Silas Shotwell's Blog

I haven't had a blog for over a month. I developed a slight case of "writer's block" because I had intended to make my next one about Edna Mae. As of October 1 it has been four years since she died. But try and try as I might, it was simply too emotional to write. So . . . you have received nothing.
To "break the block" I have decided to do what she would have wanted me to do. Laugh. Life must go on.
So I am sending a little humor. The following stories have been ones that have made me chuckle in recent days. And then today, my friend Judy Sullivan, sent me a delightful video. So I'll post them all.
I hope things are going well for you. Meagan and I are actually doing quite well.
Love,
Silas

QUICK THINKER
It was his first day on the job. He was a new clerk in the produce department of a supermarket. A lady came up to him and said she wanted to buy half a head of lettuce. He tried to dissuade her from that goal, but she persisted. Finally he said, "I'll have to go back and talk to the manager." He went to the rear of the store to talk to the manager, not noticing that the woman was walking right behind him. When he got into the back of the store, he said to the manager, "There's some stupid old bag out there who wants to buy half a head of lettuce. What should I tell her?" Seeing the horrified look on the face of the manager, he turned about and, seeing the woman, added, "And this nice lady wants to buy the other half. Will that be all right?" Considerably relieved, the manager said, "That would be fine."
Later in the day, he congratulated the boy on his quick thinking. He then asked, "Where are you from, son?" The boy said, "I'm from Toronto, Canada, the home of beautiful hockey players and ugly women." The manager looked at him and said, "My wife is from Toronto." The boy said, "Oh, what team did she play for?"

FROM AN INDIAN FRIEND
An Indian friend tole me of a cowboy who was riding along and came upon an Indian lying flat on the ground with his ear pressed to the earth. The Indian said, "Wait. Wagon. Two miles off. Drawn by two horses. One black. The other gray. Four people on board: man in a red flannel shirt, his wife, and two kids." The cowboy was very impressed. He said, "I'm amazed that you can tell all that just by listening to the earth." The Indian said, "No. They ran over me 30 minutes ago. Go catch em!"

SOME REGIONAL BRAGGING
Most states take pride in claiming to have the “biggest,” the “best,” or the “oldest” of anything. It seems that archeologists from Oregon dug down 150 feet and found a role of copper wire. They analyzed it and announced that their discovery meant that Oregonians had the telephone one hundred fifty years ago, before Alexander Graham Bell.
Not to be outdone, California archaeologists dug down 160 feet and also found copper wire. They boasted that they had the telephone at least ten years before Oregon.
Still not to be outdone, Texas archaeologists dug down 1000 feet and found nothing. So they proudly announced that 1000 years ago Texas already had wireless technology.

A FUNNY VIDEO on the topic of SHOES
http://www.tinyurl.com/3xqc8x

One of America's most prominent and powerful pastors died a few days ago: Dennis James Kennedy, Senior Pastor of the Coral Ridge Presbyterian Church in Ft Lauderdale, Florida. More than three thousand people attended his memorial last Thursday, September 13. I wish I could have been there.
Dr. D. James Kennedy was internationally known. His television series,

The Coral Ridge Hour

was seen throughout the world. He had a 24 hour Christian radio station, WAFG. He wrote many books, including his most famous Evangelism Explosion. He began the Westminster Academy which has over one thousand students, and shook up the Christian world when he left his original denomination and took a strong stand on the evils of abortion and the disintegrating moral values in America. He took the stance of a prophet in warning America and the world against the evils and danger of Islam. He warned churches about theological liberalism and the remaking of Christianity into a "feel-good" mysticism. He was a patriot, an educator, a communicator, and pastor.
Jim Kennedy was originally a very carnal man of the world. He was handsome, dynamic, and did well as an Arthur Murray dance instructor. Neither he nor his wife were believers in Christ. But one Sunday morning he slept very late. He was awakened by a preacher on the radio who asked the pointed question, "Have you come to a place in your spiritual life that you know for certain that if you died today you would spend eternity with God in heaven?" That question got Kennedy's attention. In fact, it haunted him until he made a profession of faith in Jesus. He then convinced his wife to do the same. He quit his job, enrolled in seminary, and ultimately became a Presbyterian minister.
His denomination sent him to a new fledgling congregation in Ft Lauderdale, Florida. Less than 100 members. It was called "Coral Ridge." In the years that followed, he would turn it into one of the largest and fastest growing churches in America. It would become one of the top five churches in this nation.

