TRBA Missions and Ministry

Happy New Year

2011-12-30T23:59:00.000-05:00

Happy New Year! That's the greeting going around this weekend. It is a good time to examine who we are in Christ and what He would have us to do with out lives! It has been a LONG time since my last post (on any blog), so my first New Year's Resolution as it relates to "social media" is to post more often on the blogs and sites I maintain.

Not just posts, but posts "with purpose." Some of you understand that term. It is not my desire to fill up my time with useless info. Rather, I want my posts to have some value to the reader. So, whether it be an actual blog, FaceBook, Twitter, LinkedIn, or TRBA's website, it is my prayer you will find information useful that I post in 2012.

As I have thought of what to post in 2012, I have prayed and then examined what I am "hearing" from various sources in denominational life. To that end, I have determined to focus on the purpose of the association, as well as issues related to overall church health. I will be looking a LOT to Transformational Church and Transitional Pastor as I am working with both LifeWay and the Baptist State Convention of North Carolina in those areas. Truthfully, I think there are things we can glean to strengthen the church and impact lostness (our purpose as an association of churches).

In a conversation with a Sunday School director today we began to discuss some information we had obtained during a Josh Hunt conference several years back. In fact, I bought a book by Hunt today that reiterated the idea of "how to double your Sunday School in two years or less."

The gist of the conversation centered on the fact that the classes seemed content with where they were and had not grown in several years. Basically, we talked about the lack of evidence in many area churches (from conversations the two of us have had with other church leaders in neighboring churches from three associations) that churches want to grow.

I think that is perhaps the first thing we need to honestly look at as we begin the new year. Do we have a genuine desire to grow closer to Christ personally and to grow both spiritually and numerically in our churches. Or are we content with where we are. I would invite you to pray and search with me this simple fact over the next couple of days. After the first of the year I will examine the idea of doubling Sunday School attendance in less than two years. I am pretty confident I will address it from the standpoint of IF we REALLY want to see growth.

I have become convinced that we have all the tools we need to advance the kingdom. We have attended conference after conference. In the YEARS we have attended, there has been little kingdom advance and virtually no SUSTAINED evidence of growth in many of our churches. Yet - we have the tools sitting idly beside us as we moan about our lack of advance.

What do we have:

1. The authority of Christ who commanded that we make disciples.
2. His Word.
3. His presence to instruct, lead, guide, empower.
4. Prayer.
5. His promise to hear, answer, empower as we walk in obedience to Him.

Then we have other tools to assist. Among the ones I have emphasized in TRBA are Link2Lead, The Mapping Center, continued training of church leadership, Transformational Church, Transitional Pastor, etc. etc. etc. Over the next few weeks, expect much info to be shared. As it is shared, pray about your participation individually and as a church.

Do you want to see kingdom advance in 2012? If you do, please join me and the other TRBA staff members as we answer the call to prayer by our denominational leaders. Pray with us daily for kingdom advance. Join us on Monday, January 23rd at 7 PM for a corporate time of prayer.

Again, I wish you the best for 2012. I look forward to walking alongside you as we set out together to strengthen His church and impact the lostness of THIS generation!

Pray That God Will Bring Lost Into Your Daily Path: And That You Will Share His Hope

2011-03-31T23:07:00.000-04:00

Today I was listening to someone on a local station. He made a statement that got me to thinking - he said that we ought to pray that God would bring people into our path daily that were lost. In fact, he said that we should be praying that God would bring Muslims into our path so that they would have the opportunity to hear the Gospel - and hear it from us! John 3: 16 applies to the Islamic, the atheists, the marginally churched, the never churched, everyone!

15% of those that leave an Islamic nation and come to the United States come to know Christ personally. I want to ponder and pray about this a while and post something later. Pray with me about that and share your ideas. Truthfully, we should understand that it is our responsibility to share Christ - with all people.

Christ has commanded us; Christ has equipped us; Christ has empowered us to BE that good and faithful witness to ALL people. When was the last time you invited an unchurched neighbor? the last time you shared your belief in Christ with an atheist? stopped and talked with a Muslim about a relationship with Christ?

Are you afraid to share your faith? You should not be afraid. Go out and share His good news. His Word will not come back void.

Developing A Spiritual Vision for 2011 - Part Three

2011-01-11T14:46:00.002-05:00

I believe I have made my point with Reality # 1: Without Spiritual vision for your life, you will run wild. I keep thinking of Proverbs 14: 12 as I reflect upon this reality - "There is a way that seems right to a man, But its end is the way of death." That running wild and trying to do what SEEMS right goes hand in hand. If we are to be productive for the cause of Christ, we must not cling to what seems right to us. Test and prove what seems right under the light of His Word and make the necessary adjustments so that you can become what God is calling you to be for Him.

I have been writing about the need for us to develop a spiritual vision for our lives in 2011. Today I want to deal with a fact we need to realize - With a spiritual vision for your life, you will discover the good life God intends for you. Perhaps we need to focus on that as "reality # 2." You and I can begin to live and discover the good life God intends for us! Now that we have dwelt with the scripture (Proverbs 29: 18) for two days, let's "launch" from the text and allow it to serve as the "legs" that carries us into developing a spiritual plan for our lives.

The key term for developing a spiritual vision for our lives in 2011 is the word DEVELOP. I want to dwell on that for the remainder of our time today! Using some points from Ronnie Floyd, I want to challenge you today to develop 7 elements of your life that will help you have a spiritual vision for your life. Taking today's date (January 10th) you need to give yourself until the middle off February or so as a target date, but the sooner in 2011 the better.

So what are these things? Can we do them? I'm trying to give you something that all of us ought to be doing. It's simply a part of disciple making. It's a part of, of just being what God wants us to be. So here they are:

(1) Ask God to give you a verse for 2011. I have already written to you about this but now I want to more fully explain what I mean by this. Go to God between now and mid-February and pray, "Lord! I want You to give me one verse in my life that will help me through 2011." It was long into my journey with Christ that I heard people talking about a "life verse." What is your life verse? I have discovered through my daily journey that my life verse, though it may never fully change, has others added on at different times. When my father died in 1981 the "life verse" that jumped from the preacher's lips at the funeral was Matthew 11:28 - "Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest." That verse not only helped me to deal with the circumstances of my life at the time, it better equipped me to minister to others as I more fully realized what it meant to truly "come unto" Jesus! Through the years, other verses have been added to Matthew 11: 28.

The verse the Lord gave me for 2010 was 2 Corinthians 11: 28 "Besides everything else, I face daily the pressure of my concern for all the churches." I even placed it as the footer on my personal stationary. As you know, I encountered a LOT in 2010 with my physical ailments. Yes, I still clung to Matthew 11:28, but I was reminded that it is not all about me. God had called me to a task and I firmly believe His calling for my life during this season is a calling to strengthen the local church. Therefore, God giving me this verse, served as a true help to me as I recovered from my infection and surgery. It enabled me to continually visualize the reason I needed to get healthier - my calling was to strengthen the church and my energy was necessary to be obedient to that call.

I believe 2 Corinthians 11: 28 also led me to call the TRBA staff to a time of prayer in September and now the member churches of Tar River Baptist Association to a season this season of prayer. For us to be effective in the responsibilities of the church (the five functions of the church are evangelism, discipleship, fellowship, ministry, and worship), we must undergird those responsibilities with the firm foundation of prayer.

God has not yet given me my scripture for 2011. I am praying fervently for that word from the Lord!

(2) Establish a daily Bible reading plan. The busy-ness of our lives often interferes with the time we set aside to study God's Word. We need to develop the habit of studying God's Word daily. Perhaps you start with a chapter a day - that is fine if that's all the time you can give for the present. Maybe you can go 3 chapters a day; 5 Psalms and a chapter of Proverbs each day; the call in the book RADICAL to read 86 verses a day; read through the New Testament every month. WHATEVER plan you determine is fine - just do it. Failure to develop a plan/strategy lends itself towards failure to study the Word! Ronnie Floyd stated, "You can't go forward just hearing the world's opinion. You need God's opinion to bring balance."

In short, I am asking you to be very intentional about this than you have in past years. I believe God is calling us to become more fully grounded in His Word so that we can be used in mighty ways to accomplish His Will!

(3) Target a personal spiritual focus week for 2011. Set aside a week in 2011 to FOCUS on your personal walk with the Living Lord Jesus Christ! Choose a book you have been intending to read on the spiritual disciplines; a Bible-study you had some interest in but have never been able to get to; listen to those sermon series you've downloaded on your ipod and never listened to; go to a prayer conference, spiritual retreat. It really doesn't matter what you do - just FOCUS on your walk with the Lord and seek His Will for your life in 2011. Take time to CONCENTRAT on God.

As an association, that is what we are doing by calling us to both the time of fasting and prayer as well as the corporate time of prayer on January 24th. We recognize not all will participate, but the deliberate effort of more and more people to become involved in times of prayer daily is POWERFUL. Imagine what could happen if every member of every church were focused on prayer and seeking God's Will for 21 days the first of each year. We could not describe the movement of God we would begin to experience in the member churches of Tar River Baptist Association. Likewise in our personal lives!

(4) Formulate a daily prayer list. Some people might think this not important. I have discovered two things that God is using to teach me that I need to prepare a daily prayer list. First - I am a BUSY person. If I fail to write things down, in the busy-ness of my day I OFTEN simply forget and fail to pray specifically for God to show Himself to His people through answered prayer in their lives.

There is a second reason that I had never thought of before this writing - I can more quickly share my prayer concerns with others when it is written down. I guess that's the motivation of our putting a prayer list in our bulletins each week. I PRAY I will not deal with my daily prayer list the way I often deal with the prayer lists in my church bulletin - use it for a book mark as opposed to pulling it out daily and using it as a prayer guide,

Let me tell you one thing I have learned about prayer, if you don't organize prayer, it's not going to be done right. You're never going to do it - or , at best, be haphazard or aimless with it. You need to organize it. Formulate a daily prayer list. Start somewhere and be more intentional in your times of daily prayer!

(5) Write down your Goals for 2011. Ronnie Floyd referred to it as "BHAG - big, hairy, audacious goals" for your life in 2011 - a goal that only God can help you reach. If we get to live through all of 2011, don't you want to experience some things that can not be "explained away" in human terms? My prayer - to be a part of some things that can ONLY be described as being a "God-thing"in 2011!

(6) Initiate a more intentional and greater commitment to your church. What does that mean? It means that you go beyond where you are right now. One of the blessings of being sick in 2010 was the privilege of being able to attend my church on a regular basis. Generally, I am visiting one of our member churches or speaking in them - and I love that! That means I am able to attend my church on Sunday mornings and attend Sunday School about once a quarter at best, but during 2010 I feel that I had the blessing of spiritual growth because I could more regularly be a part of the Ephesus Church family! From February through October I was rarely out of Ephesus as I could not drive while on medications, etc. That was indeed an added blessing. Here in 2011 I am scheduled already to be out of Ephesus for the next 6 - 8 Sundays and I am already missing it!

You say well is that important? Absolutely that's important. Some of us need to be a little more intentional about being in church; some of us need a greater commitment of simply coming to church; some of us need a greater commitment towards ministry in the church and through the church; some of us need to get our theological understanding of the church right. The Bible says the church is the body of Christ, and Jesus is the Head of the body.

I tell you it breaks my heart when I see people being so flippant about their responsibility to God's church. Make it a higher priority in 2011. And while I'm challenging you - PARENTS, make sure church is a higher priority to our kids than we seem to be teaching them right now!

(7) Answer this question: What am I trusting God to do in my life in 2011? When I read this question I hesitated. I am planning a lot for 2011. I have a strategy for 2011. I have goals for 2011. BUT-what am I TRUSTING GOD to do in my life in 2011?

Maybe you have an issue financially. Maybe you have an issue with your job. Maybe there are severed relationships with your spouse, children, friends, co-workers, etc. Maybe you have an attitude issue about your boss or your situation. Maybe God is calling you to missions or ministry - or simply to share Christ with a lost neighbor. I don't know what you're dealing with today. But I'm going to tell you something - discover what God wants you to trust Him for, and trust Him. Write it down and then pray it everyday.

I plan to "finish up" with this series in my next writing. I just challenge you - and myself - to develop a spiritual vision for 2011. I believe it will help us in our daily walk to accomplish more for the cause of Christ.

Developing A Spiritual Vision For 2011 - Part Two

2011-01-09T19:19:00.000-05:00

I want to continue today some thoughts about our need to develop a spiritual vision for our lives in 2011 - praying for God to reveal one scripture to guide our path/prepare us to deal with life's circumstances throughout 2011. In part one of this discussion, I focused on Proverbs 29: 18, "Without revelation people run wild, but one who keeps the law will be happy." (Holman translation). I closed the discussion by revealing what I referred to as "Reality One." I stated, "The reality is - without a spiritual vision for your life, you will run wild." That's where I want to begin in this discussion.

