State Conference on Evangelism & Church Growth

Sonny Tucker is the leader of the Evangelism and Church Growth Team at the Arkansas Baptist State Convention. He and his team provided a first class conference for Arkansas pastors and church leaders this week at First Baptist Church in Sherwood. The preaching, teaching, and music were all very good. I always come home feeling a mixture of excitement, encouragement, conviction, and disappointment. Let me explain what I mean.

Some of the best speakers across the Southern Baptist Convention descend upon central Arkansas for these two days. As I listen to the talk about sharing the gospel and growing a church, I can’t help but get excited! Any pastor would want to do that; we all want to see our churches effectively reaching out and winning people to Christ.

One message after another brought encouraging words intended to inspire and equip us to get going. Some messages focus on the theological reasons for sharing our faith. Others provide practical ways to put the ideas into practice. I walked away from the conference knowing that I can lead my church to fulfill the Great Commission.

Other messages are directed at me and my sin and my lack of commitment or involvement. Those sermons are hard to hear but someone who wants to please the Lord, win others to Christ, and lead a church to do the same must get serious about his own commitment. My prayer, my study, and my practice can all stand a lift. I know that God’s love can transform me into the vessel that is useful to him.

Disappointment always seems to be part of the emotional package I take home from these conferences. I am disappointed that I have not done a better job leading my church to reach out and grow. I’m disappointed that I stand back from opportunities to share Christ. I’m disappointed because my church doesn’t compare favorably with some others in our state.

The first three emotions are fine and appropriate. The last one has no place in effective living and ministry. Disappointment will drag me down, distract my attention, and defeat my purposes before I ever get started. So I’m letting that one go. Rather than being disappointed by what I heard, I will be motivated by the messages and statistics that indicate a shortcoming in my life and my church. With motivation now at the helm, God can use the excitement, encouragement, and conviction to help me mature as a pastor, preacher, leader, and Christian.

Sunday nights

I need some help. Our Sunday night crowd is very small. We have a few regulars and a few that are hit and miss. Since I’ve been at this church we’ve tried a few things to boost attendance but nothing has worked so far.

 

Here’s a short rundown of what’s going on.

 

Children: attendance is anywhere from 1 to 9. Mostly 1 to 4. Using a music/bible study combo format.

Youth: attendance was 6 at best but now is 0 or 1. Contemporary music & bible study.

Adults: choir rehearsal and adult bible study options. Total attendance average is 12.

Another 2-4 some in for the worship service at 6:00.

 

I’m open to any and all suggestions. I’ve been thinking about having no Sunday evening activities, having home groups, having worship service only, or just leaving it alone. But it seems to be broken so I don’t like the last idea. I am pretty traditional so I really can’t imagine not doing something in the church building. I’m getting over that, though.

 

Question: If we do home groups, do I, as the pastor, settle into one group or float through all of them?

 

So, I need help. Comment with your suggestions or at least pray for me. This is the most frustrating challenge I’ve faced in ministry.

Moments

Have you ever had one of those moments when reality sank in? For a young couple the reality of becoming parents hits them perhaps when the ultrasound shows signs of life within the mother. For the football team the dream fades when the clock is winding down in the fourth quarter and the opponent has the ball. Each of us has moments in our lives when something happens – an event that marks the moment – and we realize its significance.

 

I received an email today from the registrar’s office at New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary. It is a notice regarding upcoming registration dates for the Spring trimester. I will enroll in the final workshop in the Doctor of Ministry program this trimester. Now, I realize I’m still a long way from the finish line. After the workshop comes the daunting task of researching, creating and implementing a project that will impact the ministry of Cross Road Baptist Church. That can take a couple of years or more. But this workshop will likely be the last “for credit” classroom setting. I started school forty years ago. This is one of those moments.

 

Check back in a couple of years to find out if I was able to finish the project and get the degree.

Early hours

I’m a procrastinator. If you read my blog regularly you already know that. I confess it often. I guess that means I’m not getting over it.

I’m up at this early hour because of procrastination. I’ve known about this deadline for about two months. You get the picture? Put if off. Put if off. Lose sleep getting it done!

I do OK with that but it sure is stressful. And I’m sleepy.

What if a person waited and waited to accept Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord? You might wait too long and forever miss your opportunity to spend eternity in heaven with Jesus. The flipside is that you would also miss you opportunity to escape hell. Those are two good reasons to stop putting off trusting Jesus for your salvation.

