Hanging In Orlando

It’s day 2 here at the SBC in Orlando.  It was a blessed time last night at the opening.  We were blessed to hear from David Uth, Steve Gaines, and Ravi Zacharias.  Uth is the pastor of FBC Orlando.  We went to church there yesterday morning and were tremendously blessed.  David morning sermon was a challenging and affirming message from Acts 27 reminding us that God has planned a time of shipwreck and crisis in our ministry but has also promised us that if we stay on the ship, we will make it.  His evening message was a powerful reminder that we are in the business of changing lives.

Gaines is the pastor at Bellevue in Memphis.  He shucked the corn.  His message was from Revelation 3 and the church at Sardis about a dying church that thought it was alive.  It was a powerful reminder of our accountability to the Lord Jesus as church leaders.  Ravi Zaharias is probably one of the smartest men I have ever heard.  He is a brilliant apologist.  His message was an overview of the life of Joseph in Genesis.  He reminded us of the need to be firm in the midst of temptations and have peace in the midst of our pain.  God has given Zacharias a powerful platform to defend the faith in some of the most challenging places on earth.  The evening was closed by Tony Evans.  However, my party and I were ready to get home and get something to eat so I missed it.

This morning, I got to hear from Matt Chandler and C.J. Mahaney.  I am extremely grateful to God for raising up these two men and the impact they have had on me in recent years.  Matt did a powerful job reminding us of the dangers of boiling our preaching down to sin management and neglecting the power of the gospel.  C.J. preached an affirming message from 1 Peter 5 reminding us that our task is to engage in the work of ministry with joy, eagerness, and gladness and to try to avoid the ministry crushers that we face every day.

Break for lunch now...very unhealthy Chili Cheese Dog and Fries.  No wonder I weigh 235 lbs.

Great thoughts from Rick Burgess

I am extremely thankful for Rick Burgess and Bubba Bussey and the stand they take for Christ on their public radio show.  These guys are real.  I am also thankful for Rick's stance this morning on this proclamation by President Obama.  Rick does a great job presenting the gospel without belittling anyone for their lifestyle.  I pray God will bring up more men with the boldness and passion of men like these.

Radical (A Book Review)

I just finished the book Radical: Taking Back Your Faith from the American Dream by David Platt.  I have had the privilege of being familiar with David Platt's ministry for several years now when I recently served in the same are as him.  He is the pastor of The Church of Brook Hills in Birmingham.  TCABH is a large, contemporary congregation in an affluent area and had a growing ministry before Dr. Platt's arrival as Senior Pastor.  However, Platt has turned this church upside-down for the gospel.  I have several friends who have been active and affiliated with TCABH for several years that speak personally of the dramatic and powerful challenges that Dr. Platt has issued.

David Platt is a guy who fully practices what he preaches.  Before coming to Brook Hills, Platt was personally walking a "radical" faith and being used of God to reach the nations.  Platt has been on many mission endeavors to some of the riskiest areas of the world.  His successful program Secret Church was borne out of his experiences with the underground church in China.  He writes often in the book about experiences in Indonesia, Africa, and other remote places.  In addition, Platt and his wife have adopted children to further exhibit the gospel to the world. 

I was excited to hear that Platt was going to be publishing a book and not surprised at all by its title or content.  I was challenged by some friends to listen to some of the sermons from last year and earlier this year that this book was bourne out of.  Platt's preaching style is honest, passionate, rooted in Scripture, deeply theological and missional.  His writing mirrors his preaching.  Radical is a piercing book.  It forces the reader to confront the idolatry, materialism, and shallow gospel that has plagued the American brand of Christianity for far too long.  Put simply, the church most exemplified in America has become fat and lazy.  We have fed too long on a diet of shallow, sugar-coated sermons about having our best life now and have actually grown to love and excuse our wasteful extravagence with pious christianeze.  Platt's book is another is a growing line of books that call the church back to biblical discipleship where Christ is valued above any treasure or earthly relationship.  I am thankful for books like Francis Chan's Crazy Love, John MacArthur's The Gospel According to Jesus and The Jesus You Can't Ignore, John Piper's God is the Gospel and Let the Nations Be Glad, and John Stott's The Living Church.  Platt's book will challenge you, disturb you, and ultimately break you.  One thing for sure is that you will not leave just saying "That was a good book" but doing nothing about it.

