Get connected

I was just reading about Christians in China who were arrested for meeting together.

It seems like in America we view church attendance as optional. If the waves are flat, if the boats in the shop, if we don't have a soccer game or a swim meet, then we'll show up for corporate worship.

I'm wondering why these Christians around the world are willing to risk jail to get together and worship Jesus and American "Christians" seem to view gathering together as an obligation or option.

We saw last Sunday that one of the things that led to Elijah's depression and lack of stoke was isolation. He left his servant and wandered off in the wilderness alone. He told God that he felt like he was the ONLY one left who really worshipped God. There's something about being connected with other believers that really helps you stay stoked. So, sure, you can worship God out on the lake, or in the ocean, (I do it all the time), but you really do need to be connected with other people and encourage them as they encourage you to really live for Jesus. I've invested plenty of money in the Magic Kingdom, but I don't think I'll see much return on that investment when I get to the Kingdom of Heaven. I've never had a wave or a bass challenge me to repent of a sin or encourage me to share my faith. I've never gone to a soccer game or swim meet and come away thinking about how great God is. Maybe it's just me, but I think we all need to get together and get connected more often. Life is about more than entertainment, we're on a mission here.... we're on a mission from God.... together. We need each other.

Just a thought.

TEN HUT!!!!!

We're kicking off a brand new series this week in Pro-Kids... Ten Hut - keeping step with the life of Joshua!



This week:
Lesson Goal: The children will learn that God has promised us that He will always be with us and when we are afraid we can pray to God and ask Him for courage.
Main Point: God Gives Me Courage When I Am Afraid!
Bible Story: Joshua becomes the leader of Israel (Joshua 1)
Bible Verse: Joshua 1:9
"This is my command-be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the Lord your God is with you wherever you go." (NLT)

Sunday Recap

• We kicked off a new series this weekend "STOKED!" for the next few weeks we're going to see what the Bible has to say about getting and staying fired up in life...even when things don't go your way.
• We looked at Philippians 4:4-8 and saw that THINK + THANK = STOKED
• It's funny that we were talking about joy in spite of bad circumstances because I got to the Crab Shack a little late, the doors leading out to our area wouldn't open and our sound system was missing.... got to apply what I was preaching before the service even started.
• I like the new wall at the Crab Shack - should keep water from getting in from the parking lot next time it floods.
• Love that we were meeting outside by the river talking about the church at Phillip that got started with a group of people meeting outside by the river.
• We had the biggest doughnuts ever at Wards Creek - filled with pudding too!
• Saw some friends that I haven't seen since we were just meeting at our house praying about whether or not to start Providence - it was great to see them again!
• Rhymed more than usual today "An attitude of grattitude will keep a dude from being rude."
• Keith had his acoustic drums back... I must admit I like them better than the electric ones.
• Really looking forward to next week - we're going to talk about a guy named Elijah who had every reason to be stoked... but was depressed instead.

FREE AUDIO BOOK - Francis Chan - Crazy Love

I read this book last year - we gave it to graduates this spring. You should drop it on your iPod or at least your computer - it's FREE until the end of July. Use Promo code JUL2009 when you check out. Download it HERE - Christian Audio

Hat tip to The Rebelution for spreading the word.

STOKED!

Join us this Sunday as we kick off our new sermon series "Stoked!"

We'll see what the Bible has to say about getting, keeping, and spreading real joy even in the midst of difficult and discouraging circumstances. If you've ever struggled with discouragement or walked through a dark time with a friend, you'll find some real practical Biblical principles that will help you in this series.

I'm praying these next few weeks will be some of the most encouraging we've ever had at Providence.

Sunday Recap - (Late Version)

It's kind of funny that I'm posting this after preaching about being too late on Sunday.

• Breakfast at the Crab Shack was really good - had a really good crowd - I love 2nd Sundays.
• It was really nice to have the full band back this week at the 11:00 Wards Creek Service.
• Sean had a really good group of Students this week - if you're in Middle or High School you should meet with him at 10:30 on Sundays and 7:00 on Wednesdays email him (Sean (at) ProvidenceBibleChurch.com ) for more info.
• We talked about folks who are going to stand before God and find out it's too late to trust Jesus one day... one of the scariest things in the Bible... It breaks my heart to think that some of the people in our community might experience that one day...
• Lunch was tasty at Wards Creek - I love 2nd Sundays
• A bunch of folks headed to the 2nd walkover after lunch
• I won the fishing tournament with like 18 fish (mostly whiting and a Pompano)
• If you surf - don't bother checking the 2nd walkover --- the sandbars are all gone so it only breaks right on shore (which can be fun... and dangerous for body surfing -see pic)
• We hung around to watch the shuttle but it got scrubbed - maybe tonight.
• Really looking forward to this weekend and our new series "Stoked" - more about that tomorrow.

