April 2013 – PaulThompsonBlog

I Don’t Hate Puppies

Posted on April 29, 20132 Comments

I may be labeled a puppy hater after this post. I will just have to carry that label knowing that it’s not true.

“There’s no telling what some people will promise you when it comes to choosing the right summer Sunday School curriculum.” I don’t make this stuff up nor do I go looking for this stuff… it comes to my email inbox because it’s attached to our church website or some marketing agency has been selling my email address to publishing house businesses. This video is promoting a summer Sunday School curriculum.

I don’t take issue with a business doing whatever it needs to do to market its product. After all there are people who work for them that depend on a pay check and there is a market share that makes Sunday School and VBS apparently a very competitive field. I’m not opposed to praying for children. I’m just publicly responding to what I think is worthless and reckless behavior. I don’t fault the well meaning actor doing her job, or the camera man for utilizing his skill. I blame this kind of recklessness on executives who utilize this kind of scheme to attract a church staff member. And I blame pastors and churches for apparently buying in to this kind of product. I’m sure that the marketers have done their homework and they are convinced that this sales pitch will be successful. This is tragic.

Public plea to all ‘Christian’ publishing houses: Please exercise discipline and restraint when provide a product to the bride of Christ, the church. We are not a market share to be had.

Public plea to fellow pastors: Please consider writing a kind, but firm letter to the next publishing house that handles the sacred things of God with reckless shenanigans as this. They will continue to treat us as a market share as long as we buy into their advertising gimmicks.

Prepare yourself for the attraction of puppies…

Modesty Could Be Both Sinful and Prideful

Posted on April 23, 2013Leave a comment

“Though it is true that one may dress modestly from a sinful and prideful motive, one cannot knowingly dress lavishly or sensually from a good one. Thus, the purity and humility of a regenerate heart internally must ultimately express itself by modest clothing externally. ”
~ Jeff Pollard

Here is a good read worth some time for consideration on the topic of Modest Apparel.

Preach the Word

Posted on April 22, 2013Leave a comment

To have an opportunity to preach the word anywhere is a humbling occasion. I have nothing to say to any gathered body of believers that is of any value unless it comes from the word of God.

Last week, I was invited to preach (with an interpreter) to the Lord’s people in a faithful church in Port-au-Prince, Haiti. The occasion was encouraging to me as I witnessed the meeting house fill with worshipers. The gathering was filled from wall to wall, front to back. The worshipers were engaged in the singing without the aid of song books or overhead projection. Attention to the bible was given by the pastor who preached for about 45 min before he introduced me to preach.

At the end of the day, no one will ever remember the visitor from America, but oh that they may forever be influenced by the Lord as the Holy Spirit instructs them in the word.

It was a pleasure to meet pastor Bernito Dorsainvil. It was a pleasure to sit in his home and hear him speak of his desire to see the Lord work through his life and that the church he pastors be a display of the glory of God. His brother Viles Dorsainvil was kind to translate our conversations and the preaching. I hope the Lord will allow other opportunities with these brothers in the Lord.

Orphan Care is Gospel Reenactment

Posted on April 10, 2013Leave a comment

“When we were on the outside without hope and home, Jesus brought us into his family (Ephesians 2:12-13, 19). What Jesus did for us is the Gospel.

Today there are millions of orphans in the world without hope and home. When we give orphans hope, when we bring orphans into our families, we reenact the Gospel.

When a church provides hope and homes to children lost in the foster care system, it reenacts the Gospel.

When churches create partnerships with other churches around the world in order to care for orphans, the Gospel is reenacted many times over before a watching world.

Orphan care is Gospel reenactment.” (Source: Dan Cruver, 2009)

12 remember that you were at that time separate from Christ, excluded from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. 13 But now in Christ Jesus you who formerly were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. (Eph 2:11-13 NASB)

Tag, You’re It!

Posted on April 8, 2013Leave a comment

“[One pastor told of] the phenomenal growth of the churches in their country, in spite of ongoing difficulties. In many of these churches the pastor will just throw his Bible to his congregation when he is arrested, and the person who catches it automatically becomes the pastor.” (Chapel Library)

A Pansy by Any Other Name…

Posted on April 6, 20131 Comment

A rose by any other name would still be a rose. But what about this hardy cool weather flower? The flower world must think it odd that we have adopted the name of this hardy spring time flower to use as a name to make fun of someone who wants a soft life.

I’ve had this conversation with backpackers who call someone who wants to turn back and go home to their soft beds ‘pansy’. I’m no expert botanist but this I know about the pansy, it is anything but a ‘pansy’. I wouldn’t plant any other flower outside in Idaho in the spring. They wouldn’t last. Only the pansy. Hardy. Strong. Enduring. Long suffering.

