Yesterday was the climax to a GREAT evangelism event at Emmanuel Baptist Church. We had Team Impact www.team-impact.com at EBC last week, Feb. 29 - March 4. Team Impact uses feats of strength to draw crowds, then they share a very clear presentation of the gospel. TI conducted assemblies in seven area schools, at Coker College, and at the Hartsville Boys' & Girls' Club. TI preached at our Sunday afternoon basketball church and saw three men make decisions for Christ. Approximately 2,200 people attended the evening events with 160+ making decisions for salvation, assurance, rededication, and prayer needs.
During our morning service, God's Spirit moved and we had an amazing morning! I've been working with a man in his 20's who was saved yesterday! I got the privilege of baptizing my daughter and another young man who were saved several weeks ago. We also added nine new members to our church family! Last night, a man who has been active in our church and sings in our choir, realized his need for salvation. He stated that he had a head-knowledge of Christ, but he needed to surrender his heart to the Lord. Praise God!
I want to extend my thanks to all of our EBC volunteers who helped to make this event a huge success. Our church family has caught the vision for reaching beyond our walls, reaching our community, and impacting eternity! Thank God for people who are willing to serve the Lord in whatever way is needed! I also want to thank David, our EBC Children's Pastor, for the work he did in organizing this event. God has blessed us with a great ministry team!
Monday, March 05, 2012
Friday, February 24, 2012
SC State Evangelism Conference
Each year, our church staff attends a conference together. For the past couple of years, we have gone to the "Refuel" conference at Thomas Road Baptist Church. This year due to a format change and date conflict, we chose to attend the SC State Evangelism Conference hosted by the SBC. The conference was definitely "old school" and I think our staff was the youngest group in attendance; but the messages hit the nail on the head and we considered it time well spent.
God used the messaages to challenge our hearts toward evangelism and the need to keep the main thing, the main thing! Conference speakers included: Jr. Hill, Jeff Laborg, Rick Corum, David Gallamore, Randall Jones, Earnie Perkins, Jim Austin, and Phil Hoskins.
A couple of great quotes from the conference:
1. If you determine to win your city for Christ, you will have critics. Sadly, most of them will be in other churches, and even some in your own.
2. The Church is supposed to be a body, but has become a business. When a body becomes a business, it is a prostitute. The Church is supposed to be a bride, not a prostitute! (That will make you think about the condition of today's church.)
3. Too many are doing church work, but not the work of the Church.
4. Three types of church members: a) Spectators - sit and watch what they consider an event, b) Scowlers - taken years to perfect their negativity and pessimism, and 3) Singers -true worshippers both in private and in public.
5. Preachers need to stop trying to be amateur psyhologists and get back to preaching the Word.
God used the messaages to challenge our hearts toward evangelism and the need to keep the main thing, the main thing! Conference speakers included: Jr. Hill, Jeff Laborg, Rick Corum, David Gallamore, Randall Jones, Earnie Perkins, Jim Austin, and Phil Hoskins.
A couple of great quotes from the conference:
1. If you determine to win your city for Christ, you will have critics. Sadly, most of them will be in other churches, and even some in your own.
2. The Church is supposed to be a body, but has become a business. When a body becomes a business, it is a prostitute. The Church is supposed to be a bride, not a prostitute! (That will make you think about the condition of today's church.)
3. Too many are doing church work, but not the work of the Church.
4. Three types of church members: a) Spectators - sit and watch what they consider an event, b) Scowlers - taken years to perfect their negativity and pessimism, and 3) Singers -true worshippers both in private and in public.
5. Preachers need to stop trying to be amateur psyhologists and get back to preaching the Word.
Monday, February 20, 2012
Sunday Summary - 02/19.12
We started our services yesterday with Pearl being baptized! It's exciting to see people getting saved, baptized, and joining the church almost every Sunday! I'm not sure what was going on yesterday, but we had an incredible crowd of almost 600 in church!
I preached on Kingdom Considerations and how we must understand that the power to change lives comes from the Holy Spirit, that we must endure as we serve Christ, that our hopes and dreams may have to change in order to follow fully, and that it is all worth it in the end.
Sherman taught a financial seminar last night adapting many of the principles from Crown Financial for our church family. Financial common sense isn't so common these days. It was startling to hear that last year only 4% of Americans gave 10% to any charity. That means that 96% of Americans didn't tithe! Blame the government or anyone else you want to blame; but when you disobey God's plan for giving, you cannot expect God's blessings. The Bible tells us that when we don't tithe, it's as though we are stealing from God.
Sherman did a great job and we are sad that this will be his final week here at Emmanuel. He is leaving us to become the assistant director at Grace Bible Camp in Goshen, VA. This is a dream come true for Sherman, but he will leave a gaping hole in this ministry. Thank God that He takes care of His ministry. He has already provided someone to fill that gap.
