t o m p e r c o n t i

The Low Bar of Relativity

noreply@blogger.com (Tom Perconti) — Mon, 11 Jan 2016 22:05:00 +0000

God's Word warns us that in the last days people will gravitate towards false teachers....

2Ti 4:3-4, "For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, [4] and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths."

The original Greek word in this verse that is translated as "endure" is "anechomai" which means "to hold oneself up against, that is, (figuratively) put up with: - bear with endure, forbear, suffer." The idea here is to expose oneself to something that can be uncomfortable... Exposing or submission to voluntarily, where there is a choice to stay or depart.

There will be this turning away from listening to the truth, not because they were fooled or deceived but because they have their personal preference of what they want to hear and will then search around to look for people who are saying things that align with what they have already decided to be true.

It is important to note that they will "wander off" into myths. They're not going to sprint, jog, or make a bee-line toward myths and heresies. It is a casually paced, meandering path that is taken. Each step on this journey is usually as a result of an avoidance of discomfort or pain associated with being confronted with the truth.

COMPARING TO THE EXTREME. Each move they make is a step away from the truth. They may compare this new fellowship or group against an extreme example of error and conclude that because THIS group is "better" (relatively speaking) than THAT other group then THIS group must be good.

The problem with this approach is that instead of pursuing excellence they're looking for anything that is above the low bar of extreme mediocrity.

So, how does one know if they are "pursuing truth" or "wandering off into myths"? The following may be a helpful grid of discernment....

INTENT OF THE CONTENT. Is the primary characteristic of the teaching the reading, interpretation, and application of Scripture? Is there a more than trivial percentage of time spent on personal anecdotes and illustrations? Is the intent of the message to help the hearer understand the verse being studied? Is Scripture used merely as a launching point for a self-help seminar-like pep talk? Are the Scripture verses that are quoted used properly and in context?

CONVICTION. All believers are in the process of being sanctified. We have work to do in growing in Christ-likeness. Do the sermons reveal those areas where you are falling short and need to work on? Does the uneasiness of conviction linger with you beyond the parking lot of the gathering place?

ENCOURAGEMENT. Do the messages offer encouragement where it is appropriate? The unbelieving world will not encourage believers to pursue Christ... believers will only receive encouragement from other believers. Solid teaching points out what "abiding in Christ" looks like. It compares and contrasts our thoughts, words, and actions with what God's Word says. Teachings that promote the idea of "perpetual victimhood" offer no encouragement, no way to measure growth, and keep the hearer continually dependent on the teacher.

HONESTY. Are the words of the teacher (that they don't attribute to others) the teacher's own words? Is he or she extracting the truth from God's Word as a result of time spent studying or time spent cutting and pasting from a Commentary? or lifting teaching points from someone else's sermon? Plagiarism is a big problem in Evangelical churches. If you hear something quotable in a message, jot it down and later google that quote. You may be surprised to learn that it came from a place like sermoncentral.com.

A teacher's personal opinion backed by an explanation can be helpful in understanding one position among multiple possible and correct positions. Does the teacher separate Scriptural truth from their opinion? Does the teacher simply present some possible correct positions but not provide any guidance?

DILIGENCE. Does the teacher quote extensively from non-Biblical sources? Even properly attributed quotes taken from Commentaries and from leaders in church history may reveal a lack of diligence in the teacher's preparation. It is important to show the historical traditions of Christian thought but it shouldn't be at the expense of the hard work of digging into the Scriptures themselves.

INTEGRITY. Does the teacher say and do things outside of the teaching time consistent with what they teach? Are their lives a model of what is being taught? For example: A teacher who engages in coarse language privately but edifying speech when teaching does not believe the things that they are teaching. A teacher or leader who speaks disparagingly of the congregation in private reveals a heart that is not qualified to lead.

FALSE TEACHERS. There is only one perfect teacher of Scripture, that is Jesus. All others will fall short. There will be difficult theological concepts where a teacher may speak in error. A follow-up with them for clarification, correction, and confirmation is definitely appropriate. But if the teacher is repeatedly in error on doctrines that traditionally have only one correct interpretation, then that indicates a problem. Even Satan, the father of lies, will speak truth on occasion, and will quote Scripture... but always out of context and for his own purposes not God's purposes.

A false teacher is not identified by the truthful things they teach but by the false ones.

The danger of wandering off into myths grows the closer we get to the Lord's return. Those who truly desire to grow as disciples and draw closer to Christ must regularly examine their hearts as to their motivations when leaving and/or joining a fellowship.

Life Has a Lot of Moving Parts

noreply@blogger.com (Tom Perconti) — Mon, 28 Dec 2015 19:23:00 +0000

As I was responding to an email this morning, I looked at the URL in my signature that points to this blog and thought it was time to review it and freshen it up. That was when I noticed that it had been over a year since the last time I posted. Wow.

I took that time to reflect on what life has been like since then. I realized that life is busier than ever and has a lot of "moving parts".

Jeremy and Jennifer were married and Eva and I helped them launch into married life.

Elizabeth completed her Associate's degree and transferred to Corban University in Salem Oregon. We took some time to help her get launched.

Eva had surgeries on her thyroid and shoulder, each of which required time for recovery and recuperation.

I've had a busy and challenging year at the college. Every week since Oct 1 2014 I've spent nearly every day in sermon preparation. Each Sunday since then I've delivered those sermons (a total of 64 consecutive weeks and counting).

This isn't intended to sound as a boast, but if it is taken that way please view it as a boast in Christ. The Lord has perfectly protected and provided for all of our needs during this time. It is by His grace alone that all of the "moving parts" of life have been held together and kept in motion. Every morning I'm painfully aware that if He were to lift His hand off this deal, then the parts would go flying in all directions.

As I look forward to 2016, it seems like it will be more challenging than 2015. A new start time for our Sunday Bible study (10:30am from the previous 11am), a 3-part seminar on Bible prophecy in January, projects around the house that were postponed in 2015 that will need to be done in 2016, relationships with extended family and friends that have been neglected need to be given attention... and the list goes on.

I want to encourage my brothers and sisters in Christ that if He has called you to a work, He will also equip you, and sustain you. It is in those situations where His presence is undeniable.

Grace is my church!

noreply@blogger.com (Tom Perconti) — Sun, 28 Sep 2014 15:58:00 +0000

Those four words are arguably the most encouraging ones for a church planter to hear. It is an expression that reflects the heart of someone who has heard the mission, vision, and core values, seen them put into practice with sincerity, and received confirmation from the Holy Spirit that this is the body of believers to be part of for this next season of their life.

They're also perhaps the most frightening words to hear. We haven't launched yet. We're still growing and awaiting for the Lord to put the remaining pieces into place. The mission, vision, and core values will not come into full fruition until we launch and yet with those words, "Grace is my church!" the responsibility and burden for caring for God's people has increased. Our focus has always been to care for the people who the Lord already brought, (rather than on designing ways to gather more people) but this declaration from those who have come alongside us puts an exclamation point on it.

It has been 7 months since embarking on this journey, and only 5 months since we started our twice-a-month Bible study. During that time the Lord has grown us individually and as a group in obedience to His Word, in our faith in Him as we see answered prayer, and in our relationship with one another. This, not coincidentally, is the mission of Grace Bible Fellowship:

Bringing others together to grow closer to God, His word, and His people for His glory.

Those four words were also the cause for more prayer and reflection as to the next step. There's been a collective hunger to meet more frequently and to have something on Sunday. There were some practical reasons for that in addition to the tradition equating church with Sunday. Work schedules prevented some from being able to attend. Others have difficulty driving at night. There was also the downside of meeting only two or three times a months. If one couldn' attend a session, it might be another 3-4 weeks before we'd see them again... that's not good.

As a result of prayer, reflection, and conversations with the group, we have announced that starting on Sunday, October 5th, we will be meeting for Bible study every Sunday @ 11:00am at the Prescott Adult Center. It's not going to be a church service, but it will be a Bible study with a message from the Bible (verse-by-verse exposition with an emphasis on application) followed by a time of discussion on the teaching, fellowship, prayer, and socializing.

We're responding to the needs of the flock and to what the Lord is doing, and as a result we're going to have a pretty unique opportunity during this next stage of planting. An interactive corporate gathering where we can discuss the sermon and application points so that we'll be ready to start the week putting these truths into practice. These have truly been "family gatherings" and we're excited for this next step.

