From Charles H. Spurgeon

My sweet Lord Jesus remembers well the garden of Gethsemane, and although he has left that garden, he now dwells in the garden of his church: there he unbosoms himself to those who keep his blessed company. That voice of love with which he speaks to his beloved is more musical than the harps of heaven. There is a depth of melodious love within it which leaves all human music far behind. Ten of thousands on earth, and millions above, are indulged with its harmonious accents. Some whom I well know, and whom I greatly envy, are at this moment hearkening to the beloved voice. O that I were a partaker of their joys! It is true some of these are poor, others bedridden, and some near the gates of death, but O my Lord, I would cheerfully starve with them, pine with them, or die with them, if I might but hear thy voice. Once I did hear it often, but I have grieved thy Spirit. Return unto me in compassion, and once again say unto me, “I am thy salvation.” No other voice can content me; I know thy voice, and cannot be deceived by another, let me hear it, I pray thee. I know not what thou wilt say, neither do I make any condition, O my Beloved, do but let me hear thee speak, and if it be a rebuke I will bless thee for it. Perhaps to cleanse my dull ear may need an operation very grievous to the flesh, but let it cost what it may I turn not from the one consuming desire, cause me to hear thy voice. Bore my ear afresh; pierce my ear with thy harshest notes, only do not permit me to continue deaf to thy calls. To-night, Lord, grant thine unworthy one his desire, for I am thine, and thou hast bought me with thy blood. Thou hast opened mine eye to see thee, and the sight has saved me. Lord, open thou mine ear. I have read thy heart, now let me hear thy lips.

Mark Yancy

Mark was saved in his home 2 weeks ago after attending one of our services. He is going through a rough time with his current employment. It seems the new owners are replacing all the former employees. Mark has two girls that he takes care of by himself, and needs a new job. Please pray with me that Mark learns to depend on his new DADDY during this trying time. Mark is getting baptized on Sunday!

Hilarious Clinton

I agree with Gov. Huckabee that there is nothing funny about Hilary Clinton becoming president. As Christians we need to be praying for our country as we prepare to elect our next president. It almost seems that we are watching American Idol and not understanding the seriousness of what is at stake. We are in a serious time and transition that should not be taken lightly. From terrorism to the complete moral decline of the younger generation I fear the future for my kids! We better keep God and his standards as our rule and action plan or we will say, “GOOD BYE TO THE USA THAT WAS ONCE SO GREAT”. One individual at a time and one church at a time we can make a difference, but we must speak up in these crucial times!

My prayer: God, please cause your people to take a stand in these last days and impact change in this great country! In Jesus Name, Amen.

BTW- I heard that the Hilary Clinton costume was voted the scariest of all Halloween costumes.

Revival

We kicked off our Revival last night with a great crowd! We met in the altar for prayer, had a baptismal service, Lori, her sisters and mom led us in worship, and Roger Copeland preached it like it was the last time he would ever preach again! Please pray for us the next couple of days as we seek to get closer to our Jesus!

Does this post have too many exclamation marks???

A Great Place To Be...

One of the destinations that I am working hard to arrive at is "OLDYOUNGUNITY". Oldyoungunity is the place where both the older and younger generations come together for the same purpose! This is a hard island to find, but we are constantly looking at the compass trying to head in the right direction.

Unity in the church is a must! Without unity a church cannot experience consistent life change and spiritual growth. Unity is the third session in our membership seminar. Every person interested in becoming a part of TBC must go through the membership seminar before they "unite" with us. Church life is way to serious to miss out on this crucial opportunity (membership seminar)!

We had 8 people who started the membership seminar Sunday afternoon. Mark attended our friend day service and was saved last Thursday in his home. Brandy, who has Pentecostal background, will be baptized on Sunday for sure. I am hoping four others will be baptized with her (including Mark). Dustin who has Church of Christ background hasn't made his decision yet (baptism). Please pray that he will join the excitment!

"Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace." Ephesians 4:3

Pastoral Preaching

Today I was thinking about what kind of preaching I do-I decided to call it Pastoral Preaching. My style is linked to my responsibility. A shepherd is a guide and protector that helps the sheep get from one place to another, feed, drink, laydown, rest, and ultimately produce something that is going to benefit others (the wool). My preaching isn't, "this is what the Bible says-like it or lump it", but "this is why (the Bible says such and such) and how we can have an abundant life with Christ on this earth (here and now)."

