Monday, March 01, 2010
In 1991 the Lord gave me a vision for ministry that included starting a church in an area of our nation that was in need of churches. That vision ultimately led to the birth of Parkridge in 1992. During the formative years of this ministry the Lord sent faith-filled believers and newly born believers to join us in the journey of faith here. That early group led our church to launch out in the uncharted waters of land development so that this ministry could have a permanent...
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
I want to express my heartfelt thanks to all who worked on the “prayer experience”. It was a wonderful and challenging walk thru experience. My heart and mind were recalibrated toward the world (both near and far) and the desperate need of so many millions that do not know Jesus as Lord. We hold the keys to the Kingdom of God and they are waiting to receive the truth, even if they don’t know they are. The greatest offensive weapon in our “faith arsenal” is prayer.
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Monday, February 22, 2010
“Therefore be careful how you walk, not as unwise men, but as wise, making the most of your time, because the days are evil.” Ephesians 5:15-16
Our lives are a testimony to what we believe. There is no getting around it…whatever is on the inside will ultimately come out in our daily “walk”. So, how’s it going??? Where do you stand? Where you stand will ultimately determine how you walk. Wisdom vs. foolishness. We are rebellious by nature so...
Wednesday, February 10, 2010
Life speeds by! The Super Bowl, much hyped and advertised for months, is now over. Now begins the work to advertise and comment on next year’s NFL season. The accomplishments of this world are fleeting and temporary. The prize of following Christ never wanes…it shines for all of eternity. As we enter the second decade of the 21st century it is more apparent than ever that our world needs an answer to the search for significance and happiness. It is found only...
Thursday, December 10, 2009
As Christmas approaches I want to challenge you to consider how you will give. It is not really a question of what you will give but how??? That you will be giving gifts this year is almost a forgone conclusion but the motivation and attitude behind the gift is a real key to whether or not you enjoy the season. When the Heavenly Father gave us His Son it was with a heart of love and justice. The gift took on huge proportions because of our great need for it. The gift of Jesus is the only thing...
Thursday, November 12, 2009
The Nov 6-16 Peru trip is progressing nicely and God is working. As I write this report (Wednesday Night Nov 11), the team has just passed the half-way mark in their ministry time . So far, the team has seen 2 accept Christ and 3 baptized. These are the first people being baptized on this side of the valley that we know of!! Praise God!! Jerry Wiles, Master Wiles of Tri-Star Karate, gave a demonstration and testimony at the high school. Many heard the gospel there. Jerry was suffering...
Wednesday, September 30, 2009
Safety is not a prominent theme in the Bible. Security is always certain as we follow the Lord’s plans but safety is never promised. Following after the Lord will bring great risks but it will also bring great (eternal) benefits.
Our present study is of Joshua and the children of God. After wandering, wondering, waiting, wishing, and wanting so much more…the Lord, in His timing and wisdom, gave them the opportunity of a lifetime but it required taking the biggest risk of...
Thursday, September 03, 2009
Pray!!! It appears that the Lord is opening a door for us to move forward on building our next building so let me ask you to pray. We have entered into negotiations for the sale of a small portion of our land to be made into a shared use parking lot…the proceeds will retire our debt and posture us to seriously consider our next building phase.
There are many details to cover with attorneys, engineers, city officials, etc…but more than anything we need the direction of the...
Wednesday, July 01, 2009
Vacation, children, heat, rain, thunderstorms, activity, scheduling, finances, marriage, job, life… It takes all day just to live in these tumultuous days. This summer is a wonderful time to evaluate your priorities and refocus on what is really important. Our current teaching series, "Count The Cost", is aimed at helping all of us remember the significance of Christ’s sacrifice and of our following after Him. It is too easy to forget who He is and who we are in Him.
Busyness, even...
Wednesday, June 03, 2009
The Fireproof series has been a wonderful opportunity to reevaluate our marriages and what the Lord desires for us in the whole arena of relationships. I so appreciate Brad Boyette and Daryl Brown teaming up with me to teach some of what the Word of God has to say on the subject. I pray that the information covered will bring holy direction for our church for years to come. Marriage is sacred and yet so fragile...only eternity will show the significance of our willingness to stay the course...
Wednesday, May 13, 2009
Jesus Himself, near the end of His earthly life and ministry, prayed for His church by saying, “May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.” (John 17:23) What an encouragement to us, to unify the body and have that unity be a testimony to all those around us! Relationships are wonderful gifts given to us by God. As we read in the Bible, the most-intimate relationship is marriage between a husband and a wife....
Tuesday, May 05, 2009
Discipleship, discipline, spiritual growth, and maturity are all words that evoke work, time, and energy. They are all words that describe a similar life…a life that is moving closer to the Lord. It is the life that hungers and thirsts for righteousness, it is the life that worships and sees the Lord high and lifted up. It is the life that is discerning and becoming wiser each day. For many it seems that that kind of life can never happen to them, but it can.
In Richard Foster’s classic...
Friday, February 06, 2009
The church is the most important institution in the world. I don’t make that statement lightly…I really believe it to be true. It is the one place where my involvement/investment will outlive and outpace me. The ramifications are eternal as far as time and life changing as far as quality.
In western society we have this fascination with our own personal needs. This attitude flies in the face of a healthy understanding of the church because church, biblically...
Wednesday, December 17, 2008
This Christmas season, it is appropriate for us to examine the birth of Christ. The meaning of Christmas is so easily obscured by the many obigations that rise up in our lives at this time of year--whether they are "good" or not. Presents, parties, meals, decorations, in short, all the trappings of "normal" Christmas, can take our focus off of Jesus, who is the central figure of history.
All of recorded history, B.C. and A.D., are divided by the birth of Jesus. Please begin reading...
Wednesday, December 17, 2008
Dear Friend,
Thanks so much for visiting the Parkridge web site. It is my hope that you will find what you are looking for here. Please let us know if your question is not answered. We strive to use this resource as a tool for information and for inspiration. We certainly don’t know all of the answers to life’s questions but we know the One who does…Jesus!!! The greatest change you can ever experience is to trust Jesus Christ to be the Lord of your life. We would love to talk to you about...