I recently heard a story about a lumber jack who challenged another to an all-day wood chopping contest.  The challenger worked with all his might, stopping only for a brief lunch break.  The other man had a leisurely lunch and took several breaks throughout the day.  At the end of the day, the challenger was surprised and somewhat annoyed to find that the other fellow had chopped substantially  more wood than he had.  “I don’t get it,” he said.  “Every time I checked, you were taking a rest, yet you chopped more wood than I did.  How did you do it.”  “Didn’t you notice,” said the winning woodsman, “that I was sharpening my ax when I sat down to rest.”
This story raises an obvious question for you and me, have we been taking time to stop and sharpen our ax?  You might say, oh yes, I just took a nice little vacation and I feel renewed.  Or, yes the place where I work just sent me to a two day training workshop to sharpen my skills.  I can even remember going on a four day tour of central Nebraska and Western Kansas in order to learn a few tips in running a more efficient feedlot.
It seems like we are quite willing to take advantage of those recreational and career “sharpening” opportunities, but what about our spiritual lives?  Would you consider spending a few days with the Lord in order to sharpen your spiritual edge?  Maybe you could consider one of these options that I’ve experienced.
The first is Cursillo.  Cursillo is a Spanish word for “short course in Christian living.”  At first I was a bit apprehensive about Cursillo because I couldn’t imagine spending three days sitting around talking about God, which by the way, was one of the first things I had to deal with.  Why did I lack passion in my relationship with God?
The Cursillo weekend is really designed to help a person discover a greater understanding of God’s love and grace.  The result of my Cursillo weekend totally changed my perception of God and therefore totally changed the way I approach life as a follower of Jesus.  Before Cursillo, I thought being a Christian was kind of boring.  Christianity for me used to be my insurance policy so that I wouldn’t end up in hell when I died.  After Cursillo, I discovered that the abundant life that Jesus came to bring can only best be experienced through a fully surrendered life.
There are a couple of Cursillo weekends coming up in February; one at Inspiration Hills in NW Iowa and the other in Spicer, MN.  For more information, let me invite you to visit with Mike and Cheryl Fey or Vicki and myself.
A second opportunity to sharpen your prayer life would be at a Dunamis Project retreat.  Dunamis is the Greek word for power.  Dunamis retreats are workshops that teach on the Holy Spirit from a Reformed perspective.  The focus of the upcoming workshop on March 15-18 will be on the Power of Prayer.  This is one of those sharpening opportunities that will help narrow the gap between what we say we believe and how we actually live it out.  Feel free to visit with Vicki or me about this great equipping and empowering opportunity.
“If the ax is dull and its edge unsharpened more strength is needed but skill will bring success” (Ecclesiastes 10:10).  May you and I always find ourselves effective in God’s kingdom because you are spiritually sharp.
Under His Mercy,
Mike

Missionary:  noun \ˈmi-shə-ˌner-ē\ : a person sent on a mission, esp. on a religious mission.
I praise God for the missionaries that are supported by American Reformed Church and I look forward to learning more about the different fields to where they are called.  I appreciate their deep love for God and their willingness to leave the comfort of what would be considered “familiar” in order to acclimate themselves to a different culture.
I believe many Christians appreciate and financially support missionaries because they believe somebody has to do it and they’re just thankful it’s not them.  (OK, at least that’s what I thought growing up).  As a young kid, the last thing I ever wanted to be was a missionary.  In fact I would guess the fear of being called to become a missionary is the number one reason most Christians refuse to fully surrender their lives to God.  Come on, you have to admit there is a little part of you that’s holding back from becoming a radical follower of Jesus because your fear of ending up in Africa, right? J
I can remember back to February 23, 1997, when for the first time I fully surrendered my life to God.  In my prayer I told God that my life was his.  Whatever he wanted me to do, wherever he wanted me to go, I was willing—even if it was to Africa.  Well, what I’ve discovered since is that when God sends a person on mission, the first thing he does is to give you a passion and desire to go to the place he is sending you.
As I grew in my love for God, I kept telling him that I was ready to go, and yet all I could sense in my spirit was that God wanted me to stay right at the feedlot I was working and become a missionary to the truck drivers that would deliver the hay, the other feed ingredients, and the livestock.  And so that’s what I did, for four years I saw myself as “a person who was sent on a mission” by God to anyone who drove on the yard at Deluxe Feeds Feedlot.
Being a missionary isn’t something that should seem foreign to us as a follower of Jesus.  I would guess most of us know the Great Commission in Matthew 28:19-20.  Jesus said to his disciples—he says to you and me—“Therefore go and make disciples of all peoples, baptizing them in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.”
The good news for you might be that God is not calling you to go to Africa; however, he is calling you to bring the gospel to those in your circle of influence.  You have connections to unsaved people that I will never get to talk to.  You have the peace and hope so many people are looking for.
My prayer for you is that if you don’t already, that you would begin to see yourself as a missionary.   In fact, over the next year, I’ve asked Erin to list you and your family as the “Missionary of the Week.” Eventually you will see your name printed in the prayer section of the bulletin. Be assured of my prayer for you as you bring God’s love to your mission field.
Laboring for the harvest,
Mike

Back when I was a little kid, the guy who pastored our church was the Reverend Louis Tamminga Jr.  We referred to him as “Reverend Tamminga.”  Then when I was in high school we were led by the Reverend David Smit, although he preferred to be called “Pastor Dave.”  Like with everything, there seems to be this constant progression of change.  I’ve always wondered if the change in the titles were part of being “Reformed.”
So what do we call the new guy at ARC?  While I understand that some people will have a hard time with just calling me Mike, I want you to feel comfortable just calling me “Mike.”  Here are a couple reasons why: First, I understand that a title conveys respect, but I believe my respect or value for another person is based on the fact that he/she is a special creation of God, not because of a certain level of educational achievement.  I think we would find it a bit goofy to say, “Good morning, Plumber Tom,” or “How have you been doing Farmer Steve.”  I mean, what would we say then to the stay at home mom, “It’s so good to see you Mother Mary.”
Another reason, I am ok with being called Mike is because it keeps me humble.  See, the temptation for me, like the Pharisees, would be for me to think that I am more special than someone else.  Jesus addressed this issue of concern with the Pharisees in Matthew 23:8-12, “But you are not to be called ‘Rabbi’ for you have only one Master and you are all brothers.  And do not call anyone on earth ‘father,’ for you have one Father, and he is in heaven.  Nor are you to be called ‘teacher,’ for you have one Teacher, the Christ.  The greatest among you will be your servant.  For whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.”
I am truly honored that you would call me to be your next pastor and I also understand that my role at American Reformed Church is different than yours, but I also see myself as one who is to humble and align myself under the one and only Teacher—the Christ.  So, Henry, Merlin, Sophie, Roger, Rebecca and …, I am really looking forward to working alongside of you as a fellow brother in Christ.
Grace and peace,
Mike
P.S. And if you just don’t feel right about it, Pastor Mike is just fine.