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April 12, 2010     Teddy Grams and the D.Min.
  (Pastor Randy)   Paul Ostoich recently finished the final draft of his doctoral dissertation and sent it away to Dallas Theological Seminary. This is a last major requirement in the completion of a D.Min., or "Doctor of Ministry." It is essentially the writing of a book — though the thing is required to be full of statistical analyses, etc., so it is not any fun to write whatsoever!

I finished my dissertation for the same school, and the same program, in 1994, just months before coming to TSF. During a sermon not long ago, I told the story of my adventure of mailing my dissertation on a Saturday, and then running in the New York City Marathon the next day. Everything went wrong - I had overdone life, got super sick, and 16 miles into the race met some nice emergency medical people (not by choice) in Central Manhattan at the base of the Queensboro Bridge.

I've always said that the reason I had so much academic success for such a long time was not at all due to being smarter than anyone. Man, the people I went to DTS with were crazy smart … lots of genius types. No, I outscored people just because I was so much more competitive than they were. Somehow, I always knew how to pass tests with high grades, even when I had little idea what the material was even about.

The head professor of the doctoral program was part of a couple of classes I had taken. He was a very nice man, and very encouraging in many ways — and a bit eccentric as well. He loved Teddy Grahams. He always had a box of them to snack on and would pass them around during class to keep people awake.

Anyhow, at the end of my program, when it came time to submit my final dissertation to the director, I had to send it in some sort of box. So, I bought a box of Teddy Grahams and used the empty box to mail my 175 page paper in ... along with a few crackers and a note quoting his favorite line: "Teddy Grahams: the gift of God to sustain us in difficult times."

Don't look for a spiritual application... it's just a random story I remembered after hearing that Paul sent in his final paper.

 

Guest Comments:
 MM in Toledo, OH     April 13, 2010 at 08:47 PM
 And remember the D.TH degree is the "FIRST" degree in all of institutionalized academia because it contains study of the most important issues of life..Congrats!
 
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April 9, 2010     A Blah Time For Blogs
  (Pastor Randy)   It has again been a while since I've written for this blog and I'm sure I've lost most of my once "vast" audience! To those who are seeing this: thanks for sticking with me.

Yes, it has been a busy time. But just as much, it has been a sad time ... and a time, too, where I just did not feel I had much to say.

Beth was a big part of getting this blog project started a few years ago, and she probably read everything I ever wrote. It is no secret to anyone around TSF as to how close Beth and I were as friends and colleagues. I'll miss her terribly.

So many of you have told me that you are praying for me. Wow! There have even been some anonymous notes and text messages! Thank you very much. And yes, do pray for me and for all of us at the church as we seek to fill the holes and redirect many of our methods of operation. And please continue your support of the Ostoich family — in prayer and in the many practical ways in which you've been so faithful.

 
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March 25, 2010     You've Been Boyled Alive!
  (Pastor Randy)   Another salubrious experience for me was watching what happened in church this past week.

Remember the British singing sensation, Susan Boyle, who burst upon the scene in their version of American Idol called "Britain's Got Talent"? At first glance, nobody saw what was coming from this very common lady, but they soon learned there was much more there than they expected.

The offertory this past week was sung by a new man at church, Jun Frias. I knew what was coming — that it was going to be amazing. Jun won't soon be drafted into the NFL, but he has a voice and musical communication skill that is big league and all-pro!

It was great! I don't think I've ever seen a reaction at TSF to a song like the one that happened there on Sunday. Wow! That was cool! And what a perfect song on the occasion of our grieving the loss of Beth!

See, this is why you cannot afford to hardly ever miss church. If you do, you might miss something like this!

 
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March 23, 2010     A Salubrious Experience
  (Pastor Randy)   Salubrious is my favorite word. I have been thinking I might replace it with a new word - Eyjafjallajokull (which I have seen in the news is the name of a glacier in Iceland that has a volcano under it). But no, salubrious is a great word that sounds like what it means: conducive of good health and well-being … ah yes, a lubrication of the soul!

