N-Motion

Fast Week

2012-02-03T23:58:00.000-05:00

Wow the week has really flown by. It is late Friday night, almost early Sat. morning and I'm just getting these slides up. It is amazing what God is doing and I believe the coming weeks are going to be more exciting. To those who are members and regular attenders of Providence please take time each day to pray for our church. To those who are just reading (who I know or don't know) please take time to pray for our church as well. God is on the move may we have the courage and faith to embrace it.

It has been a long time

2012-01-27T14:45:00.002-05:00

It has been a while since I have uploaded any sermons. I've finally done it.

A Ram in the Thicket

2011-12-18T20:06:00.001-05:00

What a year this has been in ministry. It has definitely been the most interesting I've had. The year started with The Gathering in Florida that supernaturally confirmed dreams I've been having were in fact placed in my heart by God. To say the least I was super excited...then the testing began...here is what it came down to, is it about the dream or is it about God?

This may sound funny but one of the stories that intrigues me the most in the Bible is when Abraham is called to sacrifice Isaac. At first we ask why would God ask such a horrific thing...but here is the test...what is more important...is it God or is it the dream God fulfilled? What I've discovered through this year is, sometimes we lose sight of God in the midst of chasing the dream He has birthed in our hearts...I believe I was starting to fall in love with the dream and instead of letting my love for God grow. Then obstacles appeared that forced me to call out to God, to check the course...to say the least doubts began to go through my mind...I began looking for an easy way out...I wanted relief from the frustrations.

God has given relief. He is using someone in my life who doesn't even know the impact they have made. One particular day I was feeling so frustrated. I walked in the door and had a message from them. I returned their call and as we talked my passion was being fed...back to the story of Abraham and Isaac. On the way up the mountain Isaac asked Abraham, 'Where's the sacrifice?' Abraham responds, 'The Lord will Provide.' In the midst of this test Abraham was ready to receive what God had in store. Because of a heart of readiness he discovered a ram in the thicket...this Christmas season I have found my ram in the thicket. There are still many things I am having to continually place in God's hand but just as Abraham learned something new about God through this experience I am learning something new about God. So the frustrations are real but MY GOD IS REAL and that is what I must focus upon, if I don't no telling what I could miss.

Sermon Slides

2011-12-14T10:33:00.002-05:00

Had some issues...if something doesn't make sense please feel free to ask

Sermon

2011-12-07T13:50:00.002-05:00

Just letting all know Sunday slides are up!

A Christmas Package

2011-11-30T17:36:00.000-05:00

If it doesn’t fit into your box...get a new box...Randy Cross said of Tim Tebow. Tebow began his career at the University of Florida as a talented high school football player, he left as one of the most decorated college quarterbacks ever. His transition to pro football hasn’t been as easy...he doesn’t fit the mold of a traditional pro quarterback...he doesn’t sit back n the pocket and throw for 300 yards completing 60% of his passes...but there is 1 thing he does and that is win. The Denver Broncos began the season 1-4. Since Tebow became quarterback they have gone 5-1 yet the criticism persists, simply because he doesn’t fit into the box of what a quarterback should be in the NFL.

Don’t know if we’ve ever realized it but God tends to be outside our box thinking. Asking Abraham to take Isaac and sacrifice him was outside the box...Abraham got a new box...Asking Moses 2 lead an entire nation out of Egypt was outside the box...Moses finally got a new box...Esther becoming a queen and walking into the kings presence unannounced to save Israel was outside of the box...through Mordecai’s help she got a new box...

This time of year there will be trees full of boxes...but what we celebrate is outside the box...it began with God coming to a young teen to announce she would carry the package for this outside the box gift. The conception would take place in an unconventional manner...the Savior would be born in an unconventional place, He would be raised in an unconventional town by 2 unconventional parents. His ministry would be unconventional and end in an unconventional way...initially many missed the unconventional Messiah because they were looking inside the box. Today there are many who continue to miss the Messiah because they are looking inside the box. That is why it is up to us to lead them to look outside the box...to do this we may have to get a new box of what reaching these people looks like. What once worked may have worked for years and years but something new comes on the scene and while it looks unconventional it works and we give the credit to God...instead of criticizing because it doesn’t fit into our box...let’s get a new box to help people see outside the box

Simply making all aware the slides from yesterday are up

2011-11-07T15:25:00.000-05:00

Molding Scripture to our lifestyle creates a moldy enviorment...