Reality # 1: Without Spiritual vision for your life, you will run wild. That's a reality. That's what the Bible tells us. Without a spiritual vision for your life, you're going to run wild. I'm telling you we've got a lot of wild-eyed Christians right now. You will run on your own. You'll run loosely, you will run freely, you will run unrestrained. You will run shamelessly. You will run naked (Young's Literal Translation puts it), and you know one of the real tragedies of running naked? Is you don't even know you're naked. That's what John wrote about in Revelation 3, of the lukewarm church, you don't even know your own condition, that you're blind, and naked, and weak, and in need because you don't have the Word of God pouring into you.

In the Message, Proverbs 29: 18 reads, "If people can't see what God is doing, they stumble all over themselves; But when they attend to what he reveals, they are most blessed." In this case, I think we can learn from this translation as well! There seems to be a LOT of times that we are stumbling all over ourselves and accomplishing nothing for the Kingdom. Conversely, when we attend to that which God reveals to us/calls us to do in His Word, we are indeed blessed!

With a spiritual vision for your life, you will discover the good life God intends for you. I believe Jesus stated He came to give us "life more abundantly (John 10: 10)." That's a pretty exciting statement. If I can develop a spiritual vision for my life, I can begin to live and discover the good life that God intends for me. And that is true for all! Don't you want the good life God intends for you in your life? Then follow the counsel of God's Word and discover life to the fullest.

Many churches today (and we as an association) have established vision statements or purpose statements. If they set out to achieve their purpose as a church, then they are likely to achieve their goals. If they wander aimlessly - doing a little of this and a little of that - doing what "feels good for the moment" or just that which is popular to the masses - then they may last for a season but they will not achieve the life more abundantly that God has in store for those that devote themselves to following the precepts of God's Word.

As an association, Tar River has established it's primary purpose many years ago. It's purpose is to strengthen the local church. It is our aim to walk alongside our member churches and assist them/resource them/equip them through training and modeling so that the church, the Bride of Christ, will prosper as God directs. If we fail to live by that purpose, we may do a lot of things - even things that are good - but if not in accordance with what God would have us to do, then we will just stumble all over ourselves doing a lot of busy-ness stuff, but we will NOT experience the blessedness of operating in God's Will.

Some of you have heard my story of serving on the Mental Health Board many years ago. I had been appointed to represent the needs of those addicted to drugs and alcohol - a noble cause. I was honored. I set out to do the best job that I could. After a while, they asked me to serve as chair of the board and then politics entered the picture. My life became consumed with meeting after meeting; working lunched with directors and committee chairs from other public service agencies; lobbied state legislators for services to meet the needs of the people I represented and all the others with mental health needs. There were even times the regular meeting went LONG we would go into what the press reported as an "executive session (the press was released and our purpose was SUPPOSED to be dealing with issues of a confidential nature). Reality - the other members of the board ate supper while I rushed out a side door and drove to the church and conducted prayer meeting at the church. I would return and call the press back into the meeting and report, "there is no public action necessary for any items discussed while the board was in executive session.

I became so busy with the work of the board, my life was consumed! When I was not in a meeting, I was meeting with people to prepare for the meeting or talking with a reporter about what was determined at the meeting, etc. etc.

The church I served sent me on a spiritual retreat. There I went to my first session. The leader is well known NOW, but I had never heard of him. His name was Greg Laurie. He made this statement, "This was not what I had planned to say but someone in here needs to hear this; 'Noble causes do not replace God's call for your life.'" I thought - what a great saying and wrote it down.

I went to my second session. I do not remember the name of the individual that was leading the session but he began by saying: "I did not have this in my plans, but someone here needs to hear this statement - noble causes do not replace God's call for your life." I quickly looked around the room to see what individual was in my first session and needed to hear this word - which I was beginning to realize was indeed a word from the Lord.

Now it was time for my third session. I know the presenter was a member of Billy Graham's family, but I can not recall the name. You guessed it - again I heard the words - "noble causes do not replace God's call for your life." I fully realized, that word was for me and as the presenter continued to present, I wrote out my letter of resignation as Chairman of the Mental Health Board and a letter to the County Commissioners stating that I would not accept reappointment to the board. I realized I had allowed a noble cause to replace God's call on my life at that time. He had called me as pastor of Massey Hill Baptist Church, not Chairman of the Board."

Today I strive to be where God wants me to be and not allow noble causes to crowd Him out. Problem is, I still get distracted. That's why I believe we need to continually review our purpose for the cause of Christ and attempt to live in obedience to His call. If we are not careful we get super-busy with lots of good stuff - even noble stuff - yet we are operating outside of God's calling upon our lives. We need to HEAR God - that's why we really need to be in His Word. Again, I challenge you to pray and asking God to reveal a scripture to help you throughout 2011.

We will look at this more throughout our days of prayer as member churches. Until then, pray that all of us will really HEAR God and do those things that He is calling us to do as His disciples.

Develop A Spiritual Vision For 2011

2011-01-08T12:09:00.002-05:00

Over the next few days it is my plan to share with you some thoughts about the importance, significance, and POWER of prayer in our lives. I will admit to you that the premise for my writings will come from readings of works by others on the subject – particularly those of Ronnie Floyd and Gregory Frizzell, but they (hopefully) will be nuggets of information that will serve to help you as you seek God's Will for your life in 2011.

The first thing I will challenge you to do is to pray for God to reveal to you a scripture passage for 2011. We actually should have been praying about this prior to the beginning of 2011, but now is OK as well! In your prayer, pray something like this: “Lord (and maybe reflect upon that word LORD), I want You to give me one verse in my life that will help me through 2011.” Yes – we will need more than ONE verse to guide us throughout the year, but there is scripture that God can lead you to right now and some time during the year your will discover why God wanted you to have that one verse for 2011. Pray earnestly for w “word from the Lord” for you in 2011!

I really feel convicted to share with you some thoughts on developing a spiritual vision for our lives. I believe we wander aimlessly in the wilderness way to much when God is inviting us to enter into His “Promise Land.” Proverbs 29: 18 reads (KJV), “Where there is no vision, the people perish: but he that keepeth the law, happy is he.” Let me share the same verse with you from other translations:

(ESV) “Where there is no prophetic vision the people cast off restraint, but blessed is he who keeps the law.”

(Holman Christian Standard) “Without revelation people run wild, but one who keeps the law will be happy.”

(New Living Translation) “Where people do not accept divine guidance, they run wild; but whoever obeys the law is happy.”

(Amplified) “Where there is no vision [no redemptive revelation of God], the people perish; but he who keeps the law [of God, which includes that of man]--blessed (happy, fortunate, and enviable) is he.”

To meditate upon this one verse helps us see the need to implant the word of God into our own hearts. Implanted so that we might have a well of resources to come to when we need that “Word of the Lord” to provide guidance, help, strength for the circumstances of life that come our way! We need to develop a spiritual vision for our lives.

Let's re-visit Proverbs 29: 18 and focus on it a bit. I want you to notice that the first part of the verse talks bout what WILL happen if we do not do something. The second part of the verse talks about what WILL happen if we do something. This is important for us to take note! Let me point out to you that the one I memorized as a child (KJV) leaves out an important aspect. The KJV does not detail the type of vision (spiritual guidance/revelation of the Lord). I think it is important that we more fully understand the importance of developing a spiritual vision for our lives. Without divine vision/guidance Proverbs 29: 18 declares that we run wild.

I believe there are a couple of questions we really need to think through in your life – and we need to be honest with ourselves, because if we’re not honest with ourselves, then it’s not going to help us to go through the motions of asking these questions:

The first question is “Who do you let speak into your life?” Another way you could say that is, who are you letting pour into your life? Even another way to ask it is “who do you give access to your heart?” If you are reading this as an e-zine or blog, or have a SmartPhone, Ipad, etc. then you should understand. With a simple sweeping of the finger you can define music, get music, understand music, you can listen to podcasts, you can go to iTunes University, view videos from anywhere. You can do whatever you want to do. You download it to your computer, then you download it to this simple, little device and you carry it with you wherever you go. See anything similar to what we need to do in a spiritual sense? If we are connected to God's Word, then it is downloaded to our hearts, and as we go we carry it around with us! (By the way—are YOU using those high tech devices to grow spiritually? Maybe another blog.)

The real question becomes – what are you letting into your life? pour into your heart? give access to your private information? I could, I could take these same devices and listen to stuff that doesn’t help me spiritually. I could pour into my mind all kind of music that disrupts my spirit rather than calms my spirit. I could pour into my life all kind of teaching that would be erroneous because it doesn’t matter everybody’s got podcasts. That’s not the issue. It’s not the device. The issue is what are you going to do in your life, and who is pouring into your life? Who do you give access to your heart?

You say, is that really all that important? I guarantee you it’s important. Go back to Proverbs 29: 18 – “Without revelation…” what does that mean? “Without prophetic vision…” “Without divine instruction…” Without divine guidance…” Without the Word. When a lack of the Word is poured into your heart in hearing and obeying, here’s what the Scripture says is going to happen. You’re going to run wild.
When you and I do study His Word. When divine revelation does come into our lives. When we do pour the Word of God into our lives – it causes us to set parameters in our lives. A Christian that does not pour the Word into their life is like, like a parent, or like a child that does not have a parent that ever tells them no. That child runs wild. We accomplish nothing for the kingdom running wild and operating outside of God's Word and God's Will.

But the Scripture here then says, “…but one who keeps the law,” .they will be happy when they accept divine guidance. They will be happy when they keep the law of God. When they listen to the Word, and they obey the Word, they will be happy. What does it mean to be happy? Does happy mean you walk around with a smile on your face, and you know, you’re just the happiest little Jesus follower that’s ever lived? Probably not. What that means is that you will be blessed. You will be fulfilled.

The reality is – without a spiritual vision for your life, you will run wild. We will address this reality in our next issue. For now, meditate upon what Proverbs 29: 18 means for your life and earnestly pray that God will give you a scripture for 2011.

Saving Faith = Changed Life

2010-08-09T10:31:00.003-04:00

This morning in my quiet time I was studying Romans 3: 21 - 31. I emphasize the word STUDY as opposed to READING. Yesterday in church the speaker said there is a difference in reading and studying. He shared the full illustration, but we STUDY for the tests that lie ahead. THEREFORE, we need to STUDY God's Word every day. Indeed we face trails and test each day.

This section of Romans declares how we are made righteous in and through Christ Jesus as believers. It is personal, individual faith in Christ Jesus that saves. Romans is a difficult book to "read," and a much more difficult book to "study" and understand. Our church is doing the study on Wednesday nights and I think it will take a great deal of time to genuinely plow through all that we need to labor through ti understand it more fully.

As I studies this morning, I wrote this note in my journal, "Belief does not equal faith and trust in....." Then I wrote "even the demons "believe" in God. They "know" Christ lives. They tremble in that knowledge. But they are not saved." I read a couple of scripture passages my people had listed as cross reference scriptures and began to think - just what is it that demons believe about God?

Well -- at first glance, demons could answer most of our Sunday School questions and church membership questions. Just a few scriptures point out what they know/believe that is as deep as we have sometimes gone in our church discussions. What do they believe?

1. Demons believe in the existence of God. They are not atheists. They are not agnostic. They believe - indeed they know there is a God.

2. Demons believe Jesus is the Son of God. Mark 3: 11 - 12 reveals to us that they "bore witness" to the Sonship of Christ.

3. Demons believe there is a hell. Luke 8:31 provides evidence of that belief.

4. Demons recognize Christ as Judge - Mark 5: 1 - 13.

5. The Bible even teaches us that demons submit to the power of God's Word.

Well - are not these things what we are also to believe? There is a God; Jesus is His Son; there is a hell; one day all will be judged; we should submit to the authority of His Word. "What more must I do to be saved?" becomes the question at hand (and the question we should ask beyond these other beliefs we have."

The rest of the Book of Romans spells this out to us - and I reveal more of it later. However, I wanted us to dwell on the above first.

Some of you have heard me state in recent prayer services that I am burdened that many church members have been "lulled" into a false sense of security that church membership equals salvation. They have been coming to church since "9 months before I was born" and somehow have equated that with the salvation experience/a personal walk with the Lord Jesus Christ. They - like the demons - believe there is a God; that Jesus is God's son; they tend to believe in some sort of "hell;" they recognize Jesus as Judge (but often feel they are just), etc.

How do I KNOW if what I have is SAVING FAITH? A CHANGED LIFE is the RESULT of saving faith. Has your life been changed as a result of the faith and trust that you have placed into the person of Jesus Christ? Do you believe there is a Jesus, or have you given yourself to Jesus? Do you believe there is a God or do you strive daily as an act of love toward that God to live in a way that honors and pleases Him? Just some thoughts to ponder in your own quiet time.