Do it today. Stop procrastinating!

Syncretism

A UPS delivery truck just backed up to the window of the coffee shop where I’m sitting this morning. On the side of the truck are these words: “Worldwide Services Synchronizing the world of commerce.” That’s a good goal and from what little I know about the company, they are getting it done.

 

The word “synchronizing” caught my attention. Just yesterday I saw a bumper sticker about syncretism. I remember the first time I saw it; it really irritated me. Still does.

 

The bumper sticker is the word “co-exist” and the letters are made up of symbols from different religions. The Christian cross makes the “T” and the Muslim crescent makes the “C” and so on. The idea is that all religions are of equal value and can be merged or harmonized because all religions are true and lead to the same goal – just different paths. I have no problem with religious freedom – the idea that anyone can believe and practice any religion they want. I have a problem with someone thinking all religions are the same.

 

If a person claiming to be a Christian believes all religions are the same, how can he really be a Christian? The claim of Christianity is that Jesus is the only way. Our Lord said it exactly that clearly in John 14:6. Reject that and you cannot be Christian. This tenet is called the exclusivity of the gospel: there is only one way to eternal life and right-standing with God.

 

Although Christianity has the tone of exclusiveness, it also has a universal aspect. First, don’t think that I am saying all people will somehow be saved. I am not saying that because I don’t believe it and it is not true. The universal aspect of Christianity is that “whosoever will may come.” Salvation is available to anyone and everyone. The condition of salvation is faith in the one and only Son of God – Jesus Christ.

 

There is no reason to synchronize our beliefs with any other belief system. But there is reason to aggressively share the gospel with everyone we meet. Unless they turn exclusively to Jesus Christ the will perish eternally.

 

It’s OK for UPS to synchronize the world of commerce. In fact, that’s a good thing. But synchronizing religions leads nobody to heaven.

Busy Days

Too much on my calendar these last few days is undone. Must have been too much on there to start with. But what should not be there? Family Christmas gatherings, church services and meetings, weddings, shopping, seminar assignments, and general “life” activities dotted the days. Father and son writers Thom and Art Rainer authored “Simple Life” in which they describe a life free from clutter. The point is to prioritize and then stick to the priorities.

 

Compounding my problem is procrastination. So the congestion becomes a log jam! At times throughout the years I’ve handled procrastination but at other times it has handled me. I’ve learned that the culprit is perfectionism: if I can’t do the task perfectly I will wait until later when I may be better equipped or have more time. When I have been on top of procrastination it has been because I pursued excellence rather than perfection. Excellence is a better goal because it is attainable. Excellence is doing my best. Honestly, sometimes my best will not achieve perfection but my best is always excellent.

 

So for me the key to navigating busy days is to focus on priorities and strive for excellence. Hope that thought helps you, too.

Hard Work or Chasing Fantasies.

As I read through Proverbs, I came to this verse today. It made me think of the lottery.

 

“He who works his land will have abundant food, but the one who chases fantasies will have his fill of poverty.” Proverbs 28:19 NIV

 

A very wealthy man who is a member of a very large church in Little Rock casually showed me the scratch-off card he had purchased earlier that day.

 

A very poor man casually mentioned losing a few dollars in the lottery.

 

Either way, there is a danger in gambling. The multi-million dollar jackpots are the fantasies of many people. Some can afford to lose the money needed to play. Others cannot. But that’s not the point.

 

The point is about our stewardship of what God has given us. In God’s economy, gain comes through hard work. Whether it’s a casino, a lottery, or a racetrack, none of these are hard work although many people put in a lot of effort playing. In reality, gambling is chasing fantasies.

 

At the end of the day we must ask ourselves if all that we have done honors God because at the end of our lives God will ask us the same question.

Christmas Break

Riley’s home this week. That means ‘round-the-clock Disney Channel! I can’t wait. I like some of the shows but not the reruns of the reruns of the reruns. But Riley can watch them over and over again.

I’m glad I have a job that allows me to be home with him. He’s old enough to entertain himself most of the time so I still get to study, make contacts, and prepare the publications. And he’s a real trooper (pastor in the making?) when it comes to hospital visits.

Now that it’s the week of Christmas, the schedule slows down in some ways and speeds up in others. The only remaining service is the Candlelight Service on Wednesday. I’ll work on it a little each day ‘til then. We’ll have Christmas with family Thursday night, Friday, and Saturday so I’ll need to be ready for Sunday a little earlier than usual.