Church planting is hard work but the Lord Jesus Christ has been so kind and gracious to us. There are many times when the burden seems so great, and the Spirit is faithful to remind us:

"Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, [7] casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you." - 1 Peter 5:6-7

We are so blessed for the opportunity to be part of this work, for the people the Lord has gathered thus far for the journey, and look forward with eager anticipation to growing closer to the folks here now, who else He will bring, and what He will do to bring glory to Himself through this work.

What's the matter, Horn?! or, one man's conquest over the swamp cooler

noreply@blogger.com (Tom Perconti) — Sat, 10 May 2014 18:34:00 +0000

I've been dreading this day all week... last night I couldn't sleep... tossing, turning... at one point I woke up in a cold sweat. But there was no avoiding it, the day was now here. This day comes in an awkward time of the year where the natives cry out in discomfort at the daytime heat, only to shift to shivers of cold at night. I will be relieved when it is over.

So I get out of bed and grab a cup of coffee. It's going to be quite a journey so I have a 2nd cup. I don't know when the next time I'll be able to eat, so I make myself a sandwich... turkey, ham, swiss... I'm going to need all the protein I can get.

I gather my supplies. Like a climbing expedition up Mt. Everest, I plan things out and have everything ready. Once I go up, I'm committed. To have to come back down would be an admission of defeat, and an acknowledgment of poor planning.

Gloves, kneepads, toolkit, replacement pads, spraypaint, shop vac, extension cord, bearing oil, another sandwich, and a travel mug of coffee. I carry all of these things up the ladder and place them at the edge of the roofline... this is "base camp".

Like a mountain climber tossing a rope, I plug the extension cord into the outside socket and fling the coil of the extension cord onto the roof. It lands with a reassuring thud. I now make my final ascent up the ladder and onto the roof.

I've got work gloves and knee pads on. This task is too challenging to fake "manning up" and going without protective gear. I'm at a stage in life where the practical trumps the appearance.

I open my toolkit on top of the cooler, and like a mechanic working on a snowmobile in the middle of the tundra, I begin to expose the cooler's insides. The pads on this cooler are not those straw/seaweed variety... no, these are the monstrous corrugated paper ones. The new pads including the box they came in weigh no more than 5 lbs. The old ones I'm replacing, approximately 50 lbs. Talk about mineral build up!

So I begin scraping the water pan... minerals are flaking off. I then take the shop vac and begin cleaning out the pan. fine dust starts billowing out of the exhaust and into the air. It was like a blinding snowstorm. I cover my face... I forgot to bring a mask, but I will not admit defeat.

The pan is clean. I top up the bearing reservoirs with oil. I remove the metal trap that closes the opening for winter. I install the new pads.

Now comes time to deal with the float valve. This value shuts off the water when it reaches a certain level. If the float is too high, then the water overflows and runs down the roof. If the float is too low, then the pump will not get enough water and the cooler won't cool and the pump can burn out.

So with the same careful measuring eye that Indiana Jones had in weighing the pouch of sand to match the weight of the idol, I adjust the float. I reassemble the rest of the cooler.

Unlike expeditions up Mt. Everest, I can't leave the things that I brought up. I toss the old cooler pads off the side of the house... they land with a loud crash and shards of mineral encrusted paper fly everywhere. The impact is so forceful, flakes of these shards get embedded into the neighbor's wooden fence. It is then that I hope that Eva didn't think that I fell off the roof. Note to self: Let Eva know when I'm tossing things down off the roof.

I bring everything else back to the edge of the roof... hoping to say goodbye until the autumn when I'll need to return to shut things down. I double-check to make sure I have everything. (One year I had forgotten an adjustable wrench up there and spent the whole summer looking for it) A sentimental tear wells up as I bid farewell to the cooler. I download the equipment and tools.

We're in the final stretch now. I turn on the little brass valve on the outside spigot that is the water supply for the cooler. No leaks! I climb up the ladder and I can hear the faint but distinct spraying and gurgling of water as the pan fills. I'll come back in 20 minutes to check the water. The level is just about right. I gently bend the float arm to allow just another 1/4" more water and wait for the valve to shut off.

In the house, I plug in the power to the cooler and turn on the controls... HIGH / COOL. I can hear the pump engage and 30 seconds later, the cooler's motor kicks in. The temporary but distinct odor of the new pads may be annoying to the rest of the inhabitants, but it is a reassuring one for me. The air is coming through the pads. (For some reason my mind considered the possibility of something going wrong and the air coming from somewhere else)

Is the air coming through the vents cool because the cooler is working or because the ambient temperature outside is cool? Will I need to return to the roof and verify firsthand that the pads are wet and cooling? I decide to write in my adventure journal instead and wait for the heat of the day to confirm that the cooler is working.

For the ladies, this is a little insight into what us guys go through to get the house ready for the summer heat. For the guys, a little commiserating, brothers-in-coolers as it were.

NB: This was actually one of the smoothest cooler activations I've experienced... generally, this task requires at least 1 and often 2 trips to Ace or Home Depot.

More to it than, "Just Teach the Word"!

noreply@blogger.com (Tom Perconti) — Mon, 21 Apr 2014 01:40:00 +0000

A pastor I once greatly respected and admired was often heard telling ministry workers that the key to faithful service was to "just teach the Word". He believed that pastors and church planters need only focus on teaching the Word of God to God's people. It didn't seem correct to me the first time that I heard it, and over the years it made even less sense to the point where I rejected that bumper sticker quote as being so reductionist as to be dangerous.

In the 21st chapter of the Gospel of John, Jesus asks Peter three times if Peter loves Him. In response to each of Peter's affirmative declarations, Jesus replied with: "feed My lambs" (John 21:15), "tend My sheep" (John 21:16), and "feed my Sheep" (John 21:17). I believe that these three responses by Jesus outline the responsibilities of a shepherd.

"feed My lambs". The metaphor of "sheep" and "food" certainly do reference the teaching of God's Word. The lambs, the young sheep, the young in the faith need to be fed the milk of the Word. It must be presented in a way that can be received and applied by those who are new believers. This requires a deliberate plan to provide that level of teaching as well as a pastor who is in touch with the flock to know who needs the milk of the Word.

"tend My sheep". This is different than feeding. It involves all aspects of caring for the flock. Protecting, providing for, treating wounds, gathering, releasing, and loving, are just some of the responsibilities. Again, a pastor/shepherd needs to know the flock and be connected with it to properly tend to His sheep.

"feed My sheep". This is another reference to teaching the Word, but the target of this type of teaching are the mature believers. They need the meat of the Word, the more difficult and challenging truths of Scripture to help them to grow even more mature in their faith. A pastor needs to know who in the flock are the more mature believers and provide ways to feed them the more advanced theological truths of Scripture.

"Just teach the Word" ignores the Lord's command to His shepherds to "tend My sheep". It also ignores the need for different type of food for different members of the flock. An attempt at a one-size-fits-all meal ends up not being optimal for the young nor mature in the faith.

"If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. 2 And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing." - 1 Corinthians 13:1-2

Apostle Paul through the inspiration of God the Holy Spirit wrote that speaking truth must be accompanied by love. "Just teach the Word" doesn't acknowledge the need for love. A "just teach the Word" philosophy of pastoring doesn't produce a shepherd, it produces a public speaker.

On a variety of occasions I've had the opportunity to coach church planters. One planter in particular had taken "just teach the Word" to heart to the point where his primary focus was to teach a Sunday message. The church launched small. It remained small. Some people would visit a Sunday service but not return. Some of them would stay but others who had been there a while, left. The net result was a number that essentially remained unchanged.

Some in leadership asked why I thought that the church wasn't growing numerically. They found it puzzling since the church planter "teaches the Word". In response, I would read John Ch.21 to them and ask them for the evidence that the planter was tending the Lord's sheep and that he is feeding BOTH lambs and sheep. Of course there may be other factors involved, but if these basic aspects of shepherding are not being done then it is a contributing factor.

Those of us who are called to be pastors, to be shepherds of the Lord's flock, need to love the Lord and His people above all things. A genuine, sincere, and observable love. Teaching the Word is essential but not the only thing a shepherd is called to do.

It is when a pastor is in and among God's people, in the trenches of the Christian walk, demonstrating love, care, and concern that the teaching of God's Word has the greatest penetration into the hearts and minds of the hearer.

"Just teach the Word" makes a great bumper sticker... that raises bumper sticker pastors who equip bumper sticker Christians.

