Old & New (Super Bowl Sunday)

{In November, I took my daughter to the New England Patriots vs. Indianapolis Colts football game. This is a part of a post I wrote on November 2, 2007 while chillin in Indy. It seems appropriate to post this again since the Patriots remain unbeaten and the Super Bowl is Sunday. BTW - even if you don't like football, this post will speak to you about the beauty and potential of the local church}


I have been thinking a lot about ways in which we might encourage a greater diversity with regards to age in the church. I love the fact that we have lots of racial and socio-economic diversity at newhope. But wouldn’t it be great to have more age diversity, as well. I have been thinking about that in light of what I am doing this weekend with my daughter, Anna Grace. Let me explain.

I brought Anna Grace with me so we could stay the weekend and watch the New England Patriots vs. the Indianapolis Colts Sunday at 4 pm. Anna Grace is the biggest Colts fan I know and this is her 10th birthday gift from daddy. :>)

Now for those of you who don’t watch professional football, let me just inform you that this IS the game of the season. Most people are calling it the Super Bowl of the regular season. Both teams are unbelievable, undefeated, have amazing quarterbacks, and coached by the best of the best! At 4 pm, we will be sitting on the 45 yard line, 18 rows from the field. Eat your heart out! With regards to age diversity in the church, allow me to make a point from the enemy team this weekend, namely the New England Patriots.

This season, the New England Patriots have the most effective offense in NFL history. Their coach, Bill Bellichick, is a seasoned veteran who has trained a young phenom named Tom Brady as his quarterback. Bellichick never smiles and has the personality of a wet rag, but he is a mastermind of a coach. Simply put, he is brilliant. The one area in which he always excels is in the area of bringing together the Old and New players in the NFL.

Not only has the coach invested the entire Patriot dynasty in Tom Brady, he drafted 2 of the most respected seasoned veterans in the NFL during the off-season. Junior Seau “retired” as a linebacker for San Diego and was done in football until he joined the Patriots. He is having his best season ever. And Randy Moss, who is almost old enough to draw a pension :>) and was a joke at Oakland last year, is catching passes and making plays like a fresh Heisman Trophy winner. Why are these veterans showing out like this? Because they have been well coached and are connected with a young winner like Brady!

Here is my point and how all of this relates to the church. It would be ridiculous for Tom Brady and Randy Moss to argue over offensive styles, pass routes, or who gets the most press time after a victory! The bottom line is the team. When I coach Anna Grace or any of my boys, I teach them that TEAM stands for “Together Everyone Achieves More.”

When it comes to bringing the Old and the New together in the church, we have to remember that we are all on the same TEAM! To be on a good team, is to forget about one’s self and strive to help the team succeed. If we are on the same team, namely the church, and our goal is to advance God’s Kingdom, and not protect our own reputation or build our own fame, than we are more useful to God!

Imagine with me a church full of children, teenagers, young single adults, married couples with and without children, empty nesters and retired people – all working together as a team to the glory and honor of Jesus Christ! Now friends, that is a biblical vision that jacks me up even more than attending this game on Sunday.


Back to the present - this vision still jacks me up, even a few months later. I believe this is God's desire for the church - diversity amidst our unity. In fact, I am in Atlanta with other pastors from around the Southeast, and I am once again reminded that other churches/pastors, if they preaching the Word and lifting Jesus up, are also on the same team. Though I am not sure if I am pulling for the Patriots, I do believe they teach us something about bringing together the old and the new. BTW - we are celebrating SOUPER Bowl Sunday at newhope. Feel free to bring a can of soup and we will collect that food for people in need.

Pastor's Roundtable Up-date

Sup?

Yesterday was a great day at the pastor’s roundtable. We got started around noon and didn’t slow down until about 8:30 pm last night. We have been laughing really hard and sharing great ideas. These guys are awesome!

This morning, we started around 8:00 am and will wrap up around 2:00 pm this afternoon. I can’t wait to get back and talk with our Pastoral Team/staff about ways in which we can get better as a church! Our Pastoral Team retreat in February should be awesome!!

See you Sunday!!

Hotlanta - Here I Come!

