Has It Been Nearly A Month?

I can't believe it has almost been a month since I last posted a blog entry. It's also hard to believe that we are less than two weeks away from Christmas Day! Wow, time flies.

Things have been busy lately in the Lambert household, especially considering that we've been able to spend the last two weekends with Shane, Justin and Morgan. God has truly blessed us by bringing them back into our lives after a period of over four months when we weren't able to see them at all. We are thankful for any time we are able to spend with them, and they've seemed pretty excited to be with us, as well.

At church, preparations are under way for our Christmas cantata on December 24th during the morning worship hour. After the cantata, we will observe the Lord's Supper. It is my prayer that this will be a very special service and a great addition to your Christmas celebrations. Please plan on being here and invite a friend (or two, or more). There will be no evening services that day.

AWANA has been going great. After a month and a half, we are averaging around 30 children every Sunday night. What a blessing it has been to see these children excited about memorizing Scripture. I believe this is a ministry that will produce much fruit in the days, months and years to come. Thank you again, church, for your continued efforts to reach people for Jesus!

I hope to blog again before Christmas, but just in case I don't let me say this: I hope everyone who reads this has a very merry Christmas and a happy new year. And thank you for reading my ramblings in 2006 (when I've remembered to write them). May God continue to bless us all in 2007!

Bro. Shane

Things I'm Thankful For

With thanksgiving just a week away, I've been reflecting recently on a few of the things that I'm thankful for. Being that this is merely a snapshot of what has been on my mind lately, this list is in no way exhaustive. With that being said, here goes:

-I'm thankful for a wonderful, loving, supportive wife. She is, besides being all of those things, my best friend. I can never tell her enough how much she means to me.

-I'm thankful for an incredible home life. I don't know many men who would honestly feel that way if their mother-in-law lived with them. My situation, I suppose, is unique. It is so nice to have a great relationship not only with Stephanie, but with Moshi, as well. We, as a family, are truly blessed.

-I'm thankful for being raised in a Christian home; for parents who loved me enough to correct me when I did wrong. I didn't always appreciate their chastening when I was younger, but today I praise God for it. They never punished me to the point of abuse or exasperation, but they always lovingly disciplined me and pointed me in the right direction. I am who I am today because of the way I was raised.

-I'm thankful for all of the bad, sad, painful and hurtful experiences I've gone through in my life. In nearly every situation, I've seen God work all things for my good. Even in those rare instances where I've yet to see God's hand at work, I know that in the end He will work His will in my life and I shall come forth as gold (see the book of Job). God has been so faithful in the things that I can understand that I know I can trust Him with the things that I can't understand.

-I'm thankful to be pastoring a church that is truly a family. It is such a blessing to be a part of this body of believers. Like any family, we sometimes weather storms. God's love and our love for Him, however, always carries us through the tough times and makes us stronger.

-I'm thankful for a church that has not been afraid to try new things. The AWANA ministry that we've just begun was a bold step of faith, and I believe God will bless EFBC for our renewed commitment to reach people for Jesus.

-I'm thankful for a church family that has been forgiving and longsuffering. It's inevitable that even the most successful pastors are going to have their share of failures. The only ministers who never fail are the ones who never attempt to do anything for the Lord. Since I've been in the ministry, I've enjoyed some amazing successes and I've also presided over some monumental disasters. In the last four years, Eulaton First Baptist Church has stood by me even when I've made mistakes and experienced failure. Although things are going pretty well right now, there will no doubt come a day in the near future when I will mess something up again. When that happens, it's nice to know that my church family will bear with me through my blunders.

-And finally, if I had to choose the one thing I am MOST thankful for, it would have to be this: the grace of God. I don't know why Almighty God would love me so much that He would send His only Son to die for me on an old rugged cross. I am so undeserving of God's grace. I'll never get over what Jesus did for me when He spilled His blood so that I could stand before God spotless and unashamed. 2 Corinthians 5:21 says God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. That God could love and save a dead dog such as me, that is what I am truly MOST thankful for.

Bro. Shane

(Scripture quoted above is from the New International Version of the Holy Bible)

AWANA Off To Great Start

We experienced another fantastic day at EFBC on Sunday. Our AWANA ministry had an incredibly successful start with 29 children! What a joy to see that many young people here on a Sunday night. Many children who will be coming to AWANA were not able to be here this week, so our numbers could have been even higher. Let's keep praying that this ministry will grow and reach many children and their families for Christ!

Thank you, church, for supporting this ministry.

Bro. Shane

God Is So Good!

What an incredible day we had this past Sunday at EFBC! From Sunday School (which recorded our highest attendance in nearly two years) to a packed worship service to an incredible turn-out for our planned activities, God truly blessed this special day. "Sensational Sunday" definitely lived up to its name.

Best of all was what happened at the AWANA Registration table. Angela registered at least 21 children for AWANA (children not affiliated with EFBC) and passed out dozens of other registration cards that parents took home with them. This is exactly the kind of kick-off we needed for this exciting new ministry.

God also blessed us mightily last week during our Fall Revival. It was perfect preparation for our huge outreach day. I believe our church is experiencing a bit of a great awakening, and I pray that we will not decide to take a nap now that we have been revived. I believe we are on the verge of seeing God do something big at EFBC. Let's just keep giving Him all the praise and glory!

