Ministries:
Adult | Teens | Children

Pastor's Pen's:
2008 | 2007 | 2006 | 2005 | 2004 | 2003 | 2002 | 2001

Sermon Series:
Following Jesus
Earthly Cross
His Name Is
Apostles Creed
Dealing with Feelings
Jonah
Get Real
Promised Land Living

Grace Church
257 Kendall Street
Burlington, WI 53105

(262) 763-3021

Email:
Pastor Scott Carson

Secretary Patti Hall

PASTOR'S PENS 2007

Grace Church of Burlington March 18, 2007 "Living the past is a dull and lonely business; looking back strains the neck muscles, causes you to bump into people not going your way."  Edna Ferber                                                             A twenty-two-year-old Australian man attempted to drive 310 miles in reverse on a remote Outback highway after his transmission failed, locking into reverse. The man was stopped by Western Australia state police after they spotted his car roaring in reverse down the highway at about 40 mph. He was headed to the state capital of  Perth when his transmission failed outside a restaurant in the Outback town of Kalgoorlie, about 300 miles away. And rather than call a mechanic, he opted to continue driving, in reverse. Police said they stopped the man about 12 miles from where his backward journey began. A breath test for alcohol proved negative, but the man was charged with reckless driving and other traffic offenses.             But that doesn’t just happen in the Outback. It also has happened in Wisconsin. Recently, I heard about a man who’s transmission also got stuck in reverse and then drove home from Delavan to Darien. He was caught and also ticketed.             Most of us have large rearview mirrors in our lives. And what is true of people is also true of churches. Too often we spend more time looking back at the past and where we have been than where we are going. And sometimes we have such huge rearview mirrors that we can’t even see out the windshield!             One of my problems in this area is that it is easier for me to have a carnal rearview pessimism than a godly forward optimism. When I have been hurt or have had a bad experience, it is much easier for me to remember that. I’m ashamed to admit it but it’s easier for me to remember bad times that I’ve gone through than God’s blessings in the past. I have to kick out my “stinkin thinkin” (as Zig Ziglar calls it) and instead look back at God’s blessings and more importantly step out in faith on God’s future. And I know that I’m not alone. Many of us struggle with a dirty rearview mirror. While we need a clean rearview mirror to see how God has been faithful and blessed us in the past, most of us need to learn how to reduce the size of the rearview mirror (without necessarily removing it) so that we can look through the windshield.             It’s time to move forward. Our church has gone through some deep waters over the last year and a half and we’re still not completely through them. But we’re almost. Many of us were disappointed, disillusioned and just plain hurt. I cannot tell you how many sleepless nights that I personally had, I was just in such pain and so hurt. It’s time though to move on. And even in the valley, let’s not forget how good God was to us. We saw folk come to Christ. We saw new folk coming through our doors. We saw unity, service, sacrifice and a growing love for the Lord. So, it’s time to move forward.             Part of that moving forward is Mike and Jami Cote. I truly believe that it was providential that the Lord brought them our way. They were not looking for us and we were not looking for them. This morning they are at their home church, Kettle Moraine Community Church, saying “Good-bye.” It was so cool when Mike asked if that would be okay. Here’s a young couple who understands godly exits and saying thank you to those who have invested in their lives.             While they are young and inexperienced, they are passionate about Jesus Christ, love the Lord and love people. I believe that God is going to use them to have an impact on our young people and our church for His Kingdom.             Let me encourage you to take some time then and get to know them. Let them know that you are praying for them and are excited to see how God is going to use them. We need too to be careful not to compare them to our past youth workers or be suspicious of them because of the sins of others.             Our faith is not in the Cotes or even in our church, it’s in our Sovereign Lord Who is always in control and knows what wonderful, exciting plans that He has for Grace Church. So let’s start looking out the windshield anticipating the blessings of our faithful and loving Heavenly Father!