Mustard Seed Ministries of Kingsport

05/24/2025

Please be in prayer for the Leonard family, as Stan unexpectedly passed into Heaven Thursday evening. Stan was a true Minister, counseling through Mustard Seed Ministries of Kingsport and teaching at Colonial Heights Christian Church, Kingsport. His Celebration of Life service will be Tuesday, May 27, 6pm at the church. The service will be livestreamed at chcckpt.org and then viewable for 30 days at chcckpt.org/special-services.

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04/17/2025

The annual Golf Tournament is coming up on May 16 at Graysburg Hills Golf Course! Please visit the link below to register.

04/08/2025

𝐀𝐈𝐌𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐓𝐎 𝐌𝐈𝐒𝐒 by Stan Leonard

On August 5, 2010 in a San Jose gold mine in the Atacoma Desert of Chile, 33 miners traveled down into the tunnel of a mountain 2300 feet to do their job…dig for gold. The company that owned the mine had a very bad safety record with multiple cave-ins resulting in injuries and deaths. They repeatedly failed safety inspections and made no effort to bring the mine up to safety standards. Why would anyone take such a risk working for such a company? Simply for survival. In a country that was so poor and jobs were so scarce, it was at least a steady job.

On this particular day they were driven to the bottom of the tunnel 2300 feet down into the mountain to resume their work. There was an all too familiar and terrifying sound from high above their heads…a cave in. They ran for cover. When the rocks stopped falling and the dust cleared, they saw that the only passage out was completely blocked by a rock the size of the Empire State Building. They were trapped. No one had ever heard of a rescue so deep.

They had rations for three days. When that passed the company declared that they were dead. Their families protested so severely that the government got involved. They put out a call for help. Major drilling companies came in from around the world. Finally it came down to 3 companies considered the best from Australia, Canada and the USA.

The drilling began. Seventeen days later they were able drill into area where the men were holed up. Communications was established, and a small pipe was run down to deliver food and water and fresh air. Now they needed to drill a parallel hole large enough to lower a canister large enough to carry one man out at a time.

After many failures and broken drill bits, they kept missing the tunnel that they were aiming for, and they were ready to give up. One of the drillers said the problem is we have not calculated for “divergence.” Basically “divergence” is a geological term that describes how 2 massive tectonic stone plates that are side by side will move in opposite directions. They realized that instead of using calculations to aim straight for the tunnel, they needed to “aim to miss.” In making that adjustment, they successfully drilled into where the men were trapped.

On October 13th after 69 days, all 33 miners were rescued because they changed their thinking.

In Judges 7 we read the story of how the Gideon led the Israelites in battle to defeat the Midianites. Initially the Midianite army was 135,000 strong and Israel’s army was only 32,000…a ratio of basically 4:1. Gideon was confident that with God they could win. God had a different plan. He wanted to teach Israel a lesson in “divergence.” God told Gideon to reduce the army by 22,000 leaving only 10,000 to fight, a ratio of 13:1. Gideon obeyed. God said, “No, you still have too many soldiers, reduce it to 300 men,” a ratio of 450:1. Gideon obeyed. What was God doing? He was teaching the Israelites a lesson in “divergence.” “In order that Israel may not boast against me that her own strength has saved her…” (7:2). With 300 soldiers, God gave the victory over the Midianites to Israel. With 300 soldiers, God gave the victory over the Midianites to Israel.

So what is my point? As the old saying goes, “We make plans and God laughs.” Often our plans fail for that precise reason…they are our plans. We have no idea how big the rocks are that are in our way. The only way to succeed is by trusting God for His plan and “Aim to Miss!”

Shalom,
Stan

02/09/2025

𝗔 𝗙𝗔𝗜𝗧𝗛 𝗧𝗛𝗔𝗧 𝗟𝗢𝗢𝗞𝗦 𝗕𝗘𝗬𝗢𝗡𝗗...𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗥𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗦𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆
By Stan Leonard

Discerning the will of God is challenging for us all. Jesus did say in the Sermon on the Mount that we are to “Ask and we shall receive, seek and we shall find, knock and the door will be opened.” But what does it mean? I am sure what it doesn’t mean. It doesn’t mean that God rubber stamps everything we request. Thank God He doesn’t do that. He loves us too much and wants the best for us. So how do we discern His will from our small selfish demands?