All my messages focus on living the Christian life. All messages include some evangelistic challenge. All messages conclude with an invitation to enjoy life with God by submitting to His commands. I guess since I am preaching through books of the Bible it would be called Expository Pastoral Preaching.

I am not a scholar but I do believe my Shepherd helps me be the shepherd He wants me to be to His people!

"The elders who are among you I exhort, I who am a fellow elder and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and also a partaker of the glory that will be revealed: Shepherd the flock of God which is among you, serving as overseers, not by compulsion but willingly, not for dishonest gain but eagerly; nor as being lords over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock; and when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that does not fade away." I Peter 5:1-4

Regarding My Last Post

My comment about the "cultural church wave" has to do with leaders and churches that see one church do something and think, "hey we should do that"... hear one mainstream leader say or write something and say, "hey that sounds good"... then they make it their new philosophy or position without ever consulting God and the Scriptures. I am not opposed to doing new things or being different, but I certainly want confirmation from God that He's in it before I run with it!

What Is The Best Way To Do Ministry?

Answer: Listen to God!

I'm on my soap box again. I get fed up with people that think they must ride the cultural church wave to reach people. It is obvious that if we ask God for His help and listen to His answer (to us personally and specifically) He will help us do HIS WILL-which is to save people with the gospel. The following formula seems to work for me.

1. Prayer and Openness to God's Spirit (with clean hands and a pure heart listen to God)

2. Openness to Change When God Says Change (certain things change over time)

3. Determination To Be An Example Not A Spectator (as an individual and church)

4. Evangelistic Preaching (the whole Bible is evangelistic)

5. Consistency (in teaching, training leaders, and example)

6. Biblical (don't promote or bank on a philosophy that contradicts scripture)

If you are trying to be the man of God that He wants you to be let 2 Timothy 3:16-17 sink in deep.

My prayer: God help me to constantly evaluate my spiritual walk with YOU, my motive, and performance in ministry according to your terms. Keep me in check! In Jesus Name. Amen.

Thelma Hamby

Thelma Jean Hamby went home to be with the Lord on Oct. 7, 2007. Thelma was one of the best church members at TBC. She never complained about anything although she battled cancer for 7 years. I saw FAITH today! Elgin, her husband, and all the close knit family overwhelmed me with their hope in the Lord. I pray that someone trusted Christ or will soon as a result of today's service. Thelma is celebrating with her Jesus, but we will miss her!

Journal Download

I have been at Temple for one year today. The following list is a recap of the major details of what God has been doing in our church since last October.

• Lives have been changed through a variety of ministries.
• Our average attendance has increased by over 30%. We frequently run in the 120’s on Sunday mornings in comparison to 85 (which included two families that have moved from the area) a year ago.
• Our high before September 30th was 150.
• On September 30th we had over 200 people and one profession of faith.
• We have seen at least 25 professions of faith.
• We have had 27 additions (14 baptisms).
• We have restored a family that had a terrible experience with sin.
• We have started two new bible studies through the week for men and women.
• We have implemented Faith Evangelism with 8 teams making home visits.
• We have built 4 new class rooms in our education building.
• We built an additional gravel parking lot.
• We have started Faith Promise Giving and over doubled our mission’s offerings.
• We started supporting Jeremy Flanagan and Pathway Baptist in Fayetteville, AR.
• We took our first mission trip with 19 people (Fredericksburg, VA). We saw several professions of faith from this trip!
• Tommy Slinker’s life was transformed then shortly after he surrendered to the ministry.
  

Thank you Lord for working in my life and empowering me to lead TBC to get involved with you and your kingdom work! In Jesus Name. Amen.

We Doubled Our Attendance

Sunday was great! With this once a year evangelism pool we were able to almost double our current attendance. We had around 100 unchurched people at Temple on Sunday Morning. The best was that atleast one that I know of trusted Christ as Savior!

We are walking out the door... I will write more later.

This next week will be one of my most exciting weeks of the year!

