Two Great Organizations to Support

While at the Catalyst Conference two weeks ago, I was certainly moved by two organizations that are making a difference in our world - Hope International and Compassion International.  Let me tell you a little about each.

Hope International is “a Christian faith-based, 501(c)(3) non-profit organization focused on alleviating physical and spiritual poverty through microenterprise development.”  In other words, they collect donations and then LOAN that money out to entrepreneurs in impoverished situations.  The small loans enable these men and women to grow their businesses and support their families.  The loans, of course, are paid back.  The money is then recycled into another loan to help another family.  Wow.  Great idea.  At Catalyst, Hope International gave away over $120,ooo to the Catalyst attendees (approximately 13,000 of us).  Each person received $10 and then was challenged to turn their $10 into $100 and send it back to Hope to become a loan for a needy family.  That $120,000 has the potential to become 1.2 million if all of us successfully multiply our gift.  To learn more about the microlending program, visit their site at www.neverendinghope.org.

Compassion International is an organization most of us have already heard of.  Compassion offers the opportunity to sponsor children in poverty at the cost of $38 per month.  Each sponsorships helps provide opportunitiy for education, health living, and connection with a church family that will help the child understand the love and grace of God through His Son Jesus.  At Catalyst, I had the opportunity to witness the live testimony of a young Kenyan man named Jimmy who was sponsored through Compassion and who’s life was changed.  There at Catalyst, as Jimmy shared his story, he also got to meet his sponsor there on stage in an incredible emotional exchange of tears and gratitude.  To see this powereful moment, click here.

Just two weeks ago, we collected a special offering at church.  Over $450 was donated to send $100 to Hope International and to sponsor a child through Compassion.  Our childs name is Frank January Manyanda.  He is pictured above.  He i s 7 years old and lives in Tanzania.  When we receive our sponsorship packet, I will let you know how you can contribute and support Frank through our church.

Thank you all for giving!

FPU Preview Class

Last night was our preview class for Dave Ramsey’s Financial Peace University.  We watched a 23-minute introductory video with Dave.  He does a really great job engaging his audience and breaking down the walls we might have to listening to his advice on improving our financial lives.  A couple of things Dave said in the video have stuck with me. 

1. He asked us all to stand up, close our eyes, and point in the direction we thought was north.  Then we were to open our eyes and see where everyone was pointing.  Funny thing – we were pointing in every which direction!  Dave’s point was that a lot of times we just don’t know what direction we are headed and that can be disasterous – especially financially.  His goal is to get us headed “north” financial – to get on track.  I know I can do better with the finances I’m blessed to earn/have, but I’m not so sure I know where “north” is yet!
2. Dave said something to the effect of “No matter where any of us are in our financial lives, we can all do at least a little bit better.”  How true.  We may or may not be in financial dire straits, but we can do better.  And who wouldn’t want to do better?

Anyway…there is STILL TIME to sign up to be a part of FPU. Click here and register online at our website for best price.  We’d love to help you reach “financial peace.”

My Bumper Crop

So, gardening has always had this strange appeal to me.  So this spring/summer, I finally got around to planting some things.  I planted some tomatoes, cucumbers and a watermelon.  So far, so good.  The cucumbers reached “maturity” today, so I harvested.  I think I had nine total, but I left one on the vine hoping that it continues to grow.  The tomatoes still have at least 3 weeks left, and probably five more for the watermelon.  My little man (Jackson) and I have enjoyed going out to check our garden each day and view the progress.

Anyway…you see the two pics of my cucumbers.  The one pic is representative of my lack of photography skills.  The other snap is inspired by my favorite food blogger, Abbie K!  You can check out her great photograhpy and recipes here!

A “suped up” Donkey???

This past Sunday, Pastor Matt pointed out that at the “Last Supper”, Jesus knew that he was only hours from death.  He knew he was going to die.  Yet what did he choose to do?  He chose to serve.

The evening meal was being served, and the devil had already prompted Judas Iscariot, son of Simon, to betray Jesus. Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under his power, and that he had come from God and was returning to God; so he got up from the meal, took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around his waist. After that, he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around him.  John 13:2-5

To paraphrase Pastor Matt, he didn’t throw a party or do something reckless like “find a ’suped up’ donkey and see how fast he could get it to go.”  He chose to set an example for his disciples and others by living a consistent life self-sacrifice and service to others.

