Then the angel said to me, "Write: 'Blessed are those who are invited to the wedding supper of the Lamb!' " Rev. 19:9
For years it was called the "altar call" by some people. Baptists, as well as many gospel preaching Methodists, Nazarene and Pentecostal preachers extended one at the end of every sermon. I was saved during one. For over thirty-nine years, at the conclusion of every message I deliver, whether at a worship service, picnic, funeral, Banquet, or event, I always extend God's public offer of salvation. It is called an invitation.
Why? It's scriptural.
It is sad to see the day come in many evangelical churches including Baptist, that this Biblical call for a public acceptance of Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior has been discarded and even ridiculed by some seminary professors and pastors. They place the blame for the Laodicean lifestyle of the 21st century American church at the feet of those who give public invitations.
I loath cheap grace, casual devotion and shallow commitment. But I am convinced that to extend a public call to deny yourself, take up your cross and fully and faithfully follow Jesus Christ as your Lord is a practice true to Christ and His Word. I intend to extend God's invitation to Come, every time I preach and witness.
This Sunday, we will continue our series on Jesus Saves, as we take our third look into Luke 14, as I preach on The Supper Invitation.
Then He said to him, “A certain man gave a great supper and invited many, and sent his servant at supper time to say to those who were invited, ‘Come, for all things are now ready.’ Luke 14:16-17
Friday, July 30, 2010
Wednesday, July 28, 2010
What It's All About
I am the living bread which came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever; and the bread that I shall give is My flesh, which I shall give for the life of the world. John 6:51
Jesus fed multitudes, then after He met their physical need, He met their spiritual need. He genuinely cared about their hunger, their temporary need, but He was also more concerned about their eternal need.
The main reason we have large events, wheter it be a Wild Game Banquet, Concert, or July 4th Celebration, the purpose is to use that event to reach people for Christ so that they would become His disciples.
This year's July 4th Celebration was the largest ever. We gave out over 1500 meals and had over 900 non-EBC families register. Of those, we had 356 families who did not indicate any church affiliation on their card.
Praise the Lord for the dozens of members who have followed up this month by visiting these on Tuesdays and this past Sunday night. From those visiting, there have been testimonies of 8 people already praying to receive the Lord Jesus in their homes! Pray with me that this Sunday morning we will see many people come to publicly profess Jesus Christ as a result of that one big (and hot) event.
That's what it's all about.
Nothing is unusual about a church that majors on evangelism; in fact, no one has a right to call it a church if it does not emphasize winning the lost. However, evangelism that does not minister to the needs of the whole person falls short of the New Testament standard. Our Lord's approach to evangelism was incarnational, ministry evangelism. He was concerned about the total person-spirit, soul, and body. He healed the sick, comforted the afflicted, released those in bondage to the devil, fed the hungry, and loved the unlovable, all with the purpose of bringing them into an eternal relationship with the Father.
Evangelism in the New Testament was never devoid of concern for physical and social needs. This is our mandate. Ministry evangelism is about caring. It is about giving desperate and needy persons a loving touch. But what separates it from charity that the lost world may give is this- it is caring with an eternal view in mind. It is caring with a difference, and that difference is Jesus.
He is what it's all about.
And with great power the apostles gave witness to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. And great grace was upon them all. Nor was there anyone among them who lacked; for all who were possessors of lands or houses sold them, and brought the proceeds of the things that were sold, and laid them at the apostles’ feet; and they distributed to each as anyone had need. Acts 4:33-35
Jesus fed multitudes, then after He met their physical need, He met their spiritual need. He genuinely cared about their hunger, their temporary need, but He was also more concerned about their eternal need.
The main reason we have large events, wheter it be a Wild Game Banquet, Concert, or July 4th Celebration, the purpose is to use that event to reach people for Christ so that they would become His disciples.
This year's July 4th Celebration was the largest ever. We gave out over 1500 meals and had over 900 non-EBC families register. Of those, we had 356 families who did not indicate any church affiliation on their card.
Praise the Lord for the dozens of members who have followed up this month by visiting these on Tuesdays and this past Sunday night. From those visiting, there have been testimonies of 8 people already praying to receive the Lord Jesus in their homes! Pray with me that this Sunday morning we will see many people come to publicly profess Jesus Christ as a result of that one big (and hot) event.
