spotlights

This past Saturday the Praise Team was rehearsing for our Christmas Service on Sunday at East Rowan High School. As we were going through a sound-check of the songs for the service, the spotlights for the stage came on. Talk about bright. Over the years, I have grown accustomed to them, and they don't seem to bother me that much. But, it is fun to listen to the response of others on the stage. The most common response being, "How can you see anything?" I know that people can feel that spotlights shining in their eyes can be distracting and make it hard to see people. And, at first, I probably felt the same way. But, I don't think that way any more.

The whole purpose of a spotlight is to make those of us on the stage easier to see. I know that sounds pretty obvious, but sometimes we need to be reminded that as worship leaders....we need to be seen as worship leaders. Spotlights have become a tool to help me focus more on worshipping and to remind me that I am being viewed as a worshipper. When that spotlight comes on, I have to ask myself.....am I a worshipper? Am I ready to lead? Am I ready for the responsibility of leading? Am I worshipping?

This is the Christmas season and worshipping God should be a top priority in our lives. It's all around us..... from stores to TV movies to sales papers..... Christmas is everywhere.... or is it? Have we become so distracted by the rushing around to get everything while it is on sale, or trying to fill every wakened hour cooking and preparing desserts for party after party, that we forget to focus on the true meaning of Christmas.....the birth of God's Son....our Savior?

Do we need to be reminded by a spotlight?

As believers in Jesus Christ....we are on a stage everyday. Is His spotlight making you a worshipper to everyone that sees you?

ornaments

The day after Thanksgiving is the day that has been set aside for decorating our house for Christmas; inside and out. I tend to view this as a project/job for the day. This process begins with the climb into the attic to gather the boxes and tubs of decorations. After everything is down and separated, then the decorating begins.

Once the tree is up and ready, I get to place the lights on the tree. After I get the lights working, and in the right place on the tree, then I will head outside with Joshua to begin decorating the front of the house. Karen will be busy inside placing everything in its place around the house, and then she begins to place the ornaments on the tree. Its a very tedious process, and she takes great care in how the tree looks from every angle. After all the lights and wreaths are situated on the front of the house, and most of the boxes are returned to the attic.....I get to listen to my favorite part of the decorating.

Karen will show me where she has placed the newest ornaments on the tree, and why she has placed them where she has. I know that she is wanting me to see where they are so that when I am ready to video our decorations, which we do each year on Christmas Eve, I will be sure to include them. What she may not realize is that when she shows me the ornaments, she is reminding me of special things that we have done during the year.

Our whole tree is made up of ornaments that are memories, and every memory is refreshed with every ornament. I enjoy looking at a decorated tree for Christmas, but what makes ours so special is that it reminds me of every blessing that God has given me and my family. I know that most people look forward to what Christmas may bring each year........but I like looking at our tree and remembering what Christ has brought.

think and thank

Today is Thanksgiving Day and I am sitting here going through everything that I am thankful for. Well, actually, I am trying not to fall asleep. That always happens after an amazing meal and a quiet house. A lot of people have been sharing with me what they are thankful for all week long; from the Thanksgiving Service at HRCC Sunday night to posts on Facebook. This is the time of year for thinking and thanking. And now, on this quiet afternoon, its time to think and thank.

First off, I am thankful for a God who gave His Son for me so that I could become one of His children. He has blessed me with Karen, a loving wife that is my biggest supporter and encourager. Her love is truly a blessing from God. I am also thankful for my family; Joshua, Kristen, and Marshall; my Mom and Dad; my brothers and sisters, and their spouses and children.

I am also thankful for the people of High Rock Community Church. They have made my journey of following God's call on my life exciting through all of their love and support. I am thankful for the staff of HRCC, the team that I work with that I now consider an addition to my family. And, to my brothers and sisters that lead worship each weekend with me, I am so thankful for the chance to worship with you all. Thanks to all of you for your prayers, support, love, and friendship.

pray in the moment

In a message a few weeks back, I heard Pastor Ray talk about how easy it is for people to tell someone, "I'll pray for you." And if we are honest with ourselves, we can probably recall times that we have told someone that when they tell us of a struggle that they are going through. One thing that I have learned from Ray, in my 5 years of being at High Rock, is that he usually doesn't say that he will pray for you. He takes you by the hand and prays for you right then...and it doesn't matter where you are.

I have seen so many people moved by this simple act of compassion; praying in the moment. I have tried to follow this example that as been set before me. It was a difficult at first, but before too long I found myself praying for people in their seat before, or after a service; praying for someone in the lobby of the church; in the parking lot by their car; on the curb; in my office; on the phone; in the ER; out-patient area, and the list gets longer. I have discovered that most people want to ask you to pray for them, and then expect you to say that you will and that is the end of the conversation. The real blessing for us, as believers, is when we stop what we are doing and pray. For that moment, their request has taken center-stage and they have become the most important thought on our mind.

Two nights ago I prayed for a married couple. The husband has been sick for a while and has gotten to the point that he was wanting his wife to wait on him hand and foot; 24-7. The wife was doing all that she could, but it was beginning to strain the relationship. A wedge was being driven between them, and it was starting to affect the entire family. I was called to come and try to "talk some sense into him." I sat on the side of his bed.....and we talked for about 30 minutes about all that was going on with him and his wife; the stress and tension. Then I felt God tell me to pray for them. I fought that one. I really didn't want to do this, but He wouldn't let up. So, I gave in. This was not going to be one of those, "I'll pray for you" and let it go moments.

I took hold of their hands......



.......and I prayed for my parents. It was the first time that I had prayed with my parents like that. I had always felt that it would be awkward to me, but I had such a peace......even as I listened to my mama fighting back tears, and felt my daddy squeezing my hand.

If I had put that moment off......I would have missed an incredible blessing.

who hasn't heard?

The other night, Karen was working on adding information from the Connection Cards, that we request to be filled out each week. She came across one and had to share it with me. On one side of the card, at the bottom, there is a question that asks "How did you hear about High Rock?" There are all kinds of responses to that question. They range from a friend's invitation, tent cards, t-shirts, some outdoor event, a flyer in the mail, yard signs in the neighborhood, billboards around town, and even an ad/commercial on TV. It is always fun to read about the ways that someone has heard about HRCC and it has encouraged them to come and see what God is doing in His church.

This card that Karen was sharing with me had a response that will have to be labeled from here on out as a classic. "How did you hear about High Rock?"

Response: "Who hasn't heard about High Rock?"

Two things I see in this response. (1) The folks that attend HRCC are not shy about telling people that they meet, where they worship. (2) People in Rowan, Cabarrus, and Davidson County have seen what God has been doing through HRCC.

