Friday, December 17, 2010

Behind The Manger

OK, so it probably feels like it's been a month since I published a weekly "Sunday preview." And it nearly has been. Certain things have happened on Fridays that have prevented me from doing this, so I'm really glad to get this out today.

I'm really excited about our Christmas Experience Live Nativity which will be tomorrow night and Sunday! This was one of the highlights of last year, and I fully expect it to be even better this year! And it looks like the weather is going to cooperate with us this year. We'll begin at 5 o'clock each night and will go until eight. Remember to dress warmly, and pray for lives to be changed as a result of this ministry!

I'm also excited about Sunday morning at EFBC! This week's message is entitled Behind The Manger. Have you ever noticed how Luke tells the Christmas story with a focus on Mary, while Matthew tells the story with a focus on Joseph? We're all familiar with the human side of the story, but what would it look like if we pulled back the veil and saw the story of Christmas from God's perspective?

I think that's what John's Gospel does for us. This Sunday morning, we'll be looking at the Christmas story from John 1:14, going behind the scenes to see what Christmas is all about. I'm really looking forward to preaching this message, and I hope you'll plan on being here with us. It will be a special day because our children's choir will be sharing several Christmas songs with us during the morning worship, as well.

Also, remember that this Sunday is the day when Angel Tree gifts are due. And, don't forget about the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering for international missions. It should be a great weekend here at Eulaton First Baptist Church as we kick off Christmas week! I hope you'll plan on being a part of it!

Joy to the world, the Lord has come! The best has already come into this world, and praise God, the best is coming again!

Friday, November 19, 2010

About The Church

It's Friday, and you know what that means, don't you? It means I'm getting super-pumped about this Sunday at EFBC! Wednesday night was amazing this week! At about 5:45, we had everybody in the fellowship hall, and just seeing all those kids in there lit a fire in me. Sure, it was a bit loud and crazy for a few minutes, but I'll take a loud crowd over a silent and empty building any day!

What we're doing at EFBC is the most important thing in all of the world! OK, so it's not really us, but rather God doing it and using us in the process. There's no greater need on this planet than for people to have a life changing relationship with Jesus! For those of you who are serving in ANY capacity, don't ever think that what you're doing is not making a difference. God has already produced fruit that we've been able to see right now. And I truly believe there will be many other fruits that we'll not even know of until we all get to heaven.

This Sunday at Eulaton, we'll be continuing our Frequently Asked Questions series. This week's message will deal with frequently asked questions about the church. Here's the questions we'll try to answer this Sunday:

-Why can't I just watch church on television?
-Can't I worship God just as well in the woods?
-Aren't all churches full of hypocrites?
-With so many denominations, which one is right?
-Why should I attend when it doesn't apply to me?
-What is church really all about?
-Can't I love Jesus without loving the church?

I hope you'll plan on being with us this Sunday morning. I'm praying (and I hope you will be, too) that God will show up in a huge way. One verse God showed me this week is Psalm 69:9, where David says, "zeal for your house consumes me." I'm praying that a zeal for Jesus and His church will consume all of us in a powerful way!

Keep praying! Keep investing and inviting! And keep expecting GREATER THINGS because THE BEST IS YET TO COME!

Friday, November 12, 2010

About The Bible

I'm incredibly excited about this Sunday at EFBC! This weekend will be the second installment of the 2010 edition of Frequently Asked Questions. Our theme this week is frequently asked questions about the Bible. Questions we'll try to answer this week are:

-Isn't the Bible just an invention of man?
-Weren't eighty gospels considered for the New Testament?
-Wasn't the Bible compiled by the Roman emperor Constantine?
-Does the Bible really teach that Jesus is God?
-How can I be certain the Bible is the word of God?

I hope you'll plan on being with us Sunday morning at EFBC. Keep investing and inviting! Keep praying! And keep expecting GREATER THINGS! I'm looking for God to show up in a HUGE way this Sunday!

It's more than just a cliche' folks...I really mean it every week when I say that THE BEST IS YET TO COME!!!

Friday, November 05, 2010

Sunday's Coming

As I write this, we are now just a little more than 48 hours away from Sunday morning worship at Eulaton First Baptist; and I can't wait to see what God has in store for us this weekend! I'm really excited about getting together with my church family and lifting high the name of Jesus! And I'm super-pumped about the opportunity to get to preach to the best group of people that I know.

Last November, I did a series of messages entitled Frequently Asked Questions, and it was without a doubt the most talked about series I've ever done in 17 years of ministry. After we finished up the series, I mentioned that we would do it again next November. Well guess what: November's here and the FAQ's are back for another round of sermons.

We're going to do it just a little bit different this year, though. Last year, the questions were all completely unrelated. We might have been talking about the doctrine of election one minute, and then we were shifting gears and talking about divorced deacons. Well, this year every message is going to have a theme. The first message this Sunday will deal with frequently asked questions about spiritual warfare. Here are the questions I plan to address this weekend:

-Where did Satan and the demons come from?
-Can a Christian be possessed by a demon?
-Are Christians instructed to bind Satan?
-Aren't angels just Christians who've died and gone to heaven?
-Do angels have to be seen to be real?
-What should be my response to spiritual warfare?

I'm really excited about this series of messages, and I hope you will be, too! Tell a friend, tell a co-worker, and tell a family member. Let's fill this place up Sunday morning and blow the roof off with our praises to Jesus! And let's come together expecting God to show up as we remember this verse:

Ps 63:2 - So I have looked for You in the sanctuary, to see Your power and Your glory. (NKJ)

Keep investing and inviting. Keep praying for your lost friends and family. Keep praying for all of our folks who are sick and going through tough stuff right now. And keep believing God for GREATER THINGS because THE BEST IS YET TO COME!!!

Friday, October 29, 2010

Three Questions That Can Change Your Life

After missing last Sunday at EFBC, I'm super excited to be back with my church family this weekend! And we've got a HUGE day in store! This Sunday is our annual Harvest of Fun Fall Festival, immediately following the morning worship service. We'll have our regular morning schedule, followed by lunch at 11, and the Harvest of Fun begins at noon.

Please, if you are able, plan on helping us this Sunday for this special outreach event. Please be praying that we'll have a great day, and that we'll have a big crowd not just for the fall festival, but also for church Sunday morning!

And speaking of that, let me encourage you again this week to keep investing in and inviting friends and family to come and hear the Gospel. This Sunday, I'll be preaching a very simple, straightforward, Gospel message. I'm praying for lost souls to be saved! You be praying too!

The message for Sunday is entitled Three Questions That Can Change Your Life. We'll be looking at Romans 3:23-24. For those who are lost, it's the most important message they can ever hear. For those of us who are saved, the Gospel is truth that we need to re-preach to ourselves every single day. We can never hear the message of the cross enough! We should never get over what Jesus did for us!

Let's pray for God to show up in a HUGE way this Sunday! Let's pray for lives to be eternally changed this Sunday! And let's keep looking for GREATER THINGS because the best is yet to come!!!

p.s. Returning for November...Frequently Asked Questions!

Friday, October 22, 2010

Invest And Invite

About a year and a half ago, I introduced a strategy to the church called Invest And Invite. The idea behind this is getting every church member involved in evangelism and church growth. You can take the time to invest yourself in the lives of your family and friends that don't know Jesus. You can build relationships with folks and let them know that you care about them. And you can invite them to come to church to hear the message of the Gospel.

Of course, the best thing you can do is share the message of the Gospel yourself. Talk about how Jesus has changed your life, and what a difference He can make in theirs. Your personal testimony and a presentation of the Gospel are the most effective tools you have to lead somebody to a saving faith in Jesus.

Unfortunately, not everybody is comfortable doing this. In fact, statistics show that most church members have never shared their faith with anyone. Well, I want to see every member of EFBC be involved in soul-winning! The Invest And Invite strategy allows everyone to be a part. Just look at Andrew in the Bible. Every time you see him, he's bringing someone to Jesus! And when you bring someone to church with you, you're bringing them to the body of Christ here on this earth. Just like Andrew did!

The next two Sundays will be a perfect time to put the Invest And Invite strategy into action. This Sunday morning, Koy will be preaching an evangelistic message entitled Seven People Headed For Hell. If you know somebody who needs Jesus, do your best to GET THEM HERE this Sunday!

Next Sunday, October 31st will be our Harvest Of Fun day. I'll be preaching another evangelistic message that day, and I'm praying for a HUGE crowd. What a great time to invite somebody for church: Worship, followed by lunch, followed by a fall festival. Do your best to GET THEM HERE, and not just for the Harvest Of Fun, but for church that morning, as well.