You're probably wondering what any of this has to do with me? My spiritual ancestors left the Presbyterian Church, they didn't join it.
I'll be glad to tell you.
In the late 60's I was preaching for the De Soto Church of Christ in Dallas Co., Texas. It was a good church, I had a wonderful heritage and family. I had dedicated parents, had had numerous spiritual mentors, and had attended three Christian colleges. My wife was a saint and I was successful in my ministry.
But I was empty inside. I didn't have any hope for my own salvation. I thought salvation was basically up to me and I knew I wasn't good enough. I had not been unfaithful to my wife, I was not leading a double life, I had not stolen money from the church. I had no skeletons in my closet. I didn't even really know I was empty. I just knew something was missing. I had no peace. I tried to stay busy enough that I hoped God would be pleased with me.
But I didn't know GRACE.
I was a legalist.
I was depending on my own righteousness. And my righteousness wasn't sufficient.
I hoped God would save me because of my church membership and my zealous efforts to be holy.
But I didn't know GRACE. And therefore, I had no PEACE.
One day I received an advertizement from an insurance company to come to a seminar that would teach us how to KNOW we have eternal life. It was at the Marriott Hotel in Dallas Texas. I was leery of the whole thing and wondered what the ulterior motive was? I had no intention of going. What did an insurance company know about eternal life?
But on the day the meeting took place I came across the brochure again and I decided to go. My reason? To spy out the enemy. To see what false teachers were dishing out.
I drove across Dallas to get to the Marriott. I remember feeling uneasy, and I second-guessed why I was even going. When I arrived there were about eighty people present. I could tell they were all preachers. Some had their collars on backwards. I can spot preachers and police detectives in even the largest crowd.
I recognized only one of them, one of my fellow ministers from Dallas County. I wondered why he was there? We never spoke that day or afterward.
There were two speakers on the program. In my sheltered life I had never heard of either of them. I didn't go to denominational meetings or even read denominational books. The two speakers were Dr. Bill Bright of International Campus Crusade for Christ and Dr. D. James Kennedy of Coral Ridge Presbyterian Church. Little did I know that the things they would both say would change my life forever.
And it was not their opinions or interpretations that changed me. It was the scriptures they focused on that I did not know. I thought I knew the Bible. But they took me to places in Romans, Ephesians, and I Corinthians that were foreign to me.
I will not talk now about Bill Bright. I'll save that for another time. But I will say that his probing question, "Is Jesus Christ the LORD of your life?" is what began to break down my resistance. No one had ever asked me that question in my life. I could readily tell you what church I belonged to and what I had done to obey God. But I didn't know what to say when asked "Is Jesus Christ the Lord of your life?" That was not a part of my spiritual heritage and vocabulary.
So when Bill Bright sat down I was relieved. But it was like a tag-team wrestling match. When he sat down, Kennedy got up. And Kennedy asked the same question that he had heard on the radio: "Have you come to a place in your spiritul life that you KNOW, for CERTAIN . . .?" That question cut me to the quick also.
Then Kennedy went to the scriptural definition of "gospel." GOOD NEWS! He asked us (since we were all preachers) what we were preaching? Was it good news? Or was it bad news? Or good views? Etc.
I winced some more. I knew that my weekly rantings could hardly be considered "good news."
Kennedy then went on to give a simple presentation of the gospel: GRACE, MAN, GOD, CHRIST, FAITH. With each point he gave scriptures and illustrations. It was perhaps the simplest, yet most powerful thing I had ever heard in my life. And it was biblical!
Well, all that I will tell you now is that I went home a changed man. I had peace, and assurance. I had come to see salvation as being based on what God had done for me more than on what I had done for Him. I wanted to obey Him more than ever, but I knew that it was because I was saved, and not in order to save myself by works of righteousness.
Oh, I had some points of disagreement with Kennedy. I still do. He was a staunch Calvinist, and I am not. And I don't think that salvation by grace means that we don't have to commit to Him in baptism. I believe that baptism is the acceptance of God's grace, the very re-enactment of Christ's death. I don't think it is in opposition to grace, I believe it IS grace.
