We Have a GREAT Team!

We have a great ministry team! My family and I took time off at Christmas to visit my side of the family. It was so nice to be able to leave and not worry about anything!

• Our ministry assistants, Stacie and Anna, are so competent and trustworthy. I could never thank them enough for what they do.
• Our staff pastors, Sherman and Justin, were charged with planning and implementing the plans for the Christmas Eve service. I left them totally on their own and heard nothing but good comments about a wonderful service that families really enjoyed as they focused on the true meaning of Christmas.
• Lori was out of town, but not to fear... Heather was here. As Ron was bragging on Heather, his exact quote was... "And Heather... well... she was just Heather!" That meant spectacular!
• Those volunteers led by Dan, who always make sure our sound and video are working properly are too often taken for granted. I greatly appreciate what you do!
• Mike, thanks for preparing the buildings and making sure everything was unlocked for our people and their guests. You always do a great job and never receive enough praise.
• John, thanks for the great job you have done working with our children and also helping us move our athletic program forward.
• Milton Frazier, is the Pastor Emeritus of Emmanuel after serving here for 36 years. He has become my pastor and fills the pulpit when I'm gone. I'm blessed to have him by my side and privileged to be able to learn from him.
• And I cannot forget our Deacons. These men are this Pastor's right arm. They are my friends, co-laborers, and my greatest prayer warriors. They are godly men and I so appreciate them. They prepared communion for our Christmas Eve service and I'm sure they served in whatever ways were needed.

I just wanted to brag on our team publicly! Too many churches have internal staff struggles, but we have great chemistry. I feel blessed to serve with each staff member and volunteer. Next Monday, we'll be adding a new Children's Pastor to our staff and look forward to the new dimension he will bring to our team. Let me say it again - we have a GREAT team!

Rick Warren to Pray at Inauguration

President-Elect Obama’s selection of Rick Warren to deliver the invocation at the 2009 presidential inauguration will help correct much of the distorted thinking about Rick Warren being a liberal. I like Rick Warren, but I’m no Warrenite and I certainly don’t agree with everything he has done; but the media is proving that he is no liberal theologian or “Luciferian” as some delusional people think.

Rick Warren has come under great attack for his conservative views on the Bible, his stand against abortion, his opposition of homosexuality, etc. He is under fire because he interprets the Bible literally. He is labeled as too conservative and is accused of being intolerant. The New York Times called Warren the next Billy Graham and various sources call him the most influential evangelical in America.

Interestingly, some evangelicals think Warren should have turned down Obama’s invitation, but "why" would he do that? Aren't believers commanded to pray for those in authority, whether we agree with them in all points or not? Bill Hybels met for prayer and Bible study with President Bill Clinton and Billy Graham prayed over Presidents that he did not agree with. Why would any true Bible preacher turn down such the invitation to give the invocation at the inauguration? To do so would be a terrible witness and would leave the door open for some liberal preacher to merely read empty words out of a prayer book.

Rick Warren said it best during a recent interview…“We don’t have to agree on every point.” Neither teammates, spouses, or believers agree on every point; but a mark of spiritual maturity is being able to "agree to disagree, agreeably." Showing you rear end, pouting, throwing a temper tantrum, or taking your ball and going home are all indicators of spiritual immaturity. Let's learn to put non-essential differences aside and focus on the work God has called us to.

If you want to find out more about this preacher who will be delivering the invocation at the 2009 Presidential Inauguration, visit http://www.rickwarren.com/about.html.

Casting a Vision for 2009

I saw the following quote from Brian Houston on http://www.perrynoble.com/. As I look toward "Vision Sunday" and pray for God to reveal what He wants to do through EBC in 2009, I wondered if this might be part of His answer to me. I ask you to read it carefully and begin to catch the vision for what God may want to do at Emmanuel...

“The church that I see is a church of influence. A church so large in size that the city and nation cannot ignore it. A church growing so quickly that buildings struggle to contain the increase. I see a church whose heartfelt praise and worship touches heaven and changes earth. Worship which influences the praises of people throughout the earth exalting Christ with powerful songs of faith and hope. I see a church whose alters are constantly filled with repentant sinners responding to Christ’s call to salvation. Yes, the church that I see is so dependent on the Holy Spirit that nothing will stop it not stand against it. A church whose people are unified, praying and full of God’s Spirit. The church that I see has a message so clear that lives are being changed forever and potential is fulfilled though the power of His Word. A message beamed to the peoples of the earth through their television screens. I see a church so compassionate that people are drawn from impossible situations into a loving and friendly circle of hope, where answers are found and acceptance is given. I see a people so kingdom-minded that they will count whatever the cost and pay whatever the price to see revival sweep this land. The church that I see is a church to committed to raising, training and empowering a leadership generation to reap the end-time harvest that all its ministries are consumed with this goal. I see a church whose head is Jesus, whose help is the Holy Spirit and whose focus is the Great Commission. Yes, the church that I see could well be our church.”

Help for Those Grieving

In December 2002, Emmanuel held our first service entitled, "Home for Christmas." It was an idea that I got from our previous church and an idea they got from a Christian magazine reporting on the same service held in another church. You see, we all benefit when believers share good ideas with others and don't care who gets the credit. Too many churches act like secret societies and don't want anyone else to discover what they are doing. I will admit that sharing your ideas results in MUCH added work, because soon other churches in your area will be doing what you are doing. So, you will have to continually keep coming up with new and innovative ideas for reaching your community. But remember, imitation is the greatest form of flattery!

Well, I said all of that to say, we borrowed an idea from someone else that has really evolved into something wonderful for our church and our community. Each December, we partner with local funeral homes in our area to offer hope and comfort to those families who are grieving during the holidays. While some are celebrating, others are spending their first Christmas without their loved one being present. For some families, holidays hurt; but we try to remind them that their loved one is celebrating Jesus' birthday in His presence! Wow! What a thought. That really does ease the pain.

During the service, we call the loved ones' names, the funeral directors distribute ornaments, the funeral directors address the families, one of the directors prays over the families, we pass out books with ideas to help them get through the holidays, and I usually preach a sermon focused on heaven and the hope found in Jesus Christ. While it is sad to watch the grieving families line the aisles of our church, it is exciting to watch our folks get up, embrace those grieving, pray with them, share encouraging words, and weep with them. It is a simple reminder that these families are loved, prayed for, and they are not alone.

The icing on the cake is that our efforts serve people across our community -- rich and poor, old and young, white and black. We put our differences aside and come together for the common purpose of helping people (all different types of people) who are hurting. This service is one of the highlights of my year and to top it all off, today four of those family members placed their hope for eternity in Jesus Christ. Romans 8:28 proved itself true again, as God can and did work good from all things.

Again, I offer my thanks and appreciation to Franklin Hines of Hines Funeral Home, Eldridge Norton or Norton Funeral Home, and Wendell Davis of Young & Young Funeral Home. I realize this type of service would not be possible without your involvement. It is an honor to partner with each of you in this community service to our community.

