I’m Dreaming of . . .

As I sit at my computer just before Christmas and write this article, I cannot help myself. I just can’t stop. I want to look at it again. Why can’t I get it out of my mind? I have work to do . . .

I just can’t stop wanting to look at the Angel Fire Resort webpage! On their webpage is a live webcam at the base of the mountain and I see piles of snow and skiers flying by having the time of their life!!! I keep finding myself dreaming of swooshing down the mountain! To see the beauty of God’s creation as the sun comes up on top of the snow capped mountains. I am dreaming . . .

OK, so the truth is I will be on that mountain the day after Christmas with my family, and I can’t wait! One of the greatest times of my year is when my family is together in one house and enjoying the snow drifts made by millions of snowflakes!!! But does it hurt to dream for now?

Dreams do become reality! For 2010 I want to see some dreams become reality! This year we will be doing some things as a church that are BIG dreams. In April we will be having the GO Rally at the football stadium. It is actually April 11th and 12th. I dream of every person in our area hearing the gospel of Jesus Christ preached clearly, and I dream that many of them will respond to the greatest gift ever given… the gift of eternal life! Do you dream about that too? If you do, then I want to challenge you to begin now to pray for the event and begin inviting people to come with you. That is how it will become reality . . . if we do our part!

Approximately 150 years ago a group of people had a dream to form First Baptist Church of Grandview! What a vision it must have been. I wonder if that small group of people could see the difference this body has made over the past 150 years? How much joy and jubilation they would have. On April 24th and 25th we will be celebrating the 150th anniversary of the founding of this church. I dream this will be a time of celebration of what God has done over the years — not a time for us to pat ourselves on the back, but to celebrate God’s goodness and grace! It is going to be a special time as we welcome back former staff members to lead us in worship services throughout the weekend.

As 2010 begins, I have lots of dreams. The main dream I want to become reality is for us to make the name of Jesus famous; for us to realize God is enough and to share Him with the entire community of Grandview before 2011 rolls around. There will be many resolutions made in the coming days. Will you make your resolutions Christ-centered and God honoring? I pray your new year is filled with dreams that become a reality!

Have a blessed New Year!

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Download the Sunday sermon (December 27) in MP3 format for your computer or MP3 player. Click on the link below...

December 27 Sermon

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Word of the Week for December 27th

I hope you had a wonderful Christmas and are preparing to ring in a new year! I know today will be a great time as we combine both service groups and worship as a family. I pray it will be a blessing and an opportunity to meet someone perhaps you do not already know!

I want to encourage you to make next Sunday's worship time a priority. We will have Rabbi Marty Cohen and Charles Garrett with us to share their Hebrew Scrolls and stories of the ancient oracles, including how they have been scribed and translated over the centuries. Rabbi Marty is a Messianic Jew and pastors the Metroplex Fellowship of Euless while Charles is director of the Christian Heritage Foundation in Cleburne. This will be very interesting and a great way for us to start off the New Year with an emphasis on God's Word!

Happy New Year!

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December 20 Sermon

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Word of the Week for Dec. 20, 2009

I can’t believe it!!!! Christmas is here! What a great week this will be as we celebrate the birth of our Savior!

I want to remind you about dinner at the church tonight. As a staff we are so blessed to serve alongside such a wonderful group of people, and we want to say “Thank You” by serving you dinner tonight at 6:00 pm. You all do so much for us throughout the year, and this is a small way for us to show our appreciation to you. I hope you can make it!

On Christmas Eve we will be having our Candlelight Lord’s Supper at 6:00 pm. Again what a great opportunity for families to worship together and celebrate the birth of our Savior! I hope you will be here to celebrate with us.

I hope you have a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

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December 13 Sermon

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Word of the Week for Dec. 13, 2009

Thanks for all the kind words about the Christmas tree! I love to decorate, especially with anything “Bright & Shiny.” Speaking of that, we are having a contest to raise $$ for Children’s Camp Kaotik in January. For $1 per guess, you can guess how many ornaments are on the Christmas tree. We will have four prizes . . . one for adults, one for youth, one for older children and one for younger children. And no, we did not count the ornaments when we put them on the tree, so we will have to count them when we take them off. Get your thinking caps on and your dollars ready! Around the church there are forms to fill out and to put with your dollars in the envelopes. Deadline to turn in your guesses is Christmas Eve.

Thank you in advance for supporting our children!

—Dorothy

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December 6 Sermon

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Word of the Week for Dec. 6, 2009

The month of December holds some exciting opportunities for us to fellowship together as a church family. Tonight we will have our annual Hanging of the Greens Service. It will have a little different twist this year, so if you have or have not been before, I hope you will plan on being here to be a part of the fun and excitement as we kick off the Christmas season. The service will begin at 6:00 pm in the Sanctuary!

I hope you will plan on being here!

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November 29 Sermon

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Word of the Week for Nov. 29, 2009

I hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving with family and friends! It is hard to believe that we are less than a month away from Christmas. The month of December is filled with lots and lots of church activities I know you will want to be a part of. We will begin a series this morning focused on the gifts of Christmas. We get so focused on the gifts of the world and lose sight of the incredible gifts God provides us. I look forward to this series and the celebration of the birth of our Savior.

I hope you have a great week!

My Christmas Wish List

I wish I could remember sitting on Santa Claus’ lap when I was a kid. I just don’t remember ever going to the mall and doing it! So now that I am 38 years old, I want to crawl up in Santa’s lap and tell him all I want for Christmas this year! Here it goes . . . (Just so you know — a lot of my list involves you!)

First, I want peace on earth! Am I asking too much already? I don’t think so . . . well, maybe I need to start with peace in Grandview. Here is how I believe peace can come to our earth and to Grandview! We have to tell the world about the Prince of Peace. I want you to mark your calendar for April 11th and 12th, 2010! We are going to be having a citywide crusade, so everyone we know can come and hear about the Prince of Peace with the hope they will realize what Christ has done for them. John Randles is going to come and preach the event, and I believe God is going to do amazing things in our community as a result of our work. In January we will begin community prayer meetings, prayer walks, planning pre-events, designing post-event follow up procedures, and even begin to anticipate the great things God will have in store for us. I “wish” everyone in our community will take part in this exciting event! Start making plans now. Remember to mark your calendar and make those days a priority!

Second, I wish God’s people (me included) would realize the excitement of the New Testament church as written about in the book of Acts and begin living with the urgency of the early believers. The world we live in today is in serious trouble, and we need to stand up and be counted as believers in Jesus Christ. I am concerned that we have placed ourselves in a bubble and watch as the world is moving away from Christ and are not doing enough about it.

Third, I wish as a church family we would realize just how much God hates sin. I am afraid we have become so consumed with Grace that we have lost sight of the fact God absolutely despises sin. I wish believers would realize how we must constantly be seeking to live lives of purity and to be salt and light in a dark world.

Finally, I would like to ask for a shiny new red bike. I don’t think I need training wheels, but if the bike comes with them, I will take it. I would also like to have a little horn on the handle bars.