Holiness

2011-11-02T10:54:00.000-04:00

Holiness is a lifestyle...not a suit we put on Sunday Morning!!!

Very Delayed

2011-10-24T22:18:00.000-04:00

It has taken a while but I have just updated slides from the last 3 sermons...preaching through 1 Corinthians and it has been 1 of the most challenging series I've done...but it sends me to my knees each week as I prepare

Taken a while

2011-09-14T22:03:00.002-04:00

Sorry it's taken so long to post this past weeks sermon slides...hope they are helpful

Thank God for Unfair

2011-08-28T21:17:00.000-04:00

If you are a parent there is probably a phrase you have heard repeatedly...In our house if 1child gets something and the other doesn't, we will hear..'thats not fair.' After hearing that phrase repeatedly we usually look at the child and say, 'Life's not fair.'

As a parent that phrase seems to make perfect sense but in spiritual matters it doesn't...think about how many times we've been tempted to utter this phrase to God. Take for instance when Adam and Eve sinned...we've all been affected by their decision...to the human mind 'that's not fair...I didn't make that choice.' But we know if any of us had been in that situation we'd done the same thing.

The Bible is full of 'unfair.' David the man after God's own heart made a terrible decision to have an affair with Bathsheba and conceived a child. This led David to also conceive the great cover up. After believing he'd gotten away with it God confronted him through Nathan...David is humble enough to admit his wrong and while he was forgiven it didn't keep him from the consequences. The first consequence mentioned was the sword would never leave his home, which proved true through his children. Within his own home there was rape and revenge. The next consequence is where I've always wanted to say...'God, why it's not fair.' Of course I'm talking about the death of the child they'd conceived...why God chose this course of action has never made sense to me and has scared me...while I still don't understand it completely I saw something I'd never seen before...a picture of Jesus

Jesus was perfect...we committed sin...Jesus died for something He didn't do...but I don't think we've ever argued with God about this being 'unfair.' Because of 'unfair' we have eternal life...because of 'unfair' we are a new creation...

This theory was developed through thinking about things holistically...we can't take one verse and create a theology (children die and suffer because of a parents sin)...in so many instances the Old Testament is pointing us towards Jesus and God gives us word pictures through the patriarchs, the prophets and the entire sacrificial system...in some strange way why couldn't God be pointing us to Jesus through this story as well...as I told those at church tonight, 'I'm just spit balling.'

God is doing a Nu Thang (unashamably stolen from DC Talk circa 1990)

2011-08-23T10:25:00.000-04:00

We are stepping out of the boat...we are stepping into a raging river...however you want to say it Providence is about to embark on something nu...we've talked about it but now we are putting it into action. On Wednesday night KidZone will be launched. We launch this with faith that God is going to use it mightly for the kids in our church and community. Like I said, it is a step of faith but one we have to take...many times when God asks us to take a step we pray and pray wanting to know every little detail when at the moment the only thing He is asking us to do is go...I think about the Israelites in Joshua 3:8, 13-17 when they were about to cross the Jordan God didn't part the river before the priests stepped in...He parted it when the priest stepped in. They didn't know before they did but they trusted God...while reading a book by John Ortberg he made a statement regarding knowledge and faith...if we know then it doesn't take faith...so if we know then we don't expeirence a God-movement

Another step we've been taking is being a part of a Eden/Southside Virginia learning center for Laurel University out of High Point...while promoting it earlier this year I got a crazy look from an individual like they couldn't believe we'd do something like this...at the moment their tone frustrated me...now I embrace it because through faithfulness we are going to surprise a lot of people...once again I ask you for your prayers. These are nu things but just like Abraham, when God said go to a new land, he went...we are getting our feet wet 1 way or another...whether it is stepping out of the boat and walking on water or stepping into the water and see what God will do