Opportunities are everywhere! Seize the day! The best is yet to come!!!

Friday, October 15, 2010

The High Price Of Stew

Let me begin this week's update by saying "THANK YOU" to everyone for your prayers, visits, thoughts, and food during Steph's surgery this week. She's done very well, and is very glad to be at home. There will still be a recovery period as she heals and gets her strength back. Please continue to keep her in your prayers.


Also, please be praying for Darthy Chappelle, who is Brenda McCrary and Cindy Starnes' mother. She had a colonoscopy on Wednesday, and her colon was punctured, forcing immediate emergency surgery. She's doing fine now, but please keep her in your prayers. Also, please continue to pray for the family of Jerri Thompson. The graveside service is tomorrow at 3, and visitation is tonight at Gray Brown from 6-8.


As far as Sunday is concerned, let me just say that I CAN HARDLY WAIT!!! This week's message is entitled The High Price Of Stew, and is taken from Genesis 25:29-34. I have to admit that in the past I've read the story of Esau selling his birthright to Jacob for a bowl of stew and thought, "This just doesn't make sense." But recently, God used this story to show me some valuable insights and teach me some important lessons that I'm excited to share with you on Sunday. I hope you'll plan on being here!


Greater things! Why not here? THE BEST IS YET TO COME!!!

Wednesday, October 06, 2010

What Do I Do Now?

I'm posting the Sunday preview a couple of days early, as I'm heading to a conference in Atlanta tomorrow and Friday. I'm really excited about what God has in store for us TONIGHT and SUNDAY at EFBC!

This Sunday we'll conclude our series Are We Living In The Last Days? This week's message will be taken from the closing words of the Bible, in Revelation 22:6-21, and is entitled What Do I Do Now? Knowing the things we've learned over the last five weeks, what should our response be? The Bible has some very specific answers!

Come tonight! Come Sunday! Come expecting greater things! And come with the knowledge that THE BEST IS YET TO COME!!!

Friday, October 01, 2010

What's Going To Happen?

Are you ready for worship at EFBC this Sunday? I'm crazy excited about what God has in store for us this weekend! I hope you'll come expecting God to show up in a HUGE way! Please be praying for our church. We've seen God do awesome things in the past year because His people have been praying. 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." (NIV) Let's keep on keeping on when it comes to prayer!

This Sunday we'll continue our Are We Living In The Last Days? series with a message entitled What's Going To Happen? We'll be going through the book of Revelation and looking at what we can expect to take place in the very near future (and beyond). The first verse of Revelation says the book was written to show us "things which must shortly take place." I'm so glad that we serve a God who knows the future. And I'm so thankful that the One who holds tomorrow in His hands is the same One who holds me in His hands!

Jesus is LORD! He's coming again! If you know Him, you'll spend eternity with Him! The best is yet to come!

Friday, September 24, 2010

The Bridegroom Is Coming

This week's Sunday preview will be a quick one:

I'm INCREDIBLY EXCITED about this weekend at EFBC! Message four in the Are We Living In The Last Days? series will be this Sunday morning. The Bridegroom Is Coming is the title of this message, and we'll be looking at John 14:1-3 (as well as a host of other scriptures). I hope you'll plan on being here!

I realize the last two sermons have been pretty deep, and maybe hard to follow at times. Studying history and its relation to prophecy isn't always easy, but it's so worth it! This Sunday's message should be much easier to follow, so I hope you haven't given up on this series. I believe God has great things in store for us this weekend at EFBC!

Jesus is LORD! He's coming again! And the best is yet to come!!!

Friday, September 17, 2010

The Last World Empire

Amazing! Incredible! Unbelievable! Wow! Those are just a few of the words that come to mind when I think about this past Wednesday night at EFBC! Little Panther Day was a huge success, and I want to tell everybody who helped out, "THANK YOU!!!" We had over 250 people here, and got to meet a whole bunch of new folks. I believe we'll see major fruit from this in the coming days and weeks!

Tonight's another big event, as we'll be having a 5th Quarter immediately following the Wellborn/Leeds game. Let's pray for God to show up in a HUGE way! We've seen Him work at these events in the past, and I can't wait to see what He has in store for us tonight! And by the way...GO PANTHERS!

And we're now just 48 hours away from Sunday morning at EFBC! I can't even begin to describe to you how excited I am about gathering together as the church and worshiping Jesus! This Sunday we'll continue our series entitled Are We Living In The Last Days? This Sunday's message, The Last World Empire, will be the third in this series and will be taken from Daniel 2. We'll also be looking at some parallel passages in Daniel 7.

This Sunday's message will prove once again just how miraculous the Bible really is, and that it truly is the inspired, inerrant, infallible Word of God. This sermon will also show how we've seen Bible prophecy fulfilled in our own lifetimes...right before our eyes! These are extraordinary times we are living in, and I believe we're living in the very last of the last days!

Are you ready? Do you know Him? If you do, then I can promise you that THE BEST IS YET TO COME!!!

Friday, September 10, 2010

The Clock Is Ticking

We live in interesting times. Everywhere I look, it seems there are prophetic signs. The world seems to be in utter chaos, and yet we know by the authority of God's Word that He is totally in control. Is Jesus coming back in our lifetimes? I believe it's entirely possible, and more than that, I believe it is highly probable. But whether He returns in ten years or two hundred years isn't really the point. The point is that we should live every day as if it is our last, and make sure our spiritual bags are packed and ready.

This Sunday we'll continue the series we began last week entitled Are We Living In The Last Days? Last week we looked at some signs of the end times that Jesus gave us in Matthew 24. This week we're going to turn to the Old Testament and look at Daniel 9:24-27. The message this week is entitled The Clock Is Ticking, and I'm incredibly excited about looking at these ancient prophecies this Sunday morning at EFBC!

Let me encourage you to spread the word about this series. Lots of folks have questions about what they consider to be the "end of the world." Just last year, a movie came out based on predictions from the Mayan calendar that the world would end in the year 2012. Many people are searching for answers, and we've got much more than an ancient calendar left behind by an extinct civilization; we've got God's Word. The Bible has the answers; we just need to spread the message! So please, do everything you can to GET THEM HERE this Sunday!

Jesus is coming again. Are your spiritual bags packed? I hope you know Him, 'cause the BEST IS YET TO COME!

Friday, September 03, 2010

What Time Is It?

I'm crazy excited about this Sunday at EFBC, and I'll tell you why: I'm starting a new sermon series entitled Are We Living In The Last Days? Did you get a flyer in the mail recently about a seminar being held in Anniston on this same subject? I've had several people ask me about this, and I honestly had to tell them that I know nothing about this teacher and what he believes.

What I do know, however, is what the Bible teaches; and there seems to be a lot of interest in this given the events in our world today. That's why I'm REALLY excited about these messages. This series is going to be a thorough examination of where I believe we are in Bible prophecy, and what I believe we can expect to happen in the near future.

Let me encourage you to get the word out about this series. Invite your friends and loved ones, especially those who don't know Jesus. People are fascinated with Bible prophecy, and just might be interested enough to come to church for this series. My sermon for Sunday is entitled What Time Is It?, and we'll be looking at Matthew 24.

Jesus is coming again. Are you ready?

THE BEST IS YET TO COME!!!

Friday, August 27, 2010

The One And Only

Before I jump into today's weekend preview, let me remind everyone to please keep praying for little Alexander, Bruce and Nikaa. They had a really long night, and they've still got a long way to go as Alexander still has another surgery to go through before they can come home. Please keep praying also for Susie, Therman, Frieda, Gary Mize and all the folks on our prayer list. Our God is bigger than all of the pain, sickness and disease that seem to be plaguing so many!

I'm so super pumped for this HUGE weekend that I can hardly stand it! It's already off to a great start as I got to speak to the football team and cheerleaders this morning at the prayer breakfast. I shared the story of Shammah from 2 Samuel 23:11-12. Long before there was a fictional character named Rambo, there was a REAL man named Shammah who took on the entire Philistine army and single-handedly defeated them. Of course, he wasn't really alone, because verse 12 tells us it was the Lord who brought about a great victory!

Tonight should be AWESOME as the first football game of the season kicks off on "The Hill" and is followed by our Fifth Quarter at Wellborn Park. I hope you can come and join us tonight. You may have to stay up a little (or a lot) later than normal, but I promise you it will be totally worth it. God really moved at last year's Fifth Quarter, and we're expecting even greater things this year!