Sunday will be the climax of our 7 week evangelism campaign. We are expecting a record number of people to show up. Please pray for God to change lives!

Monday is opening day of bow season. The other day I sat in my stand to see what was happening and I had 8 deer eating under me at 15 yards. Wow!

Family Life!

If there is one thing that pastors need more than anything it is a healthy family life! Sometimes we get so busy that spending time with family becomes a thing of the past. This doesn't mean that we shouldn't be busy-it just means that we must make the best of every moment with our family during those times we are busy. I personally need to work on not being so tired from business that I'm useless when I'm around my family.

My goal (with two young children) is to motivate (help) my family to serve the Lord with me, and have fun while doing it! A lot of preachers say that the family wasn't called into ministry... blah-blah-blah... Joshua said, "As for me and my house we are going to serve the Lord!"

Lord, please give me the strength and wisdom to be the Husband, Father, and Pastor that you have called me to be. Also, lead my children to the cross and give them the faith to believe in your one of a kind Son. After they trust you-give them the teaching, strength, and desire to serve you with all their heart. In Jesus name. Amen!

My Wife Is The Greatest

I love my wife! I got to lead her to the Lord in 2002 while serving in Canada. She has grown so much over the last few years and is a great support to me. She is the mother of my two wonderful kids. If I'm blessed with nothing else in life, I will be just fine. Te amo mi amor!

Hawg Prophecy

Arkansas

20

Alabama

14

We are not skinheads!

Don't miss the Arkansas Football shirt!

The Greater Sin

I have come to a bump in the road! I'm not sure which sin is greater-believers who do not attend church any longer OR the church that is so boring (religious/traditional/far from Acts) no wonder numbers are dropping like flies.

Be Yourself!

I get tired of reading blogs and concluding that so many people in ministry are trying to be like somebody else. They want to be like so and so that has a huge church and is blowing up the world with the gospel, but so and so didn’t get there by trying to be like anybody else-so and so is just being himself and allowing the Spirit of God to lead him. Nobody has all the answers (has it going on), but day by day listening to the Spirit of God we can do everything that God has called us to do. Learn from others yes, but don’t try to be someone your not. God created you the way you are and the best way to do ministry is to be yourself! “for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to His good purpose.” Philippians 2:13

Rising Above the Plateau

Is it possible to take a church that has plateauamized (new word from the root plateau) to higher ground? The answer is yes, but it will not be easy! It doesn’t happen overnight- it is a gradual process. The following list has proven to be key factors for this giant task. It may not be exclusive but will definitely help make things happen in your church!

Make sure you have been called by God- At times life will be stressful, tiring, and you will often mentally overload. The only way you will move forward is by staying focused on the one who called you.

Let the people know you love them and are there to care for them- Visit their homes and especially make hospital visits (even to extended family members). Show genuine interest in their lives. Pray with them before you leave their homes.

Understand the mindset of the people- You cannot change a state of comfort unless you know how they got into that position. By understanding the details help them tear down the walls little by little. People arrive at traditions and comfort zones through a variety of avenues. Don’t be a dictator, be an aggressive leader AND shepherd. Ask questions and communicate clearly about all issues in the church.

Constantly promote unity- Promote a family atmosphere that expresses love for one another through action. Teach the church to be patient and gentle with one another. Church members will feel comfortable to bring their friends to a place where there is love in house! Ephesians 4:1-3

Preach Motivational Messages- Personal Evangelism, Devotion, Servant-hood, Participation, Worship, Unity, Real vs. Religious, Love, and Missions are subjects that should be promoted frequently.

Implement a special prayer time during worship services- The prayer during the offering doesn’t count! Encourage people to come to the altar and lift their request to the Lord. People are constantly encountering struggles and circumstance that cause pain and suffering in their life. Teach them to rely on God when life throws a curve ball. Also use this prayer time as an opportunity for people to pray for unchurched friends and family. Many will not come to the altar, but you can encourage them to turn their seat into an altar before God!

Give time and clear explanations for everything you feel God is leading you to do- Take several weeks or even months to implement new ministries or changes. During the process share ideas and encourage everyone to pray about those ideas over a period of time. Make sure the people know that you simply want to please God through the ministry of His church.