What a Sunday

2011-08-21T22:35:00.000-04:00

I'll admit this sermon was tough to preach...God is faithful

Bad Grammer

2011-08-17T22:55:00.000-04:00

Man just happened to notice how bad my grammer was on the last post...most would say don't worry about but it is something I take serious...I may not understand it all but I try

The Link is Up

2011-08-14T22:11:00.002-04:00

Really enjoy the opportunity each week to share a message from God's Word each week...hope the link to the slides is helpful

Can't get it off my mind

2011-08-13T00:37:00.000-04:00

Tonight on the news there was a story regarding high school football and the dangers...now I'm not a fear monger because I realize danger is all around us...but what caught my attention was the follow-up story about a man who is my age who was injured while playing football. The injury was very traumatic...causing him to be paralyzed from the neck down. At the time the family was without insurance but the school system had a policy that covered accidents like this but now the system has lost the coverage, leaving this man w/ little to no coverage.

The results of this were his mother having to make tough decisions...pay for medication that allowed his 1 functioning lung to continue functioning or pay for their home...she chose the life of her son. Eventually she found a foreclosure notice from the bank on her home...the first thought that went through my mind was 'What is wrong w/ the world in which we live?' It is called business w/o compassion...we have forgotten people.

Luckily for this family there is an organization stepping up to help them...my further thoughts were there are people out there who have found themselves in the same spot...there are families cramming into small hotel rooms because they have no where else to go...then there are those who can't even pay for a room and have found themselves in the street...what have we done...turned a blind eye...we have forgotten people...we have become a church universal w/o compassion...I hope this is not coming across as yelling because I'm really yelling at myself...over the last few months I've been thinking about what can we do in our community...Greater Rockingham County has been decimated by industry going overseas w/ very little replacement...the unemployment rate has remained high...what is the bright spot...God has given us a mission and I'm making a 'world-wide-web' commitment I'm no longer sitting on the sidelines...somehow someway I'm getting my feet wet and I am willing to take anyone w/ me...how can we be Christian's w/ compassion and show it? No idea is 'crazy' and I am even willing to go out w/o a plan except God's plan. Let's turn the world upside down.

Hope this works

2011-08-07T22:13:00.000-04:00

Providencers and who ever wants to look the link to the slide from church this morning is on the left under 'Sermon Presentations.' It worked when I tried it. If it doesn't let me know and I'll try to get it fixed. Hope this is helpful.

Something New

2011-08-03T11:39:00.000-04:00

It seemingly took me forever but I figured out how to post the powerpoint slides from Sunday. I'll try to add these for Providencers who may have missed a Sunday or were here and missed something. Hope this is helpful...by the way on this one I didn't mess w/ the editing...I'm learning as I go here...hope all have a great day

Hope for the Helpless

2011-07-13T22:52:00.000-04:00

Every now and then Christy reads a book and tells me I need to read it. I'm really not sure why but when someone tells me I need to read a certain book I take it as a challenge to prove I can survive without reading it. That being said, I finally picked one up and read it.

It started while on vacation last week. The place we were staying didn't have cable and I really didn't want to watch a movie. As I sat on the couch I looked over and found The Final Summit lying on the table next to me. I reluctantly picked it up and began page one. The next thing I know I'd read over 50 pages discovering tremendous lessons in a fictional book using historical figures. That is when I read this particular quote attributed to Winston Churchill (not sure if he really said it) 'I have long believed that there are no hopeless situations; there are only people who have grown helpless about them."

After reading it I began to look at my own life and realized, 'We never lose hope because hope can't be lost.' 1 Corinthians 13 is known more for its description of love but listen to verse 13...'these 3 remain, faith, hope and love.' That tells us they are eternal...so if we have hope that rests in the very words of God we are never helpless.

