Big Miracles in Times of Crisis

One thing I have learned in my life is the simple fact that crisis is unavoidable in our life. One does not have to be very old to realize that crisis is not optional. Crisis comes without warning and affects our lives many times without warning or prior notice. Crisis will hit anyone at any time. Crisis in our lives are inevitable, unpredictable, and just part of life. When it comes to crisis in our life, we all make assumptions that crisis are bad. No one I have met has ever said, “Things are going awesome in my life, the only thing that is missing is a crisis. I need the wind knocked out of me, I need my faith tested, I could really use some tragedy, a painful time, and being stretched to my limits.”  It is in our human nature to assume that when we enter into a season of crisis that it will turn out bad. What if our assumptions are wrong?  What if there is a greater purpose to the crisis in our life?

When I think about the many crises I have endured in my life, I recall when God called us into ministry. I left a very well paying career to attend seminary and start my path towards ordination. While we drastically cut our expenses, some were unavoidable. We had two small children and struggled daily and we were broke. I mean counting out coins from the ashtray in the car to buy food, praying we didn’t have to drive far so our empty gas tank would last one more trip and paying just enough of the electricity bill to keep the light on. Needless to say the pressure of the crisis strained even the strongest of relationships all in the midst of the family sacrificing for me to go earn a graduate degree. Crisis even when we when following God’s call for us. While times were tough, when I look back now I see the crisis as not all bad. God provided for us. Without warning the church paid for childcare expenses, others invited us over to eat a lot, and day after day through the kindness and generosity of others we made it day to day.

The crisis was not all bad. We learned that family and not possessions are the most important things in life. We learned that when you follow God’s call it will not be easy, but He will not let you be destroyed. We learned lack of money is no excuse for not fueling romance, intimacy, and partnership in a marriage. We learned that no matter how alone you may feel in your crisis you are never alone God is with you and will provide sometimes in the most unusual and uncommon way.  We learned a new sense of joy whenever we have an opportunity to “pay it forward” and help out someone else. We learned faith is something that really can get you through to the next season and that love is the most valuable procession anyone of us can give to others as a gift. We learned the power of being a part of a faith family. In the midst of our crisis God provided miracle after miracle to get us to where we are now. God was not just providing miracles to get us through our financial crisis but was strengthening us and positioning us so God could put us in a position to help others. We know fully understand those others who struggle in crisis similar to us. We learned that no matter what the crisis is, it won’t last forever. Most importantly we learned that crisis is often the path to God’s big miracles in our life. May God bring you out of your crisis and into the miracle He has for you as God can make the impossible possible.
Peace, Love & Happiness
Tommy

Ten Lessons in Life I learned From Watching The Andy Griffith Show:

Reflecting on the recent death of Andy Griffith, it came to light ten life lessons I learned from watching the show. These lessons were slowing and unconsciously ingrained in me and shaped the way I navigate through life.  

1.       Enjoy your occupation. No matter what you do for a living, respect is earned not demanded. If you have respect your job is a lot easier.

2.       As with Earnest T Bass: Sometimes you have to do something crazy to get a girls attention.

3.       If you work with anyone who is incompetent, cover their mistakes and let them take credit. It will benefit you in the long run.

4.       Everyone has an Otis in their life. When they get drunk the first reaction is not to punish them but to keep them safe. Addiction is a disease not necessarily a crime.

5.       Life is too short not to stop whatever you’re doing to play a little bluegrass.

6.       Everyday can be a holiday, if you only sell moonshine on holidays and special occasions.

7.       It’s hard to be single parent, even if you have an Aunt Bea.

8.       Whenever serious crime hits you, first thing is to protect the ones you love.

9.       Whenever your children mess up, make it a teaching moment.

10.   Families should make eating together a top priority. It’s around the table values are formed, problems are solved, and information is shared. Not on Facebook.

Can you imagine what our world would look like if we had more Mayberry and less Jersey Shores?

