Sunday, January 31, 2010

Sunday Splash!

As I sit here at home this evening and think about this mornings service at Sunset Chapel. I am once again amazed at how awesome God is! The worship team hit it out of the park today! There was so much energy in the sanctuary! They just seemed to hit their stride and reach a new level when they began to sing the song "God of This City". No doubt God wants to reach Miami with His message of life-change! Great job team for helping us to focus on our city this morning!

We concluded our current teaching series "Divine Mentor's" today. For me, today's insight's from the raw life experiences of Samson, if taken seriously can help all of us to live a more consistent, mistake free life with God. I picture the Lord, looking down at us and He is cheering us onward! He's extremely thrilled when His followers are living their best for Him.

We learned this morning that if we make illegal U-turns in life and choose to do the things that the world is doing we forfeit God's anointing, His presence and His power! Samson lived a flawed life. He continuously lived for his own selfish desires, ignoring God's calling upon his life to live differently. And we saw that it cost him dearly. The same is true today. When we decide to live for ourselves and follow the patterns of this world, we find that it costs us too.

Through out this four week series we learned so much from the biblical character's we focused on. Hopefully you have been able to glean some things from the lives of those who still speak and instruct us from their past experiences. If so, we have all set ourselves up to have a much better relationship with God and to experience a much better year in pursuit of God's purposes for our lives!!

Let me toss a few reminders out about our Iron Men Ministry that meets this Tuesday. Should be a great opportunity to connect as men of God.

The most important meeting of the week is scheduled for Wednesday!! Our Prayer Service will refuel your heart and spirit!

And if your a newcomer to Sunset Chapel we invite you to join us at Starbucks this Thursday at 7 pm located on SW 88th Street near the Dadeland Mall! It's gonna be a great week of ministry!

Monday, January 25, 2010

Subdued Reflection

Last night Shari and I were traveling to visit with one of the many great families from Sunset Chapel when we were quite unexpectedly nearly involved in a two car accident! Needless to say that moment grabbed our attention. We continued on to our destination and enjoyed a great night of laughter and encouragement! Then as we proceeded onwards toward our apartment another accident occurred in an intersection as the vehicle directly in front of us made a sharp turn into another oncoming car. We could feel the impact of the two vehicles as they collided together. It stunned us at first as we came to a complete stop in the middle of the same intersection. Shari lost it in a split second, the scene was to reminiscent for her as she instantaneously recalled her previous accident with our son's several years ago. Twice within hours God's grace and mercy had surrounded us. Once home, I began to "ponder" these near misses.

I must confess that the rest of the evening and throughout most of this day I have been deeply entrenched into "subdued reflection". On Sunday as I shared another "Divine Mentor's" teaching message, we looked closely at Joseph.

In Genesis 37:11 NIV it says.".His brothers, were jealous of him,but his father kept the matter in mind", other versions of that same scripture said...

AMP- "his father pondered over it"
KJV- "his father observed the saying"
Mess- "his father brooded over the whole business"

In Luke 2:19 NIV I read this morning in our ministry team devotions..
"but Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart"

Mess- "Mary kept all these things to herself, holding them dear, deep within herself"
NCV- "Mary treasured these things and continued to think about them"
AMP- "Mary was keeping within herself these things (sayings), weighing and pondering them in her heart"

Subdued Reflection isn't usually an out loud conversation. It's an inside the mind conversation.

According to the American College Dictionary "Subdued" means to repress (feelings, impulses, etc.); to tone down; to soften; to overpower by superior force;to overcome.

What can cause you to stop dead in your tracks? What can cease your thoughts from rambling and become riveted to just ONE THING?

What are the first thoughts you generally have when you waken from an evening of rest and sleep? Is there something you can't shake? Something you seem to always dwell upon? Something you're hoping for? Something you're dreaming about? Is there something that no one else knows or only a select few friends are aware of? How will it affect/change you if that thought becomes a reality? Will it be for good or for bad?

Proverbs 5:21 NIV says, "For a man's ways are in full view of the Lord and He examines all his paths".

Proverbs 21:2 NIV says, "All a man's ways seem right to him, but the Lord weighs the heart".