I fly out at 7 am tomorrow. That means I have to get up at 5 am, leave at 5:30 am and be at the airport at 6 am. Dude, that is early, even for a morning person like me! :>) It is one thing to get up with a nice cup of coffee and the Word. It is entirely different to get up and do all of that craziness.

I will be joining these other pastors from around the country:

Gary Lamb - Revolution Church
Tadd Grandstaff - Pine Ridge Church
Jeff Kapusta - Life Point Church
Tony McCollum - Fusion Church
Bob Franquiz - Calvary Fellowship
Steven Gibbs - Stonecreek Church
Matt Evans - Rockbridge Church
Michael Lukaszewski - Oak Leaf Church
Jimmy Britt - Rocky River Church


I am pretty amped up about being with these other leaders. I have heard great things about each of these pastors and am honored to be invited. You know, the Bible says, "As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another." (Proverbs 27:17) Will you pray that we will sharpen one another to the glory of and honor of Jesus?

All these churches are less then 10 years old, all of them are growing, all of them are doing church in a very relevant/modern style, and they are all seeing great Kingdom success.

The plan, as I understand it now, is that we will meet 4 times in '08. We will meet for a round table format from Wednesday at noon until Thursday at noon. We will rotate among the states, meeting in Georgia, North Carolina, and Miami.


As a result, my blogging might be limited. I will catch up when I can.

Peace - I covet your prayers.

If you are a newhoper, I can't wait to see you Sunday.

BTW - we had 911 people come through the doors of newhope this past Sunday and baptized somewhere around 20 people! Can you say ridiculously amazing? GO GOD!

Vision Weekend!

What a party! Last night was HUGE as we celebrated our volunteers with a party called Game on! Too much fun - I went to bed with my side and cheeks hurting from laughing so hard and awoke this morning with a smile on my face. :>) No doubt, one of the best night ever in the life of our church! Again, THANKS TO ALL THE VOLUNTEERS!

Tomorrow, we celebrate Vision Day VI with awesome music, a timely message, great experience for our children in hopetown, and indoor believer baptisms and baby dedications. I can't wait.

Join us at any of our three celebrations. (8:45, 10:15, and 11:45 am)

Peace and praise God for 6 years of newhope!

Beneath the Surface (Inside Out, Pt. 2)

Let me go ahead and warn you - this is a longer post. BUT I BELIEVE WELL WORTH IT :>) Grab a cup of coffee or beverage and settle in - I hope you enjoy!

R.D. Lange is an imminent philosopher, and one of the most perceptive observers and discerning describers of the human situation. He has said this - what we think is less than what we know. What we know is less than what we love. What we love is so much less than there is, and to this precise extent we are much less than what we are.

What a challenging assessment. We are much less than what we are. Now that’s a needed perspective. The truth is, we are not sure what is making us less than what we know in our heart of hearts, we are called to be and do in life. Our outward image may communicate confidence and competence, but inside most of us are confused. Two weeks ago, after a sermon on New Year's resolutions, I committed to the newhope community that I would spend time continuing to probe beneath the surface in hopes of helping us get our New Year’s Resolutions right – from the Inside Out!

There are some truths of God so massive and expansive and encompassing that our minds boggle when we contemplate them, so we don’t typically "go there." I love the fact that the Bible dives right in, feet first, if you will! Paul didn’t shy away from these baffling truths. In fact, he sought to make them practical realities. To the Thessalonians he wrote this:

“May the God of peace make you Holy through and through, may be kept in soul and mind and body in spotless integrity until the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, He who calls you is utterly faithful and he will finish what he started out to do.” (I Thessalonians 5:23)

Read that again, friends. That is unbelievably powerful!

