Todd & Marielena Tillinghast

The Tillinghasts Panama Update - January 2012

2012-02-01T06:58:00.000-08:00

The Tillinghasts Panama Update December 2011 - Feliz Navidad!

2011-12-22T15:49:00.000-08:00

Happy Beneficiaries

2011-07-02T17:41:00.000-07:00

By Todd Tillinghast

Many Christians, if asked and if they answered honestly would characterize their Christian walk with the following phrase:

If I do....... then God will …....

and the idea is basically that if I:

Pray
Read the word
Go to church
Share my faith
Do acts of service
Be a good Christian boy or girl

then God will:

Answer my prayers
Bless me
Open doors for me
Give me what I want

when the true biblical characterization of what Christianity really is looks more like this statement:

Because Christ …... Now i can …......

Because Christ:

Died on the cross
Rose from the dead
Completely fulfilled the law and lived a sinless life
Made me righteous

Now I can:

Die to my flesh
Have Spiritual life within
Obey His commandments out of love
Rest in His righteousness and forsake my own righteousness.

When we are able to step back from the rampant humanism that consumes our media and modern day culture and look at the gospel the way that God meant it to be seen we are acutely aware that the gospel is not man centered. The Gospel is about God and what He has done for man. It is not about what man can do for God. It is not about what man has to offer God. It is not about man’s works. The gospel effectively relegates man to a place that he was always meant to be by His creator and that is as a recipient of a great gift called Grace. God is the benefactor and man is the beneficiary. Not the other way around.

When we can embrace the true gospel as it was delivered by Christ and the Apostles and communicated to us in His word a whole different worldview begins to emerge. We begin to realize that it is not what we have but what we don’t have that qualifies us for this great Grace that we receive (2 Cor 12:9). It is not about what we can do but what Christ already did. (RM 5:6) These revelations can be so freeing if we just allow ourselves to accept and believe them.

But in order to accept and believe them we have to lay down something that we have clung to for our entire lives. Something that we have nurtured and spent much time, money and care protecting and that is our selves. And it comes as a death blow to our self centered, man centered worldview to accept that it’s not about what I did and it’s ultimately not about what I do but it’s about what Christ did and what He set me free to be able to do in His power. The point in all of this is to say that it’s not about us!!!!!

But how liberating those words are. I for one am so glad that my salvation is not based on something as flimsy as my own works or my own capacity to do the right things because I would surely loose it. God created us to be beneficiaries of a great benefactor, Himself. And He gifts us with grace. Not grace that we deserve, not grace that we could ever earn but just simply Grace that he has decided to give us. And without this grace there is no hope for any of us. So, when I can begin to understand the gospel of grace in those terms it makes me a happy beneficiary for sure!!!!

TOO MANY PHARMACISTS AND NOT ENOUGH SURGEONS

2011-07-02T16:37:00.000-07:00

by Todd Tillinghast

we usually approach the human dilemma as something that needs to be cured. Sure there’s a problem in the world but it’s not man. Man does many foolish and unhealthy things, that we readily admit but he can change and do many great things if he is just shown the way, just given the right formula, just taught how. So many of our churches are led by pharmacists. Pastors and bible teachers who treat man’s problem as a sickness or a malady that can be cured by exercise and the right kinds of prescriptions. So by necessity they treat the word of God like an encyclopedia of medications for all of life’s maladies. But when we treat the Bible, God’s living word, His redemption narrative, His holy revealed oracle to us today as nothing more than an encyclopedia meant to be leafed through to find the answers or the prescriptions for a better life we necessarily do violence to the Scriptures. Now prescriptions by nature are simple little concepts. They are characterized by phrases like:

Take two of these and call me in the morning
Take this with food
Take one in the morning and one at night

Prescriptions aren’t meant to be complicated they are meant to be easy solutions to problems. So, in order to create the prescriptions that give us the quick answers that we want and think we need we have created a devotional culture in the church. We read our Psalm and proverb for the day or we read someone Else's devotional in a devotion book and we say our little prayer and off we go living a better life by the minute.

The problem is that when I read the Bible I don’t see it described by itself as

A dictionary for life’s maladies
An encyclopedia of prescriptions for a better life
A road map for life
God’s little prescription book

No, I see it described as things like:

A sharp two edged sword. Hebrews 4:12, Ephesians 6:17
A mirror that reveals my weaknesses. James 1:22-25
Something that by knowing sets me free. John 8:31,32
A belt that girds me up with strength and prepares me to fight. Ephesians 6:14
Something I have to work at and be disciplined in studying in order to rightly handle. 2 Tim 2:15
Something that, in it’s entirety, is breathed out by God and is profitable for correction, rebuke, teaching and training in righteousness. 2 Tim 3:16

Too many teachers of God’s word seem to fancy themselves as pharmacists dolling out portions of scripture, a verse here and a verse there in order to make their constituents feel better about themselves when the real issue is that the problem is their selves. We don’t need our egos to be medicated, we need to be extricated from our egos. This is what the teacher of God’s word is to address in His teaching because this is what God’s word deals with.

For those of us who have been given this awesome and fearful responsibility to teach God’s word every week, we must be ready to bring our scalple to the pulpit on Sunday morning rather than a prescription pad.

BAD TIMING

2011-06-09T21:41:00.000-07:00

it was the evening before Christ’s death and it was also the time for the passover meal to be eaten according to Jewish custom. John 13:1 sets the scene for us as John explains how Jesus knew that it was the hour that he would depart from the world and that “he loved those who were his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end.” So these words immediately draw us into the kind of evening Jesus had in store for his own, his disciples those who he loved. Luke tells us in chapter 22:15,16 that he had earnestly desired to eat the passover meal with them and that it was to be the last meal he would eat with them on the earth. The last supper. So we understand by just the introduction of this story that this was a very important evening for Jesus and the men that he would use to start his church and spread the gospel through out the world. Then, what he goes on to say and the events that unfold are heavy to say the least:

He tells them that Judas will betray him and Judas leaves
He tells peter in front of everyone that he will deny him
He tells them that he is going to die
He shares the first communion with them and tells then that the bread and wine signify his broken body and shed blood.
He washes their feet in a demonstration of servant hood and how they are to treat each other.
He prays His high priestly prayer over them.

During this special and somber evening Jesus was more focused on his disciples then He was on himself. And he was trying to impart to this group of men who were to carry on His legacy and be the forerunners of this new movement that looked and sounded and tasted different than anything the world had ever known the characteristics they were to have as leaders. How did the disciples, the men who would become the apostles of the church, the men, some of which would write the New Testament, who would be used by God to heal the sick and cast out demons and who would carry the gospel across the known world respond?

Luke 22:24 tells us how. “A dispute arose among them as to who was to be the greatest.” Bad timing guys!!! Jesus must have been thinking “here we go again.” Now we don’t know for sure based on a study of the parallel accounts what the order was of all of these events. Maybe Jesus responded to this dispute by humbling himself and washing their feet or maybe he washed their feet before the dispute arose. The order of events does not matter. The point is that they were still discussing these things which seemed to be a regular concern of theirs even now in this desperate hour before Christ’s death. He was sharing His last supper, the very first communion with them and praying for them and telling God how much he loved them and telling them how much he loved them and in the vicinity of all of this they are still concerned about who would be the greatest?

Now no doubt there were a few things happening at this supper that made this concern rise to the surface. With all the talk of Jesus dying they must have been very agitated at the fact that he said nothing about who would take over after he left. Who was going to be charge after Jesus died? I mean, how could Jesus not understand that this was an important matter?

They also must have been concerned, in the event that they would die with Him the next day, about who would sit at his left and right hands in heaven? I mean, Jesus hadn’t answered that old question adequately to their satisfaction either. And here it was, the night before he was going to die. It was time to put everything on the table (no pun intended) and stop procrastinating on these important issues.

And there was one more issue that presumably had them perplexed and that was where everyone was seated around the table. Now in the ancient world (the Jewish culture was no exception) the order at which people sat at the table had a great level of significance. The guest of honor or the head of the family would sit at the head of the table. And the next important people in order of age (especially if it was a family) would sit at his right and left sides. Well we know from John 13:23 that the disciple whom Jesus loved, which was John was sitting there at his side close enough to lean back against him. Now John was one of the youngest among the disciples, maybe the youngest. So this must have caused a great deal of consternation here because they must have been thinking “is Jesus going to make John one of the youngest the leader after he leaves us?” And of course this would not be fair or culturally sound.

Now, Jesus does two things in response to this kind of behaviour. He tells them that the greatest is the youngest and the one who serves. Then he demonstrates that by taking all of his garments off and wrapping himself with a towel in the manner of the lowest servant in the household and he washes their feet. Imagine the impact of that visual on the disciples. The incarnate, God--man Jesus Christ, the king of glory, wrapping himself in the garment of the lowliest servant of the household, doing the lowest, most detestable and demeaning job there was, cleaning another person’s feet. And they still didn’t get it!!

It is very easy for us to look at the disciples with judgement but don’t we usually do the same things? Aren’t we concerned with the same questions? But notice that Jesus never answered their question. He never said, “Peter is in charge” or “John is in charge.” One would think that it would behoove him to do just that considering the fact that he was entrusting the building of His church to these men. But he did not focus on what their titles would be. He concentrated on what their character needed to be.

It is so easy for us to get caught up in our status. Most of us aren’t as bold as the disciples and just blurt out our fears, concerns and questions. Most of us know how to pretend like we really don’t care who is on the worship team at church or we don’t care if they failed to ask us to teach a bible class because hey... we are just servants. But the reality is that we are all struggling with the same things the disciples were.

The disciples exhibited a classic case of bad timing. They were more concerned with themselves than with what Jesus was saying. How many times have we sat through a bible study or church service and have been more concerned with who was on the stage and who was not on the stage and who we thought should be on the stage or in the front or in the spotlight rather than focusing on the message of life God was trying to communicate to us at that specific moment? I know I have, how about you?

Our response, when we see this in ourselves should be identical to that of Christ’s. Just humble ourselves and strip ourselves of all the garments and titles that make us feel important and find a way to serve. God help us, because we all know how difficult that truly is!!!!!!

The Tillinghasts Panama Update January - February 2011

2011-02-24T07:06:00.001-08:00

The Tillinghasts Panama Update - December 2010

2010-12-20T23:33:00.000-08:00

Happy Thanksgiving from The Tillinghasts ♥

2010-11-25T13:45:00.000-08:00

GETTING BOGGED DOWN IN THE BLOGOSPHERE The Christian on the net”

2010-11-05T21:55:00.000-07:00

By Todd Tillinghast

It has been said that the Internet and particularly the Blogosphere has redefined the way we disseminate information from being lecture oriented to being conversation oriented. If this is true then the way that we search for, receive and process the truth has necessarily been altered as well. Is this something that we as Christians should be concerned with and if so what we can we do about it?

There is no question that the Blogosphere has positive attributes. It has given voice to many people and has encouraged involvement in arenas ranging from politics to religion to charitable giving. In many ways it has enhanced our connectedness. It can also be said that it has increased our level of intelligence as a people as we are becoming researchers by nature and delving deeper into issues than maybe ever before.

But on the other hand, the case can be made that the Blogosphere has created more confusion than good. That it has not engendered a conversation but an ongoing argument and debate in which all parties involved simply dig in and defend their own positions. And in an ironic turn of events, some believe that the blogosphere and all social networking for that matter have had the opposite effect of what we thought. It has made us more disconnected and close-minded.

Personally, I am leaning more toward the second option when I gauge my own reactions to the blogging that I have gotten involved with. If I write a blog and someone comments and disagrees with it I find myself digging in and at all costs and defending what I already wrote. I also, ashamedly, find myself at times looking for someone to appose on the Blogosphere. I have a sneaky feeling that I’m not the only one who does that.

At its best the Blogosphere seems to offer a great idea forum in which to express and discuss issues. At it’s worse it seems to be an instrument that highlights sentiments of intellectual superiority and causes unnecessary arguments devouring hours and hours of people’s time that they could be utilizing for more important things like parenting, earning a living or eating a meal in order to sustain life.

The real question I would like to pose here is “What should the Christian’s response to the blogosphere be?”

Without a doubt the Blogosphere offers evangelistic opportunities unlike any other medium. Now we can all be armchair missionaries not even needing to leave the comfort of our own home to communicate the gospel. I have to believe that the blogosphere would fall under Paul’s “become all things to all people category” in 1^st Corinthians 9:19-23. “To the bloggers I have become like a blogger, multitasking so as to win the multitaskers to the lord.”

But how successful is this ministry of evangelism? How effective can it be when every truth that is uttered and every idea that is thrown into the blogging machine is immediately cut to pieces and examined and reexamined and reconfigured in a million different ways? I wonder if evangelizing on the Blogosphere is liken to throwing our pearls before swine. (Mathew 7:6)

Well, we know that in any forum and every forum people will disagree and reject the gospel. We also know that in any forum and in every forum it is only the Goodness of God that will ultimately lead someone to repentance anyway RM. 2:4). So it seems imperative that we view the blogosphere as a mission field. Our task however is to do it without getting bogged down in the mire that can be the blogosphere. After many wasted hours of getting tangled up in threads and saying many things that I later regretted I have decided to place some restrictions on myself when it comes to the Blogosphere.

1. Only write blogs that have a purpose beyond just inciting a debate.

Argument and debate will most definitely ensue no matter what the topic to some extent. But many of us have thrown topics out there or downloaded videos onto our blogs that we know will stir up the pot. And many of us have taken a guilty pleasure in watching people go at each other over it. This, in my opinion, although completely acceptable within approved blogosphere culture, is not what Christ would have us to do. Sure Jesus had no problem engaging in public debates with the Pharisees. And he wasn’t always polite either,. But usually they would come to him with a question in an effort to try to trip him up and make him look like a fool. The instances in which He challenged them on His own accord were times when he had a definite purpose in mind. Paul admonishes us that “if it is possible live peaceably among all men.” (RM 13:18) The reality of the matter is that sometimes it isn’t possible when there is real truth at stake to be defended. But it is possible to not argue constantly for the sake of arguing.

2. Only engage in other blogs that you are passionate about.

Again, when I feel that there is a truth that needs to be defended in a blog or I believe that there may be something I can contribute that might actually help someone then by all means I should engage in that particular blog. If it is a subject that I am passionate about then it will be something that I am knowledgeable about and won’t need to spend too much time researching in order to authenticate my statements. If it is just something that really doesn’t matter beyond the possibility of me being able to show my intellectual prowess or an opportunity to irritate somebody it is probably a waste of my time. It is the truth that we know that sets us free (John 8:32) and it will be the truth that we know and that we can effectively communicate that God can use to set others free.

3. Stick to just the facts and don’t be afraid to actually say something.

Many blogs and bloggers do a whole lot of talking but really don’t say anything. This idea of “just putting it out there for discussion.” Often times has the effect of watering down anything of substance. Don’t be afraid to say what you believe and stand your ground. Provide the necessary authentication for your statements but then don’t just morph into the “just saying” kind of attitude. Say something and then defend if you are going to say anything at all.

4. Don’t go to the Blogosphere seeking truth go there to speak the truth.

Conversation is not the best means to arrive at truth. It is a great way to work out the implications and personal applications of truth but it is not an effective way to obtain it. Conversation causes us to arrive at conclusions which are based on consent of all opinions offered. Consent is not truth. This is a form of subjectivism and usually results in more confusion than enlightenment. As Christians we do not need to consult the popular opinions of the gurus on the blogosphere to arrive at a truthful synopsis of any subject. We need to go to scripture for that. (2nd Tim 3:16)

At first glance this statement sounds arrogant but if you think about it this is less arrogant than the idea that we can all sit around and pontificate with our intellectual musings and somehow arrive at the truth. This makes our source for truth ourselves. When we allow the bible to be our baseline of truth we are humbly submitting ourselves to a higher enlightenment than just our own minds and emotions.

