Looking Back (Summer 2013)

Scott Bush, PhD
Former National President,
Assemblies of God Biker Chaplain,
US Missionary

Many times we have a hard time wrapping our minds around how big our God really is. We believe him for our salvation, and we try to believe him for our health and finances. God is able to handle all of these and much more. As a missionary I believe God for meeting the needs of our personal lives and the ministry. We see him meeting them, and it makes it easy to continue to believe. Think about how God has taken care of you even up to this point. He has a plan for your life. He wants to take you to the next level with Him. He is your source for all that you have. Walk with Him and give Him your time, your talents, and your finances, and believe God to take you to the next level with Him. It is a fun journey.

Recently Chuck Morris, Alabama State President, sent out this thought and I thought is was worthy of sharing it with you. Thank you Chuck.

The Three Legged Stool

Chuck Morris
Alabama State President
Wheels of Faith MM

Recently, Adelaide and I started teaching a teenage Sunday School class. The church we attend is rather small; therefore, we range in our class – 7th graders to seniors. When you’re 50 years old, 5 years either way doesn’t matter, but when you’re 12 or 13, it sure does. It is a challenge for us to teach material in a way that all can benefit. If you teach to the seniors, 7th graders don’t relate. If you teach to the 7th graders, the seniors get bored real quick.

As leaders in motorcycle ministry, all of us are really in a similar situation. Although there is certainly a wide age range of people in our chapters, physical age for the most part does not play a factor. Spiritual maturity on the other hand,plays a huge part.

As officers, it is our responsibility to recognize where each member of our group is, in their relationship with Christ, and encourage them to go farther. What one person needs will not be what everyone needs. Imagine that you had to teach a class of students from Kindergarten – college, all in the same class. You can not teach a kindergartener the same way you would a graduate student or vice-versa. You need a 3-legged stool. That’s right, a 3-legged stool, and you already have it. The problem comes in when we forget we have it or when we start putting too much pressure on just one leg. Usually something breaks and you’re lucky if you don’t get hurt in the process. We don’t want anyone to get hurt, so let me remind you about your 3-legged stool.

Here it is. Are you ready for this? Fellowship, Discipleship and Evangelism. A well balanced WOF Chapter, or really most any other church ministry for that matter, effectively utilizes all three components equally. If you’re trying to force your people into trying to balance on any one of these three legs without an equal use of all of them, you will eventually push most of your people away. Remember, ministry is taking place in all three of these areas.

To some, fellowship is most what they need in their life. Others are hungry for discipleship. This certainly includes Bible study and devos, but also includes instruction on how to ride safely in a group, motorcycle safety overall, how to interact with the culture we ride in . . . Some are mature enough and ready for active evangelism. Everyone, however, won’t be.

Maybe there will be those who are active in ministry elsewhere and strictly need the fellowship and rides to rest, relax and enjoy. They are being ministered to as well.

If you’re all fellowship and no discipleship or evangelism, you’re really no different than any other secular club. No point then in calling yourself an MM.

If you’re all discipleship with no application, what good is all that knowledge?

I know this devo is not typical of what we usually send out, but it is a timely reminder – and much needed. Let’s just say, I’m learning to get comfortable on this 3-legged stool. Are you?

Chaplain Scott Bush, M.S., B.L.S
Assemblies of God Biker Chaplain
US Missionary

We just returned from our most successful outreach that we have ever done. Sturgis, South Dakota put on one of the worlds largest rally, and WOF was there sharing the Gospel using the colored beads. These beads have come under some criticism in the past for this style. At these events, we have about 3 minutes or so with an individual. In those 3 minutes we share about heaven, sin, the blood of Jesus, salvation, and growing in Christ. This method is not new.

In 1866 Charles Spurgeon wrote the sermon about the wordless book, which  is where the bead colors originate from. in 1900 D.L. Moody added the color yellow to represent heaven. Who hasn’t heard of blind Fanny Crosby, the author of Blessed Assurance, Saved by Grace and hundreds more old hymns? Fanny loved children. “Tell us a story, Fanny. Tell us another,” they begged. Fanny would take from her purse a Wordless Book and tell them the story of which they never tired.

book traveled to India with Amy Carmichael. In Elisabeth Elliot’s recent biography of her, A Chance to Die, she tells how Amy and her helper made a satin flag of gold, black, red and white, hoisted it in the cart pulled by oxen and went from village to village in southern India telling the Gospel. “A most useful text for an impromptu sermon,” Amy commented. In smaller groups she used the little book itself. in 1939 the green bead was added to represent Christian growth.