The speaker at church yesterday closed each section of his message by saying---"to fail to live your life according to Biblical principles---the scripture says is sin, iniquity, wickedness, and rebellion. I pray you have spent your time alone with God this day and not fallen into the traps of the enemy that attempt to keep us away from Him.

Re-visiting The Purpose Of The Local Association

2010-06-29T16:17:00.002-04:00

Have you ever questioned "why?" Naturally, all of our answers are a resounding "yes." When you discover the correct answer, what happens?

Over the past several months, Baptists have discussed what we refer to as the Great Commission a lot! Decisions were made at SBC 2010 that should have great impact on our denomination as a whole. TRBA is now planning for 2011 - preparing a budget, looking for people to serve, and yes - looking for new Ministry Assistant. All of these events and discussions have prompted me to look again to the life and work of our association - our PURPOSE.

I re-visited a powerpoint detailing the life and work of the association. There I saw the "Mission of the Association" as detailed some years ago (before I came to serve as Associational Missionary) stating what we would now call our purpose. The Mission Statement reads, "The MISSION of the Tar River Baptist Association is assisting member churches in becoming the church God intended His church to be through education, evangelism, fellowship, and missions."

If I were writing it today I probably would change some of the wording, but I can certainly work with the premise of the statement. I do believe it is the purpose of the local association to walk alongside the local church and help that church be the church that God is calling them to be in their community and around the world. If you have been around me much at all, you have heard me make that statement. In fact, if you have been in some meetings with me, you would have hjeard me state that I see my job as "working myself out of a job" as every church becomes all that is can become in Christ Jesus.

Another slide in that presentation dealt with the priorities of the association to enable us to fulfill our purpose. I have decided to "camp" on these "priorities to implement our mission" for a season. In my personal prayer time, I want to pray these things through. When I meet with TRBA staff, I want us to discuss them. As I meet with the ALT and the various committees working to prepare for 2011, I think it is a pretty good idea to reflect upon those things that we have said we want to accomplish as an association. In a recent personnel meeting I asked them to help me establish in the DNA of our association an attitude of evaluation and clarification. I believe that IF we are ever to become better, we MUST constantly evalaute what we are striving for, and clarify and hold accountable expectations. If we do not do that, we are more prone to wander than to wonder in what God is accomplishing in and through us as His people.

At this point, all I want to do is list what we have said are our MINISTRY PRIORITIES as an association. Things that we have said we must do IF we are going to accomplish our purpose as an association. I will proabably write a little commentary, but I ask you to join me in praying about these things.

1. "Strengthen Churches: assist (empower) churches so that can be more effective in their ministry." Please take note that I added the word EMPOWER in the brackets.
2. "Develop Leadership: train church leaders in administration/supervision skills, pastoral ministry, deacon ministry, crisis ministry, conflict resolutions, and planning skills."
3. Nurture Fellowship: encouraging church leaders and members to develop personal relationships."
4. Promote Missions: create awareness to mission opportunities - start new churches and ministries."

Over the next few weeks, I want to "reflect" upon these statements. As I do, I solicit input from you - members of TRBA. As I reflect, I plan to post as well.

Join me in praying for TRBA and the work God Has called us to do together. Please feel free to post your comments.

Are You Ready??

2010-03-01T13:33:00.002-05:00

Last week I was hospitalized for 5 days. I had dealt all day Sunday with what I thought was another bout with kidney stones. By the time I got to the doctor Monday morning I was running a temp 0f 103.8 and in extreme pain. The doctor thought my stones had blocked my kidneys and he knew I had some type of infection due to my white counts. He immediately admitted me to the hospital.

Well, I do have kidney stones. They were not the culprit. I did have a severe infection, but the antibiotics were seemingly doing little to attach the infection. Further tests revealed a serious bacteria infection in the blood. The doctor came in to report the findings and stated that it was a "life-threatening situation."

To be honest, I had often thought that when I heard those words I would panic. But I did not. In reality, I felt the peace - the presence -f God and just calmly listened to his plan of action as to how it might be treated and how serious what I was experiencing was. But all I could think of was the Peace and the presence of Christ - NOTHING else mattered!

I hope that each of you have the calm assurance of Christ Jesus as your Savior and His Spirit providing peace in the midst of hte storms o life. If the doctor comes to give you bad news---or you experience difficult circumstances - will the news destroy you, or will you experience the peace of Christ?

I pray you will know His peace!

Should Your Church Offer A Mentoring Ministry To Your Community?

2010-01-27T06:54:00.004-05:00

Last night I attended a Mentor Meeting at Spring Hope Elementary. There I saw the heart of their principal, teachers, and guidance counselors for the children of their school. Over Christmas I had assisted the teachers help 27 families in that community experience a better Christmas. I am seeing people that really care!

They have invited the churches of the Spring Hope area to partner with them. Do you really HEAR what I am saying???? The churches are being invited in to minister to the needs of children and families. Something we should be doing any way. Linda and I discovered we have the time to help out. I plan to stop in at 8 AM one day a week and work with my "buddy" and pray earnestly throughout the week that my "sacrifice" will make an eternal difference!

Some might say, "how can he find the time?" Notice I placed "sacrifice" in quotation marks. If I take 30 minutes away from BoJangles a week - I may make a real difference to a child in my community. And you know what---I think I see a lot of people for TRBA churches in BoJangles solving the world's problems in conversations that could make an impact in solving the world's problems by touching the life of a precious child.

Therefore, I just encourage you to pray about becoming involved in mentoring in your community. If you do not live in Nash County, tghen I am confident you can talk to your local school. This is a way you can affect a young life for years to come, please pray about it and determine what can be done.
On a corporate level - as a church, consider what you can do to reach out to at risk kids. An idle van---some "bored teenagers" in your church youth group who need volunteer hours to graduate -- and a church with a heart to reach outside themselves to touch the lives of others --that's all that's needed to start a summer reading program one day a week (or something else that you feel led of God to do).

I believe God is calling us to DO SOMETHING to impact our communities for Christ. This may be a way for your church to do just that. AT least pray about it!

2010 - A New Year For TRBA

2010-01-16T20:19:00.009-05:00

It is still early in the New Year - a new decade. As we enter 2010, TRBA also begins full implementation of its policies and procedures under the "new" ByLaws that were approved by the association. I am grateful for all the hard work that has been done to prepare for the implementation. I am excited as I see how God will use these efforts to help us go forward in the new decade.

By now, you should have experienced our enhanced efforts to communicate the life and work of the Association. We have established both a FaceBook Group and Fan Page. We will use these pages (and the services offered through FaceBook) to communicate to the many members of Tar River that daily use FaceBook. We will advertise TRBA events (inviting you to RSVP to the various events) and also invite you to participate in discussion topics as well.

One very important feature on the FaceBook is that YOU - any member of the group - can send out messages to all other members. This way, you can get the news out to all our member churches regarding activities in your church and community.

We will expand our use of e-zines. Pastors should be receiving a weekly e-zine entitled THE NAVIGATOR. Everyone on our "Constant Contact" list should receive THE MID-STREAM around the 15th of each month. These detail important information to our members and we would appreciate your sharing them with your church family. If you are not receiving these, please email us at tarriverbaptist@hotmail.com and ask to be added to the e-zine lists.

Third, we are also expanding the use of TellBlast. You should have received the first mass effort to get the word out about the Sunday School training on January 30th. We will utilize this a great deal more during 2010 to get information to you in a timely manner.

Fourth, we will utilize both TRBA blogs (one for general membership and the second for pastors) to communicate ideas and discussions about major changes taking place in the life and work of the association. Please participate.

Finally (in the arena of communication) we will also be altering our monthly newsletter, THE CURRENTS OF THE TAR, pretty soon. It is our hope that any changes we make will enhance our communication efforts to our member churches.

There are a LOT of quality events coming forward in the next few weeks:

January 19 - 7 PM: Treasures IRS Update (TRBA Center)
January 23 - 9 AM: Pastors' Families Fellowship Breakfast (Ephesus Church)
January 25 - 6 PM: Associational Council Meeting (TRBA Large Conference Room)
Janaury 25 - 7 PM: Quarterly Executive Board Meeting (TRBA Large Conference Room)
January 30 - 8 AM: Sunday School Training (Pearce Church)
Feb 16 -10 AM: Monthly Ministers' Fellowship (TRBA Large Conference Room)
March 6/7 (TBA): "Life Is A Mission Trip" Training (Duke Memorial)

One final announcement for this post: EVERY MONDAY at 9 AM your TRBA Associational Staff gathers for prayer. All persons in the building will be invited to join us in the small conference room for a season of prayer. During 2010 there will be invitations for all to join in prayer for the ministry that is before us.

Next week's post will be a brief update of efforts regarding the CURRENTS OF THE TAR and some of the particular training events for 2010. We will begin to share our goals as an association in our weekly (hopefully) blog posts. Please join me in praying for the life and work of our member churches as we work together to accomplish the work God has called us to do together.

The Choices Before God's Church

2009-12-14T14:46:00.002-05:00

It has been a LONG time since I posted anything. Truth is, it is difficult to find enough time to deal with all the tools we have to better communicate AND still do all the work that is required. I HOPE to become more regular in posting, but can make no real promises.

I am in the process of adding 2 Corinthinas 11:28 as a life-verse as it relates to my calling to serve as Associational Missionary. It reads, “Besides the other things, what comes upon me daily: my deep concern for all the churches.” When I read through that earlier this year it truly spoke to me. I am concerned gretayly about "the church." I am burdened about the stats I see related to the church of North America in particular. I see the baptism rates in TRBA churches and my heart aches as well.

I have to admit to you, the ideas expressed in this post come from reading an article in the newsletter of a friend of mine - Bud Parish, Associational Missionary for the Robeson Association. His original remarks sparked ideas for me and I have chosen to modify them to share a piece of my heart and calling for Associational Missions.

Some have stated that the church of North America has been in a "spiritual drift" for the past 150 years and there is a need for a spiritual awakening in our country. I think we will agree that many of our churches throughout America have been "sliding backwards" for at least the past 30 - 50 years when it comes to reaching the people that are not in relationship with Christ. Sometimes we have looked to the convention (state and national) to provide a new program or a "quick fix" for us. All the while, God is calling us - the local church - to simply be His church and be faithful where He has placed us.

What are our options/choices?

I believe there are three basic choices we have as churches:

1. Separation - we can escape into ourselves and "hide" from that which God has placed in our path.

I think you can tell from the "tone" in my writing that I am NOT for such a choice by the local church. We are IN the world and not OF the world, but we certainly can not hide from the realities before us.

2. Assimilation - we can assume our culture and look "just like the world."

Again, there may be a little in my "tone" here as well. Yes, we must be relevant to ouyr culture, but I think there is inherent danger when we look JUST like the culture. There is a natural, marked CONTRAST to the ways of the world when God transforms our lives.

3. Association - we must.............

....work together and pray together
....move from limitations to innovations
....step up to the challenge God has placed before us (no matter what that
is for our local church and not be concerned with the "measurement
stick" used by others)
....move from preservation to penetration of our culture ("go and see")
....become pro-active as opposed to re-active
....start NEW ministries - ministry is seeing a need and meeting it

Oh well, I think from the "tone" here you can see where I am as well. Think with me for a minute - why were Sunday Schools started? They were started to teach children how to read. That says something to us. What is the greatest need in your community? Don't you believe that's what God has placed you there to meet. I am sad to report to you that there are many church leaders I speak with that do not have a clue as to what the greatest need is in their community. Sure, I think we can all agree their real greatest need is Jesus, but there are temporal needs to be met to bring them in to listen to the Gospel (and if you think their greratest need is Jesus, are YOU busy sharing Jesus with your community?).

TRBA is made up of what would be classified as "smaller membership churches." That simply has to do with the numbers that gather weekly for praise and worship in their local assembly. It has NOTHING to do with the calling of God on our individual church. I believe strongly that God has equipped us to do ALL that He has called us to do. We are to be obedient to that call and step out in faith believing God is God and we are His church.

IN ASSOCIATION with one another, the churches of the Tar River Baptist Association have committed to minister to the needs of hurting people in our community. Each of us have a roll to fulfill. All are equally important to the total need of the community being fulfilled. All of us are to be faithful to the call of God. We are working in concert with one another - not in competition. That is a key concept for us to grasp as churches.

I ask that you join me in praying for the member churches of our association. Pray for your church, but also pray for the leadership of your neighboring churches. Pray that God will bless us all as we step out in faithful obedience to His calling for the local church we serve. Just BE READY to be the instrument that God has called YOU to be in His work.

