On my mind today

I just got off the phone with our friends in Galveston. While they don't have us assigned a specific spot yet, we're officially confirmed! We've been waiting for that to get serious about our planning. When we know with certainty where on the island we'll be working and what we'll be doing, we'll convene a meeting of the Mission Trip-minded and discuss it. We're going July 19th -25th. We definitely won't be the only ones there that week. There will be a veritable flood of people coming this summer to help put the place back together. The list of needs, both private homes and church buildings, is long. Amenities will be few. It WILL be hot! But one the best feelings I know of is to be useful to the Lord. Even better when you can stand back and see it at the end of the day. Strange how it all seems to fit together. When I was a brand-new college graduate, way back in 1990, I spent the summer doing revivals across the island and the Texas City ar...

Our "Financial Peace University" has helped numerous people in our church and community. While it's nothing earth-shattering in it's foundational principles, it's powerful because it works. Churches across the US are using this to help people get on their feet financially. Even CNN has taken notice. One of their lead articles today is about a family in Michigan getting direction on their money from their church. CNN! Check out the story here.

A good friend of mine, Todd Hinkie (yes, he's the son of Jerry and Will Hinkie, FBC members) asked to meet with me sometime last fall. As we talked he told me about his work with the Carter Blood Center in Tyler. He gave me startling information - there are many days when the blood center has a one or two day supply. Even more surprising, that seems to be standard procedure for them! Wow. Think about this - when you need blood or blood product, you expect it to be there. Even more so with your family. But HOW will it be there if no one gives? That's where we come in. Over the course of this year, we've said repeatedly we want to reach the people of 75763. Oft times, one of the most powerful times to reach them is in their time of need - like a sickness or an injury - like when they need blood. So we're organizing a blood drive, spearheaded by the churches of our community. You'll hear more about it soon, but I've got a question - have you or someone ...

I realize today is President's Day and many people are off for the day - even our school took the day out - but I'm saving a day by working. Here are some random thoughts about yesterday and the weekend. - We had a great time at the Valentine Dinner Saturday night. Our students worked exceptionally hard and did a fantastic job! All told, the students cleared about $1,400 after expenses, an amount that expresses just how generous our church really is. - If you haven't seen the movie "Fireproof," you should. It's exceptional. When I heard Kirk Cameron was in it, I wasn't sure - the last time I saw him in something was "Growing Pains" - but he was unbelievable! A pertinent well-told story befitting our time. - We had a great service yesterday morning. A full house never hurts, but the spirit of the service was terrific. A special thanks to my lovely wife, Julie, for her wonderful song. I didn't speak to it during the service after she ...

My wife thought she was marrying a professor. I sold her on that because she had already told me she didn't want to marry a pastor - she'd grown up in a pastor's home and had seen that first-hand - yet she married me anyway. This song is for her. Written and performed by my favorite musician Keith Green, he wrote it for his wife, Melody. You can enjoy it, but remember - it's for my Julie.

From time to time, I get a question from vendors and people trying to sell the church stuff - how does your church make financial decisions? Policy decisions? Decide what's important and what isn't? My answer is simple: Our monthly business meetings. Their sole purpose is stewardship. God has blessed us in some amazing ways - using the business sessions means we have the opportunity to decide how to use those blessings. Not all churches handle business that way, but we do. Tonight, we'll be discussing some important issues and if you're a member of FBC, you should choose to attend. We'll discuss (1) the purchase of a new copier. Our 10 yr old current one is on it's last legs. (2) A change to our wedding policy dictating no Saturday weddings later than 6 PM. Any later and our janitor is here until the wee hours getting the building back together for Sunday. (3) Deacon qualifications and procedures for bringing in new deacons. As you can see, all three ar...

