Challenging Thoughts for Changing Times

Hey Terrell, the Ravens could have used God's help!

2012-01-23T06:34:00.006-05:00

On January 4, Terrell Suggs showed his ignorance with the following statement: “With all due respect, we don’t need God on our sidelines. Once again God had to save Tim Tebow and the Denver Broncos. He couldn’t even give them two drives. Seven to three?” That comment sparked a lot of debate, drew much negative attention toward Suggs, and he also lost a lot of respect that day. Hall of Fame QB, Terry Bradshaw, said this: “You can take shots at Tim, but when you go messing with God, that’s a different story. Suggs is obviously an idiot; he has no clue what he’s talking about. He better be careful; if I were him I’d be on my hands and knees tonight asking for forgiveness because that’s totally unacceptable." I've always admired Terry Bradshaw, but that day his stock rose tremendously in my book.

Here we are just a few weeks later as the Baltimore Ravens are battling for their chance to go to the Super Bowl. The Ravens have a chance to take the lead and sure-handed Lee Evans drops a ball that was already nestled in his arms for a touchdown. Then the Ravens are down by only 3 and a simple chip shot field goal will tie their chance to stay alive. A very consistent kicker pulls the kick! This isn't the Ravens team we are used to seeing.

Funny, as these mishaps occur, I've got the movie "Angels in the Outfield" playing in my head. Strange and unusual things are happening in this game. The tape rewinds and you can almost hear Terrell Suggs saying, "We can do this on our own... we don't need God on our sidelines." I wonder if after the game, he wishes he would have kept his mouth shut, because... they COULDN'T DO IT ON THEIR OWN!

As the entire Ravens team now sits at home "watching" the Super Bowl, I wonder how many of them will hear Suggs' comment about God playing back in their head and remember such things as "...God is not mocked...," "Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain," and "Don't tempt the Lord thy God..." Could it be that through a strange series of events surrounding Tim Tebow and Terrell Suggs, that a renewed interest in spiritual things may cause some to turn to Christ?

Another Pro-Life Pregnancy Care Center Opens

2012-01-21T16:58:00.003-05:00

Today was an exciting day for Dillon and for the Carolina Family Planning Centers, as another CFPC affiliate had its official ribbon cutting ceremony. The Hope House is located across the street from First Baptist Church in Dillon and has been beautifully decorated, furnished, and well equipped primarily through donations and contributions. More than 100 people showed up for the grand opening! I was honored to be the keynote speaker and convey the vision of CFPC to plant pregnancy care centers in local communities across the Carolina's. In addition, Board members and City officials also offered comments.

The vision of the Carolina Family Planning Centers is to partner with local churches and Free Medical Clinics to offer crisis intervention and assistance to women who find themselves with an unwanted pregnancy. The women are counseled, encouraged, and informed about alternatives to abortion. The centers are based on loving people as God loves them, not judgmentalism.

For more information about the Carolina Family Planning Centers, visit their website at www.carolinafamilyplanning.org. CFPC is always in need of financial support, prayer support, and volunteer support!

Emmanuel Christian School Enrolling NOW

2012-01-21T15:51:00.000-05:00

This week, Emmanuel Christian School opened our pre-enrollment for 2012-13 to current students and EBC members. In just 4 days, we received over 190 applications! One class already has a waiting list and others are getting close. Don't wait, as seats are genuinely limited! Visit http://www.ecscrusaders.com/ for more information. Enrollment opens to the public on Feb. 1.

Vision Sunday 2012 - Giving Away the Ministry!

2012-01-20T13:18:00.001-05:00

Last Sunday was our annual Vision Sunday. Each year, I set aside a Sunday in January to challenge the church regarding the things God would have us to do throughout the upcoming year. This year was a little different. While in other years we have talked about doing things, this year we talked about becoming the people that God wants us to be. We talked about becoming fully devoted followers, who are passionately pursuing Christ and training others to serve Him.

At EBC, we are very good at programs and events. I know we are good, because others in our area have and continue to try to replicate what we are doing. I remember one man several years ago at a Chamber meeting stating, "I'm so tired of hearing about 'how Emmanuel does it' in our church Board meetings." Another lady, who is not even affiliated with EBC said, "What Emmanuel has done has been so effective that another church in town trying to do the same things, but without the same success." Just this week, a pastor from another city told me, "We want to be in our city what Emmanuel is in Hartsville." I was humbled by these statements, but also proud to hear others acknowledging that our people do "things" well.

This year, we don't want to focus on the things. Instead, we want to focus on developing leaders and training others to do ministry. One of my goals this year is to give away the ministry. I confessed to our members that I've allowed myself to be drawn into the "stuff" that keeps pastors busy, but also keeps the prayer time and pulpit from being strong. You'll remember the disciples felt the same pull in Mark 6 and it led to the selection of deacons. The disciples appointed the Deacons to take care of the tasks assigned them, so the disciples could focus on prayer and the ministry of the Word. Our goal at EBC this year is to recruit a lay-leader and a team of volunteers for every ministry in our church! Those teams will meet monthly to plan, prepare, and pray for the ministry God has given them.

On Sunday night, we met with our ministry leaders to continue our vision discussion and strategy to accomplish it. People seemed very excited and one lady shouted out, "He finally got it." Yes... I finally got it. I realized that I can't do it all myself. Our church is growing, my opportunities and circle of influence are increasing, and I either have to release some things or our ministry will be stifled. To steal a quote from the corporate world, "I can't work on the business, while I'm working in the business." This same thing rings true for each of our pastors, so our goal this year is to "give away the ministry" by equipping the saints. Funny, it sounds similar to what Jethro told Moses, Paul told the Ephesians, etc. Maybe I really finally got it, and if so... God is getting ready to do some really BIG things!

Great start to a 2012

2012-01-19T14:25:00.000-05:00

God is already blessing EBC in 2012. Since January 1, we have seen 1 saved in our services, 1 saved in AWANA, 1 saved in our Christian School, 3 baptized, 7 new members, a strong Sunday attendance, and a good reception to our new Sunday night format. It's good to see people making spiritual resolutions and engaging in ministry!

Dr. Ron Long with Luther Rice University and Seminary was our guest on January 8. He preached about things in the church that he never thought he would live to see. It all boiled down to a numbers driven mentality and the void of true spirituality even among church leaders. He challenged us to be real, to be committed, and to be faithful. That evening, he spoke to our men and gave a missional challenge to be an inclusive church. He warned against racial prejudice and religious prejudice; encouraging our men not to draw lines based on skin color or denominational tags. Dr. Long has a heart for missions and has been instrumental in training national pastors around the world.

Dr. Ron Long has been a dear friend and one of the men whose counsel led to our acceptance of the call to become the Pastor of Emmanuel Baptist Church. For more information about Luther Rice University and Seminary, visit www.lru.edu.

Sports fans can teach the Church about unity

2012-01-07T11:15:00.001-05:00

My wife and I ate at Longhorn's in Florence last night, along with 5-6 other families from Hartsville that we saw there. During our meal, a man at the table next to us yelled out "Hey Buddy" as he waved his hat in the air and pointed. He was pointing to the Green Bay Packer logo on his hat and yelling to another man wearing a Packer's hat. They waved, gave each other the thumbs-up, and smiled.

After my initial response of that was REALLY rude to yell out like that in a restaurant, I was enamoured with the unity that being on a team brings. These two men didn't even know each other, but pulling for the same team got them excited. Carolina fans celebrated together and Clemson fans had a joint time of mourning following their recent Bowl games. My fellow Dolphans and "U" fans have grieved together for quite some time, but we still faithfully follow. In fact, I remember meeting my first Dolphan in Hartsville, SC. As the new pastor at EBC, I was invited to the Williamson' home for fish stew (a new experience). As I walked in, I saw a man wearing a Miami Dolphin jacket. Well... I immediately went over and introduced myself and had an instant bond with Jim Irby! How about that... a Dolphin fan in Hartsville!

As my wife and I discussed the Packer fan's elated outburst last night, it dawned on me that those on the same team should be pulling together and enjoying a sense of unity. So, why is it that those on God's team focus on their differences and try to divide the team? Could it be that the Church of Jesus Christ could learn a lesson from the fans of various sports and teams? Shouldn't our loyalty to our Savior cause us to put our differences aside and pull together? I truly believe it should.

I look forward to the day that someone yells out in a restaurant, "Hey Buddy" and points to a cross on his hat. Wouldn't it be something if several people immediately jumped up, waved at each other, gave a thumbs-up, and smiled! Hey... maybe we could practice such a response at church tomorrow.

The ECS Gossip Train is Rolling

2011-12-28T12:44:00.004-05:00

I received an e-mail this morning telling me that a couple of moms, continue to "stir up" other mom's with bad information about supposed changes to class sizes at Emmanuel Christian School for next year. This year, we accommodated parents and over-filled classes. That wasn't fair to our teachers, nor to the other students. In 2012-13, we will be keeping all of our classes within the DSS ratios, rather than over-filling and hiring additional aides. This is a very positive thing for our teachers and school families. That information was recently shared with our ECS teachers, so they could encourage parents to register early.

This very positive change, has been misunderstood by a couple of moms, so let me set the record straight. The rumors about large classes at ECS are false. The fact is that we will be limiting our class sizes -- not increasing them. We don't want to repeat in 2012-13 what we are already doing in 2011-12. If you are an ECS parent reading this blog, please forward it to your ECS friends so they don't get confused by the gossip.

In light of this silly misunderstanding and the rash reactions by some, it is a probably a great time to refer you to a blog post by Perry Nobles. Just click on the following link or copy and paste it into your browser. http://www.perrynoble.com/2011/11/23/my-wife-had-a-bad-experience-at-chic-fil-a/

Christmas 2011

2011-12-28T12:32:00.004-05:00

We just returned from visiting family in South Florida for Christmas. It was a warm (80 degrees) and wonderful time. We sat outside by the pool for Christmas dinner, played golf at Biltmore in Miami, and I even cut the grass at my parents' house (in shorts)! While some dream of a white Christmas, my family dreams of a warm one.

Our travel plans were changed by the homegoing of 0ur dear friend Hope. She was one of the strongest people I've ever met and finally lost her battle with cancer after five years. Hope served as the secretary at EBC for many years. She loved people and they truly loved her. This year, she joined her mother and siblings in celebrating Jesus' birthday in His presence.

We left last Friday night and arrived in FL on Saturday morning. It was nice to be able to leave and not have to worry about anything. We have a great ministry team. David and Joey led our Christmas Eve service with several hundred in attendance, and Justin and Joey led our Christmas morning service. I've already heard so many positive comments! Many pastors worry when they leave town, but I'm blessed with some great friends and co-workers who are very capable leaders and faithful ministers.

We drove through the night last night and arrived home at approx. 4:30am. A few hours sleep and we squeezed in another day to enjoy and serve! Without a doubt, we realize that our family is so blessed and we thank God that all of our "needs" and most of our "wants" are met. We are thankful that our family got to spend Christmas together. BUT, most of all, we are thankful for the gift of a Savior!

Why are anti-Christian bigots so eager to prey on Tim Tebow?

2011-12-15T12:47:00.004-05:00

You have got to read this commentary by Todd Starnes. He points out that we would never be permitted to treat a Muslim, or a minority, the way that people are treating Tim Tebow due to his Christian faith. Click on the following link to read the post http://radio.foxnews.com/toddstarnes/?s=tebow&x=3&y=4

Holy Land - 11.23

2011-12-15T12:34:00.002-05:00

The trip home was long, so I'll spare you all of the details. Our flight left Tel Aviv on-time and took approximately 12 hours. Flora, Zack, and I had the emergency row with room to stretch out! Upon arriving at JFK, there had been a medical emergency on the plane, so they would not permit us to unload. It turned out to be dehydration; but rather than move the passenger to the front of the plane so that paramedics could get to him quickly, Delta chose to leave him at the very back of the plane. This was a slight delay, but caused us to almost miss our connecting flight.

Allow me to summarize: Leave the plane, claim our baggage, proceed through customs, go recheck our luggage, go through another security check, and of course the terminal we had to get to was literally on the other side of the airport. I'm not kidding... we walked and walked, got the the terminal and had to go down an elevator, literally had to leave the buildings,we crossed a street, entered another building, walked some more, and heard them saying "last call for passengers on Delta flight ____" while we were still six gates away. I left Flora to help the Frazier's and I ran ahead to tell them we had more coming. In the end we DID make our flight and arrived safely in Atlanta.

We claimed our luggage, and as soon as we walked outside, we caught the shuttle to the hotel. Not long after, we were on the road again. A Chic-fil-et lunch gave us some energy for our five hour drive home. It was a long day, but the thoughts of Thanksgiving dinner the next day kept us going. It was a GREAT trip and I would recommend it to everyone! Thanks to those who made this trip possible!

Holy Land - 11.22 (Part 2)

2011-12-15T12:01:00.002-05:00

From Caiaphas' house, we learned much about the Old City of Jerusalem on the southern side and saw the Ophel leading "up" to the Temple Mount. From this vantage point, we could also see the layout of the Western Wall and the close proximity to where they believed the Holy of Holies to have been. This view gave great understanding as to "why" the Jews go to that particular place to pray.

Upon leaving Caiaphas' house, we went to lunch at the Ambassador Hotel, where we enjoyed hamburgers and French fries. This was the most "American" meal that we encountered while in Israel. In the lobby, "Juan Dollar" (the merchant at whose store we shopped on the previous night) met us with prayer shawls. The story and understanding of the prayer shawl is quite interesting and I purchased one to use as an object lesson with our church at some point.

After lunch, we walked the Via Dolorosa, the road that Jesus walked from His trial at Pilate's to the place of the crucifixion. Click here for pictures http://www.biblewalks.com/Sites/ViaDolorosa.html
Due to our tour guides' contacts, we were able to get into a section of the real Via Dolorosa which is located below the modern streets of Jerusalem. We ended our journey at the Damascus Gate and then loaded on the buses for a ride to Gordon's Calvary. Click here for pictures of Gordon's Calvary http://www.sacred-destinations.com/israel/jerusalem-garden-tomb

Was Gordon's Calvary the actual place of the crucifixion and burial? There is some conflicting viewpoints, but either way, it has been the traditionally accepted site. There is now a modern Arab bus station in front of Calvary, and the tomb was modified during the Byzantine period. In spite of the changes and the varying opinions, the more important FACT is that -- Jesus was not on the cross and the tomb was empty! We enjoyed communion together (the pastors in the group served) and this was a very special and very humbling time together.

As we gathered together at the hotel, someone asked about clarification on the Bar Mitzvah. The occur for Jewish boys at age 12, which is the accepted age at which the boys are old enough to carry the Torah. The Scriptures are bound on their hand and forehead. A leather strap wraps around the left arm, as a symbol of binding the Scriptures close to the heart. The prayer shawl (Talit) is pulled over the head and closed as a personal tent for privacy during prayer. Only the men have the prayer shawls and this is what Deut. 22:5 refers to when it says that a "a woman shall not wear that which pertaineth to a man..." From this verse, some have devised that women should not wear pants, but even the men in Bible times didn't wear pants. A full understanding of the Jewish culture, reveals that this passage is clearly making reference to the prayer shawl. The Bar Mitzvah is a celebration complete with a entry parade, family cheering, and women throwing candy. The candy is symbolic to remind us that the Scriptures are sweet. This celebration is full of meaning and we were blessed to be able to see these celebrations during our visit to the Temple.

During this meeting, we were given the instructions for our departure times, luggage checks, etc. We would have time to eat, shower, rest, and load up to begin our journey back to Hartsville.

Holy Land - 11.22 (Part 1)

2011-12-13T08:54:00.003-05:00

This would be our last day of "touring" in the Holy Land, so our tour guides really packed it in. They rearranged the route to beat the 50 busses of tourists coming off the cruise ships. We started at the Garden of Gethsemane where we saw eight olive trees, five of which are dated to be over 2,300 years old. That means that Jesus walked among these trees, and so did we! Most of the olive trees were cut from the Mount of Olives by the Muslims, in an effort to eliminate the possibility of a new King (Jesus) to be anointed with oil from the Olive trees on the Mt. of Olives, as is required by Jewish law. This was another Muslim attempt to stop Jesus from returning as King -- even though they say they don't believe in Him!

Not far from these olive trees is the Stone of Agony, where Jesus prayed and sweat drops of blood. The Rock of Agony is directly in front of the pulpit at the Catholic "Church of All Nations" with an iron fence shaped as thorns surrounding it. Interestingly, this Catholic church has no religious symbols, is open 24/7, and has widows made of Alabaster. These windows are symbolic of the Alabaster vials that contain the olive oil with which the new King (Jesus) will be anointed.

We went to a private area of the garden for a service. On the way, several in our group noticed the clovers with red spots on the leaves. The red spots are symbolic of the drops of blood that Christ shed as He prayed in the garden. The Garden of Gethsemane is the only place in the world where these clovers can be found. Is that just a coincidence?

The next stop was a children's hospital at which we distributed toys and Randy presented the Gospel using object lessons with a basketball. The hospital also contained a school. The children were in their uniforms, well behaved, and learning on their laptops. It was exciting to see the educational opportunities for these children.

We continued to the house of Caiaphas, the High Priest. This was the place where Jesus was tried, scourged, and Peter denied Christ. We saw the scourging area and how they tied and stretched those who were being scourged. We saw the salt pools into which they dipped the sponges to mop over the open wounds and increase the pain. We saw the Roman scourge with its leather straps and metal barbs. We saw the pit into which Jesus was thrown (approx. 12 feet deep hole) and the rocks against which He leaned to cool His back after the scourging.

We went outside for a brief lesson and heard a rooster crowing! We saw the Jericho Rd. We looked across to the Mt. of Scandal, and could see the close proximity of Caiaphas' house to Jerusalem, the Kidron Valley, and the Mt. of Olives. It was only about a 12 minute walk from Caiaphas' house to where the soldiers apprehended Jesus and He could see them coming the whole way. This was an amazing place!

Holy Land - 11.21

2011-12-08T18:22:00.003-05:00

This day started by standing in a security line and waiting to enter the Temple Mount through the Tanner's Gate, located next to the Dung Gate. We learned much in the line as the conversations and teaching focused on the Islamic belief in eternal reward for deception in this lifetime. The more they deceive, the greater the reward. For the first time, we also saw Jews begging for alms outside the temple.

