In his book, The Boomerang Mandate: Returning the Ministry to the People of God, Jim Wilson tells an embarrassing story about a time he fell asleep on the job. “Recently, I spoke with the chairman of the deacons from a church I served six or seven years ago. During the conversation he asked me, ‘Pastor, do you remember the time you fell asleep in Lottie’s hospital room?’

I did remember it, but I didn’t think he knew about it. Lottie was in intensive care with heart problems. I didn’t want her to try to entertain me. I knew she didn’t have the strength, but I did want to spend some time with her. After praying for her, I told her I was going to sit with her for a little while, but wanted her to go ahead and rest. A couple of times she asked me something, and after answering her, I said, ‘Now Lottie, you need to get your rest, let me just sit with you for a while.’ Apparently, I needed to get some rest too. It was Sunday afternoon. I’d already preached twice and I was pretty tired. The next thing I remembered was waking up, seeing that Lottie was asleep and going back to the church for the evening service.

‘Lottie still talks about it,’ Tiny said, ‘She so appreciated your visit. She says that’s the day she really began to love you the way she does, because you were willing to spend time with her, not just pop in and then pop out.’ I really thought I blew it that day; after all, I fell asleep on the job. Nevertheless, an effective ministry took place. My time and presence ministered to her, not my words.”

Song 2:4 NASB "He has brought me to his banquet hall, And his banner over me is love.”

For more information on The Boomerang Mandate, go to http://www.freshministry.org/#boomerang

In his book, Satisfy your Soul, Bruce Demarest writes, “Many ordinary believers struggle-often unsuccessfully-to live clean and godly lives that are pleasing to God. Amid these efforts to ‘behave’ and give a good Christian witness, many admit they are missing a sense of spiritual reality-in terms of heart engagement, intimacy, and warmth-in their relationship with God. Many of us rank-and-file Christians who listen to sermons and pay our tithes ask, ‘Is this all here is to Christianity? Where is the presence and working of God in my life and in my church? Where is the personal satisfaction that ought to accompany knowing toe God of the universe?’”

It is not the absence of God’s presences that is the issue; it is our recognition of his presence.

Psalm 139:7-9 (GW) “Where can I go {to get away} from your Spirit? Where can I run {to get away} from you? If I go up to heaven, you are there. If I make my bed in hell, you are there. If I climb upward on the rays of the morning sun {or} land on the most distant shore of the sea where the sun sets,”

Pastor Walter Hoye went to jail in April 2009 for standing too close to an Oakland, California abortion clinic during a protest. The prosecutor gave Hoye the choice of accepting a stay-away order or two years in jail. Hoye refused the offer and the judge sentenced him to 30 days in jail.

Hoye is not sorry for his choice. In fact, he sometimes wishes he could have stayed in jail longer. “I have been a jail chaplain in jail before, and even had the privilege of being a guest preacher at San Quentin. Being an inmate is completely different. I was actually one of them and it gave me a different kind of credibility.”

--World Magazine, May 9, 2009 p. 54. Illustration by Jim L. Wilson and Rodger Russell

John 1:14 (NIV) The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.