Next time someone calls you a pansy, could it be admiration for your hardy, strong, enduring, long suffering ways?

Happy Spring!

1 Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, 2 through whom also we have obtained our introduction by faith into this grace in which we stand; and we exult in hope of the glory of God. 3 And not only this, but we also exult in our tribulations, knowing that tribulation brings about perseverance; 4 and perseverance, proven character; and proven character, hope; 5 and hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us.

Romans 5:1-5 (NASB)

It’s About the Gospel

Posted on April 3, 2013Leave a comment

a followup to this mornings post…

What Happens to a follower of Christ on the far side of the wilderness? It’s hard to say what happens individually to everyone, but it is certain to be life changing.

This afternoon Silas posted a generous offer to visitors of his website and his art work. From now until April 11, 2013, 100% of all painting sales will be donated to New Horizon Home in Port-au-Prince, Haiti. Silas and Bianca are tender toward the gospel mandate to the nations and especially to those tender to the heart of God, orphans.

Visit Silas Thompson Fine Art and pick a painting today. Price list is here.

New Horizon Home is more than a simple orphanage, not that an orphanage is simple. New Horizon Home International is a global gospel outreach. Alex Viellard, director of New Horizon Home International desires to see bible centered, gospel preaching churches and pastors in Port-au-Prince, Haiti. It’s about the Gospel.

May the Glory of the LORD fall down on his people.

1 The wilderness and the desert will be glad,
And the [desert] will rejoice and blossom;
Like the crocus 2 It will blossom profusely
And rejoice with rejoicing and shout of joy.

Isaiah 35:1-2 (NASB)

Haiti Revisited

Posted on April 2, 20135 Comments

Moses met with the Lord on the far side of the desert (Exodus 3:1). There the LORD spoke to Moses from a burning bush.

It was not in some favored vacation spot, where a cool breeze and soft pillow are sought after. It was no weekend retreat that promised comfort and plenty to eat. Rather, it was on the far side of the desert that Moses was forever changed.

It was out of a pit, and into slavery that Joseph found favor with God.
It was in desperate loneliness that Jacob met the Lord.
It was the year that King Uzziah died when Isaiah saw the Lord.
Abandoned on Patmos, John wrote Revelation.

It was from a Haitian jail that God showed me things about his Glory I had never seen. In great physical discomfort I found comfort. In what felt like hopelessness I found hope.

Many things crossed my mind during those God breathed days. Two things I thought would never happen; one, I thought I would never see Alex, Junior and Florence again, and second, I thought I would never be able to engage in orphan ministry in Haiti again. Two years ago, the Lord allowed Renee and I to attend Alex’s wedding and next week Steve McMullin and I return to Port-au-Prince to consider a life long partnership with New Horizon Home.

Followers of the Lord don’t get to set the stage and arrange the scenery and then work up an experience. The Spirit does not work that way. It may well be in the unlikeliest place or on the darkest day, thought to have been abandoned by God that God may likely summon you to the far side of the desert.

Eastside Baptist Church, in Twin Falls, Idaho will courageously be sending Steve and me to investigate what the Lord wants from us now. New Horizon Home is an orphanage home for 20 children who have been orphaned, abandoned, or rescued from a life of slavery. Our assignment is to consider the work and bring a report back to the Lord’s people at Eastside to act on what we hear from the Lord. I will have a prayer guide for praying saints ready by the end of the week. Contact me for information on the prayer guide. The Lord invited Jeremiah to ‘Call to Me and I will answer you, and I will tell you great and mighty things, which you do not know.’ (Jeremiah 33:3)

It is our intent to consult with God on this matter. Pray that we listen and obey.

A Man Needs a Good Roadmap

Posted on April 2, 2013Leave a comment

“I never met a man who did not want to be a great father.” Scott Brown

I’m happy to announce that Eastside Baptist Church will be hosting a conference this coming fall designed to call out fathers to look to God through the sufficiency of Scripture to be Godly fathers.

Men, join me this fall for “the Master’s Plan for Fatherhood” September 13-14, 2013, in Twin Falls, Idaho.

New Kind of Father from NCFIC on Vimeo.

More information here: The Master’s Plan for Fatherhood

Rules of Public Engagement

Posted on April 1, 2013Leave a comment

Last year when I was asked if I would be willing to participate in a new venture with the Times News by submitting an occasional article in the weekly Pastor’s Corner I decided that I should establish some personal guidelines for public engagement should I ever get a response or reply to a column I submit. My personal rules of engagement are simple, but I thought I would share them with you today as my last column has generated some response. Here is the reply to the column; the Nature of Man. Here is a letter to the editor that appeared in the Times News on March 29.

Be-kind
Be-bold
be-careful
Ask clarifying questions
Quote Scripture often
Don’t take everything personal

Articles from April 2013