There are not many things anymore that I can do better than my boys — at least in the category of physical activity. But a couple of them have begun golfing and have been pestering me to go with them. Well, I'd like to, but, even though I claim that those of you who see me limping are having problems with your imagination, I do have to confess to a bad knee situation (or maybe it is two of them?). My first knee surgery was triggered by the last time I played golf about 7-8 years ago.

While in Florida, they talked me into going along with them and following them around the course. Since they know I played a lot in the past and grew up on a golf course, they were hoping for some pointers. So I followed for a few holes and made some observations. Finally, I said, "Hand me that driver" and went to the tee, took a couple practice swings, and with an easy motion drove the ball down the middle of the fairway beyond anything they had hit.

"That is sick, how'd you do that?" I heard from one of them.

Salubrious, friends, salubrious!

Actually, since the years when I played a lot, the equipment is so much improved — especially drivers — that I don't see how you can have too many bad shots if you have a decent swing.

But golf is a lot like the process of sanctification. You can get better through work and commitment, but you never really arrive … not in this life.

 
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March 19, 2010     The Legacy Continues
  (Pastor Randy)   As a family, we have a long history of horrible vacation trips. For sure, there have been some good ones, but probably around 50% have been a disaster of some sort — often with weather.

I write this from Florida, supposedly on a "vacation trip" with lots of the family — though many of them are involved also in business franchise meetings with my oldest son's growing venture.

Personally speaking, it has not been a good week. I've been sick for most of it (as have a couple others), unable to sleep much or rest well, and rather lethargic about all things. The weather has not been the best, though not downright terrible — just sort of a disappointment for South Florida at this time of the year. Our facilities, though more than adequate, are certainly not worth the price, and the community is so congested that every trip just a few miles up the road turns into a major traffic jam.

As well, my mind has been filled with concerns for Beth and the Ostoich family … especially in the long and dark hours of sleepless nights. I suppose the good part is that I've been able to pray much for them.

An Ostoich Facebook posting on this date writes of the varied emotions people have had in contemplation of Beth's sufferings. I think I've had many of them. Other than my parents and my father-in-law, Beth will be the closest person to me I have lost. I've especially felt an anger toward Satan and sin… wishing almost at times to have an opportunity for some sort of physical encounter to smack him! It is true that I really, really love God; but right now today, I have no doubt that I really, really HATE Satan.

Remember the hymn that Paul quoted a while back… that I also wrote a series of blogs about? "Is this vile world a friend of grace?" Ha! NOOO! In the middle of last night, another hymn I've not heard in years got going through my mind … "Faith is the Victory". These words connect with the struggles of our brief and difficult life in a fallen world, and encourage us to faithfulness until the end:

To him that overcomes the foe, White raiment shall be giv'n.
Before the angels he shall know, His name confessed in Heav'n.
Then onward from the hill of light, Our hearts with love aflame,
We'll vanquish all the hosts of night, In Jesus' conqu'ring Name.
Faith is the victory; faith is the victory!
Oh glorious victory that overcomes the world.

 
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March 11, 2010     The Church and the Local Bar
  (Pastor Randy)   I recently saw an article citing research on places people found to be warm and friendly as "around-town" venues of amicable interaction. Amazingly, churches did quite well in the survey, scoring only 2 points lower than bars and pubs!

But as friendly people go, pastors did not do quite as well. A number of other categories of people scored higher, with pastors finishing at about the same level as hair-stylists (though I think we beat used car salesmen).

But the article goes on to say that churches and pastors are about more than just being friendly and knowing your name and making you feel accepted. There are the aspects of the bearing of eternal truth upon the life of the believer. Sometimes the highest and most caring thing to do for someone is to hurt them deeply when their path is divergent from truth.

In fact, this last thought is the best argument for intimate and official church membership. The seduction of sin is such that we are best served by a conscious and strong network of mutual accountability. It is not always best to just have another drink.

