A Cancer Reality Check

August 15, 2015 / revheff / 6 Comments

Yesterday Nancy and I spent the morning at the hospital. She was scheduled to have her chemo ports removed.

Early on in what normally is a fairly routine, simple procedure, the doctor discovered that the catheter of the port placed in her abdomen had gotten dislodged somehow. That meant he had to scramble to put some new equipment together so he could go laproscopic for its retrieval. That meant general vs. local anesthetic as well. No big deal except . . .

The doctor asked to see me following the procedure. While scoping for the catheter, he took a quick look around the region. He discovered visible signs of cancer on her diaphragm and at least one other place. He didn’t look everywhere, so we don’t know as of yet how pervasive a threat exists. That was not the purpose of the procedure and he was already overtime for getting to his other cases. He took pictures and even showed them to me. So apparently my previous post regarding her progress was premature.

But I was puzzled. We had acted positively of late based upon the last two blood tests checking her CA-125 levels, which proved to be well in range. I asked him about that. He used the word “meaningless” to describe that test’s significance at this point in the recurrence process. Imagine my shock. Neither Nancy or I ever got that memo. She had started to back off on aspects of her natural protocol thinking she was out of the woods. She is not. He took biopsies in several places to confirm the diagnosis, but I could read it in his eyes and hear it in his voice. He has no doubt. Cancer has grown from microscopic to visible in her body in the last eight months.

Where does that leave us? Nancy has resumed an all-in campaign for morning, noon, and night therapy of the natural kind to battle her cancer. I’m afraid that means she will not be returning anytime soon to a more mainstream pastor’s wife life or to her part-time work out of the house with her supplement customers. Her full-time job for now remains to get well.

We are investigating additional natural methods which have come to our attention. As always, we covet your prayers for healing and the grace to fight the good fight with the joy of the Lord as our strength.

Take That Ovarian Cancer

August 1, 2015 / revheff / 2 Comments

It gives me great pleasure to rep0rt that Nancy’s latest blood test (she gets them quarterly now), came back with a CA-125 reading of 19. Above 35 is considered out of range. She remains well within acceptable results to give us confidence that healing from this stupid disease continues. She sees the doctor this week for his take on things. Thanks to all who continue to pray for us as we walk this path of faith. God is good. All the time.

Why Family Night Matters To Me

June 11, 2015 / revheff / Leave a comment

This Sunday evening, June 14, at 5 PM, OGC will have its second Family Night Member’s Meeting. I wouldn’t dream of missing it. And not just because I’m one of the shepherds of the flock. I’m pretty certain I would make this a priority, if I were a “mere” regular sheep of the fold.

Why? Because I made promises before God and His church about being in covenant community with the rest of the membership at OGC. And that means commitments of love spelled out in a place like 1 Corinthians 13.

I love how Jonathan Leeman, in his book The Surprising Offense of God’s Love, grabs back the pretty lyrics of that passage from weddings (not that it doesn’t fit there, of course) and reads it to the local church:

Do you want to exercise, practice, embody, and define the glorious love of heaven, he asks us? Then do it in a local church, a church where factions are pitted against one another (1 Cor. 1:12-13), where people have big heads (4:8), where members are sleeping with their fathers’ wives (5:2), where members are suing and defrauding one another (6:1-8), where members are getting drunk on the communion wine and not leaving enough for others (11:21-22), where spiritual gift one-upmanship is rife (chaps. 12 and 14), where the meetings are threatened by disorder (14:40), and where some are saying there is no resurrection from the dead (15:12). Bind and submit yourself and your gifts to these kinds of people. Love them with patience and kindness, without envy or boasting, without arrogance or rudeness, not insisting on our own way, not irritably or resentfully, not rejoicing at wrongdoing but rejoicing at the truth.

People often complain about the sinners they find in the local church, and with good reason. It’s filled with sinners, which is why Paul calls Christians to love one another by bearing all things, believing all things, hoping all things, enduring all things. If you won’t love such backstabbers and defrauders like this, don’t talk about your spiritual gifts, your vast biblical knowledge, or all the things you do for the poor. You’re just a noisy gong. Don’t talk about your love for all Christians everywhere; you are just a clanging cymbal. But if you do practice loving a specific, concrete people, all of whose names you don’t get to choose, then you will participate in defining love for the world, the love which will characterize the church on the last day perfectly because it images the self-sacrificing and merciful love of Christ perfectly.”