When Paul steps into the ancient equivalent of the blogosphere the “Aeropogus” in which “the Athenians and the foreigners who were there spent their time in nothing else but either to hear or to tell a new thing.” (Acts 17:21) he doesn’t pull any punches. He is not informed by the philosophers but to the contrary he speaks the truth into their context.

Well I am hoping that these new guideline will help me as a Christian blogger to waste less time getting bogged down in the blogosphere. I am very interested in knowing what you think about this blog which I have no doubt you’ll tell me that is, I hope, if you are passionate enough about this topic.

THE BEREAN PROCESS “How you can ensure that you are in a good church.”

2010-11-01T19:01:00.000-07:00

By Todd Tillinghast

Many Christians struggle with questions like these as much as anything else concerning their faith:

{ “Am I in the right church?”

{ “Is this a good church?”

{ “Is the Pastor teaching the word of God correctly?”

{ “How do I find a good church?”

Unfortunately, this issue of finding a good church has caused many Christians to become disenchanted with Christianity and in many cases stop going to church altogether. First of all we must remember that it is important that we continue to meet together (Hebrews 10:24,25) for the very reasons listed in these verses. When we meet together we stir each other up to love and good works. When we meet together we are expressing the Body of Christ. But how does one find the right Church? Maybe you are currently in a church that makes you feel uncomfortable and would like to know how to be sure that it is a solid Bible teaching church. Or maybe you currently aren’t attending a church and are looking for one. In the Bible we see an example of a thriving, Bible centered church in Berea. We also see demonstrated by the Bereans the means by which one can know that they are in the right church.

In Acts 17: 1-15 we have the account of two churches. And these two churches were indeed very different. But what is it that delineated the Church of Thessalonica from the church at Berea? Why was the church at Berea so much more successful than the church at Thessalonica? What was different? Was it the preacher? No, Paul and Silas were the preachers in both locations. Was it the message? No, the message was also the same, the gospel. Maybe it was the process. No, we see that in both vs.2 and vs. 10 Paul and Silas employed the exact same approach as “was their custom” in all the cities where they planted churches. They went to the Synagogue of the Jews first. So what was the difference?

Well in vs. 11 we see the delineating factor. The Bereans were the difference. The fact that they were more fair-minded than the Thessalonians is what made all the difference. Now the reason why they were more fair-minded was not due to any form of cultural superiority or social-economic distinction between the two groups. Both groups were Jews. Likewise it wasn’t because the Bareans had any kind of intellectual or even spiritual edge. They needed the gospel to be saved just like everyone else. Let’s take a look at what set them apart.

1. They received the word in all readiness. Vs.11

This speaks for itself but I will allow Commentator John Gill to unpack this idea in his own words… “This they did with all readiness, as an hungry man receives his food, and greedily feeds upon it, or as a man ready to perish receives and lays hold on anything that offers for his safety.” That’s intense. That’s beyond just showing up to church and settling into the weekly ritual. That’s saying I’m here to learn, I’m hungry for the word. Is that the attitude that you and your fellow parishioners have at your church?

Now notice here that it doesn’t say they received Paul readily. It doesn’t say anything about Paul. It says that they received the word readily. They had a reverence for the Old Testament and when anyone began to talk about it they adopted the attitude of listening out of respect for the truth.

2. They searched the scriptures daily. Vs.11

They listened to Paul and Timothy and allowed them to have their say but they didn’t just take their word for it. They went home and “searched the scriptures daily to find out whether these things were so.” Why did they do this, so that they could find a reason to discredit Paul and Timothy? That is not implicit in the text. They did it because they were truth seekers and they wanted to know the truth. Now if they had found something that was not true they would have had grounds to dispel Paul and Timothy. But their reasons would have been more fair-minded than the reason the Thessalonians had in vs.5 to insight a mob in an attempt to throw them into prison or worse to stone them. The Thessalonians’ reason was envy. They envied Paul and Silas. All too often we focus on the messenger rather than the message. If we are truth seekers and if we love the word of God then how we receive it shouldn’t matter. What matters is that it is correct. All too often we get into personality conflicts in the Church over leadership issues and envy issues because we are too focused on man and gifts rather than on learning and growing in the word of God. This works both ways. If we immediately become suspect or envious of all leaders who have influence we may miss an opportunity to receive some very good teaching. We have here in this account a process of accountability that can hold all parties involved to the same standard. The truth is the standard. If the person preaches and teaches the truth and we have verified it ourselves then we should receive what they say with all readiness. If they do not then we are not obligated to listen to them or allow ourselves to be influenced by them. We also need to be careful that our motives are not driven by envy of anyone who seems to have more influence than we do or who seems to be more gifted than we are. Let the word and its truth be the litmus test for who we allow to teach us and who we do not listen to.

3. Are there new believers coming into the church? Vs.12.

The next verse tells us the result of the Berean’s response to the word being preached. Many of them believed. Not just Jews but prominent Greeks as well. Evangelism is a foregone conclusion when the truth is being preached and received correctly in any place. The truth sets people free. When people are abiding in His word (Searching the scriptures daily) and the unadulterated, undiluted truth is being taught then people will be set free. (John 8:31, 32) This is exactly what happened in Berea.

4. Is there controversy? Vs.13

“The Jews from Thessalonica came and stirred up the crowds.” One indicator that the truth is not being diluted is when it causes a certain amount of controversy. If someone isn’t getting upset and if there isn’t any disagreement and or healthy debate taking place within your congregation the chances are the truth either isn’t presented or it is unrecognizable amidst a mixture of tolerance soaked ideas and liberal theology. Christ understood this implicitly when He shockingly reveals in Mathew 10:34-36 that He came to bring a sword. The truth divides as much as it unites. It creates clear delineations and makes it obvious where people stand on issues. This is the nature of truth.

While certainly not an exhaustive list these principles should give us a clear idea of whether or not a church is a good one. Certainly childcare, location and other preferential issues are important. But if the truth is not being taught, the people are not abiding in the word and there is not an agreed upon accountability process between the teachers and the congregation then all the preferential items don’t matter. On the other hand, one could endure a longer commute or even less than perfect sounding music in order to be involved with a group of truth lovers who work it out and live it out as a community. Remember, according to our text today the difference between a good church and bad one is not the preacher or the message but whether the people are Berean in their attitude towards the word or not. That’s good news, because that means having or finding a great church begins with you.

The Tillinghasts Panama Update - July - August 2010

2010-09-02T19:55:00.000-07:00

BEING GOOD AINT GOOD ENOUGH “Glenn Beck as spiritual advisor, huh???”

2010-09-01T13:24:00.000-07:00

By Todd Tillinghast

For months I have been trying to wrap my head around and figure out this force of nature that has popped up on the radar screen seemingly out of nowhere. Glenn Beck!!!!

Let me just be very clear right from the outset. In many ways I like Glenn Beck. I think his honesty is a refreshing breath of clean air in a media that is to say the least less than objective. I think that if he ran for president considering our current choices I would probably vote for him. I agree with many of his “political” precepts such as small government and low taxes to name a few. I even think that he is doing a great job as “the man shouting from the watchtower” warning us about the coming storm. I think that we are in a place in the U.S. where we need a Glenn Beck on the political landscape. Whether you agree with him or not you have to admit that he is very influential and he has certainly caused us to stop and think. He demonstrated that incredible level of influence last Saturday when he generated a crowd of nearly half a million people to the mall on the 47^th anniversary of Martin Luther King’s “I have a dream speech.” Politically we, Glenn and I, see eye to eye.

My problem (or discomfort may be a better description of the way I am feeling) is in his growing status as a Spiritual leader in the U.S. He himself seems to be most comfortable with this characterization. He made it very clear that the “Restoring Honor” celebration in Washington on August 28^th was not political. He discouraged people from brining signs and he strove not to allow any of the speakers to make political comments. Some would argue that the mere presence of Sarah Palin regardless of what she said broke this oath. What he did proceed to do was to create a church like service in which there was singing and open prayers. He was flanked on stage with what he is calling the “Black Robe Brigade” which is a group of inter- faith ministers. Now here is where I get uncomfortable.

To many Christians this rally and the formation of this Brigade may seem like a huge step in the right direction. I couldn’t disagree more. I respect Beck and the many attendees of the rally for their recognition that there is a problem in our country. I also can appreciate the desire and the readiness to assemble and organize. I think that those two aspects are steps in the right direction. My fear is that while trying to move away from the wrong things that are beginning to transpire in our nation (the move toward socialism, the loss of individual rights) that we may be taking a wrong turn trying to right the wrong.

Beck courageously, emotionally and very effectively totes the rights of the individual. He talks about how this country needs to be restored. He talks about how things like honor, faith and charity will bring our country back. And he probably is right it will restore our country. But the question is, restore it to what? His faith in the “every man” is admirable until it crosses the line into humanism where the individual not the collective becomes god. It’s a fine line.

He also talks about how we need to be in unity, that people from all faiths need to unify under the same banner. Again, this sounds wonderful but the question is what banner will we be unified under? Let’s not forget that Beck is a Mormon. As Christians we need to decide if faith, hope and love are what we stand for or if we stand for Christ the only true generator of Faith, hope and love.

People deride Beck for being extreme and radical. I don’t think he’s extreme enough. I think that he is simply positing another version of tolerance and modernism dressed up in conservative rather than liberal clothes.

No, faith, hope and charity will not save this country. Unity will not save this country. These things are important to be sure but they are results of something else. They cannot become an end in and of themselves. They need to become the fruition of something else. Something more primary needs to happen first and if this happens then these elements will result. And it doesn’t start in the media or in the political realm. It begins with the real Church of Jesus Christ.

And it doesn’t start with picketing lines, or town hall meetings. It starts with repentance. 2 Chronicles 7:14 says “if my people who are called by my name humble themselves, and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land.” ESV

We are all responsible for the state our country is in not just the Liberals and Progressives. We have all sinned and we have all dishonored God (RM 3:23). As the church we would do better to get on our knees and pray first before we even go to the voting booth or the political rally. The truth is the only hope for the United States now as it has always been is God. Good works aren’t good enough. It has to start with us His people. We need to turn off the Fox News channel just for a couple of minutes and look in the mirror and ask ourselves “what wicked ways do I have in my life?” “What wicked websites have I been visiting?” “What wicked thoughts are there in my heart?”

Church, Glenn Beck is not the Spiritual leader we need in this hour. He definitely is a political leader and I rather hope he runs for office. But we do not need to get our Spiritual advice from him, especially when we have the greatest source of wisdom ever written, The Holy Bible.

Unity only becomes an agent of good when the source of that unity is right. The Nazi’s were also unified in 1930’s Germany. Does that mean their cause was right? Unity for unity’s sake at the cost of truth is not the right kind of unity. Unity is important but it is not the first step. We need to call ourselves and our world to repentance and to come back to Christ and Christ alone. And then we need to demonstrate that by getting down on our own knees. While we are there on our knees crying out to the one and only God, Jesus Christ and we look around to see who is with us then we should join hands with those who are doing the same and let that be our unity.

Christ Eteem Part 2 : Paul’s perspective.

2010-08-25T12:18:00.000-07:00

By Todd Tillinghast

“The humble man because he sees himself as nothing can see other things as they are.” Iris Murdoch

“To me who am less than the least of the saints.” Ephesians 3:8

Now this is a very telling phrase. Here we have a rare opportunity as we see Paul addressing himself to catch a glimpse of Paul’s personality by seeing the way he thought of himself and the terminology that he used to describe himself. A quick read through the salutations of all of his epistles reveals that Paul referred to himself in different ways at different times.

He is known to call himself a:

-        Bondservant
-        A prisoner of Christ
-        An Apostle
-        A Pharisee of Pharisees
-        One abnormally born
-        A saint
-        Chief of sinners
-        A minister
-        The apostle to the gentiles
-        The least of the apostles
-        And here as less than the least of all the saints.

When we look at this list of titles we may get the sense that maybe Paul had an identity crisis. These are not just role distinctions like someone saying I’m a dad an employee and a husband. These are different ways in which he referred to himself and are indicative of how he saw himself.

Now my first gut reaction when I see or hear someone refer to themselves like this is to be skeptical. In fact, to me it smacks of false humility.

“Well I am the least of the least and I feel pretty good about that, why don’t you tell me how wonderful I am.”

To be honest with you few things irritate me more than false humility. Phrases like:
-        “Oh It wasn’t me it was all God” or
-        “I didn’t have anything to do with it”
-        Or “I’m just trying to serve”

I think we all know that most of the time when we or someone else say things like this that in actuality the opposite is true. We are essentially saying that we want people to recognize us for being so insignificant. “Pat us on the back and show us how proud you are of our humility please.”

I have always thought that it’s just better to demonstrate humility not go overboard in trying to convince everybody how humble you are with your words. Just think about this phrase from our modern understanding it’s like an oxymoron. If you are the least of the least then doesn’t that actually mean that you are the best of the least? “I’m a bigger servant than you are nah ,nah, nah, nah, nah, nah.”

Well that certainly may be the feeling we get when we look at this through modern lenses but what is Paul really saying here?

As we return to Paul’s words in Ephesians chapter three we are reminded that there is a purpose in his appellations. There were other times when Paul called himself an Apostle because he needed to stand in a place where he needed to correct such as with the Corinthians and then there were other times when he called himself a bondservant as that was what was required to accomplish his purposes of exalting Christ.

There was even a time in Philippians: 3:4-6 that Paul proceeds to give quite a lengthy resume of all the things that he had done. He must have known that he would be criticized for bragging here but he said it anyway because his purpose in the end was to magnify Christ. In fact in 2^nd Cor 12:11 we see that Paul is fully aware of the fact that he is boasting and says “I am fool for boasting.” The point is that there were people who thought he was braggadocios and he knew it and there were people who criticized him and made fun of his speaking abilities (2^nd Cor 10:10). He also had a reputation and was feared by many as “the Christian killer”, but I believe that his utilitarian use of different appellations is indicative of the fact that his titles and what he thought about himself (and subsequently what others thought about him) were not that important to him. What was important were that his life, words and deeds magnified Christ.

Paul wasn’t being disingenuous when he called himself “less than the least of the saints.” He wasn’t being theatrical or practicing false humility. I love what Calvin remarks here about Paul “This is no hypocritical declaration. Most men are ready enough to make professions of feigned humility, while their minds are swelled with pride, and in words to acknowledge themselves inferior to every one else, while they wish to be regarded with the highest esteem, and think themselves entitled to the highest honor. Paul is perfectly sincere in admitting his unworthiness; nay, at other times he speaks of himself in far more degrading language.”

The next part of the verse helps us see what Paul understood, that he was nothing without God’s grace. It was God’s grace that was given to him to be what he was and to do what he could do. Paul understood that he was nothing without God’s grace and if that was true for Paul as an Apostle then it is certainly true of us.

We don’t have to compete to see who is the least or the best because the reality is that we are all nothing without His grace. Like Paul we are all the least. He was simply verbalizing what we should all embrace and believe and understand about ourselves not for the purpose of trying to prove to everyone how humble we are or to try to be superior in our humility but because it is the truth.

We are so afraid to say things like this today because it would be a terrible blow to our self esteem. But I don’t believe that we will truly ever be completely free and have the healthy self esteem we are supposed to have until we understand that we are nothing without God’s grace and that we are only something because of God’s grace. It’s not self esteem that we need but God’s grace that forms our identity. I believe Paul’s lesson here is that in a very real sense we can come to the highest and healthiest level of self esteem when we can say I am the least and be ok with it.