I Samuel 16:7 NIV says, .."The Lord does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart".

And it says in Ezekiel 36:26 NIV .."I will give you a heart of flesh"

A heart can be wronged, hurt, broken,
A heart can be made sorrowful, weighed down,
A heart can become grief-stricken,
A heart can also be encouraged, refreshed and lifted up!

Subdued Reflection in my opinion..begins in the heart. My heart today is filled with enormous gratitude to God who watches over me and my family on a daily basis. If there is any danger ahead, He is already there defending and protecting us. I cannot adequately describe with spoken words how my hearts feels at this moment. But I am pleased to know that the One who loves me most, can hear the "reflections" of my heart today.

Sunday, January 24, 2010

Sunday Splash!

Today's service started slow today as people seemed to arrive late and preoccupied.

Our Worship team came through in a big time way! I really enjoyed their song "I will Run" this morning. That song created the spiritual breakthrough for God to move and minister to so many who seemed to be overwhelmed by their life circumstances. I really just want to step aside when the Lord's Spirit begins to do a deep work in the hearts of those who respond. I truly believe that miracles were taking place in people's lives!

There was definitely a different atmosphere in the service by the time I began to give todays teaching message on Joseph, "The youth whose dreams came true"!! Throughout his life struggles he remained faithful to God.

Ultimately God used Joseph to save two nations! His life is a reminder that although we may feel like we are stuck in a deep dark pit, God is already at work and preparing us for greater things. Despite rejection and fabricated lies, God allowed some very important lessons to be learned during each phase of his circumstances.

Like Joseph, once we travel past hardships, pain and even injustice, God allows our dreams to be returned to us and fulfilled! If someone or something has stolen your dream, don't give up! Clutch God's hand tighter and continue to trust Him! Dare to dream again!!

I am convinced that nothing speaks to our souls like scripture. God gives us useful insights, lessons and encouragement from the "Divine Mentor's" who continue to speak into our lives. Reading is where our quest begins, but meditating and studying the Bible is how His word gets into your soul. I recommend to everyone, get a good study Bible and begin a daily Bible reading plan. There are many more lessons you need to exhale from the "Divine Mentor's" found in your Bible!

It was exciting to make todays BIG ANNOUNCEMENT! Adam and Bethany Weatherly have accepted our invitation to join our ministry team here at Sunset Chapel! We are looking forward to their arrival March 1, 2010. Plans are underway to see a rebirth take place in youth ministry here at SC. The Weatherly's come to us with lot's of energy, enthusiasm, and some much needed skills that will enable us to more effectively influence and reach our city for Christ!

As I scanned the crowd this morning, it was again a highlight for me to see that there were a handful of new guest's in our service! I want to thank our Sunset Chapel family for your constant support! Keep investing and inviting! God is allowing us to build a new future under His guidance!

Saturday, January 23, 2010

Divine Mentor's - Current Series Update


I am really looking forward to sharing with everyone tomorrows teaching from our current "Divine Mentor's" series! We will ponder the life-story of Joseph together and look closely at the emotional maturity he developed in his life once he exited from the pit. After he made it to the far side of suffering, pain, and injustice he experienced significant breakthroughs in his life. He was a young man whose dreams came true!

When we grow in our relationship with God. We feel what He feels. Our corresponding actions and decisions towards others can have a huge impact on their future. As we have discovered this past week during the overwhelming response of so many to the Haiti earthquake crisis we must never underestimate a single act of compassion, no matter how small it may be. It can have eternal ramifications!

Here's some things you need to know about tomorrow! I will be making a special announcement in the service that will positively expand our influence into the city of Miami!! If you come ready to worship God, I believe that our time together will be incredible and memorable! If you bring guest's with you, they will experience an inviting and friendly atmosphere! Shari and I have a contest going to see who gets the most HUGS!! I will win this contest!!!!!

Wednesday, January 20, 2010

Haiti Update!

Just received this text from Melissa Edwards and her team of surgical doctors.."we are setting up an amputation site and a stadium of people are nearby us waiting for food but we can't give them any because of fear of inciting a riot... trying to figure out how to help. We walked through a collapsed building, they told us it was an elementary school, looking for survivors, the smell of rotting bodies was overwhelming even with our masks on...I want to cry!"

