Random Thoughts – Page 2

Five Ways to Help Your Husband Lead

2011-11-29T09:19:21+00:00By Sam Ford|Random Thoughts, Re:Sermon|

More times than I dare to count, I have heard wives (and reports from their despairing husbands) express a desire for their husband to lead more, better, or at all. These requests, which come at different times in response to different trials, are usually rooted in a broken order within the marriage. For one reason or another, a husband has abandoned or abused his responsibility as "head" of the home and left a huge void. The understandably insecure, or too self-assured, wife feels compelled to fill it. And for a while she does a fine job until the job becomes too irritating or burdensome. It is not that women cannot lead. I know many women (I am married to one) who are wise, capable, and strong leaders. But, in a marriage relationship, it's that the wife is not supposed to lead, they are not designed fill this role like a husband is. [...]

Why Our Marriages Stink

2011-11-22T10:23:21+00:00By Sam Ford|Note to Self...and Others, Random Thoughts|

As I am preparing to preach a couple of sermons on marriage, I found this old gem. Who knows when it was written but it reminded me of how I must fight to keep my marriage from getting "stinky." And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God. - Ephesians 5.2 What does you marriage smell like? Although this sounds like a strange question, the relationships with our spouses emit some sort of aroma that everyone can smell. That smell is either a fragrant offering to God or it’s a putrid stench we try to hide like a Grandma wearing too much perfume—no one’s fooled, everyone smells it. Sadly, married couples ignore or tolerate the obvious lack of health in their marriage far too long. If change doesn’t occur, couples find themselves with a growing aversion for one [...]

10 Problems with Halloween…errr…you

2011-11-01T08:29:12+00:00By Sam Ford|Random Thoughts|

In a blog about the dangers of Halloween, especially one written by a pastor, one might expect to read a complete rejection of the holiday as evil, something to be avoided. Nothing could be further from truth. My hope is that Christians can avoid getting their holiness panties in a bunch, relax, and enjoy Halloween for what it is--and not make it into something it is not (regardless of how many websites you can find). Let us acknowledge, with all respect, that there are different opinions about this holiday. The same differences of opinion exists with Santa Claus, the Easter Bunny, even Cupid and Valentine's Day. So, let us all take a breath, read Romans 14, and FIGHT the desire to judge people for doing something you consider "pagan" or disqualify them for not attending your harvest carnival instead (or trunk or treat, all saints day, etc). Whether you abstain, participate, or choose [...]

Mega Church Pastors & the New Monarchy

2011-10-28T14:06:31+00:00By Sam Ford|Church Plant Lessons 101, Random Thoughts|

4 Then all the elders of Israel gathered together and came to Samuel at Ramah 5 and said to him, “Behold, you are old and your sons do not walk in your ways. Now appoint for us a king to judge us like all the nations.” 6 But the thing displeased Samuel when they said, “Give us a king to judge us.” And Samuel prayed to the Lord. 7 And the Lord said to Samuel, “Obey the voice of the people in all that they say to you, for they have not rejected you, but they have rejected me from being king over them. 8 According to all the deeds that they have done, from the day I brought them up out of Egypt even to this day, forsaking me and serving other gods, so they are also doing to you. 9 Now then, obey their voice; only you shall [...]

Of Trees, Transplants, and Tumbleweeds…

2011-10-25T12:08:46+00:00By Sam Ford|Church Plant Lessons 101, Random Thoughts|

6 Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him, 7rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just las you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving. Colossians 2.6-7 The book of Colossians is a book about spiritual maturity. In the first chapter, Paul explains that his mission, whether it comes through his persecution or his prosperity, is to bring others to maturity in Christ. Of course, he does not presume that people will in fact "attain" maturity, rather, he puts forward an image of a lifelong struggle where a believer actively fights against sin and fights for delight in Jesus--all by energy God provides (Col. 1.29). He is arguing against some false teachers in Colossae who have taught that spirituality begins IN Jesus, but grows IN something (or someone) else. Paul's heart on the matter is made most clear in Colossians 2.6-15. Nine times Paul says [...]