The problem with false humility is not primarily what we say but what we believe. If we say we are the least but we really don’t believe it or we are saying it just to get people’s accolades or to manipulate them then it is false humility and it is hypocrisy. But if we truly believe the truth which is that you and I and the apostle Paul and Billy Graham, never were and never will be anything without the grace of God and you say that then you aren’t being disingenuous.

The question first for you and I is “what do I believe about myself?

I am becoming more and more convinced that the road to real freedom is not through building up my self esteem but through emptying me of my self and esteeming Christ in me. I’m not there yet. I just started on the long journey but I believe there is light at the other end of the tunnel. Please pray for me.

Christ Esteem, “who do you think you are?” part 1: Christ's perspective

2010-08-23T20:00:00.000-07:00

There seems to be two prevailing streams of thought in the body of Christ today as it pertains to our self image and how we should present ourselves. And these two streams of thought are at polar opposites. They are diametrically opposed. For the sake of our discussion today and at the risk of over simplifying I have classified these two ideas as formal and informal. Please humor me as I try to explain.

1. Formal. The formal idea adopts certain scriptures such as rev 5:10 “we are kings and priests, or 1^st peter 2:9 which tell us that “we are a chosen nation and chosen generation, his own special people.”

People who subscribe to this approach emphasize words like royalty and focus on titles such as bishop, apostle and saints. They concentrate heavily on the fact that we are royalty and that we are to be blessed. They dress, act and talk as if to showcase this fact. Their mentality is that the world will be drawn to us because of our outward success and so therefore they will want to be Christians because as Christians they can be successful like us.

I remember several years ago there was a Christian song that came out that for me sums up this mentality called “I’m proud to be a Christian.” I always thought “proud to be a Christian isn’t that counterintuitive?” It sounds like an oxymoron to me.

2. Informal: The second group is the informal group. They emphasize humility in all things especially in the way that we think and talk about ourselves.

They are averse to titles. Everybody is on the same playing field and there is a real informality to everything. They are against boasting and drawing attention to self because this is not humility.

Now to be sure there are strengths and weaknesses in both of these persuasions.

While there is no doubt that we are, spiritually speaking, royalty and we are a chosen generation and we are a nation of kings and priests. But since this our Spiritual position and posture is it necessary to constantly proclaim it rubbing everybody’s nose in it all the time? The obvious weakness of this viewpoint is that it can and often does promote pride. Titles become too much of the focus.

On the other hand, some of us need to hear and remember who we are in Christ from time to time. Some of us need a good biblical boost of our self esteem and remember that we are children of the king so that makes us royalty.

The Biblical idea expressed by Christ and His apostles seems to strike a balance somewhere in between these two extremes.Let’s take a look at what may be the greatest treatise on a healthy self image in the entire bible. Philippians 2:5-7

In verse 5 we see that humility and servant hood are mindsets. It has more to do with what you think about yourself than what you say about yourself.

Vs 6 says that Jesus knew who He was. He knew He was God and he knew He was equal with God. You may be thinking “yeah but he didn’t brag about it.” Well Jesus did not go around calling himself the carpenter or Joseph and Mary’s son either. How did he refer to himself?

We must remember that in ancient Israel the Jews considered the name of God to be so sacred that they would not utter it. They had no word for it. But Jesus, this carpenter from Nazareth shows up on the scene and starts throwing these terms around from the Old Testament that were references only to God and he was referring to himself in the first person as:

n The alpha and the omega

n The son of God

n The son of man

n The lord

This incensed the Jewish rulers and religious elite of the day. They considered this to be blasphemy. In fact, this was the major charge they had against him. This was the reason why he was sentenced to death not because of his miracles but more than anything else because of what he said about himself.

The Jews wanted him dead because he claimed to be God. And the Romans wanted him dead because he claimed to be the king of the Jews and they feared that he would start an uprising as their king to overthrow Roman rule. On both counts it was due to what he said and what he believed about himself that landed Him on the cross.

What we say about ourselves is indicative of what we believe about ourselves and that belief has ramifications and consequences. Jesus knew who he was, he referred to himself as the son of God and the son of man and he did not correct others when they did likewise.

Does this mean that Jesus was not humble? No, he was still humble not because he thought of himself as less than he was but because of his actions.

Vs. 7 tells us that he made himself of no reputation. He took the form of a bondservant which was a willing slave and humbled himself in obedience even unto death. His actions showed him to be a servant and humble. It didn’t take away from his humility that he was confident in who he was. Christ was not concerned about His reputation or what others thought.

This seems to be the message that Christ’s language about Himself combined with his actions demonstrate to us. Christ’s self esteem was a perfect mixture of confidence and humility. He did not need to engage in false humility or exaggerate titles in order to define Himself. He knew who he was and boldly stated this understanding while at the same time demonstrating what His true purpose was and that was to be the servant of all.

It is so easy to get caught up in what others think about us. Any titles we possess or don’t possess only have meaning for others. They tell others who we are or who we are desperately trying to be. An overemphasis on titles in either extreme is still that an overemphasis on titles. Stringently insisting that there should be no titles and structuring all interactions around this fact is still an overemphasis on titles. The key is to know who we are in Christ, be confident about that fact and remember that our purpose here on earth is just as it was for Him to be the servant of all. We need to learn how to be content with letting people say what they will. And we can always rest assured that they will.

A WORD IS WORTH A THOUSAND PICTURES

2010-07-05T19:59:00.000-07:00

By Todd Tillinghast

In our world today the visible picture has taken it’s place of preeminence in our lives. We’ve all heard the saying “a picture is worth a thousand words” and in a certain sense this is true. But on the other hand nothing is more powerful than words. God created the heavens and the earth with words. Words are the glue and the stuff of our relationships. Words teach, build and destroy. Words can be used to describe a sunset that paints the most beautiful picture imaginable in the mind. Words are a window to the soul. Words reveal what’s inside even more than body language. If someone really understands the power of words and really embraces the power of listening they can and will live a rich life full of wonderful relationships and health in all areas.

But have we sacrificed the “word” to “the god of the image”? Have we weakened, cheapened it to the point where it has lost its meaning? In our day where visualization is king how can we get back to the power of the word?

Here is just one way that words make a difference.

ENCOURAGEMENT

When we are working or studying hard it is easy for us to neglect or not realize our own need for encouragement. We can be equally oblivious to the need that others around us have for encouragement. It can look like nothing is changing day after day after day even though we know we are making a difference it would be nice to hear someone acknowledge and applaud our efforts once in awhile. But with most people encouragement doesn’t come easily.

When I was teaching middle school I had a great example of this kind of encouragement. When you are working with young people, for the most part, at least at the elementary and middle school levels you are left with trying to find encouragement in their actions or in their test scores but what teachers may really be desiring and actually need is for one of their students to say “thank you so much for all your hard work, it really means a lot to me.” The administration can say this and fellow teachers can say it and often do but when the people you are directly pouring your life into say it very clearly it definitely matters the most. Now it’s not that kids don’t appreciate what we do for them it’s that they are not mature enough to express their gratitude in a way that would truly encourage us.

I found that in the earlier part of the year it went a long way just to look for all those encouragements in the way that a student performed on a test or an improvement in their behavior. But as the year went on I needed more.

At about this time I was having a particularly difficult and dismal day. You know those kinds of days when you think “ what’s the point, who cares and does it really matter.” Well on that day I happened to have a meeting with a parent of a student who was really struggling in my class and in school in general. And after the meeting his father came to me and said something to the effect of “whatever you are doing with our son it’s working.   He really likes you. He says that History is his favorite class. Thank you for caring about our son.” Now it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to know that the rest of the day was amazing for me. I mean I was floating on air. It was incredible. Suddenly every kid I talked to was important and every class I taught mattered and I believed that I was making a difference.

Imagine if you could create a culture in your sphere of influence where you were really intentional everyday about giving encouraging words. Eph 5:19 19 “speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord”

Not sappy or super spiritual; or forced words of encouragement but real genuine from the heart compliments and encouragements. We all need to hear it. So it starts with us.

Proverbs 25:11 says that “a word aptly spoken is like apples of gold in settings of silver.” This is encouragement at it’s finest.   One word can not only change someone’s day but turn their whole life around. Who can you give an apt word to this week?

The Tillinghasts Panama Update - March - June 2010

2010-06-21T22:37:00.000-07:00

THE BIBLE IS MORE THAN JUST A ROADMAP FOR LIFE

2010-05-31T12:42:00.000-07:00

By Todd Tillinghast

Most of us have heard the saying that the Bible is a “road map for life.” While this is certainly true it is only descriptive of a fraction of the Bible’s purpose and potency. In fact, I would argue that continuing to apply such labels to the Bible may sound nice but actually has the affect of diluting our impressions and expectations of what the bible really is and has to offer.

Does the bible offer answers to our every day lives? Absolutely! This is part of its power and continued appeal throughout the ages. Should we merely view the bible as an encyclopedia or answer book for our problems? Absolutely not!! Actually, we shouldn’t even begin with personal application when studying the word. Allow me to explain.

It is almost selfish of us to approach the Bible like nothing more than a search engine by which we can acquire the information we need to solve the problems in our lives. It is not that God doesn’t want to offer answers to our dilemmas. Of course He does, He is a loving father who has given us a great jewel of knowledge and wisdom by which to live our lives. The problem with an informational approach to the Word of God is with the approach.

The Bible is not merely informational it is relational. John 1:1 tells us clearly that Christ and the word are synonymous. Christ is the word. The leather bound volume that you hold in your hand or that sits on your shelf and gathers dust is just a physical representation of what is inside. The power is in the words, concepts, ideas and principles that are within. Like all ideas, principles and concepts these are alive. All ideas, concepts and principles are alive because they are generated in the minds of real living Human beings. The Bible is even more powerful than any other collection of ideas on earth because these concepts did not originate in the minds of men but in the very mind of God.

Furthermore, Hebrews 4:12 tells us that the word of God is not only living but it is active. In other words, it has active power. When we think about it, meditate on it and prayerfully process it’s concepts they are being applied to our lives. This process of transformation (RM 12:2) is not just about acquiring enough information to achieve behavior modification. This is not the connotation of study that Paul was encouraging Timothy to engage in in 2 Timothy 2:15.

We are to study the word of God and to interact with it, questioning it, living with it, processing it, praying about it, meditating on it and internalizing it’s concepts, themes and principles. When we do this then our behaviors will automatically change. We will see that transformation will by necessity be taking place in our lives.

I fear, that as the modern day church, we have tried earnestly to boil down concepts, themes and principles into bite sized applications. We’ve done this to our detriment. Our goal in bible study should be more than just trying to find the application. The Bible is more than just a motivational answer book.

When we seek to truly understand it we aren’t just trying to download information but we are building our relationship with its author. When we spend time in the word (not just leafing through it in order to get what we want out of it) not only will we be transformed but we will fall even more deeply in love with the God of the scriptures.

How to Love your job everyday part 2: Fearful, forceful or faithful?

2010-05-29T14:01:00.000-07:00

By Todd Tillinghast

Without making too much of an overgeneralization I have found that there are basically three ways that I can approach virtually every area of my life whether it’s my marriage, ministry or job. I can choose to be Fearful, Forceful or faithful. It’s quite obvious which of these three is the desired and the most effective but what’s not always clear is when I am actually being faithful and not fearful or forceful. I know that I have spent entire seasons of my life engaged in one various endeavor or another being fearful or forceful and actually thinking I was being faithful the whole time. Let’s see if the Bible gives us any clear ideas of how to tell the three apart:

1. Fearful: Philippians 4:6,7

Many people come to work everyday in fear:

n Fear of losing their job

n Fear of the boss

n Fear of getting demoted

n Fear of not being good enough

And what happens is that having a fearful approach can be deceiving because it feels like passion. But it isn’t. It’s fear. We won’t get very far in life if our motivation is fear. If our only goal is to do what we need to do so that we won’t get in trouble then we will never be doing our best.

Is your motivation to come to work everyday fueled by fear of what would happen if you didn’t come or fear of not pleasing your boss or of being a looser in life?

A fear mentality breeds all kinds of unhealthy feelings and motivations. If we are fearful then we can pray and ask God for peace. Just like verse 7 tells us in Philippians chapter 4.

2. Forceful: Philippians 4:5

Some people think that the more aggressive they are the more they will get done but this is not true. Depending on your personality you may be a very forceful person. Maybe, like me, you have found out that being aggressive and forceful is not always the way to get what you want.

We need to be determined, we need to work hard without a doubt but we need not be pushy, rude and forceful to get what we want. Some people, especially in the market place have an attitude of competition in which it is perfectly acceptable to run over someone else to get to the top. This is not the way to win with people and gain influence.

Our attitude needs to be that of trying to win with our fellow workers, serving them and helping them succeed knowing that in so doing we will be helping ourselves succeed.

3. Faithful: Mathew 25:21

God says in His word that His means of promoting is based on how faithful we are with what we have been currently given.

Do we give our all to what we are responsible for in our jobs now?

Most of the time we think that the way to succeed is to get more and work toward having more:

n Money

n Time off

n Stature

n Titles

n Position

And our thinking is usually the opposite from what Jesus is describing here in Mathew chapter 25. We usually think that we need to just bide our time when it comes to the little things. We may think.. “I should be the manager and so I am not going to work hard until they recognize what I can really do.”

Be faithful with what you now have and God will give you more to be responsible for because you will have demonstrated that you can handle more responsibility.

“Well my manager doesn’t like me”.. It doesn’t matter, this is a spiritual principle. This is life. This is the oldest principle in the world, the principle of seed, time and harvest. Which is “what you sow you will reap.” This is always true in every situation.

If you sow faithfulness to your company and you work hard with what you currently have been given then you will reap the benefits of more responsibility and higher pay and everything that comes with that.

When you are faithful, have a good attitude and work hard you make yourself indispensible. If you are reliable then people will rely on you and people relying on you equals job security. Being faithful means we take care of what we have, do the best we can with it every day and trust God to do the promoting.

“HOW TO LOVE YOUR JOB EVERYDAY” part 1

2010-05-19T22:43:00.000-07:00

By Todd Tillinghast

Here are portions of a talk I am going to give this weekend for a company here in Panama. I thought it may bless some of you who don't care for your job, hate your job or just feel very unfulfilled at your job. Based on some of your facebook comments I think this may include a few of you. And for those of you who are fortunate enough to love what you do, just read it anyway you might learn something too. Anyway, for better or for worse here it is......

“To love what you do and feel that it matters---how could anything be more fun.” Katherine Graham

Now let’s face it. We all have to work. And my guess is that none of us with the possible exception of self made millionaires or ice cream tasters enjoy every second of every minute of every hour of every day at our jobs. Even if we are passionate, most likely we get tried. Most likely there are days that we don’t feel like getting out of bed in the morning let alone going all the way to work.

I remember the wonderful experience I had a couple of years ago of teaching middle school for two semesters. There were days when it seemed like the students were getting it, they understood and were participating and I really felt like I was making a difference in their lives. All was well with the world. Then there were other days when I felt like everything I was saying was hitting an invisible wall right in front of them.

The reality is that there are days like that for all of us no matter what we do for a living. We get tired, we get bored, we get sick and tired of the same old thing day in and day out. In fact, we might be surprised to know that recent studies indicate most people feel this way about their jobs most of the time.

Curt Rosengren from Passion Catalyst says this about the difference between job satisfaction and job passion:

“only 45 percent of workers say they are satisfied (33 percent) or extremely satisfied (12 percent) with their jobs. At the same time, a much lower number actually feel very "engaged" by their jobs. Only 20 percent feel very passionate about their jobs; less than 15 percent agree that they feel strongly energized by their work; and only 31 percent (strongly or moderately) believe that their employer inspires the best in them.”