Maxie Dunnam, while reflecting on this passage, said, "I’ve been probing the dim regions of my personality. I’m not able to get at the stirrings there, they’re too hot to handle, too complex to contemplate. Just when I think I have it all together, that I know myself and have given all to you, some unnamed power surges from my depths, some long-forgotten passion contorts to life and sets my whole being on fire. I know, or I say I know, I know that you’re the God of the mornings and evenings and mountain peaks and the sea. But God, my soul has further horizons than the early morning, deeper darkness than the deepest night, higher peaks than the mountains, and greater depths than the sea. So hear me Lord, I cannot reach to the heights or to the depths. There are motives I can’t trace. Passions I can’t probe. Dreams I can’t get at. Stirrings I can’t explain. But God, make me Holy through and through. Keep my soul and mind and body in spotless integrity. I can’t do it, but you can.” (Dr. Maxie Dunnam, Past President of Asbury Theological Seminary)

Can you relate? Listen, He who calls you is utterly faithful and He will finish that which He has started in you!

Let’s try to wrap our minds around this promise. Paul is saying that the new creation which has begun in us is going to be finished. (II Corinthians 5:17) That is, it’s going to be finished if we will allow it to be finished. The missing ingredients are on our side, not God’s. God is faithful. He wants us to be whole. He has the power to finish His work in us. So Paul prayed that the God of peace would make you “Holy” through and through. Here is another version of that word - Whole – w h o l e – Holy through and through. Don’t forget that Paul prayed this prayer a long time before Freud and psychoanalysis - centuries before depth psychology. The cure of the soul, the probing and healing of the depths of our being, has always been the work of God.

Whether speaking psychologically out of the universal need to be at peace with oneself, or religiously out of the certainty that inner conflict comes when we violate God’s image that has been stamped upon our soul, the answer is found in God working us over from the inside out. Though ancient in origin, it is as fresh as this morning's sun after the snow and rain this weekend. Whether we act as therapists or counselors or preachers or trusted Christian friends, truth in the inward, and wisdom in the secret heart are essential for wholeness.

Most of the time, we’re not all together on the inside and we know it. That gnawing restlessness keeps moving us back and forth, jumping from one effort to trying to find meaning in another. The vague but painful stirring within doesn’t go away when we get that new car or that new job or that new house or that new President which we thought would make us happy. That comes only from the truth in the inward being, wisdom in the secret heart. That’s the place we need to probe. Better yet, that's the place we open for God's Spirit to probe.

I will close by focusing on one area of our inward being that needs special attention. Though we’ve come along way since Freud in our understanding of the subconscious mind, I’m convinced that most of us have not considered the subconscious enough as we’ve sought wholeness in our Christian experience. We don’t have to know the technical language of the therapist to know the anguishing stirrings that cause us to cry out for wholeness and peace.

As you embark upon this journey inward, here is a prescription from a one time, long ago, Pharmacy Major at USC: (I wonder where I would be, who I would be married to, how many kiddos I would have, and which Drug Store counter I would be standing behind today if God had not called me to preach? You know, there are some huge decisions in life but I digress - sorry :>)

1. Be scathingly honest with yourself.
2. Find a Christian friend whom you trust and share your pain and hurt with that person. In some instances, a pastor or a counselor may be necessary. BTW – this why Small Groups or our Triads are so important. Christianity was/is never meant to be lexperienced in isolation.
3. Believe that there is nothing, absolutely nothing beyond the healing power of God’s love in Jesus Christ! There is no sin that has not been dealt with in the cross of Jesus Christ. Oh, I want you to hear that – really hear it. There is no sin that has not been dealt with in the cross of Jesus Christ. And there is nothing, absolutely nothing that can separate you and me from the love of God in Christ Jesus. If that sounds like a verse of Scripture to you, you might be a biblical scholar!

“Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? As it is written:

"For your sake we face death all day long;
we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered."

No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 8:35 – 39)

4. Commit yourself to a journey of wholeness. We don’t become Holy through and through in a day. So we begin to live a life a transparency, sharing with Christ and others, when it seems right and God honoring. When we become conscious of some hidden hurt, some pushed down pain, some unconfessed sin, we bring that out into the open with Christ, surrender it to Him, and allow Him to heal and forgive as needed. In doing so, we become free in Christ with nothing to hide!
5. Lastly, we learn to live fully and wholly in the present! Check this out - we live in the present in such a way that we do not store up for the future anything that will ravage our lives, tear us apart, and set us back to places from which we have come. That means we don’t let the sun go down on our wrath; we don’t allow hatred to fester within us; we seek reconciliation with another as soon as we’ve become aware that the relationship is broken; we don’t allow lust to grow in us; we strive for good for all people, churches, families and friends. In doing so, we start living transparent lives that are open to the grace of Jesus Christ, who wants to be in us, a cleansing, healing spring bubbling up and flowing to eternal life.

