Alaska - Oh What Fun it is to ride...

I told you yesterday that I would give an update on our Alaska Trip. Here it goes...

This year's Alaska Mission Trip was very different than last years.
#1 - It's April - not June - which explains why I'm on a snow machine.
#2 - Our ministry was primarily to adults rather than kids and teens.
#3 - We had never done anything like this before!

Our emphasis throughout the week was "Fishing with a Mission." We were to go out on the ice and assist in any way locals who were out trying to catch fish. Our assistance would be to cut holes in the ice, cut fish, carry things, or fish. Our greatest obstacle was that this wasn't a good week for fishing (at least not for Shee Fish). We caught plenty of "bait" fish while out on the ice but that was it. Since it wasn't a good week for fishing we didn't get to do a lot of the things we planned, so we decided to keep trying to catch fish to give away. This provided a great opportunity for us to encounter the arctic in a whole new way. I'll explain more later.

The women spent there time during the day putting on a lunch time Bible Study. There were able to minister to several women through teaching, prayer, and sharing the Gospel. They also were able to do this is the comfort of the church fellowship area.

The evening provided various opportunities: We hosted a couple of fish dinners for the community, went out in the community and was able to share the Good News on the street with several young people, and the women gave out salvation bracelets at a school carnival.

We had plenty of opportunities to share but did not "record" any decisions for Christ while in Kotzebue. At first I was a little discouraged by this. I tell every mission team that we go with an expectation of leading people to Christ. This is our mission above all else - Share the Gospel. However, as I prayed and meditated upon God's Word I came across the devotional I shared with you yesterday. God was at work...there was no doubt about it - we are just uncertain as to all that He accomplished through us.

But this week wasn't a loss. We were able to minister refreshment to Pastor John and his wife Terry. We were also able to bring some encouragement to Dan, one of the locals who works with the church. On a personal note we were able to see much of the countryside on snow machine - watch a herd of caribou - and ice fish on the arctic ocean. I got to preach for the first time in Alaska and Jenn, Brian and Missy were able to sing God's praises during the worship service.

God was at work. He worked greatly in individual lives. I won't go into all that he was doing cause most of our team will be able to share this Sunday. And in the end God placed a hunger inside of me to do this type of trip again. There is so much potential for ministry if it's done at the right time. Lord willing, next year's trip will be earlier and more fruitful all the way around.

One thing we have found out in Kotzebue is that the more we return - the more we come back and work with these people - we develop trust, which is crucial in reaching the natives for Christ. Alaska is a beautiful state and the Eskimo people are a fascinating group. However, spiritually speaking, there are a lot of barriers. I ask that you pray for the people of Alaska. They are starting to "thaw out" which means more teams are on the way. But I want you to pray that they "thaw out" spiritually so that the Good News of Jesus' death on the cross for their sins will penetrate their hearts.

I thank God for a great week. I thank Him that we were able to see many of the kids that were there last year. I thank Him that we were able to hear the story of one of the young girls who accepted Christ last year sharing with the youth pastor's daughter the story of her salvation. I thank Him that we were able to go and sow the seed of the Gospel. God's Word promises that we will REAP if we faint not.

Oh, and I thank Him that we returned to the village safely every time we went out. Yes...I now know what a "white-out" looks like from a snow machine.

Thanks for your prayers. May God be glorified in all we do.

Yes, I'm Back - don't worry...

No - that's not me in the picture. This is just to give you an idea of what the weather was like in Kotzebue this winter. We did have some snow while we were there and the community is still dealing with the large drifts.

I hope to get you an update of our trip tomorrow. It's been kind of crazy since we landed on Monday evening. Jenn and I took time with the kids yesterday and I'm trying to get back into the swing of things. I'm looking forward to sharing with you about the trip.

I do want to share with you what I read this morning in "My Utmost for His Highest."