Marks of a Mega-church Mindset (Pt.1)

noreply@blogger.com (Tom Perconti) — Sat, 29 Mar 2014 16:24:00 +0000

It's been two and half months since embarking on this journey of planting a church. As I prepare for our first information meeting, I'm excited to share the mission, vision, and core values that the Lord has stirred in my heart with those who the Lord is drawing near to hear. I'm reflecting on the opportunities that I've had over the past few years to coach church planters and mentor elders.

What is clear is that a mega-church is not simply defined by the number of attenders. Yes, the larger a congregation the more likely it is to be mega-church because intimate fellowship with other believers has a practical numerical limit. But it goes beyond that. It's also about a particular mindset as well. It is possible (because I've witnessed it) for a church of 15, 150, or 1500 to have a mega-church mindset.

There are indicators, "marks" if you will, that reflect a mega-church mindset. In this blog post, I'd like to cover one such mark. It is, "how church leadership interacts with the congregation".

Mega-churches are known for having wide-but-shallow connections and relationships. It is a simple by-product of dealing with large numbers of people. There are not enough leaders and not enough hours in the day for leadership to have long-lasting and significant relationships with large numbers of congregants. So out of practical necessity, the quantity and quality of interaction is reduced to:

CRISIS. When a member of the congregation is going through a difficult time, such as hospitalization, death in the family, or other critical situation, leadership directs their attention to that person. They comfort, they pray, they serve that person in practical ways. When the critical period of the crisis subsides, leadership's attention moves on.

CORRECTION. Should a member of the congregation do something that affects other members, leadership directs their attention to the member to deal with the situation. Redirection and restoration are attempted and hopefully received. Having dealt with the situation, leadership's involvement ends.

CONVENIENCE. There are many ministry needs in the church... opportunities to lead tables, prepare meals, as well as various administrative tasks, and more. When a need goes unfilled for a time, leadership seeks out congregants who are available to serve in that capacity. They are recruited, trained, and scheduled. When the need is filled, leadership redirects their focus elsewhere.

It's not necessarily a reflection of the character of a particular leader but of the necessity of the situation. In a mega-church mindset, relationships are, in a word, "reactionary". Relationships are formed and temporarily established as a result of a need. When the need is addressed, the focus shifts elsewhere.

Relationships formed out of response to a practical need are rarely deep or long-lasting. It's not the type of Koinonia fellowship described in the New Testament. This is why I'm burdened to include as two of the core values of Grace Bible Fellowship, "Everyone is family" and "Plant churches".

I am firmly convicted that it is far better for individual believers, the community, and the cause of Christ to have 3 churches of 300 members than to have one church of 1000.

Emphasis Matters: "My will is God's will"

noreply@blogger.com (Tom Perconti) — Thu, 13 Feb 2014 18:28:00 +0000

It's a simple phrase. But it can have opposite meanings depending upon which word is emphasized. "My will is GOD'S will" implies that the speaker desires for their will to be aligned with God's. That their desires, intentions, thoughts, words, and actions are submissive to and supportive and consistent with the Lord's sovereignty.

"My will IS God's will" implies a strong equivalency in a synonymous sort of way that what the speaker is thinking is by default what God's purposes are. They will rarely ever directly say that. That's too over-the-top arrogant, but they use softer wording that is acceptable in the Christian culture. They'll often refer to Psalm 37:4, "Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart." as a proof-text for that belief. Obviously there is more to that verse than that.

Their emotions are the key tool they use to discern God's will. "I have a peace about it" is a phrase often used to "prove" that it is the Lord's will in a particular situation. So basically, they think of something, have a peace about it, and then go for it.

It's a self-rationalizing approach to making decisions. It is also extremely dangerous to one's walk with the Lord and growth as a disciple. If a believer has decided that what they are planning to do is God's will for them simply because they have a peace about it, then the outcome is never questioned. There is no self-examination as to whether or not it truly was God's will (versus that person's desire).

One of the roles that the Holy Spirit has is a ministry of convicting. To compare the believer's thoughts, words, and actions against Christ's righteousness and the Word of God. When there is a disconnect, believers should experience righteous conviction or "good guilt". But sin, primarily pride, can prevent us from hearing this conviction from the Spirit. God is loving and He is patient. So when we don't respond to the Holy Spirit's convicting voice, He will bring people and circumstances into our lives to "get our attention".

God uses people as an agent of conviction. For David, it took Nathan speaking to David in a parable to break through David's heart for him to be confronted with his sin. God uses circumstances as a way of getting our attention as well. For the prophet Jonah, it took being thrown overboard and swallowed by a great fish for Jonah to come to a full acknowledgement of his rebellion and to repent.

I've referred to Jonah's experience with the great fish as a "storm of correction". Jonah was in rebellion against the Lord and in turn the Lord used the storm and the great fish to get Jonah's attention.

When we have a self-rationalizing approach to seeking God's will we mistake the storm of correction in our lives as merely a storm of direction. We lose the opportunity to learn and grow from that correction and perpetuate a "when life serves us lemons, make lemonade". Had Jonah done that, he wouldn't have repented of his rebellion but instead made plans to redecorate his fish-belly condo.

If we don't examine ourselves and identify a storm of correction, then we simply "go with the flow" and embrace everything as being terrific and wonderful. On the surface it may sound super-spiritual, but it is simply stupid.

When the Lord brings people or circumstances into our lives to provide a corrective note, we should listen. It often means that the hardness of our hearts had prevented us from receiving the Holy Spirit's conviction. It is far better to receive and repent because of a whisper than because of a divine 2-by-4 upside the head.

So how can we re-calibrate our minds to be sensitive to the Spirit's stirring?

Be totally honest with ourselves and with God. He already knows everything so why try to hide the faintest seed of unrighteous thought? Acknowledge it, confess it, and repent from it. We might make a decision partly for selfish or prideful reasons, no matter how small a role that thought played in the decision, confess it and repent from it.
Listen to those around you. When a dissenting opinion is voiced, listen. Does that opinion line up with Scripture? What is the motivation for the person holding that opinion? Sometimes a dissenting voice inadvertently exposes a sinful motivation at the heart of a decision. Sometimes that opinion is not applicable. But that conclusion should only be derived after prayerful and brutally honest self-examination.
Ask yourself, "When was the last time I asked the Lord for something and His answer was 'no'?". Often times people who "have a peace about things" will find it extremely difficult to remember such a situation.
Review the outcome. We seek, we decide, we act. What were the results? Was the Lord truly glorified and people blessed? Were there things that could've been done better? What things were done correctly? We need to extend to ourselves and to others, "grace to grow". We need to acknowledge that not every endeavor we undertake will be perfectly executed. We'll fall short in one way or another. When we acknowledge this truth and extend grace, then we are more comfortable in acknowledging shortcomings. And with that acknowledgement comes learning and growing.

Our greatest opportunity for growth as a disciple of Jesus is when we genuinely humble ourselves before Him, fervently seek His will, be faithful to do our best, and then listen and receive commendation and correction from Him.

I have to remind myself, "It's only been 2 weeks!"

noreply@blogger.com (Tom Perconti) — Mon, 27 Jan 2014 17:30:00 +0000

To all of our dear brothers and sisters who have been praying for us, here is a brief update...

Thank you so much for your prayers! Eva and I greatly appreciate them; and the Lord, according to His will, in His timing, and His way, is answering them. We have been utterly blessed to see what the Lord is unfolding, and we want to share it all with you.

It's only been two weeks since we officially began this journey, and quite a bit has already happened...here’s what we’ve been up to.

We have…

a name
a logo
a website in progress
begun to prepare administrative paperwork
gathered our "Guiding Principles" (Why we do what we do)
doctrinal statement
business cards printed
sketched out a plan for a Bible study and fellowship
had numerous meetings and communications with people whom the Lord appears to be moving to be part of this new work.

Praise God for all of these!

All this has taken place while I've been working 50+ hours a week at Prescott College and Eva and I just spent several days recovering from a bad stomach flu. (Thank you so much for your prayers on our behalf, we’re better now.)

Eph 3:20, "Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen."

This is not hyperbole, it is simply the Lord answering all of your prayers in protecting, providing, and granting us favor. To Him, be the glory! We are seeing how the Lord’s plan is using all of the gifts and abilities that He has given Eva and me to use at such a time as this. Spiritually, physically, technologically, administratively, in good stewardship, with relationships, for genuine care; these, along with your prayers, have all been vital in the work so far and will continue to be as the Lord shapes and grows this work.

