Let’s Change The World!

Lets start in our own community!

The truth is when we have problems; the problems are not usually as bad as we think. For instance if you have had a bad day or a bad week, just scroll down a couple more blogs and watch the video of Eliot and his family.

The problem is that when we start to have a bad day or a bad week we get turned in on ourselves. All that we can think about is the problem that we are facing.

I have found a sure way to get rid of that bad day and it will surprise you. Are you ready?

The answer is, Go out and SERVE someone else who has an equal or greater need than you do. It is then you will realize that your problems are really not as bad as you thought and it will also inspire you to have a better attitude and your problem will start to shrink.

I’m just silly enough to believe that we can change the world by focusing on the problems of others.

Servant Evangelism!

Now here is a novel idea.

There are lots of ways to share the Gospel with people. I just recently read where one guy would visit in homes of friends, go to the bathroom, roll the toilet paper down a ways and place a Gospel Tract in there and roll it back up. I am not kidding, he really did that and no it wasn’t me. I told you I read it. He called it a “Gospel Time Bomb”.

I believe that almost any Evangelism is Good Evangelism. I respect a person for trying and I only ask that people not be offensive. I still believe that door to door will work, even if my friend Johnny V. doesn’t. Love ya Johnny!

Every Christian should find ways to share the Good News of The Gospel. If you are a satisfied customer you will certainly tell others and I am a satisfied Christian.

I have some ideas; I actually have lots of ideas. What if we as a group of FUMC Christians went to the Exxon and asked if we could pump gas for their customers for the day? People ultimately would want to give us money and we would refuse to take it and just tell them that the gift of Salvation is a FREE GIFT OF GOD and so is our service to them. We could hand them a card with the church address and information and invite them to church.

What about washing windshields at Wal Mart? Leave a card that explains our project.

What about a Soft Dirnk giveaway at some local event? Leave a card…….

What about a free coffee giveaway?

What about a Mothers Day Carnation Giveaway?

What about Oil Changes for Single Parents, maybe someone with a garage would let us use their place while they are closed?

What about going door to door on Sunday Morning with a free paper and coffee?

Lets Talk.

Ronnie

Andy Lambert @ Oakland UMC

All Youth Invited!

This is an event youth will not want to miss!

 REVIVAL

“Go Make Disciples of all Nations”    Jesus

Featuring: Rev. Andy Lambert

Resurrection Speaker

Music by:

Sunday: Cornerstone

Monday: Souled-Out

Tuesday: Ron Hill Family

Wednesday: Close to Home

            Where: Oakland United Methodist Church

    When: May 18-21 7:00p.m.-8:00p.m.

             What does it mean to be a disciple of Jesus Christ?

Xee Launch @ FUMC Hillsville

Are you ALL in?

XEE is evangelism training for Generation X and Generation Y to connect with people relationally and spiritually.

“It was amazing to see our team applying the XEE “Connect” principles of body language and asking engaging questions, and how effective it was in connecting with these students. At last we have a simple, tangible way of teaching less naturally relational people how to be super-relational without feeling like they’re stepping too far out of their comfort zone.”

Adam Bond, Youth Pastor

You’re invited! 2008

To change the world

• Highly interactive approach – DVD driven
• Discussion-driven teaching
• Facilitator prep is fast and uncomplicated
• Teens love it!

The most current and relevant evangelism tool for a highly relational trust/friendship based Gen X & Gen Y culture. Interested?

For more info: www.xee.info

XEE training set to launch at: 

Hillsville First United Methodist Church, Hillsville, VA July 10 – 12, 2008

Contact Ronnie Collins at 276-728-2434 or e-mail ronnie24317@yahoo.com

 

 

 

I Thank God For A Presbyterian Pastor

It was around 1988 that I heard a preacher on the radio by the name of Steve Brown; he has a ministry called “The Key Life Network”. I listened to Steve for a lot of reasons but one of those reasons was his foghorn voice. I once wrote to him and said that I could play his tapes and sleep very well. That was actually a compliment; he has this comforting sound that I just love.

It took me a while to be able to understand many of things that Steve would say; it seemed that he preached over my head. He used a lot of terms that I wasn’t familiar with so I found myself looking in a dictionary as I would listen to him preach. He would send out free tapes of his sermons once a month and now he still does that only you can receive them in CD format. 

Key Life Network http://www.keylife.org/

Steve Brown Etc. Steve’s Talk Show  http://stevebrownetc.com/

The Old White Guy Blog http://stevebrownetc.com/category/blogs/the-old-white-guy-blog/

Steve is a member of the clergy in the PCA Presbyterian Church in America, there is a good bit of difference in his denomination and the PCUSA. Steve is what I would consider a conservative bible teacher and preacher. Being Presbyterian he is also Reformed and that is somewhat different form what Baptist and Methodist believe and teach as far as those who are saved. Reformed theology says that we are predestined while Methodist Theology says we have a Free Will. That is a theology that I struggled with for years and many in the churches where I have served have struggled with some of the same issues. If you tend to struggle in this area, let’s talk. After my trip to Israel in 2007 many of my questions were answered.

Steve preaches and teaches the bible, book by book and verse by verse and I believe that is the best way. To gain a Biblical world view we have to understand the story of the Entire Bible and how it all fits together.

Steve is the one who taught me to understand that we are saved by Grace through Faith and not by being good enough. As a matter of fact Steve has a book entitled “When Being Good Isn’t Good Enough” and it was a life changer for me. I read many books and only a few have life changing impact, this was one of them and I recommend it highly.

I will always remember one illustration that Steve Brown uses and it goes like this. You can only forgive to the extent that you have been forgiven and until you understand how bad you really are you have a hard time forgiving others. Steve says he wishes that we had to go to church on Sunday morning with a sign tied around our necks that list our 3 greatest sins. I don’t know about you but that makes my skin crawl. But Steve says, you wouldn’t have to worry about others seeing and reading yours, trust me, they would be too busy trying to cover theirs.

You can only forgive to the extent that you have been forgiven. Thank you Steve Brown.

There are many people in churches today that have never really accepted the forgiveness of Jesus Christ and they are haunted daily by their past. I want to say to you on the authority of Scripture, In the name of Jesus Christ, you are forgiven!

Ronnie

 

 

Every Life is Worth Celebrating

Eliot is a picture of the people in this world who need someone to care.

I sat in my office this morning reading the blog of a new friend and I looked at this video about Eliot and I knew I had to share it with you.

Johnny V. spoke to us many times this week about Laborer’s and he told us that God said “BEG” for Laborers.

I was driving in to the office this morning and all I could think about was the excuses that we use so many times. We are so busy; we have so many things that take precedence in life that we so often miss life.

