Tight Lines

Twitter

2009-06-26T09:24:00.002-05:00

Due to some encouragement from couple friends, I am on twitter now. Check it out. we will see how it goes.

SBC Missions Update

2009-06-25T09:04:00.001-05:00

I received a letter recently regarding the IMB and the 2008 Lottie Moon Christmas Offering (LMCO), which supports the International Missions Board missionaries. The goal for 2008 was $170 million. As you may already know, the total receipts from Southern Baptist churches fell approximately $29 million short of that goal. That represents the single biggest drop from one year to the next in the history of the offering.

As incredible as that shortfall is and as impacting as our economic situation is, the shortfall could be made up by each member of SBC churches giving only about $2. Our missionary personnel, the missionaries that we support, is being reduced by almost 700 personnel. There are 11,626 people groups worldwide and 6,510 unreached people groups and among those 3,431 are unengaged unreached and 2,650 have no known evangelical witness. The harvest is plentiful and the laborers are few. This is not a time to send less.

SSBC has done a tremendous job in giving in the past years. In 2007 our church gave $15,000 to the Lottie Moon Christmas offering and in 2008 we gave $22,422 surpassing our $18,000 goal. Even in our generosity as a church, I hope we might all consider how we to excel even more in generosity, particularly when it comes to supporting missions. The Lottie Moon offering, received in December, supports our missionaries and 100% of the offering goes straight to the field. Make plans now for a generous gift for the cause of Christ. Be generous. Be a worker in the harvest.

CHL and church security

2009-06-18T11:53:00.005-05:00

Recently I went through a concealed handgun course in order to get my license to carry a weapon. My motivation to take this course had little to do with security at our church. However, taking the CHL course, getting into discussions with others, practicing with my pistol, church sponsored outings at the gun range, and the fact that we have multiple people carrying weapons in our church every Sunday makes me interested in security. A few days ago a friend of mine sent an article to me about church security. Awareness and training are the two most significant encouragements in the article. The CHL course really stressed awareness. Any thoughts? By the way, I really like my pistol.

Networking

2009-06-18T10:12:00.002-05:00

We should be committed to the Jesus Christ and the local church above all but we should also be committed to cooperation, specifically for the purpose of the great commission. Cooperation and networking is modeled in the NT and historically that has developed into denominations. This fall we will embark on a journey each fourth Sunday night, August-November, discussing why we are baptist. I look forward to diving in and wrestling with this topic as a church. We are a SBC church and I think each of our members should know why. Let me know if you have any questions that you feel should be answered during that series.

Why Do We Have Denomonations?

2009-06-04T16:08:00.002-05:00

We have denominations because of the Catholic church. And because of the Lutherans. And the Churches of Christ. And the Baptists... We have denominations, historically, in large part because of attempts of individuals and groups to gather around a set of beliefs that were contrary to the set of beliefs of the group they were previously in. In most cases it had much to do with a stand for what the group believed to be the truth. I guess if we really didn't want denominations we shouldn't be fans of the reformation. I suppose the reformation didn't have to result in denominations but it is hard to imagine that. Then when you mix traditions with particular stands or emphases on truths, whallaw - denominations or conventions or a lot of churches that look very similar but refuse to admit they are a quasi-denomination. A world without denominations is a world that we don't have the luxury to live in - yet. Until then, is there good reason to be loyal to a denomination - good enough to think long and hard about loyalty to more than just your local church?

Loyalty

2009-05-27T16:49:00.002-05:00

Just got off the phone with a journalist who was asking me some questions about denominational loyalty. I am curious after our conversation. What do you think about denominational loyalties? Do they exist like they used to? Why or why not? What do you think is meant by denomination? Are you loyal to a denomination? Any answers from any of you would be great. I will share my thoughts in a later post.

Toward a Great Commission Resurgence

2009-05-02T09:49:00.004-05:00

If you are interested, and I hope you are, this is the preamble of a document/movement that is worth reading. I would love to hear some feedback. The SBC does need to continue to change, grow and become even more of a convention that is reaching people with the truth of God's word/gospel of Jesus Christ. We have some great leaders like our national convention president, Dr. Johnny Hunt. I was involved in a personal phone call with him and several other SBC pastors last week and was very encouraged about where the SBC is headed. Be informed. Be involved. Pray and be willing to lead.

Here is the preamble:

Southern Baptists have always been a Great Commission people. Christ’s command to go, disciple, baptize, and teach is woven into the very DNA of our churches. By God’s grace, over the last thirty years the SBC has undergone a Conservative Resurgence that has brought substantive changes to many of our churches and all of our Convention’s seminaries and boards. We, the undersigned, are thankful for the Conservative Resurgence and believe that God has called Southern Baptists to a Great Commission Resurgence as the next step in the renewal of our denomination. It is our conviction that a Great Commission Resurgence must embrace the following ten commitments...

For more click on link:
Great Commission Resurgence

Say Goodbye to Cowardice

2009-04-02T10:31:00.005-05:00

God planned a great victory over the Midianites. God would accomplish this victory for Israel. His strength and faithfulness would deliver Israel from the oppression of Midian. God chose Gideon to lead his army. Gideon gathered over 30,000 men. God told Gideon the army was too big. Too big? Yes, God wanted a number of warriors to fight that would leave no room for Israel to boast in herself. The Lord chose 300 men to go and fight. 300 men divided into 3 companies defeated the great enemy of Midian. What an amazing victory that must have been, seeing firsthand the deliverance of God. Want the privilege to be one of those 300? Only 10,000 men had a chance to be one of the three hundred. 10,000 men of courage had a chance to be one of the 300. Do you know why the other 20,000 didn't even have a chance to experience this miraculous victory? They were all sent home because they were cowards. They were scared and got to go home. Only the brave were in the mix to be a part of this victory. Judges 7:3 “Now therefore come, proclaim in the hearing of the people, saying, ‘Whoever is afraid and trembling, let him return and depart from Mount Gilead.’ ” So 22,000 of the people [cowards] went home, but 10,000 [men of courage] remained. NASB95. The cowardly didn’t even have a chance to be used in battle. The kingdom of God is no place for the coward. Do you know how you leave cowardice behind in your life? Fear God. Fear God above all other fears. A coward is simply the man who fears all the wrong things more than he fears the only right thing - God. A man of God is the man who fears the Lord above all other things. The fear of the Lord is the way of faith, the way of life, the way of a godly man.

Hiatus

2009-03-25T17:41:00.002-05:00

Aren't they nice. Perhaps you need one to. Spend a little time taking a break from something. Get some rest. Sounds so good I think I will go back for some more.

Who God Killed and Why

2009-02-20T12:26:00.004-06:00

We are continuing our Sunday night series at church, "Who God Killed and Why?” We will not be able to talk about everybody that God killed in the Bible but we will talk about quite a few. There is a common theme to the reason why God killed these people. These people all died because they did not listen to God. It wasn’t that they could not hear him but that they simply ignored God and what He said. They just didn’t listen.

Death is intriguing. I think it may have to do with the fact that no one can escape it and we really don’t want to experience it prematurely. The people in part two of the series all died because they did not correctly worship God. They ignored God in how he should be worshipped. It wasn’t that they could not hear him but that they simply ignored God and what He said. They just didn’t listen. If you can make the series or only listen in I hope it will be encouraging for all.

Tim Tebow - What a Story!

2009-01-21T16:21:00.005-06:00

Did you know?

When Pam Tebow was pregnant with Tim she suffered an infection with a pathogenic amoeba, and an abortion was recommended by her doctors. Pam knew that both she and her unborn male child may die. Pam decided to carry the baby to term. The rest is history in the making.

My biological mother became pregnant out of wedlock as a teenager. She graciously placed me for adoption. I am so grateful for her decision. In addition to God's word regarding life, being adopted makes me particularly sensitive to the abortion issue. There are so many stories like Tim Tebow that need to be told. Perhaps more stories like this would help ensure the many stories that should happen to stop being cut short.

I hope you are involved in supporting a local pregnancy resource center, praying, standing on the truth, and seeking to love people and reach them with the message of Jesus Christ.

Over-population?

2009-01-21T16:02:00.003-06:00

Not too long ago I heard a well-known, self-proclaimed Christian speaker tell a group of college students that the world was in a crisis and one of the big issues that he mentioned was over-population. He told the students that they probably weren't hearing this fact from the news and that what he was telling them was the truth; the world is in a crisis. The big problem that he believed we needed to help solve is the survival of the planet. Social gospel with no gospel mentioned at all. Wonder what he would say about this piece of information I read recently?

Square Miles of Land in Texas 261,914. Acres per Square Mile 640. Total Acres in Texas 167,624,960.

Population of the World (6 Billion) 6,000,000,000.

World Population per Texas Acre 36.

It would be possible to fit the entire population of the world comfortably within the State of Texas. Most people in the world live cramped together in densely populated cities. This would actually be a vast improvement for most people. Everyone has been taught in public school and the media that there is an overpopulation problem. The world is running out of land and food and etc. We have heard it all before. This idea has become common knowledge and most people believe it to be truth.

The real solution to the real problem is found in the real gospel.

Merry Christmas!

2008-12-18T16:00:00.001-06:00

"Our Chattooga" and Your Problem

2008-12-17T09:22:00.008-06:00

A friend of mine recently lamented about a problem that my blog created in his life. His problem: He said that when he reads my blog he wants to go fishing. The least I can do is help a friend out with his problem, so I will share this little poem I wrote years ago after a trip to the Chattooga. Should "help" his problem and maybe yours too.

