The 77 Dallas Cowboys were the Champions in the hallowed days of NFL gridiron glory. Roger Staubach, Bob Lilly, Randy White, Rayfield Wright, and Mel Renfro--these were the gladiators that charmed my childhood. If anyone could defy the ravages of time, these giants could do it. Then I picked up this Sunday's Dallas Morning News. The headline read Champions aging in agony. Thirty years ago Mel Renthro played his last NFL game and walked off the field--the winner of Super Bowl XII. Thirty years later he has an artificial left hip, a right knee that needs to be replaced, arthritis in his shoulders, damaged vertebrae in his neck, and headaches from the glare of the sun. The article details the ravages of time against these football greats, but I am thankful that the Apostle Paul asked this question, "Who will deliver us from this body of death?" His answer? Thanks be to God--through Jesus Christ our Lord! My lower back might stoop me over in an old man's gait, but I've got a new eternal model waiting ahead, and it's a certain thing because of Jesus Christ's historical resurrection.
Pray for Mary and me this next week. Early Wednesday morning we fly up to Albany, New York to meet my eldest son, his wife, and their two girls, flying home from France. Word of Life is hosting a Wyrtzen Family Reunion and giving us the privilege of teaching at the Conference the first week in August. My oldest sister is celebrating her fiftieth wedding anniversary, and it will be one of those rare times of getting to spend time with the Wyrtzen side of our family and all serving Jesus together.
Sunday, July 29, 2007
Thursday, July 26, 2007
Worship Is More than Niche Marketing
I arrived back in Midlothian at 1:30 this morning after spending a day in Austin with our Midlothian Bible worship leaders, but the late night was worth it. Hundreds of worship leaders and pastors met at River Bend Church in Austin for the first national worship leader conference.
Just listening to that many incredible voices proclaiming "Your Grace Is Enough" made the price of the five hour travel up and down I 35 worth it, but listening to a younger pastor like Ross Parsley argue against the niche marketing of our Sunday morning services was priceless. Ross lamented the tragedy of losing our multi-generational dinner time around the table where even grandma was forced to acknowledge five year old Johnny and vice versa. He then went on to use the possibility of recapturing the joy and love around this table as a picture of what God the Father desires for us in worship at least once a week as we gather as His Household.
I've been reminding our worship leaders for years that the family is one of the dominant New Testament symbols for what the Church needs to be. What an encouragement to have this Pauline revelation underlined by Scott as he leads an influential, resurgent church in Colorado.
Pray for Mary and me as we get packed to head to Schroon Lake next week for a Wyrtzen Familiy Reunion and a teaching assignment along side Dr. Mark Bailey, my precious friend and the President of Dallas Theological. We would love to see you at Word of Life that first week in August.
Just listening to that many incredible voices proclaiming "Your Grace Is Enough" made the price of the five hour travel up and down I 35 worth it, but listening to a younger pastor like Ross Parsley argue against the niche marketing of our Sunday morning services was priceless. Ross lamented the tragedy of losing our multi-generational dinner time around the table where even grandma was forced to acknowledge five year old Johnny and vice versa. He then went on to use the possibility of recapturing the joy and love around this table as a picture of what God the Father desires for us in worship at least once a week as we gather as His Household.
I've been reminding our worship leaders for years that the family is one of the dominant New Testament symbols for what the Church needs to be. What an encouragement to have this Pauline revelation underlined by Scott as he leads an influential, resurgent church in Colorado.
Pray for Mary and me as we get packed to head to Schroon Lake next week for a Wyrtzen Familiy Reunion and a teaching assignment along side Dr. Mark Bailey, my precious friend and the President of Dallas Theological. We would love to see you at Word of Life that first week in August.
Friday, July 13, 2007
Seven Thousand Jewelers and the Great Commission
My wife Mary and I are spending three days in Forth Worth at the Convention Center at the Premier Designs National Convention. Back in 1985 (that's before the Iron Curtain fell), Andy Horner and I went to Poland to teach the Book of Proverbs to a couple hundred polish teens. Andy was in his early sixties and ready to retire after a successful career with Home Interiors.
After listening to his life story and burden to raise money for indigenous missions, I casually said to him on our return flight across the big pond, "Andy, why don't you use your entrepreneurial skills for Jesus." When he got back to Dallas, he did. He founded a jewelry company called Premier. With his wife Joan, their purpose was to help moms stay at home and raise their kids. A mom could do a couple of home shows a week and earn what she would earn in five hard days in an office. They also committed themselves to founding a foundation that would give funds to missions.
That was 22 years ago and now their company has more than 25,000 jewelers and our Horner Premier Foundation has been able to support evangelical outreaches around the world. This Foundation is one of the tools God uses to support Truth Encounter, and this is why Mary and I are shaking hands and handing out free trials for our Jewels of Sinai video game. We are also rubbing shoulders with Latin Americans, Africans, Austrians, and Brazilians who are declaring Jesus because a business man and his wife in 1985 decided to use their skills in the market place for Jesus.
For those of you representing Jesus on the front lines of business today, you are in full time Jesus service. I want to bless you today, and I need to go and shake some more hands to let all these Premier Jewelers know how much we appreciate what they are doing to enable us to help others to encounter Jesus.
Have a great day walking with our Lord Jesus,
Dave
After listening to his life story and burden to raise money for indigenous missions, I casually said to him on our return flight across the big pond, "Andy, why don't you use your entrepreneurial skills for Jesus." When he got back to Dallas, he did. He founded a jewelry company called Premier. With his wife Joan, their purpose was to help moms stay at home and raise their kids. A mom could do a couple of home shows a week and earn what she would earn in five hard days in an office. They also committed themselves to founding a foundation that would give funds to missions.
That was 22 years ago and now their company has more than 25,000 jewelers and our Horner Premier Foundation has been able to support evangelical outreaches around the world. This Foundation is one of the tools God uses to support Truth Encounter, and this is why Mary and I are shaking hands and handing out free trials for our Jewels of Sinai video game. We are also rubbing shoulders with Latin Americans, Africans, Austrians, and Brazilians who are declaring Jesus because a business man and his wife in 1985 decided to use their skills in the market place for Jesus.
For those of you representing Jesus on the front lines of business today, you are in full time Jesus service. I want to bless you today, and I need to go and shake some more hands to let all these Premier Jewelers know how much we appreciate what they are doing to enable us to help others to encounter Jesus.
Have a great day walking with our Lord Jesus,
Dave
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