HOPE DEALER In Amishland

Tonight @ 6:30 p.m. we will be replacing our normal First Wednesday with a night called, “Uncensored.” This will not be a worship service (no music or preaching), rather it will be a frank discussion answering questions that our church body has sent in over the last few weeks during our current series. If you are under the age of 18 or feel that personal questions related to sex should NOT be addressed in church, this night is NOT for you. We are going to be giving Biblical answers and guidelines to the raw & somewhat offensive questions of our day. Our sexularized culture is ruining lives and families with distorted views of pleasure and this wonderful gift that God has given called, “SEX.” If I haven’t scared you off just yet, make sure to come on out and join us (bring a friend) for a night that will be informational, encouraging, enlightening and enjoyable! Childcare is provided. If you can't make it, we will be making the night available on c.d. in our bookstore.

WEEK 3- HOW TO TURN THE HEAT UP God wants us to keep the marriage bed pure & active. KEEP IT CLEAN Catch for us the foxes, the little foxes that ruin the vineyards, our vineyards that are in bloom. Song 2:15 Marriage should be honored by all, and the marriage bed kept pure, for God will judge the adulterer and all the sexually immoral. Hebrews 13:4 (NIV) But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality… Ephesians 5:3 IN RELATIONSHIPS, WE GENERALLY JUDGE OTHERS BY THEIR ACTIONS & OURSELVES BY OUR INTENTIONS. 3 WAYS THAT YOU CAN TURN UP THE HEAT IN YOUR MARRIAGE! 1) IF YOU THINK SOMETHING GOOD, SAY IT. How beautiful your sandaled feet, O prince's daughter! Your graceful legs are like jewels, the work of a craftsman's hands. Your navel is a rounded goblet that never lacks blended wine. Your waist is a mound of wheat encircled by lilies. Your breasts are like two fawns, twins of a gazelle. Songs 7:1-3 SPEAK WORDS OF AFFIRMATION, AFFECTION, AND ADMIRATI

Above is an excellent message on masculinity, manhood & marriage. It's worth the time to check it out.

I believe that Satan does exist and I am not him, though some may disagree. The existence of Satan is in debate in many circles and is a worthy topic. I love debates, especially well they are well done. I hate when news programs parade Christians on national television that do not have the intellectual capacity to provide a reasonable, logical and informed position on the topic of choice. I love Mark Driscoll and I'm sure He will represent the Bible & Christ well. For the full debate, click here.

Below are the notes for the 4 sessions that I recently shared at Christ For The Nations Institute in Dallas, Texas. The general topic is in regard to the need for relevance in the church. Above is a picture of my beautiful family... Michele (my wife), Mikayla (9), Caleb (6), Carter (3), Colby (21 months). Session 1- Carpe Culture, click here Session 2- Church 3.0, click here Session 3- Becoming A Next Generation Leader Worth Following, click here Session 4- How To Avoid The Worst Ministry Experience Of Your Life, click here

I'm so stoked about what God is doing! I like to pause and reflect about the past because it helps me prepare for the future. This year has been absolutely incredible so far! Our theme for 2009 is based on a book by Mark Batterson called, “In A Pit With A Lion On A Snowy Day.” It is an odd title for a book and it comes from an obscure passage found in 2 Samuel 23:20 that says, “Benaiah chased a lion down into a pit. Then, despite the snow and slippery ground, he caught the lion and killed it.” Our theme for the year is, “Chase The Lion!” The question is, “What will you and I do when opportunity roars?” This year is all about seizing every divine moment. We kicked off this year with a 21 day fast & God has answered so many prayers! Here are some highlights so far... 1. We have seen 43 people make decisions to follow Jesus so far this year! 2. We have had our highest attended services ever with an average of over 500 people! 3. We have seen a dramatic increase in small

WEEK 2- How To Avoid The Spring Fling? THE BEST QUESTION EVER FOR RELATIONSHIPS What Is The WISEST Thing To do In light of my past experience, my present circumstance & my future hopes & dreams. There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven… Ecclesiastes 3:1 1) YOU WILL HAVE A SEASON OF PREPARATION. See! The winter is past; the rains are over and gone. Flowers appear on the earth; the season of singing has come, the cooing of doves is heard in our land. Song 2:11-12 Winter is the season of preparation. Don’t rush into spring prematurely. 2) YOU MAY HAVE A SEASON OF PERFECTION. Listen! My lover! Look! Here he comes, leaping across the mountains, bounding over the hills. My lover is like a gazelle or a young stag. Look! There he stands behind our wall, gazing through the windows, peering through the lattice. My lover spoke and said to me, "Arise, my darling, my beautiful one, and come with me. Song 2:8-10 During this season, limit: your TI

