ITLOTC
(In The Life Of The Church)
Pentecost
You Are That Man
"You are that man!" 2 Samuel 12:7
1. Parables
Jesus wasn't the first person to use parables. The tradition of parables is older than the incarnation portion of his story. The most obvious place to see this is in Nathaniel's rebuking David.
David saw Bathsheba bathing on the roof. He had her husband killed. Their consequent sexual relationship lacked consent.
It's an awful story with an awful ending. Their baby dies.
God is angry. David won't get off the hook.
Sometimes we become so immune to criticism that we need to hear it creatively. That's how God cracks David's heart, with a creative story.
The prophet Nathaniel shows up and tells David a story about rich man with many sheep and a poor man with one sheep. The rich man steals the poor mans sheep.
It's more descriptive than that though. Nathan describes this lamb--the lamb plays with the poor man's children. There's clearly affection between the family the animal. The rich man takes it to feed a visitor. He didn't want to tap into his own flock so he robs the poor to feed the rich.
It's outrage!
The strategy works. David is furious. He even calls for the death penalty.
Then the micdrop. Nathan tells David, "You are that man!"
2. Automatic Video Feeds
Have you ever watched a video and then because you didn't close the screen after the video, the video feed cues another video. Yesterday I clicked on a video of a hydraulic press crushing a can of silly string because I like those kind of videos. Then it showed me a video of a hydraulic press crushing a diamond.
Enthralling! I was hooked.
The next video was a hydraulic press crushing a hydraulic press. Best one yet.
Then a video of a fight between high school students in a bathroom. Confession, I should have turned off the video feed at this point, but curiosity get the best of me. "They looked like middle schoolers," I thought, "surely this ends in comedy or it wouldn't survive on the internet." There's an inaudible exchange of words. Then the bigger kid attacks the smaller kid. Other kids watch. I've not been in a fight, but this doesn't look too bad. Then, the big kid picks up the little kid and slams him to the ground. I'm hoping his backpack breaks the fall, but I'm concerned about his head. It could have really gotten hurt.
Then the most heart crushing thing I've heard in a while. The kid on the floor cries a deep cry of agony. Something took my heart and wrapped it in knots.
I couldn't believe how angry I got. Every ounce of pacifism in me was swallowed up in rage. I wanted to storm the school scream at the Principal. I wanted to find the parents of the bigger kid and lecture them for raising such a terrible human being. I wanted to throw that bigger kid against a locker and scare the hell out of him.
Here's what was happening in me. I found an entry point. I have four kids ... and for a split second I imagined that it could have been one of mine getting beat up. Vicariously, I was involved in that situation. That's usually the best way for me to do empathy.
About 30 minutes later I recalled a moment from middle school. Our teacher informed us that we'd have a substitute the next day. It was a sewing class. Occasionally we needed copies of a pattern to be made on the copy machine in the office.
Jake devised a plan. He'd send our naive substitute to make a copy so that one girl in our class could pummel another. I knew about the plot and I did nothing. And then the next day when it happened, I did nothing.
I was that man.
3. Prophets and Judgement
There is a motif of prophetic judgement in the scriptures and there is a motif of repentance. They are not mutually exclusive, but as I do my own journey, I'm sometimes confused by which voice i should employ.
There are so many instances that need leadership and truth telling. Thank God for those voices. And still, Christian faith is relentless in it's demand that our primary work be introspective.
Judgement is a theological necessity that ought to be exercised carefully. Some of us should share opinions and educate people. But some of us should probably listen. Because if we are too hasty in our condemnation, we just might find that, "we are that man."
Children's Ministry Info for Sunday
This week Emily will be on vacation, so Liz Andrasi will be at the UBCKids helm! To our UBCKids community, be sure to ask Liz if she needs any extra hands, or a refill on her coffee, or anything else! She’s going to do an amazing job, there is no doubt, but extra help is always welcomed! Thanks, Liz and thanks in advance to UBC!
Textile Generosity and other Interesting Points: By Marshall Cook
We all remember middle school. Oh the memories:
Concert band renditions of Queen's "We Will Rock You",
- Significant others that you hold hands with if your buddies aren't around,
- The agony and confusion over why your boyfriend won't hold your hand when his buddies are around,
- The inexplicable and pungent mix of industrial grade cleaner, sweat, and over zealously applied drug store fragrances.
Sadly, these halcyon days have passed many of us by...
BUT WAIT, what if you could reach in to that world and give a middle school student the one thing universally desired by these precious, pubescent, proto-people: The gift of looking and feeling Fresh to Death.
Through Our Church Family's partnership with Cesar Chavez Middle School and Communities in Schools, this opportunity is within your reach. Please consider the following options:
- Donate a new or gently used uniform to Communities in Schools; Bring it by the church and Marshall (that's me) will get it to the right place. Anything sized for K-12 is wonderful!
- Write a check to Communities in Schools of the Heart of Texas and write "uniforms" in the memo line. Again, I'm happy to collect at the church
- Donate online here ( For reference, the boys "Husky 14" size shirt that I would have worn in Middle School runs a cool $12).
I hope you'll join me in this opportunity to love our (adolescent) neighbors.
Love y'all,
Marshall Cook
Former Middle Schooler
UBC T-Shirts
If you ordered a UBC t-shirt ... great news. you can now pick them up. please find Josh or Jamie on Sunday or whenever and we'll hook you up.
Harry Potter Party
We will be hosting a Harry Potter party at then end of July to celebrate the release of the new book. If you are interested in either Harry Potter or parties, and would like to help Josh plan and execute this party, that would be greatly appreciated. interested persons should email, josh@ubcwaco.org
Random Cool Picture to be used as thumbnail to generate more Traffic
Work is Worship
Greeters: Rick
Coffee Makers: Chad
Mug Cleaners: Emma
Money Counter: Josh McCormick
Announcements:
- Sunday Sermon Text: Ecclesiastes 3:1-11 Please be in prayer for my friend Taylor as she prepares to bring us a word this Sunday.
- MD Chains Location: Viteks by Baylor.
- Summer Grills & Chills @ the park ... Wednesday June 22nd. More information to come.
Do you have an emergency and need to talk to a pastor?
254 413 2611
Leadership Team
If you have a concern or an idea for UBC that you’d like to share with someone that is not on staff, feel free to contact one of our leadership team members.
Chair- Kristin Dodson: kschwebke@prodigy.net
Joy Wineman: joy.wineman@gmail.com
Stan Denman: Stan_Denman@baylor.edu
David Wilhite: David_Wilhite@baylor.edu
Bridget Heins: bheins@hot.rr.com
Sharyl Loeung: sharylwl@gmail.com
Jon Davis: jdavis83@gmail.com
UBC Finance Team
Do you have a question about UBC’s financial affairs? Please feel free to contact any of your finance team members.
Josh McCormick: Josh.McCormick@dwyergroup.com
Hannah Kuhl: HannahKuhl@hotmail.com
Justin Pond: pondjw@gmail.com
Anna Tilson: Anna_Tilson@jrbt.com
Doug McNamee: douglas_mcnamee@baylor.edu
UBC HR Team
If you have concerns about staff and would like contact our human resources team, please feel free to email any of the following members.
Maxcey Blaylock: maxceykite@gmail.com
Mathew Crawford: mathewcrawford@yahoo.com
Rob Engblom: Rob_Engblom@baylor.edu
Ross Van Dyke: Ross_Vandyke@baylor.edu