Continue reading »]]> My brother is a hero. This, however, is not only my opinion. The December 26, 2011/January 2, 2012 issue of Newsweek magazine had a wonderful article about my brother David. The article, “They Say It’s Over,” by Michael Ware, was written as a reflection on the Iraq war in recognition of its conclusion.

Michael Ware, for those of you who do not keep a rolodex of journalists on your desk, was the former CNN bureau chief of Baghdad, the only journalist to actually live in Iraq and Afghanistan during the wars, and was distinguished by the fact that he actually embedded with al Qaeda fighters for many months. Ware, an Australian with a penchant for adventure, has the heart of a true journalist. He is interested in the story, without regard to nationalities or perspectives. His unbiased filter can be as infuriating as it is noble. You want him to spend time with al Qaeda, no problem. You want him to accompany soldiers on a shooting mission, just tell him when you are leaving. On November 10, 2004, Ware, embedded with Army Task Force 2-2 got his story.

I vividly remember receiving a phone call from my father, giving me the news of David’s heroism and telling me to secure a copy of the November 22, 2004 issue of Time magazine. I dropped what I was doing, left my office and ran (ok, I actually drove) to a local book store to buy the magazine. I opened the pages and found a two page spread devoted to a picture of my “baby” brother leading his men into battle. I read the riveting story of the 2nd battle of Fallujah, which was framed by Ware’s first person account of an American soldier in a man to man (hand to hand) struggle for survival in a dark and smoky Iraqi house. Against overwhelming odds (7-1) the American soldier survived to fight another day. The soldier, my youngest brother, killed six of the men, including one in hand to hand, face to face, combat. The seventh, mortally wounded, escaped the house. The story, of course, was not about my brother alone, but he quickly became the “face” of the battle of Fallujah.

Reading the article I was unsure what I was most upset about, the danger my brother faced, or the actions that he was forced to take to preserve his own life. There are many ways in which we ignore the truth. We can pretend that the harrowing stories of survival told by men and women who have endured great hardships are simply the exaggerations of self-promoters or gifted weavers of legends. Reading a third person account of heroism is shocking. Knowing that the hero was the same person whom I had watched grow up from infancy was another thing entirely.

I grew up loving the hero legends. From the biblical stories of Samson and David, to the reworked mythologies of Luke Skywalker and Capt. James T. Kirk, I was always quick to give my attention to the hero’s tale. The hero’s tale, however, would always leave the hero untouched by doubts, pain or fear. I grew up in a world of bloodless heroism. A world in which phasers could be set to stun, and light sabers would remove an arm with the benefit of cauterizing the wound. Ours was a world in which cowboys would clutch their chests and drop dead on the dusty soil without the spilling of a drop of blood. My brother, however, was not a hero on the stage or screen. The battles that he was engaged in were real, and they would leave their stripes.

Thankfully my brother returned home safely and has been able to live a wonderfully ordinary life since that day. He has three children and is (contrary to the article in Newsweek) happily married. He is currently eyeing a run for a Congressional seat in the state of New York. I am proud of him, who he is, and what he has done with his hard-earned fame. He has continually devoted himself to veterans and veterans’ issues, putting considerable work into such diverse projects as the care of our wounded heroes, and the final resting place of the crew members of USS Intrepid, which exploded off the coast of Libya (Tripoli) in 1804.

Since that fateful November day in 2004 my brother David has endured numerous injuries and wounds related to the war that he left behind so many years ago. Michael Ware ably relates the conflicts that David and other soldiers continue to endure beyond the battlefield. David has weathered the slights, the misunderstanding, the disdain, and the daily reminder that he survived while many of his friends did not, with courage, dignity, and grace.

While many of you have only experienced my brother through his story of the war or through reflections and recreations of the battles he was involved in, I can assure you that this is not the sum total of who David is. He is not a soldier. He is more than that. He is a son, a brother, a father, a citizen, and a faithful believer in Jesus Christ. He does not sit around and tell war stories to the kids. In fact these things are rarely (if ever) discussed at gatherings. We are too busy discussing what is really important; how his children are doing in school, the health of those that we love, and the sad state of our precious Buffalo Bills and Buffalo Sabres. What comes to the forefront of every one of our conversations is the question of how we can make our community, our nation, and our world, a better place for our children and grand children.