When God truly has placed His hand on His people, His church, it is no longer a secret....it is contagious.

colorful sounds

I traveled to Asheville this morning with Karen and Joshua to see Kristen and Marshall. It has been a while since we have made this trip, and it had been a while since we had seen Kristen and Marshall. Monday, being a day-off, seemed like the best time to go. So, mountains....here we come.

The leaves are still beautiful heading up I-40, and Joshua and Karen are having a contest to see who can get the best photo of the colors. I'm sure some of them will end up on Facebook pretty soon. After picking up Kristen, we drove on the Blue Ridge Parkway for a few hours and stopped at the over-looks for more pictures and to just look out across this massive landscape of colors. Wow, God, this is impressive!! There were quite a few people up on the Parkway doing the same "leaf-gazing" as we were, but at one point, we were the only people at an over-look. It was so quiet. No car engines running. No people talking. No dogs barking. Just silence.....and a huge, colorful masterpiece that stretched out forever.

I once studied about an artist named Kandinsky, and how he used colors to represent sounds in his paintings. Reds were like harsh, shrill sounds.....yellow was like a loud blast of sound....blues were a soothing sound. When you would look at his paintings, you would get a sense of music playing to help you appreciate his work. When I sat on the railing and looked out at this amazing piece of artistic wonder....in the silence....I was listening to the most incredible orchestra playing the most amazing symphony ever composed.

How can you not know that there is a God? Even the trees sing out with all the colorful sounds that are reserved for the ears of God. If we would just take the time to enjoy this song we call "Autumn"....

Shouldn't we be making music and singing to Him as well?

beach in October

I like to go to the beach. I'm partial to visiting the beach in the summer though; when it's good and hot with lots of chances to play in the ocean and body surf. But, this week.....I am at the beach, and it has been great. It's not crowded. I got sunburned a little on the first day. I did some fishing for the first time. Actually, I was supposed to be watching the lines, but there was a bite and I was the only one at the rod. Go figure. I got to play a round of golf with some fun people. Golf is so much better when you can laugh while you play. (Oh, I won. Best round I have shot in a long, long time) I have gotten a chance to run a few miles with Karen. I've walked the beach, looking for shark teeth and have been surprised by some sneaky waves that just jump up and get you wet....with no warning. I've been swimming in the pool and laid out in the sun. Is this really October? I have sat in a rocking chair and watched the stars at night, looking for meteors, and listening to the waves crashing.

Tonight, I get the honor of rehearsing a wedding ceremony for the daughter of some dear friends, and tomorrow I test my sea-legs as I perform the wedding ceremony on a boat. They say that it will be just a "three hour tour.....a three hour tour." Of all the great things that have been a part of this trip to the beach.....I'd have to say that I am enjoying spending time with Karen, along with some amazing friends, listening to the ocean at night, and flat out enjoying life.

Isn't that why God created all of this for us anyway?

Our loved ones, our family, our friends....all given to us by God to enjoy here, surrounded by His creation, and His presence....to remind us all of how much He loves us.

24 hours

I remember hearing once, that when the Temple was built by Solomon, that there was continuous worship. That before Solomon began the construction, his father David, had selected a group of Levites that were skilled in playing instruments and singing to be the "worship leaders" for the Temple when it was finished. I had heard that the worship was going on for 24 hours each day, every day.

Twenty-four hours!?! I mean, I like to play and sing, but twenty-four hours of playing and singing. I had always thought that maybe this was an exaggeration on the part of the people that were sharing this information with me. Maybe they were wanting to add to making the description of the Temple even more magnificent than it was; just to give us a mental picture of what was taking place then. Then, the other day I was reading in I Chronicles 25, and I came across where David had assigned singers and musicians for ministry in the Temple. There were 288 "young and old alike, teacher as well as student." They cast lots to determine, basically, when they were scheduled to play. There were 24 lots cast. 24 time slots. 24 hours in a day.

How important were the people that helped to lead worship in the Temple? How important are the people that help to lead worship here at HRCC? To me, they are very important. Not because they can sing and play, and are willing to rehearse for hours to get ready for a weekend of services. Not because they show up at least one hour before the services start, or for their willingness to learn new songs for the church to worship with, or even their understanding of changes that come about between services. What makes them so important to me, and to the church body, is the fact that God has given them all a talent and a willingness to allow God to use that talent in leading His people, the church, in worship.

I know that the people that entered the Temple in the Old Testament were surrounded by music and singing. There had to be an excitement and anticipation in the eyes of everyone that would be participating in worshipping God. I also know that when we come together on the weekend, I can sense the excitement and anticipation of worship just by looking at the faces in the room. I truly believe that it is a reflection of the same excitement and anticipation that the members of the Praise Team have as we all join as one body to worship the God that has brought us all together.

september what?

This is the last day of September?!? Are you kidding me?!? I haven't blogged in 50 days?!?

That's right. I was sitting here at my desk reading, answering a few phone calls, and doodling on my desk calendar when I realized that September had just shot past me and now I am looking at October being here in less that 13 hours. What has happened?

It seems like the last thing I remember was being at the beach with my family, and now....leaves are beginning to turn and fall. The scriptures are so right. Our life is but a vapor. We really aren't here long at all. I guess when we think about our life as a brief moment in time, we start to understand the urgency in which we do things. Everything seems to revolve around a drive-thru mentality.....and we have become accustomed to it. The quicker...the better. Even if it isn't any quicker, we tend to think that it is. I mean, does the addition of a second window at any fast-food place get you your meal any quicker?

And now, we look at a desk calendar and think that September just shifted into a hyper-month, and we feel like we missed thirty days of our life. Thirty days.....that if we would stop for a minute....and write down everything that happened in those thirty days (in the blocks on the calendar), is it not possible that in these thirty days, we would be reminded of all that God has done in our lives. I don't mean the big, noticeable things that have made an impact on us. Those are amazing in their own right. But, I am talking about remembering those little things; those quiet times when God was close and you could sense it. Maybe it was in the rain; or a sunrise; a sunset; a full moon; a song; a passage of scripture that came to mind when you needed it most; a card in the mail; a phone call from a friend. It may not always be something good that we remember, but the reality is that we need to focus on each day that we have been given and not let it slip away without being a part of it.

So, if you'll excuse me......I need to fill in some blocks on my desk calendar.

32 years of dating

My gosh! It seems as though it was just yesterday that I was washing the old Mustang and getting it all polished up for my first date. And as the hour drew closer....the nerves began to take over. This would be my first date with Karen. Everything was gonna have to be just right. I have to be polite.....open the door for her......compliment her.......pay for the meal......and take her safely home. That doesn't sound too nerve racking does it? Oh yeah, this is a blind date.