Bro. Shane

A Tale Of Three Sundays

The next three Sunday's at EFBC are going to be incredibly exciting. I hope you will be in constant prayer for God to do a mighty work in our church over the coming weeks.

This Sunday will mark the beginning of our Fall Revival with Turk Holt preaching. Sunday services will be at their regular times. Monday through Wednesday nights we will be meeting at 7 p.m. Let's pray that God will light a fire in our church that will spread throughout this community.

The following week, on October 29th we will be having a huge outreach event: Sensational Sunday. That morning we will have our regular morning services (although we will be a bit more casual than usual), and that will be followed by a time of food, fun and festivities designed to draw people in from our community. Events will include Trunk or Treat, a cake-walk, moon bounce, chili cook-off and face painting. One of our primary goals for this big event is to register as many children as possible for AWANA at EFBC.

And that leads me to what's exciting about the Sunday after that: November 5. On that day, we will begin our AWANA Club at EFBC. This could be the most significant day that this church has seen in a really long time. How wonderful will it be if we come together for worship on that Sunday evening and see untold numbers of children excited about being at church? How much more wonderful will it be if over the coming weeks we begin to see many of these young people give their hearts to Jesus and grow strong in their faith as they study about Him and memorize Scripture? And even more wonderful than that, what if we begin reaching their parents for Christ? I truly believe the AWANA Club could be a transformational ministry for our church.

Please keep these upcoming three Sundays in your prayers. It is my belief that EFBC will never be the same again, but we will only see positive changes if we bathe these events in prayer and keep Christ at the center of everything we do.

I hope to see you here this Sunday as we kick-off these upcoming events with Day 1 of our Fall Revival.

Bro. Shane

Update On Moshi

Just wanted to let everyone know that Moshi (Audrey) came home from the hospital yesterday and seems to be doing much better. She's not had a seizure since Sunday afternoon, and is resting well at home. Because the doctors have changed some of her medications, she has been constantly sleepy. This is to be expected until her body gets used to the new dosages and new meds. Other than that, she seems to have turned a corner on Monday and to be headed in a much better direction.

Thanks to everyone for your prayers this past week. God is so good!

Bro. Shane

Things On My Mind

Just a few random thoughts on this Wednesday morning:

-The movie Facing The Giants did not disappoint. This is a great family film that has the potential to have a huge impact for the cause of Christ. I realize some of the acting is not on par with Hollywood, but that's not surprising given the fact that the actors were unpaid volunteers. Personally, I think they did an outstanding job. I think the use of ordinary church folks makes the movie more real. As we (Stephanie, Moshi and me) watched the movie, we laughed at times, cried at times, and cheered at times. I left the theater ready to go and face the giants in my life.

-Two interesting trailers that were shown before the movie have caught my attention. One is a movie about Esther, which is set to open around the middle of this month. I've always said the story of Esther would make a great movie, and the trailer looked really good. This is not an endorsement of the movie, because I know nothing else about it. The other preview was a movie about the birth of Christ; I believe entitled The Nativity Story. Again, all I know is what I saw in the trailer, but it too looked like it would be a good movie. It is set to open during the Christmas season.

-Fall Revival is less than a month away! Turk Holt will be with us October 22-25.

-Sensational Sunday is planned for October 29. This will be a huge community outreach day and will also serve as a kick-off for our AWANA ministry. We hope to register many children for AWANA that day. We will have flyers for you to hand out available at church tonight.

-AWANA is set to begin Sunday, November 5. Word about this exciting ministry seems to be spreading. We've already had quite a few families show an interest in coming to EFBC simply because we're going to be offering AWANA for their children. I believe this will be one of the best things we've seen happen at Eulaton in a long time.

-Please keep the revival, Sensational Sunday, and AWANA in your prayers. All of our efforts will be in vain if we're not putting the Lord first and bathing these things in prayer. Pray that He will have His way at EFBC. Also remember to pray for those on our prayer list, including our shut-ins.

-Please be in prayer for the Amish community in Pennsylvania that experienced the terrible tragedy this week. I saw on Fox News this morning that a so-called "Baptist" group from Kansas (Fred Phelps and his followers) were planning a protest at the funerals. A piece of video showed one lady holding a sign up in front of passing cars that said, "God Hates You." These people are absolutely despicable. How they can call themselves Christians is beyond me. What could they possibly have to protest in this situation? Fred Phelps and his followers need to stay in Kansas and start reading their Bibles, because they obviously know nothing about the God of the Old and New Testaments. What an embarrassment these folks are to Christianity. While praying for the Amish, why not say a prayer for these disturbed individuals who will be carrying out these protests.

Those are just some of the things that are on my mind this morning. I hope everyone is having a great week, and I hope to see many of you at church tonight.

Bro. Shane

What Do You Think?

During our family devotional times every morning, Stephanie, Moshi and I have been studying the life of the apostle Paul. This morning, we came to Acts 13 and read about John Mark deserting the missionary team of Paul and Barnabas. The Bible doesn't go into detail about why Mark left, other than to say, "John, departing from them, returned to Jerusalem." It's something you might otherwise miss if the subject didn't come up again in Acts 15.