God needs Laborers and I beg you, be a Laborer for God. Eliot’s life is a picture of so many people in this world and I thank God that his parents were Laborer’s, they had the time, and they took the time to be there for him. We need to be there for all the people in the world who are hurting. I know that we all have problems and pain but I know for certain this morning that mine doesn’t equal the pain of this young family.

Ronnie

Tribute Video to Short Life of Handicapped Baby Inspires and Touches Tens of Thousands

Parents of Eliot, a Trisomy 18 child, celebrated every moment of what they knew would be a brief lifespan

 

By John Jalsevac

FAYETTEVILLE, Arkansas, May 23, 2007 (LifeSiteNews.com) – In an age when abortion on demand is the norm, and when doctors routinely advise pregnant mothers to abort children found to have genetic abnormalities, parents who choose to give birth to handicapped children are becoming less common.

These days it takes a special type of courage to ignore the advice of physicians, friends, and public sentiment, and to embrace the sacrifices that come with bringing a seriously handicapped child into the world. 

Eliot Mooney was one such child. Despite being diagnosed 30 weeks into pregnancy with the typically fatal condition Trisomy 18, Eliot’s parents chose to bring the pregnancy to term.

Their son defied statistical probability by surviving the pregnancy. Eliot Mooney was born with an undeveloped lung, a heart with a hole in it and DNA that placed faulty information into each and every cell of his body.

He would live for only 99 days.

As Eliot’s father says, however, the short length of his son’s life “could not stop the living God from proclaiming Himself through this boy who never uttered a word.”

Knowing that Eliot’s chances of long-term survival were almost nil, on each of the 99 days of his life Eliot’s parents, Matt and Ginny Mooney, celebrated their son’s birthday, noting significant developments in Eliot’s life.

After their son’s death, Matt and Ginny compiled some of the photos and videos of their son’s life into a touching and inspiring 6 minute long tribute video. The video begins two months before Eliot’s birth, when Matt and Ginny found out about their son’s condition, and continues up until, and after his death. 

The video, called “Ninety-nine Balloons”, concludes: “Not a pulpit, not a slick presentation, not a best-selling book, but a six-pound boy with Trisomy 18. God showed great pleasure to take a lowly thing in the eyes of the world and show truth…And so today we celebrate. Eliot you are well, and although we miss you more than we can express, we are only separated by our time left on earth. See you soon son. Mom and dad.”

The Mooney’s video has already been viewed over 35,000 times on YouTube alone, with many taking inspiration from the selfless love shown to baby Eliot by his devoted parents.

** Watch the Mooney’s tribute video to the life of their son, “Ninety-nine Balloons**
http://youtube.com/watch?v=th6Njr-qkq0

Read Matt and Ginny’s blog at:
http://www.ninetynineballoons.com/ 

Thoughts on Uprising 2008

Uprising 2008 is over as the event but for some it has only just begun. I have lots of thoughts and I will try and share them as we travel through the next few days. My first thought is this; it is obvious that attendance by our own church was low. Several people have asked me why and the answer is, I really don’t know.

The first thing I will say and I mean this, it really doesn’t matter how many come, God is at work. Now I am not crazy, I wanted the auditorium to be packed every night. I wanted our members as well as local churches to come and be involved and benefit from what was being offered. The fact is, 20 years ago people looked for events like this to go to but not in 2008.

The second thing I will say, it wasn’t any fault of Johnny V. Johnny spoke the truth and it did that quite well.

There are several factors that may have contributed. Number one, many people viewed this as a youth event and felt they didn’t fit that category, so they didn’t come.

Most are very busy and some may have felt this was the item on the list that they just couldn’t fit into an already full schedule so they didn’t come.

Some are not interested in Spiritual things so they didn’t come.

Some were not physically able to come.

We could rack our brains and try to figure out why people didn’t come but the truth is, the ones who came received a blessing and many people are walking closer with God because they came.

I am all about talking about what went well and what we can do better next time and we will do that, but, this is 2008 and people are not looking for a revival to go to like they were 20 years ago. There is so much that the world has to offer in 2008 that it didn’t in 1988. Johnny V. spoke about American Idols one evening and we live in a Country that is full of idols’ and we don’t even understand. God give us ears to hear and eyes to see (remember the Golden Calf).

We had a great event, I for one made several new friends and acquaintances. I consider Johnny V. a good friend, one with whom my spirit bears witness. I mean, theologically we agreed on almost everything so he must be a good guy.

I met other pastor’s in the area that I feel are going to become great friends and people that we will work with in the future on more events like this one. I got to see and fellowship with my friend Ron Fredricks more than I usually get to see him in an entire year.

We had Methodist, Pentecostal Holiness, Presbyterians, Baptist and others in the same building together worshiping God and enjoying fellowship. There are people who will go into full time ministry because of this event; there are people who will be in heaven because of this event. The event was successful and changed the lives of those who were there, no apologies and no fretting over those who were not there.

God is So Good and we are So Blessed

Ronnie

I Thank God for The Southern Baptist Church!

It was around 1985 when I was working in management at a local restaurant, after the evening shift a lot of the guys would sit around in the parking lot and drink beer. There was this one guy who would never drink alcohol but he would go buy chocolate milk and sit with the group and then invite us to go to church.

One day I decided to go with him, it had been a long time since I had made the profession of faith in the IBC. We went the following Sunday and I have been in church since that time. To be honest I can count on my hands and toes the number of services I have missed in the past 23 years. If you heard Johnny V’s Domino sermon then I guess you could say this young man was a domino in my life. The bad news is that I don’t believe he ever went back to church with me but his brother started going and we built a great friendship of accountability and we took many opportunities to study the scripture. We didn’t call it accountability but that is exactly what it was. It reminds me of John Wesley and the Holy Club, not that we were so holy but in the Holy Club they would ask each other every time they met how it was going in their Spiritual life.

Here are 22 questions they would ask of themselves and each other.

These are 22 questions the members of John Wesley’s Holy Club asked themselves every day in their private devotions over 200 years ago.

1. Am I consciously or unconsciously creating the impression that I am better than I really am? In other words, am I a hypocrite?
2. Am I honest in all my acts and words, or do I exaggerate?
3. Do I confidentially pass on to another what was told to me in confidence?
4. Can I be trusted?
5. Am I a slave to dress, friends, work, or habits?
6. Am I self-conscious, self-pitying, or self-justifying?
7. Did the Bible live in me today?
8. Do I give it time to speak to me everyday?
9. Am I enjoying prayer?
10. When did I last speak to someone else about my faith?
11. Do I pray about the money I spend?
12. Do I get to bed on time and get up on time?
13. Do I disobey God in anything?
14. Do I insist upon doing something about which my conscience is uneasy?
15. Am I defeated in any part of my life?
16. Am I jealous, impure, critical, irritable, touchy, or distrustful?
17. How do I spend my spare time?
18. Am I proud?
19. Do I thank God that I am not as other people, especially as the Pharisees who despised the publican?
20. Is there anyone whom I fear, dislike, disown, criticize, hold a resentment toward or disregard? If so, what am I doing about it?
21. Do I grumble or complain constantly?
22. Is Christ real to me?

