"God is Great!"

All the believers devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching, and to fellowship, and to sharing in meals (including the Lord’s Supper), and to prayer. A deep sense of awe came over them all, and the apostles performed many miraculous signs and wonders. Acts 2:42-43

God is great and He is doing great things in our midst! This is a note sent to Jackie White from one of our dynamic youth group members. It’s exciting to see how God is already beginning to work through the Soul Tsunami! I can’t wait to hear more stories of how God is blessing each of your lives in new and exciting ways as you experience revival in your personal relationship with Him! I am specifically praying for this for each and every one of you!

Hey Jackie,

I wanted to let you know that Pastor Tim’s message Sunday really touched me. I've found myself switching the radio or my Zune away from worship music a lot lately because I was tired of hearing the same songs again and again or didn't like the songs tune. But as I listened to the message Sunday I realized that I was focusing on the wrong thing. The time I spend listening to the radio, is my ride to work. That is an opportunity to worship with God! I realized if I used the worship music to really worship on the way to work, I'd stop letting pop culture get to me and be closer with God. And I also realized I was missing coming to church on Sundays.

Jessica Williams

Wow! What a blessing and testimony to listening to God’s voice and being sincerely open. Truly, the youth will lead the way in this spiritual revival ~ and I am praying each of us will be part of it!

Your friend for the rest of my life,

Pastor Tim

"A Holy Experiment!"

Partnership means work! It means legwork! It means teamwork! It means we work! John Maxwell, The Power of Partnership in the Church (Pg. 21)

"I believe in Christianity as I believe that the Sun has risen―not only because I see it, but because by it, I see everything else." C.S. Lewis, Is Theology Poetry (CS Lewis Collection, p.21)

Wow, two great quotes both from page 21 of two different books. I love to consider the potential, the fun, the power, the sheer joy, the peace of being in partnership with God. The prospect makes me quiver with excitement! I love every time God calls someone into a relationship with him. As Jesus walked beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother Andrew casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen. ”Come, follow me," Jesus said, "and I will make you fishers of men." At once they left their nets and followed him. (Mark 1:16-20 NIV)

As I write this devotion, my daughter called from Princeton and asked me, “Dad, what are you doing to observe Lent?” I told her my plans and how we were having a special Ash Wednesday service tonight. Then I received a call from a pastor/friend from another church. We talked about a bunch of things and he said, “I see you guys are celebrating Ash Wednesday. What are you doing to observe Lent this year?” I told him of our church’s 40 days of fasting and that I am giving up a meal daily and implementing a general healthy lifestyle along with it. I told him about the three people I am praying for and our waves of the Soul Tsunami. He asked me if it would be alright for him to stop by and joined our Ash Wednesday service tonight. After completing our conversation―I thought, “The waves begin!”

Let me sum up the concept of this “Soul Tsunami” in a nutshell for you. Is that a metaphor? (If not I am starting one.) Every day for 40 days each person in the whole church wakes up and asks Jesus, “What would you do through me today?” What thoughts would you have my brain entertain? What words would you have me speak? What good deeds would you have me do? What random acts of service would you have me do? Use me Lord today!”

What a holy experiment! People are very worried about home-grown terrorists today. Well- - - the terrorist should worry about the climate of fear and cynicism which causes people to resort to the desperation of terrorist thinking being challenged by home-grown followers of Jesus Christ! Not just being religious or talking a big talk, but joining together in a holy wave of a Soul Tsunami! It’s going to be an adventure! I can't wait to hear the stories and to be on the front lines of people asking the big question- - - “Will we put down our nets and follow Jesus?” I can't think of a better partnership!

Your friend for the rest of my life,

Pastor Tim White

"The Heart of a Child!"

I will teach all your children, and they will enjoy great peace. Isaiah 54:13

One of the greatest missions of the church is to reach, love, and prepare our children to be all that God wants them to be- - - and they will lead us, because if we want to inherit the Kingdom of Heaven- - - then we must have the heart of a child. I am amazed at all the incredible young people in our church! Below is a recent letter that my wife Jackie forwarded to me about Rachel Raines and a school cooking contest. There are many people in our church that are like Jackie and I, who don't get to be around children so much anymore. And we delight in being a part of a church family that prays for and works for building a great caring network for our kids!