Allow me to close with a story. Some time back, I was in Italy and heard of this most intriguing story that I remember to this day. I’m told that in the harbor of Genoa, Italy, they lowered a statue of Christ in the classic form of outstretched arms, as if to say, come unto me – it is called the Christ of the deep, and they placed it in the harbor, beneath the surface, in the depth of the water, as a memorial to sailors who were lost at sea.

But there’s a more powerful symbol here – Christ does not just deal with the surface issues of life. He doesn’t just fix us up a little bit, putting a band-aid here and a band-aid there. He goes to the depths, permeating our whole being with his forgiving, abiding, restoring, healing love.

Go deep, beloved. Plunge into the depths of Christ and allow Him to plunge His Holy Spirit to the depths of your soul. There, I can promise, He will save and cleanse you from the inside out.

Grace and peace to you as you journey beneath the surface!

The Great Late Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., delivered this speech on August 28, 1963, on the steps of the Washington, D.C., Lincoln Memorial during the march on Washington for Jobs and Freedom. There is nothing quite like a vision and this man was a master. I honor his life today and encourage us all to keep moving forward for his unfinished legacy. Which by the way, was/is a legacy straight from the life and lips of Jesus Christ!


I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: “We hold these truths to be self-evident: that all men are created equal.” I have a dream that one day on the red hills of Georgia the sons of former slaves and the sons of former slave owners will be able to sit down together at a table of brotherhood. I have a dream that one day even the state of Mississippi, a desert state, sweltering with the heat of injustice and oppression, will be transformed into an oasis of freedom and justice. I have a dream that my four children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character. I have a dream today.


I have spent a lot of time, in my seminary days and in continued reading to this day, studying the effectiveness and success of Martin Luther King's non-violent movement against segregation and injustice in the American south. I believe most of that success was a direct result of God's call upon his life, his ability to cast a compelling vision with inspirational eloquence, and his passion for stepping out in faith. Sometimes that willingness to activate his faith landed him in jail. The following is a powerful excerpt from King during his time in a Birmingham Jail on April 16, 1963. While jailed for leading anti-segregation protests in Birmingham, King wrote this letter arguing that individuals have the moral duty to disobey unjust laws.


We know through painful experience that freedom is never voluntarily given by the oppressor; it must be demanded by the oppressed. Frankly I have never yet engaged in a direct action movement that was "well timed," according to the timetable of those who have not suffered unduly from the disease of segregation. For years now I have heard the word "Wait!" It rings in the ear of every Negro with a piercing familiarity. This "wait" has almost always meant "never." We must come to see with the distinguished jurist of yesterday that "justice too long delayed is justice denied."

And here is one of my favorite quotes:

The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy.
— Martin Luther King, Jr.

Read that once again and let it sink in and challenge you to the core.


Thank you, Lord God, for Martin Luther King, Jr. I pray his vision will continue to compel up forward for the cause of non-violence, peace, and justice. Raise up more and more believers to radically follow your Son, even if it means jail time, persecution, and even death. I pray this in the matchless name of Jesus Christ, Your Son and our Lord. Amen.

Glad We Had Church

I am so glad we had church today when most churches closed due to weather. Just think, none of that would have happened if we cancelled church today. There was something powerful and stirring this morning. We had a full house at one service and more people than ever at our third service. Simply amazing.

It is as if the people who came out were so hungry for God. It was perfect that we looked at Matthew 17 and the relationship between faith and God's power unleashed in our lives.

For those of you who came out, I don't have to tell you that God was moving BIG time this morning. For those of you who didn't make it, no worries, Sunday is coming and oh what a Sunday it will be! (I know you are not supposed to end a sentence with "be" but I really don't feel like re-working the sentence :>) If you are interested, the sermon from today will be posted on this site shortly.

