WikiLeaks and JesusLeaks

For the past several weeks, we have been inundated with information about a man named Julian Assange and WikiLeaks. It is amazing to me that one man and his organization can cause such a stir by releasing some secret documents. If you are like me and are a news buff, I am sure you are beginning to get tired of hearing about it all by now. I started thinking about this ONE guy and the major issues worldwide his actions have caused. It seems that everyone is talking about it. It is unbelievable, isn’t it?

As we begin a new year, I pray that we will see a JesusLeaks movement begin. Think about it for a minute... all Julian Assange did was steal some documents and put them on the internet, and it is a big news story. Jesus gave his life for the very people who are written about in the documents, the people reading the documents, and Julian Assange himself!! Why can’t we make the JesusLeaks movement even bigger? I am convinced we can. What will it take? It will take all of us being consumed with our faith. It must be something we talk about at every opportunity. We must educate ourselves as to who Christ is, so we can talk intelligently about Him. We must spend time in prayer, putting on the full armor of God daily, as we make the effort to make Jesus famous to those around us!

I always think about people who sit around and develop viruses for computers and the terrorists who are constantly thinking about ways to harm people and developing new plans to do so. Most of them are brilliant people. They have brilliant minds to come up with such plans. What if they put those brilliant minds to use for the good of mankind rather than seeking to do damage and harm people? There is no telling what they could do! In the same way I wonder what would happen if God’s people would not sit around gossiping, tearing down other believers, but making small talk and consuming themselves and their conversations with talk about Christ and what He has done for us.

As a New Year approaches, I want to challenge you, not to make a resolution, but to make a commitment to Christ to make Him a part of every avenue of your daily life. Look for ways to work Him into your conversations at work, at the coffee shop, at the ball field, wherever you are. I am convinced that the result will be a JesusLeak in 2011!

As you are making New Year’s resolutions, let me give you a few suggestions for you and your family that will make your year a productive spiritual event:

Decide to be active in worship attendance!

Decide to be or become active in a Sunday School class or LIFE group.

Commit to faithfully tithing to the church (not just giving).

Pray and read the Bible together as a family.

Find a way to volunteer or serve in the church body!

The list could go on and on. I ask you to pray and seek the Lord on what He would have you do to be better for Him in 2011!

Happy New Year!

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Dec. 26 Sermon

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Word of the Week

What a wonderful week I have just had! It does not get any better than celebrating the birth of my Savior, enjoying family, and a ski trip! I cannot explain how absolutely gorgeous it is to those of you who have never experienced the beauty of a crisp morning on the top of a mountain covered in snow with the sun shining! It is such a beautiful reminder of the majesty of our God! How can you stand at the top of the mountain and see the beauty of His creation and not believe in Him? I wonder that every time I am there. My prayer for you this last week of 2010 is that you see the beauty and wonder of our God and give thanks for who He is in your life!

I hope you have a great end of the year and start to a new one!

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Dec. 19 Sermon

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Word of the Week

As we continue to prepare for the coming of the Christ Child, let us all take time to be still and experience the blessings and presence of God. During these moments of reflection, the FBC staff would like to express its appreciation to our Lord for not only the opportunities to minister on His behalf through this church body and community, but also for all the love, support and acts of kindness you as a congregation have shared with us throughout the year and this Christmas season.

Honoring us with a staff appreciation holiday meal at On the Border Mexican Grill was enjoyed by all present. Also, everyone on staff was truly grateful to receive your gracious Christmas love gifts. The list could go on and on. However, it is your continual sharing of the love and news of that tiny Babe born in a manger so many years ago that has touched our hearts the most. May the Spirit of Christmas reside in your hearts now and in the upcoming year.

Your humble servants,
Russell, Les, Bill, Ryan, Dorothy, Airemy,
and the rest of the FBC Staff

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Dec. 12 Sermon

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Word of the Week

You are in for a treat this morning as we worship together! Our church is blessed with some awesome talent, but I think the greatest talent we have is in our children. They will be helping lead us in worship this morning and I am really excited about it!

The thing I love about children is that you never know what they are going to do. As parents you never know what to expect, but we know it will be great! I believe that is the way God wants us to come to worship. Without expectations but knowing we are going to experience something great! That is my prayer for you today!

I hope you have a great week!

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Dec. 5 Sermon

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Word of the Week

Twenty Days ‘til Christmas!!!! Warning…. Twenty Days ‘til Christmas!!! If you are like me you need a warning signal to slow you down a bit this time of the year. Things seem to go from really busy to insanely hectic, and I want to challenge you to slow down and enjoy Jesus! Find some time to gaze into the manger and see the Christ Child!

Tonight we will be giving you an opportunity to slow down a bit and not have to cook dinner. I hope you will be here tonight to enjoy a meal from your staff as we take time to say THANKS for loving us and serving alongside us this past year! We will begin serving at 6:00 and hope to see you here!

This is your Final warning!!!!

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Nov. 28 Sermon

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Word of the Week

Last week as we took the Lord’s Supper, Cameron took his piece of bread and dipped it in the cup and dropped it in. He looked up at me with an indescribable look and said, “Dad, can I have a ‘do-over’?” A question filled with all kinds of theology!!

If it were not for the blood that the juice represents, then we would not be able to look at our heavenly Father and ask for a “do-over!” This Sunday after Thanksgiving I am thankful for the baby who was born in a manger, who ultimately died in my place, and who rose from the dead so that I could have a “do-over!” How about you?

I hope you have a great week!

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Nov. 21 Worship

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Word of the Week

Our God is so good! Can I say that again? Our God is so good! He blesses us so much that we often take His blessings for granted. As we celebrate Thanksgiving week, we will be celebrating the greatest blessing of all today in our worship time together. We will have the privilege of sitting at the Lord’s Table and giving thanks for the greatest sacrifice ever made on our behalf. My prayer is that as we remember the sacrifice Christ made, it will help us truly be thankful throughout the week and to take the time to give thanks for all HE has done!

Happy Thanksgiving Week!

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Nov. 14 Sermon

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Word of the Week

Tonight is a very important night for our church family. We will be voting on the 2011 budget proposal. I know many of you are not interested in the church budget, but I believe it is important for you to know how and where your dollars are being used in ministry. I want to encourage you to attend Church Conference tonight to vote on the proposal, and more importantly, commit to being a part of meeting our financial needs by giving faithfully in 2011. So let us all come together at 6 o’clock ready to vote on the budget and to accept the challenge of being faithful in the giving of our tithes and offerings.

I hope you have a great week!