We are not the inventors, we are piggy backing on others who have used these colors to tell the greatest story every told, the story of salvation through Jesus Christ.

Chaplain Scott Bush,
M.S., B.L.S
Assemblies of God Biker Chaplain
US Missionary

It took under two years to finish my Masters degree from Barry University. Why did I go back to school to get an advanced degree? It is simple. We always must keep learning through our years. We grow in God’s wisdom by spending time with him and reading his Word, and we get personal knowledge to enhance our skills. Many people have challenges in behavior, mental health, and in their marriages and families. I am now even more qualified to provide spiritual, mental, and emotional health.

Chaplain Scott Bush,
Behavioral Science Specialist, BLS
Assemblies of God Biker Chaplain
US Missionary

We just finished our longest evangelistic outreach in Daytona Beach, Florida. Bike Week 2009 produced 285 new commitments to Christ by those passing by our outreach booth. It took only one month of planning to put this very effective outreach together. Why only one month? Here is the story.

It takes thousands of dollars to put on an outreach in Daytona. Vendor space is very expensive, and I just could not find the money to fund the outreach.One of our WOF MM board members said to me, ” Believe God and ask for money to help put on the outreach.” So I did, and most of the money came in, and more is on the way. In Jeremiah 1:12, the Lord says “I am ready to perform My word.” God has a plan that is bigger than we can imagine, or maybe bigger than we can wrap our minds around. I took the board member’s word as a word from God, and God showed up and hundreds were saved.

God is ready to perform His word, but we must listen for His voice, sometimes through others, and act accordingly. It is His plan that we are working, not ours.

Chaplain Scott Bush,
Behavioral Science Specialist, BLS
Assemblies of God Biker Chaplain
US Missionary

Respect is so important in our lives. Respect is accepting the person, not necessarily their cause. We should respect all people but not necessarily accepting their cause. I can accept them, but I may not agree with them. I may not agree with a Judge’s decision, but there is respect for him as a Judge. We should show respect for all people. Jesus accepted all people and opened salvation to everyone. God loved us even when we were not doing the things that he approved of. It is his nature.

For mankind, respect and acceptance are linked together.One of the main problems in marriages today is that the couple does not show respect for each other, that is, accepting the person, not necessarily their cause. According the book, Clinical Guide to Couples Therapy, 69% of arguments are unsolvable. If we show respect for our mate, accepting them but not necessarily agreeing with them, and not fighting with them because there is a difference of opinion, we would see a great enhancement in our relationship. It is ok to have a different opinion than another, and it is ok for someone else to have a different opinion than ours.

As I finish up my Master’s Degree dual majoring in Mental Health Counseling and Marriage and Family Therapy, I take with me something that I learned called “unconditional positive regard.” It is in fact, accepting everyone but not necessarily agreeing with them. It is vital to the therapeutic relationship to have this attitude. I can do this and not compromise my Christian beliefs because this is exactly what Christ did. Even to the point that he accepted Judas and Peter for the three years that they walked with him, and he shared his life with, and Christ knew they would both fail him. He accepted them, not their cause. Peter’s story, and Christianity would have been different if Jesus treated them like we treat each other at times.

Respect is a core component of Wheels of Faith MM. We show respect to the 1%er. We show respect to the person on the moped. We show respect for every individual that we meet. It is vital. We show respect for the everyone, meaning we accept the person, not necessarily agreeing with the cause. Lets practice it in 2009.

Chaplain Scott Bush,
Behavioral Science Specialist, BLS
Assemblies of God Biker Chaplain
US Missionary

As we approach the new year I think of the word serendipity. Serendipity is the effect by which one accidentally discovers something fortunate, especially while looking for something else entirely. Chocolate chip cookies were invented by Ruth Wakefield when she attempted to make chocolate drop cookies. She did not have the required chocolate so she broke up a candy bar and placed the chunks into the cookie mix. These chunks later morphed into what is now known as chocolate chips. She discovered chocolate chip cookies while making other cookies. Toll House cookies were born into the dessert world.

Life can have  serendipity. As individuals go about life looking for happiness and they encounter many experiences along the way. Life can be difficult, especially in these tough times as we are currently experiencing in the United States. Finding God while not searching for Him is serendipity. It is accidently discovering something fortunate when looking for something else entirely.

Maybe you have found God. While searching for God, and searching for a deeper relationship with God, watch for serendipity. As we search the Word of God to know Him more, let us accidentally discover something fortunate about us, specifically the changes that He is making in our lives as we seek a deeper relationship with Him. As we look for and seek after Jesus Christ, something fortunate is happening in your life, you are becoming more like Him. Serendipity.