My friend Bud closed his article by saying, "God is always ready for a New Thing, are we ready?" It is my prayer that we will be ready to respond to the Lordship of Christ and the leadership of the Holy Spirit to do that which God has called us to do as His church.

What "NEW THING" is God calling YOU to today? Will you be that faithful servant that yields to the Lordship of Christ and follow Him wherever He leads and whatever He demands?

Lack Of Attendance At Call To Prayer

2009-09-09T14:11:00.004-04:00

(This post is from Dougald's Pastors' Blog)

Several years ago I heard a TV preacher state, "a prayerless church is a powerless church." I concur with that statement!

A few months back I placed a call for spiritual awakening and revival to our member churches of the association. There were few "takers" and I was a bit disappointed. To be honest, I felt like prayer was the ONE thing that could bring us together (and I still do), and it was disappointing to visualize that so few were willing to come together for prayer.

A similar experience was experienced in my life today. As many of you know, I am attending a National Convocation for Associational Missions. In recent years, there have been 2 such meetings--one in 1964 (Gulf Shores), and then a lesser emphasized meeting in 1989. All the "hype" indicated a "mountain top experience" awaits us all, and I NEED that experience!

In the information emails, they continually emphasized our praying for the event and then - when we got here - to gather prior to the main event for the purpose of prayer. The email stated, "for all early arrivers, gather with other ADOMs for a GUIDED time of prayer" and listed the time as beginning at 9 AM and continuing until well after the registration time. Since the prayer time began at 9 AM and I knew people from across the nation would have to fly in the day before to make it - I determined to use Tuesday as a travel day to be refreshed and ready for this experience to take place.

Linda looked at the agenda and determined the prayer time was for the ADOMs and decided not to go to the prayer time. Off I went---eager to be a part of the GUIDED prayer time. As I walked up the mountain to the chapel, I saw no one. The chapel was dark. I entered - there was NOTHING. Please note that I have stated GUIDED several times now in this article--to me, that AT LEAST meant some type of GUIDE to facilitate the prayer time.

I was a bit early, so I waited. 9 AM came, no one present. 9:10 - no one present. With that, the enemy began to tempt me with negative thoughts about the lack of attendance. I decided that the enemy could not have the upper hand in this! I pulled out my Bible and began to read scripture. Then I pulled out a list on how to pray for family that I am preparing - so I prayed for them. I began to look at some notes for my sermon on Sunday, and I began to read through those scripture passages. Little by little I began to realize that Dougald NEEDED that time alone with God. Because DOUGALD was alone on a mountain with God, he was not distracted from some things DOUGALD needed to deal with, etc. etc.

About an hour into my PRIVATE prayer time in a chapel on top of a mountain at Ridgecrest, an Associational Director of Missions from Oklahoma entered the chapel. At first, the enemy almost distracted me again - how dare he intrude in DOUGALD's time alone with God. After all, he was supposed to be here at 9 AM if he wanted to be a part of this. The nerve of coming in and disturbing those that were already there (DOUGALD).

He prayed for about 15 minutes and as he was leaving the chapel, he took note that I was working on my sermon. He came over to introduce himself and share his burden for this event. I shared my immediate feelings about the lack of attendance with him, and then the lesson I felt the Lord was teaching me through this experience. He shared with me that he was in the midst of a prayer walk around Ridgrecrest (HOW DARE DOUGALD HAVE SUCH NEGATIVE THOUGHTS ABOUT SUCH AN INTRUDER) and that he had decided to enter in to pray in the chapel. Then God used him to teach me yet another lesson - he stated, "anywhere one plus God is there is crowd enough." He wished me well and went about his prayerwalk.

I stayed for another 45 minutes or so - reflecting upon the scripture and the conversation. Being silent, and allowing God to speak to me. I left the chapel to head back to the hotel. As I got down the mountain, here came the "man in charge" of the entire event. Going to the chapel to pray. If I had not had the past 2+ hours alone with God, I would have said something like - "about time." Instead, I wished him well. He stated something about heading to the chapel, and I thought to myself - the Holy Spirit prompted me to leave so David could have some quiet time ALONE with God. As I walked back to the hotel, I said a little prayer for David. You know - there has to be a lot of pressure on a man who is calling 1200+ Associations together for prayer and planning to reach our nation for Christ. The BURDEN he must have on his heart. I hear around 500 Associations will show up. I imagine David's hope was for ALL to be in attendance.

My fervent prayer is that David--and myself will NOT be overwhelmed with the enemy's distraction of asking us to see who didn't show up. What my BROTHER from Oklahoma shared with me this morning needs to be the lesson we all learn---WHOEVER shows up PLUS GOD is "crowd enough" to accomplish what God has planned!!!!

Do we still need corporate prayer? You bet we do! Do others miss out when they do not participate? Again, the answer is a definitive YES. BUT -- let us never go to the default emotion the enemy wants us to go back to -- the focus is not on who shows up on the human side. The focus is whoever shows us PLUS GOD. For God is sufficient!!!!

Missing Church

2009-02-22T09:52:00.005-05:00

Today is an unusual day for me. I have been sick for the past several days and am not able to attend church. The Ephesus people will think that I am attending one of the TRBA churches. The other churches will not know the difference - except for the one that I am to attend this afternoon. Nonetheless, I am missing corporate worship and Bible study and it feels pretty strange.

I do not know how people who claim to know the Lord can willfully and habitually choose not to attend church. It feels so strange to be absent from the body. Sure, I have and can do my Bible study apart from my Sunday School class, but I miss the discussion, insights, and input of others in the class. And yes--I can and have watched some TV preachers, but again it is simply not the same.

Many of you have heard me say that the worst part of my job is not being able to attend a "home church" on a regular basis. It is great to visit from church to church and worship with brothers and sisters of the faith in our many churches, but there is something to be said about being an active part of a body of believers in the church you belong to. I can not describe it fully--it is just great!

Let me simply encourage you to be actively engaged in the life and work of your home church. Your spiritual health and vitality is linked to your involvement with the local church.

"What More Can A Body Do?"

2009-01-22T21:44:00.004-05:00

I have to be honest. I am PERPLEXED! As a staff we discussed this issue at length today. No matter how hard we try, it seems that nothing we do helkps the situation. What am I talking about? Well--it's communicating the life and work of the Association to our member churches, pastors, church contacts, and Associational leaders.

I send out a weekly e-zine to pastors detailing events relevant to their work. Liz sends a "Mid-Stream" e-zine to almost 600 people around the 15th of each month to update known events in the life and work of the Association. Toward the end of each month, we e-mail the Currents of the Tar to 600 people and send about 750 out in the mail. Throughout the month we send emails with important information and we keep the website as up-to-date as we can. My grandmother used to have a saying, "What more can a body do?"

This was her way of saying, I have tried all that I can and I simply do not know what else I can do. That's the way we often feel after HOURS of work as staff members. We try to get information out in a timely fashion, but it appears that many do not read anything that we send out and many others fail to read through everything.

Think with me for a minute. Let's say we plan a major Sunday School training event. For MONTHS we have it on the calendar; at every meeting of the Association we publish it and/or speak of it and ask messengers to share with our member churches; we send out email reminders and updates; we place articles in the newsletter and/or inserts as reminders; we spend hundreds of man hours publicizing and bring in quality trainers to assist our member churches. We may or may not have good attendance - and that is irrelevant to the point I am attempting to make. Then--the next morning when we get into the office we check messages or get an email and it reads, "When is the Association going to offer some Sunday School training?"

The truth of the matter is---at least 4 or 5 people in EVERY TRBA church have received information and been asked to share with their church. We need your help in getting the word out. PLEASE help us!

Before I started this blog I checked the last 10 association-wide e-mails that have been sent out by Constant Contact. In not one email that was sent did more than 44% of the recipients open the emails. 56% never opened an email from TRBA.

One of our neighboring Associational Missionaries became so tired of hearing church leaders say that they had not received email and mail about events in his association that he began to send mail through certified mail/receipt returned. That is an expensive proposition when emails are free, but I understand his frustration.

I know we get a lot of junk mail (both hard copy and email), but the information TRBA sends out to you is information that people in your church need to hear about. We are asking you to help.

If you have ideas as to how we can more effectiveky get information to you and others in TRBA so that we can more effectively serve you, please let us know. And again I ask you--please get the information we share with you to your church.

How Can We Cope With Change In Our Lives?

2009-01-15T22:20:00.006-05:00

(Please note: This is a longer version of the article included in the Currents of the Tar for the upcoming issue.)

This entire week has been a super busy week for me (which is really nothing new). I love what God has called me to do, but there are times that is simply places tremendous "busy-ness" in my schedule. Monday morning was back to grindstone! I went by Office Depot to pick up some office supplies we needed; had to be at the Association for a meeting at 10 AM; that meeting was over some time after noon and I had a luncheon appointment; from there it was prep time for the Associational Council meeting that night and then the council meeting. I left the office a little after 10 PM and went home to finally respond to emails and do some work that had to be done before my meetings of Tuesday.

Tuesday I had to run an errand for TRBA as a result of the meeting the night before, so I left the house around 7 AM, did the errand, and went to Cary to a Sunday School meeting. I left there after 3 PM and came by the office and met with a pastor until a little after 6 PM and headed home. In all facets of travel, I was calling several people related to various ministries of the Association and took the time to answer any necessary messages from the office and emails in my mailbox.

Wednesday was a FULL day as well. I had breakfast with 4 pastors; then drove to SEBTS to meet with a 2 church planters and the Church Planting Supervisor from BSC about those and other new work in TRBA. I was invited to lunch with the new Missions Director from the state convention who was meeting with a lot of NC Baptist Leaders in the student center and then set up a meeting I am hosting for NAMB in February with some of the staff at SEBTS and met with a pastor concerning his church needs and set up a time next week to meet with him again to follow-through. I spoke with a student that will "shadow me" as a part of his J-term class in 2 weeks and ran into 2 former TRBA that had come back to NC to work on their DMin before leaving campus. Again - telephone calls monopolized my trips to and from my destinations.

When I got to the office, I again made the necessary phone calls and responded to some emails and prepared for a missions presentation at one of our churches that night. I had dinner with 2 of our pastors and then made the presentation at the church and got home around 9 or so.

Today was to be another full day - but different. No meetings until nightfall were "planned" but then I was scheduled for 3. PTL one was cancelled and I made my final decision as to which I would attend as the meetings were 25 miles apart and I could not "make an appearance" at both.

With all that said - I get to my first point. In the midst of all that has happened, I have spoke with, met with, dined with, worshipped with at least 22 pastors in TRBA this week; 4 former pastors; 1 church planter and 3 potential church planters; 3 or 4 interim pastors; 2 associates; 10 - 15 lay people - and then there are the emails. I consider that a blessing!

A "mainstay" of my life as Associational Missionary is meetings. Associational, with churches, at the Baptist Building, with NAMB as well as other intities, etc. Often times those meetings reflect recommendations for change - especially in the arena of technology and "delivery of product." I was recently in an initial meeting that involved some ideas for change. It was certainly not to be a meeting whereby a final decision was to be made. I guess it would be a "fact finding" meeting and a decision - if necessary - would be made at a much later time. It was one of the most tiring meetings I have ever experienced. People had an "emotional investment" and degree of ownership that makes our practice "comfortable" and the introduction of possible change introduces a level of anxiety that none of us like. With that said though, we have to be careful in such meetings that we not engage in non-christian defenses and accusations. Remember, NO ONE sitting around the table really likes change!

This morning I was reflecting on that meeting and some other things that are on the calendar in upcoming days. Many of the things are new ways/new approaches - or at least not traditional. When the CPA report comes out, there will be changes in the life and work of TRBA as a result I am sure. As I drove to my office, I stopped to pick up a combo for breakfast. Normally I would go to BoJangles (most of you know that), but today I was in a hurry and the drive through there was backed up around the building and no one was at the drive through at McDonalds. McDonalds it would be!

Just as I got to the place where you order, my phone rang. I saw it was from LifeWay in Nashville (I serve on an Advisory Committee with 13 - 15 other Associational Missionaries from around the nation) so I pulled away and answered the phone. The secretary - who is new - needed some additional information from me. The old secretary had always completed the report with my written statements but did not need additional documentation, but this was a "new policy." I chuckled a bit about my resistance to the change she was asking me to do, but told her I would get the information to her by the first of next week.

Afterwards, I got back into line to place my order. I asked for a combo with a large diet coke as opposed to the coffee. The young lady stated my price and I drove to the first window. While pulling up to the second window to get my order, I realized she had given me way too much change so I asked, "what was the price for the combo?" The lady at window 2 went to the lady at window 1; the lady from window 1 came to window 2 with a very defensive posture and stated, "Sir, when you get a drink instead of coffee the price increases and you got a large drink so the price was more." I am certain all of us have had this to happen before.

