Friday, March 05, 2010
The Power of Vision I listened to a talk by JD Greear recently and he used this quote to emphasize the value of vision. “If you want to build a ship, don't drum up people together to collect wood and don't assign them tasks and work, but rather teach them to long for the endless immensity of the sea”Antoine de Saint-Exupery I got it! Mechanics (best practices and how-to’s) are necessary, but not primary.
The ultimate goal – the vision, if you will – is...
Friday, February 05, 2010
Last week I was looking at the website of a church in the Birmingham area. They had challenged their families to take a Radical Experiment for the year of 2010. Part of the challenge was to give 2% of your year for making disciples out of your home town. What an awesome idea! While I know many give that much time to ministry 3 or 4 hours at a time, I want to challenge Parkridgers to do the same and give 2% of your year to missions (1 week).
One great...
Thursday, January 07, 2010
It’s a new year! I keep putting the wrong year on
things. I am trying to lose weight. I am thinking about my
calendar. Yeah, it’s a new year.
I catch myself reflecting a little more around this
time. Do you? Lately, I have been reading a book that has got me
thinking. As I look back, sometimes I fear I could easily give more of my
attention to managing my life rather than to living a calling. It
happens. We...
Thursday, December 10, 2009
What a blessing to spend the weekend with the young couple serving in East Asia! It is a special treat to have those we visit overseas come and be with us.
When we first visited them in 2008, we had no idea that they had just come through the hard season of being the first ones and the only ones in their city for a while. I can’t imagine the challenge of learning a new language and culture, and then enduring a long very cold winter without Christian friends or a church. There are...
Tuesday, November 10, 2009
What a joy it was to preach at Parkridge Sunday!
You are a bunch of great listeners! You even caught my aberrant reading of
the scriptures! “Did he just say ‘mosquito bites’?”
I don’t want to be too quick to praise you all as great listeners.
The
real test comes with application. Will you live it out? Will I?
I was touched by our quick times of prayer for our team in
Peru. How fitting for us to lift up our brothers on...
Thursday, October 01, 2009
There is a segment of the population in NW Broward County (and our church) that has a unique set of circumstances. They find themselves single or single again. Sometimes it is by choice, sometimes it is against their will. How a person comes to the state of singleness isn’t as critical as the fact that, in the midst of unique needs are also unique strengths. “Single”-ness really only defines one’s marital status – it doesn’t really define what can or cannot be done in the ministry setting. ...
Tuesday, August 18, 2009
I am glad to be back from our travels – camps, Peru, and a visit to Bama.
Though we got back just in time to have our Rally and Small Group training, I am excited to get things rolling for a new church year. This year has so much potential, I can hardly stand it! Land sale, growing ministries, developing small groups, maturing believers – it is awesome!
One of the things that makes me feel back “in the groove” of things is preparing for Loving...
Monday, June 29, 2009
Stunned. Shocked. Impressed. I am glad these words were used in a positive fashion about our church concerning our efforts at the Camp of Champions. The camp is an event hosted by the Florida Baptist Children’s Home. This year they allowed us to bring the program portion of the camp while also helping with the fun and recreation. There were around 130 children from age 5-17 present. Quite a large ministry field. Parkridge answered by bringing 58 of our people and enlisting 37...
Wednesday, May 27, 2009
Thank you so much for your prayers! I think your work of intercession led to a greater harvest than we dreamed about. How are these for a few answered prayers?:
· Safe travel – only 1 flat tire in over 1600 km of driving - crossing 2 rivers -Twice!
· Health – while a few of us had sniffles from colds and others experienced the combination of Altitude and Car-sickness; no one missed ministry due to illness
· Productivity – though we were delayed over 30...
Friday, April 24, 2009
Just reflecting on how much I like the leadership at our church. This past Sunday evening we had our quarterly Rally. It is a time where we ask all our leaders from the various ministries of Parkridge to come together. We talk about what is happening and what to expect in the future. We pause for worship and prayer. We usually try to throw in some type of fun. This meeting, we had a relay involving carrying cottonballs by way of petroleum jelly on your face. It was pretty funny! At...
Wednesday, April 08, 2009
This past weekend, the boys and I went to the beach. Of course we must always dig in the sand. My specialty is grabbing handfuls of really wet sand and let it drizzle between my fingers to form a tower – looks like an upside down icicle. It’s a form of ocean-side therapy. The boys are good at roads and canals and occasionally the dreaded tunnel.
As we constructed a sand community made of multiple castles, we all knew what would happen - eventually. Eventually these wonderful...
Thursday, March 05, 2009
After several weeks of discussing, promoting and praying about our great Connection Offering, Parkridge’s members turned in pledge cards on February 22, 2009.
The results were amazing!!
-100 Committed to praying for missions
-62 committed to participate in mission activity this year
-$61, 189 were pledged to be given by Feb 2010 [Goal was $60,000!]
The Missions Development Team is so pleased with the results. Once again, Parkridge has proven it is an...
Wednesday, March 04, 2009
Perhaps you have heard of the newest addition to the Brown family – Theo. Theo is a Golden Retreiver–ish puppy we got back in January. In this first month of puppy ownership I have learned a few things. Theo is a great dog and our family oozes love all over him. But Theo does have a few habits we are still working to overcome. He likes to wake up too early. He likes to chew – on us, on wicker baskets (a favorite), on his toys, on shoes, on his tail,...
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
Sunday, February 22
Great Connection Offering Pledge Day. Pastor Eddie and I
tag-team preached in both service. We walked along the road of Acts 1:8 and
challenged our people to pledge to pray, go, and give for the sake of seeing the
gospel spread. I was touched at the response and the kind words were
appreciated.
In that setting, I was struck again with the fact that Pastor
Eddie is really a good pastor. He carried our time together and the...
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
Monday-Saturday (Feb 16-21)
Ministry to the homeless. Again I was struck at the servant
leadership of Patty Perdew and the
giving nature of our small groups. Our two ladies and their children were cared
for, fed and just generally “loved on”.
I think that’s a southern phrase.
Their circumstances were rough, but even an air mattress, some security, and a
roof over their heads was a great start to turning the corner towards
stability. Your love was...
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
Sunday February 15
Roy Cooper
preached an awesome message and our hearts were stirred as many stood in the
second service saying, “I want God to work in me”. After that we scrambled to
empty the youth room and turn it into the Acts 1:8 Prayer Experience.
We scrambled
and put together our first attempt at an interactive prayer room. We’d seen
things like this, but not quite the same. God sent angels in the form of Mary,
Patty, Chita,
Kyle, John and...
Wednesday, February 11, 2009
I am constantly hearing about the
bail-outs and stimulus plans. How about you? It gets a little wearisome
thinking how our leaders are about to pull the trigger on a lot of spending that
they “hope” will have an impact – soon. I hate to say it, but I am doubtful.
Quick fixes may not be possible for such a complex
issue.
With the lagging economy, many are
speaking about professions or industries that are strong even in a poor
economy. I...
Thursday, January 29, 2009
There are moments when I catch myself stepping back and
looking at an occurrence like an outsider at Parkridge. I may think,
“What was I thinking?!” or maybe “That’s
it! That’s what we want to be about here at PBC.” I
have had a couple of those moments recently. After our January Rally,
where we screamed “You Rock!” to highlighted servants...