On my mind today

Have you ever had an unquenchable thirst? On a hot , dry day there's nothing more satisfying than a cool refreshing drink of water. Spiritually, we face the same need - we need the Living Water! Nov 3-4, we at FBC Frankston are planning a weekend of meeting to meet the need we have for Living Water in our community. Rev. James Lankford, a life-long friend of mine (and best man in our wedding!) has graciously agreed to join us that weekend to lead our meeting. Saturday at 7:00 PM, Sunday morning and Sunday night at 6:00 PM, our services will seek to help people find that for which they've been thirsting. Rev. Lankford is the Student Ministry and Evangelism Specialist for the Baptist General Convention of Oklahoma. He and his wife Cindy have two girls, Hannah (10 yrs old) and Jordan (7 yrs old). They reside in Oklahoma City. Don't believe anything he tells you about me. :-)

Did you read about the new Bright Lights Football Stadium recently completed in Orlando, FL? A $55 million dollar stadium built to seat more than 40,000 people with bathrooms aplenty and lots of parking, wonderful seats and outstanding playing surface as well as video board to see the game as if you were home. They forgot (or purposely left out) one key ingredient. They didn't put any water fountains in the facility. None. Not one. Anywhere. This absolutely had to be intentional. Through a lack of vision and incredibly poor planning, the University of Central Florida, by their own admission, "underestimated the need people have for water." When I read this, I thought how much a church could make the same mistake - the truth is we're in the water business too! Only we're offering LIVING WATER! While many churches underestimate people's need for LIVING WATER, we're not going to make that mistake! We're going to show them the Savior in love and grace...

Pardon me for this notification, but in the interest of clarification of this blog's purpose. . . Although this blog is connected to the website of First Baptist Church of Frankston, the views expressed herein are mine and mine alone. This blog is not hosted on the same server as the church website nor will it be. Likewise, the links I've suggested or provided are neither endorsed by FBC nor are they to regarded that way. With that out of the way, now we can continue on with life!

Last night in our evening service, I used my great-grandfather, James "Jim" Hudson, as an example of man many have never heard of but was powerful in the hands of God. After the service, two of our FBC members, Joe and Edie Lilly, told me they were kin to him as well! I'll admit, at first I was a bit skeptical, but they delivered a geneaology to me today connecting all the dots. UN-BE-LIVABLE!

Perhaps you read where one of our illustrious Senators has staged a lawsuit naming God as defendant. Here's the link. A genius move to say the least! God can't say he wasn't there and he can't say he didn't know. He can't say he was incapable of doing something about it. Really, he can't help but be liable for the actions named in the suit, whatever they may be! The problem might come in collecting the funds from God, even though he has all resources and created all that exists. I hope the suit gets thrown out, but you watch - some judge will convict God on all counts! I'd like to see him enforce that!

I'm always glad to come home after a long day, even more so when I feel like we took a positive step tonight. I don't necessarily mean about the building - as I said, I couldn't care less one way or the other - but toward unity of the spirit. The body of Christ is best demonstrated when the body stands together. I hope you'll pray with me that such a harmonius attitude continues.

I had to call our satellite company today - we had reached the end of our free preview of the movie channels and we didn't want to pay for them. I tried to cancel them when we first got connected to the service back in June but they charge you a bonus to cancel the free preview. What in the world is that about?!? But I digress. So I called them. Immediately I was greeted by a kind voice letting me know all kinds of things about my account. After running in circles with this computerized knucklehead for 10 minutes, I finally was able to get a live person - a luxury these days. By the time I got to a friendly lady named Kris, I was aggravated through no fault of Kris. I thought to myself about the phone menus and what that means. While it makes good business sense, it makes very little sense to distance yourself from personal relationships. Hmmmm. . . sounds remarkably like some churches I've visited. They have all the right things in all the right places, but have forgotten the ...

I'm wrong. I'm wrong. I'm wrong. When I'm wrong, I'll admit. I'll admit it publically Sunday. I had no idea how strongly my "freaking" word would be received. Where I'm from, that's just another term. When I uttered Sunday, I was greeted immediately afterwards that here it's a substitute for another "f" word. Let me assure you that was NOT how I used it! I've used it previously in other places and never had it received that way. Let me also assure you I'll drop that term altogether. Please accept my apologies for using a term that clearly was offensive.