As I shared my story with you on Sunday about God’s calling us to Kingsport 32 years ago, here are some lessons that I learned. Leaving a church that I loved and moving from Cleveland to Tennessee was not something I wanted to do. But the doors that opened were undeniable. First came the phone call that same day from my brother-in-law living in Kingsport telling me about a job opening with his church. I jumped at it thinking this obviously must be God’s will. I sent my resume to the search committee and waited to see what happened next.

A few weeks passed when one evening I got a phone call from someone who served on the search committee. His name was Bob Ross. He currently worked for Eastman and his biggest client was Sherwin Williams whose corporate office was in Cleveland, Ohio. He said he traveled to Cleveland regularly to meet with his client. He was going to be in Cleveland soon and wanted to meet with us. I picked him up and brought him back to our home where he had dinner with our family. It just so happened that it was on a night when we hosted a small group Bible Study in our home. So, he also got to share in a Bible study and meet some of the members from the church. Afterwards we visited more, and I took him back to his hotel. We parted and he said he would keep in touch. This was the second confirmation.

Several more weeks passed before the chairman of the committee contacted me and extended an invitation to come for a visit with the church. It would be the Super Bowl Sunday weekend. Ruth and I dropped off our children with the Grandparents and drove to Tennessee. We had a wonderful visit with so many different groups in the church. On Monday morning we started the drive back to Ohio and I said to Ruth, “This is it… just look at all of the doors that God is opening.” This was the third confirmation.

A few days after returning I received a phone call from the Elders and they basically said, “Thanks but no thanks.” Ruth and I were stunned. How could this be? How had we misunderstood God’s leading and the open doors…which now came slamming shut in our face? This was the first obstacle. I learned an important lesson: my ways are not always what God has in store.

Ruth and I continued to pray about it and started sending out resumes. There were other churches that were reaching out. After multiple telephone interviews, I closed the door too quickly. It seemed like God was shouting to me, “NO! I have something else in mind for you.” One night Ruth and I were talking about it and wondering what God had in mind for us.
We couldn’t get away from the clear feeling that God was calling us to East Tennessee, but to do what? So, we discussed the fact that I had a master’s degree in counseling. Maybe I could go to Kingsport and spend a week talking with various counselors and see if I could find a job as a counselor. That resulted in me being hired by Frontier Health and I would start work in May. I would stay with my in-laws and work Monday – Friday and leave at noon and drive back to Cleveland to visit the family and get the house ready to sell. During the week after work, I would drive around looking at homes for sale. We wanted to find a small “gentleman’s farm.”

Back in Cleveland the house was ready to put on the market. My realtor advised that I was asking too much. I disagreed. The first family that came to see it bought it at asking price. Another confirmation. Now to find something in Tennessee to buy.

I was driving back From Sneedville one evening after a wild goose chase when I was looking through the printout of properties that my realtor had given me. There was a listing for “a log cabin structure” off of Goshen Valley Rd. I couldn’t believe it. We had always wanted a log cabin but had resigned ourselves to the fact that we wouldn’t be able to afford one (particularly since my new job pay scale was half what my former salary was. I looked up and there before me was a road sign for Goshen Valley Rd. I drove back into the valley and finally found the house. I made an appointment with the homeowners to come for a visit. I took pictures to show Ruth and called home. Her response to my description was, “Buy it!” I said, “Don’t you want to see the pictures first? I will be home in 2 days.” “NO! Buy It!” So I did. The next big confirmation.

We moved in the week before Thanksgiving and invited Ruth’s family to come celebrate with us. Now the next big challenge: Why have You brought us here, God? I would work for Frontier Health for 6 years knowing that God had something else in store for me with ministry. I met Doug Tweed and we started sharing what we thought God was doing in our lives. We discerned that God was calling us to start Mustard Seed Ministry as a place where broken people could come to be healed. We bought some property together, …I turned in my 2-week notice and a month later we were open for business. After 26 years I have never regretted the choice to leave Cleveland. I thank God now for the eldership that first said, “No thanks”. You see my vision was too small. I saw us coming here to work with a church of 300. God saw a way that I could work with 100’s of churches and 1000’s of members. That is the final confirmation.

So how do you discern God’s will? Pray…listen…slow down…don’t give up because of obstacles…always be honest with yourself, are you seeking God’s will or His blessing on what you want. Seek Godly counsel. Enjoy the ride.

