Community

Today my son Sam and I went to a cub scout event at Tyler State Park. We had to learn to cook something outside. We were hosted by a group I had never heard of. It was called "The Lone Star Dutch Oven Society." I was a bit skeptical when I first heard of it. I never knew there was a whole society of "dutch oven" people.

I have seen dutch ovens used for years. Through my experience with scouting I have seen all kinds of things cooked in them.

But this was different. We arrived at the Tyler State Park. A large crowd of trucks, vans, RVs, 5th wheels all gathered in a circle. Out of the back of all these various vehicles every kind of out door kitchen you could imagine was set up. People of all ages were slicing and dicing and preparing food. They welcomed the cub scouts into their fold with open arms. The boys were divided up to watch and prepare a meal in a dutch oven. I have never seen so many different sizes of dutch ovens. I thought a dutch oven was a dutch oven.

The gentlemen that Sam was with was great. He was an older gentleman. He patiently and gently showed Sam how to prepare the cake that Sam was working on.

This scene was played out all around the camp. Not only were the cub scouts being helped, but all kids of other people were there who had never done this before were welcomed into the community. They showed them what they were doing. The let them participate in what they were doing. They gave them advice, tips and suggestions on how to get started. There were kids, teenagers and retired people were fellowshiping and having community. They welcomed people into their community and made them feel at home. There was no drinking, no smoking, no profanity nothing that detract. Those not involved in the cooking were walking dogs, riding bikes, walking or just chatting. There was even a central teaching area were the new folks were shown how to make their own dish. At 12:30 everyone brought what they had cooked, put it in a central area and everyone ate. You could sample from any dish that was prepared.

I have no idea the spiritual condition of the people that we met with. Maybe they were believers maybe they were not. Maybe some were and some were not.

Looking at this group I get a sense of maybe what the early church must have been like. People having real incarnational community. Sharing as they had. Helping others grow. Welcoming new people. Fellowshiping and doing community together.

If the early church was like this. Why cant the modern church be like this?

Bad News

I got a call this morning that was sad. The man that lead me to Christ, Pastor Perry Jones died yesterday. He had been in the hospital with a blood clot. He was expected to get better and go home but died suddenly.

When I was 16 years old I had a crush on a young lady named Amanda. It was the summer before I turned 17. She was beautiful, sweet and a christian girl. Being the Suave guy that I am I tried to make my move. But it did not work. She wrote me a letter explaining that she did not date non christian boys. She shared the gospel with me and wrote out a lot of verses. It honestly angered me. I could not understand why she would say that I was not a Christian. I went to church, I went to youth group I did church stuff. What more was involved?

I went to church that Sunday night with the letter and showed it to Perry. You see, Amanda was Perry's niece. My goal that hot summer night was to get Perry to straighten her out. He said we could talk after the service.

After the service we sat down on the back row of the church. Perry then opened up the word to me and it just clicked. I had heard this before many times but this time it just made sense. That being a christian, meant that I had to have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ and not just go to church and do church stuff. I prayed and asked Jesus into my heart. Perry baptised me that same night.

Perry pastored the same church in Elkhart for I guess 25-30 years. A small work there in my home town.

I would have loved to gone to the funeral or the visitation of the family. Ironically, I am now a pastor and had to go to a funeral visitation and preach a funeral at the same time as his. I think he would understand.

Perry was a rare breed. To pastor in a small town for years. To minister to multiple generations in the same place. To some he would not be "successful". He never had more than 150 in church. He did not have large crowds, flashy presentations, large budgets, multiple staff's, special effects, lights and 6 figure sounds systems.

But he was faithful. He faithfully with conviction shared the greatest story ever told. He faithfully shepherded the flock that God gave him. He faithfully ministered in a small town that time and progress seems to have forgotten.

Perry is now home. Perry's faith is now sight. Well done good and faithful servant.