Let's continue to keep her in our prayers. Haiti experienced another 6.1 aftershock early this morning! Please pray for the safety of all the volunteers who are assisting with the tragic aftermath of this devastating earthquake.

This morning I listened to the radio as I was driving to the church office and they gave a report of a recent poll that was taken across the USA that stated that over 32% of American's had no intention of giving towards the needs of this nation. That saddens my heart to think that millions of my fellow citizens are that calloused and hard-hearted. What will it take to break the hardness and parched hearts of so many people? I am so humbled to serve as the lead pastor of such a caring, giving and praying community of Christ followers! I am sure that God is taking notice of your generosity!

If your schedule permits, please join us for the most important gathering on our weekly church calendar.."Prayer Service" begins at 7 pm. We will continue to pray for Haiti and for other needs as well! I hope to see you there!

Tuesday, January 19, 2010

Haiti Update!

I want to give a great big shout out to our entire Sunset Chapel church family! This morning I reported on facebook that $2710.70 was received in our Sunday Haiti relief offering! Then I got word just before leaving the church office that an additional $850.00 came in through online giving! That's a combined total of $3560.70!! Thank you for your generosity! It's not to late to donate, you can go to sunsetchapel.com and make an online contribution on our homepage.

I also received a report today that Convoy of Hope has been able to establish 9 distribution points in Haiti thus far. Already 200,000 meals have been served. In addition to those numbers two mobile units are also distributing food and water where people can't reach help. Another 1 million pounds of food (25 containers) are on the way to Haiti.

One our SC attenders Melissa Edwards was able to fly with a surgical team from Jackson Memorial Hospital to Haiti today. She was able to text back to us that she landed at 4 pm and they have been assigned the task of performing countless surgeries and amputations in areas of Haiti where there have been no first responders available to meet the demanding medical needs. Please keep her and the entire team in your prayers as they try to save as many lives as possible.

Also, if you would be interested in joining a missions team that will travel to Haiti once rebuilding efforts are organized, please be sure to contact the church office and indicate your interest. Once it has been determined that teams can come in and do specific tasks we will arrange a meeting to discuss dates, costs, and fundraising ideas. If you don't yet have a passport I suggest that you work on obtaining one as soon as you can. I am so grateful to those who have already expressed a desire to be involved in this effort.

Keep praying for Haiti!!

Monday, January 18, 2010

A Great Mentor- Rev. Robert Ferguson

Upon my arrival to Miami some months ago I had the privilege to return to Sarasota and visit with Rev. Robert and Ruth Ferguson. My wife, Shari and I consider them to be one of the greatest influence's in our lives and ministry. We had the privilege of working on his ministry team as the youth pastor at Calvary Assembly of God, Sarasota, FL ( now renamed The Church of Hope). Rev. Ferguson served successfully as a missionary to Jamaica for several years and as Senior Pastor for churches in both Indiana and Florida.

Pastor Ferguson has served as a mentor and coach for me on numerous occasions. My life and ministry has benefited from his sage advice, counsel and leadership! It was wonderful to spend the afternoon with him and update him on the transition and new opportunities that God has brought our way! Below was a very special moment for me during our time together! I thank the Lord for the "Divine Mentor's" He has placed in my life!

Great Mentor Rev. Ferguson from russell debord on Vimeo.

Sunday Splash!

We experienced another great day at Sunset Chapel! I am always amazed at how God allows thing's to come together! For the third straight weekend of 2010 we have seen our attendance continue to increase! There were a healthy number of new guests in our service! Everyone is doing a terrific job of spreading the word about SC and what God is doing here in Miami!!!!

I want to give a big shout out to Maritza Velez and her daughter, Laura who together created our awesome stonewall backdrop! It really helped me with the message as we focused on Nehemiah's "Call to the Wall"!! We are blessed to have such creative in house artists! I think everyone was able to visualize the task that God called Nehemiah to as one of great undertaking.

