In "The Fine Art of Mentoring: Passing on to Others What God Has Given to You," author Theodore Wilhelm Engstrom says there is a way for humans to do things. 

It is quicker than God's Way.

It's easier, too.  

But it's absolutely dead wrong.

Engstrom's point is that we seek shortcuts. An individual willing to teach another person a craft, hobby, or how to do anything must take the time to do so properly. 

Once upon a time, an artisan would choose an apprentice who shows promise. He would work long and hard with that individual to develop techniques and instill personal pride in a job well done. 

This is a lost art.

We are told to make disciples of men and women; to become people who show promise.

Those who have a genuine heart for God have all the tools and skills they need to become a disciple of our Lord. However, we often have good intentions but do not follow through, or we want to rush the process in a quicker, easier and most definitely wrong way. 

It takes time to learn God's Word and His ways. It is not impossible; it just takes the leadership of people like you and me, living an example for others. 

New Christians need to see us doing our best. Sometimes, we need these same new ones to help keep us in line.

It is time for you to break out of your shell.

You know that child, the one who angers you so much? Perhaps he needs you.  The single parent who lives down the road, and those in grief over the loss of a loved one — they need you to help them find Christ and then be made into a disciple. 

It will take time, patience and a willing heart, but the rewards are amazing! 

The final goal? 

Matthew 10:25: "It is enough for the disciple that he be as his master, and the servant as his lord. If they have called the master of the house Beelzebub, how much more shall they call them of his household?"

Oh, to be Christ-like enough in our life that we are known by His same virtues.

The Rev. Richard Helms serves at Miracle Acres Ministries, 3187 E. James Lee Blvd., Crestview.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: HELMS: Can Christians please revive this lost art?

All kinds of braces assist us as our poor bodies break down. 

Back braces help with lifting, walking and anything else that could hurt your back.  We also have braces for wrists, elbows, knees and necks. Almost all ailments can be assisted, supported, or corrected with the orthopedic world's little marvels.

But it's time to break out one more support. This one's 3 feet long, and it's for the ailing body of Christ. To correctly use this, find loose-fitting clothes. Place the top of this object near your shoulders, hanging straight down. Strap it to your spine. It will immediately give you additional backbone to stand up proudly for the Bible's precepts, and proclaim you are a Christian who follows His leadership. 

Brothers and sisters in Christ, we need an old-fashioned 2-by-4 strapped to our backs, not fashioned from wood, created by determination to lift up His name, and a love that reaches for Him more than our desire to find man's favor. 

This country and world are in the shape they're in because we do not have the courage, the backbone, to stand up for the Gospel. 

The same things that are so bad in this great country of ours happened in Israel during Jeremiah's time. Through his pen, he wrote what God said was the problem. God only spoke of one clear sin that Israel was guilty of: The Father stated that Israel no longer searched and sought after Him.

Judgment came.

If Christians do not strap on spiritual 2-by-4s, get on our knees and repent for our weakness, and then repent for our country,  there will be no healing.

Stand up for Jesus.

When people reject you, remember they first rejected Him. He was tied to a cross.

Can we not at least strap on a spiritual 2-by-4? Think about it.

Rev. Richard Helms serves at Miracle Acres Ministries, 3187 E. James Lee Blvd., Crestview.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: HELMS: Stand tall for your faith

One of his own betrayed him. Thursday evening, Jesus had finished the Passover meal with his disciples and had gone to the Garden of Gethsemane to pray. 

While there, Judas, the group's treasurer, arrived with soldiers, greeted Jesus with the traditional kiss from a disciple to his rabbi, and Jesus was arrested.

Jesus was taken before a kangaroo court and found guilty of blasphemy and sedition.

The punishment for such crimes? Death on a cross — perhaps the most cruel form of torture that humanity devised. He was nailed to a cross and left to die while countless people jeered and cursed him, and a few mourned him.

When Jesus succumbed to torture of the cross and died, the religious leaders were satisfied. The Roman leaders were satisfied. The religious zealots were satisfied.

Do you remember why Jesus irked them so much?

On Palm Sunday, we reflected on when Jesus entered Jerusalem. The people were thrilled. They had heard about this miracle-worker and were ready to make him their king. 

The religious leaders were not happy because Jesus spent the previous three years challenging their theology and religious practices. That people were enthralled with this troublemaker sat in their craw.

In addition, the Roman government was not happy with the fact that Jesus entered Jerusalem with the crowd shouting, “Hosanna,” which means “Save now!” 

