I know I’m late to the party on this deal, but my alma mater, Missouri State University BEARS had a huge road win in Missouri Valley play. I love college basketball! Here is an ESPN update.

 

The Glades have been through a really difficult week or so with the murder of local business owner, Jimmy McMillan, followed by the armed robbery of a jewelry store the very next day. This is on the heels of an extremely bad 2011 with far too many violent crimes including a Saturday in December with two homicides in less than 12 hours. We are praying for a revival in this place and an end to the violence!

Here are some videos from just one of the news stations that were camped out in our church parking lot for the last few days at the visitation and funeral on Thursday and Friday as well as Monday night as we held a prayer walk for the Glades that went from our church to the Community United Methodist Church.

We are praying for an end to the senseless violence in our community. We are praying that there will be real revival here in the Glades that will be rooted in the true Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ.

What is beginning to happen here in the Church community is truly amazing! We are beginning to see true revival and repentance in the Christian community here in the Glades. The last three nights have seen three very powerful prayer events at three different churches in our community. What has been absolutely amazing is the start of an amazing unity that is being formed that goes far beyond race, economics and denominational affiliation.

We had a really good crowd on Monday night (which you could see on the video.) I was praying that we would not have a “let down” in attendance tonight as many of these things have a tendency to wain over time. I was absolutely amazed to see EVEN MORE people there tonight to go from Community United Methodist Church, past the Alabama Georgia Grocery (where the store owner was murdered), to St. John’s First Missionary Baptist Church. It was beautiful to see all races and ages gather together under the name of Jesus to beg God to touch our community. As pastor Robert Reese, pastor of St. John’s, said tonight, “this is a picture of what heaven might be like!”

Please be in prayer for Belle Glade and the communities of the Glades as we try to minister to this hurting community. We are having a prayer walk or prayer vigil each night through MLK celebration on Monday. I am feeling like we are going to have larger and larger crowds each night. I hope we can maintain this momentum and that the people will see a unified group of Christians here in the Church in the Glades.

Here are some pictures from the last several nights’ prayer meetings… (quality isn’t great…iPhone 3Gs…waiting for the iPhone 5 and Siri

 

Talk about a church and a pastor that is living out the gospel in its context! Pastor John Mark Clifton and the Wornall Road Baptist Church in Kansas City are having a “Longest Night” event to pray for the over 100 homicides in Kansas City this year. They are gathering to pray for the victims and their families as well as peace over their city. Check out their story of a church almost at death just 5 short years ago that has been reborn and is thriving, and making a huge impact in their community. They are a great motivation for me as I lead our church through similar change. Check them out on their website.

Here is a great interview of Bob Kauflin with the Desiring God guys on the Theology and Practice of Worship. If you have a few minutes it is well worth the time to watch the interview.  I have been preaching on worship for the last month or so and opened up our Christmas series talking about worship as well. It has been said that “worship is the activity of the human soul.” Everybody worships…the question is not “do we worship?,” but it is “what or whom is the object of that worship?.” We have found ourselves in the American Church with a real problem because we have placed an extremely high value on form and not so much on the theology and “God” behind the worship. We have these crazy things called “worship wars” that should never happen in the Church of Jesus Christ. We fight over the style of the worship, the dress of those leading, the instrumentation of the worship…all the while, the object of the worship is robbed of His deserved glory. I believe that there is always going to be a battle going on for our allegiance in worship. The Bible is pretty clear that (1) we have an enemy; and (2) he is battling hard to get the allegiance and affection that Christ deserves away from Christ and to any other thing that we might worship. The enemy is working overtime to get us distracted from the True object of worship–Jesus. We have had several really good conversations and discussions about worship here in this local body on Sunday nights following the messages, which is so good to see. We need to have honest discussions about worship in “spirit and truth.” One of our senior adults said it so well last night and basically quoted Paul in 1 Cor. 10:31 in our discussion. He said, “when you get up in the morning and have a drink of water…that is worship. When you go to your job…that is worship. When you have time with your family…that is worship.” Amazing time last night! Paul couldn’t have said it better himself!

