Reflections From Last Sunday

After five years I've learned one can never be too careful and must check and re-check things to make sure all is ready for a big event like Sunday's 3 on 3 basketball tournament. So, with that in mind, I went over and started our church van on Saturday afternoon to make sure all was well. We had run into a battery issue with the van the previous Sunday so I wanted to make sure all was well. It was. The van started right up. I had peace of mind and slept well Saturday night. All that changed Sunday morning when I was informed by another driver for the van that it wouldn't start because the key was not able to be fully inserted into the ignition. Panic set in. The clock was ticking and we were running out of time- there was much to set up outside for our worship service and basketball tournament. Thankfully, I serve in a church with servants. We loaded up in our SUVs and trailer and unloaded what we needed out of the van and the church trailer and brought it over to the school. We got everything done in time although there was stress and panic.

Having a few days to reflect from Sunday, here are some observations I'd like to share with you:

1) Our church is willing to do whatever it takes to be a bridge of God's love to all people so they may come to experience His purpose for their lives, which is repentence of sin and a personal relationship with Him. The basketball tournament on Sunday morning was one way of doing something a little out of the box to reac those who are not connected to any church. By the way, we had a smaller attendance this year for our tournament because there was less people from other churches participating because they were at their own church Sunday morning. That's a good thing. So, we had a higher percentage of those participating who were not connected to any church. Isn't that the point? Our goal isn't to see how many people from other churches we can gather for an event even if it does mean the numbers are bigger.

2) We have solid, sold out servants to Christ in our church. As mentioned in the van break down story, we had a number of people jump in and help out with that situation. We had others on Sunday morning show up and didn't know what would be asked of them but when duty called, they rolled up their sleeves and served. Without greeters, set up teams, people who picked up basketball goals, food help, face-painters, registration table workers, preschool workers, worship leaders, ushers, and sound and media crews this event would never have happened.

3) I see spiritual warfare alive in our church. We have never had as many machinery breakdowns in the life of our church like we've had this past week. Our copier went down when we were printing advertising for the tournament. Our printer went down as we were printing the labels. Milo's laptop computer crashed and our desktop computer in the office crashed as well. Oh, and did I mention the van didn't start? There are unseen spiritual forces of darkness in this world that want to see our church fail because we are coming in on enemy territory with the light of Jesus Christ. We should expect nothing less than opposition.

So, those are a few reflections from Sunday. We have this promise from Acts 1:8 "But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses (a bridge of God's love) in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samarai, and to the ends of the earth." Ridgeview Church will continue to be a bridge of God's love to all people in the power of God's Spirit. Will you pray God's Spirit will open doors for you this week to be a bridge of His love to someone?

See you Sunday!

Pastor Tommy

A New Baby is Born!

Congrats to Rob and Tonya Whatley on their beautiful little girl!

Anna Katherine Whatley
"Anna Kate"
Born March 23, 1:29 am
8 lbs, 8 ozs

Why the 3 on 3 basketball tournament this Sunday morning?

Why the 3 on 3 basketball tournament this Sunday morning?
 
Recently, we received disappointing news that we would not be moving from Mountain View Elementary school to the high school. We were looking forward to the move. After the news and the weeks that have followed at Ridgeview, there has definitely been an effect upon our church. Our attendance has dropped and there seems to be a spirit of discouragement upon some us, including myself. No one was more excited about the move than me. But, that door has closed on us and we must move on. God's providence will lead us each month and we trust Him to guide us each step of the way.
 
So, what do we do now? We must get back to the basics, the fundamentals of what the vision is of our church: "To be a bridge of God's love to all people so they may experience His purpose for their lives." We must first of all pray! In two weeks we will be in chapter 38 of Isaiah. King Hezekiah received very disappointing news from Isaiah: "You're going to die." It says in verses 2-3,  2) Then Hezekiah turned his face to the wall and prayed to the LORD. 3) He said, "Please, LORD, remember how I have walked before You faithfully and wholeheartedly, and have done what is good in Your sight." And Hezekiah wept bitterly. There was a passion, there was a fervency to his prayer because he was dying. Without God's Holy Spirit filling us at Ridgeview, we are as good as dead also.
 
Secondly, we must be "experience His purpose for our lives." What is His purpose? It's to become a follower of Jesus Christ; also known as a disciple. We are seeing fruit in the lives of people at Ridgeview who are being discipled. I believe one of the greatest ways we are making disciples at Ridgeview is through our Growth Groups and our Life Transformation Groups. Each week in my Life Transformation Group I am challenged and sharpened by men who keep me accountable in my walk with Christ and my service to Him. I believe one of the greatest things you can do to spiritually recharge your batteries is to meet with one or two other people each week of the same gender in a Life Transformation Group. Try it for a month and see if you aren't changed and being discipled!
 