The best thing about Radical is that is not just a theoretical book.  It is a book bourne out of the hard preaching and life-changing ministry occuring at Platt's church.  It is filled with stories of members of this church who have seen and experienced God calling them to a radically new level of obedience and faith.  Platt has issued The Radical Experiment to his church in 2010 and thousands have embraced and are following it.  TCABH will send out hundreds of people this year to mission endeavors around the globe.  Several families of the church are selling their affluent houses and moving into the city of Birmingham to impact the city.  This is more than a book, it is a clarion call to a deeper discipleship and obedience to impact the nations for Christ.  This book will be required reading at my church soon.  I urge you to pick up a copy of Radical soon.  Better still, don't pick up a copy unless you are ready to have your world shaken and forced to an immediate decision of whether you truly will follow Jesus or not. 

Mid-Week Check In

Busy, busy days around here at Sixth Street. Lots going on. Wanted to give you a brief review and update:

• We are super excited to have Amy Young on board as our Children's Ministry/Office Associate. She has hit the ground running! After a planned vacation to visit her sister, she has been radically working to get us a calendar planned for the summer. Take some time to call the church office and welcome her and pledge your support.
• Dr. Rick Lance was a tremendous blessing to us this past Sunday. He graciously opened his calendar for us and challenged our hearts. I have been deeply influenced by Dr. Lance for many years. Pray for him as he continues to lead us as Alabama Baptists.
• Pray for me tonight as I am preaching at the City-Wide Evangelistic Services at Faith Temple. I was graciously extended the invitation to preach several months ago. I will be preaching on the Rich Young Ruler in Luke 18. Pray for clarity, power, that the gospel will be central, and that someone will be changed for eternity.
• If you missed Sunday night, Kent Forbus and his family did a great job leading in special music. They are new to Sixth Street. I am glad that they have jumped in and felt welcome to share their talents with us.
• Graduate Recognition Service will be this coming Sunday. I am excited to see this historic moment in these students lives. It will also be a time of some proud mamas, dads, and grandparents.
• Vacation Bible School is just around the corner. We have a great team that has stepped up to the plate to serve this year. The theme is "Heroes Headquarters". We will be teaching children how to team up with Jesus in what he is doing. Our campus will be turned into a hero's lair for the event. Please register your child to be a part of VBS. You can do so here.
• Pray for my wife Alison and Morgan Jones who are planning on going to Swaizland, Africa in August.  This trip will be working with orphans through Children's Hope Chest.  They have to come up with about $3000 each for the trip.  Pray for their physical, spiritual, and financial preparation.  
• I encourage you to watch your spiritual life closely.  As good things are happening in the church as we move forward, it is vital that we remain in the vine (John 15).  Everything flows from our spiritual life and devotion to Christ.  Make time regularly for the Word and prayer.  Pray for me as a leader that I can do the same. 
• I just started a new book by David Platt called "Radical".  I highly encourage you to get it and read it. More to come later.
  

Verse of the week - "Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure."  Philippians 2:12-13

Ever Been to Church Here?

A little too realistic, but a humorous and satirical look at what everyone is trying to do.

"Sunday's Coming" Movie Trailer from North Point Media on Vimeo.

Suburban Family Humor (for the Soccer Moms and Baseball Dads)

Hey all you Anglo-Soccer Moms. Time to get your swagger on.

Mid-Week Check In

Haven't posted as much lately. Looks like Sixth Street has hit that Spring Fever - Lots going on, families travelling on the weekends more, etc. Attendance has been down, but other things have been going well.