Newsweek Twists Bible to Support Gay Marriage

I was just handed one of the most absurd and biased articles that I have ever read, written by a Newsweek journalist trying to use the Bible to justify gay marriage. While journalists are expected to provide fair and balanced news reports, this was nothing but an attempt to lash out at the recent passing of Proposition 8 in California (Constitutional ban of gay marriage). In fact, the Newsweek website states that "The reaction to this cover is not difficult to predict." They urge, "Let the letters and e-mails come." They blatantly state, "...our cover, which is ultimately supportive of gay marriage."

The Newsweek story sounds intelligent, but it is maliciously slanted toward the journalist's bias and includes flagrant misinterpretations. She intentionally (or ignorantly) takes Bible passages out of context; twists passages in an effort to prove her point, while leaving out passages that clearly oppose her premise; she removes biblical absolutes and replaces them with moral relativism; she labels those who take a literal view of Scripture as immature; refers to the Bible as legend; to Jesus as "the boy;" and equates sexuality to skin color (The skin color comment alone ought to be offensive to minorities, whether they are gay or straight).

In contradiction to the Newsweek journalist's accusation, a truly balanced and educated person should easily recognize this as a "one-sided opinion," (and as Newsweek called it... promotion of their "agenda") rather than real research and true journalism. Any journalist seeking real truth will quote both sides to any argument. To the contrary, those seeking only to prove a point will cite only those sources who agree with them.

This article was really nothing more than a journalist's attempt to "scold" those who she assumes voted for Proposition 8 due to their biblical beliefs and/or religious convictions. BUT, she does bring out some good points about "Christians" who vehemently oppose gay marriage; while being unfaithful, divorcing, fostering instability in the home, etc. It is obvious that this journalist has noticed the hypocrisy of the church and so has God! It's not a new problem, but it sure needs to be addressed.

Since the Newsweek side has been stated, allow me to refer you to some great blogs and articles written in rebuttal to this issue. These include:
1) www.AlbertMohler.com - Article written Dec. 8, entitled, "Turning the Bible on its Head..."
2) http://www.getreligion.com/ - Article written Dec. 9 entitled, "What's the Standard?"
3) http://corner.nationalreview.com/post/?q=YzU5OTg0NmJjNzI3YzJkNzJlYzdmNWZjNWFmMjU3MWE= Article writtenDec. 7, entitled, "Newsweek on gay marriage."

A Unified Church

With the exception of a handful of dissenters (yes... even EBC is blessed with a few), we have a wonderful church that operates in the sweet spirit of harmony and unity. Two fires have taught our church how to pull together and we are blessed with a large number of spiritually mature believers who realize that "We must learn to agree to disagree -- agreeably."

Last night is a great example of a unified church. We held our annual Ministry Meeting to vote on our 2009 budget and give annual reports /updates to our congregation. We distributed our budget proposal 2-3 weeks in advance and invited our people to ask questions and offer their input to our pastors and deacons. When the vote was taken last night, it was approved unanimously. It means a lot to know that the church trusts the integrity of its leadership and their unanimous approval is a great vote of confidence. Our staff and deacons had prayed and worked for several months preparing a budget that displayed our trust in God, but also exhibited good stewardship and fiscal responsibility. The church also voted on another proposal regarding our financial reporting and that too passed unanimously.

In addition, we took time to brag on God! During 2008, He blessed our church with many salvations, baptisms, and new members. He brought true revival to our church! He led us in the timing of several key financial decisions that we didn't even realize, until the bottom fell out of the economy. He used our people to pay $700,000 against the principle of our debt in just 2 1/2 years. God has been so good to our church that we just took time to brag on Him publicly. It was a very sweet time... even in a business meeting.

Are things always perfect at Emmanuel? No... because our congregation is made up of imperfect people and we don't have a perfect pastor; but when we put our differences aside, stop our selfishness, and focus on God's plans instead of our own -- oh how sweet it is.

A LIFE Group Experience!

Two years ago, our church started referring to our small groups as "LIFE Groups." The title "Sunday School" brings connotations of little children sitting in desks, boring lectures, and interaction that is limited to Sundays only. Our church is trying to help our folks understand that life takes place seven days per week and we as believers should be "doing life together," sharing our experiences, praying for each other, and supporting one another. We are strongly encouraging interaction between Sundays and some of our groups are really getting it. I understand that small groups are often difficult for the older generation or traditionalists to grasp, but when they do.... they never want to go back!

This past weekend, my wife and I had the privilege of spending some time with a group in our church that has REALLY caught the concept of what LIFE Groups can be. Six couples spent the weekend at a beach house, sharing meals, playing golf, shopping, playing games, putting together puzzles (ladies had 500 pieces, while the men had 14 pieces), engaging in Bible study, and more! We even took time to watch a portion of the Florida Gators beating Alabama. (I'm a Miami fan, but I'm always for whoever is playing Alabama!) The weekend was GREAT, or as my kids would say... AWESOME! We weren't drunk, there were no illegal drugs, everyone kept their clothes on, our conversation was clean --- and we had a GREAT time! Our common bonds were Jesus Christ and a LIFE Group at Emmanuel.

The people in this LIFE Group are developing friendships and building bonds that will last a lifetime. Is it any wonder that this group is growing and people want to be part of it? Think about it... would you rather sit in a large class of acquaintances that meet on Sundays only to hear someone lecture; or would you rather add extreme fun, deep friendships, and great fellowship, and intense Bible study to your Christian walk?

LIFE Groups are really the "life lines" for congregational care at Emmanuel. Class members should be calling and visiting absentees, visiting class members in the hospitals, sitting with family members during surgeries, preparing meals, hosting bridal showers, comforting the bereaved, celebrating, playing, praying, and serving -- together! We believe that every member should be a minister. "LIFE Groups" care for one another, while "dying groups" expect the pastor to do all the caring for them.

Ultimately, the choice whether to attend a class that is dead or alive is up to you, and Emmanuel has both types of classes available. If you're in a dead class, be a catalyst for change and bring it to life. If you're in a dead class, consider moving into a different group. My personal prayer is that EVERY class at EBC will become a LIFE Group!

Volunteers Encourage This Pastor

There is nothing that excites me more than watching our church members dive in up to their elbows as they work around the church. We're all familiar with the Pareto Principle that says, "20% of the people do 80% of the work;" but I am blessed to pastor a church where our percentages are much higher. About a month ago, the work started as we began preparing for our Homecoming service. Our church family worked outside as they cut grass, trimmed bushes, spread mulch/pine straw, edged sidewalks, pulled weeds, reworked flower beds, and more! Inside they cleaned the Worship Center, painted, dusted instruments, oiled the wood on the pews, washed nursery curtains, replaced torn speaker cover, reworked our baptism changing rooms, and more! I can't even begin to tell you all that went on around here, but I know that people enjoyed each other's company and enjoyed caring for the Lord's house.