And let's not forget about SUNDAY!!! I'm really excited about the message God has given me for Sunday entitled The One And Only. This sermon will be directed at two very different audiences: First, it will be for those who see Christianity as just one of many ways to get to God. This message will show how Jesus sets us apart from every other major religion in the world.

Second, this message will be for Christians who want to be better able to share their faith, but need some ammunition when it comes to defending it. It's important that we not just believe that Jesus is the only way to heaven; we need to know WHY He is the only way. In a world that seems to be caught up in the spirit of, "It doesn't matter which God you worship, just be sincere about it," we as the Body of Christ have a responsibility to warn them. It's our job to proclaim that Jesus is not one of many ways to get to heaven or even the best way to get to heaven; He's the ONLY WAY!

Are you ready for a BIG weekend EFBC? God's got greater things in store, He's not finished working in this church, and THE BEST IS YET TO COME!!!

Friday, August 20, 2010

God's Challenge To Us

OK, so I can't even find the words to describe what happened here at EFBC this past Sunday! Panther Day will go down as one of my all-time favorite days at church that I've ever experienced! God showed up in a HUGE way! Thank you church for all of your hard work and most of all for your prayers! Thank you to all of the coaches, faculty and sponsors at Wellborn who supported this outreach! And thank you Jesus for changing lives!

Now a question for all EFBC members and attendees: Do you believe that this Sunday can be just as good as or better than last Sunday? I do! We serve a BIG God and He can show up this weekend just as powerfully as He did last weekend! So keep praying, keep investing and inviting, and keep expecting GREATER THINGS!

This Sunday's message will be one that could've very easily have been included in the I'd Rather Not Talk About... series. God, however, wasn't quite yet ready for me to preach it. This week's message is entitled God's Challenge To Us, and it's a sermon that some folks might not want to hear. What's it about, you ask? Well, I'm going to leave that up to your imagination until Sunday morning. Just be praying and asking God to prepare your heart for this challenge.

Church, God's not through with the Wellborn/Eulaton community! We've seen that in the past year, and we definitely saw it this past Sunday! Greater things have yet to come, and greater things are still to be done in this city, this community, and YES, in this church! It's been great, but we ain't seen nothin' yet 'cause THE BEST IS YET TO COME!!!

Friday, August 13, 2010

Panther Day

I'm out of my mind excited about this Sunday as we are having the first ever EFBC Panther Day! Excitement is building as final preparations are being made to welcome in the football team, band, cheerleaders and volleyball team from Wellborn High School. Please be praying for God to show up in a HUGE way on Sunday and for things to run smoothly and orderly. This will be a big undertaking, but I have no doubt that God is in it and that He's going to do great and awesome things!

We'll have our guests in the fellowship hall during the Sunday School hour, and we'll be serving them breakfast (anybody that wants to bring some fruit or doughnuts, please feel free). Then they'll all be moving to the sanctuary for our worship time. We'll have an overflow room set up in the chapel for our members who aren't able to get a seat in the sanctuary. It may be a bit of an inconvenience for one Sunday, but I think you'll all agree with me that it will be TOTALLY WORTH IT.

The message God has laid on my heart for Sunday is entitled Get In The Lifeboat. It is a straightforward, simple Gospel message. Please be praying for those students, parents and coaches who don't know Jesus as their Lord and Savior. Let's pray that God will fill this place with His presence and that lives will be changed!

Come prayed up and expecting God to do GREATER THINGS! Jesus lives! He's working in our midst! THE BEST IS YET TO COME!

Thursday, August 05, 2010

Two Special Sundays

It's probably no surprise to anyone who reads my weekly ramblings that I'm SUPER-PUMPED for church this Sunday...actually the next TWO Sundays! This Sunday and the next we'll be lifting up Wellborn to the Lord as a new school year begins on Monday. I hope you'll plan on being here for these special services.

This Sunday, Koy will be doing a special commissioning service for the youth who've been training this summer to be Campus Missionaries. This will be followed by a sermon I've entitled Being A Missionary that will be taken from Acts 8:26-40. It's my prayer that we'll realize that God has called us all to be missionaries right here where He's planted us.

The following Sunday, August 15th, is going to be Panther Day here at the church. We've invited the football team, band, cheerleaders and volleyball team to come and be with us that morning. We're planning on having an overflow room for our church members who aren't able to get a seat in the sanctuary. The potential for this day is HUGE!

Please be praying for these two special Sundays. I believe God wants the fires of revival and renewal to burn WHITE HOT in this church, in this community, and yes, even in our schools! Don't stop praying now, Eulaton, 'cause the best is yet to come!

Friday, July 30, 2010

The "O" Word

I'm crazy excited about Sunday at EFBC, and I hope you are, too! I know there will be a lot of celebrating after the answered prayers we've witnessed this week with Frieda! God's still in the miracle-working business, and I'm so glad we've seen His hand at work again in the life of our church! Frieda's CaringBridge sight was updated this morning, and you can click here to read it.

This Sunday I'll be finishing up our I'd Rather Not Talk About... series, and we're going to look at the "O" word. The message is entitled I'd Rather Not Talk About Obedience, and we'll be looking at 1 John 5:1-3.

I hope you'll plan on being here. I hope you'll be praying for lives to be changed. I hope you'll come expecting God to show up in a HUGE way. And I hope you'll keep expecting God to do greater things, because the best is yet to come!

Thursday, July 22, 2010

Hope For The Hurting

I'm writing this week from Children's Camp in Millerville. So far we've had a great time. The kids have all been really good, and God has kept everybody safe. I'm really excited about tonight's (Thursday) chapel time. That's always the highlight of camp for me!

I'm also really excited about this Sunday at EFBC! I'll be preaching a message from Job 23:8-10, and the message will be entitled I'd Rather Not Talk About Pain. Most folks would prefer to not talk about it, but let's face it: pain is a part of life. My prayer is that this message will offer hope for those who are hurting.

That's about all for this week. Supper's almost ready, and for those of you who've been here to the "Coop Camp," you know that's always a good thing! Tonight's menu includes chicken fingers! We'll be home Friday night, and I'll be looking forward to seeing you on Sunday morning as we come together as the church to lift high the name of Jesus!

THE BEST IS YET TO COME!!!

Friday, July 16, 2010

Wow...Just Wow

I can think of no other word to describe our Vacation Bible School this week here at EFBC! God has been blessing our socks off, and we've still got ONE MORE NIGHT TO GO! We've averaged right at 130 children each night, not counting the fifty plus workers. The kids are having a great time, and learning a lot about the Bible at the same time. Please pray for me and the children tonight, as I will be sharing the Gospel with them.

Looking ahead to Sunday, I'm out of my mind excited about what God has in store for us! Sunday morning is going to be one that you'll never forget; I can promise you that! We're going to continue the series we began last week entitled I'd Rather Not Talk About... This Sunday we're going to be covering another subject that most folks would prefer not to talk about: Death. Our scripture is Hebrews 9:27-28. All I can tell you is that it will be memorable and this is one you don't want to miss!

Sunday night's going to be memorable, as well. Think about it for a moment: What if all the kids we've had in Bible School showed up for commencement, and their parents, and their grandparents, and all of our regular Sunday night folks! This could be one of the largest crowds we've ever had in our sanctuary! We're already making plans for some of the kids to be sitting in the choir loft and in chairs. When we get all those children in here, and their families, and our church members, it's going to be AWESOME!!!

So let me encourage you to be praying about Sunday at EFBC! God's working, lives are being changed, and I don't have to tell you cause you already know that THE BEST IS YET TO COME!

Friday, July 09, 2010

I'd Rather Not Talk About...

Is anybody besides me excited about what God is doing and is going to do here at EFBC! I'm more pumped now than I've ever been! And with Sunday morning worship now just a little over 48 hours away, my intensity level is rising by the minute!

I'm super excited about this Sunday because I'll be starting a new sermon series entitled I'd Rather Not Talk About..., and I believe it's going to be AWESOME! You know how there's certain things that most people tend to not want to talk about? Well, guess what? We're going to talk about them! Week one's message is entitled I'd Rather Not Talk About Hell, and the scripture we'll be looking at is Luke 16:19-31. If you've got friends or family that don't know Jesus, do your best to GET THEM HERE this Sunday!

One other thing that's brought my excitement level through the roof is we're now just a few days away from Vacation Bible School! Saddle Ridge Ranch starts on Monday, and I can't wait to see how God's going to work through this year's VBS! I believe God's got HUGE things in store for us this year! Don't forget that tomorrow we'll be decorating beginning at 9 a.m. We'd love to have your help!