Once inside, we saw the Eastern Gate, which the Muslims sealed to keep Jesus from returning to Jerusalem as He said He would. Question: Why would you seal a gate to keep out someone you say you don't believe in? Why would you install a cemetery in front of the gate to keep out Jesus, the Jewish Rabbi? Why would you cut down the olive trees so this King could not be anointed? Answer: Because deep down, you really do believe! Actions speak much louder than words!

While at the temple, we also saw the Dome of the Rock that covers the place where Abraham offered Isaac - the son of promise. This event was a picture of salvation revealing that God would offer His promised Son, Jesus. (Muslims believe Abraham offered Ishmael - the son outside the promise.) We saw the "Place of the Spirits," which many believe is the location of the Holy of Holies. We sat on the steps of the South Gate looking over the old city. As we walked, we sampled Pomegranate juice. We saw the great wall that Herod built as a retaining wall and saw the stones that were still present from the time when the temple was destroyed. We saw the area where the place of the money changers and where sacrifices were sold. We saw the old road around the city and the narrow road used by those who had already cleansed themselves. There was so much history and so many light bulbs coming on as we walked, saw, touched, and learned about the temple. Click on either or both of the following links for some great pictures and much information about the temple: 1) http://www.bibleplaces.com/templemount.htm 2) http://www.sacred-destinations.com/israel/jerusalem-temple-mount

One of my favorite spots to visit was the Western Wall. After seeing and understanding the layout of the temple and the surrounding areas, "why" the Jews choose to pray in this place now makes sense. This is the closest point to where they believe the Holy of Holies was. The men in our group had to cover our heads with a hat or a one of the yarmulkes or kippahs they provided. The prayer areas were divided with men praying on one side of the fence and the ladies on the other. There were many Bar Mitzvahs in progress during our visit. These are held at the temple on Mondays and have great meaning in the various ritualistic components.

Our next stop was the Old City for lunch, shopping, and puddle jumping (it was raining). The Old City is interesting with so many shops and all of them packed so together tightly. Each street looks almost identical and it did take us some effort to find our way back to "the Fountain," which was in close proximity to our meeting place. Everyone was soaked (especially the lady who was standing on the sidewalk when the car hit the puddle beside her), so we went back to the hotel to dry off and take hot showers.

Just before supper, the group met to ask questions, share testimonies, and to discuss our plans for tomorrow. This was a special time, and I especially enjoyed the answers that explained how much we get "wrong" when trying to teach Jewish tradition from an American viewpoint. Many will give an account for teaching American preferences as Bible doctrine!

Holy Land - 11.20

2011-12-07T10:06:00.005-05:00

We finally reached Jerusalem! It was Sunday morning, and we were sitting on the Mt. of Olives overlooking Jerusalem. The view was breathtaking as we enjoyed our Sunday morning service and observed communion together. As we were leaving the Mt. of Olives, some rode the camel; but there was not time for all. Vendors surrounded us on every side and it would continue as such until we left on our final day.

We went to the Pool of Bethesda where Jesus healed the lame man in John 5. The ruins were well preserved and you could easily picture the various pool and patio areas as they once stood. The Church of St. Anne is in close proximity to the pool, so we were able to tour it. The church was built in approx. 1129 by the Crusaders. The Muslims conquered the Crusaders and turned the church into an Islamic school for girls. Our group sang (our guide was a trained vocalist) and the priest thanked our people for bringing the rains of blessing to their land.

We drove past and overlooked the Valley of Gehenna, where babies were sacrificed to the god Molech (II Kings 23:10; Jer. 32:35); and continued on toward Bethlehem. It was only about five miles and we sang Christmas carols on the way! Bethlehem is located in the West Bank, so we had to have our passports ready and armed guards walked through the bus for a quick sweep. Evidently none of us looked too suspicious.

We ate lunch at "The Tent Restaurant," which had a great ambiance with long tables, bench seating, and burlap roofing. The food was great. As we left, we saw a shepherd with his flock of sheep and almost lost one of our group members (from another church) as she stepped out in front of a speeding car. Her guardian angel almost lost his job that day!

After lunch, we made our way to the Shepherd's Field, where it is traditionally believed that the angels announced Jesus' birth to the shepherds. We were able to wander through the caves where the shepherds and the sheep slept. This was a very neat site and offered a great view of Bethlehem, which was in very close proximity.

Next was the Church of the Nativity -- the place observed as the birthplace of Christ. We waited in line for approx. 1 hour. The church constructed over the site was huge! It was built by the Byzantines, had a Crusader mosaic of gold on the wall, a mosaic floor over 1500 years old, ornate oil lamps hanging, chandeliers, priest saying "quiet," and candles being sold. (Our guide stated, "Nothing has changed." They sell candles for $12 each, but you can buy the same ones outside for only $1 each.) This place was "cold," "empty," and a symbol of "dead" religion! It reminded me of Matt 7:22.

We eventually made our way into the small cave, where an elaborate and ornate structure was built over the birthplace. A 14 point star marked the spot. People were bending over touching it, kissing it, etc. There was pushing, shoving, priests bringing people in the wrong way if they paid them on the side, etc. This site was my least favorite of all and opened my eyes as to "why" God has not revealed things like Noah's Ark, the Ark of the Covenant, etc. When these items or places are found, people begin to worship the items more than God.

We left the church, went shopping in Bethlehem, and then returned to the hotel for supper and bed.

Sunday Summary - 12.04.11

2011-12-06T07:55:00.000-05:00

Today was the first Sunday that we focused on Christmas for 2011. The AM message was about the difference Jesus made in the lives of individuals and also the world. He was well received by some, and rejected by others. It was a reminder that each of us must choose "what will we do with Jesus?" We had a lady pray to receive Christ today! PTL. We were also supposed to have 3 baptisms this morning, but had to reschedule them due to the set for the Christmas program. It is huge and covers the baptistery and the screens. The program is next Saturday and Sunday at 6:00pm, so we should be back to normal soon, and a special "thanks" to everyone who is working so hard to get the set completed.

On Sunday night, I preached on the journey of Jesus. Interesting that it was the first time that the Creator became as the creation, that eternity was restricted to time, that God was "born," and that God "died." These are some deep thoughts! Following the evening service, our church family gathered outside for the lighting of the new nativity set that our Keenagers initiated. A special thanks to Leslie Odom for all of the coordinating efforts, and to Debra Carmona for making the figures look "life-like." May all who see it be reminded of the simple birth and Gift of the Savior; while forgetting about the symbol of personal greed and commercialism that Christmas has become.

Holy Land - 11.19 (Part 2)

2011-12-04T13:13:00.004-05:00

During our drive, we learned another interesting fact about Jewish culture. It is traditional for Jews to consume pomegranates on Rosh Hashana because the 613 seeds, which correspond with the 613 mitsvot or commandments of the Torah. Of the 613, 2/3 refer to "don'ts" while 1/3 refer to "do's."

We finally arrived at Mt. Carmel, where Elijah challenged the prophets of Baal and called fire down from Heaven (1 Kings 18). The "mountain" is really not a mountain at all, but rather a mountain ridge of approx. 30 miles long, with the highest point reaching 2,200' above sea level. We stopped at a picturesque overlook, from which we could seek everything around us, including the Valley of Megiddo. The view was breathtaking, and the cold winds also took your breath away! People were huddling together, and really getting to know those around them.

From that site on Mt. Carmel, we went to have a Druid lunch nearby. The primary meat was chicken, but there were also many other things to sample. The single shot restrooms made for long lines on both the men's and women's sides, but no one was getting back on that bus without making the pit stop. (Our driver didn't stop very often!)

The next stop was Caesarea by the Sea. This was the place of Herod's palace on the Mediterranean Sea. We saw the Hippodrome, the remains of the temple of Roma & Augustus, and the theater that had been excavated. The theater faces west, and we sat in the theater for our service. We saw and stood where the Apostle Paul was chained as he testified before Herod. We saw the remains of Herod's fresh-water swimming pool that extended off the back of his palace and protruded over the Mediterranean Sea. We saw the amphitheater where games were played and Christians lost their lives. The site was closing for the day, so we didn't get to stay very long. We left, then drove a short distance to the twin high-level aqua ducts that were 12 miles in length and carried fresh water to Caesarea by the Sea. One side was cold water, and the other had been modified to produce sun-heated hot water. Herod was a master builder!

As we were leaving, our guide stopped by some native thorn bushes to show us the thorns used to make the crown of thorns that was placed on Jesus' head. The thorns were literally 2-3 inches long, and not the small sand spur style thorns that so many people refer to. These thorns, once dry, had been proven to penetrate into bone! I brought a 12" piece of the branch home with me, so people could see just what these thorns were like.

We made our way to the Olive Tree Hotel in Jerusalem, which would become our base for the remainder of the trip. The hotel was beautiful, but the rooms were a little small. The half doors on the shower stall kept half the water from splashing on the floor. On the flip side, the food was delicious! They had a buffet at every meal with much variety, and delicious desserts. After supper, most of our group went out for a walk on the town, only there isn't much nightlife in Jerusalem. We walked a few blocks in two different directions only to find nothing. At this point, most chose to call it a night. Justin and Zack continued exploring and found their way to a section of the Old City. They told us about it the next morning...but there wasn't much to tell, as I think we actually found a place with fewer things open at night than Hartsville. :-)

Holy Land - 11.19 (Part 1)

2011-12-02T12:27:00.002-05:00

This morning the weather was beautiful and we started our day with a boat ride on the Sea of Galilee. You can watch a generic video of the boat ride at this link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FbkWW6ekG4o The waters were calm as we set sail, but became increasingly rougher during our ride. We saw rain in the distance, but the sun rays were bursting through the clouds as though to pinpoint the very place where Jesus walked. It was amazing!

During the ride, they reminded us that the lands on the east side of the lake is Gentile and on the west side is Jewish. When Jesus cast the demons out of the man and into the swine, the pigs ran off the cliff on the east side of the lake, since there would be no pigs in Israel. The guide also pointed out an interesting fact about the two multiplication miracles that Jesus performed. He fed 5,000 men on the west side and there were 12 baskets left over, representative of the 12 tribes of Israel. He fed 4,000 on the east side and there were 7 baskets left over, representative of the 7 Gentile churches in Revelation. Through these miracles, Jesus provided an object lesson that salvation was open to everyone!

We next visited Gideon's spring, the place where God whittled away at Gideon's army. The spring was actually dried up now, but site has been well preserved and you could almost picture the soldiers kneeling to drink. There were two turtledoves in the rocks just above the spring, serving as a reminder of God's goodness and blessings. Gideon's spring is located in the Valley of Megiddo (or Valley of Jezreel), where the battle of Armageddon will take place. I got a strange feeling as I looked across that valley, and saw a playground with swings and a swimming pool. Oh how this place will change! See a picture and some additional commentary at this link http://www.biblestudy.org/biblepic/megiddo.html

From there we went to Nazareth. In Jesus' day, the population of Nazareth was approx. 180; but today, there are almost 70,000 - and all Arabs. The city was very crowded, busy, and dirty. Many houses were left looking incomplete, because they pay less in taxes while building (no matter how long it takes to finish). We saw Mary's house, and surprisingly... another Catholic church built on the site. You really have to look past what they have done to "preserve" the sites. I think in reality, there is often more worship of the site, than there is of the Savior. We also saw Mary's well as we passed through.

From here, we were off to Mt. Carmel. I'll tell you more about that soon. On our way, we saw Mt. Tabor, which many believe was the Mt of Ascension.

Holy Land - 11.18

2011-12-01T07:47:00.001-05:00

Another beautiful morning following our normal routine of up at 6am, breakfast buffet at 7am, and scheduled to leave by 7:45am. That was a good plan, until one person (out of 90) overslept and another left something in his room. It was nice NOT to have to repack our luggage, since we would finally be staying for a second night in this same hotel. The only thing to pack was a swimsuit for those desiring to be baptized in the Jordan River.

We drove through the city of Tiberias and along the Sea of Galilee. It was a little overcast, but absolutely beautiful! Our first stop would be the city of Caesaria Philippi, also known as Banias (Paneas). The city was the location of the temple to Pan, the half man - half goat god. Pan was known for his vile sexual perversions and the area was an example of the great wickedness found in the heart of man.

At this site, there is a cave known as the "Gates of Hell" containing a pit and a river flowing from it. It was believed this was the river Styx, the passage way to the underworld. An earthquake resulted in the pit being filled in. There is still a river flowing through Banias. This river is the source for the Jordan River. See pictures and read more on this link: http://www.bibleistrue.com/qna/pqna45.htm

It was at the "Gates of Hell" or near this location that Jesus said in Matt 16:18, "...I will build my church and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it." He was implying that all the wickedness of the world, could not stop God's plan of salvation through His Son, Jesus Christ! This was an object lesson to His disciples, and a promise to mankind!

As we were leaving Caesaria Philippi, we saw Mt. Hermon upon which it snowed during our visit and set a record for the earliest snowfall on record for that location. We passed through the Golan Heights, the area belonging to the tribes of Dan and Mannaseh. This area borders Lebanon, and in biblical times, Golan was a city of refuge.

We continued to the Mt. of Beattitudes at which we had a service in an outdoor theater located near the site of the feeding of the 5,000, and the traditionally accepted location where Jesus gave the Sermon on the Mount. This site offered a beautiful view of the Sea of Galilee and (as it is with so many sites) it housed a Catholic church and school.

We enjoyed lunch at a Lebanese restaurant, where some enjoyed whole Talapia (fish) with the eyes looking at them as they picked the meat off the bones. The meal also included French Fries, and bread & hummus.

Due to the time and overcast weather, we postponed the boat ride on the Sea of Galilee and went to the Jordan River for the baptisms. The baptisms were only symbolic and allowed people to be baptized in the same river where Jesus was baptized. For $10, you got a robe, towel, and certificate.

All was well, until we got into the water -- It was FREEZING, but the Muskrats and the large catfish we shared the water with didn't mind the temperature at all. This was a very special time as I was able to baptize those in our group, then Justin baptized Flora and I. This was a memory we will never forget.

From there, it was back to the hotel for a warm shower, followed by supper and a group meeting.

Holy Land - 11.17 (Part 2)

2011-11-30T22:48:00.001-05:00

We entered the West Bank and made our way into the crowded, dirty streets of Jericho. It was quite a change in scenery and a drastic contrast from the Dead Sea. The West Bank is under Palestinian control, with a dominant Arab population. The Arabic food (chicken) was wonderful and there were many other dishes to sample. The staple at EVERY meal was pita bread and hummus.

At this one location, there was a fresh market with souvenirs, produce, and Pomegranate juice. In addition, it was the first of several places to ride a camel, Elisha's well/spring was in the parking lot, and there was a rooftop patio on top of the restaurant that offered a great view overlooking the old city of Jericho.

The remains of the old city of Jericho offered another shock to our system. In reading the Bible story, I've always pictured a large city with massive walls. The city was actually rather small. While it was unexpected, it also made perfect sense that the city could not have been too big, if the people marched around it seven times! The remains proved that the walls indeed fell outward and pots were discovered that were still full of grain, proving that this city was not defeated through the normal method of starving the people out. From Jericho, we could see the Mount of Temptation. There is a monastery built up on the mountain, making it easy to spot the general vicinity where Jesus spent 40 days being tempted.

Next, we made our way to the Sycamore tree that is symbolic of the one that Zacchaeus climbed in this effort to see Jesus. The tree was HUGE and really looked like the Keebler elf tree. Interestingly, the tree was surrounded by a fence, I would suppose it was an attempt to keep future Zacchaeuses from climbing it. As soon as our bus stopped, we were surrounded by street vendors and they kept selling as we were trying to take a group picture. They did have some good prices and products; and we DEFINITELY had a group of shoppers! It was there that Zack got his Arab headdress called a Keffiyeh. Several of our ladies also purchased some beautiful necklaces.

We made our way to the next hotel - the Gai Beach Hotel located on the shore of the Sea of Galilee. The rooms were very small and very plain, but the view of the Sea of Galilee was beautiful! We enjoyed our choice of steak, liver, chicken, an Italian dish, and several other items for supper. I don't think they expected the rush for steaks, as people waited in line for more steaks to be prepared, while passing on the other items! (Let's see... steak or liver...is that really a choice?) This restaurant also had a Hummus bar in which they would prepare your personalized dish of Hummus with whichever spices you selected mixed in. The final course... the dessert bar. It was great!

We capped off the night by using Justin's iPad to Skype our daughters; followed by listening to the Jewish hotel singers "butcher" American songs. They did a beautiful job on the Jewish songs... at least we think they did. :-)

Holy Land - 11.17 (Part 1)

2011-11-29T08:10:00.000-05:00

We followed our normal routine of waking up at 6:00am, bags out and heading to breakfast by 7:00am, and on the road at 7:45am. The bus ride was short and we were soon at our first site -- Masada. We rode the cable car to the top and were amazed by the site, by Herod's creativity, by Roman ingenuity, and by the story of those Jews who chose to die there. Rather than be captured by the Romans and in order to avoid "suicide," the Jews devised a plan of mass murder, in which they divided nearly 1,000 people into 10 groups. Ten men were selected and each was instructed to kill 1/10 of the people, or one of the ten groups. The next man would kill the killer, then kill those in his group. The process was repeated, until the last man took his own life. Those who did the killing used a lottery system to determine the order and the one man who would ultimately be guilty of suicide. The story was told by two women who hid themselves and survived the attacks. You can read more about this event and see some pictures by clicking on these links: http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/Archaeology/Masada1.html or http://www.bibleplaces.com/masada.htm

From Masada, we continued to En Gedi and saw the cave where it is believed that David hid when he fled from King Saul. Click on this link for pictures http://www.bibleplaces.com/engedi.htm

We stopped by an Acacia tree for a quick lesson on how soldiers made arrows and how God shapes us, then continued along a designated road (between the mine fields) to the place of the Jordan River where it is believed the Israelites crossed and Jesus was baptized. This was one of the most shocking sites, as the river was very narrow. We could have easily tossed a rock across the river and landed it in the country of Jordan. The river was dirty and full of bull rushes, but plenty deep enough to baptize.