Gracious Uncertainty - April 29

"Our natural inclination is to be so precise - trying always to forecast accurately what will happen next - that we look upon uncertainty as a bad thing. We think that we must reach some predetermined goal, but that is not the nature of the spiritual life. The nature of the spiritual life is that we are certain in our uncertainty...

"Certainty is the mark of the commonsense life - gracious uncertainty is the mark of the spiritual life. To be certain of God means that we are uncertain in all our ways, not knowing what tomorrow may bring. This is generally expressed with a sigh of sadness, but it should be an expression of breathless expectation. We are uncertain of the next step, but we are certain of God...

"The spiritual life is the life of a child. We are not uncertain of God, just uncertain of what He is going to do next..."

The Scripture reading was 1 John 3:2, "...it has not yet been revealed what we shall be..."

After I share with you about our trip then you will understand why this was so compelling to me this morning.

Be Blessed!

Alaska Bound!

This will be my last blog for at least a week. Unless I get access to a computer while I am away you won't hear from me since I will be in the great state of ALASKA (got to say it like Sarah Palin).

This is our second trip to Kotzebue. We took our 1st trip last summer and had a wonderful time serving First Baptist Church and pastor John Forrester. We were able to see 12 professions of faith through VBS, one on one evangelism, and the use of basketball clinics.

Kotzebue is an interesting place. It's located just north of Nome, and by the picture you can see the rugged nature of the town which is only a mile 1/2 long & a mile wide. Most of the population is native Alaskan with a few transplants here and there. Regarding the spiritual nature of the town: on any given Sunday you will only find about 10% of the population in church. So there is a great need for spreading the Gospel.

This year's trip is a first of its kind for our church. #1 - we are going during the end of winter so the temps will be cold and the water frozen. #2- our main focus this week will be to provide ministry to the people who are ice-fishing to stock up their freezers. #3 - we will also be providing a ministry for the women through Bible Study. (We do hope to continue our sports ministry this week and have plans - but unlike last year its not our main focus)

I ask you to pray for this team. We have 9 members with all but 3 returning from last year.
Pray that God will use us in extraordinary ways.
Pray that God will watch over us in our travels.
Pray that God will be with the family members we leave behind. (3 couples are going on this trip which means that 6 children will be without their parents for 7 days)
Pray that God will unify this team for His mission (not ours)

Although this isn't the 1st mission outreach of our church for 2009 (we had a team work at the local homeless shelter this past week), it is the 1st out of state trip.

To God be the glory for what He will accomplish through us.

"But when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, you will receive power and will tell people about me everywhere - in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth." Acts 1:9

America & Jesus

O.K. I'll admit that I don't have anything inspiring to write about. I have tried really hard this year to keep things fresh. So what do you do when you aren't "inspired?" You simply talk about what's going on around you.

I'm sure most of you have heard about President Obama and his comment overseas that America isn't a "Christian" nation. Folks...this is just the beginning.

Obama was giving an "economic" speech at Georgetown University this week and it came with all the posturing: American flags & presidential seals. However, something was missing - Jesus. That's right folks! The gold "IHS" monogram inscribed on a pediment in the hall where our president was speaking was covered by a piece of black-painted plywood. CNSNews.com made sure to say that the monogram was still visible in 26 other places in the hall but that those places just weren't as prominent.

It seems as though the president is making a big deal about separating Jesus & America. What's next? Are we going to have a proclamation that America is simply a Deist nation, Muslim nation, or an Agnostic nation?

For the president of the United States to claim that most of the founding fathers were Deists rather than Christians is nothing short of a LIE! All but 2 of the signers of our Constitution were members of an Evangelical church. Each of these men had firm beliefs in the Word of God and used biblical principles to frame the laws of this great nation.

I admit that I'm a realist when it comes to politics and faith. I know that many of the politicians in Washington simply use religion to gain political power. How else can we explain so many "Catholics" in Congress who support abortion? Their "faith" simply makes them warm and fuzzy with the voters but there is no reality of it in their lives.