Sunday night we'll be talking about Saddle Ridge Ranch in our evening worship service. I'll be sharing about the things our kids are going to be learning next week. We'll also have a special time to pray for Bible School, the workers and the children they'll be leading. We could have the best planned, best staffed, and best decorated VBS in the country, but without prayer it would be a disaster. Please commit to pray for Bible School!

Proverbs 16:3 - Commit to the LORD whatever you do, and your plans will succeed. (NIV)

God's got greater things in store for us! I hope you're ready, 'cause THE BEST IS YET TO COME!!!

Friday, July 02, 2010

The True Source Of Liberty

Today's Sunday Preview will be brief...I'm really squeezed on time today. This Sunday our country will be celebrating its 234th birthday, and what better way to begin your Fourth than coming to worship our Savior who has set us free! My message for Sunday is about Jesus, and it's entitled The True Source Of Liberty. The text is Luke 4:16-21.

I'm really excited about worship this Sunday. We'll begin our service with something a little different, and we'll definitely be celebrating our freedoms as Americans. But most of all, we're going to celebrate Jesus! I hope you'll be here!

The best is yet to come!

Friday, June 25, 2010

Got Any Storms?

As I'm writing this, a storm is passing over 1835 Gate 8 Road. We've got thunder, lightning, and heavy rain. I pray that our power doesn't go out (although if recent history means anything, it probably will).

But thundershowers aren't the only type of storms we have to deal with in life, are they? The truth is that we all face different kinds of storms: financial, physical, emotional, etc. And right now, it seems like we've got a lot of families that are weathering some pretty intense storms.

With that in mind, God has laid a message on my heart for Sunday that I hope will be incredibly encouraging. My sermon is entitled An Anchor For Life's Storms, and we'll be looking at two primary passages: John 16:33 and Hebrews 6:19-20. In the midst of life's storms that toss us like a ship on the open ocean, God has provided us with an anchor! And although He doesn't promise us that we'll never have troubles and trials, He does promise us that He'll see us through them!

So if you know someone that's going through some struggles right now, I want to strongly encourage you to get them here this Sunday. And if you know someone who doesn't know Jesus, this message will have a powerful emphasis on the Gospel. This will be a great weekend for you to invest and invite!

In the midst of all of the storms that are raging around us, God is still working in a powerful way here at Eulaton First Baptist Church! And I, for one, am incredibly excited to see how God's going to show His great and awesome power in the midst of these storms. There's an old hymn that contains these words, "Trials dark on every hand, and we cannot understand...but we'll understand it better by and by." If I were to rewrite that and do a Lambertized version of that song, it would go something like this: "Storms will come and storms will go...but THE BEST IS YET TO COME!"

Friday, June 18, 2010

A Tale Of Two Fathers

It was so great to be back with my church family on Sunday! Vacation was wonderful, but getting back to worshipping with EFBC was even better. I had a blast preaching last Sunday!

Now as we look forward to Father's Day, I have to say that I'm incredibly excited about the message God has given me for Sunday. I'll be sharing a sermon entitled A Tale Of Two Fathers, and we'll be looking at 1 Samuel 1-2 if you want to read ahead. In these two chapters, we see two very different fathers. One had a son who became well known for his faith. The other had two sons that brought shame on the priesthood and the ministry of the temple. Looking at the good, and not so good in these stories, we'll learn seven lessons about being a good father.

Come to worship Sunday expecting God to do great things in our midst! I know this world we're living in seems dark and dry. I know we're living in troubled times. But let's remember the words of David in Psalm 63:1-2:

O God, You are my God; early will I seek You; my soul thirsts for You; my flesh longs for You in a dry and thirsty land where there is no water. So I have looked for You in the sanctuary, to see Your power and Your glory. (NKJ)

Let's come together this Sunday expecting to see His power and His glory! Let's come together this Sunday expecting lives to be changed! And let's come together this Sunday expecting God to do greater things!

I know I say it all the time, and I know it probably sounds cliché by now, but I really do mean it every week when I say that, "THE BEST IS YET TO COME!"

Friday, June 04, 2010

Two Weeks In One

I'm so out-of-my-mind excited about the next two Sundays at Eulaton, and the bad thing is I'm not even going to be here for the first one! Because of that fact, today's Sunday preview will look ahead to this Sunday the 6th, and the following Sunday the 13th.

This week we'll have a couple of guest speakers sharing in our services. Our youth camp speaker, Jeff Brooks, will be sharing in the morning worship service. Jeff did a great job at camp, and I know you'll be blessed as he comes to share with us Sunday morning. Charles Israel, who spoke at Greg Cupp's ordination last month, will be speaking during the evening worship service. I was really blessed by the things Charlie shared during the ordination service, and I have no doubt he'll have a word from the Lord as he comes this Sunday night.

And I know it's over a week away, but I can hardly wait for June 13th! My message for that day is entitled I Once Was Lost, and we'll be looking at Luke 19:1-10. This message will have a HUGE emphasis on the Gospel, and I want to strongly encourage you to try and get your lost friends and family here that Sunday. Remember: Invest and Invite!

Come this Sunday and the next expecting greater things! God is working, lives are being changed, and THE BEST IS YET TO COME!

Tuesday, June 01, 2010

Recharge; Not Retire

"Summertime, and the living is easy." I seem to recall those lyrics from a popular song, and it has me already looking forward to having a time to refresh and recharge. My family will be taking a week for vacation this month, and we're excited about getting to go back to Pawley's Island, S.C. again this year. My only regret is that I have to be gone from EFBC during a time when God is moving so mightily.

But I know, and I hope you do to, that we all need periods of rest and rejuvenation. And that's just as true for those of us in vocational ministry as it is for folks employed in the secular world. I read recently where one minister wrote: "Pastors cannot lead their churches on empty." Even Jesus understood this, and He often took opportunities to get away and get refreshed.

And so, while I'm away, I won't be checking my email. I won't be posting on my blog. I won't be on Facebook. I won't even be working on sermon preparation. What I will be doing is spending some quality time with my family and with my Lord. And when I return on June 12th, I plan on being rejuvenated and energized, ready to see what God has next for us at EFBC (and hopefully hearing some glowing reports about what He did while I was away).

So this summer, I hope you'll have the opportunity for some times of refreshing. Let the Lord recharge your batteries and prepare you for greater things in the days to come. But just remember one thing: don't take the whole summer off from church! I've seen it happen all too often: folks go on vacation; come home, and suddenly serving the Lord becomes an afterthought. Let's all strive to NOT LET THAT HAPPEN!

I truly believe that EFBC's greatest days are still ahead of us. And I truly believe that this summer could be the best this church has ever experienced! Youth Camp's just ended, Bible School's just around the corner, and Children's Camp is right after VBS. God's got big plans for us in the coming days, weeks and months! So let's take the time to get refreshed and recharged, but let's all determine that we're not going to retire on God this summer!

Friday, May 28, 2010

It's Hard To Be Humble

Just saw our teenagers off on their way to youth camp, and it looks like we've got fifty, that's right, FIFTY, kids going to camp! I'm planning on spending some time with them this weekend, as they're just on the other side of the mountain in Golden Springs at Camp Lee. Please be praying for our kids this weekend. Pray for their safety. Pray for their attitudes. Pray for them to get along well. But most of all, pray for lives to be changed by the power of Christ!

And while you're praying, let me encourage you to pray for Sunday morning at EFBC. I'm incredibly excited about what God has in store for us this weekend! I'll be preaching a message entitled It's Hard To Be Humble. We'll be reading in 2 Chronicles 26, and we'll be looking at some lessons on how to avoid a fall.

History is full of examples of how strong and mighty people have fallen. You can see it in the world, but you also see it happen in the church. Satan loves to bring down Christians, and he'll attack us in a variety of ways. This Sunday's message will provide you with some guardrails to put up around your heart to help you avoid a spiritual crash.

God's still working here! Let's keep praying for His continued blessings! Let's keep investing in people and inviting them to come and hear about Jesus! And let's keep worshipping the One who saved our souls from hell and gave us life more abundantly!

Greater things are still to be done, and THE BEST IS YET TO COME!

Friday, May 21, 2010

Change Your Clothes

Can hardly wait till Sunday morning! I'm super excited about my message for this week entitled Change Your Clothes. Actually, it's more of a spontaneous skit than it is a sermon, because this Sunday we're going to have all of our children in the worship service with us! They'll be sharing four songs, and I'm excited about getting to speak to them (which is something I don't get to do very often).

