Stay Positive

I’m sure many of you could stand up and say and say you’ve had awful days; where you felt like you couldn’t make it to the end of the day. Why does that happen to Christians? There is a false

perception some people hold that says once you are a Christian everything will be smooth sailing; you won’t have any more problems or difficulties.

That is not true…so not true!

When Paul wrote His letter to the Philippians I’m sure there were lots of other things he would rather be doing than sitting in jail chained to a guard (read Philippians 1:1-11). Yet, even then he persisted to be positive…so much so that his letter to the Philippians is the most joyous of all his letters written…and he was in chains.

How can you stay positive like Paul?

First you must REMEMBER THE POSITIVE. We judge ourselves and other people too harshly. We see the flaws first and focus there. That is the wrong attitude and it is trouble for relationships. Instead, you need to practice minimizing mistakes, for you and others, and remember the good. Have you ever noticed how when you go down memory lane that it is your bad memories that ambush you? I love what Billy Graham says about this to help us—“there is healing power in selective memory; as humans we cannot forget our sins and hurts, but through forgiveness we can choose not to remember them.” Pray, and ask God to help you forgive yourself & others!

Paul agrees and when he wrote Philippians he focused on remembering the good in them because he put the church first and himself second. Later in the letter Paul writes, “whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things” (Philippians 4:8).

Learn from the Apostle Paul’s wisdom. Filter out the mire and work hard to focus on the positive! Be blessed!

Celebrating the McKinney Family

Tyler McKinney was officially voted in last Sunday night as our Interim Youth Pastor. We are thrilled to have Tyler on the team and ask you to pray for him, his wife Lindsey and son Cooper. Also, pray for little baby McKinney #2 who is “on the way” right now.

Let us also celebrate the great team of volunteers who have supported our youth over the past year and helped keep our Youth Ministry (YM) going well. Alongside Tyler, Danny Himmel, Galen Beck and Bre’anne Northcutt have made major contributions. Also, our summer intern Patrick McGowan and present intern Kaitlyn Baker have been wonderful for our YM.

Youth Ministry is hard work and time consuming work, and extremely valuable to our church’s mission. 85% of people who choose to follow Christ do so on or before the age of 18. This makes YM critical for the church and makes outreach to children and youth in our community an absolute necessity.

Tyler has a great vision for leading our YM toward accomplishing the mission of sharing the gospel and serving the youth of our city. He has a great team of volunteers who are also big believers in this mission. Therefore, the future is bright for our YM. So, as Tyler transitions from volunteer to the important role of leading our YM, I urge you all to support him, pray for him, and help him wherever and whenever you are able. Keep in mind that Tyler has accepted this role because He has a call on His life that is from the LORD. He recognizes this and recognizes that God’s calling on His life is for this time and this place, at Shadycrest Baptist Church. We glorify God by recognizing this and agreeing with the LORD. May the LORD continue to bless the work of our YM.

Why Trunk or Treat?

I had never heard of a church based Trunk or Treat until I became a youth pastor (a long time ago). To be honest, I wondered if the idea was blasphemous to encourage trick or treating at the church facility. I found out quickly that it was an excellent outreach event to our community and that I should probably get over my legalism and celebrate every chance to share Jesus with people.

October 31^st is not an evil day. It is the Lord’s day, just like every day is. Trunk or Treat sees our parking lot become a location for hundreds of kids and their parents to safely experience the American tradition of Halloween. If you have never been to our Trunk or Treat, here is what you can expect:

On the lot you will find cars, trucks and vans that have been transformed into candy distribution locations. Many of our vehicles have been morphed into fun booths where the kids play games to earn their “candy prizes.” Each vehicle is decorated in a fun theme which makes it tons of fun. We serve food and drinks as well and we love to get to know the families that are visiting with us. Each family registers at the entrance for a door prize and that empowers us to follow up with them and encourage them to visit Shadycrest for worship services, bible study groups, and other events.

We believe in this event because it fits directly into our “Mission.” We are called to glorify God together (side by side—Phil 1:27) through gospel sharing and serving others. Trunk or treat is a bridge ministry that helps us do just that. If you aren’t already involved, join our Trunk or Treat team today. Yes, we all can have a role at the event. Sign up today!