OUR CHATTOOGA

Wisp, rhythm, wind,
The sound,
The water rolling over smooth stones.
Hypocrisy at its height, a true sport, a deep challenge.
Real philosophy,
Truth, yet seen dimly.
Hope unrealized yet known, yes, believed.
I am here and “nothing” is insufficient to quit, for I believe,
I can see yet it is invisible, but I know, I have seen glimpses.
Even if I do realize, it’s not the end I love,
It’s the here and now.
Yet I long for it and know there is joy of which I know not – there.

Romans 8:24 For in hope we have been saved, but hope that is seen is not hope; for why does one also hope for what he sees? 25 But if we hope for what we do not see, with perseverance we wait eagerly for it.

A Fine Dog

2008-12-09T17:18:00.002-06:00

As far as the Ueckerts are concerned, every family needs a good dog. The problem is that good dogs are made more than they are born (kind of like disciples). In other words, good dogs don't happen without lots of work. The first time we traveled this bumpy road we had two kids under three. Babies in diapers and a puppy - a recipe for insanity. And Lynlee says, "Amen!" Today is a new day. This time around the work is much easier with kids who are old enough to join in the "fun" of training a dog.

Meet our new puppy, Jax. He is enjoying life with our family and our matriarch black lab is gradually becoming accepting. Nothing like another adventure in our very active household.

Trophies are Worth the Effort

2008-11-25T15:49:00.005-06:00

This is the first deer Weston ever shot. Quite an animal. Where do you go from there? Well, when hunting or fishing or hobbies or whatever you do as a family is more about being together as a family, then the trophies are actually the memories you create. Create some memories this fall. Celebrate Advent together. Make some new traditions during this Christmas season. Go on a trip together. Play some board games as a family. Put some meat in the freezer. Whatever it takes, spend some time with your family and create some trophies.

Reading Fiction

2008-11-25T15:19:00.003-06:00

I like to read fiction. I am sure that many of you do as well. After completing our "Be Careful" series at SSBC, I thought it might be beneficial to reiterate some encouragement about reading fiction. First, we must be reading and studying Scripture on a regular basis. A consistent diet of the Word of God is critical for life in Christ, a life of faith. It is also necessary for reading fiction. Second, when we read fiction, it needs to be read through the lens of Scripture. Every message that we take in should be filtered through the truth. We should test everything. Testing every message is particularly important when you read a work of fiction like The Shack. This is a story that will draw you in emotionally, making you wish it really was a non-fiction book about God. It is not. It is fiction. God has revealed who he is in and through Scripture. God is certainly more than he has revealed but what we know about God is only what he has revealed and that is found in Scripture. Mack, the main character in the book, needed help in working through some incredible pain in his life. Seen through the lens of the Bible, Mack did not need God to do all that the author had God doing in order to work through his pain. All Mack needed (or anyone in real life needs) is found in Scripture and through a faith relationship with Jesus Christ. This book and all other fictions are just that - fiction. Not a good place to develop your theology. Read fiction. Read non-fiction. Read as much as you can. But make sure you read the Bible, study the Bible, and walk by faith in the God of the Bible. And then make sure you test everything through the lens of God's word, clinging to the good and abstaining from every form of evil. Have fun reading.

San Juan - Better Than Ever

2008-10-30T16:36:00.004-05:00

Our trip was incredible. The Lord worked in all our lives. I hope that in the years to come many more of the men from SSBC will experience the trip. Even more than that I simply pray that the men of our church would all continue to band together, walking with the Lord, leading their families, leading our church and serving others for the glory of God. Enjoy the pics: Simon Canyon, the cookfire (different from the Bible study fire), ET rock, the river and the food line (you have never eaten like this on a campout before). For more you can check out our website and the men's ministry link.

Big Blister

2008-10-30T11:54:00.003-05:00

Can you see that blister on Caden's hand? Any ideas on the cause of such blisters? Just a little trivia. Nasty trivia.

Our Medalist

2008-10-09T11:07:00.005-05:00

A first triathlon should never be one's last, especially when a medal is involved. Lynlee recently ran her first sprint triathlon and placed third in her age division. She is convinced that it would be fun for me to join her in the next triathlon. We shall see and I will keep you posted on the development of that potentially humerous endeavor. Is there a time limit on these things? I probably need to know that. I don't even have a bike. I have all kinds of excuses working here. Anyways - congratulations to Lynlee - our family's most recent medalist.

Worth a Thousand Words

2008-10-02T17:57:00.003-05:00

Some have said that a picture is worth a thousand words but there are times when you should really hear the words. I am glad for moments like this in family. It is so much fun being a dad.

She is a natural

2008-10-02T17:53:00.002-05:00

She knows what she is doing and can fish with the best of them. That is my little girl - growing up. She is something special.

Days Away

2008-09-23T16:43:00.002-05:00

We are only weeks and days away from our annual men's trip to the San Juan River. This is the view from our campsite where over 25 guys will be camping out for a week. This is a truly wonderful experience that transcends the ethereal experience of fly fishing and hanging around the fire. This trip is men sharpening men. This trip further molds a man into the image of Christ. It is just a tool; one of many possible means to toward that end, but it just happens to be one of my favorite. Tight lines and sharpened men - does it get any better than that?

The Wisdom of a Beaver

2008-09-09T16:37:00.002-05:00

We were hiking up to Potato Lake when we came across a series of beaver dams and lodges. We all really enjoyed seeing the fruit of the beaver’s efforts. The largest known beaver dam is around 2790 ft long, 14 ft high and 23 ft thick at the base. That is a lot of time chewing on wood. Beavers don’t just work hard; they work smart. Did you know that every year just before the dead of winter sets in, beavers will cover their lodges with fresh mud? They do this so that when it freezes the exterior of their lodge will become hard as a rock, protecting them from hungry wolves in the winter that have nothing better to do that find a beaver to eat. Something pretty wise about working hard and smart. What if the beaver worked hard but at the wrong stuff? Wolf food. Busyness is certainly not a problem for any of us but I sure want to learn a simple lesson from the beaver – work hard at the right stuff, everything else just turns out to be a waste.

Fish On

2008-08-27T15:19:00.003-05:00

I think there is only one other moment greater for the fisherman than having a fish on the end of his line - having a fish on the end of his son's or daughter's line. Lots of joy seeing your kids do some of the things you love to do. Reminds me of 3 John 3-4, "For I was very glad when brethren came and testified to your truth, that is, how you are walking in truth. I have no greater joy than this, to hear of my children walking in the truth." NASB95. Disciplemaking is truly one of the greatest joys of life. No wonder Jesus used fishing as an illustration of disciplemaking.

Be Careful

2008-08-13T15:06:00.002-05:00

Every generation of Christianity appears to produce seemingly new and innovative speakers and writers, producing something that sounds insightful and feels new and enabling. Many if not most are probably seeking to communicate what they deem to be true but new and innovative messages are not always thoroughly true (nor are they all that new and innovative). Methods can and should change, styles reflect personality and personalities are different, means of communication vary, but the essential message of the truth should be pretty static. Paul charges Timothy to preach the word. The word does not change. But the times do. Paul warned of a time when people would not endure sound doctrine but would rather be attracted to a new and innovative message that would tickle their ears. People would turn away their ears from the truth and turn aside to myths, myths that more closely represented their own desires instead of the time enduring truth of God’s word. Paul offers the charge to become a workman who accurately handles the word of truth avoiding empty chatter because it leads to ungodliness. He gives an example of empty chatter: two men were mixing a degree of innovative error with the truth, upsetting the faith of some who formerly embraced only the truth. Our generation is seasoned with many incredible avenues of information: Internet, podcasts, blogs, books, articles, as well as places for conversation, investigation, and exposure to ideas. Within those many avenues one can be exposed to the truth but also an abundance of error. How do we know the difference? How can we really know what is true and also what is not true? We must be careful. That is why we are doing this series – “Be Careful – A study in hermeneutics,” on each fourth Sunday night this fall.

Inspired

2008-08-06T12:56:00.001-05:00

When I say that the Bible is inspired, I mean that God is the reason for every word in the Bible. No matter who the author was or when and where the text was written, God was the initiator, provider and protector of the words that are scripture. God initiated Scripture by acting in history in the human context. God interacted with people in order that people might know Him. As a result of God acting in history, people desired to record and remember those acts. The desire to record and transmit God’s activity was a result of the experience itself but also because of God’s command to record history. God wanted those with whom he interacted to teach those after them of God’s deeds.

God then provided the words through those he used to write the Scripture. The human involvement cannot be denied, but the degree of human authority over the actual words is seen in different ways. When I say inspired what I mean is that God provided by His Holy Spirit every word that is Scripture and that He did that through a human agent.

God also protects his word. Over hundreds of years, thousands for some, God has preserved His words, which he initiated and provided. The inspired word has lasted because it is inspired. Not only has it lasted but it has also affected the world, because it is inspired. Throughout history no corruption in the church or in God’s people has been able to corrupt the Word of God because God is the protector. He is faithful to maintain the integrity of the truth and inspiration of the Word. The truth that God’s Word is inspired means it can be trusted to be an accurate and true revelation of God, initiated, provided and protected by Himself. Be encouraged and believe God's word.

Video

2008-08-01T08:47:00.002-05:00

For the folks out there serving in the field who have asked for this, here it is: The iTunes Video Podcast is up and going now. We will try to run all the beatitudes over the next 2 months or so. We will run the current sermon each week. Let us know if you have suggestions. Any help is appreciated.