I stated, "Yes, I understand that. But you gave me a lot more change than you should have and I didn't want your drawer to come up short." As she took the change back, the Lord taught me a lesson and I chuckled a bit. She was so defensive that she wasn't willing - at first - to accept the idea that I was questioning her as to a "neutral" issue. Instead, she had jumped to the conclusion that I was upset with her actions toweard me in the performance of her job. All I was doing was offering her "change." She made the assumption that I was accusing her of something. Isn't that the way we are?

We are often defensive of what we have done that we are ready to be on the defensive before we know the full picture. We make assumptions that are not necessarily true and fail to be open to someone that is only trying to make something right or ascertain if we need to make any changes. Sometimes when we act that way, we hurt people and act unchristian in the process. And - to be honest - it is unnecessary.

If 2007 and 2008 were years of examination and revision, 2009 will be a year of implementation and change. There are still a LOT of things that we will have to address in the operations of TRBA this year. The staff is going to be "learning" and we are going to need your help each step of the way.

None of us like change! We grow comfortable with the way we have done things in the past. However, the truth is - to not be open to change can be a sinful act if we get so defensive that we are not open to God. And to react with assumptions that are unproven and speculation both hurts the chances of success; is hurtful to people involved; and - most importantly - hurts the cause of Christ by our personal witness becoming tarnished. That is especially true when you become so defensive that you make incorrect statements and unfair assumptions to defend your opinion and close out the opinions of others that are just as burdened about the cause being discussed as you are.

Many of my meetings are a little of that and to be honest, they are often paralyzing to me. They cloud my thinking and Satan uses that to distract me from the work God has called me to do for Him. EVENTUALLY, sometimes late that night after a meeting, I realize - God knows the truth; I know the truth; and that was all that really mattered.

Philippians 1 contains the testimony of the Apostle Paul. He was unjustly persecuted; people told outright lies against him; he was imprisoned and awaiting death - but knowing the truth, he praised God and continued to be faithful in his work. Likewise, Peter and the others when they were arrested and "forbidden" to preach the Gospel continued to preach the Gospel with the assertion, "we must obey God rather than man."

Nothing to that level has happened to me, so why do I sometimes allow Satan to experience a victory. All the people at the table were seeking to do the right thing, we just need to be more respectful of one another's opinions and genuinely commit to seek God's Will together.

Like I said - none of us like change. However, with the full implementation of the ByLaws, and Polices and Procedures passed by the Association in it's meetings, there will be changes. Do not assume every change is welcomed by people that are working to implement those changes (I certainly did not like writing a check for $5000 in West Africa because it was interpreted that the expenses were to be "reimbursed," but I did because that was the interpretation/decision made). No one can say that "Well Dougald or Gail has gotten their way with that change" because every recommendation that came before you was by consensus and then your vote. I can assure you, there are aspects that make the staff's life a lot more difficult.

There will be some changes that we know will have to be changed, but there is no reason for people that love the Lord and are striving to work together to accomplish His purpose to make assumptions or become upset with the changes. Instead, we are to be Christ-like in our attitudes and actions, and strive to make the changes necessary to better accomplish His work.

The Truth is - following Christ is all about change! I can not determine to go my way and ignore the path He has chosen for me and experience the joy of walking in His Will. I can not expect that a decision made in 2009 will withstand the test of time and apply in 3009 to accomplish God's purpose for that season. Therefore, I must approach everything with an openness and a willingness to say "not my will but thine be done." To not be willing to pray that prayer is not to be striving to be like Christ.

I remain convinced, "any two people genuinely seeking God can work together." That has been my operating principle as an Associational Missionary from the very beginning, and it remains my guiding principle in the work God has called us to do together. As we implement the changes that have been and will be mandated by your vote as an Association, know that we will be transparent in the process and open to your opinions as we have been in the implementation of the ByLaws and now the policies and procedures. I welcome your input and solicit your prayers as we seek to work together in the important work of strengthening the church to be the church and advancing the cause of Christ throughout the communities of the Tar River Baptist Association.

Pray with me that God will open our eyes to His Will and that we will walk together in His work.

Where Do You Fit In At Christmas?

2008-12-22T22:25:00.003-05:00

This past Sunday I was called upon to preach for one of our pastors who had to go out of town with a family emergency. I readily said yes, though I had planned to attend another church. After all, who couldn't preach a sermon the Sunday before Christmas - or at least fill the time.

I chose the traditional scriptures for my text. Luke 2 and the Matthew account of the Magi. We are all familiar with the story - perhaps too familiar. We have heard it so many times, we just go through it again and it may not speak to us the way that it really ought to.

I talked about the townspeople - preoccupied with self and caught up in the hustle and bustle of activity due to the census - they took no note of what was going on that night. NOT EVEN when the multitude of angels began to sing praises to God and lit up the sky with their glorious light.

I spoke about the shepherds and how the Angel of the Lord had appeared to them and brought them the Good News. How they left EVERYTHING to run to Bethlehem to see if what they had been told was true. they told everyone that would listen of the Good News and the people of the town were awestruck with what they were seeing in and hearing from the shepherds, but they still did not flock to the stable to worship the newborn King.

I spoke about the Magi/Wise Men from the East. They had been busy studying both the skies and the prophets of old and had come to believe that the King of Kings was to be born - so they left all to follow a star that led them first to Jerusalem, where they stopped in the palace (a logical place) and discovered that no one knew anything.

I spoke of Herod. The jealous ruler of the kingdom that was so afraid of a little baby that he ultimately had all under a certain age killed - thinking he could stop God. He called in the Chief Priests, who - like the Wise Men - studied the prophets almost daily. they reported to Herod and the Magi that the prophets foretold that the Messiah would be born in Bethlehem.

As I prepared for that sermon, it struck me! Common courtesy and protocol should have been extended to the Magi. These learned men from the East should have been guided to Bethlehem by the learned men from Jerusalem. The scripture records that the learned men from Jerusalem did NOTHING to change their agenda - they went back while the Magi went own and worshipped the new born King and gave Him fine gifts.

It is my prayer that more of us will be like the Wise Men and the shepherds. Praising God as we go - even back to work. And giving Him our finest gifts - our very lives - as genuine worship.

Though that is my prayer, it is my fear that most who profess faith in Christ will actually be more like the townspeople, Herod, or the Chief Priests - too preoccupied with self, our own agendas, etc. to come unto Him, worship Him, and experience the joy and fulfillment that ONLY Christ can bring into our lives.

When I Was A Child

2008-11-16T16:40:00.002-05:00

The Bible teaches that we can expect children to act and think like children. However, as we grow up in Christ, we are to behave as more mature believers; follow Christ more each day; and, stop yielding to the wind that blows one direction today and another tomorrow. Let me ask you a question, if Paul were to write you (or your church) a letter today would he say that "when you ought to be eating meat, you still have need of milk?" In other words, are we growing in our relationship with the Lord?

If you look at statistics, it appears that we are - at best - stagnate in our growth. We are not reaching the lost - not even our own children and grandchildren. When we do win someone to the Lord, we fail to walk alongside them in their spiritual growth (discipleship) and many "drop out/" Even in churches that are leading in baptisms, the back door is appear to be open as there appears to be no increase in the life and work of the church.

I could go on and on, but I think you get my point. We - as a church - seem to have little (if any) impact on the world around us. And - we seem to be OK with it because reaching the lost and discipling the saved appears to be low priority for most churches. Certainly, it is low priority for individual believers.

Now--I know at first read those could be "fighting words." But honestly answer these questions:

1. At your church's last business meeting, was outreach to your community discussed?
2. Does your church have an active and accountable outreach ministry to the community?
3. What was the last discipleship class that you personally took? What did you do personally as a result of that class?
4. When was the last time there was a baptism in your church of an adult?
5. When was the last time you shared the Gospel with a lost person?
6. Are you more likely to be at a revival service or a civic meeting if they are on the same night?
7. If your church has cottage prayer meetings in preparation for revival, do you attend?
8. When was the last time you went to the altar and prayed for the life and work of your church?

Pray with me about the church of North America---the church of North Carolina -- the church of Tar River. There is a field that is "white unto harvest." but most assuredly, "the laborers are few." If we are going to reach our communities for Christ, then you and I MUST change our priorities and place God and His caqll upon our lives first and foremost!

A Brief Word Of Thanks

2008-10-30T11:03:00.002-04:00

Just a quick post to say THANK YOU to our member churches for a good Fall Meeting! The facilities at Peachtree were beautiful; the hospitality of the church was great; the food was out of this world; the fellowship was sweet; the spirit of continued cooperation was evident in the business sessions, and the worship experience was awesome. I told someone that I had never been in such a "spiritual business meeting" before. Usually, our Spring Meeting with the special music and annual sermon is our time of celebration and worship, so I am really looking forward to that meeting at White Level if it will be more worshipful!

I am so grateful that the policy and procedures are "behind" us. Over the past 2 years we have worked tirelessly to address the changes that were in our ByLaws. We did not think we would have them done in time for the October meeting, but I am so grateful the Personnel Committee was able to deal with all of them and that you approved them as an Association. Now, we can get busy with the full implementation and I think the life and work of your Association will benefit as a result.

The stage was also set at the Fall Meeting for some changes to come in our CFM Ministry in the future. I am grateful to Chris Carroll and Steven Wade for bringing the proposal forward. I am also grateful to the exisiting CFM Ministry Team in their willingness to embrace the concept. Over the next year, you can expect to hear more and more about some of these changes that will expand our ministry and perhaps include more churches in this effort to effectively minister to the needs of hurting people in our communities.

Again, THANK YOU for an excellent meeting. Know that you are in my prayers. I am here for you if there is ever a need!

Niger, West Africa

2008-09-23T19:10:00.003-04:00

Yesterday I received an email from the Islamic Assistant Coach of the team we played while in Niger. On the last night of our trip, he and the head coach had come to tell us goodbye and thank us for our efforts in working with them over the past few days. The head coach is a believer. The assistant coach was, as stated, Muslim, and was participating in the fasting of Ramadan.

But please get the picture -- he had traveled to tell a group of 5 Baptist Men goodbye in a Christian setting. Throughout the week, he and I had developed a strong relationship. We discussed his beliefs. We discussed my beliefs. We shared a great deal. I was privileged to present the Gospel message to a group of young girls as he sat and listened - so, I KNOW he heard.

As we walked hand-in-hand through the compound that night so they could connect with a taxi, we continued to talk of our faith. The time of fasting had ended and we had shared a coke and a piece of Zuchinni bread (the night before, we had shared Niger ice cream before we caught our taxi). When we got to the main road and the taxi came, we stopped; he hugged and kissed me; I hugged and kissed him; and I said, "Listen to Coach S********." He said, "I will." I said back to him, "I'm not just talking about ******(the sport they coached), I'm talking about what he has to say about Jesus." He said, "I know and I will." I kissed him again, and he left.

Yes, you heard me right. A black man and a white man/a Christian and a Muslim/walked together down the streets of a city and in the compound, hand-in-hand and kissed one another good-bye. When I received his email, I REJOICED!!!! It meant that God was giving me more opportunity to share the Good News with him. I am convinced, the seeds planted will produce fruit/that there will be a harvest.

I have shared more about our trip in the newlsetter this month and will share more later as well. Suffice it to say, God is not through with TRBA in Niger. Every report from our local missionaries is reporting back results from the seeds planted. TO GOD BE THE GLORY!

Project Father's Day

2008-03-27T10:08:00.002-04:00

As I read through my mail this morning I noticed a brochure. Normally, I would have just trashed the advertisement. It was a brochure promoting "PROJECT FATHER'S DAY". If you have never seen one, your pastor gets such cards regularly promoting some emphasis for Mother's Day, Father's Day, Race Relations Sunday, etc. There is no way we can keep up with all the promo materials we receive.

You will note that I said, "I NOTICED a brochure...." The "headlines" for the promotion were compelling. Sure - it is advertising a Father's Day promotion in the local church (you can go to www.maninthemirror.org and get the details). And yes - I am facilitating a men's group at my church right now with one of the books they are highlighting. And truly it is a way to "Reach every husband, father, and son in your church this Father's Day for about $1 each," BUT the words leaped from the page to my heart strings and I felt compelled to both pray over these facts in our member churches and to write this blog asking you to pray with me. If the men of our churches experienced the transforming power accessible to them through the Holy Spirit as a result of our fervent prayer, there would be "revival in our land."

What was the compelling information that was shared in this brochure? Please read it with an awareness in our churches and throughout our communties:

For EVERY 10 MEN in YOUR church.......

10 are STRUGGLING to balance work and family,
9 WILL HAVE children who leave the church,
5 will have a SERIOUS problem with pornography,
4 WILL GET divorced, and
ONLY 1 has a biblical worldview.

