Ridgell's Originals

 I love Justin Sargent and I am proud of his journey to become a disciple of Jesus.

I want you to hear the highlights of his journey so you can help others on their journey.  And if you are wondering about the whole Jesus thing, maybe his story will help you on your journey.

Justin figured out life was not really working for him.  Not in the ways that really mattered.  He wanted to be a better family man, especially wanted to be a good Dad to his three kids.  

He thought Jesus might be the answer.  He didn't really buy in to following Jesus when he was growing up.  Heard enough to kind of believe but not to commit.  Even went to church some with his wife.  Not regularly and not with any sense of conviction.  His wife bought in and was baptized.  But not Justin.  Not really interested in talking about Jesus.  I know because I was one of the ones that asked.

But now he wondered if Jesus might be the answer he was looking for.  He had the courage to call a couple of older men in the church down in Winters, Texas.  Phil was not only an elder there, but Justin had worked for Phil some and had real respect for him and his two sons.  Jackie was about to become an elder.  Justin asked their advice about life with Jesus.  They talked about what Jesus meant to them and the difference He made in their life.  Each of them spoke truth from Scripture into life.  They prayed over him.  

Justin reached out to me to learn more about Jesus and what it meant to follow him.  We met often at a local coffee shop in Abilene to talk and to tell stories from the Bible about Jesus and his followers.

Two father figures and a grandfather figure -- that was me :).  Testimonies, Scripture, prayer, love, support, and coffee.

And last Sunday Justin made to decision to give his life over to Jesus.  He died and was buried with Jesus in baptism.  A lot of people showed up to support him.  And to promise to keep supporting him.

I think there will people in the future that God will connect to Justin. People looking for answers.  And I think Justin will tell them his story.

So thank you God for giving your son to die for Phil, Jackie, Justin, and me.  Thanks for connecting a seeker to beleivers.  Bless Justin in his new journey as a disciple.  Do great things thru him and to him.  For Jesus.  

# posted by Steve @ 5:00 AM 0 comments

Your elder needs to be a strong family man.  He has a healthy marriage.  I think there are a number of reasons why this is healthy.  One is that you have a strong spiritual voice from his wife.  I know there are elders that insist their wives know nothing of elder business.  I think that thinking is rarely heard anymore.  And in truth, I never really knew many elders that kept things from their wife.  Healthy marriages talk things thru.  I am convinced that tho you may think in terms of having elders, you in reality have in some sense elder couples.  

A healthy marriage protects your elder.  His wife will be one of the older women actively involved in teaching younger women.  They will do spiritual marriage counseling together.  Many women in the church will come first to an elder's wife for advice and counsel.

One of the characteristics of an elder is to be hospitable.  They have open lives and open homes.  You are welcome.  They share life.  And you cannot do that without a wife that is fully bought in to her husband being an elder.    

An elder's children are to be believers/faithful.  Again, not perfect but believers.  Paul even explains why in his letter to Timothy.  If he cannot manage his family, how can he manage the church.  So you get a glimpse of how a man would shepherd the church by seeing how he shepherds his family.

So you want an elder that has a healthy marriage and that has worked to guide his children to follow Jesus.  

He and his wife serve as strong examples for your marriage.  They will give good advice for raising children.

So when choosing an elder, look for a good man with a strong family and who knows the Bible.

He will lead you right into heaven.

# posted by Steve @ 5:00 AM 0 comments

Paul makes it a point of emphasis to Timothy and Titus that the elders must know and teach Scripture.  Paul even indicates to Timothy that good elders who preach and teach should be compensated.  

You want an elder that is "apt" to teach.  And elder that is quick to share the Word of God.  One that is able to do that.  You want spiritual shepherds who can answer your spiritual questions with words from God.

This seems important for two reasons.  You do want spiritual guides who just offer their opinions.  You want truth spoken into your life.  Second -- you want your community of faith led by shepherds who are grounded in truth.  Men you know are standing on a solid foundation.  Men you can trust.

In his letter to Titus, Paul even gives two reasons for elders to be grounded in truth.  They are to encourage their flock by sharing sound doctrine.  Truth.  Words from God that speak into hearts and lives.  It is a very positive reason for elders to know the Bible.  

But it is also so that elders can refute false doctrine.  You have to trust your elders to be able to stop wrong teaching.  And to do so by using God's Word.  

In reading thru Scripture, you get the real sense that elders are the ones responsible for ensuring the flock is fed by the Word of God.  In fact, you get the sense that elders are the ones doing that.  Not just making sure it is done, but actually doing it.  Sometimes in the assembly.  Or in small groups.  Or in homes.  Or coffee shops.  But teaching.    

Elders.  Old men.  Men who have spent years in study so that God's Word is a part of who they are.  And as a side note, most of the admonitions about teaching in Scripture are to older men and women who are to teach younger men and women.  Not exclusively I know.  But that is a major emphasis. 

You get the impression in Scripture that preachers/ministers/evangelists were busy bringing non-beleivers into the Kingdom.  And then that the elders were responsible for teaching them, maturing them, growing them. 

So make sure your elders know Scripture.

It is the mark of a healthy church.  