Family Night gives us one of the many ways to grow in love for those with whom He has called us into covenant commitments of membership. Here we learn to grow in that which is greatest and put the glorious gospel of the Lord Jesus on display.

Latest Update on Nancy’s Healing Journey

April 30, 2015 / revheff / Leave a comment

Thanks to everyone who continues to pray for my bride as she works her healing regimen in the aftermath of ovarian cancer surgery four months ago. She had her second post-op visit yesterday with the doctor. She continues to heal quite nicely in terms of that procedure. For this we are certainly grateful.

Her physician had, in our estimation, surprisingly little to say about her CA-125 numbers from the blood test in March which showed a significant drop from 268 to 18 (34 or lower is within range). He prescribed another of those tests for three months from now at which time she will see him again to monitor her progress. He advised her that she should have these tests every three months for the next two years, her highest risk time period for recurrence.

Frankly, that’s all there is to report. But we praise God for His faithfulness in answering so many prayers for her recovery. She feels and looks great. Everything she ingests is organic, sugar-free, healthy as can be and its shows.

I joke with folks all the time that I am the only thing toxic in her life!

HB633 Abortion Law Appeal

April 28, 2015 / revheff / Leave a comment

I received this today in my inbox from one of my favorite pro-life ministries. I urge all champions of life in our state to appeal to our governor to sign the bill sent to him by the legislature.

Dear Pro-Life Friends:

This is quick and easy. WE CANNOT TAKE THIS FOR GRANTED! “Big Abortion” forces in Florida are having a fit and making lots of intimidating “war on women” calls. We must remind the Governor of his pro-life campaign promises.

Is this worth 5 minutes your time? You bet! This law WILL save lives!

Click on this link to email the Governor:

http://www.flgov.com/contact-gov-scott/email-the-governor/

AND Call his Tallahassee office and leave a firm but polite message: 850-717-9337

Below is possible text for your email.Feel free to adapt to make it your own.

Dear Governor Scott,

I voted for you because you claimed to be pro-life. Now is the time to prove that you really are willing to stand up for pre-born babies and protect women from exploitation.

Please sign HB633 into law today! This bill gives women the choice to change their mind within a 24 hour cooling off period before terminating their pregnancy.

Women are often rushed or pressured into abortions. Florida requires a 3-day waiting period to buy a handgun. Isn’t is reasonable to have a 1-day waiting period before a woman makes a life changing decision for herself and her unborn child? I believe in empowering women with the facts so they can make an educated and healthy decision.

Thank you, in advance, for doing the right thing!

God bless,

Your Name Here

Where Was This When We Were Raising Kids?

April 21, 2015 / revheff / Leave a comment

We start a new round of Equipping Hour classes this Sunday. I’m excited about all four offerings.

I get to teach another newcomers class. You can read my blog post about that here.

James Harvey will tackle the church history elective. I expect that will be a rich journey through the ages of God’s work among His people.

Pastor Mike and Ben Hamilton will lead the evangelism and mercy ministry class, always a gospel-shaped, practical treatment of our calling to bend the gospel outwards as followers of Jesus.

For our parents, we have Chuck and Pam Mitchell facilitating the Paul Tripp DVD curriculum entitled Getting to the Heart of Parenting. I was moved by the video promo shown on Sunday and included it at the top of this post for any who missed it. May I strongly encourage our Dads and Moms to take advantage of this unique teaching content? How I wish I had thought and acted in these categories when Nancy and I were bringing up our sons.

Hope to see as many of you as possible this Sunday, April 26, at 9:30 AM!

Ride or Shove

April 18, 2015 / revheff / Leave a comment

I read this today from Oswald Chamber’s Baffled to Fight Better: Job and the Problem of Suffering:

The majority of us prefer to get up and ride rather than to “get out and shove.” It is only the people who “get out and shove” who really make things go. The men who are up against things just now and who are determined to get at reality at all costs, and will not accept a thing on the religious line unless that line states reality–these are the men who are paying the price for the next generation.

