HMA OURTREACH CONFERENCE 2014

 

Remarks and prayer from Sean and Jae's wedding

     

     I have been asked over and over for a copy of my remarks at my son's wedding on Saturday so here they are.

(I HAVE A FEW THINGS TO SAY AND IT IS SPECIFICALLY FOR YOU TWO.  IT JUST SO HAPPENS THAT ALL OF THESE PEOPLE ARE HERE, BUT FOR A FEW MOMENTS THEY ARE NOT MY CONCERN.) 

     SEAN, YOU ARE THE SECOND CHILD OF OURS TO GET MARRIED…..IN THREE WEEKS.  AND AS BEAUTIFUL AND GLORIOUS AS THE OTHER WEDDING WAS, IT TAKES NOTHING AWAY FROM THIS AMAZING MOMENT.  IF I HAVE LEARNED ANYTHING IN THE LAST MONTH IT IS THIS.  I HAVEN’T TOLD YOU OFTEN ENOUGH HOW PROUD I AM OF YOU.  YOUR MOTHER AND I ARE VERY PROUD OF YOU SEAN HARLEY.  

     I FEEL THE NEED TO COMPEL YOU RIGHT NOW SON.  TO ENCOURAGE AND ADMONISH YOU.  TO SPEAK TO YOU ON A LEVEL THAT YOU AND I ARE VERY FAMILIAR WITH.  I MIGHT BE JUST A LITTLE TO REAL FOR SOME THAT ARE PRESENT BUT THIS IS NOT ABOUT THEM.

     SON,  AS A MARRIED MAN I COMPEL YOU TO CHOOSE MATURITY OVER SELFISHNESS, WORK OVER PLAY, FORGIVENESS OVER GRUDGES AND MOST IMPORTANTLY I ADMONISH YOU TO CHOOSE YOUR WIFE OVER ALL OTHERS.  SEAN, WHEN YOU GET OFF WORK I ENCOURAGE YOU TO CHECK ON JAE BEFORE YOU CHECK ON ANY TEAM SCORES.  TO THINK OF HOW LONG IT HAS BEEN SINCE YOU HAVE TAKEN HER OUT TO DINNER BEFORE YOU THINK OF HOW LONG IT HAS BEEN SINCE YOU HAVE HUNG OUT WITH YOUR BUDDIES.  I COMPEL YOU TO BE THE FIRST TO COMMUNICATE, THE FIRST TO FORGIVE AND THE FIRST TO PRAY.  

     AS A FATHER SOMEDAY YOU WILL MAKE ME A GRANDFATHER AND THEN I WANT YOU TO REMEMBER WHAT I SAID HERE TODAY.  REMEMBER THAT I ENCOURAGED YOU TO TEACH THE GRANDCHILDREN OF YOUR MOTHER AND I AND GLENN AND KAREN THAT IT IS FAR MORE IMPORTANT TO MEMORIZE A BIBLE VERSE OR ATTEND A CHURCH SERVICE THEN IT IS TO SHOOT A BOW OR A BALL.  THINK CLEARLY, LIVE SPIRITUALLY AND LOVE WITH ALL YOUR HEART.  

     JAE, ONE MONTH AGO NIKI AND I HAD ONE DAUGHTER.  TODAY WE HAVE THREE, AND WE COULD NOT BE ANY HAPPIER OR MORE PROUD THAN FOR YOU TO BE ONE OF THEM.  

     I ALSO FEEL PRESSED TO ADMONISH AND ENCOURAGE YOU.  TO SPEAK TO YOU NO MORE AS MY SON’S GIRLFRIEND, BUT AS A DAUGHTER.  

     AS A MARRIED WOMAN I COMPEL YOU TAKE POSSESSION OF YOUR HOME, YOUR MARRIAGE AND YOUR PERSONAL FAMILY.  MAKE DECISIONS DAY BY DAY AND MOMENT BY MOMENT THAT ENCOURAGE STRENGTH AND UNITY BETWEEN YOURSELF AND SEAN.  WHEN YOU SIT DOWN FOR DINNER OR LAY DOWN FOR THE NIGHT, I ENCOURAGE YOU TO TELL SEAN TO HIS FACE ABOUT ALL OF YOUR HOPES AND DREAMS BEFORE YOU TELL THEM TO ANYONE ON INSTAGRAM.  I ADMONISH YOU TO TELL HIM ABOUT YOUR DAY AND LISTEN TO HIM ABOUT HIS BEFORE YOU READ ABOUT EVERYONE ELSE’S ON FACEBOOK.  I’M NOT BEING CRITICAL OF YOU IN ANY WAY.  I AM JUST TRYING TO TEACH MY CHILDREN NOT TO FALL INTO SOME OF THE TRAPS THAT AS A MINISTER I SEE MANY OTHERS FALLING INTO.  

