Pastor's Blog
Dad's (or Dog's) Day Afternoon
6/23/2009
1:25 p.m.
This is not the way I envisioned spending Father’s Day. It’s bad enough having to be away from my children on Dad’s Day, but being stuck in an airport all day would be waaaay down on my list of “next best things.” Judy and I got up just before 4:00 a.m. in order to make an early flight from Pensacola to Atlanta and then on to Louisville. The plan was to arrive in Louisville at 12:30 p.m., get checked into our hotel, then make a 4:30 meeting of the convention committee I’m serving on.
But when we stepped off our flight from P-cola, which was right on time, we were immediately met with a big, red CANCELLED notice listed beside our flight to Louisville. Talk about dejection…some eight daily flights from Atlanta to Louisville and ours is the one cancelled. We were placed on standby for the next series of flights to Louisville, but I knew we were in trouble from the get-go. Every Baptist in the southeastern United States flying to this convention was probably flying on Delta either through Atlanta or out of Atlanta. So getting on one of the next few flights isn’t likely to happen…which means all the blessed day stuck in Hartsfield Airport.
The 12:30 p.m. flight was full…and we’ve just been notified that the 1:30 flight is maxed out as well. Punted again. As I sit here, I am reminded of a reading from Oswald Chambers which caught my eye just a few days ago. Here’s an excerpt:
“Rise every time to whatever occasion may come your way…If you are still the same miserable, grouchy person, set on having your own way, then it is a lie to say that God has saved and sanctified you…May God not find complaints in us anymore, but spiritual vitality—a readiness to face anything He brings our way. The only proper goal of life is that we manifest the Son of God; and when this occurs, all of our dictating of our demands to God disappears. Our Lord never dictated demands to His Father, and neither are we to make demands on God. We are here to submit to His will so that He may work through us what He wants. Once we realize this, He will make us broken bread and poured-out wine with which to feed and nourish others.” (My Utmost for His Highest, May 15)
That’s a really good word.
10:40 p.m.
By God’s grace, we managed to “rise to the occasion” and maintain our composure and good humor before leaving for the Bluegrass State. It took four – count em – four more flights before we finally got booked on one leaving at 7:45 p.m. Every standby flight before that was either full or oversold. So get this…from the time we left our house this morning, it took us nearly 16 hours to get to Louisville – by air. That’s the time it takes to get from LA to Tokyo on a 747! Sadly, I could have driven the trip in 10 and stopped for peaches in Clanton along the way.
Oh, and I missed my meeting…the one I missed church and Father’s Day for in order to attend. But all things work together for good. I talked to the chairman by phone and he was very understanding. And had I been at Hillcrest, you would have missed Doug’s great message on the words we use. I didn’t hear it, but I had an advance readers copy and read it not once, but twice during my layover, and I really appreciated it.
I don’t know about you, but I was a bit convicted about how I use words sometimes. I don’t think my speech is coarse, but it is loose in that I sometimes promise more than I can deliver. I’ll do better. And I love Doug’s humor. I laughed at all of his jokes!
Tomorrow, the Pastor’s Conference. I also look forward to seeing some wonderful friends that I don’t often get to see.
Archived Entries
- 6/21/2009 - VBS and SBC
Let me just say it from the outset…I’m a terrible blogger. At least as far as frequency is concerned. I had an out-of-state friend email me the other day and ask me when I was going to post another blog…said he was tired of reading how well we did on Easter Sunday. Subconsciously, maybe that’s why I’ve left it out there so long. Frankly, it’s kind of nice reading about having 4,000 in worship, and it’s a milestone that’s tough to top!
But the truth is, I just haven’t done it. Ironically, ................. - 4/15/2009 - Post Easter
Well, today is both a high point and a low point for me. The high point is that I’m still riding the wave of what was, in many respects, the most memorable Easter I’ve ever experienced. The low point is that today is tax day. I don’t know who decided to put income tax day so close to Easter, but I’m quite sure that I don’t like it. Since we celebrate Easter in the month of April more often than not, by the time we celebrate the resurrection of our Lord, tax day has either already just occurred or is just around the corner. As I think about it, maybe the close proximity of the two dates is a Godsend.... - 3/27/2009 - Easter 2009!
It was good to be back speaking at Hillcrest this past Sunday and Wednesday after taking a few days away. I’m serving this year on a convention committee of the Southern Baptist Convention and my presence was required at a meeting held at the Convention’s executive offices in Nashville. So I got to spend a few days in the Music City taking care of a little “bidness” and then spending a few days with some family and friends....... - 2/13/2009 - Happy Birthday, Mr. President!