By now, you've heard the story (probably many times) about US Airways flight 1549 landing in the Hudson River of New York City. Stunning in that no one was hurt or killed, much of the credit has been given you Captain "Sully" Sullenberger. A career pilot and veteran of the Air Force, I watched "60 Minutes" interview him last night and was amazed at his demeanor. It should be no surprise he's from Texas. Nor that his training is what made a world of difference. What struck me is his statement "My whole life was a preparation for this moment." Wow. Talk about poignancy (Click it below to see the interview. If Katie Couric weren't doing the interview, it would be even better!). The recognition that a lifetime of preparation came down to less than 5 minutes of work. 5 minutes. I spend that long brushing my teeth. I've spent that long assembling this little note. I guess the trick is you never know when those 5 minutes are coming. By al...

There are a handful of men I never met who have had a profound influence on me - Keith Green is one of them. His passion, conviction and clarity in Gospel presentation have provided a powerful example and a keen portrayal of God's desire for humanity. Be blessed by "Make My Life a Prayer To You."

As a former poor college student, I can attest to the nutritional qualities found at Denny's. I've eaten more than my fair share of Grand Slam Breakfasts within their walls, and plan to do more of the same. Thus, it was with a great deal of excitement that I watched their ad touting "Free Breakfast from 6 AM to 2 PM on Feb 3." (To be honest, I jumped out of my chair and shouted "Let's GO!" when the commercial aired. Fortunately, my wife's cooler head prevailed so we didn't get up and drive to the nearest Dennys - wherever that is). Kudos to Denny's ad guys for selling the idea to their executives. As I've read the news today, I've seen nothing but long lines and praise for Denny's. All those customers needed was the proper motivation. Likewise, perhaps you saw the Jack in the Box ad where Jack was run over by a bus. The story wasn't completed but rather a web address was provided for you to check on him (Here's th...

(Hat Tip to Wendy Bristow for pointing this article out.) The Darwinistas are at once more (led by the so-called Texas Freedom Network). For fear that their death-grip on the ideology of school children across Texas, they have pressured the State Board of Education (the group that decides approved school text books) to remove the 20 yr old clarification that evolution is a THEORY (an unproven and unprovable theory I might add.). Whearas for the last 20 yrs, the strengths and weaknesses of the theory of evolution were presented along with the theory itself, that caveat has been discarded on the basis of "pure science." The clear implication is that Christianity has something to hide or fear from Darwinism. Furthermore, only a true simpleton would regard anything but Darwinistic evolution as a possibility. REAL scientists believe in evolution. REAL academics know that's the only plausible explanation. REAL smart people wouldn't dare consider Intelligent Design as ...

In 2006, I joined Facebook. I was there to make sure my college students weren't saying mean things about me (originally, you had to be a college student (or at least use a college email address) to qualify to use Facebook). If you're not familiar with it, it's basically an online reunion site (social networking is the "hip" term). In Facebook, you can find numerous old friends and reconnect with lost friends from days gone by and, in many cases, make new ones. It's like going to a high school reunion, only you don't have to drink crummy punch or listen to people who annoyed you then and still annoy you now! But I digress. One of the best features of Facebook is the relationship building aspects to it. That's why we've formed an FBC Frankston portion to Facebook. If you search for us on Facebook, you'll find us there. If you're not a member of Facebook, it's free to join. Go to Facebook.com and signup.

I've spent the last 30 minutes talking with Mr. Johnston, a fine man, representing Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance. I met with him last week as well when he came to interview me for the purpose of putting together a life insurance proposal for us to consider. He did a great job presenting the information and even brought it in a snappy leatherette portfolio. But in talking with him, I thought to myself "I hope Julie never needs to talk to you - on a professional level." I've always been told insurance is the one thing you buy hoping you'll never need. It makes me feel queasy to answer the question "What happens to Julie if you die?" On the other hand, reality says I've spent my whole life preparing for eternity. Not only that, I've spent my life getting OTHERS ready for eternity. After death, then life really begins - the kind you don't need life insurance to protect.