The volunteers didn't stop working after Homecoming, but instead they picked up on additional projects. A group started preparing a brand new flower bed that will spell out "EMMANUEL" and they picked the coldest, windiest day to lay the ground cover; but they enjoyed each other's company and are still telling stories. Another group came out to decorate our church for Christmas and spent two days tying bows, hanging garland, and decorating trees. It looks beautiful! Some of our men (1 deacon in particular) installed new lights in our gymnasium, which was a first step as we prepare to turn the old stage in our gym into a theatrical set for our children's & youth ministries. On another day, some of our men planted trees and our ladies taught classes in tying bows and making gingerbread houses. I apologize to those that I didn't mention, but there are volunteers out here all the time doing work that I don't even know about.

Now don't misunderstand...I didn't say we have 100% of our people involved and volunteering, but we have a large percentage. I believe that's why we have such a great church, because many people are rowing the boat and very are rocking it. Even we have a few, but we love them anyway and invite them to pick-up an oar and start rowing with us at any time. When people love their church, they want to build it -- not break it; and we all must realize that we only get out of a church (or any other organization) whatever we put into it.

THANKS to all of our wonderful volunteers! This pastor greatly appreciates ALL you do!

Revival Results in Reconciliation

There are many wonderful joys in ministry (and some not so joyous); but tonight was one the highlights. Tonight, I had the privilege of performing a re-marriage, and this is only the third time in 25 years that I've had the opportunity to do this. Approximately four years ago, unfaithfulness crept into a beautiful home and ripped it apart, as was shared by this dear lady during her recent baptism. BUT, she reminded our church of how loving, forgiving, and full of grace God really is. This dear family has been involved in our church for nearly a year and they have seen (and now experienced) God doing some wonderful things. The husband's card read as follows, "I wanted to say thank you for everything! You and Emmanuel played an important piece in putting my family back together." One of the greatest joys came as I watched this couple's two daughters beaming with smiles that stretched from ear to ear. They were getting the wish of every child whose parents divorce. It was like watching the movie "Parent Trap" played out before our very eyes. We all got to see the story of Hosea acted out in real life. We were all reminded of Christ's unfailing love for his Church!

My heart goes out to divorced couples, but the truth is that every divorce has "selfishness" at the root. One spouse or both put his or her own desires above their spouse's. Someone chose their own path, instead of following God's. Selfishness leads to infidelity, irreconcilable differences, wanting something different, dissatisfaction, etc. BUT, when we put God first, He can help us put the interests of others before our own (Phil. 2:3-5) and understand true humility.

This marriage (and family) being restored is just another example of the results that come from personal revival. As we draw closer to God, we draw closer to each other. When our vertical relationship is right, our horizontal relationships are right. On the flip-side, you CANNOT be right with God, when you are not right with other believers. So, put God first, obey His commands, and begin experiencing the abundant life that Jesus described. So many of us miss the joys of life and choose to live with the heartaches; simply because we choose our sin over the Savior. We would rather hold grudges, fail to forgive, harbor bitterness, carry malice, prove our point, inflict pain on those who hurt us, and live as a slaves to sin; instead of following God and extending forgiveness. Revival is the desire to lay aside everything that would hinder our relationship with God. I'm not sure that any more hurtful offense could be committed than infidelity within a marriage. So, if this couple could forgive and restore their marriage, what's your excuse for not forgiving those who have hurt you? Truth is... if you are carrying grudges, harboring bitterness and failing to forgive... YOU NEED REVIVAL!

4th annual "Carolina vs. Clemson Day"

Upon moving to South Carolina, one of the first questions I was asked was, "Are you for Carolina or Clemson?" Being a Miami Hurricane fan, neither of those names had ever crossed mind. Taking advantage of a natural rivalry, our church began hosting "Carolina vs. Clemson Day" on the Sunday before the big game (that way neither team could gloat.) Our guest preacher each year is the chaplain from USC or Clemson, on an alternating basis. This year, we had Tony Eubanks from Clemson. Our people decorated the auditorium, the fans sat on their respective sides (yes... we divide the church intentionally), we usually do a coin toss to see which team parks on which side of the building, we played the team fight songs, we had tailgate parties during Sunday School, and we even asked our people to dress in their game day, fan attire. There were painted faces, garnet wigs, tiger faces, and more. It was exciting! The most exciting part was that it gave our people an "excuse to invite" their unsaved friends and people who don't usually attend a church service. We always have a large number of guests and Tony made sure they heard a very clear gospel presentation. Each year, spiritual decisions are made and it happened again today!

You ask... "Does everyone like all the hoopla and the different format?" The answer obviously is "no;" but most have come to see the success of such days and the eternal impact, so they tolerate it. 99.9% of our folks LOVE IT! You should hear them talk. I enjoyed hearing the stories of people inviting friends, coworkers, relatives, etc. They were praying for people to be saved and they see these special days as "tools" for evangelism. I like to call them "hooks." Jesus told us to be fishers of men and I want to have as many lines in the water as possible; BUT I don't want to be fishing inside the boat and merely swapping fish from one cooler to the other (stealing members).

Today was, again, a HUGE eternal success! So, what do we plan to do in the future? Everything we can and whatever it takes to make an eternal impact on Hartsville and Darlington County. I like the way the Apostle Paul put it in 1 Cor 9:22-23, "I have become all things to all men, that I might by all means save some. 23 Now this I do for the gospel's sake..."

NEW EMMANUEL WEBSITE

Hey all... Wanted to let you know that our NEW Emmanuel Baptist Church website is now up and running! It's not fully complete, but it's live. Check it out at www.ebconline.com. One of the men in our church (Bill Carr -- a deacon and friend) built it and he's quite talented. If you need some work done, I'd highly recommend him, so also checkout Morningstar Design Studio http://www.morningstardesign.biz/

REVIVAL REQUIRES PURITY

Isn't it amazing that church-goers expect God to do whatever they want, whenever we want, and however we want; regardless of how they live. God wrote the rule book, so why would anyone think they don't have to live by His rules? Churches are filled with people who regularly attend, pray, sing, and give; BUT can't keep their pants up or the skirts down. That was the topic of my sermon yesterday, and YES, I used the word "sex" in church. Why not? God designed it; but all we hear about on the news are the perverts in the political, educational, and even the religious realms. What comes to your mind when I say "Catholic Priests" or "California?" What about when I mention names like Bill Clinton, Monica Lewinsky, John Edwards, Elliott Dupree, Larry Craig, Barney Frank, Jim Bakker, Jimmy Swaggert, Ted Haggard, Earl Paulk, and the list goes on! Why are we having to vote on what a marriage looks like? The simple answer is, America was built on biblical absolutes, but we continue to abandon our roots and buy into the philosophy of moral relativism.

Every man is doing what seems right in his own eyes, forgetting that God already established the standard. His Word instructs us to have nothing to do with any form of immorality (Ephesians 5:3-7) and it tells us to know our areas of tempation and avoid them (1 Thess 4:3-4). It sets the standard high and tells men not even to look at a woman with inappropriate thoughts (Matt 5:27-28). It's also blunt and states that those who fall into adultery are naive and foolish (Prov 7). The New Living Translation states... "They lack common sense." Fools are throwing away their families every day -- even in the church -- even in our church!

It's time for the church to live what we preach! We can rant and rave about homosexuality all we want to, but ALL sex outside of marriage (whether homosexual or heterosexual) is sin! That's not my opinion -- it's God's Word! When the church stops playing around, maybe we can really begin to impact the world.