That's what it's all about.
Nothing is unusual about a church that majors on evangelism; in fact, no one has a right to call it a church if it does not emphasize winning the lost. However, evangelism that does not minister to the needs of the whole person falls short of the New Testament standard. Our Lord's approach to evangelism was incarnational, ministry evangelism. He was concerned about the total person-spirit, soul, and body. He healed the sick, comforted the afflicted, released those in bondage to the devil, fed the hungry, and loved the unlovable, all with the purpose of bringing them into an eternal relationship with the Father.
Evangelism in the New Testament was never devoid of concern for physical and social needs. This is our mandate. Ministry evangelism is about caring. It is about giving desperate and needy persons a loving touch. But what separates it from charity that the lost world may give is this- it is caring with an eternal view in mind. It is caring with a difference, and that difference is Jesus.
He is what it's all about.
And with great power the apostles gave witness to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. And great grace was upon them all. Nor was there anyone among them who lacked; for all who were possessors of lands or houses sold them, and brought the proceeds of the things that were sold, and laid them at the apostles’ feet; and they distributed to each as anyone had need. Acts 4:33-35
Saturday, July 24, 2010
Ministering to the Misfits
This Sunday-Services And Times As Usual
When I first saw these words on a church sign the week after July 4, I had to take a second look. God has been doing a fresh work in my heart and in the lives of hundreds of Englewood members. He is leading us to understand what it means to be the Body of Christ in a broken world. To us, business as usual is not good enough.
We know that God is calling us to go beyond the protective walls of the church building into a world that is dirty, demonic, and dangerous. We want to make a difference for the masses of hurting people who walk our streets, live in other nations and even in our neighborhoods, speak other languages, and maybe sit in our rows.
Every member has their own idea of what a church should be and do. Most agendas expressed by church leaders and members are worthy ones. However, for us to truly experience God as a church, each of us must let go of any personal agenda and get on God's agenda.
When we study the Bible we see what God's agenda is-to offer an intimate relationship with Him to every person on earth. That means to those people whom the world considers outcasts, misfits, rejects, losers. Those are the poor, the crippled, the incapacitated, and the blind. The homeless, the helpless and the hopeless.
No one is outside the realm of God's love. And no one should be outside the reach of our church. As Englewood is actively, intentionally ministering to the homeless, the orphans, the poor, the disabled, the alcoholic and addict, and the outcasts of our society with the intention of bringing them into the fold of God, then we are on God's agenda.
Go out quickly into the streets and lanes of the city, and bring in here the poor and the maimed and the lame and the blind. Luke 14:21
When I first saw these words on a church sign the week after July 4, I had to take a second look. God has been doing a fresh work in my heart and in the lives of hundreds of Englewood members. He is leading us to understand what it means to be the Body of Christ in a broken world. To us, business as usual is not good enough.
We know that God is calling us to go beyond the protective walls of the church building into a world that is dirty, demonic, and dangerous. We want to make a difference for the masses of hurting people who walk our streets, live in other nations and even in our neighborhoods, speak other languages, and maybe sit in our rows.
Every member has their own idea of what a church should be and do. Most agendas expressed by church leaders and members are worthy ones. However, for us to truly experience God as a church, each of us must let go of any personal agenda and get on God's agenda.
When we study the Bible we see what God's agenda is-to offer an intimate relationship with Him to every person on earth. That means to those people whom the world considers outcasts, misfits, rejects, losers. Those are the poor, the crippled, the incapacitated, and the blind. The homeless, the helpless and the hopeless.
No one is outside the realm of God's love. And no one should be outside the reach of our church. As Englewood is actively, intentionally ministering to the homeless, the orphans, the poor, the disabled, the alcoholic and addict, and the outcasts of our society with the intention of bringing them into the fold of God, then we are on God's agenda.
Go out quickly into the streets and lanes of the city, and bring in here the poor and the maimed and the lame and the blind. Luke 14:21
Monday, July 19, 2010
Remember the Laborers
For you remember, brethren, our labor and toil; for laboring night and day, that we might not be a burden to any of you, we preached to you the gospel of God. 1 Thess. 2:9
The weather man on the news today said this is usually the hottest week of the year in Eastern North Carolina. In days like today, when I begin to think how hot it is here, my mind often goes to those laborers around the world who are serving Christ in difficult weather situations. When you see how cyclones are hurling the southeast Asia shores and islands, remember our family laborers who work the harvest fields there.
