Here is an interesting article about pastors, time off, boundaries, families, etc.

For the record, I think BCBC does a good job of taking care of its pastors.  I am looking forward to vacation in August with my family.  It is always very refreshing and renewing.  I am thankful that the deacons not only support this but encourage me to take the time to get recharged.  I am working to make sure that Nate takes the time he needs as well to take good care of his family ahead of the church.    Too many pastors put the church ahead of family.

Ok, I agree with Anne Rice as I disagree with her.

She has declared that she is leaving Christianity.  The reasons she gives is that she "refuses to be “anti-gay,” “anti-feminist," “anti-science” and “anti-Democrat."   So I have to disagree with her on all these three points at least to a point.  While there are Christians who are "anti-gay" in an inappropriate way, the point is simply to follow Christ in all areas which includes the Bible's teaching on sexuality.  This goes with "anti-feminist" as well.  There are some churches or Christians who have distorted the Bible's teaching on the gender roles, but that does not change that in Christ there is no male or female.  All are equal before God but equal does not mean identical roles.  "Anti-science" drives me crazy.  I am very pro-science, just anti-bad science.  So much of what passes for science is an ideology trying to be proved, not true science.  Finally, "anti-Democrat."  I find that interesting since there are Democrats that go to our church.

So I disagree with her on her need to leave Christianity.  Here is what she said that I agree with.   "But following Christ does not mean following His followers. Christ is infinitely more important than Christianity and always will be, no matter what Christianity is, has been or might become.”  I can agree with that.  There are "followers of Christ" who I would not follow because I feel they don't truly represent Him.  Christ is important.

Again, though, I must say that I feel Anne Rice has missed the point of Christ.  Some create Christ in their own image instead of seeing the god/man.  Jesus was a man of love and acceptance, but not without repentance and dealing with sin.  He was not always tolerant in the way our world thinks of it today.  We must fall in love with Christ as He is, not as we would make Him be.

Enjoy This Article about a man smuggling monkeys!!

Camp will wear you out.  It is often a really good worn out, but it is a wear you out nonetheless.  Anyone who has been involved in camp ministry knows how hard it can be and how much work it is.  When I was a counselor, I would get really tired.  Now I long for the seemingly care free days of being a counselor.  As your responsibility grows, so does the strain.

Serving God will wear you out.  At least it can.  Now I'm not talking about burning out in an unhealthy way, but serving God demands everything.  Those who want to serve God at no personal cost are doing some sort of Western European religion thing, not the Biblical Christianity that the Word talks about.  Jesus says that following Him involves picking up your cross which was not just symbolic.  It meant that Jesus expected that those who followed Him were in it even at the cost of their very lives.  Yet these days a lot of people won't serve Him at the cost of a day or afternoon of free time, or if the cost would cut into affording digital cable, big vacations, or other toys.

In other words, sometimes we act like we got unionized.  We band together and demand better working hours, more benefits, and if we don't get what we want, we will strike!

You can't serve God while trying to preserve earthly benefits.  The benefit, the reward, is to come.  In fact, Jesus made it clear that those seeking rewards now do so at the expense of rewards to come.  That sounds like too high a price for me.

And Yet... I find myself wanting to unionize sometimes.  I see what serving costs me while I watch others refuse to bear much cost.  Sometimes you end up bearing a greater cost, in time, in effort, because fellow workers are busy protecting their personal benefits.  That is when it is hard.  That is when satan starts whispering in your ear that you need to take care of yourself too and pull back from sacrifice.

Oh Lord, may I not listen to that.  May I serve with joy, not with obligation.  May I give freely and fully, not reluctantly and grudgingly.