Common enemy. Common cause. Uncommon love.

I just returned from a 4-day deployment to Moore, Oklahoma as a Chaplain with the Austin Disaster Relief Network (ADRN). I'll be headed back next week. Prior to Moore, ADRN had been deployed to the West, Texas explosion. In both these disastrous situations, those who offered relief came as one part of a mighty army, an army offering hope, comfort, order, assistance in any way we can. Survivors of these incidents are often left with nothing - no clothes, no house, no car, no job. In essence, they find themselves about to eat an elephant, a task that can only be accomplished one bite at a time. Relief agencies and people of faith gather in an effort to walk them through the process. It's horrible and glorious at the same time.

In Moore, those offering relief included the Red Cross, Islamic Relief, St. Vincent DePaul Society, Buddhist Relief, Knights of Columbus, Samaritan's Purse, Goodwill, the Salvation Army and many more. There were Muslim women wearing head scarves, priests in black wearing clerical collars and volunteers wearing, Asian Buddhists bowing at the waist, all sorts of colorful t-shirts and vests representing their nationwide organizations. 

The banner over us? Love, compassion for the brotherhood of man, the majority motivated by our love and obedience for the one God and Father of us all. That might sound New Agey, or like Universalism to some, but it's either true or it's a lie. Sorry, but my experience has been that massive power stems from unity. When I ask disaster Survivors what the most significant part of this ordeal was to them, the response generally has to do with the outpouring of love and assistance they are receiving from so many. One woman in Moore said, "I have never experienced so many helpful people in my life!" On another occasion, a Muslim worker had encountered a "client" who was crying. An ADRN Chaplain was called over and he, the Muslim and the client held hands and prayed. A Muslim worker asked me if I would help a man who was shaking and tearful and introduced me to him. One evening, our ADRN group interrupted our own debriefing session to applaud and cheer the Buddhist group of Asian men and women as they headed toward their cars, waving and smiling at us. 

Isn't it a shame it so often takes a tragedy to unite people? How sad it is that, even within The Body of Christ, Sunday is, as Martin Luther King, Jr. said, "the most segregated day in America"? As Followers of Christ, why can't we unite against our common enemy, the devil?  Why can't we purpose in our hearts to resist such things as division and dissension with all that is within us and, instead, embrace the heartbeat of the mission of Christ? The world will know we are Christians - followers of the Lord Jesus - by of our love for one another. Sadly, too often, that isn't what they see at all. 

The critical question is this... ready? Are we so motivated by our love of God that we are willing, able, to set aside those things that so easily set us apart and against one another? Are we willing and able to say 'no' to the traditions that serve only to usher in strife, division and sectarianism rather than love, unity and, subsequently, the power that can turn a community upside-down?

It's actually O.K. to wait for the next disaster to bond together and help others, so long as we remember that calamities will come DAILY in the form of cancer, divorce, death, workplace accidents, natural and manmade disasters, terrorist attacks, mass shootings, broken homes and broken hearts. Are we willing to set aside our own comfortable version of our faith and advance God's Kingdom at all costs by coming together and loving those who are hurting? Here's a tip: more people are hurting than are not! They may be wearing masks to hide that fact, but it's true. And even though you may not have a shirt with "Chaplain" across the back in 3" letters, you are STILL one who can bring The Church to the people. The same Holy Spirit is in you as is in me; the same One who raised Jesus from the dead.

Those who came to render aid have one thing in common with those whose world as they knew it has just ended; they have ALL experienced the grace of their mutual Creator; they have had an encounter with God. That experience can serve as a springboard, launching them into the rest of their lives, or it can be nothing more than a stumbling block from which they never recover.

As we can plainly see, disasters are on the increase. Jesus said there'd be days like this. How would He react to the Oklahoma tornado aftermath? He taught and modeled love, doing just as He was instructed by the Father. Should we do anything less?

If you are interested in assisting in these disasters, avail yourself of training and certification. I suggest you check out the ADRN and visit ADRNTX.org for class schedules. Until then, your financial support will help ADRN to bless Survivors with Gift Cards. We can only give away what we receive from people like yourself! You can DONATE at ADRN.TX.org. Thank you!

Every blessing,

Michael Tummillo

Founder, The Church @ Work

NOTE: Michael Tummillo submits this article to you only as a Christian writer, for your personal information, not as an ADRN Representative, and receives no compensation for this message.