The article by Michael Ware was just another reminder that while the fight is over, the battle for the legacy, dignity, and future of the American soldier sent to fight these battles continues. We would be wrong, however, to assume that the fight that our soldiers fight is theirs alone. The fight is ours. We daily fight a battle for our own legacy and honor in this nation. In large and small ways, the citizens of this great nation face the overwhelming odds of decay and inactivity. Each day we face a battle for truth and righteousness.

When I was a child, my heroes were the members of my family. I looked to them for guidance and direction. I wanted to be like them. I soon graduated to the manufactured heroes of my adolescence, rock stars and athletes; fictional characters and popular stars. Today, at 45 years old, my heroes are once again my family members. My new found heroes are my parents, who daily fight illness and pain to create a joyful life for each other and their loved ones; my mother-in-law, who faithfully cares for her parents in their later years; my wife, who gives of herself daily to her family and her students; my brother, for his selfless devotion to our nation and the brotherhood of his fellow soldiers; my son, who has devoted himself to military service with the US Marine Corps, and to countless other unnamed heroes within my family and outside of it.

Remember that each action has a consequence and each moment is an opportunity for you to show your true character. Whether your conflict is on an international stage or in your own conscience, it is yours to win. Right here, right now. Few of us will ever have an embedded reporter chronicling our work, few of us will ever face the scrutiny or enjoy the recognition of our actions, but ALL of us can live heroic lives.

It is my prayer that each of us can find it within ourselves to be heroic in 2012. For the sake of our nation, our community, our families; I ask you to take the risk, step into the breach, and be the hero.

Rev. Daniel Bellavia

Continue reading »]]> When we hear the word ‘prophecy’ it is both sad and true that most people immediately think about bad news.  It is the current assumption that prophets bring predictions of doom and use the term “gnashing of teeth” an inordinate amount of times (which is never a good thing).  This opinion, however, is most likely due to our current negative state of mind, and should not be seen as the posture of the prophets of the Bible.

Biblical prophets were actually an extraordinarily positive group of people.  While they certainly proclaimed their share of bad news (both to contemporary and future audiences) they did so with the bold assurance that God was in control, and that God was good.  They also knew that God’s people, even when judged, were both loved and cared for.  In other words, the prophets knew that good times were coming even when bad times were ahead.

One of the most positive and inspirational passages of scripture is found in the prophetic book of Isaiah.  Isaiah is telling the people of God to remember who they serve and writes that even in the most difficult times, God still remembers them.

Extracted from the same chapter that traditionally begins our season of Advent (the famous “a voice of one calling: ‘in the desert prepare the way of the Lord’” passage), Isaiah 40 reminds us that God is not done with us yet.  Even when things look grim, God still predicts a victory for His chosen people.

Come and join us in worship this Sunday at 10:30 and hear the promises of God for us today: God still gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak.

“Relentless Faith”
Isaiah 40: 21-31

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This year marks the 100th anniversary of Scouting in the Toledo area. First Baptist Church sponsored one of the very first Boy Scout Troops in Toledo, Troop 5, more than 90 years ago. Cub Scout Pack 236 is the latest part of our tradition for supporting Scouting. On Sunday, February 12, families of Pack 236 will join us in worship in celebration of Scouting’s anniversary. Five Scouts will be recognized for earning their religious award. Contact Chris Jackson at 419/866-8852 if you have any questions.

Continue reading »]]> The first chapter of the gospel of John begins with the revealing of Jesus as the cosmic Christ (the Word) and concludes with Jesus calling some very human followers to the work of discipleship. The command of Jesus to follow him is the simple (yet complex) core of Christian discipleship. It is the beginning of the heroic quest of the Church, when the divine Word reaches out to normal people to begin the kingdom.

The call of Jesus is, however, more subtle than we would have expected. John’s gospel tells us that Jesus, who is preparing to leave town, has sought out Philip seemingly for the purpose of inviting him to travel with his rabbinic group of students. Philip, however, sees so much more than this and runs to find his friend Nathanael.

The call of Philip tells us some very important things about the path of discipleship. First, it tells us that journey with Jesus is leading us away from the old way of living our life and into new and unknown places. The journey is literally taking us somewhere. It demands our activity and movement. It demands change. Second, it tells us that the journey is one that is best taken with a friend. The fellowship of the Church is quickly established as an essential part of discipleship, Andrew brings his brother Simon Peter and Philip brings Nathanael. Disciples invite their friends and family, and the invitations create growth and fellowship.