Almost 3 years ago while Christy was pregnant with Ava we received news the umbilical cord was wrapped around her neck. That is when the doctor said those scary words, 'Theres nothing we can do.' That night I felt really helpless. The next day I was talking to my Mom about this frustration of not being able to do anything but pray...she said, 'That is the best thing we can do.' It was in that moment I discovered the lie of helplessness. There was something I could do, pray, and I discovered no matter how the situation turned out God would give me the strength. What a lesson, so the conclusion... We are never without help and that gives us Hope.

J-2: The eternal thirst quencher

2011-05-25T22:07:00.000-04:00

Throughout history there has been many famous war ships. There is the USS Missouri where Japan surrendered to end World War II. There is the USS North Carolina, famous within its own state. Then there are some that are famous for their size, such as the USS Nimitz. There is one ship that may be more infamous than famous, the USS Indianapolis. The USS Indianapolis departed San Francisco carrying the first atomic bomb. They arrived at their destination with few problems. After the package was dropped off they were instructed to meet up with a fleet of ships to prepare for an invasion of Japan...but they never arrived. July 30, 1945 they were torpedoed by a Japanese sub. The damage was so bad the ship went down in 12 minutes with 300 men and leaving over 900 in the water with nothing more than a life vest and a few rafts.

For 5 days these men drifted in shark infested water as they awaited a rescue. During that 5 days the numbers dwindled quickly. While sharks got many of them, others simply died from dehydration. Here they were surrounded by water and couldn't drink it because the salt water would do more harm than good.

Last night I was reading through John and came across the story of the women at the well. At this well Jesus broke down social barriers by asking this women for a drink. It was there Jesus turned the need from physical to spiritual. While we don't know a lot about her background we do know she had been involved in many relationships and was in one at the moment. From one standpoint this woman was thirsting for something but constantly kept drinking 'salt water.' What she thought would satisfy a need just created more of a need and she kept returning to the same place over and over.

In this passage Jesus offered her 'living water.' Verse 4:13-14: Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst. Indeed the water I give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life. What makes it living, it is constantly being replenished.

How many of us are drinking 'salt water' instead of 'living water?' It may be constantly finding ourselves in bad relatioships...it may be constantly making destructive decisions...the fact of the matter is there is a thirst we are trying to satisfy. There is nothing on this earth that will satisfy...the only solution is what Jesus offers. It changed the life of an ostrized woman and it is still changing lives today.

For those have discovered the living water, I believe an awakening is taking place...there are many who spent their 20's and 30's doing what they've wanted and now they suddenly realize how thirsty they have become...these people are starting to return to the well...are we going to offer them 'living water' or are we going to send them away because they don't meet our 'social standards thus sending them back out into a world full of salt water.

Perfection

2011-05-04T22:43:00.000-04:00

Sometimes I have a problem...I want things to be perfect. Over the last 6 to 8 weeks I've been using powerpoint slides while preaching. When it comes to these things I want it to be perfect and I work my hardest to get it that way. This Sunday I was thrown a curve ball. I began my second point and realized the slides had gotten out of order. The frustration began growing inside of me because I knew I'd checked it more than once and now I was looking "foolish." For the rest of the sermon my concentration was gone...but I learned that God is more powerful than my imperfection.

Jesus tells a story in the Bible about a man who wanted to become a disciple. Jesus invited him to come and his response, 'Let me go bury my Father and I will.' Jesus response, "Let the dead bury the dead.' Was this Jesus being uncompassionate? To begin with Jesus had insight we don't. If his Father was close to death why wasn't he at home caring for him at that moment? Chances are this man's father was not anywhere close to death so it could be years before this man returned. In some ways this man wanted to follow but he wanted to wait until things were perfect.