I challenge every person who claims to be a "Christian" to be faithful to your spouse, stop flirting around the office, cancel your cable if necessary, block your Internet if you can't control yourself, marry the person you're cohabitating with, and stop doing whatever supposedly everyone else is doing. We better realize that the Church of Jesus Christ has a wedding to prepare for and our Bridegroom, the Lord Himself, wants a pure Church.

SUCCESS OF A NATIONAL PASTOR

Our church is blessed to support 30+ missionaries and projects around the world. I still believe in sending American missionaries, but I've also learned the benefit to training national pastors. National pastors already speak the language, know the culture, follow the customs, etc. In addition, national pastors can usually live on a small percentage of what it costs to send and maintain an American missionary.

We had one of our national pastors (missionaries) from India visit with us tonight. Justus Banuel is a native of India and was saved back in 1973 by listening to a "Back to the Bible" radio broadcast. He was saved to serve and immediately desired to attend Bible college. He began pastoring while in school and experienced great success. Today, God has used Justus Banuel to start 348 churches that have a combined total of over 200,000 people attending the Sunday services. Together, those churches have approximately 50,000 people going out on weekly visitation and they are seeing literally 1,000+ converts each month! In addition, they have a Christian school that has over 900 children enrolled. Remember, all of this is in a Hindu nation. You can learn more about Dr. Justus Banuel and the ministries in India at http://www.christianityindia.com/

Justus is just one example of the great success that national pastors can have among their own people. I encourage your church to consider supporting some national pastors. You can get started by contacting Gospelink at www.gospelink.org. Another option is to support Luther Rice Seminary-University in their efforts to train national pastors - http://www.lru.edu/

Election

Oh, the conversations I've heard since the election. Some are excited that history has been made and others talk as though they think the Antichrist is now in place. Truth is, I personally didn't like either candidate and my life is no different today than it was on Nov. 3. The only thing that really jolted my thinking was seeing the excitement of Louis Farrakhan (Head of the Nation of Islam), country of Kenya (where Muslims bombed our embassy) and Iran (a current threat); over Barack Obama being our president-elect.

During the election, I did not publicly endorse any candidate, but chose rather to encourage people to vote for candidates who support biblical values. I did this, so people would do their own research and take the initiative to educate themselves as to where the candidates stood on the issues. Too many "Christians" like to be spoon fed in political (and spiritual) matters. Now, I'll admit that my favorite candidate was Mitt Romney for many reasons. He and I would differ greatly on our theology, but I was looking to call him my president, not my pastor. My next favorite candidate would have been Sarah Palin, because after the media turned over every rock in Wasilla, AK, the only thing they could do was poke fun at her clothes. I like the idea of a candidate who actually has to work for a living and has ironclad integrity.

It's been both sad and funny to hear conservatives and the religious right (who could not stand John McCain in years past) defending him and championing his cause. Let's be honest... he held to more biblical values than Obama, but he was still a liberal simply the "best of the worst." It was also sad to hear so many reducing this presidential election to a racial contest. The exit polls revealed that 97% of black voters cast their vote for Obama, even though they admittedly did not necessarily agree with his views and political positions. Because of the exit polls, radio talk show host Rick, from the "Rick and Bubba Show" stated that this historic election fell far short of fulfilling Martin Luther King, Jr's dream for men to be judged on their character and not on the color of their skin. The race emphasis and now an African-American president elect, removes all future excuses, from all races, and PROVES that America is still the land of opportunity for those who will make the effort to apply themselves.

Finally, the election is over and we must move forward. America is still the greatest nation in the world and God is still in control. I have no problem with a black president or one of any other ethnic origin, because my confidence is in the Lord. Barack Obama can make all the promises of "change" that he wants to, but Jesus Christ is the real agent of change! I expect that Washington will look very similar in 4 years, but I expect individuals and families in our community to look very different based on our efforts to share the message of God's love.

82nd Homecoming

Yesterday, was Emmanuel's 82nd Homecoming service! Pastor Emeritus, Milton Frazier, taught a combined Sunday School for all of our adults. Pastor Frazier served EBC for 36 years as their pastor. Danny Hodges preached in our main service. Danny grew up at EBC and now serves as the pastor of Calvary Chapel in St. Petersburg, FL. His website is http://www.ccstpete.com/

Danny used Luke 15 as his text and shared his personal testimony through the story of the Prodigal Son. He shared how he ran from God, became addicted to drugs and the party scene, and was expelled from Hartsville High School; BUT God never gave up on him. Danny was eventually saved, attended Liberty University, and now pastors a church that runs over 4,000 in weekly attendance. Danny's testimony encourages us to realize that God can use ANYONE, regardless of what they've been involved in.

Many "home-grown" musicians provided special music for our service. In addition, the trio "One Focus" ministered to our church family. Check them out at http://www.onefocustrio.com/ Brian and Libby Geddes teach in our Christian School. I highly recommend this group. Following the service, we enjoyed a feast! Our members, attendees, and many guests who returned for Homecoming; gathered in the gymnasium to eat and fellowship. It was great to meet new people and renew acquaintances with others. It was also exciting to see everyone pitch-in and help with the clean-up. We had the whole gym completely cleaned and all equipment put away in 35 minutes. A special "thanks" to all the volunteers!

We also had 1 baptized and 3 more people join our church family yesterday! Praise the Lord!

Our New Worship Coordinator

Emmanuel Baptist Church has been without a full-time Worship Pastor since December 2006, when our former Worship Pastor had a moral failure which devastated our church. We tried to help his family and allowed wis wife to serve as our Interim Worship Leader. She did a good job and we ALL learned alot through that process. I learned "why" staff members who have moral failures MUST move on. Neither the individual nor the congregation can heal when they stay together. Following Melodie, Brian Watts served as our Interim Worship Leader. Brian is a college student and one of the most gifted musicians I've ever met. Brian has one more year and I'd recommend him to anyone. Following Brian, Lori Jones stepped into the role.

Lori and her husband, Kevin, moved to Hartsville approximately two years ago. Lori has served in churches such as Rehoboth Baptist Church in Atlanta, GA and Florence Baptist Temple in SC. Lori's first love and entire background is in music, (although she just graduated with a law degree and recently passed her bar exam). She loves the old and the new, choirs and praise teams, even Southern Gospel and Contemporary. Under Lori's interim leadership, our choir has been running more than it did when we had a full-time person on our staff.

So... after searching long and hard for a full-time Worship Pastor, God has changed our course! On Wednesday, I told the choir and band that the Deacons and I felt led to offer Lori the position of Worship Coordinator on a permanent basis. The choir errupted in spontaneous applause. Today, we made the announcement to the church and got the same response. Even some of those who have been the most critical of our music program thought she was a great choice.

Following a model that I observed in another local church, Lori will be serving as our overall worship "coordinator" on a permanent basis. She will lead our choir, select music, schedule all groups, oversee the band, etc. In addition, Lori will be working with volunteer leaders who will work under her to lead our congregational worship, band rehearsals, and more. This model involves more lay-people and also allows us the financial freedom to hire a full-time Children's pastor. We are very excited about what the future holds and I ask you to pray for Lori (and our church) as we embark on this journey!

