LifePoint Church

WOMAN's RETREAT March 23 & 24

2012-01-25T17:47:00.000-06:00

Theme for 2012

2012-01-25T17:42:00.000-06:00

FAMILY FUN NIGHT--- JOIN US!!!

2012-01-24T17:06:00.000-06:00

re-kin-dle.... Daily Bible Study - Wednesday

2012-01-11T12:02:00.002-06:00

One:
QUIET your heart and pray....God wants to have you hear His voice today

Two:
Read Acts 15: 1-31

Three:
Ponder these questions:

What was the "issue" that was discussed?

How was the conflict dealt with?

What do you think of this process?

What lessons can we learn from this passage when we have a disagreement between another person?

What were some of the things their told the NEW followers of Christ?

What was the response of the "sending" Church in Antioch to their news when they returned?

Four:
Reflect/ Pray:
Matt 18 15- 20 says “If your brother sins against you, go and show him his fault, just between the two of you. If he listens to you, you have won your brother over. But if he will not listen, take one or two others along, so that ‘every matter may be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.’ If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church; and if he refuses to listen even to the church, treat him as you would a pagan or a tax collector. “I tell you the truth, whatever you bind on earth will bebound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will beloosed in heaven.
“Again, I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything you ask for, it will be done for you by my Father in heaven. For where two or three come together in my name, there am I with them.”

Ask God to help you put His "dispute resolution" plans into effect in your life. Remembering that HE is in the midst of our conflicts...

re-kin-dle.... Daily Bible Study - Tuesday

2012-01-11T11:45:00.002-06:00

To help us with our week of prayer and fasting our office will post a daily Bible reading and study based on the 100 day challenge readings. Here is TUESDAY 'S study.

One:
QUIET your heart and pray....God wants to have you hear His voice today

Two:
Read Acts 14: 21-28

Three:
Ponder these questions:

these verses are an account of the end of the "1st Missionary Journey"
Can you name some of the things that happened on this journey?

Why did they revisit the Churches on their way back?

What were some of the things their told the NEW followers of Christ?

What was the response of the "sending" Church in Antioch to their news when they returned?

Four:
Reflect/ Pray:
Roman 1 16 & 17 For I am not ashamed of this Good News about Christ. It is the power of God at work, saving everyone who believes—the Jew first and also the Gentile. ¹⁷ This Good News tells us how God makes us right in his sight. This is accomplished from start to finish by faith. As the Scriptures say, “It is through faith that a righteous person has life.”

Ask the Lord to make your heart rejoice at the amazing news the Gospel affect has on the lives of people.

"The PLANE Truth About Christmas" videos 3

2012-01-10T07:34:00.000-06:00

"The PLANE Truth About Christmas" videos 2

2012-01-09T14:37:00.000-06:00

"The PLANE Truth About Christmas" videos

2012-01-09T14:03:00.000-06:00

"re-kin-dle" Daily Bible Study - Monday

2012-01-09T11:23:00.003-06:00

Welcome to Monday! To help us with our week of prayer and fasting we will post a daily Bible reading and study based on the 100 day challenge readings. Here is Monday's study.

One:
Stop... pray... Ask to Holy Spirit to open His word and your in your heart and speak to you... "Lord your servant is listening"

Two:
Read Act 13: 1- 13

Three:
Ponder these questions: What was it that the Holy Spirit said to those gathered in Antioch?

Why do you think the Spirit set those two apart for this specific work?

Does God still set people apart for His work today?

Does He use only select people for His service or will the Holy Spirit use anyone desiring to be used? Give reasons for your answer.

Read 1 Corinthians 1:27
"God deliberately chose things the world considers foolish in order to shame those who think they are wise. And he chose those who are powerless to shame those who are powerful"

How does this verse affect your answer to the above question?

Four:
Reflect/ Pray: Since God does not show favoritism (Acts 10:34) He wants to use anyone who is willing. Are you willing to be used today? Take some time to tell the Lord what you desire and wait on His Spirit to "speak" to you.

re-kin-dle

2012-01-05T12:40:00.001-06:00

A week of waiting on and seeking the LORD as we begin the NEW YEAR.... BEGINS this Sunday... January 8th... May a PLAN to join us as we wait on HIM!

Psalm 34:4
I sought the LORD, and he answered me;

he delivered me from all my fears.

Great Picture

2012-01-03T22:56:00.000-06:00

Love it...

a NEW years prayer

2012-01-02T23:23:00.000-06:00

Lord God Almighty,
I understand that I am unable to do anything without your help,
so I ask you to enable me by your grace to fulfill your will.

Give me grace to do whatever brings most glory and honor to you,
pleasure and profit to me,
and life and love to others.

Help me to number my days,
spending my time wisely,
living my life with all my might while I still have breath.

Humble me in the knowledge that I am chief of sinners;
when I hear of the sins of others,
help me to not look upon them with pride,
but to look upon myself with shame,
confessing my own sins to you.

When I go through difficulties and trials,
remind me of the pains of hell
from which you have already delivered me.

Place people in my path who need my help,
and give me a compassionate and generous spirit.

Fill my heart with such love
that I would never do anything out of a spirit of revenge,
nor lose my temper with those around me.
Hold my tongue when I am tempted to speak evil of others.

Thank you for the gospel and for the hope of glory.
Help me to live in light of these truths every day of my life,
so that when the time of my death arrives,
I will rest assuredly in you,
and you will be most glorified in me.

In Christ’s name…

( This was originally found at the KINGDOM PEOPLE blog http://trevinwax.com/ )

Goodbye 2011- Welcome 2012!

2011-12-29T20:17:00.000-06:00

I trust the Lord was generous to you and your family this Christmas in many ways! He is here!! Praise His name!

This was a quiet week in the office and since we did not have a CHRISTMAS DAY service, I thought I would send you all a short update about several things.

1) NEW YEAR’S DAY… we WILL be having a morning worship service. It begins at 11:00am (not at 10:30am for this SUNDAY only). Please plan to come as we WORSHIP the LORD on New Year’s Day! We will have time of fellowship following the service… so plan to stay and visit for a while.

2) END of the year giving. If you are still wanting to give a gift to the LORD (an offering) for the 2011 year, we will be accepting them in the office till the end of the work day on FRIDAY. Some money has come in already but there is still time to get in your gift(s). God has blessed LPC in a great way this year! We were praying to break $3,000 for MAK giving and we are just short of that at this time. ALSO, our goal for mission giving this year was $9,000. We are sitting at just short of $7,000 today (over $2,000 short). If the Lord would prompt you to give to missions that would be a blessing! In 2010, we gave $8,900 to missions.

3) Office hours: The office will be closed MONDAY, January 2^nd and will reopen on Tuesday for the rest of the week. THANK YOU for blessing our staff so much over the Christmas season. We all were overwhelmed at your generosity!

4) All regular weekly ministries (including LifeLand) will be postponed till the week of JANUARY 8^th. Then we will be back to full speed ahead.

5) Christmas Memorial Poinsettias. THANK you to all who donated a Poinsettia in the name of a loved one. I know I have taken some time to pause at each one and remember them who have passed on. Please feel free to come by the office and take your flowers home. THANK YOU for allowing us to use them this Christmas! They looked beautiful.

6) RE-KIND-DLE: 2012! We are looking forward to a week of prayer, fasting and special ministry as we begin the New Year (starts January 8^th)! Please keep these dates protected and in mind as we seek the LORD at the beginning of this year.

7) THANK YOU to those who helped at the CHRISTMAS DAY DINNER. What a beautiful gift to our community and area! God BLESS you as you served SO faithfully on the CHRISTMAS DAY… you truly we like the WISE MEN who brought gifts to the Christ Child. Praise God for you!

THANK YOU for all you have done for the LORD in 2011. It was a year of PROMISE for LPC! We are waiting in expectation for what He has planned for us all in 2012!

To God be the glory!

the PLANE truth about Christmas Dessert Theater!

2011-12-13T18:05:00.001-06:00

JANUARY 1st, 2012 COME Celebrate with us!

2011-12-13T17:56:00.000-06:00

CHRISTMAS EVE SERVICE 2011

2011-12-13T17:38:00.003-06:00

Christmas Day Dinner for 2011 Information

2011-11-02T15:02:00.000-06:00

Spread the Word!

2011-11-02T15:01:00.000-06:00

New Worship Internet Station

2011-11-02T15:00:00.000-06:00

I have been listening to this web based radio station for a few days now... I am really enjoying it... Maybe you would also?

Find it here. I pray that it is a blessing to you!

LPC's Global Missionaries

2011-10-24T14:02:00.000-06:00

We at LifePoint support several global workers who are using their lives to serve the Lord oversees. Here are two that we support...

One is Cheryl Ann Johnson lives in Zambia... watch this video to learn more about her ministry.

Another is Rev. Frank M. Juelich... PLEASE go to his website and look at the Video called BEING FRANK. Find it here.

Does Jesus fill your Thirst?

2011-10-20T10:57:00.000-06:00

A video clip of a message from pastor John Piper...

Getting Bad News

2011-10-13T15:50:00.000-06:00

I write a regular article for our local news paper and this was this week's contribution. Please post your comments at the bottom of this post.
_______________________________________________________

I found out this week that Dr. Robert Buckman renowned oncologist, comedian and Star columnist died in his sleep on Sunday while flying to Toronto from London, England. He was 63. In his 39-year career as a cancer physician, Buckman wrote 14 books, including an “unauthorized autobiography” called Not Dead Yet, and produced over 45 humour-driven medical information videos. I was listening to a radio clip of him this week as he in the early 1990’s wrote a book called How To Break Bad News: A Guide for Healthcare Professionals. It struck me as a little odd that a book like this would have needed to be written at all. I would have guessed that this type of information would have been given in medical school. I am sure things have changed in today’s education.   His book turned into a seminar that was often presented. I was so interested in what he had to say because as a Pastor, there are times I have needed to bring bad news. When doing so I was so unsure I was doing it in a right manner. Dr. Buckman was interviewed by Stuart Foxman in July of 2007. Here is what was said by Dr. Buckman; “Though some doctors might be more gifted at it than others, nobody likes breaking bad news. The temperature in the room gets uncomfortable, so there’s a tendency to cut and run, or use the professional approach, and immediately talk about treatment. How can you be a supportive messenger when the message is absolutely dreadful? That’s the challenge and the answer starts with SPIKES. You can sum it up this way: SETTING: Pick a private location. PERCEPTION: Find out how the patient views the medical situation. INVITATION: Ask whether the patient wants to know. KNOWLEDGE: Warn before dropping bad news. EMPATHY: Respond to the patient’s emotions. STRATEGY/SUMMARY: Once they know, include patients in treatment decisions. There are two basic messages, Number one, before you tell, ask. In other words, find out where they are. Number two, every emotion that arises and erupts into the room must be acknowledged” (find the article here). Really great advice.

I am glad that I have one more tool in my kit as a pastor.   When bringing bad news, I can point people to the Lord. How comforting is His Word in times of great challenge and trial. How healing prayer can be when we join hands and talk to the Creator of all things about our situation. I have been reading through the book of Matthew and over and over people would get bad news and then turn to God for supernatural help with their problem. How many times you read the words that people were healed and their bad news became good news with Christ’s help. For example in Matthew Chapter 20: 32- 34, two blind men were crying out to Jesus because they were blind. The scriptures record; When Jesus heard them; he stopped and called, “What do you want me to do for you?” “Lord,” they said, “we want to see!” Jesus felt sorry for them and touched their eyes. Instantly they could see! Then they followed him.” Wonderful! With the Lord there can be great hope when bad news comes.

We can face difficult things because God is with us in it! May I ask you, are you serving the Lord?   Please do not wait till bad news comes before you turn to Him for help. He wants to be your savior not only in this life but the in the life to come.

Happy Thankgiving!

2011-10-12T13:35:00.000-06:00

From all of us at LPC! God bless you this Thanksgiving!

The Lord is my strength and shield. I trust him with all my heart. He helps me, and my heart is filled with joy. I burst out in songs of thanksgiving. Psalm 28:7

NEW HOURS

2011-09-16T18:55:00.000-06:00

100 DAY BIBLE READING Challenge outline

2011-09-14T12:35:00.000-06:00

KICK OFF PANCAKE BREAKFAST

2011-09-07T22:06:00.000-06:00

PANCAKE BREAKFAST

Sunday September 11th, 2011

10:30 Morning Worship Service

11:30 am breakfast

(Pancakes, Sausage, Oranges, and beverages)

ALL ARE WELCOME... FREE TO EVERYONE!

BRING A FRIEND(S) and join us!

Change Ahead ... an open letter to the family and friends of LifePoint Church

2011-08-31T12:55:00.000-06:00

Hello friends and family of LifePoint Church,

Greetings in the mighty name of the LORD! I pray this finds you well in your body, emotions and in your Spirit!

After prayerful and a very honest discussion as a council this past week, we are making some significant changes in our Sunday Service format.

Following the kick off pancake breakfast Sunday (September 18^th), we will be moving up the time of the morning service to 10:30 am. We are also eliminating the “Sunday School hour” that used to begin at 9:30am. For those who are would like to host a LifeGroup, you are free to meet as always, but there will be no official children’s program at 9:30am. We will now point people who are looking for children discipleship training to participate in the BG club ministry (BTW… we are looking for help with BG clubs if anyone would like to help out:).

The service will begin at 10:30 am with announcements followed by worship together in song. When the preaching/ teaching time begins at about 11:00 am we are hoping to offer a children’s program like the one we did with Faith Case over the last two summers. This will need to be discussed with those who are willing to help lead this new kids program. It is our goal to have the morning service wrapping up by 11:40am to give us all time for relational connecting as well as time for people who would like to join a POST Service LifeGroup to get to their gathering. More information will be given on what groups are going to be offered in the near future.

One more addition to our Sunday AM will the invitation to an ALL CHURCH PRE- SERVICE PRAYER and WORSHIP time in the main hall beginning at 10:10am. Prayer is vital to God moving in our service, and in our lives, and we want to give you opportunity to come together to pray every SUNDAY. Brenda Bowman is meeting with LPC’s greeters very soon to help with equipping them for the new change to our service.

This is a significant change for everyone and one we pray will help us achieve the mission we have as Christ Followers both as a church family and all of us personally. REMEMBER…THIS CHANGE BEGINS SEPT 18th

Please let myself or any of the council know your thoughts or concerns as YOUR opinion matters to us!

May the Lord help us and bless us as we make these changes! Let all of us keep walking by Faith!