We will keep you updated on our progress and together with you, we will rejoice at each step. Please don’t hesitate to contact us if you’d like to know more about what we’re doing. We are excited about the vision the Lord has given us for this church plant, and we love to tell people about it! Thank you again for praying with us, and don’t stop...pray through every step with us!

A letter to our beloved brothers and sisters

noreply@blogger.com (Tom Perconti) — Mon, 27 Jan 2014 15:41:00 +0000

On January 12 of this year, Eva and I sent an email to some of our friends regarding a new season in our lives. Today I've learned that not all of our friends received that email. We apologize for the technical hiccup. Here's a copy of what we sent...
- - - - - - -

Greetings dear brother and sister,

We hope that your Christmas and New Year celebrations were peaceful, joyous, and Christ-centered. You're receiving this email because you and your family have a special relationship with Eva and I. We've prayed for you, you've prayed for us. We've carried one another's burdens and rejoiced together. We love you and greatly appreciate you.

We're sending this to let you know that this past weekend was our last weekend at Canyon Bible Church. Last week I informed the elders that I am pursuing planting a church in Prescott.

The Lord started stirring this up nearly 34 months ago and clearly put the call on my life 18 months ago. Periodically during this time, I've asked the elders to pray for me for the Lord's guidance.

The Lord has impressed upon me a vision for what this new work will look like. We're excited to step forward in faith and obedience to carry it out. The elders have responded with words of support and encouragement for which I am grateful.

We're not keeping our departure a secret, but we're not broadcasting it either. We simply want to do it decently and in order. Should you have any questions, please feel free to contact us.

If you remember to, please keep us in your prayers... for the Lord's provision, protection, and permission to do His will, His way, in His timing as we embark on this new Great Commission work.

For He alone is worthy,

Tom (and Eva)

Speak For Yourself!

noreply@blogger.com (Tom Perconti) — Mon, 23 Dec 2013 21:53:00 +0000

Many people have made many comments regarding the dust-up involving comments by Phil Robertson of Ducky Dynasty fame in an interview with a reporter from GQ magazine. Many of the comments, in my opinion, have correctly framed the issue.

What I haven't seen, is anyone addressing the larger issue: How was Phil Robertson chosen as a cultural spokesman for Christianity and what, if any, is our obligation to defend him?

A&E is a company that is friendly with (if not sympathetic toward) the agenda to "normalize" homosexuality. They were well aware of the Robertson's religious beliefs when they signed them on for the show "Duck Dynasty". Some might say they did so in SPITE of their beliefs, but I think that maybe they signed them on in some part BECAUSE of their beliefs. Not because they wanted to reach out to Christian viewers, because there isn't much that A&E can do to increase Christian viewership without backing away from their embracing of the homosexual lifestyle.

I think that the Robertsons' religious views were a selling point for A&E because it reinforced the stereotype those who oppose Christianity want to perpetuate: backwater, uneducated, unsophisticated, anti-science, hicks who lack the intelligence to understand and communicate the nuances of a situation. How many of the items on that list are applicable to the Robertsons is open to debate, but on the surface they certainly seem to embody that stereotype perfectly.

So many Christians are so starved for representation of their Christian worldview in popular culture that anyone who professes to be a Christian is embraced and defended. I've seen it with President Bush, Michelle Bachmann, Sarah Palin, Tim Tebow, the Duggars, and the Robertsons, just to name a few. Those people aren't held accountable to the standards set by Scriptures but are defended and "given a pass" because, in the words of the special people of Tod Browning's film "Freaks", "gooble gobble, gooble gobble, one of us! one of us!"

The problem is this: the world is against the cause of Christ. Popular culture does NOT have Christianity's best interests at heart. On the contrary, they will ignore and overlook those acts by Christians that accurately reflect the commands of Scripture and focus on those who claim to be Christians that DON'T abide by God's Word and then point to those people and say, "See! This is why we don't embrace Christianity!" (Which is a complete lie, it is because of their rebellion against Almighty God that is at the root)

So when a Phil Robertson quotes the Bible, even in context, but shares the truth crudely and unkindly, that is bad enough. But to then make comments regarding African-Americans:

“I never, with my eyes, saw the mistreatment of any black person. Not once. Where we lived was all farmers. The blacks worked for the farmers. I hoed cotton with them. I’m with the blacks, because we’re white trash. We’re going across the field.... They’re singing and happy. I never heard one of them, one black person, say, ‘I tell you what: These doggone white people’—not a word!... Pre-entitlement, pre-welfare, you say: Were they happy? They were godly; they were happy; no one was singing the blues.”

What was the purpose of this comment? Was he attempting to refute claims of historical discrimination? I have searched for any additional quotations that would put this extended quote in a more reasonable context. I could not find any. As it stands, that quote demonstrates a lack of understanding of the plight of those who Phil Robertson did NOT have interaction with. This implies a "well if I didn't see it then it didn't happen" mindset... which, ironically would undermine his Christian faith because he didn't see Jesus die on the cross.

There are calls by Christians to "Stand with Phil". What exactly do they want me to stand with him on? The quotation from the Bible? His graphic description of sinful acts that shouldn't even be named among us believers? (Eph 5:3) His comments on historical discrimination?

I didn't choose Phil Robertson to be a spokesman for the Christian worldview. A culture antagonist to the cause of Christ did. I'm not going to be manipulated into endorsing things that would harm the cause of Christ. There is indeed spiritual warfare at work here. But I do not believe that it is what many believe it is (namely a frontal assault on Biblical truth), but a more devious manipulation to control the definition of Christianity... by choosing spokesmen for us. Speak for yourself and I'll speak for me. How 'bout that?!

Plagiarism... yes, it is THAT serious

noreply@blogger.com (Tom Perconti) — Fri, 29 Nov 2013 18:18:00 +0000

In the past 6 months I found myself in two incidents where I had to take a stand on the issue of plagiarism. (for the sake of clarity, it was NOT any members of the pastors/elder team that I was a member of) The offenses were blatant and the offender (reluctantly) admitted to the acts and his intent to plagiarize. I was saddened and disturbed not only by the acts committed but by the lack of weight of concern of those who knew about it.

In my years of secular university and Bible college, the severity of plagiarism was regularly discussed. Plagiarism was grounds for dismissal and could disqualify a person from vocational ministry.

"plagiarism...subverts God's work in and through you... If you use the work of others, you are not a teacher, and you should quit your job and go do anything but speak."
- Mark Driscoll

An act of plagiarism commits at least two sins simultaneously. The first is stealing. Taking another's (intellectual) property without their permission. The second is lying. There is the assumption that the words that a person is speaking are their own unless they say otherwise. When the plagiarist uses someone else's words without informing the listener, They (the offender) are telling them (the listener) that those are original words.

It's possible that the more a person reads and studies, the more they are influenced by what they read. There are occasions when someone truly doesn't know whether the thought they had was actually something they learned in the past (a limitation of their memory) or something completely original. This situation is usually pretty easy to identify by the context and chronology of events. We can certainly extend grace in these cases. Point out the issue to the person with the intent to help them be more diligent in the future.

Repeated and deliberate plagiarism is an entirely different matter. It is premeditated and is rooted in laziness, self-promotion (pride), or being unqualified... sometimes all three.

"Taking over another sermon and preaching it as if it were yours is always and unequivocally wrong, and if you do it you should resign or be fired immediately."
- D. A. Carson

"re-telling personal experiences as if they were yours when they were not makes the offense all the uglier." - D. A. Carson

Plagiarism has no place among believers and certainly not with those who have been called to teach God's Word. A pastor, elder, or ministry leader who commits adultery is taken out of ministry because of their "moral failure" and yet plagiarism is not seen as a similarly disqualifying moral failure.

God's Word calls Satan the "father of lies" (John 8:44). The Lord hates a lying tongue and it is an abomination to Him (Proverbs 6:17). Scripture is clear, whenever someone lies they are engaging in satanic activity. How can someone who regularly engages in satanic activity be a faithful shepherd of a flock?

In these last days, I've seen how easy it is for once-faithful teachers and servants to drift away. None of us are immune. The drift is subtle, almost imperceptible, and it grows over time. We need to stand firm and not budge. When we stand firm we may be accused of being hypersensitive and blowing things out of proportion. But if we don't stand firmly on what God's Word is clear on (like lying being an abomination) then we too run the very real risk of drifting away. I've seen it time, and time, and time yet again.

God is faithful. And those who diligently seek Him and stay close to Him will be guarded against that drift. That is my prayer for all who are called to be His servants.