We Work and Worship Together

Today, we had a workday to tidy up a bit, give the grounds their last manicure before winter, and prepare for Homecoming. I said "today," but the work really went on all week. Those who could not be here today came out early to cut grass (we have about 60 cleared acres), edge sidewalks, paint, dust, sanitize toys in our nurseries, wash curtains, condition the wood on the pews, spruce-up our baptismal changing rooms, and more! Then today, people were working in the flower beds, running weedeaters, trimming bushes, cleaning grass out of sidewalk cracks, spreading pinestraw, spreading mulch, blowing sidewalks, cleaning the Worship Center, making tea, moving equipment, setting-up tables and chairs in the gym for our Homecoming feast, and still more!

Stewardship comes in many forms and taking care of the beautiful facilities that God has given us is part of stewardship. Personal involvement and taking ownership are part of bringing a church together and a good exercise in team building. This week, we not only "cleaned-up" our campus, but we eliminated things that might have been distractions to those who come to worship.

Overall, there were probably 60 people involved throughout the week and on the workday! This is the strength of EBC... People who love God, want others to know God, and are willing to do whatever is necessary to make that happen. Including the dirty work!

2,000 Attend EBC's "Trunk-or-Treat"

This is the fifth year that our church has hosted "Trunk-or-Treat." This has always been a fun event, a great community service project, and an outreach opportunity. It's always been a successful event in the sense of drawing people onto our campus and gathering a few propects who might be looking for a church, but tonight knocked it out of the park!

Remembering that we are in a very small community and probably a dozen churches in our community hosted a "Trunk-or-Treat," what I will share next will amaze you. Tonight, we had 2,000 people on our campus. That's right 2,000! That's 25% of Hartsville's population! The line of costumed characters latched onto their mom's and dad's stretched around our building. We began to ration the candy and we even had a volunteer go to Walmart to buy more! I couldn't imagine someone waiting in a line and then being told we were out of candy.

Hats off to our volunteers! Dozens of cars were decorated including a stretch limo. People were preparing concessions, distributing candy, registering guests, staffing the inflatable and carnival games, and more! In a quick perusal of the registration cards, I spotted dozens of people who requested more information about our church. Wouldn't it be great if they came to a "Trunk-or-Treat" and it was the first step in reaching these people for Jesus?! The strength of Emmanuel Baptist Church is that we are a family of people who love God, want others to love God, and will do whatever it takes to make it happen. Thanks again to Justin, our volunteers and to every person who brought your kids to the event.

Revival Continues at a Funeral

My friend, Jack Westmoreland, wrote a book entitled, "God, He Don't Live in No Box." Jack is right! God can do whatever, whenever, wherever, and however He chooses. If you weren't sure of that before, you will be after this story. I'm learning more and more that He doesn't work the way our religious system has taught us to expect. He does things that we don't expect,in ways we don't expect and at times we don't expect. Let me give you a great example...

Today, I was officiating a funeral for a dear lady who had been a member of our church for many years. She had been estranged from her son for many years, but they reconciled three years ago. The son had also been estranged from his sister, and if I properly understood, they had not spoken in 20+ years. His family was seated at the front of the funeral chapel and her family was seated at the back and on the opposite side. While the son/brother was speaking publicly and paying tribute to his mother, he began to weep and publicly asked his sister to forgive him. He walked to the back of the chapel, asked for her forgiveness, told her that he loved her, and asked if she loved him -- to which she responded, "I love you, too." There wasn't a dry eye in the room and if we were in church, I would have given the invitation right then.

That was one of the best funerals I've ever been to in my life! I've never seen God work in this way at a funeral before, but it surprises me less and less. I'm beginning to expect Him to work in these miracluous ways. I told the other pastor who co-officiated the service, "This is what we've been seeing God do in our church for 3 months!" I can't wait to see what He's going to do next!

Definition of Revival

I found the following definition for revival on Wikipedia.com. It's actually pretty good...

"Revival in a Christian context generally refers to a specific period of spiritual renewal in the life of the Church. While elements such as mass conversions and perceived beneficial effects on the moral climate of a given culture may be involved, the key factor in revival is the restoration of the Church to a vital and fervent relationship with God after a period of decline.

If your relationship with God has ever been closer than it is today, you are probably in need of revival.

14 BAPTIZED

I'm amazed... I know I shouldn't be, but I'm still amazed. God Spirit is still moving and I'm amazed! When God begins to move in our congregation, I've learned to just get out of the way!

This past Thursday, Justin (our Youth Pastor) baptized 4 of our Christian School students during chapel. The baptistry heater didn't get turned on, so... the water was COLD! Those kids will never forget their baptism. :-) Yesterday, we had 10 people baptized during our morning service. Justin baptized 4 teenagers at the beginning of the service and I baptized 6 adults at the end of the service. It was special as several of the adults shared their testimonies. One is a deacon who was saved last week. One is a Christian School teacher who gained assurance of her salvation. One was a man who had known for several years that he was unsaved, but allowed pride to keep him from making that decision. (Interesting... when he got saved, he didn't care what anyone else thought!) Another was a lady who was saved last week, another saved a couple of months ago and another was a college student. In addition, we had another dear lady come for church membership and the altars were full as people were praying.

God's Spirit is moving and people continue to respond. People all over Hartsville are hearing about our services and talking about us (in a good way) wherever you go. Last night, we had a Ministry Meeting and people were unanimous in their decision and exhibiting unity in their spirit. It was another GREAT day!

ECS Girls Volleball State Champs

It finally happened! After winning state championships on the "A" level, our Emmanuel Christian School girls volleyball team is now the South Carolina State Champion on the "AA" level. The SCACS AA tournament was held this past weekend in Upstate and our Lady Crusaders took the championship match with a score of 3-0 against Conway Christian School. Coached by Billy Smith, our ladies have been the State Runners-up for the past couple of years; but not anymore... they are the CHAMPS! Team members include: Caitlyn Bell, Karen Bullard, Caylee Carpenter, Paten Hall, Krista Hodges, Mallory James, Krisa Melton, Millie Rogers, Bridgette Smith, and Laney Williamson.

CONGRATULATIONS LADIES!

Judgement House Report

EBC just concluded our 5th year of presenting Judgement House to our community. This year, there were literally 100+ volunteer workers participating from our church family, plus the JH team. All previous records were broken this year with 1,594 people touring the drama, 182 decisions for salvation, 64 decisions for rededication, and numerous others who came for special prayer. That sounds miraculous, but even more-so when you realize we are in a city with a population of less than 8,000 people!

Each decision was followed-up personally with a counselor and literature was distributed to help these new believers start their walk with Christ. Bibles were also given to those without one in their home. Each person who made a decision was asked to write their decision on a poster board and sign it. WOW! You should read these written testimonies!