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On May 20th, shortly after an EF5 tornado demolished the town of Moore, Oklahoma, MSNBC's Martin Bashir called it "perhaps the worst tornado in the history of the planet"

Slight exaggeration. Even still (it was Oklahoma's 9^th most-deadly in recorded history and besides, the 1925 Tri-State twister killed nearly 700 people), this one was significant in that it remained on the ground a full 40 minutes, unheard of as far as tornadoes go. That conjures up the image of a mixer being used on an anthill. It's estimated there were 14,000 homes damaged and destroyed, displacing over 33,000 people. Yet, only 24 lives were lost.By the following Thursday, Volunteers from the Austin Disaster Relief Network (ADRN) were being deployed. I'm a Chaplain with ADRN but had to wait until Saturday to arrive due to a wedding I was officiating here in town. I headed to Moore directly after the I-do's, arriving about 11 PM. After having recently been deployed to the West, Texas explosion, we were assigned to a beautiful high school in Oklahoma City, just outside of Moore - Westmoore High - in order to assist the people Survivors. The compounding of the names of the two towns we'd recently served intrigued me.

STORY AFTER STORY

There are many faces in Moore I can't forget, including a 3-year old cutie named Reilly who said, “My school is broken...my friends are gone...” No sooner had she said that to me when a classmate named Lillian came running up to her. The two little ladies touched each other and seemed to dance together for a moment until Lillian's parents ushered her along, both girls smiling broadly, eyes locked.I'll remember a 4-year old boy who said he could see blue sky through the tornado over his head with cows in the sky above him and the story of a man whose safe containing $75,000 had been carried off by the twister.

The first Survivor I spoke with was at Ground Zero, across from the elementary school, a man working in what was once a laundry room. I couldn't get close for all the rubble between us but, as we talked from about 10 feet apart, he began laughing when he found grandmother's clothes still in the washing machine. His sister approached from behind me and told me she worked a daycare and usually had eight kids to care for. The day of the tornado, only three showed up. I heard many stories like that, people who deviated from their routine or changed their schedule, only to have that be a decision that may have saved their lives.

Yes, this twister brought about the end of many people's worlds as they knew it, but it was an event that would prove to be a stumbling block to their progress, or a springboard to greater things. One woman shared with me how her mom had been brushing her teeth using a paper Dixie Cup. When she returned to assess the damage of the 200-MPH winds, the house was destroyed but the Dixie Cup was still on the sink where she'd left it. Amazing.Equally as amazing was the story another woman shared of a birthday cake she had placed on her table in preparation for her son's birthday and, though her kitchen was destroyed, the cake was unscathed, still there on the table where she'd left it.

I was shocked at the huge patches of grass that had been sucked out of the earth leaving brown soil exposed everywhere.I'll never forget the memorial inside the fence at the grade school – a school I described to my son “as if a Giant had stepped on it” - containing nine crosses for the children who had died there and the many stuffed animals, flags, and notes stuck in the fence. Weeping people were drawn there to pay their respects. Along with three other ADRN Chaplains, we approached many and ministered comfort, prayer and consolation.

At Westmoore High, a woman waiting her turn for assistance told me she was in the final phase of ovarian cancer, just out of the hospital 2 weeks after her 5^th surgery, and survived the tornado. She had been given three months to live, now this. As she considered her own survival, she shared how she'd been asking herself, “Does that mean God still has something for me to do?” I ministered healing to her and she hugged my neck, eyes filled with tears.

AGAINST A COMMON ENEMY

So many people told me they were touched and impacted by the army of Volunteers who were there to assist them in getting their lives back together. One woman, after asking where my own team of yellow-shirted Volunteers were from, with tears streaming down her cheeks, exclaimed, “We're die-hard O.U. Fans but I really LOVE Texas right now!”

Though the Red Cross was in charge of the relief operation, along with the ADRN, the Islamic Relief, a Buddhist group, Catholic Charities, The Knights of Columbus, Good Will, St. Vincent DePaulSociety, Salvation Army, Texas Baptist Men, Operation Blessing, Samaritan's Purse, Save the Children, World Vision and various churches and many more relief agencies were participating and working side-by-side. AT&T had a bank of computers there so folks could eMail, check Facebook and play games. There were two TVs as well as a station for charging cell phones with little lockers for the phones so Survivors could walk away and tend to business. Trained and loving workers kept the children entertained, that is, those kids who weren't too frightened to leave their parents' side.