• 

Land of a Thousand Hills Coffee

Coffee is one of our semi-core values at Providence Bible Church.

Here's our coffee for next week at Providence:

Drink coffee, do good.

Weekend Recap

That was a really good 4th of July weekend.

• We had a great time hanging out by the pool at Heritage Landing Saturday.
• Melissa the Sno-cone queen was back with a few extra helpers like Allen, Cindy, Lesli, Lavonda and Eric - they gave away several coolers full of crushed and sugary flavored ice - special thanks to Bounce-aroo for the machine - I reccommend you rent it from them for your next party
• The Dunking booth was a huge hit - Eric and Sean spent most of the afternoon out there in the heat managing this puppy -
• If you rent one for the weekend - you actually get it for 2 days for the price of one - so we filled it up in the back yard after church
• We collected some baseball stuff for Faith Field Ministies on Sunday - I like that they are using something as American as Baseball to reach the world for Jesus.
• I met a guy who was a hunting/fishing guide in Alaska at the Crab Shack service.... got me thinking about a mission trip/vacation to Alaska :)
• Allen did a great job with the welcome at Wards Creek "a workless faith is a worthless faith" - he taught a great truth in less than 3 minutes.
• We talked about how "No excuse is a good excuse to NOT be who God wants you to be or do what God wants you to do" from Matthew 25:14-30
• One of my heroes dropped by our 11:00 service. Tommy Mallard sits on the board of Providence and has impacted my life as much as anyone else I can think of... he even led Lesli to Christ on a ski trip way back in 1987. It was really good to see him - he's such and encouragement to so many people.
• Topped off the weekend with some of the best shrimp I've ever had from the Crab Shack.

So today - I'm super thankful for my country, Jesus' church, and my friends and family. It's going to be a great week. We're going to change the world.

A watched dunk tank never fills....

Happy Independence Day!

Make the most of your freedom. It's a gift that comes with great responsibility.

Image credit: uhuru1701

Image credit: Peter Moreville

July 4th Dunking and Baseball Sunday

On Saturday, July 4th - we’ll be hanging out at the Heritage Landing pool manning the dunk-tank and giving away sno-cones. Come by and see us if you live in Heritage Landing. 1-4pm.

It’s way too hot to play baseball after church, but you can still help us use America’s pastime to change the world. Bring your used or new baseball/softball equipment to Providence july 5th as we partner with Faith Field Baseball Ministries. Your donation will be used to minster to under-privileged youth around the world.

I like this book.

I just finished reading Total Church by Steve Timmis. It's a good little theology book that deals with what the church really is. It's not buildings and brands. It's people loving Jesus and each other and sharing life together. He really covers the whole subject of ecclesiology well, dealing with theology, apologetics, church structure, mission, and most other major issues within the church.

The last chapter of the book has to do with what success looks like. He argues that big doesn't necessarily mean successful. He doesn't say it's bad, it's just not the ultimate measure we often make it out to be. If we have a good crowd and a good offering, I feel like we had a good day. Timmis argues that if you had messed up people helping messed up people and worshipping Jesus you had a good day, regardless of attendance figures or the smoothness of your sermon.

Here's one of my favorite quotes from the book regarding the performance issue that I and many other pastors struggle with:

The real tragedy of leadership as performance is that it devalues the work of Christ. Our identity then is not rooted in grace but in the success of our ministry. And so we feel upbeat when we have performed well, and we feel down when things are not going well. We become enslaved to other people's approval. We are concerned to prove ourselves, and that is just another way of talking about self-justification. We preach justification by faith on the day of judgement but do not practice justification by faith in the daily routine of our lives. Our practical theology has become disconnected from our confessional theology. Our song becomes:

My hope is built on something less

Than Jesus' blood and righteousness;

I trust my skills, I trust my fame,

And maybe sometimes Jesus' name

Ouch.

and Thank You Steve Timmis.