Speaking of next Sunday, don't miss Game On Friday night and Vision Day VI on Sunday as we celebrate six years of newhope. We will also have our first ever INDOOR BABY DEDICATIONS AND BAPTISMS!

Any who - there is a great football game on RIGHT NOW so I am out of here. :>)

Peace -

PS - pray for me - I usually observe Sabbath rest on Monday but tomorrow I have a full day. Meetings start at 8:15 am and don't end until late tomorrow night. Pray for Pastors from all across North Carolina who are coming to newhope tomorrow. I am looking forward to it!

newhope church and weather

Sup? Enjoy the snow and stay warm!

We have cancelled the early service tomorrow. (NO 8:45 am Service)

But we are still having the two later services at 10:15 and 11:45 am. Sleep in and come join us as we start the series titled, "Jesus Did What?"


Rest well - if anything changes, I will post the information here!

Jesus Did What?

This Sunday we begin our new series titled, "Jesus Did What?" It is going to be off the hook. I can't wait to study the amazing miracles of Jesus! This Sunday, we look at Jesus healing this guy and then connecting it to faith the size of a Mustard Seed!

There's a story that's been told about Charles Spurgeon, the great 19th century revival preacher that goes something like this: He was approached by a young preacher who said, "Mr. Spurgeon, when you preach the gospel, hundreds come forward to be saved. But when I preach the very same gospel, hardly anyone comes forward to be saved. Why is that?"

Spurgeon said, "Young man, you really don't expect people to be saved every time you preach, do you?" Taken aback, the young man, "Well, no sir, I don't."

The great preacher said, "Then that's why people aren't saved when you preach."

I love that! Great faith doesn't just improve the quality of your life; that's part of it, but not all of it. Great faith also improves the quality of life. Through faith, God blesses our lives personally. Through faith, God also blesses other people's lives as well — if your faith is lacking, you can't help other people experience the hand of God in their lives.

Come join us Sunday as we study Matthew 17 and Jesus’ healing and our need for faith, even faith the size of a Mustard Seed. It promises to be a great day.

Invite your friends as we kick off this new series!

From the Inside Out, Part I

Can you see the building? Can you see 1000's of people coming to faith? Can you see them walking up to the church? Can you envision God using us to save marriages? Break addictions? Give direction to directionless? Hope to the hopeless?

As you look at that picture, I hope you don't see just a huge piece of land being cleared but rather a life saving station! I hope you don't see just dirt but rather a beacon of faith, hope, and love in the heart of central NC!

While clearing the land, they found an old septic tank that they had to remove. The Superintendent emailed me the entire process of abandonment, step by detailed step. My first reaction was. "This is far too much information." :>) But my second reaction was, "This will preach." Look at what he said to me in an email:

Pastor Benji,

The existing septic tank is located 40 degrees East of North and 66 feet from the old well. The area has been marked with blue flags. The procedure for abandoning the septic tank will be:

1. Remove the existing soil covering the tank.
2. Remove the lid from the tank and dispose of the lid.
3. Pump out the tank.
4. Wash out the tank
5. Break the bottom of the tank
6. Place 100 pounds of lime in the tank
8, Crush in the side walls of the tank.
9. Cover the area with soil.

And I would add #10, plant some fresh new greenery for life and growth!

That is a lot of work and detail to clean out the junk that was beneath the surface. It requires ample amounts of detail and attention to the stuff on the inside of the earth, though everything looked great on the surface.

I find in this an analogy, if you will, and the way in which we must regularly examine our lives and allow God to penetrate beneath the surface and work there and remove the garbage and junk that has a tendency to gather. This is the hard, but absolutely necessary part of growing in the grace of Jesus Christ. This is what I talked about Sunday when I referred to New Year’s Resolutions – From the INSIDE OUT!

This is what a typical devotional time looks like for me:

1. It always begins with a comfortable place with which I am familiar. I have this favorite chair in my study at home. This is almost always in the morning hours for me. (See, Mark 1) I always have a cup of coffee. I will sometimes light a candle. I will sometimes has some peaceful music playing in the background. (I know, I am kind of mystic at times)

2. I tend to start in prayer. It is usually a simple prayer but one that fixes my heart and mind on Christ and asks Him to speak to me.