And I have three assignments to complete for a D.Min. seminar coming up in January.

I guess there’s really not much time to slow down this week! But one thing I must do…celebrate Jesus. Try to do that every week rather than just once a year and it won’t be so hard to do it when life is hectic.

All I Want for Christmas...

Remember the uncle who was always the hardest to buy for? Apparently, that’s me. I’ve never had lots of money but I have been able to get all I need and most of what I want. That leaves little for a Christmas list to pass around to family and friends.

What I WANT are those things I can’t afford to buy myself. Like a GMC pickup. Or a new acoustic/electric guitar. Or all new A/V equipment for the church. Or the latest/greatest Canon digital camera outfit. Or a NASCAR Experience. I could go on for a while!

But you can’t put those things on a Christmas wish list to pass around. Being as serious as I can be, I’ll be happy with anything. Or nothing.

All I really want for Christmas is to spend time with Deana, Jim Bob, Caleb, and Riley. (Girlfriends included, but not for Riley!)

I want people to appreciate the holiday for what it is: the celebration of our Savior’s birth. I know it’s not Jesus’ real birthday (I guess it could be, though) but we can celebrate anyway.

I want the presents to take backseat to the presence of those who are present.

I want to remember Christmas at Mom and Dado’s (my grandparents) and try to create memories like that for my descendants.

I want to attend the family gatherings.

I want to worship with my church family on or near Christmas day.

That what I want for Christmas but if you can’t swing any of this just pick out something from the list above.

Say what you mean

I just came back to the office after spending a couple of hours in town Christmas shopping. An advertisement played on the radio that said, “Never paint your home again with [product name].” I don’t think that’s what they meant. The copy should have read, “With [product name] you’ll never have to paint your home again.”

Big difference!

Riley and I like to play “Are You Smarter than a Fifth Grader.” One of us is the contestant and the other is the host. We make up questions and dollar amounts. We always win a million dollars! This morning he said, “Dad, will you take me to school?” “Sure,” I said. A little later he said, “Can we play ‘Are You Smarter than a Fifth Grader’ on the way to school?” I said, “Yes, we can play ‘Are You Smarter than a Fifth Grader on the Way to School.” He started to get mad but then laughed because he’s used to me being picky about the language.

During the first session of my second seminary class, as we were introducing ourselves to one another, the professor asked me where I lived. I told him I lived in Russellville (the class was meeting in Little Rock). “Where’s that?” he asked. “About half way between Little Rock and Fort Smith,” I said. “Oh,” he said, “where’s that?” “Well,” I responded, “ Russellville is about 80 miles up I-40.” “Oh,” he said, “where’s that?”

I learned a valuable lesson that day: “Tighten up your language!” as the professor would say.

So my iPhone buzzed and I looked at the text that just came in from Twitter. A scholarly guy was saying that the “inn” in Luke 2 was really a “guest room” and that Jesus was born in the common room of the house because the guest room was full. The common room would have been a place where valuable or fragile animals would be kept overnight, thus the manger.

I grew up in a preacher’s home. I’ve been in ministry since 1982. I’ve complete a master’s degree and am working on a doctorate. Why have I never heard this? I’m now digging into the original text of the New Testament and researching NT background for answers. So far, I think the scholarly guy is right. Kinda messes up all the Christmas pageants and cantatas I’ve participated in through the years.

I need to rewrite a sermon that I’m planning to preach.

Opinions about Abortion

I was just reading On Mission magazine during lunch. One of the statistical displays is about views on abortion. The column was a list of issues when an abortion might be considered and gave a percentage of respondents who said abortion should be legal in each case and a percentage of respondents who said abortion should be illegal in each case.

A fascinating trend emerged for me as I reviewed the information (Source: Fox News/Opinion Dynamics Poll, March 2006 and Time/CNN Poll, January 2003). A certain amount of people think abortion should be legal in any/all circumstances and a certain amount of people think abortion should be illegal in any/all circumstances.

Seventy-two percent say abortion should be legal if the mother’s life is endangered; fifteen percent say abortion should be illegal in that case.

Ten percent say abortion should be legal in the last three months of pregnancy; eighty-four percent say abortion should be illegal in that case.

Whatever opinion you hold, one thing is sure; as the song sung by Gold City says, “Only God knows just what he could have been.”

The debate is not likely to end in a court room or legislative hall. However, God – who has the ultimate say in morality and ethics – has the definitive opinion. Our task is to read his Word, pray for discernment, and have courage to believe and live the truth.

