Armor of God

I'm excited about a series of sermons I will be preaching over the next several weeks. All of us face difficulties, hardships, whatever. And often this is because of spiritual warfare. In Paul's letter to teh Ephesians, God gives us great wisdom concerning oru preparation for these battles with Satan.

Impacting Eternity at the Cross Road of Life

Valentines Banquet

Global Missions

This morning I have attended the weekly ministers' breakfast for Pulaski Baptist Association (PBA) churches. We talked about mission trips. There are plenty of opportunities for us to get involved.

Other churches in our association are taking groups to New Orleans as early as late-February. We can partner with them to share travel expenses or plan a trip ourselves. There are many ways to put this trip together. I'll meet with those of you who are interested to make plans.

I want to plan a trip in the summer so that our Youth can be involved. There will be plenty of construction work through August along with VBS/Evangelism and yardwork. We can plan the trip around the abilities of those interested. Be looking for planning meetings over the next few weeks.

PBA is also planning "Reach Out Sheridan" which is a mission/ministry based youth event scheduled for June 10-14. Youth will stay in Sheridan throughout the event. They will have many different ministry opportunities: painting, yardwork, powerwashing sidewalks, backyard Bible clubs, etc. There will be a rally each night featuring Christian bands and speakers. This is a great opportunity for the youth to experience hands-on missions at a fraction of the cost of similar events. Adults can be involved as chaperones/counselors or work project coordinators. Chaperones/counselors will stay onsite with the youth; work project coordinators may stay or travel back and forth each day.

Children also have a chance to do missions by participating in the Little Rock Builders project at Camp Paron. They'll paint and fix up around the camp and have lots of fun. This is a one-day event in April.

Deana and I had a great time on the "Paint the Town" trip to New York last year. This year the emphasis is on Cleveland, Ohio. "Fresh Coat Cleveland" is planned for September. Volunteers will be painting houses for the needy. PBA will be sending details regarding the package they will provide; or we can plan our own trip.

Another opportunity is in Mexico with "Operation Hope" in Santiago Papasquiaro. Last year, PBA began prayer walking the city, passing out tracts and scriptures, and showing the Jesus film. Hundreds were saved. But the need is still great. This year we will continue with the initial evangelism efforts but also work toward discipling the new believers and establishing churches. Many of the churches that participated last year have already scheduled trips for this year. We can easily partner with one of them and join the work in progress.

And we have VBS and summer camps for children and youth. Adults needed for volunteers!

The Great Commission is our call to be involved in missions. Through Cross Road Baptist Church, Pulaski Baptist Association, the Arkansas Baptist State Convention, the North American Mission Board, and the International Mission Board we have ample possibilities.

How will you be involved?

Impacting Eternity at the Cross Road of Life

I'm Back

What a trip! The 17 pastors and lay people who went on the trip to New Orleans experienced some of the Katrina aftermath, the Arkansas Baptist Builders reconstruction work, and the famous New Orleans cuisine.

First, the Katrina aftermath. The areas we visited had been impacted differently by the hurricane. Here is a short list of the areas:
-The Gentilly Baptist Church was flooded for almost three weeks with 7 feet of water. The furnishing of every room on the bottom floor was ruined. Much of the things on the second and third floors were also ruined – not by flood waters but by mold that grew in the moisture that permeated the building.
-A man living across the street from Gentilly Baptist Church has just now returned to his home – after 16 months. His home had been flooded like the church but there has been not effort to stop the growth and spread of the mold and no other clean-up effort. Much of the framing of his home is damaged.
-Many blocks have only one or two houses whose owners have returned. Because of this, you can drive for blocks in what looks like a ghost town. You can tell which homeowners have returned by the FEMA trailers sitting in the yard next to the house. For as much as 16 months, these people have been living in the FEMA trailers which are only slightly larger than modest travel trailer. Some deer hunters live in larger quarters at camp.
-The 9^th Ward. You’ve heard about and even seen it. This was the neighborhood most dramatically affected when the levies broke. Home to very poor people, the 9^th Ward was the backdrop for many network news reports. This is where people were trapped in their attics or stranded on bridges.
-Every building was marked with an “X” and details about the authorities’ inspections of the properties in the days immediately following the flood. One quadrant of the “X” contains the date of the inspection, such as “9/10.” Another quadrant contains a reference to which authority inspected the property, such as “CA” for the California National Guard. Another quadrant contains the number of bodies found in the home, such as “0” but not always. These marks were left with spray paint scrawled like graffiti. “1 dog dead” caught our eye.
-The New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary has recovered quickly and is now at about 95% functionality. We toured the campus with a professor – who is also the pastor of Gentilly Baptist Church. The high corner of the campus had only a small circle of grass around an oak tree above water in the days following the hurricane. The low end was 8 feet under water. The Library did not flood but rainwater blew in through broken windows. This was enough moisture to create a huge mold problem with 400,000 books because the campus was without power for many days – and so, no HVAC to condition the air. A group of WMU volunteers wiped down every page of every book with a substance to kill the mold. Baptists are good people!

