|
Because You Give, Lives Are Changed Testimonies by
|
|
|
Do We Trust the Test * ? How many of you like to take tests? Tests are not accidental. We either ask for them – intentionally – or they are purposeful – given to us by God – and these are also intentional by providence. One of the good things about taking tests is that you don’t have to take someone else’s test. Every test we take has our name on it. Tests are not general exams. We are not tested accidentally or haphazardly - tests are purpose driven like God’s will. If we believe that a test from God is purposeful can we also say that we trust God in this? Do we trust His test? When Mark asked me to do a personal witness about stewardship the Holy Spirit kept placing before me this idea of a test. During the last week of my sophomore year at Texas A&M I lost my athletic scholarship and was told by my pre-professional advisor that he would not recommend me to further my education in this area. Take another course of study. Being an athlete (my identity) and becoming a doctor (my dream) was disappearing. Changing my identity was hard enough but losing my dream – well – I begged for another chance. He gave it to me but as if to prove he was right and I was wrong he enrolled me in his class - the course that usually made or broke pre-med students. After the first test I went to check my grade posted outside the classroom and beside my name was no grade – only an asterisk. I went immediately to his office – he slid my test paper across his desk to me and asked “Is this your test paper with your name on it?” “Is this your writing?” “Did you receive any help with this?” I had only missed one answer. He was accusing me of cheating – he did not trust me. It would become a very long semester. The Hebrew word for test means to show, to prove. That semester I learned that what I was going through was a results oriented test. And what I hard to deliver – to continue with my dream – was my best. I see BUMC like this – BUMC*. I see it like this because as a body – the body of Christ – we act like we don’t trust Him. We don’t trust His test. God’s tests always have a result in mind. God never wills us to go through a hard time for no purpose. He is after an end result for us – our church. He allows us to go through stressful circumstances, tests, to prove something – not to Him – but to us. He already knows the results. He is constantly telling Page 2/Trust the Test us “You have no idea what you can do if you trust me. You are not nearly as weak as you think you are – and I am going to prove it to you.” Exodus 20:20 says “Do not be afraid God has come to test you.” Say what? A test and “don’t be afraid” – these two things just don’t go together. God knows that we repeat cycles over and over again. Our not being financially responsible is the cycle BUMC is in now. And he will keep giving us this test until we pass it. God is into A’s – not C’s. God, in asking us to take the test is also saying to us “please trust me”, “believe in me”. When God is up to something hard for us He is into something Big for us. Have you noticed that we will give God most of what we love but we will not give him what we love most? As I lost my identity that year in school I suggest that BUMC needs to lose its identity. BUMC needs to be born again. Born again with a new identity so that we may pursue our future, our dreams. I am so excited about seeing what those dreams are. But first the test. In a couple of weeks – on Commitment Sunday – you will be given a pledge card. Your name will be on it. You will fill it in. As you turn it in ask yourself what grade do you think God will give you? An “A”? A “C”? He will be asking you “Are you there”? Will you be able to say to him “Here I am”. -John Douglass
|
|
|
Roman 11:16 says If the part of the dough offered as firstfruits is holy, then the whole batch is holy; if the root is holy, so are the branches. My name is Tim Lucas. I have been attending this church for about 10 or 11 years… I want you to hear this one line again. If the part of the Dough offered as firstfruits is holy, then the whole batch is holy, if the root is holy, so are the branches. For many many years I have given God my sloppy seconds. I have given Him what was left. If some money was left then I gave it (maybe). If some time was left then I gave it (maybe). If I had anything left over then I gave it (maybe) but only after all fun and games as well as energy was given to other man made gods. But a great thing happened. Some men got together and decided we needed a men’s group at BUMC. A place where we could be real men. We could get together and socialize under God’s banner. Some of us probably thought we were pulling a fast one on God. We could get together and hunt, cook steaks and other manly things and pretend we were in worship. Well God took over and changed a lot of us. He tricked us! He has had the last laugh. Well not really. We are laughing together. However, before all of this started I had ventured into church with my family. Our family happened onto some mentors. I am going to speak a little about this and the influence it