Pastor Kevin

RIPE FOR HARVEST

2011-08-31T12:49:00.001-06:00

In the last two days I have spoken to two farming people who are already into full harvest mode! It seemed like yesterday people were just planting and already the plants have grown and matured and now are ready to be brought in from the fields. It never ever ceases to amaze me at how this miraculous pattern repeats itself each year. People plant something in spring and in a few short months it has become ready to be harvested. Did you know that the Bible is full of harvest metaphors? Jesus says in John 4:35 “Do you not say, ‘Four months more and then the harvest’? I tell you, open your eyes and look at the fields! They are ripe for harvest.” St Paul gives us these great and encouraging words; “Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.” (Gal 6:9) James, the brother of Jesus says; “Peacemakers who sow in peace raise a harvest of righteousness.” (James 3:18). The verses in Hebrews (12:11) are words that have been on my heart a lot these days. “No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.” God’s word regularly and gently reminds, even warns all people that everyday we are also in the planting and harvesting business. No, it may not be crops we are planting and harvesting but behavior, actions, character and attitudes. The really important things of who a person is. Paul says to the Galatian people “Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. The one who sows to please his sinful nature, from that nature will reap destruction; the one who sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life.” Such a similar idea to what was said to the Hebrew people. That if we allow discipline when it comes into our lives and submit to it, we will reap “righteousness and peace”. Righteousness basically means that we will live “properly” or with correct behavior. Unrighteous acting usually gets us into trouble of all kinds and does not bring much peace or joy. We see everyday examples of people who are deeply affected by the unrighteous actions of others as well as the guilt that comes from our own poor choices. Yet we can daily affect our actions by what we are “sowing” or planting into our lives. Paul says that if we sow to please our sinful nature our harvest will be destruction. So are you taking stock of what you are planting into your life on a daily basis? Are you noticing what you are sowing into the people around you (friends and family?). Please know that this truth is a life truth and even if you are not or do not choose to be a follower of Christ it is still true. Guard what you are planting into your life and of those who you know and love. Those little seeds of life or of death will have profound affect on whom you will become as you age. One more thing, even thought the principle of planting and harvesting is true if you follow Christ or not, the LORD has promised His powerful help to us if we want to plant good seed! In fact He sent His Spirit to us, if we want it, to product a harvest of amazing things… love, joy, peace and much more (Gal. 5:22). If that is the harvest you want for your life, take a minute right now and ask for His help. He has promised to answer you when you speak to him. So as you see the harvest come in from the fields this fall, remember to think of the harvest that will be produced from your life and plant with care.

BG clubs RETURN for fall 2011!

2011-08-25T13:10:00.000-06:00

REACHING PEOPLE FOR JESUS

2011-07-13T14:49:00.000-06:00

Jesus told His disciples that they could not do anything but wait till His Spirit came to make them powerful witnesses for Jesus (Acts 1:8).

When His spirit came (Acts 2) the first thing they did publicly was to boldly witness to the life, death and resurrection of Jesus. To this 3000 people responded to this good news and were saved!

We must never forget that as Spirit filled people, witnessing of Christ as our savior, healer, delivery and baptizer and soon coming King, is core to who we are!

For years Billy Graham's every breath was given to letting people know of Christ's call to become followers of Him. The organization that bares his name, is still passionate to reach people but are doing it in a whole new way.

Here is a tool that you can use to point people to Jesus today on the internet. THe web page is called /http://peacewithgod.jesus.net/.

You can learn about it's purpose here ( http://www.billygraham.org/specialsections/searchforjesus/search-for-jesus.asp).

Let us use tools like this, with prayer and with the Spirit's powerful help, to point people to Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith!

DEFENDING our faith

2011-06-29T12:53:00.000-06:00

I have been watching Dr. Bobby Conway, who is the lead pastor at Life Fellowship Church

on YouTube.

With so many that are seeming to turning away from faith or watering it down, it is refreshing to hear an younger guy defend, intelligently our Christian belief. On his website "one minute apologist" covers, in a short time frame (longer than a minute) he covers lots of topics and give lots of great answers to questions people have about the Lord.

Our faith is to be shared! God give us the mission to share the Gospel with people! He even sent His Spirit to help us in the task (Acts 1 & 2). On Dr. Bobby's website, there is lots of good and helpful material for you to watch to get better at the joyful task of sharing Christ with others....

Watch it here...

Happy Father's Day!

2011-06-20T13:51:00.000-06:00

Hello everyone,
Durring my message yesterday I read a Tim Hawkins song.
"These are the things you don't say to your wife"

It is way better to listen to him sing it than it is to read it.
So have a listen and take his advice....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iK2OakMoW_c

(PS anyone know where I can get another copy of my wedding video... ha!)

VIDEO worth watching

2011-05-20T09:28:00.000-06:00

We at LPC have been a long time supporter of Frank Juelich, loooong time global worker to India....

He has revamped his website and there is a video that is a MUCH watch on it....

FIND it here!
Wonderful!

http://www.premsewa.org/

WHICH ONE ARE YOU??

2011-05-06T14:37:00.000-06:00

too true..
taken from
http://www.cartoonchurch.com

It's Friday... Sundays comin!!

2011-04-23T13:07:00.001-06:00

Watch...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZRiIpsbJW8o&feature=related

PASSION WEEK - A time line...

2011-04-18T08:51:00.001-06:00

Friday Evening--Six days before the Passover, Mary (sister of Lazarus)
anoints Jesus' feet with costly perfume (John 12:2-11).

Saturday. Jesus keeps the Sabbath in the traditional fashion with His friends.

PALM Sunday. The Triumphal Entry ( Mt. 21; Mk. 11; Lk. 19; Jn. 12). Jesus rides triumphantly into Jerusalem on a donkey fulfilling an ancient
prophecy (Zech. 9:9). The people welcome Him with "Hosanna" and the
words of Psalm 118:25-26. Jesus, at this moment is officially presenting Himself to the nation as the
Messiah. This date according to the Jewish calendar, was Nisan 10, the
day pilgrims presented their paschal lambs for examination.

Monday. Cleansing of the Temple (Mt.21; Mk.11; Lk.19).
On this day Jesus returns to Jerusalem (He spends each night in Bethany). On
the way He curses the fig-tree, a highly symbolic act. He then enters the
Temple and chases out the corrupt money-changers. This shows His Messianic
authority (My Father's House) and fulfills another prophecy that implies the
Messiah will appear there suddenly and take possession of it. (See Mal. 3:1).
They then return to Bethany. On the way home they see the withered fig-tree.

Tuesday. The Day of Controversy and Teaching in Parables.
On this day Jesus personally confronts the authorities and defends His claims
to be the Messiah. The occasion for their questions was His violent action the
previous day. Mark's gospel gives the most detailed account (Mk. 11:27-
13:37). The day ends with Jesus pronouncing a curse on the city and
announcing that the Kingdom will be taken away from the nation (explains the
significance of the cursed fig-tree). See Matt. 23. On the return to Bethany the
Disciples are loaded with questions. Jesus stops at the Mount of Olives
overlooking the temple, and gives the Olivet Discourse. See Matt. 24,25;
Lk.21:5ff. The Olivet Discourse is a detailed prophecy largely about the
coming destruction Jerusalem and the temple due to the rejection of Jesus as
Messiah by the Jewish authorities.

Wednesday. The Silent Day.
After an exhausting day of controversy, Jesus more than likely spends this day
resting and visiting with His intimate friends.

Thursday. Day of Preparation and Passover in the Evening.
On this day (and perhaps on the previous day) preparation is made for the
Passover. Judas may have also utilized this time for his betrayal (Matt.
26:1-5; 14-16; 17-19).
The Passover is celebrated on Thursday evening (Friday by Jewish
reckoning) in an upper room. Tradition has it that it was owned by Mark's
parents. At the end of the Jewish feast, Jesus institutes the Last Supper
(Matt. 14:12-26; Lk. 22:17-23).
The Last Supper is followed by the Upper Room Discourse (Jn. 13-17).
Sometime in the evening, after the Passover, Jesus and His disciples leave
the Upper Room and go to Gethsemane, a place near the Mt. of Olives
where it was a custom for Jesus to Pray (Matt. 26:36-460).
While in the Garden, Jesus is betrayed by Judas and arrested by the temple
guards (Jn. 18:2-12).
The Trials begin. Before dawn Jesus is tried twice before Annas and then
Caiaphas. Everything about these trials is illegal.

Friday. Trials, Crucifixion, Death, and Burial.
Jesus' third trial is held early in the morning before the Sanhedrin. The
first three trials were before the religious authorities where He is found
guilty. Jesus is then taken before Pilate (the fourth trial) where He is found
innocent. He is subsequently taken to Herod who also finds Him innocent
(the fifth), and then back to Pilate who again finds Him innocent (the
sixth) but relents under pressure, perhaps fearing an uprising.. He notes
on the sign on the cross that His crime was being the King of the Jews. He
probably did this to avoid trouble with Rome (No king but Caesar).
About 9:00 AM. Jesus is crucified on a hill called The Skull outside the
city. While we cannot know for certain it is likely that this is the site
where God commanded Abraham to sacrifice Issac. At noon, the sky
becomes dark, either due to supernatural darkness or because of an eclipse.
In either case, the darkness is highly symbolic of the Father turning His
back on the one He had earlier called My beloved son. During that time
the Savior experienced hell for us. Hell is to be utterly forsaken by God.
At 3:00 PM Jesus utters the most important words to believers when he
cries with a loud voice: It is finished. The phrase literally means Paid in
full The spotless Son of God became sin for us! Isa. 53:5,6. Jesus gives
up His life and fulfills the typology of the Passover Lamb at exactly the
time the lambs were being slaughtered in the Temple. The veil is rent in
the Temple (Mk. 15:38). Jesus was on the cross 6 hours.
Jesus is laid in Joseph's tomb before the Sabbath began at sunset, or
around 6:00 PM.

Saturday. Jesus' body lies in the tomb. After 6:00 PM the Sabbath is over and
His body is treated with spices ( Mk. 16:1).

now... we wait for SUNDAY!!

How to Pray for an Unsaved Loved One

2011-03-31T11:36:00.000-06:00

Here is an article from Kenneth Copeland on praying for a unsaved loved on. What do you think of His comments? Do you agree with him? Even if you do not, PRAYING for those who we love is VITAL to their becoming a person of faith in Christ.

Bless you today!

______________________

People often get discouraged when praying for the salvation of loved ones and begin to wonder if their prayers ever really help. Well, guess what? Yes! Your prayers can be a powerful force in the lives of your unsaved relatives and friends if you know how to pray for them according to the wisdom and Word of God.

The problem is that most Christians don’t know how to pray with skill. They just throw prayers in every direction and hope something comes of it. That’s especially true when it comes to praying for the lost. It’s not uncommon to see believers praying for friends or loved ones to get saved for 20, 30 or even 40 years without results.

What exactly are these people praying? It usually boils down to something like this: “Oh, God, please save my brother. He needs to be saved.” (Don’t you think God knows he needs saving?) Then they might go a step further and start rehearsing their brother’s sins: “Lord, he got drunk again last night and we had to bail him out of jail again. If You don’t save him, he’s going to drive us all crazy!”
That may sound funny—the example is a little extreme to make a point—but many of us have prayed prayers that sounded something like that.

What we haven’t understood is this: There’s nothing wrong with your unsaved loved one (or any other unsaved person) except the devil. No human being who truly understood the salvation Jesus has offered to us would reject that salvation of his own free will. No one!
Why, then, are so many people sill unsaved? II Corinthians 4:4 tells us it is because “the god of this world [the devil] hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.”

Once you realize it’s the devil (not your loved one) who’s the real problem, your first prayer step becomes clear. You must get the devil out of your loved one’s way.
As Jesus said, “How can one enter into a strong man’s house, and spoil his goods, except he first bind the strong man?” (Matthew 12:29). You can’t! So bind him.

Say, “You spirit operating in the life of my loved one, blinding ________ to the gospel to keep ________ out of the kingdom of God, I bind you now. I belong to the Lord Jesus Christ. I carry His authority and righteousness, and in His Name I command you to desist in your maneuvers. I spoil your house according to the Word of God and I enter into it to deliver my loved one from your hands.”

Now, you may not be able to cast that devil entirely out of the situation, because your loved one may invite him back in faster than you can cast him out. But you can bind that spirit and keep it bound. It may keep you busy for a while, but you can do it.
You’ll find your next prayer step in Matthew 9:37-38. There, Jesus was looking out at the multitudes who needed ministry and He said to His disciples, “The harvest truly is plenteous, but the labourers are few; pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he will send forth labourers into his harvest.”
It’s the Word of God that brings faith for salvation: “Faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God” (Romans 10:17). So you need to see to it that the Word gets into your loved one’s heart.
“How?” you say, “My loved one won’t listen to me!”
Probably not, but God knows who your loved one will listen to, and He’ll send that person halfway around the world to talk to your loved one if necessary.

So pray to the Lord of the harvest: “Father, I’m asking You to send laborers across ________’s path, laborers who are equipped with the Word of God about salvation, the Baptism in the Holy Spirit, healing and deliverance. Send laborers who can communicate effectively with ________ so Your Word can reach his/her heart.”

Once you’ve prayed for your loved one like that, from then on, put your faith in action by treating your loved one like he’s/she’s saved. Don’t treat your loved one like he’s/she’s not good. On the contrary, every time you see your loved one, say, “Praise God! Isn’t it good to know Jesus?” Then just stand back and watch how things change. You’ll be amazed.
It’s happened many times. And it can happen that way for you and your loved one. So don’t give up. Get smart! Start praying according to the Word and praying by faith…and you will see the salvation of the Lord!

Here is a sample prayer for your unsaved loved ones. As you speak God’s Word, remember that it will not return to Him void. It will prosper in the thing whereto it is sent (Isaiah 55:11):
“Father, I come before You in prayer and in faith, believing. Your Word says You desire all men to be saved and come into the knowledge of the truth, so I bring ________ before You this day.
“I break the power of Satan from his assignments and activities in ________’s life in the Name of Jesus. Now, while Satan is bound, I ask that You send forth the perfect laborers to share the good news of the gospel in such a way that ________ will listen and understand it. As the truth is ministered, I believe ________ will open his/her eyes to the gospel, come out of the snare of the devil and make Jesus Lord.

“Father, I ask that You fill ________ with the knowledge of Your will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding. As I intercede in his/her behalf, I believe that the power of the Holy Spirit is activated, and from this moment on, I shall praise and thank You for ________’s salvation. I am confident that You are alert and active, watching over Your Word to perform it. It will not return to You void. It will accomplish that which You please and prosper in the thing whereto it was sent.

“Therefore, my confession of faith is: ‘God has begun a good work in ________’s life and He will perform it and bring it to full completion until the day of Jesus Christ, in Jesus’ Name.’”

Christian Kids Club! BG CLUBS!!