When you watch the soccer spectators shivering in South Africa, IN JULY, remember our family who are toiling there. Many of them have no heat in their homes.
This week we have 12 family members in Dominican Republic, and when you hear the weather man say, "It is tropical storms all week over Dominican"-remember them. We also have 15 in Phoenix, where the high was only 109 today, and 111 tomorrow. Remember them.
In fact, every day around the globe, as you hear of earthquakes, hurricanes, cyclones, volcanoes, blizzards, and blazing heat, just bow your head and before God remember those who are toiling in the fields of souls in the midst of those circumstances.
The weather man on the news today said this is usually the hottest week of the year in Eastern North Carolina. In days like today, when I begin to think how hot it is here, my mind often goes to those laborers around the world who are serving Christ in difficult weather situations. When you see how cyclones are hurling the southeast Asia shores and islands, remember our family laborers who work the harvest fields there.
When you watch the soccer spectators shivering in South Africa, IN JULY, remember our family who are toiling there. Many of them have no heat in their homes.
This week we have 12 family members in Dominican Republic, and when you hear the weather man say, "It is tropical storms all week over Dominican"-remember them. We also have 15 in Phoenix, where the high was only 109 today, and 111 tomorrow. Remember them.
In fact, every day around the globe, as you hear of earthquakes, hurricanes, cyclones, volcanoes, blizzards, and blazing heat, just bow your head and before God remember those who are toiling in the fields of souls in the midst of those circumstances.
Thursday, July 15, 2010
Jesus Saves
I am so excited about the messages God has laid on my heart in this new series we begin this Sunday. For the next 6 weeks we will study the who, how and why of the truth, Jesus Saves.
This Sunday morning we see Paul's heart for his own people, the Jews, and how they, and we, are saved.
The Jewish religion is like every other religion on earth in one aspect; they all believe that salvation is attained by doing something, accomplishing something. It is a works salvation. It is opposite of the gospel of grace. And yet, if you were to ask people around us, What do you believe it takes for a person to go to heaven, 95% of the people believe we have to do something-go to church, be a good person, be good to others.
The Bible teaches that salvation is not in the merit of man but in the mercy of God; not in the goodness of man, but in the grace of God.
You are not saved by keeping the law. The law says, do this and thou shalt live. The gospel says, live and you will do.
The law says, pay me what thou owest. The gospel says, I freely forgive all. The law says, Cursed is everyone who continues not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them. The gospel says, Blessed is the man whose iniquities are forgiven and whose sins are covered.
The law says, The wages of sin is death. The gospel says, The gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ, our Lord.
The law places the day of rest on Saturday, at the end of the week. The gospel places the day of celebration on Sunday, the first day of the week. The law says, If. The gospel says, Therefore.
The law makes blessing the result of obedience. The gospel makes obedience the result of blessing.
The law tells us to run, but it doesn't give us any legs. The gospel encourages us to fly and it gives us wings.
The law demands holiness. The gospel provides holiness. The law says, Do. The gospel says, Done.
Oh, thank God for the gospel!
For what the law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh, God did by sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, on account of sin: He condemned sin in the flesh, that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. Romans 8:3-4
This Sunday morning we see Paul's heart for his own people, the Jews, and how they, and we, are saved.
The Jewish religion is like every other religion on earth in one aspect; they all believe that salvation is attained by doing something, accomplishing something. It is a works salvation. It is opposite of the gospel of grace. And yet, if you were to ask people around us, What do you believe it takes for a person to go to heaven, 95% of the people believe we have to do something-go to church, be a good person, be good to others.
The Bible teaches that salvation is not in the merit of man but in the mercy of God; not in the goodness of man, but in the grace of God.
You are not saved by keeping the law. The law says, do this and thou shalt live. The gospel says, live and you will do.
The law says, pay me what thou owest. The gospel says, I freely forgive all. The law says, Cursed is everyone who continues not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them. The gospel says, Blessed is the man whose iniquities are forgiven and whose sins are covered.