These facts are alarming!!!! With Christ as Savior and Lord - our lives are empowered through the Holy Spirit to be "more than conquerors." Yet - only 1 of 10 in our churches would even think in that frame. Serious problems exist within our curched families (hear me -- CHURCHED families) that are tearing families apart and lending itself toward an ever increasing divorce rate. 50% of our men have a SERIOUS problem with pornography (and this includes laity and clergy) that both reflects dissatisfaction and problems in their life and contributes to an abundance of other problems that exist within our homes and churches (and society as a whole). Our daily struggles to balance the demands of life rip into our marriage relationships; our relationships with our children; affect morale and productivity in the work place; other interpersonal relationships, etc. etc.

I am not writing this to encourage you to participate in
"PROJECT FATHER'S DAY. However, I am writing you to encourage you to join me in praying for this situation. I am also asking that you commit with me to be men and women of faith; striving to live in accordance with a Biblical worldview; and striving to balance our lives by seeking FIRST and FOREMOST -- above EVERYTHING else - His righteousness.

Personally devote MORE TIME to "being still" and LISTENING to God in the midst of your day. Corporately - lead your church to face the realities before them and sure them up to be beacons of hope in the midst of chaos, turmoil, and despair. Pray WITHOUT CEASING -- but understand the prayers of a "righteous man" (or woman) "availeth much." So -- we begin with OURSELVES and not the church in total. Just some thoughts to consider as you prepare for a season where many churches emphasize the family - that time between Mothers' Day and Fathers' Day.

New Life In Christ

2008-03-24T20:18:00.002-04:00

Easter and Spring - both serve as reminders of new life in Christ! Certainly, Easter itself reminds us of the sacrifice made on our behalf by Jesus Christ and the VICTORY over death, hell, and the grave if we know Him as personal Savior. This season of the year should be a time of renewal and commitment by each of us.

In the busy-ness of life, it is my prayer that we will tke the time to BE STILL and KNOW Christ.

The Future Of Associations

2008-01-10T22:44:00.000-05:00

I have served as Associational Missionary with Tar River Association since November 2000. I remain excited about the work God has called me to do and in 2008, pledge myself anew to the work of strengthening the church.

This week I was privileged to attend the annual summit of the Network of Baptist Associations (NOBA). I am excited about this organization as it shares my vision/passion for strengthening the local church. Each year we gather to offer training and resources with one another. As the name implies - we NETWORK. To work with such men that are willing to share their expertise/life's work to help churches all accross North America. I am grateful to God for such an organization.

Last year I was prvileged to serve on the National Leadership Team (NLT) for NOBA. That mostly helped me! The other 15 men responded to every question I asked and shared resources very helpful to the life and work of the association with me. I obtained much help from them in developing our By-laws, and now policy and procedure manual. I can see much more to help the association as this organization grows.

The organization has now grown to over 300 members (our goal for 2007 was 200). We expect more growth this year. LifeWay, the IMB, and now NAMB have become a part of what we are doing - to varied degrees. Over the next 3 - 4 years, a third of the Associational Missionaries across the nation will retire. I expect much from NOBA to assist these new DOMs.

This year I am privileged to serve NOBA - and thus remain obedient to God's call to strengthen the church in my role as an Associational Missionary. This year, I will continue to serve on the Resource Team (I am excited about that as DOMs around the nation sending me the best of their resources to upload on our website). I have also been asked to serve as the liason to LifeWay for NOBA and I am excited about that as well.

Please pray for me as I strive to be obedient to the call of God to strengthen the local church. Know that I am praying for you daily and expcect to see God do great things through His church in 2008.

THANK YOU for an EXCELLENT Meeting

2007-11-14T20:57:00.000-05:00

It has been a while since I wrote in the blog. It is more difficult to keep current with such things and do everything else that one is called upon to do in ministry. I can not see how many guys can devote so much time to "blogging." I do hope to write more consistently so I can share with you my heart, but it is difficult.

For now I want to say THANK YOU to all those that made our annual fall meeting such a success. I tried to express my gratitude on the night of the meeting and have done so to many individually as well, but I am so grateful to the members and member churches of the Tar River Association as it is a blessing to serve such a wonderful group of people.

I will write more later, but for now--please accept my heartfelt gratitude for such a good meeting. Please pray for us in the days ahead as we will be getting a LOT of information to you as members in TRBA churches. Pray for all those that will be working diligently to prepare the policy and procedure manual that the new By-laws require.

God Bless!

Encouragement For Missionaries

2007-09-27T23:11:00.000-04:00

Once again I want to share with you a post from my son's blog. It is entitled "Reflections on Central Asia 4 - Holding The Ropes."It says something that I wish to say and I pray that we - as church leaders - will see and sense the same need. I do encourage you to click onto his blog once and a while - it does provoke some thought. Here is the link -- Meditations On The Law.

Here is his posting:

"There is nothing like visiting friends that you haven’t seen in a long while. That is just what we were able to do while on our trip to Central Asia. A few years ago we sent out a couple from our church to serve in Central Asia. Now, for the first time, someone from our church was there to see them.

It was only for a day, but it was delightful. We got to see them, their new baby, and talk about how we might work with them in the future. The truth is, we won’t be able to do much. The country has tight restrictions and if we were to take a team to work with them, it would put a big target on their back. They would be kicked out soon after we left.

But, with that aside, I learned a lot from the short time we had with them. First, they desperately need encouragement from home. Don’t get me wrong, they’re excited to be where they are, but their spirits pick up when they know that people are praying for them back home. Especially when some of those people get to see them face to face.

This, of course, brings me to my point. I can’t really reflect much publicly on the time we spent with them. But, I can encourage your church to get involved in the lives of some of the missionaries that your church has sent out (notice the expectation for your church to be sending out). And, to the missionaries, I encourage you to reach out to your churches back home (notice the expectation for you to have a church back home). It is a two way street. Send teams to your missionaries, even if it is just to take care of the kids. Send them care packages, pray for them, email them, skype with them. Whatever you can do to let them know that their church is behind them—do it. It will mean the world to them and it will give them boldness and energy for the sake of the kingdom. In essence, that encouragement is kingdom building work.

Then, after you’ve encouraged your missionaries, encourage your church as well…"

On my recent mission trip to a "closed country," I also experienced the same buren as my son was talking about above. I do so appreciate those that sacrifice so much and carry their families to such places. Not just the sacrifices that put some in harm's way - but just the sacrifices they make in such extreme conditions when they could be here and have the freedom to serve God in some degree of comfort. The young couple I worked with, I can not tell you their names - but I am praying for them daily. The young couple he is talking about, I know and love dearly. In his church, they pray for "Ruth and Boaz." They can not call them by name. Nor can they tell the specifics of their work. I rejoice for that couple - for our God knows their names and knows the sacrifices when we just lamely lift them up in our prayers.

Let me encourage you to personally do - and lead your church to do - what my son asked:

(1) PRAY for them - and let them know you are doing that!
(2) Find some way to visit your "friends." A card--letter---email of encouragement (being very careful not to be too specific)--- if you send an email say something like---"I was talking to father about you tonight and all of our brothers and sisters have been talking with him about you. It brings us such joy to remember you every day. Every time we gather, we think of you and wish you the very best."
(3) You don't have to say all the above - just send a card that says we love you.
(4) Truly think about sending a small group to visit them and encourage them - maybe help them around the house/with children/carry them some supplies from back home
(5) And yes - encourage your church to be missionaries in their mission field daily as well!

I like his assumption that you - as a church - are sending out missionaries. If we would think that way about our churches, we could greatly impact our world!

Macs and Christianity

2007-09-13T21:56:00.000-04:00

Recently I read a post on my son's blog -- his blogsite is meditationsonthelaw.wordpress.com. I thought it was pretty good and that I would share it with you - I think he hits the "nail on the head." We - as people who say we are burdened for those around us simply do very little to demonstrate that we really care. I think he writes pretty well--of course, I am his father.

"I have recently decided to join the throng in buying a Mac computer. I have been greatly impressed with what people have told me about the Mac and what I’ve seen the Mac do. Another thing that really impressed me was the customer service I received when I visited the Mac store two nights ago.

The girl that helped me talked with me for well over thirty minutes. She didn’t push the most expensive product down my throat. She didn’t try to convince me to buy accessories I didn’t need. The store was packed with people, yet she didn’t try and rush me at all. She wasn’t sure if she would make the sale (she didn’t), but she gave me her full attention. One thing that really impressed me was that she asked me a lot about my job, schooling and what exactly I was studying. She was trying to help me get the best computer for what I needed.

I know she’s trained to do this, but it was a refreshing experience. I do plan on looking for her when I do buy a Mac (hopefully later this week). But, the thing is when I walked out of the Apple Store I wondered, “Do we Christians invest even thirty minutes into someone’s life? Do we do it with such attention and care as she did?” It was just a thought that crossed my mind and challenged me. What do you think?"

As Baptists we are "trained to" do this - share Christ with those that are lost and minister in His name to the people around us in need. YET- unlike the young lady trying to sell him a new computer, we still do not take the time to "close the sell." When was the last time you took 30 minutes to get to know the people around you and offer them the hope for their lives that only Christ can bring? Perhaps we need to take a trip to the closest computer store for some motivation.

ANY Two People SEEKING God Can Work Together

2007-06-29T13:25:00.001-04:00

In a sermon preached at Ridgecrest immediately before I became a Director of Missions I heard Jimmy Draper state "Any two people genuinely seeking God can work together." His words were spoken as he preached on "The Single Priority of Christ," using the testimony of the Apostle Paul from Philippians 1: 21 (and associated verses). I took note of those words and have used it as a guide in my work as a Director of Missions/Associational Missionary.

It burdens me that we (as believers) debate and argue on so many issues and harbor such ill will toward one another as a result of past hurts. While we read and respond to this post, hundreds of people will leave this world to eternity - most without Christ. As those committed to being Great Commission/Great Commandment people (and in our positions leading countless others in that same effort), it appears to me that we should make extra effort to work together for the cause of Christ.

I believe God's Word teaches that the world will know we belong to Him by the way that we "love one another." I believe God's Word teaches that we are to do all that we can to "preserve the unity" of God's church. I believe that God's Word teaches that we are to work together as a body of believers to reach a lost world for Christ.

Draper stated that the Apostle Paul was able to state Philippians 1: 21 because he had learned to live by the SINGULAR priority of Christ. The world encourages us to "get our priorities in order." For most of my life I have shared that philosophy. Today I would tell you that I missed the mark when I proclaimed that philosophy. I should have preached prioritY and not prioriTIES. In Matthew 6: 33 Jesus taught us to "seek first His kingdom and His righteousness" and declared that all these "things" shall be added as well. I am called of God to be like Him, therefore that should be my message as well. I must stop putting "things" ahead of Christ.

When I state my opinion on issues of importance - they are my opinions and not God's Word. When I work diligently to advance my agenda - I must work hard to insure that my agenda is in tune with God's Will for His Kingdom. When I look to my "friends" or my "enemies" and am swayed one way or the other by their comments, I must look to God's Word and meditate upon it to insure that I am not being swayed by just any "wind of doctrine" that comes my way. That's why Draper's comments hit home that day - am I genuinely seeking God for the advancement of His kingdom or am I continually ignoring God's Word and His Call upon my life for the purpose of building my kingdom?

I commend Dr. Frank Page and those who planned our SBC this year for their efforts to call us to prayer. I believe God is calling His church to repent/turn from our wicked ways and genuinely seek Him. If and when we genuinely seek God together, we will begin to genuinely reflect who He is in the way we live our lives/conduct ourselves. That's what the world around us needs to see in us - a reflection of the Living Christ that offers to those in despair the help, hope, fulfillment, deliverance, and salvation that only Christ can bring into their lives. If we are not careful we turn people away and they remain eternally lost while we are engaged in debate over that which is important to us but may not be quite as important to God.

God is inviting us to join Him in His work - to become engaged in evangelism - sharing His message so that people will hear and come unto Him; to become engaged in discipleship - walking alongside new believers and helping them in their daily walk with the Lord and being there for them when they stumble; to become engaged in fellowship - which is far more than our potluck dinners on any given day of the week in Baptist life; to become engaged in ministry - caring for the needs of one another as part of the body and caring for the needs of our neighbors as Christ would have us to be caring for the needs of our neighbors (His definition not ours); and engaged in genuine worship of the one true God - not just playing church like little children or "going through the motions" of doing church.

The question before us is "will we join Him in His Work" and will be commit to genuinely seeking God together so that we can work together to accomplish His purpose? The QBQ (Question Behind The Question) is - are we willing to lay down ourselves for the cause of Christ, pick up His Cross, and FOLLOW Him? I remain convinced - "any two people, genuinely seeking God can work together."

