The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands. Psalm 19:1 For decades our family has been going to Cannon Beach in Oregon. It is our favorite spot on the coast. And thanks to Cannon Beach Christian Conference Center letting pastors’ families stay free of charge every other year during the off-season, it has provided an inexpensive and, oftentimes, much needed time of respite from church responsibilities. I am writing on the first night of our three night getaway—a momentous trip in that, with kids in college, it could be the last time we are able to make this trip as a family unit. And with a forecast calling for rain most of our time here, a clear, cloudless night was all the motivation we needed to take a late night stroll on the beach. To our surprise, we had the beach all to ourselves. It probably helped that it was a cold night. And it also helped to be in a town on the coast that is much quieter than the larger cities to the north and to the south. Off in the distance I was able to see the dark outline of Haystack rock—one of the most recognizable features of the Oregon coast. But what was truly astounding, once my eyes adjusted to the darkness, were the layers of stars that filled the sky. I grew up out in the country surrounded by acres of hay fields and minimal light pollution, save distant porch lights here and there. And so, I remember, as a boy, climbing up on the roof and laying on my back to star gaze. Sadly, living in the ‘burbs, such opportunities are few and far between. As a result, when I do get the chance to find a dark spot from which to take in the majesty of a star-filled sky, I relish it. That is exactly what I was doing our first night at Cannon Beach—relishing the beauty of a dark beach where, looking west, all I could see were the dim lights of a few fishing vessels in the distance and whitecaps on the waves crashing into shore. But looking up, I saw thousands and thousands of miles of stars with varying levels of brightness and multi-colored hues. Some were bright white while others were a cool blue. Some twinkled, while others emitted constant, even light. Layers upon layers of stars were visible to my naked eye. All of a sudden the thought that occurred to me is how much I need starry nights to put life in proper perspective. How insignificant the petty concerns that so often dog me seem in the light of a thousand stars. But it isn’t the stars themselves that are so profoundly amazing—rather it is the God who set each one in its place. If the stars are so grand—which they are—how much more the God who created them and sustains them along with the rest of creation? It is the greatness of this God that renders my propensity to cling to petty grievances and concerns absolutely and utterly silly. And it struck me—how differently would I approach life’s trivial concerns if I could receive a nightly dose of God’s starry universe? What kind of inoculation against pettiness in my own life would such a prescription provide? Would offenses from fellow drivers, checkout clerks and restaurant servers seem important enough to warrant more than a minimal contemplation? Would negativity from the perennially dissatisfied be significant enough to dominate more than a moment’s reflection? Would my own sinful patterns and temptations wield the same power in my life? Certainly not…if only I could receive a daily dose of this majestic sight. Of course, this could never be. For even if I did live in a place without light pollution, the reality of clouds and rain and inclement weather of all kinds (of which we have our fair share in the Pacific Northwest) would preclude such a nightly revelation. And yet, the far greater reality to which this revelation points is not so difficult to come by. To the contrary, every single day I have access to the One who set these stars in place. Every day I have the ability to see Him anew in His Word. Every moment of every day I have His Holy Spirit within by which I can retrace my center, my hope, my life. It’s true…I could use more starry nights. Who couldn’t? But what I really need is to foster a deeper walk with the Author of starry nights. O Lord, give me eyes to see! Pastor Dan
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From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked. Luke 12:48
It was more than a year ago, now, at our 2015 elder retreat, that I was impressed with the realization that we, as a church, are those who have “been given much.” Certainly, our “much” includes material blessings such as our building and grounds and God’s faithful financial provision. But I am more impressed by the people God has given this church to carry out the work of ministry together; the strong spirit of unity He has granted our body; and the heritage of 85 years of Bible-based teaching and preaching. In 2015, I was struck with the recognition that these are not merely blessings to be enjoyed, but blessings to be employed in the work of the kingdom! As Jesus says, “from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked.” Rather than simply viewing ourselves as the happy recipients of these blessings, Jesus challenges us to view ourselves as stewards of these blessings to be used for His eternal kingdom. It was this reality that provided the groundwork for our 2015 vision to pursue passionate disciplemaking that is life on life, step by step, inside and out. Fast forward one year later and the signs of God’s blessings have only multiplied in growing attendance, a giving surplus 25% over our budget, and an increasingly broad and diverse engagement in ministry from those who call Renton Bible Church home. However, they have also brought into greater focus the significance of the fact that our permit to build a sanctuary will lapse in a little over a year, which might mean losing hundreds of thousands of dollars and countless hours invested in our expansion. But what really drove home the significance of these realities was a little photo album Terri Doellefeld shared from 1972. It is an album filled with pictures of Renton Bible’s ministry from that era. Initially, I just enjoyed the nostalgia of the 70’s fashion—think far-out plaids and gnarly side-burns. But I also noticed that even in the early 70’s, God had blessed our little church with a diversity in our membership—some of whom still call Renton Bible home. And as I looked at our original little church building, prior to the remodel we enjoy at present, I recognized just how much has been invested in this ministry over the years. Some 85 years ago, a group of people stepped out in faith to start a Sunday school ministry to fill the need for an evangelical, Bible church in the Renton Highlands. These people selflessly sacrificed to purchase property and build a church where people in our neighborhood could come to grow in Christ. And in the decades since, some people I know, but many others I do not know, have given of themselves in countless ways to make sure that there would be a continuing testimony for Christ and His Kingdom in and through Renton Bible Church. And the word that came to my mind was legacy. God has allowed this body to have a Christ-centered, Bible-based legacy of kingdom ministry in the Renton Highlands with an impact that has reached around the globe! All of these realities moved me, as I began to look to our annual elder retreat and the contemplation of God’s vision for our church, to expand our vision beyond the coming year to the coming decades. Will our church have a legacy that will outlive us? This was a question broached at our annual meeting two years ago—a question that moved us to more focused prayer that God would increase our kingdom impact. And God has answered our prayers in significant ways these last two years. But I sense that God’s work of revitalization has only just begun. And I am excited about sharing with our body, March 20th, the fruit of our elder retreat in February, and a vision that not only looks to the coming year, but to how we can have a growing impact for Christ and His Kingdom as we move toward our 100th anniversary. Over the decades, through sacrifice and dreaming God-sized dreams, our forerunners have had a kingdom impact in our community and around the world. Join us as we prayerfully ask, “What will be our legacy?” |
Dan GannonDan has ministered at Renton Bible Church, with his wife Debbie, since 2003. Archives
June 2022
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