It is interesting to me that the bike is so much easier to get, yet it is the only item on my wish list which has a financial price tag on it. Financially speaking there is not a price on my first three wishes, but we all know there is a price. Are you willing to step to the register for Jesus?

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Today's worship time included testimonies of thanksgiving and the Lord's Supper. No sermon recording was made. Come back next week for the regular sermon download. The testimonies are available on YouTube
Here
and
Here.
.

Word of the Week for Nov, 22, 2009

Tonight is the Grandview Community Thanksgiving Service at the First United Methodist Church. The service begins at 6:00pm and I hope everyone from our church will be there. We will gather for a time of worship and challenge from God’s word and then enjoy a meal together that will be catered by R & K Café.

We are so blessed to live in a great town and what a privilege to gather to worship with our brothers and sisters in Christ. I hope you will plan on attending and being a part of this great evening!

I hope you have a wonderful Thanksgiving week!

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November 15 Sermon

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Word of the Week for Nov. 15, 2009

I am always looking forward to Sunday! I know that is what preachers are supposed to do, but I really do. I look forward to our worship times together and getting to fellowship with God’s people. However, next Sunday is different! I am REALLY looking forward to NEXT Sunday!

We will be having a time of thanksgiving together as a church family. We will be baptizing, hearing testimonies of what God has done in the lives of your fellow church members, having a time of sacrificial giving, and celebrating the Lord’s Supper.

I hope you have been praying about what God would have you bring to the altar in the form of “sacrificial” giving on this day. Be praying for God to do something exciting in our midst next week as we are encourage by the greatness of our God!

Have a great week!

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November 8 Sermon

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Word of the Week, Nov. 8

Last week our church sold our old 1994 van. We will be figuring out a safer transportation option at church conference next week. I tell you about the van because of the process we had to go through to sell it. First, we had to get the title from the safe deposit box at the bank. Next we took it the courthouse. Then we had to take pictures of the van to prove it was a fifteen passenger van and not a “bus.” It was a huge ordeal just to transfer the title!!!! It made me grateful for the fact that when I transferred the title of my life over to Christ, the difficult part had already been done by Him! Just a quick reminder of how grateful we should be to Christ for His sacrifice!

I hope you have a great week!

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November 1 Sermon

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Word of the Week, Nov. 1

November 22nd is going to be a great day for our FBC family! We are going to be celebrating Thanks“giving” together during our worship time. In your newsletter this week I challenged you in the area of “giving” sacrificially. In our service on the 22nd we will be celebrating baptism, the Lord’s Supper, a time of harvest giving, and what God has done in the life of our church this year. I believe it will be an incredible time of worship together, as we celebrate all the things we have been blessed with because of our Jesus Christ. I hope you will make this Sunday a priority, as well as be seeking the Lord in what He would have you “give” that day!

I hope you have a great week!

A Time to Give Thanks!

November is the month we set aside to slow down from our hectic schedules and lives to give thanks for all we have been blessed with. For the life of me, I cannot figure out why we seem to do this only once a year. We have so much to be thankful for!

I do want to challenge you in the area of giving, since the month is about thanks“giving!” A couple of weeks ago for the first time all year our church fell behind in our budget contributions. I realize we are in the midst of tough times economically. The approach I want to take with you is one of helping you to realize just how much “giving” we are able to do as a church family because of your “giving”.

Let me share with some of the things your giving has enabled this body of believers to do in the name of Christ. One Saturday a month we go to Ft. Worth to feed and clothe the homeless. In August we provided school supplies, haircuts, and other essentials for children to head back to school. We provide all types of activities for teenagers and children of our community on a weekly basis. We even help people who are struggling financially with their bills. The list could go on and on and on…. What a privilege to be able to be the hands and feet of Jesus to the community in which we live! With the help of Christ we are making a difference!

I say all of that to challenge you in the area of “giving!” It takes money often times to be able to do ministry. If we begin to struggle financially as a church, we will not be able to be as effective as we have been in the past. So I have a challenge for you. Here it is!

I want to designate Sunday, November 22nd as Harvest Sunday at FBC Grandview. I want us to pack the house that morning to be able to have a time of praise for what God has done in our midst as well as have a time of sacrificial giving for the ministry needs of our church. I do not want to set goals for the number of people or amount of money we need to raise, because I trust that the Holy Spirit will work in each of our lives, and we will be obedient to what we are individually called to do. I know in the past if there has been a need in the church whether to renovate the sanctuary, buy the bus, build a playground or other special needs we have given above and beyond our means. I challenge you with this thought . . . is there a greater need than to share Christ with the people around us? Our giving will enable us to do just that!

We have been in a sermon series called Power in Life on Sunday mornings and have seen the power of God at Pentecost. I pray for that same type of movement in Grandview. May November 22nd be that type of day for Grandview! Be praying now for that day of worship and the result of what our obedience to God will be!

Happy Thanks“giving!”

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October 25 Sermon

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Word of the Week for Oct. 25

This coming Saturday is Halloween, and that means it is time for our annual Fall Fun Fest! I get so excited about this event, because we see families from the community who typically will not step foot in a church. We MUST be ready to greet them with a warm smile and a friendly handshake or hug. There will be lots and lots of people here from 4-6pm Saturday afternoon, and many of them will not be in a church on Sunday morning. What a great opportunity for us! So invite someone to come with you to the festival and then smile and hug someone while you are helping run a game or serving hot dogs!

Have a great week!

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October 18 Sermon

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Word of the Week for October 18

I heard a great sermon this past week! The best part about the sermon was that it lasted for the duration of about THREE words! That is right . . . THREE words! I wish they taught that at seminary, don’t you?

So you must be wondering, what can be so significant about THREE words? The words are: GOD IS HERE!

Monday night at our men’s prayer time, Bill Lyle shared those words with us. He had heard a preacher share it, and the challenge was to remind yourself 10 to 15 times a day that GOD IS HERE, and see what a difference it will make in your day. I challenge you to give it a try!

I hope you have a great week!

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October 11 Sermon

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Word of the Week for October 11

I am a person who is always looking ahead. I finish opening my Christmas presents, and I can’t wait for Christmas next year! Well today I want to look back but for the purpose of looking ahead! (Does that make sense?)

This past week we tried two new things in the life of our church and they both were a huge success! Last Sunday evening we kicked off our LIFE groups and it was a wonderful time! We had 30 people in attendance in the three groups that meet in homes and 18 in the group meeting in the Fellowship Hall! Then on Monday night we had our men’s prayer time at 9:00. Twenty-nine men showed up in the middle of Monday Night Football to pray and seek God’s face! Another huge success!

I mention these two things in case you missed out! We will continue small groups at the Johnson’s, Allen’s, and McGowen’s house as well as a group meeting in the Fellowship Hall at 6:00 tonight. Once again the men will be praying on Monday at 9:00 pm in the Fellowship Hall! I look forward to what God is going to do as we look ahead!

I hope you have a great week!