     ONE OTHER TRAP I WOULD LOVE TO HELP YOU AVOID.  I REALIZE THAT YOUR PRECIOUS MOTHER AND WONDERFUL SISTERS HAVE LONG BEEN YOUR BEST FRIENDS BUT NOW SEAN MUST BE.  IT WOULD BE UNFAIR AND INAPPROPRIATE FOR ALL OF YOU LADIES TO GANG UP ON HIM.  I FIND MYSELF IN THE SAME PREDICAMENT.  MY THREE MEN, JUSTIN, SEAN AND BRANDEN, ARE MY BEST BUDS.  BUT WISDOM TELLS ME NOW TO LEARN TO NOT JUST SHARE THEM WITH YOU LADIES BUT TO TAKE MY APPROPRIATE PLACE IN THEIR LIVES NOW AS COUNSELOR AND NOT CONDUCTOR.  IT REMINDS ME OF MY MOTHER.  WHEN NIKI AND I GOT MARRIED, SHE NEVER CALLED NIKI ANYTHING EVER AGAIN EXCEPT HER DAUGHTER.  (ONE DAY I WENT OVER TO MY MOTHER’S HOUSE BECAUSE NIKI AND I WERE HAVING A FIGHT AND I SAID SOME THINGS ABOUT NIKI, LOOKING FOR MY MOTHER TO TAKE MY SIDE, AND MY MOTHER’S RESPONSE ROCKED ME ON MY HEELS.  “DON’T YOU TALK ABOUT MY DAUGHTER THAT WAY!”  SHE WENT SO FAR ONE DAY TO TELL ME THAT IF NIKI AND I EVER DIVORCED THAT SHE WOULD KEEP NIKI AND I WOULD HAVE TO LEAVE.)  WHEN YOU AND SEAN HAVE YOUR LITTLE FALLING OUTS JAE, I ADMONISH YOU TO REMEMBER WHAT I SAID HERE TODAY.  I WILL GIVE SEAN THE BEST ADVICE I CAN BUT ULTIMATELY MOST OF MY ADVICE WILL HAVE TO BE, “GO BACK TO YOUR HOME, TAKE YOUR WIFE AND COMMUNICATE, COMPROMISE AND LOVE YOUR WAY THROUGH THIS.”  

     I COMPEL YOU TO HEDE HIS COMMUNICATION, FORGIVE HIS SHORT COMMINGS AND PRAY WITH HIM AND FOR HIM.  

     AND AS A MOTHER SOMEDAY, IF THE GOOD LORD TARRIES, YOU WILL LITERALLY RAISE UP THE LAST OF THE LAST OF ALL GENERATIONS NO DOUBT.  I ENCOURAGE, NO I BEG OF YOU, TEACH THE GRAND CHILDREN OF GLENN JETT AND TODD SLOGGETT, OF SISTER KAREN AND SISTER NIKI THAT THEY ARE TO FEAR GOD, LOVE HIM AND SERVE HIM ALL THE DAYS OF THIER LIVES NOT BECAUSE THEY HAVE JETT BLOOD IN THEM, NOT BECAUSE THEY ARE SLOGGETTS, NOT BECAUSE THEY ARE FOURTH OR FIFTH GENERATION HOLINESS OR THAT THEIR GRANDPA IS A HOLINESS PREACHER, BUT BECAUSE JESUS CHRIST DIED FOR THEM AND THEY ARE CALLED BY HIM TO LIVE RIGHTEOUSLY.  THINK CLEARLY, LIVE SPIRITUALLY AND LOVE WITH ALL YOUR HEART. 

LET’S BOW OUR HEADS AND PRAY.  

     GREAT GOD OF ALL HEAVEN AND EARTH.  WE ACKNOWLEDGE YOUR GRACE AND POWER ON THIS BLESSED DAY.  LORD WE ASK THAT YOU POUR OUT YOUR LOVE, STRENGTH AND BLESSINGS ON THIS PRECIOUS COUPLE.  HOLD THIER UNION TOGETHER AND USE THEM IN A MIGHTY WAY.  LET EACH OF US DO OUR PART TO PRAY FOR THEM AND BE THE LOVING AND ENCOURAGING COMMUNITY OF FAMILY AND FRIENDS THAT A COUPLE NEEDS IN SUCH A TIME AS THIS.  AND FATHER, FOR ABOUT THE 100TH TIME IN THE LAST FEW WEEKS, SECOND TIME IN PUBLIC, I PRAY ONE MORE TIME LORD THAT WE AS A PEOPLE ACCEPT, THAT AS MY SON AND HIS NEW BRIDE LEAVE THIS BUILDING TODAY, FOR THE FIRST TIME THEY HAVE SOME BUSINESS THAT IS THEIR OWN BUSINESS AND NONE OF OUR BUSINESS.  IN JESUS NAME, AMEN.

Comments and prayer with my son Sean and Daughter in law Jae during their wedding on Saturday April 12th 2014.  

Your humble servant,

Rev. D. Todd Sloggett

RELATIONSHIPS MATTER

     THE ENTIRE BIBLE IS ABOUT RELATIONSHIPS.  GOD’S TO THE WORLD.  GOD’S TO MAN.  ADAM TO EVE.  CAIN TO ABEL.  NOAH TO HIS COMMUNITY.  SAMSON’S TO HIS FIRST WIFE, HIS PARENTS AND DELILAH.  DAVID TO SAUL, JONATHAN, ABNER AND THE PROPHET NATHAN.  JOSEPH’S TO MARY, MARY’S TO ELIZABETH, JOHN’S TO JESUS.  JESUS’ TO HIS FATHER AND ON AND ON AND ON........