PEOPLE MAKING PROGRESS

A person can gain weight at a disaster site! Great free food is available everywhere. From cases of water found at nearly every street corner to Pizza Hut and Chick-Fil-A being handed out from the back of vehicles, people were standing in line waiting to be served whatever they preferred.

Local churches have been transformed into storage facilities as 18-wheelers arrived daily bringing tons of goods, everything a Survivor might need to re-establish their lives. People pushed shopping carts down aisles and loaded up, all at no charge, no questions asked.

Several asked me how they, too, could become an ADRN Chaplain or Volunteer and took a moment to jot down our web address. These included an East Indian Pastor from Dallas, a jovial Chinese Minister as well as two girls from Arkansas whose church came to assist.Many things are engrained in my memory. There were so many Homeland Security vehicles and personnel, cammo-colored Hummers filled with airmen on security detail, cops, utility workers repairing stoplights, not to mention the many colored t-shirts of relief workers such as my own group, the ADRN. Of course, there were uniformed insurance adjusters everywhere carrying clipboards and cameras. Gawkers and rubber-neckers drove and walked “Ground Zero” from all over the nation. I even met several from Newtown, Connecticut and was told that one teary-eyed man said his church lost two kids in the Sandy Hook shooting.

I'll always remember the downed street lights, cars lifted high into trees and on piles of debris, mountains of once-precious belongings soaring high above the streets, cars looking as if they were made of colored tin foil, crumpled and broken while so few people suffered even a scratch.

Tuesday afternoon, after the high school we were in was cleared due to incoming severe weather, as another ADRN Volunteer and I were having dinner, a woman walked over with her son, about 9 years old, nudged the boy and said, “Go on, say it...” He thanked us for coming to help and his mom said he had lost two friends. That Volunteer and I headed for Ground Zero after we ate, him on the phone with his wife, attempting to describe the awesome scene and taking pictures. By now, the stench of spoiled food and growing mold was in the air, blown about by the strong winds.

I repeatedly made Survivors aware they had experienced an encounter with our merciful and gracious God whose angels were given charge over them and, in most cases, that realization hit them and lifted their countenance. It was wonderful to see people go from having that “whipped puppy” look to smiling and even laughing again. We helped them to have hope. We shouldered their burdens and kept them company from station to station as compassionate counselors asked questions and helped with paperwork.I will ever be amazed by the fact so few people were killed. After viewing the carnage up close, comparing it to my hometown's local landfill only criss-crossed with paved streets, I am still awed by that fact. Photos simply cannot do this disaster any justice.

ARE YOU A READY CHRISTIAN?

To those in “Tornado Alley,” I recommend you make copies of all your important papers and mail those copies to a trusted relative far away. In your shelter, place some cycling or motorcycle helmets, safety glasses and a whistle so you can increase your odds of survival. I met one biker couple who shared how they were so pinned by debris, they had to be slid out of their helmets.

One last thing... is YOUR family prepared? Is your church, business, school ready, not only to shelter-in-place, but to reach out to those who Survive the next disaster? It's a shame it takes a tragedy like this to bring folks together like this. Fact as, as Christians, we already HAVE a common enemy and a mutual cause to advance God's Kingdom upon the earth. Sadly, far too many choose to remain segregated, advancing the cause of our own denomination or church, if anything, making Sunday's into what Martin Luther King, Jr. referred to as “the most segregated day of the week.”

We can do better. We simply must. You can start by sharing this message with your friends.Donations are desperately needed and appreciated in order for restoration to come sooner. On several occasions, groups handing out Gift Cards had to ask people to come back later as they had run out of funds and were unable to purchase more until more funds were available. Please donate at the ADRN website: ADRNTX.org. By doing so, ADRN will be able to buy more Gift Cards and hand them to the many needy families to which we are privileged to minister.

As for me, though I arrived at home about 7 last night, I'm headed back to Moore tomorrow evening. Your intercession is greatly appreciated!

Every blessing,
Michael Tummillo
Chaplain, ADRN

NOTE: Michael Tummillo submits this article to you only as a Christian writer, for your personal information, not as an ADRN Representative, and is not compensated for this message.

Moore, OK: Living proof of God's amazing grace

"It's remarkable we've had so few deaths... quite remarkable," said Oklahoma Governor Mary Fallin. 