Tomorrow at 9:30 AM in the auditorium, the covenant members of OGC get to do Q&A with a man prepared “to get out and shove” as a new elder in our church. I am extremely thankful to God for raising up James Harvey to join our team. Here are twenty questions I hope our people will pose to him (or at least some of them):

Why do you aspire to the office of overseer in Christ’s church?
Where have you served in the past and how did God confirm your ministry in those contexts?
What are your spiritual gifts?
When the Bible says that elders must be “able to teach,” what does that look like in terms of the way you do ministry?
How do you assess your personal strengths?
How do you assess your personal weaknesses?
What does your family think of you becoming an elder, especially your wife?
What are the four “Gs” of biblical peacemaking? Note: he’d better know these!
How is your reputation with those outside the Christian community, particularly in your vocation?
What exceptions, if any, do you take to our confession of faith and why?
Where would you like to see OGC grow and improve in its ministry in the future?
What, if anything, gives you pause about becoming an elder?
Just how “Reformed” are you?
What do you believe are among the greatest threats to the church in our times?
Who are your personal heroes?
What two or three books other than the Bible have made the greatest impact on you and why?
Why did you think God wanted you and your family at OGC in the first place?
How do you do personal evangelism?
How are you involved in disciple-making?
What unique contribution might you make to the leadership team at OGC?

I can hardly think of a more important task for covenant members to embrace than the constructive scrutinizing of a potential addition to the elder team. He will pay the price for the next generation. I trust as many of you as possible will join us for the congregational meeting tomorrow. Non-members are welcome to observe, but again, we would ask that you leave the question asking to our covenant members only. See you soon, Lord willing!

A Sorrowful But Always Rejoicing Conference

April 15, 2015 / revheff / Leave a comment

I’ve been to a lot of conferences in thirty plus years of pastoral ministry. Another one has gone into the books. I, along with the rest of the elders at OGC, just finished attending The Gospel Coalition’s 2015 National Conference. The theme was “Coming Home: New Heaven and New Earth.” We drank from a non-stop fire hose of teaching about eschatology, the doctrine of last things, the recreation that is not yet, and how it makes a difference in our lives in the now.

I’ve dubbed it my sorrowful-yet-always-rejoicing conference. Of course I’m thinking of Paul’s description of gospel-shaped saints in 2 Cor. 6:10. This is the nature of living in the now while we wait for the not yet. We suffer the sorrows of the now, living under the curse (see Genesis 3). However, we do not grieve as those without hope, but rather rejoice always in the sure promises of the not yet still to come.

I experienced the tension in both ways these forty-eight hours just passed. I felt the sorrow. While Voddie Baucham preached on 1 Cor. 15 about the resurrection of the dead, he painted a picture. In it he described standing over the dead body of his sixteen year old cousin and the emotions which flooded him as he was confronted by the sting of death. I flashed back to standing over my own son’s lifeless body last year. Yet another terrorist attack of grief detonated within. I endured once more those horrible pangs of sadness which I suspect will linger until I finish out my own numbered days.

But I also felt the rejoicing. The conference finished with Phil Ryken teaching out of Revelation 21-22). He too painted a picture. It involved not a now, but a not yet hope for every believer as detailed in Rev. 21:4 – “He will wipe away every tear.” That hope comforted me. It tempered my loss and renewed my joy. On that day when I go home, because of what Jesus has done for me in His death, burial, and resurrection, the Lord will greet me and personally wipe away every tear I have and ever will shed over the agonizing loss of my firstborn. I can’t tell you how much I look forward to that moment.

Of course, as you might expect, there were many other things of value that came from the conference. Not the least of which was the benefit of having all seven of our elders there to increase our gospel passion and ponder how better to lead OGC. Please pray for us as we gather our thoughts and eventually debrief toward some action steps as God would lead. I can hardly express the value which comes from these rare opportunities when we can discuss with leisure the state of Christ’s church and how to lead her into the future.

On behalf of our entire team, this pastor says, “Thank you, the gospel-shaped, giving people of Orlando Grace Church.”

Top Ten List for Teaching a New Member Class

April 9, 2015April 11, 2015 / revheff / 1 Comment

Not sure how many times I’ve taught Discover OGC over the years, but I get to do it again starting April 26. My excitement for the task never lessens. Here’s my own version of a top ten list as to why I look forward to teaching the same stuff every time.