What a powerful life lesson.  Hopefully, none of us have just a few hours to live, but many, many years.  But we still have a choice.  How are we going to live?  For ourselves?  For others?   For God?  As a servant?

If you haven’t yet learned the life lesson that “It’s not about you”, I hope you’ll learn it today.  As Jesus is credited with saying, “It is more blessed to give than to receive” (Acts 20:35).  Give your life away today.  Give it to God.  Don’t take it back.  You’ll never regret living for Him.

Also, don’t forget to check out Pastor Matt’s new blog!

New Sermon Series – My Heart, Christ’s Home

Have you ever had “house guests?”  You know – the in-laws come to stay for a week, or that weird friend who needs a place to crash for a few days?  For that time period, your life is not the same.  Someone has invaded your space, your home.  Generally, we have to make some adjustments to accommodate our guest(s).

The same is true for those of us who choose to become followers of Jesus.  The Bible says, “Then Christ will make his home in your heart…”   (Ephesians 3:17, NLT)  The faith life begins as Jesus enters the “home of our hearts.”  At first, it can be a really easy decision to make the short-term, necessary adjustments for Jesus to feel at home in our lives.  But as time goes on, we sometimes become uncomfortable with our new houseguest.   Does he really expect us to open our entire lives to Him?  What does it mean for Him to be truly at home in our hearts?  How can we find alignment between his desires and our own?

In this new message series, we will take a look at what it can be like for Jesus to become our permanent houseguest.  What are the adjustments that we can make?  How we make these adjustments?  Will He really ask me to make THAT adjustment?!?  These are questions we will answer as Jesus settles into the home of our hearts and we introduce him to the different rooms of our lives: the study, the living room, the dining room, the bedroom, the workshop, the rec room and the hall closet.

Should be fun!

Success!

Don’t you love it when a plan comes together?  (I believe that’s a line from the “A-Team”).  Congrats to Pastor Matt who has successfully gotten the Bridge’s website “above the fold” on Google when someone searches to find a church in the Morrisville area!  Previously, before Pastor Matt attended some seminars by Frank Reed at the Morrisville Chamber of Commerce, our website rarely, if ever, showed up in the top ten PAGES of a google search of churches in Morrisville, NC.  It was frustrating not having our website appear for people to find who might be searching for a church in our area.  And it’s not that we are in competition with other churches in our area, or even think we are the “best” church.  We believe that it takes all kinds of churches to reach all kinds of people with the good news that God loves people and wants them to know Him.  But, anyway…what is the point of having a website if people can’t find it?  We pay to have the site, and think it’s a decent site (primarily maintained by our worship leader Cary), so why not work to make it easy for people to find it?

So, good job Matt.  Now let’s work to get our church to show up on the Google map!!!

*Unfortunately, our site won’t always come up at the top just yet, but will move down the page or to the next page depending on any number of factors.  If you want to help us stay at the top, visit our website and also link to our website from your website or blog!

Dinner and a Show!

A few years ago, when “youth pastor” was one of the many hats I got to wear,  our youth minstry put on a dinner theatre called “Dinner at Luigi’s.”  I got pegged for the part of “Luigi.”  I was a cranky Italian cook who ran a restaurant.  It was the easiest of all the characters.  I pretty much had one line.  Throughout the show,  I would occasionally step out of the kitchen (from offstage) and yell “Whatsa matter for you, eh!” at the other characters.  It was a bit of comic relief.

Anyway…my former youth ministry is back in the theatre business again.  They are performing another show to help the teens raise money for their mission trip to Alaska.  Their mission in Alaska will be both repairing homes of the poor or elderly, and coordinating backyard Bible clubs for a number of communities.  If you’d like to help these kids get to Alaska, buy some tickets to their newest show, “Jerusalem P.D.”   It is a take off on the old TV show “Dragnet”, complete with “Joe Thursday.”  Tickets are $15 each.  Dinner includes steak, potato, bread, salad, dessert, etc.  Chances are the acting won’t be ready for the Durham Performing Arts Center, but should be a fair night of entertainment with some good food. 

There will be two showings – Friday, May 22nd, and Saturday, May 23rd, both at 6:30pm.  Let me know if you’d like to go.  Tickets are required as seating will be limited.  Make checks payable to “Ephesus Baptist Church” and put “Youth Mission Trip” in the memo line.