I don’t know if you’re aware or not, but today is the 200th birthday of Abraham Lincoln, the 16th President of the United States. As a character in the pageant of American history, I just love Lincoln. Outside of books related to the Bible or Jesus Christ, there are more books about Abraham Lincoln lining my library shelves than about any other single subject. And the reason I love him is because his life embodies the virtues that define the essence of greatness…character, diligence, endurance, wisdom, eloquence, honesty, and humility. Is it just me, or is anyone else wondering where those qualities have gone in the arena of modern American politics? ........ - 1/22/2009 - Thank Heaven for Do-Overs
Tuesday was a historic day for our nation. The first African-American President of the United States was sworn into office with nearly 2 million people gathered on the Washington Mall and another 40 million Americans watching on television. Leaders assembled – past and present and from all political stripes – in a respectful demonstration of commitment to the basic American ideals which have made this country great. Politics notwithstanding, I’m always moved by the peaceful, almost seamless transfer of power that marks presidential succession in our country.... - 1/15/2009 - The Battle with Jet Lag
Jet lag is an amazing thing. I only travel internationally a couple or times each year or so. In fact, one of the things I really enjoy about serving in ministry is the opportunity it affords me to travel to different places throughout the world. Though I’m by no means a jet-setter, I have had the opportunity to visit many countries throughout the world on mission trips and in conference leadership. - 12/28/2008 - Reasons to Celebrate
It’s hard to believe that another year has just about come and gone, but I’m afraid it’s true. As I write this on a rainy Christmas morning, I’ve reflected a bit on some of the stuff of the past year. My kids are taller, my waist is broader, my knees are achier, and my church is larger. The first three things cause me to pause and ponder ..... - 11/10/2008 - Close The Gap
I’m broke. There you go. It’s true and I might as well come clean and admit it. I’m so broke I can’t pay attention. Now I know what you’re thinking. You’re thinking that I’m a victim of the current economic crisis that we Americans find ourselves in right now...... - 10/27/2008 - Taking a Stand for Traditional Marriage
In this rough and tumble political season, it’s rather obvious that one of the hot button political issues involves the definition of marriage. Many people never thought they’d live to see the day where the definition of marriage had to be spelled out. We always thought we knew what it was without the government having to draw us a picture......
- 10/13/2008 - 2008 in 2008
It’s been awhile since I was quite as excited as I was a couple of weeks ago when, after the second worship service, Gene Seales told me that we had 2038 people in worship that day. Now, mind you, we’ve been operating under the slogan 2008 in 2008 throughout the entire year. Our goal hasn’t so much been to average 2008 this year as it’s been to consistently see 2008 or more in worship as we wind down the calendar year 2008. - 8/20/2008 - A View from the Front
I’m not a man of many rules, but one of the rules we live by at the Locke home is that we work hard and we play hard. Work first…then play. But when you play, live it up (within the budget, of course). That’s why when we decided to visit the mountains of North Carolina and east Tennessee this summer, I was determined to add a little white water rafting to our vacation agenda. Now you must understand that Judy and I are seasoned white water veterans .......... - 7/24/2008 - Reflections on El Salvador
Having just recently returned from an eight-day trip to El Salvador, I’m reminded of why it’s so important not only to give to missions, but to also go on mission. On at least two occasions during our travels, we ran across groups from other churches going on mission projects. Getting organized in the San Salvador airport, we ran into one group from upstate New York who was going to minister to a different part of El Salvador. Like us they were wearing their matching mission t-shirts, and we had a nice visit with some of them. - 7/14/2008 - SBC Indianapolis Wrap Up
By now you’re aware that Judy and I are back from our whirlwind trip to Indianapolis and the Southern Baptist Convention. Let me say that if you’ve never visited Indianapolis, it’s really a great town. The downtown area is well planned with most of the major hotels and downtown eateries are within easy walking distance of the convention center. For this reason, we decided not to even rent a car this year. We hopped a taxi from the airport to the hotel, and, when it was time to go, for a mere $25, we retained a well-dressed young man to drive us back to the airport in a black Lincoln with rich Corinthian leather appointments........................ - 6/10/2008 - SBC Indianapolis, Day 1
Greetings from the beautiful – and wet – city of Indianapolis, Indiana. Central Indiana has been deluged with rain since last Friday, much of it I wish we could redirect to the Florida panhandle. Today, however (Tuesday), is a beautiful, spring-like day with temperatures in the 70s…a nice, refreshing break from the heat at home...... - 3/11/2008 - In the Right Place at the Right Time