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Nov. 7 Sermon

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Word of the Week

From the Children's director -

Once again, I am amazed by you, this awesome family of God. Thank you all. As things began to unravel last Sunday afternoon during the Fall Fun Fest set-up, you stepped up. You did not let the devil have his way. There were a few surprises that could have been real disasters, but you didn’t let them. You worked right through them as if they were no big deal.

From contributions of candy, money, and baked items to serving as volunteers, you made this Fall Fun Fest the best yet. I believe we entertained more children than in past years. Thank you for all you did to make the afternoon a great time for the kids! Our God is awesome, and you are an awesome family! I am truly blessed.

— Dorothy

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Oct. 31 Sermon

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Word of the Week

Today is Halloween, the day children and adults will dress up to be a character different than who they are every other day of the year. With that thought in mind, I was challenged concerning how we live our lives during the week. Do we put on a “costume” on Sunday to come to worship, or are we the same person seven days a week? My prayer is that we are not putting a mask anytime, but we are being who we are in Christ daily!

I hope you have a great week!

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Oct. 24 Sermon

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Word of the Week

Yesterday morning, the FBC Budget/Finance Committee met to finalize the 2011 budget which will be proposed to the church body at our November Church Conference. Many hours have gone into putting this budget together, and I think all of our committees have done a great job of being responsible in how we will spend the Lord’s money next year.

With the new budget coming, I want to remind you to be diligent and faithful in your giving back to the Lord and His work. We are a blessed group of people, and we are privileged to get to give back a portion of what He has blessed us with.

I hope you have a great week!

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Oct. 17 Sermon

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Word of the Week

Fall is in the air . . . Isn’t it nice? Reminders that fall has arrived are everywhere. We have Friday night football games, leaves changing colors, and yes, amazingly, Ranger baseball!!!! With fall comes one of the great events our church offers each year — the Fall Fun Fest. It is only two weeks away!

With the event comes a wonderful opportunity for us as a church to minister to our community. We will have lots of families from the area come to our church for a time of fun and fellowship. I want to encourage you to sign up in the hallway near the Fellowship Hall to work a booth or to help with kitchen duty. Many of you have already brought candy and are planning on baking cakes and cookies. For that, I say thanks. But . . . There is still more to be done. Contact Dorothy Brusaw and ask her how you can help make this the best festival ever!!

I hope you have a great week!

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Oct. 10 Sermon

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Word of the Week

Many of you have been following the Texas Rangers in the recent baseball playoffs. As I write this article, the commentators during the game were talking about how balanced the Rangers are as a team. Each player knows his role and has done a great job of doing their assigned job. That is why they have been successful as a team this year.

In relation to accomplishing the things God has called us to do, all this reminds me how important each member of the body of Christ is. By providing a funeral meal, some persons are great at ministering to families who have lost loved ones. Others help out with youth activities. Many do a great job of teaching and leading Bible study classes. The list goes on and on. The point I want to make is this . . . No matter what your area of ministry is, it is important and you are needed. As pastor, I want to say thanks for ALL you do to share the ministry of our church work with Grandview and beyond!

I hope you have a great week!

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Oct. 3 Sermon

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Word of the Week

Last Wednesday night was a great night! I have always enjoyed walking down the halls on Wednesday evenings at our church because of all the activity going on. However this past week there were a ton of people in our building. I am convinced there were more people here than on a typical Sunday morning! I loved it . . . teenagers overflowing the Youth Room, ladies meeting in the Choir Room, guys studying in the Ladies Prayer and Share Classroom, TeamKIDs filling their rooms (and even the back parking lot), another group of ladies meeting in the Conference Room, and the prayer warriors studying Revelation in the Fellowship Hall! It was awesome. You are being told all of this in case you weren't here. If you weren’t, then you missed out!

Come enjoy supper at 5:30 and find somewhere to study God’s Word this Wednesday at 6:30!

I hope you have a great week!

Progress Report Time

This week progress reports came out at school. I know this can be an anxious time for parents, as they find out how their children are doing at school. Before report cards come out in a couple of weeks, it is an opportunity to do something about their grades if they are not very good. Cameron got his and I am happy to report he is doing well (in case you were concerned!)

The progress reports got me to thinking about what our progress might look like if our church got one. I think it would look pretty good! We are seeing more and more new faces visit our church. We are ministering to our community on all age levels. We are doing a good job of mission work. We are being faithful with our tithes. We have seen some incredible miracles surrounding our prayer ministry with the healing of some who have been really sick. We are seeing a good number of baptisms. We are even making progress on additional parking and soon the new building. It all looks good.

I imagine several students got great progress reports but that does not mean they get to take a few weeks off. They must continue to press forward to enhance their education. I believe the same must be the case for FBC Grandview. It would be really easy for us to sit back and pat ourselves on the back and say to one another, “You have done a really good job!” I challenge you to press on in your faith . . . be diligent in praying for one another, be faithful in continually asking the Lord if you are being obedient in the area of giving. Seek out new ways to minister and love those around you.

In 1992 following five operations, British runner Derek Redman was hoping to win gold at the Barcelona Olympics. Everything seemed to be going well for the 400 meter race. He had recorded the fastest time in the quarter-final heat. He was pumped up—ready to go. As the gun sounded, he got off to a clean start. But at 150 meters, his right hamstring muscle tore, and he fell to the ground. When he saw the stretcher-bearers rushing toward him, he jumped up and began hobbling toward the finish line. Despite the pain, he continued to move forward. Soon another person joined him on the track. It was his father. Arm in arm . . . hand in hand . . . They moved toward the finish line together. Just before they crossed, Derek’s dad let go of his son, so that Derek could finish the race on his own. The crowd of 65,000 stood to their feet cheering and clapping as Derek finished the race. Heartbreaking? Yes! Encouraging? Yes! Emotional? Yes! We all need to finish the race and finish it well.

God, who began a good work in you, wants you to finish the race. He wants you to endure. He wants you to be successful. He wants you to finish and finish well. God does not leave you to run the race alone!

God is doing amazing things in our midst. I am excited to have been a part of what He has done, but I get even more excited thinking about what He is preparing us to do! I hope you do as well!

Training to finish strong!

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Sept. 26 Sermon

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Word of the Week

I am privileged to have the best family in the world! There is absolutely no doubt about it. I mean from the parents God blessed me with to the great wife and kids I have, I am blessed way more than I deserve.

When I think of family, however; I now think of FBC as family. We have been here over 11 years now, and you are all my family! I point this out today because as my family, I say thank you for loving, teaching and living out the love of Christ for my children.