The law says, The wages of sin is death. The gospel says, The gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ, our Lord.
The law places the day of rest on Saturday, at the end of the week. The gospel places the day of celebration on Sunday, the first day of the week. The law says, If. The gospel says, Therefore.
The law makes blessing the result of obedience. The gospel makes obedience the result of blessing.
The law tells us to run, but it doesn't give us any legs. The gospel encourages us to fly and it gives us wings.
The law demands holiness. The gospel provides holiness. The law says, Do. The gospel says, Done.
Oh, thank God for the gospel!
For what the law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh, God did by sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, on account of sin: He condemned sin in the flesh, that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. Romans 8:3-4
Monday, July 12, 2010
More Than Enough!
They went to Moses and reported, “The people have given more than enough materials to complete the job the Lord has commanded us to do!” So Moses gave the command, and this message was sent throughout the camp: “Men and women, don’t prepare any more gifts for the sanctuary. We have enough!” So the people stopped bringing their sacred offerings. Exodus 36:5-6
Nine months ago the people of God at Englewood Baptist Church began giving above and beyond their tithes, to pay for the construction and furnishing of a student building we call the EDGE. Yesterday, I had the privilege of doing what I, and thousands of other pastors, have never done before. I announced to this precious congregation, what Moses said 35 centuries ago- Brothers and sisters, don’t prepare any more gifts for the EDGE. We have enough!
With the money we had been saving the past 4 years, plus the money Nancy Battle left Englewood in the sale of her estate, we have all the money needed to complete this $1.1 million building project, including the paving of the upper parking lot! All glory and praise goes to our mighty God!!!
Let me answer just a few questions I have been asked since making that announcement:
Aren't we far behind in our budget receipts? Yes, in fact we are $238,935 below our budget for the first half of this year. And that does not include the extra $75,774 we have agreed to pay for re roofing this month.
Aren't you afraid that when you ask people to stop giving towards the building, some people may take that to mean Englewood has plenty of money and they will stop giving? Some may, but they would be wrong in thinking that.
Are you not concerned that if our budget shortfall continues, we may have to cut ministries and missions?
Not at all. If I was looking to man, to humans, to meet our needs, then yes, I would be afraid in this economy. But I am not looking to man, I am depending on God. The same God who met our needs in the building project, is the One who will work through hundreds of obedient Christians at Englewood to supply the needs for the ministries and missions we support.
He is more than enough!
Nine months ago the people of God at Englewood Baptist Church began giving above and beyond their tithes, to pay for the construction and furnishing of a student building we call the EDGE. Yesterday, I had the privilege of doing what I, and thousands of other pastors, have never done before. I announced to this precious congregation, what Moses said 35 centuries ago- Brothers and sisters, don’t prepare any more gifts for the EDGE. We have enough!
With the money we had been saving the past 4 years, plus the money Nancy Battle left Englewood in the sale of her estate, we have all the money needed to complete this $1.1 million building project, including the paving of the upper parking lot! All glory and praise goes to our mighty God!!!
Let me answer just a few questions I have been asked since making that announcement:
Aren't we far behind in our budget receipts? Yes, in fact we are $238,935 below our budget for the first half of this year. And that does not include the extra $75,774 we have agreed to pay for re roofing this month.
Aren't you afraid that when you ask people to stop giving towards the building, some people may take that to mean Englewood has plenty of money and they will stop giving? Some may, but they would be wrong in thinking that.
Are you not concerned that if our budget shortfall continues, we may have to cut ministries and missions?
Not at all. If I was looking to man, to humans, to meet our needs, then yes, I would be afraid in this economy. But I am not looking to man, I am depending on God. The same God who met our needs in the building project, is the One who will work through hundreds of obedient Christians at Englewood to supply the needs for the ministries and missions we support.
He is more than enough!
Thursday, July 8, 2010
Good News, Good News
Several exciting things are happening at Englewood Baptist Church this Sunday.
(1) I am going to make an announcement I have read about in the Bible, but I have never heard a pastor make.
(2) We are commissioning 15 mission volunteers to go to Phoenix, and 12 to go to the Dominican Republic. Sunday night we will hear from the first missionary in the New Testament as he requests, Pray For Us. All our Core Teams will meet after the worship.