Agreed, but I choose to attribute that fact to PRAYER. Personally, I was praying against such storms along with a group of woman who'd attended a Bible study I was teaching, minutes before I heard another woman pop-in and share what she'd just heard on the news about Moore. Incidentally, the subject of my Bible study was "Prayer."
For what it's worth, here's my opinion about the Moore, Oklahoma tornado: God has been gracious and merciful!

How can I say that? Think about it, a 2-mile wide EF5 tornado, churning in one place at over 200 MPH for about 40 minutes - a very long time by tornado standards - yet resulting in a mere 24 deaths. That's incredible! In my mind, that's not unlike taking a hand-mixer to an ant hill. They say it released as much as 600 times more energy than the bomb dropped on Hiroshima. In contrast, the Joplin tornado held a final death count of 158 and injuring hundreds more. Sure, the town has experienced devastation and people lost lots of material and irreplaceable stuff. But even though 9 kids died, seven of those tragic deaths weren't even a result of the monster tornado; it's been reported that they drowned. Horrible as that may be, if the tornado were a hit-man, the "hit" must be considered a failure.

See, Satan comes to kill, steal and destroy. I'm not trying to make light of the fact, but only a few people were killed in Moore. Houses, buildings and schools were obliterated. But miracles abound and we are hearing one miraculous story after another as the days go by. The Bible instructs us to "give thanks at all times." It stands to reason, that would include a devastating twister.

Yes, folks in Moore are an emotional wreck at the moment. They stared Death in the face and emerged alive, but most are, understandably, deeply distressed nonetheless. Can you imagine losing everything you own from photo albums to cars to businesses and everything you were so familiar with? Yes, on a sentimental scale, this disaster rates a 10. Lives were altered; some were forever changed. For many, it was the end of the world as they knew it. As a Chaplain with the Austin Disaster Relief Network (ADRN) I've just been deployed to Moore and cannot wait to bring "Christ in me, the hope of glory" into the midst of that mess.

But our God gives beauty for ashes. A bruised reed He will not break and a smoldering wick He will not snuff out. He will not allow Satan to test us beyond what we can bear, no more than He allowed Satan to tempt Jesus in the wilderness. 

Speaking of Satan, he's a loser who ALWAYS shoots himself in the foot. He always overplays his hand and he never wins. Moore will come out of this smelling like a rose. One might say Moore, OK is going to be OK! But they need your prayers. They need your donations.

For perspective, the longest tornado path on record was the Great Tri-State Tornado of March 18, 1925, the deadliest tornado in U.S. History which inflicted 695 fatalities along a path of destruction 219 miles long. The Moore tornado was 17 miles long. Don't run from so-called "Tornado Alley." The tornadoes spawned there have been relatively quiet in contrast to the 50's through 70's. So much for the global warming theory.

Now you know.

Jesus is Lord of Moore, Oklahoma! Allow Him to be the Lord - the Owner - of whatever disaster you might be facing right now.

Every blessing,

Michael Tummillo

Is the Tribulation at our gate?

Jesus said, "Let not your heart be troubled." 

OK, Lord... I'll try.

Though some may disagree with me, I have grown convinced we are living at the doorway of what many refer to as "The Great Tribulation." Wars, rumors of wars, insect plagues, incurable diseases, weather anomalies, bigger and badder storms... Jesus said there'd be days like this. I'm sorry to tell you, I'm convinced things are going to get worse before they get better. That does NOT diminish the fact we STILL have the authority and power given to us by Jesus by the Holy Spirit dwelling within us. You can ALWAYS claim the title of "Overcomer" because the Overcoming One lives in YOU!

Remember that! God hasn't given us a Spirit of Fear but of Power, Love and a Sound Mind (2 Timothy 1:7). The time is drawing near when, perhaps for the first time,  many of us will have to appropriate the power we've already been given. To those I say, "You're in the army now. Like it or not, you're being deployed; bivouac is over."

I'm NOT a Doom 'n Gloom kinda guy. I've read the Bible and it turns out great! You might call me a Doom 'n BLOOMer, however, one who believes we should grow where we've been planted (I guess that would make Armageddon into ArmaGARDEN... li'l joke there). If we are given the opportunity to grow through the coming trials, how will that growth be achieved? For starters, we will learn to depend on God. In addition, we will pray and seek His face, not merely His hand of blessing. Also, we will have the opportunity to shine as never before, bringing healing, courage and comfort to those who don't know Him, truly becoming His hands extended; Jesus with skin on, as they say. And we will discover the power of unity and agreement as we will be much stronger TOGETHER than we ever could have been flying solo, casting aside that which only serves to divide.