2011-03-10T12:32:00.000-06:00

NEW SONG FOR SUNDAY

2011-03-03T17:27:00.001-06:00

Listen to this new song for Sunday called "Because Of Your Love" Paul Baloche.
Listen to it HERE...

2010 TOP 10 NEW worship songs

2011-03-03T12:12:00.000-06:00

Hello everyone.

On the worshiptogether.com website they have listed the top 10 new worship songs of 2010. Please have a listen to them (below) and let me know if you would like to do some (or all) at LPC?
http://blog.worshiptogether.com/worshiptogether/2010/12/top-new-worship-songs-for-2010.html

They write… “This past year has been a wonderful one for the Worship Together crew. We launched our brand new site, added Hillsong Church as a new partner, hosted our own conference and introduced you to more new songs in 52 weeks than ever before.

To celebrate we've put together a list of the Top 10, most viewed, songs we have added to the site over the past year. You can listen, download Free Sheet Music and watch a New Song Cafe video for most of these exceptional new worship songs that are being sung in churches around the world!”

Praying for you!
-PK

Our God // Chris Tomlin

Listen | Lyrics | Free Lead Sheet

I Will Follow // Chris Tomlin

Listen | Lyrics | Free Lead Sheet

Restless // Audrey Assad & Matt Maher

Listen | Lyrics | Free Lead Sheet

All To Us // Chris Tomlin

Listen | Lyrics | Free Lead Sheet

We Cry Out // Jeremy Camp

Listen | Lyrics | Free Lead Sheet

Forever Reign // Hillsong LIVE

Listen | Lyrics | Free Lead Sheet

Joyful (The One Who Saves) // Brenton Brown

Listen | Lyrics | Free Lead Sheet

Majesty Of Heaven // Chris Tomlin

Listen | Lyrics | Free Lead Sheet

Our God Is Love // Hillsong LIVE

Listen | Lyrics | Free Lead Sheet

Now Unto The One // Evan Wickham

Listen | Lyrics | Free Lead Sheet

“Just Words”

2011-02-10T11:27:00.000-06:00

A few weeks ago (January 20^th) was 50 years since USA president, John F. Kennedy gave, what some say, was the greatest inaugural address of all time.

Do you remember what he said? How about some of it? Maybe you are too young to have heard it live but most people have heard it and even some of His sentences still ring in our ears today.

Sentences like “…a new world of law -- where the strong are just, and the weak secure, and the peace preserved.” Or “Let us never negotiate out of fear, but let us never fear to negotiate.” But the most famous words are “And so, my fellow Americans, ask not what your country can do for you; ask what you can do for your country.”

Great words! Words that stirred a nation and still move people deeply 50 years after they were spoken. Words can do that. People who have the gift of putting words together can start a fire in a man soul that will never go out!

Think of how Martin Luther King, Jr grabbed the attention of the world with the words “I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal."

President Abraham Lincoln in his famous Gettysburg address said "Fourscore and seven years ago our fathers brought forth on this continent a new nation, conceived in liberty and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal.”

England Prime Minister Winston Churchill said in His first speech to the House of Commons “I hope that any of my friends and colleagues, or former colleagues, who are affected by the political reconstruction, will make allowance, all allowance, for any lack of ceremony with which it has been necessary to act. I would say to the House, as I said to those who have joined this government: I have nothing to offer but blood, toil, tears and sweat."

Yet none of their words, as amazing as they were, compare to the words of Jesus Christ. Words like “for God so loved the World that he gave his only begotten Son” and “Yes I am with you always, until the very end of time.” Jesus also said “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.” How about these words that have often crossed my mind, “What shall it profit a man if he gains the whole world but loses his soul?”

These words of Jesus, and many others, though spoken over 2000 years ago still, to this day, have changed more lives, comforted more people and given more courage than any other words ever spoken. Surely these must be more than the words of a mere man? I think they are! I believe Jesus was much more than just a man who had a gift of putting words together. I believe that he was who he claimed to be… God Almighty!

Let me ask you, have you ever read His words? If yes, how about lately? If not why not commit yourself to reading the words Jesus said more often in this year. You, like so many other people in the past and to this day, may find your life completely changed as you do. His words can do that! They have changed my life and still deeply affect me. I pray that you will read them and read them often and that they will speak and challenge you as much as they have for so many others for so many years!

A YEAR OF PROMISE

2011-01-26T15:04:00.000-06:00

2011 is a year of promise for LPC!

As much as you and I have failed and have been failed by others who have made promises this is not something that God has ever done… he is the one true promise maker and promise keeper…

In fact understanding the relationship and the role that God’s promises have in our lives as His follower is very important. Have you ever noticed how promises and God are SO connected so interwoven?

Soon into the story of the first people in Genesis Chapter three we read a the first promise of God. The first promise of God was soon after Adam and Eve who rebelled against their Creator, God in His grace, even as He pronounced judgment, spoke also of grace and deliverance for them.

To the Tempter, God said: “I will put enmity (a feeling or condition of hostility; hatred; ill will; animosity; antagonism )between you (the snake the devel) and the woman, and between your seed (kids) and her seed (kids) he will crush your head, and you will strike his heel (Genesis 3:15).

There is the first promise of GOD… that the seed of the woman would crush the head of the serpent… it would take 1000 s of years for that promise to be kept… but it was kept.

A few pages later in the Bible we see God making a “Covenant” (is a solemn promise to engage in or refrain from a specified action) to Noah. Then a few pages after that we see another promise that God makes to an old man named Abram. On and On as we read the Bible we see God promising many things to people;
*To David that he would be king…
* To Joshua that he would conquer a new land
* To the people of Israel he promised provision
* To kings he promised judgment
* To those in exile he promised deliverance
* To those dying he promised heaven
* To those heavy burdened by sin… He promised to take their burden away.

Yes, God and promises are very connected, and it is VERY important for us as followers to understand this connection as it has great implications to our following Christ. This year, 2011 we want to learn and know what God has promised and how those promises are to be viewed and understood. As we learn or review what they are we pray that God, by His Spirit in us will continue to deeply affect us and cause even a greater desire in us to share His promises to everyone, anywhere, who will listen.

So memorize the theme verse then come join us on Sundays as we worship this promise making God!

We are all called to be MISSIONARIES

2011-01-06T12:59:00.000-06:00

In 2010 the invitation of the Lord to our Church was to that everyone become missionaries in the communities we are called into. This is the meaning of being a missional church. Here is a story that though I am not sure it if is true, is good to read anyway. You never know what God wants to do as we join him on His mission to reach people with the Gospel.

__________________________

Every Sunday afternoon, after the morning service at the church, the Pastor
and his eleven year old son would go out into their town and hand out
Gospel Tracts.

This particular Sunday afternoon, as it came time for the Pastor and his
son to go to the streets with their tracts, it was very cold outside, as well
as pouring rain.

The boy bundled up in his warmest and driest clothes and said, 'OK, dad,
I'm ready.'

His Pastor dad asked, 'Ready for what?'

'Dad, it's time we gather our tracts together and go out.'

Dad responds, 'Son, it's very cold outside and it's pouring rain.'

The boy gives his dad a surprised look, asking, 'But Dad, aren't people
still going to Hell, even though it's raining?'

Dad answers, 'Son, I am not going out in this weather.'

Despondently, the boy asks, 'Dad, can I go? Please?'

His father hesitated for a moment then said, 'Son, you can go. Here are the
tracts, be careful son..'

'Thanks Dad!'

And with that, he was off and out into the rain.. This eleven year old boy
walked the streets of the town going door to door and handing everybody he
met in the street a Gospel Tract .

After two hours of walking in the rain, he was soaking, bone-chilled wet
and down to his VERY LAST TRACT. He stopped on a corner and looked for someone
to hand a tract to, but the streets were totally deserted.

Then he turned toward the first home he saw and started up the sidewalk to
the front door and rang the door bell. He rang the bell, but nobody
answered.

He rang it again and again, but still no one answered. He waited but still
no answer.

Finally, this eleven year old trooper turned to leave, but something
stopped him.

Again, he turned to the door and rang the bell and knocked loudly on the
door with his fist. He waited, something holding him there on the front porch!

He rang again and this time the door slowly opened.

Standing in the doorway was a very sad-looking elderly lady. She softly
asked, 'What can I do for you, son?' With radiant eyes and a smile that lit up
her world, this little boy said, 'Ma'am, I'm sorry if I disturbed you, but I
just want to tell you that * JESUS REALLY DOES LOVE YOU * and I came to
give you my very last Gospel Tract which will tell you all about JESUS and His
great LOVE.'

With that, he handed her his last tract and turned to leave.

She called to him as he departed. 'Thank you, son! And God Bless You!'

Well, the following Sunday morning in church Pastor Dad was in the pulpit.
As the service began, he asked, 'Does anybody have testimony or want to say
anything?'

Slowly, in the back row of the church, an elderly lady stood to her feet.

As she began to speak, a look of glorious radiance came from her face, 'No
one in this church knows me. I've never been here before. You see, before
last Sunday I was not a Christian. My husband passed on some time ago,
leaving me totally alone in this world. Last Sunday, being a particularly cold and
rainy day, it was even more so in my heart that I came to the end of the
line where I no longer had any hope or will to live.

So I took a rope and a chair and ascended the stairway into the attic of my
home. I fastened the rope securely to a rafter in the roof, then stood on
the chair and fastened the other end of the rope around my neck. Standing on
that chair, so lonely and broken-hearted I was about to leap off, when
suddenly the loud ringing of my doorbell downstairs startled me. I thought, 'I'll
wait a minute, and whoever it is will go away.'

I waited and waited, but the ringing doorbell seemed to get louder and more
insistent, and then the person ringing also started knocking loudly...

I thought to myself again, 'Who on earth could this be? Nobody ever rings
my bell or comes to see me.' I loosened the rope from my neck and started for
the front door, all the while the bell rang louder and louder.

When I opened the door and looked I could hardly believe my eyes, for there
on my front porch was the most radiant and angelic little boy I had ever
seen in my life. His SMILE, oh, I could never describe it to you!

The words that came from his mouth caused my heart that had long been dead,
TO LEAP TO LIFE as he exclaimed with a cherub-like voice, 'Ma'am, I just
came to tell you that JESUS REALLY DOES LOVE YOU .' Then he gave me this
Gospel Tract that I now hold in my hand..

As the little angel disappeared back out into the cold and rain, I closed
my door and read slowly every word of this Gospel Tract. Then I went up to my
attic to get my rope and chair. I wouldn't be needing them any more.

You see-- -I am now a Happy Child of the KING. Since the address of your
church was on the back of this Gospel Tract, I have come here to personally
say THANK YOU to God's little angel who came just in the nick of time and by
so doing, spared my soul from an eternity in hell..'

There was not a dry eye in the church. And as shouts of praise and honor to
THE KING resounded off the very rafters of the building, Pastor Dad
descended from the pulpit to the front pew where the little angel was seated....

He took his son in his arms and sobbed uncontrollably.

Probably no church has had a more glorious moment, and probably this
universe has never seen a Papa that was more filled with love & honor for his
son.... Except for One.

THANK YOU

2011-01-06T12:45:00.000-06:00

TEACHING KIDS TO PRAY

2011-01-06T11:02:00.000-06:00

I read this article by by Tina Houser (publications director for KidzMatter who lives in Atlanta USA), who is encouragin parent to be active in teaching our kids to pray. As we begin a new year, I would encourage you to be active in praying and in teaching your kids to pray.

What do do think of her ideas?

As a child, I remember that every day closed with one of my parents sitting on the side of my bed, the covers pulled up under my chin, and me muttering...
Now I lay me down to sleep.
I pray the Lord my soul to keep.
IF I SHOULD DIE BEFORE I WAKE,
I pray the Lord my soul to take.
Night after night after night after night, that third line sent chills through me. Most certainly, some frightened adult had written that prayer poem out of a desire of his heart, but it lived on to torture children all over the world, right before they went down for a restful night’s sleep. After a while, I just let the words tumble out of my mouth and tried not to think about what any of it actually meant. And this is one of the prominent ways we teach children to pray—a rhyme that is said over and over without real meaning to the child.
Another way we teach children to pray is nothing short of a Santa’s wish list. We ask children to share their requests, which is another way of saying, “Let’s tell God what you want Him to do for you.” They quickly rattle off a long “To Do” list of relatives and friends who are sick and pets that are missing. Then we acknowledge that God answers prayer only if God does it the way we’ve suggested. This may come as a surprise, but God really answers every prayer. His answers are of such a wide variety that we can’t even imagine the possibilities. It’s an every day occurrence, though, to hear someone say, “God still answers prayer,” when what they mean is, “God answered in the way I wanted Him to.”

Is this how we should teach our children to pray? Scary prayers? Prayers that fall from their tongues without thought? Prayers that find themselves alongside nursery rhymes? Prayers that instruct God exactly what He’s supposed to do for us? What would your best friend think if every time you spoke with him, you just said the same rhyme? And she most certainly wouldn’t stick around as your friend if all you ever talked to her about was what you wanted her to do for you. Something needs to change in the way we teach our children to pray.
We’re just downright good at getting ourselves into messes and then praying that God will get us out of them somehow. Instead of praying for deliverance from the mess, what if we started teaching our children to pray in the middle of the mess, not with their minds set on deliverance, but simply asking God to help them see how they can grow in His wisdom by going through it? How about praying for the strength to make it through to the other side?
If you look back on your life and identify the times when you grew spiritually—those times when spiritual growth seemed to come in leaps and bounds—I venture to say that it was in times of struggle. It was during those times when there were more questions about life than there were answers that you felt God moving in your life in a tremendous way. That’s when you saw miracles happen. That’s when you found yourself resting in His presence. Through those times, spiritual truth became clearer. So why do we shy away from that? Why do we pray that we never have to experience it? Why do we teach our children to pray safe prayers that if answered in the way they are prayed would only keep them from searching for God’s truth and His plan for their lives?
As a newlywed, 34 years ago, I woke my husband up in the middle of the night to ask him a question, “Why do we need to pray if God already knows everything?” I was content to ask the question then roll over and go back to sleep. My husband, on the other hand, wrestled with the question the rest of the night. Over the years, we’ve come back to that conversation, and it’s been a growing time.

So why do we pray? It’s about coming into His presence. It’s about being part of a relationship that is alive and full of meaning. I’ve talked to a lot of children’s workers, and they all hang their heads in unison when I talk about those times when we look up and see parents at the door. We put our words in high speed and quickly tell the kids to bow their heads and close their eyes so we can pray. While you have your head bowed, the kids are putting their jackets on and not at all thinking about spending time in the presence of God. That sure doesn’t feel like leading the children to a relationship that is alive and full. The Lord deserves an apology.