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October 4 Sermon

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Word of the Week for October 04, 2009

Today is FINALLY the day! It is when we will begin LIFE Groups as a part of our church ministries. We have been working towards this for several months and it has finally arrived! I realize many of you are confused about what is going on. Let me help you…. I am too! Just kidding!! Here is the plan: The goal of LIFE Groups is to incorporate those of you who are not a part of another small group in our church into a LIFE Group which will help you grow in your faith and fellowship. It is also a great way to help people assimilate into our church family without first coming to Sunday morning worship.

Tonight there will be three LIFE Groups meeting. Here is where they will take place:

Chuck and Lisa McGowen’s house @ 902 Louisiana St, 817-866-3629
Stacy and Janette Johnson (This group will meet in the Youth Room tonight only), 817-866-2625
Russell and Shelly Allen 401 E. Criner St (east of the church), 817-866-4431

There will still be worship tonight in the Fellowship Hall at 6:00 for those who would like to attend.

Please be praying for these groups . . . today especially!

I hope you have a great week!

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September 27 Sermon

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Word of the Week, Sept. 27

Next Monday night, October 5th, something I believe can be church and community changing is going to take place in the Fellowship Hall at our church. The men of our church are going to gather to pray for our church, our families and our community and to seek God’s plan for our individual lives. I am so excited about what God is going to do during this time together. Men, we are called to be the leaders of our homes and His Church. I have been praying that we see a great turnout for these Monday nights in October.

Ladies, I hope you will encourage the men of your house to be a part of what God is going to do. We will start at 9:00 sharp and the doors of the building will lock at 9:35 pm. This must be priority one in our lives. Will you be a part?

I hope you have a great week!

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September 20 Sermon

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Word of the Week for Sept. 20, 2009

This Wednesday one of the greatest things that takes place all year long happens on our school campuses! Students will gather around the school flagpole at 7:30 am to pray for our country and their fellow classmates. It is so awesome to see students circled up around the flagpole, holding hands and crying out to God to do something incredible on their campus.

I want to invite everyone to participate. Adults will gather at the Grandview Public Library to pray as well as the students being at their flagpoles. I hope you see you there!

Have a great week!

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Download the Sunday sermon (September 13) in MP3 format for your computer or MP3 player. Click on the link below...

September 13 Sermon

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Word of the Week

This morning during our worship times together you are going to have the privilege of meeting Robert Nixon. Robert has been serving at Bono Baptist Church in their student minister position for the past three years. He is here today for you to have the opportunity to meet him and get to know him. The Personnel Committee has made the decision to bring Robert before our church as a youth intern with his focus being on our junior high students. We don’t know how long Robert will be with us, but I am sure that during that time you will love and support him just as you do the rest of the staff.

We will be having a special Called Church Conference next Sunday morning following each service to officially vote on whether or not to call Robert to this position in our church family. I am excited about the opportunities and fresh ideas of ministry he brings with him, and I know you will enjoy getting to know him!

I hope you have a great week!

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September 6 Sermon

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Word of the Week

You are holding in your hands something old that has become new! As a staff we felt we could better utilize the space we have in our Sunday morning bulletin, so we have made some changes. The hope is that it will contain pertinent information concerning what is going on in the life of our church. If there is an event or opportunity you need more information about, feel free to contact the office or email the staff. The ministerial staff email addresses are listed on the back cover. I am excited about the new look but also very enthusiastic about the opportunities it holds.

On the far right perforated portion there is a place for you to share any prayer concerns you might have as you journey through life. One of the great aspects of being a part of a body of believers is that you are not on the journey alone. If you have a prayer need, please share it with us. If you only want the staff to know, then make sure to check the staff only section. Otherwise we will share your request with the rest of the church, and we can all be praying alongside you in the matter.

I hope you have a great week!

An Article About Nothing???

Daniel and I were sitting in his office the other day, when Sharon came in to remind us that it was time for our newsletter articles to be written. We both kind of groaned and were not in the mood to come up with something to write. We came up with the idea of having a newsletter that was filled with comments like, “Come see what is happening”, “Get Here!”, “Wanna know what is happenin’? Come this Sunday!” It kind of got to be humorous! (To us anyway… but remember we are easily amused!)

After thinking about our conversation, I began to think about people who don’t go to church. Maybe they are members and have not been here in a while or are simply not members of a church anywhere. How do they get through difficult times in life? What is it like to not have people to fellowship with who also love God? I cannot comprehend what it is like. I was fortunate to be raised in a home where church was a priority!

This month we will be having a day set aside for people who have never gone to church, used to go to church or are always in church! It is called Get to Church Sunday! (I know, really creative!!!) It will be September 13th and I hope you will make this a priority for your family!

A couple of things to do to prepare for this day:

Make sure you and your family are here on that day!

Think about someone who used to go to church and invite them to come with you that day. Maybe plan on sitting with them during worship.

Consider people who you interact with on a daily basis that do not go to church anywhere and invite them to come with you.

Statistics show that 80% of people who attend church were invited by someone. When was the last time you invited someone to attend with you? I know the Methodist Church is going to join in on this day with us and hopefully others churches will as well. What if the whole town of Grandview was in church on this day? How amazing would that be? Let’s be praying for this day . . . that it will be the start of something amazing in our community!

On another note, August 30th will be Sunday School Promotion Day for our church. The children will be excited about their new teachers and new classes, and hopefully for the adults, you will take time to reconnect or recommit to your attendance to Sunday School. Small groups are vital to being plugged into the body of Christ. If you are simply walking through the doors into worship on Sunday morning and walking right back out, you are missing out on some great fellowship and Bible study time. We will have a light breakfast to start off our Sunday School year at 9:30 in the Fellowship Hall, so come and enjoy breakfast and get the church year off to a great start!

See ya Sunday!

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August 30 Sermon

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Word of the Week for August 30, 2009

Friday night the 2009 Grandview Zebras made their debut! On Monday night the community will get to “meet” the Zebras! What a great opportunity for the people of our area to meet and encourage these young men and for these young men to make an impression on the smaller children of this community. After Monday they will all be known!

Ryan Hurt has written a new song about making God famous! It is an amazing song with a world changing message. As a church, we will begin a campaign today to make God famous in our town. We even have signs which can be placed in yards to let others around us know who God is.

Remember! It is all about Jesus! Let’s make Him famous!

I hope you have a great week.

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August 23 Sermon

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Word of the Week for August 23, 2009

This past Friday night I had the privilege of doing something new. Cameron and I got in the car and headed to Grandview Elementary School for Meet the Teacher Night. Cameron has been so excited about starting school, while dad has been a little apprehensive. (Not a big fan of the boys growing up!) I have walked the halls of the school for several years taking Shelly things for school, but this was different. This was now where Cameron would go to school! A new experience in an old place!

I thought about my Christian walk. I have been a Christian for 30 years now and thought when was the last time I had a “new experience” in an old Christian faith? I challenge you with the same thought! Ask yourself this question, and I believe you will begin a new chapter in your journey with Christ!