Today is a special day for our family, and I know I speak for many in this church who have seen their children baptized here, when I say, “THANK YOU to those who teach our children about God’s love and being a church family filled with great examples for our children to look up to!”

I hope you have a great week!

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Sept. 19 Sermon

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Word of the Week

Antique Alley Weekend! During this weekend twice a year, many of us groan at the thought of traffic and the chaos downtown. I have an interesting observation from looking at items people were selling. Many of the things being sold are out of date. That is why they are being sold. They are not useful to the seller anymore.

I thought to myself . . . I am glad my God never goes out of date. He is the same yesterday, today and forever. Yet some of us try to handle things on our own and have in a sense put Him on the sale table. I challenge you to take Him back and trust in Him in a new way today and see how relevant He can be in your day to day life!

I hope you have a great week!

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Sept. 12 Sermon

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Word of the Week

God is so good! It is interesting to me how often we pray for something and when God answers the prayer we find ourselves complaining about it! I am guilty of that this week. We have prayed for much needed rain for a couple of months now and this week God provided (Boy, did He provide!)!!!

We were supposed to start work on the first parking lot behind the church and I stated to someone, “Leave it to us to make it rain!” I was reminded by the person to quit complaining, God was answering my prayers!

I want to challenge you as you pray to be sure to give thanks in ALL things and by all means when God answers abundantly, don’t complain!!! HE is faithful!

I hope you have a great week!

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Sept. 5 Sermon

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Word of the Week

After much struggle and many hours of hard work by our Building Task Force Committee, I believe we have finally cleared the last hurdle to begin work on our new parking lots and missions building!!! Praise the Lord!

Along with that bit of good news, I need you to be aware of how in the coming weeks we will be slightly inconvenienced as far as parking is concerned. Hopefully this week we will begin to see dirt moved from the parking lot directly behind the west end of the building and see a concrete parking lot within a couple of weeks. I ask that you utilize the grass lot across the street for parking during this time of construction.

The plan is that once we have parking taken care of on this side of the street, we will begin construction on the other side of the street. Please pray for the safety of the workers and that all goes as planned!!!!

I hope you have a great week!

I AM NOT GOING TO STAY HERE!

August 23rd is a day that will be significant at the Allen household forever. It was the first time both of our boys had their backpacks in tow and headed out the door to school together! What an exciting day this would be, right? WRONG!

Cameron was fired up and ready to go . . . Easton on the other hand had no idea his life was about to change forever. As we walked into his classroom, he proceeded to march around the room twice with a frown on his face and then return to me with arms folded and said, “I AM NOT GOING TO STAY HERE!” After a whisper in his ear that said, “Yes, you are,” and a hug, I walked out the door. He had a good first day of school and even went back the next day!

As I thought about Easton’s announcement to the world that he was “not going to stay here,” I got to thinking about our relationship with Christ. I know those are the words our Heavenly Father wants to hear from us. He does not desire for us to stay in one place spiritually for very long. He wants us to have an attitude of moving forward in our relationship with Him. I am afraid too many Christians have gotten to a point in their spiritual walk where they have “stayed here” too long. Easton’s statement was a subtle reminder to me concerning my spiritual journey and maybe it will be a nudge to you in yours.

What a great Sunday we had on August 22nd! We baptized nine new believers. We had great crowds come to worship in both services. We saw another family become a part of our church family. God was so good! We continue to see new faces in our midst on a weekly basis and it is our job to make them feel welcome.

I want to challenge you in another area. I realize we are all busy and our schedules are hectic, but there are people amongst us who simply need a phone call, card or some other form of touch to let them know they are important to what is going on at FBC. When you notice someone is missing, will you make an effort to let them know you missed them? It only takes a few minutes and you will never know what a difference it can make!

School is back in session, so that means all of our Wednesday night activities are back in full swing for all ages. Perhaps you and your family have been involved in the past, or perhaps you have not. I want to encourage you to come on Wednesday night and see what all is going on. There is a meal at 5:30 and the activities will kickoff at 6:30. If you are not there, you are missing out!

Finally, I want to encourage you to remember to keep our students and school staff in your prayers as they get the school year started. Pray for wisdom in decision making and for opportunities to share their faith. We are blessed with a great school district, and I am convinced it is because of our prayers!

In Him,

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Aug. 29 Sermon

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Word of the Week

Four decades . . . Over forty years is a long time to do anything! I am not even that old . . . yet!!! That is how long Marie Moore has been teaching Sunday School at FBC! Today is her last day to be teaching the 4 and 5 year old children’s Sunday School class. What a legacy she has left for others to follow. What an example of faithfulness and servanthood to her Heavenly Father. Today we honor her as well as the rest of our teachers with a continental breakfast in the Fellowship Hall at 9:30. I hope you will give Marie a hug and thank her for the difference she has made in so many children’s lives over the years, and let that be a challenge to you to be more involved and faithful in the area of servanthood!

I hope you have a great week!

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Aug. 22 Sermon

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Word of the Week

Today is the last “official” day of summer! What a great summer it has been! We have seen students be challenged at Super Summer, Youth Camp, Children’s Camp as well as a group having gone to Israel, a group to Rio Rancho, NM, an amazing trip to the Wild West at Vacation Bible School, and there is so much I did not even mention! God has been GREAT to us as a church family!

This morning we are seeing some of the fruit of the summer as we baptize several who have made decisions to follow Christ! Celebrate with them, pray for them and allow their stand for Christ to challenge you to do more for Him!

I hope you have a great week!

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Aug. 15 Sermon

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Word of the Week

It is hard to believe, but it is time for school to start! It seems like just yesterday we were loading kids up to head to Super Summer. So much has happened since that time, and God has been so good to us this summer!

With the start of school we have the privilege of feeding the teachers lunch this week at school on Wednesday to let them know we are praying for them and supporting them through the year. It also marks the time for the yearly “Joshua Walk” around our school campuses. Starting tonight at the junior high parking lot at 7:00, a group will gather each night through Saturday to pray for our administrators, teachers, students and parents. This is an important part of our community, and if we are going to continue to see God work in our midst, I believe it is important for us to pray! I hope you will join us for this journey!

I hope you have a great week!

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Download the Sunday sermon (Aug. 8) in MP3 format for your computer or MP3 player. Click on the link below...

