Day 7: Calling the Disciples

When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, "Put out into deep water, and let down the nets for a catch." Simon answered, "Master, we've worked hard all night and haven't caught anything. But because you say so, I will let down the nets." When they had done so, they caught such a large number of fish that their nets began to break. - Luke 5:4-6



Peter and his professional fishing partners had been fishing all night with no luck. Honestly, I've been fishing quite a few times and I've never experienced the exhileration of when "they're really bitin'"...so I know how they feel. Unlike me, these guys knew what they were doing. This was their job. They knew this sea like the backs of their hands. They knew the hot spots and the honey holes. They did everything right that night. The fish "just weren't bitin'."


So along comes Jesus, the carpenter/traveling rabbi, who pops in and takes command of operations. If I was Peter, I would have been thinking, "Who does this carpenter think he is?! I've been out here all night long and, from what I can tell, it's just a bad fishing day." The other funny part is that Jesus told them to throw their nets in the deep water. Real fishermen knew that you only throw your nets into the shallow waters. What was this guy thinking?! Despite their reservations they obey what the carpenter says to do and they get overwhelmed with the results. Lesson learned. I can do things my own way, from my own limited (albeit knowledgable) perspective. But if I'm not being obedient to the Carpenter, it is utterly futile. How many times have I pridefully continued to do it my way, ignoring Jesus' advice, and totally missed the big catch He had waiting for me?! But I know what I'm doing, right!?

Day 5: A Hero's Welcome

"All the people in the synagogue were furious when they heard this. They got up, drove him out of the town, and took him to the brow of the hill on which the town was built, in order to throw him down the cliff. But he walked right through the crowd and went on his way." - Luke 4:28-30

Nazareth was a really, really small town...maybe a few hundred people. Many of you are from small towns. Living in a small town is definitely interesting because everybody knows everybody's business. We know family histories, triumphs, and troubles. Rumors fly and whispers get passed around. Jesus was already the talk of Nazareth...you know...Mary's son, the one who claimed that God impregnated her and who married the carpenter Joseph (v.22). That guy. And now he has the audacity to walk into their synagogue and basically claim that he is the fulfillment of the messanic prophecies (v.21).
Most communities are supportive of their bright, up-and-coming youth. I love to see it when a small town prodigy emerges and everyone rallies around that person. It's what endeared me to the show American Idol when it was first broadcast back in 2002. When Kelly Clarkson won, her entire town showed up for a huge parade with great fanfare. She was the champion of Burleson, TX who made it big. Compare that reception to Jesus' neighbors! We all love to see someone rise from humble beginnings to make it big.
I wonder sometimes how I would have reacted to what Jesus said and did if I was an average Joe living in and around Nazareth or Jerusalem. Would I have been so quick to believe that this guy who I watched grow up in my town be who he claimed to be? Surely, God wouldn't use somebody from pittely ol' Nazareth to do something that great. (Read John 1:45-46!) Aren't you glad that God uses small town, out-of-the-way people and no-name regular Joe's to do His work!? Let's not discount where we are from, or who we are, as being useless to the Lord. And let's not be so blinded by our prejudices and sensibilities that we miss Jesus completely when He shows up at our church!

Day 4: The Woman at the Well

The Samaritan woman said to him, "You are a Jew and I am a Samaritan woman. How can you ask me for a drink?" (For Jews do not associate with Samaritans.) -John 4:9

I'm preaching from this passage on Sunday...and can't wait! This is definitely on my short list of favorite all-time stories. Just a thought about this verse. The racial divide in Jesus' time was much like the racial landscape of the segregated South, if not worse. Jews and Samaritans did not associate with one another. In fact, Samaritans were considered second class people. The very fact that Jesus was willing to talk to this lady in public startled her. Aren't you glad Jesus is willing to associate with people who don't deserve it?! (like me and you) Come to think of it, there is not one reason why Jesus should have anything to do with me. My ways, my heart, my intentions are so awry many times. And yet He chose to stop, consider me, and value my life. I'm glad He took the time to reach down and give me a sip of living water.
Just like Jesus, we have to be willing to cross man-made barriers that keep us sequestered from people not like us. Who are your Samaritans? Who are the people who are scary, or dirty, or different that make you uncomfortable? These might be the very people to whom Christ sends you. And you would miss out on the blessings if you don't do it. Jesus' compassion rocked this lady's world. I pray our compassion does, too.