Podcast Update - iTunes

2008-07-28T10:52:00.003-05:00

Thanks to the help of some good friends and a little effort of my own, iTunes is now the place to find my sermons. I am excited that this easy to use service is now the medium for SSBC sermons. We hope to follow up this upgrade by making current sermons also available on video as a video podcast on iTunes. I will keep you posted. By the end of the week all sermons will be current on the audio podcast. You will be able to access sermons on our website or on iTunes. If you want to check it out on iTunes you can use the link to the left on this blog or you can search in iTunes - South Side Baptist Church or my name.

Blessed are those who are persecuted

2008-07-22T16:26:00.001-05:00

Week Two

2008-07-19T21:19:00.003-05:00

The second week of class was a blur. It flew by so fast. The days in class were long, the nights in study were late and the rewards many. I can honestly say that these two weeks were the two most rewarding weeks of school that I have ever experienced. I was stretched, challenged and encouraged beyond words. God truly blessed my life through this opportunity and I eagerly anticipate the remaining 11 months of experiences in this Hebrews Preaching Class. Thanks to all who prayed. Day one and two we continued to dig into the exposition of Hebrews 1:1-4. The nights were spent studying and preparing to preach for my class. Days three through five were spent listening to sermons from my classmates on passages representing most every chapter of Hebrews. After every sermon the professor along with the class critiqued the sermons for around 30-40 minutes. It was incredibly instructive and challenging. I preached on Wednesday from Hebrews. What a nerve-racking ordeal. It was truly a blessing of intense instruction. My walk with the Lord was deepened, my love for preaching strengthened, my desire to handle the Greek text was inflated and my heart for faithfully pastoring our church was broadened. Thank the Lord for his faithfulness these last two weeks.

Blessed are those who are persecuted

2008-07-12T19:23:00.002-05:00

Hast thou no scar?
No hidden scar on foot, or side, or hand?
I hear thee sung as mighty in the land,
I hear them hail thy bright ascendant star,
Hast thou no scar?
Hast thou no wound?
Yet I was wounded by the archers, spent,
Leaned Me against a tree to die; and rent
By ravening wolves that compassed me, I swooned:
Hast thou no wound?
No wound? no scar?
Yet, as the Master shall the servant be,
And pierced are the feet that follow Me;
But thine are whole: can he have followed far
Who hath no wound nor scar?
- Amy Carmichael

Blessed are the Peacemakers

2008-07-11T21:33:00.001-05:00

Day Five

2008-07-11T21:24:00.002-05:00

Today was an appropriate finale. We dug into Hebrews 1:1-4 at a deep level that absolutely resulted in total amazement at the person of Christ and the goodness of God. Multiple times moved to awe and worship, I felt incredibly inspired to see the Lord, strive to know His word and to effectively communicate the truths and marvels of Jesus. The week flew by so quickly and yet I feel saturated with more than just a weeks worth of study. I am overflowing but still eagerly anticipating next week. I am grateful for the opportunity and trust the Lord to use this time and effort to draw me and others closer to him.

Day Four

2008-07-11T09:12:00.002-05:00

We attended the E. K. Bailey Preaching Conference. It was an incredible conference exposing us all to another culture of preaching. We heard from several preachers and speakers, being challenged in our preaching delivery and preparation. Dr. Tony Evans told the large crowd of preachers that if they are just enjoying the blessings of God in their own lives for themselves without seeking to be a blessing to others by giving their lives away, then they are just pimps. It was a great preaching moment. By the way, the crowd/listener response to the black preacher is something to behold. Again, the day was very profitable. Hard to believe the week is almost over.

Day Three

2008-07-09T22:33:00.003-05:00

Today we completed our review of Greek - verbs, participles, infinitives, and so on. We practiced our review in Hebrews 1 and 12. We received our assignments for our paper, sermons, and sermon manuscript. We experienced some incredibly encouraging lectures on proper preaching and the theology of preaching. All that to say, it was another inspiring and confirming day. Tomorrow we go to a preaching conference to hear Haddon Robinson and other great preachers. Should be a great experience especially since Haddon is one of the present day great preachers. Significant paraphrase from today: People can use a variety of means to draw a great crowd but preaching God's word makes a great church.

First two days

2008-07-08T22:03:00.002-05:00

I am attending class at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary beginning work on my Doctorate of Ministry. I am very thankful for this incredible experience. The first day of class Dr. Tom Elliff came and spoke to us. He talked about the choice to be effective in ministry as opposed to merely being successful, the choice to be an individual who has an authentic devotional life and the choice to be morally pure as a pastor. It was a great way to start the week. Today we met with our professor, Dr. David Allen, who will be teaching us for the next 12 months through the epistle to the Hebrews. We spent the greater part of the day reviewing Greek and looking specifically at Hebrews 1:1-4 in the Greek text. It was a wonderful second day. I am looking forward to the rest of the week and the opportunities that lay ahead.

Something like that...

2008-07-02T16:44:00.002-05:00

For reasons I won’t go into, the twenty one days before we went on vacation I completely eliminated desserts and cokes from my diet. Coke was not really a big deal. Dessert on the other hand was a very big deal. I think I almost had a nervous breakdown. Needless to say on day 22 things changed. Since day 22 I have experienced some wonderful delights - delights in the form of caramel fudge cheesecake, ice cream over brownies, apple pie, tiramisu, chocolate melting cake with ice cream, cappuccino pie, baked Alaska, white chocolate bread pudding, ice cream over chocolate chip cookies, oatmeal cookies and no less than eight ice cream cones. Any ideas on what I should try next? Do I have a problem?

The Pure in Heart

2008-06-12T18:54:00.001-05:00

Blog Break

2008-06-11T19:52:00.002-05:00

Taking a break for about two weeks. Be back with a vengeance - or something like that.

The Merciful

2008-06-06T21:21:00.001-05:00

Contemplations of Mercy

2008-06-05T16:04:00.000-05:00

Have you ever wondered how Adam treated Cain after he discovered that Cain had killed Abel?

Just Scales

2008-06-05T16:03:00.000-05:00

Endeavor to be patient in bearing with the defects of others, whatever they are; for you also have many failings which must be borne by others. If you cannot make yourself be as you would like to be, how can you expect to have another person be to your liking in every way? We desire to have others perfect, and yet we do not correct our own faults. We would allow others to be severely corrected, and will not be corrected ourselves. We will have others kept under by strict laws, but in no case do we want to be restrained. And so it appears that we seldom weigh our neighbor in the same balance with ourselves. Thomas a’ Kempis

Factions

2008-06-05T15:54:00.000-05:00

I really used to think that the healthy church is the one where factions and divisions are minimized as much as possible. At times I acted like the goal was to do away with division. I was wrong. Even a healthy church will have problems and divisions. What makes a church healthy is not the absence of problems and divisions but the perseverance of followers of Christ through problems and divisions, holding to truth and exalting Christ, fearing God and not men (there is true unity). That is health in the church and frankly, that kind health may actually only exist when divisions and factions are present at some level. What else can you make of Paul’s words to the Corinthians? 1 Cor. 11:18-19 says, “For, in the first place, when you come together as a church, I hear that there are divisions among you. And I believe it in part, ¹⁹for there must be factions among you in order that those who are genuine among you may be recognized.” ESV. Factions and church health can go hand in hand because when the genuine are recognized Christ is exalted. I am all for solving problems but Scripture clearly provides a much better view on church health, one whose goal is exalting Christ.

Hunger and Thirst

2008-05-28T10:03:00.000-05:00

The Challenge of Proper Advice

2008-05-21T08:56:00.001-05:00

Anyone ever asked you for advice? Ever felt like your advice was really needed in a situation? Any time we offer advice and there is no lingering evidence of our own failures, people will not see what we say as “advice” but rather self aggrandizement and just a lot of hot air. The blind leading the blind. In fact, in that situation we become the ones who are in need of advice or better yet, gentle rebuke. Any advice we give ought to make more out of Christ, His grace and truth, than it does our own self perceived successes. We are the formerly blind who now know grace and forgiveness because of Jesus. We should remember that it is His truth that set us free and delivered life to us who are unworthy of that gift. From that perspective we can then humbly share advice, truth and hope in Christ and Christ alone.

The Gentle

2008-05-19T09:58:00.001-05:00

The Meek

2008-05-14T15:23:00.003-05:00

This quote didn't make the sermon for Sunday but I wanted to share it in some way because it is really challenging.

If someone tells us, “You are a wretched sinner and have no rights,” we might retort, “You’re a wretched sinner yourself!” It is easy to tell God that we merit no favor, but it is much harder to lay aside self-assertion with others. Daniel M. Doriani, The Sermon on the Mount, p.21.

Meekness is laying aside self-assertion, independence, rights... and humbly submitting ourselves to the gracious and merciful rule and will of Jesus, the author of all true and eternal blessings. Blessed are the meek because they shall inherit the earth.

Those Who Mourn

2008-05-13T09:37:00.000-05:00

The Poor in Spirit

2008-05-13T09:35:00.001-05:00

The Beatitudes

2008-05-13T09:31:00.002-05:00

This is the promo-video for the series on the Beatitudes. I hope to post other short videos on each beatitude as each segment is completed. Again, I hope you enjoy.

A Call to Serve

2008-05-13T09:23:00.001-05:00

I want to show off some of the stuff our video team is putting together. Hope you enjoy it.