One of the first things you can do to elevate the importance of prayer is change where it falls in your time with the kids. We open with a ceremonial prayer and then close haphazardly. The children know what to expect so their brains experience something similar to the sound that depicts the off-screen teacher on the Charlie Brown cartoons … blah-blah-blah-blah-blah. Think about the ways you experience a friend. You share a meal together. You go to a game with rowdy fans together. You sit with him in silence as he grieves the loss of a loved one. You sing karaoke with her. You sit quietly on a dock waiting for a fish to bite. We need to teach our kids that there are an endless number of ways they can experience the presence of God through prayer.

Prayer is a spiritual discipline, and like other disciplines, it needs to be practiced and experienced on a regular basis in order to become something that we can’t imagine living without. So our challenge is to give children an opportunity to experience the presence of God in different ways. They need to be shown how each time they engage in a conversation with God, it can be new and fresh. Prayer should be a time of evaluation, when each person makes a conscious effort to identify their spiritual condition and expose that before the Lord.
The best way to teach kids to pray is to help them understand that there is no set place or position or time of day. Since God is omnipresent and prayer is experiencing the presence of God, then anywhere, any time, any position is in fair territory. Let me just get your creative juices flowing with these prompting ideas.
Let John the Baptist help you pray. When John was in the wilderness, he told the people that: (1) they needed to confess their sins, (2) they needed to exchange their old lives for a new one, (3) they needed to be baptized, (4) they needed to stay on track, and (5) they needed to live authentic lives. Help the kids identify where they are in these five points. If they need to confess their sins (point #1), then tell them to put one finger of one hand in the palm of the other hand. If they have asked the Lord to forgive them of their sins, but need help staying on track so they don’t slide back into those old habits (point #4), then tell them to put four fingers of one hand in the palm of the other hand. Each point gives them a way to talk to the Lord about where they are spiritually.
Pray like Daniel. Daniel’s disobedience to King Nebuchadnezzar’s law was obvious because he prayed three times a day at his window. When Daniel prayed, he was unashamed. He didn’t care what other people thought of him. He only knew that he was devoted to God. You probably have a window in your worship room and most kids have a window in their bedroom. Use a Crayola window marker to write on the window. You can simply write, “Pray Today” on the window, or the kids can actually write out their prayer in its entirety on the window. Then kneel down at that window and look to the sky. Concentrating on the sky will act as a focal point and help kids clear their minds of other thoughts.
Pray like Moses. When Moses heard of Koreh’s plans of rebellion, the Bible tells us that Moses’ first reaction was to drop to the ground and pray. So instruct the kids to kneel all the way and bend over with their faces to the floor. Teach the children that when they are threatened by anything, they can pray like Moses and lay themselves before God.
Pray with the unseen paper clip. Lay a paper clip on the table. Cover the paper clip with your hand so you can feel it under your knuckles. Then place a bar magnet over your knuckles. Slowly lift your hand with the bar magnet still against the knuckles. The paper clip will hang from the palm of your hand as long as the magnet stays in place. You can’t see the paper clip hanging there, but you can feel the power of the magnet. Pray that even though we can’t see where God is leading, we will always feel God’s presence. Seeing this object lesson will give the kids a way to associate with God leading them in ways they can’t see.
Pray a color. This is especially good with younger children. Pull one crayon from a full box. Thank God for everything you can think of that is that color. Smother God with thankfulness prayers of a particular color. That seems like a much better way to say goodnight than “IF I SHOULD DIE BEFORE I WAKE.”

Let’s raise this generation of kids to feel at ease with prayer and know it as a real conversation, not just a rhyme or a give-me list. Let’s raise them to not be afraid of going through any life situation, because God will be with them and teach them great spiritual truth on the journey.

Merry Christmas and God Bless you in 2011

2010-12-30T10:03:00.001-06:00

From all of us at LifePoint Church

Isaiah 9:6

"For to us a child is born,
   to us a son is given,
   and the government will be on his shoulders.
And he will be called
   Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
   Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace."

“When The Power Went Out”

2010-12-16T15:13:00.000-06:00

Ministerial message by Pastor Kevin Sawatsky

Last week something happened in the midst of all the hustle, rush and bustle of the day and of the season… the power went out. Not sure what happened but I heard someone hit a power pole and they had to turn off all the electricity to fix it. So for one hour or so we had no electrical power in town. Now I know that the power going off for only 1 hour is not a big deal as houses were able to keep their warmth and refrigerators stay cool. It is true that it would not have taken too much longer without power and we would have had a serious situation on our hands. On side note, I was taken back at how ill prepared many are to handle a situation like this these days. Emergency items often are not close at hand and trying to remember where they are or to find them in the dark did not work so well. Just a few years ago, no electricity was normal and people did very well I might add. Life was more physically difficult for sure but they were a hardy people and not only survived a time without electricity but thrived. We have much to be thankful to that generation that paved the way for us to enjoy the lifestyle and the comforts we have today. Though in these days we depend on electricity A LOT and when we loose it, even for only one hour, we notice just how much we trust and depend on it. May I ask a question? What do you do for that hour when there was NO power? You couldn’t shop, work, buy gas, play on computers, watch TV or listen to the radio, play hockey or do much of anything we do daily now. So again, what did you do? Did you read? Did you rest, did you take some time to think or pray? Maybe you just sat down for a little while? When the power went out I, eventually, jumped in my car to go check on a few people in town just to make sure they were ok. They were. As I did, I noticed several other people doing the same thing and was thankful for them. It is times like this that we remember how much we need each other and how important people are. It was kind of strange to me to be driving around town as there were no lights on. The whole town seemed to feel abandoned except for the faint lights in the inside of the homes. There was no smoke rising from any houses (except those with wood fireplaces) and it was so quiet. When I got back home, I walked with my son over to another person’s house to just check in with them. As I was walking, it stuck me at how wonderful a gift this was to us. To be given an hour when I really had no where I could to be, no meeting to be at, nothing I could purchase and nothing that I could do about it. It was a gift of time… how wonderful. As I walked, the town was so quiet and the faint glow of the setting sun in the clouds filled the sky. It was beautiful. I wondered if the first Christmas felt like something like this. Mary, Joseph and their new born baby resting for a moment in a humble stable in great peace and joy. Just a short moment to reflect and be quiet within the presence of the living God… how wonderful. As the realization of what we all were experiencing began to fill my heart, I was so thankful for the gift of God, Jesus. He came to bring peace and joy and hope in the midst of all that we think is important in this life. He came so we could live in His presence everyday of our lives. He came to bring peace to our souls. He came to forgive and love and help us in this journey of life. Thank the Lord. Yes, the words of the angels are still true to this day…

“And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. … And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men” ( Luke 2)

Jesus came to bring great joy, peace and goodwill toward men. Glory to God in the highest! Soon the power came back on and everything has gone back to normal. It is my prayer for you that not everything will be as it was before when the power went out. Merry Christmas to you and your loved ones.

If you are alone on Christmas Day....

2010-12-15T10:06:00.000-06:00

If you are going to be alone on Christmas day and you would like NOT to be as your family and friends live a long way away, then plan to come for Christmas Dinner!

Many people in this region are alone on Christmas day so we thought it might be fun to get us all together and have a meal, because no one should eat by themselves on Christmas day!

You are welcome just let our office know to expect you and come at about 2:00P.M. (306.365.2465)

There is NO cost for the meal, but donations are gratefully accepted the help cover the expenses of the day.

JOY TO THE WORLD THE LORD IS COME...

CHRISTMAS DRAMA!! THIS SUNDAY

2010-12-14T10:20:00.000-06:00

JOIN US for our annual Christmas Drama at 6:00 P.M.

With special music and dance PLUS a wonderful play put on by the teens and children of LPC...

ALL WELCOME...

To God be the Glory!!!

2010-12-04T14:06:00.000-06:00

At twelve noon today we completed 24 hours of non stop prayer! A good group gathered at LPC and raised their voices in thanksgiving and praise. It was fantastic.

I pray that the time you had with the Lord was uplifting and empowering.

Please take some time to express to us what the Lord said or did in your life as in response to our seeking the Lord.

"Thank you Lord for meeting with us as we sought your face"

Early in the Morning My Song Shall Rise to Thee

2010-12-04T05:59:00.000-06:00

Job 1:5 (New Living Translation)

⁵ " When these celebrations ended—sometimes after several days—Job would purify his children. He would get up early in the morning and offer a burnt offering for each of them. For Job said to himself, “Perhaps my children have sinned and have cursed God in their hearts.” This was Job’s regular practice."

Arising early to seek God for others is something that people have done for 1000s of years... Tonight as we are in the hardest part of the 24 hours... the early time of day, people are waiting on the Lord for others just Job did here in this passage.

This scripture is amazing even without knowing what we know about the book of Job. Job was so concerned for his kids; the next generation and their relationship before the Lord that he would leave his warm bed, on a regular basis, and go to God on behalf of them. He did this just in case they "sinned" against God. This is what it means to interceed (intersession prayer ministry). Intersession is to going to God on behalf of someone else... and he did this in the early part of the day.

As people right now are praying and have been doing so all night and seeking the Lord for others, we are following a long held pattern and spiritual discipline. It is amazing to think that these are many people who are have been seeking God for you while you were sleeping, just a Job did for his kids while they were recovering from a party. Job was asking God to forgive and watch over them. We have been doing the same for you in the region. You have been on our heart and we have been praying for you in the early hour...

God already has done some powerful things as we are into our 19^th hour of NON stop 24 hours of prayer. I am expecting to hear MANY more reports in the hours and days to come what all God has done in response to His people praying without cessing for one day!

Mark 1:35
In the early morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house, and went away to a secluded place, and was praying there.

Stay tuned!!

ONE DAY AWAY

2010-12-02T12:44:00.001-06:00

Hello everyone,

It is now one day from when we begin our 24 hours of NON STOP prayer at LPC. I have great expectation in my heart as we set ourselves towards this call.

COULD we ask you all to please make sure that you sign up to pray for at least 15 min on the schedule (here in the office)? We want to make sure that the whole 24 hours be covered with at least one person praying. I am sure that there will be many times that more than one person will be seeking the Lord which is awesome. Please call the office to find out what times are still open, which are still several at this time.

PLEASE NOTE THE FOLLOWING:

· The Denniss Chapel will be open for the whole 24 hours so please feel free to come to LPC at ANYTIME night or day .

· At Noon on Saturday we will wind up the 24 hours with a time of worship and praise thanking God for the great things He did in response to the time of prayer. I hope you can make it here to join in on the celebration.

· Please feel free to send in your prayer requests and they will be added to those that have already been received.

· A prayer guide will be sent out today as a help direct our praying together. It will also be posted on the this blog

· The blog will be updated with prayer requests and praise reports that come in throughout the 24 hours of prayer. Please feel free to add comments/requests and praise reports in the blog comments section.

As 1 Chronicles 22:19 says "Now set your heart and your soul to seek the LORD your God...”. That is God’s invitation to us all.. will you heed the call and pray?

-LPC

Twenty Four Hours of Prayer

2010-12-01T11:12:00.000-06:00

This WEEKEND is the 24 Hour prayer event beginning midday Friday, till midday SATURDAY. The scripture calls us to “pray without ceasing” (1 Thess 5:17), so for 24 hours we will do that as a church family… ONE FULL DAY of nonstop prayer and intercession. We are encouraging everyone who calls LPC home, to please sign up (on the board in the office) for at least ONE of the 15 min slots over those 24 hours.

There will be a prayer guide published on the Blog later this week (and emailed), as well as, we will have ongoing praise updates and prayer requests posted on the blog throughout the 24 hours.

PLEASE NOTE: If you have something you would like us all to pray for… PLEASE send it to us, as a list is being made. The church will be open for the whole night and we will end, Saturday at noon, with a time of worship!

EVERYONE is welcome to gather, as we approach the noon hour, to end the time of prayer with explosive praise! So, please, sign up today so that the prayer chain is NOT broken…

UPCOMING EVENTS for LPC

2010-11-30T16:08:00.000-06:00

CHRISTMAS DAY 2010!

NEW Song "Our God"

2010-10-27T17:21:00.000-06:00

Emails From Brenda

2010-10-25T11:36:00.002-06:00

I appreciate the godly people that call LifePoint Church Home. Sometimes I get emails that I think it would be good for more people to read than just me... here are a few from Brenda, one of our leaders and a great servant of the Lord. She has been teaching a class on ROCK solid doctrines of our faith on Sunday Nights... here are a few emails that have come out of these teaching times. I hope you enjoy reading them.

____________________________________________
Jesse (her son) told me an interesting fact from his sociology class. He said the teacher said that our culture today is much like the Roman culture 2000 years ago because the people then were very much about themselves too. He told them that to say that that was one of the things that led to the Roman's downfall, but when I heard it I thought how interesting it is that Jesus came the first time to a culture like that, and now he's coming the second time to a very similar culture. I guess it's interesting to me because I'm teaching that one of the reasons sin is so bad is that it destroyed the image-bearing nature we had been given (which really should define our purpose) and made our nature so "all about us", kind of like a black hole that pulls everything toward us!

Maybe when Paul said we "fall short of the glory of God" he wasn't referring to our many sins but our sin nature which is consumed with "me". I've been referring to the sermon when you brought a hammer on the platform and talked about the purpose things were designed for...and I think that the reason we have so much trouble finding out what we are supposed to do with our lives is because of this centripetal effect of sin...it's so clear in Genesis that our purpose is to bear God's image. It's a sad reflection on us that that purpose seems less somehow than a purpose like going to Africa, etc., and I think that's because even as Christians we want everything to be about us! Why is it that bearing God's image (bearing Christ's image - who was "the radiance of God's glory and the exact representation of his being") seems less to us when it is such a high and holy calling!!!???

I have been blown away by the fact that we stand in grace. I read Romans 5:1-2 for about the 299th time a few weeks ago and I honestly have never understood so clearly that I stand in grace - and without it I can't even stand. Now everywhere I look and read I am reminded that I stand in his grace.....can't even put it into words yet, but I will keep pushing in to it.....He poured out his grace, lavished his grace on me! I am undone!
_______________________________________________

I do really believe that we (the church of this culture) have softened our take on sin to our people's detriment. I find it so interesting that the 2 kinds of sin the doctrine of sin categorizes as resulting from the Fall - imputed sin guilt and our sin natures - are NOT both taken care of in our justification/atonement.....our sin natures need to be dealt with through the process of sanctification - in effect becoming like Jesus reverses that effect of the Fall and brings us back to that "made in the image of God" state. We've got to look like Jesus who is "the radiance of God's glory and the EXACT representation of his nature"!!! Wow!!! That's bearing his image! Getting saved is just the beginning.