Aug. 8 Sermon

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Word of the Week

What a summer of change it has been at FBC Grandview! We have seen many lives changed at camps, on mission trips, and even travels to the Holy Land. What a great summer it has been. We have also seen some staff changes take place. I am excited about Les being with us now for almost two months and he is doing a great job. While I was in Israel, Michelle Pannell, who has done a great job of launching and running our Children’s Day Out program, decided it was best for her to step down from that position. We are excited that Airemy Caudle has accepted the position and will be ready to welcome young children to our building on Tuesdays and Thursdays this fall. Airemy has been an elementary principal in the past and brings lots of experience to the position and I know she is going to do a great job! Keep her and the rest of the staff in your prayers as we all work through a bit of transition and continue to move forward for the Kingdom!

I hope you have a great week!

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Aug. 1 Sermon

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The technical staff is away on Mission Trip so we don't have a sermon recording this week.

Word of the Week

A trip to the Holy Land – where the past is our present and our future. What an honor and privilege it is to have walked where Jesus walked. How enlightening it is to have learned more about the culture He lived in. How humbling it is to have even a glimpse of what our Lord endured. How precious it is to experience the hope our Savior graced us with so long ago. How amazing it is to know that Jesus reigned in hearts past, reigns in our hearts today and can reign in other hearts tomorrow. I challenge you to help me bring Christ alive in our homes, in our communities, in our workplaces, in our world. Share His love. Share His story. Share His promise. Share Him.

Shalom,

Download Sermon (Les Williams)

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July 18 Sermon

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Word of the Week

As you all are well aware of, Russell and Shelly as well some others from FBC Grandview are in the Holy Land. I hope some of you have been able to see the pictures that have been e-mailed to us. Have you ever stopped to think about why that part of the world is so important? For me, and for many of you, Israel and more importantly Jerusalem is so special because it is the place where Jesus was condemned to die by his country. Jerusalem was the place in the Old Testament where the Temple was and God's presence was there. Jerusalem was the place where the Day of Pentecost happened and the gospel went forth to the Gentiles (which is where you and I fit in). Jerusalem is important because of Jesus. It all comes down to Jesus. From Jerusalem the apostles went forth proclaiming Jesus. In a few days a group from FBC Grandview is going to New Mexico to proclaim the name of Jesus. All of life comes down to Jesus and for his glory we spend our lives.

—Les

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July 11 Sermon

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Word of the Week

Well, the bags are packed and passports are ready! We are ready to embark tomorrow morning on what I believe will be the greatest trip of our lifetime! The Rose’s, Foreman’s, Johnson’s and Shelly and I will be in the Holy Land by Tuesday morning. I cannot express how grateful Shelly and I are for the opportunity to experience the Bible in real life. What a great church we are privileged to serve and be a part of!

We will be out of pocket until July 23rd, so if you need something, call the church office and the staff (who are amazing by the way) will do the best they can to assist you. Remember! Les is still new on the block, so cut him a little slack along the way! We will be praying for you while we are away and hope you will do the same for us!

Have a great week!

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July 4 Sermon

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Word of the Week

The 4th of July means . . . fireworks, cookouts, going to the lake, family, watermelon, hot dogs, . . . CHURCH? Chances are if you are reading this, you are in church today. I want to tell you how proud I am of you. It is because of what the 4th of July represents that we have the freedom to worship our Lord and Savior openly and freely. What a shame it would be to decide to go to the lake or do something besides come and worship the God who gave us freedom.

Freedom is exactly what we will celebrate today. We will come to the Lord’s table to remember and celebrate what Christ has done for us to give us ultimate freedom!

So. . . Happy Freedom Day in Christ!

GPS Anyone?

I have a global positioning system (GPS) in my truck to help me find my way around places I am not sure about. I am just about at the point of attaching a GPS to my body to make sure I find my way home. It has been a busy summer already with more great things to come.

As I write this article, we are at the closing of Vacation Bible School. Saddle Ridge Ranch has been the theme and the children have loved seeing the adults dressed up in their “cowboy/cowgirl” attire! We have had a wonderful week and I know many seeds have been planted. Now we must take the time to water and prepare for the harvest.

Last week we had an incredible time at Super Summer challenging our leadership students to go deeper in their relationship with Christ and learn how to lead others to Him. It was a great week for Les as he had the opportunity to get to know the students a bit better!

In a few days we will load up our teenagers for youth camp at Riverbend in Glen Rose. Later in July, Dorothy and her helpers are taking over sixty —that is right sixty!!!!— to pre-teen camp at Latham Springs in Aquilla. There is just something special about getting students to camp. They are away from parents, TV, movies, computers, and other things that often get in the way of them hearing from God. I ask you to be praying for both of these groups as they take time to draw closer to our Lord!

In between those two camps Shelly and I, as well as twelve others from our church, will be going to the Holy Land. I cannot express enough my gratitude to you all for this incredible opportunity. I anxiously await to walk where Jesus walked and have the Bible come to life in a way few have the privilege to experience. I pray this is truly a trip of a lifetime and will enhance my ministry as a pastor!

The last week of July we will head out on our annual church construction mission trip. Plans are still in the final stages but it looks like we will be heading to Albuquerque, New Mexico to help a small church in their building process. What an incredible opportunity for us as a church family to minister to another church family! If you have the opportunity to go and help, let me know ASAP so we can get you details. The dates are July 24-31. Everyone is welcome to lend a helping hand.

It has been an awesome summer so far, and as you can see we are just beginning. So I say get your GPS ready and join in the activity. If you haven’t been to worship in a while, you are missing out on great things. So program your GPS for 401 E. Criner St. and be here at either 8:30 or 11:00 am on Sunday and see what God is doing in our midst!

“Re-calculating,”

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June 27 Sermon

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Word of the Week

What an incredible week of Vacation Bible School we just had! I mean that on so many levels. VBS is a time to watch the church work! I mean that in every sense of the word…work. It takes everyone from registration people, to kitchen crew, to hospitality ladies, to teachers, to recreation people, to children, to audio visual people, to people who gave financially to support the ministry . . . the list could go on and on. A huge THANK YOU goes out to all of you!!!! Dorothy Brusaw did an amazing job of getting the week together and deserves a pat on the back for a job well done!

I love seeing the church work. At times it looked like ants working, but everyone was pulling in the same direction. How pleasing that must be to God!

I hope you have a great week!

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This week's worship time included testimonies from four men of the church. Ricky Grimes, Brad Quisenberry, Kenneth Montgomery and Jim Cox each shared from their heart this morning. The recording is not top quality but the words of these men will bless you.

Download the testimonies (June 20) in MP3 format for your computer or MP3 player. Click on the link below...