These really are going to be the times that try men's souls. This is a test! Even Jesus had His mettle tested in the wilderness. He HAD to be tested to see what He was made of. Since He said "I came as an example," I'm convinced that WE, too, must be tested in our most holy faith. Thankfully, we have been given everything we will need in order to pass these tests. As a result, we will see miracles such as we've only read about. We will see angels. Demons, too.

I like to encourage myself with verses such as these. I hope they bless you, too:

Psalm 66:12 says: "Then you put a leader over us. We went through fire and flood, but you brought us to a place of great abundance." 

The "leader" being referred to in this verse is not, in my opinion, President Obama - though he is the leader for such a time as this. In 1 Samuel 8, we read of how the Israelites decided they wanted a king like all the other nations. Apparently, hearing directly from God through His prophet Samuel wasn't good enough. So, God told Samuel to let them have their king, but with a word of warning. Samuel told them (verses 11-22): "These will be the ways of the king who shall reign over you: he will take your sons and appoint them to his chariots and to be his horsemen and to run before his chariots. He will appoint them for himself to be commanders over thousands and over fifties, and some to plow his ground and to reap his harvest and to make his implements of war and equipment for his chariots. He will take your daughters to be perfumers, cooks, and bakers. He will take your fields, your vineyards, and your olive orchards, even the best of them, and give them to his servants. He will take a tenth of your grain and of your vineyards and give it to his officers and to his servants. He will take your men and women servants and the best of your cattle and your donkeys and put them to his work. He will take a tenth of your flocks, and you yourselves shall be his slaves. In that day you will cry out because of your king you have chosen for yourselves, but the Lord will not hear you then. Nevertheless, the people refused to listen to the voice of Samuel, and they said, No! We will have a king over us, that we also may be like all the nations, and that our king may govern us and go out before us and fight our battles. Samuel heard all the people’s words and repeated them in the Lord’s ears."

In essence, their new king would take their sons off to war and many sons and daughters would serve him alone in building HIS empire. Sound familiar? In addition, the new king would tax them silly and take what they produced for his own, to do with as he saw fit. We would be made, essentially, his slaves. The once godly nation of America has long turned its back on its one true King Jesus. 

I believe we can EXPECT God to keep His promises, regardless of how unblessable we are as a nation; the blood of Christ ensures that possibility. Individually, we WILL reap as we have sown - if to our flesh, then we will reap corruption. 

If I am correct and trouble finds its way to your house, though fires and floods might come and change our worlds, I find encouragement in these words from Scripture:

In Psalm 18:19: "He led me to a place of safety; He rescued me because He delights in me."

Psalm 66:8-12: "Give honor and thanks to God, O people, and let all hear how great He is! He keeps us alive, and does not let our feet go out from under us. For You have tested us, O God. You have made us pure like silver is made pure. You brought us into the net and You laid a heavy load on our back. You made men travel over our heads. We went through fire and through water. But You brought us out into a place where we have much more than we need."

That sounds like a great ending to a tragic story!

Trust in the Lord. Seek the peace only Jesus can provide, not attainable through Religious activity. Expect the unspeakable joy we can get only from our King, not from the stuff moth and rust destroys. 

Like Noah, I recommend you start preparing. Do what you can and God will take care of the rest. Like Joseph, get ready for the famine. Read the writing on the wall and be pro-active, bearing in mind the needs of so many others who cannot, or will not, get themselves ready. 

God, Gold, Guns, Groceries and Good water are a very good formula for success. 

Prepare yourself Spiritually, Financially, Emotionally and Physically.

Jesus really IS the answer to all our problems. He didn't die FOR our sins; He died BECAUSE of them.

Every blessing,

Michael Tummillo

Founder, The Church @ Work

When disaster strikes, will you be ready?

Last Saturday, my wife and I attended the annual banquet/fundraiser for the Austin Disaster Relief Network (ADRN). A wonderful event, I was told by an attendee from last year's banquet the crowd appeared to be about three times the size of last year's event. Nearly 500 people were in attendance.