I hope you have a great week!

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August 16 Sermon

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Word of the Week for August 16, 2009

The past couple of weeks have been some of the busiest I have had in a long time. It seems like just when I think things are going to slow up a bit and I can catch up, something else comes along. Does that ever happen to you? I am sure it has!

My point is this . . . Don’t let the hectic schedules and lives we lead take away from your time with God. I cannot imagine getting through life as it is without my time alone with my Savior. So my challenge to you this week is sit down and soak up Jesus! He is waiting for you!

Hope you have a great week!

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August 9 Sermon

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Word of the Week for August 9, 2009

What a wonderful summer we have had! From summer camps to Vacation Bible School to mission trips we have seen God do some incredible things in our midst! It is now time to begin turning our attention toward the fall. That is right! It is time for football games, volleyball games and school!

With the start of school comes our Back to School Fair. This Saturday we will meet at the city park to minister to people in our community. There will be free haircuts for school age children, vision and dental screenings, school supplies, food, and lots of fun. I hope you will come out and take advantage of the fun and do your part to minister! Carter BloodCare will be here as well, if you are a blood donor.

What a privilege it is to be able to minister to the community of Grandview!

Hope you have a great week!

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August 2 Sermon

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Word for the Week of August 2

The pastor has been in New Mexico doing mission work all week. Check back next week for a new Word of the Week.

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Word of the Week for July 26, 2009

This week I had the privilege of getting to “hang out” with our students on two separate occasions. I spent time with our pre-teens at Latham Springs Baptist Encampment and got to see them having an incredible time of Bible Study and fun together. I was also privileged to get to spend time with our teenagers at Six Flags. I have to tell you, I am beginning to feel my age a bit. But I learned a lesson.

It does not matter how old you are, you can still make an impact on a younger person. We have talked about Discipleship in the last couple of weeks. Don’t ever think that you are too old to make a difference in a young person’s life. They simply want to know that someone cares about them. Take a step out and get to know a younger person and see what blessings God has in store for you!

Have a great week and remember to pray for the mission team!

Word of the Week for July 19, 2009

Our church will be sending a group to Farmington, New Mexico to do construction work and Backyard Bible Clubs at Dzil Na’ Oodilii Bible Church. We are blessed as a church to have nice facilities to be able to do ministry. When we take these trips, it is often to smaller congregations in need of the talents and gifts of such persons that represent our church family. How fortunate we are to be allowed to help others through the ministry of missions! It is indeed an incredible blessing for us to be able to serve.

Please keep the following missionaries in your prayers as we travel and work together to minister to the community of Farmington: David and LeAnne Self, Harry Ricker, David and Paula Quisenberry, Brad and Amy Quisenberry with Morgan and Cooper, Kenneth and Jerry Pipes with Will, Stacy and Janette Johnson with Trey and Blake, Robert and Rhonda Hurt, and myself.

Have a great week!

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July 12 Sermon

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July 12 Sermon

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Word of the Week for July 12, 2009

As you are worshipping today, Shelly and I will be on an airplane headed for a short vacation. It is so nice to be able to get away every now and then. However I have to tell you that I am a little envious of you this morning! You are going to experience one of the most dynamic and challenging preachers I have ever encountered—Scott Willingham. I also had the privilege of serving alongside him on staff at FBC Taylor. Scott is not only a mentor to me, but I am proud to call him friend.

I hope you are challenged spiritually by his message today, but most of all that you are as good to him as you are to me! By the way, don’t believe anything he might tell you about me!

See ya next Sunday!

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July 05 Sermon

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Word of the Week for July 5, 2009

This week we will have a group of students heading to youth camp at Riverbend Camp in Glen Rose. Youth camp is one of those times in the life of a young person where God seems to really be at work! I am a huge fan of camp from all of my years of youth ministry, and I hope you will join me this week in praying for Daniel, the sponsors and the students as they travel and that God will do some supernatural things in their lives. Make this group a priority in your prayer time in the days ahead and let’s look forward to what God will do.

Have a great week!

Who Are You???

Since we went to two services in January of 2008, I have had one continuing problem with the format. We don’t get to have a family reunion each week! You know what I mean. There are people in the early service that the late service people don’t get to see every week and vice versa. It is a struggle for me and I am in BOTH services. However, I am not complaining! Since the decision was made to go to two services, our attendance has doubled and God has richly blessed our congregation. That being said, there are many of you who don’t know who the other one is!! Am I right?

That is why we are in the process of having a family photo album made for our church family! Hopefully by now many of you have already had your picture taken. Perhaps many of you have an appointment set to do so. However, I am sure there are some who have simply decided not to be a part of our album. Maybe you think you are too busy, you don’t like the way you look, or you simply have not signed up! If you are making excuses like any I have listed, then please, please, please call Church Designs at (903) 670-3286 and ask them to sign you up for a time during the weekend of July 9-11. I don’t want to have an incomplete photo album, and if you are not in it then we will be missing something very important!

So now that I have said all of that . . . if someone comes up and asks you, “Who are you?” and you are not in the family album, it is YOUR fault! How is that for a guilt trip?

We are right in the middle of a busy summer. We have already sent a group of teenagers to Super Summer and had a fantastic Vacation Bible School. Now we are gearing up for pre-teen and youth camps and our mission trip to New Mexico. I hope you are keeping all of these groups in your prayers as they travel and are asking that God will do incredible things in their midst! I also know it is a busy time for families to be traveling. I love vacation as much as anyone else. I hope you enjoy whatever or wherever you get to go this year! But with people traveling that means there are empty spots in worship and Sunday School. So if you are in town, make sure you are filling a spot as we worship together. If you are not here, I am convinced you are missing a blessing and the privilege of worshipping God in a corporate setting!

On a final note, I would like to say a big THANK YOU for the unbelievable expressions of love so many of you showed my family, as we celebrated our ten year anniversary here in Grandview! It is an honor to be called to serve our God, but it is a privilege to get to serve in such a loving and dynamic congregation! Thank you not only for the day of celebration, but also for the wonderful ten years you have been a part of our lives!

God is so good!

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June 28 Sermon

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Word of the Week for June 28, 2009

This week we will be celebrating our nation’s birthday! With the 4th of July comes a reminder of the freedoms we all enjoy on a daily basis. I hope you will take time this week to reflect on the freedoms we have because of the sacrifices the men and women of our nation’s military have made throughout the years to allow us to worship freely today, to choose where we will go to eat lunch this afternoon, and so many other decisions we make every day.

We also must take time to thank God for the freedom we have from sin because of the sacrifice Christ made on our behalf on the cross. God has blessed us all greatly. Let us give thanks!

Happy Independence Day!

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June 21 Sermon

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Word of the Week for June 21, 2009

With the way things have gone over the past couple of weeks, I have felt the need to really put a strong emphasis on Vacation Bible School and Super Summer with my Word of the Week. As a result, I have neglected something very important!