Day 2: Matthew 4:1-17

Matthew 4
• It is comforting to me that our Lord had to withstand temptation as well. He did walk a mile in my shoes…and He kicked Satan right in the teeth through it.
• (v.1) “The Spirit led Jesus into the desert”…God uses temptation to make us stronger. God doesn’t tempt us, but He can use Satan’s schemes to toughen us and taunt the Evil One.
• Jesus endured the common temptations we all face: lust of the flesh, lust of pride, and lust of power.
• (v.11) I love how simply it reads. When you resist Satan he has to flee. When you resist Satan angels are there to attend to you and restore your strength.
• Jesus’ first recorded sermon: “REPENT!” (v. 17) Why? Because the Kingdom is near: Sounds like immediacy and urgency, for all who heard the sermon from Sunday.

40 Days Reflections- Matthew 3

As we do the 40 Days of Jesus readings together, I just thought I’d put down some bullet points about some of the passages each week. I’d love to hear what you are learning as well! Please fill me in on the Comments section below!

Matthew 3
• Throughout this passage, I am reminded of what truly following Jesus is about. Take a look at the verbs used in this passage that described the new disciple’s actions and John the Baptist’s message to the Pharisees: Repent (v. 2), make straight paths (live righteously) (v. 3), confessing their sins (v.6), being baptized (v.6), produce fruit (good deeds) (v. 8), being filled with the Spirit (v.11).
• Sounds like our message today, eh?
• Repent and obey…sounds so simple, yet so hard to follow through.
• Jesus talks about “fulfilling all righteousness” by being baptized (v.15): public profession of your faith is extremely important! If Jesus thought it was a big deal, maybe we should too!!!
• Jesus didn’t have to repent, He was sinless…and yet He considered it important to submit Himself to someone else. Humility always characterizes a good leader.
• The end of Chapter 3 is one of the few times that we have all 3 members of the Trinity represented at the same time….so cool.

Welcome to Super Bowl Week!!!

I know some of you will read the title and think the pastor is going out of his mind. If you are a football aficionado like myself, you know the Super Bowl is over and done. The Super Bowl is the pinnacle for football fanatics like myself...just like the opening of your favorite hunting season (attention turkey hunters---just a few days)...or the Masters, for your golfers. There is that One Day that is the epitome of experiences for your respective passion. For passionate Christians, our "Super Bowl" ought to be Easter. I know, some of you really, really love Christmas. It's a close second. I mean, you can't go to Myrtle Beach and shop at a year-round Easter store! We know what most people think is the most important holiday. What happened on Easter, though, is the reason we exist. Granted, you can't have Easter without Christmas...but you can't have eternal life without Easter. It's the pivotal event of all human history. So it should be the biggest celebration of the year! Our hearts should beat a little faster and our minds should race when we think of it. Take a moment and ponder what the Resurrection means for you. Jesus' resurrection was the fatal blow that destroyed Satan. Easter morning is the exclamation point on the end of God's redemptive plan for humanity. We echo Paul's thoughts in I Corinthians 15:54-55 on this day, "Death has been swallowed up in victory. Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?” The one thing all people universally dread has been nullified, emptied, and deemed impotent by the One who conquered death on this day. For believers, death is just a doorway that ushers into eternal life with our resurrected savior. Death actually initiates what we will come to know as "real living" for eternity to come. When Jesus burst out of the tomb some 2,000 years ago He illustrated what we should expect will happen with us. He is the first of many who will explode out of the tomb in power. So, yes, we do have something to celebrate on Easter. The whistle is blowing, it's time for kick-off. The crowd is jumping up and down as "Zombie Nation" pulsates over the intercom. Let's celebrate this Sunday like it's supposed to be done! Who's in!?!

How I Feel Today...