But both types of sin ARE dealt with through the cross! Atonement through Jesus' death on the cross, and sanctification through my death on the cross. I started to think that when we were going through Romans last year.....and I really had to meditate on Romans 6 about being united with him in his death, and I think I'm finally starting to get it....a little anyway.

One of the teachers I listened to a lot this summer said "put your faith in justification, your hope in heaven (he said glorification) and your blood, sweat and tears into sanctification". Well said.

And I'm re-reading a classic - L.E.Maxwell's "Born Crucified" (used to be called "Embraced by the Cross") and he says "God's way of victory over sin is not through the suppression of sinful desires, nor through the eradication of the old nature, nor yet through the cleansing on inbred sin. God's way of victory over sin is through crucifixion - deliverance is only through death."

There's a couple other things I think we may have gotten wrong as a Church (capital C) and that's why I have been obsessed with this study since before the summer. Sin isn't so bad because it sends us to hell; sin is bad because it marred God's creation and made it impossible for us to do what we were intended to do - which was to display God's image [Note...I made it bold]. And the big one, when we see sin as totally dealt with in our by faith acceptance of atonement, it becomes a done deal, a past event, and we think we no longer need the gospel. But Jesus didn't just die for my sins, he died for my unrighteousness.........and I need the grace of the cross every day. I need to put myself on that cross every day. Sanctification is part of my redemption. Bonhoeffer said that when Jesus calls you he calls you to die!
__________________________________________________________

Thanks Brenda... really great thoughts... Thanks for giving me the permission to post them for all to read!

-PK

Video to Watch...

2010-10-21T15:26:00.002-06:00

Here is a great video by Charles Colson. If you do not know him, he is one guy that is worth getting to know. He loves the Lord passionately as well as he is SMART SMART!!!

He has a weekly video called "2 min warning". This one's subject is about the Chilean miners. he writes "Imagine being trapped in total darkness for 17 days 2800 feet underground, and waiting another 52 days to be rescued. How would you survive? Find out how the Chilean miners did it, and what it means for the Church".

Please FEEL FREE TO comment on what he says... I want to read what your thoughts are.
Blessings!

-PK

NEW SONG Unchanging

2010-09-30T13:00:00.003-06:00

Hello everyone...
We are going to sing this new song this Sunday... Have a listen and come prepared to help teach it to the family!
Blessings!

The Next 10 Years!

2010-09-21T09:51:00.002-06:00

I enjoyed the post today by Trevin Wax from his website (Kingdom People, Living on Earth as Citizens of Heaven).

Read what HE has to say and tell me what you think...
____________________________________________________________

Ten years ago today, I (Trevin Wax) boarded a plane with a one-way ticket to Romania.

I was a bright-eyed (naïve) nineteen-year-old heading over to a third-world country. I had very little knowledge of the language. I had no ties with any missionary agency. I had no salary and no way to support myself, except to live off the savings I had accumulated during my year of work between high school and college. I had no close friends in Romania, only a handful of acquaintances. I had no idea when I would be returning to the U.S., only that my place of residence would be a Christian university campus.

Truth be told, I wasn’t scared. The situation didn’t frighten me. Yes, I dreaded the loneliness that would overwhelm me when I said goodbye to my parents. I dreaded the time that would pass before I could speak Romanian fluently. But my decision had been firm. God had led me to this place. No time to look back.

In my journal, I wrote about arriving in Oradea:

“The streets of Oradea were soon before us. The sky was sunny and the weather was lovely. The city was bustling with activity; the leaves just beginning to change colors and surrender from the trees. Looking over the city, I realized that this was now my new home. The excitement, anticipation, and wait of the past few months were for this moment – to be in the place where I belong… to serve.”

The excitement soon turned to sadness. After I said goodbye to my parents, I went to my dorm room and wept. What have I done? I remember thinking. I have left everything I’ve ever known. I have left everyone who loves me. I don’t know the language. I don’t know the culture. I don’t even know any people. And I’m supposed to minister here?

The tears flowed as I seriously questioned my calling. Even now, I choke up when I recall the emotions of that moment. And as I think of the ways God blessed the following five years of my life, I am overwhelmed. He gave me more opportunities to minister than I could have dreamed of. He gave me the ability to speak Romanian fluently within a few months. He gave me my precious wife. He blessed us with our first child.

When I flip through the journal I kept during the first year in Romania, I am embarrassed at my immaturity, my naive expectations and unbridled idealism. My disdain for my former self, however, is kept in check by the thought that ten years from now, I may entertain similar thoughts regarding where I’m at now! If anything, the journal reminds me that life is a journey.

The big story is about God. And this God is the One who calls us, who equips us, who goes before us, and then sends us off into the sunset of his plan, as heralds of his Son and the salvation he has brought to earth.

Thank you, Father, for calling me to Romania ten years ago. Thank you for sustaining me, strengthening me, and using me for your purposes. Please do the same in the next ten years, and grant me faith so that I will continue to follow you wherever you lead.

___________________________________________________________

"Amen" - PK

THE NEXT CHAPTER

2010-09-20T11:43:00.003-06:00

Yesterday, though I did not say at the time, was a very important directional sermon for LPC.

Today, Monday, as I think and pray over the morning, I have a "release" in my heart that I have not had in a long time. I do not know where we (as a church family) are all going to go with this "great experiment" I just know that the way that CHURCH has been done for the last many years is not how the church will be done in the future and EVERYTHING is on the table.

You, as God's missionaries where you are, being led by His Spirit, walking by faith and taking risks for the gospel is what God is calling His church back to!! The Church organization will have a place but a it will be a different one than in the past. I also know that the pastor will also have different roles than they occupy now. I know that there no "maps" today that can lead a church in this direction or show them how to do this. Yet I know the Spirit is leading as He always has and this is His mission and His direction for you and for me.

YET... if the church (His called out people) do not go out by faith "not knowing where we are going", we will continue to see more and more people in our communities live this life without ever knowing the Lord. They will miss out on knowing the Love and forgiveness of Christ in this life and the next. I also believe that we will see less and less of our kids give and live their lives for the Gospel... as they see it as not being something important enough to give themselves to.

Friends...I want to Join God in His mission, as sent..." on mission" people and I want you, follower of Christ, to do so also. So.... if you feel a burning YES in your heart to this faith walking, great experiment as I, your pastor, do not sent a direction on HOW we are going to do this (I really do not know how it is going to look)... please talk to me... let us be in community and in relationship... and let's go!!

I know that this is where God is going and leading LPC... He is calling you to be His missionaries. As his missionary, where is He leading your heart? What is He burdening you for? How can I help you by training and whatever else to see your burdened fulfilled...Please let me know... I want us on Sunday to celebrate what God is doing and how he is leading you... so please contact me ok...
^{Acts 13:
"3}So after they had fasted and prayed, they placed their hands on them and sent them off"

Now is it our turn..

-PK

NEW SONG TO LEARN

2010-09-20T11:04:00.002-06:00

Here is a new song from Hillsongs worship team that LifePoint will be learning one Sunday...

It is called Forever Reign...

YOUTHFUSION

2010-09-15T17:23:00.002-06:00

SHEEP FUN

2010-09-13T10:24:00.002-06:00

Hello everyone...
On Sunday AM we have been looking at the passage from John 10 for the last few weeks as Jesus talked about Shepard, Sheep, gates, thieves, hired men and robbers!

Here is a cool video about sheep! Amazing what can happen as Shepard's, Sheep dogs and sheep work well together... Does anyone see the spiritual significance?

Enjoy!!

-PK

LifePoint's Fall KickOff Sunday September 12th

2010-09-09T10:07:00.001-06:00

Jesus Messiah

2010-08-31T10:23:00.002-06:00

2 Chronicles 31:2
Hezekiah assigned the priests and Levites to divisions—each of them according to their duties as priests or Levites—to offer burnt offerings and fellowship offerings, to minister, to give thanks and to sing praises at the gates of the LORD's dwelling.

One more song...

vs1 He became sin
Who knew no sin
That we might become His Righteousness
He humbled himself and carried the cross

Love so amazing
Love so amazing

Chorus:
Jesus Messiah
Name above all names
Blessed Redeemer
Emmanuel
The rescue for sinners
The ransom from Heaven
Jesus Messiah
Lord of all

vs2 His body the bread
His blood the wine
Broken and poured out all for love
The whole earth trembled
And the veil was torn

Love so amazing
Love so amazing,

Chorus:

Bridge
Emmanuel
The rescue for sinners
The ransom from Heaven
Jesus Messiah
Lord of all

All our hope is in You
All our hope is in You
All the glory to You, God
The light of the world

Chorus:

6 Questions For Bible Study

2010-08-31T10:20:00.002-06:00

This Sunday I told you about J.I. Packer, well known author and theology teacher, six questions we should be asking of any Biblical text.

Here they are as promised...

(1) What do these words actually mean?

(2) What light do other scriptures throw on this text? Where and how does it fit in to the total biblical revelation?

(3) What truths does it teach about God, and about man in relation to God?

(4) How are these truths related to the saving work of Christ, and what light does the gospel of Christ throw upon them?

(5) What experiences do these truths delineate, or explain, or seek to create or cure? For what practical purpose do they stand in Scripture?

(6) How do I apply them to myself and others in our own actual situation? To what present human condition do they speak, and what are they telling us to believe and do?

J.I.Packer, Among God’s Giants: The Puritan Vision of the Christian Life, p138.

"Enough"

2010-08-30T16:53:00.002-06:00

Psalm 40:3
He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God. Many will see and fear and put their trust in the LORD.

"Enough" by Chris Tomlin for us to sing together!

New Worship Songs

2010-08-30T16:44:00.002-06:00

Psalm 33:1
SING joyfully to the LORD, you righteous; it is fitting for the upright to praise him.

I want to post several videos of some new songs I want us to sing to the Lord at LPC over the next few weeks... please watch them and be ready for us to sing them together as we gather together!

-PK

Come People of the Risen King...

Video from Sunday Aug 29th/10

2010-08-30T16:38:00.002-06:00

Hey!!! Here is that great video from yesterday for you to enjoy again... Remember, that those voices that call you to less that Biblical followership of Christ are the voices of people Jesus call Thieves and Robbers... Careful who you listen to...

-PK

Public Praying

2010-08-28T22:21:00.003-06:00

The scriptures make the distinction between private praying and public praying. Both are important and necessary. The way you pray in private though is often not (and should not) be the patten you pray with other people. At times I have spoken to people about praying together and how what they are saying is inappropriate or really just preaching to others but using prayer as the format to do so. I do not want, in this post, to get into a debate on all that, though the discussion is important and is necessary as praying together is one of the gathered purposes of His church! We get to talk to OUR Father... not just yours or just mine but he is Our father and we, as part of His family need to talk to God together..

I say all this because I just read a quote from a very godly, older man named Stanley Hauerwas. he is a very well known theologian who really loves the Lord. He is greatly respected by many well known Christians.

Anyway... read what he writes about public prayer in a new book of memoirs entitled Hannah’s Child.

___________________________
Page 255 “I do not trust prayer to spontaneity. Most “spontaneous prayers” turn out, upon analysis to be anything but spontaneous. Too often they conform to formulaic patterns that include ugly phrases such as, “Lord, we just ask you …” Such phrases are gestures of false humility, suggesting that God should give us what we want because what we want is not all that much. I pray that God will save us from that “just.”
_________________________

I say "just" all the time when I pray publicly so I was challenged by his thoughts. Though I do not feel I am trying to be false in my humility in my prayer, but I get what he is saying. We ask in prayer because Jesus invited us to ask! So no need for a "just" as in "sorry to bother you Lord... I have just a small little request of you..." No where is this type of public praying in the word suggested. Boldness is though... with humility in who we are in relationship with.

What do you think?
-PK

Welcome Home!!

2010-08-27T21:56:00.003-06:00

Hello Everyone,
It is good to be back at LPC after a few weeks away. I have much to share with you all as we serve Christ together...

I do want to share a few things I have read this summer with you. Here is a great post about worship from blogger Treven Wax on his blog Kingdom People (Living on Earth as Citizens of Heaven).

Read it below and please tell me what you think...
-PK

_________________________________

When it comes to the atmosphere of worship services in the next generation, something’s got to give.

More and more churches are focusing on the centrality of the Word in worship. The resurgence of Reformed theology among younger evangelicals, the reestablishment of a rock-solid belief in the inerrancy and inspiration of the Scriptures in the Southern Baptist Convention, the revival of expository preaching… this wave that we’re riding is about to collide with an even bigger wave: the dominance of contemporary worship styles across the U.S. and the world.

For many churches, the biggest requirement for a “worship set” is novelty. We’re aiming for an experience. So we put together a worship service that is more influenced by the latest hits on Christian radio than by theology or history.

We also try to put people at ease. “Good morning… Let’s try that again, GOOD MORNING!” There’s a chatty, street-level style of worship that has become prevalent in evangelicalism. And I’m not sure how our pursuit of novelty and casualness in worship is going to mesh with hearing the Word of God expounded upon in all its glory.

Can a contemporary, casual service bring worshippers face to face with the glory of God in a way that buttresses and upholds the magnificent truths being expounded from the Word? I think the answer is yes, but not always.

It’s like eating steak on a paper plate.

My wife is an excellent cook. Her Romanian dishes dazzle my tastebuds, and her American cooking is terrific too. In the past couple of months, she has been using paper plates frequently. I understand why. We don’t have a dishwasher. She wants to save time setting the table, and she doesn’t want me washing dishes after dinner. Paper plates are easy and disposable.

But after a few weeks of paper plates, I told my wife, “Your cooking is too good for paper plates.” Slapping down a hot dog and baked beans on a paper plate in the middle of summer is just fine. But when my wife makes her famous pork chops and rice, or her Romanian cabbage rolls, or steak and mashed potatoes, paper plates just don’t cut it. I said, “Let me wash the dishes. But at least give us dishes!”

When it comes to worship, we are frequently told that form doesn’t matter. Style is not what’s important. I get that. I’m not downing contemporary music or advocating a return to liturgy, organs and hymns. I’ve been in contemporary worship services that have put me on my knees before the holiness and majesty of God. Cultural forms adjust and adapt.

But in worship today, there is a tendency toward casualness. The emphasis on feeling God’s closeness in worship may short-circuit the possibility of being transformed by a glimpse of the Transcendent One. There’s hardly any room for feeling awe in worship, and I can’t help but think that part of our problem is the form.

Form and content mirror one another. A church with serious Bible preaching is going to have a serious worship service (contemporary or traditional isn’t what matters, but serious it will be). A church with a feel-good preacher is going to have peppy, feel-good music.