Now maybe it’s a good thing to be satisfied maybe it isn’t. Maybe being satisfied is what holds us back. At any rate satisfaction is one thing passion is something else. I think that you would agree and I know that your managers would definitely agree that a passionate employee is better than a satisfied employee.

In fact, I would argue that a passionate employee is a more satisfied employee than just a satisfied employee. In other words, if your goal is to just be satisfied with your job then your productivity and your enjoyment levels will only reach a certain point.

they will only rise to the place where your job is tolerable and maybe even a little satisfying and that will be enough. So the satisfied employee gets up, goes to work everyday, does what is expected of them and prays for the weekend to get here as quickly as possible.

Now I know that managers aren't interested in hiring someone like that. There are no satisfaction level employees in job interviews. A potential employee doesn't say to his potential employer in the interview "oh I want to tell you that I will promise you that I will do just enough for me to be satisfied, nothing more and nothing less." But life has a way of wearing us down and just the sheer routine of our jobs begins to take their toll and cause us to become mediocre just trying to get through the week and get to the weekend.

There is something that I believe can turn your working attitude around. It has the potential not only to raise your production level making your boss happy but also of making you happier which will make you happy. And the added bonus of injecting this ingredient into your daily work life will afford is that it will make your entire work environment better which will make the people you work with happy.

--It all comes down to one simple word…… PASSION

Now you may be thinking, "Passion, that's not a word that belongs at work. Passion is a word that applies to things like:"

- Soap operas

- My boyfriend

- My girlfriend

- Food

- The internet

- Movies

- parties

- Friends

- Family

- Church

You may still be thinking " When I am at work... well I’m not even supposed to be passionate am I? That’s why I have all of these other things in my life outside of work that I am passionate about because all week long while I am at work I'm board out of my mind."

So the great working man's (or woman's) 64 million dollar question seems to be;

"How can I be passionate about my work when I'm not passionate about my job?"

Actually I am going to submit to you that in order to be passionate don’t try to be passionate at all. That’s right, I am telling you that if you really want passion in your life you can’t focus on passion. Passion is the fruition of something else. We can never produce passion by trying to generate it out of thin air.

Rather than trying to be passionate about something that you aren’t already or inherently passionate about why not learn to connect what you are doing at your job with the things that you already care about, the things that you are already passionate about?

To illustrate this I will use an example from my own life. I hate dishes. I can’t stand doing dishes. But guess what? My wife doesn't like doing them either. So we have an agreement that whoever cooks at any given meal the other person gets to do the dishes. So usually both of us try to be the one to cook because neither one of us likes cleaning up. There are times when we are very busy and neither one of us are able to get to the dishes and they may build up in the sink for a few days.

Now let’s just say that I am walking through the kitchen one day and I pass this stinky, smelly sink full of dishes. Now what do I do? Well you know and I know that I don’t like doing dishes. So maybe I should leave it for my wife to do because certainly she must remember that I was the last one to do the dishes a few days ago. So it’s her turn! Let her stick her hands down into that disgusting mess, it serves her right! Or the loving thing for me to do as a loving husband, rather than making my wife run the risk of breaking a nail , I should get in there and get it done.

So how am I going to get motivated enough to really get in there and do a passionate job on these dishes? Can I convince myself that I really want to do the dishes? Of course not, that day will never come. I will never, ever want to do the dishes. Can I go to my happy place and pretend that I am really giving some cute, adorable puppy a bath instead of doing the dishes? Not likely.

Maybe I should just rush through the job and throw all of the dishes in the garbage and just clean the sink. That way I won't have to wash them. I'm sure that would make my wife as happy as a peach aren't you?

No, what I do is, I don’t focus on the dishes, I focus on my principles or the things that matter the most to me. What matters to me in this situation is not doing the dishes but my wife. I am passionate about her and my relationship with her. So I can do the dishes to the best of my abilities and actually be passionate about it because I know that by doing the dishes I am:

- Being a good husband

- Making my wife happy

- Showing her my love for her

- Making her life easier

- Demonstrating leadership in my home

- Making the home environment more pleasant to live in

When I can make those kinds of connections and those kinds of commitments everyday to do my best because I value excellence or because I value character or I value my family whom I am providing for then suddenly the circumstances surrounding my job are not as important. It doesn’t matter! My job actually becomes a means to an end not just a means to a paycheck.

In other words, My job and my work become the stage from which I can live out my values and principles producing the passion that will create the excellence in productivity that my boss wants and the increase in enjoyment that I want.

Why wait any longer. Start being passionate about your life now. Wherever you are, at work or at home. Tap into the values that really make you tick and live them out.

“GOD’S INVESTMENT MANAGERS: BIBLICAL STEWARDSHIP. “

2010-05-14T12:53:00.000-07:00

By Todd Tillinghast

When we start from the foundational understanding that everything we have has been given to us by God and that everything else is under the ownership of God then we can begin to grasp the biblical approach to stewardship. I like what randy Alcorn said, “God owns every treasure. I am, His investment manager.” This is an easy thing to say but much more difficult to believe and subsequently apply to our lives. Think about it. God owns everything. We really don’t own anything. Even the money that we earn is His because He gave us the ability and the strength to work to get it and He owns the job where we work and the actual physical money that we earn. This is difficult for me to comprehend but I think that when I am able to embrace this concept it is easier for me to understand stewardship.

Stewardship is managing what belongs to someone else. So the obvious implication is that what is being managed is meant to be used for the purposes of the one who owns it not for the purposes of the one who is managing it. This is especially difficult to grasp when the person who owns it is not physically present. Not only is God not physically present (though He certainly is spiritually present) but He is not a micromanager. In other words, He does not correct us immediately for mismanaging the resources He has entrusted into our care. Rather, He allows the natural consequences of a mismanaged life to teach us the much needed lesson. By taking this approach to leadership God empowers us to become the self motivated stewards that He desires us to be.

Contentment is a hallmark trait for anyone who will be a good steward of their resources. Embracing and internalizing the truth that it doesn’t matter how much you’ve been given but what you do with what you have been given is what is essential. Most people, myself included, spend so much time worrying about the amount that they have and obsessing over the inherent injustice that it is not comparable to what someone else has been given that they fail to manage and multiply (through correct investing procedures) what they do posses.

Churches in the first century manifested an understanding of the laws of giving. This is seen in the church in Jerusalem (Acts chapter 4) and the church in Corinth (2 Corinthians chapter 8). We would do well to study these chapters and emulate their liberal approach to giving themselves and their money for the use of the kingdom of God.

I also believe that part of the giving of our time involves giving one day a week as a Sabbath to the Lord. Even though we are giving it to Him we are reaping the most benefits from it. In our harried, hurried and stressful culture we rarely take time to rest.

In the end analysis stewardship comes from a heart of obedience to God. When we recognize that He is Lord and owner of everything and that everything we have has been lent to us for the purpose of investing back into His kingdom then we can begin to live a lifestyle of biblical stewardship.

Prayer cannot be legislated away.

2010-05-11T18:25:00.000-07:00

By Todd Tillinghast

Prayer may be the most powerful thing in the world and it is most definitely one of the simplest. It actually costs nothing. You don’t have to leave the privacy and comfort of your own home to do it. And you don’t have to gather publicly to do it either. In fact, you don’t even have to open your mouth in order to engage in prayer. You can pray anywhere, at anytime in any place and people don’t have to even know you are doing it. The simple fact is that prayer is prayer whether we are gathered together so the whole world can watch us or if we are alone kneeling at the side if our beds. Whether we are shouting to the high heavens or whispering under our breath, prayer is prayer! In fact, there is some biblical evidence that may lead one to believe that the quiet unassuming prayers are the more powerful ones. Maybe these ones are the ones that God really pays attention to the most. We see in the famous story that Jesus relates in Luke 18:11-14 two very different forms of prayer displayed. The Pharisee rather loudly and in the temple (a public place) “prayed to himself” and went on to unabashedly fire off to God all of his most admirable traits no doubt keeping one eye open to see if an audience was gathering. The second man, the publican, stood afar off and would not raise his eyes to heaven and cried out for God’s mercy. Jesus clearly puts His stamp of approval in vs 14 on the second form of prayer.

In light of the recent court ruling that the national day of prayer is unconstitutional we would do well to take a brief brake from our protesting to examine our hearts and ask ourselves why does this ruling make us so angry. What are we really fighting for? This ruling has not done anything to hinder the power of prayer in any way. What is it that we are afraid of losing? Is it The opportunity to publicly express that we are better than the people who don’t pray? Or maybe it’s the pomp and circumstance that surrounds this day that we will so desperately miss. Or, possibly, we don’t have the right understanding of what prayer really is and what our attitude should be in regards to it.

I am not against public prayer gatherings in any way, shape or form. In fact, my wife is attending the Global Day of Prayer conference in South Africa next week. She is attending as one of the regional prayer coordinators of prayer movements for all Of Latin America for Campus Crusade For Christ. I think that days of prayer and global prayer movements are important and necessary but I think that prayer is more necessary. The purpose of these events is to offer a public reminder of something that all Christians should be doing on a regular, consistent and humble basis without any fan fare.

Let’s not give the world another reason to see us as militant protesters out there constantly attacking everything we disagree with. Let’s pick our battles. Let’s not go to war over the fact that one public day of prayer has been taken away when we are perfectly free to pray at anytime and anywhere else we choose. I have a feeling that even if the T.V. cameras don’t show us in our best devotional postures with hands raised and eyes closed on national television that God will still hear our prayers.

WHAT DO I REALLY WANT????

2010-03-22T15:23:00.000-07:00

By Todd Tillinghast

--Socrates said “know thyself.” Philosophy, Psychology and every great religion throughout history has understood both the importance and the difficulty of knowing ourselves. Yet in most of this literature, one can only derive simple techniques to understand our personalities, strengths and weaknesses a little better. Psychology has delved deeper yet into the exploration of how the soul has been shaped by past experiences and relationships. But the one question that seems to continue to go unanswered is:

“What do I really want????

As soon as we think we have arrived and we have what we thought we wanted; a great job, a great relationship, a new car, we realize that it wasn’t exactly everything we thought it would be and that that nagging want is still there. The great “wanting” that is common to all humanity seems to be nebulous, difficult to understand and nearly impossible to satisfy.

The question is not only what do we want or need but where do we go to get the answer?

Do we do some deep soul searching to find out what it is that we really want? Do we really think that we ourselves are the best source for the answer to this question? Jeremiah 17:9 says “The heart is deceitful above all things. And desperately wicked; who can know it?” I don’t know about you but this does not sound to me like a reliable source of information. Why would I go to a source that would deceive me and in which I cannot understand for answers to questions that are extremely pertinent such as what do I really want out of life or who do I want to spend the rest of life with? The heart deceives us in to thinking and believing that we need, want, desire and are entitled to things that are not really important and that aren’t what God wants for us. The reality is that we are confused and very unsure of what we really want. We have been conditioned by society and we have been misled by our own hearts. It is difficult to decipher the difference between our true desires and those imposed upon us by sources outside of ourselves.

I still remember the day after we closed on our first home. On the day before when we went to the house they gave us the key for the first time and I could have leapt over the moon. It was our house! It belonged to us! But the next day I woke up just like every other day and two realizations hit me like a ton of bricks. The first one was that not much had really changed. I still had to go to work and I still had to deal with life. And the second realization was that now I had a hefty mortgage payment every month!! Sure we loved that house. It was a blessing. But it wasn’t everything and in the end it didn’t make the “wanting” go away. Soon, as with everything else, we began to find reasons to complain. The house wasn’t big enough or it didn’t have a great view.

After many years of dealing with this roller coaster ride called my desires I have finally began to come to the understanding that the “wanting” is never going to completely go away this side of heaven. It’s not supposed to. It doesn’t matter how much money I throw at it (Which probably won’t be much) or how many accolades I obtain in life. I may be able to temporarily satiate the “wanting” but it will never completely go away. We were created to want something more than anything on this earth can fulfill. The Bible tells us that we are “strangers and pilgrims” on the earth (Heb 11:13). We are just passing through. This is not all there is for us.

In 1^st Peter 1:3-6 the Apostle admonishes us as to what our hope should be in. He talks about our inheritance which is incorruptible and undefiled and that does not fade away. And guess where it is waiting for us? In heaven, not on this earth, in vs. 6 he says that “In this we greatly rejoice even though for a little while we are grieved with various trials on this earth.” This is a great message of hope for all of us longing, wanting people reaching for something that we can never quite grasp.

Everything on this earth will fade; our good looks, our health, and our money, all of it. Some things will light up brighter than others and some will last longer than others but in the end all things are still mere flashes in the pan. This life is a vapor but the life to come is out of this world. I believe that God has given us many things on this earth to enjoy and I intend to enjoy them. But I try to remind myself that I am not entitled to anything. The people in my closest relationships, the government or anyone else don’t owe me anything. Even if they were to give me everything I want or think I want I have a feeling I wouldn’t be happy for long anyway. When I put my hope and trust in things on this earth I will be disappointed every time. Temporal things cannot hold up under our demanding eternal appetites. Thank God He has made a provision for those desires to be satiated for eternity. God give us the strength to wait on you and rejoice in what we now have as we eagerly await what is to come!!!

Servant Leadership is not synonymous with “scared to death!”

2010-03-15T21:12:00.000-07:00

By Todd Tillinghast

In our ever changing and difficult world the words of Howard Hendricks ring true, “The key to leadership is endurance.” Leadership is not for the faint at heart. It’s difficult on many levels. It requires the ability to manage complexity as well as deal with critics and nay Sayers. It involves making tough decisions on a daily basis and being held responsible for the outcomes of those decisions. It takes tough skin and a gentle heart and the ability to not allow the two to get rearranged. A capacity to stick to the task at hand even when the accolades aren’t forthcoming and things are difficult defines the true leader.

In our overly sensitive, pluralistic, politically correct and tolerance addicted society we have emasculated strong leadership. In our overemphasis on “servant leadership” we have epitomized leadership as something so soft and gentle that it is almost non existent. In fact, in many places the idea of “silent leadership” is held up as the correct pattern.

The problem with this sentiment is that we have miscalculated and misinterpreted the true meaning of servant leadership. We see the word servant and we start thinking of a lowly, mamby pamby, Casper milk toast , sniveling individual who wouldn’t dare make a decision or stand up for what he or she believes in. So the pressure is placed upon leaders to “act like servants” which is just another way of telling them to shut up and sit down. This is not the kind of leadership we see exemplified by Christ. In Philippians 2:5-9 we see the ultimate picture of a servant leader. Paul paints us this portrait of our Lord and Savior. Yes in vs. 7 we see that He took the form of a bondservant which in biblical times meant a willing slave. But in the previous verse we see that He did not think it robbery to consider Himself equal with God! What does that mean? That He knew who He was. He knew He was God! Even a cursory perusal of the gospels would lead one to the obvious conclusion that He was very vocal about this knowledge and understanding. It didn’t seem to bother Jesus that people called Him blasphemous when He told them that He was the son of God. Today we would gasp if a leader was so forthright in their understanding that God had called him or her to lead. We would say that person wasn’t being humble.

Then back in vs 7 we see what true leadership and consequently true servant hood is. It’s making ourselves of no reputation. That was what Christ did. In other words, He didn’t care what people thought about Him. He said what He needed to say and He did what He needed to do. He did say that He came to serve and that is exactly what He did. But there were many people who believed Him to be anything but a servant. They hated Him so much that they killed Him. Does this mean that He wasn’t a servant? Does it mean that He wasn’t a servant because He was confident in who He was? Does it mean that He wasn’t a servant because He had a reputation among many as being someone who was trying to draw attention to Himself through His words and miracles? I fear that in our modern concept of servant leadership Jesus would not pass the test. Leadership is not for the weak. Servant hood is not synonymous with “Scared to death” and humility does not equate humiliation.