Today I read a great post over at Mark Driscoll's website. I've read the history of Saint Patrick before, but it's always great to refresh your memory or learn things for the first time. So take a few moments & discover what St. Patrick's day is all about. Check out the post below. Vintage Saints: Saint Patrick Mark Dris coll “I am a servant of Christ to a foreign nation for the unspeakable glory of life everlasting which is in Jesus Christ our Lord.” – Patrick My family name was originally O’Driscoll until it was changed a few generations ago by relatives hoping to more fully assimilate into American culture after immigrating from Ireland. Though I was raised Irish Catholic, I knew virtually nothing about Saint Patrick other than the green beer, parades, shamrocks, leprechauns, and drunken Red Sox fans that celebrated in his honor every March 17th. Technically, Saint Patrick is not even a saint, as he was never canonized by the Roman Catholic Church. Additionall

WEEK1- Fatal Distraction or Faithful Attraction? Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth- for your love is more delightful than wine. Songs 1:2 Recommended Reading For This Week- The Song Of Solomon & Proverb for the day THE BEST QUESTION EVER FOR RELATIONSHIPS What Is The WISEST Thing To do In light of my past experience, my present circumstance & my future hopes & dreams. 1) THEY RECOGNIZED GODLY CHARACTER. Pleasing is the fragrance of your perfumes; your name is like perfume poured out. No wonder the maidens love you! Songs 1:3 A wife of noble character is her husband's crown, but a disgraceful wife is like decay in his bones. Proverbs 12:4 2) THEY BUILT GODLY TRUST. Dark am I, yet lovely, O daughters of Jerusalem, dark like the tents of Kedar, like the tent curtains of Solomon.  Do not stare at me because I am dark, because I am darkened by the sun. My mother's sons were angry with me and made me take care of the vineyards; my own vineyard I have neglecte

Here is a great devotional that I just received from Joel Osteen Ministries today. It is a great reminder that God is our source, our provider & our Father. He can make up the difference in any area that you may be lacking in today! He Makes Up the Difference “…for when I am weak [in human strength], then am I [truly] strong (able, powerful in divine strength)” (II Corinthians 12:10, AMP). Today's Word from Joel and Victoria No matter what weakness you think you may have, no matter what inadequacies or setbacks you’ve encountered, God wants to give you His divine strength. He wants to make up the difference and put you further ahead than you ever thought possible. One time in the Old Testament, God simply multiplied the sound of four men’s footsteps and caused them to sound like a mighty army. When their enemies heard them, they took off running. There were thousands of enemy troops running for their lives, scared to death, thinking they were being attacked by a massive army

Jimmie Bratcher will be rocking the house Sunday night for our first ever Blues Concert! Doors Open at 5:30pm, Concert starts at 6pm. All tickets are free (just show up), seating is limited. Don't miss this weekend (a.m. or p.m.), it's going to rock! Childcare is not provided for the evening concert.

Save the world this weekend... wake up early & be on time to serve and bring someone to church!

"A happy heart is good medicine and a cheerful mind works healing, but a broken spirit dries up the bones" (Proverbs 17:22, AMP). Today's Word from Joel and Victoria So many people today live with sickness, headaches, digestive problems, lack of energy and so much more because they don't have the joy they should. They aren't sleeping well at night and are living under so much stress and pressure. But the Bible tells us that when we are happy and joyful, it's like medicine to our bodies. One of the greatest stress relievers God has given us is the gift of laughter. It not only makes you feel better, but it actually releases healing throughout your system. In fact, medical science tells us that when people laugh, it boosts their immune system. It reduces blood pressure. People who laugh regularly are 40% less likely to have a heart attack than people that don't laugh regularly. Laughter triggers the right side of the brain, which helps release creativity so

Are you feeling stressed, overwhelmed or discouraged? God has the answer for every question that we have about the seasons of our lives. If you are feeling down, don't stay down! Here are a few thoughts that I recently read by Pastor Jentzen Franklin that I believe will encourage you... Meditate on God's Word (Psalm 119:15-16): Meditate literally means to "self talk." When you face the toughest seasons of your life, get in the Word and repeat the promises of God. Remind yourself of God's goodness, love and power. Talk about the victory and blessings that are yours as a child of God! Stay planted (Psalm 1:3): When times get tough, don't bolt. Stay planted in your marriage. Stay planted in the house of God. Stay planted in prayer and in the Word. Determine that no matter what, you will stay rooted in God. He is the source of your peace and power. God is faithful and He cares for you. He knows your need. He will not abandon nor forsake you. Raise the praise