Not only was this event beneficial to those who attended it, but it also benefitted our church. It helped us refocus on outreach and evangelism. It took our eyes off ourselves and made us aware of and compassionate toward those without Christ. It caused us to pray without ceasing, realizing that nothing would come of our efforts, unless God's Spirit brought people to conviction. It also reminded us of the joy it brings to work with other churches as Youth Pastors entrusted us to share the message of God's saving grace with their groups. Each church was given all of the follow-up information for those who made decisions and now we pray that true discipleship will take place.

A special "thanks" goes out to our volunteers, those who organized groups, and to the Lord of the Harvest Who blessed our efforts with eternal rewards!

God's Spirit is Moving at EBC

A new day is dawning at EBC and God’s Spirit is moving! It appears that God is opening the windows of heaven and pouring out His blessings on our church family!

Below are just a few of the ways God has been blessing EBC since August 3, 2008:
- There is a renewed spirit of excitement in our church services
- People are renewing spiritual commitments
- 31 students have been saved through ECS and 4 were baptized in chapel
- 22 salvations through EBC
- 20 baptisms
- 24 new members
- Worship attendance continues to increase
- Several LIFE Groups are ready to birth new classes
- Over 50 ladies are involved in Bible studies outside of Sunday mornings
- Men are being trained as deacons
- Our new singles’ LIFE Group and DivorceCare classes are steadily growing
- And the list goes on!

BUT LISTEN TO THIS...
Yesterday... I preached about God's saving grace and a man shared his testimony. It resulted in a 45 minute invitation and God's Spirit moving like I've NEVER seen Him before! 10 people were saved, 6 came for assurance, many for rededication, 14 for baptism, 2 families joined the church (19 members the Sunday before!), the altars were full, and people were weeping uncontrollably over what God was doing! Again... a 45 minute invitation! We had a deacon saved, our congregational worship leader walked off the platform in need of assurance, a man fell on the altar praying for his daughter and men engulfed him in prayer. A lady who was getting ready to have surgery was surrounded and embraced by other ladies. I can't even begin to tell you what it was like. And right now... I can hardly see my computer screen because God is still squeezing my heart and the tears are flowing. I just had to tell you! GOD IS SO GOOD!!!

In addition, men have been sharing how God had been convicting them to clear their consciences, repent, and renew their relationships with the Lord. Through tears, they are expressing how difficult it was, but how clean and refreshed they feel. They are experiencing real freedom in Christ.

These are just a few of the incredible stories of what God is doing at Emmanuel Baptist Church in Hartsville, SC. Please keep praying for us!

19 New Members

I can't even begin to tell you what is happening at EBC! God is beginning to move in ways that are far beyond what I could ask or think. It is truly a moving of the Holy Spirit! When we were growing at miraculous pace, then Satan attacked our church through the sin of one of our staff members. Another church family was also involved and it has been devastating, but God is faithful. If that wasn't enough, our attendance decreased as our Spanish Pastor was not allowed back into the USA and that ministry went from 70+ to 25 on average. In addition, over 70 people from our church relocated -- only 3 of those families stayed in SC. It was discouraging to see over 125 people leave, but God is good and this is His church. In the midst of the turmoil, I felt impressed of the Holy Spirit to preach on revival and told the church that I wouldn't stop until we experienced it. Things got worse! Preaching on revival will truly divide a church as the righteous get right, but sinners get angry! Many in our church have been praying for revival and God Spirit has been moving in our church. Revival started in our youth department, but it has been spreading! Many new people have joined our church family and God brought us some of the strongest believers and dedicated workers that I've ever met! Attendance is stronger in our main service than it has been in the past two years! Last Sunday, God blessed our church with 19 new members -- on the same day! Remember... we're in Hartsville! That is an army of workers and these wonderful people really are workers. They were serving in various capacities even prior to membership. Pray for us as we minister to them and for them as they serve God and His people at EBC. Yesterday was GOOD!

Religion and Politics DO Mix

With the upcoming elections, I've already heard people saying..., “I don’t discuss politics or religion.” Well, don’t hurt yourself laughing when I tell you I’m from Palm Beach County, Florida. Yes... the state that had the voting fiasco, where we first heard about hanging chads, dimpled chads, and we supposedly stole the election from Al Gore; but I would like to share some thoughts regarding Christians and voting!

I suspect that many avoid discussions regarding religion and politics, because they know very little about either one. Many people choose to affiliate with a particular denomination and/or political party, due to their parents’ influence. Often, they don’t even know the basic tenets of their faith or their party’s platform. This lack of understanding in a voting booth often leads to a simple and uniformed vote along party lines. Such a flippant approach toward voting smacks in the face of those who died to give us that right! Christians must rise above this intellectual apathy by researching what the candidates stand for, then voting for those who uphold biblical principles.

The question arises, “Do religion and politics really mix?” The answer is emphatically “YES!” Christians have a right and an obligation to be politically active. We should be the leaders in the community; running for political offices and making decisions based on biblical absolutes. We should be outraged to see judges and politicians rejecting every semblance of Christianity. Contrary to popular belief, the words “separation of church and state” DO NOT appear in the U.S. Constitution and the premise that religious people should stay out of politics is absurd! Had Christians been more involved in politics, there may have been fewer Ten Commandments, nativity scenes and Christian symbols removed from public places.

Religion and politics must mix in order to form an educated political and world view for the Christian. Christ-followers cannot just ignore issues such as protecting traditional marriage, abortion, homosexual adoption, and more. No issue can be politically right if it’s biblically wrong! Christians should make no apologies for voting in accordance with biblical values and candidates who support them.

Believers should be researching the biblical positions of the candidates who will appear on the November 4 ballot. Research the candidate’s voting record, his reputation, how he treats his family, whether he attends church year round or only at election time, and whether or not he represents you based on biblical values or popular opinion. For information on the candidates visit www.afa.net.

Remember, politics and religion DO mix and it’s time for Christians to become politically active! This is still one nation “UNDER GOD!”

Agree to Disagree Agreeably

Some of the nicest and some of the meanest people that I have ever met have been those who claim to be Christians. Have you ever noticed that some people have a heavenly smile, while others look like they’ve been sucking on lemons? For some, the sour looks are a way of life, for others, they are the result of disagreements gone awry.

Have you ever disagreed with anyone? People have disagreements at home, at work and even at church. There is no problem with disagreeing; in fact, disagreements have the potential to expand the horizons of open minded people. The problems lie not in the disagreements themselves, but in the way that people respond to them.

Have you ever watched children on a playground? What happens when one doesn’t get his way? He becomes angry, he takes his ball and he goes home. Sadly, the same behavior is exhibited among some adults within the Christian community. They become angry when the carpet is not their favorite color, the choir doesn’t sing their favorite song, the preacher doesn’t support their viewpoint or a visitor sits in their favorite pew. They reenact the playground scenario--they get angry, but instead of picking up their ball, they pickup their Bible; instead of going home, they go to another church; and instead of dividing friends on the playground, they divide the family of God.

Disagreements can be good and even healthy; but becoming disagreeable cannot. Most churches do not lose members due to their biblical positions, but many lose them due to their harsh dispositions. Disagreements are a part of life and always will be, so let’s examine how to “agree to disagree agreeably."

