Friday, August 22, 2008

What are your thoughts about church?

This is a devotion that I found today that is very helpful.  And of course I added a few things in with it.

Protestant churches are losing young adults in "sobering" numbers, a survey finds.

Seven in 10 Protestants ages 18 to 30 -- both evangelical and mainline -- who went to church regularly in high school said they quit attending by age 23, according to the survey by LifeWay Research. And 34% of those said they had not returned, even sporadically, by age 30. That means about one in four Protestant young people have left the church.

"This is sobering news that the church needs to change the way it does ministry," says Ed Stetzer, director of Nashville-based LifeWay Research, which is affiliated with the publishing arm of the Southern Baptist Convention.

"It seems the teen years are like a free trial on a product. By 18, when it's their choice whether to buy in to church life, many don't feel engaged and welcome," says associate director Scott McConnell.

The statistics are based on a survey of 1,023 Protestants ages 18 to 30 who said they had attended church at least twice a month for at least one year during high school. LifeWay did the survey in April and May. Margin of error is plus or minus 3 percentage points.

Few of those surveyed had kind words for fellow Christians when they reflected on how they saw church life in the four years after high school.

Just over half (51%) of Protestant young people surveyed (both the church dropouts and those who stayed on in church after age 22) saw church members as "caring" or had other positive descriptions, such as "welcoming" (48%) or "authentic" (42%).

Among dropouts, nearly all (97%) cited life changes, such as a move. Most (58%) were unhappy with the people or pastor at church. More than half (52%) had religious, ethical or political reasons for quitting.

Dropouts were more than twice as likely than those who continued attending church to describe church members as judgmental (51% for dropouts, 24% for those who stayed), hypocritical (44% vs. 20%) or insincere (41% vs. 19%)

The news was not all bad: 35% of dropouts said they had resumed attending church regularly by age 30. An additional 30% attended sporadically. Twenty-eight percent said "God was calling me to return to the church."

The survey found that those who stayed with or returned to church grew up with both parents committed to the church, pastors whose sermons were relevant and engaging, and church members who invested in their spiritual development.

 

Acts 2:41-47

41 So those who received his word were baptized, and there were added that day about three thousand souls.

The Fellowship of the Believers

42 And they devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. 43 And awe came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were being done through the apostles. 44 And all who believed were together and had all things in common. 45 And they were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need. 46 And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts, 47 praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved. (ESV)

It was a pretty amazing story! Can you imagine the excitement of being involved in the early church? These believers knew their purpose and they were firmly committed to trusting the Holy Spirit to lead them to glorify God and build His Kingdom through the Church.

We can use the model found in Acts 2 as God's instructions on how to have an effective church:

WORSHIP: The early believers praised God every day, met for prayer, shared in the Lord's Supper and experienced a deep sense of awe. DO YOU STRIVE TO PRAISE GOD IN YOUR WORSHIP AT YOUR CHURCH, NO MATTER WHAT THE STYLE OF MUSIC MIGHT BE?

FELLOWSHIP: The Acts believers met together constantly and shared their meals and enjoyed each other. ARE YOU INVOLVED ON A REGULAR BASIS WITH A SMALL GROUP IN YOUR CHURCH THAT REALLY CARES FOR EACH OTHER?

DISCIPLESHIP: These early Christians were devoted to the apostles' teaching. ARE YOU INVOLVED IN A CHURCH THAT BELIEVES THE BIBLE IS OUR AUTHORITY AND ARE YOU REGULARLY PARTICIPATING WITH A GROUP THAT STUDIES GOD'S WORD?

MINISTRY: The early church people were committed to praying together and meeting the needs of others, even if they had to sell their possessions. ARE YOU GIVING YOUR TIME, TALENTS AND MONEY TO HELP YOUR YOUTH GROUP AND/OR YOUR CHURCH MEET THE NEEDS OF PEOPLE?

EVANGELISM: The news spread about what God was doing in and through this Acts church! More and more people were becoming followers of Jesus and being added to this church! ARE YOU DOING YOUR PART TO HELP YOUR CHURCH MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN YOUR COMMUNITY? IS YOUR CHURCH SO IN LOVE WITH JESUS THAT IT'S CONTAGIOUS TO THE WORLD AROUND YOU?