has had on my walk with Christ. Many people have had a great impact on my walk with Christ. The men of this church in particular Randy Martin, Tom Troll, and Jerry Godwin and of course Tim Ryan mentored me. Tim, Tom & Randy were impactful in leading Julie and I to their Sunday school class at Kiddy Koop. Never underestimate the impact you have on someone, especially someone younger. Mentoring is huge! Because they gave their time in interest to us, we came back. We have continued to come back as well. This church is full of so many possible mentors. Folks we have a problem in America. We lack mentors. These following comments are taken from Robert Lewis’ Men’s Fraternity. Robert is commenting on some characteristics of mentors. We need your expertise not your criticism. A mentor supports rather than competes. The mentor is the primary cheerleader, not a critic. He seeks to encourage the development of your gifts while seeking to protect you from mistakes. A mentor admires and delights in you because he instinctively recognizes your value and untapped potential. Mentoring gives older men a significant purpose in the second half of life. Passionate mentors can change people and break the cycle we have fallen into. I truly do have a passion for this church. I truly do have a passion for Men’s Ministry. I also have a passion for breaking this cycle of confusion. This confusion is so strong that we often find ourselves blaming the Church or pastors for our own short sightedness. We as committed people to Christ must step up to the plate and give our first fruit to the honor and glory of our Lord and Savior. That means the first dollars and the first gifts as well as our best service. Many of us are falling short in our praise and worship. If we are not tithing regularly then we have an obstacle to Grace. If we are not giving our service, then we have an obstacle to Grace. Finally if we are supporting our leaders then we have an obstacle to Grace. Don’t be caught in the cycle of griping, not tithing, not encourager or not participating. Be caught here fulfilling your mission. Be caught tithing Take inventory! Give back. Be a mentor. Be a supporter. Be an encourager. Be the Body of Christ. I Make a commitment today to be special. Make a commitment to make yourself happy. Jesus wants us happy. Give your best. Commit to your church financially, spiritually, and prayerfully. Remember…Romans 11:16……. If the part of the dough offered as firstfruits is holy, then the whole batch is holy; if the root is holy, so are the branches. -Tim Lucas
|
|
|
I basically come from a generation that is the future of the world. And for some people, that scares the life out of them. My peers and myself these days get looked down on and seem to be ashamed of more than any other generation. (Or maybe that’s just me) According to the older generations we have no direction in life, we’re careless, and obviously don’t know God. But I’m making it my mission to prove that wrong. And today, I’m represent the youth of not only BUMC but the community surrounding it. There’s so many places I could start, so many things I could use as evidence to try to convince you that we DO have direction. I’ll start with this summer. Our youth group, myself included, went across Texas to spread God’s love. We first went to Eagle Pass, Texas which had in earlier months, been hit by multiple tornadoes. The destruction and devastation in this place was catastrophic. Words honestly cannot describe the pain this community felt. Ask me about it sometime, because there’s so many stories I can tell about it. But for now I’ll focus on our work in Houston. We visited the worst part of Houston, where the most crime, poverty, and ungodly things happen. At the vacation Bible school we did, there was one particular girl. She was thirteen years young. On our second to last evening with the kids, we held a church service, and by the end of the service this poor girl was on her knees just bawling. She was shaking with pain and you could just tell she was troubled by something we couldn’t understand. Weeks after our visit, after we were back in Bulverde, we received word that the young girl was pregnant. At thirteen. What you must understand is this is actually pretty common for the neighborhood. But what isn’t common or expected is that the girl transformed her life. Because of our youths’ work, the girl decided to devote herself permanently to Jesus Christ. She went as far as setting up a permanent VBS in her front yard so she could constantly share Christ with friends and neighbors. Do you realize how amazing that is? Do you understand that because your youth took time off their beloved summer and travel to do God’s will, lives are changed. Seeds have been planted. And now the world is changing for the better. But our youths’ impact on the world didn’t in any way end this summer. When we walk into the halls of our schools and people know that we’re the Christian in their class, that makes a difference. Because we choose to sacrifice social events for youth group on Sunday, people know God is working in our lives. And no, not everyone cares, but