Nehemiah's calling to repair the ruins of Jerusalem was a result of Israel's sin and disobedience. Our lives experience so much pain and devastation as well when we don't build up the walls of our heart and mind to protect us from Satan's influences. Like our "Divine Mentor" we must become people of determination, courage and commitment. And like him we must anticipate that some serious obstacles and hindrances will come up against us. As people of God whenever we attempt great things for God, you and I must be prepared for great opposition. Nehemiah as a leader demonstrated outstanding leadership traits such as the ability to...

1.Model the Way
2.Inspire a Shared Vision
3.Challenge the Process
4.Enable Other's to Act
5.Encourage the Heart

The church always stands in need of men and women like that! It was such an encouraging sight to see everyone come forward at the conclusion of the teaching message and place your own personal " Call to the Wall" hopes and desires. Best of all, was the response of 4 individuals who made decision's to rebuild the ruins of their lives and allow God, The Wise Masterbuilder to come into their hearts and lay the foundation of His Son, Jesus Christ!

Let me also express appreciation to each one for the incredible response we received for the Haiti earthquake offering.Thank you for allowing God to prompt your heart to make a donation. I am so blessed to pastor such a wonderful and compassionate church! I will post later this week an update with the total we received and any updates that come into our office from our General Superintendent, Rev. George Woods. We will keep you posted concerning future opportunities to be involved in relief and recovery efforts. On that note, please keep Melissa Edwards in your prayers as she fly's to Haiti on Tuesday with her team of surgical doctors to assist with the challenging medical crisis there in Haiti.

Saturday, January 16, 2010

Divine Mentor's/Haiti Earthquake Response


Don't miss our current teaching series "Divine Mentor's". During tomorrow's second message we'll be looking at the life of Nehemiah and his "Call to the Wall". Nehemiah found his passion and calling after a visit from his brother. That conversation changed his life and allowed him to discover his life purpose. Yet his response to God's call to rebuild the ruined wall's of Jerusalem came as a result of Israel's sin.

Sin's influence and involvement in our lives also produces destruction and ruin. What wall's in your heart and life need to be rebuilt? As a Christ-follower, come and allow the Holy Spirit to reveal area's that you may need to rebuild in your own life and be able to avoid hurtful consequences.

As reports of Haiti's devastation continue to overwhelm us, the numbers are still inconclusive as to how many death's have actually occurred. It's very possible that over 3 million people are directly affected by this natural disaster. Haiti has long beenconsidered the poorest nation in the Western Hemisphere.

Our fellowship has 273 churches there with over 66,000 members who like so many are dazed, in shock and struggling to make sense of everything. The needs are so great, I am appealing to our people at Sunset Chapel to consider either making an online donation on our website homepage or come prepared to make a contribution during this weekend's service. We will be supporting two ministries "Convoy of Hope" and "Latin America Child Care", both of these ministries are currently in Haiti doing all they can to assist the Haitian people.

Let me say thank you in advance for your prayer's and response that will come to help this nation as they try to recover from this great tragedy. We will assess future needs and consider becoming involved in sending a mission's team of volunteer's once we hear that our missionaries and these organizations are prepared for this to occur.

Wednesday, January 13, 2010

Pain into Purpose! - Haiti Relief



In response to yesterday's devastating earthquake in Haiti, I want to encourage everyone possible to first pray.

Please consider joining with us for tonight's Prayer Service as we direct our thoughts and prayers towards this impoverished and hurting nation. Many of our families who attend Sunset Chapel will be in attendance and will bring us first-hand reports from their families living in Haiti. In the midst of this stunning devastation, God is able to accomplish much.

As the nation and people struggle to regain their bearings and balance, aid and recovery efforts are well underway from a variety of sources. Would you consider making a contribution to help assist those who are on the ground and fully engaged in the extensive humanitarian and recovery efforts.

Two such organizations are "Convoy of Hope", which provides emergency services, medical care, food, water, temporary tent shelters, and blankets. The second is "Latin America Child Care", which has several schools in the affected areas and who is frantically trying to assist the children and families that have been affected by this disaster.

I have already authorized an initial contribution to be forwarded to these organizations. We will receive a humanitarian aid offering in our Sunday morning service. You can go to our homepage and click on our online giving icon,then select "other", designate your contribution amount, and then type in "Haiti" in the box. If you've not already used this feature, you will be prompted through the process to be able to utilize this giving resource. If you have any further questions, please contact Frances Watkins at 305-271-4094 ext. 102 and she will assist you with your requests.