 
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March 10, 2010     Ambient Hype Surrounding Preaching
  (Pastor Randy)   I am not a big fan of Rob Bell and some of his theological perspectives, but this following statement by him caught my eye:

"The public nature of preaching exposes you to a wide spectrum of feedback—from the really good compliments to really venomous criticism. Both can be dangerous because they lead to either pride or pain. We need to work at becoming the kind of person who is so deeply grounded in who we are, the work we are called to do, and the words we are called to speak, that the ambient hype that surrounds the preaching event doesn't get the best of us."

I actually get little feedback, but what I get is often contradictory or mutually exclusive. It is a crazy thing to be a preacher. The diversity of the modern congregation is amazing — comprising new believers (and surely unbelievers) to seminarians and fully-developed disciples of Christ. It is like feeding vegetarians and carnivores from the same meal preparation (actually, in my experience, there seem to be more carnivores).

It sometimes reminds me of the task I used to take on frequently back in New Jersey. My home church — which was the sister church of the one I later pastored as an adult — had a rather large Christian school (originally the joint effort of the two churches). I was often called upon to speak in chapel — to the assembled group of Kindergarten through 8th graders! Who do you aim at?

I have lately aimed for a more academic verse by verse talk through Scriptures. Does this work? Is it the right way to go, or the best way? Let me know what you think sometime, and I'll try to not merely consider it as "ambient hype."

 

Guest Comments:
 SH in Hagerstown, MD     March 10, 2010 at 03:43 PM
 Pastor Randy: Knowing yourself and believing in the work you do for the Lord are the two most important traits for a pastor, in my opinion. An individual's personal spiritual journey will determine how they perceive you. Being loved and accepted certainly feels good, but being respected for one's integrity is superior. As for preaching through the Bible, I think this is very important, because many folks don't read their Bibles regularly or methodically. I look forward to your teaching.
 
 SB in Lancaster, Pa     March 14, 2010 at 12:29 AM
 My experience with Rob Bell was last spring when attending a Brethern in Christ church and our teacher was doing the Nooma series and the video was about more people that died and rose again. Well no one questioned this, until we said something. The video said that assending into heaven "just wasnt that unique." That undermines the basis of Christanity and the salvation that we have through Christ. Well we don't go to that church anymore and my concern was for new believers in the class than I.
 
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March 9, 2010     A Step Ahead of the Pope
  (Pastor Randy)   There are so many means of communication now for the Gospel to be presented and for the church to employ, and we try to use most of them. It really is amazing. But maybe we are not really that far ahead.

One might think that the Catholic Church would be opposed to these innovations, but not so. In fact, Pope Benedict has said, "Priests are thus challenged to proclaim the Gospel by employing the latest generation of audiovisual resources—images, videos, animated features, blogs, Web sites—which, alongside traditional means, can open up broad new vistas for dialogue, evangelization, and catechesis."

 
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March 8, 2010     What a Winter!
  (Pastor Randy)   It has been years since weather has so affected the church calendar. The last time was in 1994 — the winter before I moved here — when it snowed every Wednesday and Saturday for eight weeks. I remember coming to Hagerstown and staying at the Ramada on the Dual Highway, with snow piled high in the parking lot.

It sure is a different day and age for church communications and ministry strategy. I was aware of this when thinking about how different things are now versus just a couple of decades ago when I was a pastor in New Jersey.

The weather has made me especially aware of this. Back in New Jersey, when we had a big snow on Saturday night, we might cancel if it was really bad. To do so, we would call one radio station to announce it.

A reason why it was sort of rare to call off is that doing church was quite simple. All it really required was for me to get there along with one other particular person. I lived only three miles from the church, and the church janitor happened to also be the custodian. So, all we needed was for the two of us to come, and we could have the service easily. Here at TSF, it takes literally dozens of people to make even a simple service happen.

My, how things have changed.

 
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March 5, 2010     Snakes in Lancaster
  (Pastor Randy)   It has been quite a while since I've written a snake blog... but here is a story I recently saw.

Some folks in Lancaster, PA were moving into a new home and found a 7-foot long Burmese python weighing 15 pounds in the basement. I guess the previous residents forgot to take all of their belongings when they moved out.

I am not exaggerating when I say that were I to find such a thing, I'd never go in the house again, let alone sleep there.