If we were to be honest with ourselves many of us would need to admit that our main motive in being “servant like” is for the purpose of gaining the reputation of a servant. How many times do we take a quick glance to see who is looking before we engage in an act of service? Most of us play the game. We know that the more humble we can make everyone think we are the more likely we will be considered for leadership. So servant hood by in large has been down graded to acts of service no longer measured by heart attitudes as it should be. So we become experts at opening doors for young ladies and mopping floors and cleaning toilets all the time knowing that we are gaining brownie points with the servant leader crowd.

I’m certainly not saying that acts of service are wrong. But let’s make sure that our motives are right. I have a sneaky suspicion that the most humble and servant like among us go unnoticed. They may even be people that we have assumed are arrogant. We may have no idea of how much money, time and energy they give because they do it secretly without public recognition and accolades. We may even be surprised to realize that some of the strongest and most confident among us are also the greatest servants but because they care so little about impressing us we never even know it. And they are content to let many of us think them to be arrogant and pompous rather than showcase their humility.

We live in a world that is desperate for strong leadership. Leaders who will serve, not to be recognized and applauded as a servant but who will stand up for what is right no matter what people think or say about them. This is the true mark of humility and it is the true test of leadership. Are you up for the task?

The Tillinghasts Panama Update - January - February 2010

2010-02-27T17:30:00.000-08:00

IT'S THE END OF THE WORLD!!!!! Really???

2010-02-19T21:47:00.000-08:00

By Todd Tillinghast

We live in desperate days. These are uncertain times. But are they really uncertain? Or are we uncertain? I can’t watch my beloved History Chanel without seeing a morbid program about the premonitions of Nostradamus or the Mayan’s belief that the world will end on December 21, 2012. Doomsday prophets and headline evangelists point to every catastrophe as a sign of imminent demise!!! But is it really so?

There is certainly no doubt that things in the world are bad, maybe even worse than at other times in History. But do we really believe that what we are going through is unique? People living in the dark ages when Europe was decimated by the Bubonic Plague must have surely thought that they were living in a time more desperate than any other. They must have believed that the world was going to end as well.

Catastrophes and natural disasters have been occurring since the dawn of history on a fairly regular and consistent basis. Stories of Tsunamis’ and erupting volcanoes both claiming the lives of hundreds of thousands have peppered historical accounts for thousands of years. Certainly there have been times like our own when the disasters have occurred closer together or more frequently. Are our current circumstances significant or just part of a normal ebb and flow?

Let’s briefly look at this obsession that some have with the Mayan calendar. Now there is no question that the ancient’s, whether of Egypt stock or the indigenous of the Americas were intelligent. In fact, it may be argued that they were more intelligent than we are. When we want info we just download it from the internet. These guys were creating the patterns and constructs for this information for the first time. However, as intelligent as they may have been, they were also very superstitious and fearful. Their fear of the wrath of their gods most certainly trumped their logic. Why are we taking advice about the end of life as we know it from a people who poisoned their only water supply with the bodies of those sacrificed to appease their gods?

And to touch on that most heated of arguments (pun intended) Global Warming. Is it really happening or not? Many in the environmentalist community and the media would have us believe that it is a foregone conclusion. The first thing we need to realize in discussing this concept is that there is a great deal of disagreement in the scientific community concerning Global warming. They say that record high temperatures prove that global warming is a genuine threat. Living in Panama I am tempted to agree with them. However, many places other than Panama are enduring blizzard conditions for several weeks on end. Many of these locations are further south than normal for these wintery tirades. It was like only 32 °F at the Daytona Five Hundred for crying out loud!!!

When I read in Isaiah 40:12 that God has held all the oceans of the world in the palm of His hand and that He Measures the universe with the Span of His hand which would be the distance from His thumb to His pinky I am reassured of two things; God is completely in control of everything and there is nothing I can do about it. So even if the world is going to end tomorrow there wouldn’t be anything I could do to stop it anyway. So why worry about it? Not that I don’t but there still isn’t any point!!!

I have a feeling though that we as humans have been down this road before. Man’s literature throughout the ages is replete with this obsession with doomsday. Maybe it is an exercise in cathartic release of the fear and realization of how puny we really are in the big scheme of things. Or maybe we have a death wish and are secretly self destructive. It is probably a combination of both of these things mixed with some of that good ole Mayan superstition. We would do well to consider why we should trust our ability to correctly interpret the signs of the times any more than the myriad of those who have gone before us who have missed the mark over and over and over again. Guess what we’re still here!!!

Thou Shalt Not Live On Milk'shakes alone!!

2010-02-10T17:23:00.000-08:00

By Todd Tillinghast

Do you remember when you were a kid and Mom and Dad would go out for an evening and you would be stuck home with the baby sitter? Now unless you had a really cool babysitter these times weren’t always the best. There was always that feeling that Mom and Dad were having a lot more fun then you were. But the one thing that I always looked forward to during these times was the change in diet. You see when Mom and Dad were home we would always eat the same old boring meat and vegetable meals night after night after night. I’ll never forget watching my brother choke down beats at the dinner table one night; it was not a pretty sight. But when the baby sitter came we would get pizza or some other exotic food usually accompanied with a sugary treat given to us as a bribe to ensure the baby sitter’s safety.

Now as much as we looked forward to those tasty variations in our normal dietary practices and as much as we would have gladly eaten that way everyday we also knew that our parents were just doing what was best for us. Or at least this dawned on us sometime later. For those who are now parents, the realization has been firmly cemented in your understanding that your children “Shall not live on Milk’ shakes alone.”

When I look at the church today, by in large, it seems as if we are a band of children left to the care of the baby sitter who is immersed in her IPod and cell phone completely unaware of the fact that the milk ‘shakes that we can’t finish are adding a new coat of paint to the walls and are being dumped over each other’s heads. I certainly believe that this is a result of the kinds of teachings (meals) that are being served. But I also believe that it is due to the kinds of meals we are able to digest.

One of the most significant reasons why the church, by in large, seems to be in the same state as that of the Hebrews which the author addressed in (Hebrews 5:11-14) is because we as a church are not motivated to truly learn and understand the Bible. The reason why we still want to be fed the regurgitated milk of someone else’s study of the scriptures rather than delve into our own self discovery is because we lack motivation or rather we have the wrong motivation for studying the scriptures to begin with.

If we fail to make the connection between illumination and application then we will never understand the rich wonders and joys of studying the scriptures. Our Christian walk will remain on the level of obligation and legalism. The place to begin preparing to study the Bible is in self discovery. We are much more motivated and possess the possibility of true transformation when we discover the truths of the scriptures for ourselves in response to our own personal study or the teaching of others.

We can see the antithesis of what the author of Hebrews was writing about in regards to the milk of the word in what Jesus said to His disciples in John chapter 4. They had been shopping for food while He had been ministering to the woman at the well. When they came back He told them in vs 32 that He had a “meat” or “food” that they did not know of. Then in vs 34 He told them what that food was, “to do the will of Him who sent me and to finish His work.” It is imperative that we search for something to do that will require us to utilize what we are learning. We can really begin to digest the meatier things of God’s word when we are doing His will. Then it is no longer theory but has become a reality that we are experiencing. Look for opportunities to practice or live out the word every day in your life and relationships.

Hearing God’s voice, theology and doctrine.

2010-02-08T13:47:00.000-08:00

By Todd Tillinghast

The most important aspect of every relationship is communication. It is the lifeblood of a relationship. God has provided a way for us to interact with Him both through His living word (Heb 4:12) and through his still small voice in our hearts. (2 Kings 19:12) God’s original desire and purpose was to speak to us directly as He demonstrated in the Garden of Eden through His communication with Adam but when Adam sinned that communication was damaged. Since then, as illustrated throughout the Old Testament through the forefathers and then the prophets He chose certain men through which to speak to His people. We see this concept culminated in Christ the ultimate bridge of communication between man and God. Now, through the miracle of the new birth and because of the living Spirit of the living Christ and His living word within us we can all communicate directly with the father.

God speaks to us primarily through the Bible which is His complete revelation to mankind. The Bible does not make a distinction between the Spirit of Christ and the word (see John 1). And the Bible does not consider itself to be separate from the living Christ. It does not refer to itself as a lifeless document but rather a living document. (again refer to Heb 4:12) I think we run into problems when we try to make a distinction between the word itself and that still small voice that we sense in our hearts (conscience) that confirms the word that is alive within us. It certainly becomes dangerous as history has shown us when people just seek after that voice rather than establishing the scriptures as a foundation. Consider Mohamed, Joseph Smith and David Koresh to name a few.

All of the wondrous riches of God’s word which give us full access to His Guiding voice in our lives cannot benefit us unless we take the time to get His word into us. (John 15:7) In this crazy, harried and hurried world we live in today it always seems to come back to a time issue. If we are too busy to really focus enough to live in his word and really connect with His living word within us then we are not going to be able to hear His voice. It is not necessarily an issue of spending two or three hours a day in prolonged quiet times (unless of course you have the time to do that) as much as it is adopting the practice of meditating on the word continually (psalm 119:11, Joshua 1:8) and praying without ceasing (Eph 6:18).

We do need to hear God’s voice everyday. We would not dream of not speaking with or listening to our spouse, children or even our dearest friends on a daily basis. Even more so we need to be in constant communication with God.

Part of having God’s word alive in us is to understand how to interpret His word correctly before we try to apply it. It is essential that we understand the theology and doctrine of the Bible. Many people at this point when we start discussing theology and doctrine tune out thinking that it is better to leave that dry and boring stuff to the theologians but this is certainly not the case. It is not a dichotomy. We cannot see theology and practical application as two separate things. We have the tendency to compartmentalize these two categories. Theology, we think, is for the seminary and real life application is for church and small group Bible studies. Never the two shall meet. Paul did not do this. He moves seamlessly through His epistles from theology and doctrine to application not making a differentiation but demonstrating a natural progression. Interpretation skills are part of having the word living within you.

Can the Divinity of Christ be proven Historically?

2010-02-05T12:08:00.000-08:00

by Todd Tillinghast

Not only does the Bible claim that Jesus is the son of God but that He is God Himself. He says this about Himself in scripture as do many others who make the same claim through out the New Testament. Even His enemies verify that He is who He says He is. Additionally extra biblical historical sources such as those written by Josephus cited that “the man Jesus of Nazareth performed miracles and must have been God.”

This would be and is more than enough proof for us to accept it as truth. Think about it. How do we know that Abraham Lincoln was the president of the United States? How doe we know that he grew up in a log cabin? I have never met him have you? In fact, I’ve never met anyone who knew him. So how can I know for sure that he was all of these things? I know these facts because they have been handed down to us via historical record from those who did know him. We would never doubt what we read about a man like Abraham Lincoln yet we doubt the historical records, especially the Bible, which is historically much more accurate than any other historical document ever written when it comes to the divinity of Christ.

Furthermore, why would Jesus say this about Himself if He didn’t believe it? If He was just a man then He put his own life on the line. He also put the lives of His followers on the line.

It has often been said that History is written by the winners. While ultimately Christ and His kingdom have triumphed its history was not recorded by winners. It was recorded by people who were running for their lives, fugitives, criminals and martyrs. Yet this document has stood the test of time. It was not preserved and guarded by kings and emperors representing the victors. In fact, it was preserved by bands and groups of humble believers who were in constant danger of losing their lives for even having such documents in their possession. Yet it still survived and has been passed down to us today. The Bible is truly a book that has defied all the usual necessities for preservation. One gets the feeling that something beyond man was involved here.

There are those who say that Historical evidence is not as strong as scientific empirical evidence especially when it comes to determining the existence of God. This idea however, does not gel with reality. The Bible Makes its case of the divinity of Christ based on historical record and eyewitness account. These are the very things that we base our entire justice system upon today as well as our educational system. Most of all the information that you know and act upon with the strong assumption that it is correct on a daily basis comes from these two elements. Every news story that you read and believe is based primarily on Eyewitness accounts. Everything we know about historical figures is based on the historical record. Jesus was a real person who walked the earth. We don’t need to put Him in a test tube to determine if he really existed or not.

His life, death, miracles and resurrection not only attest that He existed but that He is God. These facts were recorded in a historical document that has stood the test of time and historicity for thousands of years. According to our standards of verifying truth as it pertains to all other historical figures this would be more than enough. For me, I believe in Jesus because He changed my life. I know He is real. But for the skeptic He can also be proven to be who He says He is in every other way.

How can a loving God allow evil and suffering?

2010-02-04T14:58:00.000-08:00

By Todd Tillinghast

This is a very important and difficult question. The active evangelist will be posed with this question on a regular basis. In the light of recent events in Haiti we are once again reminded of this seemingly unanswerable enigma. There is no doubt that it is neither easy nor comfortable contemplating the issues surrounding this question. But contemplate we must. As Christians our answer to this question is crucial. I fear however, that all too often we provide the incorrect answer. It is essential that we are able to stand on sure and stable ground in our understanding of whether or not the existence of evil proves that God is not good.

What we seem to do (myself included) is try to defend God instead of presenting the clear biblical facts of the matter. I once read an article in which the author suggested that an all powerful God is not powerful enough to change something that goes against logic. That is the most illogical statement I have ever heard! Who created logic? Just the fact that He is all powerful logically necessitates that He has the ability to do anything He wants and change anything He wants at any time that He wants. Logic is not stronger than God. We may think that it is not logical that a Loving God would allow evil. When we assume this we are defining logic for the Creator of Logic and asking Him, not to be logical, but to be logical in the way that we want Him to be.

If we start from the premise that God is completely sovereign then we have to come to the conclusion that if He wanted evil to be obliterated it would be. The sovereignty of God doesn’t just mean that He has the ability to accomplish His will at all times but it means that Hs will is being accomplished at all times. So if His will is being accomplished at all times and there is evil in existence then the only logical conclusion we can come to is that He has a purpose for evil. He uses it. He didn’t even protect Himself from evil when He came as a man to the earth in the form of His son Jesus. In fact, He used evil to accomplish the great plan of salvation for His children. It was an evil and brutal thing for the innocent King of Glory to be murdered as a common criminal. He was essentially butchered in the most grotesque fashion and form of capitol punishment man has ever known. And He did this because of His great love for us. Evil was the means to the end of His securing the salvation of His children.

Now this does not mean that just because God created evil and uses it for his purposes that we are not also the cause of evil and are not guilty of sin. Acts 2:23 drives this point home as it explains the case of Christ’s crucifixion. It says that “according to the determined purpose and foreknowledge of God Christ was crucified.” But then in the very same verse without mincing words or any qualification whatsoever Peter says “you have taken Christ with lawless hands and have crucified Him.”

Let’s not forget that what we often call Evil according to our definitions (tragedies, natural disasters) have been responsible for some of the most wonderful things the world has ever known. Think about how the tragedies of 9/11, Katrina and the Tsunami have rallied nations bringing out the best in humanity as people have given sacrificially of themselves for their fellow man. Tragedies on a personal level and on a grander scale usually serve as the mechanisms to create growth and change in our lives.

Likewise, we (myself included) are usually so quick to label all war as Evil. I shutter to think of how many people in this country and countries all over the world would still be caught in slavery or some other form of brutal oppression if it weren’t for the precious blood that was shed by men and women who took up the fight to liberate them. So the obvious question becomes what is more evil. How do we feel about a God who turns a deaf ear to the pleas of those who suffer on a daily basis? Does this make Him more or less evil?