Compassion Experience Success

Compassion literally means “to suffer together." You are a person with compassion when you are confronted with another's suffering and feel motivated to relieve that suffering. Empathy is our ability to feel what another person is feeling, however, feeling another’s suffering and acting upon it are two different things. The person with true compassion is a person of action. The person who steps up and sacrifices to relieve the suffering of another person is truly a compassionate follower of Christ.

So, let’s celebrate the compassion of our members. I’m ecstatic at how you responded this past weekend! Yes, yes, yes! Praise the Lord and Hallelujah!

Thank you to our awesome volunteers! You are necessary and you made the experience a great one for the people who came and for the other Compassion volunteers. And through your efforts we were highly successful.

Here are the results:

·         200 kids sponsored

·         20-25 kids sponsored by Shadycrest families

·         20 kids sponsored by Lifepointe families (our co-sponsor for the event)

·         Shadycrest became more unstoppable & more necessary in the world—success!

Preparing for the Compassion Experience

Poverty Facts

·         About every 30 seconds a child dies of malaria, a preventable and treatable disease.

·         An estimated 67 million primary-school-aged children worldwide do not attend school.

·         About 2.4 billion people live on less than $2 per day, making them extremely vulnerable to natural disasters, illness, food shortages or instability of any kind.

·         19,000 children die each day due to conditions of poverty.

·         1 billion children (nearly half the world’s population of kids) live in poverty. Many of them are in extreme poverty.

·         Each day, 10,000 newborns in developing countries die within a month of birth due to poor conditions.

·         640 million children live without adequate shelter.

·         There are 1.1 billion people in developing countries without access to clean and pure water.

·         For more facts on poverty you can go to: www.compassion.com/poverty/poverty-quick-facts.htm

Our chance to make a real difference in the world of poverty is here. Are you ready for the Compassion Experience?

Proverbs 28:7 – “whoever gives to the poor will not want, but he who hides his eye will get many a curse.”

Matthew 19:21 – “Jesus said to him, ‘if you would be perfect, go, sell what you possess and give to the poor and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.’”

Pray for Compassion / Missions

For the past 40 Days we have been praying for Ingathering. Today is the day. We will give well. We will give sacrificially. Then what?

Our mission is to glorify God by sharing the gospel and serving others. So, that is what we must continually refocus toward, and missional opportunities lie before us we must all get behind. Join us in praying for and serving in the success of these opportunities:

The Compassion Experience—2-weeks from now the Compassion Experience will be here for a 4-Day event. Presently we have over 1,800 registered attenders (Fri – 428, Sat – 745, Sun – 488, Mon – 152). We expect 50% of people to RSVP and 50% of people to simply walk up. Therefore, our estimate of seeing 4,000+ people on our campus for the event is certainly realistic. You can sign up today to help at our Hospitality Center or to work in the Compassion Experience on any of the days they are here, Oct 9-12. Our goal is 100 prospect families and 200+ children sponsored. My prayer is that 20 of those children are sponsored by Shadycrest families. Pray & Serve with us! 

Kids Hope Mentors—we will have 10 trained mentors this year. Pray for them and pray they are matched up with the kids God wants us to help!

Operation Christmas Child—our world missions ministry to care for needy kids at Christmas. Pray for success. Begins in October.

Angel Tree—our local missions ministry to care for needy kids at Christmas. Pray for success. Begins right before Thanksgiving (Nov.).

INGATHERING SUNDAY IS ALMOST HERE!

"It is more blessed to give than to receive" (Acts 20:35).

Many people go to church for what they can get. Well, if you go to church just for what you can get out of the music, or what you can get out of the sermon, or just to get blessed, you've missed the point and therefore you may miss the blessing. The music and the sermon aren't ends in themselves, they are but stimuli to cause you to seek and worship God. And if you have any thought less than that, you've missed the point! Giving God the glory He is due is central to the Gospel and central to life!