From there, we went to the Qumran Cave #4 in the Essene community, the place where the Dead Sea scrolls were found in the late 1940's. The Bedouin boy's father first made a pair of sandals from one of the leather cases, the scrolls were then sold for $29, and then in 1954 they sold for $250,000 (the equivalent of over $2 million today). An earthquake had greatly changed the area, but the cave was easily recognizable.

From here, we set out for lunch at the city of Jericho.

Holy Land - 11.16 (Part 2)

2011-11-28T12:23:00.002-05:00

As we left Joppa, we saw the beautiful Mountains of Judah, and the Valley of Ajalon (Joshua 10) where God caused the sun to stand still. Our guide also pointed out the traditional road to Emaus, where Jesus met and walked with the two disciples. He explained how the disciples knew Jesus when He broke the bread in Luke 24:35. The "religious" Jews took the wine, then the bread. Jesus followed traditional Judaism and broke bread, then took the wine. This was quite interesting and proved to be one of many things that non-Jews miss when reading the Scriptures.

In explaining other Jewish cultural aspects, our guide explained that only the city of Jerusalem and the Tribe of Judah focused on exclusive worship of God; while the other cities engaged in "inclusive" worship of a variety of gods. This shed light on how Samson (tribe of Dan) would even consider taking Delilah (a blue-eyed daughter of the Philistines) to be his wife. Again, a simple illustration of what we miss, by not having an understanding of Jewish culture.

The guide continued to explain the Book of Judges from a Jewish perspective. While we think of Judges as if it pertains to legal aspects; the Judges were actually war generals or military leaders. We would probably better understand the biblical period of the Judges if we called it the "Book of Military Leaders."

Our travels next took us to the Valley of Elah, the place where David defeated Goliath (1 Sam. 17:40). We were able to walk in the the brook (now dry) where David picked up the five smooth stones. Several in our group took a rock from the brook as a souvenir. The site has been confirmed by archaeologists after discoveries (including pig bones & pottery) from the Philistine camp.

We continued to Be'er Sheva, to see Abraham's well (Gen. 21). The guide pointed out that the name "Abraham" means "Father of many, but Abraham didn't have any." Abraham was actually a laughing stock among the people, but he believed God in spite of it!

We got a lesson pertaining to desserts. There are actually six different words used in the Hebrew Bible, pertaining to six different types of deserts found in Israel, but our English word "desert" limits our understanding to one type of desert. We got a detailed lesson on the differences between them and were drilled with the fact that the "desert will bloom again" and saw evidences of it.

We concluded our travel day by reaching the Dead Sea at 1270' below sea level, bordered on one side by Israel and the other by Jordan. It is really a "lake," but there is no word for lake in the Hebrew language, so it is called a sea. We ate lunch beside the Dead Sea, checked into the Le Meridian Hotel (one of the nicest hotels I've ever stayed in) and later swam in the Dead Sea. Justin and Zack swam (floated) out to where we almost couldn't see them and collected bottles full of Dead Sea salt. The lake bottom goes from soft to jagged, due to the salt and mineral deposits. See pictures and read about the Dead Sea here http://www.bibleplaces.com/deadsea.htm

I think most in our group passed on the optional hotel spa treatments, massages, etc.; and after a huge buffet supper, most retired for the night. Justin and Zack found a McDonalds where they could access free Wi-fi, and Flora & I went out to walk and explore the small city. We later met Justin at McDonalds so we could Skype with our girls. Interesting note... we must have seen 12+ cats that night, but have only seen one dog since landing in Israel.

Holy Land - 11.16 (Part 1)

2011-11-27T13:37:00.007-05:00

On Wednesday morning, the wake-up call came at 6:00am, left for breakfast and put bags in the hallway by 7:00am, and the group was scheduled to depart at 7:45am. Breakfast was interesting. It was the first of many Israeli buffets consisting of many familiar and unfamiliar items. For the traditionalists, there were eggs, cereal, yogurt, fruit, etc. For the adventurers, there were barely recognizable eggs, other unknown dishes, and plenty of bagels and lox. It appeared that most stayed with the "safe" dishes for the first day. While everyone was claiming their luggage, I spotted computers in the hotel lobby with free Internet. I quickly went over to check my Fantasy Football scores from Sunday, and to set my teams for this coming week.

The bus pulled out of Tel Aviv (the "City of Springs" with a population of 500,000) by 8:00am and we started the day by learning a few Hebrew terms: boker tov means "good morning;" toda means "thank you;" and shalom means "peace, but can also be used for "hello" and "goodbye." After the language lesson, we learned about the Israeli military. Every Israeli man is required to enlist from ages 18-21, women 18-20, and all remain in the reserves until age 46. The only exemptions are for Hasidic Jews, and no Arabs are permitted to serve in Israel's military!

We soon arrived at Joppa (written and pronounced Jaffa in Israel). Jaffa means "beautiful" and is best known as the place Jonah tried to flee from God, and boarded a ship heading to Tarshish. We also read about Tabitha (Dorcas), Peter, and Simon the Tanner in Joppa. We visited St. Peter's Church, built on the location of Simon the Tanner's house and had a very interesting experience. With people sitting in the pews waiting for mass to start, our group leader paid the priest to delay the service and allow us to meet in there for a brief service. The priest took the money and delayed the Catholic service so the Baptists could meet. That gained a few chuckles from those who realized what had occurred.

Read more & see pictures of Tel Aviv, Joppa , and St. Peter's church at http://www.bibleplaces.com/joppa.htm

Holy Land - 11.15

2011-11-26T07:41:00.006-05:00

Tuesday, November 15, was a blur. The day started over the Atlantic ocean. The pilot actually asked everyone to close their window shades as soon as we took off; since by flying east, we would be experiencing the sunrise in just a few short hours. We were served supper, then breakfast on the plane; but due to the time change (7 hours ahead of USA), we skipped lunch and didn't even miss it.

The flight took over 10+ hours, and we arrived at the Ben Gurion Airport in Tel Aviv at just before 3:00pm Israel time on Tuesday. We collected our luggage, gathered everyone together, then passed through Customs as a group. It was seamless and surprisingly easy.

After Customs, we left the airport and immediately boarded a Mercedes brand charter bus where we were introduced to our Arab driver, Adel, and our Italian guide, Fabresio. The bus took us to the Grand Beach Hotel in Tel Aviv. The hospitality of the Israeli people is admirable and we were greeted with drinks and desserts in every hotel, and even in some shops. In the hotel lobby, we were handed an envelope with our room keys and luggage stickers with our room numbers printed on them. We put the stickers on our luggage and the hotel delivered the luggage to our rooms. That especially worked well, since you could only get about 6 people on the three small elevators, and there would have been no room for people, plus luggage. We were given about an hour to freshen-up, then we met in the dining area for our first Israeli buffet. It was delicious... especially the array of desserts! Water, juice and coffee were included with most meals; and Coke products could be purchased for $3-$4 each. (That only sounds high, until you hear that gasoline is $12 per gallon in Israel.)

After supper, several of us took a stroll to the Mediterranean Sea, which was located just across the street from the Hotel. We then retired for the night, and and prepared for the next day that would start at 6:00am. Oh... I must confess that in misreading my watch, I was up MUCH earlier than we needed to be, and checked it carefully in the days that followed.

Holy Land - 11.14

2011-11-26T06:53:00.004-05:00

Staying overnight in Atlanta was a GREAT decision. It allowed us to sleep-in, start fresh, and enjoy a good hot breakfast at the hotel. It also removed the stress of leaving early, traffic delays, possible car problems, extending the travel day, etc. It added a little expense to the trip, but it was definitely the way to go! When we were ready, we simply locked our cars in the secure parking lot, and loaded onto the hotel shuttle bus.

The driver dropped us off at the Delta entrance and the check-in process began. I used to frequent the Atlanta airport when living in Marietta, GA; but haven't been there in a while. The Delta self check-in and lack of real people to assist with our questions about a seat change was frustrating, but not earth shaking. In the end, everything worked out fine and all requests were accommodated at the gate.

In Atlanta, we met half (approx. 40) of the total travel group (approx. 90) that were going to tour the Holy Land with us. Our flight left at 1:40pm and we were on our way to JFK in New York. On the flight, I started the book, "Radical Together" and finished it during the layover at JFK. It was a great read that challenges Christians to think about reaching the world with the Gospel.

While waiting at JFK, we enjoyed a slice of Sbarro's pizza, followed by coffee and a donut from Dunkin Donuts! We had plenty of time to walk it off during the extended layover. At approximately 8:00pm, we started loading aboard the 747 and left on-time at 8:55pm for our 10+ hour flight that would also result in a loss of seven hours with the time zone adjustment.

Holy Land - 11.13

2011-11-25T09:29:00.005-05:00

Sunday, November 13 was the departure date for our EBC Holy Land travelers. Those in our group included Gary & Flora Colboch, Justin Facenda, Milton & Pat Frazier, Billie McManus, Ramona Pippin, Zack Pippin, James & Jane Sparrow, and Dickie & Tammy White. We had a great time and I gained MANY sermon illustrations througout the trip, but I promised not to share too many!

On Sunday, we attended the morning services at EBC, enjoyed a Bojangle's chicken lunch together in the Fellowship Hall, then loaded for the trip to Atlanta. We took 3 vehicles (1 being a Suburban for sake of the luggage). Our departure goal was 1:00pm, and we were right on schedule. For the sake of convenience, we stopped in Lexington to save Zack the trip to Hartsville. When Zack got out carrying a bag only slightly larger than a computer bag, I thought he was joking; but having traveled extensively, he had truly packed for a 10 day trip in a bag smaller than the typical carry-on. I was taking notes for my next trip!

The rest of the travel day was rather uneventful and we arrived in Atlanta at approx, 6:00pm. Upon arriving at the Drury Inn at the Atlanta Airport, I was informed that they didn't have a reservation for us. The company we booked with had actually made our reservation at the Drury Inn in Marietta, which was 1 hour away. The hotel staff was great, made the correction, and accommodated us without any delay. I'd recommend them to anyone, and will definitely stay there again when flying out of Atlanta. Another great example of the benefits of customer service!

There was a Ruby Tuesday next door to the hotel, where we enjoyed supper. There was excitement in the air as we were finally "really" underway on our long anticipated trip!

Just Returned From the Holy Land

2011-11-24T21:14:00.002-05:00

Last night, we returned from a 10 day trip to the Holy Land. The trip started when our church family designated our 2010 Christmas offering toward sending the Frazier's back to the Holy Land for one more visit. Milton & Pat served our church for 36 years, before he went to serve as the Chaplain at Piedmont Bible College in Winston Salem, NC. The Frazier's led 17 trips to Israel and we all knew they wanted to go one more time. Our church family desired to be a blessing to them, so God's people gave generously. Once we knew they were going, we opened the trip to the church and had an additional 10 people (including my wife and I) who joined them for the trip.

The trip was absolutely amazing and really brought clarity and understanding to the places and events recorded in the Scriptures. I plan to tell you about the trip on a day-by-day basis via this blog. I feel this will be the easiest way to convey the information to the most people. So, check back daily over the next week (or more).

I feel that EVERY Christian should visit the Holy Land at least once in his or her lifetime. In fact, every church should make a concentrated effort to send its pastor to Israel, and seminaries should require the trip for pastoral majors. It was eye opening and confirmed our misunderstandings and efforts to "Americanize" the Scriptures, without regard for or understanding of the culture, customs, language, geology, and geography of the Jewish people and land.

One thing is for sure... I will never be the same after this trip!

Trunk-or-Treat 2011

2011-11-08T18:42:00.002-05:00

AMAZING... doesn't quite cover the experience of last Sunday night EBC's Trunk-or-Treat. Nearly 2,000 people showed up for this Halloween alternative event. Over 40 car/truck/and motorcycle trunks were decorated and candy was being given out from each trunk! Prizes were given for best decorated trunks and the winners were: 1st Place - the circus side show, which included a bearded lady; 2nd Place - Popeye & Olive Oil, who were handing candy out of their boat; and 3rd Place - our own cafeteria staff serving it up with pots and pans!

In addition to giving out over 1,200 pounds of candy, those who came enjoyed concessions, ponies, and inflatable games. Almost 500 Bible were handed out to those who said they didn't have one in their home (that still blows my mind), and gospel tracts were given to each person!The only snag of the whole night was that the inflatable provider only provided 1/2 of what he was contracted to bring, so the lines were a little longer than they should have been. For that we apologize and that problem will be fixed for next year.

I want to thank all of our EBC folks who brought candy, decorated trunks, helped with concessions, security, keeping candy stocked, event setup, cleanup, and anything else that was needed. God has truly blessed EBC with some amazing people!

Sunday Summary 11.06.11

2011-11-08T18:34:00.003-05:00

This past Sunday was EBC's 85th Homecoming service. Pastor Emeritus, Milton Frazier, reminisced during our Life Group hour. He and Pat served EBC for 36 years and he shared much of the history of our church and then gave us a challenge to keep reaching people with the gospel.

Paul & Cathy Youmans returned as our guests of honor, and Paul preached in our morning service. The Youmans served as Youth Leaders at EBC in the early 1990's and God is now using them to lead a church in Orange City, FL. This was our first year without a Homecoming feast, but we did enjoy a time of Krispy Kreme Donuts, coffee, and milk between the Life Group hour and worship service. The Life Groups met for prayer and fellowship groups on Sunday night.

In the past two weeks, we have seen 3 people baptized and to join our church family. Jamie and Brandi were recently saved, followed our Lord in believer's baptism, and joined our church family. Bill & Jody have jumped into service with both feet. We had two more children register for AWANA... which is now running over 100 children! It's been exciting to see what is happening at EBC after 85 years!

Sunday Summary 10.23.11

2011-10-24T11:18:00.000-04:00

Yesterday was a wonderful day at Emmanuel. We were blessed to see Kerri follow in believer's baptism after trusting Christ as her Savior just 2 weeks ago! In addition, last week, we celebrated the addition of two new families to our EBC family - Bill & Jody, and Lori & her 2 daughters.

Yesterday's message was the first in a three-part series on biblical principles for handling personal finances. I'm drawing information from various authors including Ron Blue, Larry Burkett, and Dave Ramsey. These men understand that handling money is a spiritual activity and they give some wonderful financial principles derived from the Scriptures.

Our church, as most churches, has been hit by the downturn in our economy over the past few years. While our giving is strong, individual families are hurting. This series is designed to make sure we are wise stewards (asset managers) of the resources that God entrusts to us. God has promised to bless us with much, if we prove ourselves to be faithful with the little. We'll have two more weeks in this very practical series.

Last night, I shared from my heart the concerns I have as a pastor seeing people professing with their mouths to know God, but in works denying Him. Based on what the Bible teaches, there are many who claim to be saved, but they won't be in Heaven. (See Titus 1:16, and Matt 7:22-23)

Emmanuel Bible Insitute

2011-10-20T09:07:00.001-04:00

Emmanuel Baptist Church brings another first to Hartsville, as it launches the Emmanuel Bible Institute. In 1963, Emmanuel Baptist Christian Day School was birthed. Forty-eight years later, ECS is still going strong and remains an academic leader in Darlington County. This fall, Emmanuel started a new arm of its educational ministry as it opened the Emmanuel Bible Institute in an effort to help Christians grow in their relationship with God by gaining biblical knowledge.

Emmanuel Bible Institute (EBI) will focus on teaching the Bible, not denominationalism, so it will be a great educational tool for any individual believer, lay leader, or pastor. Since EBI is web based, the church hopes it will not only benefit people locally, but will also benefit missionaries and national pastors world-wide through the online resources and training. EBI is a professionally-planned, state-of-the-art, online Biblical program that will allow Christ-followers around the world to learn biblical truths at a college level from the comfort of their own home. Each student will be able to study at his personal computer, on his own schedule, and at his own pace using online video, integrated presentations, online and printed curriculum, printable student workbooks, quizzes that are auto-graded online, unit tests, and will eventually include an online bookstore.

The EBI program will consist of three courses of study: Old Testament Survey, New Testament Survey, and Systematic Theology. Each of the courses will consist of forty-five lessons, broken down into three semesters of fifteen lessons in each. The fee for each semester is $105 or just $7 per lesson. Upon completing all three courses, the student will receive a Certificate in Biblical Studies. After earning the certificate, the student will have the opportunity to take an Institutional Challenge Exam (ICE Exam) at Liberty University or another participating college and may receive up to twenty-four college credits. In addition, accreditation will be pursued through the Transnational Association of Christian Colleges and Schools (TRACCS).

Mr. Robert Johnson, who will soon complete his Ed.D from Liberty University, will serve as the Dean of EBI. Mr. Johnson also teaches Bible classes at Emmanuel Christian School, and will implement the EBI curriculum into the ECS Bible classes in 2012-13. This will mean that ECS students who complete all three EBI courses, could attend a participating Christian college, take an I.C.E. exam and receive up to twenty-four college credits toward Bible or electives.

Those interested in more information, may call the church at (843)332-2271 or visit the EBI website at www.emmanuelbibleinstitute.com.

Sunday Summary 10.16.11

2011-10-17T14:06:00.000-04:00

A special thanks to everyone who filled-in yesterday in Joey's absence. Rob, thank you for coordinating and overseeing things to make sure all went smoothly. Heather, thank you for leading our congregational worship through music this morning. God has blessed us with wonderfully competent and talented people!

In the morning service, God blessed us with 4 new members and 1 coming to be baptized next Sunday. I challenged our folks to fulfill the Great Commission, as too many believers see Matt. 28:19-20 as the "Great Suggestion." I often hear excuses that make you think some believers feel they have been given and exemption, opted out, been excused, or feel it doesn't apply to them. I've heard others state that they don't have the "gift of evangelism"--- FACT - no one does, in spite of what some spiritual gift tests imply. Every believer has been commanded by Jesus to share the message of God's love with others.

Last night, we had a WONDERFUL time of communion! Pastor David and I were able to speak encouragement to our church families and thank them for the role they play at EBC. Following, a deacon prayed with each family and other deacons served communion to them. The families were able to then go back to their seats and take communion together. It was a very special time of tears, hugs, and encouragement. At EBC, people truly love God and love each other.