But Kennedy showed me what grace is and I had only known what it isn't! He took me to scriptures that gave me hope! I went home KNOWING that I was saved: not because I'd heard Jim Kennedy, but because Christ died for me and I had accepted His gift.
Some amazing things happened within hours. People that I had considered hopeless turned to Christ when I presented GRACE, MAN, GOD, CHRIST, and FAITH to them. I saw that I didn't have to unravel all their entanglements. I only had to preach the gospel to them, and it was God's power to save!
Kennedy convinced me that the gospel IS God's power. I always thought we had to soften people up first with logic and other stuff. If we couldn't soften them up and get them to accept the Bible as authoritative, then we had no way of reaching them. Kennedy saw the gospel as a .45 automatic that has power within itself. He said, "The gospel is like a .45. It doesn't need to be defended or explained, simply fired!"
After a couple of days I resigned my work with the De Soto congregation. I wasn't sure I knew scripture well enough to preach it. The elders were distressed because things were going well. They asked me to stay on until they got someone else. I told them I would, but I wouldn't accept pay. I stayed on for 3 years. I worked at another job. But I preached the gospel wherever I went! For free! And the results were overwhelming. We doubled in a year and doubled again the next year. We sent missionaries to three places and took in foster children, and built a cottage at a children's home. We built a new building and it was too small before we even got moved into it. A man heard my sermon on GRACE, MAN, GOD, CHRIST, FAITH and went home that afternoon and wrote a song: "Why I Love the Lord!" We love Him, because He first loved us. That's still one of my favorite songs. I do not say lightly that I don't believe any of the good things that happened in De Soto and in my later life would have happened if I had not met Jim Kennedy!
Oh, speaking of Kennedy, after I met him initially I wanted to spend time with him. I wanted him to teach me and I thought there were things I could teach him. So he invited me to Coral Ridge. It was 1969. The year before he had hosted what he called an "Evangelism Clinic". Ministers had come from around the nation to learn how to share the gospel. They were taught in the morning by Kennedy. But in the afternoon and evening they went out with laymen who believed in the power of the gospel. Though they were not clergymen or seminary graduates, they simply shared their faith with others watching over their shoulders. I went also, and I was amazed at what I saw. Many of those they were witnessing to were total strangers at malls, and on beaches. Ft. Lauderdale is a resort and a retirement community. I couldn't believe my eyes as I saw the results of common men and women sharing a simple gospel message. I saw athiests and agnostics become believers, and Jews, and Muslims. College students, and professors. Even the Jewish conductor of the Miami Symphony Orchestra! They came to believe in Jesus and they were eager to accept His grace. All by hearing a simple, yet powerful presentation of the message of GRACE, MAN, GOD, CHRIST, FAITH.
And none of it was done by salesmanship, or pressure, or fear. It was done by simply presenting the gospel!
I was saddened that I never convinced Jim Kennedy that baptism was not a WORK. I tried very hard to show him that it is the EMBODIMENT of FAITH and not a work, that it is GRACE, and not something in addition to grace. I know others who did the same: Bob Mize and Wes Whitt. But he had met so many legalists whom he was convinced were trying to save themselves by good works. I guess I'll always wonder what more I could have said?
But none of that negates the positive influence he had on my life! And I don't believe it negates his greatness nor his own faith!
At his memorial last week they said he was responsible for over five million conversions to Christ. Well, I know I was not included in that number. I was already converted to Christ when I met him. I was already a Christian. But I wasn't sure of it, I thought my salvation was conditional on my perfection, and consequently I didn't know the meaning of PEACE.
And now I do. And I have for the almost forty years since I met D. James Kennedy. I loved the man. And I thank God for the way He used him to personally teach me the reality of "Blessed Assurance, Jesus is Mine."
Kennedy on the Phil Donohue Show.
I'd like you to hear a recent message from Kennedy himself. It's like a message from beyond the grave. It's about 4 minutes long. It's typical of his manner and style, and also typical of his message. I find it amusing and encouraging. You may not agree with it all. But I hope you can agree with what he says about death, and life. As he says: "Christ empties a tomb like nobody else.
Simply turn up your sound and click on: http://www.djameskennedy.org/