Don’t let one or two people cause you to give up- The ones who are comfortable and negative are not your enemies-they just can’t see beyond what they have become accustomed to. In most cases these are good people-just got some bad teaching along the way. Ask God to help you to overlook these few and move on. Try hard not to take any attack personally.

Constantly build relationships with new people- One major factor to getting past the plateau is fresh people in the church. The people need to see that you are bringing new faces to the services. Never give up on those relationships!

Prepare a membership seminar and lead the church to adopt it as a prerequisite to membership- The membership seminar should cover the basics of salvation and baptism, unity, purpose and responsibilities (including giving). Take the entire church through the seminar and every new member from that point forward. This starts new members off serving instead of ending up as pew demons (another new term).

Implement a corporate evangelism ministry- Get the people working together to get people the gospel. Use teams to follow-up on prospects and visitors. Send out letters and invitations through the mail.

Train leaders to carry out every ministry detail in the church- Don’t try to do everything-take people with!

Give people the freedom to be led by the Spirit of God- Don’t try to control every little detail-allow people (especially leaders) to make decisions on their own.

Plan ministry meetings regularly- Meet with your leaders and teachers to encourage and evaluate. Plan and pray for every ministry in the church.

Develop an aggressive children’s ministry- Reach children and teach them to hide God’s word in their hearts. All children’s ministries open the door to eventually reach the parents.

Implement new Bible studies throughout the week- Use these Bible studies to train and cast vision for leaders.

Promote missions giving- Develop a faith based missions strategy to support new church plants and missions world-wide.

Spend church funds wisely- Don’t buy everything you think you need right away. Yes, you have to spend money to do ministry, but you must pick and choose along the way. As the church grows a surplus of funds will become available. If you feel led to purchase something costly communicate clearly by giving the reason it is necessary and allow the church time to pray about the need.

Please add any details or comments to the list!

Journal Download

• Awana begins this Wednesday. We have more leaders and workers than last year and everyone is excited and ready to go. We have several new families interested in bringing their children.
  
• Friend Day is September 30th. I am going to preach out of a casket. We are going to have lunch (grilling hamburgers and hotdogs). A concert will follow at 1:30.
  
• Faith Teams kick off the week of Friend Day. Letters will be sent out the Monday following Friend Day and teams will follow up on every person in service that day.
  
• Unity has been a major subject around our church lately. It seems that almost every church in town and surrounding areas is fighting except for ours. We must stay on guard!
  
• Youth Ministry is taking a leap to the next level. Tommy, Kathy, Michael, Dana, James, and Tasha are working as a team to get the job done!
  
• Membership Seminar is fulfilling its purpose. People are joining and getting involved in the ministry.
  
• Nurseries are expanding. We now have (2) two nurseries (babies/toddlers). We have (4) four babies and (3) three more to arrive soon!
  
• Sunday School is not going as well as I would like, but we do have 3 new classes.
  
• Bible Studies seem to be going well. People are growing and leaders are developing quickly.
  
• Generosity is a true characteristic of our church. We have recently given a few thousand dollars to the Bald Knob school system. As a community we are attempting to save our school from a 2.2 million dollar deficit.
  
• Problems never go away. Besides growing pains many families are struggling and experiencing difficult circumstances. Satan never stops distracting us from our purpose.
  
• Building Plans are on the verge. Temple has a new worship building that is debt free. A research committee will soon be formed to start the process of building a multipurpose center with education space.
  
• Tradition is becoming a thing of the past. I mean our church is evolving and everyone seems to be ok with that. I don’t even where a tie on Sunday mornings! Praise God! Jesus would not where a suit today. Sunday morning was a record service with no special event at the number 137.
  
• Music Ministry is struggling. We have some real talent, but they are not working together to lead worship as of yet. Look out near future!
  
• New To Ministry- Tommy Slinker threw down for a few minutes last night. He preached his first message and brought tears to my eyes. One of the things he said was “I am still a sinner, but I have learned how to fight sin- This is what I do: When I wake up in the morning I think about Jesus-When I get to work I think about Jesus- When I get home in the evening I think about Jesus-When I go to bed at night I think about Jesus-Sometimes I even wake up in the middle of the night and have been dreaming about Jesus!” PREACH ON BRO!