HGTV Dream Home Giveaway Sweepstakes

Desperately Impractical

This past Sunday in our “Desperate House Lives” sermon series, I made the point that always being practical can be a romance killer in our marriages.  Sometimes, you’ve just got to be impractical!  I want to applaud two desperately impractical couples in our church – Cary and Amanda Penrose and Dan and Katie Griffin.

Cary and Amanda are the worship leaders at our church.  Both are in seminary, Amanda works fulltime, and Cary works at The Bridge and at another part-time job.  Wow.  That is busy.  They don’t have any children yet, which gave them the opportunity to do something very impractical – something all of us probably wish we would have the impracticality to do:  they drove to California and back over a period of ten days!  Of course, they made several touristy stops along the way, but what a valuable model of impracticality.  I mean, who drives to California?  For fun?  That’s crazy!  But what an opportunity to travel, see the USA, and spend some valuable time bonding with your spouse!  “Way to Go” Cary and Amanda!

Dan and Katie Griffin are taking impracticality to a whole new level!  Dan and Katie are both currently jobless, but due to their apparent adeptness towards financial freedom (check out Dan’s side job – www.savvydollar.org) , they are taking a 5 month vacation that begins in New Zealand!  Are you serious?  Yes!  Dan and Katie are newly weds, without kids, and have the guts to take advantage of an opportunity of impractical proportions that they may never get again!  And why not?!?  Our number one relationship and responsibility after God is our spouse.  Doing impractical things that show we love each other, build the relationship, and make memories is a great way to keep romance alive in our relationships and our marriages healthy.

I know that not all of can be as impractical as the Penrose’s and Griffin’s, but all of us can learn from their example.  Here are some ideas for being impractical as a couple:

• Take a vacation.  You really do need it.
• Go to that expensive restaurant on a birthday or anniversary.  Celebrate!
• Let the grass grow an extra week and take a day trip somewhere one Saturday.
• Plan a coffee date with your spouse.  Pay for a babysitter or work an exchange with another couple where you watch their kids in return for their watching yours.
• Practice the 10 second kiss!
• Do something – something different.

Your marriage is too valuable.  Keep the romance alive.  Become a student of your spouse.  Be a servant in your home.  God wants to move your marriage from “Desperate House Lives” to “Dream Marriage.”  It can happen.  But is takes work.  And impracticality.

Eat BBQ, Do Good.

Okay, so I borrowed today’s blog title from Land of a Thousand Hills Coffee.  Their tag line is “Drink Coffee, Do Good.”  I hope you’ll do that, but I hope you’ll also eat some BBQ and do some good for some friends of mine.  The Ephesus Baptist Church Youth Department is raising money for their mission trip to Alaska.  If you love Eastern North Carolina BBQ like I do, you don’t want to miss this opportunity.  Be sure to drop by Ephesus Baptist on Friday, May 1, from 11am to 7pm to pick up some BBQ.  As a eastern NC BBQ connoisseur(click here for must see video), I have a hard time finding BBQ around here that I deem adequate.  So, I will not miss getting some of the real McCoy from the EBC youth on May 1.  You can call in orders, pick it up, have it delivered, deliver it to your friends and/or coworkers – whatever.  The food is great and you’ll be helping a great cause.

And while I’m on the subject of area BBQ, here’s my top places to go for good (notice my emphatic emphasis of good with bold, italics and underlining!) eastern NC style BBQ:

• Barbeque Lodge.  On Capital Blvd. in Raleigh, the Barbeque Lodge is my first choice for the Raleigh area (right now) for BBQ.  And don’t just get the BBQ – order family style.  It’s the way to go.  And, as a bonus, they have corn sticks (which I know means nothing to many of you!)
• Ron’s Barn in Coats.  It’s a whale of a drive out to Ron’s Barn, but some great country cooking and BBQ.
• Backyard Bistro.  The Bistro is a brand new restaurant that just opened on Trinity Road in Raleigh, next to the RBC Center.  A friend of mine is the owner and supplier of BBQ there (he also is cooking the BBQ for the EBC fundraiser!).
• Old Time BBQ.   Old Time is on Hillsborough St. in Raleigh.  Not my absolute favorite, but it’ll do.
• Smokey’s BBQ Shack.  Honorable mention – Smokey’s on Highway 54 in Morrisville.  Smokey’s is not, I repeat, is not, eastern NC style BBQ, but it is one of the rare BBQ that isn’t eastern NC style that I like.  Great food.  Check it out.

That’s eat.  If you’re hungry, give me a call!