Thirdly, we've got to do a better job of being "a bridge of God's love to all people." That means evangelism. A bridge connects. We've got to bridge out to people through acts of kindness, through our attitude, through our actions, through our words and tell people that God loves them and Jesus died for them. We've got to do this every week; not just Easter, Christmas, or a special day. All these times are great but this must be something we do every week. The book of Acts says, "The Lord added to their number daily." Each week I am challenged by my Life Transformation Group to share the love of Christ in some way. Last Friday night at Fuddruckers I paid down the cost of someone's hamburger behind five dollars. I left a card from Ridgeview with the cashier. I threw some seed. Monday our staff team took over sixty granola bars to the staff at Mountain View Elementary and left them in their boxes with a card from our church thanking them for all they do. People don't care how much you know until they see how much you care. There are opportunities around you each week to show you care in the name of Christ to people. I believe if everyone in our church took advantange of one opportunity a week to be a bridge of God's love to those who don't know His love we could touch over one hundred people each week. We could touch four to five hundred people a month. We could touch over 5,200 people a year with the love of Christ. Do you think that would change the attitude and climate in our church. Absolutely.
 
So, let me get back to the title of this article. Why the 3 on 3 basketball tourney this Sunday. Because it gives us a platform to share the love of Christ to those who do not know Him through the game of basketball. Basketball will be the platform this Sunday; Jesus will be the message from our set up team, greeters, worship service, games, prizes, food, moon bounce, and face painting. It's all about Jesus and being a bridge of God's love to all people- people who love basketball and even people who can't stand basketball but appreciate the work done to show them the love of Christ.
 
Here's what I'm asking you to do: 1) Pray for our church that we would not lose our focus on what God has called us to be and do, 2) Allow yourself to be discipled through God's Word and God's Spirit and through the vehicles He is using at Ridgeview: worship services, Growth Groups, Life Transformation Groups, 3) Look for opportunities each week to be a bridge of God's love and act on them. This week is an excellent opportunity to invite your family, friends, neighbors, and co-workers to the basketball tournament.
 
I'll be out in my neighborhood Thursday inviting my neighbors to the tournament at church Sunday. I ask you to join me in this great opportunity God has given us to be His messengers of the good news of Christ.
 
See you Sunday!

What does it mean to be a bridge of God's love to all people?

What does it mean to be a bridge of God's love to all people?

 
This Sunday I will have the wonderful privilege of baptizing Brian Bowen. Last summer our church conducted a "Gas Buy Down" at the Spinx gas station on highway 290. One of the people we touched with the love of Christ that Saturday was Shonnon Bowen. She and her husband were looking for a church and we came along at just the right time. She told her husband about this church called Ridgeview that bought down the cost of her gas. They decided to check us out the next day. They were welcomed by friendly faces at the door. They enjoyed their worship experience and have been coming back ever since. Brian decided to go on the men's retreat with us last month. His life changed that Friday night and desires to be baptized this Sunday.
 
Why do we do kindness projects in our community like gas buy downs, smoke detector battery give-aways, single mom oil changes, Easter egg hunts, Fall festivals, community Christmas eve services, 3 on 3 basketball tournaments, NGU athletic luncheons, and mega sports camp to name a few? To reach people like Brian Bowen and help them "experience His purpose for their lives." I challenged our church last Sunday to look for one opportunity this week to reach out to someone with love in the name of Christ. It may be buying their gas, their coffee, their meal, or going across the street and inviting your neighbors over for supper this week. As we read in Isaiah 6 this past Sunday, may this be the attitude of us all at Ridgeview: "Here I am Lord. Send me."
 
See you Sunday!

Daylight Savings Time, Smoke Detector Battery Give-away, Isaiah 6

Don't forget that this weekend is daylight savings time. Please set your clocks one hour ahead as you lay your head down Saturday night. We'll have the coffee brewing for you Sunday in the foyer! Also, this Saturday from 10 am to 12 pm, we are going out in our community to take free smoke detector batteries to around 200 homes off of highway 101 (see picture above). This is a great way to be a bridge of God's love in a real practical way. The response from those we have visited has been very positive. We will meet at Mountain View Elementary school. Hope to see you there!

It has been great to hear of those who are reading the Bible text in anticipation for Sunday's message and then diving deeper in our Growth Groups. Let me ask you to read Isaiah 6 for this Sunday. Remember, nothing changes a person's heart other than the Word of God and the Spirit of God. Please come this Sunday prepared for your heart to be changed. See you Sunday!

"Maintaining Spiritual Health" Series begins this Sunday

This Sunday I look forward to beginning a new message series in Isaiah. Isaiah is a major prophet who prophecied about Judah's unfaithfulness to the Lord and the coming discipline they were to receive. We will focus on Isaiah 5:1-14 which is rich in meaning. Please read that passage this week and be prepared for God to speak to you. As we start this series, begin asking yourself, "What does spiritual health look like to me?" I find many people spend lots of money and time to work on their physical, emotional, and mental health. All those those areas are important, but, if you neglect your spiritual health, it will affect all other areas.