June 20 Message

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Word of the Week

Father’s Day is a great day! It is even better now that I am a father! Today I believe you are in for a treat. Several men in our church are going to be sharing testimonies during our services this morning. God has been so good to us as a church family and today we will hear some testimonies of God’s goodness!

Happy Father’s Day!

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June 13 Sermon

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Word of the Week

Summer is officially here! With summer comes a week of Super Summer for our leadership students as well as Vacation Bible School soon to follow. I hope you will keep Les, me and the students attending Super Summer in your prayers!

Next Sunday at 6:00pm Vacation Bible School officially kicks off here at FBC! Saddle Ridge Ranch will be a great time of fun, crafts, and Bible study for the children of our community! I love VBS week because it is an opportunity for the children to hear about Christ, but it is also incredible to watch the church family grow closer together and get to know people they might not already know. If you have never been involved in VBS, you are missing out. Show up next Sunday night at 6:30, and I guarantee you there will be something for you to do to help out!

I hope you have a great week!

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June 6 Sermon

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Word of the Week

Today is a huge day in the life of FBC Grandview! Not only are we going to be voting on calling Les Williams to be our new student minister, but it is also the night our committees will meet to elect chairmen and budget and finance representatives.

I love the fact that as individual members of this church, we all have equal say in what goes on in the ministry of the church. We get to vote and we have the opportunity to serve on committees that do the work in the life of the church! I am glad you are here this morning to vote, and I hope you will make it a priority to be here tonight at either 5:00 or 5:30, if you are serving on a committee for the 2010-2011 church year!

I hope you have a great week!

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May 30 Sermon

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Word of the Week - May 30

What a week it has been! We have said “goodbye” to a lot of things this past week. We said “goodbye” to Daniel and Erica, we said “goodbye” to another school year, and we said goodbye to another Children’s Day Out year. For many it has been an emotional week, but it has been a good week.

Now it is time to say “hello” to summer! It is also time to say “hello” to a potential new Student Minister (next weekend), to summer camps, to mission trips, to Vacation Bible School, and vacations. To celebrate the new season we are going to have a churchwide kickoff this Wednesday night at 6:00. The church will provide hamburgers and hot dogs, and we are asking you to bring side dishes and homemade ice cream.

Make a point to be here to say “hello” to summer! It is going to be a great summer at FBC, and I hope it is for you and your family as well!

Have a great week!

When Can Les be More?

Last Sunday we had an awesome day of celebration! What a great day it was for our church family as we recognized our graduates and had a sweet time of farewell for Daniel, Erica, Jacob and Brandt! There is no need for me to tell you what a great job Daniel has done during his time here at First Baptist! The ministry speaks for itself. He has stretched us, challenged us, and made us better. We have laughed together and cried together. We have seen God do amazing things in our midst during the past six years and for that we will be forever grateful to Him! I encourage you to keep Daniel and Erica in your prayers as they transition to a new ministry and into a new chapter of life. Thank you church family for loving them unconditionally and supporting their ministry over the past six years!

So that begs the question: When can Les be more? Many of you have already had to opportunity to meet Les Williams. He and his wife, Nicole, have been to Grandview several times now and everywhere they have been, they have met some FBC folks. Les currently is serving at Palm Valley Lutheran Church (Yes, you read that right, but there is a great story there.), in Round Rock for the past three years. He will be coming to FBC in view of a call to be our new student minister on June 6th in the morning services. I cannot tell you how excited I am about what Les is going to be bringing to our student ministry. He is well prepared to love our students and I am convinced to love every aspect of FBC! After visiting with Les, Daniel and I both agree that he has the ability to take our student ministry to the next level! So that is why I say, “Les can be more!”

One of the things I have told Les, and the Personnel Committee has re-enforced, is the love this church has for its staff members and the desire it has to reach this community for Christ. I want to encourage you in the fact that he is not Daniel, just as Daniel was not like the previous student minister (Thank goodness!!! I know that guy too well!), but he will bring new ideas and vision to an already successful area of ministry in our community! I challenge you to get to know Les and Nicole and be praying for them as the transition to this new area of ministry in their lives. As you become acquainted with them, I know you will find yourself loving them just as you love the rest of the staff here at First Baptist!

Everyone will have several opportunities to meet Les and Nicole the weekend of June 5th and 6th, so I hope you will take the time to come and introduce yourself to them. I am excited about this is new chapter in the life of the FBC student ministry, and I hope you are too! God has blessed us with Daniel for six years and I believe He is now blessing us “more with Les!”

On a side note, I hope you are ready for a great summer! Make sure you check out the June calendar . . . it is going to be a busy month with VBS and camps, so be praying God will do something great among us during this time!

Thanks for being a loving and caring church!

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May 23 Sermon

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Word of the Week

This is a wonderful time for some and a difficult time for others! Graduation comes with so many emotions. From moms who are sad seeing their babies take flight, to friends who being separated by college and job opportunities, to graduates who can’t wait to move on… emotions abound!

For us as a church family it is a day of celebration and hope! We celebrate your great accomplishments and hope and pray the foundation we have given you will hold firm in a world that is decaying around us! Congratulations graduates and families! We are proud of you. We want you to know we will always be here for you when you need us!

I hope you have a great week!

Weekly Sermon

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May 16 Sermon

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May 9 Sermon

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Word of the Week

Today is Mother’s Day! There is one thing we all have, and it is a mother! There is no debating that fact! As we celebrate today, my hope is as we honor our mothers that most of all we honor our Father! I am concerned how sometimes we get so wrapped up in a holiday we have a tendency to miss the true reason for us gathering together. It is to glorify our Heavenly Father through our worship and the teaching of His Word!

I also want to remind you that Mother’s Day can be a difficult day for some who perhaps have never been able to have children, have a mother who they do not feel is honorable, or have lost children. I ask you to be sensitive to this today as a family and keep one another in prayer!

I hope you have a wonderful week!

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May 2 Sermon

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Word of the Week for May 2

What a privilege it is to welcome the Zebra Strings to FBC this morning! There are many organizations and things about our city that make me proud to call Grandview home, but the Strings have to be towards the top of that list. Vicki Nichols and her helpers do a fantastic job of representing Grandview everywhere they go with these students! The really great thing about the group is the music they play. They honor God with their music! That is awesome!

I hope you will make our musical guests and their families all feel welcome as they lead us in worship this morning! You will have an opportunity to support this organization as you leave this morning. There will be a child at each door with their violin case open for you to make a monetary donation to help them travel to Branson and other venues in the days to come!