Lord, thank you for what YOU are doing in our church family. Thank you for people who truly love You and seek to share Your love with others. Please continue and protect the sweet Spirit of unity that we are experiencing as we seek to serve You!

The Power of Unity

2011-10-11T11:56:00.000-04:00

Just a quick thought... Due to the focus on sharing the gospel through JH, our church is experiencing a great unity as we work together to fulfill the purpose to which God called us. A church that is focused on its mission and is busy trying to fulfill it, doesn't have time to get distracted and focus on things that don't matter. In the churches that are growing, I'm assuming they are united in purpose and lives are being changed through salvation, baptism, and discipleship. In those that are infighting and struggling, I would bet that there is division and they rarely (if ever) see people saved, baptized, or discipled.

What a great lesson Jesus taught us at 12 years old... We (the Church) must be busy about the Father's business, they we wouldn't have time to fight over non-essentials.

Judgement House 2011 (Weekend 2)

2011-10-10T10:41:00.000-04:00

The word "amazing" would not suffice to describe what God has done through Judgement House this year. We had 2,458 people walk through JH, 361 make decisions for salvation, and 194 recommit their lives to Christ. After eight years, we have had over 12,500+ people walk through JH at EBC. A special thanks to everyone who volunteered to make JH a success!

A couple of great stories: 1) A little boy walked through heaven, turned to his dad and asked, "Where's my mommy?" The mother had died this past Mother's Day. 2) A mother and her two daughters were all saved at JH. They were in different groups, so none knew of the other's decision, until they arrived outside. 3) A youth pastor sent an e-mail telling us how much JH impacted his youth group and revival was beginning. 4) A wife was standing on the sidewalk crying and when I asked her if she was okay, she stated, "I've been praying for my husband for years and tonight he accepted Christ!" There are so many other stories that people told in their own words on the testimony boards posted around our Worship Center. I hope our members will take time to read them and feel the impact of your hard work.

Jeff Huey preached yesterday and God moved. We were encouraged to add spiritual items to our bucket list such as: 1) Know Christ, 2) Serve Him, and 3) Lead others to Him. Two adults that were saved in JH came down the aisle to make that public and my wife had the privilege of showing a lady how to be saved. It was a good day, in spite of the tiredness due to JH.

Judgement House 2011 (Weekend 1)

2011-10-03T08:54:00.000-04:00

This is our 8th year to host Judgement House at Emmanuel. In the first 7 years, over 10,000 people have walked through JH at EBC, and we expect 2,000+ again this year. This has become our largest evangelistic effort and our church family has really bought in! In fact, this is the first year that people are "dependent" on our church staff and we are serving as "support" personnel. To me, that is the sign of a great church, and a very strong ministry!

Again this year, over 100+ volunteers are involved as actors, tour guides, counselors, registration, security, concessions, runners, support personnel, and more! This year, JH is being offered on Oct. 1-2, 8-9 and all of our reservation slots are already full. We've reserved room for walk-in's, but we encourage those to come on Saturday night beginning at 5:00pm.

The results after the first weekend are as follows:
- Over 900 people walked through.
- 121 salvation decisions.
- 73 recommitted their lives to Christ.
- 4 to be baptized this Sunday.
- And many amazing testimonies!

I want to especially thank Justin, Billy, and Brian for their leadership and oversight of JH. I also want to extend our thanks to Jeff and his team for ALL the help that Extreme Ministries provides! These guys have become like family and I invite you to come hear Jeff preach this Sunday at 10:30am at Emmanuel. You will also see the baptisms and hear some testimonies from JH.

Sunday Summary 10.2.11

2011-10-02T15:29:00.001-04:00

God's Spirit was certainly moving this morning at Emmanuel! People were tired from Judgement House and that is often a recipe for problems; but this morning was awesome. We had several families visiting, the spirit was sweet, and the altar was full.

Our choir did an arrangement that powerfully listed the names of God and brought people to a spontaneous standing ovation. Rob shared a testimony of how EBC included and embraced his family, as no other church they've ever been part of. Justin gave a report of the decisions from Judgement House. People were honest in their response and many tears were shed.

This morning's message was entitled, "Learning to Trust, Brings Peace to Life's Storms." I've really been moved lately with the number of people in our congregation that have been affected by cancer, other health issues, death of a spouse, job loss, wayward children, poor decision making, etc. My heart is breaking for them and God brought Psalm 22 to my mind this week. The Psalmist felt that God had forsaken him in those difficult days, only to realize that God had revealed Himself in those dark times as He never could have without them.

Two thirds of our congregation was honest enough to say they had felt that God was distant during their difficulties, but the sermon reminded them that God is faithful. He is our Shelter, our Deliverer, our Protector, our Provider, our Strength, and so much more! In our darkest days, we must keep your eyes on Jesus. In addition, remember the old cliche; "It's always darkest before the dawn."

Studying Bible Doctrine is Essential

2011-10-02T15:16:00.002-04:00

I am amazed by how many Christians (pastors and church members) don't understand even basic Bible doctrines. It is no wonder today's churches are shallow and struggling! Well, I'm excited to tell you that we've had to "cap" our Bible Doctrine 101 class at Emmanuel. We now have over 40 adults enrolled in the class, which meets every Sunday morning for one year. Over the past three weeks, I've been teaching on how we got the Bible, who wrote it, where it was written, in what languages, how it was translated, which version is the best, whether our copies are reliable, why only 66 books were included, how to understand the Bible and find things in it, and more. Future weeks will include the doctrines of God, Jesus, Holy Spirit, Salvation, Angels, Heaven/Hell, Last things, etc.

Common sense tells you that not every denominational interpretation of doctrine can be right, and so many people don't know what to believe today. Just consider a few common discrepancies:

· Bible (Is the Word of God vs. Contains the Word of God)

· Eternal security (Can’t lose salvation vs. Can lose salvation)

· Hell (Is literal vs. Is not literal)

· Baptism (Symbolic vs. Washes away original sin)

· Lord’s Supper (Symbolic vs. Literally becomes the body & blood of Christ)

· Creation (Intelligent design vs. Evolution / Literal days vs. figurative days)

· Salvation (Faith vs. Works)

· Holy Spirit (Fully indwelled at salvation vs. Saved then later filled with the Spirit)

A common practice in too many pulpits today is to read the Scriptures and explain what we "think" a passage means. The problem is that we don't have that right or liberty. Our responsibility is to study the passage, do our research, and then interpret what the passage meant in the original context. Doctrine must be studied in the context of the writer's intent, not the reader's interpretation. I encourage you to follow the instructions of Matt 28:19-20 as you study, teach, and make disciples who are fully devoted followers of Christ and rightly divide the Word of Truth.

Real Cost of Discipleship

2011-09-20T09:46:00.003-04:00

I've been reading the book "Radical" by David Platt and it has really challenged my thinking. It has made me ask some deep questions and to wonder what God thinks when He looks at modern Christianity. Does today's religious scene make God want to vomit when he hears televangelists selling miracle water... when preachers are hyping the think and grow rich mentality... when terms like "fun" and "exciting" are used to describe the church for which Christ died... when people argue over worship styles... when preachers use gimmicks to draw crowds... when programs like TBN (The Big hair Network) cause unsaved people to poke fun and Christianity... and the list goes on.

I wonder if it breaks God's heart to hear people make comments like, "I'll participate in worship, if... it doesn't interfere with my tee time, my child's softball tournament, dance recital, work schedule, or any other personal conflict. Rather than putting Jesus first and following Him, we seem to want a Jesus Who doesn't expect too much... One who accepts us where we are, will understand when we choose things before Him, is okay with our pursuit of materialism, is okay with casual commitment... you get the picture.

Modern Christianity seems so different from what Jesus described. In Luke 9, Jesus said that if you want to be my disciple you must deny yourself (not indulge yourself), and take up your cross. He said that you may end up homeless, that He expects you to love Him more than family, and that He expects you to be willing to give up everything for Him. He wants full and exclusive commitment. When Jesus said "Follow Me," those chosen got up, left it all, and followed Him.

In all honesty, I guess the religious scene hasn't changed much since Jesus' day. The multitudes back then gathered when there was "excitement" or something in if for them, but then scattered when Jesus preached on commitment. He ended up with twelve that were sold out, committed followers (actually only 11). Jesus didn't sugar coat the gospel for fear of offending anyone, instead He explained the cost of discipleship and let people decide. The expectation hasn't changed and the question remains, ARE YOU WILLING TO FULLY COMMIT TO FOLLOWING CHRIST?

Favorite e-mail I read after 9.11

2011-09-13T10:03:00.003-04:00

I am extremely patriotic and appreciate my American freedoms, and this great nation in which I have the privilege to live. Following is my favorite read after the 9/11 attacks. We all know how e-mails change and often conveniently leave off the credit information; but to the best of my understanding, this was an editorial by Mark Meehan and published on July 12, 2002. (If this credit is incorrect, please forgive me.) I want to give proper credit to the writer for a GREAT article! Here it is...

"I am tired of this nation worrying about whether we are offending some individual or their culture, here in the USA. Since the terrorist attacks on Sept. 11, 2001, we have experienced a surge in patriotism by the majority of Americans. However, the dust from the attacks had barely settled when the "politically correct" crowd began complaining about the possibility that our patriotism was offending others. I am not against immigration, nor do I hold a grudge against anyone who is seeking a better life by coming to America. Our population is almost entirely comprised of descendants of immigrants. However, there are a few things that those who have recently come to our country, and apparently some born here, need to understand!

This idea of America, being a multi-cultural community, has served only to dilute our sovereignty and our national identity. As Americans, we have our own culture, our own society, our own language and our own lifestyle. This culture has been developed over centuries of struggles, trials, and victories by millions of men and women who have sought freedom.

We speak ENGLISH, not Spanish, Arabic, Chinese, Japanese, Russian, or any other language. Therefore, if you wish to become part of our society, learn the language - ENGLISH. "In God We Trust" is our national motto. This is not some Christian, right wing, political slogan. We adopted this motto because Christian men and women, of Christian principles, founded this nation, and this is clearly documented. It is certainly appropriate to display it on the walls of our schools. If God offends you, then I suggest you consider another part of the world as your new home, because God is and always will be part of our culture!

If the Stars and Stripes offend you, or you don't like Uncle Sam, then you should seriously consider a move to another part of this planet. We are happy with our culture and have no desire to change, and we really don't care how you did things where you came from. Remember, "Delta is ready when you are and they can have you there by nightfall."

This is OUR COUNTRY, our land, and our lifestyle. Our First Amendment gives every citizen the right to express his opinion and we will allow you every opportunity to do so. But, once you are done complaining, whining, and griping about our flag, our pledge, our national motto, or our way of life, I highly encourage you to take advantage of one other great American freedom, THE RIGHT TO LEAVE."

Remembering 9.11.01

2011-09-12T09:10:00.000-04:00

Since 9/11, our church has remembered the victims, honored the heroes, and recognized our local heroes annually. This past Sunday, on the 10th anniversary of 9/11, we did the same during our 10:30am service. Volunteers prepared and served breakfast to nearly 90 first responders, plus many family members, then honored them in our service. Following Jeffrey's baptism, Paige opened the service with "God Bless America." Comments were given by Mayor Pennington, Senator Malloy, and Representative Lucas. Music, multi-media, and all aspects of the service focused on remembering 9/11.

I preached on three spiritual comparisons to 9/11: 1) The fire at the WTC were temporary - the fires of hell are eternal. 2) Heroes gave their lives to rescue those perishing in the WTC - Jesus is the Hero Who gave His life to rescue people from hell, and give them eternal life. 3) Those perishing had to decide which way to go - We too must decide whether we will follow Jesus and be saved. Nearly 700 people heard that message and God blessed with 3 first responders and 1 college student choosing to follow Jesus. PRAISE THE LORD!

Emmanuel Baptist Church remembers the attacks of 9/11 and we continue to pray for the families of the victims. We also pray daily for our local first responders and appreciate the service you provide to our community! THANK YOU!

Praise the Lord Report

2011-09-12T08:43:00.000-04:00

In the past few weeks, we've seen 4 saved, 3 baptized, and 4 new members added to our church family. In a small town with no population growth and 142 churches... that's a God-thing and we realize it! So, to God be the glory for the great things He is doing at EBC. Lord, help us stay focused on the MAIN THINGS!

Is Your Spiritual Vision 20/20?

2011-08-21T08:09:00.003-04:00

Comedian Dennis Swanberg tells the story of his trip to the Super Bowl with his teenage son, Dusty. Their favorite team made it to the Super Bowl, so they planned a father-son road trip. They made the hotel reservations, mapped out the directions, packed the car and left; but they had a problem…they forgot to purchase tickets. Upon arriving, they found the game was sold-out. Dennis saw only one option; he had to purchase tickets from a scalper. The scalper sold Dennis two tickets for $800 and they entered the stadium. Finding their section, they climbed higher and higher… all the way to the very top! By the time they got to their seats, Dennis’ blood was boiling to think he paid $800 to sit on the top row of the stadium. Dusty, on the other hand, has ADD and was already getting into the pre-game festivities and cheering loudly. Dennis’ blood pressure continued to rise, until Dusty spoke something to this effect: Dad, these are great seats! We can see everything the blimp sees!” At that very moment, Dennis realized the depth of Dusty’s statement and began to look at things in a whole new way.

A “blimp-size” vision! That’s what Christians need… the ability to see the big picture, and to gain a new perspective on life’s challenges. So, what would keep a believer from seeing life this way? Some have blurred-vision and they’ve lost focus of what is really important. Some have double vision and want to live for Christ while enjoying the pleasures of sin. Some are nearsighted and they can’t see beyond themselves. Some are farsighted missing the importance of doctrine. Some have sin cataracts blocking their spiritual vision. Some have Glaucoma and the pressure of bitterness is building inside them, because they refuse to reconcile. But, others have experienced corrective surgery, and their spiritual eyes are fixed on Jesus! He restored their sight and they clearly see His love, forgiveness, acceptance, and grace.

During an eye exam, the optometrist measures our vision against the standard of 20/20. We measure spiritual vision against the standard of God’s Word. Since the two great commandments are to love God and to love people, it would seem that those with healthy spiritual vision should be exhibiting love for both. Other diagnostic tools might include looking for the presence of spiritual fruit as described in Gal. 5:22, examining the way a person views the church, treats his family, and shares his faith. These tools and others can help us to determine the health of one’s spiritual vision.

No doubt, that during your eye exam, the optometrist asked you, “Which is better, A or B?” The spiritual diagnostician might ask, “Are you looking backward or forward?” Looking in the rearview mirror focuses on the past mistakes and failures, instead of future possibilities. The Apostle Paul states in Phil. 3:13, “…Forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead.” Accept God’s forgiveness and believe the cliché, “The best is yet to come!"

Finally, the size of the vision is also very important. The Bible states in Phil 2:4 that “Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.” If we are going to have a God-size vision, we must look beyond ourselves. One songwriter said it this way, "Let me see this world, dear Lord, as though I were looking through Your eyes." Think about it, if Dusty Swanberg got excited about seeing what the blimp saw, Christ-followers should get even more excited abut seeing things from a heavenly perspective! Let’s try to see this world through the eyes of Christ and reach it with the love of Christ. Now that’s a God-size vision!

Over Entertained & Under Challenged

2011-08-12T09:36:00.002-04:00

It’s been well over twenty years since I first heard Andy Stanley make the statement, “Today’s teenagers are over entertained and under challenged.” His sermon, preached at First Baptist Church of Atlanta, GA was addressing the way so many churches were approaching student ministry. His observation was correct back then, and it is still correct today! I served as a Youth and Children’s Pastor for fourteen years. God blessed us with large youth ministries and the privilege of seeing over forty students called into vocational ministry. Emmanuel now supports several of those who are currently serving as foreign missionaries.

In a church culture that measures success almost solely by numbers, it only makes sense that youth pastors today must entertain students and gather the masses in order to be viewed as successful. Sadly, the same entertainment mentality is true with adults. Too many adults choose a church based on the length of the services, whether the church has a softball team, how humorous the pastor is, and whether or not they like the music. These superficial factors show the shallowness plaguing Christianity today.

The long-term effects of the entertainment focus in ministry can be seen in the spiritual immaturity among today’s believers. We are in dire need of discipleship. The effectiveness of discipleship can be measured by whether or not those who call themselves disciples begin to disciple others. In essence, the student should become the teacher. But, how is someone who has been over entertained and under challenged supposed to gain the knowledge to teach? The Apostle Paul describes this dilemma in Heb 5:12-14 NIV – “ In fact, though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you the elementary truths of God's word all over again. You need milk, not solid food! 13 Anyone who lives on milk, being still an infant, is not acquainted with the teaching about righteousness. 14 But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil."

Not only has the focus on entertainment in ministry caused a shallowness of knowledge, but it has also resulted in fewer people being exposed to real ministry opportunities. Churches used to “do “ministry, go on missions trips, serve their communities, and impact their world. That exposure to ministry often resulted in growing churches and people surrendering to be ministers. Today, fewer people are entering ministry, seminary enrollment is down across the nation, and so is church attendance across denominational lines. The common denominator is that too many church goers have been and continue to be over entertained and under challenged.

So, which word best describes the church you attend - “entertainment” or “discipleship?” It’s never too late to start challenging others to grow spiritually. Jesus challenged twelve men, and in just three years He prepared them to impact eternity! Think how different the world would have been if He only entertained them. Think how different our world could be, if today’s churches will challenge those God has entrusted to us!

Sunday Summary 8.7.11

2011-08-07T20:22:00.001-04:00

God continues to bless at EBC. We started this morning's service with two baptisms! Kim and her daughter, Haley followed the Lord in believer's baptism. Pastor David shared that in talking to Haley, she praised her Sunday School teacher for talking to her and helping her to understand salvation clearly. Thank God for people who invest their lives in others!

It was good to have Heather leading this morning. The band and most of the choir were back from vacation, and our attendance was beginning to climb back up. God blessed us with many guests and we look forward to getting to know them and sharing the vision and blessings of what God is doing at EBC.