They saw Jesus as one who would disrupt the social stability by bringing about rebellion against Rome.

And the way Jesus entered Jerusalem sent the wrong message — as did his teachings. Jesus rode into the city on a donkey instead of a horse. The donkey symbolized Jesus was arriving in peace. If he had arrived on a horse, the message would have been that he was coming to conquer.

The religious leaders, the Roman leaders, the religious zealots each plotted ways to remove Jesus from the face of the earth. 

That was then.

Now, less than a week later, this fraud, this rabble-rouser, this phony messiah was dead and sealed in a tomb.

As far as they were concerned, another troublemaker was disposed of.

But God had other plans.

What people intended for harm, God turned to good. Three days later, God raised Jesus from the dead. Jesus left the tomb, to his disciples' utter surprise and bewilderment. Once the confusion died away, there was great rejoicing among his people.

Jesus is not dead — even these 2,000 years later.  This is the message of the Christian faith that is different from any other religion in the world.

The tomb of Confucius: occupied. 

The tomb of Buddha: occupied.

The tomb of Muhammad: occupied.

The tomb of Jesus: empty. (I have been to his tomb and have witnessed it for myself. He is not there! He is risen!)

Yes, Jesus died to make available the forgiveness of sins and the promise of eternal life with God. That Jesus overcame the power of death proved once and for all death is not the final answer. 

In him, there is life in this world and the world to come.

Happy Easter, my friends. Enjoy the love that he has expressed to you in a way that no one else ever could.

The Rev. Mark Broadhead is Laurel Hill Presbyterian Church and First Presbyterian Church of Crestview's pastor.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: BROADHEAD: God turned people's harm into good

David gathered five smooth stones from the brook to fight Goliath, a Philistine giant.

We can find this story in the book of 1 Samuel, Chapter 17. But for today, don't concentrate on David or Goliath. Let's look at the stones. 

The Bible states that they were smooth and taken from a brook, a moving body of water. They did not fall in to automatically assume their present shape, but rather were molded and buffeted against other rocks, sand and water until they were finally ready to be chosen by the future king to defeat his enemy.

 As a Christian, have you ever wondered why you have hard times in this life? Christ stated that the world would hate us, but why such a hard time, even in our physical and church families?

Consider that you are a stone being shaped for the perfect use of the future king for defeating His enemy.

We have had to spend some time in the stream being tumbled, bruised, polished and irritated — all this so that we can be shaped and useful to the king.

We become most usable when we decide to quit fighting Him and His mercy and willingly let Him remove our edges. 

Now we are ready to hit the target. 

He sends us into this world to win others, pray and assist where we can, and indeed we can fell the enemy. 

A smooth stone flies straighter, skips across the water better, and is so much prettier to look at. To be a part of Him is to be willing to submit to Him. Your river is His pleasures poured out for you. 

Bask and bathe in His presence.

Rev. Richard Helms serves at Miracle Acres Ministries, 3187 E. James Lee Blvd., Crestview.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: HELMS: Bask and bathe in God's presence

For a moment, let’s play with semantics.

Many people refer to Jesus as “my” Lord and “my” Savior, as if he is someone we possess. “My” connotes ownership, as if a person owns Jesus, as if he is theirs alone. 

It may be easier to say “Jesus is my Savior” or “Jesus is my Lord.” But when we try to evangelize, it is like we are offering a person a piece of something we own.  It is like we are giving a person a gift instead of them receiving the gift from God.

“My” can imply a selfishness that may sound like a person is not willing to share Jesus with others. It may even suggest a type of arrogance, or a false pride that a prized possession is held close and lorded over those who do not have the same.

And as you know, when someone possesses something, others may feel jealous, or put down, or want to take it away, or downplay its importance.

I wonder the impact of expressing belief in Jesus in different terms. What would be the impact if Christians professed Jesus as “the” Lord and “the” Savior instead of “my” Lord and “my” Savior? 

“We already do that,” you might say.  But when sharing your testimony, is that truly what you say? Do not most say, “Jesus is my Savior?"

“Jesus is the Lord” has a very different meaning than “Jesus is my Lord,” and carries a lot more weight. "Jesus is the Savior” has a very different meaning than “Jesus is my Savior,” and presents a statement of faith that is to be true for all persons. Words that imply the possession of Jesus narrow the impact he has on life.

Making statements sounding of possession allows for the possibility there are other methods of salvation, other lords in life. 

