ZIG, 1926 – 2012

As a young business owner there was not any man I admired and desired more to emulate than Zig Ziglar. His book, "See You at the Top" sat on both my bed-stand AND desk - and I referred to it often. I even sent him a gift once - sent from my agency to his North Dallas Headquarters - trying to get his attention with some salesmanship of my own. The gift came to him in a finely wrapped box complete with ribbon and note, and inside was a cassette and player (something quite familiar to his own market and trade) but with my voice greeting him to extol the virtues of D. Samuel Dennis Co., Advertising, and why he should consider giving us a shot as his companies agency representative of choice.

Yes, I was a decided ZIG fan! But... beyond all the times I'd heard him speak and above all the ways I was prone to admire him - as businessman, salesman, motivational speaker, and committed Christian - his greatest message to me was something I was to hear in quite a different way. Something I was to witness over these last 20 years as I was blessed to live near him in the same community. A message quieter than all others but oh so powerful - and one to which I was finally most drawn. THAT was Zig's faithful love and devotion to his wife, the woman he called, his "REDHEAD."

Below is an excerpt from Zig's website, taken from an article he wrote, The New Decision Close, in which he describes his proposal to Jean, something he would call 'his best decision ever'.

"I asked that Redhead of mine (she is a "decided" redhead, meaning that one day she just decided to be a redhead!) to marry me and she said no. I asked her the second time; she said no. Third time, no. Fourth time, no. Fifth time, no. Sixth time, yes. No, she did not change her mind. What she did was very simple. She made a new decision based on the new information which produced a new feeling."

From: Secrets of Closing the Sale
© 1984 Zig Ziglar
Published by Fleming H. Revell
PHS-018-005022
Visit Zig Ziglar's Website: http://www.ziglar.com

Occasionally Belinda and I would run into Zig and Jean at Luby's, and he - always so courteous and kind - would eventually assign our conversation to the joys of being in love with one woman, forever, and for always. Zig absolutely loved Jean! And she knew it! And if ever there was any better example of a man following Ephesians 5:25 and a woman positively responding to such, neither Belinda or I could recall it. 

Now the folks who worked at Luby's probably didn't know the Ziglar's as 'famous'. They likely didn't realize that Zig was honored and recognized the world over. They just knew them as 'that cute couple,' who were always smiling, laughing, and holding hands.  And that seemed to make our seeing them there even more special.  No performance.  The real thing! 

Yes, I suspect that if we could talk to Zig right now and ask him about his life, he'd point to two decisions that changed things for him forever. The first, would be his decision to make Christ His Savior and to serve Him with all his might. But the second, I believe, would be his grace to meet and decision to marry his wife, Jean - and then follow this in the joyful occupation, everyday, of 'staying in love' with his 'decided redhead.'  So that his final message to this man - born just one generation behind - was this...it's not just how you start or how you do along the way, but it's how you finish that counts!  And, well.... Zig finished swell. Holding tight onto the two very wonderful things he began with so long ago - one met in Yazoo City and the other in Jackson - his LORD and his Bride.  And THAT'S a message worth listening to, still.   

Well done, Zig!  

Pastor Sam  

12 November 2012, Veterans Day

Veterans Day is celebrated so that we might honor veterans of our American Armed Services who have defended freedom's cause at home and around the world. Often taken for granted, our freedom - though given us by God - must be defended in a fallen world. For, certainly, we have seen America flourish in freedom. This freedom has spawned our economic system of free-enterprise and factored in us maintaining our overarching psyche of national optimism and hope - bringing to history a nation never before equaled in accomplishment and purpose.  Indeed, the record of American success speaks, serving testimony that freedom benefits any people, in this and every time.

Yet protection of our national freedom is essential. For this reason we say, 'thank you', to the brave Americans who have made this possible for us by their sacrifice. On Veterans Day we honor those who have served and on Memorial Day we honor those who have fallen. Both days teaching the same lesson - that freedom, though granted by God and brought, ultimately, by freedom from sin because of Christ, is maintained 'nationally' and secured 'societally' at great price.

So we say, 'God Bless our Veterans.'  We honor you today, and say, 'thank you!' committing to not forget - neither you nor the price you've paid - enabling us to live free in a free land.

And... may God Bless America, too! - as she aids and defends the selfsame for others around the world!