We all need accountability partner’s!

Anyway, it was through the SBC that I fell in love with God or at least I started to do so. I was in this church for about 3 years before there was a disagreement within the church body and the church split. I didn’t feel that I was mature enough to even know who was right and who was wrong so I chose to leave the church with a group of more than 100 people.

Many people ask how it is possible that God could receive Glory from a church split but I can look back now and see that many preachers have come from that split, including myself. I look back and we were so satisfied that we would have stayed there forever, kind of reminds me of the “Tower of Babel”. God didn’t cause the split but he certainly allowed it to happen and he used it for His glory.

I am thankful for the Southern Baptist Church, they taught me to be an Evangelist.

Ronnie

General Conference News: Coalition sees role as ‘catalyst for renewal’

By Mary Jacobs*

FORT WORTH , Texas (UMNS)-The president of a conservative United Methodist renewal group bristled during the opening worship service of the 2008 General Conference when Bishop Janice Riggle Huie referred to “special-interest groups,” particularly ones that “believe that they have cornered the market on righteousness.”

The Rev. Jim Heidinger thinks Huie was referring to groups like Good News, and he said the characterization is unfair. Heidinger describes the organization as a “catalyst for renewal” within The United Methodist Church.

“What we’re doing is simply affirming what is in the Book of Discipline and affirming the doctrinal position and the church’s teachings on human sexuality,” he said.

The organization is actively lobbying this General Conference, along with other members of the Renewal and Reform Coalition, including the Confessing Movement, UMAction, Renew, Transforming Congregations and Lifewatch. Most members of these organizations are United Methodists who consider themselves conservative and evangelical. They are among a variety of groups, representing different viewpoints and causes, that are lobbying at the assembly.

General Conference is the denomination’s top legislative meeting, held once every four years. It is the only body that can speak in behalf of the entire church.

Cell phone buzz

The coalition created some buzz among delegates who got word that it had provided cell phones free of charge to more than 150 African delegates to use during the General Conference. Some delegates and church leaders are concerned that the group is trying to sway the votes of African delegates who are typically more conservative than their U.S. counterparts, and that the coalition might use the phones to offer suggestions on how to vote on particular issues.

“We simply want central conference delegates to have the same access to information that other delegates do,” Heidinger said. Central conferences are the church’s regions in Africa, Europe and Asia . “These folks will make their own decisions.” He said the coalition does not have the capability to send text or voice messages en masse on the cell phones.

Heidinger spoke during an interview following an April 25 breakfast hosted by the coalition for delegates at a hotel near the Fort Worth Convention Center , where General Conference is meeting through May 2. Following the daily breakfasts, evangelical leaders update delegates on legislative action. Some organizations in the conservative coalition also host luncheons during General Conference.

About 300 delegates and observers attended the April 25 breakfast where the Rev. William R. Bouknight opened the event with prayer. 

“We have tried to create our own gospel rather than faithfully declaring your biblical truth,” Bouknight prayed. “We have tried to redefine sin or even deny it altogether. We have forgotten how to blush.” 

Judicial Council

Attendees received a brochure listing candidates supported by the coalition for the Judicial Council, the church’s top court: the Rev. Keith Boyette, the Rev. Gloria Brooks, James D. Karblee, Mary Daffin and Raymond Mande Mutumbo.

“We don’t want ideologues,” Heidinger said. “We want strict constructionists of the Book of Discipline.” He said he feared “judicial activism” might overturn the church’s stance on homosexuality, which has been affirmed by General Conference since 1972. The United Methodist Church holds that, while homosexuals are people of “sacred worth,” the practice of homosexuality is incompatible with Christian teaching.

Other issues on the coalition’s agenda are:

• Membership: Following the Judicial Council’s Decision 1032, which affirmed a United Methodist pastor’s decision to deny membership to an openly gay man, the coalition supports the principle that a senior pastor may make the determination of who is ready to join a church.
• Education ministries: The coalition wants to strengthen educational ministries to candidates from the central conferences. “As the church has grown in Africa , it’s important to empower the seminaries there,” Heidinger said.
• Homosexuality: The group wants the church’s stance on homosexuality to remain unchanged.
• United Methodist Women: The group would like to establish in the Book of Discipline the option for United Methodist churches to choose alternative women’s ministries in addition to UMW, such as those in the Renew women’s network.

*Jacobs is a staff writer for the United Methodist Reporter.

 

They Grow Up So Fast Part 2

On April 21^st Kevin and Dustin turned 25 and 28 years old. I am amazed at how the time flies. For those who don’t know Kevin and Dustin, they are my nephews. My sister Judy was murdered on March 20^th 1989 and Kevin and Dustin were only 4 and 7 years old.

At my sisters death the boys moved in with my mom and dad and I soon moved back home as well. I eventually bought a house of my own and the boys stayed with me most of the time. Kevin and Dustin are like my first two children and they are still my children in my heart.

I was only 15 when Kevin was born and I was his babysitter during the first couple of summers. I wanted to make the extra money but I also wanted to be close to him. I remember I bought a child seat to go on the back of my bicycle and I would ride Kevin through the neighborhood. Most of the time he was asleep before I could ever get out of the driveway.

When Dustin came along, 3 years later to the very day that Kevin was born, I was 18 years old. I would have to say that I did stupid things when I was growing up but there were a lot of things that I didn’t do because I wanted to be a good example for Kevin and Dustin.

We have been through a lot together as a family the past 28 years; it is still hard to believe that they are that old. We lost my sister, their mother in March of 1989 and my grandmother Collins in June of that same year. That was a very hard year for all of us.

The next 20 years were filled with lots of fun times like camping with the church that we were a part of, the boys always went to church with me. We had several great friends that also had kids their age and we would go camping every chance we got. I was the youth leader at our church and a lot of the reason was that I wanted to be with them. We were close and we are still close today.

Kevin had a really bad car wreck in November 2001, he had a severe head trauma, a broken pelvis, broken leg and his left foot was in really bad shape. Mike had just come to live with me in October of that year and he and I stayed almost around the clock in the ICU Waiting room at Baptist Hospital. Kevin was unconscious for several days and they continued to use the term if Kevin lives, they didn’t want to give us any false hope. I remember that I would go every time there were visiting hours and I would just hold Kevin’s hand and tell him that I loved him. I will never forget that morning when dad called to tell me that a State Trooper had just come to the door and he got the message that Kevin was in really bad shape. I just put my clothes on and got to the hospital as fast as I could. I wasn’t ready at all for what I was about to see. Kevin of course didn’t look like himself, he was swollen and wires were everywhere. Again, they didn’t give us very much hope.