The ADRN team - Chaplains and those trained in Critical Incident Stress Management (CISM) - had recently been deployed to the West, Texas disaster where we debriefed and ministered to over 600 traumatized people and gave away $35,000 in Gift Cards to help them get back on their feet. We also wrote up 237 "Sponsor a Family" forms for distribution to area churches, including hose in nearby Waco who had already adopted over 150 families, last I heard. Toward the end of our mission, a group of Waco Church Leaders gathered and met with the ADRN Executive Director, Daniel Geraci. By early the next week, 167 people were involved in ADRN training. By now, even more churches and more individuals have joined their ranks. The Waco Disaster Relief Network (WDRN) is officially underway.

At the banquet, the keynote address was made by Dr. Paul Williams. His impressive background includes serving in disasters in 100 countries. During his speech, he applauded the excellence with which the ADRN has served during the disasters in which we've served and how he believes we will become the international model for other such groups. He also made mention that the ADRN should prepare to expand its influence and he mentioned what was happening in Waco as a result of the West, Texas incident.

Early in the month of April, because of my years of experience as a Workplace Chaplain, I was invited to address the core group of ADRN Chaplains. During that presentation, I mentioned how the ADRN should ready to become the USDRN and how they should prepare to go beyond the Austin area. I mentioned how the West Point class of 1861 graduated two classes in an effort to supply soldiers to both armies during the Civil War and how, likewise, the ADRN would be churning out trained Volunteers and Chaplains in the days ahead. Now, I don't claim to be a prophet nor the son of a prophet, but, in just 12 days, an explosion at a fertilizer plant in West, Texas would press the ADRN into action.

Could your community use a trained disaster team? In Austin, last I heard, there were 115 churches involved with the ADRN, amounting to well over 3,000 individuals. I believe, in these days where a blind man can tell disasters are on the rise, it is critical that Christians avail themselves of the training being made available to them. On a personal level, my own desire is to be able to serve my own community with food and water and communication capability during a disaster. Though my efforts to date fall far short of where I want to be, my goal for disaster readiness remains the same: me and my wife, my family and friends, my neighborhood, and my community, in that order. I contend that, if every Follower of Christ would purposefully engage in Disaster Readiness on any level greater than what they are currently doing, should a disaster come, we will be the light shining in the darkness, the calming effect on a world gone crazy, and we will win souls - the minds, will and emotions - of disaster Survivors. I saw this firsthand when I ministered in West. Frankly, I witness this all the time as a Workplace Chaplain when individual disasters might range from a cheating spouse to a bad doctor's report to a teen suicide or an unwanted pregnancy. Disaster runs the gamut and is no respecter of persons.

Last night, no more than 40 minutes from my home, a 1-mile wide tornado struck Granbury, Texas. Not only did I once live there, but my parents reside there now as do some friends. My parents have participated with Habitat for Humanity there and, from what I hear, some of those homes were destroyed. Already today, several people have asked me if the ADRN is going to be deployed to Granbury. So far, I haven't heard.

If you desire training in HAM radio, CERT (Community Emergency Response Team) CISM, or more, ADRN's training is second to none. If you want to be certified as a Chaplain, I recommend ADRN's course because you'll receive training very applicable to today's "last days" environment. I've been endorsed by several organizations and none of them offered much training at all that would apply to a catastrophe. Don't allow distance to discourage you! I'm nearly 3 hours away and have come to enjoy the lovely country drive to the capital. If you wish to sow your finances into a fruit-producing inter-denominational ministry, prayerfully consider ADRN (website: ADRNTX.ORG). They're great stewards!

Jesus said there'd be days like this. Isn't that enough to motivate us to stop merely GOING to church and start BEING The Church? When the end of the world as they know it comes knocking, those Survivors need to meet Christ in you, the Hope of Glory... even if that Survivor is right there next to you in the workplace.

Every blessing,

Michael Tummillo

Founder, The Church @ Work

How should we worship God?

Many would respond that the worshipping of God is best defined by one's church attendance complete with the singing of a few songs. Where do we get that notion? Admittedly, modern Christianity is now what we've made it to be, though it looks very little like its original model. Whereas the original church didn't have bibles, preachers, musicians and choirs (Lydia's house church, for example), I fear most modern Christians wouldn't have a clue as to what they should do were they expected to worship God WITHOUT all the modern church trappings.

A case in point, I attended a church where a new worship leader joined our ranks and, at their first Wednesday night rehearsal with the Praise Team, the first instructions they received were, "Put down your instruments; we're going to worship God." 

They didn't know what to do; some cried.

