“Hard to really love your neighbor if you don’t at least know them!” – Darrell Sellers Recently my District Superintendent (pastor to pastors to …
Something That is Working to Revitalize a Indiana Church
What? Two posts in one week? Say it isn’t so! Well, it was written in the same week, maybe not posted! Every week there is a devotional video series I put out called the Midweek Minute. It is usually over one minute (closer to three most weeks) but is a devotional thought to help challenge, motivate and uplift us when we are in the midst of a week that just won’t quit. Ever have those? No? Just me? Of course! You can see a video of those thoughts I just cannot seem to get away from here.
I was focused on the parable of the feast. We can find it in Luke 14:16-24. Feel free to refresh your memory here. The Master of the house (symbolically God the Father here_ prepares a huge and fancy table. He goes all out here and spares no expense. The guest list is just as long too! He sends out his servants to deliver the invitation but gets nothing but excuses in return. At first glance, one may think: “Good! They do not deserve the 
invitation then! How dare they turn down such a generous offer!” Then I started to really focus on it. Are we not the same? It’s not that we are rude and inconsiderate, we are just busy. Life grabs us and takes control of us instead of the other way around. Appointments here, COVID there, kids way over there (parents will get that part!) and work in your face daily! We just don’t have time. It’s the only time I can sleep in! I am too busy. I’ll pray about it (that’s a church favorite on the list of excuses). We all have those excuses and are preprogrammed to turn to them instead of the opportunities.
What if, instead, we look at the opportunities and grabbed them quickly. I mean with a real evident sense of urgency. The video I released Wednesday spoke of an opportunity that we grabbed (we, being a group that met for prayer) instantly. I had another 
opportunity this morning as someone texted me a prayer request. I could have easily said “will do” and moved along with my day. I asked if this person was ok. They opened up and told me of the huge spiritual breakthrough. They also got contact information for the prayer request and I immediately called that person. That led to a time of prayer and fellowship (COVID approved over the phone) that was a blessing to me! I do not say all this for a pat on the back. No. I get that from my Heavenly Father! I say that as proof of the opportunities God places at our feet and if we jump at them, He just may bless our socks off!
What opportunities did you miss? What opportunities did you jump at and how did God bless you from it? Do you intentionally pray for opportunities every day? Let us know in the comments and let us bless one another through testimonies! We have a saying in our little church. We are better together! Let us grow together! Let us serve together! Let us catch those opportunities together!
I know, I know! It has been a long time since I have posted even the slightest bacon bit of a post! Fulltime ministry is something that can consume some of what you thought you had for a time. As an update, I am moved to the Midwest with the family as we start our first assignment. COVID totally transformed life as we know it before we could get a chance to know it! Pastors across the globe had to self-learn the digital side of ministry and how to transmit the messages our God places on our hearts to deliver. Just because the doors close, God did not stop talking to us (as He hasn’t to anyone else!). One of the new traditions is walking in the early morning hours with my daughter. We walk a couple of miles as the sun rises in our newfound urban (kind of) home. This is the first time we have lived somewhere with sidewalks and we intend to use them!
I started writing this blog as a form of obedience. Since this was the main reason (I am honestly not a fan of writing or reading, I prefer to do), my confession is this: I have been disobedient! It has been a while since I have posted. I cannot give a reason for or against as if obedience is required, God does not schedule when the obedience is to happen, He just expects it to happen! I started this bog followed by the dozen (grammar correct wanted to add an “s” but it’s not dozens yet!) of you to show obedience in how He was going to mold me as I attempt to grow into the life of holiness, He has called me into. Continue reading The Pain of Separation
What a year 2019 has been! I was self-employed with a great “gig” as a partner once called it. Selling compounded pharmaceuticals from home was flexible, profitable and allowed me time to devote to ministry and family. Then I became unemployed – got to love Florida and the right to work status! I then became partially employed to very under-employed to perfectly employed. This is the year I started as a vocational pastor. 
Continue reading The Year in Reflection
Updated often as new sermons and devotions are added! via Sermons
I normally create content for this blog specifically but I chose to mirror my social media post here. It bears repeating and may serve as a reminder to thank, hug or shake the hand of the pastors in your life. Where I may only be a month into my first assignment, I have a clearer image and understanding of what goes through the mind of a pastor. The loss felt by a member who chooses to leave to the pain and agony of a community of
people I have yet to meet. The hours spent in prayer by each spiritual leader out there cannot be counted as they are like the grains of sand on a beach or as numerous as the stars of the night. Give thanks for those that live their life in a transparent bubble. I once read an article that they feel like everyone’s pastor and no one’s friend. On a side note, check out the sermon page as it is updated constantly as I look to start a “Midweek Minute” and post other sermons there in the near future. I am a rookie at editing so keep that in mind and feel free to leave feedback on the video page! Continue reading Pastor Appreciation
I know it has been a while, but in all fairness, I have been a little busy. I have recently accepted the call to lead a congregation in the small town of Washington Indiana. 
These people are a great group of folks that are easy to love and they have a heart for their community. Now that is out of the way, I have a few thoughts to share as I have been preparing the latest sermon. I honestly wrote this last week but did not want to publish until the sermon titled “Never Alone, the Sequel” was given. Now, back to the previously scheduled post! That said, my intended audience is the fellow believer – male and female. The Word calls us “brethren.” This is not intended for the non-believer as I believe those of faith have a higher standard. We are supposed to hold each other accountable – society thinks that would be “judgmental.” To fellow believers, its accountability. Continue reading Me, Me, Me!
“Hello, my name is Darrell and I am calling with BR Interviewing…” It is this phrase I uttered thousands of times in the last two and a half months. I had placed my life on hold for the possibility of God placing me in a lead pastoral role. Seems, He was not ready to move me just yet. With most of my savings fading away, I looked for a temporary job
until He decided to place me. I found one working at the local convention center, but the hours were scarce. Then I was hired by a company that makes outbound calls. It is not sales but that does not make the job itself any easier. You push a button, the computer dials a number and you wait to either hear someone yell, listen and hang up, listen or a voicemail pick up. There are a variety of surveys they do here, and I will not go into specifics, but needless to say, it is not a job one dreams of when they are a child! There are a couple of life lessons I have learned while I was there. Continue reading How about a survey?
As a guy who loves to eat hates to exercise this saying makes absolutely no sense to me! In my honest opinion, whoever said this originally needs a serious mental evaluation! I mean who wants to be put into pain? Anyone? So, I started to investigate where this little tidbit of crazy talk came from. A simple google search shows Jane Fonda made it popular in one of her workout videos in 1982. If one were to dig deeper, you may find out that Benjamin Franklin coined that phrase almost 300 years ago! I have heard it applied in business as well. Ever hear the phrase “it takes money to make money?” How about “feel the burn” that was later changed for a political slogan? Again, I think these are all crazy talk, don’t you?
Or are they?
Biblical Bacon 