In my observation, there are two common elements to any disagreement - an issue and opposing viewpoints. It is very possible that both viewpoints may be correct. If one person describes the interior of a house and another describes the exterior, they are both right in their descriptions of the house; but from different viewpoints. Viewpoints vary in accident reports, at sporting events, at smorgasbords and among auto enthusiasts. We don’t break friendships over a referee’s call, items on a buffet line or whether we drive a Ford or Chevy; so why do we break fellowship over things that are even less significant in a church?

It is imperative that we learn to disagree without becoming malicious and degrading. Ephesians 4:29 tells us that our words should edify others and “minister GRACE to the hearers,” lest they grieve the Holy Spirit of God. God desires us to be tenderhearted and forgiving toward one another as we remember the eternal debt that He forgave us.

The Bible records disagreements between godly leaders and how they responded. Two of the most familiar stories are Abraham vs. Lot (Gen. 13) and Paul vs. Barnabas (Acts 15). The characters in both stories eventually separated; but even after their separation, they exhibited grace toward one another. There is no record of unkind words being exchanged, no effort to defame their character and no attempt to lead a coup against them. The Bible indicates that they “agreed to disagree agreeably.”

Since disagreements are inevitable, there are several things to remember when caught in the middle of one: 1) Leave room for opposing viewpoints; 2) Don’t assassinate a person’s character; and 3) If you don’t get your way – get over it! We would never allow a child to attack his siblings because he didn’t get his way, neither can we allow “brothers and sisters” in Christ to tear apart the family of God. A mark of true spiritual maturity is the ability to “agree to disagree agreeably!

The Windows of Heaven are Open

You may be tired of hearing the same things over and over, but I can't stop sharing what God is doing. We had another 5 people saved and 3 baptized over the course of the past week. People are also beginning to share additional stories of opportunities they have been given to share at work and people who are stopping them in restaurants to ask what is going on at Emmanuel Baptist Church. When people are focused and excited about God, it is contagious!

There is a renewed spirit of excitement in our youth ministry, music ministry, school, LIFE Groups, and almost every facet of Emmanuel Baptist Church. I say almost, because we all know that the Pharisees missed Jesus in their presence and there are some who are sadly missing out of the revival that is going on all around them. Our prayer continues to be that God will use us to lead people into a passionate pursuit of Him.

Understanding Church Membership

I remember sitting at a pastors’ breakfast a couple of years ago, when an interim pastor told me that the church he had been serving was calling a new pastor. He asked me to pray for that new pastor and went on to say that he had a big job stepping into a church of 1,200 members. I knew the church he was speaking of and I was taken back by his comment. The interim pastor must have seen it in my eyes; because his next statement was, “Truth be known, even the CIA couldn’t find 200 of those members.” I personally thought, “Truth be known, the CIA couldn’t find 1,000 of them.”

Since that breakfast dialogue, I’ve been intrigued by listening to pastors talk about this thing we call “church membership.” I go to pastors’ meetings and hear pastors bragging about the size of their church membership. The numbers sound impressive, but the actual Sunday attendance is one-third or less. Associations, conventions, and denominational boards use this same manipulation of “membership” numbers for positioning against other denominations or even as leverage to persuade politicians.

Conversations among church-goers regarding membership also intrigue me. Some people don’t want to “join” any church, others join without even knowing what a church believes, and others desire to leave their membership at one church while attending another. Wouldn’t that be similar to maintaining a marriage certificate with one wife, while moving in with another woman? I guess the answer is left to be determined by one’s personal interpretation or definition of church membership.

Speaking for Baptist churches, most require those desiring to teach, work with children, or hold any positions of leadership to become members for the sake of maintaining accountability. The requirements for membership in a Baptist church are simply salvation and baptism. The practice comes from Acts 2:41 as it describes they that gladly (a) received his word, were (b) baptized: and the same day they were (c) added to the church. Denominations differ regarding the requirements for church membership and some require membership candidates to complete indoctrination classes before they can be accepted into the church. While the requirements differ, the basic concept of membership is the same.

As we know, many churches mindlessly practice the traditions they have acquired through the centuries. In an effort to be “biblical, not traditional,” we must examine what the Bible says regarding church membership. As we study the Bible, we find that those who were saved were immediately part of Christ’s body - the Church. While there is much theological debate over whether or not baptism was a requirement for Church membership; it is certain that those who were completely and fully denouncing their pagan lifestyle chose to identify publicly with Christ through the act of baptism after salvation.

So, did the church at Corinth, Ephesus, or Sardis practice local church membership? In Bible times, all of the believers in a city were part of that local church. They assembled and worshiped together. They didn’t fight, split, or consider themselves competitors as many churches do today. They saw themselves as members of Christ’s body. Through the years, the Church has adopted many practices from the business world, including the concept of membership. Pastors want commitment and members want to know who’s on their team, who is going to help pay the bills, who is going to help do ministry, and who should have voting rights.

I would have a hard time proving that local church membership, as it is practiced today, is completely biblical; but I do think it is important for the reasons stated above. While I believe that every person who comes to Christ the Savior for forgiveness of sin is part of Christ’s body, I also believe every Christ-follower should be part of a local congregation. Let me close by encouraging all believers to be part of a local church family, to serve in and through that local church family, and to remain committed to that local church family. We all need a place to belong, until Christ calls us home!

A Mighty Rushing Wind

I can't tell you that we are experiencing anything like the moving of the Holy Spirit on the Day of Pentecost, but I can tell you that we are at least feeling the effects of His wind! Today the Spirit continued moving in our services. For the past two months, people have been making decisions in our services, in our offices, in their homes, at school, and more. This week, 4 more people were saved. PRAISE THE LORD!

Our church family is getting right with God and He is moving in ways that we could never have imagined. Our key verse for revival has been 2 Chron 7:14, "If My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land." It's true... IF those who call themselves Christians will repent and begin living holy lives, God can do miraculous things through them.

The problem as I see it is that too many "Christians" are not true Christ-followers, which means that many churches are nothing more than social organizations. When people say the church is full of hypocrites... they're right! I've been preaching on the tough topics of pride, humility, honesty, holiness, forgiveness, and other lost topics in today's churches. It has resulted in our church family getting right and now the whole community is being impacted by the stories of revival that are being shared across our small town. Please pray that God will keep working, until every person in our church family is in a right relationship with Him.

MORE Saved at ECS Retreat

We just completed our 2008 ECS Spiritual Emphasis Retreat with our high school students. We tried a new format this year and kept the students occupied on our 260 acre campus. They had a variety of activities across our campus, slept on campus, played games at (and in) our pond, swam at the local country club, etc. Each morning and evening, we hosted a chapel service! The services involved our Chapel Band and speakers from within our faculty. It may be one of the best spiritual emphasis retreats that I've ever been part of. Attending a Christian school myself, I know how easy it is to play the game of hypocrisy. I am committed to helping our students realize that spirituality is not a game and we are committed to having a Christian school -- not a "private" school. I feel that if all we do is offer a great academic product... we've failed.