Probably like you I feel that discussing these issues raises more questions than it answers. I feel this way until I surrender. It is when I surrender my opinions and my definitions and my sense of justice and evil and good to the one who truly understands it all. When I do this a sense of peace descends and I feel like curling up in fetal position and allowing it’s warmth to wash over me. Then I remember that I am not the ruler of the universe He is. Thank God! What a relief it is that I don’t need to have it all figured out!

We do not need to allow ourselves to be snared by the arguments of people who want to prove that God is not good so that they don’t have to be accountable to Him. It is very dangerous when we try so hard to exonerate God that we take away his sovereignty, make Him look weak and paint a picture of Him that is not biblically accurate.

We should start with the person’s definition of good not their definition of God. God is not on trial. The burden of proof lies on the person who does not believe.

The Tillinghasts Panama Update - December 2009

2009-12-23T21:49:00.000-08:00

Enjoying an Imperfect Christmas

2009-12-22T22:13:00.000-08:00

Christmas can be as frustrating as it is wonderful. While it is usually the time of year when we reunite with family and friends that we don’t get to see very often and there seems to be holiday cheer in the air it can also be a season in which the negatives are magnified as much as the positives. The problem seems to originate from the tendency we have to put too many expectations on Christmas. We build it up to something that it can’t possibly be or fulfill in our lives. The disappointments are that much more poignant at Christmas time. The phone call that never came or the person who elected to not come to the Christmas party is more painful than usual. There is the hope and the expectation that maybe, just on Christmas things will be different and sometimes they are, but sometimes they get worse because of unrealistic expectations.

And, doesn’t it seem like there is much more pressure to get the Christmas dinner right than any other dinner? Or the constant dissatisfaction with the gifts and the frustration of knowing that the person you are buying for is going to be dissatisfied. It can seem that at Christmas the lack of relationships resulting in our inability to know what each other really want is highlighted. And, how about those crowds? Most of the people waiting in line at malls don’t look like they have much holiday cheer.   And last but not least is that sinking feeling on the evening of the twenty fifth that “it’s all over in a few hours.” Or the nagging question of “was it all really worth it?”

Although Christmas is certainly a season for putting on a plastic happy face it can also have the unique ability of revealing who we really are. We can see our priorities in the gifts we buy, the kind of gifts we buy, who we buy them for and who we don’t buy them for. Family gatherings also have a way of revealing to us how people really feel, especially at Christmas. “Did they show up?”  “Why didn’t they show up?”   “Why aren’t they talking to anybody at the party?”

At the very least, I think that all of us have experienced the disappointment of having the day of Christmas that we have planned, hoped and saved for all year arrive and dissipate faster than tinsel melting on an open fire.

Yes Christmas can be “the most wonderful time of the year” as the popular carol quips but it can also be the most frustrating time of the year. Can you imagine that as a song? “It’s the most frustrating time of the year!!!” The point is that if Christmas is just about the eggnog and fudge and gifts under the tree or even family, then it surely runs the risk of not being fulfilling. The true meaning of Christmas is much simpler but yet much more profound. It is simply about God becoming man in order to reach His people because He loves them so much. It’s about humility not hustle and bustle.

The God of the universe was born in a manger. It’s about simplicity not complexity. The story of that First Christmas was very straightforward and powerful. It was simply and majestically about Him the Kings of Kings and Lord of Lords.   Without Christ, Christmas is just another day. Rejoice this year in the true reason why Christmas is so wonderful. God became one of us to be near to us and to save us because He loves us.

“Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel,”which is translated, “God with us.” Matthew 1:23

Reflections on a Christmas Wedding

2009-12-16T19:46:00.000-08:00

by Todd Tillinghast

Oh I love Christmas weddings. What a perfect time of the year to celebrate the union of two people becoming one. It was that first Christmas over two thousand years ago when Emmanuel (God with us) became flesh and demonstrated for the first time the ultimate union of man and God which would later be celebrated in Ephesians chapter five as a Spiritual union between Christ and His bride the church. And Paul uses the analogy of marriage to drive the point home.

As I prepare a wedding ceremony for this Saturday my heart rejoices once again at the beauty of relationships especially marriage and the significance of it in light of Christ and His church.

In April of next year my beautiful wife Marielena and I will celebrate ten years of our union. It hasn’t always been easy. In fact, there have been times when it has been down right difficult and painful, much more so for her I can guarantee you. But one of the principles that have personally strengthened me in my commitment to make things work over the years has been this idea of what marriage represents for the Christian.
Not only is it important in that it is foundational to our society and because out of it is generated the propagation of the Human race, but for the Christian, marriage is also about being a living example of Christ’s relationship with his bride the Church. So to love and cherish each other when we think of it in those terms takes on a whole new and glorious meaning. When people look at a married couple and they are able to witness the love, submission and commitment to one another they aren’t just experiencing a beautiful relationship but they are also catching a glimpse of Christ’s love and commitment to His people.
I want to take a quick look at a few verses in Ephesians chapter 5 that I believe are the most beautiful ever penned about marriage. Starting in (vs. 21):
“Submit yourselves one to another as the fear of God
The very reason why we mutually submit to one another, respect one another and love one another is because we first have submitted ourselves and our marriage to God.
Wives, show reverence for your own husbands, as unto the Lord ( vs. 22)
Wives, God have not called you to submit to every man on the planet but to submit to and to respect your own husband. God has called him to be responsible for you because he loves you. There is safety in that submission and respect. One of the greatest needs a man has is to be respected.
For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church and He is the savior of the body. Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own Husbands in everything.
Husbands, love your wife, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave Himself for it. (Vs. 24 and 25.)
Husbands, these are powerful words for us! We are to love our wives. The first, foremost and greatest need of a woman is to be loved. However, we are not to just casually love our wives but to give up our lives for them as Christ gave up His life for the church. We should be first to make sacrifices and lay our wants, needs and even our rights down for her when necessary.
It’s not a mistake that Paul describes our marriage relationship with Christ as an experience that is not individual but rather one which is experienced within the context of a community. I am not the bride of Christ; we are the bride of Christ. When I perform a marriage ceremony I like to take a moment to address the audience. I ask them as the witnesses of the union to also make a vow that they will not interfere with the marriage but support it and guide it. Marriages like churches exist within a larger context of community.
At any rate, I am looking forward to another opportunity to celebrate the glorious union of two people as they become one flesh in the Lord. And I am thinking about how wonderful it is during this Christmas season that God became flesh and initiated a love relationship with us as His people that culminated in us being joined to Him as His body and married to Him as His bride the Church.

Why Do We Need to Be Grateful?

2009-11-28T19:39:00.000-08:00

By Todd Tillinghast

What do we usually think about when its thanksgiving and we are talking about being grateful and thankful? We usually think about all the events or things in our lives that have recently happened that we are thankful for.

Of course we have all been taught how important it is to be grateful even of those things that aren’t pleasant in our lives. We have memorized scriptures such as 1 thes 5:18 that tells us to “Give thanks in all things for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” And so we concentrate and focus on the importance of the “attitude of gratitude” or on being in that state of mind even if we don’t necessarily feel grateful or if there may seem to be nothing to be grateful for. In fact, it may even seem that complaining is the more appropriate response to our current set of circumstances.

Now, I certainly believe that being thankful is the correct attitude to have as Paul admonishes us throughout the New Testament (1 Thes 5:18, Col 4:2, Phil 4:6, Eph 5:20,). It is clear that gratitude and thankfulness should permeate our attitudes, conversations and prayer lives. And there is no doubt that for the child of God a continual, consistent and persistent lifestyle demonstrating this gratitude through our speech and our deeds is the only appropriate response to what God has done for us.

But as another Thanksgiving has passed and the Christmas season is upon us as a pastor I want to talk about gratitude and thankfulness in a different way. I have no desire, again this year to pontificate about all the reasons why we should be thankful because we are the most blessed nation and the most blessed generation that has ever existed. This may be true although I’m sure that all previous generations considered themselves to be the best and the most blessed as well. And I certainly do not wish to talk again about the behavior of thankfulness “The attitude of gratitude” which has almost become a Christian ritual and is most definitely a Christian cliché. It would at times seem that we talk about gratitude as something that we must do whether we understand it or not or whether we feel like it or not. In our zeal to act grateful I fear that we have missed the real reason why we should be grateful and it’s not that new car or that promotion. These are definitely things to be thankful for but they are just things. Things change, circumstances change, fortunes change and life changes. If our gratitude is based on events in our lives then it is going to be difficult to maintain the level of thankfulness that I believe Paul was talking about. There is a deeper level of gratitude that isn’t based solely on events or circumstances but is rooted in something stronger.

Maybe you feel genuinely grateful for some blessing in your life and that’s wonderful. You should feel grateful. I don’t want to take away from that at all. In fact, I rejoice with you that God has blessed you. Maybe you feel as if there is nothing in your life to be grateful for… forget the “things we are thankful for lists” just pass the mashed potatoes and gravy. But you know that gratitude and a positive attitude are expected of the Christian so you are grinning and bearing it through this thanksgiving season. I want you to know that life is sometimes difficult and sometimes the appropriate response is not gratitude but pain. We would do well as a church to weep with the wounded as much as we rejoice with the happy. I believe that what I am going to share about gratitude is for both groups of people and for those who may find themselves somewhere in between.

Why Aren’t We Grateful?

Webster defines Gratitude as: A feeling of thankful appreciation for favors received. This definition is very telling and may clue us in as to why we may struggle sometimes with genuine gratitude. I believe that there are three major reasons why we struggle with gratitude in our lives.

1. We don’t really believe that life is a gift.

We cannot be authentically grateful on a fundamental level if we don’t believe that we have received favors in life. Now we understand that when we receive a gift it us a blessing and it is usually given whether we deserve it or not. If it is a true gift then there is no expectation of reciprocation. And for this, a true gift, our natural response is gratitude and thankfulness. But on an everyday basis we don’t typically see our everyday lives as gifts. If you are like me you don’t naturally look at life or anything in it as a gift. My focus is usually on what I have to accomplish, achieving my dreams and getting what I think I am entitled to. Gratitude is difficult for us forward thinkers who are always looking to the future, preparing and planning ahead for tomorrow. Subsequently, gratitude involves looking back at the past at what has already happened and being thankful for it. My natural posture is not one of gratitude. I habitually operate under the flawed assumption that everything that I have came from my own hands. Nothing is free in this life. I can have anything I want as long as I work hard enough to get it. From the sweat of my brow I will form and fashion the life that I deserve. This kind of thinking does not take into account how many things we have and enjoy on a daily basis that we had nothing to do with. We didn’t supply ourselves with everything we have and to believe so is pure arrogance on our part. Think about all of the things that happen every day and in our lives in general that can be characterized as nothing less than free favors given to us by God:

• The rising sun in the morning
• The air you are currently breathing
• Biological life
• The fact that you woke up this morning
• The rotation of the earth
• The location of the earth in the galaxy in relation to the sun
• The day you were born
• The gravity that holds everything together

And of course the list could go on and on and on. If any of these things were changed or altered in the most minute fashion life as we know it would seize to exist. We spend so much energy and time looking for a reason to be grateful when there are so many reasons readily available every day, in fact every minute of every day.

2. We are afraid that being grateful is synonymous with settling for less.

We aren't often thankful in the moment because we may feel that when we are we are settling for less or surrendering. So often we withhold our gratitude until we achieve what we think we are capable of. The sentiment seems to be that if we are thankful for the present then we are selling ourselves short and that somehow the pursuit for excellence must end. But I would argue that being grateful for now, the present, for what we have today is not surrendering or selling yourself short. Quite to the contrary it empowers us to be more effective and more productive because it has a tendency to take away anxiety and release us into joy which is essential to our success in life. Gratitude also takes our focus off ourselves and being self focused is debilitating to personal success.

3. We are too proud to receive blessings.

To be grateful is to place ourselves voluntarily on the receiving end of a blessing. In order to do this it takes humility and a conscious release of control. The Bible admonishes us that it is better to give than to receive yet receiving connotes a weakness that most of us are uncomfortable with. We have no problem being the giver or the one doing the blessing but receiving can often agitate our pride.

Two levels of Gratitude

1. Contrived Gratitude

This is the kind of gratitude that we muster up within ourselves to make ourselves feel better. This is not genuine gratitude. All of us are trained from the time we are children to say please and thank you. We do this habitually. It is a socially accepted and expected response. But do we really understand why we are even saying thank you in most of these contexts?

When I was a child my mother would tell me to eat all of my vegetables and be grateful for them. It was also understood that I would not get any desert if I did not eat my vegetables with a smile on my face and say thank you because my mother worked hard to cook those vegetables and there were starving children in Africa who had nothing to eat. I always thought and wanted to reply, “Let’s send them this food then they won’t be starving.” So it dawned on me that if I wanted to get what I wanted…desert… then I could use gratitude to get it. So I would choke those disgusting greens down with a forced smile upon my face and looking at my Mother with puppy dog eyes say.. “Thank you Mom, may I have my desert now.”

Now I am sure that you had many similar experiences. What happens is we learn to fake gratitude in order to get what we want or to be socially acceptable. I’m sure that there isn’t one of us that has not said thank you for the gift we didn’t like or the dinner that tasted like tree bark. This is contrived gratitude.

Often times when we are feeling down we rev ourselves up in a personal pep rally in order to feel better. We inject gratitude into our lives as an antidote to the poison of negativity or depression. We say things like:

 Thank God I’m not like that guy
 Thank God that I didn’t loose my job like she did
 Thank God I still have my arms and legs
 Thank God I’m not in a hospital bed

There are a couple of problems with this approach to gratitude. Firstly, when we use gratitude in this way we are like the publican who in Luke 18:11 thanked God for not being like other “sinners.” He then went on in the following verse to outline all the wonderful things that he did. This was not pleasing to God then and it is not pleasing to Him now when it comes from our lips. It is competitive and arrogant on our part to hide behind the false guise of gratitude in order to lift ourselves above others.

The second problem with contrived gratitude is that it may work for today but what will happen when we are the one who lost their job or we are the one who is sick? Then we will most assuredly be singing a different song.
Contrived gratitude, though it is often where most of us are in terms of thankfulness, really isn’t gratitude at all.

2. Responsive Gratitude.

Responsive gratitude is the higher level of gratitude because it is generated by a genuine response to what God has given us today. It is the utter acceptance and thankfulness of what we have right now, and the ultimate realization that most of the time our blessings are a result of free favors given to us by our God for which we had nothing to do with. Responsive gratitude is the result of a heart that is consistently aware of and connected to its own blessedness. There is so much we have to be grateful for.

How do we cultivate responsive gratitude?

1. Don’t focus on gratitude, focus on your blessings.

Don’t use gratitude as a means to an end or a weapon to combat negativity in your life. Allow gratitude to be the natural response to an ever increasing awareness of the blessings that surround and permeate your life every day.

2. Be proactive.

Don’t wait until you are depressed to activate gratitude. Don’t wait until someone does something for you to decide to be grateful. Determine to be grateful now. When you wake up in the morning thank God for the day, life and all of the things that are given to us free of charge. Meditate on these things every day. The result will be true gratitude which will produce true joy.

Adventure in the Mountains: Surprised by Suffering by Todd

2009-11-09T14:53:00.000-08:00

We just returned from the wettest, muddiest, sloppiest and most dangerous experience I have ever had on a short term mission’s trip. For the third time in the last two months we trekked up high into the mountains of an interior province in Panama to a village called Los Machos. On our first trip God enabled us to plant a church with thirty new believers that had surrendered their lives to Christ while we were there. On our second trip we took bibles to this new group of believers. On this trip we took ten people with us from our church in Panama City to continue to work with the people of the village.