Today, I continued the "Peacemaker" series with the topic of Church Discipline. So many churches are afraid to intervene when a friend and family member engages in sin. They fear the fallout and don't trust God to bless "His" plan. Church discipline is God's plan for loving the wanderers back to Himself. Consider these Scriptures:
Heb. 12:6a NIV - … the Lord disciplines those He loves…
Ps 94:12a NIV - Blessed is the man you discipline, O LORD…
Rev 3:19a NIV - Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline…

Church discipline is about love... forgiveness... restoration... and reconciliation! It is a wonderful thing and would make a difference if more churches practiced it. It flies in the face of the "crowd" mentality, but it is a required part of the true "church" mentality. It calls sinners to repentance and deters discord and division in the church.

Churches, families, work places, teams, and more; would be different if God's people would just implement God's plan for conflict resolution. Consider the steps of Matthew 18:15.
1) Correct if a person is in sin --- get over issues of preference or policy.
2) God to the person individually.
3) Take 2-3 witnesses (Friends who also care about this person.)
4) Take it to the church (Only if necessary.)

If at any time during the process a person humbly admits their fault and repents, they are to be reconciled to the individual and to the church. I'll write more about this in the coming days, as it is a topic that is rarely taught and/or implemented.

Congratulations President Obama on another first

2011-08-06T08:21:00.004-04:00

Congratulations on so many "firsts" Mr. President! Just to name a few, you are the first mixed race president (1.20.09), the first President to skip the Salute to Heroes Ball, honoring Medal of Honor recipients (1.21.09), the first President to bow to a Saudi King (4.2.2009), the first President to brew beer in the White House (2.6.11), first President to host "transgender" meeting at White House (5.5.11), first President to fail so miserably in providing economic leadership that the US Credit Rating has been downgraded for the first time in our history from AAA (8.5.11).

Among the reasons cited by S&P were our political instability and increasing debt. If the US Treasury Note is not a AAA value, then what is? But, even the world is watching our lack of leadership and growing debt! I'm no National Debt expert, but according to my personal calculations, the National Debt can be broken down approximately as follows: per taxpayer is $1,026,138; per citizen is $176,281; and per family is $669,103. When President Bush left office, the National Debt was approx. $10 trillion, and in just three years under President Obama, we are now over $14 trillion and climbing! Just to pay the interest on the National Debt would cost every US citizen approximately $11,644 annually -- that's just to service the interest on the debt! At what point will we stop the insanity and think about the future? Again, I am not a National Debt expert, so you may want to do your own calculations; but these numbers are astounding.

So, again, congratulations Mr. President on leading the United States of America to another first. God help us!

Church Unity Results in God's Presence & Blessing

2011-08-02T17:18:00.004-04:00

You've probably heard the old story about the little boy who was sick and stayed home from church on the Sunday of the annual Easter program. Upon returning from the service, his brother stated," You should have been there... Jesus showed up today." The little boy was so disappointed and proclaimed loudly, "I had to miss the one Sunday that Jesus showed up at our church." Well, let me ask you, when was the last time God showed up at your church?

Emmanuel is so blessed to see people being saved, baptized, and added to our church on a regular basis; but that wasn't always the case. Just as Aachan's sin spoiled the blessing for an entire nation, sin among our staff stifled our growth at one point. Just as division between Jews and Gentiles split divided the early church, we, too, have experienced division and discord. Just as Judas refused to buy into Jesus, we've had some refuse to buy into our efforts to share Christ. Some of the difficulties have moved out of town, some now bless other churches, and some continue to bless us; but others have selected to put aside the conflict and reconcile with God and others. PRAISE THE LORD!

I personally believe that God desires to work in every church, but He can't; because of the lack of unity! This Peacemaker series has helped us to celebrate our differences, agree to disagree (agreeably), focus on Christ, and renew our vision. It has taught us how to resolve conflict. It's brought a sweet, sweet spirit into our church family and we know that it's the Spirit of the Lord! Our prayer is that God will help us continue in unity, strive to live peaceably, and unite in our passion to share Christ, and reach a lost world.

Thank you, Lord, for the wonderful work you are doing at Emmanuel! Please dwell among us and use us to impact eternity!

Debt Ceiling Debate is Political Maneuvering

2011-07-26T09:03:00.007-04:00

As Washington continues to bicker over the Debt Ceiling, I grow increasingly tired of seeing the American people used as political pawns. The rhetoric used by the President and Speaker Boehner during their televised comments just fueled the fire last night. This whole debate is ALL ABOUT POLITICS! Have we forgotten that John Boehner and Harry Reid had already agreed to a 6 month plan, but President Obama would not accept it. He didn't want this topic to come up during the 2012 election year. Obama KNOWS what is best for the country, as evidenced by his 2006 vote AGAINST RAISING THE DEBT CEILING when he was a US Senator. In fact, the Democrats in the Senate voted unanimously AGAINST it. The President has proven his ability to flip-flop on the issues, but he still offers no real leadership and has offered no plan of his own to date. He offers no original thoughts and simply criticizes anything that doesn't carry through the reelection year --- What does that tell you? It tells me that he is more concerned about keeping his office, than doing what's best for the country.

To add more fuel to the fire, it was reported this morning that General Electric (GE), the 4th largest company in the US is moving its headquarters to China. What an irony that the CEO of GE, Jeffrey Immelt, is the Chairman of President Obama's "Council for Jobs and Competitiveness." It is also ironic that GE has avoided paying taxes? So, by "balanced approach," the President really means we "MUST" increase taxes on the wealthy, so he can continue granting tax break favors to his friends (like Immelt) and corporations such as GE. More political games and no wonder no one believes what he says!

These debt ceiling discussions (in my opinion) are nothing but political maneuvering, without any real consideration of what is best for our country. Our credit rating is at risk, the economic recovery is at risk, and the reelection of those in Washington should be at risk! It's time to make some serious changes in Washington. My suggestion is term limits for all politicians, so they get back to representing the people, rather than protecting their reelection to office.

Peacemaker Series

2011-07-25T08:30:00.003-04:00

Yesterday was another amazing day at Emmanuel Baptist Church. I'm continuing the sermon series entitled the "Peacemaker" and based on the biblical concepts taught in Ken Sande's book by the same title. This series is one that I would encourage EVERY pastor to teach to their congregation, and one that is essential based on all of the strife we see in today's churches.

This series is being developed for the purpose of teaching our people how to resolve conflict based on biblical principles. We see so much relationship trouble in the church, on the job, and even at home. We see people leaving churches, employees quitting jobs, and divorces even among professing Christians. What if "we" the "Church" would take the lead in teaching people how to handle conflict?

This series has been difficult and has broached subject such as "Judging," "Finding real peace," "How to hand criticism," "Forgiveness," "Confession," "Church discipline," and various other such topics. It is challenging our people to be Christ-like, rather than self-serving. It is encouraging them to please God, rather than defend self.

The best part of each Sunday is to watch people walk across aisles and embrace each other, to watch them come weeping and kneeling humbly at the altar, to watch people staying around 30 minutes after the service to talk with each other. I've received notes, e-mails, and heard personal testimonies of relationships that have been restored! Praise God for what He is doing at Emmanuel.

Ken Sande, thanks for listening to God and writing this series. Steve G., thank you for introducing me to it. God, thank you for using it in the Emmanuel church family!

VBS "On-the-Go"

2011-07-15T20:13:00.001-04:00

Vacation Bible School brings back many wonderful memories of games, crafts, fun, and especially the snacks! Funny to me how VBSseems to have changed through the years, as churches began using standardized curriculum and parents began using VBS as free childcare by putting their kids in a different VBS each week. Have we somehow lost the true meaning of VBS? Has it in effect become simply a CBS, or "Children's Babysitting Service?"

I am so proud of our Children's Pastor, who last year had a vision to take VBS to the children who might never get to go. Rather than inviting parents to bring their children to one more church, we took VBS to the children whose parents may be working, others whose parents would not bring them, and some whose parents could not bring them. We took VBS into various apartment complexes, and even the local Boys & Girls Club. We saw over 30 children accept Christ!

This concept of VBS was not only good for the children, but also GREAT for our adult and teen workers, as well as, our church's children who also attended in this setting. It took our people out of their comfort zone, exposed them to things they were not familiar with, and allowed them to hear stories that broke their hearts and gave them a small glimpse into the lives of these children.

Within the church, we too often use attendance numbers as our measure of success; but with this style VBS success was measured by souls saved, tears shed, hugs distributed, and lives changed... mostly the lives of our church members. I extend a heartfelt 'THANK YOU" to everyone who made this possible through donations, teaching, serving, prayer, financial support, and more! Pastor David, THANK YOU for your vision to reach children beyond our walls! Managers and Directors, thank you for allowing us minister to the children in your community! God, please give us this opportunity again next year!

Sunday Summary 7.3.11

2011-07-06T09:18:00.001-04:00

Last Sunday was a great day at Emmanuel. The crowd was down due to people traveling for the holiday weekend, but it was a great reminder that God's presence isn't dependent on big crowds. Interestingly, our Doctrines 101 class was one shy of our record attendance as we concluded our section on Angelology with a discussion of the existence of Satan and demons.

Great job by the new trio of Jill, Luke, and Tony. God blessed us with another incredibly talented musician in Paul. I noticed you moved to a new instrument this week. Perry, the Worship Center looked great! Thanks to everyone who filled in for those traveling. It was a seamless morning.

I continued preaching the "Peacemaker" sermon series and focused on Charitable Judgments. Those outside the church can quote the verse, "Judge not...;" while those in the church are very good at "judging." We encouraged people to examine the beam in their own eye, before worrying so much about the speck in someone else's eye. It was a message every believer ought to hear and would result in fewer church conflicts if believers would apply it. This sermon series is being taken from the book "The Peacemaker" by Ken Sande and I highly recommend reading it.

We closed out the morning service with 5 coming for membership (23 adults just completed our membership class). Even though it was a holiday weekend, we returned Sunday night with good crowds for our electives... probably due to the ice cream fellowship that followed. :-)

8th Annual Fireworks Festival

2011-07-03T20:06:00.001-04:00

It never gets old. This was the 8th year that Emmanuel Baptist Church partnered with the Greater Hartsville Chamber of Commerce to host the Family Fireworks Festival on our campus. The crowd annually exceeds the population of our city and the event includes: a full carnival, car show, food & craft vendors, a kiddie section, stage entertainment, gymnastics, dance teams, and of course... the largest fireworks display in Darlington County!

The event is not done for profit, but rather as a service for the community. The cost of the event was underwritten by the following major sponsors: City of Hartsville, LifeCare Hospice, NUCOR, Raceway Automotive, and Sonoco. Additional sponsors included Norton Funeral Home and SPC Credit Union.

To pull off an event this size requires nearly 100 volunteers and my thanks goes out to every one of you. We could not do it without you! We used the City of Hartsville's mobile stage, Senator Malloy served as the MC, the band "Nonymous" (and yes it's spelled correctly) provided the entertainment, Mcleod Farms sponsored the pie eating contest, Sonic sponsored the hotdog eating contest, Krispy Kreme provided the donuts, Carolina Printing donated the trophies, Koss Motor Sports organized the car show, Pleasant Valley Stables coordinated the Kids Zone, Coker College provided the golf carts, the Sheriff's Dept., SC State Troopers, and Hartsville Fire Dept provided the safety and traffic control, and I apologize if I left someone out. Thank you to everyone who had a part, especially the congregation of Emmanuel for your vision and desire to be a church that is involved in our community.

My thanks also to the Chamber of Commerce. This was its last year to partner with Emmanuel, but we appreciate the opportunity to work together. The event will go on and we've been approached by other entities desiring to partner. We will obviously need more sponsors, but we're certain that God will provide. In fact, we already had vendors register for next year, and we are looking at rearranging the layout to double our vendors and grow the event. Mark your calendars for the Friday, before July 4.

Thank you, again, to everyone who came out to celebrate Independence Day with us!

The Folds of the American Flag Have Meaning

2011-06-10T10:00:00.003-04:00

Yesterday, I participated in the funeral service of a man who I served as a Hospice Chaplain, but who had also become a dear friend. He was a WWII pilot who loved God, loved his country, and set the example as a husband and father. At the graveside, the Veterans Honor Guard honored this veteran with a 21 gun salute then meticulously folded the flag. As each fold was made, a veteran described the meaning of those folds. Here is what was quoted:

The 1st fold of the flag is a symbol of life.

The 2nd fold is a symbol of the belief in eternal life.

The 3rd fold is made in honor and remembrance of the veterans departing the ranks who gave a portion of their lives for the defense of the country to attain peace throughout the world.

The 4th fold represents the weaker nature, for as American citizens trusting in God, it is to Him we turn in times of peace as well as in time of war for His divine guidance.

The 5th fold is a tribute to the country, for in the words of Stephen Decatur, 'Our Country, in dealing with other countries, may she always be right; but it is still our country, right or wrong.’

The 6th fold is for where people's hearts lie. It is with their heart that they pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America , and the Republic for which it stands, one Nation under God, indivisible, with Liberty and Justice for all.

The 7th fold is a tribute to its Armed Forces, for it is through the Armed Forces that they protect their country and their flag against all her enemies, whether they be found within or without the boundaries of their republic.

The 8th fold is a tribute to the one who entered into the valley of the shadow of death, that we might see the light of day.

The 9th fold is a tribute to womanhood, and Mothers. For it has been through their faith, their love, loyalty and devotion that the character of the men and women who have made this country great has been molded.

The 10th fold is a tribute to the father, for he, too, has given his sons and daughters for the defense of their country since they were first born.

The 11th fold represents the lower portion of the seal of King David and King Solomon and glorifies in the Hebrews eyes, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.

The 12th fold represents an emblem of eternity and glorifies, in the Christians’ eyes, God the Father, the Son and Holy Spirit.

The 13th fold, or when the flag is completely folded, the stars are uppermost reminding them of their Nations motto, 'In God We Trust.'

After the flag is completely folded and tucked in, it takes on the appearance of a cocked hat, ever reminding us of the soldiers who served under General George Washington, and the Sailors and Marines who served under Captain John Paul Jones, who were followed by their comrades and shipmates in the Armed Forces of the United States, preserving for them the rights, privileges and freedoms they enjoy today.

There are some traditions and ways of doing things that have deep meaning.
In the future, you'll see flags folded and now you will know why. Share this with the children you love and all others who love what is referred to, the symbol of ' Liberty and Freedom.'

Ministry Pornography

2011-06-08T16:32:00.004-04:00

I heard an interesting term a few weeks ago -- "Ministry Pornography." Four members of our Ministry Team attended the Refuel Conference at Thomas Road Baptist Church and during one of the messages, Ed Stetzer, VP of Research and Ministry Development for LifeWay Christian Resources, used that term. He defined "Ministry Pornography" as pastors lusting after ministries that they will never have, nor lead.

Sadly, Ed was right. As young (and older) pastors look at the mega-churches in America, there is a desire to have a church like it. There becomes a dissatisfaction with the place to which God has called, and there is a desire to have something supposedly bigger and better. Ministry pornography can have the same devastating effects as real pornography -- the pastor starts lusting after a larger ministry, and he loses sight of the beautiful work that God has already given him.

The cure for ministry pornography is appreciation for the work God has given you; devotion to your congregation, and the realization that size doesn't matter in the work of the Lord. Some of the most faithful ministers I know are serving in small churches. So pastors, stop lusting for a larger work, and keep laying up treasures in heaven as you faithfully serve the people and work that God has entrusted to you!

Sunday Summary 5.29.11

2011-06-02T09:50:00.001-04:00

Last Sunday, God blessed our church family, again, and we just keep saying "Thank You, Lord." As usual, our crowd was a little smaller on Memorial Day weekend; but I preached on the memorials of Baptism, Communion, and the Cross. We took time to recognize those families whose loved one(s) passed away in serving our country, and we enjoyed a great picnic after church. Cliff singed all the hair off his arm, Jim was glowing red, and I think Tony might have burned off his eye-brows; but they kept the grill going so we could enjoy those tube steaks (hotdogs) and round steaks (hamburgers). Our church family brought the side dishes and desserts, and Bridgette sold drinks to raise money for camp/missions.

The fellowship was great and it was good to see some folks wearing their Sunday best, and others wearing shorts and T-shirts. The clothes didn't matter and they sure didn't hinder the fellowship. We also got our annual Southern Gospel "fix," as we enjoyed the David Hill Trio from Charleston.

In spite of the holiday and the chaos, God moved and we saw 1 saved, 1 rededicate her life to Christ, and we added another new member to our church family. It was another good day at Emmanuel.

AWANA Awards Ceremony 6.1.11

2011-06-02T09:12:00.000-04:00

I just wanted our children to know how proud their pastor is of them! Each year, our AWANA Awards Ceremony reminds me of the importance of training children in the way they should go!Our AWANA Club averages over 100 children weekly and it is exciting to see them memorizing Scripture and having fun in church, beginning with our 2 year old Puggles and going all the way through 5th grade. These children earned ribbons, patches, trophies, and other awards based on learning about Scripture, character qualities, and serving others.

I also want to express my thanks to our AWANA workers. Without these committed workers, there is no way we could enjoy such successful clubs. Some of our workers have been working in AWANA for over 20 years and for others, this was their first year. Thanks to all of you.

Finally, thank you parents! Some parents complain about being out late on a school night, and s0me choose sports over spiritual training; but training children in spiritual things will help them (and you) to avoid many heartaches later. Thanks for the effort you make to bring your children to AWANA, help them learn their verses, to complete their projects, and to learn about Jesus!

Funeral Etiquette

2011-04-28T16:34:00.003-04:00

In my profession, I have to attend many funerals. Over the past several months, I’ve observed a disturbing trend and have discussed it with funeral directors who are noticing the same issue. The trend is shifting toward a lack of respect shown toward the family of the deceased. I’m assuming that people either do not know or are blatantly ignoring basic funeral etiquette. With that in mind, I want to list several points that might be helpful for those desiring to honor the memory of the deceased and respectfully offer comfort to the family.