Shelly, the boys and I would like to say a GINORMOUS thank you to all of you for the way you showed your love and support to us during our ten year anniversary celebration. It is hard to believe it has been ten years since we came to Grandview. Time has flown by for us! We are so thankful to have a great church family to serve alongside of and love and be loved. Thank you again for your generosity and words of encouragement. We look forward to many good days ahead!

Have a wonderful week!

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Due to a conflict in schedules the sermon for this week is not available for download. Maybe we can get it in later in the week. Sorry for the inconvenience!

Word of the Week for June 14, 2009

What a fantastic week we had at Vacation Bible School!! A huge thank you goes out to everyone who helped make the week a great success! I am absolutely blown away watching our church work together to pull off such an awesome event! It takes so many people pulling in the same direction, and it is fun to be a part of it! Thank You!

This week we have a group of leadership students heading to Super Summer with Daniel and me. Please keep the following young people in your prayers as they are challenged to be leaders among their peers: Cody, Aubri, Kayle, Katie, Molly, Raely, Trey, Shanon, Sarah, Taylor, Randi, Lyncon, Emma, Julie, and Meaghan.

Have a great week!

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June 07 Sermon

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Word of the Week for June 7, 2009

Tonight we will be boarding the Boomerang Express for an incredible journey through God’s Word with our children at Vacation Bible School. This is one of the most exciting yet physically tiring weeks in the life of our church.

I hope you will be inviting children from all around to come enjoy the journey with us as well praying for the teachers, children and volunteers this week. If you don’t have anything else to do and want to be a blessing to a child, then come hop on board. Family night will be Thursday evening from 6 until 8:30 and we could use people to welcome our guests and make them feel at home!

All Aboard,

What Are You Doing Right Now?

I don’t tweet. I surf, google, text, and cell, but I don’t tweet. A guy has to draw the line somewhere. So I don’t tweet – at least not yet. According to their web site, Twitter is a service for friends, family, and co–workers to communicate and stay connected (tweet) through the exchange of quick, frequent answers to one simple question: What are you doing? The face of communication has changed. Face-to-face conversation is fast becoming a lost art.  Thanks to the latest means of communication I can know what friends are doing just about all the time: what they are having for dinner, what time they are going to bed, who won a ball game.  We talk less, but know more. So is there a word from God for this technological generation? How about, “Let your speech (tweet, text, Facebook) be with grace, seasoned with salt.” (Col. 4:6) Hi tech communication? Yes!  Hi tech seasoning?  Please!

As I think about the idea of “tweeting,” it actually makes me laugh.  People apparently post what they are doing at every moment of their day.  (How do they have the time?)  But it reminded me that I don’t have to “tweet” God. He already is watching over me.  He knows my every thought, He knows my every move, and most importantly He knows my every need.  That is so comforting to me.  How about you?

As I ask the question, “What are you doing right now?” I wonder what you are doing the week of June 7th-11th?  The Boomerang Express will be rolling through Grandview that week for a great week of Vacation Bible School.  There has already been a lot of hard work put into the week, but the rewards are yet to come.  I hope you will be praying that the teachers and children will have an incredible encounter with our Lord.  There are many ways to serve during the week as well.  We will need kitchen help, recreation workers, cleanup crews, and “go-fors!”  I hope you will make plans to be here each evening from 6:00 until 8:30 to invest in the children of our community!

What are you doing the week of July 25th through August 1st?  Our annual church mission trip is that week.  We will be taking a crew to Bloomfield, New Mexico to do either roofing or framing as well as Backyard Bible Clubs for a church in that community.  It is a great opportunity to fellowship with one another as well as help out a small mission church with their new building.  The cost of the trip is $150 per person or $400 per family.

My final question for you is this:  What are you doing for Christ today?  Remember . . . He is always watching.  Are you pleasing Him?

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May 31 Sermon

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Word of the Week for May 31, 2009

Today we have the privilege of honoring our graduate seniors. This is always a special day in the life of our church. We have students graduating from high school and college who have finished a major chapter in their lives. What an accomplishment! We are proud of you all. With the completion of one chapter of life come new challenges and the beginning of a new chapter. Good luck to all of you in your future endeavors.

I challenge you all to “finish the race” of life well and represent Christ in all of your future endeavors!

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May 24 Sermon

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Word of the Week for May 24, 2009

Our church is spread out this week! I get so excited about the summer months, because it gives us so many opportunities to “send” the church outside the walls! We have a group today in Rocky Comfort, Missouri worshipping with Prosperity Baptist Church. They are in the process of removing an old roof and replacing it with a new metal roof as well as repairing an old steeple for them. While they are there, the group will be doing backyard Bible clubs in the area each evening. Please keep them in your prayers as they travel and are serving this church as well as representing our FBC Grandview.

Let’s all scatter this week and make a difference for Christ!

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May 17 Sermon

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Word of the Week for May 17, 2009

What a privilege it is for us to host the Zebra Strings!! This is one of the greatest programs our school district has to offer, and I am excited they will be with us for worship today. It is so refreshing to see the smiles on the children’s faces as they play their violins . . . knowing that their hard work and dedication has paid off.

The Strings will be traveling this week to perform in Branson, one of the performance capitals of America. So keep them in your prayers as they travel and represent Grandview well.

Kids and Parents! Thanks for being here today and sharing your gifts and children with us. We are so proud of you!

Have a great week!

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May 10 Sermon

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Word of the Week for May 10, 2009

“Mom! Mom! Mom!” That is a common sound at our house these days. If it is not Cameron or Easton, it is probably me calling for Shelly! What is it about the word mom? It seems to just make you feel better to say it. When God made mothers, he knew exactly what He was doing. Today as we honor our moms, may we also make sure to give honor to our God who gave them to us! Happy Mother’s Day, Moms! Thanks for all you do!

Next Sunday we will having a brief meeting after the 11:00 service to discuss a couple of new areas of ministry. If you have interest in greeting people as they come to FBC or are interested in being involved in a new prayer ministry, please plan on attending.

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May 3 Sermon

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Word of the Week for May 3, 2009

Reports and conversations from this past week are filled with talk about the Swine Flu sweeping across the world. It is a very serious situation according to health experts and should not be taken lightly. One health expert said, “It is a virus that can spread quickly and impact life dramatically.”

I love that phrase . . . it “can spread quickly and impact life dramatically.” How amazing would it be if those were the words our news media used for the growth and expansion of Christianity?

The talk last week may have been about the Swine Flu making people sick, but I say we make all future conversations about the Gospel of Christ making people well!

I hope you have a healthy and happy week!

A New Addition to the Family!!!!

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I am so excited to let you know we are about to have a new addition to our family! God continues to bless in amazing ways and this addition is one that will be a blessing to many. First, let me put your mind at rest. Shelly and I are not having another baby! However, the Personnel Committee wishes to inform you that we have a candidate for our vacant Children’s Director position. At our Church Conference in May, we will be presenting Dorothy Brusaw to the church for your support to serve our church and children. I am so proud that within our own body, our people are growing to the point where they are ready and willing to step into leadership positions on the church staff. I believe Dorothy will do a wonderful job for us.