Not saying other gatherings are evil or wrong, but this is why I am such a strong advocate of Simple Church, two or three gathered in His Name, anywhere, anytime. That could describe you and your spouse, a roommate, your kids. Are we loving one another, preferring one another, submitting to one another, fleshing out the many 'one another's' of the New Testament? Does worship have anything at all to do with spectating, that is, listening while others are singing songs or while we hear sermons?

While I was serving as a Chaplain after the West, Texas explosion, a nursing home in nearby Whitney had taken-in a 96 year old Resident from the nursing home in West. The Director of Nurses called me and asked if I could get a Catholic priest to visit her on Sunday morning. I answered I was headed back to West on Sunday and would stop by and visit her myself. She was sharp but her hearing-aid exploded when the plant exploded. I wound up holding her hand, cheek-to-cheek, and shouting and praying in her ear. We were being and having church. She cried and God's presence was tangible.

I contend that, if God dwells within His people, the best way of showing our love to Him would be by the love we show to others. After all, He created them and Jesus died for them. Frankly, the tell-tale signs of our worship of God are revealed by our checkbooks and our calendars, how we spend our money and our time.

For far too many, Christianity can be summed up by church attendance and however we define what 'being good' is (often, we grade on a curve).

I don't believe God is interested in habitual, mechanical, rote forms of worship or memorized hymns and prayers; He is interested in a heart that cries out to glorify Him wherever and whenever the unction presents itself. True worship boils down to a life that honors Him; we were created to do so. Sadly, our lives are so filled with distractions, setting aside an hour or so to worship God at a church meeting is the best many Christians are willing to muster. Truth is, it's about a lifestyle of holiness, not merely an hour. Jesus was our example.

Here are a few 

Scriptural references regarding worship of our God from the New Testament. The key is to do so as the Spirit leads, NOT because we're supposed to or those are the songs we rehearsed:

-We are to proclaim the Word of God (1 Tim. 4:13)

-We are to respond gratefully to the truth of the Word of God (Ex. 24:3). 

-We are to remember the Lord's sacrifice through the celebration of communion (1 Cor. 11:24, Acts 2:46, 47). 

-We are to live godly lives (1 Cor. 11:2). 

-We are to sing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs (Eph. 5:19). 

-We are to pray in the Spirit (Eph. 6:18). 

-We are to present ourselves to God (Rom. 12:1). 

-We are a Kingdom of Priests and are to offer a sacrifice of praise (Heb. 13:15). 

-We are to confess the Name of God (Heb. 13:15). 

-We are to do good things (Heb. 13:16). 

-We are to be generous and share with others (Heb. 13:16).

These verses simply name a few of the ways in which we are to worship God. Let's get started, remembering you are ALWAYS The Church and, therefore, it's OK for you to blend the sacred with the secular.

Every blessing,

Michael Tummillo

Founder, The Church @ Work

"How can I become a MORE EFFECTIVE Workplace Christian?"

As a Workplace Chaplain, it's not uncommon that an Employee will ask me this question. In short, it boils down to three things:

1. Prayer
2. Caring for the widows (including single mothers) and orphans (kids without fathers)
3. Fleshing out the “one another's” of the New Testament.

Let's focus on Prayer... workplace intercession. I like teaching the Hand Prayer. By using one's own hands, placed palm-to-palm in a standard “praying” position, our own fingers will remind us of how to pray in the workplace.

THUMB: In the praying position, the thumb is the digit closest to us. So, we are reminded to pray for those who are closest to us, whether that's the person in the next cubicle or the closest friends we have at break time.

POINTER: The Pointer finger helps us recall the individuals who point the way in your workplace. Is that a Workplace Chaplain, like me, or is it a co-worker most often turned to in times of personal crisis? Maybe it's that UPS guy... God will use anyone!

MIDDLE FINGER: When our hands are palm-to-palm, the middle finger is at the highest level. So, now we pray for those in the highest positions. From the company's Founder to the Plant Manager to the immediate Supervisor, intercede for the souls, families, wisdom and revelation so the company will be led in a godly manner and have a Kingdom impact on the community and the world.

RING FINGER: The weakest of our fingers reminds to pray for those who may be weak at the moment. Whose going through divorce? Single parents need prayer. Whose sick? Whose family is struggling? Anyone depressed, suicidal, lonely, addicted to alcohol or drugs? Is anyone mourning?