At the visitation:

While the family appreciates those coming to express their condolences, it is an emotionally draining and physically exhausting event. A simple way to help the family, and respect the other guests in line is to keep your comments brief, and to keep the line moving.

Attire at the visitation has relaxed, but not to the point of casual. It is no longer required to wear black, or a suit. Modesty and respect are the two key words, and you can never go wrong by overdressing

Speak to everyone in the receiving line and introduce yourself to those you do not know. Simple, brief expressions of sympathy are usually best. Use kind words, share fond memories, listen, and sometimes you won’t need to say anything.

During the service:

Arrive early - The joke about being late to your own funeral really isn’t funny.

Turn off your cell phone. (And no texting.

Don’t talk during the service.

Stand as the family enters and exits.

Pastors: be biblical, be personal, and be brief.
Nothing grates me more than hearing a pastor imply that all good people go to heaven, or watching a “pastor” read from a Minister’s Funeral Manual and/or prayer book. Make the service personal and realize that people came to pay their respects -- they did not come to hear you preach your finest (and longest) sermon.

At the graveside:

Joining in the funeral procession is simply a point of respect. Sadly, some feel they have to beat everyone to the cemetery. If you arrive at the cemetery before the procession, please park away from the tents and away from where those in the procession will be parking.

Wait away from the tent, until the family is all seated and the funeral director invites the guests to move in closer. Sadly, I was at one funeral where some family members ended up standing further away than the guests.

It is perfectly proper for elderly guests or those with health issues to sit in any of the extra family chairs that are vacant after all of the family has been seated. It is not proper for anyone to sit in the family chairs before all of the family is seated.

I am a patriot at heart and have a great respect for those who have served our country. Many people do not realize that each fold of the flag has a specific meaning. Talking during the military tribute is rude, and soldiers not knowing how to fold a flag is inexcusable. I’ve observed both recently.

There is a specific order for guests to follow in greeting the family at the close of the graveside service. After the closing prayer, the minister will walk across and speak to each family member. Whichever direction the minister goes, the guests should follow. Following this pattern is easier for the family, than guests pushing in from both directions and/or every angle.

Overall, the rule of thumb is that the funeral service is to pay tribute to the life of the deceased, and to offer comfort to the family. Any action that shifts the focus away from what is best for the family and refocuses it onto the guests is both rude and inappropriate.

Easter Weekend 2011

2011-04-25T20:30:00.004-04:00

I can still remember sitting in Shoney's, in November 2002, with the Interim Pastor of Emmanuel as I prepared to serve as the incoming Senior Pastor of EBC. In our discussion, I told him that I could envision a church running 1,000 in Hartsville. He laughed, our population has continued to decline, and now there are 142 churches in a city of less than 8,000. BUT, it happened... EBC had 1,090 people attend our Easter weekend services... 14% of the population! I know it was Easter weekend, but a dream still came true!

This weekend, we offered two services. Our choir and drama departments presented a moving production, the Gospel message was clearly preached, nearly 200 first-time guests were present, our people prayed, God showed up and He drew people unto Himself. 17 people chose to start a relationship with Jesus as their Savior and Lord, others recommitted their lives to Christ, and others inquired about how to become part of our church family! It was amazing!

Another victory was also won. On Easter Sunday, a very special lady played the piano for the first time in two years, since her husband passed away. That lady, was Jayne Lindsey. Her husband, the late Dell Lindsey, was my friend and mentor in ministry. He was like a second father and he was the one who prayed with me the day I was saved. He showed me how to lead a person to Christ, he took me on visitation, opened his home to me, and invested his life in mine. Jayne is also the mother of Cynthia Colson, the wife of our worship pastor. She had not played the piano for anyone other than her late husband; but on Easter 2011, she played for two men who were products of her husband's ministry. I can't even begin to tell you how special that was for me. Thank you Mrs. L.

Easter is past, and the decorations are put away; but the souls of 17 people (maybe more) will live on for eternity with our Lord. It doesn't get any better than that. Thanks to everyone who had any part in the events of Easter weekend at EBC. I pray that our big vision for our small town has been increased by what we saw God do last weekend.

EGGstravaganza 4.23.11

2011-04-25T20:19:00.003-04:00

This year Emmanuel hosted our 8th annual EGGstravaganza for our community. The event was scheduled for April 16, but due to weather warnings it was postponed by one week. We were reminded not to postpone anything in "speculation" of what "might" happen, but folks still came out the following week. Over 600 attended the EGGstravaganza and won a variety of prizes including, an XBox360 with Kinect. The children were divided into various age groups and all were fun to watch, but the highlight was the parent egg hunt! This is now an annual tradition and the highlight of the day.

Thanks to all of our church family who contributed candy, filled bags, donated prizes, setup tents, and volunteered time in preparation for this event. Thanks to those who setup tables & chairs, registered guests, gave directions, hid eggs, manned the prize rooms, presented the gospel, helped cleanup, and SO MUCH MORE!

It's exciting to see so many church members involved in serving and ministering to our community! What better time that Easter to reach people with the message of the Gospel!

Sunday Summary 4.10 - The Crucifixion

2011-04-11T06:42:00.004-04:00

Yesterday, I preached on the sufferings of Christ. Sadly too many know the "story," but either forget or minimize the suffering that Christ endured for us!

He suffered in the Garden and sweat drops of blood, a medical condition called hematidrosis that can occur under the great emotional stress.

He suffered at multiple trials that involved false accusation, mocking, physical assaults, and which violated Jewish law in at least 50 points.

He suffered at His scourging as the Roman soldiers flogged His back, legs, and buttocks with a whip made of braided leather thongs having small iron balls and/or sharp pieces of sheep bone attached; which would tear the flesh, muscle, and skeletal tissue leaving gaping wounds and ribbons of bleeding flesh.

He suffered on the road to the cross as He struggled beneath the weight, was mocked as a criminal, and onlookers would run into the street and pound Him on the face and back.

He suffered on the cross as He willingly endured the nails and the painful process of crucifixion.

Why was such suffering necessary? Because a debt had to be paid for our sin. The innocent blood had to be shed for the guilty -- for you and me -- in order to pay our sin debt, to purchase our redemption, and to fulfill the Father's plan. Without the shedding of blood, there is no remission -- forgiveness of sin. Christ paid the price... the debt is paid in full... so how will you respond?

As Judas who chose money and personal ambition over the Savior?

As the thief who mocked and denied Him?

As the thief who saw Jesus as the Savior and gladly received Him?

Sunday Summary 4.3

2011-04-06T09:15:00.000-04:00

Another big Sunday at EBC. I continued preaching the series "Back to Basics." So far, we've covered topics such as where we got the Bible, what is salvation, how to handle temptation, how to know God's will, defining biblical faith, etc. This past Sunday, I preached on being filled with the Holy Spirit. Sadly, too many believers are afraid to discuss the subject of the Holy Spirit. A lack of knowledge and understanding of the Holy Spirit has caused denominational division, misapplication of "gifts," confusion in the body of Christ, and lines drawn in the sand between believers. Well meaning people have some strange ideas that are extremely unbiblical regarding this topic. I attempted to educate our folks with Scripture, rather than personal ideas or denominational teaching. In our evening service, I began a series leading up to Easter. We discussed and we talked about the adornment of Jesus Christ by the woman who broke the alabaster box of precious ointment and poured it on Jesus. She gave a great sacrifice to the One she counted worthy of her worship, praise, and adoration. We tied it in with unrestrained worship and our heartfelt response to the One who purchased our salvation. In the past two weeks, we've seen two children make public professions of salvation, a teenager choose salvation and follow in baptism, and another adult to join our church family. God continues to bless and we continue to give Him praise for what He is doing!

Carolina Familiy Planning Center Banquet

2011-03-25T11:02:00.000-04:00

The 2nd annual Carolina Family Planning Centers fundraising banquet was a huge success. Recording artist/actor, Rebecca St. James was the singer/speaker. Overall the banquet took in approximately $19,000 on the night. Thanks to Cornerstone in Darlington for allowing us to use the facilities, to the volunteers for all of your hard work, to Heather for serving as our emcee, to Micara and Savannah for sharing your story, and to Jamie & Janet for being transparent and sharing your story. The CFPC is a prolife ministry with offices currently open in Hartsville & Darlington. We are currently talking to groups in 3 other cities considering opening local centers under our umbrella. If you would like more information about the CFPC, please visit www.CarolinaFamilyPlanning.org. A special thanks to all of our sponsors: Platinum Sponsors: - A.O.Smith - Emmanuel Baptist Church - Lakeview Baptist Church - Quality Auto Sales GOLD SPONSORS - LifeCare Hospice - Sonoco SILVER SPONSORS - Black Creek Baptist Church - Brown-Pennington Funeral Home - Cornerstone Baptist Church in Darlington - Donna Outlaw - Emmanuel Christian School - Hartsville Community Fellowship - Heritage Community Bank - Karen Griggs - Kelleytown Baptist Church - LifeWay Christian Store - Florence - New Providence Baptist Church & Youth - North Hartsville Baptist Church & Youth - Norton Funeral Home - Palmetto Family Medicine & Senior Care - Parnell, Wendell & Tricia - Sonic in Hartsville - SPC Credit Union - The Living Church - Trust Company / Allstate Insurance - And to all those who donated auction items.

Sunday Summary - 3.20.11

2011-03-24T17:19:00.003-04:00

It's exciting to see people being saved, baptized, and added to the church almost every week! This past Sunday, we started our service with 1 baptism. By the time the day was over we had 1 saved, 4 new members, and 1 recommitment.

During the morning service, Cindy Faile (our missionary to Mali, Africa) gave an update of the ministry in Mali. Cindy will be returning to Mali on Tuesday, 3/22. Pray for her safe travel. In our evening service, Cindy gave us a list of things to pray about and then we hosted a reception in her honor and to give her a hero's send-off. Our church members brought desserts and cards of encouragement for her.

The morning message was on entitled, "God Has A Plan for Your Life." So many people are trying to find out where God wants them to serve, or what He wants them to do. As J.Vernon McGee used to say, "Finding God's will is not like a giant Easter egg hunt." God wants you to find it and will most often drop it in our lap. The question is whether we will follow His plan, or try to convince Him to give us something different. The altar was full during the invitation with people who were asking God to direct their lives.

ECS & Kite Day - 3.13.11

2011-03-14T15:10:00.000-04:00

Yesterday was ECS day at Emmanuel. One Sunday each year, we highlight Emmanuel Christian School during our morning church service. ECS is the largest ministry of EBC and we are blessed to partner with parents and local churches for the purpose of providing a quality education from a Christian world-view. Our elementary students filled the choir loft and sang beautifully. Students served as our praise band, faculty served as our praise team, upper school students served as ushers and greeters, faculty and alumni were recognized, artwork was displayed, the EXCEL students performed the prelude, newscasts provided updates, and Brooke knocked it out of the park with her song! I continued my sermon series on "Back to Basics" and we had 2 recommit their lives to Christ, 2 baptized, and 1 adult joined the church.

Following the morning service, we hosted "Kite Day" for the kids. There wasn't much wind, but there were almost 200 adults and children who participated. They brought picnic lunches and kites were flying all over our campus. This is definitely something we plan to do again.

A special thanks to all of the parents who brought their children to be part of our special ECS day, to Greta for preparing the Elementary choir, to Alex & Justin for the media projects, to the EXCEL teachers for helping the students prepare, and to Heather for coordinating the entire day!

Evangelism Training - 3.6.11

2011-03-07T14:43:00.001-05:00

Yesterday was a great day as we again hosted Don Sunshine (uncle to WMHK's Steve Sunshine) at Emmanuel. Don is a former police officer who has a presentation entitled, "Make A Difference" or MAD. Through it, he shows people how easy it is to share your faith in almost any situation. Don spoke in our ECS chapel last year and it really impacted several of our students. He followed that with a 4 hour training seminar on a Saturday. Our adults were so impressed that we decided that our whole church needed to hear Don's presentation. So, he taught a 4 hour course divided up across our Sunday services 9:30. 10:30, 4:30 and 6:00pm.

Today we also had a man place his faith in Jesus Christ for salvation! He came during our invitation stating that he had been a "make-believer" (a term Don used for those who were pretending to be saved). He said he had battled with this for almost 18 months and today he nailed it down!

Don had 3 other men with him and they were going from Hartsville to Daytona, FL for Bike Week. The men devised a plan and scooped my youngest daughter out of class today so they could take her for a motorcycle ride. She loved it!

If you want to encourage your church to share their faith, I would highly recommend Don's seminar for your church. Visit his website at www.donsunshine.org

God is Moving - 2.27.11

2011-03-01T09:55:00.001-05:00

Sundays at Emmanuel have become so exciting that people are literally saying, "I can't wait to see what God is going to do this Sunday." In the past 5 weeks, we've seen 9 people saved, 11 baptized, 22 new members (17 were adults), and our attendance increased by 50. Again, we are in a small town with a stagnant population, BUT GOD IS WORKING!

This past Sunday, we were privileged to start our service with 1 teenager and 2 children taking the step of baptism. We were also blessed to have the "Sounds of Liberty" worship team from Liberty University with us in the morning service and in full concert for the evening service. I preached on "Overcoming Temptation.

At the invitation, people came to the altar to pray, a couple joined the church, and a sweet lady came to make a public profession of her faith. She was saved, but felt she needed to share it publicly and it was such a blessing! As I was walking through the Worship Center, a lady stopped me and asked if we could talk. We talked and she prayed to receive Christ as her Savior!

Earlier in the week we also had two people saved on visitation! God has really been blessing our church family recently. I pray we never take it for granted, and we are faithful to give Him the credit and the glory for what He is doing both in and through us!

More "Separation of Church and State" Nonsense

2011-02-20T22:10:00.005-05:00

I am so tired of hearing people misquote the Constitution with regard to the "Separation of Church and State." This morning, I was watching another debate over removing the Ten Commandments from schools in Giles County, VA and heard the CNN anchor state that this was a First Amendment issue, dealing with the separation of Church and State. FALSE! On any other topic, the media would check the facts; but they seem ignorantly content with misquoting the First Amendment. The words "Separation of Church and State" DO NOT even appear in the First Amendment!

The words, "Separation of Church and State," were first used by Thomas Jefferson in his letter of response to the Danbury Baptist Association in 1802. The group was concerned that the government would breach its boundaries and try to interfere in religion. They wanted to keep the State out of the Church. President, Thomas Jefferson, responded, "...I contemplate with sovereign reverence that act of the whole American people which declared that their legislature should make 'no law respecting and establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof,' thus building a wall of separation between Church and State."

In its true context, the First Amendment is to protect the freedom of religion by keeping the State out of the Church. Even Wikipedia gets this one right, "...the amendment prohibits the making of any law respecting an "establishment of religion," impeding the free exercise of religion, infringing on the freedom of speech," etc. The desire for a freedom of religion (without government interference) goes back to the Pilgrims, and is one of the premises upon which this country was founded.

So, why do we allow people to continually misquote and misuse the First Amendment? When will we demand that the First Amendment be properly interpreted? Evidence of the UNITY between Church and State is all over Washington, DC and woven deep into the fabric of our nation! Remember our national motto, "In God We Trust."

Sunday Summary 1.20.11

2011-02-20T21:48:00.003-05:00

Today was another GREAT Sunday at Emmanuel. We are currently experiencing a mini revival as we have seen people saved, baptized, and added to the church for the past 4 weeks. Yesterday, I had the privilege of leading a 79 year old lady to Christ! Today, we started our service by baptizing two adult sisters, one of which was saved just two weeks ago. They both joined the church, which makes 17 new adult members in just 4 weeks. It's been incredible!

This morning, I continued the "Back to Basics" series with a message entitled, "The Bible, God's Word." The message was simple and described how we got the Bible, where it was written, in which languages, who wrote it, etc. We discussed scientific proofs, archaeological discoveries, prophetical accuracies, and other proofs that the Bible is a supernatural book. The proofs are overwhelming and even backed by the records of non-Christian historians. After proving the Bible is supernatural, I challenged our church to read it, study it, memorize it, and live it. I closed with four Bible truths: hell is hot, heaven is real, Jesus it the ONLY Way to heaven, and every man must choose to accept or reject Him. Those teachings aren't popular today, but they are the message of the Bible!

Tonight, I continued teaching "about" the Bible and how the 66 books were selected. We discussed canonicity, and even delved into the books of the Apocrypha to explain why they did not pass the test of canonicity and are rejected by everyone except the Catholic church. The Apocrypha is where teachings such as purgatory, praying for the dead, and angel worship originated. Too many Christians are easily persuaded into false beliefs, because they do not take the time to research and study their faith. At EBC, we are trying to lay a firm foundation.

Thank you, Lord, for another great day and the privilege to preach your Word. Thank you for the blessing of seeing people make spiritual decisions. Help us remain faithful to the work you have called us to.

Sunday Summary 1.13.11

2011-02-14T10:29:00.000-05:00

Yesterday was another exciting day at Emmanuel. We started the service with a couple taking the step of believer's baptism! There is nothing better than seeing a family know the Lord, grow in Him, and to help them take a spiritual step together.

In the morning service, we celebrated marriage and concluded the service with couples gathering at the altar and exchanging vows of recommitment to each other. Marriage is a picture of the love relationship between Christ and His Church, so is it any wonder that Satan wants to destroy it. Marriage is under attack in the media, culture, and even in the political arena. So, in my "Back to Basics" series, today we went back to the beginning and looked at God's design (His blueprint) for marriage. Though the world may be redefining marriage, God's plan hasn't changed.

In the evening service, EBC hosted Garrett Graham for his debut concert to promote his new CD "Welcome Home." Garrett is a testimony of God's grace and has an absolutely amazing voice. He sang to a full house and we were truly blessed by a very worshipful concert.

Fishers of men, not keepers of the aquarium.

2011-02-07T22:18:00.006-05:00

This is a great blog post by Pastor Steven Furtick. I encourage all of our church members to read it, meditate on it, then catch this vision for Emmanuel.

http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/stevenfurtick/~3/kxBCbA95d1w/

Emmanuel Christian School 2011-12

2011-02-07T21:59:00.005-05:00

ECS enrollment for the 2011-12 school year opened to the public on February 1. I was informed today that we already have 201 enrolled for next school year. Classes are filling fast and there are limited spaces in our 2K-6th grades. We have already filled one class in a couple of grade levels, and we only offer 2 classes on each grade level. The second class is only offered if there are sufficient students to fill the class -- So, don't delay in getting your application fee turned in to reserve your space!