In the circles I move in, baptism is very important.

In this blog I won't get into the theology and resultant controversies involving baptism.
I just want to share some experiences. Some of these are mine, and some happened to friends of mine. But they are all true, and in my personal experience. I do not mean to turn a sacred act into a mockery. But these things all happened unintentionally with no malice intended. So just take them for whatever they are worth. Perhaps they'll bring a laugh or two.

I want you to imagine the combination of an old man being baptized, who was hard-of-hearing, and the water in the baptistry was ice cold. It was in mid-morning, and the Ladies Bible Class was meeting in another part of the church. When they were told that a man was being baptized, they decided to watch. They all sat near the front, quietly and reverently. The minister and the man he was baptizing did not know they were there. The first thing they heard was the hard-of-hearing man shout, "You mean I have to take off all my clothes?" In a few minutes the pair came into the frigid water. The hard-of-hearing man let out an ear-piercing yell, "WOOOOOOOOO." The minister quickly said the words, "I now baptize thee, etc. etc." and put the man under the water. When he came up he said even more loudly: "WOOOOOEEEEE. I WOULDN'T DO THAT AGAIN FOR A MILLION DOLLARS!"

In a city far away from the first place, a Jewish woman had decided to become a Christian. She had read in the Bible about the value of baptism and she was eager to obey her Lord. But she had never witnessed a baptism. She had no idea what baptism even was. So her teacher told her that it was an immersion in water, and that it was a re-enactment of the burial of Christ. The woman curiously asked, "How long does it take?" She wanted to know how long she would be under the water. But her teacher thought she wanted to know how long the whole procedure would take, including changing clothes, etc. So the teacher answered "Only a few minutes." The woman's eyes teared up. She didn't think she could hold her breath for a few minutes. But she wanted to be a Christian, and if it took drowning to accomplish that, she was ready. So with the faith of Abraham, she said she was ready to be baptized immediately. As chance would have it, the Ladies Bible Class was meeting at that place too. The woman was asked if she cared if the other ladies watched. Before she had a chance to answer, the teacher told her that the ladies would sing a song while she was being baptized. Her tears came back again. She said, in her childhood faith, "I hope it's a short one."
She did survive and went on her way rejoicing.

A man decided to change churches. He had grown up in the Church of the Brethren. Because of his wife's insistance, he decided to go to the Christian Church and was told that he would need to be rebaptized. Since he was baptized as a boy, and did it primarily because his friends were doing it, he didn't mind being rebaptized. Both churches baptized by immersion, so he assumed it would be the same procedure as when he was baptized the first time. He and the Christian Church minister went down into the water of the river. In the Christian Church, they let you backwards into the water and immerse you. No one had told the man that, and no one had told the Christian Church minister that in the Church of the Brethren they lean you face-forward and immerse you face-forward. So after the minister said, "I now baptize thee . . ." he reached to pull the man backward as the man fell face-forward into the water with a big splash. The man was gasping and floundering. The Christian Church minister simply pushed him all the way under and assumed that God's will had been done.