This is why I've considered doing a political blog that is separate from PBC voice that would address many of these issues. The title (should I create it) would be "gods of our making" because that is how many of these in power act and live. Rather than realizing that there was an electorate of voters who believed these people would make a difference for their state, they simply act as though they have risen to this ranking of power to show their greatness.

I'm not saying that America is a "Christian" nation but I will say without any hesitation that the United States of America was founded upon Christian beliefs, principles, and a firm faith in Jesus Christ. The scary part of all this is that it's not just the president and members of congress that we have to watch. You better pay close attention to that history textbook your child carries home. History is being re-written as we speak. That's why it's so important for you to teach your children even though they attend government schools. Actually, if your child attends government school, YOU BETTER TEACH THEM! Stay involved in their studies because there will come a time when we will be the only bearers of truth.

By the way: Didn't the Bible warn us of these things? Be assured that it will come. However, don't sit by and let it happen without your voice being heard.

May God turn America from this willful separation from Him. Amen.

Overwhelmed?

For the past few weeks I have been asking God to birth as song in me. Since I was in high school I have always enjoyed writing poetry but songwriting is totally different for me. It's MUCH, MUCH, HARDER. The one word that continues to flow out of my expression is: Overwhelmed.

I'm not saying that I am overwhelmed with life's difficulties, problems, circumstances, tragedies, or my sin. No - I am overwhelmed by the goodness, love, mercy, and faithfulness of God. When I think of all that God has done for me it's like standing beneath a waterfall trying to get a drink of water. It's overwhelming!

Do you ever stop to think about His matchless grace? Think about how God took the greatest gift He could have given {Himself} and placed that gift on a cross for you. Then, if that's not enough, after we accept His gift of salvation He places His Spirit inside of us. Oh, but it gets better! After His Spirit is placed inside of us He gives us gifts to serve, peace to replace worry, joy to replace sorrow, and guidance into all truth. AND then He uses us to bring others (just like us) into His family.

Overwhelmed?

So I am a part of God's family, being used for His glory, and basking in the forgiveness of sin. But God's not finished. He then provides for my every need, blesses me for being obedient to Him, and showers me with new mercies every day.

Overwhelmed?

Take time today to be reflective of all that God has given. God's Word says, "Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning." James 1:17. Received anything good lately? It was a gift from God!

May you be overwhelmed by God today. Drink deep from the fountain of His goodness. But watch out...you may get wet!

Hook, Peter Pan, & Faith

Have you ever seen the movie "Hook?" One of my all-time favorites!

"Hook" is the story of Peter Pan all grown up, living in the "real" world, working a job and raising a family. The problem: He doesn't know he's Peter Pan. It's not until Hook kidnaps his kids and Tinkerbell comes to find him that he even realizes who he was and what he is capable of doing.

I absolutely love this twist on a much beloved fairy tale. Actually, I enjoy all the Peter Pan stuff. Must be the little lost boy running around inside of me that gets a kick out of flying, sword-fighting with pirates, and living out of pure imagination. There have been several movies throughout the years about Pan's character. Another favorite is "Finding Neverland" which stars Johnny Depp as the playwright who actually conceives the story. But that's for another blog.

What is so intriguing about "Hook" is that I see so many things in the story that can be applied to our lives as followers of Christ. Men and women who are not living up to their ability in Christ. Those who have lost their joy, passion, and child-likeness because of the responsibilities of the "real" world. DO YOU BELIEVE IN FAIRIES?

Even down to one of the last scenes we are able to make this same application. Peter, played by Robin Williams, is fighting Hook. Hook has Peter pinned down and begins to tell him that he really isn't Peter Pan and that it's all a dream. He goes on to say that when he wakes up he will be just an accountant who drinks too much and hides from his family. My friends - if that doesn't sound like the enemy of our souls I don't know what does. How often have you been told that you couldn't believe God for ____________? Or God would never use you because you were a ____________? Whatever it is: DON'T BELIEVE IT! My God is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all the we could ask or think.