Shalom,
Stan

01/02/2025

𝔻𝔼𝔽𝕃𝔸𝕋𝔼𝔻 by Stan Leonard

And so it begins…the great “undecorating” after the holidays. It is an annual struggle at our house. Ruth wants to take everything down and put it all away (an attitude that I like to call “Grinchie”). Personally, I would keep the decorations up all year around and continue to be reminded of the birth of Jesus. (I know, I know, it is unfair of me to play the “Jesus card” in support of my opinions, but hey, it’s my article so get over it).

I see it happening all around the community. Yards and houses are being stripped clean of all semblance of the holidays. Some families have gone to great effort to decorate their homes beautifully in celebration of Christ’s birth. I must admit that there are some decorations that I am glad to see boxed up and put away. You know the ones I am talking about – inflatables. Now don’t take offence. If you like the inflatables, then I believe to each his own. For me as I drive through the neighborhoods and see yards covered with deflated decorations, it reminds me of snake skins that have been shed in the spring time.

Perhaps that is how you feel right now…deflated. All of the celebration is over. All of our guests are gone. All of the presents have been opened. Is that really all that there is? It reminds me of Jeremiah’s words, “The harvest is past, the summer has ended, and we are not saved. Since my people are crushed, I am crushed: I mourn, and horror grips me. Is there no balm in Gilead? Is there no physician there? Why then is there no healing for the wound of my people?” Why? Perhaps the hardest question to answer.

I awoke this morning before my alarm, having had a good night’s sleep…but more, I felt genuinely rested. I find myself every year at this time thinking what is next for this new year. I find comfort in Isaiah’s words, “Come now, let us reason together, says the Lord. Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool.”

I know that we have come through a very stormy year, and yes, there will be some storms this year. But let us not live in fearful dread of them. The Lord brought us through them in 2024 and He will be with us this year. Remember, “This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it” (Psalm 118:24). Hold on to Paul’s challenge, “Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward what is ahead. I press on to the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 3:14). Do you see the goal? Good, let’s keep our eyes fixed upon it.

May 2025 be a happy and blessed new year.

Shalom,
Stan

12/05/2024

PRECIOUS MEMORIES-by Stan Leonard

It was October 29, 2012, when Hurricane Sandy was making its way up the Eastern Sea Board and finally coming ashore in New Jersey. The tail of the hurricane was whipping its way through the southern states including East Tennessee causing a sudden drop in temperatures and heavy rain. I was at a meeting and Ruth was out feeding the Alpacas when she discovered something else the storm had dropped…a newly born Alpaca. The mother was not attending to her and she laid quivering in a mud puddle. Ruth picked her up and carried her into the house and placed in the bath tub with warm water to get her body temperature up. Then she called me. I left my meeting and rushed home and took over the chore of trying to get her warmed up. Holding her in my arms I prayed to God for giving us such a beautiful little girl and asking Him to make her strong. (I know how silly it might seem to you, but she had already captured my heart). It seemed only fitting that we should name her “Sandy” since she came like a whirl wind into our lives.

We couldn’t figure out why her mother abandoned her. We just knew it was up to us to keep her alive. So we began to bottle feed her every 2 hours. For the next 4 weeks we kept her in the house out of the cold nights. During the day time we would take her out to the herd but her mother would have nothing to do with her. I sat her up in the cab of my truck and drove her to the Vet in Greenville to get her a plasma transfusion so that she would build up some immunities since she wasn’t nursing. For 6 months we bottle fed her every 2 hours as she grew stronger.

Ruth and I have often joked how we were her “mom and dad.” As she grew she became very attached to us. She developed the sweetest personality. When we were in the pen she would come running to us and give us sweet little “Alpaca kisses.” When I would come out to give her the bottle, all I had to do was stand at the gate and call her name and she would come bounding out of the barn and come running to get her bottle. She was all personality and we loved her.

On Sunday, December 1, when Ruth went out that morning to feed the Alpacas, Sandy laid curled up in the barn. She had died during the night. She was 12 years old.

Why do I tell you that story? After 55 years of ministry, I can’t tell you how many times I have been asked if our pets will be in Heaven. Some people scoff at the notion saying of course not. Heaven is for us, not animals. But Paul talks in Romans 8:21 about how “that the creation itself will be liberated from its bo***ge to decay and brought into the glorious freedom of the children of God.” Isaiah said in 65:25 in talking about the glorious Messianic Kingdom “the wolf and the lamb will feed together.” Jesus in the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 6:26 “Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet you heavenly Father feeds them.” So I would have to say that it seems to me that God loves all His creation, so why wouldn’t our pets be there too?