It was a really hard time because that was at a time when we were between church homes. I had felt that God was calling me to be in a church closer to home and we had left where I was serving as Youth Pastor on very god terms and we were visiting different churches so it was like we really didn’t have a pastor of our own. However, there were lots of friends and several pastors’ that came to visit. Ron Fredricks in Galax was really great and I will never forget how he came that first day and prayed and told Kevin that he was going to be OK.

It was a few days later and I went into the ICU at 5am. At that point there had been no response from Kevin at all. I took his hand as usual and told him that I loved him and I felt him squeeze my hand. There was a nurse working with his chart and she said, did he just squeeze your hand? I said, well I think so but I don’t know if it was just a nerve response. The nurse instructed me to ask Kevin to squeeze my hand, I did and I had to pry his hand off of mine because I had my class ring on and he squeezed so hard that the ring was cutting into my hand. She said ask him to do something specific. The first thing I thought of was that in our house when things were good I would give a thumbs up so I asked Kevin to move his left thumb and he game me a thumbs up. I have told many people that I am not charismatic but I almost went through the roof of that hospital that morning. The nurse got the doctors and they went to work and I started calling all the family members to let them know there had been a break through. It was several days but Kevin eventually got to come home and he is doing great today. He still has some concerns with all the metal that is in his foot and leg and he has pain from the injuries but he is alive and well, it really was a miracle.

There are so many stories to tell, great memories and hard memories that we would all rather be able to forget but all families have those memories. I believe with all of my heart that we are who we are because of the things we are allowed to go through. Situations can either make us bitter or better and we have chosen to be better.

Dustin now has 2 boys who are like grandson’s to me and a third one due to be born in late May. Dustin is running with me, that is something that I prayed for years he would do. As a matter of fact he is much faster now than I am but he is 18 years younger than I am. Dustin is married to Yolanda and she is like a daughter.

God is so good to me and I truly feel that I am the most wealthy man in the world. I have an awesome family and we are all close and do lots of things together and I wouldn’t want it any other way.

We are celebrating with a cookout this evening. Happy Birthday Kevin and Dustin, I love you with all of my heart.

Ronnie

General Conference is in Session

GENERAL CONFERENCE WILL MEET

IN FORT WORTH APRIL 24 – MAY 2

     Every four years the United Methodist General Conference, with delegates from all the annual conferences, both in the United States, meets to set budgets, formulate policy, initiate programs, and set the course for the church for the next four years.  Only this body can officially speak for the United Methodist Church.

    The Confessing Movement has been concentrating for a number of months on how evangelicals in the church can influence legislation and delegates toward a greater vision for renewal.  Along with several other evangelical renewal groups-Good News, UM Action, Lifewatch, Transforming Congregations, and Renew-The Confessing Movement has entered into a Renewal and Reform Coalition so that the evangelical voice can be united at General Conference.

    The Confessing Movement will seek to communicate with the church on the developments at General Conference through email messages (to get on the email list contact confessingumc@iquest.net) and through this web page.

    At the winter meeting of the Confessing Movement several issues of special interest to evangelicals were discussed.  The following is a brief on these issues.

  

BRIEFS OF KEY GENERAL CONFERENCE ISSUES
OF INTEREST TO EVANGELICALS

1)    HOMOSEXUALITY

Despite the fact that numbers of groups have indicated that homosexuality is not the most important issue before the 2008 General Conference, it must be noted that nearly 1,000 petitions involving at least seven different legislative groups have been submitted that relate in one way or another to the issue.   A number of the petitions want liberalizing change.  They want to redefine marriage so that it is no longer understood as the uniting of one man and one woman.  Other petitions want to change the language which states that homosexuality is incompatible with Christian teaching.  Still other petitions wish to remove the stand that practicing homosexuals shall not be ordained or appointed as pastors in the United Methodist Church.

    The coalition believes there is nothing to be gained from any of these kinds of changes.  The church in all ages and in all places has stood on the Biblical view that marriage is a relationship between a man and a woman (and the basis for the Biblical teaching on the relationship between Christ and the Church) and on the sexual ethics principle of “celibacy in singleness and faithfulness in marriage.”  To depart from this traditional understanding of human sexuality would put us outside the mainstream of catholic Christianity.  

The argument is based on appeal to Scriptures and tradition.   Other arguments that appeal to “science” or personal testimony or inclusiveness or “new understandings” are at best secondary arguments.  At the same time we make careful distinction between homosexual orientation and sexual practice.  We assume “sexual orientation” does not necessarily imply “practice.”   Petitions that argue the church cannot discriminate on the basis of “sexual orientation” are extremely confusing. 

 

2)    JUDICIAL INTEGRITY 

    An issue that will be more important at this General Conference than at previous General Conferences has to do with judicial integrity.  More directly, it has to do with the kind of persons elected to serve on the church’s Judicial Council.

    The underlying issue is, once again, homosexuality.    Progressives believe they might gain by judicial activism what they cannot gain by legislative action. Certain annual conferences and jurisdictions have used fanciful judicial arguments to undercut the church’s historic and legislative positions on homosexuality (or any other issue).  In the case of Karen Dammann (Pacific-Northwest) some months ago, for example, a jury unanimously ruled not guilty despite the fact that Karen Dammann had declared herself openly to be a practicing homosexual.   The jury made appeal to a “higher law” and therefore basically ruled the Discipline  not applicable.  There was no recourse.   In the case of the Judicial Council It only takes five votes to undermine the church’s clear stand. 

     The challenge is quite real.  We have for many years been able to hold the Judicial Council in high regard and believe that their rulings have upheld the balance of powers (legislative, judicial, executive) in the church.  We believe that should continue.

 

3)    PASTORAL AUTHORITY

      Within United Methodism a novel idea has developed within the past several years, namely, that since the church is “inclusive” all persons must be received into church membership as long as they are willing to take the vows (as they themselves interpret them).   In this view the pastor is not the executive in charge of the affairs of the church but is reduced basically to a recording secretary for church membership.  

    The matter needs to be clarified by the General Conference. 

    Our church polity is based (like the U.S. government) on a balance of powers between the legislative, judicial, and executive branches.  Every Discipline of every former branch of the UM Church has indicated that the pastor is the executive in charge of the local church.  The ministry study says of the elder: The …”presidency for the good order of the community is then extended into the elder’s administration of the whole life of the congregation…” (P. 1391).  To claim that any person desiring membership must be received into membership if the person is willing to take the vows is to invite chaos.

    There would be no question about this except the clear statement of the pastor’s authority on membership was omitted at the time of the Methodist-EUB merger (thus the confusion).  There is no reason to believe this was anything but unintentional. 