I preached on Kingdom Considerations and how we must understand that the power to change lives comes from the Holy Spirit, that we must endure as we serve Christ, that our hopes and dreams may have to change in order to follow fully, and that it is all worth it in the end.
Sherman taught a financial seminar last night adapting many of the principles from Crown Financial for our church family. Financial common sense isn't so common these days. It was startling to hear that last year only 4% of Americans gave 10% to any charity. That means that 96% of Americans didn't tithe! Blame the government or anyone else you want to blame; but when you disobey God's plan for giving, you cannot expect God's blessings. The Bible tells us that when we don't tithe, it's as though we are stealing from God.
Sherman did a great job and we are sad that this will be his final week here at Emmanuel. He is leaving us to become the assistant director at Grace Bible Camp in Goshen, VA. This is a dream come true for Sherman, but he will leave a gaping hole in this ministry. Thank God that He takes care of His ministry. He has already provided someone to fill that gap.
Monday, February 13, 2012
Sunday Summary - 02.13.12
Our attendance was off a little yesterday morning due to the 20 degree weather. Upon arriving at church, we discovered that 3 of our 4 heaters were not working properly and the inside of the building was 54 degrees. The A/C man was here working on it and the temperature was up to 60 degrees by the time we started the service. For that reason we cut the service a little shorter, and walked out 20 minutes earlier than normal. In spite of the temp's, God still worked. Yesterday, Jerome was baptized, and his family joined the church. PTL!
I preached on Understanding the Kingdom. So many people are focused on building their own personal kingdoms that they miss God's BIGGER plan for their lives. We are in a small town, but truly believing God can use us to reach the world! I tried to share with our church family that following Jesus will mean taking up our cross, running against the grain, and standing against the culture; but it appears they have accepted the challenge.
Finally, last night almost 80 of our men gathered to watch the movie "Courageous." What an awesome movie! The lights were out, but I heard sniffles across the room. Hearts of men were being touched by the Holy Spirit. Pray that God will do something special at EBC this year as we reach men for Christ. I closed by asking for men to volunteer to serve and help me develop tools for our men (sermon series, resources, training materials, etc.) If the men will get serious about serving Jesus, then their wives and children will follow.
I preached on Understanding the Kingdom. So many people are focused on building their own personal kingdoms that they miss God's BIGGER plan for their lives. We are in a small town, but truly believing God can use us to reach the world! I tried to share with our church family that following Jesus will mean taking up our cross, running against the grain, and standing against the culture; but it appears they have accepted the challenge.
Finally, last night almost 80 of our men gathered to watch the movie "Courageous." What an awesome movie! The lights were out, but I heard sniffles across the room. Hearts of men were being touched by the Holy Spirit. Pray that God will do something special at EBC this year as we reach men for Christ. I closed by asking for men to volunteer to serve and help me develop tools for our men (sermon series, resources, training materials, etc.) If the men will get serious about serving Jesus, then their wives and children will follow.
Sunday, February 05, 2012
Sunday Summary - 02.05.12
What a great day at Emmanuel. We hosted a "Super Bowl of Caring" and collected several shopping carts full of canned foods for Hartsville Interfaith Ministries. This is a ministry supported by local churches that assists those who find themselves in a temporary crisis and need some assistance to get back on their feet. Our church family responded so generously! Thanks EBC for caring about the less fortunate in our community.
This morning's sermon focused on having Kingdom Vision. Too many individual believers and churches are plagued by tunnel vision. They can only see their immediate surroundings and have no concern about those who are still in need of having a relationship with Jesus Christ. I challenged our people to look for ministry opportunities to those who are not being reached by any church, to think outside the box, and to move toward the other's oriented philosophy that Jesus modeled for His disciples. This year EBC will focus on being the people God wants us to become, rather than doing all the programs that people want us to do.
At the close of today's service, God blessed us with a great altar response. Among those were 5 new members and 1 coming for baptism! PTL.
Tonight we will host the Super Bowl EHOPs (Emmanuel Houses of Prayer). The LIFE Groups will gather in a member's home, invite their friends, watch the Super Bowl, and pray. This will be a great time of fellowship and hopefully a time when others come to know Christ!
This morning's sermon focused on having Kingdom Vision. Too many individual believers and churches are plagued by tunnel vision. They can only see their immediate surroundings and have no concern about those who are still in need of having a relationship with Jesus Christ. I challenged our people to look for ministry opportunities to those who are not being reached by any church, to think outside the box, and to move toward the other's oriented philosophy that Jesus modeled for His disciples. This year EBC will focus on being the people God wants us to become, rather than doing all the programs that people want us to do.