# posted by Steve @ 5:00 AM 0 comments

 Serving as an elder/pastor/shepherd of the people in your community of faith is an awesome responsibility.  I beleive that elders are responsible leading their flock in the faith and delivering them safely to Jesus at the judgement.  

Scripture is clear about the kind of men who serve/lead in this capacity.  

An elder is a man of strong Christian character.  I am not sure there is a checklist of qualifications that must be met, but there are descriptions of the men who serve as elders. 

Not perfect, but strong Christians.  So I thought I would share why this is so important.

Be in control.  You will get frustrated trying to get the lost sheep to come home.  There will be conflict.  You will have to make some hard decisions.  Some will not appreciate hearing truth.  And some will attack you.  So you cannot lose your temper.  You cannot be quick tempered.  

Don't be greedy since elders oversee money given to be used in ministry.  

Elders have to have high character because they are the examples to follow among the flock.  If a group of Christians decide to follow your example, where will they end up?  At the cross following Jesus.  Show the way.

Having strong Christian character makes you trustworthy.  Your sheep must believe that they can trust you.  Trust your advice.  Trust you to have their spiritual well-being foremost in your heart and mind.  Trust you to not lead them astray.  Trust you enough to follow your advice.

Good elders are first of all good men.  

All Christians want to have the character of Jesus.  And we all have people in our circle of influence who look to us.

But elders especially have to be strong Christians in all they say and do.  Because you are putting yourselves at the front of the flock and leading them.  

And your strongest shepherding will be by your example.

So as you think about men you want to be your spiritual shepherds, look for the men you know to be full of the Holy Spirit.  When I think about who I trust to lead me to heaven, I first look for the character of Jesus in them.

And elders -- or potential elders -- leave all false modesty out of this.  You know if you are a man of God or not.  Your wife sure knows.  And your kids.  If you are, step up and lead.

And if someone says to you they are not good enough to be an elder, maybe you ought to listen.

So I am thankful for the good elders I have known in my life.  Elders who were recognized and accepted that responsibility publicly, and those who were elders in everyway except publicly.  Those men who I absolutely trusted to get me home.  Those who I am still trusting to get me home.

And young men, start building your Christian character.  God's people have always needed good elders.  

Become one.

# posted by Steve @ 5:00 AM 0 comments

 The Pandemic has changed so many things about how we did church.  Now that things are opening back up, we have a chance to re-think what we are doing.  I think one of those areas worth evaluating is Youth Ministry.

This past year has seen a lot of families worship together.  Not worshipping in the same building, but together.  You remember how it was in many churches before the shut-down.  Young people all sitting together.  Or even youth worship.  

But for a year, families worshipped together.  Teens took communion with their parents.  They may have actually talked about life, Scripture, and following Jesus.

There were no youth activities to run to.  

So what do we want the future of youth ministry to look like?

Is it possible to keep some kind of family emphasis?  More resources for family spiritual growth.  

What if parents took over youth ministry?

How about if youth ministers became youth evangelists?

Or what if the job of youth ministers became to minister to the kids without a spiritual home life?  Or they focused on kids from broken homes?  

What if the emphasis shifted away from activities for our healthy young people from strong families?

Do we even need youth ministry?

Is it still a healthy model for church?

Is it better to have family service projects instead of youth service projects?

Do we need to think thru our fundamental convictions about the spiritual welfare of our kids?

Are parents responsible for that growth?  Youth ministers?  Youth programs?  Elders?  The church?

We have been given a great gift to re-think many of the ways we have done church.

I think it will be hard to do.  But I think it will be extremely valuable.

So instead of trying to get back to normal, let's re-think normal.

It may be that we evaluate and come out exactly where we were before.

But maybe not.

Either way, it is worth the effort.

# posted by Steve @ 5:00 AM 0 comments

Death that seems tragic and far too soon.  Death that we do not understand.  Not fair.  Cancer in kids.  Car wrecks.  Natural disasters.

Why such a good person?

Why not the bad people?

It is not fair?

Where was God?

Doesn't God care?

Why didn't God answer my prayer?

Strong Christians sometimes ask questions like these.  Anyone is a position of spiritual influence has to answer questions like these.

But I am not sure there are answers.  Not the way we think of answers.

But there are three things I would remind all of us.  The things I tell people to help get thru unimaginable hurt and grief when the questions come.

There is a huge difference in "God did" and "God allowed."  I absolutely believe God can do anything He desires to do in this world.  It is His.  And I do not believe much of what we see around death is God's will.  Death as a result of sin (your sin or other's sin) is not God's plan or desire.  But there are consequences to actions.  Disease was never in God's plan.  But it is a fallen world since we left the Garden.  Death was not even in God's plan till we made bad choices.  And even then, God sent Jesus to die and then raised Him from the dead.  

Yes but why didn't God stop the evil.  Here is where faith comes in.  I trust God or I don't.  If everything came out exactly the way I want it to, then I am god and not God.  If everything I think is right -- and I pray for -- turns out exactly the way I want, I don't really need faith.  But when things do not turn out the way I want... I have to believe God is in control and He knows what is best for everyone everywhere.  I do want to be clear that I am not talking about those who die.  Of course that is better for them to be with the Lord.  But when you are picking up the pieces, you ask the hard questions.  And then trust God and cling to faith when there are no answers.