Whereas this may be true in a worldly sort of way, those other lords and saviors do not lead to the forgiveness of sin and the attainment of salvation promised by Jesus Christ.

Yes, it is a matter of semantics. And this may seem to be a silly little argument. But words make all the difference in the world, and in the world to come.

Jesus is not “my” Savior nor “my” Lord to own or possess or keep to myself. He is “the” Savior of all.  He is “the” Lord of all. 

We belong to him.  He does not belong to us.

The Rev. Mark Broadhead is Laurel Hill Presbyterian Church and First Presbyterian Church of Crestview's pastor.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: FROM THE PULPIT: Let's end the practice of possessing Jesus

When I got married, there was a lot of financial pressure placed on my wife and me. 

After we renewed our walk with our Heavenly Father, those pressures were still there. 

I found out what a gem of a wife I had when I came home one day and she met me at the door with my rod and reel in hand.  No tackle box, no lures, just a rod and reel. 

Taking the hint, I eased out of the driveway and went to a place I truly loved to go to just be alone.

However, sitting back, taking a deep breath, closing my eyes, I knew that I was not alone. For the next hour or so, I was able to just spend time with my Savior as the tears sweetly rolled down my cheek. 

No trumpets blaring, not even the radio was on. Yet Jesus came and sat beside me and began to gently touch my very innermost being. 

I left that place that day completely renewed from His presence. My lovely wife would later tell me that she had been praying for me, and she felt that I had been given an invitation to come be with Jesus. 

Through the trials and troubles of my life, there has always been a time when God would gently whisper to me that it was time to break away from the cares of this life, and come join Him in fellowship.

From reading His Word, I know that Jesus made it a habit to get away with just His Father on a regular basis. Oh, what a joy to just be in the King's presence! For Him to wrap His arms around you and whisper His sweet words into your very heart, there is no better  time spent here on earth. His Word and message is for us to come to Him, and He will give us rest.

My friend, my experiences with the Father are a result of having to learn to trust and walk with Him. Listening to His voice, reading His Word, and putting it to practice in my life. The invitation for an audience with Jesus is open to any and all that will call upon His name.

In the midst of our being busy, He wants us to take a moment to stop and let Him show just how much He cares about each and every one of us. 

Your invitation to attend a one-on-one meeting with the King has been sent.

How will you respond? 

Rev. Richard Helms serves at Miracle Acres Missions, 3187 E. James Lee Blvd., in Crestview.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: HELMS: How will you respond to the Lord's invitation?

Valor and bravery are words we use to describe an individual who goes beyond their personal fears to make a safer area for all of humanity. 

While that officer is writing up a ticket, be thankful that he or she cares enough to assist you in a real time of need.  The firefighter down the road may one day risk their life to save another's child from a burning dwelling. A nurse, doctor, or just a good neighbor would be glad to come to your aid, especially in this area of the country.

Allow me to take a look at a very special group of men and women we see daily: our military personnel.

Pass by a wreck, or even someone broken down on the highway, and you will invariably find some brave person stopping to lend a hand. 

Pick a real need after a storm passes through and, as soon as they are able, they will be out and about, seemingly tireless in their endeavors to assist their neighbor. 

A call to lay down their life for you and I? They will not hesitate to do so.

We are constantly reminded of our brave young people. You can barely travel in or out of the area and not be reminded that they are right near us. They are our neighbors and, when they hurt, we too should hurt. 

From our region's many military bases comes forth a great cloud of daily witnesses of those who serve this great country.  

As a neighbor, I hurt from our area's recent loss of life. We are even now praying for you, as well as the families of those who perished.  Their lives will be honored and remembered, as they should be. 

My hope is that someone else will pick up the banner, step in and be as brave as they. Someone who can love as deeply, care so selflessly, and serve so valiantly.

We as Christians should live with valor and bravery as well. We, too, have a great cloud of witnesses that have paved the way for us.  

David has his men of honor recognized for all eternity in the Bible as he explained their exploits. These were the physical soldiers. In Hebrews 11, we also find a listing of some of those that by faith are recognized for all eternity. 

To our guardians: Stand tall and be strong. Our faith warriors will continue to lift you up in prayer and intercession.

To make mention of an old quote, no one stands taller, fights stronger, and prevails more readily than when one stands on their knees.

Think about it.

Rev. Richard Helms serves at Miracle Acres Ministries, 3187 E. James Lee Blvd., Crestview.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: HELMS: Fight, prevail on your knees