I have been on many short term mission trips and they all have their share of difficulties and discomforts. But this one was unique in that aspect. It wasn’t necessarily that it was more difficult, physically speaking, than any other trip but it was more challenging in a specific way.

As with most of these trips a theme began to form on the first day. All of us became aware of something very specific that God was trying to teach us and it became clear that He was going to manufacture events throughout the trip to drive the point home in each of our hearts.

On the second day we were there one of our team members shared a devotional in which he took us to 1st Peter chapter 4 vs 12 and 13. The idea here, which he communicated well, is that we shouldn't be surprised by suffering and difficulties. But yet we are. We always are surprised.

The first day as we neared the village we suddenly stopped at a home that was about a mile short of the place that we were going to be staying. This surprised me. Especially given the fact that there were three steep hills to climb yet and we had fourteen five gallon water bottles as well as three very heavy crates and a gas generator to carry not to mention all of our personal bags. I have been on enough of these trips to know that stopping meant that the trucks could not go any further and that we would have to walk the rest of the way carrying all of our luggage and equipment. Yet I was still surprised. It also surprised me when the drivers of the trucks could not be talked into accepting less than the agreed upon price due to the fact that they didn't take us to the agreed upon destination.

What happened next shouldn't have surprised me but it did. As soon as we started up the hill it began to rain. So now not only did we have to navigate the steepness of the hill but we had to deal with the slickness of the mud. After getting thoroughly soaked and quite muddy we finally were settled into our camp about two hours later.

The rest of the night was quite uneventful as we had a team meeting and ate dinner in the dark before turning into our tents for an early night as we were all exhausted from a combination of a very early start (3:00 A.M.) and the days arduous events. It rained steadily throughout the night. When we awoke the next morning, the weather was quite pleasant. The sun could be seen to the east piercing through the clouds trying to make a comeback. We all got up and got dressed and had some personal prayer time with the Lord and then we had another team meeting which consisted of some singing and devotions as well as preparatory training for the day of ministry. During all of this it didn't rain. I was beginning to feel hopeful. Then as we were almost ready to leave the camp and the shelter of a roof it began to rain. Now I cannot speak for anyone else but once again, I was surprised.

This pattern continued throughout the four days that we were there. The times that we were under shelter or in our tents the rain would slow down or stop but when we came out into the open it would literally pour. This constant deluge made it difficult for us to accomplish what we came there to do. We had a soccer clinic planned but due to the continuous rain we had to hold the clinic in a building that had a roof but no walls. This was the same place where we planned to show the Jesus film at night. After the kids came to the soccer clinic (there were considerably less than we thought there would be due to the rain) we had to clean the muddy mess up as best we could using tree branches as brooms. Then as we prepared to show the film the rain began to come down harder then it had thus far. And the wind began to blow. Suffice it say, less people came to the presentation than we expected. Once again, our best laid plans were being challenged.

On the day that we left, the sun came out in the morning and it cleared up as much as it had at any time since we arrived. The sky actually stayed clear and sunny until almost noon. Then suddenly as we started packing up our gear we could see the clouds scurry into position as fast as they could in order to dump their contents upon us at the exact time that we began to climb back down the steep hill in order to meet the trucks where they had dropped us off. You may be able to guess by now that this surprised and annoyed me. I was still somewhat surprised when only one truck showed up to carry all twelve of us and all of our gear down the muddy hill. I was surprised but lacked the strength to protest. So we loaded all of our thou roughly soaked gear and personal bags onto the truck and we all piled quite precariously on top of the gear and started our trek down the hill.

Now I want to pause to make sure that you envision this correctly in your mind. We were camped at about 5,000 feet above sea level. Now we were making our way down an extremely steep hill which bordered extremely deep cliffs and which contained large ruts filled with mud in an overloaded pick up truck. At this point surprise or even frustration gave way to fear!!! I could literally feel the truck sliding in the mud as it regularly lost traction on the road and we veered dangerously close to the cliff. During all of this our faithful friend the rain made it’s presence known in sheets. All of these circumstances did not seem to impress upon the driver the need to drive any slower or more cautiously than he would if it was a perfectly clear day.

When we arrived at the bottom of the mountain where we were supposed to cross the river it became increasingly apparent to all of us that crossing the river was not an option. The river had quadrupled in size and velocity from four days earlier when we first crossed it. After checking another crossing point that was completely flooded as well we suddenly stopped in front of a swinging wooden bridged perched about twenty feet above the raging river. The driver calmly got out and told us to leave the equipment in the truck and get out. His plan was for us to cross the bridge while he tried to cross the river somewhere else. This we did with much trepidation as the bridge shacked and shimmied beneath our feet.

Much to our surprise the truck with all of our equipment met us at the other side of the bridge just after the last of our party crossed it. He had actually crossed the river. The mud and watermarks streaked across the windows of the cab. I don’t even want to know how he did it. At this point the other truck joined us and we all piled into it. As we drove down the rest of the way on terrain that was much more stable I began to sense God’s guiding hand through all of this. We later found out that rumblings were going throughout the village that we should have never made it, down the mountain or across the river. Wow! God delivered us once again. But is that all He wanted to teach us was that he could deliver us? For me there was more to learn.

The Tillinghasts Panama Update - October 2009

2009-11-01T00:34:00.000-07:00

Celebrating Community

2009-10-26T15:27:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was a beautiful, sunny day in Panama. After our church service in the morning several of our members joined together to play soccer in the field near our home. It was one of those days that seem to last forever. The fellowship was exquisite as we enjoyed each other's company within a great context.

The day was a great example of the completeness of what it means to be the body of Christ. In one day we encapsulated much of what the church is called by God to engage in according to Hebrews 10:24 and 25. We assembled together, we exhorted each other, we considered one another and we stirred up love and good works amongst ourselves and we had fun doing it. yes we heard the word preached as I brought a message on the deceitfulness of the heart (not such a fun subject I think you'll agree) but we did it together and we fellowshipped together after words. I beleive the saying that says the family that prays together stays together. But I also beleive that it is the family that plays together that stays together. As a church we are a family.

We call our church La Comunidad or The Community. I beleive very strongly that as a church, our churh, the Church, any church is a Body, a Family and a Community. It's not one of these expressions but all of them working in tandem. We are a body according to Eph chapter 4:16 which is indicative of the fact that we are alive, an organizm that is organized not an orginization and that we each have a role to play as the uniquiue individual parts of the body. We are a family (RM 8:14-17 and 29)thus reflecting our commitment to one another as brothers and sisters. And we are a community, which provides the context for living all of these principles out not only within the four walls of the church but within and as a part of the greater community at large.

So for me, yesterday was a picture of these things moving and operating in reality not just existing in theory. We worshiped together and then learned about His word together. then we ate hot dogs and sharpened each other. Then we went out into our community and played soccer. A few people came that were not Christians from the community or who were invited by someone from the church.

So, even though my soccer playing skills left much to be desired (and I almost threw those hot dogs up several times)I went to sleep last night with a profound sense of satisfaction that for once on a Sunday we didn't just do church but we were the Church.

The Tillinghasts Panama Update - Summer 2009

2009-09-15T00:42:00.001-07:00

Todd & Marielena Panama Update April 2009

2009-04-30T21:52:00.001-07:00

Todd & Marielena Panama Update March 2009

2009-04-30T21:49:00.001-07:00

Todd & Marielena Panama Update February 2009

2009-03-06T23:16:00.001-08:00

Going Deeper In Relationships part 4

2009-02-13T13:04:00.000-08:00

Ok, Here's the last installment in this series on relationships. Have a great Valentines Day tomorrow and remember to try to really connect to the people in your life. Here's some ways that I believe can help us do that.

HOW DO WE GO DEEPER?

1. GO DEEPER INTO YOURSELF FIRST.

Self analysis is where going deeper in our relationships begins. What is there inside of me that is preventing me from going deeper in my relationships? What roadblocks are keeping me from opening up and letting people in? What is holding me back from being real with people? These are the self analytical questions that will form the foundation of your relationship building process.

There’s an old saying that I’m sure you’ve heard before… “ People don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care.” Do you and I genuinely care about people or do we really just want them to care about us and meet our needs? Do we truly love people or do we just want them to measure up to our standards? It’s easy for all of us to inadvertently use people to define us, approve of us and meet our needs. This is manipulation not true relationship.

Here are some more questions to ponder:

Are we only comfortable around people who are like us or who share certain common interests?

Do we constantly surround ourselves with people who make us feel good about ourselves?

Do we have certain requirements that we have already predetermined in our minds that we apply to whether or not we are going to like a certain person? For instance:

I like hyper people.

I don’t like hyper people.

I don’t get along with introverts.

I hate control freaks.

People have to make me laugh to be good friends with me.

Usually we are our own worst enemies when it comes to developing deep relationships. Nobody can measure up to our endless and impossible standards. We have to be able to recognize that we do this on a subconscious level on purpose to keep people at arms length. We must recognize our own self sabotaging. We need to embrace the reality that we are afraid of deep relationships. It’s imperative that we deal with the fears in our own lives first.

How do you view people? Are people a means to end for you? Do you endlessly seek people’s approval? Do people’s opinions of you define who you are?

We have to truly ask ourselves who our source is. Is it God or other people? People were not meant to be your source. Only God can fulfill that role in your life. If we are getting our deep emotional needs for identity, approval and definition met by God then we don’t have to try to get that from others. Other people can’t give it to you anyway because they don’t have that ability. So when we are putting those kinds of expectations and pressure on relationships it’s no wonder they crumble and cannot go deep.

PEOPLE CANNOT MEET OUR DEEPEST NEEDS!!!! It’s that simple. Write it down. People meet needs in our lives but our deep needs are only and can only be met by God.

Are we spending time with God? Are we in His word? Are we allowing His Holy Spirit to define us and give us our identity?

In many of our relationships we stay on the surface levels of role playing and expectations. This is what I call the “shoulds.” There is the way it is and the way it should be and the way it is wins every time. The way it is, is reality, the way it should be is fantasy. In fact, when the way it should be comes to pass it is no longer a should but a reality so in reality “shoulds” are never reality.

She’s my wife so she should do this or be this way.

He’s my leader he should be this way or do these things or talk like this.

She’s my daughter and she should do these things or those things.

We sacrifice real deep relationships for the illusion of relationship which is role playing. Doing all the things we are supposed to do socially or culturally and expecting everyone to keep playing those roles instead of trying to discover who someone really is and why they are the way they are.

When we are able to stop trying to make people into our own molds and we stop trying to get our needs met from others then we can truly go deeper in our relationships. Depth in our relationships becomes a discovery that we share together. Getting to know each other, being there for each other and experiencing life together not using each other, or judging each other but really truly loving each other.

2. Listen More, Speak less.

Did you ever wonder why God gave us two ears and only one mouth? Because we should listen more than we should speak. I’m not talking about the appearance of listening or relying on gimmicks to give the impression of listening but genuinely listening. Not thinking about the next thing you are going to say or wondering when the conversation will turn back to you but really just listening.

Since I have been living in Panama in a new culture learning my second language (Spanish) I have been forced to listen in order to understand. This goes against my nature. It’s not easy for me.

David Augsburger said “Being heard is so close to being loved that for the average person, they are almost indistinguishable.”

Proverbs 10:19 “In a multitude of words sin is not lacking but he who restrains his lips is wise.”

Proverbs 4:7 says, “wisdom is the principal thing therefore get wisdom and in all your getting get understanding.” Do we listen to understand or just so that we can answer? Do we try to understand the deeper roots underneath why people act the way they do? Do we try to understand who they are?

3. DEEP RELATIONSHIPS TAKE TIME TO DEVELOP

“The time you invest to deeply understand the people you love brings tremendous dividends in open communication. Many of the problems that plague families and marriages simply don’t have time to fester and develop.” Steven Covey in “The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People”

Deep relationships happen they cannot be fabricated. We need to pro actively take an approach to relationships in which we create opportunities for going deeper to occur. You cannot force, fabricate or fake deep moments. They have to happen on their own as a result of time invested as well as attention, care and trust applied. When two people know that they can trust each other and they know that the other person cares then depth occurs.

This is difficult. It’s easier to stay on the surface. We have our face book pals that we only have face value or surface level relationships with. We text all day long and really don’t say anything of depth about ourselves or ask anything of depth about others because it is easier and more comfortable not to. It doesn’t take as much time and most importantly there is no risk of rejection. But we have to get real and face the fact that these are not authentic relationships. They are pseudo relationships.

Are you too busy to have deep relationships? Are you too busy doing things with people and “having fun” that you don’t have time to really know people in your life and to be known? Real deep relationships take time to develop. You can’t generate them out of thin air.

We can get like this in the church can’t we? We can become so program oriented and activity driven that we do all these things together and we talk about all the things we do together but we don’t talk to each other. We don’t talk about ourselves to each other. We don’t talk about anything deep. We talk about our shared experiences. We talk about movies or politics or shared interests but we don’t talk about who we are or how we feel about much of anything.

Husband’s (I am a husband this includes me) when was the last time you took your wife out to dinner or had a quiet evening at home with her and really talked to her and listened to her and talked about each other? I’m not talking about just doing a date night because if you really don’t have anything to say to each other then date nights become obligatory and routine. I’m talking about talking about…not your job, not even the kids but her and You!!! And all the ladies said amen!!! That sounds scary doesn’t it? Especially as men we don’t know what to say to our wives half the time.

We need to create time for deep relationships. Have you ever called a friend and said let’s go out to eat just you and me? With no special reason, event, context or activity but just to be together and talk?

4. Ask better questions to go deeper.

Now that you have set aside some time to build relationship and you are in your non scripted, non event oriented environment, what do you say? This can be a bit tricky. Ask people questions. Get them talking about themselves but at a certain point ask them things like…
• How does that make you feel?
• What is that like?
• Tell me more about that.
• That must be very difficult for you.
• What is your opinion about this or that.

We have to be careful not to do this in an evasive or inappropriate way. You have to be comfortable with people first and they have to be comfortable with you. We are talking about going deeper with the relationships that we already have.

5. BE INTENTIONAL

If we want deep relationships then we have to initiate the process. If we want to be understood then we have to first be a person who seeks to understand others. If we want to be known then we have to show interest in knowing others. If we want friends then we have to be a friend. If we can forget about ourselves long enough to truly care about and know someone else then we have already taken the first step into deeper relationships. It’s not all about us.

Start today with the people who are already in your life. Start by asking deeper questions, creating more time, making sure your motives are right, spending more time with God so that you do not need to try to get your needs met from others. It starts with you making a decision to go deeper.

WHO DO YOU PURSUE DEEP RELATIONSHIPS WITH?

Not everyone. I’m not advocating that you should try to develop deep relationships with fifty people or that you need to have this level of depth with everyone you know. There are some people in our lives that we need to be a certain thing to a teacher or a mentor or an acquaintance. There are some natural limitations to who you can go deep with. Many people aren’t ready. Also, unless you are married I would not suggest trying to go deeper in your relationships with someone of the opposite sex. I have heard people say that you are lucky if you have one true friend you’re entire life. I think that in many cases that is true but I do not think we need to settle for that. If we are intentional and proactive we should be trying to go as deep as we can with as many appropriate relationships that we have.

There are the obvious ones, husbands and wives, parents and children. When it comes to friends it is not always as clear. Pray and ask the Holy Spirit to guide you in this endeavor. Ask God to bring people into your life with whom you can have this level of relationship. Ask God to lead you as you are with various people. What stage are they at? What stage are you at?

I do believe that we can go deeper with everyone to some extent. Not everyone can be your best friend but we can get more serious about our relationships and go deeper than our current level with just about everyone in our lives.

Don’t just settle for the illusion or the appearance of deep relationships. Don’t be afraid to lock arms with the people in your lives. Not just hold hands but lock arms. Let’s make a commitment in our hearts to go deeper.

