According to the dictionary, an epitaph is “an inscription on a tombstone or monument in memory of the person buried there.” For many people, the epitaph is merely a pair of dates, for Steve it’s ‘06/01/1975 – 05/27/2008.’ The part I’d really like to focus on is not the dates, but the hyphen in between them.

When we die, all of our life is summed up in that little hyphen — what did we do on earth? Steve deserves so much more than a small hyphen, and his memory will indeed live on in the hearts of his family and friends, and in the legacy of Impact Christian Church.

As I listen to people talk and write about Steve, a few common themes come up that I’d like to share. I’ve only known Steve for a short period of time, but I definitely agree with these recurring themes:

• “Steve was real.” Steve was a man of integrity, whose authenticity extended to every aspect of his life. Whether in the ring or sitting at the dinner table, Steve was true to himself and true to his God.
• “Steve really cared.” In a church and world filled with so many fake people, everyone says that Steve genuinely cared about people and invested into their lives.
• Steve taught me to read my bible every day.” This is a powerful testimony to Steve’s life and ministry. This speaks to his love of God’s Word and passion to share it with others. Of all things to be remembered for, I continue to hear people say this, along with the next quote.
• “Steve taught me to have an actual relationship with God.” Again, this speaks to the power of Steve’s witness and ministry. How awesome is it for Steve to be remembered by these last two things! If his entire life had been lived for only one person to begin a fulfilling relationship with God, then it would have been worth it. Yet we know that he has helped countless others begin their walk of faith, and has enabled many others to begin their own ministries. What a powerful example of a true servant of the most high God!
• “Steve understood me.” This speaks to Steve’s willingness to listen, and not to judge people and form hasty conclusions about them. Steve was open to loving people from all walks of life, particularly those who most people discard or reject.

Steve is a wonderful servant of God. I use the term “is,” in present tense, because He is continuing to serve God in eternity. One day we will join Him. Steve IS a great man, and he pointed us to the greatest man: Jesus Christ. I thank Jesus for Steve, even if we could only enjoy him here on earth for a brief time. We have an eternity ahead of us.

ROBERT STEVEN SZOKE, JR. CROWN POINT, IN

Robert Steven Szoke, Jr. “Steve”, age 32, passed away on May 27, 2008. Steve was a graduate of Thornton Fractional North of Calumet City, IL Class of 1993 and a graduate of Lincoln Christian College in Lincoln, IL Class of 1998. He formerly served on staff with Cross Point Christian Church in Sugar Grove, IL. Steve was a former Youth Minister of Town & Country Christian Church in Crown Point, IN, Maple Lawn Christian Church in Joliet, IL and Christian Church of LaHarpe, IL. He was Founding Pastor and Minister of Impact Christian Church of Merrillville, IN and Trustee and High School Week Dean of Lake Region Christian Assembly (Camp LRCA). Steve was the Founder, Professional Wrestler and Promoter of FirePro Wrestling of Merrillville, IN and was a fixture of the Pro-Wrestling scene all throughout Indiana and Illinois wrestling for many different federations. He was an avid and creative artist and had a deep and passionate love for his Impact Christian Church family and for developing a safe place for people to come and learn about God. Impact plays host to many different functions including Pro-Wrestling shows, Tae Kwon Do, and Sunday Night Ignite, a Christian teen worship service. Steve had a love for God and for people and loved bringing the two together. Steve is survived by his wife, Candy (nee Mullens) Szoke of Crown Point; daughter, Jada Szoke age 7; his parents: Robert and Lorraine Szoke of Crown Point; sister, Sarah (Brian) Lowery of South Elgin, IL; brother in-law, Cortney (Nicole) Mullens of Flora, IL; niece, Josie Mullens age 5; mother-in-law, Christina Mullens of Flora, IL; grandmothers: Katherine Brooker of Elmhurst, IL and Merle Szoke of Riverton, IL; and aunt, Linda Brooker of Elmhurst, IL. Funeral services will be held Saturday, May 31, 2008 at 10:00 a.m. at Burns Funeral Home, 10101 Broadway, Crown Point, IN with Rev. Lance Hurley officiating. Interment at Historic Maplewood Cemetery in Crown Point, IN. Friends may meet with the family at Burns Funeral Home on Friday from 3:00 to 8:00 p.m. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to the family, Impact Christian Church or Camp LRCA. www.burnsfuneral.com
Published in The Times from 5/29/2008 – 5/30/2008.

From the NWI Times.

This afternoon, my pastor, Steve Szoke, entered into glory. I’ve felt pretty numb about it all day — I haven’t really had any words to say. I think I was somewhat ready, since he’s been in hospice for some time now, but it still isn’t pleasant. The wake will be this Friday (May 30th) and the funeral Saturday (May 31st). We held a memorial service this evening to gather and pray for the family and for our church community. Afterwards several of us headed over the Coldstone Creamery in Crown Point for some ice cream. Ice cream is certainly a comforting food group…

The words of Isaiah 57:1-2 come to mind:

“The righteous perish, and no one ponders it in his heart; devout men are taken away, and no one understands that the righteous are taken away to be spared from evil.

