Use A Real Example

It is July 30th; I should be working on newsletter items since the 31st is the end of the month plus an out of town ministry day in Topeka. I am putting off what I should be doing so I can vent for a moment.

My vent has nothing to do with the Chick-fil-A uproar, no mention of the 2012 Olympics, no thoughts on the 2012 Presidential Campaign or the movie theater shooting in Colorado. Not a thing on any pressing news item. My “eye rolling” vent today comes from a Facebook group that I am a part of and their silly example of church appropriate music.

One of the posters was whining about “we too often co-opt worldly music in order to bring people into church” and gave this as his example:

Really?

Really?

This man bemoans a Rap Song that is designed to be part of a commercial plug for “Back To Church Sunday” as his example of worldly in music in church. Grant it, the tune is miserable but it is a parody piece.

In response, I posted this:

Lecrae’s “Beautiful Feet” which tells the story of God’s saving power through Jesus Christ and how we are to go out into our world.

Now, I have been criticized for making fun of badly written and performed Christian music before. I will probably take some flak over this as well, but we need to be informed enough to make wise choices in the world where we Christians are called to represent Christ.

We need to know the difference between good Christian songs and poor Christian songs just as we need to have discernment over good theology or bad theology. This discernment is made possible by knowing the Word of God which takes time to read and study. This discernment is also made possible by having a group of people who understand different genres than you do. (If I have a question, I go to one of my Christian friends who are experienced in that area.)

So in closing, I will default to one of my favorite passages in the New Testament:

(1 Thessalonians 5:21-22 NASB)  "But examine everything carefully; hold fast to that which is good; {22} abstain from every form of evil."

June 30, 2012 Newsletter

June 30, 2012

Dear Friend,

        We hope this finds you doing well as record setting temperatures are taking a toll on everyone in the area. All we can say is that everyone should drink plenty of water and that God’s mercies are new each and every morning.

        Yesterday (June 29th), I drove down to Kansas City to witness Duaine’s swearing in ceremony as he is entering the Delayed Entrance Program (DEP) with the United States Air Force. He rode a shuttle from Junction City the night before and went through the whole physical and job selection process before I arrived. Even though his top choice on the job list wasn’t available to him because of his glasses, Duaine has a long list of possibilities with the Air Force to think about during his senior year of high school. In July, he will spend a week at God’s Mountain followed by two weeks in August at Summit in Manitou Springs, Colorado. When he returns from Summit, his senior year will be underway.

        Earlier in June, I received a phone call from a graduate who wanted to know if he could write me when he goes to the Marine Corp Recruit Depot in San Diego for his basic training. I told him that I would be honored to write him back if I was to hear from him. He has one of those odd family structures that plague so many young people today. I haven’t heard from him yet, but you can be sure that I will write him back if I do. Please pray for the wisdom needed to encourage this young man if he actually does contact me.

        Another moment of contact that Lisa and I had last weekend was with one of our former Beloit Juvenile Correctional Facility girls. She had been in and out of the system for years and not doing well for a large part of that time. Even with her failures and relapses, we would hear from her and give her godly encouragement. She now has been free from drugs for over two years and is getting more and more established in the blended family of which she is now part. We had a great time as we took this family to the zoo in Wichita last Saturday. We continue to provide guidance and encourage her along in the Lord.

        I wanted to share our contact with these two young adults who have been affected by Teens For Christ over the past couple of years. It shows that we play a big part in the lives of teenagers as they move on into adulthood. Your involvement and support of our work with Teens For Christ has made some incredibly long lasting impacts on lives and for that we are very grateful. Thank you for sharing in the Kingdom of God with us as we continue to point students from the past, present and future towards Jesus Christ.

        With a very busy July ahead of us, please pray for the next Teens For Christ Rally on July 21st with illusionist David Lee Wolfe and organist Tyler Breneman. It will be a great night that will point students and families to Jesus Christ. Thank you for keeping us in our very unique mission field. Take care and have a very blessed month!

Yours For Youth!
Kent & Lisa Otott
Micah 6:8

 

Instruct those who are rich in this present world not to be conceited or to fix their hope on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who richly supplies us with all things to enjoy. Instruct them to do good, to be rich in good works, to be generous and ready to share, storing up for themselves the treasure of a good foundation for the future, so that they may take hold of that which is life indeed.

~ First Timothy 6:17-19 (NASB)