(3) Malachi was a prophet who was assigned to God's people at the end of an age. They were the last generation before the first coming of Christ. It is a very relevant message to those of us who live in 2010, who are, in my estimation, the last generation before the second coming of Christ.
Sunday morning we will study this book as we study The Signs of The Last Generation.
(4) After weeks of prayer and search, the staff and the Worship Arts Focus Team all believe that God has led us to the man He has chosen to be our next Associate Pastor of Worship. He is Chris Pauley. Chris has served Tri Cities Baptist Church in Conover, NC; Kempsville Baptist Church in Virginia Beach; First Baptist Church Roanoke; and Colonial Heights Baptist Church in Virginia. He is presently serving as Interim Associate of Worship at Grove Avenue Baptist Church, Richmond.
http://www.chrispauleyministries.com/
Chris and Amanda have three children: Landon (11th), Nathan (8th), and Abigail (5th)
Chris will lead our worship on July 18, and the church will vote that evening in our quarterly business session.
Last Sunday was great, but I can hardly wait until this Sunday!
(1) I am going to make an announcement I have read about in the Bible, but I have never heard a pastor make.
(2) We are commissioning 15 mission volunteers to go to Phoenix, and 12 to go to the Dominican Republic. Sunday night we will hear from the first missionary in the New Testament as he requests, Pray For Us. All our Core Teams will meet after the worship.
(3) Malachi was a prophet who was assigned to God's people at the end of an age. They were the last generation before the first coming of Christ. It is a very relevant message to those of us who live in 2010, who are, in my estimation, the last generation before the second coming of Christ.
Sunday morning we will study this book as we study The Signs of The Last Generation.
(4) After weeks of prayer and search, the staff and the Worship Arts Focus Team all believe that God has led us to the man He has chosen to be our next Associate Pastor of Worship. He is Chris Pauley. Chris has served Tri Cities Baptist Church in Conover, NC; Kempsville Baptist Church in Virginia Beach; First Baptist Church Roanoke; and Colonial Heights Baptist Church in Virginia. He is presently serving as Interim Associate of Worship at Grove Avenue Baptist Church, Richmond.
http://www.chrispauleyministries.com/
Chris and Amanda have three children: Landon (11th), Nathan (8th), and Abigail (5th)
Chris will lead our worship on July 18, and the church will vote that evening in our quarterly business session.
Last Sunday was great, but I can hardly wait until this Sunday!
Wednesday, July 7, 2010
Christian Legos
you also, as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. 1 Peter 2:5
Tebra and I were trying to finish packing her sisters' belongings from a house their family of 6 have lived in for over 30 years. In the toy room I packed what seemed like a hundred boxes of nothing but Legos. The little plastic building blocks were named "Toy of the Century" by the Toy Retailer Association. I used to like them.
For decades children have used their imaginations to make houses, forts, castles, boats, and so much more. There are Lego men, Lego women, Lego soldiers and Lego firemen......
The genius of Lego is not found in an individual brick, but in what's possible when they are assembled together.
John Ortberg says, "The church could learn something from Lego. Many of us focus our energy on 'building disciples,' and that is certainly important. But our work does not end there. Like bricks, or 'living stones' as Peter calls them, individual disciples are designed to be assembled together into communities that reveal Christ to the world. So our work isn't merely to spiritually form people, but whole communities of Christians."
Legos come in various colors and shapes. By itself a Lego is quite useless and small, but when they are fit together, they can become a giant building that causes people to stand back and say, "Wow! Who made this?"
Are you willing to be fit together with all the other brown, and red, and yellow Lego Christians to form a building that will bring glory and praise to our Maker?
in whom the whole building, being fitted together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord, in whom you also are being built together for a dwelling place of God in the Spirit. Eph. 2:21-22
Tebra and I were trying to finish packing her sisters' belongings from a house their family of 6 have lived in for over 30 years. In the toy room I packed what seemed like a hundred boxes of nothing but Legos. The little plastic building blocks were named "Toy of the Century" by the Toy Retailer Association. I used to like them.
For decades children have used their imaginations to make houses, forts, castles, boats, and so much more. There are Lego men, Lego women, Lego soldiers and Lego firemen......
The genius of Lego is not found in an individual brick, but in what's possible when they are assembled together.