Those who walk uprightly enter into peace; they find rest as they lie in death.”

Steve has entered into peace, he has finally found rest, after eight months of chemo hell. Steve has graciously been spared from this life and all of its troubles, fears, and sorrows. It still hurts for us who remain, but at least we have assurance that Steve is with Jesus in heaven, where “[God] will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away” (Revelation 21:4).

It’s times like these where I remember Job and his faithfulness to God. Job was an incredibly faithful servant of God, and within about ten minutes, Job learns that all of his children have died, his servants, his animals, and much of his property is all destroyed. While many people may have cursed God in a moment like this (which Job’s wife does), here is his immediate response (Job 1:20-22):

At this, Job got up and tore his robe and shaved his head. Then he fell to the ground in worship and said: “Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked I will depart. The LORD gave and the LORD has taken away; may the name of the LORD be praised.“

In all this, Job did not sin by charging God with wrongdoing.

Notice that Job first began to mourn. In his culture, people tore their clothing and put ashes on their heads to show mourning. Job goes even further and shaves his head. Immediately after this visceral reaction, he falls to the ground — IN WORSHIP. At the memorial tonight, Jon led us in worship, reminding us why we are here on earth in the first place, and what Impact Christian Church is all about. Job then says an amazing thing: “The LORD gave and the LORD has taken away; may the name of the LORD be praised.” Such a simple phrase, but so profound. In this one phrase Job is saying, he gave me everything, and should he choose to take it, he has that right. I will still praise Him. V. 22 even makes it clear to us that Job did not sin by accusing God of wrongdoing.

No one ever said life is fair, but Job praises His God rather than seeking to vindicate himself. That is amazing — and it serves as an example to us. This Sunday would be Steve’s birthday, and who better to spend it with than Jesus. I will miss Steve, yet I will praise my God.

I saw this article on the Associated Press website:

KATMANDU, Nepal (AP) — A 76-year-old Nepalese man reached the summit of Mount Everest on Sunday and became the oldest person to climb the world’s highest mountain, a tourism official said.

Min Bahadur Sherchan reached the 29,035-foot summit early in the morning with his climbing guides, said a Nepal Tourism Ministry official, Ramesh Chetri.

Sherchan was just 25 days away from his 77th birthday, Chetri said.

Although this is an amazing story, it isn’t the only reason for this post. In Everest: The West Ridge, mountaineer Thomas F. Hornbein writes about reality, when at the top of a mountain he and his team awakened to another dimension of experience:

We felt the lonely beauty of the evening, the immense roaring silence of the wind, the tenuousness of our tie to all below. There was a hint of fear, not for our lives, but of a vast unknown which pressed upon us. A fleeting disappointment — that after all those dreams and questions this was only a mountaintop — gave way to suspicion that maybe there was something more, something beyond the three-dimensional form of the moment.

The Bible records another mountaintop experience in Mark 9:2-13. Jesus took Peter, James and John up on a high mountain, and Elijah and Moses appeared. The three disciples wanted to stay, but Jesus knew what He had yet to face. In another mountaintop experience, Jesus is tempted by the devil to worship him.

So what’s my point? It seems that “mountaintops” give people a different view of reality, whether good or bad — and age seems to be no factor, as our 76-year-old Nepalese man demonstrated. Sometimes we think that “mountaintop” experiences are only for the young, yet in reality we are all relatively young. On the scale of eternity, even the so-called “elderly” are just getting ready to begin their journey.

In Mysticism, early twentieth-century British writer Evelyn Underhill writes that within each person there is an “immense capacity for perception, for the receiving of messages from the outside; and a very little consciousness which deals with them.” For those of the American Christian faith, developing the capacity for spiritual consciousness tends to be the forgotten frontier. In America, the message seems to be that the kingdom of God belongs to the busy, to those who know how to work, to the spiritual entrepeneurs. The highest compliment to pay people is how well they juggle the twenty activities they have on their plate between church, school, and their jobs. The problem is, spirituality morphs into activities: Bible studies, small group meetings, reading yet another best-selling book on the key to victorious Christian living, even serving at the local homeless shelter. It’s the reverse, though, of what should happen. Instead of truly opening our eyes to a larger world, the busyness can obscure it.

I’ve been reading Death By Suburb by David L. Goetz, and I’ve gleaned some thoughts here:

A friend of mine said it well: “I don’t like the actual act of praying much, but I love the open space that it creates in my life for God to work.” I think the kingdom of God often appears plain, ordinary, small, in the moment — and we usually miss it. Just consider the parables of Jesus which speak about the kingdom: it is a mustard seed, a shepherd looking for lost sheep, a woman looking for a lost coin. Maybe it’s also a fourteen-year-old girl who breaks into a smile when she learns that her father just broke up with his umpteenth lover, and now the teenager will have her father to herself for Christmas.