Welcome Zebra Strings! We are glad you are here!

Worth the Wait!!!

Early last week everyone in the office received the monthly email that comes from Sharon informing us that it is time for our newsletter articles to be turned in to her. This time however, something was different! I was told mine was not due until after the Anniversary Celebration! I am so glad I waited! It was definitely worth the wait!

Words cannot express how enjoyable the weekend was, but you know me, I am going to try! On Saturday night just before we were to sit down to eat and enjoy some fellowship time together the power went out. No one stressed out . . . we just decided to enjoy the meal the way the church did 150 years ago! I knew right then the weekend was going to be a good one. You could just sense the great spirit in the room! That spirit carried through Sunday during both worship services, the catered luncheon and even as people patiently waited to get through the line for lunch!

I want to say how proud I am to be a part of the great lineage of pastors this church has had! Ron Lyles, Stephen Hatfield and Martin Knox did a great job of “strolling” down memory lane while mixing in some great challenges for us as a congregation for the future! Those guys along with Phyllis Gandy, Bobie Miller and our praise band did an awesome job of leading us in worship throughout the weekend. The “Thank You’s” must continue to so many people but a few stand out: Wally Pippin for taking care of the kitchen duties, Sue Spain for making sure the flower beds looked great, Bill Lyle, Hugh Ray and Larry Smith who helped trim trees, R & K for the great meal on Sunday afternoon (Barry and Shirley Beggs, you are a blessing to our community and church), Sharon Brock for putting together the book of history and for the memory tables in the hallway (They are still out. If you have not taken a look make sure to do so soon!) and the list could go on and on…. so let me just say thanks to anyone who had anything to do with the weekend! I believe God was honored in our celebration! Now it is time to look to the future!

The month of May will not be as hectic as April, but we still have a busy month ahead of us. May 9th is Mother’s Day so we will be honoring the ladies of our church on that day. May 23rd is Senior Recognition Day and Daniel’s last Sunday with us. We will be having a luncheon in the seniors’ honor as well as thanking Daniel and Erica for their years of service to our church. We will be collecting a love offering for the Hancocks in the coming weeks, so if you would like to give to that please mark your check or offering envelope appropriately and we will present it to them on the 23rd!

Daniel has done an amazing job for our church and I want to personally thank him for his friendship and love of Christ. He will do a great job of leading a new congregation in Mesquite for many years. I hope you will be praying for him as he begins this new adventure in his ministry life. I also ask that you be praying for the Personnel Committee as they work to find his replacement in the days to come. We must make sure we get the right person to minister to the students of this community. He will have big shoes to fill, but I know God has the right guy out there. We just have to find him!

I want to thank you for being such a wonderful church family! There is nothing too big for our God, but we must willing to “wait” on Him and His timing! There are great things in our past but as Ron Lyles said Saturday evening, “The best days are yet to come!” I believe that and look forward to what God has in store!

In Him,
Russell

Stephen Hatfield at Homecoming

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April 25 Sermon

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Martin Knox at Homecoming

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April 25 Sermon

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Word of the Week

“How time flies!” That is a phrase we hear often in the culture we live in today. 150 years is a long time for anything to survive. Yet that is what we gather this weekend to celebrate . . . 150 years of God’s greatness, goodness and faithfulness to FBC Grandview! I am so glad you are here to be a part of the celebration.

I want to encourage you throughout the weekend, as you reflect on the events of days gone by and current day, to be reminded what has taken place is not a result of anything any one person has done but of the faithfulness of our Lord! With that in mind commit to pray for his continued blessings on future days. He has great things in store for FBC Grandview and I believe the best days are yet to come!

I am excited to celebrate with each of you!!

Ron Lyles at Homecoming

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April 24 Sermon

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April 18 Sermon

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Word of the Week

I hope you have circled and highlighted April 24 and 25 on your calendar!!! For over a year now we have been working on the 150th Anniversary Celebration of First Baptist Church. I challenge you to stop and think about what all has taken place in the life of this body of believers for 150 years! It is mind boggling to think about the number of cookies that have been eaten during Vacation Bible School, the number of Sunday School lessons taught and sermons preached, but most of all the number of lives changed during that time period.

Next weekend we will gather on Saturday evening at 5:00pm for a covered dish meal and have a worship service at 6:00pm. Then on Sunday morning we will have worship at 8:30 and 11:00am with brunch in between. At noon we will have a catered meal to celebrate what God has done and give you an opportunity to meet “old and new” friends. I hope you will be here to celebrate God’s greatness!

Don’t forget this afternoon from 4-6pm we will be having a pounding for Ryan and Melissa Hurt. They are excited about their new home and we will have an opportunity to bless them. Ryan and Melissa are a huge part of the ministry of our church and I hope you will take the time to come and hug their neck’s and bring them supplies to “fill” the pantries of their new home!

I hope you have a great week!

Download Sermon (Jon Randles)

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April 11 Sermon

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Word of the Week for April 11, 2010

Way back in November at the Community Thanksgiving Service I shared a challenge God had laid on my heart about our community coming together to work together on doing the Great Commission. GO Rally is the name of the event that stuck! I hope you have been working on inviting some unchurched people to come with you tonight. I believe our community is ripe for a harvest and my prayer has been that tonight will be the night, but it cannot happen if we don’t do our part! I know Jon Randles will be a blessing to you this morning as well as tonight. I encourage you to attend this evening and be a part of something great for our community!

I hope you have a great week!

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April 4 Sermon

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Word of the Week for Apr. 4

This week’s article is not a Word of the Week but Words of the Week: HE IS RISEN!!!! Praise God for what He has done for me!

I am so glad you have chosen to come and worship the living God today with us! My prayer is that you have an intense time of worship and challenge from God’s Word as we look at Easter through our eyes this morning.

Let me remind you about the GO Rally starting next Saturday night at 7:00 pm at the Methodist church gym for students and then the BIG rally at the Zebra Stadium next Sunday night at 6:00 pm. Please invite a friend or friends to come with you to hear a challenging message from God’s Word as we gather together as a community!

Happy Easter!

March Madness??? HA!

We have been bombarded by CBS and the NCAA with the phrase March Madness over the past couple of weeks with the NCAA basketball tournament. Yes, if you have been paying attention to the tournament it has been madness, but I want to suggest to you that April Madness is about to hit First Baptist Church of Grandview! Let me share with you what this month holds!