CLAP YOUR HANDS REALLY LOUD if believe that God heals, that God can use you to reach the nations, that God is able to equip you for any task, or that God still answers prayers. Do you believe? What happens in the movie? Well...you just need to take some time to watch for yourself. Who knows, maybe you will find that little "lost boy" inside of you again. Oh, how the church needs to find what it has lost. Maybe we are too educated...too provided for...too dignified...too established. I don't know what "IT" is but we have to recapture the joy, passion, and child-likeness that still says "I can fly."

This whole Hook, Peter Pan, & Faith thing hit me this morning after I considered everything I experienced this weekend.

Friday Night - After watching the "Passion of the Christ" with our church family and taking the Lord's Supper with my family I was blessed with the revelation that my daughter Haley had when she was too emotional to drink the juice from the cup. She said, "I can't do it daddy. It's too precious!"

Saturday - Working at the Crossroads Shelter here in Wytheville. God just giving us an opportunity to reach into our community and try to make a difference.

Sunday - Seeing 275 people pour into Pioneer Baptist Church to celebrate the resurrection of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ! (That's a record by the way). We baptized 9 people who were professing their faith in Jesus - they were so excited. We also had a time of prayer for an individual before I preached (one of our members "stood" in for a friend and we prayed over him) and I found out on Monday that his test results came back clear (he had heart issues and there were NO blockages).

I went home this past Sunday afternoon and began writing some things down. 275 people came!?! Why? What has Pioneer Baptist done to reach so many? When I went down the list I realized that there wasn't a list! We don't have an outreach/visitation program to point to. There's no bus ministry that can lay claim to bringing in all these people. We are simply worshipping God, preaching His Word, sharing the Gospel and inviting friends, ministering to people as God gives us opportunity, and doing what we can to help believers grow in their faith. What could I point to as the "thing" that God is using? I think I have an answer!

I had lunch with a friend last week who basically asked me this same question. He said, "Do you think that God is blessing you all the way He is because you are open to... (he pause looking for the right words to say). I broke in: "Yes! That's exactly it. We are open to...God, His Word, His Gifts, His Spirit." In other words: WE BELIEVE!

It's Friday...

As we draw a close to this all important week of the Christian faith I cannot help but remember the crucifixion of Jesus Christ.

Tonight we will remember His suffering and death. We will honor His sacrifice and love. We will celebrate the payment for sin and redemption.

I was thinking about some of the various hymns that have been written over the centuries about the cross of Jesus. It's at this time I want us to be reflective of God's love for His creation. And may we ever be thankful that Jesus was willing to say, "Not My will but Yours be done."

At the Cross
"Thus might I hide my blushing face
While Calv'ry's cross appears
Dissolve my heart in thankfulness
And melt mine eyes to tears"

At Calvary
"Oh, the love that drew salvation's plan!
Oh, the grace that bro't it down to man!
Oh, the mighty gulf that God did span
At Calvary"

The Old Rugged Cross
"In the old rugged cross
Stained with blood so divine
Such a wonderful beauty I see;
For 'twas on that old cross
Jesus suffered and died
To pardon and sanctify me."

All that Jesus did on the cross bought salvation for you and me. If it were not for His blood being shed we would never be set free. Praise His glorious name!
As I close out today's blog I want to share with you the words of Charles Wesley as he thought about what Jesus' sacrifice meant in his life.

And Can It Be
"Long my imprisoned spirit lay
Fast bound in sin and nature's night;
Thine eye diffused a quick'ning ray
I woke, the dungeon flamed with light;
My chains fell off, my heart was free
I rose, went forth and followed Thee.

Amazing love!
How can it be
That thou, My God, should die for me!

Is It Really His?