D. A. Carson quotes taken from "Pulpit Plagiarism: Where do You Draw the Line"
Mark Driscoll quote taken from Chris Rosebrough's Facebook timeline

Hi-Tech Vintage TV

noreply@blogger.com (Tom Perconti) — Thu, 19 Sep 2013 20:16:00 +0000

The following is what happens when you take a person who appreciates mid-century atomic age styling and decor, add an aging iPad1, and a desire to create something interesting and unique. Presenting...

...a Vintage TV Remix.

The internals have been gutted out and replaced with a 32GB iPad 1. The iPad is fully functional but is currently playing a looped video playlist consisting of vintage TV shows and commercials.

STEP 1. FIND A VINTAGE TV. The first step of the project was to locate a vintage TV. I was initially looking for a typical rectangular shell with plastic woodgrain pattern. Eva and I scoured every thrift store and antique shop in a 20 mile radius and even went hunting through the antique shops in Scottsdale. Plenty of vintage radios, calculators, phones, and typewriters, but not a single vintage (pre-1980's) TV. Not one.

I had to resort to my go-to place to find anything and everything from my childhood... eBay. There were plenty of TVs there. Many were the correct size. But some of the prices were far too great for what I was going to use it for. I tried desperately to find one that was non-functional. I stumbled across one that was the right size, generally in the right price-range, and whose functioning status was in question. Here's what I picked up.

This TV started life out as a 1975 Philco B&W portable TV model B370FBL. It featured a 9" diagonal picture, and all of the manual controls that were standard for TV sets in the 70's. It had a curvy egg-shaped shell that seemed more suitable for the 1960's or maybe late 50's. It had very Jetson's-like qualities.

STEP 2. EXPOSE THE GUTS. Once the TV arrived, the next step was to remove the inner circuitry and contents. Careful examination of the shell revealed the screws that held the shell to the chassis. With the screws removed the entire chassis and front faceplate/bezel were easily separated from the shell. I didn't have a detailed plan at the beginning of this project. Without a plan, I was uncertain as to which parts of the TV I'd need to preserve and which would be discarded. So I examined the construction of the chassis and components to determine the best way to dismantle the pieces with minimal destruction to the individual components.

STEP 3. DISMANTLE. With great patience and care I disassembled the components. At this point in time, I knew enough of my non-existent plan to know that I wanted to preserve every dial, knob, and anything else that would be visible on the exterior. That included the power cord. The chassis was surprisingly modular and so I was able to isolate and preserve the back frame of the chassis as a support for the rear adjustment knobs. All pieces were gently cleaned to remove decades worth of grime and dust.

STEP 4. "STUFF" HAPPENS. Once the housing was separated from the rest of the chassis and components I was able to match the iPad up with the opening. It was a perfect fit... IF the iPad were to be centered in the opening. But because the housing was curved and the opening in the bezel was offset, it turned out that the iPad was too large to fit completely inside the TV housing. Had this been a more traditional rectangular case, the iPad would've fit completely and perfectly within. But this egg-type Jetsons TV offered less room. This meant that I'd have to cut an opening in the housing. Since the opening in the bezel for the screen was vertically centered that meant that a top or bottom cut would not allow the iPad to be centered in the bezel opening. The only option was a slot on the side.

So I installed the bezel into the opening of the housing and used a pencil to mark where the bezel ended. I ran a pencil line around the left half of the housing and used my dremel tool to carefully cut the first edge of the slot. I rechecked my measurement of the thickness of the iPad and then made a cut in the housing for the other edge... allowing enough additional space for the iPad to slide in without rubbing.

Once the slot was cut and edges sanded, I temporarily lined the slot with black electrical tape to give it a cleaner appearance and to avoid having any edges scratch the iPad. I will eventually use some kind of tubing to permanently finish it off.

There was a helpful side effect to this design hiccup. By having a slot to insert the iPad, the power button, volume rocker, and headphone jack are all exposed. That means that I can turn on the iPad, adjust the volume and even use headphones without having to open up the case to access the iPad. This is what the artist Bob Ross would call, "a happy accident".

STEP 5. MOMENT OF TRUTH. With the slot cut in the side of the housing and no real way of knowing beforehand if the cut was made correctly, I loosely assembled the bezel onto the housing and inserted the iPad in the slot. I sync'ed an image of a classic test pattern to the iPad just to see how things would look:

My initial response was that it looked amazing. The iPad was perfectly centered in the bezel opening. Only the iPad's screen was visible. The iPad's bezel was hidden by the TV bezel. Perfect! Even having the corner of the iPad slightly exposed on the left edge looked like it was designed that way. I was concerned that the iPad's single speaker would not be loud enough, but the sound escaped through the integrated speaker grill on the left side of the TV. The volume was more than adequate.

At this point, I breathed a sign of relief and was then eager to get this thing finished.

STEP 6. FINISHING TOUCHES. From this point on, things moved quickly. I attached the rear adjustment knobs to the chassis rail and then using the original screws, attached the TV case to the rail... exposing the knobs exactly where they were supposed to be. I used florist wire (thin aluminum wire used by florists to create floral arrangements) to secure some of the free floating knobs to the chassis. I attached the terminal block for the telescopic antenna in its opening. I used E6000 glue to attach the power slider-switch to the bezel from inside.

For the front knobs and dials, I had considered simply hot gluing them into place from inside the housing, but I really wanted them to have some freedom of movement... even if I couldn't preserve the "click" of the channel changers. For the VHF and UHF knobs, I wrapped a few turns of electrical tape in order for them to snugly fit into the opening of the bezel. This worked as expected. The thumb wheels for "Briteness" and "Volume" proved to be a bit trickier. They were mounted to a long thin bolt with nuts used as spacers and holders to get them aligned correctly. Florist wire was used to attach the bolt to a support on the bezel.

A 30-pin iPad cable was fed through an opening in the rear of the housing so that the iPad could be charged, run on electric, or synced.

STEP 7. PROGRAMMING. With the TV assembled and all of the knobs, dials, and cables attached, it was now time to produce some vintage programming. Since I already own DVDs of classic TV shows, movies, and commercials, I simply used the free tool "Handbrake" to rip the DVDs into media files that would be playable on the iPad.

Since I wanted this TV to work like a video digital picture frame, I needed an iOS player app that supported video playlists. After doing some research and experimenting with trial versions (where available) I decided on OPlayer HD. This app not only supports the creation of video playlists, but can loop the playlist and mix video, photos, and music in the same playlist.

The playlist that I created consists of a TV show episode, 3-5 vintage commercials, another TV show episode, 3-5 commercials, etc. To make the playlist feel authentic, I used video that was Academy ratio (4:3) and black & white. I have a few TV show episodes, like Batman and Star Trek that are in color, but I will re-encode them specifically for this application in B&W.

ADVICE FOR THOSE WHO WANT TO MAKE ONE

Having gone through this process once, I have just a few pointers that might help make the process easier. I spent roughly 5 hours total on the assembling of the TV and another hour or so on researching the software to use. I will probably spend another 2-3 hours in selecting and ripping TV episodes and commercials.

The most important advice that I can offer is to have accurate and detailed measurements of the iPad and to be able to physically touch, handle, and measure the TV you will use before you buy it.

Additional advice is merely common sense that any DIYer already possesses... take your time, don't rush. If in the process of dismantling you are unsure of how things are assembled... wait, study, look for a service manual if possible. Keep in mind that vintage electronics can become brittle with age.

This project could also be scaled down to use a 7" Android tablet. There are vintage portable TV sets that contained a 5" picture tube that could enclose a 7" tablet. Most Android tablets are 16:9 but displaying a 4:3 image in "pillar box" would result in roughly a 5" image.

FINAL THOUGHT. I'm thoroughly delighted with the final results. By carefully creating a playlist of classic TV shows and commercials, the effect is complete. Watching "Avengers" with Patrick Macnee and Diana Rigg on this hi-tech vintage TV teleported me back 40+ years. It was a trip... but I'll have to return soon. :-)

Worse things than "dating"? (part 2)

noreply@blogger.com (Tom Perconti) — Fri, 02 Aug 2013 20:26:00 +0000

In my previous post I described a loophole created by teens in response to the "no dating" position of their parents. The "bestest friends" construct has some serious and significant consequences that can affect one's view of committed relationships. But this isn't the only loophole...

While "bestest friends" is a loophole devised by teens, "Church as a safe social hangout" is a loophole that has been accidentally created by their parents. Some "no dating" parents have resigned themselves to the reality that their teen has a special someone. So in order to deflect and reduce the tension caused by these two realities, these parents have declared that their teen may only spend time with their special someone during the time that the family is at church.