For those who are not aware or are comparing schools, ECS became a State "Licensed" Preschool in 2010, which sets us far above the average church daycare which only meets the minimal "registered" status. To our knowledge, we are the ONLY church related school to have voluntarily taken this step to make ECS accountable to the State of SC and to meet their requirements in all areas of safety, inspections, documentation, and academics. Make no mistake, we are still unapologetically a Christian school and teach academics from a Christian world-view; but we believe "whatever bears HIS name deserves our best!"

If you have questions about ECS, call (843) 332-0164 or visit http://www.ecscrusaders.com/.

Sunday Summary 2.6.11

2011-02-07T21:39:00.003-05:00

This week, I had lunch with the Director of a local non-profit group in our community. During our meeting, I was informed that Hartsville (our small city of approx, 8,000 people), now has 142 churches and another one getting ready to start. In addition, our population has been stagnant since 2007 as local companies have closed, laid off, implemented hiring freezes, and/or people have moved away. So, a small town with a stagnant population doesn't sound exciting, but I share those items, because it further emphasizes what God is doing!

Yesterday, we had another great crowd in our morning worship service. I'm preaching a series entitled, "Back to Basics" and yesterday's message was specifically addressing the topic of salvation. During the altar call, people moved and God blessed as 1 teenager and 2 adults received Christ! We also had 2 children baptized (both of whom had been saved through the ministries of EBC), 2 came to recommit their lives to God, and we had a wonderful family added to our church. That means 5 saved, 4 baptized, 4 rededications, and 14 new members in just two weeks! God is so good!

Last night, our church family divided up by LIFE Groups and met in homes across our community to use the Super Bowl as a platform to gather together, invite friends, share and pray! The group that we were part of started our prayer time during the halftime and didn't turn the TV back on until the third quarter was almost over. People were sharing, praying, talking about what God has been doing, and in no hurry to watch the game. It was GREAT!

Our community seems plagued by the typical Bible-belt struggles of church politics, infighting, pastoral changes, power struggles, and so on; but God is truly blessing those ministries in our community that are staying focused on Him. Lord, help EBC to stay focused on YOU, to continue the work to which YOU have called us, and to remain a shining light in a dark world! Amen.

MUST READ - Sunday 1.30.11

2011-02-01T21:06:00.004-05:00

This is far more than just a simple Sunday summary. God smiled upon our church and city in very special ways this past Sunday! Last week, we saw 2 people choose Jesus for salvation during our visitation efforts! In our Sunday morning service, Satan sent distractions; but God moved in spite of them! We had our largest attendance of the year... 1 senior citizen recommitted her life to God... 2 adults were baptized... 9 adults joined the church... and 6 children were also represented in those families! People were kneeling, praying, and the invitation extended almost 15 minutes!

In the afternoon, Christians from across our community gathered to form a prayer chain downtown where the heinous act was committed this past week. The prayer chain stretched for 2 city blocks! It was a true picture of the church... no racial barriers, no denominational barriers, no worship wars, and no personal agendas! It was the Church in Hartsville praying for a hurting family, the capture of the perpetrators, and the protection of our city.

On Sunday night, we had our first Leadership Summit for 2011. I was blessed as over 80 of our lay-leaders turned out to enjoy homemade soups, get clarification on upcoming events, ask questions, and hear testimonies of what God is doing through the various ministries of EBC.

Thank You, Lord, for a wonderful day in which You showed Yourself to be my shield and strength, a mighty fortress in our time of trouble. Thank You for your blessings that are so amazing that we cannot explain them! Thank You for blessing Your Church!

Vision Sunday / Ministry Fair - 1.23.11

2011-01-26T09:32:00.000-05:00

This past Sunday was our annual Vision Sunday! Rather than going through the annual calendar highlights for the year, discussing "data," and setting numerical goals; I tried instead to cast a vision that was very simple. It included terms like, "Back to Basics," "Making Disciples," "Impacting Eternity," and "Saved to Serve." Churches are filled with spectators and we are striving this year to increase our number of participants, to help people grow in their faith, and to build a body of believers that is more than just a headcount on Sunday mornings.

This past year, we removed all of our attendance numbers from our Sunday bulletins. Our attendance has been strong and growing, but too many churches focus on the numbers. Go to the average pastors' meeting and all you hear is "How many does your church run on Sunday?" As the old saying goes, "Figures lie and liars figure." Rather than focus on attendance, I'd rather focus on the 62 who were saved in our services in 2010, the 48 who followed in baptism, the 54 new members, and the 483 who were saved through outreach events and discipled by EBC and other local churches. That may not sound like much to a mega church in a metropolitan city, but in a town of 8,000 people with over 100+ churches... we praise God for what He is doing at EBC!

Our Sunday morning service went a total of 50 minutes, then we dismissed to our annual Ministry Fair. Over 40+ booths were setup to generally represent the ministries of our church. As our teens and adults walked through the Ministry Fair and signed-up to serve, over 364 volunteer positions were filled for 2011. THAT WAS EXCITING! We allotted 45 minutes for the Ministry Fair, but people lingered for over an hour. We actually had to encourage them to leave and go pickup their children. I left encouraged and people left excited about serving Jesus.

1.16.11 - One of the best Sunday's ever

2011-01-17T10:28:00.000-05:00

Words cannot describe what happened yesterday, but I'll try to convey it briefly. In the morning service, we celebrated "Sanctity of Life" Sunday. I preached from Psalm 139 reminding people that David was praising God for giving him life, forming his body, allowing him to be an image bearer, and for creating a plan for his life. Through a monologue, Micara described how God worked in spite of her mistakes and the difficulty of a her child's birth defect, to bring her back to God and create a beautiful little girl that brings joy to everyone who meets her. Thank God that she chose life! There wasn't a dry eye in the Worship Center when she finished. We concluded the sermon by asking our folks to take baby bottles to collect loose change for the Carolina Family Planning Centers, a prolife pregnancy care center in our community.

On Sunday evening, Teresa sang a song about praising God in the tough times. The congregational songs followed a similar suit. As I began the sermon about communion, it was as if I could feel God telling me that someone had something to share. I backed up and opened the floor for testimonies... people shared for 45 minutes... one right after the other. They shared deep things, personal things, they were transparent, and made themselves vulnerable. God was working. We closed by asking people to pray together and encourage one another. Groups gathered to pray around those with needs. Prayers were lifted, relationships were mended, hearts were encouraged. At their leisure, people came and took communion at the altar. IT WAS AMAZING!

I can't tell you exactly what happened yesterday, but I can tell you that God showed up!

Snow... Snow... Ice

2011-01-11T08:14:00.002-05:00

I can't believe it... nearly 8" of snow at our house! That's the most we've seen since moving to SC. Our family had a blast riding our knee board up and down the street behind a golf cart, and of course we built snowmen, had a snowball fight, and made snow angels in a few pristine yards! Last night I drove our Jeep to pickup one of Lindsay's friends who was spending the night. The roads were already icy and what had been cleared earlier in the day, had been replaced by several additional inches of snow and freezing rain was adding the final layer.

Schools and businesses were closed and temps aren't supposed to get much above freezing this week. Limited road equipment due to limited annual snowfall is going to make this a long week, but I hope everyone took advantage of spending some quality time with family. We played in the snow outside, sat around the fireplace playing games inside, and built some family memories that will last for many years to come.

The most amazing thing to me is that we had beautiful weather on Sunday! If we are going to have rain, snow, sleet, or hail... it seems to happen on Sundays. This past Sunday we had beautiful weather as Justin preached in the morning and Milton Frazier in the evening. I wasn't the preacher, so my family rode to church together and even sat together during the service. It was strange, but wonderful. We even had our oldest daughter home from college to top it all off.

Cruising the Caribbean

2011-01-09T08:49:00.001-05:00

Flora and I just returned from an 8 day cruise in the Caribbean on the Norwegian Epic. It was an incredible ship! Some dear friends made this possible and it was a wonderful, relaxing, and rejuvenating experience as we celebrated our 25th wedding anniversary. In addition to the great food, entertainment, and all of the other great aspects of a cruise; one of my favorite teachers, Dr. David Jeremiah with Turning Point Ministries, led daily services. There was also teaching by Phil Waldrep, and concerts by Sheila Walsh, Charles Billingsley, and the Hoppers. We had a great time! I turned my phone off during the cruise to avoid the outrageous roaming charges and just tried to relax; but throughout the cruise, Flora and I would see people who reminded us of friends from back home... we couldn't get our church family off our minds.

The cruise left from Miami and we visited St. Martin/Maarten, St. Thomas, St. John, and Nassau,Bahamas. Some other friends had a relative in St. John and set up a wonderful day for us to tour the island then spend beach time at Caneel Bay Resort where we enjoyed snorkeling in the beautiful Caribbean waters. It was like swimming in an aquarium! Flora and I both agreed that was our favorite day.

An extra special part of this experience was spending two days before the cruise with my parents. Not only did they provide free parking and free shuttle service to the port, but we also enjoyed time eating, golfing, and shopping together. It was just good to be with them for a few days. They just celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary this past June!

So, in 24 hours... supper in Nassau, breakfast in Miami, lunch in Florida, the supper in South Carolina. From Caribbean beaches to the Sandhills. From shorts and flip-flops to sweatshirts and heavy coats. That sounds weird, but that was how we spent our last 24 hours -- and it was WONDERFUL! Thank you, again, to those who made this trip possible, and to our pastoral staff for being so reliable that we didn't have to worry about a thing while we were gone.

Sunday Summary 12.26 - Snow Day!

2010-12-26T14:32:00.001-05:00

Last night, the weather forecast was for 70% chance of snow. "Should we cancel the church services or not?" was the question. Every other time we've canceled, the snow didn't come or the roads were clear. This morning we awoke to find several inches of snow on the ground and it was still falling. I drove to church and the roads were wet, but really fine and no ice. So, I figured if a Florida boy could manage it, we would still offer the service for those who would choose to come. Realizing that it takes about 2,000 gallons of water to baptize a Baptist and only 2 drops of rain to keep them home from church... I didn't know what to expect; but we had a great crowd!

The day started with a surprise 25th wedding reception for my wife and I. Our girls worked with Stacie to invite the church family to come celebrate with us. The number of people that came out early on a snowy day, the cards, and the gifts made us feel so loved. Thank you to everyone who attended.

During the morning service, there were about 150 people present and it was a different "feel," but it was neat to see so many people brave the elements to come worship the Lord. After church, we had a great snowball fight that included almost everyone. Jacob got snow packed in his ear by a side shot... Joey was hit in the back of the head... Scott and the Curry family displayed their experience in snowball throwing... Dan was holding his snowball under some water (is that legal?)... Philip and Mayelin were enjoying snow after returning from FL... Jake locked his parents out of the van... and when I threw a snowball at David, he moved and let it hit his wife (oops).

We had a great family day celebrating, worshipping, and playing together. For those who couldn't make it, you were missed and we hope to see you next Sunday.

Christmas Eve Service

2010-12-24T22:33:00.001-05:00

Our annual Christmas Eve service has become one of my favorite services and seems to be growing each year. This year, approximately 350 people joined us for this special service which included both traditional and spiritual Christmas carols, our Kidz Praiz choir, children's handbell choir, the reading of the Christmas story, and communion. We had many guests and it was exciting to see so many of our folks bringing their family members and using this service as the launch to their Christmas celebration.

I brought a brief devotion prior to communion reminding everyone about what we are celebrating and how long the world had waited for God's promised Gift. While we remember and celebrate Jesus' birth annually; there was approximately a 4,000 year waiting period from the first prophecy until Jesus arrived. Just imagine the excitement of the people who had been hearing, anticipating, and anxiously waiting for the Messiah to come. I hope we celebrate Christmas with the same enthusiasm and don't lose Jesus somewhere amongst the wrapping paper, Christmas leftovers, or football games.

25th Anniversary

2010-12-20T08:49:00.000-05:00

It's hard to believe, but today, Flora and I celebrate our 25th wedding anniversary! December 20, 1985 we were married at Belmont Baptist Church just outside Atlanta, GA. It was the little church that my wife attended during college, but it has since grown and relocated to a beautiful new building right on I-20. The old building was destroyed, but the memories remain. Flora made her dress, our friends hosted the reception, and another friend took our pictures (the same pictures that our kids laugh at and ask who is standing with mom). Dr. Jack Baskin performed the ceremony and our family and friends were all present. We didn't spend a lot of money (we didn't have a lot of money), but we both loved the Lord, loved each other, and dreamed of the plans that God had for us.

Twenty-five years later... seems like the blink of an eye and I better understand what James meant in James 4:14 when he said "your life is but a vapor that appears for a little while then vanishes away." Our three babies are now beautiful young ladies who love the Lord and we could not be any more proud of. God has blessed us far beyond what we ever imagined and we are still serving Him. Who knows what the next 25 years might hold, but I hope and pray they are as wonderful as the first 25.

9th Annual - Home for Christmas 12.12.10

2010-12-13T11:13:00.000-05:00

This was our 9th year to offer this special service in conjunction with Hines, Norton, and Young & Young funeral homes. This was the 2nd year that Life Care Hospice participated. Together, we all reached out to those families in our community who had loved ones pass away during 2010. For the first time, I too was on that list. My grandmother passed this year at the age of 95 and it will be our first Christmas without her. The service took on a whole new meaning for me and was an encouragement to the 80+ guests that were present.

This is one of my favorite services of the year as people come together and build bridges across racial, social, economic, and denominational lines to display the love of Christ to those who are hurting. You see, while some are celebrating at Christmas... others are grieving. To show them that we care... to embrace and encourage them... to remind them of the hope found in Christ... and to help them see their loved one sitting at Jesus feet and celebrating His birthday in His presence is priceless!

I preached on "Frequently Asked Questions About Heaven" and God blessed us with 11 people praying for salvation, 8 renewing their commitment to Christ, 3 desiring information about church membership, and 2 expressing their interest in being baptized. Following the message, we read the names of the deceased, gave beautiful ornaments to the families, and prayed for them. After we dismissed, people stood around weeping, embracing, and encouraging for nearly 30 minutes. It was a good day to be in God's house, and to experience what true ministry is all about.

Hanging of the Greens

2010-11-28T21:28:00.000-05:00

While visiting FBC Jacksonville, I heard this statement, "As the church grows larger, it must also grow smaller." With that in mind, we tried something new this year in decorating our church for Christmas. We reverted back to idea of everyone taking responsibility for decorating and turned it into a church fellowship.

Our men carried all of the decorations down from the storage area. Several of our ladies came early to do the things that a group could not do and to organize everything for those who would participate. We started the service with Christmas carols, sharing testimonies of Christmas memories, and the reading of the Christmas story. We paused to enjoy refreshments in the main lobby and to fellowship together. Folks really enjoyed that time together.

We then began to decorate. Families hung wreaths from the balcony, placed ornaments on the Christmas trees, set out nativity displays, etc. People stood around and enjoyed each other's company for nearly an hour after the decorating was complete. It was a good time and one that we will certainly do again next year!

Sunday Summary - 11.28.10

2010-11-28T16:18:00.001-05:00

What a great day we enjoyed today! On the Sunday after Thanksgiving, the attendance is usually down a little, but not today! This morning, I preached on "Receiving God's Blessings" and tied it to the story of Jacob wrestling with God. We live in a day when everyone expects "instant" blessings and almost feels "entitled" to them. We don't have to obey, respect, or honor God; He's viewed as nothing more than a cosmic vending machine that we go to when we want something.

Some considerations regarding Jacob's wrestling match with God:

He wouldn't let go of God. Jacob wrestled all night, until he received a blessing. Blessing aren't usually instantaneous.
He paid a price. Jacob was crippled during the event. Do we want God's blessings so much that we are willing to lose something along the way?
He was changed by the event -- Jacob became Israel, the deceiver became the God-wrestler. Are we willing to lose our identity and become a sold-out Christ-follower?

God used this message and smiled on us today with 2 baptisms, 2 new members, and several recommitting their lives to Christ.

7th Annual - Carolina vs. Clemson Day

2010-11-22T10:58:00.000-05:00

It happened again in 2010... Carolina vs. Clemson Day at Emmanuel Baptist Church!

There were tailgate parties at 9:30am on the parking lots. Tents were setup, tailgates were down, breakfast foods were abundant, and footballs were being tossed back and forth.
There was a sea of orange on one side of the church and a sea of garnet on the other. It was a church division for the right reasons and all in fun.
There were decorations, streamers, banners, balloons, painted faces, and more.
There was Adrian Despres, the chaplain for the Carolina Gamecocks!
There were 600+ people present!
There was an amazing Spirit-filled message about Moses lifting up the serpent in the wilderness and all who looked to it were healed.
There were 8 people who looked to Jesus and found healing for their souls.
There were more who recommitted themselves back to God.

Carolina vs. Clemson Day is just a tool to give people an excuse to invite their friends to church. Did you? Was an eternal destiny changed because of your effort? I'm still rejoicing with those who filled pews with family, friends, and co-workers. I'm thanking God for the lady who sent us the names of 20+ people she and her husband wanted to invite and wanted us to pray for. I'm still thanking God for what He is doing through Emmanuel Baptist Church!

Trunk or Treat Report

2010-11-02T07:55:00.001-04:00

Say what you will, but when nearly 2,500 people hold out their hand to receive a gospel tract... I call that a small miracle! That's what happened last Sunday night at our 8th annual Trunk-or-Treat event. Over 1400 pounds of candy, over 100 volunteers, 42 trunks, inflatables, pony rides, a Christmas bus, and of course concessions were all part of this event.

Information cards were being filled out by everyone, until we said, "Let's make it optional and only ask those interested in receiving more information about Emmanuel Baptist Church or Emmanuel Christian School to fill out a card." We had over 200 people express an interest in our church and over 300 who expressed interest in our school.

One man who had been to several events around town said, you definitely have the biggest crowed, then added... "People have come to know that Emmanuel does things right." That was a tremendous compliment and reminds us that "If it bears His name, it deserves our best."