Second, the Arkansas Baptist Builders reconstruction work. We met with the leaders who are on the ground who manage the reconstruction. Tools and material are available for anyone who will come to work. Groups had left earlier in the week and a group from Jonesboro arrived the day before we did. We followed them to the job site Friday morning to see how the operation works. For volunteers, this works with little confusion or down time. It must be the Lord clearing the way! Dennis and his wife manage the housing and meals. The facilities are very good. It won’t compete with a Holiday Inn but we didn’t come on vacation. It’s comfortable and clean. And the food is good. Home cooked breakfast gets the workday started. They will pack sandwiches for you to take to the job. I’m not sure what the evening meals consist of because we ate out on the town Thursday night. More about that later. The housing facility had a game room stocked with plenty of games, magazines, and a television – more than you’ll want to do for entertainment after a long day’s work.

Third, the famous New Orleans cuisine. You can’t go to New Orleans – even on a mission project – without a little taste of the town. We went to Drago’s which is a seafood restaurant – a very good one. Eighteen of us (we had a guest from the Louisiana state convention joined us) piled into an upstairs dining room along with about 15 former (maybe some current) New Orleans Saints football players. The Saints are in the NFC championship game this weekend and there was some kind of party going on. This was the only chance we had to do anything resembling tourism but there are lots of choices. I can’t imagine the city returning anytime soon to its former economic activity but there are enough businesses open to accommodate the smaller population plus the thousands of volunteers inhabiting the city.

The highlight of the trip for most of us was visiting “Deacon.” He spoke at our 2006 state convention meeting thanking Arkansas Baptists for adopting New Orleans. His home is almost renovated and he is so thankful to God and to us. Before we left his home we joined hands, filling the small room, and Deacon led in prayer. We felt like we had stood in God’s presence in worship by the time he said, “Amen.”

Even though you and I have not done anything in person to help, we have contributed to the Cooperative Program so we have helped in this way. And we have prayed. Now it is time to go.

Impacting Eternity at the Cross Road of Life

PBA Meeting & Joint Services

The Executive Board of Pulaski Baptist Association met yesterday for lunch and business.  Not much business to report but the catfish was piled high!

During the Annual Meeting last November, the Finance Committee was asked to determine if PBA had the funds available to purchase a bus or van.  The committee reported yesterday that we do have the funds.  They also moved that Danny Johnson, association missionary, appoint a committee to make recommendations concerning the actual purchase and use of the vehicle.  The motion passed.  We can expect to hear another recommendation at the next Executive Board meeting to be held in April.

I sat with Jay Weaver, pastor of Martindale Baptist Church, during the luncheon.  We talked about the joint community services for Easter and Thanksgiving.  We’ll be hosting both services.  Jay will bring the Easter message and Joe Berry, pastor of Holly Springs Baptist Church will bring the Thanksgiving message.  We provide the music and arrange the details of the meal/refreshments.  Easter is on Apirl 8 so we’ll start planning soon for that.  I’ll look for your input regarding what we’ve done in the past and what you would like to do this year.

Impacting Eternity at the Cross Road of Life

Great Day Sunday

I hope you were there Sunday morning to participate in the baptismal service. It is very humbling to step into those waters with people who are beginning a lifelong walk with Jesus Christ. It is also a great honor to administer this wonderful ordinance of the church. This is one of the times I thank God for calling me into pastoral ministry.

Observing another's baptism is also an inspiring time for me. I always think back to my salvation and baptism. That was almost 35 years ago but I remember clearly what happened to me. My salvation changed my life; my baptism proclaimed the change. My prayer today is that my life demonstrates the change. God is good.

