Kicking it Old School

Back in the day I used to do a regular Thursday post called "DM Demolition" where I gave you guys every detail on our Wed. night Desiring More services. Well, grab your knee high socks, Afro picks, and your sweet Saturday Night Fever shirts because we are kicking it Old School...

1. The only reason I feel comfortable saying this is because I know Russell would not take time to read my blog, but our wed. nights have been going SSOO much better since he started leading worship. The guy is talented and like I said I would never tell him that, but he picked up a guitar just a few months ago and already he is quality enough for our kids to say they miss him when he is gone. Send this guy to a few worship conferences and he would join the Passion tour...OK, maybe thats a stretch.
2. We started "John's Letters" last night. Dude, I'm not sure how many times I've read these three letters but never has it been so alive to me (Hebrews 4:12). We only read the first 4 verses last night and I could not get out all God taught me. John is one amazing example of what grace really is.
3. We have some students seriously stepping up and owning their faith...this makes me really excited.
4. We have always had girls who lead and lead well. I think some guys (and I few I would never had expected to tell you the truth) are really stepping up and being that example at school, church, and home.
5. I'm not sure if I have ever publicly thanked all the people who have really poured into my and taught me how to do ministry. The list is way too long, but I think I need to do this soon.
6. A few big things coming up...

• Lock-In with Troy Campbell May 8th. Starting the night off with Community group flag football game.
• I'm preaching the Senior Graduation Sunday May 17th.
• Community Groups start Monday
• M-Fuge...I need the rest of the deposits

Super JP

This is JP fighting all the bad guys on Open Season...

He doesn't like it when all the hunters attack Boog.

The Forgotten Golden Age

I know...2 posts in one day, but this is just simply something I have to put down while it is freshly speaking to my heart.

I just read a book review on "The Forgotten Golden Age" where Phillip Jenkins traces Christianity from Rome to China, Egypt, Ethiopia, and several other places. The idea is that these places, which were once thriving Spiritual communities, met there end by not successfully standing against opposition. Muslim and Turkish invasions, the Black Plague, and other factors eventually ended Christianity and soon gave over to becoming predominately Muslim. This absolutely breaks my heart because we, if we are honest and look closely, can see the exact same thing happening in our world today. Your right that it may not be Muslim and Turkish invasions, but it is us failing to fight off secularism and spiritual apathy. Many of us do not see the Gospel as something worth living and dying for (we may say it with our mouths but do our actions support our words??) therefore, we will soon give way to a secular world that refuses to believe in God and His holiness.

What does this mean for us?? Well, let's look at what has happened to the previously mentioned countries. They have spent centuries in spiritual darkness with countless generations dying lost because of their ancestors giving way to religious tolerance.

Here are my final thoughts: If we soon do not stand upon the immovable foundation that is Christ and His word, and prove to our children that there is nothing more important than the Gospel, we will soon lose the next untold number of generations to secularism and spiritual apathy. I heard in high school once that History repeats itself...Can we please take Jesus' words and begin thirsting and hungering for righteousness...Our children's response to Jesus depends on it.

Monday Mind Dump

• I was wondering something, and I'm just going to put this out there: Is there any other church in the world that has the cell phone problem Southern Heights has??!! Honestly, we average at least one cell phone ring a service and last night there were 5!! 4 of them sounded like the same phone. I am proud to say, however, that not one of them was a students:)
• I really think God revealed the Scripture He wants me to preach on May 17th. I'm extremely excited, and I know if we have ears to hear that God is going to speak. He is good.
• My wife is amazing. She serves like crazy and loves endlessly.
• It is good to have close friends. Seriously, we have deep relationships with some really good people here. People who love us, care for us, who always listen, and stand up for us... That is something I greatly appreciate.
• M-Fuge happens in little over a month. Honduras happens a month after I get home from M-Fuge. Phillip is getting married the week after I get home from Honduras. Where did my summer go??
• JP sure is getting funny in his old age...He talks about the craziest stuff and his imagination is wild. Being a Dad is fun...as of right now:)
• I'm writing my last paper for school today. Yeah, it took a long time, but graduation is upon me!!

Saturday's 7

• Going to help a couple move to a new house today. I think the ankle may slow me down a bit.
• I am so pumped about the weather change. Yesterday Megan and I rode out to Worley's World (Heath and Lisa's) and the weather was absolutely amazing. You forget about the harsh winters quick up here.
• We got a visit from Dan Moran Thursday night to ease some minds of those going to Honduras with us. He did a fantastic job, but he did remind me of how much more stuff I have to do in preparation.
• My goal is to take a team of people out of the country once a year...I think Honduras may be the place where we can go every year and truly invest.
• I think some people are going to be shocked when they realize this not a sight seeing adventure. We are really going to work and be involved with the people.
• Read a story this morning where a police officer in Abbeville got shot and killed by some moron. It breaks my heart, and it definitely reveals the depravity of people.
• I'm still looking for a new truck...you got one to sell??