Some churches baptize by sprinkling. A preacher for such a church called a minister of the Church of Christ and said, "There is a young man here who wants to be baptized into my church, and he insists on being immersed. We don't have a baptistry in our building, so would it be possible to come over and borrow your baptistry?" The Church of Christ minister said that would be fine and they agreed on a time. When the minister and the young man came, the Church of Christ minister showed them the dressing rooms, the clothes to change into, and the waders. Then he left and went back to his office. (I was actually with him.) As we sat in the office and talked, the local minister said, "I wonder if the Presbyterian has ever immersed anyone?" Thinking he might need some assistance we went into the church auditorium to see. We were horrified by what we saw. The two men were entering the baptistry. The minister had put the waders on the young man, rather than on himself, and had cinched them up tight with a belt under the young man's arms. Just as we entered, the young man stepped into the water. Immediately the waders inflated, and the young man shot up in the air like he had been shot out of a cannon. He actually hit the wall on the far side and fell backwards into the water, and shot up again, but not so high. We were glad he wasn't injured. We were also glad that God didn't punish my friend and I for laughing.

A church built a large beautiful baptistry in the front of the church auditorium that had glass all along the front. It was not only wide across, but wide toward the back. The minister's son asked if he could be the first person baptized in it. He was 8 or 9 years old. The minister said, "Son, this is a very important step. Can you tell me why you want to be baptized?" The son replied, (And I was there.) "Dad, I think it would be so neat if you came in on one side of the water and then I came in on the other side. I would go under the water, and swim under-water to the back of the baptistry. I would crawl out on the other side where people couldn't see me, and everyone would wonder what had happened to me. Please, Dad! That would be so neat!"
The preacher told his son he thought he should perhaps wait awhile, since this really didn't have much Biblical basis.

The church was going to have a baby shower on Sunday afternoon. The people putting on the shower had ordered a floral bouquet to put as a centerpiece on the table. The florist asked if it would be all right to deliver it early. They actually came on Saturday, and I heard the SPLASH. Afraid some child had accidentally fallen into the baptistry I ran down and looked over the side. The embarrassed florist had come through the wrong hallway and in a darkened building had opened the wrong door and ended up in the water. The flowers were a little wet, but actually were rearranged and used at the shower. The florist survived also.

Enough foolishness for now. Next time I'll write a more serious blog in memory of one of my mentors, Dr. D. James Kennedy who died last Wednesday in Florida. I need to give some thought to adequate words to say about him. He had an influence on my life like few others.

In the Shotwell household, when I was growing up, Labor Day was considered a sacred holiday. My father was a blue-collar, depression era workman, who thanked God that he had a job, and did his best to do it well. He was a carpenter by trade, had done his share of farming, but became a machinist during World War II. For the next thirty years he built airplanes, from the B-24 to the F-16. He was also a union man, a committeeman in the International Association of Machinists, the I.A.M. He challenged workmen to do their best, and he challenged management to pay fair wages and provide safe working conditions. When things didn't go well, he filed grievances. He didn't like to do that, but it was often necessary. He was a little man, but everyone knew him, some feared him, and all respected him. He thought it was his Christian duty to be a champion of diligence, and also fairness. This coming Friday, September 7, was his birthday. But Labor Day was really "his" day. He was the classic "working man."

Allen Shotwell, Machinist

My Dad's first commitment was to his Lord. I've never met a man who was a more dedicated Christian. His word was his bond, his life was pure, and he brought more people to Christ than many preachers that I know. He was firm, but loving. Committed, but not judgmental. Edna Mae said he was the kindest man she ever knew. He proved, once and for all, that other people are "called" besides clergy. He was a "tube bender," but he did it to the glory of God. Though his check came from Consolidated Vultee Aircraft, that eventually became General Dynamics, he was in "full-time Christian service." I've been a full-time preacher for fifty-two years this month, but my work has been no more "spiritual" than his.
He taught me at an early age that whatever job we have can be done to the glory of God.
We assume that Jesus was a carpenter, since Joseph was. But none of the gospel writers tell us that. They do tell us, however, what His work was. His work was seeking the lost, giving of Himself, proclaiming the truth, and relieving human suffering. My Dad did all that also.
Thank you Daddy, for living your faith in my presence. Thank you for taking on good causes, even when you didn't have to. Thank you for challenging the establishment when it was corrupt, and always showing compassion to the "little man." Your labor was not in vain, in the Lord.
Happy Labor Day!