Of course it was a blind date that changed my life forever. King of Pizza in Kannapolis became like a shrine to me. I can still see the inside of that place, and the booth that Karen and I shared with my brother and his date. Can't tell you what kind of pizza we had, but I can tell you that I sat beside of Karen. I don't know what it was, but I would try and remember everything, and every time we were together. The first movie we saw together was "Rocky"; the first Christmas we exchanged gifts (I still have the chair she gave me); my birthday gift to her (an engagement ring). Our lives have been filled with lots of "firsts"..... first kiss, first home, first child, and the list goes on and on. But, more importantly.....our lives together have been filled with dates. 32 years of dating.

One of the greatest pieces of advice that Karen and I received in pre-marriage counseling, was to continue dating. Of all the things that I have learned in 30 years of marriage, taking Karen on a date still makes my heart race just like it did 32 years ago today.


Karen.........I love you........wanna go get a pizza tonight?

play-doh

One of my favorite art classes that I took in college was in ceramics. I guess the main reason was the chance to learn how to mold clay into a piece of art. There was always a fascination at a young age with being able to make a recognizable object out of a lump of clay.....mainly play-doh. But, here was a chance to learn how to mold clay......real clay. I would even get a chance to "throw" a pot on a wheel. (That's just some artist lingo to make you think I knew what I was doing) It was thrill for me to sit at the wheel with a lump of clay in the center and using a combination of force and control to begin the process of creating a pot/vase. Whether it would have any real use would be revealed after it was fired and glazed.

I always think about that ceramics class and "throwing" pots when I read in the scriptures how we are described as clay in the hands of the potter. And, I can see how we are that lump of clay until God takes us and places us on His wheel to mold us and shape us into what He wants us to be. Just like an artist, He has a plan on what He needs to do to make us useful for Him. I know it seems like it is all up to God how this all will turn out, and in the area of art, the clay is pretty much totally controlled by the potter. Once it is on the wheel, it stays there till the potter is finished. This is where the difference is.

It takes quite a bit of force for the potter to turn a lump of clay into a piece of art. Sometimes, it takes a lot of force for God to turn us into His piece of art. The difference in us and the clay is that, when we feel like it is too much force; too hard on us; too difficult for us; too painful to bear....we choose to get off of the wheel.

Oh....for the strength to stay on the wheel and allow the Creator to finish what He has started in us; to feel His hands as they shape and mold us from the inside out; to feel His force on our lives as He lifts us higher and higher...... making us His work of art.

People will be able to look at us and know that we are His because we were willing to stay on the wheel.

others

I was reading in a book by Eric Rees the other night, and he was commenting on the Good Samaritan parable in Luke 10. I've heard about this man in messages, studied about him in Sunday School lessons, and I have even taught about him to youth at a summer camp. And, you know how, even if you are familiar with a story in the Bible, and you think you have heard every angle that could be presented on the topic......there always seems to be a new view point. That was the case in my reading.

The Good Samaritan is all about being a servant; simple as that. We are called to be servants as we follow Christ. He is our example of how we are to live our lives. I guess I just didn't consider the importance of our mind when it comes to being a servant. Most of the time...we focus on our heart and we want to have a servant's heart to help us be a servant. But, our mind? Eric Rees says that he has heard it said, "The body never goes where the mind has never been." He goes on to say that if our mind is set on serving others, then that is how we will respond to others. We need to be aware of how we can serve at all times. Serving others must be in our mind at all times.

I have come to the realization that for "serving others" to always be on our mind, then it needs to have a place of importance in our mind. If serving is something that we just think about from time to time, maybe when prompted by a message at church, or a commercial on TV, then it is not important to us. How important is serving to us? .......to me? Are we ever saddened when we can't serve someone, or miss an opportunity to serve somebody in need? Or, do we look for a reason not to serve? Does our mind start to calculate how much time this will require, or how much it my cost us?

And when that happens, we will realize what is important in our minds......our self. We become more concerned about "our" time and "our" resources (money). Where do the "others" fit into our mind? The "others" need a place of importance, and that place can only be seen as important if we have the mind of Christ; who said that He "did not come to be served, but to serve." The "others" were always on His mind. He gave His life for the "others".


That makes us all................."others".

be God's

Several years ago I bought a black t-shirt with two simple words written in white across the front of the shirt. The two words said……”be God’s”. I purchased the shirt for different reasons, but mostly because it looked cool. And, it would make people take a second look at what it said. Over the years I haven’t thought too much about the shirt. I still will get it out and wear it from time to time. But, recently (as in yesterday) this simple phrase has resurfaced in my mind; not because it is cool, but because it tells us all something we need to remember and know.

I was reading in Ephesians the other day and I came across this passage in 2:8-10. As I read Ephesians 2:8-10, I saw a short phrase that defined the entire passage for me. That phrase is “For we are God’s”. This passage means that we have always been His. He has had a plan for us from the very beginning of time. His plan was to first, save us; and to save us by His grace …His Son …His sacrifice …His plan. This would have nothing to do with our abilities or skills, because if it had, we would brag about it. Pride would cause us to make something of ourselves, and not who God created us to be; His. This grace, this love that Christ has for us, was given freely; it is a gift. What allows us to receive this free gift is our faith; our faith that Christ has shown His grace to save us because we are God’s. We belong to Him and have always belonged to Him.

God has placed great value on us by saying that we are His workmanship, handiwork; masterpiece. He has created us to pattern the life of His Son. He has been preparing for us to do for others what His Son also did; to show grace, love, and mercy to everyone we meet and to tell them about our God who loves us so much. What better to know than the realization that God has always considered us valuable to Him; so valuable that He bought us with the sacrifice of His Son? He has prepared us by giving us the examples set by His Son to help us live for Him. And, we can do all that He has planned for us to do, “for we are God’s”.

So, as we walk out of the comforts of feeling safe and secure inside the church walls, and venture into the world that God has prepared us for; remember, that in all of our circumstances, whether good or bad, God is in control. He values us. He has plans for us. We are His own; sons and daughters. I believe that it is time we acted like His children. All we need to do is....


……be God’s.

wash her feet

Are you familiar with the account in the scriptures where Jesus begins washing the feet of the disciples? Peter is appalled that Jesus would stoop to such a lowly position and he refuses to allow Jesus to wash his feet, until Jesus explains to him that unless he lets Jesus wash his feet, then he can have no part in following Jesus.