Rachel participated today in her first cooking contest. She had lots of fun and put on a beautiful table display (thank you Susan!) and prepared a delicious pasta dish. Twenty 4th & 5th graders were selected from the whole school district to compete in the cook-off. Five winners were selected based on the following categories: Kid-Friendly Preparation, Healthiest Opinion, Best Table Presentation, Tastes Great, and Overall winner. Ms Rachel was the Overall winner!!!! Her recipe will be submitted to the state kids cooking competition. Also, they will be making Rachel's pasta dish at her school to serve for lunch (she is most excited about that).

Your friend for the rest of my life,

Pastor Tim White

"God's Provision!"

Then the Lord said to Elijah, “Go to the east and hide by Kerith Brook, near where it enters the Jordan River. Drink from the brook and eat what the ravens bring you, for I have commanded them to bring you food.” So Elijah did as the Lord told him and camped beside Kerith Brook, east of the Jordan. The ravens brought him bread and meat each morning and evening, and he drank from the brook. (1 Kings 17:2-6)

After I experienced a min-stroke last June, it was clear that I could not continue to work the 10 hour days that I had worked for much of my life. When fatigue occurred I shifted into adrenaline drive which raised my blood pressure, resulting in accelerated cardiovascular aging. I began to prepare for retirement with anxiety that my retirement funds may be at risk due to governmental policies that will clearly become inflationary, thus reducing my retirement trust that I have accumulated over the years.

When I prayed about this, God reminded me that he had fed Elijah by sending ravens with food until the stream dried up, and then sent him to stay with a widow, whose container of oil and flour was replenished until the famine ended. I reminded myself that I had turned over all my assets to God a long time ago, acting only as a steward of them. I asked for guidance, and it came through the many financial advisory publications that I had been led to subscribe to. They recommend investing in countries that were solid financially because of natural resources (Australia and Canada), and in countries that were business friendly (Switzerland). My local broker also recommended some local natural resource stocks. As a result my portfolio increased by 20 percent, and I could clearly see the results of God’s continued provision. My retirement anxieties left, as I again experienced God’s specific guidance in my life.

Raymond E. Vath, MD

"And Again I Say Rejoice!"

Dear brothers and sisters, I close my letter with these last words: Be joyful. Grow in maturity. Encourage each other. Live in harmony and peace. Then the God of love and peace will be with you. Greet each other with Christian love. All of God’s people here send you their greetings. May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all. 2 Corinthians 13:11-14

“I have always believed that a big laugh is really a loud noise from the soul saying, “Ain’t it the truth!” Quincy Jones

Why does the Bible keep telling us to be joyful? In Philippians it says, “Rejoice in the Lord always and again I say rejoice.” Does telling us to be joyful make us joyful? I really don’t think it does. So why does the Bible keep telling us to be joyful?

I like the comedian, Bob Newhart and he once said, “Laughter gives us distance. It allows us to step back from an event, deal with it, and then move on.” Yes, I think we all would admit that we need laughter and joy―especially if we are going to experience revival in our worship at Washington Cathedral. But telling us we need it doesn’t mean we are going to experience it. I think it’s like telling us the sum of the problem before we work on the math project. “Grow in maturity, encourage each other. Live in harmony and peace. Then the God of love and peace will be with you.”

Now we are headed towards joy whether we like it or not- - - if we can grow up in our faith. We are not so judgmental- - - we are not pulled in by people with ego-agendas to control and cause division in the church which causes its people to be disillusioned. We have a sense of perspective that can only come from spiritual maturity. And what is spiritual maturity? It’s Christ-likeness- - - and it takes a lot of prayer and personal Bible study to reach for Christ-likeness. Prayer and personal Bible study keeps us away from the polluting influence of those smooth talkers with agendas. It makes us aware of what is from the Spirit of God and what is not. It fills us with harmony and peace while we focus on encouraging each other. That is a recipe for joy! Add some cinnamon, chocolate and nutmeg- - - No, I mean add some greetings from Christians with love, some grace, some fellowship with the Holy Spirit and you have invincible joy―a joy that is contagious―a joy that we all know we need, but don’t always know how to achieve.