And The Cycle Continues

Yesterday could not have been any worse of a day. I mean, honestly, it was just one of those days that will stick out in my memory for a long time. So yesterday my amazing wife got off work earlier than normal so I could get out of the house and just be free for a little while. So I go and make a few visits to some people and go back to the community center and play some ball. Well, I guess I was just too intense and focused as I was trying to escape from reality and I ended up jumping (I know what you are thinking..."Ricky you were playing basketball, you have to jump." Well, not me anymore...I play low to the ground) which is something I do not do for fear of ankle rolling, and again I rolled my ankle. I hit the ground and feel it pop back into place. As I got up and tried to walk it off I couldn't help but start laughing. I get really bad out of shape. I get on a health kick and start losing some weight. I run, excercise, and lift weights pretty regularly. I roll my ankle or crash a mountain bike and get bad out of shape again. So I'm up at 12 last night and I have this thought:

God always seems to bring me back to my knees. He will not allow me to find comfort and escape from troubles in worldly things. So last night in the bedroom with my wonderful wife asleep, I begin to worship and pray and repent over and over again. He alone is worthy and He alone is good. Yes, He did bless me with a talent and love for basketball, but so many times I make that my "relief" when in all reality God is the only "relief". Romans 8:22 tells us that the whole earth groans for the relief from this bondage sin has caused it. Like the earth we should be waiting in eager expectation of God's relief rather than trusting in an activity to escape. Again there is nothing wrong with stress relief...my problem was that I was trusting in it. Don't make my mistake and have to learn a lesson with a bad ankle and a couple of weeks of hobbling around.

1 Peter 1:3- 5: 3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4 to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, 5 who by God's power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.

It's All Out There

Not too long after Megan and I made the move to Arkansas, I started blogging. I have enjoyed every minute of it, but the advice of one of the smartest people I've ever known, Rodney Dalton, sticks in my head..."Once you put it all out there, there's no getting it back." Wow, what a great warning on being careful about what you say. So ever since I started this whole blogging deal, for the most part, I've been very careful about the words I type. With that thought strong on my heart, I still have some things I need to say:

1. I will protect my family...no matter the consequences.
2. I have heard many respected biblical scholars say that there is no such thing as carnal Christianity. Those people are just lost...
3. The reason lost people are seeking for something of eternal value within the church is simply because of all the junk that goes on within a church. I they have enough stress and drama at home, and they do not want to come to a place with more of it.
4. You and I are absolutely nothing without God's grace.
5. True community is only available through love (1 John 4). We may display tolerance but never true fellowship with out love.

Picture Time

It's been way too long since I have posted some pics of JP. So here you go...Enjoy the many personalities of "Brother JP".


JP hanging with his best buddy Benjamin at his birthday party. Here we see JP in his "Lighting McQueen is the only thing that matters" phase...

Here we see JP in his "Come here baby" phase...

Here we see JP in his "Dude, life is hilarious" phase...

Here we see JP in his "I'm just like my Dad" phase...

Finally, we see JP in his "I'm a complete momma's boy" phase...

Saturday's 7

• AAHHH!! It's nice to have a chance to release the things that clog up my mind:)
• I played ball this morning for the first time in a long time...almost as long as my "no blog" run. I think I'm too quiet when I play basketball. I never say anything, and I'm not sure if that is the way Christ wants me to play. I know I don't need to talk just for the sake of running my mouth, but I do need to be more encouraging. 1 Cor. 10:31
• I'm more excited about Student Ministry now than I think I have ever been. Community Groups are starting soon, M-Fuge is just around the corner, I'm dreaming up in my head a ministry that reaches out to college and young adults, and we are seeing fruit in the ministry. I love this...
• I got to baptize three on Easter Sunday morning. One of the top 8 moments in all my life I would probably say. I'm not sure how John the Baptist did so many at one time...if the TBN movies are an accurate picture.
• The weather is finally changing and I'm being reminded about how awesome it is to live in NW Arkansas. Seriously, the winters are miserable, but it all is quickly forgotten when Spring rolls around.
• We had a baby appointment yesterday and the doctor said the heart sounded great. October 9th EVERYTHING will change. Pray that I get over my semi-selfish ways by then and truly adopt the mind of Christ.
• Two blog posts in a row...I think I'm getting back into the groove of things:)

Early Morning Thoughts

I know. This has probably been my longest drought since I first started blogging a year ago. Most likely everyone has gave up and will never know I even started posting again. That's ok... But if you do happen to stumble on this by God's sovereignty:), I'm back in the blog world. My mind is going to explode if I don't get some of this out. When my alarm went off at 4:30 this morning, I had slept well, but all day yesterday and last night my heart has been heavy. Maybe heavy is not the right word because I'm so stinking excited about some things coming up for our student ministry. To be honest I haven't been this pumped about where God is taking us ever...I see depth, hunger, and realness in a lot of our kids hearts and it blesses me greatly. We have some serious hard-core staff that is stepping up and giving away tons of time in their lives to invest in our kids, and that makes me happy.

So here is me trying to give you a quick deal on why I'm so excited about the ministry. We are developing community groups, which is something we should have done day 1. These community groups are basically to promote unity within our ministry and to get our students focused on the Gospel in the deepest way possible. Basically, our tag-line is "A Gospel Centered Community". Here are the shirts I just approved for this:

Yeah, I'm pretty proud of them. Anyway, I'm learning that in the ministry everything must go through the filter of the Gospel. Everything we do must have a "Gospel Purpose". This is no different. Again, if God's sovereignty leads you back to this blog and you want to be a part of this please let me know. We can always use teachers and home-sites...You can be a part of the Gospel Centered Community.