Dorothy and husband, Bob, have been involved at First Baptist for over seven years now and have become very active in ministry. Dorothy has been a volunteer nursery worker for over two years now and has recently taken on the task of teaching our 3 and 4 year old Busy Bees Class on Wednesday nights. She is very driven and self motivated, and I believe she will bring a new dynamic to our staff as she serves in this capacity.

Dorothy is not the only addition we have had to First Baptist. Over the past several months we have seen many new additions to our church. The baptistery has been full on a regular basis, and we have seen many new people joining our fellowship. We must give thanks to God for His blessings! With us having two services now, many of you are having a hard time getting to know who others are, so we are going to be creating a new church pictorial directory soon. I hope you are planning on being a part of our family photo album for 2009! Sign up sheets are in the hallway across from the choir room. Hurry and get signed up so you can get just the right time for you and/or your family! Each family taking a picture will receive a free 8 X 10 photo and a directory.

On a quick note, please keep Prosperity Baptist Church in Rocky Comfort, Missouri in your prayers this month. We will be sending a mission team there from May 22nd through the 27th to put a new roof on their building and do backyard Bible clubs. It is encouraging to see our church ministering to others both in Grandview and beyond!

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April 26 Sermon

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Word of the Week for April 26, 2009

This week I am going to turn 38! I know that does not sound very old to some of you, but for me it means I am only two years away from 40! I am starting to notice the gray and white hairs in my goatee and in the sides of my hair. They say that shows wisdom. I am not so sure about that!

With birthdays come questions… have I bettered myself this year? Have I attained the goals I had for myself? I think these are good questions to ask ourselves both on an everyday activity basis but also in a spiritual sense. How are you doing? Are you still committed to reading the Bible everyday like you said you would in January? Are you working to be a better husband or wife, mom or dad, son or daughter? Just a reminder . . . as Christians we should constantly be seeking to be better for the Father!

Have a great week!

4-19-09

Sermon 4-19-09 "On the Road with Jesus"

Word of the Week for April 19, 2009

What a wonderful day we had on Easter Sunday! Five hundred twenty-five people were in attendance for our worship services. An incredible spirit was present throughout the building and beyond!

I want to express some thanks to many people. First, Wally Pippin. What is there to say, except thanks! You and your helpers put together an absolutely delicious brunch. So many enjoyed it, and it gave us all a great opportunity to mingle with one another between services.

Second, our ushers, door greeters and parking lot attendants. It was incredible to see someone posted at every entrance welcoming worshippers as they came in through the door. The guys working the parking lots with umbrellas added a special touch that was greatly appreciated! Because of all the people who went above the call of duty, our time together was extraordinary. Thanks!

I also want to encourage you to sign up for our pictorial directory. We will be taking pictures in June and July, so sign up today for your time slot. Remember those members participating will get an 8 X 10 portrait as well as a directory for free. This tool is so handy in giving us a way to better acquaint ourselves with our church family. Make sure you are not left out!

Have an awesome week!

Word of the Week for April 12, 2009

Thursday of this past week I dressed up as the Easter Bunny for our little ones in the Children’s Day Out program. I had so much fun doing it and could do whatever I wanted, since the kids did not know it was me. I had my costume on! As I thought about that, I wondered how often we put our masks on when we walk into church or spend time with our Christian friends?

On this Easter Sunday I challenge you to take the mask off . . . be who God made you to be. There are times when life is hard, and it is alright to let others know. If we don’t share our burdens with one another, then how can we pray for each other?

Happy Easter! Jesus is Alive!

4-5-09

Word of the Week for April 5, 2009

Can you believe it? Summer is almost upon us. The school year is winding down and soon we will be complaining how it is “too hot!” With summer comes many opportunities of ministry and service. I want to encourage you to begin praying and considering some areas where God might be calling you to serve.

Vacation Bible School is the week of June 7th-11th this year at our church. What a great occasion to tell children in our community about the love of Christ! Perhaps you are not someone who is a “teacher.” That is alright . . . there are many other places you can serve and be a part of one the most fun and action packed weeks of the year. See Shelly Allen if you are interested.

The week of July 20th-24th we will be taking our 3rd-5th graders to Latham Springs for camp. We will need scholarships and sponsors for this week. Is this an area you could serve?

Our annual mission trip is scheduled for the last week of July, from the 25th- Aug. 1st. What better way to get to know people than to spend a week sweating together building a building and doing backyard Bible clubs? Do you hear God calling?

Also, right here in Grandview we will be helping put a new roof on Bethlehem Baptist Church this summer. What an opportunity to show our love to a sister church in our own town. Will you help?

God is calling. Will you pick up the phone?

“I Love this Game!”

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Cameron has begun his second season of T-ball this month. I am not sure there is anything closer to heaven than T-ball. (Unless you are coaching the 14 T-ballers!) The other day at practice one of Cameron’s teammates came running home from third base, and as he crossed home plate he looked at me with the greatest smile ever and said, “I love this game!” T-ball has so many lessons about life, it is unreal.

The first lesson I have gained from the experience is that it takes lots of work and practice. Some of the boys have never played before and don’t even know where first base is, so we spend time running the bases and helping them gain an understanding about the game. Their mechanics are not very good. For example, some of them don’t know how to throw the ball very well and hitting at times can be very adventurous. A few are more advanced than others, because they have been playing the game longer. Needless-to-say the joy and excitement they all have is fun to watch. Most of them don’t have a care in the world!

I would like to draw some comparisons to our Christian walk from the T-ball experience. First of all, it is important to know we are all at different places in our walk with the Father. Some of us have been a Christian for a long time and know a great deal about our faith, while others are new in their relationship with Christ. Some of us are still learning how to have a quiet time, while are others can’t get enough of the meat and potatoes of God’s Word. The important thing is that we all keep working on developing ourselves into better Christian people.

Also, consider the aspect of joy the boys have in playing the game. As we go about our daily lives and are seeking and serving God, there should be a joy that overflows from us which can be contagious to those around us. We should have an “I love my God” mentality like the boys have concerning the game. I hope you are falling more and more in love with God everyday and as James says “that your joy may be complete.”

April is an exciting month in the life of our church, as we continue toward Easter Sunday. We will be having our Service of Shadows on Wednesday, April 8 at 6:30 in the Sanctuary. This is always a meaningful time for us as a church family, as we prepare for Resurrection Sunday and take time to remember the sacrifice Christ made for us. Then on Friday evening at 6:00 the children will have a time of worship as they hear the Easter story on their level from Nancy Burkes Worcester and her friends. Finally on Easter Sunday morning, we will have our community Sonrise service at 7:00 am at Mienen Lake followed by our 8:30 worship service, a church-wide brunch and Easter Egg hunt for the kids at 9:30 am, and our 11:00 am worship service. Many things are happening as we celebrate our risen Savior, and I hope you and your family will be a part of it all! After all it is with joy we should proclaim, “I love my God!”