When Paul and Barnabas were preparing to depart for their second missionary journey, Barnabas wanted to bring along John Mark. Paul, however, refused because Mark had deserted them earlier in Pamphylia. The Bible says the difference of opinions was so heated that they eventually split up; Paul taking Silas with him and Barnabas going in another direction with John Mark.

Despite their disagreement and parting of ways, it does appear that everybody made amends at some point in the future. 1 Corinthians 9:6 leads us to believe that Paul and Barnabas had patched things up. And as for John Mark, Paul told Timothy in 2 Tim 4:11 to "get Mark and bring him with you, for he is useful to me for ministry." So by the time of Paul's death, it appears everybody had reconciled.

So, here's the question that I'd like to have your opinion on: Who was right in the split? Was it Barnabas who wanted to bring John Mark along for their second journey, or was it Paul who felt like Mark's past desertion disqualified him from missionary service?

According to John MacArthur, who I highly respect: "The weight of evidence favors Paul's decision, especially since he was an apostle of Jesus Christ. That alone should have caused Barnabas to submit to his authority." My Nelson Study Bible, however, mentions that, "Barnabas had led the church (at Antioch) in its early days. He was the church's main representative at the Jerusalem council, but he did not use his prominence to seek a reprimand of Paul." Are they trying to say that Barnabas made the better decision?

Regardless of who was right, one thing is clear about the situation: God used the split to take the Gospel in two directions instead of one. The Bible says that Barnabas and Mark sailed to Cyprus, while Paul and Silas went through Syria and Cilicia. So instead of one missionary team going into one region, there were two teams going to into two different regions. Both served the Lord faithfully.

I'm sure that many gifted theologians who are much smarter than I am have already debated this matter ad nauseam. Still, I thought it might lead to some thought provoking responses from the faithful few who read this blog. So, what do you think?

I'm Excited

After many years of driving to Birmingham or Douglasville, LifeWay Christian Stores have finally opened a store right here in Calhoun County. I was privileged to attend the store's dedication and a pastor's prayer service this morning at the new bookstore. It is exciting to know that we now have this valuable resource right here in our own backyard. The LifeWay Store is located at the new Oxford Exchange, not too far from Target. Let me encourage you to visit the store this weekend if you get a chance to.

Something else that I am excited about is the premiere in one week of the Sherwood Pictures film Facing The Giants. This movie was created by the same people who brought us Flywheel, a movie that touched many of our church members last year. Facing The Giants opens up in more than 400 theaters across the country on Friday, September 29, including the AmStar theater in the Quintard Mall.

Let me encourage you to not only go and see this film, but go and see it on the opening weekend. Movie theaters look at box office receipts after the opening weekend and that goes a long way in determining how long a particular film will run in that theater. I'm praying that Facing The Giants will far exceed expectations in ticket sales, and more importantly, in changed lives. We've seen how God can use motion pictures with The Passion Of The Christ, and I believe God will use this movie, as well. Why not take a friend who doesn't know the Lord? With a topic like high school football, it shouldn't be hard to get Alabamians interested in this movie. Visit the film's website at www.facingthegiants.com.

One more thing I'm excited about is this Sunday. After two wonderful Sundays and four baptisms in the past two weeks, I can't wait to see what God is going to do this week. I hope to see you here.

Bro. Shane

AWANA Is Coming

It's official. The church voted last night to start an AWANA club at Eulaton. AWANA is a children's ministry that God is using mightily in thousands of churches. I am incredibly excited to see how God is going to work through this ministry at EFBC.

The name AWANA stands for "Approved Workmen Are Not Ashamed" and is taken from 2 Timothy 2:15 which reads:

Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a workman who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth. (NIV)

AWANA will be meeting on Sunday evenings from 5-7 during our Discipleship Training and Evening Worship hours. It will take a little time to get all of the materials and get everything in place before we can actually begin this ministry, but go ahead and be praying and telling parents with children about this exciting opportunity. Our hope is to begin AWANA around the first of November.

Thank you church for your commitment to reach people for Jesus Christ.

Bro. Shane

What A Day!

Sunday was a wonderful day at EFBC and I am still praising God for His awesome presence in this place. What a blessing to see the altar filled and three new additions to the church; one by letter and two by baptism. Let's pray that we will continue to experience the same kind of blessings in the days and weeks ahead.

Now, let me address one issue. I know about a month ago I promised to update the blog more regularly and I have yet to do so again until today. My excuse is going to be the fact that I had oral surgery a little over two weeks ago. I know that's really no excuse, but it's the only one that I can come up with at the moment.

While I'm writing, let me give you some dates that you need to write down and remember: October 22-25. That week we'll be having a fall revival with special guest speaker Turk Holt. Many of you will remember that Turk preached a revival for us in 2003 and how God used him during those services. I'm excited about having him back with us this year and what God is going to do during that week. Please keep this in your prayers.

Bro. Shane

I'm Still Alive

As Mark Twain once said, rumors of my death have been greatly exaggerated. Actually, I'm the one exaggerating, but I know some people have been wondering if I've fallen off the face of the earth since my last blog. After a trip to Virginia for a family wedding, a surgery for Moshi, and a wisdom tooth that continues to be a nagging hindrance, I am returning to the blogosphere.