On the surface this sounds like a preferable compromise to supervised dating. They're at church. It is a public and safe place. As good as it initially sounds, there are unintended consequences associated with this decision.

The most fundamental consequence is that the emphasis of attending church is changed. It shifts from a destination to corporately worship God to a place to hang out with their special someone. They look forward to spending more time at the church simply to spend more time with their serious other. Every ministry event becomes a pretext for additional time together.

These teen couples don't simply sit together in the sanctuary... that would make it too obvious that they are a couple. Instead they pair off seeking out a quiet, private nook or corner in which to spend some time alone. Rarely does anything physical happen, but it does reinforce the natural tendency to hide. This establishes and reinforces the perspective that spending time as a couple is wrong and must be hidden... once again this loophole short circuits honoring the relationship, mutual accountability, and the opportunity to learn proper ways of interacting with a special someone.

From a ministry perspective, making the church a social hangout for teens who are not permitted to date results in difficulty in impromptu adult ministry and counseling. The quiet corners of a worship center become private spots for these young couples. It also sets a poor example for younger teens who see the older ones and conclude that it is an acceptable thing to do.

All things in the proper order at the proper time.

(concludes in part 3)

Worse things than "dating"?

noreply@blogger.com (Tom Perconti) — Thu, 01 Aug 2013 15:29:00 +0000

There is a thought going around in some circles of Christian parents that their teen children should not "date". They prefer a concept called "courting" that is more restrictive, more committed, and more targeted towards marriage than the typical definition of dating. To these parents, "dating" borders on being sinful and claim that dating is destructive to the social development of their teen child. Although there may be some truth to that, the alternatives that they have come up with (or allow) are not without unintended consequences.

Teens are teens. They will to some extent look for loopholes and technicalities. Many teens desire to have a relationship with someone that extends beyond casual friendship. Teens whose parents don't allow them to date have created a third option between "casual friends" and "steady boyfriend/girlfriend". "Bestest friends" is this third option. Bestest friends do the same things that steady boy/girl-friends do but without overtly displaying physical signs of affection...and under the radar of their "my child is not permitted to date" parents.

There are problems associated with this third option. Even though different words are used, the emotions and sentiments attached to "bestest friends" are the same as those reserved for a steady boy/girl-friend. So when a couple are no longer "bestest friends", neither party has the right to be emotionally hurt. After all, they were "only friends". This leaves the jilted party with no viable way to cope with the emotions of separation, rejection, and pain that they are feeling. On the flipside, the one who ended the relationship is not held accountable if they ended it in a dishonorable way. Again, they were "only friends". Teens engaging in "bestest friends" relationships don't learn how to deal with the emotions and responsibilities of being in a relationship.

Because the relationship isn't formally recognized as a committed relationship, either party is free to flirt with others. This begins to set the expectation of these teens that it is acceptable for their partner to flirt and pay attention to others. Without correction, this will lead to dysfunctional relationships later in life.

For special occasions like birthdays, Valentine's day, anniversary, and Christmas, "bestest friends" don't necessarily exchange gifts. Depending upon the circumstances, it is preferable to NOT recognize the special occasion because that would draw the attention of parents. The giving of gifts would (or at least SHOULD) cause the parent to question their child as to the nature of their relationship. This has the unintended consequence of training teens that it is not important to recognize special dates of remembrance.

The "bestest friends" social construction allows teens to develop emotional attachments to another person but without the responsibility and accountability that goes along with a publicly recognized committed relationship. Whether it is endearment, affection, personal interest, or "love", those feelings need to be expressed by tangible actions. Obviously anything that is prohibited by Scripture is not acceptable... but the courteousness of a young man opening a door for his special girl, the thoughtfulness of remembering a birthday, doing kind and self-less things for each other are all part of the deal but are optional and sometimes discouraged in the "bestest friend" relationship.

"Bestest friends" text each other late into the night. They'll post on Facebook how they "ended their evening with their bestest friend" and awoke first thing in the morning to a text from them.

I believe that there are dangers in replacing formally establish committed relationships with the casual committed relationship of "bestest friends". Honor, respect, and accountability are missing and if not corrected will result in these teens entering adulthood with a very distorted view of what a committed relationship looks like.

Every parent must do what they believe is the best to raise their children, but I believe that the overemphasis on "the evils of dating" have resulted in alternatives that might have just as many (if not more) pitfalls than properly supervised dating.

I find it somewhat ironic and disturbing that parents who refuse to allow their child go on a "date" with a peer proudly trumpet their "date night" with their child. What is THAT all about?!

(continued in part 2)

Applying Lessons Previously Learned

noreply@blogger.com (Tom Perconti) — Wed, 10 Apr 2013 02:14:00 +0000

More than a year has passed since my last blog post. The passing of time is quicker than ever before. In conjunction with this is a growing workload in ministry and greater demands on my personal time. A "day off" has become nearly as elusive as a double rainbow (all the way!). In the midst of this I'm experiencing what some might refer to as deja vú... a sense that the situation that one currently finds themselves in is one that they had gone through before.

The circumstances surrounding me are strikingly familiar. So are the relationships. The decisions that I'm required to make are virtually identical to the ones that I've had to make before. The emotions that I'm experience are as well.

But this time, things are a bit different. I'm more mature... not only as a Christian, but as an adult. The experiences of a half century of living on this planet have given my insights and perspectives that many don't have. My walk with the Lord is far closer than it has ever been. My prayer time is far more "others focused" than ever before. With increasing regularity, my first thoughts when dealing with issues are attempts to see them from the Lord's perspective... painfully aware that my finite and flawed mind is incapable of truly comprehending things fully that way.

It's interesting. In the past, I'd settle for simply "going" through a storm or trial to the end. That thinking contains within it the unspoken assumption that it would be possible to not get through it. But with wisdom comes insight... and I strive to "suffer well" and "grow" through a storm or trial. There is a wonderful peace and contentment that comes from looking back at the storm I've just experienced and conclude, "I was obedient and did what the Lord had for me to do." That really is a blessing... no regrets, no second-guessing ("if only I had done this", or "said that").

Having not properly handled certain situations in the past, I learned from my mistakes and where I fell short. I now get to go through a near-identical situation with the greater maturity and knowledge than the last time. By God's grace, I'll navigate through it well. Perhaps the area that I've grown the most is in trusting the Lord and relying on His actively exercised sovereignty in all things.

So what's God's purpose for these "second time around" scenarios? Perhaps to put lessons previously learned into practice. Maybe it is to show us (He is omniscient, He already knows) that we actually learned the lessons.

But there is no "perhaps" or "maybe" about this... the Lord is faithful to complete the work that He started, and if we don't learn a lesson and apply it properly, He will make sure that we get a second, third, fourth, or more chance to get it. I'm somewhat of an oddball and I prefer to learn a lesson the first time.

"And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ." - Philippians 1:6

Walking the Walk

noreply@blogger.com (Tom Perconti) — Thu, 22 Mar 2012 15:00:00 +0000

The role of an elder, when fully embraced in all aspects as defined in the Scriptures is a terrifying proposition. That the Lord Jesus Christ would hold elders accountable for their shepherding of His flock is a fearful thing. Any "authority" of the role is actually a "responsibility" since elders are held accountable by and to the Lord. I can't see how a reasonable man would actively seek out to be an elder.

There are times when difficult truths must be shared (in love) with individuals. There are times when difficult ministry decisions must be made. And still other times when difficult decisions must be made on behalf of the entire church. In all these, submission to the Lord, prayer for His guidance, and adherence to His Word must be front and center.

Periodically we find ourselves in situations where Jesus basically asks us, "Will you follow a man, a movement, or Me?"

The decision to dissociate with Harvest Bible Fellowship was one of those difficult decisions. 11 months of prayer, fasting, seeking the Lord, discussions, and study of God's Word. We didn't come to the decision quickly or lightly. As the issues grew in severity, the team arrived at a consensus as to the timing of the decision. One of our prayers were that we would do it in a way that honors God, respects those involved, all without injecting any drama.

We have been gracious in our verbal and written communications on the subject. Unfortunately, those who disagreed with our decision have not extended that courtesy to us. Apparently, "gracious conversation" is reserved only for those who are "with the program".