the point is I have seen my peers’ lives changed because someone from our youth group took the time to share Christ with them. And I don’t think most people realize how amazing it is to see that troubled kid that always sits in the back of your class, get on his knees and cry out to God. And all of this is because your youth, kids from your church, are reaching out and working in their communities and schools...in the name of Christ. Most people don’t always realize or appreciate BUMC’s youth. But I hope know you’ll take time to pay attention and know we are making a difference in our own communities, as well as planting seeds state-wide. Because even though we have the world working against us, everyone watching us to see us fail, and no reason to have any kind of hope-we're refusing to become another statistic. And we're giving back, so lives can be changed. It may seem a little lengthy, but I ran through it and it's only about 6 or 7 minutes long. I hope this is what you were aiming for :] - Emily Peterson
|
|
|
Because you gave… My name is Heather Allen Thompson. I have been coming to this church for about a year and a half. I have been asked to share my story regarding my walk with stewardship. I believe I have something to share regarding stewardship, particularly around the area of finances and my relationship to money. I was born in Dallas, Texas, and raised in Highland Park. My family had money. My family spent money. But I don’t remember having great examples of having a right relationship with money…how to use it, budget it, save it, and give it. Spiritually, I was raised up in the Baptist church and I loved Jesus. I fell away from Him and the church when I was about 14 years old, but that’s another testimony. My father had problems that affected the whole family. It caused him to loose most of the money. He lost my inheritance. As a result, I made some vows that are contrary to God’s word. I came to believe I needed to rely on myself for my provision. I became fearful about not having enough. I worked for a non-profit for many years. My tithe was more about time and gifts than it was about finances. And while that is important, the stronghold Satan had in my life was concerning finances and buying into the lie of not having enough, of not being satisfied with what I had, and of being jealous of others and their prosperity. In 1985, my late husband and I began going back to church. He got a revelation about finances and tithing. He believed we needed to begin to give 10% of our gross income to the Lord. However, because of our greed and wrong attitudes about finances, we were up to our eyeballs in debt. We had our home and a rental property. Some of you may recall the interest rates of the ‘80’s (15%!). If we began to tithe, we would loose our properties, because our budget was so tight. This went against all my values regarding being responsible in paying debts. The shame of being publicly humiliated if we lost our home was too much for me to bear. It took some time for me to be convinced, but eventually, reluctantly, I submitted to the idea. I had to act as if I believed in the promises of God regarding giving, before I became joyful about giving. With my attitude about money, if we waited for Heather to become a joyful giver, it probably wasn’t going to happen in our lifetimes. So, we began to tithe. My husband had to write the check because I threw up if I had to write it myself. We lost both properties a year later. But we did not loose the stuff because we began to tithe. We lost the stuff because of our wrong relationship with money. I was pregnant with our second child. But I was not afraid. I was relieved. I drove a 20-year-old car. I learned how to budget. But most importantly, I learned to want what I have instead of having what I want. I became content. As a result, when my husband got sick in 2003 and later died in 2005, I was not afraid either. Because I really understood that God was the source of our provision. I was powerless. Sure it was scary, but God had shown me over and over, that He would take care of us, no matter what the outcome. It was an amazing process to go through. Every detail in our lives was provided for. We had a network of amazing friends, spiritual leadership, and wonderful family. All we had to do was to allow God to prove Himself to us, again. He never fails. He never fails. And He did not fail this time either, even though my husband died. Now, I am sure you are wondering what all that has to do with you and stewardship and BUMC. Well, here is “the rest of the story”… I have always been a singer. I began in choir at church when I was 6 years old. Singing has always been a refuge for me. It is a safe place. I feel the most connected and complete when I am singing. It is an intimate experience between God and me. When my husband got sick and subsequently died, I quit singing at church. I just couldn’t commit to it due to our schedule of seemingly endless doctor and hospital visits. To be honest, I just didn’t have it in me, either. I was too sad. I lost my song. I lost my joy. Thank God, I didn’t loose my faith. Ron