This coming Sunday is Easter Sunday! We will be celebrating Resurrection Sunday with our community Sonrise Service at Meinen Lake at 7:00am. Then we will have our 8:30 service followed by a brunch and Easter Egg hunt and the 11:00 service. I love Easter Sunday for obvious reasons but I also enjoy seeing the children hunt eggs and the adults enjoy some good fellowship time together during the brunch. Make plans to be a part of Easter Sunday. Let’s pack the house!

Then on April 10th and 11th we will be having our community wide GO Rally. I laid out this challenge at the community Thanksgiving service and it has become a reality. On Saturday night at the Methodist gym we will have a huge youth event with the band Loen leading worship and Jon Randles speaking at 7:00 pm. Then on Sunday evening at the Zebra Football Stadium we will have a community wide event with our praise band leading and Jon Randles speaking. The event will be focused on sharing the Gospel with lost people. I continue to challenge you to pray and invite your lost friends and family members to this event. There will also be entertainment for the children up to the fourth grade that night at the Grandview City Park, so bring your kids and let them have a good time! Be praying for this event!!

On April 18th we will be having a “pounding” for Ryan and Melissa Hurt. Ryan and Melissa are putting the finishing touches on a new home and are very excited about moving in. Ryan has been leading our Contemporary Worship service for over two years now and I believe this will be an awesome way for us to show them how much we love and appreciate them. You may wonder what a pounding is. We ask that you bring house warming gifts. It can be sugar, flour, paper towels, cleaning supplies, or anything that will help them as they move into their new home. If you want to simply give them a card with some money in it, that is fine too. Whatever you would like to do, I know will be received well! The pounding will be from 4-6 pm on Sunday afternoon!

We finish off the month of April with the celebration of all celebrations! FBC Grandview turns 150 years old this year!! We have invited back all the former pastors and staff members we could find to come and lead us in worship this weekend. The weekend will begin on Saturday evening with a covered dish meal at 5:00pm and with worship to follow at 6:00pm. Ron Lyles, Eric Holleyman and Bobie Miller will be here to lead us in worship that evening. On Sunday morning we will be led in worship by Martin Knox and Phyllis Gandy at 8:30am and will have a brunch and fellowship time to follow. At 11:00am Stephen Hatfield and our praise band will be leading worship. R & K Café will cater a meal following the late service in the Fellowship Hall! I cannot express to you what a big deal this weekend is for the life of our church. I find myself imagining the number of lives that have been touched and changed over the 150 years this church family has existed, and we will celebrate what God has done and His faithfulness! Again I hope you will be a part of this special time!

Do you see what I mean about “Madness?!” But it is madness in a great way! The month of April I pray is one that we look back on for years and remember great memories of seeing new brothers and sisters in Christ as well as catching up and loving on people we see either every day or have not seen in a long time! Pray for a great month and don’t miss out on any of it!

Putting my seatbelt on!

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March 28 Sermon

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Word of the Week for Mar. 28

I am in a Thank You mood today. I believe so often we all get so busy in the things we are responsible for in the life of the church that we miss out on things going on around us. I want to simply take some time this morning to say, “Thank you to everyone who helps make FBC what it is.”

A church cannot function without volunteers—from teachers, to committee members, to fix it up folks, to prayer warriors, to sound and video guys, to . . . on and on I could go! So today I just want to say, “THANKS! You all are wonderful and I so appreciate all the things you do around here!”

I hope you have a great week!

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March 21 Sermon

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Word of the Week for Mar. 21

Can you imagine knowing that the greatest event in your life is about to take place and your best friend has a ticket or invitation to the event, and they do not invite you? Maybe it is a sporting event, concert, must see movie, but you do not get to go. I am sure you would be very disappointed.

We have the same opportunity coming on April 11th. You have an invitation for your best friend, co-worker or family member to hear about the love of Jesus Christ. I am wondering if you will hold that ticket for yourself or will you invite them to come to Zebra Stadium for the Go Rally. The event begins at 6:00 and there will be entertainment for children and an awesome worship time for adults. Make plans now and start inviting folks to come with you!

I hope you have a great week!

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March 14 Sermon

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Word of the Week for Mar. 14

We had our first T-ball practice this week! It was so much fun to watch the little ones begin to learn the basics of the game. Some of them have never touched a glove or bat before, so it was a whole new experience for them. Then I turned on the TV and saw the major leaguers play. For many of them it was second nature, yet they still had to take a couple of months to get in shape and prepare for the season.

It is much the same in the Christian faith. We get as excited as new believers, but we must continue to sharpen our “skills” by studying God’s Word and developing our relationship with Christ in order for living the Christian life to become second nature to us.

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March 7 Sermon

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Word of the Week for Mar. 7

It is hard to believe Easter is just around the corner. This morning we will begin a series that will look at Easter through the eyes of several different characters involved in the Resurrection story. I am excited about this series, and I hope you will make the next few weeks a priority for your family to be in worship.

I also want to take a moment to remind you to get your tickets in the church office for the Passover meal we will be having on the evening of March 28th. This is going to be an awesome time for us as a church family and you won’t want to miss out!

I hope you have a great week!

—Russell

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February 28 Sermon

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Word of the Week for Feb. 28

How has your week been? Perhaps more relevant, how has your morning been? If you are in the majority, you would probably answer by saying “busy” and perhaps “hectic.” I know what you mean!

I want to challenge you with something this morning, and I hope it is not too late when you read this. Take a few moments and clear your mind of everything going on around you and prepare your heart for the privilege you have to worship our King this morning. Block out the struggles and issues you may have had and focus directly into the face of our Savior! It will make worship so much better and more meaningful!

I hope you have a great week!

—Russell

He is Risen!!! Let’s Celebrate!!!

We all get so excited about Christmas, don’t we? I wrestle with which holiday I enjoy more; Christmas or Easter! I really believe from a church family perspective, I like Easter the best! It is hard to believe Easter is upon us already, but it is. So let me share some great ways for you to prepare for Resurrection Sunday!

On March 28th we will be having a Seder Meal or Passover Meal at our church. You may wonder what a Seder Meal is, so let me tell you. Seder is the traditional Passover Week dinner celebrated by the Hebrews since the Exodus. It is the Hebrew Thanksgiving, giving thanks to God for deliverance and redemption. Seder is that famous dinner called The Last Supper, hosted by Jesus for His disciples. It is probable, based on the Gospels, to assume Jesus celebrated every Seder of His life in Jerusalem. Seder, as the setting for Jesus' Last Supper, was the event Jesus chose to announce The New Covenant. And it was at this Seder that Jesus asked all of us to do this in remembrance of Him. Many of us have done part of the Seder at our various Communion Services, but the entire ceremony will bring us a profound sense of meaning. Seder is Christian and we can be confident that it will be a worthwhile experience because Jesus told us to do it. It is through understanding and partaking in the Seder that we will understand, more completely, that the early Church members were willing to die for their faith and went on to conquer the world. Rabbi Marty Cohen, a Messianic Jew, will be leading the Seder Meal for us.