3. I usually turn to the Word after my first prayer. During devotional time, I love to slow down and just marinate in parts of Scripture. I liken it to a glass bottom boat, if you will. Sometimes I fly through Scripture like riding on a speed boat. But during devotional times, I slow down like exloring on a glass bottom boat. I move carefully and meticulously through the Word. When I read the Word for spiritual growth and development, I slow down and look for priceless jewels of truth that God has in store for me on that particular day!

4. After studying the Word in this slowed down state, I ask the question, “How can I apply this to my life today.” This is an important and often neglected step. It is the big “So what?” question.

5. Based on what God has done in my quiet time so far, (I.e. Prayer, Reading the Word, and Application) I then wrap up in prayer again. This prayer is more focused, usually longer, and is a time to simply share my heart and desires, need for forgiveness of sins, and asking for the empowerment to walk out what I just learned in the Word!

What kinds of practices have you found helpful?

Later this week, I will post again and talk about using devotional materials to help facilitate this devotional time and spiritual growth. And remember, if you want 2008 to be a banner year for your spiritual growth, spend as much time working on the inner you as you do on the outer you.

Peace –

Sunday Mind Dump...

I have never felt like this before. My eyes are blood shot and swollen. My throat feels like someone rubbed it all day long with sandpaper. My body hurts as if I have been hit by a truck. (Though I would not really now what that feels like :>) And yet, my mind races with excitement and my heart soars at the reality of what God is doing among us.

Today was a day that will go down as a marathon day for God. The morning hours consisted of our 3 worship celebrations and this evening was a Membership Meeting for newhope church. Here is what I am thinking tonight:

* I love how real we keep it. The first service this morning was quite possibly the flattest worship service we have ever had at newhope. I love that I could simply get up at the end and just own and articulate what I felt was going on.

* I love the fact that people prayed really hard after that service and the next two celebrations were quite possibly two of the most engaging services we have ever experienced. God, you never cease to amaze us.

* I love my family. I can't believe how my kids are growing up. I also can't believe how much they love our church and serve her faithfully week in and week out.

* My dog (Duke) is driving me crazy. I never would have imagined a black lab dog could or would chew/bite his way through a chain link metal fence. What is his problem? I pray he doesn't get lose and hit by a car. I have to figure this out really fast.

* I love our Pastors. Man, they are just awesome. Pastors Matt, Curtis, Amy Lynn, and Jarred - you rock for Christ!

* I love the NFL. I almost stopped watching it a few years ago but it is simply amazing. The cameras on the field and level of competition is out of this world. I am watching Dallas and the Giants right now. (DVR'd from earlier) Not looking good for the Cowboys. You know, I would probably pull for them if they didn't have this dude called TO.

* How will I ever go to sleep tonight? Body is a wreck but the mind is racing with adrenaline.

* The house is so quiet when everyone else is asleep.

* Looking forward to doing life with about 15 other pastors later this month. I will keep you posted.

* Our members are amazing. Had a blast with them tonight. I would charge any hill with this group.

* Our 36 acre post is blowing up for Jesus near Southpoint Mall. Watch out Satan, we are building God's church and you can do NOTHING about it!

* Did I mention that the Cowboys are going down.

* We are having more first time guests at newhope these days than we have experienced in a long time.

* Duke's basketball team is really good to be so young. Carolina is much better.

* Can you believe our building will be 6 X larger than our current space. That tells me we need 6 X the amount of prayer. Please pray for me. Pray for our church. Pray for the lost of central North Carolina. And please, for the love of God, Invest and Invite them to a newhope environment or some other great church.

* Denzell Washington - now that is an actor! I showed a clip tonight from John Q. The dad was willing to take a bullet, and give his heart for his son whose heart was really sick. I wonder if I would do that? God did more - He died on a cross to save all children who would receive this gift of love.

* Go see "The Great Debaters." Yea - Denzell is in that one, as well. It is playing right now - by far, one of the most inspiring movies I have watched.

* I can't believe what God is doing among us! We had a boy in hopetown dropping the F bomb left and right. Now those are the kinds of families we are trying to reach, teach, and release!