I've heard a lot of messages over the years on this event in the life of Jesus and his disciples. But, I would have to say that the one speaker that brought this into reality for me was Rev. Larry Jackson. You may not know that name, and neither did I until he spoke at a Promise Keeper's event in Knoxville, TN several years ago. What I learned that afternoon, along with 40,000 other men was, that to wash someone's feet.....you needed a servant heart much like the heat of Jesus. And as a husband, that servant heart would cause you to out serve your wife. Rev. Jackson challenged every man in attendance to ask God for His servant heart; to return home as a new man, and to out serve his wife. The first step would be to wash her feet.

I had made the trip to TN with several men from church, and we had a good time going and coming back from there, but you could sense that each one of us was anxious about what was going to happen when we got home. We had been instructed by Rev. Jackson not to tell our wives what we were doing. But, to sit her in a nice chair...... get a bowl of water and a towel.... then return and wash her feet. Only after washing her feet could we explain what we had done, and why.

The closer I got to the house, the more anxious I became. Could I do this? Would Karen understand? Will this really make me the man I need to be in her life and in the life of my kids? I had it all planned out. I walked her toward the living room to sit her in a nice chair, but she stopped me. She told me that she had listened to the entire event on the radio while I was away. Then she told me the most humbling thing that I have ever heard.



I didn't need to wash her feet............again.

"connect the dots"

Do you remember "connect the dots"? I use to love playing that game in puzzle books. You would look at all these dots on the page and just know that if you connect them all in the right order, you have a finished picture. But, not until they are all connected.


I believe that in our churches we are challenged to connect the dots when we serve in a ministry. We look at what we feel God is leading us to do, but we can't fully make out what will be the end result. We ask ourselves over and over if what we decide to do will make any difference in any one's life. Then, we begin the journey. We usually start with some simple pictures that aren't too hard to figure out, and once we get comfortable with those, we step up to the more challenging "connect the dot" pictures. These take a little more time to finish....with a little more concentration.

We have all been called into a ministry of service for the Lord, and we are all at different levels of competence when it comes to connecting the dots. The more we try to follow the example of Jesus and His ministry of serving, the more the ministry requires of us. We are asked to turn the page to the hard picture puzzles; to step out of our comfort zones and step into a ministry that requires a servant-heart ability to connect the dots. When we do this we will see that we are being challenged to step outside the ordinary and seek to do the extra-ordinary that will require much of us.

Those dots will take us to the hurting, the lost, and the dying with a servant-heart filled with compassion and love to feed the hungry, care for the sick, and love the overlooked. We will begin to see a completed picture of what the church is suppose to be; a reflection of Christ.

in the garden

I was doing one of my class assignments last week. We had been asked to select a song from a song list and answer questions about different things written within the song. I already was picking out a certain song that I was wanting to use, but when I clicked on the song list that was provided........they were all hymns. I won't use the word "old" because I don't like to hear that word so much myself. There were seven hymns to choose from. They were "Holy, holy, holy"; "When I Survey"; "Be Thou My Vision"; "Whiter Than Snow"; "Throw Out The Lifeline"; "Bringing In The Sheaves"; "In The Garden". Not your CCLI Top 25, but that last one.... "In The Garden" has always had a special place in my heart.

Every time that I hear it sung, I can't help but think of my mother-in-law. She loved this song. If there was a Sunday night with a "Hymn sing", she would always request it. Why? I was never really sure, but I think her mother loved the song as well. If I had to guess, I'd say that maybe the imagery of spending time in the garden with Jesus is a lot like spending time in the garden with a dear friend. You would talk, laugh, share stories and remember whens. It may be hard for some people to understand how special that time in the garden really is.

Both of my grandfathers had gardens, and they worked in them all the time. Growing up, I looked forward to be out in the garden with them. (It was a good excuse for coming home covered in dirt) Those days of planting corn, peas, okra..... My favorite was planting potatoes. I mean, you had to get down on your hands and knees to do this. Papaw would drop the sliced up potato in the row, and my job was to make sure that was turned the right way. Not sure if it really mattered to the potato, but I got to get down on my hands and knees and just crawl along and cover the sliced potato with the dirt. Good stuff. We'd get through and sit under a shade tree and drink a Coke. He'd give me 25 cents, help brush most of the dirt off of my jeans, and I'd head home.....a farmer. I learned a lot from my Papaw in the garden. Hard work doesn't kill ya'. The job isn't done until you finish.

Sometimes the work in the garden took quite a while, and as I got older I didn't look forward to it as much. It wasn't smething that I wanted to do. Now, I hear this song.....

"And the joy we share as we tarry there
None other has ever known"

Looking back...I wish I had "tarried" a little longer in my time with my Papaw. When it comes to our time with Jesus........in our garden........ how long have we tarried there?

soaked

Last week I went to Niagara Falls with Karen. We went to the Canadian side. Okay, there were 22 other people with us on this trip. But still.....to me, it was a trip to Niagara Falls with Karen.

I had heard people talk about going to Niagara Falls, and I had seen countless pictures, but I was overwhelmed by the shear power of seeing the Falls and listening to the majestic roar. This was incredible! Karen and I would just stand there and look at the Falls. Of course, we took pictures and videotaped the whole thing, but just to stand there and look and listen...we never tired of doing that. We spent a lot of time at the Falls. We went down an elevator and walked out on a platform at the base of the Falls. The sound was deafening and exciting. We even went down through some tunnels to get in behind the falls. You could get within feet of the rushing wall of water. As crazy as it may sound, we got on a boat (The Maid of the Mist) and rode it right up to the Falls. You couldn't hear the sound of the boat's engines.....just the roar of the Falls. The force of the water crashing down from about 200 feet made for a very bumpy ride. And yes, we were soaked. This was an amazing adventure. Would I go back? Oh, yes.

I happened to be thinking about that trip this evening and I was remembering how awestruck I was at the sight and sound of the Falls, and I couldn't help but wonder if I would react the same way in God's presence. Would I make an extra effort to get even closer to Him? Would I find a way to try and reach out to feel Him? Would the force and power of His majesty keep me back, or would I surge through the turbulent waters to get as close as I could, to be soaked by His love for me?

Everyday, we are given another opportunity to draw closer to God; another chance to reach out and take hold of His hand as He guides us through life; another chance to know His love when everything is crashing down around us. Do we just look at pictures, or listen to others talk about God? Or, do we make the effort to get to where we can feel His majesty and be soaked by His love for us?

acceptable worship

I was in a conversation the other day that was centered around worship; go figure. Anyway, the discussion headed more toward what we thought was the most important element to worship. What makes our worship acceptable to God? Do we need the right songs for worship? the cleanest sound? the newest technology? a deeper understanding of what worship really is? dedicated musicians and singers? coffee? diet Dew?