A Little Adventure

2008-05-13T09:10:00.002-05:00

We were scheduled to have a guest speaker at church on this particular Sunday. I thought it would be nice to go with the family to church... all together... in the SAME car - a rare thing. I have driven with my family to church in the same car only a handful of times over the past 13 years. This was one of those times... perhaps one of the last times. After the service, Lynlee and I were in our separate areas talking and conversing with different people. As I was getting ready to leave, I began to look for Lynlee. I could not find her, but I saw Caden and figured Lynlee was just in another part of the church talking. By this time everyone was leaving and I finally asked Caden, "Where is your mom?" He said, "I am riding with you. She already left to go home." I thought he was just joking, but sure enough, Lynlee was in her normal routine and had left with the other children to go home. She had left Caden to go home with me.... So, there we were at church with no ride home. Lynlee had left her cell phone at home so I could not call her. I decided that Caden and I would just start walking home since by this time NO ONE was left at church to give us a ride. I told Caden we were walking and he didn't believe me until we walked out of the door and started on our little adventure. I told him, "No big deal, Caden. We only have ten miles to go." He said, "Dad.... this is the 'worse' day of my life." Lynlee did not realize that she had left us until she pulled into the driveway at home. She saw my truck and commented, "How in the world did Dad beat me home? I saw him talking to people when I left." After getting those words out, they all realized what she had done. Weston busted out laughing - no sympathy from her son. They walked in the door to hear me saying on the machine that we were walking home. That "worse" day turned out not to be so bad for Caden. He and I stopped at a convenience store and bought a root beer for our trouble. Lynlee and Maelyn (she was not about to miss any of this) got back into the car and headed back towards church to pick us up. Luckily for Caden, we had only made it 4 blocks into our little adventure. Just another day in the life of the Ueckerts....

Educational Choices and Division

2008-05-06T08:58:00.002-05:00

Having home-schooled all three of our kids for years and now that all our kids are in public school, I wanted to share Josh Harris' relevant and important statements. I hope that we all (whatever "camp" you are in) can rally around the unifying biblical mandate to disciple our children.

Mixed Messages and the Crowd

2008-05-01T14:36:00.002-05:00

There are many messages floating around today in our country. From Oprah to those who call themselves evangelicals, you can hear it all. You can hear that you will be healed if you will just believe enough, that God will give you great financial success if you give enough, that God is in you as a some kind of light or a presence that is you, that you are the force or essence that is god, you can hear it all in our country, all in the name of truth and Jesus’ name and Scripture will often be dropped in to create more credibility. But the red flag ought to be that all these kinds of false messages are really about giving you some sort of wonderful kingdom here on this earth, a kingdom that is centered upon you and your glory, making your life wonderful, great, rich and healthy, now. Whenever the message you hear is man-centered, God serving us or us being in command of God so that we can make him give us all the things that would make life wonderful, then you can rest assured that message is not the good news of the kingdom of heaven. The good news of the kingdom is radically God-centered, Christ-centered. It is about us serving and glorifying God, losing our lives in this world because Jesus Christ is King over all kingdoms and because He is life. The kingdom of this world is passing away and life cannot be found through this kingdom. If you follow Jesus, this is what the Bible says can happen to you in this life, the kingdom of this world: Persecution and sufferings. Rejection by your family and friends. Loss of property and possessions. Difficulties and problems, sickness, tribulations and trials and even death. If we follow Jesus, we will lose our lives for the sake of the glory of Jesus Christ in this life. That is the message of the kingdom of heaven. I hope your church is embracing the message of the kingdom of heaven. We must remember that as followers of Jesus, we are not of this world. As followers of Jesus, we will have joy, we will have peace, we will have hope, we will be saved from our sin, we will overcome death, we will be healed from every disease, we will have every tear wiped away from our eyes, we will have eternal life but all those things will be experiences that we have for eternity in the Kingdom of Heaven because and only because we are in Jesus Christ. That is why Jesus is the goal. Eternal life is knowing Jesus not being healed. Eternal life is glorifying Jesus not glorifying ourselves. Jesus is life. And he is the only way to life. Don’t miss the good news of the kingdom. Don’t be a part of the crowd who comes for what they can get from Jesus or religion or miracles but don’t really want to hear the message of the kingdom. The good news of the kingdom is the most demanding of any good news ever preached. It is the most promising of any message ever uttered. It is the most dependable of any promise ever given. It is the most freeing of any proclamation ever spoken. The good news of the kingdom is a one of a kind declaration of life, a call to faith, to surrender. There is nothing like the good news of the kingdom. Following Jesus will cost you your life but you will quickly discover that following Jesus is life. Follow Jesus. There is no other way. There is no other life. It is no surprise that the one and only Son of God, Jesus Christ, would deliver a one of a kind message calling for a one of a kind response. Don’t follow the crowd. Believe in Jesus. Follow Him.

How about some useless information?

2008-04-10T14:50:00.003-05:00

4 Jobs I have had in my life:

1. Sacker, Stocker, Checker and a produce man at United grocery store
2. Burger guy at the Halfway House at the Amarillo Country Club
3. Ice cream scooper at a local ice cream shop in Amarillo
4. Chemistry lab equipment washer guy at Texas A&M

4 Movies I’ve Watched More Than Once:

1. Matrix (these movies are all best on cleanfilms or clearplay)
2. Hitch
3. The Bourne Series
4. Gladiator

4 Places I’ve Lived:

1. Kansas City, MO
2. Amarillo, TX
3. College Station, TX
4. Abilene, TX

4 Places I have Been:

1. New Zealand
2. San Juan, Puerto Rico
3. Li Jang, China
4. Sydney, Australia

4 of my favorite foods

1. Steak
2. Hot wings
3. Blue Bell Homemade Vanilla Ice Cream
4. Granny's Spaghetti

4 Places I Would Like to Visit

1. Russia
2. Canada
3. Argentina
4. Ireland

Things I am Looking Forward to this year

1. Summer vacation
2. Men’s fly fishing trip
3. Study leave
4. Aggie Football

Perhaps you might care to share some useless information about yourself with me?

Busy

2008-04-02T17:51:00.001-05:00

Been real busy lately but will return soon. Good news. The baptistery pilot light was fixed and the waters were nice and warm for our next baptism. More later.

Reaching People

2008-03-07T11:36:00.002-06:00

We have been talking a lot about reaching people withe gospel at our church lately. Funny story - I said in the last sermon in our series focusing on reaching people: "I want to remind you that for the most part, lost people are not going to just show up at our church. Unchurched people are not just going to arrive by the droves. We have to invite people. We have to get to know people. We have to reach people or they will not be reached." Funny part is that a guy happened to just walk into our church on that Sunday, no connection with anyone, and he trusted Christ as his Savior. I think the point still remains and that this guy is the exception. We need to be reaching out to people and engaging them with the gospel. I thought that it might be encouraging if some of you could share some stories about your experiences in reaching others. Tell us a story, please. It would be a great encouragement. Thanks.

Hypothermia

2008-02-27T16:10:00.002-06:00

Do you know anything about hypothermia? I know more about it today than I did last week. Normal body temperature is 98.6 °F. I like normal body temperature, even more this week. There are three stages of hypothermia. In stage 1, body temperature drops by 1.8-3.6°F. Mild to strong shivering occurs. (I know what that is like.) The victim (me and the other guy) is unable to perform complex tasks with the hands; the hands become numb. It only gets worse. In stage 2, body temperature drops by 3.6-7.2°F. Shivering becomes more violent. Muscle mis-coordination becomes apparent. Movements are slow and labored, accompanied by a stumbling pace and mild confusion, although the victim may appear alert. The victim becomes pale. Lips, ears, fingers and toes may become blue (we were on our way to stage 2). In stage 3 the body temperature drops below approximately 89.6 °F. You probably don’t want to hear what happens in stage 3. Not good. Did you know that heat is lost much faster in water? Did you also know that water temperatures that would be quite reasonable as outdoor air temperatures can lead to hypothermia very quickly? Water temperature of 50 °F can be expected to lead to death in approximately 1 hour, and water temperatures hovering at freezing can lead to death in as little as 15 minutes. So what? What is my point you ask? Well, when the baptistery heater decides to malfunction during the winter months the night before a scheduled baptism, both the baptizer and the baptized are subject to hypothermia. Do you know what it is like to preach after entering stage 1? Let’s just say that I don’t like baptizing in water that presents a threat to my well being. Believe me, that water was not at a temperature that would be reasonable outside, unless you are in the Antarctic. You should have seen his reaction when I immersed him in that ice cold moment of obedience. I asked the young man, “Have you ever been in water so cold?” He said, “No and I will never be in water that cold again.” We laughed about it through shivers and chattering teeth. Who says getting baptized is not a serious step of submission? Even though I am no fan of hypothermia, I am thankful to have these lighter moments of pastoral life to provide some good smiles and laughs. Hope you smiled a little too.

What an Atheist Thinks

2008-02-14T08:14:00.004-06:00

If an atheist visited our church, what would he think about it? I hope he would think that the gospel was clearly communicated and that he saw Christians seeking to worship and obey their Lord. I would hope that he would say that he witnessed something intriguing and interesting but even offensive or at the very least confrontational. Anyone who believes that there is no God and attends a church that proclaims the truth and the gospel of Scripture could feel offended or at the very least should feel confronted. I would also hope that an atheist would also see love in our church, the love of Jesus, offered through the cross of Jesus. Evan Mintz is a Hanszen College sophomore and opinion editor and an atheist. He visited the largest protestant church in the nation and wrote an article about his visit. This troubling article certainly makes me ask the question about what he might have to say about our church or what he might have to say if he were to just hang out with me for a few hours. Makes me think.