And no, we will not understand God's ways.  His ways are so much above us.  Even if God explained the why -- or the plan -- I would not understand it.  Still might not want to accept it.  Maybe that is why God does not explain himself to us.  Nor does He have to.  He is God and we are His children.  He is in charge.  

And I have to believe that or I could not stand the pain in the world.

So in the midst of pain and grief.  So in the stuggle with unanswerable questions.  Here is what I cling to...

God knows best and will never do the wrong thing.

I will trust my faith in Him.

I don't have to understand.

# posted by Steve @ 5:00 AM 0 comments

It happens frequently in our community of faith.  Yours too.  People die.  Old people do, but so do the young.  Lost babies.  Cancer.  Car wrecks.  Other accidents.  Other illnesses.  So many in what seems to us way too soon.  And it hurts.  

I do a lot of spiritual counseling/visiting with those losing -- or have just lost -- people they love.  Here are three things I share that I think we Christians absolutely have to believe and remind ourselves of.  Three things I have to keep reminding myself.

We are already dead.  Galatians 2:20 says we have been crucified with Christ so the life we live in one of faith in Jesus.  Romans 6:3-5 talks of us being united with Christ in his death.  We are dead.  Death has been defeated and it has no power over us.  Resurrection matters.  

We are strangers and aliens in this world while we long for a better home.  Read Hebrews 11.  This world is not our home.  Most of us preach/teach/read this and still live as if this world is the end all.  It is not.  Believers that die are going to the finish line they have been running to for much of their life.  

We must learn to be hope grievers.  I Thessalonians 4 has the great resurrection hope passage.  It tells us not to grieve as those who have no hope.  Of course we grieve.  Not for the one who has gone to be with the Lord.  We grieve for us.  We miss them here.  We have lots of things to work out and work thru.  

But we are hope grievers.  We absolutely believe we will be together again.  

We do believe Jesus is the way to God.  We were crucified with Christ in our baptism.  We live as dead people walking.  We keep our eyes on the prize.  

And some of us cross the finish line sooner than many thought we would.  But it is the finish line.  

So I work to remind myself of these realities.  I try and live these realities. 

I am already dead. 

This world is not my home.

And I am a hope griever.

So thankful.

Come Lord Jesus.

# posted by Steve @ 5:00 AM 0 comments

Well, Marsha turns 68 today.  Doesn't look it and doesn't act it, but it is true.

Here are just a few of the reasons I love her and am proud of her.

She holds our family together.  We all need her and she still keeps us centered and together.  Supports my ministry still.  Encourages me.  Lets me travel.  Supports our kids and grands.  Helps our Julie a lot with projects.  Attends our grands sports and music events.  Puts up with the late night drives and long trips.  Helps her sister.

Such a great role model for the four girls in our family.  

Takes care of my Mom the same way she did her Mom.  Probably a better kid to her than I am.

Very loyal friend.  Lots of coffee/tea/Diet Dr. Pepper and phone calls/visiting/counseling with friends.  Doctor visits.  Hospital waiting rooms (or parking lots).  Prepares lots of meals for people.  And banana bread.

Sends lots of cards.  Congratulations, sympathy, hang-in-there, birthdays and anniversaries.

So she is a doer for people.

She is a hugger, pray-er, shoulder to cry on, laugh with you, let me help you kind of person.

She still looks good, but even better -- she is good.  Really is more beautiful inside than out.

So thanks Mimi for blessing our lives with your love.

God, thanks for the gift of Marsha.  Keep her strong and healthy.  Use her in your Kingdom.    

# posted by Steve @ 5:00 AM 0 comments

Tomorrow is Good Friday.  Sunday is Easter.  The cross.  The empty tomb.  Death and resurrection.  Jesus dying for our sins.  Lots of Sunday resurrection excitement.

So what about Saturday.  The in-between day.  What do you do with Saturday?  We wait.  That time between death and burial until resurrection.  Thankful and hopeful while we wait.

It seems to me that is exactly where we Christians find ourselves in this life.

I have died.  When I decided to be baptized, it was a decision to die.  Baptized into his death.  Buried by baptism into death.  Crucified with Christ.  My sins washed away.  Dead to sin.  Promising to continue to put to death the things of this world.

Filled with the Holy Spirit.  Alive to God.  Living as Jesus lived.  

No longer afraid of the physical death.  

But not yet fully with God.  Still longing for the heavenly city.  Still a stranger and alien here.  

Waiting for Jesus to return.

Waiting till resurrection. 

So in the "Saturday" of my life I will remember to be thankful for the death of Jesus and blood shed so I can live.  I will celebrate the resurrection of Jesus.  I will look forward to my resurrection.

I will love the God who gave His Son for me.

I will love the people in my world and invite them to share in the life with Jesus.

So they can die with Him.

And be raised forever with Him.

Until then ... I live and I wait in hope.  

# posted by Steve @ 5:00 AM 0 comments