Let freedom ring!


Pastor Sam
 

November 7, 2012

This morning I awoke to a gorgeous, sunshine-filled day that bespoke an opposite sentiment of many I am privileged to pastor. For these, the sun was not shinning when they awakened, and, in sentiment's place was gloom - a gloom over their sense that our culture appears bent on a path moving away from values held basic to Christian faith.

Considering this, as I prayed this morning, I sought God for a word I might share and was reminded of three simple, yet profound, principles we are all called to. For as God's people we are to:

1. Remember our responsibility - God forever calls His people, in the Old Testament, the New Testament and now, to repentance and revival.
If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land. 2 Chronicles 7:14

2. Rest in God's way - God is Judge, not us. This has forever been His responsibility, and remains. When the church attempts to take this from God, we lose our way - and we are admonished in God's Word to not do so.
For I am not aware of anything against myself, but I am not thereby acquitted. It is the Lord who judges me. Therefore do not pronounce judgment before the time, before the Lord comes, who will bring to light the things now hidden in darkness and will disclose the purposes of the heart. Then each one will receive his commendation from God. 1 Corinthians 4: 3-4 

3. Reestablish our call and purpose -  The proclamation of the gospel is the supreme purpose of the church. God's compassion for sinners is what brought us Christ, and this same position, only, is what ultimately will ignite His church and bring change to our world, if it is to be. The church flourishes in righteousness and mercy, not in righteousness and bitterness, or fear, or anger, or... etc., etc., etc.
“Judge not, that you be not judged. For with the judgment you pronounce you will be judged, and with the measure you use it will be measured to you. Why do you see the speck that is in your brother's eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? Matthew 7: 1-4 
When God called Israel to repentance and to remembrance of its purpose of being a light to the Gentiles (Nations), He spoke this word through His prophet Micah:
He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God. Micah 6:8 
The 'justice', if there is any, that God has call us to is a justice of offering mercy to one another.
"This is what the LORD Almighty says: 'Administer true justice; show mercy and compassion to one another. Zechariah 7:9 
And the New Testament epistle from Jude reminds us that though we are to remain wary and wise to sin, we are to do so mercifully.
Keep yourselves in the love of God, waiting for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ that leads to eternal life. And have mercy on those who doubt; save others by snatching them out of the fire; to others show mercy with fear, hating even the garment stained by the flesh. Jude 1: 21-23 

So my prayer for each of us today is that we will be nothing less than what God has called us to be. For God still sits on His throne and His requirement of us is unchanged. Jonah did not want to go to Nineveh, but God put him in the belly of a whale and sent him there anyway. Jeremiah was considered by his peers to be a 'nut', yet his words are remembered today. And, Jesus? Well, He was nailed to a cross, and through this God brought redemption from sin.

So whether the sun is shinning for you today, or not - God's Son, our Savior Jesus Christ, is. Let us rejoice in this and be glad.  For we really do have...

Much yet to do,

Pastor Sam

BIG TEX

Yesterday's news that 'Big Tex' had caught fire and burned, just 25 minutes after the Texas State Fair opened, caught me by surprise. Taylor, our daughter who works downtown, called to tell me. My throat caught - then she laughingly helped, "I told my friends 'my Dad will cry,'" and she kindly moved on.

Big Tex represents more than just a 'talking tall man' for me - this child of the 50s, he represents memories and awe.  Born in 1950, 2 years before Big Tex himself, my beginnings were before computers and cell phones. My world consisted of TV with rabbit ears and only 3 channels, and color TV was something seen only at the store. I was a child of 'Mr. Peppermint,' 'Icky Twerp' and the 'Slam Bang Theater' (go look it up), and in my young days neither the Dallas Cowboys (nor Dallas Texans), existed - and when they did, they played in the Cotton Bowl, with fewer in the stands than when SMU played there. In other words, the Fair Grounds were everything to me - and BIG TEX, written always in CAPS and towering high over near east Dallas, became an icon of both our cultures past and its bright and bragg-adocious future yet to come. TEX saying, 'Welcome to the State Fair of Texas' was code for... "Welcome to Dallas, Y'all." 