Sound familar? There are times God has called us to something...we get all excited and say 'YES but wait til...I am more financially secure...til my chilidren are grown...til I retire I'm so close'...bascially wait until life is perfect. Guess what...life will never be perfect so we might as well say 'Yes' and begin moving. This morning I was riding down the road when I heard a story that really impacted me. This story had to do with Japan. Japan has been devastated by an earthquake and tsunami yet when word reached them of the destruction in the South, especially Alabama, they chose to give and help these places re-build. Things in Japan are far from perfect, yet they are giving money that could go toward re-building their own country. Whatever they give may pale in comparison to what they've recieved but what an impact this has on the lives that will be touched by it...Life upon this earth will never be perfect but God can work powerfully through our imperfections.

Publicly Accountable

2011-04-17T23:37:00.000-04:00

Lots of great things are happening at Providence...this morning as I sat in front I looked around and never noticed how we seem to be getting younger. I didn't count how many children we had this morning but a few weeks ago we had 16...things are happening. Also this morning I publicly passed on what God has been putting in my brain. It is not all formalized but each week God reveals more and more of His plan. Imagination to reality...

Here are some broad ideas: To begin with we Encounter Christ through Worship thus driving us to want to know Him better...this would be called Encouraging 1 another thru fellowship...fellowship is a broad idea. It is not just having a meal after church, fellowship is all about discipleship...corporate discipleship that leads to personal discipline...I imagine a church that doesn’t limit God through stifling creativity because it doesn’t mesh with what we have decided church is. So we become creative in how we reach all people..I imagine a church that is filled with opportunities for all ages to learn how to love God, thus bringing Him glory that translates into a passion to love one another...fellowship also serves as a spring board to Engage our community

Here comes the accountablity...it is not about why we can't do it. It is about stepping out to see how we can get it done. God has already been doing some wonderful things and as I sit and think about it I continually get excited...it is an excitement filled with butterfly's...if you are reading this and you are a part of Providence please continue to pray...if you are reading this and you are not please keep us in your prayers...we are heading into a new frontier but a frontier with limitless possiblities.

Back to the Future

2011-03-31T21:01:00.000-04:00

Back to the Future has been one of my favorite movies since I first saw it. (If you are reading this there is a good chance you know about this movie) It introduces us to Marty McFly, a 16 year old high school student and Doc Brown a hair brain scientist with a stroke of genius who invents a time machine using plutonium stolen from terriorists. On the night of the first test the terriorist show up and Marty McFly jumps in the time machine and is taken back to 1955. (As a child I couldn't figure out the title because in my mind he didn't go to the 'future' he went to the 'past.' I didn't realize the focus was about him trying to get back to 1985.) Once 1955 we begin to see the events that had to come together for Marty to be born...His Dad had to fall out of a tree to get hit by a car so Marty's Mom could fall in love with his Dad...they had to go to the Fish Under the Sea Dance together so they kiss for the first time...once this happened Marty was able to go Back to the Future with the help of a lighting strike and Doc Brown...

There comes a time in our life we need to go back. Wednesday morning God took me there. I don't know about y'all but I do my best thinking in the shower. It is the one place I can go, turn the fan on, turn the water on and not hear anything going on anywhere in the house (For those at Providence, many of my sermon outlines are developed in the shower). Wednesday my thoughts were different...I was taken back to the Lakeview Lodge as a 19 year old kneeled at his chair realizing his Christianity was not about heritage... I was taken back to the third floor of Childs Hall on the campus of Southern Wesleyan as sophmore was on his knees praying about a major, ultimately attempting to bargain with God. I was taken back to sitting in the office of Dr. Hayduk putting a schedule together realizing there was a lot of elective time needing to be filled, so for some reason it was filled by religion courses. I was taken back the library on the same campus as I looked at a catalogue for a seminary I had really never heard of in Wake Forest NC...I was taken back to a visit made to this campus and ultimately receiving an acceptance letter...I was taken back to a wedding ceremony at Covington Memorial Wesleyan Church where a 21 and 22 year old thought they had life figured out...six months later this same couple packed up a U-haul moving into their 700 sq. foot mansion to begin 5 year journey of growing up.