Happy Easter,

Sunday Morning 3-29-2009

Russell Allen: Part 2 - Shadows of The Cross

Word of the Week for March 29, 2009

What a month! Even though it has been a difficult for our church family, it has also been a very rewarding month for me as a pastor. We have probably set a record for the number of funerals within a few weeks for several families in our congregation. (Not something I like by the way.) We have so many who are grieving the loss of loved ones, and as a church family we have some big holes left behind from the loss of friends.

However, through all of the loss, it has been amazing to watch our members rise to the occasion to serve and love on these families. One of the greatest FBC ministries is our Funeral Hospitality Committee (FHC). Not only do these ladies, along with Brad and Wally, work tirelessly and long hours to make sure families are supported through a difficult process, but a large number of individuals assist by providing covered dish items. Many churches today may cater a meal for a family, but I believe it means so much more to have a home cooked lunch prepared by loving hands and prayerful hearts instead.

Perhaps you were unaware of this ministry and would like to get involved. If so, contact FHC chairman, Erma Burnett, or let us know in the office. We will gladly incorporate you into this outreach. In the meantime, a huge THANK YOU goes out to everyone who helps with this ministry . . . you do make a difference!

Word of the Week for March 22, 2009

We start out this week and journey toward Easter with a sermon series entitled, “The Shadows of the Cross.” This is my favorite time of the year. It is so appropriate that Easter falls in the spring time. With spring comes new life in nature. I love to see the blooms on trees, flowers, and the grass turning green . . . as if death is overtaken with life.

On the first Easter morning that is exactly what happened. When Christ came out of the tomb, death was conquered and life came forth. How amazing it is to stop and think about how one morning changed my life. I hope you will take the time to reflect on how Christ’s resurrection has changed you. Thank God for his sacrifice but ultimately his power in the resurrection!

Word of the Week for March 15, 2009

As I was reading through the Grandview Tribune this week, one of our teenager’s accomplishments caught my attention. Julie Tull was awarded the title of Best Actress for the Junior High One Act Play competition. What an honor! Julie, we are so proud of you!

While I read the article, I was challenged with the thought of character. Julie played a different character in the play than she plays on a daily basis. I considered our role as Christians. How often do we play a different character on Sunday than who we are during the week? Our Christian character should not be something we pull out of the closet on Sunday morning and put away during the week. We should be living for Christ 24/7!

When we live out our Christianity daily, God is pleased with us . . . just as Julie’s parents are proud of her.

Don’t be a best “actor” for Jesus! Be real!

Have a great week!

Word of the Week, March 8

Today is an extraordinary day in the life of our church. Anytime we gather together to partake in the Lord’s Supper, it should be a special time for us each individually as well as the body of Christ.

This is a time of looking back at the sacrifice Christ made for us, looking into our hearts and looking forward to Christ’s return.

I pray we will all take a long look inside our hearts and make sure we are properly prepared to come to the table with lives worthy of breaking the bread and drinking the cup. Our Savior has made such a great sacrifice on our behalf that we should desire to leave this place with a passion to go and serve Him.

May today be a blessing to start your week!

What is Your Foundation?

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This past month we had the foundation of the Sanctuary jacked up to fix a crack in the back wall. I am amazed to see how the workers do a leveling job. I must admit it is fascinating. Years of movement from the good ol’ Texas dirt is repaired in a matter of hours. As the guys were working, I was hit with the question: What is your foundation?

It is a good question for us all to ask. As a church we have spent the first two months working on our foundations in the area of prayer and family. Through the Foundations of Faith seminars we have looked at prayer and journaling and marriage. In the month of March we will continue our seminar series by looking at parenting. In April and May we will be having a ladies and men’s conferences. If you are not taking advantage of the seminars, I believe you are missing out. Let me point out that if you come to a marriage or parenting conference, it does not mean you have a bad marriage or you are a bad parent. I think that is a common misconception people make. It simply means you want to be better. Don’t we all want our foundation to be stronger? I hope so.

On another note, God has been doing some incredible things in our midst over the past several months. We are seeing new families come to be a part of FBC, and we are broadening our foundation of ministry as a church family. I believe God is blessing what we are doing and as a result I believe He is calling us to do more. I want to ask you to be praying about what it is that God might be calling you to do for ministry in the days to come. We have many opportunities on the horizon from feeding the homeless monthly, to attending a camp as a sponsor, to being involved in mission projects and trips we are doing as a church. But I believe there is still more beyond that. As a church we must ask ourselves what we need to be doing to show our community the love of Christ in a very practical way.

We all have cracks in our foundation. We all need to be daily powerjacked by our Father to continually lift us up to be who we need to be for Him. If you are not spending time in the Word and prayerfully seeking after His will for your life, then chances are your foundation is sinking a bit. I love the song “Higher Ground”. The words say, “On Christ the solid rock I stand, all other ground is sinking sand.” May we all stand on Christ the rock!

Jacked up for Jesus!

Word of the Week for March 1, 2009

What a week this has been around the Allen house! It has been insane to say the least, and I am not talking about my mental state! Both Cameron and Easton have been sick. Easton had the flu for a week and was so sick he lost seven pounds in a matter of days. There is nothing worse than seeing your little ones literally lying around limp and lifeless. Easton was in that state.

On Thursday, however, Easton returned to form. He woke up and I knew he was better. He had that twinkle in his eye again. He and I spent the day together strolling around town and enjoying the beautiful day and playing around the house. It has been said that the hard or difficult days make you appreciate the good days even more. I am ready to appreciate some good days!

I am glad our God has a plan and purpose for all of us and even though that plan will include some difficult days. With Him as a part of our lives the good days will be even better, and the bad days will be a bit easier!

Hope you have a great week!

Word of the Week for February 22, 2009

Several times this week I have been told how on target the sermon series has been this month on imperfect families. We live in a world today that is so fast paced we don’t even have time to sit down to dinner together as families anymore, much less pray together as a family.

I want to lay out a challenge this week to all our families. Set a goal to at least three times each week sit down to dinner and find out what is going on in each of your lives. Then try to find a time each day to pray together as a family and see what it does for your relationship.

We all admit we are not perfect, but if we put forth the effort to seek after our Father who is perfect, I believe we will see the image of our families become more like Christ!


Have a wonderful week!

Word of the Week for February 15, 2009

“Love is in the air” this weekend. Have you felt it? Another Valentine’s Day has come and gone and I am sure the greeting card industry is pleased once again!! I hope you had a wonderful Valentine’s Day.

Today we will be honoring our senior adults with a special Valentine’s Day luncheon following our late morning worship service. I hope all of you senior adults enjoy yourself today! Even if you have not RSVP’d, please join us anyway.

Perhaps you missed out on doing something special for your Valentine this year. It is not too late!!! Sign up for our marriage conference on February 28th and enjoy a special time with your sweetheart. It is going to be a great time of sharpening our marriages!

Remember this week that Jesus IS love!