The trip to Virginia went well, with the exception of a flat tire just as we were getting ready to head home on Monday. Praise the Lord it happened before we hit the road. I'd rather find out about it while the van is sitting still in a gravel driveway than doing 75 on I-85 South. Another praise was that our minivan came equipped with a full-size spare and not one of those pathetic little donuts (you know the ones that look like they came off a little red wagon and say "don't go over 50 miles per hour"). I was able to put on the spare, which was a brand new tire, and have the flat fixed before we left Virginia.

Moshi is doing fine since here surgery on Wednesday to remove a heel spur. Please be praying for her as she heals from this procedure. There are times when she is in a lot of pain.

As for me, despite my nagging toothache, I'm looking forward to being at church tomorrow. My dentist put me on some antibiotics that seem to have taken the edge off the pain. I think I'll be alright to preach tomorrow, but my speech may be a bit muffled at times because I can't open my mouth all the way. I know, I know, for many of my church members that is a dream come true.

Please be in prayer for Stephanie. The responsibility to care for me and Moshi has fallen on her this week, and it has taken its toll on her body. She has come down with flu-like symptoms this weekend and has made the sickness factor in our house 100% (unless you're counting the cats).

Anyway, I hope to be blogging more often now and I hope you won't give up on reading my ramblings from time to time.

Thank you for all of your prayers,

Bro. Shane

Nothing New To Report

For those of you who have been following our ongoing family story, the only report I can give you is that I have no report to give you. Everything is currently on hold, and I just ask you to keep praying about this situation. We know that God is sovereign.

One other prayer request I would like to mention . . . please be in prayer for Jarred Warren. Jarred was in a motorcycle accident in mid-July and has been at Regional Medical Center ever since. He will probably be having his left leg amputated sometime this week. Jarred graduated high school with me in 1989. His father, Harry, is a former pastor of Eulaton First Baptist Church. Please keep Jarred and his family in your prayers.

Our family, too.

Thanks,

Bro. Shane

Please Be Praying

This is just a reminder for everyone to be praying concerning what's going on with our family this week. Thank you all for your continued prayers and support. It is wonderful to have a family like Eulaton First Baptist. We love you all!

Bro. Shane

A Few Thoughts About A Great Week

As our Arctic Edge adventure winds down, here's a few random thoughts about VBS 2006:

-One of my greatest joys as a pastor is seeing children who are excited about being at church. God's Word is not boring, and we should strive to make learning the Bible a fun experience all the time, not just one week a year.

-I am so grateful for the adults and youth who have volunteered their time so generously this week. Without your help, none of this would be possible. I want to say "thank you" to all of the teachers, assistants, leaders, kitchen workers, and anyone else who has worked to make VBS 2006 a success. You are taking part in something that will have an impact for all of eternity.

-After three years in a row of using the Lifeway VBS materials, I have to say how impressed I am with the improvements they've made in the past 15 years. When I first began vocational ministry in 1993, the literature from Lifeway (known at that time as The Sunday School Board of the Southern Baptist Convention) was not up to par with what some other publishing companies were offering. It is obvious that the people at Lifeway have listened to the critiques and worked hard to create a vastly improved product that we Southern Baptists can be proud of.

-I am looking forward to our commencement service on Sunday night at 6 p.m. This is something that every member of EFBC should plan on attending, even if you don't have a child or grandchild that will be participating. If you don't come, I can assure you that you'll be missing a blessing.

Looking forward to a great night at VBS tonight and a great day on Sunday!

Bro. Shane

Off To A Great Start

Vacation Bible School is off to a great start for 2006. Last night was a huge success, and we pray that tonight will be even better. If you know children who would enjoy being here, please let them know about VBS at EFBC. If somebody needs a ride, all they have to do is call the church before 3 p.m. and we'll make sure they get picked up. The church number is 236-5489.

We had a great day Sunday as well as a great crowd. I thank God for His presence in this place and the sweet spirit we had here.

Please keep Bible School in your prayers. Hope to see you here tonight.

Bro. Shane

Living On The Arctic Edge

Don't be surprised when you step into the church building tomorrow if you feel like you've been transported to the mountains of Alaska, somewhere north of the Arctic Circle. Vacation Bible School 2006 is here, and I couldn't be more excited. As I write this blog entry, decorating is nearly complete for our Arctic Edge adventure, and I fully expect to see the Northern Lights in our sanctuary tonight when I turn out the lights.

Bible School begins Monday, 5-8:30 p.m. and goes until Friday. Dinner will be served each night, and transportation is available by calling the church before 3 p.m. each day (236-5489). Commencement will be Sunday night at 6 p.m. during our evening worship service.

Please be in prayer for our 2006 V.B.S. Let's pray that this year's will be the best one ever, and that many young people will come to know Jesus as their Savior.

See you on Sunday.

Bro. Shane

Proud To Be An American

Yesterday the United States celebrated the 230th anniversary of our independence from Great Britain. But I also see the Fourth of July as being not just a celebration of independence, but also a reminder of our country's dependence on God. I don't believe for one minute that this country would be the great and powerful nation that we are today without, as the Declaration of Independence states, "a firm reliance on the protection of Divine Providence."