I just finished reading a book by Louie Giglio, "The Air I Breathe", for a second time. And, in this book he writes that there is one thing that we need to make our worship acceptable; just this one thing, this one element that defines worship. It turns out that it could be simple to grasp, but very difficult to apply. It's not pretty, yet it's necessary. Without it, there is no worship. Without it, there is no audience with God. Without it, we can't even approach God. Without it, He doesn't know us. We can't play it, or sing it.

We can embrace it; bow down in it's shadow; remember the love shown there; the sacrifice that was made so that our worship would be acceptable to God. Without the cross, there is no worship. Without the cross, there is no audience with God. Of all the things that we think that we need to do, or have to have to be able to worship God; the one and only thing that makes our worship acceptable to Him............He already provided. Have we missed it? Did we cover it up with everything else that we think that we need? Did we misplace it? Or, did we just forget about it today........yesterday........last week? When was the last time that we thought about the Cross of Christ? Was it while we were worshiping?


Should've been.

It's all we need.

"just" worship

“I just want to worship…..that’s all”

I heard that in a conversation recently. At first I thought, this person must really want to spend time in worship. But, when I wrote these words on paper......this type of worship seems so limited. How is it possible to be called a follower of Christ and "just" do anything? When I hear someone say that they "just" want to do this, or that; what I hear is that they don't want to do anything else. Is their life so busy that they can't experience the fullness of what God has to offer? He is not limited to "just" one area of our lives. He is all encompassing. He is in every part of our lives. When a person says that they only want to do "just"; they limit their relationship with God and they limit their involvement in church. There is so much to knowing who God is, and there is so much to discovering what He wants to accomplish in our lives, that the word.."just"..doesn't fit.

In Luke, Chapter 10, we read about Jesus visiting with Martha and Mary, and how Martha was rushing around the house doing this and that while Mary was at the feet of Jesus. Martha complained about Mary's choice, but Jesus said that Mary had made the right choice, and it wouldn't be taken away from her. Mary did make the "right" choice, but she didn't "just" sit at Jesus' feet. She listened to Jesus speak, and He had her undivided attention. She would have done anything He asked of her. I believe that when a person only wants to do "just" what they want to do, then their attention is divided among a lot of other things that make them more like Martha. I'm afraid that they may "just" miss out.

If we "just" want to worship, then we will miss out on all that God has planned for us. Worship is all about knowing who God is and what He has done, but knowing who God is and what He has done in our lives is not limited to "just" worship.

Worship is the start.

pauses and tears

Joshua.......Ryan........Pinyan

As he stood at the edge of the platform, waiting for his name to be called so that he could walk across the stage to be "hooded" by Dean Staver, and then receive his diploma from the Liberty University School of Law.....my thoughts go back to other graduation ceremonies. Each time, he would stand at the side of the stage and wait for his name to be called; and every time...there would be a pause.....my heart would jump up to my throat and my vision would blur. (Why is it that the tear ducts fill up when I want to see clearly as I video my children finishing one chapter in their life, and beginning another one.)

This was a familiar pause that I have heard all through his life; Pre-School Graduation; High School Graduation; College Graduation; and now Law School. You would think that I would be accustomed to this pause.....this waiting to hear his name called.....this moment when my son, my little boy, takes his next step in life and continues to grow into the fine young man that God has been shaping from his first breath. Even then, there was the pause.....the tears.....and the words...Joshua....Ryan.....Pinyan.

I guess you could say that I am a proud father, but the correct term would be.....

I am a blessed father. God has blessed me beyond words. He has blessed me with Karen, to help me in this life. He has blessed me with two beautiful children and a great son-in-law. Most of all, He has blessed me with pauses......and tears.

God You Reign

Sunday night I was having rehearsal at the church with some of the Praise Team to get ready for next weekend. Most of the time, we rework some songs that we have done in the past to refresh our memory, and then there may be a new song to introduce to the Team....and hopefully to the church. This was one of those rehearsals.

I had heard a new song called, "God You Reign", and thought that this could be a do-able song for the church......it has a chorus that seems simple in the phrasing.....but what is said, and what is sung just surrounds you with a major truth.......God....You Reign!! And, as we rehearsed it and rehearsed it and rehearsed it, that statement got stronger and stronger. 24 hours later; I can still hear it in my head. We know that God is in control, but do we understand what it means for Him to reign in our lives? I understand the "control" that God has in my life; how He cares for me; how He guides me; watches over me; teaches me; challenges me. He is with me every step of the way, but.........what does it look like for Him to "reign" in my life?

The best way that I can think of to answer that question is this.......for God to be in "control" of my life means that He is in charge of everything, and I am His servant. For God to "reign" in my life means that He is King of everything, and I not only serve Him, but I worship Him with everything that I have.....my whole being. That is why I was created......to worship Him for who He is and what He has done. That is why you were created. That is why we were created.

God You Reign
God You Reign
Forever and ever
God You Reign



Yes........that's truth

did you feel that?

"That was amazing!!", "Wow!!", "Did you feel that?", This was awesome!!" These were just a few of the remarks that I heard over this past weekend. There were more......a lot more, but I think you get the point. HRCC had just experienced one of the biggest weekends in the short history of the church.

Friday night, HRCC became "One Church in One Location" with UNITED. "That was amazing!!" All three campuses met together to worship God for His blessings; to celebrate 20+ baptisms; and to share the Lord's Supper. Again, "That was amazing!!"
Saturday, in Denton and Kannapolis, a total of 20,000 eggs disappeared in less than 45 seconds. "Wow!!" This was crazy!! There were almost 7,000 people that showed up to see eggs fall from a helicopter. And that was just Saturday.
Sunday, HRCC's Easter services were attended by over 1200 people. "This was awesome!!"

Now that I have caught myself up with what all happened this past weekend, I can focus on what I saw........or felt. I saw a lot of volunteers work very hard behind the scenes to make everything work as smooth as it did. I saw a lot of hard work rewarded with blessings. I saw a lot of eggs, a lot of people, and a lot of fun. But most of all......I felt God move in the worship of His people. Friday night, the worship began before any worshippers entered the service. The musicians and singers offered their talents and abilities to God for Him to use in the service.....and He did. The same thing happened on Sunday morning..... and God took the offering again, and caused the worship to become more than musicians and singers on stage leading. God took over the worship and moved through His people in an amazing way. If you were there at either of these services, even if you weren't singing along with everyone else.....you had to have felt it.

You know.....the sound of God dancing.....and clapping His hands as His children praised Him.

"Did you feel that?"

thank you

I was sitting here in the conference room today (I was late coming in to work), and it dawned on me that two years ago I today, I came on staff as a full-time Worship Pastor. Wow!! It has already been two years........time just slips away.