ClearPlay

2008-02-06T15:48:00.000-06:00

Have you heard about it? We love ours so I thought I would spread the joy. If you like movies but wish you could cut out all the parts that you don't like to watch or have your kids watch, then ClearPlay just might be for you. "ClearPlay is a revolutionary company that has provided a new option for families to enjoy DVD movies in their own homes without being exposed to objectionable content." Let me know what you think if you get one.

What is for dessert?

2008-01-31T15:47:00.000-06:00

This is the question that is asked every night at our house, "What is for dessert?" We love dessert at our house. We love ice cream, homemade cookies, pie, cake, chocolate...dessert. We love eating sweets. We eat our dinner and our vegetables in order to get to the dessert. Tonight after supper, if you are wondering what is going on at our house - you can guarantee it has something to do with dessert. Every night is a special occasion at our house because of the answer to our question, "What is for dessert?" Thank the Lord that I have a wife that puts up with me and my questions. Tonight, I think it will be cookies...

Slip and Slide

2008-01-16T16:04:00.000-06:00

Did you ever play on a slip and slide when you were a kid? I did. It must have been fun because recently we had some large pieces of plastic laying around from another project and I had a flashback that became a vision that became reality. It was great fun. I don't think the homemade version was as good as the real thing. I don't know what kind of plastic they used to make that yellow masterpiece but you could really hurt yourself on that thing whenever you slid over a sharp object at 20 miles per hour. Maybe this will create some memories, visions and perhaps - reality for you.

Not Christians

2008-01-10T11:51:00.000-06:00

No question about it. Mormons are not Christians as defined by the Bible. Here is a little information that clarifies this fact. Perhaps Joel will check out my blog and then he will know.

Salvation for a Mormon – they believe that Christ’s death brought release from the grave and universal resurrection. Salvation by grace is universal resurrection – beyond this man must earn his place in heaven and that is done primarily through Joseph Smith, not Jesus. All people have eternal life. But only the most faithful Mormons have godhood or enter the celestial kingdom of heaven. To attain this highest heavenly position one must exercise faith in the God of Mormonism, its Christ, and the church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints; exercise repentance, be baptized in the LDS church. Additionally Mormons must keep the “Word of Wisdom” by abstaining from alcohol, tobacco and caffeine; tithe to the church; attend weekly sacrament meetings; support the Mormon prophet, do temple works and be active in their support of the church. There is no salvation without accepting Joseph Smith. The Doctrines of Salvation, Vol. 1, pages 189-190 state, “No man can reject that testimony [Joseph Smith] without incurring the most dreadful consequences, for he cannot enter the Kingdom of God.” The Mormon Doctrine, p. 670, states, “If it had not been for Joseph Smith and the restoration, there would be no salvation. There is no salvation outside the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.”

The gospel for a Mormon – the Mormon Church system and its doctrines, not the message of Christ’s death and resurrection as atonement for our sins.

Born again – baptism into the LDS church

True church – the Mormon Church alone. They teach that all other churches are wrong.

Baptism – must be performed by LDS priesthood

Sons of God – we are all literal spirit children of God. We all pre-existed, we all exist eternally.

Eternal life – exaltation in celestial kingdom, ability to bear children in heaven, must have a temple marriage.

Hell – as an institution is eternal – inmates come and go as in jail, don’t spend eternity there, stay until one has paid his debt to God

Scriptures – their books and the KJV, the KJV only as it is translated correctly, Joseph smith made over 600 corrections to the KJV text. The other Scriptures for Mormons are the Book of Mormon, Doctrine and Covenants, The Pearl of Great Price. The reason the translation of the KJV is questioned is because Joseph Smith said that it was “apparent that many important points touching the salvation of men, had been taken from the Bible, or lost before it was compiled.” Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, p. 10

Jesus was Heavenly Father’s firstborn spirit child in heaven. He was begotten by God through Mary in a literal, full and complete sense, not a virgin birth. On the cross Jesus atoned for Adam’s sin and guaranteed all humankind resurrection and established the true church among them. We are the spiritual bothers and sisters of Christ. By the way, Lucifer was Jesus’ brother.

Humans are gods in embryo – every human being has the potential of becoming a god by keeping the requirements of Mormonism. As man is god once was, as god is man may become. Faithful Mormon men receive the exaltation to godhood.

If you are a good person but a non-Mormon you will at least make it to the terrestrial level of heaven. No hell if you are a good person. If you are wicked you only make it to the lowest level of heaven – telestial level.

This is not the gospel and people who embrace these teachings are not Christians. They are Mormons.

Be Careful of False Teachings

2008-01-07T22:10:00.000-06:00

Some time ago I shared in a sermon about an interview of Joel Osteen by Larry King. In that interview Joel Osteen said several disturbing things about being a Christian. Here one excerpt from the transcript of the interview:

KING: What if you’re Jewish or Muslim, you don’t accept Christ at all?

OSTEEN: You know, I’m very careful about saying who would and wouldn’t go to heaven. I don’t know . . .

KING: If you believe you have to believe in Christ? They’re wrong, aren’t they?

OSTEEN: Well, I don’t know if I believe they’re wrong. I believe here’s what the Bible teaches and from the Christian faith this is what I believe. But I just think that only God will judge a person’s heart. I spent a lot of time in India with my father. I don’t know all about their religion. But I know they love God. And I don’t know. I’ve seen their sincerity. So I don’t know. I know for me, and what the Bible teaches, I want to have a relationship with Jesus.

Joel Osteen is encouraging through this interview a "gospel" that doesn't sound like the gospel of the Bible. Now he has clarified this false teaching. In a recent interview (December 23) with Chris Wallace he clearly states that he believes Mormons are Christians (see 1:42 into video). This is false teaching. I am not posting this on my blog to slander this man. I am posting this on my blog to warn those who might otherwise read his books or listen to his teachings and miss the fact that he does not seem to hold to the clear teaching of Scripture regarding the simple message of the gospel. I remind you of the words of the apostle Paul, (Galatians 1:8-9)^"But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach to you a gospel contrary to the one we preached to you, let him be accursed. ⁹As we have said before, so now I say again: If anyone is preaching to you a gospel contrary to the one you received, let him be accursed." ESV. I hope and pray that Joel Osteen believes the true gospel of the Bible and that he would some day truly preach that gospel. Until he does, please be careful in how you regard this man and his teachings.

Vacation Surprises Recorded

2008-01-07T19:33:00.000-06:00

· First day waking up to -23 degrees

· Caden learning to ski in two days, then flying down the hill as fast as I like to ski

· Weston out-skiing both his parents

· Maelyn skiing with her cousin on the other side of the mountain

· Lynlee skiing all day in spite of her illness

· Caden staying on the lift after he should have got off

· No injuries

· GPS really kept me from getting lost

· We were able to drive over four hours before our first stop – a family record (no stadium pals either)

· Food at the restaurant on the mountain was good and affordable

· Sun and fresh snow – perfect weather and perfect snow the whole time

· A bedroom and bathroom with no doors – surprising to say the least

· First day waking up to -23 degrees and then sweating because it got so hot while skiing

· The kids loved the ski trip almost as much as Disney (as much if you ask Weston)

· Stayed within our vacation budget

· Burned over 3000 calories each day we skied – or so I am told

· Our kids created some games with handwarmers and had a wonderful evening of fun - with hand warmers. Kind of like giving a toy to a toddler and finding out that he prefers the box in which the toy came. We could probably market the games and make a killing.

· Owner of the ski shop got in a verbal fight with the ski technician over Caden’s ski size.

· The snow boarder who ran over Caden

· The other snow boarder who ran over Lynlee

We really had a wonderful vacation together as a family - many great memories to cherish and anticipation for the next time we are able to go on a trip together.

Surprise - A Noisy Night

2007-12-31T07:49:00.001-06:00

Nothing like pulling into a hotel room around midnight only to find out that from midnight to 6am the hotel is as noisy as a freight train. Doors slamming, screaming parents corralling their wayward kids, babies crying, car alarms blaring... Along with the hotel racket, Lynlee is sick and coughed incessantly in my ear. The joys of vacation surprises. We are on our way to South Fork, Colorado to spend a few days skiing. Caden has never been skiing and is a little worried about ski school. He thinks he might have studying, homework and tests - it is called school. The other two kids are excited about skiing again since it has been over two years since our last trip. Lynlee and I - well let's just say that we think we may have indications of being in another season of life. When we are looking more forward to hot chocolate and the hot tub than we are looking forward to hitting the slopes and conquering the mountain, I think that may be a sign. I am sure we will have a wonderful time and I will keep you posted regarding any more vacation surprises.

A Merry Christmas

2007-12-31T07:40:00.001-06:00

We had a wonderful Christmas time with family. We were able to spend time with both sides of our family during the holidays. It was very memorable. I told the following story in a sermon a little over a week before Christmas. I hope it will encourage you.

A while back I was pulled over on the highway by a highway patrolman for speeding. My life felt intercepted by that black and white car. This is not a confession, just a story. The patrolman came up to my car door and asked me where I was going in such a hurry. I said I was going to seminary for a conference. I asked him if I was speeding. I actually didn’t think I was speeding. I apparently missed the speed limit sign about a mile back where the speed limit was reduced before entering into a small town. He asked me if I was a pastor and I said yes. He asked what denomination and I said, “Baptist.” He walked back to his car to finish filling out the ticket or whatever they do in the car, probably laugh at the groveling attitude I was exhibiting. He came back to the car and told me to be careful, that he was a Baptist, and that he was giving me a warning. That was mercy. I didn’t get what I deserved. Do you know what would have happened if grace was also applied to the situation? The officer would have said, “This time of day can be busy on the highway and Dallas traffic can be rough. How about I give you an escort to seminary?” Then he would have proceeded to give me an official escort to seminary. That would have been grace. Grace is favor. Mercy and grace can create some wonderful stories.