“Developing Future Prospects”

If you watch baseball or any other sport you will agree that each sport possesses its own language. In baseball there are words like steal, bunt, sacrifice, and strike that have completely different meaning than when we use those exact words in our daily life. Baseball is a unique sport in which player development is essential. Compared to professional football, basketball, or hockey those lucky enough to get drafted, rookies in baseball do not start or play right away. Baseball has a strategic developmental system. Even when a player breaks into the majors, there are still veteran players who mentor the younger guys. There comes a time in every player’s professional career where they make a transition from securing their position to mentoring or sharing their knowledge with those less experienced. Players become great by what others have taught them both on and off the field not on talent and skill alone. This makes me wonder where am I in life, what have I done to develop future prospects. I seem to find myself most days somewhere between the rookie and the veteran.

When we look closely there is really no difference between baseball players and those of us who call ourselves “Christians” or followers of Jesus. Christians use words like faith, hope and love but may not have a clear, relevant, working definition of exactly what those words mean. Even though we use them all the time, they sound spiritual, they seem inviting and comforting, we may have no idea what they actually mean. I know churches named Faith and another named Hope but when you ask individuals connected to them what that means many find it hard to articulate the meaning of faith and hope. It's essential to have a clear working definition for such spiritual sounding words. The working definition of faith can be describes as in Hebrews 11:1 as: "being sure in what we hope for and certain about what we cannot see." To have faith in someone is to call out things that are not as though they are. Meaning we call out in people not what is there but what can be. This is done to us when someone takes a chance on us. Someone has faith in us, gives us a opportunity, or trust us on a task when we have no clue what we are doing. Jesus was the master of this. Some of us believe in others but faith takes belief a step further. If faith is calling things that are not as though they are then what is hope? Hope is seeing those things others don’t see. We have to see past what is and see what has the potential to be. As I approach my 44 birthday this week I began to compile a list of all the people in my life who saw something in me that I couldn’t see myself. I ahve been so blessed. My wife, my children, my parents, my siblings, my 2rd grade teacher, my friends, pastors and other church leaders, all these people who saw something inside of me that I could not see.

Here is the deal; the Bible mandates that if we want to play for Jesus, then we must live our lives so it will resemble the life Jesus lived. We are to pour out our knowledge, experiences, and what God has placed inside of us into other people. We are to play an important part in the development of future prospects. We are to be able to articulate a clear definition of faith, hope, and love. We are to demonstrate those definitions in our daily lives. In I Corinthians 13, Paul is writing about faith, hope and love and a chapter of scripture we have all heard at weddings, he reiterates that out of faith, hope and love, that love is the greatest. Why is love the most important? Because we can place our faith in people, we can give them hope and they still can let us down. But love is to have the patience to walk with someone during their development not just after. Love is walking with someone through the ups and downs, the highs and lows, when they let you down and make you proud, and being there with them as they develop into all-stars in life.

Who needs your faith in them right now? Who needs you to call out things that are not there as if they are there? Who in your life today needs hope? Who is that person that needs you to tell them what you see in them that others can’t? Who in your life needs that kind of love? Is it your children, coworker, grandchildren, friend, or spouse that needs that type of love? Call them, text them, drop them a note, have coffee with them, reach out to them help develop them into superstars on life. Don't give up on them, love them. It is time we begin to transition from securing our own position and begin to mentor those less experienced.

Peace, Love, and Happiness;
Tommy

“It Only Takes a Spark”

This time of year brings back memories of summer camp. For me it was Bethany Hills Camp in Tennessee. It was the place where my faith was shaped, molded, and developed. I am confident it was the beauty and serenity of the place along with the awesome people God put in my life as our paths crossed during our faith journey. I know God is everywhere, but that rustic camp in the hills of Tennessee was the location God spoke to me, reached out to me, and formulated the foundation of my faith. It as a place where I found a peace that seemed to avoid me elsewhere. I don’t know the mystery of the place but it has had the same affect on hundreds of young people who have traveled through there on life’s journey over a century. It brings me great joy and assurance that both of my children continue to journey there each summer knowing God is working on them also. It is where God plants seeds in the souls of young people. Many of us have special places like that where God’s presence is more audible than in the confines of our daily life. Not only was my faith shaped there so was taught lessons in life. I learned quickly that the guys who could play guitar also held the attention of all the young ladies. So during the winter away from camp, I taught myself a couple of chords and learned the poplar campfire songs. While I had ulterior motives, God put a spark in me that grew to a fire of a love for playing music. One of the popular songs of the day was Pass It One. I’m sure you have heard it. Sing along with me.