I won't even try to put on this blog what all has happened in the past two years. If you have been here during that time frame, you'd understand. God has blessed me in so many ways through the friends of High Rock Community Church. I prayed today and thanked God for all of you that have helped me grow in my position as a worship leader and as a pastor. I even thanked God for all the struggles that have come our way, because it has been through these struggles that we have all grown together. Thank you all so much for what you mean to me.

God is truly an amazing God.

a servant's heart

The other night I was reading a post from a classmate in Missouri. He had responded to a forum that I had posted on an assignment the day before, and was asking me about my goal to become more of a leader with a servant's heart. His question was pretty much...... how do you know if you have a servant's heart, and what does that look like? I thought that it was good question and it started me thinking; how do I know if I have a servant's heart? What would it look like to people that I come in contact with everyday?

I could tell stories of examples that I have seen in other people that I believe have a servant's heart, but that doesn't tell me if I have a servant's heart; and that doesn't answer my classmate's question. Still, I recall all the examples that I have seen. There has to be something common in all of them; something that I can learn and develop into my leadership goals. Hmmm; maybe there is something in the scriptures that could shed some light on this. Of course, the best example of a servant's heart was demonstrated by Jesus as he washed the feet of His disciples. And what made this so amazing at the time........it wasn't expected by His disciples. This was not what they would ever think their Master should do; totally unexpected. That's it!!

How do you know if you have a servant's heart? When you take the opportunity to do something for someone, it doesn't matter what it is, and they weren't expecting you to do it; that is having a servant's heart. It is not hard. It may be demanding, and it may be dirty; but it is something that you feel lead to do......and that leading comes from within the heart......a servant's heart.

what if I break it?

The other night I was communicating with a lady in California through a discussion forum (the internet is so cool), and she was making a statement......or maybe it was a question. She has this fear that when God makes something available for us to use.....what happens if we break it? Will He be upset with us?

I started wondering about the same thing. God has given all of us at least one gift; some maybe more. Our responsibilty is to use our gift in service for Him. If He has given us a gift, then I suspect that He would prefer that we use it, instead of storing it away. I think that sometimes we take what God has given us and we place a label on it. The label may be "precious", "delicate", or "fragile". We treat it like some people would treat an antique. "Be careful with that!" "Please don't drop that! It will break!" Maybe you haven't heard that before, but I grew up hearing it. You know how children can be. They just don't realize how fragile something can be, or how easily it can be broken. We'll just put this away for safe keeping. I guess if we grow up with that in our mind, and then God hands us a gift to use....hmmm. I can see how there could be a sense of fear that God might be upset if we break it.

Then again, why would He give us something and not expect us to use it? If we don't use the gift He has given us, then we will never break it. We might forget that we have it, but we won't break it. It can only be broken if we are actually using it; if we are putting it to use in our lives; if we are......how can I say this?......if we're wearing it out. I believe that if it does break, God will fix it. I believe that if we come to Him with whatever we've broken, He is not upset; He smiles. That smile that says, "Yes!! You're using my gift! That's what I wanted you to do"....

"Well done!"

living in a garbage can

These past couple of days have been amazing.....weather-wise, I mean. Very different from last weekend, with all the rain and snow. 70's on Saturday, Sunday, and Monday. It has been beautiful. Just stepping outside and taking it all in; you can't help but think about how amazing God is......that He created all of this for us. And in six days.

I was reading a quote the other day by Keith Green. He was a Christian Songwriter, whose life was cut short in a plane crash at the age of 28. In a very short span of life, he made a major impact on what we now call contemporary worship music. He also did a lot evangelism. Karen sent me a page online so I could read some of his quotes, and this was one of them that fit with what I just talked about.

“You know, I look around at the world and I see all the beauty that God made. I see the forest and the trees and all the things. And it says in the Bible that He made them in six days, and I don’t know if they’re a literal six days or not. Scientists would say no; some theologians would say yes; it doesn’t matter to me. But I know that Jesus Christ has been preparing a home for me, and for some of you, for two thousand years. And if this world took six days, and that home took two thousand years, … this is living in a garbage can compared to what’s going up there.”

A "garbage can"?!? How could he call this living in a garbage can? It's beautiful here. Just look around. I know that may be hard to grasp, but if we think about it; deep down inside, we know he is right. To be in the presence of God, in all His glory, and to share that with all of heaven....

shachah

I have to say that I am doing quite a bit of reading this year. I may not retain all of what I read, but I do remember some of what I read. I am currently reading a book entitled, "Seven Words of Worship". So far it has been an interesting read. I just finished a section that recalled how Abraham chose to worship in what was called, "a crisis of belief". In the Book of Genesis, Abraham is instructed by God to offer up his only son, Isaac, as a sacrifice. Now, as a father, I would have to sit and think about this for a while; even after hours, maybe days of prayer. But, the scripture tells us that the next morning Abraham set out for the top of the mountain with his son.

Did you know that the first time the word "worship" shows up in the Bible is during this crisis in Abraham's life? "The boy and I will go over there to worship; then we'll come back to you" (Gen. 22:5) Abraham is facing an unbelievable crisis, too much for anyone to even try to imagine, and at the same time he is planning to worship with his son. He has faithfully placed his crisis in God's hands and is already assured of the outcome...."we'll come back".

The Hebrew word for worship that is used in this passage, is shachah. This word is used more than 100 times in the Old Testament, and it is a worship that is done by bowing, kneeling, stooping, or lying on the ground before God. It symbolizes that the created is responding to the Creator........."the lesser is responding to the One who is clearly greater". I can't help but think that maybe in our worship today, we have limited ourselves to just the activity of singing songs to God, and have missed shachah; a worship that requires a physical action.....a realization of who God is and what He has done for us. I'm sure that not everyone is comfortable with bowing, kneeling, or even lying facedown on the ground before God; and I'm not saying that you have to. I do feel that the condition of one's heart will direct our worship; and a heart that is filled with the love and mercy of Jesus Christ will cause one to worship beyond the singing of songs....even on bad days ....... even in a crisis.

interrupted

A couple of weeks ago, Karen and I were enjoying one of those days-off that seem to go by so fast. You know the days I'm talking about........you look forward to them and before you know it; its over. On this particular Monday, we had a few errands to run in the morning, and by lunch time; we were done. Everywhere we had to go, and everything we needed to do just fell into order. There were no delays that we had planned for. There was no back-tracking and driving all over town. Everything just clicked right along, and we found ourselves with some "free time". The only thing bad about "free time" is, if you aren't prepared for it.....it's gone.