Knowing the godly heritage of this great country makes me proud to be an American. My concern, however, is that the less we as a nation declare our dependence on Almighty God, the less we will enjoy His blessings. My prayer for America is that we will never forget the One who made us the strong and mighty nation that we are.

We had a great day at church this past Sunday. Attendance was good, especially considering that it was somewhat of a holiday weekend, and the services were wonderful. The highlight of the day was seeing two young men baptized at the conclusion of our morning worship service. We praise God for changed lives!

Hope to see you at church tonight.

Bro. Shane

Youth Camp Praise Report

Our youth returned from their summer camp in Laguna Beach, Florida on Monday night and the reports were incredible. Youth from our church and Antioch in Oxford both attended this year's camp, and the number of professions of faith was reportedly 16. Of those, 7 were teens who went with our group. Many of them were baptized on Monday morning in the Gulf of Mexico. Praise the Lord for His life-changing power!

The youth will be sharing about their experiences at camp during tonight's service. You don't want to miss it.

Sorry I've been negligent in updating the blog, but I wasn't anywhere near a computer while out of town last week. Now that I'm back, the updates will again be more regular.

Convention is Over

Although I wasn't able to personally attend the Southern Baptist Convention, I've been following it as much as possible through the internet. It seems that, despite all of the controversy going into this year's meeting, things went rather smoothly.

There were definitely some surprises; particularly the election of Frank Page as SBC president. Many conservatives seem a little worried about this "outsider" being elected, but I'm not so sure it wasn't a good thing. I'm a huge fan of Ronnie Floyd, and I know he would have been a great president, but I can't help but believe that it was time for a slight shake-up in our convention.

I'm not talking about a shift to the left (God forbid), but I'm talking about bringing some new conservative voices into the mix of SBC leadership. It will be interesting to see what happens over the next two years, and I for one will be watching events in our convention very closely. Time will tell what kind of leader Frank Page will be, but we as Southern Baptists need to get behind him and offer him our support.

Bro. Shane

Page Elected SBC President

With 50.48% of the vote, Frank Page was elected president of the Southern Baptist Convention today in Greensboro, North Carolina. Page, pastor of First Baptist Church of Taylors, South Carolna received a majority of votes in the contest that included two other candidates: Ronnie Floyd and Jerry Sutton. For more information on the convention, see the links in my previous blog post below.

Bro. Shane

Calvinism "Debate"

How interesting after our discussion of Calvinism on Sunday night that there would be a "debate" on Monday concerning the very same thing. Albert Mohler, president of Southern Seminary in Kentucky and Paige Patterson, president of Southwestern Seminary in Texas, both presented their points of view and had a discussion about Calvinism yesterday in Greensboro.

I found out about this from my good friend Noel Dear's blog. He is in North Carolina for the convention and is updating his blog regularly. Noel said that the so-called debate never really got past the viewpoint level, but did say that both men were outspoken in condemning those we would consider to be hyper-Calvinist. If you'd like to read Noel's take on what's going on at the convention, you can access his blog at:

http://www.pastordear.blogspot.com/

Another good website to keep up with what's going on is the Baptist Press page:

http://bpnews.net/

Interesting comments from Joyce Rogers, the widow of famous Baptist pastor Dr. Adrian Rogers. Many of you know that Dr. Rogers is one of my "heroes of the faith," so I was very interested in what she had to say. I think she beautifully stated what I was trying to say on Sunday night, only in a much clearer and more eloquent way than I was able to achieve. You can read the article on the Baptist Press site.

Bro. Shane

Shalom In The Home

This Sunday morning we will begin a series of messages entitled Shalom In The Home. This Sunday's message will give five practical steps to bringing real peace into your marriage; it's entitled Extreme Marriage Makeover.

Don't forget to be praying about Youth Camp coming up in just a couple of weeks and Vacation Bible School which will be next month. These two important summer events can and will have an eternal impact, and they both need to be bathed in prayer.

I hope everyone has a great weekend, and I hope to see you here on Sunday.

Bro. Shane

Election Day on 6/6/06

Yes, today is election day in the state of Alabama and it is also 6/6/06. As for today's date, I don't understand what the big deal is. Many people are saying that the world will end today because those numbers are the mark of the beast. If you're worried about planetary annihilation today, you've been watching way too much T.V. and not reading your Bible enough. I'm not saying that some ignorant people won't be prompted to do some stupid things today, but in the grand scheme of things it's just another day.

What is important about today's date is that it is election day in Alabama. Let me encourage you to get out and vote. Polls will be open until 7 p.m. Many people skip the primaries because they don't consider this the "big election." Those same people then complain in November when they don't like the choices they have in the "big election." If you don't vote in the primaries, you can't complain about who is on the ballot in November.

Another thing to remember about today's election is the state constitutional amendment that, if passed, will protect traditional marriage. If you go to the polls for no other reason, go to let your voice be heard concerning this amendment. Marriage has always been and should always be a union between a man and a woman, not a same sex union. I plan to vote "yes" on Amendment One.

Bro. Shane

End of Series

This past Sunday morning we finished up our series Living What You Believe from Romans 12-15. I hope these messages have given you some very practical, hands-on information that will help you be all that God wants you to be. Some of the things we've learned in this series include:

-How to be a living sacrifice and be separated from this world.

-Finding your place of service and discovering your spiritual gifts.