Sunday, January 10, 2010

Sunday Splash!

Thanks worship team for ushering in God's presence! The song "The Presence of the Lord is Here" was a huge hit with everyone!

Today was another fantastic day @ Sunset Chapel as three more people crossed over the line of faith! Every person that made the decision to follow Christ today is an amazing miraculous life-change story!

There was no way to anticipate what God accomplished in our service today. His presence was powerful as we assembled together around the altar. Today we experienced a significant breakthrough as a church.

As we endeavor to rebirth God's purposes and vision for our church I make no apologies for my pentecostal roots and personal desire to see the Spirit of the Lord move upon each of you. I sincerely want Him to refresh and refuel your hearts! Let's continue to advance forward deeper in our relationship with Christ.

Today I kicked off a new teaching series called "Divine Mentor's". God has given us numerous mentors that offer us valuable insights, counsel, and direction. As we focus on a handful of them in the next several weeks I am convinced they will provide a positive impact on your life!

We placed the lens of our spiritual microscopes on "Enoch" this morning. We could clearly see that he lived by faith, endeavored to please God, trusted in the Lord's Word and Promises and made every effort to live a holy life. As a result he walked with God and so pleased the Lord.. that God honored Enoch by taking him away from earth to be with Him forever!

As we scrutinize our lives, we can see that there may be areas we need to address and change in order to be like Enoch, and walk closely with God. Some attitudes, behaviors, and speech tendencies may require Christ's cleansing blood to be applied! If we position ourselves in such a way that allows God to evaluate our lives, we can experience the presence of God constantly surrounding us!

Looking back at my life and almost 28 years of full-time ministry. I've made far to many mistakes and experienced the consequences and hurt and failure. I feel each one has taught me a lesson. I see how God has used them to draw me closer to Him and make me more into the man He desires me to be. It's my prayer that I not repeat the mistakes of my past, but make me completely new ones as I move forward. I'm thankful for all I've learned in the past few years, and I know that because of this I will be a better husband, father, friend, and pastor in the future than I was in the past.

This evening as I put my head on my pillow, I'm completely whipped, but also completely overwhelmed with gratitude that God has given me this opportunity of a lifetime.. to be part of peoples lives and to pastor such an amazing church! I love being the lead pastor here at Sunset Chapel!!

Saturday, January 9, 2010

New Teaching Series!


New series "Divine Mentor's" begins tomorrow @ Sunset Chapel. This will be a Sunday you don't want to miss. I am very excited about this teaching series that God has given me to bring. It's already challenging me to step up my game as a Christ-follower and I'm praying it will do the same for you!

This teaching series will assist you in keeping your faith in balance, your walk with God fresh and you'll learn to avoid making damaging mistakes and save yourself from hurtful consequences.

Join us at SC as we examine the lives and experiences of some of the Bible's most remarkable individuals. We begin with a close up look at Enoch, whose life of excellence we should all try to model! I'll be looking for you and your guest's @ 10:30 am!!!

Sunday, January 3, 2010

Sunday Splash!

Let The Adventure Begin! Our first Sunday of 2010 was way better than I expected! When I woke up this morning I prayed for God to show up big time! Boy! He sure did! I am so thankful and humbled over the 5 individuals who made decisions to include Christ in their lives as this new year unfolds. Seeing them lift their heads and look me in the eye and raise their hands was very powerful. I could see in their faces the sincere desire for a better and changed life. I watched in awe as several had tears flow down their cheeks as they reached up to Him! I am so excited for each of them! Their future is definitely going to be much better!!!!

I met so many new people today! I am always delighted to meet and make new friends! Today I met Max, Lacy, Eric, Marla, Veronna, Rita, Angelo, Joanne, and Yusi's entire family along with many others! Welcome to Sunset Chapel!

Twenty ten will be a year to dream God-sized dreams! Let's dream some things together that will be destined to fail without God's divine involvement! May we all become more desperate and dependent on God in our lives and efforts as we follow Christ! Let's determine to remove the clutter and our strict control tendencies so God is able to allow spiritual spontaneity to occur in our hearts and church! I pray that God is able to bring "times of refreshing" to Sunset Chapel many times over.