Have you ever been in one of those circumstances where you were just in the right place at the right time…and glad you were? That happened to me today. I’m here in Nashville for a few days on one of my patented study/planning retreats. Most pastors take them from time to time, primarily to pay attention to some things that they never seem to have time to get to. On these trips, I get away by myself to read, study, pray, and prepare for upcoming messages. It’s really a time to plan my preaching for the next several weeks, and that’s what I spend most of my time doing.............. - 1/20/2008 - Send in the Clowns
I heard a news story the other day that, frankly, seemed a bit unusual. The reason it captured my attention is because it had to do with clowns. Some of you might not think that at all unusual, particularly with what seems to be non-stop election coverage. In fact, I can hear some of you even now: “Man every time I turn on the TV, all I see is a bunch of clowns running around asking for votes. What’s so unusual about that?” But I’m not talking about those clowns.......... - 1/11/2008 - Loose Lips Grow Churches
In case you haven’t noticed, 2008 has arrived in full force, and right out of the block our presidential election is dominating the news cycle. Is it just me or does it seem to you like we’ve had folks running for president since Mr. Bush was re-elected four years ago? I’m kind of a political junkie at heart, but I have to admit that I’m a little jaded at this point and the fun’s only just beginning........ - 12/28/2007 - New Year's in Nashville
Six hours and forty-five minutes. That’s how long it took me to drive to Nashville on Christmas Day, an all-time record! You have to understand…this may have been the best Christmas gift I got all Christmas. Normally, with kids and a dog in tow, this trip usually takes a minimum of eight hours, sometimes longer. We have to stop for food, gas, potty breaks for the kids, potty breaks for the dog…you know the routine. But with it being Christmas Day and nothing but gas stations being open (actually the Waffle House was open, but I didn’t let on that I knew), it was a great excuse to just keep on trucking................
- 12/21/2007 - Hope So or Know So?
A couple of nights ago I finished reading a book called Prince of Darkness, a 600 page tome that took me a couple of weeks to wade through. I know the title sounds kind of sinister, but it’s really a memoir of 50 years of political reporting by the conservative – and often controversial – syndicated columnist Robert Novak. He was labeled “The Prince of Darkness” by a fellow journalist who marveled at his innate pessimism about the future of Western civilization in general and America in particular. At any rate, the book was loaded with behind the scenes history and scintillating stories of people who made the news and who wrote the news. I’m kind of a political junkie anyway ....... - 11/30/2007 - Eat More Chikin
Wednesday night, over 900 people crammed into the main level of our worship center to hear a living legend, Truett Cathy, founder and CEO of Chick-fil-A. The ultimate irony of the evening was that, on the night we had Mr. Chicken at Hillcrest…on the night we had the Chick-fil-A cow the size of a Macy’s Parade balloon fixed in our front lawn…on the night everyone in attendance got a coupon for a free chicken sandwich…on this special night what was on the menu at the Hillcrest Wednesday dinner? .......... - 10/11/2007 - The Third Saturday in October
For the last many decades, the third Saturday in October has been one of the most important dates on the fall calendar, at least for football fans in the southern United States. For gridiron followers in our part of the country, the third Saturday in October can only mean one thing – it’s time for Tennessee and Alabama to strap it on!
Now I have to confess ................
- 9/28/2007 - Fast Times at Senior High
This past week, Judy and I “chaperoned” a group of 47 senior adults in Branson, Missouri. Actually there were a few less than that. I think we actually had a handful of stowaways on the bus that haven’t quite made it to senior-hood, but who’s counting? Regardless of the relative ages, we just had a great time. This is the second jaunt I’ve made with a mostly senior adult group and each time has been wonderful, even though they nearly wore me out! This group of people had more energy than ........ - 9/17/2007 - Remembering Groundbreaking Sunday
The last time I broke ground on a new building, I did it driving a bulldozer. It was April 2000, and after a sneak tutorial the previous Friday night, I jumped aboard this big Cat, lowered the blade, and ripped a sliver of Taney County soil for the glory of God. Judy thought I’d lost my mind when I told her I was going to lead the service on a bulldozer. As the diesel roared, and the smoke belched, I looked over and she was huddled with our children, praying that I wasn’t going to lose control and start clearing an unintended path through the back forty...............
- 8/28/2007 - Opportunities and Orphans
In many respects we’re about to enter into a real season of opportunity here at Hillcrest. Both Worship and Life Group attendance is up significantly from last year…so is our total giving. I want to say thank you for being faithful to support your church with your presence and your finances. One of the major core values at Hillcrest is commitment, and the facts speak for themselves.............. - 8/22/2007 - He's Reading the Bible!
