Spring Has Arrived.

Spring has arrived in Arkadelphia, Arkansas! I thought about the rapidness with which the season changed this year. It was almost overnight. Well, at least within a week. But what I thought was how, if spring came in one second with trees fully leafed and flowers in full bloom, we would declare a miracle--and perhaps set up a shrine. But is it any less a miracle that spring came in one week and not one second? No, indeed. We did not bring about the wonder of changing seasons. It's all God's doing. Thanks you, dearest God.

Nick and I went bass fishing yesterday. Nick tied into some really nice fish. He landed a 3 pounder and a 4 pounder--and about a dozen smaller ones. He also brought to the boat, or near the boat, two others that were, as the pros say, hawgs. These were trophy fish--one I think about 6 pounds and the other no less than 8 pounds. He had quite a fun day--and dad had a great time watching! I also caught three or four little ones.

As we approach Holy Week, may we do so with great gratitude for God's love so fully revealed in Jesus Christ. No other season of the year is so filled with passion. May we remember--and give thanks.

Blessings and peace. Talk later.

lm

Ode To The Ouachita

I confessed recently to a church group of my long standing love affair with the Ouachita River. The grand old river, as it winds its way through Arkansas (past Arkadelphia) and Louisiana (through the middle of Monroe) is one of the most beautiful rivers in the world. After our meeting, Dr. Trey Berry, history prof at Ouachita Baptist University here in Arkadelphia, gave me a copy of his new book, The Forgotten Expedition, 1804-1805, that details the Dunbar-Hunter exploration of the Ouachita. I'm still working my way through the book--and am thrilled to know of others who so love the river as I do.

For the near sixteen years we lived in Monroe, LA, I fished the river almost every week--not attempting to take a lot of fish but loving every minute of exploration, learning, and intrigue. I learned a bit about its ways, its eccentricities, its angularities, and grew to appreciate the river as a part of God's gift to us.

Nearly ten years ago, I wrote a poem entitled, "Ode To The Ouachita." It expresses a bit of my feeling of appreciation for the grand stream. The ode is below and I hope it touches you.

ODE TO THE OUACHITA

River, I sit and watch
As your waters pass me by.
They run swiftly on,
Never to come this way again.

For ages past they have flowed
And cut a crevice in this lovely land.
And in my heart.
River, you are my friend.

I give thanks to our Creator
Who has made us, man and river alike,
Who in His eternal wisdom
Demands of us mutual respect.

Yet, river, you are not forever.
One day your waters will flow no longer.
Your currents will cease.
The life you are will end.

But I will live on.
When your waters dry up and become as dust,
When the sun burns up and the stars become but cinder,
I will live on.

Perhaps the Gracious God
Who provides all our needs in glory
Will in His eternal wisdom
Redeem also the river!

“Because the whole creation itself
Will be set free from its bondage to decay
And obtain the glorious liberty
Of the children of God.”
(Romans 8:21)

Blessings! Have a great day.

lm

Settling In.

Life for me has come about as full circle as it can come--and I am beginning to settle in to my new home. You see, I now live thirty miles from the place I was born. I returned home after being away for thirty-one years. Brenda and I moved from Arkansas in 1975 in order to attend the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, KY. In 1986, after several years of study, pastoral work, and teaching, we moved to the Parkview Baptist Church, Monroe, LA. There we would stay for the next fifteen and one-half years. For the next four and one-half years, we served the First Baptist Church of Sioux Falls, South Dakota. Now, since mid-December of '06, I serve at the First Baptist Church, Arkadelphia, Arkansas. The circle seems complete-and it feels good.

We have been many places and done lots of wonderful things in the past thirty years, and I give thanks for each event and every moment--but coming home has done something inside me I did not anticipate. I have discovered that the spiritual life, and the callings of God upon our lives, is indeed related to physical surroundings. Even as I re-read the paragraph above, I am reminded of how intricately our personal histories (including our walk of faith) are interwoven with particular events, people, and circumstances. And in particular places! Perhaps that's why, in Old Testament days, pillars of rocks were erected at places were significant spiritual encounters occurred. The rocks became catalysts for memory--and memory is indeed a tremendous resource for great living.

I sense now, more deeply than ever, the hand of our gracious God who guides our ways. That's not to say that we are puppets on a string, acting out the impulses of Another apart from our decisive involvement. Not at all. But in fact, there is a Companion who walks beside us, and before us, and who leads us in ways that we might never have chosen for ourselves. But in those ways, grace has risen to bless beyond our wildest imagination.

I would be interested to hear what others have to say about the places and times of our lives. Any responders?

Talk later.

LM

Christmas 2006 News

I am sitting in my study at the First Baptist Church, Arkadelphia, Arkansas, and have spoken already this morning by phone to my wife Brenda and each of our children. Brenda, Ashley and our beautiful granddaugher, Mya Grace, are still in Sioux Falls but are traveling this weekend to be in Arkansas for Christmas! Also as I write, our son Chris, daughter-in-law Alicia, and grandson Andrew are enroute from California. Surely will be good to see them and to hold this precious little boy. Our younger son, Nick, is here with me (having finished the semester at Ouachita Baptist University), but may return to SF for a brief visit before the 2nd semester begins mid-January. We're having a good time hanging out! Looking forward to a great Christmas together.

The first week at FBC, Arkadelphia, has come and gone--like a whirwind. Reestablishing acquaintances and friendships from years past and meeting new folks and making new friends have kept me busy. This has been a good week. There is much yet to do.

As Christmas approaches, I am uniquely aware of God's grace. In a tender time like this, and in a world so filled with hatred and war, we celebrate the gracious God who comes to us in the Son, Jesus Christ. We celebrate his birth long ago--and equally celebrate his living presence with us today--and his triumphal second advent.