The Father's Son

A wealthy man and his son loved to collect rare works of art.  They had everything in their collection, from Picasso to Raphael.  They would often sit together and admire the great works of art..

When the  Vietnam conflict broke out, the son went to war. He was very courageous and died in battle while rescuing another soldier. The father was notified and grieved deeply for his only son.

About a month later, just before Christmas, there was a knock at the door. A young man stood at the door with a large package in his hands.

He said, ‘Sir, you don’t know me, but I am the soldier for whom your son gave his life. He saved many lives that day, and he was carrying me to safety when a bullet struck him in the heart and he died instantly.  He often talked about you, and your love for art.’ The young man held out this package. ‘I know this isn’t much. I’m not really a great artist, but I think your son would have wanted you to have this.’

The father opened the package.  It was a portrait of his son, painted by the young man. He stared in awe at the way the soldier had captured the personality of his son in the painting. The father was so drawn to the eyes that his own eyes welled up with tears.  He thanked the young man and offered to pay him for the picture . ‘Oh, no sir, I could never repay what your son did for me. It’s a gift.’

The father hung the portrait over his mantle. Every time visitors came to his home he took them to see the portrait of his son before he showed them any of the other great works he had collected.

The man died a few months later. There was to be a great auction of his paintings. Many influential people gathered, excited over seeing the great paintings and having an opportunity to purchase one for their collection.

On the platform sat the painting of the son. The auctioneer pounded his gavel. ‘We will start the bidding with this picture of the son. Who will bid for this picture?’

There was silence….

Then a voice in the back of the room shouted, ‘We want to see the famous paintings. Skip this one.’

But the auctioneer persisted. ‘Will somebody bid for this painting? Who will start the bidding? $100, $200?’

Another voice angrily. ‘We didn’t come to see this painting. We came to see the Van Goghs, the Rembrandts. Get on with the Real bids!’

But still the auctioneer continued. ‘The son! The son! Who’ll take the son?’

Finally, a voice came from the very back of the room. It was the longtime gardener of the man and his son. ‘I’ll give $10 for the painting…’ Being a poor man, it was all he could afford.

‘We have $10, who will bid $20?’

‘Give it to him for $10. Let’s see the masters.’

The crowd was becoming angry. They didn’t want the picture of the son. They wanted the more worthy investments for their collections.

The auctioneer pounded the gavel.  ‘Going once, twice, SOLD for $10!’

A man sitting on the second row shouted, ‘Now let’s get on with the collection!’

The auctioneer laid down his gavel. ‘I’m sorry, the auction is over.’

‘What about the paintings?’

‘I am sorry. When I was called to conduct this auction, I was told of a secret stipulation in the will.   I was not allowed to reveal that stipulation until this time. Only the painting of the son would be auctioned. Whoever bought that painting would inherit the entire estate, including the paintings. The man who took the son gets everything!’

God gave His son 2,000 years ago to die on the cross. Much like the auctioneer, His message today is: ‘The son, the son, who’ll take the son?’

Because, you see, whoever takes the Son gets everything.

Copied from Mark Lowry’s Blog

People Need the Lord

I love that song because it simply states a truth and issues a challenge.

I know people who are at the end of broken dreams today. They need the Lord. One family lost a wife/mother just a couple of weeks ago. Another family lost a son/grandson over the weekend. The headlines tell us of a famous sports figure whose home life may be severely wounded. A friend’s brother made it through surgery yesterday but died today. People need the Lord.

It’s one thing to say that people need the Lord but it’s another thing to do something about it. The world population is over 6 billion people – all of whom need the Lord. I’m not sure how many have embraced Jesus Christ as the only hope for eternal life, but I would guess that 1 billion would be a generous estimate. People need the Lord.

So what am I going to do about it? I am part of a church that has partnered with missionaries in Russia to reach a city called Talitsa. I am praying for opportunities to go there and for the believers in the city – there are just a few. Our partnership with American missionaries and Russian believers will result in a church in the city that will reach further into the city and lead more to Christ.

Sharing my faith with others is not easy; I get nervous like most people do when given an opportunity to share one on one. But I am praying for greater courage. I am getting better at talking with people in stores and restaurants. The tools for sharing are abundant. In the role of pastor, I am leading my church to also get involved in sharing their faith with others. We need to establish a regular time each week/month for doing this in our community.