Don’t wait till you get to the top of Mount Everest to realize that this life is not the end-all-be-all — there is so much more we miss every moment. The child that wants to play with you when that big deadline at work is coming up might be the chance to rediscover laughter and carefree fun. The call from the single mom with four children who “never helps herself but always wants you to do things for her” might be an opportunity to learn from the powerless, with whom God seems to be so active. Spending time with your mentally handicapped family member may be a chance to enrich your life. This just might be a chance to act without expecting results, to help someone even if you receive no glory for doing so, and even if you never see any change. Helping just because it’s the right thing to do, and by doing so you honor God. Just some thoughts….

Looking for something to do this Saturday in NWI? Steve Szoke, my pastor, recently went into hospice and is continuing to struggle with end-stage rectal cancer. The benefit is to help offset medical expenses for him and the family. Steve is only 32 years old, is married and has a seven-year-old daughter. Please come and support Steve!

This flyer is also available online at Shine 89.7’s website and at NWI Connect.

We need to remember Steven Curtis Chapman’s family in our prayers. I hear about this at the inkspotprinter blog. China View reports:

BEIJING, May 23 (Xinhuanet) — The daughter of Grammy-winning Christian music star Steven Curtis Chapman was killed by a car driven by one of her older brothers on Wednesday afternoon.

Maria Sue, 5, was struck by a Toyota Land Cruiser when she was playing in the family’s driveway in Williamson County just south of Nashville, said Laura McPherson, a spokeswoman for the Tennessee Highway Patrol.

It was confirmed that the driver is one of Chapman’s teenage sons, but the police did not identify name and his age.

“Maria was rushed to Vanderbilt Children’s Hospital in Nashville, transported by LifeFlight, but died of her injuries there.” said a statement on Chapman’s website.

No charges are expected, McPherson said, as apparently her brother did not see the girl, “It looks like a tragic accident,” she said.

Chapman and his wife have promoted international adoption and have three daughters from China, including Maria. They also have three biological children.

Maria was the youngest of the Chapman’s six children.

Please keep the Chapman family in your prayers.

Jerry Davich, Post Tribune columnist, wrote a great article today about a new book regarding race relations. The book was written by black attorney John H. Davis of Gary, Indiana; and it answers touchy questions such as: “Are blacks naturally loud, lazy, untidy and athletic? Can all blacks dance? Can blacks get sunburned? Why don’t blacks enunciate English properly? Is watermelon their favorite fruit? Are they habitually tardy? Afraid of water sports? More religious than others? Proud of bearing welfare babies?”

It’s no secret that Route 30 and 93rd Avenue seem to be unspoken segregation lines in Lake County, particularly between Main/Taft/Cleveland and I-65. North of Route 30 is mostly black, and just south of Route 30 is fairly diverse. But once you cross 93rd Avenue into Crown Point, the landscape is predominantly white. Go further south into Lowell, and a child might stare and point at a black person (”Look at that mom! He’s a little far south of 30!”). Of course there are exceptions, and this doesn’t mean that white people south of Route 30 are racist. I’m just pointing out some unspoken boundaries.

I wrote an article about race relations in NWI at NWI Connect this morning. I’d encourage you to read my story and then share your story, because we all have one to tell. Check it out and support this new blog that is trying to connect the NWI blogosphere!

For those who aren’t aware, Jon Costas is the mayor of Valparaiso, and he is running for AG. He’s a great Christian man and he’s been a great mayor. Watch this short video that talks about his faith and positions — and then vote for him!

From Reuters:

WELLINGTON (Reuters) – Two New Zealand pilots whose plane ran out of fuel landed on a wing and a prayer, literally, local media reported on Wednesday.

Grant Stubbs and Owen Wilson from Blenheim, at the top of the South Island about 50 kilometers (30 miles) south of Wellington, were in a microlight plane when the engine cut out.

“When you’re in a microlight if you crash, you usually die. I turned to O B (Wilson) and he said we had no fuel,” Stubbs told the Marlborough Express newspaper.

“I asked what we should do. He said: ‘You just pray Grant.’”

Stubbs said he prayed to God to get them over a ridge and they finally landed in a small grassy area, and beside a 20 foot high sign saying “Jesus is Lord — The Bible.”

Coincidence? I think not. God is still active in the world today, He still answers prayer, and He still has a sense of humor!

From the Jerusalem Post:

The burning of hundreds of New Testaments by yeshiva students in Or Yehuda last week was regrettable and unplanned, the city’s deputy mayor, the man who spurred the students to act, told The Jerusalem Post on Tuesday.

Deputy Mayor Uzi Aharon of Shas used the opportunity of speaking to the Post, which publishes a monthly Christian Edition, to apologize to Christians worldwide, saying he hoped the incident would not inflame tensions between Jews and Christians.

Following the publication of the story on Tuesday, however, many messianic Jewish and other Christian groups expressed grave concern over the increasingly violent nature of anti-missionary activity in Israel.

I just wanted to bring this to your attention, it’s been all over the news in Europe and other nations, not in the U.S. though. Hmm?