Why Is A Story Told?

Have you ever sat down and thought about why stories are told?  Stories have different purposes at different times.  Some are just for simple entertainment, some are meant to communicate a point, and others can be a way of recounting history.  This leads to another question, what makes a story a great story?  What are some of your favorite stories?

I would tend to think "great" stories, or our most favorite stories are the ones that move us in our hearts. They make us laugh hysterically, cry unceasingly, and to act with courage.  Have you ever told someone a true story but they didn't believe you?  The disciples know how you feel.  Check out John 20:24-25;

"Now Thomas, one of the Twelve, called the Twin, was not with them when Jesus came.  So the other disciples told him, "We have seen the Lord."  But he said to them, "Unless I see in his hands the mark of the nails, and place my finger into the mark of the nails, and place my hand into his side, I will never believe."

The disciples were telling Thomas a true story, a story that aligned with what Jesus taught them and a story all of his close friends were telling him was true.  Yet I wonder if Thomas was still grieving the loss of Christ, I wonder if this story seemed too good to be true.  Even though Thomas refused to believe their story at first he ultimately found it to be true and believed.  The fact that the story was true didn't change but Thomas's belief in the truth changed.

John 20:31 says, "but these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name."

The Bible is God's words to us.  It is 66 books of pure truth at our fingertips yet we often don't believe the words on the page.  We are missing out, Thomas was on the verge of not recognizing and believing the greatest story ever told.  My prayer is that you wouldn't disbelieve that greatest story ever told.  Jesus came as a man, died on a cross, and rose 3 days and paid the due penalty for our sins.  By grace we are saved, through faith in Jesus Christ our Lord.  Amen!

Quick to hear, slow to speak

"Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger; for the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God.  Therefore put away all filthiness and rampant wickedness and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls."

- James 1:19-21

We love giving out opinions.  We love to hear our own voices.  Whether the subject is sports, politics, theology, or just practical life advice we tend to be slow to hear and quick to speak.  When we are slow to hear and quick to speak we often are more easily angered.  This can lead us to seek to be right rather than seek to understand.  A friend from Chicago always tells me, "seek first to understand and then be understood."  The point is that we often are ready to respond before we allow the other person to finish speaking.  We begin to generate our response and stop listening.

James not only is warning us not to do this relationally but more importantly in our ultimate relationship.  Many times we are not quick to hear from Scripture.  We formulate our response to a passage without ever carefully inspecting what it is actually saying.  Later on in James he talks about how the Bible is like a mirror.  We must carefully look into the mirror and examine our lives.  If you remember when you went on a date you starred into the mirror a little longer.  You made sure you searched all over for those zits and blemishes before you went out to meet that special someone.

How often do you look into the mirror of Scripture?  How intently do you look into it?  Is it a quick glance?  Or do you take you time and carefully examine, observing and listening to what the words of God have to say?

I encourage you to take a look in the mirror.  Look closely, take your time, and allow the word of God to show you the blemishes and bring healing and encouragement to you.

Coming to America

Tuesday evening my wife will arrive in the US for the first time since August.  This year long process is finally nearing an end.  Through it all we both have grown individually and together as we have seen God's faithfulness, provision, and hand in our lives.  There have been many tears, many laughs, and many memories.  In the past year I have gotten a small taste of what it should be like to long for heaven.  Just as I have been longing to be with Bek my longing to be with Christ has increased.  It has caused me to love him more, seek him more, and keep my eyes on him.

This evening my neighbor lady came over as a few of the guys and I were having dinner.  She is all alone and just wanted someone to talk to.  She cried and poured out a lot of hurt from her life.  Don shared the gospel with her and made sure that she understood Jesus's atoning work on the cross for salvation.  I couldn't imagine what it must be like to be all alone with no spouse, no friends, and no family.  Waking up each day just waiting to die.  I was thankful for my wife, my church, my family, and my friends.  My challenge for you today is just to ask yourself this question, "Who can I be a friend to today?"  My neighbor Ann just needed a friend today.  Someone to talk to, someone to pray for her and encourage her.  Will you be a friend to someone today?

New Off The Wall Logo

My wonderful wife is currently using her graphic talents to create a new logo and t-shirt design for Off The Wall Ministry.  Here is a sneak peak as we continue to work toward a finished product.  Leave some comments and let me know what you think.

Seize The Summer

As you may know I am about to embark on a journey with 12 other people across 6 states over the next two weeks called Seize The Summer.  Through worship, drama, and preaching we hope to ignite people of all ages to "Seize The Summer" for Christ.  One of my favorite passages in Scripture is found in 1 Corinthians 15:58 and it says,

"Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain."

During the summer we tend to take vacations, whether it be from school, work, or just to get away for a week or two.  Often time that vacation carries over to our spiritual life.  We become more self-focused and less God-focused.  Our commitment to God tends to decrease while our hours of daylight increases.  As we travel together over the next two weeks please pray for us, but also take a look at your summer and be purposeful to seize it, to take hold of the opportunities you have to grow in Christ and love people.

I will try to blog on what is happening and also share our team devotionals with you as well.  Also check out http://polenband.wordpress.com for pictures and video from the tour.

Sermon Notes from Titus 3

This morning I was blessed to have the opportunity to share the message at Countryside Chapel.  The people of the church have grown near and dear to my heart and I am excited to get to know everyone more and walk with them as I move into a role as one of the pastors.  Here are some notes from this morning's sermon from Titus chapter 3:

1. We All Need A Reminder
- We are a forgetful people, we constantly need to be reminded of Biblical truth and what a Godly life should look like.

