Pastor's Post 8/4/2023

Dear Shiloh Family,

     I had never seen a ski slope outside of the preview of Wide World of Sports show.  You know, “The thrill of victory, or the agony of defeat” video.  The one where the ski jumper is head-over-hills across the roof of that woodshed.  My first time down the slopes made that dude’s fall look like a ride at Lake Winni.  

     I can still hear my friend’s (tongue-in-cheek) words, “Hey O’Neal, don’t you water ski back home?  Yeah, piece of cake, no worries, you’ll do fine.”   I also am haunted by other parts of the dialogue.

     “Shouldn’t I get instructions? Should I start on the little slope?”

     “Awe man, it’s easy.  All you need to know is to turn the tips of your skis in to slow down.  Bunny slope!  You mean to tell me a college football player is going to start on the bunny slope.  Well, since you’ve come this far, don’t get off on the intermediate slope, just stay with us.  We’re going to the top; you’ll love the black diamond.”  

     Now, I didn’t fully understand the meaning of black diamond until they pushed me off the ski lift, picked me up off the ramp and tilted me over what seemed to be a white cliff that extended into the great abyss. It was straight down!  I get the black part because I’m quite sure I blacked out at the bottom of that first drop.  It should have been named black demon.  After I stopped tumbling, rolling, and face planting, I awakened to discover my skis were nowhere to be found.  Eventually, I located them fifty or sixty yards down the mountain…in different directions.  

     Did you know about the only way to retrieve detached skis is to belly crawl?  Well, at least for me it was.  And buckling your boots in would be better accomplished on a rooftop than balancing on the side of a mogul.  However, persistence prevailed, and I repeated the scene again…and again…and again.  

     In fact, my buddies made the loop at least three times before I made it down the mountain.  More than once they cheered me on from the sky lift and berated me as they skied past. Their guffaws fell on deaf ears as I navigated the steep terrain on my bottom.  

     By the time I reached the intermediate section, I was on two feet and making progress.  I swished by the bunny slopes in style.  I was actually doing it…I was skiing.  Consequently, don’t let anyone dupe you into believing that snow-plow story with the tips of your skis.  I had picked up considerable speed when I reached the bottom.  Nobody told me the slope ended on the loading platform of the lift where many bodies stood waiting to board.  Yep, you guessed it.  It’s the best strike I’ve ever bowled.  Bodies flew like bowling pins in every direction.  I wasn’t the most popular person at Wolf Laurel Ski Resort that day.

     The story is humorous, but I fear we treat new church members, and even more tragic, new converts in much the same way.  We take them to the baptistic black diamond, watch them struggle, and yell happy hallelujahs from lofty positions.  

     It is of utmost importance to invite folks to Sunday School, small groups, Bible study, church socials, dinner events and various get togethers.  We have all these in place at Shiloh, but do we care enough to bring our friends, loved ones, and strangers?  

     I also remind everyone of our Right Now Media resource.  It is the Netflix of Christian resources, and is packed full of video driven studies, devotions, commentaries, entertainment and more.  There is material for individuals as well.  I have also begun a Shiloh church video library to assist with some of the more popular studies.  If you are not signed up, please, let us know and we can send you an invitation to join. 

Ephesians 4:11-14

11 And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, 12 for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, 13 till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ;  NKJV

Lessons are best learned holding the hand of the teacher.     

God bless you all,

Pastor Derrell