Ronald Reagan once humorously repeated a story often referred to as the “Texas Sharpshooter Fallacy.” The tale involves shooting a gun at a barn, then painting “bull’s-eyes” around the bullet holes. For the uninformed, the aftermath makes the shooter appear to be an expert marksman, when in reality he only managed to hit the side of a barn.
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This month, I celebrated 43 years in full-time ministry. It’s hard to believe I’ve been at this work that long—maybe because most of the years have been great joys. Here are some things I would do differently, though,
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Last month, my church hosted an event called “Together for the Nations” put on by the International Mission Board (IMB). The purpose of this event was to introduce churches to the work of the IMB and encourage them to consider ways to join these mission efforts around the world. Several topics were addressed at this event, but the one from which I gleaned the most was about mobilizing God’s people for mission work.
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I want church leaders to think about times when church really is fun – and to long for that to happen in their own congregations.
He’s not like us. We subtly beg for compliments, we subversively seek affirmation, we passive-aggressively look for allies – but not Jesus. Jesus knows what He’s about. And He knows that what He offers is the only thing that truly satisfies.
Most of the mechanisms God uses to transform us into Christlikeness aren’t big; they're small. They are the series of choices we face day after day. This is how Paul described growing in Christ – not as something exciting, but as a methodical process akin to that of athletic training:
Michael Kelley draws from the experience of planting a vegetable garden -- from seeds to harvest -- to reflect on how to cultivate gratitude in one's heart.
Michael Kelley notes how the Herod, volatile and murderous, and Joseph in his humility had something in common: They both recognized they must respond to this infant born in a meager stable.
Michael Kelley ponders whether there is a difference in giving thanks "in" all circumstances and giving thanks "for" all circumstances.
Be careful in the midst of a tragedy, Michael Kelley writes, in how theological insights are placed before those who are hurting.
Michael Kelley ponders the question, Does our work really matter? Remember, he writes, that "God is sovereign. You are created in His image. He is making you more like Jesus. And He is providing for the good of others through your job."
Michael Kelley ponders whether it is possible to "thank your way into a spirit of gratitude, or is doing so disingenuous and fake?" One key, he notes, is to remember that "true gratitude is rooted not in circumstance but in the character of God."
Michael Kelley notes that the Bible conveys wisdom "in keeping your mouth shut. Certainly not all the time, but certainly more than most of us do." A "quietness of speech," he notes, is "a part of growing as a disciple of Jesus."
God doesn't need to be convinced to give you what you need, writes columnist Michael Kelley. "He already knows what we need, and He is going to give us just that," he notes. "Of course, that does not mean that God is some kind of cosmic genie, granting the selfish wishes of anyone who rubs the lamp in just the right way. It's better than that."
