Religion in America

The following quote is from an email newsletter "SERIOUS TIMES"
Front pages of major American newspapers this week featured the findings of the Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life, which released a survey of religious affiliation based on telephone interviews with more than 35,000 Americans titled “U.S. Religious Landscape Survey.” The results depict an extraordinarily fluid and diverse national religious life. Among its many findings, perhaps the most provocative was that more than a quarter of adult Americans have left their childhood faith in order to join another religion. If one includes shifts from one Protestant denomination to another, then 44 percent of Americans have switched religious affiliations....According to the survey, sixteen percent of American adults say they are not part of any organized faith. It should be noted that among Americans ages 18-29, this number rises to one-in-four...

...This makes the disenfranchised the country’s fourth-largest “religious group.” This up from the mere 5 to 8 percent of the 1980s as determined by the General Social Survey conducted by the National Opinion Research Center...First, people in America have little allegiance to the faith of their childhood – translation: they are quick to abandon how they were raised (which may say something about how they were raised, but that is another conversation). Second, the fastest-growing religious segment in America is the irreligious. I’m not overly distracted by the 5.8% who are unaffiliated, but say that religion is important to their lives. All that means is that they have enough of a religious memory to feel bad about distancing themselves from their heritage. To answer the religious question with “nothing in particular,” but then follow it up with, “but religion matters to me,” is disingenuous. They may not be philosophical atheists, but they are functioning ones.
...My point is that the vast majority of our culture is clearly open and searching, yet with a sizable and growing segment having already given up on the search.
Which means that the real headline is that this may be the last, best time to reach our nation for Christ.
James Emery White

Waiting on the Lord

This morning at church we sang, "We will wait upon the Lord." (Everlasting God) Karen and I looked at each other and knew the true meaning of that! And we wondered how many in the congregation really understood what they were singing about. We know that God has supplied our needs faithfully, and we are trusting Him to continue to meet our needs--We know that it is a sin to worry about a job for the future when God has given us jobs that will last until May. So we keep reminding ourselves that we must wait--

It is interesting to see that churches are having to wait, too--we have seen pastor positions relisted after several months, which means that those churches haven't made the right connection yet with the one God has for them.

I contacted the Conservative Baptist Southwest region again recently--The director said that things are "slim pickings" right now--mainly bi-vocation postions in rural areas. And I am still in contact with Transformation Ministries about getting matched up with a church. Transformation Ministries is the former Pacific Southwest American Baptist--they withdrew from ABC due to the liberalism and formed their own organization of churches who also withdrew from the region. Anyway, they have an extensive process to match churches with ministers. I have a telephone interview with them next Saturday, which will take about 1 to 1 1/2 hours. Please pray that God would give me wisdom as I interview.

Meanwhile, we are making plans to spruce up our house as spring draws near--we are hoping that folks will be in the market to look at houses come warmer weather. We trust that God will bring a buyer to us at just the right time. "We will wait upon the Lord!"

"Everlasting God"

Strength will rise as we wait upon the Lord
We will wait upon the Lord
We will wait upon the Lord

Our God, You reign forever
Our hope, our Strong Deliverer
You are the everlasting God
The everlasting God
You do not faint
You won't grow weary

Our God, You reign forever
Our hope, our Strong Deliverer
You are the everlasting God
The everlasting God
You do not faint
You won't grow weary

You're the defender of the weak
You comfort those in need
You lift us up on wings like eagles

Restful Weekend

We have had a restful weekend after a busy week. Karen had two nights of parent conferences this week and then an in-service on Friday. My week was about normal--we didn't get the snow we were expecting so that meant a good week of driving on clear roads for me.
Even so, I was ready for the weekend. We did do a couple of things yesterday. We met with a few people at First Baptist Church of Rocky Ford about them getting a Saturday night contemporary worship service going. We had thought it was going to be more of a non-denominational gathering but the church leadership there wants it closely tied to their church--so I don't think we will be too involved. And they are talking about not starting until August. We hope to be in our own ministry by then!
And last night we had dinner with some friends from CO Springs who we have known since Bethany Baptist days--Chuck and Jan Moon. We enjoy getting together with them from time to time--they were excited about their newest grandchild.
Today I am trying to recover from a bad cough and cold that I picked up at school--those students just love to share those kinds of things with their teachers!

This past week we have been a little down wondering when and if God was going to move us. But we were reminded that He has provided a job and income for us until May so we don't need to be concerned about moving right now! If we are worrying about the future, then we aren't believing that God is in control! And yet we can look back at these past several months and know that He is in control.

Sooo--He is waiting for a while before He moves us. Meanwhile, I am still seeking a church ministry by sending out resumes. And we are praying for the churches who are looking for a pastor that they would have wisdom to call the right person for their church. Thanks for your prayers for us.

What really goes on at those Teachers' Conferences!

Karen said that she went to a Reading Conference in Denver this week. But I found out what really goes on there!

Another Weekend

Now that I am a full-time school teacher, I really look forward to the weekends. For a pastor the weekend of course is very busy. But for a teacher it is a time to relax and regroup. Of course, there may be a load of papers to grade and lessons to plan, but still it is time off from school.
I do miss being able to teach adults who really want to listen to what I have to say as a pastor, instead of talking to attitude-prone teenagers at school who just want me to be quiet and leave them alone. I'm sure the students like the saying, "To be seen stand up, to be heard speak up, to be appreciated shut up!"
So we are still seeking God's will regarding a church ministry. We are praying that something opens up by May when school is out. People ask us, "What are you going to do then?" We don't know--Will our house sell this spring? Will we have a ministry to move to? Or Will we go back to California to teach? Please do pray that our house will sell at just the right time for us to be able to move wherever it is that God leads us.

More Things to Miss

I didn't realize that it had been all week since I last wrote on this blog--making that drive sometimes gets me so that I just want to be a couch potato when I get home!
But I did think of a couple of other things that I will miss--The hundreds of Snow Geese flying in formation heading south for the winter, and the colorful pheasant jumping out of the tall grass just to disappear again.
Another thing I won't miss is the smell of the cattle feed lots, especially after a summer rain!

We are still applying to churches and still waiting to hear back--(Lord, Give us patience and we want it now!)