-How to know the difference between real love and fake love.

-Learning how to love life and how to build healthy relationships.

-Knowing how to deal with people who are mean.

-Being a good Christian citizen, which includes obeying the laws of the land and paying taxes.

-The importance of sanctification.

-The freedom we have in Christ, as well as the great responsibility that goes along with that freedom.

-How to promote unity in the body of Christ.

-How to be accepting of people in the body of Christ.

-The importance of finding our focus.

God's Word is so relevant to us today! Some people say that the Bible is out-dated and not practical to people of the 21st century. Those who say that have either never read the Bible or they've never met the same Jesus that I've met. He is the same yesterday, today and forever, and His Word was and is relevant yesterday, today and forever.

Bro. Shane

WOW!

Well, its Thursday morning and I am still in the clouds after the service we had here last night. Our One Night Revival with David Ring was just what the name implied it would be: a revival. I think that was exactly the kind of wake-up call we all needed, and I thank God for His presence in this place.

I don't know that I've ever been in a service where I've seen the pews empty during the invitation like they did last night. It was an awesome sight! I can't speak for anyone else, but I felt a wide range of emotions during the message: laughter, tears, encouragement, conviction. Those are just a few of the words that come to mind.

One thing that most of you may not know is that after the service, Koy had a chance to lead a young lady to the Lord in the prayer room. I believe there will be others who will come to know the Lord in the coming days and weeks as a result of God's presence in the service last night. Some people will continue to feel the convicting power of the Holy Spirit and eventually will be saved. Christians will be more motivated to share their faith with friends and loved ones and so we'll hopefully see others saved through their testimony.

I said it last night and I'll say it again: I'll take a service like that over American Idol any day of the week. I'd much rather be in God's house with God's people, feeling God's presence and seeing people saved and revived than sitting in front of the T.V. watching a singing competition.

And speaking of singing, last night was incredible. Our choir sounded better than I've ever heard them before. You guys nearly blew the roof off the place! The praise and worship time was wonderful, and Stephanie's song was beautiful and went right along with David's testimony. All in all, it was a glorious service and it was obvious that God was in this place.

If the Lord lit a fire in your heart last night, let me encourage you to not let that flame die down. Determine that you are going to have a daily quiet time with God, talking to Him and letting Him talk to you through His Word. Commit to serving the Lord with a passion, and decide today that complacency and excuses are no longer an option. Remember what David said to us last night, "If God can use me, God can use you. Your excuse just left the building."

All I can say now is, "I can't wait for Sunday!"

Bro. Shane

Tomorrow Night

It's finally here. Tomorrow night is our One Night Revival with evangelist David Ring. Please don't let up in your prayers for this event. I truly believe we're going to see God doing great things in this service. Keep inviting folks to come and hear this man's incredible testimony. Service will start promptly at 7 p.m. on Wednesday night. Choir members need to be here by 6:15.

We had a good day on Sunday. We began the series The Da Vinci Con on Sunday night, and interest seems to be pretty high. Quite a few people weren't able to be here for the first message and have expressed an interest in getting tapes. We are taping these messages and will make them available for you at the conclusion of the series. Our first message was entitled Truth Versus Lies, and we exposed the top ten lies from The Da Vinci Code. This Sunday night we will narrow our focus as we put the Bible under the microscope. Can God's Word stand up to strict scrutiny? Most of you already know the answer to that question: "absolutely yes." Sunday night we'll give you the evidence you need to prove that the Bible truly is the Word of God.

Da Vinci Flop?

Initial reviews are in on The Da Vinci Code, and the verdict seems overwhelmingly to be that this is a bad movie. Putting aside the heresy, the half-truths and the outright lies of the book and movie, critics seem to be united in their belief that this film is just boring. Reports from the initial screening of The Da Vinci Code at the Cannes Film Festival said people were laughing and jeering at the most pivotal moment of the movie. Laughing and jeering might be expected if this were a Will Ferrell movie, but that's certainly not the kind of reaction Ron Howard and Tom Hanks had hoped this film would evoke.

Don't be fooled by early reviews, though. The hype behind this movie will send millions to the theater this weekend who could care less about what the critics have to say. The message in this film is one that will cause many people to have questions and doubts about the Bible, the church and the Christian faith. The Bible tells us in 1 Peter 3:15 to always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks us about our relationship with Jesus (my paraphrase). We need to be ready for those who'll have questions and doubts, and our Sunday night series The Da Vinci Con will help you to be prepared. The series begins this Sunday night, May 21 at 6 p.m.

Bro. Shane

One Week Away

Well, our Wednesday night service is over, and it is now just one week until our One Night Revival with David Ring. I hope you're still praying and inviting friends and family. This could be a life-changing event for someone that you love, and you can have a hand in bringing them to Christ. Do what you have to do to get them here on Wednesday, May 24th at 7 p.m.

We had a good service tonight. Business meeting was short and sweet, and the message was from Obadiah, the shortest book in the Old Testament. Sunday morning we will continue our series Living What You Believe, and Sunday night we will begin the series The Da Vinci Con. I'll tell you more about these messages in my next blog. I'm writing this from home and I'm getting kind of sleepy, so I'm heading to bed soon.

Hope to see everyone Sunday!