This week we will talk about answering the call by extended it to others. Ask yourself the difficult faith question, when you first answered the call of Jesus, who did you bring with you? Did you just run away from home or did you reach out and bring your best friend or sister? Disciple-making Christians reach out to those they love and they courageously share their new-found faith.

Come and join us at First Baptist Church on Sunday, January 15 at 10:30 as we explore the path of discipleship together. And don’t forget to bring a friend.

The Path of Discipleship
“Follow Me”
John 1: 43-51

Continue reading »]]> Join us June 20-23 as we celebrate the 25th anniversary of the Alive Christian Music Festival. The festival takes place at Atwood Lake Park in Mineral City, Ohio. Its four days of energizing music, motivational speakers, camping, swimming, workshops and lots and lots of FUN! Tickets are on sale now at a discount price. If you think you might be interested in attending this awesome experience with thousands of fellow Christians, please speak to Pastor Dan or Krista in the church office. We’ll be ordering tickets soon, so don’t wait too long!!
For more information go to the Alive website Alive Festival 2012

Continue reading »]]> Next year at this time we’ll all be dead.

At least that is what the aficionados of Mayan cultic prophecy believe. Popular interpretations of the Mayan Long Count Calendar and countless cable television shows based upon these readings are raising the expectations of people who believe that we are nearing the end of the world, or at least the end of this age.

According to these predictions the Mayan calendar ends in December of 2012, December 21 to be exact. The Mayans and their followers are not the only ones who are seemingly not watching the clock but an hour glass. Christian radio icon Harold Camping predicted that 2011 would be the year that all the stores closed, first on May 21 then on October 21. As both dates passed, the only one in mortal danger was Camping himself who suffered a stroke between the two dates. While we can only assume that, like Camping’s predictions, the Mayan forecasts will go the way of a blizzard warning on Toledo television, there are warning signs to be discovered in the forecasts.

Over the past several decades our openness to apocalyptic thinking has grown. In many ways this is a result of our circumstances and our times. Our technology has expanded beyond the dreams of our forefathers. Our reach has stretched to the heavens. Our vision has extended to the stars. Yet we remain powerless in our struggle against the age old limitations of time, disease and death. This has created an existential crisis and a perceived loss of power.

End times predictions seem to increase with the decreased perception of power. Apocalyptic literature is historically written by and for the persecuted class as a way to see the end of suffering and the beginning of a promised “golden age.” Our apocalyptic mindset has been peaked by the avalanche of information that slams us each and every day, and most of the news is bad. This has occurred as a result of our satellite enhanced global perspective that allows us to view each and every storm that hits the planet and follow every evil action with a sense of personal involvement. And everything is expressed to us with a hyperbolic incredulity that causes us to believe that no one in history has ever experienced such a time of difficulty.

Think about it, we witness the storm of the century every six months. How many trials of the century have we witnessed in the last ten years? How many of the greatest games of all time have you watched in the past year. We live in an age where everything has universal implications from the type of light bulb we use to the trans-fats in our food. We live with the understanding that each ridiculous little choice that we make can “save the world” or destroy it. We labor under the shared misconception that ours (and ours alone) is the chosen generation.

Apocalyptic tendencies are not unique to our nation or generation. We are, however, experiencing a very different type of apocalyptic forecast. We live in a self-obsessed age. We live in an age where everyone is interested in sharing everything about themselves to as many people as technologically possible. We live in a global village in which we can hear the opinions of a French poetry major or watch the cell phone videos of an Egyptian dissident. For the first time in human history we are witnessing global events in personal ways. We have a bird’s eye view to the entire world and can simultaneously watch it through the lens of any person on earth.

This has created a world in which world-wide events are experienced in personal ways for millions of people every day. This increases our connectivity and our sense of responsibility, while simultaneously increasing our sense of helplessness and despair. The implied question is asked over and over again, if we can see it happen, then why can’t we (or a power greater than us) stop it from happening?

We are living in the midst of an apocalyptic perfect storm. The increased perspective and perception of the people has created a culture that truly believes that they are the most important people to walk the earth. Illiterate youth honestly assert that they are wiser and more intelligent than their well-read grand-parents due to their internet access and DVD collections. When this Herculean egocentrism is matched with an instantaneous media culture that breathlessly broadcasts every disaster, natural and man-made, around the world, then we see the foundations of our modern apocalyptic tendencies.

