To the Guys Who Stole the Guitar…

This is an open letter to you. I thought perhaps you’d check our church website, so I figured this is the best place to put this. I’m Dave – the pastor at the church and the guy who owned the guitar you took from the stage after our services this past Sunday. I’ve had a few days to process this event, and I wanted to just be real and share a few things with you.

I spent about two days pondering on why you entered Dassel Church of Christ and stole the guitar. Maybe you are having financial difficulties. Many people are. Maybe you needed something to sell so you can feed your family. Maybe it was just an act of selfishness. Maybe it was personal. I don’t know. Here’s one thing though – I’m sorry. I’m sorry the church (as a whole) hasn’t been doing it’s job of taking care of people in need. If you stole the guitar so you can make ends meet for you or your family, I’m sorry.

Here’s the thing - the guitar is just ‘stuff.’ Yes, it sucks that it’s gone. I saved up for that guitar. I even ordered it from a small shop on the other side of the country because it’s sort of rare. I hate that it’s gone. But again – it’s just ‘stuff.’ Stuff is replaceable. People are not. God cares about people. People are to care about people, not stuff.

I am praying for you. I am praying for whatever situation you’re in. I’m praying that if you have needs, the church will help meet them. There is no one righteous – not one (Romans 3:10). We are all people who miss God’s mark. We have all made mistakes. Jesus Christ offers freedom from it all, though. I am praying that the love and power of Jesus Christ moves into your life.

One thing: the guitar strap was special to me. It has been in my family since the 60′s. If you’re reading this and you still have it in your possession and would be willing, would you consider returning it? There is a bench in front of the church. You can simply set it on the bench at anytime. No questions asked.

I forgive you, as Jesus forgave me.

Dave.

The Story: An Introduction

This past Sunday we had a great time of worship and hanging out together at the park in Dassel.

We also were challenged to think about stories. This coming Sunday we will start with Genesis and go through the Bible until Revelation, hitting 31 of the major stories. We are doing this to better understand God’s story and how our story fits into His story.

Imagine yourself walking into a familiar house and seeing a wall full of photos with all of your ancestors and their life story and work listed right underneath. You can read about where you come from and know the stories of your lineage. You can walk from photo to photo and spend time diving into their history, family, situations, and heritage. The greatest reality you’ll realize is that all that is left from them is their story and the impact of their story on future generations.

And the same is true for you. When you leave this earth, everything you have will remain. It will be divided, sold, or destroyed. You will take nothing with you and after a generation or so your belongings that you willed on will be lost. That’s simply a reality of life. All that will be left when you leave are the stories you create. Every day you are writing line after line – paragraph after paragraph – chapter after chapter.

What genre is your story? Is it a comedy? Tragedy? Inspirational? Horror? Whatever your story may be, God understands. The Bible stories are full of comedy, tragedy, inspiration, and even horror. There is so much more to God’s story. It is a resource for us to see the legacy that was left for us.

As we go into the stories of God this school year, take time to evaluate your story. Maybe this is the year you close the chapters you’ve been stuck in and begin a new one. Maybe this is the year your turn your families story around. The year that you begin setting the foundation for your children’s story. Whatever you decide – make your story great. After all, it is all that will remain.

And join us on Wednesday nights as well, as the youth group and children are going through the stories as well.

If I can recommend a great book for you, check out Donald Miller’s ‘A Million Miles in a Thousand Years: How I Learned to Live a Better Story.‘ It really changed my outlook on life and the everyday decisions I make.

The Church in Scripture

By popular demand from the sermon this week, here is the list I ran through about the Church found in the Bible. Hope this helps you in your search to understand the one church Christ created. Grab your Bible and go through these statements one by one. You may find it helpful to write these in the back of your Bible for a quick reference.

The Church is…

-       Built by Jesus Christ (Matthew 16:13-18)

-       Purchased by the blood of Christ (Acts 20:28)

-       Built on Jesus Christ as the only foundation (1 Corinthians 3:11)

-       Not built on Peter, Paul, or any other man (1 Corinthians 1:12-13)

-       Composed of the saved, who are added to it by the Lord who saves them (Acts 2:47)

-       The churches of Christ (Romans 16:16)

Jesus…

-       Loves the church (Ephesians 5:25)

-       Shed his blood for the church (Acts 20:28)

-       Established the church (Matthew 16:18)

-       Added saved people to the church (Acts 2:47)

-       Is the head of the church (Ephesians 1:22-23; Ephesians 5:23)

-       Will save the church (Acts 2:47; Ephesians 5:23)

The Church is to…

-       Worship in spirit and in truth (John 4:23-24)

-       Meet on the first day of the week (Acts 20:7; Hebrews 10:25)

-       Pray (James 5:16; Acts 2:42; 1 Timothy 2:1-2; 1 Thessalonians 5:17)

-       Sing and worship (Ephesians 5:19; Colossians 3:16)

-       Eat the Lord’s supper on the first day of the week (Acts 2:42 20:7; Matthew 26:26-30; 1 Corinthians 11:20-32)

-       Give, liberally and cheerfully (1 Corinthians 16:1-2; 2 Corinthians 8:1-5; 2 Corinthians 9:6-8)

The church today…

-       Is guided by the same word (1 Peter 1:22-25; 2 Timothy 3:16-17)

-       Contends for the one faith (Jude 3; Ephesians 4:5)

-       Pleads for unity of all believers (John 17:20-21; Ephesians 4:4-6)

-       Is not a denomination (1 Corinthians 1:10-13; Ephesians 4:1-6)

-       Is faithful to Christ (Luke 6:46; Revelation 2:10; Mark 8:38)

-       Wears the name of Christ (Romans 16:16; Acts 11:26; 1 Peter 4:16)