I don't know why I suggested it. I don't know where the idea came from. But when Karen asked, "What would you like to do?", my response was......."Let's go to the Waterworks Gallery." As long as I have lived in Rowan County, I've never been to the Waterworks Gallery. I was an Art Major in college and I really enjoy art galleries. I can stand in front of a work of art and look at it for the longest time. I'm not so much trying to decide if I like it, or if it makes any kind of sense at all. Art is more than that. When I look at a painting; I not only see the brush strokes.....I feel the energy that the artist put behind each stroke. In a large painting, I can feel the artist using their entire body as they would stretch and move across the canvas.....keeping balance not to lose the flowing motion of the brush soaked with paint. And I see areas in the painting that may seem out of place to some people, but it would tell me that at that moment......the artist's plan was interrupted, and instead of ignoring this change......the artist was drawn to it. And to be honest; anyone who stands and looks at the painting is drawn to it as well.

Worship is art. Worship involves our whole being. Every part of our daily lives is adding to this work of art we call worship. When we are totally surrendered to the art of worshipping our Creator, it inhabits us. We not only sing it......we stretch and reach as far and as high as we can to embrace it......we move through life trying to keep our balance as worship moves in, through, and around us; and then.....

......God interrupts. It's up to you and me to decide now. Do we stop and take notice of the interruption; embrace it and make it a part of our worship? Or, do we just keep going along on our own. To embrace the interruption would be to embrace God; to draw close to Him. Others will see.....and will be drawn to Him......the whole reason for the interruption.

good to be near God

At the start of this year, I received an e-mail from Ray challenging us all to read our Bibles and pray more. So, I challenged myself to read through the Bible this year. It hasn't taken too long to realize that there will be days that this will be more challenging than I first thought. But I have been blessed by the reading that I have done. Today I was reading Psalm 73 and when I reached the 28th verse....my memory cells clicked into gear. I had read this verse before. It holds a special meaning for me.....it's a special verse. "But as for me, it is good to be near God." This verse not only speaks to me, but it screams out to me. It is good to be near God!!!

When my daughter Kristen was in college, she decided to be a missionary in Mexico for a whole summer. This verse was the one she selected as a "go to" passage. She shared it with me before she left. She not only used this verse to prepare for the journey, but she would revisit it while in Mexico....and I would visit it as well. With Kristen in Mexico, away from her family, I (we) needed to be near God. During this time in our lives as a family, our daughter was being faithful to God's calling and He was growing her into becoming more of who He had created her to be. And, He was growing me. It became very evident that God had a plan for her, and He also was developing a plan for me. What?........I wasn't sure, but it would be His plan; not mine.

As a parent, we sometimes feel that we need to lead our children in a certain direction; give them specific goals for life; and try and make most of their decisions for them because "we have been there". That's our role....right? But God did a role reversal for me. He had decided to use my daughter to teach me. She would be "leading me"; helping me to see that God has a plan and a goal for me, because......He has been there. He used my daughter to show me that when it comes to His plans, if I would just trust Him and let Him lead and decide where He wants me to be, then He will mold me into what He wants me to be. All I have to do is "be near Him".

And I have learned over these past 4 1/2 years at HRCC that "it is good to be near God".

me and Murphy

I'm sure that many of you reading this are familiar with the term, "Murphy's Law". It is a term that I frequently use when I am tackling a do-it-yourself project. No matter how long the instructions tell me this will take; no matter how simple a friend may make the task seem; no matter how few tools I will need......Murphy's Law takes over.

I can read all the directions (twice), and double check that I have all the parts and tools needed. I can think through the process and try and plan out every step in advance (so as not to waste time by getting any step out of order). I can get myself mentally prepared and convinced that I can do this......and then Murphy shows up. I've come to expect him at any time; usually when I think that I am about to finish. Recently, he showed up when I was replacing a motion sensor light for the outside of the house. Not installing a unit, but replacing an existing unit. The plan is to shut off the power, remove the old unit, untie the wire-nuts, grab the new unit, reattach the wires and the wire-nuts, and replace the base. Simple, right?......not with me and Murphy. "Why are there so many wires to try and get up into an electrical box?"; "Why are the screws that come with the new unit not long enough to reach the electrical box?"; "Why does the screw that falls into the grass have to be green?"; "Why do I have to climb back down the ladder to get a flat-head screwdriver that is not mentioned as one of the 'Tools Required'?"; "Why is the cordless drill not charged after sitting on a shelf for two years?"; "Why is it starting to rain while I am on a ladder, connecting electrical wires?". You see, me and Murphy have some interesting conversations.

I used to try and avoid Murphy, but as I have grown...... matured......... alright.... gotten older, I have been taught a great lesson by Murphy; patience. I guess I could have rushed into any project and found myself getting upset with mistakes and failures, but I have learned, through Murphy's help, that there is always a chance for distractions, a detour, or even another way to finish the project and have it still work. When we have patience, these distractions and detours become learning processes.

Oh, by the way, the motion sensor light works just fine.

toy?......toy?

Well, I've waited as long as I could to share this. And a phone call today jogged my memory, so I will stop what I'm doing and post this as best as I can remember. My last blog mentioned the G.R.O.W. event this past Sunday night, and how amazing it was in many ways. I told you about some of the stories that I heard, and the answered prayers. But, I want to share a moment that I witnessed the full effect of "Overflow".

I had just left the worship center, where several of us had been praying for the names that were written on the two boards at the end of each of our services. You remember......the names of people that came to mind during Jon's message that we all felt led to invite to church; invest time with them: and to influence them by the way we live our lives as an example of Christ.... those names. Anyway, I am coming from the worship center and headed to the fellowship area as a group of people are returning from the homeless shelter after delivering coats, and I see my sister-in-law, Sheila. She comes in with this group, but she doesn't have the same expression on her face as the others. I've seen the looks of, "Wow, this was amazing", and "I am so pumped", but she was sad. And when someone would ask her about the time at the shelter, she would be moved to tears. The more that others would try to comfort her, the more her emotions took over. I sat in a chair in the foyer and watched all this "overflow" happening, and I was moved to tears.

Sheila had seen the response of the people at the shelter when they received their coats, and she helped carry in some of the extra coats to place in the clothes closet. That's where she heard "toy?" This came from a small boy standing by his daddy. As more and more coats were being carried in, he would continue to ask for a toy. Sheila could not stop thinking about this little boy and his family there at the shelter. She wanted to do something right then. She felt the need to show this little boy, and the rest of his siblings, the love of Jesus through a toy; a small gift; "overflow". And after she returned to the church, her and Barry made a bee-line to Walmart to pick up dolls and Hot Wheel cars for these children.......and went back to the shelter to deliver the gifts to the family.