It only takes a spark, to get a fire going.

And soon all those around, can warm up it it's glowing.

That's how it is with God's love, once you've experienced it,

it's fresh like spring, you want to sing, you want to pass it on.

The Online Dictionary defines the word Spark: as anything that activates or stimulates; inspiration or catalyst. It only takes a spark to change the world in which we live in. God places a spark in each and every one of us. When we decided to intentionally fan that flame it will quickly spread into large flame. The book of Acts speaks of a spark that ignited a flame which eventual grew to a fire that is known as the local church. We are one of them. We can change the Centralia community with the fire that was started long before us. The flame is bigger than one person or one group of people but we can add our fuel to it that will be the catalyst for change. We can be the spark that activates, stimulates, inspires, and the catalyst to change in our community. Join us as we kick off a new sermon series The Spark. We will discover how to fan the flame that God has put in our own life to bring about change in our relationships, our careers, our faith and our community. It really does only take a spark, to get a fire going. It’s it really time to ignite something big.
Peace, Love and Happiness:
Tommy



“Smart Phone Theology”

In keeping with my ministerial colleges and in order to do ministry in today’s environment, I bought a smart phone. I feel in my own mind that I am a pretty tech savvy guy. Just ask my mother as she thinks I am a techno genius because I can change the blinking time on her VCR. However, no matter how savvy I believe I am it never fails that I will run into to some teenager who has the same phone as I and I begin to feel savvy and hip. Then they will do something incredible with their phone and I quickly feel dumb. I will respond with “Wow! I didn’t know it could do that, cool.” I leave with ego bruised but excited with the new discovery of the new function. My point is for those of us who have smart phones, it is one thing to own it, it’s one thing to have it, it’s one thing to poses it but it is a whole issue entirely to actually take full advantage of what you have in your possession.

In different areas of our life, do we take full advantage of the things we possess? While the analogy can be found with materialistic things it can happen in other areas of our life as well. In our relationships that we inhabit do we take full advantage of them? In our careers, it is one thing to have a job but it is something different to take full advantage of what we have. In our families, do we take the fullest advantage of the love between spouses, parent and child, grandparent and grandchild, sibling to sibling? In our faith do we take our relationship with God to the fullest? I strongly believe that God has a destiny for each us. It’s a destiny that is life beyond our own imagination. God wants us to not just own it but utilize it to its fullest advantage. As we continue to look at the life of Joshua, there was a time when under Joshua leadership the people of Israel conquered all the land God had promised them. In the middle of the book of Joshua, God goes into great minuet detail of how the land was to be divided up among the people. God didn’t intend for the people to just possess the land but to inhabit it. God didn’t intend for his children to just own the land but to use it to the fullest. God wants the same for our life. God’s desire for us is not to have a relationship with someone one but a healthy relationship to the fullest. Not just being married but a marriage that fulfills both individuals to the fullest. God does not desire for us just to have a faith but a solid faith filled with hope that will sustain through the ups and downs of life. God’s desire for us transcends just having something in our procession and knowing how to use it to the greatest potential. Simply put; there may be more to our life than we realize and that we can take advantage of.
How do we get smart? I believe there are three essential principles that are paralleled in the life of Joshua that carries over to our life as well. We can live life to the fullest if we adapt ourselves to live our life with praise, share what we have with others, and live with honor. Start each day in praise to God. Turn on your ipod, car radio, whatever and begin each day listening or singing along with praise music. You will be amazed at how better your day will be just because you started out with a bit of praise. Second, understand that we don;t live on a island. God has placed others in our life. Some God has placed there so we can help them. Others God has placed there to help us. Last we must live with honor. Honor is something we as a nation has failed miserable teaching to younger generations. I believe our nation is the best on this planet and we still h ave our problems but we have failed to teach our children honor. Honor is lacking n our society because we have failed to demonstrate or teach our children honor. I strongly feel is not our governments job to teach honor, it is not our educational system to teach honor because each are deprived of honor themselves. I believe it is the church of Jesus Christ responsibility to teach, illustrate, and demonstrate honor into the fabric of families and eventually into our society. With these three, maybe we can be smart after all..
Peace, Love and Happiness:
Tommy