We go to church to worship God, and that's done by giving, not getting. How can our worship be pure if our first instinct is to “get what we want.” No, instead, we first go to offer something to Him. We offer Him praise, a humble heart, a willing spirit. We lay our service and even our treasure at His feet to worship Him. Worship is a consuming desire to give to God, and it involves the giving of ourselves, our heart attitudes, and our possessions.

So, as Ingathering week approaches, plan to give well! Give sacrificially! Yes, give financially but also come prepared to offer Him great praise from a pure heart. In doing so you and I will be giving Him the honor & glory & praise He deserves. Let’s bless the LORD next week with all the passion we can muster! Let us come together and honor Him, and as He asked us to in Malachi, let us test Him and see what He might do amongst us when we give sacrificially to His Kingdom work.

The Compassion Experience

The Compassion Experience is coming to the Pearland area October 9 – 12, hosted by Shadycrest Baptist Church and Lifepointe Fellowship (our neighbor church). This free event will bring visitors on an interactive journey through the lives of children living in countries such as Uganda, Bolivia, and El Salvador.

Through over 2,000 square feet of interactive exhibit space, visitors will step inside daily life in a developing country—visiting homes, markets and schools—without getting on a plane. Through the use of an iPod and headset, each tour is guided by a child whose story starts in poverty but ends in hope.

The event is an excellent opportunity to experience another culture and better understand the realities of global poverty. Don’t miss this life-changing event.

We are expecting over 4,000 visitors to our campus over the 4 day event! Some of these will become prospects for Shadycrest. We are also expecting to see over 200 children sponsored because of our willingness to host this event for our community. That is exciting!

So, circle October 9-12 on your calendar and make sure you visit the experience yourself. Call your family and friends too. It is going to be awesome and God glorifying!

Building Bridges Through Love and Prayer

Building a bridge is an art. Not literal bridges that you drive over, although those are incredibly important...no, instead bridges for the gospel…bridges that help us sow the seeds of the gospel.

I love the prayer emphasis we are experiencing together right now. It is a joy to know a group of our members are praying every day and for the same things. Yes, we are agreeing and seeking the LORD in prayer, asking for his favor, for revival, and for a blessed offering this month at Ingathering.

Likewise, we should pray, as we learned last week, for God to break our hearts for lost people. And, we should pray for the wisdom and opportunity to reach them. Here are some other ideas to help us all:

1. Love people until they ask why. Then give Jesus all the credit.

2. Ask more questions than they do. Show your genuine interest in other’s lives…and this helps you to know how to pray for them.

3. Pray for them. And let them know you are doing it by continually checking on them.

4. Pray for your heart. We are by default selfish and we need to pray daily to ask the Lord to help our focus be on loving others as we love ourselves.

5. Connect them to church/gospel. Continually invite people to your church, your group, & your home.

6. Follow up. This is the step that everyone seems to forget. Never assume their silence means they are not interested. They’re busy, just like you. Keep reaching out. 

I Love My Church!

Lately I’ve been contemplating all the great things I love about Shadycrest. As I began to make a list I was overwhelmed by the number of great ministries and great people we have here who serve the LORD so well. It literally made me exclaim, “I love my church!”

I LOVE:

Watching our kitchen crew serve our members with great love.

Hearing the stories of members like Alvin Rose and Gene Weaver who visit our homebound and nursing homebound. 

Listening to the testimonies of our youth (Blaine Israel) about what God is doing in their young lives.

Hearing the giggles and watching the smiles as the children played this past week at our AWANA kickoff carnival.

 Praying with our prayer warriors during our 40 Days of Prayer.

Singing with our Celebration Choir and awesome praise band. 

There is so much to love about Shadycrest! What a great place to serve the LORD!
What do you love about Shadycrest? I’d love to hear your story. If you have a story to tell, please contact me. I’m collecting stories and I truly want to hear yours. Call or write me ASAP, and tell me why you love your church! 

Discovering/Revealing God’s Will Through Fervent Prayer

God gets the glory. Always. You want to try and accomplish some incredible task in your own strength, go right ahead. I hope you live a long time because you are going to need lots of time to do it. On the other hand, even the impossible tasks for us are simple to the LORD. He is the Almighty.