As a boy my Dad, who rarely took off work for anything, somehow always 'took off' on our school's 'Fair Day'.  He'd meet us at the front gate, coming to join us from work, but once he did... the party began. This Dad was not the Dad of everyday, this was 'Fair Day Dad,' and he was amazing. There wasn't a ride he said 'NO' to, not one animal (at the LIVESTOCK SHOW) we did not stop to see, and Corny Dog's? their supply seemed limitless. Overlooking it all was BIG TEX, and the same admonition from Dad, "if we get separated, or you get lost, go to BIG TEX and wait for me there!"  Word's that, even today, are hard for me to write without choking up.  Dad is gone, and now...

Last evening I sat for a moment with Cody Jones, our Minister to Students whom I absolutely love, and we talked about BIG TEX and his burning. His reply was of comfort, "it was just clothes and a jaw, pastor, they will have him back up in no time, bigger and better."  And, of course, Cody is right.  I am sure that the unveiling of the new and improved BIGGER TEX will be a media sensation.  Who wouldn't want to watch this.  But, still... there's just something not right about his burning, at least for me. Something symbolic for this preacher, who's lived long enough to watch so much change - not only with our world at large, but with our world right here in Dallas.  

I have a few Dallas Newspapers that I've saved. The day Tom Landry died and the last issue of Dallas Times Herald are among them. Both of these 'front pages' report on icons of the past - "Landry" and the "Herald" - two icons which really did make us better. I suspect I'll save today's Dallas News, as well.  

"If we get separated or lost, go to BIG TEX and wait for me there!" 

And, I will, Dad :-) 

Pastor Sam 

IDOLATRY

Today's message was SUPPOSED to be the 3rd in my series, Culture in Crisis, focusing on three matters present in our culture that push against us being all God intended. Today, my 'Crisis' topic was "Idolatry", and the biblical cure, or antithesis, was to be WORSHIP - of CHRIST. So...

I got up this morning and headed to the church with message in hand - ready to deliver the solution.  For 23 years I have awakened on Sunday morning with one thing, often most primary, on my mind - Parkwayhills - and, well, today I learned that maybe this pastor might need to learn a thing or two himself.

When I arrived at the church I was informed we had no power - not to any part of our building.  Our campus was dark, the new children's building not accessible, no air, no coffee, no lights in the hallway.  Absolutely pitch black.  Inconvenient and frustrating, for sure, but remediable, or... so I thought. However, as the morning wore on it became ever more clear that power was NOT going to be restored to the building any time soon, making the already hectic day increasingly unsafe - especially for those of our congregation most vulnerable. And so, after a quick meeting with our Executive Administrator and Board President, the decision was made, and, one by one we began to inform people that 'worship' - at least the service scheduled for 10:45 - was cancelled.

Now throughout the day I have thought a lot about this - and from many angles. How much of our Christian experience, that which we call "our" Christianity, is really just a matter of social setting only?  A matter of friendships, our group, and not a matter of a true relationship - an everyday, intimate kind of relationship - with the One whom we call our Saviour?

Then, this... I thought about myself this morning.  Perfectly poised and ready to preach a message on Idolatry.  To preach to people who, in my mind, needed to give up the things of this world so they could focus on God, and worship Him.  Then it happened!  God pulled out from under me one of the very things that I most worship. That's right, church! I worship (spend an inordinate amount of my time, energy and money) "worshipping" church - often, confessedly, forgetting the very One who came and now stands as the church's Bridegroom. Did I really need to meet at 10:45 am at 2700 North Dallas Parkway to worship Him? Was His power turned off this morning? Well, we all know the answer don't we.  Not at all!

So that was my Sunday. A preacher without a congregation, a voice without a pulpit (at least for my one hour today), but, certainly, a preacher - a worshipper - who was NOT without a Saviour.

Yes, Idolatry comes in many forms, and the Bible teaches us that God despises them all!  And that is is why He said...

“I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery. You shall have no other gods before me.” You shall not make for yourself a carved image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. You shall not bow down to them or serve them, for I the Lord your God am a jealous God, ... ... Exodus 20: 1-5a

And we all can learn from Him about this!  :-)

Till Sunday, then,

Pastor Sam
  

Calvin Miller, Preacher, Poet and Christian of Influence

I read recently of the passing of Dr. Calvin Miller, a retired professor at Beeson Divinity School of Samford University in Birmingham Alabama.http://www.sbcbaptistpress.org/BPnews.asp?ID=38539

I first met Calvin when we were speaking together at the Evangelism Conference of the Kansas-Nebraska Convention of Southern Baptists in Wichita Kansas.  That was in 1972, and I was a very naive and inexperienced 'preacher' at the 'too young' age of 22. 