• We had an awesome children's choir program two weeks ago. The kids did a great job. The drama was actually written by some of the kids. Awesome! My oldest Nathan sang his first church solo which I posted a few weeks ago. Thanks to Carrie Keel and her team for a great year.
• We finished our "Unveiling Easter" series this past week looking at the two thieves on the cross. Two men in the same situation that ended up with different destinations. Powerful stuff.
• This Sunday is Mother's Day. I know church will be packed with some new guests. Make sure to do something special for your mom this week.
• Be in prayer for me as I prepare to preach in the local City-Wide Evangelistic Services on Wednesday, May 19. Pray for my personal preparation as well as for an outpouring of the Spirit on our town. I have sensed a great deal of spiritual apathy and lethargy lately. I sense lots of people going through the religious motions, but no real, genuine sense of dependence upon God.
• Sixth Street is proud to welcome the newest member of the staff, Amy Young. Amy will be working to strengthen our children's ministry and do some work around the office. She is a hard worker and has hit the ground running to get our VBS and Summer Camp ready.
• Speaking of Summer Camp, please sign up your kids grades 3-6 for Student Life Kids Camp on June 28-July 1 at Shocco Springs. Sign your students (grades 6-12) for Student Life at the Beach on July 5-9. Both of these will be great opportunities for your kids to learn more about the gospel and the Lord Jesus. It will be the best investment you will make in your kids all year.
• Pray for our Southern Baptist Convention and our leaders of the Great Commission Resurgence. This is an important time for our convention to decide if we are going to be tied to the past and continue to watch our denomination and churches lose ground or look to the future and be challenged to see us make a difference in church planting and unreached people groups. I will be attending the convention in Orlando myself this summer. Pray for all of us that we will prayerfully, humbly, and repentantly seek the Lord on this decision.
• Be at church next Sunday, May 16th to hear Dr. Rick Lance, director of the Alabama State Board of Missions. He is an anointed preacher and leader. I have had the honor of knowing him for several years and am thrilled to give him a chance to speak to us.

My 10 Ministry Fears

I recently had the privilege to speak to the pastors and my spiritual brothers here in the Tallapoosa Baptist Assocation. I felt compelled to share with them a little of my heart regarding ministry. I gave them what I call "My 10 Ministry Fears". I will share them with you here.

1. Preaching without Depth - I have found it far too easy to preach with little preparation in the hard work of exegesis or in the agony of prayer. It is easy to stand on a platform and give spiritual advice. It is difficult to say "Thus says the Lord."

2. Church Growth without the Gospel - I was blessed to serve for 13 years in a fast-growing church with one of the most gifted staffs in the state. However, planning programs and doing public worship that attracts people is easy. Bringing the gospel to life is difficult. I know too well how easy it is to sit in a conference room and plan an event and never ask what it has to do with the gospel or the Great Commission.

3. Personal Success without Spiritual Intimacy - Unfortunately, I also know too well what it is like to have a successful growing ministry at the cost of my personal intimacy and time in God's Word.

4. Choosing Competition over Cooperation - Whenever we pastors get together, we always play the numbers game. We read the yearly report in the state paper regarding baptisms and CP giving and see where we stand up with the other churches. Unfortunately, billions of people have no access to the gospel and thousands in our community lack relevant ministry, but as long as we are in the top 5 in baptisms, we take delight.

5. Discipleship without Life Change - It's easy to have a program with Bible study and classes that focus on fulfillment in the Christian life. It's difficult and messy to actually disciple people - to focus on true accountability, focused prayer, and spiritual maturity. If we have a "discipleship" class and someone attends for at least one year and does not have the ability to personally disciple another person, then that discipleship class is a failure.

6. Leadership without Wisdom - Our culture has brought several advances in the marketplace regarding leadership. Much of it is very applicable to the work of the church. I have been personally challenged by John Maxwell and Seth Godin's writings in addition to Jim Collins' Good to Great. However, our leadership advances need to be grounded in the wisdom and plan of God. Just because you are the leader of an organization does not mean that you are the smartest person in the organization or the most sensitive to the Spirit.

7. Church Success without Family Failure - I have been more personally convicted about my lack of truly discipling my three boys and lack of prayer with my wife. The landscape of ministry is littered with men who faithfully served God's bride and neglected their own. That is spiritual adultery. I can't make disciples of all nations if I can't make disciples in my own home.