At the close of today's service, God blessed us with a great altar response. Among those were 5 new members and 1 coming for baptism! PTL.
Tonight we will host the Super Bowl EHOPs (Emmanuel Houses of Prayer). The LIFE Groups will gather in a member's home, invite their friends, watch the Super Bowl, and pray. This will be a great time of fellowship and hopefully a time when others come to know Christ!
Saturday, February 04, 2012
Don't let past mistakes define who you are.
I had breakfast a few weeks ago with a man who "used to" be in ministry. He is a good man, a godly man, a family man, and a humbled man. He was the rising star in two church settings, before he made a mistake that nearly cost him is ministry and his family. Stepping out of ministry to regroup, he is now ready to jump back in and begin serving again. My heart goes out to people like this, because "Christians" can be so critical and judgmental. During our meeting, I wanted to encourage him, but instead he encouraged me. He made a statement that stuck with me and might be an encouragement to you. He said, "I can't let a mistake in my past define who I am or the future I will have." What a great quote!
What about you, are you allowing your mistakes to define you? Did you believe the cruel father who called you "stupid?" Are you being defined by a past addiction? Are you going to quit, because someone says you're finished? Well, if so, you haven't read the Bible. God is the God of the second chance! David had an affair with Bathsheba and murdered her husband, but God calls him a man after his own heart. Rahab was a prostitute, but she also saved the spies and had a rich lineage. Samson spilled his guts to Delilah, but he also spilled the guts of many Philistines.
We will all make mistakes, but what will we do with our mistakes? Some are fools who will repeat them. Some will use their mistake as their "excuse" for the rest of their lives. Others will getup, dust themselves off, learn from the mistakes, and go make a difference that will impact eternity. So, what about you? Don't let your mistakes define who you are, or limit the future God wants you to have. Remember Jeremiah 29:11 - "For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."
What about you, are you allowing your mistakes to define you? Did you believe the cruel father who called you "stupid?" Are you being defined by a past addiction? Are you going to quit, because someone says you're finished? Well, if so, you haven't read the Bible. God is the God of the second chance! David had an affair with Bathsheba and murdered her husband, but God calls him a man after his own heart. Rahab was a prostitute, but she also saved the spies and had a rich lineage. Samson spilled his guts to Delilah, but he also spilled the guts of many Philistines.
We will all make mistakes, but what will we do with our mistakes? Some are fools who will repeat them. Some will use their mistake as their "excuse" for the rest of their lives. Others will getup, dust themselves off, learn from the mistakes, and go make a difference that will impact eternity. So, what about you? Don't let your mistakes define who you are, or limit the future God wants you to have. Remember Jeremiah 29:11 - "For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."
Something's wrong with this picture!
Has anyone noticed how freely our culture throws around terms like intolerant, politically incorrect, and bigoted at those who express their thoughts and opinions on almost anything except Christianity? Don't dare crack a joke about Jews, Muslims, gays, or ethnicity. Sports casters, news anchors, and radio talk show hosts have been fired for such comments; but let a late night talk show host bash Christians and for some reason that is acceptable.
Consider all of the controversy around Tim Tebow. Tebow proved that he can play in the NFL, was kept while Kyle Orton was traded, and Denver's sorry start turned into a run for the playoffs. Rather than praising him, many keep bashing him for his faith. Terms such as "Tebowing" were introduced because of his prayer posture, SNL aired a blasphemous skit, and other professionals were very unprofessional.
Well... I'm tired of "Christian bashing" being acceptable. America was founded as a Christian nation, we have a rich Christian heritage, our judicial system is based on Judeo-Christian ethic, American schools taught children to read using the New England Primer (which contained Bible verses), and the list goes on! This nation is great, because "In God We Trust!" So, as a Christian and as an American, I want someone to explain the picture below:
Consider all of the controversy around Tim Tebow. Tebow proved that he can play in the NFL, was kept while Kyle Orton was traded, and Denver's sorry start turned into a run for the playoffs. Rather than praising him, many keep bashing him for his faith. Terms such as "Tebowing" were introduced because of his prayer posture, SNL aired a blasphemous skit, and other professionals were very unprofessional.
Well... I'm tired of "Christian bashing" being acceptable. America was founded as a Christian nation, we have a rich Christian heritage, our judicial system is based on Judeo-Christian ethic, American schools taught children to read using the New England Primer (which contained Bible verses), and the list goes on! This nation is great, because "In God We Trust!" So, as a Christian and as an American, I want someone to explain the picture below:
Monday, January 23, 2012
Hey Terrell, the Ravens could have used God's help!