In John 10 Jesus talks about the “Good Shepherd” and how the sheep follow Him because they know His voice and He knows their name. My question to you is this: Do you know your Shepherd’s voice…because He knows your name? Do you want to know what the will of God is for your life? Then take it from Sandy and when you hear Him calling your name…come running!

Shalom!
Stan, Ruth and Sandy

11/08/2024

THE GOOD, THE BAD, AND THE UGLY by Stan Leonard

I love old western movies. There is always a bad guy and a good guy…and I think that you know who always wins. There is such drama because you know that the bad guys out number the good guys. Just when it seems all is lost and the good guy will be defeated, something happens and the bad guys are vanquished, the good guy kisses the pretty girl and rides off into the sunset, all on the back of a beautiful horse.

Back in the 1960s, Clint Eastwood had not received his star status. He was relegated to the TV series “Rawhide” (which in all fairness was a western) so his friends encouraged him to go to Italy and star in “Spaghetti Westerns.” He did for several years and came back as a star in the making. One of those films was called “The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly.” Clint of course played the part of the “good guy” who returned to a small town and brought the “bad guys” to justice while also teaching the town’s people how to not be so ugly to others. In the end he rode off into the sunset.

This last month has felt like we are living in that movie. Let me explain…Our area was hit with the effects of hurricane Helene causing high winds, tornadoes, and flooding. We had devastation and loss of life like I have never seen in the 31 years I have lived here. Riverbeds have been shifted, mountain tops washed away, communities that may never be rebuilt, and lives forever altered. None of it had anything to do with people, it was simply bad weather. Let that be a warning to us all; don’t mess with Mother Nature.

We also saw ugliness in how some people responded. Government agencies did not respond in the most helpful of ways. Some tempers were short. Some businesses saw it as an opportunity to price gouge people when they were most vulnerable. Some people saw an opportunity to loot from their neighbors.

I have saved the best for last. I saw great displays of goodness. Local agencies and churches stepped up and stepped in to help people with supplies, food and shelter with no charge. People took time off from their jobs to help. Power companies from other states came in to help repair utilities. Some big donors helped supply Starlink and enable communications. Most of all, I saw neighbor helping neighbor. The apostle Paul wrote about stormy times he experienced and challenged us with these words: “Let no debt remain outstanding, except the unending debt to love one another, for he who loves his fellow man has fulfilled the law” Romans 13:8.

So from me to all of you, thank you for your help. Now it is time for us to mount up and ride off into the sunset to see where God might need us next!

Yippee kai yeah and Shalom!

Stan

10/14/2024

𝙃𝙊𝙒 𝙇𝙊𝙉𝙂? - by Stan Leonard
I remember when my children were young, their cries were very distinguishable. The cry of each child was unique so that I knew immediately who was crying. Also each child had a variety of cries that meant different things, for instance: there was an angry cry, a hurt cry that always brought me running and a frightened cry that was always urgent.

My kids are all grown now and have their own children’s cries to attend to…but I guess that it doesn’t matter how old our children are; they are still our children and I hate the sound of them crying. I received a message from an old friend last week whom we had lost contact with the last 8 years. It simply said, “Are you all all right, are you safe?” She had seen reports of our area being hit hard with storms and flooding. I was oblivious to it all. I checked the internet and sure enough our and neighboring communities were being hit hard by storms and floods, but not us. I let her know that we were safe and thanked her for her concern.

As I read the reports on the internet, I saw that Boone, North Carolina had been hit hard and my concern switched to my daughter, son-in-law and granddaughter who live there. I called her, but the connection kept breaking up. Finally, I got through and heard that frightened cry of my daughter as she described the rushing river just 20 feet from their house. She told me that much of their property had been washed away. Power lines and power poles were down. There were rock slides on the roads and Boone was devastated, lives were lost. They were safe.

I thought again of Psalm 13 that Rob preached on several weeks ago that says, “How long, O Lord? WIll you forget me forever? How long will you hide your face from me? How long must I wrestle with my thoughts and every day have sorrow in my heart? …But I trust in your unfailing love; my heart rejoices in your salvation. I will sing to the Lord, for He has been good to me.”