I talked with Sheila today. It still brings tears to her eyes,,,,,,,,,and mine. I hope we all can hear what that little boy was saying. I pray that we all can respond in love to people we meet for the first time. I pray that we all can grasp the opportunity to share Jesus. And, if we would just listen closely.......we would hear what is really being said.

toy?........toy?

love?.......love?

Jesus........Jesus

overflow

I heard a very good analogy last night about how God's love and His Spirit should overflow in our lives. Kay M. was leading a devotional before our G.R.O.W. event began, and she was using the illustration of a water fountain to explain the idea of overflow. The water that flows out of the top of the fountain is God's love and Spirit, and as it pours out on us (the first tier) it begins to fill us to overflowing. Then that flows out from us to our family, the church (second tier); then out to the community (third tier); then out to the world (fourth tier). She did a good job of explaining this, and it was encouraging to hear how we need to allow this overflow to take place in our lives so that people will see our good works, and glorify our Father in heaven.

Yes, it was an encouraging devotional........and it soon became an amazing reality. If you were at G.R.O.W. last night, you know what I mean. What we had just heard about.....we saw before our very eyes as the people of HRCC went to deliver 150 coats to Rowan Helping Ministries, and personally handed each person a coat, a Bible, and prayed with them as they were waiting in line for a meal. We saw the expressions of the nurses at RRMC that were recipients of "overflowing" baskets of "Thank you for all you do". We listened as the prayers we had offered earlier in the evening became answers that were being shared by individuals that had experienced, first hand, "overflow". 135 letters were hand written to people we have yet to meet because what we are experiencing at HRCC needs be to shared with everyone. We can not keep this to ourselves; we must overflow.

Last night we heard about "overflow", we saw "overflow", and we witnessed what God can do in the lives of His people. And hidden in the chorus of a song not yet released...

help me overflow, overflow
make my life a living worship
send me to the world
unashamed of You

deafening silence

Snow has a way of causing us to just stop. It doesn't have to be a blizzard that covers everything in sight with a thick blanket of clean, white powder. It can be just a dusting that covers part of the driveway and the yard; but the blades of grass still show, and some of the gravel is still visible. No matter which snowfall you receive.....people just seem to stop what they are doing and watch it snow. I know I do. My favorite part of snow is the silence. It's like God uses the snow to insulate the world around us. I enjoy standing outside in the snow as it falls and listening to the deafening silence. There is no distracting sound. I don't even hear the birds, but I see them in the trees. All I can hear is myself breathing. Its a cold air that enters with each breath, and it seems to waken the memory banks. The memories of all the snowfalls that I experienced growing up...... no school for days at a time........ sledding for hours........ bowls and bowls of snow cream....... snowball fights....... trying to ride a bike down a snow covered hill (do not try). And, with each memory of all the playing I did in the snow.....I remember just stopping long enough to listen to the silence. No matter what I was doing, the silence would always get my attention.

I know that the "winter storm" that passed through the other day wasn't a major snowfall for the record books, but as I walked outside........there was the silence. Not much snow, but a lot of silence. And in the silence ........I listen. God had used this snowfall, like all the ones before, to make me stop.......and listen. I didn't need to rush anywhere, or see to this or that, or answer any questions, or even ask any questions. I just needed to stop and listen. With all the busyness that can take over our lives and cause us to rush here and there, isn't it amazing that God can use a little dusting of snow to remind us that He is in control. A snowfall is His way of getting our attention at just the right time so we will stop what we are doing..... take a deep breath of clean, cold air..... and listen for the silence so that He can speak to us. All the distracting sounds are gone. Its just you and God.

Listen.....

just a beggar

I've just finished reading a book by Greg Laurie entitled, "Lost Boy". I have been a listener of Greg on the radio for many years, and I have seen some of his crusades online. I first heard about him when I attended a Youth Crusade in Charlotte a few years ago. I actually went to hear a band that was playing for the event.....All Together Separate. I found out that they were the Praise Band for Greg's church in California, and I wanted to hear them play. After hearing them, I wanted to know more about a preacher that had a band like this playing in the church.

I like to hear Greg talk. He is a great communicator.......holds your attention from the very beginning. So, I wanted to read this book. It tells all about his life; all the struggles and mistakes. And, it tells about the change that comes about when he accepts Jesus as his Savior. Greg is an evangelist. He has been called to share the gospel with everyone because, as he says in the book... "everyone needs Jesus". Where have I heard that before? There are a lot of catch phrases in this book that caused me to remember things in my past, and phrases that stir the imagination. Toward the end of the book, I read a phrase that now I hear over and over in my head. It echoes what I feel is the heart of HRCC; why we do what we do. Greg says..."I am just a beggar trying to tell other beggars where the food is."

There are people in this world (community) that are lost and hungry. They struggle everyday trying to make sense of what all is going on around them. These people choose, one day, to attend a church.....any church to find answers....food. They are hungry for purpose, hope, and love. And I have seen these same people come into HRCC and they are fed by others that were once just as hungry as they are. God has given His Son for us (beggars), and by receiving His gift (food) we now have purpose, hope, and love. I believe that we just need to remember that we all were once beggars and we now know where the food is when we come across another beggar. Get it?

Good.

Where'd it go?

I just realized that 2008 is "out of here"!! It seemed like only yesterday I was getting ready to see what was ahead for 2008, and now it's 2009. Where'd it go?......Did this seem like a quick year? I thought so; until I looked back at all that happened in '08.....and this was an amazing year......an amazing year.

Kannapolis Campus.....Brian Duncan (Campus Pastor) joins HRCC staff, full-time; Ron Loflin joins HRCC staff as full-time Pastor of Denton Campus; baptisms at all 3 campuses; outreach at Thresher's Reunion, North Cabarrus Park, and Dan Nicholas Park; hosted Rowan Baptist Associational Meeting; "Fireproof" sellout at Tinsel Town; "I Hate High Rock Church" billboard; 90 day God's Guarantee Card; Nikita Koloff at Denton Anniversary; "Econo-Me"; a virtual tour of new Worship Center; "God Of This City"; there's a house on the stage.... with a picket fence; "www.whateverittakes.us"; "Reel2Real". The more I sit here and think, the more things I remember that happened in '08. I'm afraid that if I mention everything that comes to mind in this blog, you may not take the time to travel back through your memories and recall all the things that you saw this year.

Right here, at the beginning of 2009, I encourage us all to look back and see how God moved at HRCC this past year; how God used you, the church, to be His hands and feet to the community; how you stepped when God spoke. When we look back, we see how He "never let go" of us; and as we look ahead.....we are reminded that "greater things are still to be done here".