As with any job, some days are just plain better than others in ministry. Sadly, I find myself more or less motivated than other days...yes, I am human and not a cyborg. :) Yesterday was a perfect day in terms of ministry and church life. We had a great service in the morning. There were new faces in the crowd and people responded to the word. It was so cool to see new families that I met through the week actually visit with us and enjoy their experience. I got to preach on the cross...which never gets old! That afternoon I got to play a great game of ultimate frisbee with a group of young Good Hopers who braved the cold and the wind to play. It was a great time to hang out and catch up with some of our young people. It's fun being their pastor, too. I then turned my attention to pulling off our first, but definitely not last, Night of Worship. It was refreshing to see the level of engagement in the service. The band did a great job leading us. In the midst of that wild schedule I got to share both lunch and dinner with some young couples from our church. It was a busy, but fun day...which probably explains why I feel like I got pancaked by Julius Peppers today! I made myself hit the pavement this morning and churn out a few miles before coming in to work, which felt great. My new smaller pants are getting a little snug and I've got to get back on the workout/stricter diet plan to drop a few pounds as I head into the Spring. My children are all healthy. Brooke has started to walk, which makes me beam. She is a complete joy. I love my wonderful wife, a wonderful advisor and friend. Life is just good and balanced right now. I feel whole and healthy in most every way imaginable. Life is good. Thank you Lord for my job, my family, and my life. I delight in You and the life with which you've blessed me.

Isaiah 55:1-2
Come, all you who are thirsty,
come to the waters;
and you who have no money,
come, buy and eat!
Come, buy wine and milk
without money and without cost.

Why spend money on what is not bread,
and your labor on what does not satisfy?
Listen, listen to me, and eat what is good,
and your soul will delight in the richest of fare.

Laughing at God

To see the lyrics to this song, click here.

Music is one of my heart languages. To me, there is nothing like a well-crafted song to deliver truth because it affects both our minds and our emotions. I discovered a song today that really struck a chord with me…no pun intended. J Regina Spektor is neither a scholar nor a theologian, but she is a master poet. I don’t endorse everything she sings about, but some of her songs are wonderfully inspiring. In the song I’ve uploaded for you here, she laments the fact that our culture has lost a high view of God. If you think about it, most references to God around us usually involve curses, crude satire, or silly caricatures. The same treatment is reserved for other deep issues in our culture: spirituality, sexuality, and relationships. (Just watch the Comedy Network and notice the subject matter!) We've lost the ability to deal with such heavy issues because it makes many of us uncomfortable. We mock the serious, mysterious aspects of life because we don’t quite know how to handle the gravity that accompanies them. These subjects are difficult work to unpack and analyze internally…so we slough it off and laugh. Spektor has a way of punching that thought straight in gut. When times get serious…when we get hurt…when the future seems uncertain…no one laughs about God then. When the chips are down, who is really laughing then? Trust Him!

Psalm 62:5-8

⁵ Find rest, O my soul, in God alone;
my hope comes from him.

⁶ He alone is my rock and my salvation;
he is my fortress, I will not be shaken.
⁷ My salvation and my honor depend on God;
he is my mighty rock, my refuge.
⁸ Trust in him at all times, O people;
pour out your hearts to him,
for God is our refuge.

Why Churches Plateau

My friend, Rob Tims, is the pastor at Lake Murray Baptist Church in Columbia. He had a thought-provoking post on his blog today that I want all of us to consider. Are there any of these signs prevalent in our church? Let's all commit to make sure these attitudes don't pervade us, as a church or as individuals!

Click here to read his post!

Celebrate the Baby Steps

I've heard the definition of leadership is taking a group from "where they are" to "where they need to be." Vision is knowing "where they need to be." When God puts that in your heart, you desperately want to be there NOW....not months or years from now.....RIGHT NOW! There is a fire in your belly to see it through to completion. There is so much that needs to be done to get there, which can be completely paralyzing because the goal seems so far away. So how do you keep from getting paralyzed by the distance between "where you are" and "where you need to be"?

Here's my secret: Instead of getting mired down in the frustration of what is not happening yet, I have to celebrate the small steps we are taking in the right direction. There have been way too many times I did not celebrate the little victories because I was so frustrated with not being at the final destination yet. To keep the frustration from dominating my mind, I choose to focus on those little steps toward "where we need to be." The funny part is that most people don't see those baby steps. They don't pat you on the back in recognition of the of those positive forward nudges. Many times, people who follow you even question why you're doing what you are doing. As long as you have a clear picture of where it needs to be, the path toward the goal becomes more obvious. Just follow the path. Take the next step...however small it is....and celebrate the fact that you're not going backward or stagnating, as so many do. Remember, you won't know if those baby steps are victories unless you have the final destination in mind. So we can't ever forget where the final destination should be! Don't beat yourself up for not being there yet...just know you're getting there!