According to Psalm 24:1 & 1 Corinthians 10:26, "The Earth is the Lord's, and the fullness thereof." However, if you read the Psalm is also says, "...the world, and they that dwell therein." (I used the King James Version because I like the language for these verses.) This is an awesome statement. Basically it says that everything belongs to God. The earth along with everything He created belongs to Him. Everything. Every person. Selah [Think about it]

I saw that our Worship Pastor blogged on this subject I'm getting ready to share with you but I'm so excited about what God is doing that I cannot resist. Last night, our church experienced something new. How many of you believe that God is still doing new things? Isaiah 43:19, "Behold, I will do a new thing, now it shall spring forth; shall you not know it? I will even make a road in the wilderness and rivers in the desert."

We normally have prayer meeting on Wednesday night. Yes, prayer meetings. We meet for an hour to seek the face of God for the church body. Well, yesterday I had this insane idea that we needed to do a "soaking session." I had never led one of these and to be quite honest wasn't sure how to do it. I did a little research into the matter and decided that in my ignorance we would obey God in this matter. For those of you who don't know, a soaking session is a time where we corporately become still before God. We set ourselves aside to focus and meditate upon Him for renewal of strength, peace, and to be reminded of His goodness. Everyone came in and I shared with the group my intentions for the evening. We put on some intimate worship music by Alberto & Kimberly Rivera and we were still before the Lord.

I must say that I was amazed at how God worked during this time. Words of encouragement were given to individuals, prayer was made with a great sense of the presence of God among us, and people worshipped God in a new way. We literally placed ourselves in areas around the sanctuary. We sat, knelt, and even stretched ourselves out before the Lord. We focused on the worship that was being offered through the music and it became ours. If you have never done this as an individual then I suggest that you be still and know that He is God!

At the end of our time together I saw people wiping the tears from their eyes. I witnessed the joy and peace of the Lord on their faces. I was also amazed at how the Lord was speaking to individuals as they shared with me. One such person was my lovely wife who at the end of our time came and said, "Can you bring the kids home with you? I have to go talk to Sherry." Sherry is a lady in our neighborhood and we had bringing her kids to church with us on Wednesday nights. I said, "Of course." And I took my time gathering the kids so that I wouldn't interrupt what God may be doing at the home. We pulled into the driveway and I asked her kids to go into the house quietly just in case Jenn wasn't done sharing. Little did I know that Sherry had already accepted Christ before we got there!

This morning I was reminded of the verses that I shared with you earlier: "The earth is the Lord's, and the fullness thereof; the world, and they that dwell therein." God had spoken to my wife in our time of stillness before Him because on of His created ones was in need of salvation. Jennifer obeyed and Sherry was born into the kingdom of God.

Have you ever stopped to consider that you are the Lord's? Are you full? I am so full of His joy right now that I can hardly contain myself. I am so full of His peace, His strength, His Spirit, His goodness. And not only are we His but every person in this world belongs to the Lord in the sense that He is their Creator. But if we want to see them move from being someone created by God to someone REDEEMED by God then we have to share what He has done to save them.

Be still before the Lord today and allow Him to place someone upon your heart. Then go forward with the assurance that everything and everyone is His. Who knows? You may be able to step into the delivery room today and see someone born into the kingdom.

May God bless you today with His overwhelming presence and love.

Hot or Cold?

Last night Jennifer and I were able to talk with a couple (members of PBC) who are in an undisclosed location trying to reach and undisclosed people. It was such a joy to share with them over the phone...to hear their voices...to laugh and cry with them. Oh, how we miss them being with us but what they are doing is nothing short of God's work.

When you stop to think about missionary families do you see them as radical? Is their sacrifice, their willingness to pay whatever cost is necessary, their ability to leave home and family unfamiliar to you? There was a time that I viewed them in this way. That is...until I went on my 1st mission trip. After the trip I began to realize that what they were doing isn't radical but rather it's obedience. This family is simply being obedient to God. What's radical is that our churches aren't filled with more people like them.