Can you remember when you first believed in Christ as your Savior and Lord? The level of memory detail varies from person to person but every Christian person should have some memory of it. Spend some time in prayer thanking God for your salvation and asking for additional vivid memories of the day you accepted His Son as your Savior. Then rejoice in it and tell someone about it...over and over again.

Impacting Eternity at the Cross Road of Life

SONshine New Orleans

I will be in New Orleans on Thursday and Friday, January 18-19, as part of a vision team from Pulaski Baptist Association. Currently, Arkansas Baptists are working in New Orleans building and repairing houses in areas severely affected by hurricane Katrina. The vision team will look at the work site and volunteer housing facility then return home to mobilize our churches.

This will be a wonderful opportunity for you to participate in a hands-on mission project that is relatively close to home and very inexpensive - only $20 per week for room and board. I hope you'll join me in this area of great need. You do not have to possess carpentry skills to be qualified to participate so don't let that deter you from volunteering.

I'm looking forward to being with you Sunday when I'll share with you what I've learned on this trip.

Impacting Eternity at the Cross Road of Life

Start Planning Now

Here are some opportunities you may want to participate in. Posters are on the bulletin board in the hallway.

Touch a Life (Arkansas Baptist State Convention) is a skill and leadership workshop designed to use recreation and community ministry to reach people and meet needs. The training equips people for local ministry as well as missions beyond the local church. This will be a good conference for everyone, especially those involved in the women’s and men’s missions organizations.

March 2 & 3, 2007
Geyer Springs First Baptist Church
Little Rock
$15 per person

Spring 2007 Jubilee Conference
For Mature & Senior Adults
Music & Speaking by: Dr. Jerry Vines, Lynda Randle, Dino, Dr. Johnny Hunt, Legacy Five, Carl Hurley, Squire Parsons

April 23-25, 2007
Tri-Lakes Conference Center
Branson
Pricing Options starting at $129 per person (4 per room)

How Great is Our God TOUR
Chris Tomlin, Matt Redman, Louie Giglio

March 22 at 7:30 pm
Church at Rock Creek
Little Rock

Advance ticket prices are $20 and $26

New Orleans Needs Our Help

The recovery work in New Orleans is far from finished.  Arkansas Baptists were some of the first on sight after Katrina hit sixteen months ago and we are still there meeting needs and loving people.  A huge effort going on now is in construction.  This came from the Arkansas Baptist State Convention today:

“Between now and the end of August, 2007, you can show the love of Jesus to the people of New Orleans through the Arkansas Baptist Builders ministry.  Onsite supervisors will train you to install insulation and sheetrock.  If you are a plumber, electrician or have another construction trade, we can use your help!

Adults and students from the 7^th grade up are invited!  Cost is $20 per person for a WEEK, plus transportation.

Others are needed to help with evangelism, VBS, and more.”

I will be going to New Orleans on January 18-19 as part of the Pulaski Baptist Association’s vision team.  We can begin planning right away to take groups down to work.  As of 1/3/07 the weeks beginning on Saturday Jan 6, Jan 13, Mar 10, and Mar 17 are fully booked.  Otherwise, the calendar is wide open and full of opportunity.

Your Cooperative Program dollars and Dixie Jackson offering already support this work.  To our GIVING let’s add GOING and PRAYING.

If you can help with the construction, evangelism, or VBS please let me know as soon as possible.  We’ll put a Coordination Team together for this mission project soon.

Impacting Eternity at the Cross Road of Life

 

Invite Someone to Church This Week

a word from Arkansas Baptist Foundation

Baptism

We've had a three people receive Christ as Savior over that last couple of weeks so on January 14 we'll baptize during the morning worship service. Baptism is an act of obedience for the believer as he identifies with Christ and publicly proclaims his salvation. It is a moving and celebratory time in the church when we not only witness the new believers' baptism but recall our own. I'll never forget the day Jesus saved me!

January Bible Study

Join me for a study of the Epistles of the
Apostle John each Sunday night in
January and February
during the Evening Worship.

Fun Night

We had a great time at the Watchnight Party. There were at least 37 people there with 23 praying in the new year. Thanks to all of you who came, brought food, played, or prayed.

Impacting Eternity at the Cross Road of Life