“At the height of laughter, the universe is flung into a kaleidoscope of new possibilities.” Jean Houston

Your friend for the rest of my life,

Pastor Tim White

"God's Grace is Sufficient!"

My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness. 2 Corinthians 12:9

I love the phrase by Dr. Robert Schuler, “Tough times never last but tough people do!” Something about it just stirs my heart- - - it’s like I’m hearing from the head coach in the hardest part of the game! It rings of Vince Lombardi, Duck Daugherty or Keith Paine. It speaks to faith on the battlefield―the ability to bounce back from defeat; and persistence that comes from faith. The rare ingredient to never, ever, ever give up! The apostle Paul knew this kind of faith so this phrase is, in my opinion, the thesis statement of the two letters to Corinth. Paul had been beaten with a whip until he was nearly dead; stoned by a mob and the spectators thought he was dead; beaten with sticks; shipwrecked; bit by a poisonous snake; he was disrespected as an apostle; and despised as his leadership was undermined. But he could not lose heart!

How about you? Do you know that God’s grace is sufficient for you! That his power works best in weakness! Has he given you just a little strength and yet placed before you an open door, as the word says in the book of Revelation? Then say it out loud so everyone can hear it- - - speak it in faith to God- - - say it with a growl so your loved ones will remember this is a part of your personality!

“Tough times never last but tough people do!!!”

Your friend for the rest of my life,

Pastor Tim White

"Do Not Be Afraid!"

“Don’t be afraid,” he said, “for you are very precious to God. Peace! Be encouraged! Be strong!” As he spoke these words to me, I suddenly felt stronger and said to him, “Please speak to me, my lord, for you have strengthened me.” Daniel 10:19

I had a very encouraging conversation with one of the incredible young men in our church over lunch the other day. This young man is a very committed husband and father of two small children. When I asked him why he wanted to meet for lunch, he said, “No reason. I was just feeling incredibly positive about the church and I wanted to get together to tell you that I believe this is a break-through time in the history of Washington Cathedral.” He went on to talk about his kids, his marriage, his business and his church with heroic devotion. Little did he know how much I needed to hear his words that day! As I drove away from his office building I was praying, “God, does that young man know what he means to our whole church family and our community? What a privilege to be his pastor and friend! I wonder if he realizes that when a pastor goes to the hospital to visit someone, or counsels a troubled life in their office, or plans a community impacting event, it is because of people like him and their deep commitment.” Then I thought to myself, “Why didn’t I tell him all of this?” I began to think of several incredibly challenged individuals who were being ministered to that very day by our church and I started to tear up. I wonder if he has any idea of the impact of his life! And then I was glad I had not tried to tell him―I would have embarrassed myself with my deep emotion. In my eyes, this young family is nothing less than heroic! Without people and families like this there would not be a Washington Cathedral. They have been successful because they have refused to surrender leadership to discouragement, pessimism, opposition, criticism, or any other force. They only surrender leadership to God and they are being incredibly blessed because of it! In fact, they have become an incredible blessing!

This is what the prophet Daniel teaches us. He was going through a tough time, but he had one essential characteristic which set his path towards success. He refused to surrender the leadership of his life to any force other than God! Success, for the Christian, is finding and fulfilling God’s plan for their life. By that score Daniel was an outstanding success- - - and for you the word is the same! Do not be afraid, you are highly esteemed. Be peaceful, be strong now―when God speaks, you will be strengthened!!

Lord Jesus, I pray for all the believers, young and old that they would refuse to surrender leadership of their lives to any other force but you¾not to popularity, not to whims, not to over reactions, not to financial challenges, health challenges, personal discouragement, or to pressure! God give them a holy stubbornness to surrender leadership only to you, and thereby open their lives to blessings and to becoming a blessing.

Your friend for the rest of my life,

Pastor Tim White