Jesus said, "The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field." Matthew 13:44

Do we possess that type of enthusiasm? Are we willing to sell all that we have to follow Him? Unfortunately, for a lot of "believers", the cost is too high. When I consider this mentality - I understand quickly that there is a HUGE difference between believers and followers. It's far too easy to become lukewarm in our faith.

Lukewarm people do just enough to be considered a believer but aren't at all interested in becoming a follower of Christ. Pay attention to the quote from Fredrick D. Huntington, Forum Magazine, 1890: "It's not scientific doubt, not atheism, not pantheism, not agnosticism, that in our day and in this land is likely to quench the light of the gospel. It is a proud, sensuous, selfish, luxurious, church-going, hollow-hearted prosperity." Where does this mentality come from?

Francis Chan, in his book "Crazy Love" explains Lukewarm People in this way: "Lukewarm People don't really want to be saved from their sin; they want only to be saved from the penalty of their sin. They don't genuinely hate sin and aren't truly sorry for it; they're merely sorry because God is going to punish them. Lukewarm people don't really believe that this new life Jesus offers is better than the old sinful one."

I know that my sound harsh but the truth often is. When will the people of God begin to capture the passion that was displayed in the early church? When will we, like the followers of Christ in the book of Acts, begin to turn our world upside down? For far too long the church has sought a co-existence within the world. Oh, dear friends, we were never meant to be a part of this world! We are in it but we aren't supposed to be of it.

Are you Hot or Cold? If we took your spiritual temperature would we find that you are lukewarm? It's time for the church to rise up from the ashes. It's time for the sleeping giant to awake. Today is the day for the church to storm the gates of hell. Let us not get caught up in trying to maintain the body of Christ - let's motivate the body of Christ to work for the kingdom of God rather than our own kingdom. In the end...it won't be the kingdom of PBC that stands - it will be the Kingdom of God.

Let's change to definition of a true follower of Christ from radical to obedient!

Big Congrats to Roy Williams & My Heels!

History does repeat itself.

In 2005 I celebrated the Steelers 5th Super Bowl win and followed it up with a celebration over UNC winning Roy Williams 1st NCAA Championship. Here in '09 I'm celebrating again! 1st with the record setting 6 time Super Bowl Steelers and now with Roy Williams 2nd Championship with the North Carolina Tarheels.

For those who know me - KNOW that I can't pass up an opportunity to give a shout out to my Heels. They had a great season and were able to once again cut down the nets after a championship win.

I'm happy for Roy Williams. If I wasn't a Tarheel fan then I would have pulled for Kansas when Roy was there. I have always thought that he is a class act, genuine, passionate, and a great teacher of the game. One other note: He's not afraid to cry!

I'm happy for Tyler Hansbrough. I don't know of any college athlete who has worked harder in 4 years to achieve this goal. Nobody out-hustles or out-works him on the floor. Day in and day out, he put it all out there. What a way to end an excellent college career. There is a lot be said for staying 4 years!

Last of all, I'm happy for UNC. It's good to have the ACC back on top. Most of us ACC fans know that this is the most difficult conference when it comes to basketball. So, way to go Heels!

P.S. All you Duke fans - Na Na Na Na Na!

An Article by Jerry Rankin (Good Read)

FIRST-PERSON: When is the last
time you lived with urgency?
By Jerry Rankin


RICHMOND, Va. (BP)--We live amid a constant stream of e-mails, phone calls and blogs, but how often do we really live with purposeful urgency?

Anyone who has become caretaker for a frail parent has lived with urgency because moments together become more precious. When a loved one is in need, we set other considerations aside.

Missions volunteers fresh from the field are often re-energized to make an impact for Christ at home. But sometimes that urgency can be diffused by settling back into everyday routines and responsibilities.

How can we continue to live with urgency despite the pressures of the immediate?