8. Ministry without Vision - It's far too easy to spend my ministry focusing on my church and our budget. The vast majority of churches spend 95% of their budget on internal ministry and very little on accomplishing God's global ministry. It's too easy to be happy with baptizing my few and not focus on sending dozens out to the ends of the earth. My former pastor taught me to pray that God will give me a vision so big that if He isn't in it, I are doomed to fail.

9. Putting on a Ministry Mask – One of the things that makes my stomach turn as a minister is the mask that each and every one of us put on. Ministry is full of inauthentic, insecure, and shallow leaders that are overly concerned with the opinions of their fellow ministers than being authentic. This inauthenticity bleeds down through the church and fills our pews with people wearing their own masks and robs the church of biblical community and depth.

10. Developing an Unteachable Spirit - I have been known for a while as a person who reads a lot. The reason is that I want to always have a teachable spirit. I have seen too many ministers who pride themselves that the read "God's Word", but little else. They believe that because of their comfort level, they have arrived at doing ministry and don't need to learn anything else. This creates a spiritual sedentariness that breeds apathy, jealousy, negativity, and stalls vision.

Those are some of my biggest fears. What are yours?

Don't Read this Book (unless you want to be seriously changed)

This is a video introduction to David Platt's new book Radical. I think this will be a major book for this generation. Platt is the real deal and challenges me heavily. Even if you don't read much, get this book.

Proud Dad

Please permit me to brag a little on my first-born son Nathan. He stepped up and tried his first solo in church as part of our children's musical. Way to go buddy! Proud of you for glorifying the Lord Jesus.

State of the Gospel in the South

This is a short video of David Platt on his view of the state of the gospel in the South. This is a promo of an conference next week in Durham, S.C. I really wish I was going here, but schedule would not allow.

Advance 2010 - What is the state of the church today? from Vintage21 Church on Vimeo.

Latest Matt Chandler Update

It's been a couple of week since I posted a video update on Chandler. He's continuing to faithfully proclaim the gospel and glorify God through cancer and treatment.

Book Review - "Everyone Communicates, Few Connect"

I recently received a copy of John Maxwell's new book Everyone Communicates, Few Connect for my blog. This is the second book of his that I have had the privilege of reviewing. I have been blessed to have been connected to Dr. Maxwell's teaching since 1994 when I first started receiving InJoy Life Club lessons on cassette. I feel as though I have been personally mentored over the years by him. I know it has grown me and made me a better leader and people person.

When I first heard the title of the book, I thought that this would be a book primarily about public speaking. As a pastor who preaches for a living, I know the valuable art of connecting with people through public speaking. It is a craft that I have gotten better at, but still have a long way to go. This book, however, is not primarily focused on public speaking. Rather, it is more relational in its theme. This book is extremely practical. It needs to be read by about 90% of the people I know. I think Maxwell's theme is very appropriate. While everyone is usually trying to communicate, there are rare few who actually connect with people in such a way to get them to buy into his/her agenda. There are precious few people in our world today who are pouring into people's lives and adding value to them. Maxwell is one of these rare people. If you have ever had the opportunity to hear him speak, you feel as if you have known him for years.

The book is divided into two sections: Connecting Principles and Connecting Practices. The chapters are listed below:

1. Connecting Increases Your Influence in Every Situation
2. Connecting Is All About Others
3. Connecting Goes Beyond Words
4. Connecting Always Requrires Energy
5. Connecting Is More Skill Than Natural Talent
6. Connectors Connect on Common Ground
7. Connectors Do the Difficult Work of Keeping It Simple
8. Connectors Create an Experience Everyone Enjoys
9. Connectors Inspire People
10. Connectors Live What They Communicate

As I read these chapters, I found myself saying, "I wish I had this book in my early years of ministry." I found too often that my problem was not my communication abilities, but my ability to connect with people, to add value to them, to have them believe that I wanted their best interest that caused me the most problems in ministry. I believe this is true for probably about 75% of ministers that I know. Our problem is usually not doctrine, its connecting. You can be the most biblically accurate expositor around and still lose your message if people don't believe you. Recently, I have seen some around me who are godly people but have shut people out because of the way they communicate with others. As I read the following quote, it opened my eyes to the reality of their situation:

Whatever is inside of you, whether positive or negative, will eventually come out when you are communicating to others. The proverb "As a man thinks in his heart, so is he" really is true. That comes across and impacts the way others react to you. People may hear your words, but they feel your attitude. That will either enable you to connect with people and win them over, or it will alienate them and cause you to lose them.