I was taken back to that Seminary as a 23 year had his on 'Wrestle-Mania' with God. God kept saying 'I want you as THE pastor.' the 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28 year kept saying, 'What about a chaplian in a Christian school...What about being a teacher...What about being an assitant pastor.' God kept saying, 'local church ministry is where I want you.' Finally on the phone a question was asked, 'Would you be okay with being a solo pastor?' There was a sigh and finally a 'Yes.' God got the 3 count.

I say all this because it is amazing how God preapres us with small steps. We may not realize it at the time but it is these small steps God uses to make us into who He wants us to be. Sometimes while taking the step we can't figure out how this fits but when we go back it becomes so clear. As I was standing there I kept I realized these steps involved people...I think of Matt and Kris LeRoy that night at camp. I think of Dr. Black when I think about SWU. I think of my Uncle Greg and Aunt Karen who helped us through a lot of junk during seminary. I also think of Greg and Erica Bowman, Dr. Beck, Dr. Stuart, Schodt and Sons Auto Sales, Millbrook Exchange Park, Northview Community Church which includes Derrick and Paula Lemons, Darrell and Cindy Burrows and all the members...the list could go on and on...without these people and these places I would not be the person I am.

So when life seems meaningless or confusing be encouraged the place you are is God's way of developing you into the person He wants you to become...You are our Father. We are the clay, you are the potter; we are all the work of your hand (Is. 64:8)

One 'Unique' Word

2011-03-20T22:50:00.000-04:00

I remember the first sermon I ever preached. I had no idea what to do so I tried to follow my Dad's model. Over time I continued searching for a model. To begin with I wanted to sound like Billy Graham. Then I heard the evangelist Tony Nolan. I wanted to preach just like him. Anytime I had the opportunity to preach I would pull out the tape and listen to it hoping I could develop something just like him. But nothing felt comfortable until I discovered I had to figure out my own style which included every aspect from preparation to speaking. But just like life it is a process in motion, I am continually learning.

The reason I needed my own style was God has not created two people alike. Imagine out of all the people who have been born and died and continue to be born, there has never been a repeat. Just take a look at your finger right now. What do you see? Something called fingerprints...these fingerprints are unique to you and you alone. No one in this world has had those fingerprints or ever will.

This is same for churches as well. Every church has it's own unique set of fingerprints. We have been called by a Specific Person (God), for specific reason, to be accomplished with a specific attitude. What does this mean? As a church ministers it must do so within it's God given uniqueness...a church must be intentional about getting our fingerprints all over the area we've been called to impact and it begins with LOVE...Love the Lord your God with all your heart and all your mind and all your soul. Love your neighbor as your self.

Practicing what I preach...At the Feet of My Father

2011-03-09T22:44:00.000-05:00

Ash Wednesday kind of snuck up on me. I will be honest I hadn't given it much thought until I read a couple e-mails from other churches and a blog I follow. But God being God has guided the sermons lately with an idea that meshes with it...At the Feet of my Father...1 John 1 spends time talking about light and darkness and how they are incompatible, much like oil and water. If we commit to sit at the Feet of our Father we may have some uncomfortable moments because light reveals the ugliness darkness hides and if we want to maintain true fellowship we must deal with the sin that is being revealed.

I share this because I am trying to practice what I preach...tonight has been one of those experiences of light revealing ugliness...confessing those things that hinder my fellowship with God. As I said it can be uncomfortable or maybe I should say down right painful. The crazy thing was where I felt the conviction. It wasn't just in my head, it wasn't in the pit of my stomach it was litearlly on the left said of my chest. The pain was in my heart. I have had heart burn and let me tell you it doesn't compare to the conviction of the Holy Spirit. But when sin is acknowledged, confessed, released and forgiven it is better than drinking Mylanta...

As Lent starts I encourage all those who attend Providence and for all others who are reading...Take time to rest at the feet of your Father...utilize this time as a time of confession because it is not just about giving up carbonated drinks or secular music, etc...go through the sometimes painful process of discovering things about yourself that may be hindering your fellowship with God...do so with this knowledge, 'If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness...' through 'Jesus Christ, the Righteous One. He is THE (meaning God's unique and only solution to sin) atoning sacrifice for our sins and not only for ours but also for the the sins of the whole world (1 John 1:9 and 2:1-2).

