Well, 2022 is off and running. One of my older kids, who was getting back to work today, said to me today, “man, you just jump back into life as nothing happened.” It’s true. We’ve enjoyed a wonderful Christmas and New Year break, but…it’s time to get back at it!  

Speaking of Sunday:

Our church is wonderfully encouraging. I’ve heard from many of you about how impacted you were from the first sermon in our “Redemptive Relationships” series. I’ve heard from some who knew they needed to pursue someone to attempt reconciliation. I heard from some who said the Lord encouraged them to rest in the Lord that their attempts to reconcile with someone were sufficient for right now, and some who were encouraged to hear that God has a plan for how to handle relationships and conflict. The way our church “leans in” to the preaching of God’s word is another evidence of God’s work in our church and something I’m very grateful for.  

These comments are reminders that this series is more like preventative medicine. Our church has enjoyed a wonderful season of unity, joy, and care. The Lord has been very kind to us. And this series is one of the ways that God’s word will protect us in the future.  

But I must admit, Sunday didn’t feel like my best. It’s another way that God keeps pastors humble:). There are times when things seem to flow, and communication is easy, and the sermon is a flop! And there are times like Sunday when it’s a struggle for me, and the Lord does His work! This is a constant reminder to me that God’s word is powerful, and God’s Spirit must work for anything eternal to happen in our lives and church.  

Talking About Hard Things:

Over the course of 2020 and 2021, I have found that people have generally shied away from talking about the hard stuff of our times (COVID-19; vaccines; mandates; politics; etc.). Most folks have told me things like “I’d rather not talk about it,” “I really don’t want to cause a problem,” or the worst, “I’d like for us to stay friends.” What people are surprised by and what people aren’t used to, is being willing to disagree and still express love and respect to them. So, I’ve tried to work hard at loving others, respecting their opinions without demeaning anyone for thinking differently than me.  

Now, one thing that has served me very well with this is learning which issues are issues to die for, divide over, debate, or discuss. I learned this from a pastor friend of mine several years ago. Obviously, for us as Christians, the things that are clear-cut in Scripture (God being the Creator; Jesus living and dying for our sin; Virgin Birth; etc.) are things we die for. These things are few and narrow. Things to divide over are issues that are so important to me that if you ask me to compromise them, I need to go somewhere else, work together in ministry, or live together. Things to debate are issues that deserve a good discussion but are not worth dividing over and are most certainly not worth dying over. In my mind, this is where the hot topics of our current day fall into. Now, what this basic overall understanding has helped me with, is lowering the “temperature” of the discussions when needed. Listen, there are some things that the temperature needs to be raised about, but what I’ve found in my older life is that there aren’t as many as I thought there were in my younger life. 

In Every Sphere:

As you enter 2022, remember that the God of the Universe has providentially placed you in your family, neighborhood, school, work, and friendships. He has placed you in those locations as His representative. And He’s also given you unique interests and passions. Mine just happens to be sports and baseball, but God has uniquely given you something else. It could be art, music, woodworking, fishing; you name it. It’s in God’s kindness and creativity that He’s given each of us unique passions so we can represent Him in every sphere of this world. Just think of the myriad of ministry opportunities that God has given to His church, with Christians in every sphere, workplace, neighborhood, and school. Be praying for opportunities for the gospel wherever God has placed you.  

From the Cheap Seats:

• Welp…that wasn’t fun. More than likely, the Cowboys will have to face the Cardinals again. I’ve been positive all year…not going to stop now!
• The Rose Bowl was so fun to watch. This story about their backup Quarterback was fun. A walk-on from a small school comes in after the starter was knocked out with an injury and then throws a game-tying TD in the closing minutes of the game. It was unreal. Here’s an article about it:  https://www.sltrib.com/sports/utah-utes/2022/01/01/utes-walk-on-bryson/.  
• John Madden was the voice of football in my growing-up years. He and Pat Summerall were the best combo, in my opinion. Madden just made football relatable and fun to watch. Here’s a video with some of his best calls: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3MD8hH_5aIU.  

Have a great week of the New Year!

In Christ, 

Dave York