Many of you will remember last spring we had a Children's Sunday, and I got some of the kids to help me do a skit entitled He Took My Punishment. Well, I've written another skit for this year entitled Change Your Clothes, and I can't wait to see how God works in this service. I'll have a brief message after the skit, and the verses we'll be looking at are Isaiah 59:1-2. I'm praying that the message in the skit will speak not only to children, but also to the adults who'll be with us.

If you know children who won't be in church Sunday, do your best to get them here. If you know their parents, try to get them here, too. In fact, if you know anybody, at any age, that doesn't know Jesus, do all you can to GET THEM HERE!!! This skit and message will clearly and effectively present the Gospel in a creative way.

Come expecting God to do great things. Come expecting to see His power and glory. And come expecting lives to be changed!

Greater things! The best is yet to come!

Friday, May 14, 2010

Why Not...One More Time

So I'm super-pumped about this Sunday, because I'm finally going to get the chance to finish our Why Not Here? series. This four-week series that has taken six weeks is one that I feel is incredibly important. And now that I've had an extra week to let this Sunday's message marinate, I can't wait to see what God has in store for us.

Sunday's message will be taken from Isaiah 43:16-20. God wants to do new and greater things...why not here? The only question is: are we prepared for what He wants to do? I believe our church is more ready now for an amazing movement of the Holy Spirit than we've ever been in the eight years I've been here. I'm so excited about the future of EFBC that I can hardly contain it!

Having said all of that, let me remind everyone that when God starts working like He has been in Eulaton, you can be sure that Satan is going to start working overtime. Let's resolve that we're not going to let the devil get a foothold in our lives and in our church. He would love nothing more than to tear down what God is trying to build up right here.

I know there are some folks in our church who are really going through the fire right now, and I know that there are people in our community who are, as well. When trying times come, we can see them as a chance to be bitter, or we can see them as an opportunity to let God mold us and make us better. Let's resolve to choose the latter!

Some of you may have heard that Lisa Tucker's vehicle was broken into on Wednesday night in the church parking lot. They busted out her window, stole her purse and her coat. This thief stole not only material possessions, but also precious items like photographs that you can't put a price tag on. Please pray that the perpetrator will be caught and that Lisa can get back what is rightfully hers.

And please be sure to lock your cars and bring your purses and other valuable items into church with you. We're going to take steps to see that this doesn't happen again, but it never hurts to be extra vigilant. I learned a valuable lesson Wednesday night: I had an ipod sitting in plain sight in my truck and the doors were both unlocked. It could just as easily have been me!

As horrible as this crime was, it pales in comparison to what Satan is trying to do in so many homes in our community. Jesus said that the thief comes to steal, kill and destroy, and that's exactly what the devil is doing. He's wreaking havoc in so many places. He's not happy about the way God's moving in Eulaton. He's on the warpath right now!

But never forget that greater is He that is in us than he that is in the world (1 John 4:4). I believe God's got something incredible in store for our church! I still believe we can see Acts 2:47 happen at 1835 Gate 8 Road! The thought of that many people being saved on a regular basis in Eulaton, Alabama gives me chill bumps on top of my chill bumps! And it would really send Satan over the edge, too! Let's keep praying and believing that God will do that right here!

Greater things are still to be done...WHY NOT HERE? The best is yet to come!

Friday, May 07, 2010

Nueve de Mayo

Cinco de Mayo was a great day for me, and it had nothing to do with eating Mexican food (which I love, but can't have because it makes me larger than I already am). The reason it was a great day was because it fell on a Wednesday, and Wednesdays seem to be getting better and better lately! It was a great night here at EFBC as we had some 75 children and 34 teenagers in attendance. I know it's not just about the numbers, but let's never forget that every number represents a soul!

After a great Cinco de Mayo, I'm now looking forward to an even better Nueve de Mayo (that's "May the 9th" for the layperson). It's Mother's Day this Sunday, and I'm out of my mind excited about what God has in store for us this weekend at EFBC! In fact, He's changed my message again, just like He did two weeks ago! I was planning on finishing up the Why Not Here series on Sunday, but God's had me put that message on the back burner.

One of the things that I'm excited about for this Mother's Day is that we're expecting a lot of visitors on Sunday! This could be even bigger than Easter, and I have no doubt that's why God changed my message. With the potential of having numerous people here who don't know Jesus, I'm going to be preaching a message that will have a major focus on the Gospel.

I try to make sure that every week, no matter what I'm preaching on, it all comes back to the cross. And this week, I want people to thoroughly examine themselves to determine if they really have a genuine, saving faith in Christ or just a counterfeit faith that's focused on good works and not Jesus. The title of the message is A Legacy Of Faith, and we'll be looking at 2 Timothy 1:5.

Please do everything you can to GET PEOPLE HERE! We can't save anybody; that's not our job. God's called us to be in advertising, not in sales. We can share the message with them, and we can bring them to church to hear the Gospel, but ultimately it's up to the Holy Spirit to close the deal.

So let's be investing in people. Let's be sharing with them the story of Jesus. Let's be inviting them to come and hear a message of hope. And let's be praying that God will work in their hearts and they'll come to a genuine, saving faith in Christ!

Greater things are still to be done in this county, this city, this community, and this church! THE BEST IS YET TO COME!

Monday, May 03, 2010

Jesus and Facebook

About two years ago, a good friend of mine told me that I needed to be on Facebook. Now if you don't know what Facebook is, it's a social networking sight on the Internet that connects people together. My first response to my friend's suggestion was a chuckle and a polite, "Yeah, that'll be the day." I never went for the whole MySpace fad when that was popular, and I figured this was just another thing that would be good for nothing except wasting my time.

My friend was persistent, however, telling me that Facebook had allowed him to reconnect with people that he hadn't seen in years (even decades). He said I'd be surprised how many old friends and acquaintances I would catch up on if I'd only become a member. So, reluctantly, I filled out the electronic registration form and became a Facebook member (feeling embarrassed as I typed in my information).

Initially, I didn't use Facebook much. I did indeed reconnect with many old friends, and it was kind of cool to find out what so many people were up to these days. But other than that, I didn't see much use for Facebook.

About six months ago, however, all of that changed. I was on the Internet one evening, and I started seeing where people were talking about our church in a positive way, and using this medium to invite their friends. A light bulb went on in my head, and I began to see the incredible potential in this social networking thing. Since that day, I've been using Facebook more and more as a tool for ministry. Let's face it, folks, this is the way today's younger generation interacts!

I say all of that to say this: We don't need to be afraid of embracing new ideas and technologies in the work of the church. There have been a lot of changes in the way church is done in the past 200 years, and not all of them have been bad. I mean, really, who wants to go back to the days when there was no air conditioning? I'm glad someone, at some point, made the decision to put air conditioning in at EFBC. There may have even been some opposition to it, thinking that, "We've never done it this way before." But now, with the benefit of hindsight, I don't know of anyone who thinks it's a bad idea.

Yes, it's true that any tool can be used for harm as well as for good. And I know that Facebook is no exception to that rule. In fact, I think there are some folks whose life has begun to revolve around it. But that doesn't mean that we can't use Facebook, and many other new and exciting inventions in our world today, to reach people with the Gospel. Let's dare to do whatever it takes, short of sin, to see people come to new life in Christ. It may not be the way our parents or our grandparents did it, but if people are getting saved, that's all that matters!

Friday, April 30, 2010

Why Not Here; Why Not Now?

OK, so this past Sunday was probably my favorite day at EFBC since I came here nearly eight years ago! What an incredible celebration of Jesus and the lives He has changed (and continues to change)! Great to see five more baptized Sunday! It was really cool to have somebody saved in the service and baptized like five minutes later! AWESOME!

So what's next? I'm not really sure, but I can't wait to see what God has in store. This Sunday we'll jump back into our Why Not Here? series with a message from Isaiah 54:1-4. I realize we just covered these verses on a Sunday night in February, but this will be a very different message. And I'm sure it will come as no surprise, but I'M REALLY PUMPED ABOUT IT!

By the way, if you've got friends you've been investing in, please try to get them here Sunday! Although this series has primarily been focused on the church, this Sunday's message will close with a strong tie in to the Gospel. So invest, invite, and leave the rest up to the Holy Spirit.

Don't forget Sunday night we'll have a deacon ordination service for Greg Cupp. The service will be at 6 p.m., and there will be an ordaining council for any ordained men in the church at 5 p.m. I hope you'll plan on being here for this important moment in Greg's life. Ordination services are, for me, always very moving and emotional. This one should be no different.