Thanks to all who were praying, helping, and contributing in any way toward this event. Now the real work begins as we try to followup with each of these who requested more information.

Does Celebrating Halloween Send You to Hell?

2010-10-30T08:33:00.005-04:00

The greatest opposition I've faced since moving to Hartsville has been from preachers and radical religious nuts who put opinion above Scripture. It's been quiet recently, but my phone rang yesterday and I received a voicemail from a pastor who informed me that I was going to hell (along with our church and many other churches) for celebrating Halloween.

Eight years ago, Emmanuel hosted Hartsville's first Trunk-or-Treat event. This year, there are 10-12 other churches in our community hosting similar events around Halloween. Ours takes place on Oct. 31, as we invite families to come to a safe environment, get candy, enjoy inflatable rides, carnival games, ponies, and concessions. We ask that there be no scary or evil costumes. We use this event to share the gospel and to gather names of those who might be looking for a church home. In years past, our crowds have averaged 1,200-1,300 people coming through in 1.5 hours. Remember, we minister in a city of 8,000+/-. Gospel tracts are handed out to every person present. It is a very positive event that has been appreciated and embraced by our community. It's a community outreach event, and an alternative to Halloween, not a celebration of it.

In spite of the success of the event, a preacher stated that a person goes to hell for celebrating Halloween. Is that true? Absolutely not. Sadly, in this day and time, you can't even believe everything a preacher tells you. Denominational teachings, opinions, and personal preferences have replaced solid Bible preaching. Rest assured that the only thing that keeps a person out of heaven is refusing to recognize that Jesus Christ is the ONLY way to heaven, His blood paid the penalty for our sin, and He is Lord of all.

Certainly, our church does NOT endorse the evil aspects of Halloween; but we DO endorse using every opportunity to share God's love with others. How about you? When was the last time you told someone about Jesus?

Judgement House - Sunday #2

2010-10-25T00:49:00.003-04:00

Another amazing night at Judgement House! We had over 800+ people walk through tonight, and 108 of those made decisions for salvation. Our grand total was 2,475 people walking through in 4 nights. Of those, 256 made decisions for salvation and many others recommitted their lives to Christ. The night started slow and 3 of the first 4 groups walked out without one person making any type of decision, so we ramped up the prayer efforts and God answered!

Now the real work begins, as we follow-up with all of those decisions. Phone calls, mail outs, and visits to each one. We are partnering with the local churches who brought groups to accomplish this task. it's their job to follow-up on those who came with their groups. Our goal is not to build our church from other churches, but rather to build a partnership of churches working together to make disciples.

A special thanks to the Judgement House team... eight years and running! (They are definitely invited back next year and there are more Pecan pies where those came from.) Our thanks also goes to all those volunteers who arrived today at 4:00pm to serve and then stayed until after midnight resetting everything for school. We have an incredible church family!

Finally, a special thanks to our two amazing ministry assistants who spent their monumental birthdays serving God by serving others! Happy birthday Anna & Stacie!

Judgement House - Saturday #2

2010-10-24T08:03:00.004-04:00

UNBELIEVABLE! We had 604 people walk through JH last night. 70 of those made first time decisions for salvation and a couple of dozen recommitted their lives to Christ. When given opportunity to respond to the invitation, one ENTIRE group exited the room to speak with a counselor!

It's been interesting as 2 of our church members and another relative of a church member have passed during JH. In addition, I truly believe we had a demon possessed man tour JH last night. He was very disruptive during the presentation of the Gospel and wrote some "crazy" things on the testimony board. Thank God, that even that man heard about the love of God.

Keep praying... one more night to go. So far, we've had 1,641 people tour JH. Should go over 2,000 tonight.

Judgement House 2010

2010-10-21T09:35:00.001-04:00

Judgement House has become an annual event at Emmanuel. This is our 8th year hosting this event. Our first Youth/Children's Pastor, Kevin Matias, stepped out on a limb to try something that stretched our church; but has become one of our favorite events. Our current, Youth/College Pastor, Justin Facenda, has brought annual improvements to JH and it continues to grow. This year, we are hosting it over 2 weekends and had over 1000+ people walk through in the first 2 nights. The reservations for this next weekend are even more full and should result in our largest crowd ever!

Last weekend, we saw 77 people make first-time decisions for salvation. In addition, there were 20+ who recommitted their lives to Christ. In addition to the story line, each participant hears a closing that draws the story together and leads them to examine their own lives. Those who make decisions are dealt with one-on-one to make sure they understand. One of my favorite parts is that each person who makes a decision writes a brief testimony. It exciting and encouraging to read these heartfelt decisions.

So, please pray for our staff of over 100+ people serving as actors, tour guides, counselors, registration, security, nursery workers, lighting, sound, runners, consessions, and more! For more information on JH, visit http://www.judgementhouse.org.

I'll keep you posted on this weekend's results.

Sunday Summary 9.26

2010-09-28T11:03:00.001-04:00

In the last two Sundays, we have had 3 people baptized and the Lord added 8 new members to our church family. We also have 3 more adults that have indicated their interest in baptism and another 4 who will soon be joining the church. Two of those are new believers!

On Sunday mornings, I've been preaching a new series entitled, "Who Cares?" It goes along with the billboards we have posted in our community and also our website, www.ebc-cares.com. People are being reminded of what "real" caring means and how we as the Church, must care for those around us. They are also realizing that you can't serve God, while sitting on the sidelines. By the way... what ministry are you involved in?

It's been good seeing God move in the hearts of our people, as they have been volunteering to serve in various ministries. We need all the volunteers and help we can get with Judgement House and Trunk-or-Treat coming up. I'll keep you posted on how God uses our volunteers!

Bible Doctrine Class

2010-09-23T14:36:00.001-04:00

I started a new Life Group 2 weeks ago and it has been amazing! The class is "Bible Doctrine 101." While doctrine doesn't sound very exciting, the crowd is growing and those present are excited about having a "safe place" to ask those Bible questions that have bewildered them for years.

The class consists of various age groups, new believers, not-so-new believers, regular church-goers, occasional church-goers, and more. We started by introducing the basics of the Bible (sections, divisions, Library mentality, authors, etc.) It appears the simplicity of the subject matter has been well received, and I think the excitement will only grow as we begin to study the doctrines and watch the lights come on for new believers.

The purpose of the class is to help people gain a firm foundation for their faith. CNN recently had a survey of religious questions on their website. Sadly, atheists and agnostics answered the questions about religion more accurately than those who claimed to be "religious." Even more sadly, the survey revealed that Southerners (specifically in the Bible belt), knew the LEAST about religion.

Maybe if preachers would preach more Bible and less opinion, people would know more about the Bible. Can you imagine what the church would be like if people actually knew their Bibles, lived its teachings, and had a foundation upon which to build a biblical worldview! I CAN, so I'm teaching a class on Bible doctrine; since you can't live what you believe, until you know what you believe.

Friend Day - 9.12.10

2010-09-14T16:21:00.001-04:00

Last Sunday was AWESOME! Whether you called it "Friend Day," "National Back to Church Sunday," or as the old-timers used to call it... "Round-up Sunday;" it was a GREAT day!

Many of our church members invited their friends and family members to attend with them. One of our newest evangelist and her 2 friends (who recently trusted Christ), had two pews of people with them! We had 2 baptized, 3 prayed to receive Christ, 3 more requested info on how to start a relationship with God, 4 recommitted their lives to Christ, and many first-time guests were in attendance! As we started following-up on our guests, another lady invited Christ to be her Lord and Savior on Monday night!

Friend Day also served as a great reminder (to me) that it is "not my our might, nor by our power; but by His Spirit" that God convicts hearts and builds His Church. On Friday night, our family went to visit our daughter in VA and on one of our biggest Sundays of the year, I left my sermon notes laying in the hotel lobby as we drove off. Imagine my surprise on Saturday night as I went to look over my sermon one more time. So, I was at the church at 6:00am on Sunday morning praying and recreating. The experience was a teachable moment reminding me to depend on God and trust Him for the results.

Thank you to all who prepared our facilities, made coffee, served donuts, cleaned up, greeted, had a part in the service, etc. Also, a special thanks to everyone who cared enough to invite a guest to attend with them. God rewarded your efforts!

Sunday Summary 9.10.10

2010-09-10T16:39:00.000-04:00

Last Sunday, was exciting as 2 people were baptized and 2 joined the church. We concluded the sermon series regarding the process for making disciples. Our 4-step process for making disciples at EBC is:

Share
Connect
Serve
Disciple Others

Following the morning service, I had the sweetest conversation with a couple who was convicted about inviting their friends to do everything, except come to church. They made a prayer list and e-mailed it to me. We have joined them in praying. Others filled out cards asking us to pray for their friends and relatives who need to start a relationship with God.

Now that we've talked about making disciples --- let's DO IT!

Sunday Summary 8.29.10

2010-08-30T09:09:00.003-04:00

Yesterday was another GREAT day at Emmanuel. We started our morning service with a child being baptized and ended our service with a young mother being saved! Folks were kneeling at the altar and many others knelt at their pews. God met with us today!

The Children of the World international children's choir (sponsored by World Help) ministered in our morning service. The group consisted of 16 children from the Philippines, Nepal, and Uganda. They stayed in the homes of our church members, performed during the Chonda Pierce concert, and then during our morning service. The kids stole our hearts, as we were reminded of how God has blessed the USA and how we can be a blessing to others by showing God's love in meeting their needs. The World Help Director for Africa was our guest preacher and his message tied in with exactly what I have been preaching for several months -- Serving!

Last night, we enjoyed a Night of Praise as God spoke through the vocalists and musicians in our church. I was encouraged that so many new people were involved. A special thanks to each one who ministered, and to Brian G. for coordinating this effort. Our future Worship Pastor and his wife were visiting, so it gave them a great opportunity to see the talent God has blessed us with. Joey even joined in with a solo last night.

It's been an EXTREMELY busy weekend, but it was worth it all. Again, thanks to all the volunteers who helped us accommodate our guests and make the events of this weekend possible. Thanks to God for giving people the vision to build such a large building in such a small community... and then bringing the people to fill it!

Comedian Chonda Pierce

2010-08-29T08:45:00.004-04:00

Christian comedian, Chonda Pierce, performed last night at Emmanuel to a "sell-out crowd." Chonda ministers to people by sharing love, laughter, and the joy of the Lord. Last night's effort was a fundraiser and to help us raise awareness for the prolife, Carolina Family Planning Centers! Visit their website at www.CarolinaFamilyPlanning.org. In addition, we had the Children of the World, an international children's choir perform during the intermission. They stole the hearts of the people. You can find out more about the children's choir and World Help ministry at www.WorldHelp.net.

Chonda's transparency about her own struggles, connected with many folks. In addition, her honesty about the ridiculous (and hilarious) behavior of "church people" in the name of God... may have helped a few Pharisees see themselves in a new light. Hopefully some churches will be different today, because a few people are different today.

A special thanks to all of our volunteers who collected tickets, greeted, served as ushers, sold merchandise, worked security, helped advertise, cooked, transported, etc. A strength of EBC is the number of people who are willing to serve! A special thanks to our staff, who take every event at EBC very personally and see it as an opportunity to reach people.

Emmanuel Christian School

2010-08-26T20:38:00.000-04:00

Emmanuel Christian School is well underway for the 2010-11 school year. In spite of the economy and several schools closing or eliminating upper grades, ECS is going strong! We are within 2 students of last year's enrollment and some who left to try other schools have already returned.

Some highlights for this year include:

Addition of a Director of Development
Implementation of our Accelerated Reader program
Implementation of our new Promethean board
Addition of a third class of 3 year olds
Addition of new desks for several of our classes

For more information, visit our website at www.ecscrusaders.com.

WHO CARES?

2010-08-25T09:36:00.000-04:00

This fall, we want our community to know how much the people of Emmanuel Baptist Church care about them. So, we've created a website that in approx. 4 minutes shows gives a glimpse of EBC in pictures. Check it out at www.ebc-cares.com.

Tell your friends about the site. We had almost 500 hits in the first week!

Sunday Summary 8.22.10

2010-08-23T10:06:00.000-04:00

Yesterday was AMAZING as people have now officially returned from vacation and the church attendance was back up! Thanks to Heather for coordinating our music as we wait for the arrival of Joey Colson. Thanks to the band, praise teams, and choir for your patience! There is a genuine spirit of unity and cooperation among our worship ministry team, and it is so refreshing.

In our morning service, I preached for the fifth week on "Serving." This is the third step in the disciple making process adopted by our church. I ran through many Scripture passages where Jesus taught His disciples about serving. Our study revealed the following:

If you want to be great... you must serve.
If you want to hold a place of honor... you must serve.
If you want to make a difference... you must serve.
If you want to be like Jesus... you must serve.

We concluded the service with the story of Jesus washing the disples' feet. Think about it... the Creator washed the feet of His creation. We spoke of the "Power of the Towel" and laid small towels across our altar and asked those desire to become servants for our Lord to take one of those towels and place it in a prominent spot where it would remind them to serve Him.

During our evening service, Cindy Faile, our missionary to Mali, Africa gave a report of her work. Cindy has been a missionary for 25 years and felt God's call on her life at 11 years old. She is an amazing lady and doing an amazing work.

Sunday Summary 8.1.10 - TEAM work

2010-08-01T21:54:00.000-04:00

This morning, I preached on teamwork in the local church and within the Body of Christ. Interestingly enough, today our team shined through! I left at 6:30 this morning to pickup our pianist in Florence, Mike was repairing a gutter that was pulled off the building by the heavy rain, Heather filled a vital gap in coordinating our music, Michael filled an instrumental gap, Justin was setting up rooms that didn't get reset after our carpets were cleaned, Sherman was delivering bulletins and reports, David was preparing E-Street, Dan and George were here early making sure our A/V was ready, Juanita always comes in early to prepare our nurseries, and there were so many others in various areas.

In addition, this week we had an army of people handing out gospel tracts! I'm restocking our supply weekly. Ann had family with her today and has had guests with her for the last several weeks. Tammy & Heather saw their friend saved last week and baptized this morning. Alisha had family and friends present to watch her special day. Savannah was baptized, and the Baker family joined the church. Tonight, our Belize Missions Team gave their report and it was obvious that their efforts made an eternal impact.

God has blessed us with a great TEAM. Our members are ministers and our staff are equippers! In the last three weeks, we've had 8 new members join our team (and 3 more next week), some older members getting off the bench and back in the game, and so many faithful members continue to serve weekly!

Praise God for what He is doing at Emmanuel!

Book Recommendation

2010-07-31T21:44:00.000-04:00

I came across a good book recently that I'm recommending to our church, and thought you might be interested. It is, "Christian Atheist - Believing in God, but living as though He doesn't exist," by Craig Groeshel. Don't read it if desire to continue living a mediocre Christian life.

Taking It (VBS) to the Streets!

2010-07-27T16:40:00.003-04:00

I have some great memories from Vacation Bible School (VBS) as a kid. Arts, crafts, games, Bible lessons, and yes... the snacks. Someone recently said that he remembered making an ash tray in VBS... must have been a deacon's child. :-) Sadly for some, the role of VBS has diminished into an inexpensive summer childcare program with parents strategically dropping off their children at a different VBS each week. This year at Emmanuel, we decided to try something different.

Kudos to Pastor David and all of our volunteers for taking VBS off campus and into the local community! This has made a tremendous impact and even the skeptics within our church have confessed their change of heart. It's not easy carrying supplies, food, sound systems, etc. back and forth daily; but TODAY, our VBS team ministered to over 80 children in our community and saw 26 of those children come to Christ! Now that's exciting!

What Happened to Common Sense in America?

2010-07-26T21:39:00.000-04:00

Why are those patriotic Americans who are outraged by recent anti-American displays being labeled as intolerant, racists, hatemongers, etc.? Could it be that plain old common sense is not as common as it used to be in America? Consider the examples that follow:

On July 4, 2010, the day America celebrated her Independence, Mexican flags were flown and prayers offered up in Spanish in the city of Hyrum, Utah. While there is nothing wrong with the Mexican flag or the Spanish language, there is something terribly wrong and offensive about the timing of such displays during an Independence Day parade. That showed a terrible lack of common sense.
At Ground Zero in New York City, a mosque is being proposed. Those speaking out with patriotic concerns, and/or with respect for the 9/11 victims and their families are being branded as predjudice, intolerant and racists. Such comments reveal poor judgment, a lack of sensitivity, too much effort to be politically correct, and a terrible lack of common sense.

Muslim Day has been hosted annually at Six Flags since 2000. This year, the celebration will be held on September 12 -- the 9/11 weekend! According to a report on Fox News, the group setting up the event (ICNA - Islamic Circle of North America) is suspected of contributing financially to the 9/11 attacks, has anti-American sentiment posted on their website, and is known to have contributed financially to Hamas. So, why are those opposing Muslim Day at Six Flags being labeled intolerant? It sounds like their concerns are simply a display of common sense.

Giving illegal aliens the same benefits as tax paying citizens is ludicrous. This kind of stupidity enrages hardworking Americans. Let's help them file the paperwork to become legal, then let them work for the American dream. Giving free benefits to illegals makes as much sense as paying unemployed people almost as much to stay home, as they would make working for two years. Simple common sense will tell you that unemployment is going to rise under those conditions.

Common sense reminds me that I had no part in selecting my place of birth, but I am proud and blessed to be an American. I thank God for the freedoms that I enjoy and for those who fought for them. While America is hated by some, common sense reminds us that we are a nation that others will risk everything to be part of. Many Haitians and Cubans risked everything, on small boats and homemade rafts just for a chance to live in America. Mexicans cross our borders daily for the chance at a better life. Jamaicans, Guatemalans, Puerto Ricans, and so many others "choose" to live in the USA. In fact, common sense reminds me that my ancestors, like most of your ancestors, "chose" to live here and can be traced back through the lines of Ellis Island.

I am proud to be an American and agree with Aaron Tippin ..."I pledge allegiance to this flag, and if that bothers you, well that's too bad." Common sense tells us that no one is forced to live in the USA and the door of freedom swings both ways.