Going Deeper In Relationships part 3

2009-02-12T10:49:00.000-08:00

You know here in Panama Valentines day is not just the celebration of Romantic relationships. The holiday here is called "Dia Del Amor y La Amistad" which means day of love and friendship. I thought that was interesting as in the states the day has become a commercial giant focused mainly on Romance. While romance is certainly important in a marriage relationship a strong marriage cannot exist on romance alone. Part of what I want to discuss in this blog is the importance of friendship as the foundation and stuffing of every successfully deep relationship.

THE VALUE OF FRIENDSHIPS

Godly friendships are the most valuable thing on this planet second to our relationship with God. Every relationship is at it’s best when it becomes a friendship. Friendship is the essence of deep relationships.

When my wife and I first got married we didn’t know each other that well and we did not have time to develop a friendship first. So not only were we from different cultures and speak different languages (Marielena is Panamanian) but we also were not friends first. The first couple of years of our marriage were difficult to say the least. It’s still hard and to be honest it’s only by the grace of God that we are still together. But success has come in our relationship when we have put away the “should’s” about what a wife "should" be or what a husband "should" be and we just “be” friends.

You "go" deeper. You do not push for depth and you cannot fabricate depth in relationships. The deep things are already there inside of you, the other person, the word of God, life itself and truth. Depth is already there. Going deeper in our relationships entails plunging those depths with another person not trying to create some kind of false depth. Deep relationships are like going scuba diving with another person, going beneath the surface and discovering together.

WHAT ARE WE AFRAID OF?

The first step to going deeper is admitting to ourselves the embarrassing reality that we are afraid to go deeper in our relationships. It doesn’t matter what your temperament or personality or culture is you as a Human being are afraid of deep relationships. You may be a people person or even the life of the party but you are inherently, in your Human nature, still afraid of deep relationships.

It’s like the child who is afraid to swim in the deep end of the pool but won’t admit it. The only way that he will ever plunge those depths is to first admit that he is afraid. Unless he does this he will continue to simply avoid going in to the deep end of the pool.

We lost our natural ability for intimacy in the Garden of Eden. Let’s take a look at GEN: 3:8-10. “And they heard the sound of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God among the trees in the garden. Then the Lord God called to Adam and said to him “where are you?” So he said “I heard your voice in the garden and I was afraid because I was naked and I hid myself.”

After Adam and Eve sinned they heard the sound of God walking in the garden in the cool of the day. Now this was a sound they were familiar with because they recognized that it was God when they heard it. The Bible does not indicate this directly but they must have been familiar with walking with Him in the cool of the day and communing with Him. But when they heard Him on this day Adam’s response was one of fear and he said something very significant …“I hid myself because I was naked and ashamed”.

We hide from the disclosure and exposure that deep relationships bring just like our first father did. Now we have to work and fight for depth in relationships. Genuine depth in relationships is not natural for us as Human beings.

Deep relationships are not automatic either. We have to be intentional about overcoming our own fears, insecurities and reluctance to let people get close to us. And at the same time we must be intentional about gradually and slowly proving to others who have the same fears and insecurities that they can trust us. Make no mistake this approach to relationships takes a great deal of work to be sure.

Going deeper In Relationships part 2

2009-02-11T19:03:00.000-08:00

Hello again, Hope all is well out there. Here are some more thoughts on developing deep relationships in our lives.

ARE WE REALLY CONNECTED?

Stats: 90% of all American Students have cell phones
85% on facebook
95% on internet.
150 Million people world wide are facebook users

These stats are from Steve Douglas The President of Campus Crusade For Christ International. These are mainly statistics that reflect the habits of university students but I think that this cross section is representative of our society as a whole. We are the most “connected” generation of all time but do we really have deep relationships? Are we really any closer on a genuine relational level? Maybe we are further apart then we ever have been because these technologies give us the sense or appearance of connectedness many times at the expense of genuine depth in relationship. In fact, if we pour ourselves into checking our emails, texting each other and updating face book then our energy may be diverted away from generating and maintaining real deep relationships.

Do we really think that our "Twitters" and our cryptic text languages equate real interaction and connection with each other? Not that these applications are necessarily bad but we really have to ask ourselves the question does it mean that I am truly more connected because I have conversations with people about what I ate for dinner or what I did today? These applications, in my opinion, just expand the breadth of our networks but do nothing to extend the depth of our individual relationships. Now I'm not saying that there aren't people out there on the net who start at this level and go deeper. But true depth in relationship now, as has been the case for thousands of years before the WWW, comes when people make the conscious decision to explore that depth. When true depth is sought out and explored people break away from the superficial sarcasm that floods the social utility world and meet together for coffee or pick up the phone and have a real conversation.

We all have relationships. That’s not the question I want to examine today. The question I want to probe is do we have deep relationships? We can know all the stats and figures and history of somebody but still not really know them. Men and women are historically known for not really getting each other.

So many books have been written about this subject maybe you recognize some of these titles. “Men are from Mars, women are from Venus.” Or the latest one that I still want to get “Men are boxes, women are spaghetti.” These titles and all kinds of other media demonstrations are pervasive with this sense and maybe even frustration we have with the reality that we don’t really understand each other all that well.

Do we really know each other? Not just men and women but all of us as people in general. Going deeper in our relationships is a quest and a commitment to really know each other. Do we really do that? Do we really want to? Do we really want others to really know us? These are difficult questions that must be asked.

DEFINING GOING DEEPER

What are your relationships based on?

Common interests or doing things together (men)
Secret keeping
Role playing
Loyalty
Having fun (laughing together)
Obligations, commitments

These things aren't bad ingredients to have in a relationship. The problem is that all too often these things are the relationship. In other words these characteristics take the place of true depth. Rather than being the fruit or the result of solid relationships they become the substance and overall purpose of our relationships.

We have so many platitudes and descriptions of what meaningful relationships should be. And expectations, I love it when I hear single people describe their idea of a perfect marriage in simple terms like “I want a husband who I can laugh with” or “I want a wife that looks like a supermodel.” Marriage and any significant relationship is much more complicated than just platitudes, expectations and descriptions.

What does it mean to go deeper in relationships? Notice I used the phrase "Going Deeper" as my title. Relationships are organic. They cannot be forced or rushed. They have to grow and develop and evolve organically. They are living.

Let’s consider Ephesians 4:16 “From whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does it’s share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love.” Paul refers to the Church of Christ as a living organic body made up of real people. A body is a living thing not a mechanical system. It has systems and it has organization in order to perform and function correctly but it is first and foremost living. In our relationships we can only go deeper together.

Going deep is an effort made by both parties in a relationship. It is a locking of arms and a commitment to discover, explore and experience life together. It only comes as a result of time and intentionality. It does not happen by quick clicks of the mouse or texting shallow little messages to each other constantly.

Now, I think that forwards are OK when they are useful but some people never send a real email they just send forwards. We try to force connection with gimmicks, “email this forward to ten people in the next ten minutes or the chain will be broken.” Genuine relationships can not be forced.

Real deep relationships are formed when two people lock arms and are heading in the same direction. This is a much better visual of true depth in relationships than the joining of hands. When you’re arms are locked your hearts are connected. let’s ponder Ecclesiastes 4:9-12 especially vs 12. “two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their labor. For if they fall one will lift up His companion, but woe to him who is alone when he falls, for he has no one to help him up. Again if two lie down together they will keep warm; but how can one be warm alone? Though one may be overpowered by another two can withstand him. And a threefold cord is not quickly broken.”

These verses outline the obvious advantages of deep relationships. We are stronger together than alone. We all understand that. But let’s look at vs. 12… “A threefold cord cannot be broken.” The threefold cord is you the other person and God. A deep relationship is about connecting, interconnecting, locking arms and having a common battle to fight. And when God is the third cord the relationship is strong enough to withstand anything.

Going Deeper in relationships

2009-02-09T17:39:00.000-08:00

Ah February, the month when we are thinking about love and relationships and all things gooey and smushy. There, now that I have made my mandatory joke (which is indicative of my discomfort with relationships) we can move beyond the disclaimer. In all seriousness, I do think that Valentines Day is a great time of year to reflect upon our relationships. But my goal this year and my challenge to you is to go deeper than just remembrance and really reflect and examine how healthy Our relationships are. Don’t allow another valentines day to arrive finding you rushing around at the last minute making dinner arrangements or that eleventh hour Wal-Mart run to pick up the fluffy toy that says “you’re cute” when you squeeze it. These are the Valentines Day obligations that we do just to make sure that we measure up to societies standards (and the expectations of our spouses.) But do these gestures really convey depth in our relationships or do they merely give us a facade of something that is not really there? This may make us feel better about “not forgetting valentines day” but how do these rituals really edify our relationships?

I want to attempt in my next several blogs to challenge us to go deeper in our relationships. Not just in our marriage relationships but in all of our relationships. I will suggest several ways that we can do this and challenge our thinking in areas where we may believe that we are already enjoying deep relationships. I hope you get something out of it.

RELATIONSHIPS: GOING DEEPER.

TAKING INVENTORY

I think that we all struggle with depth in our relationships. I know I do maybe more than anything else in my life. Everything in life that matters has its essence in relationships. The level of effectiveness in every area of your life can be measured by the level of effectiveness in your relationships. So what is our attitude toward our relationships? It’s time to take inventory of our relationships.

Think about your relationship with your spouse, children, parents and friends. Do you really have deep relationships or are they just pseudo relationships merely existing on the surface only?

DEFINING DEPTH IN RELATIONSHIPS (TRUTH TELLING)

Eph 4:15 says “But speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head Christ.” Speaking the truth in love is essential to deep relationships. As this verse says, when we speak the truth in love we mature and grow up and so do our relationships. The verse further indicates that when we speak the truth in love we are becoming more like Christ because He speaks the truth in love. Being able to tell each other the truth in a loving way is the hallmark of a deep relationship. But I bet if you really think about it there are precious few people in your life that you can be completely honest with. There aren’t many in mine. There is always something we are holding back.

So now that we have defined a deep relationship as one in which we can tell each other the truth in a free and gracious way how do we arrive at that place in our relationships? Well, let’s first discuss the importance of relationships.

WHY ARE RELATIONSHIPS SO IMPORTANT?

Why is depth in relationships so important? Not only is depth in relationship important for our own personal growth and health but relationship is at the core of everything. Society is built on relationships. It starts with the relationship of a man and a woman and then branches out to children and a family then to a community and then a nation. If relationships, which is the content and glue that keeps all of these Human institutions together, are not deep then it should be no surprise to us that society is falling apart in front of our eyes.

Jesus built His Church, the most powerful force on the Planet today, on the foundation of relationship. Let’s see what He tells His disciples near the end of His life after he spent three years developing a relationship with them. John 15:15. “No longer do I call you servants, for a servant does not know what his master is doing but I have called you friends, for all things that I have heard from My father I have made known to you.”

I want to point out a couple of things about this verse. Jesus said this at the last supper. It was at the end of His time with His disciples. He told them after three years of living with them and experiencing life together that they were His friends. Relationships take time they cannot be rushed.

He entrusted these men (a band of friends) to build the church, to write the New Testament and to preach the Gospel to the known world at that time. What was the foundation? Did they have seminary degrees? Were they knighted in some formal ceremony? No, He said you are my friends. I have poured myself into you now go and change the world (Mathew 28:19,20 The great Commission) This was a simple statement to friends but the outcome changed History. The whole movement, the church, the beginning of it all was based on this friendship Jesus had with these 12 men.

Todd & Marielena Panama Update January 2009

2009-01-30T21:24:00.001-08:00

Christmas Greetings from the Tillinghasts

2008-12-23T19:31:00.000-08:00

Todd & Marielena Panama Update December 2008

2008-12-23T19:17:00.001-08:00

Feliz Navidad from Marielena

2008-12-22T10:42:00.000-08:00

Feliz Navidad from Todd

2008-12-22T10:37:00.000-08:00

Thoughts on Thanksgiving

2008-11-26T13:15:00.000-08:00

As I consider Thanksgiving once again this year, and as I ponder all of the things that I am grateful for in my life it struck me as interesting when I remembered when Thanksgiving actually became an official federal holiday in the Untied States. Most people would assume that first thanksgiving at Plymouth rock when the Indians and the colonists enjoyed a multi-day feast together was the beginning of this holiday but this is not true. Although it may have been celebrated in homes across the nation it was not recognized on a national level until 1863. Abraham Lincoln declared a day of thanksgiving to be celebrated on the last Thursday of the month of November. Now let’s not forget the time period here. This was at the height of the Civil War, the bloodiest war in U.S. history. When parents were mourning the loss of their sons and farmers the destruction of their fields Lincoln stressed the need to be grateful. In fact, he even wrote a long address highlighting all of the reasons for the nation to be thankful.

It is very easy for us to inventory all of our problems. In fact, if you are like me your problems occupy your mind most of the time. But Lincoln, on that very first official thanksgiving, in the midst of havoc and devastation all around exemplified what I believe thanksgiving to be all about. It’s not just about being thankful for all of the blessings and good things in our lives. It’s about understanding that gratitude and thanksgiving are strong medicine for our souls. It is not just a passive response to what has already happened but it is a proactive approach to life in times of plenty and in times of want.

So this thanksgiving, as an imperfect person with an imperfect life I am trying to be grateful for what I do have. I thank God for my wonderful wife whom I love dearly, My beautiful cat and the opportunity to do the kind of work and ministry that I am passionate about.

Maybe you can’t think of one good thing to be thankful for. Maybe your life is full of problems. Be grateful anyway. For the simple things, the breath in your lungs, the clothes on your back. I know it sounds counter intuitive but being grateful is like applying a healing ointment to your wounded soul. Try it. Remember 1 Thessalonians 5:18 and James 1:2. Be thankful in all things and count it all joy. Why? Because there is someone greater than you out there who has everything under control and who only wants the best for you.

Marielena and I are continuing to enjoy our time here in the states. We have been here for almost three weeks already. God has opened the doors fop us to speak in churches in Illinois and Oklahoma. We are very grateful for the opportunities we have been given to share our vision and passion for what He is using us to do in Panama. We are continuing to develop of a team of partners who are standing with us both in prayer and with financial support.

We are spending thanksgiving here with my mother, stepfather and brother in Florida. We are having a wonderful time. On Monday we’ll be off to Arizona for two and a half weeks and then on to Pennsylvania and New York states. We hope to see as many of you as we can!! Please keep us in your prayers as we travel. It is our sincere desire that you enjoy your thanksgiving feast of food, family and friends. And please remember, to tell the ones you love how thankful you are that they are in your life.

Todd & Marielena Panama Update July - Aug 2008

2008-08-27T23:54:00.001-07:00

Mission's Experience Panama

2008-08-20T16:48:00.000-07:00

Todd & Marielena's Panama Update May-June '08

2008-06-30T23:40:00.001-07:00

Can a Scientist believe in God?

2008-05-28T18:01:00.000-07:00

We had a great time at UTP today! Tom Aechtner spoke on the subject: Can a scientist believe in God?

88 new people attended and many of them prayed to receive Christ in their hearts; among them,there was a professor whom was very excited and even offered her classroom for more events like this!

We are very excited to join the UTP Campus Team.

La Comunidad Worship Team

2008-05-26T20:17:00.000-07:00

We had a great one-month addition to our Worship Team.

Andres, Steve and Grace, we are going to miss you!

Logo de "La Comunidad"

2008-05-05T15:53:00.000-07:00

Logo de nuestra iglesia: "La Comunidad" by Joel!

Todd & Marielena's Panama Update Jan-Apr '08

2008-05-04T08:47:00.000-07:00