CALLING ALL MEN OF FBC! We've got a wonderful opportunity for YOU! We're founding a new men's ministry and we're meeting this Sunday morning to get it rolling! Join us this Sunday, January 25, at 8:00 AM in the Fellowship Hall for breakfast and a discussion about how we're going to try to reach the men of 75763. Remember, our goal is to share the Gospel with every person who lives in our zip code by Easter 2010 - that's a short 15 months away! Make plans to share this powerful time with us as we get this ministry off the ground!

Powerful living God, My prayer for our new president is for wisdom, justice and integrity guided by compassion. Grant him wise counselors but more than that grant him knowledge that only You can give. Grant to him compassion for those who are suffering and strength of character to act on that compassion. May he be liberated from the idea that tolerance for others trumps acceptance by you. May he have the wisdom to spend time with you daily and to make that time a priority. May he take your example of leadership and guide our nation through a difficult season. In the Powerful name of Jesus I pray, Amen I wrote this prayer today for our new President. Not because I voted for him or because I didn't but because no matter how I voted, God has allowed his election. You or I may disagree with the Lord's direction there, but it has transpired nonetheless. Therefore, my calling, according to Romans 13, is to pray for him faithfully, just like I did for President Bush, Pres...

You know how sometimes you'll stroll down memory lane and think about where you've been? I've done a little of that today. Courtesy of a friend of mine, here it is - a picture of my first laptop. My parents bought it for me in 1986 when I was a freshman at Dallas Baptist University. If it looks crummy, looks are deceiving. This was high-tech in the mid-80's. We were seriously cutting edge! Even Bill Gates was a part of putting this on the market. I used this laptop all the way through college and even into grad school. It had 32K of memory so it was only good for a few programs. The word processor would max out the memory at about 11 pages of text so you had to be to the point. Of course, now, my beloved iPhone has more than 100x's the memory, speed and computing power of this machine but it was a nice reminder of where I've been.

Growing up, there were two men I thought hung the moon: Coach Tom Landry and Quarterback Roger Staubach. Their example of Christian sportsmanship and character-driven passion for the game made an indelible impression that continues to this day. Yesterday, the modern-day version of Coach Landry's legacy retired: Indy Colts Coach Tony Dungy. A man of passion, preparation and love for Christ. While his successful exploits as head coach will make him an NFL Hall of Famer, it's his character and passion for strengthening lives that will have the most lasting effect. We'll miss you, Coach Dungy, far more than you'll miss us. BTW, if you haven't taken the time to read his memoirs Quiet Strength , come see me - I'll loan you my well-loved copy.

With friends like these . . . . flipping Funny

Full disclosure statement: I have always had a deep and abiding distaste for OU - hereafter to be referred to as o-who? I watched the game last night with a great deal of delight for two reasons. (1) I really dislike o-who. In no wise did they deserve to play in that game. The politics of college football are nauseating and Coach Stoops, regardless of how fine a man he is, knows how to work the system. (2) Tim Tebow is a fine example of what every parent ought to hope their son grows up to be. A solid Christian example who stands for what he believes in and isn't afraid of others opinions. He plays hard, with passion and leads his teammates in a character-driven way. Thanks, Tim, for your exceptional example and for helping us see not all college athletes are punks and dopes. May your tribe increase. In closing, just one more thing - Hook 'em Horns!

If you're reading this, you're probably one of the people I'm looking for. We need some help with our technology here at the church. Do you have any interest in learning how to do video? Have we got a job for YOU! Do you have experience or interest in helping run a website? We're ready for you! Drop me a note back through this site or call the church office (903-876-2411) and let's talk. The sooner the better!

My sister, Karen, was named as the Most Promising Young Educator at her institution, Oklahoma Baptist University, in Shawnee, OK. I told you about that quite awhile ago in a previous post. Why bring it up again? Because part of her award was to give the commencement address at this December's graduation exercises. There's a great article and picture of her speech on the OBU website. I'm quite proud of her work and her accomplishments - read the article and see the picture here .