Reflections On San Antonio

2007-06-21T21:27:00.001-04:00

I have not yet formulated a final analysis of the SBC meeting in San Antonio. As I reflect, it was far more for me personally than just the business of the SBC. In fact, that was the lesser emphasis.

Yes - I was there to celebrate the 300th Anniversary of Associational work in North America. As I think about the potential we have in our work together, I realize that the harvest field is truly white unto harvest and we have not yet come close to our potential for kingdom causes. I pray we will truly commit to the work TOGETHER that is before us.

I am so grateful to the National WMU. For the first time in history, one national group delayed their meeting's beginning to celebrate with another national group (SBCaDOM Conference). As we gathered at FBC San Antonio for worship and celebration on Sunday afternoon, WMU were with us. As WMU closed their meeting on Monday night, SBCaDOM was represented. Thank you WMU for ALL you do to promote missions - including associational missions!

I am also grateful to Frank Page, our SBC President, for his efforts to point the convention toward the need for revival and renewal and the increased emphasis on prayer and calling us to prayer. Sure - there are those with hidden (and not so hidden) agendas. But he (and others in leadership of the proceedings) kept before us 2 Chronicles 7:14. The healing our nation needs will come as we - God's people - genuinely seek God. There is famine in the land - people are hungering for that which only Christ can provide - if God's people will commit to being God's people, there can be revival in the land.

Once I have time to reflect more, I will post additional thoughts on the covention (maybe). At this point, I am asking you to commit to praying with me daily that we - as Tar River Baptist Association - will COMMIT to working together for the cause of Christ- genuinely seeking Him together so that those around us may come to the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ as a result of our work and witness.

I remain convinced that "any two people genuinely seeking God can work together." Pray with me that we will be God's People - salt and light to a lost world in the shadow of our steeples.

Feel free to post your prayers in connection with this post.

God Bless!
Dougald

Associational Emphasis Week Packet

2007-04-11T03:55:00.000-04:00

Associational Emphasis Week is May 21 – 27, 2007. This year’s theme is “The Baptist Association...Then and Now.” We are celebrating the work of the local associations throughout the years in North America. This year, 2007 marks 300 years of service by associations in North America. Long before state conventions and the national convention were in place, the local association was working with churches of all sizes to more effectively advance the cause of Christ in our communities.

From its beginning in 1707 in Philadelphia to the present day, the Baptist Association has played a key role in the missional efforts of Southern Baptist churches. We have more effectively advanced the kingdom through our working together as Baptist Churches. Naturally, over the past 300 years the Baptist Association has gone through numerous changes. However, the Baptist Association has always been, remains today, and will always be a strong mission partner with churches seeking to make a Kingdom impact in their world.

Today as in 1707, your local Baptist Association is positioned in one of the most strategic and crucial places to resource churches that are focused on their mission and seeking to carry out their unique God-given vision in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and to the uttermost parts of the Earth. Tar River Baptist Association is in a unique position to reaffirm the primacy of the church and to assist your church as it shares the life changing Good News of Jesus Christ.

Every church should have received a packet detailing the emphasis for this year's Associational Emphasis Week (given out at various meetings to pastors and other church leaders). In this packet, you will find information highlighting the theme for the 2007 Associational Emphasis Week. There are Bulletin Inserts that draw attention to the historical pilgrimage of the association, clip-art for use in communicating the theme, and a “Week of Prayer For The Tar River Baptist Association Prayer Guide.”

In addition to the information stressing the Associational Missions Emphasis for 2007, I also included information about the Event Trailer available to our member churches through our partnership with the North Central Region and the Baptist State Convention of North Carolina. I encourage you to use this valuable resource in outreach efforts to your community. Weekends are busy times to use the event trailer so I encourage you to consider Wednesdays and weekdays as possibilities during the summer.

Please know that you are continually in my prayers. The staff of the Tar River Baptist Association stands ready to assist you in any way that we can. If we can be of assistance to you, please call on us! I am convinced the local Baptist Association has great things to offer you as you seek to become the church God has called you to be in your community and around the world. Go to the association’s website to see all that is available to you. Our website is www.tarriverba.com.

If you did not receive the packet, most of the materials can be downloaded from the Tar River website and used in your chuch.

Let’s work together to change Our World!
Dougald W. McLaurin, Jr.
Your Associational Missionary

New Partnerships in Tar River Association

2007-02-13T20:50:00.000-05:00

Long time - no post. Will not promise a lot of posts as life is BUSY and "blogging" is not my top priority.

There are 4 partnerships in Tar River I want to highlight and get before all the people.

First, I want to partner with YOU. Like Time Magazin'e person of the year, TRBA depends on YOU to coimmunicate the life and work of the association to our member churches. Therefore, we want to strengthen our partnership with YOU. To that end, we are developing an e-zine service to announce a lot of what is going on in Tar River Association. Click on to our web page and begin to get updates periodically about all that is happening in your association.

Second, our OPERATION LIFEBOX partnership is with YOU and LifeWay - as well as other associations around the nation. Check out the information about this on our web site as well. Lead your church to participate in this worthwhile ministry.

The third partnership is with LifeWay in Rocky Mount and YOU. If you are planning to use VBS curriculum from LifeWay, you can purchase from LifeWay in Rocky Mount and they will make a percentage contribution to our Partnership Missions.

That leads me to the final partnership I want to highlight - PARTNERSHIP MISSIONS. This summer, TRBA will lead 2 teams - one to Vermont and a second to East Asia. Details will be on the web site and shared with YOU in a meeting on 2/27 at TRBA Center.

I hope you see how important YOU are to the life and work of the Tar River Baptist Association. Thank YOU for your partnership with us.

Associations In America Celebrate 300 Years

2007-01-10T15:51:00.000-05:00

In 2007 Baptist Associaitons celebrate 300 year in America. When something lasts for such a long time, it must have some value. Well, it is my belief that Baptist Associations hold great value. LONG before a national convention existed, local churches saw the value to concentrate on that which they held in common and to work together in obedience to Christ. I celebrate the life and work of the associations of the past.

I continue to see value in local churches working together in and through their local Baptist Associations. There is added strength as we commit to work together in the monumental task that stands before us in the local arena. Yes - we, as Baptists, have always been pretty diverse. And yes - there are times we struggle through some of those differences. But in the local association, the family of God that worships in our Baptist Churches find ways to continue to work together to advance the Kingdom.

For an association to accomplish the task before us, we must renew our commitment to work together. There is a tremendous harvest field before us locally - the Baptist Churches of our communities need to work together to reach the Lost; disciple those that believe; and minister to the needs of hurting people in Jesus' Name.

It is my prayer that - as we celebrate our 300th birthday, we will renew our commitment to continue to work in association with one another to both reach our local mission field for Christ and equip our local churches to reach our world for Christ. I look forward to the years ahead as an Associational Missionary. These are EXCITING times to serve our Lord.

This year I am privileged to represent North Carolina on the National Leadership Team of the Network of Baptist Associations. This is a national group of Associational Missionaries that work to better equip themselves to serve as associational missionaries. We are a diverse group. We all serve differently in the work God has called us to do. Some are like me - 50+ churches with a total membership of 10,000+ and some have 500+ churches with well over a million members. But we are committed to work TOGETHER to advance the cause of Christ through the local church.

Pray with me that TRBA will be all that God is calling us to be together. Pray with me that there will be a new and fresh commitment amongst His people to the cause of Christ in our communities and the command of Christ to His Church.

Christ is the glue that holds us together! It is a JOY to be bound to Him that holds us secure in his hand as we commit to serving Him together in the work that is before us.

New Year's Resolution

2007-01-01T19:22:00.000-05:00

A friend sent this as a verse to guide for 2007. Thought I would share it with you. Take some time to meditate upon it word by word/phrase by phrase:

"Trust in the Lord with all thine heart and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge Him and He will direct thy paths." Proverbs 3:5

- TRUST in the Lord
- Trust in the LORD
- With ALL thine heart
- And lean NOT unto thine own understanding
- In ALL thy ways ACKNOWLEDGE Him
- HE WILL DIRECT THY PATHS

Yesterday I used an illustration in a sermon from an old song that I think also applies. The song, "Day By Day."

The words are simple -- "Oh Dear Lord, THREE things I pray. SEE thee more clearly----LOVE thee more dearly----FOLLOW thee more nearly." What a good New Year's Resolve----

It is my prayer that God's people will indeed SEE more clearly by spending time with God and in His Word; that we will be obedient to the command to Love God with all our hearts (and our neighbors as ourselves); and that we will strive to be "imitators of God" as commanded in Romans and be obedient to Christ when He said, "Follow me and I will make you fishers of men."

If we will see more clearly--love more dearly---follow more nealry, there will be revival in the land for there would be a renewed church that is alive,vibrant, growing, and energized to BE the church that God has called us to be to this generation.

An Appeal To Participate In Guidestone Retirement

2006-12-02T21:18:00.000-05:00

I have been “off line” for a couple of weeks. Decided I would send out one more writing for BOTH blogs. After that, I will divide efforts to the one related to general association and the other to pastor helps. if you have specific areas, you would like me to cover, please contact me and I will attempt to respond ASAP.

What I want to share with you are the benefits of pastors and church staff participating in Guidestone’s retirement. Due to a “partnership” with BSCNC, ANY contribution in the name of a qualified, W-2 staff member has benefits that no church can afford to be without. In reality, it is both a PROTECTION for the pastor/staff member AND for the church.

A contribution in ANY amount in the name of the pastor/staff member on a MONTHLY basis generates the following benefits:

1. A Disability benefit of $500 per month in addition to any other disability coverage the pastor/staff member might have.
2. A survivor benefit – based on age – of between $100,000 for the younger guys and $10,000 for those over 70 (and yes – interims can and should participate).
3. If the pastor/staff member is able to contribute over $52.50 per month, BSCNC will contribute $1.00 for every $2.00 up to the staff member’s monthly contribution of $105.00. Effectively, this is a 17% annual earning on all contributions for the year – and you cannot get that anywhere else! In addition, both the contributions and then the withdrawals can be tax exempt.

If your church is not contributing for your pastor and staff, they could be at risk. The death of a staff member in service at the time of his/her death is devastating. The church may take up love offerings to assist, but they most likely cannot raise $100K. How much help the church can be by insuring the pastor/staff participates monthly in the Guidestone Retirement System.

Despite all my sharing of this information, fewer than 35 TRBA churches are enrolled in Guidestone. Please prayerfully consider protecting your pastor, staff, their families, and the church by contributing to their retirement in Guidestone.

I will be happy to talk with you further if you have questions/concerns. May God truly bless you as you seek to be the church God has called you to be.

In His Service,
Dougald

What Is BETTER Than Knowing Christ As Savior?

2006-11-18T20:50:00.000-05:00

Well, you and I know the answer -- there is NOTHING better than knowing Christ as personal savior. However, there is a discovery I made recently that has been a major revelation to me. It is such an important message to share that I have determined to place the information on both my blog sites. It is the fact that I can be a part of sharing the Good News of the Lord Jesus Christ to a lost world until Christ Himself returns to this earth!

I have discovered that I can leave my entire “estate” to ministry causes and to my children as well. I do not really know how it works, but I can point you to someone that can explain it to you far better than me. Linda and I have determined this is how we can support missions and ministry long after we are gone. In fact, perhaps even give far more to the work after we are gone than we are able to while we are on this earth.

Let me share from my limited perspective. Let’s say we have $100,000 to leave our children. I love my children dearly and they are wonderful human beings, but the past is the best predictor of the future. One of my children will have whatever is left spent in short order. The other will give it to help others and have nothing to sustain himself. We have determined the action of leaving our “estate” to a ministry will not hurt them at all.

As it works, over a period of 20 years they will receive back $140,000 (if we set it up for 15 years, it would be $105,000). At the end of the 20 years, the principal will still be there to assist in the ministry – until Jesus comes! That is the beauty of this—for all times, Linda and I can be supportive of the ministries that are important to us!

I know there are others that can set this up for you, but Linda and I have chosen to work through the Baptist Foundation of North Carolina. They will help us set up the particulars as to how we can support three ministries through the Tar River Baptist Association in the years to come. Tom Denton is our area representative for the Baptist Foundation. He would be happy to talk with you personally or come and share with your entire church. What a wonderful way to express your gratitude to the Lord. It is also a way to express your heartfelt desire that all may come to know Him as their savior. Tom can be reached at ncbf@always-online.com.

I just wanted to share with you how you can support the cause of Christ – both in the here and now, and for all eternity.