Word of the Week for February 8, 2009

This week Shelly and I will be heading to Cancun for a quick getaway to celebrate our ten year wedding anniversary. I am so excited to be able to take a short “timeout” to the everyday life we lead. It will be very relaxing sitting in the sand and hearing the waves roll in.

The “timeout” thought reminded me of the question, “How often do we take a “timeout” in our relationship with the Father? I believe when we miss our time with the Father, we have truly missed out on an important time in our day.

Today we begin a new series . . . “No Perfect Families Allowed.” During the month of February we will be looking at dysfunctional families in the Bible and see how God still used them in spite of their flaws. The good news is that if God can use them, surely He can use us!!

Have a great week!

Word of the Week for February 1, 2009

After months of planning and many hours of praying, Disciple Now 2009: Live It is upon us. What a great weekend we have had. I am excited today as we gather to “wrap up” the weekend with our students. However, my prayer is that it is not a “wrap up” but a spring board into what is ahead for us as a community of believers!

We have seen intense times of worship with our students and adults this weekend and a great time of service both in our community and in Fort Worth feeding the homeless. What an example these students should be to us as adults. May the youth and leaders having spent time corporately and individually worshipping this weekend as well as serving those around them become a staple in the life our church in the days ahead.

I am ready to LIVE IT, are you?

It Is Not How You Start . . . It’s How You Finish!!!!

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What a wonderful first month of the year we have had as a church family. We have seen a spirit in this place I have never sensed before. We have had unbelievable numbers in worship, Sunday school and Wednesday night activities. However, that is not what is important. It is the attitude in which we are coming to worship corporately that has me so excited.

I have no doubt in my mind the things we are seeing happen in our midst are a direct result of many of you digging deeper in God’s Word and in the area of prayer. We have spent the month of January during worship focusing on our individual prayer lives and I believe God is blessing our efforts. Haven’t you heard phrase, “It’s not how you start. It is how you finish.” Well I sometimes disagree with that statement. If you never get started, then how can you expect to finish strong? So let me encourage you by saying I believe we are off to a great start. I do believe the results we are praying for is going to be a direct result of the way we finish. We are doing well now, but how sweet it will be as we begin to see the benefits of our efforts paying off by seeing people saved, unchurched people plugging in to the ministry of our church, and us as a church going deeper in our walk with the Lord! Let’s finish what we have started!!!

February will be a month focused on family. Families are vital in the life of a church. After all, we are all family. We will celebrate family and be challenged to be better family members throughout the month of February. There are a couple of very special events happening during the month I would like to make sure you know about.

First is Disciple Now, which will be taking place this weekend. DNow weekend is a time where not only teenagers’ lives are changed forever but in many cases the adults involved are impacted as well. I hope you have been praying for these 3 days, and that we will see an incredible movement of the Spirit in our community!

On February 15th, we will be having our annual Senior Adult Valentine Banquet at noon. What a special time for our seniors to enjoy a wonderful meal, fellowship and entertainment. If you are a senior adult, please call the church office and RSVP for this wonderful experience. I remind you . . . we are all family and this is a way for our church to tell you how much we love you and appreciate you!

Saturday, February 28th, we will be hosting the second of our Foundations in Faith Seminars. This month’s conference will focus on marriage. We will have a teaching time from 2pm to 5pm out of Song of Solomon followed by a dinner set up especially for you and your spouse and the showing of the movie “Fireproof.” I hope every married couple in our church will make the decision to be a part of this special afternoon and evening. Childcare will be provided! The cost of the seminar is only $10 per couple (or per book) and RSVPs are required by February 22nd. More details will be available next week. If you have questions, call the office.

We are off to a great start, but remember . . . it is not just how you start, but also how you finish. Let’s commit to one another and to our Lord, so we will finish strong!

Talk about a bad couple of days!

Boy should Hollywood be jealous of the chapters about the plagues. They could not come up with something like if they tried!!! I found myself thinking about my bad days and then thought about Pharaoh....WOW! Can you imagine the stinch from all of the dead frogs, then the gnats, flies, livestock, YUK! Then the boils come...then the hail...in the day to come we will see the locusts enter stage left...then darkness, then the children...what a terrible time for Pharaoh all because he would not listen to the mouthpiece of God!
I wonder when we are out of tune with God how much stinch we bring upon ourselves? Do we have the hard heart problem that Pharaoh had at times when God is speaking?

Word of the Week for January 25, 2009

The entire month of January has been spent focusing on developing a better prayer life for us all as individuals and as a church. My prayer has been that we will all take these challenges to heart and we will see an incredible movement of the Holy Spirit in the body of Christ. Today as we wrap up our series on "Prayer that Can Change Your Life," we will have a challenge presented to us concerning next weekend's Disciple Now. My hope is we will all take the challenge to get our hearts right with the Lord in anticipation of the weekend.

God is ready to do some amazing things in our midst and I pray we will be sensitive to His leading. Let's get ready for whatever it is God leads us to do!

Have a great week!

Word of the Week for January 18, 2009

All week long I have been getting a little chuckle out of the weathermen on television. As they have anticipated the “cold” snap that came this past week, the conversation has been focused on the “ups and downs” of the temperature lately. It was humorous to me to listen to them go on and on. Do they not realize we are in Texas???

As I thought about the “ups and downs” of the temperature, I began to think about the Christian life. There are “ups and downs” to that as well. I wonder how often we simply make excuses for them rather than do something about it? We have been focused on reading God’s Word and prayer since the first of the year. When the “ups and downs” hit your spiritual life, go back to the basics of God’s Word and focus even harder on your prayer life. I believe you will find a more balanced forecast in your spiritual life!

Have a great week!

Word of the Week for January 11, 2009

What a great week it has been spiritually in the life of First Baptist Grandview! Many of you have spent some sweet time in the Word of God and prayer! As we have been spending 24 hours a day in prayer and Bible reading this week, I believe God has been pleased with us. For others who have committed to reading through the Bible this year, we are two weeks into our adventure and what a journey it has already been. It is so much fun to hear comments and read the blog online (www.fbcreaders.blogspot.com) about what God is showing to those who are reading.

My prayer is that we all begin to form habits that will be spiritually life changing in the year 2009!

Don’t forget the Disciple Now meeting today following the 11:00 worship service. D-Now is one of the most exciting times in the life of our church year and you will want to be a part in some way. Come to the meeting or get with Daniel to find out how you can become involved!!!

Have a great week!

Word of the Week for January 4, 2009

As a new year has arrived, many of you have made resolutions! You are now four days into it…how are you doing? One of the resolutions I have made is to read through the Bible this year. I made the challenge to you all and I hope you now only have 361 days to go. If you did not order a Bible, there is a list available in the hallways of the church that will tell you what passages you need to read on each day.

Today we also have begun our week of prayer and Bible reading as a church. At midnight last night Bob Brusaw began in Genesis 1. I love this idea and look forward to hearing some great stories.

If we will be a church founded on God’s Word and prayer, I believe 2009 will be the greatest year in the life of First Baptist Grandview!! Will you join in?

Happy New Year!