and I had been friends for several years as we were in a Christian blues band together. He invited me to come to the Son Rise service one Easter. We had just begun dating. (Again, that is another testimony!) I was so filled with joy that day when I heard the music. I felt I had come home. I was weepy. But for the first time in a long time, it was tears of joy, not sorrow. Ron asked me to be a substitute for vacationing singers that summer. The rest is history. The team welcomed me with open arms and hearts. There is such a sweet spirit among them. When I talked to my pastor about Ron and this church, he asked me if I was singing. When I told him yes, he said, “Then, I know you are healing.” He released me from that congregation in love. It was then that I really understood about trading my sorrow and pain and about laying it down for the joy of the Lord because I was able to do that when I came here. So, because you gave your time, your talent, your finances, your love, and because you support this ministry… you gave me a place to heal, you gave me back my joy, and you gave me back my song. I will always be grateful. Thank you. - Heather Allen Thompson |
|
|
It all started Monday morning Sept 10th when I was sipping on my 4 dollar cup of coffee and eating my usual slice of pumpkin loaf. God told me to buy a paper and the article that changed my day was on the front page. The title read "Homework Without Home". It described two particular families who are living in the Hope shelter downtown and the impact it makes on their children when the school season starts. Instead of just worrying about their homework and how they are going to make new friends, homeless students worry about things we take for granted like, where they might be sleeping, or what is for dinner, if any!! For an estimated 6,000 San Antonio students, school's tests are overshadowed by the challenges of homelessness. That morning I drove straight down to the shelter and asked to meet with someone regarding these kids in the article. At first, the receptionist behind the desk asked if I would like to donate money to help them. I replied to her that no, I would like to talk to someone about getting involved with making sure these kids were taken care of, because two boys in the article who were teased about their shoes and embarrassed with the old clothes they had and that just broke my heart. The boy’s names were Eliyah and Joshua (biblical sign). I met Veronica and asked her to please get me information on what shoe sizes the kids wore. At the time I was just going to get them new shoes and that would be my part, no more! That should have been enough. But God had different plans for me. When she called me back on Wednesday she had all their sizes- shirts, pants, and shoes for 7 kids!! I thought wow this could be a little more challenging and soon became a little overwhelming. I didn’t know how I was going to get it done but I knew God had placed this on my heart and I was going to find a way with His help! You may wonder why I am telling you this story. It is because of this church and the people in it who donate their time and gifts. You might think, what does the Homeless students and the 4-dollar cup of coffee have to do with this church. This church has helped me want to become a better person, whether that is a father, friend or husband. It was through this church I took my first Emmaus spiritual walk and excepted Christ back into my life. Through this Church, I coach Upwards basketball with my two sons and the kids of this church and community. I can’t tell you the joy I get from teaching kids their Bible verses, praying with them, and watching them play basketball. What a blessing Todd and Jennifer Clarke have been to that program and my family. I look around at the youth at this church and they are alive in His spirit. One morning during prayer as we usually do we all held hands. A young lady from our youth saw that a lady didn’t have a hand to hold and went out her way to reach out and hold her hand. I believe that was the spirit working in her and this congregation. It was an very emotional thing for me to see. These youth EXCITE me!! I have three beautiful children and those are the examples I want them surrounded by. My point is, I don’t tithe or give of my time to this Church just so I can check a box. I do it for the Glory of God and the reward my family and I get in return. My wife Kendra is much more involved than I, and I get a little fed up sometimes with the frequent meetings she attends and think it takes away from us, but when I stop and think of what she is doing I grow up! She is just trying to make a difference one child at a time, and I thank her for that. Remember this: In 2nd Corinthians chapter 9 verses 6-9 it reads
Now as they say, for the rest of the story. Wed night I went home and thought about how I was going to get all these clothes and shoes together. Once again God spoke to me and said you are not alone, reach out. I sat down at my computer and put an email together describing the situation and asked friends for help. At first I only sent it out to a few people but when Kendra got a hold of it, it went out to many. The response was amazing! Angels stepped up from everywhere. It was a powerful thing, or as I like to refer to it as a God thing! Please remember BECAUSE YOU GIVE LIVES ARE CHANGED!! -Rick Barnes |