Let's be honest about the local church. None are perfect. They never will be because the church is made up of imperfect people like us. Churches are very different in style and size. Some are old and maybe not very exciting. Others are new and sort of struggling. But here's the deal: God uses the local church to build His Kingdom and He sees you as a vital part of your church!

Wednesday, May 21, 2008

It is about time!!!!

Well there is a lot of things going on in the ministry.  it has been a long time since the last blog and it is about time to send another.  Our T412(youth) building in almost finished with the remodeling.  Hopefully we will been able to utilize it in 2 weeks.  That is about the same time the students get out of School for the summer.  Then it is going to be ON!  it has been a busy couple of months, but the Lord has been good to us.  We have several students who are moving up from the 6th grade and I am pumped about that.  We are going to have a good time every Monday with our students a families to Wild Water and Wheels.   Fun fun fun.  so I will be water logged by the end of the summer again.  we are going to have opportunity for our youth to just come together for fellowship at our Hang Time ever Tuesday from 10am - 2pm.  this will allow them to get to know each other and me.  very informal and nothing structured.  they will bring money for lunch and when we get hungry we will eat.  There is a lot of other things that are going on as well that will be posted at a later date.

Wednesday, May 7, 2008

They need some to pray for them!!!

This is a devotion that I come across today that is really disturbing. 

 

It started with four students. They agreed to meet at the bottom of the main stairway for prayer 15 minutes before school every Wednesday morning. In a month it had grown to a dozen students. In three months 30-40 students were there praying together every week. One teacher passing by every week and amazed by what he saw nicknamed the group “The Stairway to Heaven.”

Just as the whole school started to notice how important prayer and faith was to these young Christians, the arguing began. It started with a disagreement about how to pray. The students who started the group prayed quietly not drawing any attention to what they were doing. The people who joined the group later prayed loudly, with hands raised. The whole situation reached a boiling point when some new people joined the group and began praying loudly in tongues and telling others their style of praying was the real way to pray.

The prayer group became a fighting group. They argued about how to pray more than they prayed. Each group of students had a way of praying they thought was right and comfortable for them. They disagreed about how to pray and what type of prayer was appropriate in the hallway of the school. The disagreement became an endless argument. Lots of harsh words and judgmental comments flew back and forth between them.

As the whole school watched they spoke unkindly about each other and questioned the motives of the other praying students. Attempts were made to reconcile the warring parties but the battle lines were drawn and no one was backing down. Finally they became two separate prayer groups. The loud pray-ers started a new prayer group up on the second floor while the quiet pray-ers stayed at the bottom of the stairs. The arguments were replaced by cold stares and silence. In two separate locations both groups decreased in size. By the end of school neither group was meeting for prayer.

 

The bad thing about all this is the number of people that are looking at them that are not Christians who they are causing to stumble into hell.  Prayer is the most important thing we do to communicate with our Father in heaven and people are pointing fingers at these "CHRISTIANS" and making fun of our communication with our Creator.  That is one of the reasons why we do not have a lot of teenagers stepping up to the plate in our schools today.

Wednesday, March 26, 2008

Worship!!

Worship is a very important part of our everyday life. That’s right, it is to be every day that we get alone with God and pour out our hearts to him as He pours out his love, grace, and mercy to us.

Song of Solomon 8:6, 7 – “Love is as strong as death, its jealousy unyielding as the grave. It burns like blazing fire, like a mighty flame. Many waters cannot quench love; rivers cannot wash it away.”

Too often our worship is tamed by the complications of this world. I long to be in a place where my fire for God cannot be quenched or washed away, even by the mightiest rivers of opposition – I long for a worship that can never be extinguished.

There are three things needed to keep a fire burning; heat, oxygen, and fuel. The removal of any of these three can and will cause the fire to smolder. Just as water can put out a fire, so the trials and pressures of this life can dampen our hearts for worship. It is so easy during hardship to cool down a little and then tell God that we will worship again when things get back to normal. What we need to realize is that we are to worship God in the middle of life’s sorrows. There are some worshipers that “always trust, always hopes, and always perseveres” (1 Cor. 13:7). That is the kind of worshiper I want to be. I do not want, will not allow my worship to be extinguished. The same way you take oxygen out of a fire is the same way your worship can be extinguished. The revelation of God is the fuel that drives our worship. He has revealed Himself to us in creation, throughout the history of His people and overwhelmingly at the cross. And to this day, every breath we breathe is a reminder of our maker, and every hour holds the possibility of living in His presence.