"Many are the plans in a man's heart, but it is the LORD's purpose that prevails." -Proverbs 19:21

Book Recommendation

There are a few national pastors that I enjoy following by reading their blogs, reading their books, and listening to their messages every now and then. Mark Batterson, the pastor of the National Community Church in Washington, DC is one of those thinkers who constantly challenges me. When I was given the chance to preview his new book, Primal, before it's nationwide release I jumped at the chance. Primal is a call to rediscover the love for God that has been diluted, convoluted, and distorted by our modern lens. My first, of many, highlighted quotes is from page 3, "I couldn't help but wonder if we have accepted a form of Christianity that is more educated but less powerful, more civilized but less comapssionate, more acceptable but less authentic than that which our spiritual ancestors practiced."

Batterson calls on believers to rediscover what it means to love God with your heart, soul, mind and spirit...what he terms as "compassion, wonder, curiosity, and energy" as the answer to rekindling this lost Christianity of our culture. This book is chocked to the hilt with many illustrations from science (my favorites), pop culture, and literature to show the wonder that we need to rediscover. The result is a clear challenge for all of us to bust out of the modern mediocrity miring us down. The title reveals the heart of this challenge: getting back to the heart of our faith by being awed at the wonder of the God we serve, His work around us, and the Word He gave us. I highly recommend this book as a jumpstart to your new year!

You can purchase it directly from the publishers here.

Update on Matt Chandler

Here is the link to the update shared on Matt Chandler's church website. I wish there was better news to post, but I firmly believe that God is in control.

http://fm.thevillagechurch.net/blog/pastors/?p=453

Apparently, the brain tumor is malignant. Please join with me in praying for Matt's healing and for his family as they go through this difficult time.

Matt Chandler- One of my heroes...

Over the past few years I have been greatly inspired by Matt Chandler, who pastors the Village Church near Dallas, Texas. He's one of those clarion voices in the American church landscape sounding the call for clear biblical preaching and progressive methodology. Recently, at the age of 35, he was diagnosed rather abruptly with a brain tumor. Within a week he was scheduled to have the tumor removed. The video below was a message he recorded just days before his surgery for his congregation to watch in his absence. As I watched the video I kept thinking about the Steve Fee song we do often here at Good Hope, "Glory to God. Glory to God. Glory to God forever!" It is so easy to praise God when everything is smooth and going our way. My prayer is that each of us will see every circumstance, good and bad, as opportunities to echo back praise to God for His goodness through it all! Consequently, the surgery went well and Chandler is recovering in the hospital. They await tests of the biopsy some time this week. Keep him in your prayers!

Here's the link to the video:

http://hv.thevillagechurch.net/blog/hvpastor/

Rain, rain fall away!

I hope everyone is enjoying this beautiful day. It's yet another rainy day. Many of you find yourself complaining about a dreary, cold day like today. When that feeling hits you, remind yourself of how dry it was this past summer. We would have begged for this kind of rain back in July. I promised God this past summer during the big drought that I would never grumble about the rain ever again. Rain is a blessing from God. In fact, the Scriptures describe rain as a powerful instrument God uses to get our attention.

God's control of the rain is a sign of God's power and stregth. Remember the last huge thunder clap that made you jump, or the helplessness you felt looking out at your brown yard this summer? "God's voice thunders in marvelous ways; he does great things beyond our understanding. He says to the snow, 'Fall on the earth,' and to the rain shower, 'Be a mighty downpour.' So that all men he has made may know his work, he stops every man from his labor." (Job 37:5-7) The fact that God provides rain for us is amazing when you think about what we deserve. The older I get the more I realize that I don't deserve anything good from God. My heart is deceitful and dark. God allowing the sun to shine on me, or the rain to fall around me, just illustrates His patience and mercy toward me. I was God's enemy, and yet He chose to save me, adopt me into His family, shower me with love, and make me His son.

"You have heard that it was said, 'Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.' But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? And if you greet only your brothers, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect." (Matthew 5:43-48). So, God provides the sun and the rain on those who deserve it and those who don't deserve it. He gives us more than we need, and yet we complain when He sends the rain. As the rain falls today, remember God's favor on you and breathe a prayer of thanksgiving. Rain really is a beautiful thing...