Bro. Shane

Prayer Requests

Here's a few things to keep in your prayers this week:

-Our upcoming One Night Revival with David Ring.

-Lyda Mitchell, who is at RMC in room 935.

-Wallace Gravitt, Shelby Cupp, Elmon Thompson and everybody on our prayer list.

-Continued unity in our church.

-VBS, which will be here before we know it.

-Youth Camp, also coming up real soon.

-Our community that is filled with people who need Jesus.

Yesterday was a great day at EFBC. It's always wonderful to recognize the mothers in our congregation, and it was especially great to have my mom in attendance with us.

It was great to be back in the pulpit after being away last Sunday. I'm a little sad that we are on the last chapter of our series through Romans 12-15. I've really enjoyed these messages, and I will hate to see them come to an end.

I'm really looking forward to our Sunday night series The Da Vinci Con, that will begin this Sunday night at 6 p.m. I hope you're planning on being here.

Bro. Shane

Holding Things Together

Looking forward to being back in the pulpit this Sunday morning. In addition to recognizing our mothers, we will be continuing our series through Romans 12-15: Living What You Believe. This Sunday's message is entitled Holding Things Together, and it will deal with ways we can promote unity in the body of Christ. We will be looking at Romans 15:1-6 if you want to go ahead and get a head start.

Starting on May 21st, we will begin a Sunday night series entitled The Da Vinci Con. This will be a biblical response to the best-selling book and forthcoming movie The Da Vinci Code. The movie's previews encourage people to "seek the truth." Unfortunately, the fiction of The Da Vinci Code doesn't even come close to anything resembling the truth. If this movie becomes as popular as predicted, the body of Christ may have an opportunity to turn the tables and show people the Real Truth. This series of messages will give you the ammunition you need to boldly defend your faith and take a stand for Jesus. Don't miss it!

Bro. Shane

Two Weeks Away

Our upcoming One Night Revival with evangelist David Ring is only two weeks away, and I hope you have been praying. Don't forget the date and time: Wednesday, May 24th at 7 p.m.

You can find out more about David Ring by accessing his website: www.davidring.org.

Be careful if you're out and about today; looks like we're going to have some storms coming through our area. Everybody be safe.

See you at church tonight.

Bro. Shane

Safely Home

Well, we're finally home from Florida . . . a day later than planned. The delay was not a bad thing, however. We had a wonderful time and God truly blessed us over the weekend. Sorry I was unable to update the blog while we were away, but every time we got near a computer I was too busy to even think of trying to sit down at a keyboard.

Stephanie did a great job singing at a leadership rally on Saturday night and again for morning worship yesterday at Hillcrest Baptist Church in Pensacola. It was a blessing for me to be able to attend a service and just be ministered to. I didn't have to do anything other than enjoy it. We preachers need that every now and then, and I just soaked it in. It was a time of refreshing for me, and I am definitely excited about getting back to EFBC and getting back in the pulpit.

We were blessed over the weekend to be able to stay in a missions home that is owned by retired missionaries Mel and Mary Lou Gentry. They had long dreamed of having a house that could be used only for ministry purposes, and when the house next door to theirs went on the market, they bought it. What an incredible experience to have full use of a four bedroom, two and a half bath, fully furnished home during our stay in Pensacola. Trust me, you would have stayed an extra night, too!

It was also great to spend some time with our good friends Johnny and Beth Carr and their three children. This was our first chance to really get to know their son James, who they adopted from China back in September. James was born with serious hearing loss, and because of that he was abandoned at age three and placed in a Chinese orphanage. Johnny and Beth had long wanted to adopt a deaf child, and when they found out about James, they worked tirelessly to make the adoption happen. Now, they are planning on adopting a deaf girl from China who is about the same age as James, who is now five years old. They don't know how long it will take for all the pieces of the international adoption puzzle to fall into place, but they are already making plans to expand their family once again. Please keep them in your prayers.

Well, I've rambled on enough for tonight. Looking forward to being back with my church family on Wednesday night. Hope you'll be there!

Bro. Shane

Florida Bound

We're getting ready to head to Pensacola for the weekend (me, Stephanie and Moshi), and we will be back on Sunday evening. Koy will be preaching this Sunday morning and his father, Randy Brooks, will fill the pulpit Sunday night. I know it will be a great day at EFBC, and I hope you're planning on being here.

I want everyone to know that this trip to the Gulf coast is strictly for ministry purposes. Stephanie will be singing Saturday night and again on Sunday morning at Hillcrest Baptist Church in Pensacola. However, since we're going to be that close to the beach, we'll probably carry our swimsuits and enjoy the white sands of the Gulf while we're there. Maybe even eat a little fresh seafood. It's a tough job, but somebody's got to do it.

Preparation is still underway for our One Night Revival with evangelist David Ring. Please keep this in your prayers and be inviting your lost friends and loved ones. The date for this event is Wednesday, May 24 at 7 p.m. More information on David Ring will be made available as we get closer to that date.

I hope to update the blog while we're in Florida, so check back this weekend. If I'm able to, I'll give you an update of how things are going down there. Hope everyone has a great weekend.

Bro. Shane

What's Going On Here?