I believe in the Southern Baptist’s Cooperative Program and support it fully. Over 10,000 missionaries are on the field world-wide because of CP. People who need the Lord are hearing the gospel. Through CP and the special missions offerings taken through our church, I am part of a global strategy to impact eternity.

Finally, I am teaching my family to tell others about Jesus. That is perhaps my greatest responsibility outside of sharing the gospel myself. My hope is that my family will be involved in missions and evangelism in our Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and the ends of the earth. My prayer is that we will not be afraid, reluctant, or hesitant about speaking up for Jesus.

Because people need the Lord.

Blameless

The rotating responsibility, opportunity, and pleasure to preach the message at the Annual Community Thanksgiving Service was mine last night. Since I’ve been at my church for only three years, I’ve not had the chance to do this and it was a great joy. The service is a combined ministry of Martindale Baptist Church (this year’s host), Holly Springs Baptist Church, Pleasant Grove Baptist Church (new to the service this year), and Cross Road Baptist Church. As Larry Walters, pastor of Martindale, has said, “Maybe with four churches we can fill up one building.” We didn’t. But the worship and fellowship were worth the time spent.

My message was based on 1 Corinthians 1:4-9. One of the things Paul was thankful for concerning the believers in Corinth was their salvation. “He will keep you strong to the end, so that you will be blameless on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ” (verse 8). Do you remember when you were a kid and the teacher would try to find out who hid the erasers? Each of us would point at another kid and blame him. We wanted to avoid having the blame laid on us because along with the blame came the punishment.

I could wax eloquent here trying to convince you that I have not and do not do anything wrong. But those of you who know me would quickly point out that lie I was telling. The truth is this: I am a sinner. If God were to go through a list of alleged sins I’ve committed I would have to say that each of them were my fault. I am at fault!

But the Lord Jesus Christ to the blame. And the punishment. My sins will always be my fault but Jesus’ death on the cross will always take the blame.

I am thankful that I am blameless. An old gospel song says, “He looked beyond my fault and saw my need.” I needed forgiveness and redemption because of my sins – my fault. Jesus interceded and met my need.

Will you accept the free gift of salvation through Jesus Christ today? You are at fault, too, but Jesus will take the blame.

Admit you are a sinner.

Believe that Jesus is the son of God and his death on the cross is the only remedy for your sin problem.

Confess Jesus as your Savior and Lord and Commit to live your life to honor him.

If you have just followed these easy steps to becoming a follower of Jesus Christ or would like to know more, please leave a message on this post.

Parenting 101

It’s not that hard. Much of parenting is instinctive. And what kids want the most from their parents is pretty simple to give them. They want you to spend time with them. You’ve figured that out, haven’t you?

When my oldest and middle sons were about 8 and 10 years old, they went with me on the annual church float trip on the Buffalo River in north Arkansas. The oldest, Jim, rode in a canoe with one of our friends and Caleb, the younger one, rode with me. The weather had been rather dry that Spring and floating the river required lots of paddling. At times we even had to push ourselves along the bottom as the water was pretty shallow in places.

By the end of the day, I was wore out. You can imagine how much help an 8-yr-old was.

The next day at church I was complaining about being tired and sunburned and sore. From my perspective, it was an awful float trip.

I overheard Caleb talking about the trip when someone asked him how it was: “It was a great day. I got to ride with my Dad.”

Parenting isn’t so hard. It’s not that expensive. It is a matter of priority and time. That which is important to us gets our time and attention.

I’ve tried to remember that principle ever since that weekend with my boys. Love is spelled T-I-M-E. I think Zig Ziglar first said that.

Apps

I’ve had my iPhone since early September. A selling point of the iPhone is the hundreds of applications you can load on the phone. Apple and its partners have apps for almost everything from banking to games to recipes to sports scores. A person could spend hours searching through the apps trying to find a few he likes. I’ve found about five dozen. And I’m still looking!

What if we searched so diligently through the Bible to find application for our lives? The search would be much simpler because everything in God’s Word applies to our lives whereas only a few dozen of the thousands of iPhone apps actually apply. The apps on the phone are supposed to make your life so much better and more fun and more productive. The Bible does that perfectly!

The Bible is the perfect application for your life. I have a Bible app on my iPhone. I need to make sure I have a Bible app for my life.

Update on GCR

I've been in favor of a Great Commission Resurgence since the Spring when Danny Akin, Alvin Reid, and Johnny Hunt really began talking it up. Putting more emphasis on the Great Commission is a good thing. As the months have passed and the task force was assembled and meetings held across the country, I've noticed something that disturbs me. The emphasis seems to be on the Cooperative Program while using the words "Great Commission."