Christians need to sense the weight of God’s glory, the truths of God’s Word, the reality of coming judgment, and the gloriousness of God’s grace. Trying to package the bigness of this God into most casual worship services is like trying to eat steak on a paper plate. You can do it for awhile, but at some point, people will start saying, “I want a dish.”

time away

2010-08-19T23:26:00.000-06:00

Yoho National park

Joshua Muller's second update re Street Invaders

2010-08-10T11:32:00.002-06:00

Hey guys,

Well, we’re on day six of our mission, and things have been intense. I haven’t updated you since Bootcamp though, so I’ll update you on that first.

It was an amazing time. God did cool stuff over the course of the week. The times of worship were amazing, and the teaching was awesome too. One highlight for me was getting to pray with a girl to receive the baptism of the Holy Spirit, and hearing her receive the gift of speaking in tongues.

Another highlight for me was the night of our commissioning. It was an amazing night. The normal commissioning consists of everyone getting prayed over, and often receiving prophecies when God gives a message to the people praying for said person.

An average commissioning night is more than an amazing time, but I especially enjoy the memory of this year’s service for a couple different reasons. First off, I should mention I was put in charge of praying with my team after they had been commissioned. It was cool being able to do that, and bond with the team in that way.

After the students had been commissioned, I was called up, and was commissioned. The things they prayed and said were definitely an encouragement to me. Afterwards, I came back to my team, and they prayed for me. When they were praying, I just felt the love of God and His presence SO strongly. I almost cried. It was so amazing. There was another amazing thing that happened that evening. Between praying for my teammates as they came down from being commissioned, I was chatting with a friend of mine that was on my SI team in 2008. The conversation turned to the baptism of the Holy Spirit and speaking in tongues. I remembered that he mentioned at our mission together that he had never received the baptism of the Holy Spirit, and ever since I had always wanted the opportunity to pray with him to receive it, but I had never seen it or taken it. As we were talking, and this thought came to mind, I realized that this was the moment I had been praying for. I asked him if he wanted me to pray with him to receive the Holy Spirit and the gift of speaking in tongues, and he said, “ya”.

So I prayed with him and he started speaking in tongues. In was an amazing time.

Since then, my team and I have come to North Central Regina, and we’ve been working in the neighborhood in various ways to share God’s love. We helped clean up a couple’s garage that had been flooded during the crazy rain this summer. We did some work at the Regina Food bank, and helped out at a community festival that was being put on for the neighborhood kids and families.

So far, however, my favorite ministry that we’ve done has been the work we did on Thursday.

We got together with a guy that works with Soul’s Harbour Rescue mission.

We choose a block to minister to. Then we went door to door, offering free yard work, and telling the people that we would be having a barbecue with free hot dogs and juice. The ministry that our team was able to do was really awesome. While some of our team was doing the yard work and such, others took time to talk to people in the neighborhood, and a few people on our team had a chance to pray with a lady. It was a really cool time, and a really cool concept I thought.

Well, I best go. We’re on a really crazy schedule that sometimes prevents us from getting the sleep we need, so please pray that God will give us the energy we need to stay healthy and complete our mission. Also, please pray for continued team unity. This years compassion team is one of the most amazing teams I’ve been on. Pray that God would keep us as one, that we would continue to hunger after Him with everything that’s within us, and that any attacks from the devil would have no effect whatsoever

Thank you all for your continued prayer support!

God bless!

Joshua Müller

Next Update from Stephen Muller re Street Invaders

2010-08-10T11:17:00.002-06:00

Hey yall!

How are you all doing? The past week has been amazing!
My team is working in Regina with kids ministry and street evangelism type stuff.
Mykala Dotchkat is also on my team :)
Tuesday night we went to victoria park for an outreach evening. and...

WOW! God is amazing!

Within the first 2 minutes I found myself sharing Christ with 2 guys who were smoking weed.
I’m stoked to see what else God has planned for us.

So... Ya...
Miss you guys!

God bless!

Stephen Müller

Big Island Update

2010-07-16T19:06:00.001-06:00

Jim was unable to get hold of Rachel before the tent meeting. He will try again later. If he doesn't have any luck he will try again in the morning.
God bless.

Gina

Big Island Outreach Update for Thursday

2010-07-15T19:09:00.002-06:00

A lot of work got done today. One third to one half of the main floor is tiled. The basement is framed in completely. Rachel put insulation in the floor for soundproofing. Twenty four kids showed up for a thing called Kids Stream. The men are working on the floor tonight and the women have a ladies night out at the tent. Women only. They will be costuming themselves with whatever they can find. Rachel has taken a lot of pictures to put together with Jim's. Also, a man named Cory also took a lot of pictures and will send them to us when possible.
The work that everyone went there to do is getting done. Praise God.
Please continue to pray for everyone involved in the mission. This includes the people who are being taught how to teach the adults and the children.

Gina

Ephesians 2:10 - "For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do."

Update for Big Island Outreach for Wednesday

2010-07-15T08:04:00.002-06:00

Jim made it home safely. He really enjoyed himself. We will continue to update the blog by talking to Rachel every night. This one should have been posted last night. I am a bit late.
The floor is nearly finished and ready for tile. Needs just a little leveling first. Got the natural gas hooked up the the furnaces. Framing in the basement is finished. Plumbers and electricians should be there Thursday. Had a kids programe in the afternoon with 32 kids showing up. Isn't that awesome. Two native women, who are in training to teach sunday school, helped with the children.
Rachel reported that they were having a severe thunderstorm and very heavy rains when she was on her way to the tent meeting. She said that she had never heard thunder that loud before.
Please pray that the weather for the rest of the week is good so that they can get as much done as possible. Unfortunately, they are a little short on supplies.
I will talk to Rachel again tonight at six thirty and post another report.
Sorry that I am late with this one.

Gina

Big Island Outreach Update for Tuesday

2010-07-13T18:42:00.002-06:00

I just talked to Jim and he said that it rained all night. As a matter of fact, it rained so hard and so much that the big meeting tent collapsed. They spent a good part of the morning putting it back up so that they could hold tonights meeting. Once that was done they put on some more siding. Unfortunately, they ran out of siding. It had started to rain again so they had to go inside anyway. They spent the afternoon stapling the floor. They realized that the floor was not meeting flush in places so now they have to get some floor patch before they can lay the tile. The rest of the afternoon was spent cleaning the main floor spotless so that it is ready to tile. The stairway that they built yesterday, they finished today.
Jim said that Rachel is thoroughly enjoying herself. Another good thing to come out of this trip is that Rachel and Jim got to know each other. Funny how something like this lets you get to really know someone that you see all the time.
More people were just showing up at 6:30 tonight to help for the rest of the week.
Jim has had some awesome things happen to him spiritually. I know that this trip has changed him in a good way. Praise God for all that He has done.
Focusing on someone else and their needs will always bring you closer to God.
Jim will be home sometime tomorrow. Rachel will be staying until the end of the week.

Gina

Philippians 4:19 - "And my God will meet all your needs according to His glorious riches in Christ Jesus."

Big Island Outreach Update

2010-07-12T18:41:00.002-06:00

I talked to Jim at 6:30 tonight and they got a lot of work done today. They cleaned up the upstairs of the building to get it ready to mud. They built walls for two bathrooms and a set of stairs to the basement. They also put on a lot of the siding. Supplies were needed, so they had to wait until two this afternoon for someone to get back from Bonnyville with the needed supplies otherwise they may have gotten a lot more done. Jim is enjoying himself and Rachel is getting to the type of construction work that she wanted to do. Praise God.
Please pray for their safety. There were two minor accidents today, everyone is fine but no accidents would be much better. One of the men shot a nail through his finger with a nail gun. Jim was stepping down from a sawhorse, someone had left a hammer just below it and he stepped on it. He fell and hurt his right ankle and his left wrist. Thank the Lord it was not serious and he continued to work for the rest of the day.
There is a three hour service in the tent tonight even though it is raining. Everyone will just put on their rain gear and attend.
Jim says that he will get to meet the Chief of the Indian band tomorrow. He has been a follower of Jesus for about three years.
This is all really cool to learn about another culture and their following of the Lord. Awesome.
Both Jim and Rachel felt called to go on this mission. I praise God for putting this on their hearts and making it possible for them to go.

Gina

Romans8:28 - "And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose."

Big Island Outreach

2010-07-11T19:17:00.002-06:00

Just to let everyone know the crew going to Big Island today made it there safely. They have toured the church to determine where they will start tomorrow morning. The plan is to have the upstairs for the church ready for Friday night service.
They have a big tent set up right now and they hold service every night from 7 until 10.
Jim said that they have a lot of drywalling to do and a floor to put down.
Please pray that the weather is good and that everyone remains safe and healthy.
Praise God that another building will house people praising Him.
I will update the blog again tomorrow night.

Gina

Sex talk

2010-06-24T22:21:00.002-06:00

Why is it that for something that God created and said was good, we as people of God most never talk about the subject of sex?? I know that those who are not Christians do so, and often crudely. Yet for us who are in Christ... we most never talk publicly about it.

I was sent this link to article by Joe Beam. he wrote a great article on the subject of porn. I hope you take the time to read it. Then.....let's talk...

-PK

__________________________________________

Internet Porn is the New Sex Ed?

by Joe Beam
President, LovePath International

If I opened Details magazine before, I don’t recall it. I don’t think I’ll open another. The September 2009 issue caught my eye with quarterback Tom Brady’s name in huge orange letters on the cover.

That was the bait. The hook set when I noticed a smaller cover title, “Generation XXX: How Internet Porn Became the New Sex Ed.”

Be aware that I’m one of those people that takes seriously Jesus’ prayer about His followers being in the world but not of the world. (John 17:13-18) I seek opportunities to interact with people outside of church contexts, and love to be on secular TV or radio answering questions from people that are not remotely religious. Just the other day I was on the top-forty station 107.5 The River in Nashville with morning hosts Woody and Jim. These guys are very bright, extremely witty, and faster than lightning, so it’s a thrill-a-minute to be on their show taking calls from their listeners about relationships while Woody and Jim jump in readily. (They’re hilarious, but they’re also quite good at helping people.) All calls during this particular show happened to come from women living with their boyfriends. The most interesting was the lady who asked if her boyfriend’s obsession with porn, and resulting decrease in sexual activity with her, should be something for her to worry about or was she overreacting. She wanted an answer before she married him.

That was still on my mind when I ran across Details.

After thumbing through more than 70 pages of ads for clothes apparently designed for men that have never eaten, I finally found the table of contents on page 72 and flipped over to the article. It was saturated with language you’ll never find on Crosswalk, so I held my nose as I slogged through it to see if the author, Eric Spitznagel, had any information I could use.

Though he focused much of his article on porn use by teens, his message directed itself to adults.

He began by sharing “fond memories” of his first exposure to porn when he was fourteen, then explained how his experience pales in comparison to what a modern 14-year-old has available today. He stated that there are more than 400 million pornographic web pages, “The awkward truth, according to one study, is that 90 percent of 8-to-16-year-olds have viewed pornography online…By the time they’re in high school, America’s porn-fed youth have already amassed an encyclopedic knowledge of smut.”

He went on, “According to a 2008 survey, one in five teenagers have sent an explicit photo of themselves to someone else or posted one online.”

It gets worse.

He writes, “In fact, ‘porn readiness’ is now a source of pride. While on tour promoting her memoir, [porn actress] Jenna Jameson was reportedly stunned that 13-year-old girls kept telling her she was their role model.”

Spitznagel wasn’t writing about how bad this is, but rather thinks of these teens as “sowing the seeds of a sexual revolution.” I believe he’s right about those seeds, but the revolution won’t lead to greater sexual satisfaction as he seems to think. Just the opposite.

So why doesn’t someone do something about this?

The article quoted former State Department staffer Mary Eberstadt’s comments in Policy Revue, “[Porn] is widely seen as cool, especially among younger people, and this coveted social status further reduces the already low incentive for making a public issue of it.”

From the time kids first plop down in front of a TV, they are exposed to sexual situations that were not allowed even to be mentioned in polite society just a few years ago. That desensitization, along with the Internet, makes moving up to porn easier than it was for previous generations. I’m not claiming we should go back to hiding information and forbidding discussion about sex, but I certainly see that the current fixation with sexuality as portrayed by porn is having a dramatic effect on marriages, beginning years before the marriage itself. As porn becomes the new Sex Ed (my work with marriages leads me to believe he is right about that), it creates a set of expectations about sex in marriage that are quite literally impossible to fulfill. This doesn’t happen just with the guys; it’s happening with the gals as well. The porn from teen years becomes the disaster in marriages years later. Not just from the memories, but because porn usage continues into marriage for millions of people.

Why is that a big problem?

As people watch porn – whether they’re 13, 33, or 63 – they start to buy into the idea that most people, especially the spouse they have or are going to have, should always be ready and willing to have sex. Not only that, from exposure to the multiplied variations of sexual behavior modeled in porn, they expect their partner to have sex in every manner possible. For example, Spitznagel writes, “According to a study by the Centers for Disease Control, the number of heterosexuals having anal sex nationwide has almost doubled since 1992.”

Add to this the fact that as spouses age, gain weight, and get wrinkles, they don’t compare physically to most of the women and men in porn. One woman said to me, “I wish I had the money to have cosmetic surgery from the top of my head to the bottom of my feet so that maybe my husband would want to look at me rather than those women on the Internet.”

From my perspective, it appears that the American expectation (maybe worldwide) is evolving into marrying a spouse that doesn’t age or change physically, thinks about sex constantly, talks, acts, and dresses seductively, can’t wait to jump into bed (or more exotic locations), makes every lovemaking session extraordinary, and does everything either of them has seen, heard of, or imagined.

Will all who have that marriage please raise their hands?

Real life isn’t like porn. Even the real life of porn actors isn’t like porn. People get tired, become preoccupied, develop broader interests, grow passionate about other dimensions of life, change after childbirth (both genders), and age a little every day. Occasionally, they don’t like their partner. Life isn’t nonstop sex. Sometimes I hear someone say that men think about sex every 30 seconds, or some such number. Ridiculous. Life is broad, complicated, and demanding. My friend, outstanding sex researcher, writer, and expert Barry McCarthy, PhD, spreads the message broad and wide that we shouldn’t expect every sexual encounter to be great. As we communicated about this article, he urged, “Emphasize the crucial importance of positive, realistic sexual expectations: The most important being that less than 50% of sexual encounters among happily married, sexually functional couples have outcomes that are mutually satisfying, and 5-15 % of sexual encounters in marriage are dissatisfying or dysfunctional.”