Storms…they do seem to pile on at times. So many deaths in our church…so many deaths in our community…so many suffering…so much loss. I sing to the Lord for my family is safe and so are we. Now how do we help those who aren’t?

Shalom,
Stan

09/03/2024

I thought you might enjoy this. Thanks for sharing the journey, Stan

25-by Stan Leonard

It began in a prayer chapel 28 years ago. I came to the chapel to pray and met a man named Doug, who was there to pray as well. First it was a friendship and then it was a fellowship, one day it would be a partnership. We looked for opportunities to get together, to eat, to talk and then to dream. I had recently left the “pulpit” and started a job with Frontier Health as a counselor. Doug had left a law practice and was completing his studies at Asbury Theological Seminary. We both were trying to discern what God had in store for us. Several years passed and we decided to meet for dinner at Applebee’s and discuss our shared vision of ministry and mission. After dinner, we mapped out on the back of a cocktail napkin what we believed God was calling us to do. It would be called “Mustard Seed Ministries: The Place Where Healing Begins.”

I turned in my 2-week notice to Frontier Health. We bought property together and 2 months later we opened for business. Former employers and supervisors wished me well, but cautioned me that it would never work. They said it takes about 8 years to get a private practice started. With no guarantee of a salary, we stepped forward. On August 1, 1999, we officially opened our doors for service and have never looked back. Within 2 months my calendar was full. We believed God’s promise was true. “For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future” (Jeremiah 29:11).

You see, there was something that my former employers didn’t understand. It wasn’t our masterful ideas scribbled on the back of that napkin, but God’s fingerprints. He has blessed us again and again through the generosity of people and churches in the community. Everyday I have the unique privilege journeying with people through their heart aches and struggles and helping them see how God can heal them.

Did you catch that last part? God heals people… not me. Mustard Seed Ministries is the place where healing begins. I can’t heal you, but I can introduce you to the one who can…. Jesus Christ. I believe the promise of God, “being confident of this, that He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus” (Philippians 1:6).

So it has been 25 years! It seems like yesterday. What is next for Mustard Seed? Another 25 years…? Maybe, I would be 95 years old. It’s possible but not probable. I started Mustard Seed because I genuinely felt God’s calling to do so. I have always said that I would leave Mustard Seed when He tells me it is time. In the meantime, I am just going to enjoy my front row seat at God’s show.

Shalom!
Stan

08/29/2024

🌸𝙄𝙩 𝙒𝙖𝙨 𝘼 𝘽𝙚𝙖𝙪𝙩𝙞𝙛𝙪𝙡 𝘿𝙖𝙮…🌞

The week’s work was done. The sun was shining, but in the shade the temperature was just right. There was a cool, gentle breeze blowing and the air was filled with the sweetness of honeysuckle. The river flowed by and the birds were chirping.

We were doing what we love to do most…entertaining. We had 40 guests over for a cookout. Everyone pitched in and brought a delicious assortment of side dishes, salads and desserts. I grilled a Caribbean Jerk steak that had been marinating overnight (now tell me is there anything that smells better than meat cooking over an open flame?)

Now for the very best part of all, and I know you are wondering what could be better. Well let me tell you… I saw my yard filled with lawn chairs, canopies set up, adults talking and laughing and children running and playing together, kicking soccer balls and playing with wiffle balls, moms and dads tossing the football with their children, all playing with Alpacas and gathering Paw Paws to eat. We were reminiscing …sharing memories…creating memories … dreaming… and wondering why we don’t do this more often.

All too soon it came time to end. Just like a summer carnival that sweeps into town and with all hands on deck they unpack and set everything up and in a blink of an eye they are packed up, cleaned up and on their way to the next town, so my guests had cleaned up and packed up and were on their way home. Why don’t we do this more often? Isn’t this how God wants us to live?

“How good and pleasant it is when brothers live together in unity!” -Psalm 133:1

“Oh, it was a beautiful day in the neighborhood…won’t you be my neighbor?”

Shalom,
Stan

08/02/2024

25-by Stan Leonard

It began in a prayer chapel 28 years ago. I came to the chapel to pray and met a man named Doug, who was there to pray as well. First it was a friendship and then it was a fellowship, one day it would be a partnership. We looked for opportunities to get together, to eat, to talk and then to dream. I had recently left the “pulpit” and started a job with Frontier Health as a counselor. Doug had left a law practice and was completing his studies at Asbury Theological Seminary. We both were trying to discern what God had in store for us. Several years passed and we decided to meet for dinner at Applebee’s and discuss our shared vision of ministry and mission. After dinner, we mapped out on the back of a cocktail napkin what we believed God was calling us to do. It would be called “Mustard Seed Ministries: The Place Where Healing Begins.”