Jesus reminds us in Matthew 9:37-38, "... The harvest is abundant, but the workers are few. Therefore, pray to the Lord of the harvest to send out workers into His harvest."

We must not lose our sense of urgency to reach the lost with the everlasting hope that can be found only in Jesus Christ.

Our friends at the North American Mission Board are encouraging Southern Baptists to live with urgency as they work to gather the spiritual harvest in this country, Canada and their territories.

We praise God for NAMB's 5,600 missionaries who are sowing seeds, in partnership with state conventions, associations and local churches, through the support of the Annie Armstrong Easter Offering for North American Missions and the Cooperative Program.

We are to give not only when we have an overabundance of resources, but when we see that there is an overabundant need.

In a scene reminiscent of Jean-Francois Millet's painting "The Gleaners," a couple in Platteville, Colo., upon hearing that food had been stolen from churches, opened their 600-acre farm fields to anyone who wanted to pick up vegetables left over after their harvest. They were overwhelmed by the response -- 40,000 people showed up to receive what the couple offered. Urgent needs that are unmet can lead to acts of despair and hopelessness. When three of every four people in the United States are living without faith in Christ, sharing the Gospel with urgency should be our only response.

The North American and international mission fields are connected by people groups who urgently need to know the Lord.

While most of the Bengali (a mixture of Muslims and Hindus) live in Bangladesh and India, some 54,000 make their homes in New York. An additional 3,800 live in Georgia. And of the 1.3 billion Han Chinese, the world's largest ethnic group, more than 1.7 million reside in the United States. Their religious beliefs blend Buddhism, Confucianism and Taoism.

With these souls and millions more in mind, I heartily encourage you to live with urgency by giving sacrificially to this year's Annie Armstrong Easter Offering for North American Missions.

Giving to missions at home helps the Great Commission cause overseas because having a heart for and commitment to missions can't be contained by geographic boundaries.

"I'm convinced that God called every one of us to fulfill the Great Commission," says Brad Bessent, pastor of Beulah Baptist Church in Hopkins, S.C.

Through prayer, this church recognized and answered God's call to adopt an unreached people group, those with an evangelical presence of less than 2 percent. They adopted the Bambara, a West African people group of 6 million -- nearly all Muslim.

Working together with IMB missionaries Steve and Susan Roach, the church set its sights on a village of about 3,000 Bambara in Mali. There were no evangelical churches in the village and no known Christians. That prompted Beulah to live with urgency.

Short-term missions teams from Beulah continued praying for the people and visiting their village every six weeks. They openly shared the Gospel with anyone willing to listen.

After nearly two years of prayer and 12 trips to the village, Beulah Baptist has witnessed more than 100 Bambara come to faith in Christ.

A yearning for all peoples come to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ should cause us to live and give with urgency -- whether at home or abroad.
--30--
Jerry Rankin is president of the International Mission Board of the Southern Baptist Convention.

When will it End?

Part of me just hates to focus on this topic today but I can't get away from it.

When is Washington going to get a clue? The American people don't like bail-outs but more importantly don't like the President, the Cabinet, nor Congress getting involved in the private sector!

I saw a clip from Neil Cavuto's show on Fox News yesterday that expressed the outrage that many of us are feeling. Neil had a Democrat Congressman from Central Florida who was a major sponsor on a bill that would basically allow the Treasury Secretary the authority to get rid of people who get "excessive" bonuses if they were given bail-out money from the federal government. Now I don't have a problem with the government giving oversight if they are handing out tax-payer dollars but the problem with this bill is that it doesn't just list CEOs nor does it say what is excessive.

Folks, we are watching the deterioration of capitalism as we know it. The United States is on the verge of massive socialism. Doesn't blow your mind that the President basically fired the CEO of GM? Sure the guy was bad but what does the President have to do with this? On top of all that, if this bill gets through that I just mentioned then every CEO or worker of a bailed out company will have their income reviewed and if the higher-ups in Washington D.C. think that they were compensated too much they could lose their job or be forced into giving the money back, etc.