Have Fierce Conversations with Your Bride

2011-10-25T09:07:45+00:00By Sam Ford|Church Plant Lessons 101, Note to Self...and Others, Random Thoughts|

After our relationship with God, our relationships with our brides are the most important ones we have. God himself said it was “not good”’ for man to be alone. God designed the marriage relationship to provide the deepest level of intimacy possible. Sadly, one of the top three reasons why marriages in America fail is because of a lack of intimacy, as a result of poor communication. Husbands and wives share facts, exchange opinions, but rarely do they share their hearts. God does not want us to just “talk”, neither does he want us to remain “silent”, he wants us to have fierce conversations with brides where we reveal our heart, and draw out hers. I'm am committed to moving beyond the charge to "be a spiritual leader" without equipping men to do it. With that in mind, below are the five things I taught at our last men's retreat [...]

The Charles (Pa) Ingalls Test for Manliness

2011-10-10T12:30:12+00:00By Sam Ford|Note to Self...and Others, Random Thoughts|

I’m not really sure when I became a “man”. I was born male, if being a “man” means being male then I have been one for 37+ years. If being a man occurred when my Dad gave the “sex talk”, then I’ve been a man for about 20 years. If being a man means I’m an adult, then the government says I became a man at age 18. Some would say you become a man when you become self-sufficient and committed. Perhaps that is when I got married, so I guess I have been a man for 16 years. Others will tell you that you aren’t a man until you have children—so maybe I’ve only been a man for 10 years. If being a man is the is the same as being “mature”, where you stop enjoying toys at Christmas or cartoons on Saturday morning, I’m screwed. There is a [...]

Church Planting Lesson #30: Birthing Another Church Hurts

2011-10-10T10:33:52+00:00By Sam Ford|Random Thoughts|

***Again, this is an old blog I have been sitting on, so the feelings shared in it are not as fresh as they once were.*** In reflecting upon the planting of our first church, Communion Church, I have come face to face with what all "parents" know: giving birth if a painfully wonderful thing. Waiting for the "baby to be born", or church to be planted, proves equally exciting and difficult. Like first time parents waiting to meet their unborn child, there is all kinds of uncertainties, joys, and fears. Throughout the 9 months (for a church plant it's usually more) of gestation they go through different stages as future parents. The first stage begins with unbelief. Though the shape and size of the "body" is clearly changing, there still remains small traces of doubt to whether or not there really is a life there. Muscles you didn't know you [...]

Church Planting Lesson #31: Things that change when a church begins to love itself more than Jesus (Pt. 1)

2011-09-21T11:51:12+00:00By Sam Ford|Random Thoughts|

My hope is that this will be received for what it is, a bit of self-reflection, and not a condemnation on any one church. Unfortunately, I know all too well how easy it is for someone to reject Jesus Christ as Supreme and worship something else. Doing this intentionally like a cultist is just as easy as doing it unintentionally as a Christian. And though it might be tempting (and somewhat lazy) to believe that all idols we might replace him with are only "bad ones", let us consider some of those idols that rob Jesus of worship that we so often deem "good." There are many good things that can lead us away from Jesus. The Jews have the guide to Jesus, Catholics have the vicar of Jesus, and the protestants, it seems, have the bride of Jesus. There is nothing wrong with loving the Church, until [...]

Old Thoughts on a New Church

2011-09-12T20:15:11+00:00By Sam Ford|Church Plant Lessons 101, Random Thoughts|

***This is a blog I wrote several months ago right after the first public gathering of Communion. I don't know why I didn't post it. But here it is*** Tonight was the first "public" gathering of our first church plant, Communion Church. Intended as an "information-service", the evening was book ended with worship as Jim shared about why we're planting a church at all. And though I doubt he'd agree because he's that cynical and self-deprecating (as all lead pastors tend to be), he spoke very well to the honor Jesus and His bride the church. What an experience to see 45 people,some who go to Damascus Road, others who do not, all whom didn't know our church existed when was planted 4 years ago, stood worshipping Jesus together. And while some sat at home watching dancing with the Stars, I watched God begin to plant a new church in the [...]