The Heart of God Loves a persevering worshipper who, though overwhelmed by many troubles, is overwhelmed even more by the beauty of God.

Monday, March 24, 2008

Well I've been asked why I haven't have a recent post. With everything going on lately, who has had time to blog? The past few months have been pretty overwhelming with completing the new sanctuary, and planning for the new year, and now renovating the youth building (Which by the way is going to be pretty SWEET!), and juggling all of the children, youth, and college events, my mind has been too crazy to try to put into words what God is doing in my life and in the life of our church.
We are so blessed to be growing as a church and seeing people saved almost every week. It is my desire to see that excitment grow in the hearts of our teenagers and young singles. Plese continue to pray for them and for the large group of 7th graders that will be moving up this summer. I can't wait to see what God will do in their lives, but we must never to neglect to lift them up in prayer because they face the devil head on every day. Pray that God will give them a desire to know Him more and have the strength to live for Him every day as they make decisions that could impact their lives forever. I hope that as we get this youth building finished it will give them a place that is their own where they can bring their friends and have fun, but more importantly, help give them a spirit of worship like they've never had before.
Also, I am so excited to see what God is doing through the Carolina Faith Riders Ministry. The SC Baptist Convention has decided to give money toward mission work at Bike Week in Myrtle Beach, SC! We are going to have the opportunity to reach out to these lost bikers and show them how much God loves them! We will giving out tracks, and will also have rallies on Fri. and Sat. night featuring Tyler Edwards and his band Lift to Release, and Christian comedian, Barry McGee and we will also be giving a BIKE AWAY! How awesome is that! And we are now going to have a bike night once a month at Sonic also to hopefully get some bikers together and reach out to them. It will be the 4th Thursday of every month and bikers get 10% off of their meal so tell your friends with bikes about it!
God is truly at work all around us and even in the life of my own family. Dori and I are so blessed to have the family that we have and I pray that God will continue to keep us growing together in Him. We recently got the opportunity to get away for our anniversary for a much needed time of rest and relaxation in Charleston where we could just focus on each other, sleep late, and have fun together. Guys, don't neglect to take that time to just spend with your wife and more importantly to pray not just for her, but with her! I can't even begin to tell you what God can do in a marriage where a husband and wife pray together.
Well I believe I have gotten ya'll up to speed on some of the things going on in my life lately. Continue to pray for our church and also for Mama and Daddy who are both sick with the flu this week.

Wednesday, February 20, 2008

A kick in the Teeth.

Pastor Joseph M. Stowell tells a story about his childhood. “Growing up in Hackensack, N.J., just across the George Washington Bridge from New York City, provided a variety of experiences for me. One was going to school with some of the rough kids from the neighboring town of South Hackensack. I recall one afternoon, playfully sparring with one of the southside guys and having his punch actually land on my face. The blow jarred one of my front teeth loose. Thankfully, the dentist was able to anchor the tooth again, and I didn’t lose it. In fact, I was better off--the tooth had always been crooked, so the dentist straightened it as he worked. Sometimes the blows of life have a way of taking something crooked and making it straight.”

picture courtesy images.google.com & illustration courtesy irsweb.com

Romans 8:28-29 (NLT)

28 And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them. 29 For God knew his people in advance, and he chose them to become like his Son, so that his Son would be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters.

First of all, please understand that this verse does not mean that everything is going to work out good for followers of Jesus. God doesn't remove all the bad things in life for His children.

It also doesn't mean that everything that happens to us in life is good. We live in a sinful world that is broken, so pain and suffering will often break our hearts.

It does mean that God is in total control of "everything", not just some incidents in life. He will use every circumstance (good or bad from our perspective) to bring about "good" in us (from His perspective). That "good" is all about His purpose for us - to glorify Him as we become more and more like Jesus Christ who created His new life in us! God's ultimate purpose is to make us Holy, not happy.

We can still be full of joy even when we're not happy. Happiness depends on how we feel about circumstances, but joy is the peace in our souls that comes with knowing and believing that God is working to bring about the "good" that He wants for us.

So when life "knocks your tooth out", trust God! He will eventually straighten out what seems crooked in this life.

Tuesday, January 29, 2008

Where is your Eternal Home?

 

GRIEF-stricken family and friends of Heath Ledger vowed to give his two-year-old daughter Matilda the "beautiful life" he had planned for her, as the body of the 28-year-old Australian actor last night began a sad final journey to his home in Perth.