Overall, this is a strong book by Maxwell. It's probably one of the best I have read. Like most of his books, it is filled with stories and illustrations. For a communicator like me, it provides a vast amount of illustrations to file. The only weakness of the book is that sometimes the chapters seem a little repetitive. I found myself several times reading a sentence that sounded almost the same as something the author said a few chapters before. I imagine that part of this is due to the simplicity of the subject. How many unique ways can you say, "The key is connecting to people and adding value to them?"

I have already thought of at least two or three ways to use this book to help train others to be better connectors. I have also identified about 3-4 principles that I need to implement in my own life, family, and ministry. If you have to work with people in any capacity, you need to get Everyone Communicates, Few Connect.

Mid-Week Check In

Hello all. Been a busy week. Now that baseball has begun both at the park and on my tube, I find my time and attention diverted often. The weather the last few weeks has been awesome except for the pollen.

• The crowd was a little lower this past Sunday than in past weeks. I am not sure why, but I hope Spring Fever and Lake Martin are not affecting us too bad. God has given us some great blessings to enjoy and wired us to need a Sabbath regularly. However, I caution us to make sure that we keep our priority on honoring Christ and his bride on Sundays and pursue our recreational opportunities around that.
• Although the crowd was smaller, the atmosphere was still great. I saw some more guests with us this week. It appears that most every week we are having some new people on the campus. I am thankful for our Guest Services teams that are stepping up to help people feel welcome.
• We were also blessed to have Baylie Kizzah share with us in song Sunday morning. She is a very talented young lady with an awesome voice and a heart for God.
• On Monday and Tuesday, Miles Ward, Bill Young, and I went to McDowell, Kentucky to scout out our mission trip this summer. We are working with God's Appalachian Partnership there. We have selected a couple of homes to do some construction work on. We also have some interesting ministry opportunities at the Distribution Center. Be in prayer for us. We have about 8 spots left that we can fill if you feel led to go.
• I read a great book this week by John Maxwell that I will post a review on for my blog. I am about to start a book recommended to me by my friend Jason Seales called "The Trellis and the Vine". It's about how pastors approach ministry and creating a culture that truly helps us to make disciples. I am excited about it!
• I have graciously received an offer to preach for the upcoming City-Wide Evangelistic Services sponsored by the Alexander City Ministerial Association. I am humbled by the offer and look forward to preaching to many in our city on Wednesday, May 19. Please be in prayer for me as I prepare for this opportunity.
• We will be working hard in the next couple of weeks to fill the Children's Ministry Associate and Receptionist position. Pray for wisdom for the Personnel team as we evaluate the applications.

Verse of the week - "By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another." John 13:35

Post-Easter Check-In

I have been extremely convicted lately about my lack of writing to my blog. It has been a very busy set of weeks lately with lots going on. I've been having some great lunches with church members, trying to get us some exciting programs and events, and still trying to find time for sermon planning. Here is a check-in for the past few weeks:

• Easter Sunday. WOW! What a great day! Besides being the most important day all year for the church, it was special all the way around. I was praying for an attendance of 350 but secretly hoping for more. Our final Sunday AM attendance figure was 387! While I am not always big on numbers, I am thankful that God rewarded the faithfulness of Sixth Street members to pray and invite.
• Guest Services on Easter Sunday. WOW! Robert Forbus has taken the ball and done an awesome job of leading our efforts out front. With all the additional people, there were still lots of parking spaces available. The guys in the lot with the vests looked great. The ushers and other personnel with their new nametags and lanyards looked awesome. People were taken to seats. All in all it created a great environment from the parking lot to the pew.
• Easter Egg Hunt. WOW! We had a great attendance at our Easter Egg Hunt. The kids had lots of games to play and everyone left with a basket full of eggs. It was a blessing to be able to have another event out on our Airport Drive property. Thanks to Eric Miller and the Children's Ministry Team for pulling this event off.
• I am really enjoying the new series "Unveiling Easter". It has been a real blessing to dig into the events surrounding the Passion Week and see Christ's sovereignty and steadfastness to the cross.
• We have been blessed to have a lot of visitors the past couple of weeks. We have to do a better job of getting info and follow-up. However, it is nice to hear our church members say, "There were a lot of people there I didn't know." Keep doing it Lord!
• Baseball has started in our family. We have two playing and we are loving it! I was blessed to be asked to say the prayer at the Opening Day ceremony. Thanks to Sonny Wilson for the invitation.
• I will be traveling to Kentucky next week with Miles Ward and Bill Young for a scouting trip for our summer mission trip there. Looking forward to seeing what types of ministry opportunities we will have there.
• Plan to be at our Family Life Meeting Sunday night. I have a vision to introduce for adoption that will clarify our core values and our mission statement. I will have copies available for you to pick up Sunday morning.
• I am convinced and convicted that the two most vital areas we need to address soon is developing Community Groups and increasing the quantity and quality of our Children's Ministry programming. For us to become better at reaching our children will require all of us to stack hands and be a part. Please be in prayer for our leadership as we make decisions that will help us out in these vital areas.
• Finally, Spring is here. Baseball has started. The boats are out on the lake. However, don't let Spring Fever keep you from your church attendance. Remember to keep your relationship with Christ and his Bride a high priority and set an example for your children.

See You Sunday!

Worthy is the Lamb!

The Gift of Death

One year ago yesterday, my grandmother and the matriarch of our family, Alice McGahey, went home to heaven. I don't say that she went to heaven flippantly. I do not say she went to heaven just because she was a good person, which she was. Most everyone I know believes that the people that they loved so much on earth are in heaven. Most of the time this is based on the goodness they saw in the person. However, goodness does not get you into heaven, grace does. I know my grandmother is in heaven because she lived a life of grace. She loved the Lord Jesus. She loved to read about him in the Bible. She loved to hear good preaching about him. She loved to sing about him when she played her organ. My grandmother was the closest thing to a saint I have ever met this side of heaven.

However, my grandmother, just like everyone else on earth, had a sickness. She inherited a deadly virus at birth that affected her for many years. It came through the bloodline to her ancestors Adam and Eve. That virus is called sin. I don't know when my grandmother first became fully aware of her sin virus. However, like everyone else, her only cure was the grace poured out on Calvary by Jesus. My grandmother embraced that cross and received forgiveness for her sin.

We called her Mama Alice. My grandfather was Daddy Bert. They were two of the biggest influences on my life. Daddy Bert was a pilot in WWII and loved to fly. He took me to play golf the first time. He was a quiet man, but loved his grandsons. Mama Alice was a hard worker. For many years she sold Amway. Dozens of people knew her from that. Later on, she went to work at a jewelry store in the mall. She worked many nights until 9:00 PM and didn't get home till late. She was the best cook I have ever known. She first taught me that scrambled eggs taste better with cheese. She made a Chicken Casserole that tasted like manna from heaven. She knew how to make the most tender roast beef I ever tasted. And Thanksgiving was a celebration and feast like none other. Nothing in the world could compare to her cornbread dressing.

My grandfather died almost 20 years ago. After that, my grandmother continued to be the centerpiece of our family although she lost her soul-mate. Mama Alice had always been a frail lady, prone to bruising easily. The fingers on her hands began to twist up from arthritis. In her later years, she had to go on a full-time oxygen tube and her mobility was much more limited. She had a hard time keeping her weight up. She became dependent on others to bathe her and help her get dressed. Eventually, we had to make the difficult decision to put her in a nursing home. However, she never lost her sass or her determination to live. She continued to give it to me when I would come home and I continued to give it right back to her. As she lay in the hospital in her last days, she said to me "Don't stand over me." I replied, "I drove here from Birmingham and I will stand wherever I want." She didn't want people to fuss over her until the end.