With that being said, we are really trying to help our students see Christ as never before. I spent a couple of sessions really challenging them to recognize hypocrisy and decide to live lives of authenticity. Our Youth Pastor dovetailed with those messages and preached a strong message on "real" salvation. During the course of the weekend, 6 of our high school studnets made decisions for salvation and many others rededicated their lives to Christ. Others still need to be saved, so please join us in praying that they will.

26 Saved This Week

GOD'S SPIRIT IS MOVING in our church and in our Christian School. With the start of the new school year, we always start by sharing the gospel with our students and hosting a spiritual empahsis retreat for our high school students. Well, the retreat doesn't happen for another couple of weeks, but listen to what God did at ECS last week. We started this school year with 432 students and just this week, 26 of those students made decisions for salvation. This is one of the privileges of having a Christian School. Not only do we get to teach subject matter from a Christian world-view, but we also get to share the message of salvation. One person said, "We offer academics and MORE!" Pray for us as we now work to disciple these students and reach these families.

Revival Fires are Burning!

It's Monday, again, and I have to tell you what happened yesterday! The flames of revival continue to burn! We've seen another 3 people come to the decision for salvation. (Remember, we're in a town of less than 8,000 people!) The man who was saved last week was baptized this morning. It was a sweet time as he had to gently kneel and lean forward, due to severe back problems; but he wanted to take that step of public identification. It gave a great opportunity to ask, "If he could do it, what's your excuse?" We added another 8 new members today, along with their 3 children. 6 people rededicated their lives to our Lord and again, the altars were full. We are really to the point that we can't wait until the invitation time comes... so we can see what God is going to do!

MORE Saved and Baptized

God is working in our church services and revival is beginning! Today, our morning worship service started with 9 baptisms. Those who came forward during last week's invitation were among those baptized. Several others were also moved to take this step of obedience during the week. A young man who is on fire for our Lord has been a major spark in the flames of revival. He was baptized this morning and willing to say "yes" to whatever the Lord asks. A special moment occurred as our Youth Pastor, Justin, baptized his wife. Their transparency and honesty before our congregation was amazing. Remember... Justin was just baptized last Sunday.

In addition, there were five more salvations this week. Some occurred in conjunction to the service and others occurred as friends began sharing their testimonies with others. A man who grew up in our church, was so convicted that he came weeping and it took a couple of minutes for him to even tell me why he came forward. He said, "Preacher, I need to be saved." Three more teens were saved this week and the flames of revival are spreading. We added another family to the church and the altar was full again today. GOD IS MOVING!

The Start of Revival

Last night, we had a MAJOR wind storm that took down trees, power lines, and knocked out electricity across our area. Needless to say, today's service was interesting. Some lights, no air conditioning, etc. Believe it or not, the sound system worked and so did God's Spirit. I preached on "Holiness" and the altar response was so good, that I'm thinking about turning off the A/C again next week.

During this past week, our teenagers were running a VBS for a church that we are helping to start in Clover, SC. While our teens thought they were going to minister to others, it was our group that would experience God's moving. The VBS was a great success and there were 10 salvations among those who participated, BUT there were 6 salvations among our team of teenagers that were on the mission team. Included in that number were my middle daughter (17 years old) and our Youth Pastor's wife (age undisclosed for my own safety). On the night that they were both saved, the scene is described as our teenagers scattered across the lawn and through the buildings praying into the wee hours of the morning.

The Sunday after the team returned, we started our Worship Service with the Youth Pastor admitting to the church that he had been a hypocrite, because he had been performing many of our baptisms, but had not personally been baptized after his salvation. He asked the church's forgiveness and then I stepped into the baptistry and baptized him. Immediately following, I had the privilege of baptizing my daughter, Bethany! WOW... what a great feeling for a dad!

After starting our service by baptizing the Youth Pastor and then the Pastor's daughter -- I knew it was going to be a good day. At the close of the service, we had one of Christian School teachers come for salvation. Justin's testimony also touched another lady who grew up in our church and she came for baptism. Two came for church membership and the altar was lined with people rededicating their lives to Christ. It was a GREAT day!

If Gossip is Wrong, Why Do Christians Do It?

The privacy of the Catholic confessional booth provides great symbolism into people's desire to keep their secret sins secret. No one wants to be embarrased by having his shortcomings and foolish decisions proclaimed publicly; BUT, people sure don't mind talking publicly about the sins of others!

Gossip is one of the most "trendy" sins among professing Christians. Gossip is an artform which can be camoflouged under the cover of a prayer request, the guise of a concern, or under the veil of a self-appointed victim. Gossip can be used to rally support, to defame individuals, or to tear apart churches. Gossip is fun, because it directs all of the attention and blame away from the one sharing it and refocuses attention in a different direction. Bottom line, it's a great strategy to keep people focused on others, so they can't get close enough to discover the real you.

From the number of believers who share gossip, it is obvious that they do not realize what the Bible says about it. Prov. 6:16-19 says, "These six things doth the LORD hate: yea, seven are an abomination unto him...a lying tongue...19A false witness that speaks lies, and HE that sows discord among brethren." Leviticus 19:16 -"Do not spread slanderous gossip among your people. "Do not try to get ahead at the cost of your neighbor's life." Proverbs 16:28 - "A troublemaker plants seeds of strife; gossip separates the best of friends." Proverbs 25:23 - "As surely as a wind from the north brings rain, so a gossiping tongue causes anger!" Proverbs 26:20 - "Fire goes out for lack of fuel, and quarrels disappear when gossip stops." Romans 1:29 - "Their lives became full of every kind of wickedness, sin, greed, hate, envy, murder, fighting, deception, malicious behavior, and gossip." Gossip is an abomination before God because it hurts His people and destroys His church!

There are many reasons why people gossip: 1) Jealousy - Speaking evil of others helps bring them down to our level. 2) Anger - Some people gossip to "let off steam" about an issue or person with whom they are upset. 3) Acceptance - People want to "fit into" a group. 4) Deference - Talking about others keeps people from focusing on the one sharing the gossip. 5) Self-promotion - The desire to advance or look good at the expense of others. 6) Finally (at least in this post), a major reason for gossip among Christians is failure to understand how serious it is and how it is used by the devil. A person who shares gossip is doing Satan's work for him!

So how should you handle a gossip? 1) Stop them - It is wrong to spread gossip, but it is also wrong to listen to it. 2) Arrange a meeting between you, the gossiper, and the ones being talked about. If the gossiper won't attend the meeting, you'll immediately know that what they were sharing was not true. 3) Once you have discovered the truth, you should go back and correct any misinformation in the minds of those with whom the gossip was shared. This will clear the innocent and remove shadows of doubt.

Gossip has no place in the life of a Christian. Gal. 5:19 NLT says, "When you follow the desires of your sinful nature, your lives will produce these evil results...hostility, quarreling, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambition, divisions, the feeling that everyone is wrong except those in your own little group." Contrariwise, Gal. 5:22 NLT says, "When the Holy Spirit controls our lives, he will produce this kind of fruit in us: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control." From these passages in God's Word, I'll let you determine whether a gossiper is Spirit-filled or Satanically influenced.