Last Sunday I had the opportunity of baptizing 3 people at Ridgeview. We have baptized 15 people at Ridgeview this year. God is doing so much around my little community and around the world. It's awesome to be a tiny part of His Kingdom. I want to spend the rest of my life being a bridge of God's love to all people so they may experience His purpose for their lives. Hmm, sounds like a good purpose statement for a church!

This morning I met with a brother in Christ for breakfast at 6:15 am. I've been meeting with him for about a month. We sit and share together for about an hour. He encourages me in the Lord. He prays for me. I pray for him. Hopefully, I encourage him as well. Jesus says, "For where two or three come together in my name, there am I with them." (Matthew 18:20) I've been an education minister in charge of small group Sunday School classes and have helped implement small "home groups" at my currrent church. They are wonderful parts of a church. However, I think there is something really special about two or three gathering together for encouragement, accountability, challenge, prayer, etc. It is the ultimate "small group" and well worth one's time. I know it has been for me!

I'm a South Carolina Gamecock fan. I don't apologize for that! I heard on the news last night that our starting QB was arrested at a bar the other night. He has been suspended until Coach Spurrier finds out more info, etc. I hate to hear this. Blake Mitchell is the team leader. Not only that, he has spend countless hours practicing, lifting weights, two-a-days, etc getting ready for the season. He may have forfeited it all this season. What a waste! We all must remember it only takes one stupid mistake for us to lose our integrity and credibility and if we lose our integrity we've lost our leadership. I am so weak so I pray God would protect me from even entering the ring of temptation. I want to finish this race He's marked out for me faithfully. With God's power, strength, protection, and help I'll get there.

Unfortunately, over the last year I've been part of several counseling sessions with couples who are about to call it quits on their marriage. It usually has entailed one spouse wanting to make it work and the other wanting to move on. It breaks my heart to see what they go through, especially when kids are involved. Although not nearly as painful as divorce, I as a pastor experience the pain of those who leave our church for one reason or another. The Bible says, "Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it (1 Cor. 12:27)." I look at each person at Ridgeview church as a family member in Christ. When they leave, for whatever reason, I experience loss. I really care! I think the church can and should be a model for those who look at us. When problems, disagreements, misunderstandings, etc arise, instead of bolting for the door and checking out one of the other hundreds of churches around, we work through it. I believe Christ would be pleased with that.

Our prayer series has begun this past Sunday at Ridgeview and we have begun coordinating our church with a concentrated effort of prayer called "God's Power." How awesome it was to see after church our people breaking into different prayer groups such as praying for families, praying for the staff (I need it!), prayer triplets that pray for those who need Christ, spiritual warfare prayer groups, and even having our children pray for our church. May we all, including myself, be people who don't just talk about prayer, but do it!

This Sunday I will beginning a new message series entitled, "Prayer: God's power for your life." The title may be somewhat deceiving; it's not about getting what I want from God. It's about returning us to what prayer should start with and that is relationship. I find it incredible that God wants to hear from me. I also find it equally amazing that God wants me to hear from Him. I am not saying that petitionary prayer isn't important. I just believe that relational prayer must be first before I ask anything of God because in relationship He shapes my wants, my desires and they become His desires. That is praying the will of God, and those prayers are always answered.

Thursday around mid morning I went to the Greenville Memorial hospital to be with a man in our church who is having surgery. They had already taken him in when I got there. I spent time with his wife and had prayer and was able to see him as he came out of surgery and have prayer. I spent the rest of the day working at the office. I cut the grass last night and am looking forward to having students over for a time to say good bye to the exchange student we have hosted for the past year. He leaves for Bangkok, Thailand next Tuesday at 4 pm. We will miss him! He has been a great family member and wonderful big brother to our two year old.
I’m starting a sermon series on Daniel this Sunday. In chapter 1 verse 8 it says Daniel “resolved” not to defile himself. He was a person of integrity and stood strong on his convictions and didn’t waffle and yield to preferences. That’s something we all need to see more of today!

Tanya and I traveled to Greensboro, NC for the Southern Baptist Convention annual meeting. My sponsor church pastor, Dr Frank Page, was being nominated for president. In what came as a shock to many in a three way race, Dr Page took 50.4% of the vote. I’m glad that many people voted for Dr Page- he certainly wasn’t well known by many, but his leadership and the strong CP giving of Taylors First Baptist led many to vote for him. He has said this was not about theology, but methodology. As a Southern Baptist, I love the fact that the 8% of all designated offerings we give from our church go to support our missionaries all over the world, and support some wonderful SBC institutions. I can partner as the pastor of a small church plant and pool our money with churches like Taylors First Baptist to help see the Great Commission move closer to completion. That’s cooperation at it’s best!

I read an article this morning entitled, "Is Your Leadership Failing?" Some great thoughts for me to think about as a pastor. One of the warning signs is not communicating a clear, compelling vision. Each month, I interject in some way through the sermon our church's purpose. I seek to communicate it through our monthly newsletter and our weekly Ridgeview Church update email. I must realize I can never overcommunicate our purpose as a church.
Another warning sign is the fear of taking bold, courageous steps. I never play it safe, to get comfortable in ministry. God is not pleased with those who coast.
Finally, character corruption. I used to think that wasn't a big deal. Yet, within the last year I have seen a Ph.D from a Christian college leave his wife and a youth pastor leading a dynamic student ministry with hundreds of kids and one of the best youth facilities in the nation be unfaithful to his wife with 3 small kids. Satan wants to destroy all of us. I must remind myself that these things didn't happen overnight. They were small steps that led to bigger steps. I am reminded today of what Erwin Lutzer said, "Make prayer such a priority than only an emergency would make you miss it." When I spend time with God each day Satan's attempts to lead me astray become much less appealing.

I had my last meeting today with my sponsor church pastor, Dr. Frank Page. He has met with me faithfully for the last 3 years so I could share with him how things were going in the church plant Taylors First helped start. He has been a great encouragement to me over these last 3 years. I certainly could not have done this without his support and the support of Taylors First Baptist. In spite of the fact he's a candidate for the SBC presidency, he still mad time to meet with me today. Great man!