2. We All Need To Understand The Gospel
- How deep is your understanding of the Gospel?  Do you understand terms like "regeneration," "justification," or "grace?"
Regeneration: to be born again, or born from above (see John 3)
Justified: to declare or treat as righteous (see Romans 4:1-8)
Grace: God's enabling power


3. We All Need To Devote Ourselves To What Is Excellent & Profitable
- Do you live a purposeful and intentional life for Jesus?  Do you build others up or tear them down?

Summary:  We all need to read Titus 3 and other Bible passages (especially the whole book of Romans & Ephesians 2) to be reminded of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  We need to study and un-layer all that Christ accomplished for us on the cross and in turn worship and adore him with thankfulness.  Many of us are held back by a fear of truly understanding the grace and mercy of God.  Living a life abandoned to Christ, fully trusting him, following him in faith is scary for many.  My prayer is that you would "taste and see that the LORD is good" and you would know Jesus and his love for you in an intimate way.

Eat God's Words

"Your words were found, and I ate them, and your words became to me a joy and the delight of my heart, for I am called by your name, O LORD, God of hosts." - Jeremiah 15:16

How precious are the words of God to you?  Are they sweet to your taste?  Do they bring you joy?  Do they breathe hope and thankfulness into your life?  Jeremiah digested and delighted God's words.  He spoke them for the people's good.


When we "eat" God's words, when we digest them and let them be nutrition for our souls it makes us spiritually healthy.  Just as in the physical sense we need to have a healthy diet balanced with exercise so we also need a healthy spiritual diet and work out our faith.


Notice Jeremiah said "your words became to me a joy..."  It takes perseverance, commitment, and discipline.  Just as it is hard to stay away from the sweets, to be disciplined to work out we fight the same battle spiritually.  Distractions lead us away from our Bible and prayer quickly eludes our minds.  God will reward your commitment to him and his word with joy and delight.  Ask for spiritual wisdom and insight as you are committed to study his word and your life will change.


My challenge for you today is to set for yourself one spiritual goal for Bible Study.  Find someone to hold you accountable and do it!  My wife and I are personally committing to memorizing 1 Corinthians 13 by June 5th.  My prayer for you is that you would digest the Word of God and it would be joy and delight to your heart.

Northern Ireland Update 7

Beki and I have been praying every morning for our situation and a few days she told God, "I just want to know when my interview is."  Well, a few hours later we got an email that told us her interview is May 24th.  While the downside is that it is far away the upside is that we finally have a date.  We are praying for the possibility of moving the date up to the end of April or first of May however there are no guarantees this will happen.

In preparation for the interview Beki has to get a medical done in London as well as prepare all of our paperwork.  Please keep us in your prayers as we begin to make plans to move forward with the interview and our return home.

Northern Ireland Update 6

It's cold!  Today it is really windy, cold, and dumping down a combination of rain and sleet.  I am ready for summer.  Beki and I are continuing to enjoy marriage.  Everyone keeps asking us about what marriage is like and to us nothing is really different other than we sleep in the same bed together.  This week we have been invited out for dinner almost every night.  Our calendar quickly is filling up but we are just asking God to use us during our time here.

I have been busy skyping in on meetings and keeping up to date with the guys and girls at Off The Wall.  I am also in the process of developing a new website for the ministry so please pray for my patience as I am learning a new program.  I have also been blessed to meet with many young men over here and continue to network and build connections.

Beki and I are trying to figure out how to best encourage and grow one another in marriage.  I love hearing about what she is reading in Scripture.  This morning I was encouraged by the passage she was reading in Exodus 18.  I want to encourage you to take a moment today and read it.  It is a great example of leadership and discipleship.  Continue to pray for favor with governments and airlines over the next few weeks as we await to hear when we will be able to return.

I figured you may like a picture so here is one from our wedding :)

Northern Ireland Update 5

The wedding is over and the dust is settling.  Beki and I moved into a cozy little house that we are renting out until we are able to go home.  We currently do not have a car so we have been walking a lot and relying on others for rides.  We had guests over last night and look forward to using the time we have here to minister to those God puts in our path.  I am having some coffee and meals with some local young guys over here this week.  Beki and I are also taking time to get together with many other newly married couples as we prepare for young married ministry back home in Ohio.

Please keep praying for Beki's visa medical and interview.  Both must be done in London which means we need God's favor to have the timing work out.  It is not like you can just drive to London and can get very expensive flying there and staying a few nights there.  We are praying everything can work out to get the medical and interview done within a few days of each other so we only have to take one trip to London.

During my time over here I am gaining a small insight to what Paul must have felt when he wrote the epistles.  I miss seeing firsthand the growth God is doing in everyone back home.  I am excited for what is to come and pray that I will be with you all soon.  I will leave you with this passage...


"We ask you, brothers, to respect those who labor among you and are over you in the Lord and admonish you, and to esteem them very highly in love because of their work. Be at peace among yourselves. And we urge you, brothers, admonish the idle, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with them all. See that no one repays anyone evil for evil, but alwaysseek to do good to one another and to everyone. Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. Do not quench the Spirit. Do not despise prophecies, but test everything; hold fast what is good. Abstain from every form of evil.

Now may the God of peace himself sanctify you completely, and may yourwhole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. He who calls you is faithful; he will surely do it.

Brothers, pray for us.

Greet all the brothers with a holy kiss.

I put you under oath before the Lord to have this letter read to all the brothers.  The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you."

- 1 Thessalonians 5:12-28