That's about all for now. Hope to see a packed house this Sunday at EFBC! Hope to see lives changed and eternities altered this Sunday at EFBC! Hope to see God show up in a HUGE way once again this Sunday at EFBC!

Why not here? Why not now? The best is yet to come!

Thursday, April 22, 2010

This Sunday at Eulaton...HUGE!

I know I probably keep sounding like a broken record week after week, but can I just say again that I am crazy excited abut this Sunday at EFBC? We're having a Get Acquainted Fun Day, and we're expecting really big things! One reason I believe God has something HUGE in store for us this Sunday is because He's changed my message in the last 24 hours. I was planning on continuing our Why Not Here? series, but God's pretty much told me that we need to put that on hold for a week.

So...my message for Sunday is entitled The Scariest Verses, and we'll be looking in God's Word at Matthew 7:21-23. These are, in my opinion, the scariest verses in the Bible. How many people sit in church week after week, thinking they're all right with God, having no idea that they're headed for an eternity in a place called Hell? According to Jesus, it's a pretty big number, and there's gonna be a lot of surprised people in the day of judgment.

With that in mind, I'm praying that this Sunday God will fill our church with people who need Jesus. Some of them might be people who haven't set foot in church in years, if ever. Some of them might be people that you sit next to week after week who've been faithful attendees for as long as you can remember. Truth is, the faithful attendee who doesn't know Christ is just as lost as the person who's never set foot in a church. I think God's calling us to reach both groups of people. Maybe this Sunday we'll see many of them cross over from death to life. Be praying!

This Sunday is the perfect time to invite your friends and family members to Eulaton. With it being our bi-annual fun day, you can let them know that we'll be having lunch after church (can anyone say fried chicken?), as well as fun and games after lunch. I believe this will be the year we revive the big softball match-up out in the field. It should be a lot of fun.

Let me remind our members that Sunday's lunch is a potluck meal. Please bring as much food as you can this weekend. The church is going to be purchasing 200 pieces of chicken from Wal-mart, but this will not nearly be enough food. We need as many folks as are able to bring side items and dessert. And maybe even some more fried chicken, as well; you can never have enough of the good stuff!

I realize that most of our folks usually dress casual anyway, but for those few who don't, this might be the Sunday you want to give it a try. Besides, softball and horseshoes are no fun in a dress or tie.

Oh, and one more thing. If you get people here this Sunday, I promise you they're going to hear the Gospel! God's burned a message into my heart that I can't wait to share, and I'm praying for changed lives and for Hell to be less populated after we're through!

Let's pray for God to do HUGE things at EFBC this Sunday! Let's come expecting God to show up in a HUGE way! Let's worship Him like the HUGE God that He is! And let's never forget that the best is yet to come!

Friday, April 16, 2010

Eulaton On My Mind

Nearly eight years ago, God put a burning desire in my heart to go home. He put a burden in me for the community where I grew up, attended school, and where a large part of who I am today was shaped. Although I didn't know it at the time, God already had a plan to bring me back here.

I'll never forget the day when a good friend called me and told me that Eulaton First Baptist was looking for a pastor. He asked me if I'd possibly be interested. I can't remember my exact response, but it was something akin to, "Does the Pope wear a funny hat?" I was incredibly excited, and somehow I just knew that this was part of God's plan and I was going to end up at EFBC.

Fast-forward nearly eight years, and guess what? That burden for my community is greater today than it was then. We've seen some great things happening in recent months, but I believe God's work here has only just begun. After the success we've seen recently, it would be really easy to put things on cruise control and just decide to coast from here on out.

Problem is, there are still people all around us who are lost and rushing headlong into a Christless eternity. Having a burden for this community means we don't slow down until every person in Eulaton, Anniston, Calhoun County and beyond professes Jesus as their Savior. Or until Christ returns, whichever comes first.

So let me ask you: Do you have a burden for your community? Have you noticed lately that there are people all around us who are headed to a place called Hell? Do you believe God could spark a community-wide, county-wide, state-wide, or maybe even nation-wide revival and that it could begin with us? Some might say "no," but I say "why not here?"

This Sunday, we're going to focus on our community. Some people call it Wellborn; some people call it Eulaton. I'm honestly not so concerned about what name this community is known by; I'm much more concerned that Christ's name is known in this community! Our Why Not Here series will continue this week, and we'll be looking at Nehemiah 1-2. I've also got a little presentation at the end of my message that I hope will inspire you about the possibilities for our area.

Why not Him? Why not us? Why not here?

The best is yet to come!

Friday, April 09, 2010

Why Not Here?

Now that Super Sunday is behind us (and WOW, it was AWESOME), it's time now to focus on the question that I've been asking a lot lately: "What's next?" Here's the way I feel about it: why can't every Sunday be Super Sunday? Let's not wait till Easter 2011 to see again what we saw on Easter 2010. Let's resolve that we're going to keep investing, inviting, and praying that God will keep on keeping on and that every Sunday will be SUPER!

Remember last August when I asked the question, "What would it look like if Acts 2:47 happened at 1835 Gate 8 Rd?" Acts 2:47 tells us that, "the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved." Could you imagine if that happened at EFBC? That would be at least 365 baptisms in a year!

Well, call me crazy, but I can't get that vision out of my head. Some people may say that it's impossible for that to happen at a place like Eulaton. Others might say that I'm out of my mind to dream such an improbable dream. Still others might laugh at the notion. To those who doubt, my question is simply this: "Why not here?"

Sunday morning I'm beginning a new series of messages entitled Why Not Here?, and I know this will come as a shock to everyone but: I'M REALLY PUMPED ABOUT IT! God's not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance...why not here? Jesus said He would build His church and the gates of hell would not prevail against it...why not here? The first church saw people being saved every single day of the week...why not here?

This series will be a bit unusual, because we're going to be looking at Old Testament passages that aren't normally associated with church growth. What you'll find, however, is that the principles taught in so many of the great stories from the Old Testament are timeless and apply to all facets of your life and the life of the church. This Sunday, April 11, we'll be looking at one of the most well known stories in the Bible (it's found in 1 Samuel 17 if you want to get a head start).

Are you ready for Sunday? Please hear me church when I say that Super Sunday wasn't the end, IT WAS ONLY THE BEGINNING! God's got so much more in store for this church and this community that it blows my mind when I think of the possibilities. Let's just keep our eyes on Him and not ourselves, because He's the reason we're seeing what we're seeing. God is working, lives are being changed, eternities are being altered, and THE BEST IS YET TO COME!

Thursday, April 01, 2010

Super Sunday!

So I've been thinking about something that I wanted to share with all of you. Every year in January the National Football League has something called Super Sunday, and it's a huge celebration that I'm told is centered on a particular football game (called the Super Bowl or something like that). Anyway, from what I've been told it's a pretty big deal with a lot of folks. In fact, it's such a big deal that retailers will pay unheard of amounts of money to advertise their products during the television broadcast of the big game. Apparently there's a bigger audience for this one event than for any other broadcast throughout the year.

With that in mind, it hit me this week that Easter Sunday is for the church what Super Sunday is for the football world. Most churches across the country this Sunday will, for whatever reason, experience their largest crowd of the year. And that, my friends, is keeping me up at night thinking about what God has in store for us this weekend at EFBC!

I must admit, though, that it's rather sobering to think of the responsibility that we all have this Sunday to make sure we let people see Jesus in us, not to mention the responsibility that I have to make sure that the Gospel is communicated clearly and passionately. In fact, I've really stressed over the message for this weekend, because if there's ever a Sunday that I don't want to blow it, this is definitely the one! Thankfully, God has put my mind at ease and given me a message that I can hardly wait to deliver! The title is At The End Of Your Rope, and it's about the thief who was saved in his dying moments with hardly any time to spare. Please be praying for me that I'll communicate this message in a clear, creative and passionate way, and that those who've never been truly saved will recognize their lost condition and see their need for a Savior.

Having said all that, let me now take this opportunity to say that I'm more stoked about this Sunday than I've ever been for any worship service I've ever been a part of in my life...ever! And I'm not trying to sound overly dramatic or trying to over-hype anything; I really mean it when I say that I'm PUMPED about what God has in store for us! I hope you are, too. Please be praying for an awesome and unexplainable movement of God this Sunday at EFBC!