We made a difficult decision. It was a public and definitive stand. We are on record for what we decided and why. Those who disagree with us, do it privately and ungraciously. Yet they are publicly silent in their support of the Fellowship and their decisions. That is not an honorable thing. In the midst of 3 churches parting ways with the Fellowship and other opposition from trusted leaders in the Evangelical community, failure to publicly and definitively support Pastor James and the Elephant Room is frankly, cowardly.

"Be watchful, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong." - 1 Corinthians 16:13

Teach on Storms... and you become a Meteorologist!

noreply@blogger.com (Tom Perconti) — Mon, 18 Jul 2011 16:12:00 +0000

It's been a little over a year since the last time that I had the opportunity to share God's Word with the congregation during weekend service. A lot has happened since then, and the message this time was particularly relevant and timely. It was my prayer all week long that the message would be solidly on the truth of God's word and that His people's hearts would be ready to receive it. From all indications, it appears that those prayers were answered.

One side effect of teaching on the storms found in Scripture is this belief by some that I have the "inside track" in identifying the type of storm and what the correct response should be. I'm being viewed as some "spiritual meteorologist". This opinion is far, far from the truth. I can barely identify my own storms and only after much prayer can I determine my response... and sometimes not be comfortable that the response that I've chosen is the proper one.

So I will be meeting with some dear brothers and sisters who say they want to properly embrace the storm they are experiencing. I will share with them the truth... that God has already completely equipped them with all that they will need to identify their storms and how to respond. I'll offer some practical suggestions on how to do that, but they need to know that God's Word when applied correctly (and a heart that is yielded to what the Spirit is doing) is all that they need.

Blogging, Romania-style

noreply@blogger.com (Tom Perconti) — Thu, 10 Mar 2011 08:47:00 +0000

Days have turned to weeks. Weeks into months. Many months in fact. Retirement (from the secular workforce) is in full swing, but serving the Lord is over the top as is evident here as I am typing this from the church office of Metanoia (Harvest Bible Chapel) of Brasov, Romania. Romania!!! I've only been in Romania less than 24 hours and already have fallen in love with the place. Looking forward to spending time with Pastor Adi, his wife, and church leadership here.

Asking the Lord for wisdom, discernment, guidance, a word to share with Pastor Adi, and a blessed time with co-laborers for Christ who are like-minded and like-hearted in our desire to serve Him.

"Amazing": Kingdom-style

noreply@blogger.com (Tom Perconti) — Mon, 27 Sep 2010 18:42:00 +0000

It is approaching 3 months since my last blog post. At that time I had just given my first sermon and was looking forward to a relaxing Summer... trying to just loosen my grip a little more on the things of life. but less than 2 weeks later the greatest "storm" I've ever experienced in my life (so far) happened. The sudden and tragic death of my oldest son was something that I was not expecting. The blinding white-hot pain physically squeezed my heart when I first heard the news. I was in a daze for the next 36 hours. Then the fog mysteriously lift as I made my way to the airport to fly to New York to deal with the funeral arrangements. What I didn't know at the time is that the news was announced at church services that weekend. 1000 of God's people were praying for me and my family. They prayed for peace, comfort, strength, and the opportunity to share the love of Christ with those who needed it. All of those prayers were answered...abundantly. Way too much to tell in even a blog post.

God is indeed amazing.

Then two weeks after that, I was given an assignment that had significantly more pressure and time requirements. That meant LESS time for serving at church. It was brought to my attention that there were some new pension plan changes that would dramatically reduce my pension benefit. (This was on top of the change that the company made in 1999 that essentially wiped out my pension benefit) So not wanting to lose the rest of what little remained (and to keep more time for service), I made the decision to retire from IBM this November. Immediately I thought of our failed attempt to buy a larger, more expensive house last year. There would be no way that I could consider this decision if we had bought that house. So I now seem at least one of the reasons why the "King said 'no' "last year.

God protects us from things that we don't know.

And while that is going on, there were some other family decision (all good) that would impact our regular routine.

Plenty of changes and tragedy in such a short time. By God's grace, never once did my faith in the Lord waver. I had to deal with the question, "You preach God's word and tell others to trust in Him for everything, but do YOU believe that?" The answer was an emphatic, "YES!" (there was never a moment of doubt)

I hope that I learned what I needed to learn and grow in the areas that I needed to grow. I'm looking forward to a time of quiet and rest but for some reason I don't think that is going to happen. ;-)

A humble messenger

noreply@blogger.com (Tom Perconti) — Mon, 05 Jul 2010 15:53:00 +0000

This past weekend I had the honor and privilege of delivering a message to our congregation. Our senior pastor was on vacation, and me being an elder (this past March) and never having had the opportunity to teach since being installed as an elder, I was given the mission to share from God's Word.

A few months ago when Pastor Jon invited me to teach, I was absolutely excited and immediately and appreciatively accepted. Later that evening, the reality of the situation sunk in. I would be standing before nearly 1000 believers, sharing truths from the Bible, God's inerrant and eternal word. At most churches, this would not be a weighty matter. Many churches don't place importance on the Bible and are as quick to share stories from the latest issue of "Reader's Digest" or the latest book on Christian living as they are to share from the Bible.

But here at Harvest Bible Chapel, we place great emphasis on the importance of the Bible as the source for written truth about God and from God. How I handle God's Word would be extremely important. Any twinges of concern didn't go beyond that... twinges. I know that the Lord has called me and equipped me to teach and preach His word. But that doesn't lighten the burden of responsibility.

In the week preceding my time to teach, I took time off from work for prayer, meditation, and study. I asked the Lord to prepare my heart and mind so that I could receive the message that He wanted to be delivered. I didn't want any of my thoughts and biases entering in. It was a great week.

I have a great passion for the Lord, His Word, and His people. That is one of the many things that I love about the Harvest Bible Chapel movement... from the movement's founder (Pastor James MacDonald) right on down and throughout, there is a real and deep passion for the Lord. I wanted the passion that I have to show. I wanted others see it, see that it is real, and catch it too. Being a disciple of Jesus is exciting! Whether we're dealing with pleasant or unpleasant circumstances, there is excitement.

My previous teaching opportunities in Bible college, small groups, or body ministries, have been more of the scholarly angle... teaching more than preaching. Where technical accuracy was required... where every single word that was spoken must be deliberately and specifically selected. But I felt that God was giving me an opportunity to stretch. To be more free in speaking.... WITHOUT compromising the truth of Biblical doctrine.

To make a long story short, what I did this past weekend was not give a sermon... (my message contained very little of the constructs that I had learned in Homiletics class in Bible College), but a simple expedition through God's word, literally verse by verse, sharing the truth from God's word, and sharing from the heart what it means and how to apply to our lives.

Was it a good message? All I know is that God answers prayers that are in line with His will, many had been praying for me, and I was diligent to pray, study, and prepare. As long as God was glorified and His people received the message that I believe was supposed to be delivered.... that's really all that matters to me. I mean that! This isn't same cheesy attempt to fish for compliments.

If you want to see me 'red-line', if you want to see me 'maxing it out', if you want to see when I'm 'all-in' on something, it's when I'm loving God.

Crystal Cove: A very public private oasis

noreply@blogger.com (Tom Perconti) — Wed, 31 Mar 2010 19:55:00 +0000

Vacations. They're usually just as busy and just as scheduled as our regular routines. It seems like we can't break away from the "performance plan" mentality...even when we're on vacation.

When we decided on spending 5 days at a beachfront cottage at Crystal Cove State Park, I was determined that this vacation would be different. Vacationing in California, the temptation was great to plan a day trip here, and a day trip there. But I stood firm, and we had nothing planned.

Except for cell phones (for emergencies and traveling info) and a few mp3 players we left all electronics home. Instead, we brought a stack of books and stack of boardgames. Cottage #27 (pictured) is known as the "Dive Shack" and is furnished with marine paraphernalia. It is a mere 120 ft or so from the beach. The interior is very rustic but with just the bare essentials to make it pleasant. We did a little shopping at the local Albertson's to get some essentials for breakfast and lunch.

I cannot express the importance of having 5 full and completely unstructured days to unwind and decompress. There was definitely something calming about the unceasing rhythmic sound of the waves on the beach. Without alarm clocks we woke up pretty early in the morning and caught families of sand pipers flitting around the water's edge. Ate a little breakfast and watched dolphins bopping through the water. The day-visitors to the beach would appear and the beach came to life... and we had a front-row seat to it all.