I’m aware that there are very frustrated husbands and very frustrated wives that are angry because they feel that their spouses are sexually inhibited, or seemingly don’t care whether sex occurs or not in their marriage. As part of completion of my PhD in sexology, I currently am designing a weekend workshop for married couples that will have one goal – helping couples develop a sexual life more fulfilling to each of them. Yet, no matter how good the weekend workshop will be (ahem, it’s already very good), it will not make every day a great day of sexual fulfillment. We may seek great sex in our marriages but we should accept that valid research indicates that about half our sexual encounters in marriage aren’t going to be wonderful. Seek outstanding sex in your marriage, but be realistic in your goals and expectations.

As a proponent of great sex in marriage, I shout from the rooftops that porn is not the answer to achieving great sex. It creates impossible expectations that lead to misery. If one of you pursues porn, you will drift emotionally from your partner into an imaginary world that will never exist in reality. If you use it together, you will eventually reach the point where your lovemaking relies on the stimulation of watching others and not at all on intimacy between the two of you.

While I pray that parents and church leaders will discuss sex, including porn, openly and frankly with teens, my purpose is to discuss it frankly with adults. According to McCarthy, about 15% of men and nearly 5% of women compulsively use porn. Barry isn’t a Christian, so his views aren’t “stained glass” church rhetoric. Instead his insights root themselves in solid research and education. Of compulsive porn users, he states matter-of-factly, “For them it is very destructive.” If the studies Spitznagel cites are accurate, it’s frightening to think how much higher those percentages will be when today’s teens become adults. How many individuals – how many marriages – will be destroyed when “porn ready” teens become husbands and wives?

However, right now let’s talk about people already married.

If you are both into porn in your marriage, please believe me when I say that my experience with thousands of couples demonstrates that you will develop problems with your intimacy, self-esteem, and fulfillment as a couple. Stop now. Save your future by rescuing your present.
If one of you is into porn and the other doesn’t know, don’t think that it isn’t hurting your marriage. Every exposure to porn immerses you into a fantasy world that erodes the real world you could have together. It will change you; maybe it has already. Think you can keep it a secret? Get real. When your spouse discovers, he or she will very likely feel betrayed, rejected, unattractive, and abandoned. Do they have the right to feel that way? Yes. You have violated the marriage covenant. (Matthew 5:28-30)

If one of you is into porn and the other does know, the spouse not into porn should take the lead in demanding the removal of porn altogether. Get rid of the Internet, just as you would remove an addict’s access to alcohol. Check up on missing time and missing money. Seek out a Celebrate Recovery group in your area (you can find locations online). Finally, do something immediately to salvage the future you can have together. If your marriage is in trouble, let us help. Our success rate over the last decade is three out of four marriages, even when porn, adultery, or other things have deeply hurt the relationship. If not us, let someone help. Don’t think a slap-on-the-wrist and a promise to do better will solve a problem that is deep-seated, especially an addiction such as porn.

I believe that a couple can overcome porn’s affects by learning a new kind of sex education. However, it is very unlikely that they will until they solve the problems in their marriage, especially unrealized expectations on the part of one, or feelings of betrayal by the other.

By the power of God, you can have a great marriage and a great sex life.

Act now. Save your future.

Jesse Bowman's Grad Video

2010-06-23T10:07:00.002-06:00

Here is Jesse's video that was shown on Sunday... CONGRATS Jess!

Dad.... I am watching

2010-06-23T10:03:00.002-06:00

For Tanner...

NEW SONG

2010-06-15T16:11:00.002-06:00

This is the best rendition of this great song I have ever heard...

I hope we all sing it like this... because it is true...

-PK

Parents and Kid's Ministry

2010-06-15T16:03:00.002-06:00

Here is a good article on how Kids' ministries and parents can work together better.

What do you think?? Please comment??

_______________________________________________________________

Now let's make a few assumptions. Let's assume our children's parents regularly attend church. Let's also assume that these parents love their children. Finally let's assume that these parents want their children to become adults who are Christ followers. If all these assumptions are true, then here are some ways in which children's ministries can partner with parents.

Communicate. It is important to let parents know on a regular basis what is taught in the church. Here are some of the methods we've used: sending take-home papers; projecting children's ministry teaching information on the screen during the main worship service; offering information on the website; teaching in conjunction with the adult curriculum to create family discussion. We know that none of these ways are 100 percent effective, but they provide help to the families who wish to use them.

Create family events. We started making children's events family-oriented. We ask that a parent be present at every teaching or social event. For example, our fall festival is a family event that doesn't require many volunteers, and it brings families together with other families in the church.

Discontinue the kids-only VBS. We have restructured our vacation Bible school to be a family VBS so parents are involved, too. In this type of structure, the parents are brought along in the teaching automatically. We don't dismiss the adults for a separate lesson—they stay with their kids the entire time. This is a great opportunity for families to enjoy quality time and a shared hands-on experience together.

Dedicate parents. For years, we have held Baby Day. There are lots of "oohs" and "aahs" as beautiful babies and proud parents are introduced to the church family. Make no mistake, though—this is not a baby dedication but a parent dedication. While this is a great way for a parent to make a public, verbal commitment, we have increased the impact by requiring that parents attend a special class before participating in the actual ceremony. Parents learn why it's important to dedicate themselves to godly parenting, and we provide parenting tools and resources. It's invaluable to educate parents at this juncture about their responsibility to teach their child about matters of faith. If they can form a habit of spiritual education in their family, they have a much better chance of sticking with it in the latter years.

Build a Backyard Bible Club. The main goal of Backyard Bible Clubs is to help church members see the influence they can and should have outside the walls of the church building. Each club is held in a church family's neighborhood and hosted by one or two families. The club is an outreach to the neighborhood, and it creates a way for families to work together to invite neighbors. This is a great opportunity for parents to model that faith is something to be shared on a daily basis.

Include parents. We offer a Bible 101 class for children who want to make a commitment to Christ. This is a four-week course, and it is mandatory for parents to participate the first and last week. The purpose of the class is to make sure the parents are informed about what their child will be learning. It's also to instruct and encourage parents to be involved in their child's experience of making a decision to follow Christ. The children are given a booklet to work on at home with their parents, and some questions require parents' input. Hopefully, the parents will become an integral part of their child's spiritual growth.

Organize family teaching. We allow and encourage families to teach together. We have several families who teach a Sunday school class as a family unit. This is yet another opportunity for the parents to be spiritual role models in service and attitude.

Mark spiritual growth. One area that we plan to develop is a way to applaud spiritual benchmarks of the children. I think this will be significant for the parents. If we are communicating what we expect the children to learn and then acknowledge these steps when they are accomplished, it will reinforce the importance of spiritual growth.

It is possible to only teach and never offer opportunities for parents to use what they have learned. It also is possible to offer opportunities, but never educate the parents on how to be spiritual leaders in their families. It would seem that our most effective efforts to bring family and church together are through teaching and coaching the parents and providing them with opportunities to use their knowledge in practical ways. These approaches go hand-in-hand.

Since there is limited time spent with the children in our ministry, we need to be effective partners in raising Christ followers. As children's and family life ministers, we have a timely and exciting challenge before us. Let's step up to the challenge!

—Becky Arthur has been children's minister at Harvester Christian Church in St. Charles, Missouri, for l5 years.

Daring Teens To Share

2010-06-14T10:13:00.004-06:00

Hello everyone...
Here is that article I told you I would post on the our Blog in the service yesterday. You can find the original article by Greg Stier here

Blessings!
-PK
__________________________

Ask any teenager what means most to them on this earth and most of the time the answer will come back centering around their friendships, relationships and/or how they are viewed by their peers. Evangelism risks all of these to follow the command of Christ and, as a result, triggers exponential spiritual growth in the heart of the evangelizing teenager.

When Abraham was willing to offer his son Isaac on the altar this was a courageous act that resulted in exponential spiritual growth in his own heart. According to James 2:22, “his faith and actions were working together and his faith was made complete by what he did.” In the original Greek language the words “made complete” could literally be interpreted “matured.” In other words, Abraham’s willingness to sacrifice what meant most to him resulted in accelerated spiritual maturity in Abraham.

What’s true of Abraham is true of Christian teenagers. When teenagers are willing to sacrifice their friendships if need be so that their friends can hear the message of Jesus it results in exponential spiritual growth. They pray more (because they are afraid.) They depend on God’s Spirit more (because they need His power!) And they study the Bible more (because they want to know how to answer any questions that their friends may have!)

Maybe one of the reasons why the majority of teenagers abandon their Christian faith after they graduate from high school is that they’ve never been inspired, equipped and deployed to reach their own circle of friends for Jesus before they graduated from high school.

Mormon high school teenagers are trained at “Seminary” class every school day from 6am-7am so they can be better witnesses for the Mormon church. When they graduate they get a backpack, a nametag, a bike pump and a map to our neighborhoods. For two years these young missionaries knock on doors and share their version of the Gospel message. After two years of door to door work their faith has been steeled and sealed for the long term. Maybe that’s why you don’t meet a lot of ex-Mormons. They own their faith because it, like a stake, has been driven deeply into their souls by their outreach efforts.

We are the true church of Jesus Christ (of everyday saints!) And if teenagers are unleashed on an evangelistic mission in their own schools their faith will be steeled and sealed for the long haul. As they choose to lay it all on the line to share Jesus with their friends, not only will they be used by God to save the souls of their friends, but their own souls will be transformed in the process.

Daring teens to share and equipping them to do it doesn’t just result in more lost souls being reached, it results in more Christian young people knowing, living and owning their faith for the rest of their lives.

A Story

2010-06-11T09:47:00.000-06:00

Gilbert Bilezikian, in Community 101, tells a story that is worth repeating. It happened in the Willow Creek Community Church in Chicago. This is a church where ministry is recognised not as the privilege of the few, but as the divine call for all to invest themselves fully and joyfully in the work of the kingdom. Under the broad ministry umbrella of the church, more than a hundred subministries are in place, functioning around the clock or ready to respond to emergencies at a moment's notice. Most of those ministries were started because someone in the congregation saw a need, gathered a team of believers with similar gifting and passion around herself or himself, and, under staff coordination, launched a new dimension of outreach or community care sustained by volunteer lay workers.

One Sunday, as Bilezikian was standing at the back of the auditorium watching worshippers making their way out of the building, someone tapped him on the shoulder. Turning, he saw a shy, plain-looking woman with two small children standing quietly beside her. She said, "Dr. B, I want to thank the people of this church. It saved our lives." Intrigued by her statement, he asked her what she meant. In a flat monotone voice, without show of emotion, she told her story.

She had attended the church with her children and they had loved it. As a result she had received Jesus as her Saviour. Then, eighteen months previously, her husband had left her for another woman. He took the car and they had two months rent due on her apartment. There was no money and almost no food. She didn't know who to go to for help and all her neighbours went to work every day. She sat alone in the empty building crying all the time. She became sad and could do nothing. All that came in the mail was bills and letters from lawyers asking for money. She thought they might die and hoped that all three would die at the same time. Eventually she had the idea of going out in the middle of the night and searching her neighbours' garbage bins for food. Then, she said, a miracle happened:

One evening, the buzzer rang. When I opened the door, an angel of the Lord was standing there. She came in, saw my predicament, and left. That same evening, some people came in and brought a beautiful hot meal. A man and his son brought bags of groceries and children's clothes. They said it was all from the church's food pantry. Two people came with a little stack of twenty dollar bills and said the money was ours. I couldn't believe my eyes, for they were complete strangers to me.

The next day, the rent was paid and the phone reconnected. Two ladies came in, put a set of keys on the table, and said there was a car parked outside that was provided by the car ministry of the church and that it was mine. In the following days, they arranged for child care and gave me leads so I could look for a job. I did find a job and now we're standing on our own feet. I know we're going to make it. You see, Dr. B, this church saved our lives.

Bilezikian made a discreet inquiry and found out that the "angel" in the story was none other than the Sunday School teacher of one of the children. She had noticed the child's absence and had tried to reach the family on the phone. Upon learning that the phone had been disconnected, she assumed that they had moved away and removed the card from the file. But it was her habit to pray through the roster of children periodically. Each time she came to the name of this child she felt a strange unrest. Finally, she got up one morning, pulled out the family's address, located it on the map, and in the evening, after work, drove over - just in case.

Taken from http://www.christianity.co.nz/church11.htm

Some Midweek Fun!

2010-06-09T13:19:00.002-06:00

Unbelievable.... when I saw this picture it was tagged "The greatest day ever"

The things people use their time for... ha...

-PK

FOLLOW UP from yesterday...

2010-06-07T10:54:00.002-06:00

Here is the Video I showed yesterday

Kids Come And Celebrate At LifePoint This Summer!

2010-06-03T14:47:00.001-06:00

A SMILE BOX for you

2010-06-03T14:47:00.000-06:00

Debby Lloyd sent me this "smilebox" today of the dedication on Sunday...

Have a look at it HERE..

THANKS DEBBY!

Living SENT... not living "STAID" : PART 2

2010-06-02T08:58:00.000-06:00

Here is part two of the article I posted on Sunday... you can find the original version here.

"Words have meaning. It is because words have meaning that we should take care in how we use them when speaking on the mission of God, and it is because words have meaning that we should use intentional language to involve all of God's people in all of God's mission. Words build and words destroy. Words cast vision and words halt progress. And words have the ability to lead toward a preferred future.
In church life, some words have become so codified that they may as well form a second Decalogue. Come forward, Bow your heads and close your eyes and the like are pregnant with both intended and unintended meaning. If we are to involve all of God's people in all of God's mission, we need to ensure that our articulations match our intentions.