I'm so glad that I'm not living for this world, however, I do have to live in it. And since I'm living in it - I'm going to let my voice be heard. We have Congress getting ready to pass a MASSIVE budget that the president says is needed. But if you go through it line by line you will see that this budget is nothing more than a liberal agenda seeking to create more power for the federal government and more dependence on the programs they "offer".

When will it end? I wish that I could give you a timeline. I wish that I could say that there is a person on the horizon with a backbone who has great fiscal responsibility, moral clarity, and can communicate conservative values. But as of today, I'm not sure who that person will be.

It is our duty to pray for this nation and its leaders. I am excited to hear some rumblings of people who are fed up with all this nonsense. Hopefully we can see some real change real soon.

April Fools Day

O.K. So it's April Fools Day. I must admit that I pulled a prank on my daughter ~ it's part of the fun...right? One of the greatest jokes that I have heard regarding April 1st is about the judge who heard a case from a group of atheists who wanted a national holiday. He offered up April Fools Day as a perfect date. Why not? The Bible tell us in Psalm 14:1 & 53:1 that the fool has said in their heart that there is no God. Works for me.

Here's the problem: It's not funny! It's not funny that many professors on our college campuses are spewing out the theory to our young people that belief in God is just a myth. It's not funny that evolution is taught as fact rather than theory. It's not funny that even the leaders of our nation are doing their part to remove God from any and everything associated with the federal government. If the fool has said in his heart that there is no God, how foolish is it to remove Him from the classroom, creation, and politics?

I believe in the separation of Church and State. I just don't believe it in the way most government officials portray it. This line in our constitution was intended to keep the state out of the church not the other way around. It's intent was to keep churches free from the political positioning we see in Washington. It was intended to ensure Freedom of Religion. However, people have used this phrase to do everything in their power to eliminate God from every facet of public life.

Our children are afraid to pray, speak up, or seek out any type of religious exercise within their schools. They have been taught that you cannot introduce God into the classroom situation. But it's just not true. Our students have the right on their own to pray over meals, pray before tests, and even assemble with other students for Bible Study/Prayer as long as they lead it. The teachers within our schools are often afraid of stepping over their boundaries. They have been told they cannot initiate or lead in any religious exercise. The good news: they can answer questions when asked!

I'm a firm believer that when prayer was taken out of the public schools is the same time we watched our education system begin to tank. Now...I understand the difficulty in all of this. I don't want just anyone leading my kids in prayer. However, I don't have a problem with a moment of silence every day. The problem is that many of these kids have been sent to school without positive parental influence. Some of them are hurting emotionally, abused physically, and empty spiritually. Our teenagers are cutting themselves, exposing themselves, and getting pregnant way too early. Many of these problems are due to bad home situations. We can't blame them (necessarily) on the government school system. But I know teachers who could make a difference in the lives of these kids. Yet some of them are fearful that they will lose their jobs if they step in with some spiritual advice. The problem is that our government views all these problems as emotional, physical, social, or psychological. They fail to see the spiritual implications.

Our nation was founded upon values that reflect faith in God. We cannot remove Him from the public sector. To do so will result in the fall of our nation.

As believers we need to pray for the moral direction of our nation. What we hope to see cannot be accomplished legislatively. But God can do great things through the prayers of His people. Don't be fooled into thinking its about having the right person in the right position. These things may help but God's prescription for the healing of our nation rests with His people humbling themselves, praying, seeking His face, and turning from their wickedness.

So go ahead and enjoy the "foolishness" of this day. Have fun with it. Just don't get caught in the trap that so many "intellectuals" have found themselves in. God is REAL. His creation cries out everyday of His validity, and the empty tomb reminds us that God has made a difference in the lives of the human race. He is our hope. Trust in Him today.