     As with a number of other issues the drive behind denying pastoral authority relates to homosexuality and a single incident of a pastor delaying membership to a practicing homosexual.   To remove pastoral authority in regard to church membership would basically deconstruct Methodist polity as historically understood.

 

4)    UNITED STATES AS A REGIONAL CONFERENCE 

There is a proposal that comes from the Council of Bishops and the Connectional Table that would divide the world-wide church into regions, thus segregating the overseas churches from the American church for matters of national concern.    The argument is that much of what the present General Conference does relates primarily to the United States and is of little interest to those in other countries.

    Behind the proposal is the realization that the church in places like Africa is growing rapidly while the church in the United States is in decline, and without structural change the balance of power would eventually shift to churches outside the United States.  There is also the realization that the overseas churches are more evangelical and conservative (on some issues) and that this evangelical presence would undercut some liberal stances.

     Jermoe King Del Pino, General Secretary of the Board of Higher Education, in a paper being circulated entitled “Global Leaders for a Global Church” makes reference to Philip Jenkins with this comment:

     In terms of both theology and moral teaching, Southern Christianity tends to be far more conservative and moving toward forms of supernaturalism and Christian orthodoxy that many of their fellow Christians in the North will resist as outdated, superstitious, and authoritarian….It’s very likely that in a decade or two neither component of global Christianity…will recognize its counterpart as fully or authentically Christian.”

         Persons have thrown out ideas as to how regional conferences might function practically, but the truth is, no one has any guarantee that regional conferences would function as the advocates claim.   Rather, there is much suspicion that regional conferences would not work and that in the end, regional conferences would segregate the Americans from others in the connection and that a progressive agenda which often characterizes bishops and boards and agencies in the U.S. would be untempered by United Methodists outside the country. 

     Of particular concern is that in order to restructure to regional conferences a number of constitutional amendments must be approved, since the whole idea is quite foreign to the way United Methodism has set up its church polity.  Advocates (including bishops) say a favorable vote does not commit us to this proposal but only to study.  Studying is fine but it seems but constitutional amendments are not necessary to have the church study such drastic change. 

    The argument is also given that the overseas churches are in favor of this proposal.    That claim must be challenged.  This was initiated and advocated by Americans.

    There are, of course, problems that the Regional Conferences idea seeks to address.  Cultural differences, language differences, economic differences-but surely these are not insurmountable problems.   It should be possible under the present system to put legislation or policies in place that would be regional specific.  We would not need constitutional amendments to address many of the concerns that are driving this proposal.

 

5)    DISTRIBUTION OF MEF FUNDS (MINISTERIAL EDUCATION FUND)

     We believe the church would be best served by a different distribution of Ministerial Education Funds (MEF).   At the present time the church seems to assume that ministerial leadership is tied to education and education in turn is tied to a degree in an official UM seminary, or with a degree in a school approved by the University Senate.  The University Senate is restricting the number of schools it approves, for reasons not always clear.  The suspicion is that the UM seminaries need the enrollment.  To keep the seminaries afloat money is poured into seminaries at the rate of 15 million dollars a year at an average of more than $5,000 per UM student.   The money goes to operating costs and is not available to help students directly.   Still the seminaries are short on students (many of whom would choose, if they could, to attend other seminaries).  The church has  the same number of seminaries as it did when there were 3 million more members.  Meanwhile, overseas seminaries, where the church is growing and education is desperately needed, receive no funds.   Higher Education argues it has interest in education overseas and refers to the Global Education Fund (money to be raised outside apportionments) but this fund received in 2007 only $22,000 (compare that with 15 million).

    It seems only fair that the MEF funds should be distributed more equitably.  Either change the formula so that more money goes to the annual conference for scholarships (make the 75%-25% distribution 50%-50%), and/or make some of the funds available for Africa and other seminaries overseas.  The Africans will have available a petition to do that.

 

6)   INTEGRITY OF MEMBERSHIP

There are a number of petitions that want to insert the provision that no person can be denied membership if that person is willing to take the vows.  Some petitions more specifically say that “No person shall be excluded from the United Methodist Church for reasons related to his or her sexual orientation or gender identity.”

    This is unnecessary legislation because, at least in recent times, it is not known that any person has been excluded from membership because of sexual orientation or gender identity.   The sexual ethic, celibacy in singleness and faithfulness in marriage, has nothing to do with orientation.  It is practice, not orientation,  that is the issue. 

Para. 2702.3 has a whole list of charges that may be made against a professing member.  These charges assume a certain high standard of belief and practice for membership.  It is illogical to insist that no kind of belief or behavior disqualifies one for membership, and then make provisions for chargeable offenses for the beliefs and actions after the person becomes a member. 

 

7)    PRIVILEGES OF THE LOCAL PASTOR

    Ever since the earliest days of Good News (40 years ago) evangelicals have sought to champion the cause of the local pastor.   Since the earliest days of American Methodism there has been tension between the traveling pastors and the local pastors.  Only the traveling pastors were members of the conference with the privilege of election to General Conference, passing on new conference members, and eligibility to be appointed as presiding elders or elected as bishops.

    Yet local pastors have served faithfully and today the church could not exist without them.  We have made advances.  Local pastors are considered clergy;  have the authority to celebrate the sacraments (in their own parishes), and have become members of the annual conference.   One more barrier exists: the right to vote on constitutional amendments and General Conference delegates and to serve as delegates.   The issue is neither education nor ordination but rather privileges and rights granted by the church.

    The church suffers from too much clergy elitism.  Offering local pastors full rights will move the church toward inclusiveness and equity.

   This can be done with a petition to come from one of the Central Conferences which would amend to also add the words: “eternal salvation of souls” (not sure of the wording on this).   Not all of the petitions from the Central Conferences are in the Advanced Christian Advocate.

I Thank God for The Independant Baptist Church!

The Church, there are so many different denominations. How do you know which one you should go to? How do you know which one is the right one?

I wasn’t raised in church. My earliest memory of the church is when as a young boy, one of my school friends would have his parents pick me up for Vacation Bible School every summer. Then there was the family in the community that would pick me and my sister and brother up on Sunday Morning for Sunday School and Church.

These were all positive interactions with what we know as the church. It was around 1980 that my family made friends with a couple that attended an Independent Baptist Church near our home. They invited me and my brother and would come and pick us up for services every Sunday Morning. I remember that the Pastor was a man who really seemed to care about the lost people in the congregation. He would stand in the pulpit and cry almost every service, begging people to come to the altar and invite Jesus into their life.

I remember that every week I would feel so convicted that I should go to the altar until finally I gave in and went to the front. I remember that day well, the people all came around the front of the church and shook hands with me and the pastor, several of them were crying tears of joy.