For generations, stories of people’s choices filled history but nothing could stop what God had planned. No matter what anyone did or did not do, God was sending His Son into the world. God’s plan would happen and did happen because God is sovereignly in control of everything. Nothing surprises God and nothing thwarts God’s plans. Jesus came and was born in a manger, lived a holy and sinless life, died on the cross for the sins of the world and rose again from the dead according to the predetermined plan of God. At the fullness of time Jesus came, the Redeemer and Savior. God’s story is the bigger story in which each one of us lives.

God’s story is still unfolding to the day when the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And all those who trust in Jesus will be taken to be with the Lord forever. Like a thief in the night Jesus will appear to steal away his people and to end this story and start the story of eternity. That is God’s plan and nothing can stop it.

There is only one way to be ready for that day. You need a story of mercy and grace, a story of God’s favor, a story of God intercepting your life. I hope that Christmas has reminded you of how God has intercepted your life.

A Great Combination

2007-12-13T10:11:00.000-06:00

The kids and I have been out hunting on several occasions this winter. So far, only Caden has been with me when we have taken game. We shot a wild hog which we cooked that same day and had on the table that night for dinner. Delicious. The next time we went out we shot a nice sized doe, which is now in the freezer awaiting the grill. I enjoy the times I go out hunting with my kids. Great memories and great food - a truly wonderful combination. Perhaps I can supply some pictures. I can tell you that Caden liked what he saw as we cleaned the game. Nothing like hands on biology lessons. We still have several weeks left in the deer hunting season and hope to find success at least one or two more times. More memories and more food. Great times in winter wonderland.

Regenerate Church Membership

2007-12-12T15:25:00.000-06:00

Here is one more resolution. Hope you are encouraged by what our convention thinks about church membership. Let me know what you think it means to be a church member.

WHEREAS, the Baptist Faith & Message asserts that the Scriptures are "the supreme standard by which all human conduct, creeds, and religious opinions should be tried" (Article I); and

WHEREAS, a New Testament church is composed only of those who have been born again by the Holy Spirit through the preaching of the Word, becoming disciples of Jesus Christ, the local church’s only Lord, by grace through faith (Matthew 18:18-20; John 3:5); and

WHEREAS, a New Testament church is formed through covenant by a group of Christians intentionally gathering in the name of Jesus Christ and under his lordship (Matthew 18:19-20; Colossians 2:10, 19); and

WHEREAS, baptism of only believers by immersion in the Triune name is the only proper means of entering a local New Testament church and is thus the indispensable beginning of regenerate church membership (Matthew 28:18-20; Acts 2:41); and

WHEREAS, regenerate church membership is preserved by the practice of redemptive church discipline according to our Lord’s command (Matthew 18:15-18, 1 Corinthians 5, Titus 3:10-11); and

WHEREAS, the Lord’s Supper is to be celebrated in a worthy manner as a memorial of our Lord’s atoning death, providing continuing evidence of regenerate church membership (1 Corinthians 11:23-29); and

WHEREAS, regenerate church membership is necessary for the responsible practice of congregational church government (Matthew 18:17, Acts 6:3-4, 15:22); and

WHEREAS, the local church has been commissioned to make disciples of all nations through proclaiming the Word, by going, baptizing and teaching all things that Christ commanded, thus propagating regenerate church membership through evangelism (Matthew 28:16-20); and

WHEREAS, the New Testament ideal of regenerate church membership has long been a cherished Baptist principle as described by the Baptist Faith & Message (Article VI); now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED, that we, the messengers to the Southern Baptists of Texas Convention meeting in Arlington, Texas, November 12-13, 2007, humbly urge our beloved churches to renew their commitment to regenerate church membership by acknowledging the necessity of spiritual regeneration and Christ’s lordship for all members of local churches; and be it further

RESOLVED, that we humbly urge our churches to renew their commitment to the congregation as a covenantal assembly entered only by immersion of those who evidence a credible profession of faith in Christ; and be it further

RESOLVED, that we humbly urge our churches to renew the practice of redemptive church discipline, reviewing their membership rolls and kindling fraternal kinship and accountability among all members of the congregation; and be it further

RESOLVED, that we humbly urge our churches to celebrate the Lord’s Supper as a meaningful memorial celebration according to the New Testament, and develop congregants capable of responsible self-governance; and be it finally

RESOLVED, that we humbly encourage all of our beloved Southern Baptist churches to seek to fulfill the New Testament ideal of regenerate church membership for the glory of God, the edification of His people, and the more effective evangelization of the lost.

Unity and Doctrine

2007-12-05T09:39:00.000-06:00

Recently I attended the Southern Baptists of Texas Convention. There were several resolutions adopted by our convention and I thought I would share a few on the blog. The first deals with unity and doctrine, unity is only really possible when it occurs centered in Christ and the truth of Scripture. Here it is:

WHEREAS, the Bible instructs pastors and churches to be “holding fast the faithful word which is in accordance with the teaching, so that he will be able both to exhort in sound doctrine and to refute those who contradict,” (Titus 1:9); and

WHEREAS, the Bible informs churches that mature saints will not be “tossed here and there by waves of doctrine,” (Ephesians 4:12, 14); and

WHEREAS, the Bible records Paul urging Timothy to, “instruct certain men not to teach strange doctrines,” (1 Timothy 1:3); and

WHEREAS, the Baptist identity arises from certain doctrinal principles and convictions; and

WHEREAS, churches, denominations, and conventions have compromised their doctrinal distinctives in modern days in an ecumenical attempt to include people by excluding sound doctrinal principles-which has neither been unifying nor healthy; now, therefore be it

RESOLVED, that we the messengers to the Southern Baptists of Texas Convention meeting in Arlington, Texas, November 12-13, 2007 recognize that true biblical unity is based upon certain unalterable doctrinal confessions as revealed in God’s inerrant Scripture; further be it

RESOLVED, that we encourage all pastors, church members, and churches to pursue sound doctrinal understanding through teaching, seminars, and sermons for the purpose of a continuing education for edifying and equipping Southern Baptists to engage the world in conversation about God; and be it further

RESOLVED, that in order to establish a New Testament church and a unified convention, sound doctrine cannot be compromised; and be it finally

RESOLVED, that the Southern Baptists of Texas Convention affirms and encourages ongoing doctrinal conversation within Baptist life for the purpose of further defining ourselves, evangelizing this world, and growing in relationship and obedience to God.

Influence

2007-11-27T15:38:00.001-06:00

I received a phone call that I did not expect. A close friend and mentor, Mike Graham, was killed in a car accident on November 4th. We were getting ready to go to Lynlee's grandmothers funeral when the call came. That was a very difficult day followed by a very challenging week. Mike was a special person in my life. He was my first full-time ministry boss, a mentor and a close personal friend. He officiated our wedding, provided our premarital counseling and greatly influenced both Lynlee and me in our lives and marriage. We were blessed by the Lord through Mike's life and were struck deeply by his sudden death. His wife, Diane, asked me to officiate the funeral. What an honor. I was humbled beyond words. What a great privilege it was to share a message for the funeral service. Lynlee and I will never forget that day. We were greatly challenged once again by the Lord through Mike's life. Mike left a clear mark on our lives as well as many others, a mark that encouraged us to follow the Lord. I am challenged with the reality of the legacy that the grace of God leaves through lives of those who follow Christ. I hope that we each will be encouraged to consider what God's grace can do in and through a life surrendered to the Lord.

Losses and Gains

2007-11-26T16:13:00.000-06:00

At the beginning of November our family lost Lynlee's grandmother. It was a bitter sweet time. We all are thankful she is with the Lord, particularly because she suffered from Alzheimer's. We all miss her and the joy she brought to our lives. The time we spent with the family during the days of the funeral were special days of grief, joy and hope. I am so thankful for the hope of Jesus Christ, that we do not grieve like those who have no hope.

Back Soon

2007-11-10T21:34:00.000-06:00

I will return. Sorry, I seem to have neglected the blog. The last 8 days have been very challenging. More on that soon.

Discipleship

2007-11-01T16:31:00.000-05:00

Christians are called to make disciples. A life of discipleship is supposed to be the life of every believer. Do you know what the cost of non-discipleship is in our lives? I appreciate Dallas Willard’s comments, “It costs exactly that abundance of life Jesus said he came to bring. The cross-shaped yoke of Christ is after all an instrument of liberation and power to those who live in it with him and learn the meekness and lowliness of heart that brings rest to the soul. The correct perspective is to see following Christ not only as the necessity that it is, but as the fulfillment of the highest human possibilities and as life on the highest plane.” The Spirit of the Disciplines by Dallas Willard. If you do not practice a life of discipleship, you will miss life. Do you know what the cost of discipleship is? Does it really matter when you understand the cost of non-discipleship?

Back Again

2007-10-24T20:09:00.000-05:00

We are back. We had a great trip. Beautiful scenery. Lots of fish. Great time of fellowship and encouragement in the Lord. Trips like this leave a lasting change. Each man on the trip was challenged to follow the Lord specifically in fatherhood. We talked each night about being a father. We talked about fathers and integrity, honor, spirituality and the truth. The nights were full of great food, guitars and praise songs around the fire and truth centered conversations about godly fatherhood. By the end of our retreat, we were all ready to head home and love on our wives and kids. Thank the Lord for this wonderful experience.