On January 4, Terrell Suggs showed his ignorance with the following statement: “With all due respect, we don’t need God on our sidelines. Once again God had to save Tim Tebow and the Denver Broncos. He couldn’t even give them two drives. Seven to three?” That comment sparked a lot of debate, drew much negative attention toward Suggs, and he also lost a lot of respect that day. Hall of Fame QB, Terry Bradshaw, said this: “You can take shots at Tim, but when you go messing with God, that’s a different story. Suggs is obviously an idiot; he has no clue what he’s talking about. He better be careful; if I were him I’d be on my hands and knees tonight asking for forgiveness because that’s totally unacceptable." I've always admired Terry Bradshaw, but that day his stock rose tremendously in my book.
Here we are just a few weeks later as the Baltimore Ravens are battling for their chance to go to the Super Bowl. The Ravens have a chance to take the lead and sure-handed Lee Evans drops a ball that was already nestled in his arms for a touchdown. Then the Ravens are down by only 3 and a simple chip shot field goal will tie their chance to stay alive. A very consistent kicker pulls the kick! This isn't the Ravens team we are used to seeing.
Funny, as these mishaps occur, I've got the movie "Angels in the Outfield" playing in my head. Strange and unusual things are happening in this game. The tape rewinds and you can almost hear Terrell Suggs saying, "We can do this on our own... we don't need God on our sidelines." I wonder if after the game, he wishes he would have kept his mouth shut, because... they COULDN'T DO IT ON THEIR OWN!
As the entire Ravens team now sits at home "watching" the Super Bowl, I wonder how many of them will hear Suggs' comment about God playing back in their head and remember such things as "...God is not mocked...," "Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain," and "Don't tempt the Lord thy God..." Could it be that through a strange series of events surrounding Tim Tebow and Terrell Suggs, that a renewed interest in spiritual things may cause some to turn to Christ?
Here we are just a few weeks later as the Baltimore Ravens are battling for their chance to go to the Super Bowl. The Ravens have a chance to take the lead and sure-handed Lee Evans drops a ball that was already nestled in his arms for a touchdown. Then the Ravens are down by only 3 and a simple chip shot field goal will tie their chance to stay alive. A very consistent kicker pulls the kick! This isn't the Ravens team we are used to seeing.
Funny, as these mishaps occur, I've got the movie "Angels in the Outfield" playing in my head. Strange and unusual things are happening in this game. The tape rewinds and you can almost hear Terrell Suggs saying, "We can do this on our own... we don't need God on our sidelines." I wonder if after the game, he wishes he would have kept his mouth shut, because... they COULDN'T DO IT ON THEIR OWN!
As the entire Ravens team now sits at home "watching" the Super Bowl, I wonder how many of them will hear Suggs' comment about God playing back in their head and remember such things as "...God is not mocked...," "Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain," and "Don't tempt the Lord thy God..." Could it be that through a strange series of events surrounding Tim Tebow and Terrell Suggs, that a renewed interest in spiritual things may cause some to turn to Christ?
Saturday, January 21, 2012
Another Pro-Life Pregnancy Care Center Opens
Today was an exciting day for Dillon and for the Carolina Family Planning Centers, as another CFPC affiliate had its official ribbon cutting ceremony. The Hope House is located across the street from First Baptist Church in Dillon and has been beautifully decorated, furnished, and well equipped primarily through donations and contributions. More than 100 people showed up for the grand opening! I was honored to be the keynote speaker and convey the vision of CFPC to plant pregnancy care centers in local communities across the Carolina's. In addition, Board members and City officials also offered comments.
The vision of the Carolina Family Planning Centers is to partner with local churches and Free Medical Clinics to offer crisis intervention and assistance to women who find themselves with an unwanted pregnancy. The women are counseled, encouraged, and informed about alternatives to abortion. The centers are based on loving people as God loves them, not judgmentalism.
For more information about the Carolina Family Planning Centers, visit their website at www.carolinafamilyplanning.org. CFPC is always in need of financial support, prayer support, and volunteer support!
The vision of the Carolina Family Planning Centers is to partner with local churches and Free Medical Clinics to offer crisis intervention and assistance to women who find themselves with an unwanted pregnancy. The women are counseled, encouraged, and informed about alternatives to abortion. The centers are based on loving people as God loves them, not judgmentalism.
For more information about the Carolina Family Planning Centers, visit their website at www.carolinafamilyplanning.org. CFPC is always in need of financial support, prayer support, and volunteer support!
Emmanuel Christian School Enrolling NOW
This week, Emmanuel Christian School opened our pre-enrollment for 2012-13 to current students and EBC members. In just 4 days, we received over 190 applications! One class already has a waiting list and others are getting close. Don't wait, as seats are genuinely limited! Visit http://www.ecscrusaders.com/ for more information. Enrollment opens to the public on Feb. 1.
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