Virtues Are Important

    Two comments dominate my thoughts at this moment.  The first is a comment in COMING APART, a book by Charles Murray.  His comment is, “Europeans work to live while Americans live to work.”  The second comment is made by many of my friends; namely, “When Pete goes on vacation, it is a busman’s holiday.”  I resemble both of those comments.
    For the past 15 days I have been traaveling with Joyce. I have been in South Dakota where Joyce and I visited Custer State Park for its rock formations and Mt. Rushmore.  We then traveled to Custer’s last stand battlefield in Montana.  Here park rangers at the battlefield corrected a misconception that I had of Custer.  I now see him in a much more favorable light; namely, he is not the renegade that I thought he was.
    Our next stop was the hot springs at Thermopolis, Wyoming.  This is a very clean and neat small town that is absolutely determined to stay small.  Using Thermopolis as a model, I outlined an article on how congregations use the same principles as Thermopolis to stay small.  My guess is that article will be published in December by the Southern Ohio Synod. 
    At Thermopolis, I began work on this week’s sermon.  I was not very happy with the appointed lessons but I believe there is great value in following the lectionary because that discipline keeps me from only preaching on texts that I like.  You will hear the sermon this weekend.
    Our next stop was Yellowstone National Park where we stayed in three different lodges over a six day period.  From here we took a day trip to the Grand Teton National Park.  We always drive the “scenic route” so we were in a traffic jam of bison who have no reguard for others on the road.  Great fun once the bison jam was behind us.
    During these six days I finished COMING APART which is good because I will be part of a discussion on that book tomorrow (Wednesday).
    We had a 400 mile drive from Yellowstone to Glacier National Park.  On that drive, Joyce and I had a wonderful conversation.  Murray in COMING APART argues that America became the nation it is because of four virtues; namely, its people were industrious, honest, married, and religious.  Our conversation centered around the question, “If Murray is right about the virtues, what are the virtues Christians claim that makes them what they are?”  Here is our answer to that question.
    The 10 Commandments are the virtues on which we build a denomination or a congregation.  They define how we relate to God and to each other.  They are our core operating values.
    The virtues of good personal relationship, are the fruit of the Spirit in Galatinas 5:22-23:  “...the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control...”  Biblical commentaries argue that “joy, peace, ...” are the characteristics of love therefore the verb is singular.
    The virtues of evangelism are, 1. believe what you say, 2. live what you say, and 3. show others that your beliefs make a difference in your life.
    The virtues in Christian marketing are, 1. you get one chance to get it right, 2. it is about the audience you are addressing and not you, 3. repetition is essential, and 4. consistency is a must.
    The virtues of stewardship are, 1. all life is a response to what has been given to us, 2. it is biblical, 3. giving is connected to ministry, and 4. don’t be afraid to ask.
    All in all, my vacation was exciting and restorative.  There was scenery that inspired, my understanding of history was corrected, and there was time for some creative thinking.  I hope your vacations have the same positive effects as mine has had on me.  By the way, if I asked you to name the virtues by which you live, what would they be?
Pastor Pete