|
|
Where do I begin, Don & I joined this church almost 13 years ago. We were part of the demographic of young parents looking for a place to raise their children. The ministry to our family, and specifically our children, began with a visit from Susan Moore & Cynthia Deaton to welcome our new baby, Travis, into the church. This was only the beginning, but even back then, I could feel that BUMC was a place that welcomed and celebrated children. In the past 13 years we have seen the people of God put their faith and their pocketbooks behind the vision for families & children, making a commitment to dream & build the Children & Youth Building as well as the Community building. Where would we put all the children without these wonderful spaces? Let's fast forward a few years to the present. BUMC has become an integral part of our everyday lives. Let me just give you a few insights into the many ways that one family has been touched by the children's ministries of BUMC. Perhaps you haven't visited the Children and Youth building on a Sunday morning. Have you seen the children come running upstairs to the launch pad to join together in worship with contemporary music & motions? Have you had the chance to participate in a Science lesson about sinking & floating as you study about baby Moses' rescue from the Nile river? Have you had the opportunity to add your name to posterity on a quilt that celebrates God's love for each of His children? Have you watched teenagers step forward as teachers…leading children in the nursery, teaching younger children, leading story telling & music, walking hand-in-hand with adults as together they inspire & share their love and knowledge of Christ? Maybe you've been a 6th grader who isn't sure if you're a child or a teenager, caught in the middle, and thrilled that your church now provides a special Sunday School class just for you…Wouldn't you like to be a "Dude"eronomy kid? Maybe you are one of the many adults who steps forward in faith to help lead the children, only to come on Sunday morning & find that these children know what it is all about…their very simple trust in God is what Jesus preached about… Did you know our children are reaching out too? Each week our children are bringing visitors to their church. When is the last time you invited a friend to church & you both couldn't wait to get to Sunday School? But wait…how about the other times in the week… Don't forget all of the children that join together to sing with Miss Cynthia every week in Children's choir. Yes, it's about music, but there is so much more. These children gather weekly to pray together. Last week we memorized John 3:16 and entered a discussion about life eternal, facing questions kids have about life and death. BUMC is a place for these children to confront their fears and ask their questions. It is a safe place for them to come each week. It's a place where they come to celebrate birthdays, basketball games & cheerleading, to bring their friends to share in the fun. It's also a place where kids feel it's okay to be sad too, because they have friends who care about them. Our children are bringing friends to Vacation Bible School and River Camp. I'm sure you know what VBS is all about. But did you know that our church is full of kids who care. I spent the week of VBS at the hospital with my friend Mindy, on the first day of VBS her hospital room was filled with beautiful cards and pictures from the children of BUMC vacation Bible school. Those cards were plastered all over her walls for her to look at every where she turned. Every visitor who came into the room felt the love overflow from our children. Over the summer, a group of children, parents, and church leaders headed down to Highland Terrace UMC in central San Antonio to host a summer VBS. We started by walking the streets to invite neighborhood children to join us. You haven't seen a missionary in action until you've walked the streets of San Antonio with the Hediger girls! Who could resist an invitation from them? For the next 3 nights, our children blended with the children from the neighborhood and learned about God together. How exciting! Have you heard about the Care Cubs? A group of our 4th and 5th graders who are going out to care for our own…shut ins, those in nursing homes, and even celebrating new babies! Because church visionaries gave years ago, our families & others like us, have found a church home to raise our children. We have found a place to entrust with the spiritual, emotional, social, and physical welfare of our children. We have found a place that ministers to us as parents too. We have found a place that we are willing to commit our time & money to, because we believe in what our children are being taught. Because you give now, BUMC will be around for all the children that desperately need a place to belong & feel safe & loved. -Wendy Howk |
|
|
|