     RELATIONSHIPS SHAPE, MOLD AND MAKE US INTO WHO WE ARE.  EVERY TIME THAT A MADMAN KILLS A BUNCH OF PEOPLE OR A POLITICIAN CHEATS OR A PREACHER LASHES OUT, YOU  CAN HEAR PEOPLE TALKING IN THE NEWSROOMS, IN THE DOCTOR’S OFFICES AND AROUND THE KITCHEN TABLES ABOUT WHAT HIS RELATIONSHIPS WERE LIKE.  DID HIS FATHER ABUSE HIM, DID HER MOTHER LEAVE HER, HOW WERE THEY RAISED AND WHO WERE THIER INFLUENCES?  RELATIONSHIPS MATTER!  

     HERE IS MY POINT TODAY, CHRIST GAVE US SOME PHENOMENAL INSIGHT IN LUKE CHAPTER 10 ABOUT HOW IMPORTANT RELATIONSHIPS ARE TO OUTREACH MINISTRY....LET’S LOOK AT IT.

     LET’S TAKE EACH OF THE PLAYERS IN THESE VERSES AND SEE WHAT THEIR REACTION OR ATTITUDE WAS TO THE STIMULUS THAT JESUS INTERJECTED INTO THIER LIVES.  IN THIS CASE THE STIMULUS BEING “A PERSON IN NEED”.  

To the expert in religious law- the wounded man was a subject to discuss, theorize and use as a pawn in a conversation to try to trap another teacher with

To the thieves- the wounded man was some one to abuse and exploit

To the preachers- the wounded man was a problem to be avoided

To the business man (innkeeper)- the wounded man was a customer worth serving if it meant making a profit

To the samaritan- the wounded man was a human being likened unto himself that was worthy of being cared for and loved...

To Jesus, our narrator of this story- the wounded man was worth dying for.

NOW IT IS UP TO YOU TO GO BACK AND SEE WHERE ALL YOU FIT IN THIS PARABLE!!!

     WHEN IT COMES TO THE TWO MAIN POOLS OF PEOPLE THAT WE ARE TRYING TO GROW OUR CHURCHES FROM, THE COMMUNITY AND OUR CHILDREN, RELATIONSHIPS IS WHERE WE ARE FAILING MOST.  AND THE NUMBER ONE REASON WHY IS BECAUSE OF OUR HYPOCRISIES.  WHEN PEOPLE DECIDE THAT WE ARE HYPOCRITES THEN THEY QUIT FOLLOWING OUR EXAMPLES.  

     YOU MAY BE THE BEST PREACHER THAT THERE IS.  DEEP, FULL OF CHARISMA AND CHARACTER.  BUT IF PEOPLE FIND OUT, AND THEY EVENTUALLY WILL, THAT YOU TREAT YOUR WIFE LIKE DIRT?  THEY ARE GOING TO STOP FOLLOWING YOU.

     YOU MAY BE HELD UP AS THIS GODLY AND SPIRITUAL WOMAN.  GREAT TEACHER TO THE OTHER LADIES AND THE CHILDREN.  BUT IF PEOPLE FIND OUT, AND THEY EVENTUALLY WILL, THAT YOU WEAR THE PANTS IN YOUR FAMILY.  THEY ARE GOING TO STOP FOLLOWING YOU.

     YOU MAY BE THE HOTTEST NAME IN AN EVANGELIST OUT THERE TODAY.  OR THE MOST ENDURING NAME IN A PASTOR OR CAMP MEETING PREACHER.  BUT IF PEOPLE FIND OUT THAT YOU CAN LOOK A MAN RIGHT IN THE EYE AND TELL HIM ALL KINDS OF WONDERFUL THINGS THAT YOU THINK ABOUT HIM AND THEN GO RIGHT DOWN THE STREET TO TACO BELL AND GOSSIP ABOUT HIM AND STAB HIM IN THE BACK AND THROW HIM UNDER THE BUS.....WHEN THE PEOPLE FIND OUT, THEY ARE GOING TO STOP FOLLOWING YOU.  

     YOU SEE IT’S NOT ALWAYS ABOUT WHY CAN’T WE GET ANY CONVERTS.  MOST HAVE HAD PLENTY OF CONVERTS.  THEY JUST COULDN’T KEEP THEM.  WE ALL HAVE SAID THAT IT HAS TO DO WITH FOLLOW UP AND DISCIPLESHIP AND IT DOES.  THAT IS OUR RELATIONSHIP TO THEM BUT OUR RELATIONSHIP TO THEM IS NOT THE ONLY RELATIONSHIP THAT OUR CONVERTS ARE PAYING ATTENTION TO IT IS OUR RELATIONSHIPS WITH EVERYONE ELSE THAT MATTER AS WELL.

This entire post is an excerpt from one of my sermons.

Rev. D. Todd Sloggett