It's not often I endorse books, but there are times when it's easy. I just finished reading Quiet Strength by Tony Dungy, coach of the Indianapolis Colts. To say it blew me away would be an understatement. In his exceptional work, he presents himself and his coaching style in a powerful and passionate way, underscoring all of it with his faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. He draws back the curtain on the integral role of faith in his life and the life of his family allowing us to see a side of Coach Dungy not everyone has observed. I've been a fan of Coach Dungy since the mid-90's when he was the defensive coordinator for the Minnesota Vikings. I saw a program on ESPN about the Vikings preparation for an upcoming game and was struck by how different Dungy's life was as compared to the other coaches. I became a Tampa Bay fan when he was there and a Colt's fan now that he's there. It's not the successes that got my attention as much as the struggles - s...

For those who know me, you know I LOVE football season. If I weren't in ministry, I'd probably be in sports journalism covering a football team somewhere. Nevertheless, I see athletics as a metaphor for life in many ways. Success are hard-fought. Victories are short-lived. Hard work makes a difference. Little things make the difference. Everyone must be like-minded and focused or mistakes come often and quickly. A prime example was yesterday's Cleveland Browns game. The Browns are not very good and it shows. On one particular play, they were penalized four times. That means at least four different guys, individually, had to make a different mistake in the span of about twelve seconds. I'll let the referee speak for himself. The following was his call to the audience: "We have four fouls on the offense: illegal formation, offense, No. 56. That penalty is declined. Holding, No. 90, that penalty is declined. Holding, No. 35, that penalty will be enforced, 10 yards fr...

On one of the preaching sites I frequent, I found something so absolutely other I had to share it with you. A pastor has decided to let us into all parts of his life, morning-noon-and-night - at least for a few days. Pastor Troy Grambling has set us cameras throughout his home and office and launched himself as " mynakedpastor.com " emphasizing absolute transparency - as if he were naked. It's not terribly intersting - mostly the mundane parts of life broadcast live for the world to see - but it brings up a good point. Absolute transparency - no secrets - no hidden parts of life - no skeletons in the closet. I want my life to be that pure!

Darwinism - the theory that all species of life have evolved from a simple organism to a more complex organism to a more complex organism until we've reached the pinnacle on which we now stand as humans through a process he called "natural selection" or "survival of the fittest." Created by Charles Darwin and published in his 1859 work On the Origin of Species , Darwin's thought has permeated our thinking in the U.S. that it is now regarded as fact, not theory, despite it being incapable of being replicated or the clear facts (such as the Second Law of Thermodynamics) that lead directly against Darwin's thought. We teach it to our school children and quash all other voices. Anyone who disagrees with Darwin's "LAWS" is either a "flat earth" thinker or a religious fundamentalist, both of whom should be regarded as academically inferior. In recent years, another movement has arisen. Known as Intelligent Design, it holds that c...

Yesterday, I listed Thompson Funeral Home as the location for Mr. Cook's visitiation tonight from 6:30-8:30 PM. That is INCORRECT - the correct location is Autrey Funeral Home in Jacksonville from 6:30 - 8:30 PM. Sorry for the error!

Although most of you probably will find this elsewhere, Mr. Cook's funeral is set for Thursday , September 6, at 3:00 PM in the First Baptist Church auditorium. Nursery will be provided for childcare for 4 yrs old and below. If I were planning to come, I would plan to come early to secure a seat. I believe it will be a full house. Visitation will be Wednesday evening at Thompson's Funeral Home on Hwy 175 in Frankston.

For those who haven't yet heard, Thomas Cook passed away last night. Funeral details are forthcoming. We know this much - the service will be here at FBC. Bro. J. A. Griffin, a long-time friend of Mr. Cook, will offer the funeral message. Bro. Olin Boles (retired minister) and Chris White (principal of Frankston Middle School) will offer testimonies. Mr Cook made an investment in so many lives there will be many who want to honor him. You can be sure of this: Mr. Cook lived a life worthy of honor. His investment in the lives of the students over the last 40 years will continue to pay dividends. His passion for students is what set his work apart. It was definitely not a job to him - it was a calling. Thanks, Mr. Cook, for showing the love of Christ through your work and for demonstrating a passion for seeing lives changed.