For our members who are able to, let me encourage you to park in the lower parking lot to make room for visitors to park in the main parking lot. I'm praying for an overflow crowd, and that means we need to anticipate overflow parking. Let me also encourage all of the men in my class and Donnie's class to bring up a couple of chairs to the sanctuary after Sunday School. I'm praying we'll have to open the vestibule doors and stick some chairs out there, as well!

Finally, let me remind you to do all you can to GET PEOPLE HERE THIS SUNDAY MORNING! Easter Sunday is a day when people who wouldn't ordinarily think about attending a church service are somehow more open to an invitation. This might be the open door you've been waiting for to get that special friend, loved one, co-worker, whoever, to come and join you at EFBC. My promise to you is this: if you'll get them here, they will hear the Gospel!

Keep in mind that our day will begin with a Sunrise Service at 6 a.m. We'll then have our regular Sunday morning schedule with Sunday School at 8:45 and worship at 10. There will be no evening services this Sunday.

Be praying! Be investing and inviting! And be ready for kick-off, because our Super Sunday is almost here...and the best is yet to come!!!

Wednesday, March 31, 2010

First Impressions

One of the most exciting things that I've been seeing in recent months at EFBC has been the tremendous increase in first time visitors! And as exciting as this is, there's one thing that always goes through my mind when they come: "you never get a second chance to make a first impression." For most of us "regular church attendees," we've forgotten what a scary experience that visiting a church for the first time can be. Visitors walk in not knowing what to expect from us, or what may or may not be expected of them. Hard as it is for us "old-timers" to understand, this can truly be a frightening and intimidating occasion.

With that in mind, let me encourage all of our faithful members to please do everything you can to put our visitors at ease and make them feel at home here at EFBC. This begins with the invitation to come and visit. Let them know ahead of time that we're not going to embarrass them, or single them out, or call on them to pray. Let them know that you'd love to sit with them in Sunday School and during the worship service. Let them know what they can expect when they attend.

I received a call last week from someone who told me they wanted to visit but didn't have any appropriate church clothes to wear. Isn't it sad that the "church culture" has created this idea in so many people's minds that attending a church service without dressing up is an abomination? I'm so thankful that Eulaton isn't that way. I'm glad that people can come here and feel just as comfortable in jeans as they do in a suit. Let's be sure the people we're investing in and inviting to church know that EFBC is not about a fashion show or a beauty contest. We understand that man judges by the outward appearance, but God judges by the heart (1 Samuel 16).

Two years ago I preached a series of messages entitled People Repellent, and it was about all the reasons why people say they don't attend church. The point of this series was to show that sometimes our actions in the church repels people much the same way a can of Off repels insects. Although it is true that the message of the Gospel is offensive, we need to make sure that when we offend folks that we're actually offending them with the Gospel. Most people who've quit attending church have not been offended by the message of the Gospel as much as they've been offended by people in the church who were just real jerks!

Satan's already doing a pretty good job of keeping people from attending church, so let's not go out of our way to aid him in his unholy cause. Let's remember the instruction of Colossians 4:5-6 that says, Be wise in the way you act with people who are not believers, making the most of every opportunity. When you talk, you should always be kind and pleasant so you will be able to answer everyone in the way you should. (NCV)

People are watching us. Many of them are forming their opinions of the church and Jesus based on the things we say and do. They're looking for reasons not to believe. Let's not be that reason! Let's let them see Jesus in us!

Thursday, March 25, 2010

Never The Same

Can hardly wait until Sunday at EFBC! Looking forward to preaching my message this week entitled Never The Same. Text will be Matthew 27:50-54, if you wanna get a head start.

After this Sunday comes Easter! All I can say is I'm expecting something OVERWHELMING, more so than we've already been seeing, on that day! I've just got one of those feelings, if you know what I mean.

So, let me go ahead and be encouraging you: Be inviting your friends, family and casual acquaintances. Try to get them here this Sunday. ESPECIALLY try to get them here for Easter! That's a day when people who wouldn't ordinarily set foot in the church will at least think about coming. Let's take advantage of that! I'm praying for such a packed house that the choir can't come down and people will have to sit in the window sills!

Fasten your seat belts, keep your fork and hold on tight, Eulaton, because THE BEST IS YET TO COME!!!

Friday, March 19, 2010

Overwhelmed!

When I consider all that God is doing here at EFBC and how He has changed this church in the past year, I am overwhelmed!

When I think about how blessed I am to have the greatest job in the world and that I get to do what I love to do right here in the community I grew up in, I am overwhelmed!

When I remember what Jesus did for me on the cross (which we'll be talking about for the next several Sundays), I am overwhlemed!

When I think about what God has in store for us this Sunday at EFBC, I am overwhelmed!

When I ponder the message I'll be preaching this weekend at EFBC, Drinking From A Bitter Cup, I am overwhelmed!

When I realize how much more God has in store for us and that the best is yet to come, I am overwhelmed!

Friday, March 12, 2010

Don't Forget...

Several things I don't want you to forget concerning this Sunday at EFBC:

-Don't forget that this Sunday is Youth Sunday, and our youth will be leading us in the worship service. Koy will be preaching a message entitled True Love Waits.

-Don't forget that our Sunday School hour precedes our morning worship service, and I guarantee that you'll receive a tremendous blessing by coming and being part of a small group experience.

-Don't forget that this Sunday is the weekend when we move our clocks ahead one hour. Don't be that person who shows up for Sunday School about the time we're heading to the worship service.

-Don't forget that God keeps blessing us week after week at EFBC. He's been showing up in a BIG way, and I believe we're in for even greater blessings in the coming days (starting this Sunday). We need to keep asking ourselves the question, "What's next?"

-Don't forget the words of Psalm 63:2 that says, I have looked for You in the sanctuary, to see Your power and Your glory.

-And finally, don't forget that God is good, Jesus saves, and the best is yet to come!

Friday, March 05, 2010

Short And Sweet

I'm short on time today, so this Sunday preview will be short and sweet. This week at EFBC we'll conclude our Things Jesus Said series with a message entitled Should I Stay Or Should I Go? The text for this week's message is John 6:51-67, and it's arguably some of the most unusual and misunderstood things Jesus ever said.

I'm expecting God to show up in a BIG WAY again this Sunday, and I hope you'll plan on being here. God keeps blowing me away more and more every week. What will He do this Sunday? I don't really know the answer to that question, but I do know for sure that we'd better all keep our forks because THE BEST IS YET TO COME!!

Tuesday, March 02, 2010

Does Anybody See What I See?

Does anybody see what I see? In the past six months, I've seen things at EFBC that have absolutely blessed my socks off. Every week I'm more and more in awe as I see God working in our midst. As I reflect on what He's been doing, I can't help but wonder if others are taking notice too.

I see a church that has fully embraced its primary mission, which is to glorify Jesus Christ and to make His name known. I see people who've come to the conclusion that we ought to be working overtime to see Hell depopulated. I see people who've fully sold out for this mission, and the results are showing more and more.

I see a church that has caught the vision for what God wants to do in this community. I see people who are dreaming incredibly big, God-sized dreams about the future of the body of Christ at Eulaton. I see the things I had envisioned seven and a half years ago when I came here as your pastor beginning to come to fruition.

I see people who are moving out of their comfort zones and doing things that are stretching them. I see folks who've decided that the mission and the ministry that God's placed before us are far more important than their own personal security. I see these same people smiling a lot more as they exercise their gifts in serving the Lord.

I see that people's creative juices are beginning to flow more than ever, and that folks are really learning to think outside the box. I see a church that's been here for over 120 years realizing that we don't have to live in the past to serve God in the present. I see people who have begun to understand what Jesus meant when He said new wine requires new wineskins.

And most importantly, I see lives that are being changed. I see hearts that are being transformed. I see more and more people who are crossing over from death to life, and that's what it's really all about.

I guess what I'm trying to say is this: I see a living, breathing New Testament church that is alive right here in Eulaton, Alabama.

Does anybody see what I see?

Friday, February 26, 2010

Can It Get Any Better?

Every week I leave our worship services thinking it can't get any better this side of heaven. And yet, God keeps on blowing me away week after week with His presence! Can it get any better? ABSOLUTELY!

I can't wait to see what will happen this Sunday at EFBC. I'm really excited about my message this week entitled Talkin Bout My Generation. This will be the seventh sermon in our Things Jesus Said series, and it will be taken from Luke 7:31-35. Can't wait to stand up and share God's Word!

Let's come this Sunday believing this worship service will be the best one we've ever experienced. I'm expecting that every week, and sure enough, every service is better than the last one. If February 28th is better than February 21st, then we're going to be flying so high we'll have to look down to see heaven! And what will March 7th look like? I can only imagine!