"What's Missing in Today's Church"

I have always said I strongly believe that what is good of individuals is also good for churches. Let’s be honest. Older existing churches are in a slow downward spiral of decay while new churches are springing up like wild fire only to burn out quickly. So what is missing? Why are old churches dying and new churches burning out? Why are individual’s in older churches complacent and new believers in new churches are ignited but quickly burn out?

Many people believe that all you need for the church to grow is a new, young, nice looking charismatic pastor with a gorgeous family and that will solve it. All the church needs is someone who looks like Rob Bell, writes like Rick Warren and draws them in like Joel Osteen and all problems are solved. That may be true but what if the real answer already lies within the faith community and the people haven’t even realized it.


What I uncovered through my experiences as a new church planter as well as revitalizing a congregation that is over one hundred fifty years old was actually found in a parallel of the life of Joshua and the life of churches. Joshua was one of the greatest leaders of all time and was called by God to lead the people of Israel during a time of great transition. Moses their leader was dead, God chooses Joshua to lead the people into their destiny that God had promised. The Israelites were transforming from wondering newly free slaves into a great nation. God chose Joshua, Moses assistant, to lead them. When the Israelites arrived at their destination they found that the land was already inhibited. Joshua being a warrior wanted to take the city of Jericho but God had other plans. Joshua had the ability, the experience, the enthusiasm, the expertise, the training and the determination to conquer the city of Jericho. But God didn’t ask Joshua to be the great warrior that he was, God asked Joshua to obey him. Don’t fight just walk, blow some horns, and scream like a bunch of girls.


Like Joshua many new churches have that same vigor. They launch their new church with awesome new shinny programs ready to do battle. Their leaders have the knowledge, the expertise, and the passion but maybe lacking the ability to slow down, listen to God, and obey God in an uncommon way. They rush into battle when battle might not be God’s plan. Even with their determination they are slow to slow down and obey God in some uncommon way. Many new church leaders have prepared for battle when God wants them to walk around, blow some horns and scream like girls. They have determination but maybe lack restraint and wisdom. When God wants you to walk and you want to fight, burnout, frustration, and discontentment quickly set in. New churches are set on advancement when God may intend on relenting.


After Joshua takes the city of Jericho, he goes on a thirty one kingdom conquering winning streak. Joshua leads the people and they take them down one by one. When Joshua is finished he is tired and old not unlike many older existing churches. In Joshua 13:1&2 God says to Joshua: “you now are very old, and there are still very large areas of land to be taken over.” (NLV) Like many older churches, Joshua had done a lot, been through tough times, conflicts, and battles. The church as Christ body is old, tired, and battle worn. God even called Joshua very old but still had important things to accomplish. So are older existing congregations. Many from an older generation are content on sitting back on past victories and relinquish it all to a younger generation. The older generation finds contentment of what they have accomplished in the past. Like Joshua they are old, body covered in battle scars and content on sitting on the sideline. This generation is relenting when God is calling for them to advance.