Yours in and through Christ,
Dougald

How To Pray For Your Pastor

2006-11-07T08:16:00.000-05:00

When I was a local church pastor, I was sometimes asked by a church member how they could lift me up in prayer. First, let me state how encouraging those words are to hear as a pastor! Second, let me admit I often missed the mark by asking for the more “personal and practical” as opposed to looking at the full picture of my calling and responsibility as a pastor.

Perhaps the best answer to that question was given by the Apostle Paul in Ephesians 6: 19, “and for me, that utterance may be given to me, that I may open my mouth boldly to make known the mystery of the gospel.” This verse tells the people of every church that they should pray that their pastor have:

Freedom in the delivery of the Word of God: “That utterance may be given to me…” Freedom in the delivery of the sermon is vital in communicating effectively the full Gospel message. Church members should pray that their pastor have that freedom in delivery of the Word.

Fearlessness in the defense of the Word of God: “That I May open my mouth boldly….” Unfortunately, there are pressures both within and outside the church culture upon your pastor to “back off” certain topics deemed controversial or confrontational. The reality is, true preaching of the Gospel IS confrontational to the accepted practices of the world. Pastors must be fearless to deliver the full message to defend the Word of God in a world that is contrary to the Word of God. Church members should pray for their pastors as they defend the Word of God.

Faithfulness to the doctrines of the Word of God: ”To make known the mystery of the Gospel….” This is a sacred commitment and the pastor must be faithful in making known those mysteries to the people. Pray for your pastor that he will be faithful.

The above three come from Ephesians 6: 19. Let me add one additional element of prayer for your pastor that hinges on recent (yet ongoing) events – pray that your pastor will be a faithful witness for the Living Lord Jesus Christ.

Your pastor is human. He faces the same struggles and temptations as all others. There is an attack on him in the position he serves. If the pastor is not faithful in his witness and falls, then he will impact the cause of Christ for the next generation. Pray for your pastor, that he will remain faithful and true as an effective witness for our Lord.

Please note that this is NOT an exhaustive list of items to use in praying for your pastor. Perhaps the most helpful thing you can do today is to let your pastor know you ARE PRAYING FOR HIM TODAY.

Current Trends In Baptisms

2006-10-31T20:24:00.000-05:00

On the NAMB web site, Ed Stetzer has a current article on DISTURBING TRENDS IN BAPTISMS. We Southern Baptists are always talking about baptisms – how to have more, who should be baptized, where baptisms should take place, as well as other issues. Stetzer points out that despite all our talk, we have fewer and fewer baptisms.

In the latest information, EVERY baptism category but one decreased. The category that increased – Preschoolers - under the age 5. We do not need to debate the issue, but to see that there are fewer baptisms in persons over 5 in our Southern Baptist Churches should disturb us. It should motivate us to stop talking and become PERSONALLY involved in evangelism.

Some other statistics of note: 11,740 of our churches 0-1 baptisms (up 5.6% in 2004), more than 55% of our churches reported NO YOUTH BAPTISMS (12 – 17 year olds) (again, up 3% from the previous year), and the number of our churches that baptized more than 10 persons did decrease from 2004. Another alarming thought – fewer than 40% of our baptisms come from the unchurched (which is growing every year).

We talk and talk. Bobby Welch says “we’re just rearranging furniture” and “we’re not reaching the pagan pool.” The fact of the matter is, few of our churches are reaching outside themselves to be the Great Commission Church that God has called us to be in the world in which we live. What are we going to do about it?

Though these statistics may seem old, I think they are good for us to review. According to a study of adults baptized in 1993 (if anyone has a morer recent study, please let me know):

∆ nearly 20 percent of SBC baptisms came from those who were already baptized by immersion in an SBC church
∆ another 40 percent came from people who had been sprinkled at an earlier time, mostly as children.
∆ only 40 percent of people baptized in the year of our study considered their baptism to be a result of conversion.

Perhaps we are just rearranging the furniture.

In the near future, I will review the ACPs the member churches of the Tar River Baptist Association turned in for 2006-2006. I am pretty confident we will mirror what is happening on the national scale. Will we continue to talk, or will we commit ourselves to the tremendous task before us and reach outside our church walls to those that are lost all around us?

Stetzer writes, “We can bemoan declining baptisms for another year or we can ask ourselves several hard questions. Why do some churches reach people and others do not? What can we learn from them? What passion have we lost? What will it take to stir the waters of baptism once again?

To read Stetzer’s full article, along with another article that explains why current culture has a negative perception of Southern Baptist Church culture, click here.

I had not intended to write on this blog again this month, but felt I needed to share this information.

Out Heart, Our Desire - To See The Nations Worship

2006-10-24T09:55:00.000-04:00

The theme for this year’s Fall Meeting is Our Heart, Our Desire - To See The Nations Worship. The scripture emphasis is Philippians 2: 9 – 13.

“ 9 Wherefore also God highly exalted him, and gave unto him the name which is above every name; 10 that in the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven and things on earth and things under the earth, 11 and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. 12 So then, my beloved, even as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling; 13 for it is God who worketh in you both to will and to work, for his good pleasure.”

It is my prayer that this is TRULY our heart’s desire. That we are praying and working together toward that goal.

When I first saw the DVD with the song “Our Heart,” I was moved to tears. To see the plight of people without Christ as their personal Savior is pitiful, disheartening, hopeless, and displays nothing but despair in the life of the people. That’s what I saw in the first part of the DVD.

BUT then I began to see people around the world sharing the message of Christ with the various people groups that were represented in the first part of the DVD. And then – praise the Lord, I began to see people from those various people groups being baptized into the family of Christ and experiencing the joy in their lives that ONLY Christ can bring. Before that DVD was over, I was singing along and tears were flowing. It is my heart’s desire that the people of the world come to know Christ as their personal Savior. He is thier only hope!

I chose that theme for our meeting together in the Fall of 2006. I did it because it is my prayer that the member churches of the Tar River Baptist Association also have that desire. Locally, regionally, nationally, and internationally working TOGETHER to bring people to the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ. I was pleased with that similar theme was chosen for this year’s Lottie Moon Christmas Offering.

When TRBA gathers together at Bailey Baptist Church on Monday, October 30th. it is far more than our annual business meeting. It is our celebrating what the Lord Jesus Christ is doing in and through His church. It is also our rededicating ourselves to the task that is before us – reaching a lost world for Jesus Christ!

May our heart’s desire always be “to see the nations worship.” Moreover, may we continually commit to work together to reach those around us and around the world that are currently lost. Join me in praying daily that God will use us to accomplish His purpose. Pray that He will use us in the harvest that is needed all around us.

Recovering After Surgery

2006-10-18T14:16:00.000-04:00

Well--the hard part's over! Praise the Lord the surgeon was able to successfully reverse the colostomy from the previous emergency surgery. In addition, things contine to go well as I recover at home. There is more pain after this surgery and lifting restrictions are impertaive to keep from injuring myself. Thank God for my supportive wife, my mom, and the children as they have weathered the brunt of the assistance. I am truly grateful for the assistance of all during this time.

Right now, I am not certain when I will be back "on schecule" at work. Sure, I will respond to e mails. Yes - I am getting calls and decisions are being made. I will be able to do a lot from home - just like I did previously. I appreciate everyone who has cooperated so beautifully and I fully expect that to continue.

I will write more before the week is out. Please continue to lift me up in prayer.

A New Appreciation

2006-10-08T17:36:00.000-04:00

These past few weeks have been a real learning experience for me. I have never been sick, so emergency surgery with the various restrictions and limitations has been helpful. I better understand some people and am more appreciative of their efforts to be involved with church and ministry. Ongoing health issues are, in fact, limiting to both the individual and family members (caregivers). Those of us in ministry should be more sensitive to that fact.

I have never bought into the statement that "people always do exactly what they want to do." This recovery time has reaffirmed that fact. My life has been limited. In no way are many of the things that I have had to do things I would ever want to do.

This morning I looked up at the clock, it was time to be in Sunday School and we are not yet ready to walk out the door. Did we sleep late? No, I had my prayer time and Bible study around 7 AM. Breakfast was like normal. We appeared to be getting ready on schedule. My body would not cooperate. A few extra steps had to be taken to ready ourselves physically to go to church. That slows down our getting ready to go to church. The church is having a world hunger emphasis today, and though we have the food collection ready, we have to get it to the car.

NOW - we are ready. Everything is in the car---Bibles are in hand---all meds have been taken---all medical apparatuses have been adjusted--and it is 10:15 AM. Our good intentions to go to Sunday School are out the door. Therefore, we ready ourselves to be at church in time for worship. IF all stays well, then we will be able to do just that. If any little thing goes a little wrong, it will impact that as well. Praise the Lord, all stayed OK and we were able to get to the worship service and ENJOY the worship experience with our church family.

For me, surgery this week should reverse what I have been going through these past few weeks. Hopefully I have learned enough to be more sensitive to those with various afflictions that strive to be faithful to the life and work of the church.

Thank you God for your hand being in all that has transpired.

May He Who Gives Us Life, Sustain Us As We Minister In His Name,
Dougald

A Little Of How I See Things

2006-09-30T22:41:00.000-04:00

When I first came as Associational Missionary to TRBA, Dr. George Shore - the interim - had a wonderful title for his column in the Currents of the Tar, our monthly newsletter. It was called "The Shoreline." That was so cool, but I don't have a name that lends itself well to a cool title for a column in a newsletter (I have discovered there are at least 3 Dougald McLaurins with blogs right now which was a shock). Therefore, we went back to the old title for the column, "The Crow's Nest."

Every month when I wrote my column, I agonized over the name of it. To me, seeing that little man peering out toward the horizon implied at least 2 falacies about associational work as I see it. First, it implies that I alone, as Associational Missionary, can see what lies ahead. Second, as I looked way out over the horizon, I could miss what was happening close to the ship as we were being moved by the currents of the Tar.

I am not a loner. I am neither niave or arrogant enough to think that God will reveal Himself to me alone. I recognize that I can not accomplish all that God is calling Tar River to do and be, perched above in that crow's nest. Sometimes it will be me. At other times, it will be others. All the while, there are countless others steering the boat and involved in the work. HOPEFULLY, it is the Holy Spirit serving as the current and we are not drifting aimlessly down the river.

It is the pastors, church leaders, church members that will often see much more and much sooner what lies ahead. I am very much open to the fact that God uses those that belong to Him in accomplishing His work. I wanted to be sensitive to what God was doing whether it was seen way off on the horizon or coming from the belly of the ship.

Finally, I changed the title. It is "From My Heart." Has nothing to do with being on a river. But - from the bottom of my heart, I want to be used by God to advance His Kingdom and to ALWAYS be open to Him. I trust that the people of TRBA sense that about me. I have not done everything right! I continually make mistakes. Many of my mistakes are realted to the busy-ness of this "job" and ignoring my personal responsibility to BE STILL and respond in accordance to His Will instead of going ahead of Him.

From my heart, I want to see the church strengthened. I want to assist churches in their walk with and work for the LORD. I want to be open and receptive to the prompting of the Holy Spirit. I want to share with the church the JOY that comes from abiding in Christ and being used of God in ministry.

The purpose of the early postings is to reveal glimpses of my vision/view of associational work. I trust that all who are members of a TRBA congregation KNOW that they can call on me for assistance and that I pray for them daily.

Love in Christ,
Dougald

Up and Running

2006-09-30T21:03:00.000-04:00

Well - I've done it now. After spending the summer in the midst of the new blogosphere, I have determined there can be some positive value to them. Certainly, I have seen my share of negative comments and character assinations. God is not pleased with such! I have seen evidence that people spend inordinate amounts of time, daily posting on numerous blogs. I don't think God is pleased with that either.

Certainly, you will see from the beginning that I am a novice. I will strive to post the life and work of the TRBA; a sense of vision for where I see the association heading; and ideas that I believe will serve to strengthen the local church. I ask that those that respond to my postings will respond in a positive manner. Attacks on a person's character will not be posted. We can agree to differ on issues and remain faithful to the LORD's command to love one another.

I strive to operate from what I heard Jimmy Draper say on one occassion at Ridgecrest, "Any two people genuinely seeking God can work together." That is my heart's desire and my greatest conceren for the advanceent of the kingdom. I pray we are GENUINELY seeking God but I fear His Will has often been "set aside" as we each determine to "go our own way." God forgive us for not following the path that you lay out before us.

In my next post I will detail a little of my view of associational work. Overall, we must realize that we are NOT the church and that our existence is to strengthen the local church as it sets out to become what God is calling it to be - salt and light to a lost world. That is my commitment to the member churches of the Tar River Baptist Association - that I will walk with you and assist you in becoming the ON MISSION church God has called you to be in your community and around the world.

Know that I am here for you if there is a need. Feel free to contact me at any time. The Tar River web sites spells out enough concerning my contact information.

In Him,
Dougald