Keep your fork, Eulaton, because the BEST IS YET TO COME!

Friday, February 19, 2010

Countdown Has Begun

Well, it's Friday and I'm once again counting the minutes until Sunday morning at EFBC. God just keeps on blessing here, and I'm just standing back in awe of what He's doing. I hope you'll plan on being here this Sunday morning, and that you'll come expecting even greater things than we've already experienced!

I'm really excited about my message for Sunday entitled Fear Not. This will be the sixth sermon in our Things Jesus Said series, and I hope it will be a real encouragement for those who hear it. The message will be taken from the words of Jesus in Luke 12:4-7.

Don't forget we're having our I Love My Church Family Banquet Sunday night at 6. Chicken tenders will be provided, but we're asking everyone to please bring side items and desserts. It's going to be a great time of fun and fellowship (not to mention the food). Hope you'll plan on being here!

I can hardly wait to see what God has in store for us this Sunday. Everybody had better hang on to your fork, because the best is yet to come!!!

Saturday, February 13, 2010

Pumped For Tomorrow

Hope everyone's survived the great "Snow of 2010" and is ready to gather tomorrow as we come together to worship Jesus. Tomorrow's message will be the fifth in the Things Jesus Said series, and it's entitled Road To Heaven; Highway To Hell. And as you have probably already guessed...I'm pretty pumped about it! Hope you'll plan on being here at EFBC in the morning!

Don't forget we're having our annual I Love My Church Family Banquet tomorrow night at 6 p.m. This is always a great time of fellowship and fun. Some of our men are going to be frying up some chicken tenders, but we need our church folks to bring side items and desserts (and you can bring a main course, as well...if you really want to).

Looking forward to seeing everybody in the morning. Come ready to worship! Come expecting God to show up! And come knowing that THE BEST IS YET TO COME!

Tuesday, February 02, 2010

Do Numbers Matter?

As I'm writing this, I'm still celebrating our most recent Wednesday night service that saw a record 87 children and youth here, not counting all of the adults. But even better was what happened afterwards: I was able to share the plan of salvation with three young ladies and they all trusted Jesus as their Lord and Savior. We're seeing that kind of thing happen more and more often here at EFBC; and that, my friends, is what it's all about.

I recently received an anonymous comment from a person who said that they'd just happened upon my blog while surfing the Internet. It was quite obvious that this person had some different beliefs than we do, but they seemed to genuinely be a follower of Christ. In the comment, several accusations were made. This person wrote that "you care more for numbers than for souls" and that I am only interested in "growing a larger congregation."

So here's the question: Do numbers matter to God? I believe the answer is unmistakably "YES!" Read the Gospels and take notice of how many times you see the writers saying something to the effect of, "large crowds were following Jesus." Did anybody accuse Christ of being "just about the numbers?" I don't think so.

Read Acts 2 where 3000 people were saved and baptized. Did you ever think about the fact that somebody had to count all of those people and God felt it was important enough to include that number in the Scriptures? Throughout the book of Acts, Luke is continually mentioning how the church was growing and the Lord was adding to their numbers.

After the first deacons were called in Acts 6, the Bible actually tells us that the number of disciples began to multiply. Funny how the Bible mentions adding and multiplying (two words that are inherently linked to numbers), yet some people still believe that God doesn't care about numbers.

To the people who would say, "You're more concerned with numbers than with souls," I would respond by saying, "God cares about numbers and I care about numbers because every number represents a soul." And the numbers I am most concerned about are the untold numbers in our community who don't know Jesus.

So if you were wondering if I'm going to apologize for celebrating the numbers we've been having, the answer to that would be a gigantic "NO!" I'll always rejoice as our numbers grow. And I'll especially rejoice every time another soul is saved. Jesus didn't give us the Great Commission for nothing. Numbers matter to God, and they should matter to us, as well.

Saturday, January 30, 2010

Less Than 24 Hours...

In less than 24 hours, we'll be gathering together as the church, and I'm SOOO looking forward to it. Can't wait to finish the message I started last week (which was so rudely interupted by a power outage and bad storm). I've now had two weeks to let this message form, so everybody had better strap themselves in!

Sorry I didn't get a post done yesterday. Got hit with some unexpected things that took up much of my day.

One more reminder: Don't forget the 4th-6th grade Sunday School class is having a bake sale tomorrow immediately after the service. Hope you come with a sweet tooth!

Can hardly wait to get together with my church family and see what God is going to do at 1835 Gate 8 Road tomorrow. Till then, always remember that THE BEST IS YET TO COME!

Friday, January 22, 2010

Can Hardly Wait!

Strep has left the building. It's great to be back in good health and I'm now so pumped up about this Sunday at EFBC that I can hardly wait! I really believe God's going to do some INCREDIBLE things this weekend, and I'm excited about what He has in store for us.

This week's message will be the third in our series Things Jesus Said. We're looking at some of the more unusual or interesting passages that came from our Lord. This week's message is taken from Luke 18:18-27 (in case you want to read ahead) and is entitled Who Then Can Be Saved. We'll be studying a portion of Scripture that I believe has been misrepresented by a lot of teachers and preachers, and I hope this Sunday we can set the record straight about what Jesus was saying here.

God's still up to something here at EFBC. We had another great Wednesday night, and I was once again blown away by the people God is sending our way. I read recently that we shouldn't worry about numbers, but rather about souls. And that is true, but I will NEVER stop rejoicing in the "numbers" God is bringing our way, because every single number represents a soul.

In fact, we'll celebrate another soul saved this Sunday morning with baptism. I've said it before, and I'll say it again: I hope we wear that baptismal pool out. We may be trying to cut back on expenses, but the water bill is one expense I'd like to see go up! I hope our water bill goes so high that we have to start putting chlorine in the water and install a pump to circulate it. Seeing lives changed and people baptized are the two most exciting things that happen here, and those are two things that will never get old!

Come Sunday expecting God to do great things. Come Sunday with a worshipful heart. And come Sunday ready to celebrate Jesus, because He's alive and He's coming again! That's why I keep saying week after week after week that I know THE BEST IS YET TO COME!

Friday, January 15, 2010

Looking Forward To Sunday

Good morning everyone! Today's update will be short, as I'm continuing to recover from this week's bout with strep and I'm still not feeling very well.

A little sickness, however, can't keep me from being excited about this Sunday at EFBC. We'll continue the sermon series we began last week Things Jesus Said. This week's message is Peace On Earth; Just Not Yet and will be taken from Luke 12:49-59. I hope you'll be with us this Sunday as we continue to look at some of the more unusual and interesting things Jesus said. I'm expecting God to show up in a BIG WAY!!!

And speaking of God showing up in big ways, I was told that our youth and children attendance Wednesday night was 81! And that number doesn't even include all of the adult workers and helpers, not to mention my Wednesday night adult class. Isn't it amazing what God will do if we'll just let Him use us? Let's give Him all the praise and glory, and let's remember that THE BEST IS YET TO COME!!!

Thursday, January 07, 2010

New Series Starts This Sunday

Good morning, everyone! As I write this, we've already had a couple of rounds of snow flurries here at 1835 Gate 8 Road. Everyone be careful today and tonight. Things could get messy, and dangerous, later on.

Right now it looks like Sunday will be fine other than EXTREMELY cold temperatures. Regardless of how cold it may be outside, I'm expecting a great day and God to do AMAZING things! I hope you'll plan on being with us this week.

Sunday morning I'll be beginning a new series of messages entitled Things Jesus Said. We're going to look at some of the more unusual and/or interesting passages that were spoken by Jesus. This Sunday's message is entitled Am I Doing That?, and it comes from Luke 9:57-62 (in case you want to read ahead).

This week we'll be asking ourselves three important questions based on three things Jesus told three different "would-be" disciples. Another thing I hope to do with this message Sunday is dispel some of the myths people have believed about what Jesus was saying here. Really looking forward to beginning this new sermon series!

One other thing about Sunday: I want to encourage all of our church members to stick around Sunday morning after church for our business meeting. We're going to try to keep the meeting short, because afterwards we're going to have a sort of "town-hall meeting" to try to get some feedback from our members concerning a very important situation. We need as many of our members to be there as possible, so I hope you can stay after the morning worship.

Insanely excited about getting back together with the rest of the church this Sunday at Eulaton! Expecting God to show up and lives to be changed! And looking forward to the future because I know that THE BEST IS YET TO COME!