    So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God. (1 Corinthians 10:31 ESV)

 

Check out this promo video from Advent Conspiracy. It is amazing what could happen if we would simply rethink how we do Christmas! Check out the site at adventconspiracy.org to see how you might “conspire” to have Christmas be different and better this year.

There are also some great ideas on how to give affordable gifts that you have made this Christmas at rethinkingchristmas.com.

This story breaks my heart. Just days after one of the biggest “Black Fridays” in history, there are millions of Americans who are out of work and living in their cars. This is the reality of ministry here in the Glades. This piece from 60 Minutes that aired last night looks at the situation through the eyes of the children involved. It is truly amazing to see the resolve in these children–but just as amazing to see them speaking as adults…dealing with adult problems as children.

As with anything in life, you can look at it as a problem or an opportunity. I hope that God will help me and others in the Church in Belle Glade to look at these “problems” as “opportunities” for God to do something extraordinary here in the Glades. This 60 Minutes piece is a powerful story of the reality of life for many people here in central and south Florida, but also many other places all across the country. I pray that this recession will force us to look to the Lord of Heaven and of Earth with fresh eyes and look to Him alone for help. May the song of the Psalmist be our prayer.

    I lift up my eyes to the hills.
From where does my help come?
My help comes from the LORD,
who made heaven and earth.
(Psalm 121:1-2 ESV)

 

Here is a little update from Andy Stanley on North Point Community Church’s Be Rich Campaign. They had a goal of $1 million that would go to four specific causes. The second part of the campaign besides simply raising a bunch of money was for their church to serve a ton of hours all over the world. Check it out and marvel at what happens when God’s people get together to do something only God can do through them. Wouldn’t it be amazing if these kinds of things would happen in YOUR community too? I think it could happen…if we took the Bible and the Holy Spirit seriously about what we are truly called to be as the Body of Christ.

Command them to do good, to BE RICH in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share.” (1 Timothy 6:18)

I am currently in a coaching network and feel like I am drinking out of a fire hydrant right now with all I am learning. One of the big ideas over the last month or  so is on stewardship and specifically the idea of a Christmas Offering. Many churches are in the process of gearing up for their annual Christmas Offering and North Point Community Church is no different. They have been doing their “Be Rich” campaign almost from the beginning of the church. It is based on the scripture out of 1 Timothy, where Paul tells us to “Command them to do good, to BE RICH in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share.” (1 Timothy 6:18)

I “went to church” on Sunday night after NEEWOLLAH online and watched the message as they kicked off this year’s “Be Rich” campaign. It is great to see the passion to reach people starting there in Atlanta, GA, where they are located and then that passion spreading all around the world. I really like the way they have settled on 4 main issues that they are going to focus on with the offering: Sickness, Hunger, Poverty, and Children At Risk.

We are gearing up for our new budget year and it is astounding what could happen if we would all do our part to share with others. Here is a great promo video for their campaign with a great song written by Eddie Kirkland as its theme.

Here is a slideshow of pictures from last night’s outreach party we had at church called NEEWOLLAH. I am so thankful for a great group of volunteers who love Jesus and love this community. You will get a chance to see some of the great people who make up this great community in the Glades.

BTW, the camera adds 40 pounds! Actually, I need to lay off the Southern food and sweet tea! Also, there are several of Taylor’s football teammates in the pictures wearing their red Bears jerseys. There is also a sighting of Keith Stone as well.  Enjoy!

Really excited to see the Extreme Makeover that is happening in Joplin, MO with SEVEN houses built in 7 days! The project manager is a friend and former classmate of mine, Sam Clifton. We went to the same church together and were in high school band together as well. He is also the mayor of Nixa, MO.

Sam has been building homes for many years now and this is actually his second build with Extreme Home Makeover. What a good guy and what a great cause! Here are some video interviews from the Springfield ABC affiliate KSPR. Can’t wait to see the episode when it comes out this year!