WHY SO MANY SUICIDES?

The recent rash of high-profile suicides has been on my mind with suicide rates in all age groups in the country having risen nearly 30 percent since 1999 according to the Center for Disease Control. People like comedian Robin Williams, clothing designer Kate Spade, and chef Anthony Bourdain, all had reached the top of their game and were considered successful, talented and wealthy. But each suddenly ended their lives leaving family members and the world in shock.

Most of us have been touched by the suicide in some way. As a chaplain for the Sheriff's and Fire Departments for over thirty years I have seen more than my share. Many were ordinary people who had gotten in a tough spot in life with drugs, money or health issues, but, others had good jobs, were successful and well-educated. Ironically some were even "mental health" professionals. According to the magazine Psychology Today, doctors actually have a very high rate of suicide. Why?

Internationally known Christian apologist Dr. Ravi Zacharias tells of growing up in India where the pressure of academic success was everything. As a result at seventeen he tried to commit suicide by drinking a chemical cocktail. Fortunately, it caused him to vomit it back up and his life was saved. While recuperating in a hospital he was visited by a minister who read John 14:19 to him where Jesus said to Thomas the doubter, "Because I live, you shall live also." Ravi quickly realized Jesus was "the way the truth and the life" (v.6) and placed his faith in Christ for that life.  It radically changed him and set him on a course to proclaim the Gospel around the world for the last fifty years. 

The more our culture moves away from God and the foundations of Christian belief, the more suicide we will see because our focus is only horizontal and self. But man was made to have primarily a vertical focus because we were made in God's image. Scripture says, "To live is Christ." He is our creator and sustainer.  He made us for a reason beyond ourselves. He is the solid rock that stabilizes our emotions and state of mind. My favorite verse from God's Word says it well. "The steadfast of mind You will keep in perfect peace, Because he trusts in You. Trust in the LORD forever, For in GOD the LORD, we have an everlasting Rock."  (Isaiah 26:3-4 cf. Philippians 4:6-8).  Simply put, man is made in God's image and will not be complete until he puts his faith in that rock.  Like a lighthouse on a rock our living Savior bring us through the storm. 

Hear Dr. Ravi Zacharias's testimony at  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D4H_2uSkSL8 .

- PASTOR MARK

Winter storm at Point Robinson LIght, Vashon Island, WA.

There is something new for men this Saturday. Our Men’s Discipleship ministry will meet (8-9:30) for free breakfast as we launch a new interactive Bible study in 1 Timothy. It is a short but powerful book focusing on mentoring men to be strong spiritual leaders. We’ll glean plenty from Paul instructions to young Timothy.  Bring your Bible and your sons too.

This Sunday is Fathers Day so bring dad's favorite breakfast finger food to share on the patio at the 9:15 hour for our Fathers Day Fellowship (Sunday School is cancelled). During the 10:30 worship time a number of families will be dedicating their children this special day.

HOW OUR DEATH CAN GLORIFY GOD

Before Christ returned to heaven He appeared to Peter at the Sea of Galilee where Peter had been fishing. He challenged Peter's love and commitment to Him in a number of ways. "Now this He said, signifying by what kind of death he would glorify God..." (John 21:19a). Peter did follow Christ and died upside down on an inverted cross. It did glorify God. This was the price of following Christ and would glorify God as believers gained much courage from Peter's story through the centuries.

We don't often think of how our death might glorify God. If we did it would make a difference in how we live and die. All we do should be to God's glory...even our death. 

Recently I have been reflecting on how Sgt. Gabriel De Roo's death brought glory to God, Gabe, our son-in-law, was killed in action in Iraq in 2006. Recently my daughter Hannah, our grandson Gabriel, my wife Nancy and I retold this story to a large group at the local cemetery on Memorial Day. Later I was told that many in the crowd "were weeping."

People gather at Haven of Rest Cemetery for a Memorial Day service.

Our family had a unique opportunity to tell Gabe's story.

When I heard Gabe was killed in Iraq my first thought was "God is doing something." I knew he was with the Lord because he had earlier found salvation and forgiveness in Christ alone. But I also knew that somehow God would bring good out of bad and "glorify" Himself. Twelve years later that has proved to be amazingly true as funds came in and were used to help reach people in Iraq for Christ as Gabe had desired to do. His story has been put in print and told to battlefield Iraqi troops on the front lines as they enjoyed a hot meal brought out to them. They even sent thanks back to our family. God used Gabe's death to glorify Himself.

Young Gabriel show his resemblance to his father and a recent battle field painting done by his uncle Ezra.

Not everyone dies in such a way. But we all have an opportunity by our life and witness to meet death victoriously and bring glory to God. That is the highest end. That is the end that Peter accomplished and may it be ours as well. May we leave behind a godly testimony that will inspire. "To live is Christ and to die is gain."

Learn much more about Sgt. De Roo at www.gabrielderoo.us. 

NOTICE:  Sunday June 10th our Adult Sunday School Classes are dismissed to hear noted Christian apologist Ravi Zacharias speak at Chapel Hill Presbyterian at the 9:00 and 10:45 am services.  Parents going are encouraged to take their children. If leaving them at DBC please leave with a designated guardian. 

-Pastor Mark Suko

WHY THE CHURCH BURNED

Last week the church burned down? It was an inside job and all planned by our board. Actually it was the old building that we used for a church meeting place that burned. It was built and used as a barn for many years before being sold and converted to a building for church use. 

For the record keep in mind that the real church is God's people.  Ecclesia, the Greek word for church, originally meant an assembly called out by a person of authority. Therefore, "church" refers to God's people called out by Him to be His own. Jesus said, "I will build My church; and the gates of Hades will not overpower it." (Mtt. 16:18b). However, the word in modern usage has come to mean a building as well as a body of people.

Now, back to the barn burning. Yes, we did burn down the church building that we affectionately called the barn. For ten years we met in it twice on Sunday morning, once in the evening and other nights of the week. I preached somewhere around 1,500 messages there.  It was a well built building and was very useful to the end.  But it was just a pile of smoldering ashes by last Saturday night. 

Why did we burn the barn? With the planned expansion of our church facilities it was necessary to remove the barn so that an equal amount of square footage could be added to our new educational building. Building codes limit the amount of building square footage that can cover our property. By removing the barn we are now able to add two or more new class rooms to the new facility. The old had a place but now gives way to the new. Remember, it is not buildings that change people. But what happens inside them does. The new buildings will be places of teaching about Christ from the Scriptures. 

Why didn't we just disassemble it and use the lumber? Good question. Burning it saved us about $8,000 in demolition costs and also provided a unique training opportunity for our Fire Department. To them it was like ten Christmases since they rarely have a real burning building to do live drills in. Thanks, Chief Burgess and Lyon for burning our church down. It was a blessing. :-) About thirty or more firefighters spent the day here handling this for us. See the special two minute video below created by my son Nehemiah.

What is next? The ashes will be cleaned up this week. We continue to wait for engineers to complete our parking design and then we hope to apply for the coveted building permit. Keep praying.  

Join us this Sunday for our Mother's Day breakfast at 9:30 (No Sunday School). Bring a breakfast snack to share. Then worship as we remember our mothers at 10:30.

Pastor Mark