As we began to pray together this past week, and specifically in our group prayer meetings on Wednesday, some themes emerged that I’d like to share with you. I pray these revelations will provoke you to join us daily in seeking the LORD together. Here they are:

1.       God is in control. He already has a plan to bless Shadycrest, provide for our needs, and expand our influence in His Kingdom. Will we join Him in His plans? (Ps. 24:1)

2.       We must seek Him. He is jealous for the glory for He deserves the glory and we do not. We must rid our hearts of selfish intent. We must pursue goals for the glory of God and none for us (2 Chronicles 7:14 & Jeremiah 29:13 are instructive here).

3.       We must not be afraid to ask. We have needs as a church and we often don’t see blessing because we don’t seek the LORD and ask together in unity. Asking for provision of real needs is faith in action. The LORD blesses people who are full of faith (James 4:2-3 is instructive here).

4.       We must have a missional vision for the blessing we receive. Will God bless us if He know we are going to spend that financial blessing on more stuff for us? We believe not. We are committing to make God’s mission our mission!

Break Our Hearts, Oh God

When God looks down on the greater Pearland community He sees two kinds of people. It’s not black and white. It’s not rich or poor. It’s not Republican or Democrat. He sees lost people and saved people. He sees people on the way to heaven and people on the way to hell.

The words “lost” and “hell” are no longer politically correct. We want to say people are “unchurched” or “unsaved” or “spiritually challenged.” But the Bible says they are lost. Jesus said, “The Son of Man has come to seek and to save what was lost” (Luke 19:10).

We don’t sing, “Amazing grace how sweet the sound; that saved a wretch like me; I once was confused” or “I once was unsure” or “I once was unchurched.” We sing, “I once was LOST and now I’m found; was blind, but now I see.”

According to the Apostle Paul, he really was a man of constant sorrow. He was broken-hearted because of the lost condition of his fellow Jews. He wrote, “I have great sorrow and unceasing anguish in my heart. For I could wish that I myself were cursed and cut off from Christ for the sake of my brothers, those of my own race, the people of Israel” (Romans 9:2-4).

Are we broken-hearted for the lost in our community? We must be! Our mission compels us to be! If we are not, then we must seek God, change our ways, and pray daily for a broken heart…until it comes!

Givers…Can I Get an Amen?

Two men were marooned on a tiny island. One man paced back and forth worried and dreadfully frightened, while the other man sat back, whistling and sunning himself. The first man said, "Aren’t you afraid we’re going to die here?" "Nope," said the second man. “How can you be so sure?” the first man asked. “Well, you see…” said the second man, “I make $100,000 a month and I tithe faithfully to my church… My Pastor will find me."

Did you laugh at that? That is a funny story, but it speaks of a perception that isn’t true in most cases. The perception is that pastors are motivated to preach on giving because of their selfish concern for the church budget and building program. Do pastors shy away from preaching on giving so as not to appear focused on the bottom line? (not this one) No, our mission is not to “pay our bills,” instead our mission is the glory of God through gospel sharing and serving others!

Can’t we just assume if people are growing spiritually they will eventually learn to give? Consider this: there is no other area of spiritual growth where we make assumptions that believers will grow without reminders, exhortations, and accountability. Do we learn to pray, witness, or serve without being taught these things? No. Nor should we learn to give without being taught to give.  

The reality is the bible speaks extensively about giving, tithing, sacrifice, sharing, and stewardship. Therefore, we should have the conversation and challenge one another to such obedience with regularity. We should embrace the conversation about giving with great joy and give, give, give!

Exciting Weeks Ahead…Can You See It?

Sometimes we get shortsighted. Sometimes, as the saying goes, “we can’t see the forest for the trees.” I pray you join me in “seeing” the blessing of the Lord that is here and that is coming! Exciting weeks are ahead of us…do you see?

“…a man reaps what he sows” (Galatians 6:7).

I have the honor of working with our baptism candidates and I’m presently working with 7 of them. What a joy! Celebrate each week of baptism with us! Sing praise! Clap!