Keeping off the Weight

I've been on a weight loss journey since January that now finds me 50 pounds lighter and feeling better than I have in many years. This weight loss journey is now in the "weight management" phase, as I have met my goal. I seriously think that losing the weight was the easy part. Keeping the weight off requires constant effort and attention. Here are the lessons I'm learning about keeping the weight off:

1) Fight boredom. I lost a lot of the weight by eating a steady diet of the same entrees just about every week. Some of them I ate every day. For example, I have now eaten approximately 200 western omelets since the end of January. That's a lot of eggs! The food I ate was appetizing....the first 8 months of the diet....but now I'm starting to actually be repulsed by the very things I craved while on the strict phase. I've had to tweak my meals and find new healthy alternatives for foods that I crave. This takes extra effort to plan and cook, but it's worth it.

2) Don't beat yourself up when you slip. I ate 2 oatmeal raisin cookies this week in a moment of weakness and literally felt sick with guilt and the sugar high. I never knew cookies could give you that kind of headache! I confessed it to my wife. I also woke up the next morning and went back to the diet. You will slip up sometimes. Sometimes, you even need to cheat just to enjoy rich foods occasionally. The key is get back on the saddle and continue. Let the slip-ups be the exception, and not the norm.

3) Quit weighing yourself so much! I now check my weight every 2 weeks or so. I was checking every day for a time and had to stop. I was getting fixated on the day to day fluctuation of my weight. I do not want to get consumed with my weight to the point that it paralyzes me. If I gain a pound here or there, I will just modify for a short time until I get back to my target weight. If I am not careful, I will let this area rule over me. I've had to battle being prideful and more concerned about my appearance as the weight has come off. Keeping track every day only feeds that pride in me.

I am still glad that I was able to lose the weight. Now, the real challenge begins. This diet can't be a passing fad that I tried. It must be a lifestyle of discipline. What this boils down to for me is maintaining self-discipline and focus.

The Heart

I was just reading this week in I Samuel 16, where the young boy David is annointed king of Israel. If you'll remember, David was the scrawny kid who didn't even get asked to meet with Samuel when Jesse was asked to present his sons for kingly consideration. In fact, David was sent out to watch sheep while Samuel was judging the other guys. The oldest, tallest, and most athletic son, Eliab, passed the prophet and Samuel thought to himself that surely this was the Lord's annointed. (I thought, "Hello! Didn't he learn that lesson from the Saul situation!") At that moment, God corrects Samuel's misguided criteria in verse 7. "But the LORD said to Samuel, `Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The LORD does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.'"

Being a rather short man, my first reaction to reading this statement was to smile! YES! God doesn't care about who looks like a leader. (Think about most high school football quarterbacks :) Most look like Abercrombie models....AKA: my polar opposite.) I once got to meet the leadership of a nationally prominent church and was intimidated by their towering height. I literally was looking up to them, as these 2 pastors are over 6' 3" easy. I felt like a little kid standing next to them.

So I was relieved that God doesn't care about my vertical challenges.

But then I got to thinking. Do I really want God to make my heart the criterion for whether or not He uses me? You can engineer all kinds of external changes to what man looks at (makeovers, diets, clothing updates...or even elevator shoes). At that moment I had to do a heart check. Is my heart qualified to lead? Are my desires and passions positioned in the right direction so God can use me? I had to pray David's words from Psalm 139:23-24 and soul search a bit, "Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting." I had some confessing to do...a heart check. I advise you to take some time today to take a heart inventory as well. Can God use you, based upon your affections, devotion, thoughts, and attitude?

Mission Trip Reflection

We had a wonderful trip to Bluffton, S.C. this past week to help a new church plant there, Crosspoint Church-Bluffton. Our days were usually split into a morning and an evening segment, as far as work. Every night, we put on a Vacation Bible School for Crosspoint and a sister church in the area in a borrowed facility. During the morning ministry time we did some nursing home ministry and an outreach at a local Boys and Girls Club...the highlight of the week for me! I learned a few interesting things about our team and about the work to be done in Bluffton that I thought I would pass on to you:

-Beaufort County is the most unreached county in South Carolina, with only 9% of its population considering themselves to be Evangelical Christians. Wow.

-Many of the residents we met this week were transplants from up north...and I don't mean North Carolina! In our conversations with residents at 2 nursing homes, we determined that about 90% of them were from New York, New Jersey, Connecticut. Who woulda' thunk that?! Come to think of it, I only met a handful of people who were actually from Bluffton. That being said, there are many people who have little exposure to Evangelical Christianity.