The wooden deck out-front was great for catching some sun, reading a good book, and people watching. Around lunchtime, we individually would grab a snack out of the fridge (no formal lunch). The afternoon was spent doing the same kind of nothing and walking the beach. As dinnertime rolled around, we'd watch the day-visitors leave and we would go out to a nice restaurant. After dinner, watch the sun go down, and play a few boardgames. By 9:30 we were totally wiped out and ready to turn in. Who would've thought that doing absolutely nothing was such hard work!

Each day seemed like a week. But by the end, it seemed like the 5 days went by too quickly. In spite of the drive there and back to California, it was absolutely the most restful vacation I've taken...ever. I highly recommend this type of do-nothing vacation to everyone... especially in this overly-connected world.

Running back to Egypt

noreply@blogger.com (Tom Perconti) — Sat, 27 Feb 2010 15:42:00 +0000

I remember watching Cecile B. DeMille's "10 Commandments" in the theater during the 70's. I would watch it every year on commercial TV. It was only as an adult could I find humor in the casting of that film. Edward G. Robinson as Dathan was perhaps the most humorous. He is best known for his depression-era gangster films. To hear him say, "Where's your Moses now?" with that same inflection he used in mouthing off to other gangsters was just too funny.

But another thing that makes his appearance memorable in the film is that his character, Dathan repeatedly attempted to convince the newly freed Israelites to return to the comfort of the known back in Egypt.

There are quite a few references in the Old Testament to this sentiment. Exo 14:10-12, 16:2-3, 17:2-3, Num 11:4-7, 11:18-20, 14:1-4... just cite a few. This sentiment is also evident in the New Testament. Paul, in his letter to the Galatian church had this to say, (Gal 3:1-3), "O foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you that you should not obey the truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ was clearly portrayed among you as crucified? [2] This only I want to learn from you: Did you receive the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith? [3] Are you so foolish? Having begun in the Spirit, are you now being made perfect by the flesh?"

In times of stress and uncertainty, we in our human nature have a tendency to want to go back to the familiar... even if it was oppressive, hurtful, and sinful. At that moment in time, we immediately forget all that God has done for us up to that point. We forget His faithfulness. We become fearful. In the Bible, "Egypt" is a symbol for the (unbelieving) world of idolatry and false religion. And all of these examples in Scripture show how believers are so willing to quickly turn from God and toward the the comfort of the known. Even if it meant back to slavery.

That isn't just some ancient historical account with no relevance today. It is happening today too! There are some who have received the gift of pardon by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone but are now rejecting that truth and turning to religious systems....for some it is a return to a religious system. A return to Egypt.

But it is not just fear that causes some to "return to Egypt". Pride is another reason. Pride in wanting to have a part to play in their own salvation. Pride in not wanting to submit to Biblical authority but to the authority of man-made rules and regulations. Pride that allows one to pick-n-choose what Biblical commands and prohibitions to embrace and which ones to reject. Pride that convinces one that the outward mechanics of religion are a measure of spirituality. Pride that justifies one's personal ambitions when it conflicts with God's sovereign will.

These days are dark and getting darker. Uncertainty, fear, and doubt are running rampant. There are 365 verses in the Bible that make reference to the phrase, "do not fear" (or some combination like "fear not"). Fear is that easy to fall into. Scripture talks about a great falling away (apostasy) from the faith in the last days. Now more than ever believers need to be in God's Word, prayer, worship, and fellowship. Whether it is fear or pride, there is no good reason to return to Egypt.

Fried Cardunas FTW!

noreply@blogger.com (Tom Perconti) — Mon, 25 Jan 2010 16:49:00 +0000

Wow. It has been 5 months since my last blog post. The passage of time seems to have gone into hyperdrive. IBM workload flared up and had been running 'white hot' up until the week before Christmas. (miraculous considering the economic conditions) A steady flow of ministry responsibilities kept things exciting. A week and a half of some time off during the Christmas / New Years break was great. Peaceful. Mostly restful. I was able to really recharge my batteries.

So here we are, nearly a month into 2010. And of all the exciting things that have already happened in this new year, it is the food memory of fried cardunas that has my attention.

2 weeks ago, I helped out some dear friends of ours (Warren and Michelle) with a Skype issue they were having. They were so appreciative that they wanted to do something in return. They asked if I had ever heard of something called, "cardunas". I said, "are you kidding me?!" Michelle had gotten some from a friend and she fried up a batch. (Warren and Michelle are transplants from the Philly area and one of the few couples that we have cultural things in common with.) Those carduna were a blast from the past!

This past Sunday at church, they informed me that Fry's had a batch of carduna in their produce section. Eva and I went to Fry's later that day and picked up a giant stalk. Even though these carduna were far more mature than what I used to pick as a kid, I wasn't going to let the opportunity pass by. So this morning, Eva cleaned, boiled, breaded, and fried the carduna....

WOW! As with everything Eva makes, they were perfect! Tender not stringy. Crispy not soggy. I believe that she made them BETTER than Nonnie used to make them. Flashbacks of those Springtime outings so many years ago to pick cardunas (they grew wild) came to mind.

Uncle Joe and I would visit a few orchards and we would harvest a bushel-full. Nonnie and Mom would clean 'em and cook 'em. Dad and I would harvest the ones around the property. Since they are basically weeds, there was only a short window of opportunity in the Spring when the carduna were the right size and before they were cut down with the rest of the grass and weeds.

It may sound silly, but it is times like these, that make it feel like Eva and I have been together our entire lives...in a good way!

When the King says, "No".

noreply@blogger.com (Tom Perconti) — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 18:56:00 +0000

You go boldly to the throne of grace and petition the Lord for something. In your prayers you ask with specifics (James 4:2) and express a desire for His will to be done (Mat 26:39c). So what do you do when the King says, "no."?
In understanding how we should respond, consider this verse:

For the LORD God is a sun and shield; the LORD bestows favor and honor. No good thing does he withhold from those who walk uprightly.
(Psa 84:11)

A powerful promise that we believers can depend on. But we need to look at that verse closely. First, there is the prerequisite of walking uprightly. If we aren't abiding in Christ, walking with Him, and keeping His commandments, then He will not answer our prayers affirmatively. If He were to answer a prayer while we are in rebellion, then He would be telling us that rebellion is acceptable to Him. (which it is not)

If we are walking uprightly, then we need to consider if the thing that we were asking for was "good". Does scripture support the belief that what was being requested was good? Maybe it was neutral, neither good nor evil.

Maybe the thing was not good for you specifically. Vanilla milkshakes are good. They're creamy, sweet, and frosty goodness. But if a person is lactose-intolerant, then a milkshake would result in abdominal pains. If a person is diabetic, then a milkshake could potentially be life-threatening.

Maybe the thing was good but it was the timing that was bad. Would you want to drink a filling vanilla milkshake moments before you are invited to a surprise steak and lobster dinner?

You get the idea. When the King says "no", then our response should be to give Him praise for protecting us from unforeseen dangers, imperfect timing, or to draw attention to the deficiencies in our relationship with Him.

More lessons from the lawn

noreply@blogger.com (Tom Perconti) — Fri, 31 Jul 2009 17:53:00 +0000

I had forgotten how effective the act of cutting grass can be with regard to clearing the mind of static, noisy thoughts. Back in NY with nearly an acre of grass to cut, some of my most clear-thinking occurred while riding the tractor, pushing the mower, or wielding a weed-whacker.

During my latest grass cutting episode, as I was examining the imperfections in my lawn and beginning to stress out about them, I found it amusing that people who install an artificial lawn want it to look "real" while those who install real grass want it to look artificially perfect.

It hit me that we can do the same thing with church.

We can choose to attend a church that presents itself as being all polished, dialed in, pristine presentation, hip and cool bulletins, and pastoral staff that gives the impression of having reached Christ-like perfection in their walk. But having made that choice we can then complain about a lack of sincerity, depth of relationships, and overall shallowness that lacks the power of God's Holy Spirit.

Alternatively, we can choose to attend a church that presents itself as being humble, sincere, and where people are (and can be) "real". Things may be modest, in order, relationships deep, and there is a genuineness and Holy Spirit power that is evident. Having made THAT choice we can then complain about the imperfections in fellow congregants, lay leaders, pastors, and elders. We can second guess decisions made and expect the type of perfection that polished churches imply.

Until the Lord returns, there will not be such a thing as a perfect church. But I choose to be a part of a church that seeks to glorify God by making mature disciples of Jesus Christ through the power of the Holy Spirit in a real and sincere manner. I choose to lay aside my expectations of people. Instead, I choose to be a conduit of God's grace to others... to actively participate in the "one anothers" as described in Scripture.

Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you. (Eph 4:32)