Blessings to you and yours. Talk later.

Lee McGlone

Resignation letter

Below is the letter of resignation I read yesterday to the dear members of FBC, Sioux Falls. Thought it might be of interest.


November 12, 2006

Dear Friends at FBC, Sioux Falls,

Ecclesiastes 3 tells us that there is a time for every matter under heaven, a time for a thing to begin and a time for it to end—and a time for beginning again. With this word of biblical assurance in mind, I submit to you my resignation as your Senior Pastor so that I may accept the call as Senior Pastor for the First Baptist Church, Arkadelphia, Arkansas. Our last Sunday will be December 10, 2006.

Our four and one-half years here have been brief but eventful. Living on the Great Plains brought new experiences for us: snow (though never the real blizzard I wanted) and snow blowing, and Great Bear, and the Black Hills, and Camp Judson, and pheasant hunting, and ice fishing. For southerners who had never experienced these things, we will carry with us all our days these joyful memories.

But more importantly, we will carry with us the deep relationships we have developed and the friendships that have nurtured our souls. You have loved us and prayed for us. You stood by us tenderly during last year’s episode with our precious grandson, Andrew. I asked you last December to pray for a miracle for this little guy—and God gave us one! We are forever indebted.

First Baptist Church, Sioux Falls, is truly one of the Lord’s great churches. Brenda and I have marveled at the spirit and energy that is alive here. God has guided this great church since those pioneering days in 1875 and has brought to fulfillment accomplishments for the Kingdom that can be explained only as God’s moving hand. The same grace and power that has guided in days past will guide into a blessed and encouraging future. I am sure of it.

The church in Arkansas is three blocks from Ouachita Baptist University, where our son, Nick, is a student and where Brenda and I both graduated, and also Brenda’s parents. We were married in the university chapel, its steeple in sight from the church. We will be thirty miles from my hometown, and less than one hundred miles from Brenda’s parents. We have a deep sense of peace in our hearts about this decision. We are going home.

Please know of our continued prayers for you as the days of transition begin. And we covet your prayers as we step into a new situation. May God’s greatest gift of his presence be with us all.


Grace and peace,
Lee McGlone

Mission Moment

I met Jeff and Annie Dieselberg on a mission trip to Thailand three years ago. These two, truly devout and quality servants of our Lord, serve as ABC missionaries in Bangkok. Their work reaches into the darkest places of life, the nightlife districts of the city, and brings hope and light there. The work is difficult and demanding—and the Dieselbergs have proven themselves able to the task. I rejoice that we are so closely related to them and to their ministry.

That’s why Annie’s letter, received today, touched me so deeply. In her letter she calls attention to the request from International Ministries that churches set goals for the World Mission Offering equaling $3 per month per person for 12 months. She suggested that such a goal sets our sights too low—and I agree! Three dollars a month is hardly a challenge.

Annie writes of looking into the faces of desperate women who cry out, “I can’t do this anymore. Can you help me? I’m 20 years old and have a one-month old baby. Can I have a job with you? If I die and go to hell it will be better than this.” Already Annie’s “NightLight” ministry cares for nearly forty such women, and four more arrived just this past week—and funds are not available to care for more. You can hear Annie’s heart-cry in her letter. She wants the exploitation of prostitution and trafficking to end. And she is challenging us to a greater effort than ever before in prayer and financial support to the World Mission Offering.

First B has a history of strong support of mission work. Think of the strong support we gave to the tsunami disaster, our financial support and four mission trips in support of Katrina victims, our ongoing support of the work of Ellen Konyak in Nagaland and Susan Linderman in Bulgaria, tribal ministries in South Dakota, and local mission effort in Sioux Falls—and others not mentioned here—all in addition to our regular mission offerings and budgeted mission giving.

The heart of First B is a giving one. Let me encourage you to weigh the needs of our world, highlighted in Annie’s letter, and make a gift to the World Mission Offering greater than ever. Sacrificial giving makes a difference for the Kingdom.
Blessings to each of you.

Grace and peace,
Lee McGlone

First Minute

I plan to add to my blog each week's "First Minute" article I write for our church's newsletter. Here is the article for September 26, 2006. Also, I plan to write more often!

A recent op-ed piece in our local newspaper painted a fearful picture of life and of our world’s future. Without intending to be “Pollyannaish,” I simply can’t go there. Surely there are causes for concern. There is war on the international front. Insecurity seems to reign on the national and local arenas. And, just as surely, there are the very personal losses we experience as part of the human dilemma. But to allow despair to define our existence is foreign to Christian faith. Our faith provides foundational hope!

Paul wrote to the Corinthian Christians, “Thanks be unto God who always leads us in triumph in Christ (2 Cor. 2:14).” While the Christian life is about many things, this noble truth stands first. No other perspective is so comforting—or challenging. God always leads us in triumph! Contrast Paul’s point of view with those who say, “I’m doing my best, but my best doesn’t seem good enough,” or “I’m all alone in my faith, trying hard to hold forth for Jesus.” Our human best seems to pale in comparison to so great a declaration: “We are in the hands of Almighty God. Whatever the difficulty, regardless of how great the stress, through Christ we are led to triumph!” I suspect Paul’s words were confessional. He who had put believers in prison had become captive to the Word of God. But the victory of faith he described was not his own. It belonged to Christ. So in another place he would write, “We are more than conquerors—through Him who loved us (Ro. 8:37).” The same Jesus Christ who held Paul in his hands holds us. We hold and declare the same confession. No worthier motive can claim us: “Christ in us—the hope of glory (Col. 1:27).”

Sunday was a wonderful day in the house of God. I look forward to seeing you next Lord’s day in Bible study and worship. May unmeasured blessings be yours in the days of this week.

Grace and peace,
Lee McGlone