PINKY: Our little finger reminds us to pray for ourselves in the workplace. Pray God would break your heart for those you spend the majority of your life with: your co-workers. We can preach all day and memorize the Bible but, as Paul wrote, “if we have not love,” we're having no effect. Ask the Lord to help you see your job for the mission field it is and that He would use you as Salt & Light there. Pray that you would be a thermostat there rather than a thermometer, setting the temperature rather than merely reading it. Ask Him to help you discover your purpose while you're employed there and that He would grant you wisdom to do as the Spirit directs you.

Finally, there's the palm itself. When curled it makes a fist and that reminds you of your service as a warrior in God's Army. Wherever people are gathered, Satan's minions are there, assigned to muddy the waters (yes, even in churches). Remember, no matter who is rubbing you the wrong way, your battle is NOT against flesh and blood – it's against those devils and YOU have been given the power to get rid of them where you work.

So, go give 'em Heaven!

Every blessing,

Michael Tummillo

Founder, The Church @ Work

Same ol' job, but with a twist

Time after time, I encounter people who are trading time for money at their job, very dissatisfied, looking for purpose. Many are waiting for something to change, as if that change will make everything better. 

Truth is, change comes from within. It's about growing where you've been planted, changing the landscape rather than waiting for the landscape to change. A Follower of Jesus will NEVER be content UNTIL he/she renews their mind to the truth of their purpose in the place we call "Work." 

Yes, there is a purpose for you being there. Whether you're just starting or you've been there 20 years, God didn't open your door to employment because He wanted to keep you busy or help you pay your bills. He strategically placed you there BECAUSE He has work for you to do there. The fact that you're reading this now is evidence He wants to equip you, change your mind about your job and who it is you REALLY work for. 

We're in a spiritual war and, sadly, far too many are either unaware of that, or are ill-equipped for the mission. Masses of Christ-Followers are settling for Employment over Deployment as soldiers in God's Army. Since the flesh tends to seek after its own comfort, in time, many grow weary of the enslavement of the job and either quit, request a transfer or perform so poorly we get terminated. In our desire for change, we start looking for something to ease our misery... drugs, alcohol, ungodly relationships. All we wind up doing is compounding our problems.

Dr. Lance Wallnau, famous for his "7-Mountains of Societal Influence" teachings, said: "...no longer will we be a part of the world system, but we will INVADE the world system. You have permission to be a secret agent for God! Ask Him, "What is my mountain?" Don't be afraid to be on more than one! It will open your mind to the possibilities and give you the freedom to be used how He designed and created you to be used."

More money won't bring joy. Joy is not happiness, but any happiness money brings will not fulfill. A different job won't bring joy as it won't be long before it loses its luster. When I graduated from being just another Employee to serving my coworkers as a Workplace Apostle (a "sent one"), I began to see my job simply as a tool for building the Kingdom. I was surrounded by lost, hurting, confused and compromising people. The atmosphere was dark but I brought the light of Jesus. Things changed. I found myself leaping out of bed, excited about facing the day's Divine Appointments. Many years later, I'm still that way. I stand amazed at the eMail, telephone and face-to-face meetings I have with people every single day - opportunities to speak a word of encouragement, bless somebody, pray with and for others and offer wise counsel. You see, when your life is all about HIS business, He takes care of yours. It's wonderful to release the burdens of life and to be used as God's conduit of blessing.

Unspeakable joy? A peace that passes understanding? They can be yours. Yes, VICTORY can be yours. Do you want those things? 

Every blessing,

Michael Tummillo

Founder, The Church @ Work

Disaster donations: Texas lags way behind Boston

This saddens me. I know, it's not a contest. But having been part of the ADRN team of Chaplains and trained Volunteers who was deployed to the West, Texas disaster,

I have looked into the eyes of the people who lost loved ones, whose lives were turned upside-down. I heard their stories, saw their tears, hugged their necks. The children 

are confused. Many folks were suddenly left homeless and jobless. Others were physically wounded and will be scarred for life. 

I attended the Town Hall meeting and I guarantee you, West will rebuild, with or without any outside help (certainly none had been promised by the government as of last Sunday).

But they sure could use a li'l help from the rest of us.

Come on, folks. Let's dig deep and do unto others as we would have them do unto us.

You can donate online right now at the ADRN website (Austin Disaster Relief Network).

CLICK HERE

No amount is too small. Heck, if only us 27 MIllion Texans gave a dollar today, the people of West would be able to restore their lives that much faster. 

What about the rest of y'all?

Thanks in advance! Please FORWARD this message to everyone on your mailing list.

Every blessing,

Michael Tummillo

Founder, The Church @ Work