Now I can spend a vast amount of ink poking holes in the purveyors of the Mayan prophecies. I could go into detail and contrast it with Biblical truth. I could warn you about the deceptions to come and the way in which the modern apocalyptic movement can lead you and your family astray from the biblical truth. I could do all of this, but I want to accomplish something else with our time together. I want to ask you a simple question. What would you do if you KNEW that this was the last year of your life?

For a brief moment I want you to make the assumption that, this time, the prophets of doom are correct. If you knew that the world would end on December 21, 2012, then how would your life change? Would you act in any different manner? Would you treat people in a different way? Would you live a better life or a more reckless one? Would you share the gospel more frequently or would you reject the faith of our Fathers?

If this was the last New Year that you could celebrate, what would your resolution be?

As I grow older my youthful assumptions of perpetual life and unlimited time grow more fleeting by the day. The years have taught me that each of us has limited time on this earth, and this is no rehearsal. This is the life that God has given to us to live.  The eternal question is, are we living life as God intends us to live?

Life has a way of slipping through our fingers. We ignore our dreams, deny our visions, and emphasize our fears and phobias. We live small lives with self-absorbed flourishes. We celebrate our minor achievements, while ignoring our true callings. We revel in things that have no eternal implication and place eternal value in beauty that fades. And all the while the clock keeps ticking.
It is time to stop the madness. Not because the world is going to end this year, but because each of us will face the end all too soon. God is calling us to live in faith, love, hope and joy; not to live in fear. 2012 provides us with one more chance to get it right. To climb Everest, learn French, see the Grand Canyon, or invite that family across the street to Church.

Can we live 2012 as if this year really mattered? The question has never been when the world might end. It has always been about what we do with the time we have.

Here’s To The Year Of Our Lives
Pastor Dan

Continue reading »]]> Happy New Year!

The idea of the Holy Spirit is one that has confounded and confused the Church for many generations. The person of the Holy Spirit has been rejected, maligned or ignored by the Church for generations.  Over the past decades the work of the Holy Spirit has been almost exclusively identified by the expressive gifts of “speaking in tongues” or “healing” ministries.  This has led us to a misunderstanding of Who the Spirit is and what the Spirit does.  Forgotten is the biblical truth that no one comes to Christ without first being led by the Holy Spirit, the 3rd person of the Trinity.  Without the Holy Spirit there is not revealed Truth and no True Church.

It is time for us to reevaluate the Holy Spirit and to reclaim the entirety of the Spirit’s gifts to the Church.  Instead of rejecting the things that make us uncomfortable it is time to seek the movement of the Holy Spirit and follow where God leads.

This Sunday we will look at the powerful and often neglected work of the Holy Spirit in Salvation and in our continued walk with God. This Sunday’s sermon is the first part of a four part series that will help us to realize that each of us is called to walk the path of Discipleship. A path that calls us to grow deeper in our faith and that causes us to risk more in our lives. Come and join us as we take the first steps in the path of discipleship. You will not regret beginning the journey.

The Path of Discipleship
“Water And Spirit”
Acts 19: 1-7
Matthew 3: 1-12

Continue reading »]]> Christmas comes but once a year, but what does it really mean? Over the past several decades, the Church has become engulfed in a continuing battle for the meaning of Christmas. The battlefields have been local schools, public parks and local chain stores where “Happy Holidays” has replaced “Merry Christmas” as the de facto greeting delivered by the stone-faced cashier.

Once again, as the Christmas lights go up, so do the hackles of the Christian shopper as one-by-one we are offended by something that is perverted by the secularization of Christmas. And once again I am here to talk you down and remind you that the power of Christmas does not radiate out of the board rooms of the corporate world. Nor does it spill out of the hallways of power in Washington, D.C. The power of Christmas is found in Jesus Christ and has been sent from Heaven above. It cannot be bound and it cannot be restrained, though many continue to try.

There are several important facts to remember as we celebrate the Christmas season. These facts come from the very story of Christmas itself, and if we pay attention to them, we will gain both understanding and patience for those who ignore, and even blaspheme, the coming of our Savior, Jesus Christ.

The first thing that we must remember is that the coming of Jesus occurred in real time and for real people. It was not an abstract thought, it was a historical event. It took place during the census of Ceasar Augustus that took place while Quirinius was the governor of Syria. Real people from a real place went to visit and worship the new born King. Stars shone in the heavens. Stars that scientists can today track and bear witness to as a scientific and historical reality. People traveled from distant lands, shepherds left their fields to see what was happening.