Our time together at the conclusion of my message was another highlight of the day for me! For a full hour Shari and I had the privilege and honor of praying for God to bring incredible blessings into the lives of every Sunset Chapel family. We never take for granted the opportunity to lead this great church. We sincerely want to see God take you places you've never been before! May this year be filled with unexplainable and delightful surprises as the Lord pours His favor upon you!

Saturday, January 2, 2010

Brand New Starts!

I absolutely love the month of January! It represents fresh starts and brand new beginnings! Like many I am looking forward to the new year that God has in store for us. Today I spent a great deal of time with the Lord in preparation for tomorrows first service of 2010! Hopefully you and your family will be present. An awesome service is planned and I am looking forward to praying with each family represented in our service at the conclusion of my message. I anticipate that there will be numerous guests coming to start the New Year with us desiring God to become more involved in their lives! I want to do everything possible to help them make that happen! Lot's of people who don't normally attend church regularly will come with you if YOU will take a moment to call, text or email them!! Let's all be willing to step up to the plate and become part of something great in the New Year!

Don't forget that a new quarter begins in our Life Training Classes in the morning at 9:30 am!! Also we start our first "New Members Class" too! You will enjoy the aroma of fresh brewed coffee and tasty donuts upon your arrival. Bring your Bible and be prepared to grow deeper in your walk with God! We will also celebrate Communion in our 10:30 service.

I started the new year with the goal of pushing, stretching and developing my spiritual muscles more in the New Year! I've made several commitments to the Lord that I will be sharing with everyone during my message in the morning. I will share some ideas that we can do together as we all prepare ourselves to be used by God more in 2010! I am hoping to see you in the morning!!!

Friday, January 1, 2010

Happy New Year!

May you and your family celebrate Jesus Christ in this coming year with renewed hope, and may your dreams be greater than your memories! Shari and I pray that you are abundantly blessed emotionally, physically and spiritually throughout 2010 so that you are able to boldly pursue the vision that God has for you. I encourage you to begin praying high risk prayers and become actively engaged in the relentless pursuit of God's amazing purposes for your life in 2010!

People everywhere are in the mood for a fresh start, so it's a great time to launch a renewed effort to invite them to a weekend service at Sunset Chapel. I look forward to the new surge of energy and enthusiasm the New Year brings us! Let's all bring our "A" game each weekend and get ready for the incredible opportunities God will bring our way!!

Though things are definitely different at a small church, our approach to ministry remains the same as a much larger church. We strive to employ creativity and personal interaction to reach out and connect people who are living far from Christ.

Our website has been updated and we continue to strive in making it easy to navigate it and include content that gives our Internet guests a taste of the Sunset Chapel experience.

Yet nothing beats one on one dialogue with someone. Whether we are in grocery stores, favorite restaurants, or at any of the great shopping malls throughout the greater Miami area, we endeavor to strike up conversations with those around us. Building relationships within the city of Miami is the most successful form of outreach available.

While looking at the directory of stores recently in the Dadeland Mall, I was able to start a conversation with an individual and ended up receiving his business card and now we are exchanging emails. He recently requested more information about our church and wants to come visit!! I love that God makes these divine connections possible!

Friendliness at Sunset Chapel is irreplaceable! A positive attitude and a huge smile are tremendous assets in attracting people to our church. We have some of the best greeters and ushers who circulate our entrance areas and in the sanctuary to engage our guests in conversation before and after the services! I am so proud of each one who serves in these areas..keep up the good work you do!

I really believe that this first weekend of 2010 has the potential to be life changing for so many people that will attend our service. I am asking you to be in prayer with me for God to accomplish something special in our time together.

It will be a great time to show up for the very first time if you have never been to Sunset Chapel and if you have been to SC in the past, it will be a tremendous weekend to return!!If you are a regular attender, it's a fantastic time to nudge a friend or family member to begin the New Year well and come with you!! Bring everyone you know with you and don't forget to arrive early! It's going to be an exceptional day!!