Back soon

2007-10-14T08:40:00.000-05:00

We are gone to the San Juan River. Will return with some great fish tales.

Men's Trip

2007-10-10T14:29:00.001-05:00

Next week we are headed to the San Juan for our annual men's fly fishing trip. Each year this trip has been incredibly rewarding for our men as well as full of some great fishing. We leave Sunday if you want to come. As you can see, we can probably make room.

What do you see?

2007-10-09T16:10:00.000-05:00

What do you see when you look at this picture? You may see a fallen tree or some plants. If you were really hungry, you would probably see the grouse (another photo taken in Yellowstone). Maybe you wouldn't. I don't know if grouse is good to eat. The point is that certain things can affect our perspective. Here is one of my favorite examples of that: When the Israelites looked at Goliath they saw an enormous threatening giant. When David looked at Goliath he saw an enormous target. The difference – David saw what God saw. David saw Goliath through the lens of God's purposes and grace. When you see what God sees, it makes all the difference. When you see your life through the lens of God's love and grace, it changes the way you see everything.

Incentive to read, pray and more...

2007-10-04T16:08:00.000-05:00

Lynlee and I are leading a class at church for married couples. We are reading and discussing the book, Sacred Marriage by Gary Thomas. I believe that this is a worthwhile read and to motivate some of my blog readers to pick up this book, I will include a short quote, "Sleeping with your spouse can leave your heart, mind, and soul free, for a time, to vigorously pursue God in prayer without distraction. ...Meet your sexual needs by making love to your spouse. Then your mind and soul will be more open to prayer." Don't all of us who are married want a better prayer life?

Fishing and Sages

2007-10-04T16:03:00.000-05:00

We had as many miles of this creek as we wanted, all to ourselves. Just the two of us and all the wilderness we could breathe in. The fishing was demanding. From the top of the rolling hills at my back, you could see me creeping up to the streams edge, trying to be concealed with streamside foliage, while lightly casting a dry fly from a crouching pose. All this was rewarded over and again by feisty, ravenous brook trout breaking the surface of the water to engulf its mid-morning snack. It was easy to lose ourselves in the moment. We were alone in an expanse of wilderness, fully enjoying God’s creation. “Fly fishermen believe that every fishermen, in his or her heart of hearts, would like to be a fly fishermen. They insist that an angler who goes through life without learning fly fishing is like a gourmand who deprives himself of French food or a sports fan who ignores all sports but bowling.” Mark Hoff, Fly Fishing: Life is but a Stream. After these redeeming days on rivers such as this I am in agreement with George X. Sand who said, “God does not deduct from a man’s time on earth the hours he spends fishing.”

One more update

2007-10-03T10:20:00.000-05:00

I did not have to go to Montana or even El Paso. My friend brought me some brisket back from Tulsa's FD's last week. Once again, I was not disappointed. Looking forward to the fall of '08.

Knee Deep

2007-10-03T10:11:00.000-05:00

During my week of respite, I stood in seven different rivers over six days catching four different types of trout in some of the most beautiful country God created. I have said it before and I will probably say it again more than once in the years to come – I love standing in rivers, artfully casting to trout, seeking to deceive in hope of the catch. As I stood in any of those rivers (this is the Gibbon River in Yellowstone), with the water rushing by, I could have taken a cup and dipped it into the river and it would have been easily filled to overflowing with water to spare. In fact, I could have gotten a bigger cup and still the water would have overflowed. You could look at the river and you would never be able to tell that I filled a cup. No depletion of the river at all. I could carry the biggest container I could handle into the river and fill it to overflowing and still the water would keep flowing, no depletion, all the water I could need with so much more, a seemingly infinite supply.

I am convinced that God’s grace is like a river. God is the God of all grace. I can take my cup of needs, no matter how big, and dip it into the river of God’s grace and my cup will be filled to overflowing without depleting the grace of God at all. No matter how big my cup of need, the river of God’s grace just keeps on flowing. He is the God of all grace. He has it all in an infinite supply. His well of grace will never run dry; even more it can’t even be depleted at all by all our need. God is the God of all grace. All grace – grace that redeems our suffering, grace that brings joy and hope, peace and life, grace that brings salvation and redemption, grace that brings the Holy Spirit, grace that illuminates our hearts to the truth of Scripture, grace that brings every good gift, grace that turns evil into good, grace that changes our lives, grace that gives us life, grace that brings us into the love of God, the joy of Christ and the power of His Spirit. Grace. God is the God of all grace.

Famous in Abilene

2007-09-27T09:04:00.001-05:00

There is surpassing value in blogging. If it were not for this blog and you who choose to waste some time here, I would not now know this great and surprising news. The news was announced Tuesday, September 18, that a minimum of nine Famous Dave's locations will be opened in Texas, with the first to be on Abilene's south side. What is so funny about this is that I was actually eating and enjoying the marvelous Famous Dave's BBQ on Tuesday night September 18, when the all important news broke back home. Incredible. I will be anxiously waiting the Fall of 2008 grand opening.

Famous to Me Now

2007-09-26T17:18:00.000-05:00

Have you ever eaten at Famous Dave's? I had never even heard of this place until I ate at one in Billings, Montana. Best BBQ I have ever put in my mouth. It was a highlight of the trip. Funny how much food matters and defines the quality of a vacation in my book. I loved it and if you have a chance to go, just see if it is not some of the best BBQ that has ever touched your palette. The only location in Texas is in El Paso. My one friend that lives in El Paso actually believes that I owe him a free meal, so I know he will never hook me up with some Famous Dave's. I would go back to Montana just to taste that meal one more time. I might even go to El Paso (Probably not).

Good reasons

2007-09-26T17:10:00.000-05:00

I have such good reasons for not making new posts over the last fifteen days. They say a picture is worth a thousand words. I am back now and should have no reason to be void of the creativity necessary to provide at least a couple decent posts. We shall see.

Go the Distance

2007-09-11T11:03:00.001-05:00

There is a tree in the Washington National Forest. It is a straight and enormously wide tree, but a tree nonetheless. You can’t see it above the other trees that surround it; it just blends in with the forest, a simple tree among other trees. But if you walk closely by this tree, you would see a sign standing in front of this tree. The National Parks Service put a sign in front of this tree for one reason, and for one reason only: It has survived for seven centuries. That is right – 700 years. "This tree has simply gone the distance, and in so doing, it has commanded attention." (Gary Thomas, Sacred Marriage.) In the same way, faithfulness speaks volumes. Faithfulness for Christians in marriage, family, work, and especially walking with Christ grabs people's attention and points them to Jesus Christ. Perseverance commands the attention of the world, pointing them to Christ. Stay faithful.

Satisfied

2007-09-06T21:42:00.000-05:00

Mathew 6:5-6“And when you pray, you must not be like the hypocrites. For they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, that they may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. ⁶But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you. Matthew 6:16-18“And when you fast, do not look gloomy like the hypocrites, for they disfigure their faces that their fasting may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. ¹⁷But when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, ¹⁸that your fasting may not be seen by others but by your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you. ESV. Jesus doesn’t correct the desire for reward or recognition, the desire to be exalted. Praying and fasting in order to be seen by others will bring you some level of personal reward. No doubt. It will provide some recognition. But only the praying and fasting that is done in secret brings the greatest reward. Jesus wants us to get the greatest reward and recognition. It is what we are made for. We are made to be satisfied only in Christ. We are made to glorify God by being satisfied in Him. It is not the desire for reward or satisfaction that is the problem. A problem only surfaces when we become temporarily satisfied with the fleeting recognition of man. We were not made to find our worth in the honor of other people. We were made to find our worth in Christ alone. Jesus Christ has asked us to follow Him and He has told us what is in store for us when we do follow Him. We should follow Him with all the promises, honor and reward in full view so that we won’t be deceived into believing that something else in this life will satisfy. If Jesus didn’t want us to keep these things in view, He wouldn’t have told us so much about the promises of honor, blessing and reward. He wants us to see that He can and will totally satisfy us. We can truly cast all our cares upon the Lord.

Mission or Morality

2007-08-29T17:05:00.000-05:00

Why are we moral? Is morality the goal of our lives? Sometimes I think we, church people, talk and act like it is. Clearly, morality is not the goal. We are not supposed to only be moral adults who raise moral kids. People should not describe us as just good people. We are to be people who are on a mission, the mission of the gospel of Jesus Christ. There is no question that this is a mission that calls for morality, actually holiness, for our greatest effectiveness. But the mission is the gospel. I pray that my kids will catch the mission more than they catch the morality. I don't want my kids to be good because being good is better than being bad. I want my kids to follow Christ, to share Christ, to be on a mission for the gospel and in embracing that mission I know that they will seek to be like Christ. I don't want our family to be known as a good family but a family on mission, the mission of the gospel of Christ. I hope we can get this straight in our lives. The mission is the gospel rather than just morality.

Swimming Upstream

2007-08-24T11:48:00.000-05:00

I recently spent some time on a river hanging out with my family. Along with all the fun we had, I was reminded of a simple truth: Swimming against the current is more difficult than swimming with the current. I know this is not rocket science but the simple lessons are often the best lessons. In life, there are times we should swim against the current and times we must be swimming with the current. Wisdom is discerning which time it is. I am so thankful that God tells us in James 1:5, “If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him.” ESV.

