie pool waves toss a boat? No, but real waves do.

In stead of tossed, other translations use words like buffeted, beaten, and battered. The New Living Translation says that “a strong wind had risen, and they were fighting heavy waves.” It would seem to me that the disciples were facing a life-or-death struggle, not inconvenient weather.

The Wacky Request

People often belittle Peter for his “lack of faith.” They think less of him because he took his eyes off of Jesus and began to sink. But who on this earth that is not currently on anti-psychotic medication would actually ask a UWG (Unidentified Walking Ghost), “If it is you, compel me to do something totally irrational and dangerous, OK?” What kind of crazy question was that?

I believe there is more to this story than we have been told. Why didn’t Peter just ask Jesus to come a little closer? Why not just ask Him to get in the boat and take a load off? What would have caused Peter to think of leaving the boat?

Maybe, just maybe, what Jesus was doing looked like fun.

Wave Riding

The next time you look out over a stormy sea capable of sinking a boat, try to find the smooth spots. The paintings that show the Savior walking delicately over glassy H2o in the middle of a gale are unrealistic.

My guess is that Jesus was doing more than simply walking. He was having fun. He was probably surfing without a board. It is possible that He was going up and down…up and down…up and down…smiling the whole time. That’s when Peter said, “If it is you, Lord, tell me to come out there with you…that looks like fun!”

Seriously, just stop and think about it. Here was a storm that was beating up a boat and wearing out the crew; waves that were anything but small; a boat full of panicking people; and a Man walking on water. Peter must have concluded that if there was going to be any place to be, it was with Jesus, riding the waves.

With Jesus

We can’t help the fact that storms come. But if there is any lesson to be learned from this story it is that the worst possible place to be can be the safest and most peaceful, as long as our eyes are on Jesus and we are walking with Him.

Does it make sense? No. Is it irrational? Maybe. But as long as we have our faith in Jesus, we can ride atop the tallest tsunami, admiring the view.

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by | September 3, 2012 · 11:46 am

A Little Time Off

Change of Plans

I was in the process of writing a post for today, a post dealing with the U.S national holiday, Labor Day. But then I got a phone call, and plans changed.

Not long ago I received a phone call from my cousin. He told me that my uncle, my father’s brother, had passed away. This was a terrible blow.

So, if you, my readers, wouldn’t mind, I would like to step away from The Recovering Legalist for a little while. I will still work on preparing posts for ProverbialThought.com, however, being that it is a daily devotional.

William (Don) Baker

Most of you may have never met my uncle Don, but you would have liked him. He was a very gentle, Jesus-loving man. But this wasn’t always the case. Just like my dad was before his conversion, my uncle was a tough-as-nails, hard-living, straight-shooting outdoorsman with a proud moonshine-running past. He was a man without fear, considering at one point he kept in his living room nearly 200 deadly snakes (Rattle Snakes, Copperheads, etc.).

My father, Terry Baker, was my uncle’s younger brother. Terry became a believer in the 1960’s, and then accepted the calling to preach. He always prayed for Don and invited him to church, but to my knowledge only went with him one or two times. My dad never gave up on my uncle.

Then, just a few years ago, the man who wouldn’t have anything to do with God or church found himself at death’s door. Beside a hospital bed he gave his heart and life to Jesus, and the change in that old sinner’s life was dramatic.

The Mission Field

My uncle lived on a hill just above the Tennessee River in an area called Suck Creek. Our family had lived there for several generations. And it was there on the river that my uncle spent most of his time fishing and conversing with not only the Lord, but anyone who passed by.

The river was his “mission field.” He told me how that once his health declined to the point he couldn’t get around, about all he could do was ride his 4-wheeler down to the river bank. There he would sit and fish, feed the ducks, and witness miracles.

On more than one occasion, as he told me, he would be sitting there fishing when a total stranger would walk up to him. Many times the people would be feeling hopeless, considering divorce, or even suicide. Without having to go anywhere he would tell these people about how God changed his heart and gave him a love he never knew existed. He would tell them how Jesus loved them and could give them the same kind of peace he experienced. And in one case, even the town drunk came by – and got saved.

Shouting Down the Roof

One thing my uncle Don told me a couple of years ago was this: “The thing I regret most is that I didn’t get saved earlier…I could have heard Terry preach, and we could have shouted the roof down together.”

I sent my uncle cd’s of my preaching and singing. I know that he listened to me when I preached on the radio. But I know that it wasn’t the same. I am not my dad.

Joy Comes in the Morning

But all is not lost. Because of the promise of eternal life in Jesus Christ we have Hope.

“Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. … That as sin hath reigned unto death, even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord.” – Rom 5:1-2, 21 KJV

“Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.” – 1Cr 15:51-57 KJV

I am looking forward to the funeral service this week. I don’t look forward to it because I have lost a loved one, but because of the hope we will all share. It will be a time to be reminded that this life is short and that tomorrow is never guaranteed. But it will also be a reminder that when the dark night is over, along with all the pain, “joy comes in the morning.”

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by | August 7, 2012 · 3:33 pm

It Does Get Serious

I Love to Laugh

All who really know me know I love to laugh. They know I love to joke around, even when it’s not expected. Sometimes I can find the strangest things humorous.

Sometimes my sense of humor can get me into trouble. My wife has given me the “evil eye” on more than one occasion. She could tell you of many times when what I thought something was funny, but others did not.

I Love Comedy

If you have seen my Monday Monkey videos you have figured out I like stupid comedy. I am a kid at heart that likes to smile. What would life be like without a good joke? What would life be like without Bill Cosby, Steve Martin, Bill Murray, Tim Allen, or Tim Hawkins? I even like Will Ferrell and Eddie Murphy at times.

I’m On Mission

But no matter how much I love to laugh and have fun; no matter how many monkey videos I make; I am still on mission for the Lord. And one thing is for sure, now as much as ever, doing God’s will, especially in the area of ministry, is not for the faint of heart.

I was working on a paper today when the words I wrote spoke back at me. The last few weeks have brought many trials and heartbreaks. Just this week I have dealt with (either personally or on behalf of others) character attacks, physical pain, financial stress, divorce, infidelity, abuse, cancer, court trials, death, and political turmoil. There is more to my life, and there’s more to ministry, than monkeys…believe me.

Sometimes life can be hard. And those going into ministry need to know that being “on God’s payroll” doesn’t make it any easier, either. That is why I found myself writing the following paragraph on the opening page of a paper dealing with conflict. I hope it serves as a warning, but also as a reminder that our God is in control, even when no one’s laughing.

“One thing should always be taught to those young men (and women) entering ministry – it’s a battle, and people will get hurt. Many enter into ministry with grand allusions of glorious and easy sailing, the wind behind their backs, and starry nights guiding the way. What they don’t know is that ahead of them lay stormy seas, contrary winds, and nights so dark no guiding light can be seen. Ministry can be full conflict; yet all is not hopeless. We walk with One who walks on waves. We talk with One who calms the winds. And when it’s too dark to see the way, we can trust the Unseen Hand.”

I serve a Mighty God who is awesome to save! He is my strength and my strong tower. In Him will I hide. Under His banner will I go forward unto victory. Praise the Lamb!

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