Tears flowed as his parents, Kim and Sally, and his older sister, Kate, arrived in Los Angeles to await the arrival of the casket carrying his body.

Actor Abbie Cornish, who starred opposite Ledger in the movie Candy and remained a close friend, accompanied the family to the US for the grim task of bringing the body home after he was found dead in his Manhattan apartment from a suspected drug overdose on Wednesday.

The funeral is expected to be held in Perth this week, but details have not been released. There also was speculation yesterday of a public memorial service in LA within the next few days, likely to be attended by many of Ledger's Hollywood A-list friends.

Toddler Matilda, who's tender age has protected her from fully understanding that she has lost her father, was being shielded by her actor mother Michelle Williams, who was engaged to Ledger until the relationship ended six months ago.

Matilda and Michelle were "the two true loves" of Ledger's life, friends said last night.

As Matilda grows up, she also will have the comfort and support of a loyal and protective circle of Hollywood friends.

Meanwhile, Australia's Foreign Minister, Stephen Smith – who is in New York for meetings at the United Nations headquarters – said he was satisfied about the handling of the inquiry into Ledger's death by US authorities.

The authorities said they would not make a final determination on the cause of Ledger's death until toxicology tests are completed.

photo & story courtesy news.com.au, 1/27/08

Romans 8:35-39

35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? 36 As it is written,

“For your sake we are being killed all the day long;
we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.”

37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 38 For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, 39 nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord. (ESV)

Why is today's God's Story scripture so comforting for anyone who is a follower of Christ?

Paul says that God promises His children (those who have trusted Jesus Christ as their Savior) His ongoing presence. They will have an eternal homecoming in Heaven!

All of us who are followers of Christ face some hardships in life. It might be illness, suffering, persecution for our faith in Christ and for some around the world - imprisonment. The final hardship is death, BUT (this is one of the most powerful words in Scripture!) it is impossible to be separated from Jesus Christ! His death and resurrection for us proves His ultimate power which means that He keeps all of His promises to us.

The Heavenly Father gives this promise of unending love to us so that we will feel secure in Him. His children are assured of eternity in Heaven. There's no need to be afraid.

ARE YOU ONE OF GOD'S CHILDREN? THIS IS DIFFERENT FROM BEING ONE OF GOD'S CREATION.

Today's story about the death of Hollywood star Heath Ledger is sad and troubling. Please understand that only God knows for sure whether Heath was was of His creation or one of His children, adopted into God's family through receiving the forgiveness of sins through Christ.

I have not found a single article or quote where anyone has said anything that would indicate that Heath Ledger was a follower of Jesus Christ. Remember, according to God's Story (found in the Scriptures), without Christ, there is no hope for eternity in Heaven.

If Christ is in you (1st John 5:11-13), the homecoming that is out of this world is waiting for you!

Wednesday, January 2, 2008

What Is God's Will for My Life?

The very desire of God’s heart is for each of us to walk with His Son whom He has sent.

    • Knowing God does not come through a program or method. It is a relationship with a person.
    • It is an intimate love relationship with God.
    • Through this relationship, God reveals His will to you and invites you to fellowship.
    • John 15:5 I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abides in me, and I in him, the same brings forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.
    • When is the last time you heard Jesus speak to you in that still small voice?
    • When is the last time you can clearly identify the activity of God in your life.
    • John 14:26 But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.
    • We need to believe God to be and do everything he promises.
    • When is the last time you have adjusted your beliefs, character, and behavior to God and His ways.
    • What does God want to do right now through your life?
    • Who is it that really knows the way for you to go to fulfill God’s purpose for your life?
    • John 14:6 Jesus said unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man comes to the Father, but by me.
    • Abraham is a perfect example of what it means to walk by faith.
    • Gen 12:1-2 Now the LORD had said unto Abram, Get out of your country, and from your kindred, and from your father's house, unto a land that I will show you: And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless you, and make your name great; and you will be a blessing:
    • Abraham was seventy-five years old when he left his homeland. He took his wife Sarai, his nephew Lot, all the possessions they had accumulated and the people they acquired and set out for the land of Canaan. Promise Land
    • Eph 3:20 Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us,
    • Christ does not want our encounters with Him to remain just experiences He wants them to be a way of life.
    • John 10:10 The thief comes not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.