Miller was already famous - both as a writer and a successful church planter - and this was years before church planting was cool.  He had begun a new church in the suburbs of Omaha Nebraska with just 10 people, one that had grown to a congregation of several hundred members, and I was mesmerized by him. He could do it all, plus... he was 'bright.'  And I was attracted by his talent and gifts while at the same time drawn to his unabashed love for Christ and ability to express it in ways seldom heard.  In short... our souls were knit.  

Calvin had me at his church the next winter for a youth revival, and I remember us having such a great time talking. Like him, I had a deep love for literature - as this was my major in college - and sometime afterward, as I was wrapping up my undergraduate degree, he called to ask if I would consider coming to Omaha to serve with him as his associate. I was flattered, thrilled, and considered this, of course, but... it was not to be.  
Years later, by the sweet grace of God, I was blessed to answer the call of my youth and from 39-44 attend seminary and complete my MDIV while planting parkwayhills. One of my classes in seminary was titled, 'Spiritual Formation', and to my joy Dr. Calvin Miller was listed as professor.  Nearly 19 years later we had reconnected! So that I could not help but pause today and reflect on all this, then post the following on Facebook to his family. 

Dear family of Dr. Miller, 

I knew Calvin, first, as a young preacher in my 20s when he had me preach at Westside for a weekend youth revival. I remember it being very cold in Nebraska - and him taking me to watch ice skating in the park near the church. Cold as it was, Calvin was a warm soul that day as we sat there talking - and he has remained that way, always.

After this, years would pass before we were to meet again- but that day came when, as a man now in his early 40s, I sat in his class at SWBTS. Much had happened to me in the 18 years since our last conversation. I had drifted away from my call, but was now returned  - by the precious grace of God - and was planting a church of my own, so that his wisdom and bits of conversation with me before and after class were of great encouragement.

I am sure to be but one of many whom you will hear from in the days to come, but please know that I count your husband and father as one of those persons possessing of talent and sincere Christian spirit who made an extraordinary difference in my life. I majored in Creative Writing as an undergraduate, but have never pursued that love and gift as I might, or should. Dr. Miller was forever encouraging me to do so. Perhaps it is time.

Love in Christ, Pastor Sam Dennis, Plano Texas 

Yes, Dr. Calvin Miller was a fresh soul to me.  A reminder that...

Preachers are made of varied things - of flesh and blood, and souls that sing.  
And when, at best, they write or speak -  they tell those who hear of the gift called Christ.  

You were this and more to me - a soul that soared with words that rang.  
And if in life I dare the same - like you, I pray, I'll but sing of Him!   
(In Memoriam of Dr. Calvin Miller, at news of his passing to Glory) 

Pastor Sam Dennis
20 August, 2012

Readying for Sunday

What a joy as rain returned to North Texas this week. The effect of this blessing is felt universally - both to nature and to us - and we are certainly grateful for this needed nourishment.  

Today I sit in my study putting the finishing touches on my message for tomorrow. One that will focus on a Third Core Value of our church - that of Learning About God through the study and application of His Word. As I think about this, and gaze out my window, I cannot help drawing a parallel with what I am witnessing in nature.  Precious rain upon a parched earth is incomparable as to effectiveness. Likewise, the same may be said concerning the effect of God's Word when read, studied (meditated upon) and applied to the lives of His children.

The Psalmist wrote,
"Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers; but his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night."
"He is like a tree planted by streams of water that yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither. In all that he does, he prospers."  Psalm 1:1-3

Belinda awakened early this morning and blessed our household with a feast of scrambled eggs, fresh biscuits and a variety of fruits to enjoy. It is nearly noon, now, and I am still satisfied. How many mornings have I grabbed a bagel, a roll, or simply rushed down a cup of coffee only to find myself back in the kitchen in a hour or less, scrounging around for something more?  But not today! I am totally satisfied.

My prayer for life is that I will feast on the table prepared for me by God - one founded in Christ and nourished by time in His Word.

Till Sunday, then


Pastor Sam