The Cooperative Program (CP) is the way Southern Baptists cooperate to fund missions and ministry around the world. Our church gives 10% of our undesignated receipts to CP. This amount goes to our state convention. Of our CP dollars, about 58% stays in Arkansas and the other 42% goes to the national convention where it is disbursed to agencies and boards of the SBC. The convention's six seminaries get part of the money. The International and North American Mission Boards get part fo the money. The training of our young ministers and our support of missionaries world-wide are the most important aspects of CP.

If Southern Baptists want to fulfill the Great Commission, we will be more successful working together and pooling our resources. CP and GC are not synonymous but CP directly impacts GC. It seems that the leaders of the Great Commission Resurgence focus more on CP and less on GC.

A Great Commission Resurgence (GCR) should emphasize reaching the lost whever they are on the planet. A Cooperative Program Resurgence (CPR) should emphasize our stewardship of resources to accomplish the GC.

We need CPR to accomplish GCR. But the two are different issues. Interrelated, but different. Would anybody be against a GCR? Malcolm Yarnell asked that question in response to Johnny Hunt's tweet. Hunt was replying to a story that IMB shortfalls could affect 600 positions. He said, "Why would anyone still oppose a GCR?" GCR and funding are related but not the same thing.

I want to see our churches impact eternity by getting more serious about the Great Commission. In order to do that effectively, we need CPR. But one shouldn't use GCR to rally support for his desire to change. CP.

Again, GCR does not equal CPR. In fact, GCR is not exactly GC.

Deer Season

I bagged my first deer yesterday. Really. Our dog drug up a carcass – complete with everything except the meat. The lazy hunter didn’t dispose of the remains, he just took what he wanted. So I took a large trash bag and, well, I bagged my first deer yesterday.

I used to hunt. I went with my Dad a few times and enjoyed getting out there and listening to the sounds of nature. But I’ve never seen a deer when I had a loaded gun in my hands. I gave up hunting a long time ago. I get it, it’s just not my thing. I’d rather shoot one with a Canon than a rifle.

When I came to Cross Road to meet the people, preach for them, and let them vote on me (we Southern Baptists have some strange rituals!) we had a Q&A time after lunch. Someone asked about my hobbies and I rattled off golf, photography, and travel. A voice from the back of the room said, “Don’t he like to hunt and fish?”

I remember one particular hunting trip when I was a teenager. My Dad and I went with one of his buddies from work, Jack Derreck. Jack reloaded his own ammunition and was proud of his work. He was bragging about it as we walked back to the trucks. When we finally made it, Jack took a handgun from behind the seat of his truck (it was perfectly legal and accepted back then) and demonstrated his craft. He took aim at the nearest STOP sign and pulled the trigger. The bang was loud. But we saw the lead from the shell squirt out the end of the barrel and land about ten feet in front of him. Way short of the target. We all agreed that something was wrong, got in our trucks, and drove off.

That’s my Deer Camp Story. If you are a hunter, I hope you have a great experience this year so you can tell you story, too.

I hope our trash man doesn’t read my blog.

Yard Sale 4 Missions

We had a great day at CRBC. The yard sale started out under cloud cover and the apparent threat of rain. That kept the crowd away. But the skies cleared and the sun came shining through by mid-morning and the shoppers came out in big numbers.

The total amount sold was not so big but we moved a lot of stuff. Over both weekends, we collected almost $1,000 for our 2010 Russia Mission Trip. So many people helped. Most of our families donated items for the sale. Several men and women helped promote, prepare for, and clean up after the event. And so many worked during the hours of the sale.

Hopefully, by Tuesday all the left-overs will be gone - ARC is picking up everything except the furniture. Not only did we raise money for a good cause, but we also will help a worthy cause here in central Arkansas.

Thanks to all of you who helped in some way. When our teams walks the streets of Talitsa next Spring, you will be part of it! To God be the glory.

ABSC

Day One of the Arkansas Baptist State Convention is behind us and what a day it was. Reports, sermons, and business sessions filled the agenda.

I particularly enjoyed sermons by David Uth, JD Greear, and Emil Turner. I was inspired by reports from Robby Tingle for the Missions Ministries Team and Rex Horne's OBU report.

And you can't beat meeting and catching up with friends. Afterall, the ABSC is a collection of churches and people who want to work together to reach the world for Jesus.