-The population of Beaufort County is expected to double in the coming 3 decades....a little boom town! There were subdivisions popping up everywhere...and strip malls...and lots of road expansion. You could tell that this area is getting ready to explode with people!

-When you think of the general Hilton Head area, you usually think of very wealthy people. However, it takes many, many "regular" people just to keep things going there (retail, business owners, construction work, etc.)

Having said all of that, there is much work to be done in this area. I'm glad we partnered with Crosspoint this week and hope to continue supporting their work. I was so proud of our Good Hope mission team. All in all, 20 people went with us on this trip. Each one of them worked very hard, and with very little complaining. They did what was asked of them and beyond! I had a blast getting to hang out with this group.

-We have some men who would intimidate grizzly bears with their snoring, no lie. I have never slept with ear plugs...until this week! Thanks Jesus for inventing ear plugs.

-Danny Owens is a cooking machine. We ate well.

-We had a few children who went with us and they were great assets to the ministry, especially the nursing homes and the VBS. Great job kiddos!

-The teens/college students who went with us really made me proud with their effort. Whoever out there who has lost faith in teenagers just don't know the good ones!

-The construction crew were real troopers: lugging it 50 minutes each way to get to the site each day and completing everything they were asked to do!

-Jody, Michelle, Tim, Justin and the other adult leaders did a great job of ministering to the kids at VBS. I couldn't have asked for better quality in preparation and effort.

As I said, the trip was a great success. If you're a Good Hoper, I hope you consider going to Bluffton with us the next time we get a trip together. See you Sunday!

SBC Reflections

The Southern Baptist Convention was a wonderful experience for me a few weeks ago. It reignited a passion in my heart for both the Great Commission and my denomination. Of course, there are always knuckleheads in every large meeting who try to make weird resolutions...like the weird guy from New York in a bad toupee who made the resolution for our seminary professors to stop teaching that the world was coming to an end in May 2011...and the Mark Driscoll bashers who want to incite friendly fire on a strong brother who is on our own team. But, on the whole, the experience was positive and uplifting. The highlight of the Convention for me was the SBC Pastor's Conference. For some of you this might be considered torture...but to me it was absolute delight. For an entire day...all day long...I got to sit under powerful preaching from some of the leading voices in our denomination and beyond. My dad and I were literally sitting on the front row directly in front of the podium. The experience was like trying to get a sip of water from a gushing fire hydrant! The most awesome experience, to me, was David Platt's message on the state of the Church today. I highly encourage you to follow the link below to the video and watch. It might be the most impacting 35 minutes you'll ever spend. The Brother started off his message by quoting from the Psalms for a really long time...completely awesome! I watched it again 2 nights ago just because I needed to hear it again. If I'm ever sick and can't preach, Good Hopers will be watching this video message in my place.

For a video link to David Platt's message, click on the link below:

http://www.keithsewell.net/?p=121

With all of the good things, there was also some discouraging news that requires action from each of us. The Lottie Moon Christmas Offering is a special SBC offering that all churches in our denomination take up to support our international mission efforts. There was a 30 million dollar shortfall this past December, severely crippling the IMB from sending out new missionaries. We were told there are 2,000 missionaries who are "in the pipeline" to be sent out. Many of them have sold their homes, gone to school, and are waiting to be sent. At the present time, we can only send 300 of them to the field due to the budget shortfall. I am joining with other SBC pastors in calling for a "Christmas in August" special offering to make up for this shortfall. Good Hoper's, please be in prayer and prepare to give sacrificially so we can provide for our missionaries who are depending upon us for the resources to "go and tell." We can't let these guys down!!!

SERVE: Summer Missions

Summer is here! Can you believe it? It snuck up on me before I even knew it. Summer is a great time at Good Hope: VBS, the churchwide family campout at Hartwell, outdoor Home Group meetings, and church fellowships involving ice cream :) usally make for some great times in our summer calendar. We also like to spend quite a bit of time doing some kind of recreation or trips with our families. You deserve it and should relax a bit.
Having said that, I want you to also consider how you can use your summer to impact the world for the Gospel. I want you to experience the JOY of serving others in the name of Jesus. Hopefully your Home Group is carrying out an outreach for the "I (Heart) L.A." campaign in the coming weeks. Our Home Group is distributing bread tomorrow to some apartment complexes and trailer parks in the hope of sharing the Good News. Good Hope is offering some great opportunities to serve others and share the Gospel in the coming weeks. You'll never regret reaching out! There are a couple of mission opportunities available that I you want you to check out:

1) Vacation Bible School is a great outreach for our church. There will be many children and families from our community who will be on our campus that need to see we care. We have a real opportunity to reach these families for Jesus this week. You might not be a "children's ministry worker," but you might can help with crowd control or engaging parents as they drop off their kids each night. VBS starts this Sunday and runs through Thursday night. If you can help and haven't contacted Jody Slice, then jump in now and help out with this awesome outreach.

2) Backyard Bible Club is a little pet project that Sierra Sevy is coordinating this summer. Our plan is to do a weekly Bible club for a couple of hours in one of the local apartment complexes in Iva. She'll be doing this program the last 2 weeks of July and the first 2 weeks of August on Tuesdays. Let her know if you can help prepare lunches, lead/play games with kids, help with crafts, or teach Bible stories.

3) The Bluffton Mission Trip is an opportunity for you to help a new church plant in the Lowcountry of South Carolina. Our goal is to help Crosspoint Church in Bluffton do a jam up VBS. We'll need people to lead the various VBS stations: craft, snack, Bible lesson, and games. We also need some cooks to help us prepare the meals for the team and some skilled labor to help renovate a homeless shelter nearby. The dates for this trip are July 19-25 and the cost is about $100. Contact me if you're interested in this trip. Did I mention that Bluffton is one town over from Hilton Head? Come suffer for Jesus at the beach with me...

4) Our Firstfruits Ministry is getting off the ground. Beverly Arthur has been working to make this food pantry ministry a reality. We need perishable and non-perishable items to give away. (Remember to bring in those fruits and vegetables from your garden so we can give them away this summer!) We also need helpers to keep things organized and to walk clients through the process when they come on our distribution Sundays.

I know you can't do all of these things...but you can do something! Make sure you use your summer to make a difference for the Kingdom of God. You'll never regret serving others!

Basketball just isn't my thing...

I just got back from playing basketball with some of the guys from church. We do this on the first Thursdays of every month. Every time I go I realize just how bad I am at basketball. I'm short. I have poor aim. I try way too hard to make creative passes. In fact tonight I single-handedly blew a 6-4 lead by passing the ball to the opposing team 3 times in a row and then completely missing shots when I had the chance to shoot. We lost the game: 10-6.

I only played organized basketball for one season in 5th grade. I had 2 points the entire season. The coach was my neighbor and he would let me play the last 2 minutes of each game out of the kindness of his heart. Jim Goodman was a merciful coach. He pitied me. I say all of this to reiterate that my basketball game stinks...and that's okay. I'm not good at basketball... but I'm pretty good at other things:

I take really good pictures...lots of practice now with 3 kids.
I can relate with most people pretty well.
I usually can come up with some good ideas.
I'm a good dad to my kids.
I can run 3 miles now without feeling like I'm going to pass out or die.

Like I said, I've got some things I can do well. That's the way God made me. He did not make me to be an NBA player. The key is to know what I do well, what I was made to do, and then do those things to the best of my abilities. It'd be ridiculous for me to spend hours on the court trying to better my basketball game when I know that I'll never be that good at it. I need to work on my strengths and make those the best they can be instead of focusing on my weaknesses. Most of us try way too hard to make our weaknesses stronger when, at best, with lots of attention and training, all they'll be is mediocre. Meanwhile I'll have taken too much precious attention away from my strengths. Even my strengths suffer when I'm focusing on my weaknesses. Find out what you're good at and work hard there.

I think this thought can transfer to many areas of personal and organizational philosophy. As churches, we sometimes try way too hard to do many things when there a few things that we're made to do. We need to spend our precious resources (time, people, facilities, energy, and money) to do those things we were made to do and be. It's difficult to not spend energy on those areas/ministries/programs that will only be mediocre, at best, with lots and lots of attention. But sometimes we just have to eliminate our weaknesses in order to really focus on the few strengths that will help us grow. If we can get to that sweet spot as an organization, where our strengths are really humming, then we'll soar. Otherwise, we'll waste lots and lots of energy trying to maintain and improve the many mediocre things we feel that we have to maintain. Let's pick a few things and do them excellently!