Advice and Counsel

"Plans fail for lack of counsel, but with many advisers they succeed." Proverbs 15:22

Some time ago a friend who was going through some difficult marital issues asked my wife, Pam, for advice. It seems this woman was getting advice from many of her family members and friends -- some of which was conflicting. At the end of the day, all of this "advice" left our friend more confused than anything else.

Pam is really good at helping people sort through issues in their lives. This time, though, Pam did something that I suspect many of us rarely do -- she confessed that she did not know the right answers but agreed to pray about the situation. After her prayers, Pam encouraged this lady to stop listening to all of the advice she was getting and to go see a professional counselor or a pastor. Hard to argue with that!!

Its no secret that we all need the counsel and advice of others from time to time. That need can, and does, exist in virtually every aspect of our lives; our work, our relationships, our finances, our education and, of course, spiritual matters. One thing we need to remember, though, is that not all advice is created equal.

It seems like these days we are inundated with advice and opinions. Everyone from Oprah, to Dr. Phil, to Brittany Spears seems to think they have the answers to life's questions and life's problems. But, whether we are seeking professional help or the counsel of mentors or friends, or [cringe] listening to the "wisdom" of talking heads on TV or the Hollywood types, I think it is increasingly important to be discerning about the sources of advice we solicit and accept.

We need to keep in mind that whenever anyone gives us advice, whether that person is a professional counselor or a good friend, that advice is based on the life experience of that person. It may come from their observations and their own struggles, it may come from their education, it may come from their religion (or the lack thereof), it may come from their personal sense of right and wrong. And THIS is the problem.

I know quite a few people who are really big on giving advice to others. I sometimes find that the view of those folks is obstructed by planks -- meaning they are often the last people who should be giving anyone advice. I also find that the advice given by such people is often built on a shaky foundation, or sometimes no meaningful foundation at all -- meaning that if you asked one of these folks what their opinion was based on they would be hard pressed to give you any real answer.

A few years ago, for example, I heard a very "successful" lawyer tell a group of young professionals that life is short and that they should do whatever makes them happy. At one point in her speech this lady encouraged anyone in a "bad marriage" to just get out of it. As a Christian, it was easy for me to see that this person's advice was not consistent with biblical teaching. But, it's not always that easy to tell.

Before we solicit or accept any one's advice on a matter of importance, we need to know what kind of world view that advice is tethered to. That doesn't mean we should never get advice from non-Christians. It just means that when we do we need to think about that advice in the light of what the Bible says or suggests about the issue.

Even someone who wears the label "Christian" may have views that are shaped more by the popular culture, humanism or astrology than by the Bible. So, that is not a litmus test either.

Counsel and advice are good things. But, if its an important issue I want to get advice from people who look at things from a biblical perspective and who seek God's wisdom first. I guess this is another reason we all need to spend time in God's Word ourselves. Its hard to be discerning if our own views aren't firmly anchored there.

Welcome Home

Its Wednesday night and I just got back from the Church a little while ago. The scene was sort of what I expect will be typical of any week night at Heartland Church in the near future. Mim Davis and Anthony Katongo were leading the first Wednesday prayer group in the sanctuary. Andy Sterie, Harold Hill and others were leading our young people in the equivalent of what was "the loft" in the old building. Sherry Ferris and Shija Puri were in the church offices -- it looked like preparing for the Newcomers Luncheon next Sunday.

It was good to see the building so busy. But, there were a few things that were different tonight than they will be in the near future.

For example, the prayer group met in the sanctuary mostly because the multi-purpose room (we need to find a better name for that room) was being painted. Pastor Dusty and his crew have been busy installing lighting in the sanctuary all week, but happened to be taking a dinner break during our prayer time. So, that worked out okay.

Of course, most of the class rooms for our kids are still being remodeled. But between the foyer and the youth room the students found plenty of space to do what they needed to do. In fact, despite all the work still being done in the children's wing we are still able to provide a full children's ministry on Sundays!

One thing that the church staff quickly discovered after the move (and really already knew) is that we can have whatever time table we want, but God's time table is ultimately the only one that actually counts. And, ready or not, God is moving at Heartland Church.

Someone has apparently let out the secret that we moved to Carrollton. Do you know how many first time guests we have had since moving? Well, I don't really know either!! You see, not all first time guests fill out information cards, and even when they do one card might actually represent more than one person. What I do know is that around 112 people turned in those cards in just the first three weeks in the new building. That is incredible!!!

I mentioned that our first Newcomers Luncheon in Carrollton is set for next Sunday. Do you know how many people have signed up for that? Well, I do. As of tonight, we already have thirty people registered -- which means we are quickly running out of space!!! That is a good problem for the church to have -- although if you are interested you need to sign up soon.

You may also have heard that on February 13th Heartland Church is hosting a FREE Valentine's Day event sponsored by KLTY -- America's # 1 Christian radio station. The chance to host this event came, well, out of the blue. Hmmmm? Anyway, renew your wedding vows and enjoy a mini-concert featuring Point of Grace, the award winning Christian Trio, here at Heartland Church. The wedding vow renewal ceremony will be lead by our own Pastor Dan Dean. Go to either www.theheartlandchurch.com or www.klty.com for more information, including directions.

We still have some work to do on the new building, and those projects will continue take some of our time (and require volunteers). But, it sure feels good to see God at work and to see our staff and volunteers focused more on ministry and less on construction projects. Thanks again to everyone who has worked so hard over the last couple of months to make our move a success. God is good!!