Tag Archives: Church

Message in A Minute: Works In progress

I was first invited to a church when I was 17 years old.

I had been to churches a few times growing up, but nothing even resembling a consistent church attendance.

I walked into that church at 17 years old with long hair, ripped jeans, and a heavy metal t-shirt on. I honestly wasn’t trying to push any buttons. That was just who I was, and I didn’t know enough about religion to even pretend I was somebody else.

Sure I got some odd looks, yes a couple father’s in the church subtly kept me from even sitting near their daughters. On Sundays, I would usually sit in the back, to avoid any uncomfortable situations. Things like that happen. I even understand why some assumed things about me.

But there were these older ladies who sat in the front row of the church who overwhelmed me with love. They would always hug me, ask me how I was doing, and accepted me exactly the way I was.

A couple times they even invited me and my group (made up of my brother, a cousin, and a friend) to sit with them in the front.

It looked like Metallica was sitting with the Golden Girls.

That’s what God does.

He brings people together, His grace is the same for us all, He isn’t impressed with our clothes, our financial situation, or our status.

It makes me smile when I think of those older ladies who were so welcoming. They are part of the reason I’m a pastor today.

Love people where they are, if they are rough around the edges, let God make any changes needed. Make sure you are growing in your faith, you just may be the reason another person opens their heart to God.

We are all a work in progress.
We are no better than another.
We are all candidates for God’s goodness.

-Tom Wise

Message In A Minute: Reach For Them

I’m a knife fanatic.

I have a collection of pocket knives. Too many honestly. While I only carry one at a time, I own more than a dozen.

Some of them are just a handle and blade, others are multi-tools with more options than a Chinese buffet.

I have one that I carry almost every day, Its a Victorinox Swiss Army Knife Ranger model. Along with the knives, scissors, and saw, it has items added to it. Like green polymer scales, an eye glass screwdriver, straight pin, ink pen, and a fire steel. It has everything I need daily, and enough extras for me to pretend like I’m MacGyver.

I walked into the bathroom yesterday, the lid was up on the toilet and that knife, my favorite, it fell in. I watched it tumble, I couldn’t react fast enough to stop it, it made a splash and it went right to the bottom. Even though the toilet was in the unused condition (if you know what I mean), it was gross to think of what I had to do.

I had no choice, for one thing it’s a good knife, secondly, the toilet won’t work in the future with a knife in it. I had to grab it.

I cleaned the knife, and cleaned it, and cleaned it. Then I washed my hands, and washed them, and washed them.

The knife is fine, it’s clean and dry now, I’ll carry it tomorrow. But the whole accident instantly taught me something.

Certain things are worth reaching for, even if you have to reach through something disgusting.

Some people are in circumstances that no person should be in, but they are worth reaching for. Some people even put themselves in conditions that are inhuman, but they are worth reaching for. Some would say, you can’t end a sentience with a preposition, but even they are worth reaching for.

I love the fact that Jesus implied His church would be established next to the gates of Hell, and Hell would not defeat it. God can reach into our Hell on earth and pull us out.

Christians often say they want to be the hands of Jesus.

Those hands were often dirty, touched people whom society deemed unclean, and received the worst humanity could offer.

But they still reached out to people of every type, in every situation. Figuratively those hands are still reaching.

Don’t give up on anyone, no one is too far gone, too lost, too covered up in the mess.

Pray for them, encourage them, and when it’s appropriate, reach into Hell itself to offer a way out.

They are worth it.

-Tom Wise

Message In A Minute: Love His People

A few years ago, I was walking in a small town passing out information about a church outreach event. 

This little boy on a scooter started following me. He asked me tons of questions and he needed details on everything. He was hilarious, energetic, and curious. From talking with him, it seemed like he lived with extended family and was not sure where his parents were living. Though he knew they were living separate from each other.

I think he just wanted somebody to listen to him.

He is the reason a local church exists.

Not for big buildings, 
impressive entertainment,
and doctrinal arguments 
But,
for small boys from broken homes, 
little girls with broken hearts, 
and adults with broken dreams.

Only God can put them all back together.

Grace is greater than all circumstances, but grace needs willing vessels to reach hearts. If you are part of a local church, make sure you participate in outreach activities as often as they are offered.

If you aren’t part of a local church, I encourage you to find one that focuses on helping the community it is in.

If you aren’t a Christian, thank you for even reading this in the first place, and I encourage you to investigate Christianity with an open mind.

And for me and my fellow Christians, we have no excuse for neglecting to impact the lives around us.

We are the church, forget the steeple, go into the world and love His people.

-Tom Wise

MIXED SIGNALS

Mixed signalsIn the morning, I like to turn on the radio in the kitchen and listen to the news as I fix the kids breakfast. I don’t know if it’s the time of day, the position of the radio or a problem at this particular station but often something goes wrong. I can hear a man sharing the news and I can also hear a commercial just as loud. I’m not sure if it’s two stations coming in to my radio or a technical glitch from the source but I can’t listen to the news because of the mixed signals. Continue reading →