*What's up with American politics? I can't figure it out - the front runners consist of a Woman, a Mormon, an ordained Baptist minister and an African American. It is a new day, friends.

* This is a GREAT football game. Still get the feeling Giants are going to win.

* I am reading the Bible straight through this year. Loving Genesis right now. See one of my previous posts for info on how to order this great Bible. Like McDonalds, "I'm Lovin It."

* Might hang out with Adam tomorrow - love that guy.

* How did I ever end up with a woman like Amy Lynn? What a Christian, wife, mother, and Children's Pastor.

* The older I get the less I like cold weather. What's up with that?

* Cowboys are toast. (Sorry Liz)

Peace out...

Membership Meeting THIS Sunday at 6 pm

I am always stoked on Fridays as everything in my mind and life starts focusing on Sunday. But I am particularly excited about this weekend because the membership body is gathering Sunday evening at 6 pm for Worship, Word, Vision, Food, Fellowship, and more!

Something special always happens when you get a group of leaders together. At newhope, membership is leadership and I love these leaders/members! Some of them were with me in the beginning as a fledgling group of 20 – 30 Core Visionary Team members met in my house 6 years ago and prayed and dreamed a God’s size Dream. You can read The Dream here, at the bottom of the page. Some came along later, BUT ALL ARE AWESOME LEADERS IN THE HOUSE OF THE LORD!

As I read Genesis 22 this morning, I was struck once again with Abraham's willingness to sacrifice Isaac. Are you kidding me? I don't think there is anyway I could ever do something like that. That sacrifice got me thinking, though about our members.

The members of this church have graciously and willingly sacrificed so much for the case of Christ! Thank you members of newhope - I can't wait to worship with you Sunday and then gather together for a special time on Sunday evening. You are one of the top reasons why I love this church so much!

CU Sunday.


PS - Child-care is provided Sunday evening - please email amy@newhopenc.org for reservations.

PSS - If you are not a member, but plan to join at the Abundant Life Seminar on February 27th, come on out - we would love to have you!

The Bible in a Year and the Faith Factor!

So, I am reading the Bible all the way through in 2008. I found this great Bible that allows one to journey straight through without all the complicated directional charts. It is awesome and called "The Daily Walk Bible", New Living Translation, put out by Walk Through the Bible Minsitries, Inc., and published by Tyndale House Publishers, . If you want one, you can order it here.

I am plowing through Genesis right now and I have been struck by the nomadic nature of Abraham and others and the unbelievable faith they exuded as they followed God.
If you follow American trends, you know that we are becoming more and more nomadic. If you have not lived in your most recent home more than three years, you are a typical American.

Genesis 12:1 – 4 describes a similar moving experience as a God fearing family obeys the voice of God, pulls up stakes in Ur, and heads for a new home more than a thousand miles away. But Hebrews 11:8 explains why this was no ordinary move. “Abraham...went without knowing where he was going.” (Hebrew 11:8) Think about that for a moment. The command of God was clear but the destination was NOT. That is what faith is all about! That is the kind of faith that pleases God. (Hebrews 11:6) That is the kind of faith God wants us to exercise on a daily basis and in similar situations.

Abram, later called Abraham, found that you don’t always need to know where you are going, provided you know whom you are following. (You might want to read that again) As you journey through 2008, what decisions are you facing that involve career, home, finances, relationships – whatever? I don’t just ask that rhetorically – go ahead and hit reply and share. The goal would be that Abraham’s example makes it easier as we follow God, sometimes without knowing where we are going!

One last thing – you might want to memorize this verse today:

“Abram believed the Lord, and the Lord counted him as righteous because of his faith.” (Hebrews 15:6)

What a verse for the New Year!

Here’s a verse for the New Year - "My God will meet all your needs according to His glorious riches in Christ Jesus." (Philippians 4:19)

Wow – read that again and let it sink in. This verse has moved me deeply this week. What a promise from God! There has to be more to it?! I am in route from Florida to North Carolina and can’t wait to spend Sunday morning with you and allow this passage of promise to radically change our lives in 2008.

I have missed you, newhope, and can’t wait to see you Sunday.

Because of Jesus,
Benji