So what is missing? What is missing for both new churches and older churches I believe is collaboration. Speaking for my generation I must express that young people are crazy, energetic, full of energy, and will try anything. Young people have a deep passion to serve Jesus. We believe in those quiet moments that we really can change things for the better. We feel strongly that we can make a difference in people lives and in our community. But we are missing wisdom and insight. We are missing someone to believe in us. There is this aching hole inside the younger generation that is looking to the previous generations and asking, “Do you believe in us? Do you think we can do it?” Look we may dress funny, yes we may rely on technology for everything, we may talk weird, but you know what we love God the same as you do. I believe there is a younger generation that is looking across our churches and desperately wanting you to say, “Yes! I believe you can do it. I believe in you.” We need you to say, “let us bring our wisdom alongside of you to help you be more efficient. Help you look out for the blind spots that you are too young to notice yet. Help you slow down and listen to God and when to fight” The older generation has something vital to give. We as a younger generation need to hear you say, “I’ve made some mistakes in my life but here is what I’ve learned.” We so desperately need to hear how your marriage survived sixty years, how you made it raising your children, how you survive cancer, how you put your life back together after your spouse died. We need to hear it because where we sit we think you are perfect. The older generation needs to know we look upon you and your life and say to ourselves, we hope we are like them when we are their age. We need you, we need your wisdom, most of all we need your belief in us. I don’t think it is possible for any church new or old to become everything God wants it to become in the future without your wisdom and confidence. To the older generation please hear us; we need you, we can not do it without you. Don’t relent; we must advance the bride of Christ together, side by side, hand in hand, wisdom and vigor with the same love of Christ and the church. We may be old, we may be young but together God has called us for to progress together as one unified body.


Rev Thomas J Henegar is an ordained minister in the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) who has worked both as a New Church Planter for the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in Tennessee. He is currently serving as the Senior Minister of a one hundred fifty plus year old church in rural Southern Illinois. Rev Henegar is a graduate of Memphis Theological Seminary with a Master of Divinity Degree and has extensive research and continuing education in new church development and church transformation. He is married to wife Kellie for over 18 years and is the proud father to Abby 17, and Will 13. He only dreams of looking like Rob Bell, singing like Chris Tomlin, writing like Rick Warren and a smile that draws them in like Joel Osteen.

“Centralia Has Me Seeing Green”

Every where I turn in the town that I live, I see green. Green signs, people wearing green t-shirts, and green lettering on local businesses and vehicles. The green is not to just to celebrate spring, our High Schools colors, but a community effort to save something priceless. Everyone in the community have united together to display green to save one of its most valuable assets, the Murray Center. The Murray Center provides a caring home and excellent care to 280 special needs residents. Governor Quinn, the governor of Illinois, has decided to close the facility and displace all the residents and employees. But the green is not about saving the jobs of 550 staff members. While jobs are crucial and important, the main explanation I hear for saving the Murray Center is more about the quality of care and life of what Jesus called the “least of these” and their families. Governor Quinn explained his actions were taken because of green cash despite the fact that the Murray Center has turned a profit of millions of dollars in last years.

So what is all the green about? The color green symbolizes self-respect and well being. Green is the color of balance. It also means learning, growth and harmony. Not being from Centralia I see green as the perfect color. Green has displayed the self respect and well being of the care given to the residence at the Murray Center. Green causes each of us who live here to find this balance between activism, politics, religion and community involvement. I have witnessed churches putting theological practices aside and coming together to pray and seek God’s guidance. I have witnessed local political leaders put aside personal egos and party lines to work together. It does not take long to see people gathering together in a show of solidarity to keep green in our community. I am not sure of the outcome but I know that during this whole journey our community has grown closer together. We have put others needs ahead of our own, lifted up to God in prayer our current circumstance, and bonded together. In a green cash strapped community, people have given of their already limited resources to help in the fight. The people of the Centralia area have begun to work in harmony with one another. Yes green is the perfect color for our community. In a society when division is profitable it is refreshing to see unity.

I can not predict the outcome but I truly believe no matter what our community has already won. We have unselfishly fought for the quality of life for those who can not take care of their own basic needs. We have battled for the families who can rest easy at night knowing that their loved one is safe, loved, and taken care of. We have brawled side by side in unity using all our resources with those in power to secure a safe home for those who need it most. Nothing can take that away our self respect and pride as a community as we know we have done the best we can. I was not born in Centralia but God chose to call my family and me here and once again it has proven to be an awesome place to live and raise our children. For that i am thankful. I believe in our community there has been awakening for each of us to see the beauty within that sometimes eludes us. That is something no governor can take away from us. Yes Centralia has me seeing green and I could think of a more beautiful color.

Peace, Love and Happiness,

Tommy