Most of us have an abstract vision of Christmas. We have ignored the reality of Christmas and now speak primarily of the “feeling” of Christmas. We say things like, have you “caught the Christmas spirit yet.” Most of what we mean by Christmas is emotional and sentimental. This is why we are so offended when someone says Happy Holidays to us at the market check-out lane. It hurts our feelings. Where else are we so offended? Do we expect the 16 year-old who bags our groceries to say Happy President’s Day or to wish you a joyous Columbus Day? Of course not, most of the people in this nation have no idea that anyone is even celebrating, and no one from Zambia even knows that such a day exists. These are national holidays, but they are more often than not ignored by a vast majority of the population.

We are not offended, typically because we do not have any sentimental feelings attached to these days. On the other hand, consider Veteran’s Day or Memorial Day. To forget these holidays may well offend a loved one. Why? To a veteran of combat, Veteran’s Day and especially Memorial Day are holy days of remembrance for friends lost on foreign shores. It is personal to them. They understand the meaning of the holy day.

Some of those who ignore Christmas likely do so because they have no context in which to celebrate. Some doubt the historic validity of Jesus’ life. Others doubt that His birth is in any ways laudable. While some might see Columbus’ voyage as integral to the founding of our nation, others see him as a villain or as a well-publicized Johnny-Come-Lately. It really is all in your perspective.

The coming of Jesus was ignored by many, many people. It should be of little shock that His coming is still ignored by much of the world. To some this is disrespectful, to others this is simply freedom of choice.

Now I should acknowledge that most Christians are not offended by the lack of recognition, but by the prohibition that is often enforced in public places. To this they have a valid line of argument. It is one thing to be annoyed by Tim Tebow’s prayerful response to a touchdown pass; it is another to penalize him for it. The Church should never ask that all follow our traditions, but we should assert our freedom to publically exercise our faith. This is primarily because we live in a nation that has affirmed the freedom of religion, which brings us to another problem in the ongoing battles over Christmas.

Many of us have forgotten that the coming of Jesus was originally recognized as a threat to government(s). If the Messiah will rule, this means that politicians will one day bow a knee to Jesus. Politicians or rulers don’t easily bow to others (and when they do they are roundly criticized). The problem in the Church is that most Christians do not truly see Jesus as a threat to world government; they see Jesus as a harmless baby.

Like Will Ferrell’s character in Talladega Nights, many people prefer the baby Jesus to the adult version. Many Christians like Christmas because it is cute, not because of what it means, or because of who Jesus is. We like the story of the baby Jesus because of the generic good will it speaks of. We like the baby Jesus because He is cute and helpless; an underdog. We ignore the Jesus who turns over tables in the temple or is crucified by Rome. Most egregiously, we ignore the Jesus who sits at the Right Hand of the Father and will come to judge the living and the dead. Yet the celebration of Christmas contains all of these threads. The Jesus we worship is all this and more.
Many believers bristle at the non-Christian world’s fear of Christmas because we do not understand their objection. After all, who can object to the giving of gifts, or the baby in the manger? Our own ignorance of the meanings of the Christmas story is evidenced when we casually dismiss the world’s fear. Many people in the world hate the message of Christmas, not because they are ignorant of the message, but because they understand it.

Those who reject Christmas because they reject His messianic claims should be free to do so. We should neither be offended nor surprised by their rejection of our message. This doesn’t allow them to stop us from believing, nor does it allow them to stop us from sharing.

What then can we do this Christmas season? Shall we proclaim the coming of the Lord to the world or simply keep our heads down and our mouths shut?

The first thing we must do is to stop fighting pyrrhic battles. We need to stop thinking that saying Merry Christmas conveys anything about the meaning of Christmas. Merry Christmas like the use of the abbreviation X-Mas is only Christian shorthand for the story. Our job is not to say Merry Christmas, but to live Merry Christmas. Do what the Shepherds did. Tell the story. Tell your story. Make it real to others because it is real to you. Make sure that Christmas is not some abstract holiday celebration that is based on Apple stocks and black Friday sales, but that it is the in-breaking of God into our world, into our lives. When my brother and then my son became veterans, it forever changed the way I view Veteran’s and Memorial Day. Think how Christmas can be transformed if the world could see Jesus.

So the next time something offends you this Christmas season, remember who is really being offended, and then when possible tell them the story of the child born in the manger who grew up to say to his executioners, “Father forgive them, for they know not what they are doing.”

Merry Christmas,
Pastor Dan