Back up and running

So, yes, it’s been a while. Much has happened since my last update. National SBC leaders are dropping like flies, the Tennessee Baptist Convention has come and gone without major incident, my family has welcomed into the world boy #3, and we’ve still been getting together for CONNECT on Mondays at 10:30. As we embark on the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays, stay tuned to what’s going on in the world of ministry. I know this Saturday there’s a big food giveaway at the WDBA Ministry Center. All 250 slots are filled, but they could sure use some volunteers to help coordinate the effort.

Also, make plans to have someone from your churches represent your flock December 5 at FBC Paris as we coordinate the Ministerial Association Food Box Ministry. Tom Winchester has worked super-hard to ensure that every needy family in our community receives food. In order to prevent some families from receiving multiple boxes while others go without, it is absolutely necessary that everyone get involved. Remember pastors, you don’t have to be there. Just be sure someone from your church is.

Wade and Barbara Akins

Hey guys! I hope you'll join us this morning, as we'll have a couple of guests with us. Wade and Barbara Akins are conducting a"Lordship Revival" this week at Springhill and agreed to come and share with us this morning. You DEFINITELY will want to be there! Wade and Barbara both have been serving overseas longer than I've been alive. Currently, they travel the world training pastors and laypeople in church planting through their ministry, Pioneer Missions. Break away from whatever you're doing and join us. It will be a blessing for you. See you at 10:15 at the Ministry Center.

Freebie!!

Here's a freebie from our esteemed Director of Missions, Bro. Jim Twilbeck. 40 free sermon PowerPoints for download here. All you have to do is register at the site.

CONNECTion Through Service

Had a good discussion this morning on Chapter 9 of Stetzer, et al's Lost and Found. Chapter 9 is entitled "How Churches are Making a Difference Through Service." Some of the high points:

• There are a variety of opportunities to involve your church in community service (even here in Paris/Henry County)
• Perhaps the most effective way to move people into community service is through your church's small group ministry (Sunday School, etc.)
• Young adults tend to be more interested in service than their Boomer predecessors, but have less time to contribute
• We discussed from personal experience what seems to work and what does not work when it comes to moving people from the pew and into service.

It's about time we finished this book, so over the next few weeks we'll be tackling 2 chapters at a time until we get through it. Next week we'll discuss chapters 10 and 11. We'll also hear a report from our esteemed DOM (and anyone else who would like to share) on the Associational Mission Trip to Iowa. We'll have a lot of territory to cover; you won't want to miss it.

Prayer Requests:

• Upward Flag Football
• Joe Davis's son, Carl Davis on a mission trip in Kenya
• Maplewood--Last week of volunteers this week
• Kenny Cook--back problems
• Randy Hart--mother passed away
• Soldier in Afghanistan in captivity by Taliban
• Caleb Ducworth--headed to Iraq
• Bruce Alexander's nephew (Liam)

ReCONNECTing

Just a reminder—CONNECT will be back this morning at 10:15 at the WDBA Ministry Center. If we have anyone there who participated in the Associational Mission Trip to Iowa, then we’ll hear what God did there. If not, we’ll pick back up where we left off (quite some time ago) in Stetzer’s Lost and Found. See you there!

Coffee CONNECT!

We came, we got our coffee on, and we CONNECTed! It was a great time of fellowship and prayer at Jack's Java this morning as Bro. Corey Cain, Bro. Mickey Lovett, and Bro. Otis Hinton joined me for a caffeine fix. The guys helped me brainstorm a little for speakers for next year's West Tennessee Pastor's Conference at Union University, we took prayer requests, we prayed, and then we were surprised by a big announcement:

Otis is engaged! (Yes, he did give me permission to share that.) We are very happy for our brother and excited about the future that God has for him and his new fiance. For more details, you'll need to contact the big man himself.

Be in prayer for our Iowa Mission Team. I spoke with Bro. Jim this morning and they had a great turnout at their revival services yesterday. He said that Bro. Bobby Campbell is doing a great job preaching the Word. VBS and construction projects get rolling today, and the revival will continue in the evenings. Keep Bro. Jim, Bro. Bobby, and the rest of our missionaries in your prayers throughout this week.

Other things we prayed for today:

• Maplewood's new building: construction teams are in and progress is being made (Praise the Lord!)
• Families having lost loved ones in various accidents around the area.
• One couple recently baptized and another very close to making a decision for Christ.

Next week we'll be back at the WDBA Ministry Center, where, hopefully, we'll hear a report from some of our missionaries. See you then!

Long time, no CONNECT

It has been quite a while since I last blogged, and I apologize for that. This morning (July 12) a few of us here in Henry County not on the Iowa mission trip will be CONNECTing at Jack's Java, since the Ministry Center will be closed. Be in prayer for our local mission team, and join us at the coffee shop in downtown Paris if you can break away from you Monday morning. We'll be there at 10:30. See you there!