John Ortberg says, "The church could learn something from Lego. Many of us focus our energy on 'building disciples,' and that is certainly important. But our work does not end there. Like bricks, or 'living stones' as Peter calls them, individual disciples are designed to be assembled together into communities that reveal Christ to the world. So our work isn't merely to spiritually form people, but whole communities of Christians."
Legos come in various colors and shapes. By itself a Lego is quite useless and small, but when they are fit together, they can become a giant building that causes people to stand back and say, "Wow! Who made this?"
Are you willing to be fit together with all the other brown, and red, and yellow Lego Christians to form a building that will bring glory and praise to our Maker?
in whom the whole building, being fitted together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord, in whom you also are being built together for a dwelling place of God in the Spirit. Eph. 2:21-22
Monday, July 5, 2010
Declaration of Interdependence
In all the years we have had our July 4 outdoor Celebrations, I have talked to more unchurched and more unsaved people this year than ever before. Pray with me that with all the many seed that has been sown, God will use hundreds of Englewood saints to follow-up and many people can be won to Jesus through this one day's events. I pray over these next two Tuesday nights, every lost person who registered for the event will be personally contacted by someone during GROW outreach. So then neither he who plants is anything, nor he who waters, but God who gives the increase. (1 Cor. 3:7)
This day also reminded me of a spiritual truth that needs to be stated over and again-we need each other. For the two outdoor events we had yesterday to happen, hundreds of people have to depend upon each other. Our staff at Englewood have all been involved for months in planning, scheduling concessions, porta-potties, and children's games, and securing all the necessary legal permits.
The Set-Up team worked in the sun the day before, setting up all those chairs, and then took all of them away fter the fireworks. Kyle Haskins and his team began two days earlier setting up the staging, and long after everyone had gone home, they were still taking it down. Mark Ferrell and his Technical team took the most time assembling, running and then disassembling all the sound and lights. Some even spent Saturday night working and keeping it all secure.
Libby Caviness and her team provided over 1500 meals for people who registered. Kathy Bennett and her team registered hundreds of prospects whom our Lord loves and wants to use us to reach. Many men served with parking and security. All the Bible Fellowship Groups did their part. Mark Stauffer planned our program and led the orchestra (42 musicians), and all the singers sang as unto the Lord and blessed our hearts.
Then there were the many policemen, fireman, and EMS, greeters, ushers, nursery workers, and of course those who were responsible for the fireworks. And when it was all over, the student ministry cleaned up all the trash.
Whew! That's a lot of people.
We try to remind each other every week as we hold hands to pray- we're in this thing together. We need each other.
As our nation celebrates our independence from England, I pray we would celebrate our interdependence on each other, and most of all, upon our Lord.
From Him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work. Eph. 4:16
This day also reminded me of a spiritual truth that needs to be stated over and again-we need each other. For the two outdoor events we had yesterday to happen, hundreds of people have to depend upon each other. Our staff at Englewood have all been involved for months in planning, scheduling concessions, porta-potties, and children's games, and securing all the necessary legal permits.
The Set-Up team worked in the sun the day before, setting up all those chairs, and then took all of them away fter the fireworks. Kyle Haskins and his team began two days earlier setting up the staging, and long after everyone had gone home, they were still taking it down. Mark Ferrell and his Technical team took the most time assembling, running and then disassembling all the sound and lights. Some even spent Saturday night working and keeping it all secure.
Libby Caviness and her team provided over 1500 meals for people who registered. Kathy Bennett and her team registered hundreds of prospects whom our Lord loves and wants to use us to reach. Many men served with parking and security. All the Bible Fellowship Groups did their part. Mark Stauffer planned our program and led the orchestra (42 musicians), and all the singers sang as unto the Lord and blessed our hearts.
Then there were the many policemen, fireman, and EMS, greeters, ushers, nursery workers, and of course those who were responsible for the fireworks. And when it was all over, the student ministry cleaned up all the trash.
Whew! That's a lot of people.
We try to remind each other every week as we hold hands to pray- we're in this thing together. We need each other.
As our nation celebrates our independence from England, I pray we would celebrate our interdependence on each other, and most of all, upon our Lord.
From Him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work. Eph. 4:16
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