After that day it was like a different world. I don’t remember anyone asking me to come to Sunday School or to a Bible Study. No one took me on to mentor me and teach me how to be a disciple of Jesus Christ. I don’t remember a thing about another sermon after that time. After several weeks I left the church and went on with life, I thought that was all there was.

Yet, I am still thankful for that independent Baptist Church, the pastor was doing what he knew to do for the Kingdom. That was one of the spiritual markers in my life.

Ronnie

Got The T-Shirt, Now What?

Got the T-Shirt, Now What? 

We went to CCIS this morning with Johnny V. and wow what a time, there must have been 120 students in that room. Sassar was in normal form, getting the students to listen up. She is so awesome and she loves the students so much. Now, I don’t call her Sassar to be disrespectful I heard the students call her that and she seemed to be cool with it. It is one of those terms of endearment.

Anyway, as Johnny V. would say, you don’t care about all that. John wore his TEAM Soccer shirt this morning and he spoke about wearing the T-Shirt. Anybody can sit on the bench but in order to make anything happen you have to get in the game.

Today as all of history we have lots of people wearing the Christian T-shirt but they are not really in the game. You can go to church every day of the week, sing in the youth group, raise your hands in worship and even give money to missionaries but until you get in the game and become a real part of team it’s not real. 

James says that Faith without works is dead. In other words, you say you have faith in Jesus Christ, you wear the Christian T-shirt, and you go to church. Go out and do something that shows Christ to the world. 

Ronnie

See You At The Uprising!

Johnny V. will be in town in the morning. I will be picking him up in Greensboro at the airport.

This is a great opportunity for you to grow in your relationship with the Lord. There are going to be several opportunities for you to interact with Johnny V.

On Wednesday evening he will be with us in Youth Group and it will be a smaller more intimate group, however this would also be a great time for each of you to invite that person from school that is struggling with their faith, maybe they have just come through a hard time, some tragedy or maybe the home life is just really stressful.

There is enough of John to go around so let’s share him and his wisdom with that person that God puts on your heart between now and tomorrow evening.

On Thursday John and I will be at CCIS for FCA and then on Friday we will be at the High School, make sure that all you friends come to that event so they can get to know who John is and that will make them want to come to the services each evening.

Our Uprising assemblies will be Thursday, Friday and Saturday evenings at 7pm and then on Sunday at 11am and 7pm. I hope that all of you will make the commitment to be at every gathering. I know that you hear all of this on a regular basis and you really wish I would just shut up but I am going to say it anyway because I think you need to hear it.

There are very few churches in our Hillsville area where the youth have an opportunity to hear speakers like Johnny V.,  Adrian Despres, and Team Impact. There are no other churches in the area where they have hosted a Mission team like Youth EE (Now known as Xee) wow, what a great time we had with the group from Minnesota. (Remember you have to wrinkle up your face when you say that to say it right). This Body works hard and spends what it takes to bring you the best that there is to offer, so think about that when you consider missing even one night of this event. Your youth leaders and everybody at FUMC work hard to make these things happen for you.

Several families are taking John to meals at various places in town and some are providing home cooked meals, maybe you could drop in on one of those meals and spend a little more time one on one with him.

This is a great opportunity, take advantage of it and also bring along those you know that need to know our Savior.

Check out Johnny V’s Blog @ http://johnvermilya.blogspot.com/

Johnny Vs Church website @  http://myflock2.com/cgi-bin/menu.pl?churchid=church732

See you at the UPRISING

Ronnie

The Future of The Church

Listen for God’s Call to Ordained Ministry

Every believer in Jesus Christ is called to ministry, both as laity and clergy.  But the future of the church is largely dependent upon gifted young people listening for, and answering the call to full time Christian service as pastors. 

I know in speaking with a few of our youth at First Hillsville there are some of you who feel called to full time Christian Ministry such as being a pastor. I for one see gifts of a pastor in several of our young people and some as young as 12 years old.

If you have ever felt that God may be calling you then you owe it to yourself and to the Body of Christ to search for God’s specific call on your life. I know that ministry gets a bad rap, many who are in ministry complain about the low pay and the long hours and on and on it goes. I for one can tell you that any job you do and do well there will be long hours and hard work but I know of none that are as rewarding as leading people to Christ and then discipline them into mature Christians. The rewards really are Eternal and that is the best reward of all.

I am not saying that the call to be a pastor is more important than the call to be in ministry in the church and in the world as a lay person, but right now mainline churches are desperately searching for ways to help young people hear a call to ministry.  We need young clergy who will help reach a new generation of people for Christ. The youth know their culture better than anyone and better than any study that can be done to tell us about that culture.

Currently there are only 850 of the 16,000 active United Methodist clergy that are under the age of 35. 

Ask yourselves these questions:

Am I afraid that if I answer the call to ministry that I will miss out on what the world has to offer?

Am I afraid that I won’t be able to lead a normal life with family and friends?

Am I just afraid of the unknown?

Do I have a strong desire to help people understand and better handle their problems, temptations and desires in life?

Do I have a strong desire for people to know God better and go deeper in the study of Scripture?

Ask yourself these questions and then let’s talk. Maybe God wants you as one of His pastor’s. If so, there is no way that anything else will ever satisfy. Only “God’s perfect Will” can satisfy.

Ronnie

 

Jesus Causes An Uprising Everywhere He Goes

Jesus was born to a couple of teenagers who couldn’t even stay with their family in Bethlehem, this may be because of the scandal of her pregnancy before their official marriage.

This is how God became one of us. This should incite passionate joy and excitement in us as followers of “The Way”. This is either the greatest thing to ever happen or the most ridiculous idea ever suggested. That God should become one of us.

Not only did Jesus’ birth turn everything upside down; so did his life and what he taught. You must die to live. You must lose to gain. Weakness is strength. Joy exists in the midst of suffering. Power is restraint. Love those who persecute you. Pray for those who hate you. It is not the strong or the wealthy who will inherit the earth, but the meek or not those who display their strength and or wealth. 

Jesus Christ becoming one of us caused an Uprising. If you follow Jesus, you follow the most radical man who ever existed. He stepped onto the scene with kindness, peace, and love, and offers people a whole new way of looking at the world and how to live radically different. His is the most radical message you can preach or live. He turns everything upside down and calls us to do likewise. Jesus is committed to changing the people He comes into contact with and He comes into contact with people through you and me.

 

The Uprising that Jesus entry into the world caused, isn’t for the faint of heart or the middle-of-the-road, on again-off again, wishy washy. It isn’t safe. It isn’t comfortable. It costs us a great deal to say yes. We take hold of the Uprising by abandoning ourselves to Jesus and letting go of everything else.

Will you choose to follow a safe Jesus who came and still lives to provide you with health, wealth, comfort, and happiness? Or will we press on to find the Jesus of Nazareth, the most dangerous and radical man to ever walk the face of the earth?