It’s been a whirlwind three weeks or so since the Locke family has returned from our annual summer hiatus. That’s the thing about vacations, isn’t it? The worst part of most vacations is the coming back. Now don’t get me wrong…I have the blessing of coming back to Hillcrest, and who wouldn’t give a right arm for that privilege? But you know what I mean. Anytime you’re away for a while, you get out of your routine, you get a little bit lazy, and then you come back and have to dig out. I call it post vacation traumatic stress disorder. Can I get a witness?...................... - 7/23/2007 - Reflections on Baptism Celebration
I didn’t realize that baptizing could be hazardous to your health! Well, that may be a bit of an overstatement, but I have to admit that I had a pretty sore shoulder after baptizing 36 courageous people on our recent Baptism Celebration Sunday. Talk about a reason for rejoicing! I practically floated home after it was all said and done, even though a touch of tendonitis was raising its ugly head. It’s true, I’m afraid....... - 7/16/2007 - To Russia with Love
As I look back on my relatively short stint in ministry, I’ve come to realize that nearly every person who played a central role in my going to a particular church left not long after I arrived on the scene. I know it sounds kind of silly, but it’s like God has used individuals in set-up roles to get me to a certain place, and then not long thereafter, he moves them to some other place.......
- 7/13/2007 - Arise and Be Baptized
Unlike most of you, I was baptized twice. It’s not that the first one didn’t take. My grandmother often told me that I wasn’t worth killing, but I really wasn’t that obstinate a sinner that my first time under was somehow less than sufficient! My first baptism followed not long after I received Christ as my Lord and Savior. I was about 12 years old at the time, and still remember the experience. I became a Christian the summer just prior to my 12th birthday in 1975. The grand event came while I was a student participating in our church’s children’s camp at Camp Overton, in the deep woods of Warren County, Tennessee..... - 7/9/2007 - Baptism Celebration Sunday
I don’t know about you, but I’m loving this Conversations with Christ series of messages I’m sharing on Sunday mornings. I mean, I’m into it! When Jesus confronted people, when he met them on their own ground and addressed real life issues on their own level, something wonderful always came of it. He may not have gotten the result he desired, but somebody usually got it, and their life was radically changed.... - 6/26/2007 - Born Again
Every so often I experience a Sunday that seems to stand out in certain ways. Believe me, no one is more critical of my preaching than me. And at least a part of most every Sunday is spent reviewing and evaluating what I did “right” and what I did “wrong.” What was effective, and what just flat-out didn’t work. And more Sundays as not I walk away feeling I didn’t quite make the case I really wanted to make...
- 6/17/2007 - SBC Wrap Up
The Southern Baptist Convention is now a part of history, and as Judy and I always do, we enjoyed the sights and sounds of our unique annual meeting. I love being a Baptist. I know we have our pitfalls, and I know that many tend to view us with suspicion, even disdain. But if I thought another group had a better set of convictional beliefs and a better plan for world evangelization, I’d join the ranks of that other group...
- 6/12/2007 - Southern Baptist Convention - Day One
Today was day one of the Southern Baptist Convention here in San Antonio. Well, actually it was the first full day of the SBC Pastor’s Conference. For those of you who don’t know, the Southern Baptist Convention occurs in two parts. Part one is the Pastor’s Conference which occurs on Sunday night and all day and night on Monday. It’s kind of a marathon preaching and worship conference designed to encourage pastors and their wives, but really anybody who wants to can come. It’s not like they check your pastor’s I.D. card at the door or anything... - 6/10/2007 - San Antonio Deja vu
Judy and I arrived in San Antonio yesterday for the annual meeting of the Southern Baptist Convention. Best I can remember, I’ve been to San Antonio three times in my life. It’s a nice city, but it’s oppressively hot. When we got into our rental car, I noticed that the temperature was 102° at 3:00 p.m. And the humidity was even worse, so there’s no way not to sweat in this town... - 6/7/2007 - The Truth is in Us
My niece graduated from high school a couple of weeks ago. She’s a beautiful and gifted young lady who’s headed off to the University of Tennessee this fall as a Chancellor’s Honor Student. Obviously we’re all very proud of her and her academic accomplishments. Frankly, her father – my brother – really isn’t all that smart... - 5/29/2007 - Confessions of a Baptist Eavesdropper
I was in a local bookstore the other day, minding my own business. I spend a lot of time in bookstores. Sometimes I buy books, but most of the times I just browse through the lines of shelves trying to decide which books are calling my name. But another thing I like to do in bookstores is to write...
- 5/25/2007 - A Farewell to Falwell
Three different times in my life, I found myself in the same room with Jerry Falwell. The first of those encounters was completely unexpected. The 1982 Christian Booksellers Association national meeting was in Dallas, Texas, and I was there following closely on the heels of my college roommate. His father was the CEO of a successful Christian publishing company based out of Nashville, and we went there pretty much to just hang out and act as though were part of the evangelical jet-set...
Hillcrest Baptist Church
800 East Nine Mile Road
Pensacola, FL 32514
Phone: 850.476.2233
[Map & Directions]