When we built our home, just before moving in, I found a dead snake in the basement. It was about 6-8 long... okay, it was only inches... but even so, I considered selling the house on the spot for 25 cents.

Anyhow, I looked up this address on Google maps, and sure enough, it is in the quadrant of the city to which Sarah has moved! Sarah, I've got one word for you and that new husband of yours — WILLIAMSPORT! Save yourself while you can! (Even though, to be fair, there is a reptile store in the center of "River Rat City".)

 

Guest Comments:
 SB in Lancaster, Pa     March 10, 2010 at 01:21 PM
 Yes, Randy I did see that bit of news, and actually there was a second finding of a big snake left behind somewhere here. But not one snake have I found here. Actually, like yourself when I moved to the Honeyfield location in Hagerstown we found a large snake skin in the basement. So I'll continue to pray for no snakes, because I like you, DON'T LIKE SNAKES! But miss you guys there at TSF.
 
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March 4, 2010     Reconciliation
  (Pastor Randy)   I was just reading a political article on the health care debate (happens to be by Newt Gingrich) that sought to explain the contested congressional process called "reconciliation." The title is "What is Reconciliation and why is it a Threat?"

"Reconciliation" and "threat" are two words I've not seen put together before... though all my association with the word has been in the biblical sense, not the legislative sense. It is interesting to hear ordinary secular Americans throwing around a word they likely have never used much before — a word that I have always associated as rather specifically religious.

The word "reconciliation" simply means a change in relationship due to the establishment of peace. Because of the work of Christ, there is a change in our relationship with God. We are no longer enemies. God is reconciled in His view toward us. This entire theme is much spoken of in the early chapters of Romans which we've been studying on recent Sundays.

But it also reminded me of an incident that happened when I was quite young — early elementary at the latest. The pastor of our church was a very deep theological speaker — a graduate of the first class of Westminster Seminary under the famed tutelage of J. Gresham Machen.

He was a very emotional preacher who moved from side to side on the stage carrying his open Bible as he spoke. A few feet to each side of the massive pulpit were wooden stands, each adorned with a large vase of flowers. This particular Sunday he was preaching eloquently and passionately about reconciliation (I had no idea what that meant at the time). In his passion to make a point, he brought his Bible down with a thud on one of the flower stands. This caused an imbalance and the vase of flowers fell forward with a crash onto the communion table below. While lunging to catch the vase, the pastor smashed his knee against the wooden stand, causing it to follow in the direction of the vase. Losing his balance, he was the third object doing a "header" off the stage, crashing like a breaking wave over all the previously fallen objects. Unshaken, he stood, picked up his Bible (which had been full of papers that went flying everywhere), went back to the pulpit and continued as if nothing had happened!

See why I remember that sermon so well, even after all these years?

 
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March 3, 2010     Shortened Time
  (Pastor Randy)   Oh my, oh my! I can't believe so many days have quickly gone by since the last blog! Time goes by so fast... so thanks for checking back on these rants and ravings.

Well, as if it was not bad enough that time is getting squeezed, we now find out that the earthquake in Chile has literally shaken the foundations of the Earth! Yep. The quake has shifted such a mass of rock that it has altered the Earth's rotation upon its axis, shortening each day by 1.26 microseconds!

The principle behind this is seen by the example of figure skaters. When a skater is spinning and pulls inward, they rotate faster. That is what the Earth is doing.

And if it seems to you like this has been going on for a while, in fact, the 2004 earthquake causing the tsunami in the Indian Ocean shortened days by 6.4 microseconds!

It is no wonder I'm not getting as much done! And I thought it was just because I am getting older.

 
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February 19, 2010     Words of Biblical Proportion
  (Pastor Randy)   It really cracks me up how, at certain times, people who have no particular respect for the Bible have to turn to it to get words big enough to describe what they want to say. Or perhaps you've even heard the phrase used that something "is of biblical proportions."

I've heard our recent blizzards pegged with two Scriptural take-offs: "Snowmageddon," and "Snowpocalypse."

