Sunday Reflections!

We continued our "Road to a New Destiny" series. Pastor David and the worship team provided great music and an amazing worship experience. I'm so grateful for our team of pastors. There is such a great chemistry among us. I'm also grateful for the quaility people that surround me in ministry who are pouring their lives, time and energy into Bethel Temple. All of our volunteers in ministry are exceptional people!!

I hope you enjoyed the magnificent presence of the Lord as much as I did. It's so cool to make a divine connection like that. I love being in church on Sundays! I never know who's going to show up. But every person who walks through the doors at Bethel Temple has a divine appointment with God. And for one mom and her son, Sunday was an incredible experience as they both crossed the line of faith and accepted Christ into their hearts!

As we continue to live in uncertain times. People everywhere are looking for stability. I'm asking everyone who calls Bethel Temple their church home to make our services a priority as we all try to make sense of what's going on around us. We serve a God who is constant and always reliable. He cares about you. He offers hope, practical help and real encouragement to us all. Make it a point in the coming week to invite someone you know to join with you this next Sunday!

I hope you have a remarkable week as you go about your normal routines and schedules.

This week I'm praying for a little extra grace and a little extra strength. I appreciate your prayer! I will be praying for you as well!

a remarkable day!

Sunday was such a remarkable day. Culminating` in a quality time around the altar, we shared communion and wholesome fellowship with each other.

Scripture gives us a template that we should all follow as we endeavor to build towards the vision of becoming a healthy, vibrant, and stronger church. As we put these into practice, we will see some amazing results occur!

Let's examine once again, our shared responsibilities:

1. Be in agreement with one another
2. Pursue that which builds up one another.
3. Accept one another
4. Show courtesy to one another
5. Carry one another's burdens
6. Tolerate one another
7. Forgive one another
8. Submit to one another
9. Admonish one another in wisdom
10. Comfort one another.
11. Promote love and good works in one another
12. Love one another

We are all in this together. We are on the same team. As we are faithful and keep our eyes on Jesus, one day, we'll all celebrate together at the feet of Christ!

23
that's an incredible number! that's a number that reminds us why we do what we do. this number provides us with encouragement, confirmation, resolve and everything we need to keep on going forward. 23 that's how many people stepped over the line of faith in September during our weekend services and our recent youth outreach. 23 more people who initiated a relationship with Jesus Christ.
I would like to thank everyone who is inviting people to join us for worship. That is the church in action. I am so grateful to you for reaching our and caring about people there is nothing more spiritually mature or Christ-like than introducing others to our Saviour. That's why we're here!

Throughout the coming days seize the opportunities that God brings your way. I'm interested in hearing how you're being blessed. Share with me your blessings and how the Lord is currently using you as a blessing to others.

the simple life!

While on vacation, nearby to my sister's residence, we discovered nestled among some of Tampa's most expensive real estate, seemingly out of place and lost in time, a quaint farm that will remind many of a simplier time and season of life. Marion Lambert is the owner of this quaint farm. He owns a single milking cow that he named "Lilly Bell", a handful of pigs, goats, working horses, banji chickens and thousands of honey bee's producing both wildflower and orange blossom honey. He sell's the milk, eggs, and honey on the "honor system" on a roadside stand located at the front entrance to his farm.

we very much enjoyed this visit with Mr. Lambert, he was very gracious with his time towards us. He is a simple man surrounded with simple ways of living, pleasures and purposes. For him simple is in and complexity is out!

In their book "Simple Church" by Thom S Rainer and Eric Geiger, they state that "people are hungry for simple, because the world has become much more complex. The amount of information assesible to us is contiually increasing. The abiliby to interact with the entire world is now possible. Technology continues to advance at a rapid pace. The result is a complicated world with complex and busy lives.
And in the midst of all this complexity, people want to find simplicity, they long for it, seek it, pay for it, and even dream of it. Simple is in. It works. Many respond to simple".

How bout you? is there an experience or memory that you have had in your past, that reminds you of the joy and pleasures that simple living provided? I'd like to hear from you, step back from your busyness and share a memory that will once again refresh your spirit and bring joy to others! I look forward to reading your comments! And if you would like to get a hold of some great tasting honey, have I got a great connection for you!

see ya soon!

Time Away Update

We woke up today to another beautiful Florida sunshine day. The previous week was quite busy. It began in Jacksonville as I attended the Asia Pacific Board of Regents meetings. Our featured speaker was Darth Li, a missionary from Cambodia. His testimony was both heartbreaking and riveting, as he shared with the assembled group of pastors his childhood growing up in “The Killing Fields” under a ruthless regime. Bro. Li has been to Bethel Temple in the past, yet many of our church community have never heard his testimony. It will bring you to tear’s. I invited him to return next summer when he comes to America on furlough.

Later in the week I drove to Sarasota where I met up with Shari as she went there to spend time with her sister Andrea and her husband Jacob. We went to Anna Maria’s Oyster Bar where we ate some outstanding fresh seafood! And yes I did eat some raw oysters!!! Later we went to Kilwin’s a favorite ice cream place on St. Armand’s Circle near Siesta Key beach. They have some of the best butter pecan ice cream to be found anywhere.

On Saturday we traveled to Tampa to visit with my sister Theresa and her son Derrick. We went to Outback Steakhouse for dinner that night. I had a ribeye steak that was pretty good. I can say that I’ve eaten well this week. On Sunday we went to Suncoast Cathedral in St. Petersburg. Pastor Tim Suddreth’s ministry team made us feel very welcomed. Probably 4-5 people asked us if we needed assistance in finding a Sunday School class to attend. We chose to go to their “Biblical Life Foundations” class taught by a young man named “James”, his lesson on forgiveness was right on the mark! As we made our way to the sanctuary we were met by David Ambrose, who was doing a fine job of greeting everyone as they entered the main service. The worship service was very good too as their worship pastor, Shelly Korrot brought the entire congregation into the presence of the Lord. One of the choruses featured a soloist Tamara Marsha whose anointed voice really elevated the worship time. Pastor Tim’s message was aimed at those who serve in the education field (teacher’s, school administrator’s ,college professors, etc..). He brought out some very good points from scripture and spoke of the importance we all have in teaching our children how to live lives productively and spiritually. He concluded by bringing all the teachers up to the altar (80-100+) and having them prayed over by St. Petersburg Christian Schools Lead Administrator, Dr. Sheila Cornea.

It is always good to visit another church to see what God is doing elsewhere. It’s also a great way to glean fresh perspective on how others do church differently and effectively. I wonder if others in our church who visited another church saw some things that were different. Things that helped make attending that service more enjoyable? I look for your comments and we will share them with our church staff in a future staff meeting.
Today my bible reading was 1 Thessalonians and 2 Thessalonians. As I read 1 Thess. 2:8 where it says, ”being affectionately desirous of you, we were willing to have imparted unto you, not the gospel of God only, but also our own souls, because you were dear to us.” I began to think of so many of you and I prayed God’s richest blessings for you today. Bethel Temple comprises some of the best people to be found anywhere! We miss you all very much.