Are We Listening

2007-08-20T17:24:00.000-05:00

The hanger is bigger than you thought. On the right, a small plane, at least it seems small, swallowed up by the hanger and the tension of the moment. On the left, several busy people working on packing the last of the parachutes into a pack, like the one you will be wearing shortly. You are directed to a row of chairs, you take a seat in what would be a much more comfortable chair under different circumstances. Everyone is present and equally on edge and into that vacuum of apprehension walks a middle aged, fairly fit, partially balding man with an air of calm authority about him. The words roll off his lips with ease, “Good morning. I will be your jump instructor today.” Can I interrupt this scene and ask you a question? Good. Here it is: Do you need to be told to listen to this man? I don’t think so. Maybe we need to build a church like a hanger and put parachutes in the pews and call the preacher the jump instructor so we will remember to really listen. Or perhaps the preacher just needs to preach life-saving, truthful, engaging sermons. I suspect it may be a little of both. The question is not “Is God speaking.” It never has been. The question for the preacher and for the parishioner will always be “Are we listening?”

Study Leave

2007-08-02T16:15:00.000-05:00

Each summer our church provides me with two weeks away from the office for preparing and planning sermons for the coming year. I will not be blogging for the next two weeks - August 6-18. I will return though.

Pray for your Pastor

2007-08-01T13:42:00.000-05:00

If you haven't, I hope you will. Here are some ideas:

Father, I pray that my pastors will glory only in the cross of Christ. Enable them to walk in humility rather than pride.

Bless my pastors with fruitful study time. I pray that they will prioritize each moment of the day with the Kingdom of God in mind.

Lord, fill my pastors with a supernatural empowering of Your Holy Spirit.

I pray that my pastors will live above reproach in speech and actions. I pray that they will live with integrity, honesty and sincerity in all of life and desire holiness. Help them to be physically pure in a world that is saturated with physical temptations.

Lord, grant them your vision and creativity in their ministry.

Father, I pray that my pastors will be spiritually disciplined, diligent in seeking the Lord, and faithful in the Word and prayer.

I pray that my pastors will experience worship in spirit and in truth.

Father, I pray that my pastors will be emotionally, physically and spiritually right before You. I pray that they will be emotionally and relationally connected to You. I ask that they will be spiritually sincere and genuine, walking in a deepening relationship with Christ, preaching and teaching out of the overflow of their spiritual life.

Father, I pray for my pastors, as leaders, to be servants, encouraging and understanding. I pray that they will be faithful as shepherds and in sharing the gospel.

Lord, may my pastors be good stewards of all that you give them. Give them wisdom to handle money wisely. I pray that they will not be anxious about finances, but will seek your Kingdom first.

Lord, I pray for my pastors to have good, godly male friends who are walking in righteousness. May they be trustworthy men of wisdom with whom they can openly share their hearts. Show them the importance of godly friendships.

Father, I pray that my pastors will be spiritually and emotionally connected to their wives. Protect their marriages from anything that would harm or destroy them. Help each of them to make time for his wife alone, to nurture and renew the marriage. Give them boldness in protecting that time. I pray for each pastor and his wife that their love for each other will grow stronger each day.

Lord, teach my pastors to be good fathers. Give them skills of communication with their children. Help them to be kind, loving, affirming, affectionate, understanding and patient. Help them to see the importance of spending quality time with their children. Give them boldness in protecting that time. Let the spiritual inheritance they pass on to their children be one rich in the fullness of Your Holy Spirit.

Lord, I pray that I will be faithful to daily intercede for my pastors and their families.

The Suffering Church

2007-07-31T11:10:00.000-05:00

This last Sunday in church, as we focussed on I Peter 4:12-19 we talked about those who are suffering for following Jesus Christ in other parts of the world. We also spent some wonderful time praying together. Here are the prayer directives from Sunday as a reminder as well as a link to some more resources from the International Mission Board. If anyone would like to receive the regular prayer letter from our guest Sunday, just let me know I will give him your email address. Here are a few ideas of how you can pray: Pray for the small number of believers in our focus country and the work going on there. Pray that family pressure and government intimidation and threats will not stop believers from being bold in their witness. Pray for our workers and their families that are laboring and living in these difficult countries. This last year the IMB planted churches among 13 people groups previously with no evangelical church of any kind. For the first time in history a church representing Jesus Christ exists among 13 unreached peoples who have never before heard the Gospel. The IMB has over 5000 people on the field taking the gospel to the world. Pray for those who have moved to others countries to share the gospel. More than 6000 people groups containing 3.8 billion people remain unreached. Pray that individual from those people groups would come to Christ and become faithful witnesses to others within their own people group. Pray that the church that suffers would rejoice in their suffering. What a great time we shared together on Sunday. Praise the Lord for His faithful work all over the world. Check out this link for resources.

Dumb - bell

2007-07-19T17:17:00.000-05:00

You should have seen it because I am certain it would have made you laugh out loud. I was at the end of my workout using fairly light weight doing a burn out set on the bench. I pushed one too many reps. I froze near the top and then my arms gave out. The weights came crashing down on my chest. I was stuck and had to be rescued by a fellow lifter who was waved down by a guy on the treadmill, yelling, "Save the guy on the bench." It was real funny, since I am alive to laugh about it. Felt pretty dumb actually. Wish you could have been there to laugh with me. There really is some value in physical discipline but it is so clear to me that spiritual discipline has much more value and is much safer.

The Promise

2007-07-19T15:17:00.000-05:00

One more post about hospitality. Mark 10:28-30 says, Peter began to say to him, “See, we have left everything and followed you.” ²⁹Jesus said, “Truly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or lands, for my sake and for the gospel, ³⁰who will not receive a hundredfold now in this time, houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and lands, with persecutions, and in the age to come eternal life. ESV. The part of this promise for “this time” seems to depend upon the daily hospitality and sacrifice of other believers. That would be a great reason to check our attitude of hospitality. Have a great weekend and look for a way to show hospitality.

Grumbling

2007-07-18T12:48:00.000-05:00

Jesus had problems with grumbling and complaining. He really did. Whenever he demonstrated hospitality to sinners, the Pharisees would complain and grumble about what he was doing. They didn’t like it. They didn’t agree with what he was doing and who he was doing it for. Luke 15:2 says, “…the Pharisees and the scribes grumbled, saying, ‘This man receives sinners and eats with them.’” ESV. Pharisees grumbled at Jesus because he showed hospitality to the “wrong” people. We must make sure that we don’t become grumblers against those who are trying to show hospitality to people or in ways that we might think is not best. When someone in church extends hospitality to another, self-sacrificing hospitality, we must not become observational grumblers. We really need to join them in showing hospitality, love and kindness towards others who have not provided any reason to be shown love and kindness.

Hospitality

2007-07-17T15:33:00.000-05:00

I Peter 4:9 says, Show hospitality to one another without grumbling. ESV. Hospitality is often thought of to be warmth and generosity to friends that you invite to your home. That is being hospitable, but that is not the complete meaning of this word in I Peter. This word means to open your home and life to others that would not normally be invited to your home, to be warm and generous to people you do not know well, people you would even consider strangers. Biblical hospitality is love and kindness towards others who have not provided any reason to be loved or shown kindness. Hospitality is a tangible expression of Christian love towards those who have not earned our love. We are commanded to show hospitality as a body of believers without grumbling. Sunday I talked about hospitality and not grumbling or complaining when we have an opportunity to show hospitality. In addition to what I shared Sunday, there is another type of grumbling that we must avoid in relation to showing hospitality. More on that tomorrow.

Growth

2007-07-11T17:32:00.001-05:00

"Why did that happen?" Have you ever asked that question? I am certain we all have. Sometimes that "why" question is more of a distraction than a benefit. More often than not, it is just better to ask another question, "How can I grow through this circumstance?" Even if we did know why, we will still have to decide what we will do with what happened. What we do in response to what happens is much more important than why something happened. When we respond correctly, perhaps then we will be able to see, through hindsight, at least some of the reason why. If we respond incorrectly, rest assured that the "why" is deemed irrelevant.

Tight Lines

Twitter

SBC Missions Update

CHL and church security

Networking

Why Do We Have Denomonations?

Loyalty

Toward a Great Commission Resurgence

Say Goodbye to Cowardice

Hiatus

Who God Killed and Why

Tim Tebow - What a Story!

Over-population?

Merry Christmas!

"Our Chattooga" and Your Problem

A Fine Dog

Trophies are Worth the Effort

Reading Fiction

San Juan - Better Than Ever

Big Blister

Our Medalist

Worth a Thousand Words

She is a natural

Days Away

The Wisdom of a Beaver

Fish On

Be Careful

Inspired

Video

Podcast Update - iTunes

Blessed are those who are persecuted

Week Two

Blessed are those who are persecuted

Blessed are the Peacemakers

Day Five

Day Four

Day Three

First two days

Something like that...

The Pure in Heart

Blog Break

The Merciful

Contemplations of Mercy

Just Scales

Factions

Hunger and Thirst

The Challenge of Proper Advice

The Gentle

The Meek

Those Who Mourn

The Poor in Spirit

The Beatitudes

A Call to Serve

A Little Adventure

Educational Choices and Division

Mixed Messages and the Crowd

How about some useless information?

Busy

More Stories

Reaching People

Hypothermia

What an Atheist Thinks

ClearPlay

What is for dessert?

Slip and Slide

Not Christians

Be Careful of False Teachings

Vacation Surprises Recorded

Surprise - A Noisy Night

A Merry Christmas

A Great Combination

Regenerate Church Membership

Unity and Doctrine

Influence

Losses and Gains

Back Soon

Discipleship

Back Again

Back soon

Men's Trip