Crazy Dreaming

2011-03-06T22:43:00.000-05:00

If there is one thing I am trying to do is give myself the freedom to dream and not tell myself why it won't work. After church today I shared a crazy dream with an individual and was amazed at their response, 'I have had similar thoughts this week.' I am excited where this dream goes (as I get more into it I'll share details). Amazing confirmation when we are willing to put 'feet to faith.'

Also this week Providence is going to be turning our fellowship building into a coffee house. I am very excited about the interaction we will have with our young adults. In my heart I believe this is going to be a big step for our church and I believe it is going to be the beginning of something fantastic.

God is taking us to a new frontier. While it is exciting it can be a bit unnerving but I am loving it...something I couldn't have said a few years ago...as the saying goes 'Let Go, Let God.'

Shock and Awe

2011-03-05T00:36:00.000-05:00

Last year in a conversation a statment was made that continued to plague me, 'If I didn't know so and so I wouldn't even know y'all's church was there.' This statement was not reflective on the people, just more on our location. Providence is situated about a mile to a mile and a half off two well traveled roads.

After that statement was made I continued to pray about it not real sure what needed to be done or even how to do anything...then a couple months later I attended The Gathering in Jacksonville Fl. It was there things began to go into motion. Now I have attended many meetings only to leave very cynical (not sure I spelled it right) but there was something different about this one. God began confirming things He had laid upon my heart over the last couple of years.

How does this fit together? I left there with one thought, how to turn imagination into reality that included how Providence could make a greater impact on our community...then God began answering questions. One night I was sitting on the couch and received a text from a friend wanting to know if we'd be interesting in being a potential site for Laurel University in High Point to launch a Rockingham County Campus. I text back I'd love to talk about it...God was sending me into shock...I approached the Deacons they became very excited about the possiblities. I approached the local church they too were excited about the possibilities...what better way to get the word out about Providence Baptist Church...there is the potential for all kinds of advertisment at minimal cost to the church...this opportunity will be one that is unique to our community. In the process I have already met many people I otherwise wouldn't have and who knows where God will take us from here.

What this did besides send me into shock was grow my amazement about God. While creating a solution to a question that plagued me it has also given me the confidence to continue dreaming. I even began taking a a writing pad with me just in case I have a thought. I even have a page I call my 'Crazy Dreams' page. These are things that seem outrageous but I am willing to see what God can do.

My message is for all people but for ministers who find themselves in small pastorates...continue dreaming...continue listening to God. No matter how small the congregation God can do big things. Just as we have been created by God for a purpose...your church has been created by God for a purpose...a church in motion can't be stopped...in those times when things seem difficult don't turn and run looking for greener pastures keep watering the pasture you are in with the Truth that knows no impossibilites.

Finally Did It!

2011-03-03T00:00:00.000-05:00

I've been thinking about doing this for a while and nowI finally did it. I've shared with many that this is the year of not giving into fear. It may sound funny but this is one of the steps to not giving in. That being said, I would like to explain the name, N-Motion, a little. Over the last few years God has been leading me in developing a simple philosophy for life and church...the idea is we must be in motion at all times...Today I happened to be reading Philippians 4:6. As I read I noticed the lines I'd placed underneath the words and thought about what was happening when I placed them there. That was when I thought, 'boy I'm a lot closer to God than I was then.' God quickly put me in my place with this (not sure if this is uique or if I read it somewhere) 'The closer I get to God the further I realize I have to go.' To paraphrase Steve DeNeff (I hope I'm accurate), in one sense upon salvation we've arrived but we are always arriving. We must never become content with where we are...we must be encountering Christ through daily worship, encouraging others through daily fellowship and engaging the world daily through telling, by the power of the Holy Spirit who sets us N-motion...Zechariah 4:6, Not by might, Nor by power, but by My Spirit, says the Lord Almighty.