It is May 2 and I had to turn on the heat in the office this morning. I know some of you think that I run the air conditioner 365 days a year, but I promise I'm not that hot-natured. Although I do enjoy cooler weather, once I start running the A/C in the spring, I don't want to go back to turning on the heat. Oh well, I guess that just goes with the territory when you live in Alabama.

We had a great time at our church fun day on Sunday. Thankfully, the rain held off long enough for us to enjoy some volleyball, basketball, and a nice game of softball (even though we did play through a few sprinkles). When the skies finally opened up and gave us a good soaking, I think we were all about ready to call it a day.

I want to say a special "thank you" to our hospitality committee for the great job they did on Sunday. You folks went above and beyond the call of duty, and everything was spectacular. I also want to thank J.O. Smith for setting up the volleyball net for us. You and Alice were both missed on Sunday.

Bro. Shane

With Freedom Comes Responsibility

We are so blessed to live in a free country, yet we must never forget that with freedom comes great responsibility. It grieves my heart to see people living in the land of the free who abuse their freedoms by ignoring their responsibilities. One example that comes to mind is those who burn the American flag and claim they are exercising their freedom of speech. Although they may have the legal right to do this, I believe it is an abuse of one of our most cherished freedoms.

For the Christian, we too have incredible freedom and liberty in Christ. That freedom, however, comes with much responsibility. Last Sunday we talked about the freedom that Christians have in the two-part message entitled Don't Sweat The Small Stuff. This Sunday, we will continue those thoughts but will focus more on our responsibility than on our freedom. The message is entitled With Freedom Comes Responsibility.

Following the morning worship service, we will have our bi-annual church fun day with lunch, games and a Fifth Sunday Singing at 3 p.m. Weather permitting, we will play softball, basketball, horseshoes and many other outdoor activities after lunch. We will also have our singing outside if the weather allows. Should it rain, we will still have our fun day, but we will just play different games indoors. Don't forget to dress more casual this Sunday (if your conscience allows). If you decide you must wear a suit and tie, that's o.k., too. We just want to see as many people here as possible. Hope you're planning on coming.

See you Sunday!

Bro. Shane

Pray For Revival

This is a call to action for all of our prayer warriors. Please mark Wednesday, May 24th on your calendar and begin praying for our One Night Revival on that day. I am very excited about having evangelist David Ring for this special night, and I know God is going to do some amazing things in our church and in our community.

West Park Heights is planning on joining with us that evening, and Eulaton United Methodist has also expressed an interest in coming, as well. I am going to invite a few more area churches and my prayer is that we will pack out our sanctuary for this One Night Revival. We especially want you to be inviting your friends and family members who don't know the Lord. This could be a life-changing event in their lives.

If you're not familiar with David Ring, let me give you just a quick biography. He was born with cerebral palsy on October 28, 1953 in Jonesboro, Arkansas. After being orphaned at an early age, his life seemed hopeless until his relationship began with Jesus Christ. David says Christ taught him self-respect and an acceptance of his physical challenges. Today, David is a nationally known speaker who shares his story with over 100,000 people each year.

David is excited about coming to Anniston, and I am excited about what God is going to do through him. But we can't expect great things from God unless we do our part and bathe this event in prayer. So please, start praying about this now and don't let up, because in due time we will reap a harvest.

Bro. Shane

Another Great Sunday

Sometimes churches can experience sort of a let down on the Sunday following Easter. That definitely was not the case at EFBC this past Sunday. It was exciting to see our sanctuary once again quite full, and our Sunday School attendance didn't slip much either. The choir did seem a bit smaller because a few were out or working in the nursery, but we nevertheless had a great crowd for morning worship.

It's always exciting to celebrate new life in Christ, and it was a joy to see CeLena Couch baptized Sunday. May we continue to see lives changed and broken hearts mended. Nobody likes high utility bills, but I hope our water bill starts going up because we have to use our baptistry so much. That would be one higher bill we could all celebrate (unlike the Alagasco bills this winter).

I received a lot of positive feedback on Sunday's two-part message. Dealing with a Scripture text like Romans 14:1-12 is kind of like walking a tight rope. I was wanting to be faithful to the Word of God, but I didn't want to give anyone the idea that Christians have a license to live however they want to. In the end, I think both things were accomplished. The freedom we have in Christ is wonderful, but we must never forget that with freedom comes great responsibility. We will build on that thought with this Sunday's message.

Bro. Shane

Don't Sweat The Small Stuff

I'm excited about getting back into Romans this Sunday as we begin chapter 14. The title of my message is Don't Sweat The Small Stuff.

What do you do when two Christians have differing opinions about a subject that the Bible just doesn't address? How do you know who is right and who is wrong? How should we react to the person we don't agree with? We'll try to answer those questions and more this Sunday morning. Hope to see you here.

Bro. Shane

Great Day Sunday

I'm still rejoicing over the great day we had Sunday at EFBC. What a joy to see our sanctuary filled with new faces. Even more exciting was what happened after most everyone had left. I had an opportunity to lead a young lady to the Lord on the back pew. It was truly a glorious resurrection day!

Now, if we can only build on that momentum and work to see our sanctuary that full every Sunday. Galatians 6:9 says, "Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up." Now is not the time to become complacent. After what we experienced on Easter, we should all be motivated to serve God more passionately today than we did yesterday.

Bro. Shane