Number Ten: I know the content cold so there’s no additional preparation I have to do!

Number Nine: I get to meet a bunch of people who are new to the church and begin to forge pastoral relationships with them. One of the highlights of the class, a recent innovation, is a luncheon one Sunday after church where we hang out and get to know each other.

Number Eight: I get to practice my vision casting as a pastor. This is a perennial weakness for which I need all the help I can get.

Number Seven: I make a case for why church membership matters. I’ve blogged about a theology of church membership here, in case anyone is interested.

Number Six: I unpack our church’s core values starting with the one that matters the most in my mind–passion for God at the core. I exist as a pastor to labor for my sheep’s joy (2 Cor. 1:24)!

Number Five: I expose people to the rich tradition of the Protestant Reformation and the God-glorifying Solas and Doctrines of Grace that it gifted to Christ’s church.

Number Four: I argue for the necessity of the baptism of disciples alone (credo-baptism) as the only appropriate application of the sign of the New Covenant.

Number Three: I teach biblical peacemaking to prospective new members so they are prepared to eagerly preserve the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace (Eph. 4:3), if they choose to covenant with OGC, or not for that matter.

Number Two: I exegete each and every word of our treasured mission statement: engaging peoples everywhere for pursuing ultimate satisfaction in Jesus.

And the number one reason I delight to teach Discover OGC each and every time?

IT’S A BLAST!

CT Highlights for April 2015

April 4, 2015April 4, 2015 / revheff / Leave a comment

CT stands for Christianity Today magazine. I try to read it cover-to-cover each month. Though my views bend more toward the conservative end of the spectrum than its editors, I find it keeps me in touch with the state of the faith in many ways. Seems to me a pastor should make it his business to stay informed this way to some degree. For that, I am grateful for the publicati0n.

Here at the ten most interesting things to come out of the current edition, at least from my perspective.

Kevin DeYoung has written a new book published by Crossway—What Does the Bible Really Teach About Homosexuality (p. 1). I suspect this resource will help a lot of us better navigate the cultural waters of this challenging issue from a biblical perspective.
The Bible Society of Egypt transformed the ISS propaganda video’s “two rows by the seas” (beheading of 21 Coptic Christians) into its largest outreach in 130 years. In 1.65 million tracts on God’s promise of blessing amid suffering, it asked: “Who fears the other? The row in orange, watching paradise open? Or the row in black, with minds evil and broken”, (p. 15)?
Last year, 2.6 million Twitter users shared Bible verses 43 million times. The number one tweeter (including retweets)? Desiring God’s John Piper–105,836. The number one verse tweeted? Philippians 4:13 (p. 16).
Christian hip-hop artist Lecrae won four top spots in gospel categories last year, including No. 1 gospel artist of the year (p. 17).
When five Christian pastors in Laos prayed for a sick woman who later died, a Laotian provincial court imprisoned and fined them for being “illegal doctors” (p. 17).
Nearly one year after Jews for Jesus launched one of its most successful and controversial evangelism campaigns, more than 1.3 milli0n people worldwide have watched That Jew Died for You. The three-minute YouTube video depicts Jesus carrying the cross to a gas chamber (p. 19).
Today, an estimated 10,000 to 15,000 Ukrainian Jews worship Jesus as Messiah. This makes Ukraine, a nation of 45 million, the region’s fulcrum of the Messianic Jewish movement (p. 20). (By comparison, Ukraine has about 1.7 million evangelical Christians and more than 23 million Orthodox Christians, who constitute about half the country’s population.)
A new breed of apologists defend the faith now and they are female (see image above). CT calls them “the unexpected defenders.” I was familiar with Nancy Pearcey, but not Holly Ordway, Mary Jo Sharp, Kristen Davis, Melissa Cain Travis, and Amy Orr Ewing. Empathetic AND rationalistic apologetics. Excellent! Ladies, check it out (p. 35ff).
In England, 38 percent of youth now say they don’t believe in God (p. 46).
Up to 1 in 3 Swedes claim atheism, and only 18 percent say ‘I believe there is a God’ (p. 65).