The first is referencing Armageddon — the final battle of earth that is mentioned in Revelation (a conflict which I see as a campaign rather that a single event — but that is for another, longer writing). The other invented word speaks of "The Apocalypse" — which is another reference to the book of Revelation (not "Revelations" as some call it … though it contains revelations it is entitled "The Revelation of Jesus Christ"). The book is written in a literary style known as "apocalyptic" literature — speaking of extraordinary endtimes events.

I guess it is the idea of divine judgment of God raining down the elements in wrath that brings about these hyphenations and compoundings … sort of like how anything scandalous now has the "-gate" ending applied to it.

Maybe it is divine judgment … 40-50 inches in a week … 10 inches in Dallas! Maybe it is God laughing at Americans for believing mankind is so big as to produce climate change? (another topic for another day!)

 
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February 18, 2010     Texas Church Burnings
  (Pastor Randy)   I have found the stories on the series of church arson events in East Texas especially interesting, not only because of it being churches, but also because it's happening in the little communities near the area where my in-laws lived for many years.

It is imaginable how this could be happening there. The area is truly full of old church buildings in the country and on many corners in each little town — towns often smaller than, say, Clear Spring… Williamsport… or Smithsburg.

Along with the alarming number of church shootings, it appears that Christians are becoming more and more the hate group du jour. And as such, it has more than a few quiet, or not so quiet, supporters.

What amazed me was to read the remarks section on CNN.com just under an article describing these crimes. Among statements written were:

- Burn them all down I say!
- When are these cults going to lose their tax exempt status? They are in fact in the entertainment business.
- Burn baby burn!
- Perhaps it is someone who is out of work and they see churches not paying taxes and spending millions on superbowl ads.
- Religion is such an anachronistic concept. I just can't bring myself to caring that several tax evasion shelters were burned down.
- I guess God just doesn't like those churches! Besides, not much of a loss there. When you really think about it, all those churches spread hatred and divisiveness while hiding behind the Bible. It's no wonder God allowed them to be burned. They're not doing the work of God!
- Such a horrible thing should have god's attention and action. I just don't understand, why doesn't god put a stop to it? Is she uninterested, or powerless to help?
- As a non-theist, I know religion will die in time as technology and knowledge increases. The terrorist needs to be patient.
- While I wish that religion/superstition would end once and for all, I do feel bad for the people who use the churches. They're usually very nice people, just suffering from the God Virus.
- I'll say it, I wish that all churches would burn down ! It's a system of , used to keep the gullible enslaved. Religion is just superstition and doesn't deserve the exalted status it gets in U.S. society. If that offends your religion, then good. Believing in talking snakes, resurrections, miracles, spirits, souls, etc, is just another form of stupidity.

I Peter 4:12-17: Dear friends, do not be surprised at the painful trial you are suffering, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice that you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed. If you are insulted because of the name of Christ, you are blessed, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you. If you suffer, it should not be as a murderer or thief or any other kind of criminal, or even as a meddler. However, if you suffer as a Christian, do not be ashamed, but praise God that you bear that name. For it is time for judgment to begin with the family of God; and if it begins with us, what will the outcome be for those who do not obey the gospel of God?

 
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February 16, 2010     Adoption
  (Pastor Randy)   Many of you who are newer to TSF may not know that our Student Ministries Pastor and his wife (Eric and Lori Boutieller) adopted a daughter from Kazakhstan a number of years ago. Tatyana was a 4-year-old in an orphanage at the time — a little girl with a fatal heart condition that could be fixed only if adopted and given access to western medical care. All of this was done successfully, and she is now a healthy and very athletic young lady.

Eric told me recently that one day he asked Tatyana if she wished she was still in Kazakhstan, to which she rather emphatically replied, "No, I'd be dead if I were still there!"

The story reminded me that we all have a fatal heart condition that can only be fixed by adoption. There is nothing we can do to fix the problem on our own. But God has come along and chosen us, adopted us, and given us life eternal in Jesus Christ.

Ephesians 1:3-8 says: "Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love he predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will — to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves. In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God's grace that he lavished on us with all wisdom and understanding."

 
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