Men's Retreat Report

Our men had a great time of spiritual refreshment last weekend at Bon Clarken retreat center in Hendersonville, NC. We joined Edwards Road Baptist Church for a great time of challenge from our speaker, Tom Harmon. The highlight of the retreat for everyone was to see our own Brian Bowen come to Christ Friday night! God is at work in our church! Tom Harmon challenged us all to pray four prayers everyday: 1) "Lord, teach me to pray" 2) "Lord, give me wisdom" 3) "Lord, give me grace and power to do what you've called me to do" 4) "Lord, protect me from the Evil One." I am praying this everyday in my life. I challenged you to do the same.

Pastor Tommy

Our students returned Monday night from their second annual winter retreat near Buffalo, New York. They stayed at Circle C Ranch and participated in much of the camp worship times and Bible study. They also were able to mix in some fun as well (snow skiing, snow boarding, buffalo wings, contests in the car among the guys on who could keep their shirt off the longest with windows rolled down in frigid temps, etc). I believe that retreats are great opportunities for spiritual growth. God was at work among our students and leaders on this trip. I am very proud of them and our student Pastor, Milo Wilson. Even the camp staff in New York remarked how well behaved our group was. This Sunday we will see a short video of their trip in the morning worship. If your middle or high school son or daughter isn't involved in our student ministry, why not get them plugged in this month. These are formative times in their spiritual development. Don't miss these opportunities!

Pastor Tommy

I am pumped about our move to Blue Ridge High School! We will have our first worship service at the high school on Sunday, March 1, at 10:30 a.m. There may be some who do not know where Blue Ridge High is located. The address of the school is 2151 Fews Chapel Road, Greer, SC 29651. It sits between highway 101 and highway 14. I am grateful to Principal Watson and her allowing us to meet there.

Why are we moving to Blue Ridge High? There are several reasons I'd like to share with you. First, we feel that it will be a better location for us, especially as it puts us closer geographically to our future building at O'Neal Village on highway 101. Secondly, the facilities we will use will be a huge positive for us. The auditorium has theatre seats (no set up of chairs each week!). The auditorium has lighting. The auditorium has the capacity to seat over 400! Also, the facilities will provide more educational space for our children's ministry. As of now, the preschool will be meeting in the cafeteria and the elementary age will be able to meet in the band room.

We have been asked as a church by Principal Watson to really be a part of the life of the high school. Wow! That's what we want to do! We have been asked to help provide breakfast once a year for teachers in their back to school meeting in August and for their teacher appreciation in April. We also have been asked to help with their community day in November and to help with ticket sales at football and basketball games. Imagine, each semester as thousands come to see a game, people from Ridgeview will be front and center!

Please be in prayer for this move. We are looking at having a time of prayer and worship at the school but haven't nailed the date down yet. God is at work in our church. It's exciting to see Him working in the lives of our people. I believe we are going to see a fresh wind of His Spirit move in our church this year!

So, looking forward to seeing you this Sunday with your Bible in hand. We're going to start a new message series entitled "Unseen Power" as we open God's Word in 2 Thessalonians. Why don't you read that first chapter before Sunday and be prepared to hear from God. I know I will!

Tonight I've got a date with my wife! My mother is coming over to watch over the boys and we're going out. We just celebrated our 10 year wedding anniversary last Friday. We went to the Peddlar Steak House in G'ville. In all my years I had never been to the Peddlar. It was good. We ran into a church member there; Linda Jackson. Anyway, our challenge as husbands is to never stop dating our wives- what's the advice? "Don't stop doing the things after you're married you did to court her before you were married." That's was close enough. Good advice.

Super Sunday!

Super Sunday!

 

I am looking forward to this Sunday as we continue a tradition at Ridgeview we call  "Super Sunday." It's a great time to worship together, eat together, and play together. That playing together means flag football after our potluck meal. Please bring some clothes you don't mind getting down and dirty in. We will have four teams with the final two playing in the championship game. It's going to be a great day so bring some food, bring your "A" game, and bring a friend! I will be using the break between 1st and 2nd Thessalonians to preach a message I'm very excited about called, "Living the Blessed Life." I believe this message Sunday has the power to set you free from a cursed life into a life of blessing.

 

We're All About Groups!

 

Don't miss the opportunity to experience spiritual growth in your life by being part of a small group. Our Spring Growth Groups semester will begin the week of Sunday, February 8, and will end the week of April 28. We will be keeping the groups basically the same with the addition of one more group on Saturday evening. If you would like to sign up for one of our Growth Groups, you can do so by: 1) emailing me at tommy@ridgeviewchurch.net 2) signing up online at grow.ridgeviewchurch.net 3) signing up on the Connection card on Sunday morning 4) calling me at 630-9459.

 

We also have another exciting opportunity for your spiritual growth known as Life Transformation Groups (LTGs). They are groups of two to three people, same sex, who meet once  a week at anytime and anyplace for about an hour. LTGs do only three things: 1) Sin is confessed in mutual accountability 2) Scripture is read repetitively in context and in community 3) Souls are prayed for strategically, specifically, and continuously. This is one of the best ways I've seen disciples made in our church. More and more people each week are find a LTG partner. Let me know how I can help you find a partner and start on the path to growth.

 

See you Sunday!

 

Pastor Tommy