On March 29, 2009, God gave my Mama Alice and our family a great gift when in his mercy he healed her suffering by taking her to her heavenly home. Death was a welcome gift for us. It was great comfort to see her no longer suffering in the fleshy tent that she occupied. There was no doubt in any of us that her body had been deserted and she was home with her Savior. The Bible says, "Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his saints." (Psalm 116:15) God has given us a gracious doorway from the sin and stain of this world. God has given us a pathway that is free from cancer, oxygen tubes, disease, and suffering. However, that path is not on this side of eternity.

The doorway of death has two destinations. One is eternally free from suffering and sin and leads to the presence of the father. The other destination is infinite increase in suffering and torment. Both are eternal destinies from which there is no going back. Once you step through the doorway of death, your ticket is punched and there is no turning back. The question is, which destiny will your door lead? Good intentions, good works, really liking Jesus will not suffice. One day many years ago Alice McGahey looked upon a blood-soaked, sin-bearing, carpenter from Galilee and placed her complete faith in him to pay her sin ransom. Have you?

The Man Behind Easter

In preparation for Easter and Passion Week, here is a great video produced by Granger Community Church and featuring video clips from Passion of the Christ. The audio is from a famous sermon by S.M. Lockridge. Enjoy!

Coming Good Friday

Mark Driscoll and the guys at Mars Hill have produced a special film to show on Good Friday at their church. I have been a big fan of Driscoll for a while now. The guy is rock solid biblically and theologically and a challenge to me and my preaching. He is controversial, but he's also in a chiefly pagan city and culture in the Northwest. Here is a trailer for the film. You can watch online on Good Friday at 8PM here.

Mid-Week Check In

It's been a couple of weeks since I did a "Mid-Week Check In". Lots of stuff going on in my world and I find it challenging to make time to write or blog. Kids have started baseball and are on Spring Break this week. However, the main reason for lack of writing has been preoccupied with other church things and catching up on some reading. Here are some observations from the last couple of weeks.

• We've finished up our "Going Public" series. I hope it was encouraging and practical for our people. I heard some great comments about the "bridge illustration" where you can share the gospel using a piece of paper and two verses. I also have had several church members tell me that some doors have opened for them the past few weeks. It's amazing when our hearts and minds get focused on witnessing how many doors we see that God opens.
• Spring Break hit our attendance hard this last Sunday. I knew it would. I hope if you were on vacation that you didn't vacate from attending a house of worship. Our worship of God should never take a vacation. Whenever possible, my family and I try to attend a house of worship when we take a vacation. It's not always possible, but I think it helps keep my kids focused on Sunday as a day for God.
• Although the crowd was low, we were blessed to have my friends Shawn and Katie Sandlin lead worship in Kevin's absence this last week. This couple has a unique and anointed way of leading worship together. They were very encouraged by the conversations they had with several of our Sixth Street members. We will have them back again soon.
• In case you heard the rumor, I will verify it. Yes, the boys and I did go "sucker fishing" with Wade Davis and Harry Ward. We had a good time. It was fun watching Nathan and Drew get in that creek with nets and pull out those fish. Thanks Wade and Harry!
• I'm really digging into our new series this week. We are doing a new series called "Unveiling Easter: A Glimpse Behind the Greatest Story Ever". We are going to try to look at the different events surround the last week of Christ. It is fascinating stuff and gives me a greater appreciation for the sovereignty of God and the suffering of Christ.
• We have scheduled our Easter Egg Hunt for 4:00 on Easter Sunday afternoon. This will give our families time to go eat with extended family and then come back to the Airport Drive property for a fun time together. We will have some games and hot dogs for the kids. We need church members to donate plastic eggs and candy. We'll also need you to bring some drinks for the event if you can attend. Even if you don't have kids participating, plan to be there to fellowship and enjoy the afternoon.
• Please make plans to be a part of our prayer-walk this Saturday at 10:00 AM. If you haven't signed up or been assigned to a team yet, just show up and we'll take care of you. It's going to be a blessed time as we walk our community and pray for spiritual strongholds to be broken and for the gospel to penetrate homes.
• Congrats to Eric and Whitney on their wedding! It was a beautiful ceremony! Pray for Eric and Whitney as well as Kevin and Chery as they are all traveling this week.

Verse of the week - "I do not account my life of any value nor as precious to myself, if only I may finish my course and the ministry that I receive from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God." Acts 20:24