Aug. 9^th – Stephen Atkinson rejoins us for a day of outstanding preaching from an Irishman who is passionate about reaching the Jews for the glory of Jesus Christ.

Aug. 16^th – Southern Gospel Day; a new favorite Sunday of ours where we celebrate our Lord through the performing of our favorite gospel tunes; our members are talented!

Aug. 19^th – 40 Days of Devotion starts. Pray for Ingathering!

Aug. 23^rd – Youth Led Revival Sunday. Our outstanding youth leaders will inspire us. Pray!

Aug. 30^th – Back to Church Sunday. I’m excited to invite people back to church. Together, and through the blessing of invitation, we will see faces we haven’t seen in a while and rejoice together as we all get back in the swing of serving the Lord together in preparation for a strong end to our 2015 year!

GOD WANTS TO USE YOU!

Dwight L Moody was the Billy Graham of the 19^th Century. He was an international celebrity. He was a shoe salesman in Chicago when a Sunday School teacher walked into the shoe shop and led Dwight L. Moody to Christ and he became a Christian. He figured he ought to apply to become a church member, because that’s what you do when you become a Christian he thought. He applied but he was turned down. One of the men who interviewed him for church membership wrote these words. “I can truly say that I have seen few persons whose minds were spiritually darker than was Mr. Moody’s when he came into my Sunday School class. I think that the committee of the church had seldom met an applicant for membership who seemed more unlikely ever to become a Christian of clear and decided views of the gospel truth.” That’s what they wrote about him when he applied for church membership. They said, “Hey you’re too dense you’re too dark and there is no change in your life.” A year later he applied again and they said, “You’re still as dark and dense as you ever were, but at least we think you are sincere so come on and you can join our church.” God used Dwight L. Moody to shake up two continents for Jesus Christ. Today there is the Moody Press, the Moody Broadcasting Network, the Moody Institute and the Moody Bible Church.

Maybe you feel unusable or too dense to be of any good to God or His Church. Don’t believe it! God has a place for you! Let us help you find that place! 

The Power of Prayer

Abraham Lincoln is not alone in rising to greatness through a life of prayer. In the Bible, from the very beginning, we see this pattern. In the book we are currently studying, Joshua, we see a man who learned the power of prayer during his time as an aide to Moses. Prayer set Joshua apart from the rest of Israel. When Moses climbed Mt. Sinai to receive the Commandments from God, Joshua remained nearby on the mountainside…praying!

The strength of man alone does not accomplish the purposes that God has in mind for His people. It is only when we humble ourselves before Him in confession, supplication, worship and thanksgiving that he moves in us and through us to accomplish His will.

Jesus tells us, “when you pray, go into your room…close the door…and pray to your Father…then your Father, who sees what is done in secret will reward you” (Matt 6:6).

The public success of Lincoln and Joshua came not from their might, but from their private humility before Almighty God. They found victory when they fought on their knees.

Join me, in the month of August, in a greater commitment to a life under-girded by prayer. Let’s daily learn to fight on our knees for the lost and the needy in our community. Let’s daily learn to fight on our knees for the strength and the unity of our church. Let’s daily learn to fight on our knees against an enemy, the devil, who works tirelessly to thwart our plans, weaken our resolve, and break apart our relationships. Let’s break through together. Let’s see revival before this year is done! (more details forthcoming; expect great things)

Youth Ministry in 2015 and Beyond

Evangelist Rick Gage said this past year in an interview, "It breaks my heart that fewer than 10 percent of American young people are involved in a Bible-believing church." He continued saying, "So many churches have lost their passion for souls. The need to reach the lost has never been greater."

I wholeheartedly agree with Rick and I will, as long as I have breath in my body, continue to proclaim the foundational importance of staying focused on missions and outreach as individuals and as a church family. We can do that by:

1. Continually reminding ourselves of our mission to “make disciples”

2. Continually refine/reform our evangelism practices/processes

3. Continually be champions for personal evangelism, outreach events, mission trips, and the starting of new churches

4. Pray for opportunities to personally witness to the lost in our community

5. Passionately celebrate each conversion and each baptism

Now, not only do we want to see as many young people saved as we can, we also want to see them discipled. God has given us, the church, a job (the Great Commission), and that job is winning people to Jesus. As many evangelists of old have fervently repeated, “God has no hands but our hands; God has no feet but our feet; God has no tongue but our tongue to share the good news.”