I want the real thing. I don’t buy into the idea that Jesus came just to give us a ticket to heaven. Will you join me?

Ronnie

Eleminate The Weeds In Your Life

The weeds in your life, are those things that hinder or limit your spiritual growth. Weeds are the things that choke your relationship to Christ or that prevent you from further growth. How much effort does it take to grow weeds?

None at all!

You don’t have to cultivate weeds. In fact, that’s the difference between a weed and a vegetable. You feed, water, and cultivate a vegetable, and it still dies! Pay no attention to a weed and it grows.

Weeds are a sign of neglect. I’ve found that when I neglect my quiet time, when I neglect my personal maintenance, such as walking/running and staying physically fit, and when I neglect key relationships in my life, the weeds start to grow and begin choking my productivity.

Reading the Bible is a great experience, try it and you will learn the wisdom that only comes from God, it is the way God has chosen to speak to us in this day.

Ronnie

T-Shirt Design = $$$$$$$$

Resurrection T-Shirt Design Contest

United Methodist youth groups in the Holston Conference are invited to participate in a Resurrection T-Shirt Design Contest!  The selected youth group will receive all the proceeds from sales at the event for their local group activities after a 10% tithe to the Youth Service Fund.

Entries must be postmarked by July 21, 2008.  For more information on the contest, check out our Resurrection T-Shirt Design Contest Flyer.   Hillsville Youth, We really should make a Huge Effort to do This T-Shirt thing.  

Ronnie

They Grow Up So Fast

Misty and I were sitting in the den reading a couple of nights ago and Samuel woke up and started to cry. When I went in to check on him it was the weirdest thing, he was sitting up in the bed. Now I know that shouldn’t seem so weird but it was just a few days ago that he couldn’t sit up on his own. Just a few days ago he couldn’t crawl and now you have to be quick to keep up with him. He is into everything that he can get his hands on. He is pulling up on things and it will just be a matter of days and he will be walking. I have always said that my favorite time is when they start to walk and talk. Wow, they grow up so fast.

Speaking of walking and talking, we grilled hamburgers at home last night and the family was over. Christopher has been walking for a long time now but he also talking a lot, it just sounds a lot like Chinese. You can make out many of his words but then he will go into a long sentence and it is great, you can’t understand a word of it. I usually just say yes or that is great and he laughs and keeps going.

Christopher calls me Pupa, which is a term or endearment that I wouldn’t take anything for. Pupa is what Mike called me and actually still calls me and there is a great story about that, now all the kids in the family call me by Pupa.

Last night I was carrying Christopher through the house and he looked at me and said, “Pupa kiss me”, he turned my face to his cheek and just laughed. Wow, they grow us so fast. 

Alex, Seth and Victoria were also here, we are so blessed with the little ones in the family. They are all getting big enough to play together as well as argue and push and all the things that children and adults will do. We don’t have to teach them to do bad things, rather we have to teach them to share and be kind to each other. 

My favorite thing in the world is to be with my family and we are blessed to live close together and we share meals together every week. Nothing can take the place of the laughter and joy that comes from being with those we love and just having fellowship together. 

As I was reflecting on this my thoughts turned to all the children in the world who need a loving family where they can be part of a family that cares for them. There are so many. There are hundreds of thousands of children just in the United States who need a family to call their own.

Check out this web site: www.adoptuskids.org

What if the church decided that we would join together and provide families for these children. There are so many that have the love and the means to give a child a home.

April is “Prevent Child Abuse Virginia” month, check out this site: http://www.preventchildabuseva.org/

James 1: 27 says,

Pure and genuine religion in the sight of God the Father means caring for orphans and widows in their distress and refusing to let the world corrupt you.

Ronnie

Prevent Child Abuse

April is Prevent Child Abuse Virginia Month. I like this idea of the Pinwheels and would love to put one together at the church. Check this site out: http://www.preventchildabuseva.org/blue_news_2008.htm

Prevent Child Abuse Virginia (PCAV) is proud to introduce the pinwheel as a new symbol for child abuse prevention. This April, PCAV and many of its partners are planting pinwheel gardens in recognition of Child Abuse Prevention Month. We invite you to visit Prevent Child Abuse Virginia’s Pinwheels for Prevention display at Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden in Henrico County during April. The display is included with regular admission and includes 3,000 pinwheels “planted” along a lake in the Children’s Garden. Each pinwheel represents a child who has been served by our Healthy Families Virginia program during the last year in Central Virginia and Tidewater: www.lewisginter.org

We invite you to plant a pinwheel garden in your community this April: Plant one in your front yard honoring your children; at your church; or in front of a business or community building. Pinwheels may be purchased for $1 each by calling (804) 359-6166 ext. 309. All proceeds benefit Prevent Child Abuse Virginia.

James 1:27, Pure and genuine religion in the sight of God the Father means caring for orphans and widows in their distress and refusing to let the world corrupt you.

Ronnie

Church, You Are Awesome!

Hillsville FUMC is a “Body of Christ” on the move. The church is us, me and you and the others that God has “Called Out”. The church is not the building, we only meet there.

I know this may not be good English but this is a blog and blogs I am told need to have a few typos and personal traits in them to be really good. I hope this is really good.

Tonight we had our church council meeting, started at 7pm and went to 10:30pm. That is a long meeting but isn’t it Awesome to know that a group of people are so interested in seeing God’s Kingdom grow that they would stay there that long. These folks have jobs that they work all day and then come to a church meeting and stay the evening, that is dedication and my hat is off to you church council members and committee chairs as well.

We discussed the space needs that are so great in our church. We have one class that is meeting on the stage in the fellowship hall, they are not complaining but we know that the interruptions are great. We have a large Tweens group that needs a place to call their own. We have a great band that needs a place to store the equipment they need to do the SNL service right. We have a great and growing Pre School that has so many storage needs for the little children. We have a Choir that is out of room, a Choir loft that is full and over flowing and Sunday school classes that are running out of room. Praise The Lord. These are great concerns to have and our Council is working to meet those needs.

We need to be diligent to pray for the leaders of the committees as solutions are sought and decisions are made. I would go so far as to challenge each of us to Fast and Pray.

As a matter of fact, my hat is off to all the folks in the Hillsville church that work so hard. From the youngest child, youth, young adult, adult and senior citizen. Hillsville is carrying out “The Great Commission”. You are making a difference in a dark world.

 You are AWESOME!

Check this out “Stitchie” Fast and Pray” http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hvAtu-5sU4c

Ronnie

The Jewish Jesus

I have been saying for a couple of years now that we have to see Jesus in his culture and context to truly understand the Bible and the things that He said. Now Time Magazine has named “The re-judaizing of Jesus” as one of the 10 ideas that are changing the world in 2008.

