September Thoughts

September has arrived and with it all the fresh new starts and familiar normal rhythms. New starts are experienced by students heading back to school, advancing to the next grade in their journey. Normal rhythms are encouraged as schedules that were relaxed through the summer months return to their usual pace.

New starts and normal rhythms come to our AMBC family as well. Fall is an opportunity to get moving again and see ministries re-start and serve the people of our church and community. We are looking forward to Sunday, September 12 at 9:45am as we have our “Kick Off Sunday”! Come that day and learn more about what is planned for the coming months.

Normal rhythms also are important in the life of our church. COVID and summer have maybe removed each of us from a “regular routine” of church attendance and involvement. Now is the time to jump back in to those familiar normal rhythms. We must recognize that, as believers, we were meant to live connected lives. The picture in Scripture is that of a body. Just like our physical body is made up of many parts that are fitted and working together, so too are we, as Christians, a part of the body of Christ. Paul says, “Just as a body, though one, has many parts, but all its many parts form one body, so it is with Christ. For we are all baptized by one Spirit so as to form one body — whether Jews or Gentiles, slave or free — and we were all given the one Spirit to drink. Even so the body is not made up of one part but of many…Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it.” (1 Corinthians 12:12-14, 27)

So as we come to this fall season, let’s jump back in, together, to those normal rhythms and maybe some new starts as well.

June Thoughts

As we enter this sixth month of the year we have much to be thankful for!

First, a good spirit is present in our church. This is evident as we meet together each Sunday, but also was seen in our recent Annual Meeting as we celebrated all that God has been doing in the past year, as we selected leadership positions for the year ahead, and as we approved a budget to guide us as we seek to fulfill the ministry that God has for us.

Next we are thankful for the decreasing COVID-19 cases and the relaxing of some of the guidelines. We are grateful for God’s protection to those in our church and community. In the past few weeks we have seen a steady increase in our attendance and ministry opportunities are now being added to our calendar.

Also, we are praising God for His work in His people here in the Candor area. We enjoyed a very special National Day of Prayer on May 6th as 38 brothers and sisters in Christ gathered at McNeil Pavilion to spend time praying together. We look forward to more opportunities like this in the coming months.

As we move into the coming summer months let’s submit ourselves to God and His leading in our personal lives and the life of this, His church. Will you pray with me for a continual sighting of new faces that join us for worship, for consistent, joyful giving, and for willing hearts to serve Him in the ministry opportunities we have?

On Sundays, we have recently looked at Spiritual Warfare and Prayer. Remember that the battle is ever-present around us and we are to be praying people - honest prayers about everything that are continually lifted to our Great God. We need Him and His forgiveness, love, guidance, and power each and every day! What a mighty God we serve!

Catalyst Reflections

This last week I received the CD's of the sessions from this year's conference in early October. It brought back so many great memories.

This was the first time I had ever been to Catalyst and it was all that I expected, PLUS so much more. God used the speakers to challenge my heart and my thinking. I definitely returned home changed.

I look forward to receiving the DVD's soon!

Larry King's Thoughts

Interesting to hear what Larry thought after his interview...

http://edition.cnn.com/video/#/video/bestoftv/2008/08/08/lkl.about.thurs.cnn?iref=videosearch

Other Thoughts on Chapmans

Here are the thoughts from Jim Houser, Steven's manager. His blog is a "must read" through this whole tragedy.

http://chapmanchannel.typepad.com/jim/2008/08/impressions-of.html

Chapman Family on Larry King Live

We quietly sat last night with our family and friends to watch Larry King interview Steven Curtis, Mary Beth and kids. It was very, very moving...almost hard to believe that some questions were asked and then expected to be answered. I was on the verge of tears and also on the verge of joy as I heard the family speak. I love to see the reality of faith in Jesus Christ lived out, even in the midst of difficulty and pain. My desire is to be able to do the same, if God were to call me to.

Best Day

A week ago Monday, I had one of the best days in a long time. It didn't even take the whole day...it was just a small portion of the day...but, it made it the best day. The activity was really quite simple, not something that may seem earth-shattering to you. What was it, you ask? Well, after dinner I simply spent time wrestling with my boys on the floor of the family room...rolling around together, letting them get out all that "manly" energy, allowing them to pin me down (that's right...I said "allow" them), laughing together, and just plain being silly and crazy! It was worth it to see their faces and especially to see my wife's face. There was a relaxing sense afterwards that this is what life should be about. No rushed schedule, just some moments alone as a family...spending time just having fun together and showing each other how important they are to us.

Life does get busy...but, as a Dad, I need to take those moments and enjoy them. And then, build in more opportunities to make them happen again and again and again.

My Responsibility

I just finished reading Raising a Modern-Day Knight by Robert Lewis (see it under Recent Reads to the right and click to check it out). Wow, what a great reminder and challenge. My job as a Dad is to help my two boys to become men. I love his definition of manhood: "A man is someone who rejects passivity, accepts responsibility, leads courageously, and expects a greater reward". That is what I want to be and what I want to pass on to my boys, who are fast approaching the time to become men.

Why Do I Do What I Do?

I spent the morning at one of the local Middle Schools for their Career Exploration Day. What a unique opportunity to speak to 6th through 8th graders about the possibility of them serving in a church ministry in their future years. I will admit that the three groups I spoke to were probably much smaller than some of the other careers offered, but still, I was able to speak with some of the students about the career/ministry of a pastor. Reflecting beforehand about what I might share with these students made me realize that at the core of what I do is the building and developing of relationships - my relationship with other people and then our relationship with God.

It's not often that we get a open door into the public schools, so it was a privilege to be invited and I am grateful.

Oops...

Regular content is a good thing on a blog and I recognize that there hasn't been much here in the past month. It's amazing how the busyness of life can so drive us that we don't do other things that are just as important or good. Also, there is a feeling of what is there that I can share. Sometimes I just think that I have to be so profound in my blog thoughts that I end up being paralyzed and end up sharing nothing. So, there is my confession for this month...I'll try to be more consistent.

Getting Started

Well, here I go in the new world of blogs...and I will attempt to be consistent in this endeavor.

The thoughts expressed may be serious or they may be funny, but no doubt they will be random thoughts from the mind and heart of someone who is on a journey. This journey that God has placed before me and He asks me to move forward with Him.