Youth Ministry has always been a challenge, and it will continue to be challenging. 85% of conversions to the Christian faith occur before the age of 18. Let’s reach them together! Pray for our youth! Pray for our youth leaders!

YOUTH CAMP MEMORIES

I will be at the Power Plus Youth Camp this whole week with about 30 of our wonderful youth and courageous youth sponsors! I’m excited! I’m praying the LORD moves powerful upon us and sets all of our hearts on fire for His purposes, for His mission. I’m praying we all walk away fully realizing life isn’t about glory or pleasure for me, but instead glory and honor to Jesus! Pray with me! Pray for them! May the glory of the LORD fall on them all this week!

My experiences at Youth Camp as a teenager were tremendous and God changed my life each and every time. At camp I dedicated an entire week to seeking after Him earnestly. Youth Camp gives kids this opportunity, and if they take it seriously, they will never be the same. Why was it so powerful for me and life changing? Here is what I believe:

1. Teenagers are tired of playing religious games. They want it to be real or they want to walk away from it to find something that is real. They have an incredible need to be led, to be challenged, and to see for themselves the love and power of God. That was me years ago too, and it is the same for today’s teens as well.

2.  The principle of “seeking God earnestly” (Jeremiah 29:13) is never more intense for them than at Youth Camp. We live such busy lives that on an average day most Christians simply give God their leftover time…not quality time. There is no power there. But the power of God falls on us when we seek Him earnestly, and that takes time. Youth Camp provides that time. I still remember those moments when I heard from God and felt His presence at Youth Camp! It was just “wow!”

God & Country Day

It’s always tempting, for us all, to complain about the downward moral spiral we see in our American culture today. Instead, let’s take time to remember why America is still a fantastic nation to live:

We could have an oppressive government that denies religious freedom…but we are free.

We could have a state run church system where there is only one church and you are required to attend…but we are free.

We could have a system that forces us underground to worship as we desire…but we are free.

We could have a government that imprisons our pastors and outspoken leaders…but we are free.

We could have a system where our children are told lies about God and told He cannot answer prayers nor meet their needs…but we are free.

We could have a nation where being a Christian is a crime punishable by torture or prison…but we are free.

It is certainly by the grace of God that America, our great nation, is here today. It is by the grace of God that she will continue to be a beacon of hope and freedom in a world full of false and dangerous ideologies. Though many Americans do not exercise their right to assemble and worship freely as they should, we still have that right. We are free. Praise the Lord for His goodness!

  

Oh No! They Need VBS Peeps!

I don’t have much space to warn you but I want you to be aware of the danger going on right now. As I write this zigzag scissors are cutting, glue sticks are sticking, and paint & glitter are being applied to posters & styrofoam decorations. It’s VBS season y’all! Watch out!

How can you avoid getting sucked into the VBS vortex? Try this:

1. If someone with paint on their clothes or glitter in their hair approaches you, do not make eye contact. Look the other way!

2. If someone asks you what you are doing this summer be sure to have a good answer…something like “I’m terribly busy” will do!

3. Prep your spouse for the danger as well. Too many unsuspecting people have fallen into the VBS pit simply by being volunteered in absentia. “Thanks darling!”

I could continue but I think you get the point. So…save yourself! Save yourself! It is TOO LATE for me. I’ve already been recruited. I’m on the team…but there is still time for you to run the other way! Don’t look back…hurry! Aggghhhhhhhh!

Okay, church. That was my attempt at satire. Remember I’ve never claimed to be funny or a good joke teller…but I do try! VBS, for me, is the greatest week of the year for our church! If you can’t help we really do understand. Life is hard and busy. But for the lucky ones who get to help…wow…what a blessing! Go VBS! Join the team! [this post inspired by Jon Acuff]