Two decades ago, Lesslie Newbigin wisely reminded us of the need to consider context in language: "In some cultures a dog is seen as a member of the household and an object of affection; in others it is primarily a scavenger and an object of contempt. The word 'dog' has distinctly different meanings in the two cultures, and the full meaning of the word can never be exhaustively specified" (The Gospel in a Pluralist Society). In the same way that the context of dog has to be explored, the context of words like mission, missional, and global engagement must be explored and explained.
The second thing, therefore, that we need to involve all of God's people in all of God's mission is better language.
The government makes a distinction between military and civilian so that we will all recognize who is tasked with defending the country and fighting wars--the military. Leaders in the church have made an unhelpful distinction by the use of the words clergy and laity. The unintended consequence is that we are left with the impression that one group is tasked with engaging in ministry--the clergy. We know that is not so, so why not stop speaking as if it is?
It will help all of God's people to be involved in all of God's mission if we will do the work of both defining the mission and choosing an appropriate cultural articulation of the mission. As Stephen Neil has said, "When everything is mission, nothing is mission." The mission of God cannot be the catch-all that includes everything from folding bulletins, to picking up trash on the highway, to coaching a ball team, to the gospel infiltrating a previously unreached people.
Admittedly, this is made no easier by the fact that some terms cannot be agreed upon across Christendom. Try coming to unity on the meaning of kingdom or a solid definition for missional. You'll find a difficult task awaits. What can take place, however, is a local church can choose words that convey meaning in the context of that body. In turn, those words can define the mission of God, the work of the church and the role of the members. When that happens, all the members of your church can be involved in all of God's mission.
As we do this, I believe a church seeking to involve each member in God's mission--a component of any missional church--will intentionally include the motive of God's glory to be expressed among the nations. It is impossible to separate the mission of God from the glory of God since His glory is the goal of His mission. God's glory among every tongue tribe and nation can and should be a theme for every church. Habakkuk reminds us, "For the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the LORD's glory, as the waters cover the sea" (2:14, HCSB).
So emphatic is God about His glory being displayed throughout the earth, that I don't think a church should call itself missional unless it is seeking to serve locally, plant nationally, and engage an unreached people group globally. Without a global vision, there will always be a missing focus resulting in a church out of balance. Rather than saying "all Christians are missionaries," I prefer to say, "All Christians ought to be on God's global mission." Remember, words have meaning. As we are careful to take context into account in our local churches, using words that clearly communicate what the mission is and what it requires, we can see a move toward all of God's people being involved in all of God's mission.

Living SENT not living "STAID" PART 1

2010-05-31T19:24:00.000-06:00

Here is a great article from Ed Stezer... it was posted today on the Christian Post. I am continually amazed at How the Lord is speaking so clearly to His church. I also thought it is a great way to follow up on what was said yesterday in our great Sunday am service together.

Read it and tell me what you think?

"Most church leaders struggle with the ongoing issue of the people in the pews being passive spectators rather than active participants.

Before we can consider how to help the patient we need a proper diagnosis, and a proper diagnosis begins with the question: How much of the problem is my/our fault - the very church leaders who are trying to solve it? Or, if not our fault, then the unintended side effect of our actions?

Consider, for instance, the architecture of most churches. People enter and sit in rows (like shelves at Wal-Mart) all facing the same direction (the stage) where performers alternately bless us, if things are going well, or entertain us, if they are not. By default, our gathering areas tend to passivity rather than activity. As a result, what members are asked to do when they leave the gathering is the opposite of what they were asked to do an hour ago when we were together.When we leave it's "Go and change the world," but when we are gathered it's more of "Hey, sit still and listen. Welcome to Coma Land. We'll wake you when it's over."

We need to engage all of the church in the activity God has for them. Our goal should be to move them from sitting in parallel rows to living in interconnected circles so that they might be engaged in the work of God wherever they go. It seems there are at least four ways that we can more effectively engage all of God's people in all of God's mission. These will be proposed and explored in this and three following posts.

First, we need a better hierarchy. I realize that many people may actually have a violently negative physical reaction to my use of the world hierarchy, but the fact remains that organisms require organization in order to remain healthy as they grow. A body without a skeleton may brag about its flexibility, but others will quickly point out its uselessness. There will always be a need for organization. Even if it is an organization of house churches, those single cells need structure. Our challenge is the right kind of structure. Hierarchy sounds very "high church" coming from a "low church" evangelical like myself. But simply put, it is merely the system that a church utilizes to link the church together in its ministry and lead people to engage in God's missionary endeavor.

But, in church life we typically divide Christians into three tiers, beginning with "the lay people." These are generally viewed, and often complained about, as passive spectators. They show up on Sunday, have positions and help the ministry to function, but they are not the "professional ministers." They have other jobs like plumber, politician, homemaker and candy striper. You know - real jobs. Next on the perceived ladder of church life (or calling) are those who have been "called to the ministry." These are the people paid to do the work of the ministry, i.e., Senior Pastors, Associate Pastors, Worship Leaders, and the rest of the "leadership team." They have answered the "call to the ministry," been trained, and now are the ones who do the ministry. Why not? They are the called and the trained. On the top rung are those who are "called to international missions." These are those blessed souls who have left friends and family to go into the Congolese bush and engage government rebels with the gospel of Jesus. These are the "heroes of the faith" worthy of all our respect and honor - the cream of the ministry crop, so to speak. In the minds of many, they are in another ministry world altogether.

Unfortunately, for its common acceptance, this is not a biblical structure.

The Apostle Peter understood the calling on the life of every believer, which is why he wrote in his first epistle, "Based on the gift they received, everyone should use it to serve others, as good managers of the varied grace of God" (4:10, HCSB). People are called to ministry at conversion, not at some subsequent event. It is the ordinary who are called to ministry, not the extraordinary. All God's people are called to the ministry, all God's people are sent on mission. The only question is "Where?" and "Among whom?" As Charles Spurgeon, speaking of such a call, said, "Every Christian is either a missionary or an imposter."

Lay people tend to think of themselves as being there to support ministers in ministry, and ministers tend to think of themselves as being there to support missionaries in the field. The biblical picture is that all believers are ministers with different roles and assignments. Because of the false dichotomies, we have "lay people" who miss great opportunities to serve God in greater ways than they might otherwise imagine. Every believer should be alert to the call of God and ever vigilant to respond as Isaiah did, "Here I am, send me."

In other words, God wants us to put our "yes" on the table and let Him place it on the map. Ours is not to first determine where, ours is first to lean into obedience and let God work out the ministry and logistical details. Where we serve is secondary to how we serve. Our members should be living sent, not living staid. Until we remove the unbiblical hierarchy that imposes and reinforces a false view of ministry, we will continue to struggle to involve all of God's people in all of God's mission."

The Video I Spoke About This Morning

2010-05-16T13:27:00.002-06:00

I pray this is blessing for you...

-Pastor Kevin

General Conference 2010

2010-05-13T13:54:00.002-06:00

Hello From Edmonton,
Lots to tell you about our week here. Here is a link to the conference blog... if you are interested...
Fill you all in on Sunday...

-K

John Piper Defines The Gospel

2010-05-04T10:41:00.004-06:00

The Gospel is Six core things (Dr. John Piper)

1) Is a plan from eternity….1 Corinthians 15:3 (NIV) For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures

2) Is an event in history….

3) Is an achievement in and through that event of something that happened God and Jesus

4) An free offer extended to the world…

5) Application of the achievement to mankind…

6) PLUS…. from 1 Peter 3:18 To “bring us to God”. We are forgiven and justified to BRING US TO GOD…. Seeing him… knowing him…. Loving him

Thoughts? Let us here them... please feel free to comment..

-PK

04/21/2010 - Let Your Light Shine - Part 1

2010-04-22T10:28:00.003-06:00

Last night, at prayer meeting, Marj told me that she was listening to Joyce Meyer yesterday and was interested to hear that she was preaching along the similar lines that we have been at LPC for the past few months.

So I listened to her this morning online (while i was "working out..." woo) IT IS VERY WORTH YOUR TIME TO LISTEN to this message (over two days). You can find it here!

Listen a be encouraged, blessed, convicted and MOTIVATED!

-PK

NEW SONG for Sunday

2010-04-20T10:18:00.003-06:00

Hey everyone...
Laura is going to be teaching us this new song on Sunday " Lord I Give You Me".
Verse 1:
Lord I give you me, I give you my all
I hold nothing back, I'm answering your call
Though I live or die, your glory is my life
My royal destiny

Verse 2:
Lord I give you me, it may not look like much
I know that I need changed, I know I need your touch
So take me as I am, mold me in your plan
That's where I want to be

Verse 3:
Lord I give you me, I give you my all
I worship you in life, and I worship you in death
I lay down my heart, It's all I have to give
As long as I live

Watch it here on you tube.

Blessings!

MORE MISSIONAL LEARNING

2010-04-19T13:00:00.002-06:00

Hello everyone...
I am going to post different links and video's that relate to the the direction we have been going in our sermon series.

Watch it and please feel free to comment...
-PK

10 Things I Wish I’d Known When I Was 21

2010-04-14T15:14:00.000-06:00

Here is an article by Mark Rutland (the president of Oral Roberts University and author of 13 books. He also leads a missions and church-planting organization, Global Servant). Please let me know what you think? Comment ok?
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You might think you're smart when you get out of college, but I suggest that the real education is only just the beginning.
In an Amish kitchen in Bird-in-Hand, Pennsylvania, in the heart of Dutch country, I saw a sign I’ll never forget: “Too soon old, too late smart.” When I saw it, I thought it was memorable but hardly meaningful. I was 21. Now the words are meaningful, but I can barely remember the farmhouse. I am 62.

Sometimes I have the fantasy that I will sit up on my deathbed and cry out, “Oh, I get it,” and lie down again and die. The Amish have it right.

Recently a friend said he wished he were 21 again. The thought held little interest for me, but he made an intriguing counteroffer: What if you could be 21 and know what you know now?

That held more allure, but it begged a question: What, if anything, do I now know that I wish I had known at 21?

I came up with 10 things, none of which I think I would have placed on my priority list at age 21.

1. Inner healing is greater than outward success. It is probably impossible to arrive at 21, let alone 62, without wounds in the inner person—deep wounds that need God’s healing grace. The more I see of inner healing and the more I face up to my own inner wounds, the more I wish I had let Messiah touch my deepest hurts earlier in life. That childhood hurt, that hidden outrage, that long-suppressed horrific memory can lurk like a monster in the basement waiting for years, even decades, to rise and wreak havoc.

Hiding the monster, denying that it’s down there, is a dangerous game. The temptation is to create an alternative reality where success and accomplishment and appearances seem so very real and the monster but a mirage. If I were 21 again I would bore down into the inner world of me and find Christ’s healing touch in the darkness under the floorboards.

2. Mercy is greater than justice. I have found that many in the church want the wayward to “get what’s coming to them.” Too often, there is a shortage of mercy among the followers of Christ, who blessed the merciful in His most famous message, the Sermon on the Mount. Were I 21 again, I would learn and practice mercy, knowing that later I would need it.

Churches, boards, denominations and individual believers who hanker for justice when a colleague stumbles may be planting for a bitter harvest. They gloat over the sins of others, humiliate the fallen and demand their administrative pound of flesh.

Competitiveness and legalism are the death of mercy. Mercy makes love real, acceptance and understanding a practice, and tenderness a way of life.

3. Kindness is better than being right. Just before my friend Jamie Buckingham died, I asked him for a word of wisdom. He said, “It is better to be kind than to be right.”

At 21, I advocated my positions too aggressively. I argued with an eye toward winning, unconcerned about the heart of my “adversary,” who may not have been adversarial at all. I made debate a contact sport. In preaching I let the bad dog off the chain, to the applause of the gallery.

Should time travel be mine and were I to be back in the land of 21, I would be kinder and less concerned with being right. Too many young adults give little thought to kindness.

They Twitter hurtful words like poisonous birds. Their humor is mocking, acidic and unkind. And they are more concerned with being thought clever than with being kind. The value of gentleness has declined on the world market; if I were 21 again I would wish to know the worth of a kind word.

4. Serving is better than being served. Encircled by their entourages, the “success” merchants of modern Christianity place high dividends on being catered to. When I was a pastor, the church I led invited a singing group to come minister. Their list of special demands, including a particular type of orange cut into equal fourths (I kid you not), was five pages long. We canceled.

I wish I had known at 21 how hollow is all that outward stuff. I wish I had known that caring, not being cared for, is what Christ had in mind.

I wish I had changed more diapers instead of leaving that to my wife. I wish I had served more meals, carried more bags, held more doors and lightened more burdens.

5. Brokenness is the doorway to wholeness. This mysterious paradox was hidden from me at 21. I feared brokenness. I ran from it, and when it got too close fought it off with all my might.

If I had but known brokenness was the key to my healing, it would have lifted such fear from me. I thought it would maim me at least and maybe even kill me. Now I know that there is very little real wholeness that does not emerge from real brokenness.

6. Truth is liberating and devastating. Jesus said, “You shall know the truth, and the truth will make you free.” My friend Jamie tacked on, “But first it will make you miserable.”

How true. There is a phrase popular among many young adults that I quite like despite my usual distaste for pop jingoes. It is, “Keep it real.” I am not sure of all that is meant by it, but I know what I mean by it.

I wish I had known not to fear the truth about myself. I wish I had known that the temporary misery of the truth was worth going through to find the freedom that it brings.

7. Learning is greater than education. I am a university president, and Oral Roberts University (ORU) is a great university. I am not saying that higher education is unimportant. What I am saying is, I hated getting educated.

At 21, I was a miserable college senior. I was a miserable student from the first grade right through high school and on through three degrees. I was miserable because I did not understand the connection between education and learning.

If I were 21 again, I would still go to college. But this time I would go to learn not just to graduate. I would unleash my curiosity, embrace the process, worry less about my grades and enjoy learning.

How strange that I love to learn at the age I am now. I read voraciously—any subject. I want to know, to understand, to go deeper. If I were 21 again I would take that to college.

8. Giving is sweeter than gaining. I believe in the laws of the harvest. If there is any place in the world that understands “seed faith” it is ORU. Seed faith is not a new idea to me. I believed it at 21. I practiced it and am blessed today because it is real.

Yet I wish that at 21 I had known the sheer joy of giving. I know God will bless us when we give, and sometimes we have made this merely a method to gain. I wish I had realized the joy of generosity. I would have given more and delighted more in the good that giving does and less in the returns it provides.

9. Forgiveness doesn’t fix everything. Not the happiest truth I wish I had known, but it’s among the most sobering. Had I known this I might have been less callous, less reckless and more mindful of the cost.

There are things, relationships and hearts that once broken cannot be fully “fixed” by forgiveness. The wound, the uncaring and insensitive word—they may be forgiven, but the damage from them may never quite be right again.

When I was 21 I just wanted to be forgiven. I wish I had known to do less damage.

10. Prayer is more powerful than persuasion. In all of life, at every age, conflict is an inescapable reality. I wish I had known younger that in conflict and crisis talking to God works better than talking to people. At 21, due perhaps to youthful arrogance, I thought that I could talk my way through everything.

Self-sufficiency, a dangerous habit, breeds prayerlessness. The older I get I find that crisis drives me faster to my knees and more slowly to the phone.

I have seen God turn hearts around, change organizations and melt opposition by prayer alone—when no persuasive speech could have made a difference. If I were 21 again, I would spend more time talking with God and less (far less) persuading others to do what I want.

I wish I had known more than I did at 21. I might have considered one or two of these truths, but I doubt I would have fully appreciated their value.

I do not think I want to be 21 again. But if I had to, if some evil genie made me go back and live it all over, then these are the things I would want to know and the things I would want to believe.

Read more click: http://www.charismamag.com/index.php/component/content/article/1078-features/26518-10-things-i-wish-id-known-when-i-was-21#ixzz0l6x6cjl5