I turned in my 2-week notice to Frontier Health. We bought property together and 2 months later we opened for business. Former employers and supervisors wished me well, but cautioned me that it would never work. They said it takes about 8 years to get a private practice started. With no guarantee of a salary, we stepped forward. On August 1, 1999, we officially opened our doors for service and have never looked back. Within 2 months my calendar was full. We believed God’s promise was true. “For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future” (Jeremiah 29:11).

You see, there was something that my former employers didn’t understand. It wasn’t our masterful ideas scribbled on the back of that napkin, but God’s fingerprints. He has blessed us again and again through the generosity of people and churches in the community. Everyday I have the unique privilege journeying with people through their heart aches and struggles and helping them see how God can heal them.

Did you catch that last part? God heals people… not me. Mustard Seed Ministries is the place where healing begins. I can’t heal you, but I can introduce you to the one who can…. Jesus Christ. I believe the promise of God, “being confident of this, that He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus” (Philippians 1:6).

So it has been 25 years! It seems like yesterday. What is next for Mustard Seed? Another 25 years…? Maybe, I would be 95 years old. It’s possible but not probable. I started Mustard Seed because I genuinely felt God’s calling to do so. I have always said that I would leave Mustard Seed when He tells me it is time. In the meantime, I am just going to enjoy my front row seat at God’s show.

Shalom!
Stan

07/11/2024

𝗝𝗨𝗦𝗧 𝗢𝗡𝗘 𝗠𝗢𝗥𝗘-by Stan Leonard

Desmond Doss was born in Lynchburg, Virginia, February 7, 1919. His mother raised him as a strict 7th Day Adventist teaching him that Saturday was the Sabbath and holy to the Lord and no work was to be done on that day, nonviolent so he could never carry a weapon or kill another human being, and a vegetarian.

When the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor, he said he took it personal. Going against his parents’ wishes, he enlisted in the U.S. Army as a Conscientious Objector to serve as medic. He faced multiple acts of hazing by his fellow soldiers and Commanding Officers in an effort to run him out of the army. He never gave in. When questioned about his commitment to serve he said, “When the rest of the world is so set on tearing things up, I thought it was a good thing to try and put things back together.” While serving in Guam and the Philippines, he received 2 Bronze Stars for bravery in saving his fellow wounded soldiers. On Okinawa at a battle site called Hacksaw Ridge, he saved over 75 wounded fellow soldiers. While the rest of his platoon retreated off of the Ridge he stayed the night saving over 75 men. As he would bring one man back to safety he would pray, “Please, dear Lord, help me to save just one more.” God answered his prayers. On October 12, 1945, Corporal Desmond Doss was the first Conscientious Objector to receive the Medal of Honor from President Harry S. Truman for bravery in battle. His prayer stays with me every day: “Please, dear Lord, help me to save just one more.” Most businesses function with an acceptable margin of loss of 10%. Unfortunately I think many modern churches operate that same way. How about us? Do we have an acceptable margin of loss with our members? I hope not.

In Luke 15:1-7, Jesus tells a parable of the Lost Sheep. Wherein a shepherd has 100 sheep and at the end of the day as he counts them into the pen he discovers that one is missing. He leaves the 99 safe in the pen and searches until he finds the one that was lost. 1% margin of loss was not acceptable. He continues in verses 8-10 to tell a parable about a lost coin. A woman had 10 coins and one was lost. So she swept the house searching until she found the one coin. 10% margin of loss was not acceptable. He continues in verses 11-32 to tell a parable about a lost son. A certain man had 2 sons and the youngest son demanded his inheritance while his father was still alive. He ran off to a far country and wasted all of his inheritance and was starving. Finally he came to his senses and returned to his father to beg for forgiveness and ask to be given a job as a hired hand. His Father saw him from a far off and ran and embraced his son and called for a celebration saying: “For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found. So they began to celebrate.” A 50% margin of loss was not acceptable.

I don’t know about you…but I like God’s math better. He doesn’t want anyone to be lost but all to be saved. Will you join me each morning in praying: “Please, dear Lord, help me to save just one more.”

Shalom,
Stan