Jesus was Jewish and didn’t look like the typical picture that we see of him today. As a matter of fact, no one knows for sure what Jesus looked like. We have no photograph of him and the Bible gives no concrete description of him. Most of what we see in pictures is obviously not correct. Being from the Middle East he would have been dark skinned or at least olive skinned with dark hair. Most of the pictures we have today picture Jesus with fair skin and light hair with Blue eyes, this is so far from what Jesus would have looked like.

I believe there is a purpose in this, we get the picture of who Jesus is by the things he did in the Gospel’s and I believe that is the only picture we are supposed to have.

At this point, many people are looking for Jesus to look like the pictures they have seen and not many would recognize him.

You can read the story from Time here http://www.time.com/time/specials/2007/0,28757,1720049,00.html

There are many good books that you can read on the Jewishness of the Gospel and I will be glad to recommend them to you.

Ronnie

How Could This Happen?

401 children have been removed from a Compound in Texas where it is alleged that young girls are forced into marriage and childbearing to much older men. How in the world could this happen in a Country that 80% of the pepole claim to be Christian?

The news reports say that these children are born into this lifetyle and grown women have no idea what modern life in the world is like, they have lived on this Compound all their lives. Wow

I would like to hear your thoughts, how does this happen? Why does this happen?

Ronnie

Jump, I will Catch You!

This morning we got a scare when I got a text message that my grandson Christopher was being taken to the hospital. Christopher has had some breathing difficulties since he was very young, he is almost 2 years old now. It is very hard to see anyone sick but especially a little one and especially when they are having trouble breathing. I know how it makes you feel to have a hard time getting your breath and I can’t imagine what it does to one so little.

Anyway, Misty and I went and waited at the hospital and the Doctor said it was an Asthma attack; they gave him a prescription and told them to take him to his family doctor in the morning. This is the first time they have said it is asthma. We were relieved, Christopher was feeling better and we went to Wendy’s to get lunch before I had to leave for Tennessee. Christopher ate the best he has in a while in a restaurant. He usually just wants me to get him things form the gumball machine. But today he ate really well.

 

After we ate I carried him through the parking lot and I sat him down on the trunk of the car and I told him to jump. He didn’t do it. I said, come on Christopher jump, I will catch you. He wouldn’t do it. So I sat him down and said jump again and I picked him up and turned in a circle and he laughed and laughed and laughed. I sat him down again and I said “jump Christopher and I will catch you” and he jumped. It was little jumps but each time he would jump into my arms I would catch him and swing him around and he would laugh. When Christopher laughs, everybody laughs. He has one of those genuine laughs, you just can’t contain yourself, every tooth is showing and he is so happy. He learned that when I said I would catch him that I meant it.

 

As I was driving to Tennessee I started thinking. God says to us, jump, not off the back of the car but jump or stand up for me, you can trust me and I will catch you.

 

Stand up for me when someone is being picked on…..

Stand up for me when someone is being mistreated…..

Stand up for me when others are laughing at me……..

Stand up for me when you are at school……..

Stand up for me when you are at work……

 

God says, Jump, I will catch you and you can trust me.

 

There is a story from a book called “Dare to believe” written by Bob Mumford. In the book God asks the guy a question, do you trust me? The guy answers, “Of course I trust you God” so the Lord asks the man to go to the top of a 5 story building. Standing at the top, looking over the edge, the Lord says again, “Do you really trust me?” The man says “YES, I really trust you!”

So, of course, God says, “I will catch you, but I need you to jump now”! The man says, “Ok God, I really trust you, you’re going to catch me, so I’ll jump”! God says, “I will catch you, but I need you to jump now”!

The man leaps off the 5 story building and as he is passing the 5th floor he says, “Man God, I really trust you, go ahead and catch me now”! As he is passing the 4th floor the man rings out, “Wow God, you are really testing my faith, I am so glad I trust you, go ahead and catch me now”! The 3rd floor quickly is upon him and as he is passing it he begins to get very upset. “God, you said you would catch me, now you asked me to jump, I need you to hold your end of the bargain, time to catch me Lord”! He passed the 2nd floor and then the 1st floor and as he is getting ready to crash onto the side walk just a few inches below, he cries out, “GOD, YOU TOLD ME TO JUMP, YOU TOLD ME I COULD TRUST YOU AND THAT YOU WOULD SAVE ME, DID YOU LIE TO ME GOD?!”

Just a few inches from the side walk, God reaches out His hand and catches the man. As He places the man on the side walk and says, “What does it matter if I would have caught you at the 4th floor or down here just a few inches from the walk? If I say I will catch you, I will catch you”.

You know, the water didn’t part for Moses until he stepped out in it, what waters do you need God to part for you today? Take the leap; does it matter where He catches you?

Ronnie

 

Uprising with Johnny V. is almost here

Uprising is just a few days away. greg has secured 4 kickin bands and we are ready to go. Remember if the Kingdom is going to grow, then it is up to us to bring people in. Invite, Invite, Invite!

Ronnie

Which Cross Are You On?

Last night in Youth we looked at Luke 23: 26-43 and we talked about the “Three Crosses” and the people who died on each one. On the middle Cross was a man (Jesus) who lived a perfect sinless life. Remember that Jesus came to earth as a Man, He became one of us. He had the opportunity to sin just like you and I have the opportunity to sin but he didn’t. But not only did Jesus live a sinless life, he did a lot of great things. He forgave people, he did miracles, he was a friend to sinners, he taught people about God and the Old Testament Scriptures, on and on and on, we could list many great things that Jesus did. He lived a great life of caring more for others than himself.

The next man was one who yelled insults at Jesus as they were there on the Cross. He made fun of Jesus and ridiculed him.

And then the third man asked Jesus for forgiveness and Jesus said, today you will be with me in paradise. However this second man, eventhough he asked for forgiveness he didn’t have th opprotunity to do a lot of good in this world. Now, he did rebuke the second guy and told him that they deserved punishment and Jesus didn’t but still he just didn’t have the opportunity to do a lot of good.

All of us are instructed by Jesus to take up our cross daily and follow Him. Which Cross Are You On?

You Think About That.

Ronnie

Stop! Before you make that decision…..

Before you make that decision, ask yourself these 4 questions.

How will this affect me Eternally?

How will this affect my family Eternally?

How will this affect my friends Eternally?

How will this affect Jesus Christ Eternally?

Life is short, keep Eternity in mind.

 Ronnie

Worship, is it God Centered or You Centered?

Most of the people that I talk to about worship think that a worship service is all about the music. What do you think? Actually a worship service means the time when the saints of God get together to offer their service to God through worship and their service to others in the church. Over the years this has reversed to the time of the week that we go to the church much like we take the car into the service station. Most people view the weekend worship service as the time that we go to get our tank filled, our spiritual tank.  However, when I read the Bible, it says that worship is about God and not about us!

Think about that!

 Ronnie