The meal will begin at 5:00 pm with a covered dish meal and will be followed by the Seder Meal itself. The evening will last a little over 2 hours. Cost per person is $10. Free childcare for ages up through 4th grade will be available for the evening. Tickets can be purchased through the church office. Seating is limited to 220 people, so make sure to get your tickets today.

March 31st at 6:30 we will have our traditional Service of Shadows. This is always a special time as we reflect on the sacrifice Christ made on our behalf at Calvary. The following Sunday begins our celebration of the Resurrection with a community sunrise service at Meinen Lake followed by our 8:30 and 11:00 worship times. We will have a brunch between the two services to give our church family an opportunity to fellowship together. I hope you will make Easter Sunday a priority and even take the chance to invite someone to come to church with you.

I know it is still over a month away, but I want to remind you to keep the GO Rally in the forefront of your mind. Please be praying for the event and about who you will bring with you on April 11th and 12th. I truly believe we will see a harvest of new believers from our community during this two day event. We must do our part to see God do something amazing in our midst!

I look forward to seeing you Sunday!

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February 21 Sermon

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Word of the Week for Feb. 21

Who is the most important person in our church? Come on! Think about it! Who is it? Do you have a name? Why did you think of that person? Did you know you are just as important as that person? Seriously! Let me tell you why.

One of the reasons I like being a part of a Baptist church is that no matter who you are, you have a say in what goes on in the life of the church. You can have that say each quarter at our church conferences. Tonight we will have our first church conference for 2010 and I encourage everyone to attend. You will receive a financial report of the church as well as other vital information that goes on in the life of this congregation. You even get to vote on recommendations being presented and have a say in what we are doing as a church body. If you do not come, you are missing out! I hope you will be here tonight at 6:00pm.

Have a great week!

—Russell

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February 14 Sermon

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Word of the Week for Feb. 14

What a racket Valentine’s Day is!!!!! I am convinced that the owners of the greeting card industry sat around one day and came up with a way to make millions!!! The question I have for them is this, “Shouldn’t families be showing each other their love every day of the year????” I challenge you to make a commitment to do something special for your family at least once a week and see how it will affect your relationships! I am really not down on Valentine’s Day, I just get frustrated with the idea of doing something sweet only once a year. Come on people….let’s share the love!

Happy Valentine’s Day Everyday!

—Russell

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February 7 Sermon

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Word of the Week for Feb. 7

Next Level Kids Camp @ Latham Springs Baptist Encampment is July 20-24, 2010. This is for kids having completed the 3rd thru the 6th grades. Let’s make a deal. If you will pay $120.00 per child on or before April 28, the balance will be paid by the church as scholarships. After that date, the cost is $175.00 per child. Want to make payments beginning now? See Cindy in the office and she will set you up. Cindy is in the church office on most Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays. There are 11 weeks between now and April 28, so if you pay a little each week, you will have it all paid! If you have any questions, call me @ 817-681-1286.

We also plan to have a couple fundraisers in March and April so those that help with the fundraisers will get credit towards the $120.00 as well. We will be serving baked potatoes with all the toppings after the 11:00 service on Sunday, March 7, and a Wednesday night supper on April 14. Dessert donations as well as monetary donations will be needed and greatly appreciated! Sunday, March 7, will also have a dessert auction following the meal.

Please plan to attend the fundraisers and support our children!

—Dorothy

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Word of the Week for Jan. 31

You’ve heard us talking about it for weeks . . . DNow Weekend . . . but what is it? Disciple Now is a weekend focused on teaching our youth how to emphasize Christ and His ministry within our community. 2010 is no different. By setting our hope on Christ and His work from the cross, we ask the question, “What are we to do?” Therefore, this weekend’s theme — DO WORK ►2010.

My prayer for this weekend has been for us not to just say we are believers, but to show the work of Christ through our doing work. I have also prayed that this would be a marker for the students, a point in which they can hinge a future hope of God’s work in their school, home and friendships.

Let us celebrate the goodness and love of Christ this morning as we worship our King through Word and song.

Christ is enough!

—Daniel

Time for Thanks in January???

While you read this article, you might think I have my calendar all mixed up . . . but I don’t! The last couple of days for me have been a reminder of how thankful I am to be a Christian! I am grateful God loved me enough to send His son, Jesus to die on a gross, disgusting, rugged cross, so I could be forgiven of my sins. But there is more to it than that.

As a result of Christ dying and being resurrected, we have the church today. The past couple of weeks I have seen the church in action in amazing ways. The Sunday morning I preached on prayer, we had the privilege of surrounding those in our church family who are struggling with family issues, health issues and other struggles and praying for and over them. It was one of the sweetest times I have ever had in church. What an experience it has been to see this church family rally around the Simmons family as they deal with her cancer in an unbelievable way. Plus, we have seen God’s faithfulness in the process so far. Keep praying! We also received the unfortunate news about Jerry Pipes being diagnosed with cancer. I have seen our church rally around her and Kenneth as well. I know there will be difficult days ahead for both of these families, but how much easier it will be knowing their church family is behind them to help carry them on this journey. I look forward to what God is going to do in both of these families as well as our church family as we grow in our prayer life together.

Last week we received news that FBC Temple had a devastating fire at their church facility. While visiting with Martin (former FBC pastor who now pastors in Temple), it was so great to hear him talk about all the people from Grandview who had contacted him either by phone, email or text to let him know they were praying for him and the church. I know when we say we are praying we are truly meaning that and not just saying, “see ya later” in Christian lingo! Through prayer God can move mountains! Let us be a praying church in 2010!

Yes, you are going to get tired of hearing me harp on April 11th and 12th, but I really believe God is going to do something amazing at the GO Rally over those two nights! Be praying for Jon Randles, Ryan Hurt and the band as they lead that event! Also, make sure you are praying about who to invite and be investing in the people’s lives you feel led to invite to the event! Remember we have to do our part too!!!

We are off to a great start in 2010 as a church family! If you have been missing worship, you have been missing some incredible times of worship and fellowship! Now is a good time to get back involved, if you have fallen away! Great things are ahead in 2010! I am thankful for a caring church family and community in which I get to call home!

I hope to see ya Sunday!