10 Invitations a Week

I challenged the congregation this evening during our 6PM worship service to make it a point to invite 10 people this week to Church on Sunday. That would make it possible for 150 people to receive a personal invitation to Church this week. Who knows, just maybe 1 of those 10 would commit to attending. We would have an increase of 15 this coming Sunday. If 1/3 of that makes a decision to follow Christ, wow. After preaching the last three services on the nourishment doing God's work brings, the potential harvest, and the rewards for laborer's, I am excited about what could take place in the St George, SC community.

Time

The past few months have proven to be extremely busy. Working a full-time job and also being a Pastor has been rewarding and challenging in a lot of ways. I have found myself at times asking and or wishing for more time. In asking, I have realized my issue isn't needing more time, I have to become a better manager of the time I do have. After all it is all about being a better steward, right?

Condemnation Isn't Christian

Do you know someone or have you been affected because someone claiming to be a Christian who has shown condemnation instead of Love? Has this type of condemnation driven you away from the Church and/or God?

At St George Church of God on Thursday nights, we discuss biblical truths and principals, which we can apply to our lives in order to be healthy productive Christians. This weeks topic is going to be on Condemnation. Mainly on how we as professing Christ followers should be quick to show the grace and love of Jesus instead of condemnation.

If you would like to share your story leave a comment on this post saying, "I'll Share" and I will contact you via email. Or just leave your story right on this post as a comment.

Living the Pursuit - George

Qualities of a Leader from the Life and Ministry of Paul

In doing some prep work for my next MIP lesson for this week on 1 Thessalonians I came across and excerpt that is really worth sharing to those in ministry positions. Below is the paragraph straight out of my textbook A Journey Through the New Testament, edited by Homer G. Rhea.

1 Thessalonians 2: 8-12 gives insight into Paul and what it means to be leaders, pastors, and teachers in the church. Paul’s message was the gospel. His motive was to please God, not men. The manner in which he ministered was gentle – he was like a caring mother. Ministers are to be generous, share their lives with their people, provide guidance, like a father who encourages and comforts. Thus, the qualities of a leader like Paul are gentleness, generosity, and a spiritual guide. – Pg. 340: A Journey through the New Testament, Lesson 26 - 1 Thessalonians, By David C. Cooper, D.Min.

I can’t really add anything to that, Be challenged as you read over it again and let it sink in.

We've Been Appointed

For all you who were sitting on the edge of your seat wondering if Chanelle was pregnant due to the status I posted last night on Facebook, the answer is NO.

The news is just as exciting for us though, starting next weekend I will assume the role of Lead Pastor at the St. George Church of God located in St. George South Carolina. I was contacted by our State Administrative Bishop a little over a week ago about the opportunity and after talking, thinking, and praying we felt God's leading to accept.  For now I will be bi-vocational, the position will require me to continue working here in Bluffton and commute on the weekends to St. George.  Chanelle and I are stoked, we have been praying about an opportunity and completely amazed at the timing.  At some point maybe I can sit down and have a cup of coffee with you and go through how God orchestrated this.

We are in the final few months of MIP so this ups the level of discipline that I will have to have as far as time management goes.  The beginning of MIP started out the same way. As some of you may know, I was the Interim Pastor at the Hardeeville Church of God for the first 3 months of the program.  I can't wait to share more in the coming weeks about what God is up to in our lives and in the lives of the congregation at the St. George Church of God.  Please keep Me, Chanelle, Peyton and Julianna up in your prayers.

Also, if you know of or have any resources about Rural Church Ministry let's talk.

Who Should I Be Learing From

Needless to say, 2011 is in full swing. Think about it, in a few short days we will be in February. I don’t do a whole lot of new year resolutions on January 1. I normally wait to set out my goals/expectations around my birthday…which by the way if you were wondering is February 1. As I get closer to my 29th, my mind is more and more on what I want to accomplish, set into motion, and strive for as my last year in the twenties creeps up on me. The thought just occurred to me, next year this time I will be about to start a brand new decade. One of my goals is to find other people to learn from. Without having the ability to head out and meet everyone one by one for a cup of coffee, technology has given us the next best thing. Blogs and Podcasts! Would you mind letting me in on who I should be learning from? I am wanting to grow as a Husband, Father, Minister, and want to get into a healthy eating/exercise routine. You can check out who I am currently learning from by scrolling over the I Recommend tab at the top of the page.

Who do you recommend I subscribe to via blog/podcast (include link)? Why do you recommend this individual and what are you learning as a result of reading/listening to them?

Good Things to Those Who Ask

Have you ever needed something? Maybe something as simple as help with a move, or as difficult and time consuming as building a house. No matter how simple or vast the help may be, there is a common denominator with each request. The more likely you are to ask the more chances you are going to get help. In the same way, if you fail to ask you definitely will not receive the help. In order to receive you have to ask. In my devotional reading I focused on Matthew 7:7-11. In case you are unfamiliar with the passage here it is.

Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened. “Or what man is there among you who, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a serpent? If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask Him!

It is hard for me to ask for help most times. I don’t mind giving my time, money, and resources to others but when it comes to me needing something I will most of the time do without rather than asking for help. God wants us to ask, God has good things for us however we must use our voice to ask. Sometimes how he wants to bless us is through others. I encourage you to ask, you never know what good things are heading your way when you do.

Do you have a hard time asking? In what ways has God shown you that he is faithful to give good things when you just ask?

Marley and Me

As my wife watches Marley and Me it sparked a question that maybe you can answer.

Have you ever had something that was hard to keep up with but brought distress when it was taken away?

5 Steps in Keeping Your Pursuit of God a High Priority in 2011

I received an email and wanted to share the contents of it with you. Here are 5 Steps in Keeping Your Pursuit of God a High Priority in 2011.

Get alone with God, away from the phone and distractions with only your Bible & a notebook. Take this time to seek God for a personal revelation and choose to follow Him in the specific area(s) that He speaks to. Listen & write down these results as you ask God to help you clearly focus on those area(s).
Ask the following: What does God want to accomplish . . . .
In me spiritually?
In my marriage?
In my finances?
In my physical body?
In my personal/emotional life?
Is God calling me to something new?
Jot down your thoughts, prayers and goal(s) as God is speaking to you.
Inquire more of Him. Settle not for anything less than His best.
What do you sense God is saying about your walk?

What have you implemented in 2011 to grow in your walk with God towards Christ likeness? What are some hurdles you have to overcome in order to get started on your goal towards Christ likeness?

ReStart

God has not created us to be stagnant.  We are called to be moving closer to him each and every day.  I call this movement towards him a life of pursuit.  A pursuit of Him and his will for our lives.  In December of 2008 I was outlining goals that I wanted to obtain in 2009.  I was praying about a yearly theme that would challenge and keep the goals in mind.  I remember what first came to mind.  Two words, IN PURSUIT.  As time went by those words that started out as the guiding point of my year became what is now the Mantra of my life, Life of Pursuit.  I want to motivate, mobilize, and mentor others to live a life in passionate pursuit of God.

First and foremost I am not perfect, I have made and continue to make my fair share of mistakes.  However, I refuse to allow mistakes of my past keep me from fulfilling God’s will for my life.  I hope that this blog will be a tool to spread the message of Christ and a resource for those who are want to go deeper in their faith.  As this blog develops and takes shape I feel free to check out my previous posts HERE.  So, in a sense this blog is a restart. 

Thanks for being part of the journey.